University of Virginia Library

CDLXXII. Virginia Company. Discourse of the Old Company
April (?), 1625

May it please your Lops
When last wee attended this Honourable Bourd, yor Lop required two
things at our hands, to be presented this day in writing to yor Lops.

Concerning the former of wch proposic̃ons, wee humbly craue leaue thus
much to deliver wthout offence, that it came alltogether vnexpected to vs:
who brought wth vs a strong & confirmed resoluc̃on, not to entermedle
any more in the busines of Virginia, so foyled & wronged by the partie
opposite, & now reduced to extreame termes allmost past recovery and
wherein all our former labours, cares, & expences, had receaved by the
practise & procurement of these men, the vndeserved reward of rebuke
& disgrace.

Notwthstandinge in due obedience vnto yor Lops Com̃aund, whom wee
haue allwayes found iust & honoble, (and if happily some good may redound
thereby to that now distressed and languishing Plantation, wch hath bin
heretofore so deare vnto vs, and wch gaue so great hope of honour to this
Kingdome, & might haue bin in these tymes of warrly preparations, of
so great vse & service to his Matie, if it had bin so cherished & strengthened
by these men, as when they gayned the governemt, they pretended &
promised, wee wished and desired): Wee here present in all humblenes
our deliberate opinion touching ye forme of Governemt now fittest to be
established, for ye restoring & reviving of that Plantation, if it be possible
yet to be recovered. Wherein wee thinke it requisite, that yor Lops in

the first place be truly informed, of ye state of that Colony, what before
it was, and what now it is, according vnto ye best advertisements from
thence received.

The Plantation now in Virginia, began about ye yeare 1606 & continued
about Twelue yeares vnder the Governemt of ye selfe same handes, where-
into it was first intrusted by the late Kings Matie, the most Royall founder
of this Noble worke.

The perticular carriages of this first Governemt, are too long, & would
bee too displeasing to yor Lopps eares. But in Generall such it was, as
the now Earle of Midd̴. then Lo: high Treasuror (being an ancient
Adventurer & Councellor for Virginia) informed yor Lops, sitting in Counsell
the 5th of March 1622 when he told Aldr̃an Johnson, That in former yeares,
when he ye said Alderman was Deputie, and the busines was in other
handes, it was carried leaudly, so that if they should be called to an
accompt for it, their Estates would not answere it.

What his Lopp delivered as his owne Censure, was truly the opinion of ye
whole Company of Adventurers here in England. And wth them doth ye
Colonie concur[re], having the last yeare by theire Viceadmirall sent a
writing signed by the handℯ of the Generall Assembly, & directed to his
Matie, wherein having declared, the manner of those Twelue yeares
Governemt, they conclude wth these words, full of passionat[e] griefe;
And rather then to be reduced to liue vnder the like Governement, wee
desire his Matie that Comissioners may be sent ouer with authoritie to
hang [2] vs.

Of this quallitie was the first Governemt. And answerable to the Forme,
were the Effects, as ye Generall Assemblie having by oath examined the
perticulers, sett downe in their Declaration directed to his late Matie.

1.

• For People then alive about ye nomber of 400.

2.

• Very many of them in want of Corne, vtterly destitute of Cattle,
  Swine, Poultry, and other provisions to nourish them.

3.

• As for Fortification agaynst a forraigne enimy, there was none at all,
  onely foure peeces mounted, but altogether vnserviceable.

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4.

• There was onely eight Plantac̃ons, all wch were but poorely housed,
  and as ill fortified agaynst the Sauages.

5.

• Onely one old Friggott belonging to ye Sum̃er Ilandes, one Shallop, one
  Shippboate, and two small boats belonging to private men.

6.

• Three Ministers in orders, & Two wthout

7.

• No Comoditie on foote saue Tobacco.

8.

• The Indians in doubtfull Termes.

This as they report was the true estate of ye Plantac̃ons at ye Twelue
yeares end. To wch being added the other condic̃on of the Colonie, wch
in other writinges they expresse;

1.

• That they rather lived or rather suffred vnder Martiall Lawe:

2.

• Vnder a most extorting Governour there, whome by 24 bundles of
  deposic̃ons they haue accused of strange depredac̃ons:

3.

• Vnder most oppressiue orders hence, to ye breach of all faith & honesty:

4.

• Wthout comfort of Wiues or servants:

5.

• Wthout assurance of their Estates:

6.

• There being no Dividents of land laid out:

7.

• Wthout assurance of their Lib9ties, being violently deteyned as servtℯ
  beyond their Coveñnted tymes:

Wee may truly affirme, that ye intenc̃ons of ye people then in Virginia,
were no wayes to settle there as a Colonie, but to gett a little wealth by
Tobacco, then in price, and so to returne for England.

As for ye Adventurers here, the greatest part were long before beaten out
as from an hopeless Action. In wch reguard there was fifteene thousand
pounds deteyned of mens subscripc̃onℯ, wch by no meanes they could bee
procured to pay in; sundry of them alleaging in their answeres in Chauncery
vpon their oathes, the misimployment of ye monyes, & ill keeping of the
Accounts. Those few that followed the busines, vpon some hope to
reforme it, were (by the Governours here, for their owne perticuler ends as
is conceaved, for to their private benefitt it was only sutable,) directed to
bestowe their monyes in Adventuringe by way of Magazine, vpon two
Comodities onely, Tobacco & Sassafras, [3] matters of present proffitt, but
no wayes fitt foundac̃ons of a future State. Soe that of a merchantlike
Trade there was some probabillitie, at least for a while: but of a Plantation

there was none at all, neither in the courses, nor in ye intenc̃ons, either of
the Adventurers here, or of the Colonie there.

In this Estate & condic̃on was the Action lefte by the First, to ye Second
Governmt wch began in ye yeare · 1619 · by the choice of Sr Edwin Sandis
for Treasurer. To whome ye yeare followinge succeeded ye Earle of
Southampton.

1.

• Vnder whose Governemtℯ by Gods blessing, the Plantation, soe pros-
  pered, as by the end of ye yeare · 1621 · the nomber of people was encreased
  there, to be about Two thousand.

2.

• The number of Neat Cattle, besides Goates & Swyne, Eight hundred.

3.

• The number of Housinge was proporc̃onably encreased, and the manner
  of building much bettered.

4.

• The number of Boates was Ten tymes multiplyed: And wch was much
  more, there were Fower Shippes belonging to the Colonie.

5.

• There were sent more then eight able Ministers.

6.

• With great care & cost there were procured men skilfull in Sawing-
  Milles from Hambrough.

7.

• Vigneroones from Languedoch: In divers places of ye Colonie, Vine-
  yardℯ begunne, some of them conteyninge Ten thousand plantℯ:

8.

• Store of Silkeworme-seed sent:

9.

• And the Iron-workes brought after Five thousand poundℯ expences to
  that assured perfection, as wthin Three moneths they promised to send
  home great Quantities.

10.

• Many new Plantations were made:

11.

• All men had sufficiency of Corne:

12.

• §And many§ Great plenty of Cattle, Swyne & Poultrie, & other good
  provisions.

13.

• The mortallitie wch had raigned the two first yeares, (wch at that tyme
  was generall over all America) was at last ceased.

14.

• Soe that by this sodayne & vnexpected advancemt of the Plantation
  in these thinges, together wth ye redresse of all former Grievances:
  Supplies of yong woemen for wiues, & of youthes for servtℯ being sent them:

15.

• The bloudy Lawes being silenced, & their Governemt ordered like to
  that of this Kingdome:

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16.

• Provisions being made for ye mayntenñce of Officers, that they should
  not need to prey vpon ye people: And ye like done for ye Ministers:

17.

• The libertie of a Generall Assembly being graunted them, whereby they
  find out, & execute those thinges, as might best tend to their good:

18.

• The estates of Land by iust Dividents being surely conveyed:

19.

• A Free Trade from hence for all sorts of people being permitted, where-
  by they were eeven to superfluity furnished wth all necessaries:

[4] The Colony grewe into an opinion, that they were the happiest people
in ye world: Wch meeting here at home wth ye experience of most Noble
demeanor on ye Companies part, agaynst wch Envy itselfe could not finde
any shadowe of Calumny or offence: the reputac̃on of this Action grew to
such an height, as not only the old Adventurers renewed their zeale of their
first Loves, but great numbers of new came dayly in wth assurance to
expend large som̃es in the busines. And for ye Plantrs to goe in person,
not only here at home Thousands of choise people offred themselues:
but out of Ireland went divers Shipp, & more were followinge:

Three hundred Families French & Dutch in the yeare · 1621 · made request
to the State, that they might plant in Virginia: whither not long before,
Condempned persons had refused to goe wth pardon of their Lives.

