farther desired that the governor, who was
then present, would do him the justice to confess whether he had given
the least word of command all that day, or directed any one thing during
the whole fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true; and fairly
yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain.

Sec. 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by another instance
of his management, whereby he let the world know the violent passion he
had to publish his own fame.

To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommended to the court of
England the necessity that Virginia should contribute a certain quota of
men, or else a sum of money, towards the building and maintaining a fort
at New York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New York was
their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they should help to
defend it. This was by order of his late majesty King William proposed
to the assembly; but upon the most solid reasons they humbly
remonstrated, "that neither the forts then in being, nor any other that
might be built in the province of New York, could in the least avail to
the defence and security of Virginia; for that either the French or the
northern Indians might invade that colony, and not come within an
hundred miles of any such fort." The truth of these objections are
obvious to any one that ever looked on the maps of that part of the
world. But the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this:
Those forts were necessary for New York, to enable that province to
engross the trade of the neighbor Indians, which Virginia had sometimes
shared in, when the Indians rambled to the southward.

Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this: after he had
represented Virginia as republican and rebellious for not complying with
his proposal, he said publicly that New York should not want the 900
pounds, though he paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after took a
journey to that province.

When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, but pretending
earnest desires to serve New York, gave his own bills of exchange for
900 pounds to the aforesaid use, but prudently took a defeasance from
the gentleman to whom they were given, specifying, "that till her
majesty should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of the
quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made use of." This
was an admirable piece of sham generosity, and worthy of the great pains
he t