Scenes of Rural Life in Hampshire Among the Manors of Bramshott

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1901 Excerpt: ... THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. The second and fourth volumes of the Overseers' Accounts have disappeared. The third includes the period from 1722 to 1744. The fifth spreads over the years from 1764 to 1788. Already at the beginning of the former the amount expended has increased to 103 5s. 3d., collected in 4 rates, and for 20 years it remained about the same. The recipients of regular relief--widows for the most part--are not much more numerous, but the payments are somewhat larger, and what are called the "extreornary disbursments" are much heavier. These are not always easy to explain, for the spelling is very wild, as when we read "paid for bread and keikes attye Grouning," and paid the "cuncoll fiee" (constables' fee), and "graftin of hoas" (stocking mending), or "paid Wm. Betsworth for 2 ear for ye hapene Hacks" (Acts). There are many more "gornys" wanted as " for medson at Petersfield ], a bottel of water, 2s."; and others on business which involve a bill " for likor and eating, 12s.," or " for beer about concluding a warrant," when they have to travel to Alton, or ask the Justices for their instructions in hard cases. More illegitimate children become a charge upon the parish; cottagers are paid to house and tend their near relations as "Thomas Booker for keeping of his Dafter, 10s."; and hasty marriages are forced on and expensive licenses procured--" a lisonce and marring, 34s.," or later on as much as 55s.--to avert the burdens of the future. It does not yet become official work tied down by stringent rules. An old man has his regular allowance for tobacco, which is entered month by month, and charges such as " 10s. to the miller by consent of the parish for looking after his hogg " would scarcely be paid by a relieving officer of the present. The...