Fri 5 Jan 1776
Mr Dallaways Memoradum
Brimscombe Jany 5th 1776
? the Delegates of the StroudWater Navigation
The feeble hand that writes this under the Greivious Loss of memory still wishes with ardent Soal success to the Business you have in hand and if Possible would under all these disadvantages Throw in ? write to forward the Business and to Caustion you against surprise, as the Day of your Second Reading of the Bill is not your own option only for agreement within 10 Days after the meeting of Parliament the sooner you fix the Day the better but in this you must consult the County Members who are to make the Motions in the House you'll not so throw in all your Petitions prior to the Motion for the 2d Reading the Bill and make the Best of yr Time in the Interim to wait upon personally those Members you have Interest with. Finding this Morning that Mr Watham & Mr Winchcombe have out of their ? our for Tender till Monday, when it will be to late for them to be of any use to you,. Try this delay ? discover ? and attachment to Private Interest that I fear you will get but little from them for the Publick Good, you must know I ma highly disgusted with it. I wished to stay till the Event of the Days meeting in the House of Commons ? known and that they adjourn'd to a distant Day on acct of the Inclemency of the Weather wh was not Improbable as it must be Impossible for Distant Members from Cornwall, Devonshire, Wales South and North, Cheshire and all the North Scotland &c to ? ? able to meet the Parliament the 25th. Never the less as there are allways Members in Town sufficient to make a House doubtless they may proceed to Business and not adjorn in wch case you will be under the Necessity of bringing on your 2d Reading of the Bill on Friday next week ... for which time by Agreement with opposition we must have the 2d Reading I hope you will not fail the afternoon and Evening before and the preceding Evening so that to begin to write Handsome Cards to all the Members you have yourselves canvest as your Friends, and Mr Whit will send them by the Porters of the House to the Houses of the Members. acquaint them the Day of the 2d Reading.
I am sorry that Mr ? is not with you as you have not a list of Lord Chancellors Friends and cannot send them Cards.
(3)
So be ready this ? a Genteel Card to ? and send to this House an let this be as soon as Monday to ? from that the 2d Reading of the Stroud Water Navigation Bill will be on Friday Fey the 2d when you beg the favour of his Lord of opposition you expect to need them. .............. If some of your Cards go out ? nights before the Day of the 2d Reading I thing it will be the better as there will be more Time for the Delivery of them for I do Thing you wll have a long lit. The Important Papers I have recd since you left as appearing to me of such great Consequence that you ? hear them on Saturday night & knowing you are greatly underhanded has determined me to send them by my special Messenger Mr Reid especially.? Wathen & Winchomb dont set out till Monday I know you wll gladly Receive him and that the will be of some use to you under your present Circumstances for he is very well acquainted with this part of the ? the cheif ? of your Business lies he is well acquainted with most of the Noblemens & Gentlemens Houses, and at lease will serve as a goiod Guide wch you well know is usefull and save aboundance of Pains.
(4)
I make no other apolory for sending a special Messagner knowing you will thank me for so doing. I have only to add that I have proposed him the same Terms as we have made wth Glazebrook. Vix so be carrd out and in free and to have 5s per Diem allowed him for Expences with wch he is Content as he has many Friends just on the Spott where he can lodge as to farher allow for his time that wll be left to you only I add that I recommend him to you as exceeding Capable to ? the execution of the Navigation when you have gott your Bill not as a Clerk so that he is not capable but to attend and Direct Work People and to see that they do right on the Cannal wch he will be very usefull to you and very Capable he can also serve you now when the Committee sits on your Bill ........... together and ? than being Tamper'd wth by ?.
(5)
I think I have now nothing more to add but my kind respect to you all, to my Friend Mr Yeoman and all his Family I hope that he is in good health and able to attend you his Judgment is goo follow it, shall I particularies farther ? must no be forgott. THom Baylis and his Friend Mr Robinson and the Dockers Friend Mr Davis. to all my Respects are due I hope these I have ? will be assemble at the Rendevous when my Messanger arrives, doubtless you will be surprised to see so long an Epistle from a very Sick and Dying Man and one who feels the loss of Memory and that I should be able to perform it. It is a Subject I have been Master of and consequently east to me to this ? ? me add my ? ? is not in the least ? to me the attention to the Subject Relieves from a most ? Cough wch otherwise constantly attends me and makes me
(6)
wsh by an attention to you all this Day I have been Relieved from
Adieu Wm Dalloway
NB As this is the last Letter I ever expect to write to you I would not be Wanting in my Respects to any. Remember me therefore to Messrs Whites Father & son, I hope the Elders health is sufficiently established to attend you he is so well versed in the Customs & Practices of the Commons that you ? entirely in your Proceedings follow his advice. I need not tell you that I wish you success in the Business and that you may obtain the Bill to yr Friends desire bu I told you I have no Doubt of your Success yet that this does not exclude the Use of Means. This Letter is witness, ? on St Paul had Profesized that he and his companions then in Jeopardy of Ship Wreck that the Ship & Cargo should be left yet not one acknowledge the receipt of this the same Evening you receive it by the Post wch wll be a great Satisfaction to me.. If you find Reid of no use to you send him back.
NB I have paid 3/6 for the Postage of this Packet and 3d for the letter to Circester wh Please to order to be ? to my Family or to my Executors.
NB Mr Rhodes letter is somhow mislaid, otherwise would have been sent, he sais Mr Baldwins House in Town is in Portman square the residence of the other Members may be found in the Court Kalender
Interpretations of missing words would be most welcome! at archives@stroudwaterhistory.org.uk
