My dear Lady,

I will be preparing to write to you, as I have Opportunity, not doubting but this present Letter must be a long one; and having some Apprehensions, that, as things may fall out, I may want either Head or Heart to write to your Ladyship, were I to defer it till the Catastrophe of this cruel, cruel Suspense.

O what a Happiness am I sunk from!—And in so few Days too!— O the wicked, wicked Masquerades! They shall be always followed with the Execrations of an injured Wife in me, who, but for that wretched Diversion, had still been the happiest of her Sex!

But I was too secure! It was fit, perhaps, that I should be humbled and mortified; and I must try to make a Virtue of the cruel Necessity, and see, if, by the Divine Grace, I cannot bring real Good out of this appearing Evil.

The following Letter, in a Woman's Hand, and sign’d, as you’ll see, by a Woman's Name, and spelt as I spell it, will account to your Ladyship for my beginning so heavily. It came by the Peny-Post.

Madame,

I ame unknowne to yowe; but yowe are nott so altogathar to mee, becaus I haue bene edefy’d by yowre pius Behafior att Church, whir I see yowe with Plaisir everie Sabbaoth Day. I ame welle acquaintid with the Famely of the Coumptesse of —; and yowe maie possiblie haue hard what yowe wishid not to haue hard concerninge hir. Butt this verie Morninge, I can

assur yowe, hir Ladishippe is gon with yowre Spowse to Tonbrigge; and theire they are to take Lodginges, or a Hous; and Mr. B. is after to come to Towne, and settel Matters to goe downe to hir, where they are to liue as Man and Wiffe. Make what Use yowe pleas of thiss Informasion; and belieue me to haue noe other Motife, than to serue yowe, because of yowre Vartues, whiche make yowe deserue a better Retorne. I am, thof I shall not sett my trewe Name,

Yowre grete Admirer and Seruant,

Thomasine Fuller.

Wednesday Morninge,

9 o’Clocke.