Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
I recd. yours by Mr. Adams & intended to have written more fully than I find I can by Reason of the Avocations of Court arising not from the fulness of Business but from an earnest attention to the want of it.
The subject Matter of yr. Epistle has been in my thoughts all Summer & I proposed consulting Sprage on the premisses when last at Boston but could not see him, & I had settled it in my Mind that your health was too precarious to admit long absence from his Influence. I am my self in very low health & had determind some Journey for my recruit. Philadelphia was my desire, but hardly expected to have accomplished that, & at least determind for Connetticut to see to some of our affairs there, but had determined nothing further. As to yr. accompanying me to Philadelphia, it would by no means suit yr. design, considering the lateness of the Season which would render it on my return inconvenient even on horseback, & then I have no horse fit for such a Journey in a Chaise nor any Chaise fit for it. I am extremely desirous to consult yr. health as well as my own, as little as I love riding in a Chaise, but it is a little unlucky for two invalids to Journey for health when the same method of Journeying is not equally serviceable to both, & the places where my business would call me are unpassable with a Chaise for you. However I want to see Lancaster & Worcester, & I believe that must be our Rout. I suppose you'll have no preparation to make but such as you can soon do, & if I can possibly contrive any thing for yr. Advantage I will, but if I had known it before I could have contrived better. However I will write you more271from Taunton, & expect to hear from you next week, perticular whether you think you can jumble over the Rocks to Canterbury.
Tell Mr. Palmer I wrote to Mr. Thomas about his Bee Books1& expected to have received them at Plymouth but Mr. Thomas had been a journey & was but just returned when the Genral came from thence & so I have heard nothing. Yr. Loving Brother
Not identified.
Your Favour by Coll. Leonard at Providence Supr. Court I1 recived, at which Time I expected the Cause of Green v. Green would have been tried & Issued, but for want of a Sufficient Number of Judges that cause was continued to March next. I had no Time to Look into those authorities in Pollexfen2 & Strange, being then ready to set out for Newport at the Time of my receiving them, & did not care take the Liberty of bringing them home without your Permission. If you will send them to me by Capt. Williams I will take care to have those authorities copied out & compared by our Secretary which may answer as well for us as the Books at Court. I will be answerable for all Damages that may arise to the Books if they come by Williams as he is a carful person, by whom they shall be immediately sent back to you. I hope shall have the Pleasure of seeing you at Providence court in March next.3 In the Mean Time I am Sr. Your Humble Servt.
James Honyman (1710–1778) of Newport, R.I., attended Harvard with the Class of 1729 but did not graduate. He returned to his native state, where he became a member of the bar, was active in underwriting marine insurance as a means of investment, and was elected attorney general in 1732. He held the latter position until it was abolished in 1741, when he was appointed to the corresponding office for the County of Newport (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 8:586–589).
Sir Henry Pollexfen, The Arguments and Reports in the King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer (London, 1702).
RTP attended the superior and inferior courts at Providence between 1761 and 1768.