Machralin <1>
March 8
My dear Henry
I hear from Ela<2> that you are just now at Lacock so perhaps you will be more able to assist me in a Qy about a word which I find in the Will of Dame Julian – Wife of Sir John Mundy Kht 1537. – She leaves to one of her sons her “Nutte with a Cover”. What is a Nutte? – It ought to be a kind of Cup, I suppose, as it has a Cover?<3> She leaves to another her “White Silver pott with a Cover” – and what I shd like much to have her “Flower with rubyes”. –
I know that you used to hold correspondence & study old Inventories with my Mother<4> so my mind has turned naturally to you in this instance. At any rate I am always glad when anything incites me to have some intercourse with you.
How is your garden and Hothouse &c &c Have you anything pretty in blow now. We are still cold here, but so are our neighbours elsewhere from all accounts.
If you know where Jane Nicholl<5> is, please to tell me. I can get no answer to my letters & have no idea whether she is still at Clifton or at Mill. nor how she is. All send messages according to their respective relationships & Emily<6> is very sorry never to have seen you!
Yr aff Cousin
HGMy
Notes:
1. Machralin (or Magheralin), village in County Down, Ireland.
2. Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1st daughter.
3. Dame Julian Mundy (d 1537), wife of Sir John Mundy (d 1537), goldsmith and Lord Mayor of London. The 'Nutte with a cover' was a coconut or other large nut, converted to a goblet by cutting off one end and mounting it in metal.
4. Lady Harriot Frampton, née Fox Strangways (1778 - 6 Aug 1844); dau of Henry Thomas Fox Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester and Mary Theresa O'Grady; she married James Frampton (1769-1855) in 1799.
5. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796-1874), WHFT's cousin.
6. Emily Maria Georgiana, née Cavendish (1845-1929), wife of Francis Noel Mundy (1833-1903), WHFT's nephew.