Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
I feell just fit for nothing else but to write a letter to you. I rode home that night after dark & by that & some subsequent Carlessness took such a cold as by Wednesday confind me not only to my Room but to my Body, for my soul could not stirr one inch. The Cold seized my head & affected me so that I thought I had a violent fever. Being a violent stormy day could not send for the Dr. so I took a smart Vomit I had by me wch. worked finely. The cold was too well fixed to be suddenly thrown off, & I could prophecy nothing short of a slow fever at the best. Thursday, came Sprague & swore I had no fever, so I believed him, & kept on as I had began with water gruel which I eat intirely excepting one bowl of Broach from Wednesday till to day noon, & a high Time I have had of it. My Room stinks so of Weomen that the Law has taken Refuge in one corner to have fresh Air thro' a Crack the Earthquake made. However thro' mercy they have wasted me no time for I have not had sence enough to hear what they said except whey they walked of blistering & Poltising me, tho' upon the whole they were exceeding kind & tender & seem'd to agree that tho' I was a saucy Batchelor yet I might make a good husband & so it would not do to loose me. Tis a strange World we live in. I wish you was where you could have my Occurrences fresh as they come to hand for like fruits long kept they loose their flavour before I can get them to you, but when I see you if I don't forget, I shall make you79laugh. (Old Mr. Hurd1 is dead of an apoplexy). My disorder has obliged me to retire to bed sooner than my time which has occasioned me to lay awake in the night, & last night I meditated a very fine letter to be written to you, & arose designing it, but my head is so stuff'd with this Phlemmy Inhabitant that I could not squeeze it out. You know you sometimes can blow nothing out of yr. nose, & so if ever, it must be when I am better able & then I shall have something else to do; I purpose forth to morrow. Let me hear from you by the first Opportunity; I doubt the weather will be too uncertain for you to go to Plymouth as I shall go in a fortnight's time; Superr. Ct. sets on Tuesday & I shall be very busy. I have nothing remarkable in my chamber only that there has been a warming pan in it. Ive squeezd out the last drippings & remain yr. very stuff'd clodpated hble. servt.
P: S I am exceeding sorry to close this giddy Epistle with the meloncholly Tydings of the Death of Our Cousin James Freeman at Halifax; I forget whether I told you when I saw you that he lay sick of the Small Pox & I saw a letter just now giving an acct. of his death. He wrote me some time ago that he had named his son James Paine. I have now no time to enlarge on this affair, but can only say I fear 'twill be a perplexity to me as he had in his hands some effects & affairs that belonged to Fathers Estate.
I am got abroad again & feell growing well; I would have you write Aunt Haws2 on the Occasion. Yrs. &c.
Jacob Hurd (1702/3–1758), the eminent silversmith of Boston (NEHGR 132[1978]: 90).
Mary Paine Hawes, mother of James Freeman by her first marriage.