18 CORRESPONDENCE. — ANNO 1700. 



such persons whose honb'^ principles to y''' country & church 

 makes it also an honor to receive y". I thanke God I long for no 

 kindnesses y' bring a blush w*"" y", & will not think of getting 

 anything for my services to my Country til I see honest men true 

 to y" interest of these Kgdoms & Government, & none else en- 

 courag'd. I did not at first offer myself & my family, my interest 

 everywhere to my L** Godolphin as a person y' really wanted or 

 ambitiously courted so greate & so sure a dependance. I have no 

 expectations to gratify, & wil have no dependance, but w* I think 

 fit for a man of just honor to own. I devoted myself to his Lor^ 

 becaus I found him to be a person of greate wisdom & integrity, 

 & y* as to y° public our principles suited tho' our fortunes & 

 stations did not. I was as humbly his L'"' servant w" he was no 

 minister, as I can be now he is, & I hope wil be for y^ K'gdom's 

 sake these fifty years, but I ask nothing of him, or anybody for 

 myself my whole aime is & has been to serve my Country by 

 serving y" onely greate y* is those who are truly good without pro- 

 posing to myself greatenesse or advantage by y™ my expence is 

 without end, my trouble infinite, & y'fore I can't but look on it as 

 very hard to find my labors expence & pains meet nothing but 

 slights & contempts, nay w'''' is worse persons hated for being my 

 friends, & discharged for ever from all businesse for designing 

 upon y" prospect of y*^ war breaking out to offer six hogsheads of 

 wine to me & to my 2 bro" & to lodge y™ in y*" merchants cellar 

 ojsenly till they could see whither we could get y^ boards leave to 

 accept at y^ first price without paying such exoi'bitant duty for 

 such a trifle as y' is, it being to be spent in our own houses. Lord 

 w* a greate bribe in y^ state to have granted me y^ Maj'' Gen' & 

 Brig'' 6 hogsheads of wine Custom free ! there were I heare more, 

 but they were all proffer'd to other Country gentlemen on y" same 

 terms who are likewise of y^ pari""', if I mistake not I may be law 

 claime 2 tuns custom free for y^ use of my own hous, yet as soon 

 as I heard it 1 declar'd y* I would have nothing to doe w* y* wine, 

 & while my bro" & y^ gentlemens answer was getting y^ inform- 

 ation was made, heares y'' greate cheate designed by these ignorant 

 fellows who tliought we had interest enough, & likewise y' we 

 would have us'' it for getting such a vast sum w'^'' by y" concern you 

 expresse seems indeed such as would have ruin'd all our under- 

 takings ; but now you have brought this greate Cargoe to an entry 



