Hartford-shire Proverbs.
HARTFORD-SHIRE Clubs and clouted shoon.]
Some will wonder how this Shire lying so near to London, the Staple of English Civilitie, should be guiltie of so much Rusticalness. But the finest Cloth must have a List, and the pure Pesants are of as course a thread in this County, as in any other place. Yet though some may smile at their clownishness, let none laugh at their Industry, the rather because the high-shoon of the Tenant payes for the Spanish-Leather-Boots of the Landlord.
HARTFORD-SHIRE Hedge-Hogs.]
Plenty of Hedge-Hogs are found in this High▪woodland-County, where too often they suck the Kine, though the Dayry-maid conne them small thanks for sparing their pains in milking them. A creature alwayes in his posture of defence, carrying a Stand of Pikes on his back, so that if as well victualled as armed, he may hold out a seige against any equal opposition. If this Proverb containeth any further reflection on the People in this Coun∣ty, as therein taxed for covetousness, and their constant nudling on the Earth; I will not so understand it, as hoping and believing this to be a false Application.
WARE and WADES-Mill are worth all LONDON.]
This I assure you is a Master-piece of the Vulgar wits in this County, wherewith they endeavour to amuse Travellers, as if WARE a thorough-fare-Market, and WADES-Mill (Part of a Village lying two miles North thereof,) were so prodigiously rich as to countervail the wealth of LONDON. The Fallacy lieth in the Homonymy of WARE, here not taken for that Town so named, but appellatively for all vendible Commodities. We will not discompose the wit of this Proverb, by cavilling that WEARE is the pro∣per name of that Town, (so called anciently from the Stoppages, which there obstruct the River.) But leave it as we found it, and proceed.
HARTFORD-SHIRE Kindness.]
This is generally taken in a good and grateful sense for the mutual return of favours received, It being [belike] observed that the people in this County at entertain∣ments drink back to them who drank to them, parallel to the Latine Proverbs, Frican∣tem refrica; Manus manum lavat; par est de merente bene, bene mereri. However some∣times Hartford-shire kindness may prove Hartford-shire cruelty, and amount to no less then a Monopoly, when this reciprocation of Favours betwixt themselves is the exclusion of all others from partaking thereof.