25 December 1751

28. Mary Doddridge (cousin) & Mercy Doddridge, Northampton, to Mrs. Mercy Doddridge, at the home of James Waugh, Lombard Street, London, 25 December 1751. [f. 20]

Northampton Decbr ye 25 1751

Hond Madam

             I want word[s] to Express my Gratitude for the favour of your kind & very obleging Letter Please to except of my best thanks for the same & shall ready comply to any thing your Superier jud[g]mente may advise me to read I am much oblege to you & Mr Neal for the Favour you please to deserve as to think me faithful & Desire I may be faithful to every Trust that is Comunicated to me as knowing I must give an account [of] ^evry^ day since Sally has left miss Ekins knowing her to be a very hateful pursen to wate on dear Miss Ekins [I am] very much obleg[ed] to Miss Ekins for the favour she is pleased to [^confer^] on one unworthy of such a favour I wish I may [answer] your & Miss Ekins [Expectation] of improving I shall come very short in many things that Miss Sally [Dunkley]1 was <  > of much I shall beg the Favour of you to acquaint Miss Ekins I am not qualified to do any fine needel work that she may not Excep [Expect] from me then I can perform I will endever to the best I can mend Excuse if I am free to say I am pleased with Miss Ekins behavour to you & ye Pleasure you have of her Company & I wish & pray that the merciful Providence she is now under may have a long & lasting Influence on the heart of that dear Lady & be [Drawn] nearer that God who will never Leave nor forsake them that trust in him & as much time to <  > but mad[am] permit me to give with your dear Northampton friends [?] your safe travel to Land & am glad to hear you are as well than we had intended  Except after so long & dangerous a voyage I shd adore the divine Goodness to you & that he gave the wine and water their Charge over you to my daily prayer that God will still be with you & Support you in all Trial and this is the great Consolations under every Affliction we may meet with but he can Deliver out of our own Support under them my weary being so very short will oblige to bring my <  > not in good order in me I could wish but I hope the shortness of time will be an apolgy for that I intend if God permit to be in town by the first Coach next [week] I beg you to Excuse all faults

Honored friend

I am your most

Faithful obliged

Humble & Obedient

Servant Mary Doddridge 

Address: To | Mrs Doddridge | at Mr Waugh’s at the Turks Head | in Lombard Street | London

Postmark:  Dec 27

Note on address page: Cousin Molly | and Dr Mercy | Dec 27 1751

[A letter from Mercy Doddridge, the daughter, dated 26 December, also to Mrs. Mercy Doddridge, was attached to the above letter. ]

1 Sally Dunkley, the daughter of a member of the congregation, has apparently been let go by Sarah Ekins as her maid servant, a position that has now been offered to Mary Doddridge, who will retain it until the marriage of Ekins to James Stonhouse in 1754. Sally Dunkley appears again in Letter 48.