Freeman's Letters, 1681: nos 230-251

Freeman's Letters, 1681: nos 230-251

230. Thomas Westcott [Nevis]

London, July 24, 1681
Since our last to you of the 29th June w.ch was p.r Capt. Terry, we have rec.d yours of the 6th May, adviseing that the Lyon was not then arived, but since that sev.ll ships have arived from Nevis, at this port & Bristoll, by w.ch we are advised of her arivall, but doe much wonder we have not a line from you, for w.ch you ought to be blamed for dew advised by all oppertunities is desired & expected. We take notice in your last you seeme to make some difficulty of ladeing what we have contracted on the Lyon w.ch seemes very strange to us in regard you have laden us nothinge since Jan.y. Soe that you have had the benefit of almost a whole crop since we rec.d anythings from you. W.ch we expected a far greater quantiy then 44 tuns of sugar. & To be plaine with you, we thinke it very hard measure that our returnes should come soe much slower then other mens, w.ch must certainly be a defect in our corispondency. & Although we have soe greate kindnes for you as not to harbor the least ill thoughts of any your transactions, yet wee must complain of your slownes, for you canot but be sensible how large our adventures have been & how slowly returnes comes to us w.ch, if not speedily remedied by better complyance, we shall not be able much longer to suport ourselves & our reputation. That would have been in question long since had we noe other wayes to suport it then by that of yourselfe & W.m Helme, in w.ch we are in disburce of our principall above 13,000£ ster. to this day. & To finde nothinge come from neither is hard measure. This we have thought fit to intimate to you, hopeing that, as we have [p. 286] endeavored to promote you, that you will take some speedy care to suport us & make it your buisnes to get in & hasten home our concerns. For we assure you the adventures we now make we are forced to strain our creditts for and is purely to advance you. ...

Now this may advise you that we have ordered Mr. Rich.d Seay of Watterford, to load on bord the ship Abra., Abr Terry, Mr., with 250 bar.ll of beefe, 10 barr.ll & 25 halfe barr.ll of porke, 20 firkins of butter & 30 boxes of candles, & to consigne the same to yourselfe w.ch is for our acco.tts, though it is exprest in the Bill of Loadeing for his own acco.tt, because we would not have it knowne that we are concerned, w.ch might be a meanes of disgusting W.m Helme to our prejudice. We have alsoe cons.d you a p.rcell of brandy & other goods by the same ship. Invo. of the same you have hereinclosed. This p.rcell cost very deare & comes not the same way as formerly, but directly from this place, & although its deare here, yet would not have been purchased much more anew, soe greate a rise hath been upon all such comodities there this yeare. Soe that yours of that kinde that ware imported here the last yeare are now to be bought as cheape here as there. We hope they will finde a market with you answerable to theire cost here, knowing you canot be suplyed cheaper any other way by other hands. God sendinge in safety these goods to your hands w.th the cargo of dry goods, its our possitive order & desire that you do not dispose thereof or of any part to any person whatsoever, but for ready paym.t or to such p.rsons whose paym.t you may depend upon, in 6 mo. after sale or in 9 or 12 mo. at furthest, & that you take care to sell to none on such long credit, but to such as you know to be salvant, & will be very punctuall. For we had much rather our goods should lye by, though they should perish upon hand, then to make such long & uncertaine debts. & What you can sell for pers.l payment, you may make your prices accordingly. For pres.t paym.t, we shall be content to sell as cheape as any p.rsons whatsoever. But what debts you make espetially of our beefe or brandy, we expect you will take that care to credit none but such as you yourselfe will undertake for theire dew complyance. Not that you shall finde we will impose upon anythinge in that kinde, in case any accidentiale bad debt should happen, for we surely doe not want to impose upon you, but that we may have a return made us in dew time. For we feare a run of bad debts as last, w.ch we hope you have taken care to prevent on that island. But by W.H. last advice, we have cause anough to suspect it on others. ...

231. [p. 289] James Phipps [St. Christopher]

London, August 9, 1681
Sir,
I rec.d your p.r the Companion, Rob.t Lowe, Master, w.th 8 hhds. of teirces & 6 barrells of suger, of which one hhd. was deliverd short. But I made the Master allow for that after the same rate the rest was sold for, deducting the same wastidg in pr.portion. Heerinclosed I send you an Acco. of Sales of the same and the neat pr.ceeds therof being 97£ 15s no d p.d to Madam Cotter for acco. of her husband Ja. Cotter as you ordered. For which have taken a receipt upon your accompt. ...

Your sugar was sold att 22s 4d p.r cent, the buyer to pay custom & petty charges, which you may esteem 2s p.r c.t more that is 24s 4d p.r c.t.

232. [p. 290] Captain John Bramley [Montserrat]

London, September 5, 1681
Sir,
I have rec.d yours of the 26th & 30th of May by Capt. Clayton with the 40 hhds. of sugar which came very well conditioned, & for the most part very good sugar, but some cask amongst them very ordinary. An Acco. of Sales therof you have heerinclosed. The price very good considering the time they came att when there was such an extraordinary glutt that sugers in p.rcell will not yeeld above 23s p.r c.t at most nor that unless very good. I find upon these sugars great wastidg, upwards of 13 p.r c.t, soe that I judge there must be some defect in your w.tts there, or elce you doe not give them the dew time of cureing. For I am sure noe plant. sugers that hath its due time of cureing will waste above 5 of 6 p.r cent. & Another thing I take notice of, that although these cask are something larger then those formerly, yet not soe great w.tt by I ½ lb. each hhd. as those we have from Nevis which are made by the same truss hooper. Pray for the future make them as large as you cann, & take care they are well filled. I have not carried the half of the pr.ceeds of this last 40 hhds. to the C.r of your Acco. Currant, in regarde itts not yet receivd nor dew by agreement till the 20th day of October. But by the Acco. of Sales you see what it is.

I take notice of what you write in answer to mine by Mr. Helmes, & have seen your Bills of Ladeing w.ch you need not have given yourself the trouble of sending. Your word was as much satisfaction. & What I intimated relateing to that or anything elce in that kinde is only to let you know how reasonable a thing it is that any man should have an acco. of their affaires from time to time, the want of which may occation misunderstanding &, by means of misinformations from other hands, jealousies, where there may be noe just reason. What I desire is noe more then I am sure you would, if you were in my place & I in yours.

I also take notice you have built a new stillhowse which may as well be usefull for a cureing howse that may be wanting upon the plant. Yet I would not at any time have any buildinge of consequence that may create a charge to the plant. bee begun or built without my approbation, unless through reason of fire or stormes such howses should be destroyed, or the work could not goe on. In such cases, a man must submitt. But for my additionall buildings, itts but reasonable I should first be acquainted therwith, & my approbation & allowance thereunto given before the worke is begunn. Otherwise, I may dissallow the charge therof very justly. But as to this howse you mention, I am well content its done. But what those buildings were the last yeare that created such a charge to the plant. as is brought in that acco., I doe not yet know, nor doe I know of ane aditionall usefull building. If any, I desire you will be pleased to informe me. & If they are such as may be anywayes advantageous to the plant., I shall think it ill bestowed. But for such howses as meerly contracts a charge, I am against the building of any such. ...

If Mr. Terry goes to N. England, as I suppose he may, if hee lights not of a good freight there, to bring with him 50 or 60 bushells of pease, some mackrell & hhd. staves, all which may be better pr.cured there then heer.

I believe it would doe well to putt 10 or 20 able white servants upon our plant., not for any advantage [p. 291] may be expected from them but for so many of our interests, as well in generall as p.rticuler, and then those lands that you have now tennants upon may be planted. To this pr.position, let me receive your answear & I will endeavor to pr.cure lusty able servants heer & send them out with armes and all things elce suteable, as you shall think fitt to order.

Just now I have receivd yours of the 22th of June adviseing of your intentions to shipp 40 hhds. of sugar on Capt. Hazelwood. But the freight you mention is very high. Yet I pr.sume if you could pr.cure it on easier tearmes on other bottomes, you would not shipp it on that. For it's my desire att all times that you should loade on such bottomes as you can make the best tearmes with. I intend to insuer three hundred pounds upon your & my joynt acco. upon that shipp, in regarde I doubt shee may stay part of the hurricane season there. I hope you have taken care to make such tunnidg as may answer the freight. ...

233. Thomas Westcott [Nevis]

London, September 1681
I writt you at large p.r Capt. Terry & sent you a duplicate therof by another conveyance. Since which I have receivd yours of the 31th of May & 10th & 22th of June, by which I take notice Crumpton was neer dispatched, who I pr.sume may now be suddenly expected & I hope you will be shipping us considerably by other vessells, as you advise. I take notice of what you write concerning the coppers that they are 2½ p.r pound dearer then other men hath had them out for. But your informer is a foole & a knave, for copper was never one farthing a pound cheaper in London since my remembrance. & If any man can pr.ve he bought it this 15 years or can now buy it a farthing cheaper, I will be bound to pay for itt. However, I pay but my own proportion. & If you think any p.rson can buy better for you then your brother, you may doe well to imploy them. I also take notice that you desire to have your pr.vitions from Corke, but I question not but that from Waterforde will pr.ve as good, where we make them cheaper. I thanke you for your offer of being concerned with you in the storehowse, but I doe not hold that convenient for mee, for what trade I drive is only to doe you a curtesie, & shall continue it noe longer then till you are capable of finding a better imploym.t. Neither shall I allow of any other charge then according to my first proposalls. & If you think it not worth your while, I shall desist sending anything more. I am not all concerned with your neighbours affaires what they doe, but I pr.sume none of your neighbours have a better imployment then yourself. & I assure you we freit not out of kindness to you. I could imploy my money better at home.

I also take notice of what you mention touching on interlopers designe, which doubtless may be advantageous. But although I am noewayes concerned with the Comp., yet I shal not medle with any such designe. But if I can recomend any to you that deales that way, I will. ... If I can light of a cooper, will send you one, but they are hard to meet with. ...

