CCCLVII. [Sir Nathaniel Rich.] Heads of Two Letters to be
written to the Virginia Company by Mr. Secretary
May (shortly before May 18), 1623
Manchester Papers, Nos. 372, 373
[212]
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 485
[No. 372] 1 That he may §resigne his place &§ stay in ye Countrey
for disobeying the Comd and wch he may doe by resigning his place and
not to be here to countenance this opposition.
2 That Mr Secretary may write a letter (wch may be publickly read at
euery meeting) wherein his Matie may please to com̄and and that most
strictly That no man (nobleman or other) come to those Courts or Com̄it-
tees §of ye Virginia Company§ who hath not some men in Virginia planted
vpon his shares and that no man intermeddle either in those [&] so is more
then or is not at this instant ingaged by the and accordingly pursues the
sending of men or supplyes thither by ye next shipping: All others shalbe
proceeded against as factious and seditious persons. This Comd to
contynue till ye retourne of ye Com̄ission now on foote for setling those
businesses.
The 2d part of ye letter: That his Matie vtterly forbidds yt any complaynts
or Acts be brought to ye Comrs against any man in ye name of ye Companye:
wch tend only to defamation and strengthning of faction, and by this course
they may false accuse and calumniate any person wthout any punishmt:
but whosoeuer he be that will informe against any man let him himselfe
bring ye Complaint a to ye Comrs and ma and make proofe thereof as he
can: that so ye p̱tye yt shall vniustly be traduced may if ye Comrs he appeare
§to ye Comrs to be§ innocent haue his remedy against those yt shall vniustly
calumniate him: And yt euery man on both sydes forbeare to spread
rum̄ors of accusation against any man, but in a decent manner proceed
as m one against another as men desirous of ye publick good, and not of
p wrongfull vexation of any: especially that su[s]pecion be not all bitter a
reuiling and inuectiue language be forborne.
[Written and indorsed in the hand of Sir Nathaniel Rich:] Heads of the
ɫre written * * * Matℯ * * * Virg. Company yt none should
* * * Courts but such * * * men or * * * shares.[213]
[No. 373.] Seeinge that it appeareth by your owne §the§ confession
of the Company that it is impossible to find among them 20 men §aduen-
turers§ who haue §any men§ planted men vpon theyr shares in Virginia
whereby thereby to bee inabled to keepe a Court and seeinge the estate
of the Colony is such at this present as doth require all man̄er of supp
helpe for supply, it may please his majesty to explane his last limitations
and to enlarg[e] those directions to admit §all§ Patentees that accordinge
* * * as to the Companies desire who haue really payd in 25c̃
vnderwritten in any society and really payde in theyr mony so vnder-
written, as likewise all other that haue §at§ any times within these last
foure yeeres vnderwritten in any Magazin or Roule of Aduenture what-
soeuer and hath truly payde in his mony according to his subscription.
And for all other aduenturers already admitted or already to bee here
admitted none to bee present at theyr meetinges of Counseill Courtes or
Com̃ittees but such as shall §hereafter§ really bring §in§ in aduenture §of
his owne§ 25c̃ to bee employed in some §to the Company to bee§ forthwith
employed in ma for the releife and sustentation of the Plantation, and
vntill the such party shall pay in his mony not to bee admitted: and that
his majestyes directions may bee §the§ more fully obserued it may please
his Ma
ty to com̄and that a pres present list bee made §and the same to bee
forthwith presented and examined by the com̄issioners§ of contayninge
the names of all such as are within the limitations aforesayd, viz
Of all such aduenturers who haue men planted vpon theyr shares
Of all Patentees who haue truly payde in theyr subscriptions
Of all who within theese foure yeeres haue vnderwritten §and payd in
truthe§ in the Magazin or in any Roule of aduenture and for what each
Put such monyes as they haue subscrib And of all such as shall and
accordingly payd theyr monyes into any Magazin or Roule of aduenture.
And lastly of all such eyther as will aduenture 25c̃ and pay theyr mony In
beefore they bee admitted.
And according to this list it may please his maty to direct the Courtes may
bee called and no other vpon payne of his high displeasure to presume to
bee present.
As for those personages named in theyr declaration
[Indorsed in the hand of Sir Nathaniel Rich:] Notes how the Courts of the
Virginia Company may bee beter composed.
