A Friendlie Manne--A Worthie Knight,
Whose herte and mynde was ever prest
To favour truthe--to furder righte.
"The poore's defense--hys neighbors ayde,
Most kinde alwaies unto his Kyne,
That stynt alle striffes that might be stayed,
Whose gentil grace great love dyd wynne,
"A Man that was fulle earneste sette
To serve hys prince at alle assayes,
No sicknesse could him from itt lette,
Which was the shortninge of hys daies.
"His lyf was good--he dyed fulle welle,
Hys bodie here--the soule in blisse;
With lengthe of wordes, why should I telle,
Or further shewe, that well knowne is,
Since that the teares of mor or lesse
Right welle declare hys worthynesse."

A.B.R.

* * * * *


QUERIES.

THE TALE OF THE WARDSTAFF.

Can any of your antiquarian correspondents furnish further elucidation of
the strange ceremony of the gathering of the Wardstaff (which was in old
time one of the customs of the hundred of Ongar, in Essex) than are to be