USA > Delaware > Sussex County > Some records of Sussex County, Delaware > Part 20
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Society: Then the said Letters were read: Agreed that notice be given to Mr. Black that the Society is contented their Books should lye in his hands till further Ordr.
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20th APRIL, 1711 .- Also another [letter] from Mr. Black dated-Accomake in Virginia 30th Septr. 1710 owning the Receipt of the Secretary's wherein he is ordered to remove to Appoquiminick, but prays to be excused being In- stituted & Inducted into the parish where he is, and in which he will continue while he lives in America: That he has the Society's Library and prays it may be given his Parish; but if that can't be obtained will deliver it to ye Society's Order on the receipt of his Bond he gave for the same: and lastly desires what moneys are due to him from the Society may be paid to his Order.
Also another from the Vestry of Appoquiminick dated 15th Septr. 1710 importing Mr. Black's being settled at Accomake and his Resolution of continuing there; there- fore pray to be supplyed with another Missionary: The Comee Agreed to lay this Letter before the Society and to move them that if Mr. Clubb appears to be qualifyed he may be removed to Appoquiminick and Mr. Humphrys to suc- ceed him in Oxford in Pensylvania and that the Library in Mr. Black's hands be sent either to Appoquiminy or Oxford, if either of those places want the same: Agreed to, and that Mr. Humphrys have an allowance of fifty pounds p. ann: commencing from Ladyday last, and five pounds worth of small Tracts for the use of his people; and as to Mr. Black's demand, and the disposal of the Library above- mention'd it is hereby refer'd to the Comee to consider and report their opinion thereof.
10th OCTOBER, 1712 .- Another from Mr. Black at Ac- camick ye 7 July 1711 .- says he has wrote several Letters but has had no answer-that ye Society is still in his debt a years Salary for serving at Sussex-and his bill protested tho' his removal was approv'd .- Thinks the reason may be because of his delay in Transporting himself from hence to Sussex which he says was impossible, or in not obeying the Orders of ye Society in removing to Appoquimick, which Letter did not reach him till a year after his being where he is, and where he contracted debts, and promis'd to stay .- That his circumstances are hard-prays the paymt of his mony & desires to be anointed ye Society's Missionary and that he may have some Common Prayer Books-Offers to serve ye Society in what they shall command him.
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COPIES OF LETTERS FROM MR. WM. BLACK.
Messrs Black & Jenkins to the Secretary.
HOND. SIR .- We presume from the Countenance and favour where- with you and the rest of the honourable Society have entertained and employed us in this Mission, it might be your Expectation to hear from us before now; we therefore humbly crave your pardon for not writing to you sooner and at once do as humbly beg leave by you to acquaint the honble Committee with our ill success, having made no further progress in our Voyage than Torbay, where the whole Fleet now lye at Anchor in expectation of a fair and favourable wind; In the mean time nothing will be more grievous to us, than the pitifull treatment we get aboard, being in no respect better accommodated than the most ordinary Common Sailors, so much beneath and unbe- coming the dignity of our profession, that we are loth, or indeed almost ashamed to trouble you with mentioning the Particulars of it, know- ing not how it can be remedied; the whole provision which we made for our selves being now exhausted, and have not wherewith to get a new supply, without making further Intrusion upon the Societies bounty, however we only pray we may be considered as their Honours shall think fitt, knowing it is our duty (how necessitous and pressing soever our present circumstances be) to rest fully satisfyed with the will of God, and to continue unanimously in all due respects to your- self and all the Honble Society
Dear Sr Your faithfull Missionaries & most obedt humble Servants,
THOMAS JENKINS WILLIAM BLACK
TORBAY, From on Board the Ruby. Augst ye 13th, 1707.
We humbly beg your answer here or elsewhere as you can get Information of the Fleet.
Directions are
To JNO. CHAMBERLAYNE, ESQR.
Mr. Black to ye Secretary.
SPITHEAD ABOARD YE RUBY, 30th August 1707.
