I have put the watch in a Box that it might take noe harme, and wrapt it about with a little leather, and that it might not jog, I was fain to fill up a few shavings of wast paper.
The letter is dated June 14, but there is nothing to show whether it was written soon or long before Wren’s marriage to Faith. His subscription is hardly passionate, and we know from the enchanting letters of Dorothy Osborne that even in Puritan days such letters were signed, “I am perfectly yours.”
Wren’s marriage to Faith Coghill took place on December 7, 1669, at the Temple Church, but most of his domestic events thereafter are connected with St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields, which was his parish church. His first son, Gilbert, died an infant. His second, Christopher, was born in February, 1674-5, and baptized at St. Martin’s. This first marriage only lasted a few years, for Faith Wren was buried at St. Martin’s on September 4, 1675. Wren soon consoled himself, for he was married on February 24, 1676-7, at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace, to Jane, daughter of William Lord Fitzwilliam of Lifford. By this marriage Wren had a beloved daughter, Jane, who was baptized in November, 1677, at St. Martin’s, and a son, William, born in June, 1679. But Wren was soon again to become a widower. His second wife was buried at St. Martin’s on October 6, 1680. It is rather surprising that there is no monument to either of Sir Christopher’s wives at St. Martin’s, although some tablets from the pre-Gibbs Church are preserved in the crypt.
Jane Wren was, by tradition, Sir Christopher’s favourite child, and when she died at the age of twenty-six Wren suffered the greatest sorrow of his life.
Of his son Christopher’s boyhood we know little, but Sir Christopher wrote to him in France, probably in 1698, when the young man was twenty-three, a very charming parental letter, which has been preserved in the heirloom Parentalia. It runs as follows:
My Dear Son,
I hope by this time you are pretty well satisfied of the condition of the Climat you are in: if not, I believe you will ere Lent be over, and will learne to dine upon Sallad.... If you thinke you can dine better cheape in Italy you may trie, but I thinke the passing the Alpes and other dangers of disbanded armies and abominable Lodgings will ballance that advantage: but the seeing of fine buildings I perceive temptes you, and your companion Mr. Strong, whose inclination and interest leades him, by neither of which I can find you are moved; but how doth it concerne you? You would have it to say hereafter that you have seen Rome, Naples and other fine places, a hundred others can say as much and more; calculate whether this be worth the expence and hazard as to any advantage at youre returne. I sent you to France at a time of businesse and when you might make your observations and find acquaintance who might hereafter be usefull to you in the future concernes of your life: if this be your ayme I willingly let you proceed, provided you will soon returne, for these reasons, the little I have to leave you is unfortunately involved in trouble, and your presence would be a comfort to me to assist me, not only for my sake, but your own that you might understand your affaires, before it shall please God to take me from you, which if suddenly will leave you in perplexity and losse. I do not say all this out of parsimony, for what you spend will be out of what will, in short time, be your owne, but I would have you be a man of businesse as early as you can bring your thoughts to it. I hope, by your next you will give me account of the reception of our ambassador; of the intrigues at this time between the two nations, of the establishment of the commerce, and of anything that may be innocently talked of without danger and reflection, that I may perceive whither you look about you or noe and penetrate into what occurres, or whither the world passes like a pleasant dream, or the amusement of fine scenes in a play without considering the plot. If you have in ten weeks spent half your bill of exchange besides your gold, I confesse your money will not hold out, either abroad for yourself or for us at home to supply you, especially if you goe for Italy, which voyage forward and backward will take up more than twenty weekes: thinke well of it, and let me hear more from you, for though I would advise you, I will not discontent you. Mr. Strong hath profered credit by the same merchant he uses for his son, and I will thinke of it, but before I change, you must make up your account with your merchant, and send it to me. My hearty service to young Mr. Strong and tell him I am obliged to him for your sake. I bless God for your health and pray for the continuance of it through all adventures till it pleases Him to restore you to me and your Sister and friends who wish the same as doth
Your most affectionate Father
Chr. Wren.
Poor Billy continues in his indisposition and I fear is lost to me and the world to my great discomfort and your future trouble.
It would seem that young Strong, the son of Wren’s famous master-builder, was the boy’s bear-leader.