"You ask me why I love, go ask the glorius son, why it throw the world doth run, ask time and fat [fate?] the reason why it flow, ask dammask rosees why so full they blow, and all things elce suckets fesh which forceeth me to love. By this you see what car my parents toock of me. Elizabeth Matrom is my name, and with my nedell I rought the same, and if my judgment had beene better, I would have mended every letter. And she that is wise, her time will pris (e), she that will eat her breakfast in her bed, and spend all the morning in dressing of her head, and sat at deaner like a maiden bride, God in His mercy may do much to save her, but what a cas is he in that must have her. Elizabeth Matrom. The sun sets, the shadows fleys, the good consume, and the man he deis." More than one proposal has been made, in all seriousness, during the compilation of this volume, that it would add enormously to its interest and value if every inscription that could be found upon samplers were herein set out at length. It is needless to say that it has been altogether impossible to entertain such a task. It is true that the feature of samplers which, perhaps, interests and amuses persons most is the quaint and incongruous legends that so many of them bear, but I shall, I believe, have quite sufficiently illustrated this aspect of the subject if I divide it into various groups, and give a few appropriate examples of each. These may be classified under various headings. Verses commemorating Religious Festivals These are, perhaps, more frequent than any others. Especially is this the case with those referring to Easter, which is again and again the subject of one or other of the following verses:-- "The holy feast of Easter was injoined To bring Christ's Resurrection to our Mind, Rise then from Sin as he did from the Grave, That by his Merits he your Souls may save. "White robes were worn in ancient Times they say, And gave Denomination to this Day But inward Purity is required most To make fit Temples for the Holy Ghost." _Mary Wilmot_, 1761. Or the following:-- "See how the lilies flourish wite and faire, See how the ravens fed from heaven are; Never distrust thy God for cloth and bread While lilies flourish and the Raven's fed." _Mary Heaviside_, 1735. Or the variation set out on Fig. 19. [Illustration: PLATE VI.--PORTION OF SAMPLER BY ELIZABETH CREASEY. DATED 1686. _The Late Mr A. Tuer._