CCCLXXIV. Sir Nathaniel Rich. Draft of a Proposition for
Resettling the Estate of Virginia
June 23, 1623
Manchester Papers, No. 379
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 524
1.
That th' elecc̃on of Officers for Virginia may be putt of to Wedsonday
come fortnight, wch may haue a deriuatiue power from the Quarter Court
for that purpose.
2.
That it would please his Matie forthwth to thinke of some Comrs to be
sent into Virginia, who may thoroughly examine and informe his Matie of
the greiuances of the people and of the whole state of the Colonye: We
shall find three or 4 able gentlemen that will goe vpon their owne charge
if their seruice herein may be acceptable to his Matie and that the Shipp
wch they shall goe in may bring home all the Tobacco th * * ish of the
next Cropp att the Rate that heretofore hath ben vsuallie payed.
3.
That if it fall out vppon the Certificate of the Comrs that who are now
employed in th' examinac̃on of those businesses that the liues of his Maties
Subiectℯ haue ben §heretofore§ negligentlie cast away and the cost &
labour bestowed on that plantac̃on to hath prodduced nothing but des-
perate miserie and §so§ that the whole worke is as good as in a manner
wholie ou9throwne: That then the p̢nt Managers of the affaires of the
Plantac̃on may be dismissed from eu9 further medling wth it: And if it
shall please his Mate to publish some declarac̃on how he findℯ the p̢nt estate
to be inten and graciouslie inuite all the old Aduenturers especially the
mrchantℯ and Citizens of London to make a new subscription for restoring
this Action: and that none shall haue voyce in the Court of but such as
shall §co betweene this & Bartholmewtide nex§ vnderwrite xxli p̱ Añ for 4
yeares: It is conceaued that by this meanes a new the Action may be
vpheld and all the p̢nt disorders reformed, especially if it shall please his
Matie to restrayne the power of electing all Officers both for the Colony &
the Company to the greater §maior§ p̱te of these new Aduenturers: And
that a Coun if elect Counsell may.
4.
That the Gouernor and other Principall Officers for the Som̄er Ilandℯ
may be yearelie chosen out of some of the deepest Aduenturers, otherwise
that Plantac̃on wch is almost brought to p̱fection will shortlie be brought
to the same estate that the other of Virginia is: And therefore that his
Matie be earnestly mooued to preuent it in tyme, wch must cheifelie be by
this meanes for in these businesses experience shewes that men are more
or lesse carefull and circumspect according to their p̱ticular Interests &
Ingagements.
[Indorsed:] Proposic̃ons for resetling th' estate of Virginia deɫ my L.
Thr̃er 23 June 1623
