Copy of the forementioned Letter to Sister Jane Bowdler

Copy of the forementionedaforementioned Letter to
Sister Jane Bowdler.

That You my dear Mrs Bowdler, Miss
Hariott &and my Brother have been all very
much astonished, at not having for so long
a time heard from me (especially as I have
had several kind Letters from you all) I ve-
rily believe, but what is worse, the reading
of this will give you, and all my friends great
Concern, and surprizesurprise you very much; when
I shall tell you, that the day before the
Duke of Cumberland came here, which
was the 23d23rd of FeberuaryFebruary, Cott Watson
one of General Hawley’s AidAide de Camps,
my Neighbour Mr Thomson, and Provost
Robinson came to me, and said that the
College which was designed for the
Duke was not found Convenient, and that
my House &and Mr ThomsonsThomson’s was what
they must have, it was no difficulty for
Mr Thomson to find a place to go to, be-
cause all his, and his WifesWife’s relations
live here, but that was not my Case;
however these Gentlemen told me, that
when I had found a place to put myself
in, all the difficulty was over; for that as
to every thingeverything that was in the House
greater Care would be taken of it, thenthan
of any other; for I might, and ought to
depend on it that as I Lent my House
for their ConveniencyConvenience they would not let
me be a Sufferer in any respect, that as
to my ChineaChina and LinnenLinen I must lock it up,
&and put my KitchinKitchen furniture in the CellerCellar
that it might not be in their was, and lock them 1805 (1805)
them, only leaving them a place for
their Coats, and two Maids in the House
to do any thinganything for them, and make my
self quite EassieEasy, for they would not stay
above 2 or 3 days here, I did not know
where to go, or what to do for every
body’severybody’s house was filled. Whilst I was
in this Anxiety, Sr.Sir Arthur came in and
said I might send the Child to his
House in the Country, which was a
great releiferelief to me, I then sent to
ask my Evening friend if he could
Lodge me and my Maid, wch he
very Obligingly did, by putingputting part of
his family to shift for themselves,
When I had provided my selfmyself with a
Lodging, the next, was to set all
things by as I was desired, and
really thought that I had done eve-
ry thing in so right a manner, that
there was no room to doubt, but that
what had been said to me would
prove true, but as you will find,
by what follows it did not; for the
very morning after they came, be-
fore I was out of my Bed, General
Hawley sent two Messengers, to com-
mand me to send him every Key I
had, and so I did, still thinking that
when he had satisfied has Curiosity
he would send them to me again,
but about six o’ clock in the after-noon1806(1806)
noon he sent One of his AidAide de Camps
to me (whose name is Wolf) who
after telling me rudely enough, that
he had a great deal of trouble to find
me out, Said that he was come to let
me know, that by the Duke and GenllGeneral
Hawley’s Orders I was deprived of e-
very thing I had but the ClothsClothes on my
back, Do not wonder, that I thought
this an uncommon hard Sentence, for
I am very sure that I never either
said or did any thing that could offend
any of them, or any of the inhabitants
of the Place, The Gentleman told me,
that indeed yethe GenllGeneral had been very
strict in his InquirysInquiries about me, but
could not find any thing to lay to my
Charge. The next day, there was a Pe-
tition read to the Duke setting forth
the Cruelty of this Sentence and de-
siring that at least I might have my
ClothsClothes belonging to my self &and Child, with
my provisions, with what I could make
plainly appear belonged intirelyentirely to me,
or other people, It was said, he seemed
quite amazed at it, and said he would
take care, that I should not be robed,
and indeed the same Gentleman came
to me again, and said yethe Duke had order-
ed that my things should not be taken
from me, so I thought I might depend
on this Message. But GenllGeneral Hawley who
lived in my House, Took care to prevent
that, for he packed up every thing bit of ChineaChina 1807 (1807)
ChineaChina I had, which I am sure would
not be bought for two hundred pound,
all my BedingBedding &and Table LinnenLinen, every
Book, my Repeating Clock which stood
by the Bed in which he lay every night,
my worked Screen, Every raggrag of Mr.
