Robert Carter writes to Captain Thomas Hooper, August 24, 1723, concerning the tobacco that arrived on board Carter's sloop, complaining that the shipment was small and that Thomas Carter has not sent him the information he needs about what quantities are his son's or were from Colonel Mason. He then as a friend chides Hooper for drinking too much and not spending enough time on his responsibilities to Carter. Instructions regarding the granting of lands follow, including a specific order that he will make no grants in or near the Brent Town grant, and that Hooper should not do any work there at all. Carter comments on the high fees that the Stafford vestry clerk charges for copying out the levy lists, and returns to chiding Hooper by noting that he finds it "Something Extraordinary" that Hooper should press Carter for Thomas Lee's note on Hooper for payment of the quit rents. In conclusion he adds some details of business and again urges Hooper to pay attention to his business.
My Sloop Arrivd the 22d. Instant I have weighd her Tobo. &
Even by Mr. Carters
wts. She hath not brot. me 40,000 wt., he writes me
Only a Short Lettr., doth not tell me whether the Secretry's.
dues or Collo.
Mason's
Debt are Included, certainly If all my debts in Yor. County, were
pd. I shod. have as many Thousds. as I have now hhds. Mr. Carter I doubt
hath spent so much of his time abt. Your Store tht. he hath not treatd.
my business wth. tht. diligence he ought to have done
I heartily wish the Charactr. tht. I told You in friendsp. I had of You
had not too much Foundation of truth, I have bin told from those tht. are
none of Yor. Enemys, that a Cagg of good Liqr. is a Sheet Anchor that You
Can not get clear from, till tis run out, & indeed tis apparent from
Yor. proceed[ing]
s in my businss, tht. to much of Yr. time goes that way, to
Mention no othr. tis wonderfull tht. in all thse. Sumr. mos., You Shd. not
have found the leizure to have prepar'd for me Platts for the Tract of
Land between Collo. Page
& I, Seeing the Divisn. & all the trouble s[o]
m[y]
.
part hath bin done so long, You say You are in an Ill State of
health wch. most an End proves to be the fate of the Intemper[a]
te. laizy
man, he tht. Spends his Youth in Luxury is laying in fuel for a
Craizy old age but Its genly. his doom never to come to It --
Cappedge
tells me the Surveyrs. work he hath already done amts.
to 22,000 pds. of Tobo. half of which is Yrs. surely tht. is business tht. does not
Deserve to be treated wth. neglect -- You Say Men Scruple tht.
have Deeds of me to make thre. tobo. conv[ien]
t I have already freqtly.
told You tht. I would have you deliver no deeds out of Yor. hands until
tht. work was done & I now tell You again that I will have You bring
All men undr. Oblig[ation]
s. for making thre. Tobo. conv[ien]
t & weighty for me
before I pass any more Deeds, If they do not think the Land they
get worth ths. they may let it alone, I'm undr. no Obl[igatio]
n that I know
of to Grant lands upon Easier Termes, Money is my due by good
right, the Compos[itio]
n. & fees in the rest of the country are paid in money
Sterl, & I see no reason I have to grant away the Proprs. Land
for any
You tell me You are suddenly going upon the Brenton
[Gran]
t
& that people are lying ready to take up the Lands tht. You
[will lay?]
out, I have often already told You, I will grant no
[lands ly]
ing any ways near that Grant, and I now Send this
I donot at all wondr. at the fees the clerk of Yr. Vestry
Demands for Copys of Yor. Levys wn. I considr. it is a county tht.
Observes neithr. Law reason nor Justice in levying taxes upon
the people, but I hope to live to See thse. things undr. a bettr. regula=
=tion, And as Yor. Friend I heartily wish Yor. fingr. had not bin So much in the Pye --
It is Something Extraordinary You Shd. press me So Earnestly
for Collo. Lee's
noat upon You for paymt. of his Qt. Rts.
in Yr. County
I dare Say the Gentn. himself has so much value for my Credit tht.
he will make no scruple to allow ths. Article in Yor. Accot.
Although the noat Should never Appear agst. him, however
I Shall lay up ths. noat for Yor. Service If You shd. have
Occasion of It, --
As for Dinwiddie he trifles wth. me prodigiously I
hope to find means to make him do me justice in the long run
If Mr Carter brings me down Capt. Fitzhughs
bills
It will be very well, Capt. Turbervile
hath his oblign. & if Carter
fails I doubt not the othr. will do the business Effectually --
I once more Importune You to revive Yor. spirit
& to be more Vigorous in my business tht. lyes undr. Yor. care
wch. both Yor. self
profit & Credt. is so much concernd in I'm
in great haste at Present. Conclude. --