!HHrt J r i ji t< t »^iifti4 V «' '^ . . n Jiifc ili ^ l^iiw tf-* « *fri ^^SISTOBICAL- COLLECTIONS ' OF THE AMESICAN COLONIAL ■ CHLM VTEGTNTA BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF aiietirg M. Sage 1891 CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 092 469 604 S ^ Cornell University WB Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092469604 HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS RELATING TO THE American Colonial Church EDITED BY WILLIAM STEVENS PERRY, D.D. Volume I.— VIRGINIA. PRINTED FOR THE SUBSCRIBERS. MDCCCLXX. tx , 7. - -' 1. ! 4 Two hundred and fifty Copies Printed. No. /(dI Church Press Company, Hartford, Conn. 3)> In ifilcmorg tf FRANCIS LISTER HAWKS, D.D., LL.D., TO WHOSE ZEAL AND PERSONAL EFFORTS THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF THE DOCUMENTS AND PAPERS CONTAINED IN THIS WORK ARE DUE, THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED. INTRODUCTION. Little need be said to preface the important and interesting papers comprised in this volume. While they are far from presenting an exhaustive, or even a connected history of the Church in the Old Dorhinion during the period to which they belong, they furnish the material from which that history is to be drawn. They offer the verSa ipsissima of the men who gave their lives to the work of founding the Church in a new world, and though often betraying personal or party prejudices ; though sometimes written with sinister ends in view ; and from time to time displaying much that the histo- rian would necessarily or willingly conceal, still these letters and papers must be examined and studied by those who would acquaint them- selves with the story of the Church's introduction into our land. From their unpremeditated allusions, their faithful representations of passing events, their jottings-down of matters of civil as well as ecclesiastical interest, they serve to solve many problems of the present day and furnish lessons of encouragement and warning alike to us who reap where these writers sowed. Their preservation, in view of the vicissitudes through which they have passed is no less remarkable than the neglect with which pre- vious efforts for their publication have been attended. Gathered from three principal sources : I, The archives of the Archiepiscopal palace at Lambeth ; II. The Bishop's Library at Fulham ; and III. The letter books of the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, their transcription was secured in behalf of the Church in the United States, by the persistent labors and discriminating care of the late Rev, Francis Lister Hawks, D.D., LL.D., — clarum et ven- erabile nomen — the first Historiographer of the American Church. Mas- tering all the information respecting our ecclesiastical annals open to him in the country, he bethought him of the unexplored repositories of papers abroad. Visiting England as the representative of the Amer- ican Church, and accredited to the dignitaries of that Mother Church to which our own has professed herself " indebted, under God, for her first foundation and a long continuance of nursing care and pro- tection,"* as the one who had been appointed to write the annals' of the faith in the Western world, there were no important papers that were withheld from him, and no aid from those most apt in the quest for antiquarian matter was refused. The result, eighteen noble folio volumes of transcripts and original MSS., has been for more than a score of years awaiting the growth of that measure of interest in historical studies which would warrant their appearance in print. Since these copies were made, many of the original papers from which they were transcribed have been destroyed. Nor have these cosdy volumes themselves escaped unharmed. They bear the marks of their passage through the fire, and only as they are successively reproduced and multiplied in print, may we feel confident that these * Preface to the Book of Common Prayer, invaluable data of our general and local ecclesiastical annals are placed beyond the reach of sudden and irretrievable destruction. This volume has been printed by the present editor as prepared for the press by his revered instructor and friend, the late Rev. Dr. Hawks. It seemed fitting that the initial volume of this collection of MSS. should be given to the world as it passed from the loving hands of him whom we must ever recognize as the father of our American Church History, For the general accuracy of its printed pages, and for the brief notes appended at the close of the volume, the editor is responsible. It is his trust that the success of this volume may justify the speedy reproduction of the other volumes of the series, and thus insure the issue of a complete collection of documents and papers, covering the formative period of our annals, and giving to the world. In minute detail, the story of our origin and growth up to the period of our ecclesiastical independence. Trinity Rectory, Geneva, N. Y., Feast of St. John Baptist, 1870. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Instructions to Sir William Berkeley, Governor of Virginia, 1650, . . 1,2 Fulham MSS. {unbound). Instructions for Thomas Lord Culpeper, Governor General of Virginia, 1679, . 2, 3 Ibid. Commissary Blair to Governor Nicholson, Dec. 3, 1691, .... y-Z From MSS. of the Ven. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts {unbound Letters^). Commissary Blair to Governor Nicholson, Feb. 27, 1691-3, . . S, 9 Ibid. A Memorial concerning Sir Edmund Andros, Governor of Virginia, by Dr. Blair, . 10-29 Fuiham MSS. {unbound). Mr. Nicholas Moreau, to the Lord Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, April 12, 1697, Ibid. Sir E. Andros no real friend to the Clergy, 1697, . . . . 32-36 Fulham MSS. {Nos. 954 a?id 1029). A true Account of a Conference at Lambeth, Dec. 27, 1697, .... Sf^-^S Fulham MSS. {unbound). Governor Nicholson to the High Sheriff of New Kent Cotmty, in Virginia, March 3, 1699-1700, ......... 66 From MSS. of the Ven. Society {unbound letters). Mr. Locke to Mr. Commissary Blair, Oct. 16, 1699, .... (>(>, 67 Ibid. Commissary Blair to Governor Nicholson, Aug. 9, 1700, .... 67-69 Ibid. From some person unknown to Governor Nicholson, Dec. 8, 1702, . , 69-75 Ildd. Mr. Commissary Blair's Memorial against Governor Nicholson, 1702, . . 75-80 Ibid. Council of Virginia to the Queen, May 20, 1703, . . . . . 80, 81 Ibid. Col. Quarry to the Lord Bishop of London, Oct. 15, 1703, .... 82-87 Ibid. Affidavit of Stephen Fouace relating to the mal-Administration of Col. Nicholson, Governor of Virginia, April 25, r7o4, ..... 87~93 Ibid. Mr. James Blair's Affidavit relating to the same, April 25, 1704, . . . 93-112 Ibid. Mr. Blair to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Feb. 12, 1699-1700, . . . in, 123 Fulham MSS. {unbound'). Order of Council for the Relief of the French Refugees going to plant in Virginia, March 7, 1699, ......... 113-115 Ibid. Governor Nicholson to the Clergy of Virginia, April 10, 1700, . . . 115,116 The Clergy of Virginia to the Governor, April 11, 1700, . . . . 116, 117 Ibid Governor Nicholson to the Archbishop of Canterbury, May 27, 1700, . . 117-121 Ibid. Governor Nicholson to the same, July 23, 1700, ..... 121-123 Ibid. Instructions to be observed by Mr. Rob't Hicks and Mr. John Evans in treating with the Indians, . . . . . . 12? 124 Ibid. Mr. Blair to the Archbishop of Canterbury, July 13, 1702, .... 124-126 Ibid. Governor Nicholson to the Archbishop of Canterbury, July 22, 1702, . , 126 127 Ibid. Sir Edward Northey's Opinion concerning Induction of Ministers in Virginia, 127 12S Ibid. Copy of part of a Speech made to the General Assembly of Virginia in November, 1711. ' ■ ■ . . 129 Ibid. Mr. Blair to the Bishop of London, Nov. 18, 1714, ... Ibid. The further Affidavit of James Blair, Clerk, concerning Governor Nicholson's mal- Administration, with respect to the Clergy, the College, and himself, May i, ''"''' ■■■■■■•■. 131-138 From MSS. of the Vin. Society {unbound Letters'). Mr. Inglis to the Governor, ■ 139. 140 Ibid. Account of the Proceedings of the Clergy of Virginia at the Church at WiUiamsburgh i7oS> ..... 144-153 Ibid. Some Remarks upon the Minutes or Accounts of the Proceedings at a Meeting of the Clergy of Virginia, at the Church at Willlamsburgh, Aug. 29, 1705, Ibid. A Ballad addressed to the Reverend Members of the Convocation held at Williams- burgh, to defend Governor Nicholson and form an Accusation against Commis' sary Blair, ........ London : printed in the year 1 704. Mr. Nicholson to (Extract), March 8, 1704-5, .... From MSS. of the Ven. Society. Letter to Archbishop Tennison from James Blair, Sept. 2, 1706, Lambeth MSS. {No. 941; Dr. Le Jau to the Secretary, Sept. 9, 1706, ..... Letter Book of the Ven. Society ( Vol. 2), Mr. Wallace to Dr. Woodard, April 3, 1707, ..... Lbid {No. 3). Mr. Black to the Lord Bishop of London (Extract), March S, 1709-10, . Lbid (No. 5). Letter from Col. Spotswood, Lieut. Gov. of Virginia, Oct. 15, 171 1, From MSS. of the Ven. Society. Mr. Hall to Mr. Taylor, Secretary, Oct. 10, 1712, Letter Book of the Ven. Society ( Vol 7). Extract out of Col. Spotswood's Letter to the Bishop of London, May 8, 171 2, Ibid. The Lord Bishop of London to the Secretary, .... Lbid. Liste G^neralle de tous Les Frangois Protestants Refugies, £tablys dans la Paroisse du Roy Guillamne, Comte d' Henrico en Virginia, From the Original MS. Mr. Griffin to the Bishop of London, Jan. 12, 1716, .... Letter Book of the Ven. Society {Vol. 7) The Case of the Vestries of Virginia, ..... Lbid. The Journal of the Proceedings of the Convention held at the College of William and Mary, April, 1719, ...... From the Original MSS. Historical Remarks for the better understanding the Proceedings of the Convention of the Clergy at Willlamsburgh, in April, 1719, Ibid. An Answer to the Accusations contained in the Governor's Letter to the Convention, Ibid. Mr Commissary's Remarks on the Governor's Letter to the Parish of St. Anne's, re- lating to Collations, ....... Lbid. 183, 184 184, 185 185, 186 186 187- 190 190, 191 192 193-195 196, 197 197,198 199-217 218-225 226-233 234-242 An Act of ye Generall Assembly of Virginia, 1662, and the opinion of Council there- on, 171S-19, ... . . . ■ From a contemporary MS. Mr. Jones to the Bishop of London, May 30, 1719, . . . ■ ■ From MSS. of the Ven. Society. A Copy of the Letters of Orders produced by the Commissary, Ihid. Case of German Families, .... Letter Rook of the Ven Society ( Vol. 14). Col. Spotswood to the Bishop of London, Dec. i, 1721, . Mr. Blair to the same, Feb. 10, 1722-3, Mr. Blair to Mr. Forbes, Mr. Blair to the Bishop of London, Thomas Dell to the Bishop of London, Governor Drysdale to the Bishop of London, Queries to be answered by Commissaries, . Queries to be answered by every Minister, 1724, Westminster Parish, St. Paul's Parish, Hanover, James City Parish, Bristol Parish, St. Peter's Parish, Westover Parish, Hnngar's Parish, Northampton Count\ Newport, Isle of Wight County, Stratton Major, Fnlham MSS. Ilnd. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Jbid. Ibid. Fulliam MSS. {unbound). Rev. James Cox. Hev. Zack. Brooke. Rev. Wiliiam Le Neve. Rev. George Kobertston. Rev. Henry Collings. Rev. Peter Fontaine. Rev. Thomas Dell. Rev. Thomas Baylye. Rev. John Skaife. 243-245 246, 247 247 247, 248 249 250, 251 251. 252 252. 253 253-25S 256, 257 257, 260 261-318 261, 262 262—264 264-266 266-268 268—270 270—272 262-274 274, 275 275-377 Queries {continued), Wilmington Parish, Rev. John Bnmskill. Rev. Daniel Clayton. Rev. Francis Fontaine. Rev. John Bell. Rev. Lewis Ldtane. Rev. Emanuel Jones. Rev. John M'^arden. Rev. Lawrence De Butts. Rev. James Falconer. Rev. Alexander Forbes. Rev. Bartholomew Yates. Rev. James Blair, D. D. Rev. William Black. Rev. John Goodwin. Rev. . Rev. John Cargill. Rev. Tho>nas Hughes. Rev. Owen Jones. Rev. Alexander Scott. Rev. John Bagg. Mr. Commissary Blair to the Bishop of London, July 17, 1724, Fulham MSS. {unbound). Mr. Forbes' s Account of the State of the Church in Virginia, Ibid. Blissland Parish, New Kent County, York Hampton Parish, Christ Church Parish, South Farnham, in Essex, Petsworth, Lawn's Creek, in Jeury County, Washington Parish, , . . . Elizabeth City Parish, . Upper Parish of the Isle of Wight, . Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County, Bruton Parish, Williamsburgh, Accomako, on the Eastern Shore, St. Steplien's Parish, King and Queen, Henrico Parish, Upper District, James River. Southwark Parish, Surry County, Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, . St. Mary's Parish, Essex County, Overworton Parish, Stafford County, Saint Ann's Parish, . . . . 277-279 279-281. 281-283 283-285 285, 286 286-288 288-290 290—292 293- 294 295, 296 296—298 29S— 300 300-302 302-303 304, 305 306-308 30S, 309 311-313 313-318 31S-322 323-334 A Proposition for supplying Virginia witli a sufficient number of much better Clergy- men than have usually come into it, and for the right settling and good govern- of them, ......... Hid. A Proposition for encouraging the Christian Education of Indians, Negroes, and Mu- latto Children, ........ Hid. Petition of Edmund, Bishop of London, to the King, .... /Hif. Mr. Lang to the Bishop of London, Feb. 7, 1725-6. (Extract^, . I/nd. The Members of Christ Church, &c., to the Bishop of London, .^pril 12, 1726, Hid. The Rev. Mr. Yates to the same, July 23, 1726, .... aid. Mr. Blair to the same, Oct. 28, 1727, Iliid. Inhabitants of King William Parish to Mr. Nearne, July 4, 1728 {extract,. Letter Book of the Ven. Soeieiy ( Vol. 2r J. Lieut. Gov. Gooch to the Secretary, Nov. r4, 1745, ..... Ibid , /W 6, Bearcioft). Anonymous Letter to the Bishop of London, May 30, 1732, Fiiikam MSS. {unbound^. Mr. Uawson to the Bishop of London, Nov. 8, 1734, .... find. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. From the Original MS. Mr. Blair to the Bishop of London, March 24, r734-5, Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, Sept. T4, r736, Mr. Gavin to the Bishop of London, Aug. 5, T738, Mr. Bridges to the Bishop of London, Oct. 10, 173S, Mr. Blair to the Bishop of London, May 29, 1740, Mr. Blair to the Bishop of London, Feb. 19, 1 741-2. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, July rr, r74c), Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, July 27, 1750 (extract) Lieut. Gov. Gooch to the Bishop of London, Mav 10, 1743, 334-344 344 345. 346 346-348 348-350 350-351 352-353 353 354 355. 356 35IJ 357-359 359 360, 36r 361,362 362-364 3'4 365 366 367 Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Sam. Davies to Dr. Doddridge, Oct. 2, 1750, 368-371 Fidham MSS. (unbound). The Bishop of London to Rev. Dr. Doddridge, May 11, 1751, . . . 371-374 Ibid. Dr. Doddridge to the Bishop of London, May 14, 1751, .... 'hTA-^ll Ibid. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, July 15, 1751, .... z'll~Z19 Ibid. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, Aug. 16, 1751, .... 379-381 Ibid. Address to Burgesses, ......... 381-382 Ibid. Mr, Dawson to the Bishop of London, Feb. 10, 1752, .... 383 Ibid. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London (no date), ..... 384-386 Ibid. Mr. Camm to the Bishop of London, June 4, 1752, ..... 386-38S Ibid. Mr. Kay to the Bishop of London, June 14, 1752, .... 3S9-393 Ibid. Governor Dinwiddie to the Bishop of London, June 5, 1752, . . . 393-396 Ibid. Governor Dinwiddie to the Secretary, June 10, 1752, . . . , 397, 39S Letter Book of the Ven. Society ( Vol. 13, Bearc?-o/t). The Bishop of London to John Thorpe, Esq., Nov. 25, 1752, . . . 398, 399 Fulham MSS. {unbound). Governor Dinwiddie to the Bishop of London, Dec. 10, 1752, Governor Dinwiddie to the Bishop of London, Jan. 29, 1753, Mr. Thorpe to the Bishop of London, May 16, 1753, Bishop of London to Messrs. Thorpe and Henley, May 18, 1753, Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, July 23, 1753, Anonymous to the Bishop of London, Feb. i, 1754. ■ Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, March 11, 1754, . A List of the Present Ministers of Virginia, Oct. 30, 1754^ Ibid. 399-401 Iln.l. 401, 402 Ibid. 403 Ibid. 403, 404 Ibid. 405-407 Ibid 408, 409 Ibid. 409-411 A Journal of the Proceedings of the Convention held at the College of William and Mary, Oct. 30, 1754, ...... 414-427 Ibhi. An Account of the Meeting of the Trustees and Subscribers, etc., according to fhe scheme agreed upon at the last Convention, ... . 427, 428 Ibid. A List of all the Counties, Parishes, and present Ministers of Virginia, June 10, 1755, 429-431 Ibid. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, Nov. 15, 1754, . . . 431, 432 Ibid. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, June 10, 1755, .... 432, 433 Ibid. I'he Clergy of Virginia to the Bishop of London, Nov. 39, 1755, . . 434-440 Ibid. The Clergy of Virginia to the Bishop of London, Feb. 25, 1756, 440-446 Ibid. Mr. Dawson to the Bishop of London, Feb. 25, 1756, . . . 446-448 Ibid. Proceedings at Council Meetings, April 21, and May 19, and 20, 1757, in the case of Rev. John Brunskill, . . . . . 445, 450 Ibid. Governor Dinwiddle to the Vestry of Hamilton Parish, May 20, 1757, . 451 Ibid. Mr. Commissary Dawson, to the Bishop of London, July 9, 1757, . . 451-453 From the Original MS. Mr. Commissary Dawson to the Bishop of London, July 9, 1757, . . . 453, 454 Fulham MSS. (unboumb). Governor Dinwiddle to the Bishop of London, Sept. 12, 1757, . . . 454-4C8 Ibid. Report of the Lords Commissioners for his Majesty's disallowance of several acts passed in Virginia, 1753, 1755, and 1758, relating to the Clergy, July 4, 1767, 458-460 Ib'id. Letter of the Bishop of London respecting the said acts, June 14, 1759, . Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of , Nov. 20, 1760, Mr. Fauquier to the Rev. Dr, Nicholls, July 29, i76r, Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of London, 1763, Petition of the Convention of the Clergy of Virginia, 1763, . Jiid. 461- -463 Mill. 4'i3- -47° aid. 47°- -472 Ibid. 473- -486 aid. 487, 488 Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of London, Aug. 17, 1764, . . . 489-501 Ibid. Mr. Giberne to the Bisliop of London, .\ug. 3T, r764, . . 501-503 Uid. Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of London, May 23, 1765, 503-505 aid. Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of London, Aug. r2, 1765, . . 5o6-5r9 Ibid. Mr. Robinson to the Bisliop of London, June 6, 1766, . 519, 524 aid. Mr. Robinson to the Bishop of London, Oct. 16, 1767, . . 524-529 aid. Mr. HorrocliS to the Bishop of London, July 6, 1769, . . . 530-532 aid. Extract from a Letter from Mr. President Neison, Nov. 15, 1770, . 532, 533 Ibid. Extract from a Letter from Mr. President Nelson to Lord HiUsborougli, April, 17, 1771. ... . . 533, 534 au. The Memorial of Chas. Woodraa,son, Clerk, Sepr, 16, 1776, . . 534-536 Ibid. NOTES. Draft for the Creation of a Bishoprick m Virginia, . . . 538-542 Miscellaneous Annotations, . . . . . 543-560 Papers Relating to the HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN VIRGINIA. INSTRUCTIONS to Sir W-^' BERKELEY, one of the Gentlemen of our Privy Chamber ^ Governor of Virginia, and to the Council of State there, 1650. (extract.) Article ist. That in the first place you be careful, Almighty God may be duly and daily served, according- to the forin of Religion established in the Church of England, both by yourself and all the people, under your charge, which may draw down a Blessing upon all your Endeavors : and let every Congregation, that hath a?t able Tninister, build for him a convenient Parsonage House ; To which for his better maintenance over and above the usual Pen- sion, to lay 200 acres of Gleable Land ; For the clearing of that Ground, every of his Parishioners, for 3 years, shall give some days labours, of them- selves and their servants ; And see that you have a special care that the Glebe Land be set as near his Parsonage House as may be, and that it be of the best conditioned Land ; Suffer no Invasion in matters of Religion, and be 1579-] 2 careful to appoi7it sufficient and conformable vzinisters to each Congregation^ that may catechise and Instruct them in the Ground and principles of Religion. Article ioth. To avoid all questions concerning the Estates of Persons dying in Virginia, it shall be lawful, as it hath been zised heretofore, to make Probates of Wills, and default of a will to grant Letters of Administration in the Colony, |3roiiiEici), oluiajjs that such to whom administration is granted, do put in sufficient security to be accountable, to such persons in England, or else where unto whom of right those Estates shall belong ; and that such Pro- bate of Wills, and Letters of Administration, shall be and abide in full force and virtue, to all intents and purposes. INSTRUCTIONS for our right Trusty and well belo'vea THOMAS LORD CULPEPER, our Lieutenant and Gov' General of our Colony and Dominion of Virginia in America, Sept' 6t/i, 1679. 1 And that God Almighty may be more inclined to bestow his Bles- ' ( sing upon us, and you in the improvement of that our Colony you shall take especial care ; that He be devotedly and duly served in all the Gov- ernment ; The Book of Common prayer as it is now established, read each Sunday and Holiday, and the Blessed Sacrament admifiistered according to the Rights of tlie Church of England. You shall be careful that the Churches, already Built there, shall be well and orderly kept, and more built, as the Colony shall by God's Blessing be improved, and that besides a competent maintenance to be assigned to the minister of each church, a convenient House be built at the common charge, for each minister, and one hundred acres of Land assigned him, for a Glebe and exercise of his Industry. 16. 5lni' crar lUill and Jpltcsure is, that no minister be preferred, by you, to any Ecclesiastical Benefice, in that our Colony, without a Certificate, from 3 [i69r. the Lord Bishop of London, of his being conformable to the Doctrine and Dis- cipline of the Church of Englmid ; and also our pleasure is, that in the Direc- tion of Church affairs, the ministers be admitted into the respective vestries. COMMISSARY BLAIRto GOVERNOR NICHOLSON. AN ACCOUNT OF THE COLLEGE BUSINESS. London, Dec"" 3rd, 1691. May it please Your Honor, In my last from Bristol I gave your Honour an account of our passage, our landing in Ireland, my passage from thence to Bristol, with all the news I had then heard. This letter I left with M"". Henry Daniel, who promised to take care of it, & to send it by a ship that he said was there, almost ready to sail from Bristol to Virginia. M''. Randolph of New England, & M''. Sherwood, who are now both bound for Virginia, will save me the trouble of writing news, so that I shall need only to give your Honour an account of my proceedings in the affair of the College. When I came first to London, which was the first day of September, there were many things concurred to hinder my sudden presenting of the address about the College, for M"", Jeoffreys was in Wales, & did not come to Town to present the address upon their majesties' acces- sion to the crown; the Bishop of London thought it not so proper to present an address about business; then the King was in Flanders; my friend the Bishop of Salisbury was at Salisbury; the Bishop of St. Asaph at his diocese in Wales, and before M^ Jeoffreys came to Town the Bishop of London was taken very sick, so that for a month's time he was not able to stir abroad; upon all which accounts I found it necessary to delay in the beginning, for which I had one reason which was enough of itself if there had been no more, and that was that I found the court so much altered, especially among the Bishops (who were the most proper persons for me to apply myself to), that really I found myself obliged to take new measures from what I had proposed 1 691.] 4 to myself. The Bishop of London was at this time under a great cloud and mighty unwilling to meddle in any court business, for notwithstanding his great merit from the present government, he had been passed by in all the late promotions, & the two archbishopricks had been bestowed upon two of his own clergy, viz: D'. Tillotson & D'. Sharp, so yet notwithstanding the Bishop of London's great kindness to Virginia, yet I found he was not at this time in so fit circumstances to manage a business at court as we expected. I found that the Archbishop of Canterbury was the man who was wholly entrusted by the King & Court for al! Ecclesiastical affairs, & I was told by every body who had skill in Business that it was absolutely necessar}^ to get him to be our friend. Thus the time past on & I did nothing but make friends in private against the King's coming over, which was expected about the beginning of October, but happened not till the 19th of that month. All this while I waited duely on the Bishop of London, as knowing well that whenever this business came to be done he must appear cordially in it, or else no inter- est that I could make could prevail to get it done without him, it belonging so entirely to his province. I both discoursed him at large, and plyed him with memorials till I got him to be very perfect in the Business of the College, but at the same time I disliked the method in which he was going to put it, which was this. He advised me to put in the address by way of petition to the King in Council, & the council he said would defer it to the committee for plantations where he did not doubt but that it would pass. I told his Lord- ship that I never doubted the obtaining of the charter, but the great difficulty would be in obtaining a gift of such things from his Majesty as we had a mind to ask for the College, and that in order to this, the best way seemed to me to be to engage the Bishops about Court zealously in the thing & to get the King so prepared that when the address was presented to him he should con- sult the Bishops in it, it being an Ecclesiastical affair, & that by their advice the whole business should be approved by his majesty & all promises for the encouragement of it that we had a mind to ask, & then at last, if it was neces- sary, that it might be brought before the Committee of Plantations to see what they had to say against it, but for the council and the Committee of Planta- tions to be the first meddlers & contrivers of the business I did not like it, because as his Lordship told me himself the church of England party was the weakest in the council. & if there is any of the revenue to be spared the cour- tiers are more apt to beg it for themselves than to advise the bestowing of it 5 [i69i. upon any publick use. But all that I could say could not prevail with the Bishop of London to have the business managed in this manner with the King himself. This was the first week in October when the King w^as daily expect- ed & I was really in a great deal of trouble & knew not how to help myself, when by God's good providence, by means of a minister of my acquaintance, I was introduced to D^ Stillingfleet, Bishop of Worcester, one thought to be as much in favour with the Queen as any Bishop in England. I found the Bishop of Worcester exceeding well prepared to receive me kindly. The first word he said to me was that he was very glad of this opportunity of being acquainted with me, that he had heard a great deal of me from the Bishop of London, of good things I had done and still designed to do for the church in America, & he freely proffered to do me all the service that lay in his power. After some discourse with him I found we had already run into one error & seemed like to run into another. The first was, that all this tiine we had neglected the Queen, who he assured me would be the best friend that I could find in a business of this nature, as being a person that is a very great encourager of all works of charity. The other was that, as I told him, we intended to bring it before the council & committee of Plantations, which he assured me, was the ready way to spoil all. For the first I had this to say, that by my instructions I was to depend upon the Bishop of London, who presently after my coming to London was taken sick & was but just now beginning to stir abroad again. I desired him to be so kind as to acquaint her majesty with it & withal to ask whether her majesty would have the address presented to her, or whether we must wait for his majesty's coming, who was now expected every minute. He promised me that he would do it & for the other wrong step we were like to make I was as much convinced of it as he could be, but I shewed him the difficulty and begged that he would make use of his Interest with the Bishop of London to persuade him to take another course. About the same time I received a letter from the Bishop of Salisbury (whose assistance I had desired) with one enclosed for the Archbishop of Canterbury wherein he recommended me & the business of the college to his Grace. And upon my address to him I was received very kindly, he told me that he remembered me since I was with the master of the rolles. He heard me very patiently discourse the business of our coUege, and enquired concerning the state of our clergy in Virginia, he assured me that he would do me ah the kindness that he could in my affair & desired me to draw him up a couple of I69I.] 6 memorials, one about the college and another about the clergy, and withall told me that if I would follow his advice he did not question but the business would do very well. He told me I must have patience for the King at his first coming would be full of his Parliament business but if I would leave it to him he would tell me when was the proper time to deliver the address & would before hand prepare his majesty. He was utterly against the making of it a council business and promised me to talk with the Bishop of London in it, and to shew him the necessity of manageing it first with the King him- self. Both these Bishops were as good as their words for the Bishop of Worcester opened the business of the college to the Queen who seemed to like it extraordinarily, promised to assist in recommending it to the King, but ordered that the address should not be presented till the King came himself. And the Archbishop took an occasion to speak to the Bishop of London about it in the presence of the Bishop of Worcester. They all commended the thing & for the right managing of it, the Archbishop proposed that the King should be prepared and then the address delivered to him, & if he thought lit to make a council business of it he might. The Archbishop desired leave of the Bishop of London to manage it with the King, which the B' of London willingly assented to & so the thing was put again into a right method. The Archb" told me afterwards that he never saw the King take anything better than he did the very first proposal of our college & that he promised frankly if I could find any thing in that country which was fit for him to give towards it he would give it. After which I made it my whole business to wait upon those Bishops & to give them memorials of my affair. I have already writ out three quires of paper in this sort of work & all things seem to be in a right disposition towards it. After the heat of the parliament business was a little over the Archbishop got the King himself to name a day for presenting the address. It was Nov'. 12", in the Council chamber, before the council sat. I was introduced by the Archbishop of Canterbury & my Lord Effingham (the Bishop of London should have been there but was that day taken again with a fit of the stone.) I kneeled down & said these words, "Please your majesty here is an humble supplication from the Government of Virginia for your majesty's charter to erect a free school & college for the education of their youth," & so I delivered it into their hand. He answered, " Sir, I am glad tfiat that colony is upon so good a design & I will promote it to the best of my power." The King gave it to the principal Secretary, my Lord Notting- 7 [i69i- ham, at whose office, within two days, I had it again, with this account from M''. Warre, my Lord's Secretary, that the King had ordered me to give in to the Bishop of London, both a scheme of the college and an account what was expected of him towards the encouragement of it ; & if I could concert the matter with the Archbishop and the Bishop of London then it should be brought before tlie committee for plantations & pass if they had nothing to object against it. The parliament sits so close that it is an hard matter to find anybody at leasure, yet I persuaded the Bishop of London on Wednesday last to come for half an hour to his chamber at Whitehall, where I presented & read to him a memorial I had prepared for his majesty's use, & the Arch- bishop & he were to wait an opportunity to speak to the King about it. Every one thinks it is in so good a way that it cannot well miscarry. I make it my whole business to wait upon it & if I hear further before the ships go your honour may expect another line about it. I find there will be a great deal of difhculty in finding of able masters & yet I am sensible the life of the business lies in this. In England their masters of their colleges have a much easier life than is designed for the masters & professors of our college in Vir- ginia. I can have several young men that are fit enough to be ushers but can not perswade any of the Eminent experienced masters to go over. I have two in my eye that are very fit for it if I can prevail with them to undertake it. There is one thing which was forgot in my instructions, (and it was my fault for I was not sensible of the necessity of it at this time), that is that I should have been ordered to provide a president of the college at the same time with the schoolmaster & usher. I thought y^ at first a Grammar school being the only thing we could go upon, a good Schoolmaster & Usher were enough to manage that. But the Bishop of London and some other Bishops and a great many other skillfull men whom I have consulted have undeceived me & persuaded me that the president of the college ought to be the first man of all the masters we provided for it. Their reasons are these : first that the good success of the whole business depends upon the setting up & exe- cuting of a good discipline at first both among masters & Scholars, which, if it be left wholly to the Schoolmaster, he will be sure to make it easy enough for himself & will contrive to lead the scholars in such a method as will keep them a great deal longer at school than they needed to be kept, only for his own advantage. Most of the masters here in England keep their scholars seven years at the Latin which might be as well taught in four if they pleased. 1 69 1.] 8 2""^. It may so happen y^ the school master & usher may want as much to be instructed themselves as any of the scholars. COMMISSARY BLAIR 70 GOV NICHOLSON. London, Feb^- 27, 1691-2. May it please Your Honour, By the Virginia fleet which put to sea about six weeks ago, I sent you a whole packet of letters, which if they are come to hand will give you a very particular account of what I am doing here, Since that time my patience has been sufficiently exercised, for our college business (as indeed all business whatsoever), has been at a stand, the King being so wholly taken up with the thoughts of the war & the transportation of the household & the army, that for a long time he allowed not the Lords of the Treasury to lay any other business before him till all affairs of that kind were dispatched. There was another reason too why my business was delayed & y* was that my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the person I depend upon for managing of it with the King & Queen, was for five weeks frozen up at Lambeth so that he could neither get to Court nor Parliament but by coming round by the bridge, which he found to be so long and so bad a way that he choose for the most part to stay at home. But to make up this loss of time there happened two accidents in it, by which I believe I shall get;^5ooto our college, of which I should not have had one farthing if I had been out of the way. M^ Boyle died about the beginning of the last month & left a considerable Legacy for pious uses, which, when I understood, I made my interest with his executors by means of the Bishop of Salisbury, and I am promised ^200 of it for our col- lege. The other is y* Davis & his partners having been long kept in suspense about that money which Captain Roe seized in Virginia, & their friends being quite tired interceeding for them & no money was like to come at last, I undertook to get them their money provided they would give a considerable 9 [1691. share of it to our Virginia College. They engaged to give 300 pound & I presently employed the Archbishop of Cantecbury & Bishop of London who have so managed it with the council that the council is very glad of the expe- dient & I am assured it will take effect. This day their petition was read before a committee for plantations & I subscribed it signifying that the peti- tioners had devoted ^300 of the money towards the carrj-'ing on the design of a college In Virginia if they might have an order for the rest, and the thing would have past but y*^ the Lords thought they offered too little money ; so 1 am desired to try if I can bring them up to ^500. So y* tho' my main busi- ness Is not yet finished yet I make use of my time for some thing else than mere waiting. But I confess the trouble of managing the affair is so vascly great beyond expectation, that I doubt, could I have foreseen it, I should never have had the courage to have undertaken it. The chief news here since the Virginia fleet sailed is the disgrace of my Lord Marlebo rough. The reasons of it are not divulged but It is said he is suspected by the King to have made his peace with France. His place of Lieutenant General of the English & Scotch forces is bestowed upon Coll. Talmagh, his troop of Guards upon my Lord Colchester, his regiment of fusi- leers upon L'^ George Hamlltoune, one of Duke Hamlltoun's Sons & his place of the bed chamber for ought I know Is still void. My Lady Marleborough was likewise forbid the court, & the Princess Anne was desired by the Queen to dismiss her from her services which the Princess took so ill that she has left the cockpit upon it & gone out to live at Slon house. But the news which concerns your Honour most nearly to be informed In, is y^ my Lord Effingham has suddenly laid down the government of Virginia which was immediately conferred upon Sir Edmund Andros who is to sail from hence with all expedition along with Coll. Fletcher, Gov"" of New York. M''. Blath- wayt is a going for Flanders with the King's Secretary at War. On Wednes- day last the Parliament was adjourned till the 12''' of April & It is expected that it will be adjourned from time to time till the King's return. I received yours of Nov^ 19, & shall be carefuU of the contents. My Lord Bishop of S*. Asaph has not yet been In Town but is now shortly expected being to preach at the chapel on Easter day. I give my ser\'Ice to all my mastef s of the coun- cil & house of Burgesses & hope to give you shortly a good account of my proceedings in the affair wherewith I am entrusted. This with my prayers for your honour's health & prosperity being all at present from Yours, Sir, &c., &c. JAMES BLAIR. 1697.] A MEMORIAL concerning SIR EDMUND ANDROS, Governor of Virginia, by D\ Blair, CHAPTER I. HIS CONDUCT AS TO THE CLERGY AND RELIGION. § I . What Care he has taken to provide the Cotmtry with ministers. \ 2. Concerning the Ministers' Salaries & Glebes. \ 3. Concerning the Missioners' Titles to their livings. § 4. Concerning Ecclesiastical Discipline & Government. \ 5. Concerning the way of treating the Clergy ^tpon all other occasions. What Care Sir Edmund Andros has taken to provide the Country with ministers. 5n. t1)iS inatter, his immediate predecessor. Governor Nicholson, left him a good Example, for 1. By frequent Letters to my Lord Bishop of London he failed not to give notice what number of ministers was wanting, and earnestly to sohcit for a suitable Supply. 2. He incessantly urged the vestries of the vacant Parishes to provide themselves with ministers, they having the right of Presentation by the Law of that Country ; and all intercessions of that nature were very effectual, both because they knew they could not please him better, and that if they failed he had in his hands the right of presenting. II [i697. 3. By his Agents in England he commonly bestowed some seasonable supply on such ministers as would adventure themselves into the Country, which, as it helped to defray the charges of their transportation, so it was a token and pledge of the Governor's favour which seldom fails of drawing respect to the minister from all other persons. 4. After ministers were arrived in the Country, he commonly defrayed their charges till they were settled in livings, which by his ready recommen- dations to the vestries of the vacant Parishes was quickly done. jSfoU) in all this matter of providing ministers for the Country, Sir Edmund Andros (who hates every thing that looks like an imitation of Governor Nicholson), has acted a quite contrary part. And the vestries of vacant Par- ishes finding a double advantage by keeping no minister, viz : both saving the money of his Salary in their own pockets, and pleasing (as they think), the Gov' who neither urges them to provide ministers, nor goes about to pro- vide them for them (as he might safely do by the Ordinary's Power in that matter invested in him by the King's Instructions), it is an easy thing to fore- see what will become of that poor Church in a little time. At present for 50 parishes there are but 22 ministers and most o{ those tired out with the un- kindness of the Government, which will appear more from the following par- ticulars. It is true there is one plausible thing they have to answer to this Scarcity of ministers, viz: that several of these parishes are so small or so ill peopled that they are not able to keep a minister. But this can be no excuse to Sir Edmund Andros (whatever it is to the people), it being in his power both by the King's Instructions and the Laws of the Country, by union or consolidation to remedy this matter. Concerning the ministers' Salaries and Glebes. I. There was an old Law in V^irginia concerning those salaries capable of a double construction, one to the advantage, and the other to the disadvan- tage of the clergy. For by that Law, the minister's Salary was to be paid in the current and valuable commodities of the Country as much as is really worth ^80 per annum besides his Glebe and perquisites. But then there is a latter 1697J 12 Clause of that Law which determines the price of those commodities, viz ; To- bacco at 12 shillings the hundred pound weight, and Corn at 10 shillings the Barrel. Now by the great fall of the price of Tobacco since this Law was made, in most places of Virginia it is not worth above 6 shillings per cwt., communibtis annis, and therefore in all such Parishes (before Sir Edmund Andros's Governm*) what it wanted in quality and value they endeavoured to make up in quantity, as they were able, and so instead of iZ^ZiTi pounds of Tobacco, which made up 80 cwt. at 1 2 shillings the Hundred weight, they allowed the minister in some places 16,000, and in some 20,000 lbs. of To- bacco for the payment of this ^80. But during Sir Edmund's Government, the Law has been generally construed in the most rigorous sense against the Clergy ; so that most salaries have been lessened, and not one bettered in his time. 2. In the year 1692, by an Express Letter from his majesty, Sir Edmund Andros was commanded in his majesty's name to represent this same matter of the Clergy's salaries to the General Assembly of Virginia, and to endeav- our to procure an alteration of the Law according to the primary intent of it, but, by a strange and unaccountable neglect he said not one word of this to the General Assembly that met next after he received the Order, which was the best affected Assembly to the Clergy of any during his Gov- ernment, and which was yet stranger, when that Assembly (upon occasion of the revisal of the Laws) fell upon that Act about the Clergy's Salaries of their own accord, and past a Bih in both Houses, for altering the price of the Clergy's Tobacco from 12 to 10 shillings per Hundred, which raised their salaries from 13,333 "^^ 16,000 lbs. of Tobacco per annum, and nothing being wanted to establish this into a Law but the Governor's consent, yet this was not granted, so the Bill fell and an opportunity was lost, which is never like to be retrieved for the Clergy in this Gentleman's time. It is true indeed that being by his last letters from England mightily blamed for this unaccountable proceeding, to recover his reputation, he endeavored to get tliis last Assembly in 1696 to renew the act which he had refused in 1693 : But after all his en- deavors was fain to admit of a new Act. upon much worse Terms. For it cuts off the Cask, which had always been allowed formerly for the minister's Tobacco ; and likewise reduces the Collection of it to 5 per Cent, which till then had been at 10, under which 10 per cent, they know the minister cannot have it collected so that the new Law which he has now assented to in 1696 is 1 3 1 697.] at least 13 per cent, (viz : 8 for Cask and 5 for collection) worse to the Clergy than that Law which he refused in 1693. 3. In his time the vestry has begun in several places to withhold the Glebes from the ministers, under pretence that the Glebe is due to none but to an inducted minister. This is plainly to excuse one injury to the Clergy with another, for by Law the vestries ought to be present, and by the King's In- structions the Governor ought to induct ; & if the vestries fail in presenting, he may both present and induct jure devohito. But because both he and they neglect their duty, therefore the minister is no legal minister, and must not have the Glebe, and by the same argument they may prove that he has no right to the Salary nor perquisites, and so do with him what they please. 4. There being an order of the late Gracious Queen in council, past in the year 1692 for bestowing the quit rents of Virginia (being about 800 or 900 pound a year, and appropriated to no use) upon the Clergy of that country for 3 years as an addition to their small salaries, it was afterwards represented to His Majesty by some that opposed this gift, that if he should give away the quit rents the Gov' of Virginia would not be able to subsist, without being burdensome to the Treasury in England, upon which his Majesty thought fit (tho' most contrary to his gracious inclinations) to recall the said Order; but at the same time was pleased to say, that he would try for 3 years if the Government could subsist without the s*^ quit rents and if he found that it cQuId, that he would then bestow them upon the clergy of Virginia. To pre- vent which Sir Edmund Andros has, from that time, contrived such strange and unusual ways partly to lessen and partly to consume the Revenue, that it is no wonder if quit rents and all have enough to do, to support the charge to which he has put that Government. I will mention some of those unusual methods, not doubting but that if I could see the accounts (which have been industriously concealed from me during his Governm*) I might discover more to this purpose. I may well say industriously concealed, for they have been but twice brought before the Council, since I had the honor to be of that Board, and both times I was suspended just as they were a going to be brought in, and the last of those times, was after I had taken out my pass to come for England, & the Governor knew I was not to have staid above 3 days longer amongst them. It is not likely they would have suspended me for 3 days, if it had not been to have served such a turn. The ways I shall mention of his unnecessary expence are certainly true the' (not having seen 1697.J 14 the accounts) I may err in estimating the particular sums of such consumption, a little over or under. I St. I begin with a new Law he assented to in the year 1693 for enlarging the size of Tobacco hogsheads, by which (it is said) 4 hogsheads of the new size will hold as much as five of the old. According to this computation the King's revenue of two shillings per Hogshead (which used to defray the annual charge of that Government) must have sunk a fifth part, which I take to be about 600 or 700 pound a year. 2d. Besides that unusual supplies were ordered out of the Treasury of Virginia for the Province of New York (which Orders I suppose were pro- cured by him and his friends) this did not serve, but he supplied them with about 1000 over and above all his Orders. 3rd. He has thrown away a great deal of money in raising an old fort at Jamestown, & in building a powder house, and In making a platform for 1 6 great guns there, and another platform at Tindal's point in York river. I never heard one man that pretended to understand anything of Fortification, that, upon sight of these works, did not ridicule & condemn them as good for nothing but to spend money. The Guns at Jamestown, are so placed that they are no defence to the town, which being much lower in the river, might be taken by the Enemies' shipping, without receiving any the least assistance from those Guns. The powder House stands all alone without any Garri- son to defend it, and is a ready prey for any foreign or domestic Enemy. 4th. About the year 1694 the Lords of the Treasury ordered a cruising sloop of about 40 Tuns to be kept in Virginia, and another in Maryland, to look out for unlawful traders ; and the fund upon which they ordered them to be kept was the Encouragement of his Majesty's third part of all fines and forfeitures due from the said unlawful traders which was a very wise Estab- lishment, for It took nothing out of the King's purse, but was really no pur- chase no pay. In Maryland this order was punctually complied with, and such a sloop was and Is kept upon the said Fund. But in Virginia (because it was alledged none would undertake It upon this foot) the Governor presently ordered the charge to be paid out of the Revenue, and this I suppose may consume about 600 or 700 lbs. a year. 5th. The King's Quit rents in that Country, being paid in Tobacco, this Tobacco is sold by the auditor, by the advice of the Government and Council, to the said Governor, council and auditor themselves for about half price. A 15 [i697- clear instance of which will be found in the accounts of this year: a year wherein Tobacco sold, at a great rate in Virginia, viz : from lo to 20 shillings an hundred as in goodness. And then those Gentlemen sold themselves so much bargains of the King's tobacco that they had it for 4^-4 the bad and for 6s the best. §3- Concerning the Ministers' Tides to their Livings. One of the greatest discouragements the ministers labour under in Virginia is that theyhave no legal Titles to their Livings, by presentation and of ves- try's Induction ; but are to their several vestries in the nature of hired ser- vants, agreed with from year to year, and dismissed if they please at the ex- piration of such agreement without any crime proved or so much as alledged against them. Now it is solely in the Governor's power to redress this griev- ance, being invested by the King with the ordinarie's power of Inducting, whereby he can either oblige the vestries to present or if they fail can present and Induct y7if'e Devohito. But he never makes use of this power, but sees the ministers from time to time turned out at the vestry's pleasure. Nothing can have worse effects upon the Clergy, than this servitude, for it hinders all good ministers from coming in or staying amongst us ; it keeps the ministers from settling either upon the Glebes or Plantations of their own ; for so much money goes to settling that it is not convenient for men that must be con- tinually on the wing. This likewise occasions great wastes and dilapidations ; it hinders all women of the better sort from matching with the Clergy while their circumstances are so precarious and uncertain. It exposes the ministers to great poverty and contempt, and makes them base, mean and mercenary in the execution of their ministerial functions, that they dare not so much as preach against the vices that the great men of their vestry are Guilty of, for if they do, they must expect a faction will be prepared in the vestry to be against renewing the agreement with them for another year. 1 697-] 1 6 §4. Concerning Ecclesiastical Discipline & Government. Sir Edmund Andros endeavors to feed & foment a Jealousy in the County against Ecclesiastical Discipline. He makes the County Courts try incest- uous marriages and all other spiritual causes. If any parish upon occasion of scandal in their minister makes application to my Lord Bishop of London's Commissar}' for a visitation, the churchwardens (instead of being commended for their diligence) are sure to be frowned upon and chid for it. Such of the Clergy as are most refractory against that authority are upon that account received into favor. And it is a common maxim among his friends that we have nothing to do with the Bishop of London nor no church power. §5. Concerning the way of treating the Clergy upon all other occasions. 1 . When ministers have at any time made their application to the Gover- nor, either in Council or General Court, they have found no relief but have come off with great charge, trouble and disgrace : so that it is become in many places a proverb when a minister is affronted in his parish, (by way of Irony) they bid him go and complain to the Governor. And indeed never so many public affronts have been offered to ministers as in his time, some hav- ing been publicly beaten, some turned out at the vestry's Pleasure, some de- prived of their Glebes, some not so much as called to the meetings of the ves- try, and all of them were enjoined to pray for the Queen, above half a year after the whole country was well apprised of her death, which exposed them that obeyed it to a most general Contempt. 2. One of the most public affronts put upon the Clergy was in the Gen- eral Assembly in the year 1695 where by the management of his creatures, in answer to the King's Letter for the relief of the Clergy, the House of Bur- gesses under an address to the Governor, wherein (to avoid giving any relief) they made such a representarion of the Clergy's Provisions, as if they wanted no amendment, and as if all representations to the contrary proceeded from none but avaricious clergymen. He was mightily overjoyed upon receiving 17 [1697. of this address, which, without acquainting the Clergy, he sent home for Eng- land on purpose no doubt to prevent any bounty His Majesty might design for them. But when the Clergy at their next general meeting thought it necessary to remove some aspersions which had been thrown upon them by this address of the House of Burgesses, and in another Address to the Governor to give him a ti ae account of their present circumstances, desir- ing him to communicate the same to His Majesty and to intercede for his re- lief, He let this address of the Clergy lie by him till he had called another assembly (for there was none then in being), and instead of communicating it to the King as he was desired, he put it into that House of Burgesses where he had his agents ready to blow the Coals, & to aggravate it as an high crime that the Clergy (tho' in their own defence) should offer to give any other representation of their Circumstances than the House of Burgesses had done for them. And had it not been that there were several moderate men in the House, they had certainly set the Country and the Clergy together by the Ears, which is the Game the Governor has endeavored to play all along. 3. When after the breaking out of the late Plot the Governor had Letters from Whitehall, requiring him to give Notice to all persons in public Office within the Government, that it was expected they should sign the association, he took care to communicate this to all ranks of people, except to the Clergy, designing to have them represented in England as persons disaffected to the Government, and as such his Agents now in England took care to pass their censures on my Lord Bishop of London's Commissary and likewise to write to Virginia that it was taken notice of that he had not signed the association with the rest of the Council of Virginia. But if the observations of those his Friends had been as charitable as they were censorious, they might easily have observed (for they knew it well enough) that the Bishop of London's Com- missary was at that time suspended from the Council and was not permitted to know what they were doing, far less to sign any paper along with them ; but that at the same time he signed it in his two other capacities, viz : with the Governors of the College, and with the Clergy, having assembled them for that purpose, tho' he was never desired to do it by Sir Edmund Andros. I697.J ^^ CHAPTER II. SIR EDMUND ANDROS'S CONDUCT WITH RELATION TO THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY IN VIRGINIA. § I . How he prefers the College's Enemies, and slights its friends. § 2. How he has given nothing himself, and his frie^ids refused to pay their subscriptions. \ 3. How great difficulties the College has met with in possessing them- selves of La7id given them by the King. § 4. How the Blackwater and Pamunky neck were laid open to all mankind. § 5. How they threw out a Bill [this last Assembly, 1696) for facilitating the payment of subscriptions to the College. § 6. How they disappoint the Governors of the College of meetings. § 7. How the Auditing the Accoiuits of the Penny per pound is hindered. \ 8. What contrivances have been to Hinder Governor Nicholson frofn co->n- ing to the College m,eetings, with some discouragement to M*". Blair. ^U the common people, even such as are most incapable of enquiring into the intrigues of state policy do observe, that Sir Edmund Andros chooses his friends and favorites only out of such as are Enemies to the College, and that there is no certainer way to lose his favor than by being a Zealous friend to it. Its friends are kept out of all places of Profit in the Government, & turned out where they were in possession of them. And it is observed that in Elections of Burgesses for the General Assembly, or in the choosing a speaker for the House of Burgesses, all the Governor's friends employ their utmost interest to keep out any one that is a friend to the College, and do 19 [1697. commonly prevail by this very argument : "if you choose such a one," say they, "he is a Collegian, and we shall have a tax for the College." §2. Notwithstanding his Majesty's express command to the Governor (by a Letter for that purpose) that he should use his utmost Endeavors to carry on the College, and to remove all obstructions of so good a work ; and notwith- standing the many pressing Letters that have been w^ritten to him by some of the most eminent persons both in Church and State, to persuade him to go heartily into the work, he shows a stiffness and obstinacy in opposing it that it is altogether unaccountable. There has not been one farthing given to it in his time, neither by himself nor none of his friends ; nor will they so much as pay the subscriptions they made to it in Gov'' Nicholson's time ; and their back- wardness herein contrary to all common honesty and honor has so influenced the rest of the Country (men being easily persuaded to keep their money), that of near /"3000 then subscribed, there is paid but about 500, which has been gotten in chiefly from such places of the Country where the Governor and his Council did not live, to hinder and discourage their payments. §3- The King had granted to the College 20,000 acres of Land in two several tracts ; and because some of the best of this Land had been illegally taken up by others, the Governors of the College, apprehending that in the surveying of it they might meet with disturbance from those illegal pretenders, petitioned the Governor and Council that by proclamation or any other way of Informa- tion they thought fit, they would signify the King's Grant to the Inhabitants of these places, that so they might peaceably enter into the same in the name of the College, according to his Majesty's Intentions. To this Petition it was answered that care should be taken therein. But after long waiting there was no care taken to inform the Inhabitants; upon which the people (concluding that the Governor was willing enough we should meet with all possible trouble in taking possession of the said Land) the consequence was that upon both those tracts of Land the College survey was violently stopped by break- 1 697-] 20 ing the chain and carrying away the Surveyor's Instruments, which obHged the College, instead of the peaceable possession they expected, to commence a tedious and expensive suit of Law with those illegal pretenders ; which they were forced at last for one of the Tracts to accommodate upon disadvan- tageous terms, persisting that their Judges (who were this same Governor & Council) were so full of prejudice against them, that they durst not put it to the hazard of their decision. And for the other tract of Land, which was the more valuable of the two, the Governor by a bold stroke before the cause was decided, signed patents to others for all the good Land that was to be found upon it, and that in such large quantities, that one of his favorites had no less than 13,000 acres of it in his patent and another 10,000, and all the rest very large quantities, expressly contrary to his Majesty's charter to the College; for by that charter the College was to have the first choice. But this was such an intollerable contempt of the King's authority that Sir Edmund's friends in England, in their last letters by the London Fleet gave him better advice than to go through with it, and accordingly a little after the arrival of that fleet. Sir Edmund prevailed with his Virginia friends to surrender their patents to him again, till the land in controversy should be legally divided, and in the mean time left them to make as good compositions with the Gov- ernors of the College as they could. §4. The College was obliged to make another address to the Governor and Council, wherein they had as bad success. The occasion was this. The two Tracts of Land, viz : Blackwater and Pamunkey neck (of which the King had given those 20,000 acres to the College) had been for several years, by divers Orders of Council, prohibited to be surveyed, & till those restraints were taken off no surveyor durst go upon them to lay out the College's land, or to ascertain the bounds of it, in order to the leasing of it to the Tenants; and therefore the Trustees of the College petitioned the Governor and Council to take off the said restraints as to the Land the King had given to the Col- lege, and that two particular surveyors whom they named might be impowered to survey it. In answer to this Petition, they took off the restraint of survey- ing not only as to the College land, but all other restraints whatsoever, and so opened the places not only to us but to all mankind. The effect of which was 21 [i697- that immediately every man that pleased went and took up land in these places and so the College could get no tenants, since every man was at liberty to take in land upon the same place, without this, the grant of the said Land to the College would quickly have been of great value, whereas now it will not for many years quit the cost the College has been out upon it. S5- The last instance I shall give you of a Petition presented by the Trustees of the College to the Governor & Council, had such fate as was of more per- nicious consequence to the College than all the rest. It was upon this occa- sion, we understood that several people were contriving shifts and evasions in Law, whereby they might avoid paying of the gifts they had in Governor Nicholson's time subscribed to the College. One of these Evasions was con- cerning the time of payment, which by the subscription was to be within six months after the General Assembly of Virginia should make an act for endowing the said College and their majesties had confirmed the same. But afterwards the General Assembly (not understanding well the form of such an act for founding and endowing of a College) took another method, viz : petitioned his Majesty to grant them a Charter, and afterwards added an endowment, which though it was the same thing upon the matter, yet left some ground for contentious people to make an objection, as if their subscription were not due because the Assembly themselves did not make the act. Another doubt they raised was concerning the persons to whom these pay- ments were to be made, for by the subscriptions they were to be made to such collector or collectors, as by law should be appointed to receive the same. Now instead of making a law to appoint the Collectors, the General Assem- bly recommended to the King several Trustees for that and some other affairs of the College, desiring his Majesty to enable them by his charter to take and receive all gifts for the College, which his Majesty accordingly did: now those people that have no mind to pay alledge that those men are not Collectors appointed by Law. The Governors of the College to prevent the expense and trouble of Law suits with all those contentious people, resolved to put in a bill to the General Assembly, entitled a Bill for facilitating the pay- ment of the subscriptions made to the College of William and Mary in Vir- ginia. By which they hoped to have made short work, and to have got the 1697. J 22 Assembly to have declared that the said subscriptions were now due, and that the Trustees nominated in the King's charter were the Legal collectors, and that it might pass the more safely they put it first in the upper House, where the Governor usually sits, and can do what he pleases; we hoped he would have been glad of an opportunity to do such a piece of signal service to the College, for he had not long before received a command from his Majesty vigorously to carry on the College, and to remove all obstructions that might hinder it. But the fate of this Bill (which only would have obliged the sub- scribers to pay in their subscriptions) was very hard ; for it was thrown out by the upper house in the Governor's presence, and they would neither make amendments in it nor put it to the hazard of passing in the House of Bur gesses. The consequence of which is, that people being encouraged to stand out, will not bring in their subscriptions, and the College is afraid to hazard so great a stake (upwards of ^2000) in a suit of Law, before Judges that have given so many proofs of their being prejudiced against them, so that the building is now at a full stop for want of money. §6- The chief revenue of the College rising from the duty of the penny per pound on tobacco exported out of Virginia and Maryland to the other Eng- lish plantadons, the College has of late a very bad account of this Revenue in Virginia which is occasioned chiefly by the Governor's permitting the collec- tors to make up their accounts clandestinely with the auditor, without appoint- ing a day for a public audit as used to be yearly appointed formerly. By this means both the collectors have better opportunity to cheat the College of the said Revenue, and the Governors of the College incur the displeasure of the Honorable the Commissioners of his Majesty's customs, who expect from them a copy of all the accounts of the penny per pound fairly audited. §7- One usual method they have to hinder all College Business is to contrive that there shall not be a major part of the Governors of the College present at their meetings, and then by their charter they can do no business. For the 23 [1697. whole number of the Governors of the College being 20, & of those some perhaps gone for England, others living very remote in the country,- others detained by sickness, bad weather or necessary business, to whom the Gov- ernor joining himself and all his friends, who are likewise generally absent (as will appear by the College Journals) it is no wonder if it often happens that there are not present 11, which make the major part of the whole. And when to prevent this they adjourn their meetings to such times and places, when and where they are sure to meet with the Governor's friends upon other accounts (as to General Courts and councils) then the Governor finds fault that they appoint their meetings at such times as hinder the public business of the country, §8. The Governor of Maryland being a constant man at the meetings, and very zealous to promote the business of the College, some extraordinary methods were invented to discourage him, in hopes, if that could be done, the rest would not be altogether so resolute to carry on the work. At first Sir Edmund tried to make him weary by dryness, and frowns, and asking uncivil questions — demanding the reason how he came to leave his Government, or what he had to do in Virginia to amuse the people? But when this would not discourage him from coming, a very strange method was used at last, which it imports the Government to be acquainted with, and to resent, as being such an high reflection on his Majesty, if such affronts to his Governors as I am going to give an account of, do pass unpunished. There is an handsome young man of that country, one M^ Daniel Park, who to all the other accom- plishments that make a complete sparkish Gentleman, has added one upon which he infinitely values himself, that is, a quick resentment of every the least thing that looks like an affront or Injury. He has learned they say the art of fencing and is as ready at giving of a challenge especially before Com- pany, as the greatest Hector in the Town. This M'. Park as being a proper tool for his designs, Sir Edmund Andros gained to his interest, advanced him into the Council, made him a Colonel, and received him into his particular favour. There was no way this Gentleman had to merit a place of Profit from Sir Edmund (which he greatly then wanted), so ready as to exercise his talent upon the Governor of Maryland, to whom every one knows Sir Ed- 1697.] 24 mund owes a particular Grudge and enmity. It was not long before Col. Park, being sufficiently incensed by some near the Governor of Virginia that blew the Coals, found an occasion to expostulate with the Governor of Maryland about a thing which he said he looked upon as a great affront, wherein hardly any man but himself can perceive the least shadow of an incivility or disobli- gation. It was no more but that the Governor of Maryland among some other letters of news which he had received from his friends, had showed one that he received from Col. Park, which, containing nothing of secret, neither the Governor of Maryland nor any body else could see, where the harm was in communicating it. Having told the occasion of the Quarrel, I shall briefly and faithfully give an account of the progress of it, it having been my misfor- tune to be a witness of the whole story. It was about the month of Septem- ber in the year 1695 that Col. Park, having a sword about him much longer than what he commonly travelled withall (and which as he afterwards braged he had caused to be ground sharp in the point that morning), came (as was said from Sir Edmund Andros's House) to M"". Blair's at middle Plantation, where the Governor of Mar>'land then was. Finding the Company at Breakfast he said nothing of what he came for till they had risen from the table. After Grace, he addressed himself thus to the Governor of Maryland. "Capt° Nich- olson" said he, "did you receive a letter that I sent you from New York?" "Yes, I received it" said the Gov'' of Maryland. "And was it done like a Gen- tleman," said Col. Park, "to send that letter by the hand of a common post to be read by every body in Virginia? I look upon it as an affront and expect satisfaction." "You must go to Pennsylvania then," said the Gov' of Mary- land, "my hands are tied up in Virginia. But if you go hither you shall have the satisfaction you desire." Says Park, "Come out here," and so, putting his hand upon his sword, went towards the Door. "What" says the Governor of Maryland "is this your way, M^ Park, of giving challenges before so much Company?" If you have anything to say to me you know always where to find me. I am often in these parts, and you shall never find that I fly the road for you. I am going this very afternoon to Sir Edmund Andros's. But you shall not catch me making any appointments in Virginia. Upon this, Col. Park began to insult, at a strange rate, and told the Governor of Maryland how he used to huff & hector when he was Lord Gov'of Virginia but now he had met with his match he had nothing to say. When he spoke of huffing and hectoring, "that's your part M^ Park," said the Gov' of Maryland. "But 25 [i697- you would say no more if my hands were not tied here ; half of those words should do." Then he proffered him, if he would go to Pennsylvania to fur- nish him with horses and to defray his charges thither. When Park refused this, he whispered him something in the ear, which was not too low but that the Company overheard it. It was something to this purport, that if he would let him know privately at any time he would meet him any where but in Vir- ginia and Maryland. At last he told him that he heard he designed for Eng- land. If he would let him know the time, he would ask leave of the King to come home, & meet him in England. By this time Col. Park seemed to be a little pacified, and told the Gov^ of Maryland that he had all the satisfaction he desired. " You have affronted me," said he " and I have affronted you : now it lies upon you to demand satisfaction." This was the substance of what then passed, the' as it happens in passion the things might be spoke more out of place, and the same things repeated oftener than I have now expresed them. On the afternoon of the same day, the Gov'' of Maryland being to wait on Sir Edmund Andros at his house (as he never failed to do whenever he came to Virginia about the business of the College), Sir Edmund took occa- sion to quarrel with him, alleging that he reflected on him in Maryland and the sheriff of James City being present, he ordered the Governor of Mary- land into custody. The Gov' of Maryland told Sir Edmond Andros that he knew what was their design in all this ; that they thought to scare him from coming into Virginia to wait upon the business of the College, but that it should not at all do. He would still come and perform his duty in that trust. After he had been about half an hour in the Sheriff's custody (tho' not out of the room all the while), Sir Edmund being afraid of the consequence of imprisoning and detaining one of the King's Governor's, ordered that he should have his liberty. Upon both these occasions, — Park's challenge and the Governor's imprisonment, — the Governor of Maryland being aware of the design (which was to provoke him into a passion in which they hoped he would say or do something from which they might take occasion to prohibit him from coming into Virginia), was so calm that he did not seem to be in the least concerned. He resented this last affront of Sir Edmond's no otherwise but by whispering him something in the ear so softly that the Company heard nothing of it. After this Col. Park being extremely caressed by the Governor was made col- lector of the lower district of James's River in the room of Col. Leer who died about that time. A little before this. Sir Edmond had made Col. Park 1697-] 26 Escheator of all the lands between James and York rivers, and in conferring this Collector's place upon him he stretched his power to the utmost, for the first collector's place had been prom'ised by the commissioners of the Cus- toms to Col. Philip Lightfoot, who was now put by to make room for this new favorite. Upon all this Col. Park finding that he had got so in with the Gov' that he would deny him nothing, grew so intolerably insolent that he forgot all common rules of moderation and civility, and carried everything with an high hand in his violent blustering manner. Upon which, though it is an inter- ruption of the story of the Gov' of Maryland, I shall take leave to give an account of another fit of Col. Park's — for Sir Edmund Andros, which hap- pened about this time. Next to the Governor of Maryland, there was no person he could more merit by affronting than M'. Blair, who was President of the College, and upon that account extremely kind to the Governor of Maryland, who was so acdve in carrying it on. But how to vent his spleen against M^ Blair, was not so easy to determine. His gown protected him from challenges, and his reputation was well enough established to secure it from being overthrown by the aspersions of Col. Park's tongue, which was known to talk too much at random to be believed. At last, he bethought him- self of a way of attacking him in a pretty sensible part, but whether the dis- honor turned more upon himself or M"". Blair, is left to the reader to deter- mine. Mistress Blair having no pew of her own in the Church of that Parish where the College now stands in Virginia (to which Parish M^ Blair, as pres- ident of the College, had lately removed), was obliged to her good neighbours for their Courtesy in allowing her a seat in the church along with them. Among the rest my Lady Berkeley, who was then married to Col. Philip Lud- well, generally invited her to sit in Col. Ludwell's pew. This had continued to be her ordinary station in the Parish Church for about two years, there being a very entire friendship between Col. Ludwell & M^ Blair. Col. Park was this Col. Ludwell's Son-in-Law, and by Col. Ludwell's permission had used to sit in the same pew with his Lady and children from the time he had married his daughter, but had now for above a year left the Church upon a prejudice he took up against the Minister, — one M^ Samuel Eburne for preaching a little too home against adultery, in several sermons wherein he took himself to be reflected on ; for he did at that time, & still doth, entertain a Gentleman's Lady, one Mistress Berry, whom he had conveyed away from her husband in London in the year 1692, and carried to Virginia along with 27 [i697- him, calling her by the name of his cousin Brown. But, to have a blow at M"", Blair, he resolved for one day to lay aside his resentments against M^ Eburne and to come to Church to pull Mistress Blair out of that pew, which for that time (and to give some color of right to that action) he was pleased to lay claim to as his own ; tho' no such pretension was ever heard of before. Accordingly about the month of January in the year 1695-6 he came one Sun- day suddenly to Church & rushing in with a mighty violence with which he frightened the poor Gentlewomen who were in the pew (without any man to defend them as fearing no attacks in such a sanctuary), he seized Mistress Blair by the wrist, and with great fury and violence pulled her out of the Pew in presence of the Minister and Congregation, who had begun divine Service, all the people being extremely scandalized at this ruffianly & profane action. M''. Blair (tho' as things then stood, he expected no redress) thought it his duty to represent this to the Governor, who together with his council consid- ering the matter, as they could not justify Col. Park in a thing upon which all the country cried out shame, so was resolved to give M^ Blair no satisfaction, and therefore upon hearing of both parties gave their opinions in these words: "That it did not lie before them," At the same time Col. Ludwell having presented a Petition complaining of Col. Park for invading the right and disturbing of Mistress Blair who sat there at his desire & permission, had the same answer. But to return to the business between the Governor of Maryland and Col. Park, the narration whereof has been interrupted by this digression, Col. Park finding himself so strongly supported by Sir Edmund's favor, to whom his very irregularities (being only works of super arrogation in his Service) were very acceptable, went on in a continued course of provo- cations and affronts to Gov'' Nicholson. He wrote letters to New England and New York giving an account how he had challenged him, and that he was so great a coward that he durst not answer him. And at all the following meetings of the College for above a year after this, the Gov' of Maryland being always present, M''. Park contrived generally to give him very abusive Language, to which the Gov' of Maryland made no other reply, but that he knew his hands were tied up in Virginia, but that he should find a time to meet with him elsewhere. Col. Park, perceiving that the Gov' of Maryland was resolved to make no appointment in Virginia, at a late meeting of the Governors of the College was yet more abusive. It happened thus. The Governors of the College being met at Jamestown about the latter 1697.] 28 end of February last, were a dealing earnestly with M^ Blair, to go home to England to secure M^ Boyles' legacy, and to do some other business for the College. In the meantime Col. Park, who was utterly against M^ Blair's going for England, maintained an argument, against all the Governors of the College, who were at that meeting, and were as much for M'. Blair's going as Col. Park was against it. Amongst other things which he offered, to dissuade them, he told them that if they thought it necessary that one of their number should go, the Gov'' of Maryland was a going, so there was no occasion for M^ Blair's going, too. It being answered that it was more than they knew, if the Gov' of Maryland was a going for England — he replied "Yes, I can tell you that the Governor of Maryland is a going for England, for he has prom- ised to meet me there this shipping." Upon this the Gov' of Maryland made answer, "Sir," says he "you are mistaken. I promised to ask the King's leave to go for England. But for meeting you, I'll meet you where you will, except in Virginia and Maryland." Upon which Col. Park, with an high and angry tone, replied, "No sir," said he, "you positively promised to meet me in England." "It is a He," said the Gov"^ of Maryland "and it is not the first you have told." "A lie!" says Col. Park, and, having a horsewhip in his hand, runs to the Gov"^ of Maryland, who was sitting bareheaded, & gave him a slash with the horsewhip over the head. The Gov^ of Maryland at this time happened to have no sword or other weapon about him, for he had left his sword in an house where he dined at Jamestown, and to which he designed to return to his Lodging at night: but presently flew to Col. Park with his naked fist. There being Company enough in the room, they were immediately parted. Upon this the Governor of Mary- land (as was afterwards known) sent Col. Park a private challenge to fight him in Carolina which was the nearest Government, at the distance of little more than a day's Journey from James Town, but Col. Park for all his huffing and hectoring in company, was extremely nettled at this, and contrived to have the matter discovered to Sir Edmund Andros, who, by putting him under con- finement, took care to keep his skin whole, but contrived no satisfaction for the Governor of Maryland. This Col. Park is now in London, and is so far from being ashamed of this story of the horsewhip, that he owns it in all companies, every where setting out his own courage and the Governor of Maryland's cowardice. The received Punctilios of honor must refrain the Governor of Maryland from making any complaints upon occasions of this nature. 29 [i697- He designs, it seems, some other satisfaction of this spark, and has (as I am told) desired my Lord Duke of Baltimore to intercede with his Majesty, for leave for him to come home. But I hope the King will find a better way to keep up the honor of his Governors, than by suffering them to be thus exposed to the insults of every rude and unmannerly subject. An account might be added here of the particular persecutions of other Gentlemen that have been friends to the College, particularly of M^ Blair, whom they have endeavored grossly to misrepresent to my Lord Bishop of London whose commissary he is, in that country. They have likewise tried to deprive him of his president's place in the College, and to turn him out of his Parish of Jamestown, with no less offers to the vestry, than that if they would do it, a Minister should be found for them gratis. A most strict inquisition has been held upon his words and actions, and a strange spirit of persecution has upon all occasions appeared for his sake against all his friends, relations, countrymen, and acquaintance. He has been twice suspended from the Council without any process or trial; and, — why. Sir Edmund Andros has been so eager to have him out, that the King's express Warrant, for his continuing there, could not preserve him. But I forbear, having, I fear, already expatiated too far upon the subject of this Rupture. AP. NICHOLAS MOREAU, to the Right Honorable the Lord BISHOP of LICHFIELD and COVENTRY, His Majesty's HIGH ALMONER. Virginia, 12th April, 1697. Mv Lord, After my dutiful respects presented unto your Lordship, I make bold to acquaint you that being landed in these parts of Virginia in August last, and being ready to go for Maryland, wherein your charity had vouchsafed to recommend me to his Excellency Nicholson, I heard such great talk among 1 697-] 30 the Gentlemen of this Country that the said Governor was to come here to be Governor, that I did resolve to settle here if I could. And his Excellency Nicholson being here, would say nothing of the contrary. His Grace of Can- terbury has recommended me to M^ Blair, Commissary, but to no purpose, because the said Commissary has cast an odium upon himself by his great worldly concerns, so that I was forced to make use of the commander of the fleet who did recommend me to this Parish wherein I live now. Though I think your Lordship is acquainted somewhat with this Country methinks you shall be glad if I give you some account of our Indians, who indeed, though illiterate & ignorant, have the best secrets any Physician in Europe might have. They have taught me how to cure any intermittent fever in three days' time, and did try it effectual ; the whole business is, to dip a parcel of root in a glass of wine for four and twenty hours, and the wine so drunk in the morning, fasting, for 3 days, cureth the fever without return. I have learned several other things of them of a very great moment, but it would be too tedious an account for your Lordship. If it pleaseth God to send me over again In England, I shall be heartily willing to communicate these secrets to your Lady, unto whom I make bold to send a small quantity of snake root, the best sudorific, indeed, and counter poison that nature and arts can afford. 1 don't like this Country at all, my Lord, there are so many inconveniences in it with which I cannot well agree. Your clergy in these parts are of a very ill example, no discipline nor Canons of the Church are observed. This Clergy is composed for the most part of Scotchmen, peo- ple indeed so basely educated and so little acquainted with the excellency of their charge and duty, that their lives and conversation are fitter to make Heathens than Christians. Several Ministers have caused such high scandals of late, and have raised such prejudices amongst the people against the Clergy, that hardly they can be persuaded to take a minister in their parish. As to me, my Lord, I have got in the very worst parish of Virginia and most troublesome. Nevertheless, I must tell you that I find abundance of good people who are very willing to serve God, but they want good Ministers ; ministers that be very pious, not wedded to this world, as the best of them arc. God has blest my endeavors so far already that, with his assistance, I have brought to church again two families, who had gone to the Quakers' meeting for three years past, and have baptized one of their Children three years old. This child being christened took my hand and told me: "You 31 [i697- are a naughty man, M"". Minister, you hurt the child with cold water." His father and mother come to church constantly, and were persuaded by me to receive the Holy Communion at Easter day: which they did perform accord- ingly with great piety and respect. I have another old Quaker 70 years of age who left the Church these 29 years ago, and hope to bring him to church again within few weeks. Lucere et non ardere parvum : ardere et non lucere, hoc Imperfection est: lucere et ardere, hoc perfectum est: saith St. Bernard. If ministers were such as they ought to be, I dare say there would be no Quakers nor Dissenters. A learned sermon signifies next to nothing without good examples. Longum Iter per preecepta. Breve autem per Exempla ; I wish God would put in your mind, my Lord, to send here an eminent Bishop, who by his Piety, charity, and severity in keeping the canons of the Church, might quicken these base ministers, and force them to mind the duty of their charge. Though the whole country of Virginia hath a great respect for my Lord Bishop of London, they do resent an high affront made to their nation, because his Lordship has sent here M'. Blair a Scotchman, to be commissary, a counsellor, and President of the College. I was once in a great company of Gentlemen, some of them were Counsellors, and they did ask me, " Don't you think there may be in England amongst the English, a clergyman fit to be Commissary and Counsellor and President of our College ? " I have wrote all these things, my Lord, freely, but have said nothing by myself. It was only to acquaint your Lordship how the things are here. The Governor is very well beloved by the whole country, but because his time is over they think of another Governor and do desire earnestly to have his Excellency Nicholson, who indeed is a most eminent Governor ; and as fit (as said to me, once, your Lordship), to be a Bishop as to be a Governor. If his Excellency was Governor here, and your Lordship would send here a good Bishop, with a severe observation of the Canons of the Church, and eager for the salvation of Souls, there would be a great alteration in the Church. Religion and piety, should flourish presently, and we should be mighty glad and contented. When I do think with myself of Governor Nicholson, I do call him the Right hand of God, the father of the Church, and more, a father of the poor. An eminent Bishop of that same character being sent over here with him, will make Hell tremble and settle the church of England in these parts forever. This work, my Lord, is God's work and if it doth happen that I see a Bishop come over here I will say as St. Bernard said in his Epistle to Eugenius Ter- i697.] 32 tius, hie digitur Dei est. I have been very tedious to your Lordship, but God's concerns have brought me to that great boldness. I wish God give you many years to live for the good of his Church, over which that you might preside long will be the constant prayers of, my Lord, fee, NICH^ MOREAU. Sir E. ANDROS no real friends to the Clergy as appears by what followeth. His Majesty having been pleased to declare his pious inclinations to relieve the poor Clergy of Virginia out of his revenue of Quitrents if after 3 years' trial he should find that the said revenue could be spared from the im- mediate occasions of the Government; In order to render ineffectual this royal intention, new ways have been found out since to expend the said revenue formerly unknown to this country and as it will appear by the sequel unne- cessary. Much hath been spent in demolishing the old Fort at James Town, and making a new platform and another sort of carriages to the Guns, but how little those new batteries, or indeed any at all add to the security of the Country, every judicious man may easily be made sensible of it. It is not long ago that an assembly in Virginia was of opinion that it was not possible to secure that country by the way of batteries or fortifications. It is plain that the batteries now in Virginia, where there is no such thing as a Ten- able Fort, may be easily seized and secured by an enemy tho' he be weak, and made use of to his own advantage in securing of himself whilst he stays in the Country, and then at his going away he may either spike up the Great Guns or burst them. The people live so scattering in the Country that they cannot readily be got together either to secure the said batteries or beat an enemy from them, for it is observable that an enemy can come with his ships or boats and seize those batteries before any body knoweth who they are. Co'. Nicholson when Governor of Virginia was so sensible of this that he wisht it had cost him one hundred pound there had not been one great gun in Virginia. 2,Z [1697. If there were any populous towns upon all the rivers where the batteries are, then it might do some service, but as the Country is without towns and hath but little people such batteries are of no use, but may be very prejudi- cial, one good tenable fort would cost betwixt 2 and £2,^00 to build and there must be at least forty or fifty men including Officers and Gunners to keep it, which would not cost less than a thousand pounds p"" Annum and such fort could secure but one particular place, for there are thousands of landing places in the Country. Besides if there should happen any rebellion in the country as it did some years ago and the rebels secure themselves by seizing such batteries as they did then, the consequences of it may be very prejudicial to the King and Country. Besides again such fort can be no security for his Majesty's Customs, nor for finding and securing false and illegal trade, except all ships should be obliged to load and unload at that fort which would prove so troublesome, chargeable, and unpracticable to the people that should live very remote from the spot that they would leave off planting of tobacco rather than to comply with so severe a law which I need not say would prove very injurious to his Majesty's Customs. Now if it be asked how then the Country may be secured and false trade prevented, I answer that it is the opinion of the under- standing men of the Country and I am sure it was of an assembly in Col. Nicholson's time, and his own, that to have two or three small frigates and fireships would be the best way to secure the Country if not from all enemies at least from all pirates and to prevent all manner of illegal trade and to keep always the Country in due subjection; — but to return after this long digression to the subject now in hand. 2. One thousand pounds of this Quitrents money was sent the last year to New York which would I think hardly have been done, if it had not been that they had a mind by exhausting that fund to make the King's gracious promise of no effect as to the relief of the Clergy. To which observation because of the affinity of the matter it is fit to add another which will likewise shew the same intention another way, viz : That tho' this year the price of tobacco is risen all over the Country yet his Majesty's Ouitrents which are paid in Tobacco were never sold at lower rates, being bought and sold by the Government and Council to one another, viz: E. g. The Governor bought the Quitrents of the County below 104 and 6 p' C* : the current price of 1 597-] 34 Tobacco among Merchants and others being there at the same time io8 p' C and the Ministers have it at 128 p' C Sir E. Andros being commanded by his Majest)''s letter in his Majesty's name to lay before the general assembly the low condition of the Clergy and to endeavour some sutable relief of it: he said not one word of it in his speech to the assembly then next called in Oct' 1693. Not only so but when that general assembly would have done it of themselves in the revisal of the laws and made a proposition for the bettering the condition of the Clergy, one sixth part paying them eighty pounds p' annum in Tobacco at 108 p' C^ whereas formerly they were and now they are paid it in Tobacco 128 p' Ct and when this proposition was formed into a bill, and that bill had passed both houses and lay before the Governor for his assent, he never gave his assent to it. But on the contrary that assembly was dissolved and so fell that good proposition for the relief of the Clergy by Sir E.'s, and no man's else, fault, &c. 3. Whereas during other Governments that were known to be favorable to the Clergy, the salaries of the Clergy were in many places by the Vestries increased above the allowance of the law, on the contrary under this Govern- ment there have been many abatements made of old salaries and that too in parishes very near the place where the Governor lives, as Middleplantation, Denby, Henrico. 4. In the best parishes of the Country that have 5 & 600 inhabitants and so cannot and do not pretend poverty as many other parishes do, the Ministers have but i2,oooib. of Tobacco whereas the legal allowance is 13,333. Instances of this are many. At Ware parish, Kingston, Petwoth, Woolminton, St. Peter's, &c. 5. Never so many affronts were publickly thrown upon the Clergy as dur- ing this Government, all which pass unredressed. Witness M'. Wallace at Kiketon a man of good repute and conversation who was publickly beaten on a Court day at the Court House door by one Captain Armstead and his Son, who came off the bench to join with his Father in beating the said Wallace, who complaining of this usage to his Excellency was put by him — tho' in words he shewed some anger against the said Armstead and threatened at first he would make him an example — upon a tedious chargeable law suit which proved so troublesome to the said Wallace that he was fain to make an agreement to get out of bad business that he saw after much trouble and .charge would come to litde or nothing. Witness likewise M'. Boisseau, M'. Doyle, M'. 35 [i697- Monroe, M"". Gordon, who had their Church Doors shut against them by some of their Parishioners and that without effectual redress when they complained. 6. My Lord Bishop of London's authority residing there in his commis- sary is notoriously dispised and undervalued. The said commissary having been called before the Governor and Council and restrained from proceeding against several enormites that do plainly belong to the ecclesiastical jurisdic- tion, such as incestuous marriages and the like, which being taken out of their hands, and ordered to be prosecuted before the Civil Courts were there so slightly handled that they escaped uncondemned. Nay so jealous is the Gov- ernor of the said Commissary's meddling in any thing, that if any vestry made their application to him upon occasion of any scande! concerning their minister or any other difference between them and him, they were sure to be reprimanded for it so that now both ministers and country are very sensible that there is no surer way to lose the Governor's favour than by making any application to the Bishop of London's commissary. 7. Never were the Glebes that I know denied to the ministers before this Government. Thus the Vestry of Henrico withheld the Glebe from Mr. Rob- inson their minister telling him the glebe belonged of right to none but an in- ducted minister and at the same time vowing they would never have an inducted minister (for it is observable here that the vestrys are left by the Government at liberty in that case all over the Countr)^ there being but 3 or 4 inducted ministers in all Virginia which makes their condition and subsis tence so precarious). And this question of the Glebe being referred to the Governor and Council they refused to give their opinion in it. And so the parish, well understanding the meaning of this and what may they do, keeps the said Robinson out of the glebe to this day, an example which if followed (and there in all likelihood it shall) will be very injurious to all the ministers of the country. I say it is verj' likely it shall, for it is carefully buzzed into the people's ears that they must not encourage the coveteousness of the Clergy, nor be priest ridden, otherwise they shall soon have a Bishop with a salary to be raised by the Country and tythes, which the Church Government will allow. 8. It is observable that the assembly in 1693 which pass't the bill for aug mentation of the Clergy's salaries a sixth part more than formerly they had been, was very quickly afterward dissolved as being none of his Excellency's friends and as not understanding the Interests of the Country. But the I697-J 36 assembly in 1695 which instead of doing something- in favour and for the relief of the Clergy as they were commanded by the King's letter, did express in their address to the Governor on that subject a bitter disaffection to the Clergy, were continued and had the honour to be the first assembly that was prorogued during this Government. When our late blessed Queen's death was known all over the Country not only by private letters from friends in England but by all the public Papers, whereby the certain news of it could be carried thither, viz : the Gazettes, the votes of the House of Commons, the printed addresses of the two houses to his Majesty upon the said occasion with his Majesty's answer thereto, and the monthly Mercury, all which were shewed to his excellency, yet the ministers were compeled to continue still their public prayers for the Queen as formerly, and Mr. Blair the Minister of James City refusing, was not suffered to read prayers, whereby not only their conscience were ensnared but a most odious Character of their persons and office was every where spread abroad as if they would comply with any thing in obedience to authority tho' never so inconsistent with truth and religion. Those that are most in his Excellency's favour are those that are known to have no kindness for the Clergy as Co'. Byrd, Cap" Randolph, Attorney General, who in a great assembly made a proposition that my Lord Bishop of London's authority should be suspended by law, and no Commissary of his suffered to act. A true Account of a Conference at Lambeth^ Dec. 27 , 1697. IKTERLOCUTORIES, C . . . Thomas, L'^ Archbishop of Canterbury. L. . . . Henry, L** Bishop of London. P M--. John Povey. Bl M^ Blair. M.... W. Marshall. H.... M^ Harrison. By. ...W. Byrd. L. My Lord, it is late (upon which D'". Hutton and D''. Woodward, understanding my L'' of London had business with the Archbishop, rose up Z1 [1697. and took their leave, then the Archbishop, ordered the Door to be shut and begun thus): C. I suppose we all understand for what business we are met. I am sorry to hear of the differences in Virginia I hope now ye will freely discourse the matter. By. My Lord, I understand M'. Blair has accused S' Edmund Andros to Your Grace and to my Lord of London concerning several things relating to the College of Virginia and therefore I beg that he may now repeat what- soever he has to say of that nature and that he may do it Article by Article, that so 1 may make a distinct answer. By this means your Grace will see on which side innocence lies. C. Nay I must say this for M^ Blair that he has not accused Sir Edmund nor no other person to me. I had heard that he discouraged the College long before M^ Blair came over. If I remember right, the first time I heard it was upon occasion of M"'. Boyles' Legacy, for being somewhat concerned in that, I did often talk with one M^ War, one of the executors, who was a very honest man and a great well-wisher to the College of Virginia, and offer my advice that some considerable part of it might be applied to that College ; and he told me the chief objection to that was that the Governor of Virginia discouraged the College and he was afraid it would come to nothing. I can- not deny that NP. Blair has talked with me of these matters ; but it has been more in answering accusations against himself than in accusing anybody, and therefore I would desire him in the first place to answer those objections that have been made against him, two of which I do at present remember. One is, that he has filled the Church and the College with Scotchmen and endeav- ored to make a national faction by the name of the Scottish party. The other is that he has misapplied and squandered away the money that should have gone to the building of the College. Say what ye have to say against him upon these or any other subjects, and let me hear his answers. By. My Lord, for the first, I suppose M^ Blair will not deny that he has brought in several of his countrymen. But indeed my Lord, I cannot blame him much for this, though it makes a great noise in the Country and they are a sort of discontented troublesome Men murmuring at the shortness of their salaries with which the Ministers were very well contented formerly, and they are frequently troubling the Governor and the House of Burgesses with their petition on that subject. 1697-] 38 BL My Lord, this is quite a new thing to me that M"". Byrd tells me of — the Scotch Ministers troubling; the Governor or House of Burgesses with Petitions about their Salaries. I desire him to instance in any one petition of that nature, for I know none. It is true there was a petition presented to the Governor by the Clergy in general at one of their Meetings, but that Petition was signed by all the English as well as the Scotch clergy that were present. And why it should be laid particularly on the Scotch Ministers is only to dis- tinguish them with that mark of Odium. But, my Lord, I desire to know what ill things the Scotch Ministers have done there and whether I have sup- ported any of them in any ill thing. P. My Lord, because M''. Byrd is not so well acquainted with the Minutes of the Council, I beg leave that I may answer M"". Commissary who desires Instances of Scotch Ministers who have done ill things. I find, My Lord, there is one M^ Greig that was guilty of Sodomy and one M^ Doyley that his Parish complained of and one M^ Munroe Bl. Sir, That is your mistake. M'. Greg was an English man and M^ Doyley is an English man and what ye have to say to M', Munroe I cannot Imagine for I take him to be as good a Man as any we have in the Country. P. Then I am mistaken for I thought Greg and Doyley had been Scotch names. C. There is nothing as far as I see in all this, for it seems this Greg, the most scandalous of all, was an Englishman. But can ye say anything of any scandalous Scotchman that M^ Blair has brought in and supports. By. Yes, My Lord, there is one M^ Gordoun, a Scotchman, whom M'. Blair himself has owned to me to be an ill man and one that I myself have seen Drunk, and several others, for he is an habitual Drunkard. BL My Lord, I confess this M^ Gordoun is a Man of very ill fame but sure nobody will say that I brought him into the Country or do in the least support him. He was in the Country before me, for ought I know ; I am sure he was in it some time before I was in office there — and I have been so far from supporting that he is the only Man at whose Church I made a visitation on account of the Minister's Scandal. My Lord, there are some Hundreds of Witnesses of persons that were present at that visitation (for it was as publick and solemn as I could make it), and, My Lord, here is one Gendemen {pointing to M". Harrison), that happened to be there. They can all bear one witness that I did all that ever I could to have that Man turned out. But 39 1 697-] drunkenness being hard to prove and the witnesses mincing and extenuating the matter and his vestry appearing in a body — petitioning that their Minis- ter might not be taken from them, I could not for the heart of me, except I would have gone contrary to the allegata and probata overthrow him. But all the people were sensible I was not backward, if I could have done it. Now, My Lord, I would fain know what any man in my circumstances could have done more, so that, My Lord, there is not the least proof of my supporting any of them in any ill thing. For there being some Scotch Ministers in the Country, what is that to me, My Lord? It is not I that provide Ministers for the Country. If they bring me my Lord Bishop of London's License and behave themselves well in the Country it is not my part to quarrel with them only because they are Scotchmen. L. My Lord, whatever there is in this, I must take it upon me. Your Grace knows the circumstances of the poor Men in their own Country, and I must confess I thought it both a Charity to the Men and that it was a piece of good service to the plantations, to send them thither. And I think it unkindly done In Sir Edmund Andres to make a noise about this, for I wrote him an account of all that I sent and told him the Characters I had of them, and told him if any of them did not behave himself well, he should be as eas- ily turned out as ever he had been put in. He makes me no returns to this but raises a clamour against these Men only on account of their country, C. We know there are some of the best men of that Country that are not permitted access to the Ministry in their own Country. Bl. I confess, My Lord, I was very unwilling to take a Scotch Schoolmas- ter if I could have holpen it. I spoke to all the Bishops with whom I had the Honor to be acquainted, to help me to a good English Schoolmaster and par- ticularly I spoke to your Grace. You was then Bishop of Lincoln, and I put off providing one till the last month — so that 1 was like to go without one — and then I took a Scotchman. But, thank God, he is one that is without ex- ception. I hope these Gentlemen wont deny that I made a very good choice. By. My Lord, the Schoolmaster, Mr. Ingles, is a very good schoolmaster. He has made several good scholars and I believe all people are very pleased with him. C That is very well. I confess I have much to do to find Schoolmasters for my own schools and I am very glad ye are so well provided. Well I think we have heard enough on this subject. I697-J 40 By. My Lord, I confess as I said in the beginning that I see no just ground of any accusation against Mr. Blair on this account. P. I know it is a very hard thing to persuade good men to go over into the Plantations. I confess it is a wonder to me that such a Man as Mr. Com- missary Blair went thither and I think My Lord of London does mighty well to send several of the Episcopal Scotch Clergy thither. By. My Lord, as to the second point, the thing we have to say against Mr. Blair is this, that he has taken Yearly the president's Salary i^i 50 a Year. The first year indeed, he took but ;if 100 which was conscientious, but after that, he has taken the whole £1^0. Now, my Lord, by the charter the whole Revenue, the penny a pound and everything else, is to go towards the build- ing and furnishing, till the College is finished and then it is to be transferred to the President and Masters. But in the mean time they are to have nothing. Bi. My Lord, my answer to this shall be very short. Mr. Byrd says the whole revenues are by the Charter to go solely towards Building. This I positively deny. For there is nothing but the ready money, viz : .^1985 14^ 10*^ which was appointed to be applied solely towards the building. But all the rest viz: the penny a pound, the Land, and the Surveyor General's place is to go for all other uses of the College till it is actually founded, erected, and established. Particularly, the word founding, which is always the Law Word for a perpetual fund of maintenance, is always put into these Revenues. And indeed, my Lord, by the Order of Council upon which the Charter was to be drawn, it appears that the Revenues were given solely for the mainte- nance of the President and Masters. But upon my acquainting Mr. Lowndes of the Treasury, who helped to draw the Charter, that at present we were only to have a president and a Grammar Schoolmaster and an Usher and that their salaries came but to ;/;'28o a year and that we were to provide and pay the professors of Philosophy and Divinity as we should have occasion for them, he started this objection. "What" says he "if the penny per pound should amount to 1000 pounds per annum? If your President and Masters at present are only to have 280 pounds, what shall become of the rest? For if in the charter it be given only for the maintenance of the President, and Masters and yet these president and Masters are to have but 280 pounds, the overplus being appropriated to no use, ye will be in danger of losing it again if this comes to be observed. And therefore" continued he, "I think you had better give a power to the Governors of your College to bestow this money 41 [1697. not only for maintenance of President and Masters but for building, furnish- ing, buying books, or any other use about the College. I liked this motion and accordingly the Charter was drawn giving them power to put these Rev- enues to all uses whatsoever about the College till it should be actually erect- ed, founded, and established, but so that still the charges of founding the Col- lege consisting of a President and six Masters were actually included. And for this I appeal to the Charter. By. My Lord, M^ Blair refers himself to the Charter. Here is an Eng- lish copy of it. Pray give me leave to read this part about the King's gift of the Revenues. Bl. Pray then read it distinctly — the ready money gift and all — that the different uses between that and the gift of the revenues may appear. For that's to be applied solely to the building, and the other Revenues to all uses whatsoever till it is actually erected and founded. Upon this M''. Byrd began to read the gift of a penny a pound and M''. Blair prayed him to begin a little before that at the gift of the ready money. Then the Arch Bishop said: C. I perceive it will take a long time to read and examine the Charter and my Lord of London is in haste. But pray let me know one thing, which I have heard something of, that is, I have been told, that the Governor of the College obliged M''. Blair to quit a Living that he had at some considerable distance and to come and attend the business of ■the College. If so they could not expect but he must have salary. Pray, Sir, (to M^ Blair), tell us in short how that was. Bi. My Lord, after the general Assembly of Virginia had chosen me pres- ident of the College, accordingly I was named first president in the Charter in words of the present tense and as ample words as the law affords for giving any man a good title to any place. But tho' I had the Right and Title to the president's salary which the same general Assembly had settled at 150 a year, yet I thought in good conscience I was bound to take none of it till I came to give attendance and do the duty of a president. In pursuance of this at the very first Meeting of the Governors of the College in Virginia, I gave some Account of my Negotiation in England and produced the Charter, and after it was read I told them, "Gcndemen, ye see I am here made president of the College, which was not done till after the General Assembly had sent me an account of their unanimous Election of me. But, gentlemen, tho' I am president yet if you think the business of the President unnecessary at pres- I697-J 42 ent, I have a good plantation and a good Living where I am — up at Henrico — and I am inducted into it. I will stay there and not put you to one farthing charge till you shall say the attendance of a president is necessary at the College. Whereupon, my Lord, there was a free debate upon the subject and they agreed upon this, that since I had had all the trouble of managing the business of the College both in Virginia and in England, if I was not at the head of it they were afraid it would still come to nothing and therefore voted that I should presently leave my Parish and remove myself to the place where the College should be built and carry it on with all diligence. Accord- ingly my Lord I gave up my Induction and as soon as I could get an house to live in, I removed to the place appointed for the building of the College and have ever since given all due attendance upon the business of it and in- deed my Lord as before I had the right so now I thought I had likewise Equity and good conscience on my side for taking my Salary. The first Year indeed, about 4 or 5 months being lapsed before I could get to this place, I gave down ^50 of my salary, but ever since, I think, on account of my Resi- dence and attendance on the business I have right to the whole 150 pound. Thus was the Salary settled by the general Assembly, and how I, or even the Governors of the College who are only Trustees, can alter it or lessen it with a good conscience, I do not understand. C. If this be the case, it is no more than I or any other person should have done. By. My Lord, this is the reason men give for not paying their subscrip- tions. They say they won't give their Money to make a Salary for the Pres- ident. Bl. My Lord, this is a very strange reason, for there was always a distinct account kept both of the King's money gift and of all the subscriptions, for all these went solely to the building, there was never one penny taken of them for Salaries. The Salaries were still paid out of the Revenue and what was of the Revenue over and above the Salaries was thrown into the Build- ing too. //. My Lord, I can give Your Grace an account of the reason they gave for not paying their Subscriptions, for after Col. Hartwell left Virginia, I, being a well wisher to the College and living convenient, was desired to collect the subscriptions of York County. I came to one Man who was a Justice of the peace and asked him for his Subscription, He answered me that he would 43 [1697. pay when Secretary Wormlcy paid. The true reason, my Lord, why others do not pay is because the great men do not pay. P. My Lord, I think there Is ail the reason in the world M^ Blair should have his Salary. It is but a mean reward for the extraordinary pains he has taken. But if the College is poor perhaps there might be another way found to make up a Salary for M^ Blair. Here was an hundred pound a year ordered for him as Commissary out of the Quit rents. The Treasury would never settle it but from year to year, and I doubt it has been ill paid, Now, my Lord, it had been as easy a matter to have got ^200 a Year for that use as one. By. My Lord, M"^. Blair's taking this Salary has certainly made a great noise in the Country and it is against the Charter which applies all to the Building till all is finished and then it is to be transferred to the president and Masters. Bl. My Lord, here is their Error. They confound two things that are quite different, viz : the paying of the Master's Salaries, called in the charter the Founding the president and Masters, and the transferring, which is the yielding up of the Trust to them. For the paying their Salaries, there is no doubt they must do that as soon as they set up the men. Otherwise they could not pay M''. Ingles the Schoolmaster no more than me, for this objection strikes against him and all others they may have in time as well as against me. But the transferring is not till the whole erection and founding and establishment is over and it is supposed in the Charter the first president and Masters may be gone and may have successors by that time. C. Well I think we have heard enough of this. I wish ye would proceed to something else. By. Then, My Lord, I must desire M''. Blair to say what he has to say against Sir Edmund Andres about his obstructing the business of the Col- lege. Bl. My Lord, it is a pretty hard task for me who am a subject of Virginia to say anything that may look like an accusation of Sir Edmund Andros, the present Governor. But I think it is my duty to acquaint your Grace with the bad state of the affairs of the College and shall leave it to Your Grace to judge whether Sir Edmund Andros is the root of all or not. I shall begin with the business of the Subscriptions towards the building. When Governor Nicholson left the Government of Virginia there were sub- 44 ans for near ^3000. In that Gentleman's time there has not been a iption for one penny. Of the 3000 pound Subscription there is come about 500 and some odd pounds. The Persons that stand out are the il and Great Men who have places of profit and preferment under Sir nd and it is very observable that the payments which have been made leen made chiefly by such people who lived remote from those Council- id Great Men particularly the south side of James River where there Ilouncillor. There the People have generally paid, but in the rest of the ry except it be here and there a Zealous man for the College, they gen- stand out and refuse to pay. Not only so, My Lord, but the Governor College presented a Bill to the general assembly for facilitating the ;nt of the Subscriptions towards the building of the College, and because ^ng had sometime before written a Gracious letter to the Governor anding him to carry on the work o( the College and to remove the ctions of it; they thought it was the best way to put it in first to the ■ House, viz : the Council upon whom the Governor has a more immedi- luence. But, my Lord, we found no effects of the King's Letter at that or these Gentlemen, in presence of the Governor, fell a quarrelling lie Bill and at first found fault with several matters of the form and word- it ; but when all chese were mended, that they could object nothing of then they very unfairly threw out the Bill without so much as giving it ird in the House of Burgesses. The noise of this made people more ate in refusing their payments than ever. So that, my Lord, with much e have got the roof on but half of the Building, the other half we have eddied with, and how we shall finish what we have built I cannot tell. I'. Please to go on, Sir, and I will answer all at once. '. My Lord, I come next to the Land the King was pleased to give us. Lve us 20,000 Acres of Land in two several Tracts, viz : 10,000 acres in ract. These two tracts of land had been kept shut up from the first g- of Virginia till that time which made the Gift so much more valuable For, there being such a great range for Stocks, abundance of People desirous to seat there ; and so the College might have had Tenants h had they been so kept. But upon the Grant of this Land to the Col- Mr Edmund Andros opened those tracts to all mankind so that we could 10 Tenants, since every Man was free to take Land in fee in the same Not only so, but he signed Patents for mighty large quantities of 45 [1697. Land to several of his creatures in the same places, tho' in the College Char- ter it was expressly provided that we should have the first choice, and illegal pretenders were so encouraged that they came vi et armis when we went to survey the lands and broke our chain and carried away the Surveyor's Instru- ments so that by main force we are kept out and can't come to the possession of the Land the King gave us to this day. By. Have you any more to say, sir ? Bl. Yes, Sir, a great deal more. By. Pray go on then (in the meandme M^ Byrd and M^ Povey took Notes) . Bl. My Lord, I shall speak next of the Revenue of the penny per pound which is the chief thing we have to subsist upon. And as to this, My Lord, I shall only observe that since that Revenue was bestowed on the College, It is sunk in Virginia at least one-half of what I can prove by the Custom house books it always amounted to formerly. For, my Lord, since that time several collectors have not given us an account of one pound of Tobacco exported out of their precincts, particularly Secretary Wormley and Colonel Park, a thing that was never known before. Not that there is less Tobacco exported now than was formerly. For Maryland which formerly did not export so much as half the proportion of what Virginia exported of the penny per pound Tobacco does now by the good managery of the Governor give us an account of near as much again as Virginia doth. In short, my Lord, I cannot but think the Collectors of Virginia are encouraged to mismanage this Revenue, and that the design Is to starve us out that we shall not be able to subsist. By. Have you done now. Sir ? Bl. No, not yet, Sir. By. Go on, then. Bl. My Lord, we are put to strange difficulties In the Government of the College, for by the Constitution the full number of Governors Is 40, and by the Charter there must be present a Major part of the whole before we can make a meeting or do business. Now, My Lord, the Governor has several friends and favorites among these men, but not so many as to carry a vote in any full meeting, and therefore they play another sort of game ; that is, they generally chuse to absent themselves that so if any one or two of the rest be absent by Sickness or bad weather or necessary Business we can make no Meedng at all. It has often happened, my Lord, that we have been 1 697-] 46 met nine or ten, and have wanted perhaps one or two of the Major part, and of these the Governor of Maryland, has come 150 miles to make one. In this case, my Lord, we have sent expresses to one or two of the nearest of these Gentlemen, and have represented to them how we just wanted one or two to make a number, and therefore begged their Company to a new day to which we adjourned the meeting, but all in vain. They would not budge, and we have been necessitated often to go away without doing any business. My Lord, if this had happened but once or twice it might be some neces- sary business that occasioned their absence, but when it is always the same sort of men it is very plain that this can be nothing but a Laid designe to obstruct and hinder the business and meetings of the College. By. Sir, I hope you have done now. BL Sir, I shall say but one thing more of the College. For the Clergy, you know, I have not said a word, and it is this : My Lord, the friends of the College are the men that are marked out to be frowned upon and discounte- nanced upon all occasions. If there be any favors to be desired from the Government, they are to expect none of them. If they be lawyers, they shall be discouraged in their practice at the bar; if Ministers, every troublesome Man in the parish shall be encouraged to make them uneasy ; if Burgesses are to be chosen for the General Assembly, all the Interest the Government can make shall be made to keep them out ; if places of Trust or profit are to be bestowed, they shall have none of them ; if they have any Law suit, they shall be generally in the wrong ; and, In short, nothing shall recommend a Man to the favor of the Government more than if he be a Zealous Enemy of the College. The Governor of Maryland, who is our more active friend, has been used barbarously and how strangely I have been handled is an unac- countable thing. I have been twice suspended from the Council ; all endea- vors have been used to deprive me of my salary as president of the College, and to turn me out of a litde parish I have there, to that degree that offers have been made to the vestry to find them a Minister gratis if they would make no further agreement with me. And even since I came last from Vir- giriia, he has called two or three Vestries, and endeavored all that ever he could to turn me out. But the Major part of the Vestry have been my friends so that he could not yet compass It, In short, my Lord, I am afraid the friends of the College will be so tired out with ill usage that they will not be able to hold out much longer, and that all will go as fast backward in the 47 [i697- matters of the College as ever it went forward in Governor Nicholson's time. By. Sir, you have done now. Bl. Sir, I have done what I designed to say of the College, but I have a great deal more to say of the bad circumstances of the Clergy. By. That is another subject. C. But it hangs all in a string. You see he's endeavoring to turn M"". Blair out of his parish. This seems to me a very strange way they have there that their Ministers are not inducted, but may be removed like domestic Ser- vants by a Vote of the Vestry. Who would be a Minister in that Country? By. My Lord, I confess this is very hard upon the Ministers, but this is none of the Governor's fault, for by the law of that Country it is the part of the vestry to present, and then the Governor is to induct. Now, my Lord, the Vestry does not present and therefore the Governor cannot induct. BL My Lord, it is true what M'". Byrd says that the Vestry in that Coun- try are the Patrons, and they are to present, and the Governor, by the King's instructions, is ordinary as to Inductions. But your Grace knows that if a patron fails of presenting, so many months, then the right of presentation for that time devolves upon the Ordinary, so that it is really in the Governor's power to make presentations jure devoluto, which he never does, and that is the reason the Ministers are left in such precarious circumstances. By. My Lord, there is a great difference between a patron in England and a Vestry in Virginia, and a Vestry cannot lapse their right of presentation as a patron may. C. Pardon me, it is the very same thing, and we have several Societies of people here in England that have the right of presentation, and if they do not make use of it within six months, the Ordinary presents ywr^' devoluto. M. My Lord, it seems to be a very unreasonable thing that the Ministers should be on such precarious circumstances. But, my Lord, I wish your Grace would enquire whether it was not always so before Sir Edmund Andros's time. C. Did they before his time remove Ministers by a vote of the Vestry ? Bl. My Lord, Before his time I never heard of a minister involuntarily removed without an accusation of him to the Governor as Guilty of some crime. Sometimes, indeed, the Minister being unwilling to stand a Trial con- sented to the leaving of them. But I never heard till Sir Edmund Andros's 1697.] 48 time, that without an accusation a Minister was turned out against his will, purely by a vote of the Vestry. By. And who has been turned out in that fashion in Sir Edmund Andros's time ? M''. Doyley, you'll say. Bl. Yes, M"". Doyley is one plain instance. By. My Lord, Here is an extract out of the Minutes of Council by which it appears that M^ Doyley quit his parish voluntarily. For being interro- gated such a Day if he desired to condnue Minister of that Parish he answered, No. L. Both might be true, both that the Vestry turned him out, and that he afterwards considering how unkindly they had used him, did not desire to return to them. Bl. I am very sure he was turned out by the Vestry, and against his own will, for he presented a petition to the Governor and Council complaining of it. //. M'', Eburn, too, was turned out of Middle plantation by the Gov- ernor's own creatures, and this I have reason to know, for it is the parish where I myself live. By. By what creatures? By Col. Park ? H. Yes ; and by Colonel Jennings. C It must be a very pernicious thing. A minister will not know how to preach against any Vice, but some of the Great Men of his parish may fancy the Sermon was made against him, and so make a faction to turn out the Minister, though perhaps the sermon was made seven years before. M. My Lord, I am confident if your Grace will but write to Sir Edmund Andros about these inductions he will take care to have that matter mended. By. Indeed, my Lord, I dare say Sir Edmund Andros knows nothing of this right he has jure devoluto, or else he would not suffer the clergy to be so precarious. Bl. I am sure I not only put him in mind of it, but gave it him under my hand and desired him to consult his Lawyers about it. By. But. Sir, perhaps he thought not you Lawyer enough that he could depend on your opinion. Bl. He either could not or would not. By. He shews, himself, upon all occasions, a good friend to the Clerp-y and al! his Speeches recommend their case to the general Assembly. 49 [1697. H. It is.very strange then that in the year 1693, when the King, by an express letter, ordered him to recommend the condition of the Clergy in His Majesty's name to the next general Assembly, and when there was an assem- bly then called, the Governor said not one word of this to them in his speech, and not only so, but that when the House of Burgesses, who were favorable to the Clergy, did of their own accord take the law about the Clergy's Sala- ries into consideration, and mended it very considerably for the Clergy's interest, in a Bill which they sent up to the Council, and which passed there likewise ; yet Sir Edmund Andros dissolved that Assembly without giving his assent to that Bill, which by that means was lost. By. My Lord, it is true that Assembly was favorable to the Clergy. They were then upon a great work, viz : the revisal of the laws and the amendment of this law about the Clergy was in that revisal. They sat not long enough to go through with it all, so that this law fell among the rest. L. It seems then this Bill about the Clergy was a tacked Bill, and Sir Edmund could not pass it without passing the whole body of the Laws so revised. Bl. No, my Lord, it was no tacked Bill, for tho' it came In upon occasion of the revisal of the laws, the whole revisal was not sent up together in one book, but single laws were sent up, 2 or 3 or any other number according as they happened to be dispatched in the House of Burgesses and the Upper house and the Governor could pass any one of these Laws without the rest as they pleased. Now this was the case with that Clergy Bill; It passed both Houses, and if the Governor had but given his assent to it, it had been a law to all intents and purposes. But upon his dissolving the Assembly, without giving his assent to the Law, it fell to the ground. M. Did he assent to any other laws of that revisal. Bl. Truly, I cannot tell, for he dissolved the assembly in an Anger. By. This is a very harsh insinuation, as If Sir Edmund had been so angry with the assembly for bettering the law about the Clergy's Salaries that he dissolved them in anger for that very reason. BL No, Sir, I insinuate no such thing as that he dissolved them for that reason. L. No, M'. Blair has said nothing to that purpose. I believe, indeed. It was an omission in Sir Edmund, and he has endeavored to get the same Law renewed again, but could never do It. 1 697-] 50 By. This Last assembly, there passed a Law which bettered the Clergy's Salaries. BL But that law makes them 1 3 per cent, worse than this other Law which he refused. C. It was an unhappy thing, but since the whole revisal fell we must put the best construction upon it. M. My Lord, M"". Blair has reason to be concerned for the College and Clergy, and indeed these things leave a heavy load upon Sir Edmund, but I hope if your Grace will hear M'. Byrd ; he has something to say that will clear him. C. Well, M^ Byrd, now if you please Let us hear what you have to say to these things. By. My Lord, M"". Blair has said several things, by which he would make it appear that Sir Edmund has mightily obstructed the business of the Col- lege. Now, my Lord, to show the contrary, first of all we produce here an extract out of the Council Books at a Council after the last Fleet came in, and M"". Blair was restored to the Council, which I shall here read. (The Minute of Council he read, was something to this purpose ; that the Governor acquainting the Council, that he had been represented in England as one that had trampled upon the Clergy, and ruined the College, &c., and M^ Commissary Blair being particularly interrogated about this, said he knew nothing of it, and that the expressions were very strange. Then immediately the Governor read the B^. of London's Letter to him, and shewed that it con- tained these expressions.) Bl. Is this a Minute taken out of the Council Books ? By. Yes, Sir. Bl. I am sure it was never read in Council while I was there. But I sup- pose it were true, what is this to the purpose my saying that I knew nothing of these expressions, and thought them very strange; for I took the question to be an accusation of me, as if I had wrote home these expressions for Eng- land to which that answer was pertinent enough. But, my Lord, the time is remarkable when it is said that I said the expressions were strange, viz : that it was before I knew that they were anybody's expressions; for it is said that afterwards he read My Lord of London's Letter, wherein these expressions were contained ; tho' my Lord of London's Letter was not read, but only the Governor pretended to repeat or recapitulate two or three Lines out of it. 51 [1697. L. M"", Blair might very well say the expressions were strange ; for indeed, my Lord, I wrote very frankly and warmly to Sir Edmund Andros, and, instead of giving me any satisfaction it seems he carried my Letter to the Council, and made a noise of it there. C. I should have been apt to say myself that the expressions were strange, for it seems the question was not about the befriending or not befriending the College, but concerning the softness or harshness of the expressions. By. But, my Lord, here is another thing of yet greater weight. The Governor at a Meeting of the College, proposed the question whether he had been an obstructer of the College, and the answer is (here he read something to this purpose — that he had been so far from being an obstructer that he had been ready and forward upon all occasions to promote the business of the College). Bl. Sure, Sir, that is no extract out of the College Records. By. No, my Lord, this is a Certificate from two of the Governors of the College, my father and Captain Randolph. Bl. My Lord, if this had signified anything, it should have been taken out of the College Minutes. But I must desire your Grace to observe in the first place how unfair a question this is, which cannot be answered without accus- ing a Governor to his face ; and then that instead of taking the answer out of the proper Record, they only bring a Certificate from two men that have a dependence in the Governor. By. A dependence, Sir? Bl. Yes, Sir, I say a dependence. By. My Lord, the Governor has no other way to Justify himself but by the Testimonies of persons that are concerned. H. My Lord, I can give your Grace an account of this question that was put to the Governors of the College,' for I was then Clerk to the College. A meeting of the Governors of the College was called, to choose a Rector which they are to do yearly by their Charter. They met in the Governor's Great Hall. Before they proceeded to the Election, the Governor said he was never wanting to the College in any thing, and if any of them knew any thing to the contrary, desired them to say. No body saying any thing, they proceeded to the Election of the Rector, and I wrote nothing at all down of this, taking it to be only some by discourse. After the Rector was chosen, I began the Minutes of the day with an account of that Election, and so went 1 697-] 52 on to other business that was done. The Governor and Secretary Wormley in the mean time came and looked upon the minutes at a Sideboard where I was writing, and finding nothing minuted of the Governor, they aslied me what I meant that I did not set down the Vote about the Governor. I told them I heard no vote about the Governor, for all questions used to be put by the Rector, and the Votes gathered by him. But, if His Excellency would have any thing entered about that business, that I would ask the Rector and Governors, and know what question was put, and how it was answered. Upon this, the Governor spoke again to the Rector and Governors of the College, and told them that he expected some what should be entered con- cerning what he had spoke, and get the Rector to put the question whether they knew that the Governor had obstructed the Business of the College. They were strangely confounded and surprized with this Question. Some answered they knew nothing of it ; others, they had said nothing of it ; others, they had writt nothing of it. I began to take their sense in minute as right as I could, but the Governor and Secretary Wormley and Col. Byrd would give me no rest, alleging that I did not take the Minute full enough for the Gov- ernor's honour and Vindication. At last I asked them how they would have it, and writt their sense in a scrip of Paper, but perceiving that it was a Vote that was Like to cause great division, I entered it not into the Book, till I had consulted those that were present, and so entered it according to the sentiment of the majority, but not so complimenting as the Governor would have had it. But he had no way to help himself for the Governors of the College were so angry that they suffered themselves to be surprised with such unfair Votes which could not be safely answered but one way, that they seemed to be resolved if the Governor brought it in again to throw it quite out. So it stood upon the Minutes as it was, but far short of this Certificate these two Gentlemen give it. Bl. My Lord, I would fain know if the worst Governor that ever was should ever put such a question to any Meeting of the subjects of his Gov- ernment as this : " Am I an ill man ?" Whether they would think it fit to accuse him to his face or rather to decline the answer. By. But what other way has a Governor then to vindicate himself? Bl. Yes, it is a much better way if his Actions will vindicate him : e. g. Speak to the particulars, and shew us what his conduct has been as to the 53 [1697- subscriptions, Lands, revenues, and other things relating to the College and by these It will be seen whether he has been a friend to it or not. By. Well, Sir, I will come now to answer the particulars. M. Pray give me leave first to ask one thing upon occasion of what M^ Blair said that the Minute of Council was never read In Council; That seems to be a very strange way. Pray, Sir, is it the custom to read the Minutes of Council in Council ? Bl. No, Sir. Amongst other things, this abuse Is so great that we never know what is entered In the Council Books, whether It be the sense of the Council or not. By. But any Gentleman of the Council may command a sight of the Books when he pleases. Bl. I know not what others may do, but I could never have that liberty. I have waited on the clerk time after time for a sight only of some order relating to myself, and could not come to the sight of it till It was past time to remedy It. C. It Is a very strange thing. Here where we have better engrossing Clerks than any they have there, we do often see that the Minutes of the Council are rectifyed by advice of the Members that were present. Well, M"". Byrd, if you please to go on with your Answers. By. The first objection, my Lord, was about the Subscriptions. I find nothing in this but that the Councill and the Great Men do not pay. What is this to the Governor ? Then that the Council threw out the Bill for facilita- ting the payment of the College subscriptions. What Is this to the Governor? There might be a thousand reasons for throwing out that Bill. Bl. My Lord, as little as all this Is to the Governor, our Councill of Vir- ginia has such an Immediate dependence on him that whatever way the Gov- ernor goes they generally follow. What else should be the reason that those very Men who were the forwardest to subscribe in Governor Nicholson's time should be the backwardest to pay In Sir Edmund Andros's time ? C. Has the Governor paid his own subscription ? Bl. My Lord, he never subscribed any thing. By. The subscriptions, my Lord, were before his time. C. Nor has he given no thing towards it ? Bl. My Lord, when I left the Country he had given nothing. What he has done since, I know not. 1697.] 54 C. I confess it is a very ill sign, that a Governor encourages the thing- with others if he gives nothing to it himself. But I think I have been told that he gave Bricks towards building the Chapel. By. My Lord, S^ Edmund did really give an Order to my Father, if the Governors of the College would carry up the Chapel, to pay for the Bricks. But the Governors of the College slighted it, and told him they had no money to carry up the Chapel. But I am very certain that the Governor gave such an Order to my Father, and here is the- Copy of it. P. It was writ home to us, and we took it for granted that he had given the Bricks. Bl. No, Sir, he never gave a Brick. C. But M'. Byrd says he will engage for him that he shall give the Bricks still. By. My Lord, I will, for here is the Order still. B/. I find it has been very confidently reported that the reason why he had not given these bricks was that the College slighted the Gift. Now, my Lord, I know all the parts of that story so well that if Your Grace would please to hear it, it would appear as plain as day-light that the College were so far from slighting that they accepted of that Gift in the thankfullest man- ner — but yet could not have the Bricks. C. This is as material to the business as any thing. Let us have it, Sir, B/. My Lord, there was a West country fleet a going out of Virginia for England, which occasioned that this Gentleman's father, Collonel Byrd, was down at a place called Kirkotan, where this fleet was made up. While he was there he received this Order concerning bricks that M^ Byrd speaks of, upon which Co'. Byrd and some others of the Governor's friends wrote home for England that the Governor had given the bricks; but all this while the College knew nothing of the bricks. As Colonel Byrd returned to his own house, my house being in his way, he did me the favor to make me a Visit. I was then sick. Among other News concerning that fleet he told me, as a piece of News that he thought would be very acceptable to me, that the Gov- ernor was becoming a friend to the College, and with that he pulled out a Letter out of his pocket, the Original I suppose of this Letter M"". Byrd speaks of, wherein he ordered him, if the College should carry up the Chapel together with the rest of the Building, to pay for making the bricks of the said Chapel, I told him I was very glad of it for the example of it would go 55 [1697- a great way towards the bringing in our Subscriptions. I asked him likewise if I might say any thing of it. He told me that I might tell it to any of the Trustees of the College that I should happen to see, but that the Governor would take his own way to propose it to them at their meeting, so I talked of it to any of these Gentlemen I happened to see as a piece of good news, and I told tnem we should hear more of it at the next meeting of the Committee. C. What Committee? BL My Lord, this Committee was made up of the Rector and five or six of the Governors of the College that lived nearest the place, who met usually once a Month at the College to inspect the carrying on of the Build- ing. But, my Lord, that Committee came, I was not at it indeed, for I was so sick of a fever and ague that I could not stir abroad. But I had taken care to prepare them all for the kind acceptance of the Governor's Gift which I ex- pected would have been proffered to them at that meeting. But I was strangely surprised to understand that there was no such proposition made to them and so no mention of it. Upon this I spake to M^ Hadley, the Surveyor of our Building, who was pretty well in favor with the Governor and desired him to wait upon His Excellency and to let him know that Colonel Byrd had acquainted me with His Excellency's design of giving Bricks for the Chapel, and that 1 was in hopes the Governors of the College should have heard some- thing of it at their last Meeting, for it was only they that could determine whether they could carry up the Chapel together with the rest of the Build- ing; but since nothing was said of it to them I desired that M"'. Hadley would try whether His Excellency would give him leave to propose it to them at their next meeting. The Answer M''. Hadley brought me was, that the Gov- ■ernor still talked of giving the Bricks, but that he found he was not willing that I should meddle with it at all. So, my Lord, the time went on and we heard no more of this gift till at last there being to be another Committee about the latter end of July last year, I urged M^ Hadley to wait upon the Governor again and to represent to him that the Season of the year was so far advanced that if the Bricks were not made very speedily they could not be made that year and therefore begged of him that if he would not give me leave to make the proposition to the Committee, that he would employ him to whom he had talked so much of this gift to do it that we might order the Bricks to be made with all expedition. Upon this M^ Hadley waited again 1 697-] 56 upon the Governor and what passed between them I do not know, but M^ Hadley told me with an abundance of joy that he had now got leave from the Governor to make the proposition about the Bricks to the next Committee. And accordingly at the next Committee where I was present, he acquainted the Governors of the College that he had Orders from His Excellency to propose to them that if they would carry up the Chapel together with the rest of the Building, he would pay for the Bricks that should go to the Building of the Chapel at the rate they had given to Colonel Park for their other Bricks, viz: 14'"- a thousand. Upon this proposition the Governors of the College presently ordered more Brickmakers to be set to work and appointed two of their number, viz: one M'. Edwards and myself, to wait upon the Gov- ernor next day to return him their hearty thanks for this generous proffer and to acquaint him that they had resolved immediately to comply with it and for that end had set up another Stool of Bricks and would lay the foundation of the Chapel with all expedition. If any of these Gentlemen doubt the truth of this, here I have the very original Order under the Clerk of the College's hand to produce. For we took it out to have it in readiness for Sir Edmund who often, when he would baulk verbal Messages, would ask if we have 'em in writing. Accordingly, my Lord, next day M^ Edwards and I went and waited on the Governor at his House and M'. Fouace who was just come from England and was resolved to see the Governor, desired that he might go along with us. It fell to my turn being the eldest in Commission to make the Governor the compliment. I did it as well as I could, telling him that M'. Hadley having yesterday in his Excellency's name made a generous proposi- tion to the College, viz: that if they would go upon the Chapel His Excel- lency would pay for the Bricks; The Governors of the College had ordered M^ Edwards and myself to wait upon him to return their most hearty thanks for this generous proffer and to acquaint him that in compliance with it, they had ordered a new Stool of Bricks to be set up and that they would lay the foundation of the Chapel with all expedition and carry it up as high above ground before Winter as the season and weather would permit. My Lord, he heard me with a strange gravity in his countenance and when I had done the first word he said (I shall never forget it) was this, directly or indirectly (says he), I gave no such order to M"^. Hadley. Sir, said I, it is very strange that M^ Hadley should do such a thing without orders. I confess I had not the least doubt of his orders for I knew your Excellency was upon such a 57 [i697- thing before I heard first of it from Colonel Byrd. Yes, says he, I gave Orders to Colonel Byrd about it and I desired him to speak to you of it and I believe he did speak to you; but you thought it not worth your while to mind it then. Now you may take your own course. I first made an apology for myself con- fessing indeed that Colonel Byrd told me of the thing as a piece of News, but not as from His Excellency, far less that he desired me to act any thing in it, on the contrary that he told me his Excellency would take his own way to propose it to the Governors of the College, I told him likewise how that after I saw the thing was delayed I had sent M"". Hadley to his Excellency and that I had particularly by him offered my service to propose it and that the answer he brought me was that he found his Excellency did not care that I should meddle in it. But at last, my Lord, I endeavored yet to bring him to the thing telling him that tho' there had been some mistake either in Colonel Byrd or M'". Hadley or myself yet I hoped his Excellency would not on that account retract his designed bounty to the College, that it was a thing that would do a great deal of good and would by the example of it be a great means to bring in our subscriptions that were due. But after all I could not prevail ; he grew hot upon it as if we had really slighted him and told us we should not have a Brick. This is the true account of that matter. The Gov- ernors of the College were far from refusing his gift. On the contrary they accepted it with all thankfulness but he himself retracted it as I have told. By. It was your own fault that you had them not for here is the Order. C. But if that Order never came regularly before them what could they do. By. As to the Lands my Lord, the Law is open, the Governor cannot hinder people of their rights. P. My Lord, the Land on the South side of Black water was all along designed to be opened and there was an Order for opening it in my Lord Effingham's time. Bl. But it is very certain that it was kept shut over till the College's Char- ter was brought into Virginia. P. Were there no Inhabitants upon the place? BL None that had legal Patents. The Surveyors were all prohibited to Survey there and till that prohibition was taken off we could not get a Sur- veyor even to survey the College Land. C. Well I think we heard the most material things. P. My Lord, there is one thing, M'". Commissary said, in which I suppose 97-J 58 is in error, that is he said S' Edmund Andros has twice suspended him )m the Council. Now, my Lord, this last time he is not suspended but only Glared to be within the meaning of the Act of Parliament as to the sitting the General Court. My Lord, the way I heard this thing represented, It IS all M^ Commissary's own doing for the Act being read in order to the 'earing the Naval Officers, M^ Blair himself stated the difficulty upon his aring the Act read and desired the Governor and Council to give their minion whether he should sit in the General Court or not. The Governor d Council, as I was told, shifted the question and said to M^ Blair, Sir, — In few days you are to embark for England what need we trouble ourselves th this question now ? But M"". Blair pretended some scruple of conscience. It he could not be satisfied till he had their opinion. The Governor was so erse to it that he adjourned the Council till the afternoon designing the ^ng should drop and that they should go upon other business. But M''. air would come again in the afternoon and would let them enter upon noth- >" till they had decided that and so soon as they had decided that as to the meral Court he was within the meaning of the Act, that M^ Blair got up d went away from the Council tho' they told him he was not suspended, ly, further, my Lord, I am told that they afterwards sent for him to Council t that he positively refused to act in any Council business. Sir, you know St (to M^ Blair) whether it was thus or not. Bl. Sir It was quite otherwise. I never heard a story more altered. C. How was it? BL My Lord, your Grace may remember, how after I was suspended the 5t time, I was restored to the Council by His Majesty's Warrant, There LS a Clause In that warrant, My Lord, which I did not at all deserve, that I Duld not only be restored to the Council but continue so till it appeared to s Majesty that I had justly forfeited the good opinion he was pleased to say had of me. This Clause, My Lord, every one construed to be a prohibi- n of all such suspensions of me for the future. At the same time with this arrant there was sent into the country a new Act of Parliament of a poste- ir date to the Warrant. I think the Title of it is "An Act for pre- nting frauds in the Plantation Trade." If there was any thing in that Act Parliament disabling me to be of the Council, I ought never to have been :eived in again upon the Warrant. But, my Lord, they received me in and tayed there near a year afterwards, till about the time that the Accounts of 59 I697-] the Revenue were going to be laid before the Council, for I must observe, my Lord, that both times I was suspended just as these accounts were going to be laid before the Council and all the time I was of the Council 1 could never come by a sight of these Accounts and there is a reason for that, my Lord. So now the accounts being ready to be brought in, it was resolved, it seems, that I should be removed before they came in. In the Morning one of the Gentlemen of the Council told me they designed that Day to remove me from the Council. When the Council was met, the first thing- that I saw was that the Clerk stood with the Act of Parliament in his hand ready to read and the Governor ordering him to read it after he had done. It was pretty long. I confess, my Lord, I started the first difficulty myself in these words: "Sir," said I, to the Governor, "upon the reading of this Act there occurs a doubt to me whether it be proper for me to sit in the General Court or not for the words of the Act are these: provided always that all places of Trust in the Courts of Law and what relates to the Treasury of the said Islands shall from the date of this Act be in the Hands of the Native born subjects of England, Ireland or of the said Islands. Your Excellency knows when I was first ad- mitted to be of the Council I desired to be excused from sitting in the General Court. Now I shall be very glad if these words of the Act of Parliament disable me from it." Upon this the Governor desired them to consider how far the Act of Parliament affected me. In Answer to this, as the matter had been said before, some said I could not be of the Council, because the Ac- counts of the Government were laid before the Council and by the Act of Parliament I was disabled from any place of Trust relating to the Treasury. But seeing the tendency of this I argued against it that the being of the Coun- cil was no place of Trust as to the Treasury for all monies were Issued out by the Governor's Warrant even out of Council and tho' he advised with his Council sometimes about Money to be laid out, yet he might chuse whether he would or not. Upon this it was confest by the Governor himself that the King has gone sometimes into the Treasury and signed Warrants without ever bringing the business before Council. From this they went to another topic, which gave better sadsfaction, viz: that the Governor and Council by the Con- sdtution of the Country being the sole Judges of the General Court, if I was consequendy disabled likewise from being of the Council I desired them to consider the King's Warrant for restoring me and particularly that clause which orders me to continue in the Council. The Warrant was read and the 1 697-] 60 Governor considering the bold stroke they were going to make attempted first to shift it off on me, by persuading me to remove myself from the Council. "M"". Commissary," says he, "is a going for England in a few days and he might ease us of all this trouble if he pleased." My Lord, though I under- stood the meaning of.this yet I gave no answer to it till one Colonel Jennings,, a great Creature of the Governor's, explained it thus. "Yes" says Colonel Jennings "M^ Commissary might ease us of all this trouble if he would absent himself from the Council for these few days that remain." Upon this, my Lord, I made this answer to the Governor which I beseech your Grace to take notice of because it will clear the question whether I removed myself from the Coun- cil as it is said or not. "Sir," said I to the Governor, "I must beg your Ex- cellency's pardon. The King has now twice commanded me to be here and therefore I shall not take it upon myself to remove myself from this Board though at the same time I shah readily submit to any Sentence your Excel- lency and the Council shall pronounce about it." Upon this, My Lord, the Governor told the Council that 1 had given them a very plain answer which was that I would not remove myself and therefore, said he, you must go upon it and give your Opinions. Upon this, My Lord, they discoursed the matter somewhere for making distinctions of the two several capacities of a Judge and Councillour; as to the first they were of Opinion that I was included within the Act. But as to the second they thought I was not included and especially the King's Warrant being so express they thought it was better to let me sit for the three or four days remaining. But others, especially such as were upon the intrigue of business who knew it was resolved I should not see the Ac- counts and saw no way to avoid my seeing of them if I stayed upon the Coun- cil, were very positive that I was included within the Act of Parliament as to the Council too, because they alleged by the constitution of Virginia it was necessary that whosoever was of the Council should sit in the General Court. The Governor perceiving the Division, whether it was that he doubted the Vote would not go clearly of his side or whether he was really afraid to go in the contradiction of the King's Warrant, being disappointed of his aim of making me absent myself, adjourned the Council till the afternoon, and in the mean time which was altogether unusuall sent and adjourned the General Court too where there were several Causes depending and the People were all met about their business for, to make the thing more odious of my side, he was resolved the General Court should sit no more till this business about my being dis- 6i [1697. abled were decided, that so the odium of the delay of Justice might lie upon me who would not remove myself. In the afternoon, My Lord, it is said I would come again to Council and would not let them go upon other business till they had decided this. I do assure Your Grace I stayed in my chamber in the after- noon till the Messenger of the Council came to call me ; he told me the Gov- ernor and Council were met and wanted my Company. And if I had not gone then a worse construction would have been put upon it. So soon as I came to the Council it is said I hindered them to go upon other business. My Lord, there was no occasion for that. The Governor without offering at any thing else told them He hoped they had had their thoughts upon the Question that was proposed to them concerning M^ Commissary, whether as to his being of the Council, he were within the Act of Parliament or not. After the King's Warrant was again read and they had observed that it was of a prior date to the Act of Parliament, they concluded that the Act was to take place before the Warrant and that I was incapacitated by the Act from sitting either in Council or General Court. Only one Gentleman insisted still upon the dis- tinction of the two several Capacities. My Lord, I was so far from removing myself as it is said that I did not offer to remove even after this Vote, but had the impudence to sit still. The Governor casting a strange look at me asked me if I did not hear the vote of the Council. "Yes Sir" said I, "I heard it but your Excellency knows that we cannot suspend one another. I wait for your Excellency's Sentence." "No," said he, "I'll pronounce no Sentence." "Then, Sir," said I, "I cannot remove." Upon this, My Lord, he was strange- ly surprized for this put him quite out of his Measures for as he had laid the thing first I was to, remove myself and if that would not do the Council was to remove me, and in either of these ways the Governor would have pre- tended to have been an unconcerned person but when he saw that neither of these ways would do and that I brought it home to himself, then he begun to be very uneasy and asked the Council what he should do in this case. Colonel Jennings answered him, "Sir, Your Excellency may signify to M"". Commissary, that you have put the Question to the Council whether he is Incapacitated by the Act of Parliament to act as one of the Council and that it is our unani- mous Opinion that he is." Upon this the Governor stood up and, In the man- ner he uses to pronounce sentences, said, "M'. Commissary I have put the Question to this Board how far you are included within the Act of Parliament, and It Is our unanimous Opinion that you are Incapacitated from acting any r as one of the King's Council." "Sir," said I, "I take this for a sen- ' and with that made a bow, and came away. But Sir was you never sent for to the Council after this? '. Sir, I thank you for putting me in mind for I should have forgot that. I cannot tell whether I was sent for to the Council again or not. The r was thus. It was about Tuesday if I remember right that I was 'ed from the Council. They went on in their business — received their nts and wrote their letters for England and by Saturday they had done, e Saturday the Governor sent M"". Sherlock to me to my house in the ry. He brought nothing in Writing ; The Message he delivered by word •uth was this, that His Excellency bid him tell me, They had finished business and drawn their Letters for England and they desired that I 1 see them before they went. M)- Lord, it was now Saturday afternoon very rainy day; I was to preach next day and I confess I was very un- l to stir abroad but not knowing what use might be made of it if I did > I ordered my Horse to be got ready and went away to James Town in ; rain with M"". Sherlock. When I came thither I found the Governor Council together not in the Council Chamber but in the Secretary's ber which was at t'other end of the Town nor not set at a Table about Lisiness; so that whether they will call it a Council or not I cannot tell. L I came in 1 told the Governor I was come in obedience to his Message what service his Excellency had for me. He answered me that having red their Letters for England they were willing that I should see them If sed. To this I replied that if it was any Council business, his Excellency I was declared Incapable of acting in those affairs. But if they had any to say to me, in any other Capacity any thing relating to the Clergy or T;e for which I was concerned I was ready to hear it. "Yes," says he, t is in these Letters something relating both to the Clergy and Colle5''e ^ to hear 'em read." 