Francis Le Jau to John Chamberlayne (Secretary) reporting on his work

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Title

Francis Le Jau to John Chamberlayne (Secretary) reporting on his work

Description

Francis Le Jau to John Chamberlayne (Secretary) reporting on his work. Concern about delays in receiving / missing letters; Lord's Prayer in Savannah language; Discussion of the lives of Indigenous Americans; Slavery; Sickness.

Date

15 September 1708

Identifier

Lambeth SPG 16 224-5

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Letter Type

MS Letter

EMLO Catalogue

Diplomatic Transcription

To
John Chamberlayne Esq[uire]
att his house in Petty France
Westminster

Dr le Jau. Goos-Creek
S. Carol[ina] 15 Sept. 1708
South Carolina, Parish of St James
near Goose Creek Sept[em]b[e]r the 15th 1708

Sir,

I am concern’d above Expression for having received no further Directions from the Hon[oura]ble Society since the coming of Mr Maule which was 12 months ago. I have endeavoured with the Blessing of God to follow those I had by me and those you did me the honour to send to me, I have given a large account of the state of my Parish both spiritual and temporal by a letter dated in Sept[em]b[er] 1707 carryd by Cap[tain] Flavel. I had the happiness to write to you since in March last past by the way of Barbadoes and in April by a ship from this place. I have transmitted papers worth seeing by capt[ain] flavel directed to a friend who has answered my Letter of Advice and promisd he would deliver them to Mr Hodges for you as I desired him, as soon as he had received them. I have also sent to you a Copy of the Lords Prayer in the Savanah Language, I have nothing to Add to the Article of the Indians for the present but that I am Inform’d more and more that that Language is understood as far as Canada, and the Language of our Southern Indians is understood in all the southern parts of the half of this continent att the least. I perceive dayly more & more that our manner of giving Liberty to some very Idle and dissolute men to go and trade in the Indian settlement 600 or 800 miles from us where they commit many Enormityes and Injustices is a great obstruction to our best designs. I have tryed to get some free Indians to live with me and would cloathe them but they will not consent to it, nor part with their children tho they lead miserable poor lives. It is reported of some of our Inhabitants lately gone a Indian trading that they Excite them to make warr among themselves to get slaves which they give for our European goods. I fear it is but too true and that the slaves

We have for necessary service, for our white servants in a months time prove good for nothing at all, are the price of great many [sins] I pray that they be not Imputed to us. another scruple which I must not conceal from the Hon[oura]ble Society is whether or no we are not to Answer for grievous sins dayly committed by all our slaves here and elsewhere, and tolerated or at least connived at by us under a pretence of Impossibility to Remedy Them: tho I am sure we could prevent all those Evils if we would take pains about it, but Masters are Content if their slaves labour much and cost them little trouble \and charge/[.] The Evil I complain of is the constant & promiscuous cohabiting of slaves of different sex and nations together when a man or a woman’s fancy dos alter about his party they throw up one another and take others which they also change when they please. this is a general sin for exceptions are so few! they are hardly worth mentioning. My Labours have been very much Interrupted by sicknesses almost continual. I enjoyd my health pretty well at first but I may say that for these sixteen months past I have not been well at all, I took heart As much as I could but besides the last winter’s visitation I have been forced this last summer to submit to another more grievous which kept me three months at home. It was Gods pleasure that my family which consists of nine persons should be taken \ill/ all att the same time. some are not well recovered yet. I bless God I am tolerably strong and able to do some duty and hope after Christmas to give a more satisfactory account of the Effects of my Mission being resolved with the help of the holy Spirit to employ my self intirely about catechising the poor Ignorant.

My Parishioners have Comforted and assisted me very much during my sickness. I must say some of them are desirous to do well. I am onely sorry the number is so small. there is no great addition to the spiritual state of this Parish since my last Letters. As to our Temporal Condition, I live in the Parsonage newly built, but far from being finishd. I have been at great charges seeing no care was taken to Perform what is appointed in the Act; & whatever was Promised to me (whereupon I sent for my family and resigned my Minor Canonship at Pauls) never was kept yet. I should be at greater charges to afford to my settlement many necessary thi[ngs] but I am not able to Lay out any more. I got nothing of subscrip[tions] these many months. and Judgeing of things to come by what is Past, our present sallery and subscriptions, if payd, will not come to 25£ Sterling considering how dear things are Sold and the discount of our money bills, for no species are seen this good while. I have implored the hon[oura]ble the Societyes goodness and favour that I be not forsaken, and humbly beg the Continuance of their bounty without which my family & I cannot subsist. I have seen none of the Ministers Lately arrived but the Comm[issa]ry sent by My Lord of London. it is reported some of our Brothers design to return to Europe. I have advised some of them not to be hasty but tarry till they receive the Societyes Commands. My Resolution with the Grace of God is to bear hardships, which are in my particular Circumstances, as patiently as I can; to Labour & do the good which God enables me to do & wait for the hon[oura]ble Societyes Commands. I humbly crave Mylord Presidents & Mylords Blessing & I assure his Grace and their Lordships of my duty & obedience & pay my humble Respects to the hono[ra]ble members of the Society, ever praying for their prosperity, and yours in Particular I remain Sir

your most humble and obedient servant

Francis Le Jau

Transcription and MS

To
John Chamberlayne Esq[uire]
att his house in Petty France
Westminster

Dr le Jau. Goos-Creek
S. Carol[ina] 15 Sept. 1708
South Carolina, Parish of St James
near Goose Creek Sept[em]b[e]r the 15th 1708

