CCXCVII. Reasons offered to the Privy Council against Sir
Edwin Sandys's Contract and Joint Stock for the Virginia and
Somers Islands Tobacco
March 20, 1622/3[40]
C. O. 1, Vol. III, No. 10
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 424
Sund §r§y Reasons against the Contract and Joynt stocke for the Virginia
and summer Islandℯ Tobacco.
1.
The Contract besides Custome and charges is to yeald his matie one
third part of the goodℯ in kind, wch third part (by reason the Condic̃on
of this yeares Tobacco falles out to bee meane and littleworth) will
disappoint his matie in point of profit And the other two thirdℯ being of
like bad Condition (all charges deducted) there wilbee litle or nothing
remayneing for the Adventurers and Planters
2.
The greate quantitie and meane Condition of the Virginia and summer
Islandℯ Tobacco is such as for the most parte it must bee exported at easie
rates into Turkie Barbarie and other forreine partℯ Which by the charge
of this Contract is impossible without great damage and losse to the owners.
3.
The heauie charge laid vpon Tobacco by this Contract will occasion
the transportac̃on thereof from the Plantac̃ons into forreine partℯ and not
into Englande, whereby his matie wilbe a great looser and the Companie
much damnified nay it is to bee feared that the people in the summer
Islandℯ will growe altogeather idle haueing nothing else to raise profit by
and then povertie and want may driue them to revolte and so his matie
loose the strongest knowne forte in §the§ Christiandome world tending
both to the safetie of this kingdome and acquisition of that other of Vir-
ginia to the wch it serues instead of an impregnable forte
4.
No such Contract as this can bee made but by the Joynt Consent of
all the Adventurers and Planters whereof not one of ten haue giuen their
[2] Consent and manie of those that consented conceiued themselues
inforct vnto it but being since better acquainted with his matℯ most free
and gracious intenc̃on doe now humblie declare their disassent therevnto
conceiveing that this Contract cannot be proceeded in without extreame
Iniustice and forfeiture of our Charters by wch wee are to governe our
affaires according to the Lawes of England that doe not allow the good
Subiect to bee dispossessed of his goodℯ without his Consent And wee doe
humblie pray that the Act of a fewe and such as are least interessed in
point of charge, and therefore doe not feele the waight of the burthen
wch they lay vpon other men may not preiudice the whole Companie.
5.
The rate for exporteing of people to the Plantation was wont to bee
fiue or sixe pound a head to bee paid in Tobacco but by this Contract the
rate will growe to bee ten or twelue pound at least; the owners forecasting
that the Tobacco wch they shall take for freight of the Passengers wilbee
more then twice dearer vnto them §then§ in former times And soe by that
meanes will extreamelie hinder the Peopleing of the Plantations when
passengers cannot but at such extreame rates bee transported thither
6.
The sole importac̃on of Spanish Tobacco is a part and cheife Considera-
tion of this Contract by which importac̃on not the Companies but priuate
men that make the stocke shall receiue the benifit; And therefore [3] noe
cause why in that respect the goodℯ of the Adventurers and Planters
should bee charged by this contracte.
7.
It is a thing of great daunger and hazard for particuler mens estates
to bee ingaged to his Matie by the seales of the Companie for the per-
formance of so great a Contract wch may breede questions and lie as a
perpetuall charge and Incumbrance vpon the persons goodℯ and landℯ
of them and their heyres that are free of the said Companies yea although
they neuer receiued one pennie benifit by their freedome.
8.
A single Planter doth raise at the most but 30 pound wight of To-
bacco in the Summer Islandℯ in one yeare for his owne part whereof one
third by the Contract is to goe to his nother third imatie, an ordinarie
charges besides Salary, and so restℯ scarce ten pound wight to the poore
Labourer not worth in all aboue one pound fiue shillings for his whole
yeares paines and euen out of this 25s being the labour of the whole yeare
hee is by the Contract to allowe double salarie wch may take away all
the rest and leaue him nothing at all; And the Adventurers are in the
same case soe as appareantlie the plantac̃on wilbee ouerthrowne if this
Contract doe proceede.
Neither Will the monopolizeing of Tobacco into one hand anie waies
better this bargaine but rather make it worse for
1.
If by that meanes they suppose to raise the price and to sell it dearer
that wilbe the next way to cause such an importac̃on by stealth (as was
seene in peppar when the like course was taken) as that owr Tobacco
will lie vnvented till it rott and perish, and the charge of keepeing §the§
Portℯ to prevent it wilbee in likelihood more then the goodℯ are Worth.
[4] 2.
