WHen firſt it pleaſed GOD to moue his MAIESTIES minde, at the humble ſuit of ſundry his louing Subiects, to yeeld vnto them his gracious Priuiledge for the Virginia Plantation, it was a thing ſeeming ſtrange and doubtfull in the eye of the World, that ſuch and ſo few Vnder-takers ſhould enterpriſe a charge of that waight, as rather beſeemed a whole State and Commonwealth to take in hand. But ſuch was the ſucceſſe of their ſundry attempts, in the happy diſcouery of ſo goodly a Land, the Deſcription of which, for the excellencie of the Climate and fertilitie thereof, had ſoone obtayned to lay ſuch an aſſured ground of future hope, in the ſence and vnderſtanding of all men rightly weighing it, that not long after, the • r new Letters Patents, with more ample priuiledges granted by his Maieſtie, were almoſt filled with many hundred Names, both Honourable, and others of all ſorts, that gaue their hands and conſent to further and vphold that honourable action.

Vpon which encouragement of ſo many worthy Patrons, the Companie very deepely engaged themſelues, in ſending Men and Ships, Cattle, and all kinde of prouiſions, with Gouernours and Captaines for peace and war, inſomuch as no earthly meanes ſeemed then wanting for the ſpeedy reducing of that barbarous Nation, and ſauage people, to a quiet Chriſtian Common-wealth.

But ſuch was the will of Almighty God, as the world well knoweth, that this great hope and preparation, by many diſaſters on Sea and Land, too long to be here recited, was in a manner cleane defeated, and there onely remained a poore remnant of thoſe Men and Women, Cattle and prouiſions, that eſcaped the danger and which are now remayning there to rayſe and build vp that intended Colonie.

Which when thoſe Gentlemen th'aduenturers here ſaw, and that the expectance of ſo great a preparation brought nothing home but aduerſe ſucceſſe and bad reports, they for the moſt part withdrew themſelues, in deſpaire of the enterprize, and ſo gaue it ouer, not enduring to repayre the ruines, nor to ſupply what themſelues had vnderwritten, to diſcharge the deepe engagement, whereinto the Company was drawne by their encouragement.

By whoſe vnconſtancie and irreſolution, the hope of that Plantation, together with the liues of our people there, had then vtterly periſhed, had not Gods ſecret purpoſe beene more ſtrongly fixed to vphold the ſame, by ſtirring vp the mindes and vndaunted ſpirits of a very ſmall remnant of conſtant Aduenturers, that with Sir Thomas Smith (their Treaſurer and Gouernour from the beginning) in all that time of three yeares diſaſter, were neuer diſcouraged, nor withdrew themſelues from weekely Courts and meetings, yeelding their purſes, credit and counſeil, from time to time, to make new ſupplies, euen beyond their proportion, to vphold the Plantation.

Inſomuch as by the fauourable aſſiſtance of God, who in his owne wiſdome doth oftentimes effect the greateſt ends by weakeſt meanes, it is now come to paſſe, that our Engliſh Colonie there, ſubſiſteth in a very good and proſperous condition: They ſow and reape their Corne in ſufficient proportion, without want or impeachment; their Kine multiply already to ſome hundreds, their Swine to many thouſands, their Goates and Poultry in great numbers, euery man hath houſe and ground to his owne vſe, and now being able to maintaine themſelues with food, they are alſo prepared and ready, once hauing the meanes, to ſet vpon the Minerals, whereof there are many ſorts; as alſo to plant and ſow ſuch ſeuerall kindes of Seeds and Fruits, as may beſt befit the Soyle and Climate, to make the Land profitable to themſelues and th'Aduenturers.

This being a true Relation of the preſent ſtate and hope of things in VIRGINIA, wee thought good in this ſhort manner to mention it by the way, as well to giue thoſe worthy Gouernours in VIRGINIA their deſerued praiſe, for the vnſpeakable paines and hazzard which they haue endured there, in framing the people and Plantation to ſo happy a forme, as alſo to withdraw the deſpayring thoughts of ſuch old retyred Aduenturers, that make no other reckoning, but whatſoeuer hath beene ſpent vpon the name of VIRGINIA to be loſt and caſt away; the ſpeciall purpoſe of this our Publication, being to another end, which for the further ſatiſfying of all reaſonable minded, wee will now in few words deliuer.

