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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Memorial by Christopher Gale concerning the government of George Burrington
Gale, Christopher, ca. 1679-1735
1725
Volume 02, Pages 561-562

[B. P. R. O. Proprieties. B. T. Vol. XI. R. 51.]

To the Honoble the Commrs of His Majesty's Customs.

The Humble Memorial of Christopher Gale late Collector of the Customs of the Port of Beaufort in North Carolina but now by your Honrs Appointmt Collector of His Majtys Customs at Port Carrituck.

Sheweth,

That your Memorialist hath for above two years past executed the Office of Collector within the said Port of Beaufort and had prepared the last quarterly Accounts according to your Honrs Instructions in order to be proved before George Burrington Esqre the present Governor but before he had the opportunity to offer them the said Governor insulted your said Memorialist in a Publick Court then in the execution of his Office of Chief Justice which Office he hath executed within the said

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Province for near twenty years with the general Approbation of all Persons and in a few days after attempted to break into his house one Sunday Morning about break of day with intent as he verily believes to murder him so that your Memorialist was obliged to leave the Government and his Office for the safety of his Life as by the annexed deposition of Persons of undoubted Character and many others ready to be produced (if required) will appear.

Your Memorialist begs leave further to represent that he knows of no reason he has ever given to the said Governor for such usage unless it be for supporting the Naval Officer and Collector of his Majesty's Customs in the Port of Roanoke and advising them (when applyed to as Chief Justice) for the interest of his Maytys Revenue and Support of Trade when they were the One of them imprisoned and the other publickly threatned and insulted for only doing the Duty of their Office.

One instance in particular your Memorialist thinks it indispensably his duty to inform your Honours of, is a seizure made in the Port of Roanoke by the said Governor himself in Person of a small vessell belonging to Boston in New England Capt. Soaner Master on the fifteenth day of July last for illegal Entry and after keeping her for about two days discharging her again of his own authority without any Tryal your Memorialist therefore humbly prays your Honours will be pleased to make such a representation of the case either to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina or any other the Ministers of State as your Honors shall think proper without which he cannot return to the execution of his Office, but with apparent hazard of his Life from the said Govr and without which it will be impossible for any other the Officers of his Majestyts Customs to doe their duty.

Vera Copia
J. WHITEHALL