The Rev. Septimus Harding was a beneficed clergyman residing in the cathedral town of Barchester.

Mr. Harding had married early in life, and was the father of two daughters.  The elder, Susan, had been married some twelve years since to the Rev. Dr. Theophilus Grantly, son of the bishop, archdeacon of Barchester, and rector of Plumstead Episcopi, and a few months after her marriage her father became precentor of Barchester Cathedral.  The younger daughter, Eleanor, was twenty-four years of age.

Now there are peculiar circumstances connected with the precentorship which must be explained.  In the year 1434 there died at Barchester one John Hiram, who had made money in the town as a wool-stapler, and in his will he left the house in which he died and certain meadows and closes near the town for the support of twelve superannuated wool-carders; he also appointed that an alms-house should be built for their abode, with a fitting residence for a warden, which warden was also to receive a certain sum annually out of the rents of the said meadows and closes.  He, moreover, willed that the precentor of the cathedral should have the option of being also warden of the alms-house, if the bishop approved.

From that day to this the charity had gone on and prospered—­at least, the charity had gone on, and the estates had prospered.  The bedesmen received one shilling and fourpence a day and a comfortable lodging.  The stipend of the precentor was L80 a year.  The income arising from the wardenship of the hospital was L800, besides the value of the house.

Murmurs had been heard in Barchester—­few indeed and far between—­that the proceeds of John Hiram’s property had not been fairly divided; the thing had been whispered, and Mr. Harding had heard it.  And Mr. Harding, being an open-handed, just-minded man, had, on his instalment, declared his intention of adding twopence a day to each man’s pittance.

Mr. Harding was a small man, now verging on sixty years.  His warmest admirers could not say that he had ever been an industrious man; the circumstances of his life had not called on him to so; and yet he could hardly be called an idler.  He had greatly improved the choir of Barchester, and taken something more than his fair share in the cathedral services.  He was generous to all, but especially to the twelve old men who were under his care.  With an income of L800 a year and only one daughter, Mr. Harding should have been above the world, but he was not above Archdeacon Grantly, and was always more or less in debt to his son-in-law, who had to a certain extent assumed the management of the precentor’s pecuniary affairs.