MADAM,
I have received your Ladyship's letter, and carefully considered
every part of it, and shall give you my opinion how you ought to
proceed for your own security. But first, I must beg leave to tell your
Ladyship, that you were guilty of an unpardonable weakness t'other day
in making that offer to your lover, of standing by him in any quarrel
he might have with your rival. You know very well, that she began to
apprehend he had designs of using her as he had done you; and common
prudence might have directed you rather to have entered into some
measures with her for joining against him, until he might at least be
brought to some reasonable terms: But your invincible hatred to that
lady hath carried your resentments so high, as to be the cause of your
ruin; yet, if you please to consider, this aversion of yours began a
good while before she became your rival, and was taken up by you and
your family in a sort of compliment to your lover, who formerly had a
great abhorrence for her. It is true, since that time you have suffered
very much by her encroachments upon your estate,[77] but she never
pretended to govern or direct you: And now you have drawn a new enemy
upon yourself; for I think you may count upon all the ill offices she
can possibly do you by her credit with her husband; whereas, if,
instead of openly declaring against her without any provocation, you
had but sat still awhile, and said nothing, that gentleman would have
lessened his severity to you out of perfect fear. This weakness of
yours, you call generosity; but I doubt there was more in the matter.
In short, Madam, I have good reasons to think you were betrayed to it
by the pernicious counsels of some about you: For to my certain
knowledge, several of your tenants and servants, to whom you have been
very kind, are as arrant rascals as any in the Country. I cannot but
observe what a mighty difference there is in one particular between
your Ladyship and your rival. Having yielded up your person, you
thought nothing else worth defending, and therefore you will not now
insist upon those very conditions for which you yielded at first. But
your Ladyship cannot be ignorant, that some years since your rival did
the same thing, and upon no conditions at all; nay, this gentleman kept
her as a miss, and yet made her pay for her diet and lodging.[78] But,
it being at a time when he had no steward, and his family out of order,
she stole away, and hath now got the trick very well known among the
women of the town, to grant a man the favour over night and the next
day have the impudence to deny it to his face. But, it is too late to
reproach you with any former oversights, which cannot now be rectified.
I know the matters of fact as you relate them are true and fairly
represented. My advice therefore is this. Get your tenants together as
soon as you conveniently can, and make them agree to the following
resolutions.
First, That your family and tenants have no dependence upon
the said gentleman, further than by the old agreement, which obligeth
you to have the same steward, and to regulate your household by such
methods as you should both agree to.[79]
Secondly, That you will not carry your goods to the market of
his town, unless you please, nor be hindered from carrying them
anywhere else.[80]
Thirdly, That the servants you pay wages to shall live at
home, or forfeit their places.[81]
Fourthly, That whatever lease you make to a tenant, it shall
not be in his power to break it.[82]
If he will agree to these articles, I advise you to contribute as
largely as you can to all charges of Parish and County.
I can assure you, several of that gentleman's ablest tenants and
servants are against his severe usage of you, and would be glad of an
occasion to convince the rest of their error, if you will not be
wanting to yourself.
If the gentleman refuses these just and reasonable offers, pray let
me know it, and perhaps I may think of something else that will be more
effectual.
I am,
Madam,
Your Ladyship's, etc.