Gordon’s Cloths, the very Hat, Breeches,
Night Gown, Shoes, and what Shirts
there was of the Childs, 12 Tea spoons,
Strainer &and Tonges yethe japan’d Board on
wch yethe Chocolate &and Coffee Cups stood,
and put them on board a Ship in yethe
Night time, directed to himself at
Holy=rood House at EdenburghEdinburgh, The
Flutes, Musick, &and my Cane he made
presents off; I had 5 lb &and half of Tea,
7 Loaves of fine Sugar, half a hundred
of Lump, 7 lb of Chocolate, a great
Stock of Salt Beef, Pickled Pork, Hams,
Peas, Butter, Coals, Peats, Ale, Verme-
jelly, Rice, and Spice, some Cheese,
Brandy, Rum, Sago, Hartshorn, Salop,
Sweet meats, Narbonne Hony, two
Doz: washballs, with many things
which ‘tis impossible to mention, all which
he kept for himself, nor would he give
me any Share of them, even my empty
Bottles he took, the morning he went a-
way, which was on Tuesday the 8th he
took the Blankets, &and Pillows of yethe Beds,
even the Larding Pins, from Screws, the
Fish Kettle, and marble, and yet sent 1808 (1808)
sent me word by his own SerjantSergeant but the
day before, that Mr Bruce who is their
judge Advocate had made it appear to
him, that my Case was very hard,
therefore he would replace everything
that was in my House, in short he has
left nothing behind him but the Beds
without Coverings, The Chairs &and Tables,
my writing Tables, the Corner Cupboard &and
Mr Gordon’s Desk, he has broke as much
as can be, and tho’thought he had the Keys,
he has taken off the Locks and taken
the part of it that ^was at the Bottom for
holding his Acompt Books, to Pack
part of the ChineaChina in, in short a House
so Plundered I believe was never
heard offof, It is not six hundred pound
that would make up my LoseLoss, nor have
I at this time a single Table Cloth,
Napkin, nor Towel, Tea Cup, Glass, or
any one ConveniencyConvenience You may think
what Effect the low Condition he has
reduced me to, has had on my health
and Spirits, better than I can express
it, especially as you know my affairs
were not in a flourishing Condition before,
and that my Furniture was what I chief-
ly depended on to Enable me to do justice
to those that had demands on me, There
was ten Dishes, 40 plates, and 3 Doz:Dozen of
plates that were sent in to me by two
Merchants to see if I would buy them,
he knew they did not belong to me, yet he
took them, and I have ten pound to pay for 1809 (1809)
for them, the CheifChief of my own Cloths
I brought with me meerlymerely by the
Accident of yethe Trunk in which they were,
not Handing in yethe Room without looking
like a litter, or Else they would have
been gongone too, For what was left, I have
lost,I have sent to my Landlord to de-
sire him to take his House off my
hands, for it is left in such a way,
that it is impossible for me to go
into it again, nor am I any longer
in a Condition to keep it, I am putingputting
away Bob’s Master, and Appy, then
my Family will consist of my self,
Bob and two Maids wch I should be
very much puzzled how to dispose off,
but that my friend I am now with,
pittyspities me so much that he is fitting
up a room for my AccomodationAccommodation, and will
ket ne stay with him, till you and my
Brother, give me your advice what I
should do, for I am in great distress
and do not know wch way to turn
my Self, and the only two that would
serve me are gone to England, viz,
SrSir Arthur and Mr Duff, who with
his wife I believe you will see
(and if you do pray tell him how
much I own my self obliged to him,
for indeed he tryedtried very much to have
been of use to me) for they talked of
being at Bath, tho’though they have sent all their 1810 (1810)
their Furniture to London nor is here a-
ny body left that can get away, which is
what they think I ought to do, but Alas,-
my Affairs are so intangledentangled, that I can-
not tell how to behave, And I know no
body into whose hands to put them,
for those that used to assist me are
gone, And other people have behaved
to me as lately did. As to
myself whilst things are in this uncertain
Situation, believe I ma be of some Use
to stay here a little, but the ChildsChild’s being
here frights me terribly, for in some
events I have too much reason to think
he would not be safe, and can I get any
opportunity of sending him to England should
be very glad to do it, if they will let him
stay at Stretton my Brother would be so
kind to make him mind his writtingwriting &and
Book, so would hope he could not be ve-
ry troublesome in the Family, I know
you &and Miss Harriot cannot take him, nor
is the Place where you are Proper for
him, (besides do not know how soon I
may be obliged to come a begging to you
myself) I am not able to pay for his
Board or I would not have mention’dmentioned
his being there. The Contents of this
Epistle, I desire you will let my Brother
know, and give him my thanks for telling
me he had got a Son, of which I wish
his wife and him much joy, and if I can
will write to him soon, but I thought it
proper to write this to you: the only worldly
Comforts I have had under my misfortunes, has been 1811 (1811)
been that my friends did not know the ill
usage I have met with, for as they were
at so great a distance to help me, I
thought it a happiness that they were
not feeling with me, &and till the Duke and
General was gone, and I found that they
realyreally had taken every thing that was
possible to carry away, I hoped it would
not have been quite so bad as I find it is,
but now I cannot help letting you know
it, thothough I am sure it will give you great
uneasiness. ~ Mr Gordon does not know
what I have suffered, nor do I know
where he is but be that where it will,
I hope he has had more peace of mind
than I have lately known. After receiv-
ing this if you should read in yethe news
Papers, that A handsome recompense was
left by the GenllGeneral &andc_ to make up any
loss that might have happened by the
Carelessness of his Servants to the goods
of the person in whose House he stay’dstayed
six weeks perhaps you may wonder
at it, but I have lately read such
things in the Papers, that I should not
be at all surprizedsurprised at it, tho’though he did not
give either of the maids a farthing,
the Duke gave them 4 Guineas. All
the Episcopal meetings are pulled Down,
the Alters, Pulpits &and Seats were Imploy’dEmployed
to heat the Ovens, I am sorry to have
wrote you so long a letter without having
been able to say any thing that would
been able to say any thing that would
be agreeable, but I hope that will not always 1812 (1812)
always be [] my case. &andc – I expect
Bob from the Country this Night.
then follows some Love &and Kindness
to me which is nothing to the Purpose,
afterwards she says Letters come very
safe at present but as I have chang-
ed my Habitation so pray direct to me
as Dr Roses PhisicianPhysician at Aberdeen.
When you have opportunity pray let
my Friends in London know what
has happened to me particularly
Mrs Martin &and