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SR.

Yours I have recieved, & have given further instructions to this bearer Mr. Stapylton to treate with you about the businesse in agitation betweene your daughter and my sonne. I am ingag'd to you for all your civility's, & respects already manifested. I trust there will bee a right understanding betweene us and a good conclusion: and though I cannot particularly remember the thinges spoken off at Farnham, to which your letter seemes to referre mee; yet I doubt not but I have sent the offer of such thinges now, which will give mutuall satisfaction to us both. My attendance upon publique affairs will not give mee leave to come downe unto you myselfe; I have sent unto you this gentleman with my mind. I salute M" Major, though unknowne, with the rest of your family. I commit you, with the progresse of the businesse to the Lord; and rest

March the 8th
1648.

S

Your assured friend to serve you

O. CROMWELL.

(No Direction, but wrote on the Back, L. G. Cromwell's Letter of

SR.

Exceptions).

I receaved your paper by the handes of Mr Stapilton. I desier your leave to returne my dissatisfaction therewith. I shall not neede to premise how much I have desired (I hope upon the best groundes) to match with you, the same desier still continuees in me, if providence see itt fitt. But I may not be soe much wantinge to myselfe nor familye as not to have some equallitye of consideration towards itt. I have two younge daughters to bestowe if God give them life, & oportunitye. Accordinge to your offer I have nothinge for them, nothing at all in hand, if my sonne dye, what consideration is there to me? And yet a jouncture parted, with, if shee dye there is little, if you have an heire male then but 3000£. without tyme assertained. But for theise thinges I doubt not but one enterview betweene you & my selfe they might bee accommodated to mutual satisfaction, and in relation to theise I thinke wee should hardly part, or have many wordes, soe much doe I desier a cloasure with you. But to deale freely with you, the settlinge of the mannor of Hursley as you propose itt stickes soe much with mee that either I understand you not, or else it much fayles my expectation. As you offer itt there is 400£. pr. annum charged upon itt. For the 150. to your lady for her life as a jouncture I stick not att that, but the 250£. pr. annum untill Mr. Ludlowe's lease expiers the teanure whereof I knowe not, & soe much of the 250£. pr. annum as exceeds that lease in anual valew for some tyme alsoe after the expiration of the s" lease, gives such a maime to the mannor of Hursley as indeed renders the rest of the manor very inconsiderable. Sr. if I concurr to denye myselfe in point of present monies as alsoe in the other thinges mentioned as aforesaid, I may and I doe expect

the mannor of Hursley to bee settled without any charge upon itt after your decease savinge your ladyes jouncture of 150£. per annum, which if you should thinke fitt to encrease I should not stand upon itt: your own estate is best known to you, but suerlye your personall estate beinge free for you to dispose, will with some smale matter of addition begitt a neerenesse of equallitye, if I heere well from others, & if the difference in that were not very considerable I should not insist upon itt. What you demand of me is very high in all pointes, I am willinge to settle as you desier in every thinge savinge for present maintenance 400£. p. annum, 300£. p. annum I would have somewhat free to be thanked by them for, The 300£. p. annum of my ould land for a jouncture after my wives decease. I shall settle, and in the meane tyme out of other landes att your election, & trulye Sr. if that bee not good nor will any landes I doubt, I doe not much distrust your principles in other thinges have acted you towards confidence. You demand in case my sonn have none issue male but only daughters, then the lands in Hantsheire, Monmouth and Gloucestersheire to descend to the daughters, or 3000£. a peice; the first woud most unequall, the latter is too high, they will be well provided for by beinge inheritrixes to their mother, & I am willinge to 2000.£. a peice to bee charged upon those landes.

