Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

The dilligence & constancy of the secretary in transmitting & giving an account of all things
makes it unecessary for me to trouble your Honor with many lines.

Thanks be to god, his Maj^ties subjects here are in much quietnesse and good agreement among
themselves; and all of them well united & [solid] in their affection & Loyalty to his most sacred
majesty; expressing on all occasions an abundant satisfaction in his happy government, and
both publickly and in private every where making their supplications to heaven for the long
continuance thereof, and that his Royal person & glorious enterprizes may be under a
most prosperous divine conduct, unto the security & advancement of the protestant interests
& the imortalizing of his own ^name and memory.

As to other things amongst us, I wish I might be able to deliver up the Province to the Gov^r
on his arrivall, under better circumstances, then at present I have a prospect of.
The long continuance of this Indian & French warre, the vast charge thereof, the desolations
and captivities that have come upon us by land, and the losses of Ships & goods by Sea
the necessity that hath [lyon] upon us of sending succour from time to time to our neigh
bors of New Hampshire, without obtaining the like from other neighbouring colonies to our
selves, thô well able to afford the same, have brought us very low both as to men & estates
unto all which is now added the slendernesse of the harvest of this last year, very much
threatning our subsistance.

In this our weakened and almost ruined condition, we doe most humbly supplicate his majesty for his
gracious regard and help, and have particularly instructed the Gentlemen
our Agents to make their applications accordingly, as your honor will be more fully
by them informed; and we doubt not but that the noble person, whom his Maj^ty (as we
have hath constituted our Governor, if he ingage himself in that service, will contribute
& oblige us by his interest and assistance. But still we are very sensible how much
we shall need your honors more official friendship & furtherance which therefore we
all, and none more earnestly than my self, doe intreat your honor to vouchsafe for the
more ready obtaining of those requests that we have depending before his Maj^ty so
farre as they may bee found reasonable and no less necessary unto the advance
ment of his Maj^ties interest than to the singular gratification & releif of his most
dutifull & loyall subjects here, ready to sinke under their many burdens and discourage
ments

S^r As I am conscious to my self of many defects that have attended me since I have
been last in the Government, for which I most humbly begg his Maj^ties pardon, so I have
in particular been much concerned that I could doe no more in obediance to the roial
commands that were sent to us for a quota of men to New Yorke, and the issuing the
accounts & demands of S^r Edmund Andross & M^r Usher.

As to S^r Edmund, the objections made, may some of them possibly bee thought of moment to
cossen his demands; but for M^r Usher he hath in truth been unreasonably delayed, &
more unreasonably denyed the payment of his ballance. I have now returned to
Lords of his Maj^ties most Hon^ble Privy Coun
cill what the gentlemen of his Maj^ties councill here have, the greater part of them, agreed to as their answer in this matter
so that now we are expecting his Majesties finall pleasure and order, w^ch I hope
will not bee long delayed, and whereunto I shall promote what in me lyes a speedy
and intire obedience.

As to the Assistance of New Yorke, which hath been called for, and I beleave needed, our
own distressing circumstances, and inability to spare eyther men or mony, as is [illegible]
been a [reall], so we hope it may bee a satisfactory excuse, since nothing else hath hin
dred our compliance. we earnestly move that the warre in both Provinces may
(as in truth it is) bee accounted but one, and that by his majesties especial com
mand and direction all the colonies & provinces as farre as Virginia may bee
brought in and [loyaly] concerned, in the prosecution and support thereof.

S^r : it is a relief & joy to me that I may now hope, in a little tyme, to see his Maj^ties
province under a more proportionable conduct; by being committed into able [illegible]
hands, of which at this tyme there is so great need. And next to the service of his
Majesty, whereunto I shall bee ever most sincerly and zealously devoted, if there
might bee anything in which I might bee capable of promoting your Honor
more particular satisfaction it would add much to the content of him who is

Massachusetts
1695

From Wm Stoughton
[illegible]

R^d 19 Jan^ry 1695⁶

The Sec^y transmits ye publick acco^ts
The people quiet & well Affected to his Ma^ty

They are impoverished by y^e war
to which is added an ill harvest this year

The Agents are instructed to
supplicate his M^ts grace and your
assistance is desired

He is concern'd he could not do
more ab^t y^e Quota for N York and
the acco^ts of S E: Andros & M Usher
Sr Edmd's demands have [some]
[objection] but M Usher is un[illegible] denied his [illegible]

The [reports] upon them as sent over the assistance for N York has been called for & needed But he hopes the inability of y^e province will be an excuse

He [writes] all the colonies ought be made to Joine in the war