[Major John Lodington, Royal Marine, future Naval Officer at Dominica.] Two Autograph Letters Signed by him, and one by his wife, to Messrs Cox & Son, Royal Marine Agency Office, regarding a creditor's 'unpleasant letter', 'Monte Video Prize Money'.

Lodington would be ‘appointed naval officer at Dominica’ in 1814, and the last heard of him is in a letter of 1824 from the same place (offered separately), where ‘Lieut. Col. Lodington’ is awaiting trial, having been abandoned by the Governor, the Earl of Huntingdon. The three items are in good condition, lightly aged, and each is docketed on the reverse, with the usual folds for postage. ONE: Lodington to ‘Charles E. Cox Esqr | For Cox & Son’, 25 May 1808, ‘Royal Marine Barracks’. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘John Lodington / Major Royal Mars’. Begins: ‘Dear Sir / I have this day received a most unpleasant Letter from Mr Hammond Draper High Street Plymouth most peremptorily demanding instant, immediate Payment of his Bill about Fifteen Pounts Five or Ten Shillings, in case of smallest Delay to proceed to coercive Measures.’ He believes that ‘Payment of Monte Video Prize Money is now actually payable as it appears by Letter sent inclosing Vouchers from Navy Office Prize Money Department this morning to a Private Marine late under my Command’, and hopes Cox will pay Hammond. ‘You will feel pleased to find I am doing Duty as a Resident Captain, Capt. D. Wilson haveing [sic] embarked on board H. M. Namur Guard Ship at the Nore, which prevents my Liability to embarkation.’ He asks Cox to ‘lose no time in writeing [sic] to Mr Hammond’, whose name and debt he gives as ‘Wm. Hammond | Fifteen Pounds, Six Shillings, & Sixpence’. TWO: ‘Mrs P. Lodington’ (as per endorsement) [to Cox], 29 May 1808, ‘Norwich’. 1p, 4to. Signed ‘P Lodington’ and addressed to ‘Dear Sir’. She takes the liberty of informing him that the following day she will ‘have occasion to draw on you for twelve Pounds to defray my expenses of Lodging & board and Journey as I have the happiness to inform you I received a Letter yesterday from Major Lodington acquainting me He is to reside at Chatham no more going to Sea as such I leave this place immediately to join Him, the reason I did not draw at the expiration of two Months I have always been in hopes this might happen; and on friday last my twelve weeks expired’. THREE: Lodington to ‘Messrs. Cox & Son. / Royal Marine Agency Office / No. 20. Bartletts Buildings / Holb[or]n London’. Written from HMS Ardent at Sheerness [Essex] and signed ‘John Lodington / Major’ . Begins: ‘My dear Sir / I embarked immediately upon Mrs Ls arrival & have had no time to arrange any Matters[.] I am in hopes to procure an Exchange into the Namur. I shall write immediately. I am in possession of Facts leading to a Certainty my Sole Intent is to recommend to You as a Client 2d. Lt. John Wall who is embarked with Me. & One I feel pleasure in recommending being a very steady, discreet youn man.’ Lodington’s relations with his wife would appear to have been rocky. In February of 1824 (in the letter offered separately) he would complain from Dominica: ‘but why will not Mrs L write - but not a word more on that subject I forgive Her from my inmost Soul & Heart - but for Gods Sake do not let Her forget me’.