Some time after the county court of New Kent gave license for his preaching in St Peter's parish the excitement had become so high on the subject that the General Court annulled the proceedings.
A copy of this petition from inhabitants of New Kent is preserved among the writings of Mr Davies It is itself a comment on the state of society.
To the Worshipful Court of New Kent the Petition of the Subscribers humbly showeth "Whereas we are Protestant Dissenters of the Presbyterian denomination under the ministerial care of the Rev Mr Davies- and therefore humbly claim the liberties and immunities granted to such by the Act of Toleration upon our taking the qualifications therein imposed which we are willing to do and whereas our distance from the meeting houses now licensed renders our attendance on Public Worship a word or two obliterated and sometimes impracticable your petitioners therefore pray that a place on the land of William Clopton in this county may be recorded according to the direction of the said Act and licensed for our public religious use And your petitioners as in duty bound shall pray &c. Blackmore Hughes, Roger Shackelford, Richard Muir, William Crumpton, Robert Brain, John Thompson (three or four names obliterated) Charles Cuningham, Simon Clement, Abraham Lewis, Thomas Francis, Julius K Burbidge.
At a court held for New Kent County, April 12th, 1750-
"On the petition of divers of the inhabitants of the county of New Kent and Hanover Samuel Davies a dissenting minister who hath qualified himself according to the Act of Toleration is allowed to assemble and meet any congregation of Protestant Dissenters at a meeting house to be erected on the land of Wm Clopton in New Kent County without molestation they behaving in a peaceful manner and conforming themselves according to the provisions of the said act of parliament." Copy-Teste John Dandridge, Clerk of the County
This license was revoked by the General Court.
-Sketches of Virginia by William Henry Foote
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