University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
  
  
  
  
  

 CCLXXIV. 
 CCLXXV. 
 CCLXXVI. 
 CCLXXVII. 
 CCLXXVIII. 
 CCLXXIX. 
 CCLXXX. 
  
 CCLXXXI. 
 CCLXXXII. 
 CCLXXXIII. 
 CCLXXXIV. 
 CCLXXXV. 
 CCLXXXVI. 
 CCLXXXVII. 
 CCLXXXVIII. 
 CCLXXXIX. 
 CCXC. 
 CCXCI. 
 CCXCII. 
  
 CCXCIII. 
 CCXCIV. 
 CCXCV. 
 CCXCVI. 
 CCXCVII. 
 CCXCVIII. 
 CCXCIX. 
 CCC. 
 CCCI. 
 CCCII. 
 CCCIII. 
 CCCIV. 
 CCCV. 
 CCCVI. 
 CCCVII. 
 CCCVIII. 
 CCCIX. 
 CCCX. 
 CCCXI. 
 CCCXII. 
 CCCXIII. 
 CCCXIV. 
 CCCXV. 
 CCCXVI. 
 CCCXVII. 
 CCCXVIII. 
 CCCXIX. 
 CCCXX. 
 CCCXXI. 
 CCCXXII. 
 CCCXXIII. 
 CCCXXIV. 
 CCCXXV. 
 CCCXXVI. 
 CCCXXVII. 
 CCCXXVIII. 
  
 CCCXXIX. 
 CCCXXX. 
 CCCXXXI. 
 CCCXXXII. 
 CCCXXXIII. 
  
 CCCXXXIV. 
 CCCXXXV. 
 CCCXXXVI. 
 CCCXXXVII. 
 CCCXXXVIII. 
 CCCXXXIX. 
 CCCXL. 
 CCCXLI. 
 CCCXLII. 
 CCCXLIII. 
 CCCXLIV. 
 CCCXLV. 
 CCCXLVI. 
 CCCXLVII. 
 CCCXLVIII. 
CCCXLVIII. [Alderman Johnson?] Parts of Drafts of a Statement touching the Miserable Condition of Virginia May or June (after May 9), 1623
 CCCXLIX. 
 CCCL. 
 CCCLI. 
 CCCLII. 
 CCCLIII. 
  
 CCCLIV. 
 CCCLV. 
 CCCLVI. 
 CCCLVII. 
 CCCLVIII. 
  
 CCCLIX. 
 CCCLX. 
 CCCLXI. 
 CCCLXII. 
 CCCLXIII. 
 CCCLXIV. 
 CCCLXV. 
 CCCLXVI. 
 CCCLXVII. 
 CCCLXVIII. 
 CCCLXIX. 
 CCCLXX. 
 CCCLXXI. 
 CCCLXXII. 
 CCCLXXIII. 
 CCCLXXIV. 
 CCCLXXV. 
 CCCLXXVI. 
  
 CCCLXXVII. 
 CCCLXXVIII. 
 CCCLXXIX. 
 CCCLXXX. 
  
  
 CCCLXXXI. 
 CCCLXXXII. 
 CCCLXXXIII. 
 CCCLXXXIV. 
 CCCLXXXV. 
 CCCLXXXVI. 
 CCCLXXXVII. 
 CCCLXXXVIII. 
 CCCLXXXIX. 
 CCCXC. 
 CCCXCI. 
 CCCXCII. 
 CCCXCIII. 
 CCCXCIV. 
 CCCXCV. 
 CCCXCVI. 
 CCCXCVII. 
 CCCXCVIII. 
 CCCXCIX. 
 CD. 
  
 CDI. 
 CDII. 
 CDIII. 
  
 CDIV. 
  
 CDV. 
 CDVI. 
 CDVII. 
 CDVIII. 
 CDIX. 
 CDX. 
 CDXI. 
 CDXII. 
 CDXIII. 
 CDXIV. 
  
 CDXV. 
 CDXVI. 
 CDXVII. 
 CDXVIII. 
 CDXIX. 
 CDXX. 
  
  
  
 CDXXI. 
 CDXXII. 
  
