Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 2

386
R. Wolters aan Willem Bentinck

[B.M., Eg. 1745]

Rotterdam, 12 juli 1748

I had the honour to write to you last night¹⁾ about Levi the planmaker²⁾ and I now come to begg of you a favour for myself, which I do not doubt your granting if you think it proper.

Ever since the beginning of the last rebellion³⁾, I have had most particularely the approbation of my friends in England for what I have done and I have been allways told that something would be done for me, and indeed H.R.H. was pleased to favour me with the temporary advantadge of the agency att The Hague, which I have enjoyed for nine months⁴⁾.

The commissaryship was intended by H.R.H.'s great goodness to be of great advantadge to me, but you cannot disapprove of my having resigned it⁵⁾.

1) Verwijst hij naar Bentinck II, nr. 383, d.d. 10 juli? In dat geval vergist hij zich, tenzij de datum van de brief onjuist is. Wij zijn geneigd tot het laatste te concluderen uit de inhoud van beide brieven. Echter Geyl, De agent Wolters, zegt dat de brief te Rotterdam geschreven is.

2) Onbekend.

3) In Schotland, 1745.

4) Zie Geyl, De agent Wolters, p. 46 en ook verder in deze brief.

5) Zie Bentinck II, nr. 336.

[p. 89]

Depouillé de tous ces avantages, I am now, where I was three years agone, and as I have no very high views, I shall be well contented to continue in the station that I am in, as being fully persuaded that I can be of use here, but I could wish that my place were a little more comfortable. All I have for my mother and myself is £ 200. - upon the civil list, and £ 100. - per annum from the admiralty and if this could be brought to £ 200. - more per annum, I should be extreamly well pleased and might live comfortably: for different reasons, I had much rather have this £ 200. - upon the admiralty than upon the civil list, for the pensions upon the civil list are subject to the land taxe which now is four shillings in the pound and are very irregularely payd, wheras my pension from the admiralty is regularely paid every quarter without any deduction or fees whatsoever⁶⁾.

If you think my demand not unreasonable, would you do me the favour to start it to lord Sandwich, (who has given me many proofs of his wishing me well) to know, if the thing is proper and practicable, sans cela j'y renonce. I have had from the lords of the admiralty repeated assurances that I had given very usefull intelligence of the motions and preparations of the ennemy during this war, so that I hope that my friends att that board will not be averse to befriend me; but lord Sandwich's consent would be in my opinion sufficient. (Wolters gelooft niet dat het nodig is om buiten Sandwich met anderen te spreken, tenzij Bentinck dat wenst). I sett out tomorrow for Amsterdam; a letter directed for me there chés monsieur Cloppenburg sur le Reguliersgragt will come to my hands. Be so good to lett me know att the same time, if you would have me write to you what passes in that town.

6) Zie Geyl, De agent Wolters, p. 47.