The great amendment in this and in all other parts of this Action, made the
Earle of Middlesex say at yor honoble Board, That in these latter tymes the
Plantation by the good carriage had thriuen and prosppered beyond
beliefe, and almost miraculouslie.

This wee cannot but esteeme an honoble testimony proceeding from our
most heavy Enemy, who had himselfe layde in or way soe many great
Rubbs & Difficulties, as hee might well say, It was by miracle wee ouer
passed them.

The first yeare, directly agaynst his Matℯ L̃res Pattents, and consequently
agaynst Lawe, by the iudgement of the then Atturney Generall, exceedingly
ouer burdeninge our Comoditie:

The second yeare, to ye Kings great dammage, & abuse of the whole
kingdome, procuringe an vtter banishement of our Tobacco:

And the third yeare, enforcinge vs to bring all in, onely to the enrichemt
of his private freinds. But besides these, wee were continually struglinge
wth a most malicious faction wthin our owne Body here, besides that
vniversall sickenes abroad in the Colony menc̃oned before: Yet through all
these Difficulties did wee wrestle by Gods blessing, wth the expence of lesse
then fower & twenty thousand poundes of the Publiq' Stock. For howso-
ever yor Lops haue beene enformed, the very truth wch wee shall allwayes
make good, is, that there was not receaved from the Lottaries in the tyme
of this latter Governemt, any more then Twenty one thousand Seaven
hundred Sixty six poundes, Nyne shillings Two pence.

By the expence of wch som̃e, together wth about Three thousand pounds
receaued from the Collections, wee brought the Colony to those Termes
wee haue related. And if in ye Declaration sent to his Matie the last yeare,
the Colony haue made a right & perfect Calculac̃on, wee affirme vnto yor
Lops that in ye first Three yeares of this latter Governement, the Company
sent as many Shipps in Nomber, but of greater burthen; As many people in
nomber, but much better provided, as were sent in the first Twelue yeares.
Yet had the latter Governemt vnder Twenty fower Thousand poundes, and
Sr Thomas Smith receaved above Three score and fifteene thousand poundes
of publiq' Stock. Soe that wee [5] may truly affirme, through Gods blessing,
wth a Third part of the mony, and in a fourth part of ye tyme, wee brought
the Plantation to thri[ee] § foure tymes § the nomber of Men that Sr
Thomas Smith lefte it in, and in all other parts incomparably better.

The Plantac̃on being growne to this height by the end of ye yeare 1621 it
pleased God in his secrett iudgement to giue leaue to ye enemies thereof, by
many powerfull & most wicked meanes, to bring it downe agayne to
ye ground.

The first Blowe was a most bloudy Massacre, when by the Treacherous
cruelty of the Savadges, about 400 of or People were slayne; vpon the 22th
of March 1621. The terror whereof wth the losse of much Cattle and other
Substance, and a sodayne alterac̃on of the State of all thinges, so dismaide
the whole Colony, as they allmost gaue themselues for gone. But then
appeared both the love of the Company to the Plantation, & their great
abilitie to goe through therewith: when in supply of this Losse, and for ye
encouragemt of the Colony, they did send that yeare to Virginia 16 Ships

& 800 people, and that altogether at ye charges of private Adventurers.
For the publiq' Stock being vtterly exhaust the yeare before, was not
able to contribute 500li. toward all this charge.

But this cruell Tragedy of the Massacre, was seconded by Two other sharpe
Calamities in ye very neck one of another:

First Scarcitie in the Colony by being putt off from their Grounds prepared,
together wth the losse of their season & much seed; besides that, through
the troublesomnes of those tymes, they could not freely imploy themselues
in plantinge thereof, no not in those their scanted grounds, many Plantac̃ons
being drawne into few places for their better defence. Wch pesteringe of
themselues, did likewise breed Contagious sickenesse; wch being encreased
by the Infection brought in by some shipps, there dyed that yeare of
Mortallitie neere vpon 600 more: and the Colony passed much hardnesse
in their victuall, by reason of the miscarriage of one of their Shippes, wch
the Company sett forth wth aboue 500li worth of Meale and other provisions:
But the Shipp being blowne vp wth Powder at the Sum̃er Islandes, the
Provisions were lost, & neuer came to Virginia

Notwithstandinge these thinges were most grievous to the Company here;
yett were they no wayes of Discouragement, but rather seemed to add heat
to their former zeale: so as by the begining of the yeare 1623 there appeared
in readines § & preparation § to goe to Virginia, double that nomber of
people, & Adventurers, that any former yeare had carried. When on a
sodayne the Plantation it selfe was by Captaine Butler in a certayne
writinge Intituled, The vnmaskinge of Virginia, soe fowly disgraced, and
the present miseries thereof so farr amplified aboue Truth, and the future
hopes thereof so belowe all good meaninge drided & villified by divers ill
willers of the Action, especially some discontented members of ye Company,
as the greatest part of the intended Supplies for New Plantations, gave over,
as some of themselues will testify to yor Lops.

[6] Yet notwthstandinge, the vnited Body of the Company, did even that
yeare 1623 send out Eleaven shipps, stored wth supplies of victuall &
provisions: although by many cruell Encounters of the Opposites, they
were sore hindred and deiected, directly wth Intention to make them abandon
ye busines. But the welfare of the Plantac̃on, and the maynteñnce of their

owne honour & credite, did prevaile so wth the Company, that though wth
the certainty of their owne extreame losse, they passed in the aboundance
of Supply, not only the necessities of the Colony, but even the vnreasonable
demandℯ of their Opposites: havinge in fower dayes space that was given
them after the notice of the Colonies want, procured the vnderwriting of
Fower thousand pounds Adventure: wch the Honoble Board of the privy
Counsell was pleased wth much Noble favour highly to approve.

As for the people that went that yeare in those Eleaven ships, the nomber
was not aboue 260: and those procured not wthout difficulty, so much had
the disgrace of the Plantation spread amongst ye Com̃on sort of people:

Neither could it be prevented by the Companie, although they vsed all
possible dilligence: solliciting the Comissionrs then appointed by his Matie
by a publiq' Examinac̃on of Captayne Butlers reporte, to cleare the truth.
But they would by no meanes bee drawne therevnto.

As for the Companie it selfe, their proceedings & demeanors were soe
opprobriously calumniated: as deprived them both of abillitie & credite
to doe any good herein: but wth much sorrowe to behold how sencibly and
dangerously the good opinion of this Action decayed; so that divers
Preachers of note in the Cittie that had begunne in this latter Governemt
to pray continually for Virginia, lefte quite the remembrance of it; finding
the Action to growe either odious or contemptible in mens minds: wch yet
but a little before was of that esteeme, as divers on their death beds gaue
great Legacies to the furtherance thereof: and even from the East Indies
by way of Contribuc̃on, hath bin sent by the Factors and poore Marriners
aboue 1000li §marke§ so farr was the reputac̃on of this Action spread, by
the prosperinge thereof vnder the latter Governemt, & by their zealous &
sollicitous endeavours. Wch although by the continuall encrease of further
suffringes, their Pattent being called in question, receaved a sore check:
yet notwthstanding their owne Innocencie giving them courage & hope
that they should overcome all wth honour & thankes of the State: there
were Five shipps provided for this last yeare 1624 whereof one of them
since the Companies dissoluc̃on, hath given over her voyage: the other
foure haue proceeded, although wth much difficulty, in reguard that a
great part of the Passengers that afore intended to goe, fell off. Whereby
two of the Shipps wch had their Comissions from ye late Companie in May

last, could not gett away till ye end of this last yeare, the other one in
February, the other in March last.

Thus haue wee given yor Lops a true Informac̃on, both of the growth and
languishinge of ye Virginia Plantac̃on, in these Five latter yeares [7]
Governemt: wherein no encombrances, no calamities whatsoever could
keepe it soe downe, but that it did yearely advance it selfe wth a most
remarkeable growth, whilst the carefull Nurse and tender Mother the
Company was permitted to governe it.

Though contagion & sword destroyed many people: yet whilst the nomber
of new did doubly supply those that fayled, it cannot be said, but the
Action was in a thriving, in a prosperous course; though not in a cleare
or easy.

Then began it to stand, when the Companie was troubled; to stagger,
when they were disgracd and discountenanced; to sincke, when they were
terrifyed wth affrightment of Dissoluc̃on; since wch tyme there hath bin
nothing at all done towards the recovery or helping it forward, but much
towards ye hindringe & bringing it lower.

