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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Maurice Ashley to [Elizabeth Axtell] Blake
Ashley, Maurice, 1675-1726
June 04, 1720
Volume 02, Pages 384-385

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[B. P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers. Bdle. 48. No. 106.]

Madam,

The day your Ladyship went to Beachworth I was at Kensington to wait upon you; intending at the same time to inform you that we have had a Proposall made to us with respect to Carolina, of so much advantage to the Proprietors that my single share may amount to Thirty Thousand Pound. The Terms of Agreement your Ladysp: will find inclosed They are drawn into Form, and already signed by Lady Granville for her son My Lord Carteret; by Mr Bertie Guardian to the Duke of Beaufort; by Mr Danton and my self. I expect opposition from some of the Ministry And since it has been rumour'd abroad that the Proprietors were upon some project of this sort I have had a message from Secretary Craggs to know upon what Terms we would part with our Interest in the Province. Before this was thus rumoured abroad, They took no notice of us, imagining to distress us, and make us part with it, for little or Nothing, to them. Then would all the advantage be their own, either by disposing of the Province by Subscription, or by giving it up to the South Sea for ten times as much as they would allow the Proprietors whose Familys raised this Province to England. There's no doubt of our succeeding in case the Court favours us, or but let us alone. I have no reason to question your Ladysps interesting yourself in this matter if it were only a concern of mine; but I think it must needs be of more weight with those you apply to in case your Ladysp. can speak of it as a concern of your son and his family; and to enable your Ladysp. to treat it as such, I doe assure you I will give any Security that it shall be so If we can obtain what may be worth securing. I begg your Ladysp therefore that since we have a prospect of obtaining something soe considerable you would please to interceed with Ld Stanhope and others for their favour upon this occasion to my Nevew and his Family. And I propose to your Ladysp. whether it would not be proper to acquaint Judge Eyre with the thing and desire his assistance in it. Your Ldsp. may observe the advantage likely to be made by the Gentlen concerned in the Bahama Islands; and who have only a Lease from us are the Proprs The Carolinas are a foundation for a much greater thing, and are of ten times the value: And no man has a just title to anything if the Proprietors have not a Title to Carolina. We make no secret of our being in Treaty for Carolina, but we mention no particulars.

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Give me leave now Madame to make your Ladysp a request for our Brother Proprietor Danton. He has a mind to be concerned a thousand pound in the next subscription into the South Sea, He desires your Ladysp's recom̄endation and gave me the enclosed List of Names. If your Ladysp have any acquaintance with any of the Gentlemen, he desires your Ladysp to request the favour of a thousand pound in the subscription for me. And I willingly lend him my name. If your Ladysp. think proper to make the request. He hopes to have your Ladysps Answer soon.

I begg your Ladysp to present my humble service all good wishes to my Nevew; and to my Cozen Fenwick and I am

Madam your Ladysps
sincerely affectionate Brother
and most obedient Humble Servant
M. ASHLEY

London June the 4th 1720.