 | The records of the Virginia Company of London |  |
At a Quarter Court held for
Virginia in the Forenoone the
20th of Nouember i622
| mr Deputy. | mr Barbor. | mr Meuerell. |
| mr Gibbs. | mr Delbridge. | mr Bull. |
| mr Io: ffarrar. | mr Wheatley. | Capt: Brewster. |
| mr Sheppard. | mr Mellinge. | mr Cuffe. |
| mr Binge. | mr Bennett. | mr Webb. |
| mr Steward. | mr Wiseman. | with diuers others. |
The Patenteℯ appointed to be drawne vpp against this Court were
read and compared and beinge found agreeable to former Presidenteℯ
were referred to the Afternoones Court for confirmac̃on vizt
A Patent to mr Iames Steward of Buckham in Scotland esq̢.
A Patent to Tho: Graues of Doublin in the Realme of Ireland gent̃.
A Patent to Capta: Sam: Mathewes.
A Patent to Christo: Leuett of Sherburne in the County of Dorsett̃ gent̃.
A Patent to Iohn Palmer gent̃.
A Patent to Wm Dilke of Clementeℯ Inn in the County of Midd̃ gent̃.
A Patent to ffran: Baldwin.
All wch haue vndertaken to transport 100 p̱sons a
peece to Virginia.
Mr Deputy acquainted the Court that the moneyes for the Magazine
were nowe due, and certified them that himselfe and mr Barbor had
disbursed well neare 250li for settinge forth of the Shippwrighteℯ wch
was to be repaid out of the said moneyes and that also he had dis-
bursed for the settinge forth of the people lately sent to Martins
Hundred aboue 100li wch was to be repaide from the Magazine. To
wch Magazine about 3 yeares and a halfe agoe the Society of Martins
Hundred had paid in 80li to the intent there should be deliuered ten
kine in Virginia wch were neuer deliuered to their people, but sold by
mr Abraham Peirs the Capm9cht at i5li a Cowe and the proceed thereof
returned to the Account of the Magazine.
Hee further also acquainted them that mr Bull and mr Caswell the
Treasuror had for the reliefe of the Colony in Virginia taken vp 200li
worth of meale vpon their Billeℯ wch was to be satisfied them, out of
the moneyes of this Magazine: Diuers Brothers of the Company
hauinge in the last Roll of Subscription vnderwritt and promised to
aduenture these seuerall Somes that that should be due to them vpon
the [84] diuision of these moneyes nowe due: Nowe in reguard that
these disbursmenteℯ had bin made by himselfe, and others for the
seruice of the Companie here, and exceedingly for the aduancemt and
releife of the Plantac̃ons and Colony, Hee desired that the Court
would giue order to the Tr̃ers of the Magazine instantly to demaund
selfe and others beinge satisfied ∥of∥ the moneyes due vnto them
(whereof at present he had verie great vse) might be encouraged and
thereby enhabled to doe the Companie seruice in the like kindeℯ vpon
∥then∥ wch nothinge was more needfull, in reguard that daylie there
was disbursementeℯ to be made for the Companies publique affaires
wch hardly himselfe or any other would be p̱swaded to doe, except they
should herein finde ye Compã very carefull of their safties and satis-
facc̃on: And beinge further testified and approued vnto the Court
that the Bargaine and Contract was made with mr Essington to paye
at the daye precisely And also that although in the makinge of the
bargaine mr Essington had by worde of mouth promised to paye in
200li within a Month; yet neuertheles he would not do it except he
had allowance of 10li p̱ Centũ for the time he paide it in before, wch
accordingly the Treasurors were forced to buy ∥giue∥: The Court
thought themselues the lessed to forbeare the money longer then the
daye, and besideℯ that it was ∥were∥ a verie vniust and vnworthie
thinge in them, for to do mr Essington courtesie, to do so greate
wronge and discourtesie to mr Deputy and others who had bin longe
out of their moneyes: wherefore it was ordered that the Treasurors
should the next daye after, demaund payment of mr Essington of the
moneyes due, and earnestly solicited the same: And in case that
within 14 dayes after it was donn due at the furthest they receaued it
not, they should then put the Bill of mr Essington and his Partners
in suite, And this was so much the rather ordered because they were
informed by the Treasurors that mr Essington had some fowerteen
dayes or three weekeℯ agoe told them that he was to stopp 400li for the
vse of Sr Samuell Argall, in reguard that certaine Billeℯ of Exchange
wch he brought ouer wch him from mr Peirs, were not paid, but mr
Peirs hauinge ∥being∥ priuately examined about the matter, had dis-
couered that those billeℯ beinge not paid here in England were sent
backe vnto him againe and that therevpon he had made satisfacc̃on
for them to the full in Tobacco and brought it to the Account of the
Magazine as appeared fairely in his booke, wch mr Essington hauinge,
could not be ignorant of: Wherevpon the Treasuror mr Bull certified
the Court that that was but a Cauill, that since that mr Essington had
moneyes for payment (as he said) of certaine Som̃es, for wch he stood
[85] engaged for the Magazine Account and were yet vndischarged,
But this mr Bull the Treasuror made answeare (as he affirmed) that
if Alderm: Iohnson could rightly ∥iustly∥ claime any thinge of ye
Magazine he should be iustly paid; But as for Shippinge of any of
these moneyes he could not allowe it Wch were to be paid vnto him
and mr Caswell (the billeℯ beinge made vnto them) and accordingly
mr Essington was to resolue to doe: wch Answeare the Court well liked
of and thought fitt.
