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The Capital and the Bay: Narratives of Washington and the Chesapeake Bay Region, ca. 1600-1925

The Calvert papers, Vol I

No. 7. THOMAS COPLEY TO LORD BALTIMORE.
The Calvert papers, Vol I -- No. 7. THOMAS COPLEY TO LORD BALTIMORE. Next Section || Previous Section || Table of Contents

[Indorsement.]

3 Aprill 1638 Mr Tho. Copley to me, from St Maries heerein are demands of very extravagant priuiledges

[Superscription.]

To the Right Honble the Lord Baltamor these be

Right Honerable

I wrot unto your lorpe laitly uery largly by Captaine Hopson, enclosed in a letter to my cousen Genio, and befor that in a letter sent by Mr Robert Euelinge. Now therfor only

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according to the present occasion, I will giue your lorpe some accoumpte touchinge the laite assembly and the proceedings thereof--

First then as I acquainted your lorpe in my former letter It was not fitt that we should be there in person, and our Proxis would not be admitted in that manner, as we could send them, and therfor as we weare excluded thence, Soe we did not intermeddle wth them there. Yet Mr Lugar conceauing that some that had relation to us weare not soe fauourable to his waye, as he desired, seemed in some sorte to attribute the same to us, But I will assure your lorpe that he was much mistaken, for truly we weare noe cause therof, as he might easily haue gathered in that William Lewis who is our ouerseier, and had more Proxis then all the rest, was euer concurring wth him, wch could not haue binne if we had binne auerse, but howsoeuer, I canne not heare that euer any of the rest weare auerse to any thinge that concerned your lorpe and therfor if he should write any thinge to that effecte, your lorpe may be confidente that they are meere friuolous suspitions of his owne, wthout any true grounde. Truly the diuill is uery busie here to raise such lyke apprehensions, wch though most false, yet they serue his turne to hinder much the frute, wch otherwyse we might haue, but I trust that you lorpe will be warye of them, and not doubte, but that next unto god, we are sincerely your lorpes perhape much more then those, who seeming more, are indeed most there owne.

Touching the lawes wch your lorpe sent, I am told that they would not be accepted and, euen the Gouenor, and Mr Lugar said once to me, that they weare not fitt for this Colonye. for myne owne parte, seeing noe seruice that I could doe your lorpe therin and many inconuenices that I might runne into by intermedlinge, I neuer soe much as rede them nether doe I yet

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know what they contained; for the temporall prouidence I left my selfe to your lorpe and for matter of conscience, I supposed that your lorpe had taken good aduise what occasion then could I haue to intermeddle aboute them? The lawes wch now are sent to your lorpe I neuer knew nor saw till euen now, that they weare ready to be sent to your lorpe And there being hast to send them, I only gott a hasty uew of them. Yet diverse things euen in that hasty reeding occured to me, wch I conceaued requisite to acquainte you wth all, leauing them to your lorpe more serious consideration.

First then reflecting on the Infancy of this Plantation, and on the many difficultye that are in conserning it, many things, that herafter when it should be fully planted might be profitable unto it, at this time seemed lyklier to keepe it backe then to forwarde it. As for example wheras It is required, that 20 men be regestred here befor any one canne pretend to a mannor, I doubte uery much, whether many will be found in England, that will be able and willing to uenture at first such a charge, easpecially if they reflecte, that in case some of there men dye runne away or miscarry, they must turne freeholders, and out of the remainder of there misfortune pay for euery hundred acre of ground yeerly one barrell of Corne, a paiment perhaps not uery heauy to one who gitting a maite and labouring faithfully himselfe, and taking but one hundred acre, will haue noe greate difficultye to pay it, but to a gentleman, who hath a companye of headstronge seruants wch in the beginning easpecially shall scarcly maintaine themselue, this burden will cumme heauy.

And accordingly Mr Greene one of the Gentlemen that camme in the Arke, reflecting that besydes the losse of his halfe share of trucke, he was now to pay tenne barrells of Corne for his 10000 acres and that only he had three men to raise that

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and maintaine himselfe and his wyfe confidently told me that he must necessarily deserte the Colonye. But further suppose that one should raise men sufficient to git a Mannor, Yet when he shall reflecte, that whatsoeuer happeneth, he canne not sell his Mannor, but by keeping it he must be necessitated to liue where perhaps he hath noe will, I doubte that many will be terrified by that hazard. Besyds, by these laws euery lord of a Mannor must pay 20 shillings for euery thousand acres, he must in his owne persons, wth all his able men and free holders, be mustered, and be subiecte to the fines and punishments of the muster maister, who may search his munition euery month, and perhaps punish him for that wch he could not possibly git. In the seruice of the country he must send 15 freemen, and by those of his Mannor maintaine them during the time of seruice he must prouide himselfe and his men wth necessarie munition, he shall not trade, but be compelled to plante, though most of those that maide the lawe, haue tolde me that there is noe commoditye to be gott by planting. His taxes and publique seruice must be more then in other countrys, because the men here are uery few, and if these lawe shall be executed by busye heads, the uexations they may raise upon uery few men will not be few, and yet if through the abuse of some base baleife or the lyke officer they should happen to stricke an officer, he shall loose lyfe lands and goods. Truly I am sure that if these things should be exactly pursued, that few would tarry, and whether if by publique lawe such things be once bruted many will cumme, I doubte much. This I am sure that some here reflecting on what they haue donne say plainly that if they canne not liue here, they canne liue else where, and therfor that they care not much. Others complaine uery much that by the many Proxies wch the Gouernor, Mr Lugar, and there instruments

