Freeman's Letters, 1680: nos 159-182

Freeman's Letters, 1680: nos 159-182

159. [p. 166] Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, January 2, 1679/80
My Deare Freind,
Yesterday I receivd letters from your brother of the 9th of October via Bristoll, but not a line from yourself which I admire att, in regard your brother doth not signifye the reason therof. Heerinclosed I send you an awnswer to your brothers letter, the purport of his you will see by my awnser to him. & Have also sent you the coppye of the words of his letter to my bro. Baxter, by which you will finde he now stands upon his termes with us, which he had noe need to beginn soe soone, in regardes I had given him more incouridgment then he could have expected & have resolved to doe as much for him as in my power lyes, if he doth not deserve the contrary. But, however, I desire you to take his lines & my awnswer therunto seriously into consideration before your comeing off & come to some conclusion with him under hand & seale that our business may not be in confusion after your comeing off. For as long as you are there, I take neither thought nor care of any concernes, but your departure may cause a great alteration. & You know our concernes are soe great that they must not be neglected. I resolve to secure the Marshalls place of Capt. Cotter, that it may be in our power to put in a deputy, which wil be of great use to us in getting in our debts that we reserve to pr.secute as soone as our goods there are disposed of. ...

160. [p. 167] William Helme [Nevis]

London, January 2, 1679/80
Yours of the 9th of October with duplicates of yours by Tiddeman I received yesterday. But as yett have noe assurance of his arivall, though a week since we had a reporte from Leverpoole of his being arrived at Doublin. But have great reason to suspect the truth of itt in regard the winde hath been fair ever since & its but 24 hours sayle betwixt Doublin & Leverpoole. (God grant he may be well.)

Wee take notice of Estes being arrived with you & that it will be difficult to lade him within his time, which is tenn weeks. Wee cannot imagine but it may be easy to accomplish the ladeing of soe small a shipp either upon freight or our acco.ts in soe long time, though the scarcety of sugar should be as greate as ever yett was knowen. But wee no wayes doubt your indevors therin. & I also hope my plant. at M.tsarratt will afford pritty considerable towards his ladeing.

Wee also observe you thinke the cargo we have sent to greate at once because the alteration of fashons may occation it's lying upon your hands. But few of those goods depends upon the fashons, being for the most part substantiall goods that are never out of fashon heer, except some small matter in toyes, which as yett the fashons are noewayes alterd in. & For your speedy disposall therof, wee have by severall conveyances since sent you our desires to disperse the goods on the severall islands, espetially to send part to Antigua, if you can find any trusty p.rson to imploy for selling them there, which pray be very carefull off, & pr.caution whomsoever you imploy upon that acco.t to be carefull to trust none but such as are responsible. For we had rather our goods should lye by than make bad debts.

I also take notice of your disgust at my dischargeing Tho. Westcott, believeing the trouble of our business to great for any single p.rson to mannidge, as indeed I am of the same oppinion, and did hope you had good assistance from your brother & W.m Hearne, who I p.rceive by yours is no assistance to you. How Richard Watts may pr.ve I cannot tell, but I never had any great expectations from him, though I wish for his own sake he would betake himself to buisness that may be his advantage heerafter. & If you find him inclynable to itt, I desire you to give him the best incouridgment you cann, & let him know he shall want noe incouridgment from me if he deserve itt. But why you should wonder at my dischargeing Tho. Westcott I cannot imagine, in regarde you cannot but be sensible that noe Master can confine an apprentice longer then his indenture doth, w.ch is now expired with him. & Whether he did inclyne to stay any longer in those parts or to remove himself to any other part of the world, I could no wayes be assured, untill I have it from himself. & Therfore, it was requisite for me to desire he should settle all things that had past through his hands of our concernes before the expiration of his indenture (hee being noewayes oblidged to it after, unless good nature promt him thereunto) further than to deliver up his trust. Yet, at the same time that I sent orders to discharge him, I writt to your brother to continue to imploy him in our concerns if he would stay in those parts and accept of such termes as is reasonable & noe worse then the greatest & best factor in Nevis hath, as I am well assured by his imployer. You may guess who I meane. & If your brother hath thought fitt to come to any resolution with Mr. Westcott on that acco.t, its our desire & orders to you to supply [p. 168] him with as much of our wines or any other goods as he can finde a good vent for. He shall never want any assistance that I can give him in recompence of his good service. But imployers must live by their trade, as well as factors, & that trade is growen soe dull that, if full comissions with all other advantages should be drawen, there is noething to be gott for imployers. Wee take notice you have disposed a considerable p.rcell of our goods at a penny p.r pound, first cost, which we take to be without any addition of charges. That will very much augment the price. & Indeed at that rate wee shall never see our principall money. For severall p.rcells of sugars that we have had home hath not cleared us above 10s p.r c.t & some less. Soe that you may judge of our pr.fitt when goods is soe sould. & We had much rather our goods that is not p.rishable should lye by than be sould to noe advantage, & wee noewayes doubt (if you could meet with such as are trusty to imploy) but our goods would sell to much more advantage upon Antigua, or some other the adjacent islands. & Good part being soe disposed off, you will find more leasure to pr.secute the getting in our debts, which above all things wee desire you to follow, that we may receive something answerable in returne for our many great adventures that by your care & industry we doubt not but this yeare to reape the fruits of our adventures for some years past. We shall take care to take freight sugar for our goods home. That we alwayes desire you to comply with in loadeing whatever we take on our own accompts if possible. & Let our goods be all shipt in large hhds., as we have formerly desired. By what butt staves we send, it's our desire they should be cutt to such. & If you vend any of our goods at Antigua, its our request that you should send up a cooper or coopers as occation requires with truss hoops of the same dimentions of such hhds. as you make in Nevis soe that all our suger there may be laden in such large caske of our owne & made at the cheapest cost. & For freight if any offers at that island, you may lade it from thence direct & save the charge of sloope hire. Or if there be at any time a considerable quantety, you may send some of our own or hired shipps there to take them. We are now sending by the shipp Providence, Jonathan Estis, Master, that touches at Antigua, a p.rcell of packt staves that, if you think fitt, you may order them to be landed there. But then you must send your sloope timely there to meet the shipp.

My brother Baxter hath communicated to mee your letter to him, which I cannot but take notice off soe farr as to let you know that I never intended but to rewarde you for your serviss by advanceing a stock for you to imploy upon your own accompt as soon as our concernes are settled & that we had good part of our returnes home for what already sent. For more goods I never did designe to send unless to be imployed for your own accompt. For which reason I sent that by Estes as a concludeing cargo, as I then writt you. W.ch covenants are betwixt you and your brother or what his pr.mises were to you, I know not. But he alwayes told mee you were with him as an apprentice for 7 yeers as all young men [p. 169] are usually bound. & Is noe disparagement to the best gentlemann in Engl. to serve too long, none being bound to any merchant for less time. & I had soe layd my designes that our business might have concluded with your time, that at the expiration therof you might have begunn for yourself when you should have wanted no assistance that I am capable of giveing you. But if you are under noe covenants with your brother & that you thinke that time to long for you to serve for nothing but meat, drinke, & clothes, as you write, I desire you to deliver up all our charge remitted to your trust into the hands of your brother, to whome I referr you to make such covenants as he & you shall judg convenient. By which I shal be concluded. For I never intended you should serve me for noething. But I intended to doe the same by you, as for my own brother & only waited your brothers comeing home to consult with him the best way to advance you both. But if you are not content therwith, I referr myself wholly to your brother to dispose of all our interest there, as he shal thinke fitt to order itt, being well assured of his justice. But if I might be thought fit to advise you, I would advise you not to disoblidge your brother & other your best freinds, who may be capable of putting you in a better way to advance your fortunes then ever you can otherwise expect. & Be not to conceited of your own abillityes, for you may see men of good understandings often wants imployment. Which I referr to your consideration. & Be assured whatever serviss you doe your brother & mee shall not goe unrequited. But I would have you be sensible when you are well. ...

161. Henry Alland [Waterford]

London, January 17, 1679/80
Sir,
By advise from Leverpoole I have receivd the ill news of the loss of our shipp the Tho. & Sarah. But with hopes that good part of her ladeing may be pr.served of which, a line from yourself would have been welcome. The acco.t we have was that it was cheefly occationed by the Masters neglect, which doth not a little trouble us that a p.rson who was a stranger to us & whom we had soe highly oblidged with the charge of soe great a trust should prove soe ungratefull. Had shee been lost at sea, it would not have troubled me the tenth part soe much. I shall not amplyfye [p. 170] on this subject, it being soe unpleaseing. But what I have now to request of you is that by the first post you will please to give me a full accompt of all the p.rticulars, how the case stands, & a p.rfect & exact acco.t of what is pr.served of the goods or belonging to the shipp, & of the quallety of the goods, whether dammaged or nott, as also an acco.t of the whole charges of salvidge. And please to receive into your costody the whole concerne. & Advise the p.rticuler marks of what saved. & Further, I desire you to take upp all our letters (w.ch I pr.sume are not lost) & send them forward also. But in case the letters should be lost, & by consequence the Bills of Loadeing, then I desire you will please to take an authentick certificate under the Masters hand attested by the Mayor or some of the magistrates of the Citty of what was laden on bord her for acco.t of myself & partners. Which according to advise I have received from Nevis by other conveyances, was 33 tuns sugar under the markett, for acco.t of myself, Rob.t Helmes & bro. Baxter, 60 hhds. marked HF from my plant., & 8 hhds. WB for my p.rticuler acco.t. The rest of her ladeing being 6 or 7 tunns was upon freight. Pray be very carefull and punctuall in this p.rticuler, in regarde I have a considerable insurance (though not neer the vallew of our adventure) which must be pr.ved & be very circumspect in giveing a p.rfect acco.t of what saved, as also of the charges. And please likewise to advise whether the sugar be vendable there & what price it will beare, in regarde Mr. Danvers desires to have the refuse of and with whom we had contracted for half the ladeing, & with Mr. Henthorne the other half. But I pr.sume it will yeeld a better price then they were to give us. & Wee have now reason to make the most of what is pr.served. Also advise whether the shipp may be gott off or quite lost; if lost, what tackle & furniture is pr.served; & the true vallew therof as it will yeeld there, as neer as you cann. Be sure not to overvallew the goods, nor that in your acco.t by reason it must be allowed for. & By your estimate I shall adventure to make up the acco.t with the insurers and what is du to mee for this great trouble. Being assured of your great favor & kindness heerin, & that you will act in all things as for yourself, & make the most of a bad matter for us. ...

