The Letters of Sir Samuel Hellier (1736–1784)

To
Mr. John Roger’s at the
Woodhouse near
Wolverhampton
Staffordshire

a
Single
Sheet.

/

London March 4th 1769. 
John.
The account you gave me in ye Letter which 
I received from you today is satisfactory — though you do 
not positively say any of my Jobb’s are done but only 
Promise that they shall be done I hope you will be 
Expedious & hasten them forward that we may make 
an Entire end & have no more to do — only 
keep those already done in good repair. The 
Tuning Horn's are makeing by Mr. Barron in ye Strand 
ye person who made the Dragon for Wombourn Spire 
They shall be sent with many other things as soon as 
I can get things together. — I have sent a Box 
Containing all the seed’s (some few only excepted) 
that are wanting in the garden by Monday's Wolverhampton 
Coach will be in on Wednesday pray Let ye gardener 
be choice of them & bring them forward immediately Those 
Sorts which are not sent ye Season is too far
gone to admit we must mind against another year 
Pray forward ye garden & have plenty of Bean’s Peas
Sallad &c. — for whenever I am down I have 
nothing worth notice in ye garden & plenty of flowers
in ye garden & Wood. One thing pray mind I've sent
a plant or Root Call'd an Indian Creeper Pray plant 
it in ye Front of the Root house for its use is to —
Run Wild all over any building Like Ivy but grow's
very fast & is Dilightfully Pretty. great Care must by observed. 
Keep the Wood in nice order & good Fires in ye Musick Room
A Box will be sent on Monday March 6th Directed to me
by Friers Waggon & I Expect it to be down on Saturday 11th —
/ 
Pray Let it be Enquired for & when safe arrived Let it 
be put under Lock & Key Unopen'd & the greatest Care 
taken of it till I either open it myself or give 
further Directions. — I shall send soon a Box with 
many Nick Nacks: some for Father Francis some —
Curious shells &c, &c, I shall give you Timely Notice 
Mr. Ensell is in Town he Call’d off me & we Discoursed 
much on Musick we intend if you people will but 
be Diligent & practice hard to Sail Down the 
Navigation & so on to Bristoll ┌ this next ┐ Summer 
with my Boat & all our Musical hands &c, & be 
out a Month. he sais ye Trumpet Bass in ye — 
church Organ is out of Tune as well as ye Treble — 
Pray rectify it he has promised to come & Try 
both my Organ & that at ye Church when he returns 
you must plague ye man at Stourbridge to pieces till I
get ye mapp its much wanted. — Mr. Geast of 
Dudley is in Town & I believe return's into ye Country 
next week I've not seen him but I am told he 
has purchased a Double Bass & a Trumpet. 
I doubt my Harpsichord will never be Done. if 
you have any thoughts of a journey of pleasure this Summer 
you should forecast for being with me at Oxford (if all's 
well) in July there you'll hear Musick & then a 
Trip to London. — when ever Jonah wants his 
money take it of Mr Haycock at once there's an End
Has Mr. Jordan got a Son or a Daughter? he only talks 
nothing done yet about Charity School & Organ. — 
Is Mr. Marsh asleep? — I approve of ye place where the 
King's arms is ┌ in the Church ┐ for fixing ye monument. Tell Mr. Shaw I Directed 
/ 
for ye Reverend Mr Thomas Shaw &c because at Wolverhampton
there's another Reverend Mr. Shaw. & bill him I shall write to
him very soon & ask him to send — privately in
my Name for the Register Book's & give me his Opinion
they are Vilely kept. — With regard to Mr. Burgess, Nanny
ought to have been, & I hope will for ever, for the future
be More Carefull To Lock up a Housefull of — 
Valuable Effects which no Living creature in it & a Long
house far from Neighbour's — & then go away &
commit it to ye care of a Day Labourer Is it not
Tempting them {...} is wrong? — Certainly — was
it prudent was if what she ought to have done? No!
Suppoze a Fire had Consumed my Books plate
writing, &c. what amend's could being Sorry for the
accident have made? But Let her Diligently
Look all over ye House see & send me word if
anything is Lost & as no {…} has befell I say [that] ┌ we may ┐
only by more guarded on another Occasion. — 
Mr. Fletcher should be hinted to that as I am in London
& ye Servants at Board Wages 'tis improper for him
to be there but do this Effectually & without my seeming
to know it. Was Burgess really playing the Rogue or was
it to get, at, Drink? but pray Keep him from the
House he is out of my favour. — You should get the
Timber for Makeing ye new Bolt at upper Pool ready
& whenever I come its Done in a Day's Time. —
Write again (if but 2 Lines) next Post. 
I am yours &c S.H.
Remember me to Everybody.
/ 
as there are so many Rogues about ye Country 
I beg my House may have Double Diligence 
bestowed upon it & proper People always’s to 
be there. I will sooner pay for hiring people to 
take Care than have accidents happen. 
we cannot be too Cautious 
Pray don’t let Business or any Stranger’s —
with what pretence soever come about ye house
tell them my order's are Strickt & Positive.

March 4 1769.
Jonah's affair mention'd