Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Tho your Excy: (I doubt not) understood before you left Virginia
how most of our Ellect^s: went yet 'twas hardly possible for you to imagine
what little mean shifts were made & base & unworthy designes set on
foot by y^e heads of y^e Party in very many Counties boath to traduce &
scandalise your Excy: your friends & Governm^t: And also to perswade
excite & stirr up y^e: People to ellect sev^ll: of their own creatures w^ch: in too
many places had y^e desired Effect: S^r: I shall not undertake to give you an
account of their proceedings after they met knowing you will be much
better inform'd by some of y^e worthy members themselves so shall only observe
y^t: y^e: Prty takeing their advantage went into y^e: House y^e: day of y^e: return of
y^e: writt & after twas darke by y^e lights only of an inch of Candle contrived—
to place B:H: in y^e Chair, who next day was pleased to bestow another on
his younger Bro^r: in y^e Comittee of Ellect^s. & Priviledges w^ch: has usually been
filled w^th: one of y^e: most Judicious most moderate & best experience members—
S^r: I have inclosed a Coppy of y^e Gov^rs: speech at y^e: opening y^e Assembly w^ch: will
let your Excy: into y^e business y^t: was layd before 'em. as also a Coppy of a paper
read at y^e: barr last Gen^ll: Court by R: B: Gen^t: (as he stiles himself)————
foreman of y^e Grand Jury in w^ch: he gives us a slight touch of y^e continuance
of his ill humours but on y^e 30^th: of October y^e College being most unfortunately
burnt y^e night before his folly malice falshood & ingratitude seem'd to be
arrived to their highest pitch for in a discourse of y^t: unhappy fire in company
with about nine or ten others among w^ch: were M^r: Wheatly & M^r:
Wharton he openly said y^t: he y^t: burnt M^r: Pages houses burnt y^e: College—
& y^t: your Excy: burnt M^r: Pages houses for w^ch: most horred & falce aspersion I
hope he may in good time reap y^e: benefit. The Assembly being now adjournd
to the 24^th: of April haveing not perfected any one thing y^t: I know tho many
bills have been sent from y^e: House of Burgesses to y^e: Councill among w^ch: is the
militia Bill y^e: same. I suppose y^t: was sent to y^e: Councill in your time (among
others) this amendm^t: was ^then made That instead of y^e: Inhabitants being Formed
into Troops & Companies at y^e discretion of y^e Commanders in Chief of every
County it should be at y^e discretion of y^e: Govern^r: or Commander in Chief for the
time being. This amendm^t: seemd reasonable to y^e Major part of y^e House—
now but Questions ariseing about some addition to y^t: amendm^t: they
resolved into a Grand Comittee of y^e whole House where after long debate and many reasonings & arguments by all your Excys: friends to y^e Contrary,
'twas at length carried by y^e: other side y^t: these words should be added——
(w^th: y^e: advice of y^e: Councill) on w^ch: I need not inlarge res ipsa loquitur—

S^r: I have heard y^t: on y^e 27^th: of y^e last ^month there met together at W:^msburgh 11: or 12:
of y^e Trustees & Gov^rs: of y^e College but did not pretend to doe any thing y^e: Major—
Part being of opinion they could not choose a Rector till y^e: time appointd
by y^e Charter if then & without a Rector they were no Boddy

And haveing this occasion to speak of y^t: well designed but unfortunate—
foundat:on w^ch: your Excys: bounty & beneficence were almost continually—
imployed I shall inform you w^t: I observd at & since y^t: dreadfull fire being early
present at it and also heard y^e: sev^ll: Persons y^t: could give any evidence there
about sworn & examined before the Committe.

It is agreed by all y^t: it took fire on Munday y^e: 29^th: of Octob:^r something after 11:
a Clock at night tho y^e agreem^t: in y^t: is not more Gen^ll: than y^e: disagreement and
contradiction about y^e: manner how it began, y^e place where, whether it was—
set on fire or took fire by accident w^th: many other circumstances tho for my—
own part I make not y^e: least doubt but y^t: it broak out at y^e: South end and—
proceeded from y^e: Chimney of M^r: Blairs Chamber takeing fire some of the soot
falling on y^e shingles of y^e roofe at y^t: time very dry & y^e Chimney Foule.

My Reasons are chiefly these
First there was no fire that night nor for some time before but in y^e kitchin
Chimney M^r: Wheatlys and that, & M^r: Wheatley being at y^t: time reading,—
before a very small fire in his own Chimney was surprized with a roring
noise w^ch: at first he took for wind but afterwards thought it to be a Chimney on
fire w^ch: could not possible be y^e: kitchin or his own but he must very easily
have perceived it y^e Chimneys meeting and going out in one common—
tunnel.