The poore supply of People & shippes that are gone, are but the remaynder
of the late Companies cares & loves. The setters out of the best of them
doe affirme, that if they had not beene so farr engaged before the vnex-
pected dissoluc̃on of ye late Companie, they would haue drawne back
their Adventures & People.

When they shall arive in Virginia, they will not bring either comfort or
supply to the Colonie: but only add to their Calamitie, to their greife.
The first Shipp went in August, victualled only for Three moneths: the
next in October: neither of them were arived the 25th of February last.
Whereby they must needs come into Virginia in most miserable distresse.

The other two went out soe meanly provided, that how euer short their
voyage shalbe, they cannot but prove an insupportable charge to the
Colony, much disfurnished by the victualling of divers shipps lately
returned thence, and so ill provided by a deceiptfull cropp, wch seemed large,
but proved scant, as wee dare not but acquaynt yor Lops. what experience

perswades vs, That there is like to followe in the Colonie some great dis-
tresse for victualls, except by speedy supply hence they be relieved.

There is likewise in the Colony a most dangerous want of Powder, so great,
as if the Savages should knowe the advantage they haue thereby, they
might easily in one day destroy all or people.

There is most extreame want of hose, shooes, & all apparrell, even to a
dangerous empeachement of their healthes: and that so generall, as the
provisions carried in these late Shipps, will not as farr as wee cann learne,
supply the Tenth part of their necessities.

The want of such wonted supplies, will vndoubtedly much dismay &
deiect the Colony. But when they shall vnderstand of the Companies
dissoluc̃on, for the continuance of whose Governemt and the Liberties they
enioyed vnder them, they were most importunate suitors to his Matie, and
that they are returned vnder those handes wch they so much abhorred:
Wee doubt no possible meanes wilbe found to keepe the greatest and best
part of the Colonie from imediatly cominge away.

[8] For wee are credibly informed, that some of the chiefℯ, haue allready
by sellinge of their Estates, made preparac̃on vpon the first notice of the
change, to leaue the Country. But when farther they shall heare the
newes of the late Contract, whereby all their hopes shalbe quite extin-
guished, and all possibilitie of subsistance taken from them, wee cannot
thinke that any will stay behinde that shall not bee kept by force.

But howsoeuer it shall happen: sure wee are that by these alterac̃ons &
courses the mindes of the Planters wilbe filled wth such Jealousies & sus-
picions, as it wilbe a long while ere they wilbe reduced to a firme resoluc̃on
of setting vp the Rest of their Lives, & hopes, in the Colony: Which wth all
humble duty wee are bold to say, hath bin & will euer bee a disposition
most pernicious to the establishing of the Plantation: And the overcoming
thereof by the Company, Wee hold to haue bin one of the greatest services
that they did.

This wee conceaue to be ye state of the Colonie now in Virginia. Wch
though they should be persuaded or forced to stay, yet wthout supply of

others sent hence, they must needes come to nothinge in a very short
space, although they had noe other enemy.

As for adventuringe hence, what by the disgracinge of the Action it selfe,
& the vndeserved suffrings of the late Companie, the businesse is brought
to such a stand, as seemes incredible: there being no preparac̃on that wee
can heare of not only of any Shipp, but of any man to goe to Virginia.
Whereas com̃only for divers yeares before, there were foure or five shipps
in readinesse, and as many hundreds of men, at this tyme of ye yeare.

So that even in that reguard also, the Colony will find themselues both in
great discomfort, & great danger. For although formerly they had no
Forte on the Land to hinder a forraigne Enemy: yet especially in the
latter tymes, there was such aboundance of Shipping cominge and goinge
continually to Virginia, that there hath bin sometymes told Seaventeene
sayle together in James River. Whereby besides that it was a continuall
terror to the Natives, it would haue bin a difficult thinge to endamage
the Colonie, wthout the power both of many Shippes, & many souldiers.
Weh was amongst divers others, a very mayne securitie & encouragement,
to perswade men boldly to goe to Virginia. But that and all other helpes
being now foyled or much empayred, although the nomber of men be at
least Three tymes as many as when wee vndertooke the Governemt; yet
will wee Ingenuously yeeld, that equall thanks & equall honour wilbe due
to them, who shall now recover & restore it to that prosperous &
flourishing estate, to wch by Gods blessinge or cares & labours had brought
it, vntill it was marred by them, who as appeares never loved it, but for
their owne indirect ends, wch they haue industriously pursued.

[9] Thus much touching the present estate of the Plantation, & the late
generall decay thereof. Wherein wee hope yor Lops will excuse both our
playnes & prolixitie, tending to no other end, but only to present vnto
yor Lops viewe, the cleare state & true nature of the disease; that so yor
Lops in yor great wisedome may the better discerne & provide the proper
remedies. Towards wch, since yor Lops haue bin also pleased to require
some preparative as it were of or opinions: wee will now humbly apply
orselues to that considerac̃on, wthout wch, all the rest were but griefe &
labour.

And here first wee are in duety forced to deliver vnto yor Lops, that the
restoring, supporting & readvancemt of that Plantation, wee hold to bee
a worke, though of great necessitie for the honour, yea and service of his
Matie, these tymes considered: yet wth all of soe extreame difficultie, that
it is not to be rashly & vnadvisedly vndertaken, but wth great circumspec-
tion, care, & preparac̃on, with assurance §also§ of great assistance.

For not to insist much, vpon the nature & greatnes of the worke, so remote
from the favourers, so vicine to mighty Maligners of it: and indeed fitter
for the power & purse of a Great Prince & State, then of Private Adven-
turers, and those allready exhaust & tyred; the wounds wch since that
great wound of the Massacre, it hath more lately receaved, from their
handes whom it least beseemed, are still so wide & bleedinge, that vnlesse
his Matie, and yor Lops as deputed from him, shall vouchsafe to apply a
Soveraine hande for the healing of them, wee are resolute of opinion, that
it is impossible, the Plantation carried as formerly by private persons,
should either prosper or long subsist: Those woundes wee conceaue are
three

First the generall disreputac̃on of the Busines, (Reputation being a prin-
cipall pillar of all great Actions,) & that partly by some errors, neglects &
disasters, but principally by the late faction, though of a few & small
Adventurers, yet strongly & strangely inanimated & supported agaynst the
great Body of the Companie: whereof in fine also by vndermining misin-
formac̃ons they haue wrought ye Dissoluc̃on; & consequently lefte all
both Adventurers & Planters, in an vtter vncertaynty of their Rights,
Titles & Possessions: though promise was made that they should be re-
assured to them, wch these men haue neglected to see performed.

Secondly the great discouragemt of sundry not of the meanest both Ad-
venturers & Planters, some of them persons of honour, and others also of
good quallitie: by whose cares & labours, together wth their freinds &
purses, the Plantation having formerly receaved no small encrease &
benefitt, to the Planters great comfort & content, (wch [10] they haue not
forborne from tyme to tyme to declare): yet haue they by the vniust
Calumnies & clamors of these men, bin continually prosecuted wth all
variety of extremitie, to ye rewarding of them with evill for their good

deservings, and to the disheartining of all other, to succeed in like care &
industry.

Thirdly the present extreame povertie & consumpc̃on of ye Plantac̃on, being
for want of the accustomed yearely supplies, reduced to that paucitie of
men, & want of all sorts well neere of necessary provisions, that it cannot be
restored, but wth an huge expence, no lesse allmost then to sett vp a new
Plantation.

Nowe touching the disreputac̃on of ye Action, and the generall disheartin-
inge of the Adventurers & Planters, such especially as haue spared neither
paynes nor expence, for ye recoveringe, supportinge & advancinge the
Plantation: Wee humbly craue yor Lops favourable patience, though wee
somewhat enlarge our selues in this place, to present in part the Iniustice &
greaviousnes of those wounds to the honoble minds & skilfull handℯ of yor
Lops: Seeing that in our vnderstandinge, the curing of them by yor Lops,
may be a meanes to revive agayne the generally deadded heartℯ of both
Adventurers & Planters, & to adde a new lustre & grace to ye Action.

Amongst the many glorious workes of the late Kinge, there was none more
eminent, then his Gracious enclination, together wth ye propagation of
Christian Religion, to advance & sett forward a new Plantac̃on in the new
world. Wch purpose of his continued till the last, manifested by his Matℯ
many publiq' & private speeches by divers L̃res of his, & by his sundry
Proclamac̃ons; so that their faults are farr the greater, who, as imediatly
shalbe declared, did malitiously and cunningly pervert those Gracious
intenc̃ons of his Matie by scandalizing ye Governemt as it then stood, as
neither convenient here, nor likely there to advance the prosperitie of the
Colonie; and by insinuatinge assurances, that they themselues would
mayntayne that worke by better meanes. which his Matie conceavinge (as
it was reason) they would not so boldly haue promised of them selues, being
so great a worke, vnlesse they had had both knowledge, & meanes to goe
thorough wth it; did also belieue: & so they became ye Vndertakers.

