"On Tuesday, the 28th, I received your letter, on which day Anne was to make herself scarce. I obeyed your order and sent her away. The consequence has been that I have been obliged to call in Susan, who is 7d. a day and her food, instead of Anne, who is 3¾d. a day and her food." And now we pay a charwoman 2s. 6d. a day and her food!
In conclusion of this chapter upon Bratton Clovelly, I may mention that the house we inhabited had been a residence of the Phayre family, or a branch of it. This family had its cradle in Bratton, where it possessed considerable estates. At one time there had been a considerable exodus from Devon to Ireland, mainly of the younger sons of the landed gentry. Among these were the Lutrells, the Martyns, formerly of Athelhempston, and then of Exeter, some of my own family who settled in Kerry, where they joined the Roman Church and changed their arms. Among other migrants was the father of Sir Arthur and Sir Robert Phayre or Phayer. The former became first Commissioner of British Burma, and the latter, his brother, became a distinguished general, and was aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria. Sir John Phayre was a judge in one of our colonies. Him I knew. His daughter presented the park bearing the Phayre name to Exmouth. Whilst we were at Bratton one of the last of the race resident on the land was seventh son of a seventh son, and was in great request in the neighbourhood for his supposed powers of healing cases of epilepsy, and other disorders. That which especially marked the family was its hereditary strong sense of rectitude and devotion to duty. An attempt was made on the life of Sir Robert Phayre by the Guakwar, Malhar Rao, whose intrigues he had exposed, by presenting him with sherbet into which powdered glass had been introduced. Sir Robert refused the drink, and the Guakwar was deposed.
My father held these two brothers, makers of our Empire, in high esteem for their talents and virtues.
