36 A HISTORY OF LONGEIDGE. [Chap. 1. 



" These town's meetings were confined to about half-a-doze-i farmers, 

 with the clerg}Tnan or some country yeoman for chairman, and the 

 discussions which took place at them were of a more serious character 

 when directed to the Surveyor's salary, or the premium to be paid to 

 the Molecatcher. Their records, precious as they were, have, as a 

 rule, been sold for waste paper, and may be met with as covers for 

 candles, soap, and such articles as the grocer sells. 



" There is a curious specimen relating to the ' Town's Meeting and 

 Vestry of Alston ' : — 



'27 July, 1782. 



' Pade to George ClutY for kepin Lundon Jak (an inmate of the 

 poorhouse,) fro distorbin t' kongrgation at ehappel, 7 pence, for being 

 craz'd.— (Signed) J. S.' 



" Then there is a strange document which runs thus : — 



' Boot Farm, Aug. 4, 1790. 



' Thiss is to sartisefy that Nickls Billinton hes kilt 8 Mols and 2 

 foomards (pole cats) e aer gret medda, tuppus o peese is one and 8d., 



cake o bred and cuert wey 3 hopus, meks 2 shiUin bod a hopiny. 



1 ou mon pay to neet. — E. Wilkinson.' 



"The next is an account for work done in the poorhouse, by an in- 

 mate who must have been weU off : — 



'27 Nov., 1790. 



' Pade Joonus Boothe, wej'vin 4 cutts (pieces of cloth) at 6 shillin, 

 one pound 4. — H. Eccles.' 



" There is another little note, which shall eouclude the series. It 

 relates to the germ of sanitary improvements, then, however, not 

 dreamt of : — 



' Mistress Langdon, — Your Pig's coat runs reight under Bettys 



winder, in Kester lane brow. It stinks in Betty's nose worse than a 



Pow (Pole) Cat. You must remov it, or you. Mistress Langdon. — 

 From yours, C.N.'" 



In 1796, there died, at Longridge, aged 86, Mr. John Wharton, 

 f(5rmerly carrier between York and Preston. 



