NRA-L-000016 / 1716
Family letter from la veuve Burel to Monsieur Nouël/Rioul Bellisle [?], 1716-01-30
Private-collection record for a family letter dated 1716-01-30 from la veuve Burel to Monsieur Nouël/Rioul Bellisle [?]. Related places: La Rochelle, Aunis, France; Castelmoron-d'Albret via La Réole, Guyenne, France. Source language: French.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000016
Transcript and English translation
working scholarly aid
Address Panel
Original transcript
De la Rochelle Monsieur
Monsieur rioul [nouel?] bellisle
a cattelle morvandel
bret a la reiolle
a Lareolle
Address Panel
English translation
From La Rochelle, Monsieur
Monsieur Rioul [Nouël?] Bellisle
at Castelmoron-d'Albret
near La Réole
at La Réole
Letter Text - Page 1
Original transcript
Ma chere fille me marquet par saderne
lettre que jaues dulenge et delaueicelle darjan
de le uandre les acheurs sont rars et si
long fet tant que deuandre A qui Coute
baucoup darjan ont le donne pour du
pen et deplus ma fille ne deuet pas me
fere eun pareil Compliment vous saue
mon cher fis A que jay fet pour vous
je me garderes bien deuandre Ce qui ne
mapartien point je vous dires que ma
mere neparte dulit elle est toujours fort
mal Cest eun mal presque engurable
elle ne repose ny jour ny et moy bien
peu auec mes chagrin Cest le Comble
et baucoup de depance auec Cela apres
tout vous saue mon cher fis a quoy
nous somme dobligation au suiet de nos
pere et mere Cequi est de san serest rien
a me reprocher de ne pas fere tout Ce
que je doy aupres de ma mere A qui vous
surprandera conessant ma mere Comme
vous lefeste elle prant sont mal auec
baucoup depasianse jene Croi quelle ne
puisse aller bien louen ont peut crie quelle
fet son purgatoire dant Ce monde elle tire
les larme de tout lemonde pour ne
me Consoler presque pas mon cher
fis tant jesuis changer
Letter Text - Page 1
English translation
My dear daughter wrote to me in her last letter that I had linen and silverware to sell. Buyers are rare, and when one waits too long before selling, things that cost a great deal of money are let go for almost nothing. Moreover, my daughter should not pay me such a compliment. You know, my dear son, what I have done for you. I shall take great care not to sell what does not belong to me.
I must tell you that my mother does not leave her bed. She is still very ill; it is an almost incurable illness. She rests neither by day nor by [night], and I get very little rest myself. With all my sorrows, this is the last straw, and it also brings great expense. After all, my dear son, you know what obligations we owe to our fathers and mothers. In that respect I shall have nothing to reproach myself for, since I do everything I owe my mother. What will surprise you, knowing my mother as you do, is that she bears her illness with great patience. I do not think she can go on much longer; one might say that she is undergoing her purgatory in this world. She brings tears to everyone's eyes; as for me, my dear son, I am almost inconsolable, so greatly have I changed.
Letter Text - Page 2
Original transcript
fete moy part sil vous pley si vous
aue des nouuelle de mon frere jeluy est
est crit deus fois et nest au qune reponce
deluy si jetes dant vne autre situvasion
que jensuis jeres lhonneur des lalle aucher
peze ne san lou que vous luy escriue fetes
luy bien mes compliment au sy bien que
votre jeune cesuire ma fille nestant
pas ensituassion derepondre a lobligante lettre
que vous luy aue fet lhonneur deluy est
Crire et lhonneur que vous luy fette
delauoir choisy pour estre marene de
son neue est dotant plus onoret dauoir
eun ausy hemable compere elle ma marque
estre tres sansible a toute les marque
damitie que vous parese auoir pour
elle elle vous demande la continuasion
de votre amitie quelle tachera de
meriter elle vous embrasse ausy bien
que ma chere seur et ses chers neves
je croi que vous ne puires lire mon
est criture je vous est cris au lit ne
lepouuant fere le jour vous trouuere
peutetre ma lettre trop longe jene peu fere
autremant et suis en vous embrassant
de tout mon coeur ausy bien que ma
chere fille mon cher fis et lenfan nouvau
venu mon cher fis votre tres heumble
mere et seruante
la veuve burel
[margin] mon cher fise je vous embrasse de tout mon coeur
Letter Text - Page 2
English translation
Please let me know whether you have any news of my brother. I have written to him twice and have received no reply. If I were in a different situation, I would have the honor of going to look for him. Since I do not know where you write to him, please give him my compliments, and likewise to your young wife.
My daughter is not in a condition to answer the obliging letter that you did her the honor of writing, or to acknowledge the honor you have shown her by choosing her as godmother to her nephew. She is all the more honored to have so amiable a co-godparent. She has told me that she is deeply touched by all the signs of friendship you appear to show her. She asks you to continue your friendship, which she will endeavor to deserve. She embraces you, as do my dear sister and her dear nephews.
I believe you will not be able to read my handwriting. I am writing to you in bed, not having been able to write during the day. You may find my letter too long, but I cannot do otherwise. Embracing you with all my heart, together with my dear daughter, my dear son, and the newborn child, I remain, my dear son, your very humble mother and servant,
the widow Burel
[Margin:] My dear son, I embrace you with all my heart.
Discovery Terms
- Historical correspondence
- Private collection
- Family letter
- French language