CHURTON, Rev. R
415/417
Middleton
Banbury
Oct 12 1819
My Lord,
In this extremely populous parish (Middleton Cheney in the County of Northampton) the silk stocking trade being bad and the shag-weaving worse, and our poor rates more than 20s per acre, there are about ten or a dozen persons, chiefly married and having children, who are inclined to go as settlers to the Cape of Good Hope. In a Vestry yesterday the Parish agreed to allow them according to the terms in the printed circulars, which they have got, namely 10£ to a man and his wife and two children &c and also, besides subsisting them to the ship (at Deptford as they think) a further gratuity of 5£ to one, 6£ to another, 9£ to another, according to the number of their children and other circumstances.
With these proposals the men are not satisfied but require each an additional gratuity, some 5£ some 8£ some 10£ over and above the terms in the circular and the gratuity offered by the Parish. They also conceive that besides implements of husbandry (a spade, axe, saw, stocking-axe, hammer &c) and clothes, sheets, bed, change of shirts &c they should take a plough ?? rows and other such heavy articles or have money to buy them at once in the colony.
I have told them “Of this you may be quite assured, that government does not mean to deceive or to hold out any false lights or allurements and that I have no doubt in the terms proposed (10£ per man &c) Government, who know best what is requisite, are persuaded that such (lodged in the hands of government and to be allowed as [pro]posed to the settlers on their arrival and ‘location’ in the colony) will be quite sufficient, so that even with any such addition (as 2 guineas a man or the like) they would be [obscured] off”
Any instructions or information on this subject would be a particular favour and, at furthest by Friday’s post (which will be here on Saturday morning) that we may on Sunday announce a Vestry to be held next day to settle the business.
I have the honour to be my Lord
Your Lordship’s most obedient and faithful humble servant
R. CHURTON
Rector of Middleton