400 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

gave it under his hand & assured me that such Assertion was
absolutely false & that Thomas had never before uttered in
his Hearing a Syllable of the matter. At the time M^r Jordan
first mention'd the Affair he told me that in answer to a Hint
which had been dropt to him Thomas had declared that he
neither used Sword or Pistols but that if the Attorney General
should think fit to deny the Truth of what he had said & be
willing to take a Bout at Fisty Cuffs he should be ready to
meet him, when therefore M^r Goldsborough intimated to me
that altho he look't upon Alien Thomas as below his Notice
yet that on such occasion he would call on him to give him
the Lie I gave it as my opinion to him that it would be as
prudent to let the Affair die since an Altercation which only
would follow could prove nothing at all nor answer any other
End than to make the Story circulate thro the Province to the
Gratification of such as may wish him ill or be ill disposed
towards your Ldps Government. From a Gentleman lately
returned from St Mary's County Court I learn that since the .
matter has been talked of there & Thomas's Character been
canvassed (for he had not long resided there) he is fallen into
the Contempt he deserves so that Gentlemen there whom he
before visited will not keep him Company or receive him into
their Houses. Had not such a Report been spread or rather
told to M^r Jordan I should in Consequence of the permission
your Ldp is pleased to give me have immediately introduced
the Attorney General to the Council as I really think he has
as much Merit as any one in the Province, tho young in
the practice of the Law he is at the Top of the profession & is
already possessed of a considerable Fortune which must ee'r
long be greatly increased by the Death of his Father who is
declining very fast but after what has passed I did not think
myself at liberty however convinced of the falsity of the Accu-
sation against him to destinguish him in that manner without
your Lordships express Approbation. To the other Seat in
Council vacated by the Death of Col^o Hooper in whom we
lately lost a very worthy Member I beg leave to recommend
M^r John Beale Bordley of whom I made favourable Mention
to your Ldp in a former Letter & if your Ldp pleases I should
be glad to have an Instruction for filling up the Vacancies in
the Council before the End of the Summer. I have I am
afraid already tired your Ldp's patience but must tresspass a
little longer to inform you that about a week ago two Clergy-
men from New York & the Jersies bringing with them intro-
ductory Letters from General Gage & several other Gentle-
men paid me a Visit to inform me that they were desired by a
Convention of Church of England Ministers in the Northern
Colonies to lay before Me a Scheme for the Introduction of