CLXXXV. Council for Virginia. Answer to the Request of the
Walloons and French to Plant in Virginia
August 11, 1621
State Papers, C. O. 1, Volume I, No. 55
Document in Public Record Office, London. Signed by John Ferrar, Deputy
List of Records No. 264
The humble answer of so many of his Matℯ Councell for Virginia as could
at present bee assembled, they being in his Highnes Name required by the
Rt Hoble Sr George Calvert Principall Secretary of State, to deliver their
opinion concerning certaine Articles putt vp by some Walloones and
ffrenchemen desirous to goe to Virginia
If it stand wth his Matℯ gratious favor they do not conceiue it any incon-
venience at present to suffer sixtie families of Walloones and ffrenchemen
not exceeding the Nomber of 300. persons to goe and inhabite in Virginia,
The sayd persons resoluing and taking oath to become his Matℯ and his
Successors faithfull and obedient subjectℯ: and being willing as they make
profession to agree in pointℯ of faith. So likewise to bee conformable to
the forme of gouvernemt now established in the Church of England.
They esteeme it so Royall a favor in his Matie, and so singula[r] a benefitt
to the sayd Walloones and ffrenche Men to bee admitted to live in that
fruitefull land vnder the protecc̃on and gouvernm
t of so mighty and pious a
Monarch as his Ma
tie is, that they ought not to expect of his sacred Ma
tie
any ayde of shipping or other chargeable favo
r. And as for the Company
for Virginia their stock is so vtterly exhausted by theese three last yeares
supplies, as they are not able to giue them any forther helpe in that kinde,
then onely in point of advise & Councell, for the cheapest transportac̃on
of themselues and goodℯ, and the most frugall and profitable managing of
their affayres, if his Royall Ma
tie please so to command them.
They conceiue that for the prosperity and principally the securing of the
plantac̃on in his Matℯ obedience, it is not expedient, that the sayd ffamilies
should sett downe in one grosse and entire bodie wth the demaunds speci-
fyed, but that they should rather be placed by convenient Nombers in
the principall Citties, Borroughes and Corporac̃ons in Virginia, as them-
selues shall choose, There being giuen vnto them such proporc̃on of land
and all other priviledges and benefittℯ whatsoeuer in as ample manner as
to the naturall Englishe And this course, they out of their experience do
conceiue likely to proue better, and more Comfortable to the sayd Wal-
loons and ffrenchemen, then that other wch they desire
ffor the 3. 4. 5. 6.
7. Articles
All these their opinions, they do most humbly submitt to the most excellent
wisedome of his sacred Matie
John Ferrar Deputy
[Indorsed:] xj August 1621 Copie of the answere made by the Virginia
Company to the request made by the Wallons and Frenche to plant
themselues in Virginia Virginia
