The

Laft of the Old Squires.

"His Neighbours then did bless him,
His Servants now do miss him,
The Poor would gladly kiss him,
Alive again to be;

But God hath wrought his Pleasure,

And bleft him out of Measure,

With Heaven and earthly Treasure,

So good a God is he!"

TUSSER'S Five Hundred Points of Good

Husbandry.

"A good and charitable Man of fuperior Rank or Wisdom, Fortune, Authority, is a common Bleffing to the Place he lives in; Happiness grows under his Influence."

BUTLER'S Sermon, xii. 216. Upon the
Love of our Neighbour.

THE

Laft of the Old Squires;

A SKETCH

BY CEDRIC OLDACRE, ESQ.

OF SAX-NORMANBURY.

SOMETIME OF CHRIST-CHURCH, OXON.

My Name I did not publish, as not willing it should fway
the Reader, either for me, or against me."

MILTON, To the Parliament, P. W. ii. 297.

LONDON:

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS.

1854.

49. X. 41.

"Something oddly

The Book-man prated, yet he talked it weeping." FORD, The Broken Heart, A&t. iv. Sc. i.

"Nefcio, tu quibus es, Lector, lecturus ocellis Hoc fcio, quod ficcis fcribere non potui."

Fox, Acts and Monuments.

"Excufe my Tears,

It is a Tribute I must pay his Memory,

For I did love my Father."

SHIRLEY, The Brothers, A&t iv. Sc. v.

TO THE READER.

HIS little Sketch of THE LAST OF THE OLD SQUIRES will speak for itself. It is only requifite to remark that although a Fiction in its Form, there is yet a good deal of Reality in its Subftance. It, in Fact, contains the Reminifcences of Years gone by,-of feveral Highbred Country Squires, and of one excellent Country Gentleman in particular. Poffibly, too, there are thofe living who may give to the Description of the Old Church "a local Habitation and a Name;" and they may do this without committing any very grave Error. It may be added that all the little Anecdotes and Converfations are real,-more or less; as are the Facts in the Chapter on NATURAL HISTORY, each and every of which may not have been noted and obferved by THE LAST OF THE OLD SQUIRES, though most of them were.

Poffibly when the Sound and Din of War, and the Fray of Battle is ringing in our Ears, fuch a Publication as this may suggest a Peaceful Refting-place for peaceable Souls, and give rife to Thoughts of Peace and Prayers for Peace! Gentle and patient Readers all,

PAX VOBISCUM!

May 12th, 1854.

THE AUTHOR.

V