Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 20. Mr. P. Heywood to Mrs. Heywood

H: M: S: Hector June 29th. 1792

My dear Mother.

Jun 20, 1792 From my not having as yet received any Answer to the Letters I wrote you on the 20th. Inst. I am apprehensive that by some unforeseen Accident they may have miscarried, or perhaps as I have since heard you are in Whitehaven (the Direction upon them being for Douglas) the cross Postage & contrary Winds which the Packet might meet with, have perhaps occasioned the delay. — Let me hear from you as soon as possible, & Apr 28, 1789
Aug 20, 1787 be so good as to get me a couple of registers of my Age – one on the 28th. Apr. 1789 – the other on the 20th. Aug'st. 1787 - from the Clergyman or Clerk of the Church where I was baptized; – they will be of great Benefit to me upon my Trial, as I was Yesterday informed by a Gentleman of the Navy – he is first Lieut. of the Edgar lying in this Harbour; he came on board here, on purpose to give me some most friendly & salutary Advice respecting my present situation, & being an intimate Friend of Mr. Heywood of Marristow, had received Instructions from that Gentleman to authorize the first Lieut. of this Ship to furnish me with whatever I shou'd be in want of & told me that I must apply to him for whatever I might have Occasion for, & that previous to my Trial I shou'd by Mr. Heywood be apprized of it. — who wou'd likewise order a Taylor to come off to measure me for such Cloaths as wou'd be suitable for me to appear in. — Oh! my dear Mother what an Instance of generous Friendship is this – & how unexpected! – To come even before it was asked is more than I cou'd have hoped even from a Father. It will I hope be yet in my power to shew myself worthy the Patronage of so generous a Man! — I wrote to him on Wednesday last, & have likewise written to my Uncle Pasley, but have not yet received an Answer — Alas! I have heard of the Death of my Aunt whose Loss I truly deplore — how various are the Vicissitudes of this transitory Life! & how futile are all human Expectations! which I think I have pretty well experienced when my Age is considered; yet I already find those which by the World are called Evils, to be a Benefit to my Disposition, & I hope I shall reap intrinsic Advantage from them — I wish much to hear from you, & to be informed of the Welfare of my dear Brothers & Sisters — tell me where James is as I wish to write to him, & apologize to Mary & Eliza for my omitting to write to them as yet — assure them they cannot wish more to hear from me, than I to write to them, but my Situation will scarcely allow me, — my Letters to & from me are all inspected by the commanding Officer, which in these Cases is the rule of the service.

Pray send me some Cash in Notes – for tho' I have had the most liberal & generous Offer from Mr. Heywood through Mr. Larkham, Yet there are some few small Articles I want, for the Purchase of which I cannot think of encroaching upon his Goodness by any unnecessary Expence — I hope I shall yet be able to shew myself deserving of so kind a Patron & the Name of, my ever honor'd & dearest Mother

your most obedient

  & dutiful son

remember me to all I love.

    Peter Heywood