Robert Carter writes to surveyor James Thomas, October 18, 1728, to chastise him for his idleness and poor conduct of his work in preparing 20 surveys of lands for which Carter has given him warrants, and threatening to take the work away. He sends a paper (not present) of his observations on 12 of the surveys, and especially berates Thomas for forwarding an out-of-date warrant from a Mr. Barns when Thomas knows very well that he has one for that land in the name of Robert Carter II.
I receiv'd yours by Majr: Eskeridge
the 14th of this month
wth 20 Surveys return'd I send you here a paper of my Observations upon 12 of them
you Ask new Instructions of me but I find it no purpose to give you any
If you look into the instructions you had from me you will find I direct you to keep
strictly to my Warnts: both as to quantity & place And have often [been] told you
did not I should not Care to grant Deeds upon such Surveys After I come
from Town
you must come down & mend your Works or I shall be at a full
stop from granting Deeds upon yr: Erroneous Warrts.
Surveys You have not
only neglected the warrants you have of mine in your hands I mean those in the name [s]
of my Sons But you have serv'd a great many other people in the same Mannor keep=
ing their Warrts: by you Untill they are worn out of Date Idling Away the pro=
per time of Surveying both in the Spring and this last fall on one silly pretence
or other Some say it proceeds form Laziness others from Sottishness All agree
your Circumstances Are very narrow you have a Numerous family when [sic
]
you
You tell me you are going up into Stafford to work I hope when you
are there you will Survey all the warrts that you have yet Undone Otherways
I must be so plain that I must be forced to Call for them out of yr hands and put them
or new ones in their Rooms in the hands of others that will Execute them I design'd
you a great deal of kindness and it lyes in my power with yor: Diligence to help
you out of your poor Circumstances but if you have not the heart to bestir your self while
you have the Opportunity you must thank yourself & not blame me
Among Your Surveys you have sent one made by Savage
for Mr.
Barns
in Which I reackon is a great deal of trick the Warrts dated in Octobr ]17] 17 [...]
the Survey made in the same Month now sent to me in Octobr: 1728 how you c [ame]
by it I dont know Savage hath played me many A Villanous Trick and I [am]
Apt to think this is a link of the same Chain Which you may Let Mr. Barn [s]
know The first time you see him I shall not think it fit to Allow
it proper to g [ive]
him any Deed upon this Survey This land or some thereabouts was f [irst]
pretended to By Francs: Awbry
and then by Colo Mason
and now at La [st by]
Barns and Savage together think they have got me in A Noose what re [ason]
hath made them to keep this Survey so long by them till the Warrts
time of the
Warrt was Expir'd for Several months I Cant tell and at last to make you
the Instrumt: of sending it to me when you know very Well you had a
Warrt of my Son Roberts
Subsisting in yr hands for these several years
together for the very same piece of Land before Any of the Above persons made
any pretentions to it You may be Able to Unfold this Mistery but I can't
tell what to make of it I am