University of Virginia Library

CCCLXV. Sir Nathaniel Rich. Notes for the Commissioners
June (?), 1623

Carter and yardley an Apothecarye §dwelling in woodstreet§ vsually
directed by Sr E. Sandys to write letters wch Sr E. S. himselfe did dictate
vnto them: by and those ɫres did vsually conteyne those things wch Sr
E. S. himselfe would not haue appeare vnder his owne hand: md to inquire
after those ɫres vpon Oath of Carter & Yardley

1623

Qre whither the silkes shewed on Easter monday last to ye K. were not
made in Engl:

whither Sr E. S. would not vsually add at the end of his ɫres to Sr G.
yardley: burne this.

Qre by whose meanes Sr G. y. was knighted & sent Gouernor

Qre: Nich & Jo: Ferrer theyr devise 7th Oct. 1622 to bring the Company in
debt to Officers in Virginia & yet the Court false entered wilbe deposed
by Mr Gibbs Mr Wrott & Mr Jermyn. In the case of Dauison And
so in another case to Sr F. Wyatt & George Sandys to contriue the taking
away of 50 §fifty§ men from Sr G. yardley.

Mr wrott shewed me a Coppy of Rostinghams ɫre to him in which he
recites the reading of Sr G. yardleys ɫre to Rostingham auoing vpon his
life the most earnest p̱swasion & solicitation of Sr E. S to yardley to h vpon
him the Gouermt of Virginia.

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212

Nic Ferrar sayed the 9d vpon pound offered by the Lordℯ to be pd for or
Tobacco was no grace of the King but they were in better case both by
the contract & before when they pd xijd.

200 qrs of Corne at 4s 6d the buz out of Gold the publick p̳uisions of London
granted last march for the good of virginia was sold at Virginia for 30s a
buz to the planters & the benefitt is sayed to be wholy conuerted to
Barber & the fferrars

ffor Reformac̃on that his Mate would please himselfe to appoint §of some
principall membrs of the Company§ a Counsell not exceeding 13 or 15,
who may haue power to decide all differences amongst the Companye
§to receaue the appeales of the planters§ to ha to regulat all disorders §to
receaue the appeales &§ to heare & determyne the greiuances of the Compa
Planters & Aduenturers To nominate ther Gouernors and officers to be
imployed in ther Plantations, by propounding first the Office & then
§at each elec̃ the names of the §fitt§ p̱ties to be imployed, and he to be
chosen that hath the pluralitie of voyces by Counsell & Companie.

And of the saied Counsell one to be yearelie chosen who shall be gouernor
fo of the Companye for that yeare, this man to be chosen by the pluralite
of the voyces in the Counsell. And one Deputie §of the Company§ to
be chosen by pluralite of voyce of the Counsell & Companye in a quarter
Court at the tymes now appointed: And all other officers by plurality of
voyce of Counsell & Companye: But all these officers to be these to be
§those§ elecc̃ons to be made be in mann9 & tyme as now they are

The Gouernor in meetingℯ of the Counsell to haue a casting voyce, in other
meetings of Counsell & Company to haue a ca double & a casting voyce.
If §Gouernor &§ all the Counsell agree p̢nt agree in any thing then §that
at§ to haue §The power§ a Negatiue voyce against the plurl [sic]

If any of the Counsell dye, the Maior p̱te of the s̃d Counsell to elect by
plurality of voyce one to succeed

That some of the antient & graue Citizens §nobles & gentlemen of quality
not beeing priuy Counsellers§ that haue ben heretofore Aduenturers may
be by his mate inuited againe to become Aduenturers, therefor to be made
Counsellors & to haue weekely meetingℯ, except at

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No man whatsoeu9 to be admitted to haue voyce in the Companyes that
shall not in euery yeare haue §& contynew§ at the least 2 p̱sons vppon
his share or shares §owne§ land in the plantations.

Proiect how the S. Ilandℯ may be better gouerned & not so
subiect to popularite and by that meanes to fac[tions] as now it
is, and yet the patent preserued vntouched.

But if any shall refuse to assent to such orders as shalbe giuen
by his mate for matter of gouermt then his land to be questioned
vpon the validity of the patent, els to be confirmed by a §one
Patent to be §new§ granted, to conteyning an assurance or
confirmac̃on to euery man his p̱ticular shares.

Inducemtℯ to surrender ye p̃nt & to gett a new pt

1. Qre Whether we hold not the pt meerely vpon Condic̃on (Vnder) p. 4

2ly. Whither Royall fishings as that of the whale doe pass by the name of
all fishinges with other generall wordℯ

The ɫres patℯ say pag. 5. in the very preamble to th' establishing of the
man9 of Gouermt that bec̃

It is not Conuenient for all the sayd Company to be oft drawne to meete
and assemble as shalbe requisite to haue meetings & conference about
theyr affayres. ga the K. doth establish & Gouernor and Deputye and 24
Assistants for managing managing ye generall business and affayres for and
concerning the sayd Ilandℯ now how to make this Governor and Dep. and
Assistants haue the principall stroke in the Gouermt is the question to
wch end

a law be made not to be altered by his mates consent & the same not to be
altered but vpon wth his mates consent vppon the humbl petic̃on of 2 p̱tℯ
of the Company at least

I p̳pound that no Gouernor shalbe eligible who hath not at least 20 p̱sons
planted vppon his land for so he beeing deeplye interessed will haue most
care of the Com̃on good.

None to be eligible for Deputie who hath not 12 §10§ p̱sons at least planted

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None for Treasuror who hath not 6 §psons§

Nor none to be principall Assistantℯ who haue not at least 6 p̱sons planted

That the Depute

qre pag. 5. m x yt ye Gouernor, Deputy, and Assistants, or any of them
shalbe from henceforth nominated, contynued, changed &c on by the
voyce of the greater p̱te of the Assistantℯ & Companye. qre whither if
these be maior p̱te of the Companye would §agreeing to§ haue an Officer
changed, & the maior p̱te of the Assistantℯ disagr would not §not agreeing
to§ haue him changed: he pet is that officer to be changed.

That each Aduenturer shall haue so many of the 400 voyces as he hath
shares: wch is wthin the equitie of the patent & will preuent making ouer
of shares to others so to increase the popu wealth the troup of Aduenturers.
when indeed one 4th p̱te ar scarc true but only nomine tenus Aduenturers
And so some 14 p̱sons will sway the Gouermt for each man can haue but
15 shares

new Adventurers to be bought.

[Indorsed:] qres concerñ Virginia
Notes taken for informing Comrs