 CDXXIII. 
 CDXXIV. 
 CDXXV. 
 CDXXVI. 
 CDXXVII. 
 CDXXVIII. 
 CDXXIX. 
  
 CDXXX. 
 CDXXXI. 
 CDXXXII. 
  
  
 CDXXXIII. 
 CDXXXIV. 
 CDXXXV. 
 CDXXXVI. 
 CDXXXVII. 
  
  
  
 CDXXXVIII. 
 CDXXXIX. 
 CDXL. 
 CDXLI. 
 CDXLII. 
 CDXLIII. 
 CDXLIV. 
 CDXLV. 
 CDXLVI. 
 CDXLVII. 
 CDXLVIII. 
 CDXLIX. 
 CDL. 
 CDLI. 
 CDLII. 
 CDLIII. 
 CDLIV. 
  
 CDLV. 
  
 CDLVI. 
 CDLVII. 
 CDLVIII. 
  
 CDLIX. 
  
 CDLX. 
 CDLXI. 
 CDLXII. 
 CDLXIII. 
 CDLXIV. 
 CDLXV. 
 CDLXVI. 
 CDLXVII. 
 CDLXVIII. 
 CDLXIX. 
 CDLXX. 
 CDLXXI. 
 CDLXXII. 
 CDLXXIII. 
 CDLXXIV. 
 CDLXXV. 
 CDLXXVI. 
 CDLXXVII. 

expand section 
  

CCCXLVIII. [Alderman Johnson?] Parts of Drafts of a Statement
touching the Miserable Condition of Virginia[171]
May or June (after May 9), 1623

Manchester Papers, Nos. 348, 347
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 440

[No. 348.] Disorders in the Company and Colony in the 4 last yeares

    §4§ 1

  • The transporting of great multitudes of people to Virg. wthout
    sufficien[t] of hou p̳vision §of victualls to feed them or§ of houses to enter-
    taine them at their ariuall and it is mortall for new comers to ly of the
    ground.


  • 175

    §5§ 2

  • The shortness of provision for food wch the Company & priuate
    Aduenturrℯ haue sent wth their Tenants wch was onely a smal quantity of
    meal sufficient to feed them for 6 monethes for the most p̱t

  • §6§ 3

  • The chaingeing of those p̳visions by the officers who gaue them
    Virginia corne instead thereof in exchainge, the beating whereof being
    exceeding painfull togeather wth the bareness & suddaine chainge of dyett
    (they haueing nothing but that and water) brought them into ffluxe.

  • §7§ 4

  • The badness of the p̳visions for food especially the meale being so
    meane and base, that the officers in Virg. made great complaints of a good
    §great§ part thereof, wch was sent ouer in the Abigale about 2 years since,
    and the Comittee that p̳vided this meale was buyer & seller.

  • §8§ 5

  • The pestring of ships wth such a multitude of passengers & store of
    goods in the heat of Sum̄er by wch means and the ea short allowance of
    food to the passengers they land half starued and bring wth them their
    owne deaths and infect others in the Country

  • §9§ 6

  • In less then 3 yeares their dyed about 3600 §3000§ p̱sons in Virg. *
    for wch mortality noe other cause hath yet been shewed but the want of
    houses, pestring of ships, shortness & badness of food seing that about that
    number there by computac̃on of the lists sent hence, hither near so many

    §*were dead be-
    fore the massacre§

  • [2] 7.

  • The excessiue prices the m9chaunts vends his tobacco §Comodityes§
    at, for instance Corne this yeare, being was sould for 80ɫi of tobacco the
    qrter §for xijli the hogh̴d, and the planters being most of them Tenants at
    halues, and by order from hence not to plant but 100 wt of tobacco a man;
    he for twelue moneths bread payes abo 2 years labor, and for cloths and
    tooles, he hath not wherewth to furnish himself.[173]

  • 8

  • The seldome advice we haue from Virg for that from June till the end of
    March there is almost no exact notice giuen of the state of the Colony,
    and for want of frequent corospondencye wth between the Comp̃ and
    Colony disorders infinitly increase[174]

  • 9

  • The Exhausting of the publiq̢ stock by stateing of §officers§ places wth
    excessiue p̳porc̃on of tenants, whereby the Company is brought into great


