Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
You will have heard, before this reaches you, of our falling into the hands of the French; which was on the 15th. Septr. about an hundred Leagues to the Westward of Scilly. After four Days, a Dutch Ship appearing, I had liberty to go on board, & went to Amsterdam; and after about a Months Stay in Holland, embarqued in a Pacquet for England. When I came to London I found your Letter1 by Calef at Mr. Richardsons, and agreeable to your Desire, ordered the Odd Volume of Reports, with a Treatise on the Passions, for you. I believe the last is not what you designed, but my Bookseller Says he does not know any Book with the exact Title you gave. That put up was wrote by Hutcheson2, Professor at Glasgow, and is in repute; but if it does not suit, your not taking it will be no detriment to me. As for the other, if I can find it, it shall be sent. Rhodes was full sooner than we expected; so that my Trunks of Books could not be taken in, which is a great disappointment to me, and will be so to others who expected their Books soon. However there are several Vessells up for Boston; in one of which we shall Ship in a short Time.
As I shall send Mrs. Condy3 many of the newest & best Books, you will do me a friendly office, by informing your Acquaintance; by which she may be helped to some Custom.
I shall be glad of a Letter from you, which you may deliver Mrs. Condy for Conveyance. If you will give me the news of the Town I shall take it as a favour, and be pleasd to remember that the minutest Things respecting my Friends will give pleasure at such a Distance.
As to political and Military affairs & Events, the public Papers will give you them from hence, better than I can; otherwise I should not grudge the Pains of writing about them.
I have had an invitation into Somerset to spend a few Weeks, and may perhaps accept it.
I condole with you heartily, and with Dr. Mayhew4, and his Congregation, on the Death of Judge Sewall.5 His Death is indeed a great Loss to the whole Province. Pray who is to be his Successor on the Bench.6 I am, Sir, with real Esteem yr. Friend & humble servt.,
Not located.
Francis Hutcheson (1694–1746) taught moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow from 1729 until his death. Among his published writing was An essay on the nature and conduct of the passions and affections (London, 1728), which went through many editions.
Sarah (Drowne) Condy (1725–1773) was the daughter of Boston's well-known metalworker and weathervane-maker Shem Drowne. She married Condy in 1743 and after his death married in 1770 Dr. William Lee Perkins of Boston (Thwing Index).
Jonathan Mayhew (1720–1766).
Stephen Sewall (1702–1760), chief justice of Massachusetts, died Sept. 10, 1760. He was characterized by his pastor in the West Church, Jonathan Mayhew, as a "true patriot, a lover of his country, its laws and liberties; and an enemy to all tyranny and tyrants" (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 6:561–567).
Thomas Hutchinson succeeded Stephen Sewall as chief justice on Nov. 13, 1760.
At our last Octr. Court I comenced An Action in favr. of Benja. Edwards2 of Wooburn for possession of a house sold him by one Rebecca Pimm.3 She says she had a husband living at the time of the sale & that he has been to see her since the sale & since she has been in the Almshouse & she brings one Ann Bantrum who says she knew her husband Pimm was at the Wedding & that she saw him come to the alms house since the sale. Now Mr. Edwards being Absent obliges me to apply to you who I was inform'd by him knows something of this matter, whether that man that came & pretended to be her husband was really so. Pray let me hear as soon as you can by letter directed to the Care of Mr. Peter Edes4 at Charlestown or to Mr. Edwards brother the Cabinet makers in Boston what you know of this Matter & for this base Woman has been paid for her house & now would get it back again. I understand that Mr. Jno. White of Billerica is knowing of this matter if therefore you would send this to him & he could let me know how as above directed it would oblige yr. hble. sert.,
P.S. Let me hear as Soon as you can that I may Order my self accordingly. If you come to Boston you may find me at Mrs. Eliot &c.
Benjamin Johnson (1700–1771) lived in Woburn and later in Spencer where he died on Jan. 23, 1771 (NEHGR, 59[1905]: 84, 144).
Benjamin Edwards of Woburn, gentleman, assigned RTP his power of attorney on May 26, 1760, "to demand sue for & recover Possession of all my Right & Interest in a certain part of a messuage & peice of Land scituate at the Northerly part of Boston which I hold in Common with said Paine" (RTP Papers).
On June 8, 1758, Rebecca Pimm deeded to Benjamin Edwards, shop-keeper, and Phineas Parker, gentleman, one-half acre of land with buildings thereon in the North End, Boston (Suffolk Deeds, 91:235, cited in Thwing Index).
Peter Edes (1705–1787) was a hatter at Charlestown, active in public affairs, and a member of the Committee of Correspondence in 1773 (Thomas Bellows Wyman, Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, 2 vols. [Boston, 1879], 1:320).
Alexander Edwards (1733–1798), cabinetmaker, had a shop on Back Street in Boston (Myrna Kaye, "Eighteenth-Century Boston Furniture Craftsmen," in Boston Furniture of the Eighteenth Century [Boston, 1974], p. 278. Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, vol. 48).