Worthy Sir,

Intending for England in the year 1765, Mr. John Hughes Proposed to me to make it worth my while if I would undertake it; which was, that he would procure a Catelogue of a great number of Purchasers of Land from Wm. Penn, in England, Several thousands of acres never yet taken up by the Purchasers, &c., which he made no doubt I might Purchase very Cheap. Mr. Hughes then was in high vough, and was lookt upon in general to be a Stanch man for the good of his Country; his Proposals was Such that I Concluded to Join with him and John Lukens; instead of their Sending of bills with me, they apply’d to you, Sir for a Letter of Credit for one thousand pounds Sterling for themselves, but for my use as I was in partnership with them, in Case I made any Such Purchases as was Laid down in the Catelogue; you may remember that you was present at Clapham, August, 1765, when I Setled with Mr. Henton Brown for my own money that I had Lodged and received from him—And also for the money that I had rais’d on your Letter of Credit for them; you also wrote to them by me, to remit that money the first Opportunity. I ariv’d at Philadelphia the day of the Election. Mr. Hughes was then in Such bad State of Credit about the Stamps that he kept his bed. Prudence made me avoid going there, that our affairs might remain a Secret; but he finding that he Could never wipe away the Clamour of the People against him, he wrote to Mr. Brown to sue me for the money I receiv’d on the Letter of Credit, pointing forth that I was Liable for it, because it was given in my name. But should I fail, he or they would be accountable for it. I was sued and intended to stand trial, but Considering by it the partnership would be made known, I paid the money Least I should hazard the Loss of all. I apply’d to the Council by my Son several times, some years past, with such purchases as was to be laid before them, being inform’d by the present Council One Charles Cecil put in a Claim to a part of a wright that I had purchased. The Council seen Cause to Cite me before them the 19th of February last, as to Cicil’s and my Claim to City Lotts. I attended, hopeing to have seen your Honour, but the vice president and Council appears to me to be desirous to do Justice to the first Purchasers, which is the hight of Justice; because they were the People that enabled Wm. Penn to begin the setling of this flourishing Province. Though numbers of them never Came here, nor any for them, as appears by near one hundred thousand acres not yet taken up. The Purchase money being paid, as appears by their standing on record, and from under Wm. Penn’s own hand and Seal to his Commissioners, here to lay out, or cause to be Laid out, such number of acres as stands against every man’s Purcbase; when apply’d for, many that attempt’d to Come here to take up their own wrights, was impowered by Several to take up their wrights for them. But by accedents at Sea and Deaths here, many lost their Leases, and their heirs lost their wrights. One George Evans, a Purchaser of 10,000 acres, by his Coming here, and many others with him, it’s sd they were Cast away; his great Grand Children, as Clearly appear’d, offer’d to Sell their wright to me; the number of as was large; I requested of them to aply to Penn for his Liberty to take it up. A certain Lord acompanied them there, and myself also; their business was made known to Mr. Penn by that Lord; he, Penn, demanded a sight of the Lease, and Release for it; they gave their answer, as above, why they had it not. Mr. Penn’s answer was, that he knew nothing of any such a purchase. I was Cal’d upon, and Did Declare that George Evans stood upon Record in Wm. Penn’s books in Pennsylvania, as a Purchaser of 10,000 acres not yet taken up; he reply’d, &c., that he know’d nothing about it without he seen the Lease and Release of it; thus they were Choust out of their wright, altho’ they had receiv’d pay for it more than eighty years before, otherwise it would not have stood upon Record here. These proceedings of theirs is well known to you. By Mr. Hughes’s Directions, I purchas’d some thousands of acres without the Leases; as they still remain untaken up, I would hope for your favourable opinions in justice to the first Purchasers and myself, haveing paid their Great grand Children and Grand Children for them. But I must rest this with you, and in the mean time remain your humble Servant, tho’ a Decriped being this many years.