Sir,

I am concern’d above Expression for having received no further Directions from the Hon[oura]ble Society since the coming of Mr Maule which was 12 months ago. I have endeavoured with the Blessing of God to follow those I had by me and those you did me the honour to send to me, I have given a large account of the state of my Parish both spiritual and temporal by a letter dated in Sept[em]b[er] 1707 carryd by Cap[tain] Flavel. I had the happiness to write to you since in March last past by the way of Barbadoes and in April by a ship from this place. I have transmitted papers worth seeing by capt[ain] flavel directed to a friend who has answered my Letter of Advice and promisd he would deliver them to Mr Hodges for you as I desired him, as soon as he had received them. I have also sent to you a Copy of the Lords Prayer in the Savanah Language, I have nothing to Add to the Article of the Indians for the present but that I am Inform’d more and more that that Language is understood as far as Canada, and the Language of our Southern Indians is understood in all the southern parts of the half of this continent att the least. I perceive dayly more & more that our manner of giving Liberty to some very Idle and dissolute men to go and trade in the Indian settlement 600 or 800 miles from us where they commit many Enormityes and Injustices is a great obstruction to our best designs. I have tryed to get some free Indians to live with me and would cloathe them but they will not consent to it, nor part with their children tho they lead miserable poor lives. It is reported of some of our Inhabitants lately gone a Indian trading that they Excite them to make warr among themselves to get slaves which they give for our European goods. I fear it is but too true and that the slaves

We have for necessary service, for our white servants in a months time prove good for nothing at all, are the price of great many [sins] I pray that they be not Imputed to us. another scruple which I must not conceal from the Hon[oura]ble Society is whether or no we are not to Answer for grievous sins dayly committed by all our slaves here and elsewhere, and tolerated or at least connived at by us under a pretence of Impossibility to Remedy Them: tho I am sure we could prevent all those Evils if we would take pains about it, but Masters are Content if their slaves labour much and cost them little trouble \and charge/[.] The Evil I complain of is the constant & promiscuous cohabiting of slaves of different sex and nations together when a man or a woman’s fancy dos alter about his party they throw up one another and take others which they also change when they please. this is a general sin for exceptions are so few! they are hardly worth mentioning. My Labours have been very much Interrupted by sicknesses almost continual. I enjoyd my health pretty well at first but I may say that for these sixteen months past I have not been well at all, I took heart As much as I could but besides the last winter’s visitation I have been forced this last summer to submit to another more grievous which kept me three months at home. It was Gods pleasure that my family which consists of nine persons should be taken \ill/ all att the same time. some are not well recovered yet. I bless God I am tolerably strong and able to do some duty and hope after Christmas to give a more satisfactory account of the Effects of my Mission being resolved with the help of the holy Spirit to employ my self intirely about catechising the poor Ignorant.

My Parishioners have Comforted and assisted me very much during my sickness. I must say some of them are desirous to do well. I am onely sorry the number is so small. there is no great addition to the spiritual state of this Parish since my last Letters. As to our Temporal Condition, I live in the Parsonage newly built, but far from being finishd. I have been at great charges seeing no care was taken to Perform what is appointed in the Act; & whatever was Promised to me (whereupon I sent for my family and resigned my Minor Canonship at Pauls) never was kept yet. I should be at greater charges to afford to my settlement many necessary thi[ngs] but I am not able to Lay out any more. I got nothing of subscrip[tions] these many months. and Judgeing of things to come by what is Past, our present sallery and subscriptions, if payd, will not come to 25£ Sterling considering how dear things are Sold and the discount of our money bills, for no species are seen this good while. I have implored the hon[oura]ble the Societyes goodness and favour that I be not forsaken, and humbly beg the Continuance of their bounty without which my family & I cannot subsist. I have seen none of the Ministers Lately arrived but the Comm[issa]ry sent by My Lord of London. it is reported some of our Brothers design to return to Europe. I have advised some of them not to be hasty but tarry till they receive the Societyes Commands. My Resolution with the Grace of God is to bear hardships, which are in my particular Circumstances, as patiently as I can; to Labour & do the good which God enables me to do & wait for the hon[oura]ble Societyes Commands. I humbly crave Mylord Presidents & Mylords Blessing & I assure his Grace and their Lordships of my duty & obedience & pay my humble Respects to the hono[ra]ble members of the Society, ever praying for their prosperity, and yours in Particular I remain Sir

your most humble and obedient servant

Francis Le Jau

Citation

“Francis Le Jau to John Chamberlayne (Secretary) reporting on his work,” USPG Online Exhibition , accessed March 29, 2024, http://emlo-portal.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/exhibition/uspg/items/show/36.

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