Text of an Address by Edward Downes (signed), to his tenants and neighbours on the...

Transcript;-

Shrigley, Octr.23rd.1809

On Wednesday next, the 25th day of this Month, our most Religious & Gracious King, George the Third, will by God's good Providence enter the fiftieth year of his Reign. On this happy occasion, which the whole Nation agrees to celebrate as a Jubilee, or day of particular rejoicing, let Me intreat You, my Tenants and Neighbours, living in Shrigley & on my adjoining Estates, if You value my Friendship, and can believe Me anxious as I really am at all times, to advise and assist You, to the utmost of my power, for your own Advantage & happiness only, let me earnestly entreat You, not to fail to fulfil one great Duty incumbent on You, as good Christians & as loyal Subjects, I mean, to spend the Morning well by attending Divine Worship in the Church, where the Service will begin exactly at half past ten, to return Thanks gratefully to God for all his past Mercies & Blessings to our Sovereign & his People, & to beseech, as it behoves Us, the continuance of his Almighty Protection to Him & to Ourselves.--- Afterwards You may with a better Conscience enjoy a Holiday in innocent Gratifications & Amusements: but let Me recomment this to be done among Friends, well disposed towards each other, in your own Houses, where each individual of your Families, the Aged & the Young, may partake; & not in Public-Houses, where you cannot always select such Society, as may not be hurtful, & where too often Mirth ends in Riot, & Pleasure leads to Pain.--- But, as there are, I fear, some of You, who have not wherewithal to regale Yourselves and Families, in the way I advise, to any degree of Enjoyment worthy of the Event to be celebrated, more especially as by Keeping a Holiday one Day's Earnings will be lost, I shall be happy to contribute towards an After-Noons Comfort to any such among You, in proportion to their Wants & their Merits. Wherefore, when You come out of Church, while those, who have Plenty in the Cupboard, make haste home, lest their Dinner should be spoiled, (for such will certainly on so happy a day treat their Families & Friends, their Children & Servants to the very best dinner, they can afford,) let the rest, who have more Mouths than Victuals at home, & have unfortunately no pleasanter invitation to accept, follow Me to the Shop, with each a clean Cloth in their Pockets, & I will try, what I can do, towards furnishing them with the Materials for a comfortable Supper -- & I should like to add also a trifle of Money to each such poor Family, to procure them a few glasses of Ale to drink our Good King's Health and Long Life, if my honest Friends would promise Me Faithfully, & could trust Themselves safely, to carry a little Ale, when they have bought it, straight home, & put it by untasted, till their Supper is well cooked & decently set on the Table, their Party all seated & Grace properly said.---

(Signed) Edward Downes.

Mark none. Address to my Neighbours on the Jubilee Day Oct.25.1809.