From Sarah Randolph (unpublished)
Deptford new Trinity Ground the 19th: of July 1785

[Your] goodness, added to our former friendship will readily escuse the [time I] have taken in thus addressing you to beg the favour to deliver the enclosed letter to my friend at Philadelphia, who I make not the least doubt will be rejoiced to hear from their once happy sally Randolph who now is obliged to live in an almshouse at Deptford, owing to the late unhappy contest in America, which had deprived me of the provision my dear departed husband made for me before he left Virginia, and am sorry to acquaint you I have been put to the greatest distress by reason of my not receiving my remittances from Virginia, however I have great reason to bless and addore the divine Being! for his great goodness in raising me up friends to get me this living, in the Trinity Ground though it is but a bare support (that of nine pence three farthings a Day) but this has kept me from want and the Lord through his mercy has enabled me to bare up under it with a good fortitude, and a proper resignation to his divine will. I have great consolation in my self, in not bringing these troubles upon me, but all was owing to this unnatural war which has been the ruin of thousands besides my self. I took the liberty of writing to you when in France but never was so happy to receive an answer so Imagined my Letter [did] not reach you. I should not have heard of this Opportunity but by mere accident, a friend of mine who is a clerk in Deptford Yard came here just now and acquainted me there was a ship bound to Phila. and was going to cary you and all your Family over, the which was a joyful peice of news to me to hear you was well, and going to your native place, therefore I embrace the opportunity with the greatest pleasure to wish you a prosperous and speedy passage and may the God of all consolation bless, preserve, and keep you under his Almighty Wings, is my earnest prayers to the throne of grace. If your dear daughter sally and her husband is with you pray make my respectful compliments to them and tell sally her old friend sarah Hargrave is still alive, and rejoices to hear she is, and may God bless her and hers with every blessing that this World can bestow, and may we all meet in the heavenly mansions above, is the sincere wishes of your once happy and sincere Friend and Humble servant

Sarah Randolph

Dr Franklin
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