Cape Hatteras and Cape Fear. The County of Nansemond had
long abounded with non-conformists.

The salary of the governor, as ordered at this time, consisted of
twenty-five thousand pounds of tobacco, worth two hundred and fifty
pounds sterling, together with certain duties levied from masters of
vessels, called castle duties, and marriage license fees. A reward of
twenty pounds was offered to any one who should import a minister;
ministers, with six servants each, were exempted from taxes, it being
provided that they should be examined by Mr. Philip Mallory and Mr. John
Green, and should be recommended by them to the governor and council,
who were invested with discretionary control of the matter.[234:B]
Letters were sent to Matthews, Virginia's agent at the Protector's
court, directing him to suspend for the present the further prosecution
of the long and fruitless controversy with Lord Baltimore respecting the
disputed boundary.[234:C] Matthews, returning from England, was elected
by the assembly to succeed Digges in the office of governor, who was now
employed as agent. Colonel Francis Morrison, speaker, was desired by the
assembly to write a letter to the Protector, and another to the
secretary of state, which was as follows:--

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS,--

"We could not find a fitter means to represent the condition
of this country to your highness, than this worthy person, Mr.
Digges, our late governor, whose occasions calling him into
England, we have instructed him with the state of this place
as he left it; we shall beseech your highness to give credit
to his relations, which we assure ourselves shall be faithful,
having had many experiences of his candor in the time of his
government, which he hath managed under your highness, with so
much moderation, prudence, and justice, that we should be much
larger in expressing this truth, but that we fear to have
already too much trespassed, by interrupting your highness'
most serious thoughts in greater affairs than what can concern
your highness' most humble, most devoted servants.

"Dated from the Assembly of Virginia, 15th December, 1656."

Superscribed, for his "Highness, the Lord Protector."

The letter to the secretary of state was as follows:--

"RIGHT HONORABLE,--

"Though we are persons so remote from you, we have heard so
honorable a character of your