morning, I beg leave to express in a few lines the extreme anxiety, which the Attempts, that I understand from your Grace, some Person, or Persons are making to wound my character with your Grace, give me.

My Case is the more cruel, as the Offence, I have given these persons, was incurr'd in a Service, which I had your Grace's and Mr. Pelham's express Commands to execute and therefore was not to be declin'd by me, tho' it was an extraordinary Duty lay'd upon me.

I foresaw from the beginning how Invidious, as well as difficult, and uneasy a Task it would be to me; But I had no way to avoid the Envy which was likely to attend it, without betraying my Trust to the Publick, which I hope I shall never be capable of doing.

Your Grace hath already inform'd me, that my Lord Halifax hath been pleas'd to declare to your Grace his Approbation of my Conduct in this Service.

Mr. Pelham, I was told in the time of the Execution of it, mention'd my name (with honour to me), to the House Commons upon that Occasion: and I dare say, that he, the Paymaster General, Secretary at Warr, and the whole Board of Trade, who were privy to my liquidating of every Article of the Accompts, which it seems, hath drawn upon me the Ill will of some New York Merchant, or Merchants, would do me the honour to declare their full Satisfaction in my Impartiality between the Crown, and the other Parties concern'd: and that I us'd my best Endeavours to do Justice to every particular person, as well as right to the publick.

It is true, my Lord, I made a very considerable saving to the Crown by detecting, and cutting off many extravagant impositions, which were attempted to be made upon it, both at home, and in America; but I flatter'd myelf, that tho' that might draw some Ill will upon me from some particular Merchants, or even Colonies in general, it would have added to my merit with his Majesty's Ministers.

But, my Lord, if instead of that, the Objections which have been suggested to your Grace against me, shall be thought sufficient to disqualify me for that Mark of his

Majesty's Favour, which was propos'd to your Grace for me in the recommendation of me to him for the Governmt of New York;1 Like Objections from New England Merchts may be as strong an Argumt for removing me from his Majesty's service in the Governmt of the Massachusetts Bay For they have just the same reason to object against me to your Grace, as the Merchts of New York have: I am sure, the Massachusetts Assembly have much more.

I would therefore intreat your Grace to indulge me with a short Audience, and that you will be pleas'd to let me know, who he or they are, which are thus wounding my Character in the Dark; that I may have an Opportunity of vindicating it against their Objections, and clearing my services of every Imputation of Demerit, which may sully them.

As I am conscious, my Lord, that I have behav'd myself in every Trust, which his Majesty hath been pleas'd to honour me with in his service, with the strictest fidelity, and unblameably in every respect, I think it a Duty, which I owe my self, to inquire after the Author, or Authors of these reproaches of my Character to your Grace; and hope your Grace will be pleas'd therefore to excuse it.

I am with the Highest Respect,
My Lord Duke,

Your Grace's most Oblig'd, and
most Dutifull Servant,

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

Endorsed:

St. James's Street.

Janry 23d. 1753.

GOVR. SHIRLEY.

W. SHIRLEY.

1 See Shirley to Newcastle, September 1, 1750 (I, 508), requesting an appointment as governor of New York.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE DUKE OF
NEWCASTLE 1

MY LORD DUKE,

St. James's Street, March 29, 1753.

My Intention in endeavouring to speak to your Grace yesterday at Kensington was only to have the honour of taking my leave of your Grace, before I return'd to my Governmt in New England; to thank your Grace for all your favours; and to beg the continuance of your protection.

I am now upon the point of going to Portsmouth, and as your Grace's Hurry would not permit me to have the honour, I design'd my self yesterday, I beg leave to wait upon your Grace in these few lines, which is the only way left me, of doing it now.

I wish your Grace Success, and Happiness in all your Undertakings, and am with the most Gratefull sense of all your Grace's favours,

My Lord,

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JOSIAH WILLARD 2

St James's Street, April 27, 1753.

