Boston March 22d. 1771 Fryday Dr. Sir,

The Supr. Court adjournd the day before yesterday to the first Tuesday in April. The week preceeding the Supr. Court at Charlestown when they meet & will all attend purely on Apthorps Cases.1 They were appointed to have come on last Tuesday but Judge Oliver was unpectedly Called away wh. occasioned the adjournmt. I beg you will not fail to attend & if possible Come down on the Saturday before or at furthest on Monday that we may have a little Time to make our arangements. Pray dont fail me by any means. You need not fear being handsomely paid, & I think you will make it well worth yr. attention & find you acco. in it.2 I shall depend on seeing you & am Dr. Sr. your very humble Servant,

SAML. FITCH

PS. Send me a Line if you have oppunty. to let me know whether & when you will be here.

RC .

1.

The Apthorp cases mentioned here (three titled Joseph Warren, administrator v. Apthorp) were continued from the Mar. 1771 term of the Superior Court to the Aug. 1771 term, but they remained unsettled at the latter date and were again continued to the next term (Minute Books, Superior Court, Suffolk Co.). See Samuel Fitch to RTP, Boston, Nov. 20, 1771.

2.

RTP attended the inferior courts at Taunton and Plymouth as well as the General Court (state legislature) at Cambridge in April but did not participate in the superior court session mentioned in this letter (RTP Diary).

Boston March 26. 1771 Sir:

I1 am inform'd that the Executor of the Estate, of the late Tenant, of part of the Land at Dighton, which belongs to the Estate of my late Husband, have advertiz'd for sale the land which he ocupy'd. To prevent any difficultys from arising by their improper conduct herein, I desire you will be so good as to take a proper method of opposing the sale by a public notification or otherways as may be suitable. Your humble servant

GRIZZELL APTHORP

RC ; superscribed: "Rob Paine Esqr."

1.

Grizzell (Eastwicke) Apthorp (1709–1796), widow of Charles Apthorp (1698–1758). She was489 born in Jamaica into a strongly royalist family and became the mother of eighteen children, including Charles Ward Apthorp (Thwing Index).