THE PEPYS OF SOUTH DORSET. 45 



saluted as High Sheriff, under the false impression that he had 

 had that honour conferred upon him. " 29th Deer., 1698. This 

 afternoon, abot. 4 o'clock, came two Sherborn Trumpeters to 

 salute me as high Shereffe, &c. ; an hour after 2 other from 

 Captn. Coker on the same errand." Again, " 7th Jany. 1701-2. 

 Yesterday the Trumpeters came from Mr. Eastment to salute me 

 Shereffe." Then Mr. Templeman, a well-known resident of 

 Dorchester, the father, I presume, of Mr. Peter Templeman, the 

 eminent Attorney of that town (who died in 1749), pays him a 

 kindly visit : " Mr. Templeman came hither to make me a visit, 

 but chiefly to bespeak the Under-SherifPs place for his son." 

 Some days afterwards the news arrived of Mr. Richards being 

 "taken off from the Shrievalty," and I find no record of any 

 further visit from kind Mr. Templeman. 



The 'squire was not wanting in care for his parish church. 

 He writes : "This day, 4th April, 1698, I agreed with Jonathan 

 Hayden . . to new build the pulpit and his desk . . for 

 .$ i os., or, if he affirms on his conscience 'tis a hard bargain at 

 the price, I am to give him los. more." Had Mr. Richards lived 

 in this 2oth century he could scarcely have shown more, trustful- 

 ness than he did in leaving it to a builder to regulate his charges 

 according to his conscience ! 



The poor old men of the village were called " Gaffers" and 

 the old women " Gammers," or " Goodies," still common Dorset 

 appellations. Amongst them Mr. Richards distributed by lot his 

 bull beef, and also, on one occasion, an aged cow, which, 

 curiously enough, bore the name of " Matthew." Surely an odd 

 name for a cow ! 



The orphan children of the poor were put out to board by the 

 parishioners with " Goodies" of the parish, or were apprenticed : 

 " 1 7th April, 1699. This evening. Robt. Wilsheare, Nathan 

 Grant, Jno. Thrasher, and my selfe agreed with Jane Voss to 

 take Jno. Jasper's 3 children and keep ym at i8d. each, yt is 

 43. 6d. the week for all three,* we finding them clothes, which 



* Equal to about 9s, of our money. 