Some days ago I obtained an order from Lt. Anson to Capt. Montague of his Majesty's Ship Port Mahon which is

1 B. M., Additional Manuscript 32731, 518. A transcript is in the Library of Congress.

2 Original, Mass. Arch., Col. Ser. 54, 232.

appointed for the Newfoundland Station this year, to set me down at Boston before he proceeds upon his Station. His ship will, I believe, sail in 14 or 15 days.

I have petitioned the King in Council for II cannon of 24 lb. ball which number will compleat the Royal Battery at Castle William with suitable Guns, and for two Mortars with a proportion of ball, shells and all other stores except powder, which last it is a settled rule not to grant. Upon my apprizing Mr Sharpe Clerk of the Council of my Petition, I had the Discouragemt to hear that a fortnight before Mr Pelham had absolutely rejected a petition from the Province of Maryland to have 300 Musquets replac'd which they had furnished the Soldiers rais'd for the Canada Expedition with, out of the Province stores, but upon my delivering it to my Lord President his Lordship was pleased to receive it very graciously and tell me it should be granted, and in order to give it the greatest Dispatch, he has referr'd it to the Board of Ordnance for an Estimate of the Ordnance stores prayed for, to be directly made out without making any report of their opinion upon the substance or fitness of the Petition as is the usual manner of those References and which frequently occasions delay and difficulties.

Upon getting this Reference from the Council of the Board of Ordnance, I delivered it myself to Sir John Legonier begging the favour of him to order it to be dispatch'd. The Easter Holydays have delayed it, but I am promis'd by the Secry. of the Board, that the Estimate shall be finish'd this day and be signed by Sir John and the Principal Officers of the Board in time to be returned into the Council Office. on Tuesday next. I have taken Care to get the Freight of these stores included in the Board of Ordnance's Estimate which is not usual and I flatter myself with the Hopes of obtaining an absolute order for the delivery of them before I imbark, and for their being forthwith transported to Castle William at the Expence of the Crown. I thought it was most adviseable to postpone an application for the Pictures of the Royal Family in the Room of those which were burnt in the Council Chamber untill the Ordnance stores were

secured for the Province, being unwilling to run the least risque of that Application's interfering with the other more essential one, but as soon as an absolute order is passed for the stores I will apply to Mr Pelham for the Pictures.1

The Application for a reimbursement of the remainder of the stores bought by the Province for the New England Soldiers in the Expedition against Cape Breton, and made use of by Mr Knowles, stands still for the arrival of some evidence from Boston which Mr Bollan hath sent for to ascertain the value of them as does the Affair of the Townships controverted between the Province and Colony of Connecticutt and of the new Line claimed by the Colony of Rhode Island for Evidence from the Records of the two Colonies, which in my opinion is absolutely necessary to be procur'd if possible before those Matters are brot to a Decision before the King in Council, or at least to have a denial from the Assemblies of those Colonies to let the Massa. Agent in New England search and take copies of their Records in order to intitle the Province's agent here to produce copies of its own Records which cant be regularly admitted as Evidence in its own Case untill the Province is denied Copies of the Rhode Island and Connecticutt records upon the point in question. Mr. Bollan was in hopes of receiving those papers by the last ships. When he is furnished with 'em I am persuaded no Pains nor good Conduct will be wanting to establish the Province's just rights in these disputes which to me appear clear and evident and that the pretentions of both the Colonies are unreasonable and vexatious.

As to the Province's demands against that of New Hampshire on account of their maintaining Fort Dummer during the War Mr Bollan had obtained, before he brought over the money granted the Province by Parliament for the reimbursement of their Expences in the Expedition against Cape Breton, a Report from the Board of Trade in favour of it, but soon after Mr Bollan was imbarked for Boston the

1 Shirley's petition for additional levy money for his late regiment beyond that allowed in 1750 had been refused by Fox on April 25 (War Office, Class 4, 49, p. 157).