Freeman's Letters, 1682: nos 280-308

Freeman's Letters, 1682: nos 280-308

280. [p. 383] Thomas Westcott [St. Christopher]

London, August 7, 1682
... I feind you absolutely deny to p.rform what wee have required of your hands, alleadginge it to be unreasonable, what they themselves, as you tearme them, never did. But who you meane by that expression I doe not understand, but conclude it to be your master [Freeman], because the other p.rty [Baxter] concerned never transacted anythinge there. & If you coate him for your presid.t, certeinly you ware drunke or out of your senses att that time you did it. Otherwise, you could not have had soe much impudence to have cast that reflection upon him that never deserved it. Doe but observe his method, & doe by him as hee hath donn by others. & Then hee will have noe occation to put you upon transactinge such unreasonable things, as you tearme them. Noe man ever had any occation to call him to any acco.tt for want of haveing them don in dew time, or any occation to devide debts for the sattisfaccion of any such acco.s. Hee made it not his buisnes to deale by comissions. Yet some freinds were concerned somewhat with him. And hee bids defiance to them all to say that they had not every peny of the whole proceeds of all such effects, shipt them of in less then 18 mo. after receipt of theire goods without makeing one pound ball.s remaininge to theire acco. in debts, but tooke them all to himself & yet rendred them a full and just acco.tt of all the sales & for theire further sattisfaccion proper, to lay open his books for there perusall whenever they pleased. Now if you had made this performance, or will take it upon you to doe it, there will be noe occation to devide debts. But you will not. There is a necessity for it, for one intrest must not swallow up another, nor one must not be ballanced with the effects of another as you write, viz. that you will ship what you can upon the acco.tt in 1/3ds, and that you must have a reagard to the makeing good of former concerns you have rec.d of other mens, before there can bee any return expected of that acco.tt in halves, without haveing the least regard to your orders & instructions, viz. to sell none of the s.d goods upon noe termes but for ready paym.t, unles to such price as you yourselfe would undertake for theire payment in such a reasonable time as wee live. And yet the goods are in a maner all disposed of & still its unreasonable for us to expect any returns for them in soe short a time. How this agrees with your orders is strange. But I promise when once the goods comes into your hands, you beeleive wee are noe further concerned in them. Neither you are to take any notice of us or our orders in the disposing of them, than come to say that noe planter will give two peeces of paper for one debt. But sure noe planter can refuse that if the concerns ware defferant, unles he will make paym.t, and then there will need noe papers.

Next you say it will bee difficult to bringe them to acco.tt. W.ch noe honest man can refuse. & Such as are otherwice wee supose you have lawes to compell them to and to bringe under judgment of court, & then there will be noe occation for papers of such.

Next you say if they require such things to be don, they must send out two or three bookekeepers to doe it for them, but allwayes thought and never yet heard the contrary. But all facters ware obleidged to keepe theire owne bookekeepers and to make up theire owne acco.tts, though in kindnes to you I have kept a bookekeeper for you to doe your buisnes and at the same time pay you for it. But you may remember when first I put you in to this imploym.t, I agreed with you on the same conditions as Mr. Pruit had made with Mr. Bawden, who is obleidged and punctually performes the sending him home every yeare a copie of his whole journall of his yeares transactions, w.ch he is to deliver upon oath. & For whatever he buyes or sells makes him a joynt partner theirein, as just reason there is for the doeinge it, when his stock must be imployed in it, and yet he takes not these hardships upon him, though in a better condition then you could pretend to when he undertooke this imploym.t by w.ch he hath gained an estate. But when a man puts you upon a settlement of things & he hath put his whole estate into your hands, then its reasonable; but, if you had any reason in you, this would have been donn of your owne accord, before you had ran out such an estate in debts upon such an island that, if a quarter part of the English intrest upon it ware to be exposed to sale upon the Exch. tomorrow, noe man would give such a summe as tenn thous.d pound for it. But now I judge you beleeve you have got all in your hands that you are like to get of ours (& tru it is, for you have all wee have). And therefore time it is for you to make yoar owne tearmes & keep that since you can get noe more. But still we are not left without a meanes to compel you to doe us justice, if you will put us upon it. But suposeinge wee were left voyd [p. 384] of all such meanes, yet that would not obstruct any man of honesty or reputation from doeing justice, w.ch the very heathens have a sence of.

& Therefore, I now tell you that the sinn of ingratitude is that of the deepest edge, w.ch, when you goe about to put those things upon mee, you are guilty of in the greatest measure possible. For you have not one peny in the world but what you are obleidged to me for. For the very mony you have rec.d of your bro. for your portion hath been given by my perswations and means. You could never have recovered a peny of him, nor had he nor none of his freinds been concerned with you, what they are, but by my perswasion. & Yet this good bro. that hath don this for you, for ought I perceive, you have as little regard for as mee. Neither would all the freinds you have in the world ever have don that for you that I have. Yet all now is not worth takeinge notice of. ... Sugars are now sold, viz. Nevis & St. Xtophers at 18s & 19s p.r c.t, w.ch cleares not above 7s the n.t 100£. The party you bought your negros of proffers his whole shipps loadeing for 19s p.r c.t and canot get it. & I veryly beleeve the next yeare will not come neere that price. Therefore, you may judge of the reason we have to pres the gettinge in our debts, if there were noe other for it. The last 60 hhds. wee rec.d from you wasted above 30 p.r c.t w.ch we supose to be by meanes of the storm. My bro. Baxter cons.d Ja. Terry 25 pipes of brandy by Terry, of which he haith rec.d 14 large hhds. sug.rs in returne. And he writes him will make a returne of the whole proceeds within the yeare, of w.ch he had then by him 200£ in mony. & Yet you have not sent us one hhds. of the proceeds, not only of 25 pipes of brandy but alsoe 3,000£ sterl. Besides you see other men doth not finde these difficulties in doeinge buisnes to some sattisfaccion in reasonable time. ...

281. [p. 385] Captain William Berwick [Montserrat]

London, August 8, 1682
... I am now come to take notice of what you writte relateinge to the plant. concern. In the first place, I finde Mr. Bramley refuseth you the joynt possession & that, upon your application to the Gen.ll & Governer of the island, they have likewise refused to put you in top of to transaction all things in my behalfe accordinge to the tenure of our agreement, alleadgeinge that, as Mr. Bramley had enjoyed soe many yeares quiet possession, noe one ought or could now disturb him therein. By w.ch I finde in there judgem.ts I have lost the principall part of my estate, viz. my claime and title thereunto; and if soe, I am sure the rest will soone follow. For if I canot make a title to the one, I am sure I have none to the other. Soe that what I receive from it is only as a guift from Captaine Bramley and nothinge that of right belongs to me. Only I perceive the Gen.ll has ordered you to take an acco.tt of what sugars & rum is made, but that you shall not intermedle with the buyinge or sellinge anythinge or in the least controule or contradict Mr. Bramley therein, or in anythinge elce relateinge to the manadgment of the plant. The same thinge Mr. Bramley writes to mee himselfe, but however that, in flattery and curtisie to me, he will receive and entertaine you as a guest to the plant. as long as you demeane yourselfe civily. For w.ch I owne my thankfullnes to hime. A copie of his letter I herewith send you, whereby you may be advised for the future how to govern yourselfe more civily. However, I have had a better character of your demeaneinge yourselfe for many yeares past from Mr. Bawden and many other men of better quallity then Capt. Bramley whose creditt will pass with mee before his, since I finde hee characterizes me in the like manner. I never was before tearemed a rooke nor a cheate, as he now is pleased to term me both. To w.ch and his former letters I shall forbeare to give any answer untill I have the oppertunity of doeinge it by the hands of a freinde that will depart hence in a little time who I doubt not but will doe mee that right. Soe call him to an acco.tt for it, since I canot be there to doe it myselfe. Hee knowes very well it was language hee durst not give mee when upon the place. I should have cudgeld him into better manners if he had.

But all this I shall refer to my freinde to doe mee reight & will therefore injoyne you not to bee concerned in the least att the securolous report he gives of you. W.ch I assure you is so farr from receiveinge the least creditt with me that it increases my good opinion of you, beleeveing that it proceeds from nothing but your endeavors of doeinge mee right, & the dischargeinge yourselfe of that trust I have reposed in you. The copie of his letter I desire you to comunicate to the Gen.ll & Governor of the island and, if they desire it, you may lett them see this my answer thereunto. W.ch I frounde wholy upon the words of his owne letter that he saith he hath been incouridged to and contended for by the Gen.ll & Governor and most of the gent. of the country. But if I ware there pres.t to lay downe my owne reason, I doubt not but they would finde as favorable constructions from them as his hath donn. But since I canot, I must rest myselfe content & refer that to a further time to decide whether he or I am in the right.

In the interim, I desire you to be very punctuall in the observation of what I shall I shall [sic] now dictate to you. For although you had before your departure taken the opinion of Sarj.t Pemberton, the present Cheife Justice of England, & Sir W.m Jones, the Kings Attorney Gen.ll, deaceased, who then were the most noted and best reputed lawyers of England, upon the Artickles and bonds betwixt Mr. Bramley and myselfe, who did assure me that [p. 386] ware firme & good & bindinge in the law & to all intents and purposes, and for every breath thereof each was accomptable to the other, to make good all such damadges. And neither the one or the other could answer the buyinge or lettinge without the consent of each other beyond that summe limitted & expent in the s.d Artickles. & Whatsoever either they transacted otherwise, the other is noewayes obleidged to stand to, or allow of. But that it is wholy and absoelutely in the transactors one wronge, & hee oblidged to make good and pay the same, & that the Artickles will compell & obleidge both parties the puttinge in a compitent stock for the suply of the plantation with all things needfull and necessary for the same att the best hand. W.ch s.d stock is to be applyed to noe other use but the plant. only, and that neither the one nor the other can bring any family whatsoever that may beget a charge to the plant. upon the s.d plant. without beinge accomptable for the same. But that either of the s.d partners or theire lawfull deputy hath full power to live and be upon s.d plant. but without contractinge any charge to the same further then what properly belonge to the plant. family in partnership. For all others expences whatsoever are and must be properly borne upon there owne acco.tt. Neither can either the one or the other take of any the serv.ts, slaves & c. of the plant. to imploy upon any other without a joynt consent and that all the proceeds of the same are forthwith equally to be devided. Nor is there any superiority to be allowed of, nor that any one hath a right.r possesion or comand beyond the other. How far Mr. Bramley hath made good these Artickles on his part time will shew.

However, since the recept of your letter I have thought fit to put myselfe to some further charge upon this acco.tt, w.ch I doubt not but in time Mr. Bramley must pay for, since I finde he is resolved to refer all things to the issue of law. I shall therefor endeavor to have that on my side, & then I doubt not but to finde a time when justice will take place, though hee now by the possession & power he hath beleeves himselfe out of the reach of both. But who gave him that possesion hee pretends to, I could never understand. He never had it from mee. If hee hath, lett him produce any Letter of Attorny or other instrum.t of power under my hand and seale; if not, its a forseable entry, & therefore lyable to all the damadges I have or shall sustaine thereby. I meane for as much as belongs to my part. Indeed, hee hath allwayes refused my attornyes to medle or make on my behalfe as he still doth. But this hee must expect to pay for att longe run. & The little notions hee pretends to borrow out Cooke upon Littleton I perceive setts his magcee att worke, though hee understands not what hee reads. If hee did, hee would take other measures & not pretend to a right of possesion & to keep another man out of his estate. But that is like his notion upon the interest of his bond, that if he would be such a knave as to deny it, I could never recover it. And therefore its out of a principall of honesty that he gives it mee. But if he can with all his art and cuning find a way to avade it, I am freely content to loose it. & Therefore, I now bid him defiance in that as well as I doe in the writt of division he pretends to & in all other things whatsoever. For since nothinge but the law must determine, I doubt not but to bringe him to a faire heareing in Westminster Hall, where I doubt not but to finde as able interpritors of Cooke upon Littleton as he pretends to be, though I could not trouble nor lawsutes, and should rather put up apeal many wrongs then to bee contentious. But since nothinge must serve but the giveing away my estate, I will sooner spend that part of it and ad as much more to it then I will part with one little of my right.

Therefore, I againe say be very circumspect in the observance of such directions as I shall now give you, w.ch is by advise of the best councell I can I can take here. For as I told you before, I had the opinion of the two affores.d persons before your departure. Soe I have since the receipt of yours been with two others of as great repute & suposed to understand the lawes of England as well as any, viz. Sarg.t Manard & Mr. Sanders, the person pitched upon by all the Kings Councell to manadge the quo warranto on the Kings behalfe & against the Citty Charter of London who all the Kings Councell have pitcht upon beleeveing him to be the best comon lawyer of England. To the two affores.d councells I caryed my Artickles, bond & accompts relateing to the plant. w.ch I have rec.d from Mr. Bramley, as alsoe both his and your letters, with some others of his I rec.d before purportinge the same thing. As to the force of the Artickles, they agree in opinion with Sarg.t Pemberton and Sir W.m Jones, and in all other things as I have before written, as likewise that he is liable to all damidges whatsoever that I shall or may sustaine by his deniall of my right of possesion on my part as before; and that his refusall is absolutely [p. 387] illegall upon all accompts whatsoever; & that under noe pretence whatsoever he can justifye in law any such denyall, there being as absolute a right of possesion in law dew to me as any he can pretend to, allthough I should put him in the possession therof by any proof whatsoever under my hand & seale w.ch I never did, unles the said instrum.t or power be revokable. If he can shew any such from mee, let him produce it. But for any other power by Letter of Attorney or any other instrum.t whatsoever, its revokable at my owne will & pleasure. & He alwayes obleidged to give way thereunto.

