James Chambers to Arthur Forbes regarding financial troubles and a lawsuit

[P. 2] 1685, Lviv, August 6 To my certain and good friend Arthur Forbes, my best wishes to you and all your good friends. I am glad to hear of your prosperity, that God has blessed you this past year with so many opportunities for good profit; I am glad to hear of your success. I received your letter 12 days ago. You write to me that you wrote from Jarosław last year; I received none, nor did Peter. I wrote to you through my son that you might be helpful in this matter [...] which concerns me. You replied again that you had no time for this matter [...] about which I wrote [...], but seeing that you had nothing in hand. Secondly, that you heard that God helped there [...], for that is not true; He left me nothing, neither for my wife, nor my children, not even one shirt, nor a coat to hang on my back; you say that they are not just one coat [...]. All this [...] gave no relief [...]. All this, as you say: I am a poor man [...] before [...], I only bear burdens and troubles [...]. Secondly, I have no money [...], I myself owe one 200 [...], my fish the other day, more than 3000 calves [...] died the other day, so God has visited me. [P. 3] Thus has God visited me very heavily in my old age; where I had, there I now have not [...] in the world and until now I bear daily [...] a man works every day, and today and tomorrow I am a poor man. I beseech God that He might deign to take me from this vale of misery. I broke my leg the day before New Year [...] and I do not step firmly on the grass, but my legs swell so [...]. About which I wrote because of my misfortune, where I formerly had a capital sum of 120,000 [...], more than 2000 thalers I had in free profit; all this is lost, nothing more remains, save this peasant village, which does not suffice for my son James, his wife and children – 3000 thalers, for the second son 2000 thalers, the other son William 2000 thalers; I provided for my son-in-law with 1100 thalers, of which my [...] son [...] did not get a penny. I will satisfy my son if I could only find a buyer for the sale; he sits and must receive this payment [...]. I regret that I have deserved this through my misfortune; my son told me earlier that he would make certain profits, and now he has failed me; but my son-in-law shall not suffer a loss because of me. My son remains in my care along with the children, these nearly 12 people, horses [...]; I give them grain for bread, beer, and at the end of this matter, whatever I can save [...]; I myself have expenses from which it is impossible to maintain myself; the entire income does not even amount to 500 [marginal notes:] has nearly 12 people, horses... ... ... with 12 people ... ... [P. 4] thalers [...], from which I must pay the servants' wages and many other expenses for all kinds of provisions, for pepper and salt and other necessary outlays. Why should I trouble you? Furthermore, that Andrea [...] brought me to ruin with this meat matter [...], 3 barrels of tallow [...]; I should not have taken from them, and yet [...] that butcher robbed me many times of more than ten thousand, to the sum of 6000 thousand [...]; thus, for about the last 20 years, since these shameful claims arose, I have been ruined [...]. When he was told, he claims that he gave me those ten barrels in the account [...]; I have not heard of it for the past 20 years in my cellar; he was not in my cellar at that time when he took those ten barrels [...]. He tells me that he gave me a receipt in the account, of which the book and letters cannot testify a word. And yet I have troubles; he does not demand 2400, but 20 [...] in that which makes 1020 thousand, and the matter is already before the King and the Chancellor, so that I have already incurred costs of more than 1600 [...] and still it is not the end; this matter is bringing me to ruin and costs. I wrote in my letter about ten pieces [...] and ten pieces [...] [notes on the left margin:] Furthermore the piece [...] which yesterday [...] for a certain [...] which arrived [...] [P. 5] I would not trouble you if I had any relief. I would have come to Jarosław, but I have neither health nor money, so I must remain at home; and considering that I have grain and hay and all the farm, and I have no servants or anyone who could help me, I find myself today in a poor and miserable state. I must still pay for my [...] 40 thalers, 2 thalers [...] and I must give another man [...] to maintain 12 [...] 