    176

    debt and they not at all pleased, for some desyer to liue vpon ffees & all
    desyer to haue their tenants chainged into penc̃ons[175]

  • 10

  • The many wilde & vast p̳jects set on foot all at one time, viz 3 Iron works,
    saw mills, planting of silkgrass, vines, mulbury trees potashes pitch tarr
    and salt &c all wch were enjoyned to be effected in the space of 2 years,
    by a handfull of men that were not able to build houses, plant corne to
    lodge & feed themseluess & so came to nothing[176]

  • [3] 11

  • The large p̳porc̃on of 50 acres etc.[177]

  • §13

  • The great bridge at James Cittie etc.[178]

  • 12

  • By reason of these two p̳ceding courses etc.[179]

  • §14§ 13

  • The double & contradictory ɫres that come from thence hither, the
    publique ɫres speak for the most p̱t all good § & p̳miss aboundance of all
    things§the private ɫres craueing large supplyes so that it is conceiued the
    publi§ ɫres are written [4] by appoyntment ad faciendum populum wch
    haue p̳duced bitter effects for thereby many hath §haue§ ben allured to goe
    ouer very meanly provided wch increaseth the mizerye of the Plantac̃on,
    and this evidentlye app̱s by the contradiccon between the Publiq̢ ɫres and
    the priuate lately sent ou9 in the Abigal & now in the hands of yor honble͠
    Comrs[180]

  • 14

  • The spreading falce rumours etc.[181]

  • 15

  • The remoueing of the old planters etc.[182]

  • 16

  • The improvidence in the Planter etc.[183]

    The excessiue drinking wines and hot waters keeps downe the growth of
    the Plantac̃on for that in one [5] week they spend more in drink than they


    177

    get in 6 moneths∥ ∥The great neglect∥ A strange improuidence∥ of the
    Company here in sending so few Cattle etc.∥ ∥[184]

  • §17§ 18

  • The want of lawes whereby to be gou9ned etc.[185]

  • ∥ 18

  • The want of experienced and skillfull officers∥ etc.[186]

Disorders in the Company.

    1

  • The Lawes are set downe wth an affected brevitye etc.[187]

  • 2

  • The vnlimited authority etc.[188]

  • [6] 3

  • Eluding, makeing, breaking etc.[189]

  • 4

  • Bitter asperc̃ons vpon men that haue gou9ned etc.[190]

  • 5

  • The concealing §& suppressing§ of a petic̃on etc. their dutie
    and oath thereby as much as in them lay deviding the King
    and the subject.[191]

  • 6

  • p̱tiall and malitious setting downe of Courts etc.[192]

  • 7

  • Packeing of Courts etc.[193]

  • 8

  • Putting things to question in vndue times proroguing [7] the
    Court etc.[194]

The continuance of the Deputyes place between the two Ffarrers who yeild
account of all busyness to their sup̱intendant Sr Ed. Sandis.[195]

    [No. 347.] §10§ 11

  • The excessive prizes of the Comodityes sent from
    hence by way of marchandize. Ffor Instance, Corne this yeare sold to
    the Collonie for 12[195] the hogshead or 80[195] of Tobacco, and the Planters
    being most of them Tenantℯ at halues, and by order from hence to plant
    but 100 waight of Tob: for eu9ie man, he for 12 monethes bread payes 2
    yeares labour, and for Clothes tooles and other necessaries he hath nothing
    left wherwith to furnish himselfe and so becometh vnsupportablie miserable.


  • 178

    §11§ 12

  • The seldome aduice we haue from Virginia, for that from vsuallie
    from June till th' end of March there is no exact notice giuen of the state
    of the Collonie so that for want of frequent Correspondence between the
    Companie and Collonie, disorders doe in infinetly increase.

  • §12§ 13

  • The exhausting of the publique, of §profit wch should accrew to
    the§ stocke and benifit that should grow to the Company by stateing of
    new Officers in W Vi the Collonie with excessiue proporc̃on of Tenantℯ
    Whereby the Companie is brought into great debt, and they not at all
    pleased, for some desire to lyue vpon fees, and all desire to haue their
    Tenantℯ changed into Penc̃ons.

