Braintree Decr. 13th. 1756 Dear Treat,

I must be still Troublesome to you. I want you to Inquire of Sprague how soon the money's Like to be ready & when I must come to Boston. Could I but discharge Mrs. Pemberton's Exn. 'twould be some safe to my mind for I hate The sight of a Sherriff as much as most men do. I wonder whether it would not do for a Certain Church to pray from the danger & plague of Sheriff's Libera nos Domine.1 I've wrote to Mr. Pray abt. the Daaws? at Foot's, He gave me Incouragement that he'd take them at £110.0.0 Pray urge that matter if you can see him. Do assist (Cato) in geting a yd. Cloth at Mr. How's. I have sent both pattern & Ordr. If you see any of my Folks uneasy tell them I'm an honest Fellow & am Contriving to pay them all.

Would it not do for Sprague to have this Executn. Indors'd to him, & to pay it off & keep it 'till he can Muster the rest of the money & so rid me of this Evil? Tomorrow Pray will be in Town, & I'll send him to you. Prevail with him to bring the Necessarys from the Distill-house, Including Cato Bed & Bedstead & tell him I'll pay him for his Trouble. If Snow will give £100 L Money to boot Query, whether or no it will not be best to let him have the Distill house? I've sold Mr. How the Glasses at 15/ 25/ & 40/ a ps. & he'll take the Barrs a sec? also. Pray let the Glasst be where he may got Them. I think I've no more to say, but when I get thro' the present difficulty's & get Setled at Smelt Brook I promise to write you a more Regular Epistle either in prose or Verse & may be it will be an answer to yr. midnight production. I am &c. three times over

J. GREENLEAF

P.S The second Line above is a Cureosity; for it Contains Twelve Monisibiles.

Cotton Linnen to Line Father Britches

380

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robt. Treat Paine Boston"; endorsed.

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Free us. Lord.

Halifax Decr. 20th. 1756 Sir,

This to Come by C. Jones. I have received yours of Octor. 27th. & Novr. 10th. In the first you Desir'd me to send you your Fathers Feild Bedsted &c.—which I now send by Capt. Jones—also the Five Spoons (as to the Small Spoon I dont know of any). I send also the Two Gold Rings—and purpose to send you three pounds which with what you have had is on accot. of Henry Fergusons Note & is som thing over. If Capt. Hills money be not yet got, pray get it or Secure it to your Satisfaction. As to Capt. Knox, he says he has ordered you payment by his wife—however as I have no power so Cant sue him. The Bedsted Cost my Uncle 30/ or 35/. Mr. Kent has not Settled or paid me anything yet tho' that is partly Delaid because I purpose to Discount aboute Five pounds on account of what I owe Allen. But ere long I shall Settle it and then purpose to remitt you Eight or Ten pounds. The payment of Leighs money approaches. I fear delay in payment therefore would have you write particular. I will soon send you my accot. against my Uncle.

I do not find any demand for those things yet—have sold a few Glasses & Axes which I will render accot. of with my other account. As to B. Allens Debt I should be glad of any part of it, But to distress him if he Cant pay will onely be Sending good money after bad. Perhaps part of his wadges may be Stoped, which if such a thing might be pray push it. You dont mention in your last anything aboute Uncle or Aunt Hunt1—or any Relation. You may hear by Capt. Jones what Business I purpose to follow.

Pray remember me to all friends. Your Cousin & humble Servt.

J. FREEMAN

P.S. 24th. I am disappointed to this day and as Two Holydays approach I fear I Cant Send the money in C. Jones Tho: it shall come by the next safe hand.

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robert Treat Paine In Boston P. Capt. Jones"; endorsed.

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Experience (Paine) Hunt (1703–1775), wife of Samuel Hunt, younger sister of Thomas Paine and aunt to both James Freeman and RTP (Paine, Paine Ancestry, 13).