And now, as it hath bin euer farr from or practize, and agaynst or present
Desires, to fall vpon the persons of any men, where ye necessitie & justice
of ye cause doth not necessarilie require it: yet at this tyme it is impossible
to cleere this pointe to yor Lops without [11] naming some of their persons,
and perticularizing their Actions. About Six yeares agoe, when by reason

of the apparent misprosperinge of the Plantation, and the fowlenes of the
Accounts here, (the then Treasuror being Governour of Fower or Five
other Companies, wch excused his neglect of attending this busines,) the
Governemt of the Companie was translated from Sr Thomas Smith and
Aldr̃an Johnson, into Sr Edwin Sandis, & after into the Earle of Southamp-
tons hands, & their Deputies: it is notororiously knowne, how they, wth
Captayne Argoll and other of their freinds, partly peradventure through
discontent for being removed from their places, but principally through
feare; (their Accounts, Depredac̃ons, Piracies & misgovernemt being now
questiond before the Counsell and in the Companies Courts,) perpetually
disturbed & disgraced by seuerall wayes, both to his Matie & to the world,
all the present proceedinges of the Companie, to ye great disheartininge of
the Companie here, and no small advantage of ye Colonie. And of this,
and of the bad effectℯ of it, all our bookes, & memories are full. But yet
by Gods assistance, & the vnwearied courage of the Companie, wee ridd
out this storme.

The next blowe, as wee had reason to belieue, proceeding by their vnder-
hand raysinge of new spiritts, drawne to disturbe vs for their owne gayne
was the bringing in of new & seuerall projects concerning Tobacco: wch was
for the instant the only com̃oditie whereby the Planters mayntayned them-
selues. And so vnder colour of advancing proffitt to his Matie sometimes
(as hath bin before touched) wee were forbidden to bring in any Tobacco,
sometimes to bring in but a small quantitie, and sometimes comaunded to
bring in all. Wch varying directions, did so distract & confound the
Adventurers & Planters, that it had in a manner ruynd the Plantation.
But yet by Gods assistance, & the constancy of ye Companie, wee ridd out
this storme also. The instruments in this worke, that especiallie appeared
were the then Sr Lionell Cranfield, Mr Jacob, and some others: to the
extreame damage of the Company, enrichement of them selues, & deceyt
of his Matie: as was at large expressed & offred to be proved in ye last
Parliament.

Thirdly, by the procuremt of that part, divers scandalous petic̃ons agaynst
the Company in generall, & many in perticuler, did putt vs to much
vexac̃on & trouble. But their accusac̃ons were so false, that wee also
overcame this Third assault.

After this another stratagem was obtruded vpon vs, vnder pretence of
freindship & love to ye Plantation. The Earle of Middesex then Lo:
high Treasuror of England, who in respect of his place was [12] to take into
considerac̃on all thinges that had relac̃on to his Mats revenue, did first pro-
pound to Sr Edwin Sandis, & afterwards to ye Ea: of Southampton, ye Lo:
Cavendish & Sr Edwin Sandis together, that the King, he knewe, had by
Sr Thomas Smithes meanes & Alderman Johnsons, and some great freinds
& instruments of theires, bin strangely possessed agaynst the forme of our
Governemt, & ye consequences of it: & particulerly that they had made
such advantage by traducing ye names of ye Earle of Southampton and Sr
Edwin Sandis, that ye busines of ye Plantac̃on fared ye worse for their sakes.
That he had allready in Generall spoken wth his Matie, & assured him, that
ye whispers & relac̃ons of those men, had an eye to their owne safetie, and
not to the Colonies good; and that therevpon the King referred the whole
considerac̃on of ye Plantation, and what was best to be done, to his care.
Vpon this he propounded vnto those before named, that ye best way to
engage the Kinge in his care of the Plantations, and to make it impossible
for any hereafter to disturbe the Companie, as they had formerly done,
was to thinke of some such meanes, whereby the proffitt of his Matie, &
the good of ye Plantation, might hand in hand goe together. And to
speake truth, though those he spoke wthall, were at first very vnwilling to
swallowe this guilded pill, as having heard of ye stile he vsed in negotiatinge
other businesses of this nature: yet he was so full of protestac̃ons in it, euer
pretending our ∥ the Companies ∥ good, and wth all procured further inti-
mac̃on to ye Earle of Southampton, that no service of his could be more
acceptable to his Matie then this now propounded: ∥ that ∥ Vpon these
protestac̃ons & assurance, they engaged themselues to treat of a Contract
betweene his Maty & the Companies. In the making whereof, ye said
Earle of Midd̴ remembred not his promised care of ye Plantations, but in
truth from one degree to another, wrested vs to such condic̃ons, & such a
rate, as was very dammeagle to ye Plantac̃ons. But vpon serious debate
in many & full Courts, vpon the whole matter wee were resolved, consider-
ing the protection of the Colonies, & fauour promised; and to be free from
those frequent proiects that in former tymes had so much wronged & dis-
turbed vs, to accept an hard bargayne: conceavinge that though it were not
so good as wee desired, & was fitt to haue bin offerd; yet by it wee should

bee in a better case & way of benefitting the Plantations, then formerly
wee were. And so in Michaelmas terme 1622 this Contract wch began to
be treated of in Easter terme, was concluded by the subscription of the
Earle of Middlesex his hand, and by sending the Company word, that that
day the § whole § Counsell board had given their assent therevnto, wch was
the first tyme the Companie vnderstood that they had heard of ye matter.

[13] The Contract thus concluded, a great Tempest arose, by what secrett
cause & vnderhand procurement, wee may guesse, but cannot affirme.
But in a Court of the Company vpon the 4th of December followinge, one
Mr Wrote Cosen Germane to the Earle of Middlesex (discontented also
that hee was passed ouer in the election of Officers,) did wth a passionate &
blastring speech, inveigh agaynst the Contract, & the menaging thereof
wth Sallary; agaynst the proceeding in the Treaty of it, as that it had bin
vnduly and vniustly carried, that men had bin overawed; and that it had
bin procured to private ends. Whereof not being able to make any
shadowe of proofe, & persisting still in his violent & contemptuous
demeanor, vpon a full hearinge, he was thrust out of the Companie; and
vpon that ioyned himselfe to Sr Thomas Smith, Alderman Johnson & that
opposite party, & drewe also wth him Two more of his Companions, and so
now made shewe of a formall party agaynst the Company. But for all
this wee still mayntayned the reputac̃on of or proceedinge.

The next of or troubles in order, (proceeding from what secrett cause, that
wch followes will give yor Lops more reason of coniecture, then wee will
now affirme,) was that this opposite party then attayned to about 25
in nomber, had some secrett encouragemt or other given them, directly
to oppugne the Contract; wch, as is before declared, was so formally
made: And gaue some reasons in writing agaynst it to the then Lord Trẽr;
who receaving them, gaue the Company first suspic̃on of double intelligence
& indirectnes in his dealinge. But howsoeuer, the Earle of Southampton,
the Lo: Cavendish, Sr Edwin Sandis & some other, being called by the
Earle of Middlesex to his Chamber at Whitehall, then thought, that they
had given such answeres to them, as that his Lop rested satisfied. But
his Lop after, speaking wth ye Ea: of South'ton and the rest before named
told them, that they that had aopposed, were a clamorous Company,
and that to make the busines goe current, it were best that their objections

& or answeres should be heard at the Counsell table. And vpon hearing
there of their accusac̃ons, and or answeres, the Earle of Middlesex, who
assumed the chiefe knowledge & care of that busines, did in ye close of
that hearinge vse the words formerly rehearsed, Of the leaud carriage in
former tymes, and of the latter in a manner miraculous recoverie. A
greater testimony of or integritie & their guilt, could not be given. But
as the sequell will manifest, & as wee haue since found in other of his Lops
proceedings, he meant to loose nothing by those wordℯ. [14] Howsoeuer
it was, & whatsoever wee suspect, not intending now to dive into those
miseries; from that day forward, to ye Conclusion of this busines he
professedly made himselfe the patron to that side, & enemy to the Com-
pany; for wch wee appeale to yor Lops better knowledge.

