Ipswich.—Sends some pheasants, thanks him for the use of his library in town, and congratulates him on the king’s recovery. Refers to some rare plants he saw in Cumberland, etc.
(Perhaps directed to one of the king’s physicians.)
—————
Transcript
Ipswich
Oct. 24th
D[ea]r Sir
I beg your Acceptance of a Brace of Pheas[an]ts sent this Day by [th]e Mail Coach, kill’d yesterd[a]y.—I take this Opport[unit]y of returning you my Thanks for [th]e Information & Entertainm[en]t y[ou]r Library afforded me when in Town; & I heartily congratulate you on [th]e perfect Recovery of our worthy King, without fearing any chance of Relapse according to my Opinion.
I have been in Cumberland, Westmoreland &c. July & Aug[us]st last, & met w[it]h many scarce British Plants (to me) amongst w[hi]ch were—
“Ophrys paludosa—Polypod: fragrans of Hudson.
“Lobelia Dortmanna—Isoetes lacustris—
“Impatiens noli-tangere—Rumex digynus—
“Diosera longifolia—Osmunda lunaria. &c. &c.
From
yr Oblig’d H’ble Serv[an]t
W B Coyte.
—————
Numbered ‘279’ in ink at the top. Dawson Turner has added the year ‘1788’ in pencil. The sheet has been trimmed. In the original some words are abbreviated by superior letters. In the transcript the missing letters have been supplied in square brackets. Fossil thorn ('y') has been replaced by 'th' in square brackets.