America and West Indies: August 1702, 11-15

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 20, 1702. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1912.

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'America and West Indies: August 1702, 11-15', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 20, 1702, ed. Cecil Headlam( London, 1912), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol20/pp513-523 [accessed 8 December 2024].

'America and West Indies: August 1702, 11-15', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 20, 1702. Edited by Cecil Headlam( London, 1912), British History Online, accessed December 8, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol20/pp513-523.

"America and West Indies: August 1702, 11-15". Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 20, 1702. Ed. Cecil Headlam(London, 1912), , British History Online. Web. 8 December 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol20/pp513-523.

August 1702

Aug. 11. Letters from the President and Council of Barbadoes, May 19, read, and enclosed papers laid before the Board.
Order in Council, July 9, relating to appeals in Barbadoes, read. Their Lordships thought fit not to proceed in that matter till there should be a fuller Board (there being only three present).
Memorial from Mr. Usher read. Ordered that he be desired to draw up a full and particular memorial of all that he has to say in relation to that Province, that it may be communicated to Mr. Vaughan for his answer.
Letter to the Earl of Nottingham signed.
Letter from Lord Nottingham, Aug. 4, read.
Letter from Lord Nottingham, Aug. 7, read.
Petition of Gabriel Thomas read. Copies ordered to be sent to Mr. Penn for his answer.
Mr. Blathwayt acquainting the Board that H.M. has referred to H.R.H. the business of Theop. Turner, a pirate seized by Col. Blakiston in Maryland, 1699, ordered that copies of the papers in this office relating to him be sent to Mr. Burchet.
Aug. 12. Mr. Blathwayt communicated from the Earl of Nottingham a list of persons proposed to be of the Council of New Jersey; and also Mr. Penn's Reply to Col. Quary's Answer to his complaint. Copy ordered to be taken, and directions given for preparing a letter, wherewith to return the original to Lord Nottingham.
Draught of a Bond to be entered into by Governors of Proprieties received with the Attorney General's opinion thereupon, and read.
Mr. Dockwra attending as desired, and being asked if he had anything to offer in relation to the Commission and Instructions to be prepared for the Lord Cornbury for the Government of the Jerseys, he said that he had now several objections to some of the persons whose names he and other Proprietors of East and West New Jersey presented to the Board, Dec. 5, last, as fit to be of the Council; and therefore prayed they might not all be approved, and promised to endeavour to get a meeting with Sir Tho. Lane and others in order to the forming a new list, wherein they might all agree, to be presented to the Board. [C.O. 391, 15. pp. 156–163; and 391, 96. Nos. 135–137.]
Aug. 11.
Whitehall.
825. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Nottingham. In reply to letter of July 29, We do humbly conceive it will not be for H.M. service to appoint Counsellors for New York, till we have further information from Lord Cornbury, from whom we are in daily expectation of letters. Signed, Rob. Cecill, Wm. Blathwayt, Mat. Prior. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 1119. p. 201; and 5, 1084. No. 4.]
Aug. 11.
Whitehall.
826. William Popple to Josias Burchett. Her Majesty in Council having been pleased to refer to his Royal Highness the business of Theophilus Turner, a pirate, and there being some papers in this Office relating to him, copies thereof are herewith transmitted to you. [C.O. 5, 726. p. 131.]
Aug. 11. 827. Draught of a Bond prepared by the Attorney General, to be entered into by Sir Nath. Johnson, Deputy Governor of Carolina. Signed, Edward Northey. Endorsed, Recd. Aug. 11, Read Aug. 12, 1702. 2¼ pp. [C.O. 5, 1261. No. 146; and 5, 1290. pp. 165–168.]
[Aug. 11.] 828. Draught of a Bond to be entered into by Sir Nath. Johnson, Deputy Governor of Carolina, together with Mr. Attorney General's opinion upon it. Signed, Edward Northey. Endorsed as preceding. 2½ pp. [C.O. 5, 1261. No. 147.]
[Aug. 11.] 829. John Usher to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Prays that Major William Vaughan, now arrived as Agent for New Hampshire, may render an account of moneys raised there, and to what ends. Signed, John Usher. Endorsed, Recd. Read Aug. 11, 1702. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 862. No. 127; and 5, 910. pp. 239, 240.]
