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The Capital and the Bay: Narratives of Washington and the Chesapeake Bay Region, ca. 1600-1925
The Calvert papers, Vol INo. 4. SECRETARY KEMP TO LORD BALTIMORE.
[Indorsement.]
January 1638 Mr Rich. Kemp to (Secretary) from Virginea
[Superscription.]
To the Right Honoble and my very good Lord the Lord Baltimore these Present
My Lord:
I receiued yor Lorpps Commands of the second of August Last for the buying of ffortye neate Cattle, ten Sowes, fforty Henns and Ten Negroes to be Transported to St Maryes for yor vse.
At the tyme of the receiuing of yor Lorpss sayd Letters I expected yor Brothers arrivall daily in Virginia, but vnderstanding after, that he was imbarqued about the Isle of Kent busines, I writt to him desiring advice from him, but at this date have heard nothing of him.
I have onely hitherto made inquirye where to make the purchase of what you desire, the reason why I have not dealt further is, ffirst the streightnes of the tyme limited mee being
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Christmas, wch was a short warning and the tyme of the yeare soe vnseasonable that in likely hood before they could have bene deliured they would all have perished for want of fodder wch is very rare in Virginea, and I beleeve not yett knowen in Maryland, but how ever tis the Most dangerous, and only fatall tyme for Murreine of Cattle, wch they fynd, who are best provided to prserve them.
When yor Brother and I conferr, what he shall find fitt to require of mee, shall be readily obeyed (my Creditt and all my Indeavours being at yor Lorpps disposall) By the next I hope yor Lorpp shall receiue our ioint Account in the busines.
The duplicates of our prsent dispatches I humbly herewth prsent, whereby I doubt not but yor Lorpp will observe how the old, and inveterate malice of Sr John Harvey his Adversaryes reflecteth likewyse vpon mee, instanced in two particulars, One about the Invoices, wch was soe strange a thing to the Sub Committees (as divers Informed mee who were prsent when they sate about the reference of those Petitions the Copyes whereof are now sent you) that many Interrogatoryes past from them, why the two pence p Cask should be payed, and why the Secrtarye should have it, wth much other Language shewing noe good meaning towards mee, (for it seemeth I am a Rub in theire way)
The other in that Capt West in his Complaint against Sr John Harvey bringeth mee in allso as much guiltye for receiuing flue shillings for a Tickett for every Passenger that goeth out of the Colonye. The first yor Lorpp will fynd fully Answered in the duplicate if they will allow of the Kings Order.
The other I will never deny to have receiued being Warranted thereto by my Commission, as being a ffee belonging to all Secrtaryes before mee and soe rated by Act of Assembly,
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before my tyme, And yf Capt West had bethought himselfe he might have knowen, that by an Order of Court three yeares before my arrivall (himselfe being one att the making thereof) the Secrtarye may receiue ten shillings for every passe, and soe pportionably double for all other ffees more then I ever demanded. I have prsumed to trouble yor Lorrpp wth the Copyes of the Acts, and of the sayd Order of Court hoping of yor Lorpps favour to pduce them if there shall be Occasion.
The frequent, and Constant Reports this yeare of a Companye comming vpon vs doe at prsent much distract vs, in so much that most are rather contriving how to desert the place then too loose any more Indeavour heere, where noe stabilitye of theire Affaires is to be expected.
Yor Honors interest (I feare) will not be least in the priudice thereof for yf some of the cheifest of those who designe a Companye be true to theire Oaths, you must expect all the opposition that malice can giue.
I hope yor Lorpp will fynd power and meanes to prevent them, yf wee can leape this Rub I doubt not but our Affaires will run a more even course heerafter. Thus resting
Yor Lorpps humbly to serve you
Rich: Kemp.
After the writing hereof yor
Brother arrived heere at James Towne, by whom
I receiued a further Command from yor Lorpp
then was intimated to mee in yor Letter, wch
was abowt the sparing of yor Lorpp some
Sheepe, wherein I will willing serve yor Lorpp Humbly desiring yor Honor to accept
from mee Ten Ewes, and a Ram, wch I will deliur this Summer to yor Brother for yor vse.
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Yor Brother and I have likewyse conferrd
abowt yor demands, the conclusion whereof
he hath pmised mee to giue yor Lorpp an Account
of, As allso of a pposition wch if intended
(according to the Information to vs brought)
and deuly psequted, and assisted may perchance
giue a blow to the new Companye, if it be not advanced
too farr allreadye.
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