Book trade references in the Lapthorne-Coffin correspondence 1683-1697
edited by Michael Treadwell and Ian Maxted.
Letters, 1689
ON VERSO OF PREVIOUS, ALSO NOT HIS HAND [Tue., 1 January 1689]
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTER DATED Sat., 5 January 1689
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTER DATED Sat., 12 January 1689
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTER DATED Sat., 19 January 1689
[Sat., 26 January 1689]
Sr
I recd yors yisterday & bought yor seeds in yt also & thought to have sent them by ye Torrington Carrier I was at his Inn & it not being his day ye seeds are sent in a white box by Exeter carrier in wch also are ye two Gazetts you want as also Sr Robert Atkins two books [A40] wch are mightily esteemed here I bought ye second but in ye forenoone yt I recd yor letter in ye Evening after if Mr Yeo hath sent them you may returne them for they will not lye long on his hands ye wast sheet of ye last seems as if it had bin used but I assure you I never read nor noe one else after I bought it half a page both cost 3s 6d The Comons met..
[2 lines in printed version]...There was never a News book saving Gazet that came out to day else I would have sent it...[11 lines in printed version]...
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTER DATED Sat., 2 February 1689
[Sat., 9 February 1689]
...[6 lines in printed version]...The Comons sent up yisterday ye Grievances of ye Nation [P62] a coppy whereof you have inclosed & its supposed these wilbe easily consented to...[5 lines in printed version]...inclosed are ye Gazetts its late...
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTERS DATED 16, 23 Feb., or 2 Mar. 1689
[Sat., 9 March 1689]
Sr
According to ye purport of yr first & second I have taken care yt wt can bee procured shalbe collected & sent: The King...[13 lines in printed version]...Inclosed are ye Gazetts I am Sr
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTERS DATED 9 March to 22 June 1689
[Sat., 29 June 1689]
Sr
I must begg your pardon for a litle time longer in ye sending yr things by reason of some present occasons incumbent on mee but I am falling upon a preparacon to send them some must be bound & others gilt wch shalbe don - we have no certaine News...[6 lines in printed version]...This day came out a proclamation against Sir ___ Blaire and Doctor Grey [W28] who were some of those that were taken with King James's declaration [K10] and escaped and £100 given for seizing them [this from printed version]...[5 lines in printed version]...
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTERS DATED 6,13,20,27 July 1689
[Undated, but enclosed in box sent Sat., 3 August 1689]
I hope these will meet you safe come home from the Assizes. I am at present put on some publique Imployment by some that are in authority. How that Imployment will suite with mee or how capable I shall be of going through it, haveing but just entered into an Essay, I know not but by reason of it I shall not have so much tyme at my own disposall as formerly wch will render mee ye less capiable to doe you yt service for ye future wch you may expect from mee. But Sr I should deale unkindly with you upon so short a notice to goe off & not recomend another to serve you in my roome. And therefore (if you shall think fitt) doe propose unto you one Mr. Bagford of whom I have had much experience & think him very fitt to bee Imployed by you - hee was a tradesman but his Genius has run much in collecting books & of late yeares has bin assisting to Auctions, & hath bin Imployed by Mr. Powle, Mr of ye Rolls & Speaker of parliamt to collect books for him. Hee is a man yt will expect no great matters from you. wt you allow mee, I know will content him. I have[sic] proposed it to him (if you shall think fit)[sic] & hee thankfully imbraceth it, if you approve of it & write a Letter to Introduce him I will deliver it & hee shall answer it. As to what concerns ye transactions already comitted to my care and its account if you write to mee I will perfect & I shall be glad in any perticular affaire to serve you. - my trust, in what I am concerned, is from the lords Comissioners of the great Seale. I remember you put mee on a busines once wch tho in itselfe easy & I attempted with much earnestnes to effect yet could not bee successful, but if any thing againe may occur of yt or the like nature either for your selfe or friends I hope I am in a better capacity now of serving you. I shall continew my respects in a Letter now & then as anything offers worth yor notice. I am Sr...
[Tue., 6 August 1689]
Sr
Inclosed according to my promisse I have sent your bill wch I desire you to cast up lest there should bee Errors wch I will willingly deduct. Most of ye books saving 5 or 6 as I take it are new gilt I had not time to set downe ye perticular books in my bills but you may distinguish them by the freshnes of ye new guilt from ye others yt were bought so - I was overuled agt ye new binding of Zwinglius [Z40] for yt ye taking off of ye covers would have defaced ye books so they are only guilt. I am promissed I shall have yt of St Austins [A50] wch if I recover shalbe sent I have inclosed...[3 lines in printed version]...slaughter of our men Satturday next you shall receive ye other Gazett wth wt news is then stirring pray read my Letter in ye litle box [presumably that received 13 August 1689] I am Sr
[PS] I sent ye two boxes satturday [3 August] by Torrington carrier Watcombe[?]
