William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, East Knoyle, near Shaftsbury, 10 December 1773.

Broughton Dec 10th 1773

My Dear

   I duly rec’d your Letter of the 4th from Motcombe & am glad to hear you got well thither, it was imprudent to stay so late at Mr Scotts as you knew there would be some difficulty to get to Mrs Hayne’s in the Evening.  I hope this will meet you at Knoyle in good health, you ask’d me in your Letter when & how you should go to Knoyle since you could not be at a Loss how, as you could have Chaise from Shaston & you might go when you thought best.

   I wrote you in my last to Motcombe, to desire you to meet me at Sarum Tuesday next the 14th Inst: which time I now confirm & beg you will set out as soon in the morning as you can that you may be at Sarum to dinner, as the Evening will be dark we must set out from thence by half after Two in the Afternoon.

   I am very sorry your Cough continues troublesome, hope you continue the medicine. – Your Aunt continues much the same, tho’ not so well as about 2 or 3 weeks ago, yet I think on the whole much better than you left her. The rest of the Family are thro’ Mercy in health, only your Mamma has again a complaint in her foot.  I expect a Letter from you today or to morrow to acquaint me if we are to expect Miss Frowd.

   We join in due Compts to all the Family & best wishes for my Dr Polly, from her Affecte Far

                     Wm Steele

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, p. 243 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xxxiv, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.  Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Steele / at the Revd Mr Russ’s / East Knoyle / near Shaftesbury.