Six north country diaries - The MAN & Other Families

106
think that I should court her cousin Reed, etc.—stayed too h^ng
should not, because uncle will judge of my future behaviour when
by my self, by what it is now. Gott new saddle and bridle—Uncle
said they were cheated in the liousin—cost seven shillings.
1717/8. Feb. 21st. Uncle said R. Snowdon might as well have
taken a horse or an ox from Ma. Nicholson as that peice [of] ground.
Robin urges it stands just before his door—Answer: 'that's
nothing '—it was taken of the common and not from him,—and with
mjywicle's leave, as lord, he supposes, tho he has forgott.
C1717/8. Feb. 22nd. Mr. Mahuiei would have his child baptized
privately—and does not intend to bring it aftei-^vards to church
says he has no great acquaintance here, and cannot desire any to
stand godfathers, etc. Mr. Hall would not do it without this
promise, etc\
1717/8. Teb. 23rd. Uncle guilty of a breach of good manners,
I think, in telling Mrs. Vint of her husband's bastards—so says
Mr. Hall. One made him a present of a turkey—he refused it,
because he Avas about doing him a good-turn, and it would look like
bribery, or malicious people would call it so—but he insinuated as
if it would be acceptable afterwards—saying he would not refuse
such tokens of their respect.
1717/8. Feb. 24th. Cannot but resent Chilton's telling me of
Green Dick's—may from this presume that he has told Mr. Fletcher
such storys. Uncle Robert says uncle is of the project of Mrs. Orde.
Uncle takes it ill that he Avas not consulted about buying the wood.
1717/8. March 2nd. Preached on 'godliness is profitable,' etc.
ChristoiDher said it should be printed. Received a letter from Mrs.
Susan, all in fury at me—Brigby has exposed her about the ring, etc.
Charles takes no notice of the money he owes me to him, Brigby
tells me. My name subscribed to Mr. Wotton's book. 1^2
1717/8. March 3rd. Went for Blencogo—bad that we should
have sown nothing but jDease before we went, and Robin has. forgott
the raspberry trees, etc., at Newcastle. Told Christopher yesterday
I suspected Mr. Hall had told uncle of my being at his house—they
had twice designedly sent me out of the wa}^ Uncle sitt in kitchen,
while I went into the garden, as if he suspected I would go to
Christopher's—asked me what made me sitt so late up, as if he
thought I had gone there after prayers, on Saturday night.
When Mr. John Thomlinson came to Rothbury on the 24th of January,
1679, he found the parsonage house unendurable for want of a covering to keep
it dry, all the wood work being perfectly rotten, the chancel of tlie church, the
repairs of which fall on the rector, was in no better plight, and the tithes were
unprofitably farmed out. See Mr. Thomlinson's own statement, printed in
Mackenzie, Nortlmmherlavd, vol. ii. p. 61.
"" 171S. March 25. Elizabeth filia Humphrey Mayhew, excise officer,
Rothburj', baptized.
Rothhury Begisters.
162
Probably William Wotton (1666-1726), author of Bejlections upon Ancient
-and Modern Learning, 1694, etc. Cf. Dictionary of National Biograpliy.