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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Report by Timothy Biggs concerning his duties as Comptroller of the Customs in Albemarle County
Biggs, Timothy, d. ca. 1685
February 04, 1680 - February 16, 1680
Volume 01, Pages 318-321

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[B. P. R. O. Colonial Papers.]
COPYS OF LETTERS FROM TIM. BIGS COMPTROLLr OF
THE CUSTOMS IN CAROLINA.

[Indorsed.]

Recd from ye Commrs of ye Customs
the 15th of July 1680.

B                    
                    B.
P.                    
                    21.

Mr Robt. Holden,

Sr Being I have Recd Accott from ye Comissrs of his Maties Afaires & a duplicat of wt is sent you, as you have ye lyke of myne, I yesterday sent my Depty Mr Samll Pricklove to discourse wth you in severall Respects; In ordr as I am Comanded for yor further Information becaus I would let nothing be undone on my part, but I am Informed that though hee offered himselfe to you in order yrunto, yet you would take no notice of, nor did not speake wth him. I have found undr yor hand that you have under written my deputy in his officiateing his Maties bussines that hee is none of his Maties officers. Sr you know I have power to deput a deputy & that I have deputed him ye wch was admitted of by ye Govrnr Harvy & performed wt ye Law in his Case Required & therefor I desyre as he is his Maties officer that he may proceed acordingly & Receive no opposition from yrselfe or any other or yr Reasons for the Contrary that fraud may be prevented. Sr I doe alsoe desire you per him let mee have Acott of yor proceedings in his Maties service, you know his Maties Lettr to ye Govrnr was only for to advize wth the Survayr Ginrl what places was proper for his Maties office & for vessells to come to be survayed at & it was Conclud on by ye Govrnr & Lords deptyes It should be heare—so yt I expect yt all Vessells wch come in at Ronoak come up hither accordingly & for those yt Come in at Caratuk inlet I will take further care by my deputyes Sr I am Informed yon are a sending Mr Edw. Wayde who was High Shreefe of this County, from hence or a banishing him ther is a matteriall Evidence for ye Kings Matie Touching what I am to assist you in for further Acott of what Is due to his Matie Its not yrfor Convenient he be wantinge when tyme shall sarve for his Testifying his knowledge for his Matie This Sr Is the needfull of my duty for his Maties sarvices & all at present from yor friend

TIMo BIGGS Comptr & Survayr Genll 1679.

Att my office on litle River poynt Albemarle Febry 4th 1679.

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The above is a True Copy of a Lettr sent to Mr Robt. Holden & dd by Richard Standerweek in the prsence of Collll Jno. Jenkins Mr Jos. Scott & Paul Latham at ye house of George Durant ye 4th Febry 79 & ye sd Standerweeke asked ye sd Holden for answer & hee Replyed he had nothing to do wth ye sd Biggs or Standerweek Either vary Angrily & after peruseing it & so put it in his pocket as is witnessed this prsent day per

RICHd STANDERWEEKE
Testis
Tymo. Biggs.
Samll Pricklove.

After this Reply, I sent my depty on his bussines wth a speciall warrant heare lying two New England Vessells Layden & Cleared per                      to depart of wch This following is a True Coppy

By ye Compter & Survayr Genll
Albemarle

Mr Samll Pricklove

Sr I understand severall Vessells in this Country are upon departur & wheras I am informed Mr Holden hath undr written one of his Maties Officers for wch this day I sent To know his Reasous but he will send non & that fraud may be prevented These are in his Maties name To will and Require you to Goe on board on all vessells as are aforesd & see the Law in ther severall Cases be performed & Executed according to yor office duty & instructions for wch this shall be yor suffitient wart Given undr my hand this 4th of ffebry 79 at my office Litle River poynt

TIMo BIGGS, Comptr & Survayr Genll

My deputy being upon ye Execution of The aforesd Warrant was pursued & seized by the Grand Marshell of the Country by ordr of ye Aforesd Robt. Holden (as a Member of ye Governt) & wn he was acting yrin was hawled away befor he could act his duty & carryed ashor kept close prisoner & the vessells departed wthout any deue Survay &c. as Wittnes my hand.

TYMo BIGGS, Comptrllr &c.