Aug. 11. 830. Minutes of Council [in Assembly] of Barbados. Petition of Richard Brewster, Exor. of Robert Hazlewood and Guardian of Thomas Hazlewood; and Peter Mascoll and Ann his wife, Exors. of Clayborne Hazlewood, praying that a commission be directed to the Hon. Richard Elliott and William Adams and one more whom this Board shall think fit, to audit some accounts between them, granted. Joseph Browne was appointed in said Commission.
234l. 5s. 0d. paid to John Duke, for himself and 16 men, for guarding the magazine 253 days.
40l. 12s. 2d. paid to William Teague for serving as matrosse in Queen's Fort, Aug. 5, 1698—June 29, 1701.
54l. 16s. 8d. paid to John Adams for expenses in connection with the fortifications of Christ Church precincts.
Petition of Arthur Slingsby recommended to the Assembly.
Capt. Thomas Tuder, commander of the brigantine George, was granted a letter of marque. The President is hereby desired to grant letters of marque and commissions for privateers to such the Commanders of any ships as he shall think fit, till further orders.
Major Christopher Estwick was presented by the Assembly as duly elected, and took the oaths and signed the Test. [C.O. 31, 6. pp. 247–249.]
Aug. 11. 831. Journal of Assembly of Barbados. It was decided that Major Estwick was duly elected. See preceding abstract.
Aug. 12. There not being a quorum, the absent Members were fined, and the House adjourned. [C.O. 31, 6. pp. 474, 475.]
Aug. 11. 832. Minutes of Council in Assembly of Jamaica. Five Members of Assembly sworn. The House attending, addressed H.E., thanking him for his speech and proposing a Conference of the two Houses to Address H.M. "We have resolved to raise money for the discharge of the Public Debts and for the defence of the Island." Propose a Conference of the two Houses to consider the best ways and means for providing for the officers and soldiers. Committees appointed accordingly. Ordered that the Committee of Ways and Means recommend the buying of Sir James del Castillo's house to be considered by the Assembly, or that such care be taken otherwise as that Sir James may not be too much dampnified in his interest.
Aug. 12. Address to H.M. approved of.
Col. Lowe granted leave of absence.
Aug. 13. Another meeting of the Joint Committee of ways and means ordered. [C.O. 140, 6. pp. 398–401.]
[Aug. 12.] 833. William Penn's Reply to Col. Quary's answer to his Memorial. I shall wave the misapprehension and partiality of the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations concerning me and the end of my being before this honourable Board, July 27, and shall consider Col. Quary's answer so far as it regards the Memorial delivered by me to the Duke of Somerset, then Lord President of the Council, in order to stop the said Quary, which was the reason of my appearance. (1) He admits that he is unacquainted with the Law of which he was a Judge. As to his recrimination, that our Judges at Common Law are as ignorant in their places, and had as differing educations, ignorance in a judge of one profession is no security or excuse for the ignorance of a judge of another. But there is this difference, 1st, our Laws are in English, few, short and plain; 2nd, our Judges have been generally of a long time conversant in them, and according to the proverb, use makes perfectness; 3rd, they have for many years had the advantage of Lawyers' pleadings, both upon their bylaws and the laws of England; 4th, they judge by the verdict of juries, and of their own heads, as well as upon the opinion of men conversant in the Law; lastly, that in twenty years time there has not come over one appeal against their judgments, notwithstanding we are in our infancy, and have more occasion of controversy than Governments more grown to a settlement. Whereas the Civil Law is not so frequently in use and generally known to English men, being mostly in the Latin tongue, insomuch that the Commission was hardly translated between the Minister and the Advocate, cum aliis; that gentleman has not the advantage of one of that profession to advise with or be his assistant; and all the property of the inhabitants going and coming in trade, which is the greatest part of the whole, is pretended by him to be subject to his single skill and determination, without the ancient and laudable practice of juries, one of the corner-stones of our English constitution. My second complaint is that he extends his Commission beyond bounds. This he calls trifling, and doubts not but his actions are warranted by his Commission. But he cannot be warranted in overruling points long ago settled by the most learned of the Judges of England, in justice as well as favour to the Common Law, viz., that the respective Counties of the Government have no power upon the waters, tho' they lie along the shoar and up the freshes, no, not in the narrows of the rivers where ports are settled, nor yet in their creeks or coves; but makes it a matter of information against me here at home, as an entire subversion of the jurisdiction of the Admiralty, and an absolute supersedeas upon the powers of his Commission, for me to authorize the Sheriff or any officer to act upon the water, tho' it be infra corpus comitatus, which misapprehension of his power, as it has given great uneasiness and discouragement to the inhabitants, and is thought by them both an unhappiness and insecurity, so it shews the necessity of one better versed to be employed in that business, if the Queen would be effectually and securely served, without injury to her people. My third complaint is also acknowledged, that he was the greatest merchant in the Province. And if some of the Lords of Trade knew it not before, sure Commissioner Blaithwait could not think it a fault, that was so ready to extenuate and justify it the last time before this Board. 