Livingston, John to Robert & Alida Livingston re: request for parental blessing upon wedding
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03107.00587 Author/Creator: Livingston, John Place Written: New London, Connecticut Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1700/12/10 Pagination: 2 p. + addr. 31 x 18.9 cm Order a Copy
John writes this letter from New London requesting "yours and mothers Blesing and Consent" upon his marriage with Mary Winthrop, as the couple has already received the blessings of Governor and Mrs. Winthrop, and claims that if his parents were to be so "Chruwell as I hope [you will not be] I would Reather Dey then to Leave Hur." Docketed on address leaf.
New London, [Conn.], 10 December 1700
Honred Father and Mother
I sending this Express to you; and thinck it is my Dutey as a Duteyfull Sunn [ought] to doe in Beaging and Praying for yours and mothers Blessing and Consent as I hope in God youu [sic] and [inserted: she] will not Be ageanst since it hath Pleased God for to Sett and Geoyen us to geather in the Ceace of Mareadge or Matremoney; I have Geaned the Consent of the Governor and his Ladey as I supose he hath given you an Account of in his Letter at Lardge and Satisfation So that there is Nothing hinders us of being made hapey but your and mothers Consent in which I hope you and all our frindes will take Consideration houw hard it would be for to be Parted: if they and you should be sho Chruwell as I hope in the they will not I would Reather Chouse to Dey then to Leave Hur, for she is the onley one in all the Whorald to me, you Schrupeld there being Married in which I have Enquired unto the mater and have Asked the Minester about it and he told me that they were Sartenley Married as God was in heaven and that all the People her knows it as well as he so that there was no Schrupell of Aney schuch thing here among the Peopell for they Know beter [2] there fore I Beage and Pray that you would wreidt a Posetive Answer Douwen to the Governor a bout it; for wee are fulley Resolved to Marrey with your and Mothers Consent and the Consent of all our frends; I have writt to all my Eunckels about it and doubt not there Consent in Gen[era]ll for it is so for Agreaed upon that it haerdley cen be recalled with out trubell and vecksation and sorrow one Both Seydes which wee should thinck verrey heard, for to be Parted wee would Reather both Dey then for to be Parted a Sunder for it would Sartenley Breack both our hardts I ceant for Beaer Giving you an Account of the Doolfull Neuws of the Death of my Dear Eunchell Coll: SV: Cortlandt who Deyed in the Lord the 26t of November and was Berreyed the 30th Detto he Deyed verrey senceabell and tock his Leave of All his Children and Weiffe and All his frindes where there is great Morning in the fameley and a great Loos as you are very senceabell of I suppos Mr: Campell has given you an Account in his Letters what the Governor and his Lady said this is all at Present from your
Duteyfull Sunn [inserted: till] Death
John Livingston
[docket]
Albany 19 December 1700 My Son Johns Letter from N London
[address]
For Mr: Robt Livingston Esqr: one of his Maj[estys] Councell of the Province of N: Yorke at Albany
<Signature>
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