Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
I1 am favour'd with Yours of 30th. ulto.2 and as you're much better acquainted with the Nature of the Subject under consideration than I am and as you are within the Circumference of the Sphere of Action in the present Case, must beg the favr. of you to draw the necessary Agreement and any other writings you think Proper to pass between Capt. Leonard & myself and get him to sign on his part and when opportunity offers I will sign what is proper on my Part. I inclose you the Certificate of the Money Oath & thank you for your kind offers of Service. I conclude with one Observation viz that in Satyrizing your own writing you don't affront yourself so much as Br-g-d-r G-n-r-l Br-tt-e3; for as it is common among & almost peculiar to Nobles and other great Men to write hands almost illegible; so it would be affronting him to suppose any Man could write a worse hand or one even so bad as his. I am Dr. Sir your Affection Brother in the Royal Art & Most Obedt. Humle. Servt.
NB I broke open the Letter to give the Certificate to Capt. Leonard.
Andrew Oliver (1731–1799).
Not located.
William Brattle (1706–1776), a 1722 graduate of Harvard, was characterized by his cousin Gov. Jonathan Belcher as "a queer fellow," an opinion shared by many others because of his eccentric personal habits. Active in public and military affairs, he was appointed brigadier general in 1760. A supporter of Gov. Thomas Hutchinson, Brattle remained in Boston until he left for Halifax with the evacuated troops in 1776 (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 7:10–23).