234. [p. 295] Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, September 5, 1681
I have rec.d yours of the 27th May, the 8th, 18th & 20th of June, all which gives an acco.t of your recovery, which you may p.rswade yourself was noe smal pleasure to me to hear after being advised of your dangerous fitt of sickness by severall, insoemuch that we despayred of hopeing of your recovery. I shall now endeavor to give answear to the heads of your severall letters, viz. –

As to your first p.rticuler relateing to Pickfords acco.tts, wee here conceive they have omitted to our creditt severall p.rticulers, viz. 18 ps. of bla. bayes & 45 ps. of callicoes by Vandiveld & some other p.rticulers which when they sent us Acco.t of Sales of that cargo did remaine unsold. & Since we can never finde any C.r in any of their acco.tts for the same, soe that we conceive they are indebted to us at least 700$ more then they make themselves, of which I have writt them after & sent there whole Acco.t Currant as it stands in our books, w.ch is taken from their own severall acco.tts rec.d from time to time. Next, as to their demand of 300$ for advance money & bad debts, I shall never agree thereunto. But if there be any bad debts made of our goods, we must stand to them. But I am glad to hear they could informe you of none. & For their pr.tence of advance money, it's most unjust & unreasonable, in regarde I am sure noe man that ever laded wines from Madera sends their goods soe long beforehand as we have done. & Admitting there is now standing one of our concern in debts 3,500$ as you signifye, I pr.sume it will appear that upwards of 2,000$ of the same is still in their hands. Soe that what they have advanced is not above 14 or 1,500 milrs. & that but by the George & by their own letters. It may appear that this next year we may vallew ourselves upon them for the whole, soe that is it reasonable for us to allow for 8 or 9 mo. advance of 1,500$300 when itts practicable & common for all factors there to loade upon the creditt of goods as soon as receivd, when most of these goods were in their [p. 296] hands above 12 mo. before. I also take notice that they told you what favor they had done our interest was upon your acco.t. But they might have very well spared that complement. For it will appear by their own letters to us, when we began to declyne their corespondency, they courted us to it againe; & when we had resolved a new corrispondency with Deane & Kirton, they againe desired ours. & The coppyes of my letters to them will shew how plainely I dealt with them in severall p.rticulers relateing to our correspondency. But now they suppose they have little further buisness with us. I pr.sume they endeavor to putt upon us as to the 200$ upon acco.t of the logwood. I am free to allow therof, though I have their acco.t & letter of that concerne, where there is not the least exception. & I beleive if you had inquired into that concerne, you would have found that debt did not belong to us. I have p.d my bro. Baxter his pr.portion of Burkins debt, soe that is allowed to the creditt of Pickfords Acco.t Currant. & I have made your sugar Acco.t Curr.tt Deb.r for my half of 140$ upon Burkin & Allen acco.tt, as likewise for 1/3 of 40 hatts sent you p.r Pickford, w.ch he makes our acco. Deb.r for. Pray be pleased to let me know who Allein allowes for the aforesaid summe, as likewise the n.t pr.ceeds of the hatts, that I may carry of the summes, the same being as yett but in blank. If you take less then 7s 6d p.r milr of Allen in suger or 7s by bills, we shal be losers. From Lisboa I never knew it lower, though to remitt thither at this time its not soe much. But under 6s 9d to remitt I never knew itt till now, & twill doubtless suddenly rise againe. I have heere inclosed sent you a coppy of Pickfords Acco.t Curr.t sent him, by which you may judg of the reasonableness therof. This much in answear to the p.rticuler.

As to the next of Mr. Mathews debts dew to you, I will dun him till he make you satisfaction. Which he shal be sure to doe as soon as I can understand that he receives any of his portion. But as yet he is not of age. Neither is there anything of his fathers estate in my hands, the Gen.ll haveing forbid the payment of itt.

As to the next p.rticuler of the £50 that the Gen.ll allowes of, he hath given me noe order to pass the same to your creditt. Therfore, if you expect it should be done, you must send me his order.

As to the next p.rticuler of your debt dew from Bartlett, I am sorry to heer he is in soe ill a condition, & much more that Mr. Carpenter did not take care to secure that debt when the estate was in his own hands. The receipts I shewed your wife & sent you coppyes therof. & Now I doe againe send you the true copyes therof attested by wittnesses here, in regarde the originalls are in my booke & I cannot cutt them out without takeing others with them. But it there be a necessety of sending the originalls, write me p.r next & you shall have them p.r first after. And [p. 297] these receipts I am ready to declare upon oath (which I will send with them, if you desire it) is all the obligation that ever I receivd of him. If he is such a villein as to say otherwise, I cannot helpe that. But if you can get him to own the debt before suffitient wittness, as I think you would doe well to doe in the pr.sents of the Gen.ll, before whom you may tax him. You have power suffitient to sue him in my name, if that may be a means of pr.cureing your debt sooner. I am sorry you put soe much confidence in a knave, & I wish I could contribute towards your satisfaction. But I doe not think it proper for me to charge Mr. Carpenter after I rec.d satisfaction of you. But if you desire it, I will, provided you will oblidge to some other than me, less from any future contest with him. For noe man can or ought to charge a debt to any p.rson after satisfaction is given & acknowledged to bee receivd.

As to your next request of sending your acco., you have it heerinclosed p.rfect to this day. The ball. dew to you is 379£ 14s 9d. When the debts standing out is receivd, viz. about 300£ of Henthorne & 410£ 3s of Fleet, soe that, although the acco. makes me your deb.r, yet you are indebted to me betwixt 3 & 400£ at pr.sent. But Fleets money wil be punctuall p.d at the time it's dew. There is of the sugers p.r Clayton 46 hhds. laden p.r Dendy & 31 hhds. in the shipps acco.t yet unsold, which proves very ordnary; & by reason of a great glutt, I doubt will not yeeld above 22 p.r cent. When they are disposed of, you shall have an accompt of them, & soe dewly of all things that comes to my hands from time to time, as I receive it according to your desire.

I take notice of your renewing your former request of makeing a purchase for you of about 100£ p.r ann., which I have not been unmindfull off. But the thing you designed when you went out of England, neither your wife nor I thought fitt to medle with it, after we had inquired into it. & That 1,000£ you left with your wife designed towards that purchase she hath put out upon interest, 800£ therof in Mr. Skutt's hands for securety therof besides his own bond. You have land to more than the vallew, as I am informed; but if you approve not of it, you will doe well to order the calling it in. But if it were my money, I should not desire to have it better placed. I have likewise been to look upon 2 things about the one you desire: the one in Kent about 12 miles from London, the other in Hartfordsh.re about 17 miles, on both which is very good howses & an howse & gardens which were never built for the whole purchase money. But neither of these things will be sold under 20 years purchase the land & about 500£ more for the howses & gardens. & Indeed, all small purchases are held very deare & hard to light off. Wherfore, if I might advise you, I would desist from the thoughts of purchaseing untill you have drawn a good summe of money togeather. & In a valueable purchase you may buy much cheaper & more to your satisfaction. But whatever your inclynations are that way, I will endeavor to serve you therin what lyes in my power thus much in answer to yours. ... [p. 299] ... Wee are informed by Mr. Clayton that great part of the two cargoes of dry goods consignd your brother upon his shipp was shipt to N. England of which he saw severall p.rcells when there marked with our mark, some in Mr. Brindly's hands w.ch he expected to have rec.d from your bro., & also that severall of our goods was sold in in truck to N. England for bords & staves. Now, we hope & doe not doubt but your bro. hath done us justice therin. However, for our better satisfaction, we desire you to inspect the said acco.tts & for what you finde sent to N. Engl. or otherwise disposed of by Baxter on excha., wee expect the full pr.ceeds of those goods for which our goods was disposed, or the full vallew therof according to pr.portion as the rest was sold for to others. For there is noe reason that any other p.rson should reape the benefits of our adventures. We also desire to have p.rticuler Acco.tts of Sales att large of both those cargoes to whome sold either by retayle or otherwise, which, though may be a little tedious in drawing out, yet is noe more then other men generally have & what my bro. Baxter doth more p.rticulerly require, who I pr.sume hath writt you more fully about beleiveing himself to be abused by such means.

I desire you will take the trouble of p.ruseing those memorandums I gave you at your departure & consider well each p.rticuler & answer what I therin desired as soon as possible you can as to the adjustment of all acco.tts & what elce is therein contained, which I will not trouble you with repetitions of. Only in one p.rticuler: that you will not fayle to take & keep in your hands all books of acco.tts relateing to any of our concerne, as well those new sett of bookes begun by your bro. att Christmass Last as any others, out of which he may draw what relates to his p.rticuler concerne into another pair of books such as will properly belong to himself, for those wherin our ballances were carried off I take to be our books. For upon your next returne, I shall request to have all the books come with you. You will doe well to marke all the sugers from Morton's Bay & any the other islands [p. 300] distinctly & send distinct Invoices of each p.rcell as I desired in those memoranda. Mr. Clayton gives us an acco.t of 35,136 butt & hhd. staves del.d to Ed. Dendy, 15,000 hhds. to Tho. Westcott, 4,500 hhds. to Capt. Bramley, 1,000, & to W.m Helme & Ed. Parsons p.r his order 14,636, viz. 7,200 butt staves & 7,436 hhd. staves, & to Tho. Westcott 12 barrells of porke. All which staves itts our desire should be applyed to noe other use but our owne. Yet nevertheless, because we are desirous of makeing up that voyage, we have given orders to said Clayton at his next arrivall there to receive of each p.rson one pound of suger p.r staff for every staff was deliverd them; & of Tho. Westcott 400 lbs. sugar p.r barrell for the porke. & Have ordered that our acco.tts shal be made D.r for the same by the respective p.rsons. Which we desire you to give your orders likewise that it may be done, and that he may bring it home with him, or that it may be sent us as you judg convenient to settle that acco.t. All which the said Clayton stands Deb.r for in our books untill p.rformed, in regarde the charge of that voyage was comitted to his disposall. Heerwith you have the acco.tts of that shipps voyage of freightment as they were made up heer by us. There is a ballance dew from Mr. Allein of about 25,000 lbs. sugar to the owners of the Unity wherin he was concerned 1/8 prt. Pray Mr. Allen to ship the same or, if he doth not, to make good our 1/8 part to you there. It hath been long dew & owned by Mr. Allein to be rec.d, as Mr. Wade tells me. I doubt not but you will be mindfull to ship Mr. Ducks debt w.th 6 p.r c.t interest for the same from the time it was first dew untill laden. For which I have given my bond as you desired. Also pray be mindfull to shipp the sugar on acco.t of Thomas & the rest of the others to mee, if not already donn. You know what debts remaine.

