Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 363

nicest calculation I could Least Gov^r Penn should have been
unacquainted with it. On this head I expect to hear from him
in a few days, when if it is approved of I shall without delay
send to them, and hope to effect your desire.
The obtaining their consent was highly necessary the more
so, by reason of their present disposition owing as well to the
Artifices of French Agents, as to the Conduct of the frontier
Inhabitants towards them on many late Occasions.
Give me leave to add my remembrance of your politeness
to me when in Maryland, That I shall be at all times glad to
hear from you, and that I am with perfect Esteem,
Sir, your most obedient & very humble Servant
W. Johnson.
The Honble. L^t Governor Sharpe

[Vestry of Coventry Parish to Sharpe.]

May It please your Excellency,
We the Vestry and Wardens of Coventry Parish, being
Informed by a Gentleman, that your Excellency has received
many false reports relative to our Conduct in respect to the
unhappy disturbances in our parish, which we presume have
been calculated by some il-disposed persons purely to raise a
resentment in you and inflam your mind in prejudice of us,
through which they might the more ready obtain their own
enequetious designs. But as we humbly conceive when facts
appear in their true light, it will appear we have done nothing
that can give your Excellency the least Suspetion of thinking
we ever had any kind of design in detraction of either your
person or Character, and under this presumption we beg
leave to trouble you with the detail of every action and circum-
stance Attending this unhappy affair. Your Excellency being
well acquainted with the frequent applications made to you
by us while Whitaker lived, and we are as well assured that
you are not unmindfull of your repeated kind expressions in
favour of our relief when ever providence should put in your
power. Upon the death of Whitaker, we being incouraged
from your answers to our former Adresses, your Excellency
may remember, we then again repeated our applications by
express with the Information of Whitakers death, in answer
thereto we received from M^r Ridout a letter which confirmed
our former expectations, and as your Excellency was pleased
therein to direct us to look out for some Gentleman proper to
officiate as a Reader until we could be other ways provided
for, reflecting on your kind Expressions prior to this that
of being active and loosing no time on such vacancy hapen-
ing least your Excellency should receive Instructions that

Original.