  • [2] §13§ §14§ 13

  • The manie wild and vast proiectℯ, set on foote all at
    one time, vizt 3 Iron Workes, saw mills planting of Silkegrasse, Vines,
    Mulberry trees &c. all wch were inioyned to be effected in the space of
    2 yeares, by a handfull of men that were not able to build houses, and plant
    Corne to lodge and feed themselues, and so came to nothing

  • §14§ §15§ 14.

  • The large proporc̃on of 50 ac9 of land allotted to eu9ie
    Person that was shipped to Virginia being by order of Court presentlie to
    be set out, hath bred a vastac̃on there, and the old Planters leaueing their
    habitac̃ons in Townes had likewise verie large Diuidentℯ set out by wch
    Cou[r]ses the best and most habitable places lye vnmanned the Townes
    almost vn §a§bandoned, and the Plantac̃ons §farre§ seu9ed and therby
    extreamelie weakened. this mischeife being increased by a Clause inserted
    in eu9ie Pattent, that they shall not inhabite within 5 miles of the prin-
    cipall seate of anie English formerlie planted.

  • §15§ §16§ 15

  • By reason of theis two p̱ceding Courses the Gou9nour §Sr
    Geo: Yardly§ was forced to make a dishonorable peace with the Natiues,
    leaueing vnreuenged the death of some of or people barbarouslie murdered
    by the Virginians, and the strength of the Collonie at a most vnseasonable
    time diuided into so manie small bodyes that it did euen invite the Sauages
    to execute the late [3] horrid Massacre.

  • §16§ §17§ 16

  • The great bridge at James Cittie in Sr Tho: Smithes tyme at
    a great Charge erected for landing of goodℯ and safetie of mens liues being
    now decayed and broken downe hath brought much damage and occa-
    sioned much sicknes in the Collonie.


  • 179

    §17§ §18§ 17

  • The fortℯ formerlie built haue likewise to the great preiudice
    of the Collonie beene demolished the Ordnance become vnseruiceable and
    generallie all the publique Workℯ with great Care and Charge dureing
    Sr Tho: Smithes Gou9nment erected are become ruynous.

  • 18 §19§ 18

  • Double and Contradictorie ɫres often come from the Cheife
    officers of the Collonie to the Companie hither by whose procurement it is
    desired may be examined the publique ɫres speakeing for the most part all
    good, and giueing assurance of aboundance and prosp̱ite when as the priuate
    letters from §of§ the same Persons Craue large Supplies, and declares much
    miserie, as was euidentlie to be seene by the last ɫres that Came into the
    handℯ of the Comrs: wch practise hath procured bitter effectℯ, manie
    haueing beene thereby allured to goe ou9 verie meanelie prouided with an
    seduced by with the hope onelie of an imaginarie plenty.

  • [4] §19§ §20§ 19

  • The like mischeife hath ensued by spreading false Rumors,
    and publishing of ɫres bookℯ & balladℯ of the plentie §of prouisions§ and
    happie estate of the Plantac̃on, wch was most vnseasonablie put in
    practise this last lent when the Collonie was in most extreame miserie.

  • §20§ §21§ 20

  • Remoueing of the old Planters from their habitac̃ons and
    Cultivated landℯ and places of securitie, whereby manie of them were
    extreamelie impou9ished and manie p̱ished in the late massacre.

  • §21§ §22§ 21

  • The §Couetousnes &§ Improuidence of the Officers and
    Planters in Virginia who aymeing onelie at profit by planting of Tobacco
    haue suffred Tillage to decay, neglected the planting of Corne, and forsak-
    ing the more healthfull partℯ of the Countrie, set themselues downe vpon
    such groundℯ as are vnfittest to plant Tobacco.

  • §22§ §23§ 22

  • A strange improuidence of the Countrie §Companie§ here
    of in sending so few Cattle within theis 4 yeares there not being 200 in all
    sent for aboue 4000 Persons wch in that tyme haue beene transported
    thither

  • §23§ §24§ 23

  • As wee haue in that tyme abounded The want of ex-
    perienced and skilfull officers and Comanders to gou9ne th'affaires of the
    Collonie and the Conferring of those places for fauour freindship and
    alliance is Conceiued to be an [5] inexcusable Errour and a maine Cause of


    180

    the late massacre, and §of the§ miserie hapned §to§ the plantac̃on as
    also th'arming of the Sauages with weapons and teaching them the vse of
    gunnes.

