Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Your Honors letters of Febr: & April last I have received as also his Maj^ties commands
signified by their Lord^ps of his most Hon^ble privy council, unto whome in most humble
wise, by this opportunity of the mast ships, I have made return; & therein layd before his Maj^ty
a true & full account of all proceedings here, & of the present state of the province, which together
with what Mr Secretary largely acquaints you with, makes it needless for me to report the
same things again in this.

It hath been my sincere indeavour to answer the great trust reposed in me in the Government
here; thô the difficulties & discouragements attending it, have proved both great & many,
arising cheifly from this long & distressing warre; but not a little also, of late, from my
having to doe with some persons, discovering a temper & opinion in too many things, not
so agreeable & well disposed as I could wish for my assistance in his Majesties service
in w^ch respect nothing could bee more welcome than your very kind lines, & more espe
cially the intimation of any satisfaction taken by his Maj^ty as to the management that
I have been able to attain to; for w^ch I most humbly prostrate my self at his feet, professing
that should I fall short, unhappily, of his Maj^ties gracious pardon & acceptance, no earthly
thing could compensate all my labor & pains, w^ch yet I acknowledge to bee farre beneath
what I ow to so great & good & soveraign a master & the father of his people.

The Assembly now sitting, we are all joyned in a most earnest & humble address to his Maj^ty
for his gracious regard & succor in our present low condition; in the setting forth whereof
we have not overspoken any thing, so that our utmost necessity gives us the greater boldness
therein, in the presenting & furtherance whereof we are alike joynt petitioners to yo^r Honor
for your favourable & helping hand; it being most certain that the pro
sperity of this province, & the subduing of the French interest here, will have a signall influence on all
the rest of his Maj^ties Governments & Plantations.

I hope that when the Governor comes (w^ch I pray god may be yet before winter) his Maj^ties plea
sure will be further [sent], as to Mr Ushers Accounts; for possibly under his management &
influence, that matter may have a better issue than hitherto, w^ch I am the more con
cerned for, not only as it will be a peace of justice to Mr Usher, who hath truely made the
payments, & been long out of the purse, but also from a deep sense, w^ch my self & others
have ever had, of the great disingenuity exprest in making objection to that article
of the account wherein your self is so particularly concerned

As the Association directed to, hath been readily subscribed by the Assembly, so my purpose
is to promote an Act to bee passed by them thereabout, in conformity to the Act of Parliament
I have but one thing more to give your Honor the trouble of, w^ch is that condemnations
of some prizes brought into this Government, w^ch I have given an account of to their Lord^ps
of the Councill. I had the opinion & advice of his Maj^ties Councill here for it, as a matter
of necessity, that so the Private man of warre might not bee discouraged, not being
able in any wise to subsist & goe out again against his Maj^ties Enemies without a sale
& distribution of what they had taken. I shall bee very sorry to suffer by having that imputed to mee as an excusse & presumption which I have done mostly to
promote his Maj^ties service, w^ch shall ever command me. the necesitty of sitting a
Court of Admiralty in this province will I hope obtain the same & that the
Governor hath sollicited & will bring it over with him. I pray your favour
as to my apologie in this matter as need may bee; which will [add] unto all the obligations
that are lying upon me to bee & to acknowledge my self ever

30 Sept 1696
From M Stoughton