In the Year 1615. Captain Smith procur’d by his Interest at Court, and the King’s Favor, a Recommendation from His Majesty, and divers of the Nobility, to all Cities and Corporations, to Adventure in a standing Lottery, which was erected for the benefit of this Plantation, which was contriv’d in such a manner, that of 100000. Pounds which was to be put in, 50000. onely, or one half was to return to the Adventurers, according as the Prizes fell out; and the other half to be dispos’d of for the Promotion of the Affairs of Virginia, in which, though it were three years before it was fully accomplish’d, he had in the end no bad Success.
In the eighteenth Year of the said King’s Reign, at the Request of the second Colony, a Patent was Granted to several Noblemen and Gentlemen, of all that Tract of Land lying in the parts of America, between the Degrees of forty and forty eight of Northerly Latitude, and into the Land from Sea to Sea, which was call’d by the Patent New England in America: For the better Government whereof, one Body-Politick and Corporate was thereby appointed and ordain’d in Plymouth, consisting of the said Noblemen, Gentlemen, and others, to the number of forty Persons, by the Name of The Council establish’d at Plymouth in the County of Devon, for the Planting, Ruling, Ordering, and Governing of New England in America.
The Patent of Virginia made void.
The Miscarriages and Misdemeanors of the aforesaid Corporation for the first Colony of Virginia, were so many and so great, that His said Majesty was forc’d, in or about October 1623. to direct a Quo Warranto, for the calling in of that former Patent, which in Trinity Term following was legally Evinc’d, Condemn’d, and made Void, by Judgment in the Court of the then Kings-Bench; as also all other Patents, by which the said Corporation claim’d any Interest in Virginia. Thus this Corporation of the first Colony of Virginia was dissolv’d, and that Plantation hath been since Govern’d and Dispos’d of by Persons Constituted and Impower’d for that purpose from time to time, by immediate Commissions from the Kings of England.
The Patent of Mary-land granted to the Lord Baltemore.
In the Year of our Lord 1631. the Right Honorable George Lord Baltemore obtain’d a Grant of King Charles the First of Great Britain, &c. of part of that Land to the Northward, which is now call’d Mary-land; but this Patent of Mary-land was not perfected till 1632. as you may understand more fully by the precedent Discourse of Mary-land, which by express words in the said Patent is separated from, and thereby declar’d not to be reputed for the future, any part of Virginia.
The Patent Carolina granted to several Noble Persons.
And in the fifteenth Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second of Great Britain, &c. on March 24. 1663. Edward Earl of Clarendon, then High-Chancellor of England, George Duke of Albemarle, William, now Earl of Craven, John Lord Berkley, Anthony Lord Ashley, Sir George Carterett Knight and Baronet, Sir William Berkley Knight, and Sir John Colleton Knight and Baronet, obtain’d a Patent from His Majesty, of the Province of Carolina, which lies to the Southward of Virginia, in which is included some part of that Land which formerly belong’d to the said dissolv’d Company of Virginia. So that Virginia at present extendeth it self onely, and is situated between thirty six and thirty seven Degrees and fifty Minutes, or thereabouts, of Northern Latitude, and is bounded on the North, by Mary-land; on the South, by Carolina; on the East, by the Ocean; and on the West, by the South-Seas.
Rivers of Virginia.
The Entrance by Sea into this Countrey is the same with that of Mary-land, between Cape Henry and Cape Charles, plac’d on each side of the Mouth of the Bay of Chesapeak; on the West side whereof you first meet with a pleasant and commodious River call’d James-River, about three Miles wide at its Entrance, and Navigable a hundred and fifty.