Colonial Records of Virginia Part 12

[415] greatest, McDonald.

[416] gen^l, Bancroft.

[417] Spellman, Bancroft.

[418] Spellman, Bancroft.

[419] ag^{st}, McDonald.

[420] Governour, Bancroft.

[421] Governour, McDonald, Bancroft.

[422] than, McDonald, Bancroft.

[423] Opochancanos, McDonald.

The general a.s.sembly upon Poole's testimony onely not willing to putt Spelman to the rigour and extremity of the lawe, w^{ch} might, perhaps both speedily and deservedly, have taken his life from him (upon the witness[424] of one whom he muche excepted against) were pleased, for the present, to censure him rather out of that his confession above written then[425] out of any other prooffe. Several and sharpe punishments were p.r.o.nounced against[426] him by diverse of the a.s.sembly, But in fine the whole course[427] by voices united did encline to the most favourable, w^{ch} was that for this misdemeanour[428] he should first be degraded of his t.i.tle of Captaine,[429] at the head of the troupe, and should be condemned to performe seven yeares service to the Colony in the nature of Interpreter to the Governour.

[424] witnes, McDonald, Bancroft.

[425] than, Bancroft.

[426] ag^{st}, McDonald.

[427] courte, McDonald, Bancroft.

[428] misdemeanor, McDonald; misdemean^r, Bancroft.

[429] Capt., McDonald.

This sentence being read to Spelman he, as one that had in him more of the Savage then of the Christian, muttered certaine wordes to himselfe neither shewing any remorse for his offences, nor yet any thankfulness to the a.s.sembly for theire sofavourable censure, w^{ch} he at one time or another (G.o.d's grace not wholly abandoning him) might w^{th} some one service have been able to have redeemed.[O]

[O] This paragraph appears only in the McDonald copy, and in that it has two rows of lines at right angles to each other and diagonally across it, as if to indicate that this portion of the record was considered as being improperly made or, perhaps, was not official.

This day also did the Inhabitants of Paspaheigh, alias Argall's towne, present a pet.i.tion to the general a.s.sembly to give them an absolute dischardge from certaine bondes wherin they stand bound to Captain Samuell Argall for the paym^t of 600^G,[430] and to Captain William Powell, at Captaine Argall's appointment, for the paym^t of 50^G[431]

more. To Captaine Argall for 15 skore acres of wooddy ground, called by the name of Argal's[432] towne or Paspaheigh; to Captaine Powell in respect of his paines in clearing the grounde and building the houses, for w^{ch} Captaine[433] Argal ought to have given him satisfaction.

Nowe,[434] the general a.s.sembly being doubtful whether they have any power and authority to dischardge the said bondes, doe by these presents[435] (at the Instance of the said Inhabitants[436] of Paspaheighs, alias Martin's hundred people) become most humble sutours to the Tresurer, Counsell and Company in England that they wilbe[437]

pleased to gett the said bondes for 600^G[438] to be cancelled; forasmuche as in their great comission they have expressly and by name appointed that place of Paspaheigh for parte of the Governo^r's[439]

lande. And wheras Captain[440] William Powell is payde[441] his 50^G w^{ch} Captaine[442] Argall enjoined the saide Inhabitantes to presente him with, as parte[443] of the bargaine, the general a.s.sembly, at their intreaty, do become sutours on their behalfe, that Captaine Argall, by the Counsell & Company in England, may be compelled either to restore the said 50^G[444] from thence, or else that rest.i.tution therof be made here out of the goods of the said Captaine Argall.

[430] 600^{Li}, McDonald; 60, Bancroft.

[431] 50^{li}, McDonald; 50, Bancroft.

[432] Argall's, McDonald.

[433] Capt., Bancroft.

[434] now, McDonald.

[435] presentes, McDonald, Bancroft.

[436] Inhabit^{ts}, Bancroft.

[437] will be, McDonald, Bancroft.

[438] 600^{li}, McDonald; 60, Bancroft.

[439] Governours, McDonald, Bancroft.

[440] Captaine, McDonald, Bancroft.

[441] paide, Bancroft.

[442] Capt., Bancroft.

[443] part, Bancroft.

[444] 50^{li}, McDonald; 50, Bancroft.

The last acte of the Generall a.s.sembly was a contribution to gratifie their officers, as followeth:[P]

[P] This paragraph is in the McDonald and Bancroft copies but not in De Jarnette's.

AUG. 4^{th}, 1619.

It is fully agreed at this generall[445] a.s.sembly that in regarde of the great[446] paines and labour of the[447] Speaker of this a.s.sembly (who not onely[448] first formed the same a.s.sembly and to their great ease & expedition reduced all matters to be treatted of into a ready method, but also his indisposition notw^{th}standing wrote or dictated all orders and other expedients and is yet[449] to write severall bookes for all the Generall[450] Incorporations and plantations both of the great charter, and of all the lawes) and likewise in respecte of the dilligence of the Clerke and sergeant, officers thereto belonging. That every man and manservant of above 16 yeares of age shall pay into the handes and Custody of the Burgesses of every Incorporation and plantation one pound of the best Tobacco, to be distributed to the Speaker and likewise to the Clerke and sargeant of the a.s.sembly, according to their degrees and rankes, the whole bulke whereof to be delivered into the Speaker's handes, to be divided accordingly. And in regarde[451] the Provost Marshall of James citty hath also given some attendance upon the said Generall a.s.sembly, he is also to have a share out of the same. And this is to begin to be gathered the 24^{th} of February nexte.

[445] general, McDonald.

[446] greate, Bancroft.

[447] this, McDonald.

[448] only, McDonald.

[449] yett, Bancroft.

[450] severall, McDonald, Bancroft.

[451] regard to, McDonald; regard, Bancroft.

In conclusion, the whole a.s.sembly comaunded[452] the Speaker (as nowe he doth) to present their humble excuse to the Treasurer[453] Counsell & Company in England for being constrained by the intemperature of the weather and the falling sick of diverse of the Burgesses to breake up so abruptly--before they had so much as putt their lawes to the ingrossing.

This they wholly comited to[454] the fidelity of their speaker, who therin[455] (his conscience telles him) hath done the parte[456] of an honest man, otherwise he would be easily founde[457] out by the Burgesses themselves, who w^{th} all expedition are to have so many bookes of the same lawes as there be both Incorporations and Plantations in the Colony.

[452] comanded, McDonald, Bancroft.

[453] Tresurer, McDonald, Bancroft.

[454] in, Bancroft.