The _Proceedings and Papers_ of the Historic Society of Lancashire and
Cheshire, Session IV., 1851-2, include a paper contributed by Thomas
Dorning Hibbert, of the Middle Temple, Esq., being the second of a series
of "Letters relating to Lancashire and Cheshire, temp. James I., Charles
I., and Charles II."
One of these letters, written in or about the year 1605, by the Rev.
William Batemanne, from Ludgarsall (Ludgar's Hall), "a parish which lies in
the counties of Oxford and Bucks," and addressed "to his louinge father
Ihon Batemanne, alderman at Maxfelde" (Macclesfield), contains, as the
learned contributor remarks, "strong confirmation of Mr. Macaulay's
controverted statement, that the country clergy occupied a very humble
position in the sixteenth and seventeenth {127} centuries." He adds, that
"no clergyman could now be found who would think of sending his sister to
an inn to learn household matters."
The Rev. William Batemanne, "who appears to have been educated at Oxford,"
writes thus:
"... My sister Katren is placed in a verie good house in Bissiter
[Bicester], wher shea shall learne to doe all manner of thinges that
belonge to a good huswyfe. It is a vitailinge house greatlie occupied.
Shea shall not learne onelie to dresse meate and drinke excellent well,
but allso bruinge, bakinge, winnowinge, with all other thinges
theirunto appertaininge, for they are verie rich folkes, and verie
sharpe and quicke both of them. The cause why my Ant received her not,
as shea answered us, was because all this winter shea intendeth to have
but one servant woman, and shea thought my sister was not able to doe
all her worke, because shea imagined her to be verie raw in theire
countrey worke, w^{ch} thinge trewlie shea that hath her now did
thinke, and theirefore her wage is the slenderer, but xvj^s [16s.],
w^{ch} in this place is counted nothinge in effecte for such a strong
woman as shea is; but I bringinge her to Bissiter uppon Wednesday,
beinng Michaelmas even, told her dame the wage was verie small, and
said I trusted shea would mend it if shea proved a good girle, as I had
good hope shea would. Quoth I, it will scarce bye her hose and shooes.
Nay, saith shea, I will warrant her have so much given her before the
yeare be expyred, and by God's helpe that w^{ch} wants I myselfe will
fill upp as much as I am able...."