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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Giles Rainsford to William Taylor
Rainsford, Giles, b. 1679
March 30, 1714
Volume 02, Pages 121-123

[From North Carolina Letter Book, S. P. G.]
MR. RAINSFORD TO THE SECRETARY


Chowan N. Carolina March 30th 1714

Worthy Sir

Since my arrival here I have writ several letters to the Society according to their directions half yearly & particularly relating to my Mission

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and proceedings in this Government. I can't suppose my letters to have miscarried by reason of my Bills being protested by the Treasurer as soon as exposed to view I can't but think this is severe usage considering the inexpressible hardships and inconveniences it exposes me to I need not tell you that neither Mr. Urmstone nor myself has ever received anything by way of support by the contribution of the Inhabitants but my own particular losses have been considerable in this Government whether I respect the horses I have lost here the great expenses I have been at for a guide to inform me in the road (which has been no less than £20 yearly) my everlasting fatigue in going by water and hiring hands and now the great misfortune of having my Bills protested. This last particular had almost ruined me by destroying my credit which has been upheld ever since my arrival by that worthy Gentleman Mr. Edmund Kearney out of profound respect to the Society and now this every thing not only exposes me to want but even to the dangers of a Gaol—The fatigue of being an itinerant I am not able longer to undergo and have accordingly quitted the 25th of this instant the Societys employ I designed instantly home but can't possibly leave America till Mr. Kearney is every satisfied for the sum̄e he has lent me—

It's well however known to the Society that I left an excellent cure in England—That I came here not out of necessity but choice not for interest but conscience when I entered into their employ and I had rather serve the Society 7 year gratis than to let this Gentleman suffer for his undeserved civilities I am now with him in order for Virginia where I shall supply some vacant Parish till I receive an answer to this and accordingly have sent those two Bills a second time which have been once protested hoping that Honble body will consider my condition in so remote and helpless an abode and pay them now punctually to Mr. John Porterfield that I may be easy under these heavy and almost insupportable circumstances I have put the two forty pounds bills into one Eighty pounds that it may be less troublesome to the Treasurer—There is this last half year due to me still with the preceeding half year that I have not heard of tho' drawn for this I shall omit drawing for till I see Coll Nicholson who is expected in two months time I formerly mentioned my readiness to serve the Society in any other part of America except this of North Carolina provided I may be a settled Incumbent and have no greater difficulties to grapple with than the rest of my brothers employed in this service I now sincerely offer myself to any place the Society shall please to appoint me I have faithfully and conscientiously discharged my duty during my continuance in these parts and at the first return to

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answer to this shall go to Britain unless the Society disposes of me as I propose—

The Colony is now at peace the whole body of the Indians being entirely destroyed—I never yet received a Book of Mr. Adams's Mr. Sanderson who had them at his death having disposed of them to those who neither will use them nor return them Madm Hyde sold me all the Societies Books committed to her care for Eggs Butter &c. when they were to be disposed of gratis according to the interest of the Society—

I can safely say that my lodging for the best part of my time in this Government was in an old Tobacco house & exposed to even in my bed the injuries & violence of bad weather with infinite other inconveniences only to settle myself where I thought I had an opportunity of doing most good.

Mr. Urmstone told me he immediately designed home soon after the arrival of Coll Nicholson and truly I don't see how the country any way deserves a Missionary among them for behave yourself with the greatest caution and reserve and shew the fairest example of a Christian life yet notwithstanding they'l traduce slander and bely you and if you seriously tell them of their faults theyll not only absent themselves from Divine service but as much as in them lies hinder others from the performance of what God and religion require at their hands I once more entreat your Venerable body the Society that my Bill may be paid in order to my future quiet and I shall ever acknowledge it to be highly charitable and condescending in them for so distinguishing an act of their bounty and goodness shewn to their Missionary as well as most grateful most obliged thankfull

humble servant
GILES RAINSFORD Miss:

I formerly writ to be discharged from this cue and if the Society took it into consideration as I suppose they did and discharged me at their Board there remains their bounty of a years salary (as appears by their collection of paper) which I presume is intended to carry me home