William Beeston letter to William Blathwayt, 1694 August 26

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This before the Copie of mine to you under that Date by the Mary, the
Duplicate whereof; I then sent by Captain Barrington, and thought it necessary to doe soe now
and to remitt you the same papers I there mention because the times are soe hazardous.
Collonell Stanton, whom I haue Recomended for the Councill is a man of parts, but has much
prevaricated, as you will see by the Papers I haue now Sent, and is under great Suspition
of holding Correspondence with the Enemy, Therefore if his Privy Seale comes, I shall
wave Swearing him in, till I haue further Commands about it: Major Lloyd is soe
putt up with his One dayes Comman, that hee knows not, where to bound his Ambiti
on, and as I heare, has written to England to endeavour the Government, I think I
need not beleive its soe easy for him, who is wholy a Stranger, and but a new Officer
to gett, but if hee could, hee would bee in noe wise acceptable to the people, About which,
I haue said pretty largely to Mr Tutt, Mr Sutton and Blackmore being Suspended till
their Majesties pleasure bee further knowne therein, I cannot finde people fitting (the Island
is now soe thinn) to recommend to that Imployment, but must bee forced to bring in the
Creolians (those borne here) who are very vitious in their Moralls, and loose in their
Liues for want of Education, not Naturall parts, for they are Pregnant enough, I have
therefore recommended for one Mr James Banister the Son of Major Generall Banister
who has a good Estate, and lives very neare this Towne and Convenient to Assist on
all occasions, I now in a large pacquett directed to you, and to Mr Tutt to Convey to you
doe Send all the Acts, that are past under the Broad Seale, the Complaint of an
Englishman at Surrinam, the Deposition against Sutton & Blackmore, Two Letters Copyes
about Collonell Stanton, and what others you will see by the inclosed List; Our Charge of the
Warr will amount to at Least 10000li And the Treasury is soe indebted and the Income
soe small that I cannot gett my small Sallary since the 9th of December last nor doe I
see how it's possible the Island can raise the money, 5 Parishes being disabled & want
great Releife and Assistance to resettle them, besides wee want money to ffortifie, Soe
that if wee haue not money to helpe us, and Shipps and men from England, the people
will bee discouraged and remove to some other parts, and then the Island will bee an easy
Prey to any Invador, Lett mee intreate you therefore to giue us your Assistance, in the
Forwarding of Succors to us; The Keeping of the Shipps from us, that haue been expected
ever since ffebruary last (and yett noe news of them) is a great discouragement to all here as
well as those who owne the Shipps and Goods in England and makes people think wee
are wholy neglected, noe care taken noe recruits of anything sent for the Men
of Warr, Soe that they haue been useless yett, a vast charge to buy all things for
them here, the Obliegeing the Shipps bound hither to Accompany those to Barbadoes, is
the greatest Hardshipp that can bee, for they naturally glory in doeing this Island all the
ill turnes they can, and wee may thank them for the Growing Strength of the ffrench at
Hispaniola, designed purposely for the Ruine of this Island, that they might bring all the
Sugar Trade to themselves, Wee haue many troubles, And I could make many Complaints
but I will leave the rest to another time, and with my humble Service presented you, assure
you, that I am:

Coppy of what I writ by Captain Daniell
The Honourable William Blathwayte Esquire

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Jamaica
26 August: 1694
From Sir William Beeston
Received 1 July 1695