Letter – William Rollinson to William Blackett – 9 Mar 1676

Sir

That acquaintance wee had in the lifetime of Mr James Ware (my old friend and yours) hath emboldened mee to desire a kindnesse of yow. There is a proposal of marriage between my daughter and one Mr Robert Liddell whoe hath been about 6 yeares in Hamburgh and came about a yeare agoe from thence, he is Son to Sir Thomas Liddell of Ravensworth Castle neare Newcastle, a person who (as I am informed) yow very well know, and having noe acquaintance neare that place besides your selfe, am soe bold as to desire yow to give me the best accompt you can of him and his son Robert (if yow knowe him) what manner of person the sayd Sr Thomas is, his temper, how he hath educated his Children, what his Estate is, and in particular what his Cole mynes are, the true yearly vallewe of them and how many years purchase they are worth, and how farr they fall short of other Landes, this is for my satisfaction in order to the Settlement I expect he should make for a Jointure upon paying downe what porcon [portion] we shall agree upon if the businesse should proceed between his sonne and my daughter. As yet they have seen each other butt once, and I would willingly have some accompt or other of the pticulars above mentioned before I suffer any further proceedsings, therefore pray Sr let me beg your answer with what convenient speed your affaires will permit. If you please to direct your letter to me to be left with my son Joseph Rollinson a druggist at the Greyhound in Bucklersbury London it will come safe to my hands.

Sr I humbly beg your pardon for giving you this <new> trouble and if there be any [torn, possibly ‘businesse’] whereat I may be capable of serveing you I shall always be ready to testifye my self

	Sr yr faithfull friend and humble servant

		Wm Rollinson



Hampstead near London March the 9th 75



Pray let me beg your privity in this affaire until we see whither it is like to take effect or nott



[on verso:] To the honourable Sir William Blakett Baronet these New Castle

[annotated in another hand, possibly Wm Blacketts:] Wm Rollinson letters in 1676