15 Nouem. 1633.
Instructions 13 Nouem: 1633 directed by the Right Honoble Cecilius Lo: Baltimore & Lord of the Prouinces of Mary Land and Avalon vnto his well beloued Brother Leo: Caluert Esqr his Lops Deputy Gouernor of his prouince of Mary Land and vnto Jerom Hawley and Thomas Cornwaleys Esqrs his Lopps Co?issioners for the gouernment of the said Prouince.
- 1. Inpri: His Lopp requires his said Gouernor & Commissioners tht in their voyage to Mary Land they be very carefull to preserue vnity & peace amongst all the passengers on Shipp-board, and that they suffer no scandall nor offence to be giuen to any of the Protestants, whereby any iust complaint may heereafter be made, by them, in Virginea or in England, and that for that end, they cause all Acts of Romane Catholique Religion to be done as priuately as may be, and that they instruct all the Romane Catholiques to be silent vpon all occasions of discourse concerning matters of Religion; and that the said Gouernor & Co?issioners treate the Protestants wth as much mildness and fauor as Justice will permitt. And this to be obserued at Land as well as at Sea.
- 2. That while they are aboard, they do theyre best endeauors by such instruments as they shall find fittest for it, amongst the seamen & passengers to discouer what any of them do know concerning the priuate plotts of his Lopps aduersaries in England, who endeauored to ouerthrow his voyage: to learne, if they cann the names of all such, their speeches, where & when they spoke them, and to whom; The places, if they had any, of their consultations, the Instruments they vsed and the like: to gather what proofes they cann of them; and to sett them downe particulerly and cleerely in writing wth all the Circumstances; together wth their opinions of the truth and validity of them according to the condition of the persons from whom they had the information; And to gett if they can euery such informer to sett his hand to his Informa?on. And if they find it necessary & that they haue any good probable ground to discouer the truth better, or that they find some vnwilling to reueale that wch (by some speeches at randome, that haue fallen from them) they haue reason to suspect they do know concerning that buisness: that at their arriuall
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in Mary Land they cause every such pson to answer upon oath, to such questions as they shall thinke fitt to propose unto them: And by some trusty messenger in the next shipps that returne for England to send his Lopp in writing all such Intelligences taken either by deposition or otherwise.
- 3. That as soone as it shall please god they shall arrive upon the coast of Virginea, they be not perswaded by the master or b any other of the shipp, in any case or for any respect whatsoever to goe to James Towne, or to come wthin the co?and of the the fort at Poynt-Comfort: vnless they should be forct vnto it by some extremity, of weather, (wch god forbidd) for the preseruation of their liues & goodes, and that they find it altogether impossible otherwise to preserue themselues: But that they come to an Anchor somewhere about Acomacke, so as it be not vnder the co?and of any fort; & to send ashcare there, to inquire if they cann find any to take wth them, that cann giue them some good informatione of the Bay of Chesapeacke and Pattawomeek Riuer, and that may giue them some light of a fitt place in his Lopps Countrey to sett downe on; wherein their cheife care must be to make choice of a place first that is probable to be healthfull and fruitfull, next that it may he easily fortified, and thirdly that it may be convenient for trade both wth the English and sauages.
- 4. That by the first oportunity after theyr arriuall in Mary Land they cause a messenger to be dispatcht away to James Town such a one as is conformable to the Church of England, and as they may according to the best of their Judgments trust; and he to carry his maties letter to Sr John Haruie the Gouernor and to the rest of the Councell there, as likewise his Lopps letter to Sr Jo: Haruie, and to give him notice of their arriuall: And to haue in charge, vpon the deliuery of the said
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letters to behaue himself wth much respect vnto the Gouernor, and to tell him tht his Lopp had an intention to haue come himself in person this yeare into those parts, as he may perceiue by his maties letter to him but finding that the setling of that buisness of his Plantation and some other occasions, required his presence in England for some time longer then he expected, he hath deferred his owne coming till the next yeare, when he will not faile by the grace of god to be there; and to lett him vnderstand how much his Lopp desires to hold a good correspondency wth him and that Plantation of Virginea, wch he wilbe ready to shew vpon all occasions and to assure him by the best words he cann, of his Lopps particuler affection to his person, in respect of the many reports he hath heard of his worth, and of the ancient acquaintance and freindshipp wch he hath vnderstood was between his Lopps father & him as likewise for those kind respects he hath shewne vnto his Lopp by his letters since he vnderstoode of his Lopps intention to be his neighbor in those, parts: And to present him wth a Butt of sacke from his Lopp wch his Lopp hath giuen directions for, to be sent vnto him.
