William Byrd letter to William Blathwayt, 1698 September 1

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This serues chiefly to accompany my accompany my Accounts
which had been sent sooner, but many of our Ships comeing
in late, & Tobacco scarce, were forced to stay long for their Ladeing
the Ballance of the Account of the 2s per Hogshead &ca is still very considerable
altho in this Account is nothing charged but what was established
ere my time, Severall claims for Messages &ca not brought in;
therefore I hope the Lords of the Treasury will bee pleased to giue
an Order for transferring the said Ballance to the Account of Quitrents
wherein I humbly beg your favourable Assistance, since its other=
wise impossible the ordinary Revenue will Support the
established charges of the Government, His Excellency hath ^ ^taken all
possible care, to retrench all superfluous charges; And I haue allway's
faithfully indeavoured to advance the Revenue what lay in
my power, So that were itt on an equall foot, I doe not doubt
but it would defray the Ordinary charge, if nothing extroardinary
intervenes I giue you hearty thanks for your kind respects to my
Son, who I hope will allways endeavour to meritt your esteem,
I thanke ^ ^God all our Government in peeaces, & the Southern parts of itt
well contented. I am with all Sincerity

Inclosed is Exchange for your Salary

Virginia
September the 1st. 1698

Mr Blathwayt

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Virginia 1 September 1698
From Collonell Bird