Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

We the Subscribers, Members of your Majesty's
Councill of your Colony and Dominion of Virginia
confiding in Your Majesty's Great goodness and Care
of Your People, beg leave be in all humility to represent
to Your Sacred Majesty, that nothing but a true reguard
to Your Majestys Service the Peace and happiness of this
Colony, and to that trust Your Majesty has been pleased
to repose in Us, should have at present induced Us to
this unusual way of Addressing Your Sacred Majesty
for relief of Our Selves and other Your Majestys—
good and Loyall Subjects of this Country from the many
great Grievances and pressures, We ly under by reason
of the unusuall insolent and Arbitrary methods of
Government, as well as wicked and Scandalous Ex-
amples of Life, which have been now for Divers Years
past put in Practice by his Excellency Francis—
Nicholson Esq^r Your Majesty's Lietenant ^and Governor
Generall of this Colony, which, We have hitherto in Vain
endeavoured by more soft and Gentle Applications—
to himself to remedy and prevent, but to our unspeak-
able Grief we have reaped no other fruit of our more pri-
vate Complaints and Representations, but that thereby
We have so highly exasperated the revengefull mind of
Your Majesty's said Governor, to the highth of implaca-
ble Malice, and Enmity against Ourselves, and the better—
part of Your Majesty's good and Loyall Subjects of this—
Colony, who are of the same Sentiments, that without
your Majesty's Seasonable interposition, We can not
but apprehend the Dangerous consequences of such—
Practices, not only in kindling and fomenting of lasting
feuds and Animosities among Your Majestys good
Subjects here, but endangering the Publick peace and
Tranquility of this Your Majesty's Country.

The particular Instances of the Mal-Administra-
tions of Your Majestys said Governor are so many—
that We fear the ^very enumeration of the several sorts of—
them would be an encroachment on Your Majestys
patience and goodness; And therefore We have Chosen
rather to Transmitt them in Memorialls to some noted
Friends of this Country to be by them layd before such—
Persons as Your Majesty shall think fitt to appoint
to receive and Ex^amine the same; humbly praying
Your Majestys Gracious consideration of Our—
Deplorable Circumstances; and that the Government
of this Your Colony and Dominion of Virginia may
be put into such hands as will observe your Majestys
Laws and Instructions, and Copy after the bright—
Example of Your Gracious Reign and Government
to the unspeakable Satisfaction of all your Majestys
Subjects of this Colony, and among them no more than

Petition to the
King against
Gov^r Nicholson