Susanna Wesley's Epworth Memoirs by Colin Ella - Part 16: Charles Rejects a Fortune
PATTY, Kezzy and Molly, all played a large part in helping to run the household at Wroot.
Molly was especially skilful in her animal husbandry and also in raising various crops on the glebe land.
On numerous occasions it was simply Molly's conscientious work that kept food on our table.
The glebe at Wroot was a considerable expanse and its pastures had a pleasing richness for our milk cattle.
Molly always kept the dairy beautifully clean and neat and even the pigsties displayed a remarkable tidiness.
They all fussed about their father in their different ways each one striving to be the first to answer his call.
They were there to brush his cassock: reach his hat from the nail, seek out the key to draw his ale; fetch his pipe or snuff-box or patch his coat or darn his russet hose.
Nancy proved to have made a good choice in her happy yoking with John Lambert.
He made a most worthy husband and the pair of them were well respected in the neighbourhood whilst they were living at Epworth.
It had always been anticipated that John's work as a surveyor might mean his taking up his duties in some other part of the country so we were not surprised when they moved south.
And my goodness, Charles could have been heir to Dangan Castle and all its estates in Ireland, a veritable fortune and ease an comfort for the rest of his days, but characteristically, Charles turned down Garrett Wesley's offer.
Some of his sister's found his refusal unbelievable in the face of such proffered riches but I felt all along that Charles knew his own mind on the matter.
He had sought his father's advice of course, but Samuel had offered none, preferring to let Charles decide for himself.
We were surprised when Hetty made a sudden visit to Wroot made possible because an old friend in the village had invited her over for a few days.
It was fortunate that Samuel was out when when she called at the Rectory for he would most certainly have refused to entertain her.
He was still seething over her elopement and its unhappy outcome.
A child from Hetty's sinful liaison had already been buried in Louth churchyard and now Hetty was pregnant again, but this time, lawfully.
She only stayed with us for half an hour, all the time feeling and looking unhappy and forlorn.
It was abundantly clear that she was finding her life with her rough, ready, and violent fellow a very difficult uphill fight.
Our Jacky was never very fortunate in his relationships with his lady friends.
I think his first lady friend was perhaps Sally Kirkham from Worcestershire.
Jacky confided in me and asked for my advice.
I told him that it was a business he would have to work out for himself.
He simply seemed unable to manage his romancing in any convincing manner. He and I exchanged letters galore on the subject of love - but oh my goodness, what a subject!
What was I to make of its strange and mysterious essence.
I told John that it was undoubtedly a powerful something.
It was the source of our joy and grief, felt and experienced by everyone and yet unknown to all.
Well - that was how I saw it. It was something we shall never fully comprehend until we are united with our creator.
Jacky seemed to think that showing his love for a woman lessened his love for me.
I told him it would do no such thing but that it was his prayers that I needed and for which I wished.
Next Week in Part 17 - Samuel Has An Accident.
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Weather for Epworth
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -3 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