162. Henry Alland [Waterford]

London, February 14, 1679/80
Sir,
I have receivd yours of the 29th Past with the inclosed accompt. & Upon the receipt therof gave the insurers a summons to recompense mee, which was accordingly done. & Upon p.rusall therof, they made great exclamations against your actings both in the sales of the sugar as well as the charges, & positively refused to abide by your sales, you haveing sold without any order, which indeed you were to blame in, though it were ever soe much to advantage & what could not be answered. But in short I could bring them to noe conclusion unless I would take the goods to myself, & allow their demands for them. They were resolved to stand a tryall, the trouble of which I was very unwilling to be att, besides the hazzard what the issue might bee. For indeed they pr.duced severall letters from severall merchants of your citty that writt they would pr.ve that a great part of the sugar was sould, that which 40 hhds. came ashoare untoucht by salt water or any other damadge, & advised their freinds there was great abuses put upon them. & Notwithstanding all that I could say in your justification, many of them would adhere to noething that was reason, but pr.ceeded with explanations against yourself & the Master. Soe that in conclusion I was forced to come to this agreement with them: to allow for the goods paid 715£, without any deduction for exchange or anything elce for what part belongs to other men. & Being driven to this extremety, I doubt not but you will deale by us like a freind in your acco.t as you have done in pr.serveing what is saved. Which we shall alwayes owe your kindness therin, though it had been better for us by £500 that neither shipp nor goods had been sould. & Now we pray you to draw out an accompt for us, pr.sumeing this accompt was intended for the insurers, & doe by us as you would we should doe by you in the like case (w.ch God forbid should happen to you). I doe assure you we shall be loosers £1,000 in the whole. Wherfore we intreat you to make the most of a bad buisness for us. As to objections against your accompt, I shall make none, being well assured you will doe us all imaginable right in the thinge. Only wee desire you to send us p.rticuler accompt of the following articles, viz. how many lbs. of suger p.d custom for; the coopers bill which is very high; coach hire; 9£ 10s comission, the highest ever charged in this kingdome, 2 1/2 p.r c.t & usually in Ireland but 2 p.r c.t, for your own trouble in getting off the shipp could not be great. For that abatement [p. 172] made p.able, we desire to know upon what acco.t, for indeed had I believed soe much would have been brought in at 14s p.r c.t would as soon have given it all away as have consented to such a sale. Molasses is worth heer 15s p.r c.t that is as good as 17s there. I doe not write this as our dislike to anything you have transacted, noewayes doubting but you have done all things for the best, & that you will deale kindly by us in this unfortunate affaire.

What further I have to request is that you will gett the shipp fitted with all expedition. & In your next, advise whether a quantety of men servants can be pr.cured; & for paym.t of the men's wages, if they are not content with 1/3, let them pr.ceed with the shipp to Leverpoole, her port of discharge, & we will then stand a tryall with them. & For the freight, likewise, if the Master will not be content with 1/4 part freight, which is more then the pr.portion of goods sould, the damadg being considered. Alsoe please to speake to the Master to write his owners of the 1/4 part to pay their pr.portion of charges in getting the shipp off & setting her to sea againe. Which if they refuse to doe, their part shall be sould or money taken upp on bottome. Wee to make it good, for we will not disburse for their part. Pray advise also if any freight to be pr.cured. ...

163. [p. 173] John Bramley [Montserrat]

London, February 15, 1679/80
Sir,
I have receivd yours of the 10th of December, in awnswer to mine of the 14th of August, & take notice of your acceptance of my pr.posalls of leaving the sole mannadgment of the plant. to yourself, which I noewayes doubt but will tend to both our advantages. If you have noe other reservations to yourself than I have, which is only to carry on our interest to our most advantage equally betwixt us, without makeing any advantages by each other, that is wh.t I really intend on my part, & doe noewayes doubt but you will doe the like on yours. & As long as you soe continue to doe, you may assure yourself you shal meet with noe obstruction or interruption, either by or from mee. & In order therunto, I did by my last send you my orders & desires to that purpose, which I shall now againe second to you. That is, to desire you to make the best estimate you cann of all things that may be needfull for a yearly supply of the plant. that may be bought heer at the best hand. & Lett me receive your orders for sending them joyntly betwixt us. & For what other comodetyes, stock or utensills you finde a necessetous occation for to buy there, I desire may be bought on any island that will afford them cheapest & on the same tearmes you buy, I shall be content to pay any pr.portion & runn the adventure from any island equally with you, till landed at our plant. If you find or judge it our advantage to transport the rum or molasses or some part therof to New England, Virginia or New Yorke for a supply of pr.vitions, I shall condiscend thereunto. & For whatever you dispose off otherwise of the aforesaid comodetyes, I also expect should be brought to accompt equally betwixt us. & For what bad debts (if any be made), by the poore or otherwayes, I must beare my part therof. My reall meaning heerin is that whatever advantages may or can be made by any of the pr.duction of the plant. or stock of what kind so ever it is, that it should be justly brought to accompt betwixt us; & that for the payment of servants or hired mens wages or any other disbursements whatsoever, that there be noe advantages made in any kind whatsoever but what I may have the benefit of, according to my equall pr.portion, & according to the true intent and meaning [p. 174] heerof. I am ready to putt in a stock heer, & there will need noe other then the pr.duction of the plant. Soe that I have now explained myself as fully as I cann. & What further I have to desire is that at all times when you loade my sugar or other comodetyes, either upon our joynt or my p.rticuler accompt, that you will give me timely advise by one or two conveyances, if possible, what shipps the Masters name & as neer as you can the burthen of the shipp, & the quantety you loade, that I may make insurance on my own part as I see convenient. & Shall doe the like for you, if you will send me your order for soe doeing. I also desier & order you to shipp noe sugar on my accompt on any bottome whatsoever after the mo. of June untill Sept. be over, nor on any bottome that shall stay there after the end of June, according to a reasonable calculation, unless you have my p.rticuler order for soe doeing. & Further, I desire that none of my concerns may be laden for any port of Europe but London without my p.rticuler directions to that purpose. & For the takeing of freights, I referr it to you to doe there or, in case your desire itt & will send me your orders, I will endeavor to doe itt heer on the best tearmes I cann. Or if at any time you find occation, you may give instructions to W.m Helmes att Nevis to doe for us as you shall judg convenient. I further desire also that whenever I desire you to loade on any shipp, you will not fayle to doe itt, for it hath been severall times to my pr.judice that it hath not been donne, as with John Estes on whom I had made an insurance upon the assurance Mr. Fox gave mee there would be a quantety of sugar ready for mee. & In such cases, you ought sometimes to let debts stand out on my accompt, as well as your own. For I am very sensible plant.rs doe not alwayes pay sugars ready downe for what they buy. Neither need you buy upon your own p.rticuler creditt, but upon the creditt of the plant., which I am very sure noe p.rson will refuse.

I also request you & order that no slaves or other stock may be bought untill you have my approbation (unless horses or cattle that you finde a necessety for to carry on the worke). & That you will be as spare in your disbursements as possible you cann, as likewise in the concernes of the plant. My reasons I have given you formerly on this accompt which the uncerteinty of estates in those islands that are alwayes lyable to the casualtyes of warr, espetially a French warr, which in all juditious mens oppinions will in a short time happen, if not this yeare, which we are in some apprehensious off, by the great pr.parations that King is now makeing. Wherefore pray never lett any of our interest of the production lye by, unless in the aforesaid months.

I pray fayle not to send me the accompt to Xtmass Last, & likewise every 6 mo. if you cann of the pr.duction, & every yeare, of the increase or decrease of slaves & all other stock. I shall informe myself what advantages may be made by refyneing or claying sugar & advise. But as long as muscovado will hold up to the price it hath done, which is from 23s to 25s p.r c.t, I hold it will doe better then refyning or claying, considering the expence we must be att. Yet, if you did pr.serve all that molasses & boyle up to peneele, I am confident that would be much to our advantage. ...

164. [p. 175] Henry Carpenter & Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, February 14, 1679/80
Gentlemen,
Yours of the 15th of November with the addition therunto without date I have receivd, & shall doe the best I cann to answer all your desires. Your bills whenever they come to hand shall find dew complyance. & I must also desire you to make some pr.vition home, which you have been wanting of late, haveing made noething home this 2 1/2 yeares, but the 30 hhds. of sugar last yeare by Dendy & the caske of onotto that amounted to little in comparison of the charge of the sloope & what elce you have drawen for. Which pray take into consideration, & thinke now of makeing home. For noe man heer can vallew himself upon an estate in those islands. Besides you well know the hazzard it alwayes is in, if a breach with France should happen, which we are continually in feares off by reason of the great pr.parations they are makeing of both by sea & land, which none cann tell what he designes thereby. It would also be convenient for you to give advise whenever you lade any goods, to make insurance if needfull, & also to loade upon shipps off ours as neer as you cann, the danger of the Turks being now greater then ever, shipps being dayly taken upon our own coasts, nay in the very Channell as high as Portsmouth. I observe what you write of giving Bartlett soe much creditt, which I admire att, haveing done itt by Mr. Carpenters p.rticuler order, who I hoped would have taken care to see mee reimbursed before this. For I assure you had it not been for soe good a freind as himself, I should not have donne itt at a time my own occations were such that I was forced & am still to take up money from those without (by means of such short returnes, as I have lately had). Wherfore I pray that if care be not already taken for the dischargeing of itt, to see it may be favorably done for me. I pr.sume Mr. Bartlett may be arrived long since.

