eaten by the Moths, and other Insects. But upon this Gentleman's Accession to the Government, he immediately gave Directions, to reform all these Irregularities; he caused the loose and torn Records of Value to be transcribed into new Books; and order'd Conveniences to be built within the Office, for preserving the Records from being lost and confounded, as before. He prescribed Methods to keep the Papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such Order, as that any thing might be turn'd to immediately. But all these Conveniences were burnt soon after they were finished, in October, 1698, together with the Office itself, and the whole State-house. But his Diligence was so great in that Affair, that tho' his Stay afterward in the Country was very short; yet he caused all the Records, and Papers, which had been sav'd from the Fire, to be sorted again, and Register'd in Order, and indeed in much better Order, than ever they had been before. In this Condition he left 'em at his quitting the Government.

He made several Offers to rebuild the State-house in the same Place; and had his Government continued but six Months longer, 'tis probable he would have effected it after such a Manner, as might have been least burthensome to the People, designing the greatest Part at his own Cost. . . .

§. 145. In November, 1698. Francis Nicholson, Esq; was removed from Maryland, to be Governor of Virginia. But he went not then with that Smoothness on his Brow, he had carry'd with him when he was appointed Lieutenant-Governour. He talk'd then no more of improving of Manufactures, Towns, and Trade. But instead of encouraging the Manufactures, he sent over inhuman Memorials against them, opposite to all Reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, That the Tobacco of that Country often bears so low a Price, that it would not vield Cloaths to the People that make it; and yet presently after, in the same Memorial, he recommends it to the Parliament, to pass an Act, forbidding the Plantations to make their own Cloathing; which, in other Words, is desiring a charitable Law, that the Planters shall go naked. In a late Memorial concerted between him and his Creature Col. Quarrey, 'tis most humbly proposed, That all the English Colonies on the Continent of North America, be reduced under one Government, and under one Vice-Roy; and that a standing Army be there kept on foot, to subdue the Queen's Enemies; surmising that they were intending to set up for themselves. .

§. 146. Soon after his Accession to the Government, he procured

the Assembly, and Courts of Judicature, to be remov'd from James Town, where there were good Accommodations for People, to Middle Plantation, where there were none. There he flatter'd himself with the fond Imagination, of being the Founder of a new City. He mark'd out the Streets in many Places, so as that they might represent the Figure of a W, in Memory of his late Majesty King William, after whose Name the Town was call'd Williamsburgh. There he procur'd a stately Fabrick to be erected, which he placed opposite to the College, and graced it with the magnificent Name of the Capitol.

§. 147. In the 2d Year of this Gentleman's Government; there happen'd an Adventure very fortunate for him, which gave him much credit; and that was the taking of a Pyrate within the Capes of that Country. . . . §. 148. This Governor likewise gain'd some Reputation by another Instance of his Management, whereby he let the World know, the violent Passion he had to publish his own Fame.

To get Honour in New-York, he had zealously recommended to the Court of England, the necessity that Virginia shou'd contribute a certain Quota of Men, or else a Sum of Money, towards the building, and maintaining a Fort at New-York. The Reason he gave for this, was, because New-York was their Barrier, and as such it was but Justice, they shou'd help to defend it. This was by Order of his late Majesty King William proposed to the Assembly: But upon the most solid Reasons, they humbly remonstrated, That neither the Forts then in being, nor any other that might be built in the Province of New-York, cou'd in the least avail to the Defence and Security of Virginia; for that either the French, or the Northern Indians might invade that Colony, and not come within an hundred Miles of any such Fort. .

§. 149. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this Untruth there; but he also foisted it into a Memorial of Col. Quarry's to the Council of Trade. . . .

Certainly his Excellency, and Col. Quarry, by whose joint Wisdom and Sincerity this Memorial was composed, must believe that the Council of Trade have very imperfect Intelligence, how Matters pass in that Part of the World, or else they would not presume to impose such a Banter upon them.

But this is nothing, if compar'd to some other Passages of that unjust Representation, wherein they took upon them to describe the People of Virginia, to be both numerous and rich, of Republican Notions and Principles, such as ought to be corrected, and lower'd in time; and that

then, or never was the Time to maintain the Queen's Prerogative, and put a stop to those wrong pernicious Notions, which were improving daily, not only in Virginia, but in all her Majesty's other Governments. A Frown now from her Majesty, will do more than an Army hereafter, &c.

With those inhuman false Imputations, did those Gentlemen afterwards introduce the Necessity of a standing Army.

§. 150. Thus did this Gentleman continue to rule till August 1705. . . [Robert Beverly], The History of Virginia (London, 1722), 87–97 passim.

34. Report of an Investigating Agent in Carolina

(1699)

BY EDWARD RANDOLPH

Randolph was sent over by the king as a special agent to investigate the manner in which the colonies carried out the British laws. - Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, ch. v; Channing and Hart, Guide, § 102; Contemporaries, I, No. 133. For previous history of the Carolinas, see Contemporaries, I, ch. xii.

AF

FTER a dangerous voyage at Sea, I landed at Charles Town, in the Province of So. Carolina, & soon after my arrival, I administered the Oath to M'. Jos. Blake, one of the Proprietors & Governor of this Province. But he is not allowed of by his Matys. Order in Council to be Gov., the Act of Parl. for preventing frauds being not taken notice of by the Proprietors.

