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Page 123:-
[ac]cording to every man's ability, by such persons or
committees in evert town, hamlet, or village, as shall be
agreed upon by the more part of us or them who have
subscribed these presents, according to their true meaning."
However, the tenants under the Prince finding him a powerful
enemy, and that they had no less a person than the King
himself to contend with, (who was often Judge, Jury, and
Counsel,) came to an agreement with the Prince, that for the
sum of L.2700 he should confirm their ancient customs; which
was accordingly done, and commissioners appointed to settle
the same. These estates afterwards were called Lands held
under the curtesy of England, or Queen's Lands.
This did not settle the other lords, who ejected their
tenants, and obtained decrees both in Chancery and the
Exchequer: that did not, however, daunt their spirit, and
the lords durst not take possession, so that they hold them
to this day as estates of inheritance. Yet the customs
differ a little in every manor, and many expensive lawsuits
have been carried on about customs, by which the tenants
hold them; but these disputes are in general now finally
settled.
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horse tax
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The tax on saddle horses is very oppressive in this country.
Many of the inhabitants live by working at the slate
quarries, having as much ground as will keep one cow, and
about June, when the larger farmers in corn countries have
done sowing their grain in the Spring, they sell their old
horses, which these poor people purchase for fifteen or
twenty shillings a horse: The wife and children with them
can, upon sledges, trail home their peat-turf, wood, &c.
for their Winter's fuel, keeping the husband at work in the
quarry: they let them go upon the commons in Summer, and
sell them before Winter for six or seven shillings each to
the gentlemen's dog-kennels; yet if they ride them to market
for a bushel of potatoes, must pay as much duty for them as
the best gentleman does for a hunter.
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anecdote of 2 clergymen and a
Quaker
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As the following ludicrous affair may be equally
entertaining to others as it was to me, I shall insert it.
Not thirty years ago, two clergymen had, with some of their
neighbours, been holding a concert at the little public
house near the church, and the company all departed in good
time except these two priests, who, like true sons of
Anacreon, were too fond both of their liquor and their music
to part so soon. They accordingly played on, the one upon a
violin, the other upon a violincello, all night; and were
scraping most melodiously next morning, when they were
interrupted by the arrival of a third person. This was no
other than a Quaker Accoucheur, who having been all
night (professionally) with one of his neighbour's wives,
called at this ale-house to refresh himself. Aminadab,
enraged at such a piece of profanation, began to reprove
them both very severely; For, says he, "Is it not a shame to
see two pillars of the church making a noise, by rubbing two
vain pieces of wood, to which are fixed the filthy bowels of
a cat to make them squall the louder? - for shame! - for
shame! give over these vanities, verily they become ye not."
One of them, whom I shall name Parson Violin, being
rather more sober than the other, instantly laid down his
instrument, and concealed it in a cupboard. Parson
Violincello, however, resolving to mortify the
Quaker, redoubled his efforts, and regaled himself and his
hearers with many most untuneable solos, till the Quaker
went to look after his horse.
No sooner were the reverend musicians left to themselves,
than Parson Violin began to rebuke his brother Violincello
for his disorderly conduct; telling him, that the Quaker,
who travelled much in the way of his business, might raise
such a story upon them as would not be much to their
advantage: "D--n his hypocrisy," replies Violincello, "I
will go to the stable where he is, and expose his whole
canting tribe." Accordingly he laid down his instrument, and
went to the Quaker in order to perform his promise; as soon,
however, as his back was turned, Parson Violin took up the
"delinquent fiddle," and carrying it to the common
stocks, which stood just before the door, locked its
neck
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in
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gazetteer links
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-- (St Margaret, Staveley (CL13inc)3)
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