I/O HISTORY OF HARTING. 



a niece of a rich neighbour. " Yesterday, Lady 

 Tankervill sent two livery men to Mr. Bruerton's 

 (who it seems was gone to Chichester), and took 

 up behind them his niece (Miss Jedes) and her maid, 

 and brought them to Uppark ; when my lady made 

 all the servents in the house assemble in the great 

 hall, and be witness to Miss Jedes saying she wou'd 

 marrie Mr. Pierssen, which accordingly was done in 

 their presence (by a parson Lord Osleton (Ossulstone) 

 brought down from London the night before in a 

 coach and six, and gave the coachman eighteen 



shillings more than his fare to make hast) ; 



they had a very great supper, and to-morrow they 

 say are to have a ball, and so the farce is to end, 

 which it is thought will be a tragidie to the young 

 woman. It seems Bruerton is her uncle and guardian, 

 she it is said has about seven hundred a year. 

 Pirsson's father (tho' my lady's brother-in-law) has 

 i$Q a year, and is my Lord Tankervill's steward, 

 in the north (Chillingham Castle, Northumberland). 

 Bruerton intended the girle for his son, and wou'd 

 never trust her out of his sight till fatal yesterday. 

 I think it so base a thing in my lady, that I have 

 no patience with it, and I believe she wont find it 

 add to her credit. Our Keiper (keeper gamekeeper) 

 was att it." 



In consequence of this, " Lord Ossulstone, with 

 three servants and Mr. Piersen, were put into the 

 King's bench" on a charge of abduction.* This dis- 

 graceful frolic, for the purpose of enriching a poor 

 kinsman at the expense of some Sussex neighbours, 

 was but a sorry jest, and gives no pleasant impression 

 of the second Lord Tankerville. The report of his 

 death, 2 Sep., 1738, gives no brighter prospect. "There 

 is just now an account of Lord Tankerville's death : 

 his madame that is with him sent over a courier, 



* Caryll Corresp., Vol. III., p. 169. Add 1 - 28, 229. 



