"To my dear brother Nicholas. From Margetting. September 1629. I see now that all common sayings do not always hold good, for you have disproved that, Out of sight out of mind, for though we here have some a longer, some a shorter time been debarred from that comfort which the presence of our friends did always afford us, yet, even in this absence, your love to us hath been confirmed under many seals. For your agreement upon Hester's stay here for a while longer, as also myself in especial give you many thanks, for as it will be a great comfort to my dear Su., so I hope by God's mercy, He giving her health, it will be no less content to Hester to shew kindness than to receive it. For our resolutions what time to take our journey, we never concluded upon it, but desired that you would not only advise but determine of it. Only by the way, at my husband's last being here he spake of setting forth from hence as on Monday next, because my son desired to begin our journey on a Monday that he might reach Lincolnshire by the Friday after, but what Monday, he is very indifferent. It was only fear of foul weather and Essex bad ways made us think of going so soon, but we expect the resolution from you, for as yet we have made none. We all here beseech you to present our most humble and bounden duties to my most dear mother, our dearest love remembered to yourself, my good brother Ferrar and brother Richard (who I hope is yet with you), my sister and all other friends. I commit you to God's protection and rest ever." "To my dear brother Nicholas. Nov. 1629. My most dear brother, The carrier's long stay made us very solicitous, but blessed be God the news which he brought made amends for our expectations, namely of your good health, it being one of our great comforts; the continuance whereof and the good success in your troublesome and weighty affairs shall I trust be daily recommended unto God in our earnest and fervent prayers. And now, though the multitude and weightiness of those businesses which we cannot but fear do already overburthen you, may justly cause me to think it most unseasonable to trouble you with more, yet the experience of your former love (which by the effects hath ever shewed itself to take pleasure in overlading itself when it may tend to the easing of others) makes me bold to entreat your serious consideration of this letter inclosed, and if you shall approve of it, to send it, if not, yet to let him have notice by some means that the money is sent. We send not his letter, being not material, for you may by this answer see the effect thereof. It was my brother Ferrar's and all our opinions not to let this occasion slip, but to give notice how distasteful this title is but if you shall not think it done in right manner, my request is you will please to give a better direction against next week. I thank God for that we hear of their health at Margetting; Pegg's letter I hope will suffice for this week, and the next week I shall willingly return my son that thanks which not only his love deserves, but that my affection desires to give him." "To my dear brother Nicholas. March 1. 1629-30. Your letters were most gladly read, they confirming us in that hope of your health which by the carrier's negligence we could the last week receive no other testimony of than by his own report. And now I beseech you to accept of my most hearty and affectionate thanks for your so constant perseverance in the manifestation of your unparalleled love and care of me and mine, and in particular that you have been pleased not only to visit but to afford them your company so long at Margetting, where I doubt not but, by God's help, the joy to see you and the good counsel you have left with them, will be a means of my dearest Su.'s speedier recovery of health. For your letters also my husband and myself acknowledge ourselves bound and do still desire that you will be pleased to take the like course with any that shall come hereafter. And though time may perchance hardly permit it, yet the necessity of the occasion makes me bold to entreat from you a full and ample advice how to carry that business, which, as it seems, can now no ways be avoided. My dear brother Ferrar, who, as he best can, will sufficiently inform you of every particular of our estate here. Only I cannot pass over the acknowledgement of God's mercy to us all in that which is so main a pillar of our comforts, the health of our dearest mother, which I beseech Him long to continue and make us truly thankful for it. Let me entreat you to remember my most kind love to my good cousin Arthur and all other friends. With my prayers to God for your health and prosperous success in all your affairs I commit you to God's protection." From a letter to her eldest son, who had newly set up as housekeeper. Nov. 22. 1630. "The book which your sister sent you in the last week I doubt not but you have read before this (though in your letter to your grandmother you mention it not), which upon a diligent survey I am assured you cannot but read in it the character of a most unparalleled love and unwearied pains and carefulness in the contriving thereof for your benefit. God for His mercy's sake grant you may in some measure answer them all, the first in a return, the other in imitation; and that you may with all speed resolve and constantly put in execution the practice of that which is contained therein." Given my dear brother Nicholas. Feb. 12. 1630–1. "Good brother, Since you are pleased to desire that every one whom you have acquainted with my son Mapletoft's propositions should set down their opinions in writing, I cannot refuse to do it, though I should have been glad first to have had the advice of others, especially your own, that so I might the better be able to judge what course were likeliest to prove comfortable to them both but since it chiefly and almost wholly concerns my daughter in that kind, that which must be considered of is, as I think, what is best for her to do, the things in question being such as tend either to easing her of trouble, avoiding of pain, or procuring some pleasure or content to her mind. Now my opinion is, that if she shall purchase any of these with the displeasure either of God, her husband, or her friends, she will with much bitterness repent the bargain. Therefore my counsel in general is that she be most wary not to foil herself in this kind. Now, for the three first positions, I conceive them to be such, as should they be yielded unto, would in themselves be no way displeasing to God, but as they have relation to others and chiefly her husband, whose liking or dislike will make that either good or evil which simply in itself is not so. And first, for her going to see her brother and sister, I cannot foresee any harm likely to have ensued thereof; but should rather have hoped the quite contrary and that their kind visitations and conversing together at times convenient might be a means to increase such love between them as might prove of good consequence to them both. For keeping another maid, I am not able to say what is best, but shall rather wish her to try the uttermost of her own strength, which, by God's blessing, may be increased unto her that she shall not have such need of a maid as may now be feared she will. Concerning one of her sisters going to her; though it might for the time be a great comfort to her, yet, considering that it may please God and is most likely that she may often have as great need of such helps in the same kind, and no probability that she shall often enjoy their company, I think it as good for her to satisfy herself with those comforts that she may have nearer hand, and not to be troubled in longing after that which is so doubtful she might. But for the nursing of her child when it shall please God to send it her, I would advise her not so much as to think of doing it by any but herself, but to resolve to do what possibly she may, though it should be with much pains, and leave the issue to God, for I cannot but doubt the putting of it forth would prove to her a matter of so much grief and trouble of mind, that though she were sure by that means to enjoy it, yet she would think her health bought at too dear a rate. Thus according to my ability you have my advice, but I leave the solution to better judgements, and shall heartily beseech God to direct in the choice of what is best. S. C." "To my dear brother Nicholas. From Margetting. June 1631. My most dear brother, We all here in the first place give God hearty thanks for the good news of our friends' health and welfare at Gidding, together with yours and all friends with you, and humbly beseech the continuance thereof and all other blessings; and secondly, I beseech you to accept of my most hearty thanks for your letter, wishing I could have returned that news, which we are well assured your prayers join with ours for, and which I trust through God's mercy shall in due time prove to all our comforts. I send with this a letter directed to my most dear mother, which is left to your sealing, part of it being intended for yourself, who I am assured, are so united in affections with all at Gidding, that I presume it can no way be displeasing to be joined in anything that may prove of good consequence to others, though more than troublesome to yourself. I shall therefore the more earnestly beseech you will not deny me your counsel; because I am confident that, by God's assistances you are the best able to judge both of his disposition and what might be likeliest in such an uncertainty, to bring him to a greater sense of his own ill case, and serious endeavours, as much as possibly he may to regain first pardon from God for his sin against Him, and so the assurance of the safety of his soul, and then, if God shall please to see it good for him, the repair of his now seeming lost hopes for the things of this life. Thus once again beseeching you will grant this my request, with my humblest prayers to God for His blessing upon this and all that you shall undertake for His glory, your own and others' |