MRP: 9th March 1666/67, Letter from Mary Escott to Sir GO, Exeter

9th March 1666/67, Letter from Mary Escott to Sir GO, Exeter

Editorial history

01/06/09, CSG: Completed transcription

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Abstract & context

Mary Escott, the former Mary Masters, was one of Anne Masters' daughters and a niece of Sir George Oxenden. Mary had married Daniel Escott, B.D., an archdeacon at Exeter Cathedral, in March 1665/66. She had written shortly after her marriage, from the Old Corner, near the Old Bailey, on Ludgate Hill. Now she was writing from Exeter, in Devon, where she had set up home with her husband

Mary's mother, Ann Masters, had also written to her brother, Sir George Oxenden, in early March of 1665/66, telling him of his niece's marriage: "she took a fancy to one at Exeter that was archdeacon of the place, we did not well like of the match." But Mary could not be dissuaded, and she was married in London on March 1st 1665/66.

Her mother accepted that Mr. Escott was "a sober Ingenious mann, & of life & conversation unblamable," yet Ann rued the physical distance between her in Kent and her child in Exeter, and hoped that "she will be happy in her choice, both fore ye man & his profession."

Mary described her husband in this letter to her uncle as " very tender fond husbund." She found him "well respected and beloved by all." "Hee is a Gentellman in bearth and breading and of excelent humor, & much Joyes in my relayions love and respects to me, none can more oblidge him than to be Kind to me." She describes a lengthy courtship, and her own transformation from having sought "honnor & Glory & Riches", before deciding on a quieter, if less wealthy life.

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Suggested links

See 5th March 1665/66, Letter from Mary Escott to Sir GO, Old Corner

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To do

(1) Check transcription against physical manuscript at BL - check whether there is a paragraph missing at the end

(2) Check date of this letter. Mary Escott refers to her Aunts losse, but Elizabeth did not die until March 17th 1665/66.

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Transcription

This transcription has been completed, but needs to be checked

[f.4]

Honored Deare Uncle

I had no sooner sent a way your other letter Datted the first of March 1666, but I had the satisfaction of receiving one from you, y:e Ship favouring mee I must give my selfe the Sattisfaction of answering, and you the trouble to reade it, I am nottably Jellious drollery and Jesting is not so pleasing to you as usuall, the loss of friends youre deare Sister and my most tender & most affectionate Aunt has blunt the Edge of my Mearth, & given a chock [TBC] to my plesent humour, and as yett I dare not pretend to that Usall Mearth that in former times atended me, but w:ht shall I say we must submit to Gods will he Giveth and hee taketh I hope from y:e End to come, and wee are left in the worst of dayes, I sad England we bgin a gaine to feare the plague, but yet lett us not be cowards & drowne our selves w:th sorrow & Greife as if there

[f.5]

Was no God and wee no hope, O my Uncle let us not dispare God will Give us helpers and comforters (as to witnes) Just before my deare Aunts losse I ventured on Marridge houskeeping I so well liked that in Good Earnest it tought mee to sett up for my selfe, and not onely for my selfe but for my friends, y:t are Constant & Good shall find most hearty wellcome, & indeed Uncle so few constant & trew friends, every one so bace and Mersonary that all honesty contience & true hearty ness has took leave of us and Gon a long Jurny, nay I could almost tax my ?Betty but dare not least I offend, O Uncle my Deare Uncle nothing of more satisfaction than a bosom friend to Impact our trust in, in respect of the condition of this life, I blesse God I made a Good venture, when I ventured on Marrage: I cordially thank you for your Good wishes God is pleased fully to answer them to my content, I am very happy in him hee being a very tender fond husbund & well respected and beloved by all, hee is a Gentellman in bearth and breading and of excelent humor, & much Joyes in my relayions love and respects to me, none can more oblidge him than to be Kind to me, my Good Aunt was pleased to love & like him much and would oft say Moore [Noore?] bless God, you are happy you are happy [repition in original] & in deed Uncle nothing is to be sayd against the present condition onely as hee is a Church Man: after life houpe [TBC] where is y:e parsons Wife, but as hee hath a dignity, I hope well for y:e future, nay I did not like Contrary foulk buy a pige in poke but being kind to Merchants & little trading my selfe brought me to well to consider what I purchised, & took a whole yeares time & halfe with them, & 12 months Absent all this time could not better my bargaine, besides 10 years before (seeked but could not mend my selfe in ll poynts for 500:ll first I was for honnor & Glory & Riches, Vanity of Vanitys but now Mary hath chosen the better parte content poare quiat & the Middle way for Glory honnor & riches, sofitient to be owned by all living in full Respect and now my good