Afterwardℯ about that Contract were divers meetings before the Lordℯ,
where it was principally inveighed agaynst by Sr Nathaniell Rich, speaking
against the iniustice & vnconscionablenes of it; protesting that he had euer sold his Tobacco for Fiue shillings a pound one wth another, and
that euery pound cost him Two shillings six pence in ye Sum̃er Islands:
and now to give a Third away ∥to the King∥ & peradventure ye price
not to be much higher, was agaynst Justice & Conscience. And here by
the way, wee humbly craue leaue to say thus much, that his Conscience
now serues him in this new Contract, to force ye Planter & the Adventurer
to sell their Tobacco, the best sort for 2s 4d and the second sort at sixteene
pence a pound. But vpon that former Demonstrative Argument of his,
though it were so fully answered as nothing could be more, yet the Earle
of Middlesex tooke his ground to condemne the Contract he had signed,
as hurtfull to the Plantac̃ons; and to comaund the Companies to thinke
of propounding a better & to to bring it ∥in∥ writing wthin Two daies:
Wch was accordingly done: and therein shewed, that ye hardnesse of this
Contract, was not by the Companies proposition, but by his Lops pressure.
And therefore vrged what had bin offred to his Lop at the first; that his
Matie would be contented wth a fourth, & not require a Third of or Tobacco.
To wch in great scorne his Lop replyed that take Two pence out of Six
pence there would remayne a Groat. But the last Parliament sawe
that his best invention, was by adding 3li to 40s to make vp Five pound.
But in conclusion that Contract was dissolved, & a comaund laid vpon

the Companies by his Lops procurement, to bring all or Tobaccoes in, vnder
colour that Three pence custome was abated; Whereas in truth, by his
admitting also of all Spanish Tobacco vpon Sr John Wolstenholmes
motion, wee could not vent a third part of it here: and so by computac̃on,
in respect of the quantitie vnvented, wee paid neere double as much as
before: Wch was his only favour to ye Plantations.

The Contract thus dissolved, as publiq'ly damageable, by the incourage-
ment of the Earle of Middlesex, & industry of ye Five and twenty before
menc̃oned, (that so place might be made for this [15] Latter Contract,
so privatly beneficiall, for so by the effect it hath appeared): the Governemt
was now likewise to be questiond and altred, or else they compassed not
their endℯ. Which to bring about, these two wayes were vsed: First a
petic̃on was delivered to his Maty by Allderman Johnson, in the name of
the rest, inveighing agaynst the latter Governemt, & magnifying the
former. And in the end, desiring a Comission to examine the proceedings
of thi§e§s§e§ last Fower yeares This Petic̃on was by the Company at
large answered to his Maty, & wee ioyned in ye point of having or Actions
examined by the Comission: but wthall thought it iust, & desired, that
their Twelue yeares Governemt before might bee also examined: Wch
accordingly was ordered. The second meanes vsed by them, was to
rayse vp Captayne Butler, who hasting from the Sum̃er Ilandes to
Virginia, where he stayed but a few weekes, vpon his returne delivered
to his Maty, a Paper called The Vnmasking of Virginia. The substance
of wch was, first the dispraise of the Country, & making of it an vnfitt
place for any English Colony; & next, scandalizing the Governemt of it,
both here, & there. What concerned the Colonie, was proved to be
false by Forty witnesses: who chaunced to be in Towne then, & had bin
often & long in ye Colonie: And was endeavored to be mayntayned by
him by two meanes only: one by practizing to gett the handℯ of Two men
vnto it, to whome he owed mony & deferred payment: who when they
heard it read in Cort, protested that they never saw what they sett their
hands to, and that Capt: Butler told them it was to a Paper, wch he would
shew the King for the good of the Plantation: and desired ye Companies
pardon; for whatsoeuer was there said was false. Secondly he would
haue made it to haue bin better believed, by a forged L̃re wch hee brought
to Sr John Bourchier from his daughter Mrs Whittakers: who knew it

was not her hand[456] . This was alleadged at ye Counsell Table: & Capt'
Butler answered, that shee was sicke, & dictated it to him, and he wrote it.
But since, both shee & her husband being come ouer, they bothe forsweare
it, & say it was none of her doinge nor direction. But howsoeuer, by
those meanes the opposite party thus farre obteyned their ends, that
by the Defamation, and this trouble ensuinge, a very great nomber that
intended to haue gone ouer, were discouraged.

[16] But yet for all this, the Companie knewe their cause to be so iust and
iustifiable, that they did not abandon it: but prepared themselues to give
divers charges before ye Comissionrs, agaynst divers of ye partie opposite;
& professed themselues ready to make their owne defence whensoever they
should be charged. But whilst the Comission sate, farther to discourage
vs, first of all or Bookes, & after ye Minutes of them were sent for away from
vs: that none of the L̃res that then came from Virginia were to be seene by
vs, being all seazed on by the Comissionrs. But touching the rest of ye
Cariage of that Comission, because it was at large delivered in Parliament,
& offered to be proved, if further proceedinge in that businesse had not bin
forborne vpon a L̃re written to ye house from his Matie wee will now to
yor Lops say only this; That whatsoever was brought by vs concerninge
Accounts, Depredac̃on, misgovernement, & diuers other crimes, agaynst
perticuler persons, was by this Comission, (especially directed by the Earle
of Midd,) shuffled of for all the tyme, till the Comission was even at ye
end, and nothing done vpon them. And on ye Contrary, whatsoever
could be gathered out of the fragments of L̃res from discontented persons
in Virginia, concerning ∥either∥ the place or governemt was diligently
collected by them, and receaued by the Earle of Middlesex, as a great
testimony agaynst vs; and would not take those other L̃res for proofe
wch wee euer guided orselves by, and came from the Governour and Coun-
sell there. And lastly some three days before their Comission ended, they
putt vs on a sodayne to answere to 39 Articles, or else they would take
them pro confesso. This they thought for vs impossible to doe. But wee
deceaved their expectac̃on; and they could not find in the least perticuler,
any iust ground to make any report agaynst vs.

By all this, the Earle of Middlesex and that partie, perceaving ye Companie
would not be beaten off a good cause; there was a practise to try whither
wee had rather part from the busines, or from our mony. Wherevpon wee
were called before the Counsell agayne, and there that side as compassion-
ate affecters of the Plantation, vrged the want of Corne & other necessaries
there, and that they were like to perish for want of provisions. The Earle
of Midd̴ replyed it was a matter of so great importance, & concerned the
liues of so many of the Kings Subjects, that if ye Companie would not
presently take order for sending Supplies, the State would call in their
Pattent. Wherevpon ye Companie conceavinge that if they did send
supplyes, their Patent would not [17] be taken from them, vnderwritt to a
Roule; (though they knewe ye necessitie was nothing so great,) foure
thousand and odd pounds, wch was paid and sent; and those Gentlemen that
before seemed so zealous subscribed Twelue poundℯ, and paid it not.
Vpon wch comparison wee leaue it to yor Lops to iudge, wch party was the
true father of this Child.

This then not succeeding according to their desires, certayne obscure
persons were found out by the Earle of Midd̴, to be sent into Virginia, as
Comissionrs, for these two ends, as wee haue since found. First to sifte
out what they could agaynst the forme of or Governemt here, & there; &
next to persuade the people to become Petic̃oners to his Matie for a newe.
Wch suceeeded not according to their expectac̃on. For by the Colonies
Petic̃ons, answeres to those Papers that had bin delivered agaynst them
here, & divers other remonstrances to his Matie from a Generall Assembly
there, they shewed the misery wherein they lived, or rather languished in Sr
Thomas Smithes tyme; and their happy estate in this latter Governement:
concludinge that if his Maty intended to alter the Governement, & putt it
into the former hands, their humble suite to him was, That Comissionrs
might be sent ouer to another purpose before declared. The writinges
themselues will manifest this more at large.

These Comissioners thus sent to Virginia, the Earle of Midd̴ & the rest
were not idle in further distractinge the Companie here at home. And
about Michaelmas a moc̃on was made to the Companie, to give their assents
for surrendring their Pattent, & altringe the forme of Governemt; & a
newe one was proposed: Wch according to order they takinge into consid-

erac̃on, wth duetie refused: rendring also in writing the reasons of their
refusall. Wherevpon a Quo Warranto was directed by the Earle of Midd̴
suggestion, for the calling in of their Pattent.

In the meane time, to affright men, both from cominge to, & much more
from speakinge in Courts, mens words were there carped at & complayned
of; and their persons by the Earle of Midd̴ prosequution, were vpon quick
hearinge sent to prison. Yet for all this the Comp9 stood to their owne
Justificac̃on, & defence of their Pattent.

Now Mr Atturney, according to ye duty of his place, & instructions given
him, vrged ye misgovernemt of the Companie, & consequently ye ruyne
of the Plantation. To wch point wee were willinge to ioyne issue. But
afterwards in or reply to his pleadinge, wthout further enquiry of the
former allegation, advantage was taken vpon or mispleading, & in fine
wthout any further ground that wee knowe of, the Patent was in Trinity
terme following Condemned: But for any thing that wee haue yet seene,
no iudgment entred.

