THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY.

HE faction in the Company led by the Earl of Warwick, Sir Thomas Smith the late Treasurer, and Alderman Johnson late Deputy Treasurer, although few in numbers, had the sympathy of the court party in politics. Early in the year 1623, it was evident that the proceedings of the Company were to be met with objections.1 After a contract had been made with the King relative to the sole importation of tobacco, a committee appointed by the Company recommended certain officers, with salaries, to look after their tobacco trade. The report was adopted, and Mr Wrote, the mouth-piece of the faction, made it the pretext for a rupture, and said the salaries were "carried fowly and with much arte, surreptitously and to priuate ends," and that men "could not speak their minds freely, were

The Marquis of Hamilton and Earl of Pembroke solemnly affirmed to Southampton that they heard Gondomar, the Spanish Ambassador, say to the King: "That it was time for him to look to the Virginia Courts which were kept at the Forrar's House, where too many of his Nobility and Gentry resorted to accompany the popular Lord Southampton and the dangerous Sandys."

They further stated: "Your enemies will prevail at last; for let the Company do what they can in open defiance of honor and justice, it is absolutely determined at all events to take away your patent."—Peckard's Ferrar, pp. 115, 121.

ouerawed." The upright merchant John Farrar, and Deputy Treasurer, at the next meeting, declared the remarks to be "untrue and scandalous," and Lord Cavendish said "that Wrote had not only affronted him in particular, but the Earl of Southampton and the rest of the Counsel and Committee."

At subsequent meetings Mr Wrote became more violent in his speech, and on the last of January, 1622-23, the Minutes state: "In great passion challenged the Earl of Southampton for giuing him the lye in the Third person at a Sumers Islands court, saying that if any man should saye that in any thing men were overawed and durst not speak it, was put into his mouth by the Deuill, the father of lyes, for a fowler lye himselfe neuer told.'"

The Earl of Southampton as presiding officer, instantly told Wrote "that had he carried himselfe so in any other place but this, he would not have endured it, and sharply willed him to behaue himself in a better maner."

On the fourth of February the discussion continued, and Captain John Smith, who was then on the side of the Company, said "that hauinge spent upon Virginia a verie great matter,1 he did by God's blessinge hope to receaue this yeare a good quantity of Tobacco wch he would not willingly haue come under the hands of them that would performe the buissiness for loue, and not upon a good and competent salary."

The day after this Mr. Wrote, having refused to apologize for his indecorous speeches, was suspended, and from that time the determination of the faction to break up the Company was more marked. Early in April, Alderman

1 The Records show no expenditure on his part.

JOHNSON'S COMPLAINT.

387

Johnson, in behalf of the faction, presented the following petition to the King:

Petition Of ALDERMAN JOHNSON And Others.

"To ye Kings most exellent Mat.

"The humble petition of Sundry the Aduenturers and Planters of the Virginia and Sumers Ilands Plantacons. "Most gracious Soueraigne :

"Amongst the many memorable works of yor Mat8 gracious Raigne those of the Plantacons of Virginia and the Somer Ilands are not the Least. The beginninge of wch enterprize beinge the first forraigne Colony planted by our nation accompanyed with soe great a charge to furnish ships and men and to make yearly new Supplies wthout any present hope of retribucon was sufficient att the first veiwe and computacon to haue discourraged ye most resolute and forward Aduenturers, butt by God's Assistance and yor Mat8 gracious encourragem18 wch that discreet and mylde Gouerm' first nomynated and appoynted by yor Mati°, all sortes of men were in such kind and frendly manner inuited to engage themselues y* notwithstandinge many difficulties that great Accon (wch otherwise had perished in the birth, not onely tooke life and beinge butt pceeded in a moste hopefull and comfortable Course for many years togeather with unity and loue amongst ourselues and ...... enterteynmnl of those Sauadge Indians by wch endeauors sundry of those Infidells and some of emynent sort were conuerted to Christian Religion, Staple Comodities began to be raysed and imported into this kingdome, as Iron, Sturgion, Caueary, Sope and Pottashes, Masts for

Ships, Clapboard, Pipestanes, Waynscott, Wine, Pitch and Tarr and y* most desired work of Silkwormes: These were ye blessings then uppon our peaceable proceedinge.

"Butt wee know not howe itt is of late yeares com to passe that notwithstandinge yor Matie8 subiects haue been in great multitude exported to the Plantacons yett ye aforesaid Comodities and other ye fruits of y* worke do not appear as in former times, or unitie and peace att home is turned to Ciuill discord and dissencon amongst or selues, and to Massacre and Hostility between the Natiues and our Colony in Virginia, and diuers of ye Antient Aduenturers and Planters conceiue themselues many ways iniured abused and oppressed. In wch respect fearinge y* ye utter ruine and distruccon of those great works is like to followe without the help of a Supreame hand, and not holdinge itt fitt to trouble yor Sacred ears wth pticular complaints wee are forced for remedy to appeale to yor moste excellent Maty.

"Humbly prayinge y* some worthy personages whom yor Maty shall please may be noiated and appointed by comission under ye great Seale of England who by Oath or otherwise by all Lawfull means and waies may enquire and examine ye true state of ye Plantacons att ye time when Sr Thomas Smith lefte ye Gouerment of ye said Comp*: and all incidents thereunto belonginge, as also what moneys since y* time haue been collected for ye Plantacons, and by whome, howe the same haue been procured and expended, and what after ye expense of so much money is ye true estate and condicon of ye said Plantacons at this present: As allso to enquire into all abuses and greiuances concerninge the former pticulars And of all wrongs and iniuries done to any ye Aduenturers or Planters and the grounds and

JOHNSON'S COMPLAINT.

389

causes thereof, and to propound how the same in time to come be reformed and howe the businesses of ye said Plantacons may be better mannaged Soe that all Contentions and difficulties being reconciled, the Authors thereof condignly punished, unitie and peace resettled, and ye forme of Gouerninge, and dyrectinge those Affaires beinge better established that worke may prospr with a blessinge from heauen, to yor Mate great honour and proffitt, and to those religious and publique ends for wch they were first undertaken."

As soon as it was known that this petition had been offered, an extraordinary court of the Company was called on Saturday, April 12, 1623, in the forenoon.

"The Lo: Cauendish acquainted the Company that the cause of calling this Court, at soe unseasonable a time was to acquaint them how that Alderman Johnson together wth some others his Associates had presented a peticon to his Matie complayning much of the misgouernml of the Companies and Plantacons for the Last foure yeares, wch to the entent it might not make any impression in his Royall breast to the preiudice of the Company his Lop conceaued that the Company were to thinke of some present course to giue his Matle satissfaccon by a true Declaracon both of the State of the Colony, and of the cariage of buisinesses here at home by the Company."

Two days after this, a committee of the Company appeared before the Privy Council to answer the false allegations in Johnson's petition.1 Chamberlain, in a letter to

In Peckard's Life of Nicholas Ferrar, it is stated that on the Thursday before Easter 1623, he and others were called before the Privy Council, when Cranfield the Lord Treasurer presented Johnson's and Butler's ac