Old Hampshire Mapped
Cobbett's Hampshire
Transcription (62)Easton
Itchen, River
Kings Worthy
Martyr Worthy
Ogle Family
strawberry
cream
garden
Fleming
Lockhart
Hampshire Parsons
As we had to come to this place [Easton], which is three miles up the river Itchen from Winchester, we crossed the Winchester and Basingstoke road at King's Worthy. This brought us, before we crossed the river, along through Martyr's Worthy, so long the seat of the OGLES, and now, as I observed in my last Register, sold to a general, or colonel. These OGLES had been deans, I believe; or prebends, or something of that sort: and the one that used to live here had been, and was when he died, an 'admiral.' However, this last one, 'Sir Charles,' the loyal address mover, is my man for the present. We saw, down by the water-side, opposite to 'Sir Charles's' late family mansion, a beautiful strawberry garden, capable of being watered by a branch of the Itchen which comes close by it, and which is, I suppose, brought here on purpose. Just by, on the greensward, under the shade of very fine trees, is an alcove, wherein to sit to eat the strawberries, coming from the little garden just mentioned, and met by bowls of cream coming from a little milk-house, shaded by another clump a little lower down the stream. What delight! What terrestrial paradise! 'Sir Charles' might be very frequently in this paradise, while that SIDMOUTH, whose Bill he so applauded, had many men shut up in loathsome dungeons! ... it is not likely that 'Sir Charles' will sit again in this paradise, contemplating another loyal address, to carry to a county meeting ready engrossed on parchment, to be presented by Fleming and supported by Lockhart and the 'HAMPSHIRE PARSONS.'
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