[18] Yor Lops by the perticulers before related, do see by what courses
wee were reduced to this extremitie. One thing yet wee thinke most
necessary to adde; It hath bin said by many, & perticulerly by some
principall persons of the opposite partie, that ye Dissolutions of these
Plantac̃ons was part of the Count of Gondomars Instructions: And
certaynely wee found his activenes in negotiatinge here, such, that in
bringing about his owne ends, he could create here instruments of orselues
agaynst our selues. Wee say not that he & other Spanish Ministers
practised thus amongst vs. These two only perticulers, wee craue leaue
to offer vnto yor Lops Judgemtℯ. When Sr Samuell Argoll some six or
seauen yeares since, was vehemently complayned agaynst, by Padre
Maestro, and the Spanish Secretarie then here for Piracie, agaynst the
Kinge of Spaines subiects in ye West Indies: he no sooner came home from
Virginia, & appeared an Opposite to ye present Company, who question'd
him for divers misdemeanors, and amongst others for this, but the heate
of the Spanish accusac̃on did presently cease. Our second observac̃on in
this; Yor Lops cannot but remember, wth what extreame earnestnes the
Count of Gondomar, and afterwards Don Carlo di Coloma, inveighed
agaynst Capt9 Butler whilst he was in ye Summer Islandes, about ye

Spanish wrack. And so violent were they about it, that ye Lo: Steward,
now wth God, and the Lo: Chamberlaine, were entreated to come on pur-
pose to the Sum̃er Islands Company, about that busines. And a Comission
was directed by the Lords of the Counsell, to examine the truth of the
cause in ye Sum̃er Islands. Wch Captaine Butler having bin forewarned
of by some freinds of his, lefte his Governemt before he had leaue, and
before the arivall of the Comission: Having first there endeauoured to
alienate the minds of the people from the forme of Governemt here. But
he was no sooner come home, & delivered to his Matie The Vnmasking of
Virginia before spoken of, but there was an end of Don Carlo Di Colomars
prosequution. Wee haue related the particulars; & make no application.

As for ye late Comission, wch hath succeeded in ye place of the Companie;
if wee might haue seene the busines seriously taken into the Graue cares,
& prosequuted wth the Noble paynes of those most honoble personages,
whose names are inserted in the sayd Comission: wee should haue hoped
to haue seene some good effect [19] befitting their great & eminent worth.
But whilst their more weighty Affaires haue hindred them, the businesse
hath bin principally carried only by those persons, that were the chiefe
Opposers of the late Comp9, For although there be named divers worthy
Gentlemen, & Cittizens likewise, in ye Comission: yet as wee vnderstand,
the most of them haue forborne altogether to appeare at any meetinge.
Wherefore when either in or wordes or thoughts, wee complayne of any
proceedings of the late Comission; wee allwayes except both all ye persons
of Honour, & indifferency: and onely intend those others, whose stomacks
were so great, as they durst vndertake the overthrowinge of the late
Companie; and yet their harts so narrow, as they haue not dared to
adventure all of them during these Nyne moneths, as farr as wee can
learne, one five poundes to ye advancemt or subsistance of the Plantation.

By the publiq' L̃res of ye Gouernour delivered them in July last, they
vnderstood of ye extreame want of Powder in ye Colonie: and were often
told from vs of the great danger that might ensue thereby. Yet did they
neglect ye sending of any in the first Shipp, or in ye Second: but about
Christmas, & since in March, they haue sent a small quantitie, obteyned
by his late Mats guift (as wee heare) out of the Tower.

This did not ye late Company: who vpon notice of ye Massacre, did by the
first shipp send 42 Barrells of Powder; for halfe whereof the Officers having
disbursed the mony, are yet vnsatisfied.

Whereas all the Fower shippes now sent, were prepared in ye Compañstyme;
these last Comissioners callinge in the Comissions graunted them by the
late Company, made them take newe as from themselues; that so they
might glory vpon anothers foundac̃on: But whilst they thus hunted after
windy ambition, hindringe the two first Shipps from takinge a faire winde;
they haue bin the causes of all the lamentable calamities & distresses, wch
in so long voyages must needs befall them.

The principall scope of his late Mats Comission to them, as wee vnderstand,
was, that they should finde a better forme of Government for the Plantac̃ons
advancement; and therein is especially promised the conservac̃on of euery
mans right. Intentions worthy the wisedome & Justice of so great a
Prince. But as farr as wee can vnderstand, these Comissionrs haue done
nothing towards either of these ends: But quite contrary to ye second.

[20] By an vnknowne Contract, wch themselues will not so much as declare,
much lesse are able to defend; they haue sought to share amongst them-
selues, twice as much vpon euery mans goods, as they will leaue to the
Owner thereof. And although they say only three of them are Contractors
yet wee cannot belieue it; having observed the ends of some of them for
many yeares, to haue constantly bin bent to the compassinge of some such
advantage, as they haue now by this bargayne gayned.

It is constantly reported that they haue liberally given that wch was not
their owne, to those who haue no right thereto; as namely the Colonies
Mine to Sr Samuell Argoll, & Mr Woodall surgion to Sr Thomas Smith.
But this & all their other proceedinges are kept in great secrett: wch breeds
suspic̃on that they haue not bin good; else why doe they fly the Light?
This is cleane contrary to ye vse of the late Company: who did all thinges
in publiq̢: wch was a cause of §as§ great satisfacc̃on, as this of Distaste.

And as in this, so in all other thinges do they proceed cleane contrary to
all right in or vnderstandinge. They publish their Intention of imployinge
Sr Samuell Argoll & Captaine Butler for Governours agayne in the Plan-

tations: agaynst whome the Colony hath professed open enmity. How
they should make ye Colony encrease by these meanes, wch will bring home
most of them that are there allready, wee cannot imagine.

Neither are Sr Thomas Smith nor Alderman Johnson fitt or likely men
to revnite the late Companie, or to drawe them on to any thinge for ye
Plantations advancement: since as the whole world knowes, the late
Companie haue not only allwayes conceaved extreamly ill of them, but
in the yeare 1623. putt vp publiq̢ accusac̃ons agaynst them, of very dan-
gerous Consequence. As for ye Colony, yor Lops haue formerly heard their
like opinions.

Nor cann ye late Companie conceaue, Mr Wrote, a fitt Instrumt to sett
forward the busines; whome they though vnworthy to bee of their Societie.
Nor that those who out of pretence for New-Englands good, haue truly
wronged Virginia, should now runne a right way for the behoofe thereof.

Nor in sum̃, that those who haue §little or§ no interest in ye Plantation,
should be so sencible of it as were fitt. In wch number wee accompte Sr
Nathaniell Rich; whoe to our knowledge hath not aduentured any thinge
for the good thereof but contrary wise hath been so prpo perpetuallie a
hinderer, & disturber of the Action, that the body of the Company, ad-
dressed a Petic̃on of Complainte, to the last Parliament, crauinge iustice
against him, for his iniurious & most vnworthy practises. [21] Nor
that they that meane not to adventure any thinge, wilbe able to persuade
others to doe that wch themselues forbeare.

Nor that euer they will do ye Adventurers of ye late Companie right, in
matters of their Estates; that haue so violently endeavoured to do them
wrong in their Honors & Reputac̃ons: hauing intended as themselues wright,
a Reformac̃on & Correction of the Originall Court bookes of ye late Com-
panie then possessed by them, if they could haue gott into their handℯ
certayne copies of them wch Mr Nicholas Ferrar late Deputy had at his
owne charges caused to be transcribed. But before their seuere order came
to him, he had delivered his copys to the Earle of Southampton: who sent
the Comissioners word, that he would as soone part wth the evidences of
his Land, as wth the said Copies; being the evidence of his honour in that

service: so by this meanes haue the Originall Courtbookes yet escaped
purging: And wth all duety wee humbly beseech yor Lops, that they may
hereafter be protected from it: And that howsoeuer yor Lops shall please
for the future to dispose of the Companie, that the records of their past
Actions may not be corrupted & falsified.

As for their resoluc̃ons of orderinge the busines, wee cannot say any thinge,
because wee heare nothinge, and wee doubt they meane nothinge. For
all that wee heare tends only to nothing. They dislike the sending of
nombers of men. They professe the reducinge of all tradinge to a Joynt-
stock or Magazine: wch courses in or iudgements tend directly to the
subversion of the Plantation, at least to ye appropriatinge of it to them-
selues which to haue bin the mayne end of some of them, ye late Counsell
& Companie for Virginia, haue vpon strong presumpc̃on bin long agoe
induced to belieue: and therefore haue now thought themselues bound to
declare it, that yor Lops in yor Noble wisedomes may make such due pre-
venc̃on as shalbe fitt: humbly beseechinge that this perticuler examinac̃on
of their Actions & persons, may not be interpreted to proceed from private
spleene, but only from a sincere desire of ye Plantations advancement.

