CDXXXVI. Robert Guyar and John White. Answer to the Second
Complaint and Petition of Captain John Harvey
March, 1623/4
Manuscript Records Virginia Company, III, pt. ii, p. 62a
Document in Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.
List of Records No. 634
To the hono:ble͠ Sr Francis Wyatt knight etc and the right worll͠ the rest
of the Counsell of State
The answer of Robert Guyar and John White to ye second Complaint and
peticion of Capt John Haruey esqr
Touching Capt John Haruey Com̃ission for the Admirallty of New England,
& all the authority that by vertue therof can lawfully bee Challenged,
ou9 vs, wee willingly submitt orselues thervnto no way Conceaueing it to
be here in force.
Hee Inferreth yor order prohibiting or priuat Conference wth any of ye
shipps Company, as though hee would, but indeed nether doth, nor Can
iustly accuse vs of the breach therof
His p̢tence of sending men to flouerdieu hundred to fetch him, is by vs
Coniectured to be meerly an excuse to send them out of the way, that
they should not bee present to testifie the truths in or behalfs, ye rather
for that (as it is not vnknowen vnto them, Robert Guyar had formerly
sent men to Warrisquiacke for that purpose, the Jealousy of such an
excuse was ye cause (it is Confessed) that Robert Guyar sent word by mr
Dennis his boat & men aboard the Southampton, entreating them to
speake to one of the quarter mrs to will the rest of the Company not to
absent themselues, because the Gouernor would send for them the next
Day, thinking himselfe to haue no small Cause so to doe, in regard Capt
Haruey so earnestly pressed for Speedy Sentence to be p̳nounced, alledging
a Crime to depriue him of life, Wherfore wee hope this board will not
Censure it to be done, either as hee alledgeth, in Contempt of ther Lorps
Com̄ission, or of yor Authoritie, or to the intent to hinder his voyage or to
stirr vp muteny
Esteeming orselues formerly to haue Comitted an error, (wee Conceaue
not how wee should haue been fallen into a relapse, we thinke wee mr
fentons euidence so cleare (for the trucke) for it may well be supposed that
hee remembreth not what was spoken by himselfe, or others at that tyme,
in regard that men are & wilbe disposed to words (that hee vtterly denieth
to haue spoken) Not a man among so many heareing John white vse the
words, that mr fenton sweareth hee did speake,
And that Capt John Haruey still wisheth insisteth vpon p̢scription of
punishment, it being in or opinions aboue a peticioner priueledg, & that
besides those those things that are [devuliped ?] & [blank], Robert Guyar
by his former familliary wth him, haueing warrant fro' his owne mouth
Just Cause of Jealosy, that hee hath further Athorty, that is yett manifest
here, Wee humble desier by the authoritie of this board, to haue itt vnder
his hand in writing if hee haue any further power to Comand the Gouernor,
then is yett reveled or not
Subscribed.
