Joseph Stennett (I), London, to Mrs. Stennett, [Wallingford], 29 July 1707.

London July 29th 1707

My Dearest

         I recd thine of ye 27th Instant, I can’t omit to answer thy desire in writing to thee this Post, Especially since this day gives me Occasion to Salute thee on ye Acct of our happy Nuptials ^formerly^ celebrated on ye same day of the Month. I am Glad to hear of thy Welfare, & yt of my Dear Children, & of the rest of my friends wth thee. Our Little Betty is now pretty well again, & so is the rest of the family; blessed be God! It is a trouble to me yt I can’t come to Wallingford at present; tho’ ’tis so much desir’d by my friends there, as thy ^Letter^ Expresses.

         I have laid a project to be wth them, if I can, about a month or 6 weeks hence. Mr Gee designs to be at Wiccomb [Wycombe] on Monday next together wth his Wife, they design to make thee a visit at Knapshill on Tuesday; it will be a great disappointment to them, if they should not find thee there. I fain would have him acquainted wth my [friend] Morton, yt he may go down & preach now & then at Knapshill. If our Friends at Wallingford will not carry thee to Henley, thou mayst find a Coach at Benson almost every day in ye week either from Gloucester, Cirencester or Abingdon, wch probably may have room to carry thee to Henley. I rejoyce greatly to hear of thy Health, but should have been glad of a more particular acct of it: Be very carefull of thy self, for thou knowst yt will very much oblige me. Caution Jo: [Joseph Stennett II] yt he goes not to ye Thames-side alone. Remember me to him & Molly, & kiss ym for me. Thy importunity has extorted from me an Epitaph too suddenly compos’d; I am not so well pleas’d yt thou keepest me in ye dark above ye Matter of ye Tomb-stone; tho’ I wrote to desire some father acct from thee. Let me hear from thee till I see yee. The Lord conduce thee & our dear Children wth thee into my Arms in peace. My hearty respects to all my friends; I am glad to hear yt some persons at Wallingford are convinc’d of Baptism. I am to baptize 3 persons here to morrow, if God give me health. Let care be taken, yt the Spelling of the Epitaph be exactly observ’d by the Workman, & let there be no Capital Letters but at ye beginning of such Words, where I use ’em in the following Lines. I know not how the matter is made & therefore just follow ye Directions, & have sent 8 lines. I am

                                 (my dearest)

                                             Thy Jos. Stennett

Mrs Sikes & ye Children & many friends present due respects

                                                         Turn over

         An Epitaph.

Here lyes a Holy, & a Happy Pair,

As once in Grace, they now in Glory share.

They dar’d to suffer, but they fear’d to Sin,

And meekly bore the Cross, the Crown to win.

So liv’d, as not to be afraid to dye

So dy’d, as Heirs of Immortality.

Reader, attend – Tho’ Dead they speak to Thee,

Tread the same Path, the same thy End shall be.

Text: NLW MS. 11095E, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Stennett's friend "Morton" is possibly John Morton, who later served at Curriers' Hall.