Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Sheweth

That we do not take upon our Selves to Dispute your—
Reverence's Authority & Jurisdiction over us as Commissary—
to the R.^t Hon:^ble & R.^t Rever.^d Father in God Henry Lord—
Bishop of London within this her Maj:^tys Colony & Dominion
of Virginia.—

But that having seen an Authentically Attested Copy of an
Order of Queen in Councill, Signifying it to be her Maj^tys:—
Royal Pleasure that You should not Depart the Kindom of
England, nor Come into Virginia, till by having abiden her
Maj:^ty's just Determination & Royall Award, in a certain Case
nearly relating to y^e Affairs of this Colony, you should—
have put yourself into a Capacity of appearing here—
under less suspicious Circumstances, & have effectually—
wiped off those Scandalous imputations, under which at—
present you Labour.—

Hereupon We humbly Submitt it to yo:^r Reverence's own—
Consideration whether it be safe or convenient, either for
you to require, or for us to pay the Respects & Obedience—
otherwise due to yo.^r Character, untill such time as her—
Maj:^ty's Pleasure be further known yo.^r being in or Executing
upon us within this her Maj:^ty's Colony of Virg:^a any Power or
Commission whatsoever of a Date Antecedent to the Date
5 of that Order of Queen in Councill, or of an Authority or action
not Equall to it.—

Or unless we shall have some such Dispensation given us as—
may be sufficient to secure us from the Danger of incurring the—
like Censure of Contempt, should we shew our selves overforward in
paying our Respects, & Obedience to a Person himself Standing (as to us seems)
in Contempt & Disobedience to her most sacred Maj:^ty—

Untill w.^ch shall be done if we think it more safe & more Becomeing
our Character for us of thee Clergy to withdraw & Suspend, for a—
Season our usual Respects & Obedience; We hope this our humble—
Representation & the scrupulous fear we have of doing any thing, w.^ch—
may expose us to Censure or Contempt, Either here (where yo.^r Reverence
cannot but be sensible under what a generall Odium you lye) or at home
(where your Case seems very Doubtfull) will receive a favourable Interpritation.

Thus S.^r humbly Desireing you to take into yo.^r Serious Consideration—
both our Circumstances & your own, We Subscribe our Selves (under the
Conditions before named)

6 P: S:

If under this our humble Remontrance you shall please to
Subscribe it, as yo.^r Judgm.^t & Opinion, that notwithstanding that—
Order of Queen in Councill, we may & ought to pay you the—
same Respects & Obedience as before, & that in so doing we—
need not fear any Censure from above.—

If S.^r you shall be pleased in terms Direct & Express to—
Deliver this to us as Yo.^r Judgem.^t in y^e Case, we shall not—
Dispute yo.^r Determination but Submitt; Otherwise we must—
for a Time suspend.—

You having been pleased this day to read to us some—
Papers by way of Answer & Remarks upon our humble—
Representation presented to you yesterday, & withall havenig—
promised to deliver the same to us in writeing, the greatest
part of us liveing at a considerable distance, & desireing to—
haste Homewards, humbly desire you if those Papers are not
as yet in a Readiness to be Delivered, to put them into—
the hands of our Reverend Brother M.^r Whately, your near
neighbour to be by him Comunicated to us—We are

Directed
To the Rever:^d M.^r Comissary Blair &c
This is a true & exact Copy of the Letter
delivered by me (from the Clergy whose
Names are here Subscribed) to the Rever:^d
M.^r Comissary Blair the Day of the Date
hereof—

To w.^ch M.^r Comissary was pleased to
answer by Word of Mouth, (refuseing
to do it in Writeing) that He would Comply
w.^th the Clergy's Desire Specifyed in this
Letter & leave it in the Hands of M:^r—
Whately to be Communicated unto y^e Clergy.—

(It is not without great Concern for you y.^t I write this General—
admonition for When I Reflect upon y^e hard Censures y.^t have passed—
upon you here in England for yo.^r being Drawn into Addresses &—
8 Testimonials & by what indecent & Irregular Methods procured,
how you Exposed yourselves in Complying & Coming into Every—
thing Contrary to y^e Knowledge & Sentiments of Many of you,
I cannot but be ashamed for you y^t y^e Gospel should have—
Infused no Better Principles into yo.^r Hearts. But God be—
thanked that Temptation is over & Contrary to yo.^r Demeritts
you have a Gov.^r y.^t will need none of yo.^r Testimonials nor—
Expect any other Thing from you but a peaceable & Sober
Behaviour y.^t yo.^r flocks may learn by yo.^r Examples as well—
as precepts how to demean themselves. If you Imagine yo.^r
Late Gov.^r Coll.^o Nicholson has been Injurious to you, forgive
as you would be forgiven & Express no Resentm.^t but part
with him fairly & friendly without Signing papers or playing
y^e fool as you have done formerly. Happy are you now if
it be not yo.^r own faults, for I dare say yo.^r Gov.^r Comes—
w.^th an unbyas'd Mind to Serve y^e Queen & y^e Comon Interest
of y^e Plantation without Respect of Persons, he Expects all
Grudges & private animosities, all factions & parties should
be forgotten & y^t all should forgett & forgive, Look forwards
& Remember y^e Guilt of Lott's Wife. Be ye therefore y^e first
my Dear Brethren in Setting a good Example to this happy
Revolution; Let yo.^r Gov.^r be Witness of yo.^r Good Behaviour
Yo.^r Comissary of y^e faithfull Discharge of yo.^r Duty & God
Almighty of yo.^r Sincerity. Let this Moment Shut y^e Door—
upon all y^t is passed, let no Complaints Come to me but—
what are dated after y^e hour you read this & let the—
Remembrance of all things be gone, be as if they never
had been, let us now begin upon a new Acco:^t & Cancell all
9 the old ones: For my part I will not hear nor Remember w.^t has befallen—
before this time, I shall be perfectly deafe to all y^t is passed & Expect
to hear from you for y.^e future as if you had never seen nor known
one another before. I pray God Bless & Direct you & give you a—
Right understanding in all things, it is y^e hearty prayer of

