Robert Carter writes to London merchant Francis Lee concerning the death of Secretary of State Ralph Wormeley, Wormeley's unhappiness with Lee's handling of his affairs and Lee's need to do better on behalf of his estate, a consignment of 16 hogsheads of tobacco, and that Lee's supervision of Wormeley's sons, then in England for their education, should be stringent.
Take it to be no News to tell you Mr. Secretary Wormeley
made me, one of the Executors of his Will during the Min[ority]
` Twas his Death Bed Orders that you should have no more of his [until]
you had given Satisfaction as to Fryers Accot. he thought him[self great]
-ly Abus'd in it, and Indeed 'tis very hard the whole Loss should [be on]
him, when you allow him not the Advantages the Readies
had at the Custom-house, besides soe long after you had gi[ven]
Creditt for that Tobaccoe, , to bring him in for his snacks, is som[ething]
Strange, I have heard him further Say for many Yeares t[hat]
it hath bin his positive Orders to you, not to Sell but to Men of
Abilities without Substantiall Security for that he had Rat[her be]
Short in Price, then Run any hazard, You will do well [on?]
that Accot. in Our Testators. Favour what you Can, that W[e are]
Justified in Continuing a part of his Consignments to you[. In]
his own Orders he hath left no Directions about the Rema[ining]
Children, some desire they may be wth. Mrs. Corbin one of his [executors]
wch. Wee have not yett Yeilded to, waiting till wee know the [...]
you Intend to Abide by, herein is a Bill of Lading for Sixteen [hogsheads]
Laded on the America
& sent to you they are the Cropp Tobo. w[ch. they]
say is very Good & Weighty. I have Drawn on you for [...]
no Doubt Long before now you are in possession of the Money Du[e]
from Mr. Mathews
[Give my]
kind Respects to my Cozens
Ralph & John Wormeley whom
if you keep Short in point of pockett Money, & not Extraordnary in fineness
neither, i'tis my Opinion twill be no Diservice to them, I hope if the times
hold as they have bin for some yeares past, Wee may be Able to lay up
a Little Money for them, before they Come to manage. for your fuller
Satisfaction, I have herein sent a Coppy of Mr. Secretarys Will I am Sr