I had not the favour of your Excellencies Letters of the 7th & 9th. of February until the 19th. instant. The Letter you mention from Lord Egremont is not yet come to hand—our Assembly is to meet next Week, and I shan't fail to use my utmost Endeavours to prevail with them to raise a Regiment of 5 or 600 Men in six Companies, and as I propose making the immediate Expence easy to the people without a large Tax upon the Planters or issuing any more paper Notes, which has greatly depreciated our Currency, by a Loan by Subscription, and Application of near £6000 which we have ready to be drawn for from England, now in our Agent's hands by paying an advanced Interest to the Subscribers until we are in great part reimbursed from England; it will be then no immediate heavy Tax upon the Inhabitants, as 2 or 3 Shillings upon Taxables will Answer it—This I think they can't reasonably refuse to secure a permanent peace and future Safety—If they come into this I don't doubt but we may have the Men raised by the Beginning of June, as the Officers before appointed will be again employed, and the Men will readily enlist as they liked their Officers, and the Service to the Southward will be more agreable to them than an Indian war as these are mostly woodsmen and disciplined, and are not in the way of going into the Northern Garrisons, they will be of more Service to join the Regulars against either French or Spaniards in the Islands, or against Florida or the Mississippi, but then Transports must be provided for them, and they must have time to be cloathed and have Blankets, which the Province will pay, but we trust necessarily be allowed Arms, for we cant depend upon more than 2 or 300 in the Province, the Arms we had last year from Virginia being returned when they were broke, and they were very much incommoded for want of Tents, which won't be so necessary in a warm Climate, though many Will be wanted, which can't be supplied in the Province, I believe also Hints will be wanted; I shall assist all I can in raising Recruits for the Regulars when I know your plan and orders and place of Rendezvous, as soon as ever. I know the Certainty of what the Assembly will do, I shall send you Notice by Express, and a Duplicate by that. This I send in a Vessel bound to Boston to be forwarded thence by Packet so a Vessel is ready for New York or Philadelphia.

I heartily wish you Success in your Operations, which I hope by the Assistance of the Divine Providence will be decisive in our favour.