Samuel Wood, letter, to Nathaniel Whitaker, 1767 September 28
Date28 September, 1767
Call Number767528.4
abstractWood writes to outline the touring and preaching schedule that he has prepared for Whitaker and Occom. He mentions a penny paper denouncing Occom.
handwritingFormal handwriting is stylized, yet largely clear and legible.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear.
inkBlack.
signatureThe signature is abbreviated.
layoutThe first page of the letter is on one recto, but the second page is on two recto, not one verso. The third page of the letter is on one verso and is written in landscape orientation, not portrait orientation as on the other pages.
noteworthyWood consistently punctuates the contraction "I've" as "Iv'e."
EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain
mouth, & suppose You rec.d my Letter
Since writing that Letter Iv'e wrote and
sent Papers to all the Places therein men
tion'd & w.ch You purposed to visit this
Week (Stowmarket only excepted, w.ch
I know You could send to from Ipswich)
This will meet You (I hope well) at
Bury, where, I expect, our Friends will
be ready for You, in consequence of the
Notice had from me — They'l also
be ready for You at Melford on Friday
Forenoon — & at Sudbury that Even.
where I expect Mr John Gainsborough
(if at Home) will receive You —
To Day Iv'e wrote to Mr Ford of Castle
Heddingham & have sent Papers — I
inform him You'l be there Monday next
(Oct. 5.th) Forenoon & that one of You will
preach at 2. or 3. Afternoon if desired, &
as may be agreed upon by them next Lord's
Day — Iv'e also wrote & sent Papers to
M.r Field of Halstead informing that
You'l
You'l be at Halstead, from Heddingham, either on
Monday Even. (Oct 5.) or Tuesday Forenoon & will
(one of You) preach for him at 2. or 3. o' Clo. Tuesday
if agreable & so appointed by him & the People on Lords
Day — & have also wrote to Mr Davidson Brain
tree, sending Papers, & informing him of yor Design
to be at Braintree, either Tuesday Even. (Oct. 6.th) or
on Wednesd. Morn. (Oct. 7.) time enough to preach the
Lecture there w.ch begins about 10. Forenoon — To Mr Da
vidson's Friendship & Affect.n Iv'e committed You, &
have asked him to plan for You both to the westward
& Eastward of Braintree in Eſsex — You'l see by what
Iv'e done You are fixed for next week 'till Wednesday
without any further Trouble to You of writing to Hed
dingham Halstead or Braintree — The Paper w.ch
Ive sent to these Min.rs & to all others are a Pamphlet
(the Narrative) the brief Acc.nt & the Testimonials — These
Iv'e accompanied wth a Letter to the Min.r or principal
Person — I expect all were rec.d before Yesterday — &
these 3 parcels into Eſsex (Heddingham, Halstead & Braintree)
will get into their Hands to Morrow — I expect, as I shall
send them by this Midnight's Coach — at Weathersf.d
[illegible][guess: Stormbourn], Dunmow, Thaxted & other Places that You
may go to Westward of Braintree You may show my
Letter of Recommendat.n (if You go to these Places) so
You may Eastward at Coggeshall, Dedham, Colchester,
[illegible][guess: Wisham] Chelmsford — Had I time & was it neceſary
I
I wd have wrote personally to the Min.rs of those Places, but that's not
neceſsary — Since You left Us I rec.d a Guinea from good M.rs
Corsbie (Mother to Mr Corsbie of Bury) w.ch was off Mr Occom's Bill
with Mr Ollyett compleatly — Here I receive y.r Letter of 26.th Inst.
from Ipswich— I'm glad Youv'e done so well at Yarm.th & Woodbridge —
I sh.d rather think it best to proceed to Heddingham Halstead & Braintree
(for to Melford & Sudbury You must go) & so go over Eſsex (West & East) as pro
posed — You may afterwards go to Cambridge & take in Bishop Stortford &
some other [illegible][guess: Place] in your Tour to Cambridge —
of the Brief Representat.ns for I'm got to the laſt of them, & must send to
[illegible][guess: Lynn], Walpole, Framlingham, & sev.l other small Congregat.ns in Norf.o
& Suff.o — On Friday last was a Grubstreet penny Paper publish'd at
Norwich aiming foolishly (but without Wit) to expose the Instititution
below Notice — I'm sure Mr Occom is Soldier good enough to despise a
Squib, & therefore w.d have sent You one to excite y.or Laughter & to show w.t
Sort of People we have among Us, was it not for this Expence of Carriage wch
it wod not answer to You — I shall be glad to hear from You at Leisure
Many have enquired whether Iv'e word from You & now I can satisfy them —
This famous Catchpenny is called a Cry from the Wilderneſs, or a converted
Indian's Application to a christian Congregat.n, both indeed it's below Grub
ſtreet & as innocent as to doing any Mischeif, as it's low, foolish & malicious —
Mr Scott remains confirmed — Mrs Wood, Mr and Mrs Newton & M[illegible] Ruggles &
our little Girl & Boy all think & speak of You both & join in Salutat.ns to YrSelf
& good Mr Occom — May God bleſ You both! May He prosper this glorious
Cause! & May You live to see the bleſsed Effects of y.r Labours — Adieu Hartily,