I take notice of your desires when I make any insurance for myself to doe the like for you, & shall doe for you in that or anything elce for you as for myself, when you require itt. But as yet I have made noe insurance on my shipp nor will not if it were not for the danger of hurricans there, about which I shall waite your next advise, when Capt. Hazelwood might depart from Nevis. & If I judg he may fall under the danger of any part of that season will then make an insurance upon him, but shall otherwise desist. By our last advise from Mr. Seay of Waterforde, Terry was then there (& I suppose may be still) & that they were in likelyhood of pr.cureing 20 servants which he hath orders to carry upon the shipps acco.t & to dispose of himself & bring home the returnes with him. But in case of his goeing to N. Engl., [p. 301] its our desire that you receive the proceeds of them or order Rich.d Watts to doe itt, & make up the returnes thereof p.r the first ship, as likewise your pr.ceeds of 4 servants he carried there last yeare, which he brought noe returnes off. You may please to let him view these lines to that effect from us that he might not scruple it. Because by his orders he is to bring it home himself. & It is our further desire that, in case he should goe to N. Engl., that for what staves or other comodetyes he brings in returne from thear, that you receive them for our acco.tts & put sugar on bord him for their pr.ceeds in like manner as we have desired for these p.r Clayton, makeing our acco.tts Deb.r for the same.

This day I spoke with Mr. Mathew concerning your debt who tells me he hath given orders to his brother to pay you there. But I told him that would not doe; you would not be paid there but here. Upon which he pr.mised mee it shall be done suddenly in less then a month. ...

235. Thomas Westcott [St. Christopher]

London, October 25, 1681
[p. 303] ... I find you sell your wines as cheap as they are sold for att Nevis, w.ch you ought not to doe, for there is at least 10 p.r c.t difference betwixt Nevis & St. Christophers in poynt of hazerd only, in case of a breach betwixt us & France, w.ch we are every yeare jealous of. That monarch is now soe great that all his neighbours are in dread of him. I hope we have least occation here, but our interst in those small islands will doubtless be in great danger whenever any breach happens. I have nothing further to trouble you with, only to tell you we are now in great expectation of our acco.tts, w.ch I hope may be sent before this comes to hand. ...

236. [p. 305] Henry Carpenter [Nevis]

London, October 18, 1681
Worthy Friend, Sir,
I rec.d yours of the 24th & 25th July for w.ch render you my thanks & hope before this Mr. Helmes hath settled all acco.tts betwixt us, as he pr.mised in his last to mee. It should be the first thing he would goe upon, & that there wil be reconcilement of all things relateing to matter of acco.tts, w.ch means every man may know w.t is his owne. & If he hath given any man a p.rticuler C.r, as you are pleased to mention, such creditts ought to be charged to his p.rticuler debt & noe joynt interest. For by giveing such creditts he contracts the debt to himself & soe it becomes his own pr.perty. I doe not at all question the justness of those acco.tts you sent mee, nor can I say anything to them, untill I receive the next, w.ch I hope will come pr.fixt under both your hands, that I think long till I receive them. I observe you still object against the 24£ & 20£ articles in my acco. But there can be noe objection against them to mee, since you drew joyntly. & Therfore, if Mr. Helmes rec.d satisfaction p.rticulerly, he must make it good to you. I thank you for your information of the £13 omittion in my acco. to my own pr.judice; but wherin it is, I know not & therefore desire your further information about itt. & If any other errors in the acco., pray make me sencible, for noe man but sometimes may committ mistakes in acco.tts.

... I thought you had sent the counterbond to Mr. Skutt for our counter securety, who asked me for itt, supposeing you had sent it mee. P.rhaps you have mistaken & sent it amongst the Comp. papers, which you should not have done. However, Mr. Skutt will inquire for itt; but, if not sent, you must not fayle to doe itt, for Mr. Skutt expects itt. I have not been with the Comp. since the receipt of yours, soe cannot tell whether they have rec.d that satisfaction relateing to my discharge. If you have not sent it, pray omitt it not. ...

237. George Liddell [Montserrat]

London, October 18, 1681
I have rec.d yours of the 18th of July by Capt. Hazelwood, w.th the 28 hhds. of sugar from your yeares rent, & for the surplus being £570 sugar I have past to your creditt in part of your next years rent. I observe you complaine of the hardness of your bargaine, w.ch I can say little too, in regarde I am a stranger to the whole concerne. & Certeinly you know better how to make a bargin according to the intrinseck vallew then I who never saw itt, neither positively know w.t it is but according to the character you & Mr. Helmes gave me of itt, w.ch was very large. But if it proves a hard bargin to you, you may well judg it soe to mee, that have already been 7 years in disbursement upon itt & less then 4 years rent yet to come; [the rent] will not pay the principall cost of itt, w.ch is 11 years purchase for that, w.ch I will dispose my part of it to you for 5 years purchase, whenever you are inclynable to buy it. Soe that I am content to sitt downe with the loss of 6 yeares purchase by that interest. The income of itt cannot be vallewed att more then a reasonable interest for such a disbursement in that part of the world. Whenever you inclyne to purchase, let me know your mind. I further observe that you say there is 53,020 lbs. sugar dew to you upon acco.t of the last years disbursements, besides a very considerable quantety of sugar made, w.ch you desire may be deducted out of your next rent or p.d you in negros. As to the acco., I referr it wholly to you & Mr. Helmes to make upp. & W.t in justice is your dew must be allowed you, w.ch Mr. Helmes must pay you, but of the rent I will allow of noe deduction to be made. I suppose he hath adjusted all these matters with you before now, or he writt me he would. But wheras you write there is such a summe of sugar dew to you, he informed me your acco.tts are very erroneous, & that he beleives there will appear to be noething dew.

I shall now give you an acco. of the quallety of your sugers w.ch is noewayes answerable to our contract. For which justice must be done us, for the sugar not only pr.ved very ordinary but wants of itts weight 5,149 lbs., w.ch is 20 p.r cent the p.rticuler w.tts. Acc. Sales you have heerwith. & I assure you I never saw cask rise in better condition, & you may judg whether sugars quallefyed according to covenants could loose above half that, viz. 10 p.r cent. You must make reparation, for that you know the justness of this according to contract, & that you are oblidged to the p.rformance of covenant upon you both. Besides the caske are very small & light, not soe large by 2 lbs. w.t each, as all other hhds. in the shipp, take them generally one with the other, w.ch is our great loss in point of freight. W.ch I desire you heerafter to take p.rticuler care of as likewise to the p.rformance of all your covenants.

I have also rec.d 2 hhds. of suger HF w.ch you say is in part of payment of your bond. But my bro. Baxter will not accept them upon acco.t, because by your bond you are oblidged expressly to loade the whole quantety by the 24th day of June Last, or in default therof to pay £70 sterl. heer. Now, had they been all loaden by that time, they had been well arrived, & now there is a second [p. 306] adventure to be runn. If the sugers were ready & Mr. Helmes did not take them on board, he hath done you a great injury in itt, & don as ill in that as he hath by me leaving out all my own p.rticuler concerns, that am a part freighter of the shipp, & takeing in other mens, who was not at all concerned. As to the injury done you therin, he must answer it himself. I am sure he cannot that done to my interest in that p.rticuler. Soe that you see I am a fellow sufferer with you. For I had made £500 insurance – upon Mr. Bramlys & my joynt interest 300£, and 200£ more upon my own p.rticuler, & all the goods left out. As to w.t concerns your p.rticuler, you may doe well to acquaint him w.th itt. & In the interim, I have given you creditt for the 2 hhds. of suger. An Acco. of Sales therof you have heerwith. When the remainder of the ballance comes, I will endeavor to moderate the thing w.th my bro. Baxter here. & If Mr. Helmes was the occation of leaving it out of the shipp, I thinke in justice he is oblidged to receive his own part there in sugar of you. But I have noething to say to that p.rticuler. You must agree it betwixt yourselves.

I take notice of your requests to be supplyed w.th 15 or 20 good negros for which you pr.pose to give 4,000 lbs. sugar p.r head, w.ch I think a very good price for them, & could wish it lay in my power to serve you therin. But to purchase choice negros here of the Comp., I cannot obtain that liberty here from them; & to medle upon any interloping acco., it would reflect upon mee. Soe that I cannot medle that way. If I could handsomely have done itt, I would have purchased some for my own plant. Soe that I am heartely sorry it lyes not in my way to serve you therin. I assure you, if I could none, should be more ready, & if I find any convenient oppertunety, I will have you in my thoughts. In the interim, I have made it my request to Mr. Helmes to supply you, w.ch if my interest with him will anywayes oblidg him, it wil be done for you. But how farr that goes with him, I cannot warrant you. But wherin I may be capable, assure yourself you shall alwayes find me ready. This, with tenders of my respects to yourself & wife, I conclude your loveing freind to serve you.

I intend a small vessell to be at M.tsarratt about Feb. or March Next to fetch of my effects & plant. concerne, as well yours as other, & then shall request your assistance. If I thought the consignation of a few wines might not be burthensome to you, itt's like I might now & then trouble you with a small p.rcell.

