VI. Virginia Council. "Instructions orders and constituc̃ons
... to ... Sr Thomas West knight Lo: La Warr"
1609/10 (?)
Ashmolean Manuscripts, 1147, folios 191–205a. A contemporary copy
Document in Bodleian Library, Oxford University
List of Records No. 11
[201] Instructions orders and constituc̃ons by way of advise sett downe
declared p̳pound and deliu9ed to the right hoble Sr Thomas West knight
Lo: La Warr[58]
Lo: Governor and Capten gen9all of Virginea and of
the Colonyes there planted and to be planted and of all other the inhab-
itants thereof by vs his Mat
ies Councell for the Companie of adventurers
and planters in [
202] Virginea resident in England vnder the hands of
of some of vs for the direcc̃on of the affares of that Countrey for his
better disposinge and proceedinge in the gou
9ment thereof according to
the Authoritie and power given vnto vs by his Mat
ies ɫres Patents in
that behalf together w
th a Copie of certaine of the Cheifest instrucc̃ons
w
ch haue bene form
9lye giuen to S
r Thomas Gates knight for his Direcc̃on
w
ch Coppie we haue given to his Lop. to p̱vse and looke into but leave
yt to his Discretion to vse and put them in execuc̃on or to beare to be
advised or directed by them further then in his owne Discretion he shall thinke meete.
We the said Councell havinge Considered the great & zealous affecc̃on
wch you Sr Thomas West knight Lo: Lawarr haue many wayes mani-
fested vnto vs and for the furtherance and advaunceinge of the plantac̃on
of Virginea haue therefore by or Com̃ission vnder the handes of some of
vs Constituted you to be Lord gou9nor and Captaine gen9all of Virginea
and for yor more safe and Delib̴ate p̳ceedinge in your gou9mt there;
haue advised Constituted & agreed vppon divers instructions followinge vĩzt
1.
First we require yor lop to take into yor charge our Fleete consistinge
of three good Shippes wth the Masters Marin9s saylors and one hundred
and fyftie landmen goinge in them to be transported vnder yor Com̃aund
wth what speed Conveniently you maye vnto Virginea and wth the first
winde to sett sayle for that place and in yor passage thither not to lande
or touche vppon anye of the kinge of Spaine his Dominions by him quietly
possessed wthout the Licence of the gou9nour of Such place [203] first
obtayned, vnles by necessitie of winde and weather you shalbe forced
thereunto in wch passage you shall holde Councell wth the Masters Pylates
and men of best experience what way is safest and fitt for you to take for
your arrivinge in Virginea
2.
Yor. Lopps beinge landed there, we wishe you should (wth what con-
venientcy you may by proclamac̃on made) call To into some publique
place all the governors officers and other his Maties Subiects aswell already
seated there as transported wth you, to whom you shall manifest your
Comission and cause yt to be publiquely read to them to the end his
Maties pleasure may be knowne as alsoe as our Choise in establishinge
yor Lopp gou9nor of Virginea, and of the plantac̃on there And that the
President Counsell and Colony there may take notice of or revocac̃on
of all form9 kindℯ and formes of gou9mt constituted or confirmed and
that they accordingely may yeild due obedience vnto you theire Lord
gou9nor and Captaine gen9rall att wch tyme we holde yt fitt you tender
vnto eu9y of them the oath of supremacy to be by them taken whereby
they shall manifest theire obedience and loyaltie to his Matie and you
thereby the better assured of theire fidelities as alsoe to be the rather
encouraged to Comitt matter of Counsell and Charge vnto them Att
wch tyme alsoe yor Lopp shall in our opinions doe well to give gen9all
opinions Com̃aundemt that all form9 private or publique Quarels, greiv-
ancs or grudgs be from thenceforth from amongest them vtterly abban-
doned and forgotten and they willingly embrace peace and love as be-
com̃eth xp̃ians wthout discention or hindrance to the com̃on good or quiet.3.
Moreover yor Lopp shall demaunde and resume into yor hands all
form9 Com̃issions all and all instructions and publique instrumts given
or sent vnto them and all bookes and records whatsoever of all the
p̳ceedings vntill this tyme and dispose of all theire offices and [204]
places in the future accordinge to your discretion except the office of
Leiuetenñte gou9nor wch yor Lop is by yor Com̃ission to bestowe vpon
Sr Thomas Gates yf he shalbe there to execute the same and office of
Marshall vppon Sr Thomas Dale at this Cominge thither, and the office
of Admirall vp̃on Sr George Sũm9s yf he shalbe there and the office
of Viceadmirall vp̃on Capten Newport he beinge there to supplye the said place.
4.
Your Shippes beinge discharged of theire p̳vision we wishe that they
the Seamen and soe manie others as shalbe needfull for that worke be
wth what Convenient speed you may employed to theire fyshinge for
Sturgeons and other fish wch done we desier yor Lop should make vp the
residue of theire fraight wth divers of the best seu9all Patternes of the
land Com̃odities that you can gett there havinge regarde more to the
goodnes and qualitie of them then to the quantity and to retorne the said
shippes for England wth as quick dispatch as you may for easinge of the
Companie of Adventurers of the charge both of wages of the said Shippes
Seamen and victualls wch they must be att vntill they retorne.5.
After yor Lop is settled in yor gou9nemt we thinke it very behofefull
that you employ soe many of your people as shalbe needfull in sowing
setting and plantinge of Corne and such rootes for foode as you for yor
better p̳vision Sustentac̃on and maintenñce shall thinke meete to be
planted.
6.
