For the custom of riding the black ram, and the penal rhyme thereto attached, we refer the reader to the _Spectator,_ No. 614. The following rhyming wills have been proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury: "The fifth of May, Being airy and gay And to hip not inclined, But of vigorous mind, And my body in health. I'll dispose of my wealth, And all I'm to leave On this side the grave, To some one or other, And I think to my brother; Because I foresaw That my brethren in law, If I did not take care, Would come in for their share, Which I nowise intended, 'Till their manners are mended, And of that God knows there's no sign. I do therefore enjoin, And do strictly command, Of which witness my hand, That naught I have got Be brought into hotchpot: But I give and devise, As much as in me lies, To the son of my mother, My own dear brother. And to have and to hold All my silver and gold, As th' affectionate pledges Of his brother, JOHN HEDGES." In the next, the items are more curious and particular: "What I am going to bequeath When this frail part submits to death-- But still I hope the spark divine, With its congenial stars shall shine, My good executors fulfill, And pay ye fairly my last will, With first and second codicil. And first I give to dear Lord Hinton, At Twyford school now, not at Winton, One hundred guineas and a ring, Or some such memorandum thing, And truly much I should have blunder'd, Had I not given another hundred To dear Earl Paulett's second son, Who dearly loves a little fun. Unto my nephew, Stephen Langdon, Of whom none says he e'er has wrong done, The civil laws he loves to hash, I give two hundred pounds in cash. One hundred pounds to my niece, Tudor, (With luring eyes one Clark did view her,) And to her children just among 'em, A hundred more--and not to wrong 'em, In equal shares I freely give it, Not doubting but they will receive it. To Betsy Mudford and Mary Lee, If they with Mrs. Mudford be, Because they round the year did dwell In Davies-street, and serv'd full well. The first ten pounds, the other twenty, And girls, I hope that will content ye. In seventeen hundred and sixty-nine, This with my hand I write and sign, The sixteenth day of fair October, In merry mood, but sound and sober. Past my threescore and fifteenth year, With spirits gay and conscience clear-- Joyous and frolicksome, though old, And like this day, serene, but cold; To foes well wishing, and to friends most kind, In perfect charity with all mankind. For what remains I must desire, To use the words of Matthew Prior. Let this my will be well obey'd, And farewell all, I'm not afraid, For what avails a struggling sigh. When soon, or later, all must die? M. DARLEY."