CCLXV. Governor of Virginia. A Commission to Captain Raph
Hamor
October 23, 1622
Manuscript Records Virginia Company, III, Part ii, Page 39
Document in Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
List of Records No. 370
By the Gouernor and Captaine generall of Virginia.
To all to whom these p̢sentℯ shall come to be seene, Read, heard, or
vndrstood &c. Greetinge.
Whereas the p̢sent necessitie of the Colony to be relieued wth Corne
requireth, that by all meanes possible, either of warr or trade, Corne be
procured from the Indians, by whose Treachery we haue been hindred
this p̢sent yeare, from such quantities of Corne groweing of or owne, as
might suffice or p̢sent necessities. Now Know yee that I Sr Francis
Wyatt knight Governor and Capt generall of Virginia, out of the care I
haue to p̢vent the want and miserie wch the Colony is like to suffer, if it
be not speedily relieued, haue wth the consent of the rest of the Mer-
chaunt Laders of the good Shipp called the Tyger, thought good to
employ the said Shipp on a present vioage for Corne: for the better man-
aging of wch Vioage, out of the good opinion wch I conceiue of the suffi-
ciencie, care and diligence of my trustie and welbeloved frend Capt Raph
Hamor Esquie9 Counseilor of Estate: I do by these p̢sentℯ and for this
p̢sent Vioage wth the consent of the other Marchaunt Laders Nominate,
constitute and appoint, the said Raph Hamor Capt of the said good
Shipp called the Tyger, and of all and eu9y p̱son or p̱sons, of what nature
or quality soeu9, to be employed in the said Shipp during the time of this
p̢sent vioage; and in all cases of disobedience, contempt, or Mutyny, to
punish according to his best discrescion, by all vsuall wayes or meanes
(life only exepted) any p̱son or p̱sons in any kind offending, or disobeyinge
the Com̃and of the said Capt Raph Hamor. And I do further authorise
the said Cptaine Raph Hamor w
th the first oportunitie of wind and weather
to sett Saile w
th the said Shipp and Comp
a into Patomack Riuer there to
procure Corne, or any other Comodities either by trade, or by force of
armes as occac̃on shalbe giuen by the Indians. And also if there shall
not be sufficient Corne to be procured in Patomack Riuer, tho the full
lading of the Shipp, then it shall and may be lawfull for the said Cap
t
Raph Hamor, to saile into any other Riuer or riv
rs or to the Eastern
Shore, or any other place where Corne may be procured till he haue fully
laden the said Shipp, and then imediately w
th the first wind and weather
fitting, to returne to James Citty, or before the said Shipp shalbe fully
laden, if it shall seeme good vnto him. And I do further authorise the
said Cap
t Raph Hamor, to vse his owne discretion either in the setting
free of the Kinge of Patomack, and his sonne, or deteyninge and keeping
them, or any other Indianℯ prisoners, as occac̃on shalbe offered, and them
or more in bringeing to James Citty: And generally all thingℯ not ex-
pressed in this Comission, concerning this p̢sent vioadge by trade or warr
vppon the Indianℯ wheresoever he shall come, I leaue to the discretion of
the said Cap
t Raph Hamor. Lastly I do straightly charge and Comand
eu
9y p̱ticuler p̱son in this Vioage & employmt, not to trucke or trade
w
th any Indian whatsoeu
9, for Corne or any other thing, w
thout the speciall
leaue of the said Cap
t Raph Hamor, but readily and willingly to execute
the Comandℯ of the said Cap
t Raph Hamor, as they will answer the
contrarie (besidℯ such punishm
t as the said Cap
t Raph Hamor shall
inflict vppon them) vppon theire returnes at theire further perillℯ. Given
vnd
r my hand, and Colony Seale, the 23
th of October 1622.
To Capt Raph Hamor for tradinge into the Bay or elsewhere for Corne &c.
Francis Wyatt
Chr: Dauison Secr:
