Isaac Addington letter to William Blathwayt, 1696 September 22

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I had the honour of yours of the 8th of February past, by which I am made sensible
of the renewed Obligations you have laid me under by your imerited Favours, and Shall
seek occasion to manifest the real demonstration of my hearty gratitude for the same

It is no small Satisfaction unto me That my sincere Endeavours for the promoting his
Majestys Service find acceptaince & makes me with the more alacrity undergo the Fatigue of the
extraordinary attendance and buisness which the present difficult Circumstances of the Province
calls for in my Station. the Perquisits for which are not so great as to excite the Emulation
of any that may seek the same

Sr. The report of the late horrid and detestable Conspiracy against his Majestys good sacred
person and Government was no less astonishing and amazeing to his Majestys good Subjects
here, than the Joy wherewith they entertained the Intelligence of the timely discovery &
defeatment of the same, whcih We happily received at the same time. The Lieutenant Governor
forthwith issued out Dedimus Potestatem to the Justices in the several Countys to administer
the Oaths appointed to be taken instead of the Oaths of Allegiance & Supremacy
according to Act of Parliament unto all Male persons of the age of 18 yeares that had
not before taken the same, which was accordingly performed; and a Day of publick
Thanksgiving has been appointed and kept throughout this Province for so signal and
merciful a Providence, The General Assembly now sitting do by this Conveyance
forward their Congratulatory Address upon that Occasion being the first opportunity
has presented since the Arrival of that Intelligence, and have also subscribed the
Association established by Act of Parliament For the better Security of his Majestys Royal person & Governmen

The several Letters and Orders of the Right Honorable the Lords of his Majestys most Honorable
Privy Council transmitted by Mr Povey came Safe to hand and in Obedience to his Majestys
Commands The Act of Parliament for preventing Frauds & Regulating Abuses in the
Plantation Trade has been published here. And the General Assembly have under
Consideration the Laws which have been disallowed with the particular Reasons given
in their Lordships Letter for repeating the same in order to an Amendment. The
variation betwixt the Charter and the Precept made to be sent forth by the Sheriff
for Electing Representatives observed by their Lordshipps is not in the Charter under
the

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The broad Seal brought over by Sir William Phips, and published here at the Entrance
of the present Government, that makes the qualifications of Electors of Assembly men to be
a Freehold worth forty Shillings per annu or, other Estate to the value of Forty pounds Sterling
what Mistake is therein, hapned in that Engrossment of the Charter the Precept being made
agreable thereto. The Assembly are also preparing an Address unto his Majesty to
lay before him the State of this his Province and to supplicate his Royal Aid which
they hope to send forward by the Mast Fleet

Sr: The Enemy have made Such Impressions upon the Province this last Summer
first by the takeing of the Newport Frigat and afterwards the unfortunate loss of
Pemaquid Fort (a particular Narrative whereof will be transmitted by the Lieutenant Governor)
and the mischiefs done by Sculking parties of the Indians, and the great Scarcity of
Provisions, the principal part of the Harvest being lost by Blast & the unseasonableness
of the Weather that People here are under wonderful discouragements being reduced to
great poverty, and many remove into the more Southern Plantations, where they hope
to live less exposed to the rage of the Enemy and more free from Taxes

There is now a force of near Five hundred effective men under the Conduct of
Lieutenant Colonel Hathorne & Major Benjamin Church, together with his Majestys Ship Arundel
the Province Gally and two other Vessells equipped for War and Several Transports
abroad in the Easterne parts of this Province towards Nova Scotia, to make some
Attempt upon the Enemy, And to endeavour the removeing of the French Garrison
setled upon Johns River and the surprizing of the great Ordnance & other Warlike
Provision and Stores lately brought thither from France, further to enforce that River,
from whom We have had no Intelligence since their departure, if it please God to
Succeed them in that Enterprize it may much conduce to his Majestys Service

Upon the Notice of the two French Ships of War that Surprized the Newport
and afterwards came to Pemaquid, being on this Coast, his Majestys three Frigats the
Arundel, Sorlings & Orford joyned by a Merchant Ship taken up for his Majestys Service
mounted with 36 Guns, the Province Gally &; a Fireship were forthwith sent forth in
quest of & for the attacking them, and hapned to come in Sight of the Road at
Mount Desart, where they together with the Newport were lying at Anchor which
put them into great Confusion & distraction, and to worke to get out the Wind dying away
our Ships by all their Endeavours (being becalm'd) could not reach the Road, the French
having a Small Breeze off the high Land, in the night got out, and were descried the next
day by our Ships who lay becalm'd until afternoon at which time the Sea Breze
came up, and then gave Chase and fetcht upon the Enemy who when night came
on altered their Course and the next day proving very foggy, ours lost Sight of the
French, who stood off into the Sea, and two dayes after Surprized three Fishing
Vessells

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Vessells bound home from Cape Sables, one of which they sold to the men to bring them
home, and gave them an Accoountt that they were chased by his Majestys Frigats & feared
it if had not been for the Fogg they should have been taken & continued to make the most
advantage of their sailing to the Eastward expecting the Frigats were in pursuit of them.

We have the report of the two Squadron of French Ships of War in the West Indies
hope the near Approach of the Winter may prevent their visiting of this Coast
The Lieutenant Governour upon receipt of the Signification from the Right Honorable the Lords
of the Council of the desinges from France to make some Attempts upon the parts of
America gave necessary Orders for the putting of all things in the best posture for defence
and the publick Fortifications are repaired and set in good Order. The Expectations
from time to time of the Speedy Arrival of his Majestys Governour has been some
hindrance to the puting forward some things that may be for our better Security.
The Province is in a very poor and distrest Condition and his Majestys Interest there in
danger to be exposed unless Supported by early Supplys of Ammunition and other
Warlike Stores the next Spring, and some Ships of War of greater force than those at
present assigned to this Station which I suppose will be humbly represented & laid
before his Majesty by the General Assembly in their Addresses

I have transmitted by Captain Fleetwood Emes Commander of his Majestys Ship the
Sorlings Convoy to this Fleet the Minutes of Council and Journall of the General
Assembly with the Laws last made by them the Treasurers Accountts of the year
1695. and Duplicates of what I forwarded by Captain Beard who sailed hence in May
last, what comes in the Sorlings is committed to the care of the Captain with a Short
Letter directed unto your Honour who I confide will deliver them with Speed God
God sending him Safe. I have his Receipt for the Same.

I am pressed with the buisness of the General Assembly now sitting and the dispatch of
their Addresses and Applications unto his Majesty to be forwarded by this Fleet but hope to
gain some time before their Sailing to give your Honor a further Accountt of what may
occur in the interim, and Shall also write to Mr Povey but being desirous of dispersing
my Letters into Several Ships for fear of miscarriage, was loth to fall behind hand least
I Should miss the opportunity. I crave leave to kiss your hand, Wishing you all happiness
I am in all Sincerity.

Mr. Blathwayt

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Massachusetts Bay
22 September 1696
From Mr Addington
Received 3 December 1696