6 children [...]; poverty plagues me all year round, I am a poor man [...]; every day I fall [...]. What should I write about my bad situation and my poverty? I am in misery; I pray to God that He might take me to His glorious rest, commending myself to God Almighty. I pray to God that He might preserve you from danger [...]. I pray that God [...] since God has blessed you before [...]. Thus I am in need, in great sorrow and trouble, I am not free nor can I free myself. I am a miserable man today, and especially one who has no money to be able to [...]. I would desire nothing more than just 3000, for I have nothing to pay with [...]; I would take 130 for all the goods [...]; what shall I do in these days, since many still [...] not a penny [...] [P. 6] What am I to do [...] after all, you have always been a good friend to me, therefore I do not want to expose you to any costs, from which may God defend; the same thing will not do, as I hope, much, 160 or thereabouts; I will compensate for it when I collect my dues. I certainly have an income; the other day I lost in total more than 1600 owed to me; thus God has visited [...] 200 died and the fish, all this [...]. God has visited me, my son has brought misfortune upon me [...]. I have many friends who visit me here [...] I send to the country, but I must give them food and drink; they do not care about my losses. I have great respect here, everyone thinks that I am a rich man and have plenty of money. I let them think what they want; I tell them: you may think so, but my money is not in Lviv, but in Amsterdam [...], in thalers and on the other hand in ducats; thus I do not [...] them such an answer. For when I say that I have nothing, they do not want to believe me; if I walked like a beggar, they would despise me. I must therefore maintain all appearances; when they come, I cannot say that I have no bread, I must entertain them with what I can. I would not trouble you; I hope you will not take it amiss that I write about my misery; this is not the first time, but many fall into poverty. I commend you to God Almighty and all good friends [...]. Yours devoted in poverty James Chambers [...] [P. 7, address:] To the Lord To Mr. Arthur Forbes, there, in Kraków or Jarosław.

[S. 2] 1685 Loch 6 agustie For ye assoord and good frend Arthur Forbes my best wisses to your self and al yours good frendes. I am glad to hir of your good prosperitie that god hes bleset you the last yeir with so many ockeson with good profet I am glad to hir of your good prosperitie your leter I resavet past 12 days agoe ye wret to me ye ded wret from Jaroslaw the last yeir I resaved nean nether Peter I ded wret to you with my son that ye wald be gehelpful for thes Jug. that dos with me ye ded anser gean ye hed not taym for the ockoson es ou danyris theyt I ded wret to for sendre saml[?] thamy to be[?] for me bot sing ye hed nothing in your hand Secundlie that ye hard that god gehelpheame there for with for that es no treang lest me noan wayf and barns not on sark nor cout be hyngat lye had on ther back ye sayd they not on bot ine cout nor much bnor bols nor gut nor thece som al they you no cot relif no thomy nor bot 6 cods dyks som al es you they beche my sigate th wt al my leter gud woranfe al es you sed I am no ou por man I dayt ou por god befor the bothes I can bot bat bares and trebels form gorhes Secundlie I hanf not mones I whal quhar to gehane my self es died to one 200 pas my fyfes the last day mor as 3000 kaifes yes ded die the last day so god hes west me [S. 3] so god hes for west me in my old days werie heuifie quhar I had and no hes not rodolex in the wart and dos yet out daly for begraths man dos work dalz som and tomorou I am ou por man I deser from god that god wold tack me of thes troull del I ded brack lyge my the last day befor niu yeir to thes one and not sicker on grast paus bot my laygs dos so swall the rede for quhat I wret of my mesfortune quhar I had befor of capall som mee 120000 thue es to six mor tho thosand doles I had of fri opet al es you no mor bot thes boyerlie dorp quhar es not mayn for my son Jacop hes wyf and barns dolee 3000 mor other son doles 2000 other son Wilem dolee 2000 thed drest my good son dolers i100 the quhilk m. o. son hes eld. nelbir refet on gros tht I sal mack may son content gif I cud get bot a mael hande to sel it he sit and sal get thes paymiel topos I hed pecks I am sorie that thar I ded deser et from them my mesfortue son spack me er he wuld mack soer profetes and nue hes deseruet me