Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/375

 2 nd S. NO 19., MAY 10. '56.]

NOTES AND QUERIES*

367

Upon these proceedings Sir Christopher Wren made the following report to the Treasury :

" May it please your Lordshipps,

" In pursuance of your Lordships Referrence of May 6 th, 1698, upon the petition of John Benbow, Esquire, that I should survey and Estimate the danimages done to his House, Gardens, and Goods, by His Czarish Majestic and his Retinue at Deptford ; I accordingly repaired thither, and valew'd the repaires of the House and Fences by par- ticulars upon view; and desired the assistance of Mr. Sewell of the moving Wardrobe to valew the Goods, and of Mr. London to valew the Gardens, and plantations, to which estimates heer annexed, they have respectively set their hands, and I beleive their valewatioiis are just.

s. d.

" The Dammage of the House is valew'd at 107 07 00 " Of the Gardens - - - - 55 00 00

"Totall - - 162 07 00

" Which summe of 162/. 07s. OOd. I sup- pose may be pay'd to Mr. Evelin, the petitioners Terme being neer expired.

" The Dammage of the Goods is - 133 02 06

" Crav'd 14 weeks Rent, which I valew at - 25 00 00

" Totall to be pay'd to ye Petitioner - 158 02 06

" There is also a House belonging to one Russell, a poor man, for the Guards ap- pointed to be there, who have almost intirely ruined the house ; he will sub- mitt to a recompence of - - 30 00 00

" Summe Totall

350 09 06

" All which is humbly submitted.

" CHE. WEEN, May 11>,

1698."

By a Treasury Warrant, dated June 21, 1698, the money was ordered to be paid to the various persons, in recompence for their damages, accord- ing to the terms of Wren's report.

It will be familiar to all readers of Evelyn's Diary how piteously he speaks of the treatment his house and gardens had received at the Czar's hands, and the preceding particulars will show that he did not complain without reason. Indeed, nothing in the way of destruction seems to have been too reckless for the Czar or his attendants to have committed, as is testified by the articles of furniture which are " broke and spoyled," or "lost." I met with these papers in the course of my researches for a History of Deptford, in which I have made considerable progress ; and I will take this opportunity of asking the kind assistance of any of your readers who may have it in their power to afford me information relative to that locality. Any maps, plans, or views, particularly of Sayes Court, would be most acceptable.

WILLIAM HENRY HART.

Albert Terrace, New Cross.

INEDITED LETTER BY JOHN WILKES.

[We are indebted to Edward Lennox Boyd, Esq., for permission to publish the following characteristic letter, which will be read with interest by those who agree with the writer of the able article in The Athenceum of Jan. 3, 1852, that justice has not yet been done to the character of Wilkes.]

London, 13 May, 1766. Tuesday night.

It is certainly true, my dear Sir, Mr. Wilkes is arrived at his native city, and is in very good health and good humour. The fellow who is now crying under my window An Elegy on the la- mented Death of that much admird Patriot Jolm Wilkes, Esq., who died of an Apoplexy at Paris last Wednesday, is an impudent liar, and I shall believe no more what he says, even tho' he were a voter of London. I scorn to deceive you or any man, and you may be assured that what I tell you is exactly true ; Mr. Wilkes is in London, very well pleas'd with what has happened, every hour giving him. new proofs of the wisdom of the step he took in returning home at this time, under a ministry which I know he approves, and I believe will support. I was received at Dover by the ringing of bells, and the acclamations of the people ; some of the considerable merchants came to visit me, tho' it was late, but as soon as I had sup'd and made libations to your health, and that of a few more at Paris, I proceeded to the capital in a post-chaise and four, with only the Governour of St. Vincent, travelled all London in a hackney- coach, and reached Mr. Stuart's yesterday at noon.

I have this afternoon shed TWICE tears of joy with an old acquaintance, while the poor ballad- singer is shedding tears of sorrow for my lamented death ; and as I am incognito for a day or two, I dare not comfort him. If you have true Christian charity you will suppose this old acquaintance to be Mrs. Wilkes, but if you do, why, then you

are mistaken. I have twice kissed Miss. I

do not go into any particulars by this post. The next will bring you a longer letter. I must con- tent myself with telling you that Miss Wilkes is perfectly well, aitt every thing a fond father can wish her. She is charm'd with every thing I tell her of Madame Suard, and I foresee they will bo very good friends.

1 begin with sending you to-night some of the little commissions yod(ponor'd me with. The rest you will have by the two next posts ; and I shall then talk at large of my pardon, &c. I have not yet seen Becket, but he is to come here to- morrow. I beg you to assure the dear Abbe of the tenderness of my heart towards him, and that the books he wish'd about the Greek accents shall be soon in his possession. I am very well, but jaded with the being two nights out of bed. I steal half an hour to pay my compliments to you in this hasty manner. I ought not to tell you that