CCLXXXVII. [Sir Nathaniel Rich.] Notes on the Tobacco
Contract
[March], 1622/3
Manchester Papers, No. 316
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 414
Q. But if you Reckon 2s bd gott vpon each po. of Tobago by bringing it
into one hand why may not the Company gett this
Sol: In the course of the Contract if you allow 2s 6d vpon each po. ou9
and aboue the 2s 6d we pay for it & for Som̃er Ilandℯ yett all this and more
is lost for then we saue by this first all Custome 2ly fraight 3lie the Kingℯ
third p̱te. 4lie Salary 5lie expectation of or money 6lie and miserable dis-
traction s 6lie and especiallie we shall saue not only the clamor but the
livelihoodℯ and lif of the Planters and the life of the Plantac̃on
And for Virginia Tobago when it comes it may please his matie to take
what course he please. but it were fitt that this p̱cell wch is the Whole
cropp of the Som̃er Ilandℯ should be first sould least through want and
discontent they should reuolt and then extreame Inconveniences would
ensue. For His Matie should not only loose the strongest fort of Christen-
dom, and place of singular importance to fasten his alliance wth the K.
of Spaine in respect of their Neighbourhood to the W. Indies, but if they
should reuolt to the Pyrattℯ they would as well infest his Matie as his
Allyes: strength aduance the strength of the Pyrattℯ to and make them
more fe to the destruction of §merchant &§ Merchandize wch is alrea at
a low ebb already and so weak, that now a little addic̃on of discouragemt
to what they had before would vtterly decay trade And lastly euen
to the plantac̃on of Virginia the reuolt of these Ilandℯ would giue a deadlie
and a fatall blow: Therefore speciall regard §should be had to§ to giue
contentmt to these Ilandℯ: wch cañot be if the com̄odities they rayse may
not vent as well or better then heretofore when they payed no custome
nor Imposic̃on at all for if during that tyme they could not subsist wthout
run̄ing in debt what will they doe now: But if they may haue the former
Rates they w and alwayes a ready m̃kett as in the course formerlie pro-
pounded then they will goe on w
th chearefulnes and assurednes to this
Crowne: And besidℯ his Ma
tie may make as great or much greater yearelie
proffitt then anie other way: But the S. Ilandℯ beeing a place of that
Importance as to tendℯ to the safetye of this Kingdom and conduceth
mainly [
2] to the acquiering of a new that is to say of Virginia: It is to
be cherished though w
th §a great§ charge yearelie to his Ma
tie as Calice
& other forts that the Kingℯ of Engl̴ hold not w
th a great yearelie expence
and yet not of so great consequence as this: There This then being a
Work of great seruice to the state farr be it from the state to reward the
cheife Actors in the p̳ducing of this grea Worke w
th taking their gane
from them &c to a priuate hand
