In 1697 there is again the entry of a son's baptism: * "Thomas, son of John Morley, bapt, May 3. 1697." How soon after this donation Morley moved to Halstead, we cannot tell. The earliest existing rate book is that of 1708, containing " Rent 8, Mr. John Morley, sen., John Morley, jun., £28 for "Richardsons," £7 for Langley Mill, £13 for Kettleys, £8 for Beakleys. In the rate book of 1717, Morley is called esquire, and his son is rated for seven pieces of *Thomas, entered at Christ Church, Oxford, as son of John Morley of Halstead, gent., matriculated 13th November, 1714, aged 17. Dr. Stratford, Canon of the College, writing April, 1721, to Harley, alludes to a low marriage made 1720 by "Morley's rake that was our student."-ED. property. Later his own rates decrease. He evidently put his sons in to farm some of his land, and made over other portions to his daughters. The rate book does not help to identify the house in Halstead to which Morley moved. Possibly, he rented Blue Bridge before becoming, about 1712, the owner of it. In 1714, he re-built or considerably altered this house, the ancient name of which was Munchensies, and of which in its present condition we give a photograph. Over the porch may be seen a stone, carved with the arms of the Butchers' Company of London, and the date 1714. The front is of Queen Anne style, two windows on each side of the door, and five above. Facing the road is a beautiful wrought-iron screen (also illustrated), with the initials J. M. over the gate. Mr. Bridges Harvey,* the present owner, and Morley's great-greatgreat grandson believes that his ancestor enclosed three sides of the dwelling-house in brick. Part of this has since been taken down. Photo by From the time that Sir Josiah Child roused his speculative talents, the butcher was industrious in buying and selling land. Many of the smaller properties in the Halstead district passed through his hands, but he had not much chance of acquiring large estates in the immediate neighbourhood, for Child had anticipated him buying the Manor of Abells and Blamsters from the representatives of Sir Samuel Tryon, and Sir John Jacob, of *Mr. Bridges Harvey died at Clifton, near Bristol, on 12th June, aged 83, while this article was passing through the Press. -ED. Stanstead Hall, held almost all the rest. The members of his own family were benefitted by Morley's extensive deals. Thus he made over to John, his eldest son, the properties already mentioned, to Edward he gave Hepworth Hall, and on his grand-daughter, Julian Morley, he settled five acres of land called Bruntons, in the parish of Colne Engaine, as shown by a deed dated 29th July, 1727, now in the possession of Mr. Edward Bingham, of Hedingham Pottery fame. Child was not Morley's only rich patron. He came also under the notice of Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, and it is asserted that he, John Morley, was instrumental in bringing about the marriage of that gentleman's son Edward, afterwards second Earl of Oxford, and widely known as the patron of art and learning, with Lady Henrietta Holles, the heiress of the Duke of Newcastle. It is generally believed that for this negotiation he received a sum of £10,000. We have not been able to find authentic evidence of this, but Morley undoubtedly appears to have had plenty of ready money to spend in building just after the marriage in 1713. * The patronage of the Harleys enabled the former butcher to enter a wide circle of celebrities, and to become acquainted with. the poets Pope, Prior, and Gay. Presents of eringo root and oysters, with many epistles, passed between him and Pope, and it has been stated that Morley's wife and brother-in-law, figure in The Rape of the Lock," as Thalestris and Sir Plume. This connection, however, has not been proved. For Prior he found a more enduring memento in the shape of a house. Prior's "Ballad' of Down Hall" records how "Squire Morley," "soft Morley," "mild Morley," escorted him down to Harlow to inspect an eligible estate, and how all he found was a white-washed barn. So persuasive, however, was the dealer, that Prior became its owner, accepting it apparently as a gift from Harley, and subsequently often entertained both donor and agent at Down Hall. On one occasion, Morley injured himself somewhat seriously by collison with a stake, and was detained at Down Hall, in bed, for *The story that Morley was doubly connected by marriage with a certain Sir George Browne, of Berkshire (having married his sister, while Lady Browne was said to be Morley's sister) seems to have arisen from a note in MS. made in a copy of "The Rape of the Lock," which had belonged to Lord Burlington. It is there stated that "Thalestris," of the poem, was Mrs. Morley, the sister of "Sir Plume," the original of which character was Sir George Browne. This Mistress Gertrude Morley, who, with the other characters with whom she is. mentioned, was a Roman Catholic, was evidently another Mrs. Morley, and not the "Dame Betty" of Pricr's poem.