The enclos’d furnishes me w^th a
Presence you must allow, to send to you, if you will not write, I
at {^^least} hope for an account of y^r Health by the messenger, that will
Releive me from a great Part of my Present uneasiness, w^ch xx
I combate w^th every moment, & would fain Reason my self into a
Belief, it is nothing that ought to give me pain, y^t has prevented
my having a Line from you in 3 weeks – a happiness I have
never been so long a stranger to, since I have been yours - & why I
am now, is an inquiry I am afraid to make, your Health is my
first Care, after that is assur’d to me, to w^t motive, to w^t degree
of neglect must I impute the omision of so small a Favour, w^ch.
could have been so easily bestow’d by you, & would have pas’d me so
many shocking apprehensions, {^^{wch have}} taken every comfort in Life from
me; My Dear Madan! Forgive me if I am too Earnest on this
Subject, I confess my folly – but tis to you I confess it, who ought

[f.139v]

to Forgive the weakness you only could occasion, after having
Endear’d y^r self to my Heart; & made its whole hope, & confidence
repose on you, can you blame me if I am alarm’d at w^t appears
of so much consequence so ill peace? No merchant ever
ventur’d on board one ship, all his Treasure – w^thout a thousand
anxious Thoughts, even tho’ the sea appear’d Favourable to his
wishes, w^t then must be his Fears, his Distraction! In the Least
appearance of a storm, you will I suppose Laugh at the Gravity
of my simile – but at this moment, everything in my imagination
wears a serious face, & sympathies w^th my Thought – w^ch together
I too sensibly feel, must form y^e whole Happiness of my Life,
the Relish of w^ch I intirely Loose, wⁿ I am miserable enough
to Doubt of either.
You will Please to sign, as I have done, y^e enclosed, & forward
to Igmire immediately, Haste is much press’d for, as ye act of
Parl^t must w^thout delay be apply’d for. I have this post a
Letter from Mrs Schutz, who has been very ill w^th y^e Rumatism
is now Better. L^dy Stapleton at Boddinden grows daily worse, stays
in her chamber, & will see nobody, nor will now ever speak.
Ashley Is very well, & much y^rs he is just return’d from a weeks

[f.140]

Excursion to Hert^by & desires me to tell you he hopes soon for
the pleasure of seeing you at Northill; in that hope I forget the
Badness of the season, the Floods that surround us, and a
solitude y^t without you is insupportable. Your Little family
here are well, as I hear Martin is. I Beg my complements
to Thompson, &c. I am sure he would remind you of sending
me now, & then a Line, did he imagin it Possible you could
forget it, tis a compliment I would gladly return him, and wish
I was at this moment in my Power! My Dear, Dear soul,
adieu! Forgive all the importance of this – The overflowing
of a Heart devoted to you – of one whose last Gasp will
confirm the sincerity of her Passion.
JM

Northill. Feb 9^th 1735.

The enclosed furnishes me w^th a
Presence you must allow, to send to you, if you will not write, I
at {^^least} hope for an account of y^r Health by the messenger, that will
Relieve me from a great Part of my Present uneasiness, w^ch xx
I combat w^th every moment, & would fain Reason my self into a
Belief, it is nothing that ought to give me pain, y^t has prevented
my having a Line from you in 3 weeks – a happiness I have
never been so long a stranger to, since I have been yours - & why I
am now, is an inquiry I am afraid to make, your Health is my
first Care, after that is assured to me, to w^t motive, to w^t degree
of neglect must I impute the omission of so small a Favour, w^ch.
could have been so easily bestowed by you, & would have passed me so
many shocking apprehensions, {^^{wch have}} taken every comfort in Life from
me; My Dear Madan! Forgive me if I am too Earnest on this
Subject, I confess my folly – but tis to you I confess it, who ought

[f.139v]

to Forgive the weakness you only could occasion, after having
Endeared y^r self to my Heart; & made its whole hope, & confidence
repose on you, can you blame me if I am alarmed at w^t appears
of so much consequence so ill peace? No merchant ever
ventured on board one ship, all his Treasure – w^thout a thousand
anxious Thoughts, even though the sea appeared Favourable to his
wishes, w^t then must be his Fears, his Distraction! In the Least
appearance of a storm, you will I suppose Laugh at the Gravity
of my simile – but at this moment, everything in my imagination
wears a serious face, & sympathies w^th my Thought – w^ch together
I too sensibly feel, must form y^e whole Happiness of my Life,
the Relish of w^ch I entirely Loose, wⁿ I am miserable enough
to Doubt of either.
You will Please to sign, as I have done, y^e enclosed, & forward
to Igmire immediately, Haste is much pressed for, as ye act of
Parl^t must w^thout delay be applied for. I have this post a
Letter from Mrs Schutz, who has been very ill w^th y^e Rheumatism
is now Better. L^dy Stapleton at Boddinden grows daily worse, stays
in her chamber, & will see nobody, nor will now ever speak.
Ashley Is very well, & much y^rs he is just returned from a weeks

[f.140]

Excursion to Hert^by & desires me to tell you he hopes soon for
the pleasure of seeing you at Northill; in that hope I forget the
Badness of the season, the Floods that surround us, and a
solitude y^t without you is insupportable. Your Little family
here are well, as I hear Martin is. I Beg my complements
to Thompson, &c. I am sure he would remind you of sending
me now, & then a Line, did he imagine it Possible you could
forget it, tis a compliment I would gladly return him, and wish
I was at this moment in my Power! My Dear, Dear soul,
adieu! Forgive all the importance of this – The overflowing
of a Heart devoted to you – of one whose last Gasp will
confirm the sincerity of her Passion.
JM

Northill. Feb 9^th 1735.