Untitled

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9186, Issue 9186, 9 April 1910, Page 3

Of all tho quaint customs in this Wwtcm land, says tho Daily News, probab Y tho quaintest was witnessed ea.lj in Februarv. Some ten miles oast of 1 enzance is'Godolphin House, once tho seat of the Earls Godolphm, and now the property of the Duke of Leeds. A high ord'hip-is Paid by tho Duke of Leeds to tho head of the St. Aubyn family as reove of the manor. The obligation had an interesting beginning. Some two or three hundred years ago the respoctive heads of tho Tiouses of St. Aubyn and Godolphin were eittmff together out ot doors, when one of them picked up. two snails and. passing one to his friend suggested that the snails should race acrose the table for'a wager, tho fit aloe to be the estate of each party, This was agreed to. GodolphinV enai did not make satisfactory progress eo ho pnektd it with a- pin to urge it forward. Tho snail shrunk into its shell, and refused to move, and Godolphin ost. 1■ is.eaid | St Aubvn diet not prose the matter but claimed/ an annual levy, to bo paid boforc sunrise on Candlemas Day. Inu> ■ year just before daybreak, a party drove up to tho fme old house, and tnc reeves representative, knocking at tho heavy door three times, said "0 yes! 0 ye,! O ves! Here comer, tho reeve ot the manor" of Labourne to demand my Lord's iuet dues, oight groats and a, I pennv in money, a loaf, a cheese a collar of brawn. and a jack of the best beer in the house. God sayo the King ant! the lord of the manor." Tins was repeated at tho inner door and the reeve then gravely collected two and ninepence, • and the whole party sat down to breakfast m the fine carved oak hall, where Charles the Second onco dined.