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Page 23
Having thus prepared them, he read over unto them the greate Charter,
or comission of priviledges, orders and lawes, sent by Sir George
Yeardly out of Englande. Which for the more ease of the Committies,
having divided into fower books, he read the former two the same
forenoon for expeditious sake, a second time over and so they were
referred to the perusall of twoe Comitties, w^ch did reciprocally
consider of either, and accordingly brought in their opinions. But
some men may here objecte to what ende we should presume to referre
that to the examination of the Comitties w^ch the Counsell and Company
in Enggland had already resolved to be perfect, and did expecte
nothing but our assente thereunto? To this we answere that we did it
not to the ende to correcte or controll anything therein contained,
but onely in case we should finde ought not perfectly squaring wth the
state of this Colony or any lawe w^ch did presse or binde too harde,
that we might by waye of humble petition, seeke to have it redressed,
especially because this great Charter is to binde us and our heyers
for ever....
After dinner the Governor and those that were not of the Comitties
sate a seconde time, while the said Comitties were employed in the
perusall of those twoe bookes. And whereas the Speaker had propounded
fower severall objects for the Assembly to consider on: namely, first,
the great charter of orders, lawes, and priviledges; Secondly, which
of the instructions given by the Counsel in England to my lo: la:
warre, Captain Argall or Sir George Yeardley, might conveniently putt
on the habite of lawes; Thirdly, what lawes might issue out of the
private conceipte of any of the Burgesses, or any other of the Colony;
and lastly, what petitions were fitt to be sente home for England. It
pleased the Governour for expedition sake to have the second objecte
of the fower to be examined & prepared by himselfe and the
Non-Comitties. Wherein after having spente some three howers
conference, the twoe Committies brought in their opinions concerning
the twoe former bookes, (the second of which beginneth at these words
of the Charter: And forasmuche as our intente is to establish one
equall and uniforme kinde of government over all Virginia &c.,) w^ch
the whole Assembly, because it was late, deffered to treatt of till
the next morning....
There remaining no farther scruple in the mindes of the Assembly,
touching the said great Charter of lawes, orders and priviledges, the
Speaker putt the same to the question, and so it had both the general
assent and the applause of the whole assembly, who, as they professed
themselves in the first place most submissivily thankfull to almighty
god, therefore so they commaunded the Speaker to returne (as nowe he
doth) their due and humble thankes to the Treasurer, Counsell and
company for so many priviledges and favours as well in their owne
names as in the names of the whole Colony whom they represented.
This being dispatched we fell once more debating of suche instructions
given by the Counsell in England to several Governo^rs--as might be
converted into lawes, the last whereof was the Establishment of the
price of Tobacco, namely, of the best at 3d and the second at 18d the
pounde,...
Here begin the lawes drawen out of the Instructions given by his
Mat^ies Counsell of Virginia in England to my lo: la warre, Captain
Argall and Sir George Yeardley, knight. By this present Generall
Assembly be it enacted, that no injury or oppression be wrought by the
Englishe against the Indians whereby the present peace might be
disturbed and antient quarrells might be revived. And farther be it
ordained that the Chicohomini are not to be excepted out of this lawe;
untill either that suche order come out of Englande, or that they doe
provoke us by some newe injury.
Against Idleness, Gaming, drunkeness & excesse in apparell the
Assembly hath enacted as followeth:
First, in detestation of Idlenes be it enacted, that if any men be
founde to live as an Idler or renagate, though a freedman, it shal be
lawfull for that Incorporation or Plantation to w^ch he belongeth to
appoint him a M^r to serve for wages, till he shewe apparent signes of
amendment.
Against gaming at dice & Cardes be it ordained by this present
assembly that the winner or winners shall lose all his or their
winninges and both winners and loosers shall forfaicte ten shillings a
man, one ten shillings whereof to go to the discoverer, and the rest
to charitable & pious uses in the Incorporation where the faulte is
comitted.
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