University of Virginia Library

CCCLVI. [Sir Nathaniel Rich.][211] "Note Which I Presently Took
of Captain John Bargrave's Discourse to Me Concerning Sir
Edwin Sandys"
May 16, 1623

This day beeing friday the 16th of May 1623 betweene the houres of
11 and 12 a clock in the forenoone Captaine Bargraue came to me to shew
me a paper wch he had drawne concerning the p̢nt Gouermt of Virginia,
wch I onlie read and deliuered to me §him§ againe, §And§ He and my selfe
beeing then all alone in the great Chamber of my Lord of Warwicks house
he tould me that he was afrayd to discouer some thingℯ wch he knew of th
Sr Ed. Sandys his proceeding in those businesses, both because he was so
vpheld priuately in his courses as also that he had the strength of the Courts
to countenance him in all thingℯ and w had so carryed the business that
he would be sure to hide all his owne ill actions vnder the name of the
Companye: Besydℯ he tould me that by his long acquaintance wth him &
his wayes he did §was induced§ verilie b to beleaue that there was not any
man in the world that carried a more malitious hart to the Gouermt of a
Monarchie then he §Sr Ed. Sandys§ did: for Capt. Bargraue had heard
him say That if eu9 God from heauen did or dirce constitute and direct a
Go forme of Gouermt it was that of Geneua: And he hath oft tymes repre-
hended §Capt§ Bargraue that in some §written§ tractates of his, and in his
discourses he seemed to dislike the [2] constitution and frame of the §p̢nt§
Gouermt wch of Virginia inelininge §to§§ as that wch inclines §vnto§ if not
directly beeing a popular Gouermt he telling Capt Bargraue that his intent
was to erect a free state in Virginia and other wordℯ to that purpose. And
to that intent (as Capt Bargraue affirmed to me) he §Sr E. S.§ mooued my
L. of Canterburye to giue leaue to the Brownistes and Separatists of Engl̴.
to goe thither for wch my Lordℯ grace of Canterburye sayed to Bargraue
that he should neu9 like well of Sr E. S.: those Brownistes professeing
by their Doctrine clayminge a libertie to disagreeing to the Gouermt of
Monarches: And the s̃d Capt. Bargraue likewise affirmed that if the
Charter wch by Sr Ed. Sandys his meanes was sent into Virginia w and at

(in wch is a clause (as he sayes) that they shall haue no Gouermt putt vpon
them but by their §owne§ consents) and his other proceedingℯ in those
businesses of the Plantac̃ons (especially such as concerne gouermt) were
looked vnto it would be found that he aymed at nothing el more then to
make a free popular state there And himselfe to be the lea and his assured
Freindℯ to be the leaders of them wth much more §to this effect§ declaring
in S my apprehension a m9uailous ill affection in Sr E. S. to the happie
§frame of a§ Monarchie.

[Indorsed in the hand of Sir Nathaniel Rich:] A note wch I p̢ntly tooke of
Capt Bargraues discourse to me concern9 Sr E. Sandys. 16 of May 1623.