Colonial Records of Virginia Part 6

[179] &, McDonald.

In fine, wheras[180] Captaine[181] Martin, for those ten shares allowed him for his personal[182] adventure and[183] for his adventure of 70 besides, doth claim 500 acres a share, that the Treasurer, Counsell and Company woulde vouchsafe to give notice to the Governour[184] here, what kinde[185] of shares they meante he should have when they gave him his Patent.[186]

[180] whereas, McDonald.

[181] Captaine, McDonald; Capt., Bancroft.

[182] personall, McDonald.

[183] &, McDonald.

[184] Govern^r, McDonald.

[185] kind, McDonald.

[186] Patente, McDonald.

The premisses about Captaine Martin thus resolved, the Committies[187]

appointed to consider what instructions are fitt to be converted into lawes, brought in their opinions, and[188] first of some of the general[189] instructions.

[187] Comittee, McDonald.

[188] &, McDonald.

[189] generall, McDonald.

Here begin the lawes drawen out of the Instructions given by his Mat^{ies} Counsell of Virginia in England to my lo: la warre,[190] Captain Argall and Sir George Yeardley, knight.

[190] Lo. La Warre, McDonald and Bancroft.

By this present Generall a.s.sembly be it enacted, that no[191] injury or oppression be wrought by the Englishe[192] against[193] the Indians whereby the present peace might be disturbed and antient quarrells might be revived. And farther[194] be it ordained, that the Chicohomini are not to be excepted out of this lawe; untill either that suche[195] order come out of Englande, or that they doe provoke us by some newe injury.

[191] Noe, McDonald.

[192] Englishe, Bancroft.

[193] ag^{st}, McDonald.

[194] further, McDonald.

[195] such, McDonald.

Against Idlenes, Gaming, durunkenes & excesse in apparell the a.s.sembly hath enacted as followeth:

First, in detestation of Idlenes[196] be it enacted, that if any men be founde to live as an Idler or renagate, though a freedman, it shalbe[197] lawfull for that Incorporation or Plantation to w^{ch} he belongeth to appoint him a M^r to serve for wages, till he shewe apparant signes of amendment.

[196] Idlers, McDonald.

[197] shall be, McDonald.

Against gaming at dice[198] & Cardes be it ordained by this present a.s.sembly that the winner or winners shall lose all his or their winninges and[199] both winners and loosers shall forfaicte[200] ten s.h.i.+llings a man, one ten s.h.i.+llings whereof to go to the discoverer, and the rest to charitable & pious uses in the Incorporation where the faulte[201] is comitted.

[198] and, Bancroft.

[199] As the McDonald copy has & in every instance where the other two have and, the reader will bear this in mind and it will not be again repeated.

[200] forfaite, McDonald.

[201] faults are, McDonald.

Against drunkenness be it also decreed that if any private person be found culpable thereof, for the first time he is to be reprooved privately by the Minister, the second time publiquely, the thirde time to lye in boltes 12 howers in the house of the Provost Marshall & to paye his fee,[202] and if he still continue in that vice, to undergo suche severe punishment as the Governo^r[203] and Counsell of Estate shall thinke fitt to be inflicted on him. But if any officer offende in this crime, the first time he shall receive a reprooff from the Governour, the second time he shall openly be reprooved in the churche by the minister, and the third time he shall first be comitted and then degraded. Provided it be understood that the Govern^r[204] hath alwayes[205] power to restore him when he shall, in his discretion thinke fitte.

[202] fees, McDonald.

[203] Gover^{nr}, McDonald; Govern^r, Bancroft.

[204] Gover^{nr}, McDonald; Govern^r, Bancroft.

[205] alwaies, McDonald; always, Bancroft.

Against excesse in[206] apparell that every man be cessed in the churche for all publique contributions, if he be unmarried according to his owne apparrell, if he be married, according to his owne and his wives, or either of their apparell.

[206] of, McDonald.

As touching the instruction[207] of drawing some of the better disposed of the Indians to converse w^{th} our people & to live and labour amongst[208] them, the a.s.sembly who knowe[209] well their dispositions thinke it fitte to enjoine,[210] least to counsell those of the Colony, neither utterly to rejecte them nor yet to drawe them to come in. But in case they will of themselves come voluntarily to places well peopled, there to doe service in killing of Deere, fis.h.i.+ng, beatting of Corne and other workes, that then five or six may be admitted into every such place, and no more, and that w^{th} the consente[211] of the Governour.

Provided that good[212] guarde[213] in the night be kept upon them, for generally (though some amongst many may proove[214] good) they are a most trecherous people and quickly gone when they have done a villany.

And it were fitt[215] a housewe builte for them to lodge in aparte[216]

by themselves, and lone inhabitants by no meanes[217] to entertaine them.

[207] instructions, McDonald and Bancroft.

[208] among, McDonald.

[209] know, McDonald.

[210] at inserted by Bancroft.

[211] with consente, McDonald.

[212] goode, Bancroft.

[213] guard, McDonald.

[214] prove, McDonald.

[215] fitte, Bancroft.

[216] apart, McDonald.

[217] means, Bancroft.