These letters from Elizabeth Russell, Duchess of Bedford to her sister-in-law Rachel Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire concerning her mother's ill health due to the weather and her intention to wait on Lady Devonshire and her mother's insistence the Devonshires visit for two days in warmer weather.
She writes to her mother-in-law, Lady Russell, concerning the following: a recommendation for a labourer Mr Jeffries to work for Sir William Hodges from the Committee of Warehouses at East India House; the health of her children; her son John's teething which once resulted in a fit; Lady James Russell's visit to Woburn at a bad time of year; a description of taking her children to see the King's entrance to Somerset House; staying with Lady Arlington at her lodgings along with the Duchess of Grafton; a bonfire and firework display for her children at Streatham; her gratefulness to God for bringing them through danger and the risk of losing everything that was dear; her mother's wishes to Lady Russell; Duchess of Devonshire and Earl of Galway being in town; her encounter with the Earl of Galway at the Duke of Grafton's house where she discovered he was recovered from illness and heard of his plans to leave Rookley and be at Stratton permanently, as well as his negotiations for the refugees; her request to stay at Southampton House for the trial of Lord Oxford to be seen with Lady Ann Harvey at Lord Halifax's; she explains the various reasons why lodging with Lady Anne would not work well and her intention to carry her own linen if she is allowed to use Lady Russell's bed at Southampton House; her wishes to Lord Galway; her hope to see justice done at the trial of Lord Oxford to a man that nearly ruined them; her assumption that Lady Russell will have any news from Lord Galway; her discovery that the nurse of her eldest son had been letting him drink wine at night which had caused him to have bad digestion and not want to eat; Dr Sloane's medication of bitters that did not help with her son's digestion; the dismisal of the nurse; Lord Granby's marriage; seeing Lord Harborough at Hampton Court; the Princess's pregnancy; walking with the Princess and the King in the evenings in the garden; visiting the garden being the only way to see the King; her mother's lameness.