From Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy   29 May 1807

Dear Giddy

I wish to know if you can give me any advice under the following difficulty – Somebody gave Anna, when last year in town, the unlucky advice to take horses by the week in place of the day – I see by the papers delivered in for a return to the assessed taxes that if you hire horses so not to be taxed for them, you must give in the date, the price, the name of the owner – now Mrs B cannot find any bills relating to this business – you will see by your sister’s letter enclosed that she cannot give me the information I want – I shall write to Sneyd to try if he can – There are 12 days yet for me to enquire in –

You heard, if you recollect, that the moment I heard of Mrs B’s hiring horses, from a misconception of the law, I gave notice to be charged with horses a coachman – the penalty for not giving in the above information is fifty pounds & the horses & coachman’s duty in addition to this. I am afraid it will fret Anna & certainly as to myself nothing c^d unhinge my own feelings as getting into a scrape about taxes –

I could certainly omit saying anything on my return But I do not like the expedient as I suppose the thing w^d be discovered – & then it w^d have an unpleasant look –

I really know not what to do – The day – the last day – for returning the notice is the 9 or 10 of May

yr^s truly

Thomas Beddoes