1633.
Sept. 23. |
158. The King's Commission to Thomas Young. Whereas Thomas
Young of London, gentleman, hath offered to discover divers nations,
countries, seas, straits, rivers, and trades in Virginia and other parts of
America as yet undiscovered and not inhabited, without putting us to
any charges. We being graciously pleased to accept his endeavours,
and to further and assist him therein, grant full power and authority
to said Thomas Young, and such masters, mariners, and others as
will associate themselves with him in that voyage under our ensigns
to discover the seas, coasts, bays, straits, creeks, rivers, and passages
in Virginia and other parts of America, and to make ready the
necessary ships furnished with ordnance and arms, munition, and
commodities, and them to carry with them, any law, proclamation,
or patent to the contrary notwithstanding. And for his better
encouragement, we further grant to said Thos. Young and his assigns,
power to carry in said ships goods not prohibited and to trade with
the inhabitants of said countries which he shall discover or with any
others, and to take possession of all said countries as are yet undiscovered and therein erect our banners and to enter into friendship
and alliance with the princes, governors, and people as well of the
parts which they shall discover as in their passages to or from those
places, and to receive so many of them not of the actual obedience
of any Christian Prince into our faith and allegiance as shall be
willing to submit themselves under our obedience. And we constitute said Thomas Young Governor and Commander of the vessels
and men he shall carry forth with him to make said discovery, with
power to appoint captains and officers in said expedition and to
govern, furnish, execute, or pardon or do any act of justice against
his own company at sea or on land in any country wheresoever they
shall go in as absolute manner as any General of any army of ours.
And we inhibit all others to trade with or frequent any country
said Thos. Young or his assigns shall discover without special
license in writing under his hand and seal, and the ships and goods
of any so trading and frequenting shall be forfeited, with power to
said Thomas Young to seize them, one half to our use and the other
half to said Thos. Young, his heirs and assigns, with power to repel
any forcible invasion, license to seek for metals and mines of gold,
silver, or precious stones, rendering the fifth part to us our-heirs and
successors, and authority to set up factories and to fortify and leave
any of our subjects with arms to defend said countries, ports, and
places, and to make prisoners and lawful prize of any with their
ships and goods who shall seek to inhabit or trade with said
countries without special leave. All our subjects inhabiting and
planting therein and their offspring to be free denizens of England.
And we command all our Admirals, Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace,
and all other our Officers, Ministers, and subjects to be aiding and
assisting said Thos. Young, his heirs and assigns, and to give them
free passage as under our safe conduct. [Patent Roll, 9 Car. I.,
part 1, No. 6.] |
| Dec. 12. |
159. Emanuel Dowing to [Sec. Sir John Coke]. Sir Ferd.
Gorges with his copartners have many years past laboured to make
a plantation in New England, where, having spent their travail and
money in vain, being ashamed of their own and envying their
neighbour's prosperity, have of late made claim to the very ground
where Mr. Winthrop with a colony hath built and planted, labouring either to overthrow their patent of corporation or to have other
government established. This plantation and that of Virginia
went not forth upon the same reasons, nor for the same end.
Those of Virginia went only for profit. These went upon two other
designs, some to satisfy their own curiosity in point of conscience,
others, which was more general, to transport the Gospel to those
heathen that never heard thereof. The only considerable objection
against this plantation is that in time they will revolt from their
allegiance, and join in trade with strangers. The whole trade of
the plantation is maintained by such undertakers as remain in
Old England. Those that govern the whole plantation have both
lands and children here. Divers others are in reversion, and so in
hope of lands here for themselves or their children. The undertakers here will persuade the planters to accept a new patent, and
thereby be bound to transport no masts, &c., for cordage and
shipping but into Old England. One thing will be humbly desired
from his Majesty in this patent, aid against all foreign enemies,
and that the patent be enlarged a little to the north, where is the
best tirs and timber. It is a causeless fear without precedent that
a colony planted in a strange land was ever so foolishly besotted as
to reject the protection of their natural Prince. Examples from
Romans, Dutch, and Portuguese Colonists. Shall any suspect that
in this Colony that never since the creation happened in any
[Colony], surely they would be counted a foolish and mad people
that should without constraint take their stocks out of their friends
and kinsmen's hands to venture and hazard the same in men's
hands in whom they have had no experience. Let this Corporation
but enjoy the liberty of their patent, and to choose their own
officers, as every corporation doth here, then shall this kingdom
clearly gain by the fruits of their labours that commodious trade
of cordage, pitch, and tar. Understands of ill news from New
England that the Dutch have intruded upon the principal and
best river in New England which runneth along the back of this
plantation. [Coke MSS., Hist. MSS. Commis., XII. Report,
App. II., pp. 38, 39.] |
