Page 8 (seq. 10)

Boston N.E. {February} 10th 1763

Sir

I have just {Received} your favour of 8th {November} last, &
Duplicate of 7th {September} by the Pacquet, and Observe their Contents, &
Remarks you have made on the state of Provisions, & Cash {Accounts}
&c: I shall take the Matters, under Consideration, send abstracts
from your letter to Mr. Gerrish, and do every thing in my Power to
secure your Interest, but the strange Confusion the Provisions were in
& Deaths of Commissarys one after another, made things so Intricate, that
I much fear, whether ever things can be made Clearer, than what I have
done, and you must settle with the Government, in best manner you can,
with what I have sent you; the often Change also of Commanding Officers
at Annapolis, & Chignecto, & many dead since, Two killed at Newfoundland,
makes things worse, & more difficult, than otherwise would have been. As for Deschamps we
can have no Redress. I Drove that Matter, as far as it would bear. We have
a very hard Winter, & no Communication at present with Annapolis or Chignecto,
all froze up, & no Navigation can stir to, or from, thence,

I thank you for paying my Bills. I am now Considerably in
Advance, for I sent Provisions to Annapolis &c, as you will have seen by the
letters I have wrote you the months past, & more I must Purchase soon, but
hope the Peace will make them more Plenty & Cheaper; I Congratulate you
upon it, and think it's a good Peace.

I have taken my Nephew Mr. John Hancock into Partnership
with me, and you will please in future, to Direct to Thomas Hancock, {Esquire}
& Company.

We Are Sir
Your most {Obedient} {Humble} {Servants}

Matthew Woodford {Esquire}

[Left margin]
By {Captain} Jarvis
By {Captain} Bartlett Via Bristol

[horizontal line drawn to separate sections]

Boston 22 {February} 1763

{Gentlemen}

By the Detention of this ship we have an
{opportunity} to cover you the Inclos'd Bill, say, Joseph Woodmass on
William Woodmass {Esquire} Dated Halifax {January} 11, 1763. Value
£482 {Sterling}. when paid Credit our {Account} for the same. The
letters are not yet come from the ships at the Vinyard, that
have none of yours to Reply to.

Have not to add, save to Desire that
you will by first {Opportunity} send the things mention'd at
the Bottom hereof, & Charge to our {Account}.

We are
{Gentlemen}
Your most {Obedient} {Servants}

2 ps Sup. fine Black Broadcloth 7/4 [?] d
good Black ____@ 15/
1 ps Sup fine Blue shalloon @ 5/
1 ps Sup fine Blue Broadcloth 7/4 [?] d @ 15/ deep mazareen Blue

To Messrs. {Jonathan} Barnard & {Company}

[left margin] By Davis to Orkneys
By Jarvis