MRP: 25th September 1662, Letter from Elizabeth Dalyson to Sir GO

[f.5]

“My dearst (sic) deare Brother:

At this very instant is come S:r Geo: Smith your very constant loving freind who saieth I must forthwith write & send my letters before one of the clocke and now it is past three in y:e first place I blesse y:e Lord for his mercy to thee & the rest in the good ships & now by this time I hope you & your ffreinds are safe arrived at Surratt where I beseech the Lord to blesse & keepe you. I shall not tell you how unfortunate our Lett:r[s?] were falling into y:e Robbers handes, in that Letter I was more Ample than I cann bee in y:s (sic) for I must bee quicke I shall onely write an Abstract of what I cann call to minde an (sic) now lett mee tell yow I have fought with the beasts of Grhrsus [?] as Briton, Pearse, Love, Nowell, before I gott to Langdon [CHECK THIS IS NOT “LONDON”] they had not played every one their prankes (sic) Nowell, Breton, & [XX] had gotten great advantage against yow, & had continued y:e 5000:ll bayle & the 15000 that Breton promised should bee taken off was confermed (sic) & all yoar goodes in Bretons house & in his handes & your five hundred pounds in y:e East India Comp:a was attached [could be “attacked”] by Breton, Nowell, Pearse and a writt of condemnation ready to pass but I gott to London before they emagined (sic) I could for yow went on Sunday your voyadge, & I on Munday (for my mind ran y:t they would doe [??] all the evill to yow they could) & I came on Tuesday night & sent for M:r Gibbons, who on Wednesday morning went to Yeld (sic) hall and found thinges as I have written, which sett mee all a fire I went to Councell & soe to Yeld hall where I caused Bayle both for y:e 15000:ll & your goods which were nallowed [?] at 3600:ll when I came there I mett Pearse & Breton & wee had much tongue fight to large to relate but in conclusion, I gott all off to y:e five thousd (sic) poundes & according to advise remooved y:e sute up into y:e Common pleas y:ne I offred y:e same bayle but they refused to except (sic); unless â cuntrey (sic) Gentellman of a responsable Estate were bound with them, for S:r Geo: Smith they obiected (sic) was a Mchant & might fayle (sic); Elmer an Ould man & might dye soe to take off their exceptions I sent post for my sonne dallyson whin [??] S:r Orlando Bridgman excepted (sic) off and to my great content & I hope yours (?) there it rested too termes, & they have not declared; & this I should have told you that they had gotten it to passe & then y:t had been irrecoverable you must have paid y:e momeys and never to have recovered a penny againe, but God bee praysed they now by Gods providence disappointed I have put in a rcuse [?] Bill & this insuing terme y:t bussinesse will take up some time, Now for y:e ffardinando in spight (sic) of all wee could doe they brought y:e bussinesse to a hearing, wee had not examined any witnesses & were unready [?] but to it wee must goe; I gott y:e best Councell I could to helpe a lame Dogg over the Stile & to y:e Court I went there was Love, Briton (sic), Pearse, Nowell, Perle, & how many more I know not, soo soome as y:e cause was called & â little pend [??] ffountayne one of their Serj:ts offerd to agree whin I while I was ready

[f.6]

To except off and my Lord Chancell:r orderd Mchants of oare side to bee chosen & oare to strike out two & hee would chose a fifth to report it to him in case y:et the foure or any three could not agree us; on their side Buckworth & Holdworthy on our Side Tite, & Godfrey & Alderman Micoe to be the fifth, Soo an order was to bee drawne upp by my Lords appointment that these refeerrees should examine matter of ffact in relacon to acco:tt in refference to sevall (sic) intresses (sic) now I must tell yow Tom Bretons nephew Rob:t [I think this is correct] Breton & the Register [I think this is correct] weare Schoolefellowes and great Croneys soo as, what with entries & monyes these words were left out left out, & I was forced to peticon my Lord y:t y:e order might stand soe did M:rs Nokes, my Lord was civill & just but they had soo many shitftes, & put offs (sic) that tell w:t in this six weeks wee could not obtayne y:e order, which doo they all they could wee had in y:e afors:d words to the great vexation of our Adversaries well then â commission was issued out for the refferees to sett & to examine witnesses wee mett sever:ll times & nothing was done onely Love & his party made it their bussiness to byspater (sic) yow and poore Deare Kitt & I had á story for his story soo hee hath left y:t and now he fales (sic) on M:r Papillion (sic), who gives him as good as hee bringes But all this is not to end y:e businesse, Loves practis & his Felows (sic) is to put us off soo as wee may not examine our witnesses & to that purpose hee excepts against words & will not submitt to y:e X[“s” or “c”?]rom:e of the refferrees, but on every word hee hath a mind to question & must have it interpreted by my Lord Chancll:r purposely that wee may slip our time: to examine witnesses which is but to y:e first of novemb:r y:e last cavill was to y:e words matter of fact which hee will have to bee onely paying & receiving not circumstances now if wee did not soe, hee drived [?] to goe backe into y:e Chancery wee wold (sic) not examine witnesses but fearing it may bee soe, wee must examine as to circumstances, now y:e Lord Chancell:rs interpretacon is y:e matt:r of Fact are all thinges relating to y:e businesse, soo wee have now taken out Suponas (sic) & Couze is come home 3 or 4 dayes agoe & is yo:r humble serv:tt & a very good witnesse & M:r Pate is come home about 3 weeks since & Pusy & sevall oth:es are ready to testifie for yow very considerable things soe as I hope wee shall bee able to rleave (sic) yow from being their factor which is the thing they drive at, for Love sayes openly if wee cannot make S:r Geo: owr facto: wee shall bee at â great losse for how is M:rs Dallyson is (sic) Christopher:s administratrix & shee will pleas she has not assetts.

Tyme calls on me I have onely á word or two to say [concerning?] thy lr:e dated 26:e Aprill and give thee a thousand thankes thou bidst mee spend, God will send I trust hee will, spend money I must & truly I will save what I cann, blessed bee God the Loy:ll Merchant is come well home but hath made noo advantagious voyage what it is I know not yett but shall soone as Cap:t Millett is able to look e after his business hee hath not been well, I write to honest M:r Goodier by the last convoy but have not time now, only prethee salute him kindly from mee his wife hath lately bin heare shee tells mee shee hath lost her great belly, all ye children are well in healthe god bee praised, pray present my Love & Service where you thinke its due Our deare Moth:r & all relations are in health my son Dallyson hath â yooung a Charles my Sonne Smyth is very ill & some thinke hee will not live I know what I thinke, & what you will say, lett God doo with him say as hee please higgs is well shee writt by my last ye Lord of all mighty & power keepe thee I must write assuring thee I am

[LH SIDE]
Septemb:r 25:th 1662

[RH SIDE]
Dearest Deare
Thy most Oblidg:d & most affectionate sister & true Love
Eliz:a Dalyson

Postscript

Deare brother my Coz: Oxinden salutes thee & honest ffacke [?] & all friends with love & service pray xxxx of Ambers dutifull respects all friends here salute thee you may expect what I cann gett together I will in some preparation send out next yeare for I find y:t by Streynshams letters yow will have Occasion for moneys, I must gett soe much time as to tell you Streynsham hath sent home his pap:er very exactly written, all are well at langden I have written in such hast I cannot read it over but you will find out my meaning Mr Papillion is very active in yo:re busines & very civill to mee & I to him but in all his actings both before y:e Refferreess & to y:e Councells hee is very partiall to Mrs Nokes Interest.

[RH SIDE]
Thine Elliz:a Dallyson