British Committees, Commissions, and Councils of Trade and Plantations , 1622-1675 Part 9

You are therefore more particularly to advise about this matter, with the severall Governours, and Colonies of New England, and to propound to them or receive their Opinion, what methods and course might be most fitt for the producing of Flax, Hempe, Pitch and Tarre in those Countries in most plenty. As also where Mills might be most conveniently placed and encreased for the sawing of Timber, and Planke, and how best we may ease the charge and promote the building there of great Shipping.

[Sidenote: How the Plantations may be supplyed with Servants and Slaves.]

10. You are to take into your Consideration, how all and every our said Colonies, and Plantations, may be best supplyed both with servants and Slaves.

[Sidenote: To consider the differences betwixt the Guiny Company, and the Plantations, and to find out expedients of agreement.]

[Sidenote: That none of his Ma^{ties} Subjects of these kingdomes be forced or Enticed away to the Plantations by any unlawfull Practises, but that they may be duly accomodated.]

And what just Objections the said Plantations have against the standing and Priviledges of the Guiny Company, Or what complaints the Guiny Company doth justly make against any of the said Colonies. And to find out such Expedients if possible, that neither of them may lye under any Discouragements, or that at least neither of them may be permitted to injure or oppresse the other. You are also as farre as you may, to provide that none of our Subjects in these Kingdomes, be either forced or enticed away into any of our said Plantations, by any indirect and unlawfull practises, But that all such persons neverthelesse, as are willing, and that shall desire to be transported thither, to seeke a better condition there than what they have at present at home, may by all meanes be encouraged.

And that some Course be duly considered by you also how far the future Vagrants, and all such persons as are Noxious, and infamous for their Lives here, may be Transported, as that the forreigne Plantations may be accomodated with them, and these Kingdomes disburthened.

[Sidenote: Correspondency with the Governours the better to understand their Government, Plantations, Complaints, Trade and Shipping, and the Increase or Decrease thereof.]

11. You are likewise to order and settle such a continuall correspondence with all and every our said Plentations, and with all and every the respective Governements of them. That you may be able as often as you are required thereunto to give us an Account, not only of the Governement of each Colony, and of the severall Commodities which they respectively plant, but of their severall Complaints and wants also, and how you find their Trade respectively to increase or decrease.

To which purpose you are to require an Account to be sent you continually from time to time of all the Shipps that shall Trade into any of the said Plantations. And of the substance of what lading they import thither togeather with an account also what Shipps are freighted from thence and with what sort of Goods, and what quant.i.ty there is of each of the said sorts, and whether Consigned. That so the true state and condition of each Colony in reference to the Trade and Increase and Decrease of it, may be thoroughly and rightly understood.

[Sidenote: To regulate the trade of the Plantations, so that they may be serviceable to one another, as well as to these our kingdomes.]

12. And being thus informed you are further to apply your selves by all prudentiall wayes and Meanes so to Order, Governe, and Regulate the Trade of our whole Plantations, that they may be most serviceable one unto another, and as the whole unto these our Kingdomes so these our kingdomes unto them.

[Sidenote: To take care of the due execution of the Acts for encouragement of Shipping and Navigation.]

13. You are therefore to inquire into, and strictly to take care of the due Execution of the severall Acts for the encouragement of Shipping, and Navigation and that as much as in you lyeth, none of those good Ends and purposes, so much tending to the strength and benefitt of this Nation may be frustrated for which the said Acts were primarily intended and designed.

[Sidenote: To require Coppies of all Charters and Graunts concerning any forreigne Plantations.]

14. And to the End that nothing may be wanting to the said Regulation and that Justice may be equally distributed throughout all our said Plantations, You are likewise to take an Inspection into, and require a Coppy of all Charters, and Graunts that have been pa.s.sed by us or by any of our Praedecessors, to any particular persons, or to any Societies, and Corporations of Men with reference to any of the said Plantations.

And more particularly to informe your selves what Goverments are held by vertue of any of the said Charters at present, and by whome.

[Sidenote: To examine how the Ends of them have been pursued or neglected.]

[Sidenote: In case of any differences to endeavour the composing of them amicably.]

You are likewise to examine what Causes, Covenants and Conditions, with relation to our selfe and to the Crowne are inserted in any of the said Charters or Graunts, and how the same have been performed, and how the Ends of the said Graunts themselves have been respectively pursued. Or how much on the contrary, you find they have been neglected, and our selfe praejudiced, and to report the same to us. And in case there shall any differences arise concerning the bounds, and Limits of any of the said respective Charters, or concerning the Priviledges, Rights, or Properties, which may be challenged by any by vertue of the said Charters.

[Sidenote: Otherwise to state and report them to his Ma^{tie}.]

