Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 481

in America was sometime ago recommended to Me in a par-
ticular manner by General Gage & other Gentlemen of Rank
in the Army whereupon I appointed him to officiate in Wor-
cester Parish which soon afterwards became vacant & I have
understood that the People there were well pleased with his
Behaviour. Imagining that a Clergyman of his Character
who had made several Campaigns & destinguish't himself by
his Fortitude would not be frightened by a few Threats I have
taken the liberty & flatter Myself your Ldp will excuse me for
doing so to induct him into Coventry without waiting for your
Ldps special order for I thought the delaying at all to exercise
the Right of Patronage after the Parishioners had set up such
a Claim or Pretence might seem to countenance it. M^r Hughs
being desirous if possible to be in harmony with his Parishion-
ers obtained it seems an opinion of M^r Dulany's on the matter
for the Vestry's & Parishioners perusal imagining it would
have great Weight with some among them who were said to
be most violent & as I have not heard any thing to the Con-
tray I presume he has taken peaceable possession of the
Parish. Before I quit this Subject of Parishes I must take the
liberty to advise your Ldp of some Publications here that have
given me a great Deal of Concern & will I am apprehensive
give also some Uneasiness to your Ldp. As I presume M^r
Allen & probably M^r Dulany likewise has given your Ldp or
M^r Hamersley an Account of what pass't between them at the
time the former press't the latter to assist him in getting the
Vestry of this Parish to agree to his holding the two Parishes
I shall not trouble your Ldp with what has been said here of
their Interview or Conversation ; M^r Allen it seems shortly
afterwards endeavoured to persuade the Rest of the Vestry
that M^r Dulany by becoming One of the Council was disquali-
fied from being a Vestryman, but was so far from bringing
them over to his Opinion that the Attempt prejudiced them
against him. Soon afterwards a Paper appeared in the
Gazette signed a Bystander calculated to inculcate the same
Doctrine & therefore M^r Allen was considered as the Author
of it. This having as it were opened the Door of Controversy
another Publication soon followed under the Title of the
Querist evidently designed to stir up Enemies to M^r Allen in
both Parishes & to prevent his receiving the Income of either;
which it seems he immediately attributed to M^r Dulany tho
the general Opinion gave it to another Person, but I cannot
find that any one has yet thought proper to declare himself
the Author. As I shall transmit these & the several subse-
quent Papers of Altercation for your Ldps perusal in case you
should think them worthy notice I shall only observe here that
the Dispute soon degenerated into Invective & personal

Letter Bk. V