Map| Names of Places. | County. | Number of Miles From | +--+------------------+----------+-----------+-------------+ 43|Baldersley[A] to|N.R. York |Ripon 6|Thirsk 6| 22|Balderston chap|Lancaster |Preston 7|Blackburn 5| 30|Balderton pa|Nottingham|Newark 2|Bingham 12| 18|Baldock[B] m.t.&pa|Hertford |Hertford 19|Biggleswade 8| 31|Baldon Marsh pa|Oxford |Oxford 7|Abingdon 7| 31|Baldon-Toot pa|Oxford |... 6|... 7| +--+-----------------+-----------+-----------+-------------+ |Dist.| Map| Names of Places. | Number of Miles From |Lond.|Population. +--+------------------+----------------------+-------------+ 43|Baldersley[A] to|Borobridge 8| 214| 267| 22|Balderston chap|Clitheroe 12| 217| 658| 30|Balderton pa|Grantham 12| 122| 830| 18|Baldock[B] m.t.&pa|Stevenage 6| 37| 1704| 31|Baldon Marsh pa|Wheatley 7| 52| 318| 31|Baldon-Toot pa|... 7| 53| 272| +--+------------------+----------------------+-----+-------+ [A] BALDERSLEY. Near this village is an extensive common, called Hutton Conyers Moor, on which there is a rabbit-warren; the inhabitants have a right of estray for their sheep on this moor, in conjunction with some other townships, and each township has a shepherd. The lord's shepherd has a pre-eminence of tending his sheep on every part of the common; and wherever he herds the lord's sheep, the several other shepherds are to give place to him, and give up what is termed their hofiong place, so long as they are depastured thereon. The lord's court is held on the first of January; the shepherds attend the court, and each do fealty by bringing a large apple-pye and a two-penny sweet-cake; each pye is divided into two parts, and distributed by the bailiff between the steward, the tenant of the rabbit-warren, and the shepherds of the townships, reserving a portion however for himself. Each pye contains about a peck of flour, and the bailiff measures them with a rule to see that they are of the proper dimensions; should they not be so he threatens to fine the town; he, however, has to provide furmenty (a food made by boiling wheat in milk) and mustard. The furmenty is put into an earthen pot, and the top of the dish placed level with the ground, all persons present are invited to partake; those who do not accept the invitation are deemed disloyal to their lord. Every shepherd is compelled to bring a spoon with him, and in cases of neglect, or wilful pleasantry, they are obliged to sup the hot furmenty from the pot, and the bystanders not unfrequently plunge the offenders head into the mixture, as a matter of diversion. [Sidenote: Right of Common.] [Sidenote: Singular custom.]