Upon which—I sent up to ye Authority yn mett wth ye sd Holden at ye place befor sd George Durrant house yr Court house & his office the following lines as my protest agst such proceedings—this being a True Coppy

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By Timo Biggs, Depty To the Earle of Craven & Comptrllr & Survayr Genll of his Maties Customs

These prsents witness that I in pursuance of ordrs Recd from ye Rt Worshipfull the Commissioners of his Maties Customs in London proceeded as is befor inserted & Expressed and am only not Answered by the Colectr but he hath orrd my deputy to be seized by ye Marshell of the County wn he was upon his Maties Imploy & in the officiateing his office, & by Evidence to mee mayd carried him a way prizoner wthout suffering My sd Depty to do his duty or had done his office by wch his Maties Consarnes is like to suffer & not only in that but In ye Colectrs sufferings (as one in Authority joyneing) in sending of or Banishing Mr Edw. Waade High Shreefe, whoe is a very materiall Evidence for the Kinge & whither to, Is not yet made knowne,—

I doe therfor for safety of my Security & Oath & Clearing myselfe Entre this Instrument of writing as my protest, agst ye aforesd Colectr Mr Robert Holden & desyre this to be Recorded & attested to mee bake by ye Clarke of ye Court that it is so efected, that I may send it to England That my mars may see my Readines & faithfulnes in proceeding according to yor ordr

Given undr my hand at my office on litle River poynt ye 5th Febry 1679.

TIMo BIGGS Compt &c

All these befor writteings I sent as is Expressed to Mr Holden but could have no answer so I after sent ym to one in ye Authority wn ya satt as a palatine Court inclosed to Capt. Willoughby who Is depty to ye Earle of Shaftsbury & Regester publique of the Country to request him to Cause ym to be Recorded or if denyed it per ye Authority yt yn he undr his hand would signify the same as ye Coppy of his Lettr hearewth sent will informe (but he sends no answer) though promised he would.


At my office on little River poynt Febry 5th 1679.

Much Honble Sr

I am joyfull you are come up to Court & am thankfull you stopt yt viallence some went wth agst mee I would gladly have vizited you, but am Resolved not to come to Mr Durrants house upon any Acott whatever haveing already given my sufficient reasons to ye Lords propriatrs yrfore Sr haveing Recd Lettrs from ye Rt. Worshipfull Comistioners of his Maties Customs I proceeded wth ye Colectr as heare Expressed you will perceive & I humbly Request you will be pleased the ordring ym to bee Recorded & they sent mee Attested by the Clarke that it is soe Efected That thereby

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I may give ye mor Ample Acott to my Mars The wch Sr if Refussed & denyed per the Authority I then pray you will as publique Regester for this County Attest ye denyall yrof under yor hand back wth ye inclosed

Sr It is a vary hard Case that I Cannot imploy any Ingenious man in his Maties service—but he shall for one false pretence or other be displact by Arrests or otherwayes & wn in the due Exeqution of yr Office—Sr ye Kinges Maties Lettr to ye Govrnr was for him to Advize wth The Kings Surveyr &c. of places proper for Vessells to com to for survay of & ye office to bee att & by ye Govrnr Harvey & Lds deptys it was concluded on should bee heare to wch I have proceeded Accordingly & Expect yt all Vessells yt come in at Roanoak Inlett by this present Authority be ordrd Accordingly & not I to Come To ye Colectrs office for Certificats as hee thinks to force mee) but should find them on board Vessells or wth goods Layden or unlayden after Entrys mayd, Else all good wthout such Certificates yt Entry is mayde ya are seazable—I pray Sr you will please to take care my deputy Mr Sam. Pricklove who at prsent for wt I know not, Is a prisoner per Mr Holdens Ordrs yt he may have speedily a Tryall yt so hee may proceed to manage his Troust yt fraud may be prevented & yt ye Country may not want yr Land survayed he being my depty on yt Acott also & if he bee not Enuffe I am Ready to deput more, for non can act yrin but by Comition from mee or a mor Imediate Comition from my mar Sr I should be glad to see you & Informe you amongst other things wt news I have from Whithall Touching Mr Sothells Redemption & am Sr Yr

frind & Sarvant
TIMo BIGGS

1679

This Lettr wth ye inclosers dd by Mr Jonathan Whithall to Capt. Jno. Willoughby & after perusall promised Mr Whitthall he would send or bringe mee a Answer. at breaking up yr Court ye wch ye sd Willoughby hath not performed to ys day & Court brok up 8 dayes sence ye 16 Febry 79

Teste
Teste TIMo BIGGS.
Comptr &c

(Directed)

Sondry Copys wth a Lettr
To Capt. Jno. Willoughby of
Mattrs Relaites his Maties affaires
For ye Comittioners fuller
Information