Wyddrington,
Edgbaston,
Birmingham,
July 8th

Dear Mr Chesson,

Thank you for yr last note. Mrs Henry Pease and 2 other Pease’s have been staying here since Saturday. When they came down from London and had been at Mr T. Fry’s on the previous … and told us of the maories but they wished the maories had been more exact and explicit as to their wrongs wh need rectifying. Mr Edward Wilson from this was also there. He pitied Tawhiao for wearing such tight boots and said he shd have desplayed the blue ribbon since he during the last 2 years in NZ has been addicted to drinking to excess. My friend Miss M.A. Trevenen from Batheston writes me word that she has sent you a cheque toward providing the maories with Mr Spencer as a chaplain. It is most kind. Mrs Austen writes me word that she has sent you £5 and will give another £5 if needful but that will hardly be required I daresay as you had the £5 from Miss Pricilla Peckover. Mr Spencer wrote to me but did not tell me so much about these maories as I already know. Entre nous. I am vexed that friends here have not asked the maories to come down here whilst I was here and yet I can comprehend it too. I have dreadfully wished to see them and begin to think that it might not be impossible to manage a fortnight in London, that is to say if anyone could find me lodgings near them, 2 rooms one next the other back and front drawing room, the back the bedroom, the front to see them in wd suit. Then I need not go out from the time I arrived until I left. Its walking up and down stairs that I must not attempt as it brings on pain. But I know no one in the part of London to ask to find me a clean quiet lodging and I cd not be bothered with housekeeping, shd need to pay for board and lodging in the lump. I shd come expressly for the sake of the maories. I never have headaches nor get easily wearied by talk so that there wd be no fatigue in hearing all their talk, only Mr Spencer wd need to come and translate. Every one opposed my attempting London because they feared I wd attempted driving abt with them and calling on friends with them, but that I cd not do. They are supplied well with Mr Spencer and I am thankful to you for arranging that matter and hope his intercourse with them may prove a real blessing to them. £2-10/ a week is what I have paid for board and lodging but as it wd be but for 2 weeks I shd not fear going a little higher, tho as my requirements are simply, I think the £2-10/ shd be sufficient. As I write it comes into my head whether the clergyman’s wife, St Mark’s, Myddleton Square, might be able to find me a suitable lodging. But that wd be some littleway off from the maories I suppose but as all that part of London is very unknown to me I may be mistaken. The prayer books have not yet come. I ordered them to be bound some weeks ago and daily expect to receive them and will send them to the maories so soon as I get them. The maories are much in my thoughts. I only remain here a few days longer and am not sure yet whether I go next to the … Kymersley’s.