Now, therefore, theire advieses to mee is to proceed in this method, w.ch I againe desire you to be very carefull in. In the first place, make legall proofe of that power I have given you, viz. my Letter of Attorny, w.ch I presume you have already don. In the next place, take 3 suffitient wittnesses which I desire may be some of these I now mention. If they will doe mee that favor, viz. Capt. Cotter, Capt. Hodges, Capt. Symes, Mr. Fox, Capt. Bentley, Capt. Reade, or any of 3 of them, or if they refuse any other 3 person of the best men you can get, & take with you the Secretary of the island, if he will favor you soe, and then goe to the plant. and in the presents of them produce your power from mee, by virtue of w.ch you are to make a legall dem.d of possesion of Capt. Bramley at the dwelling house, or, if you finde him not there, of any other person you feind there in possesion on his behalfe, of my halfe part of the right & interst of the s.d howse & plant., according to the tenure of our Artickles. & If hee or they shall soe refuse to give you possesion of the same, you are then to repaire to the next magistrate or justice of peace with the three affores.d wittnesses, & take there evidence of the same in writinge upon oath & gett it attested under the hand of the s.d justice or magistrate. And haveing thus done, you are forthwith to require to the Governor of the s.d island or whosoever acts in cheife, & aquaint him with your whole proceedings, & to require his order & assistance to put you legally in possesion accordinge to the tenure of the affores.d Artickles & power. W.ch you are to doe in like maner as affores.d wittnesses. And in case it should hapen that the Governor shall alsoe deny to put you in possesion after haveinge produced your power & Artickles, the next thinge you have to doe is to take to Secretary of the isl.d to goe with you to Capt. Bramley an make a gener.ll protest against all Mr. Bramleys proceeds relateinge to the manidgem.t of the said plant. to make such protest. You are then to doe it att the office of the island & gett the same registred. & After you have thus proceed, you are to send me all the s.d papers of your proceedings, attested & certified by the Seacretary, and those who are wittnesses to your proceedings. But before you doe this, I meane before you send them, make your aplication to the Gen.ll and acquaint him with all my orders in this case, and the maner of your proceedings, & desire his favour in doeing mee right therein, w.ch I doe not in the least question, when he is rightly informed, for want of w.ch mistakes sometimes hapen, as I am apt to to beleeve it was when you last adrest yourselfe to hime. But however, if it should hapen that hee should be of a contrary opinion that this my way of proceedings is not legall (w.ch I grounde upon the best advise I can get in Engl.d) and that therefore he should refuse to give you his order to put you into possesion, in such case I desire you in the like manner as before to take wittnesses with you & lay open the whole matter to him before them & send mee a certificate of the same. ...

282. [General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]]

London, September 14, 1682
Honored Sir,
I did presume some time since to give you the trouble of some lines p.r Mr. W.m Berwick who I contracted with to manadge my halfe part of the plant. in partnership betwixt Mr. John Bramley & myselfe on the island of M.tsarrat. & To that end I gave the said Berwick my Letter of Attorny containing a full ample power whereby he might be inabled to take a legall posesion of such part of the premisses as by right belongs to mee, with such necessary instructions to act in all things, on my part & behalfe, as occasion should require, and to manidge the same for my best advantadge, as likewice to receive my full halfe of the produce & other proffitts of the same. And for the better inableinge him soe to doe, I alsoe presume to make use of your name in the said Letter of Attorny, hopeing that by your favour & frindship all things would have been caried on with more ease & peaceablenes, knowinge I had to doe with a crafty undermineinge sophister who would not fayle to make use of all opertunities to deceive me & abuse my interest as he hath don for this 8 yeares last past. By meanes whereof he hath raised to himselfe a very considerable estate & I have been defrauded of at least halfe of my half part of the proceeds of s.d estate, as I am able to make it appeare to my prejudice at least 1,000 lbs. if not two thous.d pounds sterl. in the s.d 8 yeares time. W.ch I would soone demonstrate to you as I have to my worthy freinde Coll. Bayer & others here, who I am sure you will allow of to be compitent judges of plant. affaires & accompts. & This he hath caryed on in an imperious, insulting way, never p.rmitting my attornies to inspect my concerns or acco. or anythinge elce, or scarce permittinge them to step upon the premisses, assumeinge the whole power to himselfe as if I had noething to doe with that the absolute possesion & manadgm.t of all things was in himselfe, & will never p.rmitt them to buy, sell, receive or pay anythinge, assumeing all power to himselfe, expresly contrary to all lawe and justice, as will appeare to you by the Artickles & bonds for performance betwixt us. W.ch he never takes the least notice of. Nor I am sure hath nothinge any owne of them, but broke them 100 times over, beleiveing himselfe without the bounds of lawe by reason of the distance of places betwixt us. & To prove this to you I herewith send you a copie of his last letter to mee, wherein hee plainely tells me that none shall come there to controle him & is soe impudent as to say that he is incouradged thereunto by yourselfe, the Governor, & most of the gentry of the country. W.ch I am sure is a most seveere reflection upon the whole goverm.t, as if they made it there buisnes to protect and incouridge [p. 388] knavery, & keepe men out of there just rights. & This I finde he still continues to doe, by that small incouridgm.t he rec.d from you when Mr. Berwick complained to you, w.ch you are pleased to hint to me in one of your letters. W.ch I am well sattisfied you intended to lett him manidge & cary on things, as indeed by his craftines & insinuations, the gift of all fanatischisme & pres bitterly, by w.ch many men are often deluded.

Any man that is a stranger to his transactions would beleive it soe to bee. But I have been to long acquanted with these his proceedings and have suffetienly paid for my knowleidge of him. And to prove to you how great a sufferer I have been in ths pres.t yeares transactions, I send you copie of Mr. Berwicks letter alsoe to me, the truth of w.ch I hope he will be able to manifest to you. Whereby it plainly appeares that he converts & disposeth of my part of the product of the plant. to his owne use & benifitt at his owne will and pleasure & shipps the same home for his owne acco., when at the same time the shipps that I have freighted comes home dead freighted. & This he continually practices without sending accompts or anythinge elce but att such times as it pleaseth him soe to doe, & then makes them up as he thinks fitt & compells me to allow of all his charges, be they ever soe injust. & Allthough by Artickles he is bound to make up & adjust all accompt, every one, & from time to time to render me my full halfe part of the product of the plant. as the same is made at Xmass Next, it is full to yeares since I rec.d any acco. (Although he write me that he hath delivered the last years acco. to Richard Watts, but its never come to my hands. And why he should deliver it to Rich.d Watts when I have apointed Mr. Berwick my attorny to receive it, I doe not understand). & The product when he hath occation to pay a debt, or intends to ship of for himselfe, then he suspends the makeing up acco. untill such time as soe much more sugars is made, togeather with such unreasonable & unjust charges as he is pleased to bring to ad., brings the same to a ballance.

Were I pres.t, I could make appeare every word of this to you. But doubtles he will endeavor to p.rswade you into another beleife. & Of all the goods that ever I have send out of Engl.d to this day for the plant. use, w.ch amo.ts to many hund.d pounds, he hath never rendred me any accompt whether convertid to that use or how otherwise disposed of. & By Mr. Berwickes letter, you see it appeares he will neither p.rmitt him to inspect the disposall of the goods nor take any other acco. of it, nor to take an acco. of the sugar, rum & molasses and receive my halfe part of that according to this his mannner of proceedings. Lett the world judge whether I have any right or propriety in this estate that is thus disposed of at the will an pleasures of another man. I have showne to Coll. Bayer one years acco., wherein the charges brought to acco. togeather with such goods as was sent out of Engl.d & Ireland amounts to one and fifty thous.d pounds of sugars. & In that whole yeares accompt is neither slave, horse or anythinge elce bought for the use of the plant. but 2 mules cost 5,000 lbs. sugar. All the rest in family expences & billdings, and as yet I never could understand. For any buildings erected in that yeares acco. besides an adition to the dwelling house for his owne conveniency & granduct, which is alltogeather useles to the plant., exact increaseing all expences & this don contrary to my consent privily and knowleidg, as all things elce hath been, although the Artickles expresly obleidgeth that neither p.rty shall lay out above 1,000 lbs. sugar without the consent of the other. & Whereas another Artickle obleidgeth him to put in a compitent stock of mony for the suply of the plant. with all necessaries at the best hand, & the same hath been often demanded & continually prest for to be don by mee, yet never was p.rformed on his part. And to prevent buying all things at the worst hand for which I have p.d 2d & 3d for every peny I might have suplied it with, & to that end I sent my attorny Mr. William Fox a suply of mony and goods to furnish my owne part and pay of my 1/2 p.t of the s.d plant. debts. He would neither prmitt s.d Fox to suply my owne part with said goods & mony nor pay my 1/2 part of the debts, but illegally and contrary to all law & justice assumed the payment to himselfe out of the proceeds of the plant. & still continued to buy in all things at the worst hand whilst my mony and goods lay dead by & at last ware faine to be sould and contracted debts for in the country, w.ch to this day I have not rec.d. This I refer you to Mr. Fox to make out the truth of & ever since hath continued to buy there at his own will and pleasure at doubtles treable rate, possitively contrary to Artickles & my order. By w.ch meanes the halfe of the produce of the plant. is constantly swallowed up.

To repeat all things to you would be soe tedious that it would quite weary your patience to read, w.ch I feare I have to much intrued upon allready. And therefor I shall only appeale now to you for justice & will endevor to be as breefe as I can. I have alsoe a greate relyance upon your favor. Soe I am likewise desirous not to intrude upon it further then law and justice requires. I have therefore endeavored to take the best advise I can upon our Artickles, that soe I am desire noe favor of you but what is justifiable according to law & equity. & Accordingly, I have advised with such as are at pres.t the most eminent reputed lawyers of this kingdom, viz. the Kings Solliciter Generall, the late Attorney Gen.ll Sir William Jones now deceased, & Sanders who is pitcht upon by all the Kings Councell at Law to manadge the Kings cause ag.st the Charter of London, who is suposed & lookt upon to be the ablest lawyer of this kingdom. & This charge I have put myselfe to because I find Bramley pretends to a right of possesion, though he never had any given him by me writing that off [p. 389] the plant. But I allwayes had my attornies to act for mee. If he can ever produce any power from and under my hand & seale to that end or purpose, I am sure it must be forged. Yet if hee had, I hope that of attorny is revokeable at a mans will and pleasure. But to come nearer to the buisness, I have sent all the afforesaid gent. our Artickles & bonds for performance. Who doe all agree that they are all firm, good and bindeings in the law to all intents & purposes; that I have full ample power to depute any person as I shall think fitt at my own will and pleasure to be or remaine upon the premisses, who hath an equall right of manidgm.t to all intents & purposes as fully as Bramley can pretend to; & that to deny all of possesion by him or the authority of the place to any p.rson that I impower is absolutely illegal & contrary to law; & that neither p.rty can justifie the disposall of the product of the plant. [p. 393] untill the same is equally divided, unles for the just paym.t of such debts, as shall be contracted for the use & benifitt of the plant. according to Artickles & that not exceedinge 1,000 lbs. sugar without the consent of the other partnor. Whatever shall be don otherwise, the other is noewayes obleidged to allow of. But for every such breach of Artickles, the party is liable to pay all such damadges as the other shall sustaine thereby, & that neither p.rtnors can bring upon or keepe any family, except such as belongs to the premisses, whereby to contract any charge to the plant., but that his owne & all such his family expences ought to be borne & p.d at his own proper cost & charges, as well as at other charges whatsoever that shall be contracted by meanes thereof. This I doe not instance that I would be ag.st the allowinge any reasonable expences for his owne or family expences, ware things fairely caryed on & in justice don mee in other matters. But since I am thus treated by him, I will never allow anythinge but what is accordinge to law & of right I ought to pay. [p. 394] ... Sir, I once more make this my request to you, that whereas it soe plainely appeares to you that he hath not onely abused me but alsoe that favour & kindnes you ware pleased to shew him, w.ch was only intended for the caryinge on the busines but both our advantadge, & noe designed prejudice to me but in kindenes to my interest, as I am well sattisfied you intended it, yet by his abusing your freindship to us both, it will appeare to you that I am a great sufferer. Wherefore I now must ernestly desire & intreat you that you will be pleased to do me this kindnes soe for to make use of my power given you in the Letter of Attorny, as to forthwith call him before you & compell him to give you the full acco. from Xmas Last to the time he comes before you, & to make him sware that he brings the full product of all the sugar & c. to acco. made to that time of his appearence; & if he brings in any debts dew to the plant. for rum & molases & c., that you will please to make him give you a parfect list of the same & sware to the said acco. that the said debts are all owing and standing out & that they doe properly [p. 395] belong to the plant. as contracted for rum & c. & This being don, whatever the ball. of the acco. as he makes it up shall remaine dew to me, that you will be pleased to order the same to be made good & p.d me out of the first produce of his halfe part of the said plant. & be pleased to see the same may be effected. And yet this will not recompence me for being thus kept out of my goods & paying soe much dead freight & all by meanes of his keepinge my attorny from the dew inspectation of my concerns & receiveinge my part of the proffitts of the same. P.rhaps he will refuse to give the acco. till the halfe yeare is up, by meanes whereof he may concede that halfe yeares produce & ball. my acco. W.ch if you finde he ought not to be compeld thereunto, I desire you will not omitt the doeinge it at that time, that he might have noe just plea of injury don him p.r a partnor in point of manidgm.t. ...

Now, Sir, I have beene very tedious, w.ch I hope you will be pleased to excused, it beinge the first time that I have given you trouble upon any such account, as very loth I was now to doe it. But I am forced to it, unles I can absolutely give away my right in the estate. & As you have found that accordinge to my weak capasity & abililty I have been alwayes ready to discharge a part of a freind to you, soe I now most ernestly intreat & desire your favor and freindship to me in setinge that forthwith right may be done me in this matter, in w.ch I have beene a greater sufferer then you are aware of. ...

