University of Virginia Library

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290

JANUARY Ye VIIJth 1619

Present.

Mr Thr̃er signified that the cause of this extraordinary Courte was to
vnderstand their resoluc̃ons, about a matter recom̄ended to them frõ
his Maty: by reason of the Maister ∥of the∥ Wardes, whether the Com-
pany would ffarme the impost of Tobacco or any p̱t therof att
Eight Thousand pounds p̱ Annũ and pay 12d a pound for Custome
of their Tobacco, itt haveinge been thought convenyent to raise the
Custome vppõ Tobacco to that Rate for that some Spanish Tobacco
hath beene sould att Twenty Shillings p̱ pound of wch 12d: vjd: was
to be paid to the ffarmers of the Imposte and vjd to the ffarmers of
the Custome.

After some disputac̃on itt was answered that the Kinge hadd graunted
them their Pattent vnder the brode Seale vppon good grounds, to paie
onely five p̱ Cent̃: and no more wch Prevyledge they could not give
vp nor betray withoutt great breach of duety, as allso the certaine
hazard of the whole Plantac̃on, And this poynt was stood so reso-
lutely vppon that being putt to the question itt was confirmed by all
the hands noe one dissentinge.

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291

And therfore forasmuch as their Virginia §Tobacco§ was never yett
sould in any sale that tooke effect att aboue five shillings the pound
but many times vnder they could not give way to pay more for Cus-
tome then three pence vppon the pound wch is full five in the hundred
yett so that if hereafter itt should rise to a higher price they would
willingly encrease their Custome to the highest of that rate.

Yett in regard they vnderstand by mr Thr̃er that his Maty: out of
love and affecc̃on to this Company have given order for ye inhib-
iting the plantinge of English Tobacco for these five years to beging
at Michaellmas next insueinge wch resteth to be proclaymed till the
Company have deliuered their Answere wch is expected att ye Counsell
Table this afternoone, in Considerac̃on therof itt is now assented [62]
to and ordered by the Courte that duringe the said ffive years if ye
Proclamac̃on continue so longe and take effect in gratificac̃on of ∥ to ∥
his Maty for his most gracious fauour to add nine pence more vppon
a pound so to make itt vpp xijd beinge in full of his Mats demaund
though not in the same forme.

And beinge demaunded by mr Thr̃er whether they would vndertake
the farme or participate therof the Court held itt inconvenyent to
medle therwth in their generall for as much as they had neither
Stock nor Rente yett wherby to pay itt, Yett because his Mats: most
gracious offer should nott seeme in any poynt to be neglected or
refused, Itt was desyred thatt some p̱ticularr p̱sonns of the Com-
pany, and in name of the Company though for their owne p̱ticularr
vse should ioyne for some p̱t therof wch was assented to; And mr
Thomas Keightley wth some other yeilded to accept therof for a third
p̱t wch was Confirmed and so ordered by the Courte.

And because this their determinac̃on mvst forthwith be presented to
the Lords, The Court have desyred mr. Thr̃er to take the paines and
have entreated to accompany him, mr Tho: Gibbℯ mr Wheatley,
mr Cranmer, mr Keightley mr Ditchfielde, mr Wiseman, mr Bearblock,
mr Caswell, and mr Mellinge.