A curious little book, entitled “The West-country Clothier undone by a Peacock,” says, “The sack-posset must be eaten and the stocking flung, to see who can first hit the bridegroom _on the nose_.” Misson, a traveller in England at the beginning of the last century, relates, concerning this usage, that the young men took the bride’s stocking, and the girls those of the bridegroom; each of whom, sitting at the foot of the bed, threw the stocking over their heads, endeavouring to make it fall upon that of the bride, or her spouse: if the bridegroom’s stockings, thrown by the girls, fell upon the bridegroom’s head, it was a sign that they themselves would soon be married: and a similar prognostic was taken from the falling of the bride’s stocking, thrown by the young men. The usage is related to the same effect in a work entitled “Hymen,” &c. (8vo. 1760.) “The men take the bride’s stockings, and the women those of the bridegroom: they then seat themselves at the bed’s feet, and throw the stockings over their heads, and whenever any one hits the owner of them, it is looked upon as an omen that the person will be married in a short time: and though this ceremony is looked upon as mere play and foolery, new marriages are often occasioned by such accidents. Meantime the posset is got ready and given to the married couple. When they awake in the morning, a sack-posset is also given them.” A century before this, in a “A Sing-Song on Clarinda’s Wedding,” in R. Fletcher’s “Translations and Poems, 1656,” is the following stanza:-- “This clutter ore, Clarinda lay Half-bedded, like the peeping day Behind Olimpus’ cap; Whiles at her head each twitt’ring girle The fatal stocking quick did whirle To know the lucky hap.” And the “Progress of Matrimony,” in “The Palace Miscellany,” 1733, says, “Then come all the younger folk in, With ceremony throw the stocking; Backward, o’er head, in turn they toss’d it, Till in sack-posset they had lost it. Th’ intent of flinging thus the hose, Is to hit him or her _o’ th’ nose_: Who hits the mark, thus, o’er left shoulder Must married be, ere twelve months older.” This adventuring against the most prominent feature of the face is further mentioned in “The Country Wedding,” a poem, in the Gentleman’s Magazine, for March 1735, vol. v. p. 158. “Bid the lasses and lads to the merry brown bowl, While rashers of bacon shall smoke on the coal: Then Roger and Bridget, and Robin and Nan, _Hit ’em each on the nose, with the hose if you can_.” Dunton’s “British Apollo,” 1708, contains a question and answer concerning this old usage. “_Q._ Apollo, say, whence ’tis I pray, The ancient custom came, Stockings to throw (I’m sure you know) At bridegroom and his dame?