238. Robert Helme [Nevis]

October 26, 1681
Heerinclosed you have a coppy of my last to you since which I have rec.d your severall letters by Capt. Hazelwood with Bills of Loading for 33 tuns of sugar upon our acco.tts in 3ds, 10 hhds. from my plant. in M.tsarratt, 28 hhds. for our rent from Mr. Lydle, & 2 hhds. more from Mr. Lyddell on acco. of our old debt, togeather with part of the pr.ceeds of the servants & cargo p.r Capt. Hazelwood. All w.ch is landed & sold att a miserable low price, viz. 22s 9d p.r cent, yet the very extent of what this markett will afford. Acco.tts of Sales of all which you have heerwith, as also the Acco.tts of Sales of all those sugars by Clayton, by which you may in some measure judge what an advantageous trade Antigua is like to prove to us when sugars from thence cleer not above 8s 6d p.r cent, & w.t an honest corrispondent we have when our sugars wasts 25 p.r c.t in the weights (to which I shall, after I have spoke to some other p.rticulers, say something more). Yo have also Acco.tts of Sales of those sugars p.r Terry. Soe that I think there is only now wanting [p. 307] an Acco. of Sales of that p.rcell by the Lyon of Leverpoole w.ch acco. is not yet made upp, nor the money dew by contract till 6 mo. after delivery. & If that is paid in 12 mo., itts as soon as we expect itt, & yet a good advantage that market affords us att this time, considering how low sugers are heer. ... Now I shall give you my sence of our concerns in Antigua w.ch I beleive to be very great (though I can say little to that because I am soe great a stranger to all things transacted there). I desire you first to p.ruse those lines relateing to that p.rticuler in the inclosed & consider them well. & Yet those being observed, without some other measures taken, will not altogeather cure the mallady. For doubtless there must be a great cheat putt upon us in the weights, otherwise the wastidg could never be soe intolerably great. & The only remedy I can pr.scribe you against that is to receive none of his sugar by contracts, but to weigh them all, giveing such reasonable allowance for wastidge as may be thought reasonable. & This noe court of justice could be against, when the justness of the complaint is made appear. Besides it wil be a means, if denyed, to begett such an odium upon the country that it will frighten all traders from comeing neer itt. & Because you may judg itt unreasonable for me to beleive that you can p.rforme this constant trouble of receiving & seeing the w.tts of all yourself upon another island at a distance from you, to that I answer that itts our desire you should not p.rmitt him to loade of any direct. But as you find occation to fetch down a sloope ladeing to Nevis (w.ch charge is noe more of what I finde then of putting it on board of shipps there), alwayes to send up a large pair of stillhards & some trusty p.rson to take the weights of itt. & Besides, one thing will help towards this charge: that when the sugars arrives heer, they will yeeld 12d if not 18d p.r cent more comeing from Nevis by the name of that sugar more then they will as being Antigua, that island sugers lyeing under an ill character. & One thing more I intreat you: to hasten a period to our concerns in that island with all possible expedition & draw of as much as possible you can of our concerns. I dare say Coll. Warner, Coll. Williams, & the pr.sent Governor Russell will afford you there assistance, when you have made them truely sencible of our concern. Besides I know you may pr.cure the Gen.lls letters to countenance itt, they being all men of such good principles that I am sure will discountenance all such unjust acts. I am sorry you had not a better knowledg of this p.rson [Dendy] before you ingaged him soe deeply in our concern. P.rhaps he may pleade that there might be damadg shipboard. But I assure you goods never did rise better conditioned out of a shipp. & To govern yourself I have sent you the w.tts both heer & there according to his Invo. I shall not trouble you further as to this buisness, but referr the whole matter to your prudent mannidgment.

I doubt not but you have before now adjusted those acco.tts w.th Mr. Liddle & given him dew satisfaction w.ch he earnestly desires from mee, either by stoping out of his rent (w.ch I shall never agree to) or elce by a supply of negros w.ch he desires me to pr.cure for him & he will allow for good negros 4,000 lbs. p.r head. This is out of my way to serve him in, but I beleive you may well doe itt at that rate without pr.judice to yourself or the Comp.; & w.t kindness you can doe him therin, you will doe well to doe. I p.rceive you & he differs much in your advises to mee, w.ch I doubt not but you have settled. I mean in matters of acco.tts. & If anything dew to him p.d him for out of the next, I will not agree to the abatement of anything. Pray adjust all other concerns with him & John Beddingfeild or any other upon that island & draw of our concerns.

The next thing I have to offer to you is, I suppose, the charge of sloop hyre of those 30 hhds. laden p.r Mr. Lyddle may be charged to our acco.tts. If soe, it must be charged to him againe, for by his lease we are to pay noe charge whatsoever there. For the 570 lbs. of sugar laden by him more then the years rent I have given him creditt for, w.ch must be allowed him out of his next years rent. Those 2 hhds. laden by him on acco. of the ball.s of his acco. my bro. Baxter will not accept of on that acco., in regarde he is oblidged by his bond to shipp the whole by the 24th day of June Last or, in default therof, to pay £70 heer. Now, had the sugar been shipt according to contract, it had been arrived safe. & Now, there is a second adventure occationed by his breach of contract, w.ch lyes upon himself. He alleadgeth the fault to be yours that the sugars was not putt on board. If soe, you have done him an injury. ...

I have now noething further to trouble you with but to intimate some things relateing to my p.rticuler concerne, wherin I am a sufferer by your calculations, viz. in the burthern of the shipp St. George. If you please to p.ruse your letters of the 1st of July, you will then find you calculated she would carry not above 120 tuns, if that, & therin advised there would be laden on bord her 50 tuns for our acco.tts in 3ds: Mr. Lidles rent & the ball.s of his acco., 20 hhds. from our plant., & 40 more from my plant. in M.tsarratt. The same advise I rec.d from Mr. Bramley relateing to the latter &, according to his advise, insured £300 upon that acco. & £200 more on my p.rticuler. Then in your next, being a coppy of the former with an addition of the 10th of July, you confirme the same, when you say the shipp will carry but 115 tuns, only doubting Capt. Bramley would have but 8 tuns in a readiness. But I was satisfyed the whole 10 tuns was ready by his advise 10 dayes before, only wanted the sloope to fetch itt, w.ch you had pr.mised in dew time. I confess you say it in your letter of the 1th of July; if any was left out, it [p. 309] should be 8 hhds. of our own plant. sugar. Now, how your advises & the quantetye laden agree, I referr to you to judge of. When the ship falls short of the calculation you made of her burthen the 10th of July but one tun, & yet there is 30 hhds. on my p.rticuler left out of the 40 from M.tsarratt, 10 tuns of the fifty in 1/3ds, 6 hhds. on the shipps acco., 5 hhds. of Mr. Liddles debt, & when least 12 hhds. of our plant. suger. W.ch is in all 23 tuns short of the quantety you advised off, & the shipp but one tun less in burthen. & Yet you seem greatly surprised, by your letter by her, of her breakidge of stowidges. This you must beleive an apparent injury done to mee, to which I shall speak something more p.rticulerly in a few uncoppied lines w.ch goes by this conveyance. The 12 hhds. p.r the Rebecca are arrived. But I assure you, in my oppinion, that was better worth on Hazelwood p.r 10£ p.r tun then in any other shipp. We never doubted but he would have come cheefly laden with our own concerns & never doubted he would carry above 120 tuns. However you made such wide calculations, I know not, God send the rest of our concerns left behind to come well after, but it would have now been more seasonably welcome.

I hope you will not omitt sending all the plant. acco.tts from first to last, that I may see the charge of itt, which I doubt will swell beyond expectation. I suppose you have built the storehowse att the town you designed for it &, if to big for that use, will send for the receiving in our other concern, w.ch I hope will now putt us to noe other charge then the keeping a servant in town to receive & another abroad to gett in. Itts strange to me that the whole pr.duce of that plant., w.ch doubtless hath cost us many hundred thousands of suger, should afford but 20 hhds. of sugar in full 12 mo. last past & the very supplyes it hath had from hence hath amounted to at least 300£ sterl. or upwards, which cannot be deemed at less then 80,000 lbs. sugar. I desire you to create as little charge & expence to itt as possible may be. I pr.sume all charges of buildings is now over. & For the whole pr.duce of it I hope will be sent home without makeing any payment out of it there for what may be wanting for itts supply. I desire you to send out for from time to time as you find occation that soe noe charge there may be contracted upon itt. ...

Itts now the 26th Instant & this days post brought me yours of the 18th August p.r Ravens, who is well arrived, but not yet come into the River. Sugars beare a misserable low price & will scarce sell at any rate. There is now such a glutt. Some have sold Nevis sugars att 21 p.r cent, as I am informed. I shall pay Mr. Westcott at you direct £13 odd money. & Itts my desire that the plant. may be supplyed with all things from hence. If I can get a chyrurgeon, I will. About Xtmass we will hyre a shipp & lade with lumber & draw of the ball.s of our Madera acco., if old Pickford will loade itt. The wines shal be consigned yourself, which cannot be any great hinderance to you to dispose of them, & I rather desire you should dispose of w.t you are concerned in then any other. & For Tho. Westcott, I have made pr.vition to supply him upon my own p.rticuler, w.ch you refused to be concerned with me in when you went out. & I haveing given a pr.mise to him in that kind is an injunction upon mee. Otherwise, I would not be concerned in anything, but endeavor the withdrawing my effects, for I find noe other incouridgment. This shipp was freighted by my brother Baxter & self for our joynt acco.t & ready to sayle before your orders came to hand. But if she had not, she goes not that voyage you pr.scribed. & You cannot expect that either he or I will interest you in anythinge (since you gave your orders to us both to the contrary before your departure), except you give a p.rticuler order for the doeing of itt. & In this order you now give, you refuse to be concerned in any goods but wines & lumber. & I will not be concerned in any such joynt stock with any, unless they wil be concerned with mee in all others. For to drive some adventures p.rticuler & some joynt, I hold itt not convenient. I will either drive all my interest joyntly or elce p.rticulerly, without such intermixtures of buisness, w.ch I approove not of. & Whenever you are inclynable to be concerned in all, I will be free to joyne with you. In the interim, we will hyre a small [p. 310] ship or two yearly, & lade wth hoops & wines for our acco.tts in 1/3ds till our effects are drawn of Madera, w.ch I hope will produce us yet 200 or 250 pipes of wine, wth an addition of such creditts for Lisboa as Pickford requires. & I p.rceive will not loade our p.rcell.s without them. ...

239. General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]

London, October 25, 1681
Heerinclosed I send you coppyes of my two last to you. If the originalls came not to hand, I desire you will be pleased to p.ruse them. I shall now give answer to yours of the 18th, 25th & 26th July that came by the hands of Coll. Cotter & are the three last I rec.d from you.

As to the first, I p.rceive you are much concernd that a sute should be commenced for your Ladyes and childrens passages, & more espetially that I should suffer itt. In answer to that, I doe assure you I used all the arguments that possibly I could with your Lady to pay the owners of the shipp their demands rather then suffer any such thing to bee, w.ch was 5£ p.r head for herself & familly. But she would not allow me to pay them more then 20£, w.ch I made a tender of to them twenty times, but they would on noe tearmes accept itt. & The sute was commenced before her departure, w.ch I often told her would be a reflection, yet could not p.rswade her to advance the summe required. & If it was an error, it was none in mee to follow orders.

I have heerinclosed sent you acco. from first to last & have past to your creditt the 346£ 12s 6d dew from your brothers estate to mee, because I will omitt nothing on my part that may give you satisfaction. For this article, I must confess I thinke it very severe that his estate should be disposed off before his just debts p.d & that my goods, viz. the coppers & other things sent out by mee (that were never made use of before his death), should be given into possession of another man before my debt was p.d. I shall never mention itt more to you, but throw myself wholly upon your justice to see that right may be done me in itt. For itt's now goeing onward of 3 years since his decease, w.ch was a suffitient time for the payment of his debts. I shall send out a shipp to loade some effects att M.tsarratt of mine that I hope may be therein Febr. & If you think fitt, then to order your bro. to lade effects for payment of this debt, I will give orders for the receiving it on bord. But on your bro. I have noe dependency but rely wholly upon yourself in this matter. & Whatever you think good to doe, I shall submitt too, whether ever I receive a penny of it or nott.

