se."

In 1803 the old Bellman and ex-Beadle Spicer, who had been called upon
to resign in 1797, was appointed the town Scavenger at a salary of 2s.
a week! How are the mighty fallen! Spicer had probably become a
pauper, and, to add to the degradation and humiliation, the quondam
wearer of the scarlet cape, cocked hat, and royal staff, had, at a
later meeting, his 2s. a week for scavenging taken off because he had
neglected his duty, and he was dismissed from this humble office!
Whatever was his failing the official decline of Spicer was as pathetic
as that of Mr. Bumble's surrender of all his "porochial" dignity to the
charms of Mrs. Corney in _Oliver Twist_!

On the subject of the powers of the Beadle as Scavenger a curious and
significant resolution was found necessary in 1788, when it was--

"Order'd that the Scavenger Do keep the Streets clean and not suffer
any heaps of Dirt to lye, and that any person who thinks proper shall
be at liberty to take Dirt or Dung from the Streets at any time after
it has laine one Day."

In other words, if a person allowed dung to be in the street for more
than a day he might lose it altogether and find it carried away on to
somebody else's garden. A very effective way of enlisting the
co-operation of the public in keeping the streets clear of all
offensive matters. The condition of things made some such drastic
measures necessary at a time when the effect of unsanitary conditions
was not very much thought of by individuals. Upon this point the state
of the Pest House on the Warren, set apart for the reception of persons
suffering from infectious diseases, was reported upon in the following
terms; "One of the rooms had been used as an henhouse, but in other
respects clean." For the credit of those receiving the report,
however, it should be added that it was "Ordered that the room should
be cleaned and not be used for that purpose any more."

The last of the race of Beadles for the town of Royston was John Ward,
who will probably be remembered by some readers of these pages. He had
the honour of receiving the highest wage I have found paid to that
office, viz., 12s. a week, besides the outward panoply which gave to
the office its pompous gravity. For years there is no more familiar
item in the parish accounts than that of "John Ward, Beadle, 12s." In
1832, however, when the air was so full of reforms {56} of all kinds,
John Ward, Beadle, lost part of his emoluments. His