tween themselves enter into as close a discourse as possible with Civility about what news he hears or what he knows.

This affair will give you some trouble, but it's equally every man's Concern in the Governmt who has any thing in it that he values. If any Charge accrue it must be borne by the Publick. We hear by an Indian that at Shamokin they have hang'd one Timothy Higgins, a servt to Henry Smith, an Indian trader, but we hope it's not true. Said Smith & John Petty are gone up to day to know how matters are in those parts.

The substance of this you will easily see is to be managed with as little noise as possible, that no alarms may be given without a real occasion. We hope there will be none, for on Indian stories there is very little Dependence, but Prudence will advise to Precaution wherever it can be used.

Pray dispatch the Messenger as soon as possible wh a Letter to ye Govern, from whom this should have come, but time would not so well allow it.

I am wh kind Love & Respect,

If the business cannot be soon despatched, the Messenger (M. Jervaes) should not be detained, but if these Chiefs are there & will either come down or wait there for others coming up, some other should be sent down on purpose. If the Bell is not delivered care should be taken to have it returned.

Indorsed:

Copy Letter to Messrs Wright & Blunston, 24 Sep 1728.†

SMITH AD PETTY TO GOVR., 1728.

Be it pleas yr Exelencie:

Spt ye 3th, 1728.

To make you knowne yt we Have mett ye traders and my man yt was thaught to be Hanght, and He espact His live very narrowly; and we goes on your jurney to Have further Intilygens in ye matter; as far wee can find, Hitherto the cause Stand very dubious, which we are resolv'd to Se unto it, and att our return wee shall give you a True acount of Thire mind. The man as espack His live wee dare not to take Him, but ye traders wee take them: who am your Most Humble Servants to Command,*

HENRY SMITH,
JOHN PETTY.

To The right Honerable our present Governer of
Philadelphia, Esqr., or to James Logan, Esqr.,
Secretary of Estate of this Province.

* See Col. Rec. Vol. III. p. 352.

† Ibid, 300.

CAPT. CIVILITY TO GOVR., 1728.

Honarable Gouvner:

When you was Hear in the spring Wee had a Counsell together & wee did Conclude to Come doune to Philadelphia in about two months after that time, but wee of Conastogoe have sent to sevarell of the Indians that Live a great way of, who are now on thear Rode Coming to see & speake with the Gouvnor, & the Shawnays, Conoys, & Delawars have brought a greatt maney skins to Conastogoe in order to present the Gouvnor, but Captin Sivillity hath his only Child dyed Lately & he is so mutch troubled that he canot come, therefore, the Conastogoes, Delawars, Shawnays & Conoys, designes to stay till next Spring, and then they will come to see & treat with the Gouvnor att Philadelphia.*

CAPTIN SIVILITY, × his mark.

Conastogoe, Octobr 1st, 1728.

To William Chetwoode, at Wm. Murrays.
To the Honorable. Patrick Gordon, Esq",
Gouvernor of Pensylvania. These.

CAPT. CIVILITY TO GovR., 1728.

Cap Civility To Patrick Gordon, Esqr, Govern of Pensylvania, &c.

James Logan, Richard Hill, Isaac Norris, Samuell Preston and Andrew Hamilton, Esqrs.

My Brethren:

The Late Death of my Child Causes so much Trouble and Sorrow thatt att this Time Itt putts all other Thoughts outt of my mind; Nevertheless, I still Remember and Retain The Govern's late Good Speeches to us here att Conestogoe, and am Very Glad thatt I once more heard the words of William Penn; but as I said before, my Grioffe and sorrow so overpowers mee Thatt I am sorry thatt Itt makes mee uncapable att this time to answer ye words of my old good friend Wm. Penn. This I send to you of my Selfe without Consulttation of any, for my Eyes are full of Tears for ye Sake of my Child. Here are Serverall Shawaners and Conoys come, ye Rest wee Expectt Every hour, so that wee have had no Councell as yett, and whether they will come to Philadelphia or nott I Cannott Tell as yett:

My Trouble is so greatt att this Time thatt Itt so putts all other thoughts outt of my mind Thatt I do nothing butt Crye Every Day,

See Col. Rec. Vol. III. p. 352.

and Cannott bear to Come Into the Sightt of my friends, otherwise would have Come Down with my friend Edma Cartlidge:

When my Grieffe and Sorrow is a Little over, and wee have had our Councell here, you shall hear from us If I Do nott come my Selfe. In the mean time I am your Good fra,*

CIVILITY.

Sir:

ADMIRALTY ON SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN, 1728.

ADM'TY OFFICE, 15th October, 1728.

