Transcript DUN 51/63A

Date: 27 Apr 1659 [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Scrope Busbridge

Notes and Analysis

This is a letter from the Dunn archive, available as microfilm items in the East Sussex Record Office. The letter is from John Busbridge to his daughter Anne (Busbridge) Farnden.^[1]

The following people are mentioned in the letter

• Aunt Scrope: Mary (Temple) Scrope
• my brother: in this context probably Adrian Scrope)
• Cozen Walson: possibly a mistype, may refer to Elizabeth (Scrope) Whetham
• my dafter: one of Constance, Susanna or Hester Busbridge
• your sister: one of six
• your mother: by this date actually stepmother Joan
• John: probably a servant
• brother Scrope: Adrian Scrope)
• my nephews: sons of Adrian Scrope
• your husband: Peter Farnden
• my son Roberts: Walter Roberts

The letter refers to Cozen Walson which may refer to Mary Scrope's daughter Elizabeth who had married Nathaniel Whetham. It was common for women to return to the family home to give birth, especially to a first child. But this does give a problem with the previously assumed date of birth of Elizabeth. If this was her first child she would be expected to be at least 16 years old, giving a date of birth in 1643, not the 1655 previously estimated. This also means that her mother was probably Mary Waller and not Mary Temple.

Transcript

Dafter Farnden
I have received yours w^th the [….] and
the letter to your aunt Scrope who is gon
into the country but my brother is in towne
so that there is no hope of her cominge for
my cozen Walson is gone downe w^th her to lye in
as conser[n]inge my [word blanked out]. I am very un
willinge to ma[t]ch w^th any minister and to send my
dafter to such and unhelthfull place were but
in all probability to send her to her grave shee
is not yet so antidated but I hope to see her
much better preferred. I shall stay in towne to see
how thinges goe in this unsettled time it much
consernes me and as to my owne busines it will
be the lattor end of the next weeke before
I shall com downe your sisters gowns could not be
made this week the taylors were taken up a
g[…] may day but the next thay shal have
them. […] are dead and no money to be pay
ed where owinge so y^t I know not whether
I shall make your mother a gowne before I
com home If I find not word to the contra
ry lett my horses meete me on friday
at Turnbridge the bay geldinge and the ould
graye mare. Lett John com w^t them. I shall
truble you no farther but lett you know I
am better than I have been latly and I have
my brother Scrope and my nephews com
pany pray remember my kinde love to your
husband and my son Roberts and I send my
[…] to you all and comitt you to god […]

Dean yard
27 April 1659 Your lovinge father
John Busbridge

Sources

1. ↑ John Busbridge, Deans Yard, [Westminster] to his daughter Ann Farnden at Col Busbridge's house at Haremere. 27 Apr 1659. East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Record Office (ESBHRO) DUN 51/63A