From: From the Crown and Scepter near Norfolk Street London
Madam,
Your illness and my sudden call to Town unhappily concur to deprive Me of the agreeable satisfaction of doing myself the Honour of waiting on you, whom the Voice of Numbers proclaims, good, charitable, and vertuous; I must be deeply insensible, Madam, if not inflamed with so bright a Character, and highly Stupid if not ambitious of so amiable, so desireable a Person; Tis your superiour worth which induces Me to make this bold yet honourable Attempt; and to declare my self unequal in Fortune, tho' great in Birth, I am, Madam, of the youngest Branch of the Ancient and Noble Abergavenny Family; and am therefore forced, like all younger Brothers1Ralph was the second of five sons; he also had seven sisters. to seek my Preferment and Fortune from the Court; in Order to which I fixed upon the Church,2In fact Ralph followed his father and grandfather as rectors of Evenlode, to which his family held the advowson. as the speediest and best way to rise to Grandeur; and have been so succesfull as to procure the Royal Word for Honourable preferment; I have already a handsome Fortune, and am immediate Heir, after two old sickly Brothers, to a great Family Estate of Four Thousand Pounds per Annum and to supply my present Want of Fortune They have agreed to gett me a Title, that so I may deserve a Lady of Fortune. Then, Madam, as to your own Fortune, it shall be all settled on you, and whatsoever other Articles or Terms you can propose or desire they shall be readily agreed to: And as to the Truth of all the Facts mentioned, a noble Lord in your own Country will give a satisfactory Testimony. I humbly beg you will be pleased to express your Mind in a Line or Two, whether I shall have the Liberty of waiting on you, and more fully declare myself, assuring you, Madam, that as my Esteem takes its rise from your noble character, so no Person shall pay a deeper regard or Deference to your Person, than Madam
Your most obedient and most humble servant
R. Neville
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