Sir, I omitted to aquaint you that Mr. Bramley hath made a proposition to me of buying, selling & or renteing. He proposseth to give me 50,000 lbs. sugar p.r anno for my halfe pt. Now, if he hath in that proposeth the utmost vallew of he saith it is & therefore is not very inclynable to it but only for his one peace, then I suppose he will not be ag.st takeinge the same rate for his owne part, w.ch I will give him. Or if he be inclyned to buy or sell, as he is the p.ty [who] pretends to be agreeved & indeed best knowes the vallew of the estate as being upon it, let him fix a price with the times & maner of paym.t and enter into bonds of two thous.d pounds starl. to stand to such his proposeall, & [he] will give me the liberty of choyce, as is but reasonable, he fixing the price. & I will obleidge myselfe either to buy or sell & if you please to enter into the like bonds for p.rformance on my part and behalfe. I will not onely obleidge my[self] to the p.rformance but shall alsoe be highly obleidged to you. But there must be a compitent time, viz. not less then nine mo. at lest for my answer in regard of the distance of places. & For security of paym.t the whole plant. shall be bound to the other &, in case of faylures of nonepayment, 15 p.r cent p.r anno to be allowed for intrest. But if he comes to inclyne to this, Sir, I will intreat you that great care may be taken in drawing the bonds that noe roome may be left to draw his neck out of the choler, but that the bonds may be soe possitively drawne as but they may be recoverable without releife in Chancerye. & You can come to any such agreem.t with him. I desire then that the copies of the same may be sent me by 3 of the first ships that comes from those parts if not more, & alsoe request that a true survay & inventory of all things belongeing to the plant. may be taken very exactly and send me for my better government as to the vallew. Or if he will not doe this to ease his troubled minde, I will rent it out to him for 500£ sterl. p.r anno to be paid in London. But I will have good security for the rent, & such other convenants as are necessary. ...

James Cotter I gott to goe with me two councells who I suppose will give you an acc.ott of theire opinions wherein & how I have been abused. I would faine by or sell to be quit of him. Therefore, what you doe in that you will doe mee a great kindenes in, & the sooner, the better.

283. [p. 389] William Fox [Montserrat]

London, September 14, 1682
Yours of the 23d June by Capt. Wood I have rec.d with the 8 hhds. of sugar w.ch prove extraordinary bad, espetially two of them, indeed noe better then molasses, and market is a good sugar. For if I can get 18s p.r c.t for them, I shall think them very well sold. I take note you apologize for not loadeing the whole quantity by reason of the hurican & unseasonable weather, w.ch doubtles hath been very distructive. Yet I thought M.tsarrat had felt little of it, haveing been soe informed by severall p.rsons. & I assure you I knoew noe freind I have that I would more redily searve then yourselfe, as nothing in reason that can be desired but I would agree to that lyes in my power to searve you. But, Sir, if you please to consider the thing right, you will then see how greate a sufferer I am in this affaire. Ware it only for France, the loss would be a loss of interest of mony, w.ch is what men live by. Yet that I could very well have disposed with to serve soe good a freinde as I allwayes esteemed you to be, & had that summe of money I am in disburse for you been 3 times as much more to have sent you 2 or 3 yeares with a farthinge interest, I should freely have don it. But in the case you may well judge it quite different. For the mony att 2 or 3 yeares ende, I have rec.d againe without loss only of intrest. But whereas sugars was worth 24s for the 3 last presedent yeares, takeing one time with another, & now I shall sell for 18s p.rhaps or may be less soe that had I had my goods dew in time. That w.ch would have cleared me 13s p.r c.t will now cleare mee 7s p.r c.t & for ought I know next yeare not that. Soe that I have not only been out of my mony soe many yeares, but at last must lose 50£ for 100£ besides. I shall not only twice p.d preme mony, but now dead freight alsoe. & Well knowe, Sir, that in this case it was not in the way of marchandising, where men comonly sell goods for sugars at 5s p.r c.t. & I never knew heretofore but men ware accompted very [good] paymesters that did not once a yeare, & I beleive hereafter may be glad if they can finde that creditt. & Now it is upwards of 4 yeares since you had my effects w.ch was all ready mony, & goods sold at such a pryce as for ready payment drawne upon the nayle. W.ch if I had then had, it would not have afforded me such a modest pryce that noe man would adventure for. Besides all this you well know of where use & proffitt. Such a some of mony hath bee to you for soe many yeares toward the settlement of your plant. that noe man ever yet lent for les then 10 p.r c.t interest in those parts of the world. & To deale more ingeniously with you, I am very well sattisfied that if your owne occation had not required the use of it, it might have beene applyed to the use I sent it for. All w.ch I was unwillinge to take notice of by reasons of my obligations to you. W.ch I shall alwayes esteem myselfe obleidged for, and should be glad it ware in my power to searve you in a greater measure then the loan or intrest of 3 or 400£ to or 3 yeares. But now truly things fall soe heavy upon me that, unles I resolve to give away all I have & beg my bread, I canot pass by these things untaken notice of. Wherefor I refer it to your owne reason and consience to doe what becomes an honest man & a Christian in this case & doe whatever you thinke resonable. I shall freely submitt of, only makeing it my ernest request that you will put a period to the acco. as soone as possible and, what you shipp, pray lett it bee very good sugar & very large cask, w.ch you may take a presid.t of from our plant. & lett them be well filled. As to the rest, I refer it to your owne brest. I desire you will ship of the sugar yourselfe, without giveing anybody elce the trouble of the occation. My adviseinge Mr. Berwick to doe it was in order to guive the ship a dispatch. You may load it on any good ship that offers at any time. As to Mr. Liddells acco.tt, I have settled it with him, soe you have not to doe with that.

I thank you for your advice touching Mr. Bramleys, who hath suffitiently plaide his pranks. I have taken the best councells advice in England upon my Artickles & bonds for p.rformance and, if they are not mistaken in that, [p. 390] I have both law and justice of my side. & Indeed, I have some worthy good freinds in the Kings most Hon.ble Previ Councell who have assured me, if I will move the King & Councell, they will prove me the Kings writte to fetch him to Westminster Hall to a tryall or give good security to answer it there, where he will finde I shall be able to finde as many freinds & as much justice as himselfe, & p.rhaps will finde a hard matter to pursue his acco. and justifie himselfe in the breaches of Artickels, if my lawyers doe not mistake, who perhaps have read as often in Cooke upon Littleton as Mr. Bramley. I am sure I can justly make out that I have been damnified two thous.d pounds sterl. p.r his breaches of Artickles and otherwise. W.ch I was content to pass by for quitenes sake. But after that to be kept out of a legall possession of my estate is not to be endured. ...

Since the writing the foregoeing lines I have seene your sugars and sould them. They cannot bare the name of sugars. Thay are soe intollarable bad. I sold 6 of the best of them at 18s p.r c.t and the other two that ware molasses at 14s p.r c.t. And glad I was could get that price, whereas I sould my owne plant. sugars the 21 hhds. at 22s p.r c.t. An acco. of them you have hereinclosed. & By w.ch you will see, the charge of cask and custome being aded, they cleare but 8s p.r c.t 100£, whereas I never clered of any the former sugars you shipt less then 14s the 100£. And now judge you whether in consience you ought not to make me answarable sattisfaccion is not anough that I am out of my mony soe long, but at last to receive it with such loss. Consider this thing and doe as would be don by & then I am sure your consience will tell you that you must make me sattisfaccion answerable to the loss I have sustained. ...

284. [p. 391] Richard Seay [Waterford]

London, October 7, 1682
Sir,
Being informed by Mr. Clayton of his intentions to goe to Waterford with his ship to load a p.rcell of provitions, these are to desire you to make forty barr.lls of beefe & 10 barr.lls of porke for mee, they being for my owne plant. I desire the favour of you to take spetiall care the caske are exterordinary good & twigd, & likewise that the meate may be of the choysest you can procure. & Let them be very well packt, of w.ch I had compl.t the last yeare. I desire alsoe 3 firkins about 1/2 lb. each of the choysest butter, & 3 boxes of candles of the like w.tt. Be pleased to mark 24 barr.lls of the beefe & 6 barr.lls of the porke, 2 boxes of candles, 2 firkins of butter – HF – & consigne the same to Mr. Robert Helmes in Nevis. Advise him its for the use of our plant. The other 16 barr.lls of beefe, 4 barr.lls of porke & one box of candles & one firkin of butter marke WF & consigne the same to Mr. George Liddell and Mr. W.m Berwick in Mountsarratt for my plant. there. I am just now goeinge to Newmarkett. As soone as I returne, w.ch may be about 14 dayes hence, I will send you a bill to discharge this my request. ...

285. Captain William Berwick [Montserrat]

[London, August 8, 1682]
Here followes part of a letter copied 2 letters behinde, dated the 8th of August 1682, togeather with all affores.d certificates, upon receipt of w.ch I shall then make my apligation to the King & Councell for an appeall to try the issue here in England, w.ch I am assured will not be refused me.

Now, on the contrary, if the Gener.ll or the Governor of the Islands doe put you in actuall possession to act & doe in all things as of right belong to me on my part, then it is my order & desire that you refer the whole manadgment of the plantations to the planters part of it to Mr. Bramley to act & doe in all things relateing thereunto as he shall see fitt. But mistake not my meaneing in this p.rticular when I say as to the planters part, that is, in planting the grounde & makeing of that fruites of the same, & the manidgment of the slaves & servants, & but not to cary on any buildings or to contract any charge without a joynt consent, w.ch you are free to consider whether will tend to the advantage of the plant. or not. Before you admit of any such thinge to be don, then you are to inspect the bookes &, if you keepe them not yourselfe, to see that the plant. hath dew creditt for all the sugars & rum made, & that there may be an exact accompt kept of the same & rendered me, & that my halfe part may be equally divided from time to time & sent me accordinge to my former orders. Next you are not to p.rmitt or suffer Mr. Bramley to buy or put on anything upon the plant. exceeding the sume of one thous.d pounds of sugar limitted in the Artickles, unles don by a joynt consent of you & him. & If upon dew consideration you finde anythinge necessary to be bought for the use of the plant. that will exceed that sume of owne thous.d pounds of sugar, then you are to take care that the same may be bought at the cheapest & best hand, & my halfe part p.d for with ready mony if to be purchased for the same, he payinge for his owne as pleaseth him best. Next, whatsoever he shall buy with the same of one thousand pounds of sugar limitted in the Artickles, you are to inspeckt the same & see that it is bought at the best hand & to pay for my halfe part with ready mony; or in case he will not p.rmitt you soe to doe, you are then to buy the like quantity of the same specia that he hath soe bought to inqualize [sic] on my part, on the best tearmes that you can, not exceedinge the afforesaid sume of one thous.d pounds of sugars; or if [p. 392] I have any of the same kinde of goods or provitions, to put in the like quantity which the Artickles permitt on my part as well as his. Alsoe if it shall hapen, there may be an occation to imploy any workemen or hyred men upon the plant., you are to take an acco. of there wages & likewise to give your opinion in poynt of agreem.t. & For the halfe part of the wages that becomes dew to any such, you are to pay the sume with ready mony or such goods as you have by you for that purpose on my acco.tt. Then you are to request of Mr. Bramly a joynt stock to be put in for the suply of the plant. in all things att the best hand accordinge to Artickles. W.ch if he agree to & comply with, I am free. The same shall be put into the hands of any honest man here to buy betwixt us both. To whome I will pay my halfe part dewly of the cost of all such necessaries. But if he inclines not thereunto, I desire you according to my former instructions to consider what may be wantinge for the suply of my halfe part & dewly to advise for the same, as timely as possible. Next, be sure to consider well my Artickles & take a speciall care that you make noe breaches on my part. But if Mr. Bramley doth abstinately & willfully persist in the makeinge any breaches on his part, doe you in such case protest ag.st all such proceedings of his & take notice of the day of the mo. & thing transacted at all times. You are alsoe to take notice that nothinge may be brought in as a charge to the plant. acco.tt that doth not properly belonge to the same. & It is my request to you, you avoid all occations of differences & contentions as much as possible, alwayes provided that you suffer noethinge to be don to my prejudice w.ch noteinge the same. But rather then contend, leave it to me to issue & determine when I shall see a more convenient time. & Although there can be noe pretence of right or superiority on his part, yet desire you to give way & place to him upon the plant. upon all such accompts & demeane yourselfe with sevility & respect to him in all things, as far as reason & modesty will permitt. & Let noe triviall things occation any differances, if that will doe, for it is my absolutely desire to avoide contention. & Therefore, I intreat you to govern yourselfe with all possible moderation & to avoid all occations possible, but I will not be huft nor hectord out of my right in noethinge. Therefore, if in anythinge you finde he goes about to doe, that be sure to note the same & give me an account of it & he assuredly must expect to pay for it.