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had gotten, they did what they would, wthout any restraints at all. Others already question the Validity of they lawes because they say that they canne prooue, that they weare neuer red thrice in the same tenor, others say other things, and if the only apprehension of future consequence already beginne to affright them, what will the consequence themselue doe. Truly I doubte that euen in the most flourishing countrys lords of Mannors, would conceaue such lyke laws some what burdensom. What then will those apprehend, who shall be soe weake that they shall scarcely be able to stande of themselues? Certainly I conceaue that your lorpe will rather thinke it fit to nourish and support younge sprigs, then to depresse them; and to goe aboute to gather frute befor it be planted, and ripe, is neuer to haue frute.

But perhapes some may be of opinion, that if your lorpe canne but haue the trade of Beauer and Corne to your selfe, the plantation is not much to be regarded. And the fewer there are the better cheire will be for them, and that amonge Ruens they shall alwaye find some-thinge. Yet against this I would desyre your lorpe to reflecte that in a flourishing plantation, Your lorpe shall euer be sure of a growing profit and honor. But in these pettye trades and in raking out of mens necessitye, the honor will be little, and the profitt uery uncertaine. Some that are immediate actors perhaps may gitt some thinge, but your lorpe shall be sure if you your selfe haue the profite, to make large disbursments, and to receaue large accoumpts, and besydes I am of opinion that god will not prosper such designes, where if your lorpe reiecting them sticke to your first designes, god in time will giue them a happy successe, and raise to your selfe and your seed noe small Blessinge. Here certainly nothinge is wanting but people let it be peopled, and it shall not yeeld to the most flourishing country for profitt
21

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and pleasure, the promoting then of this must be your first aime, and this your lorpe must encourage by all means, and when your fruts are ripe, it will be time to gather them. Now only you must nourish plants, and while you expect fruts from others, by your selfe seeke fruts from the earth, wch may be gathered in plenty, if your lorpe please to cumme and see, and resolue on the best, for mine owne parte I haue soe good an apprehension of the country, that I noe way repent me of my iourney, but liue uery contentedly and doubte not but if I canne haue patience and expecte the seazons, I shall find as happy frute here as in any other parte of the world. But endeed the old saings are true that Roome was not bulte in a day, and that such as will lipe ouer style, befor they cumme at them, shall breake there shin, and perhaps not gitt ouer the still soe quickly, as those, who cumme to them, befor they goe ouer.

Many other things to this effect will occure to your lorpe upon better consideration then I could take, yet these occuring I could not omitte to suggest them. I beseech almighty god, that your lorpe may make the best use of them, to gods greatest glorie, and your owne temple. But now I will say some thinge of the Inconuenience falinge by these lawes of the church of god, wch should have binne regarded in the first place, but was not thought of, as it seemeth by the lawe. In wch

First there is not any care at all taken, to promote the conuersion of the Indians. to prouide or to shew any fauor to Ecclesiasticall persons, or to preserue for the church the Immunitye and priueledges, wch she enioyeth euery where else; But rather Mr Lugar seemeth to defend opinions here, that she hath noe priualedges iure diuino. That bulls Canons and Casuists are little to be regarded in these cases, because they speake for themselues, as if others oposing them had noe selfe

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interest and therfor must know better what belongs to the church then she hirselfe. That Priueledge are not due to the church till the common wealths in wch the church is grante them. And therfor while they grante none, I doubte that not only Mr Lugar, but also some others that I feare adhere to much to him, conceaue that they may proceed wth Ecclesiasticall persons an wth others, and accordingly they seeme to resolue to bind them to all there lawes, and to exacte of them as of other, and in practice already they haue formerly granted warrants against some that dwell wth us, whom though the shrive (who hath formerly bin a purseuante, and is now a cheife protestante) desyred me to send him downe, Yet he added (euen befor the Gouernor if I be not mistaken) that he must otherwyse fech him downe. Againe euen already befor your lorpe haue confirmed the lawes; Mr Lugar hath demaunded of me to be paid this yeere fifteene hundred weight of Tobacco towards the bulding a fort, Wheras I dare boldly say that the whole Colony together neuer bestowed on me the worth of fiue hundred weight one would thinke that euen out of Gratitude, they might free us from such kinde of taxation easpecially seing, we put noe taxe upon them, but healpe them gratis, and healpe them also in such a manner, that I am sure they canne not complaine.

