Hender Molesworth letter to William Blathwayt, 1686 October 5

Last night arriued Captain Jones, by whome I haue yours
of the 8th. & 18th: July, the first of which was a large packet with diuerse Inclosed
papers, for which I thanke you.

To understand that his Majestie and great Ministers have been pleased to thinke
well of my Seruices, is matter of the greatest Comfort & Satisfaction I haue
had in my Whole Government. But to be Advised at the same tyme that
his Majestie was giueing away my Sallary, (I mean the halfe thereof) if not the
Perquisites, is altogeather as great a discouragment especially Since there are
soe few Examples of it, (if any at all haue hitherto been,) that a Cause soe
disputeable should be determin'd with the heareing only of one Party,
wherein I haue still this hope left me, That in such Cases, his Majestie
hath neuer refused to heare the Petition of the greiued Party, upon due
Applicacion to be made

Wherefore I desire you to lay this matter before theire Lordships of the Committee,
whome I most humbly beseech to take the same into theire Most Serious
Consideracions, when they cannot faile to finde the difference between
my Case, & Such Lieutenant Governors, as must Necessarily be intended by the Order
of Councell (1682) which can bear noe Other Interpretacion, then that the Leivtenant
Gouernor there mentioned must be dependent upon an Absent Governor that hath
neither Sir Phillip Howard could nor my Lord Duke of Albemarle can
any way pretend unto, for that to Suppose otherwise, must be to inferre also,
that

[Page 2]

That they were Actually Governors as soon as theire Comission's were Signed,
and all publique Acts by me done after that time consequently be voyd & of
noe Effect, And it may be father considered,

That by my first Comission upon the death of Sir Thomas Lynch, I was
virtually (tho' not titularly) Governor Absolute without dependance upon any
absent Governor whatsoeuer, for that I was to Governe by the Same
powers & Instructions, as Sir Thomas. Lynch. did, whose Instruction's directing
what his Sallary Should bee, giues me the Same right unto it, that he would
haue had if he had liu'd,

That my latter Comission from his present Majestie (whom God preserve) differs
not in Effect from my former, Only in this particuler, to my advantage
that it is lesse dependant, and determines not with the Comission of the Cheife Governor

To Strengthen which, In Some farther manner, The Duplicate of Sir PP.
Howards Commission & Instruction's Were sent me, & I invested with the Same to all
intent's & purposes whatsoeuer, which must remaine in force untill the arrivall
of the Comission of a new Cheife Governor

Besides all which I beseech theire Sage Lordships to Consider That this
Sallary is not paid out of his Majesties Treasury in England but out of his
Revenue here Raysed by an Act which declares it to be for the Support of the
Goverment and noe Other use Whatsoever, expecting what is set apart
for the fortificacions

That I alone haue borne that charge of the Goverment and (upon a full beleife
that the whole Sallary was unquestionably my due,) liu'd up unto it,
in as Credible a manner as [illegible] Captain Generall's haue done before me,

Wherefore should it be giuen against mee, It would fall soe much the
heveir upon me,

And what the Consequences may be of perverting the Intencion of the act,
by giueing Occation to future Assemblyes to deny other Supplyes here:
after, either for Generall or perticuler users, when the cannot be safe in the
Applicacion

[Page 3]

Applicacion thereof. Are much easier to be judged of by theire Lordships
then guest at by me, Yet if I am not deceiued in my observacions,
I haue known them alwayse ready, to lay hold on any such pretence that
might but Serve for an Excuse against the rayseing of mony

These being layd before theire Lordshipps Consideracion's my farther peticion
is, That they would be pleased to recommend the matter unto his most Gra
cious Majestie with theire Lordships Sense upon it, That if his Majestie shall
out of his Royall Goodness, be pleased thereupon to graunt unto his most
humble & Loyall Supplicant, either of These request's vizt.

That in case of a former Order past against me, unheard, a new one may be
Issued to Suspend the Execucion of the other untill both party's shall be heard at
the Councell Table,

Or otherwise that his Majestie would be pleased soe to Moderate the former
Order, that Sir Phillip pretend to noe part of my Sallary but from the Date
of his Comission to the day of his death In like manner (if the Duke of
Albemarle shall haue pretended & obteind by Sir Phillips Example) I desire
only the same thing, & that it may take place according to his Commission.

Which being the Shortest way of puting an End unto it, and I being willing
to avoyd all disputes herein haue most humbly Offer'd this Medium,
hopeing that his Majestie upon Consideracion of the premises, may at last
thinke these Gentlemen Sufficiently gratified this way, out of the labour's
& charges of the acting Governour

And if any thing should be mencion'd (in opposicion unto this) of my Perqui
sites by the Spanish Trade which envious fame hath too much Magnified soe
as to make up my Losses by the Sallary, I desire it may be Considered, That That
Trade hath been wholy produced by my Credit, in my Merchant Capacity,
without which, there would haue been neither trade nor perquisite

Whateuer his Majestie shall be pleased to determine herein, Upon theire Lordships
Representacion thereof, I shall for euer rest Satisfied in it,
And doe