  • §24§ §25§ 24

  • As R ther is a Redundance of lawes to gou9ne the Companie
    here so ther is a Just Cause of Complaint for want of lawes whereby to
    gou9ne the Collonie there, for though the Planters 3 yeares since in a
    Parliamentarie fashion were assembled and made lawes to gou9ne them-
    selues yet haue they not beene Confirmed here, and the Councell in Virginia
    gaue if for a Reason that they make no new lawes because those form9lie
    made are not yet here ratified or disallowed.

  • §25§ §26§ 25

  • The lawes that are made for Gou9nment of the Companie
    here are manie and set downe with an affected breuitie and in §so§ am-
    biguous tearmes that they are thereby subiect to seu9all interpretac̃ons
    Wherby manie differences arise in the Companie, and Sr Edw: Sandys the
    Compiler of theis lawes (being ther liue §liueing§ liveing Com̄ent) vsuallie
    takes vpon him to expound the sence, yet §and§ by his wrested glosses
    doth often Corrupt the Text notwithstanding his definitiue sentence is
    Comonly receiued as an oracle.

    ∥Disorders in the
    Company disord∥

  • [6] §27§ 26 §26§

  • Hence followeth the Eludeing, makeing, breaking and
    nullifying lawes and orders by acute distinctions, metaphisicall Reasons,
    and transcendent authoritie after a supreame and Parliamentarie manner
    some particulers whereof are readie to be showen.

  • §27§ §28§ 27

  • The vnlimited authoritie that is giuen by those lawes to the
    Thrēr and Deputie, as by the particulers readie to be showen may appeare.

    law: 3. 4. 8. 13.
    24. 25. 27. 30. 35.
    36. 37. 42. 43. 46.
    50. 51. 54.

  • §28§ §29§ 28

  • To wch may be added the law Comonlie Called the Pistorian
    law because first proposed by a baker, mo directlie Contrarie (as is Con-
    ceiued) to the ɫres Pattentℯ and tending to facc̃on and disorder as by
    th'euent thereof alreadie hath appeared.

  • §29§ §30§ 29

  • bitter asperc̃ons vpon men that haue gou9ned the Companie
    or that §& their freindℯ and vpon such as§ haue opposed the late pernicious
    Contract and Salarie it haueing beene a Comon practise with some of them
    to grace and Collour their owne proceedinges by disgraceing and Calum-
    niateing of others wch hath occasioned most of all the auncient Adventurers


    181

    wch were most §best§ Conv9sant in the affaires of the Plantac̃on to leaue
    and desert the buisines.

  • [7] §30§ §31§ 30

  • The Concealing and The often neglect and litle regard
    showed to his matℯ most gracious Adu9tisemtℯ and directions for Choice of
    Officers agreeable to his Princelie pleasure and likeinge; and for better
    ordering of and Composeing of th'affaires of the waightie buisinesses of
    that Plantac̃on

  • §31§ §32§ 31

  • The Concealing and suppressing of a Petic̃on sent into the
    name of the whole Plantac̃on in Virginia and directed to his most excell
    excellent Matye, contrarie (as is Conceiued) to their dutie and oath.

  • §32§ §33§ 32

  • The contriueing prosequuting and with violence mantayning
    for the particuler lucre and gaine of some few Persons (especiallie of
    Sr Edw: Sandys, and Mr Ffarrar) the late Contract and exorbitant Sallarie
    tending to the ruyne of the Plantac̃on wh wch hath occasioned infinite
    Contenc̃ons, breaches §Rentℯ§ & diuisions in the Companie

  • 33 §34§ 33

  • Partiall and malitious setting downe of Courtℯ graceing whom
    they fauour and disgraceing others.

  • 34 §35§ 34

  • Packing of Courtℯ by turning ou9 shares to their freindℯ and
    Confidence§tℯ§ to Composse their private Endℯ, & theis serue onelie to
    fill the house, and to spread their §some mens§ praises §and other mens
    disgraces§ but aduenture litle or nothing.

