[187] John Midgley. The witnesses were James Hallet, Jeremy Gough, and Edward Davis (Harl. MSS., 5996).
[188] By Queen Elizabeth.
[No. 74. [Steele.]
From Tuesday, Sept. 27, to Thursday, Sept. 29, 1709.
White's Chocolate-house, Sept. 28.
The writer of the following letter has made a use of me, which I did not foresee I should fall into. But the gentleman having assured me, that he has a most tender passion for the fair one, and speaking his intentions with so much sincerity, I am willing to let them contrive an interview by my means.
"Sir,
"I earnestly entreat you to publish the enclosed; for I have no other way to come at her, or return to myself. A. L.
"P.S.—Mr. Bickerstaff,
"You can't imagine how handsome she is: the superscription of my letter will make her recollect the man that gazed at her. Pray put it in."
I can assure the young lady, the gentleman is in the true trammels of love: how else would he make his superscription so very much longer than his billet? He superscribes:
"To the younger of the two ladies in mourning (who sat in the hindmost seat of the middle box at Mr. Winstanley's water-works,[189] on Tuesday was fortnight, and had with them a brother, or some acquaintance that was as careless of that pretty creature as a brother; which seeming brother ushered them to their coach), with great respect. Present.
"Madam,