John Saffery, Salisbury, to Anne Andrews Whitaker, Bratton, [Saturday], 6 October 1798.

My very Dear Fds

   As you recd general orders at B—dem under necessity of addressing this to you  I recd a Letter from dear Fd Horsey ys morning & at his request write.  Informs me of yr Letter & their wishes to comply with yr request in having Esther stay but says Mrs Horsey’s health will not admit of it & she must return  Hop’d I sd have been permited to drive her with a Good Grace to Portsea Monday next & take back Mrs Horsey of Wellington (who is there) on Thursday but as my Letter Thursday (informing him I was absolutely forbidden that pleasure) has disconcerted his Plan he intends bringing Mrs Horsey Thursday & takeing them back Satterday and < > prevail of wh I was to let him know < >  but as I have no hope of succeeding I shall < > for him to come –  He says they must not fail of Meeting him here wh you will of course look to  I wish for myself & you Maria wd not go but know not what to advise or intreat – Hope she will be directed aright & please herself;  Remember me most affectly to her – I hope you are better than when I left you  I feel concern’d at you, but trust nothing more than ye maternal affects of Matrimony & yt a little Boy or Girl will set it all to right again  within this 9 Months & give Papa & Mama Uncle & Aunt to rejoice together on the occasion.

   The Cotton is not come from London, Loder promised to write again last night[iii]  I have been to Mrs Hunt & will inform you if she let me know before this is sent – Thro’ mercy I came home safe yesterday morng had a pleasing interview with my dear Fds at Shrewton < > ye work of God prospers with them  Think to let Hannah < > Burgess next Tuesday week, so that you had need let somebody < > Westbury to meet her unless you hear further from me on the subject I intend to do as well as I can without her & think it best for her, to be at home while I am at Portsea sd I go, & not leave the House so long unless pr B– was resident next door.

   Mrs Hunt has just called – Find she has been conversing with Mrs Penny who has 4/ pr week with ye Girl at her house says she cd not keep her for that was not handy – They think they cannot take ye child for less yn 3/4 weeks  to do it wh ym  If you send her wd be glad to have her without delay yt she may be used to ym & ye House before Betsey goes to B–[1] wh will be in a month or six weeks – You’ll write me wt you mean to do, or send word by Maria or Esther –  John Horsey of Crewkern is very ill  I believe[2] in a fever; Saml was here on Wednesy Evening on his way fm Portsea home  Mr Benjn Wickenden also very ill, if living[iv] – the family are all at Lymingn  he was alive yesterday with little hope  six Blisters on &c  wt an afflicted world  may ye Ld fit us for all his will & give us to rejoice in the prospect of yt world where ye Inhabitts shall no more say they are sick &c  Bror Penn of Thingesbridge came ys morning begg preaches twice to-morrow – I need help for with one thing & another it’s been a day of complete confusion to me.

   Love to Esther & all yr dear Family – Don’t forget to let me have a Letter soon as you rece ys informing me if yu come Thursday or Friday –  I have requested Maria to write to you see if ys may be done & Esther never ye wiser

   Accept my sincere thanks for all yr kindness &c beve me to be Yrs very

                                                         affecty J Saffery

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 6, pp. 158-59 (annotated version); Saffery/Whitaker Papers, acc. 142, I.A.(17.), Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Address: Mrs Whitaker | Bratton Farm, near | Westbury | Octr 6, 1798. Postmark: Salisbury.  At the time of the above letter, Anne Whitaker was pregnant with her first son, Alfred (1799-1852).  For many years John Saffery supplemented his pastoral salary (although he appears to have never been that successful) by operating as a cotton and wool factor. Most likely the ‘James’ and ‘Samuel’ mentioned above are members of the Horsey family from Crewkerne and were relations of John Saffery's first wife, Elizabeth.