and worthless brothers, were to be indulged in 

 comfort ; and whether the year quite paid itself 

 or not, whether successive years left accumulated 

 savings or only a growing deficit, the fortune of the 

 golden aunt should in the end repair all. 



On this understanding Charles Jenkin trans- 

 ported his family to Church House, Northiam : 

 Charles the second, then a child of three, among 

 the number. Through the eyes of the boy we have 

 glimpses of the life that followed : of Admiral and 

 Mrs. Buckner driving up from Windsor in a coach 

 and six, two post horses and their own four ; of 

 the house full of visitors, the great roasts at the 

 fire, the tables in the servants' hall laid for thirty 

 or forty for a month together ; of the daily press of 

 neighbours, many of whom, Frewens, Lords, Bishops, 

 Batchellors, and Dynes, were also kinsfolk ; and 

 the parties ' under the great spreading chestnuts 

 of the old fore court,' where the young people 

 danced and made merry to the music of the village 

 band. Or perhaps, in the depth of winter, the 

 father would bid young Charles saddle his pony ; 

 they would ride the thirty miles from Northiam to 

 Stowting, with the snow to the pony's saddle girths, 

 and be received by the tenants like princes. 

 Fieeming's This life of delights, with the continual visible 

 comings and goings of the golden aunt, was well 

 qualified to relax the fibre of the lads. John the 

 heir, a yeoman and a fox-hunter, * loud and notor- 



