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18 Glimpses of Our Ancestors. |
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at 3s. 6d. per week. She is to go to Miss Leach's school at 6d. per week; and Jane, and John, and Samuel went to Dame Bellchamber's the same day—the boys at 2d. and Jane at 4d. per week." Again (May 20th, 1735) "Carried my son John to Mr. Browne, of Lindfield, to be boarded by him at 3s. per week. And on the 23rd he is to go to school to John Wood to learn to read and write, at 6d. per week."
Verily, the education rate was not a heavy one at Hick-stead Place!
The practice of sending children to board with one person, and to another to get their schooling, seems to have been a common one ; and, certainly, the bodily food was better paid for than the intellectual! Ex. gr.: " Paid Thomas Burten-shaw his half-year's salary for teaching the girls and boys, £1. 10s." As much is now often paid for a single lesson on the pianoforte.
Domestic servants were a different class of persons in the 17th century from what they are now. They came, indeed, from the same ranks of life—those of the agricultural labourer. But their pretensions were much humbler, and their affections seem to have been much more constant. Instances were not rare of both male and female servants devoting their whole lives to their masters and mistresses, and periods of 10, 20, and even 30 years of service in the same family were common ; and that, too, at wages which would now be laughed at. Here are some entries by Mr. Anthony Stapley—who kept three men and three maid-servants—of the wages he paid them:—
" 1730. Mary White began her year May 1st, and is to have £1. 5s. if she stay until May, 1731. Hannah Morley came, and is to have £2 if she stays until Lady Day next. Paid Edwd. Harland and George Virgoe J year's wages each, £3. 5s. James Hazelgrove came to live with me at £6. 5s. per annum.
" 1740. Sarah Chandler came to live with me, and she is to have £2. 10s. if she stays until Lady Day, 1741. But as she left my service in about 8 weeks I gave her is. only. Sarah Martin left me, and "William Sully. Also Mary "White, who went back to Bolney ; and Thomas Fair-hall, whose loss of time was a week, and he allowed me a shilling for it. Richard Sayers took his place, and is to have £2. 15s. if he stays twelve |
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