Wee doubt and feare, that wee haue wearied yor Lops wth ye large relation
of the proceedinges of these men, wee meane the partie opposite to the
late Companie & Colonie. Whereby as they haue laid all kind of Dis-
reputac̃on vpon the Action, and made that in ye estimac̃on [22] of the
world vilde & contemptible, wch before was held worthy, beneficiall, & honourable: so by their manifold & incessant practises, to wrong &
oppresse, to defame & disgrace, by vniust & vnworthy aspersions &
contumelies, (& that by word & writing ouer all ye kingdome) the innocency
of men zealous for the good of Virginia, for no other fault saue only for
their love of right & iustice; they haue bredd a great disheartninge &
discouragemt of many the most forward & most constant Adventurers,
whose industry also & labours have bin of great vse to ye Plantation.
All wch being wearied out wth their mallice and iniuries, and loath to spend
more of their lives in so vnthankfull a service, are humble suitors vnto
yor Lops, that they may be spared from all farther employment in this
Action. And that if these men will now at length apply themselues
seriously to ye busines of of ye Colonie, both wth their paynes & purses,

wch they haue hitherto spared, and vndertake (wch they owe to his Matie
& ye State) the repairinge those ruynes of the Plantation, whereof they
haue bin the chiefe cause and instruments: the Governement thereof may,
as it is, be continued in them, giving fitt securitie for so great a debt &
duty. For wee protest vnto yor Lops, vpon our truth & fidelitie, that if
his Maty may be served, the Colony secured & cherished, iustice duly
administred, mens rights & states preserved, innocent men not oppressed,
and malefactors not protected & rewarded; wee shalbe so farr from
envying the glory of their Governement, that extinguishing for euer the
memory of all their former iniuries, wee wilbe ready to doe them all fitt
service that they shall require.

By this wch hath bin said, yor Lops will easily perceaue, that obedience to
yor comaundℯ, and a desire that ye Plantation (if possibly) may yet
subsist, is ye end of or labour: not that wee intend, or haue any enclinac̃on,
to encomber our selues, wth a busines so vexed & perplexed; but only
ayme at what may bee to the good of it, though to or owne trouble. But if yor Lops in yor wisedomes, shall not thinke it fitt to putt it into their
handes: or that they, wth such caution as may be reasonably desired, shall
not adventure to vndertake it: Wee then will notwithstandinge, in expres-
sion of or duty to his Maty and the State, in respect of our ancient & present
love to ye Plantation, and for the speciall benefitt that may succeed to
this Kingdome by such a place of securitie & retreate in America; (the
wont [23] whereof, as by experience in many particulars may be demon-
strated, was in the late Queenes tyme the overthrowe of most of or voyages
sett out for the West Indies) for these reasons wee say, wee shall endeauour
or best, but dare not vndertake, to restore what these others haue ni
allmost destroyed. But yet that, vpon such condic̃ons, as wee hold most
necessary for the effecting of so great a worke, that is, some impediments
to bee removed, & some encouragements to be given to it.

It hath bin a great errour, for any to imagine, that the persons of these
men, who haue of late thus opposed the Companie, were either in nomber
considerable, or in adventure to be valued any way at all, to further or
advance the prosperity of the Plantation: but rather on the contrary,
great impediments to the faire proceeding of it: And therefore whereas
the late Companie, haue by the vniust practises of divers of these, and

some of them vnworthy persons, suffered so much in the reputac̃on of
their persons & actions, aswell by private calumny, as also in some publiq̢
proceedings agaynst them: Wee shall for that cause most humbly desire,
that ye Actions & passages of or late Governemt, may be brought to an
vpright examinac̃on, before this Honoble Board: and that being found, as
wee assure ourselues they will, to haue bin most iust, & euer tending to
ye Plantations advancement, wee may then haue iust reparac̃on from
those, by whome wee & the Plantation it selfe haue bin so much wronged:
That the like dangers may be hereafter prevented, by discouraging others
from the same attempts; and that wee the late Company, being restored
to the integritie of or reputac̃ons, may bee the better enabled to goe on
wth ye Action, for ye tyme to come.

Nowe in reguard of the extreame distresse & poverty, that by these late
practises of ye Colony is reduced vnto; and by reason of ye disability, &
vnwillingnesse of Adventurers, being so extreamely discouraged, and who
haue allready wasted a great part of their tyme, and no small part of their
estates, in supportinge this Plantation: as also in reguard of the great danger
that may be feared from a forraigne enemy: Wee shall most humbly desire,
that his Matie would be pleased, to yield vnto the Plantation, some such
moderate supply, as after the late Massacre was promised in the last Kings
tyme; Namely, the settinge out of Foure hundred able men, at the vol-
untary charges of the seuerall shiers of this Kingdome, proportionably to
be rated. And besides for ye present [24] pressing necessitie, to give vs
some such reasonable proportion of Munition & Powder, as in reguard of
these tymes may be thought convenient.

These difficulties & impediments being eased or removed, wee come now in
the last place to present our humble opinions, touching the best forme of
Governement to be here established for Virginia; wherein wee humbly
offer to yor Lops considerac̃on, whether it may not seeme requisite, that a
Companie be agayne erected of Adventurers & Planters for the governinge
& menaginge of the affaires of that Plantation. In the waginge whereof,
wee haue divided our thoughts into these three branches:

If his Matie should be pleased himselfe to vndertake the Plantation, and
the charge thereof to be defrayed out of his Royall Treasure; or otherwise
at the Generall charge of the Kingdome: Wee hold it out of question, that

the fittest Governement of the Action, were by a select Counsell of Honoble
& able persons, to be ordayned and appoynted by his Matie, as is vsed in
like cases in some forrayne Dominions.

But if the burden & charge must be borne by the Adventurers and Planters
themselues: Wee hold it necessary in that case, that ye Governmt thereof
be also com̃ended by his Maty to them, incorporated as before into a
Legall Companie: yet so, as to be assisted & advised by a Councell to be
appoynted by his Maty & bound by oath vnto him; and they also to haue
refference in all causes of greatest & extraordinary importance, to his Matie
himselfe, or to the Lords of this privy Counsell, from thence to take
resoluc̃on & direction, as was formerly instituted, and in the latter times
also practised. And this is agreeable to ye com̃on vsage of the world, &
in perticuler of this Nation: experience having manifested, that men are
difficultly drawne to adventure any great matter in these Actions, in ye
ordering of wch they haue no voice or interest.

For as for this late third way of Governement, by an absolute Comission,
disprovided of other meanes, saue what should be raysed from ye Plan-
tac̃on experience hath taught, that it cann worke no great effect, the hearts
of all the Adventurers being turned away from the Action, & ye Plantrs
there in great part, vpon the bare feare & forerunning rumour of this
Comission, resolving to come away & desert the Plantation. Howbeit if
such of ye Comissioners themselues, as formerly enioyed or partaked, &
now affected this Governement, would haue opened their owne purses, as was promised to his late Maty, for the support of the Plantation; [25] it
might perhaps haue bin continued on for some longer tyme: Whereas now
all men avoiding to adventure vnder them, & they not disposed to give
example in that kind, but rather to agitate and frame Contracts, whereby
themselues might growe rich, though wth the penury & consumption of
the Generall Plantac̃on: the Colonie there doth wast by hasty Degrees, and will suddaynly come to nothing if speedy, remedy be not provided.

Now if yor Lops shall thinke good to approve of or humble opinion, (wch
wee in all duty submitt vnto yor Lops maturer iudgements,) and that ye
Companie be reerected by his Matℯ L̃res Pattents & vnder his great seale,
as it formerly was: then doe wee further presume to offer vnto yor Lops
considerac̃on, these few perticulers here ensuinge.

