Virginia Carolorum. CHAPTER I. FROM THE ABROGATION OF THE LONDON COMPANY'S CHARTER TO THE DEATH OF GOVERNOR YEARDLEY. PROCLAMATION OF CHARLES THE FIRST. GOVERNOR AND COUNCILLORS A.D. 1624-5. WILLIAM CLAIBORNE. SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER DAVISON. JOHN MARTIN SUSPENDED FROM THE COUNCIL. YEARDLEY VISITS ENGLAND. LETTERS OF Gov. BUTLER of Ber. MUDAS. COMPANION OF POCAHONTAS MARRIED. MATE AND CAPTAIN OF THE MAY FLOWER. INTRODUCTION OF NEGROES. FEAR OF SPANIARDS. DEATH OF Ex-Gov. ARGALL. RE-APPOINTMENT OF Gov. YEARDLEY. DOCTOR POTT. CAPT. W. TUCKER. EDWARD BLANEY. WILLIAM FERRAR. CLAIBORNE ANCESTRY. OVID TRANSLATED BY SANDYS. ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF SHIPS. TOBACCO MONOPOLY. DEATH OF Gov. YEARDLEY. MONG the earliest acts of Charles the First, after his coronation, was a proclamation concerning Virginia. Sir Thomas Smith, the enterprising East India merchant, and Alderman Robert Johnson, the London grocer, with their associates, were entirely satisfied with the victory over the Earl of Southampton, Sir Edwin Sandys, and the large majority of the members of the London Company, resulting from the declaration of Chief Justice Ley (Leigh), in June, 1624, that the Company's charter was null and void. Toward the colonists in Virginia they had no harsh feelings, but their influence was used with the King so to order the tobacco trade, that their friends in London might derive some profit. The ship which brought the news of the death of James the First, also conveyed the views of his successor, as to the Plantation. In a communication of the thirteenth day of May, A.D. 1625, from Whitehall, Charles alludes to the "Collonie of Virginia, planted by the hands of our most deere Father of blessed memorie, for the propagation of Christian religion, the increase of trade, and the enlarging of his Royal empire." He thought that it "had not hitherto prospered soe happilly as was hoped and desired for, that the government of that Collonie was comytted to the Companie of Virginia, incorporated of a multitude of persons of severall dispositions, amongst whome the affaires of greatest moment were and must be ruled by the greater number of votes and voyces, and therefore his late Majestie, out of his great wisedome and depth of judgment, did desire to resume that popular government, and accordingly the letters patentes of that Incorporation were, by his Highnes' direction, in a legal course questioned, and therefore judicially repealed and adjudged to be voyd, wherein his Majestye's ayme was onlie to reduce that Government into such a right course as might best agree with that forme which was held in the rest of his Royal Monarchie, and was not intended by him to take awaie or ympeach the particular interest of anie pri vate planter or adventurer, nor to alter the same otherwise than should be of necessitie for the good of the publique." He also declared: "Our full resolution is, that there maie be one uniforme course of government in and through our whole Monarchie; that the government of the Collonie of Virginia shall ymediately depend upon ourselfe, and not be commytted to anie Companie or Corporation to whom it maie be proper to trust matters of trade or commerce, but cannott be fit or safe to communicate the ordering of State affaires, be they of never so mean consequence: And that therefore we have determyned that our Commissioners' for 1 On the 15th of July, 1624, King James had appointed the following Commissioners for Virginia to receive the charters, seals, and letters of the Virginia Company, and attend to the affairs of the Colony: Henry, Viscount Mandeville, Lord President of the Privy Council. Arthur, Lord Chichester, Baron of Belfast. Sir Thomas Edwards, Knight, Treasurer. those affaires shall proceede accordinge to the tenor of our commissions directed unto them, until we shall declare our further pleasure therein; nevertheless we doe hereby declare that we are resolved with as much convenyent expedition as our affaires of greater importance will give leeve, to establish a Counsell consistinge of a few persons of understanding and quallitie, to whom wee will give trust for the ymediate care of the affaires of that Collonie, and whoe shall be answerable to us for their proceedings, and in matters of great moment shall be subordinate and attendant unto our Privie Counsell here; and that wee will alsoe establish another Counsell to be resident in Virginia, who shall be subordinate to our Counsell here for that Collonie, and that att our owne charge we will maynteyne those publique officers." |