Oct'r 28th, [1756.]
I have the honour of answering Y'r L're of the 22nd Sept'r, and Y'r private one of the same Date I have carefully perus'd; and, agreeable to Y'r Comands, I have had Y'r Comiss'n as Chief Gov'r of this Dominion publish'd, Recorded, and lodg'd in the Council Office, as also Y'r Admiralty Comiss'n. Y'r Instructions and several Acts of Parliament that was in the Box, I shall take particular Care of till I have the Hon'r of seeing You, or receiv'g Y'r Comands thereon.
When I was appointed Lieut.-Gov'r of this Colony I agreed with the Earl of Albemarle to pay him, Annually, £1,665 Sterl'g. I then c'd not conceive the great Charge and Expence attending my Appointment, from the troubles that have ensu'd, w'ch makes my Expence at least one-third more than my Predecessor; however, I shall not hesitate one Moment of accounting w'th Y'r Ex'cy in the same Manner as I did with L'd Albemarle, and that also from the Date of Y'r Comiss'n—from the 8th of March last till the 8th of November, is 8 Mo's, at the rate of £1,665 per Annum, amo'ts to £1,110 St'g, w'ch I shall remit to Y'r L'd'p's Order in my Own Bill of Excha. on Messrs. John & Capel Hanbury. I therefore shall wait Y'r Directions to whom I shall remit it, and I doubt not this Settlement will fully meet with your Approbation. I am now to acquaint Y'r Ex'cy that I am in a very bad State
of health, and I've lately been siez'd with a Paralytick Disorder in my head that makes me incapable of discharging the Requisites of my Apointm't in so regular and exact a Manner as I c'd wish. Therefore, I desire Y'r L'd'p's Permission to write home for Leave of Absence. This my health [has] required for some time, but [I have] suspended [asking for] it, in hopes of seeing Yo. here. As that is very uncertain, I therefore desire Y'r Permission to write home as above. I was very willing to have Y'r Approbation, and probably You may have some Friend to recomend to succeed me. If so, I shall be oblig'd if You think proper to mention him to me, which I shall in my L'rs write in his favo. if my small Interest can be of any Service. I am sorry my Health obliges me to this Step, and really it gives me a Sensible Concern, as it w'd give me great honor and Pleasure to act under Y'r L'd'p's Directions, and I am convinc'd of this Necessity of hav'g a Lieut.-Gov'r here, while You are engag'd in so arduous Affairs in the Service of our King and Country. I hope for the Hon'r of a Answer, w'ch will oblige,