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EXECUTIVE JOURNALS

OF THE

Council of Colonial Virginia

Vol. I

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Volume I, Page 409

At a Councill held at James City February 23, 1698 [1698-99]

Present

His Excellency Francis Nicholson Esq'r & c.
William Byrd Edward Hill	Edmond Jenings John Lightfoot
Matthew Page Esq'rs

. . . 

    A Letter from his Excellency Richard Earle of Bellamont Gov-
ernour of New Yorke to his Excellency the Governour of Virginia, re-
lating to a new trade with the Indians to the west-ward was read, and
the Consideracon thereof referred till the meeting of a General As-
sembly.

     Collonell Cadwallader Jones having made a proposition for the dis-
covery of a new trade with the Indians the Consideration thereof is
referred to a Generall Assembly.

. . .

Volume I, Page 415

[At a Councill held at James City] February 25, 1698 [1698-99]

Present

His Excellency Francis Nicholson Esq'r & c.
William Byrd Edward Hill.	Edmund Jenings John Lightfoot
Matthew Page Esq'rs

. . .

     Ordered, that the Indian Interpreters upon the first day, May
next, do bring the severall nations of Indians whereto they are Inter-
preters, to Pay their tribute to his Excellency at Middle plantation,
and that they come with the said Indians, and cause them to bring
some of the best and most active of the youth of their several nations,
With their bowes and arrowes.

. . .

Volume I, Page 439-440

Present

His Excellency
Richard Lee William Byrd. Edward Hill. Richard Johnson	Charles Scarburgh John Lightfoot. Mathew Page Benj'n Harrison Esq'rs

May. 24. 1699

     The petition of Arthur Whitehead Complaining of an Assault
made upon him by One of the Nottaway Indian's, is referred to Ben-
jamin Harrison Esq'r to examine the Matter of fact and Report the
Same, to His Excellency and the Councill, together with his Opinion
thereupon.

. . .

Volume I, Page 440

Present as before

May. 26.1699

     The Petition of William Leigh Gentleman for a Grant of certain
Land's in King and Queen and Essex Counties is referred to the Co-
mittee appointed to Settle the Claimes to Land's in Pamunkey Neck
and on the South Side of the Blackwater Swamp, for them to Examine
the matter of the Said petition and report their opinions therein.

 . . .

Volume I, Page 446

June 5, 1699

Present

      . . .

     Whereas Severall persons have laid their Claimes to land's in
Pamunkey Neck, and on the South Side of the Blackwater, before His
Excellency and the Council which Claimes haveing been Considered,
and the Method of proceeding therein to obtain Patents for the said
Lands being adjusted by a joint Comittee of the Councill and Bur-
gesses of this Generall Assembly, to whom the Same was referred; and
that all Disputes and Controversies hereafter about those Land's, may
be prevented,

     Ordered, that the Sheriffs of the Severall Counties throughout this
His Maj'ts Colony and Cominion doe make publick proclamacon in
their Respective Counties that all persons who have any Claime to
Land either in Pamunkey Neck, or on the South Side of the Black-
water Swamp, and have no yet laid the Same before His Excellency
and the Councill, Shall exhibite such Claime or Claimes, before the
first day of the next Generall Court Or else they Shall not receive any
benefitt thereby.

. . .

Volume I, Page 448

June 7, 1699

Present

His Excellency
Richard Lee William Byrd. Edward Hill. Richard Johnson	Charles Scarburgh John Lightfoot. Mathew Page Benj'n Harrison Esq'rs

. . .

     Whereas by His Maj'ts Royall Instruccons for the greater Security
of this His Maj'ts Colony His Excellency is directed to appoint fitt
Officers and Comanders in the Several parts of the Country bordering
upon the Indians, who upon any Invasion may raise men and armes to
oppose them, untill they Shall receive His Direccons therein; And that
noe new Charge may arise to the Publick by Officers appointed for
Such particular Occasions and noe other, therfore

. . .

Volume I, Pages 456-457

At a Councill held at James Citty June y'e 21'st 1699

Present

His Excellency
William Byrd	Edmund Jenings
Benjamin Harrison Esq'rs

. . .

     Ordered, y't y'e Coroners, Indian Interpreters, Escheators & all
other Officers Comicons be p'r'pared in y'e Secretaries Officer & y't y'e
Charge thereof be certified & recomended for allowance to y'e Next
Generall Assembly.

    M'r Attorney Generall according to order haveing p'r'ared a proc-
clamacon for apprehending the Indian called Squire Tom, y'e Same was
read in Councill and approved.

. . .

     Whereas divers of his Maj'ties good and loyall Subjects have been
at great expence & charge in seating & planting severall tracts & par-
cells of land in Pamunky Neck & on y'e South Side of y'e black Water
Swamp, which they have held either by orders of y'e Generall Court,
Leases from y'e Indian's Survey's, Entries thereof with y'e Surveyors or
other defective titles, without any legall Patents, in Expectacon y't
when the Governm't should grant patents for those land's it would be
easy for them according to y'e late Practices to obtain rights to take
up & patent y'e same; by which means many People have been in-
duced for valuable consideracons, to purchase lands in those places; &
whereas it is highly necessary for y'e Service of his Maj'ty and y'e Peace
and welfare of this his Collony & Dominion that some method be setled
whereby these people may obtain Legall grants for their lands; therefor

     Ordered, y't very [every] person paying five shilling Sterl to Mr Au-
ditor for y'e use of his Maj'ty shall have y'e same liberty to take up &
patent fifty acres of land's which [he] would otherwise have had for
the Importacon of any of his Maj'ties Subjects into this Dominion, and
y't M'r Auditor doe accordingly grant a Certificate to every such person
for y'e takeing up and Patenting fifty acres of land for every five Shill-
ings which shall be soe paid by him for his Maj'ties use, and every
Surveyor unto whom such Certificate shall be produced, is hereby re-
quired to make entry & survey of such Quantity of land according to
every such Certificat respectively, in like manner as y'e law directs
upon y'e produceing a Certificate of y'e Importacon of any of his Maj'ties
Subjects into this Dominion.

