The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

DIVISION XIV.'Ratutal V. tbtif Totalg in
HE animals which are found in this neighbourhood present nothing either in their genus or
habits peculiar from those of the rest of the
county, and therefore need no particular description. The horned cattle and sheep are large, and' ~ often fed to a very great weight. What has been
considered necessary to state respecting them will
be found in the account of the Agriculture of the
district.
Lincolnshire oxen and cows had obtained great celebrity 250 years ago.
In a play of BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, published 1616, it is said, " The price of
the ox shall be one hundred French crowns, for it must be a Lincolnshire one,
and a prime one, for a rare and monstrous spectacle to be seen at Madrill"'
(Madrid). In another drama by the same authors, published in 1618, a Lincolnshire cow is called a "Beast of Quality."2 Before the inclosure of Wildmore Fen it was famous for a breed of rough, hardy, and active, though small,
horses, known as Wildinore hobbies,3 or Wildmore tits. These, no doubt, were
the small, nimble horses, on which the hobelers rode; who are described as a
sort of light horsemen, with light armour. These men, by their tenure, were
bound to maintain a " little light nag for the certifying of any invasion made by
enemies," or any other peril or accident " towards the sea-side."4 We believe
this particular race of horses is now extinct. The Ferce naturce of this neighbourhood comprise only the polecat, called here the foulmart or fummard, and
it is of comparatively rare occurrence; the weasel, almost equally rare; the
badger, which is very seldom seen; and those general pests of housewifery and
husbandry,-rats and mice, and moles. The only animal regarded as " game"
Fair Maid of the Inn. 1477; probably equal to 501. at the present day.2 Love's Pilgoimage. PASTON'S Letters, vol. ii.
3 From the Danish hoppe, a little nag. In the 4 See KENNETT'S Glossary to Parochial Anreign of Henry VI. "each priest kept a hobby."- tiquities, BLOUNT'S Jocular Tensures, p. 102,
Antiquarian Repertory, vol. i. p. 71. A hobby COWELL'S Law Dictionary, and the preceding
(horse) sold for 101. Flemish-about 51. English, in account of Freiston.