I hope I have in this acco. omitted noething to your creditt that you desire. The ball.s dew to you is 3,074£ 8d w.ch lyes ready for Capt. Cotter when ever he pleases to call for itt. I have desired him to receive itt, but he desires it may lye untill he finds an oppertunety to dispose of it for you, w.ch he hopes may be very suddenly. & If he requires more of mee on your acco., he shall command as farr as my creditt will extend. This acco. being great & of long standing, I am desireous to have your discharge, w.ch is convenient amongt freinds, that I desire you will be pleased to send [p. 311] authentick under your hand & seale. & For what remains in my hands to ballance, I will either pay it James Cotter & Mr. Trant, them or either of them, as you shall direct. Or in case you rather desire it should remaine in my hands untill Capt. Cotter can find an oppertunety to lay it out for you, I will then give them my obligation to you for w.t soe remains, that soe all acco.tts may be cleered betwixt us to that time. & If you have any objection to this acco. that I have not yet fully answered to your satisfaction, I doe desire to acquaint them (& me) therewith & give them power to examine such articles. & If I cannot fully satisfye them in any such objection as they make, I will make it good with in as much as I can say or doe for your full satisfaction in all things. ...

It is much to be feared that the late incursions the French have made upon the Emperor & Spaniards in Germany & Flanders, contrary to the Treaty att Nimewegen, will speedely begett a new warr betwixt the French & the confederates, w.ch of necessety we must be ingaged in. & I doubt cannot continue longer then next Spring before we declare. This is my opppinion. You may make w.t use of it you thinke convenient. The Frenches entring in & takeing of Strawsbourgh hath greatly surprized & allarmmed all Europe. By which it appears plainly that noe articles are oblidging or binding to him. By w.ch you may judg that if any rupture like to break out betwixt us, he will endevor to surprize our poor islands before any declaring comes out. I referr this to your consideration. I should think it very necessary for all the islands to rayse a levy for armes & amunition to be sent out that may alwayes lye ready upon an occation, w.ch Coll. Cotter advises me there is great want of. ...

240. [p. 313] William Freeman & William Baxter to Edward Dendy [Madeira]

[London, October 24, 1681]
Sir,
... We have rec.d yours by Capt. Nutt who is arrived w.th the loss of his masts & great damadge, severall goods thrown overboard, & 4 or 5 foot water in hold. Soe that itts beleived most of his ladeing is washt out. We have also sould those sugars by Clayton, pt. att 21 p.r c.t & pt. att 22 p.r c.t They proved soe miserable bad, we were glad could gett that. & Upon makeing up the Acco. of Sales, we found 25 p.r c.t wastidg upon them, round one w.th the other upon many p.rticulers. We have sent the weights to Mr. Helmes both heer & there, who will satisfye you in that p.rticuler. Most of the caske wants 1/3 part of being full, & did rise as well conditioned out of the shipp as ever caske did. These sugers doe not cleer us above 1d p.r pound, all charges being paid. ...

241. [p. 315] Matthew De Gamma [Madeira]

London, October 26, 1681
Sir,
This serves to advise you of the receipt of yors in awnswer to ours by Mr. Helmes. By w.ch we take notice you had adjusted the acco. & The ball.s agreed upon betwixt you shall be punctually paid you whenever your orders come to hand. I render paym.t of it to Mr. Abr. Jacob, but he would not receive it for want of your order. Wee take notice of your pr.posalls to furnish us with 100 pipes of wine yearely, w.ch itts possible we may agree w.th you for when we know your tearmes. If you will oblidge to loade of the best wines & good caske & if you will make your price for 3 yeares togeather 1,400$ for 100 pipes of wine to be laden free aboard of all charges, & allow us 360$ for every 100£ in goods laid out heer, without any additionall charges upon them but such as we really pay. & If loaden upon our own shipps, you shall pay noe freight; but if on others, you must pay itt, the goods to be laden either for Madera or Lisboa as you shall direct, & the adventure to be run upon our acco.tts til landed at their port. This agreement may be plaine, w.ch may occation noe misunderstanding. But you must oblidge to loade the best wines. ...

242. [p. 316] Captain John Bramley [Montserrat]

[London, October 26, 1681]
Sir,
Itt's now the 26 of October, the foregoeing lines being coppyes of my two last to you. Since w.ch I have rec.d none from you though severall shipps have arrived & in p.rticuler Capt. Hazelwood on whom you mention the shipping of 40 hhds. of suger on our joynt acco., w.ch occationed my insurance of £300 upon that bottome. But on her arrivall I found only 10 hhds. laden w.th advise from Mr. Helmes that there was 30 hhds. come down, but the ship full before they came, soe that 12 of them be loaded on the Rebecca, w.ch is also arrived & the goods sold. Acco. of Sales of both w.ch you have heerinclosed. & Though at a very low price, yet a good price as the markett governs, sugers being now sold, viz. Leward Island sugers, att 20, 21, 21s 6d; & 22 & 22s 6d, the top of the markett for those sugers that are very good. You have also a coppy of your last Acco. Curr.t sent you. Since which I have not rec.d paym.t for the 40 hhds. p.r Clayton. & These now sold, the mony is not dew till the 1st of January. The other 8 hhds., being the remainder of the 30 hhds., were laden on bord one Capt. Rivett, who is also arrived. But as I am informed the goods on bord him hath sufferred great damadge, how it will fare with ours I cannot yet tell.

These now serves to advise you that I have hyred a shipp to goe directly to M.tsarratt & load from thence home, w.ch you may expect may be with you in Febr. & On her, I shall load the sugar potts, lymestones & what elce you have desired, togeather with such other things as I beleive may be needfull for the suply of our plant. (if I doe not receive an acco. of p.rticulers from you before the shipp sayles; if I doe, I shall observe your instructions). & Indeed, itt's my desire that she may bring home as much of the pr.ceeds of the plant. as possible can be made & laden, for there is a very great advantage of haveing goods home early in the yeare, I am sure, beyond w.t can be proposed by a latter crop though the pr.duce may be greater in quantety. For had those sugars that I have now sold come home early in the yeare that are now sold att 23s 6d p.r cent, I verely beleive they would then have yeelded 27 p.r c.t, w.ch is 1/4 part of the intrinseck vallew, & fr.t cheaper then by 30s p.r tun, & w.t canes had been then cutt would have come in againe 6 mo. sooner the next yeare, besides severall other accidents they are lyable to. Wherfore I now desire you to beginn our cropp as early as possible & follo. it close in the beginnning of the yeare. & Another reason I have for itt is I fear there wil be much greater danger in itts comeing home the latter part of the yeare, for in my judgment there is now as great reasons to suffer a warr w.th France this next summer as ever there was by the invasions the French have made upon the Emperor & Spaniards contrary to the Articles of Peace, w.ch in all appearance is now likely to break out in a generall warr againe in w.ch we must of necessety be ingaged. I hope my 1/2 prt of what sugars were made this yeare that was not shippt wil be laden of before this comes to hand, & that you will not now fayle to make pr.vition for payment of your bond. For when such things are p.d for as I designe to send out for the plant. use, I judge they will amount to as much as your part of those sugars that are arived, togeather with the ball.s of your Acco. Curr.t thats now dew. ...

243. [p. 317] Captain William Clayton [Commander of the Adventure]

London, November 19, 1681
You are to sayle with all convenient expedition to the Leward Islands, viz. M.tsarratt, Nevis & St. Christophers. And when please God you shall arrive there, itt's our order and desire that you should dispose of the servants and all other goods belonging to the shipps cargo to our most advantage at any of the aforesaid Islands as you shall thinke fitt, bringing us the pr.ceeds therof home upon your own shipp adventure. Itt's also our order that you bring home with you all the pr.ceeds of our pipe staves p.d the last yeare. And whatever you shall want to compleat your shipps ladeing home, itts our desire & order to you to let the same out upon freight to our most advantage, alwayes giveing the precedence of your freight to Mr. Robert Helmes, Mr. Tho. Westcott, or any other concerned for us, alwayes pr.vided they give you as good a freight & as speedy a dispatch as any other p.rson. The 6 iron axel trees for cart wheeles you are not to dispose of to any p.rson till you have given Capt. Joseph Crisp of St. Christophers the refusall therof. & If them or any other part of your cargo should happen to remaine undisposed off at your comeing from the islands, itts our order you should leave the same in the hands of Mr. Tho. Westcott. ...

244. Thomas Westcott [St. Christopher]

London, November 20, 1681
This now goes by Mr. Clayton who goes direct without touching in Ireland. The beefe designed by him we intend after Xtmass to hyre a vessell to take in & to consign the same to yourself, w.ch we will endeavor to order soe that she may be with you about the time we judge the ketch may be dispatched. Pray omitt not at all times to advise what shipps you loade on for our acco.tts & as neer as you can the quantety. I would advise you to be carefull not to give too large creditts except to such p.rsons as you know to be very punctuall for now every day begetts greater jealousies of a warr with France, w.ch I pray God to divert. However, I hope there is noe danger of itt, till the latter part of the next summer att soonest. If I see greater apprehensions of it, will order what wines & pr.vitions we consigne you to bee landed att Nevis, from whence you may order them downe as you see convenient. In the meanetime, pray use all dilligence to gett in our debts & be shipping home as fast as possible you can. For whether that happen or not, I shall be greatly streightned for money, haveing receivd soe little home. That adventure I had upon the Abraham on my own p.rticuler acco. amounted to as much money as all the pr.ceeds of my part of the sugars you have laden since you have been upon St. Xtophers. And then you may judge whether I can send out & not receive home. If things goes well heer, the Abraham shall get the next voyadge to Guyny w.th negros to you. We intend to let her out to freight to the R. Comp. and soe to purchase all the negros of them. For, on any interlopeing accompt, I am not willing to be concerned; but if I can recommend any to you, I will. But then you must be sure that my concerns may not suffer by that meanes. But to that, doe me justice in makeing me a dew returne, without which noe man can drive a trade long. ...