165. William Helme [Nevis]

London, February 15, 1679/80
... I am glad to heare you have had such good sales for our goods p.r Estis. Which hope will be most disposed before this comes to hand. If not, its our request to you rather to let what may bee [p. 176] unsold lye by or elce put them into the hands of Tho. Westcott or whom elce you shall judg convenient to dispose of them, rather then you should anywayes obstruct the getting in our debts. Which we desire you now wholly to apply yourself to, & pr.secute that buisness with all vigour, that you may make us some considerable returnes this yeare, which we are in great expectations & want off. & In order to the bringing of our concernes, wee have taken some freight home upon severall shipps lately gone, & now bound out, yet nothing neer soe much as we hope we may expect of our returnes this yeare, according to the incouridgment you give us. What we have taken is the half of a shipp lately gonn out of Ireland with horses betwixt Mr. Bawdon & us that we judg will bring 60 or 70 tunns to our 1/2 part; 20 tunns on Winter lately gone; also 20 tunns on this shipp, as you will receive an accompt from my brother Baxter; & 30 tuns on Capt. Hare in a good shipp of 16 gunns that wil sayle about a mo. hence. Now its our earnest desire & request to you that you comply with all the aforesaid tonnidge on our own accompts if possible it can be accomplyshed. & Let it be lade all in large hhds. well filld, except in such of our contracts as you finde we are oblidged to lade butts, which is only 1/3 p.rt in this shipp. & Be sure to have butts made on purpose of the largest sort, well hooped with midling hoops, 20 on each butt, & well nayled, for good caske are a great advantage. & What sugar you can accomplish the loadeing of more, pray take freight upon the best shipps you can for, rather shipps of force then others, the Turks being very busy now in our Channell. & Give timely advise therof for insurance. Capt. Hare hath pr.mised to let you have the refuse of what freight more his shipp will bring. & If you find itt possible to lade a quantety more upon him than we have contracted for, pray ingage it on his first arrivall, shee being a good shipp, that we are rather willing to run an adventure upon then upon small fry. When Mr. Tiddeman arrives, would have half the shipp let out on freight for London, & not to have above the 1/2 on our own accompts, being now willing to devide our adventures rather then run such great ones on small vessells as we have done, seeing there is such great hazzerds. Wines must needs be a great comodety, now the hazzerd of the Turks is soe great, that small vessells can hardly pass. Wee have also taken 5 tunns freight from Antigua on a shipp now bound out, of 18 gunns. That advise Mr. Dendy not to fayle to loade. & If freights offer direct from that island on good shipps on moderate tearmes, advise him rather to freight direct from thence rather then to send down to Nevis, & desire him to give me alwayes timely advise what shipps he lades upon, the Master & shipps name, & burthen, the quantety he loades, & the time of her departure as neer as he cann. & Advise him to loade all in large hhds. well fill'd. The 30 he shipt last yeare weighed very light. Also pray spurr him upp as well as Tho. Westcott & all that are concerned for us upon M.tsarratt [p. 177] to gett in our effects & hasten them home, as fast this yeare as possible. & If a sorting of goods is wanting to put of what may be lying on hands with Tho. Westcott, advise for such goods only & they shall be sent.

I take notice you advise of a summe Terry had taken upp of ours out of a tavern debt, but have only sent a blanke noe summe. Advise p.r first, & send the accompt pr.ved upon oath before the Generall. You are to blame you had not sent it sooner, but fayle not now to send itt with expedition. The next yeare you may expect to have an adventure upon your own accompt advanced by your brother & myself. In the interim, fayle not to settle our interest & gett in our concernes. I intend to joyne with Mr. Bawdon in takeing shipps of good force heerafter to bring home our concernes. What wines or elce you have by, let Tho. Westcott have good part to dispose off. If your brother be there, comunicate this letter to him, to whome I have only writt breefly to, supposeing he may be come off before this comes to hand. If Mr. Bramley or Mr. Fox at any time desires your assistance in takeing freight on my accompt att Nevis, pray give itt them. ...

166. [p. 178] General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]

London, February 17, 1679/80
Honored Sir,
I have receivd both yours of the 15th of November & 13 December. The former came open to my hands. The ship by which it came being taken by the Turks, & afterwards was cast ashore by stress of weather in Ireland. & Mr. Alland writes me (who sent it forward) some busy people would have shewed the latter clause relateing to the Duke to the Duke of Ormond, though I know of noething in itt that could signify anything.

I observe the contents of both yours. And as to the first p.rticuler, you hoped there would bee noe further charge upon the soldiers pay, since it is brought within the Establishment. But I assure you if it were soe, as it is not, your charges would be noe less upon itt then now. For I have made itt my buisness to informe myself as to that p.rticuler. & Whatever itt was when you was in England, its otherwise now. For Coll. Russell, Coll. Strode & many other officers informe mee that they never have receivd any pay, though sometimes 2 yeares in areares, without allowing the Pay-Master 12d in the pound, which is allowed off. & Coll. Strode doth now assure mee that the garrisons under his command, viz. Dover, Deale & Shearness, is at this pr.sent Instant 2 yeares & a half in areares, notwithstanding they are within the Establishment, soe much is the funds overcharged. & He hath [p. 179] been heer p.rticulerly to follow that buisness & noe other this 6 mo. in towne, & sweares he will not sturr, nor dares not see his officers & soldiers untill its effected, soe great are there necessetyes. Now by this you may judge you are as well p.d as the garrisons att home. & The whole charges of the Exchecquer fees & Mr. Bradshaws accompt doth not amount to 12d in the pound upon the 2 Comp. pay, but upon your own sallery itts more. Soe that wherin you can be eased of anything of that charge, I know not, unless the allowance I have for my p.rticuler, which I am sure the one halfe at least I expend in my charges in following itt. & If they thinke much of the allowance, & can finde any other way to ease themselves of itt, I am freely willing they should, though I have gave through the greatest difficulty of the buisness, which was at first, when you are sensible neither your own officer you imployed nor those others you putt upon itt had or could effect anything of the buisness.

Now, Sir, as to the 1,800£ in the 1st letter & 1,000£ in your next, you desire to have sent in ps. of 8/8, I am sorry your advise came not to hand before I sent you bills for 1,200£, which is 2 mo. since, & I pr.sume by this you may have receivd them. Which indeed I did cheefly upon the information Mr. Helmes gave me long since that he had given a considerable creditt to some of the officers & soldiers upon accompt of their pay, some of them to the vallew of 2 yeares pay their portion. Which indeed he did by my order to him that, in case any of them should desire itt, as farr as their pr.portions of a yeares or two yeares pay would extend, hee might c.r them, & I would runn the hazzerd of receiveing itt, knowing it would be good. & These directions I gave him that the soldiers might be supplyed, which I thought a kindness to them. But since it's your desires the officers should supply them (which indeed I would advise you to doe yourself, & make the benefitt therof yourself, if you judg there may be a chance, rather then give it away to your under officers, as your Lady instructed me you doe), I shall for the future forbidd them to give any creditt to them, unless by your own or Coll. Mathews p.rticuler directions. & Futurely will send no more bills, unless by your p.rticuler order, nor anything elce but when you shall direct. Wherfore I desire your orders from time to time about it & when you would have ps. 8/8 sent. Study our orders how the Bills of Loading shal be taken for them, whether for your own pr.per acco.t or upon acco.t of yourself & the 2 foot comp. of soldiers, as you really intend the adventure shal be. In the meanetime, pray accept of the payment of my 1,200£ bills, & 600£ more to make up the summe of 1,800£ desired. I will send by Capt. Hare in ps. 8/8 who will sayle about a mo. hence. & I judge your Lady will imbarque upon him in a good English built shipp of 16 gunns that goes direct. His R. H. is this day expected in towne, by whose meanes I hope I may accomplish your arrears in Sir Tobias' regiment. All other wayes I have tryed to noe purpose. Your last yeare & half pay dew at Xtmass I have gott settled upon the harth duty, but fear I must be forced to stay for itt till Michelmass. I am useing all the indeavors I cann to make itt ready money. James Cotter designes out with your Lady, when you may expect to receive those things you [p. 180] ordered. I have given your Lady your accompt & shall send it to you by her. I have p.d her £1,500. The remainder is all out upon interest for you. When this 600£ laid out in ps. 8/8 and Mr. Wachtendunk's money p.d that now calls dayly for itt, togeather with neare 200£. I am in disburse for Coll. Mathew, that I pr.sume he designes shall be paid out of his pay, & neer 200£ more in charges upon the foregoeing yeare & half pay.

Your familly is all well but Jemy, who hath had 3 fitts of an ague. I doubt not but he will doe well. I would faine p.rswade your Lady to leave my little namesake & nanne behind her, but shee will not adhere to itt. Heer is noe news at pr.sent. The French are makeing great pr.parations but what their designes are is unknown. ...