The Occasion of Convocating you at y.^s time was to Impart—
you y^e Letter w^ch you have heard from our R.^t Rever.^d Diocessan
he so fully spoke his own Sence, y^t I have nothing to add, but
only to assure you y^t I am fully Resolved for my part to Comply—
w^th his most prudent Christian & peaceable admonition. The world
knows I have been strangely assualted & accused of Countenancing y^e
precariousness of y^e Clergy, & some other ill things, w^ch I am so
far from being Guilty off, y^t I have Expressed in all times & under all
Gov.^rnm.^ts a Distinguishing Zeal ag.^t them both here & in England.
But thô I am y^e person wrongfully Tax'd & Accus'd, I shall lay my
hand upon my Mouth & draw a vail upon all y.^t is past; I hope
10 this will not be so Miscontrued, as if I were any way—
Conscious to my Self y.^t I cann't answer what has been—
laid to my Charge. So far from y.^t That if any Real—
scruple remains w^th any of you, I shall take it as the—
Greatest Kindness if you will give me an opportunity of
Ssatisfying it in private without Exposing our Selves by—
our publick Differences; & if y.^t won't Do, Then make it
as publick & Complain of me in Gods name to my—
Superiours as much as you please, I desire no favour—
upon y.^t Acco.^t If any man is weary of y^e late unhappy Divisions
& Annimosities w^ch have been among us, he shall find me
ready to forgive & forget & to be perfectly Reconciled,
to y^t degree y.^t I will never so much as put him in mind
of what is past. But if any man has a Mind to Accuse
me of any Crime or Misdemeanor whatsoever if instead
of doing it by y^e way of Backbiting in holes & Corners—
he will do it in any Way either of publick Justice or
private Arbitration he shall find me ready to give—
him satisfaction. Ye had heard a great Deal to Day
for Peace & Quietness. Pray Remember y^t our Divisions
will be Nuts to y^e Adversaries of y^e Church & of the
profession of y^e Ministry, the Atheists, y^e Papists, y^e Quakers
y^e loose & ungodly Livers, & several other who have—
no great Respect for our function, it requires our joynt
Labours to withstand all these, but how glad will They
be so see y.^t Zeal w^ch. used to be spent ag.^t y.^m now Employed
11 in worrying & Devouring one Another. I for my part am ready to pass
by all provocations being well satisfied ye have not been y^e principalls
but only Accessarys in y.^m If ye for Yo.^r parts are as Amicably & peaceably
Dispos'd, I hope we shall mutually Reap y^e Blessed fruits of Union &
Concord, & y^e Service of y^e Church will be so much y^e better—
promoted. But if any are still Desirous to Blow up y^e Coales of
Contention, I am affraid I must tell you They y.^mselves may have—
Occasion to repent it, when it is too late. The Case is much altered
now from what it was some time ago, God be thanked we have—
now a Gov.^r who is as studious of Union & Quiett, as some others
have been of party & faction, & notwithstanding y^e idle stories w^ch
are industriously spread all over y^e Country to y^e Contrary; we who—
have been near y^e fountain head of business know that he is a
Gentleman of y.^t Established good Character & y^t firm Interest, y.^t we
are like to be long happy under his Gov.^rnm.^t & They will find y.^t
they do but kick ag.^st y^e pricks who go about directly or indirectly—
to undermine him or make him uneasy. To Conclude let us—
thankfully acquiesce in her Maj:^ties Choice of a good Gov:^r a Gentleman
fitted to heal our breaches, & Compose our Difference & make us
all easy & happy, & let us Comply with y^e wise & Christian admonitions—
of our Excellent Bishop, & endeavour to live friendly & brotherly w^th
one another keeping y^e unity of y^e Spirit in y^e Bond of peace. I do—
again assure you it shall not be long of me if our differences be
Long Lived, And as to you I shall take my Characters of you not
from what you were when under the Strong Influences of a—
12 Mighty overswaying power of w.^ch I have been many times
an Eye & Ear Witness, but from what you will show your
selves hereafter when fairly left to y^e freedom of your—
own Choice.

I am sensible y.^t I am very unequal for y.^s Charge wherein
through y^e providence of God I am Continued, But I hope
through Gods Blessing on my honest endeavours & Yo.^r
good Council & assistance, w^ch I intend Duly to ask & take—
along w^th me in every thing of Moment y.^t y.^s poor Infant
Church may yet prosper & flourish, Especially if every—
one of us is Carefull not only to maintain Brotherly—
Love, but likewise to adorn y^e Truth of his Doctrine w^th an
Exemplary Life & Conversation in pastoral Dilligence & all
other Christian Virtures.

Whereas you have been pleased to propose it to me as a Doubt
whether notwithstanding a Certain Order of y^e Queen in Councill
14 Dated May y^e 3.^d 1705. you can own me as Com.^ry of Virg:^a
& are pleased to say you will Submit to my own opinion in
y^e Case given under my hand, I do here not only give—
you my opinion of yo.^r being safe in so doing, but shall
further sattisfy you in y^e Reasons of y^e S.^d Opinion.

1. There is not one Word in y.^t Order of Councill (were
it never so Regular) tending in y^e least to lay me aside from
my Office of Com.^ry & w^th Submission I judge it not proper—
for you to Draw any such Consequence till y^e Queen herself
or my L.^d Bp of London or y^e Gov.^r or Gov.^r & Counclil of Virg:^a
have Signifyed it to you. On y^e Contrary I doubt not it would
be Contrued as a Medling w^th Things not w.^thin yo.^r province
if you should go to Interpose yo.^r judgement before her Maj:^ty,
y^e Bishop or Gov.^r have Interposed Theirs.

