If sister Hutt [on] be with you, remember to her, tis my sister's day of writinge and I thought she had; and now my brother Staff: (who carries our letters to London) cannot stay; my kind affection to all yours.

DAME OLIVIA STAPYLTON (WIFE OF RICHARD TOPHAM)
TO MILES STAPYLTON. [Undated.]

Deare Brother:

I am gotten to matche, and could we remove these heavy boddies with as much ease as our mindes traverse aboute, you would have my company often, (and my sister's too) but truly I can make you no other viset, but in my thoughtes and wishes, this summer; for man purposes, but God Almighty disposes of all our times, and he has made such a turne in all my designes and intendments for the passing this half yeere, that it is quite reversed, and I am just to act by contraries, what we resolved when I last saw you; but I asure you my affections are the very same; and it is my love (to my freinds) alone that I am mistress of, and have. a power to keep in its fixed station; in consideration of which I hope you will excuse the breach of those promises, which are not in my power to keep, and take the will for the deede; since Franck begann to breede (as we hope) and that Mr Topham has seen a nececity of my beinge with her in winter, he has been so earnest for my speedy cominge up, that he thinks he practices much selfdenyall in allowinge my stay till my neece Robinson be brought to bed, and some dayes after, to performe what may be nececary to asist her in, towards beinge a nurse which she intends, but had my sister been in a condition to have done it, he would not have consented to my stay so longe; and as soone as that is past, I am to goe imeadiatly back to Langton, where my stay must be but a very few dayes, and so I must away to London, not to returne till October at the soonest, perhaps November; so that if I may hope to see you, it must be while I stay heare, except you will come and goe with me to Langton to see your poore neece, who is indeede a very sickly breeder, but not one jott like as she was last time so that it may be no signe of a girle; had issue a daughter, Frances, born 26th October, 1654, wife, first of Sir Thomas Norcliffe of Langton, Yorkshire, and secondly of Moses Goodyere.

Dame Olivia Vavasour married secondly Richard Topham of Westminster, and was buried 26th November, 1714, at Chelsea. cf. Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, with Additions, by J. W. Clay, vol. i, p. 177; Lincolnshire Pedigrees, Harl. Soc., No. lii, p. 1028; G.E.C., Complete Baronetage, vol. i, p. 212.

though girle or boy wilbe welcome to us, if it please God she goe well on with it and through it, but I have many feares aboute her, because she has been subject to those feavourish fitts, which she had last time after half gonn (but not in breedinge) yet hitherto she has not been neere so ill as then, for she never had lyen downe for it, but one day, when I left her; she is extreame sick often, but never vomitts, which she did continnually the last time (that is at the beginning; she was pretty cheerfull, and pleased with hopes of another childe. I wish she hold cheerfull when I am from her, for I beleeve mellancholly did her much harme last time; and I did think never to have been from her againe in the same condition, if in a capacity to be with her, but I finde I must meete with many crosses to my inclinations, by this alteration in our affaires. Mr Topham is still at London, and has not yet taken full possesion of his government, they are so uncertaine and 'tis so hard to finde monies to sett them out, so that he thinks I shall finde them ungonn to Oxford. I was in hope you and I mighte have gonn together to London, but sister saise there will not be the occation you thought there would have been, to carry you up; my sister has given Matty a crowne to give his master for an entringe penny; she is willinge in that to doe with the most in hope they will have a little the more care of him, if she shew kindnes to them, which she would not be sparinge in, though in all thinges else concerninge him, she would be as provident as she can.

My affectionate service to my sister, and most kinde love to Myles, all the girles and boyes, not forgettinge nurse, I am Your truly affectionate

I am very glad of this opertunitye, that I may heare how you doe; for my brother Stapylton was heare a while agoe, and told me that you were not well when you came from London in a great cold, which I was sorry to heare, pray write to me by Mr Purchas and tell me how you doe, and if you have gott quitt of your cold. I hope you will come hither this summer, I am sure I shall be very glad to see you, therefore, good brother, come as soone as you can, and order your busineses so before hand, that you may stay longer

then you did last summer; for your company will be much of satisfaction too

my deare brother

your very affectionate
sister Fra: Hutton.*

July the 30th.