You have omitted in your Acco. of Sales of goods p.r the Abraham 470 sugar potts & dripps. Which we desire to know how they were disposed of & to have an acco. rendered on of the same.

245. [p. 318] John Bedingfield [Montserrat]

London, December 10, 1681
I writt you by Abra.m Terry & Mr. Clayton, both which I pr.sume may come to your hand before this that now goes by the shipp Abigail, Tho. Wood, Master, that I have hyred to draw of what I can of my plant. & other effects, & to that end have writt you & Mr. W.m Berwick (who I have sent to take the care, conduct and mannadgment of my plant. in partnershipp w.th Mr. Bramley) att large. Wherin you will see itt's my desire to have all that possible can be made laden on board the said shipp, as also my debt dew from Mr. W. Fox & Coll. Edmund Stapleton's estate, togeather with one yeares rent dew from Mr. Liddell. All which I intreat you to press them hard & often to the makeing such complyances, as that the same may be shipt on board in dew time, that soe the ship may be laden within her certein dayes without putting me to the charge of paying any demoridg. Now Mr. W.m Berwick being altogeather a stranger there, my sole relyance is upon yourself to take such care in loadeing the shipp & letting out soe much therof to freight for my most advantage, as may not be laden out of my own concerne, which I conceive may be about 20 tuns. But that you wil be better able to judge of then itt's possible for me to doe, when you see what sugers in pr.babillity may be made and laden from my plant. or what certein dependency there may be upon my other concerns. And accordingly you must govern yourself in the letting of freight more or less. But att first I would not have above 20 tuns let at most, & that to such as will foorthwith put it on board. & Then take in what possible you can of my owne concerne & lade as fast as the same can be pr.cured, & soe continue till the shipp draws within 20 dayes of the expiration of my certein dayes. And then what you see cannot be compleated with my own effects, let out upon freight. I would not have you make known to any that I have above 60 dayes upon her w.ch may be a means to spurr them to a more speedy complyance, yet would have her lye the full time to gett what possible can be laden on my own acco. on bord her. I have sent you all my letters to Mr. W.m Fox & Mr. George Lydlle & Mr. John Bramley under a flying seale that [p. 319] you may p.ruse them before close & deliver them. & Itt's my request to assist Mr. Berwick in all things, espetially in matters of disputes or difficulty relateing to the plant. (or any other concern), w.ch you I doubt not by this are soe well advised in plant. concernes, that you may bee able to oppose Mr. Bramley in anything that may be pr.posed by him to my disadvantage in poynt of mannadgment. & Therfore, I desire you to ride over often and advise & assist Mr. Berwick there & conferr with Mr. Bramley touching such affaires as may be needfull till Mr. Berwick is well settled & hath a right understanding of the mannidgment therof, which I doubt not but a little experience will gaine him. To this end I have joyned you with him in the Letter of Attorney, as also Sir W.m Stapleton, who you may appeale upon any imergent occations. My instructions to Mr. Berwick he will shew you, by which you will see what my desire is. & I desire you to keep as neer to those instructions as possible you can, without giveing Mr. Bramley the least pr.heminency or advantage to my pr.judice. But still endevor to carry on things amicably & reason things with him, if possible such means will doe. I would have you p.rswade him to loade as much joyntly upon this shipp as possible you can. Rather, let him freight on more moderate tearmes then any other p.rson to incouridg him thereunto. & Pray, act in all things heerin as for yourself, & take care that I pay noe demoridge nor dead freight. ...

I have pr.mised Mr. W.m Berwick to give him some incouridgm.t by way of trade, w.ch if you inclyne to be concerned therein with him, you may discourse him about itt & let me know your mind. I had rather you should then not & be concerned therein yourself what you can, w.ch may be a better way for you to imploy your interest then solely upon a plant. concern. I can doe but little at pr.sent till I receive something considerable from abroad where my sole subsistance lyes at pr.sent. I hope I may have something comeing now after it hath laine there soe many yeares. I have now sent some goods for the plant. supply, & mony which Mr. Berwick will shew you the Invo. off. ...

246. William Fox [Montserrat]

London, December 10, 1681
Worthy Friend, Sir,
I writt you the last yeare by Capt. Hazelwood intreating you to loade the ballance of my acco. upon him, but received not a line in awnswer from you since, but have writt you by severall other conveyances since that. This now goes by the shipp Abigall, Thomas Wood, Master, with whome I send Mr. W.m Berwick, a sober, injenious man & well educated, to take the charge & mannadgment of my part of the plant. in partnership with Mr. Bramley, who I hope will soe demeane himself in the conduct of that affaire that all things may be carried on amicably betwixt Mr. Bramley & him, which is my only desire. & To that intent I have given him my instructions. Pr.vided nothing may be done to my pr.judice, your good advise and assistance to him at his first comeing wil be a very great kindness to mee. & If any matters of dispute should arise betwixt Mr. Bramley & him in relation to the mannidgment of my interest, I intreat you to endeavor a settlement or reconciliation therof, soe that it may not be to my pr.judice.

Now, Sir, be pleased to take notice that I have hyred this shipp to noe other end nor intent but to bring of my own concerns, or as much therof as I cann. & Therfore, itt's my desire that as much sugar may be made as possible can be dureing her stay there & laden on bord, & that all the canes that are grindable may be out & made of in that time w.ch I hope Mr. Bramley will not obstruct. If he should, it may occation some difference. For although there may be some advantage alleadged by their standing longer, of making more sugar, yet that may be a disadvantage to mee. For my case is not as with other planters who make only for payment of debts. But sugars that are made & come home early in the yeare may in pr.babillity yeeld 3s or 4s p.r c.t more then those that comes at the latter part of the season, as they have usually done, w.ch is 1/4 part of the intrinseck vallew, besides less hazzerd upon many [p. 320] acco.tts. & If Mr. Bramley will shipp joyntly as I have desired him to doe upon this bottome, he will find the advantage of it as well as myself. I desire you to doe me the favor to discourse this matter with him seriously, that soe noe matters of discord may arise, which is my cheefest desire, w.ch if he should oppose such things as are reasonable & tending to my advantage, it may occation such disputes as may tend to both our disadvantage.

Now, Sir, my further request & desire to you is that you will not fayle of loadeing the ballance of acco. dew from yourself to mee upon this bottome. If you should, it would be a double injury to mee, because I have made a great insurance upon her home, relyeing upon yours togeather with other my concerns, comeing upon her, and, as I have said before, have hyred the shipp absolutely to noe other intent but to draw off my own concerns. The shipp is to lye there 60 dayes & 30 dayes more upon demoridge. I intreat you not to fayle to loade your part within the certein dayes as much as you can. But rather then any of my concerns should be left behind, I have ordered her to lye the dayes of demoridg also. And what that loss wil be to me, togeather with my premio money also (if not complyed with), you may judge. But these inconveniences, if they are put upon mee, I must rather suffer then she should come without my effects to supply my greater wants. But of this I have not the least doubt of what relates to your p.rticuler. & Whenever it comes, I shall not see my own money with 4 p.r c.t p.r anno interest, if it please God it comes safe, I have already been soe many yeares out of itt.

Sir, my further request to you is to loade in the largest hhds. you can, & good, dry, well cured suger. Otherwise, the wastidge is usually soe great togeather with other charges that it amounts to little. I also intreat you to loade what you judge may be convenient to discharge that small debt dew to me in money, of which I have in severall formers given you an acco. I pr.sume the shipp may burthen about 20 tuns more then what I expect may be laden either from my plant. or any other my concerns, which I desire may be let out upon freight to such as will imediatly loade itt upon the shipps first arrivall on the best tearmes they can. Your advise and assistance therein wil also be a great kindness to mee. & If Mr. Bramley lades any joyntly, itt's my desire they should make him as moderate or rather more moderate tearmes then any other p.rson. ...

247. Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, December 10, 1681
My last to you was by Mr. Clayton in which I writt you the needfull. Since which I have rec.d yours of the 23th August adviseing of the receipt of mine by your cousin W.m Helme, whose arrivall I am glad to hear of, as also that your brother W.m was at Antigua setling & makeing up acco.tts w.th Mr. Dendy. A letter from himself purporting the same thing we have receivd, wherin he also adviseth that the said Dendy had settled a very considerable estate upon that island both in howses & plant. out of our effects, which was noe more then we before suspected. But who gave him that oppertunety of thus abuseing us, we referr to you to judge. However, what is now to be done is to pr.vent a future abuse by endeavoring the recovery of our just dews, to which I have in two formers writt you at large to the effect to which I referr you. But p.rhaps what may be alleadged as a pr.tection to him in these his villenous transactions may be the Act of the country that pr.tects their lands, slaves & c. from being brought to justice. I must confess that Act was the most fraudilent one that ever was made, but now is out of date, in regarde the Kings commission [p. 321] impowers them to make such Act which shall remaine in force 2 yeares & noe longer unless confirmed by the King; & the two yeares being expired & the Act, wanting that confirmation, is voyd in itself, soe that you will doe well to make use of your time and pr.secute him with all imaginable vigour, untill our debts are all receivd or otherwise secured.

I take notice of what you mention as to the takeing of freight heer for that island, but shall desist for those reasons given you in my former, & refer it wholly to you to doe there. Those 40 hhds. of sugar by Nutt are landed but will not in all make upp the quantety of above 12 or 13 most part therof damadged, and noe damnadge to be recovered, & those lye yet unsold. This is little better then a dead loss. When they are sold, you shall have an acco. of them.

Those 19 hhds. of sugar marked WF on acco. of the debt bought of Thomas are disposed of. An Acco. of Sales therof you will receive from my bro. Baxter, to whom you consignd them. The n.t pr.ceeds therof, togeather with the other p.rcell, I shall receive of my bro. Baxter according to your order. Itt's in vaine to complain. But when you p.ruse the Acco. of Sales of the 19 hhds. suger, you will see the advantage I have made thusly, which might very well have been 30£ or 40£ more, had it been laden according to your promise, viz. in good Nevis sugers, w.ch would not have wasted above 14 or 15 p.r c.t (as this doth 25 p.r c.t) (being I pr.sume Antigua or some other islands sugers) & would have sold for 9d or 12d p.r c.t more if good sugar & the cask not above 3/4 parts as bigg as usually laden from Nevis. W.ch in freight & other charges here and there is about 12£ loss in that p.rticuler. If a man cannot see his principall money with comon interest for sugers bought at 9s p.r cent, what proffit should we have made by giveing 10s p.r cent, the price you proposed to give for itt, if I would have condescended thereunto. I shall say noe more, but leave the rest to you to judge.

