Records of the
Virginia Company of London
CCLXXIV. The King. Order to Archbishops of Canterbury and
York
1623 (?) or 1617
C. O. 1, Vol. II, No. 37
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 393
Most reuerend Fath9 in God, right trusty & welbeloued Counsello9,
wee greete you well. You haue§ heard§ ere this time of the attempt of
diuerse worthie men or subiectℯ to plant in Virginia (under ye warrant
of or ɫres patentℯ) people of this kingdome, aswell for ye enlarging of
or Dominions as for propagation of the Gospell amongst Infidells: wherein
there is good progresse made, and hope of further increase. So as the
Vndertakers of yt Plantation are now in hand wth the erecting of some
Churches & Schooles for the education of the children of those Barbarians:
wch cannot be but to them a very greate charge, and aboue the expence
wch for the civill plantation doth come to them. In wch wee doubt not
but that you and all others who wish well to the encrease of Christian
Religion wilbe willing to giue all assistance and furtherance yow may:
and therein to make experience of the zeale and devotion of or well minded
subiectℯ especially those of the Clergie. Wherefore wee do require yow,
and hereby authorize yow to write yor ɫres to ye seuerall Bishops of ye
Diocesses in yor Province, that they do giue order to the Ministers &
other zelous men of their Diocesses, both by their owne example in
contribution, and by exhortation to others, to mooue our people wthin
their seuerall charges, to contribute to so good a worke in as liberall a
manner as they may, ffor the better aduancing whereof, our pleasure is,
that those Collections be made in all the particuler parishes foure seuerall
times wthin these two yeares next comming: And that the seuerall
Accountℯ of each parish, together w
th the moneys collected, be retourned
from time to time, to the B
ps of the Dioceses, and by them be transmitted
half yearely to yo
u and so to be deliuered to y
e Treasuro
rs of that planta-
tion, to be imployed for y
e godly purposes intended, and no other.
[Indorsed:] Draught of a ɫer to the two Archbishops concerning Virginia.
[Indorsed in pencil:[1]
] See 4 July 1623 O in C for general contribn.
