Page 253 (seq. 255)

perhaps be a little Surprizing to you, but I will be as explicit as the time
will admit. this Vessell being kept solely for my letters purely to oblige me
My late Uncle Thomas Hancock for many years dealt with the House
of Kilby & Barnard & I in partnership with him after my return from
London dealt with the House of Barnards & Harrison, & I by myself
since the decease of my late Uncle till now have dealt with the same
house to a very large extent, but by {Captain} Daverson who arriv'd Yesterday
I Received Letters from them which have given me much disgust, & I
have come to a Resolution to alter my {Connections}; the first person that occur'd
to my Mind was you, Sir, upon which I convers'd with Mr {Thomas} Gray on
the Subject, who seem'd of opinion you would with pleasure undertake.
My Concerns, & who I beleive will write you on the Subject, In Confidence
Sir that such a Connection would be agreeable to you I now address you
tendering you the conducting of all my Affairs that lay in your way; at
same time acquainting you that I expect to be on a footing even with
the very first of your Correspondents, & as I am largely concern'd in
Navigation you will have Spring & Fall from me many {Consignments}
I have now large parcells of oyl, whale Fins & Pottashes to ship waiting
the Arrival of Scott Marshall & Smith from your place whom I shall
dispatch loaded to your address not doubting but you will concern
yourself for my Interest as you do for others Marshall & Scott are partly
own'd by the house of Harrison Barnard & Spragg, those Vessells on
their Arrival back to you I shall order to be sold, & shall desire you to
purchase for me of which more hereafter. I have a new {Brigantine} which
I expect in every hour whose loading is all ready in Store on my Wharf
say oyl Pottashes etc which I shall dispatch to your address the Vessell
to be sold. I have not time to be as explicit as I could wish, but will
by next, my Character & Situation in life you may be acquainted with
from any Person from this part of the World, from Harrison & {Company}
from Mr Trecothick Mr Lane & many others, but I really address
you Sir as a Man on whom you may depend, & a Man of Capital
& in whom I have the Vanity to say you may confide.

The Vessell by whom this goes I have loaded with oyl etc to
the address of Harrison & {Company} my Letters were all finish'd & deliver'd
before Daverson arriv'd otherwise I should have consign'd this to you;
I have wrote to {Messieurs} Harrison & {Company} very explicitly by this {opportunity}
as I have kept the Vessell on purpose, in consequence of this {Consignment}
I have drawn Bills on them perhaps to the Amount of L3000 Stg
should they from my openness in addressing them be induc'd to
protest my Bills by way of Resentment (which I have no Suspicion
of) I must take the Liberty to ask the favour of you to take them
up for my honour & I will immediately on Notice order you
the