'Tis true Col. Quary says he has not had a cargo sent to that place for some years. But the reason given by him, under his favour, is more artful than true, vizt., because of the unlawful trade with Curreso for European goods, implying that European goods were therefore sold in Pennsylvania at easier rates than he could vend English ones for the Company's profit, whereas I am ready to prove that English goods were sold by merchants all the while at the usual advance, which I humbly conceive is a proof undeniable against him. But that excuse serves to abuse the Lords of Trade, as well as the Province, and at the same time recommend himself as a man careful of trade, though not of what he says about it. But he promises to trade no more, only to get in the debts he has contracted. The true reason is, the Company is out of their money; and he made such haste to obey somebody's summons to come hither against my Government, that he left all their effects behind him. But they will be obliged to him, if in seven years he gets 'em in, and that without more credit or goods to oyl the wheels; however, his excuse and promise to do so no more, shews the complaint just, and such as suffered it all this while to have had less regard to the public there and here, than suted with their trust. But to be sure, I ought not to be so ill used for giving a hint so useful to the Crown. For saying our Judges are merchants is not to the purpose, unless they had the jurisdiction of trade, which is denied them. But I know not that they are such; Judge Guest, Shippen, Clerk and Pusey were not so when I left them. Besides, there's a vast difference between selling on one's own growth, or what is received for debts due, and a steady and full trade, as well foreign as domestick, which was his case. (4) As to any unfairness of appraisements and marketting of overplusses, if Col. Quary has given a fair account, both of appraisements and sales, I have done. But I humbly conceive it can be no fault in me to ask, since that he has not accounted fairly with the Commissioners of the Customs about Lumby's cargo, no, not by 50 per cent., if the account be compared with the last appraisement, commanded by the High Court of Admiralty in England, and yet the appraisers would have thought it a favour to have had the goods at the rate they valued them. I will not call that management a piracy upon the Crown, or the subject, but I own to me it had an air of oppression, if not of robbery. But I believe the Lords of the Council will be of that opinion, whenever they will suffer the history of that affair to be laid before them by those Gentlemen that have been the unhappy sufferers by it; so miserable are the Queen's poor industrious subjects in Pennsilvania under such officers. And for that reason they and I beg to be delivered from 'em; unless a Colony, and they that made it, are of less importance to the Crown, than an insolent and vexatious, as well as uncapable officer; since men of as much honour, skill and temper every day wait for, as well as need and deserve, such imployments. Signed, Wm. Penn. Endorsed, Recd. Read Aug. 12, 1702. Copy. 6½ pp. [C.O. 5, 1261. No. 145; and 5, 1290. pp. 157–165; and 5, 1233. No. 39.]
Aug. 12.
Whitehall.
834. Earl of Nottingham to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Col. Jeremiah Basse and Daniell Cox, Esq., having been recommended to Her Majesty as persons fit to be Members both of the Council of New York and New Jersey, I am directed to transmit their names to you, that they may be inserted in the several Instructions preparing for the Lord Viscount Cornbury, if you have no objection against them. Signed, Nottingham. Endorsed, Recd. Read Aug. 21, 1702. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 1047. No. 64; and 5, 994A. p.41; and 5, 1119. p. 202.]
Aug. 12. 835. Memorandum of above letter. ¼ p. Endorsed, Recd. Read Aug. 21, 1702. [C.O. 5, 970. No. 6.]
Aug. 13. 836. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Nottingham. We have received your Lordship's letter for the putting Mr. Chamberlain into the Council of Barbadoes. There is a standing Order by which the number of Councillors is restrained to twelve, which number is at present complete. Besides that, we have before us a list of persons recommended to us to fill up vacancies by the late Governor there, pursuant to Instructions in that behalf. However, we are ready to pursue such further directions as we may receive from your Lordship. Signed, Robt. Cecill, Wm. Blathwayt, John Pollexfen, Mat. Prior. 1 p. [C.O. 28, 38. No. 2; and 29, 8. p. 146.]
Aug. 13.
Whitehall.
837. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Letter to the Earl of Nottingham signed.
