and I hope your Grace will excuse my repetition of the Danger of it.

I am with the most Dutifull regards

I am much oblig'd to your Excellency for your kind Welcome of me home, which I have now only time barely to acknowledge, the General Court, and my Dispatches for three London Vessells, the last of which I have proms'd shall be dismissed by noon, having unavoidably engross'd my whole time: But I will write to your Excellency most fully, and particularly by the next post; and can only say in the mean time; that both our Governmts have much depending, and we shall I think have our hands full this Winter.

1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Belknap Manuscripts, 61

C, p. 18.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH 1

SIR,

Boston, Decr 31, 1745.

I am to ask pardon for inclosing Mr Warren's and Govr Clinton's Letters by the last post to you, without one line to attend 'em; which was owing to people's crowding in upon me, whom I could not putt off, when Gerish call'd upon me; and I am oblig'd farther to ask your excuse 'till the next post, by which I will endeavour to make you large Amends by a very full answer and acct. of the Situation of our Affairs at Louisbourg, with my sentiments on every-thing very freely; and it is with the greatest pleasure that I shall act in Conjunction with you in every-thing for his Majesty's Service as we have hitherto done.

I have some Dispatches of very great Consequence to us, which I am pushing to get away by a Cork Vessell this Week, and hinders me from writing at large now: The Contents you shall be appriz'd of in my next.

In the mean time I can't think you need be in the least Anxiety for giving your Consent to the Money bills, without his Majesty's special leave, upon so extraordinary an Emergency for his Service; and happily attended with such Success too. I hope on the contrary and doubt not but you will have your just and due Share of his Majesty's favour for the part you have acted on this Occasion, so much to your honour and his Service.

I am with the compliments of the Season (may this coming Year prove as happy to us in our political affairs as the last) to yourself and family; with very great regard and Esteem

Sir,

Your Excellency's most
Obedient Humble Servt

His Excy. Govr. Wentworth.

1

W. SHIRLEY.

Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Society, Belknap Manuscripts, 61 C, p. 18.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH 1

SIR,

Boston, Jany. 20, 1746. [1745/6.]

In answer to your Excy's by the post, The Bills I have as yet drawn are stated at the Exchange of £650 Old Tenour for £100 Sterl, or after the rate of 550 per Cent advance; and are sign'd by Mr Warren and my self: But then I must apprize you that these bills are drawn for Ordnance and other Warlike Stores, which we had no Directions from his Majesty to supply, and stand singly upon the foot of the Service, and it's being a proper Article of Charge upon the Crown; so that the risque of these bills (which you will observe the Merchts take upon themselves and indemnifye Mr Warren and me against) may be deem'd greater than that of those which I shall draw for the Cloathing and Arms which I am directed (as also the other Govrs. are) to supply. When I come to draw the bills for the Cloathing I shall endeavour to raise the Exchange to 600 per Cent advance. But whether I shall be able to do it, I can't say: You shall hear from me as soon as it is settled, which may be this Week; In the mean time I desire your Excy. will keep what I have last say'd to your self: I think 600 per Cent advance for these last mention'd bills is the equal Exchange between the Merchts and Governmt, according to the course of paymt of publick bills.

Govr. Clinton by last post informs me that the Indians and Southern forces (he will endeavour) shall be ready to join in the Attempt against Crown point; But I have no Answer yet from Connecticutt; and our Motions will depend much upon their resolves.2

I am with great truth and Esteem

Sir

Your Excellency's most
Obedient, Humble Servant

W. SHIRLEY.

His Excy. Govr, Wentworth.

1

1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Soc., Belknap Manuscripts, 61

C, p. 21.

The underlining is by Wentworth.

WILLIAM PEPPERRELL AND PETER WARREN 2 TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY

Louisbourg, Janry 28, 1746.

Your Excelly on your departure from hence was so well acquainted with the state of this garrison that we have only to advise you the sickness which you left among us has continued to rage to such a degree that from the last of Nov. to this date we have buried 561 men, and have at this time 1100 sick. We flatter ourselves from the burials of three or four days past not amounting to more than 3, 4, and 5 of a day, when before were generally from 14 to 17, that the distemper abates. However, it has reduced us to less than a thousand men capable of doing duty in the garrison. We think ourselves indispensably obliged by the trust reposed in us to lay our weakness open to your Excely that you and the Legislature of your province may (with the same laudable zeal which you have exerted thro' the whole of an expedition that has added to the British dominions an acquisition of inestimable value) take the most effectual measures for securing the possession of it against any attempt of the enemy, who may probably make as vigorous a push as possible to regain it, and that before the troops which were intended by his

1 Printed: 6 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. 10, 442. This letter is in the Pepperrell Letter-Book out of chronological order, and Pepperrell's clerk appears to have substituted the New Style date for the year. Shirley's reply is dated according to the Old Style Mar. I, 1745, see p. 310 post.

2 Admiral Sir Peter Warren was born in 1703 and died in Ireland in July, 1752. He was in the West Indies at the time of the Louisbourg expedition, having been placed in command of the squadron sent from England to cooperate with Shirley. As a result of this expedition Captain Warren was made Governor of the city after its capture, was raised to the rank of Admiral and was also knighted. So many honors aroused the jealousy of Pepperrell, who thought the command of the city at least should have been given to the leader of the land forces. Warren was uncle to Sir William Johnson of New York.

Majesty can arrive here, if they are even set out from Gibraltar. We therefore apprehend it necessary as all human undertakings are liable to various miscarriages, to guard against the many which those troops (of which we have not heard a syllable since you left us) are exposed to in their passage so late in the season as they were expected to embark for this place, and as you have been advis'd that it is his Majesty's royal intention to establish two regiments of the Americans here, for their encouragement and the protection of this garrison, it will be necessary as those troops who are here at present, or at least the greatest part of them, are in hopes of returning home upon the terms promised by your proclamation at their first inlistment, to make new levies to relieve them, if even the regular troops from Europe should arrive in due time, for if after that we should pretend to keep them, we may reasonably expect they will be very uneasy.

Upon the whole we are well assured we need not use any argument to induce your Excellency to pursue all the means in your power, both with your own governt. by your authority and influence, and by the latter with all the neighbouring ones, to whose Governours we now write circular letters. upon this subject,' that may be most conducive to the security of a conquest, the value of which to our country in general, and the colonies in particular, you are so well acquainted with, which was no doubt the motive that induced your Excelly to take so much pains in forming and carrying into execution the plan for the reduction of it to his Majy's obedience, which has been so happily effected. We have tho't it necessary to send an express home, who saild the 23rd inst, but would have gone the 18th, had the wind permitted, to apprise his Grace the Duke of Newcastle of our situation, as we do by this your Excelly. If we should not be disturbd by the French in the spring we presume the 1st thing proper to undertake will be the getting the French from the isld of

1 A copy of this circular letter in four pages is in the Pepperrell Letter Book, Mass. Hist. Soc. 71 C, p. 66. It is dated Jan. 25, 1745, and copies were sent to the Governors of all colonies as far south as Virginia.