I do likewise acquaint you y.^t I had good Advice in Law & that
my Lord Bishop of London was throughly acquainted w^th my
Case after y^e S.^d Order was made, & did not offer in y^e Least
to w^thdraw or suspend my power as Com.^ry Though he knew
of my Coming w^th y^e Fleet, & y.^t I had likewise made a full
answer to y^e said Order w^ch I doubt not is satisfactory, w^ch
I shall be very willing to show any of you in private thô for
y^e Reasons above mentioned you must not take upon you to prejudge
concerning y^e Merrits of y^e Cause but to abide her Maj:^ties—
Determination. In y^e mean time y.^t I am Com.^ry of Virg:^a (as you
have it already from my Lord Bishop of London & his Excell:^cy
our Gov:^r So Seeing you desire it under my own hand—
and that you are Safe & Act according to your—
15 Duty in owning me as such I put my Name to these pnts.

First, That as to y^e manner of procureing it, it was very Irregular,
upon y^e folllowing Acco.^ts—

• 1.st That y^e meeting where it was signed was a Clandestine meeting
  Called by no Authority Civil nor Ecclesiasticall.
• 2.That y^e S.^d meeting was held without y^e knowledge Privity or—
  Consent of y^e Bishops Com.^ry
• 3.That this way of Drawing papers & gathering of hands in Private,
  is Inconsistent w^th y^e usual way of proceeding in all Regular—
  Conventions, which is by Motion, Debate, Question, Vote and—
  Resolution.
• 4.That y^e only Psons Call'd to this meeting (excepting one newly—
  Arrived) were such of y^e Clergy as had by former Addresses &
  Subscriptions preengaged y.^mselves to Gov.^r Nicholson, & not the—
  whole Clergy.
• 5.That all such preengaging of Psons by Subscription before they—
  Come to y^e Regular meetings of y^e Clergy is utterly Destructive to
  all freedom of Deliberation and Debate, which is Essentially—
  necessary to all Lawfull Conventions.

18 Secondly. As to y^e Matter & form of y.^t paper (excepting what is—
already satisfyed in y^e answer to y^e above mentioned Case) it—
Contains several false & scandalous Reflections upon my self as—
if I had left England under Suspicious & Scandalous Circumstances,
as if I now stood in Contempt & Disobedience to her Maj^ty; and as if
I lay under y^e Gen:^ll Odium of y.^s Country, all w^ch are so many—
gross abuses & Calumnies most undeservedly thrown upon me.

Lastly. Because y^e Design of y.^t paper seems to be Exceeding—
Suspicious & to look w^th a bad Aspect not only upon y^e Ecclesiastical
but also y.^e Civil Governm.^t of y.^s Country w^th Relation to his Excy
Edward Nott Esq.^r our present Gov.^r, in whose sweet Temper &
peaceable Disposition y^e Country is Exceeding happy.

The Reasons of This Suspiciousness are

• 1.stThat I am informed some of these Clergymen who signed this—
  paper were Invited to Come to Town y^e night before y^e Generall
  meeting of y^e Clergy by y^e Late Gov.^r Nicholson's Messages and
  Letters after he was out of his Governm.^t
• 2.That their meeting was at M.^r Youngs house where the—
  said Late Gov.^r Lives.
• 3.That y^e S^d Gov.^r Nicholson was acquainted w^th & had seen a
  Monitory Letter written by my Lord Bishop of London to y^e Clergy
  of y.^s Country wherein his Lordship guards y.^m ag.^st such Subscriptions
  & Addresses, w.^ch Letter had it been first Communicated to y^e Clergy
  before they drew This paper, it is to be presumed They would—
  not have drawn nor Signed it, being an Express acting—
  contrary to y^e Bishops admonition in y^e s^d Letter, & all this by
  his knowledge & privity if not advice & Insignation.
• 4.Because before y.^s meeting of y^e Clergy y^e late Gov.^r had sent all
  19
• 
over y.^s Country Copys of her Maj:^ty's Letter & y^e Right Hon:^ble S.^r Charles—
Hodges his Letter to him together w.^th y^e Petition of M.^r Geo: Willcox his—
Sollicitor ag.^st me & y^e Order of Councill thereupon, by all which w.^th y^e
Storys & Comments upon y^e s.^d papers published by his Emissarys (viz.^t)—
y.^t he was much in favour with her Maj:^ty and y.^t he was only going
home to Clear himself & would Return Gov.^r hither in a little time,—
y.^t I had fled from publick Justice in England & was to be sent home
in Irons, it is probable Those of y^e Clergy who adher'd to his party were
prepared to draw up this Strange paper.
• 5.Because it is Insinuated in y.^s paper y.^t I lye under y^e Gen:^ll Odium of
  y^e Country & thô y^e Reason is not Exprest, yet it is talkt here &—
  doubtless will be Confidently reported in England, y.^t is because I have
  been so Instrumentall in Proving y^e Complaints ag.^st y^e s^d late Gov.^r and—
  it looks as if this Address were to be made use of in England to—
  Countenance a Story of y^e Dissatisfaction of y.^s Country w.^th y^e Change
  of y^e Gov.^r Upon all w^ch Acc.^ts as I can by no means approve of this—
  paper myself, so I hope several of my Brethren who have been—
  unwarily Led into y^e Clandestine Subscription of it, may now Still—
  withdraw their hands as being Innocent of y^e Sinister uses that may
  be made of their Subscriptions.

Most of y^e Ministers hastening out of Town M.^r Com:^ry w.^th some few
that remained finished y^e Minutes of this Meeting, Whereof they—
Attest This to be a true Copy.

Remarks upon M.^r Comissary's Speech—+^a.^a

″—Answer what hath been laid to my Charge——[And again]
″——To Accuse me of any Crimes or Misdemeanors—

It hath been laid to M.^r Comissarys charge, and under y.^t Charge in the
opinion of almost all men who ever heard any thing of him he still—
labours. That he hath been ever since he came into place & power
a very busy man & troublesom under every Governmn.^t and it hath been
laid to his Charge before Queen in Council that he hath aspersed—
her Maj:^ties Govern.^r & Governm.^t here with false & malitious Informations:
which is no small Crime & Misdemeanor, but as for that we have
nothing to do it. We never design to turn Accusers unless forced to it
in our own vindication.

