Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 183

just about to sail hence for London I embrace the Opportunity
to transmit you a few more Sheets of the Acts of Assembly
now printing here from the Manuscript Copy or Collection
made by M^r Bacon & also two Petitions which have been
presented to me by one Solomon Holton & the Relict of the
Reverend M^r Harrison late Rector of S^t Lukes Parish in
Queen Ann's County. As Colonel Richard Tilghman in
whose Neighbourhood Holton has lived many years repre-
sents him to be an honest inoffensive Man & tells me that he
really thinks the County Court was much too severe in impos-
ing so heavy a Fine on him for only being a Spectator of an
Act of Cruelty (for committing which the Justice was fined a
hundred Pounds) I recommend the Petitioner so far to His
Ldp's Clemency as that two Thirds of the Fine if not the
whole might be remitted. As to the Petition of M^rs Harrison
on behalf of her Son an Infant I can only say that it was I
apprehend in a great measure owing to M^r Harrison's own
Dilitoriness that he did not obtain a Lease on Lives for the
Land mentioned in the Petition before His Lordships prohibi-
tion to granting Mannour Leases for a longer Term than
Twenty one years was received & published here, but at the
same time as the then Steward of the Mannour seems to have
been to blame also, & M^r Harrison who was a Person of the
most upright behaviour & in every respect a worthy good Man
has left his Widow (a Woman of great Merit) & a young
Family in Distress or at least poorly provided for, I should be
glad if His Ldp would shew her some favour by ordering a
Lease to be granted to the Orphan on the old Conditions with
this exception that instead of the Terms being for three Lives
it may be only for a certain Number of years. Mess" Mason
& Dixon are still at the Line they were employed on when I
last wrote to you, at sixty Miles from the Middle Point it
passed about Nine Feet Eastward of the Termination of the
Offsett they had there made so that they expect this Line will
fall about Twenty feet Eastward of the Tangent Point & that
they will have finished it before the End of this Month when
the Commissioners are to meet & examine what they shall
have done in pursuance of the Instructions that have been
given them. By a Paper inclosed which is a Copy of one they
some Months ago gave the Commissioners you will perceive
that after all that D^r Bevis has said about the practicability of
their actually describing a Parallel of Latitude on the Earth
with the large complex Transit Instrument you were pleased
to send to Philadelphia for their use The two Surveyors are
clearly of opinion that such a Thing is impracticable & there-
fore intend to use only the small Transit Instrument they
brought with them & instead of actually running or describing

Letter Bk. IV