bot my good son sal not com to los for me my son dos lay upon my hand wt may hand barnes thes fean 12 persons gorses lanck to quhet dos compt I gif them cornes to bred bir and at te end of therockson quhat I can spar bork and fean myselif hanf out getings the ding can not sostane me al the in come des not mack 500 [dopiski na marginesach:] has fean 12 persones horses... foers bayou with 12 person at the so beltrit und makel [S. 4] dolers befe te and six dolers groi quhar most I pay sealbands fie and many other out geting for al sort of provision for peper and sat und other sauls out getings quhat sal I trobell Mor mor thet Andrea bod hes brocht me to desyres with that fleshe soulu Inxdor 3 talef of no barels of teose he sot hanf yoken from them yit ther was thy fotril kan not that fleser was ref me many tayms mo as ten thosad som 6000 thosand so es abot 20 yeres begon quhen com to thes schermfol desyres I am com to thron mito bod quhen told he say thet he had yofen of to me in rackenge of tan barell of coses I nether herd teil ther 20 yeres baygon es out of my feller he was not in my seller thet taym quhan he gat thet tan barell of coses he says me he gif me in racken syth quheral bork and leter can not say on word yet I am in trobell not 2400 he deser bot 20 darn in thes thet es dos meck 1020 thosant and yet es befor the king and chanler so I am so ayoher at coust mor al redie 1600 of geot thones and yet no quit te mester boye dos bring my to desyres and chargs I ded wret in my leter for tan pieck of engilber and tan stick kemdick leylasa [dopiski na lewym marginesie:] Mor ca stick of pot guns neythaus thet he yart her es thet soet aufon gester I am raster me for som faye and tnecktul he han fortant I aes tha quhilk us com yit it son tafel peren wof henck [S. 5] I weil not trobel yift hed any selter I I weal hed com to Jaroslaw bot I hanf ne helthe nor mones so I most bayd at hom and sing I hanf corns and hay and al sort hesbauren and has no serban no therater that can help me so I am on por and meserell stat thes day I most yet fer my cop yilts doles 40 doler 2 tremaus my bors and al most gifte other man les mor lo bring 12 bam 6 barns the leger dos crose the ye on por pother robeler good es daley to fel he gin upon on the that quhantil ren til first I enfud on greses mone so god men hes our barnan hes for nocht quhat sal I wret to my bed condifons and my polvert I am iny os deser I pray to god to tack to hes glorial rest recomending to god al mythe I pray god to kep from danger as far and weil dater I pray the god mutsing god hes bleset you afoer and sing he es ou sick man god to dessane and let yone trobel on al teque deter colter wefto furter can con as thet hes son to me so I am in begin and in gret sorr and trobel and es not fie nor can com from fie I am on mesfortune man thes day and in specialie that hes not mones thet can dos gin toae I wold deser no mor bot eft 3000 for I hanf no thayng to pay both on starlht yor super the gewart ... gut hes bedrer cresh memon 122 thosand I wold talk 130 for al comedgots to holhand quhat sal I dor in pol das and many mor dean yet not on gros fiwin ng man [S. 6] quhat sal I mack my man til both you hes bayn on al good frend so not to put you to no charges as god for bid that samd theyng wil not mack I hop mekel 160 or ther abot I sal mack et good quhen I wil tack my tefes I hanf enclere in com the last day I lost al mor 1600 ded to me so god ded weset hes for and will my polt 200 thet ded die and fyfes al thare god wesoith son es com over me god gegent pasne I hanf many frends thet dos weset me her in bront hes supos I hanf ples for them bot send to the dorp bot I most gif them met and drinck they dos not fer for my tefes I am her in a grayt accut they belif al I am on rich man and hes mones abous I let them se quhat they will I say them you can be bot my mones not in Loch bot may mones in amsterdam upon the rodther on gotlist with dolers on olther seit ut ducats so thet hes not mayn thes I get them on tar anser so quhan I set I hed nothing thay wald not belif me gif I wor on pattarke they wald lichtlie me so I most reman in al trynex quhen the com I can not seay hanf no bred I most get them quhat I can feest I wold not trobal you I hop ye wyl not tack the pans to ri on meser thes not the first bot many es com to powirte I hop reccomd you to god almighte and al good frend quhar I can no the. you leleir at pouer James Chambers B D cohll [S. 7, adres:] Herrn Herrn Artshur For= beß dgl. Inn Cracau od[er] Jaroslau.