By thi Rev. Chr. Wordsworth, MA. Ill 



One to whom the MS. passed in the next generation has written 

 on the fly-leaf : — 



Ye " Mary Holdway, her hand, 1766. Shee wrot this August 10 in the 

 24 year of her age at William Smiths, Esq., at Tydworth, Hants, so 

 This Hook my name shall ever have 

 When I am Dead and Laid in grave 

 And the gready wormes my bodey eate 

 Heare you may read my name complate 

 Mary Holdway, so 

 Remember Me 

 When this you [see]." 



The names of Mary Farr, and her children born in 1770 — 88, 

 are also entered. 



I should be glad to hear of any other copies of this little work, 

 and particularly to learn the dates of other editions. 



MAKY HUELE'S APPEENTICESHIP, 1671. 



By a strange chance, since I wrote the foregoing pages about 

 " Mary HurlVs Conversion,''^ I have found, when searching among 

 documents of a different character and date, the Indentures of 

 Apprenticeship of this poor Marlborough child. They are somewhat 

 curious, and they supply to those who are interested in such things 

 some idea of the condition of a 'prentice in the days of K. Charles II. 

 It is rather pathetic to see, opposite the exceptionally neat signa- 

 ture (in minute court hand) of Mr. William Bay lye, — but at a 

 respectful distance below it, in the extreme corner — the faint 

 cross, traced as " her mark " (or " signum " by the little orphan 

 girl of 8 years of age, who then could hardly read or write. It 

 was cruel to use latin — and Justice Shallow's or cousin Slender's 

 latin too — in her case, when all the rest was English. 



Deed of Apprenticeship. 



This Indenture made the one and twentieth day of June, In the three 

 andtwentith yeare of the Eeigne of our Sovereigne Lord Charles the Second 

 by the grace of God of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King Defender 

 of the faith, &c. Between Thomas Reynton and James Elliott Churchwardens 

 of the parish of the blessed Virgin Mary in Marlebrough in the County of 



