[With William Byrd at the future site of Richmond on the 19th September 1732.]
"I made a North Carolina dinner upon fresh pork, though we had a plate of green peas after it, by way of dessert, for the safety of our noses [he believed a heavy diet of pork caused yaws which would destroy the nose]. Then my first minister and I had some serious conversation about my affairs, and I find nothing disturbed his peaceable spirit so much as the misbehavior of the spinster above mentioned. I told him I could not pity a man who had it always in his power to do himself and her justice and would not. If she were a drunkard, a scold, a thief, or a slanderer, we had wholesome laws that would make her back smart for the diversion of her other members, and 'twas his fault he had not put those wholesome severities in execution. I retired in decent time to my own apartment and slept very comfortably upon my bark, forgetting all the little crosses arising from overseers and Negroes.
"20 [of September]. I continued the bark and then tossed down my poached eggs with as much ease as some good breeders slip children into the world. About nine I left the prudentest orders I could think of with my vizier and then crossed the river to Shacco's. I made a running visit to three of my quarters, where, besides finding all the people well, I had the pleasure to see better crops than usual both of corn and tobacco. I parted there with my intendant [supervisor], and pursued my journey to Mr. Randolph's at Tuckahoe without meeting any adventure by the way.
"Here I found Mrs. Fleming, who was packing up her baggage with design to follow her husband the next day, who was gone to a new settlement in Goochland. Both he and she have been about seven years persuading themselves to remove to that retired part of the country, though they had the two strong arguments of health and interest for so doing. The widow smiled graciously upon me and entertained me very handsomely. Here I learnt all the tragical story of her daughter's humble marriage with her uncle's overseer. Besides the meanness of this mortal's aspect, the man has not one visible qualification except impudence to recommend him to a female's inclinations. But there is sometimes such a charm in the Hibernian endowment that frail women can't withstand it, though it stand alone without any other recommendation. Had she run away with a gentleman or a pretty fellow there might have been some excuse for her, though he were of an inferior fortune, but to stoop to a dirty plebeian without any kind of merit is the lowest prostitution. I found the family justly enraged at it, and though I had more good nature than to join her condemnation, yet I could devise no excuse for so senseless a prank as this young gentleman had played."
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.