Smyth of Nibley Papers, Smyth, 10, also 3 (6), pp. 61—63
Document in the New York Public Library
List of Records No. 126
1
Impr̃ wee ordaine that the day of our ships arrivall at the place assigned
for plantac̃on in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perputualy keept
holy as a day of thanksgiuing to Almighty god.
2
I wee doe ordaine that the lordℯ day be keept in holy and religious
order and that all bodily labour and vaine sportℯ and scandolous recre-
ations be refrained, and that morning and evening prayer (according to
the english booke of common prayer) be Dayly read and attended vnto
and such other divine exercisses of preaching and reading to be on the
said day vsed, as it shall please god to enable the minister for the tyme
there being to p̱forme. And that all such other festivalls and holidayes
be observed and keept wch are authorised and appoynted by the lawes
and statutes of this realme of England, And the rites and ceremonies
authorized p̢scribed or apoynted by the ecclesiasticall lawes or channons
of this realme of England and booke of com̄on prayer (established by
authority) be in all things observed and keept, according as it is vsed in
the church of England.
3
I wee doe ordayne and direct, that you our gouernor and all our people
and servants assemble togeather once a day to prayer, imediatly after the
forenoone labour ended and before dinner. And that the p̱son then absent
(you our gouernor and yor assistants hereafter named exepted) shalbe
punished with the losse of his supp9 the same evening vnles the minister
or yor selfe allowe of his excuse or cause of his absence
4
I wee will and require that vpon yor arrivall in the kings river in Vir-
ginia or in any branch thereof that you take es especiall care for choice of
the place where you first sett downe and entend for yor settled habitac̃on,
(be it one this side or beyond James [* * * * *] towne) that the same
be healthy for ayre and accomodate wth fresh water and easy for accesse
vnto wth shipe pinnace or barge rich alsoe in mould and [* *] soyle and
of most likelyhoode to bring fourth the best commodities of that cuntry
either already knowne or by vs hoped for, And iron oare silke grasse
mulbery trees for norishing of silke wormes, apt for vines, english wheat,
maize and other virginia corne and for rice, Aniseeds flax [oade] oyle seede
and the like, rich alsoe in meadow and pasture for cattell and in timber
for shiping and other vses, and alsoe convenient and vsefull for fowle fish
and the like, And that you reso[* *]lue not on the place wthout the
advice of yor assistants hereafter named and the assent of the greater
number of them, Wherein allsoe wee will you to p̳ceede wth the advice of
Sr George Yardley gouernor of that kingdome, deliuering our ɫers written
vnto him in that behalfe, provided that you settle not but where the
natiues, (if any be or clayme) are first avoyded by composic̃on5
I wee doe ordayne and direct that imediatly after the place of habi-
tac̃on is agreed vppon in manner aforesaid, that you cause forthwth to be
erected houses fit for the present shelter and succor of our people wch as
wee suppose, may be for the better expedic̃on built homelike and to be
couered wth bordes; of wch we commend to yor especiall care the framing
of twoo, where of the one for the safe keeping of the tooles implementℯ
of husbandry powder, shott, Armor, and victuall, wch wee wish may be
be strongly planted on the inside: And the other for your assemblies at
time of prayer and time of diet, and our further direction is, That if the
ship shall disburden for lading before the said storehouses for receipt
thereof cane be built, That then the same be vnladen into the com̄on
warehouse in James Towne, or the Bermuday granary by the gouernors
order and therevnto first obtayned.
6
I wee doe ordaine that wth all convenient expedic̃on, you cause to be
inclosed 400 acres (or more) wth a stronge pale of seaven foote and halfe
highe whereby such corne grayne seedℯ vines Tobacco, and the like as
shalbe sowen or planted and such cattle as shalbe transported by vs or
provided in Virginia, will be more safely preserved.
7
I wee doe nominate and com̄end vnto you as yor assistantℯ for yor
better exection of the authority by vs on you conferred, fferdinando yeat,
John Blanchard Richard Godfry Rowland Panter and Thomas Coppy, of
whose seu9all integrities and discretions wee hauing made sufficient triall
doe therefore ordaine, that in all businesses of import of what kind soever,
you take theire advise, and the assent of the greatest p̱te of them fiue:
And that they diet wth and as yor selfe, at one and the same table togeather
And that alsoe all the rest doe diet togeather, and to be equaly p̳vided
for as nere as may be:
8
I we doe ordaine, that there shalbe an ordinary Corps dewe gard each
night in our towne of Bearkley, to consist at the first of fiue, to succeede
in torne as the company will afford and afterwards as yor number shall
encrease whereof one to be of the number of those seaven that shall be
deputie and called, captaines of the watche.
9
I for the more decent and comley gouerment and ordering of our
famyly wee substitute and appoynt, fferdinando yeat to be ancient, and
Rowland Paynter Sergeant of the company, And John Blanchard to be
steward of the houshold and clarke of the store of apparrell and beding
And the said Rowland Paynter to be clarke of the kitchin, wth wth two or
more (as Caters or cuntry Purvires) to be associated vnto him, And Henry
Perce to be vsher of the hall and Thomas Partridg now abiding in Vir-
ginia (if he ioyne vnto to be balyffe of our husbandries, if not, then
whone you and yor assistantℯ shall thinke meete, and the said fferdinando
yeat to take care of our Armor and of all our tooles of husbandry.
10
I wee doe ordayne that if it shall soe please god that Mr Woodleefe
dye before the Arivall of Mr Chester, That then the gouerment of our
families and of our affayres shall remaine wth and vnder those Assistantℯ
and the survivers of them that wee haue before associated vnto Mr Wood-
leefe and if it shall please god that either Mr Woodleefe or Mr Chester
shall die after both of them are arrived in Virginia, That then the gouer-
ment of both famylies shall remaine wth and vnder the surviver of them
ayded wth the assistantℯ of bothe families.
[Indorsed:] Copy of Instructions geven to Captayne Woodleefe. 4. Sept.
1619. 17. Jac.
