CLXXVIII. William Ewens. Covenant with the Company for
Virginia
July, 1621
Additional Manuscripts, 14285, Folios 78a–79a
Document in British Museum, London
List of Records No. 256
[78d] To all to whome these presentℯ shall come greetinge Knowe yee
that I Wm Ewens Mr of the good Ship the George of 150 tuñ burden nowe
resident in the Riuer of Thames for and in considerac̃on of the Sum̃e of
480ɫi of good and lawfull money of England to mee in hand paide and
deliuered by the Treasuror and Companie of Aduenturors and Planters of
the Cittie of London for the first Colonie in Virginia before the insealinge
and deliuery hereof and for and in considerac̃on of certaine couenantℯ
between them and mee agreed I the said Wm Ewens do promise and
couenant in manner and forme followinge Imprimis that the good Shipp
the George before her departure out of the Riuer of Thames shalbe stronge
and staunch and in all thingℯ well fitted and prouided aswell with furniture
belonging to a Shippe as also Marriners and Sea men fitt and sufficient for
the safe and good p̱formance of the voyage now intended and couenanted
[79] Item I doe couenant and promise with the first oppertunity of wynde
and weather to sett sayle wth the first Shippe for the Porte of the Cowes
neare the Ile of Wight and there to receaue and take into the said Shippe
such Passengrs and goodℯ as the said Treasuror and Company shall direct
and appointe and no other and I do further couenante and promise after
the Passengers and goodℯ shalbe receaued into the said Shippe to departe
from thence the directest course for the Porte of James Citty in James
Riuer in the Kyng Kingdome of Virginia and during the time of the said
voyage to giue and make such allowance of victuall to the Passengers as
by the Shedull herevnto affixed is specified. And I doe promise and
couenant to deliuer the said Passengers and goodℯ (mortallity and dangers
of the Seas onely excepted) safe and well condic̃oned at James Cittie in
Virginia accordinge as the said Treasuror and Company shall direct and
appointe.
And I do further promise and couenant to take and receaue into the said
Shippe the George such Tobacco as the Gouernor and officers residinge in
Virginia shall lade aboord here duringe the time that the said Shippe shall
[79d] abide in Virginia for the Account of the said Treasuror and Company
here in England & the said Tobacco and their goodℯ to deliuer and con-
signe safe and well condic̃oned (the danger of the Seas excepted) to such
ffactors in England or Holland or Ireland and at such Portℯ as the said
Treasuror and Compan̄ie shall appointe and ordaine.
And to the p̱formance of all and singular the Couenantℯ aboue recited to
be well and truely holden kept and p̱formed in all thingℯ by mee I the
said Wm Ewens binde my self my executors and Administrators and goodℯ
and namely the Shippe aforesaid wth the fraight tackle boale and apparell
of the same vnto the saide Treasuror and Companie and their Successors
in the Sum̃e or penaltie of 1000ɫi of lawfull money of England well and
truely to be paide by these p̢sentℯ: In Wittnesse whereof I haue herevnto
sett my hand and Seale this [blank] day of July 1621 And in the yeares of
the raigne of or soueraigne Lord James by the grace of God King of Eng-
land Scotland ffrance and Ireland Defendor of the faith ct̃ that is to say
of England ffrance and Ireland the 19th and of Scotland the fower and
fiftith.
