1st. 1611-2. henceforth, be reputed, deemed, and taken to be, and shall be brethren and free members of the company, and March 12. shall and may, respectively, and according to the propor9th Janes tion and v lue of their several adventures, have, hold and enjoy all such interest, right, title, privileges, preheminencies, liberties, franchises, immunities, profits, and commo3d char- dities, whatsoever, in as large, and ample, and beneficial manner, to all intents, constructions, and purposes, as any other adventurers, nominated and expressed in any our former letters patents, or any of them, have or may have, by force and virtue of these presents, or any our former letters patents whatsoever. ter, &c. Additional VI. And we are further pleased, and we do by these councillors presents, grant and confirm, that Philip, Earl of Mont Courts or meetings of the treasurer and company, how constituted. gomery, William, Lord Paget, Sir John Starrington, Knt. Szc. whom the said treasurer and company have, since the said last letters patents, nominated and set down, as worthy and discreet persons, fit to serve us as counsellors, to be of our council for the said plantation, shall be reputed, deemed, and taken as persons of our said council for the said first colony, in such manner and sort, to all intents and purposes, as those who have been formerly elected and nominated, as our counsellors for that colony, and whose names have been or are inserted and expressed, in our said former letters patents. VII. And we do hereby ordain and grant, by these presents, that the said treasurer and company of adventurers and planters aforesaid, shall and may, once every week or oftener, at their pleasure, hold and keep a court and assembly, for the better order and government of the said plantation, and such things, as shall concern the same; and that any five persons of our council for the said first colony in Virginia, for the time being, of which company the treasurer, or his deputy, to be always one, and the number of fifteen others, at the least, of the generality of the said company, assembled together in such manner, as is and hath been heretofore used and accustomed, shall be said, taken, held, and reputed to be, and shall be a sufficient court of the said company, for the handling, and ordering, and dispatching of all such casual and particular occurrences, and accidental matters, of less consequence and weight, as shall from time to time, happen, touching and concerning the said plantation: March 12. 1st. 3d char ter, &c. courts to VIII. And that nevertheless, for the handling, order- 1611-2. ing, and disposing of matters and affairs of greater weight and importance, and such as shall or may, in any sort, concern the *weal publick and general good of the said 9th James company and plantation, as namely the manner of government from time to time to be used, the ordering and disposing of the lands and possessions, and the settling and establishing of a trade there, or such like, there shall be held and kept, every year, upon the last Wednesday, save 4 great & one, of Hillary term, Easter, Trinity, and Michaelmas general terms, for ever, one great, general, and solemn assembly, be held which four assemblies shall be stiled and called, The four yearly. Great and General Courts of the Council and Company of Adventurers for Virginia; † in all and every of which said great and general courts, so assembled, our will and pleasure is, and we do, for us, our heirs, and successors, for ever, give and grant to the said treasurer and company and their successors, for ever, by these presents, that they the said treasurer and company, or the greater number of them, so assembled, shall and may have full power and authority, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, to elect and choose discreet persons, to be of our said council, for the said first colony in Virginia, and to nominate and appoint such officers, as they shall think fit Their and requisite, for the government, managing, order- power. ing, and dispatching of the affairs of the said company, and shall likewise have full power and authority, to ordain and make such laws and ordinances, for the good and welfare of the said plantation, as to them, from time to time, shall be thought requisite and meet: so always, as the same be not contrary to the laws and statutes of this our realm of England; and shall, in like manner, I have power and authority, to expulse, disfranchise, and put, out of and from their said company and society, for ever, all and every such person and persons, as having either promised, or subscribed their names, to become adventurers to the said plantation of the said first colony in Virginia, or having been nominated for adventurers, in these or any other our letters patents, or having been otherwise admitted and nominated to be of the said company, have nevertheless either not put in any adventure at all, for and towards the said plantation, or else have re * MS. w, with a blank after it. MS. have and authority. + MS. in and every. 1611-2. fused and neglected, or shall refuse and neglect, to bring in his or their adventure, by word or writing promised, March 12. within six months after the same shall be so payable and 9th James due. 1st. ter, &c. where to for subscriptions. IX. And whereas the failing and not payment of such 3d char- monies, as have been promised in adventure for the advancement of the said plantation, hath been often by exThe judg-perience found, to be dangerous and prejudicial to the es, at Westsame, and much to have hindered the progress and prominister and else ceeding of the said plantation, and for that it seemeth unto us a thing reasonable, that such persons, as by their favor suits hand writing have engaged themselves for the payment of their adventures, and afterwards neglecting their faith and promise, should be compelled to make good and keep the same; therefore our will and pleasure is, that in any suit or suits, commenced or to be commenced, in any of our courts at Westminster, or elsewhere, by the said treasurer and company, or otherwise, against any such persons, that our judges for the time being, both in our court of chancery, and at the common pleas, do favour and further