1

CHARLES HATTON TO HIS WIFE.

2
4
5    I am very sorry, my dearest, y^t y^r son Robin continues soe very
6ill. God grant he may receive benefit by the advice of y^e new
7surgeon. But, my dearest, I fear my threats will prove more effectual
8then I designed; for I told thee in jest if thou did pass Sunday
9thou shou'dst be shut out, w^ch is likely to prove true in earnest, for
10y^e hungry head jaylor here is soe greedy of his pretended fee he
11growes every day more and more barbarous and vexatious. Had
12he been educated at Ambonia, he cou'd not be more merciless. And
13finding y^t noe person will take notice of his extravagant usage of
14me, he is y^e more encouraged therto.

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15    Worthy M^r Ennis, who being turned out of his living here for
16not swearing and therfore not capacitated to exercise his ecclesiastick
17function in his own country, Scotland, is this weeke going to
18try whither he cannot more quietly live among y^e heathens in
19America, and last Sunday in y^e afternoon came to take leave of me,
20and brought w^th him M^r Sawyer, who came to renew y^t 2d time I
21saw him y^e promise he made me y^e first time I ever did, w^ch is to be
22bayle for me. But on Monday morning came gingle-key, by his
23masters order, foaming at y^e warder for leting any person come to
24me, and charged him he shou'd let noebody come at me.
25    Certainly I shall be either tryed or bayled. If tryed, it is a
26strang outlandish barbarity not practic'd heretofore in England not
27to have y^e advise of counsell to prepare for a defence, and, in order
28therto, to advise w^th y^m. I am certain, in y^e Popish plot all y^e
29prisoners had, some considerable time before their tryal, y^e freedom
30of having their freinds and councell come to them.
31    If I be bayled, it is very reasonable I shou'd endeavour to find
32out some persons who are willing to doe me y^t kindness, and ag^t
33whom ther can be noe exception; and y^t I find very difficult; and
34prithee, my dearest, doe you endeavour w^t you can to find out some,
35for, tho very probably I shall not have occasion for them, yet it
36wou'd be very vexatious to want them shou'd ther be occasion.
37    I am very much concern'd my brother Hatton shou'd for his
38health be forced out of town. Both for his sake and my own, I
39wish you cou'd contrive some way to acquaint my brother w^th my
40distress and prevaile w^th him to endeavour to get his son in law to
41stop y^e mouth of y^e hungry cur here, for I cannot doe it w^th a crust,
42it wou'd be too costly.
43    My cloak transformed in a coat is too thinn for this cold place.
44Pray let y^e linning of y^e cloake be sent to y^e taylor to interline y^e
45coat. The buttons are as you ordred, and therfore you may be secure
46they please me, and I assure you they doe without any compliment;
47but, if they did not, I durst not find fault, w^ch I know you will
48beleeve.

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49A dieu, my dearest. If you come alone, you are welcome; but
50more, if w^th liberty of my seeing my freinds.
51
52If that honest Scot, Mr. Ennis (whose integrity is a disgrace to
53most Englishmen of his coate), comes to bid you farewell, pray
54acknowledge his kindness to me, y^rself, and y^r son.