Colonial North America: Baker Library

[shipt? ? Portsmouth?] Thos Cartwright Mas[te]r w[hi]ch you will please to Dispose of to the best advantage, forward me Acco[un]tt Sales, & Credit my Acco[un]t with you for the neat produce. I am apprehensive oyle may be low, if you shall judge it may fetch a better price some time hence, I would Recom^mend that you put into some safe Store, & let it lay till a better Time of sale, I however leave to you to act as you Judge best, not doubting yo[u]r best Endeavours for my Intrest in all Respects.~

If at any Time I may render you or your Freinds any Services here I beg you freely Command me.

I am with Sincere Esteem Gent[leme]n your Faithfull & obed[ien]t Serv[an]t

PS Copy by way of London with this addition. If Capt Cartwright should not be arriv'd, & you have no advice of him when this Reaches you, I desire you will please to make £300 Sterl[in]g Insurance for me on this oyle; this you will do at the lowest Prem[ium]

Messrs Devonsheir & Reeves _________________________________________________

Boston Dec[embe]r 2nd 1765 Gent[leme]n

The Large quantities of Provisions Shipt by Capt Hayward, & his Detention with you & a long Passage besides, was very unlucky, as at his arrival our marketts were in a great measure Supplied w[hi]ch Occasion'd those Provisions to lay long on hand; scarcely a Cask of them sold when the Melancholy Event of the death of my late uncle Thos Hancock Took place. that Circumstance Devolv'd upon me suddenly a variety of matters to w[hi]ch I was obliged to give my whole attention, I however us'd my best Endeavours to Dispose of them, but could not Effect it for a Considerable Time, but at last I Got rid of the whole, tho' at a small price, but was Glad to Dispose of them at any Rate rather than they should lay any longer as there was a Risque of their perishing, & indeed was obliged to sell them on Credit at last, a great part of w[hi]ch I have not yet been able to Collect nor one shilling for the Cordage sold so long ago have I yet Rec'd, such is the Scarcity of Cash here w[hi]ch Circumstances I think may Take off that severity & unkind Reflection with w[hi]ch you address'd me in a late letters, & is the only one of the kind I ever rec'd, & which you must give me leave to say I very much Dislike, as I took on myself not well us'd. My Freinds Barnards & Harrison to whom I have mentioned it, can perhaps better Establish me with you. Notwithstanding I am still out of the money as you seem so strenuous I now Inclose you Acco[un]tt of Cash & Supplies