Hall, Hugh. Letter book : manuscript, 1716-1718. MS Am 1042. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

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to Succeed in.

I could relate several other Instances of His great Affection in the Propitious Offers he yet tenders, which would fully Convince You of his being ye best Father in ye World.

I am Presuaded those Free hints are ye most Agreeable Repast I could possibly have Entertained You withall, a happy Result whereof You equally with my Self sincerely Wish for.

Before I Conclude I heartily tender to Your Acceptance the Contents of ye Inclosed Invoice as a sure tho' small Testimony of my Being

Honoured Madam

Your Dutifull, & Obliged son, & {Servant}

{Hugh} Hall

To Mrs Lydia Colman

In Boston {New England

Barbados March 6th, 1716/7

Sir

Just before I departed your Meridian, I Promised my Self ye Honour of paying my Final Devoirs to Yourself; but was so Unhappy as not to find You at Your House; which Render'd me Incapable of Evidencing the Great Regards I had for Your Self. I Presume You have er'e now had Intimations of my safe Arri -val & of my Intentions for fixing my Self here in a Merchan -tile life, from ye Propitious Offers now tender'd me, & I don't in the least doubt from ye Foundation my Father had so Generously Furnished me with, & ye Large Assistances he yet Resolves on, in some little time to Appear in as flourishing a Condition as any my Age can Produce.

I don't hint this to boast of any Privileges I am favoured with, but to Insinuate, that there are none here in a better Capacity to serve any Adventurer to those Parts than my Self; And I am Resolved none shall discharge themselves with mere Fidelity, Industry, &

Integrity. I...

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I know Quick Remittances are ye very Essence of Trade, & unless a Person bears ye Character of a man of Dispatch, he is looked upon as Unworthy ye Employ of a Factor.

I hope You'l Pardon those dry Notions, & Candidly forgive my Freedom in Understanding to say so much of a Province, I am just Initiated in & if You or any of my Friends put me upon Confirming what I have so freely Assorted; I am Assured You'l find it Equall in my Power and Inclinations to serve You.

I am in all due Deferrence,

Your most Obedient Humble {Servant}

{Hugh} Hall

To Mr Timothy Prout {Merchant} in Boston

Barbados March 20th 1716/17

Madam

My fourth now Addresses You, to acquaint You of my Receipt of Yours of the first of February; wherein I Observe ye Continuance of your great Anxieties Concerning ye dangerous Storm we met with, & I much Admire, You neither Received my first of ye 26 {November} by the Way of {Martinique} , nor that by my Fellow Passenger Mr Jacobs of ye 4th of January by ye way of Rhoad Island.

I must Confess those Circular Convoyances often meet a Miscarriage, thro' some Unaccountable Negligence, for which Reason I have in my last by King Copied ye two just mentioned, all Accompanying Sundry presents tend'red to you Candid Acceptance.

I Perceive (in each of Yours) a Comment of ye Intricacies ye Estate you have now in Possession, & much Admire that neither Mr Dudley nor Parsons have acted in that Affair when each promised to pursue the Method I proposed, & it being so much to ye formers Interest easily beleived it would have been Accomplished ere this time; but however their Omissions are, I desire You would by no means Comply with Mr Checkleys deed of Gift, for thereby You'l not only Stint ye Power You are at present Invested with, but divert ye Expectations I have of Success to

my -

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my late Projections.

I shall not detain You any longer, than to Assure you I shall always study to merit ye happy Character of,

Your most Dutifull Son

{Hugh} Hall {Junior}

To Mrs Lydia Colman In Boston

Barbados March 29th 1717

Sir

I know not what Unhappy Fate has Attended the many Letters I have sent to Your Parts, that I am not Favoured with an Account of the Receipt of so much as one of them.

Your Silence I readily impute to Your Resolution of bringing my Affairs to an Issue, which I hope You have happily Effected; & think of Remitting me, either in good Train Oyl, or fat Pork, if to be bought for 45 {gallons} {per} barrel.

A Second Receipt of what I sent you by {Captain} King now Addresses You, the Contents of which conjecture You have distributed according to the Directions of ye Invoice then Inclosed.

I perceive my Grandmother very Uneasy about ye Estate she now Possesses, & ready to Comply with {Captain} Checkleys deed of Gift, which I desire You'l dissuade from Insinuating ye Irreperable prejudice it may be to me; Urging also, that you'l Endeavour by Mr Dudley a Compliance with ye Legatees of {Major} Richards, & if after all it can't be Effected, I shall upon my Return from England, come & discharge what is due upon ye Execution, & also put it in good Repair.

I am now under a Constant hurry in preparing for my Voyage for London, so shall hint nothing further; than that in my Absence, You would Consign Your Remissions to my Father, for which I so Allow You in Accompting. I am Sir

With no Small Deferrence,

Your Sincere Friend & {Humble} {Servant}

{Hugh} Hall

To Mr. {Joseph} Parsons

{Merchant} in Boston

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London May 25th 1717

Honoured Sir,

It has been my Unhappy Lott (not withstanding Your Five Weeks Limitation, & Prediction of a very pleasant Summer Voyage to be tost about much Longer in Neptunes dominions, & Fatigued with ye most Acronical Weather I ever met with; as ye following Sketch of my Journal will Evince.

You are not Ignorant that on Saturday ye 6th of Aprill I departed our Meridian under very promising Aspects of prosperous Gales, & a pleasant Voyage; but we had scarce Sunk ye Island before a Calm suc:ceeded, which in a day or two was back't with a very high Wind, & so we had Proportional Intervals of each ye first Month: Upon which a very Severe {North West} Sprung up, & attended us to ye Lizard Point, where our last Calm popt in upon us, & in five days Ruffled our Patience; so we took boat, & landed at Seaford in Sussex, where we mounted, & ye next {Evening} wch was Thursday ye 23d of this instant came Safe to London. Since which I have delivered some of Your Letters, but can't possibly yet hint any Effect. Mr Lascelles, his Lady, & Charles, have found all well, of whom I shall give you a free & Impartial Information ye next Opportunity.

I close with my duty to Your self & my Mother, & love to my Brother, & Sisters, & am,

Dear Sir,

In every Regard,

Your most Dutifull Son,

{Hugh} Hall

To Hugh Hall {Esquire} {Merchant} in Barbados }

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London June 6th 1717

Madam,

Your many Letters I presume You have found ballanced by an Equal number, & every perticular You so pressingly Urged me to Inform you in, as fully Answered.

My last was penned while under a Crowd of Thoughts in preparing for my Voyage, where I am now (thrô Divine Blessing) safely Arrived.

Tho Evidences of my Filial Regards am well Assured You Received with ye highest Satisfaction, which Encourages my Resolution of Tendring further Testimonies, & I hope Your freedom will dictate (from ye hints I gave in my last) what may meet your most Favourable Acceptance.

I Perceive your tender Affections can't Grapple with ye Thoughts of my Settling at such a distance from You, neither can I harbour any such Reflection my Self; no Madam, I persuade my Self we shall (thrô Divine Grace) have another happy Review in some little time.

I am Satisfied You dont think I came here, to breath English Air. or View ye Curiosities of London; but to Establish a good Correspondenc: =cy; & I think I have all Rational Assurances of Effecting it so propitiously, as upon my Return to Barbados, to set up for as great a Merchant, as any my Age can Instance in.

I now Close with ye highest Tenders of duty to Your Self, & assure you, I ever will be,

Your most Dutifull Son,

{Hugh} Hall {Junior}

To {Madam} Lydia Colman In Boston {New England} }