For these Reasons I am of opinion yt yt parish in general can't be compell'd to pay their costs.

To ye 2nd. If ye Ch. wardens have employ'd a Proctor he will be p'd, and ye best way for them to get ye money again will be by gentle methods, not by a proceeding at Law. The parishioners may possibly be persuaded to give their approbation and at a Vestry.

To ye 3rd. The Proctors taxing a Bill will be of no service. He sh'd have objected againt ye pleading ye Act of Grace without paying costs, for by ye act Costs are to be paid by those yt claim ye Benefit thereof.

G. Paul, D'rs Commons, July 15, 1718.

May 16, 1750.—That Mr. Green Apothecary at Litchfield be admitted an honorary member of ye Society. (This was Mr. Green of the Museum there.)

September 20, 1752.-Proposed yt as ye Revd. Mr. Fisher, Vicar of St. John's the Baptist, in Peterborough, has at our joint request let unto us for so small a consideration as five shillings a year the room over the Church porch during his incumbency in order to reposit therein all our books, medals, pictures and other curiosities, we do immediately on or before Michaelmas next, remove from ye Room of the said Mr. Bingham all our said effects belonging to the said Society into ye Room over ye town church Porch, and yt our treasurer do order the said Room to be fitted up.

It was also proposed to meet the first Wednesday in the month at half past one at the Angel or Talbot Inn, and that we meet 3 months successively at one of ye said houses, and alternately three at the other upon a shilling ordinary, each person to call for what liquor he chuses and to pay for ye same, and that a good ordinary may be provided, without detrim't to either of the said Houses, we do hereby promise and engage to raise and pay by the Persons who shall be present or make it up out of ye Society Stock, at least eight shillings for each dinner.

But on November 22, 1762—

It was proposed and agreed, that instead of the first Wednesday in every month, the Society for the future meet to dine on the Wednesday before the full moon; and in case the full moon shall happen on the Wednesday, the meeting shall be on that Wednesday.

After this date, the entries are very irregular and of little interest: quarterly meetings held, no minutes kept; then half yearly meetings, and later only annual ones. Often over a year elapses, and no entry; and from 1760 until

October 4, 1770, the Society was languishing; but on the latter date an effort was again made to carry out the original intentions of the Society; and on January 4, 1771, it was resolved "that the undertaking made in 1740 should be again enforced, and all members to sign a declaration renouncing any separate right to any Books, Prints, Papers, Medals or other curiosity which now do, or at any time hereafter may, belong to this Society; and no new member shall be admitted if he refuses to sign such declaration."

From this date, a register of books purchased at the quarterly meetings are the chief entries; but the principal item appears to be the amount left in the hands of the treasurer at the close of each meeting, averaging only a few shillings; and at one meeting, held at the Talbot, April 27, 1798, is entered "N.B., two shillings remain from the reckoning in the treasurer's hands-N.B., the above. two shillings were afterwards spent by the Company. C. B. Phillipson."

On April 9, 1802, another effort to revive the Society was made. It was resolved to appoint a committee to consider the propriety of examining, revising, and digesting the rules of this Society; and on January 27, 1803, a committee of five was appointed to form rules relating to borrowing books; and on April 15, 1803, this committee submitted new rules regulating the loans lent. This entry is also made of this meeting. "Mrs. Hare paid her admission money." Ordered, that such ladies as are admitted members of this Society, pay the usual sum for their ordinary. Ordered, lastly, that no lady be admitted a member in future.

On January 25, 1820.-For the first time the Society is called "The Book Society," and alterations again made in the rules.

June 25, 1830,―The "Laws of the Peterborough Book Society; instituted in 1730. Revised in 1830," were adopted, but previous to the rules being adopted, all the members signed the following declaration :

"The report of the Committee appointed at a previous meeting for the revision of the laws was received and discussed; it was fully understood and acknowledged that the members of this

Society have no power individually or collectively to dismember, appropriate, or otherwise dispose of any part of the Library of Books belonging to the Society."

From this date the Society, which still exists, has been a limited circulating Library.

