William Byrd letter to William Blathwayt, 1693 January 8

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I received the favour of yours by the Comadore
& shall endeavour to settle Colonel Bacons affair with his Executor;
I find no great difficulty in that matter, the transfering Archers
fine from the two shillings per hogshead to the account of the Quitrents
was the Occasion of all the mistake before.

This serues to accompany the Duplicate of my accounts with the
Warrants sent by the Bristoll ffleet last summer, by which
you will find the Ordinary Revenue much in arrear; which
hpned by the want of the London ffleet, which haueing lost
a year will keep that branch of the Revenue behind hand;
By this ffleet I understand severall Orders are come for the
payment of a great part of the Quitrents that are in Banke;
which shall bee punctually obserued The Government of New Yorke
presses hard upon us, but considering the circumstances of their
Majesty's Revenue here, I doe not see any possibility of our
giueing them farther assistance; The two shillings per Hogshead will
not defray the Ordinary charge of the Government; And for
the Remainder of the Quitrents are all the Government
hath upon any Emergency of Invasion or otherwise.

The Act of 4d per Gallon on Liquours is allmost out, & the Burgesses
(after haueing disposed of what will bee raised that way) would
by no means hear of renewing itt; nor of raising any thing
to assist New Yorke, tho much prest thereto by his Excellency
& the Councell, they being of opinion that Albany is no Security
to us, but that the Government there, haue wholly misrepresented
the matter to their Majesty's; I shall doe what I can to make the
best of the QuitRents, the Tobacco is worth very little, here being no
Ships to carry itt away, therefore fear I shall hardly keep them
att the price they were last year;

(What

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What is order'd to bee transfer'd from the two Shillings per Hogshead
to Quit Rents, will bee some help, but will not bee sufficient to
answer the Loss of a London ffleet, not comeing, therefore hope
the extraordinary charge of mounting the Guns & building the
pouder House may bee allowed out of the Quit Rents, or att least that
you would please to procure an Order for the four Hundred & odde
pounds due to their Majesty's, from the Executor of Coloonel Bacon as their
Majesty's part of negros seized in the Ship Society of Bristoll, to bee
brought to the Account of the Ordinary Revenue here; which will in
some measure help us in this Streight; I shall allways indeavour
to advance their Majesty's Revenue here what lyes in my power;
and Assure you I am

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To the Honorable William Blathwayt Esquire

Virginia
8 January 1693/4
From Collonell Bird
Received 28 March 1694