Mr. I. Stockwell to Robert Pitt.
Honed Sr,—I had long since determin'd, not to engage any more in a Trust of so much consequence, as the Care of a young Gentleman of Fortune is, & have in fact refus'd many offers of that sort: but the great Regard, that every Salsbury-Man must have for your Family, and the Character I hear of Mr Pitt from All Hands, put it out of my Power to decline a Proposal of so much Credit & Advantage to Myself & the College. I heartily wish your Business and Health would have allow'd you to have seen him settled here, because I flatter Myself, that you would have left Him in Our Society with some Degree of Satisfaction; as That can't be hop'd for, You will assure Yourself that everything shall be done with the exactest Care and Fidelity.
I have secur'd a very good Room for Mr Pitt, which is just now left by a Gentleman of Great Fortune, who is gone to the Temple. Tis thoroughly furnish't & with All necessarys, but perhaps may require some little Additional Expence for Ornament or Change of Furniture. The method of paying for the Goods of any Room in the University is, that Every Person leaving the College receives of his Successor Two Thirds of what He has expended. On this foot the Mony to be paid by Mr Pitt to the Gentleman who possess't the Room last, is 43l, Two thirds of which, as likewise of whatever Addition He shall please to make to the Furniture, He is to receive again of the Person, who succeeds Him.
Tis usual for Young Gentlemen of Figure to have a small quantity of Table-Linnen, & sometimes some particular peices of plate, for the reception of Any Friend in their Rooms, but everything of that sort for Common & Publick Uses is provided by the College.
If you please to send me the Servitor's Name, I will immediately procure His admission into the College, & show Him all the Kindness in my Power, but as to His attendance on Mr Pitt it is not now usual in the University, nor, as I apprehend, can be of any Service. Tis much more Customary & Creditable to a Gentleman of Family to be attended by a Footman—But this I barely mention.
The other Expences of Mr Pitt's Admission will be in the following Articles:
aution Mony (to be return'd again) 10 0 0 Benefaction to the College 10 0 0 For Admission to the Fellow's Common Room 2 0 0 Fee for the Use of the College Plate, &c. 2 0 0 College Servts Fees 1 15 0 University Fees 0 16 0 I have stated Mr Pitt's Benefaction at Ten Pounds, because that is what we require & receive of every Gentleman-Commoner, & of very many Commoners; but I know Sr that you will excuse me for mentioning, that several Young Gentlemen of Mr Pitt's Gown have besides made the College a Present of a Peice of Plate of 10, or 12l. I am thus particular only in Obedience to Your Orders. I believe Sr if You please to remit a Bill of An Hundred Pounds, it will answer the whole expence of Mr. Pitt's settlement here and I shall have the Honour to send you a particular Account of the disposal of it. As I am debarr'd the Pleasure of waiting on You by a little Office, that Confines me to the College in Termtime, I shall take it a very great Favour, if you please to let me know at what time I may hope to see Mr Pitt here.
I beg my Humble Duty to Your Good Lady, & my Humble Service & Respects to Mr Pitt, and am with the highest Respect
Sr Yr most Oblig'd & Obedient Servt
Ios. Stockwell.[26]
| aution Mony (to be return'd again) | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Benefaction to the College | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| For Admission to the Fellow's Common Room | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fee for the Use of the College Plate, &c. | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| College Servts Fees | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| University Fees | 0 | 16 | 0 |
Mr. Stockwell to Robert Pitt, 'at Swallowfield
near Reading, Berks.'Trin: Coll: Oxon: Decr 22. 1726.
Honrd Sr,—Upon receiving the favour of Yours & finding that it was your Intention that Mr Pitt should keep a Servant, I have made choice of Another Room much more Convenient for that Purpose, as it supply's a Lodging for His Footman. I have employ'd some Workmen in it to make some necessary alterations; but the whole expence will not amount to the Charge of the Chamber, I had mention'd to you before. As I am not willing, Mr Pitt should be put to the distress of lying One Night in an Inn, I will take Care, it shall be fit for his Reception by New Years Day, & I am sure He will like it very well.
I proposed so large a Sum, because I had not mention'd the Articles of Gown, Cap Bands, Tea-Furniture, & some other little Ornaments & Conveniences that young Gentlemen don't care to be without. You will be pleas'd to mention, in what degree of mourning[27] His Gown must be made; & I will send you an exact Account of the whole expence. There is no need of remitting any Mony, till He comes.