It is my order & desire that you give Mr. Bramley a copie of this letter, oneley leave out the first parte relateinge to the ship Abigall freightm.t & shew the Governor of that island this my letter, as alsoe a coppie of Mr. Bramleys letter to me & ernestly request him to doe me right in all things to avoid all further troubles & complaint. For if I come to complaine to the King & Councell, I must ground it upon the Governers refuseall of doeing mee right. & Consequently, my complaint must be ag.st him w.ch may fall out to be greatly to prejudice. & I have that respect & freindship for him that I shall be very loath to transact anything to his prejudice. But rather then to see illegally kept out of my estate, I must doe it. He may well judge that I transact nothinge, but what I have law & justice on my side, when I ground it upon the opinion of the fower best & ablest lawyers of England, w.ch hath cost me noe small summe of mony that I have rather chose to give, then that any eror should be comitted on my part & that he may see that I court noethinge. But I pray these my orders to you will shew, neither doe I expect anythinge but reight to be don upon all acco. Pray cary the Artickles & bonds to the Governor, & desire him to peruse them, & consider them well, & then let him judge whether I have right on my side or not. I have been very tedious on this subject, yet could could [sic] not well be breifer. [p. 393] For I am now resolved noe longer to suffer my estate to be spent & wasted at will & pleasure of another man who hath heitherto made me pay 2d & 3d for each peny it hath been suplyed with & hath at his one will & pleasure contracted such a perpetual charge that hath in a manner eate out the whole proffitts.

He hath made a proposision to me of renteing my halfe part. & If the propossition be soe advantageous on my part as he alleadgeth, I suppose he will be content to take the same rate for his owne part. If soe, I will give it without any more cares, or if he be inclynable to buy or sell, or anythinge, as he calls it, for a quiet life, let him fix a price. Such a one as he will enter into bonds to stand to, as I will doe the like. & Give me the liberty of choyse whether I will buy or sell (as its but reasonable), he fixinge the pryce who must needs be a better judge of its worth then I am, beinge your on the place & I will obleidge either to doe one or tother. But if he designes to doe this, be sure to take an exact & parfect inventory of the whole estate & all things up.n it, and send me that I may in sume measures be able to judge of its true vallew. & When I goe about to doe this, I will binde him firmely in bonds to the vallew of 2,000£ by advice of councell here (w.ch shall pay the halfe of the charge) to obleidge him to stande to what he doth. He must likewise profix the times & manner of payment whether in mony sterl. here or sugars there. & This I shall be forst to doe to rid hime of this burthensumme partnorship, as he call it; anythinge for a quiet life. I will not give away my estate for his quiet. If he be inclinable to this, let me receive his answer. The buyer shall binde himselfe & the whole estate for paym.t, as councell shall advice. & For any defect of nonpaym.t according to time, the buyer shall pay after the rate of 15 p.r c.t p.r anno intrest till the same shall be paid for the time it becomes dew. These & some other things for true p.rformance will be necessary to be considered of for the bondinge each other to punctuall p.rformance. ...

286. [p. 396] [General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]]

London, September 14, 1682
Honored Sir,
I have rec.d severall kinde & most obleidging letters from you, amongt w.ch is one relateing to an interloper taken p.r Capt. Billop. When that came to my hands, the King was att Windsor, where imeadietly I went & found Mr. Trant there alsoe upon the same occation, he haveing rec.d your letter to that effect & the Duke being then at Windsor. We thought fitt first to make aplycation to his R. H. who was very ready to serve you upon that occation. And to prompt him thereunto I aquainted him with the small benifit you had reaped from the Tobago negros, that notwithstanding His Maj.ties most gratious gifts yet nevertheles you ware compeled to pay the Dutch Agent for them by order of Councell. His R.H. went imeadietly to His Ma.tie &, after haveing aquainted him with the affaire, moved in your behalfe & the King was pleased to give him grant of what you requested. But Mr. Trant and I being informed that, notwithstanding His Ma.ties grant, noe privy seale could pass, by reason of a generall caveat beinge entred in all the offices by the Lords of the Tresury that noe Previ Sele should pass upon any gift of His Majesties untill past the Treasury alsoe, that soe His Ma.tie might not be sureprised in any gift untill the true vallew was knowne. We thought fitt the next day to move His Ma.tie againe by way of peticions & humbly intreated his R.H. to deliver the same & move againe in your behalfe, w.ch was don, & the said peticion was referd to the Lords of the Tresury with a harty recomendations both from the King & Duke to my Lord Hide in your favour. Soe that my Lord Hide promised to aquaint the rest of the Lords of the Tresury with His Ma.ties & R.H. pleasure therein and noe debt but is past, though now its very difficult to get any gift of vallew past the Tresury. We haveing thus far proceeded, nothing more could be don till the Lords of the Treasury satt & then recomended the whole care of the manidgment of the busines in the Treasury to Mr. Trant, whose busines there requires his constant attendance & is a better solicitor in all such affaires then I can pretend to, & likewice hath a great intrest w.th the Lords by meanes of his being concerned in the publique farmes, who you may be assured will improve it to your most advantage. He faithfully promised me a moment should not be lost bot to prosecute it with all imaginable expedicion. Since that I have been in the contry, soe that I have not seene him, he being alsoe at this time at his contrey house 4 miles from Windser, that at present I can give you noe further acc.ott how farr he hath proceeded in the matter. But you may be assured that it either is or will be effected according to your owne desire, & I doubt not but all things will sucksed to your sattisfaccion. Thus much as to that p.rticular. & Further I assure you that both K. & D. as well as the Royall Company are very well sattisfied with this transaction, for not above 3 weeks before after my returne from Scotland with his R.H., I was advised by Mr. Blathwayts that the R. Comp. had been preferinge a complaint against you upon the acco. of interlopers. As soone as I was advised thereof, I forthwith made aplycation to the Duke, being assured that, since he was returned, they would moove in noethinge without first aquaintinge him therewith, as being there Governor and principall suporter. Therefore, I thought necessary to prepare him first ag.st any such compl.t and did assure him of your integrity upon all occations of serveing there intrest according to His Ma.ties charter & comands; & therefore prayed his R.H. if any such matter should come before him, that he would suspend there proceedinge untill you had notice thereof & time to answer for yourselfe, for that I was confident you would give ample sattisfaccion both to His Ma.tie & R.H. In all things now should be transacted, the Duke promised me that noething should be don to your prejudice. & Since this affaire hath hapned, the R.C. are soe well pleased with the transactions that noething further hath been moved; & I believe they will alsoe pr.sent you with theire part of the seisure according to the K. grant to them. This I hard by them when in discourse with some of the members, intimatting to them there misunderstandinge & want of knowleidge of your worth & integrity in the servis of the Kinge. Soe that, of this there intended compl.t, it will not be proper to take any notice, since they are now soe well sattisfied to the contrary.

I had noe knowleidge of this opertunity of convayance untill this day, and whether I shall be able to get your velvet cote & briches ready to send by it or not I know not, since its soe suden. The tayler I have set to to work this morninge and, if possible can get it don, it shall be sent by this convayance. I doe not exactly remember how your last velvet coat was trimd & lyned, but you shall be sure to have as fashonable as any now worne, w.ch p.rhaps, if it ware made & trimd after the fashon of the last, it might not. [p. 397] ... I have severall times discoursed Mr. Trant touching my provition of the two yeares pay for the 2 companies. That now rec.d, he tells me he is noewayes conserned in the matter of what past betwixt you & I, but that what he hath done in it is by your orders. I gave three yeares & a half constant attendance both in town & out of town, in w.ch time I may confidently say it cost me att least to hund.d pounds out of pockett. And if Mr. Trant or any man in Engl.d can say that I did not my duty in it, or that I did not as much as hee or any other man in Engl.d could doe in it. I am content to loose both my labor & mony. But this beinge proved, I think in consience the laborer is worthy of his hyre. Ware it your p.rticular concern, I should think my mony & time well spent in the servis of soe good a freinde. But to doe it for the publyque, who will not soe much as thank me for it is most unreasonable. Wherefore with submission I recomend it to your consideration, & desire your answare to it. ...

I omitted to returne you my harty thankes touchinge your advice concerning Mr. Buttles estate, but I have don p.r that as p.r Parham, for I am quite discouridged for ever being a marchant adventurer or planter more, unles I ware upon the place myselfe. For otherwise whatever a man buyes, be the bargaine every soe great, its to perplex and trouble a mans sperits & at least I shall be cheated out of all. Soe that I neither repent the missing one or tother. Bawden hath bought if for 1,000£, who it is most proper for. If I might have had it for halfe the mony, I would not give it.

287. [p. 398] Robert Helme [Nevis]

London September 14, 1682
I have received severalls of yours by Wood & other shipes, all w.ch gives an acco. of the fatall yeare you have had, w.ch hath quite disabled all planters from payment of there debts this yeare & I doubt forever. For certainely yours must be in very bad hands that are soe many yeares standinge out. To that I shall say little more, but content myselfe with what shall hapen. But since the time of our covenants now drawes neare there expiration, I hope you will take care soe to settle all things, that we may have a full acco. of all our concernes, & where & how it stands, and give such necessary instructions that what in probability is recoverable, may as speedyly as can be gott in. For its to be doubted in few yeares more that what may then be recovered will not be worth bringing home & then its as good looseing it one way as the other. I have rec.d p.r Mr. Wood in the Abigall 26 hhds. of sugar from Mr. Liddell for the rent of the plant. w.ch is not at all qualified according to covenants. Its soe intollerable bad that it cannot bare the name of muscovado sugar. I have sold them to Mr. Fleet & just wayed them of 17s p.r c.t & glad I was to take it, & much adoe to reach that price. ...

All our sugars p.r Wood & the ketch, except the afforesaid 26 hhds., remaines unsold. The most yet proffered for them is 18s 6d p.r c.t. Of all the former sug.rs that came to hand, I have not as yet rec.d one peny for them. Neither have I rec.d one peny of mony opon your acco.

[p. 399] Since I sent you the last acco. but one, the contrary I have p.d & as well as the freight, custome & petty charges of all such goods as hath come. This sugar was never yet knowne such a drag in the world. This I take notice of to you because your wife did call upon me for 600£ to put out for you, wheras I paid her last weeke 400£ & a little time after since 100£ & sume small sumes I have paid besides amounts to neare 50£, & paid your bill of 100£. & Now I have a bill of £175 more to pay on your p.rticular acco. to Mr. Pickford, my brother & selfe haveing paid the like sumes to him in Lisboa, which he drew upon us and am out I beleive 150£ upon your p.rticular acco. for your p.t of freight, custome and charges of sugars, that as yet I have not rec.d a peny for. All these summes being added togeather am.ts to 1,025£. Soe that I am not invested with neere that sume of yours, although you have a far greater sum standing out in debts, w.ch as soone as rec.d shall be aplyed to your use but as I desire, not to make use of your mony unles I pay intrest for it, soe I ought not to pay it before its rec.d.

I am informed by Mr. Berwick that Mr. Stapleton bond is but for 47,000 lbs. sugar, whereas it ought to have been for 83,140 lbs. sugar at 1d p.r pound, as I write the Gen.ll. However, it matters not much, for I see there is noe care taken for payment of of the debt but insteed of receiveing the debt, I have by meanes thereof paid duble the vallew of what I have rec.d in dead freight. Wherefore I have resolved to give myselfe noe further trouble about that matter, but to content myselfe with the losse of the debt. & Therefore, I now desire you to receive from Mr. W.m Berwick the said bond & cancell the same & deliver it up to the Gen.ll.

I take notice of what you write as to Tho. Westcott, that he seemes to make some difficallties in the p.rformance of when we required him to doe the same thinge. He hints himselfe to us but writes more plainely to his brother that what we requires is unreasonable &, if we expect it should be don, should have sent him 3 or 4 bookkeepers. But I thought it had been acostomary for men who draw comissions to keepe bookekeepers to render such acco.tt as in justice they ought to doe. I am sure if he hath followed his orders, he hath had little to doe this yeare but to minde his bookes. For he had orders from us to sell none of our goods but for ready paym.t & as yet hath not returned one pound of sugurs for them. What he hath shipt upon other p.rtable acco.tt of this yeare receipts is only 19 hhds. & ten terces that we yet know of, but for the payment of our dead freight, we may thank the good bargaine of negros. Your good bro. hope him to have just reason to beleeve they lay therie heads togeather & conspires how to ruin us. But p.rhaps it may in the end prosper accordingly with them. They are all brave fellowes & men of estate; but lett them inquire into the gettinge theire estates & they will finde it got little better then picking of pocketts. Nay, I think worce for he that betrayes trust. I canot give soe good an acco.tt of himselfe. Its to noe parpose to complaine but I hope you have ere now settled things with Mr. Westcott as we have desired. & If he thinkes it to be unreasonable, its only because he cannot have soe good an opertunity to buy and sell with our effects as he hath hietherto don, but that we are not allwayes obleidged to p.rmit him to doe. Therefore, if he refuseth, you have a full & ample power from us to call him to an acc.ott & upon your adressinge yourselfe to the Gen.ll I hope he will doe us right. Soe that if you finde he will not condisend to those things that are just & make it his busines with all care & dilligence to recover our estates that he hath soe squandered out in debts, you must take it out of his hands & put it in to such as will be more carefull, to which I will recomend Mr. Ph. Edwards to you for an assistante, who hath made it his request to have some imployment from us. I hope you will approve of him & that he will prove a sober carefull man. I doe not write this designeinge to take anything of out of the hands or power of Tho. Westcott, provided he will discharge his trust with care & dilligence in order to the recovery of our debts with expedition. For what is not soe don in a little time, I looke upon as quite lost. Therefore, it behooves you to follow that busines close & pray omitt not the adiustment of all acco.tt with him. Its strange that after haveing writte soe often to this effect that we are still without our accompts. ...

I thinke you would doe well to absoelutely acquit yourselfe from the Royall Companyes busines and stick to the settlem.t of our owne. Otherwice, I beleeve both will come to noething in the end. I am impatient to see some end or other of this troublesom concerne.

