In Suffolk husbandry the man who, (whether by merit or by sufferance I know not) goes foremost through the harvest with the scythe or the sickle, is honoured with the title of "_Lord_," and at the Horkey, or harvest-home feast, collects what he can, for himself and brethren, from the farmers and visitors, to make a "frolick" afterwards, called "the largess spending." By way of returning thanks, though perhaps formerly of much more, or of different signification, they immediately leave the seat of festivity, and with a very long and repeated shout of "a largess," the number of shouts being regulated by the sums given, seem to wish to make themselves heard by the people of the surrounding farms. And before they rejoin the company within, the pranks and the jollity I have endeavoured to describe, usually take place. These customs, I believe, are going fast out of use; which is one great reason for my trying to tell the rising race of mankind that such were the customs when I was a boy. I have annexed a glossary of such words as may be found by general readers to require explanation. And will add a short extract from Sir Thomas Brown, of Norwich, M. D. who was born three years before Milton, and outlived him eight years. "It were not impossible to make an original reduction of many words of no general reception in _England_, but of common use in _Norfolk_, or peculiar to the _East-Angle_ counties; as, Bawnd, Bunny, Thurck, Enemis, Matchly, Sainmodithee, Mawther, Kedge, Seele, Straft, Clever, Dere, Nicked, Stingy, Noneare, Fett, Thepes, Gosgood, Kamp, Sibrit, Fangast, Sap, Cothish, Thokish, Bide-owe, Paxwax. Of these, and some others, of no easy originals, when time will permit, the resolution shall be attempted; which to effect, the Danish language, new, and more ancient, may prove of good advantage: which nation remained here fifty years upon agreement, and have left many families in it, and the language of these parts had surely been more commixed and perplex, if the fleet of _Hugo de Bones_ had not been cast away, wherein three-score thousand souldiers, out of Britany and Flanders, were to be wafted over, and were, by King _John's_ appointment, to have a settled habitation in the counties of _Norfolk_ and _Suffolk_." Tract the viii. on Languages, particularly the Saxon. Folio, 1686, page 48. THE HORKEY. A Provincial Ballad. What gossips prattled in the sun, Who talk'd him fairly down, Up, memory! tell; 'tis Suffolk fun, And lingo of their own. Ah! _Judie Twitchet!_[A] though thou'rt dead, With thee the tale begins; For still seems thrumming in my head The rattling of thy pins. [Footnote A: Judie Twitchet was a real person, who lived many years with my mother's cousin Bannock, at Honnington.] Thou Queen of knitters! for a ball Of worsted was thy pride; With dangling stockings great and small, And world of clack beside!