worth in 1575, together with the verses he composed for, and recited on, that occasion. Strutt in commenting on this says: The Savage Men, or Wodehouses as they are sometimes called, frequently made their appearances in the public shows; they were sometimes clothed entirely with skins, and sometimes were decorated with oaken leaves or covered with ivy. In the fifth year of his reign Henry VIII. kept his Christmas at Greenwich, and, as usual, was amused with pageants and shows of all kinds. Amongst the Players appeared Wodehouses or Woodhouses, the word being spelled both ways in the old books. May we not reasonably surmise that these two taverns-the "Green Man" and the "Woodhouse "-derived their names from the shows and sports that Leicester devised to amuse Queen Elizabeth when she stayed at Wanstead for five days in 1578? There seem to be very few records of the manner in which the Queen was entertained at Wanstead. Nicholls in his Progresses gives no account, and merely mentions the visit. This Woodhouse tavern I find is not mentioned in Miller Christy's Trade Signs of Essex, although he names several inns in the county with the sign of the "Green Man." Can any reader of the E.R. say whether there is another "Woodhouse," if so, where is it? It may be mentioned in concluding this short note, that Gascoyne could not have performed at Wanstead as he died in the previous year 1577. JOHN MORLEY OF HALSTEAD. SCA THE REV. T. G. GIBBONS. CANT attention seems to have been paid by Essex historians to the strange and adventurous career of the Halstead ex-butcher and land-jobber, who made a large fortune, had dealings with the most noted speculators and monied men of his time, and was admitted to the intimate friendship of three poets, beside other men of learning. That he expected to be remembered, at any rate in his native town, is proved by the fact that for the benefit of posterity he placed in a room at Worthies Place in Halstead, a chimneypiece of white-veined polished marble, with this inscription in gold: "John Morley, of Halstead, son of John Morley and Julian his wife, was born in this chamber the 8th of February, 1655 [6]." The family of Morley seems to have been of considerable dimensions at Halstead, in the parish register of which place the name appears frequently from 1619 downwards. It consisted of well-to-do people, who possessed houses and lands both in the town itself and in the neighbouring parishes, as we shall see. The marriage of John Morley's father and mother took place in the troublous days of the Commonwealth, not in church, but before a magistrate. The full entry in the Halstead marriage register runs as follows: John Morley and Julian Bragg, both single persons of this parish, were joyned in marriage the 12th of May, 1655, by William Harlackenden, one of the Justices of the Peace for the County. ARTHUR BARNARDISTON. *Holman's Halstead, ed. Rev. T. G. Gibbons, 1902, Earls Colne Printing Press. B The Bragg family, it may be noticed, have lived in Halstead from 1564 until the present day, but the pedigree of "Julian " cannot be traced, and some words in her husband's will seem to imply that she came from elsewhere. At any rate she was well dowered, and from wherever she arrived, she brought goods and chattels to her new home. She was also the owner of houses, lands, and woods before she married the Halstead butcher. For Morley's trade was hereditary, and was followed by his father before him. The elder John Morley died in September 1696, having made his will three or four months earlier, when he was "weak in body but of sound and perfect memory." In it he describes himself as "John Morley, the elder, of Halstead, in the county of Essex, butcher." He commences with the usual pious invocation, and the Puritan expressions prevalent at the time. Hisbody he commits to be decently buried at the discretion of his eldest son, John Morley, who is not to bestow more than twenty pounds upon his funeral. To the same eldest son he bequeaths. the land and wood grounds in Stisted parish, which he late purchased of Mr. Blunt, and which is now occupied by William Abraham. His featherbed, bedstead, and everything belonging to it in his kitchen chamber are also to be John's. John's eldest son is to inherit the houses now in "my own occupation," or in default of him the next grandson Edward, or Mary, one of his son John's daughters. Having thus disposed of his estate, he turns to his personal effects. His daughter Susan, wife of Joseph Holmes, is to have his silver tankard; daughter Martha, wife of William Newman, his piece of plate made in the fashion of a mug. His four daughters, Elizabeth, Thomasin, Susan, and Martha, are to receive the profits of his houses for six months after his death, and between them are to be divided equally, within six days, all the goods and chattels, mortgage bonds and bills found in his possession. Elizabeth's husband was Clement Spurgin, and to this eldest pair he bequeathed, in addition, two houses situated in Parsonage Lane, Halstead, upon condition that they pay for the probate of his will, and give to his trusty and loving friends, Nicholas Marret and Thomas French (who are to superintend the division), a guinea in gold each. They are also to pay to "my kinswoman Mary Bragg," of Southwark, twenty shillings yearly for five * years. Then follow bequests to numerous grand-children, one' of whom, Samuel Holmes, is appointed sole executor. By a codicil Morley bequeaths to his loving wife all the rents due upon the houses, lands, &c., which were hers before he married her, as well as "all the goods and chattels shee brought to Halstead with her." He is also moved to devise to her the sum of £4 to buy a mourning suite, and a "red petticote." So the worthy butcher departed. His education, though it had taught him to prosper in business, had left him unable to write, and the final disposition of his property was signed only with his mark. Nor was his son, with whom we are here principally concerned, instructed in the art of "writing and keeping accounts" until he was a grown and married man, as we shall find by his own confession. Unfortunately, information on many points of John Morley the younger's early history is lacking. But quite recently an interesting piece of autobiography has come to light, and through the kindness of Mr. Ralph J. Beevor (a descendant of Morley's daughter, Anne), who discovered it, is now offered as a valuable supplement to the scanty details which were previously available as to Morley's history.