The State of Virginia having occasion to advance some French Gentlemen in Boston a sum of Money, & not being able to procure a bill of exchange in this place, I as a delegate for that State am obliged again to have recourse to your friendship.
I hope therefore you will be kind enough to advance to Lt. Colo. Marrie, on application, two hundred pounds lawfull for which your draft upon the Delegates here will be honourd at sight.(1)
Your order on us for 600 Dollars advanced to Captains Pierre & Cayotte has come to hand, and is paid, but we have heard nothing of the Gentlemen.(2)
1 At the foot of this copy of Lee's letter to Hancock, Lee also copied his note of this date to "Leiut Colo. Marree at Boston": "Monsr. Loyeaute, who has enter'd into the service of the State of Virga. has desired me to lodge in your hands two hundred pounds money of Boston for purposes expressed in his Letr. to you. Finding it difficult to procure at this place a bill of Excha. upon Boston I have desired the honble. Mr. Hancock to advance that sum to you. If therefore you will please to present the inclosed Letter, I make no doubt you will receive the money." For a plan being considered in Virginia for importing military stores from France, see Richard Henry Lee's February 23 letter to Arthur Lee in Lee, Letters (Ballagh), 1 .388-89.
2 On the Virginia delegates' earlier efforts to secure the services of several French artillerists, see Richard Henry Lee to Patrick Henry, October 8, 1777, note 3.