Dartmouth May 7th 1770 Sr.,

Mr. David Briggs Complainant, vs. one Ben Able, Alias Quons Indian for taking and riding an horse, in possession of sd. David: tho' Beloning to Mr. John Wady; applyed to me to know what Attorney he shou'd fee to assist him, in the Prosecution of his Complaint.1 I Recommended him to you; and In Cossequence, he desired me to write to you, not to take up on the other Side, and to assure you, that you Shall have an honourable fee at Next Court; which I will give my Word you may Depend upon. Mr. Wady who carries on the Case, is a man of fortune &467Charecter, and his promises may be Depended on. I am Good Sr. Your very Humble Servt.

DANL. HATHWAY

RC ; addressed: "To Robert T. Paine Esqr. at Taunton"; endorsed.

1.

This case was not brought before the Bristol County Court of Common Pleas and does not appear among RTP's accounts.

Potosi, South Kingstown In the Narraganset Country May the 11th. 1770 . . . Dear Sir,

My Concern for the Stoughtenham Interest Committed to your Care and Management is very Considerable, In that The Rustical Comee 1 seems not only to Trifle With But wholly to Neglect Me. What is best to be Done or How to proceed I still Leave to your Superior And Impartial Judgment. The bond you have in your Possession As likewise The Mortgage Deed If my Information be Right from Mr. Goldthwaits2 Clerk Who Writes in the Registry Office in the Town of Boston. Your Long Silence I Can Impute to Nothing but your Engaging In the Bands, the Soft & Silken Bands of HYMEN. This Intelligence of So Delicate a Nature and of so transporting a Kind, was Communicated to Me a few Days Ago Over my high & Mighty Stone Wall By One of your Laudable Profession As He was Riding by; Mr Lamphere3 By Name.

'And Is it so, MY DEAR FRIEND, That Cupid has at Length Reach'd your once Frozen Benighted heart, And Made it Susceptible of Love.

Joy To You On such an Occasion—And A Double Joy will it afford when the Tidings of your happy Union To The Fair Nymph of your Choice Reaches My Longing Ears.

'Who is THE ENCHANTING GODDESS that has Done this

Where THE LOVELY CHARMER, Charming Wifely

—A THOUSAND GLORIES AROUND HER FLY—" The Best of Respect's Due to Her—And the Most Ardent thanks for such A Conquest, Even perhaps from An Unknown Well-Wisher. And in A Word I Superadd, May the Richest Blessings Inseparably Attend Both in the Lovely Blissfull Chain.

468 "Hail Wedded Love, Mysterious Law True Source "Of human offspring, Sole Propriety "In Paradise of all things Common Else "O Marraige. Happiest, Easiest, Safest State."4

Let Me Ask a Letter from your kind Benevolent hand soon.

And Whenever you Journey this Way through the Dreary Wilderness—venture not without the Intended Partner of your Felicity—and While you Are Travailing Along, In the Midst of Eccho (Admiring Natures Charms) form the Lowing herd And the Softer Notes of Melodious Birds Warbling in the Air, & Rebounding with the most Variegated and Reverberating Accents, Remember (I say) to Call And Stop at the homely Cottage Where THE PRIEST & PRIESTESS Are Residing With in the Grove, And Be Assured! That To You And Yours Will be administerd a Most Wellcome Reception.

Upon the whole,

Our Respects from the Land that flows With Milk & Honey Await our Worthy Friends Captain Cobb & Spouse not forgetting the Agreeable Young Lady by the Engageing Name of SALLY. Wishing all Manner of Blessings To You & the Phoenix of Your hopes: I Beg Leave in haste to Subscribe With Great Truth Your Respectfull Friend Obedient & Devoted humble Servant,

SF

Write me as soon as possible by the Way of Mans— & direct to Peter Mumford there &c.

RC ; addressed: "To Robert Treat Pain Esqr Attorney In Taunton these By Mr. P Mumford"; endorsed.

1.

John Comee (1725–1815). See Samuel Fayerweather to RTP, Feb. 16, 1768.

2.

Ezekiel Goldthwait (1710–1782), in addition to holding many other public positions, was Boston town clerk (1741–1769) and register of deeds for Suffolk County (1741–1776) (Colonial Society of Mass., Publications, 3:14n.).

3.

Unidentified.

4.

John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 4.