+ In these pages, written down long after the events narrated, the old man's memory never seems to fail. With much precision, although forty years have passed, he sets down the story of his first introduction to the world of speculation and finance, and considering how late in life he learned to handle a pen, the document reflects much credit on its writer. It was written, as will be observed, to while away the time on two long winter evenings spent in one of the old Essex hostelries, where, according to Prior, Morley was so well known and so honoured a guest. The sheets, which are foolscap, are endorsed by the writer, "The valluable Sr. Josiah Child and John Morley, Decr. 10, 1725." THE RED BULL INN, IN NEWPORT POND, IN ESSEX, DECEMBER 9, 1725. Having occasion to call at this place, the night drawing on, itt came into my thoughts of Mentioning the way of my being first knowne to that great man of Trade and Incoureger of Industery, Sr Josiah Child, viz., he haveing Bought *Possibly she was his wife's sister or even mother, for the event of her death before the five years have expired is evidently expected, so that it seems likely she was aged.—ED. The principal sources of information which are here utilised are Halstead Parish Registers and Rate Books; Holman's Halstead, see ante p. 145, note; Morant's History of Essex, Vol. ii, pp. 257, 309 (being Holman's notes condensed); Duke of Portland's MSS. in the Hist. MSS., Com. Reports; Dictionary of National Biography, article by T. Seccombe; Wills of members of the family; Title deeds of properties n Halstead and elsewhere. Lansdowne MS. 825, Brit. Mus. above thirty years since an Estate in the parish of Halsted, in which I was borne. And at that time was married and had several children, and used the Trade of a Butcher, in which I was Bred. I kept my shop near the church gate. The said Sr Josiah Child having sent two Quakers, viz., Thomas Robins and John Ellis, as his servants, to take care and improve the said Estate, they both coming from Boys' Hall belonging to the same, past by my said shop* before I could with decency speak to them; they went to several other Butchers stalls in ye Markett, but offering not soe much to either of ye said Butchers as they thought fit to take, (it being as I remember in the month of October) they in very uncommendable languidge gave them very Approbious words, which I observed, and waiteing a fitt opportunity to speak to them after ye following manner (viz) : "Masters, will you please to see what meat I have. I hope you will like it as well as any you have seen." Their answer was, see what thou hast." "Thee speekest ye civillest to us of any Butcher. Wee will I being fully determined to take any money they offer'd me (although not the third part of its value), we soone agreed, to the best of my Remembrance, with only the loss of one Grote, very much to my sattisfaction. After yt time I had much dealinges with them, and kil'd hoggs for them and many others, att the rate of 4d. per hogge, as ye custom then was. About ye month of July after ye said month of October, the said Sr Josiah Child had ordered ye Park belonging to ye said estate to be disparkd, and ye keeper, viz., John White, being very aged, and dispiritted at ye disparking ye same, the said John Ellis desired I would assist in killing ye Deer, which I readilye comply'd with, receiving for killing of each Deer (Is.), the venison being sent several times by a yearly servant to Wansted House to the said Sir Josia. But the said servt was remiss in returning home in a fitt time and orderly manner, I was desired by the said John Ellis to carry some venison to Wansted, to which I readielle consented, provided he would find me a horse, not haveing any of my owne, which he comply'd with, noe mention being made what I was to be allowed for keeping ye horse and myselfe, and two days work, it being about 36 myles from ye said Parke. But after goeing three or four journeys the said John Ellis and I haveing a smal account to make, he told me he was willing to allow me Tree shillings a journey. I accepted it without hesitation, although both ye said days for my Horse and self it did not cost me less than 5s. But told the said John Ellis I desired to see ye great man his master, not attempting to name Sr Josiah Child, fearing I might not doe it in a proper manner. His answer was "Thou shalt see him ye next journey thou carryeth venison; I will send some letters by thee." Which accordingly he did, for notwithstanding my loss of two dayes time two shillings every journey, I was minded to keepe on goeing until ye Park was disparkt, Believing there would bee noe more Imployment of yt kind for me to doe. Att my sending my letters to ye great man (as I then cal'd him) by his Butler into his Parlor, he ordered the Butcher should bee cal'd, which I, attending in the great Hall, overheard with no small concerne of mind. But goeing to ye parlor door as submissively as I could, although in a very diffarent manner from other persons, viz., makeing a very low bow, with my hat in both my hands between my leggs, with a coller band and long shoe stringes, in a Butcher's frock, * A butcher's shop stood near the gate at the west end of Halstead Church until 1851, when it was removed to widen the road. |