gihga55

lord-of-the-manor of Beechcot-on-the-Wold

in the year 1558. My father, Richard Salkeld,

I have leisure time of my own, and therefore I shall now proceed to carry out the intention which has been in my mind for many years.

[Pg 11]and church-warden have been neither light nor unimportant.

I have never seemed to have opportunity such as I desired,

his hand and bidding him read what I had there written.

t ask me for it, I could satisfy him without trouble to myself,

have oft prompted me to write down my story,

for a plain-spoken country gentleman, as you may well believe.

and so I had to go to Whitehall and tell my story before the court,

who is my near neighbor and a Parliament man,

which was a right and proper thing to do; but the consequence was disastrous9,

My father being seized by a fever

Whether he did well or ill in this calling I know not,

and was not likely to, and so to the folks round about his home he now introduced me as his adopted son and heir. And thus things went very pleasantly for me, and, as children will, I soon forgot my early troubles.

and ere many months were over I had grown fond of him,

for his zealous11 conduct in administering the law.

who settled my father’s affairs and took me away with him. I was somewhat afraid of him at first, for he was a good twenty years older than my father, and wore a grave, severe air. Moreover, he had be

for there presently appeared my [Pg 12]uncle,

and they both died, leaving me alone in the world.