'Tf you please Sir," said I, and upon that he called lairs and they all .sat down not at a table but to and again about the as we are now sitting. 1 did not offer to sit down but the Governors Chair brought and would oblige me to sit too. Then he ordered the to read the Letters. If I remember right there were two Letters, one s Secretary, My Lord Duke oi Shrewsbury, another for the Council of . The only thing I spake to in tlie Letters was one thing relating to the y; for speaking of an Address presented to the Governor by the Clergy ^3 [i697- they called it an address from part of the Clergy of Virginia. "Sir" I said to the Clerk "I believe that is a mistake. It should be an address from the Clergy of Virginia." It was answered me by some of the Council that the Clergy were not all there. I replied to this that they were all duly summoned and many more than the major part were present & ah that were present signed the Address. I asked them if it was their way when any of the Coun- cil was absent to call their Orders, Orders of Council or Orders of part of the Council. I told them too, it looked ill to saj' an Order of part of the Clergy, as if we were all in factions and parties; so my Lord after some dis- pute I gained the point, and had that word of the letter mended. There was a great deal of Council business in the Letters but I spoke to none of it. Now, my Lord, whether this meeting will be called a Council, or not, or whether it will be said that I acted in it or not I cannot tell. I am apt to think if my suspension is not approved of in England it will be said that I was not sus- pended & that I was at a Council afterwards and that I spoke and acted in it. But if my suspension is approved of, that then this meeting is no Council and that my acting in it was only as Commissary but not as one of the Council. P. Nay, certainly, Sir, you are not suspended. Here is a Copy of the Sen- tence and if it be compared with your first suspension you will find the differ- ence and therefore I should by all means advise that nothing may be said of this suspension but that M^ Commissary take his place at the Council board as if there had been no such thing for the meaning of the Sentence is only that as to the General Court he is within the meaning of the Act of Parlia- ment. L. Let us hear the sentence. M''. Byrd read it to this purpose that the act for preventing of frauds &'^. being read in order to the swearing of the Naval Officers, M^ Commissary Blair, of his own accord, acknowledging him- self to be a native of Scotland, proposing the doubt whether he was not dis- abled from sitting as a Judge in the general Court. The Governor and Coun- cil were of Opinion that in regard of the Constitution of Virginia the General Court was to be held by the Governor and Council, therefore M^ Commis- sary Is within the meaning of the Act. Then the Bishop of London argued that these very words did bear that sense that M'. Blair was suspended from the Council. The Archbishop said he thought they implied more than a sus- pension viz: an incapacitating. M'. Povey then blamed Sir Edmund for his short and obscure way of wording things. Then my Lord Archb^ said to 1 64 )urpose to my Lord Bishop of London. "Well, my Lord, I think we heard all the most material things of both sides; when your Lordship is sure we'l appoint another day and get M'. Blaithwait and M'. Blair and ier what we shall do upon all this." , When Your Lordship pleases. My Lord, give me leave to speak to one thing that M^ Commissary oned because it seems to reflect on the Office, that is, M\ Blair seems to ate that he could never come by a sight of the accounts all the while he f the Council. Now, my Lord, I think it Is for the King's service that Man should see the accounts and should have leave to make what ob- :ions he can against the passing of them. Here are the accounts (hold- paper in his hand) M''. Blair may see them when he pleases. L "Sir. I humbly thank you ; it is a favor I could never have in Virginia," with that he step' to M^ Povey as it were to receive the Accounts from nd taking them In his hand said) "Will you give me leave to peruse and I will carefully return 'em to you?" "Sir, you may look upon 'em but I cannot part with this; this is the -d but if you will call at the Office you may see them when you will," that M^ Blair restoring them again had returned to his chair. Then yrd said something to this purpose: y. "My Lord this is a very uncharitable Insinuation of M"". Blair about ;Ing twice turned out of the Council, just as the Accounts were going brought before the Council ; for the first time, it was a month after 2 the Audit and the second time a week, and the accounts are so fairly I that I believe this will be found to be a very groundless imputation." " My Lord, the accounts of Virginia are the easiest part of my accounts oevcr. The Revenue Is but small and the Salaries are all established." I. My Lord, I am loth to enter Into this Subject for it Is now late and we taken up too much of your grace's time already. But if I were to speak accounts I should say something as considerable as all I have yet said ke it appear what Arts have been used to hinder the King's Bounty to lergy of Virginia by the mismanagement of the Revenue, for. My Lord, five years ago My Lord of London knows there was a gift past by the )ueen In Council of the Quit rents of Virginia to the Clergy for three But upon a great Clamour that was raised that If the Quit rents were ied of, that Government would not be able to subsist, the King was pre- 65 [1697. vailed upon to recall that grant and so the Clergy lost it. But my Lord at the same time His Majesty recalled it he was pleased to say that he would make a Tryal for three Years and if he found that the Government could sub- sist without the Quit rents the Clergy should have 'em still. To prevent this, My Lord, from that time there has been such an unusual lessoning and con- sumption of the revenue that Quit rents and all has enough to do to defray the charge. I would fain know why Sir Edmund Andros presently after the news of this, past an Act for enlarging Tobacco Hogsheads by which every Hogshead holds at least a fifth part more than it did and consequently the King's Revenue of Two shillings per hogshead is a fifth part less than it was, that is, six or seven hundred pounds a Year. I would fain know why so much unnecessary charge to New York. Why so much for demolishing old Forts and Building a Powder house and mounting of Guns and maintaining a cruising Sloop upon another footing than was Ordered by the Lords of the Treasury. In short my Lord I would fain know what is become of all the money Governor Nicholson Left in bank and how it comes to pass that the Revenue is now over and above between four and five thousand pound in debt. My Lord, this is a strange thing in a time of peace for it has been pro- found peace with us. My Lord, the only true reason for all this was to con- vince the King that that Government could not subsist without the Quit Rents; tho' we know it subsisted very well before upon the Revenue of the two Shil- lings a Hogshead. But, My Lord, I will forbear till I have seen the accounts only I am very well satisfied that I can discover a great Mystery of iniquity in them. C. Well, I think all the matters have been sufficiently discoursed. My Lord (to the Bishop of London) we must take a time to consider what is fit to be done upon all this. Then the Bishop of London and all the rest of us got up and after some invitation of the Bishop of London to stay all night which we did not accept of, we parted. 1 699.] 66 Governor NICHOLSON to the High Sheriff of New Kent County^ in Virginia, James Town, March y" 3'', 1^99, Sir, I do hereby, in his Majesty's name, Will and require you to acquaint the minister or ministers within your County that (God willing) they do not fall of meeting me here on Wednesday, being the 10*'' of April next, & that they bring with them their priest's & Deacon's Orders, as likewise the R' Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of London, his License for their preaching or what other License they have, & withal a copy out of the Vestry Books of the agreement they have made with the parish or parishes where they officiate. If there be any parish or parishes within your County who have no minis- ter, I do hereby in his majesty's name command that the vestry of the said parish or parishes do by the said lo'"" of April return me an account how long they have been without a minister, & y'^ reasons thereof, as also if they have any person that reads the common prayers on Sundays at their Church. This account must be signed by them, and they may send it hy the minister that lives next to them. So not doubting of all your compliances therein, I remain You are not to fail of making return to these | Your loving friend, my orders as you will answer y^ contrary to. / FF". NICHOLSON. M'-. LOCKE to M\ Commissary BLAIR. S", London, i6 Oct' 99- You that know my bad health, some part of my business in town, will I doubt not pardon the slowness of my return to your letter of February last, especially since it contained no thing of business to be done but grateful! 6; [i/oo- reflections on what had been done with an overgreat opinion expressed of that service which you imagine you had from my liand in the doing of it. I shall not undertake to answer all the great compliments you make me on this occasion. I take them as I ought, to be the language of your civility. But this give me leave to say, that if I have been any way instrumentall in procuring any good to the Country you are in, I am as much pleased with it as you can be. The flourishing of the plantations under their due & just regulations being that which I do & shall always aim at whilst I have the hon- our to sit at the board I now do. I hope the College grows & flourishes under your care. I would be glad to know whether you carried over with you a Baroscope & Thermoscope from hence when you went over last, for I think a constant registar of the air kept there would not be only of general use to the improvement of natural phi- losophy but might be of particular advantage to the plantation itself by observations to be made on the changes of the air, I know your country has many natural curiosities. Such of them as come in your way & are of no difficult transportation I should receive as an obliga- tion from you more particularly all seeds of all strange & curious plants, with an account of the soils they grow in & the best seasons you observe there for sowing of them : amongst other things you will do me a favor to send me a plentifull stock of peach stones of your best sorts of peaches. I am Sir, &c., &c., JOHN LOCKE, Commissary BLAIR to Gov- NICHOLSON. Middle Plantation, Aug' 9, 1 700. May it please your Excellency, This coining to your liands by M'. Wliateley of wliom D'. Bray gave your Excellency so hard a character, I can hardly expect your patience (w''' yet I humbly pray) till you hear what he has to offer in his own justification. He has now been at Maryland with a design to meet with the Doctor, but came unfortunately a day after his departure. He has now brought several 1 700-] ^^ certificates from almost all those persons that the Doctor mentions. * * *-' I confess to your Excellency that I can much more easily believe that that one man who Informed the Doctor was mistaken (for the Doctor doth not speak it of his own knowledge), than that all the other persons both friends and enemies to our church should misapprehend the thing, for this is plain that the dispute was concerning the best way of reforming the debauchery of the age, & that M'. Whately maintained one of the best ways for that purpose would be to contrive to have youth early married ; this being the question, It was very natural for M"". Whateley in the management of such a cause to assert what they say he did. ******* As to his other disputes on board with the Doct', I know there is nothing more usual among schollars (especially where they have so much leisure as they have on a long voyage at sea) than to toss an argument & that some- times to too great a height of heat & animosity. But as to M^ Whateley's being usually on the Devil's side of the Question, as the D"". Is pleased to call it, I can learn nothing of It except that they frequendy differed In opinion upon the subject of the religious socletys which I do not in this case think any thing strange, the best men In England to my knowledge being of differ- ent sentiments concerning them ; there Is only one thing remains, & that Is that it is plain (the Captain being a man much given to drink) there was a great deal of drinking on Board, and this being joined with another thing (viz.) that M^ Whateley had much of the Captain's favour & company makes It probable that he had some hand in countenancing that excessive drinking. But when I consider how natural it is for passengers to desire the master's favour and countenance, and how absolute these masters are on board, I know by experience that sober men are forced sometimes for Peace's sake to sub- mit & bear many things which they cannot help ; upon the whole matter con- sidering the good character my Lord of London gives of M''. Whateley, the great trouble he has been already put to In this matter, his excessive poverty & great sickness & good parts & learning, together with the good character he had both before & since that voyage & the ample certificates he has brought even to give a good representation of that most suspected part of his life, I wish your Excellency would incline to compassion & to put him Into a parish upon his good behaviour. If he proves otherwise than good I hope it will be no such hard matter to turn him out again. I am sure if I had not very good hopes of him (having now had some days conversation with him at 69 [1702. my house), I would be very loth to recommend him to your Excellency's favour, which yet I do not but with all submission to your better judgment. I remain Sir, &c., &c., JAMES BLAIR. From some person unknown to Gov'' NICHOLSON. Chelsey, December y® 8'^ 1702. May it tlease your Excellency, I do with no small Eagerness lay hold on this opportunity to write to you on severall accounts. And first I am to let you know that Governour Blacki- stone arrived with the fleet about a fortnight since, by whom I received yours of July 22 & of July 28, & am sorry to find you were so very much indis- posed as that of July 22 informs me. But out of pure friendship & true sin- cere zeal for your service am most of all' troubled at the accounts which come from all hands of the much worse state of your mind which should it be to half so bad as is here said on the Exchange & at Coffee Houses it is bad enough in several respects. I should be much wanting to my character both as a Friend & as a minister should I conceal from you what is so absolutely necessary to be made known to you for your good & indeed your safety, & therefore I will fairly lay before you the whole. First, it is here said & sneered at by the meanest of those who have lately come in that you still prosecute your amours without the least hopes of success ; & it is in truth not a little trouble to us that have a value for you to find how much it lessens you to make such a rout about this matter. Secondly, it is said that the slights that you have received on this account have so enraged you towards the young Lady's Friends y'^ you swear you will cut their throats, not sparing her Father's, and that you use such furious threatenings as render you odious & hatefull to all. Thirdly, it is added to the charge y' as your passions are very furious so they are very frequent that you are wont in them to swear & curse most hor- ribly, & at best high vociferations are your ordinary language. Nor is this all ; but first I conjure you, Dear Sir, mistake me not 1 am not speaking my 1702.] 70 own sentiments of you but what I do frequently hear from others concerning- you, suffer me to therefore to proceed. Fourthly, it is now in very many peoples mouths y' you are abandoned to lewdness, and some stick not to say to an instance thereof not to be named; and Fifthly, on the account of the premises it is aggravated as a high scandal that Notwithstanding such dreadful habits of sin you are constant at prayers, which they can not but think on the afore mentioned accounts must be a sac- rifice that is an abomination to the Lord. And indeed when these charges shall come to be more known here it will be inconceivable what an aversion they will raise to you with those good men amongst us who have been hith- erto wrought into an admiration of you. Sixthly, your animosities with M^ Commissary Blair, M"", Harrison, & M"". Fouace begins to make you hated even amongst those who know not the persons. For almost every body here knowing with what indefatigable industry they laboured your promotion, & indeed, that they were the great instruments of it. It is observed upon this carriage of yours towards them, y^ nothing is more dangerous than to put too great obligations upon some men in power, because when they find more service is done them than they have a mind to reward or so much as acknowledge they will then in a sort of justification of themselves become injurious even to the ruin of those who have been their friends that they might not be thought to have been obliged. This indeed has been often observed in History as the temper & method of Tyrants & to make you appear so in your nature. Seventhly, it is said that you forbear not to tell even the council that you have been among the Moors, & that they ought to be governed as such, meaning as slaves, & it is thought a high imputation here that you speak so much of the Prerogative & so little of the law, & in truth the course must be steered now very evenly between Prerogative & Property, & with a due respect to the latter as well as the former, or our English Parliaments, such sure is the universal disposition of the nation will vent their indignation. And English men, I dare say, will never more become very apt to make a compliment to their Prince's Prerogative of their English Libert)^s. This between Friends. Eighthly, it is said that by your rough & Naballike Treatment of both Counciil & Assemblies you have lost all interest in them, & that this has 71 [1702. already appeared in that you could not get them to comply with the instruc- tions about New York. It is observed that Governer Blackiston, by his humane and artificial way of treating his assembly, brought them to comply, but they say that your proposing it will alone hinder it. And when it is found that your interest is gone in your government you will soon be blown up, & in truth my Lord of London told me, but to day that he verily believes a great man in plantation affairs lies at lurch for some such occasion to do your business. Ninthly, it does you a world of mischief in this city, & among the mer- chants on the occasion of M^ President's Funeral oration you speak despite- fully & slightly of the late King in many respects. For the city & the Mer- chants generally love, & do greatly honour the memory of that prince, & . there are not very many that can hear reflections against him. Lastly, I shall conclude with acquainting you that your methods of calling together the whole country at the proclamation & upon all publick occasions is censured by many very much. And this is done upon severall grounds, in the country it is said to have given great disgust that the militia were called from all the parts of the province to Williamsburg in the height of the Tobacco season, and so highly dissatisfied they are said here to have been universally, that they cursed you for it with the meat & Drink you entertained them with all in their mouths ; so that It was a ^500 charge to you absolutely thrown away. And your neighbour's conduct in causing it to be done in sev- eral counties by putting himself at Annapolis to the charge only of a bottle or two of Wine & a Bowl of Punch is much better approved by the Govern- our's Friends both here & there. It is much regretted by all who wish you well & would be sorry to see you unable to support your character when divested of Government, y' upon many such occasions you squander away as they say abundance of money to no other purpose but to create a disesteem for you in those who value their money at another rate. By good people It is thought a method tending much to debauchery & to corrupt the manners of a country to assemble & to call together the people in y' manner, & in truth I lately heard a person where I dined in the city declare y' he saw 500 drunk for one sober, & stood to his asserness with great stiffness & yet without any seeming design to reflect upon your Excellency. And if I may interpose my own opinion, tlie common people are never more innocent & usefull than when asunder, & when assembled in a mob are wicked & mad, 1702.] 72 and y' they are but very few, & these wise men, who do fare not the worse for being in much company. Thus, Dear Sir, I have adventured to display towards your Excellency the truest part of Friendship in the world which is to let you know what people say of you. And God forbid but that you should take it as such, & not in the least amiss in me who design nothing therein but to give you such a light that you may know the better how to steer your course w^hich appears to us very Dangerous. I do assure you y' I have invented nothing herein of my own head but repeat to you what we begin to hear of you from all sorts of people comeing from these parts. For my own part I do what I can to avoid all occasions of hearing. But M^ Perry tells me the change rings so of you that it puts him to much uneasiness. And from what I, altho' at much distance, hear, I am fully persuaded he has reason for what he says. And now give me leave to add something of my own. And that I seem to believe so hard of you as all the fore going particulars would import. But from what is obvious & evident give me leave to impart to you the best advice I can. And first with reference to your amours I shall say but little having spoke my mind sufficiently In my two last. However, I must not forbear to advise you as to the relations & Friends of that Lady to give them no further molestation. In truth, if you will con- sider with what tragical language & in what fire and fury you have vented yourself towards them, you are not In the least to blame them y' they have conceived an aversion Instead of an esteem & Love for you. In the nature of things it must so fall out & you cannot blame them that they cannot sufle nature. It is not here as in some barbarous countries where the tender Lady is often drag'd into the Sultan's arms just reaking in the blood of her nearest relations & yet must strongly disemble her aversion. But English women (you know) are the freest in the world & will not be won by constraint but hate them who use them or theirs roughly. Well, your ends as to that Lady cannot be obtained, & you must submit to your fate, & the natural Issue of an unhappy conduct. But it would be a noble & Heroick part in you could you first throwing off all thoughts of designs on that person & carrying it for the future with a perfect indifference to her could you show yourself perfecdy reconciled to her Father, her family & all others with whom you have been at odds on her account. This will be such a conquest over yourself as will soon recover you in the esteem of all those with whom you have much les- 73 [i702. sened yourself on that score. But I must go further with you & urge this upon you from more Christian considerations. It grieves me to the heart to hear so many undeniable evidences of your being transported into such degrees of malice & revenge as will more than hazard your salvation & do at present turn your prayers into sin ; for your own soul's sake, therefore, let me conjure you to be perfectly reconciled to them and to treat them with y* humanity, affability & courtesy which becomes a Christian. Secondly, when you shall have totally subdued your passions & resent- ments it will be needless I hope to advertise you against swearing & vocifer- ation so much noted in you of late. However, being a little personally con- cerned in this part of your amendment pardon me if I lay before you a consideration respecting yourself, your Excellency may please to know I have not taken a little pains to exalt your character for religion amongst the Gen- tlemen of the Society's here in England, so that you have been brought into their highest Esteem, & now if they should come to hear what I do daily hear now of your swearing not to speak of your other immoralitys with what con- fusion think you must I look them in the face & how contemnibly will they look upon me as not knowing how to make a right judgment of men which I assure you is reckoned a great unqualification for business. And here I must not forbear to let you hear a very material passage betwixt my Lord of Lon- don & myself relating to this very thing. A little before Co'. Quarry arrived, his lordship had received from Merchants & others an account as of the Phantastical conduct of your amours & the violent treating the council & assemblyman & the best of the province, so of the Horibly manner of your swearing nay of something of that which is mentioned in the third article above. He sent for me to tell me this & to consider what was to be said or done in reference to you. And what think you was his advice in the matter? Why truly to own that you are become distracted & down right mad, for y^ a better apology could not be made for you as well in your own excuse as of your friends here who have taken so much pains to support you, & in order to y' to trumpet out your praises, I had written this passage to you in my let- ters by Co'. Quarry, but that worthy Gentleman hoped it would be needless to give you so much soreness of mind as this account would create in you, he designing to be very plain with you himself in his informations, but now, upon hearing the same things repeated by this last shipping, I think it neces- 1702.] 74 sary to let you know to what desperate straights and difficultys you have brought your best Friends to apologise for you. Thirdly, pardon me if out of the sincerest & truest Friendship in the world to you, I step a litde out of my way as a divine to give you my thoughts as to your way of treating the Gentlemen or any of the subjects of your Govern- ment. It is very easy to conceive how natural Fire & Heat of temper added to that conversation you heretofore had with a nation & Government where violence and arbitrariness are the sole methods of Government, may have too deeply imprinted in you such ideas of Government as are not so agreeable to the most freeborn people & the most impatient of servitude in the world. True it is, a more violent treatment would not only have been endured even by Englishmen, but perhaps would have been well enough approved of in former reigns. But the case is quite altered now & does more every day alter since the revolution & should arbitrariness alone become your accusa- tion in an English Parliament, it is not all your former merits nor all the friends you have created to yourself by them will be able to save you. And I am sure & positive in this judgment. But I do not know why I mayn't also here interpose as a divine, & it is positively my opinion that an arbitrary & violent treatment of subjects savours altogether of a barbarity which is fittest for the Heathen or Mahom- etan Nations, & agrees not in the least with the spirit of Christianity y"^ it should take place among Christian Powers. I am sure the great Author of our salvation was characterised (& we cannot approach too near to his tem- per & conduct in all our capacitys as well publick as private), I say our Saviour, & be it known to you He was a king, was signalised for a quite con- trary disposition &: conduct with mankind. He shall not strive nor Cry, non vociferabitur. He shall not use vociferations, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. Math. 12: 19. And indeed, if it were but with regard to our own tranquility & peace of mind we should learn of him to be thus meek or mild & humble, for by this alone we shall find rest unto our souls, enjoy peace & quiet both within us & without us ; & believe me y* government of y° universe is not worth the having upon other Terms. Now I must conclude with intreating you to reflect upon this narative in such a manner as to give your friends no uneasiness in the good office they have or shall do for you. 1 beseech you do not force us to hang our tails, as your friend M'. Perry terms it, but let your reconciliation with those you think 75 [1702, your Enemies be perfect & your conduct in the Country fair & state & yo' whole management with prudence, & in so doing you may yet secure yourself & our credit who gave our words & promise for you as particularly he does who is, Sir, Your Excellency's Most obliged Humble Servant. M''. Commissary BLAIR S Memorial against Governer NICHOLSON, May it please your Grace, Being sensible how difficult it is to find your Grace so free from company & other weighty business that you can afford audience of that length as to hear me tell the stories of my troubles in Virginia, and of the disappointment of those good designs for the carrying on of which Gov"^ Nicholson had so much of your Grace's assistance towards the procuring him the Governm' of of y* Country, I have chosen to set down the chief of these things in a true & plain naratlve, in hopes your Grace will find some leisure to peruse it, & will take those just measures y* the circumstances of so extraordinary a case do require. I need not put your Grace in mind how faithfully and diligently I served G N in the business of his promotion to that Governm'. While I was last in England, it was at his earnest importunity &: upon his charge I undertook y' voyage and negotiation, & performed it with all the zeal for his service & as little burthen to his purse as was possible. I may say it without vanity y* saved him at least many hundreds of pounds, he must have been out in any other way of procuring such a Government, for tho' he had given me a letter of credit & full power to launch out money either to courtiers to pro- cure him an interest or to Lawers & Solicitors to draw y^ papers and negoti- ate the business. I spent him not one farthing in any of those things ; your Grace's & other good Bishops' favour supplying y" place of a purchased inter- est, & my own pains In drawing all papers & memorials & In attending the I702.] 76 proper times & opportunitys for pressing on the affair, supplying y= part of Lawyers & Solicitors I lost in y' service one year's salary of my parish, which was as good as ;^ioo, besides all other losses & inconveniences by leaving my family & business, & I fairly hazarded my own ruin from S' Edmund Andros by undertaking y^ affair, which tho' it was managed with so many losses, hazards & difficulties, & attended with the wished for success attained in so Hon*'^ a way I can't say I ever had so much as thanks, far less any other consideration for that service. He took an opportunity not long after to tell me y^ what I did was for my own ends, & there is no subject he has insisted on more frequently than to upbraid me with ingratitude, & sometimes he makes his boast to others, & has bragged of it to myself y^ he only made a tool of me, & both he & his friend C N in their representations for England have so detracted from & villified this service y* all the part they assign to me in it is that I honestly delivered y^ Governor's Letters, but after some experience of his temper I found his behaviour to me in point of grati- tude was not singular, & that he served all his old friends in Virginia, who had been true to him in the worst of times, & had endured the frowns of S'' Edmund Andros's government upon his account after the very same manner, it being a true part of his character y^ he is very kind to all those from whom he has any Expectation, but the most ungrateful man in the world when the service is done and he thinks has no more occasion for them. But to go on with my story. He began his Government w"" picking a quarrel with me upon the subject of moderacon which your Grace & several other of his friends had recom- mended to him in those very letters which I carried him in together with his commission, for when he had perused the letters himself & shew'd them to me he asked me what the Devil they ment to recommend moderacon to him & when I answered that his friends were all of opinion y*^ it was the best advice could be given him, for said I they have seen the articles which were exhibited against y' Excellency from Maryland & judged that all those ill things they ac- cuse you ot proceeded from your passion & they know that in Virginia as you have many friends so likewise you have divers Enemies of S"" E. Andros's party & therefore they are afraid of his resentm^. I can't but be of their opinion that y'' best way is to forgive & forget & to begin upon a new foot & to mak y"^ self & every body else. To this he replyed very hotly "G — , I know better to Govern Virginia & Maryland than all y" Bishops in England, if I had not 77 L1702. hampered y"* in Maryland & kept them under I should never have been able to have governed them." " S"^" said I, "I don't pretend to understand Mary- land but if I know anything of Virginia they are a good natured tractable people as any is in y" world and you may do what you will with them by the way of civility but you will never be able to manage them in that way you speak of by hampering and keeping them under." My Lord this was the very day his commission was published, & at another conference or two on y'' same subject in less than six weeks' time when I told him the danger of losing assemblies he seemed to make nothing of it & said he could find a way to govern the country without assemblys but that way was a secret he thought not proper to intrust to me how much soever he was bent upon It for fear I should give him some trouble in his new designs; he carried the argument to that height y' in a great passion he commanded me never to speak to him more in any matters relating to y*^ Governm' but to let him alone & to meddle with my own business w'^'' I readily promised perceiving that he was strongly bent upon violent methods in which I was resolved not to be concerned. I have had frequent occasions since to reflect on this discourse, & to observe from it a vulgar error concerning Gov' Nicholson imputing all the violence of his Governm' both in Maryland & Virginia to his passion or his amour whereas it is certain they proceeded from design & intention which his passions were only made use of to cover & conceal, & I was the more confirmed in this when I considered what a quite different part he had acted while he was L' G"" of Virginia & how mildly & calmly I have seen him behave himself towards strangers & upon several other occasions when gentleness & meekness would serve a present turn & y' the change began not with his amour but with his promotion to the Government In chief of that country & was continued uni- formly & without interruption except on two several occasions when his in- terest (not his passion) obliged him for a little while to act an other plan; one was when he persuaded the assembly to advance ^5 or 600 towards y*" defray- ing the charge of y^ imprisonment & trial of some pirates that had been taken in the Country which they alleged ought to have been defrayed out of the spoil of the said pirates; the other was when he wanted addresses from the assembly in his favour to support his tottering interest & reputation in Eng- land; upon both which occasions (notwithstanding his passion & amour) he did admirably act a good natured courteous Gov' tho' both in y*^ interval be- tween & all the time before & after these two occasions he has acted the Quite 1702.] 7^* Contrary, viz: the arbitrary insolent & abusive part in pursuance of a maine designe he is a carrying on which I shall by & by discover. Being thus laid aside from all opportunitys of offering any advice I was quickly amazed w*^ the strange stories I heard of his rudeness and abusive- ness mixt with terrible cursing & swearing to all sorts of people to y' degree y' nobody went near him but in dread & terrour & that in the very councils he was so furious, imperious & menacing that it was observed & distinctly heard in houses a great way off, & all people seemed to be struck with his begining of his Government at so strange a rate of arbitrariness, insolence & profane- ness. And indeed, my Lord, these fits of passion (whether real or counter- feit) are so habitual to him & are acted with so much rage & fury, & do so lively resemble those of a mad man in his looks gate & gesture that the greatest patience is not able to endure it, nor no words can sufficiently describe it. One might as we!! pretend to describe an hurricane to one y' never saw it, as to think to describe the brutality and savageness of his passions to make strangers sensible what sort of things they are, if they never were eye & ear witnesses of them, such was likewise liis pride and self conceit, y* he thought it below him to consult with any person whatsoever & was altogether incapable of advice, reasoning, or contradiction. I was utterly at a loss what conjecture to make concerning his designs, for it seemed at first as if he had laid down a resolution to disoblige and abuse all mankind, for he spoke in the most con- temptable terms of all the best Gentlemen we had in the country, treating them with the vile names of rogues, rascals, villains, & cowards, & swearing that he valued them no more than the dirt under his feet. He did often hec- tor, bully & threaten to cut their throats 8c sometimes gave challenges know- ing the station he was in secured him that they would not be accepted which was the occasion that his former tameness, when in other circumstances, he was challenged & insulted by a Gentleman of that country, was often remem- bred and compared w'*" his hectoring and abusivenesss & Lewdness, all which gave me the character of a bad man. On the other hand recollecting his charitys, his constancy in publick prayers, his vigour & diligence in stirring about & driving on the business of his Government & his shewing some distinguishing respects at y' time to the best men of our clergy (tho' this is quite altered since) I was for a great while so blinded with my former good opinion of him & per- haps with all not a httle biassed by my own interest & reputation which I knew were firmly linked with his, that for a great while after he was detected 79 [1702. by others that were near witnesses of his life & conversation I inclined to y*' charitable side, had still good hope of him, defended him on all occasions & took him to be a good man at bottom, only I thought he had been much spoiled in Maryland, his temper soured there, so finding them a people much wrought upon by terror & threatening, y*^ he had laid it down as an unhappy maxim to himself y' the way of terror was the best way to manage those countrys and I confess at that time I had observed nothing of dishonesty nor of any downright immorality more than I was willing to ascribe partly to his great passion & partly to his false maxims of policy & partly to human frailty & infirmity. But while I was in this uncertainty of opinion about him it pleased God to open my eyes after a very strange and unexpected manner the particulars whereof are not so proper to be put in writing in gen'. It was a scene of one of the vilest & grossest sorts of Lewdness described to me with horror by such certain proof & conviction y' I could no way answer nor resist it. It had almost broke my heart with sorrow & made strange impressions upon me so as to work in me a total alteration of my former opinion of that Gent° for I confess, my Lord, I could never Induce myself after this to have any good thoughts of his sincerity in religion but look't upon him from that hour as a great monster of Immorality & my opinion received daily confirmation by the new dis- coverys I made upon enquiry into the particulars of his life & conversation. I found great observations had been made in many Gent'^ Houses in the coun- try of his strange lewdness to a degree of impudence & Brutality beyond that of most other men, for not contented with such vitious companions as himself & such men cou'd easily find in all countrys, he made many base attempts upon persons of honour & virtue & those with such abundance of rudeness & violence as looked more like a design of perpetrating a rape than obtaining a consent. Then for malice & revenge it is not easily credible what abundance of satisfaction he took in it, how diligently he pursued it to the utter ruin not only of the parties whom he took to be his adversaries but of all their ac- quaintance, friends & relations. I could give your Grace several instances of this & of his cruelty & bloody mindedness for he has talked to me for many months together of nothing else but designs to cut the throats of several par- ticular persons & in the whole story of his amours w*^*" then broke out he gave such numerous instances of Fury, jealousie & revenge &■= threatening 1703.] s° &" with many other extravagant things of this nature that I really came at last to consider him as a man of the blackest soul & conscience that I had ever known in my life for I found when once he had affronted any man to that height as to reckon him his enemy he then thought himself absolved from all rules of justice, honour & honesty to such a person to that degree y' if he could ruin him in his good name by the falsest & grossest lyes & calum- nies, or in his Estate by the basest tricks law suits & circumventions, or in his friends by all the seeds of enmity & discord y' could possibly be sown, or in his correspondence by intercepting & breaking open his letters, or in any thing else wherein he could work his ruin or prejudice, he stuck at nothing for com- passing- his revenge & in contriving the ways & means thereof, I found y' of all other things he was by much the most inventive and ingenious. COUNCIL OF VIRGINIy4 TO THE ^UEEN. Virginia, May the 20^^ 1 703. TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. May it please Your Majesty, We the Subscribers, Members of your Majesty's Council of your Colony and Dominion of Virginia confiding in your Majesty's Great Goodness and care of your people beg leave in all humility to represent your Sacred Maj- esty, that nothing but a true regard to your Majesty's Service, the Peace and Happiness of this Colony & to that trust your majesty has been pleased to repose in us should have at present induced us to this unusual way of address- ing your Sacred Majesty for relief of our selves & other your Majesty's good & Loyall Subjects of this country from the many great grievances & pressures we lie under by reason of the unusuall, insolent & arbitrary methods of Gov- ernment as well as wicked & scandalous examples of life which have been now for divers years past put in practice by his Excellency Francis Nicholson, Esq"", your Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of this Colony, which we have hitherto in vain endeavoured by more soft & gentle applications to him- 8 1 [1703. self to remedy & prevent, but to our unspeakable grief we have reaped no other fruit of our more private complaints & representations but that thereby we have so highly exasperated the revengefull mind of your majesty's said Governor to the Height of implacable malice & Enmity against ourselves and the better part of your Majesty's good & Loyal Subjects of this colony who are of the same sentiments, that without your majesty's seasonable interposi- tion We can not but apprehend the dangerous consequences of such practises not only in kindling & fomenting of lasting feuds & animosities among your majesty's good subjects here but endangering the publick peace and tran- quility of this your Majesty's Country. The particular instances of the Mal-administrations ol your Majesty's said Governor are so many that we fear the very enumeration of the several sorts of them would be an encroachment on your Majesty's patience & goodness. And therefore we have chosen rather to transmit them in memorials to some noted friends of this country to be by them laid before such persons as your Majesty shall think fit to appoint to receive & examine the same; humbly praying your majesty's gracious consideration of our deplorable circum- stances; and that the Government of this your Colony and Dominion of Vir- ginia may be put into such hands as wdl observe your Majesty's Laws & Instructions, & copy after the Bright Example of your Gracious reign and Government to the unspeakable Satisfaction of all your Majesty's subjects ot this Colony, and among them none more than, May it please Your Majesty, Your Majesty's most Loyall, most dutifull & most obedient. Subjects and Servants, Robert Carter, J. Lightfoot, James Blair, Maithew Page, Phill. Ludwell, Benj*". Harrison. A True Copy, " John Povey. I703-] 82 COL. ^ARRT to the LORD BISHOP OF LONDON. oct^y^ I5'^ 1703. Right Hon"^^ & R\ REV^ I have been honored with two letters from your Lordship since my return to America, which gives me the satisfaction of Knowing y^ some of my Let- ters are got safe to your hands, but am very much concerned that I should be mistaken or misinformed in any representation that I have made to your Lord- ship. I am sure it hath & ever shall be the utmost of my care to represent nothing to your Lordship but true matter of fact however I wih allways lay my hand on my mouth when I have the misfortune to differ in opinion from your Lordship. Perhaps his Excellency requiring M^ Comiss'''^ Blair to discharge the duty of his several offices may by him be called giving the first occasion of the difference but allowing that the Government had already given some offence to the Commissary ought he not to have had some regard to those many favours & obligations which the Gov' hath in so eminent a manner laid on him? Ought he not to have considered the peace & quiet of the Govern- ment in which by your Lordship's & his Excellency's fav'"^ he is placed in one of the highest stations? But if these had no weight with him yet one would think that the peace, tranquility & happiness of the Church should so far influ- ence him as to make him sacrifice his private Interests, revenge & resentments to the publick good of y' which by so many ties and obligations he is bound to prefer before all other considerations in this world. How far he acquitted himself like a christian or a true son of that holy church or rather how con- trary to its true Interest he hath acted, I will leave your Lordship to Judge after I have laid some true matters of fact before you. And in the first place I will beg leave to acquaint your Lordship that some time before I went last for England the difference betwixt his Excellency & M"". Comiss""^ Blair was unhappily improved to a great height, i always had a great honour & respect for M^ Blair so that our conversation & friendship still continued and tho' he entertained me often with complaints against the Gov* and the effects of his passion, he always took care to deliver what he said as the sense and opinion rather of others, — the general voice of y^ Country rather than his own, but 83 [1703- that I may be more particular, one day he & myself went to dine with M^ Fouace, in the way he was pleased to entertain me with the state of the Country, he told me how happy the Gov'' had been in the love and esteem of the people whilst he followed his & the rest of his friends advice & gave me particular instances of his gaining all points botl^ in Council & Assembly but y' since by his morose Carriage and violent passions he had disobliged & lost his friends and interest in the Council assembly & generally, the whole body of the people were prejudiced against him to that degree y' they were ready for an insur- rection or rebellion, that nothing prevented it but the interest & prudence of some Gentlemen that were the Comiss"^'^ friends, he did represent the state of the Country to be so very desperate as if it wanted only setting fire to the train to blow up the whole Government in ruin & confusion. This dismal rela- tion did extremely affect me, however, I gave allowance for prejudice which I found to be very great in the commissary besides I could see no foundation for this Gunpowder plot & therefore was resolved nicely to enquire into the bottom of this business which accordingly I did without taking the least notice of it to the Gov"^ & I do assure your Lordship that the further I enquired into the truth of this matter, the less reason I found to believe any part of it. Some time after this being in Virginia & finding all things go on very smooth betwixt his Exc'' & the Assembly & a general satisfaction through the whole country I took occasion to discourse M'. Comiss^ Blair and told him what a great satisfaction it was to me to see such a very good understanding betwixt y^ Govern'^ and all the several parts of the Government throughout the whole province. This was a truth so evident that it left no room for denial so he was pleased to own it but withall told me that this great change in the temper & affections of the Assembly, the Council & almost all people towards the Gov' was occasioned purely by his late extraordinary kind affable & obliging behaviour to them so contrary to his former treatment of them & that now he had gained the hearts of the Country. That no Gov' that ever was had a greater art to gain the affections of the people than he had if he would please to make use of it, with abundance of more circumstances too tedious to trou- ble your Lordship with, for my part I do solemnly declare y* by all the nice observation I could make I saw no such change or alteration in the Gov'''' tem- per humour or carriage to produce such a sudden turn in the minds & affec- tions of the people as M'. Comiss"^ was pleased to affirm, but he had no other way to come off or excuse the malicious false representation which he had I703-] 84 made to me. I must own to your Lordship that this gave me such an impres- sion of the Comiss^y'" spirit and temper y' I could not have so good an esteem for him as I had before it was evident to me that his wishes & endeavours were to reduce this Government to that miserable state which he had falsely represented that it was in. How this can be reconciled to the character of a gentleman, a christian, much less a clergyman in so very eminent a post in the church, I must leave your Lordship to judge and now, my Lord, give me leave to assure you by all that is sacred to a christian, that what I have here repre- sented to your Lordship is truth which else I would not affirm for the value of 10,000 worlds & I do further assure your Lordship that no consideration less than a due regard for the peace, quiet and security of the church & state in North America & and that of your Lordship's unspotted honour should have made me give your Lordship this repeated trouble. Had the ill effects of M^ Blair's rude and barbarous treatment of his Excellency been only confined to the limits of Virginia your Lordship should have had this representation of it from other pens, not from me; but since it is become the topic of the civil Magistrates as well as of the clergy in ail the Governments on the main I thought it my duty to lay it before your Lordship and to acquaint you with what is the general discourse & notion of the best sort of men on this occasion. Some are pleased to say "What, can't an English church & clergy under an English Established Governm' be governed without a Scotch Comiss"^ being set over them; this is worse than Dutch & French ofificers over aa English army, can't our universities & the whole Kingdom afford an English man qualified to preside over our Clergy without being forced to send a Scotch man especially since there is ^400 Sterling to support an English Gendemanduely qualified for those places?" Others are pleased to say that the Scotch have already engross't almost all the trade of these parts of the world & must they govern the church too, must those y' never were true sons of the church become rulers & almost Fathers of it This will quickly spot and blemish the most pure & best church in the world. Others do heartily wish & pray that your Lordship may not send any more Scotch clergy amongst them for those that are now with them will fare the worse for their Countryman's behaviour to Gov' Nicholson. The civil Magistrates they seem to fear lest y^ factious Scotch Spirit should diffuse itself into the more Northern Provinces & disturb the quiet of those Governments & therefore do hope that no Scotch shall ever serve with them. Thus I have taken the freedom 85 [1703.] to lay before your Lordship some few hints. Should I be particular it would fill many sheets & tire your Lordship which obliges me to contract this sub- ject. And now my Lord give me leave to say that as no man living can have a greater concern & true regard for the peace, prosperity & happiness of both church & state than your Lordship hath, which is a truth allowed by all that have either known or but heard of your Lordship, so give me leave to say that never any man had such an opportunity put into his hands to secure & preserve both thro' all the Government of North America as your Lordship now hath by discouraging and discountenancing M"". Comiss'^'' Blair in all his malicious attempts & designs against his Excellency Gov"" Nicholson. This will effectually root up all the seeds of faction in this Government for those few uneasy spirits that are joined in Interest with M'. Blair as soon as they find y' your Lordship hath discouraged him, and they very well know that he hath no other support or dependence, — will immediately come to themselves, see their former folly & consult their true interest & no longer disturb the peace & quiet of this Governm* whereas on the other hand should M''. Blair be in the least encouraged or supported in the many ills that he hath been guilty of, it will quickly increase & augment the number of factious uneasy spirits & make them attempt far greater evils to the ruin & disturbance of both church and state. All which is now in your Lordship's power to prevent & to establish the complete happiness of both, & now, to use the words of a great man, if ever so good & great a work be done this is the time & there- fore I do with all good men who love the peace & prosperity of Jerusalem most heartily pray that God Almighty would be pleased to put it Into your Lordship's heart to improve the blessed opportunity which he hath put into your hands. I am very well assured that your Lordship will have a farr greater respect & reguard to the united voices of all your clergy not only & Virginia but of all the Governm*^ of America together with y" voices of prayers of many thousand true sons of the church who do pray for the peace & prosperity of it than for the sly insinuations of a few factious prejudiced men who were they to live a 100 years could never be able to do a thousand part of so much good as they have done mischief In this very Governm'. I could heartily wish that M'. Comiss^" were well provided for in England so y* if possible he might never return to this Government again which I hope would be happy both for y" country & himself too. If my hearty love & zeal for your Lordship's honour & the publick good of the church & state hath 1703.] 86 raised a warmth in me & forced me to speak some plain truths, I am sure your Lordship hath goodness & charity enough to consider the true motive & freely pardon me. I should not have been so large on this subject but on this consideration if M^ Blair had assurance enough to attempt imposing on me who was not altogether a stranger to the several interests & state of the Country especially being on the spott & might so easily be disabused, what hath he not done by his cunning insinuations & agents at so great a distance as England but what ever success he hath had in imposing on others (for I must allow him as able to make the best of a bad cause as any man) yet I am very well assured that it will be imposible for him with all his cunning to impose on your Lordship which is all I will presume to say. And as to what concerns the present state of the severall governm^' on this main, I must refer your Lordship to my severall memorials & letters which I have now sent to the R'. Hon^'^ the Lords of Trade. I had almost forgot to take notice of a great charge improved by M"". Comiss'''' against his Excellency y* he hath re- fused or neglected to induct the clergy so yUheir condition is very precarious & subjected to the arbitrary will of the vestrys. I can assure your Lordships from my own knowledge that no man living could be more zealous to remedy this evill & secure this point for the clergy than the Gov'' was, which appeared by his instructions to me when I went last to England being ordered to lay it before your Lordship and get the Attorney Generall's opinion on the act of assembly of this province which accordingly I did & brought it with me but it proved in some things short for tho' 'twas positive y' in case the parish did not present in a limited time y' then that right did devoute to the Crown & that the Gov"" might Induct but gave no direction what processes or methods ought to be used in case the Vestry did refuse to obey or should shut the church doors against the ministers inducted which might very well be expected. His Excellency very well considered this to be a matter of great moment & therefore thought it not safe to put it to the hazard till he could get further ad- vice & directions effectually to secure this great Concern and hath sent again about this business by M^ Jones & I can assure y"" Ldsp, that the Gov"" resolved soon as he receives yo' further advice & directions y"^ he daily expects, he will take the proper methods of doing the clergy Justice 8c securing this point for them, of which I believe they are all very well satisfied & some of the Gen- tlemen know that it is not his Excellency's fault y' this business hath been delayed so long but M''. Comiss^ Blair's. I have this account from some of 87 [1704- the clergy who gave me several instances of his endeavours to encourage & support the Vestry's against them. This method he thought would make him popular with the people & at the same time endeavouring under hand to lay the fault on the Gov"^. A more full ace* of this matter your Lordship will have from those very Clergymen y' have been thus treated by the Comiss""^ to which I refer. I could not omitt the sending your Lordship the Copy of an address signed by M"". Comiss^ Blair to shew your Lordship how inconsistent this gen- tleman is with himself having under his own hand contradicted what he so industriously & zealously endeavoured to impose on all & in particular on myself. I will not take up more of your Lordship's time to comment on this double, unchristian dealing but refer to your Lordship's Judgment. This goes by Col. Daniel Coxe who will give your Lordship a very good account of most governments in America. I will not presume to trespass any further on your Lordship's patience but most humbly to beg your Lord- ship's blessing & leave to subscribe myself as I most truly am R' Hon^'^ Your Lordship's most obed*^ son & humble serv"^ ROBERT QUARRY. Affidavit of STEPHEN FOUACE relating to the mal- administration of Col. NICHOLSON, Governor of Virginia, 25'^ April, 1704. Pursuant to the Directions of the Right Hon'''^ the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, Stephen F o u A c E , Clerk, maketh Oath. 2rf)at soon after Colonel Nicholson was made Governor of Virginia the Deponent being at M". Commissary Blair's with the said Col. Nicholson with several others, the said Colonel Nicholson went out after supper into the Garden with Colonel Jennings & there fell out with him into a very loud and 1 704.] . 88 outrageous passion using to the best of the Deponent's remembrance the vile names of pitifull rogue, Rascall, Thief, &c., and withall threatened to kick him. The Deponent further saith that some time after being alone with the said Colonel Nicholson he took the freedom to tell him that he the Deponent was sorry and concerned to hear his severe usage in ill names & threatenings to Colonel Jennings, a Gentleman of good family and one of the Council. He took particular notice to him of the indignity of his calling the said Colonel Jennings a Thief upon which friendly and humble admonition of the Deponent he the said Colonel Nicholson was so far from regretting his unworthy usage to Colonel Jennings that he continued his threatenings against him and justi- fied particularly his calling him a Thief. The Deponent further saith that once on a Sunday the said Colonel Nicholson called (in his way to Kikotan) at the house of the Deponent about 5 of the clock at night and kept him walking to and again without going in a doors and entertaining him for near six hours together with a furious dis- course of his designs of revenge against his Mistress's father, Brother, and other relations that were he thought against his match, swearing that his suite must end in blood, that he would have satisfaction of Major Burwell (his Mistress's Father) and a great deal more to the same purpose. When as a minister and a Friend whom he had not then yet personally abused, the Deponent endeavoured to pacify his mind towards Major Burwell and others as having given him no just cause of such resentments and desired him as a Christian to reflect seriously upon the sinfulness of his bloody designs and resolutions and the ill consequences of them (if he put them in execution) as to his worldly interest and rcputadon in England and Virginia, all that the Deponent could say to that purpose was in vain and without effect. The Deponent further saith that waiting once upon him (the said Colonel Nicholson) with one M^ Shropshire (a clergyman who was lately turned out of his parish by some leading men of the Vestry without any just cause), to beg the favour of him to recommend him to Blisland Parish where he had made some interest and had no competitour he not only refused it him in very rough terms but made him also understand that he would oppose his being received there; upon which M"". Shropshire intreating him further that he would then give him leave to make application to some of the parishes that were become vacant by the death of their ministers lately deceased and whom 89 [i 704- he named to him: "What do you," saith he, "talk to me of this and the other minister being dead? I wish there were forty of you dead. The Quakers are in the right, you are all hirelings," upon which bitter and untrue reflection having- observed to him that we did not expect that name from him for taking the moderate Salary the Law allowed us; we took our leave and went away wondering betwixt our selves how we & the world had been imposed upon by his pretended zeal for the church & clergy. The Deponent further saith that once at a meeting of the Gov^of the Col- lege Gov"" Nicholson fell abruptly no body knew why into a fit of passion & cursing against some Gentlewomen which tho' he did not name were under- stood to be the wives of some of the Compan)', calling them Jades, * * * & then immediately -shifting the scence from the absenct Wives to the present Husbands & others, he told us we were brutes & understood not manners, that he knew how to Govern the Moors, that he would beat us into better manners & make us feel that he was Gov' of Virginia. Four of the Company were of the Council & the rest some of the chiefest men of the Country except the Deponent. At this all the Company was amazed & silent not knowing what to make of that mad, furious, distracted Speech, The Deponent saith further that he hath heard Colonel Nicholson say & threaten that he would seize the college for the King's use. The Deponent further saith that the first cause of Col. Nicholson's falling out with him appeared to be a suspicion that the Deponent by letters, had given information to my Lord of London & my Lord Arch Bishop of his strange behaviour & carriage in the Governm', without any proofs but his suspicion. He fell out once into a very great passion against the Deponent upon that account: & all the protestations the Deponent could make to the contrary, did not pacify him, but from that time he continued full of resent- ment against him. The Deponent further saith that being once invited with many other friends to dinner by Col. Ludwell, Jun'', he called in his way thither, at a friend's house where he met M''. Commissi Blair, who being in a htde time after sent for by the Gov' the Deponent went with him. When they came near him he called M^ Blair aside to him & in a very little time after they were walking together, the Deponent heard him very loud {as he is always when in a passion) for near an hour together. At last he dismissed M'. Blair who being asked after- 1704.] 9° wards by the Deponent what might be the reason of the Governor's anger answered that the subject of the Governor's loud discourse with him, was of that consequence to him (the Deponent) that he thought himself in conscience obliged to acquaint him with it. "Why," saith he, "he hath sworn several times to me that he will cut the throats of three men (if his Mistress be mar- ried to another besides himself) viz: the Bridegroom the Minister & the Jus- tice of Peace that shall give the Licence. Now this dreadful] threatning con- cerns you not only as you are the Minister of the Parish where his mistress liveth, but also upon the account of your being the Gov^'^ Rival as he hath now a jealousy of you." This I soon found to be true indeed by experience for 'twas not long after this that on the first day of March 1 70^ Colonel Nicholson waylaid me as I was coming at night from Major Burwell who was then very sick. As I came near the place where he was at some distance from the Road in the wood he came out towards me & being 20 or 30 yards from me he called & at the same time made towards me as I did towards him. When we came near one another he accosted me with a very angry look, very abruptly in these very words (raising his voice to a perfect vociferation) "I command you in the King's name & upon your Canonical obedience as I am your Bishop not to go to that house (pointing to Major Burwell's house) except you be sent for, nor to speak to the young Lady." "Why S'" said I, being frightened & much amazed "what is the matter? Docs your Exc'take me for your rival? I can assure you S' I have not that foolish presumption to think to be preferred to your Excellency. I never spoke or acted anything that could justly give you any such jealousy." "Hold your prate Sirrah," said he to me, "I have taken good notice of you, you are an impudent Rogue, a Villain, a Rascal, you are now insolent and proud, but I'll humble you & bring down your haughtiness. When you came hither you had more rags than bags." I answered some- thing to this purpose that if I had been formerly as poor as he was pleased to say, it was no shame to have been poor & that it was nothing to his ill usage to me & that whatever my circumstances might now be they had been better if I had been less zealous for his Service. Upon this he renewed his oppro- bious names of impudent rascall, scoundrell, &'. and as we were riding along together he turned short upon me laid hold of my hat & pulled it off my head & asked me how I had the impudence to ride with him having my hat on." I replied something to this purpose that I hoped he would not use me like a 91 [i704- Footman. After some more words to the same purpose he gave me my hat again & told me that I had heard his commands & that he expected to be obeyed. "S''" said I, "I must obey your Excellency; but I think your Excel- lency would do better to turn me out of the parish & indeed out of your Government than to command me not to do that which is my duty to do, viz: to visit the sick of my parish & seeing the case is such let me tell your Excel- lency if you please to have a little patience with me I will, I assure your Excellency, go out of the Country with this Fleet & so obey your commands most effectually." He told me he would be glad to see it. A little time after he spoke thus to me or words to this effect: "Is it not a shame for one of your function to suffer me to be ridiculed & railed at in some Companies where I know you have been? Is it not your duty to reprove them?" To the best of my remembrance he gave me also a hint that I should have acquainted him with it. To this I replyed something to this purpose, that he mistook me if he had taken me for an informer as for reproving of them that I was not sensible wherein I had been wanting to my duty, & and then I told him as far as I can remember that the best way for him to avoid the being ridiculed & ill spoken off, was for his excellency to take care that his behaviour & actions in his Governm*^ were such as did not expose him to the odium & contempt of the Country. That the King of France himself with all his absolute power could not hinder many in his Kingdom from speaking ill of him. "But seeing your Excellency is pleased to make me mindful of my duty to reprove the evil I see done in my presence I must make bold to reprove your ExcelP^'for using at this rate in the Highway, in the Woods, & in the night, & on a Sun- day, a clergyman coming from visiting the sick of his parish. This sort of usage is not agreeable I must needs say to the character of a zealous son of the church." To this as I remember he replied nothing particularly, but con- tinuing on our way & he in his passion upon some answers I made him & some hints I gave him that I had deserved better usage from him, He gave me over again the base names of Rascal &'=. & added that of Banditti & four several times ran with his horse towards me to lay hold of me as I thought threatning withall once to lash & drub me as a villain & a rogue as he said I was. I took good care being well mounted to avoid his laying hold of me, but being frighted by his threatnings & considering that we were alone in the night & that he had his Pistols & Swords, & having often heard that he killed a man whether it be true or no I do not say, I ran away from him as fast as my horse 1 704.] 92 would carry me & took a special care afterwards never to meet or be with him alone again. When upon my coming away from Virginia I waited upon Colonel Nichol- son & told him that I came to take my leave of him & receive his commands for England if he pleased to honor me with any, he spoke to me in these words: "I thought that you might know that I am Gov^ of Virginia." "S^" said I, "I do know It & it is therefore that I come now to wait on your Excel- lency to pay my duty & receive your commands." "Well," saith he to me, "have you got my Lord of London's Licence to go for England?" "No S'," said I, "I suppose I do not want such a Licence. My Lord of London I am confident docs not desire to keep any clergyman against his will in Virginia." "Well," saith he to me again, "take you notice that I will not give you leave as you are a clergyman to go for England." "Sir" said I, "I have complied with the Law of the Country. I have a Pass accordingly out of the Secre- tary's Office & I think with submission that I cannot be legally stopt. I wonder your Excellency should now be against my going to England when not long ago your Excellency seemed to be desirous I should." "Ha!" saith he, "go & tell them so in England," (he meant I suppose his late usage of me.) Hereupon he called one of his servants who being come he bid him call M^ Blair, M"". Cony, M^ Robertson, & M"'. Harrison who being all come he asked M"". Blair whether I had shewed him a licence of the Bishop of Lon- don to go for England. "No S""" saith M'. Blair "he hath not. I wonder how he should, 'tis such a thing as was never required of any clergyman before going out of this Country for England." "S""" said the Gov' in words to this effect, "I will not argue the thing with you now, I desire you only at present to take notice as you are Commissi & you IVL. Harrison as you officiate In the place of the Queen's attorney & you M^ Cony as you are my chaplain & you M'. Robertson as you are Clerk of the Council, that I do not give leave to M''. Fouace as he Is a clergyman to leave this Country & go to England." Upon which I told his Excell*^^ that it would be sufficient to me if he pleased to give me leave to go as I was Stephen Fouace. On the 30th of July following, being the day that the Fleet sailed, out of the Capes of Virginia his Excellency being on board the South Hampton man of War which was then a Guard Ship in Virginia sent an order to me to wait upon him, & not fail of my complying with his commands in the Queen's name as I would answer the contrary at my peril. This order of his was car- 93 [i704- ried on board of the ship where I had taken my passage, but I fearing & suspecting his design of stopping my voyage under one pretence or other I went some days before into another ship & continued hid there till the South Hampton man of War had left the Fleet. STEPHEN FOUACE. Jurat. 25'° die AprilisAnno Regni Dominse Nostrse Annse Dei Gratia Anglic Scotise Francise, et Hibernise Reginse, Fidei Defensoris &", Tertio, Annoque Domini 1704. Coram me. Jo: Edisbury. M'^. y^MES BLyllR' S affidavit relating to the mal-admin- istration of Co^, NICHOLSON, Governor of Vi? 25 April, 1704. THE AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES BLAIR, CLERK. Having joined in a memorial of a major part of the Council of Virginia, giving an account of the mal-administration of his Excellency, Francis Nichol- son, Esq""., Governor of Virginia, I shall first speak to my knowledge of the several articles of that Memorial, then add what I know of other things relat- ing to the clearer explication thereof, not expressly contained in the said paper. I . As to the first section of that memorial concerning the Gov''^ engrossing all power to himself & acting alone, without the advice & consent of the coun- cil, in the chief affairs of the Government, of which divers instances are there subjoined concerning all these, I make affidavit as follows, viz : That having been formerly of the Council during S' Ed. Andros's Gov- 1704.] 94 ernment, the practice then was & as far as I understood had been from the first settlement of the Governm* to advise with the Council concerning the choice of Justices of peace, sheriffs & the superior officers of the miHtia which practice Is now almost totally laid aside by Gov"". Nicholson, who very often of his own accord & upon particular resentments makes great alterations In County Courts, without advising with the Council. There are many Instances of this. Those which are freshest in my memory are of two of my neigh hours, M'. George Marable & M^ William Drummond, able Justices of James City Court, who were struck out of the Commission of the peace within a few days after they had refused to sign a complementing address concerning the Gov'', which was past in a Grand Jury, of which they were members. This refusal of theirs was commonly talked of as the cause of their being turned out, & I never heard of any other : this Court was held In the parish where I was minister. The like Instances I have heard of in other parts of the Coun- try, but can't say I know them to my own knowledge. The alteration In the Court of Nanzemonde Indeed made very great noise, as I had It from some of the Justices themselves, for the whole Court, except two, were turned out, & the County not affording other well qualified men to substitute in their room, it was said the County business did exceedingly suffer, & there was a very great clamour about It, as likewise about the cause of it, which, as I heard from some of the said Justices, was the turning out of an able clerk of that court, one M'. Daniel Sullivant, for lending, as It was said, his vote & interest to one Captain Thomas Swan, who was chosen Burgess for that County (con- trary to the Gov''' Inclinations), & substituting another Clerk in his room, whom the Court thought so insufficient that they refused him, for which refusal they were turned out & another much weaker Court named, who were obliged to admitt that Insufficient clerk, & It seems between such a court & such a clerk the business was so miserably managed as occasioned this General out- cry. This I know, that having been at all the Councils about that time the Council was not consulted In the matter. I know that the Sheriffs us'd, always since I can remember, to be nomi- nated by advice of council, till now of late that Governor Nicholson has quite laid aside this custom. And that the militia used to have a great dependance on the Council, none but the Gentlemen of the Council, to the best of my remembrance, having been preferred formerly to the chief command in the several Coundes, & the 95 [i704- Captains & other inferior officers having been preferred either by their nomi- nation or recommendation, but of late both the chief commands in severall places have been otherwise disposed of, & seldom any of the Council is con- sulted about the inferiour ones. I know that there is an express instruction that the advice of the Council be taken in appointing fit persons to be naval officers, & likewise that the Laws of that Country concerning the impositions on Servants and Liquors which the naval officers collect, do so impower the Gov' to name the Collec- tors of those duties as to limit him in that nomination to the advice of the Council, notwithstanding all w'^'' I have never known him since I came upon the Council, take any of their advice in the putting in or turning out of any of these oflficers. As to the sending blank Commissions to favourites to fill up with what Justices of peace they thought fit, I never saw one of them, tho' I have had it from very good hands that I cannot doubt the truth of it. I have seen several orders & proclamations issued out by the Gov"' in the the King or Queen's name & published at Court's & churches without any advice in Council. As for all the precepts & warrants drawn on the receiver general 1 believe not one in ten of them was by advice in Council tho' there is an express in- struction for that purpose. I have never seen a fair audit of the accounts of the revenue in council since he was Gov"', Sometimes indeed the account was sUpt upon the table but never publickly read or examin'd, far less the warrants & vouchers to the several articles produced & approved. I know that M'. Dionysius Wright was sent home for England as agent by his Excellency & I have seen in one of the receiver general's accounts an article of ^60 charged as paid to him out of Her Majesty's Revenue by the Gov'''^ warrant, whether he had any more I cannot tell only 1 am well assured the sending him as agent was not communicated to, far less approved by, the Council. And I understood by some letters from Gendemen of the Council in Virginia that Mr. Sec^^ Jen- nings is sent home in like manner without advice of council & Is paid out of her Majesty's Revenue. As to the standing agent for Virginia I remember that his Excell"'' upon Mr. Povey's laying down, desired the Council to name one Mr. Thrale recom- mended by Mr. Povey & when they answered that h they might have the I704-] 96 nomination of the Agent they would name some body that they knew & who understood the affairs of the Country, the Gov' said if they would not name him he would, & accordingly named him & I understand he has the Salary of ;^ioo per ann. allowed out of the revenue to the agent for Virginia. I have seen some rules of Hmitation set by the Gov'' to Major Tho^ Swan & M^ John Bowling, Surveyors, retrenching the powers they had by law with out any advice in Council whether any such rules were set by Council to other Surveyors I know not. I know that restraints were laid upon Major Thomas Swan & Mr. John Bowling, Surveyors, that they should not survey several tracts of lands duely entered according to Law in their offices and that they should not per- fect several surveys they had already begun with out any prohibition of Law or advice in Council. I have often seen the Gov' order the recording of matters in Generall Court and Council without the consent or vote of the Court or Council. I have heard the late Clerk of the General Assembly & Council complain that the Gov^ obliged him to pick and cull the records and send them home for England imperfect ; & I have heard another clerk in the same office complain that the Gov' urged him to make material alterations in the records, & I have sometimes observed considerable omissions in the Council Records which when I found fault with to die Clerk I understood by him they were by his Excell*^^'^ orders. Tho' I was a constant attender at Councils I never knew his Excell'y take their advice who should be recommended home to fill up the Vacancies of that board. I knew three County Clerks, all very able men in their offices, removed out of them without any fault alleged or proved, (that ever I could hear of), except as was said they happened to fall under his Excell^'^ displeasure & to make way for others more in favour. And I have been told by the present Secretary of Virginia & others that in the assembly, 1700, the money for de- fraying the charge of some Pirates then taken sticking long upon hand before it was allowed by the assembly, it was whispered to several Clerks who were members of the house of Burgesses at that time that if they did not vote for giving that money they should be every one of them turned out of their places & that to terrify them the more, blank Commissions for so many clerks' places were drawn up & laid in the Secretary's office for all people to see. 97 1 704-] And I remember that I heard the Gov' threaten to turn out every one of the clerks of that house not excepting, said he, the speaker himself if they did not vote right. I remember too that with out an order of assembly or advice in Council the Gov' withheld a writ of election from James City which before that time had been in possession of a privilege of sending one Burgesse to the assembly by the Law of that Country even after the seat of the Gov- ernm' was removed from them. II. As to the second section of the Council's memorial, that many matters of great moment are transacted by his Exccll^ expressly contrary to advice in Council & the Instances there given — I remember one general assembly which the Gov"" would needs call in the month of March which because that is a very scarce time of the year for pro- visions both for men & horse in that Country & because there is then the greatest occasion for men to be at home to look after their stocks which are then at the weakest & in danger of being lost in Swamps & marshes which abound there & because there was no urgent business for an assembly, the County Complaining much of the needless charge they had been put to by unnecessary assemblys, the Council endeavoured to put it off at least for a month & 6 weeks longer but they could not prevail & the Gov'' called it with out them. I remember that the Gov'" has made many harsh irritating speeches to the House of Burgesses & particularly that he laid a proposition before them of an imposition of six pence ^, hogshead & fifteen pounds of Tobacco ^ poll concerning both which he consulted the Council but acted directly contrary to their unanimous advice. I know that he has kept the lands on Blackwater & Pamunkey neck shut up contrary to the advice of both Council & Burgesses. And that afterwards the Blackwater land being opened by order & proc- lamation of his Excellency in Council, his Excell^ out of Council again recalled this order to the loss both of her Majesty in her Quit rents & much more of the people who had purchased Rights, made surveys, & were going on with their settlements. III. I have seen many papers which were said to be orders, patents, war- rants or commissions signed by his excellency in council & understood after- wards that entries were made of this as done in Council yet they were never so much as read in Council & we had no opportunity of speaking to them. 1 704.] 9S IV. I remember that there used formerly to be a day appointed annually on which the Gov' & Council in a solemn audit examined & past the accounts of the revenue. But now that this custom is let fall I know no check at all there is in that Country upon the said acc*^. V. I remember many instances of the Gov"'" scolding hectoring & brow- beating such of the Council as presumed to differ in opinion from him tho' they expressed themselves in never so modest & submissive terms, Command- ing them with a very threatning tone to put what they said in writing & in- sinuating as if he would make them answer for It. These rude & menacing ways are so common & habitual to him & are pi'actised to such a degree of Insolence & abusiveness as utterly destroys all just freedom of debate & vote in Council which is allowed by her Majesty's Instructions. VI. The Gov' does sometimes in Council read an Instruction or part of an Instruction when it makes for the argument he is upon but the body of his instructions is not communicated to the Council whereby they are at a great loss in giving their advice & go in the dark not knowing what rules & mea- sures of Government her majesty or your Lordships have prescribed. VII. I have heard him often debase & vilify the Gentlemen of the Council using to them the opprobious names of Rogue, Rascal, Cheat, Dog, villain & Coward. I have heard him say they got their estates by cheating the people & swear that he valued them no more than the dirt under his feet & that he would reduce to their primitive nothing & I know that he has preferred sev- eral men of inferior stations to the chief commands in the militia which (as far as I know), used formerly to be intrusted only with the Gendemen of the Council. CHAP. 2. — Concerning his behaviour in the Upper House of Assembly. Art. i. The Gentlemen of the Council, (who constitute that house), are very rarely left to the freedom of their own debates for the Gov'' is almost continually present & takes upon him to preside & debate & to .state the questions & to over rule after the same manner as he uses to do in Council, which they often complained of as a very unreasonable innovation & destruc- tive of the liberties of that house. 99 I704-] 2. He commonly uses an high, haughty, passionate & abusive way of browbeating, discouraging & threatening all that do not speak & vote as he would have them. 3. Sometimes when Bills or messuages are sent up from the house of Bur- gesses to the upper house before he will suffer that house to consider them he returns an answer to them himself & sometimes after the upper house have answered if the answer do not please him he makes a sort of remonstrance against them & has it entered in the assembly books, by this means feeding differences & misunderstandings between the two houses, whereas we humbly conceive that he ought not publickly to interfere except either by his speeches to both houses or his negative voice which he always has at last. 4. I have known him threaten Gentlemen of the Council that he would ruin them & one of them told me once that he had just then taken him aside & amongst other rebukes & threats that he had sworn he would cut his throat if he voted not as he would have him in a certain business which was then before the house. 5. I have heard him make very rash extempore Speeches, threatning & abusing the whole assembly, particularly one wherein immediately after their refusal of men to New York, he assured them he would notwithstanding the said refusal send out the men to New York as soon as ever the Gov' of New York should demand them, which Speech, tho' it was not put in writing nor upon record, that I know of, did highly exasperate both houses & contributed not a little to the hindrance of the business. CHAP. III.— Concerning his behaviour in General Courts. Art. I. As to his partiality in the General Court where he is chief judge tho' I never heard him accused of taking bribes yet I have very often been witness to his gross & visible siding with some & running down of others upon the account of friendship or enmity to themselves or their relations or their lawyers or the part he thought they acted in the publick unhappy differ- ences so that it is become a difficult matter & a rare thing to see much bus- iness there fairly managed & decided, according to the merits of the Cause without great heat & passion against parties, Lawyers or Judges. 1 704.] 100 2. He is a Gentleman that accustomes himself to very irregular hours of Eating, Sleeping & doing business, by which the morning is often lost, & he obliges the Court to sit often till 1 2 at night sometimes two or three in the morning, & this not only, when jurys are out or the Court is involved in a long cause but purely to gratify his own odd humour, he calls new Causes at unsea- sonable hours in the night. 3. Whereas the Custom of that Country was always for the sheriff to empanell the Grand Jury out of the best jury men he found in Town upon occasion of the General Court; the Gov' of late having put the Grand Jurys upon making addresses to the Queen interspersed with Compliments to him- self to support his interest in England has not thought fit to venture upon a Jury casually empanelled but has sent to the Country for a foreman & other leading men & has given orders to the Sheriff about the putting in some into the pannell of the Jury & the striking out of others, as I have heard both from the Sheriff & some of the persons so put in or struck out. As for the tampering with Grand Jurys for flattering encomiums of himself I have seen several signal favours bestowed on the Gentlemen of the Jury about the time of those addresses, viz: To one I have seen a fine remitted; on divers others, Sheriff's places bestowed & once a good naval officer's place given to the foreman, taken from another honest Gentleman who had never been accused of mismanagement. Yet after all those compliments went so much against the grain that I remember several of the Jurymen told me they were forced to decide a previous difficulty viz: that they signed not that address upon oath but as a complim* before it would go down & even then some stood out & would not sign it. 4. I have seen him make particular entries contrary to the opinion of all the rest of the Court & some of these in very abusive & reflecting terms. CHAP. IV. — Concerning some other puulick abuses in his Government. Art. I. I have known many persons sent for & commanded either by verbal or written messuages in the King or Queen's name to come to his Excell^' immediately & when they came he had no business with them but to loi [1704. scold at & abuse them after he had put them to the trouble & charge of their Journey. I have Hkewise known horses prest in the King or Queen's name (sometimes from people at church), when no occasion of the Governm' required it but to accommodate any stranger or one of his own or their servants, when he might as easily have hired. 2. I have been Informed by the persons themselves that they have been put upon it & assisted by him in patching up their story & then oblig'^ to put it In writing & then he has sent it home for England to blacken the accused person without showing so much justice as to call him to hear what he had to say in his own defence or so much as to acquaint him with his accusation or accuser. 3. I have been told by the parties them selves that commissions were issued to them to examine witnesses against men in his majesty's name with out any accuser. I saw him endeavour to compell a minister to take an oath to be an Informer & upon his scrupling the oath, with very threatnlng voice he ordered the Sheriff to be sent for to take him into Custody & the Attorney General to be sent for to terrify him with the fear of a prosecution at Law when there was no action or complaint depending nor had the person received any summons to give his Evidence. 4. I have known him upon an idle story brought him, before he enquired into the truth of it, make a Solemn vow to the Eternal God, to be revenged of the person complained of, and all his family. 5. I have known divers Instances of his false & malicious calumnies where- by he has endeavoured both by word & writing so to blacken the reputation of persons of the best fame, as would have ruined them had they been true. 6. I have seen many Instances of his playing the Incendiary by endeavour- ing to make differences among friends & to form parties In the Country, And I know that he drives the differences to that height that he resents it highly if the parties show common civility one to another. The Country now is ex- ceedingly divided & inflamed to the destruction of good Neighbourhood & the hindrance of the pubhck business. 7. I have always heard his best friends bewail the unhappiness of his temper In being so willful & headstrong that he will neither ask nor admit advice from no person whatsoever. 8. I have heard from the Attorney General himself & likewise from another Gendeman that was witness of it, that upon his (the attorney's) scrupling one 1704.] I02 of his commands as being against Law, the Gov'' in great wrath took him by the Collar swearing that he knew of no Laws we had but would be obeyed without hesitation or reserve. And upon this the Attorney Gen' told me he would lay down his place rather than be used as a tool to do things against Law & accordingly he laid it down in a very little time thereafter & I have heard another Attorney Gen' say that upon his refusing to undertake some prosecution which he reckoned illegal the Gov'' gave a Commission to another Lawyer to prosecute in the Queen's name. 9. I have seen a great number of instances of his haughty, furious & in- solent behaviour to the Gendemen of the Country, particularly I heard him in a very menacing manner tell 8 or 9 of them that he knew how to govern the Moors & would beat them into good manners. He has told me often that he has designed to be the death of several particular persons & did not doubt but that he should be born out in it; he told me once that he would whisper the speaker of the house of Burgesses in the ear that he would cut his throat. I had it from one of the parties concerned that he sent a message to his mistress that he would be the death of her Father & Brother & all her nearest relations, adding that now he sent it by message, next time he would give it under his hand and the third time he would put it in Execution. He told me seriously that he was resolved to be the death of three men, viz: the Bridegroom that should marry his mistress, & the minister that should per- form the ceremony, & the Justice of the Peace diat should sign the Licence, I have had it from the party a man of good credit that he said to him that right or wrong he could by his authority in the Country & his credit in Eng- land ruin any private man. And I myself have heard him tell men of the best reputations in that Country that he had taken care to give such char- acters of them in England that not a word they could say would be believed. 10. I have heard him say of the Gendemen of the Country that they were all a parcel of Rogues, Villains, Newgate Birds, Beggars, Cheats & Cowards, and of the Gentlewomen that they were all a parcel of * * Jades, & Jilts. I never saw him buffet any man tho' I have heard he did. But I saw him run after one Gendeman to cane him who fled from him having no weapon to de- fend himself. 11,1 knew one Gendeman whom in his rage he committed to the Custody of the Sheriff, & he was detained till he gave, if I remember right, ^500 bail for his appearance at the General Court, & when the day of appearance came I03 [1704. the action was dismissed because there was no body to prosecute. I have heard from persons of undoubted credit that in his rage they saw him im- prison two Gentlemen in the Common Gaol amongst pirates that were to be tried for their lives tho' he had no action against them. 12. I have often heard him immediately before or after prayers rap out such volleys of oaths that I never saw greater profaneness nor more profanely timed in my whole life. 13. I have heard from the best hands of many pranks of wicked Lewdness & rudeness to Gentlewomen in several parts of the Country several of them from the persons themselves whom he has so attacked & some of his de- bauched attempts so abominably gross that I never heard of the like in that Country. 14. I have known some instances of rash swearing which have involved him in the sin of forswearing himself particularly the influence of probates & administrations mentioned in the Council's memorial was certainly true & very pubhck & notorious & there were very great complaints of Widows & Orphans who lost their debts for want of probates in due time by reason of that rash Oath. 15. He has to my knowledge extremely ensnared the consciences of the Clergy by urging them & terrifying them to sign flattering encomiums of him- self & has mightily threatened & prosecuted those who scrupled & would not comply. 16. To my knowledge he took a Naval Officer's place worth about ^100 ■^ ann. from a very honest Gentleman without any fault alleged or proved & bestowed without advice in Council & contrary both to Law & the Royal Instruction on a Foreman of a Jury who drewone of these flattering addresses, within a day or two after the said address was presented. And this Gentle- man not hving convenient for such an office he gave him leave to execute it by a deputy which is contrary to another instruction. To my knowledge too, one of the greatest traders of that Country enjoyed & for ought I know en- joys still another Naval officer's place expressly contrary to another instruc- tion. 17. As to the penuriousness of his ordinary house keeping & the custom of his political Treats, I know that he lives in a very sorry house not worth above /lo or 12 a year (tho' the Queen pays him ^150 ^ ann. for house rent), that his furniture & attendance are miserably mean, having but two 1704.] I04 servants both within doors & without (besides his Chaplain), that when there were no strangers I have often heard the Servant complain they were kept very sharp upon one meal a day, & but one dish at that meal, tho' one or two more had been ordered to dine with them & that in the Gov"^'^ absence from home, there is no table at all not so much as a cup of small beer to be had, but at the same time I know that of late since he had addresses to obtain of the house of Burgesses he has treated the Assembly four times a Week during their session, has sent presents of Wine & strong beer to several of their lodgings, & when strangers from England, New York or New England happen to come orders are given to make liberal preparations so that it is a common saying of his Hostess who provides all, that there is allways either a feast or a fast at their house. 18. Concerning the ways here mentioned which he takes to conceal his true character in England, i. I had from the party that he threatened to put him in irons if he should offer to accuse him in England & I have often heard him threaten that he would make them spend their estates that should dare to complain of him. 2. I know several he has endeavoured to stop & some he has actually hindred from going out of the country where he suspected they would give a bad character of him. 3. I know where he has written the falsest & blackest characters of those he feared would speak or write against him as if they had been men of Scandalous lives & disaffected to her Majesty's Governm' tho' they were men of known Loyalty & good credit & reputation. 4. I know that he has taken a great deal of pains to procure flattering addresses from packt Grand Jurys; & has immediately rewarded the chief Instruments with places of honor or profit In the Governm\ 5. I know that he has called irregular meetings of the clergy for procuring flattering addresses & that he has managed them with treats & presents & protection of such as are ob- noxious; & promotion of others to better preferments. 6. I know of several letters he has intercepted & broke open to & from England to one Gentleman, which he took upon him to stop & send back hither without delivering It to the person to whom it was directed. 7. 1 have heard of divers instances that when he makes presents to the church of England ministers to the Northward, he takes care that they repay him in addresses of compliment & recommenda- tion to the Bishops which he carefully transmits to England in his own packets. 8. I know that he employs Sir Thomas Lawrence & Co\ Quarry to write a great deal In his behalf & rewards them for it, & particularly I know that Co\ I05 [i704- Quarry writes the dlrectest & most notorious untruths of the Virginia affairs in justification of the Gov' and accusation of his adversaries tliat ever I saw come from the pen of any Gentleman & I know that the intercourse between the Gov'' & them is kept up at her majesty's charge having seen very unusual sums for messuages to the Northward charged in the receiver Gen^'^ ac- counts. Thus far I have expressed my sense & knowledge of the several articles of Gov'' Nicholson's mal-administrations contained in the memorial of the Council of Virginia. And further I make affidavit that the subscribers of the said memorial were at the time of the subscription thereof the major part of the said Council. But it being my misfortune by my near Neighbourhood to the Gov' to have come to the knowledge of several things that give great light Into the Causes & designs of the mal-administrations mentioned in the said memorial I shall proceed to give an account of the chief of these things. It has been a common apology for many of the said mal-administrations especially for his arbitrary, Insolent & abusive way of treating the Council & other Gentlemen to charge all these things to his passion or amour or the provocations he has met with In Virginia. Now that your Lordship may the better judge of the truth of these excuses I shall give an account of his en- trance upon his Government before there was any thing either of amour or pretended provocation. For having carried him In together with his Commis- sion several letters from my Lords the Bishops & other his friends in England who had kept him to the Governm*^ & those letters recommending moderation to him which was the best advice could be given at that time to a Gentleman in his circumstances. Upon the reading of the Letters he was very angry & shewing them to me, asked me what the Devil they meant to recommend moderation to him, and when I answered him that they were all of opinion that it was the best advice could be given him, "for Sir," said T, "they have seen the articles that were exhibited against Yo' Excell^ by Captain Sly, & Judge all these 111 things you are accused of proceeded from your passion; & they know that in Virginia as you have many friends so you have divers enemies of S' Edm<^ Andros's party; & therefore they are afraid of your re- sentments, I can't but be of their opinion that it Is your best way to forgive & forget & to begin upon a new foot & to make your self easy & every 1 704.] 1 06 body else." To this he repHed very hody "G — , I know how to Govern Vir- ginia & Maryland better than all the Bishops in England. If I had not hampered them in Maryland & kept them under I should never have been able to have Govern'd them." "SV said I, "I don't pretend to understand Maryland but if I know any thing of Virginia they are a good natured tractable people as any is in the world, & you may do any thing with them by the way of civility but you will never be able to manage them in that way you speak of by hampering & keeping them under." He told me 1 knew no better; "let me alone with them" said he "I warrant you I will manage them." This was the very day his Commission was published & at another conference or two in less than 6 weeks on the same subject I found him very stiff in his opinion & when among- other inconveniences of it, I urged to him the danger of Losing Assemblys & that if once he lost his interest there that he could not carry business for the King, the King would quickly come to think he was not a man for his turn. He seemed to make nothing of this & said he knew how to Govern the Country without assemblies, which I was very much starded at & endeavoured what I could to bring him off of it, & he took it so ill that in great passion he commanded me never to open my mouth to him more in any manner relating to the Governm' but to let him alone & to meddle with my own business w'^'' I readily promised him perceiving that he was strongly bent on violent & arbitrary methods in which I was resolved not to be con- cerned. It was not only this discourse w'^'' convinced me that he came with a positive design & resolution to govern with an high hand but I perceived immediately that he began without any provocation to give us hard names & to treat people in as arbitrary & abusive a manner & endeavoured to make them uneasy & discontented, as ever he has done since which convinces me that it was all design & neither owing to provocation nor amour nor natural passion for he had acted a quite different part while he was their Lieu*^ Gov''. What confirms me more in this opinion is that I remember not many months after this in a long letter to this Hon'^^^ board he gave such a character of the Country of Virginia & the rest of the Continent as represented them very unjustly & disadvantageously as being grown rich & haughty, tainted with repubhcan notions & principles, uneasy under every Governm* & to the best of my remembrance ready to shake off their obedience to England, & in the same letter he advised a military force, to keep the Continent to their duty, J07 [i704- offering himself in that service & desiring a Lieu' Gov' might be sent into Virginia, endeavouring to persuade your Lordships that in case of his death or absence the Governm* was not to be intrusted with the Council, of whom as of all the Country indeed he endeavoured to create a jealousy. The re- flecting on this letter which I saw & comparing it with the rough methods he followed made me believe that the true reason of his harsh & arbitrary pro- ceedings was to make the Country as uneasy & discontented as he repre- sented them, by that means to evince the necessity of a military force of which I have always found him very fond. And now because I have observed a great many of his words & actions which seem to make his design in driving on this military force very doubtful & suspicious as if he had some other ends in it than the service of England, I shall under the same religion of an oath acquaint your Lordships with the chief of what I remember of these things not already mentioned in the Coun- cil's memorial. I remember plainly that among the forces of which his army was to consist he always reckoned upon the several Quotas of men demanded of Virginia & the other plantations even after they had unanimously refused the men. By which I concluded he had some other way in his thoughts of raising these men than by consent of assembly & accordingly he has since of his own head drawn out every fifth man out of all the militia of the Country & has them formed into a body under new Officers & trained & mustered by them selves & I find now Colonel Quarry (who chiefly takes his directions from him as to the affairs of that Continent), presses that the Quotas of men & money be raised by act of parliament with out the consent of their assemblys which is very bold advice & an innovation which I doubt if any thing in the world would exasperate them to that degree as to make a military Gov* necessary in good earnest to secure their obedience. I remember likewise that I have heard the Gov'' say oftner than once that as soon as he should have an order to beat up for voluntiers he would take all the servants as Cromwell took the apprentices of London Into his army, & in- deed he has upon many occasions to my knowlege preached up the doctrine that all the servants are kidnapped & have a good action against their masters which I always thought would prove a very dangerous Doctrine to the Coun- try by setting all in a flame if ever he should come to draw his consequences. Now I confess this reckoning upon the serv'^ which could not be taken without 1 704.] 1 08 the greatest invasion of property & the great loss of her Majesty In her Cus- toms by hindring the making of Tobacco, & the certain hazard of the peace of the Country seemed to me to look more like a design of some what else than either the Command or the service of her majesty. There was one great difficulty in this his design viz : that the servants had no arms for they are not allowed to carry any in that country & the Gov' at that time had no magazine of arms out of which to furnish them. But to my knowlege he laboured it much with the assemblies both that a magazine of arms should be provided, pretending the Country' wanted them, & that he should be invested with a power of pressing arms wheresoever they were to be found in the Country in case of invasion, insurrection, mutiny or rebellion ; & when the assembly provided for these accidents by giving a power to raise & pay the militia & told him they wanted no arms having more arms than freemen & even gave him a power with the consent of the council to press arms upon the foresaid extraordinary occasions yet after all this by the nego- tiation of his friend Col. Quarry he persuaded the Crown to send in a maga- zine of arms & ammunition, a charge which might have been spared If these arms are designed for any others but the Serv'^ for by putting the law in Exe- cution he could quickly have obliged the freemen to provide themselves. His Conduct too concerning the Militia is very remarkable & suspicious, for first he made his militia service as troublesome & vexatious as he could by listing all freemen whatsoever without prlvUedge or exemption, not so much as the old & infirm or even the Clergy being excepted & strictly forbidding that any Gent" should send a serv^ in his room to these musters. Then whereas formerly they had mustered but once In a quarter of a year he ordered them to muster once a fortnight to the intolerable fatigue of all, especially the poor planters who had some of them 30 or 40 miles to come to the place of muster with their Guns, Swords & Knapsacks & so lost 2 or 3 days every fortnight, to the great danger of their year's Labour when It happened in Crop time which occasioned an universal murmuring in the Country. But then (which discovered the design of all this), the Gov'' proposed to the assembly that for Twenty-five pounds of Tobacco ^ poll per ann. which Is not above 20 pence in that Country he would entirely exempt the militia from all this Trouble & in their stead would keep a Standing modell'd mihtia in constant pay. But the Assembly, disliking the laying aside of the Militia & Suspecting all stand- ing force In pay, would not consent to this proposition. That which illustrates 109 [i704- this design is that I & several others have heard him declare that if once he had a standing force in pay he would immediately set up martial Law among them so that they were to scruple or refuse no command that should be given them. And that by means of this standing army he designed to alter the Consti- tution of the Governm' & to set up a military Government in the stead of it, I can not but gather from several expressions which I have heard drop from him ; particularly I have heard him say that in Jamaica in time of War they had no Law but martial Law & he hoped so soon as the War was proclaimed that he should have an order to set up martial law. I have heard him likewise speak in the most contemptible terms of the English Laws & even use that Expression Magna Charta, Magna F a & commend some body that said he would hang them with Magna Charta about their Necks. I have heard him likewise say that if once he had his army the House of Burgesses should not dare to deny any thing that was required of them adding that if they did, G — , he would bring them with ropes about their necks, an expression which besides the arbitrariness of it I always thought had a suspicious air of a very ill design, for I could never believe that such a force upon the assembly could be either by his Majesty's commands or In his service. That which made me further suspicious of his designs in pressing so much r a military force was that tho' of late the handle for it has been the conquer- ing or reducing of Canada, yet to my certain knowledge he was upon the same design of an army long before the War broke out with France & even in his first year of his Government of Virginia which was quickly after the peace of Reswick as will appear by his first letter to this Honorable board on that subject, & the first handle for the army was the keeping the plantations on the Continent in their obedience, when I knew he Governed one of the most peaceable Countries in the world & the furthest from any thoughts of shaking off their obedience, a country that depends solely on England for all their Clothing & furniture & plantation Tools & every tiling else but victuals & that lodges every penny of their estates & all their effects in England ex- cept what goes to furnish their plantations. But what seemed to me most suspicious of all was his dropping of several strange words concerning the consequences of such an army for I have heard him say that if once there was such an army well fleshed in blood & accus- tomed to booty there would be no disbanding of them again if they were com- 1704'] no manded by a man diat understood his business & I have heard him not only- say so but argue it & give his reasons for it viz : that Soldiers well fleshed in blood & accustomed to booty can't endure to be reduced to a private life again & so be put to labour for their living, that England itself would find it a hard task to reduce them for that they can send over no horse, & their men being unaccustomed to the climate would die like rotten sheep. Several persons have told me they have heard him say Bacon was a fool & understood not his business. I have heard him say upon occasion of a report that my Lord Portmore had an offer of the Governm' of Virginia that such reports did highly touch the peace of her Majesty's Government & at another time I heard say in Council he would spend the last penny of his Estate & the last drop of his blood before he lost the Governm^ That which does infinately increase the suspicion of all the rest is that not- withstanding the assembly of Virginia had refused his proposition about a standing force yet he has of his own head without any advice in Council ac- tually separated the fifth man from out of the rest of the militia, is very kind to them, has them mustered by themselves & tells them often between jest & earnest as I have heard from several of themselves that they shall have all the booty. Now there are several things in these fifth men which have a very odd & suspicious aspect as, i. That a body of men should be drawn out from among the rest of the militia for which no good reason can be assigned, with relation to the service of that Country, for If the Country is attacked by Indi- ans the militia of the nearest Counties must be Immediately raised or else the Indians according to their Custom will be gone before he can assemble his fifth men who are dispersed all over the Country & if the invasion Is from the French the whole militia of the Country in such case of necessity must defend it. 2. It is very suspicious that there is not a gentleman or man of estate among these fifth men, all the Gent" being called out & made officers of the militia before this separation, & consequently that they are tfie fittest for un- dertaking any desperate design having estates to get & none to lose. 3. That they are such as are the most particularly devoted to the Governor's Interests. This being the rule he observed in drawing of them out to take first all that would voluntarily undertake the service, at the same time encouraging them to undertake telling them as I have had It from themselves that they were the brave fellows & he would sooner venture himself with them than Ill 1704.] with all the rest of the militia. 4. That tho' he calls them the fifth men yet considering that they are the fifth of all that are listed & that old men & in- firm men, Gowns men & sword men & in short all men whatsoever were list- ed, they are above a fourth perhaps near a third of all the men in the Country that are fit to bear arms. 5. That when he had picked out a body of the youngest & briskest & most indigent men of the Country he gave them the choice of their own officers but with this limitation that they should make their election out of their own number & name to him every tenth man from among themselves; that out of those so named he might choose such as he thought fit to bear Command among them. Now I could not but think with terror how quickly an indigent army under such indigent officers with the help of the Servants & Bankrupts & other men in uneasy & discontented circumstances (upon all which I have heard him reckon), so well arm'd & Countenanced by a shew of authority could make all the rest of Virginia submit. Especially if Col. Quarry's proposition should make, of making the Cap- tains of the men of War so entirely depend on the Gov"^ that they may have power to put them in & turn them out at pleasure. This Is the substance of what I know & remember of the Gov'^'^ words & actions with relation to that design of the army so clearly as to make affidavit of it. For tho' his great correspondence all over the Continent, his own jour- neys to N. York, where the chief scene of this design does lye, his mighty treats there in which he spends four score or ^100 at a treat, his discovering & sacrificing to them the very quit rents of Virginia, his driving on the sup- plies of men & money for them so much against the grain of his own Gov- ernm*: & his employing Col. Quarry for England & giving him a power to lay out a very great sum of money towards the procuring him this commission & his tampering with my Lord Cornbury since to get him to employ his Interest for this design of a military force & the sham bills he past to his Lordship for ;^900 being the Quota of money demanded of Virginia at the same time tak- ing his Lordship's obligation to cancell the said Bills unless tlie Queen allowed the Gov' the said sum out of the Quit rents of Virginia & many things more I could mention of my own knowledge would cast light upon his dangerous designs yet because the intention of many of these things is not so certain as to make them the matter of an affidavit with relation to this subject I shall choose rather to pass them by & take no more notice of them. 1 700.] 112 I know many other things relating- to his ill usage of the Clergy & College but because I know not whether any thing is expected of me except what has relation to the Council's memorial in speaking to which I have already taken up so much of your Lordship's time, I shall therefore forbear at present to mix other things therewith or to give your Lordships any further trouble & shall be ready if your Lordships think it necessary to lay these other things before your Lordships on some other occasion, JAMES BLAIR. Jurat. 25*° die Aprilis anno regni Dominse Nostrse Ann^e Del gratia Anglise Scotise Francis et Hibernis Reginse Fidei Defensoris, &c., tertio, annoque Domini 1704. Coram me Jo: Edisbury. M\ BLAIR to the ARCHB^ OF CANrERBURT. Williamsburg, in Virginia, \ Feb^ r 2, May it Please Your Grace, I have nothing at present to write worth your Grace's knowledge, only that by the blessing of God, we in this Country enjoy Great peace & quiet- ness. The subscriptions that were made to our College do now come in apace, so that we are in hopes of having it quite finished before next Winter. The groundwork now in hand here is the revisal of our laws, which by the last assembly was entrusted to the care of a Standing Committee. This Committee desiring my opinion about the Gov', & encouragement of the Clergy, I put in a proposition to them on this subject, together with another shorter one for the encouragement of the Christian Education of our Negro & Indian Chil- dren. I have enclosed copies of these propositions, & in the margin have marked the opinion of that committee about the several articles of them. If 113 [1699. your Grace please to honor me with any commd^ on either of these subjects, I hope I may have them before the next session of our assembly, which will be about the beginning of next Ocf, & If anything is not so well in these proposi- tions as it ought to have been, I hope your Grace will pardon it, attributing it not only to my mean 'talents, that know no better, but also to the circumstances of this Country, which is not yet capable of having things settled in the most perfect form. That God may long preserve your Grace & bless all your pious endeavours for the good of his Church, is the hearty prayer of My Lord, your Grace's most obliged humble Servant, JA^ BLAIR. I must continue to beg, that if it lies in your Grace's way you will encour- age our New City of Williamsburg, and help our College library. Order of Council for the Relief of the French Refug to plant in Vir^ At the Court of Kensington, the 7*^ day of March, 1699. Present, The King's most excellent Majesty in Council. Upon reading this day at the Board, a representation from the Lords Com- missioners of trade & plantations in the words following, viz : May it please your Majesty. In obedience to your Majesty's commands signified to us, by the R* Hon'''^ M'. Sec^ Vernon, upon the petition of the Marquis De la Muce, Mon' De Sailly, & other Protestant refugees, desiring leave to setde in Norfolk County, in Virginia, we do humbly represent to your Majesty, that the s^ County being a place more secure than other remoter parts formerly proposed for the Petitioners, your Majesty may be pleased in their favor to send orders 1700.] 114 to the Gov'' of Virginia (under whose Gov' that County lies), to give them all possible encouragement upon their arrival there in settling their family and promoting their endeavours in planting, & by granting them such tracts of Land, as usual to New Comers, the said Pet"^^ referring themselves to your Majesty for such farther gratification & Charitable assistance as to your Majesty, in your great wisdom & bounty, shall seem meet. It being further requisite that before their departure they be made denizens of Engl*^ for their greater encouragement in the enjoyment of the privileges accruing thereby. All which nevertheless is most humbly submitted. Lexington, Jn", Pollexfen, Pii. Meadows, Abr" Hill, W". Blathwayt, Ge°. Stepney. Whitehall, March 7 th, \l% His Majesty in Council approving the S'^ representation, & having there- upon been pleased to give directions for the preparing of orders, to be sent to the Gov'' of Virginia to give all possible encouragement to the Petitioners upon their arrival there in settling their families & promoting their endeavours in planting, & by granting them such tracts of Land as usual to New Comers. His Majesty is further pleased to order that as a Charitable assistance to the Petitioners in their undertaking, allowances be made to such Vaudois & other protestant refugees, as have not had a share beyond Sea, of the benevolence collected upon the late brief on their behalf, & are either already come over into Engl** or shall come speedily over, in order for their going to the above- said settlement, for their transportation, & for the building a Church & for a competent number of Bibles, common Prayer books, & other books of devo- tion, as also for the necessary accommodation for lodging of 2 Ministers who are to accompany them, as the Lords Commissioners appointed for the brief granted by his Majesty for the Vaudois, French & other Protestant refugees in this kingdom shall think fit, the said allowances being not to be made to the Petitioners till they are actually shipped, in order to their transporta- tion to Virginia, & his Majesty is further pleas'd to declare that letters of Denization shall be granted to the Petitioners or such of them as shall be 115 [1700. certified to this board according to the usual form, before their going out of this kingdom. A true Copy. JOHN POVEY. Go'u'' NICHOLSON to the Clergy of Virginia, James' Cut, Virginia, "I April 10, 1700. ) Rev° Gentlemen, You being now met according to my summons, I would have you shew to the Rev'' M^ Ja^ Blair, Com" to the R' Hon*"« & R' Rev'' Father in God, Henry, by divine permission Lord B^ of London, in whose diocese his Majesty's most ancient & Great Colony & Dominion of Virginia is, your Priests' & Deacons' orders, as also his Lordship's License for your officiating your ministerial function here. M^ Com'^ Blair will consult & advise with you concerning Church affairs in General, as also for each of your particular Parishes ; & I pray God direct you in them all. Gentlemen, I am several ways in duty obliged to give all countenance & encouragement in general to my Holy Mother the Church of Engl^, as by law established, & particularly the Rev^ the Clergy thereof, but more especially to you of this Country, where I have the great honor to recommend, under his most sacred Majesty ; provided your lives & Conversations be answerable to the holy religion you profess, and the doctrine you teach the people. For I have observed in these parts of the world that they are led more by example than by precept. So I hope in God that those of you who have not heretofore been as exemplary in your lives, as orthodox in your preaching ; will for the future be more careful as to your morals & diligent in your several Parochial duties ; or else you must expect that I will have you prosecuted with the utmost severity & rigor of the Law. I have also made an observation that here in Virginia, when the Clergymen are good men. both the Gentry and 1 700.] 1 1 6 others are very kind, and shew them great respect ; and you may be assured that the Uke shall be done to the utmost of the power of him who is Your affectionate & faithful friend, FRAN^ NICHOLSON. The CLERGY of Virginia to the GOVERNOR. James' City, April 11, 1700. May it please your Excellency, In obedience to your Excellency's commands, we have exhibited to M^ Commissary our Deacons' & priests' orders, with licenses from the W- Rev** Father in God the B^ of London, our most worthy diocesan; & hope we have therein given that satisfaction which was expected from us. We have also consulted and advised with M"". Commissary concerning such Church affairs in general, & such other matters concerning our respective Parishes in Particular as required our present consideration. Sir, Your Excellency's Zeal for the Church of Engl** hath always been so eminent, & your kindness to the Clergy (particularly in these parts of the world), so extraordinary, that as we bless God for your advancement to this Gov^ so we think we should be wanting to the duty we owe to our Spiritual Mother & to ourselves, if we did not make use of this proper opportunity (now that we have the happiness of meeting under your Gov'), of acknowledging your excellency's favours & returning our most sincere thanks for the Same. That earnest desire your Exc^ is pleased to Signify in your letter to us, of seeing all of us conformable in our lives to that most holy religion we profess, we look upon as none of the least Instances of your tender care & sincere concern for the true interest of the Church & our own happiness in both worlds. Our obligations to comply with your Excellency's desire In this par- ticular are so great & so many, & we hope so well understood by all of us, that we do all unanimously & sincerely declare our resolutions by the Grace of God, to have an effectual care, not only to avoid the lash of the law, & (If possible) that of censorious tongues, but chiefly what is infinitely more terrible 117 [i 700. to us, the displeasure of our heavenly Master, & upon no other terms do we expect or pretend to your Exc^'^ favor, which we hope we shall never forfiet, being, May it please your Excellency, Your Excellency's most obliged humble Servants, James Sclator, W" Williams, Jacob Ware, George Young, Cope D'Oyley, Steph" Fouace, Ralph Bowker, James Bowker, Ja^ Boisseau, Jn°. Gordon, Guy Smith, JoNA** Saunders, Josp" Holt, S\ Jn". Shropshire, Peter Collier, Ja^ Wallace, Al. Walker, John Monro, Ch^ Anderson, Geo. Robinson, And. Monro, Jn°. Ball, Peter Kippax, Robert Yates, W" Rudd, Tho^ Sharp, Tho^ Allards. Gov NICHOLSON to the ARCHB'' TERBURT. OF CAN- Virginia, James Town, May 27, 1700. May it please your Grace, I hope in God that this will find your Grace in perfect health, & that your Grace will give me leave to return, the dutifullest of my thanks to your Grace for your many and undeserved favours, & particularly for your Grace's letter of Nov"" the 8"", which I had the great honor to receive from D'- Bray; & I also hope that he will do God's Church good service in these parts of the world, especially in his Majesty's province of Maryland, when assisted & pro- tected by your Grace, which neither he nor any of the Church of Engl*^ need I70O.] ii8 in the least doubt of when we behave ourselves as we ought, which I hope in God wc shall all endeavour to do. His Exc^" Gov"^ Blakeston happened to be here when D^ Bray pass'd by for Maryland, & he returned by water & I went by land & met both of them at the Port of Annapolis, but we were ail very much surprised & troubled at a report which was there, that the late act for establishing the Protestant religion, &c., was repealed by his most sarred Majesty, & U'. Bray told us that he knew nothing of it. But 4 of the princi- pal Quakers delivered to his Excellency his Majesty's order in Council for repealing of the law, &c., & were very earnest with him to have an order for the Sheriffs to collect no more of the 40 per poll. Gov'' Blakeston was pleased to ask me about it, as also D'". Bray, & we endeavoured to concert matters concerning that affair; & thank God that it is done so very well, & hope that by your Grace's interest, that act will have the Royal assent, so that it may be no more in danger of being repealed by a stratagem of the Quakers & Papists. I presumed to give Gov'^ Blakeston a Copy of your Grace's letter to me of Feb. 18, '97, with the Copies of those letters your Grace was pleased to enclose, concerning Priests in Maryland writing to their correspondents in Flanders, which I hope your Grace will not take amiss, for I don't question but that his Exc^ Gov"" Blakeston will make such good use of them as your Grace designed. I hope your Grace will give me your pardon for here pre- suming to make some remarks upon this late transaction, for if please God that the act had miscarried in the assembly of Maryland, it might have been a fatal blow to the Church of England in these parts of the world, nay even here, but particularly in Pennsylvania & to the Norward, for the Quakers & other inveterate & indefatigable enemys of the Chh of Engl'', who I suppose spare no Cost & Pains for the accomplishing their designs, would have insin- uated what great interest they had in Engl'^, & how low that of the Church of Engl"^ was there, and such sort of reports were believed, which the people would have been too apt to have credited where the matter of fact was so plain, would either have made them quit the Chh or at least to have been very indifferent in it, for the generality of these parts judge of things as they see them here, not being capable of rightly understanding how affairs are managed in Engl*^, & may be self-interest governs as much in these parts of the World as anywhere. I herewith humbly transmit to your Grace, the Copy of a paper, viz : N°. i. The case of the People called Quakers, which was presented to me when in Maryland, & what was done thereupon. N°. 2, 119 [1700. The Copy of his Majesty's order in Council for repealing these laws in Mary- land. N". 3. The Copy of the Act for religion, &c., in Maryland. N°. 4. The Copy of the address of the Council & Burgesses in Maryland to the King's most Excellent Majesty about the Said law. N°. 5. The Copy of his Majesty's order in Council of the 30"' day of Dec'', 1699, for repealing 2 laws, &c., I can- not but observe to your Grace that I question whether the address in N°. 4 was ever presented to his Majesty, the' it was sent with the Act ; & if it was, yet when the repealing order in Council was made, it was not then remem- bered, but I hope that the address now sent from the Council & Burgesses of Maryland about the late act for religion, &c., will by your Grace's manage- ment have better success (which is N°. 6). D"". Bray sent me his Exc^ Gov"" Blakeston's Speech (which is N°. 7), &c., to the Assembly, with a Copy of the Act passed there (which is N°. 8), for establishing the Protestant religion, as also the address of the Council & Burgesses to his most sacred Majesty con- cerning the s^ Act, all which I herewith humbly transmit to your Grace, & I don't question but that his Exc'' Gov"^ Blakeston & D^ Bray will give your Grace a full acc*^ of that affair. I was in hopes that D^ Bray & M' Blair would have been of his Majesty's honorable council where they are Commis- saries, for their not being so I take to be prejudicial to the Chh of Engl*^, & I presumed to write to your Grace the i''^ of Feb^ i69g, about that affair. I spoke to M"". President Blair to give your Grace a full Ace* of the Chh & Col- lege affairs, which he told me he had done, & will likewise (God Willing), by this opportunity, do the same, so I will not here trouble your Grace with a repitition of them, only beg leave to assure your Grace, that according to my duty in all respects, I have & shall endeavour what in me lies, to promote the interest of the Church, in order to which I found it absolutely necessary to have the Rev'^ Clergy meet me here, & I hope your Grace will pardon me for herewith sending you the Copy of my letter to them (which is N''. 9) when met here, with their Ans"" thereto, & I hope in God that those who have prom- ised to perform will perform it. Here are vacancies for 6 or 8 clergymen, but the country at present seems to be averse to any more Scotch or very young clergymen, for there are several of boi:h sorts, which hath caused a great dissatisfaction in the country; but I have & shall endeavour to take it off. That about the Scotch Clergymen was industriously contrived in Sir Edward's time ; & when such things once take in these parts of the world, they are not easily worn out. I have & shall recommend to the Committee I /OO.] 120 appointed for revising the laws, the Act for .Religion, &c., as also to the Assembly when they meet, which is designed, God willing, in Sepf next, & I will not be wanting, as opportunity presents, to recommend to them his Maj- esty's Royal College, & I hope in God to have good success in it, for in order to it we have let them have the use of some part of the College for them to sit in, as also for the general court in Oct^ I hope that your Grace will par- don our high presumption in electing your Grace Chancellor of his Majesty's royall College of Will" & Mary. But all the world must applaud our Choice, & say that we have done one wise thing when we so unanimously agreed upon it. The other day we were to have had a general meeting of the Gov"^, &c., of the College, but we wanted one to make a major part ; the principal business was about writing to your Grace, for a person qualified to be both Mathematic & Philosophy Professor, which considering the Infancy of the College, we hope may be managed by one person, his Salary Is to be _;^8o per Ann. & 20S. for each scholar, for such an one begins to be much wanted, there being only a schoolmaster, his Usher & a writing master ; so after he hath taught the boys as far as he can, they are forced to leave the College for want of such a professor. And by the Charter, the College cannot be transferr'd but to a President & Masters, & M"". Blair says that there Is only himself president, & one master, viz : he that teacheth latin ; so that when please God the Mathematic master or professor comes, the College may be transferr'd to them, & with submission I think the sooner It is done the better. We have agreed that (God willing) after next Xmas the President shall go & live in the College, the Latin Master, Usher & Writing Master, & so many Scholars as are wiUing, to board there ; & M'. President Blair hath undertaken for the first year to provide for their accommodation ; & by this opportunity of the fleet, necessaries for the Kitchen Pantry, &c., are to be sent for. I humbly beg of your Grace, if it be possible, that you would be pleased to send us such a Mathematic & Philosophy Master or Professor, & I suppose he may get his Majesty's ;^20 Bounty Money, which is allowed to every Minister that comes into these parts of the world, for his transportation. But I believe that the gentleman may not well understand how to find a convenience, and pro- vide necessaries for his Voyage hither ; & If he does it may be troublesome to him, therefore that he may be at no charge or trouble about these affairs, if your Grace pleaseth to send for my merchant, M'. Micajah Perry, who I find is very ambitious of waiting upon & paying his duty to your Grace ; he 121 [l 700. will do his business effectually; & I design now (God willing) to write to him that he may do so. I herewith send your Grace a Copy of tlie instructions in N°. lO, which I have given to the Indian traders about Procuring Indian Chil- dren to be brought up in the College, on Ace* of the Right Hon*^'^ Rob' Boyle his Bounty which was procured for the College by your Grace's interest. I hope your Grace will give mc your pardon for herewith sending to your Grace copies of several letters & other Papers in N°. 11, which I have rec*^ from Pennsylvania, N. York, Rhode Island, & N. Engl*^, by which your Grace may please to see in what circumstances they are with relation to Church affairs, &c, I am heartily sorry that there are such divisions in N. York, as also that there is no very good understanding between the Rev"^ M^ Miles, of Boston, & M''. Bridge, about Rhode Island, but I am not troubled that there are like to be divisions amongst the N. Englanders, especially at Boston & Charles- town, & if I have any way discharged my duty to God & his Church, to him be the Glory. It will be a very great satisfaction to me to have your Grace's commands & directions concerning my proceeding with them, as also in Mary- land in respect of the Church, &c., & here in respect of the Clergy & College, for by them I hope that God Almighty will be pleased to enable me in some measure to answer the Character which your Grace was pleased to give of me to my Lord Chancellor, when your Grace got me this Gov*, viz : that I should be true to My God & my King. Gov- NICHOLSON to the ARCHB'' of CANTERBURT. Virginia, James Town, July 23, 1700. May it please your Grace, On the 27 of May last, I presumed to write to your Grace, & I hope in God that the letters & papers I therewith sent your Grace hath rec'^, as also that D'. Bray hath waited upon your Grace & given you a full ace' of the Chh affairs, &c., especially of those of Maryland. I lately met Gov" Blakeston in Maryland on occasion of the Indians, & I got of him a copy of the exceptions I 700. J I 2 2 (as they call them) to the Lords Commissioners for the King's Plantations, &c., against the Act for religion, with a Copy of the Council of Maryland, their letter to the Lords, & i herewith humbly transmit them to your Grace together with the Copy of part of a letter which I had from Gov"^ Blakeston, who I hope will be yet Zealous for promoting the Chh of Engl** in Maryland. I should fail in that duty I owe to your Grace if I did not acquaint you that I find he Is not over much public spirited, especially when it is any charge to him, for he openly declares that he doth not like the Country ; that he comes to make up his fortune, & therefore would endeavour to do it as soon as pos- sible. If the last law of Maryland for religion, &c., which was sent when D^ Bray went, should be repealed (which God forbid), I am fearful that it would be some difficulty to have another passed in Mar}4and, that might be without exceptions; for with humble submission to your Grace, I think that by the paper to the Lords against the law for religion, &c., especially In the 3'"'^, the 10"' & 11':'' exceptions, they have fully demonstrated that they are against any law for religion, & I think consequently against any established one. Then it would be as in my Lord Baltimore's time; & what use the Papists, Quakers, &c., would make of promoting their own tenets in that Province is easy to guess, & what influence it would have upon this Country Is uncertain ; but be sure it would affect them all to the Northward, so that In all human probability the Chh of Engl*" would decrease there, & they to the contrary. For the N. Englanders would not fail of taking the advantage of insinuating how little interest the Chh of Engl*^ hath ; & I hear that M''. Penn makes his brags how strong the Quaker interest is in Engl^ ; & no doubt he privately insinuates how weak the Chh of Engl*^ is there. I hope your Grace will give me your pardon for writing you this Ace*, but I think it a duty incumbent upon me as likewise to acquaint your Grace, I am apprehensive that many of the Council for trade, &c., at least the major part of them, are no friends to the Chh of Engl*', neither Is their secretary, for I have heard that he harbor'd M"". Penn when the proclamations were out against him, & I suspect that he hatha pri- vate & frequent correspondence with the S'^ Penn. The B^ of London's not being of the Council for trade & Plantations, as he was when it was a Committee of the Privy council, nor any other B^ being of it, is much taken notice of in these parts of the world, & no doubt but use is made thereof by the enemies of the Church for their several ends ; for my Part I hope God Almighty will be pleased to enable me to discharge my duty to him, his Maj~ 123 [j7oo. esty & your Grace ; & In order thereunto I am an humble supplicant to your Grace for your directions therein, as also for the blessing of him who is Your Grace's most obd' Son & most obliged humble Serv*, F. NICHOLSON. Virginia, By his Excellency Francis Nicholson, No. lo. EsqS his Majesty's Lieut. & Gov'' General of his Colony & Dominion of Virginia. 5nSfrUCfi01l£i to be observed by M". Rob* Hicks & M"^. John Evans con- cerning which, they are to treat with such of the great Nations of Indians as they shall trade to, & particularly the Usharees & Totterays. Imprimis. You shall acquaint the s*^ Indians that you have particular direc- tions from me, (the chief Gov^ of Virginia) under the great King of Eno-1'^, &c. (my most sacred master), to discourse & treat with them, concerning the several particulars following. Item. You shall acquaint them, that a great & good man who lately died in Engl^ (the hon*"'^ Robert Boyle, Esq"'.), having a great love for the Indians, hath left money enough to the College here In Virginia, to keep 9 or lo Indian children at it, & to teach them to read, write & all other arts & sciences, that the best Englishmen's sons do learn. Item. You shall acquaint them that if they let their children be brouo-ht to the College & educated there, the Englishmen will teach them to know their great Almighty God who Is able to do every thing for them & will give them all good things as he doth to the Englishmen. Item. You shall acquaint them that this next Summer the rooms will be made ready at the College for their reception & accommodation & that if any one Great nation will send 3 or 4 of their children thither, they shall have good, valuable clothes, books & learning & shall be well look'd after both in health & sickness & when they arc good scholars, shall be sent back to teach the same things to their own people. Let the children be young, about 7 or 8 years of age, seeing they are to be taught from the first beginning of letters & let them have a careful Indian man of their own country to wait upon them 1702.] 124 & to serve them & to talk continually with them in their language that they do not forget it, whilst they are amongst the English. Item. You shall acquaint them that while their Children are at the College, their Fathers or other relations or Friends may come & see them as often as they please ; they shall be made, welcome themselves & will see how well their children are used. Item. You shall take particular care to make the great men of the Indians thoroughly sensible of every particular part of these propositions, & you shall use your best Interest and endeavour to promote this good work & that no jealousy or apprehensions of danger may remain in the Indians, you shall assure them, that I am their very good friend & am very willing to have a trade and commerce with them & If they think fit some of them may safely come in & sec the College & be satisfied of the truth of the aforemen- tioned particulars. Item. You shall in the name of the College, give them all imaginable assurance, that their Children shall have very good usage & all upon free cost. When you shall have discoursed the above mentioned particulars with the Indians & have rec*^ their ans' to the same you shall give a true ace' of all your proceedings therein unto the Hon**'" Benj" Harrison Esq^ one of his Majesty's Council of State in this his Colony & Dominion of Virginia & that you may be the better enabled to be serviceable, herein, you shall keep an acc"^ of what charges you shall be at, which shall be repaid to you, together with a suitable reward for your trouble & diligence in this affair. F. NICHOLSON. M\ BLAIR to the ARCHB'' OF CANrERBURT, William & Marv College in Virginia, July 13, 1702. May it please your Grace,, The opportunity of this worthy Bearer, the Rev*" M^ Steven Fouace, who is not unknown to your Grace, will save your Lordship the trouble of reading 125 [1702. a long melancholy story of our Virginia affairs. I am mightily ashamed of my own error & and much more in having had an hand in leading your Grace into it. But certainly now after near 4 years experience of Gov"' Nicholson, never people were more deceived or disappointed in any man than we have been in him. Instead of the Halcyon days we promised ourselves under his government, we never had near so much storm & tempest, tornado's & Hur- racancs as in that time. He governs us as if we were a company of Galley slaves by continual roaring & thundering, cursing & swearing, base, abusive, billingsgate Language to that degree that it is utterly incredible to those who have not been the spectators of it. But I forget what I said in the beginning of my letter. I leave all our matters to M"", Fouace, who has behaved himself here for these 13 or 14 years he has been in the country with a great deal of wisdom & Prudence & will be very much missed by our Clergy, having had the general respect of the country for his good preaching & good life, hospit- able house keeping & great charity to the Poor. He was troubled here with bad health in the heat of Summer, which made him resolve some times to leave us; but I think we should have kept him still for all that {his other circumstances here being very comfortable), if it had not been for the Bar- barous usage that he (as well as all, we his old friends), has met with from Gov'' Nicholson. We must some more of us in a little time, take the same course it being impossible to subsist long under such continual abuses as are put upon us by him, I do really believe, since Oliver Cromwell, there never was a man that deceived so many with a shew of religion, which is now turned into a mixture of the grossest hypocrisy & lewdness & Prophaneness, that can well be imagined. I doubt not when your Grace is well informed of the truth of the whole matter, you will have compassion upon us, a most unfortu- nate Church & People & contribute your best endeavours for our speedy relief. The Bearer will inform your Grace what a storm has fallen upon us, upon occasion of a funeral Oration I Pronounced in our College in Memory of King William. It was chiefly occasioned by my making use of that opportu- nity, to commend the mildness & Gentleness of the King's reign, which our great man took to be a tacit reflection on himself for his furious and mad way of Government. I was obliged in my own defence to refer that discourse to your Grace's censure. M"". Fouace will deliver your Grace a Copy of it, & I doubt not your candid construction. There is one favor I have to beg of 1702.] 126 your Grace for my self; now there will be a new commission & injunctions; it is that the instruction appointing my salary of /lOO a Year as Com>' out of the quitrents may not be forgotten to be renewed of course. It will cost your Grace but a word to any of the Lords of Council for trade & Plantations, all I can promise your Grace for all your favours, is gratitude & a constant endeavour to approve myself. My Lord Your Grace's most obliged humble servant JAMES BLAIR. My Lord, I have enclosed an extract of the design of our College, with my opinion of what may be expected, from the chancellor thereof in obedience to your Grace's commands. Gov' NICHOLSON to the ARCHB^ of CANTERBURY. Virginia, Kikotan, July 22, 1702. May it please your Grace, With this I am commanded to transmit to your Grace the fohowing papers viz: N". 2, a Pastoral Colloquy in English verse, spoken by some of the younger Scholars, in the College hall before his Exc^, her Majesty's Hon*''^ Council, the Burgesses of Assembly, &c., upon the death of his late Majesty King William the third of Glorious memory. N°. 3, a Pastoral spoken by the s^ Scholars, &c., upon the Succession of her Sacred Majesty Queen Ann. N°. 4, Copies of several papers & orders of Council relating to the French refugees in Virginia. N°. 5, Copies of some papers that lately passed between his excellency & the Rev'^ M''. Com^ Blair, occasioned chiefly by M''. Blair's funeral oration upon his late Majesty King William the 3''^ Spoken before his Excellency, her Majesty's hon''''' Council, the Burgesses of Assembly & the Virginia Clergy, &c., in the College Hall, to which papers is prefixed, the Copy of an Ans"" to a Speech which his Exes' ^as pleased to make to the Clergy. His Excellency taking notice that M^ Blair had several passages in 127 [1703. his funeral oration which reflected upon the late King James the 2""^ & upon his Excellency ; he would have had M^ Blair to let him have a true Copy of it, which he absolutely refused to do, as your Grace may please to see in the i^' page of N°. 5. M^ Blair letting his Exc*' understand (as your Grace may also please to see in the first page of N°. 5), that he would transmit his said oration by the fleet {by which this is designed), both to your Grace the Chan- cellor of the Royal College of William &. Mary & to my Lord of London his ordinary; & abide your Grace's & his Lordship's censure; therefore may it please your Grace, it Is his Excellency's desire that he may have a Copy of the s*^ Oration sent to him from Engl**, by one of your Grace's Chaplains or Secretary' : By which means his Excellency will be the better able to judge whether M^ Blair sends to your Grace his oration in such very terms as he spoke & read it in the College hall. N^ 6 are Copies of several papers con- cerning the acc^ of William & Mary College. N"*. 