Boston March 12th 1766 Sr.,

I am favd. wth. yours of 8th. Instt. & am realley Sorry you shd. be so plagu'd wth: Coll. Richmond & Hellon and am of your mind that Richmond ought to take Hellon's Plank Security, seing I am so great a Sufferer, & Hellon a man in Distressed Cercumstances & t'wd. not Ruin the coll. to Accept his Offer. The Sherriff here takes poundage either on amo. of Effects Sold, or Appriz'd by Men chose by Each party, & if Execution is for £2000. & he pays the Creditor only 200£ he receives poundage only on £200. If Coll. Richmon will not be satisfied in Settleing the poundage as aforesd. Mr. Hellon must Complain of him. I have no Mony or wd. not Value paying the right poundage for sd: Hellon & take his363Plank Security. I hope to see you in a few days & that you'l be able to settle Williams's affair, otherwise poor Fossey must go to Goal, as he has no money nor nothing Else. I am Respectfully Sr., Your assur'd Frd.

GILBT. DEBLOIS

PS. I shall Sail for England in Fourteen days.

RC ; addressed: "To Robt. Trt. Paine Esqr. Attorney at Law In Taunton"; endorsed.

March 13. 1766 Bror. Paine,

I recd. yours1& by way of message wld. answer it & inform you, that The Court have tried one Civil action just to appease the Lay-Gents & intend taking up This Week in criminal matters Complaints &c. & then adjourn to the 3d. Tuesday in April as there are many Infre. Courts intervene wch. affords a good Excuse for not proceeding further & on the Part of the Bar we are unanimous in Consent.2 I shd. have answered yr. Billet before but was from home when it came & have been ever since busy at Court being concerned in the action that was tried &c. I hope however This will meet you early enoh. to prevent a needless Journey & am with Esteem Your Friend & Bror.

SAML. QUINCY

RC ; addressed: "To Robt: Treat Paine Esq. at Taunton"; endorsed.

1.

Not located.

2.

The Superior Court met for its Boston session on March 11 but quickly adjourned to April 15.This lengthy session was again adjourned until April 29, then again on May 9 until June 3, and finally adjourned sine die on July 26 (Minute Book, Superior Court of Judicature, Suffolk Co.).

Boston March 31st. 1766 Sr.,

I have only time to let you know that I shall Embarke in a few hours for London, that I have appointed Mr. Edwd. Payne1 Merchant here my attorney & whatever Instructions &c you may stand in need of in the Conducting my Affairs you'l please to apply to him about. This accompanys Mr: Coldwell's Letters Accots. of Lumber I bout. of other364people &c. I can prove by Mr. Henry Leadbetter, Jacob Rhoads & Benj. Hood (all Ship Carpenters) that the sd: Adams, McWhorter, Davis & Coldwell deliver'd them the plank &c. to Hew agreeable to my first agreement and to pick out such only as they thought fit for outside plank & fit to Ship to Europe. I wish them (sd. Carpenters) my agreemt. wth. the Persons above mentiond who were to furnish the Lumber, what Sort Stuff? I was to have of them &c. I hope if you loose the case at Inferiour Court, youl stop its going forwd: till my Return, as I can prove Coldwell has greatly overch'd me in Price if nothing more. Inclos'd is an order on my Bror. Lewis,2 wch. he has accepted, & will pay off punctually at the time or sooner if much wanted, pray get the Execution against Fossey Discharged and accept the paymt. of the Inclose Order in favr. my Bror. wch. you may Deliver to him when you come to Town. I am in very great haste Sr. Your much obligd hble Servt.

GILBERT DEBLOIS

Ps. the Order on my Bror. is Dated 2d March but he is not to pay the money till 3 mo. from this time—31st March 1766.

PS. my Bror. Lewis has signd a Bale Bond wth. me for my appearance & you must Carry the Case to Supperiour Court if its not Settled in my favour before.

RC ; addressed: "To Robt. Treat Payne Esqr. at Taunton"; endorsed.

1.

Edward Payne (d. 1788) was a prominent Boston merchant allied with the Amory family through his marriage to Rebecca Amory in 1756. He was wounded during the Boston Massacre in 1770. In 1784 he was one of the incorporators of the Massachusetts Bank (Thwing Index).

2.

Lewis Deblois (1727–1799) was in partnership with his brother Gilbert in the importing and sales of hardware and other foreign goods. Like his brother, he left Boston with General Howe's fleet in 1776 and settled in London (NEHGR 67[1913]:12).