William Cage, the trustee of Lady Fairfax's estate, writes to London merchant, Micajah Perry, September 23, 1723, concerning the affairs of the proprietary estate in Virginia, commenting specifically on a "packet" he has received from the estate's agent, Robert Carter. He informs Perry that Lord Fairfax will be willing to press the proprietor's interest before the Board of Trade as Carter wishes, and that he assumes that the opinions of the Attorney and Solicitor General must be obtained again, as Carter already has. He sends all the papers relative to the case that he has received from Carter, and asks Perry to let him or Lord Fairfax know when Fairfax should appear before the Board. In March, he will be in London, and will then need the rent money as Lord Fairfax's 3rd sister will come of age and he must pay what is due to her from the estate. In a post script, he states that he cannot comment on Carter's statement about Edmund Jenings's accounts for rent for the proprietary until he has seen Mr. Adamson, but the Jenings account is new and strange to him.
Lord Fairfax
by reason of his post in the Army is seldom at home & I had not the
Opportunity of Communicating the Contents of Colonel Carters packet to me until the other day
he leaves it too much to me who really am Ignorant of Merchants Affairs but
if I understand Colonel Carter right the business he depends on my Lord Fairfax for is
to soliciit the Board of Trade (where he has an Interest) to forward their report to the
Governor of Virginia wch Colonel Carter hopes will be according to the Opinion of the Attorney
& Soliciator general who have (as he says) given it in his Favour & I hope will
Do so again.We both beg of you that you'll do what is desired by Colonel Carter in
this affair of wch we are both Ignorant all but of soliciting parts to the Board wch Lord
Fairfax is willing to undertake as soon as it comes before them & desires likewise
you'll give him or me Notice when It's fit for him to Apply to them for I suppose
you must again have the Opinion of the Attorney & Solicitor General to be laid before the
Board. I here send you all the papers & [c per]
the Case as I received from the Colonel that you may
make a Judgment of them and that you'l give us your thoughts & directions what
is more to be done by us and the time you think it proper for Lord Fairfax to
be in Town
to Solicit the Business wth the Board for I believe that's all he can do
I shall be in Town the beginning of March to wait on you as I proposed and do
not expect the years Rent due at Michaelmas
last like March the 5
but shall then have occasion
for it My Lord's third Sister being at Age on the 5th of that month & I have not money enough
(due to the Estate) yet to pay her but hope that sum may be sufficient & enable me
to discharge my Trust I am your most humble Sert &C