7 Is the Copy of a letter to me, from Burlington, 22 June, 1702. F. NICHOLSON. By his Exc^'^ Order Peregrine Cony. SIR EDW^jIRD NORTHEY' S opinion concerning induc- tion of MINISTERS in VIRGINIA. On consideration of the Laws of Virginia, provision being made by the Act, Entitled "Church to be built or Chapel of Ease," for the building a Church in each parish & by the Act entlded "Ministers to be Inducted" that Minis- ters of each Parish shall be inducted on the presentation of the Parishioners ■ & the Churchwardens being by the Act entitled, "Churchwardens to keep the Church in repair & provide Ornaments," to collect the minister's dues, & by the Act " for the Better support and maintenance of the Clergy," provision being made for the ministers of the Parishes & by the said act for Inducting Ministers, the Gov"^ being to induct the ministers to be presented & thereby he I7O3.J 128 being constituted ordinary & as Bishop of the Plantation & with a power to punish ministers preaching contrary to that Law, I am of opinion; The ad- vowson and right of presentation to the Churches, is subject to the Laws of Engl'^ (there being no express law of that Plantation, made further concerning the same). Therefore when the Parishioners, present their Clerk and he is inducted by the Gov'' (who is to, and must, induct on the presentation of the Parishioners), the Incumbent is in for his life & cannot be displaced by the Parishioners. If the Parishioners do not present a minister to the Gov'" ; within 6 months after any Church shall become void, the Gov'' as ordinary shall and may collate a Clerk to such Church by lapse, and his collatec shall hold the Chh for his life. If the Parishioners have never presented, they have a reasonable time to present a minister; but if they will not present being re- quired so to do, the Gov'' may also in their default collate a minister. In in- ducting ministers by the Gov' on the presentation of the parishes, or on his own Collation, he Is to see the Minister be qualified according as that act for inducting ministers requires. In case of the avoidance of any Church the Gov' as ordinary of the Plantation, is according to the Statute 28, H^ 8'^'' Cap. 1 1, Sect. 5, to appoint a minister to officiate, till the Parish shall present one, or the six months be lapsed and such person appointed to officiate in the va- cancy, is to be paid for his service out of the Profits thereof from the time the Church becomes void. By the Law above stated in this case, no minister is to officiate as such, till he hath shewed to the Gov'', he is qualified, according as the said act for induction directs. If the vestry do not levy the Tobacco for the Minister, the Courts there must decree the same to be levied. July 29, 1703. EDW^ NORTHEY. At a Council held at Williamsburgh the 3'''' day of March, 1703. Upon reading at this board. Sir Edward Northey, Kn', her Majesty's attor- ney general, his opinion upon the Acts of Assembly of this Colony, relating ■ to the Church & particularly concerning induction of Ministers. His Excel- lency In Council is pleased to order, that a copy of the S^ Sir Edw*^ Northey, his opinion be sent, to the Churchwardens of each Parish, within this Colony requiring them, upon receipt thereof forthwith to call a vestry & there to cause the same to be read and Entered in the Vestry Books, to the intent, the S^ vestries may offer to his Excellency, what they think proper thereupon. W^ ROBERTSON, Cler. Con. F. Nicholson. [i7i COPT of part of a speech made to the General Assembly of Virginia in Nov. 171 1. I'm In hopes I have said enough to awaken your thoughts of better secur- ing yourselves on the one side & shall next lay before you, what I have done to protect you on the other. By my late expedition I have prevailed upon our neighboring Indians, to give pledges of a Faithful peace, by yielding up several of their chief rulers' children to be educated at our College. This fair step towards their conversion, is the more valuable by how much all at- tempts of this kind have hitherto proved ineffectual ; nor shall I the less rejoice at it, because it costs me the tribute that has ever been a profit to former Governors especially if you testify your approbation of what I have done, by following the Example, & adding some fund for the maintenance ot those Children, who are like to be more in number, than the Pious donation for that purpose can support. I doubt not but whilst by kind and Gentle means we endeavour to Change the Savage nature of their youth, they will imbibe, with the English Language, the true principles of our excellent Church, from whence will arise two of the greatest benefits, the salvation of many poor souls, & withai, the best of securities, to our persons & Estates, for once make them good Christians & you may confide in 'em. This discourse tho' con- taing a variety of the most important matters, may seem perhaps too long ; yet I should think it very deficient, were I to conclude without earnestly recommending to your consideration the case of the Church, which upon the footing it now stands is full of inconveniences to many Pastors & their flocks. I'm persuaded that a juster regulation of such a portion as former assemblies have judged reasonable to be set apart for the Clergy, might more handsomly encourage ministers & better supply the country with Churches. Compass but this work & you'll have the honor of Imitating the Piety of your Queen, & the Zeal of a parliament by Her Majesty so highly commended. 1714-] 130 Mr. BLAIR to the BISHOP of LONDON. WiLLIAMSBURGH IN VIRGINIA, Nov'' 1 8, 1 714. My Lord, I had lately the honor of your Lordship's of A.ug. 4^'' by M''. Jn". Robinson, having" a little before that Rec'' the Commission, to be your Lordship's com- missary for this Country. I heartily thank your Lordship & shall endeavour to answer your Lordship's expectations from me. But it is necessary that I acquaint your Lordship that this Country having a great aversion to spiritual courts, the late Lord Bishop of London directed me, to make use of the powers granted me, in a Hke commission by him, chiefly to restrain the irreg- ularities of the Clergy without meddling with the Laity, except our Virginia Laws & Gov* should give countenance to a further exercise of the eccles- iasticas discipline, so that the Chief of my business has been, where I have heard of any complaints of the Clergy, first to try to reclaim them by moni- tory letters ; & when that would not do, I have had a public visitation of their Church, and upon an open trial of the facts, have either acquitted or sus- pended the Minister as the case required. I have made in all my time but few examples of this Kind, but I find it necessary not to be too slack as on the other hand I am not suspected of too great severity, the great Scarcity of clergymen among us, obliges me of the two to incline rather to the methods of gentleness. My Lord, I inform your Lordship, truly of these things, that if you Judge it necessary to give any further directions, you may take measures accordingly. I have transmitted to D^ Hall, a list of the Parishes, with the names of the present incumbents as he desired me, but we are to have a con- vention of the Clerg>', within this fortnight, at which I intend to take a more exact account of their several orders and licenses & then if their be any occa- sion the D^ shall hear further from me. There is likewise to be shortly a meeting of the Gov'^ of the College, to which I shall communicate what your Lordship writes on that subject, they will no doubt be very thankful, for the honor your Lordship does them in accepting the office of Chancellor. The King has been proclaimed here with all decent joy. I know not so 131 [i704- much as of one disaffected person to his Gov' in this Countr)^ We have had in all our Churches, by order of the Gov' a funeral commemoration of our late gracious Queen and are shortly to have a thanksgiving for his Majesty's peaceable accession to the throne. We are exceeding happy in a vigilant good Gov' Co'. Spotswood, who is a true friend to the Clergy, & are in some hopes that the late law pass'd in parliam"^ for encouraging the tobacco trade, & another pass'd here for improving the staple of Tobacco, which begins just now to take place will put some life in that commodity, which for divers years past has been so low, that our ministers (whose Salaries are all paid in it), have suffered very considerably. If any particular occasion presents of doing service either to the Clergy or College I shall make it my business to acquaint your Lordship & if you have any commands at any time for either, or for any thing wherein I am capable of doing service, they shall be punctually complied with by, My Lord, your Lordships most Obd' Servant, JA^ BLAIR. The further Affidavit of JAMES BLAIR, Clerk, concern- ing Gov'' NICHOLSON' S mal- Administration, with re- lation to the Clergy, the College &f Himself. May I'' 1704. The Governor being by her majesty's instructions, intrusted with the Power of giving Licenses of Marriages, Probates of Wills & Inductions of Ministers {& the rest of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, being left to my Lord Bishop of London & by the Lord Bishop of London, to his Commissary), which the Gov'' in his instructions is commanded to encourage & assist. He has so far broke thro' the S'' Instructions as to abuse that Part of Ecclesiastical Jurisdic- tion committed to himself & to invade that which is left to the Bishop of London. As to the first, he has abused it in all its parts, first as to Licenses of Mar- riages, contrary to an express law of that country, as well as natural Equity ; I704-] 132 he gave a license to Speaclen, a man of no estate, nor bred to any calling to marpy' , a young Orphan & Heiress of York Count;', by the means whereof that young Orphan was married & ruined, contrary to the consent of her Guardian, a crime which in any magistrate by the Law of that country, is ;^500 Fine, & a year's imprisonment. Then as to Probates by refusing to sign them 9 or lo months, a great many widows & orphans lost their Husbands' & Fathers' debts, not being enabled to Sue, for by the Law of that Country if a debt is not sued for in a certain short time after the Party's death, it is lost. Inductions of Ministers he has totally neglected, not having inducted so much as one Minister during the whole time of his Gov', by which means it comes to pass that the Ministers are kept in miserable precarious circumstan- ces, like domestic Servants, ready to be turned off at pleasure, which makes the better sort leave tlie country & the rest so obsequious that they are ready to do wliat he would have them. As to the Second, he has invaded almost all the other parts of the ecclesi- astical Jurisdiction, such as convocating the clergy without taking notice of the Bishop's commissary, appointing who shall preach at those convocations, appearing himself in their meetings, & proposing the subject matter of their consultation, holding separate meetings of the Clergy without the Bishop's commissary, putting those separate meetings upon acts of censure & disci- pline, getting them to Sign Papers in the name of the Clergy, requiring of some ministers Canonical obedience to himself as their Bishop, taking upon himself to turn out ministers & this without so much as process or trial. As he has broke thro' all his instructions with relation to the Church, so in other respects he has withheld from the Clergy that necessary countenance & respect which is due to their Function & by his bad example, has contributed very much to increase their contempt among the people. I have heard him say that the Clerg>' were all a Pack of Scandalous fellows, & that he knew not one man in the country that deserved to be inducted & it is now proved by another affidavit that he said they were all hirelings, and the Quakers were in the right & that when he was told of some of the clergy that were dead, that he said he wished there were 40 more of them dead : which was as much as to wish that there were never a clergyman in the country. Several of them of die most noted good preachers he affronted and abused with the most opprobrious & villifying names of Dog, Rogue, Rascal, Villin, Jesuit. Some ^33 [i704- of them he has made ride bare headed by him, in the bitter cold of the wind & the scorching heat of the Sun, several miles together. Some he has laid violent hands on, whilst they were on Horseback, & pulled off their hat him- self. Some he has threatened publicly to tear their Gowns over their ears, has never spared in their presence to Curse & Swear, abundance of the most dreadful oaths, often at the very Church door immediately before or after prayers ; & if the minister preached up any duty which the Gov' was known to neglect, or against any vice he was known to be guilty of, he seldom escaped without rebukes or threats, & till of late that he had occasion for encomiums from them to support his interest in England, never any Gov"" used the Clergy so barbarously as he has done. These addresses he not only barefacedly asks, but uses the way of threats & presents, & threats & insults to obtain, & if their addresses do not come up to what he would have, proposes new draughts & endeavours by making & feeding differences in their Parishes, to make the scrupulous ministers uneasy & to get them laid aside, by which means the basest of the Clergy & the for- wardest to flatter are become his greatest favorites & several of the best min- isters have been so harrass'd, that they have chosen rather to quit the Country than to endure the fatigues & extorted flatteries, or insults of his Government. AS TO THE COLLEGE. For all the interest he pretends to have in the country, he has not in the least so much as endeavoured to get the Assembly to assist the College in their necessity, tho' he had the best opportunity, by the Countrey's enjoying the use of the College for their assemblies, courts & councils, while the capi- tal was a building. He himself has been the forwardest to throw abuses on the College, particularly he railed against the building, tho' extraordinary good for that country & entered a public Protest against it in the College records. At a very public time, the time of a general court, he reflected on the College acct^, threatening the Gov" of the college with a writ of enquiry from the King & declaring solemnly that if they could give no better Ace', he must be of the people's opinion & believe that the college was only a trick to serve some men's particular designs, than which nothing could have been thrown out more malicious against the College & fitter to do it disservice in the coun- try. He put such an affront upon them, as to order their acc^' to be laid before the Grand Jury of the Country. But all that business of the Acc'^ had been so fairly managed that to this day no fault could be discovered. I have heard him swear that he would seize the College for the King's use & he crowded into it, the Secretary's office, the Clerk of the Council's office, the Clerk of the house of Burgesses' office & all their lodgings, with himself & all the Committees, & had all his public treats in their hall to the great disturb- ance of the College business. As to the finishing part of the College, he did so excessively hurry it on for those several uses, that partly by the Plank & timber being green & unseasoned & partly by employing a great number of unskillful workmen to comply with his haste, it was shamefully spoilt, & at the same time by giving excessive wages to those workmen, who knew how to make advantage of his impatience & by several unnecessary additions of his own invention, without the direction of the Governors of the College, their money was all spent & they were brought ^500 in debt. Besides ;^2oa which at first he advanced towards the founding of a scholarship, but spent in finishing the Building, yet afterwards made the College repay it every farth- ing ; when he had had the applause of it, both in England & Virginia. In order to the ruining of the College revenue, For about 2 years, they had none of the Penny a Pound from Maryland, & there is too good ground to believe it was by his contrivance, for indeed we had formerly been beholding to his acquaintance & Interest there, but now he made his braggs publicly, that he would fain know how we would manage the Penny a Pound in Maryland without him & bid us get it as we could, for he would give us no more assist- ance & in Virginia thro' his mighty threatenings to press the men out of the vessels belonging to Virginia Owners, there was little tobacco exported to the Plantations, so little Penny per Pound coming in & at the same scarce dme he made the College repay him ^200 he had given it, towards keeping of a Scholar & had £^0 given to his friend Co'. Carey for auditing the acc*^ so that there was not enough left to pay the Master's Salary. AS TO MY OWN CIRCUMSTANCES. He has made them as uneasy as possible he could, that I might not be able to enjoy any peace or quietness but should be obliged to live worse than any slave, if I liv'd at all in the country. The occasion he took to fly out into open enmity with me was a pretended jealousy of my Brother; as if he had 135 [1704. been privately a courting his mistress ; all care was taken to satisfy him that there was no such thing" ; my brother declaring to him that he had no such intention & that he had never made her a visit or writ her a letter; In short I assured him too that my brother at that time was courting another gentlewoman, to whom I hoped in a little time afterwards he would see him married. As accordingly he did, but nothing could cure him of his jealousy. He took occasion from it to send for me & after some little ace* of his suspi- cion, he flew into these strange expressions : "Sir, your brother is a vilHan & you have betrayed me," then with hands & eyes lifted up to heaven, he added these strange words {thundering them out as loud as he could roar them on the high way), & " M''. Blair," said he, " take notice, I vow to the Eternal G — , that I will be revenged on you & all your family," Tho' I used all ways I could think of to undeceive him & pacify him, I found nothing would do. He told me over & over again, even after his passion was over, '* that all the Odi- um he lay under from the Country, was upon my ace', & by G — , he would turn the Scales, & that sooner than I expected." As to the Odium, I told him I lay under a great deal of Odium, upon his ace*, because 1 was thought to have advised him, to those strange violent methods he had followed ; whereas he knew himself, that I had advised him to the quite contrary, & had no hand at all, in the courses he followed which had been distastful to the Country or words to that effect. From that time the Governor has pursued me with all the instances of the most implacable malice & has left no stone unturned to ruin me both in EngP & Virginia. TO PASS BY MANY LESSER THINGS. I have been very frequently sent for, in the King or Queen's name for no other business, but to hear myself threatened. Scolded at & abused, & often in the audience of a great deal of company, treated with worse names, than any gentleman would give the meanest footman, that wears his livery ; & aspersed with the unsuitest imputations as if I had been raising sedition or rebellion in the Govl In his letters for Engl^ he has endeavoured to ruin my reputation by false & malicious Calumnies ; Particularly to My Diocesan, he has accused me of the vile crimes of * ''■ * Whereas I can appeal to the worst enemies I have, that I have a reputation, wherever I am known both in that Country & 1704.] 136 Elsewhere clear from any the least imputation of that nature, & now he him- self being writ to about it by others & publicly taxed with it by myself is glad to let it fall & will not even own that ever he writ any such thing. As he lias endeavoured to take away my reputation he has likewise taken away my Hvelyhood, for he has so ruined the revenue of the College, as I shewed under that head that I have had no salary, from it these 2 years, nor am never like to have more if he can help it. If ministers came to see me or pay me the common civility, they thought due to my office, he had frequently chid and abused them for it, & never did any good man take more pains to make peace & to cure divisions than he has taken to make differences between me & the clergy of that country & en- deavouring to make them believe that all the instances of his own rudeness & abusiveness to them, had been by my instigation. At last for want of other matter, he wrought upon a great part of them to join in a complaint of me to my Lord Bishop of London, for having pass'd a sentence of suspension against a minister for notorious drunkenness & some other crimes well prov'd against him. Tho' at the same time when this minister after having been ab- sent 4 months under suspension, came to Williamsburgh, with a design to submit & Petition to have his suspension taken off, & upon such submission I was ready to have taken it off accordingly ; the Gov"^ meeting with him, would by no means suffer him to come near me, his design being not to re- lieve the minister, but to make use of his case to incense the Clergy & ray Lord Bishop of London. There are instances of his tampering with my servants & when he had got one of them, to tell a false malicious story he made him put it in writing & sent it home, for Engl^ to blacken me without doing me the common Jus- tice to call me to hear what I had to say, for myself, tho' he would send for me upon many much more frivolous occasions, there are instances too of his encouraging my debtors, not to clear ace" with me, nor pay one, that I might be put to the Charge & trouble of a Law suit. One of them to whom I had so far condescended, as to refer the business in dispute to an Arbitrator of his own nomination, told me, the Gov'' even after the Signing of Arbitration bonds & after the day was appointed, to meet with the arbitrators persuaded him not to meet, nor submit to any arbitration, but to go to law, advising him if he were cast in the County court, to appeal to the general court, "where," said he, " I am the Chief Judge & will do you right," & accordingly the man 137 [i704- was over persuaded & went to Law & the Gov' employed a Lawyer for him, as the Lawyer himself told me when I came to retain him. I will not say he has had any design upon my life, though I will give your Lordships an Acc*^ of two Strange passages that have an ill aspect that way. One was this, about a fortnight before Christmas 1702 while I lodged in the College, I heard the School boys about 12 o'clock at night, a driving of great nails, to fasten & barracade the doors of the Grammar School. I was mightily surprized at it for we had banished this custom & it was quite left off for some years. I made haste to get up & with the assistance of 2 servant men, I had in the Col- lege, I had almost forced open one of the doors before they sufiRciently secured it, but while I was breaking in, they presently fired off 3 or 4 Pistols & hurt one of my servants in the eye with the wadd as I suppose of one of the Pis- tols, while I press'd forward, some of the Boys, having a great kindness for me, call'd out, " for God's sake sir don't offer to come in, for we have shot, & shall certainly fire at any one that first enters." Upon the hearing of this, I began to think there was something more than ordinary in the matter & de- sired a parley with them, thinking to find out upon what ace' it was that they had provided fire arms, Powder & Shot, which they had never used to do for- merly, but that night they would not discover it, the' I confess, I had some suspicion, of the designs of my malicious neighbour; & resolved to let them alone till morning, & then getting all the other masters together & calling for workmen to break open the doors ; Before we began, we offered them a par- don, if they would open, of their own accord & tell us the truth, who it was that set them on, tho' by that time we had more than a suspicion of it, for I had seen one of his excellency's servants that morning a handing of them in, some more Powder, upon this, the Boys, sent out at a Window by a ladder One of the Chief confederates that knew the whole plot with orders to dis- cover it. The Short of his story was, to the best of my remembrance, that while they had no thoughts of any such thing, the Gov' Sent for him. & put him upon it, gave them money to buy victuals & drink & Candles, & Powder, & Shot, & lent them 6 of his own Pistols. Upon hearing that the Governor, was the Author & the contriver of this business, we sent the boys to him, leaving it to his excellency to determine the time when lie would have them dismiss'd, for it was then about a week before the usual time. His excellency being out of humor, to the great disappointment of the Boys, ordered that they should continue at their books till the usual time & then be dismiss'd, 1704-] ^38 this decision made them ver>' angry & they said they wondered what he hac made all that to do for, when they were not to be dismiss'd one day soone than ordinary for their pains. When we entered the school we found tht Gov^'^ 3 pair of Pistols, with some swords & other weapons they had provi ded. It was God's great mercy to me that the boys gave me warning of th( Shot & so saved me from the danger, which I have too much reason to sus pect, was contrived on purpose upon my ace*; his excellency bemg then 11 too bad a Humor, to do such a thing out of a frolic ; besides that the Fir Arms, Powder, & Shot, my lying in the College ; & the differences betweei him & me, which at that time were come to some heighth, made the badnes of the design too, too probable. The other Passage was about 6 weeks after wards. As I was asleep in bed with my wife in my Chamber, in the College between one & two in the morning, a maid who lay in a Closet just by, hean somebody a opening the door of the outer room & after he had turned th^ lock of it, come quite thro' to our chamber door, after he had endeavoured ti turn that lock likewise, but could not (for it was double locked & the ke^ within) then with all the force he had, he shook that door so violently, as if hi had designed to break it open, & this making a very great noise (for it was ; thin pair of folding doors), awaked my wife & me, & we both call'd ou " who's there ! '' & I call'd to the maid to light a candle ; for it was in Winte towards the end of Jan^'. At last when he observed the door gave no way & that we were all awake (without speaking a word), we heard him march off thro the outer room again. Upon enquiry I found that the Gov' that night had ap peared to be in so bad a humor that every body was afraid to speak to him And a person of good credit told me, he was seen between one & two of th* Clock in the morning, to go directly from his own house toward the colleg* without a light, with some other more particular circumstances, which I am afraic to give an acc*^ of, lest innocent persons, as yet in his Power, should come to b( suspected of this intelligence, but I do solemnly take my oath of it, that I be lieve he himself was the person, that attempted to break into my chamber, foi what reason at such unseasonable hour near 2 o'clock in the morning, in i dark winter night, when he could not be a walking for pleasure, & when h* went away without speaking a word. God & his own conscience only know nor can I imagine what good construction, he could have put upon it, if eithei the lock or the door had given way, so that he had actually broken in upon us JAMES BLAIR. 139 [i/oS- M^. INGLIS to the GOVERNOR. Aug^ 8^ 1705. May it please your Excellency, I think it my duty to acquaint your excellency, that I intend to quit the Grammar School, (which is commonly, but very improperly called, the College), both as master & Housekeeper, on the 25'*" day of Sepf next. I have many reasons which move me to this, & shall only mention some of them. i". Because, M"". Blair, president of the intended College of William & Mary, when last in Engl'' ordered his Brother's Son, John Blair to be taken from School, which accordingly was done & by so doing, he broke the Ice for 5 or 6 more of his Kindred & Party, who likewise, (& only they), took their Sons & relations from school, after his laudible example, by which means I lost 7 scholars, almost one third of the whole, which had almost broke the School & was a considerable loss to me, six of them being my Boarders. 2"^. Because, by such proceedings I have very good reason to think, that M"". Blair & his party, have turned the noble design of the College, into a stalking-horse to serve a turn, & by taking their sons & relations from school, design'd to break it, because your Excellency is so much for promoting it, & that they might have it to say that your excellency had not interest enough in the Country to keep it up & that it could not be a School nor a College in M^ Blair's absence, tho' it was the least of his cares when Present. 3'''^. Because, he has address'd the Queen to remove your Excellency, the great Patron & Promoter of it, & the best friend (without flattery) that ever it had next to King William & Queen Mary & her present Majesty whom God long preserve & that too upon bare surmise without any legal trial or articles proved any otherwise, than by some positive & Exparte Affidavits, which one of that Party pretends cannot be invalidated by any future negative. 4"*. Because I have all along found M^ Blair uneasy & dissatisfied with the present Gov"^; & I being none of his party cannot expect to live comfortably 6 easy in his Society. 5"'. Because, he has highly injured & disgraced not only your excellency, but my school, my Scholars & myself in one of his affadavits, by making your T705.J HO Excellency the contriver & my scholars the executioners of a bad design, of which tho' he first acquits your Excellency, yet he immediately charges it upon you & lays the whole train of his accusation, so as to have it believed, by which means he has done what he could to make my scholars to be thought a Com- pany of Cut-throats or a Crew of Banditti, that makes no more of the life of a man, than the life of a hen, the' they are the best gentlemen's Sons in the Country & of such virtuous dispositions & honest principles as are not easily to be matched in most Grammar Schools, & this being no less an aspersion on myself, than on my scholars as if I cither did not, or knew not how, to form their minds with better principles, I cannot but deeply resent such usage. 6"'. I have learnt, by 1 2 years experience, that the intended College of William & Mary will never arrive at any greater Perfection than a Grammar School, while M'. Blair demands & takes his salary yearly as President while it is only a Grammar School, & while there remains no more money behind than will barely pay the Usher & Writing Master & myself, which 2 years ago, came very far short even of that & 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 ans^ the design in the Charter while things continue as they are. And if M^ Blair, were not your Excellency's enemy, I would tell you that there is not any thing, has done the College more disservice, than his demand- ing & taking his Salary as President of the College, while it is only a Grammar School, which has rendered the College so odious among the inhabitants, that it is look't upon, not as it is indeed a noble & excellent design, but a trick of M"". Blair's to enrich himself & for that reason there are but very few that send their sons to School. For these reasons, I am resolved, to quit die School at the term abovementioned & to have no more to do with it, while M'. Blair is concerned in it. I am, Your Excellency's Most humble Servant, MUNGO INGLIS. William & Mary College, Aug'8^ 1705. HI [1705- M\ COMMISSARY BLAIR to M': RUDD. WiiJjAM & Myvkv College in Vij-^ginia, August 16"', 1705. Rev° & Dear Brdther, I am commanded by his Excellency Edw'^ Nott, Esq^, to signify to you that he has some matters of moment to communicate to the Clergy of this colony, from our R* Rev'^ Diocesan, My Lord Bishop of London, in order to which, I desire your presence & assistance at Williamsbiirgh at a meeting of the Clergy, on Wednesday morning, the 29 of this ins''. Sir, your affectionate Brother & humble Servant, JAMES BLAIR, Commissary. Virginia, Aug. 30, 1705. We the Subscribers, the major part of the Clergy of this her Majesty's Ancient Colony & Dominion of Virginia, her Majesty's most dutiful & peace- able Subjects, true & Genuine Sons of the Church of Engl'' & early initiated into her principles & the constant Loyal addresses to her majesty's late repre- sentative amongst us, the Hon""^ Francis Nicholson, Esq., being by a letter from our most honored Diocesan, the R"- Hon**'^ & R' Rev'' Father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of London, withheld from offering any thing by way of address or testimonial, to the S'' Hon''''^ Francis Nicholson, Esq'., now upon his departure for England, unwillingly forbear. But having carefully considered the Several depositions relating to us of the Clergy, against the S'' Gov'' Nicholson, do declare them to be frivolous. Scandalous, False & malicious. Witness our Hands: Solomon Whately, Dan. Taylor, G. Smith, James Sclater, 1705.J 142 Edw° Portlock, W" Rudd, Ralph Bowker, Peter Wagener, John Carnegie, James Burtell, W" Williams, James Boisseau, Emanuel Jones, O. Jones, Jacob Ware, And. Monro, Arthur Tili.vard, Tho^ Sharp, Bar. Yates, James Clack, Lewis Latane, Peter Kippax, Rich" Squire. Memoj'midtcm. M^ Coninis' Biair's trusty, Non-addressors are these following & no more : NP. Jn*'. Monro, his countryman & Brother in Law. M''. Ja^ Wallace, his countryman & Brother deponent. M^ Geo. Robertson '\ M^ Cha^ Anderson > his countrymen. M"". Ja^ Brechin ) M''. S'. Jn". Shropshire, English born. To whom belonged while among us, M''. Stephen Fouace, a Walloon, M"", Comm'"'^ Agent & Residentiary now in Engl'^, To his Reverence the Rev*' Ja^ Blair Commissar}'' to the Right Hon"^'^ & R' Rev'' Father in God, Henry Lord Bishop of London, within this her Majesty's ancient Colony & dominion of Virginia, the humble representation of us the Subscribers, the far major part of the Clergy of the the S*^ Colony here present, Tliat we do not take upon ourselves, to dispute your Reverence's Author- ity & Jurisdiction over us as Commissary, to the R* Hon'''° & R' Rev** Father in God, Henry Lord Bishop ot London, within this her Majesty's Colony & Dominion of Virginia. But that having seen an authentically attested Copy of an order of Queen in Council, signifying it to be her Majesty's Royal pleasure that you should not depart the Kingdom of Engl'' nor come into Virginia, till by having abiden 143 [1705- her Majesty's just determination & Royal award, in a certain case nearly re- lating to the 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 labor. Hereupon we humbly submit it to your 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 your character, untill such time as her Majesty's pleasure be further known, your being in, or executing upon us, within this, her Majesty's colony of Virginia, any Power or commission what- soever of a date antecedent to the date of that order of Queen in council or of an Authority not equal to it. Or unless we shall have some such dispensation given us as may be suf- ficient to secure us from the danger of incurring the like censure of contempt, should we shew our selves over forward in paying our respects & obedience to a person himself standing (as to us seems), in contempt & disobedience of her most Sacred Majesty. Untill which shall be done if we think it more safe & more becoming our character for us of the Clergy, to withdraw & suspend for a season, our usual respects & obedience, We hope this our humble representation & the Scrup- ulous fear we have of doing any thing, which may expose us to censure or con- tempt, either here (where your reverence cannot be but sensible under what a general Odium you lye), or at home (where your case seems very doubtful), will receive a favorable interpretation. Thus Sir, humbly desiring you to take, into your Serious consideration, both our circumstances & your own, we subscribe ourselves under the condi- tions before named. Rev*^ Sir, your Reverences most humble & most Obedient Servants, Sol" Whately, John Carnegie, Tho' Sharp, W*' Williams, Arthur Till yard, Ja^ Clack, Ja^ Sclater, Bar. Yates, Pei'ER Kiit-'ax, Edw^ Portlock, Lewis Latane, Rich" Squire. Ja' Boisseau, Edw" Butler, Jacob Ware, Dan"- Taylor, G. Smith, Ja^ Burtell, Ralph Buwker, W"' Rudd, Em. Jones, Peter Wagener, O. Jones, And. Munro, I705-] 144 (PS) If under this our humble remonstrance, you shall please to Subscribe it, as your Judgment & opinion that notwitstanding that order of Queen in Council, 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, Sir, you shall be pleased in terms direct & express to deliver this to us as your Judgment in the case, we shall not dispute your determination, but sub- mit, otherwise we must for a time suspend. Vera Copia, Test, Aug. 29, 1705. Wii-ijAM Stannard, This is a true Copy of the Paper J'"'Hx Wyatt, delivered to M^ Com^ Blair at the Rich" Wvatt. Church in Williamsburgh, by Em AN'- Jones. Williamsburgh, Aug. 30, 1705. Rev" Sir, You having been pleased this day to read to us, some papers by way of answ"" & remarks upon our humble representation, presented to you yesterday & withal having promised to deliver the same to us in writing, the greatest part of us living at a considerable distance & desiring 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 Rev'' brother, M'". Whately, your near neighbor to be by him, communicated to us. We are. Rev'' Sir, your most humble Servants, Directed, Jacob Ware, To the Rev'' M''. Com' Blair, ik'^. Lewis Latanie, This is a true & exact copy of the Arthur Tillvard, Letter. Delivered by me (irom the Peter Wagener, Clergy whose names are here sub- Dan'- Tayeor, scribed), to the Rcv*^ M"". Comm^' Blair, Edw'' Porteock, the day of the date hereof W" Wieeiams, Edward Plirteock. Em. Jones, W^' RUDD, To which M''. Commissary was Edw^" Butler, 145 [1705- pleased to answ' by word of mouth G. Smith, (refusing- to do it in writing), that he Bar. Yates, would comply with the Clergy's desire, And. Monro, specified in this letter & leave it in the Tiio^ Sharp, hands of M'. Whately, to be communi- Ja^ Clack, Gated unto the Clergy. Peter Kippax, Edward Portlock. Rich'' Squire. At a meeting of the Clergy of Virginia at the Church at Williamsburgh Aug. 29, 1705. Present, The ReV^ M^ Com^ Blair, &^ M"". Com^ Preached onAfatt. 11: 29. After sermon, the Gov' presented to the Clergy, a letter from the Lord Bishop of London. Directed to them, which is as follows : April 29, 1705. Brethren, It is not without great concern for you, that I write this general admonition for when I reflect upon the hard censures, that have passed upon you here in England for your being drawn into addresses & testimonials & by what inde- cent & irregular methods procured, how you exposed yourselves, in complying & coming into every thing, contrary to the knowledge and sentiments of many of you. I cannot but be ashamed for you, that the Gospel should have infused no better principles into your hearts. But God be thanked, that temptation is over & contrary to your demerits, you have a Gov' that will need none of your testimonials, nor expect any other thing from you but a peaceable & Sober behaviour, that your flocks may learn by your examples as well as precepts how to demean themselves. If you imagine your late Gov"", Co'. Nicholson, has been injurious to you, forgive as you would be forgiven & express no resentment; but part with him fairly & friendly, without signing papers or playing the fool, as you have done formerly, happy are you now if it be not your own faults, for I dare say, your Gov' comes with an unbias'd mind to serve the queen & the common interest of the Plantation without re- spect of persons. He expects all grudges & private animosities, all factions & 1 705. J 146 parties should be forgotten & that all should forget & forgive, look forwards, & remember the guilt of Lott's wife : be ye therefore the first, my dear breth- ren, in setting a good example to this happy revolution : Let your Gov"" be wit- ness of your good behaviour, Your Commissary, of the faithful discharge of your duty & God Almighty of your sincerity. Let this moment shut the door upon all, that is pass'd, let no complaints come to me but what are dated after the hour you read this & let the remembrance of all things be gone, be as if they had never been. Let us now begin upon a new ace* & cancel all the old ones. For my parti will not hear nor remember, what has befallen before this time. I shall be perfectly deaf to all that is passed & expect to hear from you for the 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 the hearty prayer of, Your most assured friend, Diocesan & brother H., London. For the Rev*^ My Brethren, the 1 Clergy of Virginia. J After Reading of the Said Letter, the Gov' recommended to the Clergy^ the following of the Bishop's advice, as being that which would tend most to her majesty's Service, the peace of the Country, their own happiness & would be most obliging to him, & so withdrew. Then M^ Commissary made a short speech, to the Clergy signifying his resolutions for his part to comply with my Lord Bishop's admonition, recommending the same to the Clergy, his speech was in the words following : Dear Brethren, The occasion of convocating you at this time, was to impart you the letter which you have heard from our R' Rev'^ Diocesan. He has so fully spoke his own sense, that I have nothing to add, but only to assure you that I am fully resolved for my part to Comply with his most prudent, Christian, & Peaceable, admonition. The world knows I have been strangely assaulted & accused of countenancing the precariousness of the Clergy & some other ill things which I am so far from being guilty of, that I have express'd in all times and under all Gov" a distinguishing Zeal against them both here & in England. But 147 [i7o5- tho' I am the person wrongfully taxed & accused, I shall lay my hand upon my mouth & draw a vail upon all that is past, I hope this will not be so mis- construed, as if I were any way conscious to myself that I cannot ans'' what has been laid to my charge. So far from that, that if any real scruple remains with any of you, I shall take it as the greatest kindness if you will give me an opportunity of satisfying it in private without exposing ourselves by our public differences ; & if that wont do, Then make it as public & complain of me in God's name to my superiors as much as you please. I desire no favor upon that accl If any man is weary of the late unhappy divisions & animos- ities which have been among us, he shall find me ready to forgive & forget & to be perfectly reconciled, to that degree that 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 the way of back- biting in holes & corners he will do it in any way either of public justice or private arbitration, he shall find me ready to give him satisfaction. Ye have heard a great deal to-day, for peace and quietness, pray remember that our divisions will be nuts to the adversaries of the Church, & of the profession of the ministry, the Atheists, the papists, the Quakers, the loose and ungodly livers & several others who have no great respect for our function. It requires our joint labours to withstand all these, but how glad will they be, to see that Zeal which used to be spent against them, now employed in worrying & devouring one another. I for my part am ready to pass by all provoca- tions, being well satisfied ye have not been the principals but only accessories in them, if ye for your parts are as amicably & peaceably disposed, I hope we shall mutually reap the blessed fruits of union & concord and the service of the Church will be so much the better promoted. But if any are still desirous to blow up the coals of contention, I am afraid I must tell you, they themselves 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"" who is as studious of union & quiet as some others have been of Party & faction & notwithstanding the Idle stories which are industriously spread all over the Country to the contrary ; we who have been near the fountain head of business know that he is a gentleman of that established good character & that firm interest, that we are like to be long happy under his Gov^ and they will find, that they do but kick against the Pricks who go about directly or indirecdy to undermine him or make him uneasy. To con- 1705.] 148 elude let us thankfully acquiesce in her majesty's choice of a good Gov'', a Gentleman fitted to heal our breaches & compose our difference & make us all easy and happy, & let us comply with the wise & Christian admonitions of our excellent Bishop & endeavour to live friendly & Brotherly with one another keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. I do again assure you it shall not be long of me if our differences be long lived, & as to you I shall take my characters of you, not from what you were, when under the strong influences of a mighty over swaying power, of which I have been many times an eye and ear v^ritness, but from what you will shew yourselves hereafter, when fairly left to the freedom of your own choice. I am sensible that I am very unequal for the charge wherein thro' the providence of God, I am continued, but I hope thro' God's blessing upon my honest endeavours & your good council & assistance which I intend duly to ask and take along with me in every thing of moment that this poor infant Church may yet prosper & flourish, especially if every one of us Is careful not only to maintain brotherly love, but likewise to adorn the truth of his doc- trine with an exemplary hfe & conversation in pastoral diligence & all other Christian virtues. Then M"". Emanuel Jones coming to M^ Comm^; with a paper in his hand, with die hands of several of the clergy to It said, he was empowered by the Clergy to present that paper. M'. Commissary enquiring when & where that paper was signed & understanding that it was at a separate meeting held at the house of M"". Jn". Young, where Gov' Nicholson lives, made ans"" to M""- Jones, that he could not own that as a regular meeting of the Clergy it havlno- been, called by no authority civil or ecclesiastical of this Colony & without the Privity, Presence or Assistance of himself as being my Lord B^ of Lon- don's Commis^ without whom no ecclesiastical meeting for treating & con- cluding upon any Ecclesiastical matters ought to be held when he is in the Country, & that he thought such proceedings very unfair & contrived to pre-engage several persons by subscriptions, by that means to prevent the freedom of their deliberations, at our public general meetino-, which was immediately after to be held, for which reasons he told them that he could not receive that paper as an act of the Clergy of this Country. But at the same time made offer, that if they would fairly propose those same things now in the regular meeting & proceed by the usual & regular way of fair motion, Debate, Question, Vote & resolution, they should be welcome to do it & fairly 149 [1705. "have the opinions of the Clergy in these things or whatever else they pleased, upon which the Subscribers of the S** Paper, going out of the Church & all proceedings being thereupon for some time stopt, they returned again after half an hour to M^ Commis'' & some others of the Clergy that had remained with him, telling him that they would not insist upon the paper as an act of the Clerg^^ or that it should be read in the public meeting thereof, only desired that he would take it as a private paper, directed to himself in private for the reso- lution of a Case of Conscience in which they desired satisfaction from him alone, upon these terms M^ Com'' receiving the paper but not in the meeting of the Clergy, as to the material part of the Case or scruple proposed therein, returned them a speedy ans'' In writing, in the following words, viz : Rev" Bkethken, 2123.|)CrcaS", you have been pleased to propose It to me as a doubt, whether notwithstanding a certain order of the Queen In Council, Dated May 3, 1705, you can own me as Com^ of Virginia, & are pleased to say, you will submit to my own opinion, in the case, given under my hand I do here not only give you my opinion of your being safe In so doing, but shall further satisfy you In the reasons of the S'' opinion. i^'. There is not one word in that order of Council (were it never so reg- ular), tending In the least to lay me aside from my office of Com^ & with sub- mission I Judge it not proper for you to draw any such consequences, till the Queen herself or my Lord B^ of London, or the Gov' or Gov' & Council of Virginia, have signified it to you. On the contrary I doubt not, It would be construed, as a medllng with things not within your province, if you should go to interpose your judgment before her Majesty, the B^, or Gov'' have interposed theirs. I do likewise acquaint you, that I had good advice In Law & that my Lord Bp of London was thoroughly acquainted with my case, after the S'^ order was made & did not offer In the least, to withdraw or suspend my power as Com'' tho' he knew of my coming with the fleet & that I had likewise made a full ans" to the S'' Order which I doubt not, is satisfactory, which I shall be very willing to shew any of you in private, tho' for the reasons above mentioned, you must not take upon you to prejudge concerning the merits of the cause, but to abide her Majesty's determination. In the mean time that I am Com^ of Virginia (as you have it already from my Lord B^ of London & his Excel- 1705.J I50 lency our Gov'). So seeing you desire it under my own hand & that you are- safe & act according to your duty in owning me as such. I put my name to- these presents. Sic Subscribitur, JAMES BLAIR. Then the Clergy being again met in the Convention, with M'. Com'' & the' Subscribers of the above mentioned paper being likewise present, M^. Comm'^'' answ' to the case was publicly read, & the question being put whether the said answ"" of M'. Comm'^'^ was a satisfactory Ans" to the mate- rial part of the case proposed in the abovementioned paper, resolved unani- mously that it was a satisfactory ans'. Then M'. Comm'^' Urged, that having answered the material part of the case & scruple to their own satisfaction, he hoped for peace's sake they would not think it fit, to keep in some gross reflections upon himself, which were interspersed in their paper. In ans' to which, some proposing the cancelling of the S'' Aspersions, other, the sinking of the whole paper & that instead thereof the case should be drawn anew without reflection, but others insisting, upon the preserving of that paper entire as it was ; night drawing on before they had adjusted this matter, the meeting was adjourned by consent till to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock. Aug' the 30'*" at 9 in the morn^ M"". Comra'^ having this day, again pro- posed that for peace's sake, the material part of their scruple being answered to their satisfaction, they would find some way to alter those unjust reflections, they had made in the paper wherein their case was proposed. M'. Edw** Portlock in the name of those who had signed that paper, before the meeting of the Clergy, made ans"" that they had considered of the matter & were resolved to adhere to what they had subscribed, upon which several of the Brethren giving instances of the falsehood of that expression in the paper, that M'. Blair, lay under the general odium of the Country, whereas to their knowledge in their several parishes, he was much belov'd & respected & especially in his own parish & among his nearest neighbours, who knew him best & desiring the others to instance in any thing that was odious in M'. Blair's life & conversation ; notwithstanding which the others answering with an obstinate adherence to their subscriptions. M'. Comm'^ seeing that they were resolved to keep up this paper as the ball of contention, desired in order to their conviction, that they would hear some material objections he had to offer against the said paper, which after he had begun to read, the greater 151 [1705. part of the subscribers being impatient, went out of the Church saying, they would not stay to hear such things, others of them stayed and heard the objections to an end & then immediately withdrew to M'. Young's house, where the late Gov'' Nicholson lodges, desiring before they went, that M"". Com'^ would let them have a copy of those objections, which he promised as soon as it could be fair drawn out. After they had been gone above half an hour, they sent IVr. Portlock to M"". Comm'''' who remained still in the Church, with such of the ministers who had not subscribed the S"^ paper, who delivered to him a letter subscribed by 12 of their number signifying their being desirous to hasten homeward & that they requested that those papers {if they are not yet in a readiness to be delivered), might be put into the hands of his neighbour M^ Whatley, to be communicated by him to them. M^ Comm''^ by the advice of the brethren remaining in the meeting, had the minutes of the proceedings fairly drawn up ■& attested & being sensible of their frequent recourse to Gov' Nicholson's lodging & their former subscriptions & obligations to him, that there was little appearance of their being persuaded into a good temper while he was in the Country & they so much under his influence resolved to trouble them no further at this time, especially being assured from some of themselves, that -3. little time & patience after his absence, would set all things right. The remarks & objections, which M"". Comm''^ offered to the paper they so much insisted on were as follows : First that as to the manner of procuring It, It was very irregular upon the following acc'^ ; i". That the said meeting was held without the knowledge, privity or con- sent of the Bishop's Commissary. 2"^. That the meeting where it was signed was a clandestine meeting, called by no authority civil nor Ecclesiastical. 3'''^. That this way of drawing papers & gathering of hands In private. Is inconsistent with the usual way of proceeding In aU regular Conventions, which is by motion. Debate, Question, Vote & resolution. 4"^. That the only persons called to this meeting (excepting one newly arrived), were such of the Clergy as had by former addresses & subscripdons pre-engaged themselves, to Gov"" Nicholson & not the whole Clergy. 5'^^ That all such pre-engaging of persons by subscription before they come to the regular meedngs of the Clergy is utterly destructive to all free- 1705.] 1 52 dom of deliberation & debate which is essentially necessary to all lawful conventions. ^CCOntllp, As to the matter & form of that paper (excepting what is already satisfied, in the ans^ to the abovementioned case), it contains several false & Scandalous reflections upon myself as if I had left England under suspicious & Scandalous circumstances, as if I now stood in contempt & disobedience to her Majesty & as if I lay under the general Odium of this Country, all which are so many gross abuses & calumnies most undeservedly thrown upon mc. ILaSitlg, Because the design of that paper, seems to be exceeding suspicious & to look with a bad aspect, not only upon the ecclesiastical, but also the Civil GovS of this Country, with relation to his Excellency, Edw^ Nott, Esq'., our present Gov"", in whose sweet temper & peaceable disposition, the Country is Exceeding happy. The reasons of this suspiciousness are : I^^ That I am informed some of those Clergymen who signed this paper,, were invited to come to town, the night before the general meeting of the Clergy by the late Gov'' Nicholson's messages & letters after he was out of his Gov\ 2""^. That their meeting was at M''. Young's house where the S^ late Gov- ernor lives. 3'"''. That the S'^ Gov' Nicholson was acquainted with & had seen a moni- tory letter written by my Lord Bishop of London to the Clergy of this Country, wherein his Lordship guards them against such subscriptions & addresses which letter, had it been first communicated to the 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 the Bishop's admonition in the said letter & all this by his knowledge & privity, if not advice & Insignation. 4"'. Because before this meeting of the Clergy, the late Gov'' had sent all over the Country, Copies of her Majesty's letter, & the R' Hon^'^ Sir Charles Hedges his letter to him together, with the petition of M'. Geo. Wilcox his Solicitor against me, & the order of Council thereupon, by all which with the Stories & comments upon the S^ Papers published by his emissaries, viz; that he was much in favor with her Majesty & that he was only going home to clear himself & would return Gov' hither in a little time, that I had fled 153 [i7o5- from public justice in Engl'' & was to be sent home in Irons, It Is probable those of the Clergy, who adhered to his Party, were prepared to draw up this strange paper. 5'^''. Because it is insinuated in this paper that I he under the General Odium of the Country' & tho' the reason Is not expressed, yet it Is talked here & doubtless will be confidently reported, In Engl^ that it Is because I have been so instrumental in proving the complaints against the S'* late Gov^ & it looks as if this address were to be made use of in Engl**, to countenance a story of the dissatisfaction of this Country with the change of the Gov'', upon all which acc*^ as I can by no means approve of this paper myself. So I hope several of my brethren, who have been unwarily led Into the Clandestine sub- scription of It, may now still withdraw their hands as being innocent of the Sinister uses that may be made of their subscriptions. Most of the ministers hastening out of Town, M^ Com"^ with some few that remained, finished the minutes of this meeting, whereof they attest this to be a true copy. John Monro, James Brechin, James Blair Com"^, S"^. Jn". Shropshire, James Wallace, Cua.^. Anderson, Geo. Robertson. This is a true copy of the copy delivered to me by M^. Commissary' Blair's own hands (Involuntary Scapes of Transcription excepted), SOLOMON WHEATLEY. 1705.] ^54 SOME REMARKS UPON The Minutes or Ace" of the proceedings at a meeting of the Clergy of Virginia at the Church at WilUamsburgh^ Aug 29, 1705. Drawn up, Signed & attested, by M^ James Blair, Corn's'^ his brother-in-law M"". Jn° Munro, his brother deponent M^ Ja' Wallace, M"". Geo. Robert- son, M'. Cha' Anderson, M"". Ja' Brechin his countryman & the Rev'^ M"". S^ Jn" Shropshire. That ace' begins with the mention of M". Comm"^'' Sermon on the subject of meekness & Humility, from Matt. 1 1: 29. M'. Comm'^ cannot forbear stufihng evei^ half page of this acct' with his crambo Storys of Gov'' Nicholson's overawing methods, B^^. M^ Com^^' hath all along shewed himself, not one jot inferior to Gov' Nicholson, in making use of his overawing methods, witness a passage or two, toward the close of that his Sermon of meekness, together with a multitude more of instances, old & new producible if required. 'Tis a plain case & apparent from the whole matter of his management, that M"". Com^ Blair, with all his meekness & Humility is as desirous as any man of Sovereignty & can as little bear contradiction. M"". Com"^''^ Sermon on Meekness & Pozuer stands backt in that ace' with my Lord Bi' of London's letter to us, transcribed at length. M"". Commissary's having procured against us such a Letter from my Lord Bp of London is another instance of his overawing methods & of the ill use he makes of his Lordship's good opinion of him. The Bishop of London's letter is wholly founded upon the Bottom of M"". Com""^ Blair's depositions. What our sentiments are of those depositions of M^ Com'^ Blair against Gov'' Nicholson (as far as they relate to us of the Clergy), is by this time (I presume), known to the Lord's commissioners of trade & plantations, which we shall not retract, the' now deliver'd from that mighty OVERSWAYING POWER, uuder which it seems we lately lay & by which it is sug- gested, all such kind of things were extorted from us. And if M"". Com^ now while he is upon the spot, desires to have them over again, it shall be no ^55 [1705. fault of ours, if he be not gratified, & tho' I am now Single & alone & there- fore If I exceed my bounds, I alone am answerable for it, yet herein I confi- dently presume, I speak the sense of all of us. And I heartily wish we may not only have, the liberty but be brought under a necessity (a thing not Impossible), of putting in our answers to those depositions, with the same solemnity with which they were given. The grand & sole offence charged upon us in the Bishop of London's letter, is our having been drawn into addresses & testimonials & that by so indecent & irregular methods as is suggested in M^ Com"^'^ depositions, nay, & that contrary to the knowledge & sentiments of many of us, viz : those many mentioned in the title of this paper. This is that grand & sole offence, for which M''. Com""^' hath procured so extremely severe a censure upon us & upon acc*^ of which, his Lordship is pleased thus to express himself to us — "I cannot but be ashamed, for you, that the Gospel, should have influenced no better principles into your hearts," viz : Than, to address Gov"" Nicholson, to which accusation we are commanded to Submit, with silence & not to offer a Syllable by way of reply. It grieves us to see under what a preposession his Lordship lies & into what an unfatherly partiality he is betrayed. But M.'. Com"^ is a man of a meek appearance & a master of the art of insinuation & by such persons, the best natures are the most easily imposed upon. The case of us, the addressing Clergy, is in short this, there hath been for some years past an unhappy contest, between Gov' Nicholson & some few leading Gentlemen of the Country. Criminations & Recriminations on both sides (God knows), too many, the mischief & Scandal of which all of us sadly lament & wish it were in our power to put a stop to the further progress of them. That any of us the addressing Clergy, had any hand in creating those unhappy differences, or did in the least concern ourselves in them till they were gone to such a height that it was impossible to stifle them, I think M"". Com^ Blair cannot pretend. As for myself (I then living In a remote corner of die country), they were some years on foot (at least one year on foot), before I so much as knew any thing of them, but by uncertain rumour. But when they were grown to their full height & to our grief we found some of our own Coat also, too deeply engaging themselves In practices, so unsuitable to the meekness of their profession ; & above all, M''. Com^ Blair (as is noto- riously known at home as well as here), & that one branch of the accusations I705-] 156 against our then Gov'^ related to us of the Clergy by which we were (whether we would or not), to be twisted into the controversy, we then found ourselves brought under a necessity either of suffering ourselves to be esteemed par- tizans with the complainers, or of declaring our disapprobation of them, which we knew no more proper way of doing than by these our addresses & testi- monials, which have drawn upon us so severe a censure, but which as circum- stances then stood, had we forborn to have made the lasting prejudice the whole name of the Priesthood would have suffered in these parts of the world, would been of more fatal consequence to us, than can be any temporar;^ Misprisions we may for a short time (till the reason of the thing be duly con- sidered) lye under at home, & if we, the addressing clergy, must lye under such a censure, the best gentlemen of the country, nay, almost the whole Province (one or two spreading famihes excepted), will be involved in the same condemnation ; the addressors & favourers of the addressers & ready (were it proper), to add their names to them, being throughout the whole Province, taking in all sorts & conditions of men from the highest to the lowest (one or two families as before excepted), I verily believe some hundreds to one, as plainly appears to any stranger that doth but set his foot on this shore from the common talk of the people, as well as from more public & authentic testimonies. 'Tis plain therefore that the addressing Clergy have the general favor of the people & the anti-addressing quite the contrary. A matter of fact so plain that M"". Com^' himself tho' he will not own it, cannot but know it, that therefore there cannot but be a greater disservice to the Chh of Eng^ & the Minister of it, not only within this colony of Virginia but throughout all the northern continent of America (throughout all which our unhappy differences & who have been the chiefest actors in them is but too well known), than to have the personal interest & pocket gain of one Single person so vigorously supported to so general a dissatisfaction.' Tis a common notion here & through- out all the plantations, that they will not be priest ridden, which common aversion against Priest riding, could scarce have been by any other means whatsoever more confirmed & hightened, than by M"". Com'' Blair's having been so intermeddling in affairs not belonging to his coat & so instrumental (as he seems not unwilling to own), in Public changes, to which the Protection afforded him from home, doth not a little increase the Odium. The fatal consequences of which oveT-awing methods (should M"'. Com^ adventure to pursue them much farther), will in the end fall heavy on us, the poor objects of the Priesthood in 157 [1705- these parts of the world & cut us off from all hopes of obtaining with the con- sent of the people (without which it will do us little good), a better settlement than what we now enjoy, It being of late become too common a reflection, in the mouths of the better sort of the people among us, how dangerous a thing it Is for a priest to be trusted with too much power. And thus much for our addresses & testimonials : the occasion & the reasons of them & how we came to be drawn Into them. Upon the whole let all the world judge, who have acted In all this affair most agreeably to the principles which the Gospel teacheth, most becoming loyal subjects & most like true& genuine sons of the Chh of Engl*^, the addressers or the complaincrs, & If M^ Blair & his friends shall still make a farther stir about our addresses & testimonials, let them talk on till they arc weary. Next after my Lord B^ of London's letter, follows in the ace', a recapitula- tion of his Excellency's speech to us, which is fairly represented. After that M"". Commissar}''s speech which he made to us out of writing. REMARKS ON Mi^. COMMISSARY'S SPEECH. " — Answer what hath been laid to my charge [& again] to accuse me of any crimes or misdemeanors." It hath been laid to M'', Commissary's charge & under that charge in the opinion of almost all men, who ever heard anything of him, he still labours. That he hath been ever since he came Into place & power, a very busy man, & troublesome under every Gov'^ & It hath been laid to his charge before the Queen in Council, that he hath aspersed her Majest}'''s Gov' & Gov"^ here, with false & malicious informations, which is no small crime & misdemeanor, but as for that, we have nothing to do with it. We never design to turn accusers, unless forc'd to do it in our own vindication. " — Complain of me {In God's name), as much as you please. I desire no favor upon that acc^" No! NO Favor but a Protection; M'. Comm^" very well knew, before he made that speech, that we are under a prohibition of making any complaints against him, or of so much as answering for ourselves; a safe challenge. " — If any man is weary of the late, unhappy divisions & animosities, which have been among us." We are all of us weary of them & most heartily wish the cause ot them removed. ;■] 158 ' — Never put him in mind of what is past." Such a forgetfulness is necessary on all hands. ' — Backbiting in holes & corners." Of ail the men I know, M^ Commissary BlaJr hath the least cause to com- n of Backbiting in Holes and Corners ; what men speak of M^ Blair, they ik in the high Roads & not in Holes & Corners. " — I for my part am ready to pass by all provocations." This is good again; so that it be mutually taken. " — Being well satisfied that ye have not been the principals, but only' the lessaries in them." In them? In what? In our addresses & testimonials & opposing M"". n^''^ opposing her Majest^^'s Gov"^ & Representative? if so I accept not of the ■gation, he offers in all these things. I own myself to have been not a sr accessaiy only but a principal. — But if any are still desirous to blow up the Coals of contention I am lid I must tel] you, they themselves may have occasion to repent it when it oo late." This in M''. Com^' Blair is meekness ; in another man it would have been 'd overawing. Here follows a paragraph, the most elaborate & artificial in the whole :ech, which I must dwell upon, awhile & therefore transcribe at Length. " — The case is much altered now, from what it was, some time ago. God thanked, we have now a Gov^ who is as studious of union & quiet, as some ers have been of Party & faction & notwithstanding the idle stories which industriously spread all over the countn,^ to the contrar}-, we who have ;n near the fountain head of business, know that he is a Gentleman of that :ablished good Character & that firm interest, that we are like to be long )py under his Gov*^ & they will find that they do but kick against the Pricks, o go about directly or indirectly to undermine him or make him uneasy." This Paragraph with all Its paint & daubing; if taken without a corrective ■ank poison. " — The Case is much altered now from what it was some time ago. God thanked we have now a Gov' who is as studious of union & quiet, as some lers have been of Party & faction." As some others have been, viz: Gov'' Andros & Gov"" Nicholson, who have :h of them felt the effects of M"". Com^' Blair's meekness. ^$9 [1705. " — £u^ God be thanked, we have now a Gov'' who is" &c. We like our Gov'^ as well as M"". Com^ can do, for the heart of him & as thankfully acquiesce in her Majestj^'s choice ; and already see sufficient grounds to ominate to ourselves, the greatest ease & happiness under his Gov'' & have not the least suspicion to the contrary. But as a friend let me tell M''. Com^ that his passion hath of late got too much the Ascendant over his discretion & that he takes but an Awkward way of recommending himself to the New Gov' by discovering, upon every turn, so inveterate & untameable a spleen against the Old one. I wonder so great a politician as M^ Blair should run upon so foul a mistake. But every man hath his weakness, & this is M"". Blair's. He can as well forbear drawing his breath, as venting his Gall against Gov' Nicholson, — & yet this Gov"^ Nicholson was (as I have been inform'd), Ushered into his Gov^ with this very self same Serenade of our Good Gov"" & a very good Gov' did he continue, till it was his misfortune to fall under the displeasure of M"" Com^, but the sting lies in what follows. " — And notwithstanding the Idle stories which 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 against the Pricks, who go about directly or in- directly, to undermine him or make him uneasy." And may that wretch be clothed with infamy, that shall go about directly or indirectly to undermine him or make him uneasy. But why in God's 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 stories? and by whom so industriously spread all over the country? & to the contrary of what? & what is the meaning of kicking against the Pricks? or who is it that kicks against the Pricks, or goes about directly or indirectly to undermine him or make him uneasy? These are very suspicious expressions. 1 would wil- lingly hope better things of M"". Com^ than that it is in his intentions, to create jealousies in the Gov'" against us, & thereby to throw us afresh into those em- broilments, out of which we are now in a fair way of recovering. But these (should he use the like in other companies or should they come to the Gov'''^ ears), are desperate insinuations & bear an untoward aspect that way, but we know the Gov"^ to be too wise a man, to be easily put upon & there lies our securit}'. " — & let us comply with the wise & Christian admonitions of our excel- lent Bishop." 1 705 -J '60 Part of which runs in these words — "If you imagine your late Gov' Nich- olson hath been injurious to you, forgive as you would be forgiven & express no resentments 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 mighty overswaying power, of which I have been many times an eye & ear witness, but from what ye will show your- selves hereafter, when fairly left to the freedom of your own choice." " Under the sb'oitg infitiences of a mighty overszvaying power" here's another dab upon Gov' Nicholson: So soon hath M'. Com^ forgot, the wise & Christian admonition of our excellent B^. " — Of which I have been many times an eye & ear witness." And many a time have I & many others, been eye & ear witnesses of many insufferable affronts & provocations, offered to Gov' Nicholson, on pur- pose to exasperate him & raise him into a passion that so they might get an advantage of exposing & accusing him. As to M'. Com^'^ taking his charac- ter of us, from the time past or time to come ; if he refers (as he seems to do), to our behaviour toward our late Gov' & to the difference between him- self & us upon that Ace'; he may take them at which end he pleases, should M'. Com^ shew himself (which God forbid), the same toward Gov'Nott, as he hath toward Gov' Nicholson, & (as 'tis said) to Gov' Andros before him ; the same is like to be our behaviour toward M'. Com'' Blair for the time to come, as it hath been for the time past ; If otherwise, otherwise. In us, the address- ors, there needs not in that respect, any change. M'. Com^''^ speech concludes with a fair offer & seasonable exhortation for which we thank him. After this Speech of M'. Com^ follows in tlie acc"^, by way narrative, a re- lation of M"". Emmanuel Jones' offering a certain paper to M'. Com^ ; of M'. Com^'^ refusing to receive that paper, of the reason of such his refusal, & of the condition upon which at last he received it, which as to the main (for I will not stick at a little circumstance or two), I admit to be a true ace' of the matter of fact. But it is wonderful to see with what a pomp of argument, what a volley of words M', Com^ attacks that poor paper of ours, viz : " — A SEPARATE meeting of the Clergy at the house of M'. Jn". Young where Gov' Nicholson lives, which separate meeting of the Clergy was not a regular meeting of the Clergy, as not having been call'd by any Authority, civil or Ecclesiastical of this Colony & having been held without the Privity, Presence or Assistance of himself, as being my Lord B^ of London's Com^, i6i [1705. without whom no Ecclesiastical meeting for the treating or concluding, upon any ecclesiastical matters ought to be held, & that therefore that paper, hav- ing been drawn up at that separate meeting of the Clergy called by no power civil or ecclesiastical, &c., therefore he could not, receive that paper as an Act of the Clergy of this Country, &c." Nor did they offer it to him as an act of Ihc Clergy of this Country, the Clergy of this Country never pretended to a power of holding separate Eccle- siastical meetings ; or to treat & conclude upon any Ecclesiastical matters, without the Privity, Presence or Assistance of my Lord Bishop of London's Com^'. But if 2, 3, 4 or more of the Clergy of this Country should agree to eat a Plum Pudding or Shoulder of Mutton together, they believed they might safely do it, without calling in to their assistance, my Lord B^ of Lon- don's Com^. And if they should after dinner, fall into a discourse of Eccle- siastical matters, tho' without the Privity, Presence or Assistance of my Lord Bp of London's Com^ & should adventure among themselves, to say, that in suspending such an one, or doing so & so, my Lord B^ of London's Com^ had exceeded his Commission & done more than he could justify: nay, & tho' 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 Gov'' himself; yet they do not think that all this would amount, to the taking upon themselves the exercise of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or the passing Ecclesiastical cen- sures, or the breach of their Canonical Obedience. Or suppose they should at such a separate meeting, agree among themselves to draw up any writing, whether by way of Petition, Query, Proposal, Complaint or otherwise, in order to present it to my Lord B^ of London's Com^" at the next general meeting of the Clerg}'', they know not against what Canon they offend or wherein con- sists the irregularity of making such applications. But if my Lord Bp of London's Com^ should refuse, so much as to receive their representations tendered to him after such a manner, they should not be able to forbear thinking that he took upon himself too great a state & Lordliness & was re- ducing them to the lowest degree of Vassalage. This business of the Paper which bred such a mighty stir, was just thus much & no more. The morn- ing before our meeting together in the Church, a certain paper was drawn up & agreed to not (as it is in the Acc*^), at the house of IVP. Jn". Young where Gov'' Nicholson lives but at M"'. Whately's lodgings, in the College, tho' from thence carried indeed to the house of M''. Jn". Young & there transcrib'd fair 1705.] 1 62 & signed ; but without the Privity, Presence or Assistance of Gov' Nicholson or his being any manner of ways connected in it. This Paper was offered to M^ Com^ in the Chh which he (tho' 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"", Com^ fled off: & so we broke up in confusion. M^ Com^ in his ace' says that he offered to us the hberty of proceeding in the usual & regular way of fair motion, debate, Question, Vote & resolution; but all this is but words again. We accepted his offer; the motion was made & the Vote was past that that paper should be read but M"", Com^''^ resolution was to the contrary, that it should not be read, & how could there be a debate, where we were not suffered, so much as to make the pro- posal ? or is a proposal (or modon) 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', Com^ in a full & regular meet- ing of the Clergy, or M"". Com^''^ fairness in refusing it a reading, tho' before he knew a syllable that was in it. I cannot see how this consists with that freedom of motion, debate, question, vote & resolution, which M^ Com'' in in his Ace* says, he offered us, but in fact & reality deoy'd us. Well, but at last with much ado IVP. Com'' vouchsafes to receive it, nay, & more than that, to give us an Ans' to it, in writing which he hath inserted at length in his Acc^ But the question to which that Ans"^ is an Ans"", M''. Com^ hath (very prudently) took care to leave out, & therefore I must give myself the trouble of transcribing it for him. A TKUE Copv of a certain paper, offered to M'. Com>' Blair, in a full & regular meeting of the Clergy of Virginia at Williamsburgh, Aug 29, 1705. To his Reverence, the Rev'' Ja' Blair, Commissary to the R' Hon'''= & R* Rev" Father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of London, within this her Majesty's ancient Colony & dominion of Virginia; The humble representadon of us the Subscribers, the far major part of the Clergy of the S'^ Colony here present, That, we do not take upon ourselves to dispute your Reverence's author- ity & Jurisdiction over us as Commissary to the R' Hon"'^ & R^ Rev" Father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of London, within this her Majesty's Colony & 1 63 [1705. dominion of Virginia. But that having seen an authentically attested Copy of an order of Queen in Council, signifying it to be her Majesty's royal pleasure; that you should not depart the Kingdom of EngP nor come into Virginia till by having abiden her Majesty's just determination & Royal award In a certain case nearly relating to the 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 labor. Hereupon we humbly submit it to your Reverence's own considera- tion, whether it be safe or convenient, either for you to require, or for us to pay the respects & obedience otherwise due to your Character, until such time as her Majesty's pleasure be further known, your being in or executing upon us, within this her Majesty's Colony of Virginia, any power or Commis- sion whatsoever, of a date antecedent, to the date of that order of Queen In Council or of an authority not equal 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 over forward, in paying our respects & obedience, to a person himself standing (as to us seems), In contempt & disobedience to her most sacred majesty, — until which shall be done, if we think it more safe & more becoming 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 which may expose us to censure or contempt, either here (where your Reverence cannot but be sensible, under what a gen- eral odium you lye), or at home (where your case seems very doubtful), will receive a favorable interpretation. Thus, Sir, humbly desiring you to take into your serious consideration both our circumstances & your own, We sub- scribe ourselves under the conditions before named, Rev*^ Sir, Y"^ Reverence's most humble & most obd^ Servants, Solomon Whately, W" Williams, Ja' Sclater, Edw" Portlock, Ja^ Boisseau, Jacoij Ware, G. Smith, Ralph Bowker, Em'- Jones, O. Jones, John Carnegie, Arthur Tillyard, Bar. Yates, Lewis Latane, Edw° Butler, Dan"- Taylor, Ja' Burtell, W" Rudi.>, Peter Wagener, And. Monro, Tho' Sharp, Ja' Clack, Peter Kippax, Rich" Squire. 1 705. J 164 (p. S.) If under this our humble remonstrance, you shall please to sub- scribe to it as your judgment & opinion, that notwithstanding that order of Queen in Council, we may & ought to pay you the same respects & obedi- ent as before & that in so doing we need not fear any censure from above. If Sir you shall be pleased in forms direct & express to deliver this to us as your judgment, in that case we shall not dispute your determination, but submit, otherwise we must for a time Suspend. Vera, Copia, Test, Will" Staynard, John Wyait, Rich" Wyatt. Here is the Query to which M''. Commissary gave as an Ans' in writing & hath inserted it at length into his ace' & calls it a satisfactory Ans^ to the material part for the case or scruple, whereas indeed the material part of it is quite pared of, in the Ans"' he tells us that he is Com^ & that he is Com^ & that he is Com''' & that it is not our business to dispute whether he is Com^ or not, all which, in the very first words in our address, we told him before he told us. M"". Com^ well enough saw where the material part of the query lay, but had wit enough to keep his finger off there. But why then did we declare ourselves satisfied with it? i^'. Because Children & Fools are easily satisfied & as such has M'. Commissary all along treated us. 2. Because the material part of the Query (that of censure from above), is to be answered for elsewhere. 3''''. Because the material part of our representation, was to let M''. Com^ & all the world know, that we were not over forward in paying our respects & obedience to him, but would very gladly shake them off, if we knew how; which discovery of ourselves thus made, we are satisfied in our having done all we can do & let time & patience work out the rest. After this Ans"^ there follows in the Account a story of the debate moved by M''. Comm^ upon the subject of some gross reflections cast upon him in that paper of ours upon which there rose, it seems, great divisions, some for this thing, some tor that, some tor the other, some for cancelling those reflec- tions, others for sinking the whole paper, & others for sinking not a bit of it, but all this mighty difference when we came to compare notes, was just thus mucli & no more, whether or no M'. Com^" should deliver us his Ans' Sub- i65 [1705. scribed (as was proposed in the Postscript) on the dupHcate of our remon- strance & just under the Query of the Postscript, which some insisted upon, or whether we should accept of it in a paper by itself, which others agreed to, so that dropping or sinking oi' the whole paper which M''. Com^ speaks of, was no more than being content to receive M^ Com^'^ Ans' in a paper by itself, & as for our paper to him to drop or sink it, that is to drop or sink all farther discourse about it, to let it rest as it was & say no more of it, but a cancell- ing or retracting one word or syllable of it, I can assure M''. Corns' ^q such thing was meant by any of those who were for dropping or sinking the paper. As for the debate reviv'd (as it follows in the Ace') by M"". Comm^ the next morning, upon the same topic of the reflections, I was not at it, & therefore can say nothing to it. Just as I was entering into the Church, I found the greatest part of us the Subscribers coming hastily out of it, & saying one to another they could not have the patience to hear such things, I went for- ward however & was one of those few who stayed & heard M^ Com^ finish his speech & took our leaves of him as is related in the account. But I could not blame the rest of my Brethren for not having had the like command of themselves. To have an whole body of English Clergy thus Cow'd & aw'd, Abused, Bespattered & Bely'd to their very faces by one Scot hireling & yet to turn nothing but a deaf ear, — This is such a tryal of our Patience, out of which we hope God will in his due time deliver us. Or perhaps (for it is not impossible), M^ Com'' himself may in time become a new man. But all's not over yet, here's a farther acc"^ of M^ Com^''^ continuing the meeting, with some of his adhering Brethren after the revolt of the greater part of the Clergy. And here's Altar against Altar; A Separate, Clandestine Schismatical meet- ing of the Clergy at the house of M^ John Young's where Gov' Nicholson liv'd; & a Regular Ecclesiastical convention of the Clergy under the trees of the Churchyard; and what a fine story will this make at home? & whose doing is all this? why, that Gov Nicholson's to be sure, for there is such a recourse of the Clergy to Gov" Nicholson's Lodgings, that while Gov' Nichol- son is in the Country, there's no hopes of doing any good upon them. But when Gov' Nicholson is once gone off, a little time & Patience, will set all things right. And so say some of the Clergy themselves, 'Tis very true, so do some of them say, & that because when Gov Nicholson is gone home they are in good hopes, it will not be long ere Com'' Blair follows him, & then then there's little fear but that all things will be soon set right. 1705.J 1 66 But O, this Gov' Nicholson ! M'. Blair has got such a trick of late, of cry- ing out whenever he is put upon the fret, " Gov"" Nicholson, Gov' Nicholson," that we are afraid he will become a Common Swearer & with a new invented oath, upon every pet Cry out " By Gov' Nicholson." But the main part of my work still remains, viz : The remarks '& objections of M'. Com^ Blair, offered to the paper & much insisted on by the Clergy, which were as follows &c. But O, Dreadful! what shall I do here? no less than 3 Generals have I to combat with, with all their Subalterns. General the first, the manner of Procuring that Paper. Subalterns, i, 2, 3, 4, 5. General the Second, the manner 81 form of that paper. This is a bold gen- eral & stands upon his own bottom. General the third, the Suspicious designs & bad aspects of that paper. Subalterns, i, 2, 3, 4, 5, with the Auxiliary of a Conclusion, A Formidable appearance but I am in the midst of them and must stand it out & therefore as to General the first. General Procuring. I say he's a misnomer; there was no procuring & there's an end of General the first. As for the blustering Subalterns, I have disarmed them before but if they are not satisfied, let them meet me at Doctor's Commons on the South side of Paul's Church Yard in London and there I will put the issue upon this point. Whether or no 3, 4, 10 or more of the Clergymen of this Colony, may not of their own accord & without the Call of any power civil or Ecclesiastical, meet at the house of M'. John Young or where else they please & there tho' without the privity, pres- ence or assistance of my Lord Bishop of London's Com'' enter into discourse among themselves, concerning affairs relating to their own case & circum- stances & if they are so minded put their thoughts into writing & set their hands to it in order to be presented to my Lord B^ of London's Com^ at the next general meeting of the Clergy & what Law, Custom, Canon or constitu- tion, civil or ecclesiastical, they should transgress in so doing & whether or no, M'. Com^'^ refusing to receive or hear read to him any proposal so offered to him in a full & regular meeting of the Clergy be not destructive of that freedom which is essentially necessary to all lawful conventions, — I would far- ther Query whether or no her Majesty's Gov''^ Privity, Presence & assistance be not as necessary to the holding of the Council as the privity, presence and assistance of my Lord Bishop of London's Commissar)-. As to the holding of 1 67 [1705. any meeting of the Clergy & whether or no 3, 4 or more of the members of Council, meeting at the house of M^ Com^ Blair or elsewhere, without the call of any power Civil or Ecclesiastical of this Colony & there drawing up papers & setting hands to them without the privity, presence & assistance of her Majesty's Gov'', be not altogether as Clandestine, as Ensnaring, as Incon- sisting, as Pre-engaging as whatever else M'. Com>' will call it, as can be any of the Clergy's meeting & doing the like at the House of M'. John Young or where else they please. Or hath there ever been a general meeting of the Clergy or of the general assembly, where some of the members have not met together & compared notes, before they went in a full body to the Church or Capital & M". Com" took his desk, or M^ Speaker his chair. Or must the Clergy as they drop into the Town one after another, first go to M\ Com'' & ask him where they may set up their Horses, & who may keep company to- gether for fear of being presented home as Schismatics & conventiclers & holders of Clandestine meetings & falling under the lash of Canon 73, Excom- munication Ipso Facto. It frets us to see ourselves used like so many babies, to be bugbear'd out of our senses, by big words. What School boys doth he make of us ! At this rate we shall be afraid 'ere it be long, of stirring out of doors or giving one another a visit, without first asking M"". Com"'® leave, quseso prseceptor da mihi semain exeundi foras. Nay, but (say M"". Com"), The regular way of proceeding Is by Motion, Debate, Question, Vdte & Resolution,' very well, & that was the way we were for, we mov'd the putting It to the vote, whether that paper should be read or not. But M', Commissary's Resolution was to the contrary that it should not be put to the Vote, one of M"". Com"'"^ friends (M^ Anderson) saying they'l out vote us. But that meeting was call'd by Gov' Nicholson. That meeting (if a meeting it must be) was not called by Gov' Nicholson, nay, but it was made up only of such persons as had by former addresses & subscriptions pre-engaged themselves to Gov' Nicholson, Ay! here It Is: this is that which sticks him to the heart, these pre-engagements he finds us under; well, Gov' Nicholson is going off, but be Gov' Nicholson where he will, I dare assure M"". Com", that under the same engagements or pre-engagements, he found us this last meeting, he will find us the next & so on, unless he himself shall first lay aside his overawing methods, undo what he has done & find out some way of putting us into a better state, with our Diocesan. He hath made us the Scorn of our people. But as there be some that shake their heads & ^705-] 1 68 laugh at us, there be more that shake their heads & pity us. I have done with General the first, General procuring & his 5 Subalterns. 2. General the Second, general matter & form of that paper. M'. Com^^ house stands by a great road. Let M^ Com^ go 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; & if he do not give him satisfaction, I will. Or let him send a copy of our representation, to our respective par- ishioners, all whom, if we have abused him, we have abused, or let him make the like presentment of us to the next general assembly near ensuing. The words in M^ Commissary's acc*^ of M^ Com^ having left Engl** under suspicious & scandalous circumstances, have undergone in the transcribing, something of dislocation, as they stood in our paper they bore a stronger emphasis. But let M"". Comm^ take them which way he pleaseth, we are Content. ■ And thus much for General the Second. 3. General the third, bears a more terrible aspect, no less than Treason,, Treason, Treason, Engraven in the forehead of him with 5 Subalterns to Sup- port him. " — 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 Gov' of this Country, with relation to his Excellency Edw*^ Nott, Esq^, our present Gov'', whose sweet temper & peaceable disposition, the Country is exceeding happy " And may we be always happy in the sweet temper & peaceable disposi- tion of his Exc^ Gov' Nott. But what shall we do with the bad aspect, which this paper of the clergy bears, not only on the Ecclesiastical but also the Civil Gov' of this country ? and what shall we say to this ? Shall we rage or shall we laugh ? Plain it is that here's a plot ! A Plot as deep as Hell itself. A Plot against both Church and State ; A Plot for the subversion not only of the Ecclesiastical, but also the civil government of this Country, a Plot to turn out Edw'' Nott, Esq""., our present Gov'. A Plot to reinthrone the late Gov"" Nichol- son ; to raise the Dragooners & 5"' men ; to deliver up all the country into the hands of an indigent Army & indigent officers ; To lay a bridge over the Bay & let in the Accomackians ; To make the Mouth of Potomac Fordable for the New York'kians ; To set all the Slaves & negroes free & arm them against 1 69 [1705. their masters. To murder President Blair in his bed, fit all the Schoolboys with Firelocks & turn the College into an Arsenal. In a word, a plot to cast off the Yoke of Engl'', to erect a fifth Monarchy on this northern Continent of America & make Gov' Nicholson Emperor of the West, & who should have been at the bottom of this plot, but the English Clergy of the Colony of Virginia, The English Clergy all of them to a man save only single S^ John Shropshire? and who should have been the discoverer of this plot but M^ Com>- Blair. A. Pooh! It is impossible, a plot against the Gov* both ecclesiastical & Civil of this country ! It's nonsense. B. Nay it Is certainly so ; & as sure as you are there the Clergy (some few loyal Scots excepted), are in it, have you never seen AT. Com^'^ deposi- tions ? A. But how ? B. I'll tell you how, 'tother day you know, there was a general meeting of the Clergy at Wlll^^burgh, now the over night before that meeting, there come to Town, no less than 3 Clergymen (& there was one there before, the most suspicious fellow of the whole gang of them), & went dlrecdy to the house of M''. Jn°. Young, where you know the late Gov'' Nicholson lives & there the S'^ Gov^ Nicholson, sent them by his man James, some bottles of Madeira & Bris- tol, & there they kept sitting up In a Consultation to almost midnight, & then the next morning there came to Town, I know not how many more of them & set up their horses at the same house, viz : the house of M'. Jn". Young, where Gov"" Nicholson lives & there they signed a paper, in the nature of an association & there is the bottom of the plot, & if you have never seen that paper before, look you, here it Is, read it. B. To his reverence the Rev"^ — . Well & what then ? here's a stor)' of an order in Council & I know not what, here Is not a word of Gov'' Nicholson, or Gov'' Nott, or any thing like it as I can see. A. Why, that's your dulness now. But M'. Blair can see farther into a millstone than you can, hear what M^ Blair himself salth to it. " The design of this paper seems to be exceeding suspicious & to look with a bad aspect not only upon the ecclesiastical but also upon the Civil Gov' of this Country, with relation to Edw*^ Nott, Esq'., our present Gov' in whose sweet temper & peaceable disposition, this Colony is exceeding happy." B. Exceeding suspicious, bad aspect, Gov' ecclesiastical & civil ! I see nothing of all this in that Paper. 1705.] 170 A. M^ Blair only saith it seems so. He doth not swear it now, he only saith it seems so, & he hath no less than 5 reasons to back his sterns so ; & here they are. I. Because some of those Clergymen that signed that Paper came to Town the over night before that general meeting of the Clergy which was not to be till the next morning, & what need they, have comed over night then ? 2°''. Gov"" Nicholson sent letters to some of them to come over night. 3'^''. These letters of Gov'' Nicholson's were sent by Gov'' Nicholson, when Gov'' Nicholson was out of his Gov\ 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 the ecclesiastical but also the civil Government of this Country." B. Well go on. A. Secondly, because their meeting was at M'". John Young's house, where the late Gov"" Nicholson lives, here's Gov"" 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 Gov' of this Country." ^^^"^ , Because Gov"^ Nicholson had seen a chiding letter, from the Bishop of London to the Clergy of this Country & yet told them nothing of it, ergo, "There- fore 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 Gov' of this Country." 4*'''^ Because before that meeting of the Clergy, Gov"^ Nicholson had sent all over this Country copies of her Majesty's & one of her Majesty's Secretarys of State's letters, to himself, signifying to him, that notwithstand- ing all the informations, given in against him to her Majesty yet he stood fair in her Majesty's favor, & that it was not upon ace' of any of those informa- tions or out of any displeasure that her Majesty had conceived against him that sher ecall'd him but assuring him of his receiving, when come home, the marks of her royal favor, & because Gov"^ Nicholson & his Emissaries had also published 2 other papers, the one a petition to the Queen in Council pre- ferr'd by one Geo. Wilcox, charging M^ Com'' Blair, with having aspersed her Majesty's Gov'' & Gov' here with false & malicious informations & praying that the S'^ Ja' Blair, Clerk, should not depart the kingdom of Engl'^ nor go for Virginia, till by having stood her Majesty's Just determination & royal award in a Case depending between Gov' Nicholson & him, he should effect- 171 [1705- ually have wiped off those scandalous imputations of his having (a work so unbecoming the meekness of his profession) aspersed her Majesty's Gov'^ & Gov' here with false & malicious informations ; & till by his having stood her Majesty's just determination & royal award, he should have put himself into a capacity of appearing here under less suspicious circumstances & effectually have stopp'd the mouths of those who are apt to say, that by declining to stand her Majesty's just determination & royal award in a cause by himself commenced, it looks as if he were fled from justice ; as perhaps some of Gov'' Nicholson's Emissaries may do. And the other paper a Copy of an order of Queen, in council pursuant to the Petition of the S"* M^ Geo. Wilcox, viz : that the S^ Ja^ Blair, Clerk, should not depart the Kingdom of EngP nor go to Vir- ginia till, &c. Now Gov^ Nicholson haying by himself & his Emissaries sent all over this Country, Copies of the aforesaid letters, viz : of her Majesty's letter, to her trusty & well belov'd Gov"^ Nicholson & of a letter of one of her Majesty's Secretaries of State's, written to the Said Gov'' by her Majesty's command & assuring him of her Majesty's royal favor towards him & of the petition of M'". Wilcox to her Majesty in Council, against M''. Ja^ Blair, Clerk, & of the order of Queen in Council pursuant to that Petition, 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 Gov' of this Coun- try." 5^'^ Because it is insinuated in that paper, that M^ Com'' Blair lies under the General odium of this Country & that (as it may be supposed) for his having been such a stickler against Gov' Nicholson & so instrumental In the Change of our Gov"'®, 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 Gov"^ of this Country." And these are those 5 arguments of M'. Com^ Blair, upon the Suspicion, design & bad aspect of that paper of the Clergy. And I think any one of them to prove It to a demonstration. B. Aye, Aye, any one of them as well as all of them together. A. Why, Gov' Nicholson is in every one of them. B. And as long as Gov"" Nicholson Is In the Country, there will not be a Hog Stole, but Gov' Nicholson will be In the plot. I have long since said that M'. Blair is a man who knows how to make a great deal of a littie & I think here's a demonstration of it, could any man in the world besides M'. Blair have Smelt out a plot against both Church & 1705.] 172 State in that paper of ours ? that that paper of ours should seem so exceed- ing suspicious & to looli with so bad an aspect not only upon the ecclesiastical but also on the Civil Gov' of this Country. Is not this planting a Culverin against a Cabbage? unless upon the Supposition that the Security of the Gov' both in Church & State in this Country depends upon the Share that M'. Blair hath in both of them and then indeed M'. Blair (it must be granted), had some reason to say that the design of that paper seems to be exceeding suspicious, & to look with a bad aspect, not only upon the ecclesiastical but also the Civil Gov' of this Country; but that not with relation to Edw"" Nott Esq' her Majes- ty's present Gov' in whose, &c. But with relation to the Hon''" & Rev"" James Blair, Esq', upon whose conduct not only the ecclesiastical but also the Civil Gov' of this Country so much depends. M'. Commissary no doubt will think, I take too Great a freedom with him & have been failing in the respects due to his Character, & that my so often repeating his own words upon him bears a suspicious aspect, & looks as if meant to turn them into ridicule, all which I must confess is too true. But by way of replication I ans'. First, that I know no better way of answering bombast, than by banter, & doth not M'. Com^'" attacking that simple paper of ours in so pompose a manner, as to make not only the ecclesiastical but also the Civil Gov' of this Country in dan- ger from it, deserve that name. 2"^, That the Character of Corns' ^o my Lord B"* of London, is not more sacred & untouchable, than that of her Majesty's representative & Gov' in Chief of Virginia. If therefore die manner of my treating M'. Com^ seems too familiar & disrespective (as indeed it is), too provoking & exasperating, let M'. Com^ consider the example he hath led & the ill precedent he hath given against himself. He that would maintain the dignity of his Character, must be as careful to pay the respects due to his betters as to preserve those due to himself. Exemplo quodcunque malo committitur ipsi Displicet autori. Let M'. Comi" remember his Panegyrick on the late King William the Third, delivered before the largest appearance that perhaps hath ever been seen in this Countrj', and to Gov' Nicholson's own face ; some of his own familiar Episdes, to Gov' Nicholson, — the Churl — the Nabal — the Son of Belial &c. & the over Apostolical * * authority he exercised upon him, his ser- mon to us, of the Clergy upon Luke 10: 16 — He that despiseth you despiseth me ; and (to name no more), his late sermon of meekness & humility from Matt. 11: 2g, Learn of me, for I am meek & lowly in heart. The whole design "-72, [1705. of which (how artificially soever couched), to all of us that heard it {among whom Gov' Nicholson was one), was plain enough without the help of a Key. In all these things I shall adventure to say, there was something too familiar & disrespective too provoking & exasperating. And we have an English Proverb, what is sauce for a Goose is sauce for a Gander & when M^ Com'' feels within his own breast, the effects of his own practises when turned upon himself, this antidote (if duly applyed) may become, what I designed it for, a Sovereign medecine to him, & teach him to do as he would be done by. Among M'. Comm^'^ 5 Arguments to demonstrate the Suspicious look that paper of ours bears not only upon the ecclesiastical, but also the Civil Gov* of this Country, is wiredrawn in a Sly ill look't insinuation of a Story of the dis- satisfaction of this Country at her Majesty's present Gov' over them, a most malicious & mischevous suggestion. 'Tis true M^ Com^ calls it but a story. But who makes that story ? who tells that Story ? If M'. Com^' knows any thing of such a story he knows more than I do, according to the best Judg- ment I can make & to tlie extent of my conversation — never could a man in so short a dme have gained a greater affection & veneration from all of us, than hath his Excellency our present Gov" & that from the Characters so justly bestowed upon him by M^ Com^ Blair. To which the Eriendly & Broth- erly correspondence between the 2 Gov''^ the late & the Present, doth not a little contribute. The sight of which whether it be altogether so delightful, to M"'. Com^ Blair as it is to the generality of the people of this country is best known to himself. No, Let me tell M''. Com^ Blair, that the general odium he lyes under in this country, is not out of any dissadsfaction they have against their present Gov"^ (the quite contrary to which is true). But that M'". Com- missary Blair should have been, above all others, so forward & Pushing a man, informing & prosecuting Complaints & Ejectments against our former gover- nors that M^ Com'' Blair should take upon himself the making & unmaking of our Gov". That none of our Gov"^^ should be able to be any longer quiet, than while they take care to humor M^ Com'' Blair, that M"". Com^ Blair should have ensnared & betrayed so many (tho' comparatively few, yet too many) honest & in their own temper peaceable good natured gentlemen of this country into the like unseemly practises with himself; should have been the occasion of such unhappy divisions & animosities among us, to the Breach of Friendship & good neighbourhood; should have brought such a scandal & reproach upon his whole country, made us talked of at home as if we were a ^5-] 174 tious troublesome sort of People, restless & unquiet under every Gov' & /er at ease. These are the things (& not the vile suggestions of his ieches to us of the Clergy), which have indeed brought M\ Commissary der that general odium in this country' which he himself must be strangely ensible. If he be not sensible of & which will go nigh to stick by him as long his name Is Ja^ Blair. And now let any man lay together those 3 Passages M"". Blair's first speeches to us of the Clergy, after the arrival of our new iv'. i^'. That there should be supposed to be among us a man that Is for going 3ut directly or Indirectly to undermine her Majesty's present Gov'" over us make him uneasy. 2, That that paper of ours should look with a bad aspect not only upon : ecclesiastical but also the Civil Gov*^ of this Country with relation to his cellency, Edw'' Nott, Esq., our present Gov^ 3. That there should be any such thing insinuated as a story of the dissat- iction of this Country with the Change of the Gov^ ; that is (for what also 1 be Innuendo), against their present Gov'. These are such mischievous suggestions, that we cannot, but with the nost indignation & abhorrence protest against them. M''. Com'' talks (no m more), of Peace & union. But by those his first beginnings with our w Gov' let any man judge whether he takes the right methods to that end, lether or no the creating jealousies & suspicions between rulers & people ^e a tendency toward peace & union or quite the contrary & whether or no :h suggestions do not bear the aspect of an 111 tendency that way. M^ Commissary (argument 3, under General 3), objects that Gov'' Kich- ■on had seen the Bishop of London's Letter to us before we drew up that per & yet had not communicated to us the contents of It. But had Gov"^ cholson communicated to us the contents of our Bishop's letter, before it s delivered & communicated to us In our General meeting by the Hon*^'^ arer of it, our present Gov', I doubt not, but that M'. Com^ Blair, would I'e made louder Clamours upon Gov'^ Nicholson & more reason would he ve had for so doing. But poor Gov'' Nicholson, right or wrong, Gov'' Nlch- ■on must be In the plot. Obj". But had Gov"" Nicholson communicated to the Clergy the contents of ; Bishop of London's letter, before their having drawn & signed that paper iy would not have done it. 1/5 [I705- Ans"^ i". That paper was presented & adhered to after our having rcc*^ & read the Bishop of London's letter. 2°''. That Paper aUogether refers, to an emergency which arose not till after the date of the Bishop of London's Letter, to which therefore nothing In that letter coidd refer, & as to which we did not then know, what his Lordship's judgment might be. But when M''. Commissary afterward acquainted us, that notwithstanding his Lordship's knowledge of that business to which our paper referr'd, M"". Com^ had his Lordship's order to proceed & act as before ; we readily acquiesced & were content to drop that paper & Insist no more upon It, but without retracting {as M\ Com^ demanded of us) what we had before done. Obj, But our signing & adhering to that Paper was an express acting con- trary to the Bishop's admonition In the Said Letter. Ans''. See what a rod M^ Coni^ hath got into his hands & what use he makes of It & what mutes wc must be. But If by my Lord B'' of London's Letter, we, the addressers & subscribers to that Paper, must stand dcbarr'd from drawing up papers or making subscriptions, will M''. Com^ himself & his adhering brethren, be brought under the same confinement? Those papers upon which I am now making my remarks, were drawn up, signed, & attested by M^ Com'' himself & 6 of his brethren in order to be transmitted (as It is presumed), into Engl^ in every half page of which our Bishop's admonition of parting with Gov' Nicholson fairly & friendly & expressing no resentments against him, Is most notoriously transgress'd, representing the whole body of the Clergy of this Country (M'. Com^ & his 6 Countrymen & attesters excepted), as a parcel of fools & tools, having neither senses or consciences of their own, but like so many babies altogether, managed like so many babies by the back of another, charged {If not directly, at least by broad inuendoes), with nothing less than being In a plot to undermine her Majesty's present Gov' over us & make him uneasy & of carrying on suspicious designs, not only against the ecclesiastical but also tlie Civil Gov* of this Country. Can It be Imagined that we should have the patience of having such aspersions as those thrown upon us to our very faces, without expressing a just resentment against them & getting out of the hearing of them. For must such papers as these be sent home & spread abroad in the world, concerning us & we be debarr'd from putting In our answer to them or offering any thing in our vin- dication ? If so we must e'en bethink ourselves of seeking out some other part of the world, where we may live in the condition of Freemen. But cer- 176 this was not the intention of my Lord Bishop of London's letter, nor the designed should be made of it. As for M^ Com^ charging Gov'^ Nich- ^Arg' 4) with his having by his emissarys, spread idle stories all over the ry, That he was only going home to clear himself & would return, the Lgain, in a little time : If any such Idle stories have been talked of, I Gov' Nicholson is not answerable for all the Silly Chat, of the country, he Idle ballads, Pasquils & Lampoons tliat have been posted upon trees h roads, nay, even sent to Engl*^ & printed & spread abroad all the y over, should be fathered upon M^ Com^ Blair, under the Phrase of, i abroad by his Emissaries, I believe his reverence would think himself dealt with. And yet it is little to be doubted, but that they were both ised & published by his Partizans, tho' without his knowledge or consent, len should the one be more charged upon Gov'' Nicholson, than the other W. Com^ Blair ? But that it was by virtue of those Idle stories, that we Clergy were prepared to sign that strange paper of ours (as he called another of M^ Com^ usual ways of calling us fools. And lastly as to 'Nicholson, Gov"" Nicholson, Gov' Nicholson, i^"^ 2°'' 3'''' 4'^ 5^ Gov"" Nich- I can declare it very positively, that Gov' Nicholson did no more, er by advice, instigation. Knowledge, Privity or any other way, contribute drawing up or signing that paper, than did M"". Com^ himself & I verily e that in that last meeting of the clergy, there was not any one thing 3y us, either as to matter or form, but what would have been done just he self same manner tho' Gov^ Nicholson had been 3000 miles off. ■. Com^' concludes his speech to us in these words : " Upon all which s I can by no means approve of this paper myself, so I hope several of ethren, who have been unwarily led into the Clandestine subscription may now still withdraw dieir hands as being innocent of the sinister ;hat may be made of their subscription." Yes, Poor innocents ! you no harm, not you, — all this was Gov"^ Nicholson's doing. id what did this sweet turn gain him at last ? why, that instead of drawing J hands, 2 more, who were not in with the first subscribers, desired they have the liberty of adding theirs which was done. And thus have I at with much ado, got over these papers of M'. Com^, drawn up, signed & :dby Blair, Com'', Ja' Wallace, John Munro, ;o. Robertson, Cha' Anderson, Ja' Brechin, S^ Jn" Shropshire. 177 [1705. When M''. Com'' delivered me these papers, he asked me, what was the use I designed to make of them, that he hoped my meaning was only to keep them for the use of the Clergy. He made me in a very friendly manner, sit down by him & read som^e part of them, & seem'd desirous to have entered into some arguing with me about them. When I had read some part of them, I broke off declining to enter into any discourse with him upon them, but telling him I supposed those papers, to be designed to be sent into Engl'^. If so, that there were some passages in them, not fit to pass without an antidote; that I could not bind myself from making some remarks upon them. But that I were for plain dealing. Something of a corrective I told him, I must bestow upon them, but that my corrective itself should before it cross'd the water be submitted to his correction, which accordingly I now do, & lay it at his mercy. But as his papers are designed for Engl'^, he must not think it hard if mine attend them. As for Replications or Rejoinders here, it will be to no purpose & therefore I resolve to avoid them, he cannot but say that I deal fairly with him & that there are no clandestine methods. I give him all the advantage I can, that is, his having the liberty of giving the last word ; no small advantage in such cases as these, & of which no man better knows how to make his use. I am sensible of the hazard I run & of the censure I may incur. But I expect the event with great unconcernedness as having a very confident assurance that time will clear up all things & if not wholly take off, yet at least somewhat mitigate the severity of the censure we now lye under. I must confess, in the foregoing sheets, I have express'd myself in some places, perhaps somewhat too fkmiliarly & in others, perhaps somewhat too vehemently, for which, if what I have already said be not sufficient to apologize, I have nothing further to plead, but the infirmity of nature : that part is clamorous. I am as desirous of peace & union as any man can be, but for peace upon safe & upon honorable terms; Sincere, Solid & therefore, like to be durable. In order to which I roundly declare it to be my opinion, that the Change must begin on M''. Com^''' side, unless M^ Com^ Blair can command his nature & bring himself to a resolution of ceasing for the time to come too much to presume upon our Simplicity & Unapprehensiveness & lay aside not only his overazving., But also (which is more provoking), his insinuating & Innuendoing methods & to deal with us, in a more plain, open & direct manner, than hitherto he has done, but above all, unless he can find out the means of placings us in better terms, with our most Reverend & Honor'd Diocesian ; for whom we have too great 1705.] 178 a veneration to be able to bear the thoughts of our lying under his displeasure, without the Greatest pain & uneasiness. Till this can be done, we see little hopes of attaining to that stable & settled peace & union, which we all of us so earnestly covet. We may be commanded silence, but that will be a patience per force, which cannot but be both restless & brittle. But things once settled on such a bottom, I doubt not but that we shall be found for the future as dutiful & peaceable sons to our Spiritual Father, & as contentedly acquiescing in his disposals as we may have hitherto been represented by contrary dispo- sitions. As for my use of the plural number, I have before declared that I am now single & alone ; what I now do, is not by the advice or instigation or with the knowledge or privity of any person whatsoever & therefore I alone am answerable for it. But I can pretend to have that Knowledge & Experience of the rest of my Brethren as to be able to saj'^ that I confidently presume, I speak the common sense of all of us, I must crave M^ Com^"^ pardon for my having been so dilatory in sending him these papers, & for giving them in by parcels which is owing partly to the interruptions I have met with, & partly to the weakness of my fingers, which makes the writing things out at length exceeding tedious to me ; & I were now under an obligation of not making use of an Amenuensis, which must also apologize for the unevenness of my Writing, the Blots, Blurs & Defacements of many of the Pages; most of them having been the first rude draughts ; & I not being in a Capacity, without the expence of more time than could be spared, to transcribe them fair. And thus at last have I done for this time & I hope for good & all. I am perfecdy weary of this unhappy contest & need no other prohibition, than my own aversion to it, to keep me from meddling any farther in it. I cannot enn-age for the future, but I declare it to be my present resolution (which God deliver me from the necessity of ever breaking), that this shall be the last time, I'll write on this ungratciul subject. SOLOMON WHATELY. William & IMarv College in Virginia, Sep". 21, 1705. To THE Rev° M". Commissary Blair. These remarks of M'. Whately upon M'. Com'''' ace', &c., the' dated Sept. 21, 1705, Yet the major part of them was sent to him on Tuesday Morn*. 1/9 [i704- Sept. 1 8, tho' by reason of some interruption which M"". Whately met with, the remainder followed not, till Friday the 21, early In the morning. So that M"". Whately gave M^ Com^ all the time, which (under the circumstances mentioned in the close of those papers) he was able to do before the going off of the Fleet for Engl'^. That major part of the Papers Sent to M^ Com^ on Tuesday the iS"", went as far as to the Paragraph after the Dialogue A. B. ending at the word "depends ;" The remainder followed Sep'. 21, early in the morning; Gov' Nicholson left not Willlamsburgh till Sept. 27, at the same time leaving the Commodore himself higher up in the country, which gave M"". Com^ yet farther time, before the going out of the fleet. So that he cannot pretend surprize or want of leisure. A BALLAD, Addressed to the Rev" Members of the Convocation Held at Man's Ordinary, at WILLI AMSBURGH <2f VIRGINIA, To Defend Gov' Nicholson & Form an Accusation Against COMMISSARY BLAIR. Bless us what dismal times are these, What stars are in conjunction, When Priests turn Sycophants to please, And Hair brained Passion to appease, Dare Prostitute their Function. Sure all the Furies must combine, To Sway the Convocation, When 17 Clergymen should join. Without one word of Proof to Sign, So false an accusation. 1704.] Or rather some for interest, (") And hopes of next preferment, By false pretences finely dress'd, Slyly imposed upon the rest. To sign on their averment. (") First Whatley (=) heads the Rev* Tribe, Amongst the Chiefest Actors, A Tool no pencil can describe, Who sells his conscience for a bribe. And slights his benefactors. Sober & Meek under disgrace, As better Fate deserving, Now he's advanc'd, he soaks his face, And spurns at those that wrought his peace, And kept the rogue from starving. Portlock ('') the Cotqueen of the Age, Deserves the Second Station, A Doubty Clerk & Rev" Sage, Who turns his Pulpit to a Stage, And banters reformation. Rude to his wife, false to his friend, A Clown in Conversation, Who rather, than he'd be confined, To either to be just or kind, Would sign his own damnation. Corah (') comes next, that Sturdy Swain, A bawling Pulpit hector, A Preacher of Hugh Peters, vain, That Sacred writ can twist & strain. To flatter his Protector. A sot abandoned to his Paunch, Prophane without temptation. Who, flames of jealousy {') to quench Creeps in a Corner with his wench, And makes retaliation. i8i [1704. Then in comes Ware with fudling school, Well warm'd & fit for action, A mongrell, party color'd, tool. Equally mix'd of Kiiave & fool, By Nature prone to Faction. Fainthearted Smith like ^sop's bat, Both Birds & Beasts reject him. With his blue vest & Cock'd up hat, He signed & threatened God knows what, But now pleads non est factum. These few accomplished Sparks we're told, Were chief at that convention. Where innocence was basely sold, And Guilt & Infamy grown bold, Laid Ground work for Contention. The Tavern was the place they chose. To hold their consultation. Where each one drank a lusty dose, His Stupid Coxcombe to dispose, To form the accusation. Good Store of Bristol Beer & Stout, By dozens was expended, The Glass went merrily about, Some Sung & others swore & fought, And so the farce was ended. Blest state to which the orders sunk, A happy reformation. Now without fear they may be drunk. And fight & swear & keep a Punk, And laugh at deprivation. Notes. — (a) Gov' Nicholson promised several of them their Commissary sliould be turned out & they in his place. (b) Some were new comers, & would fain have come off by that Pretence, but were not suffered. (c) When he was affronted & abused by the Gov' & not suffered to Preach, & without a penny of Money to Support him, M'. B. H. & M'. R. Beverly, with some friends of theirs, gave hira £,y:>. (d) He preached a Sermon against women, upon the Serpent's beguiling Eve, Wherein he laid out his wife, to l82 advantage, for hanging his Cat, called Alice, whom he more dearly lov'd. He is his own Brewer, Baker, t Cook. M'. Ralph Boker) he retains the name from a public Seraion wherein he espoused the Gov'"'' part & com- rah to the Commissary, & the rest to some of the Assembly, who would not join in the Gov'' flattering When he goes abroad a drinking, be makes his wife sit, with him, amongst the men, the' perhaps there are omen at the same liouse of her acquaintance. NDON: Printed in the Year 1704. M\ NICHOLSON to (EXTRACT.) Virginia, Mar. 8, 170^. -^ Sir, ihould be guilty of that worst of crimes, Ingratitude, if I did not acknowl- the many undeserved favors & kindnesses which you have been pleased me, especially of late, concerning the affairs of my accusation, &c., & I traordinarily obliged to you for your letter of the 23'"'' of July last, partic- for your good & wholesome advice therein. ay be, few men have been so used as 1 have been, by a parcel of Black & I have all the reason in the world to be aware of the Bishop of 3n's Commissaries, & of men that their names are monnosyllables & with B. But I find as yet D''. Bray to be an honester man than Blair, ; only talk'd falsely, Scandelously & maliciously of me & writ such letters ,hese parts & hath not szuor7i against me as Blair hath done, for he hath nly sworn thro' deal Boards & brick walls, but also my very thoughts & nations. I herewith send you a paper drawn up by 3 Lawyers, which I )yed, with 30 odd papers, &c., 1 6 of which there are references to, & the may be made use of by whom you think fit, to employ in EngP about it, 5 that what I now send will be sufficient, to convince not only my friends different persons, that what Blair hath sworn against me, is not only out ; height of inveterate malice & revenge, but that he hath forsworn him- 1 a great many things as will appear by records & living testimonies, 1 83 [1706. LETTER to AB'- TENNISON from J A' BLAIR. WiLLIAMSEURGII IN ViRGJNIA, Sept 2"**, 1706. May it please your Grace, The loss of our good Governour who dyed here of a Fever the 23^"^ Aug"^ has put this poor Country In a great consternation. He was of a very calm heal- ing Temper and an excellent Instrument in making up the divisions which were very hot at his Coming. The short experiment we have had of his Gov- ernment, has convinced us, that a Governour of moderation & Temper suits best with this Country. This is not my opinion only, but the general opinion of all men of any sense among us. Enclos'd I send your Grace a copy of a Letter written to the Council of Trade on occasion of the Govcrnour's death and unanimously signed by the Presld"^ & Council upon whom by a clause in the Govern'^'^ Commission, after his death the government of this Country devolves: from which your Grace will perceive how sensible they are of this Truth, especially under the present circumstances. The Council of Trade, if they observe the heartiness of the Country in raising a Fund of 3000 pounds to build the Governour's house and the several improvements they have made in her Maj""^'^ Revenue, will find they have in these things more sensible demon- strations of that Truth. The happiness I have had to be acquainted with your Grace's moderation makes me hope, as it lyes in your way, you will intercede with her Maj=^ to commit the Government of this Country to a person of a calm and moderate Temper. What I would in the next place most humbly offer to your Grace's consid- eration and favour is the deplorable state of our poor College now in Ass'^ which I hope your Grace will get to be effectually recommended to our next Governour whoever he is and by her Majesty to the Gen' Assembly of this Country. In which if her Ma^^ would give an example of bestowing something out of the growing quit rents of this Country, it would go a great way in inducing the Country to do the rest In the mean time the Revenues of the College which used to go in paying Salaries are saved for raising a Fund to help to rebuild it, I have freely parted with my salary for that use, though I i7o6.] 184 had an undoubted Title to it, being named President under the Great Seal of England and that during my natural Life. If your Grace knows any thing wherein I can be further serviceable to that good work either by holding or quitting my place in it, the least intimation of your opinion shall readily be complied with by, May it please your Grace, Your most Obedient Servant, JAMES BLAIR. D\ Le JAU to the SECRETART, A Board the Greenwich, in James River in Virginia, Sep' 9* 1706. Sir, After ten weeks' time since we left Plymouth we safely arrived here, and had thro' God's mercy a pleasant passage and met with no bad Accident and all our ship's company in health ; wc lost but 3 men these five months. We came here in the sickly time of the year whereifi feavers are raging among new Comers, occasioned by the Sultn,' heats w'^'' make every body faint: Gov"" Nut dyed of that Distemper a fortnight ago and is very much lamented for his great Moderation and Exactness in doing Justice to all Persons. I have been very kindly invited by M^ Wallace, Minister of the Neighbouring parishes, and lived some days at his house. I wish I was so happy as to imitate his prudence in the Care of his Flock : he has won the affections of all Strangers as well as his own people. I have had no opportunity to go yet to Williams Burgh to pay my respects to M^ Commissary Blair. I am told there is great want of Ministers in these parts and in Maryland. The Master of a Vessel that came some days ago from South Carolina has reported that M'. Thomas, and the rest of our Bretheren were not arrived in the middle of last Month. I am Discharged from the Service of this Ship, and intend with God's Blessing to go to the place where I am sent in a few days. There is a Sloop bound i85 [1707. that way wherein I'll take my passage but the fleet must sail first because of an Embargo. I hear from some Carolina Gentlemen that are bound for England that the Clergy will find much satisfaction in that Colony where the Inhabi- tants of the Caribbee Island flock apace. I pray to Almighty God we may find the People well disposed and y' the Spirit of Jesus Christ may reign in that part of the world where I am afraid Mammon has hitherto got too many worshipers. I humbly assure His grace the President of the Hon'*'^ Society and my Lord of London of my respects and Obediance and crave their Bless- ing and the Continuation of their favour. I beg the Charitable help of the prayers of the Hon'''^ Members of the Society whom I humbly Salute and pray to Almighty God to preserve, I wall not fail after my Arrival in Carolina to let you know the Condition of things according to the instructions given to me. I heartily Recommend you to the Divine Providence and am, with due Respect, Sir, Your oblig"ed Servant, FRA^XIS Le IAU. M^ WALLACE to D. WOODWARD, Virginia, Eliz. City Parish, April 3'^ 1707. Reverend Sir, Having this opportunity by M'. Holland I cannot omit to pay my due respects & thanks for your pious advice & directions. I promised my self a weekly religious meeting before this time but have met with very strange impediments too tedious to relate of which M'. Holland will inform you. I struggle with many difficulties in the discharge of my duty & meet with great discouragements by preaching the Gospel. Clergymen here have 1 2 Lay- patrons (vestry men) whom we must humour or run the risk of Deprivation upon this only pretence, sic volo sic Jubeo, &c. There are almost forty min- isters in Virginia & not above 4 or 5 Inducted ; the rest hold their livings during the pleasure of the vestry, which can, when they please, turn us out without assigning reasons for so doing. I wish the Hon'" Society would take I7IO.J i86 it into their serious consideration & redress this just grievance but this w"' submission, I beg your favor in procuring some practical discourses against immoralitys very usefull among us & Your prayers for a blessing on my min- istry in this corner of the world. I take leave to subscribe myself, Rev** Sir, Yours, &c., J. WALLACE. M\ BLACK to the LORD BISHOP of LONDON. (EXTRACT.) AccoMAC on the Eastern Shore of the Colony of Virginia, March 8, 17°^. My Lord, I wrote to your Lordship from Annapolis of the date of 1 6"' or 20*'' of June, 1709 & acquainted your Lordship that I was necessitate to remove from Sus- sex County in Pennsylvania to Maryland. A little after I was invited by the Vestry of Accomac Parish on the Eastern Shore in the Colony of Virginia to officiate there where I now am. I was directed by that Vestry to wait upon the President and your Lordship's Com- missary, M^ Blair, which I did and was civilly accepted of by them. This Parish, for about 15 years having been destitute of a Minister, that I might be the more encouraged to stay, addressed the President that I might be inducted into the said Parish which he granted so that I am to be inducted into this Church the 14''' of this instant. I humbly beg that your Lordship would be pleased to confirm me in the Cure of the Parish where I now live for having forfeited my allowance from the Society by being forced to remove thence. If your Lordship think fit to order me back again to Sussex, I shall have nothing to depend upon, so that my circumstances will be so pressing that contrary to my inclinations I shall be necessitate to return for Great Britain ; that your Lordship may long con- tinue in life & health to the welfare of the churches at home & abroad is the prayer of, May it please your Lordship, Your Lordship's most dutiful Son & Humble Servant, W^ BLACK. i87 [1711. LETTER from C. SPOTSirOOD, Lieu', Gov\ of Virginia, dated the \^'' of Ocf 17 11 giving an account of a mas- sacrBy committed by the Tuscuraro Indians^ on a great many of the Palatines in North Carolina — of the disobedience of the Quakers i?i Virginia^ a?zd oj 2 vacancies i?i the council Virginia, Oct. 15, 171 1. My Lords, After what 1 writ to your Lordships the 28'^ of July last of the success of my endeavours in quieting the commotions in N. CaroHna, I was in hopes I should not have had occasion to trouble your lordships again with the affairs of that unhappy country; But a more dismal & unexpected accident happen- ing there lately, I think it my duty to give your Lordships the following account of it together with many proceedings thereupon. On the 22^^ of the last month, some towns of the Tuscuraro Indians, and other nations bordering on Carolina made an incursion upon the head of Neuse & Pamptico Rivers in that Province, without any Previous declaration of war or shew of Discontent, & having divided themselves into parties at Sun rise (which was their Signal), begun a barbarous massacre, on the inhabitants of the frontier plantations, killing without distinction of age or sex about 60 English & upwards of that number of Swiss and Palatines, besides a great many left dangerously wounded. The Baron de Graffenried, Chief of the Swiss and Palatine settlements there, is also fallen into their hands and carried away Prisoner; since which they have continued their ravages in Burning those Plantations & others deserted by the inhabitants, for fear of the like cruelties. The Governor, M"". Hyde, has raised what men he can to oppose the further invasion of the Heathen & protect the rest of the country; but that spirit of disobedience to which they have been long accustomed, still prevails so much that he can hardly persuade them to unite for their common Safety. I will not affirm that the invitation given those savages some time ago by Col. Cary & his party to cut off their fellow subjects (tho' that heavy charge is prov'd by divers testimonies & firmly believed in Carolina), has been the only occasion of this tragedy. Yet it appears very reasonable to believe that the Indians lyii.J i88 have been greatly encouraged in this attempt, by the unnatural divisions & animosities among the inhabitants and I very much fear their mutinous & Cowardly behaviour in some late skirmishes, will embolden the Indians to con- tinue their insolences. Upon the i^' advice of this unhappy event, I sent out detachments of our militia to prevent our tributar}^ Indians from joining with those savages, & understanding that the greater part of the Tuscuraroes had refused to be con- cerned with the rest of their nation in this bloody execution, I have sent to them and the other neighbouring Indians to meet me next week on our fron- tiers in order to a treaty. And as they stand in some awe of this govern- ment, both from the opinion they have of our strength & their apprehensions of the loss of our trade upon a rupture, I hope at this conference to work so far on their fears and interests as at least to preserve their friendship, if not to engage their assistance for the destruction of those assassing. There is very little temptation for any man to enter upon an Indian war nor much honor to be got by encountering a people more like wild beasts, than men. But if war be the only means left us to secure her Majesty's pecfple & Territories from the Heathen, I don't doubt but our assembly {which is to meet the 7"^ of the next month), will take such resolutions as become them to provide for the effectual prosecution of it, but whatever air I may give the matter to the Indians, I must not conceal froni your Lordships the incapacity of this Country for an Offensive or Defensive war. Our militia are in a manner wholly desti- tute of ammunition and as ill provided with arms that are useful, and unless her majesty will be pleased to send in a supply of Both, to lye ready against an emergency, I fear I shall not be able to sustain any considerable attack of an enemy. Upon the apprehension we had this summer, of the French squadron (which is said to be now in the West Indies), I made a shift to raise 4 forts, & run some lines for the defence of our chief Rivers & to mount about 70 pieces of cannon, not finding at my arrival such a thing as either parapet, palisade or one single piece of Ordnance, mounted throughout the whole government. I 'endeavor'd to make our last assembly sensible of the naked condition of their country, but the expence appearing to them then much more immediate than the danger, they were easily inlluenced by their low circumstances, to defer the consideration thereof. However I prevailed on them to revive in the mean while a former law, made for the defence of the country In times of 189 ['711- Danger and by virtue of that Law, I have carried on the above mentioned works during the Late alarm, notwithstanding I have been mightily embar- rassed, by a set of Quakers who broach doctrines so monstrous as their Brethren in Engl'' have never owned, nor indeed can be suffered in any gov- ernment. They have not only refused to work themselves or suffer any of their servants to be employ'd in the fortifications but affirm that that their con- sciences will not permit them to contribute in any manner of way to the defence of the country even so much as trusting the government for pro- visions to support those that do work, tho' at the same time they say, that being obliged by their religion to feed their enemies, if the French should come hither and want provisions they must in conscience supply them. As this opin- ion of theirs is quite different from their practice in Carolina when they were the most active in taking arms to pull down that Government (tho' they now fly again to the pretence of conscience to be excused from assisting against the Indians), I have thought it necessary to put the Laws of this country in execution against that sect of People which empowers me to employ all Per- sons as I shall see fit, for the defence of the Country in times of Danger, and imposes fines & penalties on their disobedience; I doubt not, they will suffi- ciently exclaim against me, on this occasion, and perhaps their brethren in Eno-land who keep a joint stock (as 'tis said), to prosecute the quarrels of all that sect, may think fit to attack me ; but I am persuaded I shall not incur my Sovereign's displeasure, so long as I act by the rule of Law ; and it's absolutely necessary to discourage such dangerous opinions, as would render the safety of the Government precarious. Since ev'ry one that is either lazy or cowardly, would make use of the pretence of conscience to excuse himself from working or fightino", when there is greatest need of his service, and I fear the Quakers would find too many proselytes on such occasions. As soon as I was inform'd of this fatal accident in Carolina, I prohibited all trade from this Country with the Indians, finding they were better provided with ammunition than we ourselves, and had the government of Carolina made the same steps when this Country had a dispute, with those very Indians about a murder committed here some years ago, it is very probable they might have been more cautious of falling upon any of her Majesty's planta- tions, when they found, we espoused one another's quarrels, but the tameness of this government in passing over that affair, and the constant supplies they received from Carolina of Powder, Shot and other Necessaries, notwithstand- 1 71 2.] 190 ing the representations of this Government, made them believe we were under distinct sovereigns, as well as governors & that we would no more assist Carolina than they us. I have also sent to demand the releasement of the Baron of Graffenried, who by our advices was still alive, but supposed only reserved for a more solemn execution, to be tomahazvked and torlitrcd at their first public war dances. Upon perusing the rough draughts of my letters to your Lordships, I fear there is omitted in the transcribing, a recommendation I intended to make to your Lordships some time ago of Col. Will'" Fitzhughs to be added to the Council. He is a gentleman of a plentiful estate, of good interest in his Country & of principles entirely Loyal, so far as I have been able to discover of him. This Gentleman being added & Col. Bassett restored, according to my former request, will for the present complete the number of the Council and give me some more time to consider of proper persons for supplying future vacancies which I assure your Lordships is a matter of some difficulty among the little choice the Country' affords. If your Lordships think fit to recommend M"". Fitzhughs to her Majesty there is one M^ Richard Lee, mer- chant in London {who is his brother- in- Law), will take out his warrant. I am with all due respect, My Lords, Your Lordships' most dutiful & most obd' Humble servant, A. SPOTSWOOD. W. HALL to M\ TAYLOR, Secretary of the Venerable Society, FuLHAiM, Ocf" Io'^ 1 71 2. Sir, My Lord of London who, I thank God, is much better and in a fair way of recovery, hath lately received a letter from M'. William Glen, minister of S' Peter's Parish, Great Choptank, in Virginia, wherein he acquaints his Lord- 191 [i7i2. ship that when he appHed to the Society for books he was told there was a Library there already. This he. hath found to be a mistake and an unhappy one for him because he hath been all this while without books by reason of the low price of tobacco upon which he barely subsists, and is without hopes of ever having money to purchase any in England. He begs therefore that the Society would furnish him with some and amongst others with some good commentations upon the Scriptures. My Lord desires you would lay this before the Society. I am, Sir, Your very humble Serv*, W. HALL. EXTRACT out of Col. Spots-wood's Letter to the Bishop of London. M,w8", 1712. Though 1 could not prevail with our Assembly to settle a fund for the education of Indian Children at the College according to the project men- tioned in my last, yet I have not for that reason slackened my endeavours for the conversion of that people. There are now fourteen Indian Children at the Chapel and I speedily expect six more from our neighbouring Nations. I hope this design will meet with encouragement both from the Society for propagating the Gospel and from the Nobility and Gentry of England who cannot, in my opinion, employ their Charity to better purpose than by laying such a foundation for bringing a great many Souls to the Christian faith; and I doubt not your Lordship's interest therein not only in regard to the College which will have a charge beyond their ability to support but out of your own pious disposition to works of this nature. 17^2. J 192 The LORD BISHOP of LONDON to the Secretary of the Venerable Society. M". Taylor, It being my unhappiness that I can't attend the Society as I would very gladly do, I once again desire you to give my most humble Service and respects to them and acquaint them that it is my earnest request to them that they would take into their consideration anew what I represented to them from the Governor of Virginia because I do believe they have not any affair under their care that more naturally regards the trust of their commission when they consider that it is most properly for the propagation of the faith in foreign parts to bring up the Children of the Heathen in the knowledge of Christianity and to so fair an opportunity of bringing over their parents by building a Church amongst them at their own request. I should think we could not too greedily lay hold upon this occasion especially when it may be done at so easy an expence and therefore I hope they will not delay it so long as to refer it to Col. Nicholson to report on it when he arrives there since nothing more properly requires a speedy cure. I am Your assured friend, H., London. 193 [1714- LISTE GENERALLE de tons Les Francois Protestants Refugies^ Etablys dans la Paroisse du Roy Guillaumey Comte d' Henrico en Virginia^ y Compris les Femmes, EnfanSj Veufes^ et Orphelins. i TjES IIOMMF,'^. Jean Cairon, Ministre. Abraham Salle, Pierre Chastain, . Charle Perault, Jean Forquerand, Anthoine Matton, . Isaac Lesebure, . Jacques Bilbaud, Jacob Amonnet, . Michel Cantepie, Jean Voye, . Frani^ois Dupisy, Daniel Guerrand, Bartheleray Dupuy, Jacques Sobler, . Pierre Fauve, Mathieu Age, Thomas Brians, Jean Chastain, Francois DeClapi< Louis Sobler, Tho. D'allizon. P'^ Dutoit, . Jean Calver, . Jean Farey, Estienne Chastain. Estienne Bouard, Abra. Sobler, lesne, Abra. Sobler, le jeune. Gedeon Chambon, . V^ Morisser, 31 — ■ — ^ Enf-ans. Femmes. ... Total. Gar<;ons, FiLLES. 3 4 I I I 4 3 7 8 6 2 4 5 I 3 7 6 3 . 3 6 2 2 6 2 I 2 3 6 3 2 I I 7 4 4 2 2 I 3 7 4 3 4 3 2 7 3 5 ; I 3 5 I 2 3 6 27 45 35 ^i^" 17I4-J NOMS DES HOMMES. Gar^on; Isaac Lafuitte, Jean Panetie, Jean Joanis, . Jacq. Bioret, Jean Solaigre, Daniel Maubain, . Isaac Parenteau, Andre Aubry, Guillaume Genin, , Jean Fomiielle, Josepli Caillaud, Joseph Bernard, David Bernard, Estienne Reynault, Pierre OUiuier, Pierre Viet, . Anthoine Ginaudan, Jean Levillain, Jean Filhon, . Abra. Michaux, . Adam Vigne, . Abra. Remy, Anthoine Trabue, Jean Martin, Moize Leneveau, Jacob Cappon, Pierre Delaunay, Frangois I.assin, . Jean Powell, . Jean Dupre, Jean Gorner, . Gaspard Gorner, Mathieu Bonsergent, Jarques LeGrand, Pierre David, . Claude Garry, Nicollas Souille, Anthoine Rapinne, Guillaume Martin, Pierre Deppe, 40 5 I 129 '95 [i7i4- FcLMMKS V[.:i7VEs ET LiruRfi Enfans. F-EMMes. Total. Gar(;ons. FiLLES, Lavenne Souille, 2 3 Lave. Lorange, . . . . Lave. Gorry, I Lave. Mallet, . . . . I I 3 Lave. Launay, . . . . ' 5 Feinmes Veuves. 1 4 ■ o Enfans Orphelins, i — - - - Jean Fauve, . . ... I Estienne Maliet, ) Suzane Mallet, V 3 Marie Mallet, ) Isaac Gorry, ) Jean Gorry, \ 2 Anthoinc Benin, I P" Sobriche, 1 Jeanne &>.-.- Suzanne, ) 3 Jean Lucadon, (_ ., Pierre Lucadon, J " Suzanne Imbert, ( , Jeanne Imbert, \ Veuves et leurs Enfans, Enfans Orphelins, . 27 3° 57 S 45 34 35 25 ■38 125 1 71 6.] 196 Mr. GRIFFIN to the BISHOP of LONDON. Christanxa, Jan^ 12, 1716. My Lord, Being employ'd by Col. Spotswood our Gov' to instruct the Indian Chil- dren at this settlement, 1 thought It my duty to address your Lordship with this, in which I humbly beg leave to inform you, what progress I have made in Carrying on this Charitable design of our excellent Gov^ Should I presume to give an account of the kind reception I met with at my arrival here, from the Indian Queen, the Great men & indeed from all the Indians, with a con- stant continuance of their kindness & respect, & of the great sense tliey have of the good that is designed them by the Governor in Sending me to live among them to teach their children, as also at the great expence he has been at & the many fatigues he hath undergone by travelling hither in the heat of Summer, as well as in the midst of winter, to the great hazard of his health, to encourage & promote this most pious undertaking, I should far exceed the bounds of a letter & intrude too much upon your Lordship's time. I shall therefore decline this & humbly represent to your Lordship what improve- ments the Pagan Children have made in the knowledge of the Christian reli- gion, which I promise myself can't but be very acceptable to you, a pious Christian Bishop. We have here a very handsome school built at the Charge of the Indian Company in which are at present taught 70 Indian Children, & many others from the western Indians, who live more than 400 Miles from hence, will be brought hither in the spring to be put under my care in order to be instructed in the religion of the holy Jesus. The greatest number of my scholars can say the belief, the Lord's prayer, & ten Commd' perfecdy well, they know that there is but one God & they are able to tell me how many per- sons there are in the Godhead & what each of those blessed persons have done for them. They know how many sacraments Christ hath ordained in his Church & for what end he instituted them, they behave themselves reverently at our daily prayers & can make their responses, which was no little pleasure to their great & good benefactor the Gov"" as also to the Rev^ M^ In". Cargill, M^ Attorney General & many other gendemen who attended him, in his pro- 197 [lyiS. gress hither. Thus my Lord hath the Gov'" (notwithstanding the many diffi- culties he labor'd under), happily laid the foundation of this great & good work of Civilizing & converting these poor Indians, who altho' they have liv'd many years amongst the professors of the best and most holy religion in the world, yet so little care has been taken to instruct them therein, that they still remain strangers to the covenant of grace & have not improved in any thing by their conversing with Christians, excepting vices to which before they were strangers, which is a very sad & melancholy reflection, but that God may crown with success this present undertaking, that thereby his kingdom may be en- larged by the sincere conversion of these poor heathen, I humbly recommend both it and myself to your Lordship's prayers & beg leave to subscribe myself with great duty. My Lord, your Lordship's most dutiful & most Obd* humble Servant, CHA^ GRIFFIN. The Case of the Vestries of Virginia. Every Parish in Virginia did at its own proper expence found, build & endow its respective Church which used to give a right of patronage or pre- sentation. For this reason the vestries, legally chosen by the Parishioners have ever since the first Settling of the Country presented their own ministers & the Governor as ordinary might institute & induct them. Besides this cus- tom & the reasonableness of it, the Vestries have had this right confirmed to them by act of assembly viz : the 4" in the Printed book. It has happened sometimes indeed that some vestries in compliment to the Gov' have accepted of his recommendation of a minister but that was only matter of civility & not of right. However the present Lieut. Gov' is not content to recommend only, but is pleas'd to command the vestries to take such ministers as he thinks fit, being persuaded he has a right so to do. This right he founds upon a Clause in his commission from his Majesty, giving him a power of collating to vacant benefices. However it is humbly conceived that no commission, can take away a right or repeal an act of assembly, especially since the words of the i7>8-] 198 commission may be construed so, as to consist with Law & Justice. That is, that the Gov^ may collate to vacant benefices in case of lapse. The Question therefore is :— (Q.) Whether the Gov' by Virtue of his Commission, has power to collate to Vacant benefices, against the will of the Vestry. Notwithstanding, the Par- ish hath been at the charge of building & endowing the Church as well as paying the minister & notwithstanding the Act of Assembly above mentioned. (y^.) If the Vestry had the right of presenting their minister as it seems to me by what is stated, in this case they plainly had, I am of opinion that the Commission mentioned in the case, will not give a power to the Gov' to Col- late to vacant benefices against the will of the Vestry, & contrary to their right. Lincoln's Inn. ROB^ RAYMOND. Nov' 17, 1718. 199 [I7I9- THE JOURNAL OK THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION HELD AT rHb:. COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY, IN THE CITY OF WII.LIAMSBURGH, In Ai'iuL, 1719. AT A CONVENTION Of the Clergy of Virginia begun on Wednesday, tlie Eighth day of April, 1 719 in the College of W" and Mary in the City of Williamsburgh : M'". Commissary Blair called over a List of the Clergymen of this Colony, and the following mem- bers answered to their names : M' . Sclater M'. Lewis Latane, M' . Hugh Jones, M', . Guy Smith, M'. Thom' Sharpe, M'. And. Thomson, M' , Ralph Bovvker, IM'. John .Sl^aife, IM'. Brunskill, M' . Cargill, M'. Alex' Scott, M'. Fountaine, M', Geo. Robertson, M'. John Worden, M'. Geo. .Seagood, M' . Monroe, M'. Ben. Pownal, M'. James Robertson, M', , Em' Jones, IVI'. W" Brodie, M'. James Falconar. M', , Bar. Yates, M'. John Bagge, M', W" Finney, IM'. Fran. Mylne, 1 719-1 200 Absent : M". Alexander Forbes, M'. John Prince, M^ James Tennant, out of y" Country, M'. John Bell, M^ Dan. Taylor, excus'd by Letter, M^ Giles Rainsford, M''. Sam. Bernard, sick, M\ James Breghin, M'. James Cleck, sick, M". John Span, U\ Owen Jones, M^ William Black. Then M^ Commissary Blair read two Letters from the Lord Bishop of London our Diocesan, one to himself, and another to the Rev"^ the Clergy of Virginia, & recommended the Particulars of them, which Letters are as fol- loweth, viz: TO THE REVEREND M". BLAIR, COMMISSARY OF VIRGINIA. Dear BR Jn°. Monro. 1719-] 226 An Answer to the Accusations contained in the Gouernour s 'Letter to the Convention ; which Letter is to be seen in the yournal of the Proceedings of the Said Convention, Accusation. For none more eminently, than M^ Commissary Blair, sets at nought those Instructions, which your Diocesan leaves you to be guided by, with respect to Institutions & Inductions ; he denying by his practice, as well as discourses, that the King's Govern' has the Right to collate ministers to Ecclesiastical Benefices within this Colony; for when the Church he now sup- plies, became void by the death of the former Incumbent, his Solicitation for the same was solely to the Vestry, without his ever making the least applica- tion to me for my collation ; notwithstanding it was my own Parish Church. Answer. As this Accusation is here worded, the design of it is plainly to induce your Lo'' to believe that I oppose the King's Instruction, & deny the Gov''^ power of Collation, & that I was inducted into my Parish, without him. But none of all these do in the least touch or explain the true state of the dif- ference betwixt his Opinion & mine in this matter. Which I must therefore beg leave more clearly to unfold to your Lo^- The sole question as to this affair is, what is to be meant by Collation, as in the Gov""' Instructions ; whether such a power as the King has to bestow Livings, of which he himself is the Patron ? or such a power as the Bishop has to collate to Livings that fall into his hands by Lapse? He claims it in the first sense. I have always understood it in the second, for the following rea- sons : I. It has been the constant practice in this country, that whatever min- isters we have had inducted, have had first a presentation from the Vestries, who by Law here act in the name of the Parishioners. And before this Gen- tleman's time, it was never known that ever a Gov' either refused to induct upon any such Presentation ; or gave Collation & Institution without it. 2. By a Law of this country, entided Ministers to be Inducted, after it has spoke of 227 [i7i9- the Minister's producing a Testimonial of his Ordination, & his subscribing to be conformable to the Orders & Constitutions of the Church of England, & the Laws there established, follow immediately these words, " Upon which the Gov'' is hereby requested to Induct the said minister Into any Parish that shall make Presentation of him." And from these words it has been always under- stood here, that the Parish had the Presentation, and the Gov' the Induction. For as to the word requested, they think and he grants, it doth not alter the case, when applied to the Governour; that being the usual form, in which our Laws express his Duty ; and not by the more authoritative words of enacting, commanding or requiring, as they do other peoples. 3. The Parishes here are at the charge of founding the Churches, the Glebes, & the Salaries. 4. Govern'' Nicholson consulted Sir Edw*" Northey the late Attorney Gen' as to all this affair, being desirous, as I thought, to remedy the precariousness of the Clergy, who, except a very few, have no Inductions. And Sir Edward was altogether of this opinion, as yo'' Lo^ will see by a copy of It, which I herewith transmit. Gov' Nicholson sent copies of that opinion to the several Vestries of this country, and threatened if they did not present, that he would take the benefit of the Lapse, The very threatening procured Presentations & conse- quently Inductions for some ministers. And had the Gov collated & Inducted upon the Lapse ; nay had he made but one or two Examples of it, all this Grievance mlgJit have been redressed long ago. But he only threatened, & never once collated upon Lapse; so that the precariousness is as much hxed as ever. 5. Having often discoursed your Lo^'^ Predecessor, and written to him on this Subject, I never found that he had any other notion of collation by the Governour ; but that It was to be upon Lapse. And the great difficulty started in those days to that Scheme was, that the country complained Six months was too short a time for them to supply their vacancies in ; there being no ministers to be had here, who were not already provided. For remedy of which, in the last revlsal of our Laws, a Law was provided, in which two years (if I remember right) were allowed the Parishes to supply their vacancies. This Law about fifteen years ago was under consideration by the Council of Trade ; my Lord Bishop of London was that day present at the Board, & I, being then in London was desired to attend. After full debate upon it, the Law was approved of, and my Lord ot London was ver)' well satisfied. But after all it miscarried here In the country. Our Assembly could not agree about it, & so It fell. Sure, If either the Bishop, or the Council of Trade had 1719-] 2 28 had any notion of this Right of Patronage which the Gov"" now claims (and his Commission & Instructions are the same now they were then), having so ready a remedy for the precariousness of the Clergy, they needed not to have made these extraordinary concessions. 6. The Gov''^ new method would destroy all benefit of Lapse ; whereas if the Presentation is In the Parish, & the Lapse In the Gov'', we have the Ordinary a check upon the Patrone, as In England, & other Christian Churches ; which is a very valuable Security. 