Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

So forgive my high presumption for writing on Valentines good Day
to so divine a Lady as You Madam most justly are: than I shall be
in mightly hopes of personally receiving my pardon from yo^r most beau-
tifull lips; through which floweth so much true piety, Devotion,
and good Sense. These, with a thousand other of yo^r Ladyships unparallelled
Graces, have allways charmed me, and voluntarily obliged
me to be yo^r Lady^ps Adorer and Admirer. And tho' my very great
misfortune at present is to be debarred y^e unspeakable happiness
and honour of seeing and hearing yo^r Lady^p in reality (to which nothing
in this World can be comparable; & hoped, wished for, or desired
more by me; because I should be then nearer to y^e Object of all
my Vows; and y^t they would be in order most fully to complete my
Bliss/ yet I hope in God (for without it my heart would break) to injoy
both of ym and then time will make me full satisfaction for y^e very long,
and allmost unsupportable misfortune, yt I have lain under, for want at least of one
of ym. For Madam, if what I think and dream of very often, were but
substantial ones, I should be y^e most happy mortal a live: but alass, after
y^m comes undefeatable Melancholy; which is by reason yt my preesent living
(but I cant properly give it that name) is at so very vast a distance from y^e
only Joy of my life.

Your Lady^p having been pleased to mention y^e
very good, great and wise Lady your Aunt W. (whom—Madam, You so very
much resemble in these extraordinary Characters; but they are but some
of yo^r Lady^ps numberless ones) did think y^t you ought to follow her example,
viz. which she wished well to, yt she would allways assist with her advise,
and let you know what was said. Your Lady^p so far condessending
as to doe these last things to me, I am in an Extasy of Joy, and what way to retaliate ym at present (if ever I can doe y^m) I know not.
But being I am both in gratitude and duty bound, what in me lies, for to
endeavour to doe ym; I am a most humble suppliant to yo^r Lady^p y^t you
would believe that I shall make it the whole Business of my life to find out first
able ways & means to comply with that my most equitable Obligation. I
now find my self further obliged to my Lady M^rss. because yo^r Lady^p
imitates her to my very great Advantage, by yo^r incomparable Advice to
me; which, hope in God, I shall allways endeavour, what in me lies, to
follow. And an other reason is, yt waiting upon her Lady^p I had ye extradordinary
honour & happiness of giving y^e most accomplished Lady, in all respects
of y^e Univers; which in yo^r self Madam: for yt is y^e belief of him,
whom your Lady^p hath in yo^r power to make y^e most happy man in y^e
world: but [] to be of her ways, than intirely devoted to yo^r Lady^ps service
so long as I am