You shal have an Acco. of Sales of the 4¼ tuns of sugar laden by your brother, when the remainder of those by Nutt are sold. I am extreamly apprehensive of a warr with France this next summer. Wherfore I intreat you to hasten a settlement of our concerns, & draw of what possible you can, and advise by all oppertunetyes if you can of what ship or shipps you load upon, and spurr up all those that mannadg our concerns at any other islands to a speedy complyance.

This now goes by the ship Abigall, Tho. Wood, Master, who I have hyred upon my own p.rticuler acco. to loade at M.tsarratt to draw of what possible I can of my own concerne there. I intreat you to discourse the Generall effectually concerning my debt dew from his bro. estate, & press him to give effectual orders there for the loadeing effects on bord this shipp for the dischargeing of itt, which is one of the principall ends I have hyred the shipp for as you may informe him. I judge there wil be about 20 tuns freight to let upon her more then any concerns I have there will compleate. I have ordered George Liddell to loade our rent upon her, & for the remainder I have left to my cozen John Beddingfeild & Mr. W.m Berwick (who I send to take the charge of my plant.) to let out, but have ordered them before they let any part therof to acquaint you therewith. & If there be any of our interest in 1/3ds upon that island ready to shipp or that may be ready in a reasonable time that you will order the putting it on board & contract the freight as a certeinty for itt, that soe I may not at last be dissappoynted of a freight. I have ordered them to let it to noe other p.rson till you have given your awnswer thereunto, w.ch pray omitt not to send up by first. & If it should happen there may be a scarcety of goods & plenty of freight that they cannot obteine a freight within time, if in such case you assist them with any of the Comp. goods or any other concern, it may be a kindness to me. But otherwise I had rather they should bring anybodyes goods then the Comp., for they alwayes contest and make abatements without any just cause, as they have donne on Clayton, Hazelwood and many others. Therfore, on any shipps that we are concerned, itts better to let to others then the Comp. ...

[p. 322] When your money comes in, I shall endeavor the placeing it out for you according to your desire. I pray omitt not the sending for such things as may be wanting upon the plant., as also that acco. with all others depending betwixt us, as soon as possible you can.

Itts now the 14th day & since the writeing the foregoeing lines we have receivd an Acco. of Sales of Dendy of 27 pipes of wine p.r the Abra.m & part of a cargo p.r Clayton, viz. the brandy, beere, cheires, & blew linnen. A coppy of that acco. we now send you w.ch is certeinly a very knavish one. For out of 2,158 gall.s of brandy del. by Clayton in good condition, he makes out but 1,632 gall.s sold, allowing for the 11 barrells bought of Clayton but 10 barrells, soe that the leakidg is 526 gall.s, besides one barrell of the aforesaid 11, & that all sold att 50s p.r gall., wheras we have been informed great part was sold att 60s and 70s p.r gallon. The bale of blew linnen that did contain 983 3/4 yrds. he makes out to contain but 729 yrds. that could not leake, & makes it sould by wholesale att 8s p.r yard. The leather cheires sould att 5s p.r cheire. & Of all the other goods renders noe acco.t at all, alleadgeing that some therof lyes unsold. But we much wonder you did not give orders for the receiveing all such goods, as we now desire you will & finish all those acco.tts with him & inspect his books narrowly & make such inquiries of the p.rsons to whome those goods were sold that he may not put such a cheat upon us as John Smargin did on Mr. Knight. He makes not one pound of sugar of all this concern receivd but renders a list of debts of all and makes many debittors. W.ch by the Acco. of Sales, one pennath of the goods was never sold too. I can write you noe more then I have done relateing to this concern. But desire that as you intrusted & imployed this man with the mannidgm.t of our concerne & estate, that soe you will take such care to bring us off that we may not altogeather come by loss or rather be cheated thus out of what we have. Were I so neer him as you are, I thinke I should not give anybody the trouble of putting me in minde to doe them right. Indeed, I am out of patience to see that a fellow should be suffered thus long under your own & your brothers nose to cheat us & noe notice ever taken of itt. Plantations are not settled nor howses built in a day, the settlement of all which might have been pr.vented in dew time had any care been taken to the contrary. & You well knew he had noe other estate to doe all this with but ours, besides buying up all the cargoes that came to the island that he could lay hands upon. All which we at this distance can be advised off, although you at the next island cannot, or at least will not take notice of itt, but write us to take freight, wheras when we did take itt, would not be laden. Indeed, had we known our concern had been 700,000 lbs. sugar in his hands, as we now are advised itt is, & had had nothinge laden in 2 or 3 yeares togeather, as we have not worth takeing notice off, we should have putt you in minde of itt before now. But being as well kept in the darke of that as all other concerns that could not be expected from us, all which I patiently subscribe to & remaine your affectionate lo. bro. ...

But when she arrives, we are content to take our chance of a freight for her dispatch. Every day produceth greater feares of a war with France. Every post brings an acco. of one action either in Flanders or Germany betwixt the confederates & the French, and ambassadors are dayly dispatched from all parts in order to a strict allyance against them. The Swedes & Danes are all ready come into the allyance with the Engl., Spanish & Hollander. All their sole relyance is upon us, & their ambassadors pressing our King dayly to first declare the warr. But that I hope he wil never agree to, though it can never be expected we can keep out long, I think long, till I hear from you. ...

248. John Beddingfield & William Berwick [Montserrat]

London, December 10, 1681
This goes by the ship Abigall, Tho. Wood, Master, who I have hyred to loade att M.tsarratt, to noe other intent but to draw of what possible I can of my owne concern on that island & To that end I shall request your trouble not only to assist in the getting in my concerns & ladeing it on bord the said shipp but also to pr.cure such other freight as may be wanting for the dispatch of the said shipp as much to my advantage as possible you can. & For your better government in the buisness, I have heerwith sent you the coppy of the Charter Party by which you will see I have 75 dayes besides Sundayes for the unloadeing & reladeing of the s.d shipp at the aforesaid island besides 30 dayes upon demoridge att 35s p.r day. Now, because I conceive the shipp may burthen much more then what my own occations may require, I therfore judge it may be convenient att her first arrivall there to let to freight about 20 tuns but not more att the best rate you can to such p.rson or p.rsons as will foorthwith loade the same, that is to say in 20 or 30 dayes at furthest, & then to let noe more out upon freight untill her dayes drawes neer the expiration, viz. 15 or 20 dayes before my certein dayes are out, that soe she may be dispatcht within the certein dayes if possible. & By that time you wil be able to judge what you may depend upon of my own concerns & what burthen the ship may be off, that soe you may dispose of the freight accordingly. Now my cheefest dependency of my owne concerns is from my plant., supposeing that Mr. Bramley will loade all the suger that is made dureing that shipps stay there upon our joynt accompt for the discharge of his debt dew to mee, which I desire you to press him too. & Because he may be more readily inclyned thereunto, I have made an insurance upon the said shipp out & home upon his & my joynt accompt, which premio money wil be lost if he doth not comply therewith. That may be some inducement to him. Yet itt's my desire that, upon the shipps first arrivall, that you press him to know w.t he will loade joyntly & come to a certein agreement with him for soe much freight, makeing the best tearmes with him you can for the freight according as the markett governs at the time you let. & Oblidge him to loade whatever he soe contracts within 60 dayes after the shipps arrivall, that is workeing dayes, viz. 70 running dayes, which I desier you not to discover to him or any other p.rson. But that is the full number of dayes I have upon the shipp, besides demoridge dayes, which may be a means to hasten their complyance in order to the shipps dispatch.

Now, my further request to you is that, imediatly after the shipps arrivall, you should both repaire to the said plant. & take an exact acco. of all the sugars in the howse or storehowse and whatever proportion therof belongs to mee to foorthwith shipp it on borde, without suffering any thereof to be otherwise disposed of under color of payment of debts or any other pr.tence whatsoever. & My further desire is that you take a full veiw or surveigh of all the canes standing & growing upon the plant. & what canes you find to be of age, growth & ripeness fitt to cutt upon the said plant. that you doe foorthwith sett the mills to worke & grinde of as many therof as possible you can dureing the shipps time of 75 workeing dayes. Which said full time I would have her kept upon that acco. that soe I may have what possible can be laden upon her. But before you doe anything upon this acco., I would have you first to conferr with Mr. Bramley & reason with him what is fitt to be done in relation to the advantage of the plant, w.ch I conceive you, Mr. Beddingfeild, may understand as well as himself. And if he [p. 325] inclyned to agree to such things as you shall both in your judgement concurr, then itts my desire you should act with a mutual concern & no otherwise. But if you find him averse to those things that sutes with my advantage in this case, to make use of that power that I have given you, w.ch is equivalent to what he can pr.tend to on any acco., & keep the worke goeing. But I hope there may be noe occation of difference or contention on this acco., not doubting but that he will agree to doe those things that may be reasonable & tend most to both our advantages. & Whatever suger is or may be made dureing that shipps stay there, I desire that my full half part or moyety therefor may be laden and put on board the said shipp without disposeing of any part therof, either for payment of debts or otherwise. But what debts is or may be contracted should remaine unpaid till after the shipps departure (if the same cannot be satisfyed with ready money), in regarde my intentions is to make a full insurance upon the said shipp home. ... [p. 326] I have putt on board the said shipp [blank] thousand of pipe hoopes to fill her upp w.ch by Bill of Loadeing are consigned to Richard Watts in Nevis. Yet nevertheless if you find you can dispose of any of them on the island of M.tsarratt for ready payment, that soe the effects may be returned on the same bottome, I doe heerby order & impower you to take soe many therof on shore as you can soe to dispose of. And for the remainder, itt is my order that as soon as the shipp hath loaded such other goods as p.r Bill of Loadeing as we consignd to M.tsarratt (only reserveing the lymestone on bord for ballast till she doe againe returne from the island of Nevis to M.tsarratt) that you foorthwith order the said shipp to goe down to Nevis with the aforesaid hoopes and deliver them as consigned, where I have ordered Richard Watts to lade on board the pr.ceeds of the same if he can dispose of them for ready payment, and soe have ordered the shipp to returne againe to M.tsarratt with all expedition, and there to abide untill dispatched by you.