7. Collations to Benefices, together with Licenses for marriages and Probats of Wills, being three things pertaining to the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, but expressly excepted out of It, & by the King's Instructions given to the Govern'', seems to be a good argument that In the point of Collations, the Gov'' acts only qua Ordinary & consequently either Institutes upon Presentation, or col- lates by Lapse ; but not as Original Patrone. These are the reasons which have Induced me to think Collations are to be interpreted in another Sense than the Gov'' has lately fixed upon them. I say lately ; for I do not remember that he fell upon this notion above three or four years ago; which makes me astonished at the censure he gives of me, for not applying to him for his Collation. There are two wrong things here insinuated; One is, as if the Govern' at that time had claimed (as he now does), the Right of Collating to the Living as Patrone, before It Lapsed ; whereas this pretention ^\as by four or five years of a later date; my coming to this Parish being at Christmas, 1710, and no body at that time having ever questioned the Vestry's right of choosing a minister, when the Parish was fairly void ; as It was here by the death of my Predecessor IW. Solomon Wheatley. As soon as I was elected by the Vestry, I immediately acquainted the Gov''; and he said he was very glad of it. And I do assure your Lop, he nor no one else at that time faulted this, as being then, & long afterwards the Common practice of the country. If a Gov' ever Interposed in such cases In those days, it was only by way of Recommendation to the Vestry; but never by way of collation, which he begins now to claim. The other thing which I take to be here insinuated Is, as If upon the Vestry's presentation of me, I had, in contempt of his right & authority to give collation, never applied to him for it. This I confess would have been a great contempt; and such a one as never any minister in the country was guilty of. For as soon as w^e can get a Pre- sentation from the Vestry, we never fail to apply to the Gov'^ for Induction, as readily as any clerk in England applies to the Bishop with his presentation. 229 [i7i9- But this is the unhappiness of our precarious circumstances in this country, that the Vestries are such Enemys to Inductions that they will give no Pre- sentations; and our Governours have been so unwilling to disoblige the Par- ishes, that they have never taken the Benefit of the Lapse : So that the minis- ters generally officiat upon an Election of the Vestry, without presentation or Induction. As this is the case of about nine in ten of our ministers (for some four or five are inducted), your Lo^ will easily perceive that as matters then stood, without a presentation it was in vain for me to apply to the Gov' for Collation & Induction. But I thought it became me in good manners to wait on the Governour, and to acquaint him with what was done ; he signified his great satisfaction ; and did not in the least fault any thing in the conduct of the matter. We were then, and for many years afterwards, in perfect friendship ; tho' now all things that are capable of any ill aspect are mustered up to make a crime; where never any before was so much as pretended. Accusation. And I cannot but complain of his deserting the cause of the Church in general, and Striving to put it upon such a foot as must deprive the Clergy of that reasonable Security, which I think they ought to have, with regard to their Livings. Answer. It passes my skill to find out the defects of this method, if the Gov'' would give the Parishes warning to present in a reasonable time, & in case of failure would make use of the Lapse ; it would remedy the precariousness of the Clergy as well as the other; & would have this advantage, that it might be much more easily applied; and the minister would have more of the Love of his Parishioners; whereas the other way will involve him in a Lawsuit to defend his title ; and if we should at any time have a Gov'' that has little regard to the Church or Religion, he may keep the Parishes void as long as he pleases, there being no Lapse ever incurred by that Scheme. Accusation. As to the disorders in the Worsliip of God, which are pointed at in the Said Letter, it appears as if my Lord of London knew not that his Commissary is more apt to countenance, than redress the same, for I my self have seen him I7I9-J 230 present in Church, while a Layman his Clerk has read the Divine Service in the Congregation, he himself vouchsafing to perform no more of his ministerial Office, than to pronounce the Absolution, Preach and dismiss us with the Blessing. Answer. It Is well known that I do constantly, while I enjoy my health, read the whole Divine Service my Self. And if the Govern'' has at any time seen it otherwise, it has been when I have been so weaken'd with sickness, that I was not able to go through the whole Service, and preach too. If it be thought an irregularity', that in such a case I made use of a Laick, it is to be considered that this is a country where there is not one Clergyman to be had on such an occasion, they being all employed at the same time in their own far distant Parishes ; and that the country is so used to this practice, that long before I knew it, by the fifth Law in the printed Book, Entitled Ministers to provide Readers, it is Enacted, " That where there is not a minister to ofificiat every Sunday, the Parish shall make choice of a grave & sober Person, of good life and conversation to read Divine Service ever)' intervening Sunday at the Par- ish Church, when the minister preacheth at any other place." But I constantly read prayers my Sell, unless disabled or weakened by Sickness. AcCUSA'JItiN. I have also seen him present in the Church yard, while the same Clerk has performed the funeral Service at the Grave. Answhi;. Here it is insinuated, as if I had been at the funeral, when the Clerk per- formed the funeral Service at the Grave. I can averre that my constant prac- tice is otherwise. What might occasion it that one time, whether that I had not been spoke to, or that I was hoarse, or that I passed thro' the Church yard accidentally, while the Clerk was in the funeral Service, and I did not think fit to interrupt him, I can't tell, except the circumstances of the fact were explained. But It is a^common thing all over the country (what thro' want of ministers, what by their great distance, & the heat of the weather, and the smelling of the corps), both to bury at other places than Church yards, & to employ Lalcks to read the funeral Service ; which till our circumstances and Laws are altered, we know not how to redress. 231 [i7i9- Accusation. And I remember when he was for having the Churchwardens provide Lay Readers, who should on Sundays read to their congregations some Printed Sermons ; and so far he declared in Council his approbation thereof, that such practice had like to have had the Sanction of the Government, had I not with- stood it, as destructive of the Establishment of the Church. Answer. The Governour's memory must in this matter have exceedingly fail'd him, when he represents this of Lay Readers, either as a new Project; for (as I quoted above) there is a Law of the country for it, duly put in practice, where there is no minister to ofhciat; or as a Project of mine. The thing I would have rectified in it, was that I understood those Readers took upon them to read what Sermons they thought ht ; and 1 was for their reading only the Homilies. This meeting with some opposition (for it was alledged, if nothing but the Homilies were read, the people would not come to Church), it was with the Govern'''^ consent accommodated thus, that where there was a minis- ter in the Parish, the minister should direct what Sermons the Reader should read at the distant Church or Chappel ; and where there was no minister, the Commissary should do it. But for the horrid Inuendo this part of my Accu- sation is capable of, as if ministers were hereby intended to be laid aside, and Lay Readers sett up in their place, and so the Establishment of the Church destroyed ; there was never any such thing thought of, far less argued for in Council. I have upon all occasions acquainted your Lordship, & your Prede- cessor, when vacancies fell by the death of ministers, & pressed for a speedy supply ; & whenever they came in, they were immediately provided with Par- ishes, if the Govern' himself did not delay them. Accusation. These and many other Instances, that might be given, induce me to believe that a Reformation of what has chiefly (as I apprehend) given occasion to your Diocesan's Letter, will not be pressed very heartily upon you by your Com- missary; especially if he made no such solemn promise at his Ordination, as his Lqp reminds you all of Wherefore I judge it to be more Incumbent upon the Several members now in this Convention, diligently to enquire of the Dis- i7[9-] 232 orders which your Diocesan, takes notice of, & earnestly to apply yourselves to proper means for redressing them. Answer. Whether I did heartily press Reformation in pursuance of your Lo^'^ Letter, your Lordship will more readily apprehend from the copy of my speech to the Convention, than from these hard prognostications of it. And tho' by means of this Letter of the Gov''^ and other more clandestine prepossessions, they were sufficiently enflamed, your Lo^ will observe, that instead of accusing me of any irregularities, w^hen I put the question, whether any person knew of any that did not punctually conform to the Established Lyturgy ? they answered only that there were several things, which were not observed by any, by reason of the circumstances of the country ; which particulars were ordered to be mentioned by the Committy appointed to answer your Lord- ship's Letter, & that your Lo^'^ directions be recpiested therein. But the worst Inuendo of all is a doubt here suggested, and more industriously cultivated in his private insinuations, at least the Insinuations of his Emlssarys, as if I never had Episcopal Ordination. The Gov' indeed words it somewhat doubtfully, "Especially (says he) if he made no such promise at his Ordination, as his Lo'' reminds you all of" He was satisfied before, that I was ordained with Episcopal Ordination in Scotland. The doubt he here suggests is concerning the form of tliat Ordination, whether it had any such Stipulations in it as the English form has. I had told him that I was ordained by the very Same Eng- lish book of Ordination, as indeed I was. But if he would not believe that, having it only from my own Testimony, he might have remembered that I shewed him my License under the hand & Seal of your Lordship's Predeces- sor, in which among other things is certified that I promised to conform to the Lyturgy of the Church of England as by Law established: So that there was no occasion for throwing out this Reflection. These are t!ie Accusations I am charged with in that Letter : the Summe of which is. i. A difference in opinion about Presentations, which I own, and have given your Lordship my reasons for it; which yet I humbly submit to your more mature Judgment. 2. Some very few irregularities as to the Lyt- urgy; which were owing partly to Sickness & weakness disabling me at that time to perform the whole Service ; and partly to the circumstances of the 233 ['719- country, which will not admit of an exact conformity as in England, This will be more fully explained in the Clergy's Answer to your Lqi^'* Letter. But that all this heat and anger should break out now, when the pretended causes of it were the same all along, both during his nine years' Government, & all his Predecessors' from the first seating of the country, every body here observes is owing to his late resentments, because I could not go along with him in several late innovations, which have given such distaste to the country, that our House of Burgesses have complained of them to his Majesty. Had he taken the advice of the Council, he might have made himself and the coun- try easy. But he is so wedded to his own notions, that there is no quarter for them that go not into them. He is now endeavouring to remove several of the Gentlemen of the Council of the most unblemished character. But his resentments having more ways to reach me than any of the rest, he has exerted himself to- the utmost in his endeavours to ruin me both with the College, & my Parish, & with your Lordship, But your Lordship's backwardness to discard an old Servant without some crime proved against him, and the clearness of my Title to be President of the College by the Charter, and the Love of my Parishioners give him great uneasiness, the' my interest is a very unequall match for his. The fair, candid way, with which your Lordship has used me, notwithstanding the vast pains has been taken to supplant me with your Lord- ship, has laid me under great obligations of gratitude, & the highest esteem of your Lordship's Candour and Justice. I doubt not there are many other things laid to my charge, which I have never heard of, and therefore can't answer at this distance. But if your Lordship will give me leave to come home, I hope I shall be able to clear my self of all imputations to your Lo^, as I had the good fortune to do in the like case formerly to your Lo'''^ Predeces- sor, who sifted all those matters to the bottom. I hope your Lordship will pardon all this trouble ; God forgive them who have occasioned it. I am only on the Defensive. The Equity of my Judge gives me great boldness, knowing that I have endeavour'd to keep a good conscience, & that whereinsoever I have Erred, I am ready to submit to your Lordship's judgment, & to correct whatever you think amiss in my conduct, being with all Sincerity, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged & most Obedient Servant, JAMES BLAIR. I7I9-] 234 AT. COMMISSARY' S Remarks on the Governour s Letter to the Parish of S' Anne s^ relating to Collations ; which he promised the Convention to Answer, The full Copy of the Said Letter is inserted in the Minutes of the Con- vention, Passing by some other things in this Letter, what is material to this dispute is answered as follows : Letter. You immediately discarded M"". Bagge, and sent down M^ Ransford with a pretended Presentation for Induction. Ans. The Case in this part seems not to be rightly stated ; for M^ Bagg was not in possession, but M'', Rainsford ; and therefore M^ Bagg can't prop- erly be said to be discarded. The Presentation was informal, and therefore rejected, but was found to be from them who had a Right to Present. Le'iter. a late opinion of the Council, whereby it is declared that the Right of Supplying Vacant Benefices is claimed by the King, and his MaJ^'^'^ Commission to the Governour. Ans. That was a very thin Council ; not above six present, and it was often said by them who carried that Vote that they determined nothing concerning the point of Right; only that it seemed to them, by what the Governour read to them, that the King claimed it. LETfER. You have taken upon you the power of Induction by giv- ing M"". Rainsford possession of the pulpit, & excluding the person I appointed to officiate. Ans. M^ Rainsford had been long in possession, and M^ Bagg was come to exclude him. Letter. You will find the Board clearly of opinion that I ought not to receive such Presentation, nor grant Induction upon it ; and accordly I now tell you, that I do refuse to admit M"". Rainsford upon that Pre- sentation : So that if you are the Patrons (as you suppose) you may as soon as you please bring a Ouare impedit to try your Title, and then it will appear whether the King's clerk or yours, has the most Rightful 235 [i7i9- possession of your Church. In the meantime I think it necessary hereby to forewarn you to be cautious how you cUspose of the profits of your Parish, lest you pay It In your own wrong. Ans. The Board of Council here spoke of rejected this Presentation purely for the informahty of it, being a Presentation and Institution all in One. But at the same time they own'd this Vestry had the Right of Presentation : whereas in the manner this is here represented, they are made to believe that it was rejected on account of their having no Right to Present: and so in the end they are feared as if they were in danger to be made pay the profits again, of which there is not the least hazard, for both clerks can't have these Profits. Le'^tter. By the same hands it's like you received such another piece of news, Viz : That M^ Commissary Blair advised your insisting on your Right, for that you had the Law, and the major part of the Council of your side. I have taxed IVP. Commissary with this, and he has pub- lickly denied it, & even given it under his hand that he never said such a thing: but if he did, the enclosed Proceedings of the Council (wherein he joyned) will convince you how much he was mistaken. Ans. There are two things here averred of M^ Commissary, in both which he thinks matters are represented of him under a wrong aspect ; first, that he publickly denied and had even given it under his hand that he had never said such a thing as that the Parish had the Law, & the major part of the Council of their side : whereas what he denied and gave under his hand relating to this matter can have no such meaning. The words are these : " As to the controversy between the Vestry and M^ Bagg, as it was begun & carried on without my knowledge or medling in it, I am astonished to hear that I should be quoted as an Author or Abettor of the contest. I do not suffer my self to be so far engaged, but that with an unbyassed mind I shall be ready to be deter- mined on whatsoever side the strength of the argument shall appear, if ever it comes before me as a judge in the Gen^ Court. Because M"". Commissary denyes himself to be an Author or Abettor of the contest, begun and carried on without his knowledge, he will inferre that he denyes he had ever said they have the Law or the Council of their side. As to the other thing averred of ,M\ Commissary, that if he did say this, the enclosed proceedings of the Council (wherein lie joyn'd) will convince them how much he was mistaken. If by the enclosed Proceedings of the Council he meant the rejecting their Pre- sentation (for he joyn'd in no other Proceedings of that Parish), tliat being I7I9-J 236 rejected only because of the informality of it, can be no decision of the Point of Right ; nor a conviction to any person that they have not the Law and major part of the Council of their side. But now to come to the Governour's arguments for this Right. Arg. I. As the King is the Sovereign of these Plantations, So is he vested with the Right of Patronage of all Ecclesiastical Benefices, unless where it appears he has by apt words granted the same away to Privat Subjects. Ans. To say nothing of the Original of Patronages, which have been in the Founders of Churches, Glebes, & Benefices: (and the Parishioners of Virginia are the Founders of all these), it seems by a law in being viz: The fourth in the Printed Book standing unrepealed, the Presentation is given to the Parishioners & the hiduction to the Governor. For the Title of the Law is. Ministers to be Inducted, and in the Body of it, after it has spoken of their due qualifications, follow these words with relation to presentation & Induction, *'Upon which the Governor is hereby requested to Induct the said minister into any Parish that shall make Presentation of him." Are not these apt words especially considering that the meaning of them is sufficiently explained by the constant practice ever since, which is above seventy years without interruption ? Arg. 2. That his majesty doth claim this Right here in Virginia, appears by the Commission under the broad Seal, whereby his majesty gives to his Govern' full power & authority to Collate any person or Persons to any Churches, Chappels or other Ecclesiastical Benefices, as often as any of them shall become void (which power is also expressly excepted out of the Bishop of London's Patent as Bishop of the Plantations) and in his majestie's Instructions the Governour is par- ticularly directed as to the qualifications of the Persons so to be collated by him, and enjoined to cause all Persons not so qualified to be re- moved, and immediatly to supply the Vacancy, without giving notice to the Vestrys, which is always done in England (in the case of Depriva- tion) where there is a Patrone. This shows that the King acknowledges no other Patron here but himself, Ans. As to the authority to collate by his majestie's Commission, expressly excepted out of the Bishop of London's Patent, it appears by the Instruction excepting it, that if it had not been excepted, it would have been still a ni [1719- Bransch of the Bishop's Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. The words of the Instruc- tion are these, "And to the end the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Said Bishop of London may take place in that his ma"°'' Colony, as far as conven- iently may be, his majesty doth think fit that you give all Countenance & Encouragement in the Exercise of the same: Excepting only the Collating to Benefices, Granting Licences for marriage, and Probat of Wills ; which his majesty has reserved to you his Governour, or the Commander in chief of the said Colony for the time being." It is to be observed from this Instruction that this power of Collating to Benefices (as well as Licences for marriages, and Probats of Wills, with which it is joined), is excepted out of the Ecclesi- astical Jurisdiction of the Bishop of London; and therefore the power of these three things being given to the Governour, is no more than Constitudng and declaring him the Ordinary or Bishop as to these three things. He is there- fore by this power of Collation, to have it the same way & after the same manner as the Bishop would have had it, if it had not been excepted out of his Patent: that is not as Patron, but as Ordinarj'-, who presents jure devoluto. The Governour does not pretend that the Ordinary qua Ordinary has the Patronages, or can present to them any other way than by Lapse. And it is plain from tlie last quoted Instruction that in the point of Collations to Benefices, he has only the Ordinary's power, and therefore is not to present but by Lapse. And as to the rest of the powers here enumerated, they are made up partly of Instructions, and partly of the Governour's glosses upon them, that one can't easily distinguish the one from the other. And the Instruction separated from those Glosses will not inferre the Conclusion he draws from it. This will be more plain when the Instruction is set down by it self, which is as follows ! "You are not to preferre any Minister to any Ecclesiastical Benefice in that his Maj"^'*'^ Colony, without a Certificat from the R' Reverend the Lord Bishop of London of his being Conformable to the Doctrine & Discipline of the Church of England, and of good Life & Conversation. And if any Person already preferred shall appear to you to g"ive Scandal cither by his doctrine or manners, you are to use the best means for the removall of him, and to supply the Vacancy in such a manner as his Majesty has directed." From which it appears this Injunction relates only to the qualifications of the Clergy, not to the Right of Patronages. And those most material words in the Argument ; immediatly to supply the Vacancy, without giving notice to the I7I9-] 238 Vestrys are no part of the Instruction, but only glosses upon it. And there- fore no argument can be drawn from them ; the' perhaps they might have great weight with that Vestry, which could not tell but that they might be all the words of the Instruction. Arg. 3. But besides this Commission, there is a further and very early Evidence of the King's not looking on the Law you hinge on, to give the Vestrys any Right of Patronage. 'Tis a Lease made by King Charles the ^^ to the Lords Arlingtoune & Culpeper of the whole Territory of Virginia for 31 years, wherein among other things there is this remarkable Grant viz: "And we do further give & grant unto the said Henry Earle of Arlington & Thomas Lord Culpeper that they &c, shall for & during the said Term of 31 years be sole and absolute Patrons of all Churches & Chappels already built or hereafter to be built within the said Territory &c." Now the Grant being made in 1672, just ten years after the Law for Inducting of ministers past here, is it to be supposed that the King's Council at Law, who prepared the Grant, and the Lord Chancelour, who put the Great Seal to it, would have Suffered it to pass, had they judged it incompatible with a Law of the Colony so lately enacted, that it must have been yet iresh in mem- ory : especially considering the Lord Chancelour was always one of the Committy for forreign Plantations. And even the then Governour, Council & House of Burgesses, tho' they sent home Agents to re- monstrate against this Lease, did not plead that this Grant of the Patronage of Churches was repugnant to the Right of the Vestries. Neither could the Agents prevail to get the Grant set a side, tho' they were particularly charged to endeavour it. Ans. Ail that is here said to shew they must have been apprized of the Virginia Law has very little weight in it; for to this day there it very little known in England of the Laws of Virginia; and much less was known then; for till Bacon's Rebellion (which put the Crown to the Charge of a great Sum of money to Suppress It), Virginia was very little consider'd. The incompat- ibleness of giving the Presentation to the Parlshoners & yet making these Lords the sole and absolute Patrons is very plain. That Grant was so illegal that the King thought fit to buy it off. And if their King meant to give the same thing to his Governours, why is there no Such Grant of Patronages, Presentations and advousons produced ; as is to be seen in that Lease ; but 239 [1719- hid under the &c; but in stead of that only a Grant of Collations, as they are a branch of the Episcopal jurisdiction ? Arg. 4. If you consider Sir Edward Northey's Opinion (which I find mentioned in your letter), it is plain he never had the King's Right under consideration ; nor doth he at all determine that the Vestrys are the undoubted Patrons ; but after he has cited the several Laws rela- ting to the Church, he declares that the Right of Advouson must be subject to the Laws of England (there being no Law of this Country that gives any further directions therein), and the whole Scope of his arguments thereafter is only to shew what is the practice in England, where there are such undoubted Patrons ; which is but Supposing what the King has not yet yeilded in this Countrey ; seeing he still claims the Right of Supplying the Vacancies of all Ecclesiastical Benefices, as the Council have declared to be the true meaning of his Majesty's Commission and Instruction. Ans. Sir Edward Northey is very positive that "the Gov' must Induct on the Presentation of the Parishioners, & that the Incumbent so inducted is in for Life ; " and that the Governour's part is only to collate upon Lapse. " If the Parishioners, says he, do not present a Minister to the Governour within Six months after any Church shall become void, the Governour as Ordinary shall & may Collate a Clerk to such Church by Lapse ; and his Collatee shall hold the Church for Life." He declares his opinion too plainly, that the Governour is the Ordinary and Bishop of the Plantation. It is strange after all this, when upon perusal of all our Laws relating to the Church, he gives the Right of Presentation to the Parishioners, and makes it the Gov"''^ duty to Induct upon that Presentation ; and admitts of the Governour's Collations only in case the Parishioners do not Present a minister to the Governour within Six months, after any Church shall become void, that it should be said he hath not determined that the Vestrys (who act in the name of the Parish- ioners) are the Patrons. And it is as plain as can be that he had the Gover- nour's Right under his consideration, when he tells us that he acts as Ordinary, is to Induct upon the Presentation of the Parishioners, or in Case of their Six months' neglect to collate by Lapse. Whereas it is said that the whole Scope of Sir Edward's arguments is to shew the Practice of England, where there are Such undoubted Patrons ; it is plain that throughout he applies this practice to Virginia, & determines clearly how far the Virginia Law goes in I7I9-] 240 giving the Presentation to the Parishioners ; and the Bishop's part to the Gov- ernour; and where the Virginia Law is Silent, viz; The Effect of Induction, that it is for Life ; The Lapse, that it is after Six months ; when the Ordinarie's Collations take place; what is to be done in case the Parishioners have never presented, & in case being required they refuse to present: & what is to be done for the Supplying the Church during the Vacancy. All which cases he determines out of the Law of England, which are to take place here, when our own laws are Silent. Arg. 5. Lastly I shall sett forth to you the reasonableness of believing that the King Looks upon the Right of disposing of Bene- fices here to be still vested in the Crown. Every Minister sent hither is denominated one of the King's Chaplains employed in his Maj"*^'^ Service abroad; and as such receives Twenty' pound of the Treasury to defray the charge of his passage. If any of the King's Ships are are coming hither, the ministers have their passage & provisions gratis. The Bishop of London recommends them to the Governour to be preferred to some Ecclesiastical Living. But they bring no recommendation to any Vestry, as Patrons of the Churches; nor doth either the King or the Bishop direct or desire the Governour to inter- cede with the Patrons of the Churches here to bestow on such minis- ters the vacant Livings in their gift. Now to what purpose is the King at so much Expence to send over Clerg^'men to the Plantations, if they are to starve here till a Lay Patron thinks fit to present them ? To what purpose doth the Bishop recommend them to the Governour, if he has no Preferments to bestow? To what purpose do they bring the Bishop's Testimonial and Licence to preach, if their qualifications are to be again tr^-ed by a Vestry here, and they to depend on popular humour for their Livings ? Can it be supposed that the Governour's Instruction prepared by the board of Trade (who are well acquainted with all the Laws of this Country) and after read & approved in Councd, where the King's Learned Judges are present, should enjoin a Governour upon the removal of a minister, immecUatly to supply the Vacancy without waiting the Six months' Lapse, & should not rather direct him to follow the practice of England by giving timely notice to the Patron to present another Clerk, if their Lordships had any imagi- nation that the Laws of Virginia gave the Right of Patronages to the 241 [I7I9- Vestrys? Whatever wild notions some people may entertain of his ma*'''^ ministers entrusted with the Inspection of the Plantations, I am confident they would never advise his majesty to enjoin any thing re- pugnant to Law, and therefore till the King thinks fitt to alter my Commission & Instructions I hope I can't be blamed for not giving up a Right which his majesty has entrusted me with, unless it be other- wise determined by due course of law, to whicii I shall be as ready as any man to submit. Ans. The Title of the King's Chaplains gives no right to the Presenta- tion, nor hinders any man to accept of a Living from any other Patron, with- out forfeiting his Title. Nor is the King's Bounty (which is given as an en- couragem^ for ministers to take the extraordinary pains of officiating in forreign Plantations) any proof of the King's claiming the Patronage; Since the King's design of having the Souls of his Plantation Subjects taken care of, will be equally answered, whoever has the Presentation. Nor does the Bishop of London's Letter of Recommendation of the ministers to the Governour prove this ; for the Bishop knowing that Vacant Parishes would be glad to be supplyed, without any regard to the persons who have the Right of Presenta- tion, signifies commonly the qualifications of the ministers both to the Gover- nour & to the Commissary, and desires their assistance towards placing them in good Parishes. As to their bringing recommendations to the particular Vestries, it would be improper, seeing the Bishop usually knows not what particular Parishes are vacant. And yet there have been instances of partic- ular Parishes that have desired my Lord Bishop of London's particular recom- mendation of a Minister for their Parish, without taking any Notice of the Governour; as to the King or Bishop's sending ministers hither to starve, every body that knows any thing of this Country, knows that the vacant Parishes are as desirous of ministers, as the Ministers are of the Parishes, so that that argum' goes upon a very groundless Suggestion. Not that their qualifications are to be tr)'ed again by the Vestry ; but that of those who are qualified, Hke other Patrons, they may choose which to present. And if there were any thing in this that the Governour's having the Livings in his hands is convenient, in order to keep the minister from Starving, which sup- poses the Parishioners negligent in providing a Supply of the Vacancy the Governour as Ordinary' (in such a case) would be equally capable of providing a minister, by his Collation jure devoluto ; so that the minister would be as I7I9-J 242 well provided for one way as to'ther. Nay I think better, because he would have more Strings to his bow. If the Vestrys were refractory, the Governour as Ordinary could Collate jure devoluto. And if the Governour were humoursome, then the Vestrys could make use of their Right of Presentation, But one of the weightiest Arguments of ail those enumerated in this place", is taken from the Governour's Instructions, which, as they are here quoted, enjoin him upon the removal of a minister, immediatly to Supply the Vacancy, without waiting the Six Months' Lapse. But as I said before, this Is not the Instruction, but a mixture of Instruction & Gloss together; the In- struction having none of those Words immediatly, & without waiting- the Six months Lapse: The naked words of the Instruction, as to this point, being these that follow: "And if any person already preferred shall appear to you to give Scandal, either by his doctrine or manners, you are to use the best means for the removal of him, & to supply the Vacancy in such a manner, as his majesty has directed," Which bear no such Sence, but what will suit with the duty of Ordinary, and supplying the vacancy by Lapse or otherwise, viz; either getting the Parishioners to provide within the Six Months, or providing himself if it exceed It, 243 [i7i9- AN ACT of f General! Assembly of Virginia, 1662. Upon w'^ a Right of Patronage is pretended to be established in the Vestrys there. The opinion of Council, that f King s Right, of Collation to Benefices, and through Him the Go%f\ remains untouched ; and that f Right is not in f Vestries, lyl^. Copy of an Act pass'd in the Gen- eral Assembly of Virginia, the 23"^ March 1662. Upon which a Right of Patronage is pretended to be establish'd in the Vestrys here. MINISTERS TO BE INDUCTED. That for the Preservation of Purit)^ & Unity of Doctrine & Discipline in the Church, & the right Administration of the Sacraments, no ministers be admitted to officiate in this Country' but such as shall produce to the Governor a Testimonial that he hath receiv'd his Ordination from some Bishop in Eng- land, & shall then subscribe to be conformable to the Orders & Constitutions of the Church of England & the Laws there establish'd, upon which the Governor is hereby requested to induct the s'^ minister into any parish, that shall make Presentation of him ; And if any other person pretending himself a minister, shall contrary to this Act presume to teach or preach publickly or privately, the Governor & Council are hereby desir'd and impowered to sus- pend & silence the Person so offending, & upon his obstinate persistence, to compell him to depart the Country with the first Convenience as it hath been formerly provided by the 77*'' Act made at James Cit^' the 2*^ March, 1642. VESTRYS APPOINTED. That for the making & proportioning of the Levys & Assessments, for building & repairing the Churches & Chappels, Provision for the poor, mainte- nance of the ministers & each other necessary Uses, & for the more orderly lyig-] 244 managing all parochial Affairs ; Be it enacted that 1 2 of the most able men of each parish be by the major part of the s'^ parish chose to be a Vestry out of which number the minister & Vestry to make choice of two Church Wardens yearly, & in Case of the Death of any Vestryman or his Departure out of the parish, that the s"^ Minister and Vestry make Choice of another to supply his room ; A7id be it further enacted, that none shall be admitted to be of the Vestry, that doth not take the Oaths of Allegiance & Supremacy to His Majesty, & subscribe to be conformable to the Doctrine «& Disciphne of the Church of England. Copy of the powers granted by the King to the Gov"" of Virginia for sup- plying Vacant Benefices. CLAUSE IN THE GOA^ERNOR'S COMMISSION. And We do further give & grant unto you full power & authority to collate any person or Persons to any Churches, Chappels or other Ecclesias- tical Benefices within Our s'^ Colony as often as the same shall happen to be void. 93" ARTICLE OF THE KING'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR. You are not to prefer any minister to any Ecclesiastical Benefice in that Our Colony, without a Certificate from the R' Rev^ Father in God the Lord Bishop of London of his being conformable to the Doctrine & Discipline of the Church of England, & of a good Life and Conversation, & if any person preferr'd already to a Benefice shall appear to you to give Scandal, either by his Doctrine or Manners, You are to use the proper and usual means for the Removal of him, & to supply the Vacancy in such manner as We have directed. N.B. The power of collating to Benefices in Virginia is expressly excepted out of the Bishop of London's Jurisdiction & by him also excepted in his commission to His Commissary. All ministers bring Letters commendatory from the Bishop desiring the Governor to prefer such minister or ministers to some vacant Benefice ; And accordingly the Governor sends the minister so recommended {after having seen his Orders & Testimonials) to such vacant Parishes as he thinks fit. Also it's to be noted that every Clergyman coming into America receives £10 out of the Treasury, as the King's Chaplins employed in His majesty's Service. 245 [1719. Qusere. Whether by the power aforesaid the King doth not claim the Right of Collation to all parishes here ? 2^. Whether the Right of the Crown is abridged by the Act, Intituled ministers to be inducted, so as to intitule the Vestrys to a Right of patronage And Whether the Governor be thereby restrain'd from collating to vacant Benefices or granting Induction, except only where the Vestry present their Clerk ? 3''. If the Vestry have the Right of patronag^e, Whether they can place in their parish any Minister without the License of the Gov"^* who in this Case is put in the place of the Ordinary ? Or can they remove such minister at their pleasure, without any Offence prov'd, before the competent Judge having Cognizance of such Offence ? Mv Lords, In Obedience to your Lord^'^ Commands, I have perus'd the above written Clauses, & considerd the Questions arising thereupon, & since the prerogative of the Crown cannot be lessend or taken away by any general Words what- soever, but only by express terms ; I am of Opinion that notwithstanding any thing contain'd in them, the King's prerogative remains untouch'd & entire as to his Right of collating to Vacant Benefices, I am, My Lords, Your Lordship's June 27'^ 171Q. most Obedient humble Servant. RICH^ WEST. My Lords. I dont apprehend that the Act entitl'd {ministers to be inducted) has taken away that power & Right vested by His Maj'^'' in the Governor to collate to such Benefices. The Words of the Act are only that he be requested to induct a Minister where the parish recommend him and the King's Right can- not be taken away by any such Words. The King has the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction In him over the plantations and if he has not parted with It to the Bishop of London in this pardcular (as it seems he has not). The Gov"^ by the Authority transferr'd to him, may exercise this Right & I conceive the Vestries have no pretensions to it by that Act or any other Way. SIgn'd March s'" 17;^ ^ W" THOMPSON. I7I9-] ^+6 M\ JONES to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, May 30, 1719. May it please your Lordship, With this I send you a Copy of the Journal of the Convention, held here in pursuance to your Lordship's letter to the Clergy of this Colony dated Aug. 6, 1718. I presume you will be pleased to excuse anything that we may have done improperly, or omitted, since our intentions were right and conscientious, tho' we were by cunning artifice prevented from acting several material things, which we designed, and diverted from the most proper manner of per- forming what we have done. The minutes from whence we formed our Jour- nal were somewhat obscure and confused, but we have followed the letter and true meaning thereof as near as possibly we could. We repose such con- fidence in your Lordship's goodness, that we trust you will not, by any false insinuations, prevarications or malacious aspersions, be misled from commis- serating and assisting the deplorable state of the Church here; but that you will with patience & true Christian Zeal, examine into & protect the cause of our distress'd Sion. Several concurring circumstances induce most here to believe M'. Commissary never had any but Presbyterian Ordination. A Copy of what he produced in a great confusion & confess'd was all the letters of Orders he ever had, I send you inclosed. Thro' the favor of our good GovS James' City Parish has accepted of me to Preach for 2-3*^^ of the Salary 2 Sun- days in 3 ; but they still hire their Clerk to read prayers & preach every 3'"'^ Sunday: which may seem strange to your Lordship, but (I believe) not so very wonderful as the proceedings of the vestry of Hanover Parish, who have built a Chapel & levied a Salary for a layman of Enthusiastical principles, tho' they have a good Church of England minister in their Parish. The vestries are seduced to wrong measures by seeming interest, and are craftily led into wrong notions, upon which they found their imaginary power, & esteem a former opinion of Sir Edward Northey, and a late one of Sir Rob* Raymond, to whom their case was falsely stated, to be infallible confirmations of their authority in the Church. I hope your Lordship will pardon this, my trouble- 247 [1719- some freedom, and grant me your benediction & prayers, & believe that I am, My Lord, your very much obliged & most dutiful humble Serv', HUGH JONES. M"". Inglis being dead, I have undertaken to assist the Usher till your Lordship can send on a good master, to do which, I understand, the Governors of the College Design to request you. A COPY of the letters of Orders produced by the Com''^'. William & Mary College, in Virginia, Ap''. 9, 1719. The Convention requested to see M^ Com^ Blair's letters of Orders, & what he produced was as followeth, on paper, without Witness or Seal or Stamp, viz : To ALL CONCERNED, these are to certify & declare, that the bearer hereof, M''. Ja^ Blair, Presbyter, did officiate In the Service of the Holy Ministry as Rector in the Parish of Cranston, in my diocese of Edinburgh for several years preceding the year 1682, with exemplary diligence, care and gravity, & did in all the course of his Ministry, behave himself Loyally, Peaceably & Canonically, & that this is a truth I certify by these presents, written & Subscribed with my own hand, the 19"^ day of Aug', in the year 1684. JO. EDINBURGH. CASE OF GERMAN FAMILIES. Of thirty-two Protestant German families settled in Virginia humbly shew- eth; That twelve Protestant German families, consisting of about fifty per- I7I9-] 248 sons, arrived April, 1714, In Virginia, and were therein settled near Rappa- hannok river. That, in 171 7, twenty protestant German families more, consisting of about fourscore persons, came and set down near their country- men. And many more, both German and Swiss families, are likely to come there and settle likewise. That for the enjoyment of the ministries of religion, there will be a necessity of building a small Church in the place of their settle- ment, and of maintaining a minister, who shall catechize, read and perform divine offices among them in the German tongue, which is the only language they do yet understand. That there went indeed over with the first twelve German families, one minister, named Henry Hceger, a very sober, honest man, of about 75 years of age ; but he being likely to be past service in a short time, they have impowered M^ Jacob Christophle ZoUicoffer, of St. Gall, in Switzerland, to go into Europe and there to obtain if possible some Contri- butions from pious and charitable Christians towards the Building of their Church, and bringing over with him a young German Minister to assist the abovesaid M^ Hceger in the ministry of religion, and to succeed him when he shall dye ; to get him ordained in England by the Right Reverend Lord Bishop of London, and to bring over with him the Liturgy of the Church of England, Translated into High Dutch, which they are desirous to use in the public worship. But this new settlement, consisting but of mean persons being utterly unable of themselves both to build a church and to make up a salary sufficient to maintain such assisting minister, they humbly implore the Countenance and encouragement of the Lord Bishop of London, and others, the Lords, the Bishops, as also of the Venerable Society for the propa- gation of the Gospel in Foreign parts. That they would take their case under their pious consideration, and grant their usual allowance for the support of a Minister, and if it may be so, contribute something towards the building of their church. And they shall ever pray that God may reward their beneficence both here and hereafter. 249 [i72i. Col. SPOTTSJFOOD to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, Dec"" i, 1721. My Lord, I am now to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter, in favor of the Rev'' Mess''^ Baily, Smith, Dell & Debutts, which have all been delivered to me by the respective bearers, since I did myself the honor to write to your Lordship in May last. As for M^ Bailey, he did produce the late Bishop of London's license to exercise the ministry.- in Maryland, but brought no recom- mendations from thence, & I'm afraid would be much embarassed to obtain such from any Parish where he has some time resided. However, as he at first thrust himself into a Parish in this Gov* against my will, & even in oppo- sition to one of your Lordship's licenced Missionaries (M"". Jas Falconer), who had my collating letter to that Vestry, & as he afterwards got possession of another parish without any letter or act of mine, & has since been treating with a third; I must, how wrong soever I Judge these proceedings to be, remain passive until a weightier judgment than mine decides the controversy or else I shall raise the old combustion in this Gov*, & be in danger of Draw- ing your Lordship's Com"^ upon my back again. And for this last reason, I dare say nothing on the subject, least it should touch him & he thereupon term it a breach of the Pacification on my side ; but your Lordship has now M'. Hugh Jones at home, who can plainly set forth what have been M^ Blair's principles and practice, with respect to the tenure of the Clergy's Livings in this Colony, & if upon hearing the Arguments your Lordship shall determine your Commissary's notions to be right, I shall be very ready to conform thereto. M^ Smith died lately in this Town, very much regretted by all that knew him here. M''. Dell is placed in Hungar Parish on die Eastern Shore, & M'. Debutts, in Washington Parish, in Westmoreland County ; which are all the alterations that 1 know of, to be made in the list of vacant Parishes, since M^ Blair's leaving this Colony, besides the Death of M^ Andrews & the departure of M^ Pownall ; so that with these remarks, your Lordship's Com^ now at home is able to give the list which you are pleased to require, & therefore I need trouble your Lordship with no more at present from. My Lord, your Lordship's most dutiful & most obd* humble Servant, ^ A. SPOTSWOOD. M\ BLAIR to the BISH' of LONDON. Williamsburg, in Virginia, Feb^' lo, 1723. My Lord, I had the honor of your Lordship's letter by M"'. Irwine, & return my most grateful acknowledgements for your goodness to me with relation to the Comm""'''^ office in this Country. I hope you will likewise honor & Direct me, with your Instructions from time to time, concerning my conduct In that employ, which I will endeavor punctually to observe. Bishop Compton Directed me to make no further use of my commission than to keep the Clergy in order ; so that I have never pretended to set up up any spiritual court for the laity; tho' there are enormities among them that want to be redrcss'd, & as to the Clergy, unless where they are notoriously Scandalous, I have found it necessary to content myself with admonitions; for if I lay them aside by suspension, we have no unprovided Clergyman to put in their place. At Present we have at least 10 vacancies, & no minister to supply them. The livings are Settled bylaw at 16,000 lbs. of Tobacco per annum, besides Glebes & perquisites; & this in the sweet scented Parishes is better than £100 Sterl^; & in all the rest about £^0. The ministers, where they are sober & good husbands, live very comfortably. One thing Is a great discouragement to them (& no doubt hinders Clergymen from coming into this Country), that very few of them are inducted, but are kept upon agreements with vestries in precarious circumstances. This has run on so long by the connivance of our Governors, that tho' our Present Leiut. Gov'' Major Drysdall is of himself very willing to redress it, yet he thinks it not prudent to do it without an instruction from his Majesty to that purpose. I hope your Lordship will con- sider of it. The present precariousness besides the discouraging of good men to come among us, has very bad effects in preventing the Improvement of the Glebes, and if the ministers marry, for that reason they can't match so much to their advantage as if they were settled by Induction. I am loth to trouble your Lordship with too many things at once. Our present exigency requires a supply of Clergymen, & if it could be contrived to make them more easy in their circumstances, it will be a great help towards the better Gov' of them, & will induce the Gentlemen of this Countrey to educate their sons for 251 [1723. the ministry, & to bestow their daughters upon the Ministers in Marriage. I doubt not your Lordship will have the Churches of America in your thoughts, especially this most considerable branch of the Church of England, which is in Virginia. All this, or whatsoever other advertisement I may give you from time to time, is entirely submitted to your Lordship's Superior Judgment & what ever commands your Lordship shall think fit at any time to transmit, I will make it my business to give you a good acc*^ of them. I beg your Lord- ship's Benediction, & am, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged & most obd' Servant, JAMES BLAIR. M'\ BLAIR to M\ FORBES. WiLLIAM.SBURGH, june 20, I 723. Rev'' Sir, I take this opportunity by tlie return of the Burgesses to salute you & withal to acquaint you that altho' in yours of Nov' last, you tell me that you had returned my Arsas Montanus' Bible, I have never as yet rec'^ it. I asked the Person who brought that letter, where the book was. He ansr"* that you had forgotten to send it, but that it would be sent very speedily. I hope you will enquire for it, if it lies anywhere by the way. & send it me by some safe opportunity. I met with M''. Bailey and admonished him pretty sharply, but I do not hear that it has had the intended effect. I doubt I must proceed to greater severity against him and some others. But the difficulty is to find proof, there being many who will cry out against scandalous ministers who will not appear as Evidences against them. I have a very bad character of M"". Worthen, & I understand you have mentioned him in a letter of Complaint to the Gov'. I shall take it kindly if you can help me to any clear proofs of those scandals, for altho' because of the want of Clergymen to fill the vacan- cies, I choose rather to lean to the gentle than the severe side, yet certainly the Behaviour of some men is so flagrant that we had better be without min- 1724.J 252 isters than to be served with such as are scandals to the Gospel. I wish you your health & success in the ministry in which you give so good example, and am, Sir. Your affectionate friend & most Humble Servant, JAMES BLAIR. My Brother Monro is far gone in a consumption. There is Htde or no hopes of his recovery. God prepare us all for our great change. M". BLAIR to the BISHOP of LONDON. WlLLIAMSBLlRGH IN VIRGINIA, May 1 3, I724. Mv Lord, This is only to acknowledge the great favour of your Lordship's letter of Nov"" 21^'- which I lately rec'^ together with the circular letters. I have trans- mitted them to the several ministers of this Colony & hope Shortly to have their answers, which I will take care by the first opportunity to send to your Lordship. Some of the queries to the commissaries (especially the last), are of such importance that they will require a good deal of deliberation, to ans'' them right. I hope to have mine ready to transmit with those of the other Clergy when they come to my hands. In the mean time I return your lord- ship my hearty thanks for your most kind consideration of my case & decla- ration in my favour. It has effectually answered your Lordship's intent as to my Salary. But I am to acquaint your Lordship with some pressing circum- stances of this Country which seem to require the Speeding of the commission. We have at present 2 Ministers (M'. Tho^ Bailey & M^ Jn° Worden) so very scandalous for drunkenness & fighting & quarreling publicly, in their drink, that many grievous complaints are brought to me against them & indeed the country rings of the Scandal given by them, & I am censured hard for not calling them to account, as I should certainly have done, if my commission had not ceased, upon the death of your Lordship's predecessor. I had pro- ceeded no further than admonitions & threatenings & they were more bold in 253 [1724- their extravagancies than ever, bragging that there is no power in the Country to meddle with them. As soon as my commission comes, I intend to make a visitation of their Churches, & if the Scandals are clearly prov'd, (as I doubt they will), to proceed to Suspension of their licence, which is only during the Bishop's pleasure. I have never made but 2 examples of this kind in all the time that I have been Com^ which is now 34 years, and indeed for want of clergymen we are obliged to bear with those we have, much more than we should do, if we had others to supply the vacancies. There is also anotlier such scandal broke out among the laity, as I have never heretofore known in the country. There is a gentlewoman lately brought to bed of a bastard child, by her own brother of the father's side, I should be glad of your Lordship's direction what to do in this case ; for, (by advice from Bishop Compton), I have only made use of my commission to keep the Clergy in order without meddling with the laity. I have nothing else at present to trouble your Lordship with, only to acquaint you that our vacancies increase upon us. Two of our oldest Ministers M"". Sclater & M"". Clack are lately dead, & there are in the Country 14 or 15 vacant churches of which 3 are some of our best living, in sweet scented parishes, & are worth, in the worst years, about j£So per Ann, besides Glebes, & in good years, perhaps double that sum. This opportunity being like to be lost, I am obliged to break off abruptly. I beg your Lordship's benediction, & am My Lord, your Lordship's most oblig'd & most obd* humble Serv'. JA^ BLAIR. THO' DELL to the BISHOP of LONDON. June i^', 1724. Mv Lord, Give mc leave, the meanest of your sons, to congratulate your Lordship upon your call to the Gov' and administration of the Diocese of London which I believe happens by the Providence of God, since you so early & seasonably lay to heart the care of the Churches in these plantations, which is devolved upon you at a time, when it requires seasonable influences from 1724.] 254 home as well as interposition here, & as the Plantations & Constitutions here, are at a far greater distance {to use your own words), than the affairs of your Diocese at home, so you may rest assured that I on my Part, shall be ready on all occasions, as your Lordship's will & desire is, readily & faithfully to afford you such lights, if I may give any to him who is himself the greatest, that you may be able to form a right Judgment of things & discharge the duty in your high station, by the grace of God with greater certainty & success, I pray God to Continue your Lordship long a blessing to the Ciiurch & to put into the heart, as he hath begun, all other means of useful knowledge, which your Lordship gives us all the reason in the world, to be assured of, you will faithfully employ to the Service of Piety & Religion & the mainte- tance of order & discipline, so much wanting, in the Church. I have answered your paper of Enquiries. I hope I have not left void any part of my duty, according to the measure God has dealt unto me & as I have obeyed your orders in these respects faithfully & willingly, so I hope you will pleased on all occasions to givc^ the best advice & assistance you can (as you can the best), in order to the successful & faithful discharge of my ministerial function. In the mean time I humbly crave with all submission, leave to submit to your Paternal consideration, the unhappy restraints we the Missionaries who are appointed to preach & propogate the Gospel in Foreign parts lye under from the Vestries, who are enough to take oft or lessen your peculiar diligence, seriousness & circumspection in your obligations, which are over & above those which are common to us, with all other ministers of the Gospel, which encouragements have we or rather which discouragements, from using greater degrees of diligence & assiduity to build them up in faith & practice, from the motives that they, arc yet in their infancy's, when they dispute our very mis- sion & hardly acknowledge us for guides or Pastors ot them, believing it their right in precedence to the Gov' to make choice of such themselves like & then to make hirelings of them from year to year, notwithstanding they may have the licence of the Fathers of the Church, which has been my case, so that how to answer your Lordship's Query — "How long have you been Inducted?" I know not for the Parish where I am, will not induct any because they will not be confined to a minister notwithstanding they have no legal objections against him. Give me leave, my Lord, with yourself to lament that we have not among us, such a regular spiritual discipline, as being established & wisely administered might be a constraint upon persons of loose principles & cor- 255 [1724- rupt lives, which want I believe will be hard to supply, by a less than extraor- dinary diligence, to check & suppress vice & immorality of all kinds both by Public Preaching ■& private Exhortation, by reason right endeavours were not used, in the matters of catechizing in the last age, which might lay a sure foundation of Piety & Seriousness for this which may be imputed, partly to the neglect of the Sponsors or rather the Parents, who placed themselves, the fittest to stand for their own children, in opposition to the Canon of the Church. But when your Lordship recommends to us that the less assistance we have from the spiritual power to suppress vice & immorality the greater need there is to engage & secure the temporal, in that pious & (I pray God, it may be a successful), work, what will your Lordship say, when the inferior officers here are as deficient in Chh duties as the meanest, & are especially wanting, in my Parish I mean, in the duties of the Sacrament, nor will be made conformable to the Liturgy of the Chh, so as to bear a part in its ser\'ice either by proper gestures or responses, & that those who bear the denomination of Xtians, are 10 time worse than infidels, I except the Gov"^ whose favor & protection, the concerns of the Chh & Clergy are always influenced by, whom I shall pay deference to as sent by King George, of duty & allegiance, to whom I need not be reminded, since I have suffered the displeasure of my friends or rela- tions in compliance to my duty to God, I shall avoid all concern in Civil affairs & by not giving offence, deserve respect, if not gain it, & do & shall preach both by life & conversation. One of your Lordship's Queries contained in the last article of your letter almost brought tears from my eyes (& I can hardly excuse myself when you enjoin, the conversion of infidels as one part of my mission) when I consider how they still grope in darkness at noon day, & how Xtians prejudice the Heathens against the Gospel & hinder the Propo- gatlon of it, by their unchristian lives, 'tis truely a matter seriously to be laid to heart, I must confess. The means I use or hath been used by any before me, or as far as I have heard by any of my brethren. Is ordinary Preaching, several I have baptized & some use the Church. This is a matter wherein I desire to be directed by your Lordship as to ways or means, how to bring them to a more perfect age in the Lord Jesus, whose hearts I beseech him to illuminate with his blessed gospel. As to infidels in Bonds, or Negroes, their masters will not, I have reason to believe, afford them time from their worldly service to attend that of our Common Master & Saviour Jesus, & except they & the Indians had horses lent, 'or their Zeal would carry them on foot, 1724.] 256 because of the remote distances, there will be occasion of good laws of the country, to second & back their endeavours. If your Lordship will be pleased by your prayers as I make no doubt as also by proper instructions to myself to recommend both me & them to the grace & protection of the bless'd Trinity, I shall as in duty bound pray for your longer continuance here on earth for the 1 of his Chh. This is & shall be the daily prayer of. Your Lordship's, Dutiful tho' unworthy son in the Lord Jesus, THO^ DELL. GOF' DRTSDALE to the BISHOP of LONDON. WiLLIAMSBURGH IN VIRGINIA, July I O, 1724. Mv Lord, I was honor'd with your Lordship's letter which was delivered to me by the Rev*' M'. Garcia : & In obedience to your Lordship's commands therein, I have presented him to the best Parish now vacant within my Gov' regarding him from your Lordship's character as a person of Public merit & deserving encouragement. I could wish we were indulged with a few more of the same profession, for I must assure your Lordship the Colony labours under great difficulties for want of Clergymen. Several Parishes lies unsupplied ; & has been in that condition years past, which gives occasion to Sectaries, visiting us. settling among us, & deceiving not the least Ignorant. I take the liberty to enclose for your Lordship's perusal, a petition lately delivered to me. It comes signed from a settlement of French Protestants sent hither by the late King William. They bemoan their want of a French Minister, & beg relief; but as their allowance is not a sufficient encouragement for a person of such a character to dwell among them, I address myself to your Lordship In their behalf, for your interest with the Society for Propogating the Gospel to influ- ence them to give a further addition that these poor religious may enjoin the Christian assistance they so much wish for. I beg your Lordship's accept- ance of my due acknowledgments for those many kind & tender expressions you are pleased to honor me with in your own letter & in those you write to 257 [1724- M"^. Comm'' Blair. I shall ever retain a just sense of them ; & since I am possessed of a share in your Lordship's favor & remembrance, I am too much concerned In them not to use my utmost endeavours to preserve them & approve myself in all stations of life worthy of them. I, in all dutifulness desire your Lordship's Blessing & Credit to the words with which I end this letter, which are that I am with the highest esteem, My Lord, Your Lordship's most Obd* & most humble Servant. HUGH DRYSDALK. ^JJERIES to be answered by Persons who were COMMIS- SARIES to my PREDECESSOR. Virginia, What public acts of assembly have been made & confirmed, relating to the Chh or Clergy within that Gov'? {A'"'.) The substance of the acts is, the Chh of Engl'^ is established ; no minister admitted without Episcopal ordination ; Vestries present & manage all parochial affairs; the English toleration of Dissenters takes place here ; the Parishes are obliged to build Churches, provide them with ornaments, to purchase Glebes, to levy & pay the Minister's Salary, 16,000 lbs of Tobacco per ann, & to build a dwelling house for the Minister. The minister is to Preach every Sunday at one of his Churches or Chapels, at the other In his absence Prayers & an Homily are to be read by the Clerk. [Q".) How oft hath It been usual to hold a visitation of the Clerg}'? how oft have you Called a convention of them ? & what has been the business ordinarily done, & the method of Proceeding In such meetings ? [A'".) At first conventions were once a year. This was found inconven- ient especially when the Country is in Parties, for, or against a Governor. They are now only upon extraordinary occasions, as the accession of a King or Bishop. I call none now because I had not my commission. The method of Proceeding has been ; — The Com^ preaches a Sermon ; delivers what he 1724.] 258 has in charge from the Bishop. The Com>' presides ; one of the Clergy is clerk, they have a free conference, concerning what the Com^, or any of the Clergy have to propose for the good of the Church in this Country. {Q".) Does any Clergyman officiate who has not the Bp'" licence for that Gov^? (_A"'.) All the Clergy at their first coming into this country exhibit the Bishop of London's license to the Gov' & to the Com^'. I have known a few, (not above 3 in aU my time), arrive here that had licences for S. Carolina or Maryland. And some Parishes here, being in great want of Ministers per- suaded them to stay, but in those cases I always took care to acquaint my Lord B^ of London & to have his approbation. {Q".} What Parishes are there which have yet no Churches nor Ministers ? [A"'.) All the Parishes have Churches, except a new erected Parish in Spotslyvania, where the foundation is laid, but the Church not yet built, but there are many Parishes want Ministers, viz: 5 Sweet Scented ones. Ware, Charles Parish, Denbigh & Mulberry Island, S\ Margaret's & S'. John's Parish & about 10 Oranocco Parishes. [Q".) How is the revenue of the Churches applied which arises during the vacancies ? {A''\) There is no revenue at all that arises by the vacancy, for all the revenue of our Churches Is raised annually by the vestries, by way of Poll tax & If there Is no Salary to be paid, there Is none raised : Commonly during the vacancy, the vestry employs a Minister of some neighbouring Parish to offici- ate once a week or once a fortnight on a week day or (If he is near enough), on a Sunday afternoon & pay him proportionably ? {Q".) What are the ordinary prices of the necessaries of life there ? (A"".) All work of tradesmen, & all merchant goods is about 40 or 50 '^,ct. dearer here than in Engl'^ but Grain & meat are as cheap as in the Cheap- est parts of Engl''. ((?".) Can you suggest any thing that may be serviceable to religion & conduce to the ease of the Clergy & their more comfortable subsistence, which you believe to be fairly practicable & which will in no way Interfere with the Authority of the Governor nor be judged an infringment of the rights of the People ? {A'".) In ans' to this question there are 3 things I take leave to suggest. 1^^ It would mightily conduce to the Service of religion & would no way Inter- 259 [i724- fere either with the authority of the Gov' or the rights of the people, if any method could be fallen upon to supply the Country with good ministers, for certainly nothing does so great disservice to religion as the leaving so many Parishes destitute of ministers & the Supplying so many with very indifferent ones either as to their ministerial talents, or good life. There are 2 ways of doing this either by procuring a proper supply from Great Britain & Ireland, or by encouraging the education of young divines at our College in Virginia, ■but I have so much to say on this head, that I choose rather to give it your Lordship in a Separate letter, than to Crowd it into the narrow compass of this paper. 2"*^. The meanness and badness of the Clergy, has begot such a mean opinion of them, in the minds of the people, that this has had another very bad effect, which both discourages worthy clergymen to adventure them- selves among us, & proves very uneasy & grievous to those that are here. What I mean is, the precarious circumstances upon which they hold their livings. No doubt your Lordship will observe that in ans'' to that Query, how long have you been inducted into your living? the general ans'' is, that they have not been inducted. I know not above 4 ministers in all the Country that are inducted ; the rest officiate like Chaplains without any assurance of holding their livings but during- their good behaviour & the good graces of the Vestry, this I observe has the following evil consequences, i^*. It dis- courages the better sort of Clergymen who hear of it, from adventuring into this Country. 2"^. The Glebes are much neglected & unimproved to what the)^ would be if the Ministers were at a certainty as to the possession of them. 3''''. The Precariousness Is a great disservice to the ministers in the business of their marriage, whereas if they were well settled, they might expect creditable matches & good portions with their wives. Now if they marry & settle at all they must be contented with poor bargains, & conse- quenUy are able to give but mean education & portions to their children in their life time & too commonly leave them in necessitous circumstances when they come to die. This same precariousness is a great restraint upon the Minister's freedom in reproving of vice, either in public or in private, being afraid to disoblige any of the gentlemen of their vestry. This evil practice has not the countenance of any law, only custom, & therefore I believe it is so much the more necessary to put a stop to it in time. A clear instruction from his Majesty to our Gov' {who is a good friend to the Clergy & would be glad of such an instruction), to take care that all the Clergy be inducted, I hope 1 724-1 260 would remedy this, but there is another difficulty in this affair occasioned by a controversy concerning the right of Patronage, the discoursing of which I must refer to a more private letter, y^. I have often thought that if the Parishes were obliged to pay the minister's Salary during the vacancy as well as during the incumbency it would have some very good effects for the service of religion & the Clergy. As to religion the parishes would be much more diligent in providing ministers for their vacant parishes, whereas now they are under some temptation not to provide, because while the Parish is vacant, they save either the whole or a great part of the minister's Salary in their own Pockets. And as to the clergy, the vacant Salary might be laid out to so good purpose in stocking & improving the Glebes, that in a little time they would be worth half as much more added annually to their other Salaries, but I doubt, this could not be done by a bare instruction unless the general assem- bly comes into it: which it is very probable they would do, if it were recom- mended to them by his Majesty. I say nothing of greater matters, particularly that of a Suffragan, which if put into the hands of a diligent. Zealous good man would conduce very much to the good Gov* of the Clergy. All this is submitted to your Lordship's prudent consideration & discreet management, from which we promise ourselves a particular blessing to these infant churches by. My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged & most obedient Servant, WiLLiAMSBURGH. July 1 7, 1 724. JAMES BLAIR. My Lord, ^ M^ Com^' has Shew'd me the above questions & answers as also what he has added in a seperate letter about educating students in divinity, at the College in this Country & the induction of the Clergy; & as I know the facts to be truly stated, I am of the same opinion with M^ Com^ as to the reme- dies & if your Lordship approves them, I will readily comply with what in- structions your Lordship shall procure in those affairs. Having the good of the Clerg;y very much at heart, I am with due deference. My Lord, Your most obd' & humble Servant, HUGH DRYSDALE. 26i [1724. QUERIES to be Answered by every MINISTER. WESTMINISTER PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? One year. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had no other Church. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? Yes. How long have you been Inducted into your Livmg. About six months. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted r" I am ordinarily resident. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there In it? 30 miles in length and 100 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion? No ; excepting Negroes and Mullatos. My means for their conversion is preaching and catechising. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? One every Lord's day and Holy day and the number that attend are a hundred and sixty or thereabouts. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants? 6 times a year. The Communicants are about 16. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? Every Sunday in Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? I724-J 262 No, but the Vestry are about It. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? The value of my living in sterling I do not know : it arising from Tobacco which is of an uncertain Vak;e. Have you a House and Giebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and Glebe but to no benefit to me as yet. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? The Vestry promise to repair it tor me. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served ? I have not. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master? I have no public school. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, arc the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? I have a Library of the Gift of the Rev'' D. Brays. There is an act of assembly impowering Vestries to visit Libraries. JAMES COX. S\ PAUL'S PARISH IN HANOVER COUNTY IN VIRGINIA. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? I have been in this Colony 14 years last April. Llave you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and ii you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I am still Vicar oi Hawkston cuni Newton in Cambridgeshire, which is supplied by a Curate. ?Iave you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I was licensed by D^ Robinson, late Bishop of London. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? 263 [f7^4- I am not inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? 1 am constantly resident in my parish. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? My parish is 60 miles in length. 12 in breadth and I believe near 1200 families in it. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion? I have no Indians in my parish. The Negroes (when their Masters desire It}, are baptised, when they can say the Church Catechism. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? There are two Churches and likewise two Chappels in my parish ; each Sunday service is performed in the Churches and g months in the year on a working day at the Chappels all which are generally full, no less than 200 or 300 people at a time. How oft is the Sacrament ot the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual mumber of Communicants? The Sacrament is administered 4 times a year In the Churches and twice in the year at the Chappels. The Communicants at the Churches are com- monly above a hundred. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? Spring and Fall I catechise the youth. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, lor tJie decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? Yes. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? 16000 of Tobacco is our yearly Salary. I have indeed 3 thousand more for serving the two Chappels because they are a good distance from me. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe In Lease, or Let by the year ? Or is It occupied by yourself? My Glebe Is worth nothing and the House is c|uite out of repairs, as how- ever in lieu of them, the Vestry allows me Casks to my Tobacco. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense Is it done ? 1 724-] 264 Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have no other Cure. Have you in your Parish any pubUc School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There are several Schools in my parish, but none endowed. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? We have no parochial Library. ZACH. BROOKE, M.A. JAMES CITY PARISH IN VIRGINIA. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? My Lord, I arrived in Virginia on S*. Matthew's Day, 1722. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? James City Church was my first, My Lord. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? Yes, My Lord. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? My Lord, I have had the living of James City ever since the 5"' of October 1722 but without Induction. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? My Lord, I am usually resident in James City parish. Of wliat extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? The parish of James City is about 20 miles long & 12 broad, and there are in it, My Lord, 78 families. Are there an;' Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? My Lord, I can't say we have any freemen Infidels, but our Negroe Slaves imported daily, are, altogether ignorant of God and Religion, and in truth have so little Docility in them that they scarce ever become capable of Instruc- 265 [1724. tion ; but My Lord, I have examined and improved several Negroes, Natives of Virginia ; and I hope in God, that by a due observance of the Directions for the Catechists &c., printed by order of the Society for the propogation of the Gospel in Foreign parts I shall labour to plant that seed among them which will produce a blessed harvest. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? My Lord, Divine Service is performed in our Church at James City Two Sundays in three and on the third sunday I read prayers and preached at Mulberry Island Parish Church, and every Sunday in the afternoon I officiate as Lecturer at Williamsburg. Our congregation at James City Church gen- erally consists of about 130. At Mulberry Island of about 200. And at the Lecture at Williamsburg, My Lord, we generally have above 100 souls. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? 4 times in the year at James City Church where we generally have between 20 and 30 Communicants, and my Lord, as often at Mulberry Island, where we for the most part have double the number. At what times do you Catechise the Youth ot your Parish ? During lent, my Lord, throughout which Season I give them catechetical Lecturing. Are all things duly disposed and provided In the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Ser\''Ice ? Yes, my Lord. Of what value Is your Living In sterling money, and how does it arise ? My Lord, two thirds of the living at James Town is worth about ^60. One third at Mulberry Island is worth about 30. A.nd the Lecture at Williamsburg Is worth about 20. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe In Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? My Lord, I have no house upon my Glebe, and therefore let It by the year. Is due care taken to preserve your House In good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? My Lord, the parish of James City allow me about ^7 sterling per annum and I find myself a house and keep It In repairs. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And In what manner served ? 1 724-] 266 I refer your Lordship to the answer given to the last Enquiries in the preceding page. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? We have no public School, My Lord. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? My Lords, we have no parochial Library. WILLIAM LeNEVE, Minister of James City. BRISTOL PARISH IN THE UPPER PART OF JAMES RIVER. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? Almost one and thirty years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had not any by land, but was chaplain of a man of war belonging to the English fleet, anno 1692. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I was Licensed by the Right Reverend D"". Compton, sometime Lord Bishop of London. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? 1 am not yet inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I always reside in this parish and have ever done so since I came to the Country. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? It is 40 odd miles long and about 25 miles wide, though in some parts of it thin seated. And there are about 430 famihes therein or 1 100 and odd Tithables. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? 267 [1724- None that I know of, except negro slaves and a few Indian Servants. I have several times exhorted their Masters to send such of them as could speak English to Church to be catechised but they would not. Some masters in- struct their Slaves at home and so bring them to baptism, but not many such. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? I have a Church and Chappel in which I officiate by turns and perform divine Service once every Lord's day in the one or the other if health & weather permits. As to the proportion of the parishioners that come to Church I am at a loss what to say. Only this, that our Church and Chappel are pretty strong in good weather, and very often more present than there are pews for. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? I administer the said Sacrament three times every year, viz: at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsunday and the usual number of Communicants is about 50. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? I used to Catechise once every year, viz: in summer after the 2""* Lesson at morning prayer but I have not Catechised those 2 years last past ; but I do this summer, and intend, God willing, to hold my former Custom of Catechis- ing yearly. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? Yes, My Lord. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? A Minister's Salary here is 16000 pounds of tobacco per annum without any Casks to put it in ; but there are two sorts of tobacco made in this Colony, viz: Sweet scented and Aranoco, the first is more valuable than the last and the Ministers that live in parishes where Sweetscented is made have a better price for their tobacco than those whose Salaries are paid in Aranoco, as mine is, which one year with another is not worth above 45 or 6 pounds Sterling though sometimes, yet rarely, our Salaries will produce much more. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a Glebe 40 acres of barren land, not deserving of a house and consequendy has none nor ever had. The land was never cultivated, and so I cannot derive any benefit therefrom. 1724-j 268 Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is It done ? Non-entis nulla sunt accidentia. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have no more than one cure. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There is no public School in the parish but there are several private ones to teach children to read write and cipher, and the children's fathers hire those Schools and pay you out of their own pockets. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? We have none, my Lord. Your Lordship's most humble and Most Obed*^ Servant GEORGE ROBERTSON. S^ PETER'S PARISH. How long Is It, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? One year and nine months. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? No, I was Schoolmaster & taught the free school at West Tanfield in Yorkshire & Curate of the Rev^. M^ Hutchinson, Rector of the said parish. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? Yes. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I am not inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? Yes, into which I was admitted. 269 [1724- Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? About 20 miles in extent, containing 204 fami'ies more or less. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? We have no infidels that are free, but a great many Negro bond slaves. Some of which are suffered by their respective masters to be baptised and to attend on divine service but others are not. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Duly every Lord's day. Where commonly i 70 or 80 souls attend. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? Thrice in the year. And at each time we have 40 or 50 Communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? I have not as yet, the youth through long disuse and neglect of my predecessors, being incapable, &c: but shall, God willing, in Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided In the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? Yes. Of what value Is your Living in sterling money, and how does It arise? My Salary Is paid in Tobacco 1 6000 weight per annum, (as usually that of other Ministers Is), which may be worth £80 sterling more or less according to sale. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or Is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and glebe, which I let for /6.5 per annum. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? My house Is kept in good repair at the expense of the parishioners. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served ? I have but one cure. Have you in your Parish any public School for the Instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? We have no public Schools but some private, wherein children are taught to read, write, &c. 1724. 1 270 Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? No, from my own certain knowledge and repeated informations of others I have given your Lordship as just and true an answer, to each particular as possibly I could, who am, with due submission your Lordship's most dutiful and obedient Servant, HENRY COLLINGS. WESTOVER PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I came over in October, 171 6. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? On my arrival I preached at the churches of Weyanoke and Martinbran- don, some time after at Wallingford and James Tovv'u, all belonging to distinct parishes of the same names ; having no settled abode or maintenance in any one of them though residing for the most part in Weyanoake parish till the year 1 720 at which time the assembly having dissolved the three first mentioned as aliio the parish of Westover and made out of the 4 two large parishes that of Westover on the north and that of Martinbrandon on the south side of James River, the former of that division falling to me, the churches of Westo- ver, Weyanoake and Wallingford came from that time under my care. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I have your Lordship's predecessor's licence to perform the Ministerial office in this province dated the 12*'' day of March, 171 5. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I have not been inducted in the living above mentioned but have been received by the joint consent of the Governor and Vestry the i^* Feby, 1721. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have beed Inducted? I am ordinarily resident in the parish of Westover. Of what extent is your parish, and how many Families are there in it? My parish is about 30 miles in length and twelve in breadth and consists of 233 families or thereabouts 271 [i724- Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are none of the latter, especially of those who profess the Church of England Worship, but many of the former and I take all opportunities both public and private to exhort all masters and mistresses to instruct their slaves in the principles of Christianity at home and to send them to church to be examined and instructed by me during the time of the catechetical exercises which I begin in April and continue every Lord's day to the latter end of June. How oit is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Divine Service is performed once in three weeks in every one oi my Churches and about two thirds of the parishioners in each precinct generally attend it. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? Nine times yearly, that is 3 times In each Church and about Twenty five communicants in each, that is about 75 in the whole parish. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? P'rom the first Sunday in April to the last in June, after the 2"*' Lesson in the morning. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? We have a large Bible and 2 Common prayer Books in Each Church, the upper Church that which goes by the name of W^estover is provided with good Communion plate, a large silver Bason instead of a font, decent Com- munion Linen, Surplice, a Velvet carpet, cushion, and pulpit cloth, the chari- table donation of M^^. Sarah Brayn's, relation of the present William Byrd, Esq. ; the middle Church that of Weyanoake is provided with a small chalice and Patten purchased at the cost of the parish and that of Wallingford Is unprovided of any of these. Of what value is your Living" in sterling money, and how does it arise ? From ^50 to ^60 Sterling arising from 16,000 Weight of Tobacco and perquisites, viz : 40 shillings for every funeral sermon, 20 shillings for marria- ges by licence and 5 shillings for marriages by banns and 40 shillings the rent of one of my glebes. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself ? 1724.] 272 There are two small glebes in the parish but neither of them have any buildings or improvements upon them ; the largest is occupied by a tenant who pays me near the value of 40 shillings sterling per annum ; the parish hath a fee simple in them both. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? My house and other improvements have been made at my own cost and charge upon Land which I purchased in the parish and must be repaired at my own expense. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have no more cures than that aforementioned. Have you In your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is It endowed ? And who is the Master ? We have no public school for the instruction of youth and but two private ones for to teach reading and writing; consisting of about 35 in scholars both and very indifferently attended by the Masters. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of diem ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? We have no parochial Library, June the 18*, 1724. PETER FONTAINE, Minister, HUNGAR'S PARISH IN NORTHAMPTON COUNTY ON THE EASTERN SHORE. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? Three years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I have had no other Church in the American parts besides that where I now am. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I was licensed by your Lordship's predecessor. 273 [1724- How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I have been here 3 years. The parish will not induct me because they will not be confined to a Minister. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I am ordinarily resident but not inducted. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? 40 miles extent. Families 365 or thereabouts. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are infidels bond and free. No other means used throughout the Colony but ordinary preaching. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Divine Service is performed every Sunday in one or other of the Churches. Scarce one third of the parishioners attend it. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? Six times in the year ; the usual number of Communicants in all the parish about 80. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? In Summer several Sundays. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? No ; we want a font for Baptism, Surplice, New Common prayer books, Communion Cloth and Linen, a platter for the Bread, pulpit cloth and cushion. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? £^T, sterling; it arises from Tobacco i*' ^ Cwt currency of Virginia. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is occupied by yourself? I have house and glebe of 1 500 acres, let by the year. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? Care has been taken to preserve the house in Repair, but not due care for good repair, done at the charge of the Parish. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served ? 1 724-] 274 I have one parish ; with two Churches, twenty three miles asunder which I frequent alternately every Sunday. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? There is no public School. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? We have no parochial Library. THO^ DELL. NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? Ten years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? SS John in Baltimore, Maryland, and I have been removed 5 years. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I have been licenced by your Lordship's Letter to our late Governor Alexander Spotswood obtained by the Rcv"^. M^ Kirly about four years since. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? Not inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? Constantly resident. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? Eight miles long and twenty in breadth, there are about 400 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? Both bond and free, and for their conversion baptism after instruction. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Every Lord's day three dmes at the Mother Church successively and two times afterwards 40 miles from the Mother Church and once at the Chappel 275 [1724. which is nineteen miles from the Church there are about 5 hundred persons constantly attending Mother Church and scarce that number at all by other places. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants? Eight times a year. There arc about 40 communicants which are constant. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? In Lent, after the a""* Lesson. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? All things except font and Surplice. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? From ^"50 to 70 according to the rise or fall In Tobacco. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? None. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have one Cure (besides my parish) which is very small called Chuchutuck supplied every third Monday and sometimes on a Sunday when . my parish please to give leave. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? We have 4, but none endowed, by Masters' hands ; one M"". Hurst, M^ Irons, M^ Gills, and M^ Reynolds. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? We have no parochial Library. THO^ BAYLYE. STRATTON MAJOR. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? 14 years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now 1 724-] 276 possess; and if you haH, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed? I was curate at Croxton in Cambridgeshire and at Eversholt in Bedford- shire, about 4 years. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, In the Government where you now are ? I was Licensed by the Bishop of London, Sepf g^^ 1 708. How long have you been Inducted into your Living. Almost 1 3 years. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? Always resident. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in It? About 18 miles in length and 8 in breadth ; families between 190 and 200. Arc there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for tlieir conversion? Generally negroes are unbaptised ; they that desire it have it, the Church is open to them all. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Every Sunday, and in fair weather commonly about 300*^ and upwards attend it. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? Four times a year and about 220 Communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? In Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? All things except a font. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? It arises out of Tobacco and the value as uncertain as the Market; the charges deducted, it is worth about /"So this year, 1724. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a Glebe occupied by myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? 277 [t724- The parish takes care to repair it. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served? I have but one. Have you in your Parish any pubHc School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? I have none. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? I have not. JOHN SKAIFE. WILMINGTON PARISH, June i8^ 1724. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? 8 years and 6 months, my Lord. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I have had no other. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I have. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I am not inducted nor ever had the opportunity of being so. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I am ordinarily resident in Wilmington Parish. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? It is about 30 miles in length and nine in breadth and contains about r8o Families, white, Christian people. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and wiiat means are used for their conversion ? The white people who are generally Natives of Great Britain or Ireland or their dependants are Christians. The Negroes who are slaves to the white's cannot, I think, be said to be of any Religion for as there is no law of the 1.724-] 2 78 Colony obliging their Masters or Owners to instruct them in the principles of Christianity and so they are hardly to be persuaded by the Minister to take so much pains with them, by which means the poor creatures generally live and die without it. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? We have in this parish three Churclies, (which number is also to be found in some others), at one, or another of these I officiate every Lord's day in the Morning according to its turn (except in case of sickness). And here being no dissenters the Churches are generally well frequented. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual mumber of Communicants? At each of the Churches at every one of the 3 great festivals, and the number of communicants at all the Churches is about 100. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? During the Season of Lent and thenceforward till Whitsuntide. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? They are. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? A minister's Salarj^ in every parish in this Colony less or greater is the same, viz: 16,000 lbs Tobacco. Drawbacks upon it for Cask and pressing into weighty hogsheads about 2000 lbs Tobacco the collecting and pressing of this Tobacco is done by the Churchwardens or his Deputy, We can rarely sell it here for Sterling or indeed Current Money which is 16 per cent lower, but we have yearly the opportunity of bartering it for Goods, the price of which is generally double to what it is at home, and for Tobacco they allow us as it is plenty or otherwise from 8^ 4'' to 10'' ^ 100 lb. If we consign our Tobacco to some Merchant in London or Bristol, (which we have yearly the opportu- nity of and most Ministers do), and it comes safe to his hand, still the value is uncertain, for the Market depends upon the quantity that is brought thither to be soki, however a Minister's Salary, (where the Tobacco is of the better species, viz: Sweet-scented as are about half the parishes in the Colony), has cleared at a Medium, for these 7 years last past about /80 a year. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the year ? Or is it occupied by yourself? 279 [i724- Our Vestries having a discretionary power in all things relating to the Buying of Glebes, viz: (Quantity, Quality and Situation), do sometimes pur- chase very disadvantageously for the Minister. Hence was the Glebe of this parish so bad and inconvenient that 1 cannot occupy it, 'tis let by the year to a poor Man for Tobacco of about 40^ value. Is due care taken to preserve your House In good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? The Glebe house is a Cottage containing one Ground room and a Garret above, the tenant repairs it, and has the charge allowed in his rent. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have only the Curacy of Wilmington Parish. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction ol Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? We have no public school nor endowment for that use : but here are several private schools and care is generally taken by parents that their child- ren be taught to read. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? We have no parochial Library. _ JOHN BRUNSKILL. BLISSLAND PARISH, IN NEW KENT COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? Above one and twenty years. Have you had any other Church, belore you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? No. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? No ; the reason was I sailed from Bristol and had the opportunity of wait- ing on the Bishop of London at the Bath who advised me to and was pleased to give his Letter of Recommendation to his Excellency Fr. Nicholson, Esq., then Governor of this Colony. 1724J 28o How long have you been Inducted into your Living? Twenty years. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? Yes. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? 30 miles. 136 Families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? None, but Negro Slaves most of which are not capable of instruction those that are, and children, my own and many others, I have instructed and Baptised. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Every Sunday: the greatest part, How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants? At both my Churches on our 3 great festivals. 60 or 70. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? In Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? Yes. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? About ^80 a year sterling. It's paid us in Tobacco, Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? Yes: but it is of litde or no value therefore not leased or let. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? Where there is a house it's kept in repair by the Parisli but there is no house upon my Glebe. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? No. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? No. 28i [1724. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved- and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving ol them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? No. DAN'- CLAYLOR, Rector. YORK HAMPTON PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I came over to Virginia in May 1721. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? When I first came to this Government I was Minister of S'. Margaret's Parish in King William County, and November 1722 I removed to York Hampton Parish of which I am now Minister. There are two Churches in this parish one in York Town and the other at 8 miles distance from it. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I was duly ordained and licensed by D^ Robinson, late Lord Bishop of London, to officiate as a missionary in the Government of Virginia where I now am. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I have been Minister of this parish one year and seven months but with- out induction. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I ordinarily reside in York Hampton Parish. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? My parish is about 20 miles in length and about 4 miles broad or about 9 miles square. There are about 200 families in it. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? T know of no Infidels in my parish except Slaves. I exhort their Masters to send them to me, to be instructed. And in order to their conversion I have set apart every Saturday in the Afternoon and catechise them at my Glebe House. 1724.] 282 How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? I read prayers and preach twice every Sunday, viz : In the morning at one of my Churches and in the afternoon at the other, as also on Christmas Day and Good Friday. About the two thirds of my parishioners are commonly present at Divine Service. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? I administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 8 times in the year ; that is, 4 times at each of my Churches about Easter, Whitsunday, MichaeL mas and Christmas. At my Church in York Town there are commonly about three score Communicants, and at my other Church about 20. At what times do you Catecliise the Youth of your Parish ? I have appointed every Sunday in the afternoon in Lent and 10 other Sundays in the afternoon Immediately after Evening prayer for the public catechising the youth, servants and slaves in my Parish. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? All things are duly disposed and provided in both my Churches for the decent and orderly performance of divine service only surplices are wanting. But the Vestry will soon provide them. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? My living is worth about ^150 per annum arising from 20,000 pounds weight of Sweet Scented Tobacco and a few perquisites, viz : 5 shiUings for every marriage, the Banns publi.shed: 20 shillings for a marriage by Hcense, and 40 shillings for a tuneral Sermon. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a Glebe House and a Glebe consisting of about 180 acres of land. I live in my Glebe House and occupy the land myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair ? And at whose expense is it done ? My Glebe House hath been lately repaired, at the expence of the Parish. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served? I have no other cure, but the one above mentioned. 283 [i724- Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There is no public School in my parish : But here and there small schools are set up, to teach children to read and write, where a convenient number of scholars can be found. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept In good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving- of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? I have no parochial Library. May 14'" 1724. FRAN: FONTAINE, Minister of York Hampton Parish. CHRIST CHURCH PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? Twelve years and four months. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? No other Church before I came to that which I now possess. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, In the Government where you now are ? I have been duly licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Mis- sionary, In the Government where I now am. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I am not inducted Into my living. Are you ordinarily resident In the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I am ordinarily resident in the parish to which I have not been inducted. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? 40 Miles In length and 8 In breadth. Families about 300. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? A great many Black bond men and women Infidels that understand not our Language nor me theirs: not any free. The Church is open to them ; the word preached, and the Sacraments administered with circumspection. 1 724-] 284 How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Once every Sunday and on Good Fridays ; not so often indeed for the Chapel by reason it is 20 miles distant, and the weather sometimes bad : The Church is thronged and almost all white persons in the parish (not necessarily hindered) attend divine Service. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? At Christmas, Easter and Whitsunday. The usual number of Communi- cants is about 60, 70 or 80. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? In Lent, would Parents, M^'^ & Misstresses be admonished to bring the Youth to Church. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? The surplice only excepted. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? Under ^80 per annum. It arises from 16,000 Aranoko Tobacco delivered on 1 100 Tytheables or thereabouts. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have both a house and glebe, my Glebe is not in lease, nor let by the year, but occupied by the year, and occupied by myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? Due care is taken at expense of both parishes : or {what they say com- prehends both), of Trinity Parish. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? S' Mary's, White Chapel Parish is one more ; served every other Sunday and on all occasions, This their clerk's they will have read the Common Prayer and an homily or sermon in my absence. Have )'0u in }'our Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? Not any public school in my parish for the instruction of Youth. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, 285 [1724. and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? Not any parochial Library. JOHN BELL. SOUTHFARNHAM IN ESSEX. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? Came here in the year 1700. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? No other Church but this of which 1 am now Incumbent. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary,' in the Government where you now are ? Duly licenced. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? Not inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have beed Inducted? Always resident in the parish though not inducted. Of what extent is your parish, and how many Families are there in it? The length of the parish is 40 miles and the breadth 8, the families may be 200 or thereabouts. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? The infidels in the parish are slaves ; the means for their conversion is divine service, performed at Church ever}^ Sunday which few of them attend to. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Divine service is every Sunday performed at Church which the most part of the parishioners do attend. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administered at least 4 times in the year ; the usual number of Communicants is near 50 at each Church. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? I724-J 286 The usual time is the spring of the year, but the remoteness of the parish- ioners from Church prevents their sending their children to be Catechised. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? All things not duly disposed and provided in the Church for the decent and orderly performance of divine Service. Of what value is your Living in sterhng money, and how does it arise ? The value of my living in sterling money is very uncertain, it depending altogether on the price of Tobacco 1 6,000 of which being my salary established by law. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and glebe, on which I always reside. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? The house is kept in repair by the Parish. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served ? No cure but one. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? No public School. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? No Parochial Library, May II, 1724. ______ LEWIS LATAN£. PETSWORTH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I came from London the beginning of August 1700, and arrived here the 4"^ day of October following. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? 287 [i724- This is the first church 1 was sent to by the Governor and M"^, Commissary, where I have continued ever since. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I was licensed by the Bishop of London the 28'^ of May 1700, to officiate as Minister in Virginia. How long have you been Inducted into your Hving? I have been inducted 20 years, viz: since 1704. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted i* I have constantly resided in this parish except the time I was sent to Eng- land {viz : 1703) which occasioned my absence 9 months. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? My Parish is 22 miles long. In some parts 4, some 6, and in some 10 miles wide. There are 1 46 families in this parish. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? I have no Indians in my parish but those several Infidels, negro slaves brought from Africa such as are born in the Country, their masters very often bring them to read and send them to the Church or Minister to be further in- structed that they may be baptised and many are so. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Every Sunday in the morning, Christmas day, Good Friday, Ash Wednes- day & some occasional days that the Government think fit to appoint. The number of auditors generally speaking are about 300. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? 4 times in the year, viz; on the 3 great festivals and the i^^ Sunday in Oc- tober. The number of Communicants are upwards of 100. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? Only in Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? All things are duly disposed and decently provided in the Church for the decent and orderly performance of divine service. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? I724-] 288 Uncertain. The Salary of every Minister by the Virginia Law is 16,000"^ of Tobacco yearly (8 per cent, deducted for Cask). I think the Sweet Scented parishes such as mine may be well worth 80 £ sterling Communlbus annis. I hope this year it will be worth a great deal more. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and Glebe, and it is occupied by myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? There is due care taken to preserve my House in good repair and my Vestry has hitherto done it, at the charge of the parish and I question not but they will always do it. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? Since Christmas last The Rev'^. Tho^ Hughes and I supply a vacant parish in our neighbourhood. We preach there on Sundays (alternation) in the afternoon and are allowed the whole Salary between us, whilst we officiate. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There is no public School in this parish but there are several private ones, where Children learn to read English and to write. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any pardcular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? We have no parochial Library. EMANUEL JONES. LAWN'S CREEK IN JEURY COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I came over to Virginia in 171 2. John Warden. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? When I arrived hither the late Governor Alexander Spotswood sent me to James Town where I staid only half a year ; from thence I went to Way- 289 [1724. noak and Martin Brandon both which parishes were hardly sufficient to main- tain a Minister, therefore I removed to this parish and have been Minister of it from Jan^ 30, 171 7 to this Instant, May 28. John Warden. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I have a licence from D''. Henry Compton, late Lord Bishop of London, bearing date April 5, 171 2. John Warden. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I am not inducted into my parish, because the Vestries are not inclineable to have Ministers inducted. John Warden. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? Yes. John Warden. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? It is 120 miles long and hardly 10 miles broad upon the River. As to the number of families It is very uncertain but there are 700 tithables, White and Black. John Warden. Are there any Infidels, bond or Iree, within your Parish : and what means are used for their conversion? There are some Indians bond and free, and some negroes bond and free; some masters will have their slaves baptised and others will not, by reason that they will not be sureties for them in Baptism. If the slaves live not afar off, they come to Church and Chappel. John Warden. How oft is Divine Service performed In your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? If the weather permits Divine service is performed every Sunday both at the Church and Chappel which are distant thirty miles. I supply the Church two Sundays together and every third Sunday go to the Chappel. In my absence from the Church when I go to the Chappel, there is a Reader ap- pointed. I have always a full congregation. Jhhn Warden. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what Is the usual number of Communicants ? 3 times a year I administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at the Church and as often at the Chappel, I have about 12 Communicants at the Church and between 30 and 40 at the Chappel. John Warden. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? I cannot persuade parents and masters to send their Children and servants to Church and Chappel for to be Catechised. John Warden. I724-J 290 Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? There is a large Common Prayer Book and Bible ; a book of homilies ; a pulpit cloth and Cushion ; a Communion table-cloth and linen both at the Church and Chappel. A silver flagon, Chalice & a Gilt patton, but I have no Surplice. John Warden. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? My living is 1 6,000 weight of Oronoke Tobacco. Sometimes I can get eight shillings and 4 pence for a 100 weight and at other times not so much and if I send any Hogsheads to Europe perhaps they bring me in debt, as of late years it hath happened. John Warden. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and glebe, where I and my family live. John Warden, Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? There is no care taken by the Vestry to keep the Glebe House in good repair so I will repair it at my own charge, I may and welcome. John Warden. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I ofhciate only in my own parish, John Warden. Have you in your Parish any public Sciiool for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? There is no parish school that I know of any where, but at the College of William and Mary in Wilhamsburgh. John Warden. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? There is no Library. JOHN WARDEN. May 28^ 1724. W.\SHINGTON PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? Almost 3 years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now 291 [1724- possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? The Church which I now possess, is the first I have had. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I have been so licensed. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? Of late years induction has been disused in this Government, but the rea- son of it I cannot assign. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I am ordinarily resident in the parish to which die Government sent me. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? My parish is in length about 30 miles, in breadth about 5, and there are in it about 200 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are no Infidels within my parish except negro slaves, some of whom being duly instructed I have admitted to baptism and the Lord's Supper. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? I have two Churches in my parish, in one or other of which divine service is performed alternately ever}' Lord's day, unless I be hindred from going to Church, by sickness or very bad weather. I am not able to compute the pro- portion of the parishioners who attend divine service but I have known so great a number of them together that there was not convenient room for them all within the Church, each of my Churches is in length 20 yards, in breadth 8, and has a gallery. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants? The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administered thrice a year in each of my Churches, and I have known 2 quarts of wine used in the administra- tion. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? Every Lord's day during the summer season. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? 1724.] 292 All things are so disposed and provided. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? My yearly salary is 16,000"* of Tobacco which is levied by the Vestry and which of late years has scarcely worth ^50 sterling, tobacco in general being of small value and the Tobacco which is made in the parts where I reside being the least valuable. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself ? I have a house and glebe, part of my glebe is in lease, and part let by the year and part occupied by myself Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? The houses on the glebe are repaired at my own expense. Have you more Cures than one? If yiou have, what are they? And in what manner served ? There are viz ; S'. Stephens in Northumberland; Farnliam in Richmond, & Copley parish in Westmoreland, in the upper end of this County. Near to my parish is three vacant parishes adjoining one to another and 2 of them adjoining to mine, in each of these I preach twice in a mondi on week days. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? The gentleman who bequeathed my Glebe to the parish left the whole tract {containing 440 acres), to be disposed of by the Vestry for the better maintenance of a minister and schoolmaster, the Vestry made no division of the land, but gave it entirely to me as a glebe, with this proviso, that I provide a sufficient person to instruct the youtli in reading, writing and arithmetic un- der my inspection, which condition I have complied with. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? There is no parochial Library in my parish, LAWRENCE De BUTTS. July i^', 1724. Minister of Washington parish. 293 [1724- ELIZABETH CITY PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? 5 years and 8 months. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had 2 at different times. The i^* was Hungar's on the Eastern shore from which I have been removed 4 years & ro months, to Norfolk parish be- ing the 2"'' from whence I have been removed to this parish, 3 years and 10 months. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I was licensed by the late Lord Bishop of London to officiate in this Gov- ernment, October 7''', 1718. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I have not been inducted, it not being customary. The Governor's recom- mendatory Letter and the parish's Compliance hath hitherto been the method. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? I constantly reside in my parish. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? It is about 50 miles in circumference, and there are about 350 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are many Infidels, tho' very few here. The owners are generally careful to instruct those that are capable of instruction & to bring them to Baptism, but it is impossible to instruct these that are grown up before they are carried from their own Country they never being able either to speak or understand our language perfectly. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Divine Service is performed in my Church every Sunday and on some of the fasts and festivals ; and the most of the parishioners attend it; there be- ing very few dissenters in this parish. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administered 3 times in the year, 1724. 1 294 (viz:) on Easter day, Whitsunday & Cliristmas day and there are commonly TOO communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? I catechise the youth of my parish only in Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? All things are pretty well disposed and provided. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? The value is uncertain, according as Tobacco rises or falls in its price but I do reckon it communibus annis worth ^65 sterling. It arises by an assess- ment on the parish of 16,000^'' of Tobacco, being the legal salary whereof every titheable person pays an equal proportion and it is collected by the Churchwardens. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and glebe, and the glebe is occupied by myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense Is it done ? Due care is taken to preserve my house in repair, and at the parish's ex- pense. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have only the Cure of this Parish. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There are two public schools endowed, though very meanly whereof John Mason and Abram Paris are teachers. There is also a very good private school where, beside reading, arithmetic and writing, Latin and Greek are very well taught, whereof William Fyfe, a man of good life & conversa- tion, is Master. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? There is no parochial Library in this parish, nor in any other, in this Gov- ernment. JAMES FALCONER, Minister. May 27* 1724. 295 [1724- UPPER PARISH OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? In the year 1710. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if j^ou had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I never had any Church before this which I now possess, Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I have been duly licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Mis- sionary in Virginia. How long have you been Inducted into your Living. I have never been inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I am ordinarily resident in this parish, but 20 months I did officiate in another. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? This parish extendeth upwards of 60 miles in length, in breadth 2 r : the number of families is uncertain. But the number of assessed persons about 700. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are Negroes but as soon as they are capable they are taught and baptised by the care of some Masters, but this too much neglected by many. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Divine Service is performed on Sabbath days and some principal holydays ; often a small proportion of the hearers attend it. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? It is administered thrice a year. The small number of Communicants is usually from 10 to 15 or 20. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? On Sabbath days when they are permitted to come to Church. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? 1724.] 296 Our disposition and provision are imperfect. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does It arise? ^80 currency or ^65 Sterling paid with 16,000 lbs of tobacco which in this parish ver)-' often doth not produce half the sum. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe In Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have no house but at mine own cost and charge, the Glebe not being worth building upon. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is It done ? I have never been able to build or repair a convenient and decent house at my own expense. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served? I have one cure only, but so extensive that I cannot serve it as it ought to be. Have you in your Parish any public School lor the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who Is the Master ? We have no public school. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept In good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? We have no parochial Library. ALEX^ FORBES, Minister in the Upper parish of the Isle of Wight. CHRIST CHURCH PARISH, IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I arrived In Virginia, February the 2"'', 1 700. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had 2 parishes before I came to this I now have, die one called Sltton- borne and the other Klngstone. I removed from the last in March, 1703. 297 [1724- Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I have Bishop Compton's Hcense for this Government dated September the lo'^'', I 700. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I was inducted into this living March the I5"\ 1703. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? I reside in the parish to which I have been inducted. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? My parish in length is about 40 miles, the breadth in some places 7 in other 5 and in other 3 ; the number of families about 260. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? No free infidels but several slaves ; some few that have been born here when of teachable disposition and their Masters allowing them time to come to me, upon instruction and examination, have been publicly baptised and also some children of such who have had baptism, some also every Sunday attend at Church. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? My Churches keep their constant courses at one of which (according to its turn) I perform divine service every Sunday, the number of parishioners attending that service may be about 200, also upon Christmas day and Good Friday. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administered 6 times in the year, the number of Communicants in my parish is about 230. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? The time when I catechise is in Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? All things are provided in my Churches for the decent performance of di- vine service. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? The law has set all our Salaries at 16,000"'^ of tobacco yearly, which is 1724.] 298 raised by the Church Wardens ; the vakie sterling uncertain, depending upon the precariousness of the tobacco market. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the year ? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and glebe which I occupy myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? Care is taken to repair the house at the expense of the parish. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served? I have no other Cure. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There is no public school. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? No parochial Librar\'. BARTHO. YATES. June 15'", 1724. ERUTON PARISH alias called WILLIAMSBURGH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I came to Virginia Anno Dom. 1685. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess; and if you had, wliat Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I was first Minister of Henrico which being 50 miles distant from the Col- lege I left it in 1694 to attend the College: then I was Minister of James Town and adjacent parish till 1710. The Church 8 miles distant. Since 1710 I have been Minister only of this parish where the College stands. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? 1 was duly licensed by Bishop Compton. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I have had this living 13 years but without induction. 299 [1724- Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? I am constantly resident in this parish. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? The parish is about lo miles square, about i lo families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion? No infidels, but slaves. I encourage the baptising & catechising of such of them as understand English, and exhort their Masters to bring them to Church and baptise the infant slaves when the Master or mistress become sureties. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parii.hioners attend it? I have divine service & sermon every Sunday morning as also on Christ- mas day, Good Friday, Ascention day and the 30*'' of Jan'y and read prayers every Wednesday and Friday in Lent. On Sunday morning we have full con- gregations. We have likewise prayers and a Lecture every Sunday afternoon by M'. Le Neve. This Lecture is encouraged by a voluntary subscription of about 25 ^ per annum. Not well attended, the inhabitants being at such a distance that the Country people can't conveniently return. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants? I administer the Sacrament 4 times in the year, viz : at Christmas, Easter, Whitsunday and the nearest Sunday to Michaelmas. There are about 50 Communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? Every Sunday in Lent, after the first service. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? Yes. We have a great Bible, 2 Common prayer Books, the Homilies, Canons, pulpit Cloth, altar and altar piece. Font, Cushions, Surplice, Bell, &c. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? I think it is about ^100 sterling. It arises by 16,000 lbs of Sweet Scented tobacco and a few perquisites, viz : Marriages, by Banns 5^-, by Licence 20^, and funeral sermons 4.0s. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I724.J 300 I have a glebe of about 300 acres of land ; no dwelling house (I live in a house of my own by the College). The glebe is occupied by myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? There is no dwelling house. I doubt not the parish will build one when they come to have a minister that wants one, and will keep it in repair. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served ? I have no more Cures but this one, nor more than one Church. I am also President of the College which is in the same parish, and just by my house. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? No public parish school. Little schools where they teach to read & write and arithmetic are set up, wherever there happens to be a convenient number of Scholars. Of these I have four in my parish. A public Grammar School is kept here at the College and a school for teaching Indian Boys endowed by Esq''^ Boyle. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved and kept in good condition? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? . We have not, nor ever had any parochial Library. The College has a small Library. The Key is kejDt by one of the Masters, Your Lordships most obedient Servant, JAMES BLAIR, Williamsburgh, July 15, 1724. Minister of Williamsburgh. ACCOMAKO ON THE EASTERN SHORE. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I arrived at Kickstane in Virginia, May 26, 1708. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had a Church in Pensylvania In Sussex County, but being driven thence by the Governor, I was entertained by the parish where I now live anno 1 709, July 26. 30I [1724- Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I have no Licence for the parish I now serve but have one for that I was first sent to, and a Letter of permission to officiate here from the late Henry Lord Bishop of London. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I was inducted into the parish of Accomake on the 1 3''' March i yOj^^,. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which' you have been Inducted ? I am. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? The extent of the number of families are between 400 & 500. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion? There are very few of the natives, but a great many negroes who come to Church; of such I have baptised since I came about 200, & instruct them at their Masters' houses. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Divine Service is performed every Lord's day once, either evening or morning according to the season of the year, and there being 3 churches be- longing to my parish where I preach, and the distance so great I think all within 10 miles of each Church that are capable, commonly attend and having, God be praised, few or no dissenters among us, our churches cannot contain all that come to hear. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? At Christmas, Easter and Whitsunday. The number of Communicants about 200. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? From the 11* of March to the 11'^ of September, according to the direc- tions of the Rubrick. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? I have used all means that it might be so, but cannot prevail. We have no Challice or any thing decent as it becomes us. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? 1 7 24-] 302 The law of Virginia values it at /80 sterling but where I live it seldom exceeds ^£40 sterling and is often very unseasonably paid. Our Salary arises by a public tax laid upon the tltheables which are about 1200. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a glebe and house good for nothing. I leased it for about 20^ per annum these last 7 years. I do not live in it myself. Is due care taken to preser\'e your House in good repair? And at whose expense Is it done ? My answer to the former Query answers this, only the parish is obliged to keep the houses in good repair. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what. manner served? I have none but one, and that very large, being obliged to ride 2 1 miles to one of our churches every third Sunday. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? We have a school endowed by one M'". Sanford, late of London. John Morogh, an Irish Man, is at present Master of it. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? We have none, but should be very thankful, if any pious persons at home would contribute their Charity for the promotion of piety and learning among us. We live at so great a distance from the opportunities of such means. WILLIAM BLACK, Minister of the Parish. St. STEPHENS PARISH, KING AND QUEEN. How long is It, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? I went along with this present Governor. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? Yes. How long have you been Inducted Into your Living? Not yet. 303 [[724- Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? Yes. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? About 30 miles long. There are 300 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion? As in other places. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Every Lord's day, and a good congregation. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? Three times a year. About 60 Communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? Lent. Are ail things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? Yes. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? In tobacco. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? A very poor house and Glebe occupied by myself, but can get nothing. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? Nothing in repair. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? 2 or 3 little schools, none endowed. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? But 3 Books only : the whole duty of man, the homilies, and singing Psalms. JOHN GOODWIN. 1 724-] 304 HENRICO PARISH IN THE UPPER DISTRICT JAMES RIVER. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? Between 14 and 15 years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had none other but what I now possess. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are? I have as appears by my Licence from the late Right Rev*^ Father in God Henry Lord Bishop of London dated Ocf^ 29, 1710. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I have never been inducted. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? I am. Of what extent is your parish, and how many Families are there in it? It is, I believe, about 25 miles in length and about 18 in breadth in some places, having in it 2 churches and a Chappel the number of families I cannot tell, but there are rioo tytheables in it, that is slaves male and female about 1 6 years old, and all males of that age that are free, I believe, there may be 400 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are that are bond, but their Masters, do no more than let some of them now and then go to Church for their Conversion. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? Once every Sunday and on some other holydays viz : Good Friday and Christmas and sometimes 100 or 200 attend it. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants? 6 times a year at each Church and twice at the Chappel, 20 is the greatest number that do communicate at one time. At whattimes do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? The distance of families from Church makes it so difficult to bring their Children when small that that office is done by the Schoolmasters or parents 305 [1724- and when they grow to any bigness they care not to abide the public Cate- chising of a Minister. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? They are, but the people not so observant of Devout postures as could be wished. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? My Salary is 16,000 lbs tobacco out of which I pay 1,280 lbs for Cask, and has never, one time with another been worth one penny per lb : it is levied on the titheables in the parish per poll. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have and do occupy it myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? It is now, and has wanted no repairs, as yet, the parish ought when it wants repairs to do it, but are generally too backward. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have none but one, only as vacancy happens in my vicinity the parishes so vacant employ me for an occasional week day's forenoon. Have you in your Parish any pubUc School for the instruction of Youth ? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? We have none, I wish we had, and that some Charity by your Lordship's means were found to promote it. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? We have none, but humbly beg your Lordship's assistance to procure one and your Orders how to manage and preserve them, so humbly begging your benediction and heartily wishing you many long continued a nursing Father to your Diocess, I remain My Lord, your most obedient Son and most humble serv'. I'iiicliiig the MSS., and cannot be supplied. 1724.J 3o6 SOUTHWARK PARISH IN SURRY COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? My Lord, on the i" of August it will be 16 years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I have had no other Church than that I now possess. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I was duly licenced by my Lord of London to officiate in the Government I am now in. How long have you been Inducted into j'our living? I never was inducted. Arc you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which 3'ou have Iveen Inducted ? I am ordinarily resident in my parish. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Pamilies are there in it? The parish is 20 miles broad and inhabited a 100 miles in length, being one of the frontier parishes & has 394 families in it. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? There is a town of Indians made up of the Scattered Remains of 4 or 5 towns seated on the frontiers of my parish where for some time there was a Schoolmaster resided to teach them. But has now removed to the Seat of the Government where he teaches Indian Children from the several nations in the Colony and has a Salary out of M"". Boyle's Legacy ; his name is Cha^ Griffin. As to the negro Slaves there are some of their Masters on whom I do prevail to have them baptised and taught, but not many. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? There are a mother Church and two Chappels of Ease in my parish. At the mother Church I preach two Sundays in three and at one of the Chappels every third Sunday where the congregation is very large, near 300 usually in good weather and sometimes more. At the other Chappel, which is very re- mote, I preach once a month on a Week day wliere the congregation is also ven,' large. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? 307 [1724- The Lord's Supper is administered at the Mother Church 3 times in the year and as often at one of the Chappels. The number of Communicants are from 40 to 70 or 80 according to the weather. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? The youth are Catechised in Lent. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? Yes. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? My Salary is 16,000 lbs of Aranaco Tobacco which sells now, in my parish at 5^" sterling per hundred. My Salary is therefore now worth ^40 sterling though for many years it was not worth above ^30. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? There is a house and glebe where I lived till of late, but I still till the ground myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? Due care is not taken to keep the house in repair. On the precarious tenure I hold it, without induction I don't think it my business. Besides the buildings are of wood and require such expence to keep them tenantable that my poor Salary would be exhausted that way. And the parish were unwilling to do it, so that I have been obliged to look out for a habitation elsewhere. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I have but one. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? There is no public School in my Parish. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books presented, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? There is no parochial Library. What few Books I have are my own pur- chase. Your Lordships will be very naturally led to believe that I must labour under difficulties for want of Books when you observe that my Salary is such a poor allowance for the maintenance of my family. If your Lordship';would 1724.] 3o8 please to find out in your wisdom some way to extricate me out of those dif- ficulties and thereby enable me to be more serviceable in my function it shall, with the most grateful sense of obligation be ever acknowledged, by him who now craves the blessing and is in all duty Your Lordship's most obed"^ Son & Serv*, JNO. CARGILL, June 24'^ 1724. Minister. ABINGDON PARISH IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? Arrived the i^' July, Anno Domini, 1716. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? Lived in the Upper parish of Nanzemond County ; was nmioved to my advantage by Governor Spotswood ; have lived between 4 & 5 years here. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, In the Government where you now are? I have tlie last Bishop of London's Licence for Virginia by me now. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? Have not been inducted. I know of but 3 or 4 that are, the people being averse to have a Minister (as they call It) imposed upon them. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? The Glebe belonging to Abingdon Parish lying In the adjoining parish of Weare can't be resident, butam as near and convenient to the Church as most, computed about 4 short miles. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there In It? About 30 or 40 Miles in circumference ; about 300 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? The Major part are infidel slaves. I know none free; no other method but the public preaching at the Church, their Masters allowing them no other time. How oft Is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Once every Lord's day in the foremoon, on Good PVIday and Christmas day, about 200 Christians generally attending. 309 [1724. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered ? And what is the usual number of Communicants ? 3 times in the year; about 60 or 70 Communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish ? Lent is the usual time. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service ? All things well enough provided but surplice, which was never used in this parish. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? 16,000 lbs of Tobacco which I lay out for necessaries and conveniencies. I have to run the risk to ship it to Merchants in Great Britain so the value cannot be ascertained. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? Have a house and glebe occupied by myself. Ls due care taken to preserve your House in good repair ? And at whose expense is it done ? Care hath been taken last year to repair the House, at the expense of the parish which cost 3205 current. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? The Parish of Weare In which the Glebe of Abingdon lies being vacant by the death of the last incumbent is supplied alternately by M^ Emanuel Jones and myself on Sundays in the afternoon till they have a Minister. Have you In your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who Is the Master ? A free School endowed with 500 acres of good land, 3 slaves, catde, & household goods. The Master is George Ransom a native of Virginia. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept In good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? There is no Parochial Library here, nor In any other parish that I know of in the Country. THO^ HUGHES, Minister of Abingdon Parish In Gloucester County. 1724.] 3IO St. MARY'S PARISH, ESSEX COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? 20 years. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? No other. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? By the Lord Bishop Compton. How long have you been Inducted into your Living? Not inducted, it being not customary. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? Constant. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? 20 miles and about 150 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? Only negroes; particular means discouraged, How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? Every Sunday, & about 150 parishioners. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? 4 times a year and above 100 Communicants. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? In Lent time. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? Wanting (viz:) Pulpit Cloth, Surplice, Table Cloth of both kinds & all ves- sels for the Sacrament. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? 16,006 lbs of Tobacco. Value uncertain. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? 311 [1724. House and Glebe occupied by myself. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense Is it done ? The House in repair at the parish Charge. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? None but one. Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, Is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? No public School, but much wanted. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? No parochial Library, but very much wanted. I am your Lordship's most dutiful Son and obsequious humble Serv', OWEN JONES. OVERWORTON PARISH, STAFFORD COUNTY. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary? I went from England in the year 1710 in the latter end thereof and arrived here in 1711. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? I had no other Church or parish. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? I was Licensed by the Right Rev'^ Henry Lord Bishop of London, to officiate in this Colony of Virginia, How long have you been Inducted into your Living? I was sent to this parish with a Letter from the Governor and another from the Commissary to the Vestry who received me without induction,, that being not common. Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted? I do ordinarily reside In the parish wherein I now exercise my function. I724-J 312 Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it? The bounds is not known, it being a frontier parish but is inhabited near 80 miles in length and in some places near 3 miles, in other near 20 miles in breadth and about 650 families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion ? There are no Indians nor other Infidels among us but Negro Slaves, the Children of whom and those of them that can speak and understand the Eng- lish Language we instruct and baptise if permitted by their Masters. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it? But once every Sunday either in Church or Chappels by reason of the Great distance the inhabitants have to Church or Chappel, Some living about 15 miles distance from either & the plantations being but thin seated. Not- withstanding I have then generally as full a congregation as either Church or Chappel can contain and can well be expected In such a thin seated place. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? I administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 6 times a year and gen- erally have betwixt 80 & 100 Communicants each time. At what times do you Catechise the Youth of your Parish? In Lent and a great part of the Summer. Are all ritings duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? Our Church Is tolerably well provided but our two Chappels want a pulpit Cloth, reading Desk Cloth, Communion table cloth, and vessels for the Com- munion. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise? The value of mine is very uncertain being paid in Tobacco the quantity 1 6,000 lbs Tobacco yearly & being in a frontier place may be worth commu- nibus annis 5 shilhngs for each hundred pounds and very often not so much worth. Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year ? Or Is It occupied by yourself? The glebe lies so inconvenient at the lower end of the parish that I was obliged to lease it out and purchase a convenient plantation near the middle of the parish for myself. 3' 3 [1724- Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done? There is no house upon it for its being so inconvenient that it must be leased out it did not seem needful to build one. Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served ? I preached at the Church and one of the Chappels near to which the in- habitants are thickest seated every Sunday by turns and at the other Chappel 6 times a year. ' Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed? And who is the Master? There is none. Have you a Parochial Library ? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed? There is no Library. ALEX^ SCOTT. SAINT ANN'S PARISH. How long is it, since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary ? I came into this Colony in April 1 709 being only in Deacon's orders, or- dained Feb. the 13*'' 1706, by Nath' Lord Bishop of Waterford Lismore in Ire- land, without waiting on the then Lord Bishop of London being Ignorant of the Laws of this Colony and of the necessity of my so doing. Have you had any other Church, before you came to that which you now possess ; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed ? In Ireland, I was Curate of the Parish of Ardfinan in the Diocess of Lis- more but the Vicar returning to his Cure, I came hither, and upon the Ves- try's request Col' Edm*^ Jennings then President of the Council and the Rev'^ James Blair, then the Bishop of London's Commissary, allowed me to take upon me the cure of this Parish, and the Parish of Sittinbourn being Vacant, at that Vestry's request I also preach'd there every Sunday in the afternoon for almost Two Years, but having married and settled in a place more con- venient for serving the latter Parish, I quitted this and in the Year 171 6 upon a dispute with a leading Vestryman of the said Parish of Sittenbourn about 1724.] 3H the payment of my Salary he made such a party in the Vestry that they re- fused to entertain me any longer as their Minister, and as my Circumstances then were, Col' Spotswood (our then Governor), could not support me. Wherefore I removed hither. Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Government where you now are ? Having testimonials from the Vestry Men of both parishes, the Governor's and Commissary's Letters to Your Lordship's Predecessor in my tavor, in the Year 1717 I went to London, and having deliver'd my letters and testimonials with one from the Dean and Clergy of the Diocess of Waterford, was on the 2 a"** day of 7ber, 171 7 ordain'd Priest, and had the Bishop's Licence Certifi- cate & Recommending letter to the Governor to be Minister of this Parish, but the parish being then supplied by the Rev'' M^ Giles Ransford, I prevailed on him to surrender the parish to the Governor and Commissary, but he was afterwards unaccountably engaged by a party of the Vestry to accept a pre- tended presentation to this Parish, which gave occasion to the (iovernor's let- ter to the Vestry of this Parish, to which I refer Your Lordship in the Journal herewith. How long have you been Inducted into your Living". The aforesaid Journal will in a great measure answer this Query, and shew the necessity of Induction both for the Minister's quiet enjoyment of his living and for the due exercising his function. I assure your Lordship that such generally is the temper {as well as practice in many cases formerly and more would have been had it not been for CoP Spotswood, when Governor, inter- position in favor of the Clergy of this Colony), of our Vestry Men, that upon the least prejudice conceived by a Vestryman of power against the Minister he raises such a party in the Vestry that he makes the Incumbent uneasy in his Parish at least ; perhaps procures him to be removed or not having his Salary as the Law directs, obliges him to quit the parish and sohcit for another. This affair relating to Induction of Ministers has for many Years and at many times been a Bone of Contention in our Government and is likely to prove so still to the great disheartning of the Clergy and to their discourage- ment in the Exercise of the ministerial Function ; under Col' Spotswood's ad- ministration we had the joyful prospect of the dispute being in a fair way of being brought to a fair Issue, it being agreed between the governor and Coun- cil that upon a Ouare Impedit brought by M^ Blair, Your Lordship's Prede- 315 [1724. cesser's Commissary, the case should have a hearing here before onr Supreme Court, called the Gen' Court, and thence by appeal was finally to be deter- mln'd by the King and Council in Great Britain and for that end to ease M"". Blair of the Expence, as it was a dispute wherein the whole Colony was con- cern'd, our assembly ordered ^60 for M"". Blair to bear the charge of the suit and appeal, and CoP Spotswood during his administration gave his warrant for £20 of it, being Sufficient for the charge here, designing the remainder when the appeal should be from the Gen' Court, but so it happens to our great grief, that since our present Governor's administration, the cause is dropt and M''. Blair is paid the remaining £\o and nothing like to be done (for any thing I can see or understand), in the affair. I shall remark one thing which might be added to CoP Spotswood's letters to the Vestry of this Parish, (viz:) I am very well inform'd that at the Instance of CoP Spotswood to the Hon'''* Board for Trade and Plantations that Hon'''^ Board laid the 4* Act of Assembly in our printed Law Book (upon which the Vestrys grounded their pretentions for the Right of Patronage), before his Majesty's Solicitor or attorney General who has clearly given his opinion, that by the act the King hath not given or granted away his right of patronage. I humbly offer that his Majesty's Repealing the said Act by his proclamation would end the dispute Effectually. Are you ordinarily resident m the Parish to which you have been Inducted ? Yes, but not Inducted. There are only 4 Ministers Inducted in the Col- ony, (viz:) M'. Jn" Skaife under CoP Spotswood's administration; M^ Barth. Yates ; M^ Emanuel Jones, M^ Daniel Taylor, before my Coming into the Colony. Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it ? In length betwixt 20 & 26 Miles, in breadth some places eight, some Places 10 Miles. About 130 Families. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish ; and what means are used for their conversion ? No Indians live in my Parish ; there may be 6 free Negroes, there are many negro Slaves, and but very few baptiz'd, nor any means used for their Conversion, the owners Generaly not approving thereof, being led away by the notion of their being and becoming worse slaves when Christians. How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church ? And what propor- tion of the Parishioners attend it ? [1724- 3'6 Every Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday : if Good weather, between 100 & 180 of the Parishioners come to Church. How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper admmistered? And what is the usual number of Communicants? For the convenience of the Parishioners there are two Churches in the Parish, and I of5ciate alternately. I administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at one Church on Easter, & Christmas Days, at the other on Good Friday and the Sunday next to Christmas Day, be it before or after, and on Whit Sunday 'tis administer'd as it falls out in Course at either Church. The usual Number is from 50 to 80 Communicants at each Church. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service? There is no font in the Churches & I generally baptize at the Communion Table, there being the most room in the Church. There are Books and sur- plices, Basins, and other things now wanted, but sent for and Expected in a little time, and I doubt not but in time to prevail on the Vestry to get Patens, Chalices & flagons of Plate, for the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, but now I use my own Plate for that Purpose. Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise ? The Laws of Virginia allow the Minister 16,000"" Tobacco (8 per Cent being deducted for Cask) as his yearly Salary, besides perquisites, which fol- low, (viz:) 50"' for Marriage, with the publication of bands, the fee for which is I5'^ register 5'^ if a marriage by licence 200"" Tob". Register of births, Bap- tisms, and Deaths 3"^ each ; funeral Sermons 400"", 500"*, or 6oo"* or 505 ac- cording to the Custom of the Parish, that fee not being settled by Law. I judge my perquisites one Year with another to be about 1 200'** Tob°. The Law supposes the said 16,000"'^ Tob" to be equal to ^80 Current Money, which in Sterling money computing that a Shilling is 14^ current Money is near ^68 us 4.^ but our Exchanges generally run here for some years past from 5 to 15 per Cent. Thus the Value of our livings arise (generally, for I propose to add under this head something as to other Parishes in the Colony where they make little or no Tob"), but to answer the Query, the Tob° is to be valued according as the market happens to be; from the Year 1709 to 1714 Tob° was so low that it scarsely would sell at 6s Current money, in some Parishes at 4 or 5 per O if Freighted home (which in that case required a further expence in gathering the Tobacco together and Prizing it as we call 317 [1724- it, that is making it heavy &c), sometimes (besides the hazard), brought the Freighter in Debt sometimes from £2 to £a, Sterling per Hh**, but from 1714 to 1720, the Tob° Yielded better than ^80 Sterling but since that time to this, Tob^ sent home is fallen to the old Market price, of which every Tob° Mer- chant in London can give your Lordship a Certain Acco' Noting always that as the Minister's Tob° is collected in Parcels from several Planters and pack'd into Hhds, such Tob° is of less value than where the hh'd is of one sort of Tob" and alike in goodness & therefore always sells for less then other Gent"'^ Tob°. This I write as regarding this Parish, and other Parishes on the upper parts of James River are as I understand, about the same value; those on the North side of Rappahannock and South side of James River are of less value, but towards the bounds of the Colony adjoining to Carolina they make little or no Tob" & the Tob" there made is very mean & of little Value, so that the Minister is often paid in Tar, Pitch, Pork and other Com- modities, as they can agree ; but this is so much to the Ministers disadvantage that very seldom such Parishes are supply'd, and are sometimes vacant for many Years together, the people being not willing and perhaps not well able to give better encouragement. I Humbly beg leave to lay this before your Lordship in order for a remedy with dutiful submission, proposing: That as Missionary's come into this Col- ony our Governor be desired to place them in such Parishes for a few Years and remove them into the vacancies of better Parishes, as they may happen : or that the King would order his Governor to lay this before the assembly that an addition might be made to the Minister's Salarys of such Parishes by the Country. Or that his Majesty out of his great goodness and piety would order a small sum out of the Quit rents of this Colony for that use. Have you a House and Glebe ? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself? I have a house and glebe and keep Servants & Slaves to occupy the same, but live on my own Plantation in the Parish. Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done ? Reasonable care is taken, and at the expence of the Parish. Have you more Cures than one ? If you have, what are they ? And in what manner served ? I have no other cures than this, for there are no other vacancies convenient 1724.] 3i8 for my officiating, tho' there be many (too many) in the Colony, of which I shall here give Your Lordship a list as far as I know, but believe there are more to the Southern parts of the Colony. 2 Parishes in Northumberland County, Copley & Westmoreland, between Patowmack & Rappahannock. S^ Harnham, Richmond, Ware, Gloucester, S\ George, Spotsylvania, i Par- ish, King William, between York and Rappahannock. I Parish, York County, Mulberry Island, Warwick, between York & James River. I Parish, Norfolk, with more I suppose, to the South of James. Have you in the Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is it endowed ? And who is the Master ? Not one in the Parish, but several Private ones. Have you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved, and kept in good condition ? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them ? Are those rules and orders duly observed ? We have no Parochial Library. JOHN BAGG. Mr. COMMISSART BLAIR to the BISHOP of LONDON. WiLLiAHSBURGH, in Virginia, July 17th, 1724. My Lord, I had the honor of your Lordship's by M^ Garzla. The Governor imme- diately took care of him, and sent him to a pretty thriving Little Town called Lower Norfolk on Elizabeth River, where It was his own desire to be sent. I have not heard from him since ; but am in some fear from the imperfection of his expression of English that he will not be very acceptable to the People. We are in very great want of Clergymen, having now no less than five sweet scented Parishes and about double that number of Oranoco ones vacant, and the Presbyterians taking advantage of the want of Ministers are very busy, fitting up meetings in many Places where they had none heretofore. I send 319 [1724- your Lordship by this opportunity the answers of the several ministers to your Lordship's Queries (as many of them as are come to my hands), when the rest come, I will take care to transmit them. I have likewise sent my answers to the Queries to the Commissaries. But there are two things pro- posed upon the last Query, which I referr'd to a private letter to be more freely discussed, concerning which your Lordship will -give me leave to add something that will deserve your mature consideration. The first is upon the subject of providing this Country with good Minis- ters ; where one way proposed for that end was the Encouraging the Educa- tion of Young divines at our College in Virginia. My Lord, I apprehend this would have two excellent effects as to religion and the Clergy if it could be brought about, one is, that we should be sure to have Men of much better lives preferr'd to the Ministry ; for whereas now we are often imposed upon by counterfeits, being utter strangers to their former life and conversation ; we should be in no such danger when the choice should come to be made out of students whose lives and conversations are well known here from their Infancy. The other advantage, I mean, would accrue to the Clergy themselves, and it is this. The Gentlemen of the Country who constitute our General Assembly, and who are now too averse from doing anything for the Encour- agement of the Clergy ; will probably be better disposed toward them when the livings come to be bestowed on their own children for there are few of them so big, that they will think it below them to breed a younger Son to the Clergy ; especially when they come to be inducted and better provided for, as it is like they will then. The difficulty in this affair will be to find a fund for maintaining an able Divine to be Professor of Divinity, and exhibitions for about ten students ; all which I judge would require about ^400 ^, an- num: viz: 200 to the Professor, who is to direct their studies and 20 a piece to each student. The King has a revenue of quit rents in this Country of about ^2000 "p annum, of which there is but very little as yet appropriated, out of which such a sum might be easily spared and who knows but as King William & Queen Anne were both Benefactors to our College, King George might be as willing as they ? There is this to be said for the country, that as the King has a vast revenue yearly out of it in the customs upon tobacco, so there Is no part of his Dominions better affected to his interest and tlie Protestant Succession. But if it should be judged too much for his Majesty to give all this, I do not 1724.J 320 much doubt if he thought fit to give one half by founding the Professor, and at the same time would recommend to the countrj' the founding of the Stu- dents, but that they would readily come in to it. The other thing I referr' d to in a private letter was the business of the Induction of the Clergy. Having spoke of the great inconveniency of the want of Inductions, I (old your Lordship there was a great difficulty in that affair, occasioned by a late controversy concerning the Right of Patronage the account of which I thought too long to insert in that place. But now I believe it may be proper once for all to show your Lordship how this dispute began, and till it is decided how effectually it will obstruct the business of In- ductions. All I find in the Laws of the Country relating to Inductions is a Law made in 1642, which stands as yet unrepealed. The Title of the Law is " Ministers to be inducted." The care of the plantations at that time had been committed to no Bishop. In that Law after some care that no Minister be admitted to officiate in the Country without producing to the Governor a Testimonial of his being duly in Orders ; and without subscribing to be con- formable to the Church of England, then follow these words relating to In- duction ; " upon which the Governor is hereby requested to induct the said "Minister into any Parish that shall make Presentation of him." As to the Custom and practice upon this Law, the most general practice has been that the Parishes made no Presentation, and then there was no Induction ; for we have no instance where ever a Governor collated or inducted jure devoluto. But tho' this was the most general practice, for the Minister to officiate with- out Induction, there were several parishes that gave their Ministers a Presen- tation, and in that case the Governor never failed to grant Induction. I was inducted into Henrico (the first Parish I had in this country) upon this foot; the Vestry's Presentation (for by another Act the Vestry is to manage all parochial affairs), and my Lord Effingham, who was then Governor, his Induc- tion, and several other examples have been of that sort in all our Governor's times. Even Col. Spotswood himself (who afterwards raised the dispute), inducted one M^ Skaife into the Parish of Stratton Major upon a Presentation of that Vestr)', When Col. Nicholson was Governor to remedy the precari- ousness, I endeavoured to persuade him to induct jure devoluto. He, doubtfull of his power to do it, had the case stated, and sent home copies of all our Laws and all his Instructions relating to the Church, to Sir Edward Northey, who was then Attorney General. In answer, Sir Edward 321 [t724- gave his opinion, that the parish as Patrons were to present and the Governor as ordinary to induct jure devokito. But in regard to this Right of the Ordi- nary, it had been so long dormant he advised him to give notice to the several vestrys before he put it in execution, and accordingly Col. Nicholson sent cop- ies of this opinion of Sir Edward Northey's to all the Vestries in Virginia, and had it registered in ail their Vestry Books. The very fear of the Governor's taking the benefit of the lapse made several vestries give presentations to their Ministers and accordingly they were inducted. It is thought if Col. Nicholson had pursued this opinion and had made a few examples of Inducting jure devoluto, all the Parishes would have quickly given Presentations to their Ministers. But he neglected it ; and none of our Governors care to revive it (tho' it is undoubtedly a Right belonging to them as Ordinaries), without a positive Instruction to that purpose. It must be confessed it would be thought hard ; and there is something in the circumstances of this Country which makes it harder for them than for any Patrons in England because here we have no unprovided Clergymen, and for that reason they can't present in so little time as six Months. It will take more than that time to procure a Cler- gyman from England, if they were ever so diligent and then they think it very reasonable that they should have some time to be acquainted with him before they be obliged to give him a Presentation. It would perhaps answer all those Inconveniences if the Governor were directed (till the Country has a Stock of Clergymen of their own), not to take the benefit of the lapse till after two years ; that in one year they might provide themselves of a Minister from England, and in a year more might be obliged to Present him or else incur the Lapse. But I must inform your Lordship of a greater difficulty this Business is involved in by a late new attempt of our last Governor, Col. Spotswood. For he without any new Instruction, but pretending to understand his old ones better than his Predecessors ; because in one of his instructions, if I remember right, he was directed that in Collating to vacant Benefices he should admit of no Clergyman that did not bring a licence from my Lord Bishop of London, he interpreted this as if the Parishes had no Right of Pre- sentation at all, but that the sole power of Collation was in him : and accord- ingly he refused a Presentation of a Vestry upon this account. It was the vestry of this Parish that gave me a Presentation. The Country was alarmed at this new claim of the Governor's, the case reaching all the Parishes in the I724.J 322 Country; and the General Assembly and that Governor came to an agree- ment to have It tried at law ; and accordingly a writ of Quare impedit was brought against Col. Spotswood as ordinary ; but before It came to be decided he was superceded, and the writ the Lawyers agreed would not lye against Governor Drysdale. The Clergy by this means is in a much worse condition as to Inductions than ever. If the Vestry presents, this Governor must not give up any pretended Right of the Crown ; tho' I believe he wishes his pred- ecessor had not Involved him in this controversy. If the Governor inducts without Presentation of the Vestry, the Parishes withstand it, and It is a ques- tion whether they will not refuse to levy the salary. Besides the Law and uninterrupted possession, the Parishes pretend for their title to the Patronage, that they are the sole Founders of the Churches, and Glebes and Mansion Houses, and It is really true in fact ; the Crown has not built one Church or Mansion House or given any Glebe that I know of in the Country. Your Lordship will consider how this great Greivance may be best removed, on the one hand If it is the King's right we would beg that the Gov' may be directed to assert it, and to induct the Clergy. But there will be one more inconven- iency in this way, which is that if a Governor neglects to collate, there will be no lapse from him. On the other hand, if the King will Yield it to the Par- ishes (which would give a more general content), then let the Governor be directed, in case they do not present In a certain reasonable time (to be ascertained in the Instruction), to make up of the lapse as Ordinary and to Collate jure devoluto. Having thus sincerely given your Lordship my poor thoughts of this vei-y difficult affair I hope you will so correct or improve them, as that at length the precariousness of the Clergy may be remedied ; which as It will make their circumstances much more comfortable, will very much endear your Lordship's name to them & their successors. I must now beg pardon for this tedious Representation, and begging your Lordship's Benediction take leave to subscribe myself, &c., &c., JAMES BLAIR. 323 [1724- Tkf. FORBES' Account of the State of the Church in Virginia, Virginia, the Upper Parish. of the Isle of Wight county, ' July 21, I 724. May it please your Lordship, I rejoiced greatly on the reading of your Lordship's letter and queries for the apposite counsel, precious exhortation and sound direction expressed therein, and for the comfortable hope of some future Good to accrue to our poor Infant Church promised thereby, so that for a constant memorial of these good things, I have retained your Lordship's letter annexed to the que- ries, which I have returned according to your desire. I beg your Lordship's pardon for my not being satisfy'd to return the an- swers, only so far as the interUneary space of the queries did admit ; and I hope you will pardon the fault having understood the Principle tliat led me into it, viz : That your Lordship is the Physician, and we are the Patients (God knows very much distempered with inveterate Diseases). That there- fore as a faithfuU and tender Physician will deign to hear the relation of his patient with regard to the malignant malady he is afflicted with; so your Lordship will vouchsafe to lend an ear to the rehearsal of a few things re- specting the crazy state of our Ecclesiastical Constitution. I have therefore noted some deficiencies of the duty of Ministers with some impediments to their office, some dispositions of the People and defects of duty on their part toward their Pastors, which I have done by answering most fully your Lord- ship's Queries numbered here in that Order they were sent unto us. Answer I. Having been Ordained in the Bishop's Chapel at Fulham, Die Luns quarto se Die monsis April A.D. 1709, and Die Dominica, quinto sc Die monsis Martii A.D. 1709. I went over to Virginia as a Missionary in I 710. I have here inserted the date of my letters of Orders to satisfy your Lord- ship of the Canonicalness of my mission, because some years ago when there was a Convention of the Clergy, in which the ordination of some was ques- tion'd and examin'd, I was absent thro' unavoidable impediments and was 1724-J 324 returned absent to the Bishop by M^ Commissary. But your Lordship will have no cause to doubt of it after you have seen my name and the date of the year, answerable to what I have written on the Bishop's register. And for further confirmation thereof, I was recommended to the Hon. Lord Bishop of London, by one William Forbes, Esq"""., of Badsley near Limington, Hamp- shire, a Gentleman of good account with and familiar acquaintance of his Lordship. I was also known to the Reverend D'^. Forbes, a Canon, and possessed of a living near Guilford in Surrey. I confess 'tis necessary for your Lordship to inspect into the legality of our Mission, for I have lieard of some that have presumed to intrude into our office without any mission, and others that have been received as Ministers of the Church of England whose ordination they never had. And this irregu- larity our Church here is liable to, because often Missionaries are not required to produce their letters of Orders; whether they have come from England, or some other Foreign plantations. . II. I never had any Church before this which I now possess but since I came first to this Church, I did officiate about XX months at a Church of the next County, viz : Nansimond, and in November last was removed hither again, the reason of which was Because the bounds of this Upper Parish of the Isle of Wight being so great, my health was much impair'd by being ex- posed to the excess of the weather (here, very hot in the Summer and pierc- ing cold in the Winter and always variable), on so long and frequent Journeys, so that I was forced to apply myself to the Governor to put me into some parish more proportionable to my health and strength, who ordered me to move into the Parish of Nansimond, But after some time, the Gentlemen of the Isle of Wight being destitute of a Minister and not likely to be supplyed on the terms I served them, requested me to return to them again, promising to reduce their Parish unto reasonable bounds, which I did, having first asked M^ Commissary's advice and consent. Now notwithstanding I myself in these Instances have involuntarily changed my Parish, yet I must caution your Lordship in this, that the custom here of Ministers so frequently changing their Parishes, not for laudable or necessary ends, is very offensive, and always Interpreted by the People to proceed from levity or avarice therefore for this irregular practice the Dissenters, and others disaffected to religion do vulgarly apply unto us all that of the Prophet Is. L VI : II. III. I have been duly licenced by the Bishop of London to officiate as a 3^5 [1724- Missionary in this Government of Virginia. My Licence is dated Sexta die Mensis Martis A.D. 1709, and also my Certificate from the Bishop, the sixth day of March, 1 709. Here is another Irregularity many have been, and some are guilty of now: for Ministers coming from New York, Maryland, and other plantations where ever they find a vacant church make their applications there, and commonly find reception without any more to do, none ever ques- tioning either their Mission or license. IV. I have never been inducted into my living. Here your Lordship discovers a defect on the other side ; for as some of the Ministry are of too vagrant a temper never fixing their resolutions on the discharge of their Office over one flock ; so the Parishioners are very defective being either averse from, or very regardless of committing themselves solely to the care of one Shepherd, which may be Informed from their neglect or dislike of Induction ; so that Induction Is very little practiced here. Some did refuse It, and op- posed the Induction of a Minister, tho' a man of blameless life and conversa- tion, as some of his strong opposers owned to me and Col. Spotswood, our late Governor (a Gentleman well disposed toward the Interest and defence of the Clergy), told me that he had gained many Enemies to himself by his endeavouring to Induct that person, tho' by the Law of the Colony he was empowered to do it. The which disposition of the people here, when I had considered and examined the reason thereof I found this : That hereby they would reserve to themselves this handle of restraint on the Ministry, of not being bound to a Minister (as they express it), lest he should afterwards prove disagreeable to tliem, In which case they might the more easily cast him off for another more suitable to their humour; or lest he should become bur- densome to them when he grows old and unable to serve them, according to which their poficy may tend. I know a good honest man, a sound teacher and observer of the Dissipline and ceremonies of the Church of England (so far as it can be done here), who growing Infirm as he entered Into old age, and being thence rendered incapable to officiate in very remote parts of his Parish extravagantly large, was so much clamoured at for his Neglect (as they esteemed it), that he was ready to quit one half of his benefice, to get rid of their threatenlngs & satisfy their complaints, had not Death prevented him, on which followed the correction of their Ingratitude (some of them- selves owning It to be so, for their bad treatment of a good man), their church lying long vacant afterward, and at last God permitting vicious and dissolute 1724.] 326 preachers to come among them whose practice & conversation were wholly inconsistent with Christianity. V. I am always resident in the Parish to which I do belong, but when I officiate among remote Inhabitants on some immediate day of the week. That your Lordship may know what is meant by remote Inhabitants, be pleased thus to take it. My Parish lieth on the south side of James River, extending, as some others do also, from East to West ; they began first to seat & inhabit on the Eastern parts, when they built their churches at their first settling; and proceeding on, as they encreased in their situation westerly, but neglecting to fix any bounds they have now seated themselves very remote from their parish churches ; so that such Inhabitants can neither be profited by their Church or Chapel, they being too far distant even from this last named. Among these I have often preached both in mine own Parish, one Sabbath day of each month ; and in other vacant adjacent Parishes, that are under the same ill circumstances of Remoteness. VI. My Parish extendeth upward of LX. miles in length, in breadth about XI. The number of families is uncertain, but so far as may be gathered from the number of Assessed Persons, the number of families may seem to be about 400. This excessive length of my Parish I have found by long experience to be so incommodious, that I could never perform my pastoral office as I ought, altho' I have spared neither cost nor labor on the attempts and endeavours thereof But I must observe to your Lordship that this disproportionate length is not from necessity but negligence in some, and the covetousness of others, who think if their parish be cut shorter, it will too much augment the charges of maintaining a Minister. Yet I doubt not, but if this County were divided into three Parishes, there being now but two, your Lordships would judge the charges to be very tolerable for even in this case the Minister's sal- ary would not exceed XXXII. pounds of Tobacco, 1. e. about three shillings to be paid by each tythable or rated Person every year, The inconvenience and prejudice of such large bounded Parishes are very great. For tho' the People are very ignorant and undisciphn'd, the Word of God can be Preached but seldom among them ; the use of the Sabbath day is converted by them into some diversion or worldly Business ; they cannot be catechized so frequently as their need requires ; their sick cannot be visited. 32? [1724. VII. There are Infidel slaves (viz :) Negroes, which as soon as they are capable, are taught and baptized by the care of some Masters, but too much neglected by many. We have also in this Parish a Town, (as they call it), Inhabited by Indians tributary to this Government: they are in number about LXX. excluding Females and Children, a certain number of whose youth is educated at the College by the charitable beneficence of the Good & Honor- able Rob*^ Boyle, Esquire. But all means used for their conversion is like to prove ineffectual because of these obstacles which seem to impede the con- version of Infidels wherever Christianity is professed, i. e : — The wicked lives of Christians ; as 'tis demonstrated in that excellent book called a Demon- stration of the Messias, Part II. pages 77 and 85. VIII. In our Church, Divine Service is perform'd twice in three Weeks, and at one chapel, distant from the Church XXIIl. Miles, once in three Weeks. In remote parts of the Parish, once in four weeks at some private House ; besides some principal Holy Days. But this is to be understood of the order and times when I perform Divine Service myself, by the law of the Colony they have also a reader, that reads the service and a Homily in the Church or Chapel the minister is absent from, when he officiates at another place. The number of hearers is sometimes but small. From this answer your Lordship will observe that Divine Service is too seldom performed, all Holy Days not being constantly observed here which happeneth unavoidably in those exten- sive parishes : for the reason, That so much time and travel is required for Preaching among them on Sabbath Days at Chapels and Private Houses as aforesaid. But I wish this defect were not observable also in other Parishes where no such excuse can be pleaded for it, too many Holy days are omitted in the Colony without Celebration of Divine Service. The fifth of Nov' and xxx'^ of January are little regarded. But with respect to those very long Par- ishes I hope it will appear to your Lordship, how great the necessity is of their being divided; for their large extent is not onlv the cause of the omis- sion of Holy days ; but very often I have found that labor to be fruidess, which I have imployed in room of their observation ; for sometimes after I have travell'd Fifty Miles to Preach at a Private House, the Weather happen- ing to prove bad, on the day of our meeting, so that very few or none have met ; or else being hindred by Rivers & Swamps rendered impassable with much rain, I have returned with doing of nothing to their benefit or mine own satisfaction. I have added in the answer. The number of hearers is some- 1 724-] 328 times but small, which is meant not only in the cases of the Just now men- tioned Impediments but also when a greater number might reasonably be ex- pected to meet. The reasons of which seem to be (i) That the distance of the way may hinder many at sometimes who cannot be prepared to come X. XII. or XV. miles, tho' that they might and would if they had but V. or VI. (2) We have sundry Dissenters as Anabaptists and Quakers, and also others that care little for any religion. (3) There is diffused thro' all such disregard and negligence of Public Worship, that many think it not a thing necessary to be punctually observed. IX. In our Church the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administer'd thrice a year, the small number of Communicants is usually trom ten to fifteen or twenty. It is not for want of preaching up the observance of this great duty, that so few do observe it. I did formerly divide my long Parish into six Parts, and that none might be ignorant or pretend they never heard ot it I preached fully on the nature, use and necessity of this Ordinance, but what should harden so many hearts against it, I know not ; except it be chieHy, the general decay of Christian Piety, and loss of the true and serious sense of Religion in this unhappy age, seemingly abandon'd to luxury, pride, covetousncss, cor- rupt principles and vicious conversation. X. I catechise the youth of my Parish on Sabbath clays when their Pa- rents or the Season of the Year will permit them to come to Church. But I must own to your Lordship, that because of those hinderances and others in- cluded herein, this office is not done as it ought to be, considering that it is a material and fundamental one; which is also obstructed very much by the too great distance of Inhabitants from their Churches and Chapel. I did endeav- our once to supply this defect by Catechising and expounding some of the Commandments or articles of the Creed in Private Houses of the Parish divided as before mentioned, and then quarterly setting apart a whole week for the purpose ; the which method tlio' it was approved off, and generally embraced by the People at first, yet I had scarce continued this course for the space of three years, but their remissness to attend grew so great that I was discouraged myself from bestowing so much time and travel therein. Yet I Know not but this carelessness of people in a matter of so great importance as Catechising most certainly is, doth very much proceed from their never having been inured to this most necessary discipline; so that now they hold 329 [1724- not themselves obliged to give their attendance thereto. Thus in Nansimond Parish, where I did officiate lately, it seemed a new and strange thing even to ancient People, when I called their youth to be catechis'd at Church according to the Canon ; so that I fear, if ever this excellent manner of Instruction was observed at all, 'tis too much disused in some places of this Colony. XI. As to our disposition and provision in the Church for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service, they are both imperfect ; our Chapel hath lain unfinished for some years by gone, consisting as yet only of walls and Roof; the surplice is wanting, as also in most other Parislies. Wine is not duly provided for the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. In a word the LXXX. LXXXI. LXXXII. and LXXXV. Canons Ecclesiastical are much transgress'd in some Churches which I suppose happeneth partly from spar- ingness, tho' this excuse drawn from a pretence of poverty, should now be laid aside when Parishes are grown populous and sufficiently able to provide such things; partly from ignorance I having been conversant in some Parishes, the Rulers whereof had never so much as heard that there was a boolv of Canons extant in the Church. XII. My Living (as of all ministers in the Colony) is 16,000 pds Tobacco valued by our antient laws at So lb. current money, i. e. about 65"' Ster^, The tobacco is raised by the assessment of all Male persons of the age of sixteen and upwards, and of all Negroe, Mulatto, and Indian Women of the same age not being free. But the value of livings is very unequal because of the un- equal value of Tobacco in different places of the Colony; on the North side of James River in many Parishes their Tobacco is sold at 20 sh^ '^, Hundred, so that Ministers' Salaries in those Parislies are worth 1 60 p^* ^. ann"" and sometimes much more when Tobacco sells at the highest rate, and they have this advantage that their Tobacco seldom goes so low but that they have a competent living thereby. But on the South Side oi James River the value of Tobacco is much inferior; for in most Parishes it rarely exceeds xo sh^ a hundred and very often doth not amount to above one half that sum ; so that instead of 80"' we have but 40"*^ most commonly ; except it be in some few Parishes. And there is also this great detriment which accrueth to some of us who live in these very spacious Parishes: That the Collection of our Sala- ries cannot be duly made because of the spaciousness of the Parishes, which hath been such an essential hinderance to me in the discharge of mine office, that I have never been able to do it, as I would have done ; and what I have 1724.] 33° done, has been under the difficulties of Poor and mean worldly circumstances. I'm sure your Lordship will be persuaded of this by considering only (i) when trade is Dead our Tobacco is sold at half the value set upon it by Law (2) most things pertaining to domestic necessaries raiment and cloathing espe- cially, are sold at double & treble the rate here that they are in England (3) The great disadvantage arising from the bad method of collecting, and defect- ive payment of my Salary. But concerning this last your Lordship shall be more fully informed, and of the means, I have used to redress it, together with other matters presented by me to our General Assembly, after you have read what I have copied out thereoft; which I have set here at the end of this; and which may perhaps give your Lordship some further insight In the State of our affairs here. XIII. I have no House but at mine own cost and charge, the Glebe not being worth the building upon. The hiring of Workmen being very charge- able here and other things relating to building, this hath gready augmented the difficulty of my circumstances ; yet for it all I could not liitherto supply my own necessity in this, so as not be greatly incommoded with regard to my calling, so that XIV. I have never been able to build or repair a convenient and decent house at my own expence. Some Parishes have good Glebes, others very mean, others none. There is now a vacant Parish, to wit, the Lower of Nansimond County, that has a very good Glebe. XV. I have but one Cure, but so extensive, that 1 cannot serve it as it ought to be. Here each Minister hath properly but one Parish, except a very few who have two small parishes joined together, and served as one Parish having a Church and Chapel. But It often falleth out, that we have void Par- ishes which are supply'd by Ministers invited thereto by the Parishioners, or else who offer themselves to serve such Parishes on some day of the Week they find most convenient. Where I must admonish your Lordships, that such proceeding is not always regulated In due and decent manner, for some undertake to serve so many vacant Parishes that they must of necessity neg- lect their own. I have also heard lately of a very unseemly and offensive contention at a certain Church before Sundry Spectators, between two minis- ters striving together which should be employed to supply the Vacancy. XVI. We have no Public School, the defects of our Private schools your 33^ [1724- Lordship will gather from one of the propositions presented to our Assembly. I have observed that some honest and well disposed men might be beneficial in this office, but for some vagrant and loose Persons pretending to teach at a lower rate than another who would honestly mind his business can afford to do, so as to subsist by it. XVII. We have no Parochial Library. Our Private Librarys even those of the Ministry are many of them very mean, mine own is such tho' much better than sundry of my Brethren's that I have seen. The wants of my Family could not hitherto permit me to purchase some books which I wou'd gladly otherwise have done. I have had the perusing of some good commen- tators, such as Bishop Patrick but have none of mine own to consult with on every occasion. I have greatly wished to be of ability to purchase the Bib- liotheca Critico- Sacra, and a complete Ecclesiastical History, having none but Gryn^us's Collection of the first Six Centuries ; and the Bishop of Norwich's Book of Canons, Articles &c. Ecclesiastical. To remedy somewhat the want of Commentators I have no other means left but attending more diligently to the original Texts and most celebrated Versions, with which I'm furnished from the Polyglot Bible. And even this Prodigious Work (as Bishop Burnet styles it), is not useless in this Country, tho' lately formed out of a Wilderness (which one would therefore think might have continued longer in its Primitive Simplicity, (ree from the corruptions of abused literature), where yet we have some shrew'd objectors among the Quakers and even Deists, whose mouths (which must be stop'd from this Waltonian Prodigy) ; Robert Barclay's learn- ing hath filled with some of the learned arguments against the Bible ; while he tells us [apol. page 8i] that the contraversie about the Hebrew Points, and the various readings &c. do not a little derogate from the Holy Scriptures. And truly what Barclay there says to this purpose, must needs startle, if not cause to stumble a Considerate Reader, if unacquainted with the Hebrew Text and capable of examining these various sections ; of which his literal sense makes exceeding high mountains, highly derogatory to our Holy Ora- cles ; but these mountains viewed with the noble Prospectives of Bishop Walton and D. Castellus of Glorious Memory do soon dwindle into mole-hills especially in the Judgment of a Pious Man and unprejudiced Reader. Thus I hive adventured to represent to your Lordship some defects and Irregularities with regard to the state and condition of our Church here ; being such things as have been, may be, and really are, amiss among us. I would have added more (from an earnest desire to see a reformation of aduks and enormities begun and promoted in the Church), but being an utter stranger to your Lordship, I shah forbear, referring Your Lordship to Col. Spotswood, our late Governor (a Gentleman of known credit and good esteem and well affected to the Church of England and well acquainted with the state and cir- cumstances thereof in this Colony, who still resides in this County at his own House of Germanna Town in Spotsylvany County) for a more full and accu- rate relation of these things, which may be serviceable to your Lordship in the enterprize and atchievement of so good, Great and necessary a Work ; A work which hath not only the concurrence of my hearty desires and Prayers to God for its success, but for the promotion whereof I will not, must not any longer conceal (tho' I have hitherto concealed it, as Men do hide a shameful Disease) the necessity there is for that, which is most essential and absolutely necessary to wit, The Recuperation of the unspeakable loss, and Reparation of the enormous Infringement of the LXXV, Canon Ecclesiastical, the which I doubt not, will be no less grievous to your Lordship to hear, than it is to me to have an occasion of writing such things, but besides this hint (That your Lordship may have a more certain ground for reproof, Correction, or application of a speedy remedy, for which intents also 1 have sent a letter wrote by Commissary Blair to one of the Clergy), I shall here insert a passage of a letter that was written to our present Governor on this doleful Theme. Viz: And those Grievances are the most unworthy and scandalous car- riage of some Ministers of the Church who by their corrupt Conversation and vicious practice do demolish more in one year, than even a Wise Master Builder could re-edify in a much longer space of time : whose behavior is such that it greatly tends to confirm Atheists in their Infidelity and contempt of Re- ligion, yea, to make Proselytes thereto, or to any party besides the Church of England, so that on occasion taken from these Men's offensive Carriage, the Doctrines of our Church, the discipline, and Ministry thereof have been lately reproached, slandered and impugned by a Quaker Teacher and that openly in the face of the County Court of Nansimond, and such are the natural fruits that do arise from the wicked lives of spiritual Guides in any such Church whatever, for when there is such obvious contradiction between the Doctrine and Practice of these men ; even miracles could not maintain the Credit of that Church wiiere such lewed and Prolane Ministers are Tolerated or Con- nived at. 333 [1724- I shall also add that such are the Defects of Duty, Love, Esteem, and union mutually between Ministers and People that it can rather be said truly. That they have Preachers than Pastors in many places of this Colony. The which being our Invetorate Disease, contracted thro' the want of necessary Discipline and due Inspection, 'tis supposed by some (who grieve at this our misfortune), that hardly anything seems sufficient to extirpate it, but your Lordship's appointing Two Faithful, Industrious, and Prudent Visitors over us (if it might possibly be), one on the Nordiside, and another on the South- side (where we have seven large Counties), of James River; there being on both sides bounds large enough for one Man to exercise his diligence in that manner and measure the work will require, I have mentioned a Vacant Par- ish with an extraordinary Glebe, if your Lordship has the happiness to find such an one for us. But besides this, I think, so unaccustomed are the People of some Parishes to Discipline and good order; that it will require Line upon line. Precept upon Precept (prosecuted by a watchful Visitor), to inure them thereto and the longer the application of some good remedy is delayed, the more difficult will the cure be found to be ; because in the most remote and and undisciplin'dparts of these Parishes there are still surviving some sober antient Persons, who were brought up in the doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, who adhere thereto, and seem freely to embrace it ; whom I have observed to have great Influence by their counsel & example, on the Young and uncultivate Generation to draw them into a good esteem of the Doctrine and service of the Church ; the which recent brood, I fear without this help, and by a longer absence of good discipline, will soon decline unto any party of Dissenters incident, by good words and fair speech, to pervert and deceive their simple hearts and Ignorant minds. In Nansimond a large Populous & wealthy County, the Quakers do sensibly encrease not only in offspring but also Proselytes ; and so many are the offended Persons there high and low, at the Ministry of the Church, that I think, there wants but little more, than a learned, talkative, and Subde Quaker Preacher to persuade a great number of them to Quakerism. But for the prevention thereof, and speedy expulsion of all other evils that do or may annoy or impugn the most holy Religion of our Blessed Saviour, or (which is the same in other Words), may tend or serve to disparage or defame the Doctrine of the Church of England, or prostitute her worship and Discipline to the opprobrious or Malignant. God Almighty, by whose Provi- 1724.] 334 dence you are set over us, who hath inspired your Lordship with this Grace to begin so Good a Work amongst us, long Preserve your Lordship in Health and life, with Authority over us, and with all things requisite for the good pro- gress and desirable completion thereof, which is the earnest Prayer of, May it please Your Lors^, Your Most Obedient & Most humble Servant, ALEX« FORBES. A PROPOSITION^ For S7ipplying the country of Virginia with a sufficient number of much better Clergymen than have usually come into it; And for the right settling and good Government of them. It is an easy thing to observe the bad constitution of this country as to its Church and Clergy especially in the following particulars/-^ i^^ Many parishes are so small that they cannot defray the charge of a minister's maintenance. 2^. Those parishes that are able are under a great temptation to keep no minister, for being without him they save so much of the parish Levy in their own pocketts. 3''. The Livings of this country bj' reason of their meanness are an encour- agement only to the lowest sized ot Divines to adventure amongst us, and by reason of their equality, are very II! calculated to instigate and encourage men of parts and diligence who ougiit to be spurred on by the hopes of some better preferments, and not left to fare equally, with the most negligent and Blockish. 4"". The precarious and uncertain tenure by which the clergy here hold their livings (being liable to be deprived of them by a vote of a vestry without (1) I would have given it tlie Title of a proposition for the cucouragement of the Clergy; but thai such a Title would have preposseessd the General Assembly with great prejudices against it. (2) The method here observed is that of Grievances and remedies — here follows 8 Grievances distinguished by so many numbers, so that if your Grace would consider the distinct remedy of any one of those Grievances, it is but turning to the same number among the remedies & there it is to be found. 335 [[724- any crime either alledged or proved against them), is a ready way to keep any minister that can better himself elsewhere from the thoughts of marrying or settling in the country and consequently to oblige all the better sort of them in a little time to leave us. 5*^^. The want of Plantations and mansion houses and the scarclt)' of con- venient places to board at for single, and much more for married men, is another great discouragement to good countrymen to settle amongst us. 6"^. The abuses that are frequently put upon them by sheriffs and other Collectors of the Parish Levies in the badness of the Tobacco, & the lateness of the payment occasioning great trouble and loss both In the selling and freighting of it, make the minister's encouragements in this country to be of much less value than otherwise they would be. 7"^. The great scarcity of good books in this country is a very considerable discouragement both to the minister himself, and a loss to his auditory, occa- sioning the meanness of his sermons and other ministerial performances. From some or all of these causes it happens that few ministers stay among us that have any hopes of preferment in England, and that any man of Inge- nuity would sooner choose to live upon 40 or 50 pound a year there free from the above mentioned uncertainties and inconveniences than upon double that allowance here to be so precarious & Inconvenient and deprived of all hopes of further reward of his diligence and Industry. 8'^. The want of some good Government shows the bad constitution of our clergy as well as the want of due encouragements, and without Government it is not to be expected but that Ignorance, scandal & negligence will creep In among the Clergy; there being no method settled to keep them to their duty or to punish them in case of the transgression of It, as In all other churches of the world. For the remedies whereof I humbly offer my opinion in the same method wherein I have proposed the Grievances and inconveniences. '^'I. First then for a remedy of the smallness of Parishes let effectual care be taken that either two or three of those small parishes be joined In one, or that they be annexed to some neighbouring parish or enlarged by the addition of some titheables from a neighbouring parish. In which new modelling of parishes I humbly propose this rule, that no parish may have fewer than 400 (3) This remedy of She 1st Grievance was approved of in all the parts of it by the Commillee for revisal of our 1724.] 3Z^ Titheables nor above 800 ; for so the parish would be great enough to give sufficient encouragement to a minister, and not too great for him to take the inspection of And because no rule has been hitherto set, when & how chapels shall be built and how often the minister shall preach at them, & when new parishes shall be erected, all which things ought to be determined, being the frequent occasions of such divisions & disputes, for remedy hereof I humbly propose, that in whatsoever parish there shall happen to be 100 or more titheables 7 miles distant from the mother church, that the vestry take care to have a chapel built in some convenient place for their use, at the charge of the parish, and that the minister be obliged to preach at that chapel according to the proportion they bear to the rest of the parish. If they are a 4"', once in four weeks, if a third, once in 3 weeks, if an half, once every other Sunday, and when the number of Titheables in any parish comes to exceed 800, then let the parish be divided in two, and let two ministers be provided for them after the death or removal of the incumbent in whose time they began to exceed that number. The reason of this will appear by and by in my answer to the 3'''^ Grievance. II. To prevent the parislies' negligence in providing a minister when they are able to do it, there are two expedients which will be very effectual and they are both agreeable to the Law of England. ^'^' The first is that the parish be obliged to pay the minister's salary during the vacancy as well as during the incumbency, for there is no reason men should reap any benefit by neglecting their duty. Now these vacant salaries may be applied to several good uses for the service both of the parish and country ; particularly I shall show by and by what considerable encouragements may be raised from them, to furnish this Country with a learned and good Clergy. '^'The 2'"^ expedient for preventing the long vacancy of churches is the taking the benefit of the lapse of time for presentation as in England ; only the present circumstances of Virginia requiring that patrons have more time to present since we have no unprovided Clergymen in the Country, but must send them from England and it is reasonable after we have them, we should have some time to be well acquainted with them, before we be obliged to pre- sent them ; I do therefore humbly propose that insted of six months to the patron, as much to the Bishop & Arch-Bishop before it fall to the King, the {4) The first Expedient was approved. (5) This 2nd expedient is not yet approved of for they stickle mightily againsl_/i(rf devoluto & Inductions. 337 [1724- vestries be allowed two years & an half and the Bishop of London or his Commissary one year before it devolve to the King or Gov'. I do not mean that the parish should be so long without a minister but that 18 months time be allowed for procuring of one and then a years time of Trial of him before they be obliged to present. And if at the end of two years & a half they present none, that then the right of Presentation for that time devolve upon the Bishop of London or his Commissary, for one year, and after that upon the King or his Governor.'^ But because it is an unreasonable thing that the vacant parish should be all that while without preaching & other ministerial duties, let it be enacted that the ministers of that precinct where the vacancy happens, shall be obliged to supply it gratis as often as they can, without being absent from their own par- ishes above once in eight weeks. There is so much the greater reason for their doing this gratis because the profits of the vacancy (as will appear by the next paragraph), are humbly proposed to be put to other good uses for the encouragem' of the Clergy. ^^'III. For answering the third inconveniency concerning the meanness and equality of the livings, I humbly propose that instead of the present allowance of 1 6,000 pounds of Tobacco per annum to the minister ; his allowance may be 40 pounds of Tobacco per poll, which being less than is levied at present in most part of the parishes of Virginia for their minister, is therefore supposed will be readily complied with by the generality of the people and is likewise a much more equal tax than that of the present maintenance. Now this 40 per poll when the parishes are so divided as I have said in the smallest Parishes will come to 16,000, but as much as the number of Titheables shall happen to be above 400 will be proportionately more, so that in some parishes it will be 20,000, in some perhaps 24,000 at present, and its possible in time in some parishes it may amount to 32,000 which is a very considerable encouragement for an able Divine, especially if we consider it with the addition of some other things that will occur to us by and by under the consideration of the other Grievances. (8)jv, The precarious way of ministers holding their livings being the (6) This method of supplying vacancies was approved. (7) This proposition of the 40 per poll was approved. (S) This remedy of Induction is not yet approved, but to help the precariousness, they agreed that no minister once officiating in a parish shall be turned out of it, but by the votes of 9 of the 1 2 vestrymen. 1724.J 33S greatest cause both that worthy men do not care to come into the country, nor to settle & stay in it, seems to be the most necessary to be redressed of all other grievances, and therefore I humbly propose that within the space of two years & a half after the vacancy, the vestry be obliged to present a Minister in order to induction, or else that they lose the right of presentation for that time and that the Gov'' be obliged upon such presentat" to induct him except such objection be made ags' him as by the following part of this proposition would actually suspend him if he were in place, in which case and upon due proof thereof tlie presentation shall be nuU & void in itself and no more time allowed than to the end of the first two years and a half for presenting of another. But at the same time that Induction may be no protection to any man that shall afterwards grow negligent or scandalous, let the law hereafter mentioned in the last paragraph of this proposal be enacted, whereby it will be no hard matter to suspend such a one tho' he is inducted. *5'V. The law doth already provide a remedy for the want of accommoda- tions by appointing that Glebes be laid out and convenient houses built thereon for the reception and accommodation of the Ministers. But for the better ascertaining and further improving this great conveniency, I humbly propose that the quantity of Land be determined that shall be laid out for a Glebe, so that it may be sufficient to make a good plantation for 5 or 6 hands to work upon, and also to prevent slight, insufficient & incommodious Glebe houses that are usually built, let some description be given of die form and manner of the house, such as that it be a framed house, that it have brick chimneys and Glass windows with casements, that the walls within be plais- tered and the roof shingled, that it have at least one clear storey 10 foot pitch with two rooms and a large closet, besides cellars and Garrets ; that care like- wise be taken to have a kitchen and whatever other outhouses shall be judged necessary. •'"'It is likewise humbly proposed that out of the vacant salaries of each parish the Glebe of that parish be stocked with 4 or 5 negroes under an over- seer & with a stock of cattle of 7 or 8 milch cows and calves for the use of the minister, and for keeping these houses in due repair & keeping the negroes in their full number between the ages of 15 & 45 and the Cattle as to number (9) The Quantity of Glebe Land, & the conveniences of housing were left to the discretion of vestries. (10) This proposition about stocking the Glebes with negroes & cattle. Si. tlie method for preserving them from being embezzled was approved. 339 [1724- & age as shall be directed, let each vestry have power to oblige the incumbent to do it, and In case of his negligence herein after admonition to sequester so much of his living as is necessary for that effect, and when the minister dies or removes out of the parish or is suspended, let It be enacted that the houses and stocks of negroes and cattle aforesaid shall be made good out of his estate before any other debts or legacies whatsoever ; and that these parish negroes and cattle shall never be subject to attachments, &c., as being none of the minister's proper estate, but shall be annexed to the freehold, and at his death or removal shall be given up Into the hands of the vestry who are to take care of all during the vacancy and to keep all in good repair, and to be accountable to the visitors hereafter mentioned. If it be asked here what other use the vacant salaries and profits of vacant Glebes shall be put to after a parish Is furnished with these negroes and stocks of catrie, I humbly offer my opinion concerning the entire disposal of the vacant salaries thus. ^"h^\ Let the vacancy begin to be computed from the next quarter after the Incumbent's death, suspension or removal so far being due to him or his executors in considerat" of his Incumbency. 2''. Then let the vacant Parish out of that fund of vacancies be provided with a Library of well chosen books for the use of the minister to the value of 50 pounds sterling. 3'^. Let the Glebe be stocked with the above mentioned negroes and cattle. 4*^. Let the new Itinerant minister have the sum of 30 pounds given to him in consideration of his removal either from England or from some place in the country to that parish. ^^^. The vacant parish it self being thus supplied, let what remains of the vacant salaries be put into a common stock & be applied towards the same (11) What follows concerning the iiics the V3.cant salaries are to be put lo, was for the greatest part of it approved, only the following alterations were made in the meihod, viz : Tlie 1st Resolution was agreed to he the buying of a good Glebe, where it is wanted. The 2d Resolution, the building a mansion house & other convenient houses upon the Glebe. The 3d Resolution. The furnishing the Glebe with 4 negioes & S or 10 milch cows. The 4th Resolution. A Library for the use of the Minister to the value of ^^50 sterling. The 5th Resolution. The maintaining poor schoolars of the parish (where the vacancy happens), at school and The other resolutions were not approved. 1 724-] 340 uses, viz : books, negroes and cattle, in the other parishes of the Precinct, where for want of vacancies they are unprovided of them. 6^^. All the parishes of the precinct being thus provided, let the remainder of the vacancies go to the providing of books, negroes and cattle for the other parishes out of the precinct till the whole country is provided. 7*^. If anything still remains perhaps it may not be unfit to allow it to the widow or orphans of the last incumbent if he left any : Provided it do not exceed one year's income of the living. 8'^'. If after all there is anything remaining let it be given to the maintain- of poor scholars of that parish at school and college or for any other good use the country thinks fit. <"'VI. To prevent the abuses of sheriffs and other Collectors, I humbly propose that the minister have the nomination of the collector of the parish levy, the parish allowing that collector the usual salary. ''3)VII. The best expedient I can think of for books is that out of the vacant salaries in the manner above said, a Library of well chosen books be provided to the value of 50 pounds sterling and to prevent the embezcling of those books let one catalogue of them with the prices at first cost be lodged with the vestry, another with the Commissary and a third in the Library it self with the Minister. Let them be called over every year and inspected by order of vestry, and at every trienniall visitation by the Commissary, and for every book tliat is wanting, let double the first cost be payed out of the minister's living or other estate. It would not be amiss if the name of the Parish were stamped in gold let- ters on the outside of the book. <'-t*VIII. Of all things it is the most necessary that some form of good Gov- ernment be laid down to preserve the Clergy from Ignorance, scandal and negligence, and for this end besides the method of good encouragement already mentioned I humbly propose the following expedients of strict censure and discipline. (12) To prevent the abuses of sheriffs, &C., it was agreed that the Church wardens should eoUect the minister's sahiry, and that the minister should have the nomination of one of the Church wardens yearly. (13) This Proposition about furnishing & preserving of books was approved. (14) The following proposition about rules for Government of the clergy is not yet approved. If Induction passes then certainly those or some such rules will be made for throwing out scandalous and negli- gent men tho' they are inducted; the main objection they have against Induction being this, lluL i' pins the minister upon the parish if he proves ever so bad a man. To answer which obiection these rules were contrived so strict. 341 [1724- To prevent Ignorance in the Clergy let all who shall hereafter take Licenses in this country undergo an examination by the Com^ assisted by some of the Learnedest ministers of the country, to be chosen for that purpose by the clergy at their general meetings, and without their approbation let them not be admitted into any parish. Let it also be enacted that the ministers of each precinct meet once every quarter of a year at some of the most conve- nient churches of the precinct, and at those quarterly meetings let them exer- cise their Talents by set discourses of every man in his turn, against popery, Quakerism, or any other prevailing heresey, as also in the explication of Scrip- ture, resolving of Cases of Conscience, explaining the several parts of the ministerial function, considering, consulting and taking measures together about removing any difficulty or danger that may happen to them in their ministry ; and exhorting and admonishing one another that so by fraternal admonitions they may prevent the complaints of the Parishes and vestries ; and if the Parish Libraries be well chosen so that what is wanting in one may be found in the rest of that precinct, they may by borrowing and lending among themselves be very completely furnished on all subjects. Besides these quarterly meetings of the clergy of the precinct. Let there be one Gen' yearly meeting of all the Clergy of the country with the Commissary at the seat of the Government. To these yearly meetings let accounts be given of all the proceedings at the quarterly meetings and directions taken from thence for their further pro- ceedings, and what rules are set at this general meeting for good Government of the Clergy not repugnant to the Canons of the Church nor the Laws of the country, let them be in the mean time obligatory to themselves under the penalties therein contained till repealed by his Majesty or the General Assembly. And to prevent the Scandals of bad Life in the Clergy, Let it be enacted that whatsoever Minister shall be found guilty of fornicarion, adultery, Blas- phemy, ridicuHng of the Holy Scriptures or maintaining by preaching, writing, or in any open public discourse any Doctrine contrary to the 39 Articles shall upon Trial and conviction thereof loose his living and be suspended from all exercise of the ministerial function in this country for three years. And who- soever shall be found guilty of cursing, swearing, Drunkeness, or fighting (except in his own defence), shall for the first offence be suspended from his office for one whole year and the profits of his Benefice shall go for that year 1724.J 342 to the same use with the vacant salaries, and for the 2"'' offence he shall loose his living and be suspended from the ministerial office for three years, and for the 3"^^ offence shall be utterly deprived of all exercise of the ministry in the country for ever. Provided Adways that complaint of all these crimes be made within one year after the fact. Provided also the first transgression in venting an erronious opinion contrary to the 39 Articles, upon public retraction thereof before the Judges and visitors hereafter mentioned sliall be pardoned without any further censure. And because Drunkenness is one of the most common crimes, and yet hardest to be proved whereby it too often happens that the Guilty person escapes without censure, let it be enacted that the following Proof shall be taken for a sufficient proof of Drunkenness, viz : first let the signs of Drunk- enness be proved such as sitting an hour or longer in the Company where they were a drinking strong drink and in the meantime drinking of healths or otherwise taking his cups as they came round like the rest of the company; striking, challenging, threatening to fight, or laying aside any of his Garments for that purpose ; staggering, reeling, vomiting, incoherent, impertinent, obscene or rude talking. Let the proof of these signs proceed so far till the Judges conclude that the minister's behaviour at such a time was scandalous, indecent and unbecoming the Gravity of a minister. But because many of these signs may be fallible for a full proof of drunk- enness let 2 or 3 credible Persons who were in the company (and not drunk themselves), declare upon oath their Judgment and opinion whether those signs proceeded from drunkenness or not [for vomiting may happen to a sober person from an accidental sickness or weakness of stomach, & reel- ing and staggering from a sudden disease occasioning a giddiness in the head; and an eagerness in arguing may rise to indecent & almost abusive expres- sions]. But if these credible and sober persons upon oath declare their Judgment that Drunkenness was the cause of those signs, this shall be taken for a full proof of Drunkenness. And to prevent negligence in the minister let it be enacted that whatso- ever minister unless necessarily hindered with sickness, lameness, bad weather or some such reasonable cause shall neglect his duty in preaching, catechising, visiting the sick & administering the Sacraments, shall for the first fault 343 [1724- receive an admonition at the meeting- of the Clergy of the Precinct ; for the 2"'' fault shall receive a more public adnionition at the General meeting of the Clergy of the country ; for the third fault shall be suspended from his office and benefice for one whole year; and for any further fault of that nature shall loose his living and be declared incapable of holding any other in this country. Let it be further enacted that no minister enjoy the salary of more Jpar- ishes than one at a time, so to prevent the great abuse of pluralities and that no bargains or agreements be made with the minister of the Parish for less or more than this law doth allow, and that there be no such thing as curacies or serving the cure of a Parish by another in this country except only where the minister of any Parish is grown old or infirm that it may be lawful for him to keep an assistant to help him in performing the Duties of his one parish, per- haps it may be fit to make the like exception for necessary absence in Eng- land or elsewhere with the consent of the vestry. And to the end this good law may not prove ineffectual for want of execu- tion, I humbly propose that a standing number of visitors be appointed, viz; 2 of the Clergy in every precinct who with the Commissary shall have power to try all causes resulting from this law. But to prevent all partiality either to the minister or the people, let an appeal lye from them to the General Court. And besides those trials of ministers upon occasional complaints let there be triennial visitations of the said visitors appointed for every parish to be visited once in three years to see to the Execution of all the laws of this country, concerning churches, churchyards. Church registers, church books, utensils and ornaments, Glebes, mansion houses, parish Libraries, negroes and stocks of cattle, church wardens, ministers' assistants, vestries and parish clerks. And let all vestries be obliged to attend the said visitations and have power to levy upon the parish what shall be allowed for defraying the charge of them and let churchwardens be obliged to take the oath of their office and duly to make presentments. And let the said visitors be obliged to keep a fair register of all their pro- ceedings and have power to administer oaths and cite witnesses and do every thing else that is necessary for causing the said laws to be effectually put In execution by executing the Penalties thereof upon the several delinquents. 1 724-] 344 To every article of those propositions let the Lawyers contrive good bind- ing clauses and such proper encouragements and penalties that the Law may execute itself, and that every one that is entrusted may find it his dut)'' and Interest to put it into execution. And 1 doubt not upon impartial consideration of all the .several parts of this proposition, it will be found that it will be a most effectual expedient for furnishing this country with a learned pious and diligent clergy; and for rewarding such a clergy with all suitable encouragements and securing them in the possession and enjoyment of them, and for detecting and throwing out the ignorant, scandalous and negligent. A PROPOSITION for encouraging the Christian Education of IndianSj Negroes and Mulatto Children. It being a duty of Christianity, very much neglected by masters and mis- tresses of this country to endeavour the good instruction and Education of of their Heathen Slaves, in the Christian faith, the said duty being likewise earnestly recommended by his Majesty's Instructions for the facilitating thereof amongst the young slaves that arc born among us {the old ones that are imported into the country by reason of their not understanding the Lan- guage being much more indocile). It is therefore humbly proposed that every Indian, negro or mulatto child that shall be baptized and afterwards brought to church and publicly catechised by the minister and in church before the 14"' year of his or her age, shall give a distinct account of the Creed, Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandni*^ and whose master or mistress shall receive a Certificate from the minister that he or she hath so done, such Indian, negro or mullatto child shall be exempted from paying all levies till the age of 18 years, but whatsoever Indian, negro or mulatto child shall not be baptized nor give such public account of his or her faith, nor whose master or mistress receives no such certificate as aforesaid shall pay levies at the age of 14 years for it is humbly supposed the advantage of 4 years' difference in levies will have great effects to this purpose. 345 [i724- PETITION of EDMOND BISHOP of LONDON to THE KING. To the King's most excellent Majesty, The Petition of Edmond Bishop of London, Most huiiblv sheweth. That upon enquiry into the state of the Church in the English Plantations, he finds the Clergy of Virginia (which is the most considerable Branch of the Church of England in America), are kept in precarious circumstances without Institution and Induction : By means not only the Glebes and mansion houses are neglected but the better sort of Clergymen are very much discouraged from adventuring themselves in the service of the Church in that part of the world and they who do adventure are intimidated that they can't with just freedom discharge their ministerial function. That upon a further enquiry into the occasion of this precariousness he finds it is occasioned chiefly by the Parishes on the one hand neglecting to make Presentations as their Law directs, and the Governors on the other hand, their not making use of the Lapse which of right belongs to them as being appointed Ordinaries, with a power of Collation, as their Ordinaries have by the Law and Constitution of England. For remedy whereof your Petitioner humbly prays that your Majesty's Gov' of that Country may be instructed, that in case the persons who have the right of Presentation in that Country fail to present a duly qualified Clerk in due time after any parish becomes void by the death or removal of the Incum- bent, then he, the said Governor, jure devohito shall collate and induct a duly qualified Clerk into every such parish. But in regard it Is very possible considering the circumstances of that country, where they are obliged to wait for Clergjmien from England to sup- ply their vacant churches, that they cannot conveniently find Clergymen to present in so short a time as 6 months, therefore as an Indulgence to those vacant Parishes your Majesty is requested to instruct your Governors of that Country not to make use of the Lapse till i8 months after the vacancy; but 1726.] 346 that then he fail not to collate and induct jure devohito, with all convenient expidition ; that so all the Clergy of that as well as of your Majesty's other countrys maybe legally instituted and inducted into their Livings. And as a further indulgence to the Parishes, that in strictness of Law, are already vacant by lapse, your Majesty is further requested to make it a part of the Instruction to your Governor on this subject, that he take no advan- tage of any time already past in computing the Lapse ; but that he give due notice of this your Majesty's Instruction to all the parishes of Virginia, and that he begin to compute the i8 months of the vacancy from such notice and no sooner. And Your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c. M\ LANG to the BISHOP of LONDON. (EXTRACT.) S^ Peter's, New Kent County ] on Pamunkie River, Virginia. February 7'^ 172^. My Lord, the short space, and time I have lived here, has not as yet given me such experience as is requisite towards giving your Lordship an exact account of the State of Religion in those parts; but what has occurred to my observation, I shall in all humility and with due reverence offer to your Lordship, out of no other view, than to have the honor of Direction from you' how to behave as may lead most to the preservation of Unity and advantage of the Gospel, I observe the people here generally very Zealous for our Holy Church as it is established in England; So that (except some few inconsiderable. Quakers), there's Scarce any dissenting from our com- munion ; and yet at the same time they are supinely ignorant in the very principles of Religion, and very debauch't in Morals. This I apprehend is owing to the general neglect of the Clergy, in not taking pains to instruct 347 [1726. youth in the fundamentals of Religion, or to examine people come to years of discretion, before they are admitted to partake of Church privileges. I have already with Terror observed some upon a death bed, others on a sick bed though requiring to have the holy Sacrament of the Supper administer'd ; So wofully ignorant, that upon examination and tryall they could not rehearse the Articles of Our Christian Faith, nor the Lord's prayer and Commandments, nor give any solid account of the nature and use of the holy Sacrament. Others offer to come to the Lord's table on Christmas day, whom I discovered to live in incest as Married persons ; these are very trying instances and very deplorable blindness. Some people are fond of bringing their Negroe Servants to Baptism, how soon they are capable to rehearse the Creed, Lord's Prayer & Commandm'^% and yet these live together afterwards in common without marriage or any other Christian decency's as the pagan Negroes do who never were entered into the Church Membership. Those who stand Godfathers and Godmothers for Children at their Baptism are extremely ignorant and never mind the solemn engagements nor can they endure to be instructed or catechiz'd so as to improve in knowledge and understanding. There are few Ministers in the Colony (as I'm informed), who take any pains in catechising youth at church, or who ever preach or read prayers more as once of a Sunday. The great Cause of all which I humbly conceive to be in the Clergy, the sober part being Slothful! & negligent; and others so debauched that they are the foremost & most bent in all manner of vices. Drunkenness is the Common Vice and brings with it other indecencies which among the ignorant creates disrespect to the character, and indifferency in matters of Religion. I shall only hint at a little of the great deal which I have undoubted authority to believe; were I charged and Commanded by your Lordship I could name the men and descant upon their vices, and the Witnesses of their Lewdness and debauches. How dreadfull is it to think that men authorized by the Church to preach repentance and forgiveness through Christ should be first in the very sin which they reprove? This is an infallible means to keep people in Infidelity and Impenitence and to sooth them on to destruction. There's in this parish, one Jacob Poindexter who has, in a seeming marry'd relation, lived with his Brother's widow above 7 years & has several children by her: one had (in the Colony), a child by his own Sister. 1726.] 348 One John Doran in this parish keeps another man's wife avowedly as his Concubine although he was several years married to her own sister. Adultery & fornication seem here but venial in respect of what they ought to be judged. These are few instances whereby I plead your Lordship's advice how to be- have since it wounds my Conscience to see and know Sinners go on without checque and rebuke and see no way of redress so as to vindicate our Holy Religion from consenting to such wickedness while the same is tolerated. How far the power and authority granted in former times has been used I cannot tell, but there is at present an absolute necessity for your Lordship's exerting yourself for suppressing those practices which are so directly opposite to the Christian precepts and progress of the Gospel. I humbly entreat your Lordship's advice how to behave so as to be of service in the Church, and to merit your Lordship's approbation. I shall be able shortly to give more exact account of several things and will for ever endeavour to approve myself worthy of your Lordship's Countenance as being with greatest respect. May it please your Lordship, Your Lordship's most obedient, most faithful & devoted Son & Servant, JOHN LANG. P. S. If your Lordship will honor me with any commands, a letter under covert of M\ William Robertson in Williamsburgh will come safe, letters are apt to miscarry after they are sent ashore & frequently broke open, but directed as above cannot miscarry, M'. Robertson being Naval Officer in York River & gets all letters very soon and safe and is a very honest man. T/ie Members of Christ Churchy &'% To the Right Reverend Father in God Edmund Lord Bishop of London, May it please your Lordship, Our Minister, the Reverend M^ Earths Yates, having acquainted us that his family affairs, Oblidge him to make a voyage to England where we know 349 [1726. his Duty will lead him to wait on your Lordship, our right Reverend Diocesan, and he being an entire Stranger to you, we humbly hope it may not be thought too officious in us to give your Lordship liis Character, as it is unani- mously agreed by us, the Vestrymen of his Parish. IVL. Yates has been in Virginia twenty-five years and upwards, and Incum- bent in this parish three & twenty years, during which time he has in every respect behaved himself, in his holy office, with great diligence, and strictly pursued the Duties of his Function according to the discipline of the Church of England as far as would suit with our Circumstances, of which none can give your Lordship a better account than himself. He has always by a pious life and Conversation given us the great advantage of a good example, and by his excellent discourses, and advices taught us our Duty both to God & Man. His great Capacity has had the advantageous assistance of an Indefatigable study (we fear much to the prejudice of his health), his affable and Courteous behaviour, gained him love and affection, and his godly, quiet and honest life, the Reverence and Esteem of all. We wish we were able to give your Lordship his due Character without being too tedious but we most humbly beg your Lordship to indulge us in shewing our affection to our Dearly be- loved Minister, since we are resolved to say nothing but strict truth. It is allow'd by all the Country that have known or heard of him that M^ Yates is a most pious and good man. Witness how desirous every parish that wanted a Minister and looked upon themselves to be more valuable than ours, has been to get him away from us and even dissenters themselves have confessed that they could freely go to Church if all our Ministers were like him. His exemplary life and Conversation is known or allowed throughout the Country and we are sure that no man that knows Virginia, (and will give your Lord ship an impartial acc*^ of our Clergy here), can contradict us for we know we speak the truth before God & lye not. His Office he has discharged well as if he always kept in mind S^ Paul's advice 2 Tim : 2 Chap. 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, & 26 v., 2 Tim : 3 Chap. 14 v., & 2 Tim: 4 Chap. v. 2. Taking special care to speak the things which become sound Doctrine, not self willed, not given to Wines, no Striker, not given to filthy lucre but a lover of hospitality, a lover of Goodmen, Sober, just, holy, temperate. 1726.] 350 Right Reverend Father, We beg leave humbly to assure your Lordship that whatever regard or respect is due to a Minister of God's Holy Gospel who returns home to our Mother Country after Twenty-five years diligent (and God be thanked, we hope we have good reason to say, effectual) Labors in the Lord's Vine Yard abroad in the plantations, and behaved himself every way suitable to his Character, we are fully persuaded this Gentleman deserves it all, and we heartily pray Almighty God to preserve him on his intended Voyage and to bring him back again to us in safety : for surely no man was ever more profit- able for the Ministry in these parts of the world than he. We humbly ask pardon for this trouble and beg your Lordship's blessings and Prayers. We are May it please your Lordship, Your most Dutiful] and Obcd'^ Servants, W Skipwith, JOH : RoiilNSON, John Smith, Edwin Thackeh, John Wormely, John Price, C. Robinson, George Wortham, Oliver Secar, Roger Jones, John Grymes. Christ Church Parish in Virginia, April the 12'^'' 1726. Bridgkortii, July 23, 1726. May it please your Lordship, In a letter received from M". Micajah Perry I am informed your Lordship's pleasure is that I should communicate to you some account of the affairs of Church and Clergy in Virginia. As the knowledge of God and his will is the greatest honor & endowment we can receive from Heaven. So the publishing of it to those remote and ignorant corners of the world is a work noble in its self & worthy the care and encouragement of all Xtians. It is a misfortune, yet we who are So far Separated from your Lordship cannot So soon share in the prudent & vigilant management of your high calling and consequently may meet with Some in- 351 [1726. conveniences in the discharge of those great Offices, yet we arc (under your Lordship), entrusted with; one of which inconveniences is the precariousness of the Clergy's conchtion, which may be made out to you from the records of several parishes. Such a state is apt to make a man speak with hesitation & creates prejudice and disesteem ; whereas he that is sett to tell Judah of her sin & Israel of his transgression ought to be exempted from the incumbran- ces of fear & be in a capacit).' to tell every man his duty to God & his neigh- bour entire and undistinguished. As to my own condition 1 bless God I have nothing to fear as to this particular but I think I should not discharge my duty to religion & your Lordship if I had not mentioned it. Neither ought I to be Silent as to the want of a regular and effectual method of a stricter discipline in respect to the Clergy themselves, without which it will be impossible to answer that bitter invective. Those men say, but do not. For he that does not rivett his doctrine by his practice and lett his actions keep a due decorum with his office will contribute very little towards propagating religion in those parts. When once a man's conversa- tion has made him contemptible lie has lost the power of doing good. Far be it from me that I should be the accuser of my Brethren, but as we are all subject to infirmities with other men, a sense of having a power of Discipline among us may be of great use to keep a stricter guard over our actions that we may in every respect behave as it becomes the ministers of Christ. There are several considerations in relation to Religion in those distant places that may be mentioned. But I doubt not M"". Blair on his arrival will acquaint your Lordship with them. I humbly beg your Lordship's pardon for not waiting on you longer but having a numerous family & small income I was forced to hasten from the expence of living at London. Finding myself indebted to my vestry for their letter and I heartily thank your Lordship for your favorable construction of it. And if I have been any how instrumental (by a faithful discharge of my duty) of promoting Religion among them, I heartily praise that God who alone is able to bring about the most noble ends by the weakest and most unlikely instruments, and humbly beg your Lordship's prayers on the poor weak endeavours of, My Lord, Your Lordship's Most dutiful Son and Obedient Servant, BA^ YEATES. I727-] 35 = M\ BLAIR to the BISHOP of LONDON. WiLLIAMSBURGH IN VIRGINIA, October 28, I 727. My Lord, Though your Lordship has such a multitude of other business upon your hands, I know you will be glad to hear a little now and then from this part of the world. After a voyage of almost eight' weeks I arrived safe with the Governor at this Town the 8'^'' of September. The Country is all in peace and quietness and seems to be mighty well satisfied with their new Governour. He is a sober, serious and well tempered man, obliging and courteous to all, never swears, nor gives way to passions, which examples no doubt will do a great deal of good. On the 3'"'^ of this month I had a meeting of the Clergy. They addressed the King, and your Lordship, and the Governor. The Gov- ernor has the two first; and will transmit them to your Lordship. He made a very serious and good exhortation to the Clergy at their meeting, and they depend very much upon his protection. He is resolved I believe, to take the first opportunity, by advice of Council, how to adjust the business of Presen- tations and the lapse, and I hope your Lordship, as you have opportunity, will encourage and confirm him in his good resolutions as to the better settlement of the Clergy, There is a perfect good understanding betwixt him and me ; and that makes all things easy both with Clergy and Laity. M*". Taylor and M^ Beckct are lately arrived but M''. Watts is not yet come. There is another Minister, one M"". Marsden, come lately hither by die way of New England. He seems to be a man of figure and good sense, and I find by Letters he shewed me both of my Lord of Canterbury's and your Lordship to him that you are both acquainted with him. He has been a great Traveller in America, for he has been in South Carolina, and Barbadoes, and Jamaica, and now lately in New England, & has ample testimonials of his good behav- iour in all those places. I find that by some trouble in his affairs, a statute of Bankruptcy being out against him, he suddenly left England this last time; which is the reason he gives of his not waiting on your Lordship and bringing your letters as he should have done. He has promised to write to your Lord- ship for it. In the meantime the Governor lias given him leave to officiate in 353 [1728. one of our vacant parishes. This is all I have at present to trouble your Lordship with. I am, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obed^ Servant, JAMES BLAIR. INHABITANTS of King William Parish in Manacan Town, Virginia, to M'\ NEARNE. (EXTRACT.) 4^'' July, 1728. Rev° Sir, Your near departure out of this Country obliges us the Church Wardens and Vestries of King William's Parish with humble submission to beg Your Assistance when, please God, you are arrived in London. We are very sorry that we can no longer enjoy the pleasure of your good presence and Educa- tion. We thought ourselves happy in our late settlement with your Rev- erence . We never had above 1 1 o or 1 20 tithables, but at present our number is 130. You see therefore the impossibility for us to raise a Sum Sufficient to keep our own Minister, and since we are conformed to the Laws and Dis- ciplines of the Church of England and that our Parish is a Royal Gift to us French Refugees ; we think we ought not to be obliged to consent to be dis- solved and incorporated unto another Parish. Many of our Parishioners under- stand no English but for the sake of our Children and the English Families settled amongst us, we should be heartily Glad to have the Common Prayers and Sermons in English as well as French. I745-] 354 L: GOVERNOUR GOOCHto the SECRETART. VlK-GIXIA, Nov'', 14, 1745. Rev° Sir, I am very sensible of the undeserved Honour so voluntarily conferred on me by the Society and desire you will be pleased to tender them my sincere acknowledgments in return for it. When I reflect on the necessary qualification in a Member, upon the Rules they govern themselves by in every Election; when I consider that nothing can recommend any man to their approbation who is not Endowed with Virtue & Integrity. I cannot but be proud of being Esteemed worthy to be admit- ted into so celebrated a Body; — of being thought, what alone 'tis lawful to be proud of, a good Christian. This Character they have In effect bestowed upon me & I shall ever glory in maintaining it, & my hearty wishes that the pious undertaking and laudable Designs of the Corporation may at all times & in all Places be carried on with success, — that the Gospel of Christ may be pro- pagated throughout the World will, I hope, make amends for my want of merit & abilities in other Respects. I must therefore beseech the Society to accept my solemn Promise of Religiously concurring with them to the utmost of my Power in all measures that can any way tend to promote the devout Ends of their Godly Institution. The books you mention after about twelve months passage came to Hand of which the last year I Informed D^ Wilson & I trust I have made a right use of them, for I gave them away to persons living in difterent parts of the Gov- ernment. I am with great Respect, Rev** Sir, Your most obedient & most Humble Sen^ant, WILL. GOOCH. 355 [1732. Anonytnous 'Letter to the Bishop of London, Virginia, May 30, 1732. My Lord, I hope your Lordship will dispense with the want of those courtly deco- rums that are due to your person and character, especially from these rude and as yet unpolished countries. My design is to let you know, what I am sure will be most pleasing, that is, the progress of religion. I am in a neigh- boring parish to Middlesex, where I have sometimes the satisfaction of hear- ing that ornament of your Clergy the Rev'' M^ Yates. The thought is truly melancholy to see such a man buried here in poverty : That he cannot lay out forty or fitty shillings in Books without taking it out of the bellies of a numer- ous family ; to see him after the fatigue of 14 miles ride to his church and preaching to a numerous congregation, ready to faint in administering the sacrament to an hundred and thirty or forty people, and this at his three churches successively, and after all familiarly instructing the negroes that have come about him, some of which he has brought to the altar, and after all the reward for such a discharge of his office, not to reach the common necessities of his family. He has two sons (as I am informed), In England, one of which is at the University, and the other in a little time will be fit to follow him, both which he did design to dedicate to the service of Religion, but must send for one if not both back on account of the expense, and bind them to some handi- craft trade to get a future livelihood. Your Lordship's answer to this may be, it's a pity to remove such a shepherd from his fiock. But, is it not a great pity (Since your Lordship has so many means in your hands to prevent it), to see the family of such a man in poverty and disgrace. If ever any man deserved anything for propagating the Gospel in these parts this man does. The seeds of infidelity are plentifully scattered amongst us by those perni- cious pamphlets so industriously sent over. But as this gentleman in partic- ular arms his flock against them, so when summoned by the Governor to preach before him and the Generall Court last October, he did it so to the great satisfaction of the Governor that he prest him with die utmost earnest- ness to have it printed, and spoke to severall of the Council that were inti- mate with M". Yates to the same purpose, but such is his natural Modesty, 1732.] 356 that they could not prevail. This affair came to my knowledge by one of the Council. Since the wickedness of the present age is so extremely great that profaneness and irreligion are become general, what encouragement is due to such a man, that thus stands in the gap and boldly tells Judah of his sin and Israel of his transgression, and all this with so much meekness that he does not terrific, but wins them to the truth. As he speaks home to the heart, so he rivetts his doctrine by his own practice. The Gov'', Council, and whole Collony are witnesses of the truth of this. I thought it my duty to give you this nodce ; you are best judge what yours is. But I am sure, to be a lover of good men is one of the qualifications of a Bishop, and although I am a North Briton and by education something biased against that order, yet I am in truth and sincerity, PHILAGATHUS. M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP OF LONDON. William & Mary, Virg", Nov. 8, 1734. My Lord, I am very sorry to acquaint your Lordship with the great loss we have suffered in the Death of the Rev" M'. Yates. Piety to God and Beneficence to men, were the only arts of his excellent life. In him Wisdom & goodness were eminendy conjoined. In the consciencious discharge of his duty, few ever equalled him, none ever surpassed him. He explained his Doctrine by his practice, and taught and led the way to Heaven. He was a mild but an impartial Reprover, neither sparing the greatest, nor overlooking the meanest. The sweetness of his temper gained him universal Good-will, the sim2:)licity of his manners. Veneration, He was humble, without meanness, Modest, with- out Bashfulness, good natured, without weakness. Cheerfulness the Result of innocence, sparkled in his face. In Expence, he was neither profuse nor ava- ricious ; in Charity, unbounded, universal. He died on the 26th Day of July, 1734, in the 57 year of his age. 1 am, May it please your Lordship, Your Lordship's Very dutiful Son and SS WILLIAM DAWSON. 357 [1735- M. BLAIR to the BISHOP OF LONDON. WiLLiAMSBURGH, Mar. 24*^ 173^. My Lord, Your Lordship's of Sepf^ 24'^ came not to my hand till the 7'^^ of this month of March, and though I had about 3 weeks or a month before wrote to your Lordship at large, in which a great deal of the contents of this were previously answered, particularly an account was given of our vacant churches and somewhat of the present state of the college, yet now it will be necessary to give your Lordship the trouble of a few lines upon this new occasion. As to the anonymous Letter, I know not the hand, nor can I guess at the author, and tho' there may be some truth in what he objects to the Clergy in the point of drinking it is neither so general nor to such a degree as he represents it. Some of the persons he names I have admonished both in discourse and writing, & have found some good effects of those admonitions. But it is a mighty hard matter to prove any of these upon them. It is an office which everj'body declines, except when the scandal is very great, and then when they fear a publick prosecution, they contrive to leave the Country. I shall take occasion to renew my admonition to some persons on this subject, but I may safely tell your Lordship it is not near so bad as that anonymous person represents. As to the other letter from a private person in Virginia, telling your Lord- ship that if you sent a dozen clergymen hither every man would have a parish, I believe he did not mean that there were there so many vacant parishes but in disparagement of the present Clergy, he meant that if they had better men to substitute in their places they would turn out some that they have & take in others ; for when that letter was dated about two years ago, I do not remem- ber we had above two vacant churches which were quickly supplyed except (as I acquainted your Lordship in my last) Some new erected parishes which had neither Churches nor glebes, and untill they had gone through the charge of buildino- churches could not nor would not be at the charge of a minister's salary. The parishes for which we want ministers now are become vacant since that time by the deaths of four ministers. M'. Yates. M'. Smith, M^ Latane and M'. Swift, and now I hear of another dead or dying, M'. Kennor, 1735-] 358 and there are two more vacancies occasioned by the removing of M^ de Butts and M'. Keith to Maryland. Of this last I gave your Lordship an account of the misfortune which occasioned it, tho' I did not then know what I have learned since that from some circumstances in his case, our Governor recom- mended him to the Governor of Marj'Iand. We have now the most vacancies I have known in the Country, several of them occasion'd by divisions or new erections of Parishes, with which I thought it would be time enough to ac- quaint your Lordship, when they had gone through the charge of building a church, for none of them are willing to have all these charges come upon at once, viz: building a church, purchasing a glebe, and raising the Minister's salary. There are three parishes in this condition that will be ready for ministers about a year hence. The rest of the vacancies are by late deaths and remov- als, not any of them so long past as the date of that letter. I wrote to your Lordship about them I think early in Feb'' last, since that time I have just now heard of the death of another of our ministers, a very good man, M''. Rodham Kennor. I send your Lordship by this opportunity a list of our present parishes & incumbents, and though much failed in all parts of ac- tivity, shall endeavour both by admonition & example to discharge my duty as well as will consist with my great age, being now entered into my eightieth year. Yet I thank God I have so much health, as to preach every Sunday and to read my notes witliout spectacles. I employ M"". Dawson to read prayers for mc, and to preach sometimes when I am indisposed, we are in great peace and quietness in this country, only the ministers and the rest of this country will be sufferers by the great fall in the market of tobacco. I thank your Lordship for the good advice so gently hinted in your late letter, and shall endeavour to answer the purport and intent of them, but I hope )'our Lordship will not make yourself uneasy by any anonymous letters, which yet I believe are more aimed at the Clergy in general than at me in particular. Tlie person this letter mentions (M^ Mead), was a schoolmaster whom they clandestinely sent home for orders ; he took their money and has never re- turned. The old GenUeman that was the great favourer of those opinions (one Col. Nicholas Smyth), is since dead. He was, they say, a great admirer of M^ Woolston. There are very few here tainted that way. I am sorry to hear Infidelity is so openly owned in England ; from thence it is that our masters of ships vent a good deal of it wherever they come. 359 [1736. But I hope by the pains Your Lordship and other learned men have taken, they are so exposed and confuted, that they will make no great progress in their atheistical designs. I recommend myself and this poor Church and Col- lege to your Lordship's prayers and benediction, and am. My Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and much obliged Sev', JAMES BLAIR. M'. DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. William & Mary, Sep. 14"', 1736. I think it my duty to give your Lordship notice of any erroneous doctrines which may happen to be introduced among us. "The plain Account," a most dangerous commodity has been lately imported into this country. Some well meaning people are in danger of going into the author's opinions. Others espouse his sentiments because the Clergy in general oppose them. This book, I fear will divide a people, who have been famous for unity of belief. Having mendoned the bane I hope your Lordship will be pleased to furnish us with a proper antidote against it. I have sent to M^ Thomas Cox, Book- seller in London, for all the Books of note that are written in the controversy about the sacrament, that I may be enabled more successfully to combat error. If 'tis apprehended that he will make a bad choice, may I presume to implore your Lordship's direction thereof. But if modesty forbids me to expect it, let me intercede for pardon for my presumption. Permit me to acquaint your Lordship that if any alteration has been made in the pray"^ for the Royal family upon the Prince's marriage, no order con- cerning it has yet arrived. In the Irish Common Prayer Book, my Lord, there is a prayer for the chief Governor, whether that or a like form may be used for the Governor of this Colony, is, with all deference and humility submitted to your Lordship's con- sideration, I am. My Lord, Your Lordship's Most dutiful, devoted, humble Serv\ WILLIAM DAWSON. I738.J 36o M\ GAVIN to the BISHOP of LONDON. St. James Parish, Goochland, Aug. 5, 1738. Right Rev" Father in God, I received your Lordship's blessing in May, 1735, and by bad weather we were obhged to go up to Mar}'land and from thence five weeks after, I came to Williamsburg & was kindly received by our Governor and M^ Commissary Blair. I got immediately a parish which I served nine months. But, hearing that a frontier parish was vacant, & and that the people of the mountains had never seen a clergj'man since they were settled there, I desired the Governor's consent to leave an easy parish for tliis I do now serve. I have 3 Churches, 23 and 24 miles from the glebe, in which I officiate every third Sunday, and besides these three I have seven places of service up in the mountains where the clerks read prayers, 4 clerks in the seven places. I go twice a year to preach in 12 places, which I reckon better than 400 miles backwards and for- wards, and ford 19 times the North and South Rivers. I have taken 4 trips already, and the 20*'' instant I go up again. In my first Journey I baptized White people, 229; Blacks, 172; Quakers, 15; Annabaptists, 2, and of the white people there were baptized from 20 to 25 years of age, 4: from 12 to 20, 35; and from 8 to 12, 189. I found at my first coming into this Parish but 6 persons that received the sacrament which my predecessors never ad- ministered but in the Lower Church, and, blessed be God, I have now 136 that receive twice a year, and in the lower part 3 times a year, which fills my heart with joy and makes all my pains and fatigues very agreeable to me. 1 struggle with many difficulties from Quakers who are countenanced by high minded men, but I wrestle with wickedness in high places, and the Lord gives me utterance to speak boldly as I ought to speak. I find that my strength faileth me but I hope the Lord will be my strength and helper that I may fight a good fight and finish my course in the Ministry which is given me to fulfill the word of God, There is one thing that grieves my heart, viz: to see Episcopacy so little regarded in this colony, and the cognizance of spiritual affairs left to the Gov- ernor & council by the laws of this colony. And next to this, it gives me a great deal of uneasiness to see the greatest part of our Brethren taken up 36i [1738- in farming and buying" slaves which in my humble opinion is unlawful for any Christian and in particular for a clergyman. By this the souls committed to their care must suffer, and this evil cannot be redressed for want of a yearly convocation which has not been called these 10 years past. The Rev^ M''. Blair, I really believe, is a good man, and has been a good minister, but he can not act in his commission as it is required, & I have al- ways wish'd that your Lordship would send as a Deputy Commissary a Cler- gyman of known zeal, courage, & resolution, & such as could redress some great neglects of duty in our brethren, & bring Episcopacy to- be better re- garded, lor even some of the clergymen born and educated in this colony are guilty in this great point. Pardon, my Lord, these my open expressions. I think myself obliged in conscience to acquaint your Lordship with these evils in hopes that God will direct you to prevent them in some measure, for tho' I know how things go with us in this world, we do not know what shall become of us in the next. And that God may bless and preserve your Lordship, and grant plente- ousness to your family, is, has been, and shall be the daily prayer of, My Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and submissive son and serv*^ in Jesus, ANTHONY GAVIN. M\ BRIDGES to the BISHOP of LONDON, Hanover, in Virginia, Oct. 19, 1738. iVIv GOOD Bishop, The little good I find I am capable of doing without your particular coun- tenance in first subscribing and getting subscriptions to, that your excellent design of instructing the Negroes here according to the method proposed, and pressing the Commissary to follow you and solicit the Governor and his interest, I say all that can be done in this affair without your Charitable efforts ^ will, to ray great concern, I fear come to nothing. The Commissary and I grow in years, and the world hangs heavy upon us, I am rous'd sometimes and then call upon him, and then he is asleep perhaps & answers nothing, & I740.] 362 I am ready to sleep too. Would to God your powerful voice would sound in our ears to get up and be doing a little more good, while there Is time and opportunity, which would incite us to be thankful to your goodness for so great a blessing and especially to me Your most obedient & most dutiful serv', CHARLES BRIDGES. M\ BLAIR to the BISHOP of LONDON. WiLLTAMSBURGH, May 29, 1 74O. My Lord, Opportunities of ships now in time of war being more rare tlian usual, I embrace this opportunity by a ship of Alderman Perry's and by this bearer, M^ Thomas Dawson, a brother of M^ William Dawson (who has been very frequently mentioned in some of your Lordship's former letters), who now intends to wait on your Lordship for orders. He has had most of his educa- tion at our College and under his brother's direction has studied Divinity. He is a young man of a sober, regular life, & bears a very good character. I hope your Lordship will give him what dispatch you conveniently can. Since my last we have had four vacancies in the Churches of this country. Two of our oldest ministers, M''. George Robertson, & M^ Emmanuel Jones are dead. M^ Jones's Parish waits for a young clergyman from England, one M^ Yates, the son of a very worthy father who died a few years ago In that neighbourhood. This young M^ Yates (if it is not done already), will wait on your Lordship for orders & licences, & will be very welcome here on account of his Father's memory. There is a clergyman, one M^ Richard Hartwol came Into this countiy from Liverpool about a year ago, only in Deacon's orders. He was ordained by Joseph, Bishop of Rochester, Sept. 21, 1735. He brought no letters of recommendation, and came veiy unprovided of books or anything else. The Governor befriending him, he preached In several churches, & has a taking way of delivery, but no parish seems desirous to have him for a minister chiefly because he is not capable of administering the sacrament of the Lord's supper, which they are very pressing for especially 363 [i740- on their death-beds. The Governor has very lately recommended hun to some gentlemen of that Parish which was M^ Robertson's, and he is gone thither, but, as I hear, meets with great opposition. I want your Lordship's directions about him for I am somewhat diflSdent of his character in England, by reason of his coming away so suddenly and abruptly, and that he has been so long since he was Deacon without receiving Priest's orders, and seems averse to repairing to England for compleat orders. There are two more Parishes which became void on worse accounts, strong presumption of the incontinency of the ministers. One was M^ John Roberts, who was accused of living in fornication with a Mulatto woman & of being most scandalously negligent at his churches and Chappels without preaching or visiting the sick. The parish had generally deserted him and was very impatient to get rid of him, which he perceiving, left them without any sentence, and has so bad a character that he is not likely to get another living in this country. The other scandalous minister is ]\T. Robt. Chaplin who was accused of having two bas- tards by two several women, to one of which he had promised marriage but deceived her. This gentleman likewise, before he would stand a trial, chose to lay down and quit the Parish. The first of these Parishes is supplied by one Iv'P. John Thompson, who had your Lordship's licence for Maryland, but there being no vacant Parish in that country, M"". Henderson sent him with a good character into this colony. The second, that of M''. Chaplin's, is not as yet supplied, but there is one M^ Smith, a sober good man, who left a very large parish lately, by reason of a lameness which incapacitated him from attending that large Parish; we are endeavouring to get him into this which is a small one, and has but one church, So that this gentleman M^ Thomas Dawson is not likely to find any vacant church here when he returns, but being master of our Indian school, that will be a very good provision for him till a better falls. My Lord, the passages both going and returning, are of late years so very scarce, & the time of sailing in fleets so very uncertain all which enflames the charge that I hope your Lordship will recommend him for the King's usual bounty to Clergymen sent abroad to the plantations. We expect daily the Virginia fleet. We are busy here in listing of Vol- unteers for some expedition against some of the Spanish Plantations. If there are any fasting days appointed and any service composed on that occasion, I 1742.] 3^4 hope your Lordship will favour us with what Is proper upon such an occasion. M^ Whitfield is going about North America. He preached here once in his way from Pennsylvania to Georgia. If he is under any censure or prohib- ited to preach in your Lordship's Dioceses as there is a rumour since : your Lordship's Directions shall be performed. I am your Lordship's Most obedient servant, JAMES BLAIR. M^; BLAIR to the BISHOP of LONDON, Willi AMSEURGH, Feb. ig"", 174^. My Lord, This comes by an ingenious young man, M\ James Maury, who tho' born of French parents, has lived with them in this country of Virginia since he was a very young child. He has been educated at our College, and gave a bright example of diligence in his studies, and of good behaviour as to his morals. He has made good proficiency in the study of Latin and Greek authors & has read some systems of philosophy and divinity. I confess as to this last I could have wished he had spent some more time in it before he had presented himself for holy orders that his judgment might be better settled in the serious study of the Holy Scriptures and other books both of practical and polemical Divinity. But his friends have pushed him on too fast. He looks too, much younger than he is, being of a brood that are of low stature. He will be by the time this comes to your Lordship's hands about 24 years; Having been born about the beginning of April in the year 1718. 1 observe your Lordship's direction of not recommending any for orders until we have some vacant Church. There are at present two & like to be more by the erecting of new parishes. I doubt not your Lordship's encour- ageing our Virginia students. It is a great advantage that we have them from their infancy. They generally prove very sober good men, I am now very much decayed especially as to my hearing at any distance. With a grateful sense of your Lordship's bearing with my infirmities, I expect my time here must be very short being now entered into my 87**^ year. I am my Lord Yours, &c., &c., JAMES BLAIR. 365 Li 749- M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. William & Mary, July ii, 1749. My Lord, The bearer of this M^ Adam Menzies is a candidate for Holy Orders. He has been an instructor of youth in a reputable family these four last years, during which time he approved himself to the neighbouring Clergy and laity. I am concerned and surprised to hear that young M'. Blacknall, recom- mended to your lordship's predecessor, has misbehaved and laid aside all thoughts of the ministry. Kingston in Glocester, his late father's Parish, and intended for the son, is still vacant, and Augusta by the death of M^ Hind- man. Two Parishes, Rawleigh in Amelia & Truro in Fairfax were divided the last Assembly ; so that if Your Lordship shall think fit to ordain the gentle- men from hence, they will in all likelihood be provided with livings. A worthy Clergyman assures me that M^ Wm. Douglas's title from M''. Morel, minister in Saint Mar)''s county, in Maryland is genuine. I need not acquaint your Lordship that many of these Northern Gentle- men are bred Presbyterians who being admitted into Orders seldom have, I fear, so great a regard for the Church's Interests as their own. Clergymen from Oxford and Cambridge would be more acceptible to the people of this colony, and there is now the greater occasion for a regular Ministry abroad in respect of the Dissenters, whose teachers, generally speaking, are more learned than in former days & as zealous and active as ever in seducing the members of our communion. It will not, I hope, be imputed to partiality or prejudice, if I should affirm that the churches are supplied with better minis- ters from our Seminary (all of them being well reported of), than usually come from home, I thought it my duty to shew the absolute necessity of sending able and good men to weaken the growing interest of the Separation & strengthen the declining state of die Establishment. I am, my Lord, Yours, &c., &c., W" DAWSON. I750.] 366 M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. (EXTRACT,) William & Mary, July 27, 1750. My Lord, • Seven meeting houses situated in 5 counties have been licenced by the General Court for M''. Samuel Davies. In these counties there are eight ministers of the established Church. The Justices of New Kent County lately granted him a license to have a meeting House in St. Peter's parish, but their order has been superseded by the General Court, it being judged that this affair is not within the jurisdiction of County Courts. The Instruction alluded to in the answer of Peyton Randolph, Esq^, Attorney gen- eral of Virginia, to the first Question is as follows : " You are to permit a liberty of Conscience to all persons except papists, so they be contented with a quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the same, not giving offence or scandal to the Government." I earnestly request the favour of your Lordship's opinion, Whether in licensing so many houses for one teacher they have not granted him greater indulgence than either the King's instructions, or the Act of tol- eration Intended ? It is not to be dissembled that several of the laity, as well as Clergy are uneasy on account of the countenance and encouragement he has met with, and I cannot forbear expressing my own concern to see Schism spreading itself through a colony which has been famous for uniformity of Religion. I had almost forgot to mention his holding forth on working days to great numbers of poor people who generally are his only followers. This certainly is inconsistent with the religion of labour whereby they are obliged to maintain themselves & their families ; & their neglect of this duty if not seasonably prevented may in process of time be sensibly felt by the Govern- ment . I am, my Lord Your's, &c., Wm. DAWSON. 367 [i743 My Lord, M^ Commissary Blair died die 18'^'' of the last month ; and M^ Wm. Daw- son, M.A., brought up at Queen's where he hved nine years, the Gentlemen I took the liberty some time since to mention to Your Lordship as a very fitt Person for that appointment, being by the unanimous consent of the Visitors elected President of William and Mary College, as good a Testimonial as Your Lordship can receive from hence of his merit, I again take the freedom to recommend him to Your Lordship as a Person duly qualified to supply Your Lordship's absence in this distant Part of your Lordship's Diocess. As the Warrant for Paying the Commissary's sallary ends with M.'. Blair^ it being in his name ; and must be renewed In the name of the Gentleman Your Lordship shall be pleased to appoint, unless it could be obtained with only the addition, which I presume to say would be much better. I have ordered our agent, M^ Leheup to wait on Your Lordship, and receive Your Lordship's commands, therewith that he may gett it done according to Your Lordship's Directions, and transmit it to me. The Vestry of M^ Blair's Church have unanimously elected M^ Tho. Daw- son, Brother to M"". William Dawson, who has the next Parish to the Cottage, to be their Rector: he is one of the masters of the College, and had been for some time their Curate. We have three vacant Parishes. The deceased has had a Rupture about forty Years, a secret to every Body save one acquaintance, and that turning to a mortification killed him ; but such was his Constitution that he struggled with die Conqueror ten days, after the Doctor had declared he could not live ten Hours. He has left his Books and ^500 to the College, and to his nephew and his Children near ;^io,ooo, besides other small legacies. I beg Your Lordship's Blessing for my self and Family, again increased by the Birth of a Grandson, and am with great Duty and Respect Your Lordship's most Faithful humb. Serv', WILLIAM GOOCH. May Io'^ 1743. I750.J 368 EXTRACT of a letter from the Reverend M\ Davies in Hanover County^ Virginia, to D'\ Doi dated Oct' 2"'\ 1750. The Church of England has been estabhshed in this Colony since its first plantation and there were not above four or five Dissenters that I know of within a hundred miles of this till about six years ago. Religion, alas ! was just expiring and a strict form of Godliness was very rare. The Clergy were generally degenerated from the Calvinistical articles of their own Church and careless about strengthening the things which remained and were ready to die, (and many of the Laiety were extremely corrupted in their principles and manner). I am sorry Sir that I have occasion to give an account that may so much as seem to be inviduous ; but I do it to exalt the rich Grace of God which pitied us in our low condition and not to asperse another denomination. About six years ago it pleased the Lord to open the Eyes of one Sam Morice a Lay Man by reading some Old Authors particularly Luther on the Galatians, Flavel, Bunyan, &c., who thereupon endeavored to awaken his neighbours whom he saw like to perish in security round about him, by serious conversation with them and reading profitable Books (and these private means were effectual for conviction of Sundry), thus they spent their Sabbaths for some time not knowing that there was any Minister upon Earth now a days whose doctrine would agree with their sentiments (which I may observe by the way were generally Calvinistical tho' unhappyly corrupted in a few instances by an Antinomian tincture which has since been thoroughly cured), at length they had opportunity of inviting M^ Robinson, a Member of our Synod and a painful, unwearied Minister of the Gospel who now rests from his labours, to preach amongst them and the Providence which gave them this opportunity was really remarkable, but I have not time to relate the circum- stances of it; he preached but four week days successively among them and the number of his hearers was daily increased, some being excited to attend from a curiosity and an affectation of novelty and others by nobler motives. The word ran and was glorified. A General Concern about religion was spread through the neighbourhood, and some hundreds, I believe, were 369 [i75o- brought anxiously to enquire what shall we do to be saved ? Sundry of whom have since given good evidences that their concern has Issued in a believing resignation of themselves to God through the Glorious Redeemer. After this they applied to our Synod for a Minister, though about 300 miles distant, but the number of our Ministers being not at all proportioned to our vacancies in many parts we would only send some of them to officiate amongst them for a few Sabbaths about once a year; till about two years ago when, as I observed, I was sent to take the pastoral charge of them. These transient labours of my Brethren were extensively blessed and when in their absence the people associated to read and pray, the Lord was in the midst of them, so that now there are seven Meeting Houses in and about this country where about six years ago there were not 7 Dissenters. The nearest of these Meeting houses are 12 or 15 Miles apart and at each of them large Congregations are wont to assemble who generally hear with eager attention, and tho' the Religious commotion is not so apparent now as formerly, yet the Son is still quickening whom He will and the prospect of success is encouraging. This supports me under the fatigue of my Ministration which seems unavoidable at present for the Number of our Ministers is so small and our vacancies in various parts so many that I have thought it my duty to take the seven Meeting houses under my Ministerial care. I have also comfortable hope that Ethiopia will soon stretch out her hands unto God for a considerable number of Negroes have not only been pros- elyted to Christianity and baptized but seem to be the genuine seed of Abra- ham by Faith, There are as many as 1,000 of them in this colony, and some 100 of them are the property of my people. I have baptized about 40 of them in a year and a half, 7 or 8 of whom are admitted into full communion and partake of the Lord's Supper. I have also sundry catechumens who, I hope, will be added to the Church after farther instruction. Sir, favour us with your prayers that we may see greater things than these for tho' the Lord has done great things for us, for which we are glad, and which I would mention with the warmest gratitude, yet I have cause to com- plain that my success at present is not equal to what the posture of affairs would seem to promise according to common observation, which I oftimes impute to my own unfitness to move in so large a sphere. If I am acquainted with the temper of my own mind I do not rejoice in the increase of our num- bers as captures from the Established Church, and if I do, I am sure your I750-] 370 generous spirit would abhor it. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness & peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and if Men are walking the Heavenly Road, it affords me but little uneasiness that they are not of my mind about every circumstance, and notions of things will not be wholly the same till we view them in light of celestial day, but if their journey with us be attended with a disposition to receive the truth as it is in Jesus, if the cause of it be a weariness of the Ministry of such as did not direct them what they should do to be saved and speak a word in season to their weary Souls, and if their general conduct be so happily changed as to argue a change of heart as well as of sentiment in lesser points, I think, Sir, it is matter of solid joy to the most Catholic spirit. But it has been an unhappiness to lie under the odium of the Government and Clergy as incendiaries and promoters of Schism, and sundry measures have been and still are pursued to restrain and suppress us. Sundry of the people have been indicted and fined and tho' our side are wiHing to comply with the act of Toleration (as I have actually done), yet the Government, under a variety of Umbrages has endeavored to infringe upon my Liberties and to exclude my Brethren from settling here. It has been alleged that the act of tolleration does not extend to this Colony (tho' by the by our Legisla- ture has expressly adopted it so far at least as to exempt Protestant Dissen- ters from penalty for absenting themselves from Church), and the Counsel have lately determined that a dissenting Minister has no right to more meet- ing houses than one, in consequence of which they have superseded a Licence granted by a County Court for an Eighth Meeting house amongst a number of people that live 20 or 30 Miles distant from die nearest of the seven Meet- ing houses formerly Licensed by the General Court, and I fear will confine me endrely to one ; which will be an intolerable hardship to the people, as they are so dispersed that they can not convene at one place. I should be glad, Sir, to have your sentiments on this point, and particularly that you would inform me whether a dissenting Minister is tollerated with you to have more Meeting houses than one in case the bounds of his congregation re- quire it. The President of the Counsel lately informed me that he had written to the Bishop of London to lay the affair before the King and Council for advice. I can't charge his Honor with designed partiality but I have the utmost reason to conclude his representation is defective. I hope therefore. Dear Sir, you 371 [I75I. will use your interest in our behalf as far as your imperfect acquaintance with our affairs will permit. To qualify you to interceed for us I would further observe, that we claim no other liberties than those granted by the act of toleration and those only upon our compliance with all its requirements that all our Ministers attest their Orthodoxy by subscribing the West- Minster Confession of Faith and Catechism at their Licensure & Ordination and such of the articles of the Church of England as that act Imposes on us when we settle in this Colony ; that we attest our Loyalty by taking the usual Oaths to His Majesty's person and Government, and by all other public and private methods that belong to our province ; and that our very enemy don't pretend to impeach us of any practical immorality. This is a true Copy of that part of M^ Davies's Letter to me which relates to this subject. P. DODDRIDGE. The BISHOP of LONDON to Rev' D\ DODDRIDGE. London, the ii" of May, 1751. Rev"" Sir, I am very much obHged to you for the open and candid manner in which you have communicated to me the case of M'. Davies, and an extract of his Letter upon the subject. I wish all cases of this sort could be as fairly stated, it would exclude frivolous complaints ; and bring the rest to be understood, which oftentimes they are not. The best return I can make is to send you extracts verbatim from the account I received from Virginia ; and from the answer I returned. You have them inclosed. The question upon M'. Davies's case, as far as it appears as yet, relate to the meaning and construction of the Act, commonly called the Toleration act. What I conceive the meaning to be appears in the extract from my answer. If you consider the act, and the circumstance under which it was granted, you will not, I believe, see reason to think me mistaken. If you judge the liberty granted not sufficient and that you, and every body has a natural right to pro- I75I-] 372 pagate their opinions in religion in such manner as they approve themselves, that is quite another point, and to which M''. Davies who claims under the act of Toleration has no concern. If you suppose the Church of England to be (which I am persuaded you do not), in the same state of corruption as the Romish Church was at the time of the Reformation, there wants indeed no Licence or authority from the Gov- ernment, to justify the methods of conversion which M"", Davies is pursuing; and which the Methodists now do, and long have pursued. But if the act of Toleration, was desired with no other view, than to ease the consciences of them who could not conform, — if it was granted with no other view, how is M^ Davies's conduct to be justified, who under the colour of a Toleration to his own conscience is labouring to disturb the consciences of others, and the peace of a Church acknowledged to be a true Church of Christ? He came 300 Miles from home, not to serve people who had scruples, but to a Country where the Church of England had been Established from its first plantation, and where there were not above 4 or 5 dissenters within an 100 Miles, if not above six years ago. M^ Davies says in his letter to you, " We claim no other liberties than those granted by the act of Toleration," so that the state of the question is admitted on both sides to be this : how far the act of Toler- ation will justify M'. Davies in taking upon himself to be an itinerant preacher and travelling over many Counties to make Converts, in a Country too where till very lately there was not a Dissenter from the Church of England. You will observe in the Extract of my letter that I promised to take the opinion of Lawyers upon the Case : But I have not done it, which I tell you that you may not think I have an opinion, and conceal it from you. M^ Davies says, sundry of the people have been indicted and fin'd, and it is upon this information {I suppose), that you express yourself apprehensive, that methods of severity, not to say of oppression, may be used. Of this I have heard nothing. But give me leave to set you right in one thing, and to tell you that my name neither is or can be used to any such purpose. The Bishop of London and his Commissarys have no such power in the planta- tions ; and I believe they never desired to have it, so that if there be any ground for such complaint, the civil Government only is concerned. There is another part of M''. Davies's Letter which gives me great concern. I mean the character he gives of the Clergy and Laity in Virginia. I dare say, you have so much candour as to deduct something from this general Z1^ [r75>- Character, knowing how hard It is not to suspect and charge corruption of principles upon those who differ in principles from us. I had no such account of the Clergy of Virginia, as will justify this Character the' there may be some reason in some cases for very just complaints, and how can it be other- wise, considering the State of the Church of England abroad ? The care of it as an Episcopal Church is supposed to be in the Bishop of London. How he comes to be charged with this care I will not enquire now, but sure I am, that the care is improperly lodged, for a Bishop to live at one end of the world, and his Church at the other, must make the office very uncomfortable to the Bishop, and in a great measure useless to the people. With respect to ordinations it has a very ill effect. The people of the Country are discour- aged from bringing up their Children for the Ministry, because of the hazard and expence of sending them to England to take orders where, they often get the small pox, a distemper fatal to the Natives of those Countrys. Of those who are sent from hence, a great part are of the Scotch and Irish, who can get no employment at home and enter into the service more out of necessity than choice. Some others are willing to go abroad to retrieve either lost for- tunes or lost Characters. For these reasons and others of no less weight, I did apply to the King as soon as I was Bisho]:) of London, to have two or three Bishops appointed for the plantations to reside there. I thought there could be no reasonable objection to it, not even from the Dissenters as the Bishops proposed were to have no jurisdiction but over the Clergy of their own Church, and no more over them than should enable them to see the pas- toral Office duly performed, and as to New England, where the Dissenters are so numerous, it never was proposed to settle a Bishop in that Country. You are probably no Stranger to the manner in which the news of this pro- posal was received in New England ; if you are, I will only say that they used all their influence to obstruct the Settling of Bishops in the Episcopal Church of England. Was this consistent even with a spirit of Toleration ? Would they think themselves tolerated if they were debarred the right of appointing Ministers among themselves, and were obliged to send all their candidates to Geneva or Scotland for orders ? At the same time that they gave this oppo- sition, they set up a Mission of their own for Virginia, a Country entirely Episcopal, by authority of their Synod and in their own Country where they have the power, they have prosecuted and imprisoned several members of the Church for not paying towards supporting the dissenting Teachers the' no I75I-] 374 such charge by any colour of Law be imposed on them. This had been the case in New England. I am sorry to add that some here, for whose Charac- acters and abilities I have due esteem have not upon this occasion given signs of the temper and moderation that were expected from them. I do not willingly enter into these complaints even to you, who I am confi- dent will make no ill use of them. I wish there was no occasion for them ; in this wish I am sure of your concurrence from the love you bear to our com- mon Christianity. I am, &c., T. L. D\ DODDRIDGE to the BISHOP of LONDON. Northampton, May 14"^, 1751. Mv Lord, I should blame myself exceedingly if I were to neglect the first opportu- nity of acknowledging the favor of that very obliging as well as early notice you have been pleased to take of my letter relating to M"". Davies, and of that very candid and particular account of the affair which your Lordship hath condescended to give me. My sending you the Copy of his letter in some circumstances which attended it, was a proof of my confidence in your Lord- ship's goodness, and I hope I shall never forget how much I am indebted to your Lordship for this new instance of it, which I shall endeavour to improve in the most prudent and grateful manner I can. I intirely join issue with your Lordship in thinking that the question relating to M^ Davies is " what he has to expect on the footing of what Is commonly called the Act of Toleration." I know not my Lord how far there may be something peculiar in his situation as an Inhabitant of Virginia, but I have had many opportunities of knowing the practice among us, which seems so far as I can judge very agreeable to the tenour of that act. If any private persons desire to have a place licensed for religious worship after our manner, any three of them, of whom the occupant of the place should be one, signify it to the Justices at the Quarter Sessions, and the Cierk of the peace has of course 375 [I75I. their orders to give under the Seal of his Office to the persons so certifying (whose Certificate is recorded in Court), an Attestation of having done it ; but this Instrument which we call the License of the place, makes no mention at all of any Minister in favor of whom it is granted. On the other hand, my Lord, our preachers are licensed on their having qualified themselves according to Law, without the least mention of their being designed for any one place more than another. If a Licenced preacher preach in an unlicensed place, or an unlicensed preacher in a place that is licensed a penalty is incurred, but where these two circumstances concur, we think ourselves quite secure, and there are (ew villages round about Northampton in which we have not some places thus licensed. But so far as I can judge by the face of these Licenses which your Lordship has done me the honour of transmitting to me, the form of them is very different from ours. I at present think it the felicity of my Brethren in those parts of America to live in a province under the Jurisdiction of so equitable, candid and excel- lent a person as their present Diocesan, and if their connection with the See of London must hold, may they long know that happiness. But I freely acknowledge, my Lord, that I think it a considerable hardship on those In the Communion of the Church of England there to be obliged to send hither for ordination. That very worthy person, the Archbishop of Canterbury, made a large remonstrance to me on that head, when I had last the honor of paying him a visit, and I have retained it deeply in my mind. I do indeed find a great aversion In the Dissenting Inhabitants of our American Colonies to admit the scheme formed for the remedy of the inconveniences justly alleged, which I suppose may arise from the terrible notions they have formed of pre- latical power (as they are used to call it), from the severities which their fore- fathers induced, which seems to have made the aversion to it hereditary. Your Lordship knows mankind too well to be surprised at this, and will make all candid allowances ever for an excess of caution In such a case. I am perhaps myself scrupulous to a fault in any thing In which religious liberty so much as seems to be concerned, yet I could by no means satisfy myself in opposing what appears to me so highly reasonable, as that the Church established here at home, In the principle part of the British Dominions should have a full capacity of doing all which they think expedient in religion, with respect to themselves at least, as freely as any other Society or denomination of Chris- tians in those parts. I75I-] 376 As for the claims entered on the Inhabitants of New England in general, for payment of the Minister's stipends there, I cannot, my Lord, pretend to be any competent Judge of their validity, because 1 know not how far the Con- gregational discipline, which prevails there stands on the same foot of legal establishment with that of Diocesan Episcopacy in England, or of Presbytery in Scotland. But I have always pleaded for the reasonableness of submitting to a majority here, and of our being obliged tho' we are dissenters, to do our part towards maintaining that Clergy which the authority of our Country in General has thorght fit to establish, and indeed, so far as I can judge, it is admitted by all but the Quakers, whose opposition is now mere matter of form, I make all the abatements which reason seems to dictate for the accounts which Christians and Minister of different Communions may give of each other, and for the causes which your Lordship's evidence and sagacity assigns for what, so far as it is indeed the Case, we both lament. As for the Church of England in general I esteem it a very respectable body and heartily pray that it may in every regard become more and more the glory of the Reforma- tion. I number among the best of my friends some persons of eminence both in Ecclesiastical and Civil Stations, who are firmly attached to it. May it please God ever to honour the Establishment and every other denomina- tion of Christians whether at home or abroad, with a learned and diligent, a candid and pious Clergy, who may successfully exert themselves in the ser- vice of our common Christianity with a fraternal tenderness for the reputation comfort and usefulness of each other, that whatever the separation the imper- fection of our knowledge here may render unavoidable, their flocks may learn by their example to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. As for myself, my much honoured Lord, having now lived almost a Century, I consider myself, if all my best hopes do not deceive me as quickly to join that general assembly and Church of the first born, where our views and hearts will be for ever one, and as that prospect approaches I really find every thing that would feed the spirit of a party, daily losing its influence over me. These sentiments I cultivate in my own heart and in the young people that I am endeavouring to form for the service of the Sanctuary. I would hope for a better age than we have ourselves. I thank your Lordship that by such humane and generous treatment you make this part of my duty still easier to 377 [i75i- me, and I beg you would do me die Justice to believe that I am, with the truest veneration and most cordial gratitude, My Lord, Your Lordship's most dutiful, affect^ & obliged humble Serv^ P. DODDRIDGE. M\ DAJFSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, July 15^'', 1751. My Lord, M"". Menzies brought me your Lordship's most obliging favor of Dec' 25*^ 1750. Soon after, one of an older date; namely, Sept"" 20''', 1750, came to hand. That of the 3"^^ or 1 3''' of Sept', 1 749, I never received. M^ Doug- las, ordained about that time, informed me, that he had waited on your Lord- ship for your commands to Virginia, and your Lordship told him that you had a little before sent me a Letter by an elderly Clergyman, whom I take to be D"". Spencer, now in Maryland, and who, I suspect, has suppressed it, he hav- ing done me other ill offices, because I could not in conscience heartily recom- mend him for orders. Tho' I have but little skill in Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, yet I beg leave to observe, that the King's Commission seems to give the Commissary greater power than is allowed by the 122*^ Canon, which directs, that no sentence of deprivation shall be pronounced against a Minister, but by the Bishop only. — Vide method, procedendi, pp. 2 & 5. We live here in so dispersed a manner and at so great a distance from each other, that I humbly conceive a more short and summary way against irregular Clergymen, would better suit the circumstances of this Country, than the method prescribed. If the accused had the accusers face to face, and viva voce evidence was admitted, the matter would be sooner brought to a determination. I suppose that by the 4*" Geo. 2, C. 26, all proceedings in Courts now must be in English, the Latin Commission in 1728 and the Eng- lish one in 1743 is a proof of this. I75I-] 378 I have held but one Court, wherein many errors, probably were committed, through the inexperience of Judges, advocates and other officers. Having been at a great deal of trouble and expence in that affair, I hum- bly request the favor of a Table of fees ; to which if your Lordship will be pleased to add a Catalogue only of such books, as are necessary to the due exercise of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, I shall own it as a very great obligation. In my predecessor's time complaints against Clergymen were commonly heard and determined in a few hours before the Governor and Council, as a Council of State, and not as Judges of the General Court, who by our Laws, have cognisance of all Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil. Permit me to remind your Lordship, that M^ Hooper gives an account of the Jurisdiction of the Lord Bishop of London in the foreign plantations, Weekly Miscellany, vol. I., No. ir, p. 79. Our Laws have provided for the suppression of vice and immorality among the Laity. Clergymen Guilty of any offences therein mentioned are liable to further punishment. The King in his instructions, has given the Governor the Collating to Ben- efices, granting Licences for Marriages, and probate of wills. The Governor and Commissary usually recommend Ministers to the Churchwardens and Vestrymen, to supply their vacant parishes ; who for the most part receive, and sometimes refuse them. Ministers are sometimes admitted without recommendation, and they sometimes remove themselves from one parish to another without leave, which is not paying due respect to the King's and Bishop's commissions. Whether the Governor, or Vestries have the right of patronage, is a matter here undetermined and humbly submitted to your Lordship's Judgment. The Vestries buy Lands ; build, repair, adorn Churches ; purchase Glebes, erect houses thereon ; maintain Ministers ; and all at the charge of the parish. There is Dos, yEdiJicatio, Fundus ; There is an extraordinary Clause in our Laws, which I shall beg leave to transcribe, " And whereas it is doubted, how long the right of pre- sentation of a Minister to a parish remains in the Vestries in this Colony: For settling that matter, Be it further Enacted, by the authority aforesaid. That the sole right of presentation shall be, and remain, in the several Ves- tries, for and during the term of twelve months next after a vacancy shall happen in their respective parishes." Laws of Virginia, p. 338, Sec, 7. Who has the right, not how long, is the question ? and the term of Six Calendar months, if I mistake not is the Law of England. 379 [i75i- Our Laws direct the manner of granting- probates of wills, for which the Governor has no fee ; and Marriage Licences, for each of which the Gover- nor's fee is 20^ Current Money. Ministers fee for Marriage by Licence is 20S ; by Banns 5^"; for publishing Banns and Certificate thereof were required ij 6fi, and no more; for a funeral Sermon, 405; and no more; annual Salary 16,000 pounds of Tobacco, worth about ;^So Sterling, commumdus annis. An augmentation of our Livings has been recommended, as well in public discourses, as in private conversation ; but with very little success ; the' their Countrymen, their neighbours and possibly their own posterity would reap the benefit of a more ample support and maintenance. Orders of Deacons and Priests, declaration of conformity, and Licences are entered gratis in a Book kept for that purpose. If I had a Copy of the King's instructions, I would send your Lordship an Extract of such as relate to the Church ; but I suppose, they arc to be met with in the proper offices at home. I shall desire your Lordship's acceptance of our revised Laws, which are now in the press, and wih soon be published, and if your Lordship will be pleased to point out any defects, I will endeavour to get them amended. I ask pardon for representing these matters in a confused manner, without order or method as they occurred to my dioughts ; and am, My Lord, Your Lordship's Most dutiful obliged & faithful Serv^ W" DAWSON. M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON, W AND Mary Col, Virg", Aug. 16''', 1751. My Lord, Our new president having lately communicated to the Council a Letter from the Lords of Trade, dated Whitehall, Sept' i, 1750, subscribed "Dunk Halifax, I. Pitt Dupplin," and directed to Col' Lee, late president of the Coun- cil, and Commander in Chief of Virginia ; I thought it my duty to send your Lordship an extract of it relating to M'. Davies. "With regard to the affair of M"", Davies the Presbyterian, as Toleration and a free Exercise of ReHgion is so valuable a branch of true liberty, and so essential to the enriching and improving of a Trading Nation, it should ever be held sacred In His Majesty's Colonies ; we must therefore earnestly recom- mend it to your care, that nothing be done which can in the least affect that great point ; at the same time you will do well to admonish M"^. Davies to make a proper use of that Indulgence which our Laws so wisely grant to those who differ from the Established Church, and to be cautious not to afford any just cause of complaint to the Clergy of the Church of England, or to the people in General. The Inclosed petition was not presented to the assembly, several Members being of opinion that they were restrained by the Toleration act from grant- ing relief, and indeed, at that time I could not do any thing In the affair, hav- ing been very long confined by a dangerous Illness. The law referred to, and Intitled " Ministers to be Inducted," is as fol- lows : " That for the preservation of purity and unity of Doctrine and Discipline in the Church, and the right administration of the Sacraments, no Minister be admitted to officiate In this Country but such as shall produce to the Gover- nor a Testimonial, that he hath received his ordinadon from some Bishop In England ; and shall then subscribe to be conformable to the orders and con- stitutions of the Church of England, and the Laws there established: Upon which, the Governor Is hereby requested to induct the said Minister into any parish that shall make presentation of him, and if any other person, pretend- ing himself a Minister, shall, contrary to this act, presume to teach or preach publicly or privately, the Governor and Council are hereby desired and impowered to suspend and silence the person so offending; and upon his obstinate persistance, to compel him to depart the Country, with the first con- venience as It hath been formerly provided by the Seventy-seventh act made at James-City the second of March, 1642." Your Lordship will be pleased to observe that this act was made, during the troubles of England, by such, I suppose, as had beheld and felt the mis- chief of separation from the established Church. Tho' by our Laws, none shall be admitted to be of the Vestiy, who do not subscribe to be conformable to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England ; yet many Dissenters are Vestrymen, wherein, I humbly request the favour of your Lorship's advice. 38i [1751. I am humbly of opinion, that it would be for the service of this Church, if I was impowered by your Lordship to require of every person who desires a recommendation for Holy Orders, that he bring to me a Certificate, under the hands of the Church wardens and Vestrymen of their living being actually vacant, and ready to receive him, at his return. This I conceive, would pre- vent the admission of some improper persons into the Ministry. I need not here trouble your Lordship with the repetition of what I wrote the last Month. I am, my Lord, Your Lordship's Most dutiful obliged and faithful Servant, W"' DAWSON. ADDRESS to BURGESSES. To the Worshipful The Speaker & Gentlemen of the House of Burgesses. The humble Petition of some of the Clergy of this Dominion, Sheweth : That there have been frequently held in the Counties of Hanover, Hen- rico, Goochland, & some others, for several years past, numerous Assemblies, especially of the common People, upon a pretended religious Account; con- vened sometimes by merely Lay Enthusiasts, who, in those meetings, read sundry fanatical Books & used long extempore prayers, and Discourses ■ sometimes by strolling pretended Ministers; and at present by one M"". Sam- uel Davies, who has fixed himself in Hanover; and in the Counties of Amelia and Albemarle, by a person who calls himself M^ Cennick well known in England, by his strict Intimacy with the Rev*^ M"^. Whitefield. That tho' these Teachers, and their Adherents (except the above men- tioned Cennick), assume the Denomination of Presbyterians, yet, we think, they have no just claim to that character ; as the Ringleaders of the Party were, for their erroneous Doctrines, and Practises, excluded the Presbyterian I75I.] 3S2 Synod of Philadelphia, in May, 1 741 {as appears by an Address of said Synod to our Governour), nor have they since that time, made any Recantation of their Errors, nor been readmitted as Members of that Synod which Synod^ tho' of many years standing, never was reprehended for Errors in Doctrine, Discipline or Government, either by the estabUshed Kirk of Scotland, the Presbyterian Dissenters in England, or any other body of Presbyterians what- soever; whence we beg leave to conclude, that the distinguishing Tenets of these Teachers before mentioned, are of a dangerous consequence to Religion in general ; and that the Authors and propagators thereof, are deservedly stigmatized with a name unknown, till of late in this part of the World. That your Petitioners further humbly conceive, that tho' these excluded Members of the Synod of Philadelphia were really Presbyterians, or of any of the other sects tolerated in England, yet there is no Law of this Colony by virtue whereof they can be entitled to a Licence to preach, far less to send forth their Emissaries, or to travel themselves over several Counties (to many places without invitation), to gain Proselytes to their way; "to inveigle igno- rant and unwary People with their Sophistry'," and under pretence of greater Degrees of Piety among them, than can be found among the Members of the Established Church, to seduce them from their lawiul Teachers, and the Reli- gion hitherto professed In this Dominion. Your petitioners therefore, confiding in the Wisdom & Piet^' of this Wor- shipful house, the Guardians of their religious as well as Civil Privileges, and being deeply sensible of the inestimable Value of the souls committed to their Charge, of the Infectious and pernicious tendency, Nature, and Consequences of jHeresy and Schism ; and of the sacred and solemn obligations they are under, "To be ready, with all faithful diligence, to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange Doctrines, contrary to God's Word ; and to use their utmost care, that the flock of Christ may be fed with the sincere Milk of the word only ;" humbly pray that the good laws, formerly in that Case made and provided, may be strictly put in execution ; particularly that entltuled " Min- isters to be inducted." And as we humbly think, this law still retains Its primitive Force and Vigour, so we pray that It may, on the present occasion, eftectually exert the same ; to the end, that all Novel notions, and perplexing uncertain Doctrines, and Speculations, which tend to the subversion of true Religion, designed, by its adorable author, to direct the Faith and Practice of reasonable Creatures, may be suitably check'd and discouraged: and that this 3^3 [1752. Church, of which we are members, and which our Fore fathers justly esteemed a mo5t invaluable Blessing, worthy, by all prudent and honorable means, to be defended and supported, being by us, in the same manner, regarded, may remain "the Pillar and Ground of Truth," and Glory of this Colony, which hitherto hath been remarkably happy for uniformity of Religion. And your Petitioners as in dut}^ bound shall ever pray, &c. D. MofiSOM, John Robertson, Pat. Henry, Rob"" Barrett. John Brunskill, Af. DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. W" & Mary Col., VIRG^ Feb'' lo, 1752. Mv Lord, M"". Davies, the presbyterian, lately surprized, me, by producing Extracts of a Letter from your Lordship to me, and of mine to your Lordship, and relating to himself. These he received from a friend in England to whom he has sent observations upon them ; which I suppose, will be communicated to your Lordship ; tho' I have not yet been favored with a sight of them. I have the pleasure to acquaint your Lordship, that our worthy Governor is fully determined to support, to the best of His power, your Lordship's Juris- diction in this Colony. Time will not allow me to add more than that I am. Your Lordship's Most dutiful, obliged and faithful Serv', W^^ DAWSON. I752-] 384 M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. My Lord, I am under a necessity of giving your Lordship further trouble in relation to M^ Davies's affair, and therefore take the liberty of transmitting copies of his letter to me, observations on it, and his petition to the Governor and Council. We lately permitted M''. Todd, a dissenting Minister, qualified according to Law, to officiate as an assistant to M^ Davies, in the Seven Meeting houses already licensed, judging it more convenient for the people to be under the care of two, than of one ; but as well refused to license more Houses, as to lessen the number of those already licensed, humbly desiring, and waiting for, your Lordship's determination of this question, whether a dissendng Teacher ought to be confined to the Bounds of a parish? To put them under due restraint is the real intent of the Bill, which, being a matter of so great mo- ment, we thought proper after the first reading, to submit also to your Lord- ship's Judgment. Should the clause in the 10'^ Queen Anne be inserted, impowering a teacher to officiate in my Congregation altho' it be not in the County where he was qualified; I would desire a proviso might be added, That there be a settled Teacher of such Congregation ; otherwise, as I appre- hend, one teacher may and would ramble all over a Country, and the griev- ance complained of would not be redressed, Unless the Bill is made con- formable to your acts of parliament, and our acts of assembly, it will not pass here, or, if it should, the Dissenters, I conceive, will do their utmost to ob- tain of His Majesty a repeal thereof, when these matters are upon the Car- pet, and I make the following representation to the Governor and Council. The Dissenters were but an inconsiderable number before the late arrival of certain Teachers from the Northern Colonies. This is acknowledged by M^ Davies himself in a Letter to His Honor the Governor, p. 2, and having no Meeting houses they quietly conformed to the Doctrine and discipline of our Church, constantly frequented the public worship of God, and the Chris- tian Sacrifice But since M^ Davies has been allowed to officiate in so many places (an allowance I humbly conceive, inconsistent with our duty to favour and protect the Church of England), there has been a great defection from our Religious Assemblies. The generality of his followers, I believe, were 385 [i75?