THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOLDEN THE 16TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 1629.

[From a MS.* belonging to Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, which was purchased by him with the library of Peyton Randolph, from his executors.]

WERE PRESENT AS FOLLOWETH.

JOHN POTT, Esq. Governor, &c.

Captain Roger Smyth.

Captain Samuel Mathewes.

Mr. Secretary Claybourne.

Mr. William ffarrar.

This manuscript is apparently of very ancient date, probably a transcript of the acts immediately after they were passed. Though posterior in point of time, it is evidently more ancient than the manuscript of the acts of 1623. This conclusion is drawn from a variety of circumstances. First the orthography (which is preserved in the acts of each session) is much more antique in this, than in t8_245 of 1623; secondly the characters with which the acts are ritten agree more nearly with those of a period anterior to that which marks the hand writing of the acts of 1623; and thirdly, in the acts of 1623, there are some blanks in the copy which shew it to have been a transcript from an original, at that time not perfectly legible.

The peculiarities in the characters used in the acts of this session; are, that the letter "F" in the beginning of a paragraph, in a proper name, or after a period, is written with a double "f" thus "";-the small "e" is invariably written like the small Greek Epsilon; the particle "the" always written "ye" with the "e" over the "y";-the letter "u" is always used instead of "v" and e converso; the letter "j" is never introduced, but instead of it the letter "i" in every part of a word; the termination "tion" in this, and all the statutes of this period, is written "con" with a circumflex over the "e";-the capital "T" is made by a straight per pendicular mark, with a horizontal cross near the top.

S

The MS. from which the acts of this ses

sion were

printed, is now in the Library of Congress at Washington

who are to

all that should bee the adventurers, and to bee there hive shares of seated by the 15th of November next. Whereuppon voluntarily the Governor offered to find 3 men.

laad to them

Capt. Mathewes

4

Mr. ffarrar

1

and their heirs.

Commanders

of plantations

to levy a force to be employed

against the Indians.

Mr. Thorowgood
Mr. English
Mr. ff lint

Three several expedi

4

2

4

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

ACT II.

IT is ordered that every commander of the severall plantations appointed by commission from the governor shall have power and authoritie to levy a partie of men out of the inhabitants of that place soe many as maybe spared without too much weakening of the plantations and to imploy those men against the Indians, when they shall assault us neere unto our habitations, or when they in their discretion shall deeme it convenient to cleare the woods and the parts neere adioyning when the Indians shall bee a hunting or when they have any certaine knowledge of the Indian's aboad in those places. And if there shall be cause not attend, he that the commander in person can not attend these services, then in such cases, and in his absence hee is to appoint his deputie.

If the com. mander can

must appoint his deputy.

IT was ordered they should have shares of land te them and their heirs.

ACT III.

IT was the opinion of the whole bodie of the Assembly that we should go three severall marches upon the

Indians, at three severall times of the yeare, viz. first tions to be in November, secondly in March, thirdly in July. carried on To effect this the collony and inhabitants are to bee di- dians. vided into fower divisions. The plantations of the upper parts as farr downewards as Weanoacke Marsh, and fflowerdieu hundred creek on both sides the river to cleare those parts and territoryes, and to doe all manner of spoile and offence to the Indians that may possibly bee effected. The second division to extend from flowerdieu hundred creeke and Weanoacke Marsh, as farr downewards as the creeke belowe Hogg Island, and to include the whole corporation of James Cittie and Martin's Hundred, and the plantations of Mulbury Island under the command of capt. Smyth. The third division to be the plantation of Warosquoyacke, and those inhabitants to cleare the grounds and lands betweene Hogg Island creeke and Nansamunge

river.

There remaine for a fourth division Elizabeth Cittie, Warwicke River, Nuttmegg Quarter, Accawmacke, the plantation at Kiskyacke and the places adioyning; to goe twise uppon the Indians in Pamunky river, viz. once before the frost of Christmas, & the other in June, July or August, as alsoe uppon those lands, between Nansamunge river and the river of Chesepeyacke. And it is concluded that the plantations of Accawmacke shall assist them against the Pamunky Indians in the summer time with every fift man out of the inhabi

tants.

