26 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk.IV

Parallel of Latitude for our Northern Boundary, I cannot but
smile to see how vastly D^r Bevis & M^r Robinson differ in their
Definition " of a true East & West Line " Had His Ldp hap-
pened to have consulted M^r Robinson & the Proprietors of
Pennsylvania to have advised with D^r Bevis I much question
whether the Execution of the Articles would not have been
retarded by their giving contradictory opinions. I have
already advised you of my having forwarded your Packett to
Col^o Lloyd, what Resolution he may come to on the perusal of
His Ldp's Instructions I cannot tell, he was to have been over
here last week but the Indisposition of M^rs Lloyd I understand
prevented him. I am obliged to you for the Trouble you
were pleased to take in communicating to me all that
passed between Yourself & M^r Dulany, I need not I pre'sume
hint to you that M^r M^cnamara is at his Devotion. I cannot
find that M^r Dulany has wrote to any Person here since his
Arrival in England tho they had heard from other Persons
before Your Letter gave me Information of it that he was
gone down to Bath. As neither His Ldp nor you tell me
whether the Money you have respectively desired may be
paid to M^r Bacon is intended as a free Gift to him I must beg
the favour of you to inform me. The Conditions on which we
all subscribed are that the Subscribers shall be repaid out of
the money that the Books when printed may be sold for; It
was represented to us that the Sum of about £1000 would be
wanted immediately to pay for Paper, Tipes, Printing & Bind-
ing & that M^r Bacon himself could not deposit so large a Sum
for those purposes, to obviate that Objection & that the work
may go on a number of us agreed to advance the Money
wanted on the Conditions abovementioned & thereupon the
Paper &c. was as I am told sent for by M^r Jaques a merchant
of this City whom M^r Bacon impowered to receive the Sums
subscribed. As I could not at any price get a Pipe or two of
good old Madeira Wine in the Province (for the Merchants
do not import the best Sort nor keep what they do import for
Sale long enough for it to meliorate) I have sent His Ldp a
pipe that I imported three years ago for my own use & which
I flatter myself will be found excellent, I will let His Ldp
know what Sum I shall be obliged to pay for a Pipe to replace
it & will if I can get one send him another good Pipe in the
Summer but if His Ldp would for years to come drink
Madeira in Perfection he will be pleased to signify to me his
Approbation of the Proposal I have now taken the Liberty to
submit to him. Of Maryland Burgundy it is not & I fear
never will be in my power to send His Ldp a Hhd, the only
Wine of that Sort which I ever tasted here lost in about two
months after it became fit to drink both its Colour & Flavour