- born and bred in our Communion. A Dissenting Teacher has but one Meet- ing house at home ; and an estabhshed Minister, generally, but one Church. Indeed, there are pluralities or clergymen who hold two Benefices with the Cure of Souls. But this practice in our Church is jusdy condemned. Plural- ities, as a learned Author has unanswerably proved, are indefensible. Two Benefices with cure of Souls are Incompatible. Since all benefices with cure of Souls oblige to personal Residence, and one person cannot divide himself into two places, and moreover, the Benefice is for the office, which without personal Residence cannot be performed, a Teacher who hath 7, 8, or 10 Meet- ing houses, the people hear but Seldom. A Minister constantly residing amongst them within parochial Bounds, they have the opportunity to hear often : lie is always ready to instruct them. The people, who hear a Teacher but once in 7, 8, or 10 weeks are in greater danger of becoming Heathens, than they, who hear a Minister once a week, a forthnight or a Month. Be- sides, "personal Residence," as Bishop Gibson has observed, is "necessary to the due discharge of all those pastoral offices which are of a more private nature, such are, a daily oversight and inspection, and by that means, a con- stant check and restraint upon evil practices of all kinds, and upon the Growth of corrupt customs and habits among the people : Such are also, a more intimate knowledge of their Spiritual Estate, occasional exhortations and reproofs, and, that which exhorts and reprooves most effectually of all, the daily light and influence of a good example. To which may be added: The being always at hand, to observe and compose differences, before they grow too strong ; and to assist the Rich with counsel, the Sick with comfort, and the poor and distress'd with seasonable relief; and to perform among them all neighbourly and charitable offices of the like kinds, which are not only excellent in themselves, but are the means of endearing Ministers to their people, and of opening a passage into their hearts for Spiritual instructions of all Sorts." However I am not against granting Dissenters a legal Indulgence. If it be asked, "what is a legal indulgence," I answer a Teacher's Settlement within the limits of a parish and a Licence to have as many Meeting houses, as the convenience of the people within the said Hmits may require. Whatever claim M'. Davles may have to a legal Indulgence, I am sure that he has no title to favour from the Government. For as I am informed by Letters from New York and London, the Dissenters complain of hardship, oppression, and persecution in this Colony, and threaten to transmit their 1752.] 386 Complaints to England ; tho' we have licensed 7 houses, situated in 5 Coun- ties, for one Teacher; a greater indulgence than either the King's instruction or the act of Toleration intended. But not satisfied with our hcensing so many, they now most unreasonably apply for more. 1 think it is high time for the Government to interpose, to give their immodesty a check and to restrain their teachers within the bounds of a parish, lest their Insolence should grow to a dangerous height. In the meantime, till they can have Teachers settled within such bounds, let the people go to Church, whither they contentedly would have gone, if M^ Davies had never come among them. Let them enjoy the Benefit of the Toleration. But this is not extensive enough for their purpose. They are now endeavoring to obtain an exemption from the payment of parochial Levies, tho' there is this express proviso in the act. "Provided Always, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to exempt any of the persons aforesaid from paying of tythes or other parochial duties, or any other duties to the Church or Minister, nor from any prosecu- tion in any Ecclesiastical Court or elsewhere for the same." In some parishes of large extent there are three or four churches for the convenience of the people. I have sent your Lordship all the papers pro and con relating to M^ Davies who has in truth occasioned a great deal of uneasiness to the Govern- ment. The favour of your Lordship's opinion will establish the peace and quiet of the Colony, and be received with the utmost respect and gratitude. I am, &^, W" DAWSON. M\ CAMM to the BISHOP of LONDON. York, June 4th, 1752. My Lord, As the Reverend and Hon*"'^ the Commissary is of opinion that I may do some service to an injured Man by writing to your Lordship what I know and believe of my old friend and acquaintance M''. Kay. I shall need to make no farther apolog)' to one of your Lordship's distinguished humanity & benevo- lence for giving you this trouble. 38? [1752. I was intimate with M^ Kay to the best of my remembrance during the two last years (if not more), which I had tlie pleasure and honour to spend at Trinity Colledge in Cambridge. We lived in the same Colledge and near each other, and I always took M"". Kay to be a person assiduous in the persuit of his Studies, and of great regularity and exactness in submitting to the rules of the College, and in all the moral part of behaviour. After I left the University He removed to Emanuel College for what reason I know not, and when he came into this Colony he brought a particular letter of recommenda- tion from D''. Richardson, the Master of Emanuel. When M^ Kay had brought an action of Trespass against some people who had taken forcible possession of his Glebe, the most considerable Person in his parish pleaded at the trial against him and performed himself the part of a Lawyer tho' not of that profession. Amid the flow of his elocution on this occasion I had the astonishment to hear him before the highest Court of Judicature in this Country accuse M'. Kay of ingratitude. He alleged that a Gentleman then lately deceased had made M''. Kay many considerable presents for which M"". Kay had not made a suitable return to the Son and heir. The Lawyer on M'', Kay's side asked whether the presents spoken of had not been sued for by the Son since the death of the father and recovered as debts, upon which M^ Kay stood up and said "yes," and "I have the receipt for the payment now in my pocket to produce." To which neither the person, who made the objection, nor the heir spoken of, who was also present, thought fit to make any reply. After this M'". Kay offered to venture the issue of his cause upon his character, but the Court interposed saying it concerned not the matter before them. A judgment in conclusion was given in favor of M"". Kay which I understand has lately been reversed in England, I hope upon an unfair representation of the Business, Since this turn it is reported here that a great man who has lately been in England near the place of M'. Kay's nativity says he has heard bad things of him there, which will too often pass as an argument in conversation decisive against M''. Kay, and sufficient to prove that he deserves no compassion. At the same "time this great Gentleman neither has nor will declare, that I can find, what bad things he has heard nor of whom he has heard them. Could they possibly be inquired into, I verily believe they would turn out to be no better founded than the charge of ingratitude. But be this as it will, I need not observe to your Lordship, that such accusations as these ought to have no 1752.] 388 weight, let them be brought by whom they will, in any case, much less can they justly have any in a case of meum and teum. As far as I know or have any grounds to go upon, M'. Kay is a person not unworthy your Lordship's protection and if the cause go against him, it will be attended with such con- sequences as must, I think, be his ruin. Permit me to add, my Lord, that I think it by no means for the disservice of the Clergy here to have any causes relating to them carried into England: but if the present case do not terminate in M^ Kay's favour, it will be of very ill consequence to the Clergy in general. Since there will remain very iew in this Colony who may not be driven out of their parishes upon the least disgust conceived against them, by the same method. I cannot help looking on this unhappy affair as a struggle to encrease the power of Vestries, which almost universally exercise their power with too high an hand already. Illit- erate, as it must be confessed they generally are, they claim a long time, twelve months I think, to try a person in, as they term it, and judge of his abilities whether he be sufficiently qualified for their parish or not. It is ordi- nary to have three or four Clergymen preaching in a vacant parish by turns as so many Rivals for the favor of the Vestry which they may some times be tempted tb court by not the most decent methods, such as canvassing votes, treating not excepted, like electioneering Candidates, and running down and depreciating the abilities and reputation of each other, bringing hereby scan- dal upon the function. If to this power of putting in a Minister which the Vestries exercise (how rightly I take not upon me to determine), they would add that of putting one out when they please to be offended with him ; their ambition would be completed. But what my Lord, would be the condition of the Church of England In Virginia which Is a Country forward enough to interpret general invectives against vice, into Satyrs against particular persons when the preacher would be in danger of losing his bread, every time he had the courage and resolution to preach against any vices taken into favour by the leading Men of his parish ? If I have been too prolix, or in any thing acted contrary to that duty and veneration which I owe to one of your Lordship's dignity and character, I hope you will do me the favor to Impute it to a good intention indiscreedy executed, and to want of Judgment rather than to wilful error for I am &'^., JOHN CAMM. 3^9 [1752- M'. KAT to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, Williamsburg, June I4*^ 1752. Mv Lord, Necessity at this time obliges me, to trouble your Lordship with an abstract of what has happened to me since I came into Virginia. At my arrival I waited upon the Governor and Commissary with Letters of recom- mendation from England, and they recommend me to a parish in Richmond County in the Northern Neck, named Lunenburg, by Letters to that Vestry, who fully received and established me their Minister, according to the Laws and custom of this Colony: where I had not been long, when I found to my sorrow, that I had one wealthy, Great, powerful Colonel named Landon Carter, a leading Man in my Vestry, whom I could not reasonably please or oblige, very proud, haughty, imperious and fickle. I soon perceived that he wanted to extort more mean, low, and humble obedience, than I thought consistent with the office of a Clergyman, all his houts and insults I little noticed, until he publicly declared that I preached against him (which I did not), cursed and attempted to beat me, saying my Sermon was aimed at him, because I preached against pride. I replied that I was glad he applied it, for it was against every one that was proud. After this he was my implacable Enemy and swore Revenge, that if he ever got a majority in Vestry against me, he would turn me out of the parish and said he would do it, and not be accountable to the King, Bishop, Government or any Court of Judicature, and vowed he would clip the wings of the whole clergy, in this Colony, Some time after by con- tinually lessening, depreciating and inventing lyes of me (at which he had an excellent talent), He drew over six of the Vestry to him and most of those his kindred relations, or such as were subject unto him. Many sinister and clandestine artifices. He plotted and put in execution against me, and when he would not seem to do it himself, He acted by others prepared and fitted for his Mischief ; many of which I shall at this time pass by as too much for the limits of a Letter. An order of Vestry was signed by seven Vestrymen to discharge me and lock up the doors and Nail up the pulpits, Reading desks and windows of both Churches, which they did; and he himself with the other Six Vestrymen the 1752.] 390 next Sabbath day's forbad me and the Congregation to enter the Church ; but at one of my Churches, where were many of my friends they forced him and his six away, broke open the doors, pulpits and desks, and conducted me in. This Church, I had free Uberty of, while I stayed in the parish. But at the other Church I preached out of doors in the yard two years and an half. These Seven Left out my Glebe, Rent free, to three Men poor and wicked enough not to stick at any thing. They beat, abused and drove my Cattle, Sheep and Lambs into the woody wilderness ; one Horse they killed, worth _;^2o ; another they shot his Eye clear out and wounded him 45 other places. My Hogs, some they killed, some they lamed, and I was compelled to beg of my Neighbours to take them off my hands at any rate otherwise I must have lost them. The names of these Men are William Degge, George Russell, and Thomas Russell. I by advice of the Governor and Commissary, sued these Men in Trespass and kept possession of the Glebe House only, as by advice for about two years and a half. Then M^ Carter Summoned a Jury against me, by virtue of which to dispossess me of the house, as has formerly been a Law here to dispossess him who retains by force, in ^his I defeated him. When my Cause came in Course at our general Court, after a Tryal of two days, the Jury by a Special Verdict, found for me ^30 Sterling damages and costs, But upon a point of Law arising "whether a Minister received by a majority in Vestry and not inducted by the Governor, have a right to Sue his Vestry for trespassing upon his Glebe, and Recover damages," it was left to the Court to determine and was judged in my favour. Upon this Colonel Carter pedtioned for an appeal to England, the damage being only ^30 Sterling. But by our Laws, it could not be granted him for less than ^300 Sterling. But he loth to be overset by a poor Man, has peti- tioned His Majesty and Judges and got a grant for an appeal, which if I am worsted will be of terrible consequence to your Clergy here; for every Min- ister received by a majority in Vestry and not inducted by the Governor will be liable to be turned out the 10^'' day of every October and I do believe there are not more than three inducted in the Colony; So that if His Majesty does allow the right of presentation to Vestry's, few of them will ever present for they like to keep the Clergy always depending, as annual hirelings ; and if reception by a Majority in Vestry be not sufficient to Establish the Clerk in his Church without inductions many of your poor Clergy here will soon be discharged for very little reason, and though 1 6,000"'^ of Tobacco be levied, 391 [1752. the Minister must not demand but beg for it, as for an Alms, for fear of offen- ces ; and receive it by piece meal scraps, so as it will do him little service. Besides it will not be worth any Man's while, who is poor, to sue a power- ful, wealthy Man at any of our Courts ; for if the Great Man be cast, only in £^o Sterling damage and can appeal, Then the poor Man, must desist be- cause to prosecute an appeal will be above his ability, and the things sued for will be abundantly less than his costs. My Lord, I must observe to you that after my last Trial at our General Court the Governor and Judges sitting asked me if I would have a per- emptory Mandamus to restore me to my antient rights and privileges. Col' Carter attending at the Bar, and I not considering the consequences, immedi- ately replied that from that time I renounced all right and title to the parish. M^ Carter walked off, and said, he feared I should have accepted the Manda- mus, and taken the parish again, but as he does not, says he "I will make him sue for his Salar^^'s" which, my Lord, amounted to Forty-two thousand pounds of Tobacco which they levied and sold, and the money they have in their hands. This, my Lord, I have sued for, and it has been depending three years in our General Courts ; and cannot be determined until CoP Carter's appeal, in behalf of the Trespassers, to His Majesty, be determined, and if the appeal goes against me ; I must immediately refund ^30 Sterling damages upon my Glebe Cause, and near Eight thousand pounds of Tobacco Costs, with Lawyer's fees, I recovered: Besides I must loose my ai years Salary 42,000 pounds of Tobacco for which I faithfully served, besides I must pay the whole costs of the appeal ; which will amount to several hundred pounds. Your Commissary, D"^. W"" Dawson, has set forth a subscription to defray the charges of the appeal at home for me, which he will send over immediately. With this. My Lord, I send you a Copy of my adversary's petition to His Majesty and Council, wherein they have set forth some falsities where it is said, I was taken to officiate in the parish upon the death of David Mortland My predecessor, which is 7^ years since, and the Man was living and well the Seventh day of this Month in his parish. This Minister went home for health and preferment with a Letter recommendatory from his Vestry to the Bishop of London, your Lordship's predecessor, but failing, he became poor, and wrote his pretentions to several of the Vestry in my parish, wishing himself there again. Some of the Vestry wrote and invited him back, and he returned about a year and a half after I was established there. These seven 1752.] 392 who were against me offered him the parish. He was very agreeable, They made an order to turn me out, and another to receive him, He acted as Min- ister. I wrote to him to desist, He repHed he would act as pastor of the parish. M^ Commissary too wrote to him to desist ; and most people cried out Shame of him. But I commencing this Law Suit against the Trespassers and resolved to stand it out. He feared I should worst the Vestry, So he removed to a Vacant parish. All this I can prove and many are of opinion, that if he had not come at that time and offered ; that Vestry would not have discharged me. Again, They set forth, my Lord, that they have the right of presentation, "we wish His Majesty or the Bishop had It." They tell His Maj- esty, "That I was only received to officiate as Minister, that if I proved agreeable to the parish I might be presented to the said Church." But to prove my self fully received, I have sent you an authentic Copy, of the Vestry Record of my reception attested and sworn to at our General Court, upon my trial, by the Clerk of that Vestr}'-. Again they set forth "That I was permit- ted to lodge in the Glebe House with a person who was then in the occupation of it, which is wrong for by an order, after my reception. Two thousands pounds of Tobacco was levied for me in lieu of the Glebe ; but I took the Glebe, and let alone the 2000"'^ of Tobacco, and went to live there by advice of the Church warden and others when no one had possession of it, but certainly If I had a right to the parish I had a right to the Glebe ; all which I hope will be cleared up by the Copy of the Record of our proceedings under the Colony's Seal. I send your Lordship Several Letters, which I had from different persons at different times, which I hope may satisfy your Lordship as to my Character, Behaviour and some part of my sufferings, and as I have formerly been known by, and for great favours obliged to, D'. Hutton, Archbishop of York, I wish I could procure his interest or assistance. I have formerly been noticed by some of Trinity College in Cambridge as D^ Vernon, D"". Hooper and M^ Phillip Young which last was my Tutor : and after my removal from thence to Emmanuel College ; By Doctor W"" Richardson, Master, and M'. Henry Hubbard, my Tutor. In some of those papers, My Lord, my wife is mentioned, who suffered herself to be seduced by those Vestr^'men, who were mine Enemies, and forsook me, cohabited with them, and left me a young child, twelve months old : whether she be alive or dead I know not ; nor have I seen her these four years. She was the cause of my greatest calamity and not to be reclaimed. 393 [i752. Whether I have wrote to your Lordship things superfluous I cannot Judge, but as the consequence, if I am cast, will be fatal to your Clergy here already poor enough, I humbly pray that your Lordship would endeavour to prevent this impending calamity from falling upon your poor Clergy and your most obed' humble & faithful Serv', WILLIAM KAY. M\ DINWIDDIE to the BISHOP of LONDON, Virginia, 5"" June, 1752. My Lord, In compliance with my promise, when I had the Honour of waiting on you at Fulham, I trouble you with this to acquaint you of my safe arrival in my Government. In a short time after, I had a long Conversation with the Reverend M^ Dawson, your Lordship's Commissary here, in regard to the affairs of the Clergy & church of this dominion. I find him a worthy Divine and greatly merits his appointment as he is very zealous for the prosperity of the Church, and for conducting the affairs thereof in due order under your Lordship's Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, but is prevented in a great measure in putting those inclinations in proper execution from several reasons which you will please to observe hereafter. I beg leave to observe to your Lordship that few of the Clergy here are inducted to their livings, which often occasions quarrels and disturbances in the parishes, and some times the Clergy remove themselves from one parish to another without any regular form or application to the Governor or Com- missary for leave so to do ; and some times the parish takes upon them to dismiss the Clergyman without any process, but act only at their own pleasure. I have observed in my Services in the employ of the Crown in almost all the British Colonies, that the patronage and presentation to Livings were vested in the Crown ; that the Governors accordingly presented, and Inducted such Clergy that came properly ordained and had the Lord of London's Let- ters of Licence to preach, &■=. 1752.] 394 But lately among the revised Laws sent from this Colony in the years 1748 & 1749, there is a Law which has had his Majesty's approbation enti- tled "An Act for the support of the Clergy," &^ The VII. Sect. Sayeth "And whereas It is doubted how long the right of presentation of a Minister to a parish remains in the Vestries in this Colony ; for settling this matter, Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that the whole right of presentation, shall be and remain in the several Vestries for and during the term of twelve months next after a vacancy shall happen in their respective parishes." The subsequent Section of the above Act Repeals all former Laws in re- gard thereto and the next enforces it to take place the lo'^^ of June, 1751. By this act the patronage and presentation to Livings in this Colony is actually taken from the Crown as also your Lordship's Jurisdiction, for the Law does not provide for the Clergyman's being duly ordained and producing your Lordship's letters of Licence, and Is directly contrary to my Si*^' & 84'^ instructions which I beg leave to Insert here. 81^' Inst. You are not to prefer any Minister to any Ecclesiastical Benefice in that our Colony without a Certificate from the Right Reverend Father in God, the Lord Bishop of London, of his being conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, and of a good life and conversation ; and If any person already preferred to a Benefice shall appear to you to give Scandal either by his doctrine or manners you are to use the best means for the removal of him, 84"^ Inst. And to the End that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Lord Bishop of London may take place in that our Colony so far as conveniently may be, we do think fit that you do give all countenance and encouragement to the exercise of the same, excepting only the collating to Benefices, granting Licences for marriages and probate of wills, which we have reserved to you our Governor and to the Commander in Chief of our said Colony for the time being. Your Lordship will please to consider my situation. I cannot comply with this act without the apparent breach of my Instructions nor can I keep up to my instructions without offence to a Law that has met with His Majesty's ap- probation. For as the Law now stands the Vestries have the full power of presenting. To whom? not to the Governor for his approbation, but directly to the Living. For lately this Commissary joined me in recommending a worthy Clergyman with your Lordship's Letter of Licence to two different 395 [1752. Vestries and was rejected by both of them and they constantly continue to appoint their own Ministers without any regard to me or the Commissary. Formerly before this Law took place the Governor and Commissary joined in recommending the Clergy to the Vestries, and they generally received the parson so presented. As I think the prerogative of the Crown and your Jurisdiction so much attacked, I could not shun writing so fully on this head and am determined to remain Tacit and inactive in the affairs of the Church till I am honored with your Letter and advice in regard thereto. The established Church always flourished in this Colony, and I have reason to think it always would, if kept up in due discipline and regular order, but the regulation by the aforesaid Law, curbs and restrains, nay, I may say, quite destroys the Governor's and Commissary's power, and I am much afraid, unless your Lordship's interferes, in having that act repealed and the prerogative of the Crown and your Lordship's Jurisdiction restored. It will end in great confusion and give great encouragement to defection and the Dissenters which begin greatly to increase. As to myself I am not fond of power in these matters, for on my arrival I declared to your Commissary that I would constantly consult him in every thing relating to Church affairs. It surprized me much that the Clergy here were not duly inducted to their Livings, agreeable to the other Colonies. There is here a recent misfortune attending this neglect. One M"". Kay, a Clergyman was received into a parish as their Minister and offtciated some time. The parish and he disagreeing they shut the church doors against him and put a person in possession of his Glebe on which M^ Kay brought an action of trespass in the general court here and obtained a verdict in his favour. But the parish by their agents at home, have obtained an appeal to the King and Council where the affair is to be argued. The majority of the Judges that sat on the Trial here have transmitted a rep- resentation of the whole affair to His Majesty. The Commissary assures me if the decree here be reversed it will effect the Clergy in general in this Colony, but as this was a transaction before my time, I refer you to M^ Dawson who writes fully on the head, and have ordered the agent to wait on you for your directions therein. There is another affair that has given me much trouble. My Lord, when I left this Colony about six years ago there were no Dissenting Meeting Houses, but a few Quakers. One M"". DavJs a dissenting Teacher from Penn- I752.J 396 sylvania has been indulged with Licences for seven Meeting houses in five different counties at least in extent upwards of 200 Miles. He applied to me for a Licence for one more which I refused, and that brought on a long con- ference with him. I told him I thought it impossible for him to discharge the duties of a good pastor to so many different congregations dispersed at so great a distance one from the other. I took upon me to tell him what I con- ceived to be the duty of a Minister, and that in a particular and plain manner, and that as he did not discharge these duties, which I conceived he could not do without a close residence with his hearers, I must look on him as an Itin- erant preacher more out of lucrative view than the salvation of the people. After a long silence he desired I would not look on him as an Itinerant preacher, which character he abhor' d, but agreed with me that in the Meeting houses already Licensed he could not discharge the essential duties of his Ministry and therefore desired me to admit one M^ Todd for his assistant. I told him I had a due regard for people of tender consciences, and on M^ Todd's producing his ordination Certificate, &c,, he was admitted to be his assistant after taking the oaths and complying with the other requisites. He (M^ Davis), told me he profess'd himself a Member of the Church of Scot- land. I told him that church allowed of no pluralities, and therefore if he would confine himself to one Meeting house or to the limits of a County, he should meet with all the protection and indulgence the act of Toleration allows, while he continued peaceable and quiet. I hope your Lordship will excuse the length of this Letter, which I could not possibly abbreviate, and doubt not on your reflecting on the present State of Church affairs in this dominion, you will please to observe the great necessity of your directions, and advice to the Commissary and myself which we shall be very glad of. That you may long live to be an ornament to Church and State is my sin- cere wish, and I remain with great veneration and esteem, Right Rev'* Sir, Your Lordship's Most dutiful & obed' h'ble Serv*, ROB"^ DINWIDDIE. 397 [i752. GOV^ DINWIDDIE to the Secretary of the Venerable Society. Virginia, io June, 1752. Dear Sir, The friendly conversation I frequently had the pleasure of with you, when in England, occasions you this trouble to acquaint you of my safe arrival in my government, I find the state of the Church and Clergy in this dominion in a much dif- ferent state than I expected. In my Predecessor's time an act passed in the year 1748 (which has had his Majesty's approbation), giving the whole right of presentation of the Clergy to the vacant Parishes to the vestries, for one year after such vacancy may happen, and none of the Clergy here are induct- ed ; that on any differences between the incumbent & the Parish, they have shut the Church doors on the minister & given possession of his glebe to a layman, till they provided themselves with another pastor; and sometimes the clergy remove themselves from one Parish to another, without consulting with the Governor or the Commissary. These things are Introductive of great irregularities and occasion great Defection from the established Church. By the above law, the Patronage, Presentation and Prerogative of the Crown and the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Bishop of London are quite destroy'd. I have wrote to the Bishop, the Secretary of State, and Board of trade, on this subject and wait for their directions thereon. In all the British Colonies I have been in, the Patronage and Presentation was always strenuously sup- ported and continually put in practice, by the Gov''^ presenting to the vacant Livings such clergy as had been properly ordained & had the Bishop of Lon- don's Licence to Preach, &c. I determine to be Inactive In anything relating to church livings till I have new orders. I observe by a letter sent our Commissary M^ Dawson, that the Society's stock Is much reduced and that you have obtained a brief for a collection to carry on that valuable and well founded design. If I may be esteemed worthy to be a member, and if you'll receive my mite, please call on TvP. John Hanbury, Merchant In Tower street, who on I752-] 398 seeing this Letter will pay you 2 Guineas, and 3 Guineas per ann. during my life, & really I believe if your brief had extended to these Colonys, or the Commissary had directions to open a Subscription, many well inclined people will cheerfully encourage so laudable & so worthy a society. I hope you'll excuse the freedom I take in giving you the trouble of this. As I know your great regard for the established Church I thought the men- tioning the state of us here maybe of service in your representing it to those that may be a means of altering the foresaid Law. Pray tender my humble respects to your worthy Lady, and believe me to be with ^reat truth & sincerity, Rev"" Sir your most Ob' & obliged humble serv', ROfiT DINWIDDIE, Gov'. To D'. Bearcroft. The BISHOP of LONDON to JOHN THORPE, Esq". FuLHAM, the 25"" Nov'', 1752. Sir, I am extremely obliged to you for the favour of your Letter, and am very sensible of your great goodness to me and to the poor clergyman concerned, in undertaking this cause. On Thursday last I sent on purpose to London to enquire at the Council when the appeal was to come on, with orders to the Messenger to enquire for you and to take your directions. He was twice at the Treasury-' but had not the good fortune to meet with you. I intended (if I had not heard from you), to have sent him to-day upon the same message. I send you what papers I have relating to the appeal, which appear to me to have anything material in them ; among which you will find a Letter from the Governor, and one from the late Commissary, D^ Dawson, relating to this affair, and my answer to the Governor's Letter, of which you'll make use of what you shall judge to be material. The great point insisted on by the appellant is, that Kay for want of an induction was never legally possessed of the living, but if what the Judges say in their representation to the King be true, that Induction has been generally 399 [1752. omitted, 1 think the case will fall under the general maxim of Law, communis error facit legem, and if the judgment should be reversed, it will destroy the property of every Clergyman in the Colony of Virginia. Besides, in the present case the Vestry take advantage of their own neg- lect, for if they had presented the Clerk as they ought to have done to the Governor he would have had Induction of course, so that they are to blame tho' they act so unreasonably as to punish the Clerk for their neglect. If the several Vestrys are permitted to go on in this course the King, the Governor, and the Bishop will be utterly excluded in all Church matters, for if they can place or displace as they please, what will there be for anybody else to do. The order of the Council for admitting this appeal contrary to the settled Court was a very hard one, and should this precedent be followed it will stop the way to justice against all but the Rich and Wealthy. How this affects the Clergy especially, who generally are in very low circumstances, is easily per- ceived. Excuse me for making these observations to you, who, I am sensible, wants no assistance of that sort. I wish I was able to attend the Council myself, but indeed I am not, for tho' I am in pretty good health yet the long fit of the Gout, from which I have never been perfectly free since Christmas last has left me weak and unable to bear any fatigue. I am, Sir, Your very much obliged and very humble Serv'. GOV DINWIDDIE to the BISHOP of LONDON. Williamsburg, Virginia, lo"' Dec', 1752. Right Rev° Sir, I have the honor of your Lordship's Letter of the 21®' Sept., and the post- script you was afterwards pleased to add thereto. I desire to return you thanks for appointing the Rev'^ M''. Thomas Dawson your Commissary in the room of his brother, on my recommendation. I am convinced he will in all 1 752-] 400 respects answer the honor you have bestowed upon him. At his own desire, I wrote M'. Leheup that he declined being of the Council. The reason he then gave me, was the troubles he foresaw he would be in about his Brother's Estate, and indeed I believe it was a decent modesty, of desiring to be excused for some few years. However I told him I thought it was absolutely necessary he should be one of that Body on many accounts, and as M'. Leheup writes me, it was also your Lordship's opinion, and that he had orders from Lord Halifax, to take out his Mandamus. I am mighty well pleased to have him one of the Council. By my instructions from His Majesty, I have the power of collating the Clergy to their Benefices, but so it is that I think there are not three Clergy in this Dominion collated. What were their reasons I know not, unless they were afraid of delapidations. The method formerly was that the Governor and Commissary usually recommended Ministers to the Church Wardens and Vestry, of the vacant parishes, who sometimes received them and often re- fused them, and frequendy received Ministers without any recommendation, who accordingly remained their pastors. At other times the Clergy have removed themselves from one parish to another without any leave, which is not paying a proper respect to the Governor or Commissary. By the Laws here every Clergyman must qualify himself before the Gov- ernor before he can officiate in this Country. This has formerly been omitted, instead thereof they have generally exhibited their orders of Deacon and priest, declaration of conformity, and their Licence to the Governor and Com- missary, and these are registered by the latter in a Book kept for that purpose, but the Law contradicts the King's instructions, for it gives the right of pat- ronage to the Vestries, for it Enacts, that upon the Minister's being qualified, the Governor is requested to induct him into any parish that shall make pre- sentation of him. How long they had had that right, is not determined, but it was generally supposed to be six months as in England, till by the act in one thousand seven hundred and forty eight entitled An Act for the Support of the Clergy, The sole right of presentation is given to the Vestry for twelve Months. Thus by the Laws of this Country the patronage of the Crown is utterly destroyed, and I am afraid any attempt to recover the right would be attended with bad consequences. The enlarging the time of the right of presentation to be in the Vestry, was entirely to have the clergy on probation or as they term it to try them, 401 [1753- wherefore what your Lordship mentions in your postscript would never go down in this country. I am humbly of opinion that for the future, if your Lordship shall think proper to direct your Commissary to join with the Governor in obliging every Minister that may come in duly qualified and with a proper Licence to qualify himself again before the Governor before he presumes to officiate in this Country, and on his being so qualified, the Governor to recommend him to any vacant parish for their reception and if they make choice of him, to pre- sent him to the Governor for induction, or at least some other Clergyman qualified as above, and on neglect or refusal that the Governor may appoint whom he pleases. As the Counsel are at great distance from this I cannot now, but shall consult with them as your Lordship recommends. I shall wait the determination of M''. Kay's case, where on the Trial probably the Laws, powers of Vestries, &c., may be argued. On the whole your Lordship's di- rections to your Commissary will always have a due influence on me & shall be glad of the honor of your commands. I remain, &c., ROB^ DINWIDDIE. Gov' DINWIDDIE to the BISHOP of LONDON. Williamsburg, Virginia, Jan. 29th, 1753. Right Rev"" Sir, I have the Honor of your letter of the 28th of May, & the two cases re- lating to M^ Kay. That Gentleman and the Clergy in general are greatly obliged to your Lordship for your countenance and interest in having this ap- peal so agreeably ended and I hope they will have a dutiful remembrance of your favours. Your Lordship's observation is perfectly just that the present method of filling vacancies in the churches in this dominion is not agreeable to your Lord- ship's Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction or the Governor's instructions, but as the peo- ple have got an act of Assembly in the year 1748 investing the Vestries with full power for one year to supply their vacancies in the different parishes ; which having received the Royal Sanction, will operate against the Governor's E753-] 402 nstructions and there is no such thing as to prevail witli the Legislature here [O make another Act to abridge the power given the Vestries unless by the Royal commands to havea new act to restore the prerogative of the Crown and your Lordship's Jurisdiction, and even then many obstructions would be thrown in the way. I have had an unhappy difference with our House of Bur- gesses in regard to a small fee taken on sealing and signing patents of Land ; this fee was established by the Council here, and approved by the Board of trade and was regularly paid till lately a turbulent spirit entered into some of the people, supported and encouraged by the Rev^ M^ Stith, the president of the College here, who by his insinuations, and turbulent temper raised so great a heat and animosity in the House of Burgesses, that they have addressed His Majesty by way of Complaint against me ; but as the Council have address'd His Majesty in my favour, I dare say their complaints will subside as they are founded on falsehood. It gives me concern that I should trouble your Lordship in regard to this affair, but as M^ Stith is actually the fomentor of this complaint, and having endeavoured to sow sedition in the country, I dare say a Letter from your Lordship to him that he may be peaceable and quiet and teach the doctrine of Love, Amity, and other social virtues, will be of service to himself and make me more easy in my Government. His acrimony against me was because I did not recommend him to your Lordship to be your Commissary, which he knows he had no right to expect. I hope you will be so good as to excuse the liberty I take in troubling you on this affair, but as I gladly would live in friendship with all Mankind, it gives me concern to have that interrupted by a Gentleman of the Cluirch. That your Lordship may live long to be an ornament to Church and State is the sincere wish of, Right Rev*' Sir, Your Lordship's most Obed'^ and Oblig'd h'ble Serv'^, ROB"^ 1")INWIDD1E. 403 [i753- M^ THORPE to the BISHOP of LONDON. ——— ]^,|^y J^^J^^ ^^^^_ My Lord, I have the pleasure to inform your Lordship, that the Lords of die Com- mittee last night determined the Rev** M^ Kay's cause entirely in his favour. Their Lordships have agreed to Report as their opinion to His Majesty, That the Judgment below in M"". Kay's favour should be affirmed, and the petition of appeal of the Vestry be dismissed with four score pounds costs, which are the highest costs that were ever given by that Board on hearing an appeal. The Lords present were, Lord President, the Earl of Cholmondelcy, Lord Berkley of Stratton, Lord Chief Justice Willes, M''. Doddington, and Sir George Lee. The Council for each party your Lordship knows by the printed cases I did myself the honour to send your Lordship, and M^ Paris having agreed to give his assistance in the same way as I did without expecting or receiving any satisfaction for his trouble, He and I attended as joint Solicitors for M^ Kay, and the Solicitor General and M''. Henley never spoke better or with more ability than they did on the present occasion. Being so fully en- gaged in preparing for to-morrow when D^ Cameron is to be brought from the Tower to be arraigned, and have execution awarded against him, I hope your Lordship will excuse my enlarging any further than to add, that I am with the greatest duty and respect. My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged, most obed' and ever faithful humble Serv', JNO. THORPE. BISHOP of LONDON to Messrs. THORPE ^ HEN- LET. FuLHAM, May 18, 1753. Sirs, Yesterday I rec"" the favor of your letter with an acc^ of the determination of the Council in favor of poor M'. Kay. I am so sensible how much I, M'. Kay, & indeed all the Clergy of Virginia, are indebted to you for the Success I753-J 404 in this cause, & consequently for the prospect they have of a quiet enjoyment of their Hvings & maintenance for the future that I find it hard to express myself to my own satisfaction, in the acknowledgment that I ought to make to you. The generosity you have shewn yourself & the very generous assis- tance had from others (which must be placed to your acc't), but above all the great ability shewn in placing the cause in so true & just a light & conduct- ing it thro' all the steps of it, to so happy a conclusion, have laid me under very great obligations to you, & for which I return you my hearty & sincere thanks. I write this post to the solicitor & M^ Henley to thank them for their favor & I desire you will make my acknowledgments to M^ Paris. Tho' you have had so much generosity as to give your own assistance without any recompence, yet as I know there must be some charge for fees & printing the case & the like, &c., I desire you will let me know what it will amount to. I am, Sir, your very obliged & humble Serv^ M". SuLICITOR, M^ Thorpe has given me an ace* of the success of M^ Kay's cause before the committee of the council & how much indebted we are to your kind gen- erous assistance : I might add all the Clergy of Virginia, who would have been in a very precarious condition for their maintenance if the appeal had prevailed, but the consequences of this cause are so much the better under- stood by you than by me, that I should not have mentioned them to you but only to shew how sensible I am of the obligations we are under to you. Permit me, sir, to return you my sincerest thanks & to assure you that I am, Sir, your much obliged & most humble serv't. Sir, The kind & generous assistance you gave to M''. Kays, in his cause before the Committee of the Council, I esteem as an obligation on my self & beg leave to take this way of making my acknowledgment to you, being not able to do it in person. The Success of this cause will, I hope, secure the Clergy of Virginia from the like hard usage for the future. I am, with great thanks, your most obed' humble Serv'. 405 [1753- M^ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. Will" & Mary College, July 23, 1753. My Lord, My obligations to your Lordship for appointing me Commissary of this Colony & also for obtaining me a place at the Council Board exceed all acknowledgments. When I consider the vast weight of these offices & my own weakness, I am afraid, lest I should not be able to support them; but humbly relying upon the divine goodness & your Lordship's for assistance, I shall exert my sincere & constant endeavours & hope that some failings will be pardoned out of regard to the uprightness of my heart, M''. Leheup has rightly informed your Lordship, that I am entitled to ;^ioo a year as Commis- sary & to ^120 as one of the Council. But then, my Lord, give me leave to observe, that the Bishop of London's letter of appointment or commission was always accompanied by a warrant from the Lord's Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury directed to the receiver general of Virginia, ordering him to pay ,^100 a year out of the quit rents to the Commissary. But I have rec** no warrant as yet, tho' both his honor the Gov', & M''. Blair writ to M^ Leheup to apply for it, as he formerly did when my Brother was appointed, & to forward it together with your Lordship's letter, but he has entirely neglected it. I have writ to M^ Hanbury desiring him to wait upon your Lordship & to transact this affair for me & I would not have troubled your Lordship with this relation, but to confirm M''. Leheup's information which you are pleased to write would gl^Q your Lordship great satisfaction. Suffer me further to observe that in case there was an occasion of exercising, any ecclesiastical jurisdiction in this Colony, a commission from your Lordship would be thought necessary & much more regarded than a letter of appoint- ment. One Christolm, a Schotchman, lately applied to me for recommenda- tions to your Lordship for holy orders & brought a title from the Parish of Antrim in the County of Halifax & testimonials from several persons ; but I received such an account of his vicious life & conversation, of his scandalous behaviour of as a clerk of a Church & Schoolmaster, of his contempt & abuse of our most excellent liturgy, &c., from persons of undoubted credit, that I positively refused him. M'. Andrew, another of the same Country, I lately 1 753-] 406 gave a letter to, as he brought testimonials of his good life & conversation from several persons of distinction & a title from the Rev'^ M^ Robertson of S' John's Parish, in the County of King Will'" who has engaged on ace' of his ill state of health to employ M^ Andrew as his Curate & to allow him ^30 a year. He waits upon your Lordship by the way of Scotland. But it is not to be dissembled, my Lord, that most of these Northern Gentlemen, are bred Presbyterians & I fear have seldom so great a regard for the Church's Interest as they ought. And as we have now Dissenters among us there is the greater occasion of a regular & able ministry, but I presume, when these gentlemen bring me a title, & come properly recommended, I cannot refuse them my letter. I beg your Lordship's directions in this matter. M^ Foulis is settled in Antrim Parish above mentioned. M"". Brunskill officiates in Hamilton Par- ish, Prince William, — M'. Agnew's tide. M'. Smith, I believe, will succeed M^ Northland (who resigns on ace' of his ill state of health), in S' Stephen's, Northumberland. M'. Peter Davis & M'. Navison, are still unprovided for & no vacancies. The Clergy of Virginia are much indebted to your Lordship ; for your zeal in M'. Kay's appeal, & I should be very glad to have a good acc't of the event of it, as it concerns this Church very much. When I know the charge of the suit, I will remit it, in a bill of Exchange. I shall say little at present of the exhorbitant power the Vestries claim under our acts of assembly particularly that of 1748, entitled an act for the Support of the Clergy ; because, I presume, these laws will be considered, & the sense of them decided, upon M'. Kay's appeal. In the mean time I will endeavour to prevent any indecent competition, between Clergymen, for as a tide is required by the 33'' Canon, I am determined, with your Lordship's approbation, not to recommend any person from hence, for holy orders but such as bring me a certificate under the hands of the churchwardens & vestrymen that their par- ish is actually vacant & diat they will be ready to receive the Person recom- mended at his return. This I conceive would not only prevent contention, but the admission of some very improper persons into the ministry for as the law now stands, should there happen a vacancy & many Clergymen at the same time, unprovided for, they would all offer themselves as candidates & there would be as much contention & confusion at the election of a minister, as there commonly is at the choice of a representative of a County. An instance of this we had about 2 years ago. I wish something could be done for us at home, for little can be expected here, for tho' the Gov' & Council 407 [1753- are well disposed, the lower house of assembly (all or most of them Vestry- men), will never part with a power established by law & confirmed by the Royal assent. I should not have troubled your Lordship at this time with any thing relating to M^ Davies (as my brother has writ fully upon that subject), had he not last June, notwithstanding the 7 meeting houses situated in 5 dif- ferent Counties already licensed for himself & his assistant M'. Todd, apphed to have a meeting house in S' Peter's Parish, the place formerly licensed by the justices of New Kent, but their order Superceded by the general court. However the Gov^ and council positavely refused him. M^ Davies produced Sir D. Ryder's opinion (a copy of which I here transmit to your Lordship), in which I humbly conceive, one extract from the toleration act is considered, without any regard to the other parts of it; For if Dissenting ministers had such a liberty allowed them by that Act, how came they to apply for & obtain a clause in the lo'*' of Ou. Ann^, to permit any dissenting teacher to preach occasionally in any other County but that where he was licensed. M^ Davies, I am informed, intends to go to Engl'^ this Summer but with what design I know not. I thought it proper to give your Lordship notice of it. I hope before our next session of assembly to have your Lordship's opinion of the Several matters transmitted to your Lordship relating to this gentleman & sincerely glad should I be to see that uniformity of religion restored, for which this Colony was once famous ; & peace & quietness established among us. An act of assembly to restrain these teachers & another to give the right of presentation to livings to the governor according to the King's instructions, I have much at heart. The one, I hope, may be obtained here, but as to the other all our dependance is from home, & however such acts might be relished at first, I am sure in time the country would find the good effects of them. The Gov'", shews these teachers no countenance & your Lordship may be assured that I shall use my best, tho' weak, endeavours to restrain them, but I am afraid notwithstanding our utmost care, that these ignes faUii will lead many especially the lowest & most ignorant sort to ruin & destruction. May it please God to deliver us from all false doctrine. Heresy & Schism. That your Lordship may long enjoy the high station which you so eminently adorn & succeed in all your good designs for our Church is the Sincere & hearty Prayer of, my Lord, Your Lordship's most dutiful, most obliged & faithful Servant THO^ DAWSON. 1 754.J 408 ANONYMOUS, to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, Feb^' i, 1754. My Lord, As this Colony is a part of your Lordship's diocese; I doubt not but accounts of the State of religion therein will be acceptable to you. About 14 or 15 years ago, many families of Protestant Dissenters, from the northern Gov*^ settled on our Frontiers, who either brought their minis- ters along with them or sent for them soon after, & since the year 1 748, 2 Presbyterian ministers have obtained a legal settlement in the lower parts of the Colony & have large congregations. I know little of those ministers on the frontiers, but these 2 last are men of considerable learning, strictly virtu- ous & of exemplary lives. I wish I could inform your Lordship, that all your Clergy are equally qualified, but the case is far otherwise, with respect to some, for in the year 1745, one Mungo Marshall, ordained by the then Bishop of Norwich, was sent over hither, who is one of the most ignorant men (not to say CIerg}^men), I ever conversed with & since your Lordship's translation to London, we have had George Purdie & Robert McLaurin settled among us, the former both ignorant & immoral to a Scandalous degree ; the other remarkable only for his ignorance & folly & I am informed that one John Andrew was recommended lately from Virginia, to your Lordship for holy orders. He is, I am told, regular enough in his morals, but nothing superior in knowledge to the meanest I have mentioned. We have indeed men of Piety &. literature in the Chh here ; but those I have named with some others, I might take notice of, are a reproach to religion in general as well as to the order to which they belong. Your Lordship, I hope, will pardon me, if my zeal for religion as profcss'd in the Church of Engl'^ (of which I am a mem- ber), prompts me to add that it is easy to determine whether the interest of the Church or that of the dissenters, is most likely to prevail here, where the former is promoted by some of the weakest & most worthless men ; and the latter by men of sufficient learning adorned with piety & virtue, and as Deism has made its progress hither, & has some strenuous advocates ; I heartily wish both for your Lordship's sake & that of Xtianity, that all your clergy here were able to encounter with success, those deadly enemies of our holy reli- gion . 409 [1754- Some of your Lordship's writings which I have seen, but especially your letter on occasion of the earthquake, which carries an air of Primitive piety & Pastoral concern for the souls of those under your care, have encouraged me to address your Lordship in this manner, tho' having no other knowledge of your Lordship, I do not think it prudent to put my name to this letter lest I should create enemies to myself & perhaps not ans'' the end I propose by writing, viz : To have those men complained of and (upon enquiry into their Character) removed from the Church & to prevent such from getting into orders for the future, & I solemnly declare I have no other view therein but the advancement of religion in general & the flourishing state of the Church in this dominion. That your Lordship may long continue a blessing and orna- ment to the Church is the heart)-- prayer of, my Lord, Your Lordship's most obd' & most humble serv^ Af'. DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. W'" & Mary College, March ii, 1754. My Lord, Last July I writ your Lordship a long letter relating to Church affairs, can- didates for holy orders, the exhorbitant Power of Vestries & the unreasona- ble application of the dissenting teachers for greater indulgences, but I have not as yet had the honor of an ans'. I therefore earnestly beg that your Lordship would be pleased to consider them and the papers transmitted by my brother as soon as possible & to favor me with your directions or if any instructions have miscarried I humbly desire youre Lordship to repeat them. In the name of the Clergy of Virginia, permit me, my Lord, to return you my most hearty & sincere thanks for your truly pastoral care of our interests in general & for your late active & vigorous Zeal in favor of M^ Kay in Par- ticular. We are duly sensible how much your influence, contributed to the support of that appeal, & with the utmost gratitude acknowledge, that the preservation of our rights and privileges was, next, under God, owing to your kind & parental affection & management. These my Lord are the sentiments 1754-] 4IO of all the Clergy I have conversed with; & whenever we have a convention, i am sure we shall unanimously address your Lordship upon that head as well as upon our great happiness & general satisfaction in having a Prelate of your Lordship's distinguished virtues & exalted abilities for our Diocesan. The cause that has been some time depending between M". Kay & his vestry for 2 years salary was determined last October Court, when the Jury brought in a verdict of ^200 Sterl for M'. Kay, Suffer me again to remind your Lordship, that if there was occasion to exercise any ecclesiastical jurisdiction or even to call a meeting of the Clergy in this Colony, a commission from your Lordship would be thought necessary. At the first convention it would be very proper to have my commission publicly read, by which means the Clergy in general would be acquainted with my power & authority & I could with a better Grace rebuke, exhort & reprove. In my brother's time there was only one Court held & then his authority was disputed till the King's commission to Bishop Gibson, & the Bishop's to my brotJier was read. Meet- ings of the Clergy have been hitherto very rare in this Colony; 2 or 3 only I believe in M^ Blair's time, who was above 50 years Comm*', & one only on ace' of the rebellion in 1746 — in my Brother's time. But many worthy men are of opinion with me that more frequent conventions, would tend much to the good of our Church, the reformation of the Clergy & tlie benefit of mankind, as by this means the Commissary would be better acquauited with the Clergy, would learn more of their conduct & behaviour ; the faithful & good pastor would be encouraged to persevere in the diligent discharge of his duty & the negligent & remiss would be admonished & by the blessing of God brought to a true sense of their duty; and all in general, especially the more ignorant, would from charges & Sermons upon these occasions be made acquainted with the dignity & the duties of their Sacred office ; funds also might be raised for the relief of the poor widows & Children of Clergymen ; Sclfools for the educating of poor Children, & negroes, might be recommended & encour- aged ; & that most excellent charity, the buying & distributing religious books & tracts might be promoted. But in these & the Particulars formerly trans- mitted to your Lordship ; I humbly request your instructions & God grant that I may so act, as neither to prove unworthy of the trust committed to me, nor your Lordship repent of your appointment. Frequent Conventions will be attended with extraordinary trouble & Expence to myself, but tliat I shall not regard, provided they Promote tiie good of the Church, the order & reg- ularity of the Clcrg)' cN; the present & future benefit of mankind. 411 [1754- I have been for some years a subscriber to the Society, corresponding with the Incorporated Society in Dublin & last year I writ to D"". Bearcroft & M"". Brougton, desiring their Societies also to accept of my Annual Subscription of a Guinea. Was my ability equal to my inclination, I would contribute more largely to these excellent designs ; but there are many demands here, & the Gracious acceptance of the Widow's offering, encourages me also to cast my mite into the treasury : I am indeed a corresponding member of the Dublin Society but not of the other 2. Their distributing pious books & tracts is a most excellent charity. If ever they should honor this Country with any favours, I shall endeavour to make the most grateful return, by a proper dis- tribution of them. That God may bless our Church with a long continuance of your Lordship & other good men in such eminent stations, is the fervent prayer of, my Lord, Your Lordship's, most dutiful, most obliged & faithful servant, THO^ DAWSON. ^ LIST of the Present Ministers of Ocr 30, 1754. Vi7 Names. Tho^ Dawson, Corns', Jno. Brunskill, David Mossom, Peter Fountain, Alex' Finnie, . Henry Barlow, Hancock Dunbar, . Chichley Thacker, , William Fife, James Mayre, Parish. . Bruton, . S' Margaret's, . . S* Peter's, . . Westover, . . Martin's Brandon, . Hungar's, . . S* Stephen's, . Bllssland, . . Hampton, . . S* George's, Couuiy. . York. . Caroline. , New Kent. . Charles City. . Prince George. . Northampton. ■ King & Queen. . New Kent. . Elizabeth City. . Spotslyvania. 411 [I I have been for some years a subscriber to the Society, corresponding ■ the incorporated Society in Dublin & last year I writ to D^ Bearcroft & Brougton, desiring their Societies also to accept of my Annual Subscriptio a Guinea. Was my ability equal to my inclination, I would contribute n largely to these excellent designs ; but there are many demands here, & Gracious acceptance of the Widow's offering, encourages me also to cast mite into the treasury : I am Indeed a corresponding member of the Du Society but not of the other 2. Their distributing pious books & tracts most excellent charity. If ever they should honor this Country with favours, I shall endeavour to make the most grateful return, by a proper tribution of them. That God may bless our Church with a long continue of your Lordship & other good men in such eminent stations, Is the fer prayer of, my Lord, Your Lordship's, most dutiful, most obliged & faithful servant, THO^ DAWSON A LIST of the Present Ministers of Ocr 30, 1754. Ft rgi. Names. Tho^ Dawson, Com^. Jno. Brunsklll, David Mossom, Peter Fountain, Alex"" Finnle, . Henry Barlow, Hancock Dunbar, Chlchley Thacker, William Fife, James Mayre, Parish. Bruton, S^ Margaret's, . S* Peter's, . Westover, . , Martin's Brandon, Hungar's, . S'' Stephen's, Blissland, . Hampton, , , S'^ George's, Cotinty. . York. . Caroline. . New Kent. . Charles City. . Prince George . Northampton. . King & Queer . New Kent. . Elizabeth City. . Spotslyvania. 1754-] 412 Names. Parish. County. William Stith, Pres' of W" & Mary Coll^ York. Daniel Macdonaid, Brunswick, . King George. John Fox, Ware, . Gloucester. Patrick Henry, S^ Paul's, . . Hanover. Will- Mackay, North Farnham, . Richmond. Charles Rose, Cople, . Westmorland. Charles Green, Truro, . Fairfax. Bartholomew Yates, Christ Church, . . Middlesex. Arthur Emerson, . Accomack, . Accomack. John Moncure, Overwharton, . . Stafford. George Fraser, Dale, . Chesterfield. William Willie. . Albermarle, . Sussex. John Thompson, . S= Mark's, . . Orange. Charles Smith, Elizabeth River, . Norfolk. Rob^ Barrett, . S' Martin's, . Hanover. Robert Yates, Petsworth, . Gloucester. David Currie, Christ Chh. & £ ' Mar)' Whitechaple, . Lancaster. Thomas Burgess, . Nottoway, . Southampton. Thomas Robinson, Master o the Gram'' School, W=" & Mary Coll^ . York. James Maury, Frcdericksville, . . Louisa. John Camm, Professor of Di vinity, W.&M. C, & York Hampton. . . York. James Scott, . Dettigcn, . . Prince William. William Robinson, Stratton (major). . King & Queen. William Kay, Cumberland, . Lunenburgh. William Preston, Pr. of Mor W. & M. C & . James City, . James City. John Leland, . Wi CO CO mo CO, . Northumberland Mungo Marshall, . S' Thomas's, . Culpepper. Alexander White, . S' David's, . King William. William Yates, Abinoton, . . Gloucester. John Reid, Newport, . . Isle of Wight. John Gordon, Frederick, . Frederick. 413 [1754- Names. John Robertson, . Archibald Campbell, Joseph Simpson, , Richard Graham, P"" of Math.. W. & M. C, & Lecturer William Proctor, William Stuart, Robert Dixon, William Webb, Robert Innis, . Thomas Warrington. John Smelt, . John Brunskill, Musgrave Dawson, John Dixon, . Rascow Cole, John Andrews, George Purdie, William Davis, Alexander Cruden. William Douglas, Robert McLaurin, . Adam Menzies, John Ramsey, Miles Selden, Peter Davis, . John Brunskill, Thomas Smith, James Fowlis, John Navison, John Agnew, . Thomas Wilkinson John Jones, . John Rowan, . James Pasteur, Lecturer at Jacob Townscnd. . Parish. S* John's, . Washington, Lunenburgh, of W'^^burgh, Nottoway, S^ Paul's, Linhaven. Chuckatuck, Drisdale, Charles, S' Ann's, S* Mary's, Raleigh, Kingston, Warwick, Cameron, S' Andrews, Hanover, . South Farnham, S' James's Northam, Southam, . Bromfield, . S"^ Annes, . Henrico, . Southwark, Hamilton, . S' Stephen's, Antrim, Meherrin, . Suffolk, . Bristol, Augusta, . Norfolk, County, King William. Westmorland. Richmond. York. Amelia. Stafford. Princess Anne. Nansemond. Caroline. York, Essex. Caroline. Amelia. Gloucester. Warwick. Fairfax. Brunswick. . King George. Essex. Goochland. Cumberland. Culpepper. Albcrmarle. Henrico. , Surrey. , Prince William. Northumberl'^. . Halifax. , Brunswick. Nansemond. Prince George. , Augusta. Norfolk. 1754-] A ^ the Proceedings of the Convention held at the College of W" &" Mary, Oct, 30, 1754. Present : The Rev*' Thomas Dawson, Commissary, David Mossom, Alex' Finnic, Chichley Thacker, James Mayre, Wiiham Stith, Daniel Macclonald, John Fox, Will'" Mackay, George Fraser, Will'" Willie, John Thomson, Rob"^ Yates, Tho^ Robinson, Jn°. Camm, J a' Scott, W" Robinson, John Reid, Alex' White, Will Yates, Ja'' Fowlis, Tho'^ Smith, John Jones, Ja* Pasteur, John Rowan, John Robinson, Arch** Campbell, Rich'' Graham, Will™ Proctor, Will'" Stuart, Rob* Dixon, Will'" Webb, Robert Innis, Tho® Warrington, John Smelt, Musgrave Dawson, John Dixon, George Purdie, W" Davis, Alex' Cruden, W'" Preston, Mungo Marshall, Will" Douglas, Rob*^ Maclaurin, Adam Menzies, John Brunskill, John Navison, Tho^ Wilkinson. Absent ; John Brunskill, Peter Fountain, David Currie, Tho^ Buro-ess, 415 [1754- Henry Barlow, Hancock Dunbar, W- Fife, Patrick Henry, Charles Rose, Charles Green, Bar"' Yates, Arthur Emerson, John Moncure, Charles Smith, Robert Barret, John Agnew. Ja^ Maurey, W" Kay, John Leland, John Gordon, Joseph Simpson, John Brunskill, Roscow Cole, John Andrews, John Ramsey, Miles Selden, ■Peter Davis, The following ministers sent their apologies to M.'. Commissary, excusing themselves upon ace* of Sickness, or some other unavoidable accidents, viz : W" Fife, David Currie, Roscow Cole, Cha® Green, Tho^ Burgess, Jn°. Andrews, Bar^ Yates, Jn**. Agnew, Jn°. Ramsey, Jn*^. Moncure, John Leland, Miles Selden, Cha^ Smith, John Gordon, Peter Davis. The Clergy assembled at lo o'clock in the morning in the College & from thence went In a body to Church, the Rev'* William Preston read prayers, the Rev** M"^. Com'' Dawson Preached on Acts, ch. 20, v. 28. After Church they returned to the College, where the Rev** M''. Com^ appointed the Rev** W°^. Preston Clerk to the Convention & then opened the same with the following charge : Rev" Brethren, I shall make no apology for calling you together, since the Clergy consid- ered as a spiritual Society, ought often to meet in this public manner to con- sult on the most proper & effectual methods to advance the interests of reli- gion & promote the safety & prosperity of the Chh as by law established. And indeed when the enemies of our faith, have both their secret & open 1754-] 4i6 assemblies to promote their measures of superstition & Separation it would be as injurious as melancholy to imagine that any of the Clergy of our Church, were backward to convene, or indifferent to consult about such things as may turn to the benefit & Preservation of our most excellent ecclesiastical Constitution. As for my part I shall always think it my duty, as well as happi- ness in these solemn Conventions, after prayer & Exhortation, to offer advice & receive instruction about the affairs & state of religion, especially about the present condition of your several Churches & Parishes — to have enquiry made into their defects & demands & to provide as much as In me lies for all the Convenient supplies of them. It would be needless to inform you in what condition the Church of Virginia at present is, attacked by the blind Zeal of Fanaticism on the one hand & the furious malice of popery on the other, while the hcentiousness of those who are indifferent to any, or opposite to all kinds of religion makes the prospect still more gloomy & the attempts of our adversaries still more likely to succeed. However bad as the times are, let us not countenance the disorders of the profane by our despondency, they are not worse than they were at the first preaching of the Gospel, when the virtue & Courage of the Clergy prevailed over the united violence of men and Devils, & if we would live as exemplary, labour as faithfully & defend as Courageously our religion, as they did, we should not want the same success. In the mean time It behoves us to consider that consequences are in the hand of God, but that duty is in ours, that tho' our labor may be lost to our unhappy flock, it will not be lost to ourselves, that tho' we save not others, we shall save our own souls at the great day. It would but ill become the dig- nity of our sacred character, & the solemn subscriptions we have entered Into. If we did not at this dangerous Juncture, make the most unanimous & hearty declaration of fidelity & duty to the best of Kings, by addressing" his majesty in the most cordial manner, by giving him the strongest assurances of our not only being patterns ourselves but likewise according to our sphere, of inculca- ting into others the solid principles of religion & virtue — a sincere detestation of Popery & an utter aversion for the treacherous proceedings & unjust encroachments, which his barbarous and blood thirsty enemies, have made upon his undoubted dominions. Our very worthy Gov"" has desired me to assure you of his sincere regard & Esteem, that he will always be ready to, promote the advancement of virtue & religion, & in order to that, the welfare o! this body ; & that he will cheer- 4^7 ['754- fully concur in any measures conducing to the prosperity of the established Church. This certainly deserves our particular acknowledgments & I flatter myself will meet with a proper return. We should fail in point of gratitude could we be either forgetful or unwilling to address the Bishop our most wor- thy Diocesan when we are thus assembled in Convention. His incomparable writings & other important services done to religion, shew us how able he is to fill so great a sphere of action ; & his most generous defence of us in a cause where under the pretence of punishing one, the rights of the whole body were struck at, shews both, his resolution & readiness to protect his Clergy. In the next place Rev'' Brethren, give me leave to recommend to your most serious consideration the cause, the mournful cause of the widows & children of our deceased brethren. Consider, I beseech you, the Lamenta- tion & bitter woe of a widow & a numerous offspring weeping over the remains of an indulgent husband & a tender parent, — destitute of that main- tenance, which was acquired by the sweat of his studies or accrued to them by the rights of his profession. Pity, I conjure you, the remains of the unfor- tunate servants of the Lord ; & secure God's blessing to your own families by your Christian benevolence to tlie families of the deceased. Another way of doing honor to God, credit to ourselves & advancing the interest of reli- gion, is to procure schools to be erected in our several parishes, that the youth may have an early knowledge & love of Piety. Impressions made upon young minds, commonly strike the deepest, & last the longest. Schools therefore are of great importance, where the youth may have an opportunity of being taught what is proper, of reading their Bibles, of learning their Prayers & Catechism, where, in short, tliey may by due management, be Insensibly led to think, to talk & act as become Christians. Another method I would recom- mend of promoting the salvation of men and of teaching them to have a serious sense of religion is, by distributing, or causing to be distributed, such pious books & tracts as are best suited to the Capacities & circumstances of our Parishioners, there is great variety to be had & the Prices are very low, so that by this way numbers may be truly benefitted in the most acceptable manner, for a trifling expence. I must own Indeed with sincere grief and reluctance, that in this Colony the Hire is not proportioned to the labor, that our trouble is great & our incomes small, yet let not this discourage us. The mite will be accepted where the heart is willing & our example may encour- age others. By the 70'''' Canon, his majesty's 89"" instruction to the Gov"" & 1754-] 4i8 by an express Law of this Country, we are required to keep an exact register of all persons born, christened & buried in our respective Parishes & to trans- mit twice every year a true Copy of the same to the Secretaries' office. 1 must earnestly press you therefore to be faithful in this, not to suffer the Law any longer to be neglected, but to put it in immediate execution & as I must in a good measure, depend upon the testimonials of the Clergy, for the virtue & good behaviour of those, who come to be recommended home for holy orders, I entreat you not to be prevailed upon, by easiness & good nature, by importunity & friendship, to sign any letters testimonial, unless you secretely & in your heart approve of what you say therein. Let nothing induce you upon your own ace' as well as mine to make me believe of men, what you truly & sincerely do not believe of them. I have nothing more to communicate at present, unless giving you this further assurance, that what- ever may be proposed by any of my Rev^ Brethren, as conducing to the wel- fare & prosperity of the Church, shall be regarded by me with the utmost attention. For sure I am, that I shall be very glad to receive your informa- tion, & advice, do what I can to ans"" your good intentions & heartily Join in reforming whatever shall be found disorderly or deficient. Resolved, unanimously, that the thanks of this Convention be given to the Rev'' M'. Com^" Dawson for his excellent Sermon & that he be desired to print the same. Resolved, Mnanimotisly, that only one person speak at a time & that he stand & address himself to the Com^ & the rest keep their seats. Resolved, that what the majority concludes upon, shall be binding upon every member. Resolved, unanimously, that an humble address be presented to his Majesty & that M^ Corny Dawson, M-". Mossom, W. Thacker, M^ Willie, M^ Stuart, M^ Mackay & M'. Dixon do prepare & bring in the same. Resolved, unanimously, that an humble address be presented to the Gov^ and that M". Com^ Dawson, M'. Thompson, M'. Scott, M'. Graham, M'. Doug- las, M"". White, M'. Mayre & M'. Davis do prepare & bring in the same. Resolved, 7inanimously, that an humble address be presented to the Bishop of London & that M^ Com*' Dawson, M''. Camm, M'. Warrington, M"". Tho^ Robinson. M^ Robertson, M'. Wilkinson & M^ Musgrave Dawson do prepare & bring in the same. Resolved, unanimously, that a scheme for the relief of poor Clero-y men's 4^9 LI754- widows & orphans be drawn up, & that M"", Com'' Dawson, M^ W" Robin- son, M"". Camm, M^ Davis, & M^ Warrington do prepare & bring in the same. Ordered, that the Convention adjourn till to-morrow at lo o'clk. THOMAS DAWSON, Com^ Thirsday, Ocf 31. 1754. The addresses prepared by the Committees above mentioned were pre- sented by M', Com^ Dawson & after some few amendments, were unan- imously agreed to, and ordered to be fairly transcribed and are as follows : TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. The humble Address of the Commissary and the Clergy of Virginia. Most Gracious Sovereign, We, your Majesty's most dutiful & Loyal Subjects, the Commissary & Clergy of your most Ancient Colony & Dominion of Virginia, in a general Convention now assembled, beg leave in the humblest manner to approach your Sacred throne, at this critical juncture when your territories in America are invaded by a foreign Power, & to tender you the strongest assurances of our strict & inviolable attachment to your Royal Person & Family, under the deepest sense of the great blessings, derived to us from your mild & wise administration. These open & daring attempts of the professed enemies of religious and Civil liberties have filled our hearts with the utmost horror & con- cern, & loudly call upon us to exert our endeavours to impress upon the minds of those committed to our charge, a lively sense of the dangers to which they are exposed, from the unjustifiable Incroachments of Popish & Arbitrary Power & also to animate them by all possible means to a just defence of those invaluable rights & privileges which are confirmed to them by the Protestant Succession in your Majesty's Royal & Illustrious house. We most gratefully acknowledge your Majesty's tender regard for our welfare in appointing a Governor so equal to & faithful in the discharge of the important trust reposed in him ; as well as in transmitting so season- 1 754-] 420 able a supply of money & arms ; Evident proofs that your paternal care is not confined to the British nation but extends Its benign influence to us your distant subjects. May the Almighty King of kings enable you to defeat the designs of a restless enemy, — preserve you the watchful Guardian of our properties & long continue your auspicious reign over us. TO THE HON'"'- ROB^ DINWIDDIE, ESQ^ His Majesty's Lieut. Gov^ Ss' Commander in Chief of the Colony cr' Dominion of Virgi?tia. Sir, We, his Majesty's most dutiful & Loyal subjects, the Commissary & Clergy of Virginia, assembled in convention, beg leave to express our sense of his Majesty's care of this Colony, in appointing your Honor to preside in this Colony. If we are late in doing this by reason of our not being called together sooner, we have thereby acquired an opportunity of adding our thanks to your Honor, for that confirmation which your laudible conduct, in quality of our Gov"^ has given to notions we had preconceived of you, from what we had frequently heard of your abilities. Resolution & Integrity in other stations. It is an uncommon pleasure to be able ourselves to observe in you, that ten- derness for the common interest, & sensibility to its Danger, which ever made you tiie first to perceive ; — the readiest to obviate, & the most indefatigable to repel the calamities which threaten the public. It is a still higher Gratifica- tion, to see your sense of things too enlarged to take up with the pursuit of single & detached articles of public utility & in that mistake, the Irregular advancement of some part for the good of the whole ; to find you now eager to amend our staples; — now Zealous to prevent the dreadful effects of Inva- sion ; — now heartily disposed to encourage Piety & Virtue; seeking your duty where alone it Is to be found, In the joint service of your people, your King & your God, any one of which services can be no more than specially pro- moted by him, whose views are too narrow & partial to comprehend them all. When we consider how cold many are in religion ; how tenacious of Lux- ury & Vice ; together with our condition of being exposed to the encroach- ments & ravages of an ambitious & cruel neighbour, we sink into melancholy 421 L^754- reflections, from which nothing can raise us, but the looking up to & behold- - ing, at the head of affairs a person, whom we hope designed by Providence, for the glorious labor of so critical a juncture, for making us happy by driving hostilities from our borders, & ejecting from every other part, Selfishness, Disaffection & Irreligion. May that extensive plan which your Honor acts upon meet with the success which it deser\'es ; — may the People Long & Gratefully enjoy the blessing of your administration ; may the King with pleasure remark, & with bounty reward your fidelity, & may the King of Kings finally crown you with that distinguished felicity, which his Holy Spirit hath thought proper to figure to us, by saying to the emphattically good Ser- vant, who had made the most of his charge, " have thou authority over ten Cities." To which address his Honour was pleased to return the following answer : M". CojiMissARY & Gentlemen of the Clergy of this Dominion, I return you my Sincere thanks for your very kind & affectionate address. If Vanity is at any time Justifiable, You give me a large Field to indulge it ; but as I am convinced from this address of your sincere regard for, & good opinion of my administration, it will have its proper effect in engaging me, with double diligence to discharge my duty to the best of Kings & the ser- vice of our Country. 1 shall take it kind if you will from your Pulpits incul- cate into the People, the great dangers we are exposed to, both as to our lives. Liberties, Estates — & what should be most dear to us, our Religion & endeav- our that in this time, of imminent danger they will with vigour & resolution assist me, in defeating the designs of our merciless enemies. Gentlemen, I am in Duty bound to support the Established Church & I desire to assure you my inclinations are very sanguine on that head & to shew the respect & esteem I have for the Clergy, 1 shall always be ready & willing to serve them. I further earnestly desire your Prayers, to the Throne of Grace for success to our army & the just cause we are engaged in to defeat the wicked machin- ations of the Enemies to our Liberties & Church. 1 754-1 422 TO THE RIGHT REV" FATHER IN GOD, THOMAS LORD BISHOP OF LONDON. The humble Address of the Commissary and Clergy of Virginia. May it please your Lordship, We his Majesty's most dutiful & Loyal Subjects the Clergy of Virginia in Convention should esteem ourselves justly chargeable with the highest ingrat- itude, did we neglect any occasion of expressing our deep sense of your Lordship's Services to the Church of Christ, your truly Episcopal care of your Clergy & particularly your generous regard for us who have the felicity to find ourselves a part, tho' it be one of the remotest parts, of your Diocese. To consider you. my Lord, as a writer, and by your judicious & Elegant Pen, one of the best supports of the Christian cause, which our Church affords, would open to us an ample field to expatiate in, did we judge it agreeable to your temper or the nature of this address to indulge an excursion on so de- lightful a topic. But we rather hope for your approbation in checking our desires on this subject & so far suppressing our admiration of other parts of your character, as not to let it detain us any longer, from what is more imme- diately our business, at this time, the making our acknowledgments for pe- culiar favours. We therefore most earnesdy thank you for the ardency you used, to have our worthy Commissary made one of his Majesty's Council of Virginia, thereby giving the Clergy of this Colony, a representative in one branch of the legislature & likewise a person zealous to protect the Church & preserve to us as far as he can, our just rights and privileges. With warm sentiments of gratitude we shall ever remember your condescension, & zeal in the case of our distressed Brother, the Rev*" W" Kay, thro' whose sides we were attacked & we take the liberty to desire that your Lordship will make our thanks acceptable to those eloquent and humane gentlemen of the Law, the Hon""^ W" Murray, Esq^ Rob' Henley & Jn". Thorpe, Esq^ who without fee or reward, generously & with pleasure we say it, most successfully pleaded the cause of the oppressed. May the Almighty Being grant that your Lord- ship may long fill that high sphere wherein you at present move, and conse- quently continue to the Clergy of your Diocese, the blessing of so strenuous a defender of their just privileges ; & to the Church of Christ in general so able an advocate. Resolved, that M'. Com'' Dawson be desired to transmit the addresses to 423 [1754- the King & the Bishop to his Lordship & to desire him to lay the address to the King before his Lordship in such a manner as he thinks proper. Resolved, that the Committee which prepared the address for his honor the Gov'' wait upon him & desire to know when & where he will please to re- ceive it. Resolved, that the said Committee prepare a petition for his honor the Governor concerning an order of Council, which excludes all clergymen from being in any commission of the peace; & that they acquaint his honor with this resolve & desire to know when & where he will receive it. M^ Commissary of the Committee for drawing up a Scheme for the relief of poor Clergymen's Widows & Orphans reported tliat they had come to sev- eral resolutions which were read & unanimously agreed to & are as follow. i^*. That every Clergyman whose widow or children can be benefitted by this Charity, shall at least annually subscribe a Pistole. 2°*^. That the Clergy now assembled in convention, appoint 6 Trustees to collect & receive the s*^ Subscriptions. 3''^, That a treasurer be appointed by the convention till April 4^'', 1756. 4*"^. That afterwards he be annually chosen by the majority of the Subscri- bers present. 5'^. That he give proper bond & security to the said meeting. &^. That the s'^ Trustees pay all the money by them collected or received upon ace' of this charity into the hands of the said treasurer as soon as they possibly can after such receipt or collection. 7'\ That the s'' Treasurer keep a fair and accurate ace' of all moneys by him rec^ or expended, in a book prepared for that purpose. S'*". That the said accounts be carefully examined & passed by the subscri- bers at their next meeting. g'*'. That at the Expiration of his office, the said Treasurer pay all the money in his hands to the succeeding treasurer. Io'^ That the Subscribers every third Saturday in April, meet at the Col- lege, the first meeting to commence in April, 1755. 11'^'^. That a person be appointed to Preach a Sermon suitable to the occa- sion every third Sunday in the April court. 1 2'^. That the present Convention appoint the first Preacher, & afterwards that he be annually appointed by the majority of the Subscribers present. 13"". That a committee be appointed to wait upon the Governor for his ap- probation. 1 754-] 424 14^^. That the Said trustees & treasurer make a collection at the doors of the church after the Preaching of every such Sermon. 15'''. That at every meeting, the disposal & regulation of this charity shall be in the Power of the majority of the Subscribers present. 1 6^. That the Explanation & Alteration of any of these articles, or the addition of New Ones, shall be in the Power of the majority of the Subscri- bers present. Resolved, that the said resolutions be subscribed to by every member pres- ent, which was accordingly done. Resolved, That M^ Com^ Dawson, M''. William Robinson, M^ John Camm, M^ W" Davis, M^ Tho' Warrington & M^ W"" Preston, be appointed the first Trustees. Resolved, that M'. Thacker be appointed the first treasurer. Resolved, That M^ Com^ Dawson, the Gov^ having given his approbation. be appointed the first Preacher. Ordered, That the Convention be adjourned till to-morrow at 8 o'clock. THO^ DAWSON, Commissary. Friday, Nov'' i, 1754. M^ Com^ Dawson reported that the persons appointed had according to order prepared a Petition to his honor the Gov"" & presented the same which was read & agreed to & is as follows. To the Honb''^ Rob^ Dinwiddle, Esq"^, his Majesty's Lieut. Gov'' and Com- mander in chief of this Colony — the Petition of the Commissary & Clergy in Convention humbly sheweth. Sir, Whereas we are credibly informed that there is an order of Council on record that no clergyman of this Colony should be admitted into the Commis- sion of the Peace & as we are humbly of opinion, this order reflects upon our body & has been so construed by many of the Laity & will really bear that construction, we therefore humbly hope that your honor will, in justice to our character be prevailed upon to use your interest with his Majesty's Council to have the said order reversed, that the Clergy may in this respect, be upon an equal footing with other his Majesty's subjects. INP. Com^ Dawson reported that the Committee had according to order 425 ['754. waited on the Gov'' to know his pleasure when the Clergy should attend him, with their address & Petition ; & that he was pleased to say he should be ready at lo o'clock this morning to receive them at his own house; accord- ingly M^ Com^ Dawson & the Clergy in a body waited upon him at the time appointed & presented their address to which he was pleased to return the Answer immediately following his address. M^ Com'' Dawson likewise pre- sented the petition, to which the Gov"' was pleased to return the following Ans': That he would use his utmost endeavours with the Council to have that order reversed. M^ Commissary & the Clergy being returned to the College, came to the following resolution: Resolved, that a Committee be appointed to prepare and draw up a true state of the Present condition of the Church here in Virginia, and that it con- sist of the following persons or any 7 of them, viz : M^ Com^ Dawson. M^ Stith, W. Camm. M^ W" Robinson, M^ Tho^ Robinson. M^ Willie, M'. Graham, M^ Warrington. M^ White, M^ Cole, & M^ Preston. Resolved, unanimously that the thanks of this Convention be given to M"". Com^ Dawson for his great zeal & courage in maintaining the Constitution of the Church of Engl*^ & the undoubted privileges of the Clergy. Then M^ Com'' asked whether the members had any thing more to propose, & it being their request to be dissolved, he accordingly dissolved them with the following exhortation: I cannot omit testifying the great satisfaction I have in seeing so many of my worthy & Rev*^ Brethren, convened on this occasion from distant parts of this Colony, to consult on the common concerns of religion & its established Pastors ; & the Prosperity & Exaltation of that sound branch of the Church of God, intrusted to our care and cultivation ; the chief motive I assure you of my calling you together at this time. I could indeed have wished that those members of our body who have absented themselves without any appa- rent cause, had either thought proper to attend in person, or to send such excuses as might have quitted tliem from any seeming disregard to their brethren in Convention assembled or to the important matters therein to be treated of. With particular pleasure have I noticed the order and harmony with which the present convention has been conducted. Such behaviour best becomes the ministers of the Gospel of Peace, & of that Church wherein the 1 754-] 426 Apostle commands that all thing be done with decency, & I needs must ac count it a particular happiness, that In the first convention since my appoint- ment, a considerable foundation has been laid for the support & comfort of the poor widows & children of our deceased brethren, an Establishment which must reflect a peculiar honor on the Clergy of Virginia ; as It is the first attempt of the kind in these parts, & affords a laudible example for other American Colonies to copy after. The marks of Particular esteem you have been pleased to express for me, demand my most cordial acknowledgments which I sincerely request you to accept & as my utmost diligence shall ever be employed. In discharging the weighty trust of Commissary of this dominion, according to the best dictates of my knowledge & conscience. So must I request the Prayers of you my brethren for that assistance of the Divine Spirit which alone can make our labours In the Ministry effectual. I shall now detain you no longer than once more to recommend you. In the words of the Apostle, to take heed to yourselves & the flock over which the Holy Ghost has appointed you overseers. And may God of His Infinite mercy grant that the whole course of our lives may be a faithful transcript & Pattern of the pure doctrines of Christianity to the edification of God's Church & the salvation of mankind. THO^ DAWSON, Cotmmssary. The Clergymen in Co?tvention subscribed the several sums an- nexed to their names ^ viz : Tho Dawson, 5 o David Mossom, i i Alex. Finnie, i i Chlchley Thacker, i i W™ Stith, 2 3 Dan' McDonald, i i ]n° Fox, 3 o W" Mackay, i i /, £ s. d. Rob' Dickson, 1 I 6 6 W" Webb, I I 6 5 Rob' Innes, I 10 6 Tho^ Warrington, I 6 6 Jn°. Smelt, I I 6 6 Musgrave Dawson, I I 6 Jn". Dixon, ■^ 3 6 Roscow Cole, I 6 42 7 [1755- £ s. d. £ s- d. George Fraser, I I 6 Ge°. Purdie, 2 3 o W" Willie, 2 3 o W" Davis, 6 Jn°. Thompson, 2 3 6 Alex. Cruden, 6 Rob' Yate, 1 I 6 Rob' IMcLaurin, 6 Tho^ Robinson, I 6 o Adam Menzies, 6 Jn°. Camm, 3 o o W" Douglas, 6 Ja' Scott, I II 3 Jn°. Brunskill, Jun', I 6 o Will" Robinson, 3 o o Ja' Fowlis, 6 W" Preston, I 6 o Tho^ Smith, 6 Mungo Marshall, I 6 Jn°. Navison, 6 Ja' Mayre, I I 6 Tho'^ Wilkinson, 2 3 o Alex. White, I 6 o Jn". Jones, I I 6 W» Yates, I I 6 Tho^ Bacon, of Mar^'land, i i 6 Jn». Reid, I ID o Will" Fife, 6 Jn°. Robertson, I I 6 Cha^ Green, 6 Arch" Campbell, I I 6 IVIyles Selden, 6 Rich" Graham, I I 6 Charles Rose, 6 W" Proctor, I I 6 Jn". Andrews, 6 Will" Stewart, I lO o .^76 lo 3 v^« Account of the meeting of the Trustees &f Subscribers., &c., according to the Scheme agreed upon at the last Con- vention. W. & M. College, April 26, 1755. Present, The Rev" M"". Commissary Dawson. Trustees, . W" Robinson, Camm, Sudseriders, ' W. W° Stith, The Rev"^ M'. Tho= Robinson, 1 M'. Rich" Graham, The Rev' ,a f M'. W \ M', Jn°. M', Tho^ Warrington, M'. W» Preston. M^ IVIusgrave Dawson, M'. Niles Selden, M'. John Andrews. I755-] 428 Resolved, that the Excuse made for the absence of the Rev'^ M^ Davis, a Trustee, is not sufficient. Resolved, that the Rev** M'. Musgrave Dawson be appointed a trustee in his room. Resolved, that this meeting be adjourned till Monday Morning at 7 o'clock. April 27. The Trustees, &c., went in a body to church. The Rev'' M^ Stith read prayers. The Rev'' M^ Com^ Dawson preached on 2 Kings, 4 c, i v. The Trustees collected at the Church ^32, 7s. 6d. April 28. Present as on Saturday last. Resolved, that the thanks of this Meeting be given to M'. Com^ Dawson for his Excellent Sermon. Resolved, that the Money collected at the Church & by subscriptions paid in, be lodged in the Hands of M"". Com'^ Dawson, till the Rev"* M^ Thacker come to Town, when it is to be delivered to him upon his giving proper bond & Security. Resolved, that M\ Thacker have the liberty to let the Money out at inter- est, he taking very good & sufficient security. Resolved, that the said Interest belong to the fund. Resolved^ that M'. President Stith be appointed the next preacher. Resolved, that an advertisement be drawn up, in which the design of the Fund is to be explained, the thanks of this meeting given to the generous con- tributors, & those subscribers who did not then pay in their subscriptions de- sired to do so forthwith. Resolved, that the thanks of this meeting be given to the Rev^ M"", Preston for his care & diligence in drawing up & transcribing their proceedings. THO^ DAWSON, Commis'. 429 [1755- A LIST of all the Counties, Parishes, and present Ministers of Virginia, June lO, 1755- COUNTIES. PARISHES. MINISTERS. Accomack, Accomack, Arthur Emersson. Albermarle, S^ Anne's, John Ramsay. Amelia, { Raleigh, Nottoway, John Brunskill. Jun^ Augaista, Augusta, John Jones. Brunswick, { S' Andrew's, Meherrin, George Purdie. John Navison. Bedford, Russel, f Drysdale, Rob* Innes. Caroline, \ S' Mary's, Musgrave Dawson. I S' Margaret's, Jn°. Brunskill, Sen^ Charles City, Westover, Peter Fontaine. Chesterfield. Dale, Geo. Eraser. Culpepper, 1 S"^ Thomas's, Mungo Marshall. Adam Menzies. Bromfield, Cumberland, Southam, Rob' Mac Laurin. Dinwiddle, Bath, Ja^ Pasteur. Elizabeth City, Hampton, W- Fife. Essex, ( South Farnham, Alex. Cruden. - S* Anne's, Jn". Smelt. Cameron, Jn°. Andrews. Fairfax, ■ Truro, Cha^ Green. Frederick. Frederick, John Gordon. r Petsworth, Rob' Yates. J Abington, W" Yates. Gloucester, Ware, John Fox. Kingston, John Dixon. Goochland, S^ Ja^ Northam. W" Douglas. Halifax, Antrim, Ja^ Foulis. Hampshire, Hampshire, { S' Paul's, Patrick Henry. Hanover, S' Martin's, Robert Barret. Henrico, Henrico, Miles Selden. James City, James City, Will'" Preston. I755-] 430 Isle of Wight, King George, King & Queen, King William, Lancaster, Louisa, Lunenburgh, Middlesex, Nansemond, New Kent, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, Orange, Princess Ann, Prince George, Prince Edward, Prince William, Richmond, Southampton, Spotsylvania, Surry, Sussex. Stafford, Warwick, Westmoreland, York, PARISHES. Newport, Brunswick, Hanover, S* Stephen's, Stratton major, S' John's, S' David's, Christ Chh, S* Mary, Whitechapel, Fredericksville, Cumberland, Christ Church, Chuckatuck, Suffolk, Blissland. S' Peter's, Elizabeth River, Hungar's, Wicocomoco, S' Stephen's, S' Mark's, Linhaven, Bristol, Martin's Brandon, Dettingen. Hamilton, Lunenburg, North Farnham, Nottoway, S* George's, Southwark, Albemarle, Overwharton, S* Paul's, Warwick, Washington. Cople, Charles, York-Hampton. Bruton, MINISTERS. Jn^ Reid. Dan' Macdonald. Wil^ Davis. Hancock Dunbar. Will™ Robinson. Jn°. Robertson. Alex^ White. David Currle. Ja^ Maury. Will- Kay. Bar'" Yates. W" Webb. Jn". Agnew. Chlchley Thacker. David Mossom. Charles Smith. Henry Barlow. Jn°. Leland. Tho^ Smith, Jn". Thompson. Rob' Dickson. Tho^ Wilkinson. Alex*^ FInnie. Ja^ Scott. John Brunskill. Joseph Simpson. W" Mackay. Tho^ Burgess. James Mayre. Peter Davis. Will- Wilhe. Jn". Moncure. W" Stuart. Arch" Campbell. Charles Rose. Tho* Warrington. Jn'^. Camm. Tho^ Dawson. 431 [1754- William & Mary College, President, Masters or Professors, ■{ William Stitli. Tho^ Dawson, Tho^ Robinson. Will"' Preston. Rich'* Graham. Jn°. Camm. M. DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. W". & Mary College, Nov"" 15, 1754. My Lord, I beg leave to acquaint your Lordship that by & with the advice & appro- bation of our worthy Governor I writ in August last a Circular letter to the Clergy of this Colony requiring their attendance at the College on Wednes- day, Oct. 30. On the Day appointed a great number of them met. But as the Journal of our proceedings (which I shall transmit to your Lordship as soon as my many engagements will permit), will give you a full account of every thing transacted in the Convention, I shall make no further mention of it at present, than what is just necessary ; & to assure your Lordship that the whole was carried on with such decency, order & regularity as gave universal satisfaction. It was unanimously agreed that we should address his Majesty the Governor, & your Lordship. The addresses to his Majesty and your Lord- ship I have enclosed, & the Convendon humbly desire that your Lordship would have that to his Majesty, presented in such a manner as shall to your Lordship seem most proper; & that you would likewise be pleased to give the address to your Lordship a kind & favorable reception. M^ Solicitor Paris is not taken notice of, because he sent in an account of up\vards of £^0, — which was immediately remitted him. The address to the Gov^ with his Honor's Ans'', is in the enclos'd Newspaper, to which I beg leave to refer you. He is, I assure your Lordship, a great friend to the Clergy, supports & adorns reli- I755-] 432 gion both by his authority & example, & always acts with an inflexible steadi- ness in the pursuit of such measures, as have a visible tendency to the good of Church & State. May he therefore long rule over us, & may all attempts against him ever prove vain & ineffectual. The general assembly of this Colony met the 1 7 of October, & have this time granted a supply of 20000 lbs. M'. Nivison is setded in Meherrin, a New Parish in the County of Bruns- wick ; M'. Agnew, in the room of M'. Mackenzie, deceased, in Suffolk, Nanse- mond ; M'. Wilkinson in the room of M'. Robertson, Deceased, in Bristol, Prince George ; M'. Jones in Augusta Parish, Augusta, a frontier County ; M'. Peter Davis in the room of M'. Hotchkis, in Southwark, Surry, & M'. Pasteur in Bath, Dinwiddle County, in the room of M'. Pow, Chaplain to his Majesty's Ship the Triton, Cap'. Whitwell, who is returned to Engl"" ; but an exact list of the Present incumbents, their parishes, &c., shall be transmitted to your Lordship together with the journal of the whole proceedings of the Convention, as soon as possible. M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. W". & Mary College, June lo, 1755. My Lord, In Nov"" last I gave your Lordship some acc^ of our Convention ; & at the same time enclosed the Clergy's addresses to his Majesty & your Lordship, which I hope were Graciously rec^. I now take the Liberty to send you an exact Journal of our proceedings, & as this was the first meeting of the Clergy In this Country in which a register was kept, & as none of us have had expe- rience in these matters, your Lordship will not be surprised, if you find us guilty of some errors ; tho' I can assure you that the whole was transacted with such decency & order as gave great satisfaction, & will, I am persuaded, have a good effect both upon the Clergy & laity. To the Journal I have added a list of the subscribers to the Charity-scheme for the reUef of Clergy- men's Widows & Orphans, a short ace' of our first meeting, & also a list of the Counties, Parishes, & Present Ministers of the Country. I humbly beg 433 [1755- leave to recommend the Bearer, M''. Josp'' Davenport, to your Lordship for holy orders. He was educated In this College & I assure your Lordship from my personal knowledge, behaved well from first to last. He has also been a tutor in a private family about 2 years, where by his prudent & regular behav- iour, he gave entire satisfaction, as has been certified to me by the worthy gen- tlemen that employ him, & M'. Dixon, the Minister of the Parish. I believe in my conscience he is qualified for that office, to which he desires to be admitted. Warwick Parish in the County of Warwick is vacant by the death of M^ Cole; Russell in Bedford, & Hampshire in Hampshire, 2 New Counties & Parishes, have not as yet been supplied. To one of these livings or any other Benefice not filled up at his return, the Governor (with whose approbation I recommend him), will present him, & he will meet with a kind reception, for the Gentle- men of this Country are particularly fond of Clergymen born & bred here ; and indeed with good reason, for the Parishes have been supplied from our College with better Ministers (all of them being well reported of), than usu- ally come from abroad, M"". Davenport was born Feb, 21, 173°, as appears from the register in my possession, for he is a native of this Parish, where his Father has been many years Clerk to the Court of Hustings & Writing Mas- ter to this College. I most humbly beseech your Lordship's favor & protec- tion to the Virginia Church & Clergy ; & when your health & many important engagements will permit you to honor me with any instructions, I shall with pleasure receive & with fidelity' execute them, & in the mean time I shall exert my honest tho' weak endeavors to promote the good of this Church, and the Salvation of Mankind. The unjustifiable invasions & encroachments of the French, engage at present all our attention, but I hope that by his Majesty's great goodness, in sending us such a supply of Men, Arms & Ammunition, we shall defeat their designs & Establish the peace & safety of our Country upon the most permanent foundation. I most humbly crave your Lordship's Fatherly Benediction & that it may please God to stretch out your life very far beyond the usual span for the public good Is the sincere wish & hearty prayer of. My Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged & most dutiful servant, THO^ DAWSON. 1 755-] 434 The Clergy of Virginia to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, Nov'' 29, 1755. May it please your Lordship, We whose names are underwritten being Clergymen in the Colony of Virginia, beg leave to complain to your Lordship of a bill, which has passed both the Houses of Assembly here & obtained his Honor, the Governor's assent, which notwithstanding such great & respectable authorities, we appre- hend to be too glaringly inconsistent with natural equity, the Rights of the Clergy, the common Liberty of the subject & his Royal Majesty's Prerogative, to be spoken of without detestation. We have sent herewith a Copy of the Law concerning the Clergy, which has the Royal assent, & also a copy of the Bill passed in contradiction to it, which is the subject of the present animad- versions, that by comparing them together, your Lordship may be able to Judge of the justness of what we have to allege against die latter. We have hitherto received our dues in kind, as the Law prescribes ; not a certain part of the produce in the way of tithes, but one unvariable quantity of tobacco, viz : 1 6,000 lbs. Had we been allowed such a portion of the produce, The quantity to be received, would always have corresponded with the price, so as that when the crop was large & the price small, we should have been entitled to the more in quantity, & vice versa ; & then there would have been less temptation to such a bill as this ; but under the present settlement, as in plentiful years when the price was ever so low, we could have no more tobac- co, so in scarce years when the price rises, it is but just & reasonable that we should have no less, nor (which is the same), be obliged to take it in money at a rate much under the market. Yet it is this just & reasonable thing which the Bill above-mentioned is designed to obviate, & that in such a manner as will draw on the ruin of the Established Church. For what Clergyman can it be expected will come hither from Great Britain, or who will here design their sons for holy Orders, when the Clergy- shall not be paid in one certain commodity, but in Tobacco or Money or something else, as any of, them shall happen to be the least profitable ; when they shall have a maintenance, not only small at the best but instable & fluctuating; & when they shall be liable to have it debated every session of Assembly, whether they shall be supported in a penurious manner or starved outright. We must be so just however as 435 [1755- to own. that the people here are not hke to be long without instructors, be- cause certain Dissenting teachers amongst us cannot but be thought ready & eager enough to succeed the Established Clergy, since they do already not only venture into vacant Pulpits, but steal into others also in the absence of their proper owners. The next observable thing in the Bill is, that the To- bacco for which it proposes to give us money at an under rate, was actually become due before the passing of the Bill, tho' it be not payable till 6 months hence, that there may be time for curing & carrying it to the Houses of In- spection, And if the Assembly here, can diminish the value of a debt already become due, the consequence as it appears to us must needs be, that there can be no property, but what will depend upon their good pleasure. For we see no reason why they may not, if they so think fit, deprive the subject of what be- longs to him in one case as well as another ; why they may not oblige him to take half the money due to him on any account whatever, instead of the whole, as well as money for his tobacco at half price. And that some such thing may be done in relation to Money debts is not purely imaginary, for there has been of late much talk here of bringing in a bill for preventing Writs from being served & hindering all creditors from Sueing for a time lim- ited. However this may be, we cannot but look upon the power of raising or lowering a debt already due, as more suitable to the Spirit ol an absolute Monarchy, than of a free govern' ; of France, than of Britain. It is further remarkable In the Bill, that It Is drawn In opposition to a law, which has the King's assent, & is expected to operate, more strongly for a time without it, than the law can do with it, which if it can do, we have In vain lodged any confidence in the King's Prerogative ; since it may be in this manner perpet- ually defeated, robbed of all effect & rendered a mere shadow. We beg your Lordship's patience while we add a word or two on all that has come to our knowledge in defence of the Bill. It is affirmed to be a charitable Bill ; inas- much as many poor people who have not this year raised tobacco enough to pay their dues will be thereby relieved. Here we question much the matter of fact, viz : that there are many such poor people who have not raised To- bacco this year sufficient to enable them to discharge the public dues, we knowing of few or none such in the several Counties wherein we the subscri- bers reside. But admitting the worst that it were true, that an act of Provi- dence had rendered several poor people fit objects of charity, could they not have been relieved by a brief or by some other proper method ? Is it neces- 1 755-] 436 sary or expedient for their sakes to encroach upon private property, tear up foundations & establishments & disorder all the wheels of Gov' ? We observe further that the 16,000 lbs. of Tobacco due to each Minister of a Parish, as his annual income, are always levied in such a manner that every rich man pays towards it, so much a head for himself, the male persons in his family, the Black Males and Females in his Possession above 1 6 years of age ; while the Poor man only pays the same sum a head for himself, the white males in his family, & a Slave or two if he has any ; so that the Benefitted by this Bill, so far as it relates to what we lose, will not be profited in proportion to their poverty, but exactly in proportion to their riches ; men of large possessions in lands & slaves being the only considerable gainers. Could not a distinc- tion have been made in favor of the poor ? Can it seem to us any other than a very odd contrivance, to be called a charitable one, which will not suffer us to give a penny to an indigent person without compelling us at the same time to bestow a shilling on his wealthy neighbour? When it is recommended to us as piece of charity to acquiesce under such a bill ; the veil appears so very thin, that we reckon it no breach of that virtue in us, to look upon the pre- tended motive of charity in no other light than as a merely pretended motive. Had a contribution or any other equitable scheme been set afoot; or had it been desired of the Clergy to remit part of their dues to such as they knew to be real objects of charity, we hope they would have been as ready to pro- mote any reasonable donation to the utmost of their abilities as any other part of the community. It has been said that other people concerned in the Bill are easy under it, and why should not the Clergy ? to which we reply, that others have different ways of gain, & if they lose by the Bill one way, they may gain in another, or if they lose themselves their relations may have an answerable profit, whereas the Clergy are confined by their office and circumstances to one way of sub- sistence, & hardly any of them have relations who can be much profited by their distress, and therefore their case being peculiar, others cannot be fairly proposed in this point as an example for them to follow. The Gentlemen of this Colony have at present high notions of the advan- tage that will accrue to them by making Indigo ; For which reason we have been asked if we expected still to be paid in Tobacco, when the chief part of the slaves & labourers shall be employed in Indigo & by that means the quan- tity of Tobacco be much reduced & its price proportionally advanced ; to 437 [1755- which we only say that we hope we shall not receive our dues in anything but tobacco, till his most Gracious Majesty's assent shall bs obtained for repealing a law to which that assent has been given, nor would it, we humbly presume, be any great hardship to the community if the value of our revenues by any accident should happen to be augmented, especially when the community would be equal, nay much greater gainers by the supposed accident. Some of us who have been willing to farm out our incomes, have not been able to get ^80 sterl. a year for them, one year with another. And was it duly con- sidered that the nature of our parishes, obliges us to maintain horses & some- times (for want of Health in an Hot Climate to bear the necessary riding), to keep chaises ; that all our wearing apparel & other necessaries coming from Engl'^ must be much dearer to us than they are where they are made ; that our liquors & provisions which we cannot have from a market in small por- tions, as we want them, must cost much more than such things do In Britain ; that we can see no Books, but what we buy with our money at an advanced rate; we say were these & many other particulars, too many to be rehearsed, duly weighed, a Virginia Rector would perhaps be found on scarce so good a footing as a Curate with ^40 a year in most parts of EngP. And where then would be the mighty harm or the vast unreasonableness of the thing, if his situation in life should happen to be a little mended. It has been asserted in relation to our depending on the Law, which has the Royal assent, that there have been two Instances already wherein the Assembly has contradicted it by subsequent Bills, In one of these the ministers solicited the change ; in the other, the minister was content with what was done. In both instances, the Parishes never make any Tobacco & the money In lieu of it, is settled at a stated price forever. These instances we take to be essentially different from what we complain of; wherein a change Is imposed upon the whole reluctant clergy for 10 months just to deprive them for a single year of what belongs to them, by a law that has had the confirmation of the King's assent; & to introduce a Power of depriving them In like manner for the future, as often as It shall be deemed worth while by the deprlvors. We now submit all to your Lordship's Judgment, & if you shall be of opinion, that we are not mis- taken In what we have said and argued above ; we most humbly supplicate your assistance ; that you will intercede with his most gracious Majesty In our favor. We, a few poor private clergymen in an obscure part of the world (between whom & your Lordship, your venerable station & the abilities with 1 755-] 438 which you so eminently adorn it, create so vast a distance), would not, your Lordship must needs think, have ventured on this application ; had we not without it, esteemed our afiairs desperate. The Bill like a thing of an ordi- nary nature, having been huddled over in a day or two, had passed both the houses before any of the Clergy, almost, were apprised that any such thing was in agitation ; 2 or 3 of them who happened to be in the way, waited on his Honor the Gov' interceding him to withhold his assent, which request, they had the mortification to find, refused without receiving any satisfactory rea- sons for such refusal, or hearing anything indeed from his Honor but what (we are sorry to say it), served only to discover a weak & unseasonable tim- idity. In this situation, what had we left, but to throw ourselves on your Lord- ship's Patronage & Clemency, most earnestly begging your benevolent inter- cession with his most gracious & Sacred Majesty to interpose in behalf of the sinking clergy, in behalf of his other subjects in this Colony & in behalf of his own prerogative. The rights of all which, in other cases in general as well as this, will be found to be strictly connected and harmoniously interwoven with each other. We make no doubt of being condemned by many here, as guilty of great presumption, when it shall come to be known that we have dared to seek for shelter against the heat & severity of the Climate, under the umbrage of a person of your Lordship's consideration & interest. Any ap- prehensions of this kind have had the less force to deter us from our enter- prise, because it is our firm persuasion, that so remarkably learned judicious & pious a Prelate as your Lordship will not neglect us on account of our dis- tance ; that we do not cease to be British subjects by being members of a Colony ; & that it ought to give us a more affecting pleasure to view ourselves in that larger than in this smaller capacity. None, we are of opinion in America, can be better affected than we are to the present establishment in Church & State, to the present most illustrious Royal family, on whose pros- perity so visibly rests the felicity of the wliole British community into whatso- ever regions extended. We are hearty & zealous friends to the dependance of the Colonies on their mother Country ; not only because observance & obedience are their duty, in return for their Birth & Support; not only be- cause at this juncture, the very means of their subsistence, must be princi- pally derived from the same Glorious nation, to which they owe their original, but also because it is our most deliberate Judgment that the Power of the greatest King on Earth & his most Honorable Privy Council (who Educated 439 [1755- & Practised in affairs of Gov''), dwell in the seats of Learning & Liberty & are the grand Props & Supports thereof, must always be a better security to private property, than could be found in the Sole, uncontrouled, unassisted power of any assembly on this continent. These sentiments we are not ashamed to stand or fall by on all occasions. Our duty to our King & the British Nation exact them of us. We are ready to profess and to inculcate them; whatever pain & disturbance it may give to any, who mistake their true interest by affecting a vain Grandeur which belongs not to their Sphere, whatever odium we may incur thereby from any persons of Narrow Notions. In this time of extreme danger to the Colonies, we decline no Taxes to the extent of our abilities, which may be fairly laid upon us in common with our brethren of the laity. We neither expect nor desire the indulgence & ex- emption which Dissenting Teachers enjoy in the Northward Colonies. We endeavour all we can to promote in others the like disposition to bear with cheerfulness whatever burdens the times & the circumstances of things render eligible. Slighting the displeasure which may be raised against us on this ac- count by murmuring spirits, some of which there will be in every society, who feelingly consider what they Pay, but are glad to shut their eyes for fear they should so much as see the clear & unavoidable necessity of such payment. We are conscious that this application to your Lordship will want an Orna- ment & a Sanction of a principal kind in not having to it the name of your Hon*"'^ & Rev*^ Commissary, who was against this Bill & is, we believe, heartily concerned, that it met not with a more prevailing opposition than it has rec*^. The reason of our not having him at our head, & many other clergymen to join us, is, that this must have been a work of time considering how we are dispersed from one another, & we w^ere determined to give your Lordship the most early notice possible of what has happened ; because if on your gener- ous intercession his most Gracious Majesty should dislike the Bill which we judge to be so injurious, that dislike may be published here before the end of May next, which would save us the painful necessity & certain trouble of en- deavouring to recover our Dues by Law Suits, before Courts which will be composed of those very men who, we Imagine, have prejudiced our cause in agreeing to the bill or of Persons under their influence, or at least interested in the issue of the dispute, nor will the Commissary & the rest of the Clergy in Convention, or otherwise, be precluded by any thing we have done, from sending you a better state of the affair at their more leisure. As we have 1756.] 440 acted under a full persuasion, that the nature of our case required us to study dispatch more than anything else, the more boldly we solicit, that any inaccu- racies or errors of any kind which we have been unwarily guilty of, may meet with your pardon, in hope of which & your Lordship's commisseration, heartily praying- to the Supreme Being for your health & happiness, we take the liberty to Subscribe ourselves, Your Lordship's most dutiful Sons & Servants, John Camm, William Preston, Thomas Robinson, RiCH° Graham, W" Robinson, Alex'' White, Chichley Thacker, Tho' Warrington. rhe Clergy of Virginia to the BISHOP of LONDON. Virginia, Feb. 25, 1756. May it please your Lordship, We the subscribers being of the" Established Clergy in the Colony of Vir- ginia, humbly beg leave to represent to your Lordship the great hardships we at present lye under by an act of our legislature, past here in Nov'' last (a copy of which is enclosed), which we humbly conceive is a breaking in upon our establishment, an insult upon the Royal Prerogative & contrary to the liberty of the subject, as well as to natural Justice & Equity. This, may it please your Lordship, is a heavy charge ; but yet, if upon a true & candid representation of the case, your Lordship shall think as we do, we hope for your interest & intercession at the proper board to have this law, so far as it affects us, your Lordship's clergy, repealed. That your Lordship may be sensible of the hardships we complain of, be pleased to consider, that there ever has been a standing Law in this Colony & which has lately rec*" the Royal assent " that every beneficed Minister of the Chh of EngP shall receive an annual Salary of 1 6,000 lbs of Tobacco, paid 441 [1755- by the respective Parishioners, but this last year, because small Crops of Tobacco were made & a high price consequently expected ; our legislature in a new & unprecedented manner, have altered the law confirmed by the sanction of royal assent, so far as to make it optional in the people, to pay either Money or Tobacco ; & which is still a greater hardship upon us, they have valued our Tobacco at an under rate, viz: at 2d per lb., when the market is generally expected to be -^d if not \d per lb. (of this Currency which is at least 25 per cent worse than Sterl^ & sometimes more). When the market is low, which has been generally the case from 1724 till now, the Clergy are obliged to rest satisfied with what they can get for their Salaries which are but too Scanty at best, we therefore hope that your Lordship will think with us, that we ought in justice to have the benefit of the rising market, but when your Lordship is pleased to consider that this option law has a retrospect & deprives us of a property earnt & due before it was a law, your Lordship will think our case still more Pitiable. And that your Lordship maybe satisfied of this Retrospect in the Law complained of, we beg your patience while we inform you, that the Vestries (who have the Power by Law to Levy the Clergy's Salaries) take care not to Levy any Tobacco for their Parish Minister till it is due {i. e.) suppose we are rec'' into a Parish (for Institution & Induction we have none), in the fall, when the Parish Levy is laid by Law; The Vestries Levy no Tobacco for us till that time 1 2 Months & the Tobacco then Levied is not demandable by Law till the last of May following & perhaps not rec'^ for some months after that, so that at our first setting out in the world, in low circumstances, we are obliged to labor in our extensive Parishes (some of which are 100, many 60 & 70, & the common extent of them 30 & 40 Miles in length), in extremeties of Weather both hot & cold for a year & a half at least & sometimes longer before we receive our Salaries ; by which time many of us are obliged to run so much in debt that we can hardly ever after retrieve our circumstances & all this time the Law we complain of has a retro- spect & deprives us of a property due by Virtue of a former law & a law too that has had the royal assent & pursuant to his Majesty's instructions to the Gov"" cannot be altered or any other enacted in its place, without a suspending clause, till his Majesty's pleasure is known (one of which instructions is, as we are assured, not to pass or materially to alter any Law, in contradiction to one that has obtained the Royal assent for a year 81 a day ; or till such time' as his Majesty's pleasure shall be known). Our legislature were so sensible that 1 755-] 442 their option Law is contrary to Royal Prerogative & Instruction & withal so apprehensive were they that it would be repealed, so soon as it was known at home; that to make sure work of it, they enacted it to be in force for 10 months only, which was long enough for their purpose, as all Tobacco Payments would be over in that time ; & yet a repeal could not be obtained. This may it please your Lordship is a true state of the case, & one would think that there must needs be some extraordinary reasons for passing so extraordinary a Law, yet when your Lordship is pleased to consider these reasons, they are such as will by no means, justify the conduct of the legislators, for in the i^"^ Place, the small quantity of Tobacco made (which seems to be their main argument), will by no means do it, for small Crops of Tobacco are so far from being a loss to the Country that in the opinion of the most discerning Judges, they are an advantage to it. To explain this to your Lordship, we beg leave to observe, that by reason of the great quantity of Tobacco commonly made, the Market is Over-stockt; & the low prices given are hardly able to support the Planters. But if there was less made, the market would rise in propor- tion & the Planter would get as much for his small quantity, as he at any time would, for his greater. This our legislature are so well aware of, that they have made several attempts to lessen the quantity of Tobacco, by a Stint law & now when Providence has made a stint to their hands by an uncommon Drought in the Summer & a Frost early in the fall, it is very hard that the Clergy should be denied the benefit of it. The next reason given for passing the law is, to prevent frauds & impositions in Collectors. But we humbly apprehend, that this law now complained of, will be so far from answering this pretended good end, that it will open a door to greater frauds & impositions than any Law ever yet did, for as it leaves it to the option of the Payer, to pay either Money or Tobacco, the collector will be sure to make his advantage by it & pay to public Creditors what best suits his interest which in such a multitude of Payers, he may safely do without the least risk of being detected. Another Scheme our Legislators fell upon, to make their option law go down & to gloss over the injury intended by it to our establishment, was to tack our Salaries to placemen's fees, for if your Lordship pleases to observe, they do not strike at us directly & separately, but coverdy, & in conjunction with Secretaries, Clerks, Sheriffs & other Tobacco Creditors. 'Tis very true. May it please your Lordship, that all Tobacco Creditors are sufferers by this law, but none so much as the Clergy ; as our all depends upon it & the retrospect 443 [1755- of the Law affects us much more, than It does any other Tobacco Creditors. But the most material thing In our favor is, that our Salaries have had the Royal assent and therefore cannot be taken from us or diminished in any respect, by any Law made here without trampling upon the Royal Prerogative, & surely there is a vast difference between the established clergy's livings, secured to us by Royal Sanction, & placemen's fees, which never had that Sanction, but are temporary & variable & discretionary In the legislature ac- cording to the exigence of the Country. In the last place, the law is colored over with charity & compassion to the poor. If this was really the design of the law, we beg leave to answer your Lordship that none are more ready & willing to promote charitable designs, than the Clergy are here according to our abilities. But if the more obvious designs of the Law should appear to be a saving & self-interest to the rich & great, we hope the law will be stript of this disguise & view'd In its proper Colors, & that this is really the Case, will we doubt not appear to your Lordship when you are pleased to consider that all our public dues are paid in Tobacco at a certain proportion for every titheable (taxable), person (taxable persons are all white males above i6 years of age & all negroes both male & female of that age). Now It Is mani- fest, that the rich man who pays for Instance for lOO tithables (& some have several Hundreds), must save loo times as much by the law as the Poor man who has but one titheable & many none at all. There is no Charity therefore in the law, unless It be that Charity which of all others may most truly & properly be said to begin at home, at the Legislator's own home. Had the Law had a respect to the poor & them only, the Clergy would have cheerfully acquiesced In it, but we think It hard that the whole Burden should be laid upon us ; nay, that near half a Salary should be taken from us by law & dis- tributed among the rich & the great (which Is really the case here), & not among the Poor. These are the plausible reasons given for passing this act & we must submit it to your Lordship whether or not they will justify our Legislature in what they have done. As in our humble opinion the rights of the King & Church are struck at, we the establlsh'd Clergy who think our- selves Intrusted with the Patrimony of the Church reckon it our indispenslble duty to acquaint your Lordship with this encroachment & all we desire Is to have the free use & disposal of our properties & to hold our livings (small as they are), Independant of those who have hitherto shewn us no good will. If It should after all be objected to the justness of our complaint, that other 1 755-] 444 Tobacco creditors are sufferers as well as we, & yet they acquiesce under the law complained of; we ans' that the reason why they do not complain is, because their fees are entirely discretionary in the Legislature, who would surely have docked them had they not acquiesced. The Salaries we ought to receive next June, pursuant to a former Law were due before the law we now complain of was made, & were we to receive them in due course we believe upon the best computation, we should not receive the lo'*' part of the Tobacco made this year even where the Crops are smallest, nor the 20*'' part take the Crops upon an average all over the Country ; & in other years one with another, not the 50*'^ part of what is commonly made. Our being deprived of the benefit of this rising market, will still keep us in debt & so in a dependant State, a thing much aimed at by the great men of this Country & not only so, but it will sink our Credit with our Mother Country, by putting it out of our power to ship home our Tobacco, towards discharging our debts already con- tracted in Great Britain, 81 for importing from thence many necessaries of life, which consequently we must buy here at a high advance, at least double the first cost. There is no doubt but those leading gentlemen of the Legislature, who were principally concerned in passing this act, will or have already sent home some justification of their conduct, & may Possibly represent both it & us in a light neither deserves. If it should be so, as we are a poor helpless set of men. we have nothing to rely upon but the justice of our cause & your Lordship's favor & protection, which we implore only upon condition, that it shall appear to your Lordship that we are ill used & have reason to complain; which surely is the case, so long as we are subjected to such laws as make property precarious & while the legislature assume a power to take from us by one Law what they gave us by another as is notoriously our case & which your Lordship may be satisfied of, by comparing the Clergy Law of 1748 which then had the Sanction of the Royal assent, with this option Law of 1755 which we hope never will obtain that Sanction. 'Tis with great concern that we are obliged to take this opportunity to acquaint your Lordship that the established Church & Clergy are upon a very precarious footing in this Colony, but tho' often ill used yet they have never been totally deserted by every branch of the legislature till now. And since in this our unhappy situation at present we have the more need of a friend at court & we humbly think, that we cannot apply so properly to any friend as to your Lordship our worthy Diocesan & as we have already experienced your Lordship's goodness in 445 [1755- supporting our cause, when we were attacked in our title, by one great man. in the case of the late M^ Kay, we flatter ourselves that we shall have the continuance of your favor & protection, when we are now struck at in our properties by the whole legislative body of this Dominion; who, we must say it, have distinguished themselves in their mal-treatment of the Clergy. For Virginia & Maryland, are the only 2 Gov^ where Tobacco is the staple & where the Clergy are paid in that commodity, & tho' there are as short crops made there as here & tho' the Maryland Clergy receive yearly, near twice as much Tobacco as we do in Virginia, yet there is no Option Law in that Gov' nor any attempt made to Subvert their Establishment. As we are the most numerous Clergy of any one of his Majesty's Colonies & have done Nothing to forfiet the protection of the legislature, 'tis very hard that we should be sing"led out & made the only sufferers. Were we not apprehensive that we have already trespassed upon your Lordship's patience we could set forth sundry other pernicious consequences of this Law, particularly how prejudicial to religion & the propogation of the Gospel in this part of the world, such treatment of the Clergy must be ; for surely It cannot but discourage us In the discharge of our Ministerial duty & in a great measure defeat our power of doing good among our people who are but too apt to follow the example of their superiors in treating the Clergy with scorn & contempt. It must also have a threatening aspect upon all useful seminaries of Learning particularly the College of Will" & Mary In this Colony, founded by Royal Charter, in which Seminary our youth are educated In several useful branches of learning & some trained up for the ministry. For in our opinion no man will give his Son a liberal education or bring him up for the Ministry under such discourag- ing circumstances, & no Clergyman of worth & learning will ever come from Britain to settle here, where he will be so far from meeting with due protec- tion, that he runs the risk of being denied the rights & privileges of a free born subject. We also humbly conceive that the making such a law especially at this time, Is highly impolitic in a Church of Engl'^ Legislature. For of late. Dissenters of several denominations have settled here and are gaining ground among us, who make it their business not only to divide our Church & seduce the unwary from our communion, but miss no opportunity of raising their own reputation upon the ruin of that of the established clergy. Here then is the best opportunity for them to exult & triumph. And now to con- clude this long Epistle, we beg leave to assure your Lordship, that the whole 1756.] 446 body of the Clergy of this dominion, unanimously lay to heart the grievances we complain of & the reason why so few names are subscribed to this, is chiefly owing to the great distance between our respective habitations & be- cause your Lordship's Commissary judged it unadvisable to call a convention of the Clergy; but withal assured us that he would heartily espouse our cause & Second our addresses to your Lordship, & as he thinks that private repre- sentations will better ans"" our purpose, we have no other method left but to form ourselves into small Brotherhoods & in this way to sue for redress. So throwing ourselves & our cause on your Lordship's favor & protection & in hopes that your Lordship will use you interest with his Majesty & the Ministry that the evils we complain of may be redress'd & such relief afforded to your Lordship's suffering Clergy as his Majesty in his great wisdom & goodness shall think fit, we beg leave to subscribe ourselves, May it please your Lordship, Your Lordship's most dutiful & obd* Sons & Servants, JN". Brunskill, Sen'', in the 40*" year of my Ministry. Hen" Dunbar, in the 30'" year of my Ministry. Patrick Henry, in the 24*'' year of my Ministry' here. Alex. White, in the 11'" year of my Ministry. Jn°. Robertson, in the 1 1'*" year of my Ministry. Alex. Finnie, in the 31^"^ year of my Ministry in the Country. Tho' Wilkinson, in the 3'^ year of my Ministry, Peter David, in the 5* year of my Ministry. Jn". Barclay, W" Willie, in the 18'^ year of my Ministry. M\ DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON- W" & Mary College, Feb^ 25, 1756. My Lord, I humbly beg leave to acquaint your Lordship, that the Gov" & Visitors of this College, have unanimously, elected me President, in the room of the 447 [1756. Rev** M^ Stith. who departed this hfe Sepf 19, & was on the Sunday following decently interr'd, They have also added 50^ Sterl^ per annum, to the Salary, which proceeding I hope will meet with the approbation of your Lordship our most Reverend Chancellor. In Nov"" last the inclosed act, Entitled "An act to enable the inhabitants of this Colony to discharge their Tobacco debts in money for the present year" was enacted here, of which had it been in my Power I should have given your Lordship immediate notice, but this is the very first opportunity that has offered ; for none of our Ships, at least that I could hear of, bound for the Port of London, have sailed since that time. When it passed the House of Burgesses, a few of the Clergy then in Town desired me to oppose it, when brought to the upper house, arguing very justly, that this was not only break- ing in upon their establishment, but also as their incomes had been for many years very mean & inconsiderable on ace' of the low price of Tobacco, it would be very hard & injurious, now there was a prospect of advantage that they should be deprived of it. I accordingly opposed it & endeavoured either to have the Bill totally rejected, or at least that it should be committed for amendments, intending to propose that the words Parish Levies Should be Struck out, but it was carried by a large majority. Our Worthy Gov'' a true friend to the Clergy & Zealous to support them in their rights & privileges, was greatly concerned that a Bill so disagreeable to him. contrary to his in- structions & interfering with a law conformed by his Majesty, had passed, & would in a few days be presented to him for his assent. & was indeed in doubt for some time whether to pass or reject it. In this dilemna he consulted the Speaker & likewise advised with his Majesty's Council: the former assured him that the rejecting of it would inflame the Country both against him & the Clergy : the opinion of the latter I have enclosed. Was the scarcity of Tobacco indeed very great, & was the Law really framed for the benefit of the Poor & Needy as the Preamble of the Bill would insinuate, every pious & humane clergyman would undoubtedly acquiesce. But give me leave to observe, that this Law is calculated rather for the benefit & advantage of the rich than the poor. For the poor & the middle sort of People, generally pay their levies very early, & in Tobacco of their own Produce, but the Rich are always very late in discharging their dues, endeav- ouring either to do it in money, or waiting till they can Purchase public trans- fer, or other mean Tobacco, thinking their own too good & valuable for the 1756.] 448 Clergy or any other officers. The price tixed is undoubtedly better than the Clergy in general have commonly rec** : But their breaking in upon the Law in 1748 is what I most apprehend, for tho' our worthy Gov'' would do every thing in his Power for the benefit of the Clergy & many of the Council are well affected, yet we have nothing better I am afraid to expect from the house of Burgesses than our present provision ; we should therefore, it is thought, be very cautious how we part with our right or give up our present establish- ment, & tho' many faults 'may be justly found with the law in 1748 yet a better is hardly now to be expected, & if they are suffered once to break in upon it, we know not what lengths they may attempt to go. Considering the new act In this light, I must submit it to your Lordship whether it ought to be repealed by proclamation or not & tho' it may seem too late, as the act is only to continue in force for the space of 10 months ; yet that {or an in- struction to the Gov"" to Support the Rights of the Clergy), may make the House of Burgesses, more cautious for the future, how they present Bills to the Gov"^ interfering with those that have had the Royal assent, at least with- out a Suspending Clause. But whatever is you Lordship's opinion In this matter, I most humbly beg that you would be pleased to favor me with It, for tho' I should be very sorry to make any unreasonable opposition or unjustly complain of the legislature of the Country, yet I think it my duty to endeav- our to support the Clergy, in their rights & privileges: the station your Lord- ship has placed me in requires It of me. Some of our body were Zealous to have a convention immediately in order to make a public representation to your Lordship, but as I was always a lover of peace & quietness, I judged this private report the more eligible way. Many of the Clergy 1 am informed are determined to refuse Money & demand Tobacco, which if not paid they are resolved to stand suit, under the old act with their respective vestries. This I hope will be another induce- ment, to your Lordship to favor me with your sentiments as soon as possible as it may be a means of preventing Law suits & preserving peace & quiet- ness for I am persuaded that both Clergy & Laity, will pay the greatest deference to your Lordship's opinion. The same reason that prevented my writing sooner ; likewise prevented the Gov''' transmitting to the Board of trade, &c., this & the other acts past last session ; so that your Lordship will receive this letter, full as soon as they receive the acts themselves, I am. My Lord, your Lordship's most dutiful, most obIiged,& faithful Servant, THO^ DAWSON. 449 [1757- At a COUNCIL held April 21 si, 1757. Present, — The Gov'. W'" Fairfax, Peter Randolph, ]n\ Blair, Rich"' Corbin, W™ Nelson, Philip Ludwell. Esq^ Tho^ Nelson. M^ Commissary, Philip Grj'mes, Jn". Taylor, Esq^ Upon reading this day a Complaint, made by the Vestry of Hamilton Parish in Prince W" County against the Rev'' M^ Jn". Brunskill, for divers im- moralities such as profane Swearing, Drunkenness & immodest actions, it was the advice of the Council & accordingly Ordered, That the S'' Complaint be heard the 3"^ Thursday in May next & that the Clerk write & give notice thereof to the said Brunskill & require his appear- ance before the Gov^ in Council at that time & send him blank Summons for such witnesses, as he shall think necessary to testify in his behalf & also write to the Church-wardens, requiring their attendance at the same time & that they admit the S'' Brunskill, to the full exercise of his Ministerial Function, till the complaint against him shall be determined, & inclose a blank summons to them for witnesses. N. WALTHOE, CI. Con. AT A COUNCIL HELD May 19, 1857. Prese7if, — The Governor. W" Fairfax, Peter Randolph, Jn". Blair, Rich" Corbin, W" Nelson, Philip Ludwell, Esq"", Tho^ Nelson, M'. Commissary, Philip Grymes, Philip Ludwell Lee, Esq'. Upon hearing this day the complaint of the Vestry & Church- wardens of the Parish of Hamilton, against John Brunskill, Jun', Minister of the S" Parish wherein he was accused of Drunkenness, Profane Swearing, Immoral Practi- ces, frequent Neglect of Duty, and indecent Behaviour in Church, & upon 1 757-1 450 examination of many witnesses as well on behalf the said Brunskill as of the said complaints, it was the unanimous opinion of the Board that every fact he was charged with had been fully proved ; that he was a scandal to his pro- fession & ought to be disqualified from ever exercising the office of a Clergy- man, but the Council desired to postpone giving any advice to the Gov'' in what manner to proceed against the s'^ Brunskill, till they were informed of his Honor's instructions from his Majesty how he was directed to Govern himself in such Cases, which his Honor promised to communicate to them. N. WALTHOE, CI. Con. AT A COUNCIL HELD May 20, 1757. Present — The Governor, And as Yesterday. The Gov"" was pleased to communicate to the Board, his 81^' Instruction in which are these words "If any Parson already preferr'd to any Benefice shall appear to you to give Scandal, either by his doctrine or manners, you are to use the best means for the removal of him," & desired their opinion & advice, how he should conduct himself towards removing M"". Brunskill, in conse- quence of the S^ instruction, M''. Commissary having acquainted the Board, he had not rec** any Power from the Bishop of London to act in a case of such consequence. Whereupon it was the opinion of the Council, that his Honor was empowered by his instruction, to remove any Minister of so Scandalous a life & conversation, as the S'' Brunskill ; & their advice was that his Honor would remove & deprive him, the S*^ Brunskill, from officiating as a Minister, in any Church within this Dominion & give orders to the Vestry & Church- wardens, not to admit him to perform any Divine office in Hamilton Parish, & to Levy the Salary, for any other discreet Clergyman, they can agree with to officiate & to recommend such person to his Honor & the Com'' for their approbation. N. WALTHOE, CI. Con. A True Copy by Tho^ Dawson, 451 L'757- GOV DINWIDDIEtothe VESTRY of HAMILTON PARISH. WiLLiAMSBURGH, May 20, 1757. Gentlemen, You are hereby required & Commanded not to admit M^ John Brunsklll, to officiate in your Church as Minister, I having thought fit by, & with, the advice of his Majesty's Council to remove & absolutely deprive him of acting as a Clergyman in any Church within this Dominion. In the the mean time you are to Levy the Salary for any other Discreet Clergyman, you can agree with to preach & perform In Divine offices, & other Services appertaining to the Duty of a minister & to recommend him to me and the Commissary for our approbation. I am. Gentlemen. Your friend & Humble Servant, A Copv. ROB^ DINWIDDIE. M\ COM'' DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. W"" & Mary College, July 9, 1757. My Lord, I think It my Duty to give your Lordship notice from time to time of any Hardships or oppressions that the Clergy labour under, in relation to the rights which they are entitled to, by the Laws & Constitution of the Gov'. In Consequence of this, I formerly writ you Lordship a long letter concerning an act of assembly, entitled "An Act to enable the Inhabitants of this Colony to discharge their Tobacco Debts In Money." And must now beg leave to trouble your Lordship, with an affair of a very different nature. The Rev"* M^ John Brunsklll, Jun'', Minister of Hamilton Parish, Prince William, after having rec*^ reproof, advice & exhortation, continued to persist in a most abominable course of life to the great Scandal of his Profession & evil exam- ple of all good Christians: till at length the Church-wardens & Gentlemen of 1757-] 452 the Vestry, in justice to themselves & in Pity to the unhappy Parishioners, drew up a Complaint, supported by several evidences & presented it to me; & one of the representatives of that County (then in Town), the General assembly being sitting, made heavy complaints to the Governor: Upon which his Honor advised me to proceed against the S*" BrunskiH, in a judicial man- ner ; But as I was sensible that I had gone already as far as I had Power to do, I acquainted his Honor that I had not sufficient authority to exercise any Ecclesiastical jurisdiction or to proceed even in the most notorious cases, either to suspension or deprivation ; but that I would consult with some of the Clergy, make a report to your Lordship & consider of some method if possible to remove so great a scandal from amongst us ; in the mean time the Gov'' being informed by some of his Majesty's Council, that irregular Clergy- men were frequendy, in Com'' Blair's time proceeded against, before the Gov'' & Council (which I must own, had been the practice), determined to pursue that method : and tho' I endeavoured to prevent it, as inconsistent with the rights & privileges of the Clergy ; yet his Honor, shocked at his notorious Vices, supported as he imagines by his instrucdons, & persuaded that he would not pay the least regard to the little authority, I could pretend to, insisted upon it, & accordingly laid it before the Council. The process at that board I have inclosed. How far this method is consistent with the 122*' Canon, & the rights & privileges of the Clergy, I humbly submit to your Lordship & shall not presume to give my opinion therein : many of the Clergy are alarmed at this method of proceeding, as well as at the law already mentioned, & are greatly afraid of future attempts. Four of them waited upon me & earnestly desired a meeting of the whole body, that they might address your Lordship, complain of it, & entreat a commission for me, in order to prevent this Lay Jurisdiction over the Clergy for the future: & indeed I should have complied with their request; but our apprehensions at this time of a barba- rous enemy, some violent Heats & animosities I expected, the want of suffi- cient authority, the very hot season of the year & the great distance (100 or 200 miles) many of them lived from the College, induced me to refuse them & at the same time to assure them that I would make a true representation of the whole to your Lordship. In your Lordship's favor of May 12, 1756, you have pointed out a method how to proceed should the legislature make any future attempt as to our income and a Commission from the Bishop of London would entirely put a Stop to this Second encroachment. For I must do the 453 [1757- Gov'' & Council that Justice, that they are very far from being desirous of exercising such a power, but would have been much better pleased, had it been delegated to me. Could but the law in 1748, & our Church establish- ment be secured to us, we should all be satisfied : & could these advantages be obtained for us, without any public Intercession or Application from hence, it would be a great means of preserving Peace & quietness amongst us. I humbly submit the whole to your Lordship & most earnestly desire your paternal advice & instructions. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most dutiful & most obedient Servant, THO^ DAWSON. Tkf. COM'' DAWSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. July 9, 1757. My Lord. Since my Letter, writ this morning, an advertisement consisting of the 122'* Canon, with the following remark in M'' Brunskill's own hand writing, was sent me, several copies of which, he had just put up at his churches & other public places. 