CCCLXXX. Governor Wyatt. Commissions to Captain Pierce, to
Captain Samuell Mathews, and to Others
July 17, 23, 1623
Manuscript Records Virginia Company, III, pt. ii, p. 41
Document in Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
List of Records No. 544
To all to whom these p̢sentℯ shall come, I Sr Francis
Wyatt Kt Governor and Capt generall of Virginia,
sendeth greeting in or Lord God everlastinge. Whereas
there is no meanes so probable to worke the ruine, and destrucc̃on of or
Salvage & treacherous enemies, as cutting downe theire Corne in the fitt
season, seeing they haue so many lurkeing places to escape the execuc̃on
of the Sword by flight: Out of the assured confidence I conceaue of the valor
and circumspection of my trustie, and welbeloved frend, Capt William
Peirce, I haue made choise of him, And hereby do Comand & authorise
him to choose both out of the Plantationℯ of the other side the River
oposite against James Cittie, and the Corporation thereof, such and so
many as he in his discretion shall think fittest for service, and a Competent
number to p̱forme it (leaving the Plantationℯ in the meane while able to
subsist and defend themselues against the enemy) together wth theire
Armes and Munition, and such Shallopℯ (belonging to any of theire
Plantationℯ) as he shall think necessarie: And so provided to go vp Chicko-
huomini Riur to the Plantationℯ of the Salvages there, or to any other
places adioyning (where conveniently they may) and to pursue the Sal-
vages wth fire and Sword, especially to employ himself & his Company
in cutting down and destroying theire Corne, And the better to enable
the said Capt Will͠m Peirce, to manage this acc̃on, I do hereby giue him
full power and authority to punish all such of his Company as shall offend
either in neglect of wach and ward, or generally in not obeyinge the Com̃and
of the said Capt Will͠m Peirce, wth all the punishmentℯ (life only exepted)
wch are vsuall in services of that nature and necessarie for vpholding
the discipline of warr: Straightly chargeing and Comanding as well the
Comanders of the aboue said Plantationℯ, to be aiding and assistinge to
the said Capt Will͠m Pierce, in the levy of such men, as he shall choose,
if any (wch we doubt not) shall refuse so generall and necessarie a service;
XV.
1.
- Part of a Commission signed by Sir Francis Wyatt, Governor, and
Christopher Davison, Secretary, May 7, 1622. Virginia Com-
pany Records.
2.
- Signature of Edward Sharples, Secretary, certifying a copy of a letter,
March 3, 1623/4. Colonial Office Papers.
3.
- Note by William Claibourne, Secretary, on "Extracts of all the Estates
and Titles of Land", May, 1625. Virginia Company Records.
4.
- Part of a letter signed by George Sandys, Treasurer, March 30, 1623.
Manchester Papers.
[OMITTED]
and likewise all those that shall accompany him in this expedition, readily
and diligently to execute the Com̃and of the said Cap
t Will͠m Peirce, as they
will answer y
e contrary att theire further perillℯ. In Wyttnes whereof
I haue hereunto putt my hand Colony Seale, this 17
th day of July, in the
yeares of the Raigne of o
r Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God, of
England, Frannce, Ireland King, defendo
r of the faith etc the xxj
th, And
of Scotland the Lvj
1623 The 17
th yeare of this Plantation.
Francis Wyatt.
The like Comission (mutatis mutandis) was graunted to Capt Samuell
Mathews to go vppon the Tanx Powhatans.
To Capt Nath: West vppon the Apomatacks, and Tanx Weyonaques.
To Capt Will͠m Tucker vppon the Nansamums, & Wariscoyacks.
All wch fell vppon them on the same day namely the 23th of July 1623.
A week after Capt Isack Maddison marched against the Great Weyonaques
and Capt Tucker the second time to Nansamum.