And that your lorpe may be sure to proceed right therein, I beseech your lorpe befor you doe any thinge aboute these lawes, that you would be pleased to reed ouer and to ponder well the Bulla Coenĉ. Secondly that in things concerninge the church your lorpe would take good aduise of the church. Thirdly that your lorpe would be uery wary not to trench upon the church and where any thinge may seeme to trench, to use fitt prĉuention against the bad consequence. And to healpe to settle our quiet here. I beseech your lorpe to send me a priuate order, that we may while the gouerment is catholique enjoy thes priuiledges follow

The first that the church and our houses may be Sanctuarie

The second that our selues and our domestique seruants, and halfe at least of our planting seruants, may be free from publique taxes and seruices, And that the rest of our seruants and All their tennants as well as seruants he intimates heere ought to be exempted from the temporall gouerment. [Note in Baltimore's hand.] our tennants, though exteriorly the doe as others in the Colony, Yet that in the manner of exacting or doing it, priuatly the custome of other catholiques countrye may be obserued as much as may be that catholiques out of bad practice cumme not to forgit those due respects wch they owe to god and his church.

The third is that though in publique we suffer our cause to be heard and tryed by the publique magestrats, yet that in priuate they know, that they doe it but as arbitrators and defendors of the church because Ecclesiasticall iuridiction is not yet here setled.

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The fourth. That in our owne persons and wth such as are needfull to assiste us, we may freely goe, abide and liue amonge the Sauages, wth out any licence to be had here from the Gouernor, or any other.

lastly. that though we relinguish the use of many ecclesiasticall priueledge when we iudge it conuenient for satisfaction of the state at home, yet that it be left to our discretion to determine when this is requisite; and that we be suffered to enioy such other priueledges as we may wth out note.

And touching our temporaltyes. first I beseech your lorpe that we may take up and keepe soe much lande, as in my former letters I acquainted your lorpe to be requisite for our present occasions, according to the first conditions wch we maid wth your lorpe and that albeit we now take not up neere our due, yet that herafter we may take it up when we find it fitt according to our aduentures. And if of that wch we now haue a parte proue conuenient to be laide out for a towne at St Maries, Be confidente that I will be as forwarde and free as any. Soe that things be carried in a faire and ĉquall manner. But I uerily belieue that if the lande be left in our hand, the place shall much sooner be bult on and planted, then if it be taken out.

In the trade I shall requeste that your lorpe performe soe much, as that we may employ one bote whensoever we shall not otherwyse use it, My reason is, because of necessitye we must keepe a bote and when we use hir not, if we haue not this enploiment for hir we shall not be able to supporte hir charge. The thinge is uery necessarie for us, and not inconuenient to your lorpe whatsoeuer some ouer greedy to engrose this trade may suggest to the contrarie. I assure my selfe that your lorpe will not stande wth us for soe small a matter. The game I ualew uery little, but the conueniency uery much, and

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therfor I beseech your lorpe not to runne us into a greate inconuenience for a uery small or noe profitt to your selfe.

I desyre lykwyse from your lorpe a free Grante to buy corn of the Indians wthout asking leaue here, for endeed It will be a greate pressure to eate our bread at there curtesye, who as yet I haue found but uery little curtuous. Certainly while the cheife of this Colony thus wholy neglect planting, and thinke on nothing but on a pedling trade certainly in the Colony, they will still make a scarcity of bread, and in that scarcity if we shall not be able to healpe ourselues nor the Colonye wthout there leaue, that make the want, many greate difficultyes may follow. Certainly I haue this yeere planted, much more, then the greatest parte of the Colonye besyde, and soe intende to continue what I am able, because endeed in planting I place my greatest hope, yet for some yeers I know that I must buy, and in buying there canne be noe inconuenience to your lorpe to grante me a generall licence. And therfor I trust that your lorpe will not denye it, and to encourage your lorpe to doe us fauour, this much I will be bold to tell your lorpe that though my principall intention be to serue your lorpe to the prime end, wch is the healpe of soules, yet in peopling and planting this place, I am sure that none haue donne neere soe much as we, nor endeed are lykly to doe soe much. We are resolued to liue and dye here under your lorpe wch I thinke few others are. Sweete Jesus grante that all may be to his greatest glorie, and if to this your lorpe freely concurre, God I doubte not will also concurre wth your lorpe and for this blesse the rest, wch I beseech him to doe wth as many Blessings as he wisheth who will euer be

Your lorpe serious well wisher and seruant
T. C.

S. Maries this 3 of Aprill
1638.

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Since the writing of the former letter I am told that Mr Lugar defends publiquely in the Colony, that an assembly may dispose here of any mans lands or goods as it please if this weare once bruted and belieued I conceaue that none would ether cumme or abide here, easpecially where if any factious working man canne but procure an ouerswaing number of Voices by Proxes, he shall undoe whome he please, and none shall be sure of any thinge that he hath, seeing experience hath shewed that one that would labor for it, may quickly git such a faction and such an ouerswaing uoice of Proxis that he may carry what he will really I much feare, that this ouerbusye stirringe to many new querks and deuises, will neuer doe your lorpe nor the Colony good. I pray god it doe not much harme, according to the old prouerbe that a busye man neuer wants Woe.

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