″—Complain of me (in Gods name) as much as you please, I desire no
″favour upon that acco^t.

No! No Favour but a Protection. M.^r Comissary very well knew
before he made y.^t speech y.^t we are under a Prohibition of making
any Complaints ag.^t him or of so much as answering for ourselves.—
A safe Challenge.

″—If any man is weary of the late Unhappy divisions & Animositys
″w^ch have been among us.—

We are all of us weary of them, & most heartily wish the cause
of them Removed.

″— Never put him in mind of what is past—

Such a forgetfulness is necessary on all hands.

″— Backbiting in holes & Corners—

26 Of all the Men I know M.^r Comissary Blair hath the least—
Cause to Complain of Back-biting in holes and Corners.—
what Men speak of M.^r Blair, they speak in the high Roads—
and not in Holes and Corners.

″— I for my part am ready to pass by all Provocations—

This is good again: So that it be mutually taken.

″— Being well satisfyed that ye have not been the Principalls
″but only the Accessaryes in them—

In them? In what? In our Addresses & Testimonials and
opposing M.^r Comissarys opposing her Maj:^ties Govern:^r and—
Representative? if so; I accept not of the Purgation he offers.
in all these things I own my self to have been not a meer
Accessary only but a Principal.

″—But if any are still desirous to blow up the Coales of
″Contention; I am affraid I must tell you they themselves
″may have occasion to repent it when it is too late.—

This in M.^r Comissary Blair is Meekness in another Man it
would have been called Over-Awing.

Here follows a Paragraph the most Elaborate & Artificial—
in the whole Speech, w^ch I must dwell upon awhile and—
therefore Transcribe at length.

″—The Case is much altered now from what it was sometime
″ago, God be thanked we have now a Govern.^r who is as—
″Studious of Union & quiet as some others have been of—
″party & faction, and notwithstanding the Idle stories w^ch
″are industriously spread all over the Country to the—
″Contrary; We who have been near the fountain head of—
″busyness know y.^t he is a Gentleman of that Established
27 ″good Character & y.^t firm interest, y.^t we are like to be long happy—
″under his Governm.^t & they will find y.^t they do but Kick ag.^t the—
″pricks who go about directly or indirectly to undermine him or—
″make him uneasy.—

This Paragraph with all its Paint & Daubing, if taken without a—
Corrective, is Rank Poyson.

″—The case is much altered now from wh.^t it was some time ago.—
″God be thanked we have now a Govern.^r who is as Studious of Union and
″quiet as some others have been of party and faction,—

As some other have been.— viz.^t Govern.^r Andros & Govern.^r Nicholson, who
have both of y.^m felt the effects of M.^r Comissary Blairs Meekness.—But

″—God be thanked we have now a Govern.^r who is—

We like our Govern.^r as well as M.^r Comissary can do for the heart of him;
and as thankfully acquiesce in her Maj.^ties Choice; and already see sufficient
ground to Ominate to ourselves the greatest Ease & Happyness under his
Governm.^t and have not the least suspicion to the Contrary.

But as a friend let me tell M.^r Comissary y.^t his passion hath of late got
too much the Ascendant over his Discretion, And y.^t he takes but an—
Awkward way of recommending himself to the New Govern.^r by discover-
ing upon every Turn so Inveterate & untamable a Spleen ag.^t the Old one.
I wonder so great a Polititian as M.^r Blair should run upon so foule a
mistake. But every man hath his weakness: and this is M.^r Blair's.—
He can as well forbear drawing his breath, as venting his Gall against
Govern.^r Nicholson.—And yet this Govern.^r Nicholson was (as I have
been Informed) Usher'd into his Governm.^t w.^th this very self same—
Serenade of our Good Govern.^r & a very Good Governor did he continue
till it was his Misfortune to fall under the displeasure of M.^r Comissary—
Blair.

28 But the Sting lyes in what follows.

″—And notwithstanding the Idle Stories w.^ch are industriously—
″spread all over the Country to the Contrary; we who have
″been &c.—And that they will find, that they do but Kick
″ag.^t the Pricks who go about directly or indirectly to undermine
″him or make him uneasy.

And may y.^t Wretch be Clothed w.^th Infamy y.^t shall go about—
directly or indirectly to undermine him or make him uneasy.

But why in Gods name all this to us of the Clergy? doth any of us
go about directly or indirectly to undermine him or make him
uneasy? and what are those Idle Storys? and by whom so—
industriously spread all over the Country? And to the Contrary
of What? and what is the Meaning of Kicking ag.^t the Pricks?
or who is it that Kicks ag.^t the Pricks, or goes about directly or
indirectly to undermine him or make him uneasy?

These are very suspicious expressions. I would willingly hope—
better things of M.^r Comissary than that it is in his intentions—
to create Jealousies in the Govern.^r ag.^t us, and thereby to throw
us a fresh into those Embroilm.^ts out of w^ch we are now in a—
fair way of recovering. But these (should he use the like in—
other Companys, or should they come to the Governo.^rs Ears) are
Desperate insinuations, and bear an untoward Aspect y.^t way.
but we know y^e Govern.^r to be too wise a man to be easily put
upon: And there lyes our Security.

″—And let us Comply with the wise & Christian Admonitions—
″of our Excellent Bishop.

Part of w.^ch runs in these words—If you imagine yo.^r late—
29Govern.^r Nicholson hath been injurious to you, forgive as you would be
forgiven, and express no resentm.^ts but part with him fairly & friendly.

″—— As to you I shall take my Characters of you not from what you—
″were when under the strong influences of a mightly overswaying—
″power of w.^ch I have been many times an Eye & Ear Witness, but—
″from what Ye will show yourselves hereafter when fairly left to
″y.^e freedom of Yo.^r own Choice.

Under the strong influences of a Mighty Overswaying Power—here's—
another Dab upon Govern.^r Nicholson: So soon hath M.^r Comissary forgot-
ten y^e wise & Christian admonition of our Excellent Bishop.

