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Dear Brother

Rappa June 28th 1737

Your Letter concerning your Legacy being communicated to us we have considered the Matter, and take this first Opportunity of returning our answer & not withstanding your confining yourself so closely to the Word Reduction, perhaps in an arithmetical sense, we must believe, that when our Father thought proper to [illegible] his Legacies for the Benefit, and to prevent the Ruin of his three Eldest Sons, he intended to do in the most Effectual manner;& so the lowest sum that the words will bear, must be [illegible] agree with the Preamble of his last [codicil?] and this seems to have been well foreseen by him not only in the [lojo?] we have sustained by the Low prices of Tob.[tobacco] but in many Bad Debts made by the Merchants in in England & several persons here. However, that ew may not seem too fond of our own Oppinion[opinion], nor too selfish of our own interest we have writ to Mr Cary to endevor, by the means of Mr. Sergeant Parker, to obtain the Determination of my Lord Chancellor if you will agree to the same, without any other Argument, or rather Representation, than the [codiuls?] & such Parts of the will as relate to you. If this opinion should be against us. WE shall chearfully[cheerfully] submit to it, & order you the payment of fifteen Hundred pounds Bank Stock, upon your giving a Receipt & Allowing our Charge of (left blank) which appears by the account sent, to be justly due to us. But if his Lordship should determine in our favor, we hope you will be very well satisfied with fifteen Hundred pounds sterling [& think?] it a very ample Provision for the fifth son of a very Indulgent Father who besides this sum