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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Philip Ludwell to Francis Nicholson
Ludwell, Philip, 1638?-1723?
July 19, 1690
Volume 01, Pages 364-365

[B. P. R. O. America & W. Ind: No. 636.]
COLL: LUDWELL'S Lre TO THE Lt GOVr ABt NORTH CAROLINA. JULY 19th 1690.

Sr

Haveing lately rec̄d a Lettr from ye Deputy Govr Councill of ye Province of North Carolina, dated ye 13th of this inst wch informes me yt Mr John Gibbs did on ye 6th inst come in Albemarle County in ye Province aforesd wth armed men, att ye time when one of their Precinct Courts were sitting, & forbadd ye sd Courts to sitt or act by any Commission but his & seized two of the Magistrates, (ye secretary being one) & by force carried them away prisonrs & doth still so detain them att his house att Caraituck within ye bounds of Virga to ye great disturbance of ye Inhabitants of ye sd County, who immediately putt themselves in Armes to secure ye Country from farther outrages, & recover ye prisonrs again, if they could, But Mr Gibbs haveing conveyed them out of yt into yor Honrs Govermt they durst not pursue him out of their Bounds, without yor Honrs leave, wch makes the Condition of yt poor Country very

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deplorable, being obliged to continue in Armes to defend themselves from farther Injuries, & consequently loose their Cropps, or runn ye hazard of being ruined, if they stand still Mr Gibbs haveing as they are informed near eighty men in armes att his house in Curratuck, ye consequences whereof may be very dangerous, besides ye thing ittself very unwarrantable and whereas Mr Gibbs prtends his arms are only denfensive, yt must appear frivilous when no force has ever appeared agst him, or any violence offer'd him by any person, & as he prtends itt is only in vindication of his right to ye Govermt whatever his right is, certainly he ought to assert itt in another manner, by applying himself to ye Lds Proprietrs who without doubt are ye fittest Judges in that case, & would do him, what right he deserves I doe therefore most humbly pray yor Honr to take what I here present you into yor serious Consideration & give us such relief therein as to yor Honr shall seem most meet & convenient, for a speedy establishing a firm Peace amongst all their Majties subjects, wch will be a very gratefull Office to ye sd Proprietrs & a very great & reasonable favour to all ye Inhabitants of yt Country, & a prticular obligation on

Most Honed Sr:
Yor Honrs most Humble & obedient Servt
PHILL: LUDWELL.
To ye Honble Francis Nicholson Esqr their Majties Lieut. Governr of Virginia.