CCCXCVII. Governor in Virginia. Order
October, 1623
Manuscript Records Virginia Company, III, pt. ii, p. 52
Document in Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
List of Records, No. 568
Sr Francis Wyatt Kt Governor and Capt generall of Virginia, to Capt
Will͠m Tuckar Comander of Kicoughtan, sendeth greeting. Whereas (ac-
cording to an act of courte made, that there should be gathered 66li of
Sassafras an head for every labouring man throughout the Colony) war-
rantℯ were sent forth to all Plantations comanding the same, vppon the
penaltie of 10li of Tobacco for every hundreth waight of Sassafras not
brought in by a certaine day appointed, wch proporc̃on of Sassafras by
the pepoll, many haue neglected to gather, rather out of contempt of au-
thoritie, then as a matter of any great difficultie, in wch respect (the more
iustly) the whole penaltie might be taken: Yet the Governor and Counsell
of State haue remitted a great part thereof, and haue ordered that every
head now remaining aliue, that hath failed to gather 66
li of Sassafras ac-
cording to the said Warrant shall pay but 4
li of good Marchauntable
Tobacco w
ch is to be employed towardℯ the discharge of the publique debtℯ
of the Cuntrie. These are therefore straight[ly] to charge and require
you Cap
t Will͠m Tuckar that w
thin ten dayes after sight hereof, you col-
lect the said Tobacco throughout that Plantac̃on, and lay it vp safe vnd
r
Lock and key in some store. Further chargeing and Comanding all p̱sons
residinge in that Plantac̃on, to yeeld ready obedience and to be aiding and
asistinge to the said Cap
t Will͠m Tuckar in the execuc̃on of this Order and
Warrant, vppon paine of most high contempt in disobeying o
r authoritie,
derived from his Ma
tic. Given at James Cittie the day of October
1623
Francis Wyatt
A letter to mr Treasurer, to the same effect (mutatis mutandis)