122*^ Canon. No Sentence of deprivation, &c. (N. B.) According to the above mentioned Canon, I look upon the letter of deprivation, brought up or said to be brought up, from our Gov"" by M^ Josp'' Blackwell to be a forgery otherwise a nullity. Notwithstanding the late pro- ceedings, I am still lawful Minister of Hamilton Parish & shall continue to officiate as formerly. Given under my hand this 18''' day of June, 1757. JN^ BRUNSKILL, JuN^ I communicated this to the Gov', who was greatly concerned, as he ex- pressed himself, "at such an insult offered to authority & Gov';" & he imagines, it has been rather done by the advice of others, than his own act & deed, as the unhappy man is almost constantly drunk. His Honor desires his best respects, & intends very shortly to write to your Lordship. The Churchwardens & Gentlemen of the Vestry of S* Andrew's, Bruns- 1 757-] 454 wick, have also lodged an information, against the Rev"" M'. George Purdie their Minister, & I expect they will shortly transmit a number of Depositions to Support their complaint. This present distracted & unsettled state of our Church & Clergy, matter no doubt of great joy & triumph to the Newlights, will, I humbly hope, induce your Lordship to take our case into your most Serious Consideration, & to favor us with such powers & directions as to your Lordship, shall seem most expedient & I earnestly wish & pray, that we may be able to keep up some appearance of Episcopacy & to maintain, the Honor of our order, the vvelfare & prosperity of our Church & the peace & quiet- ness of our fellow subjects. I am. My Lord, Your Lordship's most dutiful Servant, THOMAS DAWSON. GOF"" DINIFIDDIE to the BISHOP of LONDON. WiLLIAMSBURGH, Sept. I 2*^ I 757- Mv Lord, As I was in hopes soon to return to Britain I did not Intend to trouble you till I had the honor of Paying my dutiful respects to you in person, but an affair relating to the Church & the College of W" & Mary obliges me to give you the trouble of this letter. In the month of April last a complaint was presented to me against the Rev'' M^ John Brunskill, minister of Hamilton Parish In the County of Prince William in this Dominion. The Complaint was supported by the Vestry & many of the Gentlemen of that Parish, for monstrous immoralities, Profane Swearing, Drunkenness & very immodest actions, I sent for your Commis- sary, the Rev*^ M^ Tho^ Dawson, to consult with on this affair, & as he acquainted me he had no commission from your Lordship, I was of opinion he could not take recognizance of the complaint, & as M'". Brunskill appeared & was rep- resented to be guilty of the most wicked & enormous crimes, I advised with the Council, what was to be done In this affair that made great noise in the country. They were all of opinion (except the Commissary, who when we 455 [1757- consulted together, was desirous of laying it before the Clergy), that he should be summoned to appear before the Gov"^ & Council, if possible he could clear himself from the many complaints, made against him & he had blank summons, to cite any evidence he had, to appear to his Character & Conduct & that he should enjoy the exercise of his ministerial Function till the complaint against him should be heard. The hearing was ordered the third Thursday of May last, the Vestry & others concerned in the Complaint against him were also ordered to attend to prove the matters complained of against M^ Brunskill. On the 19 of May, M^ Brunskill, the Vestry & other complainants appeared agreeable to their Summons, being afraid that if the complaint was proved, it would throw many reflections on the Clergy, it was therefore proposed to shut the door of the Council room, but M"". Brunskill said No, he would vindicate himself Publicly on the Trial, which was conducted with great impartiality & every thing was proved in a much more heinous manner than what was in the Original complaint which greatly surprized the Council and myself; even the evidences he brought to his Character were strong against him. The de- termination was referred to next day, when I gave in a Copy of my 81^' In- struction from his Majesty. Which, I think, was formed in case the Bishop of London had not sent a commission to his Commissary for a Spiritual Court on such complaints. And it was the opinion of the Council, that by that instruction I was empowered to remove any minister of so Scandalous a life & conversation as the s^ Brunskill. & they further advised me to remove & deprive him, the said Brunskill, from officiating as a minister in any Chh in this Dominion which I accordingly put in force & doubt not will meet with your Lordship's approbation, when no other method was found to Punish a person almost guilty of every sin except murder & this last, he had very near perpe- trated on his own wife, by tying her up by the legs to the Bed Post, & cut- ting her in a cruel manner by knives, & guilty of so many indecencies, that modesty forbids my troubling you with a detail of. This trial and Sentence is much resented by two or three hot headed inconsiderate Clergymen, who have endeavoured to exasperate others & have with ill manners, thrown out many reflections on the Council and myself in a private manner. Notwith- standing, this was the constant method of proceeding in Commissary Blair's time as appears upon our Journals even when the King's Patent to Bishop Gibson & the Bishop's Commission to M'. Blair were both recorded here & 1757-] 456 the Governor and Council as Judges of the General Court have by an express Law, Cognizance of all Causes Ecclesiastical or Civil The Visitors of the College and indeed the Country in general have for many years been greatly dissatisfied with the behaviour of the Professor of Philosophy & the Master of the Grammar School, not only on account of Intemperance & Irregularity laid to their Charge, but also because they had married and contrary to all rule of seats of learning kept their wives, children & servants in college which must occasion much confusion and disturbance, and the Visitors having often express'd their disapprobation of their families remaining in college, about a year ago they removed them into Town and since that time, as if they had a mind to shew their contempt of the Visitors, they have lived much at home, and negligently attended their -duty In College. In a meeting therefore on the 20'^'' May last there was a complaint laid before them of their neglect of duty and immoral conduct, being often drunk, and very bad examples to the students, on which It was ordered that the President should write to your Lordship to be so kind as to recommend and send over two proper persons in their room. The Professor of Philosophy declared his intentions of going home which prevented a strict enquiry Into his conduct. He goes home In this fleet, which is happy for the College and this Country, for he Is a warm, turbulent Person and I fear has been the chief promoter of all the disturbances lately here. A few of the Clergy applied to your com- missary for a convocation of the whole clergy without giving any good reasons for such meeting. I entirely agreed with him on the refusal for the following reasons. That I conceived they would create divisions & animosities in the Country, propogate Intestine feuds at this time when we were surrounded with inveterate enemies, & that It was improper in this hot season of the year to call a convocation of the clergy some of them upwards of 200 miles from this & lastly, if he called them together on such trifling occasions, it's probable they would be backward in meeting on affairs of greater consequence. The Commissary not agreeing to this application of I think, only 4 of the Clergy, they took it into their heads that they could desire a meeting of themselves. On the 2"** day of August, I thought It absolutely necessary to issue a procla- mation for a general fast to be kept on Wednesday the 7^'' of Sepf to implore the Almighty to forgive our manifold sins & Iniquities, relief from our Calam- ities & the Divine blessing on his Majesty's Arms by Sea & Land. On the 9^" of Aug^ 1 1 of the Clergy, advertized in our Gazette, their desire of the rest 457 [1757- of the Clergy in this Dominion to meet at Will'^^burgh by the 31^' of August, the week before the above fast, & if they had met, many of them could not have attended their Churches on that Solemn occasion & very few the pre- ceding Sunday to give public Notice of the S^ Fast & to exhort their several Congregations to a devout, and religious observance of it, which was also part of the proclamation. At the time appointed there were only 9 appeared in Town, four of which were professors in the College, notwithstanding 2 of that body had rid about the Country, and taken incredible pains by notorious false- hoods to Inveigle as many as possible Into their Cabal ; Does not this conduct my Lord, appear In direct contempt of Gov' & the above proclamation, & Is not such a secret conventicle in order to raise disturbance & animosity In the Country Inconsistent with the Canons of our Church? I know my Power & my duty In such cases, but being afraid of raising divisions & quarrels among the People, I choose to leave it to your Lordship In hopes you will please give them a proper rebuke & admonition to be more respectful to the Powers & orders of Gov* otherwise It may be of bad consequence. The just regard I have for the Established Church, the prosperity of College & the good of this Colony occasions you the trouble of this long letter. Upon this, the Professors of the College took It In their he^ds to make resentment against the president of the College, your Commissary, using him with much ill manners & when the poor Gentleman was sick & weak, he having been much afflicted with the fever & ague this Summer, they have refused him any assistance In his minis- terial duty & indeed for the last 6 months, not one of them have come to Church (the place where the Society always attend on Sundays & holydays), which was ever esteemed part of their duty. In order to see, that the Scholars behaved well, nay they have quite ruined this Seminary of Learning the people declaring they will not send their children to the College till there Is a new Set of Professors & many of them have already sent their children to Philadelphia for Education which Is 300 miles from this, & attended with double the Charges for education, as that of the College of W" & Mary. Their resentment against the Com^ & President is without any just foundation from his repeated charges to them to be regular In their conduct & diligent in the discharge of their duty. In Justice to M''. Dawson your Com^ I must assure your Lordship there Is not a Clergyman In this Country of a more up- right life, or any that discharge their duty with more care and exactness. His Example & Conversation Is agreeable to his Professions & Is esteemed by the 1757-] 458 Clergy & people In general, this upstart violent party excepted, & if they should by the Professor, who it is said is to be their agent & to do great matters at home, be so unjust to him as to represent him otherwise to your Lordship I beg you'll suspend your opinion, till I have the Honor to see you, which I expect will be soon. There is a young Gentleman called Rob^ Read, goes home with this fieet for sacred orders as he Is well recommended to me, I desire to recommend him to your Lordship. I remain your Lordship's most obd* & very humble Servant, ROB"^ DINWIDDIE. REPORT of the Lords Commissioners for His Majesty s dis- allowance of several acts passed in Virginia in 1753, 1755 and 1758, relating to the Clergy, Whitehall, July 4'\ 1757. to the king's most excellent majesty. May it please your Majesty, In obedience to the order of the Lords of your Majesty's most Honour- able privy council, dated the 14 of May last, we have had under our consider- ation a Memorial of your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects the Clergy of the Colony of Virginia, complaining of an Act lately passed In that Colony, whereby their Salaries hitherto paid in Tobacco, are now to be discharged at about half their value, in a paper currency of no intrinsic worth of itself, and of no value at all out of the said Colony of Virginia, and humbly praying for such relief and redress as your Majesty In your great wisdom and goodness shall think fit. As a matter so nearly affecting the welfare of the Clergy of Virginia ap- pear'd to us to be proper for the consideration of the Lord Bishop of London, we thought It expedient In the first place to transmit to his Lordship a copy of the said Memorial, and of the act therein complained of; and we beg leave humbly to lay before your Majesty the annex'd copy of the Letter in which 459 [1757- his Lordship has been pleased to favor us with his sentiments upon the said Complaint. We have since been attended by M^ Paris, Solicitor for the Reverend M"^. Camm, the agent appointed by the General Convention of the Clergy of Vir- ginia in support of this Memorial, and M^ Abercrombie, agent for the said Colony, in defence of the said Act, and having heard what each party had to offer, we beg leave humbly to represent to your Majesty That in the year 1 749 when the Legislature of Virginia revised and form'd a new body of Laws, an act was passed entituled An Act for the Support of the Clergy and for the regular collecting the parish Levies, whereby all former Laws, relative to provision for the Clergy were repealed, and it was enacted, that every Minister, then already preferred or thereafter to be preferred to any benefice should receive an annual Salary of Sixteen thousand pounds of Tobbacco, and Casks with an allowance of 4 per cent, for shrinkage, to be levied, assess'd, collected and paid in the manner therein directed. This act being properly passed with a clause suspending its execution till the 10''' of June, 1751 (by which time your Majesty's pleasure might be known upon it), received your Majesty's Royal allowance and ratification, whereby it became a firm and absolute Law, which according to the directions of the 1 6^^ article of your Majesty's Instructions to your Governor of Virginia, ought not to be re- pealed or altered by any subsequent act unless the execution of such act be suspended till it shall have received your Majesty's approbation. It appears however, that the said act, since its ratification in 1751, has been either partially repealed for particular parts of the Colony or occasionally set aside throughout the whole Colony, in the four following instances : By an act passed in December, 1753, each of the Ministers in the two parishes of Frederick and Augusta is to be paid In money and at the annual rate of One hundred pounds Virginia currency. By an act In June, 1755, the Justices of the two Counties of Princess Anne and Norfolk are annually to settle a price on Tobacco, not under ten shillings per hundred, and all persons chargeable with Tobacco for public dues in those counties are to discharge the same In money at such fixed price. By another more general act passed in the same year entitled an act to enable the Inhabitants of this Colony to discharge their Tobacco dues in money for this present year, all persons from whom any Tobacco was due by any means whatsoever, were to pay the same either in Tobacco according to the 1757-] 46o directions of another act therein referred to, or else in money at the rate of Sixteen shiUings and eight pence per hundred at the option of the payer. This was a temporary Law to continue in force for the space of ten months and no longer. And lastly by the act in question pass'd in October last, and entituled ait act to enable the Inhabitants of this Colony to discharge the public dues, officer s fees and other Tobacco debts in money, for the ensuing year, upon a surmise only that the crop might prove deficient, the like provisions are enacted as in the act last above mentioned. It is alleged on behalf of the Clergy that by these several acts their condi- tion is rendered distressful and uncertain. That after a laborious performance of their function in parishes very populous and extensive they are deprived of that maintenance which they conceived to be secured to them by the said Law confirmed by your Majesty, and are put upon a footing so unjust, that if on the one hand, Tobacco is plenty and the price low, they are to take the tobacco in kind, but if in other years the price is better, then they are obliged to take their salary in money (and that paper currency), at a value to be put on To- bacco by the Vestry or the Justices who are the persons that owe and are to pay the greatest part of the same. Upon the whole, therefore, as the several acts above mentioned not only appear to be very unjust in their principles and effects, but as tiiey have been passed in direct contradiction to the said article of your Majesty's Instructions to set aside for a time throughout the Colony or to repeal forever in particular parts of it, a Law ratified by your Majesty; we are humbly of opinion, that your Majesty should be graciously pleased to declare your Royal disallowance of the said acts passed in December, 1755, and October, 1758, and by an In- struction to your Governor of Virginia to command and require him for the future stictly to observe and obey the several directions contained in the said 16'^'^ article of your Majesty's Instructions to him. Which is most humbly submitted, Dunk Halifax, James Oswald, T, Pelham, W. G. Hamilton. 46i [1759. FuLHAM, the 14**^ June, 1759. Mv Lords, I have considered the act from Virginia referred to me. It seems to me to be the work of Men conscious to themselves that they were doing wrong, for tho' it is very well known, that the intention of the act is to abridge the main- tenance of the Clergy, yet the Framers of the act have studiously avoided naming them, or properly describing them throughout the act ; so that it may be doubted, whether in a legal construction they are included or no. But to take the act as they meant it, and as everybody understands it, we must consider first by what authority the assembly acted in passing such a Law, and in the next place, how consistent the provisions of the said act are with Justice and Equity. The subject matter of this act, as far as the Clergy are concerned, was settled before by act of Assembly, which act had the Royal assent, and con- firmation, and could not be repealed by a less power than made it, and to make an act to suspend the operations of the Royal Act, is an attempt which in some times would have been called Treason, and I do not know any other name for it in our Law. If they had brought in an act of repeal, to take place from the time they could obtain the King's assent to the said act of re- peal, they would been blameless ; but to assume a power to bind the King's hands, and to say how far his power shall go, and where it shall stop, is such an act of Supremacy as is inconsistent with the Dignity of the Crown of England, and manifestly tends to draw the people of the plantations from their allegiance to the King when they find that they have a higher power to protect them. Whether or no such an effect has been produced I know not, but surely it is time to look about us, and to consider the several steps lately taken to the diminution of the prerogative and influence of the Crown. Lately taken, I say, because within a very few years past Virginia was a very orderly and well regulated colony, and lived in submission to the power set over them. They were all members of the Church of England and no Dissenters among them, the Clergy were respected and well used by the peo- ple, but these days are over, and they seem to have nothing more at Heart than to lessen the influence of the Crown and the maintenance of the Clergy both which ends will be effectually served by the act now under consideration. It was not till the year 1748 that this spirit began to shew itself; at which 1759-] 462 time an act of assembly passed by which the patronage of all the livings in the Colony were taken from the Crown and given to the Vestry in the several parishes, and yet this act received the Royal assent. Upon what inducements I know not ; but it was observable, that the assembly did not care to attack the rights of the Crown and the Clergy at the same time, and therefore in the same act of 1 748, there is the strongest confirmation of the Clergy's right to their full proportion of Tobacco, without any diminution whatsoever, which provision was meant to silence the complaints of the Clergy against the other part of the act, and reason they had to complain, when instead of the Royal authority, they were put under the power of the Vestry, and made subject to the humours of the people. That no good was finally intended to the Clergy is manifest from hence that no sooner were they in possession of the patron- ages, but they wanted also to be absolute Masters of the maintenance of the Clergy, in which attempt they proceeded warily, and endeavored to bring in their Scheme by degrees, and accordingly in the year One thousand seven hundred and fifty five the Clergy of the two Counties of Princess Ann and Norfolk were deprived of their Tobacco, and forced to accept a compensa- tion in money very much to their loss. The same year produced a General act, but a Temporary one, and was followed by a very extraordinary resolution of the Council. The case was this : The Assembly had passed the act ; when it came to the Governor for his consent, he boggled at it, and for his own Security, thought proper to ad- vise with the Council, that is with the very persons who had been the promot- ers of it; he tells them that he apprehended it interfered with a Law confirmed by His Majesty In regard to the allowance provided by the Clergy. There the case is fully stated. It is admitted, that the maintenance of the Clergy had the King's confirmation, and that the Governor was by his instruc- tions restrained from altering it ; but it seems the act confirmed by the King appointed 16,000 lbs. of Tobacco to each Man ; the act upon which their ad- vice was asked took no notice of the quantum of Tobacco allowed to the Clerg)', but made it subject to a composition in money, which was to be rated by the very persons who were liable to the payment of the whole. Upon this circumstance the Council give their Judgment, and declare it was the opinion of the Board, that this Bill was not contradictory to that Law, in as much as it by no means lessened the quantity of Tobacco allowed the Clergy^ but only ascertained the price thereof to be paid in money for all dties, as well 4^3 L1760. to officers as the Clergy. This declaration is a formal judgment in the case stated between the authority of the Crown and the power of the Assembly, and subjected the Laws Established by the Royal assent to be altered, cor- rected or suspended by a vote of the Assembly. The Lieutenant Governor wanted something of an excuse for what he was strongly inclined to do, and a very sad one they furnished him with. What made him so zealous in this cause I pretend not to Judge ; but surely the great change which manifestly appears in the temper and disposition of the people of this Colony in the compass of a few years deserves highly to be considered and the more so as the Deputy Governors and the Council seemed to act in concert with the people, to lend their authority to support their unreasonable demands, and one would think upon consideration of some late transactions there, that the Deputy Governors thought themselves obliged, upon their first entrance to make a present to the Vestreys of the Maintenance of the Clerg)'-, the Jurisdiction of the Bishop, and the Supremacy and Rights of the Crown. As to the want of Justice and Equity shewed in this Bill to the Clergy, the case is too plain to admit of any reflections upon it ; and if the Crown does not, or cannot support itself in so plain a case as is before us, it would be in vain for the Clergy to plead the act confirmed by the King, for their right must stand or fall with the authority of the Crown, I am. My Lords, Your most obedient and humble Servant, (Signed) THO. LONDON. M\ ROBINSON to the BISHOP of ■ York River, Virginia. Nov"", 20''', 1760. My Lord, I return you my most sincere thanks for the favor and countenance you was pleased to shew to the ReV M'. John Camm (the Clergy's agent) and the cause he went to solicit, viz : His Majesty's disallowance of certain acts past 1760.] 4^4 here ; which the Clerg)' in Convention thought, threatened the EstabHshment of the Church of England in Virginia, with a general alteration or total sub- version. M"". Camm (having successfully finished his agency), arrived at Hampton in Virginia In June last, where he staid to refresh himself about a week, with his friend the Reverend M''. Warrington, Williamsburg (the place of the Gov- ernour's residence), being about forty miles distant. On the 27'^'' M^ Camm, NP. Warrington and myself waited upon the Gov- ernour. M"", Camm told His Honor he had papers for him, which he thought his duty to deliver, and accordingly delivered to him, the order of his Majes- ty's Privy Council and his Majesty's further Instructions ; then the following dialogue ensued, — Governor. " Were these papers deliver'd to you open ? Camm. Yes, Sir. Governor. In whose possession have they been in all this time? Camm. In mine. Sir, Governor. I shall write to the Board of Trade, and Lords of Council to enquire about these things. Camm. Your Honor may do as you please. Governor. I am well acquainted with the calumnies you have thrown on me. Camm. I am willing to face your Honor's Informers. Governor. I am above board and quarrel with people to their face. Camm. Your Honor never quarrelled with me to my face before, and I do not come to quarrel with your Honor now. Governor. You thought proper to visit M''. Warrington before you waited on me. Camm. But I escaped no better treat- ment from you. Governor. You are very Ignorant or very impudent, take which alternative you please. You are a foolish Negotiator; and I order you never to enter my doors again." We were going to withdraw. Governor. "Stay — Westmore (speaking to one of his white Servants), call my Negroes, call all my Negroes." Two Negro men appeared, then he called for a Negro Boy who, likewise came. " Here (says he), look at him, look at him (pointing at M"". Camm) ; that you may know him again. If ever he should come to ask for me suffer him not to enter my doors." The Governor thro' the whole, In Countenance, words and Gesture shewed himself to be In a most violent passion. M^ Camm bore his treatment with the greatest patience. This reception, my Lord, was premeditated for he had declared his inten- tion to some before M''. Camm's arrival, who endeavoured to dissuade him from it telling him that perhaps he might come in Commissary ; he replied, he would treat him in that manner, if he came in Archbishop. 465 [1760. My Lord, I send you two pamphlets both printed here, and received with great applause, which sufficiently shew to what a pitch of insolence many are arrived at, not only against our most worthy diocesan and the Clergy, but lik"ewise against his Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council, Such disposi- tions to ferment and encourage disaffection to the Church and Clergy, if suf- fered to proceed may at a Crisis, bring about such a change in our religion, as may alter the Constitution of the State. My Lord, the cause of our Complaint was, an act passed here on the 12"^ of October, 1758, entitled an act to enable the Inhabitants of this Colony to discharge the public dues and officers' fees and other Tobacco debts in money for the ensuing year, and all persons in the Colony from whom any Tobacco is due by any ways or means whatsoever, are to pay the same either In Tobacco or else in money at the rate of 6s 8d per cwt. at the option of the payer. By this act the condition of the Clergy is rendered most distressful, vari- ous and uncertain, and deprives us of that_maintenance which was enacted for us by his Majesty in the year 1748. By that act every minister then already preferred or thereafter to be preferred to any parish, should have received an annual Salary of 16,000 lbs. of Tobacco. The Clergy conceive that an Act having the Royal assent thereto becomes a firm and absolute Law, not within the power of the Assembly of Virginia of themselves to break through, repeal or alter. But they found their mistake in the above mentioned Act, passed by the Assembly in 1758, in manifest opposition to the Act in 1748, which had his Majesty's assent thereto, contrary to his Royal Instructions to his Governor, contrary to common Justice, and to the great discouragement, loss and injury of the Clergy of this Colony. My Lord, this was done upon a surmise that the crop might prove short. It is true the Crop was short. But it was the best Crop that was ever made in Virginia, which I thus prove. The common Crops of late Years are about 50,000 hogsheads of Tobacco a year, the price from 12s to iSs per hundred according to the quality of the Tobacco. The parson's Tobacco is always of the meanest quality. In the year 1758 when the Act complained of was made, the Crop was 24,500, which is half a Crop one year with another. The price was then from 45 to 50^- per cwt. which will net near one third more Cash than any Crop that was ever made. I made as good a Crop that year on "my Estate as I ever made, and sold it at 50^' per cwt. 1760.] 466 The cause of the short Crop was want of plants, but those who had few or none did not let their ground lay uncultivated, they planted it in Corn or pease, which always turned to good account. This, my Lord, is the real truth; what reasons then have these pamphleteers to represent it as a year of general distress? Truly none that I know of, but to put the best face they can on an unrighteous action. They talk much of Landlords and Tenants, as if Gentlemen rented out their Estates here, as they do in England, which is far from truth, those who have lands keep them in their own hands, unless they have more a great deal than they have negroes to work them, and even in that case, there are very few in comparison that rent. I must beg your Lordship's patience while I take notice, of a few passages, out of a great many in M^ Bland's Letter, wherein he has deviated much from the truth. Page 8, from, " I take it for granted," to " riotous behaviour," are insinu- ations void of truth. The Clergy were convened together in the most public and regular manner on the day appointed, there appeared to the best of my remembrance, 35, there might be at that time 60 in all the Country. They were all unanimous in sending M*^, Camm, as their agent to England, except M^ W"" Webb, who has since been promoted by the Visitors to the Grammar Master's place in the College. Now I conceive, my Lord, that those who absent themselves after much public Notice, given, do it voluntarily, and there- fore do thereby devolve their votes upon those who are present and every act of the major part of the present in all such meetings, is the act of the whole. My Lord, I was present the whole convention, and I do with the greatest truth assure your Lordship, I know of no such atrocious and riotous behaviour, and I am surprised at his mentioning the Clemency of the administration in not punishing, when in fact no such behaviour appeared in the convention. The whole paragraph is false, and malicious. Page the 6"". He says " I dare venture to appeal to yourselves whether from the frequent declarations of many members of that assembly, you have not had reason to expect an establishment more to your satisfaction, than that which you at present enjoy." He dares venture to say any thing. But, my Lord, I know no reason that we had to expect an alteration in our favour. And as to the petition he mentions, it was the act of one Clergyman only, who desired the King's Attorney here, to draw him up a petition, and present 467 [1760. it to the House of Burgesses for an augmentation to the Livings. He has set . down the petition at large ; which certainly is a notable performance for a King's Attorney. Page the 7^, he says, "This petition was indeed rejected by the Bur- gesses, because as they have been just forced into an expensive and danger- ous war, they thought it a very improper Season to take a matter which would bring an additional Tax upon the people, under their consideration. This many of you know to be the reason your petition did not meet with a more favorable reception." My Lord, I am very certain that not six Clergymen, no nor the Commissary himself, tho' on the spot, knew any thing at all of the petition until it was rejected : and as for the reason M''. Bland assigns for the reception it met with, he knows it to be false. The assembly were well acquainted that it was not the petition of the Clergy, but only the act of one, in conjunction with some Laymen whom the petition discovers to be none of their best friends. Page the 7^. ]VI^ Bland says, " It was a year in which dearth and scarcity took such hold of the Land that the general assembly were obliged to issue money from the public funds to keep the people from Starving." One would imagine that, the dearth and scarcity was universal when in fact it was no such thing, but confined to one or two Counties on James River, and that entirely owing to their fault. For I well remember that many of the Burgesses were against relieving them, for this reason, they bind their whole force in making Tobacco and neglect planting a sufficient quantity of Corn, so that, unless the Season be extremely favorable they never make enough. Page 8"^. Shews how he treats the Royal Prerogative. In the same page he allows the Royal Instructions ought to be obeyed, and nothing but the most pressing necessity can justify any person for infringing them. I have shewn above there was no such necessity, the Crop that Year producing near one third more than any Crop before. He insinuates as if the Clergy would be glad to have their Salaries fixed In money; which is another untruth, for they had much rather have them as they are out of the Staple of the Country, which they can send to England and have returns In what they please; whereas if they were to receive money and that paper Currency which is of no value out of the Colony, they would be obliged to buy all their necessaries here, which would be at least 50 per cent, dearer than we could import them from England, which would render the condition of the Clergy most distress- 1760.] 468 ful, after a painful and laborious performance of their function in parishes very- wide and extensive, the greater number of them being 40 or 50, some a great many miles more in length, and possessed by numerous Inhabitants ; the Num- ber of Tithables in some parishes amount to 3000. My Lord, I can make it appear that if the Clergy should, which God forbid, be obliged to receive their Salaries in paper Currency or indeed, in any thing but the produce of the Country a Curacy of ^20 in England would be much more eligible. My Lord, I could point out many more notorious misrepresentations in those pam- phlets, but I fear I have done enough already to tire your Lordship, I shall therefore take my leave of M^ Bland, in his own words what effrontery must he be master of, who has advanced such palpable untruths? and what name does he deserve, who has dared to publish Inventions of his own against plain matters of fact. Truly a name so abhor'd, that it finds not room in Civil con- versation. It might be asked, what the Clergy had done to deserve such treatment? Truly nothing that I know of, unless Standing up in defence of their own prop- erty when invaded, and applying to the Supreme power for redress, be Crimes. My Lord, I believe the Clergy here to be, in general, a peaceable, quiet, worthy, set of men. We are told, that our last and greatest offence, is never to be forgiven ; I mean our presuming to apply to His Majesty for redress. I have been secretly informed, by one of his Majesty's Council, that the Legislature here, intend to make a New Tobacco Law, or such alterations in the old one, as will tend much to the disadvantage of the Clergy. This is our deplorable situa- tion. In perils from without, and I wish I had not cause to say in perils from a false Brother. I mean our Commissary, M^ Dawson. Had he acted as becomes the Bishop's Commissary, I am well persuaded none of these disor- ders would have happened, but, my Lord, he is a meer Tool. His depend- ance is so great on the College, being president and great ones here being Visitors, that they make him act as they please not only as president, but as Commissary too. On M"". Camm's arrival he waited on him to desire he would call a conven- tion in order to acquaint the Clergy what he had done for them as their agent, but he put him off for several days and at last refused to call one. There is at this time great necessity for the Clergy's meeting. The assem- 4^9 [1760. biy is just broke up, and I understand by the authority above mentioned that they have sent a remonstrance to their agent, to be presented to the King's Counsel, to grant the Order, procured by M^ Camm, in behalf of the Clergy, set aside; and to have power to make what Temporary Laws they please, which I hope will never be granted them, because I think it may be productive of very bad consequences. This, together with their intention of altering the Tobacco Law in prejudice of the Clergy, certainly calls aloud for a convention ; but we have not the least intimation of these things from our Commissary. He is afraid ! For why ? I'll tell you, my Lord, He is a very immoral man. At a late Visitation of the College, he was accused, by two of the Visitors, of being a drunkard, of going to his parish Church in WilUamsburgh drunk. I have seen him so intoxicated by 9 o'clock in the morning as to be incapable of doing business, he was like- wise accused of seldom or ever attending College Prayers, of being much addicted to playing at Cards, and that in public Houses. All these accusa- tions he was obliged to acknowledge to be true, there being witnesses ready to prove them. The Visitors insisted on his making these acknowledgments in writing and giving them at the same time and in the same manner, the strongest assurances of his future good behaviour, which he accordingly did, and was continued president. But I am credibly informed he goes on in the old way. He is as Bishop's Commissary, of his Majesty's Council and conse- quently one of the Judges of the Supreme Court here. I have been told, by one who has the Honor to set on the same Bench, that he frequently falls asleep on the Bench, which he attributes to the effects of Liquor. In short he is despised by all, and I believe is continued president only as a fit instrument for designing men. His presidentship being ^^200 per annum, but liable to be deprived of it when the Visitors please, makes him afraid to act as Commis- sary. My Lord, I do not say these things out of spite, envy or malice to any one. I bless God, I have an Independant, tho* not a large Fortune. 1 desire no other Title or preferment than what I am already possessed of, viz : a par- ish priest of the Church of England ; and as such, I cannot stand still, and behold such a piece of Treachery as this without complaint ; and the reason of my making it to you, my Lord, is in hopes you will communicate it to my Lord of London our most worthy Diocesan, who I hope has power sufficient to afford us redress, and by so doing, my Lord, you will be in some measure the Instrument of supporting the falling state of the Church of England in 1761.] 47° Virginia, which that you may effect. May it please God to add many years to your hfe, and during the course of them, to preserve you in health and safety. This is the earnest wish and prayer of, My Lord, your Lordship's most obUged & obed*^ Sen-^ant, W" ROBINSON. M\ FAU^IER to the Reverend Doctor NICHOLLS. WiLLIAMSBURGH, July 29*^ 176I. Rev° Sir, I have received your favor by the Hands of the Reverend M'. Robinson and as I am an all occasions a freespoken man I cannot help declaring that I was in great hopes that his Lordship of London would for the sake of peace have pitch'd upon some Gentleman who had not rendered himself so excep- tionable to the Colony in General as M^ Robinson has done, to succeed the late M^ Dawson as his Commissary here. But since his Lordship did think proper to run the risque of Widening the unhappy breach by making choice of a person who most certainly, tho' as he avers, most undesignedly has insulted me by which he has offended the Colony who did not think I had merited such treatment from any man in it since my arrival among them ; He could not have done it in a more obliging manner than that he has taken ; which 1 hope will have the desired effect of procuring peace, a thing I have long most ardently wished to have seen established in the Colony. I must do M^ Robinson the Justice to acknowledge that when he first came to me he executed the Charge given him by his Lordship in the handsomest manner, offering his services with great sincerity and cordiality desiring my friendship and declaring that if he had offended me he was very sorry for it and asked my pardon. After some observations and remonstrances on his former behav- iour I got up and took him by the hand (a constant Token of good will in this Country which I had purposely omitted when he first entered my House), and told him this was all any Gentleman could do or could be asked of him and that as a private man I was fully satisfied and he should find so by my Con- 471 [1761. duct, But that I stood here In a public Character charged with the support of the Dignity of His Majesty's Crown and the authority of his Government and on that account some thing more was necessary. That it was notorious to all the Colony that he had treated me injuriously and therefore it became neces- sary that the Colony should know that his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor had received reparation for his injured Honor: That I would not make the affair too public but that I should insist on his making the same Declaration before two or three friends whom I would ask to meet him at Dinner the next day for that purpose and named the Honorable John Blair president, the Honor- able Robert Carter a member of his Majesty's Council and Peyton Randolph, Esquire, his Majesty's Attorney General, all Gentlemen who acted under his Majesty's Sign-manuel and whose Duty it consequently was to support his Majesty's authority. In this 'proposal he readily acquiesced ; the terms were even agreed on, which he himself proposed, and promised to make use of, and he accordingly dined with me ; But now the Tone was altered. He had in the interval seen M^ Camm whose Delight as I before mentioned to the Bishop is to raise a Flame and to live in it. Whether M"". Camm influenced him or not God and they only know, but he could not be brought to make use of the words proposed by himself the Day before and he thought it more honorable to evade than to ask pardon. When I found I could not prevail I left the room saying that if he desired my Friendship he knew upon what terms he might have it, and I would say no more about it myself, but leave it entirely to the Gentlemen then present. The point was this: when M''. Camm brought me his majesty's Instruction and Order in Council for the Repeal of the Acts ten months after their Date and five months after Copies of them had been sent in to his friends in the shameful manner I have in a former Letter related to his Lordship ; M'. Rob- inson attended him and made an Affidavit before the mayor of his having seen the papers delivered to me ; As if I were Villain enough to secrete or deny the receipt of my master's Orders ! This he would not be brought to own was an insult or a Cause of offence tho' I told him I would excuse him as to the intention, supposing it might be done inadvertently. The Gentlemen's reasoning had no more weight with him than my own, and after sometime a message was brought me by the Attorney that M^ Robinson was willing to say that, if any part of his former behaviour had offended me he was heartily sorry for it and would promise that 1761.] 472 I should have no cause to be offended with his conduct for the future. I asked M^ Attorney what he thought himself He answered he could not say much for it, but for the sake of the Colony he wished peace was made. Upon which, to shew my strong inclinations for peace, I immediately went into the Room and accepted of the recantation, tho' far short of what M"". Robinson himself had given me reason to expect from him. We shook hands and drank to the continuance of Peace and Harmony in the Colony. Things being thus in a fair way of being accommodated I hope I may con- gratulate the Bishop of London and yourself on the Eve of an approaching Harmony among us : and I assure you in the most serious manner and author- ize you to assure the Bishop in my name that all my resentments to M^ Rob- inson for his Behaviour shall be buried in oblivion from this Day ; and that I shall on all occasions co-operate with him towards the promoting true Chris- tian Religion. Universal Benevolence, Love and Charity, and 1 promise that it shall be his own fault if he does not possess the same share of my confidence and Esteem which the late worthy Commissary enjoyed. I sincerely wish that I may have a man of as much Candor to transact Business with, and then I trust that peace and harmony will reign between the Clergy and the rest of the Colony as also between your Lordship's Commissary and, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, FRAN. FAUQUIER. R S. — I thought it adviseable to trouble you with this long history which I sincerely hope will be the last I shall ever have occasion to write of this nature and that it may be so I hope you will be so good as to excuse me to the Bishop for giving this honest and well meant piece of advice (viz :), that his Lordship would be kind enough to direct his Commissary to break off Connections with M'". Camm who now winds him about his finger just as he pleases, for M''. Camm is a man of such a Head, but such a Heart, that it is utterly impossible to continue long on Terms of Amity with him or any one influenced by or con- nected with him whenever he is disposed to work mischief F. F. 473 [1763- M-. ROBINSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. My Lord, I return you my most humble thanks for appointing of me to be your Commissary, In which office I esteem it my duty and shall make it my endeav- our to conduct myself to your satisfaction. That I may be the more able to do this I am constrained to beg a fresh favour of your Lordship, which is your recommendation to have me made one of His Majesty's Council here when there is a vacancy. My predecessors have all been honored with this place. I solicit it at the request of many of the clergy, who look upon your Commis- sary's holding it as a provision & security against any secret steps which may otherwise be taken to distress the Clergy & thereby ruin the interests of re- ligion as well as oppress subjects, very strongly & faithfully attached to the present Establishment both in Church and State. I wrote a long letter con- cerning the College which tho' directed to your predecessor has no doubt come into your hands. I have nothing to add on this subject: but that the College under the new Masters is in the very same situation as it was under the old ones, that the Youth are at present very disorderly in their behaviour, that when the Masters would reform them by a proper Discipline they are told by the President of an order still subsisting in the book kept by the Vis- itors, which it seems is always to destroy the authority of the printed statutes, that this order empowers the President & Masters to proceed in the way of correction so far as to admonish any offending boy twice, & for the third offence, to refer him for a trial before the Visitors, between him and the mas- ters six months or a year or two years after the commission of the fact as it may happen. I think that if an authentic copy of the book kept by the visit- ors could be sent home by virtue of an order from England, there would want nothing else to shew the reasons why the College does not answer the end of its institution, & finally that if the College was really put under the care of the Bishop of London or the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who have been alternately Chancellors of it since its foundation when there is a Chancellor, there being none at this time, — If, I say, either of these Prelates had the ap- pointment of the President & masters & was enabled to protect them in their duty, it might be hoped that the College might become an instrument in such hands of diffusing Learning, Morality, Religion & all due respect to those who 1 763-] 474 have the authority over that part of his Majesty's dominions as well as over the Mother Country. I have received instructions from one of your learned & worthy predeces- sors to cultivate the friendship & endeavour to obtain the patronage of the Lieutenant Governor. In consequence of which I have made him a tender of my services & beg'd his protection, & am very careful not to give him any just cause of offence, but I am convinced, that to expect any favour from him toward the Clergy would be to deceive myself & for me to say I do when I do not would be imposing upon your Lordship. I beg leave on this head to trouble your Lordship with a detail of particulars which will shew that I do not speak this without foundation & I hope so to conduct myself in giving this account as to satisfy your Lordship that I am not drawn aside from the right path either by a slavish fear on the one hand or by a blind affection on the other. On occasion of an act of Assembly's being under debate to lay the axe to the root of the Church of England here, by making the incomes of the Clergy an unmerciful mutilation of two thirds of their value for one year & by getting a precedent for rendering them liable to this or a worse defalcation any other year at pleasure, after a fruitless application to the Speaker of the House of Burgesses, & also to the upper house of Assembly, for such of the Clergy as were in the way to be heard upon the bill, depending by themselves on their council, I went with the late Commissary and M^ Camm to see what could be done with his Honor the Lieutenant Governor, When all we could get from him was, that just or unjust, contrary to his instructions or not contrary to his instructions, were points not to be considered; but the sole point to be consid- ered was how he should please the people. On my preaching a charity sermon at Williamsburg, by Appointment, & dining by invitation with the Governor, His Honor told me that I had preach'd away his charity, and expressed himself very much disgusted at the sermon the offensive part of which was entirely taken from one of Dr. Sherlock's on a like occasion. He did not content himself with this but wrote a letter to such of the Clergy as were then met, to condemn their very innocent design of raising by their own subscriptions & the liberality of well disposed persons a small fund for the relief of such Clergymen's widows & orphans as were or might be in distress, & in his letter treated the proposal of the Clergy as a matter of an offensive nature which interfered with the statute of mortmain. 475 [1763. I expect your Lordship has received a copy of this letter of the Governor's from M^ Warrington, who is Secretary to the Convention of the Clergy, and keeps all such original papers. If I find he has not sent it I will take care to have it transmitted to your Lordship by the first opportunity. At another time his Honor was pleased to give me the lie at his own table which could not but much astonish one, who had given him no provocation, much less rea- son for such outrageous behaviour. When M^ Camm who was entrusted with the complaint of the Clergy respecting the Act above mentioned had been favoured with success in Eng- land, & had written to his Agent here to acquaint his Parish with what the King & his most Hon**'* the Privy Council had been pleased to do & to give them time to consider whether they would stand suit or pay the demand in dispute, they did not resolve to stand suit till the House of Burgesses had come to the following resolution : Wednesday, Nov"^ 14, 1759. Upon a motion made, Ordered, "that it be an instruction to the committee of correspondence to direct the agent for this country, that if any Appeal should be carried from hence to England, relative to the Act intitled An Act to enable the inhabitants of this Colony to discharge their public dues, officers' fees & other tobacco debts in money, for the ensuing year, to use his own endeavours & and to employ proper Council to support the proceedings of the Vestries of this Colony acting under the authority of the said Law." About this time the Governor told the Council who are also members of the general or supreme Court here : " Now you see this business of the Clergy must come into your Court where you may keep it as long as you please." This order I have copied from the Printed Journals of the House of Burgesses and these words of the Governor's I have from one of the Council, who was present and heard him pronounce them. It is observable, that the order is pointed directly at the Clergy by the insertion of the word Vestries, the As- sembly undertaking to support their unjust Act against none but them. The consequence of which was that the Merchants who had been damaged by the act (it dissolving private contracts as well as public ones), have recovered what was unjustly detained from them, by them who had taken the benefit of the Act, without being at the trouble of a suit, the Contractors with the Mer- 1763.] 476 chants not thinking it worth while to contend any longer. So that the Clergy enjoy the satisfaction of having been the means of justice to others though they have not been able to obtain it for themselves. When M'. Camm arrived here M'. Warrington & I went with him to the Governor's to deliver the Royal order & disallowance of the Act above men- tioned & the additional instructions sign'd by his late Majesty. When M''. Camm had delivered the papers the Governor fell into a violent rage, accused M^ Camm of having told lies of him in England, of having done more honour to M''. Warrington than the Governor by calling on his arrival at M"". Warring- ton's before he came to the Palace, told M^ Camm he would teach him better manners, &c., &c. M', Camm made answer that his Honour was misinformed and that he should be glad to be brought face -to face with his accusers to an- swer to any charge that should be brought against him. On which the Governor roared out that he would appear with him nowhere. The Governor shew'd him the door & bad him come there no more. M^ Camm obey'd and retired but before he had descended the steps was commanded to stop. He halted accordingly, & the Governor bawled out for "Westmore." Westmore one of his servants appeared. The Governor cried out to him, "Call all my negroes, call all my negroes," in great wrath & perturbation. The Negroes came. When His Honour thus was pleased to address himself to them; "Look at this gentleman," pointing to IVl^ Camm, "look at him that you may know him again & if he ever attempt to come hither do not suffer him to enter my gates." After this command to the negroes M^ Camm & the rest of us were permitted to depart. There was something peculiar in this last indignity, for it is the greatest affront that can be put upon a free man here to give orders concerning him to the slaves, it is what a white servant would not endure with any patience. The least reflection might have told the Governor, that there was no impropriety in M^ Camm's calling at M^ Warrington's door. He had near forty miles to the palace. He was come off a long sea voyage, and was in no very good state of health, had a horse at least to prepare for his jour- ney & was with the Governor in a week after his landing. His waiting on the Governor a day or two sooner or later was of no sort of consequence. And it appeared soon after that there was no real ground of offence in this part of M^ Camm's behaviour even in the estimation of the Governor. For another Clergyman who came in the same fleet & arrived at the same time & had let- ters for the Governor waited on him about a fortnight later than M^ Camm, 477 [1763- & to the surprise of the Governor's friends received no reprimand or ill treat- ment on that account. I have never heard any thing alleged in justification of this proceeding by the Governor's advocates but that it was an affront to him for M^ Camm to carry witnesses with him. Admitting that M*". Warring- ton and I attended him under this character, we think it must appear to every unprejudiced person, all things considered, a very prudent measure in M''. Camm to carry evidence of the delivery of the papers as well as of the Gov- ernor's and his own behaviour thereupon. While we were talking the same day with the late Commissary at his house, the Governor bolted into the Room and fell into a rage with M^ Camm, calling him a foolish negociator and telling that he had done nothing, had done nothing at all, with great heat & vehemence. M^ Camm coolly told the Governor that he had done all he could ; that as he had not done enough to satisfy his Honor he wished he had been able to do more, and then turning to the Commissary and telling him that the Governor he found was not in fit temper to be talked with and that he would wait upon him (the Commissary), as to the Business he was come about another time left the room. M^ Camm had messages after this from the Governor, one by a negro slave, another by a friend of M"". Camm's that notwithstanding he was forbid the palace, if he had any business with the Governor he might write. To which M"'. Camm returned no answer but only said to the Messengers it was very well. In consequence of the Royal order & disallowance respecting the four acts complained of, a proclamation was presently issued, in which the Governor added the word repeal, that word not being in the royal order & disallowance. From hence it came noised all over, that the Clergy had ob- tained nothing but a common repeal which had respect only to the future, that is as the Act had already expired, had no respect to anything & would no way serve them in receiving one farthing of what had been taken from them. At a meeting of the trustees & subscribers to the fund for relieving Cler- gymen's widows & orphans, In April, 1761, the Governor went to invite them to dine at the Palace, with the exception by name of M^ Camm, M^ Warring- ton & myself. The consequence of which was that none of them dined with him but the Minister of the Parish. At another meeting in April, 1762, The Governor sent again for the same end and with the like exception of M"". Camm & M^ Warrington, & the Clergy returned by the same Messenger an Apology to this purpose, that they were met as a society and did not choose to separate, & therefore hoped his Honor would excuse their not waiting upon 1763.] 478 him at this time. Once before these two meetings, when M"". Camm was in England, The Governor had sent an invitation to the members of this Society with an exception of their Treasurer or presiding Member. This first affront in the garb of favour the Society overlooked. & dined with his Honour, leav- ing their Chairman behind them, but they dropped this passive behaviour so far as to refuse accepting this new kind of invitation, When they found it might become a publick brand of disgrace to be fixed upon every one of the Society around in their turn, as they might happen to fall under the displeas- ure of the Governor either by his own misconstruction of their behaviour or the misrepresentations of others. The Governor has warned several young Clerg}'men as they waited upon him after their return from receiving orders, not to keep company with M''. Camm, Which has had the success It ought to have With free subjects, who look on M"". Camm as one who had Incurred odium by going on the errant of the Clergy & discharging his trust faithfully. On the news of my being appointed Commissary by the late Bishop of London, D'. Sherlock, the Governor looked upon himself as ill treated In the Bishop's appointing one of the four to whom he had objection, & when I wait- ed upon him in persuance of my instruction from the Bishop to make him a tender of my services, & beg his protection, He said I could expect no favour from him except I renounced the friendship & acquaintance of M^ Camm, that the Best of my relations meaning the Speaker of the House of Burgesses would join with him in advising me to this measure, that the memorial to the board of trade was stuffed full of d lies, that M"". Camm had brought witnesses with him to the Governor, that he was a clever man with a bad head & a worse heart, that the Bishop was a clever man but he had no better opin- ion of him than of M^ Camm, &c. I made some offers to justify the proceed- ings he condemned but soon found it was to no purpose to talk to him upon this subject. I therefore endeavoured to waive It & desired there might be no more said of it. I assured him that I never had design'dly given him any offence, & if I had given him any I asked his pardon. Upon this after some time he seemed to be pacified & invited me to dine with him the next day. In the evening I found it rumoured over the town, that I was to ask pardon of the Governor for my past conduct before witnesses, from whence I concluded he had taken advantage of the unguarded words I had used as above to set about this report. But what surprised me much more was to find that he 479 In^S- actually proceded the next day as if there had been a punctual agreement be- tween him & me for this purpose. There were several gentlemen dined with us & after dinner, he applied to me to ask whether this was not a proper time. Upon which I got up & taking him aside told him that I found by a report in town & what he had then uttered, that he had much mistaken me the day be- fore. He cried hastily, "Well, well," and bringing me back to the company said before them. "I am not difficult to be pleased ; whatever will satisfy these gentlemen shall satisfy me," & so left us together. The gentlemen then en- tered upon their parts & endeavoured to persuade me to ask the Governor's pardon, enlarged upon the good it would produce, &c. I answered that if they could point out any transaction between the Governor & me, which I did not still approve of as to my part in it, I would ask pardon in the most publick manner, otherwise not at all, that there was more reason for his asking my pardon than vice versa, inasmuch as he had without provocation given me the lie in that very place, but that I desired not to rip up old sores or foment any new quarrels, being willing if possible to live in peace with the Governor, And thus the affair ended, after some altercation & one of the company's owning, that if the matter was as I said, I did all that could be expected from me. Notwithstanding this it was well propagated through the Colony that I had asked pardon of the Governor for my past conduct, in order I suppose to destroy my character, intimidate the Clergy, & shew them they were to expect no protector in me. Whether my relation, the Speaker, would have advised me as the Governor said he would I know not. I will not do him the dishonour to ask him, but I have learned to leave Father & Mother on a just occasion. M^ White a clergyman here who sued for his income as it stood before the Act disallowed by the Crown finding that his adversaries & the people in general laid a great stress upon the word repeal in the .Governor's proclama- tion, drew up lately an humble petition to his Honor for an authenticated copy of the royal order & disallowance. This petition signed by M'. White & sev- eral other Clergymen I delivered, as it happened, when the Governor was just setting out on a journey & did not intend to return for some days. He stop'd his chariot to read the Petition, 8c his answer to me was, that in his private opinion the disallowance was nothing but a common repeal, however he would do nothing to obstruct the ordinary methods of justice & therefore If I would send at such a time, I should have the copies desired. I sent accordingly, but 1763.1 48o instead of sending me the promised copy he sent word that he would send the original disallowance itself by his Secretary to the Court of King William County on the day of trial. I attended the trial & the following Letter with the papers therein mentioned, were delivered to the Court by the Governor's Secretary : WiLLIAMSBURGH, Aug'^ 17*^ I 762. Gentlemen, Having been applied to by the Rev^ M\ Alex. White for an authentic- ated copy of the order of the Council for the repeal of the law passed in the year 1758 relating to the payment of the Dues to the Clergy & the officers of the Colony, I thought it would give more satisfaction & prevent cavils if I sent up the order itself as delivered to me by the Rev^ M'. Camm, for the original order of his Majesty in Council to repeal that & several other Laws passed before that time concerning the Clergy. And that I might do impartial justice & give you gentlemen upon the Bench & those who shall compose the Jury the fullest information I am able upon this affair, I have sent up another order in council for the repeal of another Law, by which the Court & Jury will be better judges of the terms used In the repealing all Laws in the Plant- ations, and I have also sent the preamble of his Majesty's 17''' Instruction to his Governors by which the Court will be better able to form a true judg- ment of the sentiments the British Ministry entertain of the force of laws passed In his Majesty's Colonies. M^ Walter Lewis, my secretary, attends your court with these papers, with orders from me to produce all or such of them as may be called for & to bring them back to me. I am, Gentlemen, Your very humble S*, Francis Fauquier. To the Judge & other yustices of the Court of King William. It might be expected that the Governor would express himself cautiously in this letter, which was to be & has been put upon record, from whence I have my Copy, Yet he still affects to call the disallowance a repeal, to parallel it with common Repeals, & under the pretence of hinting the opinion of the British Ministry concerning the power of the Governor & assembly to pass laws in opposition to laws confirmed by the King & carry them Into effect be- 48i [1763. fore the King's pleasure can be signified here, plainly enough I think insinu- ates his own opinion or rather determination. The Court took the hint & behaved more like advocates for one of the party or in their own cause than equal & patient Judges. Being moved to direct the jury to bring in a special verdict & reserve the point of law for themselves they refused to do this. They said the Jury was as able to judge of the matter as themselves, They told the jury their opinion in this point. They insisted on the Validity of the act In question notwithstanding the royal disallowance. They urged that if the Governor at any time transgressed his instructions In passing an Act, he might be punished by the King, but the sufferers by the Act could be entitled to no redress. That though the Act should contradict Acts confirmed by the King, it must stand good for every thing done before the King's pleasure be signified by Proclamation. These motives they pretended to derive from what is allowed in the Preambles to the King's orders sent to the Court by the Governor. To these Preambles, they were pleased to give the name of Char- ter. In short, Instead of directing the Jury to bring a special verdict, they did as good as direct them to bring in a general verdict for the defendant which after withdrawing a few minutes they performed accordingly. It answered no purpose either with the Court or Jury to argue that there was no similitude In the cases between building a light House upon Cape Henry, In which noth- ing had been done before the repeal of the Act, & the Instance of withholding the dues of the Clergy before the King's pleasure was known & In opposition to an Act confirmed by him which could not be denied to remain in force from its being passed to the present moment ; that the two contrary Acts could not be in force at once ; that there was a manifest difference between the wording of the Disallowance & any Repeal, by the omission of this very term ; that the use of a term so significative made as much distinction between two in- struments of writing as the addition of any expression could have done ; that If the Act had been passed for more than one year It might have been more plausibly urged that the disallowance was intended only in regard to the sub- sequent year, or years, but as the case stood with this temporary Act, there was no medium but either the Act or the Disallowance must be altogether a nullity. It was to no purpose to urge such arguments as these, least of all could the Court or Jury take any notice of a number of demonstrations of the flagrant injustice of the Act. For just or unjust it seems Is a point not yet to be considered. There were many fit & able persons In the Jury first 1763.] 482 summoned in this cause who refused to appear & suffered themselves to be fined. Others made excuses which were admitted, the Jury consisted at last of ordinary planters some of whom we found after had declared beforehand what they would do. It appeared upon the oath of a substantial Merchant (M^ Humphrey Hill), one of M^ White's neighbours, that he purchased tobacco at the rate of fifty shillings a hundred that year, when the Assembly endeavoured to restrain the Clergy to sixteen shillings & eightpence a hundred for their tobacco, that is just one third of the price. He also averred that he had a letter from a considerable Merchant in England, whereby It appeared that the tobacco that year shipped into England from Virginia amounted to thirty five thousand hogsheads, Which if true the Clergy were entitled to little more than a thirtieth part of that scarce crop, & that scarce crop was more profit- able to the Colony than any other Crop since its first settlement. It appears by other corroborating evidences that if M''. White had received his dues that year in tobacco he might have sold it at 50 shillings a hundred. The Court were moved to permit the evidences to be recorded, but this they refused, so M''. White's miscarriage in the cause seems to have been partly owing to the prevailing timidity of those who had probity enough not to act against their consciences but too much fear of disobliging some of their superiors to act at all, & pardy to the unwillingness of the Court that he should even be put in a way to obtain justice by this trial. This cause goes by appeal to the general Court, Where we are told it and M^ Camm's will be tried next April. If they be & the Supreme Court here should copy the example of the Inferior Court in not suffering us to make the damages we have sustained appear, I fear we shall be obliged to apply for relief to the most Hon*"'^ Privy Council, to request that they will either permit us to prove our damages before them, which may be done by the testimony of London Merchants, or else that they will send orders for the Court here to take and transmit depositions In the matter which I am Informed has been done already in other cases where there has been attempts to evade letting the damages appear. Now my Lord, when I reflect on the treatment that the Clergy have met with, I can well enough account for the Conduct of all concerned, but the Lieutenant Governor, from Interested motives. They have divided amongst them about 15 thousand pounds sterling of right belonging to the Clergy, & they are very loath to refund. This they call putting the Act in execution which they lay great stress upon. Whereas it cannot properly be said to have 483 [1763- been put in execution, because the Clergy have disputed its vahdity from be- fore the time of its passing to the present moment, & would receive no money In consequence of It, but as In part payment of their just & legal dues. Nor will the people's being obliged at last to pay the remainder be attended by any other Inconvenience than their paying what they should have paid long ago, during which interval they have had the use of this money. What should make the King's Governor after passing an Act, not inadvertently (as he says in a printed speech of his passing some acts), but knowing It to be contrary to his instructions ; knowing it contrary to the most evident principles of jus- tice ; contrary to an act confirmed by the crown, only to please some unrea- sonable people who wanted to destroy the Establishment of the Clergy here, — What should make him still shew a zeal for the validity of an Act so dis- tressful to the Clerg)^, after the disapprobation of the late King obtained, & under so humane & pious a King as we are blessed with at present, Is to me an unaccountable Mystery. We were in hopes that he would at least now stand neuter & let the matter take its course without interfereing on one side or the other. He must know that this and the other disallowed acts are built on a power not assumed before by the Assembly ; on a power which they had lately preferred a Petition for, that was rejected by the King & Council ; on a power that it is pretended would be useful on very extraordinary occasions, but we see has been & would be applied on ordinary ones, & would Indeed answer no other end but that of enabling some subjects to defraud & tyran- nize over others, it being in its own nature & experienced tendency equally detrimental to the property of the subject & the rights of the Crown. And yet my Lord the Governor's continued and irremovable attachment to one of the parties in this dispute Is too visible. When he affirms & vlolendy Insists upon it & will have so if possible, that M^ Camm has done nothing. He must be supposed to intend that the King & Privy Council have done nothing. For M^ Camm did all that could be expected from him in succeeding so far on the humble prayer of the Clergy as to have the matter argued before the King's Council whether anything had come of it or not. When he treats the Disal- lowance as a common Repeal that could not operate against anything past before its publication here, he goes further than he is warranted to by the dis- allowance. When he intimates his opinion to the Court concerning the Va- lidity of the Act for one year, that Is for all validity that the framers of It ever had in view or could be disposed to desire, he encourages all Courts to be- 1 763-] 484 have accordingly, & when he proposes to the general Court to keep with them the causes of the Clergy that come hither as long as they please, he discovers an unconquerable inclination to hinder the Clergy from coming at Justice by any means whatsoever. The two very forward apoligisers, who have each of them published a scurrilous pamphlet here to abuse the Clergy & exculpate the Governor, among many other things, some false & some impertinent, have prematurely endeavoured to wipe off the suspicion of being influenced by pecuniary mo- tives from the Governor. Their words are as follow ; * He has had no temptation to do anything more than what was his duty to his king & the country he is set over would naturally lead a good man to do I he is incapable of acting through mercenary motives, so that no one has cared to attempt even the common compliment that has been paid to former Gov- ernors.— Z^/^^^r ^0 the Lord B — ■/ of L — n. It would never have entered I believe into the head of any of the Clergy to enquire whether the governor could possibly have any pecuniary motives or not had not the thought been put into there by these hot headed & zealous encomiasts. And they may thank themselves for what I am going to mention to your Lordship, in which I shall only relate facts without my opinion on the point which these Gentlemen have been pleased unnecessarily to draw into debate. It is as remarkable as it is well known here that the Governor has been presented with a thousand pounds by the House of Burgesses, since the publication of the above mentioned pamphlets, at the motion of one of the authors (Bland). It is observable that Governor Dinwiddle's present was five hundred pounds given according to the journals of the House in these words. Upon a motion made — Resolved, Nem. Con. That the sum of five hundred pounds be given to the Honourable Robert Dinwiddle, Esq', & that he be desired to accept the same as a grateful Acknowledgment for his regard to the interest & welfare of this colony. Governor Fauquier's Present was a thousand pounds conferred in the fol- lowing terms. On a motion made — Resolved, That the sum of ^1000 be paid by the treasurer out of the pub- lick money in his hands to the Hon'"'^ Francis Fauquier, Esq', as a grateful ac- knowledgment from this House for his prudent conduct & unwearied assiduity 4S5 [1763. in the managements of the pubUck affairs, to the honour of his Majesty & the interest of this colony. — Jotir., Mon. April &^, 1761. It is farther observable, that these presents are not given with the air of a common compliment to help towards paying the passage of a new Governor into this Colony, as they are sometimes affected to be call'd, but for certain services performed. There are persons here, perhaps they may endeavour to have the same arguments used in England, that would needs persuade us it is expedient for the Clergy to give up their demands for this once for peace sake. Under this smooth appearance is concealed much mischief. This is the delusive plea of a people who had rather dwell upon anything foreign than touch at all on the merits of the cause, & who mean nothing less than peace, except it can consist with confirmed insult from one of the parties to the other, who would have the Clergy in a worse condition than that of being maintained by voluntary con- tribution, inasmuch as the whole body might & could be frequently fined & cut short of their dues for a pique taken perhaps at one or two. Were the Clergy to miscarry in the present dispute & not recover their dues at last, they would soon be told by the very same peaceable people, Now you have complained upon the most palpable oppression, & under the greatest encour- agements & hopes of success imaginable & have failed. You must be con- vinced that you are left to depend solely on the Governor & Assembly to be treated by them intirely as they shall think proper. The King and his coun- cil can or will do nothing for you but add to your miser)^, by putting you to a great deal of unprofitable trouble & expence. This would be but too prevailing with an indigent Clergy not able to bear the re- peated expences of applying to law ; & their adversaries might be encouraged to use them ill with security, as plainly discerning that they would engage in no more complaints at least with any vigour. But I hope such notions as these will never be permitted to take root in the Colony, Sometimes our adversaries will make a more open attack & venture to say that we should not have succeeded so far as we have but by the arts of misrepresentation. If this were true what do the Clergy aim at, but to give their enemies an opportunity of detecting & exposing their mistakes & false- hoods. Why do not both sides join to have the cause with an authentic ac- count of such damages as can be proved fully & expeditiously carried to the Privy Council for a final determination. Why are resources of a different 1763.] 486 kind sought after, nay brag'd of, not to confront but to elude the payment of the demands made by the Clergy. The Privy Council ought to be esteemed by both sides as impartial as they are able judges. Notwithstanding what some pretended friends talk of peace as above, & would have us to buy it by giving up a legal establishment to become depend- ants upon them or rather mere servants to the House of Burgesses to be ranked with their doorkeepers for bread. I know many who are convinced that we have been basely used & would be glad to see us enjoy what belongs to us and thereby be effectually restored to our rights, and I have the comfort to believe that our success would contribute more than our failure to a general and lasting Quiet & satisfaction. I should have swelled this letter to a more enormous length had I been willing to insert things which I think I have sufficient reason to believe, tho' not so well ascertained of the truth, as of what I have mentioned, I beg leave to assure your Lordship that I have no pleasure in remarking or rehearsing the slips of my superiors. 1 am heartily sorry for the occasion, & should have been much better satisfied to have found an opportunity of applauding that conduct. But the necessity of letting your Lordship into a true state of things here, especially considering my present circumstances, will I hope excuse both the tediousness & the matter of the recital. I am, My Lord, your obedient Son & Servant, W^ ROBINSON. P. S. — If your Lordship should happen to be unacquainted with the Act so often mentioned, & what has been done concerning It, I beg leave to refer you to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury & the Rcv*^ D^ Nicholls, to whom the Clergy of Virginia are under obligations never to be forgotten for their generous favour & assistance. V^i^z- The humble Petition of the Convention of the Clergy of the Church of England settled in his Majesty s Colony and Do minion of Virginia, Sheweth, That by acts of Assembly passed in the said province in the Year 1749, & since ratified and confirmed by his Majesty's most gracious order in Council, his Majesty departed with his right & prerogative so far, as to leave the election of the Ministers In Virginia to the choice of the Vestrys of the several parishes. And, on the other hand, the people enacted that every Minister then already preferred or thereafter to be preferred to any Benefice, should receive, an annual salary of 16,000 pounds of tobacco, and Casks, with an allowance of 4 per cent for shrinkage. That the said Act was to take effect in June, 1751, & having been ratified & confirmed by his Majesty, was not capable of being repealed, by any lesser Authority than tliat which had established the same. Notwithstanding which within the short space of about seven years, the Assembly in Virginia have in four several instances, pretended to set up their own power, to repeal his Majesty's acts, & have passed pretended Acts of their's repealing that which was so established by his Majesty without any colour of Law for the same & in a most illegal manner, in contempt of his Majesty's undoubted prerogative, in disobediance to the plainest and fullest Royal instructions, & to the unjust deprivation, of your Petitioners of that Allowance so provided for them & which they, had faithfully and painfully earned in their Vocations. And in two of the said pretended acts, the said Assembly, in order to render their Acts absolute to deprive your Petitioners of their salarys already due have enacted that the Acts shall take place immediately, without any suspending clause, and shall continue in force only for 10 or 12 months, so that they must expire before his Majesty can conveniently have an opportunity to consider the same. That by these acts the allowances for the Clergy are reduced and taken away, to the half or more to their exceeding great loss, who are not able to support themselves, under so grievous, so unjust, & so ruinous a measure. That your petitioners by their most humble address to his Majesty and by 1763.] 488 their application made to the Lords Commissioners of Trade & Plantations have earnestly sought for full and adequate relief against this intolerable grievance, and more particularly, that his Majesty might be advised to declare these pretended Acts of the Assembly repealing his Majesty's Acts, to be meer nullitys & void in their original creation as your Petitioners humbly conceive the same are in point of law. And the said Lords Commissioners by their representation of the 4 of July instant, have reported their opinion that his Majesty may be graciously pleased to declare his disallowance of those Virginia Acts & by additional instruction command his Gov''for the future to observe his Majesty's 1 6'^''Instruction to him. But have not mentioned an;' recommendation to declare those Acts null and void in their creation. That the Assembly there desire no more, than that their Acts should remain in force until disallowed, by which means they can go on from year to year (as they have done), & strip your Petitioners of their Property, by repeated temporary Acts of this sort, until such time as his Majesty shall be graciously pleased to declare, that Acts of the Governor, Council and Assembly only, pretending to repeal or controul other Acts, rati- fied by the crown, are absolutely null and void in their creation. And the Courts of justice there after the example of their Assembly will be ready to allow these pretended Acts, & to consider them as good laws, until the time of their Disallowance, to the total ruin of your Petitioners, who must either, submit to such opinion, of the Courts there, <& thereby lose two thirds of their year's stipend sued for, or else appeal home to his Majesty for justice at an expence very far beyond their poor abilities. And which must be the course from one year to another, as often as ever the Assembly shall think fit to pass these most unjust Acts, Wherefore your Petitioners most humbly beseech your Lordships as well for the support of his Majesty's undoubted prerogative, as of your petitioners' property, that your Lordships will be pleased to report to his Majesty, as your opinion, that the said pretended Acts are null and void In their original creation, & had no force or Authority at the time of making the same or otherwise, that your Lordships will be pleased to permit your Petitioners to be heard before you by their Council thereon. And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c., JOHN CAMM. Agent appointed by the general convention of the Clergy in Virginia. 489 [1764- M". ROBINSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. York River, Virginia, Aug* 17, 1764. Mv Lord, Having had the honour to be appointed by three of your predecessors in the see, I presume to act as the Bishop of London's Commissary until your Lordship's pleasure shall be known: and the rather because I conceive myself obliged in duty to say something of a cause, which will soon come before the Privy Council, by the appeal of M''. Camm, In which the whole body of the Clergy in this Colony are most deeply concerned. In the year 1758, on occasion of some unseasonable weather an Act of Assembly was passed to Compel the Clergy to take about one third of the value in paper money, instead of the tobacco allotted them by an Act which had obtained the Royal assent. In the first mentioned act not only those who should happen to be sufferors, In consequence of the said unseasonable weather which hurt the young tobacco plants, were to be relieved at the ex- pence of the Clergy ; but any that pleased were permitted to rank themselves among the number of the distressed and relieve themselves accordingly. And not only the wealthiest persons In the Colony, but even those who besides being rich, raised as good crops as usual and sold them at a very advanced rate both that year and the year following, took the benefit of the Act and granted themselves the Indulgence thereby allowed, not being ashamed to receive great advantage both ways, both by means of the Act built upon supposed Calamity, and also by means of that calamity Itself which though it could be no more than particular, Is maintained to be genera] In manifest opposition to reason and common sense. For nothing Is better known than that a crop of tobacco, rendered small by such accidents as that of the weather, though it may hurt some, that Is hinder them from reaping so much advantage that year as In many other years, yet is advantage to the Colony in general ; because on such occasions the price of tobacco for the present year and a year or two following commonly rises higher, than in pro- portion to the decrease of the quantity. It Is to be observed, that when this oppressive Act was passed the services of the year had already been performed by the Clergy, that the tobacco due 1 764.] 490 to them had been levied by the Vestry, for some of them, in consequence of the Act which had obtained the Royal Assent, that the tobacco which makes their annual allowance, was afterwards, as far as I can find, levied for the rest of them by the Vestry, this point not having been provided for by the subse- quent occasional Act. And we think that an act of Assembly might as well have force to divest us of what is actually in our possession as of what has become our property tho' not in our possession. There being no difference in the two things that we can discern, but that the one is to be perhaps per- formed with less trouble, and under somewhat more specious pretences than the other. While the Act was depending before the Legislature in the form of a Bill, a few of the Clergy of whom I was one, made some ineffectual attempts to be heard upon it by the lower and upper houses of Assembly, And afterwards applied to the Lieutenant Governor, to request his negative to be put upon an act, which we alleged was contrary to reason and justice, and to his Honour's instructions in as much as it contradicted an Act which had received the Royal Assent and contained no suspending clause. His Honour was pleased to reply that just or unjust, contrary or not contrary to his instruc- tions, were points not to be considered, but the sole point to be considered by Him was what would please the people, that is, as we understood it, what would please the friends and promoters of the Act in the two Houses of Assembly. M"". Camm was sent to England by the Clergy as soon after as possible, with their complaint against the Act. By the favour of his Grace the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, ever attentive to the true interest of the Church, the petition of the Clergy here was presented to his late Majesty, referred to the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, and by them to D^ Sherlock then Bishop of London, and on their report the cause had a full hearing before the most Hon"*'^ the Privy Council. After eighteen months' absence M"". Camm returned, with an additional instrucdon to the Governor and a Royal disallowance of the Act in question & a few other acts of the like kind & informed the Clergy, that it was the opinion of the most Honourable the Privy Council that the Act was originally null in itself by reason of its manifest injustice, setting aside all disputes about authority, that it could not be deemed a law by any Court of judicature whatever, and that if it had been then before them in a proper course of law they should have adjudged it to be no law. 491 [i 764. Upon which encouragement the Clergy at a great expence, considering how poor many of them are, have continued the dispute ever since. I was one who accompanied M"". Camm when he delivered the additional Instruction & Royal Disallowance to the Governor. On receiving these papers his Honour flew into a very indecent & violent passion, and suffered himself to be transported by it beyond measure, charging M^ Camm with want of respect to the Governor for having stopped when he landed at a Clergyman's house, and staid a few days, to refresh himself after crossing the Atlantick (which had put him into a bad State of Health), before he entered on a journey of about forty miles to the Palace, as if that was paying more respect to a Clergyman than to a Governor ; accusing him of having told lies of the Governor in England and refusing at M"". Camm's request to explain himself on this head & finally, calling with great vociferation for his Negroes and telling them when assembled with his finger pointed at M^ Camm's face, to look at that Gentleman and be sure to know him again, and commanding them if ever he should approach the gates of the Palace not to permit him to enter them. I have been treated in like manner by the Governor at different times. He has given me the lie in his own house, has told me at his own table on occasion of my preaching a Charity Sermon, that I had almost preached away his Charity. I was also present when he told several Clergymen that the Clergy were well enough in their own sphere but when they turned politicians they were arrant fools, giving for an instance of it, that they had sent a com- plaint to the board of trade, of which was my Lord Halifax his particular friend who had procured him the Government, which contained an insinuation to the prejudice of that nobleman, which M^ Camm's account of the very humane reception he met with from him intirely refutes. After all this, on my being appointed the Bishop of London's Commissary by D^ Sherlock, and required by him to be on good terms with the Governor, I in obedience to the Bishop's command waited on his Honour and endeav- oured to pay him all possible respect. In the course of which I said, that if I had in any thing contrary to my design and intention, given him offence I was ready to ask his pardon. This he seemed pleased with, and asked me to dine with him the next day which I readily promised. The same evening it was brought to my ears, as a report current in the town of Williamsburg that I was to ask the Governor's pardon on the day following before several Gentle- 1764.] 492 men who were to be present as evidence that I openly condemned all my former conduct By which I found that the Governor designed to take advantage of the above words, by which I meant no more than that, if any impartial person (for I desired not to be a Judge in my own case), could point out wherein I had given just cause of offence I was ready to make sadsfaction by asking pardon. In short I could not help seeing that the price set for my obtaining the Governor's favour was what would render me despicable in the eyes of every thinking man, foes as well as friends. When Dinner was over the next day, he got up and told me, he would leave me with the company who dined with us, four persons of the first distinction, here as if there had been a formal agreement between him & me for the purpose expressed in the above mentioned report. I followed his Honour and endeavoured in vain to come to some explanation. All I could get from him was that what would satisfy these Gentlemen would satisfy him. I was therefore left with the Gentlemen who teased me with arguments not fit in my opinion to be used with any man of Spirit and Integrity, or one who had a character to support, such as " that it would make all things easy," would be better for me in particular If I would ask the Governor's pardon before them. To which I answered that If they could point out any particular transaction or saying of mine, wherein I had given just cause of offence, I was willing to comply with what they desired, otherwise not. And when they did not pretend to be able to do this I was at last provoked to tell them that there was more occasion for the Governor's asking my pardon than for my asking his. For that he had given me the lie in the very room in which we were then left together. On which one of them had the spirit and honesty to agree, that if that was the case I was right in my refusal to do what rather belonged to his Honour. Thus the matter ended. & the Rupture, as some were pleased to term it, between the Governor and me, remained unhealed by the salutary measure intended to be artfully imposed. Since the just recited affair, I have had no quarrel with the Governor ; except what follows may be reckoned one. Some Candidates for orders have first obtained a recommendation from the Governor and then applied to me to sign the same paper, which I am told the Governor insists has been the usual method of recommending for orders from this Colony. If this method was to be pursued, I plainly perceive, that I must either be in perpetual dan- ger of giving offence to the Governor by objecting to Persons whose recom- 493 [1764- mendation he had already signed ; or else suffer my recommendation to become an insignificant matter of form. To avoid which disagreeable alter- native, I declared that I would recommend whom I judge proper for the office they proposed to undertake, on a distinct paper, & would sign my own, not another person's recommendation, leaving to the Governor the like liberty. That I might act with proper caution and integrity in a point of so much con- sequence I published my resolution to recommend none but such as brought me a certificate from the Minister of the Parish, wherein they had resided for three years last past, that their intention to apply for Holy Orders had been published by him to his congregation agreable to the instructions of an Arch Bishop of Canterbury. One young man has been spirited up by some Gentle- men here to look on the demand that his intention should be published in the Church by the Minister of the Parish where he lived as an indignity offer'd him and has found means by the interest of these Gentlemen to obtain orders without my recommendation. This practice I think ought to be the rather discouraged ; because I know it is sometimes a diversion to the Gentlemen here, to recommend improper persons for orders and laugh at the easiness of the Bishop in putting as they term it, any Body into orders. The same Gen- tlemen, not content with boasting that the Bishop's Commissary Is no longer to be appointed one of his Majesty's council here, are also willing to have him set aside as to what immediately belongs to his office and rejoice to find that I have not yet been able to obtain one farthing of the Hundred a year allow'd by the Bounty of the Crown, nor a Power to call the Clergy together that I might be the better able to give your Lordships accounts from time to time of their present state and circumstances. The Governor, I am very well informed, has desired the minister of the Parish wherein he lives, to omit the Athanaslan Creed, and on the Minister's refusal to comply with this request desired to be excused as to his own partic- ular from paying any regard to that part of the Church service. The Gover- nor has also required another Clergyman to suffer parents to stand as sureties for their own Children in Baptism and when the Minister urged, that he could not admit any thing so contrary to the laws of the Church, he was told that these signified nothing, for he the Governor thought it right that parents should be sureties for their own children. These things, to say no more, are I apprehend out of the Governor's sphere. Before M'. Camm arrived from England, which was in the summer of the 1764.] 494 year 1760, He had written to his agent here an account of what had been done, in relation to the disputed Act in England and commissioned him to demand of his Vestry what had been withheld by virtue of the said Act, and in case of their refusal, after a proper time allowed them to consider the demand, to bring suit. The Vestry would come to no resolution till they were assured, that the expense of the suit should be defrayed by the publick. A resolution for which purpose was accordingly afterwards passed and entered on the journals of the House of Burgesses. It Is remarkable that this reso- lution of the house relates only to the dispute between the Vestries and the Ministers of Parishes tho' it was well known at the time, that Merchants who had been deprived of the benefit of fair contracts by the same Act, and had complained of the Act, to the Lords of Trade and the Privy Council, as well as the Clergy intended to dispute its validity. This is the true reason why the dispute has been continued with respect to the Clergy and their Parishes and dropped in relation to the Merchants and their contractors : the latter giving up the benefit of the Act rather than risk the expence of a suit. And the Parishes for the same reason would have instantly submitted to the Royal disallowance, had they not been indulged by the House of Burgesses with the certain prospect of retaining what they had got for some time to come without the danger of losing any thing by the expence of Law. After the Governor had received the additional Instruction and the Royal Disallowance from the hands of M'. Camm, He issued a proclamation to repeal the several Acts disallowed, inserting the word Repeal, not to be found in the disallowance which served either to raise or confirm a notion that the disallowance was no more than a common repeal and could not take place but from the time of the Proclamation, that is, not till after the Act was expired, which Act being passed for one year only all its effects were over ; there were no future ones to be disallowed, and therefore the disallowance instead of annulling the Act was a Nullity of itself and signified nothing. When the matter came lately before the General Court, this was much insisted on, & it was added that the disallowance could mean nothing but to prevent such Acts for the future not considering that the disallowance had no relation to this point which was provided for by the additional instruction. The King's Commission to Lord Loudon was brought to confront the instructions given by his Majesty to his Governors; and though the said Commission refer'd the Governors to their instructions it was argued that availed nothing 495 [i 764- because the instructions were not inserted at large in the Commission. Copies of Charters not to be found, printed at the end of a History of Vir- ginia written by a M"". Stith were produced and urged against the Clergy. It was even alledged that unless an Act passed by the Governor & Assembly, tho' ever so unjust, tho' opposite to the Governor's instructions and an Act passed with the Royal approbation, might stand for law, the subjects in Virginia or what they called the people of Virginia were not free, because the Governor & Assembly are the Legislature of the Country, as if they were not a subor- dinate but a supreme Legislature, And these Advocates were so honest as openly to declare, that if they could but establish the authority by which the Act was passed they should pay no regard to the injustice of the Act. The result was that their Honors Corbln, Randolph, Lee & Carter, were of opinion that the Governor and Assembly had no right to pass such an Act. Their Honours Blair, Taylor, Bird, Thornton & Burwell, that the Act was valid till the King's pleasure was known here, that is to all the purposes to which it was ever, or could be supposed to extend. There are two more, besides those mentioned, of the Council here namely the M'. Nelsons, who refused to give their opinion, alledging that they were Members of M"", Camm's Parish, and could not give their opinion as being parties. If there was not other sufficient proofs of their uprightness and tenderness in the point of not giving their opinion where they are parties this would be a very lame one. For the very Act on which the Question arose is of such a nature as to make them, and every person to be benefitted by it, a Judge in his own cause, by leaving it to himself whether he would chuse to be deemed a person in distress and entitled to relief at the expense of the Clergy or not, of which permis- sion they as well as others of great fortunes, tho' without any imaginable reason, did not fail to take the advantage of being Judges in their own cause. After the judgment was given, his Honour the Governor was pleased before a numerous audience to get up and protest against suffering his instructions for the future to be canvassed in open Court which led some to think that this had been an indulgence granted to the Clergy, whereas they had desired nothing but to depend on the justice of their cause and the Royal disallowance, and to approve the judgment of the court, insisting largely that an Act of what nature soever, passed by the Governor and Assembly, the' contrary to the Governor's instructions and to an Act which had the royal approbation must be law. The Governor only in such a case being account- 1764.] 496 able to his Royal Master for the breach of his instructions. A doctrine, I conceive, as well as some others, above mentioned very new in this Colony, dangerous to the King's authority, and likely if not timely checked, to set the Assembly on teazing future Governors to break their instructions, whereby some partial point may be served of advantaging some and damaging others of his Majesty's subjects. The' the Clergy thus fell short of success with the Judges of the general Court, they had the satisfaction to find the generality of the bystanders, a much greater crowd than usual, convinced in their favour. The Clergy being aware, that all the quirks and chicaneries of law and niceties of proceedings at Law, with which they were unacquainted would be put in force against them, finding themselves restrained in the Choice of council, the Attorney General, and some others being unwilling to plead their cause, did not care to risk all upon one suit. And some of the Parishes on the other hand would not agree to abide by the issue of M"", Camm's suit, these two things were the cause that more suits have been brought, which were all brought in the inferior Courts. This occasioned a petition from some of the Clergy to the Governor praying a copy of the Royal Disallowance. He insisted on sending the original when wanted by his own Secretary. And tho' it was urged that the certain day when any of the clauses would be tried at the County Courts, could not well be told from the nature of law proceed- ings here, & the Governor's Secretary might have several long journies to no purpose, with several other arguments, the Governor could not be prevailed on by repeated requests to alter his resolution. Some of the Clergy accepted of the original Disallowance sent by the hands of the Governor's Secretary, to the Court. And others of them, finding that with the disallowance was also sent to the judges of the Courts a letter from the Governor, and preambles of instructions without the instructions themselves, contrived as they conceived to prejudice the Court against them, chose rather to depend on a copy of the the Disallowance preserved and sworn to by M''. Camm. There were manifest unfair proceedings and advantages taken of the Clergy in all these suits. M^ Warrington, also who was the first, had the success to have considerable Damages found for him by a Jury of his own Parishioners, & was prevented both from having greater damages, found and from having them found generally by two of the Jury who were known to have a private Quarrel with their Minister. The Court hindered him from immediately coming at the damages by judging the Act to be law, in which it 497 [1764. is thought they were influenced more by the fear of giving offence to their Superiors, than by their own opinion of the reasonableness of the Act, they privately professing that they thought the Parson ought to have his right. In M''. White's Case the Court refused to meddle in the matter, and insisted on leaving the whole affair to the Jury, who delivered their verdict in saying "we bring in for the defendant," meaning no more thereby than that, As the Act in their opinion was law and the plaintiff had received the money prescribed by the Act he was fully satisfied for his demands, but as the opposite side had pleaded payment, and M'. White's did not make the proper exceptions aiming only to stick honestly to the merits of the case ; that M''. White might be cut off from all farther recourse by appeal, it was entered on record not that he had received the money which the Act allowed instead of the tobacco, but that he had received the tobacco itself, a known falsehood both contrary to what appeared in Court & to the mind of the Jury. The event of M^ Maury's cause on the same question was more extraor- dinary than either of the former brought in the County Courts. For here the Court adjudged the Act to be no law. But the Jury, summoned afterwards on a writ of enquiry to settle the damages, tho* it was proved by unexceptionable evidence uncontradicted, that the tobacco for which the Plaintiff had been allowed 16^ 8^ a hundred, was worth 50 shillings a hundred, had the effrontry to bring in one penny damages for the Plaintiff. To this imprudent Verdict they were persuaded by the strange arguments of a young lawyer ; who pro- fessed afterwards that he had acted solely from desire of popularity. He was pleased to tell the Jury, that the use of the Clergy consisted only in their pro- moting obedience to civil sanctions; that for daring to complain of a just law passed by such a power as the Governor & Assembly, they ought to be severely punished ; that he hoped they would make an example of Maury in particular, as far as they could at present by giving him a penny damages, and that the King by taking upon him to disallow the Act of the Governor & Assembly had forfeited all right of obedience heretofore due from his sub- jects in Virginia. For all of which he received no Check from the Court, nor has hitherto been taken notice of by any other power : tho' he pleaded before a numerous audience of magistrates & Assembly men & persons of all ranks in the Colony, some of whom did murmur at the time "treason! treason!" It is to be observed that M^ Maury's Jury were a set of ignorant low-bred persons & seemed picked for the purpose, being chiefly composed of such as 1764.] 49S are known here under the denomination of " new hghts," And the several juries in these three causes were men of ordinary rank, not very fit for the business to which they were called, persons of better qualifications having been either overlooked, or refusing and avoiding to serve, for fear of giving offence, or of getting entangled with others obstinate In defence of the Act, or rather maliciously bent against the Clergy. It is also to be observed, that tho' there were several other Acts disallowed, by which the Clergy had been much injured, yet as they had not made timely complaint against them, they never thought of founding a suit upon the disallowance of these Acts ; but rather chose to shew themselves willing to give up many injuries for the sake of Quietness and if they were disposed to bring any suit upon these other Acts, It Is now too late, the time prescribed by law for any such suits being long since elapsed. Upon the whole my Lord, from what I have an opportu- nity of seeing and hearing by being on the spot, I cannot help delivering it as my opinion that If the Act about which the Clergy are now contending, con- trary to what they had such high reason to expect, be not actually and finally adjudged no law, It will gratify a few men amongst us, of power indeed ^nd influence, with agreeable disappointment. For I do not believe any of them are sanguine enough to be persuaded In their hearts, that they shall succeed in so unreasonable an Attempt, only they are determined to keep the dispute alive against the Clergy so long as there remains any the smallest chance for defeat- ing them in their just Views and pretensions. It will infallibly stir up such men in opposition to the King's Instructions which they will say have been already & repeatedly found unable to restrain us, to renew their attacks upon the income and possessions of the Clergy on ever;' the least plausible oportu- nlty, treating them at the same time In the most insolent terms, for not sub- mitting patiently to be devoured, which two things I believe commonly go together. They will be encouraged to all this by the certain knowledge that the Clergy will become Inclined rather to submit to the worst Impositions than to add to their losses and grievances by applying to expensive methods of relief, which past experience, will teach them are like to prove fruitless In the end, though for some time flattering them with the fairest hopes of success, It will be Impossible to possess the Clergy with a persuasion, that they have any security for their stipends allotted by law with respect to the future, for they will Incessantly urge, that Instructions and law confirmed by Royal Assent, which have been already set aside and treated as nothing may be so again. 499 [1764- Governors may again be found to slight such ties : either for the sake of pleasing some powerful men in Assembly here, under the name of pleasing the people or for some secret and unknown cause, which will not be the less fatal to the just possession of the Clergy, for working in the dark. On the other hand, my Lord, if the act be adjudged no law, Things will return to an easy and quiet Channel. There will be end of such disputes for ever. The King's Authority will be respected as usual before the propagation of some new and strange doctrines, which will otherwise gain ground. Since the matter has been openly canvassed, and It has been shown beyond contra- diction that the Act has no particular relation to distress ; gives no more advantage to the distressed than to the successful, bestows little or nothing on any poor in comparison of what it bestows on the opulent, and is very greiveous to the same poor, namely the Clergy, the bulk of the people have changed their sentiments in the point. Numbers cry out that the Assembly had no bus- iness to interfere in such an affair much less in such a manner. M^ Warring- ton has already had considerable damages assigned to him by a Jury of his own parishioners. It is very well known that if a Jury had been summoned in the General Court for some time past, the same thing would have been done for M'. Camm. The Clergy of Virginia will obtain their just dues and with them a proper portion of respect. They will have their share of that Influence in which the rest of their Brethren rejoice, under so gracious and Religious a Monarch. Notwithstanding what has happened by the influence of a few who have suffered themselves to take a wrong turn I cannot yet entertain so ill an opinion of my Countrymen in general but that they will on finding the Act adjudged no law by the highest judicial Authority: the most Honorable the Privy Council, immediately drop all farther contention, and not leaving the matter to a Jury make such offers to the Clergy as they will accept, tho' it should not exactly come up to what has been wrested from them rather by violence than Legal Authorit)'. Of this your Lorship may be assured, that the most plausible cry in favour of the Act, namely, how shall people pay tobacco when they do not raise any, is among numbers of the Laity themselves become contemptible. For the weather about which the Act makes so much ado and on which it is ultimately founded, was of such a nature as to hurt only young tobacco plants. Crops of other kinds, to no part of which the Clergy have any title here were very plentiful that year. Those therefore who raised little or no tobacco were not in any distress from the weather. But that was 1764.] 500 made a cant term which served for a time to raise an alarm and cover the real state of things with a mist of confusion. Many people here in every year aim at raising no tobacco. And yet find it very easy to pay their dues to the Clergy, either by settling with them what money shall be given in lieu of the tobacco, or if the parson insist on his tobacco by purchasing it for him of other people at the market price which is always to be done with very little trouble. Through the whole of this dispute Your Lordship cannot but observe that the Clergy are aiming at no kind of power whatever, that they are only standing upon the defensive against unreasonable and oppressive power and that they are contending for such treatment as is due to every the most ordinary ser- vant from a just and reasonable master. For was I to contract with a labourer in England to come over hither to serve me for a certain Annual quantity of tobacco, I should undoubtedly think myself under obligation to pay him that tobacco or satisfy him with the full worth of it in money, or other goods whether I raised a pound of tobacco on my plantation or not ; whether I was hindered from doing this by my own inclination or by accident of weather, the risk of the latter belonging not to him but to me and it being every man's duty to bear his own misfortunes without repining, much more without falling on the possession of his neighbour. No, my Lord, in a matter of the least consequence to the Clergy of the Church of England in these parts of his majesty's Dominions, I may say in all North America, for I make no doubt, but if the promoters of this Act in our Assembly see themselves at last suc- cessful, other Provinces will be forward to copy their example ; my most hum- ble request is that your Lordship will be pleased to bestow the favour of your attendance when this cause comes to be argued afresh before the Privy Coun- cil, and in the mean time to confer on the subject with his Grace the Arch- bishop of Canterbury who condescended to present the petition of the Clergy in Virginia to his late majesty, and to attend the Privy Council when this mat- ter was argued at first. Which instance of his indulgent care for these the remotest parts of the Church will be ever remembered by the Clergy with the warmest sentiments of duty and gratitude. My Lord, I have made bold to desire M"". Capel Hanbury, merchant in Lon- don, to wait on Your Lordship for your advice, in order to get his majesty's Warrant for the Receiver General here to pay me my salary which is a hun- dred pounds a year; there will be four Years due next November. When Your Lordship shall be pleased to favor me with any commands or 50I [1764- instructions for my conduct in relation to tlie duty of my office under Your Lordsiiip, be pleased to direct them to the Care of M'. Capel Hanbury & I shall receive them with all due submission & obedience, being, my Lord, Your Lordship's most dutiful son and S^ W» ROBINSON. M\ GIBERNE to the BISHOP of LONDON. LuNENBURGH Parish, In Richmond County, on Rappahanock River, Virginia, 31^* Aug., 1764. My Lord, Permit me, while I think it my duty to congratulate Your Lordship's trans- lation to a See that presides over this poor Colony, to wish those Virtues which adorn the amiable Character you bear, may spread their influence on this distant spot, where fanaticism & Ignopance & a disregard to Holy things, labour hard to corrupt our morals & our Faith. As one now under your Lordship's charge & whose life is happily devoted to the concern of souls. I shall without Apology presume (though unknown), to take a proper opportunity of delineating to Your Lordship a few senti- ments, which I humbly hope may be improved by a well conducted application to the utmost benefit of Religion here, for I should really think myself neglectful not to acquaint my Superior with what passed under my watch. Your Lordship, may be assured if I cannot be a valuable intelligencer, I will not be found a troublesome one. It may suffice at present (till Your Lordship has had time to survey your diocese), to acquaint you of a principal imposition which has of late been practised on the Rt. Rev^ the Lord Bishop of London from this Colony, which as it is a fundamental one & a great cause of the contempt of the Clergy here, as well as raising the highest clamours against ordination, I cannot defer informing Your Lordship of it, who I am persuaded only wants to know to redress these Grievances ; and it is with the utmost deference & humility I represent It. 1 764.] 502 The livings in this Colony are all under the patronage of the Vestries. These are sometimes composed of inconsiderate men who are easily deluded by the importunities & false pretences of those who want to get orders, to lend them recommendations & titles, the' the parishes are supplied & they never intend to receive them, even if a vacancy should happen, and to obviate all future pretensions they take Defeasance bonds from the supposed Candi- date that he will never claim their appointment or trouble them further. By this gross imposition on Your Lordship, Men of very mean abilities (to say noth- ing worse), get ordained in hopes after all their failings in the world, to pro- cure a subsistance in the Church, which sometimes happens in lapsed parishes where they are unknown, and as we have no visitations, they too often prove themselves not only a scandal to the Profession, but their examples unhappily contradicting those heavenly precepts they are ordained to preach, they become a Nuisance to the Community. In this deception of Characters to your Lordship from vestries who cannot, or will not judge of the ill consequences resulting from their hasty recomen- dations. Persons are authorized to be pubhck dispensers of God's holy word & sacraments, who are miserably ignorant of the true faith & Grounds of the Christian's hope, & unfit to be partakers of the holy sacrament of the Lord's Supper which they administer. Above three fourths of the Clergy here I am told are from Scotland, many of whom came in as indentured servants. School- masters &c., &c. In a journey to a neighbouring parish this last Easter {by the particular desire of the people to preach a Charity Sermon), I stopped an attempt there of borrowing a recommendation for Orders, by representing to the major part of the Vestries, how very unjustifiable such a Compliance would be, as they had chose another Person to be their Minister: tho' I must must own the Petitioner was better qualified than most of his Countrymen. The colony in general are sensible people but well affected to those only of the Clergy who act becoming their function. I thank God I always meet with respect & see with the highest satisfaction & comfort the good fruits of my endeavours among a well disposed people in this Parish, & I hope no vanity will be imputed to me if (as a stranger), I acquaint your Lordship, that scarcely a living becomes vacant in these parts but is offered to me. A cir- cumstance which while I am desirous it should be a proof of my assertion so I hope it will be the best recommendation to your Lordship's favour, as I should think myself very happy to be known to my Diocesan. To gratify 503 [1765. which desire, permit me to inform your Lordship, that I came into this Colony in the year 1759 on the invitation of our present Governor M^ Fauquier: my living at this time is worth in the whole not more than 60 £ per annum as tobacco (the commodity we are paid in), bears a very low price, & though I have been solicited to take more valuable Parishes, I think it better to remain where I am beloved and where there is an encreasing prospect of the fear of God. I have two Churches in my Parish & am a batchelor of },^ years of age. I have the happiness of being known to several great personages, but boast particularly of that honour in the worthy and pious Earl of Dartmouth, to whose recommendation of me, the late D^ Sherlock bishop of London paid the highest regard & when I left England D^ Nicholl gave me some reason to expect that I should succeed to the Commissaryship here, but when the vacancy happened, as I was not certain of settling here I did not apply till too late. Your Lordship's predecessor had also a favorable recommendation of me from the Countess of Carlisle, all which as I am not known to your Lord- ship I hope will plead in my favour whenever an opportunity shall offer for my advancement in your Lordship's esteem, & of which, I shall always endeavour to render myself worthy. I fear I have trespassed too far on your Lordship's time & business & therefore begging your Lordship's blessing with a line or two of the least notice of me in approval I submit what I have wrote, as the best pledge I can give of those sincere respects & services with which I shall always be by Obe- dience & duty, My good Lord, Your Lordship's Ever faithful Servant, I. W. GIBERNE. M\ ROBINSON to the BISHOP of LONDON May 2 3^ 1765. Mv Lord, The Bearer of this, M^ Townshend Dade, born in Virginia, waits on Your Lordship to be admitted into holy Orders. There are many parishes vacant 1765.] 504 yet. M^ Dade brings with him a Title to a Curacy. The reason is, the Ves- tries in general do not care to appoint a person to a vacant living before they try him, that is, have heard him preach, and according to his Voice and delivery he is received or rejected. I make no doubt but M^ Dade will be received into a parish as soon as he returns duly qualified from your Lordship. His Testimonials are from Vir- ginia and Maryland in both which Provinces he has lived within these three Years last past ; I have likewise received Letters from Gentlemen which bear testimony to his good life and Conversation. His intentions have been pub- lished according to the rule laid down by the Archbishop's Instructions and I trust he will satisfy Your Lordship in every other point. My Lord, I have some reasons to apprehend that endeavours have been used to prejudice your Lordship against me, but in what particulars I know not. I must therefore beg Your Lordship's patience while I give some account of myself, I was born in Virginia ; at ten Years old I was sent to England for my Education, which was in the year 1729. I continued at School in the Country till the year 1737, at which time I was admitted a member of Oriel College in Oxford. After I had taken my B. A, Degree I was chosen by the Provost and Fellows to one of D^ Robinson's Bishop of London's (who was my Great Uncle) Exhibitions, which I enjoyed for three years, the term limited by his Lordship. In June, 1743, I was Ordained Priest by D^ Gibson, Bishop of London. I returned to my native Country in October, 1744; the Novem- ber following I was received into Stratton Major Parish, in King and Queen County, where I have continued Rector ever since. I can with truth assure your Lordship I have always lived in the greatest harmony with my Parish- ioners, and I believe no minister can be more respected by them than I am. I have always studiously avoided giving any just cause for Offence to any one, especially those in authorit}'. Your Lordship, I hope, will excuse my saying so much in my own behalf, but there is a time when it is requisite for a man to praise himself, and as to the truth of what I have said, I can appeal to my whole parish. I make bold to trouble Your Lordship with the Letters of my appointment to be Commissary of Virginia from D'. Sherlock, D\ Hayter and D^ Osbald- iston, which Your Lordship will be pleased to return me by M'. Dade. I have acted as Commissary ever since my first appointment by D^ Sherlock, but cautiously, for fear of giving offence, as I have no Commission. My authority 505 [1765- is the same as M"". Dawson's was, who had no Commission, but always acted as Commissary, and was looked upon as such by every body here. I have been present at several Conventions of the Clergy called by him, tho' I have avoided calling any till I know Your Lordship's pleasure. Whether it would not be proper that the Clergy should be convened in order to transmit to Your Lordship a full and true account of the present state of the Church and Clergy here, is left to your Lordship's determination. My Lord, I cannot but think it a hardship upon me that I should be appointed Commissary of Virginia four Years ago and yet not be able to receive one farthing of the Salary annexed to that Place which is one Hun- dred Pounds a Year. M^ Dawson constantly received it and had no Com- mission. The Salary is paid by the Receiver General here, out of His Majesty's Quit Rents, and I am informed by him that the reason I am not paid is for want of his Majesty's Warrant. As M^ Dawson had a Warrant I apprehend it would be no difficult matter for me to get one, upon proper application. I have desired M"". Capel Hanbury, my merchant in London, to wait on Your Lordship for your advice, and I hope your Lordship will befriend me in that matter, as I do with truth assure you, I am near that sum out of Pocket, by the expences, I have been obliged to be at on account of my appointment, which I could not have borne if I had not had an Estate of my own of about four hundred a year. I hope to have the honor of receiving a Letter from your Lordship ; and ifi t should be your pleasure to continue me Commissary, Your Lordship may depend on having all your Instructions, Orders and Commands punctually obeyed by. My Lord, Your Lordship's most dutiful Son and obedient Servant,, W« ROBINSON. King & Queen County, | Virginia. J 1765.] 5o6 M-. ROBINSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. King and Queen County, Aug. I2^^ 1765. My Lord, I return you my sincere thanks in behalf of the Clergy here, for your promise to attend the hearing of the Appeal in which they take their present indubitable right and future security to be equally concerned, which will cer- tainly come on in a little time & in due course as they have a full confidence of being heard by the most Hon"^ the Privy Council with the strictest atten- tion and with a fixed resolution to do what is right & this is all that can be desired. There is no doubt to be made of your Lordship's readiness to take a part in every thing in which the real interest of the Clergy & of Religion are con- cerned. And that Your Lordship may not be imposed upon by misinforma- tion in which the danger of the Clergy lies, I think it my duty if possible to provide. To shew Your Lordship how impossible it is, that the Clergy here could stop short any where of the present Appeal, without consenting to their own destruction, I must beg your patience while I give you a recital of the state of the case, as well as I am able from the beginning. This Colony was originally an asylum for the Church men, as some of the others were for the sectaries, & it is no wonder that the latter from their Neighbourhood should endeavour to get footing among us. We have some who are great Latitudinarians in point of Government, respecting either Church or State, who seem willing to acknowledge no jurisdiction but that of the Governor, the Assembly and the King, and would lessen the King's power as much as possible by maintaining the Governor to be his substitute and representative, who gives in fact the Royal Assent & insisting that any law tho' ever so unjust and absurd if passed by the Governor and Assembly, must be in force till the King's pleasure be known here, by which means they get opportunities of making such a distri- bution of property as they at the time shall think proper. There are in all States some more attach'd to their immediate interest, than to the service of Religion, the publick good of a happy Constitution of Government, or any 507 [1765- other blessing whatever. Others again are weak enough to be imposed upon by the artful and designing. All these formed a party, at first small, which has been growing by indulgence, by frighting or coaxing Governors into their measures, by watching the advantage of a thin House of Burgesses & the like cunning methods, till as you will find by the sequel they have run their career very far, in endangering the Church, and disturbing the State. One of the first attempts of this party, I take to have been a petition to the General Assembly that some dissenters, might be excused from their paying any dues to the Clergy, which as it might in the end, make the maintenance of the Clergy fall heavy on such as should be left, after so many had declared them- selves dissenters as should be willing by that means to make a saving to them- selves, miscarried. In the year 1751 or 2 a Petition was sent to the King & the Privy Council that the Governor and Assembly might occasionally pass Acts without a suspending clause, though they should Interfere with Acts that had obtained the Royal Assent which might be in force, Till the King's pleas- ure should be known here. The Petition as may be seen on record was rejected by the Privy Council, Notwithstanding the refusal of the Petition, Acts were made that interfered with the Act which had the Royal Assent without suspending clause. In 1753 under pretence that Tobacco was not raised in a sufficient quantity in particular Parishes, by these Acts two or three Parishes on the frontiers of the Colony were to pay not half the value of the salary in current money which was daily becoming more and more depreciated by means of the paper currency, and in some other particular Parishes in Nor- folk and Princess Ann Countys, it was left to the Justices of the Court, that is, to the persons that were to pay, to assign the price of tobacco according to what the Clergy were to receive. It is remarkable that with respect, to one of these Parishes, tho' it was pretended that it paid sufficiently to the minister under the Act, Yet it has since been divided into three Parishes at the request of the Parishioners themselves. The same people now maintain three Clergymen instead of one, two of them are paid in tobacco & the third in money at double the rate, which the Rector received when the three Parishes were in one. These Acts being such manifest encroachments on the Royal Prerogative were never I believe intended to be sent to England as all Acts ought to be, not aiming in appearance at the whole body, were overlooked by the Clergy who have eminently studied peace and quietness. In 1755 an Act was pro- 1765.] 5o8 posed of the like kind, affecting the whole Clergy, which pretending there would be a small quantity of Tobacco raised, required the whole Clergy to be paid at a certain rate in money. This opened the design of the party so far that the Clergy could not but be alarmed. Some of them waited on the Gov- ernor (M"". Dinwiddle), to beg his negative on the Act. He acquainted them that the Act was contrary to common justice 8c his instructions & therefore he could not pass it. On a report that M^ Dinwiddle was wavering the Clergy waited on him a second time & were astonished, to hear him say that " It is true the Act proposed is contrary to common justice & my Instructions, but what can I do, if I do not pass it, I shall have the people upon my back," in which they perceived his final Resolution to pass it. His dread of having the people on his back appeared to us the more strange, as there was but a majority of one voice in the lower house of Assembly in favor of the Act. M''. Dinwiddle told me that if I could get the Speaker, my relation, to advise him against passing the Act, he would put an end to it by his negative, I thought it unreasonable to expect that the Speaker would take upon him the province of advising the Governor to refuse an Act passed in the lower House, however I mentioned the matter to him & he answered to the following pur- pose, that his sentiments concerning the Act were sufiBciently known as he had declared openly in the House, his opinion to be that the Act would not be law, when passed by the Governor and Assembly. M"". Dinwiddle long after- wards excused himself to the Lords of Trade for passing this Act by allowing it was contrary to reason and justice, but adding that if he had not passed it, the people would have given no money towards carrying on the war & of two evils he thought himself obliged to chuse the least. It Is not clear to us that even the supposed necessity of chusing one of the two evils was real because the Act was not tacked to a money bill, nor waving this can we be easily be brought to think, that sacrificing Reason, Justice, and Religion, even with the prospect of obtaining a sum of money for carrying on the war was the lesser evil of the two. A Convention of the Clergy was afterwards called, who took this Act passed in 1755 into consideration. Fond of peace & afraid of Con- tention, as not knowing what support and countenance they would meet with against those, many of whom look upon themselves as the legislature of the country in the first degree of eminence as if there was no other above them, and finding that the price allowed for their tobacco was nearly equal to the market price, determined to acquiesce. But I shall never forget the words of 509 [T765- one of them, as they proved so exact a prognostication of what followed. They were to this effect : " You esteem it sufficient reason to forbear com- plaint, that the price allowed by the Act is nearly equal to the market price. This with me however odd it may sound is a strong reason for complaining. For it proves that the pretended scarcity alleged as the foundation of the act is not real. Immediate advantage is not their object who framed the Act. What then can be their views but getting a precedent for such kind of Acts. Of this I am so well persuaded, that I shall not wonder If you have an Act In three or four years that will make you smart." It Is observable of the first General Act to injure the Clergy as well as the last, that they might be sure to reap no profit from it, if the price allowed should accidentally any where be better that the market price, it is made optional, that is the payer has it in his choice to pay either money or tobacco as he finds it most for his own Inter- est. Agreeable to the above conjecture form'd on the observation of the lan- guage and behaviour of the party at that time In 1758, when by reason of an apprehended scarce crop which turned out to be thrice as large as the Act supposed, an high price for Tobacco was expected to take place In the suc- ceeding year, an Act was proposed to allow the Clergy a moderate price In lieu of the price expected. The Clergy could not be got together in a body time enough to oppose by Petitions or remonstrances the impending storm. A few of them offered but were not permitted to be heard on the bill before either of the Houses of Assembly. Thus rejected they applied to the present Governor. I was one of them. We humbly represented to his Honour, that the Act with which we were threatened was contrary to reason and common justice. His answer was that was not a point to be considered. We then gently put him in mind that it was contrary to his instructions. He answered that is a point not to be considered. It was asked what was the point to be considered & he frankly told us the sole point with him to be considered was what would please the people, which put an end to our application, for there was now a large majority In the House of Burgesses for the Act, whom we supposed the Governor meant by the people, nor was this change in the House to be wondered at, considering how easily men are persuaded to relish the sweets of their own advantage. A Convention of the Clergy was called, who agreed to send M*". Camm to England, as their Agent with a complaint of the above Act & a petition to his late Majesty. He carried with him the first Copy of the Act that appeared In England, a copy from authority did not arrive 1765-] 510 there till long after M"^. Camm was in London. Which confirms what I said above concerning my private opinion that such Acts were never intended to see England, of which it Is a still further confirmation, that the Clerk of the House of Burgesses was much blamed by many of the Party for accommo- dating our Agent with a copy of the Act which he was sent chiefly to complain of. The Clergy's Petition by the condescending assistance of his grace the Archbishop of Canterbury was presented to the King & the matter refered to the Board of Trade. The Lords of Trade, particularly the Earl of Halifax^ expressed great compassion for the case & obliged M^ Camm to recount what steps had been taken by the Clergy here & especially what had passed at our conference upon the subject with the present Governor. "They were willing to report agreably to our request, that the acts ought to be declared null and void ad initio provided a precedent could be produced for the use of such words. No precedent being to be found, as I conceive the case was new, it seemed to be the opinion of their Lordships that our remedy, laid properly at law for that the act must certainly be deemed no law when it came to dispute by an appeal, for instances were not wanting of Acts so deemed, which had been observed many years as law in some of the Plantations, they referred the consideration of the Case to the Bishop of London & his letter In answer, was afterwards made a part of the Report. By these steps a hearing came on with learned counsel on both sides, before the most Honorable the Privy Council. It was their opinion that we had our certain remedy at law. My Lord Hardwick in particular delivered It as his sentiment that there was no occasion, to dispute about the Authority by which the Act was passed. For that no Court in the Judicature whatever, could look upon It to be law by rea- son of its manifest Injustice alone. If it had been there before them by way of an appeal ; it was declared that they would adjudge It to be no law. As this was the opinion of their Lordships, M'. Camm desired an opportunity of mak- ing this opinion known in hope of preventing further contest In Virginia and it was thought there was no Impropriety in letting their opinion be known and therefore the disallowance was granted, together with what was called an addi- tional instruction to the Governor which was no more than a repetition, word for word, of the former instruction. M''. Camm having no intimation from the late Bishop of London or his present Grace of Canterbury {by whom he had the honour to be received & heard many times most affably, for which the Clergy here can never retain too high a sense of gratitude), that he was to 5IJ [1765- rest content with the having obtained the Royal disallowance & what was called an additional instruction as Instruments of future security, & conceiving himself recommended by the right Hon"" the Lords of Trade & the most Hon"^ the Privy Council to seek a certain remedy at law, wrote over to his Attorney here, to commence suit If the Parish should stand out after he had informed them how matters were & given them a sufficient time for consider- ation. The Parish refused to stand suit, till they had obtained a promise that the Expence would be borne out of the publick- funds. Accordingly an order of the House of Burgesses was afterwards made that the expence of appeals where the Clergy were concerned should be borne by the publick. Observe, my Lord, the cunning of the party in this order. The Merchants affected by the Act as well as the Clergy were left out of It, which was an attempt to make the Act a Law so far as It respected the Clergy & at the same time no Law in effect for the Merchants, For the Contractors with the merchants left to con- test the point at their own expence dropt the thoughts of that and paid the Merchants the loss which they must have sustained, had the design of the Act finally prevailed against them. For the truth of these passages I beg leave to refer Your Lordship to M^ Graham Frank, formerly M^ Camm's Attorney, now a Merchant In London, and to M^ Lloyd also a merchant in London. While M"". Camm's cause was depending he was attacked by two very violent writers In the most indecent manner. What they wanted with respect to Rea- son and Argument, they endeavored to make up with false personal accusa- tion. Calumny & railing. He made no reply for three years, but at last being called upon to answer by his friends as a thing necessary for his own justifi- cation & that of his cause, In as much as the sophistry of his adversaries, trifling as It was, could not be seen through by the many, He returned answers in which he proved that what had been held to be just, charitable and Necessary was the contrary of all these, to the conviction of enemies as well as the satisfaction of friends. What does one of his adversaries & the ablest of them hereupon, but give up Justice, Charity & Necessity, which he had solely depended upon, and rely on Authority which he had at first allowed to be against him, alleging that an Act passed by the Governor & Assembly, be it of what nature it will must be of force here, untill the King's pleasure be made known here. Advancing many other strange doctrines still more border- ing, to say no worse of them, on Civil Independency, I do not hear of any fault found with what M". Camm has written in this dispute, except that some think he has treated his antagonists with too much severity for a Clergyman. Tho' it be allowed that they had well deserved it at his hands. If this be so I cannot but think that it is nothing to the dispute, and that in his excuse may well be pleaded the many falsehoods which have been uttered of him, the variety of ill treatments which to my certain knowledge he has endured in a course of years with no ordinary patience, Knowingly giving up prospects of interest and advantage to himself for the sake of doing publick service. As to M^ Camm's private character, to run down which seems to have been the chief aim of the Art of the writers on the other side, I beg leave to assure Your Lordship that he need yield the palm to none of the Clergy for esteem & respect in his own Parish & with those who are best acquainted with him. M'. Norton, lately one of his parishioners & a person of good credit & distinction among us, who was one of the Assembly when the first two penny Act was passed, & is now I hear settled as a Merchant near Fulham, would, I make no doubt, do M^ Camm justice if he had an opportunity. When the Royal Disallowance of the act under consideration at present was brought in, the Clergy had hopes that the Governor would for the future at least stand neuter, but far from this he has continued an open Advocate for the Validity of the Act in opposition to the Royal Disallowance. We think we have reason to believe, that on finding numbers of the people convinced of the iniquity of the Act, the Lawyers employed In its support changed their plan & obliged M'. Camm's counsel to contest it on what they call a demur- rer. They durst not trust It with a General Court Jury, for fear they should find generally for M^ Camm & give him proper damages, but thought it safer to have the point of law tried nakedly by the Court. Its contrariety to com- mon Justice, to the Act which had obtained the royal Assent, to Royal instruc- tions & the opinion of the Privy Council as expressed in the Royal Disallow- ance, were objected to the Act. It is remarkable not the least reply was made to the head of Injustice. To the other objections on the head of authority on which the defendants insisted intlrely to depend it was only urged that the Act must be in force till the King's pleasure was known here. To prove this, a King's commission to a Governor in Chief was produced, by which it appeared that the Governor Is commissioned to give assent to Acts produced to him agreable to his Instructions & not otherwise ; the force of which clause they endeavoured to invalidate by alledging that the King's instructions were not inserted in the Commission, that Is, the limitation must signify nothing, because 513 [1765. the Commission and the Instructions are not written on the same piece of paper, a thing I conceive impossible except a new Commission was to come over with every new instruction. The Court was five to four In favour for the Validity of the Act. According to the opinion of most people here, the four made up in judgment & experience what they wanted in number. The two M^ Nelsons, men of the first rank in the Court excused themselves from giv- ing any opinion because they were M"". Camm's Parishioners. The Governor, who was under no necessity of giving any opinion as the Court was not divided, got up & made a long speech in which to our surprise he affirmed that for transgressing his instructions he was accountable to his Royal Master and might be punished, but the Act which had the Governor's Assent must be valid until the King's pleasure was made known here, that is, it must be valid to all intents & purposes to produce which it was made. For the Act being passed for no more than one year, and its effect taking place much sooner, the Disallowance could not possibly arrive here before the Act had expired. So that in the judgment of the Governor and of that party who have drawn him into their measures, the Clergy's best support and firm- est dependancies are what makes the most against them; even the Royal Dis- allowance itself is nothing more nor less than a Confirmation of the Act against which it is produced. Had M"". Camm been content not to carry on a suit or dropped his Appeal, after such encouragement in England from the best Authority, he would have been much condemned for unnecessarily & pusillanimously deserting the cause in which he had been engaged, and for his conduct in which he had received the approbation & thanks of the Clergy here Assembled in convention, neither would this have availed to prevent an Appeal, for several others of the Clergy would have heard of no such propo- sal, but would have carried on suits at all events, looking upon themselves by the entire forbearance of such suits, not only to be divested of their present right to too great a sum to be given up by an indigent Clergy, but void of all future security. M^ Warrington had a cause on the same subject tried in his own county by his own Parishioners. A Jury of his Parishioners found for him considerable damages, allowing on their oaths that there was above twice as much justly due to him as the Act had granted. But the point of law was given against him by the Court not so much (as might be gathered from what some of them dropped), because they thought in their hearts, the Act ought to be deemed valid Law, but for fear of offending their superiors who had I765-] 514 passed the Act. Indeed M'. Warrington's Parishioners are willing in general to pay him (and this is the case with many other parishes) what they think has been unjustly detained from him, but they are afraid of having it to pay a second time, should the Clergy recover by means of an Act of Assembly, to levy the deficiency to be made up to the Clergy upon the whole people, a thing that seems to be generally expected. M''. Warrington carried his cause to the General Court by appeal, where it was lately called and ready for hear- ing and he was not without hopes of success as the two M'. Nelsons could not be excused from giving their opinion in his case, and he had heard one of them acknowledge the Act to be a most unjust Act. But the Court refused to hear any more of the causes til) they should know how M'^. Camm's was determined in England, so that the condition of the whole Clergy is suspended upon this one cause. M*". Maury brought his cause in a county Court. The Court adjudged tlie Act in question to be no law, but an ignorant Jury were after- wards, in opposition to the best evidence that M^ Maury ought to have received about three times as much in value as the Act had granted him, and without any counter evidence, persuaded to give him one penny damages. The method taken to bring over a weak jury thus to sap the foundations of prop- erty was as extraordinary as the verdict itself. The advocate advanced for this purpose, that the Clergy were of no use but to promote what he called, Duties of imperfect obligation, that for their audacious behaviour in contesting at law the Act of a Governor & Assembly, they deserved to be severely pun- ished instead of receiving damages, that the King by disallowance of the Act had forfeited the Allegiance of the People of Virginia, & that the jury were not obliged nor ought to give more than one penny damages. After the trial was over this Lawyer excused himself to the plaintiff by telling him that he had no ill will against him or wished to hurt him but that he had said what he did to make himself popular. He has succeeded in making himself popular in that part of the country where he lives. He has since been chosen a repre- sentative for one of the Counties, in which character he has lately distinguished himself in the House of Burgesses on occasion of the Arrival of an act of parliament for Stamp duties while the Assembly was sitting. He blazed out in a violent speech against the Authority of parliament and the King, compar- ing his Majesty to a Tarquin, a Cesar, and a Charles the First and not sparing insinuations that he wished another Cromwell would arise. He made a motion for several outrageous resolves, some of which passed and were again erased 515 [1765. as soon as his back was turned. Such was the behaviour in the lower House of Assembly that the Governor could not save appearances without dissolv- ing them. They were accordingly dissolved and M^ Henry, the hero of whom I have been writing, is gone quietly into the upper parts of the country to recommend himself to his constituents by spreading treason and enforcing firm resolutions against the Authority of the British parliament. This is at least the Common report, the concluding resolve which he offered to the House & fell among the rejected ones, was that any person who should write or speak in favour of the Act of Parliament, for laying on Stamp duties should be deemed an enemy to the Colony of Virginia, such notions has he of Lib- erty & property, as well as of Authority, and such indeed have too many of his party, which on occasion of the present Act of Parliament, have met an opportunity of breaking out too conspicuously to be any longer suppressed or denied. Considering, my Lord, that I must have tried your Lordship with the length of the above recital, and that I am writing to no ordinary person, but to one of equal Dignity & penetration. I shall omit may reflections that might be made on what I have said. And beg your patience for a few which cannot well be left unmentioned. I think it is very clear the ill treatment which has been given here to the Clergy; the British Parliament & the King's authority, springs all from the same root, namely, from wrong notions respect- ing both property and legal Authority, & from a desire of some among us to reduce us under an arbitrary' Aristocratical power of our own with the name of Liberty, instead of that happy constitution of an inferior legislature with the King at the head of it, & a supreme legislature consisting of the King & the British parliament which we have a right to enjoy. I cannot help thinking that giving way to this party has hitherto contributed to its growth, and has been only at best casting embers on a flame, to hide it for the present without impairing in the least its strength & ability to do mischief. Whereas had the Governors given it an early & spirited check which might have been safely done, we should long ago have been freed from the danger of its ravages. An effectual check is now become more necessary than ever & is not yet too late, nay it is even expected by the most sanguine of the opposite party. Num- bers who were at first loud, in praises of the Act, declare their conviction that it is totally unreasonable & iniquitous, contrary to legal Authority, the founda- tion of property & commerce, & contrived to augment the riches of the weal- thy, Instead of relieving the Poor. Many more would be open in delivering I765-] 5i6 the same sentiments if they had the good sense to discern that the alteration of a former judgment upon conviction, incurs no reflection on their parts & judgment. If the Clergy were not satisfied of these truths, it would not be worth their while to bear the expence of an Appeal to England, for they know very well that after a judgment in their favour by the most Hon^^^ the Privy Council, they must depend on a Jury here for the assignment of Damages. Whatever weight the Clergy may be of, it is at present on the side of com- mon justice, property, legal authority', & liberty, as happily bounded and dis- tinguished from licentiousness by the British Constitution. But what will be the consequence if after numbers who applauded the Act here at first have been convinced of its unreasonablenes & illegality, the Privy Council, who formerly declared the Act could not be deemed law on account of its mani- fest injustice should at last determine it to be law, & by that means also deter- mine that whatever Act is passed here, be it ever so unjust & unreasonable, must be law till the King's pleasure be made known here, that is till the Act has had its full effect & expired of itself. In this case the obstinate Patron- izers of such Acts will resume fresh Spirits : numbers at present in another way of thinking, will go back again to them led by interest & the love of Power, & Governors will be perpetually teazed & worried into passing such Acts. It will be known from experience both by the Clergy and their enemies, that neither an Act with the Royal Assent, nor Royal instructions, applications to Majesty, nor Royal disallowances, nor the opinion of the Lords of Trade & the Privy Council, nor expensive appeals can be of the least Avail against the most oppressive temporary Acts. The Clergy will be constrained either to frame their notions in Government & Religion by the dictates of a party whose violent tenets and practices they disapprove or be in continued danger of being stripped & deprived of their bread. The number of vacant Parishes in Virginia, which do not from practice & custom, whatever they should do by law, pay any thing towards the mainte- nance of a minister during the vacancy will be encreased, and room will be made for an inundation of all kinds of dissenters. In short, my Lord, the oldest and best experienced Clergymen here think their duty to God, them- selves, the Church of which they are members, their King & their Country, concerned in trying to have upon the best grounds and encouragement the Act against which they have so long contended finally adjudged no law by the most Hon'*'^ the Privy Council. 517 [1765. My Lord, when I was nominated by the late Bishop of London, D'. Sher- lock, to be his Commissary, I received instructions advising me to cultivate a good understanding with the present Governor. It is our duty as delivered by St. Paul, to live in peace with all men if possible, and as far as in us lies. I beg leave to inform your Lordship that nobody is more willing than I to comply with this duty, but cannot help adding that I have hitherto found it impracticable to obtain favour, and live in peace & friendship with the present Governor. In pursuance of the learned & pious Bishop's directions, I made a tender of my services to the Governor, & professed to desire nothing more than future peace and friendship. Peace and friendship I take to imply a re- ciprocation of good will & kind offices. With what success I endeavored to bring about so desirable an event I will leave your Lordship to judge, after I have told you the terms upon which alone the Governor would engage to me this happiness. The first condition was that I should publickly ask his pardon, without any specification for what, but in reality for having received, not given, gross injuries and affronts. The second was that I should openly renounce all friendship and acquaintance with M^ Camm, for whom I have an esteem raised on an intimacy of twenty years standing. Had I complied with these hard demands, I should justly have been deemed consenting to the ruin of the Clerg}'^, have forfeited all character with both sides, and my own peace of mind into the bargain. Had I been at all inclined to make, in my judgment, such unchristian and unmanly compliances, I have before my eyes very recent examples sufficient to deter me from venturing on so hazardous an enterprise. My predecessor in office, remarkable, poor man, for nothing more than com- pliances, was by the interest & friendship of Governors raised to be both Commissary & President of the College, & one of his Majesty's Council, & before he died was at a meeting of the Visitors of the College & in my pres- ence accused of habitual drunkenness, when to avoid the disagreable proof, he confessed the fact, and had the honor to have an apology made for him by the present Governor, which was to this effect, that the person accused was a great object of compassion, inasmuch as he had been teazed by a contrariety of opinions between him & the Clergy into the loss of his spirits, & it was no wonder that he should apply for consolation to Spirituous Liquors, which pre- vailed with the visitation to grant a pardon on promise of future sobriety. M"". Horrocks, a young Clergyman, after having been Master of the Grammar School two or three years, has found means of carrying the Presidentship of 1765.] 5i8 the College against M'. Graham, a Clergyman of unexceptionable character and generally esteemed, who has been Professor of Mathematicks in the Col- lege near twenty years ; but observe, my Lord, upon what terms M'. Horrocks received this success. M'. Graham, M'. Camm, M"". Robinson (since dead)^ M^ Jones (in a little time restored by the Visitors themselves), who were all the masters of the College at the time, had suffered a deprivation founded on Malice and the most frivolous pretences. Soon after it was known here that M'. Graham & M^ Camm would be reinstated in their places by a Judgment of the Privy Council, the Visitors met and passed a statute for depriving any of the President & Masters at pleasure according to advice as they pretend re- ceived from some person in England. This statute could not but alarm the Masters. They looked upon it as an attempt to repeal the Royal Charter of the College itself, and as what must render a proper care of the students in them impracticable. They proposed to take advice upon the statute in Eng- land. In disapproving the statute & in taking advice M^ Horrocks was at least as loud and as forward as any of the rest. But the proposal was frus- trated by the disagreement of the then President. On his decease & M"". Horrocks' election into his place, M^ Horrocks was required to swear & did swear obedience to the statute before the Visitors when I was present. After this M^ Horrocks called a meeting to apologise for the disgust he supposed himself to have occasioned by accepting the Presidentship on such terms. He told them that he would not have submitted to such terms if he could have obtained the Presidentship on any better terms, and that though he had sworn obedience to the statute, he had not in the least altered his former opinion of it. But being required in consequence of this declaration to join with the Masters in applying to some proper person In England for advice, that they might know whether they were bound to obey the statute, and consequently whether it was worth their while to continue In the Society or not, he refused. Thus, my Lord, M^ Horrocks has obtained a profitable & honorable Post by favour granted to compliance, but If by violating his own sentiments & reduc- ing the Authority of the President & Masters to a mere shadow, he has laid a foundation for his own peace and future security, or for any good to the Col- lege as a seminary of education, I am much mistaken. I hope your Lordship will excuse my adding such particulars, I think it necessary to give your Lordship what information I can, that in the variety of representations which I make no doubt will be made to your Lordship on dif- 519 [1766. ferent sides of the Question agitated among us, You may the better discern who have the best and honestest views and most deserve your Countenance. As to the Act which has been the chief subject of this paper, I now commit the issue of that affair to the direction of Almighty God and the judgment of the most Hon'''^ the Privy Council. With respect to matters that have occurred here your Lordship will be pleased to observe, that I go chiefly upon my own knowledge, and with respect to what happened in England, I can have no better information than M^ Camm's. I accept with gratitude of your Lordship's continuance of me in my office, & professing myself sincerely desirous to obey all your Lordship's Commands, beg leave to subscribe myself your Lordship's Most dutiful son and servant, WILLIAM ROBINSON. P. S. — My Lord, I have desired M^ Graham Franks, a merchant in Lon- don, to wait on your Lordship with this Letter. And I humbly beg your Lordship's advice in what manner he must proceed to get his Majesty's War- rant to the Receiver General here to pay me my salary as Commissary, which is one hundred pounds Ster. a year. It was constanriy paid to my predecessor who had no commission. There is now four years due, and I can with truth assure your Lordship I have expended full that sum on account of my being appointed Commissary. M-. ROBINSON to the BISHOP of LONDON. King & Queen County, June 6, 1766. My Lord, I return your Lordship my most sincere thanks for the trouble you have been at to obtain me a Warrant for my arrears. In obedience to your Lord- ship's commands I have waited on His Honor the Governor and found him much more reasonable and prepared for a reconciliation clogged by no hard terms than I expected. Which without doubt I must also owe to your Lord- ship's generous Interposition and good Offices. By these means I hope things 1766.] 