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I have been honored with two Lett:^rs from your Lordship since my
return to America, which gives me y^e satisfaction of knowing y^t some
of my Lett:^rs are got safe to yo:^r hands but am very much concerned y^t I
should be mistaken or misinformed in any representacon y^t I have made
to yo:^r Lordsp I am sure it hath and ever shall be y^e utmost of my care to
represent nothing to yo:^r Lordsp but true matt:^r of fact however I will
always lay my hand on my mouth when I have y^e misfortune to differr
in opinion from your Lordship:

Perhaps his Excellcy requiring M^r:
Comiss^ry: Blair to discharge y^e duty of his sev:^ll Offices may by him be
called giving y^e first occasion of y^e difference but allowing that y^e
Gov:^r had really given some offence to y^e Comiss:^ry ought he not to have
had some reguard to those many fav:^rs & obligations which y^e Gov:^r
hath in so eminent a manner Laid on him? ought he not to have consi-
dered y^e Peace and quiet of y^e Governm:^t in which by yo:^r Lordsps and his
Excellcys fav:^rs he is placed in one of y^e highest stations: but if these
had no weight with him yet one would think y^t y^e Peace tranquility &
happyness of y^e Church should so far influance him as to make him
sacrifize his private Interest revenge & resentm:^ts to y^e publick good of
y^t w^ch: by so many tyes and obligations he is bound to preferr before all other
consideracons in this world how far he acquitted himself like a Christian
or a true son of y^t holy Church or rather how contrary to its true Interest
he hath acted I will leave yo:^r Lordsp to judge after I have laid some
true matt:^rs of fact before you And in y^e first place I will beg leave
to acquaint yo:^r Lordsp y^t some time before I went last for England—
the difference betwixt his Excellcy and M^r: Comiss:^ry Blair was unhappily
improved to a great hight I always had a great hon^r: and respect for M:^r Blair
so y^t our conversation and friendship still continued he entertained me—
often with complaints against y:^e Gov:^r and y^e efects of his Passion he
always took care to deliver what he said as y^e sence and opinion rather
of others y^e Gen^ll: voyce of y^e Country then his own but y^t I may be—
more pticular one day he and my self went to dine with M^r: Fouace
in y^e way he was pleased to entertain me with y^e state of y^e Country he told
me how happy y^e Gov:^r had been in y^e Love and esteem of y^e People whilst—
he followed his and y^e rest of ^his friends advice and gave me pticular instances
of his gaining all points both in Council & Assembly But y^t since by his—
morross carrage & violent Passions he had disobliged and lost his Friends and
Interest in y^e Council Assembly & generally y^e whole body of y^e People were
prejudiced ag:^t him to y^t degree y^t they were ready for an Insurrection—
or rebellion y^t nothing prevented it but y^e Interest and prudence of some
Gent: y^t were y^e Comiss:^rys friends he did represent y^e state of y^e Country to
be so very desperate as if it wanted only setting fire to y^e train to blow
up y^e whole Governm:^t in ruin and confusion this dismal relation did——
extreamly affect me however I gave allowance for prejudice which I found to
be very great in y^e Comiss:^ry besides I could see no foundation for this Gun-
powder Plot and therefore was resolved nicely to inquire into y^e bottom of
this business w^ch accordingly I did without taking y^e least notice of it to the
Gov:^r and I do assure yo:^r Lordsp y^t y^e further I enquired into y^e truth of
this matt:^r y^e less reason I found to beleive any part of it Some time after
this being in Virg:^a and finding all things go on very smooth betwixt his
Excellcy and y^e Assembly and a general satisfaction through y^e whole Country
I took occasion to discourse M:^r Comiss:^ry Blair and told him what a great
satisfaction it was to me to see such a very good understanding betwixt y^e Gov^r:
and all y^e sev^ll: parts of y^e Governm:^t through out y^e whole Province this was a
truth so evident y^t it left no room for deniall so he was pleased to own it
but withal told me y^t this great change in y^e temper & affections of the
Assembly y^e Council and almost all People towards y^e Gov:^r was occasioned
purely by his late extrodinary kind affable and obliging behaviour to them
so contrary to his former treatment of them and y^t now he had gained the
hearts of y^e Country That no Gov^r y^t ever was had a greater art to gain
y^e affections of y^e People then he had if he would please to make use of it
with abundance of more circumstances too tedious to trouble yo:^r Lordship
with for my part I do solemnly declare y^t by all y^e nice observation I
could make I saw no such change or alteracon in y^e Gov:^rs temper humor
