those old days, and so the man of suds was expected to entertain his customers or find them entertainment. Next turning his attention to the clergy, Houghton offers that body a helping hand also:—
* I would gladly serve the clergy in all their wants.
How he understood this friendly help soon appeared:—
——If any divine or their relicts have complete sets of manuscript sermons upon the Epistles and the Gospels, the Catechism or Festivals, I can help them to a customer.
The use of second-hand sermons was not unknown in those days, and detection was of course much less imminent than now. Then—
——I have sold all the manuscript sermons I had and many more, and if any has any more to dispose of that are good and legibly writ, I believe I can help them to customers.
Possibly the “many more” was a heavy attempt at humour; but