Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/515

 10 s. x. NOV. 28, im] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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you would now come and see me, it would be charity " (ibid., vol. ii. p. 145). His humour finds expression in a letter dated 10 July, 1710, referring to the haymaking :

" Ye great Feast of St. Foens is begun in my parish, it has been observed here ever since the world was weaned and the Creation turned to grasse." Brooke MSS.

On 10 March, 1710/11, he writes that he is " just alive, and that is all. I am full of rheumatic pains and aches ; I have no ease in bed or up " (' Letters,' ii. 143).

In Nichols's ' Literary Illustrations of the Eighteenth Century ' (vol. iv. pp. 492-4) is given a letter addressed in 1711 by the Rev. George Plaxton to the Hon. Heneage Finch, afterwards fifth Earl of Winchilsea, whose younger brother was Dean of York. It is a very characteristic effusion, and thus concludes :

" How do you like Canterbury? How did Bully Rock receive you ? Is his corruption in his head or in his feet? Is his mitre tin, lead or pewter; or, like the Saramites, Corinthian? Are his lawn sleeves really blue? or is it only the cast of the indigo ? and proceeds from the folly of his laundress? Does he wear the cloak above the gown ? and the precise neck-cloth above the band? Is his black cap hooped with linen? and his cassock of Tom Dennison's cut ? In short, what is the bulk, stature, and selvidge of the man ? Is he bigger or less than his predecessor ? In what climate stands Lambeth ? because I am told 'tis always summer there ; if so, their heads must be flie-blown. I congratulate you on your happy fall of preferment. I have had my share too ; but I fell downwards, as you fell upwards one from my horse, and another from the horse- block ; however, I have got a new livery in my skin, if I get nothing else. I am now a worse cripple than ever, and am become a walking Clogg, an Almanack to foretell weather, and shew changes."

Plaxton was something of a social re- former. On 5 Feb., 1712/13, Thoresby records (' Diary,' vol. ii. p. 89) that he

"was at Alderman Milner's about Mr. Plaxton's project of a fund for the aged and poor croppers, at 2d. or 4c. per cloth, in imitation of that at New- castle, of 4d. per keel, which is thought would amount to as large a revenue, which is 46. or 80/. per annum."

Whilst in London, on 1 July, 1712, the diarist called to see Parson Plaxton's mother, aged eighty-eight,*

" yet cant to admiration. I saw her thread a very small needle, and read without spectacles" (ibid. vol. ii. p. 127).

On 17 Sept., 1712, Thoresby " took what sheets of the ' Ducatus Leodiensis are printed off, and carried them to Mr. Plaxton, who has importunately desired the perusal of them" (ibid., vol. ii. p. 171).

8 May, 1625, at Bubwith (Foster's 'Yorkshire Pedigrees ').
 * His mother, Beatrice Ackeroyd, was baptized

Thoresby was at Barwick on Sunday, 5 April, 1713 (ibid., vol. ii. pp. 186-7), when

Mr. Plaxton preached very well," and administered the sacrament to over a hun- dred persons,

"and near as many on Friday, when he was four hours engaged in the church, telling the Woodside folk that it may be he might see them no more till that time twelve months.

In the afternoon the Rector expounded part of the Creed,

"and notwithstanding his jocular temper and 1 satirical wit (which displeaseth some and pleaseth many), he is very com menclably serious and indus- trious in his cure, and hath brought his parish to- an excellent order."

On 12 Sept., 1713, Thoresby went over to Barwick, and on the next day, being' Sunday,

"Mr. John Plaxton* preached very ingeniously from Proverbs; but I had no opportunity of noting the heads ; afterwards took leave of my old friend, who is for the Lord Gower's, whence he- talks of returning the next month ; but I much sus- pect it, considering his age and infirmities ; the Lord, go with him and return him ! " (ibid., vol. ii. p. 195.)

Thoresby was again in London in 1714,, and on 25 July records how he " dined with Mr. Plaxtonf and his aged grand- mother, who, in the ninety-first year of her age,, can see to read a written letter without spectacles, . and also to thread a very small needle, as I saw her do it last Friday, and keep it as a curiosity ; walked with her sonj to Bloomsbury Chapel, where Paul Bachiler preached very well from Joshua xxiv 15 "(ibid., vol. ii. p. 242).

In the fifth volume of ' Hearne's Collec- tions ' (Oxford Hist. Soc., vol. xlii. p. 31); is given an abstract of a letter addressed by the Rev. George Plaxton, on 7 March,. 1714/15, to Thomas Hearne (1678-1735),, in which he says that he has not been in. Yorkshire or at Leeds for some months, and is now staying at Trentham with Lord Gower. He enumerates some of the trea- sures of the library there, and adds, " Age makes my hand shake ! "

Plaxton appears to have been at Trentham on 18 Feb., 1715/16, when he wrote to his old friend as follows (' Letters to Thoresby,' vol. ii. p. 339) :

"If I stay here, I have not three of my old" friends living. I am to keep company with grand- children and young people : the Deanays of Stafford' are all new faces; the Deaneys of Salop most of them strangers; most churches have espoused a third husband since I knew them : nay, in three parishes where I had the good fortune to be placed,, not one family is left unchanged ; most houses have new masters and dames ; death hath made a great alteration in them."


 * His third son, of whom later.

f Either William or George, sons of my subject.

$ Either John or William, brothers of iny subject.