Sr. I cannot but with very many thankes acknowledge your good opinion of mee & of my sonn, as alsoe your great civilities towards him & your daughter's good respects (whose goodnesse though known to mee only at such a distance by the report of others) I much valew, & indeed that causeth mee soe cheerfully to denye myselfe as I doe in the point of monies, & soe willingly to complye in other thinges, but if I should not insist as before, I should in a greater measure denye both my owne reason & the advise of my freindes then were meete which I may not doe. Indeed Sr. I have not cloased with a farr greater offer of estate, but rather chose to fix heere, I hope I have not beene wantinge to providence in this, I have made myselfe plaine to you, desiring you will make my sonn the messinger of your pleasure & resolution herein as speedilye as with conveniency you may. I take leave & rest

I desier my service may be presented to your lady & daughters.

March 14, 1648.

Your affectionate servant

0. CROMWELL.

For my worthy Friend Richard Major, Esq; at Hursley. Theise.

SR.

You will pardon the brevitye of theise lines, the haste I am in by reason of businesses occasions it. To testifye the earnest desier I have to see a happy period to this treatye betweene us, I give you to understand that I agree to 150£. pr. annum out of the 300£. pr. annum of my ould land, for your daughters jouncture over the 150£. where you please.

400£. p. annum, for present maintenance where you shall choose either in Hantshire, Gloucester or Monmouthshire.

Those lands settled upon my son & his heires males by your daughter, & in case of daughters only 2000£. a peice charged upon those landes.

400£. p. annum free to raise portions for my two daughters. I expect the mannor of Hursley to be setled upon your eldest daughter & her heires, the heires of her body.

Your lady a joincture of 150£. p. annum out of itt.

For compensation to your younger daughter I agree to leave itt in your power after your decease to charge it with as much as will buye inn the lease of the Ferme at Allington by a just computa

tion.

I expect soe long as they live with you their diet as you expressed, or in case of voluntarie partinge 150£. p. annum, 3000£. in case you have a sonn to bee payed in two yeares next followinge.

In case your daughter die without issue 1000£. within six months. Sr. if this satisfie I desier a speedye resolution, I should the rather desier soe because of what your kinsman can satisfie you in. The Lord blesse you & your familye to whome I desier my affections and service may bee presented. I rest

March 25th 1649.

Your humble servant

O. CROMWELL.

For my esteemed good Friend Richard Major, Esq; Theise at

SR.

Hursley.

I receaved yours of the 28th instant. I desier the matter of compensation may bee as in my last to you, you propose another way, which trulye seemes to mee very inconvenient, I have agreed to all other thinges as you take mee (& that rightly) repeating particulars in your paper. The Lord dispose this great businesse (greate betweene you & mee) for good. You mention to send by the post on Tuseday. I shall speede thinges heere as I may, I am designed for Ireland, which wil be speedye. I should bee very glad to see thinges setled before I goe, if the Lord will. My service to all your familye. I rest

March 30th 1649.

Sr.

Your affectionate
(Name torn off.)

For my worthy Friend Richard Major, Esq; at Hursley.

SR.

Theise.

I receaved your papers inclosed in your letter although I knowe not howe to make soe good use of them as otherwise might have beene to have saved expence of tyme if the arrest of your lawyer had not fallen out at this tyme. I conceave a draught to your satisfaction by your owne lawyer would have saved much tyme, which

to mee is precious. I hope you will send some up perfectlye instructed. I shall endeavour to speed what is to be donn on my part, not knowing how soone I may bee sent downe towards my charge for Ireland. And I hope to perform punctually with you. Sr. my sonn had a great desier to come downe & waite upon your daughter. I perceave hee minds that more then to attend businesses heere. I should bee glad to see him settled and al thinges finished before I goe. I trust not to bee wantinge therein. The Lord direct all our hartes into his good pleasure. I rest

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SR.

For my worthye Friend Richard Major, Esq; Theise.

