MS46.02: William Blathwayt Papers
Chamberlain Letter to Blathwayt dated October 21, 1682

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Portsm Octobr 21th 1682

Sr

The arrival of ye Governour here (with my old friend) as it tends
greatly to ye Honour & benefit of this Place to ye public so I hope I
shal have particular cause to thank Heaven for my private sa=
tisfaction; having had his Honrs favourable & kind expressions, & —
more than so, his orders already for ye putting me into possession
of my due profits (such as they are) kept from me so long. I have
now power too by Order of ye Governr in Council to enter your Pa=
tent on record (with my own grant from yor self) which hath bin
so oft denied; and to cause ye Treasurr & others to bring in their
accounts. The Governour has by this conveyance sent his to ye
Lords ye Comittee of Trade &c which when you shal peruse you wil
(I presume) conclude, we have not bin idle, but have dispatched
very wel for ye time. The Governr is pleased to tel me too, that
he has made a description of ye nature & state of this Province,
& the ways for its improvement. To which I humbly desire to add
that of ye Province of Main, which many of its Inhabitants, sensi=
ble of ye present inconvenience & confusion, have petitioned His Maty
to take into His own Royal protection & Government, which if it
be, & annexed to this litle one (not exceeding eighteen miles in
breadth upon ye Sea) if I may properly word its so in congru=
ity of speech ye lesser things are adjoined to ye greater: for from
Pastataqua river to the eastern bounds of ye Province, it is no less yn
30 leagues : It is likewise accomdated with many good harbours;
whereas our N Hampshire has no other port but ye river to wch
the Bostoners, as purchasers of Main, lay equal claimes to ye
privileges thereof: But this litle Province, at pr sent inconsiderable,
for ye fisheries are supplyed chiefly by them; so in this & yt we
can make no Laws & rais no Taxes for support of ye Government ,
but such as wil pr[illegible]e us & advantage them: This Province I say,
being consolidated with that, wil not only support His Mats Governmt
honourably for ye pr sent by restoring ye Lost Trade to this River, but
wil in few years be rendred perhaps not inferiour to Boston. Sr , I
humbly leav these considerations with you, & take yr of leav to write myself

Yr most faithful humble servant

Richd Chamberlain

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These
To William Blathwayt Esqr
at Whitehall
Present

N[blot]shire
Oct: 21: 82
from the Secry
No 5 Recd Janr: 6:
1682/3
In [Rejection] of ye Profits
of his Place
the Auditrs [illegible] & Depn
To be Entered,
Its [illegible]to Account
The Province of
Maine to be added