| Share page |
|
6 Glimpses of Our Ancestors. |
||
|
expenses were. Mr. Moore does not do so; but one entry shows that the labour of carrying on "the house" was a divided one—that the wife had her department distinct from the husband's. Ex. gr.: " I bought of my wyfe a fat hog to spend in my family, for the which I payed the summe of 30s.; the two flitches of bacon, when dryed, weighed 641b. I gave her, to buy a qr. of lambe, 3s. 6d."
Thus buying and selling went on between husband and wife—a novelty to us.
The religious practice of that day—the very acme of Puritanism—was very strict and severe. Mr. Moore has several entries of the number of communicants at his Church, and in three Communions they numbered on an average above 180 persons. To this Mr. R. W. Blencowe (who edits the Diary for the Sussex Archaeological Society) attaches a note to the effect that in the three last years (preceding 1848) the average number of communicants at Horstead Keynes, at eight sacraments, had been 148 persons—that is, considerably less than the number who attended three Communions in Mr. Moore's time. But we must bear in mind that the reign of Cromwell and the Puritans was an exceptional period for the practice of religion. And with many, doubtless, religion and morality went hand in hand. But not with all. The license of the following reign showed that, with the majority, both religion and morality were but skin deep, and even in those stern times, when play-houses were shut up and the may-pole was pulled down, there did not lack occasional proofs of the weakness of the flesh—even, alas! in the household of the Rev. Giles Moore. Here is one, under the date of November 8, 1659:—
" Thos. Dumbrell came to mee as servant to dwell with mee, with whom I agreed to give after the rate of ^5 a yeare. On the 22nd Dec. I payed him up to that time £1. 8s.; that same night I found him sleeping with my mayd Mary, and I packed them off. Jan. 2nd I marryed Thos. Dumbrell and Mary his wyfe gratis, and I gave him on his wedding 8 stone of beefe 16s. 8d. a hind qr. of mutton 3s. 4d. and a lambe 7s. 6d., besydes butter, wheate, and fewell."
The Rev. Giles Moore must have been of a more forgiving |
||