Your kindsman Mr. Barton and myselfe repayringe to our coun cell for the perfectinge this businesse soe much concerninge us, did upon Saturday this 15th of Aprill drawe our councell to a meetinge whereupon consideration had of my letter to yourselfe expressinge my consent to perticulars which Mr. Barton brought to your councell, Mr. Hales of Lincolnes Inn; upon the readinge that which expresseth the way of your setlinge Hursley, your kindsman expressed a sence of yours contrarie to the paper under my hand as alsoe to that under your hand of the 28th of March which was the same with mine, as to that perticular, and I knowe nothinge of doubt in that which I am to doe but doe agree itt all to your kindsman his satisfaction, nor is there much materiall difference save in this, wherein both my paper sent by you to your councell and yours of the 28th doe in all litterall and all equitable construction agree, viz. to settle an estate in fee simple upon your daughter after your decease, which Mr. Barton affirmes not to be your meaninge, although hee has not (as to mee) formerlye made this any objection nor can the words beare itt, nor have I any thinge more considerable in lewe of what I part with then this. And I have appealed to yours or any counsel in England whether it bee not just and equal that I insist thereupon. And this misunderstandinge (if it bee yours as it is your kindsman's) putt a stop to the businesse, so that our counsel could not proceede untill your pleasure herein were known, wherefore itt was thought fitt to desier Mr. Barton to have recourse to you to knowe your minde, hee alledginge hee had noe authoritye to understand that expression soe, but the contrarie, which was thought not a little strange even by your owne councell. I confesse I did apprehend wee should bee incident to mistakes treatinge att such a distance, although I may take the boldnesse to say there is nothinge expected from mee, but I agree itt to your kindsman's sense to a tittle. Sr. I desired to knowe what commission your kindsman had to helpe this doubt by an expedient who denied to have any, but did

think it were better for you to part with some monie, and keepe the power in your owne handes, as to the land, to dispose thereof as you should see cause, whereupon an overture was made and himselfe & your councell desired to drawe itt up; the effect whereof this enclosed paper conteynes, and although I should not like change of agreements, yet to shew how much I desier the perfecting of this businesse, if you like thereof (though this bee farr the worse bargaine, I shall submit thereunto your councell thinkinge that thinges may bee settled this way with more clearnesse & lesse intricasie. There is mention made of 900£. pr. annum to bee reserved, but itt comes to but about 800£. my landes in Glamorgan sheire being but little above 400£. pr. annum and the 400£. p. annum out my manour in Gloucester & Munmouth sheire. I wish a cleere understandinge may bee betweene us. Truly I would not willinglye mistake, desiringe to wait upon providence in this businesse. I rest Sr. Your affectionate friend & servant

Ap. 15th 1649.

I desier

my service may bee presented to your lady & daughters.

O. CROMWELL,

For my very loving Brother Richard Major, Esq;
att Hurslye. Theise.

(Recd. 27 July, 1649, p. Messenger
expresse from Newbery.)

LOVINGE BROTHER, I receaved your letter by major Longe, and doe in answare thereunto accordinge to my best understandinge, with a due consideration of those gentlemen whoe have abid the brunt of the service. I am very glad to heere of your welfare, & that our children have so good leisure to make a journie to eate cherries, it's very excuseable in my daughter, I hope she may have a very good pretence for it. I assure you Sr. I wish her very well & I beleive shee knowes itt. I pray you tell her from mee, I expect shee writes often to mee, by which I shall understand how all your familye doth, & shee will be kept in some exercise. I have delivered my sonn up to you, & I hope you will councell him, he will neede itt and indeed I beleive he likes well what you say, & will be advised by you, I wish he may be serious the tymes requier itt. I hope my sister is in health, to whome I desier my very hartye affections and service may bee presented, as also to my cozen Ann to whom I wish a good husband. I desire my affections may be presented to all your familye, to which I wish a blessinge from the Lorde. I hope I shall have your prayers in the businesse to which I am called. My wife I trust wil be with you before itt bee longe in her way towards Bristoll. Sr. discompose not your thoughts nor estate for what you are to pay mee. Lett me knowe wherein I may complye with your occasions and minde, and be confident you will finde mee to you as your owne heart wishinge

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