MS43.04: Francis Nicholson Papers
Nicholson letter to Unknown Person, 8 March 1704/5

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Virginia. March 8th. 1704/5.

Honble: Sir

I should be guilty of that worst of Crimes Ingratitude, if I did not acknowledge ye many undeserved
favours & kindnesses wch. you have been pleased to do me, especially of late concerning ye affair of my accusation
&c. I am extraordinarily Obliged to you for yor. letter of ye 23d. July last particularly for yor. good and—
wholesome advice therein.

May be few men have been so used as I have been by a parcel of Black Coats, and I have all the—
reason in ye world to be aware of the Bishop of London's Comissarys & of men that their Names are—
monosyllables & begin with B: but I find as yet Dr. Bray to be an honester man than Blair; for he only—
talk'd falsely Scandalously & maliciously of me & writt such lettrs. into those parts & hath not sworne agt. me as—
Blair hath done: for he hath not only sworne through deal boards & brickwalls, but also my very thoughts &
imaginacons. I herewith send you a paper drawn up by three Lawyers wch. I employed with 30 odd papers &c.
Sixteen of wch. there are References to, and the other may made use of by whom you think fit to employ in—
England abt. it. I hope that what I now send will be sufficient to convince not only my friends but indifferent
persons that what Blair hath sworne agt. me is not only out of the height of inveterate malice & revenge—
but that he hath forsworne himself in a great many things as will appear by Records & living testimonys &c.

I have writt a pretty long letter to my friend, ye Honble: Jno: Povey Esqr. & sent him some papers &c. and—
I desire if you could without much trouble to yor.self concert affairs with him: I herewith send you my letter
to Mr. George Wilcox wch. after you have read I desire that you will please send it that he may wait upon—
You. I also herewith inclose to you 6 Queries wch. I got my Lawyers to draw up wch. I desire may be—
made use of as you think proper. Here is also a lettr. from Mr. Jno: Holloway one of my three Lawyers—
to Richd. Goodrich Esqr. with two or three lines from myself to him wch. when you have perused, I desire—
may be sent to him. I desire that you will be pleased to employ as many Sollicitors, Attorneys & Councellors—
as you think may be necessary & I had rather have more, than too few, and whatever you shall please—
to direct to be given them or any other person you employ or where you think it necessary that money be—
given to defray all those charges I herewith send you a Genll: letter of Credit upon my Correspondents Messrs:—
Micajah Perry, Tho: Lane & Richd. Perry Merchts. in London. The inclosed pacquet for ye Bp. of London when
You have read ye letter & perused ye papers be pleas'd to let Mr. Povey see it for I have writt to him about it, &
if you think necessary that copys of any of the papers be taken, be pleas'd to employ some person to do it & let
them be paid, Mr. Perry writing me that some of my lettrs. have not come to him, I desire that you will be—
pleas'd to talk with him abt. it & if possible to find where they were intercepted, for the prevention of wch.
now, as likewise for ye safe Conveyance of the papers &c. wch. I send now I have presumed to put them all—
in a box & direct them for yor.self, and what the postage comes to I desire that you would place it to
my Accot. & Mr. Perry will pay it. That packet for Dr. Lancaster I desire may be sent by a safe hand,
I send to Mr. Povey a copy of Mr. Jones's lettr. to him with a list of papers sent him, and I have left
them unsealed that you may read any of them if you please & amongst them is Mr. Blair's Affidavit wch.
you writt to me about, and if you find necessary let copys of them be taken & paid for: for my own—
part I had rather ly in a Goal & live upon bread & water & be an honest man, than to keep this Governmt. or
any other, & be such a man as ye Memll: & Affidavit Sparks would make me, so that I hope no body—
can justly blame me for endeavouring by all lawfull ways & means possible to clear my self. I herewith—
send you the copy of a clause of one of ye late Archbishop Tillitsons Sermons, as likewise one of Dr. Souths
p2 which I think in some measure is applicable to my Case.

I am now most humbly to beg yor. pardon for all ye trouble &c. you have had on my accot. as likewise what
I have now desired of you: but my hopes are that God Almighty will be pleased to sometime or
other to be in a condition to retaliate it either to yor.self or some of yor. good & virtuous family to—
all whom I desire you will please to make the humblest of my Services acceptable, as likewise to my
Lady Russell & her family, and that you may always be in a perfect State of health & prosperity in
all respects are the most hearty prayers hopes & wishes to him who is

Yor. most obliged affectionate friend
and faithfull humble Servt.

Fr. Nicholson

I rec'd the box from Madm. Thornton (to whom —
I shall hardly able to now to write) & all the—
fine things I thank God came very well. I suppose
there was something paid for bringing them up—
wch. I desire you will place to ye Accot. of

I desire if you think proper to show my very good friend Sr. Tho: Lawrence the papers &c.—
because he is brought in for a Snack, and that You would please to do the same to our good friend—
Mr. Micajah Perry &c. but I don't know whether it may be proper to comunicate them to Collo: Blakiston.

I herewith send you a copy of my letter to the Lord High Treasurer with a copy of my proclamation
for a publick day of thanksgiving &c.

I now send to Mr. Povey copys of my 4 Lettrs. to ye Lords for trade &c. I desire that you'ld be pleased
to give yor.self the trouble of reading them as likewise my Lettrs. to him wth. those to Mr. Perry & Wilcox, &
that of ye. Revd. Mr. Jones's to Dr. Lancaster, and after you have done what you think proper with the
pacquets, Seal them up and let them be sent. If Mr. Secry. Jenings be in Towne or the
Revd. Mr. James Sclayter if you think proper all may be comunicated to them as likewise to Mr.—
Tho: Corbin. Those two bundles wch. are Mark't F: N. if you find it necessary & convenient—
they may be given to the Lords for Trade &c. But if you find that please God I am at home—
Shortly, then I think it will be the best way to have them kept till I can make use of them my self
but in this & in all other matters I wholly leave to yor.self to manage as you think convenient; In
doing of wch. You'll continue to very much oblige.

Fr: N:

By this I now send you a List of what is in the Box.

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Letter