CLXVIII. Sir George Yeardley. A Letter to Sir Edwin Sandys
May 16, 1621
Ferrar Papers
Document in Magdalene College, Cambridge
List of Records No. 246
Honble knight
At the arriual of the seruants of Sir Lawrence Hyde, & Mr Nicolas
Hyde his brother, I could not deuise, how to doe them better seruice,
then by recom̃ending their men & the prouisions they brought to the
care of Mr John Boys Warden of Martins hundred, where those twoe
worthy gentlemen were to haue their diuidendes. Of these seruants of
theirs coming in (as others did) in a most feruent & contagious time, some
are dead. And howe & upon what termes those that remaine aliue are
disposed of, appeareth by the note inclosed, wch though it be very rude
and muche blurred, yet because it is the handwriting of Mr John Boys
himselfe, I thought good to inclose it. Their wages sett downe in the same
note I holde to be reasonable, and doe think, that being but newe men,
they might perhaps (ouer & beside a greater hazard of their liues) not
attaine so muche, if they were at their owne disposing. Against another
year they may haue full experience in the country; and then if it shall
please their Mrs to adde more company vnto them, I shalbe ready to giue
them the best assistance I can to settle them upon their owne lande;
about the laying out whereof I will take order wth Mr Boys who hath not
yet assigned any land at all for any particular aduenturer remaining in
England, and shall appoint those twoe gentlemen their diuidends wth the
first. The reason why I haue bene so slowe in doing it is because we haue
neuer a surueyour in the lande and by that meanes cannot performe suche
a seruice to any purpose, but might therein muche wronge either the
owners, or suche as should be their next neighbours. And besides the
vndertakers at Martins hundred would thinke themselues muche wronged,
if any other should be sett on worke to diuide their groundes. Besides, if
that company intende (as I doe heare) to buy out the Indians of Chi-
schiack, those twoe worthy gentlemen might perhaps speed a great deale
better by chusing them a seate in those partes. Thus muche I thought
good to signify in answer to M
r Nicolas Hydes letter written to yo
r Selfe
in England; and so recomending &c. I rest
Yors very ready at your seruice
G. Yeardley.
James citty May 16. 1621.
A note of the disposeing of Sir Lawrence Hydes & Mr Nicolas Hydes men
copied out of the handwriting of Mr John Boys Warden of Martins
hundred.
Sr Lawrence Hyde hath one seruant dwelling wth Thomas Cumber, whose
name is Richard Chelsey, who is to haue for his wages till Christmas next
80ɫi of Tobacco, three barrells of corne, & to haue an house newe built him
14. foot long, & twelue foote Broad.
Mr Nicolas Hyde hath a man and his wife, and one singleman. The name
of the married man is Ralph Dickins, & the womans name is Jane Dickins;
her husband dwelles wth Thomas Boys. The other seruants name is
Stephen Collier, who dwelleth wth John Boys. One man of Mr Nicolas
Hydes is dead, whose name was Laurence Clarke. Mr Nicolas Hydes
men are to haue for their seruice till Christmas next 200ɫi of Tobacco &
6 barrells of corne.
It agreeth wth th' originall
J. Pory Secr.
[Indorsed by John Pory:] Copie of Sir G. Yeardleyes letter to Sir Edwin
Sandys, in answer to that of Mr Nicolas Hyde, &c. sent for England by
the Bona noua, 16 May 1621.
[Copied by John Pory.]
