[change of orientation, from end of letter]
Capital to see what will be the event. I imagine you can
almost frose up at Geneva, we have had a continued frost ever since new
years day, and fine skating, but it begins to day to threaten a thaw, it
is remarkable we have not had a bit of snow yet the whole winter
Adieu I am truly yours RAJ
Bath 14^th Jany. 1779

[change of orientation]

I take the earliest opportunity of inform^g
you my dear Brother that the troublesome business of Exton’s
purchase is at last brought to a conclusion, I executed the
writings this morning, they were previously signed by Exton
and Parker and sent to me here, which has saved me
a long journey, which on account of the expence and many
other circumstances would have been disagreeable to me at
this season. Exton, when it came to the point was so averse
to parking with the estate that they were obliged to send
for him to Wytham, and it was with the greatest difficulty
he could be prevaild on to execute the writings, he told
Woolley he had rather be hanged than do it, and indeed
one cannot be much surprised at him, for what with
mortgages, interest on interest, and other debts and expences he
had only 40^l to receive out of the purchase money, and
that, M^r Parker immediately seized for arrears of rent due,
to the Duke of Ancaster. So that the poor fellow has really
parted with his estate without receiving any thing in
exchange. I fear we shall find him a bad Tenant, but
as his only inducement to sell to you, was on my promise
that he should continue in the house & farm. I could not
possibly retract, so have let him the farm for one year for
fifty pounds, and a sum in case the rent is not paid there

[f.81v]

[change of orientation]

X and is become quite a fine fellow, m^rs Craven & M^rs Johnson desire
to be most kindly remembered to you. We have but little company
here, everybody in the present agitation of affairs flocks to the X

[change of orientation]

will in all probability be live and dead stock on the
premises sufficient to seaze upon {^^for}. The money for the purchase
I was much puzzled to get, Lord Craven let me have ^L 700
^L 400 more I borrowed of a M^r Fox, ^L 200 due to Exton’s sister remains
on the estate till august, ^L 100 I have take from your Tythes,
and the rest I made up as well as I was able. It is some
little temporary inconvenience to me, but as I expect the
whole ^L 1600 from Lord Craven at Lady day, that {^^this} will soon be
at an end and I shall be able to replace your money as
well as pay what I have borrowed. I am heartily glad
this affair is so happily ended, as I know you much wished
to have the estate, and M^r Parker into whose hands I must
otherwise have fallen might not have made a very
pleasant neighbour. I had lately a letter from Woolley to
inform me that Nathan Hill was dead of the small pox
and that Wyles was desirous of having his home close, I
told him I had no objection to Wyles’s having it, but as
Will Spreckley grumbled to much about his farm and
particularly complained of wanting a bit of land near
home, I thought if Nathan’s homestead would be materially
serviceable to him he ought to have the refusal of it.
The small pox has been a good deal at Witham, and they
had some thoughts of inoculating the parish, but they did

[f.82]

not do it – since I began my letter I had another {^^one}
from Charles (who is very well) to say, that Spreckley is not at all
solicitous about the Nathan Hills homestead, and that Wyles {^^{& Jno Dale}} xxx
wish to take, one of them, one of his {^^{(N. H’s)}} cow pasture’s & the homestead
the other, the meadow land and the other cow pasture. And in
this way, as being the most advantageous to you, I should
undoubtedly let them, but Betty Marrin says, you made her
a promise to let her have the first piece of land that fell
that would suit her. I am therefore under the necessity
of referring it to you to determine {^^{how I shall fit it} } which you will be
so good to do in your next, as well as how I am to
act with regard to Witham Spreckley’s rent.
I hope you will will write soon as it will be a real
satisfaction to me to hear from you, and not it is above
two months since I have had that pleasure, having had no letter
from you, since that dated early in November, though I hope you
have received three I have since wrote to Geneva Viz 21^st & 29^th
Nov^r and 12^th Dec^r. The Gardiner Charles tells me is still very
negligent. I should certainly discharge him {^^{hire a labourer occasionally to}} trench up the ground
and get one of the Burleigh Gardeners to prune the trees did
not I think your return {^^next} Autumn would set matters to
rights again. I wish you would say what you think I had best
do with him, I have as I told you before threatened him
hard but I fear it has had little effect. The Duke of
Ancaster is come to Grimsthorpe & is much liked, it is said he
means to keep the Fox hounds L^d Gainsborough now has – Lord & Lady
Craven have been to spend a few days with us here, and we go to

[f.82]

Wenham to return their visit on Monday, where we shall stay ten days
or a fortnight. Keppels’ trial now engrosses the whole of our conversation
we whigg people are sure he will be most honnourably acquitted, and I
fancy even our hardened ministers begin to fancy themselves in the wrong
box about this business, M^rs Williams who I heard from the other
day, made many enquiries after you and desired when I wrote I

[change of orientation]

A Monsieur
Mons:^r Johnson
Chez Mess^rs: Lullin de Tournes & Masbour
a
Geneve

[change of orientation]

would present her best respects to you. I saw John Clarke here
the other day, he tells me your old friends Stockdale is travelling towards
Geneva to you will probably see him, I believe times are not very
good with him. M^r Blair and Ly: Mary spend the winter in Switzerland,
they are at Chateau de penthe near Geneve, Cos joined them there
lately, he was but seven days from Calais & Geneve he returns in
February. We are all very well, my little Boy grows apace X

[change of orientation]

When you write which I trust will be soon &c
pray say which of my letters have reached you.

