TuoMAs] Virginia's policy toward the Indians 567 



The act of October 11, 1600, autliurizes the governor to have sur- 

 veyed and laid off for the "Accomacke" Indians, on the east side of 

 the bay, " such a proportion of land as shall be sufiflcieut for their 

 maintenance, with hunting and fishing excluded.'' This land was to be 

 secured to the Indians, but they were to have no power to alienate it 

 to the English, 



An act passed March 23, 1661, brings to view the difficulty sometimes 

 encountered by private purchases which were made before the passage 

 of the act of March 10, 1655, or in disregard of it. It is as follows : 



Upon the petition of Harquip the Mangai of the Chicknhomini Indians to have all 

 the lauds from Jlr. Malorys bounds to the head of Jlattapcuii river & into the woods 

 to the Pamauukes /( is accordiiii/bj ordered that the said laud be confirmed to the 

 said Indians by pattent, and that no Englishman shall upon any pretence disturbe 

 them in their said l)ounds nor purchase it of them unles the major part of the great 

 men shall freely and voluntarily declare their consent in the quarter court or 

 assembly. 



IVIiercas a certaine grant hatli been made to the Chickahomini Indians of certaine 

 lauds in which tract Major Gennerall Mauwaring Hamond claimeth a devideut of 

 2,000 acres granted him by pattent, It is ordered, that the same M.ajor Geuuerall 

 Hamond be desired to purchase the same of the Indians or to procure their consent 

 for the preservation of the countreys honour and reputation.' 



Numerous disputes having arisen between the English and the Indians 

 in regard to land purchases, and frecpient complaints having been made 

 by the latter of encroachments upon their territory, the following act 

 was passed in 1660: 



Act 138. Whereas the mutuall discontents, complaints, jealousies and ffeares of 

 English and Indians proceed chiefly from the violent intrusions of diverse English 

 made into their lands, The governor, councell .and burgesses . . . en.act, ordaiue 

 aud conlirme that for the future noe Indian king or other shall ujjon any pretence 

 alien and sell, nor noe English for any cause or consideration whatsoever purchase 

 or buy any tract or parcell of land now justly claymed or .actually possest by any 

 Indian or Indians whatsoever; all such bargaines and s.aleB hereafter made or 

 pretended to be made being hereby declared to be invalid, voyd and null, any 

 acknowledgement, surrender, law or custome formerly used to the contrary not- 

 withstanding.^ 



This is probably the act referred to by Charles CampbelP where he 

 makes the following statement: 



The numerous acts relating to the Indians were reduced into one; prohibiting the 

 English from purchasing Indian lands; securing their persons and property; pre- 

 venting encroachments on their territory; ordering the English seated near to assist 

 them in fencing their corn-fields; licensing them to oyster, fish, hunt and gather the 

 natural fruits of the country; prohibiting trade with them without license, or im- 

 prisotmient of .an Inilian king without special warr.mt; bounds to be annually 

 defined; badges of silver .and copper pl.ate to be furnished to Indian kings,- no 

 Indian to enter the English confines without a badge, under penalty of imprison- 

 ment, till ransomed by one hundred arras length of roanoko (Indian shell money); 

 Indian kings, tributary to the English, to give alarm of approach of hostile Indians; 

 Indians not to be sold as slaves, &c. 



' Hening's Statates at Large, vol. n, p. 34. 

 ■•■Ilii(I.,p. 138. 



» History of the Colony .mil Ancient Dominion of Virginia (18-17), p. 77 

 IS ETH, PT 2 i 



