Item 11 - Letter from Charles Hayes to the Countess of Portsmouth about the the Mastership, 1760

1 item, paper

Letter from Charles Hayes to the Countess of Portsmouth [Visitor] in which he says he knows she intends the Mastership for a person too young at present to take up the appointment and asks her to consider appointing his brother in trust until the preferred gentleman comes of age and stating he was willing to accept any terms placed upon him.

Transcript

Madam,

I have been this morning at Billingbeare to pay my duty to your Ladyship and should have done it before you had left the country, but was obliged to go to London the day after you came from bath, & I did not return from London till Wednesday last. However, I had the pleasure of hearing from Mr Watts, that your Ladyship was perfectly well.

I should not have presumed, Madam, to have ventured upon this application if your late kind readiness to serve my brother when the livings of Wargrove & Waltham were vacant, had not encouraged me to do what I fear you will now blame me for. But the desire of assisting a brother who is deserving of every thing I can do for him, must be my excuse.

In short, Madam, the Mastership of Magdalen College in the University of Cambridge is now vacant, as I am informed, by the death of Dr Chapman. I know your Ladyship designs this piece of preferment for a young gentleman, who for some years to come will not be capable of holding it. The request therefore which I have now to make to your Ladyship is, that you would be so kind as to present my brother to this dignity in the University, in trust only 'till the person you design it for, is of age to take it. Whatever security your Ladyship shall require for my brother's performing the terms you shall please to impose upon him, will be most readily and thankfully complied with.

Mr Aldworth, at whose house I write this, begs leave to present his best respects to your Ladyship & to join with me in this request, which give me leave to say comes from a family, who claim an immemorial right to you Ladyship's favour and protection. I must desire your Ladyship will present my duty to my vey good Lord and that you will believe me to be with the most perfect esteem and regard,

Madam,
Your Ladyship's most obliged and most humble servant Charles Hayes