EXTRACTS FROM THE SPALDING GENTLEMEN'S SOCIETY'S MINUTES RELATING TO PETERBOROUGH.

Jan'y. 29th, 1725-6.-The treasurer read part of an ingenious letter from a lady, Mrs. le Conte of Peterborough, giving an account of the dismal inundation in that city last week, when the great Bridge there was broken down by the floods.

Oct. 29, 1730.-Mr. Johnson Sec'r communicated p't of a l'r from G. Lynn Junr., Esq., a member, dated from Southwick, giving some acc. of the Gent. Soc. at Peterb' held every Wednesday on the like rules w'th ours, of which he is an honorary mem. founded by the Rev'd. Mr. Timothy Neve, late treasurer and a regular member of this Soc.

30 March, 1732.-The Sec'r read a letter from the Rev'd Mr. Marshall, Vicar of St. John B't in Peterborough, giving an account of the foundation, endowm't thereof and a chronological list of the Vicars.

June 25, 1741.-" Thus farr sent to the Several Societies of Peterborough, the Royal Society—and the Antiquarian Society at Lond'n, to the Rev'd Mr. Neve, Dr. Mortimer, etc., or their Secretaries.

The Sec'r communicated to the Society several curious articles by him as being a member of the Gentlemens Society at Peterborough, extracted for their use from the minutes lent him by their worthy learned founder and Secretary the Rev'd Mr. Timothy Neve, founded 26 August 1730. John Rowell, Esq., LL.B. their first President, a very worthy and learned Gentleman and a member of this Society also.

Dissertation and drawing by Dr. Stukeley, member of both Soc's, on a Sepulchral lamp.

Dr. Balguy's Hydrostatical experiments.

Humphrey Orme, Esq., Captain in R. Navy, tooth of spider from S. Lucia (presented to P. G. S., 24 June, 1732).

Henry Smith presented P. G. S. with 3 vols. in Folio, being extracts from Journals in Parliament temp. Edward VI Marie and Eliz'th.

31 Oct. 1745.-Mr. Robert Austen, a member of this and of the

Gent. Soc. at Peterb. founded on our rules, gave the Company some account of its present state. He also shew'd us a Register for

marking Boats on the River Neve.

6 Aug., 1750.-The President communicated to the Soc. the contents of a letter from the Rev. Mr. Robert Smythe of Woodstone (a member) dated 10th instant, with some account of the late proceedings of the Peterborough Gentlemens Society's, altering their meetings from weekly to monthly; and at a Public instead. of a Private House which must reduce them to a common Pipemeeting, instead of one fitly calculated to promote Letters; as that was when instituted by the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Neve (who himself was several years Secretary thereof) upon the rules and orders of this Society, and accordingly conducted by him: from whom we frequently received thence many useful learned, and entertaining notices of various matters communicated to those Gent'n at their meetings.

N.B. The Latin in the inscriptions, etc., is exactly. copied from the Minutes of the Proceedings of the "Peterborough Gentlemen's Society."

HAT becomes of all the pins is an old and oft-repeated problem which has yet found no solution; and equally unanswerable appears the query, What is there in a pin which commands such respect and awe, and has so long influenced the mind and shaped the actions of persons in all ages and grades of society? A pin, be it minikin or corking, is but a bit of wire pointed at one end and with a knot at the other; and yet it is believed by many to be invested with a mystic power, an occult potency, a secret force, by which it can influence the happiness, the fortune, the very destiny of individuals: causing joy and grief, pain and pleasure, anguish, and even death, as it lists. The pin has given rise to several quaint proverbs and sayings, and many a dark and gruesome superstition which it is the motive of this paper to briefly detail.

"Needles and pins, needles and pins,

When a man marries his trouble begins."

This popular proverb points to the time when pinmoney formed an important item in the marriage contract, and pins themselves were costly implements. "It is a sin to waste a pin," also speaks of the rarity and high price of such an article.

"See a pin and pass it by,

You will live for pin to cry."

Or, as another version has it :

"See a pin and pass it by

You will lack one ere you die,"

1899

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