Etty to 'the Knight Sidney' - a mock medieval letter. Etty absolves Taylor for the 'uncourteous and unknightly attack you Sir Knight made on two poor Monks winding on their way one of St Albans the other now of St Mary's late of Rievaulx' and sends his best to his wife. He then relates a 'pilgrimage to the the holy Shrine of our blessed Mary' and describes how 'the moon was rising behind the Minster...the half light thrown on it was most bewitching and mysterious'. He says that a Dr Camidge, who lives nearby, once saw monks digging at night in 'the haunted ground'. The artist notes that he has been busy painting, and that the weather has been wet and cold. On the third side of the letter, Etty has added a few lines addressed to Mr William Taylor, Sydney's brother, 'having nothing so important to communicate as to make it worth while to write two letters'. He writes that he is glad that William has not come to Yorkshire that season, as it has been so very unfavourable - 'wet - wet - wet - cold - cold - cold - clouds - clouds - clouds' - but says that the Minster looks 'glorious' as usual. He signs off 'Wm Etty. Abbot of St Mary's'.
