Accompanying Papers, 1676-7. 175

George Fletcher Marchant, Thomas Bullon, Captaine William
Clayborne and William Bennett.
The said David Morehead required ane Answer from his
Lordshipp in respect the shipps were at Gravesend which are
bound for Virginia ready to depart) of his Majesty's sayd letter,
that accordingly hee might have his Lordshipps letters directed
to his Agents in those parts according to the tenour and effect of
his Maj^ts said letter shewinge him with all the originall of a
former letter from his Majesty and delyvered him a Coppy
thereof. His Lordshipps Answer was that hee would waite one
His Majesty and give His Majesty satisfaction herein, and
would give noe other answer untill hee had spoken with his
Majesty.

A Declaration shewing the illegality and unlawfull
Proceedings of the Patent of Maryland.

In the year 1607 divers preceding discoveryes haveing con-
firmed an opinion that the Countrie of Virginia, was fitt for
Plantation, It pleased God to afect the minds of verie manie
worthiely disposed Noblemen, Gentlemen and others to con-
ceave it as a matter of great Religion and Honor to undertake
the worke of perfecting a Christian Plantation in those parts,
whereupon King James was pleased to become the first founder
of this noble worke, and by his letters Pattents from time to
time renewed and enlarged granted all ample priviledges
and immunities both to those that managed the busines in
England and to those that went to inhabit there, which gave
soe great an encouragement that 50 Earles and Barrons 350
knights and 600 Gentlemen and Marchants of Primest ranke
became incorporated, and were originally named in the Letters
Pattents, by the name of the Company of Virginia, being a
greater union of Nobles and Commons then ever conceived in
that kingdome to such an undertaking But nevertheless partly
by the naturall difficulties incident to all new Plantations but
chiefly through the unnaturall and faulty impediments arising
by the crosse agitations of two powerful factions in the Com-
pany, the worke went heavely on for the first 12 years, appear-
ing desperate in the severall ill successes thereof. And though
afterwards some what advanced and prosperous yett in the
yeare 1621. by the fatall blow of a massaker, it was almost
shattered to peeces and brought to a calamitous condition,
which occasion the contrary faction presently tooke hold of, in
soe much that they exceedingly scandalized the action and
cared not to cast an aspertion on the Countrie and on the
whole management of that affaire, and then further strongly
possessed and advised the then kinge, against the forme of
the Company's Government, as consisting of an excessive

P. R. O.

Colonial
Papers.