Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 28. Miss N. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood

Isle of Man — 9th. July — 1792

My ever dearest Brother.

How supremely delightful are the sensations I feel every Time I renew the charming Employment of writing to you! — I hope you have e'er this received two Letters from me & one from my Mama which were sent to Mr. Heywood to be conveyed to you — Never, Never my best beloved Peter can we sufficiently admire his Goodness. — I wrote to him as soon as we heard of your Arrival requesting he would order every thing to be done for your relief & Comfort, but wou'd you have believed it, the liberal Offer he so generously made you by Mr. Larkham was before he cou'd possibly have received any Letter from us to the Purpose; — & were you to see the Letters I have all along received from him, on the subject of your Misfortunes, you wou'd indeed look upon him as I know you do, to be the best, the kindest of Friends. — but I have another piece of Intelligence for you my Love — Mrs. Bertie (Mr. Heywoods Daughter) is now at Portsmouth on board the Edgar which Captain Bertie commands — how I envy her Situation in being so near you — Ah! my dearest Peter she is a divine Woman! it is by her kind Care & Attention that you are furnished with every thing you may have Occasion for, & in a most charming Letter which my Mama received Yesterday she tells us she had sent a Friend of her own (Mr. Larkham I suppose) to see you, & assures us that he gave her the most favorable Accounts of your Looks & Health — how exquisitely happy did this Account of you make us & how anxiously shall we wish for a Continuance of those Blessings to our dear Boy! — I have not yet had an Answer from Mr. Heywood to the letter in which I requested his Permission to come to you, but expect it by the next Packet — I shall then fly to you my best Brother without being discouraged by the Idea of not seeing you – yet surely it wou'd not be then denied before proper Witnesses — to be near you (tho deprived of the Satisfaction of beholding you) & to know assuredly that you are well every new Day, wou'd afford me a Joy indescribable. — Besides — I am really shock'd to think Mrs. Bertie shou'd be obliged to take that Trouble upon herself, which both she & Mr. Heywood have kindly assured us she will do, when my being on the spot wou'd render it my greatest & my only Pleasure to take Care your every Wish is gratified. — if you have received the Letters we have already written to you they will inform you of the situation of our Family — Mama writes next, & we shall as you desire, forbear to tell you any thing that it wou'd be necessary to conceal from the World — tho' with respect to yourself my dear excellent Brother as we are all firmly persuaded of your Worth & Innocence we have no Secrets to hide.

Mama desires me to say with her best Love, that she will to save Time write to Mr. Wood of Whitehaven requesting him to get the registers you mention properly signed, & instead of sending them here, he will immediately forward them directed for Mrs. Bertie who will be so good to convey them safely to you. — this you know is a much better Plan, than sending them first here, as the Delay occasioned by the Irregularity of the Packet is sometimes intolerable — only conceive our Anxiety all last Week while she was detained at Whitehaven & we were suffering ten Thousand Apprehensions for your dear Health, tho' happily our full Confidence in Mr. Heywood's more than parental Kindness prevented our entertaining any Fears for your Convenience and Comfort & our Wishes have indeed been doubly gratified by the charming Mrs. Bertie. — Ah! my dear Peter how very happy wou'd it make me to offer her those Thanks her Goodness so justly deserves in Person — to assure her that in affording you the least Comfort & Enjoyment she confers an everlasting Obligation on me, superior to any other Gratification on Earth!

Mary and Eliza beg you will not think of Apologies to them for not writing you have enough to think of, & 'tis their Duty to soften your Confinement by their Letters — they will both write very soon — poor Henry is soon expected from Jamaica — how truly will he rejoice to hear his ever lov'd Brother Peter is now in England!

By what we can collect from the Papers it seems to be the general Opinion, that your Trial will come on before Mr. Bligh's return — I wish to Heaven it may for indeed this State of suspense is dreadful. — to you however my noble Boy I need not recommend Patience & resignation but shall rather endeavour from your excellent Example to learn it myself: in the mean Time let me assure you, that you possess in the highest Degree the Esteem of all your Friends — I do not mean your own Family alone, but those who are unconnected with you be any other Tie than the Admiration of your Character & Sufferings. — The worthy Doctor Scott is as much interested for you, as if you were his Son — My Uncle Heywood acts truly the part of so near a relation & let me not omit the affectionate regard of my Namesake, your Cousin Nessy which is almost equal to that of a Sister — Mr. Southcote has just called & desires me to offer you his, & Mrs. Southcote's best remembrances & ten thousand good Wishes for your happy restoration to us; — & your Friend Tom desires his Love. — As my Letter is to be read by the commanding Officer, he may perhaps, think the Mention of those Things frivolous, but if he is a Man of Humanity my dearest Peter, he will reflect upon the Satisfaction I wish to afford you in telling you how much you are Admired & lov'd; & that those Testimonies of Worth will give unspeakable Pleasure to a good Heart. — Mr. Bacon has just sent me a Letter from a Man of the Name of Jarret, who went on board the Hector to see you but was refused Permission; you cannot conceive with what anxiety the poor Fellow writes & how earnestly he desires Mr. Bacon will tell him if there is any thing he can do for you at your Trial, as he says he is informed by every body you are innocent; & in Truth the good Creature seems to be miserable for your Safety. — you see my beloved Peter what an universal Favorite you are, for this Man knew nothing of you than by Name, & it must be therefore your Character alone which interests him.

My Mama Brothers & Sisters &c &c desire to join me in every Sentiment of Love & Tenderness — Adieu my dearest Love — take Care of your precious Health, & may God preserve you from every Danger! — believe me with Certainty that your fondly beloved Idea occupies every Moment of the Existence of

your dotingly affectionate Sister

    Nessy Heywood