FOOTNOTES:
[136] All I know of Henry Clarke is contained in two little documents in my Borrow Papers which run as follows:
'These are to Certify the Principal Officers and Commissioners of H.M. Navy that Mr. Henry Clarke has Served as Midshipman on board H.M. Ship Salvador del Mundo under my Command from the 23 September 1810 to the date hereof, during which time he behaved with Diligence, Sobriety, and Attention, and was always obedient to Command.
Given under my Hand on board the
Salvador del Mundo the 4 April
1811.
James Nash, Captain.'
'These are to Certify the Principal Officers and Commissioners of H.M. Navy that Mr. Henry Clarke has Served as Midshipman on board H.M. Ship Tisiphone under my Command from the 20th of June 1813 to the date hereof, during which time he behaved with Diligence, Sobriety, and Attention, and was always obedient to Command.
Given under my Hand on board the
Tisiphone in the Needles passage
this 30th day of November 1813.
E. Hodder, Captain.'
[137] Vide supra, p. 158.
[138] Knapp's Life, vol. i. 189.
[139] The tombs in Oulton Churchyard bear the following inscriptions:
(1) Beneath this stone are interred in the same grave the Mortal Remains of Edmund Skepper, who died Febry. 5th, 1836, aged 69. Also Ann Skepper, his wife, who died Sept. 15th, 1835, aged 62.
(2) Beneath this stone are interred the Mortal Remains of Breame Skepper, who died May 22nd, 1837, aged 42, leaving a wife and six children to lament his severe loss.
(3) Sacred to the Memory of Lieut. Henry Clarke of His Maj.'s Royal Navy, who departed this life on the 21st of March 1818, aged 25 years, leaving a firmly attached widow and an infant daughter to lament his irreparable loss.
A further tomb commemorates the mother of George Borrow, whose epitaph is given elsewhere.
[140] The following document in Henrietta's handwriting is among my Borrow Papers:
'When my Grandfather died he owed a mortgage of £5000 on the Oulton Hall estate—to a Mrs. Purdy.
'At my Grandfather's death my Mother applied to her Brother for the money left to her and also the money left—beside the money owed to her daughter which is also mentioned in the Will. She was refused both, and told moreover that neither the money nor the interest would be paid to her.
'My Mother and I were living at the Cottage since the funeral of my Grandfather—the Skeppers removed to the Hall. The Estate was to be sold—and my Mother and myself were to be paid. 'My Mother mentioned this to her solicitor, who hastened back to Norwich and got £5000—which he carried to the old lady, Mrs. Purdy, next day and paid off the mortgage. My Mother then was mortgagee in possession—after which she let the place for what she could get—this accounts for the whole affair and the whole confusion.
'My Mother was a Widow at this time and remained so for some time after—consequently all transactions took place with her and not with Mr. Borrow—she being afterwards married to Mr. Borrow without a settlement.
'After this, in 1844, the place was again put up by public auction and bought in by Mr. Borrow and my Mother.'
[141] Knapp's Life, vol. i. pp. 330, 331.
[142] The following suggestion has, however, been made to me by a friend of Henrietta MacOubrey née Clarke:
'I think Borrow intended "Carreta" for "dearest," It is impossible to think that he would call his wife a "cart." Perhaps he intended "Carreta" for "Querida." Probably their pronunciation was not Castillian, and they spelled the word as they pronounced it. In speaking of her to "Hen." Borrow always called her "Mamma." Mrs. MacOubrey took a great fancy to me because she said I was like "Mamma." She meant in character, not in person.'
[143] Dr. Knapp: Life, vol. ii p. 39.