[change of orientation, from end of letter]
Capital to see what will be the event. I imagine you can
almost froze up at Geneva, we have had a continued frost ever since new
years day, and fine skating, but it begins to day to threaten a thaw, it
is remarkable we have not had a bit of snow yet the whole winter
Adieu I am truly yours RAJ
Bath 14^th Jany. 1779

[change of orientation]

I take the earliest opportunity of inform^g
you my dear Brother that the troublesome business of Exton’s
purchase is at last brought to a conclusion, I executed the
writings this morning, they were previously signed by Exton
and Parker and sent to me here, which has saved me
a long journey, which on account of the expense and many
other circumstances would have been disagreeable to me at
this season. Exton, when it came to the point was so averse
to parking with the estate that they were obliged to send
for him to Wytham, and it was with the greatest difficulty
he could be prevailed on to execute the writings, he told
Woolley he had rather be hanged than do it, and indeed
one cannot be much surprised at him, for what with
mortgages, interest on interest, and other debts and expenses he
had only 40^l to receive out of the purchase money, and
that, M^r Parker immediately seized for arrears of rent due,
to the Duke of Ancaster. So that the poor fellow has really
parted with his estate without receiving any thing in
exchange. I fear we shall find him a bad Tenant, but
as his only inducement to sell to you, was on my promise
that he should continue in the house & farm. I could not
possibly retract, so have let him the farm for one year for
fifty pounds, and a sum in case the rent is not paid there

[f.81v]

[change of orientation]

X and is become quite a fine fellow, m^rs Craven & M^rs Johnson desire
to be most kindly remembered to you. We have but little company
here, everybody in the present agitation of affairs flocks to the X

[change of orientation]

will in all probability be live and dead stock on the
premises sufficient to seize upon {^^for}. The money for the purchase
I was much puzzled to get, Lord Craven let me have ^L 700
^L 400 more I borrowed of a M^r Fox, ^L 200 due to Exton’s sister remains
on the estate till august, ^L 100 I have take from your Tythes,
and the rest I made up as well as I was able. It is some
little temporary inconvenience to me, but as I expect the
whole ^L 1600 from Lord Craven at Lady day, that {^^this} will soon be
at an end and I shall be able to replace your money as
well as pay what I have borrowed. I am heartily glad
this affair is so happily ended, as I know you much wished
to have the estate, and M^r Parker into whose hands I must
otherwise have fallen might not have made a very
pleasant neighbour. I had lately a letter from Woolley to
inform me that Nathan Hill was dead of the small pox
and that Wyles was desirous of having his home close, I
told him I had no objection to Wyles’s having it, but as
Will Spreckley grumbled to much about his farm and
particularly complained of wanting a bit of land near
home, I thought if Nathan’s homestead would be materially
serviceable to him he ought to have the refusal of it.
The small pox has been a good deal at Witham, and they
had some thoughts of inoculating the parish, but they did

[f.82]

not do it – since I began my letter I had another {^^one}
from Charles (who is very well) to say, that Spreckley is not at all
solicitous about the Nathan Hills homestead, and that Wyles {^^{& Jno Dale}} xxx
wish to take, one of them, one of his {^^{(N. H’s)}} cow pasture’s & the homestead
the other, the meadow land and the other cow pasture. And in
this way, as being the most advantageous to you, I should
undoubtedly let them, but Betty Marrin says, you made her
a promise to let her have the first piece of land that fell
that would suit her. I am therefore under the necessity
of referring it to you to determine {^^{how I shall fit it} } which you will be
so good to do in your next, as well as how I am to
act with regard to Witham Spreckley’s rent.
I hope you will will write soon as it will be a real
satisfaction to me to hear from you, and not it is above
two months since I have had that pleasure, having had no letter
from you, since that dated early in November, though I hope you
have received three I have since wrote to Geneva Viz 21^st & 29^th
Nov^r and 12^th Dec^r. The Gardiner Charles tells me is still very
negligent. I should certainly discharge him {^^{hire a labourer occasionally to}} trench up the ground
and get one of the Burleigh Gardeners to prune the trees did
not I think your return {^^next} Autumn would set matters to
rights again. I wish you would say what you think I had best
do with him, I have as I told you before threatened him
hard but I fear it has had little effect. The Duke of
Ancaster is come to Grimsthorpe & is much liked, it is said he
means to keep the Fox hounds L^d Gainsborough now has – Lord & Lady
Craven have been to spend a few days with us here, and we go to

[f.82]

Wenham to return their visit on Monday, where we shall stay ten days
or a fortnight. Keppels’ trial now engrosses the whole of our conversation
we Whig people are sure he will be most honourably acquitted, and I
fancy even our hardened ministers begin to fancy themselves in the wrong
box about this business, M^rs Williams who I heard from the other
day, made many enquiries after you and desired when I wrote I

[change of orientation]

A Monsieur
Mons:^r Johnson
Chez Mess^rs: Lullin de Tournes & Masbour
a
Geneve

[change of orientation]

would present her best respects to you. I saw John Clarke here
the other day, he tells me your old friends Stockdale is travelling towards
Geneva to you will probably see him, I believe times are not very
good with him. M^r Blair and Ly: Mary spend the winter in Switzerland,
they are at Chateau de penthe near Geneve, Cos joined them there
lately, he was but seven days from Calais & Geneve he returns in
February. We are all very well, my little Boy grows apace X

[change of orientation]

When you write which I trust will be soon &c
pray say which of my letters have reached you.