It was publiſhed to the world, about ſeauen yeares ſince, and the time is now expired, wherein wee promiſed to cauſe a Diuident to be made of the Lands in Virginia, as well to euery mans perſon that went himſelfe to the Plantation, as to euery particular man that had aduentured his money.

And in as much as we are now by the Natiues liking and conſent, in actuall poſſeſſion of a great part of the Country, the other part not as yet freed from encomber of woods and trees, nor throughly ſuruayed, whereby to make a Diuident of the whole: yet of that part which is now fit for Plantation, we intend God willing to beginne a preſent Diuiſion by Lot to euery man that hath already aduentured his mony or perſon, for euery ſingle ſhare of twelue pound tenne ſhillings, fifty Acres of Land, till further opportunitie will afford to diuide the reſt, which we doubt not will bring at leaſt two hundred Acres to euery ſingle ſhare.

This Diuiſion is intended to be done by a new Gouernour with Commiſſioners and Surveyers to be ſent from hence to ioyne with others that are there already, to giue euery man his Lot in due proportion, according to ſuch indifferent Directions as ſhall be giuen them in charge.

And foraſmuch as this courſe of ſending a Gouernor with Commiſſioners and a Suruayor, with Men, Ships, and ſundry prouiſions, for fortifications and other occaſions, as all men may conceiue, cannot bee effected without great charge and expence to the Company; it is therefore thought requiſite, and determined, that ſo many Aduenturers as will partake of this firſt Diuident, ſhall preſent their Names, with their number of ſhares, into a Booke remayning at Sir Thomas Smiths for that purpoſe, before the 25. of Iune next.

And they ſhall alſo promiſe vnder their hands, to contribute to the ſaid charge, the ſumme of twelue pound ten ſhillings, to be paid within one Moneth after Subſcription, whether his ſhares be more or leſſe, except any man ſhall be pleaſed to aduenture more, and for which twelue pound ten ſhillings (or more if hee will) he ſhall alſo haue a further Diuident of land in proportion, as for all other his monies formerly aduentured. But for ſuch as are not able to lay downe preſent monie, if they ſhall deſire fauour, it is agreed for them, that the Treaſurer may receiue the one halfe of their ſaid aduenture in preſent money, after their vnderwriting, to furniſh out the ſhips, and the other halfe at ſixe Moneths after that.

And that no man may hereafter excuſe himſelfe by ignorance, nor taxe the Company for concealing their purpoſe, we declare to all men, that this preſent Diuiſion is to be onely in the Lands lying along the Kings Riuer on both ſides, and all about the new Townes erected; in which ſo many as ſhall giue in their names as aforeſaid, may haue their parts, and thoſe that will not, may at their pleaſure forbeare till hereafter, to take their Lot vpon the ſame tearmes in places more remote.

The Names of all ſuch as will partake of this Diuident, ſhall be giuen in writing to the Commiſſioners before they goe hence, at whoſe returne they ſhall bring with them a perfect Map and Deſcription of the ſaid lands and ground diuided, that euery man may ſee and know in what condition and where his land lyeth, that accordingly he may diſpoſe thereof at his pleaſure, eyther by going himſelfe in perſon to poſſeſſe it, or by ſending families to manure it for yearely rent, or for halfe the cleare profits as many others doe.

And furthermore, euery mans portion allotted to him, ſhall be confirmed as ſtate of inheritance to him and his heyres for euer, with bounds and limits vnder the Companies Seale, to be holden of his Maieſtie, as of his Manour of Eaſt Greenwich, in Socage Tenure, and not in Capite, according to his Maieſties gracious Letters Patents already granted to the VIRGINIA Company in that behalfe.

And notwithſtanding, as we hope, the chiefe brunt and doubt of that Plantation is now ouerpaſt, whereof to their great charge and hazzard the old Aduenturers haue endured the moſt difficult part, and might therefore iuſtly appropriate this preſent Diuident to themſelues, yet at the motion and deſire of many Gentlemen and others, intending to be new aduenturers, it is reſolued and granted by the Company, that all new Aduenturers, ſubſcribing and performing the conditions before mentioned, for twelue pound tenne ſhillings, or more, ſhall partake in proportion as freely in this preſent Diuident, and in any other priuiledge and freedome in VIRGINIA, as if with the old Aduenturers they had been partakers from the beginning. (*⁎*)