Dr. Woodroff, Mr. Pointz and Mr. Stringer acquainted the Board that having received a letter from Baron Bloomberg signifying that he had nothing to object against the despatch of a report upon their petition relating to Tobago, and desiring their Lordships to take the same into consideration, they were acquainted that, if they would provide the foresaid letter from Baron Bloomberg, the Board would take a time to consider their said petition.
Order of Council, Aug. 6, relating to the 4½ per cent. read. And after consulting with Mr. Cary and Mr. Jory, Agents for Antego and Nevis, their Lordships agreed that half of the Ordnance, Stores of War, etc., mentioned in the estimate of the Board of Ordnance might be fit proportion for the Leeward Islands, and ordered that a letter to the Board of Ordnance be prepared accordingly, and that Mr. Bridges, Agent for Barbadoes, be again desired to attend.
Letter from Mr. Ward, Nevis, June 5, read.
Aug. 14. Their Lordships taking into consideration that the several Acts of Parliament relating to Trade and the Plantations are out of print, and not to be had, and that it is necessary from time to time to send some of them to the Plantations, ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Lowndes to desire him to move the Lord High Treasurer that he would please to give directions to H.M. Printer to print and deliver to this Board 100 of each of the said Acts.
Mr. Johnson desiring when he might attend to give security for Sir Nathaniel Johnson, was directed to call on Wednesday Letter to Mr. Lowndes ordered.
Letter from Mr. Champante, Aug. 14, read. Letter to Sir Robert Cotton, Post Master General, ordered to be writ, to desire him to enquire into that matter.
Upon intimation that Lord Nottingham desired to know what Col. Codrington had writ to this Board relating to Mr. Carpenter, Secretary of the Leeward Islands, ordered that an abstract of letter of May 10 be sent. [C.O. 391, 15. pp. 164–178; and 391, 96. Nos. 138, 139.]
Aug. 13. 838. Minutes of Council of the Massachusetts Bay.
Wait Winthrop, took the oaths, etc., as a Councillor and J.P.
Reply from M. Brouillan, Governor of Port Royal, to the letter from the Board last Spring, read.
H.E. proposed the erecting of another Trading-house for the supplying of the Indians, to be set further eastward on Kennebeck River, as a thing desired by them by reason of the difficulty of their coming over the Bay in the winter. The Council exprest their opinion that it was necessary the General Assembly should be consulted therein, and provide for supporting the charge thereof.
Payments made as resolved by the Assembly in May.
H.E. nominated Barnabas Lothrop, Judge of Probate, and Capt. William Bassett, Register of Wills, within the County of Barnstable; John Pynchon, Judge of Probate, Samuel Partridge, Register of Wills, County of Hampshire. The Council gave their consent. H.E. also nominated Nathaniel Thomas to be Judge of Probate in the County of Plymouth, and Joseph Hammond, Judge of Probate, and Charles Frost, Register of Wills, County of York. The Council consented to the appointment of Hammond, but desired time to consider the nomination of Frost and Thomas.
Aug. 14. The Council consented to their appointment.
H.E. nominated John Hathorne to be Justice of the Superior Court, and Penn Townsend to be Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in the County of Suffolk. The Council desired time to consider these nominations.
8l. 7s. paid to John Swarton, Interpreter to the Indians, for service on board the Province galley, May 18–Aug. 5.
Ordered that a barrel of the public store of gunpowder be supplied to the inhabitants of the Isles of Shoales for their defence.
Aug. 15. The Council consented to the nominations of Hathorne and Townsend (Aug. 14). They took the oaths appointed.
H.E. nominated Thomas Swift of Milton to be a justice for the rule and government of the Indians of Puncapoag. The Council consented. [C.O. 5, 788. pp. 187–191.]
Aug. 14. 839. J. Champante to [? William Popple]. This day five weeks there came several letters up to town to Col. Lodowick and others, speeded from Bristol by Tienhoven, the Master of a New York ship just come in there, some of those letters mentioned others to me on account of Bills of Exchange consigned to me, but receiving none such I imagined some Passenger might have the particular care of my packets, which made me defer some time the making any inquiry about them, but being disappointed in that I went down to Bristol to engage a friend of mine to discourse the said Master about it. The Master, as I have advice from thence, affirms that he had a packet conteining 12 or 14 letters, for he saw it made up, and directed to me as Agent of the Province, recommended very earnestly to his care, that being sensible of the obligation he was under, he had delivered it in with his own hands into the Post-house at Bristol, and had writ upon it, speeded by your humble servant Tienhoven. Upon this I addressed myself to Mr. Frowd, the Controller of the General Post-house here, who has made all the inquiry imaginable among the proper officers, but without any success; the Secretary too has writ down to the Postmaster there to have an account of him whether the Master of the Ship delivered any letters to him with any particular recommendation. He has returned for answer that the Master did deliver some letters to him in a bag, but without any particular recommendation, and that all those letters he had dispatcht up to town.
