Gc 975.5 V819k 1676625 -r.w^"-isiJ^^ ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02375 0257 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center http://www.archive.org/details/introductiontoreOOking AN INTRODUCTION TO THE RECORDS OF THE Virginia company of LONDON LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AN INTRODUCTIO N TO J WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST OF THE ICXTANT DOCUMENTS SUSAN M. KINGSBURY , A. M., Ph. D. INSTKUCTOR IN HISTOhV. VAiSAR COLLEGE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT FKINTING OFFICE 1905 I -1 o "^T HOG ,i 1G76625 Sinrriimrii Tlio history of the IJocords of the \'irLi-iiiia Company is so fully told in tlio followinj^- pages that it need not \>o lovltMvcd here. Tiioir importance to historieal rosearcli has long lioen rocog'nized. Tliey reeord tlic beg'iuninLC.s of one of the (ir.-t ventures in English seltienient on the American Continent, and in themselves contain the germs of subsequent developments in its administration and society. They present a picture which could not lie paralleled in the history of any other colonial establishment. The recognition of this has induced many attempts to print them, but thus far no successful attempt to print them in ti). ir (Nitir^uy. The lack of a complete edition has greatly handieap])ed historical stmlents. it is this lack \\hicli the present (^dition proposes to supply. Jn mv report for IDO-i 1 gave the reasons in favor of the pi-inting by the Library of Congress of this manuscript and of -imilar nnpnblj.^ied records. Jt would save excessive weai' and tear upon th(^ originul-: il \vould enable the texts to be studied by investigators who can not coine to \\'a>hingtoir. and it would encourage that thorough, detailed, and continuing study of ihcm which their value and inte)-est demand and a proper under.-tanding and representation of Anioi-icaii history requii'e. These rea.sons apply with peculiar force to those invaluable records, unique in them- selves and unique of their kind. Loss or injury would be irrepaiable. but maltipli<'d and made available for students in printed form they will pro\e of great and pcj'mancnt ]nxblie utility. The following introductory essay is intended lo develop the historieal and biblio- graphical relations of this record. It is the result of careful and laborious research as the by its author. Miss Kingsbury, who has made herself expert, not merely to main documents, but as to collateral and subsidiary documents, both in this country and abroad, and who has throughout had the benelit of the advice and counsel of one who has made a thorough study of American colonial history-Trof, Ilerbei't L. Osgood, of Columbia Cniversity. Heuhjcrt Putnam, LihfKricni of Congress. ^^'oKT^I^GTON Chauxcky Four). C'hit'f\ Divif>ton of 2[(inuKcr!pts. (Eintt^iits I. ClIAKACTKi: OF TJIK VJKOINIA CuMPAXY Page COMI'ARISON' WITn EAUllKP. MOVl'.MtNTS Fell; lilscOVKUY 11 I'rivil'*gos ijf land, tnuk-, mill ^'Ovi'iiiiiK-nt H CoMl'AIilSON' Willi KAl:l.U;lt MOVKMKNTS lOU TUAllE ......... 11-14 Nlenihant Ailvonturtrs 13 Mii?(;iivy Conii>aiiy 13 ISiroKTAXlE or TllH VlUlll-MA KEfORDS 14-16 A souive lot- .supi>I('iuL'iiting tho ret-onl.