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Revd Sir

Since my arrival in Carolina I have heard from no one friend, nor any of my friends (but once) from me our ports as well as Courts of Justice are shut up & all business at a stand & this ever since the 1st of Novr & God knows how long it may continue.

Two vessels are about to sail one tomorrow for Portsmouth with dispatches for the government & the other for London with Naval Stores on Thursday next. This comes by the former by the latter I write Dr Burton

My situation at present is no further agreeable than as his Excellency our worthy Governor & the most amiable of women his Lady endeavor to render it so

At present I have no other certain income than what I receive from the society our public disturbances are risen to such an height

& the consequences of them are such as you can form but little conception of

The vestry have voted me £133: 6: 3 per annum currency (a guinea is £4 21) but I have no other security for the payment of that salary than their honor as no agreement enter'd into can now be legal without stamp'd papers & the honor of this Country is but a poor basis to build any great hopes on.

I cannot have the cure of Wilmington tho' join'd in the mission as that town is the Capitol of another County and pluralities are not known in these parts.

Our Govr writes by this opportunity to the Society & incloses an handsome sum in a Bill on Messrs Drummonds at Charing Cross & desires to be admitted a Member of the Society, he is one of the worthiest of men & has the interest of religion much at heart. He has lately procured an Act of Assembly for the better encouragement of the Clergy he has rais'd their salaries to the sum within nam'd & has happily got the right of Induction vested in the Crown

I have genteel apartments assigned me in the Governor's house & I thank God live extremely happy in the family

I judge it proper to acquaint you that one Stevens a Scotch Presbyterian teacher, comes in this vessel to get orders. I did propose to give you some very particular account of him but the Captain waits for the Letter & will not give me time to say more than that this Stevens has ill used the Governor affronted all the King's Council (but one Scotch gentleman) most villainously abused me & now comes to apply to the Bishop of London for orders without any recommendation to his Lordship you'll be able to form some judgment of the man when I tell you he has several times preach'd here in a Lawyers old gown given him at Wilmington to make some waistcoats of he has I assure you Sir baptized several children in the character of a Clergyman of the Church of England which before I came he had the impudence to assume & upon my detecting him he said in public Company he would go home to London, would make a genteel present to the Bishop & knew he could get an order from his Lordship to supersede me in my mission this he afterwards told me himself & he told some of the King's Council here anyone might get orders on making a Bishop a present of the price of a good Beaver Hat—which he intended doing, he came here a distress'd stranger the Govr took pity on him & promised to recommend

him to the Society if he behaved well for some time & also give him 50 guineas to bear his expences but his Excellency soon saw into the man forbid him his presence & will never suffer him to take a living here if he should get ordained.

The times are so distracted that I cannot possibly propose a negro school. I beg my best respects may be given to good Mr Skinner and family and my good friend Mr Hopkins & his very amiable family

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