167. [p. 183] Thomas Westcott [St. Christopher]

[London, March 10, 1679/80]
The foregoeing is a coppy of our last & we are now at the 10th of March. & What I have to add is to advise of the receipt of yours by Capt. Estes who (blessed be God) is safely arrived, but the sugar not yet landed. I observe your care in the mannadgment of our concerns which shall be awnswered with all the kindness we are capable of shewing you. & When yourself & W.m Helmes have inabled us with something in returne of what we have already sent, shall give you what further supply you will desire. But at pr.sent wee are constrained to desist, our adventures haveing been soe very large & our returnes soe slow that we must be content to be idle a little while. Wherfore we intreat you to use your utmost dilligence to gett in our debts & hasten home what you cann of our effects; & in case at any time when wee have shipps there loading, I meane at Nevis, if you have a quantety of sugar lying by for our acco.ts that is worth there while to goe down to take it in, it's our desires you should send upp to W.m Helmes to order them downe or, if we have noe shipps there, & you have good oppertunetyes of takeing freight at St. Christophers on good shipps bound to this port, & on moderate tearmes, it's our desires you should imbrace such oppertunetyes as you shall judg convenient, alwayes adviseing us what shipps you loade upon & the quantety as neer as you cann that we may make insurance as we judg convenient. & Pray be carefull to observe our directions in the foregoeing lines as to caske & c.

Wee have now given orders to W.m Helmes to supply you with wines when we have any there, whatever quantety you require & find a good vent for. I hope Rivet wil be arrived, & we will order another supply of that comodety to be with you before Xtmass. Also please advise what acco.t the brandy, dowles, canvis, & c. turnes to, & what quantety you can use, which we will endeavor to supply. In the interim, as long as W.m Helmes hath any brandy or other goods, it's our desires you should be supplyed. But pray be carefull to make noe debts but such as are good ones as neer as you cann. & Above all things, endeavor to hasten us returnes, for we are greatly in want therof. ...

168. General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]

London, March 9, 1679/80
Sir,
I have receivd yours of the 6th January & return my hearty thankefulness for your good oppinion of my transacting & the confidence you repose in mee, which assure yourself you shall never bee a sufferer by, for you shall alwayes find mee to act for you as for myself. Heerwith I send you Bill of Loadeing for 2,500 ps. 8/8; the cost & charges of the same is 619£ 01s – as will appear by the acco.t. The charges is augmented by the freight & insurance 23£ 18s, which I did by your Ladyes approbation, as she will informe you. The ps. are very weighty which I could not help, for could gett none liter. & Indeed, I find the reason is the goldsmiths play the rogue & pick out all the lightest peeces & transfer them upon their own accompts. For which reason I have left one that has done my business this 3 yeares, because he would not pick these for mee. Heerinclosed I send you your Acco.t Currant. The ballance dew to you is 3,134£ 18s 1½d w.ch is every penny upon interest for you, when the deductions are made that I have given you an acco.t of in my foregoeing letter. & Now, Sir, I must againe intreat you to p.ruse the said accompt, & if you find all the charges on the debitt part (as I doubt not but they are) just, then please to send me a receipt for the said summes that you doe allow of the same, attested by two wittnesses, in case of mortallety, which I request you will not omitt to doe. The acco.t being soe large & of long standing. I am very desirous it should be adjusted. The sumes I desire your discharge for is 11,332£ 18s 8d, being the debitt of the first accompt 6,741£ 14s 9½d, the debit of the 2d, & 819£ 01s, the debitt of the third – being all added togeather makes the summe of 18,893£ 14s 5½d p.d, out of which I doe acknowledg to have [p. 184] Mr. Skutts mortgage & bond for 800£ & Capt. Crisps bond for 100£, included in one for 200£ to you & myself, which summe your Lady lent him p.r my p.rswasion. Heerwith I send you a coppy of the condition of the bond that he may take care to discharge itt to us both according to his pr.mise. Which if he should neglect to doe, I doubt not but you can compell him to itt.

I am sorry to heare Mr. Carpenter should give you any cause of compl.t. & For your better satisfaction therin, if you desire itt, I am confident I can pr.cure you an order from the Comp. for any number you shall desire to make your own choice & tearms in reason whenever any of their shipps arrive. Wherfore I desire you, for your own sake, not to shew the least countenance to any interloper. For I know noething can give the King & Duke a greater disgust, as they have already made knowne their pleasure therin, & will in a short time signify it further to all their governors abroad. For those that have opposed His charter have noe less indeavered to oppose him His interest in all things. & I know your temper is to uphold the K. pr.rogative & not to destroy it. The reason it hath not been taken notice of lately hath been the disturbances at home, which are now pretty well settled, & I doubt not but all things will runn in it's right channell. The Duke stands well in the oppinion of honest men, who are generally better satisfyed then formerly.

I observe what you write as to the French demands of the Tobago negros, which you need not take notice of. For could any right have been made appeare belonging to the French, they had been yours without any further Company action. Sir Richard Haddock thinks his unkle had great injustice done him. I shall not say more of that, knowing your principalls can comitt of noe injustice.

I heartily thanke you for settling the acco.t with Mr. Vickers, though I have heard noething more of itt since. I have not writt to Tho. Westcott to receive it & desire you will not p.rmitt him to shipp it in the specie receivd, viz. indico, which is not now worth half the intrinseck vallew as it was when receivd. & To detaine it 4 yeares in his hands & pay dirt for money would be great injustice. I know whatever you please to order wil be donne. & You see by the acco.t sent it's all brought into sugar at the rate it was worth when receivd. & Soe pray order him to shipp it. He charges 10 p.r c.t commission before the goods shipt, which might total but 5 when soe done; however, if you thought fitt to allow of itt, I am well satisfyed.

Your Lady will give you an acco.t of all things, soe I shall not trouble you further than to let you know I was in an error when I writ you in the foregoeing the tallyes were struck for your yeare & halfes pay, which I thought had been done & p.d Mr. Bradshaw money to doe itt. But the Lords of the Treasury thought fit it should not then be donne, but have given their words that none shall be struck before them. I expect howrly to hear it's donne. I have given you an answer as to the charge in the foregoeing, which is all I can say to that p.rticuler. I had almost omitted to acquaint you that His Majesty, upon Mr. Crisps sollicitations, was pleased to order 1,500£ for the erecting of forts, which was supposed they would have paid him; but when they came to the upshot, would not order the payment of any part therof, unless I would enter into bond with him that the money should be paid yourself, which I was unwilling to doe for the publick concerne. But by your Ladys p.rswasion have done it for 750£ the first payment; but when it wil be receivd I know not. Mr. Crisp carrys a coppy of the bond with him, & I desire you by first to write me a line or 2 to carry the Lords that you have impowered me to receive itt, & also your acknowledgment of the recept of the said summe that I may take up my bond. I would advise you to keep an exact acco.t how it's laid out as well as the former, for you must acco.t to the Exchecquer for itt. ...

169. [p. 187] William Helme [Nevis]

London, March 10, 1679/80
I have receivd yours of the 8th January, & have likewise p.rused yours to my brother Baxter to the same effect, by both which I p.rceive you reject my kinde pr.posall & insist upon your commissions, alleadging your time expired with Tho. Westcotes. & Had it begunn when his did or a yeare after, you had just reason soe to doe; but, since it did not in 2½ yeares after, it is beyound my apprehensions how it could terminate soe soone, since your brother always told me you were his servant for 7 yeares, as all other merchants takes apprentices. Had your brother dealt soe injeniously with mee as to let me known it sooner, I had taken measures accordingly. But what your meritts or parts are beyound all other mens (that you should soe soon begin to make your tearmes & commissions, that you ought to draw the same comissions that myself & your brother ever did) I know not. But this I know: if you demeane yourself well, you may be in as good a condition, if you please, the next day after your 7 yeares expires, as your brother was after he had served his Master 7 yeares & 7 yeares more for himself. However, I shall not insist upon that subject further then to make you sensible that your brother is oblidged dureing his stay there to discharge me of all comissions & to transact on his part as I have done upon mine. & Therfore, whatever commission is drawen, he must make good, for I will not allow of any on my part. & I doe heerby authorize & impower my servant Rich.d Watts to transact on my part. Lett things be mannadged as they will, I shall be able to beare the loss as well as your brother for a time. & God willing, I will imbarque myself for those islands to settle my own concerns as soone as I have settled my affaires here, which will not be many months. In the meanetime, I say againe, I doe impower my servant Rich.d Watts to act for mee & doe absolutely disallow of your drawing any commission on my acco.t. The consignation I have made you p.rticulerly was as I took you to be your brothers servant who was & is as much oblidged to transact for mee as I have done for him. Soe that I have now explained myself to you, & you may act as you see fitt. If you continue to doe your duty as a servant, & I finde you are dilligent in the mannadgment of our concernes, I have pland to send my brother about Xtmass Next with 1,000£ or 1,500£ to mannadg upon your & his joynt accompt, which summe I will advance for you, & whatever he shall require more from time to time for the carrying on a trade betwixt yourselves. & What wines or other goods wee shall after that time send, wee will allow him to draw comissions for your equall benefitt, & he shal doe noething but with your approbation. In the interim, we shall expect you to imploy your time in the calling in our concernes. & Whilst he mannadges a joynt concerne for you, it will be the same as if you did mannadg it yourself. This is the method I alwayes intended to pr.scribe you, & what I am sure you will finde wil turne most to your advantage, if you accept them. But on the contrary, if you reject them, I am sure you will repent it. Let me have your speedy awnswer heerunto. If you accept, I shall not trouble myself further, but leave things to your mannadgment as formerly. But if you refuse, I doe againe order that my servant Richard Watts may act for mee, untill I come over, which shall be as soone as I receive your awnswer. Take this all into consideration, least you may repent it when to late. ...