or carrage to produce such a suden turn in y^e minds & affections of the
People as M^r. Comiss:^ry was pleased to affirm but he had no other way to
come off or excuse y^e malicious falce representacon which he had made
to me. I must own to yo:^r Lordsp y^t this gave me such an impression
of y^e Comiss:^ys spirit & temper y^t I could not have so good an esteem for
him as I had before it was evident to me y^t his wishes & endeavours were
to reduce this Goverm:^t to y^t miserable state which he had falcely repre-
sented y^t it was in how this can be reconciled to y^e Charecter of a Gent:
a Christian much less a Clergy man in so very eminent a Post in the
Church I must leave yo:^r Lordsp to judge and now my Lord give me leave
to assure you by all y^t is sacred to a Christian y^t what I have here——
represented to yo.^r Lordship is truth which elce I would not affirm for
y^e value of ten thousand worlds and I do further assure yo:^r Lordsp that no
consideracon less than a due reguard for y^e Peace quiet and security of the
Church and state in North America and y^t of yo:^r Lordsps unspoted hon^r:
should have made me give yo:^r Lordsp this repeated trouble had y^e ill effects
of M:^r Blairs rude & barbarous treatm^t: of his Excellcy been only confined
to y^e Limits of Virg:^a yo:^r Lordsp should have had y^e representation of it
from other pens not from me but since 'tis become y^e subject of the
Civil Magistrate as well as of y^e Clergy in all y^e Goverm:^ts on y^e Main.
I thought it my duty to lay it before yo:^r Lordsp and to acquaint you
with what is y^e gen:^ll discourse & notion of y^e best sort of men on this
occasion Some are pleased to say what can't an English Church and
Clergy under an English established Goverm:^t be governed with:^t a Scotch
Comiss:^ry being set over them this is worse then Dutch and French Officers
over an English Army can't our Universitys and y^e whole Kingdome—
aford and English man qualifyed to preside over our Clergy without being
forced to send a Scotch man especially since there is four hundred pounds
Sterlg: to support an English Gent: duely qualified for those Places Others
are pleased to say y^t y^e Scotch have already ingrossed almost all y^e Trade
of these parts of y^e world and must they govern our Church too must
those y^t never were true sons of y^e Church become Rulers and almost
fathers of it this will quickly spott and blemish y^e most pure and best
Church in y^e world Others do heartily wish, and pray y^t yo:^r Lordship
may not send any more scotch Clergy amongst them those that are
now with them will fare y^e worse for their Country-mans behaviour
to Gov:^r Nicholson. The Civil Magistrate they seem to fear least
y^e factious Scoth Spirit should diffuse it self into y^e more Northern
Provinces and disturb y^e quiet of those Goverments and therefore do hope
y^t no Scotch shall ever share with them

Thus I have taken y^e freedome
to lay before yo:^r Lordsp some few hints should I be pticular it would.
fill many sheets and tyre yo:^r Lordship which obliges me to contract this—
Subject. And now my Lord give me leave to say y^t as no man living—
can have a greater concern and true reguard for y^e Peace Prosperity—
and happyness of both Church & state than yo:^r Lordsp hath which is a
truth allowed by all y^t have either known or but heard of yo:^r Lordship
so give me leave to say y^t never any man had such an oppertunity put
into his hands to secure & preserve both through all y^e Goverm:^ts of North-
America as yo:^r Lordsp now hath by discouraging & discountenancing—
M^r: Comissry Blair in all his malicious attempts and designes against—
his Excellcy Gov:^r Nicholson This will effectually root up all y^e seeds of
faction in this Goverm:^t for those few uneasy spirits y^t are joyned in
Interest with M^r: Blair as soon as they find y^t yo:^r Lordsp hath discou-
raged him (they very well know y^t he hath no other support or depen-
dance) will immediately come to themselves see their former folley, and
consult their true Interest and no longer disturb the Peace and quiet
of this Goverm:^t whereas on y^e other hand should M^r: Blair be in y^e least
encouraged or supported in y^e many Ills y^t he hath been guilty off it will
quickly increase and augum:^t y^e number of factious uneasy spirits and
make them attempt far greater evills to y^e ruen & disturbance of both—
Church & state all which is now in your Lordsps power to prevent and to
establish y^e compleat happyness of both and now to use y^e words of a—
great man if ever so good and great a work be done this in y^e time,
and therefore I do with all good men who love y^e Peace & Prosperity of
Jerusalem most heartily pray y^t God Almighty would be pleased to put it
