212 THE FALMOTTTH MANUSCRIPT. 



Its own'd that from my coming into the Estate in the 

 management of it, that is in the year 1700, in a year or two after 

 that, I had in some degree Blunder'd into the true merits of the 

 Estate's Interest, and having notoriously exploded Mr. Quarmes 

 then late Stewardship, and Mr. Corker finding I was not to be 

 corrupted from my Duty, the alarm was taken against me, and I 

 pelted and bespatterd, as is well known thro' the County, that 

 without any resentment from me further than that having a close 

 eye to the Interest of ye Estate ; but the question stands fairly 

 open in 35 years' time, that I had the Estate under my manage- 

 ment, in (? to) due proof : who did I injure in word or deed to the 

 value of a penny ? and am bold to deny ye least fact of that nature ; 

 my being ever ready to assist and serve the people in general I 

 shall refer to their own consciences ; only shall observe on one 

 flagrant Instance of my humanity to them, viz., thatfrom ye (?i/ear) 

 1701, beginning with Judith Wickham widow of Joseph Dickham, 

 (? Wichham) to the year 1733 inclusive, whoever buUt upon new 

 Ground without fine, or that did pay me fine for any lease in 

 possession or reversion, and within 7 years from such their 

 fineing did lose by death all or any of their life or lives, for 

 which they had so fined, I constantly gave 'em new life or lives, 

 or chang'd 'em at their desire, at a fine never exceeding Eive 

 Guineas, and often for less, when I might had large Sums of 

 money for such renewals, — an Instance of lenity not easily 

 precedented. 



"That I sold the living at Falmouth to Mr. Millington for 

 £500, and a second time within the year or thereabouts to Mr. 

 "Walmsley for ye like sum of £500," was firmly reported at 

 Ealmouth, and as generally believed. In so much that Dr. 

 Hawkins, coming to preach at Falmouth before Mr. Walmsley's 

 arrival, and dyneing at the Standard, there before all ye company 

 said, I was a lucky man to get two such sums in so short a time, 

 and was contradicted by none. It is true ye proving a negative to 

 demonstration is difiicult, yet in ye case of Millington I hold 

 myself capable of doing it, as thus : upon his Death his Dis- 

 appointed Widow of her continued Grandure therein, was 

 induced by a chief leading Lord of ye Corporation, an Attorney, 

 to bring her Bill in the Exchequer against me, and carried on to 

 a Tryal with virulency, for that ye contest cost the widow upwards 