I take notice you mention to have paid Rich.d Watts for the hoopes. Which is strainge that he did not ship it, in regard he knew of my paying [p. 400] dead freight. The little hint you give me that you have related he hath don with it, being compared with a former letter off advice of his bareing date the 15 of March Last, gives me allsoe cause to suspect he is falling into his former extravigantyes. The wordes are these: "by Capt. Hepborne who may sale about 8 dayes hence shall send you Acco. of Sales of your provitions p.r Terry w.ch is now all sold. I would have shipt three tunes on him but he would not let me freight. Soe shall stay till Capt. Terry arrives." Now, he hath never shipt me since but 5 hhds., the Invo. of w.ch am.ts to 6,895 lbs. sugar & never gave me any reason for his soe doeinge. But in his last letter to me tells me he he had not rec.d the sugar for the hoopes of Mr. Carpenteer, w.ch I did not a little strange at since you knew I should pay dead freight. These things gives me just cause to suspect him. & Therefore, I desire you to deliver him the inclosed letter, & to call him to an acco., & examine his bookes forthwith. & If you finde he hath rec.d any of the proceeds of my goods & extravigantly spent or converted the same to other uses, that you will imeadiatly gett a warant, & call him befor the Gen.ll, & make him give his bond for paym.t of soe much mony in London at 12s 6d p.r c.t, as appeares he hath soe made use of, or elce keep him in custody untill hee makes good the sume. & For what app.rs that he had rec.d before Woods departure to pay the dead freight of the same & such other debts as are standinge out upon acco.tt of the goods I sent him, to imploy somebody to receive the same that will be carefull.

... If you finde him behindhand & that he will give his bond for soe much quietly you may take it without troubleinge the Gen.ll. He hath whearewithall to make sattisfaccon, is now of age & you may lett him continue receiveinge. But have a watchfull eye over him to see that he shipes the effects as rec.d it. It was never my intent that he should seperate himselfe from you, but that he should still be with you to assist in all things. ...

The Letter of Attorny you have of from mee is in furt. power for you to act in any my concernes whatsoever as can be given.

288. George Liddell [Montserrat]

London, September 14, 1682
I have rec.d both yours of the 26th of Aprill & 24 June before me. In the first I take notice you are inclynable to avoyd my proporsion of selling you my halfe parte of the plant. att 5 yeares purchas, which you say you have calculated in sugar, & will amount to 89,100 lbs. sugar. But in that you misunderstande my proposition. For when I say I will sell you my quarter part att 5 yeares purchars, it is for mony not fur sugars, viz. att 125£ p.r anno, according to the covenants of your lease, to pay in case of defalte or nonepayment of sugars. According to covenants you are to pay 250£ p.r anno here, w.ch covenants you will see by the follo.ing lines you have not p.rformed on your part. But that I shall lett alone till I come to that, & first give answer to your proposition. As to sell of such sugars as you ship, I had as good give it away. But if you ship your sugar in quality, consideringe that quality according to covenants, that would yeild the full rent of 250£ p.r anno, as you may see p.r the acco. of the proceeds of 21 hhds. I have rec.d p.r this ship Abigall from my owne plant., though att this time sugars are att the lowest rate that ever they were knowne the world. Soe that if you thinke fitt to accept this my propersition any time betwixt May Next & Xmas Follo., w.ch time I give you to give me your answer hereunto for this. Next yeares rent will be dew but very neare dew before I can receive your answer. Therefore I reserve it to myselfe [p. 401] & give you timely notice to give your answer in dew time. The next yeare, if you will pay me 625£ in mony sterl. here in London, ready downe, I will then assigne all of the said plant. to you & your heires; or in case it sutes not to your conveniency to pay mony ready downe or at settlem.t limitted, viz. att any time betwixt the first day of May & the 25th of Decemb.r Follo., if you can pay but halfe of the mony ready downe, I will give you either one or two yeares time for paym.t of the other half, w.ch you shall desire. Is provided you will allow me 6 p.r cent interest for the same till paid. But in this case, I will not convay the part of that plant. untill the whole mony is paid, but will give my bond to doe as soone as you have paid the whole mony. Or in case you can give me security here in London to my likeing for the payment of the mony, then I will imeadietly convey & at this rate I am sure you will purchas the plant. at 1/3 of the rate it cost yourselfe for it. & These are my tearmes & noe other, to w.ch I desire your answer. There can be noe misunderst.ding, I have laid downe all things soe plaine. I am sory you complaine of a hard bargaine, yet I hope it hath not soe originally to you. For blesed be God, since you have entered into that p.rtnorship of this plant. with us, you have acquired a good estate from it & assure you I could have laid out the mony that plant. cost the settlem.t to much more advantage had the goods been returned here. But to discourse these things will be to noe purpose. I hope it will prove noe hard bargaine to you.

The next I take notice of is you endevor to excuse that quality of the sugars the last yeare, & to make out that I had noe cause to complaine of that sugar, in regard it looseth accordinge to your computation but 7 p.r cent. But I think I am not to learn how to calculate. I say it cost 19 p.r c.t over & above the allowance of 12 p.r cent & the sugar was soe very bad in quallity alsoe that they yeilded unles by 30£ p.r c.t, at least then they would have don had they been according to contract. Yet this I past by in hopes of a further amendment after haveing given you notice of the same. But how you have mended the matter will appear to you when I com to give you an acco.tt of these last 26 hhds., which I refer till I can give answer to yours of the 24th of June. ...

Herewith have the coppie of my contract with my bro. for the 20 negroes I have bought of him for your accompt by your order. (fn. 1) By w.ch you may see its left to your choyce either to pay sugar or money att 18£ sterl. p.r head which I think will be our best way to doe. For if you ship good sugar I believe 3,000 lbs. per head will pay for them, & 18£ is cheaper by 40£ then ever I knew choyce negros sold for. I proffered Giles Lawrance soe last yeare for some who would not take it. I must desire you to make provition for payment in dew time accordinge to my contract that it may be discharged. You have herewith my bro. Baxters ord.r to my cozen Bedingefeild & Mr. W.m Berwicke to desire them to you accordinge to contract. If I can doe you only a kindenes or servis, you may at any time readily command me.

The next thing I am to take notice of is relating to your acco. Wherein you say my cozen Bedingfeild was to pay the 7,110 lbs. sugar. But the acco. is signed by you both & therefore both equally liable to me. But since you are sattisfied, I have noethinge further to say to that artickle. ...

[p. 402] ... The 26 hhds. of sugar p.r Wood, w.ch are all landed in good condition & sold, but is such trash that it canot bare the name of sugars. I have sould them to Mr. John Fleet att 17s p.r cent & much adoe I had to gett that for them, being more then they ware worth. To certifie the truth thereof to give, I have sent you a certificate under his & my brother Baxters hands, who are ready to prove the same upon oath that they canot bare the name of sugars. Had they been good according to contract, I had sold them unto the said Fleet before landed with my owne plant. sugars att 22s p.r cent & soe contracted with him for them, at which rate they would have come to 287£ 1s. The freight, custom & petty charges being deducted, they would have amounted to 250£, w.ch in proffite a very triffle, att the low price sugars is now at, w.ch is the lowest that ever sugars was knowe at. But because they could not bare the name of marchantable musco.do sugars, the bargaine was a void & I forsed to sell them for what they ware worth. An acco. of them you have hereinclosed, p.r which you will see they cleere but 162£ 0s 7d. & Now, because you have not complyed with your contract in ladeing good, dry & cured marchantable muscovado sugars according to the expres words of your lease & covenants with me, I am therefore noewayes obleidged to accept the same any other wayes then upon your own acco.tt. Wherefore, I have given you acco.tt creditt for 81£ 0s 3½d, being halfe of the n.t proceeds of the same, & have made you Deb.r for £125, my halfe part of the said rent, according to covenants. Soe that you remaine my Deb.r 43£ 19s 8½d upon acco.tt of my quarter part of the said rent for what concernes Mr. Helmes his part. I have copyed p.t of the n.tt proceeds to his acco.tt in p.t & have given him an acco.tt of the same. Soe that I leave the decision of that matter betwixt yourselves & only medle with what concernes my alone part. ...

289. [p. 404] Colonel Powell [Montserrat]

London, September 18, 1682
Sir,
I have rec.d your kinde letter to which I gave answer but soe unfortunate to have it returned, the ships being gone before it came to my freinds hands under whose cover I sent it to deliver you. Since your departure, here was some notice taken p.r the Lords of the Councell of your beinge preferd to the Governm.t of Mountserat relateing to your religoon, w.ch I had notice of from a freind of mine that is one of the clarkes of the Councell. That small interest I have made use of to serve you w.ch I hope tooke soe good effect that there will be noe further notice taken of it, since I have harde nothinge further of it. What lyes in power you shall allwaies feinde me ready to searve you in. Wherefore lay your comands att all times wherein you think mee capable.

Sir, I am now to acquaint you with a concerne of my owne wherein I have rec.d ingreat justice for some yeares past. & In hopes of redressinge myselfe, I sent Mr. W.m Berwick, who was a person very well recomended to me p.r Mr. John Bawden, a soeber, well governed man who I impowered to act in all things on my part & behalfe on a plant. I am concerned with Mr. John Bramley equally in partnorship. But I finde to my great prejudice that neither Sir W.m Stapleton nor yourselfe would admitt him to the possession thereof, w.ch I suppose was an intended kindnes to mee supposeing the interest might suffer thereby. But in the meantime I am sure I am a suffitient sufferer. I have taken the best & ablest councells advice upon the covenants betwixt Mr. Bramley & myselfe, & they all agree that I am greatly injured & that the keepeinge my attorny or whoever I impower out of possesion is absoelutely illegall & contrary to all law & justice. ... You see plainely by his one letters he tells me the govermente doth countenance him in it. Its like he may tell you a faire story; but its aparant to all your freinds here I am wronged. ...

290. Mrs. John Bedingfield

London, September 21, 1682
Dear Coosen Bedingefeild,
I am hartily sorry these my lines should be the mesinger of such ill tidings, but soe it is, & we must all submitt to Gods will & pleasure, who was pleased to lay his afflecting hand about 14 dayes since upon your husband with violent feaver w.ch I feire proceed from some intemperance by settinge up & drinkinge hard 2 or 3 nights before as I am informed. This feaver sume dayes affter was attended with the small pox, [p. 405] both w.ch distempers combined soe violent upon him untill the 19th Instant att night, when he departed this life. & Tomorow is appointed for his interment. If it had pleased God to have spared him life & health, he was designed over about 3 weekes hence in Mr. W.m Helmes, who is found out. I presume you have sent your sonn by Mr. Clayton who I will take care to keepe att schoole to his learninge.

I am now to acquaint you that my brother in law Mr. W.m Baxter hath contracted for a shipp of negros which was designed to have been consigned unto your husband & Mr. W.m Berwicke & indeed was purely designed kindnes to him. Your husband att his request was alsoe interested 1/4 of the said negros which he designed for his owne plant. on the same condicons that my bro. Baxter hath contracted for them, & I am bound for the payment of them with him, for the same hihe rate of 12£ 18s starl. p.r head to be paid by Bills of Exchange here in London. Now, the contract was not signed between him & my brother Baxter before his deseace, but my word past for it, yet if you to decide it, or think it not convenient, or that you are not in a condition to make that paym.t accordingly, or that it may be anywaies disadvantagous to you, since it hath pleased God to take your husband away, who its possible was better able to have manidged that affaire then you can, I have desired my brother Baxter to acquit you of the bargaine, provided its your desire soe to be, & to have the whole ladeinge of negros upon his owne acco. who hath since your husband decease left them to the dispossall of George Liddell & William Berwick. & If you desired to be acquitted of the forth part, but have still a desire to purchase some part thereof for the stocking your plant., I have desired him to write effectually to Mr. George Liddell & Mr. W.m Berwick to lett you have 10 or 12 choysest of the slaves upon the same tearmes that I bought 20 of them for Mr. George Liddell at his instance & request. A copie of the contract I have sent Mr. Liddell, w.ch desire to him to shew you. I would have you consult your owne interest & accordingly to chiuse which of the propossione will be most suitable for you. & If you think fitt rather to stand to that bargaine of your husband made the forth part, then you must make provition for the payment accordinge to theire contract. & I allsoe desire you to declare to Mr. George Liddell as soone as this comes to hand, & that you have well considered its contents, w.ch of these propossions you will stand to, or whether you will be acquitted of both. ...

I must further request you to take noe notice of this matter to any p.rson, unles to your brother or some p.rticular freinde that you can confide in the keepeinge it privat; for by noe meanes he would not have the busines spread abroad untill the slaves are well landed. For I understand the p.rson he hath bought them is an interloper and the landinge of them by his contract is upon his owne risque. Therefore, if any seisure should hapen, you must use your utmost interest with all your freinds [&] relacions for the cleareinge them, for as I have said before, his whole designe and intent was to doe your husband a kindnes in it. Pray be soe prudent as to manidge this busines with secrecy & discresion, as the affors.d requires. ...

291. [p. 406] [General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]]

London, September 27, 1682
Honored Sir,
I am ashamed to give you the trouble of thes lines, the contents of which being to noe other effect. But I find myselfe compeld soe to doe, unles I should resolve to be cheated out of all I have. For such a p.rcell of idle cheatinge younge rascolls as I have imployed I think noe man ever had to doe with. This p.rticularly relates to Rich.d Watts to whome I cons.d a p.rcell of provitions & other goods of which he hath rendred Acc.ott of Sales of one hund.d & od thous.d pounds of sugars. His possitive orders from me was to sell for noething but for ready paym.t or keepe them by him. And being a longe since disposed of, he hath only send me 5 hhds. of sugar, though he ownes by his owne letter to me to have rec.d in sugar & mony att least 3,000 lbs. sugar, more the greatest part in sugars, & confeses to have made use of the same, & orders me for my payment mony out of a kind man hands where he hath none. But I confes he hath about 5 lbs. in the Chamberlins hands. But since the differences betwixt the King & the Citty, they pay noe money & many people are in a doubt whether ever it will be recoverable. I have hopes it may otherwice. Whatever this idle younge fellowe hath made use of will certainely be lost, besides for whatever he hath rec.d the freight is clearely lost, w.ch he must alsoe make good for what shall soe appeare.