- ot" the uthei- trinliiiu' cninpanies .... 14 A soiii'oc- for the i^tiiily III the initial foriii:^ of Kiii;li.--li (oloiiizatiiiu 15 II. THE UF.COUDS OF TilK CO^rPAXY UNDI::!; >1K TIIOMA.-^ S^rYTIlK OrGANIZATIO.V OF THE COMPANY rXIlKR TRK 111 AKIKR or lOOij 17-21 Preliminary efforts for a charter • 17 Charter of KiOO IS Policy of the iimlertakei-s 19 Records of the perioTl 20 CHAXfiE IX CITAIiACTF.il KKiiM UiOli To ITiOi' 21-2.') I'olitical and commercial .statu." Iieli ire lOOi! 21 Change in the statu.* after 1009 22 Cl.\.s.ses oe i;i;ioi:i)s 2.3-24 ClIAKACTEK AXT) VAIIE OF THE CLA'«r:S . 24-38 1. Fundamoutal ducaments eiiianatiiij:; from the Crown 24 II. The court hook? 2.'.-L'.S Volumes extant in 1623 2'> Irrciiaralile lo.-^s hy their disappearance 2ti III. Documents issued by the company . .......... 28-31 Instructions to Sir Thomas dates and Lord De I.a Wair 28 Chancery proceedings concerning disputed adventures . " 30 Scattered documents concerning the Inttery ,30 V. Publications of the company 31-3.5 Broadsides 31 Sermons 32 Declarations ............... .32 Value of theie documents in disclosing the pmgress of the (.lantation .md the jiolicy of the company . 33 5 6 IXTUOOICTIOX ( CiiAHArnci: ani. vAi.n; or the clas>iv— '..iitiniifii. , tli,. IV. I.rtt.r.-' in. I pl.nit.-is uji.I i!..- ,,'uiino .i( Aivall't: rir .-tt'i ill the crilonv \'I. I'riviite i);ii'>-r.-i of adventiuvrs .... VII. .Sujjpli-iiientary conteiiipdrai v loinsiiiiiKk'nco . in. THE COI.LIOCTIONS OF IHKJUMENTS, l(ilii-l(i24 Gknkr.m- cu.\kactki! di" Tin; !:i;coki>s .39-41 Tlie t'onri'e of iiutliority di.'icliipiid in till' rmonl^ 39 The relative value of the vaiionsi classi-s 40 Puhject-matter of tlit- records .40 The Jei-fl-rson' Librauv in- the Liukakv or C'oni.i:j;ss ...'..... 41-48 I'lirchaseof the Jf'fl'ersuii l,ibnu\ - Thr Dri.L'inal MSS.aud roiit.'in]i(iraiv traii^fript", acquired :-. in 1829, and the transeni)t,s of ih.- hitf -all , and oi Ih,. ei-h 111 ccnturie.'!, acquired in IS 1-3 . 41 The contemporary cojiy <'f th.^ rourt hook--.\cqirirein t In :\Ir. .Icfi'.TS.m 44 ^lanii.'-rriiit record.-! of the company, Vohiiur III 4 ! -48 Karly history and condition as described by \\'iii. Stith 45 Later history and condition 46 Contents and description of the volume 46 The "courte booke" of the colony -Content.'' and de^crii)tinn 48 TRASSCRlP^rS OF THE VlItClXIA ReCOKUS 48-54 Kandolph copy in tlie collection of tlie Virginia Historical Society 48-51 Description and content.s 48 Early history 49 Later history as told by ^Ir. Loijih Robinson .... 50 Citation of the volumes by Ilenin<r and IJuik as "Ancient liccords 50 Jefferson transcripts .......... 51-54 ''First .laws made by the assembly in Va., Anno lGi'3" 51 "Instructions, Commicons letters of advice." U>0«>-1 1's.'-i —Scvciitecuil centiirv script " Mi.scellaneous records, 1600-109:?, Hickman or Bland" copy . Tr<iDSCiipts of docuriieiifs in Kn.L'land rcceiitly acquired by the Library of Congress .54 DOCU.VKNTS IN RiCHMOXli 54-55 Virjrinia State land ollice; collections of the Virginia Historical Society; and the library 54 JIaXU-SCRIITS IX THB NeW YoEK I'cni.IC LlERAEV ...... 