Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

MS46.02: William Blathwayt Papers
Edward Randolph Randolph Letter dated May 2, 1699

I wrote you from here by Capt. [Beisio] Command^r of the Sun Price
Prize I wrote also to Mr Secry [illegible]an by him but know not
whether this present Govr Mr Day has not so influenced him as
as to throw them over Board for in the little tyme I have been here
I find he sticks at nothing: he has turned out two of the members of ye
Councill appointed by his Maties Commission Capt Charles Walker & [Capt]
Anthony White, men of good Estate & reputation he has likewise
turnd out of the Councill Capt. Thomas Hartford, the man you were
pleasd to favour with Carring him to ye late K. James: about ye Copper
Guns he tooke up at the wreck: at his first arrival upon yr Honrs
recommendation, he made mr Richard Stafford Chiefe Judge of the
Islands: but finding him an honest man & not fitt for his Turn: he
laid him aside & has taken in an arrant knave Gibson [Nelson]
who broke in London for 1300[£] & being alleged by the assembly
for Bribery so much concernd was Mr Day for his favourite
that he on [it] adjourned & a second time prorogued them & will not lett
them sitt to do ye publick business of the Country I know if you
ask Coll Goddard's opinion of those he has turnd out, he will say they
are all Rogues & villains (as he told me) & that Mr [Nelson] is a very
honble Gent The former Govr Sr Robt Robinson & his successors, like
witches: Say & Preach their Articles of Instruction backwards
not one of them have observed one of the most necessary [Justifica
tions] It would do well if they were ordered to give an
answer in writing under their hand to Every article & how they
acted upon them.

I humbly inclose an account of money received by Sr Robt Robinson
for his Matie truly from ye wreck: he paid it (as has been said) to
Mr Ho[illegible]ll: Its necessary he should produce his [receits] for it to
see how the account & that [agrees]: I believe the money is wasted
not a little between them two

I had almost forgott to mention Mr William Out[erbridge] a principl
man in Coll Goddards & Mr Days Councill, the best of him is he was
[bred] a ships carpentr: & now one of the chiefs at the Helms; Mr Rush[illegible]
can give his Trur charcter: he was part Owner of the Sloop Amity
[Thomas Tue] his name is in my papers befor yr Lords^ps he sett her
out to the Red Sea: & not long since he erived above 500[£]: for
his dividend: Its were necessary an Order were directed to Capt. Thomas
Hartford Mr Richard Stafford & Mr Sam. Trott y^e Elder to de
mand the money of him for his Ma^ty or that th his Ma^ty [please]
to have him appear at a certain day befor him in Councill: I
question not but Coll Goddard & this Gov^r have a great opinion
of him, he has paid them well for it:

I have wrote very Largely from here to y^r Board: severall
of the cheife men would have confirmd what I have said by
their Depositions but the Gov^r has stopd their Mouths; & will not
lett any of them Come over nor send Depositions having forbad
his [Justices] of the peace to administer an Oath to any till he is
acquainted with the Matter.

at his first coming he censured Coll: Goddards irregulr pro
ceedings & [gave] wa[illegible] at to severall to ask him for their i[illegible]
d[illegible]s: & [wheedled] him selfe in to the Good opinion of the people
till they made him a present of 300[£]: he presently Turnd y^e Ta[bls]
upon them & now Employs only be[gg]erly fellows. others will not
so much as converse with him. the world may Judge of his
principls when they [have], he sacriligiously profanes the
communion plate & makes use of it at his debauchery I have
seen the Chalice with the Cover & [patena] - the chalice for
watr: Orange Juice & Sugar: the Covr Keeps out the
flyes: the [patena]: is necessary to serv [Glasses] of wine
I admire not at it: when I see his othr actings.

I humbly inclose a copy of his proclamation agt Coll White lately
of his Councill by his Maties Commands & also the Warr^t under his own
hand & seale for Imprisoning him the inclosed account of money
received upon the wreck pl[illegible] by Sr Robt is true: I cannot find
how much he paid to Mr Hor[ne]ll for his Maties Tr[unk]s but
Tis thought not the full. Mr Trott from whom I had the
account was one of the Commis & weighed it

My humble service to Mr Possy to Madam Blathwayt to yr
young Lord & little Miss. this county affords nothing
worth trading them. The [air] is holsom but neither ordinary
[dyst] no Beer nor Wine Br[illegible] Rum & Punch are
the Common liquors: I am hastening to Providence and from
thence if God pleases to Virginia: but if I can gett no
passage then I believe I must be forced to gett to Engld with
my humble duty p[illegible]d