Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

MS43.04: Francis Nicholson Papers
Rev. Mongo Ingles letter to Nicholson, 8 August 1705

I think it my Duty to aquaint your Excellency that I intend
to quit the Grammar School, (which is commonly, but very improper-
ly called the College) both as Master and Housekeeper on the twen-
ty fifth day of September next.

I have many Reasons which move me to this, and shall only mention
some of them.

• 1.Because M^r: Blair, President of the intended College of William and
  Mary, when last in England ordered his Brothers son John Blair
  to be taken from school which accordingly was done; and by so doe-
  ing he broke the ice for five or six more of his kindred and party,—
  who likeways (and only they) took their sons and Relations from—
  school, after his laudable example; by which means I lost seven schol-
  ars almost one third of the Whole; which had almost broke the—
  school, and was a Considerable loss to me, six of them being my Boar-
  ders.
• 2.Because by such Proceedings, I have very good reason to think that
  M^r. Blair and his Party have turned the Noble Design of the College—
  into a stalking-horse to serve a turn, and by takeing their sons—
  and Relations from school, design'd to breake it, because your Excell-
  ency is so much for promoting it, and that they might have it to—
  say, that your Excellency had not Interest enough in the Country—
  to keep it up, and that it could not be a school nor a College in M^r:
  Blairs absence, thought it was the least of his care's when Present.
• 3.Because he has Addressed the Queen, to remove your Excellency the
  Great Patron and Promoter of it and the Best Friend (without flatte-
  ry) that ever it had, next to King William & Queen Mary, and
  her Present Majesty, whom God long preserve: and that too upon bare
• 
surmise, without any legal tryal, or Articles proved, any otherwayse
than by some positive and Experte Affidavits which one of that party
pretends can not be invalidated by any future Negative:
• 4.Because I have all along found M^r: Blair uneasy and dissatisfy'd
  with the Present Governours and I being none of his Party, can not
  expect to live comfortably and easy in his society.
• 5.Because he has highly injured and disgraced not only Your Excellen-
  cy but my school, my scholars, and my self in one of his Affidavits
  by makeing Your Excellency the Contriver, and my scholars the Ex-
  ecutioners, of a bad Design, of which thô he first acquits Your Excel-
  lency, yet he immediatly charges it upon you, and lays the whole—
  train of his Accusation, so as to have it beleived: By which means, he
  has done what he could to make my scholars to be thought a Company
  of cutthroats, or a Crew of Brandittys, that makes no more of the—
  life of a man than the life of a hen, tho they are the best Gentlemen
  sons in in Country, and of such vertuous Dispositions, and honest—
  Principles, as are not easily to be Matched in most Grammar schools
  and this being no less an Aspersion on my self, than on my scholars, as
  if I either did not, or knew not, how to form their minds with Bet-
  ter Principles, I can not but deeply resent such usage.
• 6.I have learnt by twelve years Experience, that the Intended—
  College of William and Mary, will never arrive at any greater—
  Perfection, than a Grammar school. while M^r: Blair demands and
  takes his salary yearely as President, while it is only a Grammar
  school; and while there remains no more money behind, than—
  will barely pay the Usher and Writing-Master and my self; w^ch:—
  two years a goe came very far short even of that: and it was with some
  difficulty that we got any more than half salary: so that there
  is not the least probability, that ever the College will answer the
  Design in the Charter, while things continue as they are. And if—
  M^r: Blair were not your Excellencys enemy, I would tell you, that
  there is not any thing has done the College more disservice, than—
  his Demanding and takeing his salary as President of the Col-
  lege while it is only a Grammar school, which has rendered the Col-
  lege so odious among the Inhabitants, that it is lookt upon, not as it
  is indeed a Noble and Excellent Design, but a trick of M^r: Blair's to en-
  rich himself, and for that reason there are but very few that send—
  
• 
their sons to School. For these Reasons, I am resolved to quit the
School, at the Terme abovementioned, and, to have no more to do with
it, while M^r: Blair is concerned in it. I am