From Bishopsgate Street, London, to Madeley, Shropshire. He has delayed answering her last for some days, so that he could have an opportunity to ask their brother [Samuel] the question which she put to him. He [Samuel] is clearly of the opinion that in the event of Mary's death, the money will go to [their brother-in-law Peter] Gaussen unreservedly and not at all to their sister [Anna-Maria Gaussen], nor will she have any power over it. On the other hand, William has no doubt that [Peter] Gaussen would surrender it to her - this is however only his opinion and may not be true. If Mary outlived Peter Gaussen, the money would in the event of her death go to [Anna-Maria] Gaussen. William is unaware of the reason for Mary asking this question and must respectfully express a word of caution - [Anna-Maria] Gaussen has been very keen that the house at Woolwich should be bought for her; William could not approve of this step for several reasons - he has taken out a long lease in his own name although Gaussen actually lives there and it 'fully answers her purpose, for herself, but I believe she wished to have the disposal of it, that it might have been joined to the chapel (which is the next door) & her favourite Mr Piercy [William Piercy] had the benefit of it - I did not see the reason of it, so I supposed, nothing lately has been said about it; but I know she had an idea that you might buy it out of the money you have in the Stocks, & it would be a good security, & I suppose she reckoned that Mr G. would never take it, & then it would remain to her or her assigns. The house itself is but a leasehold, & tho well enough to rent yet is so badly built that it will not stand hardly for the ground lease which is fifty years…it is worth very little to purchase & would be a very foolish business - I have only mentioned this in case any thing should be proposed, you may be on your guard'.
Mary mentioned that she has a difficulty in writing to Switzerland [with regard to her late husband John Fletcher] as she cannot write French. There are two solutions - write to him in English and even if he cannot understand he will certainly be able to get a translation or alternatively she should send the letter to William and he will transcribe it in French.
Mary should send his compliments to Mr Ferriday and family and Mr Gilpin and family. He was very sorry that he was unable to entertain the Gilpins better when they called but the house was being worked on and he was in any case very busy with his uncle [Claude Bosanquet's] business.
Note
- William Piercy (1744-1819) was born at Sowe near Coventry, the son of a gentleman. He matriculated at St Edmund Hall Oxford in July 1767 but failed to take a degree. Piercy was ordained soon after leaving Oxford and moved to London to assist Martin Madan at the Lock Hospital. He also preached in chapels associated with George Whitefield and established his own congregation in Woolwich. In October 1771 he led a party of the Countess of Huntingdon's students to the Orphan House at Bethesda in Georgia, which had been left to the Countess by Whitefield. The stay was not a success and although Piercy had openly supported the colonists during the War of Independence, he was allowed to return to England in 1781. After a short time preaching for the Countess of Huntingdon, he went back to his chapel in Woolwich. Piercy returned to the United States in 1797 and after a further spell in England, settled in South Carolina where he ended his days as a minister of the Episcopalian Church. Source: Dictionary of Evangelical Biography, edited by Donald Lewis (1995)