Days with Sir Roger de Coverley | Page 6

as are apt to give them a figure in the eye of the village. A
country-fellow distinguishes himself as much in the Church-yard, as a
citizen does upon the Change, the whole parish-politicks being
generally discussed in that place either after sermon or before the bell
rings.
My friend Sir Roger, being a good churchman, has beautified the inside
of his church with several texts of his own choosing. He has likewise
given a handsome pulpit-cloth, and railed in the communion-table at
his own expense. He has often told me, that at his coming to his estate
he found his parishioners very irregular; and that in order to make them
kneel and join in their responses, he gave every one of them a hassock
and a common prayer-book: and at the same time employed an itinerant
singing- master, who goes about the country for that purpose, to
instruct them rightly in the tunes of the psalms; upon which they now
very much value themselves, and indeed outdo most of the country
churches that I have ever heard.
As Sir Roger is landlord to the whole congregation, he keeps them in
very good order, and will suffer nobody to sleep in it besides himself;
for if by chance he has been surprised into a short nap at sermon, upon
recovering out of it he stands up and looks about him, and if he sees
any body else nodding, either wakes them himself, or sends his
servants to them. Several other of the old Knight's particularities break
out upon these occasions. Sometimes he will be lengthening out a verse
in the singing- psalms, half a minute after the rest of the congregation
have done with it; sometimes, when he is pleased with the matter of his
devotion, he pronounces Amen three or four times to the same prayer;
and sometimes stands up when every body else is upon their knees, to
count the congregation, or see if any of his tenants are missing.
I was yesterday very much surprised to hear my old friend, in the midst

of the service, calling out to one John Mathews to mind what he was
about, and not disturb the congregation. This John Mathews it seems is
remarkable for being an idle fellow, and at that time was kicking his
heels for his diversion. This authority of the Knight, though exerted in
that odd manner which accompanies him in all circumstances of life,
has a very good effect upon the parish, who are not polite enough to see
anything ridiculous in his behaviour; besides that the general good
sense and worthiness of his character makes his friends observe these
little singularities as foils that rather set off than blemish his good
qualities.
As soon as the sermon is finished, no body presumes to stir till Sir
Roger is gone out of the church. The Knight walks down from his seat
in the chancel between a double row of his tenants, that stand bowing
to him on each side; and every now and then enquires how such an
one's wife, or mother, or son, or father do, whom he does not see at
church; which is understood as a secret reprimand to the person that is
absent.
The chaplain has often told me, that upon a catechising day, when Sir
Roger has been pleased with a boy that answers well, he has ordered a
Bible to be given him next day for his encouragement; and sometimes
accompanies it with a flitch of bacon to his mother. Sir Roger has
likewise added five pounds a year to the clerk's place; and that he may
encourage the young fellows to make themselves perfect in the church
service, has promised upon the death of the present incumbent, who is
very old, to bestow it according to merit.
The fair understanding between Sir Roger and his chaplain, and their
mutual concurrence in doing good, is the more remarkable, because the
very next village is famous for the differences and contentions that rise
between the parson and the 'squire, who live in a perpetual state of war.
The parson is always preaching at the 'squire, and the 'squire to be
revenged on the parson never comes to church. The 'squire has made all
his tenants atheists and tithe-stealers; while the Parson instructs them
every Sunday in the dignity of his order, and insinuates to them in
almost every sermon, that he is a better man than his patron. In short,

matters are come to such an extremity, that the 'squire has not said his
prayers either in publick or private this half year; and that the parson
threatens him, if he does not mend his manners, to pray for him in the
face of the whole congregation.
Feuds of this nature, though too frequent