Now, Sir, my request to you is that you will be please to give Mr. Rob.t Helmes your warrant (who hath a full & ample power from mee) to call him before you, and alsoe to seise upon all his bookes. & The same being inquired into, whatever shall apeare to have been rec.d by him & converted to other uses, that you will be pleased to compell him to give and for the same att the rate of 12s 6d p.r cent, togeather with the paym.t of such other dead freight as appeares I am justly injured in by his soe disposeinge thereof, payable here in London. ... & Alsoe be pleased to make him get an acknowledgement from all such p.rsons to Mr. Helmes where mine indebted. Your countenance in the recovery of the same I noewayes doubt of; as alsoe if he should refuse, that you will execute such justice upon him as will compell him thereunto. He thought the planters of the Islands have paid very bad, yet I verily beleive busenes of these men have generally make it there busines only to defraud theire imployers & keepe there stockes imployed to there owne benefitts. This all men begins to have such a gen.ll sence of, that unles the greatest severity be used against such, the Islands will finde noebody in a little time will come to bringe them any provitions or other releife. Sir, I must intreat your favor upon any such or the like occations wherein Mr. Rob.t Helmes may have occation to make appligation to you. For w.thout your favor & kindnes, I very beleive betwixt one or tother of them we shall be cheated out of all our of debts standing out in all the Islands, I verily beleeve, to the vallew of upwards of thirty thous.d pounds sterl. ...

Sence my last to you this rogue Billop hath made deniall of a compl.t against you w.ch was caried on soe cuningly by the rascall that none of your freinds knew a word of it untill the Duke gave me notice of it, who was really possessed with the matter. But I have with the assistance of your freinds Cotter & Trant & such other freinds soe brought the matter about that the rascall is absoelutely disapointed to the ruin of himselfe. I doubt not Munday Last was apoint.d by the Kinge & Concell for a hereing of the busines, & your letters came seasonabley on Sunday to his R. H., My Lord Feversham, Mr. Blathw.t, & Sir Rob.t Holmes, though we had given the Duke full sattisfaccion in the matter before & his R. H. had informed most of the Privi Councell the true estate of the matter. But because Billop was not then prepared, the hereing of the busines was deferd till Satterday Next, when you need not question but you will have freinds enoughfe there to doe you all imaginable right. Time will not permitt me to give you soe full an acco. of this matter; but as soone as the tryall is over, you shall have all the proceedings at large. ...

292. [p. 407] Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, September 27, 1682
Yesterday I rec.d your p.r Capt. Durall who is in the River & by what I can understand we have upwards of 100 tuns dead fr.tt to pay upon her. Indeed, we ware greatly mistaken in the burthen of that ship, for Mr. Skutt did assure us she was not 140 tuns ordinay tunidge w.ch we computed about 70 tuns; & although she was contracted for before the advice of the storme, yet, beinge the only tunidge we had taken to load of our effects from the island of Nevis & Antigua, considering the large effects we have there & of how longstandinge, in reason noe man could have beleived we had overdon ourselves in that. My bro. Baxter & selfe have 40 t.s more dead fr.tt to pay on Randall & neere 30 t.s more on Clark, & I have 11 t.s on Wood. & The little sugars they have brought will not yeild one peny, being now generally sold from 15 to 19 & 20s p.r cent, as in goodnes. Soe that all things tends to ruin. & I beleeve all those yonge sparks we have had to doe with hath made a combination to bring it past; otherwice, they would never have acted as they have. I shall say little as to that, but fr. corispondency good Lord deliver us.

In my former letters I take notice of what hint you gave as to Rich.d Watts haveinge rec.d the proceeds of the hoops, but that you knew not what he had don with it, w.ch gave me cause of jelousy, considering the contents of his president lines dated in March Last, of all which you will receive an acco. in another by this. & My further request to you relateing to that affaire, & c. Indeed, I must tax you with unkindnes for not takeing notice of these his extravigancyes to me, w.ch you have suffitient power from me to call him or any other p.rson to an acco. in any such case where you see me soe abused it would have been kindnes & what I should not have fayled to have don for you in any the like cases. Now, I perceive by the younge gent. letter to me that what I then suspected proves to true, for (he ownes) he have made use of that sugars. & All other the proceeds of our goods we may be alsoe confident is gone the same way. For I suppose the greatest part of it is rec.d, his orders from me being possitive to sell for noethinge but for ready paym.t. & Yet al is sould & Acco. of Sales rendred of ninety od thousand of sugars, besides the proceeds of 15 thous.d hoops; & yet but six thous.d od hund.d of sugars returned. & Yet the rascall hath the impudence to desire of me to receive the proceeds of the sugars for the hoops out of his cozen Watts his hands who he hath impowed with me to receive his porsion out of the Chamberlins hands, never takeing notice that att the same time I pay dead fr.tt & he sells my sugars there for ready money at 18. p.r c.t, as you write its worth. Its tru he hath money in the Chamber of London, but since these differences betwixt the King & the Citty, the Chamber of London Cr. is soe lowe that they pay not a peny to any. Besides none can receive it out of the Chamberlins hands untill he comes himselfe to discharge them. Soe that I now make my request to you that as soone as this comes to your hands that you forthwith gett the Gen.lls warr.tt & fetch him before him; but if posible you can first get his bookes into your hands, that you may be able to prove how much he hath rec.d. & For what appeares to have been rec.d before the ships comeinge away on w.ch I say dead fr.t, viz. Wood or Durall, noe reason can deny but that he ought to pay the dead fr.tt for soe much over and above the curr.tt pryce of 12s 6d p.r cent & haveinge started the busines what is rec.d & what is justly standing out in debts of w.ch you must get acknoleidgem.t from all the p.rties who is debt.rs. I then desire you to compell him to give bond for the paym.t soe much mony or sugars att 12s 6d p.r c.t, as appeares to have been made use of by him, togeather with the afforesaid dead fr.tt payable here in London upon the Excha. For w.ch take 3 bonds for all of the same tenor & date. For feare of miscaridge of w.ch, send to p.r the two first convayances & keepe the 3d in your hands. & Pray lett the same be wittnesed by fore or five p.rsones, w.ch I desire the Gen.ll & Secretary to be two, yourselfe one & a master of ships belonging to London. And for what debts are standing out, pray imploy some honest p.rson that will be pressinge in the speedy recovery of them. I see they are sold gener.lly to very good men, though much under the comon markett price. & At such rates that as sugars now governs, they will never produce theire first cost. Haveing settled this matter, discharge the rascall my servis & lett him come home as soone as he can to recover his owne estate w.ch for ought I know will be lost if he comes not speedily to looke after it. I have sent you a forme of the bonde. But pray take care it may be don right that there is noe eror or mistakes in it. Inclosed I have given a letter to the Gen.ll relateinge to this matter under a flyinge seale. I intreat you not to omitt this busines but doe it with prudence soe as I may be secured. Whenever he comes home, be sure to advise me of it. I should deferr answeringe your letters to some further time, & att pres.t conclude.

I take it very onkindely that you should give Mr. Berwick entertainem.t & keepe him from the busines that I have allready paid him 40£ sallery for this yeare before ever sett foot out of Engl.d togeather with such charges as was at in settling him out, viz. his passage & c., & never to come neare my busines. For it is hard, though I know he hath been discoraged by Bramley, yet his busines ought to have been at my plant. & noe where elce. I feare he will not desearve that large character Mr. Bawden gave me of him. Pray assist him & me in that affaire what you can. Seale the Gen.ll letter before you deliver it & let him not knowe I sent it with a flying seale, because he may take it ill that anyone should read what I write of Billop. Though there is nothinge in it, yet he may take it ill that his letter should come open to anybody. I onely doe it for your better goverment relateing to my one concerne that you the more freely discharge it with him. ...

293. [p. 410] [Captain Thomas Hill, Deputy Governor of St. Kitts]

London September 30, 1682
Sir,
Yesterday I rec.d yours by Capt. Claton for which I esteeme myselfe hyly obleidged & render you many thanks for your kinde assistance to him in procuringe his effects of the servants. I confes I had never been concerned in the sendinge them, but purely on the acc.ott of strengtheninge the Islands. For noe profitt could be proposed to be made of servants, consideringe the charge of provitioninge them here. & For the ship to come home without the effects I think seveere, consideringe the ship came home dead freighted & that the reputations of the whole contry lay att stock for them. We shall be loozers at least 1/3 of our principall by them whenever the effects is returned, w.ch I hope you will perswade the contry to consider & make reperations for the dead freight & interest & insurance. Otherwice, men will be quite discouraged from sendinge more serv.ts for noethinge. But the incoridgements of there acts for present payment hath occationed men that have an interest there to send them, though they get noethinge by them, to secure there other interest, & that creditt for present paym.t being not dewlye complied with the Islands, will want suplies & soe by consequence growne weake. This I signifie to you as my opinion that is necessary to give all incoridgm.t to strenghthen the collony. Not that ever I shall be concerned in sending more, nor indeed had I in these but to incoridge & prompt tothers to follow the example, w.ch, whether any hath don or not know not. I gave you the trouble of some busines p.r this convaynce relateing to my plant. concerne in partnorship with Mr. Bramley.

[p. 411] I still doe it soe as if I had an interest in it; but by Bramleys transactions, w.ch he saith the Generall himselfe hath incouridge him in, I finde I have now noething to doe with it & every day bringe me greater proofe of it, since I finde the whole product is converted to his owne use whilst I am unduely & most illeagally kept out of my possesion or at least the p.rty I have impowered, contrary to all law & equity. If I may take the ablest lawyers words of Engl.d for it, I am confident I may justly say & can make it appeare to any man in Engl.d I am allready two thous.d pounds sterl. the worse by his proceedings. I have writte the Gen.ll fully to this matter, requesting him to doe me imeadiet justice in puttinge Mr. Berwicke in possesion & by forceing Bramley to an acco. of the product of these two yeares last past, w.ch I am to this day without the least acco. of. I alsoe intreat the like favor of you, for I am very loathe & cautious to act in anythinge that may anywaies reflect upon such worthy freinds. Yet, if I am any longer thus undewly kept out of my estate, I must be forced to adres myselfe for releife where it may be had. I am confident that flatteringe, fawneinge, smooth-tongued, fanaticke, rascall Bramley by his insinuations & false delations [sic] p.rswaded bothe the Gen.ll & yourselfe in a beleefe that he did all thinge soe justly & fairely by me that you both thought it my interest to give him the incouridgm.t you did, he tending as a kindnes to me. But I supose when any letters come to the Gen.ll hands, he will then be undeceived, & his eror in giveing him that creditt. James Cotter & Coll. Bayer hath had the perusall of all thinges & many other men of your understandinge. Cotter went to Councell with me about it & hath given the Gen.ll to understand what there opinions is, as well as in any others. If I can finde time, will send you copies of what have sent the Gen.ll relateinge to this affare & request your speedy assistance in any servis that you judg me capable of rendringe you here. Pray spare not to lay your com.ds & assure your yourselfe you shall allwaies find me both faithfull & ready in the discharge thereof to the utmost of my power & understandinge. ...

294. William Berwick [Montserrat]

London, October 2, 1682
Mr. Clayton being arrived, by whome I expected some sugars from my plant., he informes mee of your residing at Nevis contrary to your Artickles with me & that Capt. Bramley has disposed of all the sugars to pay his owne debts. How you have discharged my trust let any man judg. Although you had not that apsolute possesion that doth of right belonge to me, yet you owne yourselfe the Gen.ll appointed you to take an acco. of what sugars & rum made. The intent of that could be to noe purpose other end but you should receive a ship, my halfe part. & Doubtles, if Bramley had obstructed you in that, upon your makinge complaint to him, hee would have don me right; however, if hee had not, you had don your duty. But to run to Nevis & to leave all my busines under the absolute conduct of a man that studies alwaies to defraud me I thinke canot be answered. Nor can you expect I should pay you wages to run up & downe after your owne inventions. I am certainely aware that the dead fr.tt I pay upon Wood is through your neglect. & Indeed, the character that is given by all men of your sottish, basely behaviour is scarce to be pareleld. Mr. Bawden hath hard of as much of it as myselfe. I hope you will endeavor by your care hereafter to retrive what is past. & I am confident when the Gen.ll & Govrnor have rec.d my letters, upon your adressinge to them, they will doe me right. & I desire you to press them both to call Bramley to an imeadiet acco. upon oath of the product of the plant. for this two yeares last past, which heitherto I have noe acco.tt of, as alsoe how all the goods hath been disposed of that have beene sent for the plant. use which I have had noe acco. of; likewise, if any debts given in by him dew to the plant. for rum & c., he may make oath they are really standinge out in such p.rsons hands as he gives in the list & that they ware contracted for rum & c. belonging to the plant. produce; but alsoe that he may run the adventures on such bottome as the same is loaden & pay the fr.tt with interest, in regard he detaineth my goods for being laden on my one ship that came dead fr.tted & aplyed it to his owne use. & Those ships beinge com well on which I had insured, I ought not to run the adventure. Pres all these & such other things as you know I have been injured in as hard as possible that right may be don. & Pray make it your busines to retrive those injuries don me by meanes of your being absent. ...

295. [p. 412] [General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]]

London, October 31, 1682
Honored Sir,
... His Ma.tie & Royall Highnes be now returned from Newmarkett. We have petitioned the Kinge & Councell to bringe Billops busines to a heareinge & you may be confident will doe our utmost to doe you right & make him an example, though I finde the rogue hath made good freinds. The Duke hath recomended the busines to his perticular freinds in the Councell very hartily in your favor & shewes him the least countenance. I will not faile to be with the Duke every day to put him in minde of it till the busines comes to a heareinge.