This as lame an acct. as it is, is the best I can give. I should be very glad if their Lopps.' authority could discover where the foul play lyes, wch. is like to be so fatall to so many poor absent Gentlemen, who had no doubt in this packet, and perhaps in some others, endeavoured to justify themselves against the accusations, wch. are carried on against them here with so much bitterness and malice. It is easy to guess wherefore the packet has been intercepted, tho' not by whom, tho' the old rule of cui bono may be a good direction for the conjecture, but I humbly hope that because of this sad accident, wch. shall have all the proof their Lordships shall be pleased to desire, their Lopps. will have the goodness to interpose, and to prevent, if possible, that any of the unhappy Gentlemen so unfairly dealt with should anyways suffer in their employmts. or otherwise, till their Enemies, for this packett must be wth. some of them, will let them have ye opportunity of being heard by their friends here in their justification. Signed, J. Champante. Endorsed, Recd. Read Aug. 14, 1702. [C.O. 5, 1047. No. 65.]
Aug. 14.
Bermuda.
840. Lt-Governor Bennett to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Refers to letters of May 26 and July 4. I am still without instructions relating to the proclaiming H.M. and the war. Letters from Jamaica, July 4, say there had been then no act of hostility committed on either side, and that Col. Brewer and several of his officers was dead. By letters of July 16 from the same place, I am inform'd that the news of the wars came thither on the 11th, and that several prizes have been since brought in by our cruizers. Admiral Benbow sailed on July 12 on some expedition unknown. A prisoner that made his escape from the Havanna to Jamaica reports that Monsr. Chauternault is there with 15 sail of men of war, and that he lost one going in there, and that eight sail (besides the 15) were sent to L'avore de Cruce [?Vera Cruz]; and that his men are very sickly, which was the reason no cruizers were out.
I think it my duty, both in respect to your Lordships and my own justification, to acquaint you that a letter has lately come hither from one Mr. Roger Crane, an inhabitant of Bristol (he was some time since Sheriff here) to Col. Day, wherein he affirms your Lordships highly resent my ill-treatment to that gentleman. If this be true, and your Lordships are angry with me, then Mr. Crane is not to blame; but if not (with submission) for anyone to presume to make use of your Lordships' names as he thinks fit, may prove of much worse consequence than (as it has) making me uneasy in my Government.
I do not pretend I saw this letter, but amongst several others that has, Col. Day show'd it to one Mr. Larkin, who told me he read the same expression. My Lords, I cannot be apprehensive that I suffer in your Lordships' opinion, for in everything relating to that gentleman, I have acted with all the caution and tenderness for his service as I could answer to myself in reason and justice, and had I not preserved him by punishing the people's insolences, I am satisfied their resentments and malice would have proceded to violence. Therefore, if he has represented me unkind, I desire and hope your Lordships will let me know wherein before I am concluded guilty. Signed Ben. Bennett. Endorsed, Recd. Read Oct. 16, 1702. 3 pp. [C.O. 37, 4. No. 1; and 38, 5. pp. 256–258.]
Aug. 14. 841. Duplicate of preceding. 2¾ pp. [C.O. 37, 4. No. 2.]
Aug. 14. 842. William Popple, jr., to Richard Warr. The Earl of Nottingham having desired of the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations an account of what they had recd. from Col. Codrington relating to Mr. Carpenter, they send the enclosed abstract. Annexed,
842. i. Abstract referred to in preceding. [C.O. 153, 8. pp. 1–3.]
Aug. 14. 843. Copy of Sir Bevill Granville's Commission, from George Prince of Denmark, Lord High Admiral, to be Vice-Admiral of Barbados. Signed, Orlando Gee, Register. Endorsed, Recd. Read Sept. 4. 1702. Latin. 11½ pp. [C.O. 28, 6. No. 77.]
Aug. 14. 844. English version of preceding. 8½ pp. [C.O. 28, 6. No. 78; and 29, 8. pp. 209–217.]
