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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Francis Nicholson to Henderson Walker
Nicholson, Francis, 1655-1728
November 08, 1699
Volume 01, Pages 514-515


Virginia James City 9ber 8th 1699

Honble Sr

I received of Oct. 10th by the Honble Col. Robt. Quarry and inclosed is a copy of the Report of his Maj. Justices of Princess Anne County If you suspect yt there should be a suspension of ye prosecution of yt affair his Maj. Honble Council and myself are of opinion yt Wm. Bray ought to give good & sufficient security to answer Macklenahan's suit in case yt Crow Island be found within this his Maj. Colony and Dominion of Virginia.

I have written to ye Rt. Honble his Majesty's Secretary of State and to the Lords of the Council for Trade & Plantations about the Bounds as I promised you when I was here and I am in hopes some time this winter that I shall receive his Maj. royall commands concerning yt affair

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I suppose that you have written to ye Lords Proprietors about it and particularly about ye Governrs being qualifyed according to the Act of Parliament abt trade &c of the 7th & 8th of his Maj. Reign.

I am very glad to here that you have statutes against Vagrants and a particular law about Negros but you must give me leave to say that unless they be vigorously put in execution I fear they will not signify much I am sorry not to hear any thing of the Negros that ran away from Madam Smith a copy of whose letter and the description you were so kind as to take from me in ordr to inquire after ym I showed Esqr Corbin that part of your letter to me concerning his servants and I told him to write to you which I here he did and returned you thanks &c. If such fellows as Grandee be but made examples I suppose it will be one of the properest ways to prevent ye like clandestine dealings of the future.

I herewith send you a Proclamac̄on for ye apprehending of Pyrats &c. which I have caused to be published in all ye Countyes of this his Maj. Colony of Virginia I believe it may be for his Maj. service and if you please to issue out one in your Government for the apprehending & securing of these pyrats or any others And inclosed is the copy of a letter which I had from his Grace the Duke of Shrewsbury who was then his Maj. Principal Secretary of State about Pyrats &c. as also of one from the right Honble Mr Secretary Vernon.

That Great Rogue Kidd I heare is in Boston Jail. Col Edward Hill one of his Maj. Honble Council here is appointed by the right Honble the Lords of ye Admiralty to be Judge of ye Admty both for Virginia and North Carolina. He will write to you by this opportunity about that affair.

This is designed (God willing) by one Mr Joseph Harwood who is put by Coll Edmd Jennings one of his Maj. Honble Councill here to look after one David Ross a Carpenter lately run away from him as also one Thomas Roberts a Welchman &c. who ran away from the Revd Mr John Bernard a Clerk &c.

Therefore I desire that you would be pleased to order all lawfull assistance to be given to him for the apprehending securing & bringing back hither ye said runaways in doing of which you will oblige him who is

Your very humble Servt
FR. NICHOLSON.

I am very sorry to hear that those Indians which murdered ye people & stole ye goods are like to come off without being brought to condigne punishment and yt it may not be an ill president to ye Indians in these parts and incourage ym to do the like is ye hearty wishes of

F. N.