HOND. SR .- Having lately wrote to you conjunctly with Mr. Jen- kins from Torbay, fearing then what is now to our grief come to pass; We were in great hopes that by this time we should have been pro- ceeding with the rest of the Fleet, in our Voyage, but that very day we designed to have sailed, there came an Order that the Chester and Ruby shou'd return for Spithead. Wee have lived aboard these 14 weeks, and have endured such hardships as come little short of Cap- tivity itself; the little money we had reserved for carrying us after our arrival at Virginia, to our respective places, we cou'd not possibly avoid the spending of; and being now destitute of every thing for to provide for our voyage, we are necessitate to request for assistance from the Honble Society, which otherways, considering their former bounty to my self in particular, I cou'd not without Chefhing desire. The sad treatment we have all of us met with has almost ruin'd our
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healths already, and if we be not supplyed and shou'd continue aboard may lay the foundation of sickness, which may make all our under- takings prove abortive; The uncertainty of the Admiralty in their Orders, has determined us (least we shou'd be disappointed a second time) to go aboard a Merchantman, but our money is at so low an Ebb, that we cannot come ashoare; hoping Sr. that your Answer will be suitable to my necessity. I am with all humility and duty
Yours and the Honble Societies Missionary & most humble Servant,
WM. BLACK.
Directions are
To JNO CHAMBERLAYNE, ESQR, &c.
Messrs Black & Jenkins to the Secretary. PORTSMOUTH, 28th Octr. 1707.
SR .- The many misfortunes and discouragements we have met with, which seem still to be continued with the melancholy News of our Dear Brother Mr. Cr Cordiner and his family being carried into ffrance, and our present Disappointment here at Portsmouth, is the reason of our troubling you at this time. By the advice we had from the Gentlemen of the Admiralty office we came here. But the Oxford is not come yet to Spithead, and it being the opinion of many here that the Virginia fleet will not touch at Portsmouth, We humbly crave your and the Honble Society's advice what it is best for us to do in our present Circumstances. The Captain of the Bristol promis'd to take us both aboard his ship to the Downs where the Oxford lies, but he has to our great grief left us behind; Our being disappointed by him can't be imputed to any Negligence in us, for we waited upon him every day, and went once aboard his ship, we spake to him the night he sailed hence, at which time he told us he was not to sail for three days tho' he went off that very night; We add no more but that we are heartily sorry, and condole our disappointments from time to time and that we are very sensible of your own kindness, hoping that all the Dispensations of Gods Providence will teach us submission to him and Obedience and thankfulness to our Honorable Benefactors We are in all humility and Sincerity
Your and their faithfull Missionaries & humble Servants.
WM BLACK THO. JENKINS
Superscribed
To JNO. CHAMBERLAYNE, ESQR., &c.
Mr. Black to the Secretary. PLYMOUTH, 3rd Jany. 1707.
SR .- The Reason why I have not troubled you with an acct. of my Circumstances, since I was last at London is, because the last Letter that Mr. Jenkins and I wrote, (tho' we knew not the Spring of the bad resentmt of some of the Society,) had such an effect as to produce an ill understanding betwixt some particular Members and us, as if we had prodigally lavish'd away the money we had from the Honble Society. We are sure that we have done justly and candidly by representing things as they really were, for none of the money we have put to bad uses, as the accots of our disbursmts we have by us, if we may be believed can testify. Our whole dependance being upon the Honble
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Society, and having no other way to unfold our Condition, but by representing the matter of Fact, we hope that the Honble Society will not take it ill that urgent necessity has again enforced us par- ticularly myself again to address them. For Mr. Jenkins being Chap- lain of the Oxford in which I am a Passenger has upon that accot had I suppose some money advanced him at Portsmouth which I cou'd not have. I confess that none of the Missionaries have been so troublesome as we, but if it be consider'd that our case is extraordinary having waited for Transportacon since the beginning of April, the Providence of God being also extraordinary wth respect to our Voyage for it is better to be here as we are, than to have been carried into France in the Ruby. We have used all means that human Industry cou'd Invent for saving money and attaining our end, but who can fight against the winds or resist his Will? I hope, all this consider'd, our humble desire for supply having no other Outgate, will appear by this time both reasonable and excusable, which that it may appear evidently I crave pardon to give a brief but true accot. of some of the Difficulties we have encounter'd since we left London. When we came to Portsmouth it was reported by all, that this Fleet then com- ing from the Downs was not to touch there, which laid us under a necessity of going aboard the Ipswich which was to meet the Fleet We thence went aboard the Oxford for which we had an Order, but she having run aground, went into the Dock, which cost us infinite Fateigue and trouble, then we went on Board the Guernsey where we were tormented by the ill treatment we reced and to sum up all our unhappyness, Capt. Huntington Commander set us a shoar; The Fleet being ready to sail, we went on Board a Merchant Man, then fearing We shou'd have lost our Passage We went aboard the Flagg Sr. John Norris Admiral who indeed of all that we met with pay'd us most respect and civility, what money this trouble from Ship to Ship cost us-can scarcely be believed by any but us who payd it. We have been universally hated because of our close adherence to the Honble Society their Orders to us in reproving the open and avow'd debaucheries of wicked and unreasonable men, being now reduced to our old Circumstances of Poverty, our engagement with the Honble Society puting us out of the way of all employment for our Sustenance. I humbly desire, Dear Sr, that you wou'd represent our Condition especially mine, upon the aforesd accot. that they the Honble Society may send us some assistance, for without it I am like to proceed no farther if the Fleet continue any time; Our treatment on Board is the same wth that of Common Sailors, which we wou'd never complain off if it were not Observ'd by others, who look upon us as ye veryest Wretches in the World being, as the world for the most part is, ready to measure a Man's happyness according to his Circumstances. Now if any of us shou'd miscarry, in this Mission, which God forbid, hav- ing done all and suffer'd all that Humane Nature can support, we cannot be chargeable of mismanagement. Wishing all happyness imaginable to your and your Family & an Imortal reward to each member of the Honble Society. I continue as ever
Your & their very humbe Servt WM. BLACK.
