The True Life of Betty Ireland | Page 2

built Houses for herself, and Fences for the
Tenants, and left some of her own People with her to instruct them in
Trades and Husbandry.
She was then, it might be thought, in a Way of making herself
respected, both by her own and her Sister's Tenants, and not stand in

need of any more Supplies from them; and if the good Woman, her
guardian, had lived to bring Matters to any Kind of Establishment,
Things had been better. But she unfortunately died, more, however, to
her Sister's Disadvantage than hers; for the Guardian had chalked out a
Track of Proceeding for Betty, which she could hardly miss to follow.
The Elder, however, was inconsolable for the Loss of her Guardian,
and resolved, for the future, to manage her Concerns by the Assistance
of a Steward, a Sort of a Cousin to her Guardian deceased, but no way
allied to her, in Worth or Understanding. He minded nothing but
Hunting and Puppet-shews, Feasts and Revels; and though the
uncomeliest of an ill-favoured Race, spent his Lady's Money in
adorning his own Person, instead of fencing her Grounds. He was
laughed at by one half of the Neighbours, and despised and gulled by
the other. In a Word, he was every Way unfit for the Charge.
His Son succeeded to the Place; he was a grave-looking, orderly young
Man, main religious, and skilled in the Customs of the Manor. Both the
Sisters had great Hopes their Affairs would thrive under his
Management. Betty's, indeed, went on well for a while; but, in the End,
both of them had Cause to complain, and curse the Day they had
bethought them of employing a Steward in their Concerns. He was not
so great a Fool as his Father; yet nothing he put his Hand to succeeded.
He was bubbled by every Neighbour he dealt with, and choused by
every Tenant he trusted. His Word could never be relied on, as he had
always some quibble to evade it. His Wife made him hated by the
Tenants; and for a finishing Stroke to his undoing, and compleat the
Ruin of his Wards, he pretended the Steward had a Right to hold Courts
without Juries, and by his own Authority levy Money for Repairs. The
Tenants would not endure this Invasion on their Rights, but stoutly
opposed it; and, after a hard Struggle, got the better, turned him out of
the Stewardship, and some of them finding him one Day at a why-not,
tied him to a Rope, and hanged him in a Frolick.
The Office of a Steward was now abolished for a Time, and the elder
Sister resolved to take her Affairs entirely into her own Hands, and
have neither Steward or Guardian for the future. The Condition, indeed,
of both was deplorable. There had been nothing during the late Quarrel,

but Riot and Plunder, Rents unpaid, and Soldiers quartered at
Discretion; so that, in order to retrieve their Affairs, it seemed
necessary to put things on a new Footing, and trust none but themselves
to manage them. But whatever they intended mattered but little.
Among the Soldiers quartered on them was a bustling Knave, who from
a Corporal had come to be a Captain. He was bold as a Lion, and crafty
as a Fox. He had cajoled his Soldiers to stand by him; and pretending
Compassion for the Sisters, offered, or rather forced himself, to be their
Guardian. They only complied because they could not help it; and he
took more rule over them, than ever Steward or Guardian had done
before him.
He seemed, indeed, to mend Matters in the Beginning, but, in reality,
did unrepairable Damage to Blanch, though considerable Services to
Betty. The Neighbours all around thought they were thriving apace, and
began to envy their Greatness. The Reason of which was, that he
always took care to have the Girls well dressed, especially when they
went a visiting, and sent Word before-hand (for he was d----d proud)
that all the World should Cap to them as they passed along. He stinted
them in every thing else, but spent all he could rap and run to make
them fine. Betty was bashful, and kept pretty much at home; but when
Blanch went abroad, she made a flaming Appearance, held up her Head
among the Highest, and insulted the Proudest with her Braveries.
But all the while Things were but uncomfortable at home, though she
made such a tearing Figure when abroad. Nothing to be had for Farms,
by reason the Soldiers put in and out as they pleased. No Leets or
Manor Courts were minded. No taxing for Repairs and Bounds, but the
Soldiers taxed for Contingencies as much Money as they could hear
any one had. So that the