Secondly after M^r: Wheatley had assured himself by steaping upstaires y^t the
South end of y^e roof was on fire he soon awakend all y^t: lodged in y^e College—
unless Coll^o: Hill who lay in M^r: Blairs Chamber w^th: y^e Speaker and is supposd
to have been ^a wake a little before having carried forth severall things out of
his Chamber before any of y^e other lodgers came down staires w^ch: is a second—
argum^t: for y^e: fires beginning in his Chimney it being otherwise very unlikely
y^t: he who lay on y^e lower most flower should be first acquainted w^th: y^e: fire in—
y^e: roof unless y^e: noise & burning of his own Chimsey had inform'd him of y^e: fire.

Thirdly, When by M^r: Wheatlys noise M^r: Thacker, and Harry Lightfoot who—
lay at y^e: South end of y^e: building were affrighted and got up so soon as M^r: Thacker
opend y^e: dore where M^r: Secretarys Office was formerly kept y^e: lead of y^e melted—
gutter dropt upon his Cloaths w^ch: is another argument of y^e: fires breaking out—
at the South end & w^ch: is farther cleard by his & y^e: rest getting safely down staires
and M^r: Hambleton, who lay in M^r: Robertsons Chamber w^ch: is near y^e north end of—
y^e: building his running up twice after he came down & bringing severall thing's
out of M^r: Robertsons Chamber w^th: him even after M^r: Thacker & M^r: Wheatly—
were by y^e violence of y^e fire forced from theirs all w^ch: seems inconsistant and——
impossible if y^e: fire (as some vainly dream) should have began at y^e: north end for—
then must y^e: staires have been wholy burnt (standing as y^r: Excelleny well knowes)
in y^e: Middle of y^e Pile before it could have melted y^e: lead w^ch: dropt on M^r: Thacker
at y^e: South end.

Fourthly Harry Randolph and two other boys who lay y^t: night with him in
y^e: northernmost Chamber in y^e very roof must undoubtedly have perished if the
fire had broak out there but blessed be God they very happyly saved themselves
by y^e: small staire y^t: decended down in to y^e: Gallery in y^e: Hall after they had
tryed y^e: other way & saw y^e: great staires & all beyond 'em in a Flame & 'tis—
generally agreed these boys were y^e: last y^t: came out of y^e: College being esteem'd
utterly lost by their friends & relations who much bewailed 'em till they—
perceived their Happy escape and deliverance.

I shall not trouble your Excellency nor my self w^th: narrating y^e: Crooked and
inconsistent acc^t: thats given by some to induce a belief y^t: y^e: College was either
willfully sett on fire or elce y^t: it took fire at y^e: north end since all y^e: incoherent
stuff thats patchd together for y^t: end is purely advanc'd to divert y^e: blow &—
take of y^e: blame y^t: must unavoidably fall upon M^r: Blair for letting his Chamb^r
to Coll^o: Hill and his Brother if y^t: w^ch: I have before demonstrated be allowed.
But I doubt not when y^r: Excy: sees all the Depositions & compares 'em w^th: w^t:—
is before related you will finde sufficient cause to be of my opinion but much—
more if you were acquainted with many other Circumstances too long to be here inserted.
I understand y^e: Govern^r: has lately layed y^e: list of y^e: Navall Officers before the Councill
who have made objections against three of them being continued (viz) Coll:^o: Wilson,
Maj:^r Allen, and Coll:^o Corbin to y^e: first I understand 'tis objected his being a great—
trader & his takeing unlawfull fees to Maj:^r Allen he was put in without—
advice of Councill lived inconvenient & executed his Office by a Deputy. Coll:^o
Corbin y^t: he was Agent for y^e: Royall African Company & took exobitant and unlawful
fees and there was liberty given 'em all to Justifie themselves at y^e: next meeting of
the Councill. But Major Allen being in Town when this order was made was
ready to answer all y^e: objections & Petitiond His Excy: to be immediately heard but
'twas referr'd to a fuller Councill 'tho there were seven then sitting what will be———
farther done int I at present know not but believe (if your Excellency have not
already done it) 'twill be of great advantage to 'em all if you can speedily obteyn—
for them the Lords Comiss:^rs letters of approbation.

I most heartily wish y^r: Excy. Health & prosperity remaining wth all faithfullness

S^r: I have happily obteyned
Coppyes of y^e: order of Councill
against Maj^r: Allen and his
Petition thereupon both—
which are inclos'd

^{Abt the burning
of ye College}