Mr. Mestre.
Sir,
The Bearer hereoff by Gods assistance will be Capt. John Melidoni, Commander of the Snow Princess of Orange, which I take the Libertay to address you with her Cargo and here Inclosed you'l find Invoice and Bill of Lading for the Same made in your favour, or in your absence to Messrs. Rodier and Le Cire, and I beg of you, Sir or Gentlemen, that you will be Pleased to make the most you possibly can of them. this is for a Tryal and if it Turns to Acct. shall Continue more Largely hereafter.
The 50 pipes marked A.R. are Numbred on there heads from No. 1 to 50, and are made wines to Imitate those of Madera's, and are in Cask of the Same Largeness and Fabrick and I asshure you of a good Quality. The 30 pipes marked V.P. are on the Lies;[12] they are the wines we Call heare Vidono,[13] there pipes larger then those of the Maderas. I beg you'l procure me the best Sales you Possibly can for the whole 80 pipes; be it eather for Mony or in barter of some other goods that may be Pres[en]ted and without Limiting you to any Thing, for I am Confidant you will have my Interest at heart as if your own. Pray Open a Seperate Acct. for the 30 pipes marked V.P., for Possibly I may Resign the Amount of them over to an other person, but in that case you'l be Pleased to Detain 450 Dollars in your hands for there freights at the rate of 15 Dollars each Pipe and 5 p. Ct. more for the Average[14] on the freight of them, that you'l please to pay the Capn., that is to Say only the Meer 5 p. Ct., for the 450 Dollars must be Clear of all Charges, and that altho they Came to hand full or Empty. if they Sell for Money must deliver the Money, if in Barter deliver the Comoditys you barter them for, not omiting to detain there freights and joyining it to the Acct. of the 50 pipes.
The remainder of the Cargo belongs to the Capn. here Inclosed you'l find a writing or Bill of Sale made before a Publick Notary of the Vesels being Sold to me, which I Judge proper to Send that no Difficulty's may arise in the Sale of the Vessel, and for that end I also Enclose you my power of Attorney, that you might act as you Shall Judge Proper and in Vertue of them I beg you'l Please to use your outmost indeavours to Dispose of her. She Cost me, put to Sea, 2000 Dollars, however you may Let her go if can do no better for 1300 Dollars or less, if the Capn. is willing; altho it appears as if She belonged entirely to me, he's half concerned in her so that you'l Please to act in conformity with him in Sale of her. if you Sell her pay him his half of the neat Produce of what she sells for, and the other half must be joyned to the Neat proceeds of the 50 pipes before mentioned, and to make one Acct of them. Pray also pay Said Capn. 195 Dollars and no more for the difference of freight due to him according to our Contract.
Supose you cannot Possibly Sell the Vessel (which I again Earnestly begg you'l indeavour to do) must then Procure her a freight and Partly load her out of the Neat Proceeds of the wines and procure the residue of her Cargo from your friends. in this Case you and the Capn. will be Pleased to contribute Each one half of the Charges the Vessel will be at to Set her out to Sea, not omiting a Passport from your Governor[15] Such as he now has from the Dutch Consul here. you are to give the Capn. necessary instructions for his Voyage. if it Should be for Amsterdam, you must address both Vessal and Cargo to Mr. Petter Doscher, and if for any other Port may Consigne her to whom you Please, ordering the Produce of both freight and Effects to be remited to Said Mr. Doscher of the Capital you intend to Passe into his hands that he might if Should be thought proper cause it to be Insured. if the Capn. Should die in the Passage (which God forbid) you must then after the arrivall of the Vessell put in one to your Satisfaction and also procure the Sale of his 45 pipes of Malvasia[16] and Vidono wines, and Remit there Neat proceeds with a Seperate Acct. to said Mr. Doscher, and in Case I should not resign over the Amt. of the Said 30 pipes V.P. you must also remit there Net proceeds and a Seperate Acct. to said Mr. Doscher, and joyn the 450 Dollars to the Acct. of the 50 pipes. You are to pay one half of the mens wages and the Capn. the other half, deducting what they have recevd. as p. Said Cap's. Catalogue. In short, altho I notte you all these Circumstances yett I beg your Principall imply[17] may be in the Sale of the Vessel for as much as she will fetch, and Persuad the Captn. that it is his Interest if he rightly Considers the Charge of Victualing and seting her out for a Voyage to Holland, to which I begg your Particular attention.
Enclosed you'l find a notte of what the mens wages amount to monthly and so also a paper in Vertue of which you'l make the Capt. pay you 120 Dollars. I begg you'l Lett me know via Holland or per first Opertounaty the Success of this Enterprise. interim I remain with Humble Submission
Sir
Your Most Humble and obt. Ser't,
P. Doscher, Junr.
3d. Invoice of the following pipes of Wine laden for my acct. and risque to the Island of Curacao upon the Dutch Snow called the Princess of Orange, Cap. John Melidoni, and to the Consignation of Mr. Mastere, In his absence to Messrs. Rodier and Lecier Dwelling there, Markt as in the Margent—