William Cage, trustee of Lady Fairfax's estate, drafts a letter to Robert Carter, February 13, [1722], concerning the affairs of the Northern Neck proprietary in Virginia, and especially the debts due the estate from Edmund Jenings, the leaseholder who preceded Carter. He authorizes Carter "to Act as you think fit" in attempting to collect the debts. He hopes Carter will be able to make improvements in the lease which he will share with Cage and Fairfax, and notes that they stand ready to negotiate a new lease with Carter for whatever length Carter may propose. He sees Lord Fairfax rarely because of the latter's army service, but sends Carter Fairfax's "humble service" and reminds Carter's of Fairfax's influence with the Board of Trade.

      [ . . . ] so much in your Honour Integrity & ability that we [ . . . our]
selves happy at being in your Hands. I am sorry Colonel Jening ['s]
Circumstances are so bad that he [. . . ] endeavours to make an Ac [coun] t [ . . . ]
that is so plain & pleads a Paragraph in my Letter to his Son
transposes the words (at least) wch were meant that there was ow ing
at least two years Rent wch he knew or his Father misinformed
him so. I do assure you when I wrote to the Boy I did not know what was due but Lord Fairfax
said my Lady told him There was above 2 years Rent due
His first payment of 1907 pounds wch he makes as paid by him to Lady Fairfax w [he] n
he was in England was £103 S1 P4 3/4 paid by Adamson for Mr. Thomas
Lee wch Voucher was mislaid therefore not then allowed but my
Ladys Receipt for 100£ being found I for her allowed it to Mr
Lee long before Jenings [ . . . ] for the Estate paid me part of the two years Arrears then due and
afterwards sold to Colonel Jenings and this is the 100£ that Jenings charged me
wth that had never seen one penny of my Ladys money suppose
any account whatsoever [ . . . ] but this 103 must be allowed as only
as part of 2400£ and whatever vouchers he can produce
dated since must be also allowed and the Ballance we hope
you'll take all the care possible to get for us & whatever
measures you take to get it you have our Authority to Act as
you think fit. I am glad you will not be frightened wth the
threats of Young Brent & Mother nor any others ; but proceed to improve y [our]
Estate to the utmost, I say yours because we have no [ . . . ]
design but that you shall have the Fruits of the improv [ments]
but hope you'll allow us an equal share of it and we are
ready to Treat wth you for a farther Lease of w [ha] t time you
shall propose. I am sorry for the death of old Mr. Perry
but I think the young one an honest Good man and he can
inform you we are not very pressing for money from
him not that we do it upon the Ac [coun] t of the hard Bargain &
dead time of Trade you mention but that we know we are safe & in the Hands
of a Man [ . . . ] & therefore shew it [ . . . ]