William Steele, Pershore, to Mary Steele, Broughton, [Sunday] 21 July 1771.

Pershore July 21st 1771

   I have the pleasure to acquaint my Dr Polly that Providence has just bro’t us in good health to this place no Disaster has befallen us on the journey & the day has been cool and pleasant & to our great Satisfaction we find the family here all well. – I rec’d both your Letters at Bristol & am sorry that no better tidings of your Aunts health could be sent & at the same time am thankful that the rest of my Dear Family are well.  I hope now the extream Heat is abated your Aunt will be better.  We left Mrs Evans very weak tho’ rather better than when I last wrote.

   I wish My Dear if you take any long walks that you will take John with you as a guard, he can keep at a little distance without hindering your Converse, the reason I now mention it is the Melancholly Catastrophe of two Young Ladies last Thursday Evening. – Miss Jones an amiable Lady about 21 or 22 Years of Age & Miss Goff of Monmouth who was visiting at Mr Jones’s a Gentleman of Fortune at Nass in Glostershire, walk’d out to drink Tea at a Farm house, were on their return in the Ev’ning attack’d by a Villain the former murder’d on the Spot & the other left for dead tho’ there is some hope she may recover. The Villain was apprehended the same Evening & prov’d to be one that work’d for Mr Jones he took their pockets but not their watches, he confess’d the whole & was this day brot to Gloster Jail. – This makes me fearful of your Walks & desire you will not go without some one for a Guard, but I hope a Good Providence will be a better Guard.

   I shall expect a Letter from you next post, that will bring a more favorable Acct than your last.

   We join in Salutations of Love &c and am

                     My Dr Polly’s affectionate Far

                                             W Steele

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, p. 221 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xvi, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.  Postmark: Evesham, 22 July, and from Southampton [date illegible].  Address: To / Miss Steele / at Broughton / near Stockbridge / Hants.  The “John” mentioned above is one of many individuals who were employed by William Steele.