Revised Jun 6 2021

No. 21. Mrs. Heywood to Mr. P. Heywood

Isle of Man June 29th. 1792

Oh! my ever dearly beloved & long-lost Son! – with what Anxiety have I waited for this Period! – I have counted the Days, Hours, & even Minutes, since I first heard of the horrid & unfortunate Mutiny which has so long deprived me of my dearest Boy — but now the happy Time is come when tho' I cannot have the unspeakable Pleasure of seeing & embracing you, yet I hope we may be allowed to correspond, — sure there can be nothing improper in a Liberty of this Sort between an affectionate Mother & her dutiful & beloved Son, who I am perfectly convinced was never guilty of the Crime he has been suspected of by those who did not know his Worth & Truth, — & I have not the least Doubt but that divine & all-gracious God who of his good Providence has protected you so long & brought you safe through so many Dangers & Difficulties will still protect you & make your Innocence appear at your Trial, as clear as the Light of Heaven.

All your Letters have come safe to me & my very dear good Nessy. – Ah! Peter with what real Joy did we all receive them & how happy are we that you are now safe in England. I will endeavour my dearest Boy to make your present situation as comfortable as possible, for so affectionate & good a Son deserves my utmost Attention.

Nessy has written to our faithful & kind Friend Mr. Heywood of Plymouth for his Advice whether it wou'd be proper for her to go up to you; – your Uncle Heywood approves of it provided he does & I hope we shall have his Answer by the next Packet — if he consents to her doing so, not a Moment shall be lost & how happy shall I be when she is with you — such a Sister as she is — Oh! Peter she is a valuable Girl! what Comfort will she give you, and how will she lessen the many Tedious Hours you must I fear pass in your Confinement; but keep up your Spirits my charming Boy — take care of your Health which is so dear to me, & put your full Trust in that supreme Being who never has, nor ever will forsake you. — I will not now tell you the Grief and Anguish I & all your Brothers & Sisters felt when we first heard of the horrid Mutiny & that you were not returned – it was a sorrowful Time indeed, but we had a full Confidence in your Innocence knowing so well the perfect Goodness of your Heart, Morals & Disposition. — Every Interest possible we have made — I have desired Mr. Heywood will remit you Money for whatever you want, & I shall by the first Opportunity from this send you the following Articles —— &c Your Brothers & Sisters are all at Home & well (blest & happy that you are in England & longing to see you) except my poor dear Henry who went to Jamaica last January. I had a Letter from him last Month from Kingston — he was very well, but they had most dreadful Weather – terrible storms – Thunder & Lightning — sprung their Main-mast, lost their Bowsprit, Fore-Mast, Main top Mast, & Mizzen top Masts – all went overboard, & the ship proved very leaky, but by the Providence of God they got got [sic] safe into Jamaica under Jury-Masts — he adds "Indeed my dear Mother it was dreadful, but now we are laying at Kingston & I have forgot all the storms in Hopes to be with you & my dear Brothers & Sisters whom I long to see" — poor Fellow! he has had his sufferings too in his first Voyage & so young (only twelve years old) but my dear Boy nothing equal to yours — how very happy will he be when he hears that you are in England. – for young as he was he used to say when he saw me fretting about your Absence "my dear Mother God will send my Brother Peter to you yet, to be a Comfort & Blessing to you" — he is a fine sensible thoughtful Boy — John is a sweet affectionate Boy & Edwin a most surprizing Child his Genius is still as great as it used to be when he wrote so prettily in Petticoats. — he is now in his 9th. year & in Horace & is at the same Time learning French, Geography, writing, & Arithmetic in which he makes a wonderful Proficiency. — My good & honest Birkett is very well, & says your safe return has made her more happy than she has been for the two & forty Years she has been in our Family –

Oh! happy happy Day when you shall arrive at Home! — with what Pleasure do I look foreward to it after all your sufferings. As Nessy writes I will leave her to tell you all I may have omitted but let me not forget to say how grateful I am to those good young Men who on your Voyage homeward so kindly assisted you with the little Necessaries they cou'd spare. — Your good & dear Friend Mr. Betham my dear Boy is no more he died a little before your affectionate Father. — your worthy Grandmother too has paid the Debt of Nature — your two cousins richard & robert have never yet been heard of, & your Uncle about three Months since heard of of [sic] the Death of his eldest Son Thomas — he is married again to Miss Bacon & has two Children by her, a Boy & a Girl — three years ago he had the good Fortune to obtain a Prize in the Lottery of £15000, so you see there are great Changes among us, & if Nessy comes up to you she will tell you more than I can write. — Your Brothers & Sisters all send their most affectionate Love & beg with me that you will take Care of your Health, & keep your Mind as easy as Possible. — All your other relations & Friends send kind remembrances — May the Almighty still protect & bless you my dearest Boy is the continual Prayer of your most affectionate Mother

Eliz'th. Heywood