114 



the lands in Virginia from Point Comfort along the sea. 

 coast to the iiorihuard 200 miles, and from the same 

 point along the sea cfjast to the sonthward 200 miles, 

 and all the space froni this precinct on the sea coast np 

 into the land, west and north-west, from sea to sea, and 

 the islands within one hundred miles of it, with all the 

 comnmnities, jurisdictions, royalties, pri\ileges, fran- 

 chises and preeminences within the same, and thereto 

 and thereahonts, b)^ sea and land, ap|)ertaining in as 

 ample manner as liad before been granted to any ad- 

 ventnrers : to be held to the king and his snccessors, 

 in common soccage, yieUling one fifth part of the gold 

 and silver ore to be therein fonnd, for all manner of 

 services; establishing a connsel in Kngland for the di- 

 rection of the enterprise, the members of which were to 

 be chosen and dis|)laced by the voice of the majority of 

 the company and adventurers, and were to liave the 

 nomination and revocation of governors, officers and 

 ministers, which by them shouUl be thought nee<lful for 

 the colony, the power of establishing laws and forms of 

 government and magistracy, obligatory not only within 

 the colony', but also on the seas in going and coming to 

 and from it ; authorising them to carry thither -cUjy per- 

 sons who should consent to go, freeing them for ever 

 from all taxes and impositions on any goods or merchan- 

 dise on importations into the colony, or exportation out 

 of it, except the five per cent, due for custom on all 

 goods imported into the l»ritish dominions, according to 

 the ancient trade of merchants; which five per cent, 

 only being paid they might, within J3 months reexport 

 the same goods in foreign [jarts, without any custom, 

 tax, '^r other duty, to the king, or any of his officers, or 

 deputies ; with powers of waging war against those 

 who should annoy them ; givinir to the inhabitants of 

 the colony all the rights of natural subjects, as if born 

 and abidiuir in EnLHand: and declarinjr that these let- 

 ters should be construed, in all doid)iful parts, in sucdi 

 manner as should be most for the benefit of tlie gran- 

 tees. 

 Afterwards on the 12th of March 1612, by other let- 



