University of Virginia Library

CCXLII. Council of the Virginia Company. A Letter to Governor
and Council in Virginia
June 10, 1622

After or very heartie Comendac̃ons: The late arivall of all the Shippℯ
and people sent this last yeare to Virginia, hath bredd such abundance
of ioy as could not be contained amongst or selues, but hath declared it
self by publique thanksgiueinge vnto God Allmightie, that of the richnes
of his mercies through all waies and passages, so securely conducted you:
This vnexpected blessing doth much encouradge vs, in the middest of
many difficulties, wth an assured hope, that the indignation of God is
now at last appeased and that his gratious favors shall henceforth lead you
on successfully in all thingℯ: And this we hope the rather, by the good
enterance wch we vndrstand you haue made in the Iron workℯ, and other
staple Comodities; wherin we most earnestly intreat you wth all constancie
and dilligence to proceed: for there is now an absolute necessitie vppon vs
to make good and that speedily, by reall proofe some of those thingℯ,
wth the exportation of wch we haue so long posessed the world. wherefore
as yor owne welfare and the advancement of ye Plantation is deare and
pretious vnto you, or if or loues and endevors haue deserued ought at yor
handℯ; we pray and intreat you not to faile in the p̱formance of what
we in yor behalfℯ haue promised; and let vs haue at least by the next
returnes, some good quantitie of Iron and Wyne; that wch you sent by
the George was by long carrieing spoiled but principally, by the Mustie

Caske wherein it was putt, so that it hath been rather of scandall then
creditt vnto vs.

His Matie aboue all thingℯ requires from vs a proofe of Silk; sharply
reprovinge the neglect thereof, wherefore we pray you lett that little
stock you haue be carefully improued, the Mulberie trees preserued and
encreased, and all other fitt preparations made, for, God willinge, before
Christmas you shall receiue from vs, one hundreth ounces of Silkworm
seed at least, wch comeinge to late from Valentia we haue been forced to
hatch it here.

All those supplies of Corne and seedℯ, wch you desire, shall, assoone as
new comes in, be sent you, not doubting but there wilbe more care had to
preserue them, then formerly hath been.

The Silkgrasse sent home by mr Pory, whose paines and discouries we
much esteeme, is avouched vnto vs, by them that haue long lived in the
East Indies to be the same of wch the Cambaya stufes are made, we pray
you therefore and him in p̱ticular, to endevor to procure some good
quantitie of it, that experience may be made thereof.

The proiect of Capt Newce concerninge the altering of the Condic̃ons wth
or Tenantℯ hath been the more carefully considered of by vs, in regard it
was recommended by you in generall, but as yett we are come to no deter-
mination thereof, through the interupc̃on of many and waighty bussineses,
wch haue wholie taken vpp or times, and wch we could by no meanes waue,
but we shall time enough giue answer therevnto: In the meane while we
desire, that no alteration be made, but that the best may be donne accord-
ing to the course therein.

Wee haue much and very carefully labored in the matter of Fortification,
wch you so much presse, but haueinge fruitlesly attempted diurs waies.
Capt Each maister of the Abigaile made offer vppon the assurance of
60000 waight of Tobacco homwardℯ at 3d p̱ pound fraight to carrie
twelue Carpenters wth him, by whom and his owne Mariners, together
wth the asistance of the Collony, layeinge his Shipp nere Blunt point he
wold erect before the end of March vppon the Oyster bankℯ, a Block-
House, that should forbid the passage of any Shipp vpp higher in the

Riuer. Wee haue many times advised wth the Planters lately come over,
and by the opinions and entreatie of them all, assuring vs it wilbe a most
necessarie and welcome busines, haue agreed wth Capt Each, to sett for-
ward from the Ile of Wight the begining of August next; and although
the Company at p̢sent be much indebted, neere two thousand poundℯ, yet
for the effectinge hereof they haue not refused to bestow neare 300ɫi in
Instrumentℯ and other provisions necessarie: the repayment whereof they
will expect this p̢sent yeare from the Collony, for whose safty and securitie
they doe it: wee send you here the plott of that wch he hath proposed vnto
vs, that by consideration thereof you may be the better prepared.

