Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

In mine to their Lordships must crave leave to Refer you to, by reason of
my time being shorte, the Vessels haveing to be gon, I have formerly gave
a hint what the people are, even the Scum & quintesence of disafection to
Kingly Government:

In my Speech to the Asembly I demanded raiseing of money for security
of the Place & suporte of the Governm^t : the Representatives refused to give
advice in Both Houses, the Assembly withdraweing, & after some time seting
by themselves Return^d their answer in writeing viz^t

To lay before his Majesty the poverty of the place, & that the King in his
Princely wisdome, would take such care as in his wisdome shall see most
I sent for the House & demanded their advice, what way I might pro
pose to lay before the King, Expecting the same from y^m they answered
cannot advize to any Way

I afterwards proposed away of 3 [per cent] on Boards & Slaves Exported to the
Plantacôns, and an Additionall duty on Impost as in Boston Goverm^t
, which this last year would have made 1200£ but they Rejected the same
they did send a Bill of a small duty upon Lumber, not worth accepting
and the same closed w^th a Proviso, [viz] wee grant provided the Lef^t Govern^r
and Councile would write to the King to be anexed to Boston, the Maj^r part
of the Councile were not for being annexed to Boston, as they are a distinct
Goverm^t butt however you may see it they can have their wills, they
will raise mony, if not they will raise none so their Loyalty to the
King may be seen.

I demanded of the Councile seing Boston will not send men, whether
I should write to the King for men, they were against itt, declaring if
men be sent from the King itt may be of ill Consequence, and rather doe
all themselves than send to the King, soe it appears they are not poore
if they were surely would desire the King to send men The Assembly de
claring it absolut necessity to have 40 men for the frontire Garrisons.

accordingly have taken care to post the s^d Number, and now they must
finde men & pay all, untill the King will send some w^ch in time I believe
they will be brought to make aplication for, in M^r Stoughtons Letter
in answer to men, that their Goverm^t is poore & weak, but the Province
Rich and men enough.

I proposed mony to be raised for passing of the Laws, & for Audit^r , they
Refuse to doe itt, seeing they will not Raise money For passing the Laws
hope all the Laws will be Rejected, salveing the Laws for Courts and the
Militia Laws, w^ch Laws due Imediatly concerne the King.

haveing Proposed to lay 3 [per cent] on Boards & Slaves for suport of the Goverm^t
which will make 400£ a year & it being left to the Kings princely wisdom
hope the King will Lay it, & the Goverm^t being then taken care of
let the place if the King will not send men, even defend themselves
if they can:

I am of opinion it will be y^e best for the Cuntry to have a Gener^ll
[illegible] Govern^r & all the Goverm^tt Joyned into one Goverm^tt Judgeing it
would be for his Maj^es service to Reduce this People into a Com
plyance w^th his Maj^es Pleasure, then to have a little hand full of
people dally play & putt Afront on the Kings Commision

I have made Marks on severall Minuitts of Councile w^ch I desire
may be perused & Considered.

I have not had one line from any att Whitehall this year come to
my hands

beg you would favour me in my acco^tts to gett an order for my
mony, and hope if the Countreys Ship doth safely arrive, the
King will order the payment out of Whatts to be payd for the
Lumber in England, Considering I have been above Seven
Years out of the mony, the Interest of w^ch will pay for exch:
of mony; if the mony be not payd in England, but in N England
the Massachusetts will Shuffell& Refuse to pay under pressure
other Governments were then Joyned w^th them & they ought to
pay their parts, to w^ch Should Reply the mony I advanced for
Security and Defence of Massachusetts Government. Likewise
they seized the Kings Govern^r
& overthrow the Kings Goverm^t : Itts the Judgement of some the King cannot apoint the Govern^r nor yo^r Sallary, but the Councile; soe the Councile greater power
then the King from whom they devise their power

I herew^th send an Answer to the Exceptions against my acco^tt and
they declaring their Exceptions to be the Reason nonpayment
of the demands, doe hope the King will over Rule the same
Hope for the time past spent in the Kings Goverm^t the King will
order 500£ sterll & for the time to come lay the dutys on Boards
and slaves (if the King doth not send me a quietus) for the suporte
of the Goverm^t

Hope yo^r Hon^r will pardon the Trouble of these lines & beging
the favour of a line from you, & if the King doth send a Govern^r
believe Convenient for the Govern^r by way of Barbados to write
to the Goverm^t & some one Particular Person to make Provision
for his Reception; shall hope if a Govern^r comes I may by you
be recommended to him the w^ch may be a favour, haveing lost
all my former friends by being faithfull to the Kings Interest
wishing I may be capable to serve you in these Parts w^ch with
all Faithfullness shall be done if you pleas to Lay your
Comands upon

New Hampshire
12 Nov: 1695
From M Usher
R^d 30 Dec: 95

For His Majest^s Service
To the R^t Hon^ble William Blathwaite Esq^r
Sec^ry of His Majest^s Plantations
Att his Majest^s Office at Whitehall

He proposed to y^e Assembly rasing money
They desire y^e poverty of y^e country
may be lay^d before y^e King
A duty upon Board refused by y^e
Assembly and add a [Impost] [illegible]
£1200