into yo:^r Lordsps heart to improve y^e blessed oppertunity which he hath
put into your hands

I am very well assured y^t yo:^r Lordsp will have
a farr greater respect and reguard to y^e united voices of all yo:^r Clergy
not only of Virg:^a but of all y^e Goverm^ts: of America together with y^e voices
and prayers of many thousand true sons of y^e Church who do pray for—
the Peace and Prosperity of it than for y^e sley insinuations of a few
factious prejudiced men who were they to live a hundred years could
never be able to do a thousand part of so much good as they have done
mischief in this very Governm^t: I could heartily wish y^t M^r: Comissary
were well provided for in Engld so y^t if possible he might never return
to this Governm:^t again which I hope would be happy both for y^e Country
and himself too If my hearty Love & zeal for yo:^r Lordsps hon:^r and the
publick good of y^e Church and state hath raised a warmth in me and
forced me to speak some plain truths I am sure yo:^r Lordsp hath—
goodness and Charity enough to consider y^e true motive & freely pardon
me. I should not have been so large on this Subject but on this consi-
deration if M^r: Blair had assurance enough to attempt imposing on me
who was not altogether a strainger to y^e sev:^ll Interests and state of the
Country especially being, on y^e spott and might so easyly be disabused
what hath he not done by his cunning insinuations and Agents at so
great a distance as England. but whatever success he hath had in im-
posing on others (for I must allow him as able to make y^e best of a bad
cause as any man) yet I am very well assured y^t it will be impossible
for him with all his cuning to impose on yo:^r Lordsp which is all I will
presume to say. And as to what concerns y^e present state of the
sev:^ll Goverm:^ts on this Main I must refer yo:^r Lordsp to my severall
memorialls & lett:^rs which, I have now sent to y^e R^t: Hon:^ble the Lords
of Trade. I had almost forgot to take notice of a great charge improved
by M:^r Comiss:^ry against his Excellcy y^t he hath refused or neglected to induct
y^e Clergy so y^t their Condition is very precarious and subjected to the—
arbitrary will of y^e Vestrys I can assure yo:^r Lordsp from my own know-
ledge y^t no man living could be more zealous to remedy this evil and
secure this point for y^e Clergy than y^e Gov:^r was which appeared by his
Instructions to me when I went last to England being ordered to lay it
before yo:^r Lordsp & get y^e Atturny Gen:^lls opinion on y^e Act of Assembly
of this Province which accordingly I did and brought it with me but
it proved in some things short for 'thô 'twas positive y^t in case the
Parish did not present in a limitted time y^t then that right did—
devoute to y^e Crown and y^t y^e Gov:^r might Induct but gave no direction
what prossess or methods ought to be used in case y^e Vestry did refuse—
to obey or should shutt y^e Church Dores ag^t. y^e Ministers inducted w^ch:
might very well be expected his Excellcy very well considered this to be
a matt:^r of great moment & therefore thought it not safe to put it to
y^e hazard 'till he could get further advice & directions effectually
to secure this great concern and hath sent again about this business by
M^r: Jones and I can assure yo:^r Lordsp y^t y^e Gov:^r resolves as soon as he
receives y^e further advice and directions y^t he dayly expects he will take
y^e proper methods of doing y^e Clergy Justice and securing this point for
them of which I believe they are all very well satisfyed and some of y^e
Gent: know y^t: it is not his Excellcys fault y^t this business hath been delay'd
so long But M^r: Comiss:^ry Blairs I have this acc^t: from some of y^e Clergy—
who gave me sev:^ll Instances of his endeav:^rs to encourage and support the
Vestrys against them this method he thought would make him Populer
with y^e People and at y^e same time endeavouring under hand to lay y^e
fault on y^e Gov:^r a more full acc:^t of this matter yo:^r Lordsp will have
from those very Clergy men y^t have been thus treated by y^e Comiss:^ry
to which I refer. I could not omitt y^e sending yo:^r Lordsp y^e Coppy of
an Address signed by M:^r Comiss:^ry Blair to shew yo:^r Lordsp how inconsistant
this Gent: is with himself having under his own hand contradicted what he so
industriously & zealously endeavoured to impose on all & in pticular on my
self I will not take up more of yo:^r Lordsps time to coment on this duble
unchristian dealing but refer to yo:^r Lordships Judgem:^t

This goes by Coll: Daniel Coxe who will give yo:^r Lordsp a very good acc:^t
of most Governm:^ts in America. I will not presume to trespass any furt:^r
on yo:^r Lordsps patience but most humbly to beg yo:^r Lordsps blessing and
leave to subscribe myself as I truly am