CCXI. Francis West, William Claybourne et al. Petition to the
King
1622 (?)
State Papers, C. O. 1, Volume II, No. 15
Document in Public Record Office, London. Signed
List of Records No. 294
To the Kings most excellent Matie
The humble petic̃on of yor most humble and loyall Subiectℯ Captayne
Francis West, Captaine William Claybourne, John Brewer, Robert
Sweet and William Capps gent. auncient Planters and Adventurers
in yor Matℯ Colonye of Virginia on the behalf of themselues and the
rest of your poore distressed Subiectℯ of that Plantation
Most humbly shewing vnto yor most excellent Matie that by their long
experience hazard and chardge both of their persons and estates, for
many yeares now past, they haue found that that Country may be made
vsefull for many com̃odities to supply the wantℯ of this Kingdome with
those thingℯ, which are now fett from forreyn kingdomes, but by main-
teyning warre with the Indians, and the former benefitt, which hath bene
made by Tobacco they haue bene hindered and mispent their times therein
soe long as that now the freight and yor Matℯ customes and duties being
first dischardged Tobacco is of noe value, whereby they are like to perish,
and soe hopefull a Plantation will presently sinck and become of noe vse
at all, vnlesse yor Matie out of yor gratious and roiall care of all yor Subiectℯ
and of all the p̱tℯ of yor Dominions wilbee gratiously pleased to take them
into your immediate care and p̳tecc̃on, to make the Tobacco yor owne
com̄oditie, to take a convenient p̳portion yearely from the Colonie, at a
reasonable price, whereof yor Matie may make an assured gaine, and the
Planters haue meanes to subsist for the present, & to apply themselues
for the future to plant some reall com̄odity there, to wch that Country is
apt and fitt.
They therefore in all humblenes beseech yor Matie to take this their suit
into yor roiall considerac̃on: and to appoint some such p̱sons as yor Matie
shall make choise of to treat with them concerning the same. And they
conceaue that yor Matℯ humble Subiectℯ all the Planters & adventurers of
[OMITTED]
that Colony both here and there will most readily conforme themselues
to such conditions and orders as may be for yo
r Ma
tℯ proffitt & the estab-
lishment of that Plantation: And they shall ever as most bounden pray
for yo
r Ma
tℯ long life and happy raigne over vs.
Fran: West
W: Claybourne
John Brewer
Robert Sweet
Williã Capp̃
