It was of costly stuff?
A. Yes, sir. Indian cotton, the like, close-worked
with blooms and strange small fowl.
Q. More than a maid might buy?
A. 'Twas such the Tiverton higgler showed last
fairtide, that he said new made in London town, and wouldn't sell
ever below three shilling; and said good as the Indian, tho' not, nor
against the king's law to wear.
Q. The next morning did you not ask her what she had
been about in the younger gentleman's chamber so long?
A. No, sir, for us spoke only to say goodbye. 'Twas
May Day, and much to do, work for three.
Q. I am told the man Farthing took liberties with
thee, Dorcas.
A. He would, but I would not 'bide 'em, not I.
Q. He took you aside?
A. He came after where I had need to go in the
still-room, sir, when us had supped, and tried to embrace I. But when
us would not suffer it, he said us should come later where he slept
above the stable, and promised I a shilling if I would, and suchlike.
Q. And you would have none of him?
A. No, sir. He was much in drink, and I did not care
for the mommet, and knew he be liar.
Q. How so?
A. That he did speak evil of the other man, called
Dick, at supper, that he was half beast and would have his wicked way
with us if he had his chance. When he was as bad, or worse. And when
us would not take his shilling, he then would come to where us sleep,
he said to protect I, but I believed him not.
Q. And he came not, in the night?
A. No, sir. Tho' I wish he mought, and had our Betty
kiss his head with her cudgel
Q. Did he tell you he should leave early, before
dawn, as I hear?
A. No, sir, not a word.
Q. I see thou art an honest maid, Dorcas.. Thou art
constant at church?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Be always so. And here's the shilling for thee,
that thy honesty lost.
Jurat die et anno
supradicto
coram
Henry Ayscough
Historical
Chronicle June 1736
* * *
The Examination and Deposition of
Mr Sampson Beckford
the
which doth attest upon his sworn
oath, this
one and thirtieth day
of July in the tenth
year of the
reign of our sovereign Lord
George the
second, by the grace of God King
of Great
Britain and of England, &c.
* * *
My name is Sampson
Beckford. I am clerk, of Wadham College, Oxon., and curate of this
parish since Michaelmas two years past. My age is twenty-seven years,
I am not married.
* * *
Q. I thank you for attending me, sir. I shall take
little of your time.
A. Take all you will, sir. I am at your service.
Q. I thank you, Mr Beckford. I take it you had never
set eyes on Mr Brown or Mr Bartholomew before this 30th of April
last?
A. Most unequivocally not, sir.
Q. Nor had any expectation, forewarning by letter, I
know not what, of their coming here?
A. Nor that, sir. My calling was inspired by
civility. I chanced to see them ride up, I took them for persons of
education. Rarissimae aves, Mr Ayscough, in this unhappy town.
Q. You have my sympathies, sir.
A. I thought to assure them that they had not arrived
in wildest Muscovy, as I doubt not they might well have supposed at
the appearance of the place - to show we are not quite without
politesse, for all our exile from speakable society.
Q. You did not meet the younger gentleman?
A. I did not, sir. His uncle, Mr Brown, told me he
was much fatigued, and made his excuses.
Q. And this uncle - he told you the purpose of their
journey was to visit his sister at Bideford?
A. His allusions were veiled, but I understood him to
intimate that his nephew had hitherto foolishly neglected certain
expectations of property, since the lady had no descent of her own.
Q. Did he particularize the nephew's foolishness - of
what nature was it?
A. I can't say that he did, sir. I meant to say that
such neglect is always foolish. He made some hint of a life too much
given to pleasure, of living above one's means. I recall he used that
very phrase.
Q. That the nephew had outrun his means?
A. Just so.
Q. He was reproving of his nephew?
A. How shall I put it to you, sir? I saw as I
A. Yes, sir. Indian cotton, the like, close-worked
with blooms and strange small fowl.
Q. More than a maid might buy?
A. 'Twas such the Tiverton higgler showed last
fairtide, that he said new made in London town, and wouldn't sell
ever below three shilling; and said good as the Indian, tho' not, nor
against the king's law to wear.
Q. The next morning did you not ask her what she had
been about in the younger gentleman's chamber so long?
A. No, sir, for us spoke only to say goodbye. 'Twas
May Day, and much to do, work for three.
Q. I am told the man Farthing took liberties with
thee, Dorcas.
A. He would, but I would not 'bide 'em, not I.
Q. He took you aside?
A. He came after where I had need to go in the
still-room, sir, when us had supped, and tried to embrace I. But when
us would not suffer it, he said us should come later where he slept
above the stable, and promised I a shilling if I would, and suchlike.
Q. And you would have none of him?
A. No, sir. He was much in drink, and I did not care
for the mommet, and knew he be liar.
Q. How so?
A. That he did speak evil of the other man, called
Dick, at supper, that he was half beast and would have his wicked way
with us if he had his chance. When he was as bad, or worse. And when
us would not take his shilling, he then would come to where us sleep,
he said to protect I, but I believed him not.
Q. And he came not, in the night?
A. No, sir. Tho' I wish he mought, and had our Betty
kiss his head with her cudgel
Q. Did he tell you he should leave early, before
dawn, as I hear?
A. No, sir, not a word.
Q. I see thou art an honest maid, Dorcas.. Thou art
constant at church?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Be always so. And here's the shilling for thee,
that thy honesty lost.
Jurat die et anno
supradicto
coram
Henry Ayscough
Historical
Chronicle June 1736
* * *
The Examination and Deposition of
Mr Sampson Beckford
the
which doth attest upon his sworn
oath, this
one and thirtieth day
of July in the tenth
year of the
reign of our sovereign Lord
George the
second, by the grace of God King
of Great
Britain and of England, &c.
* * *
My name is Sampson
Beckford. I am clerk, of Wadham College, Oxon., and curate of this
parish since Michaelmas two years past. My age is twenty-seven years,
I am not married.
* * *
Q. I thank you for attending me, sir. I shall take
little of your time.
A. Take all you will, sir. I am at your service.
Q. I thank you, Mr Beckford. I take it you had never
set eyes on Mr Brown or Mr Bartholomew before this 30th of April
last?
A. Most unequivocally not, sir.
Q. Nor had any expectation, forewarning by letter, I
know not what, of their coming here?
A. Nor that, sir. My calling was inspired by
civility. I chanced to see them ride up, I took them for persons of
education. Rarissimae aves, Mr Ayscough, in this unhappy town.
Q. You have my sympathies, sir.
A. I thought to assure them that they had not arrived
in wildest Muscovy, as I doubt not they might well have supposed at
the appearance of the place - to show we are not quite without
politesse, for all our exile from speakable society.
Q. You did not meet the younger gentleman?
A. I did not, sir. His uncle, Mr Brown, told me he
was much fatigued, and made his excuses.
Q. And this uncle - he told you the purpose of their
journey was to visit his sister at Bideford?
A. His allusions were veiled, but I understood him to
intimate that his nephew had hitherto foolishly neglected certain
expectations of property, since the lady had no descent of her own.
Q. Did he particularize the nephew's foolishness - of
what nature was it?
A. I can't say that he did, sir. I meant to say that
such neglect is always foolish. He made some hint of a life too much
given to pleasure, of living above one's means. I recall he used that
very phrase.
Q. That the nephew had outrun his means?
A. Just so.
Q. He was reproving of his nephew?
A. How shall I put it to you, sir? I saw as I
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