Jo Leslie's Letter to Sir Thomas Littleton, 5 November 1698

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A Letter directed to the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Littleton one of the Lords Commissioners of his Majestys Treasury

Dublin Novr. 5 1968

Right Honourable Sir

After repeating my thanks for your former many generous favours I am forced to begg one more of another nature a friend of mine of this Kingdom was some years ago concerning in making halfe pence for Ireland and (as I am given now to understand) bought some engines in London to be employed therein in Ireland He being a Merchant and his occasions calling him sudenly to the west Indies he left the Engines with an Acquaintance of his and since closed up in <69r> three boxed under the notion of Water Engines for raising of water his friend when I was last in England suspecting probably some danger desired my removing them alleadging want of conveniencey keeping them said so and left them in London in the same boxes in which they have bin since bought I at last entertaind some suspition that they were not water engines but was in hast to come thence Since coming hither I am informed that they are Engines for making Irish half pence and that it is dangerous on account of some acts latly made to keep anything of that nature in England the person with whom I left them being wholy ignorant it would trouble me much to occasion to such hurt or danger if you conceave that an Order from the Lords of the Treasury cannot be readily had for transporting them to this Kingdom it will prove a very great favour if your Lordships order then being sent to the Mint in the Tower there to be kept till further order I know that they have been imployed to no bad use and it will appear upon opening of the boxes that of a long time they have not been used I conceave that they were not employed to any bad use the bearer knows nothing of the matter but what by Letter from me desiring delivering thro to you and taking care of the matter as you shall think best I think it better plainly to discover the thing (tho at the hazard of my friends losing his Engines then to strive to conceal such things any longer I hope therefore you'l pardon this great trouble from

your highly obliged + most faithfull &

Obedient Servant

Io Leslie