″Of which I have been many times an Eye and Ear Witness.

And many a time have I & many others been Eye & Ear Witnesses of
many insufferable affronts & provocations offered to Govern.^r Nicholson—
on purpose to Exasperate him & Raise him into a passion y.^t so they might
gett an advantage of exposing & accusing him.

As to M.^r Comissary's taking his Characters of us from the time past or
time to come, if he referrs (as he seems to doe) to our behaviour—
toward our late Govern.^r and to the difference between himself & us—
upon y.^t Acc.^t: he may take y.^m at which end he pleases. Should M.^r—
Comissary show himself (w.^ch God forbid) the same toward Govern.^r Nott
as he hath tow.^d Gov.^r Nicholson and (as 'tis said) to Gov.^r Andros before
him: the same is like to be our behaviour tow.^d M.^r Comissary Blair—
for the time to come as it hath been for the time past: If otherwise,
Otherwise. In us the Addressers there needs not, in y.^t respect,—
any Change.

M.^r Comissary's Speech concludes with a fair offer and Seasonable—
Exhortation, for which we thank him.

″A Seperate Meeting of the Clergy at the House of M.^r John
″Young where Govern.^r Nicholson lives. Which Seperate—
″meeting of the Clergy was not A Regular Meeting of
″the Clergy, as not having been Called by any Authority Civil
″or Ecclesiastical of this Colony, and having been held—
″without the Privity, Presence or Assistance of Himself
″as being my Lord Bishop of Londons Comissary, without
″whom no Ecclesiasticall Meeting for the treating or Concluding
″upon any Ecclesiastical Matters ought to be held: And that
″therefore y.^t paper having been drawn up at y.^t Seperate
″Meeting of y^e Clergy called by no Power Civil or Ecclesiasticall
″&c. Therefore he could not receive y.^t paper as an Act Of—
″the Clergy of this Country &c.

Nor did they offer it to him as an Act of the Clergy of this—
Country, the Clergy of this Country never pretended to a—
Power of holding Seperate Ecclesiasticall Meetings; or to treat
31 & Conclude upon any Ecclesiasticall Matters without the Privity Presence or
Assistance of my Lord Bishop of London's Commissary.

But if two three four or more of the Clergy of this Country should
agree to Eat a Plum-pudding or Shoulder of Mutton together, they
believe they might safely do it without calling in to their assistance
of my L.^d Bishop of London's Comissary. And if they should after dinner
fall into a discourse of Ecclesiastical Matters thô without the Privity—
Presence or Assistance of my L.^d Bishop of London's Comissary, and
should adventure among themselves to say y.^t in Suspending such an—
One, or doing so & so, my L.^d Bishop of Londons Comissary had—
exceeded his Comission and done more than he could justifye: Nay—
& thô they should yet farther adventure to put this their Private opinion
into writing by way of Letter to a friend; nay or suppose to the Govern.^r
himself: Yet they do not think y.^t all this would amount to the taking
upon themselves y^e exercise of Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction or the passing
Ecclesiastical Censures, or the breach of their Canonical Obedience.

Or suppose they should at such a Seperate Meeting Agree among—
themselves to draw up any writing, whether by way of Petition, Quaery,—
Proposal Complaint or otherwise in order to Present it to my Lord—
Bishop of Londons Comissary at the next Generall meeting of y^e Clergy:
they know not ag.^t what Canon they offend, or wherein consists the
Irregularity of making such Applications. But if my L.^d Bishop of—
Londons Comissary should refuse so much as to receive their—
Representations tendered to him after such a manner they should—
not be able to forbear thinking y.^t he took upon himself too great a
State & Lordlyness, and was reducing y.^m to y^e lowest degree of Vassalladge.

32 This Business of the Paper w.^ch bred such a mighty stir was just
thus much and no more. The morning before our meeting together
in the Church a certain paper was drawn up & agreed to, Not (as
it is in the Acc.^t) at the House of M.^r Jn.^o Young where Govern.^r
Nicholson lives, But at M.^r Whately's Lodgings in the College,
thô from thence carried indeed to the House of M^r. Jn^o: Young—
and there transcribed fair & signed; But without the Privity—
Presence or Assistance of Govern.^r Nicholson or his being any—
manner of ways concerned in it.

This Paper was offerr'd to M.^r. Comissary in the Church, which he
(thô not knowing what was in it) absolutely refused to receive
at our hands, or so much as suffer it to be read; But when one
of the Subscribers began to read it, M.^r Comissary fled off: and so
we broke up in Confusion. M.^r Comissary in his Acc.^t says y.^t he
offered to us the Liberty of proceeding in the usuall & Regular
way of faire Motion, debate, Question, Vote, and Resolution: But
all this is but Words again. We accepted his offer; The Motion
was made and the Vote was past that that Paper should be—
Read: but M.^r Comissary's Resolution was to the Contrary, that it
should not be read. And how could there be a Debate where we
were not suffered so much as to make the Proposal? or is
a Proposal [or Motion] the worse (I should think it the better)
for being made in writing? upon the whole, I cannot see—
wherein lay our Irregularity in offering a written Paper to—
M.^r Comissary in a full & Regular meeting of the Clergy: Or M.^r
Comissary's fairness in Refuseing it a Reading, thô before he—
knew a Syllable y.^t was in it. I cannot see how this consists with that
33 Freedom of Motion, Debate, Ouestion Vote and Resolution w.^ch M.^r Commissary
in his Acc.^t says he offer'd us, but in fact & Reality denyed us.

Well, but at last, with much ado, M.^r Comissary vouchsafes to receive it:
Nay and more than that, to give us an answer to it in writing w.^ch he
hath inserted at length in his Account. But the Question to w.^ch that
Answer is an Answer, M.^r Comissary hath (very prudently) took care—
to leave out; And therefore I must give myself the trouble of—
transcribing it for him.

