Dear Sir

Stratton Street. February 11. 1788

I hope you receiv’d the Box from Hugh's safe, and in good condition. I lost no time in sending ^it by my own servant to the inn, who saw it book’d, and you should have had it sooner, could I have got the Introduction press'd.

You had the goodness to say in your last, that your Son would take the trouble to execute any little commissions of mine in Spain. I want little myself, but talking upon this subject last night, with Lord Exeter, he ask’d me whether he might take the liberty to beg M^r: Pennant to purchase, & bring home, any Engravings, of the Spanish Palaces, except the Escerial [sic], and also any prints he may find, engrav’d from any pictures in the Collections of the Kings of Spain,. His Lordship is making up Swinburne's travels, in a more magnificent way than the work deserves, but, chacun a son gout.¹ - You are the best judge, whether or not, to give your son a trouble of this sort.

If he should find the following prints for me, not bigger than large Quarto size, I should be very thankful, if he will buy ’em on my account. Don Alphonso de la Curva, Marquis of Bedmar (last century Marquis De Croy, Viceroy in new spain 1772 Don Rodorigo ^Caldérone Count of Olivares. (last century) Marquis of Denia Duke of Lerma. (the favorite.) John de Velasco, Duke of Fria's. (last century.² Don Joseph Galves ^now director of Indian affairs in spain, 1778. Don Pedro Giron, Duke of Ossuna (livd in last century.) Marquis of Rosni (before he became Duke de Sully.) Monastry of S^t. Juste. Don Bernardo Sandoval, Archbishop of Toledo. (Duke of Lerma's brother³ Duke of Feria, who came to England, with Philip the second, This print. I particularly want, and more than one of ’em. Duke of Gandia (of the last century. Conde de Lemos, last century. Cardinal Ximenes. from any authenticated picture. -

If I had time, I know of nothing new to write about. Elopements are the topicks of the present conversation –. the beautiful daughter of my old friend Sir Henry Clinton, has gone off, with a beggar, but he is a Captain, and a Beau. She was a pattern Girl, and all such run away, I never knew it other wise. but the most extraordinary is Lady Anna Maria Bowes, who went across a street upon a plank, from one garret to the other, to meet her paramour, whom She never exchang’d a word with, except from the opposite window. had she made a faux pas in her passage, the fall would have been 60 feet.

I wish you, and yours health and happiness, and sober children. I am, Dear Sir, yours faithfully

Rich^d: Bull

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Editorial notes

1. 'each to his own'.
2. The title of Duke of Frías was held successively by several members of the de Velasco family during the seventeenth century. Bull appears to be referring to Juan Fernández de Velasco, fifth Duke (portraits of whom are not readily available), but may rather have intended to obtain prints of his successors Bernardino Fernández, Íñigo Melchor or José Fernández.
3. Bernardo de Sandoval y Rojas appears to have been the uncle, not the brother, of Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, first Duke of Lerma.