University of Virginia Library

CDLXIV. James I. Commission to Sir Francis Wyatt as Governor
and to the Council in Virginia[443]

August 26, 1624

James by the grace of God King of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland
Defendor of the faith &c To our Trustie and welbeloved Sir ffrancis
Wyatt knight ffrancis West Esquier Sir George Yardley knight George
Sandys Esquier Roger Smyth Esquier Raph Hamor Esquier John Martin
Esquier John Harvey Esquier Samuell Mathewes Esquier Abraham Percey
Esquier Isaack Maddison Esquier and William Clayborne Esquier greeting
Whereas heretofore at the humble suite of divers our loving subiectℯ
intending to deduce a Colonie and to make habitac̃on and plantac̃on of
sundry our people in that parte of America comonly called Virginia and
other partℯ and territories in America Wee greatly comending and gra-
ciously accepting their desires to the furtherance of soe noble a worke did
by our ɫres patentℯ in the fowerth yere of our raigne of England graunt to
divers knightℯ gentlemen and others for the more speedy accomplishment
of the said plantac̃on that they should devide themselves into twoe colonies
the one consisting of divers knightℯ gentlemen Marchantℯ and others of
our Cittie of London called the first Colonie And the other of sundry
knightℯ gentlemen and others of the Cittie of Bristoll and Exeter the towne
of Plimouth and other places called the second Colonie. And wee did by
the same ɫres patentℯ graunt that the said Colonies might make their plan-
tac̃ons and habitac̃ons in certaine places in the same ɫres patentℯ expressed,
And that the said Colonies should have divers landℯ groundℯ havens portℯ

com̃odities and hereditamentℯ and divers priuiledges and liberties for the
quiet setling and good government in the said plantac̃ons. In and by
which ɫres patentℯ wee did also declare our pleasure that wee our heires
and successors should from tyme to tyme ordayne and give such further
* * * instrucc̃ons lawes constituc̃ons and ordinances for the better
rule and government of such as soe should make plantac̃on there as to vs
our heires and successors should from tyme to tyme be thought convenient,
And whereas wee according to the effect and true meaning of the said
ɫres patentℯ did by severall ɫres vnder our privie seale p̢scribe and give orders
ordinances and constituc̃ons for the directing and ordering of the affaires of
the said first Colonie And whereas afterward vppon the petic̃on [etc. etc.
as in the recitals to No. CDLXI (List of Records No. 701), almost word
for word, but omitting some phrases, the correct date (7 Jas. I) being given
for the Charter of Incorporation.]

* * * * *

yet the least delay might p̳ve daungerous to the said Colonies and Plan-
tac̃ons yf during the tyme of this delib̴ac̃on they shoulde want direcc̃on
and government for the better p̳gression, therefore to the efecting of this
our royall pleasure wee by our com̃ission vnder our great seale of England
bearing date the fifteenth day of July in the yeare of our raigne of England
ffrance and Ireland the twoe and twentieth and of Scotland the seven and
fiftieth did give power and authoritie vnto our right trustie and right wel-
beloved Cosen and Counsellor Henry Viscount Mandevill lord President
of our Counsell and divers others of our privie Counsell and others to treate
consult and consider of all matters whatsoever concerning the said Colonie
and plantac̃on aswell for the safetie of our people there strength of the
place and government to be exercised there as for mannaging of the buis-
ines and affaires thereof here in England and to execute and p̱forme divers
other thingℯ conducing therevnto in such sorte as by our said Comission
may at lardge appeare In the execuc̃on of which our Com̃ission our said
Com̃issioners have already made some good beginning and have given vs
this humble advise That by a like Com̃ission from vs wee should appointe
and authorise such other discreet p̱sons residing §in§ the partℯ of Virginia
as wee shoulde thinke fitt to be our p̢sent Councell for the ordering mannag-
ing and governing of the affaires of that Colonie and plantac̃on and of the
p̱sons there already inhabiting or which hereafter shalbe or inhabite there

vntill some other constant and setled course be resolved vppon and estab-
lished by vs, Knowe yee therefore that wee reposing assured trust and
confidence in the vnderstanding care fidelitie experience and circum-
specc̃on of you the said Sir Frauncis Wyatt Frauncis West Sir George
Yardeley George Sandys Roger Smyth Raph Hamor John Martin John
Harvey Samuell Matthewes Abraham Percey Isaacke Madison and Wilɫm
Clayborne have nominated and assigned and doe hereby nominate and
assigne you the said Sir ffrauncis Wyatt to bee the p̢sent Governour and
you and the said ffrauncis West Sir George Yardeley and the rest §before§
menc̃oned to be our p̢sent Councell of and for the said Colonye and plan-
tac̃on in Virginia giving and graunting vnto you and the greater nomber
of you by theis p̢sents respectively full power and authoritie to p̱forme and
execute the places powers and authorities incident to a governour and
Councell in Virginia respectively and to direct and governe correct and
punish our subiectℯ nowe inhabiting or being or which hereafter shall
inhabite or be in Virginia or in anie the Isles portℯ havens Creakes or terri-
tories thereof eyther in tyme of peace or Warre and to order and directe
the affaires touching or concerning that Colonie or Plantac̃on in those
forraigne partes onely and doe execute and p̱forme all and every other
matters and thingℯ concerning that Plantac̃on as fully and amplye as anie
Governor and Councell resident there at anie tyme within the space of
five yeares now last past had or might p̱forme or execute. Nevertheless
our Will and pleasure is that Yee p̳ceed therein according to such instruc-
c̃ons as yee or such of you as have bene heretofore of our Councell there
have receaved or according to such instrucc̃ons as you shall hereafter re-
ceave from vs or our Com̃issioners here to that purpose or intent. And
our further pleasure is that wee doe hereby give power and authoritie and
doe will and commaunde that you the said Sir ffrauncis Wyatt ffrancis
West Sir George Yardley George Sandys Roger Smyth Raphe Hamor or
anie twoe of you whoe have already bene of our Councell in those partes
for the Plantac̃on there shall minister vnto the said John Martin John
Harvey Samuell Mathewes Abraham Percey Isaacke Maddison and
William Clayborne and every of them the like oath vppon the holy Evange-
list as yee or anie of you have already taken as Counsellor of or for the said
Colony or plantac̃on Willing and requiring you to bee diligent and atten-
dant in the execuc̃on of this our s9uice and com̃andement and alsoe willing
and com̃anding all other our loving subiectℯ to be directed and governed
by you or the greater number of you in all thingℯ according to the intenc̃on
and true meaning of theis p̢sentℯ. And lastly our will and pleasure is
that this our Com̃ission shall continue in force vntill such tyme as wee by
som̃e other writing vnder our Signett Privie Seale or great seale shall
signifie our pleasure to the contrary. In Witnes &c. Witnes our selfe
at Westm9 the six and twentieth day of August.