If You are willing to recommend the Servitor You spoke of, who may live here at a very easy rate (I believe very well for 15l p. Ann) I have bespoke a place for him, & He may be admitted when you please. I beg My Humble Duty to Your Good Lady, & my Humble Service & Respects to Your Good Family, & am
Sr Yr most Obliged & Obedient Servt
Ios. Stockwell.[28]
Fortunately, too, a few of William's Oxford letters have also been preserved. The first apologetically continues Stockwell's tale of preliminary expenses, and endeavours to deprecate Robert Pitt's economical wrath.
William Pitt to his Father, in Pall Mall.
Trin: Coll: Janry Ye 20th 1726/7.
Honed Sr—After such delay, though not owing to any negligence on my Part, I am ashamed to send you ye following accompt, without first making great apologies for not executing ye Commands sooner.
Matriculation Fees 0 16 6 Caution money 10 0 0 Benefaction 10 0 0 Utensils of ye Coll 2 0 0 Common Room 2 0 0 Coll: Servts Fees 1 15 0 Paddesway[29] Gown 8 5 0 Cap 0 7 0 Tea Table, China ware, bands &c. 6 5 0 Glasses 0 11 0 Thirds of Chamber & Furniture 41 7 8 Teaspoons 1 7 6 ———— Summe total 84 14 8 ———— Balance pd me by Mr Stockwell 15 05 4 I have too much reason to fear you may think some of these articles too extravagant, as they really are, but all I have to say for it is humbly to beg you would not attribute it to my extravagance, but to ye custom of this Place; where we pay for most things too at a high rate.
I must again repeat my wishes for yr health, hoping you have not been prevented by so painfull a delay as ye gout from pursuing yr intended journey to Town I must beg leave to subjoin my Duty to my Mother & love to my Sistrs and am with all Possible respect
Sr Yr most dutyfull Son
Wm. Pitt.[30]
| Matriculation Fees | 0 | 16 | 6 |
| Caution money | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Benefaction | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Utensils of ye Coll | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Common Room | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Coll: Servts Fees | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Paddesway[29] Gown | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Cap | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Tea Table, China ware, bands &c. | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Glasses | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Thirds of Chamber & Furniture | 41 | 7 | 8 |
| Teaspoons | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| ———— | |||
| Summe total | 84 | 14 | 8 |
| ———— | |||
| Balance pd me by Mr Stockwell | 15 | 05 | 4 |
The next is written after an evident explosion of that wrath. In the Pitt family, even more than in others, father and son viewed filial expenditure from opposite points of view. It is painful, then, but not surprising to find that Robert should have regarded William's washing bill as beyond the dreams of luxury.
William Pitt to his Father, 'in Pall Mall.'
Trin: Coll: April ye 29th.
Honed Sr,—I recd yrs of ye 25th in which I find with ye utmost concern ye dissatisfaction you express at my expences. To pretend to justify, or defend myself in this case would be, I fear, with reason thought impertinent; tis sufficient to convince me of the extravagance of my expences, that they have met with yr disapprobation, but might I have leave to instance an Article or two, perhaps you may not think 'em so wild and boundless, as with all imaginable uneasiness, I see you do at present. Washing 2l. 1s. 0d., about 3s. 6d. per wk, of which money half a dozen shirts at 4d. each comes to 2s. per wk, shoes and stockings 19s. 0d. Three pairs of Shoes at 5s. each, two pair of Stockings, one silk, one worcestead, are all that make up this Article, but be it as it will, since, Sr, you judge my expence too great, I must endeavour for ye future to lessen it, & shall be contented with whatever you please to allow me. one considerable article is a servant, an expence which many are not at, and which I shall be glad to spare, if you think it fitt, in hopes to convince you I desire nothing superfluous; as I have reason to think you will not deny me what is necessary. As you have been pleased to give me leave I shall draw upon you for 25li as soon as I have occasion. I beg my duty to my Mother & am with all possible respect
Honed Sr, yr most Dutifull Son
W. Pitt.
The third is mysterious enough to us, but it expresses gratitude for some marks of kindness, whether to the writer or not, cannot now be known. It is difficult to imagine that Robert should have extended his beneficence to any one at Trinity but William, and yet it is not easy to depict the gratitude of a College for a favour done to one of their undergraduates by his father. In any case there remains no longer any trace of such benefaction at Trinity. The inevitable financial statement in which the bookseller's bill figures handsomely, not far behind the tailor's, is tactfully kept separate in a postscript. It is, however, well to know that this letter, the last in all probability that William wrote to his father, who died six weeks afterwards, is one of as much affection as the fashion of that day permitted.