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Page:Life of Daniel Dancer Esq..pdf/23

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was found buried in the kitchen.

It took many weeks to explore the contents of his dwelling. One of his richest escruitoirs was the dung-heap in the cow-house, which contained near 2,500l and in an old jacket carefully tied, and strongly nailed down to the manger, was the sum of 500l. in gold and bank-notes. In the chimney was about 200ll. and an old tea pot contained bank-notes to the value of 600l., it was covered with a piece of paper, whimsically inscribed, "not to be hastily looked over."

There was likewise found some hundred weight of waste paper, the collection of half a century, and two or three tons of old iron, consisting of nails, horse shoes, &c., which he had picked up. On the ground floor several pieces of foreign gold and silver were dug up and some coins, among which were a crown and a shilling of the English commonwealth.

He left in landed property to the amount of 500l. per annum to Lady Tempest, and after her death to her only son, Sir Henry Tempest, of Stoke-end, Hereford: in short the whole property which he left to Lady Tempest and her brother Captain Holmes, was about 3003l. per annum. Lady Tempest did not long enjoy the accession of wealth, which she acquired by this miser's death; for she contracted an illness during her attendance upon Mr Dancer in his last hours, that