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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury to Joseph West
Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of, 1621-1683
December 16, 1671
Volume 01, Page 211

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[B. P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers. Section IX. Bundle. 48. No. 55. P. 105.]
LORD ASHLEY TO JOSEPH WEST 16 DECEMBER 1671.

Exeter House 16 Dec 71

Mr West

Yor letters I have received and am abundantly satisfyed in all that I doubted of before wch I had not done had you sooner given us an account of yr management of our affaires there Wherein I finde you have been a very honest man to us.

You ought not to be dissatisfyed to finde another man made Governor it was noe personall dislike or disrespect of you that occasioned it but the nature of our Governmt wch required that a Landgrave should be preferr'd to any Commoner soe that any body else as well as you must have given place to Sir John Yeamans but as our opinion of your discretion vigilancy & fidelity is not hereby at all lessened soe I am confident neither will yr care and concernmt for our publique or private affairs there slacken in ye least I look upon you as one who doe in earnest minde ye interest & prosperity of our Settlemt wherein you will be sure to meete wth my kindnesse & such encouragemts from mee as will assure you yt I am

Your very affectionate Fd
ASHLEY