First wee hold it requisite, that this new Pattent should contayne ye
same priviledges & Lib̴ties, the like orders & directions, as were in the
former: yet wth this, that if there appeare in ye former graunts, any thinge
inconvenient, as preiudiciall to his Maty, it be reformed:

Secondly, in reguard ye Colonie, taking all ill pleight at ye beginning, doth
still runne only §on§ in plying only Tobacco, notwthstanding ye great
charges wch the Companie was at, in the tyme of the latter Governement,
for ye setting vp of better Comodities, as Silke, Wynes, Iron, materialls for
shipping, and others: that his Matie would be graciously pleased, con-
tinuing the Custome vpon Tobacco, to remitt the custome of all other com-
odities for certen yeares; wch wee suppose would be a matter of very small
losse to his Matie, aboundantly to be recompenced in ye yeares ensuinge;
and yet a great meanes to drawe the Colony to those better courses, wch
no orders of the Companie could yet euer effect: And likewise, that ye
Customrs be restrayned from extorting Custome of goods transported
thither for mens perticuler provisions, & not by way of Merchandize, as
the Law requires.

Thirdly, that in this Pattent there be declared a nullitie of all the proceed-
ings of the late Comissioners; having bin vpon iust caase soe extreamly
distastfull both to the Adventurers & Planters.

Fourthly & lastly it is desired, that his Matie would be graciously pleased
that this new Pattent be confirmed by Act of Parliamt, if ye Lords &
Com̃ons wthall so thinke fitt. And this wee hold requisite for two
important reasons:

First wee suppose it will greatly encourage the Adventurers & Planters,
[26] by giving them assurance of ye continuance of this Plantac̃on, and of their seuerall estates & possessions in ye same: the iealousy wch hath bin
bred by the late Quo warranto, being not otherwise possibly to be removed.
And this encouragemt would be greatly encreased, if by his Matℯ Royall
authoritie, wth consent of Parliament, bothe Plantac̃ons might be annexed
to ye Imperiall Crowne of this Realme, according vnto ye comendable
pollicie of some other great Kingdoms.

Secondly by meanes of this Act, the New Company may be inabled to
recover ye Debts due to ye former Company, either vpon Accompt or

otherwise; as also to haue restituc̃on by a legall course for the great depre-
dac̃ons done vpon ye Colonie. A matter tending greatly to the support of
ye Plantation, as also to ye reestablishing of ye good Governemt of ye same.
And this is our humble answeare vnto your Lops first proposic̃on.

[half a page blank]

[27] For the second Considerac̃on, lefte vnto vs by yor Lorpps, namely con-
cerning an offer to be made, for such a Contract towchinge Tobacco, wth his
Matie, as may both vphould his former Revenue, and not bee greuious to
the Plantations, wee say thus.

That vnles in yor lorpps wisdome§s§ those Condic̃ons by vs formerly
propounded bee yeilded vnto, wee cannot treate of this buissines; for wee
com̃e not as Contractors to make a bargaine for our owne priuate lucre, but
wth an ey[e] only to the publique benifitt of the Plantations, as farr as it
may be without preiudice of his Matℯ proffitt; wthout any reseruation of
secrettℯ, as in the last Contract were pretended: For in a publique bargaine,
betwixt his Matie and his people, the most cleere, publique, & direct pro-
ceedingℯ will euer receiue the best interpretation.

Wee cannot in our vnderstandingℯ conceiue, that any proffer though neuer
soe greate, cann be for his Maties aduantadge, but rather the contrary, if it
so presse vppon the Plantation, that the Planter shall not be able to liue
with comfort by his labour: And so others be discouradged, from further
proceedingℯ. A greate reuenue peradventu[re] maye be raysed for a yeare
or two, but if the Plantation decaye the revenue cannot last: And thus it
had beene, if the last Contract had gon on; though the immense gayne had
come to the Contractors themselu[es] & not to his Matie.

But now for ourselues, it is true A Contract was formerly treated of betwixt the Company, and the Earle of Middlesex, but as hath been before read
vnto yor Lorpps though it were then extreame hard, yett it is nowe impos-
sible, by reason of the worse case the Plantation standℯ in nowe, then it
did then, principally occasioned by the discouradgementℯ giuen to the
Company.

Wee acknowledge vnto yor lorpps, that the bestowinge banishinge of all
Spanish Tobacco, will much redound to the Plantations benifitt, and his

Matℯ losse: but withall, wee conceaue that if there were no Tobacco in
neither of thei[s] Plantations, itt were better for his Maty to loose seauen or
eight thousan[d] Pound a yeare Custome by the not importation of Spanish
Tobacco, the[n] to hinder the importation of 100000li a yeare in money,
wch this Comodit[y] did, as was cleerely manifested to the two last
Parliaments.

[28] Howsoeuer, wee intend not vppon the Condic̃ons in the former paper
mentioned; to make a meane & contemptible offer to his Matie but such a
one, as wee conceiue in truth, for the Kings proffitt, to befall as large, &
more certayne then this last; and more then at any tyme really came into
the Exchequar by this Com̃oditie. Profferinge soe much, as wee thinck
the Plantac̃ons can possibly beare & subsist; and goinge as high nowe at
first, §as§ we shall euer be drawne to yeild vnto. And doubt not, but that
yeildinge vnto his Maty after the first yeare, 10000li certayne, and 3000li a
yeare more by Custome, in all 13000li per Annu9, it will be thought more
then sufficient from these nowe languishinge Plantations. For in this
bargaine the Summer Ilandℯ as well as Virginia are vnderstood to be com-
prehended. And so wee are confident, that wee haue given yor Lorpps full
satisfaction, to this second proposition, namely, concerninge the offer for
such A Contract to be made wth his Matie towchinge Tobacco, as maye
both vphould his former reuenue, and not be greiuous to the Plantations.
The perticulers followe.

That the sole Importation of Tobacco, into the Realmes of England, and
Ireland, be graunted by his Matℯ Letters Pattents vnder his greate Seale,
to the Companies for Virginia & the Sum̃er Islands.

That his Matie, by Proclamation inhibite all others, vnder payne of con-
fiscation of their Tobacco, and his Matℯ highe displeasure.

That likewise the plantinge of Tobacco in England and Ireland, be for-
bidden by the saide Proclamation vnder a greiuous penalty.

In Considerac̃on whereof, the Aduenturers, & Planters of both Collonies,
wilbe content, that a fourth parte of their Tobaccoes (wch shall yearely
come home) shalbe sett aside & sould for publique vses, and out of ye
proceed thereof shalbe

First payd & dischardged the Custome, due vppon the whole Quantitie
(wch shalbe brought home,) wch Custome, shalbe after the rate of iijd
p̱ pound, as nowe it is rated and wilbe ye full Custome that can be requyred,
although the Tobacco should be sould after the rate of 6s p̱ pound.

[29] Secondly out of the §proceed§ of the saide fourth parte, there shalbe
farther yearely payd vnto hi[s] Maty by waye of thanckfull retribution for
his gratious fauors—10000li.

The whole remaynder of the proceed of this fowrth parte of Tobacco,
shalb[e] First, for the defrayinge of the chardges of menadginge and
ordringe this Contract. Accordinge as the Company shall thinck good
to proportion itt.

And the Surplus, whateuer it bee shalbe bestowed (in such manner as the
Companies shall finde most fitt) for the supporte & aduancement of the
Plantations.

And because it is doubted, that in regard of many difficulties, wch are
allwaies in the settlinge of newe buissinesses, the proceed of the fourth
parte, for ye first yeare, may not amount to soe much as the proporc̃ons
aboue. Itt is therefore desired, that for ye first yeare his Matie would be
gratiously pleased to allowe out of ye proceed of ye saide fourth pa§r§t[e]

First, as much as shall defraye the Custome, then 6000li more towardℯ
the vses aboue expressed, and then to accept of the remaynder that shalbe,
although it should proue 10000li. But in case it should proue more his
Mãtie to haue only 10000li and ye rest to be bestowed as is afore expressed.

That the Tobacco to be brought in be consigned in one hand, vizt of such
officers as ye saide Company shall appoynt. And that the saide Company
haue the sole menadging of the saide sale of Tobaccoe.

That the Aduenturers of each Plantation shall not be bound to bringe in
any greate[r] Quantities of Tobacco then themselues shall thinck good.

It is lykewise desired, that for recouery of all such debtℯ as shall from tyme
to tyme growe due to ye Companies by occasion of this Contract, the saide
debtℯ may be assigned ouer vnto the kinge, when & soe often as need
shall require.

They likewise desire that there maye be inserted in the Contract, a Graunt
& Couenaunte from his Matie against the grauntinge of lycences to Retay-
lers of Tobacco: Soe that ye Sale thereof may remayne free as hetherto it
hath done.

That his Matie be pleased to take a strickt course for the preuenting of all
vndue bringinge in of Tobacco by other meanes.

That all confiscations and other penalties vppon this Contract be deuided
into three partℯ. The one parte to his Mate vse, the other to ye Com-
panies, the third to the Informers.

[Pages 30 and 31 blank. Document endorsed (32) in a later hand:] The
discours of the old Company of Virginia. Without date.