My little ones are all very well, my Harryett often talks of you, and asks me when you will come againe. I shall be glad to heare of the health of your wife and little ones.

[Addressed] For Mr Stapylton

these.

MRS. URSULA PEPYS TO MILES STAPYLTON.

My deare Brother:

[Undated.]

Your letter derected to my sister had as tedious a passage as itt seemes hers to you had, for itt was dated the 28 of Jan: and itt came not hither till the begining of March. My sister Vavasour is not well, shee has bin very ill but shee is better now; yet shee has an indisposition hanging on her and much paine in her head. The match in hand is as good as concluded; which truly I thinke according to my fond skill shee had much reason to yeild to, for the young man sought itt by all ernest and possible expressions of love, and his mother was allso desirous of itt, that had my sister refused itt, and the girle should have done any way amiss, itt would have bin a great troble to my sister's minde; and to say the truth her minde is enough disturbed aboute itt; for my parte I verily beleive the fears aboute her not doeing well and disturbing her thoughts conserning itt has bin the cause of her illnes. You know the estate and my lady offers to settle her three hundred a yeare jounter. I wonder how that report aboute brother Ro: came, for hee never goes to meetings; but I suppose itt was somebody's mallice that would faine have wounded you thorow his sides. I love you all, for bee confident you have the heart off

my deare brother Your most affectionate

sister

Vr. Pepys.†

If I followed your example I should ad servant, but I doe not love to see itt in your letters tharfore decline itt in mine; my

* Frances, second daughter of Bryan Stapylton of Myton, was married in 1651 to John Hutton, second son and, in his issue, heir of Matthew Hutton of Marske, by whom she had issue two sons and five daughters. He died 21st March, 1664, in his father's lifetime; she was buried 5th May, 1684. cf. pedigree of Hutton in Raine, Marske; Arch. Ael., 2 ser., vol. v, p. 49; Yorkshire Arch. Journal, vol. vi, pp. 238-263.

† Ursula, third daughter of Bryan Stapylton of Myton, was married 29th March, 1660, at Kensington, to Thomas Pepys of Hatcham. cf. Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, with Additions, by J. W. Clay, vol. i, p. 177.

brother Topham is n . .* here; hee and my sister both remember very kindly thar servise to you and my sister and love to all the prety flock.

[Addressed] For Mr Miles Stapylton

at his howse

in

Durham.

post pd 3. [Post-mark.]

MRS. URSULA PEPYS TO MILES STAPYLTON.

My deare Brother:

[Undated.]

I received your letter some time since and was mightily joyd to heare you weare all so well; since I heard by my cosen your children had most of them had a feavore which I was sorry for; but I am now trobled to heare by sister Hutton that you are not well your-selfe; pray, deare brother, bee perswaded to take advise in time before your distemper increase too much upon you. I love you much and cannot chuse but ernestly desire your life; indeed as well for your deare children's sake as my owne, and if you will bee overcome by your freinds' perswations to have a docter I cannot but desire itt may bee Mr Robison, who my sister Hutton and brother Stapylton have had good experience of; indeed if you weare heare, I should perswade you to Needum† above all the docters in towne. My sister Hutton comends all your children much but espetially my Franky who I often wish to see; pray tell my sister Hutton if shee bee still with you that wee are all well, so is my sister Vavasour, and brother Robert. I had 3 or 4 fitts of an aguish distemper but I am very well againe. The coate for Peggy shall bee sent according to her desire; I wish my sister a good and happy time, I hope shee will live to bring up all her fine children. I suppose shee will have another added to the number before you receive this; which I wish you both much comfort in; pray remember mee very kindly to her and to my sister Hutton; I am a little in haste; the messenger beeing just upon going but assure your-selfe I am allways

May 30th.

my deare brother Your most affectionate sister and sarvant

Vr. Pepys.

[The half of the sheet, on which was address and seal, is missing.]

† Dr. Needham was one of the physicians called in for Bishop Cosin's daughter, Mrs. Granville. See Surtees Soc., vol. lv, p. 245.

Walter Needham, an eminent physician of the period, was of Trinity College, Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society, who contributed some papers to Philosophical Transactions. He has a memoir in the Dictionary of National Biography.

INDEX.