To the Worshipful Sirs, &c. Gentlemen in Perfia employed in affairs of the honourable United Company of Merchants of England trading to the Eaft Indies. Honourable Sirs, &c. Bombay Caftle, Mar. 22, 1715-16. Yo OURS we received, dated 6th Feb. 1715-16, by a Pattimar from Surat, with a lift of what you were pleafed to fubfcribe towards rebuilding a Church in this Place; all which were publicly read at our monthly meeting before the honourable Charles Boone, Efq; the worshipful Laurence Parker, Efq; the worshipful Stephen Strutt, Efq; Mr John Clapham, the worshipful Bernard Wyche, Efq; Mr John Hope, and the Chaplain, Trustees for the building of the faid Church, and ordered to be entered in our Church register. In acknowledgement whereof I am, in the name of the rest of the Trustees, defired to return you our hearty thanks for such substantial and generous contributions, fuch as will enable us, we hope, to complete and finish the good work we have in hand. Wishing you all health and happinefs, is the conftant prayer of, Worshipful Sirs, &c. Your obliged friend, and moft obedient humble fervant, Richard Cobbe. To the Rev. Mr Stevenfon and Mr Long, Chaplains at Madras alias Fort St George. Gentlemen, Bombay Cafile, Mar. 23, 1715-16. THE capacity we are engaged in here in these remote parts of the Christian world, lays, I D think, think, a ftricter obligation upon us than others, of taking all opportunities to fet forward the great work we came about, the promoting and advancing the public good; in the discharge of which, I cannot but flatter myself with affurance of fuccefs, efpecially in a work fo generally useful, and under your joint-affistance and approbation; to you therefore, I addrefs myfelf, with whom I am honoured on a double account of relation, not only as a Brother of the fame Minifterial Office and Function, but as a Correfponding Member of the fame honourable Society in England for promoting Chriftian Knowledge, of which good defign I look upon this as a chief part, and therefore not improper to be imparted to you. Gentlemen, we are now, by God's affistance, rebuilding our ruinous Church at Bombay, and would beg the favour of your concurrence with us in promoting it what you can amongst the 'Gentlemen of Madras. We have raised confiderable large fubfcriptions here, and have had great encouragement from Perfia, Surat and down the coaft, befides what the honourable Company have contributed: and because the work is great, I hope, Gentlemen, you will be pleased to strengthen our hands towards the fupport of it. Craving pardon for the trouble and freedom of this requeft; I am with due refpects to the honourable Prefident and Council, and to the Gentlemen inhabitants of Madras, &c. Reverend Sirs, Your very humble fervant, and affectionate brother, Richard Cobbe. To the Reverend Mr Samuel Briercliffe, Chaplain in Bengal. Rev. Sir, Bombay Cafile, Mar. 24, 1715-16. I Hope you will excufe the freedom of this re queft, it is in behalf of our ruinous Church at Bombay, which is now again in building, and in a fair prospect of being compleated. His Honour Boone I hear has wrote to the Prefident and Council at Bengal to the fame effect, with whom I would defire your favourable concurrence in promoting the good work, and getting for us what fubfcriptions you can amongst the Gentlemen there. We have collected already about 24000 rupees, and have the honour of the Prefident and Council as Trustees for the fame, which I hope will be encouragement fufficient for the moft generous fubfcriber, and that whatsoever is thus charitably intended will now be applied to its proper ufe. I fpeak this on account of the mifapplication of what has formerly been contributed, and the fcandalous abuse of such abundant charity. If I can be any ways ferviceable to you in these parts, I defire you would please to command at any time, Dear Sir, Your affectionate brother, and very humble fervant, Richard Cobbe. To the honourable Edward Harrison, Efq; Prefident and Governor of Fort St George, &c. Council. Honourable Sir and Sirs, Bombay Caftle, WE hope, Gentlemen, you will not take it difrespectfully at our hands, if in the fup D 2 port port of our ruinous Church here, we at last crave your charitable affiftance; fince it is a work fo generally useful, fo agreeable to your own generous inclinations, and withal in imitation of fo illuftrious a precedent as yours is before us; the defign of our Church is large and capacious, and therefore in greater need of fuch powerful fupplies. As to the work, we have made fome confiderable progrefs, but the completion of it, we hope, will render your zeal ftill the more confpicuous, and be a means to tranfmit your names with a greater degree of glory and honour to pofterity. Gentlemen, we herewith fend you a specimen of our undertaking, with a lift of what hath been already fubfcribed thereunto, not doubting of your favourable approbation of this matter, and your joint concurrence with us for the cause, is the humble request of, Honourable Sir and Sirs, Your affured friends, and very Laurence Parker, Stephen Strutt, humble servants, Thomas Wilbere, John Clapham, John Hope. To the honourable Robert Hedges, Efq; Prefident and Governor of Fort William in Bengal, &c. Council. Honourable Sir and Sirs, Bombay Caftle, Aug. 10, 1716. WE could not omit this prefent opportunity without paying our refpects to you likewife in the behalf of our Church, which is now, God be thanked, in a fair prospect of being compleated. There needs not we hope much occa fion of addrefs, being already affured of your abundant liberality; but that it may be the more diffufive, we cannot but flatter ourselves with expectation, not by way of requital or gratitude, but by occafion of the forwardness of others and demonstration of your ready mind. Gentlemen, we have hitherto been collecting what fupplies we can, which indeed have been exceedingly large, and fuitable to the extent of so great an undertaking; the proposals of which we here lay before you, with a copy of the fubfcriptions, begging your favourable acceptance of the fame, from, Honourable Sir and Sirs, Your affured friends, and very humble fervants, Charles Boone, Laurence Parker, Stephen Strutt, B. Wyche, Thomas Wilbere, John Clapham, John Hope. Rev Sir, To the Reverend Mr Richard Cobbe in Bombay. Fort St George, 3d O&. 1716. WE could have fooner answered the letter you fent us in March laft, but that we hoped, by delaying, we might do it the more to your fatisfaction. But it happened to come to our hands just after there had been a liberal contribution raised for the fupport of a Charity-school that was founded here in December laft. And seeing the trade of this place is very much decayed now that the wealthiest of its inhabitants are gone to England; we could not with any decency prefs the Gentlemen here to affift you in building your Church, fo foon after they had generously contributed to our Charity-school. Besides, Sir, there is an objection made against your defign, (or rather against the manner of executing it) to which we D 3 wifh |