197 Tutor Flynt to Treasurer White

    Har[vard] Coll[ege] Jan. 6th, 1719/20

    Mr. White

    I send you down an Extract of Benefactors from the Colledge records with Donations and Clauses of wils &c. that I found there. The Benefactors are in Alphebetical Order but all the rest is Confused because gathered from Several books and I thought it not worth the while to transcribe any thing til the Collection was Compleat. Therefore desire you to Send mee what you can Get in addition to what is here of Benefactions and Clauses of Wills or Articles of deeds which shew the Nature and design of the Gift. And when you have sent mee this script back again with what additions you can make Ile see what I can doe stil further to render the Collection more perfect. I began to set figures before the Names in the two first pages to reduce them to alphebetical Order that so they might be more readily turned to but not knowing but I might find other Names I Left that for the present.

    In the 4th and 5th pages you’l see what I am at a Loss about and Enquiring after. If you can give mee satisfaction I shal be glad. In the 14 and 15th as also in the 16th and 17th at the bottom you’l find a short Hystory of the Treasury. I wish Mr. Nowels Accounts had been there and so fair and good as Mr. Danforths [appears?] to be. I should then have had a more satisfactory understanding of the receipts and disbursements of the Treasury and might have seen through the whole matter though the Accountants are dead Long agoe which would have been a Contentment to any Enquirer into these matters.

    In the 1st page and again more distinctly in the 22d I have breifly stated the Case of the Colledge interest at Pequod which may yet be done more perfectly by the papers referring to that matter.

    In Looking Over the books I found most of the Donations were paid at one time or other and accordingly I set the word paid to those I found to be so.

    Several Legacys their Matter their Value their Instrument the Donors Names and Town and in some of them his End and design you’l find in the 23 and 24th pages. I interlined here many things as they occurred to mee in Looking Over the books.

    The three Last Leaves contain what Clauses of Wills and minutes of Grants I have yet found in the books. The additions I shal be glad to receive as soon as you can. I’me sorry that I meet with so much difficulty to get a sight of the Colledge records which should at all times be free and Open to the Inspection of Every one concerned in the business and affairs of the Colledge, therefore to Every Fellow of the house and much more to Every Fellow of the Corporation unto whose care the Interest and Estate of the Colledge is Committed by Charter, and that stil more especially in articles wherein they are particularly appointed by the Corporation to look after the Colledge Interest and Concerns.

    I am Sir Your

    Hen. Flynt

    Postscript

    Glover Web Keane Newdigate Coggan Penn are said to be Bostonians1 and therefore I think you would doe well to get the Articles of their Donations out of the records of Wills at Boston if you have them not in the books for doubtless tis very proper such articles should be inserted in the Colledge records for the direction of the Corporation in disposing of the Exhibitions. I find that Mr. Newdigates and Coggans Gifts were by deed which also should be upon record, If they may be obtained. If any thing can be found in the records of this County Ile Endeavour to procure it.

    [Addressed:] For Mr. John White at Boston Enquire at the Upper End of Hannover Street.

    Corporation Papers. This is the first of several letters from Flynt to White, in which he tells of his efforts to straighten out the early financial records of the College. For Flynt’s concern see Hoffmann, Commonwealth College, pp. 528–532.