- 5. That they write a letter to Cap: Clayborne as soone as conveniently other more necessary occasions will giue them leaue after their arriuall in the Countrey, to give him notice of their arriuall and of the Anthority & charge co?itted to them by his Lopp and to send the said letter together wth his Lopps to him by some trusty messenger that is likewise conformable vnto the Church of England, wth a message also from them to him if it be not inserted in their letter wch is better, to invite him kindly to come vnto them, and to signify that they haue some buisness of importance to speake wth him about from his Lopp wch concernes his good very much; And if he (come vnto them then that they vse him courteously and well, and tell
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him, that his Lopp vnderstanding that he hath settled a plantac?n there wthin the precincts of his Lopps Pattent, wished them to lett him know that his Lopp is willing to glue him all the encouragement he cann to proceede; And that his Lopp hath had some propositions made vnto him by certaine mrchants in London who pretend to be partners wth him in that plantation, (viz) Mr Delabarr, Mr Tompson Mr Cloberry, Mr Collins, & some others, and that they desired to haue a grant from his Lopp of that Iland where he is: But his Lopp vnderstanding from some others that there was some difference in partnershipp between him and them, and his Lopp finding them in their discourse to him, that they made somewhat slight of Cap: Clayborne's interest, doubted least he might preiudice him by making them any grant his Lopp being ignorant of the true state of their buisness and of the thing they desired, as likewise being well assured that by Cap: Clayborne his care and industry besides his charges, that plantation was first begunn and so farr aduanced, was for these reasons vnwilling to condescend vnto their desires, and therefore deferred all treaty wth them till his Lopp could truly vnderstand from him, how matters stand between them, and what he would desire of his Lopp in it. wch his Lopp expects from him; that therevpon his Lopp may take it into farther consideration how to do iustice to euery one of them and to giue them all reasonable satisfaction; And that they assure him in fine that his Lopp intends not to do him any wrong, but to shew him all the loue and fauor that he cann, and that his Lopp gaue them directions to do so to him in his absence; in confidence that he will, like a good subiect to his matie conforme himself to his higness gratious letters pattents granted to his Lopps whereof he may see the Duplicate if he desire it together wth their Co?ission from his Lopp If he do refuse to come vnto them vpon their
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invitation, that they lett him alone for the first yeare, till vpon notice giuen to his Lopp of his answere and behauiour they receiue farther directions from his Lopp; and that they informe themselues as well as they cann of his plantation and what his designes are, of what strength & what Correspondency he keepes wth Virginea, and to giue an Account of euery particular to his Loop.
- 6. That when they haue made choice of the place where they intend to settle themselues and that they haue brought their men ashoare wth all their prouisions, they do assemble all the people together in a fitt and decent manner and then cause his maties letters patients to be publikely read by his Lopps Secretary John Bolles, and afterwards his Lopps Co?ission to them, and that either the Gouernor or one of the Co?issioners presently after make some short declaration to the people of his Lopps intentions wch he means to pursue in this his intended plantation, wch are first the honor of god by endeauoring the conversion of the sauages to Christianity, secondly the augmentation of his matie's Empire & Dominions in those parts of the world by reducing them vnder the subiection of his Crowne, and thirdly by the good of such of his Countreymen as are willing to aduenture their fortunes and themselves in it, by endeauoring all he cann, to assist them, that they may reape the fruites of their charges & labors according to the hopefulnes of the thing, wth as much freedome comfort and incouragement as they cann desire; and wth all to assure them, that his Lopps affection & zeale is so greate to the aduancement of this Planta?n and consequently of their good, that he will imploy all his endeauors in it, and that he would not haue failed to haue come himself in person along wth them this first yeare, to haue beene partaker wth them in the honor of the first voyage thither, but that by reasons of some vnexpected
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accidents, he found it more necessary for their good, to stay in England some time longer, for the better establishment of his and their right, then it was fitt that the shipp should stay for him, but that by the grace of god he intends wthout faile to be wth them the next year: And that at this time they take occasion to minister an oath of Allegeance to his matie vnto all and euery one vpon the place, after hauing first publikely in the presence of the people taken it themselues; letting them know that his Lopp gaue particuler directions to haue it one of the first thinges that were done, to testify to the world that none should enjoy the benefitt of his maties gratious Grant vnto his Lopp of that place, but such as should glue a publique assurance of their fidelity & allegeance to his matie.
- 7. that they informe themselues what they cann of the present state of the old Colony of Virginea, both for matter of gouernment & and Plantacon as likewise what trades they driue both at home and abroade, who are the cheife and richest men, & haue the greatest power amongst them whether their clamors against his Lopps pattent continue and whether they increase or diminish, who they are of note that shew themselues most in it, and to find out as neere as they cann, what is the true reason of their disgust against it, or whether there be really any other reason but what, being well examined proceedes rather from spleene and malice then from any other cause; And to informe his Lopp exactly what they vnderstand in any of these particulers.
