I am forced to complayne vnto you of diverse insufferable wrongs don vnto Sir Ferdinando Gorges, his Commissioners and Province, by Mr. Cleiues and his agent, Mr. Tucker, who report that yow protect and countenance there exorbitant practices, which I canot beleiue, for I never yet knew you giue the least encouragement to any sinister practice. Mr. Cleaues having perswaded Mr. Rigby, a worthy gentleman (by report) to buy the Plough Patent,2 which I esteeme no better then a broken tytle, by Mr. Rigby his authority, (and as he sayes by your approbacion,) he hath nominated Comissioners, a Coronell Generall, Provost Marshall, and other officers, extending his goverment from Sackadehock to Cape Porpus, being aboue 13 leagues in lenght, haueing likewise appoynted a Court to be kept in Cascoe bay the 25th of March next, and hath (but this by past weeke) sent his agent Tucker with a paper perswading all such as he findes any way inclyning to innovation, to sett there handes to it, for the better approving of what they haue begun, and allsoe to intreate your worship and the rest of your magistrates to defend them from French, Indians, and other enemyes, which wee construe to be Sir Fard: Gorges Commissioners. neither hath Cleiues, (as he ought) presented any his authority at 430our last generall Court but 2 dayes before our Court tooke a vioage into the bay, and all the way as he went from Pascataquack to Boston, he reported he was goeing for ayde against mee, for that I had threatned him, and his authority, to beate him out of this Province. by this false report, and many other the like, I am held an enemy to iustice and piety. Sir, I proffesse vnto you ingeinously I never threatned him directly nor indirectly, neither haue I seene him since he came out of England. I haue suffered him to passe quietly through our plantacion, and to lodge in it, allthought I haue binn informed that he was then plotting against mee. I am troubled at these seditious proceedings; and much more at his most notorius scandalls of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, a man for his age and Integrity worthy of much honor. him he brandes with the foule name of traytor by curcumstance, in reporting that he hath counterfeited the Kings broade Seale, (if he haue any Patent for the Province of Mayne,) For, sayes he I haue serched all the Courtes of Record, and can finde noe such grant. how could he haue giuen that graue knight a deeper wound in his reputacion, the which I know is more deare to him then all the wealth in America. he likewise still maynetaynes his false report of his death, in his Flight into Walles, notwithstanding a letter dated the 25th of 7ber last from a marchant in london of very good credit, and brought in Mr. Payne his Ship, which letter imports Sir Ferd: Gorges his good health, with the restauracion of his possesions agayne. sir, I haue made bould to lay open our grevances, desiring you to take them into your graue Consideracion, hoping if wee be forced to take such courses with Cleiues, as the necessity, and the equity of our cause requires, you will not thinke wee haue don amisse in it. Yett we will (if possibly we may) forbeare till I heare from you. Now for the Patent that Mr. Rigby hath bought, it is not from our kings majestie as Cleiues reportes, but from the President and Counsell of New-England, as myne and others are wherein Mr. Rigby hath from there Lordships Jura regalia but his majestie takes that away by his royall grant to Sir Ferd: Gorges bearing date the third of Aprill in the fifteenth yeare of his highnes raigne. Now I conceiue Mr. Rigby his agent is but to recover soe much land as the grant specifies, and to relinquish there Jura regalia, as you may perceiue in the last Clawse of our grant herewith sent you.3 I am very confident that Sir Ferd: Gorges hath not as yett disposed of 431his lands here, for without question he would haue given notice of it to his Commissioners, and therefore we ought not vpon the bare reporte of Cleiues to relinquish either his right of possesions or goverment. Yet I did ever, and doe intend, whensoever Mr. Rigby shall send over People to lett them settle peaceably, to ayde and assist them To the best of my power, without questioning of meum et tuum; For this I know, if Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Mr. Rigby meete, all matters wilbe quietly ended, if there be no Incendiaries here. I will endeavour for peace soe far forth as I doe not betray the trust confided in me, by my honored Freind and quondam master. I haue ever found you my worthy freind far beyound my deservings, and haue therefore freely applyed my selfe vnto you, vnto whom I am ever obleiged to remayne your faythfull freind and servant