Chippenham <1>
24th April 1830
Dear Sir,
I am afraid you may have thought me inattentive, in not answering your Letter of the 21st sooner - but I could not go to Bath till yesterday on account of a prior Engagement - I saw Mr Paley <2> last night & we had a great deal of conversation on the subject of your Letter - He had received your former one, but somehow or other, he did not think you would be expecting an answer to it unless he could give you a definitive one - poor Man, he is at times very nervous from the effects of his continued ill health & can hardly tell what to decide upon - he is occasionally very much better & then he thinks of returning to Lacock & to have an assistant Curate only - With respect to Mr Rogers <3>, he referred me to Mr Short <4>, who had made the arrangement for his taking the Curacy - He told me, that Mr Rogers left his Situation in Yorkshire, with the understanding that he should remain at Lacock unless Mr Paley was able to resume his duty there & under these circumstances, he thought it would be impossible to take the Curacy from him without serious inconvenience.
I think from what Mr Paley said, that he will ask him to look out for another Curacy, but as matters stand at present I do not think that your Friend could in any way depend upon its being vacant during the present Year - Mr Paley particularly desired me to apologize for his apparent inattention in not answering your Letter, but he assured me that it was not it was not really so, for that he had been quite distressed to know how to act for the best - I am sure if he had felt himself at liberty, that he would have gladly attended to your recommendation - I have at last got Hayward's <5> Account settled for last year & have held the Audit for the present half year - I am sorry to say not a very good one, but I could hardly expect it to be so in the present state of the Country - I have, however, as much as £550 now in hand (including the old Balance) & I wait your direction as to where I shall pay it- I have also to beg the favor of your informing me about the Grass in the Abbey grounds - Hayward proposes if you intend keeping the Stew ground in hand, that he should hurdle off about three Acres of the other Land & mow it together but I am inclined to recommend that the whole of the Land should be mown this year - as there is a prospect of a good crop & there will probably be enough hay to allow of the whole being sold standing & thereby get rid of the risk of making this Year - If you approve of this plan I will endeavour to get a Purchaser for the grass in good time - Mr Michell <6> mentions, that it is necessary to have two names included as Trustees, in the Conveyance of Mr Montagu's Land to you - pro forma - & he has filled up the deed with the names of Capt Fielding <7> & myself -
I have at length settled all matters with Crocker at Inlands & he has quitted - it is really a great relief to have done this without any Law - on account of the difficult situation in which we are placed by having no positive representation of Mr Edwards to treat with -
I am Dear Sir Yr obliged Sert
W. H. Awdry
W.H.F. Talbot Esqr
31 Sackville St
Piccadilly
London
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. Rev James Paley (1790-1863), Vicar at Lacock.
3. Robert Rogers, Curate at Lacock.
4. Rev William Short, Vicar of Chippenham.
5. Thomas Hayward (b. 1783), tenant farmer, Wick Farm, Lacock.
6. Edward Michell, solicitor, Chippenham.
7. Misspelling for Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.