[1760-1770]. Carta de [Gertrudes Maria da Conceição] para Francisco Pedro Vital.

Love letter from [Gertrudes Maria da Conceição] to Francisco Pedro Vital.

The author, again, expresses her resentment towards some attitudes of her fiancé.

The young Gertrudes Maria da Conceição, resident in Lisbon, got engaged to Francisco Pedro Vital, a soldier within the Prince's regiment. Later on, she wanted to become engaged to another youth, Epifânio José Barbosa, caulker. Francisco, however, legally tried to make her marry him, presenting as proof of their connection the love letters previously exchanged between them. Conversely, Epifânio decided that he no longer wanted to marry her, since she was committed to someone else. This legal process dragged on for 3 years and the court papers include the love letters that Gertrudes wrote to her first fiancé.

My relief and all my love.

I was very pleased with your letters. They left me upset for many reasons, since I like all things very clear, and you tell me that you are not embarrassed with your father or mother. I am even less, since embarrassing me is not something they can do, and my mother is easy to pacify because she has better temper. My father, however, is more insolent. But, since I do not plan to stay with them, what do I care? What you ordered to ask me about what I had ordered to tell you was that my father doesn’t have any dowry to give me money. This is to say that, whoever wants me, can only want me person and nothing else. This was what I said in the other letter, which seemed possible for you not to understand, since you didn’t reply a word and it seems to me it was an answer itself what you told or asked, because I don’t answer with less truth, since my answer is as it should be. Now, if you want to know anything else, you can ask, because I will give you an answer to everything or I say I have other worries. Make your own decision, because I don’t want a man to fool around, but someone to marry. And if you want it so, don’t say what is not true, since it will be my will, if it is yours too. And, if this comes to good terms, I must have a home right away, since my parents will not want me in their house, and neither do I, because I am tired of putting up with them alone. And, by the way, [tell] me if you understand me now or if you are playing dumb, and I want an answer to everything to know in which law I should live. From the much loyal one, until death, more that you will be,

Gertrudes

It’s done since Wednesday.