There are but few settled Inhabitants in this Province, the Lords have taken up vast tracts of lands for their own use, as in Colleton County & other places, where the land is most commodious for settlement, which prevents peopling the place, & makes them less capable to preserve themselves. As to their civil Govern'., 'tis different from what I have met with in the other Proprieties. Their Militia is not above 1500 Soldiers White men, but have thro' the Province generally 4 Negroes to I White man, & not above 1100 families, English & French.

Their Chief Town is Charles Town, and the seat of Govt. in this Province, where the Governor, Council & Triennial Parliam'. set, & their Courts are holden, being above a league distance from the entrance to their harbour mouth, wch, is barred, & not above 17 foot water at the highest tide, but very difficult to come in. The Harbour is called by the Spaniards, St. George; it lyes 75 leagues to the Northward of

St. Augustine, belonging to the Spaniards. It is generally laid down in our English maps to be 2 deg., 45 min., within the southern bounds of this Province. In the year 1686, one hundred Spaniards, wth Negroes & Indians, landed at Edistoe, (50 miles to the southward of Charles Town,) & broak open the house of Mr. Joseph Moreton, then Governor of the Province, & carried away Mr. Bowell, his Brother-in.law, prisoner, who was found murdered 2 or 3 days after; they carried away all his money & plate, & 13 slaves, to the value of £1500 sterling, & their plunder to St. Augustine. Two of the Slaves made their escape from thence, & returned to their master. Some time after, Gov'. Moreton sent to demand his slaves, but the Gov. of St. Augustine answered it was done without his orders, but to this day keeps them, & says he can't deliver them up wthout an ord'. from the King of Spain. About the same time they robbed Mr. Grimball's House, the Sec. of the Province, whilst he attended the Council at Charles Town, & carried away to the value of above £1500 sterls. They also fell upon a settlement of Scotchmen at Port Royal, where there was not above 25 men in health to oppose them. The Spaniards burnt down their houses, destroyed & carried away all that they had, because (as the Span. pretended) they were settled upon their land, and had they at any time a superior force, they would also destroy this Town built upon Ashley & Cooper Rivers. This whole Bay was called formerly St. George's, which they likewise lay claim to. The Inhabitants complained of the wrong done them by the Spaniards to the Lords Proprietors, & humbly prayed them (as I have been truly informed) to represent it to His Ma., but they not hearing from the Lord Prop"., fitted out two vessels with 400 stout men, well armed, & resolved to take St. Augustine. But Jas. Colleton came in that time from Barbadoes with a Commission to be Gov'., & threatn'd to hang them if they proceeded, whereupon they went on shore very unwillingly. The Spaniards hearing the English were coming upon them for the damages, they left their Town & Castle, & fled into the woods to secure themselves. The truth is, as I have been credibly informed, there was a design on foot to carry on a Trade with the Spaniards.

I find the Inhabitants greatly alarmed upon the news that the French continue their resolution to make a settling at Messasipi River, from [whence] they may come over land to the head of Ashley River without opposition, 'tis not yet known what care the Lord's Prop" intend to take for their preservation. Some ingenious gentleman of this Province (not

of the Council) have lately told me the Deputies have talked of mak" an Address to the Lords Props for relief, But 'tis apparent that all the time of this French War they never sent them one barrel of powder or a pound of lead to help them. They conclude they have no reason to depend upon them for assistance, & are resolved to forsake this Country betimes, if they find the French are settled at Meschasipi, or if upon the death of the King of Spain these Countries fall into the hands of the French, as inevitably they will (if not timely prevented), and return with their families to England or some other place where they may find safety & protection. It was one of the first questions asked me by several of the Chief men at my arrival, whether His Ma". had not sent over some soldiers to preserve them from the French, saying they might all live in this plentiful Country if His Ma". will please to allow them half pay for 2 or 3 years at furthest, that afterwards they will maintain themselves & families (if they have any) in making Pitch and Tar & planting of Indian Corn, His Majesty will thereby have so many men seasoned to the Country ready for service upon all occasions, five such men will do more service by sea or land than 20 new rais men from home, they may be brought hither in the Virginia outward bound Ships, 100 or 150 men in a year, till they are made up 1000, it will save the charge of transporting so many another time 2 or 3000 leagues at sea. I heard one of the Council (a great Indian Trader, & has been 600 miles up in the Country west from Charles Town) discourse that the only way to discover the Meschasipi is from this Province by land. He is willing to undertake it if His Ma". will please to pay the charge wch will not be above £400 or £500 at most; he intends to take with him 50 white men of this Province and 100 Indians, who live 2 days journey east from the Meschasipi, and questions not but in 5 or 6 months time after he has His Maty's commands & instructions to find out ye mouth of it and the true latitude thereof.

The great improvement made in this Province is wholly owing to the industry & labour of the Inhabitants. They have applied themselves to make such commodities as might increase the revenue of the Crown, as Cotton, Wool, Ginger, Indigo, &c. But finding them not to answer the end they are set upon making Pitch, Tar & Turpentine, and planting rice, & can send over great quantityes yearly, if they had encouragement from England to make it, having about 50,000 Slaves to be employed in that service, upon occasion, but they have lost most of their vessels, which were but small, last war by the French, & some lately by the