Robert Carter writes to Colonel Thomas Lee, December 7, 1727, concerning land desired by Lee, and expressing his low opinion of surveyor John Savage.

     I will allow You are better acquainted than I am with
the geography of the forest lands of Stafford but I have another view in desiring
an interest in a landing place that Affords a good Carriage to it
near the falls of the river than you think fit of George Turberville is more cha
grined at your late Entry there than my self had his father not kept

     If your judgement & mine happens to differ in the
rules of my proceeding I can't help that my own reason must be my
Dictator & not another mans when you fall into Exclamations against
Savage I am very forward to believe them having found him out in so
many of his tricks indeed no mortal that I hear of with whom he
has been concerned with give him a good word & yet from an Epis-
tle came to my hands [illegible] just now if you would allow him to be the painter of
his own Character you must take him to be a Saint & that all the Stories
which are reported of him are the Effects of malice falsehood, & injustice; bidding
defiance to [illegible] all his enemies to prove the least of them before an im=
partial judicature I do not remember to have said I should have no re=
gard to Hoops warrant which is this day returned to me by Savage with
the plat for three hundred ninety five acres [illegible] in order to have a deed
the Enclosed paper will let you into the Affair more particularly

     You Urge to have the surplus above the warrant
and in such place as will best answer to your convenience Certainly
upon reflection you will think this by no means to be right if the quantity
expressed in the warrant Were nicely to be kept to the proprietors ought to turn out
the land in such place as they should choose & not where the pretending pers
on desires it this is the strictest equity but you know we never tie men down
exactly to the quantity of their warrants sometimes the surveyor gives
them more sometimes less

     Upon the whole if you can propose away how I may
with justice do you service in stopping this Deed to Hoops Assignees I
shall be inclined to come into it

     Savage has often sent me warrants with
Assignments on the backsides & seldom fails to be a witness somet=
imes warrants that have issued in other mens names he has
assigned to himself in this practice I have often suspected he has
imposed Upon me I am