origin of this singular custom? I inquired of some of the dignitaries
of the Cathedral, but they were not aware even of its existence. The
boys, however, have more tenacious memories, at least where their
interest is concerned; but we must not look to them for the origin of
a {374} custom which appears to have long existed. In the _Memorials
of John Ray_, published by the Ray Society, p. 131., there is the
following entry in his second Itinerary:--

"July the 26th, 1661, we began our journey northwards from
Cambridge, and that day, passing through Huntingdon and
Stilton, we rode as far as Peterborough twenty-five miles.
There I first heard the Cathedral service. The choristers made
us pay money for coming into the choir with our spurs on."

East Winch.

[The following note from _The Book of the Court_ will serve
to illustrate the curious custom referred to by our
correspondent:

"In _The Privy Purse Expenses of King Henry VIII._ edited by
Sir Harris Nicolas, there occur several entries of payments
made to the choristers of Windsor 'in rewarde for the king's
spurs'; which the editor supposes to mean 'money paid to
redeem the king's spurs, which had become the fee of the
choristers at Windsor, perhaps at installations, or at the
annual celebration of St. George's feast.' No notice of the
subject occurs in Ashmole's or Anstis's _History of the Order
of the Garter_. Mr. Markland, quoting a note to Gifford's
edition of Ben Jonson, vol. ii. p. 49., says, 'In the time