Sir Edward Harley

Brilliana, Lady Harley , bore the eldest of her seven children, Edward , later her chief correspondent.

Brilliana, Lady Harley , wrote her first extant letter to her eldest son, Ned (later Sir Edward Harley ), who at just thirteen was a new undergraduate entered at Magdalen Hall in Oxford.

Brilliana, Lady Harley , used to her son Ned the image (current from classical times, and for generations to come) of letter-writing as conversation: how glad I am to have this paper discours with you.

With an attack on her castle now expected, Brilliana, Lady Harley , wrote to her army-officer son Edward , I am confident you will hate all plundering and unmercifullness.