3 Snippets from A Country Parson:James Woodeforde's Diary 1759-1802

With great enjoyment I am reading A Country Parson. James Woodforde's Diary 1759 - 1802. I hope you will find the snippets interesting.
February 3rd, 1768.

"...One Sarah Gore, came to see me this morning and brought me an instrument from the Court of Wells, to perform publick (sic) Pennance next Sunday at C. Cary Church for having a child, which I am to administer to her publickly (sic) next Sunday after Divine Service."
...

My mind boggles about what Human Rights Ativists would say if this happened today.

" March 29, 1777 ...Andrews the smuggler brought to me this night about 11 o' clock a bagg (sic) of Hyson Tea 6 Pd weight. He frightened us a little by whistling under the Parlour Window just as we were going to bed. I gave him some Geneva and paid him for the tea at 10/6 per Pd."

Well, smuggling tea was definitely preferable to today's People Smugglers.

"July 22, 1777 Robert Biggen for stealing Potatoes was this afternoon whipp'd thro' the streets of Cary by the Hangman at the end of a Cart. He was whipped from the George Inn to the Angel, from thence back thro' the street to the Royal Oak in South Cary and so back to the George Inn. He being an old offender there was a collection of 0.17.6 given to the Hangman to do him justice. But it was not much for all that-the Hangman was an old Man and a most villainous looking Fellow indeed. For my part I would not contribute one Farthing to it."

My mind is suffering from the equivalent of shell shock at the thought of modern day Human Rights Activists having a field day if this happened now. Can you imagine the publicity in the media?