The Companies debtℯ here at home, makes vs very solicitous, wch haveing
grown not for or owne occac̃ons here, whereas you well know all thingℯ are
donne freelie, but for the advancmt and and good of the Plantation, and
Collonie; we cannot but desire you wch haue the greatest benefite, to take
likewise vppon you part of the care for the sattisfacc̃on thereof, that
neither the Company be disinabled and dishonored, nor those private
p̱sons who stand engaged for them, endamaged, whose desertℯ towardℯ
you; as in this so in all other thingℯ haue been very great: wherefore we
earnestlie intreat you, to be all assistant in what possible you may: to
those whose p̱ticular charge it is, for the improueinge and recouringe of
the Companies debtℯ and revenewes.

The Tobacco sent home by the George for the Company, proues very
meane and as yett vnsould although it hath beene offred att 3s the pound.
This we thought fitt to advise you concerninge the quantitie and the
maner, how it is raised in both wch being don contrarie to theire direcc̃ons
and extreamly to theire preiudice, the Companie is verie ill sattisfied
wee will by the next write more largely.

[22a] Next the publique, wee must againe recomend vnto you the last years
vndrtakingℯ of the Glasseworkℯ, the ffurrs, the Maidℯ, and the Magazine,
that each of them respectiuelie may haue yor best fauor and assistance; so
that although they haue missed of the p̢sent return wch they expected,
yett in the end the good proceed of theire Adventures may enable and
encouradg them to go one, in these and the like necessarie kindℯ of sup-
plies, wch haue here risen, not out of the sup̱fluitie of theire estates, but
out of theire charitie and great zeale wch they beare vnto the Plantation,

wch by the delay of one yeare is sett so much backward, whereof the
damage is the Collonies, and ors the discontent and griefe, who would
willingly haue continued or yearely supplies, if we might haue been
answered as was fitt, wth yearely returnes, whereof we see no iust cause
to the contrarie. Wee vndrstand that mr Pountis his care & charitie in
the providing for the Maidℯ hath been very abundant, for wch not onely
the p̱ticular Adventurers, who haue sent him a remembrance of theire
loues, but the whole Company returne him verie hartie thankℯ: But
whereas we are informed by some private letters, of his purpose to come
to England this yeare, if it be not grounded one waightier reasons then
are alledged we earnestly intreate him to stay considering both in regard
of his skill and office, there wilbe speciall need of his assistance in the
building of the forte and otherwise: In this request the Adventurers of
Southampton hundred ioyne, who by the good entrance that he hath
made in theire bussines haue conceived much hope of the bettering theire
Plantac̃on; and for the ordering of the Discoverie, and the proceedℯ of
her vioadge wch hath been a Marveilous charge vnto them, they do much
relie vppon his help. The reward of the great paines and care wch we
and they by the seurall employmtℯ haue putt vppon him, shalbe to the
vttermost of theire §our§ abillities and we doubt not to his full content;
for the p̱formance whereof we desire creditt onely till the arivall of the
Abigaile. One thinge more in p̱ticuler we are to intreat him: that whereas
there haue been a deliurie of certaine kine and Calues, vnto him by mr
Woodallℯ appointmt that he do not proceed in the sale or disposinge of
any more of them then are already sold, till they haue further order from
the Company, who conceiue themselues much wronged in the deliury of
so many, besidℯ that there is claime made by others vnto that debt
vppon wch mr Woodall had the order for the Catle.

In this Shipp cometh over Capt Tho: Barwick wth fiue and twentie other
p̱sons vndr his govermt, for the building of boatℯ, Shippℯ, and Pinnaces,
vppon wch they are onely to bee employed: the list of theire names, the
Copies of their severall Covenantℯ, and the Invoyce of their provisions
we send you here along, to the intent that by the knowledge of these p̱ticu-
lars, yor cares and favors might the better help forward this busines:
there is not any thing of this nature, as hath put vs to so much troble and
charge as this Proiect hath donn: wherefore as the most difficult, we most

