Duly Enoch Hale and his family learned all that
ever will be known of the last days of their beloved,
and now honored, dead.

The following letter of Deacon Richard Hale's
--good man and uncertain speller that he was!---
was written to his brother Samuel at Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, a few months after Nathan's
death had become known:

=====DEAR BROTHER===============

I Rec4?? your favor of the 17th of February Last and rejoce??
to hear that you and your Famley ware well your
obversation as to the Diffulty of the times is very just, so
gloomey a day wee niver saw before but I trust our Cause
is Just and for our Consolation in the times of greatest
destress we have this to sopert us that their is a God that
Jugeth in the earth if we can but take the comfort of it. as
to our being far advanced in life if it do but serve to wean
us from this presint troublesom world and stur us up to
prepare for a world of peace and Rest it is well, the calls in
Providance are loud to prepare to meet our God and O that
he would prepare us. you desired me to inform you about
my son Nathan you have doutless seen the Newberry Port
paper that gives the acount of the conduct of our kinsman
Sam11 Hale toard him in New York as to our kinsman being
here in his way to York it is a mistake but as to his conduct
tord my son at York Mr. Cleveland of Capepan first reported
it near us I sopose when on his way from the Armey
where he had been Chapling home as was Probley true
betraie'd he doubtless was by somebody, he was executed

[[93]]

p092 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p093w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p094

v?