Enclosure letter (undated)

(no date)

Revd. Sir

I think ye affair of Helmdon Inclosure a matter of much importance & therefore send ye bearer on purpose to Oxford to acquaint you that my humble opinion is that ye College should not obstruct the petition. The restraining clause seems to me to be unreasonable; but yet most certainly the Tenants ought to be considered for their expenses they will be at in some shape or other. I really never did know ye method which Colleges usually take on these occasions but doubt not there is a rule amongst you as Inclosures have become so frequent of late. The particulars of your Estate I will procure as soon as possible but between this and the last day for presenting of petition for private bills is too little time to perform that service in with any degrees of exactness, neither is it necessary as I apprehend for ye College Estate what it will be in Value if I have justice done in the allotments the Inclosure will be an improvement of it. The answer therefore that ye College is deined to give cannot be too general at present so that ye petition may be presented wherein I apprehend there is no necessity for the college to join as they may before the committee, hereafter consent to the Bill passing. You perceive I write in a hurry & hope you will excuse it. No service that I can do ye Society shall in this or any other affair be neglected. I am greatly sensible of the obligation I am under & beg particularly to acknowledge the honour & pleasure your kind and favourable approbation of what little I have hitherto done gives me. Your notice of my little boy and obliging compliments upon the late increase of my family I also beg most gratefully to thank you for & to assure you I always am