U.S. History

Meetings of a Colonization Company (1622–1623)

BY THE COUNCIL FOR NEW ENGLAND

[figure table]

First it is ordered that concerning the Complaint made of M^r Weston, petition shall bee made to his Mat^tie for y^e forfeiture of his shipp and goods to y^e presid^t and Councells use.

It is thought fitt that there shall bee an order procured from y^e Lords of his Ma^ties Councell for sending for such as have in contempt of authority gone for New England this last yeare, As also to procure a further warning to bee given to them from further attempting, by Proclamation, and M^r attorney to bee moved therein.

The patents allready granted, to bee confirmed, and order is given for patents to bee drawne for the Earle of Warwicke and his Associates, The Lord Gorges, S^r Robert Mansell, S^r Ferd. Gorges.

As concerning y^e Accompt, there are appointed to auditt them, The Lord Gorges, S^r Robert Mansell, Capt. Argall, Doctor Gauche, or any two of them

For y^e renewing y^e Patent, conferrance to be had with M^r Attorney concerning the tenure, also w^th M^r Sollicitor.

As touching y^e Governor, S^r Ferdinando Gorges is elected, the perticulars are reserved till another meeting.

For the admittance of Merchants to bee Pattentees, it is agreed, that such of the Westerne parts as are capable of the fishing trade shall bee admitted. The businesse of putting in £100,000, it is thought fitt that it were knowne what security is demanded. Also that it is rather thought convenient to these Marchants to secure y^e full sattisfaccõn and paym^ts at delivery of y^e fish. Also to appoint y^e Lord Gorges, S^r Robert

Mansell, S^r Ferd. Gorges, Dr. Gouches and Capt. Samuel Argall, as Committees to take this to their considera^con and to certify their opinions.

Likewise it is thought convenient, to admitt young youths from Parishes, that have not been taynted with any villanyes or misdemen^rs, to bee sent to New England, and there to bee placed out and bound Apprentices to such as shall have occasion and meanes to imploy them.

It is ordered that y^e Adventurers, shall forthwith pay in their whole Adventures, otherwise to bee omitted in y^e renewing of y^e pattent.

The Committees aforesaid, to take y^e continuance or discontinuance of y^e Clerke into their [figure table]

and therein to doe as they shall think fitt.

It is ordered that D^r Goche shall bee Treasurer.

The allowance of y^e printing of y^e Booke is referr’d to the Earle of Arundell.

The Resolution of undertakeing for partnershipp in y^e shipp, further than their Adventure of £100 a peece, is referr’d till private conferrance, And Allowance granted to such as will willingly undertake in this kind.

. . . As also to sollicite y^e Lords for procureing from his Ma^tie a proclamation concerning y^e fishermen of y^e Westerne parts. Likewise to procure some course for punishing their contempt of authority. And that M^r Attorney bee moved herein.

It is Agreed that y^e Councell meet the Morrow being y^e 6^th of this Instant at S^r Ferd: Gorges Lodgings for conferring about y^e forme of a patent betweene 7 and 8 a clocke in y^e Morneing.

The businesse of Admittance of some of the Westerne Merchts is offerred to S^r Ferd. Gorges, S^r Richard Edgecombe, D^r Barnabe Goche and M^r Drake, and other pattentees to take into their [figure table]

y^e election of six and who they shall bee.

The proposition of y^e Businesse of £100,000 is respited in regard of y^e Difficulty of findeing security.

Conserning y^e proposition to bee made unto the Citty for takeing away of poore Children for New-England, It is thought fitt, that there should bee Letters gotten from y^e Lords for the furtherance hereof to y^e Citty, and that those Children be of 14 yeares of age apeece or upwards.

It is ordered that a Letter bee drawne and sent to y^e pticular pattentees for y^e sending in forthw^th of their moneys, or else they to bee left out of y^e New pattent and others admitted, And an order to bee procured from y^e Lords to y^e Treàr to that effect. . . .

It is ordered and allowed that M^r Secretary Calvert shall bee admitted on [e] of y^e Councell for New England in y^e new parent. . . .

It is order’d and agreed that the Lord Duke of Lenox have for his devident and part of the mayne Land of New-England in America, from y^e Middle of Sawahquatock towards Sagadahoc, and his bounds that way to reach mid-way betweene Sawahquatock and Sagadahoc upon y^e Coast. And to reach 30 Miles backward into y^e Mayne. And 3 Leagues into y^e Sea.

M^r Secretary Calvert to begin his Devident from y^e Middle of Sagadehoc, and to goe close to y^e Lord Duke his bounds.

And to have further into his devident the Island called by y^e name of Setquin.

The Earle of Arundle to have for his devident, from ye middle of Sagadehoc, and to goe North east soe much on his side, as M^r Secretary goes on y^e other side upon y^e Coast. And to reach [     ] Miles backward into y^e Mayne, and 3 Leagues into y^e Sea. And to have further into his Devident y^e island called Menehigan.

It is propounded that y^e Tenure in y^e Grand pattent is thought meet to bee held of y^e Croune of England by y^e Sword.

And that private Planters shall hold of the Chamber of State to bee established there, and shall have power to create their owne Tenures to such as shall hold under them.

The Country to be called Nova Albion.

That there may bee power given in the Grand Pattent to create Titles of Honour and precedency, soe as y^e differ in [figure table]

from the titles used here in England.

M^r Ratcliffe is sent for by a Messinger of the Chamber to attend the Earle of Arundell, to morrow by two of y^e Clock, touching timber stay’d by his Appointment in y^e woods of Whiteby.

It is thought meet that the two great Islands lying in y^e River of Sagadehoc bee reserved for the publike [figure table]

Further that a place bee reserved betweene the branches of the two Rivers, for a publike Citty. . . .

ATT GREENWICH.

There were presented to the Kings most excellent Mat^tie a Plott of all the Coasts and lands of New England derided into twenty parts each part conteyning two shares, And twenty lotts conteyning the said double shares made upp in little bales of waxe, And the names of twenty Pattentees by whom these lotts were to be drawne. And for that the Lord Duke of Buckingham was then absent, his Mat^tie was gratiously pleased to drawe the first lott in his Graces behalf. . . .

American Antiquarian Society, Proceedings, 1867 (Cambridge, 1867), 59–96 passim.