That now, on the death of his said father-in-law, he is left at your Majesty’s mercy for his continuance in this house to the Petitioner Martha’s subsistence and her other two daughters preferment, [which] depends wholly upon the said Peter Jacobson his enjoyment of the said house for perfecting his work, and refunding his said great expences. And although your Majesty hath been graciously pleased to design the son of the said Caspar to succeed this office and service, yet forasmuch as he is held up by the Emperor of Russia, the Petitioners are both under great fears without your Majesty’s special grace and clemency.
Their most humble Petition therefore and only hope is that your Majesty will be graciously pleased in contemplation of both their desolate otherwise, and truly sad condition, to grant them such terms of years in the said house, as may in some measure repair the estate of the said widow to provide of the maintenance of herself and preferment of her two orphan daughters, and enable the Petitioner Peter, her son-in-law, by holding the said Sugar-house some certain term of years to have recompense of his said expense of £700. bestowed upon your Majesty’s grounds, which he will leave after in good repair to the improvement of your Majesty’s interest.
And your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever with theirs pray, &c.
[See Col. State Papers, Dom. Series, 1665–66, edited by Mrs. M. A. E. Green. 8vo. 1864. p. 153, No. 134.]
[Vol. 102, No. 13. Sept. 5. Whitehall. Warrant from Secretary Bennet. (Ent. Book 16, p. 220.)]
It is his Majesty’s pleasure that Sir Herbert Price, Sir Paul Neal, and Sir Robert Murray, being attended by Mr. Gervase Price, his Majesty’s Serjeant Trumpeter, do visit Foxhall, and there enquire by whom the several rooms in it are possessed, and particularly what belongs to the Marquis of Worcester, what to Gaspar Collthoffe, late deceased, and what their respective interests in the Engines, Tools, &c. remaining in that place are, hearing on the one part the Lord John Somerset; and on the other the widow of the said Colthoff, and his son-in-law, and any persons relating to them, of all which the said persons above mentioned are to give an account to his Majesty in writing. Whitehall, September 5, 1664.
Henry Bennet.
[See Cal. State Papers, Dom. Series, 1664–65. Edited by Mrs. M. A. E. Green. 8vo. 1863. p. 2. No. 13.]