  • [8] §35§ §36§ 35

  • Putting §stet§ thingℯ to question in vndue §stet§ times
    §& manner§ prorogueing of the Court till 9. 10. or 11 of the Clocke §at
    night§ reseruing the wightest buisines till the riseing of the Court by§
    §stet§ putting thingℯ to question in vndue tymes as also in vndue and
    intricate mann9 by§ putting the Negatiue before th'affirmatiue proposic̃on,
    by threatℯ that men shall answeare buisines before great Lordℯ, by
    partiall Sumons§ing§ of their P freindℯ and by assembling great Persons
    in awfull Reu9ence of whose presence
    §strangers to be spectators and hearers
    and so to see spreade§ men forbeare to speake, by wch §& such like§
    Artificers latelie practised in the Companie the libertie of the Adventurers
    is inthralled and all matters are mannaged at the will of a few.


  • 182

    §36§ §37§ 36

  • The Continewance of the Deputes place betweene the 2
    Ffarrars who yeald Accompt of all buisines to their sup̱intendent Sr Edw:
    Sandys.

  • §37§ §38§ 37

  • Preparing accusations and scandalous reproches against not
    only against ordinary Aduenturers, but euen against men of the cheife
    ranck and qualitie by some few and that then publishing them in the name
    of the Counsell and Companye that is to say of §p̱sons§ unknowne p̱sons

  • §38§ §39§ 38

  • Inviting of strangers yea of women to be present in a latticed
    gallerye wch lookes into the place where the Courts theis last 4 yeares haue
    ben kept §there§ to be spectators of their courses and hearers of their
    calumnies &c to th'end the rumor thereof might be more generally spread.

  • ∥ §39§ §40§ 39

  • ∥ As for matters of §the Accompts for their last 4 yeares: they
    are desired they may be veiwed and examined by some who on the behalf
    of the Company are willing in this vacation to take paynes therein: the
    generall exception that is taken in that point is that they are audited onlie
    by a very few p̱ticular freindℯ and confidents, and euen as is doubted by
    some who are themselues interessed therein and there is a p̱ticular com-
    plaint putt in by some of th'Aduenturers in Southampton Hundred, that
    whereas very good Som̄s vzt. about 6 or 7 thowsand poundℯ haue ben payed
    in for that plantac̃on and §to Sr Ed: Sandys§ no Accomptℯ at all thereof
    §haue ben§ giuen as likewise of the moneyes brought in vppon the collec-
    tion of p̱ishes and by other meanes for pious and publiqu[e] vses: and wch is
    worse th'uses for wch they were brought in and collected altogether
    vneffected. Thus∥

 
[171]

Manchester Papers Nos. 347 and 348 are successive drafts of the same paper, that which, in
its complete form (not found), is commented on in Manchester Papers No. 342 (Document No.
CCCXLIX, below); but whereas our copyist dealt with No. 347 first, and, when paragraphs of
No. 348 were identical, merely indicated their identity with respective paragraphs of No. 347, in
reality No. 348 is the earlier draft. It is therefore put first in this publication. Its paragraphs
that were finally numbered 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 referred to in the commentary, or
supporting references, of No. 342. Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 of the document, on which No. 342 comments,
have not been found. Its paragraphs 10 to 39 are presented, with those numbers, in the draft
No. 347 (here placed after No. 348), and, with other numbers, in No. 348.

[173]

Cf Manchester Papers, No. 347 ¶10, below.

[174]

Cf Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶11, below.

[175]

Cf Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶12, below.

[176]

Cf Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶13, below.

[177]

Exactly as in Manchester Papers No. 347, ¶14, below, except for capitals.

[178]

To the same effect as Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶16, below.

[179]

Exactly as in Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶15, below.

[180]

Compare Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶18, below.

[181]

To the same effect as Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶19.

[182]

Id., ¶20.

[183]

Id., ¶21.

[184]

Id., ¶22.

[185]

Id., ¶24.

[186]

Id., ¶23.

[187]

Id., ¶25.

[188]

Id., ¶27, with the same marginal note.

[189]

To the same effect as Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶26.

[190]

Id., ¶29.

[191]

Id., ¶31.

[192]

Id., ¶33.

[193]

Id., ¶34.

[194]

Id., ¶35.

[195]

Compare. Manchester Papers, No. 347, ¶36.