     Ordered that ye' Sheriffs of y'e Severall Counties within this Dominion
doe make proclamacon throughout their Respective Baliwick's
that y'e Comisoners appointed to adjuge & settle y'e Claimes to lands
in Pamunckey Neck, pursuant to the Order of y'e last Generall As-
sembly, will sit and proceed therein upon Wednesday the twenty
seaventh day of September next at y'e Court house of King & Queen
County; and y'e Comiconers appointed to adjust & settle y'e Calimes
to land's upon Blackwater will sit & proceed therein upon Wednesday
y'e twentyeth day of September next at y'e Court house of Surrey Coun-
ty; of which all persons who have any claime to land in either of those
places are to take notice & attend the prosecution thereof accordingly.

. . .

Volume I, Page 458-459

June y'e 22'd 1699

Present

His Excellency
William Byrd Edward Hill	Edmund Jennings John Lightfoot
Benj'n Harrisson Esq'rs

. . .

     Ordered, that the Said Peticon be referred to the Comiconers ap-
ppointed to adjust and Settle the Claimes to Lands in Pamunkey Neck;
and if the Said Peticon doe not interfere with any former Peticons of
Right that they Certify y'e Same for allowance, in like manner as they
doe for other lands in those parts, pursuant to y'e Directions of the last
Generall Assembly.

     Ordered, that the letter of his Excellency the Earle of Bellamont
and the other papers relateing to the discovery and Settleing of a New
Trade with the Indians be laid before the Comittee appointed to Re-
vise the Laws and recommended to the Consideracon.

. . .

Volume I, Page 466

[C. O. 5, Vol 1310 C 16 continued, No. 2'xxiv}

Virginia Sc't                              By his Excellency
           Seal                                   A Proclamation

      Whereas a Piscataway Indian called & knowne by the name of
Squire Tom hath been convicted upon the Records of Stafford County
Court for the barbarous murther of some of his Ma'ts Subject in the
said County and to avoid the just punishment due for y'e said offence
is fled from Justice, Therefore I Francis Nicholson Esq'r his Mat's Lieu't
& Governor Gen'll of Virginia by & with the advice & consent of the
honor'ble Councill of state do in his Ma'ts name command & require all
officers Civill & Military & all other his Ma'ts Loving Subjects within
this his ancient & great Colony & Dominion of Virginia to use their
best & utmost Endeavour to app'r'hend & take the Said Indian Squire
Tom, and him having taken to bring or cause to be bro't before any of
his Ma'ts Justices of the peace in this Colony & Dominion who is hereby
commanded and required to secure the said Indian Squire Tom in
order to his being brought to Condign punishm't, and in case the Said
Indian doth resist or refuse to be taken it shall & may be Lawfull for
any of this Ma'ts Loving Subject to Kill Shoot, or destroy the said
Indian Squire Tom, & if any person or persons either Christian or
heathen shall app'r'hend and take the said Indian Tom either Dead or
alive I do promise to allow to any such p'r'son or p'r'sons the reward of
Tenn Pounds Sterling, w'ch the auditor of his Ma'ts Revenues is hereby
impowered & required to pay, And I do command all Sherriffs to cause
this proclamation to be published in all Churches Chappels & other
publique places in their respective Countys as they will answer the
Contrary at their perills Given at James Towne under my hand & Seal
of the Colony this 21'th Day of June 1699 in the Eleaventh year of his
Ma'ts Reigne

Fr Nicholson          

A proclamacon for app'r'hending &
taking one Squire Tom an Indian

. . .

APPENDIX

Volume I, Page 488

To the Hon'ble Sir Henry Chickeley
Knight and the Honoroable Council of State [ca. 1682]

      . . .

     The present State of the Country is Extreamely poor -- people not
able to buy common necessarys whereby they are led to believe all
Suggestions how impeacheable soever -- at peace with the Indians but
Obliged to keep Forces in pay to prevent Sudden Mischiefs propose
that the Indian's Trade should be confined and by the directions of
his Majestry put into the hands of one or two persons, Men of Integrity
and Ability for 5 Years, and they to pay for the same towards support-
ing the Government --That no Indians should be Slaves

Signed
Robert Smith Joseph Bridger Philip Ludwell John Page William Byrd	Nicholas Spencer Nathaniel Bacon William Cole Richard Lee

Volume I, Page 496 [Appendix]

June 11'th 1683

     . . .

     November 22 1683  Col'o Byrd sent to treat with the Senecas in
Pamunkey Neck.

      . . .

     Many incursions made by the Northern Indians during thie Pres-
dentship.

      

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Pages 400-499 | Pages 500-511 | Index