[Our correspondent will find much curious illustration of this now
obsolete custom in Strutt's _Sports and Pastimes_ p. 357. (ed.
Hone), where the preceding passage from the _Spectator_ is quoted;
and we are told "these decorations of silver cups, tankards, &c.
were borrowed for the purpose, and hung round the milk pails (with
the addition of flowers and ribands), which the maidens _carried
upon their heads_ when they went to the houses of their customers,
and danced in order to obtain a small gratuity from each of them."
In Tempest's _Cryes of London_ there is a print of a well-known
merry milk-maid, Kate Smith, dancing with the milk pail decorations
upon her head. See also Hone's _Every Day Book_, i. p. 576.]
_Dr. Dee's Petition_.--There is no mention of Dr. Dee's petition to
King James in the list of his works in Tanner's _Bibliotheca
Britannica_; but in Beloe's _Anecdotes_, vol. ii. p. 263., is an
account of the preface to a scarce work of his, in which he defends
himself from the charge of being a conjurer, or caller of divels,
&c.
Tanner mentions his _Supplication to Queen Mary for the Recovery of
Ancient Writings and Monuments_.
I fear, however, that your correspondent is {188} acquainted with
these more easily obtained accounts of Dr. Dee's works.
the _Dictionary_ of M. l'Abbé Ladoocat states that he died in
England, A.D. 1607, at the age of 81; so that his petition to James
must have been made at the close of his life.