249. General Sir William Stapleton [Montserrat]

London, December 10, 1681
Honored Sir,
Heerwith you have my wifes acco. of the cost & charges of those things you ordered for your Lady, which went all by Capt. Winter, except the box of shooes that now goes by the shipp Abigall, Tho. Wood, Command.r, & heerwith you have also the Bill of Loadeing for them. But for the box on board Winter I have no Bill of Loadeing in regarde they were sent down to Gravesend after Clayton, but came to late to goe with him &, Winters shipp being then there, was put on board him. I hope they will come safe to your hands & be to your Ladyes likeing. Mrs. Cotter & my wife tooke what care they could to please her & not to exceed the prices you limited as neer as could bee.

Col. Cotter goes about 10 dayes hence for Ireland in order to the settlement of your concern, in which I wish him successfull & hope he wil find some good occation of layeing out your money to advantage. Whether he designes to receive it from mee before he goes or to draw upon me from thence I know not. But it lyes ready for him & soe shall continue till he comands itt.

By this shipp I have sent one Mr. W.m Berwick, a sober, injenious man to take charge of my half part of the plant. in M.tsarratt in partnershipp with Mr. Bramley (from whom I have not receivd that satisfaction I ought to have). And in the Letter of Attorney I have given the said Berwick, I have pr.sumed to make use of your name, w.ch liberty I hope you will excuse me for, it being not designed trouble to you, but to give him countenance, in case Mr. Bramley should refuse those things that of right belongs to mee. & If in any such case hee should make his applycation to you, I most humbly intreat your favor in my behalf to him.

Sir, I have hyred this shipp to loade att M.tsarratt to noe other intent but to draw of what possible I can of my concerns there, for indeed I greatly suspect a warr with France, w.ch, if happens, I very much feare that poore island wil be in great danger (as well as St. Christopher), in both which islands the greatest part of my subsistence lyes. & Therfore, I doe use what possible means I cann to withdraw something from them. On the other islands, I have not soe great concerns. Neither doe I apprehend them in soe much danger, being as I conceive in a much better posture of defence, espetially that w.ch hath your pr.sence, which under God I doubt not in the least your keeping, although I am apt to [p. 327] beleive the power of the French wil be great in those parts. ... I shall not undertake to give you the p.rticulers of the late transactions betwixt the French & the confederates, knowing you have it from better hands. But severall skirmishes hath lately happened in Flanders & the French have taken there & in Germany more places of strength from them then ever he did in the like time in time of warr. The Swedes, Danes & Hollander are already come into the league against him, and all the Princes of Germany are now uniteing, as I hope all Christendom will, against the publique enemy & desturber of itt. Itt's said (but how then I know not) that our King hath agreed upon a new league with the Dutch & Spaniard. I pray God continue us in peace, but all things looke ill both at home and abroad. ...

250. [p. 328] Henry Carpenter & Robert Helme [Nevis]

London, December 12, 1681
Gentlemen,
This goes by the shipp Abigall, Tho. Wood, Mast.r, which I have hyred to draw of some of my effects from M.tsarratt, & on her have laden [blank] thousand of hoops w.ch are consigned to my servant Richard Watts in Nevis. Now if you have occation for the said p.rcell of hoops & will accept of them all (only reserveing to himself soe may of them as he may have occation to make use of for my own occations) att 3 lbs. sugar p.r hoop, at which price they will not pay their first cost, & a moderate freight as the price of sugars now governs. Yet I have ordered him to deliver them soe to you if you please, you payeing for them imediatly in good Nevis sugars to put on bord the shipp. And if you have occation for any of them to be landed att M.tsarratt, the shipp may carry them to and deliver them there for you.

I conceive this shipp will burthen much more then my own occations may require, in case they should be streightned [p. 329] to pr.cure a freight for mee. If you would give order to your agent here to assist my attorneys Mr. John Beddingfield & Mr. Wm. Berwick with what they may want, it would be a great obligation to me. I writt Mr. Carpenter att large by the last conveyance. Since which have noething now to refer, only to desire him to advise mee wherin the 13£ error lyes that I have creditted to my owne pr.judice. We think long to hear from Nevis, being advised of a hurricane at Antigua. ...

251. Captain John Bramley [Montserrat]

London, December 12, 1681
Sir,
This goes by the shipp Abigall, Tho. Wood, Master, on whom I send Mr. W.m Berwick, a sober, injenious man to take the charge, conduct and mannidgment of my half part of the plant. in partnership with yourself and to receive the full pr.ceeds of my half part of the pr.fitts thereof, according to the informations I have given him to that purpose, who is also to reside upon the plant. I doubt not but you will find him deserveing of the character I give you, & that all things will be carryed on amicably betwixt you to both our advantage, which is my desire. & One of the cheife reasons I have of imploying him is because I understand you are off the island very often & have undertaken some other affairs, soe that by your absence sometimes the estate may suffer for want of lookeing after. And indeed one thing I must confess: I have taken ill that you should contract soe great a charge to the plant. by buildinge, as by the acco.tts I finde & that as I am informed cheefly in howses that tends noewayes to the advantage of the plant., but p.rticulerly to your own famillys accommodation, & never soe much as ask my approbation thereunto, nor acquaint me therewith, either before the worke begunn or since the finishing of it. W.ch is positively contrary to our Articles betwixt us. & It would be as reasonable for me to require you to beare a pr.portion of my family expences & accomodation heere, as it is for you to expect I should doe it for you there. For your liveing upon the plant. ought to contract noe other charge to it but such as relates to the familly expence belonging to the said pr.misses, not your own p.rticuler familly, for whose accomodation the howse you have built, I cannot imagine, hath contracted less then 40,000 lbs. sugar charge. & In recompence of your trouble of mannidgment of what concerned my part, I was content to buy & sell heer. W.ch if the pr.ceeds of the plant. had been dewly sent home would have been equivalent to your mannidgment there. Now I have given the said Berwick my full instructions in all things relateing to the mannidgment of my half part concern, & have given him as ample power as if I weare personally pr.sent to act in all things on my behalf with all power & priviledges belonging to mee according to the Articles betwixt us. W.ch by his instructions he is punctually to observe & follo. on my part; the same p.rformance is desired on yours, which hath been greatly to detryment hitherto that hath not been done, espetially that you have not put in a competent stock of money for the supplying of it on the best tearms but that I have been compelld by you to buy all things there to soe much disadvantage or otherwise to disburse heer for your part as well as my owne, when you imploy & make use of your own stock other wayes. These things for the future I intreat you to regulate, by makeing dew pr.vition heer for the supplying it with all things at the best hand.

I have now by this shipp Abigall sent you the sugar potts, lymestones & hoopes you gave orders for. Invo. of their cost & charges you have in a joynt letter to yourself & Mr. Berwick. & In the said Invo. is added many other things which I conceive may be absolutely necessary & wanting & wanting [sic] upon the plant. & for the supply of itt, viz. 300 ps. 8/8, some blew linnen, shoose, pease and other pr.vitions, togeather with 4 hhds. of coles for smiths use. You haveing before writt for such implyments as was proper for a smith, I thought those would be also wantinge, & sundry other recessaryes amongst which is 10 very good firearmes or fusees and one paire of pistolls, and tenn lusty men servants. All which [p. 330] itts absolutely necessary every plant. should be supplyed with towards the defence of the island, though little advantage may be made by them. Yet I would have sent 20 had I your approbation, but without that I would send noe more. I have also sent 480 of Norway deales w.ch are much more dureable & serviceable then New England deales, & will not stand in above half that price you charge in the acco. Viz. I suppose the 480 bords may contain about 5,000 foot w.ch att 1½ p.r foote is 7,500 lbs. sugar, that, att 12s 6d p.r cent, is 46£ 17s 6d, & these with freight & all come not to £20. You may calculate by this, had you advised of your buildings & desired matterialls from hence, how much cheaper such work might have been done. These deales I have sent, pr.sumeing you have bought some more negroes & may have occation to erect another worke, according to former advises. W.ch if done, I desire such buildings may be erected as may contract noe great charges to the plant. & that all things necessary for the carrying on them & the worke may be advised for from hence, & that you will send me an accompt of what buildings are designed & an estimate of their charge, that soe my approbation thereunto may be given. By Clayton I sent a very good workeman, viz. both carpenter & joyner, w.ch I hope wil be very serviceable about the worke. I have not receivd the Bill of Loadeing for the servants. Have left that to Mr. Berwick to take. Neither am I sure the full complement of 10 servants is on board, though charged in the Invo. But if any wanting, your Acco. Currant shall have creditt for the moiety thereof. I have also p.d 30£ for beef, porke & c. I have ordered to be made in Ireland for this yeares supply of our plant., w.ch I judge will not be with you before March or Aprill. I have not charged your Acco. Currant with the half of itt, but deferr that till it's laden, & the acco. of the whole cost and charges therof be sent. Inclosed you have your Acco. Currant. By which you see how it stands these goods that now goes for which I have charged but 34£ freight takes up within 25 tuns the whole burthen of the shipp, which is 120 tuns. That noe other shipp would have carryed for above double the freight. I desire you soe soone as Mr. Berwick arrives to give him an acco. of all things transacted on the plant. since the last acco. made up, as also the p.rusall of the last acco. & likewise an acco. of all such goods as remaines in the howse undisposed off, or unmade use of, w.ch was sent from hence for the plant. use & an acco. of all the goods and money how disposed or made use of that I have sent out from hence, as likewise an acco. of all the debts you have contracted upon the plant. acco. & what remaines unpaid, as likewise an acco. of all the sugers either in storehowse or cureing howse. All which I have ordered him foorthwith to render me an acco. off.

Now, Sir, be pleased to take notice that I have hired this shipp on purpose to bring of as much of the pr.ceeds of my plant. & some other effects I have on that island as possible I can. & Therfore, itt's my absolute desier that what sugar possible can be made upon the plant. dureing the shipps stay may be lade on boarde her, & that the worke may be constantly kept goeing dureing the time of her being there, that soe I may have a considerable returne upon her, w.ch wil be my great advantage in poynt of a markett more then can be expected to be made by the standeing of the canes though they should not be soe ripe & full grown. For if that great glutt of sugars comes home the latter part of the next yeare (as doubtless there will) as hath done this year, 1 lb. of sugar in the beginning of the yeare will doubtless cleer as much money as 1½ lb. att the latter end. & Therfore, it wil be my greate advantage to beginn our cropp early, as it wil be yours also if you please to ship home yours, as itts my desire you would doe joyntly. ...