- 8. That they take all occasions to gaine and oblige any of the Councell of Virginea, that they shall vnderstand incline to have a good correspondency wth his Lopps plantation, either by permission of trade to them in a reasonable proportion, wthin his Lopps precincts, or any other way they can, so it be cleerely vnderstood that it is by the way of courtesy and not of right.
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- 9. That where they intend to settle the Plantacon they first make choice of a fitt place, and a competent quantity of ground for a fort wthin wch or neere vnto it a convenient house, and a church or a chappel adjacent may be built, for the seate of his Lopp or his Gouernor or other Co?issioners for the time being in his absence, both wch his Lopp would haue them take care should in the first place be erected, in some proportion at least, as much as is necessary for present vse though not so compleate in euery part as in fine afterwards they may be and to send his Lopp a Platt of it and of the scituation, by the next oportunity, if it be done by that time, if not or but part of it neuertheless to send a Platt of what they intend to do in it. That they likewise make choise of a fitt place neere vnto it to seate a towne.
- 10. That they cause all the Planters to build their houses in as decent and vniforme a manner as their abilities and the place will afford, & neere adioyning one to an other, and for that purpose to cause streetes to be marked out where they intend to place the towne and to oblige euery man to buyld one by an other according to that rule and that they cause diuisions of Land to be made adioyning on the back sides of their houses and to be assigned vnto them for gardens and such vses according to the proportion of euery ones building and adventure and as the conveniency of the place will afford wch his Lopp referreth to their discretion, but is desirous to haue a particuler account from them what they do in it, that his Lopp may be satisfied that euery man hath Justice done vnto him.
- 11. That as soone as conveniently they cann they cause his Lopps surveyor Robert Simpson to survay out such a proportion of Land both in and about the intended towne as likewise wthin the Countrey adioyning as wilbe necessary to be assigned to the present aduenturers, and that they assigne euery adventurer
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his proportion of Land both in and about the intended towne, as alsoe wthin the Countrey adioyning, according to the proportion of his aduenture and the conditions of planta?n propounded by his Lopp to the first, aduenturers, wch his Lopp in convenient time will confirme vnto them by Pattent. And heerein his Lopp wills his said Gouernor and Co?issioners to take care that in each of the aforesaid places, that is to say in and about the first intended Towne and in the Countrey adiacent they cause in the first and most convenient places a proportion of Land to be sett out for his Lopps owne proper vse and inheritance according to the number of men he sends this first yeare vpon his owne account; and as he alloweth vnto the aduenturers, before any other be assigned his part; wth wch (although his Lopp might very well make a difference of proportion between himself and the aduenturers) he will in this first colony, content himself, for the better encouragement and accomodation of the first aduenturers, vnto whom his Lopp conceiue himself more bound in honor and is therefore desirous to giue more satisfaction in euery thing then he intends to do vnto any that shall come heereafter. That they cause his Lopps survayor likewise to drawe an exact mapp of as much of the countrey as they shall discouer together wth the soundings of the riuers and Baye, and to send it to his Lopp.
- 12. That they cause all the planters to imploy their seruants in planting of sufficient quantity of corne and other prouision of victuall and that they do not suffer them to plant any other co?odity whatsoeuer before that be done in a sufficient proportion wch they are to obserue yearely.
- 13. That they cause all sorts of men in the plantation to be mustered and trained in military discispline and that there be days appoynted for that purpose either weekely or monthly according to the conueniency of other occasions; wch are duly
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to be obserued and that they cause constant watch and ward to be kept in places necessary.
- 14. That they informe themselues whether there be any convenient place wthin his Lopps precincts for the making of Salt whether there be proper earth for the making of salt-peeter and if there be in what quantity; whether there be probability of Iron oare or any other mines and that they be carefull to find out what other co?odities may probably be made and that they glue his Lopp notice together wth their opinions of them.
- 15. That In fine they bee very carefull to do iustice to euery man wthout partiality, and that they auoid any occasion of difference wth those of Virginea and to haue as litle to do wth them as they cann this first yeare that they conniue and suffer litle iniuryes from them rather then to engage themselues in a publique quarrell wth them, wch may disturbe the buisness much in England in the Infancy of it. And that they giue vnto his Lopp an exact account by their letters from time to time of their proceedings both in these instructions from Article to Article and in any other accident that shall happen worthy his Lopps notice, that therevpon his Lopp may giue them farther instructions what to doe and that by euery conveyance by wch they send any letters as his Lopp would not haue them to omitt any they send likewise a Duplicate of the letters wch they writt by the last conveyance before that, least they should haue failed and not be come to his Lopps hands.