ACT IV.

IT was putt to the question whether all new comers shall bee restrained from planting tobacco the first yeare and they to bee exempted from all taxes, and marches for that yeare. The maior part would have no restraint made to new comers.

New comers

not to be restrained from

planting tobacco the 1st year;

or exempted from marches against the lodians.

ACT V.

IT was put to the question whether for this yeare there The planting should be an ordinance made and established for of tobacco lithe stiuting of the planting of tobacco. To this the

mited to a

certain num

ber of plants opinion of the most voices was, that noe persons workeing the ground, which are all to be thithable, should plant above 3000 plants uppon an head.

per head.

Appropriation and revenue Paw.

An exception is made where the familie consisteth of children and woemen which doe not worke in the ground, and they to plant not above 1000 plants per pol. In case any family shall be aggrieved by this order consisting of some nomber of woemen and children, It is thought fitt that in speciall cases the Governor and Councell to order them a further proportion.

ACT VI.

THESE charges following were allowed by the
General Assembly, viz :

Imprimis. To Mr. Marshartt for 16 carriadges for ordinance, there is allowed for his account of £. 208 04s 02d. fowre thowsand five hundred weight of tobacco, soe that the remainder that was not paid unto him last yeare shall be fully paid and delivered unto him this yeare, or his assignes, lbs. 4500 Item. Six barrells of powder, bought of Capt. Crampton, and yet unspent,

0900
Item. One hhd. of wyne, spent in the march, 0255
Item. One ancor lost in the march out of Lieut.
Thompson his boate,

ffor shott which Sr. George Yeardley bought
of Mr. Mayhow and provision to sett out his
ship,

0428

ffor 300 of fish bought of Mr. Menefie,

0090

ffor one barrell of pease spent in the shipp, 0050

To Mr. Claybourne for shott spent in the marches

in Sr. George his time, and this yeare 1629, 0500 ffor one hundred of shott more, bought of Mr. Barrington, & 1-2 of biscuite for Chickaho

miny,

For Ct. Poole's entertainement this

0050

0047 1200

[The lines following the above, are so obliterated as not to be legible till we come to the words "his legg which hee received in the country's service;" from which we may infer that the above item is on account of a wound received by Capt. Poole.]

It is also ordered that the three Indians here resid- Certain Ining shal be maintained by the general charge of the dians to be whole colony. supported.

To defray all the charges above said the whole As- Poll tax. sembly concluded that there should be five pounds of tobacco per pol levyed through the colony.

It is further concluded and ordered that every master How collected. of a family, and every freeman that is to pay five pounds of tobacco per pol as aforesaid for the defraying of publique charges, shall bring the same unto the Houses of the Burgesses of the plantations within two dayes after notice thereof given unto them. And if any shall faile to bring in the same, it is thought fitt that by virtue of this order the said Burgesses shall have power to levy the same by distresse, upon the goods of the delinquents, and to make sale of the said goods, and to detaine such tobacco which shall be due by this order, and for their fees in making this distresse, restoring to the owner of the said goods the residue and remainder. And if the Burgesses shall make neglecte herein they shall be fined by the Governor and Councell.

The Burgesses doe undertake to provide caske to putt upp the same and if any damadge shall befall unto the tobacco, it shall not light uppon the Burgesses, unlesse they shall be faulty therein.

Burgesses to make distress

& sale for. taxes.

For neglect of duty, to be fin

ed by the Governor & coun

cil.

Burgesses to provide casks,

& not liable for involuntary accidents.

All the Burgesses are with all convenient speed to send to the Governor a list of the tithable persons within their plantations, that thereby the Governor may appoint those that are the creditors for this tobacco to receive it and that he take order to have an account paid. kept of the same.

return a list

Burgesses to of tithable to

the governor. Public creditors, how to be

ACT VII.

AT this time the matter of ffortification was taken Fortifications, into consideration and there was longe debate had the subject

considered.