520 will continue on an easy footing between him and me for the future which will be much to my satisfaction. I wish I could give your Lordship a pleasing account of the Clergy's read- iness to acquiesce calmly under their disappointment on supposition that they fail of success in their appeal. But I must not deceive your Lordship. I shall therefore relate the substance as near as my memory will permit of what those of them say, to whom I have had opportunity of hinting the possibility of such an event, and of talking with them thereupon. "The Act," say they to me perhaps with too much warmth, "is the most flagrant Piece of Injustice that can well be conceived, so confessed on all hands, which never would be attempted, or if attempted never submitted to in Britain. It suspends an act passed by higher authority' ; that is one confirmed by the Royal assent, in which the Clergy placed their confidence with respect to their establishment and by which many of them have been induced to leave the place of their Na- tivity, their friends there and all hopes of Preferment in their own country, A complaint of it was sent to England as early as possible, at the great expense of a poor distressed Clergy. The most Hon^^^ the Privy Council not thinking the matter properly before them that they might give fit and adequate relief to the sufferers refer them to proceedings at Law as to a certain remedy, pro- fessing themselves after a full hearing of both parties, ready to adjudge the act no Law, of which precedents were not wanting was it properly before them, that is, in course of Law as it now is by appeal. After this a Royal disallowance is granted, declaring to be null and void and of none effect that act which was made for the single purpose, so far as it respects the clergy, of diminishing one year's Income which year was passed before the Act was framed. If therefore the Royal disallowance do not render the Act a nullity in that single effect which it was contrived for producing, it serves no purpose but to lead the suffering and oppressed Clergy into a long troublesome and expensive Error, When the Clergy's agent began to persue the path chalked out for him by the Most Honorable The Privy Council themselves, according to the information he received from his counsel the present Lord Camden, the Assembly here gave up the Authority' of their Act with regard to Laymen by an Order on their Journals for supporting their Vestries (only) in disputes arising on this Act ; and the Gainers by the act have in fact long ago disgorged their ill gotten goods to every body but the Clergy, some very poor people excepted. 521 [i766. "If we are to exchange the dependence we had on the Royal Assent, for one on a Lieutenant Governor's Obligation or Resolution to observe his In- structions, We have an Instance before us which we behold with our own Eyes that leaves us no room to doubt of what will be the consequence. Let what Royal Threatenings you please, the loudest Report that distant Thunder can make accompany instructions to Governot's ; no man in his senses can make any doubt but that they will be slighted as much hereafter when the first occasion of them has died away almost Into oblivion as they are at present when that occasion Is so fresh as to be a subject of dispute and agitation. But our present Governor In the face of a repeated Instruction and a Royal disal- lowance, sends a Letter to the Judges of a County Court to Intimate his Opinion to them that an act passed in contradiction to his Instructions and royally disallowed ought to be deemed Law, When his Commission, lent to the opposite side In our agent's trial at the General Court shew'd that he was restrained in the power of passing Laws by his Instructions, to which he was referred in the Commission, He made a public speech in vindication of the act ; declaring that if the act was passed contrary to his Instructions he alone was answerable to his Royal Master, the Act must be good and valid, and he teaches as many as will hear him to this Day the same doctrine. All which opposition, as we conceive, to his Master's will we have the candour to impute to some dislike taken to Clergymen and not to the present of a Thousand Pounds given him by the Assembly since he passed the Act which has occa- sioned us so much Loss, trouble and expense. With all the Governor's activ- ity and Perseverance In Justification of the Act, a County Court here adjudged it to be no Law: and there was but a majority of one In the General Court for adjudging It to be Law, those of the best reputation for discernment In that Court being among the minority. Upon the whole, if we fall of success in so palpable a matter after such encouragement to proceed, after a previous sanction to our designed conduct from the Privy Council themselves, we have certainly been at too great pains and expense to find out that there Is an en- tire end of all future security. Our condition Is hopeless, our greatest Ene- mies will know this as well as ourselves. It will confirm the Insolence of Vestries. It will establish many collateral oppressive notions favorable neither to Church or state, or the just property of private subjects. We must acqui- esce, but as men do In despair. We shall have experienced many Inconven- iences and no advantage from a resource to any higher authority than that of 1766.] 522 the Governor and Assembly and the General Court. We are driven by hard necessity to look in practice at least upon the Governor and Assembly as our ultimate Rulers, Legislatively, and Judicially. If the future security of us and our Successors can be overlooked, it would be in vain to talk of our immedi- ate sufferings by the act, or else we might produce some pitiable objects, Widows and Orphans left in great distress, to whom a restitution of the money taken from their late Husbands by legal Robbery (we hope that is giving it too fair a name), would now prove a seasonable relief" If there appears to be too much petulance in such observations, Your Lordship will be pleased to remember that I am only rehearsing the language of other Men to me, Which form I chose to preserve that I might neither run the risk of doing their re- marks injustice by lessoning any of their force nor seem to fail of due respect to Your Lordship. Indeed if I may now venture to add my own Opinion, I am afraid they have but too much reason for what they urge. Under such apprehensions some have left the Colony already. Others are preparing to remove, and when our fate is certain, more will endeavor to get out of the way of various storms, which they forbode as the inevitable consequences of final ill success in this capital, and. as they esteem it, decisive stake with re- gard to the condition of the Clergy in Virginia. I have little to say of my own knowledge concerning M^ Giberne. What I have been able to collect Is as follows. His Mother Is a Milliner in the city of Westminster. He was not bred to the Church, but was sometime a clerk in some Office on Tower Hill. He ob- tained Orders and came in here under the countenance and protection of the present Governor. He purchased the disgust of the Clergy at his first com- ing by unsuccessful endeavors to reconcile them to an Act of which they had sent a complaint to England, boldly setting his Youth and Rawness In oppo- sition to the past and present feelings of long experience. In imitation of the Governour he wrote a letter to the Treasurer and Trustees of a Fund here for the relief of poor clergymen's Widows and Orphans, to withdraw his sub- scription and express his disapprobation of the design untill It should be amended to his humour. Many of the Laity think him too fond of cards and Gaming for one of his cloth. He has removed from one Parish to another two or three times. I believe there is no danger of injuring him when I in- cline to think forwardness and Levity distinguishing parts of his character ; and it Is In obedience to your Lordship that I write my thoughts of him so freely. 523 [1766. yi'. Camm was summoned some time ago before the Visitors on the new Statute. They asked him whether he would part with his Parish or his Pro- fessorship ? He insisted on his being then before a Court and his being either the person accused or an evidence against somebody else, all which was de- nied by the Visitors. He carried with him a written Defence, which they would not suffer to be read by their clerk, as he desired, because it was enti- tled a Defence against a charge ; and they did not, they said, charge him with any thing whatever. To which he replied then he had nothing to answer. Pains were taken to explain to him the above question. He persisted in de- claring that he had no answer to give but this, that he did not at all unders- stand the meaning of the Question, if it was not designed to accuse him of transgressing the New Statute ; if it was, he had brought a written Defence- He was at last permitted to read the Paper he carried with him, which con- tained free and severe strictures on every part of the Statute, with some re- flections on the President, who was present, for having sworn obedience to the Statute ; and concluded with an Appeal to the King as supreme Visitor of a College founded by the Crown. This meeting broke up without effecting M^ Camm's dismission. Soon after some of the Visitors who had been against M''. Camm & complained of his abusing the Visitation in what he read on the Statute, went to him to beg he would take tlieir sons under his care, as they were dissatisfied with their progress under the President, who at that time had the care of the Grammar School till a Master should arrive. To this request M"". Camm readily agreed, so far as the Rules of the College would permit. At a subsequent visitation, when every body was made to expect that M"". Camm would certainly be dismissed, there appeared to be a large majority for amending the Statute so as that the passage for removing at pleasure should be omitted, & the other passage about holding additional pre- ferment should not look back to affect M'". Camm. I thought diis affair set- tled. But at a visitation a few days ago an attempt was made for reviving the Statute in its original severity and rigor. Your Lordship's expressive & useful Letter on the subject was seasonably read for confirming the opposers of the Statute in their judgment. A few stood out to the last, betraying some anger at their disappointment. lam sorry to observe that the Governor was one, and that he should be so far off his guard as peevishly to blame the Visitors for letting M'. Camm lead them by the nose, terms I think not fit to be used by the Governor or to the Visit- 1767.] 524 ors, but such as shewed his motive for enforcing the Statute to spring from spite. The result was that all the Professors are to hold Livings but not without the consent of the Visitation first obtained. But having, as I fear, sufficiently tired your Lordship I beg leave to refer you for further particulars to my wortliy friend the Bearer who is the Rev** M^ Richard Graham, upon his return to Queen's College in Oxford, of which he Is a fellow, after almost 20 years' residence in William & Mary, to whom there never was any objec- tion till he became a competitor with M'. Horrocks for the Presidentship, and then, what perhaps will surprize your Lordship, he was objected to for nothing but good nature. My Lord, I have lately joined with the Governor in recommending to your Lordship M^ Lee Massey & M^ Benjamin Sebasdan, both candidates for Holy Orders. M^ Lee Massey Is entirely Ignorant of the Greek Language, which I objected to him ; he said he was well satisfied that would be no bar to him, as he w^as acquainted with some whom your Lordship has lately ordained for this part of the World as unacquainted with that language as himself. As M^ Massey bears a very good moral character, but especially as he brought me the Governor's recommendatory Letter, to avoid giving offence I signed it I am, my Lord, Your Lordship's Most dutiful, most obliged and obedient Servant, W^^ ROBINSON. M\ ROBINSON to the BISHOP of LONDON Virginia, King & Queen County, Oct. 16, 1767. Mv Lord, Your Letter of Dec'' 10, 1766, Is at present before me, which I have deferred answering until I could get, through the means of M^ Camm, proper Information concerning the points you mention from England. The Clergy receive no satisfaction from the short account sent by M^ Camm's agent, M^ Camm's correspondent who was present during the late Trial at the Cockpit Is much more particular. He attributes our 111 success to the strange 525 [1767- behaviour of Lord N. From what he could gather from Lord N.'s discourse, had the cause been tried before him at first when M"". Camm attended it in England, or before Lord Hardwiclc lately, the Clergy would have succeeded. A hard circumstance which human foresight could not provide against. We are further acquainted that Lord N. would not permit the merits of the cause to be tried nor the grand question to be decided as of too high a nature for the most honorable Privy Council or the members then met to determine, and that the cause was finally dismissed under pretence that the action was laid wrong. And yet my Lord in the Judgment that is to come hither there is no notice taken we are told of any flaw In the action, but the Judgement of of the General Court appears to be fully affirmed of its merits. This account of very exceptionable proceedings is but too much confirmed by the opinions of two eminent persons, in the Law transmitted by the said Correspondent to M^ Camm, one of them who was employed in the cause from the beginning, justifies M"^. Camm's notions in all essential points ; avers that the actions could not be laid better or otherwise than it was laid ; that the Assembly plainly exercised a dispensing power in the disputed act; that all acts in the Colonies confirmed by the Crown may be evaded upon the same principles on which the standing Act respecting the Clergy here has been evaded, and that if we could prevail with the most Honorable the Privy Council to enter upon the merits of the case, it is hardly possible for it to be given against us. As to the actions being brought wrong it was conducted by the Instructions of the late Ferdinando Paris, whom M"". Camm relied upon as the best advice, having heard the late Earl of Granville tell Paris that from his skill and long experience he understood Plantation affairs the best of any body. The above account of hard proceedings and unlucky circumstances is farther confirmed by the account of this affair from M^ Montague, the Colony's agent in Letters to the Committee of correspondence here, and to his private friends one of which letters was read in the House of Burgesses to the admiration of many in the House and in the Gallery. As far as I can learn he ascribes his success to the friendship and patronage of Lord N. ; to his own dexterity in contriv- ing to bring on the cause before Lord N., ere ill Heath or other means should have removed him from the Board, and to his getting, when he found the Clergy were getting, the Bishops, certain Judges to sit, the striking part of whose Characters he knew to be not a regard for the Clergy or Religion. All which communication has obtained the Author we hear, among his friends, 1767.] 526 the character of a bad man but a good Agent. Now, my Lord, if a point of Law involves a question of too high a nature for our highest Court of Judica- ture to consider and determine, if they cannot or will not take upon them to decide which of two Acts essentially contradictory are to be deemed Law, it is the same thing in effect to the Clergy as a formal determination against them and so their adversaries will be sure to interpret it. If the merits of a cause which our adversaries dreaded can be shoved aside by such means as the above mentioned, under the pretence that the acUon is brought wrong, and yet that circumstance be sunk in the Judgment and the Judgment be so worded as if the merits had been given against us, this will be a much greater triumph to the Enemies of the Clergy, than if the merits had been duly con- sidered and fairly given against them. For their Enemies will infallibly conclude that in any cause, be their pretentions ever so unjust and unreasona- ble they have nothing to fear in a dispute with the Clergy, On the other hand the Clergy cannot be persuaded to place any confidence in what has been done already for them if more be not done for them. They begin to feel themselves reduced to that condition which they dread, that of finding no protection in the Crown and being left to the will and pleasure of the Vestry in each parish, instead of enjoying what they imagined to be an Establishment in this Church of England Colony. However before they acquiesce under so dismal a prospect they think of bestirring themselves once more to make another effort. There is M"^. Warrington's cause against the two penny Act now depending in the General Court. It was ready for Trial as soon as M^ Camm's, but has been hitherto refused a trial by the Court under pretence of saving charge (for one cause they said would determine the whole), as if the saving expence could be an object when the expence was to be defrayed out of the public funds by order of the Assembly. The true reason of this pro- ceeding we believe was, that in the opinion of the Lawyers and the Judges, M^ Warrington's cause stood upon rather better legs than M'. Camm's or at least that the one would assist the other and augment our chance for success, I cannot help remarking here by the by on the inconsistency between the reasons given by the Court for their hitherto refusal of a Hearing to M^ Warrington's cause and the management on the other side with respect to M^ Camm's. For according to the Court M"", Camm's cause was to repre- sent all causes of the like kind and according to the objections of the Defend- ants which the Court received, it was to be overset because the action was 52? [1767. laid wrong, an objection that could reach no cause but the single one it was made in. When M^ Robert Carter Nicholas first produced this objection in the General Court, and harangued much on the hardships that would follow if the Clergy should succeed in their suit, in which case a poor innocent Collec- tor or two in each Parish must suffer, he argued the whole damages for doing what they could not help, for doing what was imposed upon them by the Legislature, &c. This drew upon him the laugh and contempt of both of the hearers on both sides for various reasons. First, because it was of public notoriety that the Collectors of M"". Camm's Parish had all along acted under the direction of the Vestry both in resolving to stand and in conducting the suit, that the Vestry had made the cause their own and the Assembly had In- demnified the Vestry. Secondly, because nothing could imply a severer reflec- tion on his Country than a supposition that each parish would permit (in case of the Clergy's success In the Suit and of their recovery of Damages), the whole sum which the parish had pocketed to be repaid by a poor innocent collector or two. Thirdly, because He did then and on other public occasions profess great strictness of conscience and much respect for the Clergy. Fourthly, because he raised a very great crop In the scarce year, Is very rich and could not be the object of any charitable act. The two penny act tho' it gave leave to pay a low rate did not refuse those a liberty of paying by the Rules of Justice who should be so minded. Here then was a fair field for M"". Nicholas's conscience and respect for the Clergy to exert and display them- selves In. What did they dictate to Him on this occasion ? To pay the Clergy in Tobacco or the worth of It, which he could have better afforded to do in that year than in any other? No! he sold the Tobacco due from him to the Clergy, as well as the rest of his crop, at the highest rate, and paid off the Clergy with one third of the value, not as one might have expected his con- science and respect for the Clergy to direct, but as the righteous act permitted. This same Man of Conscience and respect for the Clergy was the Penner of that hasty, unwelghed, inaccurate, crude, false, and invidious History of the Presidents and Masters of the College which your Lordship will have received before this letter arrives from the Visitors and Governors of the College, and which I shall have occasion to take more notice of by and by. I beg your Lordship's pardon for this digression. I was going to represent to your Lord- ship that the Clergy will join in the expence of carrying M^ Warrington's Cause to England. A special verdict was given for him with considerable 1767.] 528 Damages in the County Court by a Jury of his own Parishioners, and a gen- eral Verdict with greater damages would have been given had it not been prevented by two of the Jury who had a private quarrel with the Minister. The Court gave the point of Law against him, and it came by appeal before the General Court. So that we conceive nothing can be in dispute but the point of Law, the Validity of the Act in question, and the true merits of the cause. It indeed is laid against the Collector who is dead and has left no Effects and therefore cannot suffer. But the cause, the Lawyers tell us, may be continued by a Scire facias. If the General Court still refuse to try it or deny an appeal, the Clergy will apply to your Lordship, as their natural Patron to beg your intercession for a Mandamus to cause it to be tried here, and removed before the most Hon'^'^ the Privy Council. The Clergy think them- selves under a necessity of acting thus if for nothing else, to put off the Evil Day. For the present Crop Is likely to be as small as that of the scarce year which produced the famous Two penny Act. And they make no doubt but the assembly would have found some plausible pretext for meedng this very fall, that they might have tried to worry the Governor Into another Two penny or three half penny Act. And had not M^ Camm's trial been too recent and the success of it thought to have depended to much on favorable accidents, and were they not In expectation that M^ Warrington's cause would still be carried on. When the latter cause shall be ended, the Clergy must give up the contest till another two penny act shall rouse them Into Action if they shall think It worth while to try their luck again. Disputes In the College, my Lord, are like to run as high as ever, as I think your Lordship will see plainly enough in the letter sent to your Lordship by the Visitors and Governors. The Visitors and Governors are perpetually clamoring for Discipline to preserve order and regularity among the Students, and yet for ever assuming such powers to themselves as render Discipline by the President and Masters impracticable. They persist in their opinion that the Charter gives them a power to remove members of a Corporation who arc allowed to send a representative to the Assembly at pleasure. For which I discern no remedy but a new and more explicit Charter. They will not, notwithstanding what your Lordship has said on that point suffer the Profes- sors to hold such Livings as interfere not with their Duty in College, Nay, without that favor they would not gratify M''. Johnston, in a most reasonable proposal that of exchanging the School found disagreeable to him in this 529 [1767- Climate, the Salary of which is 150;^ Sterling a year, besides perquisites, for a professorship of a bare 100^ Sterling a year. While this is the case, I think we have not much reason to expect that your Lordship cand send us the best and ablest professors from England. M'. Nicholas and two more were ap- pointed a committee for drawing up an account of the proceedings of the Visitors in the Rejection of D^ Halyburton. They composed a long letter to your Lordship on various other matters, and instead of being blamed for exceeding their Commission, were thanked by the Visitation for their excellent performance. They appeal in it for the truth of what they say to the Orders and statutes, &c., of the Visitors. Nobody I believe ever compared it with the Journal of the said Orders and Statutes, &c., which I think would con- tradict it in almost every page. The Visitors in general made no such com- parison, it is certain, before they gave it their sanction. Myself and some more were against sending any such Letter, but we were overruled. I then proposed that a Copy of it should be delivered to the President and Masters as there were passages in it which concerned them. This proposal I thought ill-rellished, as it was neither seconded nor replied to. However a Copy I understand is since allowed to the President and Masters. The Visitors I suppose on recollection were ashamed to have it said that such a motion had been rejected, and therefore some of them, I hear, have since said that my proposal was agreed to because no objection was raised. As the President and Masters have an opportunity of refuting the Letter I shall trouble your Lordship with nothing farther concerning that subject. My Countrymen, I must confess it, whatever cause it arise from, are evi- dently too fond of subjecting the necks of the Clergy and of the Professors of the College to the Yoke of despotic power which is sufficient to hinder Learning and Religion from striking deep root or acquiring much strength and vigor in the Colony. I speak my Sentiments, your Lordship will perceive, with freedom and confidence. For were they made public here, I should suf- fer, not much in purse perhaps, but very much in the opinion and estimation of my Countrymen for daring to prefer what I take to be their true interest and Glory to that which I judge to be the result of perverse Inclinations made strong by early habits. The Bearer of this is M'. William Coutts, who waits on Your Lordship with a letter of recommendation from the Governor and myself in order to be admitted in Holy Orders. I am. Your Lordship's most obliged & most obedient Servant, W" ROBINSON. 1 769-] 530 M\ HORROCKS to the BISHOP of LONDON. July 6*, 1769. Mv Lord, Tho' the subject I now write upon is not fully settled among us, I thoug] it might not be improper to lay before your Lordship what has been alreac done in it. In the close of the last year at a meeting of the Clergy which had requested for the purpose of paying our dutiful compliments to Loi Botecourt upon his arrival, M''. Camm, took an opportunity of proposing 1 our consideration the Rev*^ M^ Warrington's Cause relating to the Two penr Act which was the last Ocf Court here determined upon the Fate of M Camm's, and as an appeal tho' solicited was refused, he recommended a application for the King's Mandamus to remove this cause to England. , Committee was then appointed consisting of Mess''^ Camm, Warrington, Johi son, Davis, Hamilton, and myself, to determine the propriety of this measur I took upon myself to advise the prosecuting this matter no farther, and to li it remain where it was. This being not approved of, this Committee m( May 25'^^ when a petition, drawn up by M^ Camm to his Excellency the Go'' ernor, was read for his favor and permission to remove this Cause, to ordt to have it tried before the most Honorable the Privy Council. Upon th occasion, my Lord, I made my objection to the taking such a step, and offere my reasons for doing so. I said I was very apprehensive that what had bee determined already by U Northington when President of the Council, tb perhaps it could not properly be called a Determination, as the Dismission i this Cause seems to have arisen from a collateral, and not the main point < the merits of it, might prove a foundation for rejecting a hearing of it if notl ing worse. I mentioned too I was of opinion there was a recent case direct' against us. It is well known that the Legislature of New England passed a Act with a Clause to it, which proved offensive to the House of Lords, t much so, that as we learn from the English papers, it was proposed to rendt that Act null aud void, ab Origine, But that this could not be done was tl opinion of that House. Your Lordship must know best the circumstances < this matter. If they are such as I have now mentioned, the 2 Cases I appr hend will be similar, and if a Declaration of an Act's being null and void c origine could not be effected in that of N. England, it hardly would in our 531 [1769. Upon the whole I was persuaded there was little prospect of Success to this Cause, that there was no reason to apprehend any farther attempts of the sort, and that all things well weighed it would appear to be for the Interest and tranquility of the Clergy to rest satisfied with what has been already done. It was then proposed to me that whatever might be my own private opinion, that I would present the Petition to the Governor, as the Cause might suffer if I did not appear in its behalf. I observed to them that nothing should in- duce me to act so disingenuous, and absurd a part as to present to my Lord, or any other person, what I had formerly disapproved of. M''. Hamilton, Chaplain to his Excellency the Governor, was then appointed for this purpose and the 29''' of .the last month fixed for another Meeting. This Committee, met at a Tavern in this City, within the Bounds of a Prison, within which Bounds a member of the Committee was lodged for Debt, in many other respects a Man of a very bad character. At this meeting I was not present and indeed was not made acquainted with the place of it. Soon after it, I received a Letter from NP. Camm the Clerk of the Committee, desiring my attendance at the same place the next day. I returned for answer that as I saw no good reason for removing these Meetings from the College, where they were usually and I thought properly held, to a Tavern, I hoped they would excuse my attendance. What was done upon that day, June 30^^, I have not been able to learn, tho' I find that the petition has not been yet presented to the Governor. If my Lord I have been too particular in laying all the circumstances of this Business before you, my Apology must be that I thought it the only way for your Lordship to be thoroughly informed of it and the part I had taken in it. I shall be extremely sohcitous to be acquainted with your opinion upon this subject. I had not time to wait for it, and I can only assure your Lord- ship that what I have done in this Affair was the Result of much thought & reflection, which it seem'd justly to call for. I can, my Lord, have no doubt in my own mind about the Iniquity of the Act in Question. But for the Reasons above mentioned, as well as that I apprehended the administration would not wish for more American embarrassments, and this certainly would prove a whole Colony's Concern, conceiving littie or no hopes of success to this Cause, I formed my opinion, which I perceive has given much offence to M^ Camm, and to some others, who think with him. — Besides, my Lord, if it be admitted that there are real cases which require moderation and a forgiving I770.] 532 Temper of mind, I cannot help looking upon this to be one wherein it would not be unbecoming us to shew so Christian a Disposition. I have the honor to be, Your Lordship's most obliged & devoted Servant, J. HORROCKS. July 7. (P. S.) Apprehending, my Lord, that as a Member of the Committee, I had a right to see the Minutes of the Proceedings, I this day wrote to M^ Camm, desiring to have the Perusal of them. M". C, has not thought proper to comply with my request, but tells me he shall act by the Direction of the Gentlemen who composed the Committee when he shall see them together again. Extract of a Letter from M\ President NELSON. Virginia, Nov"" I5*^ 1770. To Lord Hillsborough, The Instruction 67, in the latter part of it, says : "And if any person (that is Minister), preferred already to a benefice shall appear to you to give scan- dal either by his Doctrines or his manners, you are to use the proper & usual means for the removal of him." It is with pleasure, my Lord, I can say that we have but very few, yet some we have who come under this Description, but the misfortune is I doubt that at this time we have no proper & regular means in this country to remove such for want as I conceive of the Bishop of London having any power in this respect from his Majesty, which power when obtained he might delegate to his Commissaries & this would enable them to hold Jurisdiction & to en- quire into the Orthodoxy, Morals or neglect of Duty of the Clergy or to sus- pend or deprive on proper occasions. By the Constitution I apprehend we acknowledge our Sovereign to be supreme in Ecclesiastical as well as civil affairs, and by this supremacy it is (the plantations being properly as yet in no diocess), that his Majesty formerly by a special commission authorized the Bishop of London to exercise Episcopal Jurisdiction in his American domin- 533 [i77i- ions, & by this commission he was empowered to delegate this authority to his Commissaries who have held proper courts with the assistance of two As- sessors to enquire into disorders of this liind, but I cannot find that any Bishop of London hath had such a Commission since the time of D^. Edmund Gib- son, of that See, and consequently no such courts have been held here since that era. Some men however have thought that the General Court can by virtue of the act constituting the same and declaring its Jurisdiction, take cognizance of such matters, in consequence of which opinion 2 suits of this sort have been instituted, but both abated by death. As it is a subject of doubt, may I be permitted to entreat your Lordship to cause the enclosed state of the case to be laid before his Majesty's Attorney & Sol'' General for their opinion, which will have the greatest weight. I declare upon my honor that I do not ask this with respect to any particular person or cause, as I do not know that any such is intended to be commenced. Extract of a Letter from M'. President NELSON to Lord HILLSBOROUGH. April 17", 1771. Since the Receipt of your Lordship's dispatch which I am now answering, I have seen a copy of Bishop Gibson's Commission from his late Majesty, the Preamble of which sets forth that "Whereas, the Colonies, Plantations and our other Dominions in America are not divided or formed nor are annexed to any Diocess in Great Britain," therefore power and authority is given to his Lordship to hold Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Colonies, &c., & to delegate this power to his Commissaries, and I know that since this power expired by the death of D'. Gibson the Commissaries have had no other appointment than by letters from the succeeding Bishops of London, which they have not thought a sufficient authority for them to enter into the Discussion of Ecclesi- astical matters, and permit me, my Lord, to observe that for want of such au- 1776.] 534 thority they cannot have that weight, respect and influence with the clergy which would give dignity to the office and prove in the end beneficial to the cause of Religion. If a Commission is not sent to the Commissary I beg your Lordship to favor me with the opinion of the Attorney and Solicitor General on the sub- ject of the Jurisdiction of the General Court on this point, for a cause hath lately been instituted against a minister for immoralities in which the point of Jurisdiction of the Court Is by consent of the parties to be argued in Oct'' next, and such opinions, though not definitive will have great weight. To the R Rev' Father in God, RICHARD, Lord Bishop of London. Wells, Sept' I6'^ 1776. THE MEMORIAL OF CHA-'' WOODMASON, CLERK, Humbly Sheweth, That thro' much sickness brought on him through his great fatigues in traversing the Back Country of Carolina, He was Induced (for the establish- ment of his health), to accept an offer made him of the Parish of Broomfield in Culpeper County In Virginia. But unwilling to quit his charge till relieved, He waited so long the arrival of a successor as mean while to loose that Parish, which being kept vacant 1 1 months was granted away (fearing its lapse to the Gov''), while your memori- alist was on his Journey. But provision was made for him by the Towns of Falmouth and Fred- erlcksburgh, a liberal subscription being raised to fix him as their Lecturer, and he might have gained some other Parish, had not the Virginians entered Into resolves to elect none for their Ministers, but natives of America only. His quitting this agreeable situation was occasioned by an invitation into 535 [1776. Maryland made him by the late Walter Dulany, Esq^ Commissary Gen', where he waited in expectation of a benefice, being recommended to the Hon*"'^ Gov'' Eden, the members of the Council & principals of Maryland ; where during his stay he made many excursions to the frontiers, visiting occasionally the vacant missions of York & Carlisle in Pennsylvania. But here (as elsewhere), the Sectaries took great pains to destroy his cor- respondence, and by intercepting his Letters, discovered him to be the author of several Essays published in the American papers in defence of Episcopacy & the Clergy & Church of England, in answer to their malicious libels. These replies gave them such offence, as for Virginia being denounced against the writer, hence he sustained such vexations, as rendered his situation extremely disagreeable if not dangerous ; being held up to the public as a spy of Gov- ernment and an Enemy to the liberties of America. The Rancour might have subsided, had he signed their Association or en- gaged in their measures, to which he was much pressed. His public disavowal of their proceedings by reading the Homily of Obedience on Sunday, May 29*^, & the service of that day, & refusing to publish in his congregation a paper sent by the County Committee, stiled "a Brief for collecting money for relief of the poor of Boston (but in fact to purchase ammunition), so provoked these Gentlemen, that he was advised to consult his safety by returning to England. That your Memorialist when abroad was well known to many Gentlemen now in England, as the Rev'' M^ Addison, M"", Jon° Boucher, M^ Gwatkin, M"". Edmiston & others of the Clergy, & not unknown to the Hon^'^ Sir Rob^ Eden who can testify the rectitude of his principles, regularity of conduct, & dili- gence in his calling. Your Memorialist further begs leave to represent to your Lordship, That his substance as well as health, has been much impaired by his public Labors, & the preambulatory Life he was engaged in, having thrice crossed the ocean, gone over 40?^ miles of ground in the various provinces and baptized 20m subjects. That his zeal for the Church exposed him to all the Malice, Bitter- ness & persecution of the Dissenters, enough to break the heart of the stout- est man. That his voyage home was the most perilous imaginable, in which he suf- fered the severest hardships, & had his effects ruined ; from all which his con- stitution now suffers extremely thro' frequent attacks of the Rheumatism, and 1776.] 536 his finances herefrom are now so reduced as to oblige him to have recourse to the assistance of others, till his circle be enlarged. Wherefore Your Memorialist humbly entreats the favor of your Lordship's suffrage in the Committee for relieving the American Cler- gy, That their Bounty out of the Donations received may be extended to him under his present Infirmities. And your Memorialist (as in duty bound), shall ever pray, &c. CHARLES WOODMASON. NOTES. We preface the brief illustrative matter we would append to this volume with a transcript of the draft of a charter for the creation of a bishopric in Virginia, found among the papers of Sir Leoline Jenkins, LL.D., an English statesman and civilian, deposited originally in the library of Jesus College, Oxford. The manuscript is at present in the library of All Souls' College, Oxford,* and a copy, that from which we print this document, was secured by the Bishop of Tennessee, while in England in 1867, and has been contributed by him to the Archives of the American Church. t Notices of Sir Leoline Jenkins, attesting his interest in the missionary work of the Church of England, may be found in Anderson's History of the Colonial Church, I., 281, 282, 359-363. His letters and papers, with a sketch of his life, were printed in two volumes, folio, in 1724, by William Wynne, and fully attest his zeal and piety. The query in Sir Leoline's hand- writing appended to this draft — "by whom it was drawen? "—finds its probable answer in a MS. journal kept by the Rev. Thomas "Bradbury Chandler, D.D., first Bishop-designate of Nova Scotia, while in England, in whose hands was placed, by the Bishop of London, " the original patent made out by Sir Orlando Bridgeman for an American Bishop in the reign of Charles II. " J: Sir Orlando Bridgeman was made keeper of the great seal on the fall of Clarendon. *MS. 23S, fol. 152, 153, 154. f Vide Journal of the Gen. Conv., 1868; Proceedings of the House of Bishops, pp. 228, 229. X Vide The Early and Professional Years of Bishop Hobart, by John McVickar, D.D. (English Edition), page 177. \Praft for the Creation of a Biskoprick in Virginia, from the All Souls' Col- lege, MS. 2^%, foL \^2, 153, 154.] Carolus 2" Dei Gratia Angl : Sc : Fr : & Hib : Rex. Fidei Defensor &c. Omnibus ad Quos hse pervenerint LiterEe Salutem. Cum Deus Opt; Max: ex Divina sua Providentia ac Gratia Regiones quasdam Americanas, & Territoria amplissima, Insulasque plurimas in Oceano Occidental! seu Atlantico Sitas, Imperio nostro subjicere dignatus sit; in quibus Colonize, diversis temporibus, e Regnis nostris Europeis transmissse, raultis etiam aliarum nationum hominibus tam exteris quam indigenis in Societatem admissis ; Dei Benedictione in populum numerosissimum excreverunt, indiesquc augcntur. Quid Deo, quid Subditis debeamus non immeraores, summam etiam in Ecclesiasticis potestatem nobis a Regum Rege concessam prae oculis habentes : Sciatis, nos in aniraura induxisse Ecclesiam Dei, non solum in ditionibus nostris in partibus illis stabilire, verum etiam Dei fretos auxilio, latius propagare. Cum itaque inter omnia nostra Territoria Regis et Plantatio Virginia dicta non solum sit omnium aliarum optima spei, quia super terra firma con- tinenti, propter plenitudinem gentium, Indorumq multitudinem ad Ecclesiam augendam, verum etiam cum sit omnium prima et antiquissima, quasi Alma mater, unde reiiqua; plantationes origi- nem duxerunt et adhuc illas et nos annuls redditibus foveat; et Ecclesiee Anglicanse semper Rev- erentiam debitam prestiterit : Ideo Curam nostrara magis promeretur : illamq cum omnibus alijs plantation ibus nostris Americanis, sub pra^stantissima EcclesiEe forma ac Regimine, stabilire ac Confirmare Statuimus. Cumq nihil magis decorum sit, aut recto-ordini consentaneum ; quam ut omnes Ecclesise nostrse ubicunq terrarum sitee, vel positEe fuerint, sub una ecclesiastic! regiminis forma reducantur; ut ex inde populi nostri omnes, candem in sacris doctrinam, eandemq ad Deum Omnipotentem preces suas effundendi rationem, uniforraera denique in Ecclesiasticis disciplinam sortiantur: et cum nulla aba Ecclesiam gubernandi forma, prseter iUam Arcliiepiscoporum et Episcoporum in reliquis nostris ditionibus, reperiatur ; quam experientia longa annorum serie ro- borata, nobis et progenitoribus nostris maxime Commendavit. Proinde ut Regis ilia Virginia, cum CEeteris ditionibus nostris ecclesiastici Regiminis similitudinem nansciscatur, matura consid- eratione ea de re prius habita : Decrevimus et ita stat placitum nostrum ac Voluntas Regia : Quod Ecclesiie tam presentes quam futur^e in prtedita regione Virginise et in reliquis omnibus plantation- ibus nostris Americanis, infra nominatis vel aliis AmericEe locis nobis subjectis (quse quantumvis longo intervallo seu inter se, seu a nobis s!nt dissitse, ne tamen videantur a nobis divisce vel Eccle- si^e alicC & diverse) sint Una Eademq Ecclesia cum Ecclesia Anglicana, et partes et membra ejusdem EcclesiEe, cum eadem doctrina disciplina ac regimine : Sicuti per presentes quod Eccle- sia in prsedictis regionibus, pro una eademque Ecclesia cum Ecclesia Anglicana, sub eadem doc- trina disciplina ac regimine Constituta, sit in futurum habenda reputanda dijudicanda denominanda et declaranda in perpctuum Decernimus & Ordinamus. 539 Quamobrem De Pietate Prudentia Sedulaq Cura Reverendissimi in Christo Patris Gilbert! D : Archi-Ep: Cant: totinsAngl: Primat : & Metropolit : plurimiimconfidentes, pr^dictara Ecclesiatn & Regionem de Virginia cum omnibus ditionibus, sen plantationibiis iiostris Americanis infra nom- inatis, et omnibus aliis Americee locis nobis subjectis, una cum ipsarum Ecclesiis presentibus ac futuris, sub Archi-Episcopali Sede Provinci^e Cant : et sub prjedicti Rev'"' P : Gilb : D ; Archi-Ep : Cant. &c. ; et successorum suorum Cura, Regimine Authoritate & Jurisdictione (simiH pari eodem et non aUo mode, quomodo nunc queebbet alia Sedes Episcopalis, sive Dioceesis in Regno nostro AnglicEe et sub Authoritate ct Jurisdictione prEedictse Sedis Archi-Ep. Cant, et sub Authoritate et Jurisdictione pr^dicti Rev'"" Patris Gilb. D. Archi-Ep. Cant. &c. et Successorum suorum) subordi- nare & subjicere Decrevimus & Statuimus. Sicuti per presentes Regionem et Ecclesiam Virg : cum infra nominatis plantationibus et omnibus aliis locis nobis subjectis cum earundem Ecclesiis presentibus & futuris, ita et eodem modo, ut supra dictum, subordinatas et subjectas esse in per- petuum Ordinamus & declaramus. Insuper Ratione habita de statu et Conditione Ecciesije Virginia, et reliquarum nostrarum Regionum in America: quod nondum iis debito modo ac Jure concessa fuerit Authoritas aliqua, seu Jurisdictio, qua sub externa politia seu forma Eccla : esset stabilita : pro fide Confirmanda sive propaganda, seu ad mores corrigendos, Ordinemq Pacemq Ecclesiee Stabilicnd. & Conser- vand. unde animarum salus omnimodo pendet : Idcirco ne duitius periclitetur Ecclesia Ameri- cana, Divina nos inspirante Clementia, nihil magis ex animo afifectantes, quam ut vera Religio Verusq Dei Cultus non modo instituatur sed in integrum etiam restituatur et ad primitivam suse genuinse sanctitatis normam reformetur, Correctisq enormitatibus in quas vita & professio Chris- tiana longo temporum lapsu deplorabiliter exorbitaverat : Operam dabimus quatenus humana prospicere potest infirmitas, ut in posterum ibidem Pastores doctrina et morum probitate specta- biles, et Canonicam Ordinationem nacti, riteq instituti, in Ecclesiis debite constitutis stabiliantur : ibiq munus suum postorale digne exequantur, stipendiis placide fruantur, ac Reverentia iis debita decorentur : Sacrorum eloquiorum documenta et salutiferae nostrse redcmptionis Sacramenta, pure administrentur ; bonorura morum disciplina sincere observetur, Juventus in Uteris liberali- ter instituatur, presertim inter Indos Evangelium promulgetur et propagetur, Nomen Dei Sancti- ficetur, Pietas Charitasq inter omnes foveantur & Conserventur, Cseteraque omnis generis pietatis officia, illinc exuberanter in omnia vicina loca longe lateq dimOnare possint, ad Dei Omnipoten- tis Gloriam et Subditorum nostrorum omnium communem utilitatem fEelicitatemque. Quapropter Nos Considerantes quod Scitus nuper dictse Regionis Virg, ibidemq Civitas Jacobi sit dicta, et Ecclesia ibidem : sit locus aptus Conveniens et necessarius pro instituendo erigendo ordinando et stabiliendo Sedem Episcopalem et Ecclesiam Cathcdralem, Omnipotenti Deo in perpetuo Servitur : ipsum scitum dictse nuper regionis Virg : ac locum Civitatis Jacobi, et Eccle siae ibidem in Sedem Episcopalem ac in Ecclesiam Cathedralem, Creari Erigi fundari & Stabiliri Decrevimus pro ut per presentes Decernimus : ac eandem Civitatem Jacobi et Ecclesiam ejusdem, Sedem Episcopalem et Ecclesiam Cathedralem realiteret ad plenum Creamus, Erigimus fundamus Ordinamus facimus Constituimus & Stabilimus perpetuis futuris temporibus duriter; ac sic sta- biliri ac in perpetuum inviolabiliter observari Volumus &: Jubemus per presentes. Volumus itaq et per presentes Ordinamus, quod Ecclesia Cathedralis prasdicta sive sedes Episcopalis, sit et deinceps in perpetuum erit Ecclesia Cathedralis & Sedes Episcopalis : ac quod tota Villa nostra Jacobi urbis ex nunc et deinceps in perpetuum sit Civitas ipsamq Civitatem Jacobi urbis vocari 540 appellari et nomiiiari Volumus et Decemimus ac ex dicta Civitate & Regione cum omnibus dition- ibus seu plantationibus nostris Americanis infra nominatis, et omnibus aliis AmericEe locis nobis subjectis DiocEesim facimus & Ordinamus per presentes ; illamq Diocssim Virg : in perpetuum similiter vocari appellari nuncupari et nominari Volumus & Ordinamus. Utq. htec Nostra Intentio debitum & uberiorem sortiatur effectum : Nos de Scientia moribus probitate & prudentia Dilecti . . . plurimum Confidentes : eundem . . ad Episcopatum dictfe Sedis Virg : Nominamus et Eligimus ac ipsum .... Episcopum Virg : per presentes Eligimus Nominamus facimus et Creamus. Et Volumus ac per presentes Concedimus & Ordi- namus : quod idem Episcopus sit Corpus incorporatura in re & nomine; ipsumq pro uno Cor- pore Declaramus Acceptamus Ordinamus facimus et Constituimus in perpetuum : habeatq. succes- sionem perpetuam : ac quod ipse et successores sui, per dictum nomen Episcop. Virg. nomi- nabitur & Vocabitur in perpetuum : Nominabuntuv & Vocabuntur in Perpetuum et quod ipse et successores sui per dictum nomen et sub eo nomine prosequi, Clamare placitare et Implacitari defendere & defendi, Respondere & Responderi in quibuscunq Curiis et locis Regni nostri, Domin- iorum nostrorum Jurisdictionura et protestatum nostrarum hseredum et successorum nostrorum, ac alibi : in et super omnibus et singulis Causis, Actionibus Sectis brevibus Juribus quserelis et deman- dis realibus personalibus et mixtis tam temporalibus quam spiritualibus, et in omnibus aliis rebus Causis et materiis quibuscunq. Et quod per Idem Nomen Manneria Dominia terras tenementa Rectorias pefnes portiones ct alia qusecunq heereditamenta possessiones prolicua et Emolumenta, tam spiritualia sive Ecclesiastica, quam temporalia et alia quKcunq per literas patentes vel aliter prsefato Episcopo et Successoribus suis, per nos seu h^rcdes nostros, debito modo faciendas ; vel per quaracunq aliam personam seu quascunq alias personas, secundum leges nostras et h^redum sive Successorum nostrorum dandas seu concedendas, Capere recipere gauderc et perquirere ; ac dare alienarc ac dimittere possit et possint valeat et valeant et generaliter omnia alia et singula recipere gaudere et facere, pro ut ei et iisdem conceditur : coq modo et forma quibus cteteri Episcopi infra regnum nostrum Anglia;, recipere aut facere possint aut potuerunt, aut aliquis alius Episcopus infra Regnitra nostrum Angliee recipere aut facere possit aut potuit, et non aliter nee uUo alio modo. Et Ulterius Volumus et Ordinamus quod Ecclesia Cathedralis prtedicta sit et deinceps in perpetuum erit Ecclesia Cathedralis et Sedes Episcopalis dicti . et Successorum suorum de Civitate Jacobi Urbis Virg. ipsamq Ecciesiam Cathedralem honoribus dignitatibus et insigniis Sedis Episco- palis, per presentes decoramus; eandemq Sedem Episcopalem praefato . . . et Succesoribus suis Episcopis Virg. Damns & Concedimus per presentes Habend. & Gaudend. eidem . . . et Successoribus suis in perpetuum, ac etiam Volumus et Ordinamus per presentes quod pr^fatus ... . et Successores sui Episcopi Virg. Omnimodam Jurisdictionem, potesta- teni et Authoritatem, Ordinarias et Episcopales infra pr^dictam Ecciesiam Cathedralem de Civi- tate Jacobi Urbis et Dioctcsim prsdictam : et infra reliquas alias Ecclesias presentes et futuras in rellquis omnibus nostris Dictionibus Regionibus Dominiis vel plantationibus Americanis inferius nominatis et omnibus aliis AmericEe locis nobis subjectis Exercere facere et uti possit et debeat, possint et debeant et in tam amplis modo et forma pro ut aliquis alius Episcopus in hoc Regno nostro Anglife infra Dioceesira suam secundum leges nostras exercere facere et Uti possit solet et debet et non aliter nee uUo alio modo: et quod dictus Episcopus Virg: et Successores sui Epis- copi Virg. deinceps in perpetuum habeant Sigillum Commune Authenticum seu Sigilla Authen- tica, ]n-o rebus et negotiis suis agendis inservitura; ad omnem Juris effectum similibus modo et 541 forma et non aliter nee aliquo alio modo, quam alii Episcopi aliarum Ecclesiarum Cathedralium infra hoc Regnum nostrum Anglic habent aut habere possint, seu eorum aliquis habet aut habere possit, aut quovis modo potuit. Prseterea Volentes Reliquas omnes alias nostras Regiones et plantationes Americanas, sub uno eodemq ordine ac Regimine, et sub eadem doctrina et disciplina Authoritate et Jurisdic- tione Constituere et stabilire : Decrevimus, eas omnes cum ipsariim Ecclesiis presentibus et futuris, adjungere et Unire praedictfe Eccksia et Diocasi Virg : Sicuti per presentes, eas cranes et singulas Viz. Singulas Ditiones seu plantationes nostras, versus Borean a Virginia: sive Nova Anglia sive Novum Eboracum, aut aliqua alia intermedia loca, sive super terra firma et Conti- nent! sive super Insulis adjacentibus, aut super reliquis nostris Insulis Americanis Vulgo Dictis Bermudas Barbados S' Christofers Antiego Nievis Montserrat cum reliquis Caribis Insulis adja- centibus, una cum Insula nostra Jamaica : adjunctas et unitas esse prtedictEe Diocsesi Virg. easq omnes et singulas prsedictas plantationes, et Regiones Cteteraq Americse loca nobis subjecta, partes et membra prsedict^ Diocfeseos esse et fore ad omnes intentiones prius recitatas Declara- mus Statuimus et Ordinamus : usq quo Nobis vel Successoribus nostris visum fuerit pr^dictam DiocEesim dividere. Volumus tamen et per presentes Declaramus quod dictus et successores sui Episcopi Virginise Episcopalem Jurisdictionem et Authoritatem suam Novam Angliam nullo modo exerceant, sed subditos nostros infra Novam Angliam inhabitantes ab omni Episcopali Regimine et Authoritate Immunes liberos et totaliter exemptos esse Volumus, donee aliter a nobis ordinatum fuerit. Deniq Volentes Commoditates prasdicti Episcopi et Successorum suorum Uberius, Sciatis Quod Nos de Gratia nostra speeiali ac ex certa scientia, mero motu, et matura deliberatione nostris, Dedimus & Concessimus ac per presentes Damus et Concedimus praedicto . tanta Vectigalia nostra ex Necotiano, Vulgo Custom & Excise of Tobaeo, quanta sunt nobis debita ex quinquaginta tunnis in portu Londini : eademq Vectigalia requirenda a Collectoribus vel Commissionariis Vectigalium nostrorura pro tempore, in portu Londini prxdicti et ab iisdem solvenda aut remittenda prsedicto Episcopo vel ipsius aut ipsorum assignatis an- nuatim ; usq quo nobis vel Successoribus nostris visum fuerit aliter praevidere ad quam Solutio- nem vel reraissionem faciendam Commissionariis & Collectoribus nostris pro tempore ibidem prge presentes prsecipimus et Mandamus atq primam Solutionem vel rcmissionem fieri ex primis dictis vectigalibus nostris post datum presentium : ad quse exequenda hse presentes pro dictorum Collectorum vei Commissionariorum erunt Warranto. Prjetera exspeciali gratia, certa scientia, mero motu, ac matura deliberatione nostris, Dedimus et Concessimus ac per presentes Damus & Concedimus pr^dicto . . . . . ... ... Omnia proficua nostra a fundo orientia in Jamaica Vulgo Quit Rents & Escheats dicta, cum omnibus ipsorum Arrearagiis in puram et perpetuam Eleraosinam ad proprium pr^dicti Episcopi et successorum suorum usum : eademq proficua requirenda recipienda ac solvenda ab omnibus a quibus quolibet modo sunt debita nobis, sive a Collectoribus nostris vel aliis, ad quam solutionem faciendam Gubernatori nostro pro tempore et Concilio ibidem per presentes prseci- pimus et Mandamus ut pr^dicto Episcopo et successoribus suis aut ipsius vel ipsorum assignatis vel Collectoribus omnem opem ac justitiam absque mora prasbeant. Et Quoniam Ordo & pax tam Ecclesi^ quam Reipub. Communi consilio egent, propterea Vol- umus ac per presentes Ordinamus ut prxdictus . . . et successores sui aut ejus vel 542 illorum substituti sint ex nostro publico Concilio cujuslibet Ditionis planta''ras seu Regionis nostra, supra memoriatte : Sicut per presentes prsedictum .... Consiliarium nostrum cujuslibet Ditionis prfedicte facimus and Constituiraus. Et propter varies Casus et alia Contingentia Volumus et per presentes Ordinamus ut harum literarum Irrotulamenta vel Transcripta ab alterutro e Secretariis nostris, attestata : feque (idem faciant pro ut h^ presentes et Originales ; Eademq prorsus ubiq fides adhibeatur quEe presentibus ipsis adhiberetur, si forent exhibitse vel ostensse. Etiamq Volumus hjec Omnia in mitiori et Ampliori sensu in gratiam preedictorum accipi & haberi : atq prsemissa omnia sub prtedictis verborum tenoribus et formis pro plene sufficienter et legaliter expressis, ad omnem Juris effec- tum recenseri & Judicari. Utq debitum adipiscantur Effectum. R'ss" in Christo Patri Gilberto Cant. D : Archi-Ep : totius Angl ; Primat. & Metrapolit. Significamus Quod Nos Novam Sedem Episcopalem Cathedrale Virg ; nuper fundaviraus et Ereximus ac Dilectum ad Episcopatum ilium Nominavimus & prEefecimus, ipsumq in Episcopum Loci illius et Pastorem Ordinarium Constituimus Rogantes ac in fide ac dilectione quibus nobis tenetur firmiter Mandantes pro ut per presentes Rogamus ac Mandamus Quatenus pr^efatum .... in Episcopum Virg. Consccrarej ipsumq pro ut moris est Episcopalibus Insigniis Investire : C^eteraq peragere et perimplere, quEe suo in hac parte incum- bunt officio velit diligenter cum effectu. Simulqut Csetera omnia praedicta firma & Rata fiant, per presentes Volumus et Concedimus prtefato Episcopo habeat has literas nos- tras patentes, sub Magno Sigillo Angl : debito modo factas et SigiUatas, absq feudo magno vel parvo nobis in Hanaperio nostro seu alibi ad usum nostrum quoquo modo Reddend. Solvend. vel faciend. quod expressa mentio, &c., Quse omnia Ordinamus Constituimus Decernimus Concedi- mus & Stabilimus non obstantibus Constitutionibus Ordinationibus Injunctionibus Conces- sionibus Consuetudinibus privilegiis Statutis Decretis Ceeterisq Contrariis quibuscunque. In Cujus Rei Testimonium, &c., TESTE REGE, apud WestM. [Endorsed.] The erection of a Bishoprick in Virginia. Qu, by whom it was drawen. I was consulted, but did not draw the Pre- face : onely I gave Instructions out of K, Henry Vlllth Char- ters of foundacion of the new Bishopricks, 543 Pages i, 2, 3. " Instructions " similar to these were given to Sir Francis Wyat in 1621, and renewed on each subsequent appointment. So far as establishing the Church of England in the Colony of Virginia is concerned, they but echo the legislation of the Colonial Assembly ; the very first pages of the Virginia Statute Book, and the acts of every Session prior to the revolution making provision for the needs of the Church, and acknowledging it as the established faith. Page 3. From the earliest period in the history of the settlement of Virginia, the attention of the Con:ipany in England had been turned toward the establishment of an institution of learning for the Colony. Soon after the arrival of the first settlers at Jamestown, no less than fifteen thousand acres of land were appropriated at the instance of Sir Edwin Sandys, President of the Company, toward the endowment of a College at Henrico for the Colonists and Indians. As early as 1619 a royal " brief" secured collections in the parish churches of England to the amount of fifteen hundred pounds sterling, and the language of this interesting letter, the first ever issued in behalf of a charity of this nature, acquaints us fully with the far-seeing Christian motives of those who controlled this infant settlement : " As well for y" enlarging of our Dominions, as for the propagation of y' Gospel amongst Infidells, wherein there is good progresse made and hope of further increase ; so as the under- takers of that Plantation are now on hand w'" the erecting of some Churches and Schools for y^ education of y* children of those Barbarians, w'^'' cannot but be to them a very great charge, and aboue the expence w"" for y' civil! plantation doth come to thera. In w"" wee doubt not but that you and all others who wish well to the encrease of the Christian Religion will be willing to give all assistance and furtherance you may, and therein to make experience of the zeale and deuotion of our well minded subjects, especially those of y'^ Clergie." * * * * Besides the immediate results of the " King's Letter," private benefactions poured into the hands of the "faithful Treasurer of Virginia," from all sections of the Church. The Bishop of London, Dr. King, collected and paid in ^1,000 toward the support of the College, and the particulars of these gifts as found in " A Memoriall of Religious Charitie Exercised on Vir- ginia to the Glory of God and good Example of men, these last three yeares, 1619, 1620, 1631," appended to "A Declaration of the State of the Colony and Affaires in Virginia," &c., published in London in 1622, attest most fully the zeal and interest of the mother Church in this effort for the spread of Christian Education, and for direct missionary work among the Aboriginees. " A Person vnknowne gaue for the vse of the CoUedge, a Communion-cup with a Couer, and a Plate for the bread, of Siluer guilt ; a crimson veluet carpet with gold lace and fringe, and a linnen damaske Table-cloath : all valued at £30. o. o. " A person vnknowne sent a Letter, the Copy whereof is registered ; directed thus, Ti? Sir Edwin Sandys, the faithful! Treasurer of ^\kg\^\\; and subscribed i?aj-/(7«i/^i-A« .■ And after- wards by an vnknowne person sent a box to the house of Sir Edwin Sandys with the same direc- tion : which being opened in Court, therein was found in gold 550 pounds, to be disposed of for the education of Children of the Infidels, in Christian religion and ciuility. 544 Anno 1620. Master Nicholas Farrar, of London, deceased, hath by his Will giuen 300 li. to the Colledge in Virginia, to bee paid when there shall be ten of the Infidels children placed in it : and in the meane time 24. pounds by the yeare to bee disbursed vnto three discreete and godly men in the Colonic, which shall honestly bring three of the Infidels children in Christian Religion, and some good course to liue by. Anno \fiz\. The Gentlemen and Mariners that came in x!a.^ Royall- James from \h.& East Indies, beeing at Cape Bona-Speranza, homeward bound, gaue towards the building of a Free Schoole in Virginia, to be called the East Indie Schoole, ']o£, Zs 6d. Towards the furtherance of the East Indie Schoole, an vnknown person hath added the summe of ^^30 o. o. At the Quarter Court held the 30. oi lanuary 1621. by a person not willing as yet to be knowne, was sent in gold 25 li. to helpe forward the East Indie Schoole. At the same Quarter Court a small Bible with a Couer richly wrought, a great Church-Bible, the Booke of Common Prayer, and other bookes were presented to be sent to Virginia, in the name of a person who had the yeare before sent for the vse of the Colledge at Henrico ; S. Au- gustine De ciuitate Dei, Master Perkins his workes, and an exact Map of America : the giuer is not known, but the books are valued at ^jo o. o. Giuen by Master Thomas Bargraue, and Minister in Vikginja deceased, for the vse of the Colledge, a Library valued at 100. marks. The Gentlemen and Mariners that came lately home from the East Indies, in the two ships called the Hart and Roe-Bucke, being at the Cape of Bona-Speranza, homeward bound, gaue towards the building of the aforesaid Free-Schoole in Virginia the summe of ;^66. \y. 4 315 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 318- 322; references to, 332, 351 ; letter of, to the Bish- op of London, 352, 353; ditto, 357-359; reference to, 361 ; Governor Gooch's letter to the Bishop of London announcing the death of, 367 ; referred to, 410, 452, 455. Blair, Mistress, 26, 27. Blaithwait, Mr, William, 9, 64, 1 14. Blakiston, Governor, 71, 118, 119, 121. Bland, Colonel Richard, author of ■' A Letter to the Clergy," 465, 466, 484, 511. Blissland Parish, in New Kent County. Answers to queries respecting the state of, 279-28 ( ; referred to, 41 1, 430. Boisseau, Rev. James, Church doors shut against, 34, 35; signs address of clergy to the Governor, 1 17; signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 142 ; signs letter to Commissary Blair, 143, 163. Bonsergent, Mathieu, bi French refugee, 194. Book of Common Prayer, to be read each Sunday and Holyday, 2. Boston. Brief for collecting money for the relief of the of, refused a reading, 535. Boucher, Rev. Jonathan, 535. Boiiard, Estienne, a French refugee, 193. Bowker, Rev. James, signs address of clergy to Gover- nor Nicholson, 117. Bowker, Rev. Ralph, signs address to the Governor, 117; signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 142; signs letter to Commissary Blair, 143, 163; ballad verses on, 180, 181 ; present at Convention held April, 1719, 199; doubtful of the Commis- sary's Episcopal Ordination, 210. Bowling, Mr. John, surveyor, 96. Boyle, Robert. Legacy of, for pious uses, secured by Dr. Blair for the College, 8, 37 ; reference to, 123, 300, 306, 327. Brayn, Mrs. Sarah. Gift of, to Weslover church, 271. Bray's (Rev. Dr.) Associates. Gift of library from, to Westminster Parish, 262. Bray, Thomas, D.D. (Commissary of Maryland), 67, 68, 117, 118, 119, 121; Governor Nicholson's compar- ison of, with Commissary Blair, 181. Brechin, Rev. James. Reference to, 142 ; attests minutes of clerical meeting, 153, 154, 176; absent from Convention (April, 1719), 200. Brians, Thomas, a French refugee, 193. Bridges, Rev. Charles. Letter from, to the Bishop of London, 361, 362. Bridge, Rev. Christopher, 121. Bristol (Eng,), 3, 279. Bristol Parish, in the upper part of James River. Ans- wers to queries respecting, 266-268 ; references to, 413. 430. 432. Brodie, William, present at Convention held April, 1719, 199 ; appointed on committee to prepare address to the Governor, 208. Bromlield Parish, Culpepper County, 413, 429, 504. Brooke, Rev. Zachariah, M.A. Answers of, to queries respecting his parish, etc, 262-264. " Brown " (pseudonym), vide Berry, Mistress. Brouglon, Mr., 411. Brunskill, Rev. John, present at Convention held April, 1719,199, 210; unites in address to the Governor, 223, 234; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 277-279; at Hamilton Parish, Prince William (1754, 1755), 406, 413, 430; absent from Convention (1754), 414; signs address to Bur- gesses against Presbyterians in Va., 383. Brunskill, Rev. John (Junior), at St. Mary's Parish, Car- oline (1754), 413; present at Convention (1754), 414; at Raleigh and Nottoway (1755), 429; sub- scription of, 427; complained of by. his vestry for divers immoralities, 449,450; action of Council re- specting, 450 ; deprived by the Governor, 45 1 ; letter of the Commissary to the Bishop of London respect- 451-453; ditto, 453, 454; letter of the Governor to the Bishop of London respecting, 454-458. Brunskill, Rev. John (Senior). St. Margaret's Parish, Caroline, (1754, 1755), 4ii. 4=9; absent from Con- vention (1754), 414; signs second address to the Bishop of London respecting the passage of the op- tion law, 446. 564 Brunswick Parish, King George's County, 412, 430. Bruton Parish, alias called Williamsburgh. Answers to queries respecting the state of, 298-300 ; referred to, 411, 430, Bruton, Parish church of. Sermon of Commissary Blair before the Convention of April, 1719, preached in, 208. Bunyan, John, referred to, 368. Burlington, Letter from, referred to, 127. Burgess, Rev. Thomas, at Nottoway Parish, Southamp- ton {1754), 412; ditto (1755), 430; absent from Convention (1754), 414; excused, 415, Burgesses. Address to, from some of the clergy respect- ing the Presbyterians, 381-383, Burgesses, House of Complaint of, against Governor Spotswood sent to England, 21S; ditto, referred to, 233. Burnet, Bishop Gilbert, quoted, 331. Burtell, Rev. James, signs endorsement of Governor Nich- olson, 142; signslettertoCommissaryBlciir,I43,l63. Burwell, Lewis (of the Council), 495. Burwell, Major, 69, 72, 88, 90, 102. Burwell, Miss. Governor Nicholson's passion for, 69, 70, 72-74,77, 88,90,102, 135. Butler, Rev. Edward, signs letters to Commissary Blair, 143. 144. 163. Byrd, Colonel William, known to have no kindness for the clergy, 36; one of the " interlocutories " at a Conference at Lambeth (1697), 36-65 ; referred to, 271. 495- Byrd, Colonel (Senior), 54. Cresar. Patrick Henry's speech comparing King George to a, 514- Caillaud, Joseph, a French refugee, 194. Cairon, Jean, " Minis tre " of French Protestant refu- gees, 193. Calver, Jean, a French refLigee, 193. Cambridge, Oxford and, clergymen from, preferred, 365. Camden, Lord, 520, )n, Dr., 403. r Parish, Fairfax County, 413, 429. Camm, Rev. John. Letter of, to the Bp. of London, 386- 388; Prof, of Divinity at William and Maiy Coll. (1754), 41 2, 431; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418, 419-425 ; appointed Trustee, 424; Subscription of, etc., 427; at York- Hampton parish, 430 ; signs address to the Bp. of London respecting the option law, 440; ref- erences 10,475,476,477,480, 483; signs petition as Agent of the Clergy, 488 ; appointed Agent of the Clergy, 459; references to in Rev. Wm. Robin- son's letter to the Bp. of London, 463-470 ; Gov. Fauquier's allusions to, 471, 472 ; referred to, 424 ; appeal of, before the Privy Council, 489 ; references to, 490, 491, 493, 494, 495, 496, 499, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514; deprived of his professorship, 518; referred to, 519, 520, 521 ; summoned before the visitors, 523 ; referred to, 524, 525, 530, 531. 532. Campbell, Rev. Archibald, at Washington parish, West- moreland (1754), 513; ditto (1755), 430; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427, Canon, Ecclesiastical, the LXXVth, (sober conversation required in Ministers). " The enormous infringe- ment of, referred to, 332 ; the CXXth (none to be cited into Ecclesiastical Courts by proce.ss of Quo- rum Nomina), 452, 453. Candidates for Orders, recommendation of, how secure, 492, 493- Cantepie, Michel, a French refugee, 193. Canterbui-y, Archbishop of, entrusted for all Ecclesias- tical affairs, 4; received Dr. Blair, kindly, 5, 6; offers to manage the business of the College with the King, 6 ; frozen up at Lambeth for five weeks, S ; one of the " interlocutories " at a Conference at Lambeth, 36-65 ; letter to, from Gov. Nicholson, 117-121; letter to, from Com. Blair, 124-126; letter to, from Gov. Nicholson, 126, 127; remon- strance of the, with Dr. Doddridge on the dissent- ei-s' opposition to settling Bishops in America, 375. Cappon, Jacob, a French refugee, 194. Cape Henry, Light-house upon, 481. Carey, Col., 134. Cargill, Rev. John, in attendance on Gov. Spotswood, at Christanna, ig6; at Convention held April 1719, 199, 210 ; unites in address to the Governor, 223, 224; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 306-308. Carlisle, Countess of, 503. Carlisle (Pennsylvania), vacant, 533. Carnegie, Rev. John, signs endorsement of Gov. Nich- olson, 142. Carribee Islands, Inhabitants of, flocking to South Caro- lina, 185. Carter, Col. Landon. Opponent of Rev. Mr. Kay, 389- 391 ; referred to, 465, 484, 511. Carter, Robert, signs representation of. Council of Vir- ginia to the Queen against Gov. Nicholson, 81 ; re- ferred to, 471, 495. 555 Gary, Col. and party, the cause of the Indian invasion of of North Carolina, 187,188. . Castell, Edmund, associated with Bp, Walton, in com- piling the Polyglot Bible, referred to, 331. Cennick, John. Labors of, in Amelia and Albemarle Counties, referred to, 381. Certificate of being conformable to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Chiirch of England required for prefeiTnent, 23. Chambon, Gedeon, a French refugee, 193. Chancellor of the College, 130, Chapel of the College, 54-57- Chaplains, King's. Ministers sent over denominated, 207, 240, 241, 244, Chaplin, Rev. Robert, scandalous, 2^;^. Charge addressed to the Convention of Clergy (1754), by Com. Dawson, 415-418. Charles Parish, York County, without a minister, 25S, 413. 430- Charles I. Patrick Hemy's speech comparing King George to a, 514. Chastain, Estienne, 193. Chastain, Jean, 193. Chastain, Pierre, 193. Cholraondeley, Earl of, 403. Christanna, Indian school at, 196, 197. Christ Church Parish, in Lancaster County. Answers to queries respecting the state of, 283-285 ; address of the members of, to the Ep. of London, 348-350; references to, 412, 430. Christ Church Parish, in Middlesex County, answers to queries respecting the state of, 296-298 ; references to, 412, 430. CMstmas day and Good Friday, the only holydays ob- served, 213. Christolm, One, a Scotchman, refused recommendations for Holy Orders, 405. Churches to be well and orderly kept, and more to be built, 2. Church in Virginia. Rev. Mr. Forbes's account of the state of the, 323-334. Church of England. Almighty God to be duly and daily served according to the form of religion established in the. Sacrament to be administered according to the rites of, 1,2; certificate of being conformable to the doctrine and discipline of, required for pre- ferments, 2, 3. Church of England party, weakest in the King's Council, 4. Church, The case of the, recommended in Gov. Nich- olson's speech to the Assembly, in 1711, 129. " Church to be built or Chapel of Easej" Act entitled, opinion of Sir Edward Northey concerning, 127, 128. " Churchwardens to keep the church in repair and pro- vide ornaments," Act entitled, opinion of Sir Edw. Northey concerning, 127, 128; copy of Sir Edward Korthey's opinion concerning Induction communicated to the, 128; refusing to take the oath, 514. Chuckatuck Parish, Nansemond County, 413, 430. Clack, Rev. James, signs endorsement of Gov. Nichol- son, 142; signs letters to Com. Biair, 143, 145, 163; sick, 200. Clayton, Rev. Daniel. Answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 279-281. Clergy. Better sort of women hindered from matching with, 15; affronts cast upon the, by Sir Edmund Andros, 16, 17; of a very ill example, 30; Com- posed for the most part of Scotchmen, basely edu- cated and little acquainted with the excellency of their charge and duty, 30 ; affronts thrown upon, 33, 34 ; address of the, of Virginia to the Govern- or, 62, 63 ; King's bounty to, hindered, 64, 65 ; condition of, precarious in consequence of neglect or refusal of induction, 86 ; letter of the, of Virginia, to the Governor, 116, 117; aversion of the people to any more Scotch, or very young, iig ; irregu- larities of, 130; Gov. Nicholson's abuse of, 132, 133; meeting of the, 145-153; some remarks upon the minutes or account of the proceedings at a meeting of the, 154-179; precariousness of the, 229; want of, 256; mean opinion of the, 259; a proposition for supplying the Country of Virginia with a sufficient number of much better, 334-344 ; character of, 347 ; taken up in farming and buying slaves, 360, 361 ; Mr. Davies's representation of the, 376; the Bp of London's answer thereto, 372-374; letter of the, of Virginia to the Bishop of London, 434-440 ; ditto, 440-446; report of Lords com- missioners for the due allowance of several acts passed in Virginia relating to the, 458-460; petition of the Convention of the, 487, 4S8; com- mittee for relieving the American, application to, 534-536. Clergy Law of 1748-g, referred to, 444, 453, 459, 461, 462, 465, 487. Clerk, in absence of the Minister to read Prayers and an Homily, 237. Colchester, Lord, 9. Cole, Rev. Roscow, at Warwick Parish (1754), 413; 566 absent from Conventiun (1754), 415; appointed on a committee of said Convention, 425 ; subscription of, 426; death of, referred to, 433. Collations to Benefices, Blair's remarks on the Govern- or's letter to the Parish of St. Anne's relating to, 234-242; act of Assembly (1662) concerning, etc., 243-245- College of William and Mary. Account of the College business, 3-8 ; Sir Edmund Andres's conduct with relation to the, lS-29; account of a Conference at Lambeth respecting Sir Edmund Andros's opposi- tion to the, 36-65 ; letter from John Locke refer- ring to the, 67; Gov. Nicholson heard to threaten that he would seize it for the King's use, 89; letter of Com. Blair to the Abp, of Canterbury, respect- ing, U2, 113; letter of Gov. Nicholson, respecting, 120; rooms for Indians to be ready, 123; Gov. Nicholson's abuse of, 133, 134; revenue of the, so ruined that the President has had no salary for two years, 136; disturbance at the grammar school of the, 137, 138; education of Indian children at, 191 ; deplorable state of, 183, 184; Journal of proceed- ings of the Convention held at the, 199-215; re- ferred to, 233, 290, 29S, 300; plan for encouraging the education of young divines at, 319; Proceed- ings of the Convention of Clergy (1754) held at the, 414-426; affected by passage of option law, 446; Com. Dawson elected president of, 446, 447 ; conduct of Professors at the, 457 ; lack of dis- cipline in, 473, 474; Rev, Mr. Horrocks chosen president, 517, 518; course of the Visitors of, 518, 523, 525 ; -vide William and Maty College. College Hall, 126, 127. College Journals, 23. College Library, 113 ; vide also Notes. Collier, Rev. Peter, signs address of Clergy to Gov. Nicholson. Commissaries. Queries to be answered by, 257-260. Committee on Plantations, 4, 7, 9, Compton, Henry, Bishop of London, references to, 115, 266,280,289,310,311. Congi-egational discipline, 376, Convention. Journal of proceedings of the, April, 1719, i 199-215; speech of Mr. Com. Blair at the, 215- ■ 217; historical remarks for the better understand- ing of the proceedings of the, 218-225 ; answer to the accusations contained in the Governor's letter to the, 226-233; vide General Convention, Copley Parish, in Westmoreland County. How served, 292; vacant. 318; (Cople), 412, 430. Corbin, Richard, Esq , at Council meetings, 449, 450, 495. Combury, Lord, tampered with by Gov. Nicholson, Cony, Rev. Peregrine, Gov, Nicholson's Chaplain, 92, 104. Council (in Virginia), 13, 20, 21, 27, 29, 35, 44, 50, 51, Sz. S3. 83. 97, 98. 99. 126. 134, 233. Council of Trade, Letter to, referred to, 1S3. Council Records picked and culled and sent to England imperfect, 96, Coutts. Rev, William, Application of, for Holy Orders, 529. Coxe, Col. Daniel, 87. Cox, Mr. Thomas. Bookseller in London, 359. Cox, Rev. James. Answers to queries respecting his Parish, 261, 262. Cranston, Parish of, in the Diocese of Edinburgh, 247, Cromwell, Oliver, referred to, 107, 125, 514; Croxton in Cambridgeshire (Eng.), 276. Cruden, Rev. Alexander, at South Farnham Parish, Essex (1754}, 413; ditto, (1755), 429; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427, Culpepper, Thomas, Lord, 206, 238. Cumberland Parish, Lunenburgh County, 412, 430, Currie, Rev. David, at Christ Church and St. Mary's, Whitechapel, Lancaster (1754), 412; ditto, (1755), 430; absentfrom Convention (1754), 414; excused, 415. Dade, Rev. Townshend. Application of, for holy orders, 503. 504- D'Allizon, Tho., a French refugee, 193. Dale Parish, Chesterfield County, 412, 429. Daniel, Mr. Henry, 3. Dartmouth, Earl of, 503. Davenport, Mr., Clerk of Court and writing master to the College, 433. Davenport, Rev. Joseph, recommended for holy orders, 432, 433- David, Pierre, a French refugee, 194. Davies, Rev. Samuel (Presbyterian), Seven meeting houses situated in five counties licensed for, 366 ; extract of a letter from, to Dr. Doddridge, 368-371 ; extract of letter respecting, 379, 380 ; address to Burgesses respecting, 381-383 ; letter of Com. Daw- son respecting, 383; ditto, 384-386; references to, in Gov. Dinwiddie's letter to the Ep. of London, 39S1396; references to, 407. Davis, Mr., 8, g. 56? Davis, R.ev. Peter. " Still unprovided for, and no va- cancies, 406; at Soutliwark Parish, Surrey (1754), 413; ditto (175s), 430, 432; absent from Conven- tion (1754), 415; signs second address to the Ep. of London, on the passage of the option law, 446 ; appointed on a committee of the clergy, 530. Davis, Rev. William, at Hanover Parish, King George (1754), 413 ; ditto (1755), 430; present at Conven- tion (1754), 415; appointed on a committee, 418, 419; appointed Trustee, 424 ; subscription of, 427 ; removed from Trusteeship, 428. Dawson, Rev. Musgiave, at Raleigh parish; Amelia ('754) 413; present at Convention (1754) 414; ap- pointed on a committee, 418; subscription of, 426; appointed trustee, 428; at St. Mary's, Caroline, (1755)429. Dawson, Rev. William, (Commissary). Letter of, to to the Bishop of London, announcing death of Rev. Bartholomew Yatea, 356; employed by Com. Blair to read prayers for him, 358 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, reporting " The Plain Account," 359; instructs his brother in Divinity, 362; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 360; elected Presi- dent of William and iVIary College, 367 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 377-379; ditto, 379-381; ditto, 383; ditto, 384-386 ; sets forth a subscription in behalf of Rev. Mr. Kay, 391 ; Governor Din- widdle's account of, 393 ; references to, 396, 397, 39S ; appointment of Rev. Thomas Dawson as Commissary in place of, 399, 400; referred to, 407, 410. Daw-son, Rev. Thomas (Commissary). Goes for orders, 362; master of the Indian School, 363; elected to succeed Commissary Blair in Bruton Parish, 367 ; appointment of as Commissary in the room of his brother, 399, 400 ; letter of, to the Bishop of Lon- don, 405-407 ; ditto, 409-411; at Bruton Parish, York (1754), 411 ; presided and preached at Con- vention (1754), 414, 415 ; charge of, 415-418; ser- mon of, requested for the press, 418; appointed chairman of committees, 410,419; at Bruton (i7SS)i 430 ; President of the College, 43 1 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 431, 432; ditto, 432,433; refer- red to, 439, 446 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 446-448 ; present at Council meetings, 449, 45° '• treatment of, by the Professors of the College, 457, 458 ; a mere tool, 468 ; a veiy immoral man, 469 ; succeeded by Rev. Wm. Robinson, 470 ; references to, 474, 505 ; confessed the fact of habitual drunk- enness at a meeting of the visitors of the College, 517. Dettinger Parish, Prince William County, 4 DeSailly, Monsieur, 113. Deppe, Pierre, a French refugee, 194. Denbigh Parish. Referred to, 34; without r 258. Dell, Rev. Thomas. Placed in Hungar Parish, 249; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 253-256; an- swers of, to queries respecting his parish, etc., 272- 274. Delaunay, Pierre, a French refugee, 194. Degge, William, 390. De Butts, Rev. Lawrence. Answers of, to queries res- pecting the state of his parish, etc., 290-292; in Washington Parish, Westmoreland County, 249 ; re- moved to Maryland, 358. De Classic, Frangois, a French refugee, 193. Dinwiddie, Robert, Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia. Letter of, to the Bishop of London, 393-396 ; ditto, to (he Secretary of the Ven. Society, 397, 398 ; ditto to the Bishop of London, 399-401 ; ditto, 401, 402 ; references to, 416, 417 ; address of the clergy to, 420, 421 ; reply of, 421 ; referred to, 434, 438, 447, 448; at Council meeting, 449,450; letter to the Vestry of Hamilton Parish, 451 ; references to, 452, 453 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 454- 45S; referred to, 484; action of, respecting the two penny act, 50S, 509. Di.ssenters. Toleration of the, 257; refeiTed to, 328, 368-371 ; many vestrymen, 380 ; more learned than in former days, and as zealous and active as ever, 365 ; growth of, 395, 396 ; settled on the frontiers, 408 ; gaining ground, 445. Dissenting Teachers. Charged with venturing into vacant pulpits, and stealing into others in the ab- sence of their proper owners, 435 ; clergy of Vir- ginia neither expect nor desire the indulgence shown to, at the northward, 430. Dixon, Rev. John, at Kingston Parish, Gloucester, (1754)1413; ditto (1755), 429; present at Con- vention, 414. Dixon, Rev. Robert, at Linhaven Parish, Princess Anne, (1754), 413; ditto (1755). 430; Pi-esent at Con- vention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418; subscription of, 436; reference to, 433. Doddridge, Dr. Philip. Extract of a letter from the Rev. Samuel Davies to, 368-371 ; the Bishop of London to, 371-374; letter I o the Bishop of Lon- don, 374-377 ; referred to. 383. Doddlngton, Mr., 403. Doran John. Living in fornication, 34S. 568 Douglas, Rev. William. Title genuine, 365 ; reference to, 377; at St. James's, Northara Parish, Gooch- land (1754), 413; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418; subscription of, 427. D'Oyley, Rev. Cope. Complained of, 38; turned out by the Vestry, 48; signs address to the Governor, 117 ; Church doors shut against, 34, 35. Drunkenness. Suggestion respecting the punishment of, 341- 342- Dnimmond.Mr. William, Justice of James City Court, 94. Dtysdale, Major Hugh, (Lieutenant-Governor of Vir- ginia). Willing to redress the complaint of the clergy about induction, 250 ; favors and protects the concerns of Church and Clergy, 253 ; letter to the Bishop of London, 256, 257 ; ditto, 260 ; a good friend of the Clergy, 259 ; referred to, 322. Drysdale Parish, in Caroline County, 413, 429, Dublin. Incorporated Society in, 411. Dulaney, Walter, Esq., Commissary General, 535. Dunbar, Rev. Hancock, at St. Stephen's, King and Queen (1754)1 411 ; ditto (1755), 430 ; absent from con- vention (1754), 415; signs second address to the Bishop of London respecting the passage of the option law, 406. Dupplin, I. Pitt, 379. Dupre, Jean, 194. Dupuy, Bartheleray, 193. Dupuy, Francois, 193. Dutoit, Pien-e, 193. Earthquake. Bishop of London's letter the, 409. Eburne, Rev. Samuel. Prejudice against, for preaching against adultery, 26 ; turned out of his parish by the Governor's creatures, 48. Ecclesiastical Discipline and Government. Conduct of Sir Edmund Andros concerning, 16. Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Invaded by Governor Nich- olson, 131, 132 ; the Bishop of London's, referred 10,393.395.397,401,532.534- Edenburgen, Jo. Signature of, to Commissary Blair's certificate doubted, 222; copies of letters of order subscribed by, 247. Eden, Governor Robert, 535. Edisbury, Jo., 93, 102. Edmiston, Rev. Edward, 535. Education of Indians, Negroes and Mulatto Children. A proposition for encouraging the Christian, 344 ; vide Indians, Negroes, etc. Edwards, Mr., a Governor of the College, 56. Edwards, Rev. Mr., Minister of St, Anti's Es5ex{i7i2), 205. Effingham, Lord, 6; laid down the government of Vir- ginia, 9 ; order for opening the land on the south side of Blaekwater in the time of, 57 ; reference to, 222, 320. Elizabeth City Parish. Answer to queries respecting the state of, 293, 294, Elizabeth River Parish, Norfolk County, 412, 430. Emmanuel College, Cambridge (England), 3S7, 39a. Emerson, Rev. Arthur, at Accomack Parish (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429 ; absent from Convention (1754), 415- Episcopal Jurisdiction, Exercised by the Bishop of London in America, 532-534; vide Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Episcopacy. Little regarded in the colony, 360, 361. Essex County. Letter of Governor Spotswood to Ves- try of St. Ann's in, 201, 203-208 ; vide St. Ann's, Essex. Evans, Mr. John. Referred to, 123. Eversholt, in Bedfordshire (England), 276. Eugenius Tertius. Quotation from St, Bernard's epistle to, 31, 32. Examiners of the Clergy. Suggestions respecting the appointment of, 341. Fairfax, William, Esq., at Council meetings, 449,450. Falconar, Rev. James. Present at Convention held April (1719), 199; doubtful of the Commissary's Episcopal ordination, 210 ; opposition to the col- lation of, 249 ; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 293, 294. Falmouth, Town of, 534. Farey, Jean, a French refugee, 193. Famhara Parish, in Richmond County, How served, 292 ; vacant, 31S. Fast. Proclamation for a general (1757), 456,457. Fauquier, Francis, (Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia), Account of ill-treatment of Rev. John Camm by, in Rev. William Robinson's letter to the Bishop of , 464 ; letter of, to the Rev. Dr. Nichols, 470- 472; referred to in Commissary Robinson's letterto the Bishop of London. 474-480, 482, 483, 484, 485, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 503, 517, 520, 522, 523, 524. Fauve, JeaE, 195. Fauvre, Pierre, 193. Fees for Marriages and Funeral Sermons, 299, 314, Fife, Rev. William, at Hampton, Elizabeth City (1754), 411; ditto (1755), 429; absent from Convention (1754)7 415; subscription of, for widows and or- phans of deceased clergy, 427. Filhon, Jean, a French refugee, 194. Finney Rev. Williarn. Present at Convention held April, 1719, 199-210; appointed ou a committee to answer the Bishop of London's letter, 2 1 1 , Finnic, Rev. Alexander, at Martin's Urandon, Prince George, (1754), 411 ; ditto (1755), 43°; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 426; signs second address to the Bishop of London on the passage of the option law, 446. Fitzhugh, Co!. William. Added to the Council, 190. Flanders, uS. Flavel, John. Referred to, 36S. Fleicher, Col. (Governor of New York), 9. Fonvielle, Jean, a French refugee, 194, Fontaine, Rev. Francis. Answers of, to queries respect- ing the state of his parish, etc., 2S1-283. Fontaine, Rev. Peter. Present at Convention held April, 1719, 199-210; unites in address to the Governor, 322-224 ; answers of, to queries respecting his parish, etc., 270-272; at Westover's, Charles City (1754), 411; ditto (1755), 429; absent at conven- tion (1754), 414' Forbes, Rev. Alexander. Absent from Convention held April, 1719 206; letter to, from Commissary Blair, 251-252; answers to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 295-206; further replies, giving an account of the slate of the Church in Virginia, by, 323-334. Forbes, Rev. Dr. Referred to, 324. Forbes, William, Esq. Referred to, 324. Forquerand, Jean, a French refugee, 193. Fouace, Rev. Stephen, 56, 70, 83 ; affidavit of, relating to the mal- Administration of Gov, Nicholson, 87-93 ■ signs address of Clergy to the Governor, 117 ; letter of Com. Blair respecting, 124, 125 ; referred to, 142. Foulis, Rev. James, Settled in Antrim Parish, 406; re- ferred to, 413, 414- 427. 429. Fox, Rev. John, at Ware, Gloucester (1754), 4'2; ditto (l755),429;presen[atConvention (1754), 414; subscription of, 426. France, War with, 109 ; reference to, 435. Frank, Mr, Graham, Attorney, 511, 519. Fra-ser, Rev. George, at Dale Parish, Chesterfield (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427, Fredericksville Parish, Louisa County, 412, 434. Frederick Parish, 412, 429, 459. Fredericksburgh, Town of, 534, French, Encroachment of the, referred to, 433, French Refugees. Petition of, desiring to plant in Vir- ginia, 113-115; list of, 193-195; condition of, 256; Letter of, to Rev. Mr. Nearne, 353. French Squadron, in the West Indies, 1S8. Fulham, Bishop's Chapel at, 323. Funeral Seraions, fees for, 299, 314, 379. Fyfe, Rev. William, schoolmaster, 294; vide also, Fife, Rev. William. Galaiiaii?, Luther on, referred to, 368. Garcia, Rev, Mr., presented to a parish, 256, 318- Garry, Claude, a French refugee, 194. Gavin, Rev, Anthony. Letter of, to the Bishop of Lon- don, 360, 361. Gazette, The Virginia, 456. General Assembly of Virginia, 12, 21, 34, 41, 42, 48; vide Assembly. General Convention, Address of the Clergy of Va. in a, 419, 420 ; agent appointed by, 459; referred to, 464, 475; petition of, 487, 4S8. General Courts, Gov. Nicholson's behavior in, 99, 100. Genin, Guillaume, a French refugee, 194. Georgia, Province of, 364. German Families, the case of the, 247, 248. Germanna Town, Spotsylvania County, referred to, 332. Gibenie, Rev. Isaac W. Letter of to_the Bishop of Lon- don, 501-503 ; account of, in Com. Robinson's let- ter to the Bishop of London, 522. Gibson, Edmund, Bishop of London, 3S5, 504, 583. Gills, Mr. Schoolmaster, 275, Ginaudan, Anthoine, a French refugee, 194. Gleable Land. 2O0 acres of, to be laid for the bet- ter maintenance of able ministers, and to be set as near the parsonage as may be, I, Glebes. Instructions concerning, I, 2; Sir Edmund Andros's conduct concerning ministers' salaries and, II, 12; withheld, 35; improvement of, pre- vented by precariousness of the circumstances of the Clergy, 250; parishes obliged to purchase, 257; neglected and unimproved, 259; plan for stocking and improving, 260 ; suggestions respecting, 338, 389. Glen, Rev. William. Application of, for books, 190, ies in, 38., Gloucester County, 318. Goochland County. Enthusia.'itical 570 Gooch, T.t, Gov., William. Com. Blair's character of, 353 ; letter of, to ihe Secretary of the Ven. Society, 3S4; references to, 355, 356, 360 ; letter from, to the Bishop of London, announcing death of Com. Blair, 367. Good Friday and Chrislma^ Day, the only holy days observed, 213. Goodwin, Rev. John. Answer of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 302, 303. Gordon, Rev. John, Church doors shut against, 34, 35 ; an habitual drunkard, 3S, 39; signs address of Clergy to the Governor, 117; at Frederick Parish (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429; absent from Convention, (1754}, 415' Corner, Gaspard, 194. Gomer, Jean, 194. Gorry, Isaac, 195. Gorry, Jean, 195. Gorry, Lavenne, 195, Governors of the College, 17, 21, 22, 23, 27, 41, 42, 44, 45,46, 130, 133, 134. Graftenried, Baron De, taken prisoner hy the Indians, 187, 190. Graham, Rev. Richard. Professor of Maihematics in William and Mary College (1754), 413, 431 ; pres- ent at Convention (1754), 414; appointed 011 acom- mittee, 418; subscription of, 427; signs an address to the Bishop of London respecting the option law, 440; complained of by the Governor, 456; failure of, to secure the Presidency of the College, :i7, 518 ; returns to Oxford, 524. Grammar School. Disturbance al the, 137, 138; letter of the master of, respecting, 139, 140, Granville, Earl of, 525. Great Choptank, St. Peter's Parish. Application of the minister of, for a library, 190, 191. Green, Rev, Charles, at Trmo Parish, Fairfax (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429; absent from Convention (1754). 415 ; subscription of, 427, Greenwich, The ship of war. Letter from Chaplain of, to the Secretary of the Ven. Society, 184, 185, Grey, Rev, Mr., guilty of sodomy, 38. Griffin, Rev. Charles. Letter to the Bishop of London concerning instruction of Indian children, 196, it)7 ; efforts of, in behalf of the Indians, 306, Grynseus's Collection of the first Six Centuries referred to, 331. Grymes. Mr, John. Vestryman of Christ Church Par- ish, 350, Grymes, Philip, Esq., at Council meetings, 449, 450, Guerrand, Daniel, a French refugee, 193. Gwatkin, Rev, Thomas, 535, H,, Mr, B,, iSr, (Harrison, Benjamin), Iladley, Mr,, Surveyor of the College building, 55-57. HL^ger, Rev. Henry, German minister, 248. Halifax, Dunk, 379, 460 ; Lord, 491 ; Earl of, 510, Hall, Rev. Dr., referred to, 130. Hall, W, Letter from, to Mr. Taylor, Secretary of the Ven, Society, 190, 191. Halyhurton, Rev, William, D.D., rejected by the Visitors of William and Mary College, 529. Hamilton Parish, in Prince William County, 406, 413. 430. 449- 45'^. 451. 452. 4S3> 454, 455- Hamilton, Rev, Arth\ir, Chaplain to the Governor, 530, S3'- Hamillon. W. G., 460, Hamiltoune, Lord George, 9, Hampshire Parish, 429, 433. Hampton, 464. Hampton Parish, Elizabeth City, 41 1 , 429. Hanbury, Mr, John, merchant in Tower Street, London 397. 398, 405- Hanbury, Mr, Cassel, merchant in London, 500, 501 505 ■ Hanover County. Enthusiastical assemblies in, 381, 382 Hanover County. St. Paul's Parish in, 262, 264, Hanover Parish. Vestry of, built a chapel and levied i salaiy for a layman of enlhusiaslical principles, 246 ; references to, 413, 430, Hardwick, Lord, 510, 525. Harrison, Hon. Benjamin, one of the " interlocutories ' atLambeth (1697), 36-65; Governor Nicholson's ani mosity to, 70; signs representation of Virginia Coun- cil against Gov, Nicholson, 81 ; in place of Queen': attorney, 92; persons appointed (o treat with tht Indians ordered to report to, 124; vide H., Mr. B Hartwell, Col., 42, Hartwol, Rev, Richard. Inquiries respecting, in Com. Blair's letter to the Bishop of London, 362, 363. Hawkston cum Newton, in Cambridgeshire (Eng.), 262. Hayter, Dr,, Bishop of London, 504. Hedges, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles Reference to letter of, 152 Henderson, Rev. Jacob, Commissary of Marylani ferred to, 363. Henley, Mr. Robert, Solicitor, 403, 404; thanks of Con- vention of 1754 tendered to, 422. Henrico County. List of French Protestant Refugees in King William Parish, 193-195 ; enthusiastieal assemblies in, 3S1, 382. 571 Henrico Parish, in the Upper District oi" James River, referred to, 34, 35, 29S; answers to queries respect- ing the state of (i 724), 304, 305; references to, 320, 413. 429- Henry VIII. Statute 2S, Cap. 11., Sec. 5 referred to, 128. Henry, Patrick. Accounts of the speecii of, in the " Par- sons' Cause," 497, 498, 514, 515. Henry, Rev. Patrick, signs address to the Burgesses against Presbyterians in Va., 383 ; at St. Paul's, Hanover (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 4^9; absent from Convention (1754), 415 ; signs second address to the Bishop of London, on the passage of the option law, 446. Hicks, Mr. Robert, 123. Hill, Abraham, 114. Hill, Mr. Humphrey, 4S2. Hillsborough, Lord. Extract from a letter from Mr. President Nelson to, 532, 533; ditto, 533, 534. Hindman, Rev. John, dead, 365. Holland, Rev. (?) Mr., referred to, 185. Holt, Rev. Joseph, signs address of Clergy lo Gov. Nicholson, 117. Holy Days, no (except Christma'; Day and Good Friday), observed, 213. Homily of Obedience read. May 29th, (1776), 535. Hooper, Mr. Account of the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, in the plantations by, in the " Weekly Miscellany," (Vol. L, 79), 378. Hooper, Rev. Dr., 392. Hotchkis, Rev. Mr., referred to 432. Horrocks, Rev. James, carried the Presidentship of the College against Rev. Mr, Graham, 517, 518; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 530, 532. House of Assembly, Governor Nicholson's behavior in the Upper, 98, 99 ; vide Assembly. House of Burgesses, 16, 17, 18, 37, 38, 44, 97 ; office of the Clerk of the, in college building, 134. House of Commons, 36. Hubbard, Rev. Henry, Tutorin Emmanuel College, Cam- bridge. Hungar's Parish, in Northampton County, on the East- ern Shore, referred lo, 249, answers of the minister of, respecting the state of his parish, etc., 272-274; referred to, 293, 41 1. 430' Hurst, Mr,, schoolmaster, 275. Hutton, Dr., Archbishop of York, 36, 37, 392. Hutchinson, Rev. Mr., Rector of West Tanfield, in Yorkshire (Eng.), referred to, 268. Hyde, Gov. (of North Carolina). Efforts of, 10 oppose the invasion of the Indians, 187. Imbert, Jeanne, 195. Imbert, Suzanne, 195. Indigo. Expectations of the result of making, 436. Independence, Civil, 511. Indians, " have the best secrets any physician in Europe might have," 30 ; Instructions to be observed in treating with the, 123, 124; Speech made by Gov. Nicholson to the General Assembly in 1 7 1 1 , respect- ing the instruction of the children of the, 129 ; mas- sacre committed by the Tuscararos, in North Caro- lina, 187-190 ; means taken for the conversion of the, 255 ; efforts in behalf of, 306, 327 ; a proposi- tion for encouraging the Christian education of, 344' Indian Children. Christian education of, 113, 113, I2i; education of, at the College, 191 ; letter of Bishop of London respecting, 192; letter of the Bishop of London concerning school for, at Christanna, 196, 197. ; vide above. Induction of ministers in Virginia. Lack of, 15, 47, 48, 86. 87; Sir Edward Northey's opinion con- cerning, 127, 12S; power of giving, abused by Gov. Nicholson, 131, 132; people averse to the, 213; re- ferred to in Bishop of London's letter, 201 ; reflec- tions on Com. Blair's conduct respecting, 202 ; Gov. Spotswood's letter to the Vesti-y of St, Ann's, Essex, respecting, 203-208 ; people averse to, 213, 214; Com. Blair's speech respecting, 216, 217; referred to, 225, 226, 227, 234-242; act of General As.sem- bly (1662) respecting, referred to, 243-245; the controversy respecting, in the case of St. Ann's Par- ish, Essex, 314, 315 ; letter of Com. Blair respect- ing. 318-322; suggestions respecting, 33S ; petition of the Bishop of London to the King concerning, 343, 344; act of the Virginia Burgesses, entitled, "Ministers to be inducted," 380; letter of Lord Dinwiddle to the Bishop of London concerning, 393-395 ; ditto, to the Secretary, 3S7, 398 ; vide In- stitutions, Collation, Right of Patronage. Infidelity. Atheists confirmed in their, by the unworthy and scandalous carnage of some ministers, 332, Inglis Mungo, a very good schoolmaster, 39 ; payment of, 43 ; letter of, to Gov. Nicholson, 139, 140 ; com- plaint of, 223 ; dead, 247, Innes, Rev. Robert, at Drysdale parish, Caroline (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 426; 429, present at Convention (1754), 414 ; subscription of, 426. Institutions and inductions, referred to, 225, 226, 227. The case of St. Anne's parish, respecting, 234, 242. Act of General Assembly (1662), concerning, etc.. 572 243i 245 ; petition of Edmund, Eishop of London, to the king, respecting, 345, 346, Instructions, to Sir Wm. Berkeley (1650), 1, 2; to Thomas, Lord Culpeper, 2, 3 ; to Mr. Robt. Hicks and Mr. John Evans, concerning treating with the Indians, 123, 124. Intermittent Fever, how cured, 30. Ireland. House of Commons in, action of, referred to, 221. Irish Common Prayer Book, referred to, 359. Irons, Mr., schoolmaster, 275. Irwine, Rev. George, 250. Jamaica, 105, 352. James, Governor Nicholson's man, 169. James City. Sheriff of, referred to. 25 ; writ of election withheld from, 97. James City Court. Justice of, struck out of the commis- sion of the peace, 94, James City Parish, referred to, 25 ; Rev. Hugh Jones engaged for two-thirds of the time, 246; answei-s to queries respecting, 264-266; referred to, 412, 429 ; vestry of, referred to in Governor Spotswood's letter to the vestry of St. Ann's, Essex, 205. James River, 44. James Town, refeired to, 2S ; services at, and value of living, 265, 270 ; clergyman sent to, 28y -, Ciimmis- sary Blair minister of, 298, Jamestown. Fort at, 14, 32. Jeoffreys, Mr., 3, Jennings, Col. Edmund, 48; a great creature of the Governor's, referred to, 68, 87, 88 ; sent to p;ngland as agent, 95; reference to, 313. Joanis, Jean, a French refugee, 194, Johnston, Rev. Josiah, Master of the Grammar school, action of the visitors respecting, 528. 529 ; appoint- ed on a committee of the clergy, 530. Jones, Rev. Emanuel. Signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson; signs letters to Commissary Blair, 143, 144, 163; presents the same, 14S; present at Con vention held April, 1719. 199; appointed on com- mittee to prepare address to Governor, 208 ; doubt- ful of the Commissary's Episcopal Ordination, 219; reports thereon, 211, 220 ; interrupts the Commis- sary, 218; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 286-288; temporarily sup- plies Weare parish, 309 ; inducted, 315 ; died, 362. Jones, Rev. Hugh. Present at Convention held April, 1719, 199; appointed on committee to prepare ad- dress to -Governor, 208; doubtful of the Commis- sary's Episcopal Ordination, 210; appointed on committee in answer to the Bishop of London's let- ter, 211; motion offered by, 215; appointed on committee to attest minutes, 215; faults the doctrine of the Commissary's sermon, 219 ; objects to word presbyter, instead of priest, 222; remarks in Con- vention (1719), 223; moves the suspension of the Commissary, 225; letter of, to the Bishop of Lon- don, 246, 249 ; at home in England, 249. Jones, Rev. John, at Augusta parish (1754), 413; ditto (175s), 429, 432; present at Convention (1754), 414 ; subscription of, 427 ; deprived of his master- ship at the college, 518. Jones, Kev. Owen, Signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson. 142 ; signs letter to Commissary Blair, '43' 163; absent from ■ onvention, April, 1719, 200 ; answer of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, 310, 311. Jones, Mr., 86. Jones, Mr. Roger Vestryman of Christ Church parish, 350' Jure, Devoluto. Presentation and induction, 13, 15,47, 48. 320, 336, 345. 346. Kay, Mrs. Shameless conduct of, 392. Kay, Rev. William, Letter from Rev, John Canim to the Bishop of London, respecting, 386, 3S8 ; letter of, to the same, 389-393 ; references to in Governor Dinwiddle's letter to Bishop of London, 395 ; ditto, in Bishop of London's letter to Mr, John Thorpe, solicitor, 398. 399 ; ditto in Governor Dinwiddie's letter, 401 ; case of, determined in his favor, 403,404; case of, referred to, 406, 409, 410 ; at Cumberland parish {1754), 412 ; absent from Convention {1754), 415 ; case of, referred to, 422 ; at Cumberland (1755), 430; case referred to 445. Keith, Rev. Mr, Removed to Maryland, 35S. Kennor, Rev. Rodham, "Dead or dying," 357, 35S. Kensington, 113, Kickstane, 300. Kikotan, 54, 88. Kippax, Rev. Peter. Signs address to Governor Nich- olson, 117; signs endorsement of Governor Nich- olson, 142 ; signs letters to Commissary Blair, 143, I4S. 163- Kirly, Rev. Mr. Obtained license for induction of Rev. Thos, Baylye, 274. King George I. Proclaimed in Virginia, 130, 131, King James 11. 126, 127. King William, in Flanders, 3; return expected, 45 ; re- 573 ceives the address of the Virginia Government in behalf of the college, 6, 7; wholly taken up with thoughts of the war, 8. King William II., referred to, 19, 20; spoken despiteful- ly and sHghtfully of by Governor Nicholson, 7; funeral oration on, 123, 126, 127. King William Parish. List of French protestant refu- gees in, 193-195 ; letter of inhabitants of, to Rev. Mr. Nearne, 353. King's Letter for the relief of the clergy, 16. Kingston Parish, Gloucester county. Vacant {1749), 365 ; referred to, 413, 429. Lafuitte, Isaac, a French refugee, 104. Lambeth. Archbishop of Canterbury frozen up for five weeks at, 8 ; account of a conference at, 36- 6s- Lang, Rev. John. Letter of, to the Bishop of London, 346-348. Lassin, Francois, a French refugee, 194, Latan^i Kev, Lewis, signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 142 ; signs letters to Commissary Blair, 143, 144, 163; present at Convention held April, 1719, 199; doubtful of the Commissary's Episcopal Ordination, 210; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 285, 2S6 ; death of, re- ferred to, 359. Launay, I^venne, a. French refugee, 195. Lawn's Creek parish, in Jeury county. Answers to que- ries respecting the state of, 288. Lawrence, Sir Thomas, employed to write in Governor Nicholson's "behalf, I04. Lay Enthusiasts, labors of, referred to, 381. Lee, Col. Thomas, late president of the council, 379. Lee, Richard. Merchant in London, 190. Lee, Richard Henry, Esq., 495. Lee, Sir George, 403. Leer, Col., 25, Le Grand, Jacques, a French refugee, 194. Leheup, Mr., agent of the Province, 367, 400, 405. Le Jau, Rev. Dr. Francis. Letter of, to the secretary of the Ven, Society, 184, 185. Leland, Rev. John, at Wicocomoco parish, Northumber- land (1754}, 412; ditto, (1755). 430; absent from Convention (i754). 4'5- Leneveau, Moize, a French refugee, 194. Le Neve, Rev, William. Answers of, to queries re- specting his parish, etc., 264-266 ; lectures at Wil- iamsburg, 299. Lesubre, Isaac, a French refugee, 193. Letters of Administration, to be granted in Virginia, 2; vide Wills, Probates of Levillain, Jean, a French refngei:, 194. Lewis, Mr. Walter, secretary to the Governor, 480. Lexington, 114. Libraries to be provided, 340. Licences of Marriages, Governor entrusted with the power of granting, 131 ; abuse of said power, 131, 132; vide fees for marriages, etc. Lichfield and Coventry, the Bishop of Letter to, from Rev. Nicolas Moreau, April 12, 1697, 29-32. Lightfoot. Col. Philip, 26. Lightfoot, J. Signs representation of Virginia Council against Gov. Nicholson, 8. Linhaven parish. Princess Anne county, 413, 430. Lismoie, diocese of, referred to, 313. Liturgy, deviations from, remarks upon alleged, 223; translated into High Dutch, sent for, 248 ; regular conformity to, impossible, 213; irregularities in the use of the, complained of, 232, 233. Lloyd, Mr., merchant, 511. Locke, John (the philosopher). Letter from, to Mr. Commissary Blair, Oct. 16, 1699, 66, 67. London, Bishop of, sick, 3; under a great cloud, 4; advises petitioning the king in council on behalf of the college, 4, 5; commits the affair to the manage- ment of the archbishop, 6; listens to the scheme for the college, 7; advises Dr. Blair respecting the organization of the college, 7, 8 ; referred to, 9, lo; the appointment of a Scotchman Commissary by the, resented as an high affront, 31 ; authority of, despised and undervalued, 35; one of the " inter- locutories " at a conference at Lambeth ( 1697), 36,- 65 ; ministers ordered by Governor Nicholson to pre- sent their licences to him, 66; letter to, from Col. Quarry, Oct,, 15, 1703, S2-87 ; not of the council of trade and plantations, 122; Ecclesiastical juris- diction of, awarded by Governor Nicholson, 131, 132 ; complaint of clergy to, against Commissary Blair, 136; letter from, to Virginia clergy, 145,146; references to, 148, 149, 152, '54, 155. i57> H^, I74, 175; letters from, read at the Convention of the clergy, April, 1719, 200, 201 ; application of, to the Ven. Society, in behalf of the Rev. Wm. Glenn, 190, 191 ; extract from Col. Spotswood's letter to, 191 ; letter of, to the Secretary of the Ven, Society, 192; letter to, from Rev, Chs, Griffin, concerning Indian school at Christanna, 196, 197 ; letters from, read at the Convention of the Clergy, April, 1719, 200, 201; references to, 202, 205, 206, 207; the 574 Commissary desired to transmit a copy of his ser- mon to, 208; letter of clergy to, 209, 210, 211, 21 2- 214; reference to, 215, 216, 217, 219,223, 226, 227, 229, 231, 232, 233, 236, 237, 240, 241 ; no minister to be preferred to any ecclesiastical benefice with- out a certificate from, 244; letter of the Rev. Hugh Jones to, 246, 247 ; applied to for assistance to the German settlers, 218 ; letter to, from Col. Spotswood, 249; letter of Commissary BJair to, 250, 251 ; ditto, 252, 253; Rev. Thos. Dell to, 253-556; Governor Drysdale to, 256, 257 ; queries issued by, to be an- swered by Commissaries, 257—260; queries to be answered by every minister, 261-334 ; reference to, 337 ; petition of Edmond Gibson, to the king, 345, 346 ; letter to, from Rev. John Lang, 345-347 ; he members of Christ Church, etc., to, 348-350 ; letter to, from Commissary Blair, 352, 353 ; letter of Com- missary Blair to, 357-359 ; letter of Rev. Mr. Daw- son to, 359; letter to, from Rev. Anthony Gavin, 360, 361 ; Rev. Charles Budgcr's letter to, 361 , 362 ; Commissary Blair's letter to, 362-364; ditto. 364; Rev. Wm. Dawson's letter to, 365; Gov. Gooch's letter to, announcing the death of Commissary Blair, 367; letter of, to Dr. Doddridge, 371-374; Dr. Doddridge's reply to, 374-377; Commissary Daw- son's letter to, 377-379; ditto, 379-381 ; ditto, 383; ditto, 384-386 ; Rev. Mr. Camm to, 386-388; Rev. Mr. Kay to, 389-393 ; Gov. Dinwiddie 10,393-396; referred to, 397; letter to Solicitor Thorpe, 398, 399; the Governor to, 399-401 ; ditto, 401, 402; Mr. Thorpe to, 403 ; letter of, to Messrs. Thorpe and Henley, 403, 404; Commissary Dawson to, 405-407 ; anonymous to, 408, 409 ; Commissary Dawson to, 409-411 ; address of the clergy 10,422 ; referred to, 423 ; Commissary Dawson to, 431, 432 ; ditto, 432, 433 ; the clergy of Virginia to, 434-440, 440-446 ; Commissary Dawson to, 446-448 ; refer- ence to, 450 ; Commissary Dawson to, 451-453; ditto, 453, 454; Governor Dinwiddie 10,454-458; letter of, 461-463; Commissary Robinson to, 473- 486; ditto, 489-501; Rev. Mr. Giberne to, 501- 503 ; Commissary Robinson to, 503-505 ; ditto, 506-519; ditto, 519-524; ditto, 524-529; Rev. Mr. Horrocks to, 530-532 ; memorial of Rev. Chas. Woodmason to the Rt. Rev. Richard, 534, 535. Lorange, Lavenne, a French refugee, 195. Lords, Commissioners. Report of the, on the disallow- ance of the option laws, etc., 458-460. Lords of Trade, 86; action respecting the option law, 510,511. Lords of the Treasury, not allowed before the king, 8; maintenani sel by Sir Edmund Andros, on ; was ordered by, 65, London, Lord, 494. Lower Norfolk on Elizabeth river, sent to, 318. Lowndes, Mr., of the treasury, 40, Lucadon, Jean, 195. Lucadon, Pierre, 195. Ludwell, Col. Philip, referred to, council meetings, 449, 450. Lunenberg Parish in Richmond coi 41- , 26, 27, 81, 89; a mty, 389, 413, 430. Macdonald, Rev. Daniel, at Brunswick, King George (1754), 412; ditto [1755), 430; present at Conven- tion (1754), 414; subscription of, 426. Mackay, Rev. William, at North Farnhara, Richmond (1754), 412; ditto {1755), 430; present at Conven- tion {1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418; subscription of, 426. Mackensie, Rev. Mr., deceased, {1754), 432, Magna Charta. Derided by Governor Nicholson, 109. Myllet, Estienne, 195. Mallet, Lavenne, 195. Mallet, Marie, 195. Maet, Suzane, 195. Manacan Town. Letter of inhabitants of King Wil- liam parish in, to Rev. Mr. Neame, 353. Man's Ordinary, A ballad addressed to the Rev. mem- bers of the Convocation held at, 179-182. Mar, Mr., executor of Hon. Robert Boyle, 37. Marable, Mr. George, Justice of James City Court, 94. Marleborough, Lady, forbid the Court, 9. Marleborough, Lord. Disgrace of, referred lo, 9. Marriage Fees, 299, 314. Marriages. Licences for, 131, 132, 228, 237. Marsden, Rev. Richard. Communication from Com. Blair to the Bishop of London respecting, 352, 353. Marshall, Rev. Mungo, " ignorant," 408 ; at St. Thomas's Parish, Culpepper (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429; present at Convention (1754), 414 ; subscription of, 427. Martin Brandon Parish, Prince George. Services at, 270 ; clergyman sent to, 288, 289; referred to, 411, 430. Martin, Guillaame, 194. Martin, Jean, 194 Maryland. Cruising hips ordered to be kept in, 14; referred to, 76, 77, 79, 106, 117, 118, 121, 122, 134, 249. 324. 358, 360, 368, 377, 504, 535. 575 Mason, John, Teacher, 294. Massey, Rev. Lee. Application of, for holy orders, 524. Matton, Anthoine, a French refugee, 193. Maubain, Daniel, a French refugee, 194. Maury, Rev. James, applied for orders, 364; at Fred - ricksville Parish, Louisa {1754), 412; ditto (1755), 430; absent from Convention (1754), 414; case of, referred to, 497, 498, 514. Mayre, Rev. James, at St. George's, Spotsylvania (1754), 411 ; ditto (1755), 430 ; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on a committee, 41S; sub- scription of, 427. McLaurin, Rev. Robert, " remarkable only for his igno- rance and folly," 408; at Poutham Parish, Cumber- land (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 429; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427. Mercury, the Monthly, referred to, 36. Merizies, Rev. Adam, applies for orders, 365 ; reference to, 377, at Bromfield Parish, Culpepper (i7S4). 413; ditto (1755), 429; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427. Meherrin Parish, Brunswick County, 413, 429, 432. Meeting Houses, Dissenting, 395, 396. Meadows, Philip, 114. Mead, Mr. A Schoolmaster, clandestinely sent home for orders and never returned, 358, Michaux, Abraham, 194. Middle Plantation, 24, 34, 4S. Middlesex, 355, Miles, Rev. Samuel, 121. Ministers. Provision for maintenance of, I, 2; sufficient and conformable ministers to be appointed, 2, 3; none to be preferred by the Governor without a cer- tificate of conformity from the Bishop of London, 2, 3 ; to be admitted into vestries, 3 ; exposed to great poverty and contempt, 15; Sir Edmund Andros's conduct concerning the salaries and glebes of, 11-15, 35, 36 ; murmuring at the shortness of their salaries, 37. 3S1 Church of England, at the Northward, re- ceived gifts from Gov, Nicholson, and repay him in addresses of compliment and recommendations to the Bishops, 104; Sir Edward Northey's opinion concerning the induction of, 127, I2g; "almost forty in Va. (1707), and not above four or five in- ducted," 185; act of Assembly (1662} concerning the induction of, 243-245 ; unworthy carriage of some referred to, 332 ; very few scandalous, 532. Moncure, Rev. John, at Overwharton Parish, Stafford (1754)1 412; ditto (1755), 430; absent from Con- vention (1754). 415- Monro, Rev. Andrew, signs address to Gov. Nicholson, 117; signs endorsement of Gov. Nicholson, 142; signs letters to Com. Blair, 143, 145, 163. Monro, Rev. John, signs address to Gov. Nicholson, 117; referred to, 14Z ; attests minutes of clerical meeting, 153, 154, 176 ; present at Convention held April, 1719, 199-210; writes an address tothe Gov- ernor, 223, 224; signs historical remarks on the proceedings of the Convention with Com, Blair, 225 ; far gone in a consumption, 252. Monroe, Rev. Mr., Church door shut against, 34, 35; as good a man as any in the country, 38. Montague, Mr., Agent of the Colony of Va., 525, 526. Moreau, Rev. Nicholas. Letter from, to the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, April 12, 1697, 29-32. Morel, Rev. Mr., of Maryland, 365. Morice, Samuel. The eyes of, opened, 36S. Morisser, Pierre, 193. Morogh, John. Schoolmaster, 302. Mortland, Rev. David, dead, 391 ; references to, 391, 392- Mossom, Rev. David, signs address to Burgesses against Presbyterians in Va., 383 ; at St. Peter's, New Kent (1754), 411; ditto (175s), 430; present at Conven- tion (1754), 414; appointed on a committee, 418 ; subscription of, 426. Muce, Marquis De la, 113, Mulatto children. A proposition for encouraging the Christian education of Indians, Negroes, and, 344, Mulberry Island Parish, without minister, 258; services at, and value of living, 275 ; vacant, 318. Murray, the Hon. William. Member of the Conven- tion of 1754, tendered to, 422, Mylne, Rev. Francis, present at Convention held April, 1719, 199, 200, appointed on a committee to an- swer the Bishop of London's letter, 211; writes an address to the Governor, 223, 224, Nansimond Church, referred to, 324, 330. Nansimond. Alteration in the Court of 94; doctrines, discipline, and ministry of the Church openly im- pugned by a Quaker teacher in the County Court of, 332; the Quakers increase in, 333. Navison, Rev. John, " still unprovided for, and no va- cancies," 406; at Meherrin Parish, Brunswick (1754, 413; ditto (175s), 429, 432; at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427. Nearne, Rev. Mr. Letter to, from inhabitants of King WiUiam Parish in Manican Town, 353. New England. Strangers from, entertained by Gov. 576 Nicholson, 104; referred to 352; opposition to the settling of Bishop? in America by the people of, 373 ; persecution of Churchmen in, 373, 374 ; Dr. Dodd- ridge's remarks on the same, 376 ; course of the legislature of, referred to, 530. Negro and Indian children. Encouragement of the Christian education of, 112, 113. Negroes. Masters unwilling to afford them time to at- tend religious service, 255, 256 ; means used for the conversion. 261 ; baptized, 263; examined and confirmed, 264, 265 ; efforts in behalf of, 277, 269, 277,278,280, 2S1, 287, 291, 293,297,299; two hundred baptized, 301; references to, 306; partic- ular means for conversion of, discouraged, 310 ; too much neglected, 327 ; a proposition for encouraging the Christian education of Indians and, 344; the baptized, live as pagan Negroes do, 347 ; 172 bap- tized, 360 ; efforts in behalf of, 361 ; efforts of Pres- byterians in behalf of, 369. New Lights. The distracted and unsettled state of Church and Clergy matter of joy and triumph to, 454; the jury in the case of the Rev. Mr. Maury composed of, 497, New Kent County. Letter from Gov, Nicholson to the sheriff of, March 3, 1699-1700, 66; justices of, grant a license to Mr. Davies, 366; referred to, 407. Nelson, Thomas, Esq., at Council meetings, 449, 450, 49S. 513- Nelson, William, Esq., at Council meetings, 449, 450 ; 495' 513; extract of a letter from President, to Lord Hillsborough, 532, 533; ditto, 533, 534. Neuse River. Incursion of Indians upon the head of, 1S7. Newport Parish, in Isle of Wight County. Answers to queries respecting the state of, 274, 275 ; referred to, 412, 430. New York, Province of. Supplies ordered for the, 14; one thousand pounds of the quit rents' money sent to, 33 ; instructions about, not complied with, 70, 71 ; speech of Gov. Nicholson thereupon, 99; strangers from, entertained by the Governor, 104; referred to, 324 , 385. North Carolina. Commotions in, 187-190. Norfolk County. Petition of French refugees desiring to settle in, 113-1 15 ; justices of, referred to, 459. Norfolk Parish, referred to, 293; vacant, 318. Northampton (Eng.), 375. Northey's, Sir Edward. Opinion concerning induction of ministers in Va., 127, 12S, 206, 207, 227, 239, 240, 246, 320, 321. North Farnham Parish, in Richmond County, 412,430. Northington, Lord, President of the Council, 525, 530. Northumberland County, 318. Norton, Mr., merchant at Fulham, 512. Nott, Edward, Governor of Virginia, referred to, 141 ; presents letter of the Bishop of London to the Clergy, 145 ; recommendation of, to the Clergy, 146; reflections upon, 152, 168, 169, 172, 173, 174; notices of the death of, 183, 184; reference to, 217. Nottingham, Lord, 6, 7. Nottoway Parish, in Amelia County, 413, 429. Nottoway Parish, Southampton, 412, 430. Nicholas, Mr. Robert Carter. Comments of Com. Rob- inson on the coarse of, 527; appointed on a commit- tee for drawing up an account of the proceedings of the Visitors on the rejection of Dr. Halyburton, 529. Nicholas, Rev. Dr. Letter to, fr 472; referred to, 486, 503, Nicholson, Gov. Francis. Advice of Bishop of London to the Va. Clergy respecting, 145 ; at the house of Mr. John Voung, 184 ; Clergy resorting to the lodg- ing of, 151 ; invites Clergy to attend meeting, 152; conduct of, respecting Dr. Blair, 152, 153 ; defence of, 154-162, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176; ballad addressed to the Convo- cation held to defend, 179-182; letter of, to , rSi ; reference to, in Bishop of London's letter, 192 ; references to, 217, 227, 279, 320, 321 ; letter to, from Dr. Blair, 3-8 ; letter to, from the same, 8, 9 ; lefi a good example to Sir Edmund Andros in the mat- ter of providing the country with ministers, I0-15 ; subscriptions to the College made in the time of, unpaid, 19, 21 ; treatment of, when in attendance upon College business, 23-29 ; references to, in let- ter from Rev. Nicholas Moreau, 29, 30, 31 ; his wish that there had not been one great gun in Vir- ginia, 32 , reference to, 43 ; revenue money left in bank, 65 ; letter to the High Sheriff of New KentCounty,March3, 1699-1700, 66; letterlo,from Dr. Blair, August 9, 1700, 67-69 ; letter to, from some person unknown, 69-75 ! Com. Blair's memo- rial against, 75-80; representation of the Council of Vii^nia to the Queen against, 80, Si ; letter of Col. Quarry to the Bishop of London respecting, 82-87 ; affidavit of Rev. Stephen Fouace relating to the mal- Administration of, 87-93; aflidavit of Rev. Commissary Blair relating to the same, 93-112 ; let- ter of, to the Clergy of Virginia, April 10, 1700, 577 115, 11^; ""^ply of 'he Clergy to, Il6, liy ; letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, May 27, 1700, 117- 121 ; letter of, to the same, July 23, 1700, 121-123; Instructions to be observed in treating with Indians, 123, 124; letter of Com. Blair to the Archbishop of Canterbury respecting, 124, 125 ; orders opinion of Sir Edward Northey concerning induction to be entered upon vestry books, 129 ; speech of, to Gen- eral assembly of 1711, 129; further affidavit of Com. Blairconcerning themal-Administration of, 131-138. Oaths of Allegiance and supremacy to be taken by ves- trymen, 244; taken by Presbyterian ministers, 371. Obaldiston, Dr., Bishop of London, 504. OlUvier, Pierre, a French refugee, 194. Option Law. Address of the Va. Clergy to the Bishop of London respecting the passage of the, 434-440 ; second address, 440-446 ; letter of the Commissary concerning. 446-44S ; referred to, 45 1 ; report of Lord Commissioners upon, 458-460 ; letter of Bish- op of London thereon, 461-463. Ordination. Imposition practised upon the Bishop of London in the matter of, referred to, 501-502. Oriel College, Oxford, 504. Oswald, James, 460. Overworton Parish, Stafford County. Answer to queries respecting the state of (1724), 311-313; referred to, 412, 430. Oxford and Cambridge. Clergymen from, more accept- able than those bred Presbyterians at the North, 365- Page, Matthew, signs representation of Virginia Council against Governor Nicholson, 81. Palace, the Governor's, at Williamsburg, 476, 477-491. Palatines in North Carolina. Massacre of the, 187-190. Pamphlets, printed in Virginia, against the clergy, 465, 484,511. Pamptico River. Incursion of Indians upon the head of, 187. Pamunkey Neck, 20, 97. Panetie, Jean, 194. Papists, 122. Parenteau, Isaac, 194- Paris, Abram, teacher, 294. Paris, Mr. Ferdinando, solicitor, 403, 404, 459, 525, Parish schools commended, 417. Park, Mr. Daniel, 23-29, 45. 48- Parliament, act of, for preventing frauds in the plantation trade, 58-63. Parsonage House, to be built by every congregation that hath an able minister, i, 2. Pasteur, Rev. James. Lecturer at Norfolk (1754), 413; present at Convention (1754), 414; at Bath parish, Dinwiddle (1755), 429,432. Patronage, right of, claimed by Governor Spotswood, 203-20S; references to, 227-229, 234-242; act of ye General Assembly of Virginia {1662), concern- ing, etc., 243-245; controversy concerning the, re- ferred to, 260; references to, 378, 397, 400. Pelham, T., 460. Pennsylvania, 118,364. Penn, William, brags of the strength of the Quaker in- terest in England, 122. Perault, Charle, 193. Peny, Mr, Micajah (alderman), 72, 74, 119, 350, 362. Petition of Edmond, Bishop of London, to the King, 345. 346. Petsworth Parish in Gloucester county, referred to, 34; answer to queries respecting the state of, 286-288 ; references to, 412, 429. Philadelphia. Synod of. May, 1741, referred to, 381, 382. Philagathus. Anonymous letter respecting the Rev, Bartholomey Yates, signed, 355, 356, Phips, Sir Constautine. Case of, referred to, 221 . Pirates. Imprisonment and trial of, 77 ; charges of, 96 ; gentlemen committed to gaol among, 103. Poindexter, Jacob, married his deceased wife's sister, 347- Pollexfen, John, 114. Popery, referred to, 341. Portlock, Rev. Edward, signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 142 ; signs letters to Commissary Blair, 143, 144, 163; speaks in behalf of clergy respect- ing said letters, 150; presents a fiirther paper, 151 ; ballad verses on, iSo, 181. Potomac, 168, Povey, Mr. John. One of the " intcrlocutories " at a Conference at Lambeth (1697), 36-65; attests copy of representation of Council of Virginia against Governor Nicholson, 8r ; standing agent for Vir- ginia, 95. Powder House at Jamestown, 14, 65. Powell, Jean, 194. Pownal, Rev. Benjamin, present at Convention held April, 1719, 199; doubtful of the Commissary's Episcopal Ordination, 210; appointed on committee to prepare answer to Bishop of London's letter, 211; departure of, 249. 578 Pow, Rev. William, chaplain of the "Triton," 437. Prayer Books. Allowances for Bibles and for the French refugees, 114. Preachers rather than pastors in many places, 333. Preshyterians. Taking advantage of the want of minis- ters, 318; letter of Rev. Samuel Davies to Dr. Doddridge respecting the rise of the, in Virginia, 368-371 ; the Bishop of London to Dr. Doddridge respecting, 371-374; Dr. Doddridge's letter to the Bishop, 374-377 ; Commissary Dawson's letter to the same, 379-381 ; address to Burgesses concern- ing, 381, 383 ; Commissary Dawson's letter to the Bishop of London, concerning, 383 ; ditto, 384- 386 ; Governor Dinwiddle's account of the rise of the, 395, 396; ministers of, obtain a legal settle- ment, 408. Presentation, reference to the right of, 10 ; opinion of Robert Raymond, Esq., respecting the vestries' right of, 197. 198; in the power of the parish, 225, 2z6, 227; differences of opinion about, 232; the case of St. Anne's, Essex, involving the question of, 334-242; act of assembly (1662) respecting, re- ferred to, 243-245; suggestions respecting, 336- 338; letter of Commissary Blair respecting, 318- 322; to be adjourned, 352; right of, claimed by the vestries, 37S, 394, 395, 397. Pre.ston, Rev, William, Professor of Morals, William and Mary College (1754), 412, 431; present at Convention (1754), 414 ; read prayers at opening of Convention and appointed clerk, 415; appointed trustee, 414; appointed on committee, 425; sub- scription of, etc., 427 ; thanks of trustees presented to, 428 ; at James City(l755), 429; signs address to the Bishop of London respecting the option law, 440. Price, Mr. John. Vestryman of Chrisl Church parish, 35°- Priests in Maryland, 118. Prince, Rev. John, absent from Convention, April, 1719, 200. Princess Anne county. Justices of, 459. Probates of Wills. The Governor entrusted with the power of giving, 131; abuse of said power, 132; references to, 228, 237. Proctor, Rev. William, at Nottoway parish, Amelia {1754), 413; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427. Proposition, a, for encouraging the Christian education of Indians, negioes and mulatto children, 344. Proposition, a, for supplying the country of Virginia with a sufficient number of much better clergymen, 334-344- Protestant Succession, referred to in address of the clergy to the king (1754), 419. Purdie, Rev. George. " Ignorant and immoral," 408; at St. Andrew's parish, Brunswick (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 429; present at Convention (1754), 414; subscription of, 427; information lodged against, by his vestry, 453, 454. Quakers. Converts from, 30, 31 ; Governor Nicholson's reference 10,89; referred to, 118, 122, 132, 189, 32S i sensibly increasing in Nansimond, 333 ; in- considerable, 346 ; fifteen baptized, 360 ; referred to, 376 j but few, 395. Quaker Teacher. Doctrine, disciphne and ministry of the Church openly impugned in the County Court of Nansimond by a, 332. Quarry, Cul. Robert, 73; letter to the Bishop of London, Oct. 15, 1703, S2-S7; employed to write in Go-v. Nicholson's behalf, 104, 105 ; urges that the quotas of men and money be raised by act of Parlia- ment without consent of the provincial assemblies 107; negotiations by, 108, in. Queen Anne. Succession of, 126 ; commemoration of in Virginia, 131. Queen Mary, 5 ; order of, bestowing quit rents of Vir- ginia on the clergy, 13; Virginia ministers obliged to pray for, after news of her death had been re- ceived, 36 ; references to, 80, 81. Queen's College, Oxford, 524. Quit Rents bestowed upon the clergy, 13, 14,32; ex- pended in other ways, 32-34, 64, 65, in ; applica- tion for, in behalf of a Divinity department for the college, 319, 320. Rainsford, Rev. Giles, absent from Convention held April, 1719, zoo; presented for induction in St. Anne's, Essex, 204; referred to, 234; controversy of, with Rev. John Bagg, 314. Raleigh Parish, in Amelia County, divided, 365 ; referred 10,413,429. Ramsey, Rev. John, at St. Anne's, Albemarle (1754), 413; ditto (1754), 429; absent from Convention (1754), 415. Randolph, Captain, Attorney General, 36, 51, 57. Randolph, Edward, of New England, 3. Randolph, Peyton, Attorney General. Opinion of, 366; at Council meetings, 449, 450 ; further references to, 471. 472, 495. 579 Ransom, George, schoolmaster, 309. Rapinne, Anthoine, 194. Rappahannok River. German families settled near, 247, 248. Raymond, Sit Robert. Opinion of, 246. Register. Clergy required to keep an exact, 417, 418. Reid, Rev. John, at Newport Parish, Isle of Wight (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 430; present at Conven- tion (1754), 414; subscription of, 427. Religion. No invasion in matters of, to be suffered, I. Remy, Abraham, 194. Republican notions and principles general in Virginia and the rest of the Continent, early in the eighteenth century, 106, 107. Reswick, Peace of, 109. Reynault, Estienne, 194. Reynolds, Mr., schoolmaster, 275. Richardson, Rev. Dr. William, Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 387, 392. Richmond County, 318. Roberts, Rev. John, bad character of, 363. Robertson, Mr. William, Clerk of the Council, 92, 128; presents letter from the Governor to the Clergy, 218, 219 ; presents letter from the Governor to the Com- missary, 221 ; naval officer at Williamsburg, 348. Robertson, Rev. Eleazer, '' deceased " (1753), 432. Robertson, Rev. George, referred to, 142; attests min- utes of Clerical meeting, 153, 154, 176; present at Convention held April, 1719, 199; appointed on committee to prepare address to Governor, 208 ; reference to, 2IO; answers of, to queries respecting his parish, etc., 266-268; dead, 362. Robertson, Rev. James, present at Convention held April, 1719, 199, 210. Robertson, Kev. John, signs address to Burgesses against Presbyterians in Va., 383; referred to, 406; St. John's Parish, King William (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 430; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on a committee, 418 ; subscription of, 427 ; signs second address to the Bishop of London on the passage of the option law, 446. Robinson, Dr., Bishop of London, 262, 2S1, 504. Robinson, Mr. Christopher, vestryman of Christ Church Parish, 350. Robinson, Mr. John, vestryman of Christ Church Parish, 130. 350- Robinson, Mr. John, jr. (Speaker), 479; opinion of the Two Penny Act, 508. Robinson, Rev. George, of Henrico. Glebe withheld from, 35; signs address to Governor, 117, Robinson, Rev. ThomaK, Master of the Grammar School, William and Mary College (1754), 412; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed onacommitlee, 418, 425 ; subscription of, 427 ; signs address to the Bishop of London respecting the option law, 440; deprived of his mastership of the Grammar School , 5 1 8 . Robinson, Rev, William, Commissary at Stratton Major Parish, King and Queen (1754), 412; ditto (i7SS). 430 ; present at Convention (1754), 416; appointed on a committee, 419, 425; appomted trustee, 424; signs address to the Bishop of London respecting the option law, 440 ; complained of by the Gov- ernor, 456 ; letter of, to the Bishop of , 463- 470 ; succeeds Rev. Thomas Dawson as Commis- sary, 470 ; complaint of, in Gov. F. Fauquier's letter to Rev. Dr, Nichols, 470-472 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 473-486 ; letter of, to the Bishop of London, 489-501 ; ditto, 503-505 ; ditto, 506- 579; ditto 519-524; ditto, 524-529. Robinson, Rev. William (Presbyterian), referred to in Rev. Samuel Davies's letter to Dr. Doddridge, 368, Rochester. Joseph, Bishop of, 362. Roe, Captain, 8. Rose, Rev. Lharies, at Cople Parish, Westmoriand (1754), 412; ditto (i755),430; absent from Con- vention (1754), 415 ; subscription of, 427, Rowan, Rev. John, without a parish (1754), 413; pres- ent at Convention (1754), 414. Rudd, Rev. William, signs address to Gov. Nicholson, 117; letter of Com. Blair to, I41 ; signs endorse- ment of Gov. Nicholson, 142 ; signs letters to Com, Blair, 143, 144, 163. Russell, George, 390. Russel Parish, in Bedford County, vacant (1755), 429, 433- Russell, Thomas, 390. Ryder, Sir Dudley. Opinion of, produced by Rev. Mr. Davies, 407. Sacrament, to be administered, 2, Saint Mary's County, Maryland, 365. Salaries, ministers', II, 12, 35, 36,49; affected by the passage of the option law, 434-446. Salisbury, Bishop of, 3, 5; aids Dr. Blair in securing the Boyle legacy, 8. Sall6, Abraham, 193. Sanford, Mr., late of London, endowed a school in Ac- comako Parish, 302. Saunders, Rev. Jonathan, signs address of Clergy to Gov. Nicholson, 117. 58o Sclater, Rev. James, signs address to the Governor, 1 17 ; signs endorsement of Gov. Nicholson, 141 ; signs letter to Com. Blair, 143-163 ; present at Conven- tion in April, 1719, 199; suspended judgment re- specting the Commissary's Episcopal ordination, 210; absent at Call of the House, 211 ; unites in address to the Governor, 213, 224; " dead," 253. Scotch Clergy. Unpopularity of, 84, 119. Scott, Rev. Alexander, presentat Conventionheld April, 1719, 199; doubtful of the Commissary's Episcopal ordination, 210; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 311-313; at Dettigen Parish, Prince William (1754), 412; ditto (i75S), 430 ; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418; subscription of, 427. Scotchmen. Clergy composed for the most part of, 30 ; Mr. Blair accused of having filled the Church and College with, 37. Scotland, Church of. Rev. Samuel Davies professes himself a member of the, 391. Seagood, Rev, George, present at Conventionheld April, 1719, 199 ; appointed on committee to prepare ad' dress to Governor, zoS ; doubtful of the Commis- sary's Episcopal ordination, 210 ; appointed on committee to attest the minutes, 215. Sebastian, Rev. Benjamin. Application of, for holy or- ders, 524. Secretary's office crowded into the College, 134. Segar, Mr. Oliver, vestryman of Christ Church Parish, 350- Selden, Rev. Miles, at Henrico Parish (1754), 413 ; ditto (1755), 427; absent from Convention {1754), 415; subscription of, 429. Servants in Virginia considered by Gov. Nicholson as kidnapped and as having a good action against tlieir masters, 107, 108. Sharp, Archbishop, 4. Sharp, Rev. Thomas, signs address to the Governor, 117; signs endorsement of Gov. Nicholson, 142; signs letter to Com. Blair, 143, 145, 163 ; present at Con- vention held April, 1719, 199, 210. Sheriffs. Abuses frequently put upon the Clergy by, re- ferred to, 335; suggestions for the prevention of abuses by, 340. Sheriock, Mr,, 62. Sherlock, Thomas, Bishop of London, 474, 478, 490, 491. 503. 504, 517- Sherwood, Mr., 3. Short, Mr, deputy from St. Ann's Parish, in Essex, 203, 204. Shrewsbury. The Duke of, 62. Shropshire, the Rev. St. John, turned out of his parish by some leading men of the vestry without cause, 88, S9 ; signs address of the Clergy to Gov. Nichol- son, 117; refer rence to, 142; attests minutes of cler- ical meeting, 153, 154, 176; reference to, 179. Simpson, Rev. Joseph, absent from Convention (1754), 415 ; at Lunenburg Parish, Richmond (1755), 430. Sion House, 9. Sittinbourn, Parish of, how served, 313, 314. Skaife, Kev, John, present at Convention held, April, 1719, 199; appointed on committee to prepare ad- dress to Governor, 208 ; doubtful of the Commis- sary's Episcopal ordinarion, 210 ; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his parish, etc., 275- 277 ; inducted, 315, 320. Skipwith, Mr. William, vestryman of Christ Church Par- ish, 350. Sly, Captain, exhibits articles against Gov. Nicholson, 105. Smeh, Rev. John, at St. Ann's, Essex (1754}, 413; ditto (1755), 429; present at Convention (1734), 414; subscription of, 426. Smith, Rev. Charies, at Elizabeth River Parish, Norfolk (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 430; absent from Con- vention (1754), 415- Smith, Rev. Guy, signs address to Gov. Nicholson, 117; signs endoi-sement of Gov. Nicholson, 141 ; signs letter to Com. Blair, 143, 145, 163 ; present at Con- vention held April, 1719, 199, 210; absent at Call of the House, 211; unites in address to the Gov- ernor, 223, 224; death of, referred to, 357, Smith, Mr. John, vestryman of Christ Church Parish, 350 Smith, Rev. Mr., " a sober, good man," " lame," 363 ; "died lately," 249, Smith, Rev. Thomas, referred to, 406; at St. Stephen's Parish, Northumberiand (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 430; present at Convention {'754), 414. Smyth, Col. Nicholas. A great favorer of Woolston's opinions, 358. Snake's Root. A sudorific and counter poison, 30. Sobler, Abraham. !e jeune, 193. Sobler, Abraham, iesni^, 193. Sobler, Jacques, 193. Sobler, Louis, 193. Sobriche, Jeanne, 195; Sobriche, Pierre, 195. Sobriche, Suzanne, 195. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 214. 581 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, 214; application to, for aid of German set- tlers, 248. Solaigre, Jean, 194. Souill^, Lavenne, 195, Souil!^, Nicollas, 194. Soutli Carolina. Clergy not yet arrived, 184; inhabitants of Carribee Islands flocking to, 185 ; referred to, 352. 534- Southam Parish, in Cumberland County, 413, 429. South Farnham Parish, in Essex County. Answer to queries respecting the state of, 285-2S6 ; referred to, 413. 429- South Hampton, man-of-war, the guard ship in Virginia, 92, 93- Southwark Parish, in Surrey County. Answers to ques- tions respecting the state of (1724}, 306-308; refer-. ences to, 413, 430, 432. Span, Rev. John, absent from Convention held April, 1719, 200. Spanish Plantations. " Listing volunteers for some expe- dition into" some of the, 363, 364. Sparrow, Anthony, Bishop of Norwich. Book of Can- ons, Articles, &c.. Ecclesiastical, referred to, 331. Speaden, " a man of no estate," 132. Spencer, Rev. Archibald. " Dr. Spencer now in Mary- land," 377. Spotsylvania, Parish of, newly erected, 258; vacant, 318. Spotswood, Col. Alexander, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. A true friend of the Clergy, 134; letter from, Oct. II, 171 1, respecting massacre committed by the Indians in North Carolina, etc., 187-190 ; extract from letter of, to the Bishop of London, May S, 1712, 191 ; letter to the Bishop of London concerning efforts of, for the instruction of Indian children, 196, 197; reference to, in the Bishop of London's letter to the Va. Clergy, 200 ; letter from, to the Clergy together with one to the vestry of St. Ann's, Essex, 201-208 ; address of Clergy to, 208, 209, 220; message of, to Clergy, 21 1; letter of, to Com. Blair, 221, 222; address to, from eight of the Clergy, 223, 224 , reference to, 225 ; Commissary Blair's answer to the letter of, to the Convention, 226-235 ' ^''^ Commissary's remarks on the letter of, to the parish of St. Ann's relating to collations, 254-242 ; letter of, to Bishop of London, Dec. I, 1721, 249; reference to, 274, 288, 313. 3iS' 3^0, 321 ; remarks of, 325; referred to, 332. Squire, Rev. Richard, signs endorsement of Gov. Nich- olson, 142; signs letter to Com, Blair, 143, 145, 163, 74 St. Andrew's Parish, in Brunswick County, 413,429,453. St. Ann's Parish, in Essex County. Letter of Gov. Spotswood to the vestry of, 201, 203-20S; referred to, 225 ; remarks upon the Governor's letter, 234— 242; answer to queries respecting the slate of (1724), 313-318; reference to, 413, 329. St. Anne's Parish, in Albemarle County, 413, 429. St. Asaph. The Bishop of, 3 ; expected to preach at the chapel, Easter day ( 1691), g. Staynard, Rev. William, signs postscript to letter of Clergy to Com. Blair, 144, 163. St. Bernard. Quotations from, 31, 32. St. David's Parish, in King William County, 412, 430. Stepney, George, 114. St. George's Parish, in Spotsylvania County, 411, 430. Stillingfleet, Dr., Bishop of Worcester, receives Dr. Blair kindly, 5 ; opens the business of the College to the Queen, 6. Stith, Rev. William, accused by Gov. Dinwiddie as a fo- mentor of complaints against him, 402; President of William and Mary College (1754), 412; present at Convention (1754), 414, 421 ; appointed on a committee of said Convention, 425; subscription of, 426; died Sept. 19, 1755, 446,447; History of Vir- ginia referred to, 495. Stint Law, to lessen the amount of tobacco raised, 442. St. James's Parish, Northam, in Goochland County, 413, 429. St. John's Parish, in King William County, without a minister, 258; reference to, 2S1. St. Margaret's Parish, in Caroline county, 41 1, 429. St. Mark's Parish, in Orange county, 412, 430. St. Martin's Parish, in Hanover county, 412, 429. St. Mary's Parish, in Caroline county, 413, 429. St. Mary's Parish, in Essex County. Answers to queries respecting the state of (1724), 310, 311. St. Mary's White Chapel Parish, in Lancaster county, how served, 2S4; references to, 412, 430. St. Paul's Parish, in Hanover county. Answers to que- ries respecting, 262-264; referred to, 412, 429. St. Paul's Parish, in Stafford county, 413, 430. St, Peter's Parish, in Great Choptank county, referred to, 34; application of minister of, for a library, 190, igi St. Peter's Parish, in New Kent county. Answers to queries, respecting, 268-270, Justices of the county licence a meeting house for Mr. Davies in, 366 ; re- ferred to, 407, 41 1, 430. Stratton- Major Parish, Answers to queries respecting the state of, 275-277; reference to, 320 ; referred to, 412, 430, ^Oi\. St, Stephen's Parish, in King and Queen county. An- swers to queries respecting the state of (1724), 302, 303; referred to, 411, 430. St. Stephen's Parish, in Northumberland county. How served. 292 ; referred to, 406, 413, 430. St. Thomas's Parish, in Culpepper county, 412, 429. Stuart, Rev. William, at St. Paul's parish, Stafford (1754), 413; ditto (1755). 430; present at Con- vention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 41S ; subscription of, 427. Suffolk Parish, in Nansemond county, 413, 430, 432. Sullivant, M. Daniel, clerk of court, 94, Sureties. Parents suffered to be, for their children by order of the Governor, 493. Sussex county, in Pennsylvania. Removal of Rev. Wm. Black from, to Maryland, 186; reference to, 300. Swan, Major Thomas, chosen burgess, 94; surveyor. >57- Taylor, John, Esq., at Council meetings, 449,456, 495. Taylor Mr,, Secretary of the Ven. Society. Letter to, Swift Rev. Mr. Death of, referred to. Swiss Families. Germ n a d, 247, 24S Swiss Massacre of, in North Carolina, 190, 191. Tayloi )aniel, inducted, 315; signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 141 ; signs lettere to Com- missary Blair, 143, 144, 163; excused from attend- ance on Convention, April, 1 7 19, 200. Taylor, Rev. Mr., lately arrived (1727), 352. Tarquin. Patrick Henry's speech comparing the king to a, referred to, 514. Talmagh. Col., 9. Table of Fees, requested by Commissary Dawson, 378. Tennant, Rev. James, absent from Convention held April, 1719, 200. Tennison, Archbishop. Letter of Commissary Blair to, 1S3, 1S4. Testimonials. Clergy charged not to sign without good reasons, 418. Thacker, Mr. Edwin, vestryman of Christ Church Par- ish, 350. Thacker, Rev. Chichley, at Blissland, New Kent (1754), 411 ; ditto (1755), 4301 present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418; ap- pointed trustee, 424; subscription of, 426; resolu- tion respecting, 42S ; signs address to the Bishop of London respecting the option law, 440. Thermoscope, a. Allusion to, 67. Thirty-nine Articles, referred to, 341, 342; subscription to certain of the, offered by the Presbyterian minis- ters as a test of orthodoxy, 371. Thomas, Rev. Samuel, not yet arrived, 184. Thomson, Rev. Andrew, present at Convention held April, 1719, 199, 219. Thompson, Rev. John, supplies parish of the Rev. J. Roberts, 363; at St. Mark's parish. Orange {1754), 412; ditto (175s), 430; present at Convention (1754)1 414; appointed on committee, 418; sub- scription of, 427. Thompson. William, Esq. Opinion of, concerning the ' king's right of collating to vacant benefices, 245. Thornton, Presley, Esq. (of the council), 465. Thorpe, Mr. John, Solicitor. Letter of the Bishop of London to, 39S, 399 ; answer to the same, 403 ; letter of the Bishop to, 403, 404; thanks of Con- vention of 1754 tendered to, 422. Thrale, Mr. Recommended as agent for Virginia, 95. Tillotson, Archbishop, 4; entrusted with all Ecclesiasti- cal affairs, 4. Tillyard, Rev, Arthur, signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 142; signs letter to Commissary Blair, 143, "44- 164, Tindal's Point, on York river, 14, Titles to Livings, 15, Todd, Rev. John (Presbyterian), assistant to Rev. Sam- uel Davies, 384; license, 396; referred to, 407. Toleration Act. Questions as to the meaning and con- struction of, 370-377 ; references to, 380, 407. Totterays (Indians), 123. Tower Hill, 522. Tower street, London, 397. Townsend. Rev. Jacob, without a cure (1754), 413. Trabue, Anthoine, 194. Trinity College, Cambridge, 387, 392. Trinity Parish, comprehending Christ Church and St. Mary's White Chapel Parishes, 284. Triton, ship of War, Chaplain of, returned to Eng- land, 432. Truro Parish, in Fairfax county, divided, 365; referred to, 412, 429. Trustees of the College, 20, 21 ; vide College, and Wii- and Mary College. Tuscuraro Indians, Massacre committed by, in North Carolina, 187-190. Two Penny Act; vide option law. Upper Parish of the Isle of Wight. Answers to queries respecting the state of, 295, 296 ; references to, 334, Usharees (Indians), 123. 583 Vaudois, the, 114. Vernon, Mr., Secretary, 113. Vernon, Rev. Dr., 392. Vestry Books. Sir Edward Norlhey's opinion respect- ing induction ordered to be entered upon, I28. Vestries. Ministers to be admitted into, 3 ; urged by Governor Nicholson to provide themselves with ministers, 10 ; find a double advantage under Sir Edmund Andros by keeping no minister, 11 ; with- hold glebes from the ministers, 13; clergy subjected to arbitrary will of, 86, S7 ; opinion of Robert Ray- mond respecting, 197, 198; claim of, to right of patronage discussed in Governor Spotswood's let- ter to the vestry of St. Ann's, Essex, 203-208 ; op- pression of the, complained of, 213, 214; enemies to inductions, 229 ; the question whether they are patrons discussed, 234-242; appointed. 243, 344; restraints missionaries lie under from, referred to, 254 ; sole right of presentation for twelve months after a vacancy to remain in, 378 ; take care not to levy any tobacco for their minister till it is due, 461; a struggle to increase the power of 388; right of pre.sentation claimed by, 394, 395; act granting the same referred to, 397, 400, 401, 402 ; exhorbi- tant power claimed by, 406, 409 ; subservience of Governors to, commented on in Bishop of London's letter, 463 ; suggestions respecting the attendance of, at visitations, 343; agent of Virginia instructed to support the, in opposition to the clergy's appeal against the Two Penny act, 475. Viet, Pierre, 194, Vigne, Adam, 194. Visitations attempted by the Commissaries attended with difficulties, 210, 214; method of proceedings at, 257, 258. Visitors of the College. Course of the, 518, 523, 524, 525. 529- Voy^, Jean, 193. Wagner, Rev. Peter. Signs endorsement of Gov. Nich- olson, 142; letters to Com. Blair, 143, 144, 163. Walker, Rev. Al. Signs address of Clergy to Governor Nicholson, 117. Wallace, Rev. James, of Kiketon. Publicly beaten, 34; signs address of Clergy to the Governor, 117; ref- erence to, 142 ; attests minutes of clerical meeting, 153, 154, 176; notice of, 1S4; letter of, to Dr. Woodward, 185, 186. Wallingford Parish. Services at, 270; unprovided with communion plate, 271. Walthoe, N., Clerk of the Council, 449, 450. Walton's Polyglot. Referred to, 331. Warden, Rev. John. Answers of, to queries respecting the state of his Parish, etc., 2S8-290. Ware Parish, Gloucester. Referred to, 34; without minister, agS, 318; how supplied, 309, 412, 429. Ware, Rev. Jacob. Signs address to the Governor, 117; signs endorsement of Gov. Nicholson, 142 ; signs letter to Commissary Blair, 143, 144, 163 ; ballad Warre, Mr., 7. Warrington, Rev. Thomas, at Charles Parish, York (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 430 ; present at Conven- tion (1754), 414; appointed on a committee, 418, 419,425; appointed trustee, 424; subscription of, 426; signs address to the Bishop of London re- specting the option law, 440; references to, in letter of the Rev. Wm. Robinson to the Bishop of . 464, 475, 476, 477 ; further references to, 496, 499, 513,514,526,527,528, 530. Warwick Parish, 413; vacant (1755), 430, 433. Washington Parish, Westmoreland County. Referred to, 249; answers to queries respecting the state of, 290; referred to, 413, 430. Waterford Diocese of. Nathaniel, Lord Bishop of, re- ferred to, 313 ; testimonials from Dean and Clergy of, referred to, 314. Watts, Rev. Mr. Not yet come (1727), 352. Weare Parish. How supplied. 309; \ide Ware Parish. Webb, Rev, William, at Chuckatuck parish. Nanse- mond (1754), 413; ditto (i7S5). 43°; P^'esent at Convention (1754), 415, subscription of, 426; mas- ter of the Grammar School, 466. West Indies. French squadron in, 188. Westminister Parish. Answers to queries respecting, 261, 262. Westmmster Confession of Faith and Catechism. Pres- byterian ministers offer to subscribe the, 371. Westmoreland Parish. Vacant, 318. West Tanfieldin Yorkshire (Eng.), 268. Westover Parish, in Charles City. Services at, 270; list of communion plate at, 271 ; referred to, 411, 429. Weyanoke Parish. Service at, 270 ; list of communion plate at, 271 ; clergyman sent to, 288, 289. Whateley, Rev. Solomon, 67, 68; signs endorsement of Governor Nicholson, 141 ; signs letters to Commis- sary Blair, 143, 163 ; papers to be deiivered to, 144, 145 ; attests copy of minutes delivered to him, 153 ; paper drawn up at lodgings of, 161 ; remarks upon 584 Commissary Blair's account of clerical meeting, 154-179; ballad verses on, 180, 181 ; death of, re- ferred to, 22S. ■Whitehall, 7, 17, 379. White, Rev. Alexander. At St. David's Parish, King "William (1754), 413 ; ditto (1755), 430 ; present at Convention (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418, 425; subscription of, 427; signs address to the Bishop of London respecting the option iaiv, 440; signs second address on the same, 446; suit of, for salary, 479, 480, 482; case of, referred to, 497. Whitefield, Rev. George. Preached in Willi amsburgh, 364; referred to, 381, Whitwell, Captain, 432. Wicocomoco Parish, in Northumberland County, 412, 430- Widows and Children of Deceased Clergymen. Sug- gestions for the relief of, 417 ; committee appointed to draw up a scheme for the relief of, 418, 419; re- port thereon, 423, 424; subscriptions thereto, 426, 427 ; account of meeting of trustees and subscribers, 427, 428; referred to, 432.433- 474, 477,478- Wilcox, Mr. George, Solicitor. Reference to letter of, 152, 171. Wilkinson, Rev. Thomas. At Bristol Parish, Prince George (1754), 413; ditto (1755), 430-432 , pres- ent at Convention(i7S4), 414; subscription of, 427; signs second address to the Bishop of London on the passage of the option law, 446, Willes, Lord Chief Justice, 403. William and Mary College. Rev. Wm. Dawson elect- ed President, 367 ; list of officers of, 431 ; troubles in, 456; Wi/i' College of William and Mary, Williamsburgh. Militia called to, 71 ; referred to, 136, 141; lectureship at, and value of the same, 256; referred to, 360, 457, 474, 491. Williams, Rev. William. Signs address to the Gover- nor, 117; signs endorsement of Governor Nichol- son. 142- Willie, Rev. William. At Albermarie Parish, Sussex (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 430; present at Conven- tion (1754), 414; appointed on committee, 418^ 425; subscription of, 427; signs address to the Bishop of London on the option law, 446, Wills, Probate of, and Letters of Administration to be granted in Virginia, 2; referred to, 131, 132, 228, 237 ; fees for, 378, 379. Wilmington Parish. Answers to queries respecting the state of, 277-279, Wilson, Rev. Dr, Reference to, 354. Winston, Mr., 204, Woodmason, Rev. Charles. Memorial of, to the Bishop of London, 534-53^- Woodward, Rev. Dr. Referred to, 36, 37; letter to, from Rev. James Wallace, April 3, 1707, 185, 186. Woolminton Parish, 34. Woolston, Thomas. Referred to, 358. Worcester, Bishop of (Dr. Stiningfleet). Receives Dr. Blair kindly, 5 ; opens the business of the College to the Queen, 6. Worden, Rev. John. Present at Convention held April, 1719, 199; doubtful of the Commissary's Episco- pal ordination, 220; " a very bad character of," 251; "scandalous," 252, 253. Wormely, Mr. John. Vestryman of Christ Church Par- ish, 350. Wormley, Secretary, 43, 45, 52. Worship, Disorders in. Referred to in Governor Spots- wood's letter to the Clergy {1719), 202, 203; ex- cused in letter of Clergy to Bishop of London, 213 ; disorders in, 229-233. Wortham, Mr. George. Vestryman of Christ Church Parish, 350. Wright; Mr. Dionysius. Agent in England, 95. Wyatt, Rev. John. Signs postscript to letter of Clergy to Commissary Blair, 144, 163. Wyatt, Rev. Richard. Signs postscript to Clergy's letter to Commissary Blair, 144, 163. Yates, Rev. Bartholomew. Signs endorsement of Gov- ernor Nicholson, 142; signs letters to Commissary Blair, 143, 145, 163; present at Convention, April 1719, 199; appointed on committee to prepare address to the Governor, 20S, doubtful of Com- missary's Episcopal ordination, 210 ; motion offered by, 21 1 ; answers of, to queries respecting the state of his Parish, etc., 296-298; inducted, 315; char- acter of, 348-350 ; letter of, to the Bishop of Lon- don, 350, 351; anonymous letter respecting, 355, 356 ; Rev. Mr. Dawson's announcement of the death of, 356; reference to death of, 357 ; allusion to, 362. Yates, Rev. Bartholomew (Son of the preceding). At the University, 355; applies for orders, 362; at Christ Church, Middlesex (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 430; absent from Convention {1754), 414. Yates, Rev, Robert, Sr. Signs address to Governor Nicholson, 117. Yates, Rev. Robert (Son of Bartholomew). Referred 585 to, 3SS; at Petsworth Parish, Gloucester (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429; absent from Convention, (1754), 415 ; subscription of, 427. Vates, Rev. William. At Abington Parish, Gloucester (1754), 412; ditto (1755), 429; present at Conven- tion (1754), 414; Subscription of, 427. Vork County, 42, 43, 132, 318. York Hampton Parish. Answers to queries respecling state of, 281-283; referred to, 412, 430. Yr>rk, Pennsylvania. Vacant, 535. Vork Town. Church at, 281, 282. Voung, Mr. John. Meeting of Clergy at the house of, 148, 152, 160, 161, 165, 167, 170, Voung, Mr. Philip. Tutor in Trinity College, Cam- bridge, 392. Voung, Rev. George, Signs address to the Governor, 117. Zollicoffer, Mr. Jacob Christophle, of St. Gall, Switzer- land. Sent to England for clergymen, 248. ERRATA. Page 251, for Arsas read Arias. 318, for St. Hamham read So. Farnhai 323, for monsis read mensis. 367, for cottage read college. 427, for Niles read Miles. 446, for Henr read Han*. 449, for Peter read Peyton.