28 October - 3 November 1755

53. Mary Doddridge, [Walsham], to Mrs. Mercy Doddridge, Northampton, undated [c. 28 October-3 November 1755]. [f. 18]

I fear my time will not permit me to acknowledge as I could wish my Dearest mamas very kind & obliging Letter for which I think myself more oblig’d to her than words can express. I think myself very happy that my conduct with regard to M^r C. has been such as has been agreeable to you Dear Mad^m & I hope I shall for the future continue to conform myself to your pleasure as I am perswaded I shall allways find my truest happiness in so doing.

My Dear Mama will not be surpriz’d to hear me say that it was with great reluctance I left Norwich, well indeed Mad^m does it deserve the name you gave it the Land of friendship but the most Friendly man in the world is certainly my Dear Pappa Wood & good M^rs Wood & Miss deserve to be his Wife & Daughter. I have not time to mention particulars must only say that our Friend[s] in general at Norwich have been very kind to me & that I expect to return home very quick tho I find this moving kind of Life pritty expensive.

M^r Stuckey[?] Tompson was so very genteel as to convey me to Walsham in his shay’s & pair, M^r Wood was so kind as to accompany me. We arriv’d there the 6 of Oct went to Bury Fair on the 7^th there I believe I may venture to say with equal reluctance on both sides we parted with good M^r Wood. I have had a very kind Letter from him sence which I intend to answer the first opportunity. The time ^is^ fixt for our Cambridge Journey.

M^r & M^rs Prentice & myself set out from hence on Friday y^e 31 of Oct. That Day we spend at Bury & the next Nov. y^e 1 hope to arive at Cambridge. It hapens a little unluckily that it should be Saturday night but no other time woud suit M^r Bentiers engagments

M^r & M^rs Prentice propose to goe to Huntin[g]ton & would take me with them if I went directly to Northampton, but as I do not I should have a long stay to make at Cambridge. I cou’d propose to goe to M^r Purchases on the Saturday night because I think it will not be so convenient to them. Whether I shall be there on the Monday or Tuesday I cannot determine but one of the two it will Certainly be if nothing unforseen prevents.

Since I wrote the above I recolect on saying all things together it is more than possible there will not be time for you Mad^m to write to M^r Jones before we r[ea]ch Cambridge. I therfor think it will be best for me to write a line to M^rs Purchus to aquaint her with our Intention of being at Cambridge &c.

I have taken the very first opportunity of writing as I did not receive my Dear Mamas Letter till Sabbath Day (Oct. y^e 1) on Monday M^r & M^rs P. & myself went to dine with a Lady who prevail’d on us to stay all night from thence we went to Eauson [Euston] a Seat of the Duke of Graftons & did not return home till late last night. This afternoon we have Company & spent the Evening so that I fear it will be impossible for me to write to my Dear Sisters at this time which is no small mortification to me. I beg my most affectionate Love to them & beg they will not take it Ill as I would have wrote if it had been possible.

M^r & M^rs Prentice desire their Compliments, they are very obliging to me & I pass my time here very agreably. I thank God I am in perfect Health & Spirits but a little mortified that in all probability it will be the the 11^th of Nov. before I shall reach Northampton I beg my Comp^ts to the D^r & M^rs Stonhouse for thair obliging Invitation to take up my Lodging at Chester.

Adieu my Dearest Mama. The Company is come I must go down but permit me first to subscribe myself

Dear Mad^m

Your ever Dutiful & Obedient

` Polly Doddridge

Address: To | M^rs Doddridge | in | Northampton

Postmark: None

Note on address page: partially unreadable but last part appears to be ‘28’ and 1755