160 
In the year 1710 the church stock amounted to £174; and at 
the head of the borrowers stands Dr. Todd for £20. This appears 
curious ; but five years after comes the explanation. ‘‘Dr. Todd’s 
arrears was all applied to the alteration of the Free School”; and 
evidently the capital sum of £20 went the same way, as it disappears 
from the book. Clever Dr. Todd! 
The particulars of the rebuilding of the Parish Church are so well 
known that I need not repeat them now. Negotiations for the 
scheme commenced in 1716, and the church was completed in 
1722; but in the churchwardens’ book no direct mention of it is 
to be found. There are a few items of expenditure for postage, 
paper, and parchment which no doubt refer to it, as also do some 
of the very numerous charges for drink about that period, when 
the churchwardens appeared to think that their chief duty was to 
drink, and make the public drink. Such items are defined as— 
“ Ale at the cross,” and “Spent at night,” or “Spent when distri- 
buting Wm. Robinson’s money.” Here are two typical items, in 
1717. “To Mr. Wm. Rowell for expenses, distributing Mr. 
Robison’s charity and several times consulting about brief, and 
writing letters by Dr. Todd and Mr, Pattinson’s orders, 16s. 8d.” 
“‘To Mr. James Webster for expenses at cross and with the company 
rejoicing for the victory over the Turks, 18s. 8d.” For the year 
1716, out of the year’s expenditure of £22 6s. od., the sum of 
46 6s. 4d. went in “ale at the cross” and “spent at night ;” 
£6 16s. 3d. is expended for wine, besides sundry charges for tar 
barrels. (These were very wet years indeed in Penrith, and Dr. 
Todd does not seem to have found any musty old ecclesiastical 
canon condemning the practice, but, on the contrary, appears to 
have looked on approvingly. 
The first time the churchwardens mention the new church is— 
“In 1722, Treated Mr. Stubbs when he preached the first time in 
the new church.” Several strange preachers are also treated (Le. 
their expenses were paid). 
In 1725, thirty items for drink and tar barrels, amounting to 
46 6s. od. In 1728 Dr. Todd died, but no mention is made of 
the event ; but several strange preachers are “treated” that year 