especially recom̃end it vnto you, desiringe you that all the p̱sons in generall
may be cherished, so in p̱ticular Capt Tho: Barwick may find from you
that favor and respect, as may better enable him for the p̱formance of
his place, And as of all in generall, so in p̱ticular, we verie earnestlie
request mr George Sandys from whom at first this proiect in parte moved,
to haue an especiall regard vnto the proceedingℯ thereof, and that he
would be pleased to take the accomptℯ of Capt Tho: Barwick and to
transmitt the profittℯ accordingly as they shall grow due from time to
time, vnto the Adventurers: Our desire is that they should be sett downe
altogether in one place, where after the convenient housinge of themselues,
they should all liue, and worke together in theire seurall trades: the
choosinge of a place is lefte to yors and their owne iudgmentℯ, so as there
may be at the least 1200 acres of land appropriated vnto it; and for the
better easing of them in drawinge of their Tymber, the Company haue
graunted to lend him foure of theire Oxen, wch we pray you cause to be
deliured vnto them.

There comes also along one Leonard Hudson a Carpenter wth his wife
and fiue of or Apprentices for the erecting of the East India Schoole, the
monies would not reach vnto the sending of an Vsher as was first intended;
and besides vppon a second consideration, it was thought good to giue
the Collony the choise of the Schoolemr; or Vssher, if so be there be any
there fitt for the place, if not, we desire to vndrstand what proportion of
manteinance they will alowe and accordingly, wee will do or best, to procure
from hence an honest, and sufficient man for such a charge. The building
of a Schoole and setting out the land at Charles Cittie is not so absolutely
required, but that if an other place shalbe iudged more convenient by the
Colonie, it is lefte to yor choise; but that there be such a proportion of
land some where laid out, and that those people now sent be kept together
for cultivating the land and building of a howse; may not vppon any
reason whatsoever be altred: wherefore wee pray you to lett the buissines
proceed in that course, where in the notice of a good begininge, we are
assured will stirr vpp the mindℯ of diurs good people to add liberaly to
this foundation: There is very much in this buissines that wee must leaue
to yor cares and wisdomes; and the help and assistance of good people,
of wch we doubt not.

[23] Wee send over mr Will͠m Leate a minister recomended vnto vs, for
sufficiencie of learning & integrity of life: if he be entertained by any
privat societie; we shall expect the chargℯ of 26ɫ wch ye Comp[any] hath
laid out for him, to be returned by the first in good Tobacco 18d p̱ɫ and
not aboue: and in this and the like kindℯ, we especially desire the care
of mr George Sandys, that by the returne of the stockℯ we may be
enabled to continue the supplies.

The good endevors of mr Berkley we kindly accept, and haue sent him and
his people diurs provisions wch he writt for; ffor matter of apparell he must
supplie that out of the Magazines we haveing beyond or liberties strained
or selues; but the Adventurers of Southampton hundred desire that he
may, out of theire store, haue fine kine deliured him and his Company.

There is likewise sent some provisions for the French men, and the next
Shipp shall bring their apparell, there wadges haue been paid here to mr
Bonall, theire kind vsage, and the instructing and training vp of many
in their skillℯ and artℯ, are thingℯ we especially recomend vnto you.

The Adventurers of the Glasse, haue sent Capt Norton a good supplie, the
Copie of all wch Invoyces, together wth that of Martins hundred, we send
here inclosed: that you might the better right them, if by the negligence,
and default of the Mariners, the suffer any damage.

Vppon the good pformance of this Vioadge by the Maister, we desire you
to aford him all the favor and curtesie that you may, the owners and
vndrtakers of the Shipp being p̱sons likly by large Adventures much to
advance the Plantation.

mr Robert Paulett the Minister, was he whom the Court chose to be of the
Counsell, for mr Harwood the Adventurers of Martins hundred desire that
he might be spared from that office, theire bussines requiring his presence
continually.

The last thing that we will conclude wth is, that it hath pleased my Lord of
Southampton for one yeare more to accept of the place of Treasuror, and
the Lo: Cavendish of the government of the Sum̃er Ilandℯ.

And so reservinge all other p̱ticulars, vntill better conveniencie, we comitt
you and all yor affaires to the guidinge and protection of the Allmightie.
London 10 Junij 1622.