It were a dangerous President and neuer heard of that pluralitie
of voices should conclude the goodℯ of other men without their Consent
to bee put into a Joynt stocke at the comeing home of the shipp whereas
the Aduenture outward was by particuler men not in Joynt stocke wch
if it shalbee admitted to take place wilbee the vtter ruyne and destruction
of all trade and Commerce.
3.
It occasions a straunge charge of a yearelie stipend or off Salarie to
Officers to mannage this Joynt stocke wch the Companies are not able
to beare and yet by votes of such as are least interessed and of those men
themselues who are to receiue it, was caried by pluralitie of voices.
4.
By this meanes his matie wilbee charged with 8 or 900li per Anñ cer-
taine for his third part of this salarie and how much more Wee know
not so that perhaps his matie charge wilbee more then his whole third
part of this meane Tobacco will come vnto.
5.
It hinders the poore people from trucking away their Tobacco for
Comodities by wch heretofore they haue releiued themselues and made
a greater benifit then euer they could doe by selling for readie money.
6.
It bereaues both Planters and Owners of present meanes to supplie
their shares seeing they must attend the sale and Accompt of the Joynt
stocke. It subjectℯ them to great hazard by ill debtℯ
8.
It involues them in intricate Accomptℯ and is like to occasion infinite
suitℯ and Contenc̃ons and will breede much cõnfusion in the sale of their
goodℯ for in this Comoditie one mans parcell of Tobacco is much better
then another and either it must bee sold with theires of lesse value and
soe a losse to the Owner and generall discouragement to make their To-
bacco good or else if euerie mans bee kept apart wee must rest [5] vpon
the good will of the Agentℯ when this or that mans parcell shalbee sold.
9.
The experience of the losses and inconveniences wch haue growne by
all other Joynt stockes is sufficient to deterre men from this course and
wee hope his Matie will not permit that anie man should §all§ bee forced
to it whether hee will or noe.
Wee conceive this buisines wilbee better mannaged if it will please his
matie to limit the Importac̃on of Spanish Tobacco to a reasonable propor-
c̃on as alreadie he hath done and to graunt the farme thereof to whom
his matie shall please for his owne best benifit And then (reserueing onelie
that proportion of Spanish Tobacco) to inhibite the importac̃on of all
other saue that wch shalbee brought in from theis Plantac̃ons, and that
euerie Aduenturer and planter may receiue and dispose of his owne goodℯ
for his best aduantage, and wee shall humblie submit orselues to his
matℯ gracious pleasure for such a Custome to bee layd vpon owr goodℯ
as may incourage all the Planters and Owners to import all the Tobacco
that shalbee made both in Virginia and the Summer Islandℯ into this
Realme of England and not otherwhere, wch as it would increase and
aduance the plantac̃ons so the quantities that wilbee brought in wilbee
so great that wee conceiue his matℯ yearelie profit wilbee much greater
this way then the other how specious so euer, and it is hoped it will prosper
much better because it wilbee accompanied with the willing and heartie
affections of those that pay it. [6] And wee humblie pray that in the
layeing on of this this Custome his matie will haue a speciall regard to
ease the Tobacco of the Summer Islandℯ.
1.
Because it is a place of great importance and therefore very behoouefull
to giue that Colonie content and to provide for their supplies.
2.
This poore plantac̃on hath had no helpes of Lotteries Collections and
other Assistances as that of Virginia hath had
3.
because the Tobacco of the Summer Islandℯ generallie is of a meaner
sorte then that of Virginia and this yeare so bad that it is little worth.
4.
By his matℯ ɫres patentℯ they are to paye but 5li p̱ C. for all Charges
whatsoeuer.
5.
Because it is rather a forte then a Country able to produce staple
Comodityes as that of Virginia and so hath no other meanes but by this
poore Weede to subsist
6.
Because those of the Summer Islandℯ Companie that are to beare the
burthen of this charge are very few and no meanes to mantaine the
publique charge of those Islandℯ but out of their purses wch euery yeare
costℯ them manie thousand poundℯ and yet they are Comforted with the
assureance of his matℯ gracious respect for their good seruice in acquireing
and mantayneing a place of so great Consequence without anie Charge to
his matie though to the great p̢iudice and vndooeing of some of their owne
particuler fortunes vnles his matie take a speciall regard of them ther being
twentie of them that at least are out of their purses twentie Thowsand
poundℯ in this Plantation.
[Indorsed, in the same hand:] Reasons offered to the LLs against Sr Ed.
Sandys his contract ∥& salary.∥ 20 mrch. 1622.
[Indorsed, in a later hand:] March 20 1623. Reasons against Sr Edwin
Sandis Contract and Salarie touchinge the Virginia Companie
