Dear Sir

Yesterday on my return from a ten days visit chain of visits I found y^r favor. Moses is payed & our account settled but I fear we have payed the six sh. twice over for the carriage.

every happiness attend you & miss Bulls¹ on your journey. Pray write to me when you are re-settled in the isle of Wight: & give me some account of y^r cornubian Tour.² would you have more arctic Zoology sent to you; for Moses shall go on finishing by the four or six sheets.

I wish that I had the pleasure of the company of miss Bulls³ & yourself last Friday at the Cambrian Bowmeeting⁴ in which all the youth of both sexes & best fashion all drest in elegant habits of green well fancied: the Buts were from 30 to 90 yards distant; & our fair amazons shot with skill equal to their Queen Thalestris. The Prize of merit is a medal, but liable to be won and transferred many times in the day. I had the honor of proposing that laurels should be added; & the additional one of dispensing them, as the fickle Goddess directed: This involved me often in the mortification of being obliged to de grade those I had but a minute ^before decked with all the pomp of conquest. We dined in a magnificent tent in a beautiful meadow watered by a fine stream & bounded by hanging woods. You may hear the place better described by some of Y^r travelling friends when I say it was at M^r Yorkes of Erddig.

My Son came to Cadiz just time enough to see a Bull feast performed with all its horrors. ten fine beasts fell a sacrifice to the Barbarous custom: & three horses wounded but none killed. He will tell us more when he returns. He may now be discharging Y^r commiss:ns at Madrid.

adieu
y^rs most truely

Tho. Pennant

Downing May 8^th - 88

Be sure return to Stratton street by Dec^r 1..

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Editorial notes

1. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull.
2. For Bull's tour to Cornwall ('Cornubia') see 1075.
3. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull.
4. This refers to a meeting of the Royal British Bowmen (RBB) Society, founded in 1787. Its founder, Sir Foster Cunliffe (1755–1834), was the owner of Acton Park near Wrexham, where several of the society's meetings were held, although some were also staged at other north Wales estates, including Wynnstay and, as proven by this letter, Erddig, also near Wrexham. Female membership was advocated from the beginning. Advolly Richmond, 'The Royal British Bowmen Society and the diversion of Archery', Welsh Historic Gardens Trust, WHGT Bulletin, issue 65 (July 2013) [external link], 1–3 [accessed 4 September 2018]; and ex inf. Advolly Richmond.