[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter LXIII

Bread Street, July 17, 1767.

Yours of July 2nd I found here at my return out of Kent and Sussex, on the 14th, and that of the 6th came to hand this day; and though 'tis hard to find half an hour to sit down to write, I am willing to forego the form of supper, for, indeed, I attempt no more between, my companion and me at this house, whose family are at Islington. I say I am willing to take my pen and try to answer your last. After three weeks' residence at Tunbridge Wells, I spent two or three days with Lord George Sackville (119), at his house 6 miles on in my way to the Bishop of Durham's (120), near Lewis, with whom also I staid Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and on Tuesday, the 14th, set out for London in order to meet the Clothwerkers Company (121), who have promised to make the Peel master's salary £17 10s. Od, Manks currency ; with Dr Wilson's 6 guineas per annum, and what pay scholars he can pick up, I think his business will tolerably be done ; especially with what more I intend for him when ordained, He was admitted to the table, with me, at Lord George's, in a most gracious manner, whose excellencies my young man was not at a loss to discover.

I this day obeyed His Grace of Canterbury's (122) commands by waiting on him at Lambeth to dinner after my return to town who was very cheerful and ate a hearty dinner, though lame hand and foot with the gout — and wrapt in flannel. He is a wonderful man of his age — 74. Coming by Mr Townsend's in the Strand, about 7 this evening, I met with your letter in the hands of my sister, scolding that she had nothing but a case without a word to herself. I took a chair (122a) at Temple Bar, and then opened your letter. I had just before called on Mr Seymour's brother, at Whitehall, to desire he would inform him I had no prospect of encouraging him to visit Manksland. This was the effect of your former letter acquainting me with Mrs Tear's engagement, and when I got home, who should be there but Mr Seymour himself, to whom I changed my note from that I touched on to his brother half an hour before. He seems to be a modest, unshewy, yet gentlemanlike man. He goes to-morrow into the country to talk the proposal over to his wife. Responsibilities in these sort of matters are too hazardous to propose much satisfaction to either parties. I should be very sorry there should be occasion for Mrs Tear, or her friends, to regret the alteration of her mind. But since she has so done, I shall only recommend it to Mr Seymour to make a visit to the Isle, to try what encouragement: he may be like to have.

When I visited Jack Tear, I received great complaints of him from his mother — that he was grown too many for him, and the young man told Christian he was weary of his situation, and that his brother at Doncaster was the same. Such is the disposition of the whole sett. There is no need to aggrieve the poor woman with this disagreeable news. It will be time enough for to learn it at first hand. I pity her much for having such untoward sons.

Mr Seymour, I find, would choose to have children board with him. I only fear he promises too much to be answered either way. However, I think 'tis a prospect better than I could expect to meet, with for the purpose wished for.

My letter to the Governour required no answer; and the acknowledgment of it in your letter was sufficient, I would have wrote him such matter of news I could pick up, but that I always suppose His Excellency has quicker intelligence from other hands than I could impart,

I greatly wonder that I hear no sort of notice of the last Act of the British Parliament (128), what reception it meets with in the Isle, especially with respect to the alteration of the Customs duties, and still more that you say nothing of the damage done at Douglas by a thunderstorm and also by an earthquake, the papers give account of what was felt on the west side of the Isle, But each are perhaps without foundation (124).

I propose leaving London the first week in next month; am engaged to make another halt with the Bishop of Auckland. Should think myself happy to meet with a sea-coach. at Whitehaven the latter end of August or beginning of September. I expect to meet Col. Stevenson (125) and other friends at Grigsby's (126) on Monday next by pressing invitation from the Manks Christian.

Do me justice to good Mrs Moore, and excuse me to my sister for not. writing to her this turn. The postman stays, and I can't revise what I have wrote, nor be able scarce to make my Mark (126a).

Mark Sodor & Mann.

Footnotes

(119)—" Lord George Sackville," of " Minden " notoriety. When, as Lord George Germain, he was Secretary of State for the Colonies in Lord North's ministry, he supported the vigorous measures against the American colonists.

(120)—" Bishop of Durham," i.e., R. Trevor (1752-1771).

(121)— "Clothworkers' Company." See "History of the Isle of Man" (A. W. Moore), pp: 472 and 696.

(122)—" Grace of Ganterbury's," i.e., T. Secker (1758-1768).

(1220)—i.e., a sedan chair.

(123)—7 Geo. III., c. 45. The first Act passed by the British Parliament for levying Customs duties on the Manx people.

(124)—We have not seen any notice of these elsewhere.

(125)—Col. John Stevenson was the second son of John Stevenson and Jane Senhouse, and grandson of the Speaker of the House of Keys of the same name.

(126)—A coffee-house in the Strand.

(126a)—A joke of the Bishop's on his Christian name,