Robert King Carter's Correspondence and Diary

   A Collection Transcribed
        and Digitized
   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.


List of Letters | About This Collection

Electronic Text Center , University of Virginia Library


Summary



Letter from Robert Carter to John King, July 19, 1731

     Robert Carter writes to Bristol merchant John King, July 19, 1731, to complain about Captain Sweet of the Chester who did not guarantee the discount Carter is used to, and trusting that King will correct the matter. He sends an invoice (not present) for bar iron.



Letter from Robert Carter to John King, July 19, 1731


-1 -

Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]

July 19. 1731

John King Esqr:

Sir

     My last was dated the 24 of April acquainting
you of 20 hogsheads of stemmed tobacco I had sent you in the Chester
Captain Sweet I sent the tobacco on board his ship by his letter
he promised to allow me two shillings six Pence Per hogsheads
Sterling, I answered him that I never had less allowed me than
three Shillings but he passed by my house when none of us were at
home and instead of paying me this money left my bills of Ladin
g
writing in them that so much as the impost was not Paid
I hope you will take care to right me in this matter

     Herein I send a small invoice which I desire you
to send me in According to my desire directions I am


              Sir
                  Your very humble Servant

600 weight Iron Broad flat Bars
for weeding hoes


NOTES



Source copy consulted: Letter book, 1731 July 9-1732 July 13 , Robert Carter Papers (acc. no. 3807), Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.

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, especially to merchants abroad. The county and colony have been added for clarity.

[1] A bill of lading is "an official detailed receipt given by the master of a merchant vessel to the person consigning the goods, by which he makes himself responsible for their safe delivery to the consignee. This document, being the legal proof of ownership of the goods, is often deposited with a creditor as security for money advanced." ( Oxford English Dictionary Online . Oxford University Press. )

[2] The impost was the duty imposed by Britain on imported tobacco, and the cocket, for which a fee was charged, was the document bearing a cocket or seal issued by the "King's Customs House" that the impost had been paid. (See the definitions of each word in Oxford English Dictionary Online. )


This text, originally posted in 2006, was revised January 18, 2016, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.