CCXXII. John Bargrave. Petition to the Privy Council
April 12, 1622
State Papers, C. O. 1, Volume II, No. 4
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 309
To the Right Honoble the Lords of his Maes most Homble privie Councell.
The humble petic̃on of John Bargrave Esquire
Humbly shewing
That whereas yor petr hath form̃ly spent 8. or 10000li in ye warres and
publique service of his Country and 4 yeres since vndertakeing to be ye
first planter of a private Colony in Virginia: To yt purpose he obtained
a Pattent of free trade from ye Company and according to it did send
sṽants and shipping thither, By the practice of ye Goũnors both here and
there hee had ye best parte of his estate violently taken from him, And
makeinge proufe thereof in the Chañery The Lo: Keep̱ fynding yor petr
to bee much wronged hath decreed it to bee matter of state and soe referred
him to yr Counsell table.
Yor petr findeing ye populer goũnmt here to bee ye cause of greate mis-
cheeues to ye plantac̃on hat[h] endeavoured to frame a forme of goũnmt
that doeing right to all parties interessed in ye plantac̃on yt maie (wthout
chardge of garrisons) Tye Virginia in a dependencie on the Crowne of
England. This treatice (together wth ye meanes to make a growing stocke
and treasury for Virginia yt shalbee worth to ye plantac̃on and State here
50000li p̱ annũ at the least) yor petr hath wth his owne grivance deliũed
to yor hors by way of Articles wch hee beeing able to proue and iustifie
humbly intreateth a Comission maie bee awarded to exãine the abuses,
and rectifie ye said goũnmt, Which being not soddenly doñ ye plantac̃on
wilbe vndoñ.
Yor petr (haueing wayted for answeare herevnto theis 10 weekes) Humbly
Craueth That you would bee pleased to take this busines to harte, as a
matter that highly concerneth the State and to cause the said Articles to
bee forthwith read and answeared
And yor petr (according to his bounden dutye) shall daylie pray for yor
honors.
Aprill 12 1622
This petic̃on beinge read at the Board, it was thought meete, and ordred:
that the Governor and Councell of the Plantac̃on in Virginia doe take
considerac̃on aswell of this petic̃on, as of certaine Articles sett downe in
writinge, and exhibited to the Board by the petic̃onner wch are to bee
sent vnto them herewthall. And therevpon to make aunsweare to the same
in writinge wth all convenient expedic̃on
Exp̱ Edmondes
[Indorsed:]
[303]
M
r Bargraues Petic̃on
