Letter – John Blackett to Thomas Brummell – 5 Feb 1709

Mr Brommell                                                                                Rotterdm the 5 feby 1709



Dr Sr	Yours of the 24 decembr came to hand the other day, the reason it was So long a comming is we have had  Such a Great frost for this month that not one Ship, (not So much as a Pacquet) was able to get into the Maese or Hellevoet Sluys, though Severall times before the Landt & always forc’d to put back into English harbours, four days agoe we had a thaw wch brought 7 mails together from England, but now it freeses as hard as ever, when it begins to Thaw it will be at least one Month be fore our Rivers are free from Ice, am mightly glad that Mrs Brumel got the Linnen & Cambrick, hopes they proved as she desired [struck out: ‘if I writ you they cost f26gl it was a mistake in the pen’], when I Sent them I did not know certainly what I was to pay, but Since has paid 13gl for the Cambrick & 11gl for the linnen wch is f24gl & not 26gl as you write, I shall never think it any trouble to Serve Mr or Mrs Brummell & Should take it very ill of your Wife if She Should Send to any other person to buy her any things as long as I am on this Side of the water, Cousin Wilkinson writ me his Wife was brought to bed of a Boy, I wish with all my heart you might write the Same of Mrs Brummell, & when it happens if you will accept of a younger Brother to be Godfather, you may find one at Rotterdm & Should take it as a great favour done him, Mr Wilkinson has Sent Several 100 ps [lead] to this place, Since I was Settled, though he has not Sent me 1 ps to me except the 350 ps wch he Shipt when I came over, but I need not tell you this, you know it as well as my Self, I dare not write my Sisters one word, I know they could not forbear telling him of it, he writ me that old Allan had got every Ship that he had Shipt any lead Inn, & I was told by another that allan always buys the coals of Mr Wilkinson, wch are generally put in the bottom of the Ship, & Sends them for his own Acct about 3 weeks agoe I writ Mr Wilkinson I would do the Same, that is take the Coales for my own Acct that are in the bottom of the Ship, his answer was that Since I would do that he would Send me Some lead, but it would be May first, because he had no lead in the Cellar but what he could Sell in Towne, I write you this, (inter nos) I cannot yet See any Signs of a peace, The French are makeing as great preparations as ever & brings all his Troops out of Savoy into Flanders, but when we Shall be So happy as to have a peace, Shall remember what you Said, but as you Say very well if we could keep our hands in use it would be very well; Since the frost no merchandise is Sturring, but when there is open weather I believe Lead will give 21 3/4 or 22 <Bst> Pray give my Service to your Good Wife & Sisters    I am Dr Sr Your most humble Servt    J 



Shall Send you the Coffy & plates per first Ship, if you could Send me the charges wch <£.> Brings in Acct for 100 ps lead it would be very desirable