-ED. some time in consequence. His recovery was hastened by a visit, followed by a most affectionate and chaffing letter, from Pope : Jan. 19, 1725-6. It was a great pleasure to me to leave you so well recovered, and as I may say, upon your legs again. A man that is so apt to run about to serve his friend ought never, sure, to be laid up as you have been. It must, however, have taught you to be more cautious for the future how you venture at a great stake,and to walk warily, with many other moral and political lessons, when you, who know that ground better than any man in England, have been thus mistaken. If my Lord and Lady Oxford's letters, which you used as daily plaisters to your wound, had not healed it up already, I might hope this which I send, would have some effect. I am eating the oysters you sent (pickled). St. Peter never tasted so good, though he was a fisherman all his life. I would not advise you to eat eringo roots, their near neighbours at Colchester. These things would put your body into some disorder at this time when you lie so much upon your back. Besides, Dr. Cotesworth says your flesh is young, like a fellow's of five and twenty. Pray write something to satisfy posterity in the account of your life that Down Hall was the ancient name of the place, and that it did not receive that appellation from throwing you down, in which case it may come hereafter to be called Down Morley. After all, I fancy you lay in so long, only to receive visits and letters and homages and messages in the greater state, to hear the condolement of Countesses and Duchesses, and to see the diamonds of beauties sparkle at your bedside. You are so little accustomed to take your rest or to be still, that now you come to find the sweets of it. But if your natural and usual impatience to serve others, and that impetuosity so peculiar to yourself, prevail over your present habit of repose the next journey you take to buy land for a poet, I promise to accompany you, be you as active as you will. And upon all other journies and projects whatsoever of yours, I will at least accompany you with my best wishes for your success. I am, dear sir, your very affectionate and hearty humble servant. A. POPE. Prior was on terms so intimate with Morley as to visit him repeatedly at Blue Bridge, where he composed some verses for a monumental tablet, in copper gilt, which Morley placed in the chancel of Halstead church, to the memory of his good friend and neighbour, Samuel Fiske, "by descent a gentleman, by profession an apothecary." The special act commemorated by the verses was the rebuilding in 1717, of the spire of the parish church, which had been struck by lightning and burned down. The most interesting thing that we have to record of Samuel Fiske is that by the marriage of his nephew Thomas with Morley's daughter, Anne, he was allied with a man whose name is just now in everybody's mouth. That Morley's descendants number among them Horatio Herbert Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum is not the least of the claims he has to be remembered. Of Morley's life in Halstead we know little, except the remembrance of some of his good deeds. On 20th September, 1693, he purchased the patronage of the rectory of Gestingthorpe, five miles from Halstead. He beautified the chancel, and in 1723, joined with his presentee. Moses Cooke, in giving £200 to augment the income of the vicar.* From 1702-6 he was churchwarden of Halstead, and in 1716 he gave two large brass hanging candelabra for the nave of the parish church. These he supplemented in 1719 by two more for the south aisle. In 1705, his. friend Fiske and he had paved the market-place. Here, in public, to show that he was by no means ashamed of honest trade, even though it were butchering, Morley, to the end of his days, annually killed and scalded a hog, and took a groat as his fee for doing so. TH (To be continued). CAPTAIN MATTHEW MARTIN. (Copyright. BY ERNEST N. MASON. HE family of Martin, which has been absorbed into that of Rebow, was of considerable influence in the Colchester district two centuries, or less, ago. Captain Martin, the subject of this memoir, holds an honourable place in the naval records of this country; his naval exploit against three French warships during the early part of the Eighteenth Century rendered him one of the heroes of his time. In his younger days he followed the profession of a sailor in the service of the East India Company, where he acquitted himself with great success, and earned a good reputation. His encounter with the French war-ships occurred while he was in command of the "Marlborough," Indiaman of 32 guns, with a cargo, value £200,000 sterling, having £100,000 in foreign spices on board. Three French ships of war, of 70, 60, and 32 guns. each, had taken up a station off the coast of India to intercept all the outward-bound ships that year. Captain Martin first sighted them on a Thursday morning, and it was Saturday night before he was quite clear of them; during which time, by his skilful manoeuvres and nautical stratagem, he managed to *Morant, Vol. II., p. 309. |