A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
List of Letters
|
About This Collection
Electronic Text Center
, University of Virginia Library
Summary
October 3, 1717
Letter from Robert Carter to Micajah and Richard Perry, 1717October 3
Robert Carter writes to London merchants Micajah and RichardPerry, October 3, 1717, of his joy in learning that his son John wasrecovering from the small pox, and that he hopes John will be wellenough to write soon. He continues that he was pleased to learn thatthe Carter had reached port safely, and hopes that the politicalsituation there will bring a "peaceable & lasting tranquility."He concludes that several persons have reported the repeal of thetobacco law, and he is shipping his tobacco prepared "the oldway."
Letter from Robert Carter to Micajah
andRichard Perry,
October 3, 1717
-1
-
[Rappahannock, LancasterCounty, Virginia]
Extract of a letter to Micajah & Richard Perry.
October 3rd. 1717
X X X X X
X X X X X
I have your letters by Beesley
.
'Tis shocking news, my son's
being seized with the Small
Pox -- a fatal distemperto his
countrymen. You give megreat
hopes he is in a fair way to
do well. Pray God grantit.
Then it will rejoice me that he
has had it. Pray give my
blessing to him. I hope before long
to have it from himself how
he has been treated in this
crueldiscouragement to an
English education.
The Carter's safety is a piece
ofwelcome news. The quarrels
among the King's friends raises
the Torys crests in these parts.
Pray God send all end ina peace=
-2
-
able & lasting tranquility.
Several write peremptorily of
the repeal of the Tobo Law
and the other tenaciously adar=
ling here. At a venture I shall
give orders forshipping
my Tobo the old way. I shall
conclude at present with
wishes for the continuance
of your health; and remain
Sir [s]
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Minor-Blackford Papers, James Monroe Law Office and Museum, Fredericksburg,Virginia. These texts are all nineteenth-century copies. Apparentlythere was in existence a letter book of Robert Carter's -- nowlost -- from which the unknown copiest recorded these texts. Asthey are the only texts, the punctuation and "corrections"obviously supplied by the copiest have been retained. The copistused rows of the letter "x" to indicate material that he did not copyfrom the letter book, and he headed this letter, "Extract of a letterto Micajah & Richard Perry."
Robert Carter generally used a return address of"Rappahannock" for the river on which he lived rather than"Corotoman," the name of his home, on his correspondence, especiallyto merchants abroad. The return address, county, and colony have beenadded for clarity to this unheaded letter.
[1] Richard Perry was a partner with his brother,Micajah, in the great London mercantilefirm of Perry and Lane.
[2] An unidentified ship's captain.
[3] Carter's son John was studying law inEngland.
This text revised September 30,2008.