394 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

present Attorney General had he not been accused by one
Alien Thomas to M^r Jordan of having some years ago spoke
of His Ldp at some publick Place in the most disrespectful
Terms, by a Copy of M^r Goldsboroughs Letter to me on
being advised thereof you will see with what he was charged
& the Answer he gave thereto, which upon the Receipt
thereof I shewed to M^r Jordan, who some Day last Month
brought the Informant to my House to repeat to me what he
had said, but he then retracted so far as to say it was not in a
publick Company M^r Goldsborough had made the Declara-
tion laid to his Charge but in his Fathers House when no
Person beside his Father the present Commissary General, a
first Cousin & he the said Informant was present, now both
the Persons mention'd solemnly deny their having ever heard
M^r Goldsborough speak of His Ldp otherwise than with the
greatest Respect, & did it rest only on the Credit & Character
of the Informant & the Accused there is not a Person in the
Province that has the least knowledge of the Men but would
consider the Story as a malicious Falshood invented purposely
to injure the Attorney General, who has it is well known given
great Offence to the Party whose Tool the Informant has been
ever since he arrived to the State of Manhood by opposing &
defeating them at more Elections than One & condemning
freely on many occasions their Practices & outcries against
the Government. In my Letter to His Ldp I have taken the
liberty to mention a few of many Circumstances that concur
to prove Thomas an infamous Lyar which indeed I long ago
had reason to think him, while there is not a Gentleman in
the Province but entertains a high opinion of M^rGoldsboroughs
Honour & Veracity, on Consideration whereof I hope His
Ldp will himself signify his Disbelief of the Accusation by
appointing M^r Goldsborough to one of the Vacant Seats in
the Council, which I really think he is as well qualified in
every respect to fill as any Gentleman in the Country, & in
my opinion it will be for both His Ldps Honour & Interest to
shew that he places some Confidence in him & is not to be
influenced by any such idle Report. To the other Seat in the
Council vacated by the Death of Col^o Hooper I have recom-
mended M^r John. Beal Bordley a Gentleman of Abilities good
Character & possessed of a considerable Fortune being one
of those whom I mentioned to His Ldp in a former Letter.
In my Letter to His Ldp I have transmitted him a Plan for
introducing & establishing a Bishop in N^o America that was
lately put into my hands by two Clergymen from the North-
ward who came hither to consult our Clergy thereon & to
solicit my Countenance, but I thought it my Duty to refer
them entirely to His Ldp with whose Charter Rights & Pre-