Aug. 14. 845. Minutes of Council in Assembly of Jamaica. Upon enquiry from the Assembly, a message was sent down that the Council had concurred with the Address to H.M., and were ready to join in presenting it to H.E. to desire his recommending the same to H.M. The Council and Assembly then presented the Address congratulating H.M. accession:—The general satisfaction your Majesty has given by your gracious declaration to your subjects at home, and by your princely resolutions to your allies abroad, gives us your remote subjects, full assurance of your Majesty's goodness and protection, and hath removed our sorrows for the death of our late Sovereign, whose peculiar care in these parts we always seemed to be, by the timely supplies of land forces and continuance of ships of war. According to our capacities and stations, we shall support your Crown and dignity against all opposers, etc.
Aug. 15. Joint Conference appointed to consider the present state of the Island. Ordered that the following heads be proposed to be considered of by the Assembly:—That we are in the midst and to Leeward of the two Nations, our declared enemies, who can take all opportunities to invade and make continual descents upon us; that our debts are such a discredit to us, none will trust us; that without moneys it's impossible to provide for our defence; that it's fatal to think to go beyond the time where a scruple has arisen about the validity of making the laws; that except the Laws be made, all the Government must run into confusion; and therefore we must work day and night to finish them before Sunday next; and whatever assistance we can give, we will.
The Committee of the House assured the Committee of the Board that the Assembly was unanimous in going with all explication to expedite the Acts most necessary, particularly a Bill for quartering the soldiers, a money Bill and a Party Bill, and had laid all other business aside at present, to go upon those only, and did not doubt but they would be ready to be brought in to-morrow or next day in the morning. [C.O. 140, 6. pp. 400–404.]
Aug. 14.
Royal College
of William
and Mary.
846. Minutes of Council of Virginia. H.E. laid before the Council a Letter from the Council of Trade, April 13, 1702, concerning the Seal of the Colony, and a letter from the Earl of Manchester notifying his being one of H.M. Principal Secretaries of State.
Letter from Governor Lord Cornbury desiring H.E. to issue a proclamation for the arrest of Thomas Weaver read. H.E. informed the Council that Weaver had submitted himself to Lord Cornbury.
H.E. laid before the Council a letter from Col. Joseph Dudley, signifying his arrival in his Government, and papers relating to the fleet lately sailed from this Colony.
H.E. communicated the advices he had received from Pennsilvania and New York of the Declaration of War. He was daily in expectation of receiving his own pacquets, and having such certain advice of the war, had thought it necessary to [c]all the Assembly.
H.E. communicated to the Council a Representation from a Committee for Revisal of the Laws, signifying that the Committee being very thin, and the Assembly being so nigh, they did not think fit to make any further progress in the Revisal at that time. H.E. intended now to speak to the House of Burgesses concerning the Revisal' because if they should proceed on that, then most of those things he had formerly recommended to them would come in course to be considered; but if they did not think fit to enter upon the Revisal this Session, he would then recommend to them the despatch of such matters as were immediately necessary for H.M. and the Country's service.
Letters of excuse from several members for non-attendance read.
Petition of James Bushell, Minister of the parishes of Weynoake, and Martin Brandon, for the payment of his salary, as agreed upon, read and referred to a Committee.
Mr. Auditor Byrd's accounts referred till he comes to town.
Petition of Wm. Clerke, etc. of the Abraham of Bristol lately sunk at Point Comfort, praying that the rigging and stores saved may be condemned in the Court of Admiralty for the payment of their wages, referred to Mr. Benjamin Harrison for his opinion.
William Randolph, jr., appointed Clerk of the House of Burgesses, during his father's illness.
Aug. 15. He took the oaths, etc. appointed.
Andrew Patteson was admitted Pilot, upon a certificate from the Court of Elizabeth City County. [C.O. 5, 1409. pp. 247–250.]
Aug. 14. 847. Minutes of Council in Assembly of Virginia. The Assembly attending H.E. addressed them:—Upon the news of the Declaration of War, I don't doubt but you will readily and heartily join with me and H.M. Council in defending H.M. most ancient and great Colony and Dominion of Virginia, and in our prayers for H.M. entire victory.
And see preceding abstract.
Aug. 15. See preceding abstract. [C.O. 5, 1409. pp. 633, 634.]
Aug. 14. 848. Journal of House of Burgesses of Virginia. See preceding abstract.
Letters from William Randolph (Clerk of the House) to the Speaker and H.E. read. And see Minutes of Council. [C.O. 5, 1408. pp. 445, 446.]