170. [p. 191] Captain Thomas Browne [Commander of the William and Robert]

London, April 17, 1680
My last was a few lines in hast in answer to yours by which I find you have mett with great opposition by the knave Tiddeman. I pray you not to fayle of takeing an exact inventory of what stores were belonging to the shipp when you receivd possession before wittnesses. You will see by the acco.t sent Mr. Cadmore what small armes & other stores ought to belong to her. I am glad you are like to pr.cure soe many servants. For the secureing them, use what means you thinke convenient. & If you find small armes wanting, supply yourself therwith. I doubt it will be very late ere you arrive att Nevis. Therfore, pray make what possible dispatch you cann. & When please God you arrive there, pray conferr with Mr. Henery Carpenter & Mr. William [p. 192] Helmes & take their advise in the disposition of our servants. That soe you may dispose to none but such as are responsible to make you ready payment, according to an Act of the country, pr.vided, in that case, to the p.rformance of which, upon any address to the Generall, he will compell them to dew complyance. & For what caske you find occation for to receive our own sugar in, we doe heerby order Mr. W.m Helmes to furnish with hoopes, staves & heading out of our owne stores, that soe you may have them made up at the best hand for us. & For storidge to receive our sugar in, intreat Mr. Carpenter to accomodate with roome in the storehowses we are concerned with him in. Be carefull to leave none of the pr.ceeds of our servants behinde you. & Give us an acco.t by all conveyances after your first arrivall att Nevis of your pr.ceedings. & Fayle not to make what possible dispatch you cann there. If Tho. Westcott should have any considerable quantety of sugar ready to loade for our own acco.ts at St. Xtoph.r, we desire you to goe down with your shipp thither to take it in. Fayle not at your first arrivall at Nevis to address to Mr. W.m Helmes & Tho. Westcott & know what sugar they can positively lade upon you for our acco.ts in a mo. after your arrivall. & For soe much as they doe assure you off, togeather with the pr.ceeds of our servants, reserve tunnidg for, & give us an acco.t therof p.r first shipp. For all the rest of your ladeing, lett to freight to such as will give you the quickest dispatch, giveing the pr.ference to Mr. Henery Carpenter. We hope you may dispatch in a mo. at Nevis, it being a season of the yeare that sugar will be plentifull. Direct our letter to Mr. W.m Baxter & Comp. & follow these my orders, togeather with my former given you, useing your utmost dilligence in the whole concerne to mannadg it for the best advantage. ...

171. Richard Pickford & Company [Madeira]

London, April 19, 1680
Gentlemen,
... Whatever remaines of any of our former goods sent you, please to dispose of them for the most you cann gett; or, in case you cannot dispose them (I meane the cloth or anything elce that remaines unsold), please to alow what you judg reasonable for them. That soe the whole acco.t may be shipt upp, & soe the full ballance of the acco.t upon our next shipp that shall arive with you distinctly, consigneing 50 pipes therof to Mr. Tho. Westcott at St. Xtophers, the remainder to Mr. W.m Helmes & Rich.d Watts. & For what goods you shall now receive by Mr. Wolliford or our ship that goes in comp. with her, or at any time heerafter, pray beginn & keep a new acco.t of & correspond with my brother Baxter & follow such orders as you shall receive from him, to whom I shall leave the mannadgment of the whole concerne. If what old effects we have in your hands doth not amount to 140 pipes of wine, lade the residew upon the new acco.t. Carry the creditt of what bills he sends you for Lixboa to the old acco.t. Advise my brother from time to time what goods you would have sent. I hope you may have recovered our goods. I am sorry the Masters prove such knaves when they are abroad. Pray at all times advise what [p. 193] wines any of our Masters takes in, for we will heerafter handle them severely for breach of contracts in such case. I thought Rivett had been an honest fellow. For what hoopes we send must be on your owne acco.t, you allowing us a pipe of wine for every 4£ disbursement here, as De Gamma did. You shall have them freight free. Pray be sure alwayes to loade us good wines. & We shall alwayes endeavor to comply with your desires in all things as neer as we cann. ... Pray give our shipps alwayes dispatch. Rivetts long stay at Madera was 500£ loss to us in our markett att Nevis. A shipp comeing in the next day after him, when before there was not a pipe of wine to be bought in all the Islands.

172. William Helme [Nevis]

London, April 20, 1680
I have receivd yo.rs of the 1st & 14th February, adviseing of Mr. Rivetts arrivall on the 12th of January. But by a letter I have seen from his own hand, he arrived the 9th, which 3 dayes I suppose he spent at some other the Windward Islands. I am the most mistaken in him that ever I was in any man. He had a positive order not to take in a pipe of wine upon any acco.t whatsoever but upon our owne. Soe that what he hath donn upon that acco.t is but like the rest of his transactings. Pray heerafter inspect what wines any of our Masters of shipps or hired shipps or others brings (I meane all wines). For we will endeavor to tye them upp from itt if possible. But we finde that generallty of Masters of shipps such knaves that there is noe dealeing with them. We take notice the price you generally sell wines att is 1,900 lbs. sugar p.r pipe, which price they cannot now be afforded att, since the danger of the Turks is soe great. Yet what you have contracted for shall endeavor to send you supplyes to make good. But after this yeare, would not have you contract for more at that price, since there is an advance upon the custome. They cannot be afforded under 2,160 lbs. the lowest. We had rather stand the hazzerd of the markett for what we send. Wee shall not glutt the markett soe much as you imagine, for what we now have sent is in conformety with the contract wee have made with severall to supply them. Otherwise had not sent this shipp.

Wee observe the difficulty you make of loadeing Rivett, & complying with what other demands we have issued, & that we are not like to receive any sugars from you by Clayton. Which doth not a little startle us when we take into consideration the vastness of our concern in your hands. For we find that others that have not half our concerns there lades double the quantety of sugars; & indeed, our returnes comes soe short that we deeme them next to nothing what we receive. Nor can we expect above [blank] tunns to be laden by you on Rivett, according to our advice from Mr. Rob.t Helmes, wherin he saith will loade 20 tunns himself from our own plant., & upon another concerne 15 tunns Tho. Westcott will loade, & doubtless Rivett will not have less then ten tunns, & the whole shipps burthen is not above 75 tunns.

Wee also observe the reason you cannot loade from Antigua upon Clayton upon our own acco.ts is you must loade upon acco.t of a New England merchant that you receivd goods from 12 mo. since. Did we finde the like complyancey from you, should not thinke much of itt, but we desire our effects may not be loaden upon other mens acco.ts. For we finde noe returnes for what your receivd 2 yeares since, & why you should study to oblidge other mens interest with our concerns, we doe not imagine. We thought you might have as much regarde to our interest as to other mens.

Wee have now ordered 50 pipes of this shipps loadeing to be consigned to Tho. Westcott, the remainder to yourself and Richard Watts [p. 194] to whom I have given orders to negotiate my parte of the concern. For I doe not thinke itt reasonable for mee to allow comission & keep servants there to share in the trouble. If you agree to such pr.posalls as I have made you, you shall then finde me to doe as much as your own brother for you. But on the contrary, I shall have a regard to my own interest. ...

The shipp formerly called the Tho. & Sarah, T.T., Master, now the W.m & Robert, Tho. Brown, Master, I hope is ready to sayle out of Ireland by this time. They advise us will have a good p.rcell of servants on bord, which is all wee send upon her on our own acco.ts. Have ordered the Master to dispose therof & bring us the pr.ceeds with him, which we desire your assistance in, & to supply him with hoopes & staves of our own to make caske for us. & Have desired Mr. Carpenter to let him have the use of our storehouse to receive his sugar in as it comes in, also his & your assistance in anything needfull. Have ordered him to apply himself to yourself & Tho. Westcott att his first arrivall & what sugar you or either of you advise him you shall be able to loade upon him in a mo. for our acco.ts, to reserve tunnidg for the rest to enter outlying freight. Pray advise us p.r first after his arrival what you & Tho. Westcott lade upon him as also upon this shipp for our acco.ts that we may make insurance accordingly, the danger of the Turks being now greate. ...

173. [p. 195] General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]

London, April 15, 1680
I have yours of the 30th January before mee, where I find you still complaine of the extraordinary charge upon the souldiers pay. My awnswer thereunto I have already given in two former letters. I know noe way to lessen itt. & If yourself, Coll. Mathew & Capt. Pogson are dissatisfyed or can finde a way to lessen their charge, I am well satisfyed & desire to be excused of the trouble. I pr.sume the charge they think soe much of is the 12d in the pound I have, which I putt very little of (if any) in my own pockett for my continuall attendance. When my coach hire & other expences is defrayed, I verely beleive amounts not to less. I pr.sume they expect I should doe by them as I have for the country, served & spent my money for noething, but I will not. Therfore, they may take what measure they thinke fitt. As to the charge of 10 guinies to Capt. Shaler & 5 to the commissary that you doe not understand, if you please to be further satisfyed that I have p.d them or any other article in my acco.t, I can pr.ve them now which possible. Heerafter, I may not be soe well able to doe. & Therfore, if you please to be further satisfyed in anythinge, I desire you to appoynt some p.rson heer to examine acco.t for your further satisfaction. I have sent you all the p.rticuler & generall acco.ts which I will stand by & justifye before all the Lords in England, to which I shall be ready to awnswer your complaints if you soe meane itt. As I take itt, they complaine of 5 guinyes to a comissary, & he complaines as much & blusters & will not be p.rswaded the contrary. To that I shall say no more. But as to the soldiers paying deare, pr.sume they buy as cheape as other men in the country where they are. & If you soe please to order itt, they may have their clothes & other necesaryes bought heere & sent upon their own adventures. But for what men give them creditt for there, it must be paid. I cannot yet gett the yeare & halfes pay settled, as I writt you in my last, but have a pr.mise for itt, as I have said, this 6 mo.. But when it will be p.rformed, I know not. The 750£ I have given my bond on the country. I have scarce missed a day since that I have not been about it, but not a penny yett receivd. I have noe reason to spend my time for nothing. Mr. Crisp pr.mised me if I had any trouble about it, I should be indemniffyed for itt. If they will have their buisness donn, must appoynt an ajent to attend itt.