A true Copy of a Certain Paper offered to M.^r Comissary Blair
in a Full & Regular meeting of the Clergy of Virg:^a at—
W.^msburgh Aug.^st the 29.^th 1705.

That we do not take upon our selves to Dispute your
Reverence's Authority & Jurisdiction over us as Comissary to y^e
R.^t Hon:^ble & R.^t Rever.^d Father in God Henry Lord Bishop of London
within this her Maj:^ties Colony & Dominion of Virginia.—

But that having seen an Authentically Attested Copy of an order
of Queen in Councill, signifying it to be her Maj:^ties Royal—
Pleasure that You should not Depart the Kingdom of England,
34 nor Come into Virginia, till by having abiden her Maj:^ties just—
Determination & Royall Award, in a certain Case nearly—
relateing to y^e Affairs of this Colony; you should have put—
yourself into a Capacity of appearing here under less suspicious
Circumstances, & have effectually wiped off those Scandalous—
imputations under which at present you Labour.—

Hereupon We humbly Submit it to yo.^r Reverence's own—
Consideration whether it be safe or convenient, either for you
to require, or for us to pay the Respects & Obedience otherwise
due to yo.^r Character, untill such time as her Maj:^ties Pleasure be
further known Yo.^r being in or Executing upon us within this—
her Maties Colony of Virg:^a any Power or Comission whatsoever
of a Date Antecedent to the Date of that Order of Queen in
Councill, or of an Authority not Equall to it.—

Or unless we shall have some such Dispensation given us
as may be sufficient to Secure us from the Danger of incurring the
like Censure of Contempt, should we shew ourselves overforward—
in paying our Respects, & Obedience to a Person himself Standing
(as to us seems) in Contempt & Disobedience to her most sacred Maj:^ty—

Untill w.^ch shall be done if we think it more safe & more—
Becomeing our Character for us of the Clergy to withdraw &
Suspend, for a Season our usual Respects & Obedience; We hope
this our humble Representation & the Scrupulous fear we have of
doing any thing, w.^ch may expose us to Censure or Contempt, Either
here (where yo.^r Reverence cannot but be sensible under—
what a generall Odium you lye) or at home (where your—
35 Case seems very Doubtfull) will receive a favourable Interpritation.—

Thus S.^r humbly desireing you to take into yo.^r serious Consideration—
both our Circumstances & your own, We Subscribe our selves (under the—
Conditions before named)

P: S:

If under this our Humble Remonstrance You shall please to Subscribe
it, as yo.^r Judgem.^t & Opinion, that notwithstanding that Order of Queen in
Councill, we may & ought to pay you the same Respects & Obedience as
before, & that in so doing we need not fear any Censure from above.—

If S.^r you shall be pleased in terms Direct & Express to Deliver this
to us as yo.^r Judgem.^t in y^e Case, we shall not Dispute yo.^r Determination—
but Submitt; Otherwise we must for a Time Suspend.—

But the main part of my work still remaines (viz.^t)

The Remarks & Objections of M.^r Comissary Blair offered to the
Paper, & much insisted on by the Clergy, w.^ch were as follows. &c.

39 But O Dreadfull! what shall I do here? no less than Three Generalls—
have I to Combate with, with all their Subalterns.

General the First, The Manner of Procureing that paper.
Subalterns 1: 2: 3: 4: 5.

General the Second: The Matter and Forme of that paper, this is
a bold Generall and stands upon his own bottom.

Generall the Third The Suspicious designs and bad aspects
of that paper.
Subalterns 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: with the Auxilary of a Conclusion—
A Formidable Appearance: But I am in the Midst of y.^m and must stand
it out: And therefore as to
1. Generall the first, Generall Procureing. I say, he's a Misnomer,
There was no Procuring, and there is an end of Generall the first.

As for the Blustring Subalterns I have disarmed them before. but if
they are not satisfyed let y.^m meet me at Doctor's Commons on the—
South Side of Pauls Church Yard in London and there I will putt
the Issue upon this point.

Whether or no three four Tenn or more of the Clergy Men of this Colony
may not of their own Accord & without the Call of any Power Civill or
Eccelesiastical meet at the house of M.^r John Young or where else they
please, & there, thô without the Privity, Presence, or Assistance of
my Lord Bishop of London's Comissary, enter into Discourse among—
themselves concerning affairs relating to their own Case & Circumstances, &
if they are so minded Put their thoughts into writing and sett their hands
to it in order to be Presented to my Lord Bishop of London's Comissary.
at the next General Meeting of the Clergy. And what Law, Custom
Canon or Constitution Civil or Ecclesiastical they should transgress
in so doing, And whether or no M.^r Comissary's Refuseing to Receive or—
40 hear read to him any proposall so offer'd to him in a full & Regular
Meeting of the Clergy be not Destructive of y.^t freedom which is
Essentially necessary to all Lawfull Conventions.

I would farther Quaery Whether or no her Maj:^ties Govern.^rs Privity
Presence and Assistance be not as necessary to the holding of
any meeting of y^e Council as the Privity Presence or Assistance
of my L.^d Bishop of London's Comissary is to the holding of any
meeting of the Clergy. And whether or no Three four or more
of the Members of Council meeting at the House of M.^r Comissary—
Blair or else where Without the Call of any Power Civill or—
Ecclesiaticall of this Colony, and there drawing up Papers and
setting hands to them without the Privity Presence & Assistance
of her Majties Govern.^r be not altogether as Clandestine as—
Ensnaring as Inconsisting as Preengaging as what ever else—
M.^r Comissary will Call it as can be any of the Clergy's meeting
and doing the like at the House of M.^r John Young or where—
else they please.

Or hath there ever been a General meeting of the Clergy or of
the Generall Assembly where some of y^e members have not
mett together & compared Notes before they went in a full Body
to the Church or Capitoll, and M.^r Comissary took his Desk—
or M.^r Speaker his Chair. Or must the Clergy as they drop
into the Town one after another first go to M.^r Comissary and
ask him where they may sett up their Horses, & who & who may
keep Comp:^a together for fear of being presented home as—
Schismaticks and Conventiclers and Holders of Clandestine—
Meetings, & falling under y^e lash of Canon 73 Excomunication ipso facto.

