Colonial Records of Virginia Part 3

[65] W^{ch}, McDonald.

[66] expeditions, Bancroft.

[67] Englande, McDonald.

[68] nothinge, McDonald.

[69] thereunto, McDonald and Bancroft.

The names of the Comitties for perusing the first booke of the fower: 1. Captain William Powell, 2. Ensigne Rosingham, 3. Captaine Warde, 4. Captaine Tucker, 5. Mr. Sh.e.l.ley, 6. Thomas Douse, 7. Samuel Jordan, 8. Mr. Boys.

The names of the Comitties for perusing the second booke:

1. Captaine Dawne,[N]

2. Captaine Graves, 3. Ensigne Spense, 4. Samuel Sharpe, 5. William Cap, 6. Mr. Pawlett, 7. Mr. Jefferson, 8. Mr. Jackson.

These Comitties thus appointed, we brake up the first forenoon's a.s.sembly.

[N] Lawne, McDonald, and Bancroft, the list of Burgesses on p. 10, showing this to be proper.

After dinner the Governo^r and those that were not of the Comitties[70]

sate a seconde time, while the said Comitties[71] were employed in the perusall of those twoe bookes. And whereas the Speaker had propounded fower severall objects for the a.s.sembly to confider on: namely, first, the great charter of orders, lawes and priviledges; Secondly, which of the instructions given by the Counsel in England to my lo: la: warre,[72] Captain Argall or Sir George Yeardley, might conveniently putt on the habite of lawes; Thirdly, what lawes might issue out of the private conceipte of any of the Burgesses, or any other of the Colony; and lastly, what pet.i.tions were[73] fitt to be sente home for England.

It pleased the Governou^r[74] for expedition[75] sake to have the second objecte[76] of the fower to be examined & prepared by himselfe and the Non-Comitties. Wherin after having spente some three howers'[77]

conference, the twoe Committies[78] brought in their opinions concerning the twoe former bookes, (the second of which beginneth at these wordes of the Charter: And forasmuche as our intente is to establish one equall and uniforme kinde of government over all Virginia &c.,)[79] w^{ch} the whole a.s.sembly, because it was late, deferred to treatt[80] of till the next morning.

[70] Comittees, McDonald.

[71] Comittees, McDonald.

[72] Lord le Warre, McDonald.

[73] we, McDonald.

[74] Governor, McDonald.

[75] expeditions, McDonald, also Bancroft.

[76] obiecte, McDonald.

[77] houres, McDonald.

[78] two Comittees, McDonald.

[79] The McDonald copy includes in () all of this from "the second of which" to "Charter," and another single ) after &c. The De Jarnette copy has one) only after &c. Bancroft includes what is adopted in this text.

[80] McDonald has breath.

SATt.u.r.dAY, July 31.

The nexte daye, therefore, out of the opinions of the said Comitties,[81] it was agreed, these[82] Pet.i.tions ensuing should be framed, to be presented to the Treasurer, Counsel & Company in England.

Upon the Comitties'[83] perusall of the first booke,[84] the General[85]

a.s.sembly doe become most humble suitours to their lo^{ps} and to the rest of that hon^{ble} Counsell and renowned Company, that albeit they have bene pleased[86] to allotte unto the Governo^r[87] to themselves, together w^{th} the Counsell of Estate here, and[88] to the officers of Incorporations, certain lande[89] portions of lande to be layde out w^{th}in the limites of the same, yet that[90] they woulde vouchsafe also,[91] that[92] groundes as heretofore had bene granted by patent to the antient[93] Planters by former Governours that had from the Company received comission[94] so to doe, might not nowe after so muche labour and coste, and so many yeares habitation be taken from them. And to the ende that no man might doe or suffer any wrong in this kinde, that they woulde favour us so muche (if they meane to graunte this our pet.i.tion) as to sende us notice, what comission or authority for graunting of landes they have given to eache[95] particular Governour in times paste.

[81] Comittees, McDonald.

[82] those, McDonald.

[83] Comittees, McDonald.

[84] book, McDonald.

[85] Generall, McDonald.

[86] pleas'd, McDonald.

[87] Govern^r, McDonald; Gov^r, Bancroft.

[88] &, McDonald.

[89] large, McDonald.

[90] Bancroft omits "that."

[91] alsoe, Bancroft.

[92] McDonald has such and Bancroft suche after that.

[93] ancient, McDonald.

[94] Comiss^n, Bancroft.

[95] each, Bancroft.

The second pet.i.tion of the General a.s.sembly framed by the Comitties[96]

out of the second book is. That the Treasurer[97] & Company in England would be pleased w^{th} as muche convenient speed[98] as may be to sende men hither to occupie their landes belonging to the fower Incorporations, as well for their owne[99] behoofe and proffitt as for the maintenance of the Counsel[100] of Estate, who are nowe[101] to their extream hindrance often drawen far from their private busines and likewise that they will have a care to sende[102] tenants to the ministers of the fower Incorporations to manure their gleab, to the intente that the allowance they have allotted them of 200 G.[103] a yeare may the more easily be raised.

[96] Comittess, McDonald.

[97] Tresurer, McDonald.

[98] speede, McDonald.

[99] own, Bancroft.

[100] Counsell, McDonald and Bancroft.