I have yours of the 15th of August & hartily thanke you for your kinde rememberance & good wishes towards mee. His R. H. was pleased upon that occation to take perticular notice of mee, & hath ever since been extreamely kinde to me, giveinge me such assurances of his favor that I can never merit from him. Yet I hope I shall never be wantinge in my dutye to the utmost of my ability nor will spare to make use of his favor in all things tendinge to your servis. My Lord Feversham hath been ver kinde to you in this late affaire. Wherefore, Sir, pray omit not to returne him a harty letter of thankesfullnes. & I think it may not be amis for you to write pretty frequently to his R. H. If you please, at any time, to inclose them to me, I will allwaies be carefull in the delivery of them. Any other servis you judge me capable of rendreinge you, if you please to lay your com.ds, it will alwaies be esteemed as a favor to.

Here is noe news but that the Prevy Seale is given to the Earle of Hallifox & Seymor gon of in great discontent upon it. Jemy & Billy are both very well, & send there dutye to you & my Lady, to whome please to give my humble servis.

296. [p. 414] Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, October 31, 1682
I have rec.d yours of the 15th of August, w.ch gives an acco. of Dendys beinge run away, which was what I expected longe since. I am glad to here you have soe secured our concerns, & was troubled at your deferinge it soe long ...

I observe what you write as to Dendys howses. If they will hould that rent you mention, it will be best to keepe them. Neither doe I aprehend you can dispose of them till the 2 yeares is expired, I have rec.d a longe letter from your brother wherein he complaines of your greate injustice to him & mee in Dendys busines. & Indeed, if the thinge is as he presents it, you have don us both greate wronge, not only in detaineinge your bro. from goeinge up in time to secure that intrest, but by your breach of promice in not doeinge it yourselfe & allsoe in takeinge those very debts that was actualy contracted with our goods to salve other acco.tts, when I presume you might have found our debts suffitient for both. But if you could not, you ought not to doe soe much wronge to one interest in favor of another when both lay under your owne care. Therefore, I say in conscience, if he canot finde noe way to salve it otherwise, the surplusige of what the howses may prove to be worth more ought to be aplyed to the payment of that debt.

I shall send you 10 pipes of wine yearely as you desire, 2 of which will order p.r Clayton now bound out. Mr. Pickfords partnor Matson beinge now here, wee will come to some conclusion or other with him, for we finde they doe noethinge but trick upon us. Whatever they propose in one letter as soone as come to hand & we have given answer thereunto, they refuse to stand to there owne proposall, as they have don in that of the 4 for a pound starl. I will make the best end you can with them. But truly in my opinion they are not the men you take them for. But all the busines I am ever like to have with them is to withdraw old concernes.

Mr. Edwards, I presume, will goe over in Claton. I shall make noe agreem.t with him but refer that to you. & If you judge him not capable upon tryall, we must endeavor to finde some other p.rson. ...

297. William Berwick [Montserrat]

London, October 31, 1682
I have rec.d yours of the 15th of August from Nevis, which noe less surprises me then your former did from that place. All the world may judge whether your residence on Nevis be a proper place to discharge the trust I have reposed in you. & Indeed, those scandelory lines you rec.d from Clayton, as you tearme them, a man of reason wold not have given occation for to be put in minde of his duty by such blunderbusses as you call him. I concerne not myselfe with what passes betwixt you & him or any other p.rson, but I assure you Clayton [p. 415] hath given the most modest character of any p.rson that hath come from thence of you. That w.ch all other men hath given is even to the amazement of Mr. Bawden, as well as myselfe, who hath been an eyewittnes with me to it, & allthough it may be possible for some p.rson to speake prejuditially, yet certainely that your demeanour must have been very ill that none can speake a good word for. Indeed, I have been heitherto silent, resolveinge to give creditt to nothinge, but referd it to Mr. Bawden (the only good freinde I understand you have) to give you an acc.ott of what he heres of you in hopes you did not merit it. But now you must pardon mee if I am not without suspition after acquittinge my intrest without takeinge any manner of notice thereof, but leaveinge it absolutely to the dispossition of the greatest enemy I have, as you yourselfe tearme him, & one that will not scruble to doe anythinge to defraude mee. Judge you in doeinge this whether you have acted the part of a just steward. And all this you pretend is for want of power & dominion. Although you had not that absoelute power & possession you ought to have, yet the Gen.ll soe impowerd you as to take an acco.tt of all the produckt of the plant., the intent of w.ch was doubtles to receive my part of the same & ship it mee accordinge to my orders. & If any p.rson had obstructed you in this, you ought to have made applycation to the Gen.ll or Gov.nor & desired that right might be don me in it. & If they had refused, you had then discharged your duty & trust on your part. Neither was the accomodation of the plant. refused you. Indeed, Mr. Berwick, I am extreamely disturbed that you should desert my interest in that manner, & doubtles the sugars that Bramley paid away might have been shipt me on Clayton had you been there to have required it or upon his refuseall to have appealled to the Governor or Gen.ll. Certainely you will not expect wages from me after these willfull neglects. I hope you are returned to my interest to take that care you ought to doe of it. & Pray keepe in all things to my interest as neere as you can. ...

298. [p. 417] George Liddell [Montserrat]

London, October 31, 1682
... Since the death of my coosen Bedingefilde, I have heard such an ill character of Mr. Berwick that a worce canot be given of a man. And indeed if hee deserves it, he is fitt for any or imployment. Yet I hope he hath not deserved it but that it rather proceeds from the inveterate sperits of some ill p.rsons who onely endeavor to aspers him & render him odious, the better to eff. there one ends. Yet I hope he hath. It would bee great imprudence in me to intrust a p.rson to farr after such reports untill I ware better sattisfied. Therefore, you beinge the person I can only make bold with & confide in, I earnestly desire you to give mee an acco. of his demeanor, whether you realy thinke him a person fitt for such a trust or not. & Pray doe it with indefferency without the least prejudice to the p.rson. Mr. Bawden recomended him to me & gave mee an exterordiny character as could be given of any person. & His bound for his troth in a bond of 100£ to me. But you knowe I may soone reape greater prejudice then that can amount to.

Wherefore I have been soe bold with you as to request a trouble of you till I here fur. from you about him, as to desire you to accept of a small consignation of small p.rcell of provitions from Irel.d, some ironware from Bristoll, & a little mony & other things I intend from hence. All w.ch is from the use of my owne plant. in p.rtnorship with Capt. Bramley, & is for the suply of my owne halfe part proper as the same may require it. I consign.d you & the said Berwick an acco. of what goods from Bristoll & Ireland you will receive from thence. Now my further request to you is that when please God the same or any part thereof shall arrive with you, that you will favour me in saying the same landed & howsed, the provitions at the plant. storehowse, & other things where you thinke convenient, & as there is occation or want of such comodities on my part to suply the same. The mony I send to the intent of paym.t ready for my halfe part of any comodity there may be occation for on the plant. All the trouble I desire of you in the busines is soe to inspect it now & then as to see that Berwicke converts the same to noe other use but the plant. use on my part. The same thinge I desire you to inspect as to the produce of the plant. I hope you will finde noe occation to trouble yourselfe in this matter; but indeed such a character as is given of him would make any man suspect. Yet I am fully p.rswaded its all undeserved. But if you finde it realy soe, my bro. Baxter desires you to be carefull he doth him noe wronge injury upon the acco.tt of the negro concerne.

If any of the beefe or porke should hapen to want pickle, pray that be first spent & such reserved for the last spendinge as will keepe best. Or if you finde any not fitt for the plant. use, let the same be disposed of. Or if you judge what I have ordered to be to much for the yeares suply of my halfe part, let the surplus be disposed. But rather keepe to much then want. Or what you may hapen to sell, pray let it bee for ready payment at whatever price you sell for. ...

299. Captain John Bramley [Montserrat]

London, October 24, 1682
I have rec.d severall of yours scurilous, abusive epistolls, w.ch shall forbare to give answer to untill I have an opertunity to give such an answer to them as the subject requires. This serves only to lett you knowe that I rec.d the 66 hhds. of sugars p.r Hepborne & Gould. The Sales thereof goes herew.th, but the mony not yet rec.d. I gave a considerable time for there payment to advance the price. Had I sold them for present mony, must have sold them for 12 or 18d p.r c.t less. I kept them some time in the house in hopes the market would have advanced (I meane the first p.rcell, w.ch proved very ordinary sugars), but findeinge noe hopes thereof, when the 2d p.rcell arrived that proved much better & those cured in cask the best, I sold them togeather & at the same time sold our Nevis plant. sugar att 20s 6d p.r cent & rec.d sugars from thence att 20s; others I could not get 18s p.r c.t for them that to this day lyes unsold. Soe great a drug hath sugars been this yeare.

When your bond is paid, shall be delivered up; but you doe not beleeve me soe greate a foole as to deliver it up before the mony is rec.d. If you can finde any way to avade the payment of the interest, as you mention, am content to loose it. But you will finde yourselfe as much mistaken in that point of law as you are in many others. & Therefore, I bid you defiance in it. I say avade it if you can. But since you are soe eristicall, I must now stand upon my owne guard, yet will doe noethinge but what becomes an honest man, without rockeinge or cheateinge. & Those that think to doe soe by me, may in the end finde themselves mistaken.

[p. 418] As to the cancellinge the records of our colaterall Artickles, I hope you doe not beleeve me soe ignorant to admitt of any such thinge, although your debt of 280,000 lbs. sugar ware paid as you say it is. But that I deny. There must be some eror in your accompt first rectified, w.ch indeed I did resolve to have overlookt for peace sake provided things had gon on fairely for the time to come. But since nothinge will doe but the giveinge away my whole estate, I must us the best means I can to preserve it. & Therefore, I knowe I am to acquant you that all your proceedings are illegall & contrary to law, if the most aproved & ablest lawyer of this kingedome doe understand the law. & Whatever you have soe transacted, you must expect to accompt for. It is not the right of possesion you pretend to will justifye you. For I tell you the p.rson I have impowred hath as much right of possesion, dominion & comand in all thinge as you can pretend to. & If there be a right hand place to be taken, he ought to have it in my behalfe as beinge first nominated in the Artickles. But thats now worth my disputeinge, for neither doe I send him there to be entertained as a guest, but to seeinge busines don & to pay for his owne entertainement, as you must for yours & such guests as you entertaine. You are not to spend my estate in your entertainem.ts, neither of yourselfe nor freinds. Such as are mine I desire to entertaine myselfe. Soe you might have forborne that complem.t. But that is not at all to the purpose.

What I have now to tell you is that I doe possitively disaloe of all our accompts past since the yeare 1675 untill the same are prooved upon oath. & Then all such charges as stand proper against the plant. must be allowed of, and such other as have been upon your owne acco.tt, or as shall soe appeare, you must pay. For since we are now to bee determined by poynts of law, I will allow of noethinge but what the lawe obleidgeth mee to accordinge to Artickles. & I doe now possitively tell you that whatever you have transacted since Mr. Berwick arivall, either in buyinge, sellinge or disposseinge, contrary to Artickles and without his consent & aprobation, or for whatever you shall soe contract or doe for the time to come, without his aprobation, I never will allow of. Therefore, goe on in your proceedings as shall thinke fitt. But for all such your unjust proceedinge, you must certainely expect at one time or another to be accomptable. For I am resolved to have my right & maintaine it, if it cost me all I am worth. ...

[p. 419] I shall now give answer to your proposition of buyinge, sellinge or rentinge the part of the plant, as you tearme it, for a quiet life. & To shew you my readines of agreeinge thereunto, if you thinke you have proffered me a valluable consideration by way of rentinge it, I supose you will accept the same tearmes you proffer. If soe, I will give you 50,000 lbs. sugar p.r anno for your part. But if you will not take that, if you incline to buy or sell, I have wrote to the Gen.ll Sir W.m Stapleton that, if you hould your resolution and will profer a price with times & maner of paym.t & will enter into bonds of two thousand pounds starl., to abide by such a proposition as you shall make on your part & haveinge soe profixt your price & time for payment, & will give me the liberty of choyse either of buyinge or sellinge, as its but reasonable, you beinge the p.ty agreeved, & alsoe upon the place that you are the properest judge, to intimate the vallew of the estate – if you will doe this, I have desire the Gen.ll to enter into the like bonds for performance on my part, allowinge 9 months time for my accept by reason of the distance of places. This I will doe to leave you voyd of all pretensions of hardshipps put upon you. But as longe as the estate continues in partnorship, I will abid by my Artickles & will p.rforme them on my part to the utmost; or if I make any breaches, will make good all such damadges as you shall suffer thereby. The same thinge you must except on your part. For I will allow of noethinge you doe contrary to Artickles, nor of noe charge brought in against the plant. but such as properly belong to it; for you or your familys expence you must expect to bare and pay. ...

300. Captain John Bramley [Montserrat]

London, November 2, 1682
Sir,
This serves only to let you understand that I have only recovered paym.t of Mr. Wood for one of the servants lost. We referd the busines to arbitration, & Mr. John Bawden I made choyse of. They judged it not reasonable for the Master to pay for a sarvant that was taken out of his ship by force, in the nature of piracy, the manner whereof Mr. Wood tells me he informed you, & you ware content to bare the loss of your part. But whether you are or not, wee must doe soe, the arbitrators haveinge soe accorded it. If you desire a certificate under the arbitrators hands to certifie it to you, I will send you owne. I am in treaty to sell my halfe part of the plant. to a person here, but will not absolutely contract till I have your answer to my proposalls. Yet, if I doe, it shall be with a reservation to p.rforme what I am obleidged (or the Generall for mee) to make good, accordinge to what I have proposed to you, either to buy or sell. ...