P. S .- DEAR SIR :- I hope you will honour me with an Answer, for our Necessities cry aloud for it, being never in such Circumstances as at present, not being able so much as to pay for a Boat from Shoar
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aboard. I am afraid that my Exigency will make me Contract debt wch I ever avoided as the last & worst of Shifts. I must tell you that both Mr. Jenkins and my Books reced from ye Honble Society are mightily damnifyed by being tossed from Ship to Ship. We are to be found on Board the Oxford riding in Plymouth Sound.
Mr. Black to the Secretary.
KICKATAN IN VIRGINIA 19th June, 1708.
HONOR'D SIR .- By the blessing of God we are now arrived here after a long and tedious Passage; there has bin such a Mortality on Bord our Ship the Oxford that we have buryed 30 men, & near 100 are dangerously sick. Mr. Jenkins was sick almost six Weeks, but is now recover'd and as well as ever, as for myself, I have not had one hour of sickness since I left England, and seem to be cut out by Providence for any Country. We are now using all means for geting as soon as possible to Pensilvania, where by the assistance of Divine Grace, I shall endeavour to be as usefull as I can that I may at the same time both discharge my Conscience & answer the expectations of so pious and Honble Society as our Worthy Patrons are. My most humble Service to yourself wishing you long life & prosperity. As for the Honble Society may they long florish & successfully go on in so good a Work, & when they are all to be translated to a better life, may they be succeeded by men of their own piety & care for our holy Religion. I am &c. WM. BLACK.
Mr. Black to the Secretary.
NEW CASTLE ON DELAWARE RIVER 19th July 1708
HOND. SIR .- I wrote to you from Kickatan in Virginia about two weeks agoe since which time I am come so far in my Journey as this place. I have nothing to offer in this than what I said in my last Letter, but that I am hasting down Delaware to Sussex County, only I wou'd rather be guilty of Tautology in writing the same thing than of want of Deference and respect to so Venerable a Corporation as the Honble Society is. Mr. Jenkyns has now left me and is gone to his charge. I am inform'd his Congregation will be very small, the place being so wonderfully divided into Quakers, Independants and Presbyterians; But I hope that the place I am going to will prove less disturbed with Sectaries of any denomination; the contagion of Enthusiasm not having spread itself so far down the Country. I shall in every point, God enabling me, be observant of the Instruc- tions I have already received or shall receive from the Honorable Society. I pray God to bless all my Benefactors and yr self & Family in particular. I am in all Sincerity
Honor'd Sr. Your most Obedt humble Servt WM. BLACK.
Mr. Black to the Secretary. ANNAPOLIS, June 7th, 1709.