It having been enacted, by an Act passed the last Sessions of Parliament, that his Majtys Governours, Ministers, Consuls, or British Merchants abroad, shall take care of all British Seamen & Boys, who may be Straggling to and fro, by reason of Shipwreck, or otherwise, I am Commanded by my Lords Comms of the Adm'ty. to send you One of the said Acts of Parliament, with Two of the Schemes, by which an Account is to be kept in what manner you do, from time to time, dispose of such Scamen & Boys, that so you may be the better informed how to put the aforesaid Act of Parliament punctually in execution, & in case of your absence, at any time, I am to desire you will leave both that and the Schemes with such Person, or Persons, as may be proper, pursuant to the said Act.

I am, Sir,

Your most humble Servant,

Patrick Gordon, Esqr, Gov" Pensilvania.

E.

H. BURCHELL.

MEMORIAL FROM NEWCASTLE FOR CO. OFFICERS, 1728.

May it Please

yr Hon":

We are informed & do believe that Coll. French is dying; and as it has always been the Sentiments of the People of this Governmt that their Records as well as their Officers ought to be, live, & reside among themselves, & within the Counties; and that no p'son except the Propriet & Govr ought to have the Com'and or Keeping of any of our Deeds, Records, Writts, etc., unless such person live & reside among Us and in the County to which such Records do belong. We, therefore, humbly beg Leave to represent to the Gov", in Behalfe of our selves & the County of New Castle, our Desires that some fit p'sons of Capacity living & residing among Us, according to our

* Col. Rec. Vol. III. p. 352.

Laws & Constitution, may, in case of the Death of the s Coll. French, be appointed as usual for executing the offices of Clerk of the Peace, Prothonotary of the Common Pleas, & Register for the Probate of Wills & Granting of Letters of Administration for the County of New Castle and in this We are well assur'd the Govr will very much oblige the Magistrates & Inhabitants of the County of New Castle, and likewise the People in General of these Three Counties. We humbly beg the Govern will please to excuse Us for this Freedom, and accept of our best Services & Respects.

To the Honble Patrick Gordon, Esqr, Licutent Govern" of the Province of Pensylvania and the Counties of New Castle, Kent & Sussex on Delaware.

The humble Petition of Peter Evans

Sheweth:

That yor Pet' having a Right & Title to ye office for Probate of Wills and Granting Letters of Admon in and for the said Counties by Patent from the Honble William Penn, Esqr, Late Proptr yand Govt of the s province and Counties, as by the said Patent appears. The possession and profits of wch said office have for some years past been held and Enjoy'd by John French, Esq', Lately dece'd:

Yor Petr therefore humbly prays to be admitted to the possession & Enjoyment of the s office, according to the Tenor of the s patent.* And yor petr Shall ever pray, &c.,

PET. EVANS.

Good Sr.

BISHOP OF LONDON TO GOVR. G., 1728.

FULHAM, NOV. 16, 1728.

The expiration of my former Commission, and the passing of a

*See Col. Rec. Vol. III. p. 358.

new one, together with the necessary preparations for ye appointment of Commissaries within ye several Governments, have of late, in some measure, interrupted my correspondence with the Plantations. But now, I thank God, those matters are wellnigh finish'd; and, together with this, I send a Commission to Mr. Cummings for the exercise of Jurisdiction over ye Clergy in Pensylvania, in which I doubt not but he will on all occasions have your kind Assistance and support. The Society have resolv'd to remove Mr. Campbell to another place as soon as he shall have clear'd himself by due course of Law From the matters we have been laid to his charge; for I find, whether he be guilty or innocent, there is no hope of his doing good where he is; and if he has been guilty of Indiscretions only, it may reasonably be presum'd, that ye difficulties and misfortunes they have brought upon him, will make him more wise and cautious in another mission.*

It has been mention'd to me, that some alteration has been made there in ye manner of laying matrimonial Licenses; by wch some occasional Perquisites that ye Clergy us'd to enjoy, are now cut off. I am not well enough appris'd of ye case to descend to particulars; but however it be, I beg leave to be so far an Advocate for ye Clergy, as to bespeak your favour to them, to such a degree, as the reason of things, and the nature of your Constitution there, will fairly admit. And as they can desire no more, so I dare say it is what you will readily grant. Your friend, the Bishop of Carlile, is very well, and has been able to settle his only son, a very hopeful young man, to his satisfaction.

Indorsed-"Bishop of London notifying his appointm' of a Comm

for Pensylva."

Our last to you was of the 11th of November last, Viâ New York,

* It appears by vol. iii of Colonial Records, that a Mr. Campbell, “ parson of a dissolute character, who had lived for some time in New Castle Co.," was the author of a Letter in Bradford's paper, signed "Brutus and Cassius," which reflected on the King and Government of Great Britain, they were both arrested and committed. This probably was the same person, and this one reason for his removal by the Archbishop.-See Colon. Records, vol. iii. p. 392. Sept. 20, 1729.