Page 75 (seq. 77)

at Present [?][?] circumstances with the Custom house
that it is very difficult to carry on business, & unless redress'd
Trade must dwindle that without you return a Certificate
my Bonds will ^be put in Suit

I should be very glad you would give some
attention to recover payment of the Bills long ago remitted
you by my late Uncle. Say Gov[erno]r Shirley's Bill & many others
if you can obtain paym[en]t thereof, or use your influence,
shall take it a favour, I beg your opinion, whether it is
probable they will ever be paid. ~ I should be glad you
would give me some advice as to the Circumstance of
Admiral Knowles, as he is indebted to my late Uncle 300 [pounds]
Strel[in]g

I have given a Letter to Messrs Blanchard & Hancock
(the latter a brother of mine who declin'd staying w[i]th me
and chose the hard ware business) Mr Blanchard has
the character of an honest industrious man, & I prevaild
on him to take my brother into partnership. they write
you for Goods by my desire. I think you are safe with
them however I will be answerable to you for Five
hundred Pounds Sterl[in]g on their accounts, and shall give
them a Bill for that Sum. hereafter you will use your
judgment as to a further Concern with them beyond the
500 [pounds] as I shall not be answerable for any more. Mr.
Arthur Savage is Passenger in Marshall, his business
home is to obtain a Credit for Goods, he is recommended to
me as an honest industrious man but no great Capital
his Friends have prevaild on me to give him aLetter to you
which I have done & further if he succeeds and should ap=
ply to you for a few goods I will be accountable to you for
three hundred Pounds & if he does not pay you in time
that amount, I will see you paid but I do not mean by this
to strengthen his Credit with you, so as to give him a further
Supply neither will I advise to it but when you see him
you will be able to judge for yourselves and act your pleasure.
this I do purely to serve him and at the Earnest Request of
his friends. ~

The Brig[an]t[ine] Lydia is not yet arrivd I wish she may
soon get in as I have all her Loading Ready & will dispatch
her if good weather in twenty days.

I