HONOR'D SIR .- I rece'd a Letter from you wth an account of some of the Transactions of the Society, to which long ago I wrote an answer, since which time (May 7th) the ffrench have been among
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SOME RECORDS OF SUSSEX COUNTY.
us, and have Pillaged the Town, and ruin'd the people; and I with great difficulty escaped: I was fain for my security to fly about 30 Miles upon Sunday the 8th May. The County in all places where 'tis inhabited lies open to the Sea so that there is no safety there. The Captain of the privateer is one Monsr Le Croix, the number of the Men is 120, with 4 Guns, and we are threatened by another Ship of the same force with a Man of War from old ffrance. The people have not contributed one farthing for my maintenance since I came; I've reced nothing from them, & those who subscribed are mostly ruin'd, so that now I cannot expect they shou'd give me any thing, since they were unwilling to subscribe when they were of Ability. I drew upon my Attorny my Salary for this year, before this encident happen'd, and indeed the £50 allowed me amounts to about £30 here, since ev'rything we buy is sold at the rate of 4 or 500 p. cent. I have been here now one year and am forced with the permission of my Lord of London to settle myself in our neighbouring Province of Maryland. I had my recourse to his Excellency the Governor of the Province who received me as he dos all clergymen, with great civility and has promised to provide for me, till such time as my Lord of London sends me a Lycence, at which time I am to be Legally establish'd, and since I cannot help my leaving Sussex, I hope that the Honble Society will not wthdraw their Bounty but continue it, as I shall to serve God & the Church according to my ability, where God in his providence shall cast my Lott. Mr. Crawford & Jenkins live on the same River but are far removed from Danger, but we lying at the very Capes become a prey to every Enemy that comes that way. The Quakers who are very numerous will neither resist themselves nor contribute to the maintenance of those that willingly wou'd. Wishing to yourself and all my very good Benefactors health and happyness here & hereafter I am
Your & their faithfull Missionary & humbe Servt.
WM. BLACK.
Mr. Black to Ld. Bp. of London.
ANNAPOLIS, 7. June. 1709.
MY LORD .- Having this Opportunity I thought it my duty to acquaint your Lo'p what has happen'd at Lewis Town in Sussex County, being that part of your Lop's Diocese in America to which I was sent. May 7th there arrived a ffrench Privateer of 4 Guns and about 120 Men on Monsr Le Croix being Captain, who pillaged the Town, and has laid wast all the parts adjacent; many of the people are fled back into the country, one Man only was kill'd, and it is thought that the dammage they have done to the place amounts to about 63000 the place is threatened to be burn't, for they inform'd the people that there was a Man of War from old ffrance and another Ship of equal force with themselves to be there very soon. I liv'd about one mile from the Town, and was chased from that place out of the County, and the people being mostly quakers, will neither fortify themselves agst their Enemies, nor contribute to the main- tenance of such as wou'd, so that the whole County which is my charge is like to be ruin'd. The people also, as I have inform'd your Lo'p in a Letter of an older date than this, will contribute nothing to my
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subsistence, and the £50 I have from the Society amounts to above £30 here for nothing can be bought at the cheapest hand under 4 or 500 p. cent. and the Church not being establish't by Law in this Province of Pensylvania; no man can live here upon the precarious Contribution of a divided people upon this consideration I had my recourse to his Excellency the Governour of our neighbouring Province of Maryland who rather than that I shou'd return for Britain, has entertained me in Maryland upon condition that your Lo'p by sending me a Lycense to stay here shou'd approve of my removal; so that I beg that your Lo'p will send it me to Anapolis that I may serve God here, since your Lo'p was pleased to send me into these parts. This County of Sussex lyes so open to the Sea that there can be no safety in it; this is the 3rd time the people have been robbed, twice the last Warrs and onct this ; I hope that your Lo'p will prevail wth ye Society to continue my Salary since my removal is caused by meer & unavoidable necessity, wishing your Lo'p long life & health for the good of the Churches here & at home I am
May it please your Lo'p Yor Lo'ps most dutyfull Son & humb Servant. WM. BLACK.
Mr. Black to ye Ld. Bishop of London.
