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Home » The Domestic Sphere » Families » The 'Madness' of Elizabeth Dayrell, 1677Displaying results 1 to 4 out of 4
![This is contemporary copy of a letter, written at Newport by Lady Elizabeth Dayrell, to her husband [William Morgan of Tredegar] shortly after leaving him.
She thanks him for his gift of the chariot [a small four-wheeled carriage with only back seats], a small thing compared with all his other generosities, which in her mean condition she can do no more than remember with gratitude. She hopes that he lives to discover their mortal enemies who have caused their separation. She asks pardon for the great presumption of writing, among the 'other failings of her that once you were pleased to desire as a wife'.
In a postscript she says that she hopes to come to London with 'the originall deeds of disposition of my smale estate in my owne power' [ie, her marriage settlement?], that he may burn it with his own hands.](http://www.gtj.org.uk/storage/thumbs/batch_4005/GTJ30175.jpg)
![This account lists physical and verbal attacks made by Lady Dayrell on her husband, their servants and on her husband's friends in the weeks before leaving him on 6 November 1677.
It is recorded here that for about the previous three weeks, she has been discontented and unquiet, watching [going without sleep?] several days and nights together, that she abused her husband several times, turned several servants away without cause, and was displeased with her husband and used ill language to him because he would not beat them before they went.
That about 23 October she said she would go to London, saying she had important business there, and that she would take leave of her friends and relations, and in particular of Lewis Morgan, her husband's brother. After nightfall she took a horse to go to Lewis Morgan's house, but rode directly to Newport and spent the night at the house of Thomas Bassett, which is an inn and a tavern. She returned home the next morning.
That on Saturday 27 October she rode to Sir Trevor Williams's house at Llangibby, and returned about 8 o'clock that night in a very discontented manner. At about 12 or 1 o'clock at night she went into her husband's chamber where he was asleep, and opened the curtains [?of a four-poster bed rather than of a window] in a great rage and passion, and called two of the maid servants attending her to see how like a monkey her husband looked. As he was still asleep, she laid hands on him to wake him, and when he did not wake she fell violently upon him in the bed, striking his head and face with her hands. Having woken sufficiently, he mildly asked her what ailed her, and why she did not come to bed. She made at him violently again, and declared that she would either kill or be killed, that she was ready to do it, and that she would damn herself or be revenged on him. Mr Morgan having got out of bed, she ran at him and struck him and tore his shirt and what he had around his neck. Mr Morgan twice put her out of his chamber, and twice she forced open the door and abused him, and attempted to abuse the things in the chamber, breaking a looking glass and endeavouring to break a cabinet. She said that she would have a pair of 'cysers' [scissors] or a knife and cut her hair, but being denied them, and her husband charging that they should be kept from her, she attempted to burn her hair, first with a candle and then in the fire, but was kept from doing it.](http://www.gtj.org.uk/storage/thumbs/batch_4005/GTJ30179.jpg)
![Petition to, and copy order, 5 Dec. 1677, of Richard Raynsford, lord chief justice. That a petition has been preferred on behalf of William Morgan, esq., signifying that Dame Elizabeth Dayrell his wife is departed from him and has since committed several extravegances, by reason of some distemper afflicting her, which physicians advise may be taken off or abated by confinement and the use of physic, and that Dr Thomas Allen is a fit man to use in this case.
These, therefore, for the prevention of the breach of HM's peace, require you with the assistance of the friends and relations of the said William Morgan, to take Dame Elizabeth Dayrell into custody and carry her to the said Dr Thomas Allen, and to leave her in his care and custody.
One of the endorsements is entirely unrelated, being to the effect, Richard Ballard to Corneles [Cornelius] Vanbesler on the Hopewell [prize?] Jeremiah Cobb from the Canarys to London at 4% £25. Perhaps this is some memorandum, or the wrapper of a letter, since lost?](http://www.gtj.org.uk/storage/thumbs/batch_4005/GTJ30186.jpg)