[f.6]

Uncle who should not this a little poursuaide you to a Bosam friend, in Good truth S:r you will Like no life so well because it is a fixt setteled life, and what wee have is our owne posestion, we are M:r & M:rs of our owne, we Command and act not commanded, Uncle if yoou still have that dearness for mee you ever pretended nay I will not question but you have, keepe on yo:r wonted humor in writing it will be a pleasing ?devortion once a yeare to us boath, and well a proved of by my Deare, who will never be displeased with honest Mirth, but loves them y:t loves mee, now S:r that ??parlus [OR “paclus”] love fitt w:ch posesses you once a yeare O Miserable were it to last long; I know not what to call it or what name it will bare, once a yeare and no more you speake a little constancy but its sudden vanishing I approve not, it is a bad desese & a villonus torment should it last long, I am sensible of it, therefore as you vallow your peace and quiat spedily a plye yoour cure, send for Doctor fickle hee is the Man in fashion, and cuors all deseses at court and all England over, and where hee is there is but little reallity, and a now fflattary (& desemulation and cunning tricks: Cozens to Doctor fickle are allso in great request, and therefore now I much more commend your prudence, to receive and recover what you purchist, and indeed I am allsoe becum a stranger to my betty & your adopted Neece, by this distance which doth not attall please mee, I would not have pretended kindness but reallity, that time and place should never of what distance so ever have power enough to devert my reall kindness & love to my friend, and Indeed I hope it will not worke the efects on you nor mee, I am with a Good Husband & therefore can the better desist unkindness but rather have hearty dealings

Well my Deare Uncle when you come over I will make a Journy to London, and will bee a good huswife till then, and save all the Mony I can I know you will be at a strange Loss no deare Sister & true friend, no London no Corner, but I have a house in Devonsheare for such Good friends as you to welcome

[f. 7]

Them in, sumthing I would say of my betty but in Good truth I know not what shee is preatty & witty & thats no newse & still a made thats no newse and her fortune notgreater than mine thats no newse but her hopes and expectation hier

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Notes

Daniel Escott

"Ven:ble Daniel Escott, B.D., Archdeacon of Exeter; of Wadham College, Oxford, matriculated 24 October 1645, aged 18, Scholar 1643, Fellow 1651, B.A. 1648, M.A. 1650, B.D. 1662; Rector of Dunchideok, co, Devon, 1663, Canon of Exeter, 1663, Archdeacon of Exeter 1665; marr. at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Westminster, 1 March 1665/66, marriage licence (Vicar General) dated 26 February 1665/66, then aged about 37; died 28 March 1668, bur. in Exeter Cathedral, 1st husband.

Marr. Mary Master, born on Monday 5 May, bapt. at East Langdon 6 May 1634; mentioned in wills of her uncle, William master, 8 March 1647/8, and sister, Anne Master, 11 February 1669/70: died 3 January 1674/75, bur. in Exeter Catherral.

2nd husband was Nicholas Izacke of Exeter, Alderman; marr. 28 January 1668/9"

"The King to the Dean and Chapter of Exeter. Recommends Dan. Escott, B.D., archdeacon of the Cathedral, for the next place of canon residentiary, he having shown great affection to King and Church during the late rebellion. [Ent. Book 17, p. 254]