the said suits, so far forth as law and equity will, in any wise, further and permit. Treasurer ny may ad mit new adventur ers. X. And we do, for us, our heirs, and successors, fur& compa- ther give and grant to the said treasurer and company, or their successors, for ever, that they, the said treasurer and company, or the greater part of them, for the time being, so in a full and general court assembled, as aforesaid, shall and may, from time to time, and at all times for ever hereafter, elect, choose, and admit into their company and society, any person or persons, as well strangers and aliens, born in any part beyond the seas where soever, being in amity with us, as our natural leige subjects, born in any our realms, and dominious; and that all such persons, so elected, chosen and admitted to be of the said company, as aforesaid, shall thereupon be taken, reputed, and held, and shall be, free members of the said company, and shall have, hold, and enjoy, ail and singular freedoms, liberties, franchises, privileges, immunities, benefits, profits and commodities, whatsoever, to the said company in any sort belonging or appertaining, as fully, freely, and amply, as any other adventurers, now being, or which hereafter at any time shall be of the said com MS. as pany, hath, have, shall, may, might, or ought to have and 1611-2. enjoy the same, to all intents and purposes whatsoe ver. XI. And we do further of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, for us, our heirs, and successors, give and grant unto the said treasurer and company, and their successors, for ever, by these presents, that it shall be lawful and free, for them and their assigns, at all and every time and times hereafter, out of any our realms and dominions whatsoever, to take, lead, carry, and transport, in and into the said voyage, and for and towards the said plantation, of our said first colony in Virginia, all such and so many of our loving subjects, or any other strangers, that will become our loving subjects and live under our allegiance, as shall willingly accompany them in the said voyages and plantation; with shipping, armour, weapons, ordinance, munition, powder, shot, victuals, and all manner of merchandises and wares, and all manner of cloathing, implements, furniture, beasts cattle, horses, mares, and all other things necessary for the said plantation, and for their use and defence, and for trade with the people there, and in passing and returning to and from, without paying or yielding any subsidy, custom, or imposition, either inward or outward, or any other duty, to us, our heirs, or successors, for the same, for the space of seven years from the date of these presents. March 12, 9th James 1st. 3d char ter, &c. May encourage migration ter the oaths of XII. And we do further, for us, our heirs, and succes- Who may sors, give and grant to the said treasurer and company, adminisand their successors, for ever, by these presents, that the said treasurer of that company, or his deputy, for the allegiance, time being, or any two other of the said council for the &c. said first colony in Virginia, for the time being, or any two other at all times hereafter and from time to time, have full power and authority to minister and give the oath and oaths of supremacy and allegiance, or either of them, to all and every person and persons, which shall at any time or times hereafter go or pass to the said colony in Virginia : XIII. And further, that it shall be lawful likewise for the said treasurer, or his deputy, for the time being, or any two or others of our said council for the said first colony in Virginia, for the time being, from time to time, Certain other oaths may be ad ministered March 12. 1st. 3d char 1611-2. and at all times hereafter, to minister such a formal oath, as by their discretion shall be reasonably devised, as well unto any person or persons, employed in, for, or touching 9th James the said plantation, for their honest, faithful, and just discharge of their service, in all such matters, as shall be committed unto them for the good and benefit of the said company, colony, and plantation; as also, unto such other person or persons, as the said treasurer or his deputy, with two others of the said council, shall think meet, for the examination or clearing of the truth, in any cause whatsoever concerning the said plantation, or any business, from thence proceeding, or thereunto belonging. ter, &c. Recital of desertions from the company, & of misrepresentations re * XIV. And furthermore, whereas we have been certified, that divers lewd and ill-disposed persons, both sailors soldiers, artificers, husbandmen, labourers, and others, having received wages, apparel, and other entertainment, from the said company, or having contracted specting it. and agreed with the said company, to go, or to serve, or to be imployed in the said plantation of the said first colony in Virginia, have afterwards either withdrawn, hid or concealed themselves, or have refused to go thither, after they have been so entertained and agreed withal; and that divers and sundry persons also, which have been sent and employed in the said plantation of the said first colony in Virginia, at and upon the charge of the said company, and having there misbehaved themselves, by mutinies, sedition, or other notorious misdemeanors, or having been employed or sent abroad, by the governor of Virginia or his deputy, with some ship or pinnace, for our provision of the said colony, or for some discovery, or other business and affairs, concerning the same, have from thence most treacherously, either come back again and returned unto our realm of England, by stealth, or without licence of our governor of our said colony in Virginia for the time being, or have been sent hither, as misdoers and offenders; and that many also of those persons, after their return from thence, having been questioned by our said council here, for such their misbehaviors and offences, by their insolent and contemptuous carriage in the presence of our said council, have shewed little respect and reverence, either to the place, or authority, in which we have placed and appointed them; and others, for the colouring of their lewdness and misdemeanors |