Back to results

Archive

Knight of Barrells

Description

Letter from Archibald White at Great Missenden, Bucks., to the Rev. H.C. Knight. He was disappointed at the letter from the Countess [Poulett]. The unpleasantness of making the declaration before a Master Extraordinary in Chancery or a Justice of the Peace had deterred her. It would make no difference. A declaration by the Hon. Mrs. Portman would be far better. He expected a reply to a letter he had written her. If her reply was favourable he would send her a declaration to make, or would go to her. He had no fear of the result of the present treaty if he took sufficiently strong declarations to the solicitors, but he must not take any which required explanation. He had not submitted the drafts of the declarations to the solicitors and the event, both with Mrs. Hind and the Countess, had shown the prudence of this. He had had the possibility of proceedings after Mr. Knight's father's death in view through all this business, but with a somewhat different view of it, namely that the greatest possible care should be taken in framing any declaration to be made by anyone who might be called as a witness in those proceedings, so that what was now declared should be stated as clearly and strongly as possible, lest a weak declaration made now should be quoted against testimony to be made in Mr. Knight's favour later. Signed: Archd. White.