Chancellor Wythe's Opinion Respecting Religion

CHANCELLOR \VvTHE's OPINION RESPECTING RELIGION, DELIVERED BY HIMSELF. (From l\lassie Papers, Va. Hist. Soc. MSS. Collection.) Why Sir, as to religion, I have ever considered it as Our best and greatest Friend, those glorious views which ~t gives of our relation to God, and of our destination to Heaven, on the easy terms of a good life, unquestionably furnish the best of all motives to virtue; the strongest dissuasives from vi~e; and the richest cordial under trouble, thus far I suppose \Ve are all agreed; but not perhaps, so entirely in another opinion which is, that in the sight of God, moral character is the main point. This opinion very clearly taught by reason, is as fully * * by * * which every * * That the Tree will be valued only for its good fruit; and, that in the last clay, according to Our works of love or of hatred, of mercy, or of cruelty, \Ve shall sing with angels, or weep with devils: in short, the Christian religion (the sweetest and sublimest in the World), labours throughout to infix in Our hearts this great truth, that God is love-and that in exact proportion as we grow in love, \Ve grow in his likeness, and consequently shall ·partake of his friendship NOTES AND QUERIES. 103 and felicity forever, while others therefore have been beating their heads, or embittering their hearts with disputes about forms of baptism and modes of faith, it has always, thank God, struck me as my great duty, constantly to think of this-God is love; and he that walketh in love, walketh in God and God in Him. DOCKING ENTAIL. In October, r765, the General Assembly passed an act docking the entail of certain lands belonging to Rice Jones, wherein it was related that Rice Jones the elder, was seized of a valuable tract of land in South Farnham parish, Essex, and of Soo acres in Middlesex, and by his will, dated November 23, 1676, gave his land in Essex, called Ninecock Point, to his son John Jones, and the land in l\tiddlesex to his son Rice Jones; and on the death of the said John Jones, without issue, the said Rice Jones entered into possession of both tracts and died seized, leaving issue: John Jones, his eldest son, who also died sei3ed thereof, leaving three sons Rice, John and \Villiam, and said Rice and John are since dead without issue, and said William is also dead, leaving Rice Jones his eldest son, the present possessor. The entail Qn the Middlesex lands is docked. PUNISHMENT FOR ABUSE. Virginia: In Accomack County Court, Aug. rSth, r663. Forasmuch as .it appeareth to ye Court that l\tary White hath much Scandallized & abused (her Aunt) Goody Hait as appears by sufficient· evidence, It is therefore ordered that as a just reward for her offence, she be committed into ye Sheriff's custody untill she ask her Aunt forgiveness for her s'd offence three tymes, once in open Court and once at either Church in this County on ye next succeding Sabath daies in ye face of ye congregation, and pay C~urt charges. A Copy, Test: ROBT. H. OLDHAM, Dy., I897, October .;.tlz. for \V. Oldham, Jr., C. A. C.