334 ^' ^' 1625. 



fuch as continued in it had perpetual wranglings. So valuable a country 

 and colony was, however, by no means to be abandoned ; more efpe- 

 cially as the planters there were now well able to fubfift independently 

 of their mother country. Several gentlemen, therefor, about this time, 

 with their effects and with many fervants, went thither on a feparate 

 bottom. Whereupon the king iflued the following proclamation, which 

 firft eftablifhed the prudent form of government, in which this and the 

 other regal colonies have remained till now (1762), viz. that whereas, 

 in his father's time, the charter of the Virginia company was, by a quo 

 warranto, annulled ; and whereas his father was, and he himiclf alfo is, 

 of opinion, that the government of that colony by a company incor- 

 porated, confining of a multitude of per ions, of various difpofitions, 

 amongfl whom affairs of the greateft moment are ruled by a majority 

 of votes, was not fo proper for carrying on the affairs of the colony : 

 wherefor, to reduce the government thereof to fuch a courfe as might 

 bell agree with that form which was held in our royal monarchy ; and 

 confidering alfo, that we hold thofe territories of Virginia and the 

 Somer ifles, as alfo that of New-England, (lately planted) with the li- 

 mits thereof, to be a part of our royal empire ; we ordain, that the go- 

 vernment of the colony of Virginia fhall immediately depend on our- 

 felf, and not be committed to any company or corporation, to whom it 

 may be proper to trufl matters of trade and commerce, but not the or- 

 dering of ftate affliirs. Wherefor our commiffionzrs for thofe affairs 

 fhall proceed as direded, till we eflablifh a council here for that colony, 

 to be iubordinate to our privy-council. And we will alfo eflablifh an- 

 other council, to be refident m. Virginia, who fhall be fubordinate to 

 our council here for that colony. And at our own charge we will main- 

 tain thofe public officers and miniflers, and fuch flrength of men, mu- 

 nition, and fortification, as fhall be necefTary for the defence of that 

 plantation. And we will alfo fettle and affure the particular rights and 

 iiiterefts of every planter and adventurer. Laftly, whereas the tobacco 

 of thofe plantations (the only prefent means of their fublifling) cannot 

 be managed for the good of the plantations, unlefs it be brought into 

 one hand, whereby the foreign tobacco may be carefully kept out, and 

 the tobacco of thofe plantations may yield a certain and ready price to 

 the owners thereof; to avoid all differences between the planters and 

 adventurers themielves, we refolve to take the fame into our own hands, 

 and to give fuch prices for the fame as may give reafonable fatisfadlion i 

 whereof we will determine at better leifure. [Foedera, V. xviii,/». 72.] 



Had tobacco been then as much in ufe as at prefent, this monopoly 

 of it, fo early begun by King Charles, would have enabled him to raife 

 much money, without depending on parliament. And it was certainly 

 a good fcheme to enhance the price of it at his pleafure ! From this 

 time forward, aflemblies of the reprefentatives of the planters in Vir- 



