George Mason to Charles and Landon Carter (May 14, 1770)

Gunston-Hall 14th. May 17 [70? ]

GENTLEMEN

I intended to have waited on you at Nevill[e's] but am prevented by a Cold & Fever, which confines me to the House. On the other Side is a Copy of a Letter I wrote some Time ago to Mr. Chs. Carter of Corotoman; as I have never recd. any Answer, I did not know but it might have misca[r]ryed, which occasions my giving you the Trouble of this, in Confirmation of what I then wrote. If you accept of my Offer, I can pay you thirtee[n] or [fo]urteen [hun]dred pounds Sterling upon the E[xe]cution of the Deeds, or by the June Oyer Cou[rt] the Remainder as soon as I sell my Tobacco: 'tis true I have a much more considerable Sum th[an] this out at Interest, but I can't relye upon getting [it? ] so soon as you may want the Money: & I will] by no m [eans contract ntract for any thing but what [I] am sure of being able to perform. My Reaso [n] for offering Bills of Exchange is that my Dealings f [or] some Years past having been in Maryland f [or? ] Bills, I have not any Cash bye me, nor cou'd I venture at any Rate to engage for more than two or three hundred pounds in Virga. Currency.

Your dispatching my Man as soon as you conveniently can will oblige. Gentm.

Yr most Hbl Sert.

G MASON