company:

Not that we think us worthy such a guest,

But that your worth will dignify our feast,

With those that come; whose grace may make that seem

Something, which else could hope for no esteem.

It is the fair acceptance, Sir, creates

The entertainment perfect, not the cates.

Yet shall you have, to rectify your palate,

An olive, capers, or some better salad,

Ushering the mutton; with a short-legg'd hen,

If we can get her, full of eggs, and then,

Limons, and wine for sauce: to these, a coney

Is not to be despair'd of for our money;

And though fowl now be scarce, yet there are clerks,

The sky not falling, think we may have larks.

I'll tell you of more, and lie, so you will come:

Of partridge, pheasant, woodcock, of which some

May yet be there; and godwit if we can;

Knat, rail, and ruff too. Howsoe'er my man

Shall read a piece of Virgil, Tacitus,

Livy, or of some better book to us,

Of which we'll speak our minds, amidst our meat;

And I'll profess no verses to repeat;

To this if aught appear, which I not know of,

That will the pastry, not my paper, show of.

Digestive cheese, and fruit there sure will be;

But that which most doth take my muse and me,

Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine,

Which is the Mermaid's now, but shall be mine;

Of which had Horace or Anacreon tasted,

Their lives, as do their lines, till now had lasted.

Tobacco, nectar, or the Thespian spring,

Are all but Luther's beer, to this I sing,

Of this we will sup free, but moderately,

And we will have no Pooly', or Parrot by;

Nor shall our cups make any guilty men:

But at our parting, we will be, as when

We innocently met. No simple word,

That shall be utter'd at our mirthful board,

Shall make us sad next morning; or affright

The liberty, that we'll enjoy to-night."

Edward F. Rimbault.

ROUS, THE SCOTTISH PSALMIST, PROVOST OF ETON COLLEGE: AND HIS WILL.

Looking over some back Numbers of "N. & Q.," I see an inquiry (Vol. v., p. 81.) after Francis Rous. G. N. will find an account of him in Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary, gathered out of Wood's Athenæ; Noble's Memoir of Cromwell, vol. i.

p. 409; Lysons' Environs of London, vol. ii.; Granger, vol. iii.

In his will, a copy of which lies before me, proved Feb. 10, 1658, he speaks of "a youth in Scotland, his grandson," and "as the heir of idleness abhorring to give him an estate, but wishing he might be a useful member of Christ and the Commonwealth, he desires his executors to give him 50l. a year so long as he shall be in preparation towards a profession, and as many of his books as may be fit for him."

I shall be much obliged if any correspondent can find out anything farther about the said "youth in Scotland?"

H. T. Ellacombe.

Clyst St. George.

P.S.—Why should not "N. & Q." be the publisher of any curious old wills, which might interest the general reader? Allow me to suggest a corner for Testamenta Vestusta. I will begin by sending a copy of the will of Francis Rous.

This my last Will and Testament, I, Francis Rous, Provost of Eaton College, wrote and made March 18th, 1657.

Forasmuch as to put houses in order before our departure is pleasing to the God of order, I do dispose of my affairs and estates in manner following:

There is a youth in Scotland concerning whom (because they call him my grandson) it is perchance expected that I should do some great matters for him; but his father marrying against my will and prohibition, and giving me an absolute discharge before the marriage under his hand, not to expect anything from me if he did marry contrary to my prohibition, I hold myself discharged from the father, and consequently from the son of that father, the son having no interest in me but by the father. And I hold it a good example, for the benefitt of the Commonwealth, that matters of discouragement should be put upon such marriages, being assured that their parents will not disinheritt or lessen them, especially if they have but one son, and that which Solomon saith is to be considered—an understanding servant shall have rule over a son that maketh ashamed, and both that^[1], and his son, and his son in Scotland have both made ashamed, the one in his match, the other by a sad mischief of dangerous consequence and fatal; and though his mother is bound to maintain him, yet because I wish he might be a useful member of Christ and the Commonwealth, towards which I think she is not well able to give him an answerable education, I have in this my will taken course for a competent maintenance for him towards a profession, and in it utterly abhorring to give him an estate, as the heir of idleness. Wherefore to the fore-mentioned purpose, I desire my executor to give him 50l. a year, so long as he shall be in preparation towards a profession, or shall really and seriously be in the practice of it; and as many of my books as may be fitt for him in the profession he shall undertake, and shall not be given to Pembroke College, I desire my executor to give unto him: but if he, or a guardian, or any other, shall sue or implead, or call my executor into question to his trouble or cost, I leave it to my executor's choice whether he will pay his maintenance of 50l. per annum, or any part of it.

I give to Mr. Ellford, my pastor at Acton, 20l. I give 5l. per annum for ever to be disposed of in buying Bibles, catechisms, or for encouraging poor children to learn to read and answer in catechising in the parish of Dittisham, in the county of Devon, the place of my nativity and baptism, which sum shall be bestowed according to the direction of the minister there for the time being; and to the present minister I give 20l. I give to the poor of Acton each five shillings; I give to the poor of Westminster, Kensington, Knightsbridge, half a year's rent of that which they used to receive. I give Mr. Bartlett of Windsor 20l. I appoint 100l. to be lent to my nephew William Rous, which he must pay by 10l. a year to my nephew Richard Rous, his son. I give Thomas Rous, of King's College, 6l. for two years. I give Eliz. Rous, of Penrose in Cornwall, 20l. I give Anthony Rous at Eaton School, 5l. a year for seven years. I give to my niece Rudyard, and her sisters Skelton and Dorothy, each 20l. I give to Margaret Baker 10l. I give to a poor Xtian woman in Dartmouth, Mrs. Adams, 10l. To Robert Needler I give a black suit and cloak; the like to William Grantham and 10l. To my niece Portman, now in my house, I give 50l. To my other friends of more ability, I leave it to my executor to give such memorials as he shall think fitt. To the poor of Eaton I give 20l. To each of my servants that are with me at any decease I give black suits and 5l.; and to Peter Fluellen, who is now endeavouring to get a place of removal, 10l. I give to Thomas Rolle of Eaton, and Robert Yard, each 10l. I give to Christian, now the wife of Mr. Johnson, 20l. I give to the young Winnington of Eaton, 10l. I give 40l. per annum out of the Parsonage or Tythe of Great Brookeham in Surrey, to maintain two schollars in Pembroke College in Oxford. I also give 20l. per annum unto one schollar more in the same college, out of a tenement in the Manor of Wootton in Cornwall, during two