Of Authors concerning Virginia, and its publick Officers, Guard-Ships, and the State of Maryland and North Carolina. The Conclusion.

In the Miscellanea Curiosa is publish'd Mr. Clayton's fine Description of Virginia, and Col. Robert Beverley has wrote a good History of it; but neither is so particular as this, as to its present Condition; so that as they are Supplements to Captain Smith's History, this may be an Abridgment and Appendix to them all.

True Accounts of this Country are difficult to be had; for they that have lived there any Time in any Repute and Business, seldom come to settle in England; and the Sailors for the greatest Part can give no more true Relations of the Nature of the Country, than a Country Carrier can write a Description of London, and relate the Politicks of Court, and Proceedings of Parliament; for they see and know but little of the Matter, and that the very worst.

Others, by Reason of their short Stay, or for want either of Opportunity, Learning, or Capacity, can neither make right Remarks and correct Observations, nor describe Things in their proper Colours and true Lustre; and moreover some are prevailed upon through Interest, Prejudice, Spite, or Fancy, to conceal or misrepresent Things: Besides, they that have been there formerly know little, but the very worst of the present State of the Country.

The Laws of that Plantation are collected into a Body and published; and whatever (of any Moment and worth Notice) is not mentioned in this Treatise, or in the Books aforementioned, must be supposed to correspond exactly with the Customs and Things in Great Britain, particularly in and about London; from all which any one that is either obliged or inclin'd may have sufficient Accounts of the large, increasing, flourishing, and happy Colony of Virginia.

The present Governor is the Right Honourable the Earl of Orkney, whose Lieutenant Governor is Hugh Drysdale, Esq;

The Council are these Twelve.

The best List that I can collect or form of the Officers of the Customs, is this.

These have some considerable Perquisites besides their Salaries; for which they give Attendance and perform their Duty after the same Manner as the Officers in the Rivers and Ports do in Great Britain.

To guard the Coasts from the Ravages of Pyrates, Men of War are frequently stationed there; but they are not at all under the Direction of the Governor upon Emergencies, tho' he be titular Admiral of those Seas; but had he some Command over Men of War, 'tis thought it might be of great Service to the Country, and Security and Advantage to the Merchants and others.

Maryland in most Respects in an inferior Degree agrees with Virginia, only their Laws and some Customs are particular; and tho' the Church of England be the established Church there, and handsom Provision be made for the Clergy, yet they have many Papists, and several Dissenters; which last may be supposed to be encouraged thro' Jesuitical Views to distract and subvert the Church of England.

As for North Carolina it is vastly inferior, its Trade is smaller, and its Inhabitants thinner, and for the most Part poorer than Virginia; neither is their Government extraordinary, tho' they have some good Laws, and there is some good Living in this large Country, in which is Plenty of good Provision.

As for Churches there are but very few; and I knew of but one Minister in the whole Government, and he (for what Reasons I know not) had no great Faculty of influencing the People, and is lately removed thence; so that much Religion cannot be expected among a Collection of such People as fly thither from other Places for Safety and Livelihood, left to their own Liberty without Restraint or Instruction.

Many there have I (with Sorrow) seen ten or fifteen Years old, who have never had the Opportunity of Baptism, which they joyfully receive.

Col. Frederick Jones, one of the Council, and in a good Post, and of a good Estate in North Carolina, before his Death applied to me, desiring me to communicate the deplorable State of their Church to the late Bishop of London; assuring me that if the Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts would contribute and direct them, the Government there would join in establishing by Law such Maintenance as might be sufficient for some Clergymen to settle among them.

I acted according to his Request, but never heard of the Event of this Application.

For Want of Clergy the Justices of the Peace marry, and other Laymen perform the Office of Burial.

The common nominal Christians live there not much better than Heathens; the pious Endeavours of the Society having been frequently disappointed either by their not having full Knowledge of the Country and People (and so pursue not the most proper Methods) or else because they have had the Misfortune sometimes to pitch upon Persons, that have not answered the End of their Calling and Mission.

By these Means the State of the Church in North Carolina is very miserable; which is of greatest Moment, and requires the most charitable Direction and Christian Assistance; not only for the Conversion of the Indians and Baptism of Negroes there, but for the Christening and Recovery to the Practical Profession of the Gospel great Numbers of English, that have but the bare Name of God and Christ; and that too frequently in nothing but vain Swearing, Cursing, and Imprecations.

May all these vast Countries grow in Grace, and encrease in spiritual Blessings, and temporal Prosperity.

May all the Ends of the World see and pursue rightly the Salvation of God, and know and believe that there is none other Name given under Heaven, by and thro' whom they may be saved, but only the Name of Jesus Christ.

May God's Kingdom be established in the true Church in America, as well as England; and may it be truly said, blessed be the Lord God of Shem; for his is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.