My love to my deare Coz Goodlad at Wapping. Pray venture a letter or two to Portsmᵒ to me.
R. H.
[a] His second wife, Elizabeth; maiden name unknown.
The Same to the Same.
On bord the Royall James, this 14ᵗʰ May, 1672; Tuesday evening, at anchor neere Dungenesse.
My dearest Love,
These are to give the an accᵗ of my wellfare and good health, wᶜʰ I blesse God I doe injoy. We are now at anchor neere Dungenesse wᵗʰ our whole fleet, consisting of 80 men of warr, English and French, about 20 or 22 fireships, and many small vessells besides. We have bine tydeing it up from the Isle of Wind (sic). Ever since Wedensday last the winds have hung easterly. The Dutch fleet, we heard yesterday, were at yᵉ North Forland. We doe our utmost endeavor to get to them, if they have a mind to fight us. To yᵉ westwards of yᵉ Downes they may easely be wᵗʰ us; but we judge there designe is to ingage us amongst the sands, wᶜʰ posibly they may be deceaved in there expectation. God Almighty goe along wᵗʰ us and give us victory over our enemyes. I know I shall not want thy prayers and the well wishes of all my deare relations for my preservation. We have a brave fleet and, in the maine, well mand. For our parts we doe not complayn, haveing neere 900 men on bord us; yᵉ Duke 1000, I beleive, and upwards. It is probable, before we ingage, we may have yᵉ ships in the river ioyne wᵗʰ us, wᶜʰ are 10 or 11 men of warr and 4 fire ships. I desire we may put our strength in God Almighty; but soe noble a brave fleet have not bine seene together in our dayes.
My deare, speake to my broʳ Joseph for the ballence of the mony I desired him to recᵉ for me of Mr. Forth and Mr. Beare, and to pay out of it severall debts wᶜʰ at present I doe not remember the perticulars. I know not how to direct the to answer these, nor where you may send to meet us. If this arrive yoᵘ on Thursday, you may venture a lyne or two to Dover Road, where posibly we may stop 24 houres to watter, and next I supose for Sowle Bay or the coast of Holland. Desire my Coz Goodlad, the draper, to recᵉ three pounds for the of Cozen Boys, wᶜʰ is due April last; and pray, when the bond is due of Mr. Welsted and Temple, goe to them and recᵉ the interest £9, and desire them to lett me have £100 or more, if posible, to suply my occasions. Thou knowest the imploymᵗ I am in is very expencive, and therfore let me not faile of haveing £100 at least of them. Twas Mr. Welsted’s promise in a month, but I have stayd neere 10 weeks. Pray let me know wᵗ is done wᵗʰ the mony in broʳ Hurleston’s hands and brother Thornburgh. I know they will be very kind. I have heere inclosed sent the my will, wᶜʰ have made for all good respects. I desire the to keepe it by the, sealed as it is. If God Almighty in His providence should take me out this life, you will find I have not failed of my promise to thee, though I have some reason to lament the kindnes done me by thy freinds; but that shall not trouble me at this tyme. God Almighty, I doubt not, will preserve me, that I may live to see the againe wᵗʰ ioy and comfort. Pray lett me know by some meanes or other of the receipt of these. My deare love to my sister Jessen, broʳ and sister Thornburgh, broʳ Hurlestone. My respects to my Unckle Moyer; all of them. My kind saluts to my dear Coz Goodlad at Wapping. To all my loveing freinds comend me. My deare, I have only to add my prayers to God for thy wellfare. Wᵗʰ my intire love and saluts to thee and my daughter, I remaine
Thyne, till death us pᵗ,