I shall make inquiry about the lands in Ireland as you desire, & give you an acco.t therof.

Capt. Hare being by contrary winde returned into the Downes, I have given your Lady an acco.t of your desires that she should come in a man of warr. & Indeed, I thinke she runns a great hazzerd of herself & soe many small children, considering how busie the Turks are. I could not pr.vaile with her to leave the children. Jemy is very well att my howse, where he hath been since your Ladyes departure.

Your bills to Coll. Mathew & Capt. Pogson shall be paid when they come to hand. Your 30£ bill drawen upon Mr. Daniell Arthur will not be accepted without an order from Mr. Arthur who is now in France. Assure yourself as long as I am intrusted, I shall not be negligent of any yo.r concernes. ... I never have acted for you in anything [p. 196] but as for myself. & Therfore, if you thinke fitt to imploy me further, please to forbear complaineing. For I have done my best, & soe referr all things to your consideration with hearty wishes for your pr.sperety in all your undertakeings. I subscribe, Sir, your affectionate humble servant to my power.

I have since the writeing of the foregoeing discoursed Coll. Strode, who doth assure mee he never receives any pay but the charges amounts to 15d in the pound & will give itt under his hand if you desire itt. Hee is his own sollicitor, & reckons noething for his own expence or charge. Sir, I have since the writeing of the within lines inquired for Alderman Buckly & Mr. Phillips, but can heare of noe such men in London. Therfore you must send more p.rticuler directions where they may be heard off. Nothing yet donn in your pay, nor will Coll. Strode & Mr. Trant pay the 750£. I have given my bond for till Midsummer, it being there agreement as they say. Please to putt Capt. Crisp in minde of makeing pr.vition to pay our £200, which he pr.mised to doe as soon as he doth arrive. ...

April 22: I have this day p.d Mr. Watchtendunck £100 in part of what given my obligation for.

174. Richard Watts [Nevis]

London, April 23, 1680
I expected you would (at least) have made an acknowledgment of your misdemeanors heertofore in my serviss & by your future care would have endeavored to have regained your lost reputation of mee, which your freind & kinsman Mr. Watts hath often interceded mee for, & hath endeavored to p.rswade me into a good oppinion of your transactings for the future. Your own acknowledgments with pr.mise of future amendments would have wrought much upon mee, being inclynable rather to advance then impaire the reputation of any that have or shall serve mee, as I doubt not but by this time you are suffitiently convinced by that regarde I have had to pr.serve you from ruine, which that habitt of ill comp. you kept heere would inevitably have brought upon you. & Now to give you a further testimony therof, I have adventured of this shipp by which this now goes to consigne you my pr.portion being 1/3 part of 90 pipes Madera wine, which consignation is in comp. with Mr. Helmes; the other 2/3 parts being for acco.t of Mr. Rob.t Helmes & Mr. W.m Baxter. We would not have any devision made of the wines, but let them be sould in comp., as formerly, & submitt yourself to the judgment of Mr. W.m Helmes in the disposition. ...

175. [p. 200] Nicholas Lee [Nantes]

London, June 21, 1680
Sir,
Its some time since I have had occation to trouble you. This now comes to desire you to advise by first post what price the very best Nants brandy bears with you & what time it will require to pr.cure such another p.rcell as wee had the last yeare, also what rates the like sorts of linens are att, & whether about 5 tunns of the highest & best bourd. & claretts & the like quantety of rich white wines may be had att your port, & att what rates; also if you have better there & can draw them off without any great trouble, & if you can have such a p.rcell of small caske made there as wee last shippt the brandy. Last yeare some of itt had an ill tang which we impute to the new cask, for want of dew time to season them. ...

176. General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]

London, June 28, 1680
Honored Sir,
In my last I sent you a coppy of a petition, which I pr.ferred to the Kinge & Councell; another coppy I send you heerwith. By which you will finde it is not altogether my fault yo.r pay is not within the Establishment, according to your desire. I must confess I never petition'd before to have it soe settled, in regard you writt about itt yourself, but I seconded what you writt to that effect, as much as in me lay, though ineffectuall, as I doubt this petition will be, although I gott Sir Phillip Lloyd to word the order upon itt (which is refer'd to the Lords of the Treasury) more full than His Majesties order was. But as yet cannot gett one penny of pay, but faire pr.mises that when the two yeares is upp, that now in few dayes, it shall all then be paid togeather. I hope it will that my time of waiteing at the Treasury Chamber may be over, or at least find a little respitt.

I have in severall former letters given you an acco. what I had done in relation to your arrears in Sir Tobias Regiment & since that I have againe moved his R.H. the Duke about it, yet can gett noething done. I can doe noe more then I have, if it were my own money. & Therfore, I desire you to write the Duke about it, & send to me also a petition drawen by your hand to the K. or King & Councill, as you think fitt. & I wil then try what cann be donne. [p. 201] I take notice you are dissatisfyed at my sending you the last bills, & order itt may be soe noe more, which you need not have done, for I should never have sent you more, if you had not forbidd itt, unless by your p.rticuler order. Nor had I don them had not Mr. Helmes writt that he had given the officers & soldiers creditt to the vallew of 700£ & upwards by yo.r & Coll. Mathews order, & that he continued still supplying them, as he had my directions soe to doe & therfore desired me to keep soe much money in my hands, when their pay was received, as I thought reasonable soe to doe. When we had given them a creditt beforehand & had sold them as cheap as to the best men in the country, as I ordered him to doe & supposed by that time my bills came to hand, they might have taken upp to the full vallew of what I drew, which I could keep in my own hands noe otherwayes but by chargeing bills, as I am accomptable to you for what received. & I hoped you would not have been against the payment, in my own hands, of what supplyed them with, which I thinke is but very reasonable, & what once they would have deemed as a favor from any p.rson that would have supplyed them. These I doe not thinke extraordinary charges, as you seem to charg me with makeing. And laying all such pr.spects of advantage aside, as you may please to doe, as soon as you will by dischargeing me from that concerne. & You shall then find me as much your freind & servant when there is noe advantage to be made, as ever I have been, when you shall see it's freindshipp & not hopes of advantages induces me to serve you. When I serve my freind, I will doe it as a freind; but when I serve a publique, it's reasonable I should make those comon advantages that other men would. That I am sure I have not, for I could if I would give you an instance for itt, where others heer have been imployed upon the like occations. But that I have noething to doe with.

The p.s of 8/8 you mention that you desired to have sent, I complyed with, as many as your Lady thought fitt to have sent, when I acquainted her what I had done by bill before. That was gone above 2 mo. before yo.r orders to that effect came to my hand, for the full order you sent by needs came not to my hands untill after your Lady was imbarqued & then came open with those other papers I sent you coppyes off. I cannot pr.vent the miscarridges of the sea. If shee had thought fitt to have had the full quantety you desired of 1,000£ worth in one letter or 1,800£ worth in another, I had sent them. But since I had before sent bills for 1,200£, shee only thought fitt that the remaineing complement of 1800£ might be sent. As for those I sent upon our own acco., it matters not who knows itt. 'Twas 1,500 ps. by Winter, which I sent Mr. Helmes, with orders to supply our plant.; or, in case that he had not given the full creditt of 1,200£ to the soldiers in goods, to pay the remaining part in money, that he might be sure to take up my bill & cleer that acco. before his comeing of the island. & I writ him if you desired itt, if you insisted upon it, we should pay you them at their first cost & charges, or as much therof as might remaine unpaid to the soldiery upon that acco. yet, because I would give noe seeming disgust to the soldiery, as I beleived itt would doe. If it had been but 100 ps. 8/8, I desired the Master not to publish itt. Soe much as to that p.rticuler.

Now I have laid open to you all my secretts in that affaire, as I would in all others if needfull, for I never did any act in all my dealeings that I should be ashamed to owne. Yet all men knowes that it's not convenient for a man to publish his private affaires. & What further I have to add is that I only desire to serve you as a freind, without any pr.fitable imployments from you, since it's suggested that I have made such great advantages beyond what I ever am yet sensible off. I request your pardon for being soe plaine with you in this p.rticuler, as also in what I formerly writt you relateing to Mr. Cary's affaire. For what you formerly writt me, that you must make complaint to the Lords of, I thought to severe a reflection for my intended good serviss, & what I could not pass by without takeing notice off. That which relates to Mr. Cary's affaire would have been soe great a reflection upon your own honor, had it ever been taken notice off, that I am sure noething could have done you a greater injury in the K. & D. favor. The latter, the Governor of that Comp., hath publickly declared at the Bord he would be oblidged you should support their interest in those parts. Which I pr.sume might arrise from some private informations they have had that you are concerned in the trade with the interlopers & that, since the [p. 202] Governor of Barbados had disturbed them, they were all gone to Leward upon the assurance they had of being pr.tected under your government. I convinced them the contrary that you was never concerned a penny in any trade, & how much you scorned itt, espetially where you had your Princes comand to the contrary, & further assured them that every penny of your money went through my hands. I pr.sume this report was spread by some that hoped by that means to doe you an injury, but there was never a word more of itt. & Indeed, it was upon this occation that I was soe plain with you on that subject, which I thought my freindshipp oblidged mee too, & also to give you this breef acco. relateing to this affaire. Which I request you not to take any further notice off, in regarde some of the members of the Comp. doe sometimes comunicate to me their affaires, w.ch would not be handsome in mee to take notice off, nor should I to any but where such a p.rticuler freind is concerned as yourself. Which you may make use of as you judg convenient. Your seales & c. shall be sent you by first from hence. Heerwith you have yo.r acco. as it now stands. I hope to make an end with Mr. Wactendunk without payment of any more money, & then Sir James Russells money will pay the whole. I have carried to your creditt 6 mo. interest for 2,500£ as I writt you, & shall for 3 mo. More, when the time expired for 1,500£, w.ch is within a small matter what now remaines in my hands that I keep ready for your occations. As soon as I have your orders shall endeavor to lay out your money for you as well as I cann. If you had another lay out your money in Ireland, I have now two very good freinds there – the one the Surveyor Gen.ll of that kingdome, the other Sollicitor to the Farmers – both very injenious men that I am sure on my request would serve you to the uttermost of their powers. But I would rather advise you to purchase in England, though dearer. W.ch I referr to your consideration. ...

