Part 26 (1/2)
[Sidenote: COBBETT AGAIN]
And this is Cobbett's description, in the _Rural Rides_:--”At the place, of which I am now speaking, that is to say, by the side of this pleasant road to Brighton, and between Turner's Hill and Lindfield, there is a rock, which they call '_Big upon Little_,' that is to say, a rock upon another, having nothing else to rest upon, and the top one being longer and wider than the top of the one it lies on. This big rock is no trifling concern, being as big, perhaps, as a not very small house. How, then, _came_ this big upon little? What lifted up the big? It balances itself naturally enough; but what tossed it up? I do not like to _pay_ a parson for teaching me, while I have '_G.o.d's own Word_' to teach me; but if any parson will tell me _how_ big _came_ upon little, I do not know that I shall grudge him a trifle. And if he cannot tell me this; if he say, All that we have to do is to _admire_ and _adore_; then I tell him, that I can admire and adore without his _aid_, and that I will keep my money in my pocket.” That is pure Cobbett.
[Sidenote: WEST HOATHLY]
West Hoathly is in the midst of some of the best of the inland country of Suss.e.x and an excellent centre for the walker. Several places that we have already seen are within easy distance, such as Horsted Keynes, Worth and Worth Forest and Balcombe and Balcombe Forest.
CHAPTER XXV
HORSTED KEYNES TO LEWES
The origin of ”Keynes”--The Rev. Giles Moore's expenditure--Advice as to t.i.thes--Lord Sheffield and cricket--The grave of Edward Gibbon--Fletching and English History--Newick and Chailey--The Battle of Lewes--John Dudeney and John Kimber--Leonard Mascall and the first English carp--Advice to fruit-growers--Malling Deanery and the a.s.sa.s.sins of Becket.
The very pretty church of Horsted Keynes, which in its lowly position is the very ant.i.thesis of West Hoathly's hill-surmounting spire, is famous for the small rec.u.mbent figure of a knight in armour, with a lion at his feet, possibly a member of the Keynes family that gives its name to this Horsted (thus distinguis.h.i.+ng it from Little Horsted, a few miles distant in the East): Keynes being an anglicisation of de Cahanges, a family which sent a representative to a.s.sist in the Norman Conquest.
[Sidenote: ANCIENT ECONOMICS]
Horsted Keynes, which is situated in very pleasant country, once took its spiritual instruction from the lips of the Rev. Giles Moore, extracts from whose journals and account books, 1656-1679, have been printed by the S.A.S. I quote a few pa.s.sages:
”I gave my wyfe 15_s._ to lay out at St. James faire at Lindfield, all which shee spent except 2_s._ 6_d._ which she never returned mee.
”16th Sept. I bought of Edward Barrett at Lewis a clock, for which I payed __2 10, and for a new jack, at the same time, made and brought home, __1 5. For two prolongers [_i.e._ save-alls] and an extinguisher 2_d._, and a payr of bellowes 5_s._”
7th May, 1656.--”I bought of William Clowson, upholsterer and itinerant, living over against the Crosse at Chichester, but who comes about the country with his pack on horseback:--
A fine large coverlett with birds and bucks __2 10 0 A sett of striped curtains and valance 1 8 0 A coa.r.s.e 8 qr coverlett 1 2 0 Two middle blankets 1 4 0 One beasil or Holland tyke or bolster 1 13 6
”My mayde being sicke, I paid for opening her veine 4_d._, to the widow Rugglesford for looking to her, I gave 1_s._; and to Old Bess, for tending on her 3 days and 2 nights, I gave 1_s._; in all 2_s._ 4_d._--this I gave her.
”Lent to my brother Luxford at the Widow Newports, never more to be seene! 1_s._”
In 1658.--”To Wm Batchelor for bleeding mee in bed 2_s._ 6_d._, and for barbouring mee 1_s._” A year later:--”I agreed with Mr. Batchelor of Lindfield to barbour mee, and I am to pay him 16_s._ a yeare, beginning from Lady Day.”
In 1671.--”I bargained with Edward Waters that he should have 18_s._ in money for the tr.i.m.m.i.n.g of mee by the year, and deducting 1_s._ 6_d._ for his tythes.”
23rd April, 1660.--”This being King Charles II. coronation I gave my namesake Moore's daughter then marryed 10_s._ and the fiddlers 6_d._
”I payed the Widow Potter of Hoadleigh for knitting mee one payr of worsted stockings 2_s._ 6_d._; for spinning 2 lb of wool 14_d._, and for carding it 2_d._
”To the collections made at 3 several sacraments I gave 3 several sixpences.”
12th May, 1673.--”I went to London, spending there, going and coming, as _alibi apparet in particularibus_, 13_s._ 8_d._; I bought for Ann Brett a gold ring, this being the posy, 'When this you see, remember mee,' and at the same time I bought Patrick's _Pilgrim_, 5_s._; _The Reasonableness of Scripture_, by Sir Chas. Wolseley, 2_s._ 6_d._; and a Comedy called _Epsom Wells_.”
Mr. Moore, having suffered in his t.i.thes, left the following ”necessary caution” for his successor:--”Never compound with any paris.h.i.+oner till you have first viewed theire lande and seen what corne they have upon it that yeare, and may have the next.”