MY LORD .- I wrote to your Lo'p from Annapolis of the date of 16th or 20th of June 1709, and acquainted your Lo'p that I was neces sitate to remove from Sussex County in Pensylvania to Maryland, where I was entertained by the Govr and permitted by him to Of- ficiate in the Parish of Piscataway; But upon my return to Sussex to transport my Books to that place, The French who were the cause of my removal, and who had pillaged and laid wast the Town, were succeeded by another Privateer and prevented my return to Piscat- away, I being to go up the River where they then rode: A little after I was invited by the Vestry of Accomake Parish on the Eastern Shore in the Colony of Virginia to officiate there, where I now am. I was directed by that Vestry to wait upon the President and your Lo'ps Commissary Mr. Blair which I did and was civilly accepted of by them. This parish for about fifteen years having been destitute of a Minister, that I might be the more encouraged to stay with them, addressed the President that I might be inducted into the said Parish, which he granted, so that I am to be Inducted into this Church the 14th of this instant. I told your Lo'p in my last that there is no security for any Minister to live at Lewis Town it lying open to any Enemy; and the people are so divided that they will not allow of any maintenance to a Minister, but willingly entertain Itinerant En- thusiasts and Straglers. Tho' I lived there a whole year, I never reced one farthing from any of them, and shou'd have been in very pityfull circumstances, if I had not had the Society's Salary allow'd me, which being £50 p. Ann: is too little by one half for a Minister who lives there: ffor while the Minister depends upon the precarious contribucon of a very poor people for the greatest part of his Salary, he is forced either to connive at many of their irregular actions, or to lose the next years subscription of every one he displeaseth by re- proving their Vices. I carryed the Society's Books along with me, I offer'd 'em to be preserved for the Society's use, if they to whom
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I shou'd commit the custody of them wou'd have given me their Bond to restore them to such as the Society shou'd give order here- after to receive them: But none of the Chief men there wou'd releive my Bond whereby I am obliged to restore them in such condicon as I received them, reasonable use and other accidents excepted. The Books if the Society shou'd think fit wou'd answer the same design here as there, they being given us for our further encourage- ment. I humbly begg that your Lo'p would be pleased to confirme me in the Cure of the Parish where I now live, for having fforfeited my allowance from the Society by being forced to remove thence. If your Lo'p shou'd think fit to order me back again to Sussex, I shall have nothing to depend upon, so that my Circumstances will be so pressing that contrary to my Inclinations I shall be necessitate to return for Great Britain; that your Lo'p may long continue in life and health to the welfare of the Churches at home and abroad is the prayer of
May it please your Lo'p
Your Lo'ps most dutyfull son & humb servant.
WM. BLACK.
ACCOMAKE, ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE COLONY OF VIRGINIA 8. March. 1710.
AIr. Black to the Secretary.
ACCOMAKE, ON THE EASTERN SHORE IN VIRGINIA, 30th Septr. 1710.
HONOR'D SIR .- I reced yours of the date of Janry 6, 1709, wherein I am ordered by the Society to remove forthwith to Appoquiminick; but I am now living in Virginia on the Eastern Shore about 200 miles from that place, the parish is very large, the people kind and I my- self settled among them: I was here Instituted & Inducted into the parish as in a former Letter I have inform'd you. I have not re- ceived one farthing either from the Society (if they have not answered . my Bill of £50 sterling) or the people of Sussex; for the truth whereof I appeal to the whole County where I lived a whole year; so that the Society is only owing me something more than one years salary. As for my removing, my Circumstances are such that I cannot, and the place and people where I am I like very well, and resolve if nothing prevent me to continue with them while I live in America. If my Bill shou'd be protested, 'tis what I fear'd and therefore was neces- sitate, tho' in great straits, not to make use of the money, which if God spare me, I will faithfully repay. I have served God and the Society in Sussex from the 26th of July 1708, to Augt 1709, since which time I've lived in Accomake in the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I hope Sr. if my money be not paid to my Attorney Mr. Law. Smith of Clifford's Inn that you will pay it according to my Order, for I am so afraid of Bills, that I shall be very Cautious in making use of that way; As for the Society's Books I carryed them with me; I earnestly desire Hond Sir that the Society would be pleased to appropriate them to the parish where I live, for I have very few Books of my own, and the Society will I hope attain their end in so doing. If they shou'd think fit to dispose otherwise of them, I am very ready to
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comply, as it is both reasonable and my duty, with their Orders, only I desire that my Bond may be sent to me whereby I obliged myself to restore them in as good case (ordinary use excepted) as I received them in; this was the reason. I carryed them to Accomake. I offer'd them to the Gentlemen of Sussex if they wou'd have given me their Bond to keep me harmless from that of the Society, if the Books shou'd have been lost or abused. I have had such an exper- ience of the people of Pensylvania that I can never expect any better treatment than I have received, so that I desire that the Society wou'd let me serve God where I am, since God in his providence sent me to this place when I was in as great need of their Temporall, as they of my Spiritual assistance. May God long preserve the Honble Society and prosper their Designs and reward yourself for your kind- ness & civility to me when I was a Stranger. I am,
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