41 It fretts us to see ourselves used like so many Babies, to be Bugbear'd out of our Senses,
by bigg words. What School Boys doth he made of us? at this rate we shall be—
affraid ere it be long of Stirring out of Doors or giving one another a Visitt w.^thout
first asking M.^r Comissary's leave quaeso praeceptor da mihi veniam exeundi foras.

Nay, but (says M.^r. Comissary) The Regular way of proceeding is by Motion,—
Debate, Question, Vote and Resolution.

Very well; and that was the way we were for. We moved the putting it to the
Vote whether that paper should be read or not. But M.^r Comissary's Resolution
was to the Contrary that it should not be put to the Vote, One of M.^r Comissary's
friends (M.^r Anderson) saying THEY'L out Vote us.

But y^t meeting was called by Govern.^r Nicholson.

That meeting (if a meeting it must be) was not called by Govern.^r Nicholson.—

Nay but it was made up only of such persons as had by former Addresses and—
Subscriptions Preengaged themselves to Govern.^r Nicholson.

Ay! here it is: This is That w.^ch sticks him to the Heart, these preengagements—
he finds us under, well; Govern.^r Nicholson is going off: but be Gov.^r Nicholson—
where he will I dare assure M.^r Comissary that under the same Engagem.^ts or
Preengagem.^ts he found us this last meeting he will find us y^e next & so on: unless
he himself shall first lay aside his Over-Awing methods, undoe what he has
done, & find out some way of putting us into a better state w.^th our Diocesan.—
He hath made us the scorn of our People. But as there be some y^t shake
their heads & laugh at us, there be more y.^t shake their head & Pitty us.—
I have done with Generall the first, General Procureing, & his five Subalternes.

2.^d General the Second. General matter and Form of that Paper.
M.^r Comissary's House stand by a great Road. Let M.^r Comissary goe but off
to the Gate & put the Question to the first man he meets, telling him—
(if he does not understand Latin) the English of the word Odium; and if he
do not give him Satisfaction, I will. Or let him send a Copy of our—
42 Representation to our respective Parishioners, all whom, if we have
abused him, we have abused: Or let him make the like Presentm.^t of
us to the next Gen:^ll Assembly near ensueing.

The words in M.^r Comissary's Acc.^t of M.^r Comissary having left
England under suspitious & scandalous Circumstances have—
undergone in the transcribing something of Dislocution. As they
stood in our paper they bore a stronger Emphasis. But let M.^r
Comissary take y.^m w^ch way he pleaseth, we are content.

And thus much for General the Second.

3.^d Generall the Third bears a more Terrible Aspect, no less than—
Treason, Treason, Treason, Engraven in the forehead of him:
with 5 Subalternes to Support him.

″The Design of this Paper seems to be exceeding Suspicious & to
″look with a bad Aspect not only upon y^e Ecclesiastical but also the
″Civil Governm.^t of this Country w.^th Relation to his Ex:^cyEdw.^d—
″Nott Esq.^r our present Governour, whose sweet Temper and—
″peaceable disposition the Country is exceeding happy.

And may we be alwayes happy in the Sweet Temper &
peaceable disposition of his Ex:^cy Govern.^r Nott.

But what shall we do w.^th the bad Aspect w.^ch this paper of y^e Clergy—
bears not only on y^e Ecclesiastical but also the Civil Governmn.^t of
this Country? And what shall we say to this? shall we rage or
shall we laugh?

Plain it is y.^t here's a Plott! A Plott as deep as Hell it self. A Plott
ag.^t both Church & State; A Plott for the subvertion not only of
y^e Ecclesiastical but also y^e Civil Governmn.^t of this Country: A Plott to
43 turn out Edw.^ad Nott Esq.^r our Present Govern.^r A Plott to reinthrone the late—
Govern.^r Nicholson; to Raise the Dragooners & fifth men: to deliver up all the
Country into the Hands of an Indigent Army & Indigent Officers: To lay a—
Bridge over the Bay, and let in the Accomackians: To make the mouth of
Potomack fordable for the New Yorkkians: To Sett all the Slaves & Negroes
free & Arm them ag.^t their Masters: To Murder President Blair in his Bed,—
fit all the School Boys with Firelocks and turn the College into an Arsenal.—
In a word, A Plott to cast off the Yoke of England, to Erect a fifth Monarchy—
on this Northern Continent of America, & make Govern.^r Nicholson Emperor
of the West. And who should have been at y^e Bottom of this Plott but the—
English Clergy of y^e Colony of Virg:^a The English Clergy all of them to—
a man; save only Single S.^t John Shropshire? and who should have been
the Discoverer of this Plott but M.^r Comissary Blair?

A. Puh! It is impossible A Plott ag.^t the Governm.^t both Ecclesiastical and—
Civil, of this Country! It's nonsence.

B. Nay it is certainly so: & as sure as you are there the Clergy (some few
loyall Scotts excepted) are in it. have you never seen M.^r Comissary's
Depositions?

A. But how?

B. I'll tell you how. T'other day, you know, there was a Gen:^ll meeting of y^e—
Clergy, at W^msburgh. Now the over night before y.^t meeting there come to
Town no less than three Clergymen (and there was one there before) the
most suspitious fellow of the whole Gang of y.^m) and went directly to y^e House
of M.^r John Young, where, you know, the late Gov.^r Nicholson lives, and there
y^e said Govern.^r Nicholson sent y.^m by his man James some Bottles of—
Medera & Bristol, and there they kept sitting up in a Consult to almost
44 Midnight, & there y^e next morning there came to Town I know not
how many more of y.^m and Sett up their Horses at y^e same house—
viz. the House of M.^r John Young where Govern.^r Nicholson lives,
& there they Signed a Paper in the nature of an Association: and
there is the Bottom of the Plott: And if you have never seen y.^t
paper before, look you it is: Read it.

