Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

Knowing not when I shall be able to pay my Duty to yo^r Excellency
att Annopolis, beg leave now to congratulate it of its late reecovery,
& return my humble thanks for y^e perusall of y^e news papers, it was
pleas'd to send me P M.^r Loyd ^likewise to lett yo:^r Excellency know how they
work't with me: I'le assure it they were y^e same to me, as a dram
of y^e bottle is to a fainting Plantor at y^e end of his rowe; or a mess
of Cuscome to a hungry Moore (Excuse if I miss in my Othography,
(for I pretend neither to Arabick nor Moriscoe) Besides this
solace to my spiritts, they caus'd a Strange Metamorphys on my
body. The paines of y^e goute, did rather tickle then torment me, &
y^e grimaces they caus'd me^{of us'd} to make were turn'd to smiles; And indeed
S^r who could forbeare, to see an old Marquiss as he of Arquien y^e
Queen of Poland's Father soe sollicitous for y^e Purple, even to—
committ forgery; And as Old a Pope as unwilling to grant it, on y^e
other side y^e Duke of Modena makeing his Court to be hid of it, &
y^e same Pope Loth to accept it; it reminded me of yo:^r Excellency's
Phylosophy, & made me think, there's as many modificacons in men as
aire. The Intelligencer in y^e same advice tells us they're about the
Canonization of Pope Innocent y^e eleaventh, I know not whether he
Canters or not, if its true as he says y^t y^e Patriarck Matei is collecting
all his miracles (amongst which y^e recovery of Don Livio is none of y^e
least) and y^t y^e Pope would faine have done in his raigne, the
Confederates may have a Saint; but I believe France will never
erect any Church or Alter to his honour, neither will a great
many more ever put him in their Litanny: The Advice from
France is not less pleasant, I've not read soe much of King James
his wife, & y^e diminitive Prince of Wales as y^e Intelligencer stiles
'em since y^e abdication: But y^e French King's proiect to obstruck y^e
Duke of Modena marriage pleas'd me most, if he could but effect
it; The diminitive Prince insteed of ameteor England would have
a certaine Plantacion in Italy; And indeed S^r it would be very
hard y^t a lad of soe soft an education should be forct to work for
a livelyhood when he comes to be a man, for want of something
To live on, which else he must doe, For it is not probable y^t his
Father or Mother liveing upon another man's Quarter & haveing
noe priviledge to raise a Stock for 'emselves should ^leave any thing
behind 'em. However y^e French King's proiect may take with y^e
Duke of Modena: The Intelligencer's advice to Noales & y^e other
sick Generall will not be likt, he counsells 'em to die now, y^t
Father De la Rue may preach their funrall Sermons as he
did Luxemburgh's: I fancy they'd rather than lye dead in y^e mid[damaged]
S^t Anthonys Church upon a rich Mausoleum environ'd with a
thousand wax lights, & all y^e nobility of France, & have their—
heroick Atcheivements pronounc'd with all y^e graces of y^t great
Orator, hear and old Story by y^e light of a farthing Candle. Since
wee are upon advice sure y^e Old greaty^egenerall Duke of Lauson had none; to
marry (after he had liv'd above three score yeares a Batchelour)
DeLorge's youngest daughter a girle of fifteen; In my mind he'd better
don, as Maj^r Dawsey when he was strong & lusty for he'le find it
more difficult now to make a breach there; then he did in any wall he
ever laid seige to: I pray God y^e Generall I'me under may not fall into
y^e same snare, [illegible] I'me heartyly glad England's soe quiett it affords
noe news, & y^e taxes soe small y^t y^e Gentleman does not think 'em worth y^e
mentioning, such he'd think ours here nothing, I pray God continue our
quiet & send up peace. Perry went from home last Saturday, he was
saying Yo:^r Excellency wanted some posts off Popular Island if there's
any there y^t can serve it in its building Yo:^r Excellency may freely
command; I should be heartily glad I could anyway contribute to y^e
perfecting these noble Idea's, it hath conceived for y^e good of y^e Province
y^e which y^t it may performe, Yo^r Excellencys health is sincerely desir'd &
wish't for by

To his Excellency y^e Captaine
Generall of Maryland
Most humbly p^rsent
Annopolis