And because the moneyes beinge paid in it wer fitt to knowe what
each man was to receaue and that the auccount should be fully and
perfectly audited, to the entent thereby that the great scandall and
imputac̃on wch lay vpon the Company and for this vnthriftie and per-
nitious enterprize, wch had somuch distasted the Colony in Virginia,
and yet exceedingly impaired the Estate of the Aduenturers here,
might either be altogether taken awaye or at least laid vpon them,
whoe did deserue it: It was by many moc̃oned that nowe at last they
might come to the true knowledge of the State and carriage of that
Magazine wch was conceaued would be donn by an exact Survey and
audite aswell of the Accounteℯ kept here as of those brought home by
the Capemarchant as also by the p̱vsall of the Letters and Instructions
mutually giuen and returned on both p̱ties, to Wch intent there were
nominated diuers Auditors vizt
| mr Bull. | mr Withers. |
| mr Mellinge. | mr Caswell. |
| mr Boothby. | mr Cuffe. |
vnto the Court a Declaracon of the true State and carriage of that
buissines from the begininge vnto the present, But diuers of them
desiringe that mr Deputy might be ioyned with them he excused him-
selfe in reguard of the multitude of important buissinesses that laye
vpon him; wch although they acknowledged to be so yet they would
not be satisfied except he would with the rest vndertake it, wch in the
end he said vpon their comaund he was content to do, so that the
effectually performed, wch was that all the bookeℯ, Letters and others
might be deliuered vp, to be p̱vsed by the Auditors at their leasure,
that therevpon they might make such proufe and examinac̃ons as they
should thinke good, as for the auditinge after the manner as formerly
hath bin, he proffessed he would haue no hand in it, knowinge very
well howe in a short and cursorie runninge ouer of bookeℯ many errors
might passe greatly to the preiudice of the Stocke and in the end per-
happs to the discreditt of those who had allowed them. [86]
The Court seemed verie apprehensiue of this matter, in reguard of
some fresh examples where the strict p̱vsall of Accounteℯ had brought
forth verie great proffitt vpon some Vndertakingeℯ wch heretofore vsed
to come forth with losse or verie litle benifitt not to be spoken of:
And therevpon it was by erecc̃on of handeℯ ordered that mr Bull mr
Mellinge and mr Cuffe should desire of mr Essington and mr Peirs the
Capemarchant the seuerall Accounteℯ Letters and Instrucc̃ons wch if
they should not willingly doe * * * ∥although they sawe no rea-
son why∥ they should not trust them (there beinge no possibility to
falsifie or alter any thinge) they were then to require them in the
Companies and Aduenturors name to giue them Coppies thereof, and
for the transcribinge, it was ordered the Magazine should allowe them
and this course beinge so iust and reasonable they conceaued the
Accountanteℯ would not be against, neither to denie it, nor to delaye
it, either of wch thingeℯ, if they should goe about to doe, the Court
professed and declared that they would therein seeke such remeady
as befitted them vpon so plaine wronge and abuse.
Mr Deputy acquainted the Court with a Noble Guift of the Lo: St Iohn
of Basinge (vizt) 60 Coteℯ of Male wch for the defence of the Country
at the moc̃on of Sr Iohn Dãuers in the name of the Companie he sent
vp in August last and were sent in the Abigaile: The Court so kindly
accepted both of the Guift, and the manner, as they thought fitt, that
in their name verie harty thankeℯ should be presented vnto his Honor,
and vnderstandinge of the singular affecc̃on, wch his lp: by his Letter
proffessed vnto the Plantation, they thought fitt to choose him of the
Counsell, and to bestowe on his lp: 10 Shares of land old Aduenture
would affoord them his presence and assistance here, and perhapps
the right to so much land might invite his lp: to the perticuler plant-
inge of it, to the encrease and aduancement of the Colony.
And forsomuch as Sr Iohn Brooke besideℯ his auncient Aduenture, had
for a whole yeare frequented the Courteℯ and with his Counsell and
other meanes bin assistant in all the Companies buissinesses duringe
that time: The Court thought fitt to choose them of their Counsell
wch by erecc̃on of handeℯ was confirmed.
Mr Deputy ∥further∥ acquainted the Company that mr George Ruggle
lately fellowe of Clare hall in Cambridge beinge a Brother of the
Company and newly deceased (wch he said he could not without great
greife menc̃on) had by his will bequeathed 100li for the educac̃on of
Infidelleℯ Children wch he had caused to be put vpp into the Table:
wch the Court well approued of; but seemed (at least the most part)
to be vtterly ignorant of the person or qualities of the man: Where-
vpon desiringe to be informed of both; mr Deputy told them that he
was a man [87] second to none in knowledge of all manner of
humanity, learninge, and was so generally reputed in the Vniuersity
of singuler honestie and integritie of life, sincere and zealous in
Religion, and of verie great wisdome and vnderstandinge: All wch
good parteℯ he had for these last three yeares, wholly almost spent and
exercised in Virginia buissinesses, hauinge (besideℯ continually assist-
inge his Brothers and himself with Counsell and all manner of helpe
in their places) written sundrie treatises, for the benifitt of the Plan-
tation and in p̱ticuler that worke so highly com̃ended by Sr Edwin
Sandys, concerninge the Gouermt of Virginia but such was his mod-
estie that he would by no meanes suffer it to be knowne duringe his
life: But nowe beinge dead, mr Deputy said he could not with a good
conscience, depriue him of that Honor wch he so duely deserued.
Mr Deputy moued the Court that whereas from his Matie and the
Lordeℯ of his most Honoble Priuy Counsell the Companie had receaued
a graceous and fauourable Answeare touchinge the sendinge of 400
men out of the seuerall Sheires to Virginia in supplie of those that
moc̃on might be recomended to the Honoble Lordeℯ whose presence was
in the Afternoone expected wch was thought verie reasonable necessarie
and ordered.
| The records of the Virginia Company of London | |