Henry Hollyday I letter to James Hollyday II, 1756 November 4

Henry Hollyday I writes to his brother, James Hollyday II, in London. He relates that the "destroyed circumstances of our family" have prompted him to bring down James' "wench Nancy" to assist in his house. He notes that he has "only four Negro women," and of those women his washer woman has been ill since July, another cook has been sick for five weeks, and two housemaids are "big with child" and are about a month from their lying in. He assures James that he would not bring down his woman to assist in the house if he "conceived it would prejudice your affairs in any considerable degree." He further says that as James is due to return in the spring, this will likely be his last letter to him in London.