Letter of Rev. Joshua Moodey. [The following Letter from Rev. Joshua Moodey, of Portsmouth, to Rev. John Cotton,of Plymouth, und dated at Ports'o. 1 [2m] 76, has been lately communicated to the Publishing Committee, by CHRISTOPHER C. BALDWIN, Esq., the diligent Librarian of the American Antiquarian Society. The first paragraph in the original is obliterated. Words abbreviated are rendered at length.] Mr. John Cotton, * I thank you for We the intelligence. I have read it and showed it unto many who have perused it with great sympathy, and hope it hath been of some good use. If anything remarkable of this nature occurs among you for the future (which the Lord in his mercy prevent) your handing it to us would be matter of great satisfaction, that we might know things particularly and truly. Reports are so many, and various, that one knows not what to believe. had heard a report of the solemn tragedy* before yours came, but was nothing so satisfactory. I may say (as in the beginning of yours you doe,) hitherto things have been quiet among us this winter and spring, but what I may send you in the close of my letter, (if a speedy conveyance prevent not, of which I am not certain,) is with the Lord. The Indians about us are many of them come in, and more coming. Their words are very good, fair : the Lord only knows what is in their hearts; tho' as yet their actions are not contradictory to their words, so far as we know. There is no trusting to them: they often mean worse when they speak best. We have no cause to think our troubles over, tho' some seem to run high in their thoughts [* Doubtless the fall of Capt. Michael Pierce, of Scituate, who with about 50 English, and 20 friendly Indians of Cape Cod, was cut off by the enemy with most of his party, five days before the date of this letter. EDITORS.] that way. Our Indians say that the Eastern Indians (except those that are on the other side of the Kennebeck,) are like minded with themselves, and all for peace with the English. There is nothing now among us. The burning of Mr. D -st house, at York lately, I presume you have heard. Himselfe was in our toune the while. It was done casually by the haystack which caught fire (as it's thought) for some sparks remained after burning some rubbish to cleare the ground in the garden. Hee lost most what hee had—all his library, provisions, and beds, except one. The Lord help us to watch and pray alway, that wee may bee accounted worthy to stand when the son of man shall come. In him, Yours in what I may, JO: MOODEY. Letter from Benning Wentworth to John Went Sir, worth. Portsmouth, June 14, 1767. I had the pleasure to receive your letter from Boston on Thursday night, and on Friday night that from New-York, in consequence whereof. I made such dispositions, as the short time would admit of, for your reception, which I am hoping was agreeable. I congratulate you on your safe arrival in your government, and if I can in the least instance contribute to your ease and satisfaction in your administration, I shall always be at your service. The Secretary will be the bearer of this, which encloses two letters from the Secretary of State's [†This seems difficult to decypher. Rev. Shubael Dummer was at this time the minister of York.] Office, which came of course into my hands altho' I did not think proper to answer them. The boat is at his Majesty's fort, fitted for your use, when you order it. The keys of the magazine and store-houses, I have always kept in my possession, and as soon as I have an opportunity to see the Secretary, I shall cause them to be delivered into your hands. When you have recovered from the fatigues of your journey, and your time will permit it, I shall highly esteem the favor of your company at Little Harbor, where I have been confined for more than three years, otherwise I should have received you in the Council Chamber. I am with great truth and regard, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient His Excellency, B. WENTWORTH. JOHN WENTWORTH, Esq. Letter from Governor John Wentworth to Col. Thomas W. Waldron. Sir, Mr. Benjamin Hart, Overseer of my designations in the wilderness-and Mr. William Webb who is to reside there as Farmer in future; are now on their first expedition to clear a few acres and build an humble habitation at Wolfboro' for me. They may want assistance to forward them and their stores from Dover to Rochester, and to be supplied with ten bushels of Indian meal. I beg your favor in this matter, we are young settlers and depend greatly on the benevolent aid of the country to promote our work. If the soil and other advantages encourage me, I will take meas ures to populate that part of the province, within ten years, more usefully than is now seen, from this town to Florida.-I rejoice with you on the reviving spring, and hope within a fortnight to see your country covered with verdure. Beginning to be a farmer, I cannot other than wish you a favorable seed time; but being also desirous of indulging myself in a more essential pleasure, I beg leave to assure you that I am with real sincerity and regard,-Dear Sir, Portsmouth, 25th April, 1768. Your real Friend, and most J. WENTWORTH. TO THOMAS WESTBROOK WALDRON, Esq. Col. Isaac Royall's Letter to Secretary Waldron. Sir, Charlestown, April 4th, 1752. I sometime ago wrote you at large, since which I am without any of your favors, and as the small pox spreads very fast in Boston, and is likely to go through our part of the country, I am afraid I shall not be able to hold a correspondence with you which I have always esteemed as an honor, therefore embrace this opportunity and would inform you of the death of that most worthy and accomplished friend of yours and mine, His Excellency Gov. Belcher, a great loss truly to New-England, as well as to the government over which he last presided. I hear the Don has dissolved your house after making a pompous speech, casting all the blame on the house, which may perhaps more properly belong to another branch of the legislative powe among you. But I doubt not but you are both willing and able to wipe off all the aspersions cast against you, and set the affair in such a light that the saddle may lay on the right horse's back. I have enclosed you the votes of the house and would let you know that the General Court now sits at Cambridge for fear of the small pox, and at a general council there held this day, His Honor has been pleased in his consummate wisdom to appoint Chambers Russell, Esq. one of the Judges for the province, and likewise constituted Stephen Sewall, Esq. Chief Judge over our good friend Col. Salstonstall's head, a very uncommon and I believe I may say an original and unprecedented thing, and I can't but think because I hope the Colonel will show his resentment at such an high affront offered him, and never set at the bench in a degraded seat. I was this day invited to dinner by his Honor at his house, which by the way is a very strange thing for any one to be, but I had a very good excuse for refusing, having invited a considerable number of the house to dine with me. His Honor sent a message to the House to consider what addition we would make to his salary granted last session which was three hundred pounds lawful money. But it would not take, but was very generally voted against, and I am apt to think the more so because of the affront offered to the house by negativing of me, and the reasons he assigned therefor. And now I mention this I must claim a sort of promise from you to give me your advice what I had best to do before the next election, whether I had best print the letter I wrote his honor or what else, and I promise on my part to follow your directions, not doubting but I shall be guided into those measures that are most proper to be taken by me relating to that affair. |