Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
Did I not suppose you in great Want & of the Breeches, Allen1 promised to furnish you with; I should be greatly grieved at an Instance of your doubting my Zeal (which in all Cases regarding you is certainly according to Knowlege) in the performance of my Business you implore235me in. Since a former Letter upon a contrary Supposition would have superceded the necessity of that which I this day recieved.
That I am not guilty of negligence I believe Allen would fully testify if his Evidence were was necessary.
When I first spoke to him, he told me the Breeches were done, & that there was a Gentleman in Town by whom he purposed to send them. I saw him a day or two after, when he informed me he had miss'd the oppo. he before mentioned, but he know a Gentleman at Moreton's who was going to Taunton, & by him he would certainly dispatch 'em. I proposed his letting me have them, wch: he refused as he had so good an oppo. of conveyg: them himself, however I insisted he should commit them to my Care if he neglected sending by the person he spoke of. I have just this minute heard from him & he acknowledges in direct Repugnance to what he formerly asserted that they are not done, upon which I gave Direction he should be told he had no need of to trouble himself any further abt: them; but he said if I would not taken them, he should meet wth: an oppo: & send he would; but if it would do for me to have them at Dusk they should be done: at which time I intend waiting on him.
Six oClock. I have just been with Allen the Breeches were not done, he would have put me off till morning, but I told him as I had orders from you to tell him if they were not now done, to wait no longer for them. I should concern myself no further about them & added he need not put himself to the Trouble of sending to you as you were determined to supply yourself elsewhere, but he persisted in saying he would forward them.
From the above you'll observe I purposed to anticipate you in your Contrivance of a method of getting them to your place.
Thus much & I believe you'll think enough for Allen & his Breeches.
Mr: Willard some Time ago left with me, the Sum you mentioned, which, last Saturday was a Fortnight. I think; he call'd on me for, as he intended he said to send it by the Taunton Representative,2 so that I am surprized you have not recd. it. Your obliged humble Servant,
James Allen (d. 1762), RTP's tailor in Boston.
James Williams (d. 1826) represented Taunton at this session of the legislature. He served as Bristol County register of deeds for more than forty years and as Taunton's town clerk for nearly fifty years (Journals of the House of Representatives, 39:4; Vital Records of Taunton, Massachusetts, 3 vols. [Boston, 1929], 3:225).