177. John Bramley [Montserrat]

London, July 10, 1680
Sir,
I have your severall letters of the 10th of December, 24th & 30th March before mee. And take notice in the first of yo.r acceptance of my pr.posalls touching the mannadgment of the plantation, which I hope will be to yo.r satisfaction & both our advantages, which is the only end & meaning I have in itt. & Since I have soe ordered itt on pr.pose to avoid giveing you any dissatisfaction or disturbance by any proud hand, I noewayes doubt but you will answer my expectations in rendring from time to time an acco. of your pr.ceedings & what elce may be needfull relateing to that affaire, & also will take care to answer my desires which you shall not have just cause to deeme unreasonable at any time. [p. 203] I p.rceive you did not judg it convenient to meddle with the remainder of goods in Mr. Fox his house, in regarde the greatest part was disposed off, which I am well satisfyed with. Yet sent them to noe other end then to supply my own part of the plant., which could not bee refused. & Indeed, it's a double inconveniency to mee to pay the disbursements out of the pr.duce of the plant. and have my stock lye there dead. But I shall say noe more to that p.rticuler, since my attorney who had the disposition therof thought good otherwise to dispose them.

I take notice of your reasons for not shipping me any sugar on Estes which was because you would first ballance the plant. acco., in regarde the debts are only demandable from you as the contractor. Yet I cannot allow of your reason in that p.rticuler, since I know none would refuse the creditt of the plant. which is as lyable as yourself, & the debts at that time soe inconsiderable on my part & soe lately contracted, if any, that none could be pressing. I know planters pay by experience is not soe quick; & in such case where I had taken order for freight (which I did not without good reasons for itt & also by advice from thence), payments might have been very well suspended for a short time, to have complyed with my orders. There is noe plant. can well be without some small incumbrance upon itt at all times. & If you should alwayes be given for a reason, there must seldome or never be anything shipt. If you stood in my place & your maintenance depended upon itt as mine in part doth, you would judg such disappoyntments very hard measure. & Indeed, it putts me upon such streights, yo.r noncomplyance on these accompts, that I know not what measure to take for shipping home my effects of the pr.ceeds. For when I take freight heer, I am disappoynted there; & if I doe not contract it heer, it's seldome to be pr.cured there. Soe that I know not what course to take. I doe not soe much complain at what is past but am still like to be under the same inconveniency for the time to come. Wherfore I desire you I may meet with noe more such disappoyntments. When you shipp joyntly I shall gladly refer it to yourself, yet had much rather contract freight heer for part, if not the whole, by reason I would be at a certeinty for makeing insurance in case of warr.

As to the mules & horses & those of y.rs you have bought for the use of the plant., I am content with, yet desire noething may be bought but what you find a necessitous occation for, espetially there.

I observe what you write as to the beef, that you suppose it may be generally purchased cheaper there than sent out. Which I am not of your oppinion, though the last yeare you bought it very cheape att 200£ p.r barrell, yett not soe cheap as you have it this yeare for sent out. & Had you been to buy this yeare it would have cost 400£, as I am informed – which is 300£ one yeare with another. That I deem as good as 45s p.r barrell for our plant. Suger is not worth less when shipt home without charge of commiss., storeidg, or cask. That will stand us but little & I pr.sume we may have beef out of Ireland for 25s p.r barrell one yeare with another freight & all other charges being included, & such as may prove better than what is generally sent for a markett. Yet if that p.rticuler commodety might be p.rchased cheape there as heer, it's my desire to supply all from home as neer as possible that soe the fin. pr.ceeds of the plant. may be laden home, as it may with keeping some ready mony there to defray the charge of workemen & such other things that cannot be supplyed from hence.

As to the 2d p.rticuler relateing to the acco., its my desire that should be kept w.th as much exactness as cann bee, as to the dayes of the mo. & all things, espetially of that pr.duce of the plant. which may without any difficulty bee done. For when you have any sugers, you can then incert the day of the mo. when laden, or if p.d to any p.rson, day p.d. & When you make up an acco. & send itt, you may att such time examin what suger is in that howse in cask or potts &, at the foot of the acco., say remainder in the howse soe many hhds. in cask of whatever quallety they are, & soe many potts by weight on estimate contains soe much, w.ch shall be carried to the creditt of the next acco.. Which I desire to know because I would give as neer an estimate to the yearly pr.duce as I cann for my own satisfaction. Now as to what is bought in, if you pay pr.sent money or goods for itt, you can then incert the day of the mo. when bought, or in makeing up workemens accompts or any others with whom accompts are held, when you make up such accots, the day of the mo. can likewise be inserted, which is as easy to be done. I never understood any other method in accots but this, nor never held an acco. for good but such as are soe kept with the days of the mo. & time to itt. And there [p. 204] can be noe other trouble in this then barely the trouble of writeing the day of the mo. against the article. I shall also desire the acco. may be made upp constantly every 6 mo., viz. Midsummer & Christmass & Lent, for when a man is at a distance, acco.tts are all the satisfaction he can have, & w.ch all men are desirous off. To you that are pr.sent you have the satisfaction of all the dayly pr.ceedings, soe may judg it troublesome; but if you were in my place, would be as desirous of itt as I am. You may judg it's noe distrust I have of your transactings, inasmuch as I never yet put you to the pr.ofe of any one article of all your accompts. As to the next p.rticuler, when I desired our sugar might be most shippt for Leverpoole, I judge itt then more advantageous then since I find itt. For when the payments they make there are long & the extraordinary hazzerd that is in goeing to that port & other disadvantages that I find are considered, I thinke this markett the best. & Therfore, now desire it may be all shippt to this port. Most of the sugars that have of late gone for Bristoll have been reladen there & sent about hither, which must needs be a great charge. & Yet they find this markett to be the better when all charges is defrayed.

Yo.r bill of 150£ I have lately received of Mr. Ben. Williams, which I have past to your creditt, butt not upon acco.t of the payment of your bond, in regarde I am in disburse for goods sent out at seven hundred pounds for the use of the plant. more then I have receivd, one hundred twenty one pounds. An acco.t of which I have heerwith sent you. The remainder to make up the summe 300£ which is 150£ on yo.r acco.t & as much more on mine. I will foorthwith order in such goods as I judg most convenient for use of the plant. & some in ps. of 8/8 which I would have advanced for you, did not my occations constrein me to pay interest for money myself, w.ch I now doe to Sir W.m Stapleton and others. I have already ordered a p.rcell of ironware & nayles from Bristoll such as I judg pr.per for the plant. Use; the copper still & worme shall be sent p.r first, from hence, & some pr.vition from Ireland. & For the future, I shall intreat you to order from time to time such goods as are necessary for a constant supply, that soe there may be occation to buy nothing more. As to what you mention of the joyners worke & c., I doe not insist upon such nicetyes. Therfore shall not give you the trouble of my answer to those p.rticulers.

In case I doe not take freight heer on any shipp that arrives with you by the latter end of October, or that you doe not before that time receive any order from me to the contrary, I desire you to take freight on any good shipp that offers for this port on my acco. for as much sugars as may belong to mee, not exceeding 10 tunns upon a shipp. & If possible, you can give timely advice of what shipps you lade upon. & I further intreat you that my full proportion of the last yeares produce may lye ready for shipping. When you find itt your conveniency to shipp joyntly, you may please to beginn. Till then, I intreat you not to fayle of shipping my part constantly as it is made, except in such months as I formerly excepted against. & If freight doth not offer att Mountsarratt, [p. 205] please to use your care to transport itt to Nevis; for botes or ought elce, I leave it to you to transport. If at any time I contract freight heer, shall give you as timely notice therof as possible I can. ...

178. John Bramley [Montserrat]

[London, July 16, 1680]
Sir,
It's now the 16th Instant & yesterday brought me yours of the 6th May. I take notice you had taken 10 tuns freight on the Providence on our joynt acco.t. & Being informed by Mr. Bawden that on the 24th of May the ship was not fully discharged at Nevis, I conclude she cannot well be dispatched before the latter end of July. Soe may be in port of the hurricane time. For which reason I designe to insure 300£ upon our joynt accompt. I shall alwayes doe for you as for myself, if you leave it to mee. & It's my gen.ll custom to insuer when adventures are anything considerable, whether peace or warr. When the danger is least, pr.mio is low. & Soe I look upon it as a safe way.