B.— To his Reverence the Reverend—

Well and what then? here's a Story of an Order in Council & I
know not what, here is not a word of Govern.^r Nicholson or—
Govern.^r Nott, or any thing like it as I can see.

A. Why that's your Dulness now, but M.^r Blair can see father into
a milstone than you can, hear w.^t M.^r Blair himself saith to it

″The design of this Paper seems to be exceeding suspicious & to look
″w.^th a Bad Aspect not only upon y^e Ecclesiastical but also the Civil
″Governm.^t of this Country w.^th relation to Edw.^d Nott Esq.^r our—
″present Govern.^r in whose sweet Temper & peaceable disposition
″this Colony is exceeding happy.

B. Exceeding suspicious Bad Aspect Governm.^t Ecclesiastical & Civil!
I see nothing of all this in y.^t paper.

A. M.^r Blair only saith It seems so: He doth not swear it now:
He only saith It seem so: and he hath no less than five—
reasons to back his Seem So; and here they are

1. Because some of those Clergy men y.^t signed that paper came to—
Town the over night before the General Meeting of y^e Clergy w.^ch
was not to be till y^e next morning. And what need they have—
comed over night then? 2.^dly Govern.^r Nicholson sent letters to some
of them to come over night. 3.^dly These letters of Gov.^r Nicholson's—
45 were sent by Govern.^r Nicholson when Govern.^r Nicholson was out of his
Governm.^t ergo

B. ergo what.

"A. Therefore the design of this paper seems to be exceeding suspicious &
"to look with a bad aspect not only upon y^e Ecclesiastical but also y^e Civil—
"Governm.^t of this Country.

B. Well go on.

2. A. Secondly because their meeting was at M.^r John Young's house where y.^e late
Gov.^r Nicholson lives. here's Gov.^r Nicholson again Ergo

″The Design of this paper seems to be exceeding suspicious & to look
″with a bad Aspect not only upon the Ecclesiastical but also the Civil—
″Governm.^t of this Country.

3.^dly Thirdly because Govern.^r Nicholson had seen a Chiding letter from y^e Bishop of
London to y^e Clergy of this Country & yet told y.^m nothing of it ergo

″Therefore the Design of this paper seems to be exeeding suspicious & to look
″with a bad Aspect not only upon the Ecclesiastical but also y^e Civil Governm.^t
of this Country.

4.^thly Because before y.^t meeting of y^e Clergy Gov.^r Nicholson had sent over all this—
Country Copys of her Maj:^ties & one of her Maj:^ties Secretary's of State's letters to—
himself signifying to him y.^t notwithstanding all y^e Informacons given in ag.^t
him to her Maj:^ty yet he stood fair in her Maj:^ties favour and y.^t it was not
upon Acc.^t of any of those Informacons or out of any displeasure that her
Maj:^ty had conceived ag.^t him that she recalled him, but assuring him of his
receiving when come home the marks of her Royal Favour. And—
because Gov.^r Nicholson & his Emissarys had also published two other papers,—
the one a Petition to the Queen in Council preferred by one Geo: Wilcox,—
charging M.^r Comissary Blair with having aspersed her Maj:^ties Govern.^r &—
46 Governm.^t here w.^th false & malitious Informations & praying y.^t y^e said
James Blair Clerk should not depart y^e Kingdome of England nor
go for Virginia till by having stood her Maj:^ties just determination—
& Royal Award in a Case depending between Govern.^r Nicholson &
him, he should effectually wiped off those scandalous imputations
of his having (a work so unbecoming y^e meekness of his—
profession) Aspersed her Maj:^ties Gov.^r & Governm.^t here with false
& malitious Informations: And till by his having stood her Maj:^ties—
just Detrmination & Royal Award, he should have put himself
into a Capacity of appearing here under less suspicious Circumstances
& effectually have stopped the mouths of those who are apt to say
y.^t by declining to stand her Maj:^ties just determination & Royall
Award in a Cause by himself comenced, it looks as if he were
fled from Justice; As perhaps some of Gov.^r Nicholson's Emissarys
may do. And the other paper a Copy of an Order of Queen in
Council pursuant to the Petition of y.^e s.^d M.^r George Wilcox. viz.
that the s.^d James Blair Clerk should not depart the—
Kingdom of England nor go to Virg:^a till &c.

Now Gov.^r Nicholson having by himself & his Emissarys sent over
all this Country Copys of y^e afores.^d Letters, viz. of her Maj:^ties Letter
to her Trusty & Wellbeloved Gov.^r Nicholson, & of a letter of
one of her Maj:^ties Sec.^ry of State's written to the s.^d Gov.^r by her
Maj:^ties Comand & assuring him of her Maj:^ties Royal favour tow.^ds
him, & of y^e Peticon of M.^r Wilcox to her Majesty in Council
ag.^t M.^r James Blair Clerk & of the Order of Queen in—
47 Council pursuant to that Petition. ergo

″The design of this Paper seems to be exceeding suspicious & to look w.^th
″a Bad Aspect not only upon the Ecclesiastical but also the Civil Governm.^t
″of this Country.

5.^thly Because it is insinuated in y.^t paper y.^t M.^r Comissary Blair lyes under the Gen:^ll Odium
of the Country and that (as it may be suppos'd) for his having been such a—
Stickler ag.^t Gov.^r Nicholson & so instrumental in y^e change of our Gov.^rs ergo

″The design of this paper seems to be exceeding suspicious & to look with a
″Bad Aspect not only upon the Ecclesiastical but also the Civil Government
″of this Country.

And these are those five Arguments of M.^r Comissary Blair upon the—
Suspicious design & Bad Aspect of y.^t paper of y^e Clergy. And I think any one
of them to prove it to a Demonstration.

B. Ay, Ay, any one of y.^m as well as all of y.^m together.

A. Why, Govern.^r Nicholson is in every one of y.^m

B. And as long as Govern.^r Nicholson is in y^e Country, there will not be a Hogg
Stole but Governor Nicholson will be in the Plott.