Letter – John Blackett to John Wilkinson – 28 Dec 1708

Cousin Wilkinson                                                         Rotterdam   the 28th Decembr 1708



Sr	I have before me yours of the 23 9br & 3 Decembr by wch I perceive you had got my last three bills accepted, I See had rather have bills payable in London than in Your place, if I had know it before would not have Sent you the above mentioned bills, but indeed what I did was for the best, bills on Newcastle are always <2%> lower than on London, & when you buy bills there is brokeridge, I am Sorry you cannot get place in any of the Ships, I believe Old Allan is very deligent in getting Ships for his Son, Mr Allan may write his father what he pleases, but we all know hear that of the 1600 pcs wch was in the Ship there was onely 800pcs given upon the Generall, a Lighter may go aboard any Ship & take what goods the Masters pleases though no Entry is made as long as the Lighter does but Stay a board, Mr Allan had a Lighter wth 600pcs came the day before wch he got Safe, but the next day wch was the Second Lighter was Leased, I do not question but Bulman will tell you the truth, if he is not forbidden by Mr Allan, when the aforesaid Master came for his freight, Mr Allan Said he had paid f2100gl to get the Lead again, & that he must allow him f500 towards his Loss or otherwise he would Call Inn f2000gl wch he & his friends had upon his Ships, the Master coming to me Said he was undone if he could not find Some one that would Stand by him, Saying that Mr Allan [struck out: ‘<...er> & Some others have f2000gl up’] haveing f2000gl upon his Ship, would call it Inn if he would not allow him f500 towards his Loss, wch he would have been forced to doe, or Suffer his Ship to be rested, wch was then Loaden, & was to Saile 2 or 3 days after, I haveing loaden Some goods was unwilling the Ship Should Loose her Convoy & the Master ruined, Say’d I would [struck out: ‘Lend’] pay Mr Allan off & take the Ship for my Security, wch when Mr Allan heard came in great haest to the Master [struck out: ‘in great <speaking>’] Saying, he hoped, he taken no money of me, but that he would continue the money, wch I always thought he would do, for he has 14<%C> every Voyage the Ship makes, wch is more than my Conscience would Suffer me to take, Mr pelsant & foster durst not Ship till the day before the Ship Sailed any goods a board thinking Allan would rest the Ship, please to ask the Master he will tell you the Same, it may be he will deny it at first, but tell him I writ it you & he will not dare to deny it, the master Said here he would never take any goods again for Mr Allan, I am mighty glad Cousin Wilkinson is Somewhat better, I wish you, her, & whole family, a merry Christmass, happ new Year & many of them     I am

                                                                                       Dear Sr your Humle Servt