55 Smyth of Xibley Paper.s, lettens of John Pory and of John Harvey . 55 Collections ok Amkricaxa 55-57 John Carter Brown Library 56 New York Public Libraiy 56 Harvard Library ............. 57 Private collections— lilirary of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago, and one in New York 57 Traxscruts IX TUE New York Plblic Lihrarv ....... 58-59 Barlow jiapers, Bancroft papers, Siuiancas transcripts 58 COXTi:XTS CoL-LECTiox.s IN England—FcnuAu I'ai'kks, Magdalknio Ciili.i:i;k, CIa.idkii History aiiil ik'r^fi'iiition ...... Coiiteiit-J Original rei'ovils aiul dofunu-ntfi of tlie comi'any SamlysFcrrur lottor.s ami lottery from the colony CoF.I.EITKINS I.V E\UI.ANll~l'l P.l.K- liKl.dlJ) CmCK Maiirhestur paper.-, hi- tnry anil (jliarattfr Doi'unient.s ........ Memoranda anil letter.-; of Sir N.itlKniirl Kicli Slate papers, colonial and doniefstic Origin of the collection ......... Character and contents— docuirient.-^ n{ the comjiany and of tl I'jivy Council, and supplementary curri'sp'indence ...... Kecords of courts 04-00 Records of case.-: in the adniiraUy ciiurt ..... G4 Record.s of ca.ses in tin; court c if chancery ..... Reconl of the quo wurrtaUo in tlie court uf the Kinj;'s hcncli . CoLl,Ks.TIOSS I.V E.V141.AND—TriE PrIVY CorXCU, (IrKICK 60-07 Character of the ordeis in the register hefore and after \&22 . 60 Description of the records of the Privy Council ..... 07 CoLi-KCrioNii i-V Englasd— lUiixisii Misfim 67-<jy Precedents fur i>atents--orit;inal records of the coniixiny 07 Citsar papers ........... 6S-69 Letters from John .^^a^tin 68 Bargrave propo.'itinns . , 69 I'uhlicati(jns of the ciTinpany IV. TIIK JIECOims 01- TflE COMP.\XV UNDER THE .^.VXDY: ^.<t)rTiL\:vifroN AD.MlXl.STR.\Tlo\ Okiianizatiox ov the ojMpaxy ............. Membership Meeting's, kinds of cijurt.'^, po\ver>= of thecnir.ts Officers—treasuier, deputy, council, comnnttees, audit. n-s, and additional nunor otficers . Metiioiw or prockiht.e 4-7.T General usage and elections 74 Rewards liy frraiitin.s? shares of .stock (ir by irrantint: land 74 ReCOHV) books I'KOVIDrn FOR 1)Y TlIK COMPANY r.5-7S Determined by the -'Orders and r',,nstitulions": (1) Fundamental Charters, (2) La-ws and Orders, (:)) I'atc'Uts and In.li-ntures. (4) Acts of Courts, (5) .Acts of Committees, (0) Li.-ts of .\.dvtntuiers and ni I'ianters Determined by action of the ci>urt from time to time: (1) Lists of men sent to private Pi-titions. plantations, (L'J Duplicates of Patent^, C!) Rates of Commo.lities, (4) Ri'gisfer of (5) Records of covenants between adventurers ami indentured servants, (0) Rolls of Adventurers, (7) Certilicates lyrh-oDicriox Pnge The kxtant kelokd.s—iriu cocut hook: 78-S" History of Uiu coiitLiiiponin- ropy 78-81 Roas-ons for intikiii;; tlir. trati^rriptn 78 Contemporary acroiiiits of tlu> tnin*criptii)ii ...... 79 Dr. Pec-lcanl ami llic " I)iKr.,iir.-o of tlu- OKI Company" 80 Arthur Woridnnili 81 Description r.f the coTiti'iuporary coiiy in tlie Lilnary of Criu.irross SI -84 Bimrmi; 81 Supervision of transciiptiou liy Xicliola.s IVrrnr and tlio f.inuy of entry 82 Auto<;i-rtpli-= and attestation 82 Proofs of aceiiracy System of keei>in3; tlie 1.