83. Robert Southey and Charles Watkin Williams Wynn to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 23 March [1794] ⁠* 

Sunday morning. March 23^rd. Balliol College.

And it came to pass, in the days of John Davey the master of Balliol that great disturbance happened in the community

For the children of Balliol sat down to meat. now this was the seventh day. & the chief priests & elders sent down to them that grace might be said for this was the manner.

But behold the man was ill by whom the grace should have been said.

And Jeremiah the scout came down, & delivered the summons as was commanded him. & they answered him nor a word

Then came fear upon Jeremiah the scout. & he said — behold now the chiefs & elders have called for the grace — now therefore obey ye the call.

And Nicholas Lightfoot answered him & said — lo now Allen is ill — & let him who is the junior go up & do this thing.

Then the junior looked silly & answered him not

And Jeremiah the scout grew more fearful & the chief priests & elders more impatient. then spake he to Southey — go thou & say the grace. but Southey knew it not.

And the chiefs priests & elders departed in wrath.

And they cried out with one voice crucify them crucify them

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Titus Vespasian [2]  the DELIGHT of MANKIND

and the Best Sovereign that History records,

crucified two thousand Jews one morning & Ralph Churton observes that “with a generous clemency that inseperable attendant on true heroism, he crucified prisoners till space was wanting for the crosses, & crosses for the captives [3] 

GINGER BARNES

The delight of the Common Room

and the Best Fellow in Balliol College

crucified eight scholars after dinner

&

John Davey

with a generous clemency that inseperable attendant on true learning abused them like pickpockets — degraded them from their rank — sequesterd their revenues — & set them a volume of sermons to translate.

If I could — turn the sentence neat & pretty — Period round & period witty — this sonnet should have made a seperate letter. but I am ill at these things. remember tis the only sonnet I have written.

————

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Read this to Mrs Bedford in your best manner. I am sorry that I cannot send CC to read it prettily. or rather Wynn is sorry for me. you may guess whom I have at my elbow.

[Start of section in Charles Watkin Williams Wynn’s hand] The chief Ch. Ch. news which I can relate is that his most Proboscinasal majesty has been of late rather <drunk &> amorous has got an impositon a black eye & has given my electrical machine a violent shock. C.C. has got a little bandbox about 3 feet by two in which he sits & frys till the room floats with his own grease which he likewise employs to daub his scull with instead of Pomatum xxxxxxxxxxxxxx believe [end of section in Charles Watkin Williams Wynn’s hand]

adieu xxx xxxxx

I know not if you understand this asinine language of Wynn which he thinks so well adapted.

tis a long while since I heard from Horace. Clodius accuset modius [5]