pears to be to all his Majestys Governments in North America) acquainting me that his Majesty had received Information of the March of a Considerable Number of Indians not in Alliance with him Supported by some regular European Troops intending as it is apprehended to commit some Hostilities on parts of his Majestys Dominions in America, and directing me to use my utmost diligence to learn how far the same may be well grounded Acquainting me also that his Lordship had it particularly in Charge to let me know that it was his Majestys Royal will and Pleasure, that I should keep up an exact Correspondence with all his Majestys Governors on the Continent and in Case I should be informed by any of them of any Hostile Attempts, that I should immediately Assemble the General Assembly within my Government and lay before them the necessity of a mutual Assistance and engage them to grant such Supplies as the Exigency of Affairs may require.

In obedience to these Instructions I trouble you with this Letter to let you know that in case any Hostile Attempts shall be comitted upon his Majestys Territories within the Limits. of your Honours Government, for repelling of which that may Stand in need of the Assistance of his Majestys other Colonies upon the Continent, I shall be ready upon my being informed of it by your honour to do my duty within my own Government for procuring their due Proportion of Supplies upon the Emergency; and for this Purpose I shall be very glad to maintain a Strict Correspondence with your honour, pursuant to his Majestys Commands Signified to me in the Earl of Holdernesses before mentioned Letter. I am with great Esteem Sr.

Your honours most humble and most Obedient Servt

Honourable Horatio Sharpe Esqr.

W. SHIRLEY.

WILLIAM PEPPERRELL TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY AND THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT1 [Memorial regarding compensation for expenditures.]

To His Excellency William Shirley

Governour and Commander in Chief of the Province of the Massachusets Bay; The Honble. His Majesty's Council, and Honble. House of Representatives, in General Court Assembled, at Boston December 1753

The Memorial of Sir William Pepperrell Baronet, Sheweth, That your Memorialist, being called upon by this Government, to take upon him the Chief Command, of all the Forces raised for the Expedition against Cape Breton, did accept of that difficult and hazardous Service, in duty to God, His King and his Country; and on the 31st. January. 1744. received a Commission appointing him Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief, by Land and Sea, of all the Forces raised and to be raised for the Said Service.

That your Memorialist, after the Reduction of Louisbourg, at the Command of this Government "chearfully Submitted to the difficultys and inconveniences of continuing on the Place for the quiet and Sattisfaction of the officers and Soldiers and the preservation of that important Acquisition" as this Honourable Court were pleased to express themselves, in their Letter to their Memorialist: And the inconveniencies, of his being absent from his Family and private affairs for so long a time; were farr from being Small to him.

Furthermore, that your Memorialist, soon after his return home was obliged to take a Journy to Boston, to attend the Committee of Warr to Sign the Accounts to be sent to the Court of Great Britain, of the Charges, This Province had been at in carrying on Said Expedition.

And besides all this, that your Memorialist was under a necessity to take a Voyage to London, to get the Accounts,

1 Massachusetts Manuscripts, Vol. I. Library of Congress.

of what was expended at Louisbourg during his tarry there, Passed.

By the aforesaid means, Your Memorialist, has been exposed to an expence exceeding all the advantages he has received in consequence of his Services: and in as much as nothing has been yet given him by this Government as a reward herefor, though they were pleased to say,

"his important Trust was bravely, and Successfully executed:"

Prays that your Excellency and Honours would be pleased to make such a Grant of money to him, as you in your Wisdom shall think proper, all which is Humbly Submitd by Your Excellency and Honrs,

Faithfull Humble Servant

WM. PEPPERRELL.

On the third day of January 1754 the Great and General Court made a Grant to yor. Memorialist of one hundred and forty four pounds in full for his pay and Service at Cape Breton which was about Eighteen months before he could return to His Family as he was desired not to Leave Cape Breton untill the Provential Troops was releaved in obedience to which I complyd with tho' at a Great charge and preventing me being with an agreable Family. Your Memorialist being informd Since sd. Grant was made that the reason sd. Grant was made so Small was that he had Several Sums of money given him before by this Governmt which was Groundless for he never did directly or indirectly receive one penny but what he paid agreable to the order of the General Court and Accounted with the Committee of Warr for the same, except one hundred and fifty pounds of the then Paper Currency which was given him to Provide for a General Table no other then having any thing Else given for that End and he has never as yet received any part of the sd. Grant of one hundred and forty foure pounds.

Endorsed:

A Copy of Sir Wm. Pepperrells Memorial to the Great and Gl. Court.

VOL. II-C

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE EARL OF

MY LORD,

HOLDERNESS 1

Boston, January 7, 1754.

I have the honour of Your Lordship's letter dated 28th August last, signifying to me, "that His Majesty had received information of the march of a considerable Number of Indians, not in his alliance, supported by some Regular European Troops, intending, as was apprehended, to commit some hostilities on parts of His Majesty's dominions in America, and directing me to use my utmost diligence to learn how far the same may be well grounded, and to put me upon my guard, that I may at all events be in a condition to resist any hostile attempts, that may be made upon any parts of His Majesty's dominions within my Government" signifying likewise "that it is the King's Royal will and pleasure that I should keep up an exact correspondence with all His Majesty's Governors on the Continent; and in case I should be informed by any of them of any hostile attempts; that I should immediately assemble the General Assembly within my Government, and lay before them the necessity of a mutual assistance, and engage them to grant such supplies as the exigency of affairs may require'

In obedience to His Majesty's pleasure I have used my utmost diligence to learn how far the information of the March of the Indians and Troops mentioned in your Lordship's letter may be well grounded, together with their designs and destination: and the result of my inquiry is contained in the inclosed paper No 1. to which I beg leave to referr Your Lordp.

I have taken the necessary measures for putting the Militia of the province into a readiness for His Majesty's service, in

1 Original, P. R. O., C. O. 5, 14. Printed: Docts. rel. Col. Hist. N. Y. 6, 822. A transcript from the original in the Public Record Office is in the Parkman Papers in the Mass. Hist. Society. 2 See ante, p. 12.

case of any sudden exigency; and have recommended to the Assembly to make provision for putting several Forts and Garrisons into a proper posture of defence, and communicated to them His Majesty's Royal pleasure concerning his Colonies upon this Continent, giving mutual assistance to each other, in case of any hostile attempts against any of them.

In answer to this they have sent me a Message; a copy of which marked No 2. I have taken the liberty of inclosing to Your Lordship in order to be layd before His Majesty according to the Assembly's request, provided your Lordship shall judge that proper to be done.

I likewise take upon this occasion, the liberty to observe to your Lordship that tho' I am fully persuaded, that this Province (as the Assembly undertakes for it in their Message) will at all times with great cheerfulness furnish their just and reasonable quota of Men or money towards the assistance of any other of His Majesty's Colonies upon this continent, in case of an invasion or hostile attempt; and can't but hope, from the necessity of an union among all the Colonies for their mutual defence against the common Enemy, that the others may be likewise disposed to do the same; yet, unless it shall be determined by His Majesty, what is each Colony's just quota of Men or Money which it shall raise or contribute in the common cause, when any one or more of them shall be invaded, or harras'd by the French or Indians, whether in a time of open declared Warr or not, and they shall be obliged in some effectual manner (as his Majesty shall think most proper) to conform to that determination upon every emergency; yet, I say, My Lord, there seems just reason to apprehend from past experience, that the want of such a settlement, and a method to enforce its taking effect, will be an obstacle to the carrying into execution any general plan for cementing an Union among His Majesty's subjects upon this continent, for the defence of His Majestys territories committed to their trust.

What greatly incourages me to take the liberty of submitting this observation to your Lordship's consideration, is,