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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 th 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 "c";-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

all that should bee the adventurers, and to bee there

hive shares of seated by the 15th of November next. Whereuppon

who are to

laad to them

and their

heirs.

voluntarily the Governor offered to find 3 men.
Capt. Mathewes

Mr. ffarrar

Mr. Thorowgood
Mr. English
Mr. fflint

Mr. Rowlston
Capt. Basse

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

Commanders of plantations

to levy a force to be employed

against the Indians.

If the com. mander can

not attend, he

must appoint his deputy.

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

en out of the inhabitants of that place soe many as maybe spared without too much weakening of the plations 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 that the commander in person can not attend these services, then in such cases, and in his absence hee is to appoint his deputie.

Three several expedi.

ACT III.

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

carried on

dians.

Indians, at three severall times of the yeare, viz. first tions to be in November, secondly in March, thirdly in July. against the inTo effect this the collony and inhabitants are to bee divided 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
no to be re-
planting tobac
co the 1st year;

strained from

or exempted from marches against the lodians.

ACT V.

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

The planting of tobacco licertain num

mited to a

per head.

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.

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.

Appropriation and revenue Paw.

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 deliver-
ed 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,

0050

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

0428

0090

ffor 300 of fish bought of Mr. Menefie,

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,
ffor one hundred of shott more, bought of Mr.
Barrington, & 1-2 of biscuite for Chickaho-
miny,

For Ct. Poole's entertainement this yeare,

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 Iuing 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.

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 kept of the same.

ACT VII.

Burgesses to

make distress

& sale for. taxes.

For neglect of duty, to be fined by the Governor & coun

eil.

Burgesses to provide casks, & not liable for

involuntary accidents.

Burgesses to

of tithable to the governor.

return a list

Public creditors, how to be

paid.

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

considered.

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