William Phips letter to William Blathwayt, 1692/1693 February 20

[Recto]

By the Captain of the Sammell & Henry, I gave you
an accountt that I had ordered directed the Secretary, to send
for England, duplicates of the Lawes then passed, & have now
ordered, what hath been passed this Last session to be sent
also, that they may have their Majesties Royall approbacion;
not being versed in Law, I have depended upon the Lievtenant Governor
who is apointed Judge of Courts to see that they be exactly
agreeable to the Lawes of England, & not repugnant in any
part, if there be any Error, I know it will not Escape your
observacion, & desire a check may be given for what may be
ammiss. By an Act made the first session, Intituled, an Act
for granting to their Majesties an assessment upon Poles, &
Estates, The fourth Part of the yearly vallue, or income &
tenn Shillings upon each Poll was granted to their Majesties
The assessors did not observe the Act according to its entent,
& according to their returne the Tax fell short of answering
the Publieqs charge; but I rejected the returne, & caused the
matter to be regulated, whereby it will now amount to
thirty thousand Pounds. at my arrivall I found the Threa
sury Empty, & there is little hopes of recruiting during
the war, but hope there will be wayes found out to defray
the Publicqs charge of the Government. I am.

[Verso]

To
The Honorable William
Blathwayte Esquire att
Whitehall

Boston
20 ffebruary 1692/3
From Sr William Phips

Received 24 May 1693
Per Captain [illegible]

The Acts of that Sessions [illegible]

£ 30000 raised by a Pole
tax and quarter of yearly
[illegible]