Colonial Records of Virginia | Page 8

comission for establishing the Counsell of Estate and the general[63] Assembly, wherein their duties were described to the life.
Having thus prepared them, he read over unto them the greate Charter, or comission of priviledges, orders and lawes, sent by Sir George Yeardley out of Englande.[64] Which[65] for the more ease of the Committies, having divided into fower books, he read the former two the same forenoon for expeditious[66] sake, a second time over, and so they were referred to the perusall of twoe Comitties, w^{ch} did reciprocally consider of either, and accordingly brought in their opinions. But some man may here objecte to what ende we should presume to referre that to the examination of Comitties w^{ch} the Counsell and Company in England[67] had already resolved to be perfect, and did expecte nothing[68] but our assente thereunto?[69] To this we answere, that we did it not to the ende to correcte or controll anything therein contained, but onely in case we should finde ought not perfectly squaring w^{th} the state of this Colony or any lawe w^{ch} did presse or binde too harde, that we might by waye of humble petition, seeke to have it redressed, especially because this great Charter is to binde us and our heyers for ever.
[62] W^{ch}, McDonald.
[63] Gen^{ll}, McDonald.
[64] The substance of these will be found in the paper, "A briefe Declaration," &c. See post.--.
[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. Shelley, 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 assembly.
[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 Assembly 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 petitions 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 Assembly, 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.
SATTURDAY, July 31.
The nexte daye, therefore, out of the opinions of the said Comitties,[81] it was agreed, these[82] Petitions 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] Assembly 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 petition) as to