with a charcoal fire, hath been made to appear, it is thought absolutely necessary to do something whereby the pernicious vapour which arises thence may be vented and carried off, for which purpose a cupola has been proposed; it appears by an estimate that the charge will amount to £3. 3s.; it is proposed to raise that sum by subscription.'
"3rd Sept.- Set out as hop assistant for Rotherfield, and surveyed the short ride.- 4th. The ride being of extraordinary length, I made it my practise to ride, having the use of a mare of which Mr. Tucker had the keeping of in the forest, and given to me. I set out on horseback, surveying till I came to Mr. Bridge's, who entertained me well. I staid there from 9 till 10, and then set out for Green Hedges; and on my return, in riding down Enting Hill, at a very steep part of the hill, for Want of a crupper to the saddle, my weight drove it down to the mare's withy,, which occasioned it to turn round, and me thereby to fall to the ground. I unfortunately sprained my wrist in a horrible manner, and broke a rib on right side, which came against a stony bank. As soon as I could make a shift to rise, I took advantage of the rising ground to mount again, and rode forward Dowgates, and left the mare with Master Wickens, finding, myself incapable of gettling off or on, and returned to my lodgings at Rotherfield.
"5th.- Finding myself much worse than I was overnight, I rose with extream difficulty, and dressed myself, and bathed my wrist with a fomentation of pot liquor and bran.
"8th.- I was encouraged, by finding my pains in my right side considerably abated, to walk on the forest, where I found Mr. Tucker hunting the warren for a stray rabbit. We went together to Mr. White's to breakfast, and afterwards we sate down with the alderman and drank of raisin wine - very good!
"3rd Oct.-I came to Mayfield and found in the church porch the two Wilmshursts and Geo. Richardson, who through James's too mild treatment was got to be master. I ordered him into the school, and took the management myself. I was told by Mr. Downer that the day before James had been so indiscreet as to suffer Richardson's boy George to bring beer into the school, and, old Kent coming in before the mug was out, the boy asked him to drink; thereupon he fell into a great heat, and drove the boy out of the school."
