Oct. 29th, 2007

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In 1579, or thereabouts, Queen Elizabeth I, while making a progress through the land (as she did from time to time) was held up by foul weather and forced to spend the night at a tavern in the village of Ogbourne St George, in the fair county of Wiltshire. During the night, one Obadiah Rumble, an ostler at the hostelry in question, thought to lengthen Her Majesty's stay by stealing one of her nightdresses. Alas, the theft was discovered, a potboy fingered Obadiah, and (he refusing point blank to return the pilfered garment) the Queen laid a characteristically dire punishment upon him and upon his issue. Under pain of death, every first born male of his line was compelled to stand outside the inn at half past six every morning and half past eight every night, remove his clothing, and remain there till noon or midnight respectively, rain or shine, winter or summer, as a mark of their shame.

The tavern was demolished in the early eighteenth century, and the line has long since perished (presumably of exposure) and yet the practice is still commemorated to this day, as I was gratified to find when, driving home from Lincolnshire via Swindon tonight, I passed a road sign with the brief yet poignant message "Rumble strips."

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