William Steele, Broughton, to Mary Steele, Bradford, [Tuesday] 3 September 1776.

Broughton Sep: 3d 1776

   I doubt not but by this time my Dear Maria longs to hear from Broughton.  I should have said e’er this time as her affectionate regards for her Friends here causes many a sigh for their welfare.  I wish I could inform you that your Aunt’s Health was in any Measure better but her Afflictions continue much the same as for a long time past. I fear she cannot follow Dr B’s Advice as Issues are order’d & Draughts that I think she cannot take for a long Continuance.  John has begun to follow his Prescription by a Blister on his Arm & an Issue on ye same. The Dr gave Will but little encouragement about his Wife as he thinks she is consumptive.  The rest of our Family are thro’ Mercy in good health.

   Mr Rawlings went Saturday to Sarum to exchange with Mr Phillips & yesterday your Mo went home with Mr & Mrs Phillips & return’d in the Evening. – Poor Mrs Haysey is gone the Way of all Flesh. Mr Kent preach’d her Funeral Sermon Sunday Evening from Ps 39 & 5. Abundance of People attended & the House was quite full may it be made useful to many & may this fresh Instance of the Frailty of Life be a useful Lesson to warn us of our approaching dissolution.

   I presume your Situation with Mr & Mrs Head is quite agreeable as I am sure their friendly dispositions will endeavour to make it so.  I am very glad Mr Head insisted on your keeping your horse as we don’t want him at home.  I had no other objection to it but that I did not know Mr H had any conveniency for putting him to grass.  I hope tho’ the Weather is at present very inclement you will have some agreeable Rides, if Mr Head & perhaps his Wife can indulge you with their Company.  We Farmers long for dry Weather for ye harvest & I trust the Great Disposer of all things who has cloathed the Earth with his Bounty will yet give a suitable Season for collecting the rich produce, tho’ we are too apt to forget the beneficent Donor. – I suppose Mr Wakeford Senr called at Bradford Friday as he propos’d it, they have a very disagreeable time for the Fair at Bristol.

   We have not heard from Nancy since last Thursday. She was then very well, tis time Polly was with her for she is so wild & saucy that we can scarce manage her, she sends her Love to her Sister to Sally Waters & the little Boy. Our best respects attend Mr & Mrs Head & our united Love to my Dear Daughter, May the best of blessings ever attend her is the ardent wish of her affectionate Father

                                 Wm Steele

Let me hear from you soon & often

Text: Timothy Whelan, ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols.  (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 3, pp. 272-73 (annotated version); STE 4/5/xlviii, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford. Postmark: Salisbury. Address: Miss Steele / at Mr Geo: Head’s / Bradford / Wilts.

References above include William Morrant, Mr. Steele’s employee; Sybill Haysey, who joined the Baptist congregation at Broughton on Christmas Day, 1764, she died on 28 August 1776 (see Broughton Baptist Church Book, Angus Library, Oxford); Molly Winsor’s at Yeovil, where it is possible that young Anne Steele, Jr. (age 7) was attending; the other child mentioned above is most likely one of the sons or the only daughter at that time of Gay Thomas Attwater.