Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

[missing previous pages]fit us all for yt great and certain change.

As to what You write conserning Mr Pen, his seeming to be angry with some Actions
of me to with respect to this Governmt; I dont at all wonder at it: but I thank God;
what but I have done in yt Affair; was in order to discharge my duty to God and his
Majty in general; and for y^e particular Interest of old Eng^d, and of Virginia: and
I don^t answer for Col Quary, yt what he did, was upon y^e same foot: and Likewise yt
we might not be forsworn or betray o^r Trust. Its no very difficult thing to make it ap-
pear y^t Pensylvania ^{as it} hath been Managed, in proportionably as prejudicially to Eng-
land, as France: or as y^e Scotts if they had feared Danger: and in particular
to his Majestys provinces of Virginia and Maryland in general; but parti
cularly about y^e Tobacco-trade.

I all ways looked upon old Captn Tregenny to be full of Whimseys: but could not have
imagined yt he could have been guilty of doing such a thing as he hath, viz. Staying
himself in Pensylvania, and sending his ship by y^e mate to his son here. to whom
he hath only written a short and, I think,/ sylly letter. for his son was with me
lately & showed it me; and desired my Advice in y^t affair; for he supposed yt
he should not meet with some difficultys in loading & cleaning of y^e Ship. I
advised him to consult with his Wifes Relatons, for he hath lately marryd a
Daughter of Lieutent-Coll. Willson's Brothers: Yn to send an express to his father,
and that they would all give him a full account of Affairs; and advise & perswade him
to come hither.

You write yt what is doing with us, is in part y^e subject of discourse amongst You
but I hope in God yt most things if not all, will run easy and quiet for y^e good of
Virginia &c. which is all, You say, yt You desire: And I doe now once for
all, desire of you and y^e rest of my Friends news to give in time Credit to what
shall be told, or writ You concerning Virginia in generall & my sefe in particular.
For as peoples interests and Inclinations ^are they may or write say or write too much
or too little, either for, or against y^e Country, or myself: And as for what parti-
cularly concerns y^e College & y^e Maners of Brafourton, I must refer you to y^e hon
ble Col. Ludwell. And about^concerning my money in your hands, I shall (God willing)
by & by write to You about it.

Your letter of August y^e 29^th only gives an Account about Tippets ^{being armed}, and of
y^e Pensylvania Mercht being cast away, & of several [illegible] ships coming out,
according to yo^r desine, I dispersed y^e several letters concerning y^e Cost of y^e Negro-
ship, and I suppose they will all write to You about y^t Affair.

In yo^rs of Fbr y^e 4^th: You give an Account of y^e Bird's Safe Arrival; and pray
God send her in safe to us again: I suppose she will be y^e last ship. I'm very glad
yt you took my private advice as a point of friendship, being 'twas so designd
by me. I hope in God yt before this, You have so managed our letters about y^e College
Affairs yt they will be very much to y^e Advantage thereof. Its no wonder yt some
people had thoughts things might not have gon so smoothy: but as I thank
God, things went even with y^e Assembly: so I hope they will in y^e main
doe so still: but You know y^t tis morally impossible to please every body, or to sa-
tisfy their desires: I intend God willing to continue my design of indeavoring to dis-
charge my Duty both to God, and his Majesty: and yn to do this Country all y^e good
I can, & not to let any private interest come in l not even my own stand in ^competition
with you.

In yours of Fbr y^e 12th. You are again pleased to mention my particular letter to You
and what I did for y^r Interest in Maryland, both w^ch I had before answered, &
likewise about y^e Maners of Braforton: but shall not be unmindfull (God will)
of writing y^e letters which You so [wisely] and friendly advise. You write yt you are
glad all aminitys stayd aside & in answer to which paragraph I must refer You
to what I have just before sign cent, and Before too. What You write concerning
Bulk, must refer You try to y^e former part of my letter: And w I I will (God
willing, see what y^e Assembly will do in yt affair: for I am heartily sorry y^t any
Commander suffers upon account of his men running Bulk. As for y^e Lordp Charac-
ter for which General Braforton hath given You of y^e Gentleman: I have no sent You
my thoughts on y^t affair^Matter. I am of y^r Opinion about black Swans &c. but doe not
alltogether agree with You, about y^e Mapp. Mr Thomas Merrywether I is now
I think very well setled in Rappohanoc: and I'm very glad y^t o^r late good Friend
y^e honble Col Hartwell remembered so many of his Wives, & his own Virginia
Relatons. The four Rings, which You sent me, are disposed, as You write
Col. Hartwell ^[deleted] desired viz. to y^e revd. M^r Blayer, M^r Fouace, M^r Benjamin
Harison jun^r, and my self, one a piece. I am very glad yt y^e Paper was bring
I hope I shall have it in Tippets, and yt You would send foar quide of it to
his Exy Govno^r Blakiston. I am allso very glad y^t You will send y^e things for the
Capitol.

