WHereas the Colonie of Ʋirginia, Planted by the hands of Our most deare Father of blessed memory, for the propagation of Christian Religion, the increase of Trade, and the enlarging of his Royall Em­pire, hath not hitherto prospered so happily, as was hoped and desired, A great occasion whereof his late Maiesty conceiued to be, for that the gouernment of that Colony was committed to the Company of Vir­ginia, encorporated of a multitude of persons of seuerall dispositions, amongst whom the affaires of greatest moment were, and must be ru­led by the greater number of Votes and Voyces; And therefore his late Maiestie, out of His great Wisedome, and depth of Iudgement, did desire to resume that popular gouernment, and accordingly the Letters Patents of that Incorporation, were by his Highnesse direction in a Legall course questioned, and thereupon iudicially repealed, and adiudged to bee voyde; wherein his Maie­sties ayme was onely, to reduce that gouernment into such a right course, as might best agree with that forme which was held in the rest of his Royall Monarchy, and was not intended by him, to take away, or impeach the particular Interest of any priuate Plantor, or Aduenturer, nor to alter the same, otherwise then should be of necessity for the good of the publique: And wheras We continue the like care of those Colonies and Plantatious, as Our late deare Father did, and vpon deliberate aduice and consideration, are of the same Iudgement that Our said Father was of, for the gouernment of that Colony of Virginia; Now lest the apprehension of former personall differences, which haue heretofore happened (the reuiuing and continuing whereof Wee vtterly disallow, and strictly forbid) might distract the mindes of the Plantors and Aduenturers, or the opinion, that We would neglect those Plantations, might discourage men to goe or send thither, & so hinder the perfecting of that worke, wherin We hold the honor of Our deare Father deceased, and Our owne honour to be deeply engaged; We haue thought fit to declare, and by Our Royal Proclamation to publish Our owne Iudgement, and resolution in these things, which by Gods assistance Wee purpose constantly to pursue. And therefore Wee doe by these presents publish and declare to all Our louing Subiects, and to the whole world, that Wee hold those Territories of Virginia and the Sommer-Ilands, as also that of New England, where Our Colonies are already plan­ted, & within the limits & bounds wherof, Our late deare Father, by His Letters Patents, vnder His great Seale of England, remaining of Record, hath giuen leaue and liberty to His Subiects to plant and inhabite, to be a part of Our Royall Empire, descended vpon Vs and vndoubtedly be­longing and appertaining vnto Vs; And that We hold Our selfe, aswell bound by Our Regal of­fice, to protect, maintaine, and support the same, and are so resolued to doe, as any other part of Our Dominions:

And that Our full resolution is, to the end that there may be one vniforme course of Gouern­ment, in, and through all Our whole Monarchie, That the Gouernment of the Colonie of Vir­ginia [Page] shall immediatly depend vpon Our Selfe, and not be committed to any Company or Cor­poration, to whom it may be proper to trust matters of Trade and Commerce, but cannot bee fit or safe to communicate the ordering of State-affaires, be they of neuer so meane consequence: And that therefore Wee haue determined, That Our Commissioners for those Affaires, shall proceed according to the tenor of Our Commission directed vnto them, vntill Wee shall declare Our further pleasure therein. Neuerthelesse We doe herby declare, That Wee are resolued, with as much conuenient expedition, as Our Affaires of greater importance will giue leaue, to establish a Councell, consisting of a few persons of vnderstanding and qualitie, to whom We will giue trust for the immediate care of the Affaires of that Colony, and who shall be answerable to Vs for their proceedings, and in matters of greater moment, shall be subordinate and atten­dant vnto Our Priuie Councell heere; And that We will also establish another Councell to be resident in Virginia, who shall be subordinate to Our Councell here for that Colonie; and that at Our owne charge We will maintaine those publique Officers and Ministers, and that strength of Men, Munition, and Fortification, as shall be fit and necessary for the defence of that Plan­tation, and will by any course that shall be desired of Vs, settle and assure the particular rights and interests of euery Planter and Aduenturer, in any of those Territories, which shall desire the same, to giue them full satisfaction for their quiet and assured enioying thereof.

And lastly, whereas it is agreed on all sides, that the Tobacco of those plantations of Virginia and the Sommer Islands (which is the onely present meanes for their subsisting) cannot be managed for the good of the Plantations, vnlesse it be brought into one hand, whereby the forreigne To­bacco may be carefully kept out, and the Tobacco of those Plantations may yeeld a certaine and ready price to the owners thereof; Wee doe hereby declare, That to auoid all differences and contrariety of opinions, which will hardly be reconciled amongst the Planters and Aduenturers themselues, We are resolued to take the same into Our owne hands, and by Our seruants or Agents for Vs, to giue such prices to the Planters and Aduenturers for the same, as may giue them reasonable satisfaction and encouragement; but of the maner thereof, Wee will determine hereafter at better leisure: And when We shall haue concluded the same, We shall expect, that all Our louing Subiects will readily conforme themselues thereunto.

And in the meane time, because the importation and vse of forreigne Tobacco, which is not of the growth of those Plantations, or one of them, will visibly & assuredly vndermine and destroy those Plantations, by taking away the meanes of their subsistence, We doe hereby strictly charge and command, That Our late Proclamation, bearing date the ninth day of April last, intituled, (A Proclamation touching Tobacco) shall in all points and parts thereof, be duely and strictly obser­ued, vpon paine of Our high displeasure, and such further penalties and punishments, as by the sayd Proclamation are to be inflicted vpon the offenders. And We doe hereby aduise all Our lo­uing Subiects, and all others whom it may concerne, not to aduenture the breach of our Royall Commandement in any of the premisses, We being fully resolued, vpon no importunitie or inter­cession whatsoeuer, to release or remit the deserued punishment of such, as shall dare to offend a­gainst the same, seeing We holde not Our Selfe onely, but Our people interested therein.

Giuen at Our Court at White-Hall, the thirteenth day of May, in the first yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.