Without reciting here, the substance of the correspondence between Mr Robert Carter and his Sons & Sons in Law respecting the disposition of his Virginia estate amongst them, I will only observe that I have read & considered it. My opinion is, that the engagements therein made are obligatory upon him, and that a Court of Equity will compel a specific execution of them. They are entered into upon consideration deemed good in Law, and also upon a valuable consideration.

     Your suit will probably be tried this Court. One of the pleas is fully administer'd. It will be necessary for you to furnish me with your administration Account Inventory appraisement vouchers &c. If you have settled any Account with the Court send me those likewise. I send you a subpena in case you should have witnesses to summon. I am Sir Your Obt Sert

     I wish I could give you the Satisfaction you wish as to the time when your case will be finally decided. We must proceed regularly and there is no rule by which to guess when the case will come on in its turn which it must do if defended with a view to delay.

     I wrote you a long letter in February last but do not know whether you recieved it. in case you should not, I will trouble you with the subst<a>nce of it, as it may perhaps be necessary to be pr<e>pared by September Court <mutilated>t all events with respect to the ne exeat <mutilated> it be necessary to do any thing in that business.

     This is the third Letter I have wrote to you, directed to Richmond, but have not recieved an answer, in one of which, I Enclosed Hodsons Rect for £5.6— agreeable to your directions, I also wrote to Mr Tinsly Enclosing him, an attested Copy, of Release of Errors, the original filed in our Court, you will greatly oblige me $PR Return of Mr Chs Alexander Junr to inform me in what manner I am to proceed. and at what time you think the Trial will come on, I wish also to be informed, as the debt for which I was Executed is an open acct as to Mr P.

     In tracing the title of the protestant Episcopal Church to the Glebes, churches, and other property appertaining thereto I do not deem it necessary for its advocates to rely upon the laws which passed upon the subject posterior to the formation of our constitution.

     I received your Favor on Saturday last inclosing an Attachment & two Dedimus's against my troublesome Neighbor George Chapman for which I am exceedingly obliged to you, as I expect it will put a Stop to the Sale of a Negro belonging to the Estate of Mr Philip Alexander's Orphans, which he executed some Time ago, under a Supposition that I intended (as I conceive) to rest satisfied with the Dissolution of my Injunction against him but as it is in my Power to pro[ve] that the Money which he unjustly demands from me has been honestly discharged by Robt Alexander, I a

     Recd of Bushrod Washington Notes of James Swan to Robt Young for $10,909 which I promise to retain in my hands untill Robert Young & Co. have executed a deed or <pa>rchment to sd Swan for 130,000 Acres and also as Covenant to warrant the Title sent them by B. Washington.¹

     Some months ago a subpoena in Chancery at the suit of mr Banks¹ was served on me as former governor of Virginia, calling on me & others not named (but I suppose the Counsellors of that day) to appear— presuming it was for some act done on behalf of the commonwealth I wrote to the governor to know whether I must defend, or whether the executive would not undertake it for the Commonwealth, as they were possessed of the records & materials of defence. in his answer he assures me it shall be defended by the executive.

     Upon a full consideration of the papers which have been laid before me & of the situation in which the Swearingens are placed by the several decrees in the case of Hite and others agt Fairfax

I am of opinion