As touchinge yor landmen we thinke fitt yor Lop should reduce them all
into seu9all bandes and companies of Fyfties or more when you thinke
good and to Com̃itt the charge of them to seu9all officers and Captaines
to be exercised and trayned vp in Martiall manner and warlike Discipline.
7.
Yor Lop is to take principall order and care for the true worship and
service of god as by havinge the gospell preched frequent prayers and the
sacramts often administred as becom̃eth x̃pians And that such yor
Mynisters and preachers as shalbe wth you be had in due respect agreable
to theire dignitie and callinge and that yor Lop wth the Counsell of yor
said prechers and Mynisters doe as occasion shall force be offered p̳ceede
in punishinge of all Atheisme p̳phanisme popery and Scisme by exemplary
punishmt to the honor of god and to the peace and safety of his Church
over wch in this tendernes and infancy yor Lop must be especially solicitous
and watchfull.
[205] 8.
Yt is very expedient that your Lop wth all diligence indeavor the
conu9sion of the natiues and savages to the knowledge and worship of
the true god and theire redem9 Christ Iesus as the most pious and noble
end of this plantac̃on wch the better to effecte you are to procure from
them some of theire Children to be brought vp in or language and mann9s
and yf you finde yt Convenient we thinke yt necesserie you first remove
from them the Iniococks or priests by a surprise of them and detayninge
them prisoners and in case they shalbe willfull and obstinate then to send
over some three or foure of them into England we may endevor theire
Conu9sion here.
9.
We holde yt requisite that yor Lop in causes of Ciuill Iustice p̳ceede rather as a Counsellor then as a Iudge that is to saie rather vppon the
right and equitie of the thinge in demaunde then vp̃on the nicenes and
letter of the lawe, wch p̱plexeth in this tender body rather then dispatcheth
Causes. Soe that a Sum̃ary and arbitrary way of Iustice mingled wth
discreet formes of Magistracy as shall in your discretion seeme aptest for
yor Lop to exercise in that place wilbe of most vse both for expedic̃on
and example and for Criminall Causes you are to deale therein according
to yor Comission and good discretion.10
That yor Lop doe not p̱mitt any Shippe or vessell to trade or traffique
wthin yor precincte to Carrye from thence any Com̃odities or Marchandizes
wthout Warrant brought you or sent to yor Lop from the Councell for the
Companie of Adventurers vnder the Councell Seale.
11.
We doe require Yor Lop that wth what possible speed and conveniency
you may after you are setled you appointe a Convenient number wth
guides and some discreete Com̃aunder to discou9 Northwest South and
Southwest beyonde the faulls ten or twelve dayes Iourney and that assone
as may be Yor Lop send vnto vs the Narrac̃on of that voyage what rivers
lakes or seas they finde or here of wth the circũstanc there §vn§ to belonginge.
12
Yf Sr Thomas Gates be there arived and Sr George Som̃ers and Capten
Newport or any of them that your Lop doe give vnto Sr Tho: Gates the
place or office of Leiuetenñt gou9nor to yor Lop duringe the tyme of your
Lop and his abode there together and in yor Lops absence he beinge there
to be your Deputy and Cheif gen9all and Com̃aunder of the whole Colonye
and & companie and to rule and governe according to suche instructions
as your Lop shall lymitt and appointe him and that Sr George Som̃ers may
haue the office of Cheif Admirall vnder yor Lop and [206] that Sr Ferdinando
Weyneman may haue the office of Cheif Mr of the Ordinance, and that
Capten Newport may haue the office of Viceadmirall vnto yor Lopp.
13.
Your Lop must take especiall care what relac̃ons come into England
and what ɫres are written & that all things of that nature may be boxed
vp and sealed and sent first to the Counsell here accordinge to a former
instruction vnto the late Gou9nor in that behalf directed and that att the
ar̃ivall and retorne of eu9y Shippinge you endeavor to knowe all the
p̱ticuler passages and informac̃ons given on both sides and to adu9tise vs accordingly.
14.
Last of all for temporall govermt & perticuler proceedinge in your
plantac̃on in respect of the shortnes of tyme we com̃ende vnto your Lop
the copie of some of the cheifest of the old instrucc̃ons before menc̃oned
to haue bene formerly deliu9ed to Sr Tho: Gates to be vsed or refused
as you shall in yor wisdome thinke fitt neither is or meanes to tye your
Lop to the stricte p̱fourmance of theis newe instructions but as occasion
of tyme place or necessetie shall requir your Lop may doe therein as shall
seeme best in your owne discretion. Southampton, Pembroke, Phil: Mountgom9y, Edw: Cecyll. Waltr Cope. Dudly Diggs, Will Rumney,
Tho: Smyth, Rob̴t Drewrye, Rob̴t Maunsell, Baptist Hicks. Xr̃ofer Brooke.
The Copie of the old instrucc̃ons wch were form9ly wth others deliu9ed to
Sr Thomas Gates knt att his goinge to virginea for his direcc̃on in his
govermt there, and nowe are by vs his Mats Counsell for the companie
of Adventurers for Virginea given to the right hoble the Lo: La Warr
to looke into and advise on and at his discretion to vse or forbeare to
put them in execuc̃on
Such of the old instructions wch were formerly given to Sr Tho: Gates
knight and nowe deliu9ed to the Lo: La Warre beginne att att the nynth
instrucc̃on in the articles in thi booke wch by Waye of advise were sett
down to the said Sr. Thomas Gates and soe are written ontill you come
to the thirtith instrucc̃on wch 30th. 31. 32. & 33. instructions are not
given his Lop but the 34th is given him but not the 35. nor 36. but the
effect of the provisoe followinge is given.
