Duke's Coffin Wagstaff Palmer & Co London March 19th. 1811

Sir
The handles Coronets, Nails & Drops will be sent per Mail this evening & our man will have orders to see the Box put in indeed he is this moment going with it. The Plate has not been out of the hands of the Engraver more than half-an-hour through me shall work at it all night it will not be finished before ten or eleven o'clock in the Morning subsequently cannot be sent by an earlier Conveyance than tomorrow's Mail. Those who are unacquainted with these kind of things can form but or ….. Idea of the time necessary for their completion but on …. to serve you would have induced us to have undertaken it. Suppose for a moment we had informed you we could not have done it what our situation you would have been in. If had this Consideration operated on our minds we certainly should have declined it.
As you will receive everything but the Plate, we trust you will under the Circumstances of the case consider yourself fortunate as that can easily be put in the last moment.
Those who had the arrangement certainly ought to have made some enquiring before they had finally determined, for me much doubt whether any their house could have done as much for you as we have done

We are Sir
Your Obedit Servant
Wagstaff Palmer & Co.

As charged by Wagstaff Palmer Gardener & Co
London 30 March 1811
£
s
d
Furniture on the Duke's Coffin
92
10
4
Carriage
5
8
Velvett
11
4
0
Carriage & Letter
2
10
£104
4
10
By able Advise of Surveyor 10 per. Cent on Do.
10
8
0
£114
12
10

To Journey to Euston for the Order first Coffin paid arise horse cart
To me more Do. For out side Coffin covering same with the Velvett putting furniture nails on …. Home with Do. By Attend Mr. B…. fix Hatchment & my self and Mrs attendance remove Coffin down stairs …. For mutes paid for. The Beer caring Coffin to Vault & Those Coffins all [prims]
£30
7
2
£145
0
0
6 Aug 1811 London
Brass plate of engraving
4
15
0
Gilding
16
12
6
4 plain handles with Gripers
1
14
0
Gilding
26
2
6
Sett of Coronets
6
12
0
Gilding
12
0
6 doz Drops
11
5
0
Gilding
1
12
0
2… Nails
20
16
8
Gilding 2½d Nails
6
0
2 Gro. Screws
£92
4
2

It is not to be supposed but that furniture so costly on which no less than 17 persons for such is the fact were employed for nearly four days as well as working in the night - must naturally be expensive.
Mr. George being out of town. I applied as you directed at Goldsmiths Hall to have the Nails Assayed as the same time.London

Aug. 8 1811
Dear Sir
I answer to your letter of the 5th. Inst. Beg leave to acquaint of the Duke of Grafton's outside Coffin … been furnished by one covered with Crimson Velvet & the best ornament including the … I should not have charged to the family more than about £30 for the Whole from the above charge I should have had a very fair & handsome Profit.

London 30 March 1811
Sir In reply to you this Morning received, we beg to observe that we thought our Invoice had been sufficiently clear for any person to have understood without further explanation, that the price of the furnishment was £92 10s 4d if you … rest assured we would not even at any price undertake another Set under similar Circumstances.
We now regret we did not in the first instance decline the Order which nothing but Anxiety to serve Mr. Faux could have prevented.

We are Sir
Your Obedit Servant
Wagstaff Palmer & Co.