301. George Liddell [Montserrat]

London, November 29, 1682
By the shipp New England Merchant, Francis Plumer, Comand.r, you will receive from Mr. John Cary of Bristoll a p.rcell of ironware & 60d nailes for cash for my acco.tt, beinge for the use of my plant. in p.rtnorship with Capt. Bramley. I desire you to suply my halfe p.t of the plant. W.ch same occation require, p.r Mr. Helmes, I have alsoe sent 150 ps. 8/8 for that purpose & 3 dozen shooze; & p.r Mr. Clayton a p.rcell of provitions & hoopes. All w.ch I have given you the trouble of, in regard I knowe not whether Mr. Berwick be there. Pray let it be all, when it arrives, aplyed to the use of the plant. & Herein you will doe me a great favor. ...

302. [p. 420] George Liddell & William Berwick [Montserrat]

London, November 24, 1682
I have ordered Mr. Richard Seay of Watterford to loade on bord the shipp Adventure, William Clayton, Master, 20 barr.ll of choice beefe, 9 barr.lls porke, one box of candles & one firkin of butter consigned yourselves & is for the use of my plant. in p.rtnorship with Capt. Bramley. W.ch I desire you to suply my halfe part with the same as occation requires, viz. if Capt. Bramley puts on one barr.ll or more, soe doe you put another against it, or more as he doth. The same method pray take in any other goods I have sent, & what goods I have not to suply, pray pay my 1/2 part with ready mony. To w.ch intent I have sent 150 ps. 8/8 p.r Mr. Helmes & shall more as I judge there may be occation. ...

The provitions is marked WF. If you find any likely to proove defective before there may be occation to expend it, pray dispose of such att the best rate you can. Take care to receive the provition by the same marke, in regard its very choyce meat & costs greater pryce then ordinary. If Capt. Bramley will put in the like quantity of provitions against mine any time within the yeare as he pleaseth, let mine be all put on as soone as they arrive. The like you may doe of any other goods, if he soe pleaseth. W.ch please to discourse him about. I have allsoe laden one thous.d hoops on Clayton for the same use as afforesaid.

303. Phillip Edwards [Nevis]

London, November 24, 1682
This accompanies Capt. W.m Clayton, who wee have desired to accomodate you with a passage in his ship the most conveniently he can, & for your passage we will bee answerable to him. We have herewith sent you our letter to Mr. Robert Helmes of recomendation to whome we have referd you to make such an agreem.t as may be sutable to the busines you undertake, w.ch we canot soe well judg of in regard we know not how our busines lyes. But you need not doubt but he will doe that by you that may be incouridgable Wee have a concerne in the hands of Mr. Rich.d Watts to the vallew of about one hundred thous.d of surgars w.ch p.rticularly belonge to ourselves. & Beinge given to understand that the said Watts may have proved extravigant & consequently have wasted or spent part of the same, we have writt to Mr. Robert Helmes to call him to an acco. for the same & such part as may remaine in debts unrec.d, to take bills or oblygation for the same. W.ch at your arrivall wee desire you to take under your care & to recover & receive the same as speedily as you can & ship for London & consign the same to W.m Baxter.

[p. 421] & For your incouridgm.t for the doeinge we doe allow you to draw your full comissions upon the same. We conceive the debts to bee very good in regard the said Watts his possitive orders from us was to sell for noething but ready paym.t. Allthough he contrary to that order contracted debts, yet we beleeve tooke such care as to contract none but such as was very good & promysed speedy payment. Yet if you finde any backward therein, use the utmost rigor of the law for there speedy recovery. & For whatever goods you ship, take care to ship in noe other cask but hogshead of the very largest sise & let them bee well fild. ...

304. Robert Helme [Nevis]

London November 24, 1682
Haveing been advised by you in severall letters that you ware in want of an assistante for the more speedy recovery of our debts & for your better inablem.t therein, wee have thought fitt to recomend this bearer Mr. Phillip Edwards to you, beleiveing him to a p.rson fittly qualified in all capacities, & doe not in the least doubt of his integrity and dilligence. & Indeed, we have rather chose to pitch upon him than any other p.rson, in regard he is well knowne to yourselfe. We have not made any agreement with him, but have referd that part to you beinge the most properest judge what our busines may deserve. Yet its our desire that as you finde his care & dilligence, you should give him incouridgment accordingly. For we had rather be att some exterordinary charges to put our busines to a speedy issue, then our debts should stand longer out, our sole desire beinge to terminate those acco.tts that have been of such long standinge. & Therefore, we doe again say that if you finde Mr. Edwards care & dilligence to be exterordinary, & that he takes more then ordinary paines in effecteing our busines, that you should give him incouridgment answearable. All w.ch we refer to your juditious discretion.

We have in severall former letters requested you call Richard Watts to an acc.ott for all such goods as wee had consigned him, being aprehensive of his extravigancies, which we are now fully convinced of, haveing rec.d letters from himselfe that he have made use of all such goods & mony as he had rec.d. Copies of his letters we send you. We doubt not but you have p.rformed our requests in that p.rticular & taken his bond for soe much as appeares to have been spent or made use of by him according to our former requests, and that you have taken oblygations for all such debts as remained unrec.d. All w.ch we have comitted to the care of Mr. Ph. Edwards to receive, & request your assistance to him therein, & to instruct him the best you can. ...

305. George Liddell & William Berwick [Montserrat]

London, November 25, 1682
By Mr. W.m Helmes you will recieve 150 ps. 8/8 & 3 doz. shoose. & P.r Mr. Claton now bound out you wil receive 20 barr.lls beefe, & 4 of porke, 1/2 of candles, & 1/2 ff. butter & one hhd. of Madera wine & one thousand of hoops. And from Bristoll you wil receive 4 doz. hoes, 3 doz. bill, 1½ of axes & 15 thousand 6d. nailes, all for the use of 1/2 p.t of the plant. in p.rtnorship with Capt. Bramley, as the same shall require. & Intreat you to take care that it may be converted to noe other use.

[p. 422] For Mr. Liddell rent, if Capt. Clayton can spare fr.tt, he may put it on board, as you may allsoe what sugars I may have have [sic] at my plant. But I should not have you omitt any other oppertunity of freight depending upon that. Neither would I have Mr. Liddell but to ship his rent on any ship bound for Londo., according to his covenants, the sooner, the better. Pray pres Mr. Fox to load me of his ballance. ...

306. Captain William Clayton [Commander of the Adventure]

London, November 25, 1682
Itt is our order & desire that you sayle with the first fayre wind to the port of Watterford in Ireland & there take in from Mr. Richard Seay 400 barr.ll of beefe upon accompt of the ships cargo and 50 more upon W.m Freeman's perticulars. From thence you are to sayle with the first oppertunity of wind that offers to the island of Madera and there to deliver such goods as are consigned to Mr. Rich.d Pickford & Comp., w.ch by agreem.t with Mr. Mathew Matson they are to allow 4$ for each pound sterl. The whole amounts to £ [blank] sterl. the cost here, w.ch amounts to $ [blank]. To w.ch Mr. Pickford is to ad upon acco.tt of W.F. for his part $ [blank] & one 1/2 p.t more, w.ch monthly is $ [blank]. Said Pickford is to pass there bills upon Mr. Rob.t Northley of Lisboa, w.ch we shall give him orders to accept. & The full proceeds of the 3 affords.d sumes beinge $ [blank]. The said Pickford is to load on board your ship at the chepest rate they are to be purchased & of the very best wines (amongst w.ch you will doe well to take one pipe of tent and see they are very well collered). All w.ch is by agreement with Mr. Mathew Matson here, as he hath signified to Mr. Richard Pickford by his letters. You are allsoe to take on board 2 pipes of wine from said Pickford for acco.tt of Mr. Rob.t Helmes & one hogshead upon accompt of W.m Freeman. W.ch being accomplisht & your ship dispatched, you are forthw.th to sale to the island of Barbados, & there to sell & dispatch as many of the affores.d wines & beefe as you can for ready payment, if you find that market incouridgeth, w.ch is left to your owne discresion. & From thence you are to sayle to Mountsarratt & the Leward Islands & there to receive the effects of our last yeares cargo w.ch you left behinde & to dispose of the remainder of your cargo of wines & beefe for ready payment but upon noe other tearmes whatsoever. & Bringe the whole proceeds hom in your ship. But if it should hapen you canot dispose of the whole in some reasonable tim, then what you have left undisposed you are to put in the hands of Mr. W.m Hearne at St. Christophers or some other responsible p.rson as you shall think fitt convenient with the same orders & restricktions – to sell for nothinge but ready paym.t. An acknowlidgment thereof you are to take under the hand of such p.rson or p.rsons as you intrust therew.th & leave it in the hand of Mr. Rob.t Helmes, bringing us a coppye thereof. Yett if anythinge contrary to our expectations should hapen, we doe give you liberty to goe to Jamaica or any other port or place you shall think convenient to dispose any part of the cargo. All w.ch is left to your owne discretion. And haveing thus disposed of your cargoe or such part thereof as you can conveniently, & rec.d effects of the same, you are to returne with your ship to the port of Leverpoole, & to follow such orders as you shall receive from us in the disposall of your cargo of sugar. & If you finde our effects will not fully load your ship, you are to lett the remainder out to freight on the best tearmes you can, giveing the preference of all such freight as you have to lett to Mr. Georg Liddell, Mr. W.m Berwick or Mr. W.m Fox, [p. 423] upon acco. of Mr. W.m Freeman, or any other our factors or agents on the Leaward Islands. But whatever you contract with any of them for, you are not to faile of takeing the same on board. ...

307. [p. 424] [General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]]

London, November 26, 1682
Honored Sir,
This accompanies my good freind Capt. Thomas Hill, who comes recomended to you by His Ma.tie & His Royall Highnes. You will finde him an honest man, & one that will stick hartily by you upon all occations or elce I am much mistaken in the man. But that you will be a better judge of when you are acquainted with him then I can pretend to. Yett was hee not soe well recomended to you, I would presume to aske your favor & kindnes to him. But thats improper for mee now to doe, & therefore I shall desist troubleinge you further on this subject.

This morning Coll. Legg (as he is my very p.rticular freind and, I assure you, noe less yours) intimated to me that the Admiralty are higly insensed att your attemptinge to disposses Billop of the ketch for w.ch His Ma.tie had granted him a comision to comand, and that you should grant a comission to any other p.rson to displace him was not in your power. Neither will your comission bare you out in it. This it seemes hath created you enemyes in the Admiralty, insoemuch that he adviseth mee that it will bee greate prudence not to stirr in Billops busines, but to desist. Nay further he was soe kind to tell mee that, upon the debates of these matters before the Lords of the Comittee, he found you had some enemyes amongst them that tooke this opertunity to call your religion in question, by w.ch he did plainly perceive there is a designe caringe on amongst some to displace you, & that in prudence hee thought it not fitt to moove anythinge in your behalfe untill they had unmasked themselves, when, he hath assured mee, hee will not only give mee notice of what is designed, but allsoe will stand hartily by you himselfe. However, I will prepare the Duke in this matter. Though it seemes endeavors hath been used to posses him against you in this matter, yet uneffectuall, we haveinge fully informed him the whole matter, yet, if hereafter any of the Kings comanders come under your comand, it will be prudence not to clash with them, for this late busines of Billops & Haddocks busines formerly I find hath created you enemyes in the Admiralty. & As I am informed Billop & fower of his men hath sworne against you that you did not only privetly countenance all interlopers but did incoridge all your officers to assist them, & that you did give him orders in privet not to medle with any nor to assist the Comp. agents, notwithstandinge the Kings orders to you. ...

308. Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, December 8, 1682
Since my last to you relateinge to our concernes in the hands of Rich.d Watts, I have inquired further into Rich.d Watts concerne, & find that the Letter of Attorny he hath sent his kindsman Mr. Watts & myselfe is of noe force here for want of witnesses here to proove it. I have alsoe taken councell how he may best be secured by us, & finde that up. his bare bond without a Letter of Attorny to impower me to sue for the same, I canot touch my part of his estate. & Consideringe that letters of attorny are revoakable att a mans owne will & power, soe that if he gives a power one day, he may revoake it the next, I canot anywayes be secured thereby. Neither is my estate of inheritance lyable to the paym.t of a debt upon bond unles secured p.r a judgm.t alsoe & then but the halfe of such reall estates. Now, consideringe his fortune for the most part lyes in the Chamber of London, out of w.ch they have made noe paym.t for sometime past, makes mee doubtfull of that security, espetialy if the charter be destroed (as doubtles it will). Now, the remaineinge part of what he hath is about 20£ p.r anno in house. & Although but a small matter, yet its good in such cases to secure what may be secured. Wherefor I send you a judgment warant of attorny which I desire you to fill up the blankes & get itt signed & sealed by him, upon the returne of w.ch the persons therein named may confes the same. W.ch will be a further security for payment of his bond. W.ch you may keepe if you have taken it, or deliver up the same to him againe. But then compute the intrest & ad it to the principall money & mention the sume in the judgment. I meane both principall & intrest. But that I leave to you to make the best tearmes you can. If he will alsoe give an authentick Letter of Attorny, it may be usefull as well for his owne intrest as mine. Hereinclosed you have a councells directions, w.ch pray observe carefully and get the judgm.t wittnessed by 4 or 5 p.rsons of the best reputations that comes home upon the ship or ships you send thereby, getting 2 of them for feare of miscaradge, and send them by the 3 first ships. Pray omit not the doeinge this with expedicion in case of said Watts refusall. For if they should in the least incouridge failure in sendinge there principall mony, it will certainely be a great discouridgment to all men. ...