my affairs admit of it. I hope they will take a turn for the future different from what they have done fince I had the honour to fee you. I am obliged to you for the good opinion you are pleased to entertain of me, which I am very defirous to preserve; and am, with the greatest refpect, Your most obedient humble fervant, St John Bennett.

To the Reverend Mr Stevenfon and Mr Long, at Fort St George.

Reverend Sirs,

Bombay Caftle, Jan. 5, 1716-17. YOURS I received by Mr Hart in the George, and according to your defire have offered to Governor Boone, &c. and Council, your propofal of contributing first to your Charity-school, in order to have as much endeavoured to be returned towards the building of our Church. But, Gentlemen, I am forry to find your Chriftian zeal, fo much spoken of in these foreign parts, fo degenerate and confined, as not to extend itfelf beyond the bounds of your own territories but upon conditions. I always thought that acts of charity, and other good works, ought to be left to the free difpofal of every benefactor; or else where is the thanks, or what difference is there between Chriftians and Heathens? Such bartering of charity will avail us but little here; and fmall, I doubt, hereafter will be the return of fuch provident bounty.

As to the objection you were pleased to make against our design, or rather against the manner of executing it, I fhall give you this fhort, and I hope fatisfactory anfwer. The defign of our Church, as well as the manner of it, was at first proposed fome years ago by our predeceffors;

and

and finding the walls, which ftill remain, were found and good, already raised and prepared to our hands; it was thought more adviseable to carry on and finish what they had begun, than to undertake the laying of a new foundation. And as to the rearing up of a fabrick, which you imagine rather magnificent than useful; I think it not at all' difproportionate to the number of our inhabitants, at leaft not to the expected increase of them; neither is it in my opinion unfuitable, unless it be in the defect, to the dignity and honour of our royal fettlement.

And now, Gentlemen, I hope you will be pleased to answer me; pray, what object or defign can there be more beneficial or deserving our charity, than the employing it in the immediate fervice of GOD? or what more prepofterous to our Christian profeffion, than to fet up a Poorfchool in competition with our Mother-Church? Imprimis venerare Deum, is an old maxim, found and orthodox; and the erecting of Charity-schools is no doubt of very great use, noble and commendable, but not comparable I hope to that of building of Churches, how remote foever you make it to religion.

Gentlemen, I fhould not have mentioned the contributions to your Church, that have been formerly made by the inhabitants of this place, had you prefented us freely; but if the common ties of Christianity cannot prevail, yet even thofe of humanity and gratitude might, one would think, have fome fort of influence, especially over grateful and generous fouls, and efpecially where there is an ability to perform it.

I know, Gentlemen, that charity begins for the most part with ourselves, and is always ready to look firft at home, before it prefumes to venture

itself

itself abroad; yet, however, your good wishes for the success of our undertaking, which would not have coft much, would have been accepted of I dare fay in part of payment, and a handfome denial, as half the request.

May the great GOD direct and profper your endeavours, and may you out-fhine your predeceffors in piety and good works, as they have out-fhone those that have gone before them! I have done my duty, in making my request known unto you, and shall always remain, Reverend Sirs,

Your affectionate brother,

and very humble fervant, Richard Cobbe.

To the worshipful Robert Adams, Efq; Chief of Callicut, &c.

Worshipful Sir,

Bombay Caftle, Jan. 23, 1716-17.

PArdon, great Sir, the freedom of this request,

it is in the behalf of our ruinous Church of Bombay, and therefore needs not, I hope, any further apology, the very name will plead for us; nor need you I prefume any greater perfuafive, than your being a worthy member of it.

We have hitherto met with very great fuccefs, and doubt not of a lafting continuation of it, could we be affured of the honour of your great name to fill up the catalogue of our generous benefactors. The building itself is large and capacious, anfwerable to the extenfive liberality of those, who have distinguished themselves by the nobleft teftimonies of their zeal and gratitude.

May their names forever fhine, and yours amongst the rest in the records of our Church; and may the memorial hereof be fuch to all fucceeding generations,

generations, as fhall not be forgotten! I am, with my humble refpects to you and yours, Worshipful Sir,

Your obedient humble fervant,

Richard Cobbe.

To the worshipful William Kyffin, Efq; Chief of

Worshipful Sir,

IT

Anjengo.

Bombay Caftle, Jan. 31, 1716-17.

T is not out of any disrespect, I do affure you, Sir, that we have not writ to you before this time; the letter we fent to the Chief at Carwar, dated Nov. 18, 1715, in favour of our Church, we hoped would have reached your factory also, and the contents of it have been long ago communicated to you; but to fo good a work, I hope no time unfeasonable, no opportunity loft or request unacceptable.

We are now, God be thanked, about covering our Church, and in a fair profpect of seeing it compleated; and though we cannot expect the honour of your company in commemorating with us its founders and benefactors; yet your memory we hope will always remain, and your name as a faithful representative of your person.

May the bleffing of GOD always attend the prayers of our Church, and may you likewise fhare in the benefit of it! May you enjoy with comfort the fruits of your labours, whatsoever part of the world you live in, and may this blefsing, not confined to time or place, descend to your childrens children after you! I am,

Worshipful Sir,

Your affured friend, and very humble servant, Richard Cobbe.

To Mr George Bowcher, Merchant in Surat.

Sir, Bombay Caftle, Feb. 18, 1716-17. THIS is to acknowledge the receipt of

rupees 300 new Surat, paid me by Mr Waters the the 15th of Jan. laft, on account of yours and Mr Jarvis Clerke his fubfcription towards the building of the Church of Bombay, and to return him many thanks, and you more especially for your repeated contribution; hoping that this will prove more fuccessful than the former, and that you may in a fhort time fee the good effect of both in this.

As to the organ you were speaking of, it is ftill in the fort, but quite out of order, broken and useless. It was a very great fault I must own in my predeceffor, whofoever he was, in preparing the ornamental part before the neceffary; but a greater ftill in thofe, whofoever they were, in fquandering away and perverting fuch abundant charity, as was in your time raised to so good a Work. However, our Trustees I believe will take fuch care, that nothing fhall be wanting either for use or ornament, fo far at least as our ftock will reach; and that whatsoever is thus charitably bestowed, fhall be as faithfully applied to its proper use, as ever it was intended.

I am, Sir, your obliged friend,

and very humble fervant, Richard Cobbe.

To the Rev. Mr Sam. Briercliffe, Chaplain at Bengal. Bombay Caftle, Feb. 27, 1716-17.

Rev. Sir,

IT hath been with no small fatisfaction that I have heard how heartily you have espoused

the