41

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                                                         1783

      As I am sure my dear, that
it must always be interesting to you to
receive any Intelligence of our dear &
most excellent Friends, though I received
your Letter only last night, I write imme
diately to give your an Account of L^d. & Ly dartrey.
It was very fortunate that the Calm, which
you mention obliged them to disembark: for
a few Hours after, L^y. dartrey was seized by
the present Epidemic disorder of the Bowels, of
which she had a severe Attack, which however
God be thanked had no fatal Consequences. I
went to Dover on Tuesday Morning & found
her in Bed, where she had been confined all
the day before. The worst of the disorder was
removed, & she was only weak, & so sore
that she could hardly breathe. She got up &
sat in the Room where we dined, though
not at Table, & held up till 9 at night.

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She slept very well: & yesterday morning was
much mended, & continued improving, till, when
I returned to Deal about 7, I left her so well
that there seemed to be no doubt of their
setting out this Morning on their way to Tun
bridge, which they have exchanged for Spa:
indeed very properly. It would be by no
Means prudent for her to croʃs the Sea,
till her Stomach had perfectly regained it's
Strength: & by that Time the year would be rather
too far advanced before they could reach
Spa.    As none of them seem to regret the
Alteration, I am heartily glad we shall
keep them on this Side the water. L^d dartrey
& the dear Children are very well. I asked
Julia if She liked best to go to Spa or
returned back, & after due Circumspection
& deliberation, she told me she had rather
go back.      I have writ -  you a long Account
but I am sure both you, & L^y Wake to
whom I beg you will communicate it, will
not think it too long on a Subject oin

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which we are all so tenderly concerned, especially
as L^y. Dartrey may not for a few days find her
Spirits sufficiently strong to give a Circumstan
-tial Relation of her self.
      As to the monkish Story which you de
sire, it is this. In the Reign of Egbert K. of
Kent about the year 680, 2 young princes of the
royal Family who had been educated with him
grew so accomplished as to excite his Jealousy.
One of his wicked Courtiers without any posi
tive order, killed them both & buried them
in the great Hall of the palace under the royal
Canopy. over this spot for several nights
appeared a pillar of Flame to the great Terror
of the Domestics. On Report being made to
the K. he examined his Courtier & found the
2 Princes had been murdered. An ecclesiastic
advised him to expiate this offence by remov
ing their Bodies from the Hall at Eastry to
the Cathedral at Canterbury: But when the
Hearse was ready to proceed the Horses
would not stir, & were equally refractory

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when turned another way. At length they Bodies were
deposited at another place, & afterwards re-
moved to the Chapel of the palace at Eastry.
where a shining Light remained over the[ir]
Tombs, probably till it was quenched at the
Extirpation of monkery.^[1] There are some few
vestiges of old windows said to belong to
this chapel, which is now converted into a
Wash House. -- In the 9^th Century. Ethelbert
made a present of his Lands at Eastry to
the Church of Canterbury which holds
them by this Tenure to this day. The
people of Eastry affirm the Grant was given
in Expiation of the murder of the 2 princes.
But this does not appear in the Grant
which I have seen, in which Etheldred^[2]
declares he gives these Lands to the Church
of Canterbury for the Salvation of his Soul,
& bestows a most outrageous Curse upon
whoever should attempt to frustrate his
donation.
      Indeed I am heartily vexed at the

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very disagreeable Suspense of your Schemes.
I am persuaded, before I hear your further
Reasons, that you are perfectly right in
your Resolutions.
      / I am very glad to hear so pros
perous an Account of good Mrs Delany. I
hope She will receive her Friend the
d^ʃs of portland with all the Improvement [of]
Health she can wish. It is pleasant to see
two worthy Characters united by such constant
Ties of Friendship.      As to Mrs Vesey,
I comfort my self with the Intelligence
that they are not to leave England, & that if
I live & prosper I may hope to see her next winter:
En attendant, I know no more of her than if she
was at the Cape of Good Hope. She desired me not
to write till I heard from her again, & no Account
of her have I rec^d from her since.
      L^y. d. told me poor Miʃs duckworth was
released from her long Sufferings. She is called I
doubt not, to the Reward of her patient Resigna
[t]ion, which was very exemplary.

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Indeed I believe you do the person^[3]
Injustice whom you mention in your
ps. for I believe she is going out
of Town.
                Adieu my dear Friend
      Ever most affectionately yours
                                                         E Carter

deal Au^st 7. 1783<sup>[4]

[5]</sup>