272 MARTIN HUSSINGTREE.

A relic of old times may be seen at Bayton in the shape of a veritable Maypole. Of the former history of the place nothing further remains to be recorded except the following nice picture of young England in the seventeenth century: A memorial signed by nineteen inhabitants of Bayton was sent to Worcestershire Sessions in 16l2, setting forth "that John Kempster and Thomas Byrd doubt sell their ale according to the law, but doe sell a pynte for a penny, and doe make ytt soe extraordynarye strong that it draweth dyvers ydle p'sons into the said alehouses, by reason whereof sondrye assaults, affrayes, bloodsheds, and other misdemeanors, are there daylie comytted by ydle and drunken companie which doe thither resort and there contyneue in their dronckeness three dayes and three nights together, and also divers men's sonnes and servants do often resort and contineue drinking in the said houses daye and night, whereupon dyvers disorders and abuses are offered to the inhabitants of Bayton aforesaid, as in pulling down styles, in carrying away of yertes, in throwing men's waynes, plowes, and such like things, into pooles, wells, and other bye places, and in putting their yokes for their oxen into lakes and myery places." Of course no such things are heard of in the district now-a-days.

Martin Hussingtree.

ABOUT midway between Worcester and Droitwich, a small parish of some 880 acres, formed of the junction of two ancient manors called Merton and Husentree. It has a population of only 170, who all belong to the agricultural interest, except that some of the females are engaged in gloving and shirt-making, and there is one shop in the village from which the bulk of the parochial wants are satisfied. There is good wheat and bean land, but very little barley grown. No resident gentry, no dissent, no parish