Thursday 22 May 1834
Real playing and sqeezing [sic] and pressing for an hour and a half last night and almost as long this morning she says she gets fonder and of me and certainly seems to care enough for me now I think we shall get on very well nobody would care for me more or do more for me
Very fine morning Fahrenheit 56 now at 9 a.m. - breakfast at 10 1/4 in an hour
Off to the abbey of St. Agatha, (Easby Abbey) at 12 - walked slowly by the water side - above 1/2 hour in getting there - 1 before I could leave Miss Walker comfortably beginning her sketch - then left Eugenie with her and Mr. Brown, and took Joseph, and walked up to the village consisting of an hospital founded about a century ago by a reverend Mr. Smith for 4 poor old women, and 2 cottages and the hall, Mr. Jacques, a man of very low origin whose brother went to India made money and left it him, and who, independent of this brother, had done well for himself - has the lead mines in the dale and 'tries his hand at everything' as the old woman told me - strolled along next the high road and had the fine view of Richmond, then walked thro' the village and straight forwards some distance (about a mile?) and then turned left down to the river - high limestone rocky, wooded right bank - the broad bottom of the shallow river rock or shingle - very picturesque - came out into the pretty road (Lovers' walk) thro' the wood that comes out almost upon the abbey, and back to Miss W- Walker in 1 1/4 hour
Now left her again telling her I should return to the cottage I had just been into where she might rest - stopt to reconnoitre the old great gateway of the abbey - ground floor now filled with posts and hedge stakes, and above a granary and pigeon cote - slept 1/2 hour in an old wheelbarrow, then joined with Miss Walker at the cottage for 3/4 hour while she had biscuits and wine till about 3 1/2 when she made a 2nd. sketch till 5 - In the meantime talking to the old woman at the cottage or asleep there - left Mr. Brown sketching and sent home the servants 1st. and ourselves got home in 1/2 hour at 6 1/4 - Miss Walker tired
Dinner at 6 1/2 tête à tête (Mr. Brown not returning) - afterwards my going out put off by Miss Walker's having me near her on the sofa and being on the amoroso so grubbled her well then read a little of Clarkson's history of Richmond 1 volume quarto (1st. 6 pages wanting) - Bearing of arms, originally a military institution, not established before the year 1147, the beginning of the 2nd. holy war to avoid confusion among the number of illustrious persons, and worn on the shield - not upon the great seals of our Kings before Richard 1st. who at 1st. bore 2 lions rampant guardant, and the arms of Normandy; he afterwards added another lion from his being the son of Eleanor, daughter and heiress of William duke of Aqitain and Guyenne, and bore then all 3 passant prendant, the present blazon for England - Arms not fixed to famous or hereditary, immediately after the commencement of the fashion - sometimes changed by the same person - sometimes by their posterity - Fuller says hereditary arms were not fixed to famous before the reign of Henry 3. Seals commence about the end of the 12th. century but most of them only represented a Knight on horseback, armed cap-a-pie with a drawn sword in his hand, but without any device upon his shield - 'about the year 1366, the great seals of subjects went out of use, when smaller ones of arms came into fashion among people of the 1st distinction those of prelates were of an oval shape, to which some mystical signification was attached, those of temporal lords a perfect circle. See Gale, Preface, page 115. Edmondson's heraldry volume 1 page 183' (taken from notes to page 28/446 + appendix pages 132, Clarkson's history of Richmond)
Asleep - tea at 9 - Miss Walker went to bed at 10 - I wrote the above of today till 11 5/60 - very fine day - Fahrenheit 59 now at 11 5/60 p.m.
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