Anne Steele, Ringwood, to Anne Cator Steele, Broughton, Sarum, 21 May 1739.

Hon.d Mother

         Believing that by this time you want to hear from us I beg leave to inform you that we are both at present in a good state of health and free from any uneasiness but that of anxiety for the welfare of your self & my dear Father & Brother which I hoped to have been acquainted with last week from my Bro:r and shall this week impatiently expect—

         My Sister began dancing last Tuesday but is put back to the beginning the same as if she had not learnt before  She learns double and her Master hopes to teach her the menuet [sic] in the time propos’d but I don’t hear of any more—I beg the favour of you to send my light colour’d suit of cloaths if you think proper and can do it conveniently  I fancy it might be sent nail’d up in a little box to Sarum and thence by the Ringwood waggons with a particular charge to take care of it  Mrs Manfield is willing I shou’d have it either to wear as it is or make into a Gown if you’ll please to give leave we have neither of us cloaths to be fine enough for the Ringwood Ladies  I want a new suit and my sister a new gown but I think it’s a matter of no great consequence  If you don’t think it convenient to send the cloaths I submit and shall not be uneasy for want of it—Mr & Mrs Manfield present their service to my Father & your self I beg leave to join with Sister in Duty to our dear parents & love to my Brother and am Hon.d Mother

                                             Your ever dutifull & obedient Dau.r

                                                                     A:e Steele

Ringwood   21 May 1739

PS   If you send the cloaths please to send the pieces of my yellow Gown because I want to have the sleeves made larger   pardon my bad writing I have been abroad greatest part of the day and have not time to transcribe –

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), p. 264 (edited version); STE 3/7/iii, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.  Address: To M.rs Anne Steele | at Broughton | to be left at ye 3 Lyons Sarum | [illegible word] Gor: Hinxman.