THE DIARY OF EDWARD BAGSHAW. 75 



August 9th, 1723, on the presentation of the Bishop of Chester. 

 This, and the date of his death, etc., as recorded on an inscription 

 in the church at Castleton, would have been all that we should 

 have known of this vicar, had it not been for the existence of a 

 folio ledger, which Edward Bagshaw used, partly as an account 

 book, and partly as a diary, from the year 1 7 15 to 1750. Noticing 

 this book when visiting the valuable library of Mr. Bateman, of 

 Middleton-by-Youlgreave, the owner was so kind as to allow us the 

 loan of the volume, upon which the present paper is based. 



The entries are often very fragmentary, and a large number of 

 pages had been unfortunately torn out before it came into the late 

 Mr. Bateman's hands, but enough remains to make it, in our 

 opinion, worth studying. We can gain from it a considerable 

 insight into the life of a country parson of the last century, in so 

 retired and bleak a valley as that of Castleton ; a varied experience 

 of the cost of the necessaries of life as compared with those that 

 now prevail ; and an interesting, nay, almost a pathetic, picture of 

 a clergyman, of family and fortune, in greatly reduced circum- 

 stances, manfully fighting his way through half a century of quiet 

 work for God, struggling to bring up his family in decency and 

 comfort, and meeting with many a kindly action from his humble 

 parishioners and neighbours, as well as considerable assistance 

 from those in a position to give it. 



The first page of the ledger is dated 17 15, that is to say, eight 

 years before he became Vicar of Castleton, and when he was 

 twenty-five years of age. From it we find that young Edward 

 Bagshaw was a clergyman of considerable private fortune, 

 considering the relative value of money in those days. 



" An accont of w l Stock Mr. Nicholls has in his hands of 

 mine in London this August 20; 1715 : 

 Eight hundred pounds in y e Southsea 

 Three hundred pounds in y e classes 

 Two hundred pounds in y e ten pounds Lotteryes 



Remaining now in his hands ^"i 78 os. 4d. 



The whole sum in all amounts to j£'47S o 4 



