THE T\'ILLEY EECTOR. 115 



in boring their cylinders even aU througli ; lie was 

 tlie first, too, who taught the French the art of 

 boriQg cannon from the solid. He built and launched 

 at Willey "Whiarf the first iron barge — the pre- 

 cursor of all iron vessels on the Thames and Tyne, 

 and of the Great Eastern, as well as of our modern 

 iron-clads. Mr. Harries of Benthall, Mr. Hinton of 

 TTenlock, Mr. Bryan of The Tuckies, and Mr. John 

 Cox Morris, farmer of Willey, who took the first 

 silver cup given by the Agricultural Society of 

 Shropshire for the best cultivated farm, and who 

 had still further distinguished himself in the estima- 

 tion of sportsmen by a remarkable feat of horseman- 

 ship for a large amount, were among those who 

 visited the Squire. 



But a more frequent guest at the Hall and at the 

 covert-side was the Willey Rector, the Rev. Michael 

 Pye Stephens, whose family was related to that of 

 the Welds, through the Slaneys. The Hector was 

 therefore, as already shown, on familiar terms with 

 the Squire, and the more so as he was able to tell a 

 good tale and sing a good song. The rural clergy 

 a century ago were great acquisitions at the tables of 

 country squires, and were not unfrequently among 

 the most enthusiastic lovers of the chase. It was by 



