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My Lords,

I did myself the Honour to inform your Lordships in a letter dated the 17th of last month that I had suspended Nathaniel Rice Esqre Secretary of this Province from his place in the Council and my reasons for so doing were, the preservation of my life and peace of this Countrey. Mr Robert Halton another Councellor haveing been frequently sent for to Council and to attend the Courts, for two years together, and often admonished of his neglects, but still willfully absenting all the time and refuseing to shew cause for his said neglects I thought fit for his Majesties service to suspend him by letter the 26th past. Then there remained Mr Ashe and Mr Gale in this province, and no others who had sate in the King's Council.

On the 27th of September last I swore Coll: Benjamin Hill, Coll: Francis Pugh, Coll: Henry Gaston, Coll. Mac Rora Scarborough into the Council and on the 29th Coll: Daniel Hanmer (nephew to Sir Thomas Hanmer) to whom I have given the Commission of Chief Justice of North Carolina vacant by the death of William Little Esqre Mr John Hodgson is made Attorney General in the room of John Montgomery,

suspended on the 29th past for the innumerable villainys he has committed I forbear writeing more of the said John att this present referring your Lordships to the Council Journals but promise to send the Board of Trade a much fuller account of this man and his companions in villainy Smith and Rice when thereunto required.

Mr Lovick and Mr Little being dead it is now manifest beyond contradiction that they did not profit themselves by selling the lands, as was falsely suggested to his Grace of Newcastle, and Lords of Trade. Both these Gentlemen dyed much in debt and left no money to pay their Creditors.

My Lords I daily expect the Kings leave for my return to England when it arrives shall make haste to London, hope to inform my Lords of Trade of all that is necessary for his Majesties Service in N. Carolina and endeavour to prove myself

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