I heartily thank You for yo^r Advise concerning y^e revising y^e laws: and I shall en-
deavor (God willing) to have such abody of Laws made, as are agreeable to those
in Engld &c. but give me leave to observe to You, y^t what some people with You, call hard
ships, are not in ym selves, really so, but rather y^e Contrary: and I hope with You little
things will not stand in y^e way of Justice: but in all those Cases, You know y^e
looser, will Complain right or rong: and as I suppose some of y^e Gentlemen
have done who have lost their places of Collecto^rs & [illegible] pray observe what their
Lordsps are pleased to [illegible] to [illegible] in y^e last clause of their letter concerning those
instructions &c. If you think proper, You may show these

Yours of Fbr y^e 18^th is concerning Captn Hill: but give me leave as a friend to advise You
not so openly to espouse yt interest: for I fancie you can not not worrie but oblige Col. Byrd
According to y^e Commissioners letter to me, I have given ^him a Commission to be Collect^or
of y^e Uper district of this River: for Col. Lightfoot, whome I have given it to before,
hath lost it. I thank You for acquainting y^e Commissn^rs of my indisposition. and I
am now a preparing several things, which I design (God willing) to send you ^you by one of o^r forward ships; and to write to M^r Savage too, and may be private
letters to some of y^e Committee of y^e Customs, of my acquaintances. If you happen
to see Mr Savage, You may by y^e by, acquaint him of it.

I am very glad y^t Mr Perey calld upon You and gave you advice about y^e seal, &c.
By such things as these you may partly ghess how he would have y^e Agency me-
naged. I hope y^e Wine which You send to Major Burwell will be very good, and
at least in full quart bottles.

I herewith transmit to You a list of ^eight Bills of Exchange which I have drawn upon
You: they are all amount to one hundred forty five pounds sterl.^{at ye bottom of which ye Accompt of
bills of exchange, & Notes payable to me}

I allso herewith transmit to You Mr Henry Heard's first bill of Exchange payable
to me for 18^£ 2^{s d}6 & drawn upon Mr George Cole Merch^t in london, with a
Letter of Advise to him. M^r Sam: Cheews 1^st bill of exchange payable
to me for 8^£—14^s—6^d and drawn upon M^r John Hyde merch^t in London.
M^r Thoms Lowndes his first note of Fbr y^e14^th Fber y^e 14^th being
for 20^£-19-04 sterl; his second of December, y^e 24^th. being for y^e sum
of 24-14-09^d sterl. These two notes I have writ to his brother ^{my good friend}
M^r Secretary Lowndes about. (He desired me in a letter to give
him Credit) and I have acquainted him yt You will go to him, and
draw y^e money upon my account, which I desire yt You would be pleased to doe
and you may hear of Him at y^e Treasury-Chamber, or at his own House
near Westminster Abby. The honble M^r Audit^r Byrds first bill of exchange
of the 20th of Ober last, for four hundred pound sterling payable
to me & drawn upon y^r selves

These 3 bills of Exchange and 2 Notes amount to four hundred seventy
eight pounds ten shillings and a penny— I herewith allso transmit to You
his 2^nd Bill of Exchange (y^e first I sent to You on y^e 16th of Aug^st) tis dated y^e
9th of August, and payable for 2 ^for 250^£ Sterl payable to me & drawn
upon yo^r selves.

The 30^£ sterl which I formerly writ to You for which I drew a bill upon
you payable to Captn James Greenwell; and advised You yt Govern^r Blakiston
would allow it me in yo^r Accompt; but he hath now done it here; so y^t af
fair is at an end.

I herewith send You a list of y^e ships & Vessels in y^e several Rivers & suppose
yt they are right. I rcd y^e things w^ch You sent me by Morgan: but y^e two
Lamps were broken: and y^e Herald painter hath made some mistake: but Capt
Greenwall stays for me; so can not now write You any better account of these things: but design design (God willing) to doe it by y^e next
opportunity. I I have formerly written to You about y^e disposal of
my money in yo^r hands, so hoping You will doe for me in yt affair
as for yo^r selves, leave it wholy to you:

If please God, y^t Captⁿ Greenwell should return this summer, which he
has some thoughts of, I hope to hear from You by him: and it may chance
to be a good opportunity of my fe yo^r sending my latter things to