By our ship Abraham that is now bound to Corke, I shall order a smal supply of beef & porke. Have likewise given orders from Bristoll p.r first to send a p.rcell of ironware & nayles all for the use of our plant. & By the first from hence shall order a supply of all other goods that I judg pr.per. I intend to order our shipp Abraham, when please God she arrives att Nevis, which hope may be some time in October or early in November, to goe to M.tsarratt to take in our sugars there. I mean our plant. goods, in case there be any worthwhile, as I hope you will have a considerable p.rcell, if you have not laden it before. Of which pray advise Mr. W.m Helmes & Tho. Westcott the freight. Shall leave to you to agree because I am 1/3 interested in the ship. Get it as cheap as you can yet I had at any time on any ship that offers; rather give 20s p.r tun more to a ship to take it on bord from the island then transport it in sloopes, for there is not only the charge of sloope hyer but great damadg often accrues therby. Winter is arrived. The 288 lbs. sugar must be allowed as you mention & c.

179. [p. 206] William Robinson [St. Christopher]

London, July 10, 1680
Dear Sir,
By the last post I gave you an acco.t of the receipt of both yours of the 26th & 29th Past & then gave answer as fully thereunto as time would p.rmitt. I have now sent you all the Bills of Loadeing which is for the whole loadeing on bord the shipp that ever I had acco. off, only 4½ tuns lade p.r H. Carpenter for acco. of Mr. Isaac Legay, which he hath desired mee to take an acco. of also. Have likewise sent you all other papers relateing to that affaire. Except such as I formerly sent Mr. W.m Martyn, to whom I have now writt in awnswer to his & sent it you open to p.ruse. Wherby you may see what my desires are with respect to the acco. depending with him. For as it's my resolutions to doe him all imaginable right, soe I could not have him pr.tend to more then his just dew, for the beef wee bought by his sonn & Cadmore & an acco. rendred before their failure of what they p.d Tiddeman & severall other disbursements that they rendred me an acco. off. What appears to be his just dew shall be paid to a penny, but I would not have him pr.tend to more. You see what method I have prescribed to distinguish. Which please to observe & come to a tryall with him by consent, unless you cann pr.pose any better way wherby I may be secured, which I referr to your discretion. I have heerwith sent you a list of all the papers I have sent, therby to ease you of what trouble possible, also my objections to Tiddemans acc.ts & a list of what papers are in Mr. Martyns hands relateing to that affaire. But if possible you can remove Tiddeman's tryall for England, pray doe. I cannot imagine on what pr.tence he can bring an action against Alland. But what juglers there are amoungst them is beyond my apprehension. You wil find two acco.ts of Tiddemans. In one, he charges 10 mo. wages & in another but 9 mo. odd dayes. But there is but 9 mo. from the time he had possession of her to the time she was cast away, as will appeare by the date of his Bill of Sale. You will also find by his acco.t he gives C.r for 54£ 5s, which is for severall bills he drew upon mee, which w.th 68£ 3s p.d by Martyn & Cadmore, as they charge me with in their acco.ts, is 122£ 8s. Thats all the charge I have against him, 1 guiny wherof was p.d by Martyn before he would deliver possession of that shipp. On what pr.tence, I know not, but most charge him with the same. Now, as he pr.tends to ¼ part of the shipp & never would own who the pr.priators of the same are, as indeed he cannot since there is soe many of them, he must be charged with ¼ part of the disbursements on said shipp, which is in the whole between 4 & 500£, as Mr. W.m Martyn is able to give you an acco. of the p.rticulers. For which pray bring an action against him. I also desier you will please [p. 207] to arrest said Tiddeman in an action of 500£ to secure & make good the sale of the shipp he hath made mee, for Plover & the rest of the owners resolves to have a tryall with mee for their parts whenever she arrives heer. Pray allow of noe article of Mr. Allands acco. but such as he proves by oath or other good proof. ...

180. Randoll Hull [Cork]

London, July 17, 1680
I have yours of the 29th Past & this now serves to desire you to prepare 350 barrells of the very best beef & 50 half barrells of choice porke. Be sure the caske are very thite & good, & the meat well saved. The shipp we shall order to take it in is the Abr., Abr. Terry, Master, who we hope may be with you in 20 dayes. It's our own shipp & what he may have occation for pray supply him with. & When pleases God he arrives, pray give him all possible dispatch. Wee might have purchased beefe at 17s p.r barrell but incline to deale with you, & hope it may not be much dearer. What lusty menservants you can pr.cure, pray put on board him. Butt.r we have ordered to be laden from Chester, where the ship now is, but you may please to putt 8 lbs. or 10 lbs. of good candles in small chests, about ½ lb. in each chest on bord. Pray send us our acco.tt & by our next wee shall either send you bills for 2 or 300£ or orders to draw, which we find to be for our most advantage in exch. We shall order the Master to victuall there. Pray afford him your assistance, & give him a creditt. This is the needfull at pr.sent from, Sir, yo.r servant.

Direct yo.r letters to my bro. Baxt.r & hold the acco. with him & please charge your bills upon him, when you have our orders to draw in case we doe not remitt.

181. William Helme [Nevis]

London, July 14, 1680
I have writt you & your brother severall letters in answer to some formers, which I conclude you have received & that yo.r bro. & you have come to a right understanding touching the mannadgment of our concernes, an acco.t of which I expect from him. Till then shall desist giveing you the trouble of any more lines to that effect. But doe resolve to doe you as much kindness as ever I intended, unless your actings putts me upon takeing other measures, which I hope your own discretion will leade you not to do.

& What I have now to add is to give you an acco.t of the receipt of yours of the 2d, 7th & 9th Aprill p.r Mr. Clayton, Mr. Rivett & others that are all safely arrived & the goods by them well landed, blessed be God. Though by Clayton we expected to have receivd a farr greater quantety of sugar, & those we had the cask soe small that, when the charge was paid, they rise to a very inconsiderable summe of money. What further I have to advise is what I have soe often repeated that I thought should have had noe further occation of complaint, which is that those sugars that are laden by you from Nevis have such extraordinary wastidge, & the tunnidg soe much smaller of what is laden in butts, that they doe not cleer heer soe much by 2s 6d every 100 lbs. as those laden p.r Tho. Westcott, which is 1/5 part of the vallew, though pays but the same freight & charges as the other. You may judg what a difference 20 p.r c.t is in the returns & where the profitt of our adventures will bee if this be not remedied, as we have often desired. Those 10 caske you laded for my own & bro. Bax.rs p.rticuler held out very well on any of the others. Though they rise full & well conditioned as usually, yet are some 30 p.r c.t, some 40 p.r c.t wastidge upon them, which cannot be but by neglect or deceipt of your receivors. This we was in hopes would have been remedied upon our often complaints. But still findeing the same cause are forced to reminde you of itt, to desier that p.rticuler care may be taken of the weights, also that our caske [p. 208] may be well hooped & made as large as other mens & well filled, & that noe butts may be shipt us but such as by contract we are oblidged to. Wee hope by your care all things will runn in a better current, that soe we may be incouridged to a further correspondency with you. For at this rate, wee cannot expect but that our mony will return with loss rather then pr.fitt. Pray lett us receive our Acco.tts of Sales & Acco.tts Currant of all things transacted by you. & As soon as we see your brother will settle all things in a new method for yo.r future incouridgment. In the interim, I doubt not but you will take care to make us good returnes of all former adventures.

I thank you for shipping my 20 hhds. on Winter. I hope I may have more laden since on that accompt, & that all other things will succeed according to my expectations, that soe I may be incouridged to doe you some future kindness. ...

182. Colonel Abednego Mathew [St. Christopher]

London, July 16, 1680
Sir,
I have both yo.rs of the 17th March & 8th Aprill, with Sir William Stapletons bill for 677£ 15s 15d w.ch is receivd & past to your creditt. Have also p.d yo.r bill of £50 to the order of Mons.r Elote & have p.d your brother Dixon 60£ according to order. & Shall answer Mr. Lister desires according to your commands.

Yo.r bottles of Canary, coppers, & all other things have heerwith sent. An acco.t of their cost & charges you have heer inclosd. I suppose you will not think the Canary deere when you tast itt, for the best cannot be bought under, & I am sure a better pipe hath not been brought into England this yeare. It was worth 60£ in the merchants celler of my vinteners, money in London. I gott it by a great favor, supposeing you desired to have the very best.

Yo.r bill of 10£ to Dr. Hobbs I have also p.d. & For the remaineing ballance of your acco.t in my hands, it lyes ready to answer your commands, when you please.

I cannot but take notice of your disallowing the payment of £100 to your sonn, which I think very hard measure & soe will you when you please to consider that I had noe other end in itt but to serve you, & did it not neither without the intreatyes & earnest p.rswasions of all your best freinds & acquaintance heer & for the advancement of your sonn who is a very hopefull young gent. & now in such an imployment that, if you never should doe more for him, he is well pr.vided for. When you have seriously considered this, I pr.sume you will not disallow itt, but returne me thankes for doeing itt. For had he not wherwithall to subsist untill an imploy had fallen, he must now have been without. Imployments are not heer soe soon had for noething, as you imagin, for there are many more seekers then imployers, & such that are well quallefyed in all respects.

I thought long since to have given you an acco. of the receipt of your last 2 yeares pay but I now almost beginn to despaire of itt, haveing mett with noething but delays & putting off from day to day this 9 mo. past, & have twice within this 2 mo. petitioned the King & Councell about it. A coppy of the first petition have sent the Generall, the last to the same effect but more pressing, [p. 209] & yet noething donn. I find by the Generalls last letter that you are dissatisfyed, supposing I have made greater advantages therby then I have ever yett found. Nor hath those I have made countervailed the great trouble I have had in that affaire, as I think all men heer are pretty well sensible of. Soe have writt to the Generall to excuse me from itt, for the time to come. If I can serve you or him in anything as a friend, you may comand mee as freely as ever. But when I serve a publique, it's fitt I should be p.d as another man would. & This being laid aside, there will then appear freindship without advantage in what is donne. ...