It is now six Years, since, in Obedience to the Order of the House, I undertook a Voyage to England, to take care of their Affairs there.

Fifteen Hundred Pounds of the Public Money was at different Times put into my Hands, and I was instructed to keep Accounts of the Disbursements I sh[ould] make in the Publick Service.

But I soon found such Accounts were in many Instances impracticable. For example I took my Son with me, partly to assist me as a Clerk and otherways in the Publick Service, and partly to improve him by showing him the World. His Services were considerable but so intermix’d with private Services, as that I could not well attend it. I made Journies, partly for Health, and partly that I might, by Country Visits to Persons of Influence, have more convenient Opportunities of discoursing them on our publick Affairs the Expence of which Journies was not easily proportioned and separated. And being myself honour’d with Visits from Persons of Quality and Distinction, I was oblig’d (for the Credit of the [Province?]) to live in a Fashion and Expence, suitable to the Publick Character I sustain’d, and much above what I should have done if I had been considered merely as a private Person; and this Difference of Expence was not easy to distinguish, and charge in my Accounts. The long Sickness and frequent Relapses I had the first and part of the second Winter, occasioned by a Change of Climate, were many ways expensive to me, of which I could keep no Account if indeed I ought to have charg’d the Province with such Expences. The Disbursement of the following Sums I have however Accounts and Receipts to avouch, viz.