July 9, 1654.
A familiar letter. I received this letter from my brother Willoughby:—
“For my Lord Whitelocke, at Chelsea, humbly these.
“My Lord,
“I being this day commanded by the two within-named persons in your letter to consummate their nuptials, and in that to bear the part of a father, am so confident of my power, as (were it not my Lord Whitelocke’s request, whose interest with them exceeds a mock father) he might be assured of not failing of his commands; but that done which this morning I am going about, I am by them desired to jog on to Stanstead, so that I fear I shall by that means be disappointed of attending you upon Wednesday; and that, I assure you, will go to Nancy’s heart, she being yesterday resolved to have visited you this morning at Chelsea, had she not apprehended your early being in town; but wherever we are, our thankfulness to God for your safe return you shall not fail of, nor of the keeper tomorrow night. So I rest,
“My Lord,
“Your affectionate brother to serve you,
“Will. Willoughby.
“July.”
I have inserted this and other letters, that you may observe the change of styles and compliments in the change of fortunes and conditions.