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTERS DATED 10 or 17 August 1689
[Sat., 24 August 1689]
...[thanks for bill on Mr Gough]...[9 lines in printed version]..
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTERS DATED 31 August to 19 October 1689
[Sat., 26 October 1689]
Sr
I have taken such course since ye receiving of your last wth ye note of yr stitcht books [S70] yt what are extant I make no doubt but to give you sattisfaccon. Tuesday next...[14 lines in printed version]...
[Mon., 28 October 1689]
[...17 lines in printed version]...
[Sat., 2 November 1689]
Sr
I recd yors yisterday I have bought Maldonat [M05] & as I remember at 0 6s 8d I shall take care to buy ye rest I was called out early this morning about busines wch held forenoone & afternoone & am but just now come home being late at night & ye post going, as to ye transcribing of ye policronicon [H50] if you write in your next what is wanting I make no doubt but to have it transcribed ether out of yt at ye Auction or from another I delivered your note for yr stitcht books [S70] to a very carefull collector & hee promissed yt all such as are extant should bee collected agt this day wch I suppose are don but did not call on him but in my next you shall have an accompt The Lord Mayors...9 lines in printed version]...
[Sat., 9 November 1689]
...[unknown amount omitted]...I attended at ye Auction [Maitland, 28 Oct. 1689] only ye first three books are come on, two of wch I bought, Maldonat [M05] and Sirmondus [S36] ye last = 3 vol. at 0 7s. 0. wch is very cheape. I bid up to 14s. for Balwey: [B08] but I perceived ye spectators blushed at ye dearnes of the price & so I let it goe as I take it at 0:15s.:6. I make no doubt but to have them cheaper at ye shops, they were small books - I shall mynde ye other as also ye stitcht books. [S70] I spoke yisterday to Mr. Watts in pauls churchyard who collects them but hath not yet don it but sayth there are some in ye noteyt are not extant. I will call on him againe some tyme this day...[11 lines in printed version]...
[Sat., 16 November 1689]
Sr
I have veiwed The policronicon [H50] much of it is filled up wth manuscript & indeed its very rare to meet wth one perfect as to yr figuer of this its in ye form of Ryders Dictionnary [R50] but somewhat thicker I compared your leaf wch is much longer & a litle broader I menconed ye transcribing wt you want but they asked unreasonable They begin munday morning on ye 4° missilanyes Latin & ye English will soone come on & possibly some acquiantance or one yt I may oblidge may buy ye policronicon Then I may borrow it for some time & get one to transcribe it at a cheape rate They ask above 20s for doing it at ye Auction house That book of Sponius [S50] was not sold being imperfect I bought ye rest (saving Balwey) [B08] Mr Watts [WAT] tells mee many of ye stitcht bookes [S70] are not printed & ye popish ones [R35] were most printed by Hills [HIL] wch went on a Hurry beyond sea, & its thought carryed his store wth him, but hee hath promissed to give his best assistance in ye collecting of them wch shall be my care also Sr ye Towne is at present...[14 lines in printed version]...
[Fri., 22 November 1689] Sr
I think I wrote in my last yt Sponius [S50] in ye miscelan fo. was imperfect & therefore not exposed to sale I understand yt they begin munday next wth ye sale of ye libri mathematici I shall take care touching your desire about yr policronicon [H50] as also ye sending ye stitcht books [S70] &c. This day wee heare...[18 lines in printed version]...
[Sat., 30 November 1689]
Sr
I recd yors & shall observe your directons as to the English books wch I suppose will come on about Wednesday next also I remember ye policronicon [H50] & stitcht books [S70] Mr Shapleigh was at my house wednesday last & told me...[unknown amount omitted]...[9 lines in printed version]...
[PS] Mr Franklyns was dd with my own hand[?]
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTER DATED Sat. 7 December 1689
[Sun., 15 December 1689] Sr
I am a litle in hast at this time & therefore beg pardon for brevity = I waited 2 nights Thursday & Friday till 9 at night to buy ye small books (viz) Engl: oct wch are bought all but one or two, but at too deare a rate, but ye other books I meane ye larger I think are bought cheape enough I have this to add yt I have found at a Booksellers an old imperfect Policron English [H50] & I gave your paper to his man an honest fellow who told by compar. hee found all yt was missing in yors in yt & yt ye paper leafe agreed wth yt I have since spoken wth his master & I think I may have it at 6s price wch I would advise you to take They asked a Guiny at ye Auction for a transcripcon &c & this is much better. Wee are informed...[4 lines in printed version]...
[Fri., 20 December 1689]
...[unknown amount omitted]...The Auction is ended & I will now hasten yor books to you. I hope you recd my last in wch I intimated an old imperfect policronicon [H50] yt would make yours perfect wch I hoped to purchass for 6s. Yesterday or ye day before...[23 lines in printed version]...
NO SIGN OF ANY LETTERS DATED 28 December 1689 to 1 March 1690
[First letter of 1690]
This page last updated 10 Mar 2002
© Michael Treadwell, Ian Maxted, 2001.
