Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

I thought you had forgot me, & despair'd
of a letter from you dated on this side the Line. I should
have been more pleas'd with hearing from you so
soon, was not y^r stay so disagreable to you, and
prejudicial to the publick service, which would never
suffer by y^r fault, but you can no more prevent the
delays above, than the bad weather, which I am
glad you have escap'd, & which must make you more
easie under the delay of y^r Convoys.—

I have rec^d: both the Maps from M^r [Senex], but
that for the Prince, not till after the receipt of
y^r first letter—I have been at My Lord Townshend's
door twice, but not finding him at home, was
unwilling to leave the Map, being desirous of
making y^r compliments to him in person, which
I have since done at Court, & shall without fail
wait on him with it on Thursday, & on the
same day (if I have a good opportunity) present
the Prince with his, which is much the fairest of the two.

I have been confin'd with a cold almost ever since
I rec^d: that for His Royal Highness, or I should
have found an opportunity of presenting his
sooner, & I am certain you would be willing
to have me give 'em to both in Person.—

You find by the Publick papers, that death has
occasion'd great alterations since you left
us, but I don't know there is any probability
of what you mention ab^t: the Prince, & Gen^ll:
Lumley, nor have we any such report in Town.
'tis almost certain that L^d Carteret will succeed
M^r Craggs, who is ^{to be} buried this night, unless put
off by the House of Comons sitting so late,
on the report from the secret Comittee,
that the Pall bearers will not be able to
attend, & I just now hear the funeral is
appointed for Thursday on that acc^t:

The House is now considering on that
part of the report, that relates to M^r Charles
Stanhope; & before I seal my letter, I may
perhaps hear what they have done in it.

Tis certain that M^r Walpole will be
first L^d of the Treasury & Chancellour of
the Exchequer, as soon as the Parliament
rises, 'till when there will be no removes,
but what are absolutely necessary.

I thank y^o for y^r kind wishes in relation
to my success in obtaining the place you mention;
I have never yet hinted it to any person living,
& I fear the scheme for the American settlement
will meet with some delay by the death of
S^r Charles Cook, whose place is not yet fill'd up.

Did not I imagine this letter w^d find you
at Plymouth, I should inclose news papers, &
send y^o a fuller acc^t: of every thing here,
But as I perswade my self, y^o will receive
this in England, I hope you'll excuse the hast
in w^ch I write it.—if y^o expect to stay still
longer at Plymouth, I shall with pleasure keep
a constant correspondence with you, in the mean
time I shall be glad to hear you receive this,
& that you would let me know when you have
every thing ready to sail, & only stay for a Wind,
that I may judge accordingly how to write.

M^rs Cary & M^r Jeffreys joyn with me in very
hearty wishes for your good Voyage, & speedy
return, which howsoever quick, your friends
will think long.—If you can ^{tell me}think, how
I may be any ways serviceable to you here,
I shall with pleasure obey your commands,
being with great truth

M^rs Cary desires me to add
to her services, that if she could have imagin'd y^o would
have stay'd so long in England, she would have sent you
another cake, being much afraid, what y^o have, will be spoli'd.