A recent, "most melancholy" family event delayed his response to Smith's letter. Selling the papers of Lord Chief Justice Coke [Sir Edward Coke (1552-1634)] to Thomas William Coke to relieve Coke of any "supposed obligation", even though he is aware that in the library at Holkham "they will be in their proper place"; asks Smith to value them.

In postscript adds that he intends to retain one manuscript from Coke in the office of Earl Marshall, and one printed book, the "Great Nuremerg Chronicle", as they were the property of Lord Coke and unconnected with law.

Forced to cancel his visit to Smith in Norwich following "sudden and unexpected" death of his father-in-law. Thanks Smith for agreeing to value the eleven volumes of [Sir Edward] Coke's papers [(1552-1634), lawyer, legal writer, and politician, ancestor of Thomas William Coke, to whom he sold the papers]. Pleased to learn from Smith's former letter that [William] Roscoe's prospects have improved [Roscoe was declared bankrupt in 1816], though sorry his library could not be saved.