44 THE PEPYS OF SOUTH DORSET. 



agreed with Mr. Raskar, of Dorchester, writing-master, to teach 

 my servt, Jno. Pymer, to write and cast accts. at 55. per quarter, 

 and gave him 25. 6d. entrance money ; he began this day." Mr. 

 Richards afterwards placed Pymer under the Rector's instruction : 

 "The 17 Octr., 1698. My servt., Jno. Pymer, began to goe to 

 School to Mr. Bound." His school must have been somewhat 

 "mixed!" 



The usual mode of travelling appears to have been on the 

 saddle and pillion. It took six days to ride on horseback from 

 Warmwell to London and back:. Mrs. Richards jogged along 

 over the rough and lonesome roads on a pillion. Mr. Richards' 

 man, " Pymer brot. cousin Idith Long home behind him " ; this 

 was in 1698, Mention, however, is made of a coach that ran 

 from the West to London. 



In the absence of newspapers and frequent correspondence it 

 was Mr. Richards' practice, in recording a fact, to enter the 

 name of his informant by no means a bad plan. Thus, in 

 referring to Mr. Henning, the 'squire of Poxwell, he writes : 

 " Friday, 24 Nov., 1699. This evening Mr. Wms., coming from 

 Poxwell, told me Mr. Henninge was esteemed a dying man." 

 And again, " i4th Septr., 1698. The Earl of Bristoll dyed 

 last Munday abot. i o'clock afternoon, as Robt. Lock tells 

 me." 



The London Gazette took three days to reach Warmwell ; thus, 

 the Gazette, published on Monday, arrived there by post on 

 Thursday. So scanty and uncertain was communication between 

 distant places that, on two occasions, the Warmwell 'squire was 



Currants, GJd. Ib. ; Iron-cast Fireback, 2d. Ib. ; Window-bars, 4d. Ib. ; Bricks, 

 20s. 1,000. 1698-9. Wheat, London, 62s. quarter; Wheat, Dorchester, 5Cs. 

 quarter ; Barley, Exeter, 20s. to 24s. quarter ; Hay, Dorchester, 30s. load ; Hay, 

 London, 60s. load ; Bread and Tea, no prices given. Tallow, Dorchester, 34s. 

 cwt. ; Beef, Winchester, 28s. cwt. ; Mutton same price ; Beef, London, 2s. per 

 81bs. ; Pork, London, 2^d. Ib. ; Pullets, London, Is. d. each; Chickens, London, 

 Is. 4d. each ; Horses, Cambridge, 11 to 12 ; Coach -horses, 18 ; Sheep, 11s. to 

 12s. each. 1699. Cheese, Oxford, 4|d. Ib. ; Fustian, London, 2s. 3d. yard; 

 Cloth, London, 8s. yard (quality not stated) ; Serge, London, 2s. 2d. yard. 

 I7OO. Tallow, Plymouth, 46s. cwt. ; Butter, London, 7d. to ,d. Ib. I7OO-I. 

 Wheat, Exeter, 24s. to 40s. quarter ; Candles, Cambridge, 5s. doz. 