You are to endeavour by the best and justest meanes you may, amicably to compose and determine the same. But if the difference arising about any of the said Charters, shall have so much difficulty, as that the same cannot be friendly and amicably ended as aforesaid. In that case you are after Examination of it to state it to us. That we may give such Resolution thereupon as may be agreeable to Justice.

[Sidenote: To send for Coppies of the Lawes now in force that if upon examination any of them be found contrary to honour, Justice, or the Law of England, they may be nulled.]

15. And as you are not to permitt any of our Loving Subjects to be oppressed by any of the Governours of our said Colonies contrary to the Lawes that are in force, within the said Colonies respectively, so you are as carefully to examine, send for and require a Coppy of all such Lawes, as have been at any time made, and doe stand yet unrepealed within any of our said Plantations. That if any of the said Lawes be found inconvenient or contrary to the Lawes of this Land, or to the honour and Justice of our Governement, all such Lawes may be immediately nulled.

[Sidenote: To procure Mapps and Charts of the severall Plantations, and to Register and keep them.]

16. You are also by all Wayes and meanes you may to procure exact Mapps, Platts or Charts of all and Every our said Plantations abroad, togeather with the Mapps and Descriptions of their respective Ports, Harbours, Forts, Bayes, Rivers with the Depth of their respective Channells comming in or going up, and the Soundings all along upon the said respective Coasts from place to place, and the same so had, you are carefully to Register and Keepe.

[Sidenote: To take effectuall care for the Propagating the Gospell in the Plantations, and for the providing and maintaining of a pious and learned Ministry.]

[Sidenote: To reforme the Debaucheries of Planters and Servants.]

You are above all especially required to take an effectual care for the Propagation of the Gospell, in all our said Colonies and Plantations respectively, by providing that there be good Encouragem^{t} setled for the Invitation and maintenance of pious and learned Ministers, and by sending strict Orders and Instructions for the regulating and reforming the Debaucheries of Planters and Servants, whose evill Example doth bring Scandall upon the Profession of Christianity, and doth deterre such as are not yet admitted thereunto, from effecting and esteeming the same.

[Sidenote: To invite and Instruct the Indians and Slaves in the Christian Religion.]

And you are to consider how much of the Indians, or such as are purchased from other parts for Slaves, may be best Instructed and invited to the Christian Religion and Faith, it being both for the Honour of our Crowne, and of the Protestant Religion it selfe. That all persons within any of our Territories though never so remote should be taught the Knowledge of G.o.d, and be accquainted with the Mysteries of Salvation.

[Sidenote: To write Letters to the severall Governours to informe them of his Ma^{ties} great care of the Plantations in erecting this Councill as also a generall Councill for trade.]

18. You are therefore forthwith to write Letters and to send them to the severall Governours of our said respective Plantations, or to their respective Deputies in all parts, wherein you are to informe them of our great care and signall grace towards our said Colonies, and of our erecting not only a general Councill for Trade, that might take cognizance of such things as may be their concerne, But of our appointing this Councill in particular which is employed only for the better care and conduct of them.

[Sidenote: To require of them an Account of the state of their present condition and of what they judge necessairie for their Securitie, Encouragem^{t}, and accomodation.]

You are therefore to require them, by themselves, or by the a.s.sistance of the respective Councills or a.s.semblies of the said Colonies to send you an exact account of the State of their Condition at present, and of such particulars within these your Instructions as you shall in the first place thinke most necessary for them to answer or informe you of.

And that they doe further propound to you what they judge to be most immediately necessary either for their security, or for the encouragement, and accomodation of them.

[Sidenote: To observe such other Instructions as shall be sent under his Ma^{ties} Signe Manuall, and if further Powers be found necessary, the Councill to adresse to his Ma^{tie} therein.]

19. Lastly you are to follow such other Instructions concerning the Praemises, as shall be sent to you from time to time by us under our Signe Manuall.

And in all cases wherein you shall judge that further Powers and a.s.sistance shall be necessary for you, You are to addresse Your selves to us, for our further pleasure Resolution and Direction therein.

Given at our Court at Whitehall the 30^{th}. day of July 1670, in the two and twentieth yeare of our Reigne.

By his Ma^{ties} Command

ARLINGTON.

Additional Instructions for the Council for Foreign Plantations, 1670-1672.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall the First Day of August, 1670.

[Sidenote: To inquire concerning the Strength Fortifications and Military discipline of the Plantations.]

1. You are also particularly to inquire and informe your selves of the strength of all and every of our Colonies, how they are respectively fortifyed, what the said Fortifications are, and how conveniently situated; as also to inquire how the Inhabitants of the said Colonies are respectively trained or disciplined.

And in what Posture they are to make a resistance upon occasion, against any sudden attempt or a.s.sault, if it should be offred them either by the Indians, or by the forces of any other Prince or State that are their Neighbours:

[Sidenote: Concerning the Stores of their Ball, Powder, and other Ammunition and the securing and praeserving of them.]