It was ordered by generall Consent that such Captaines or Leaders of Perticulerr Plantacions that shall goe there to inhabite ... in Virginia, shall have liberty, till a forme of Goverment bee here settled for them, Associatinge unto them divers of the gravest and discreetes of their companies, to make Orders, Ordinances, and Constitucions for the better orderinge and dyrectinge of their Servants and buisines, Provided they be not Repugnant to the Lawes of England.

25. The First Representative Assembly in America July 30/August 9, 1619

Stith and Hening (Nos. 16, 17), those early and zealous explorers in Virginian records, both believed that no record of this great Assembly was extant. George Bancroft, however, found a copy in the London Record Office, in 1856, and published it in the New York Historical Society Collections of 1857. A somewhat more critical text was published in 1874 by Wynne and Gilman, in their thin volume of Colonial Records of Virginia. The record was made by John Twine, Clerk of the Assembly. It is printed here almost in full.

A reporte of the manner of proceeding in the General assembly convented at James citty in Virginia, July 30, 1619, consisting of the Governor, the Counsell of Estate and two Burgesses elected out of eache Incorporation and Plantation, and being dissolved the 4th of August next ensuing.

First. Sir George Yeardley, Knight, Governor and Captaine general of Virginia, having sente his sumons all over the Country, as well to invite those of the Counsell of Estate that were absente as also for the election of Burgesses, there were chosen and appeared

For James citty
Captaine William Powell,
Ensigne William Spense.
For Charles citty
Samuel Sharpe,
Samuel Jordan.
For Martin Brandon—Capt. John Martin's Pla'tation
Mr. Thomas Davis,
Mr. Robert Stacy.
For Smythes hundred
Captain Thomas Graves,
Mr. Walter Shelley.
For Martins hundred
Mr. John Boys,
John Jackson.
For the citty of Henricus
Thomas Dawse,
John Polentine.
For Kiccowatan
Captaine William Tucker,
William Capp.
For Argall's guiffe
Mr. Pawlett,
Mr. Gourgaing.
For Flowerdieu hundred
Ensigne Rossingham,
Mr. Jefferson.
For Captain Lawne's plantation
Captain Christopher Lawne,
Ensigne Washer.
For Captaine Warde's plantation
Captaine Warde,
Lieutenant Gibbes.

The most convenient place we could finde to sitt in was the Quire of the Churche Where Sir George Yeardley, the Governour, being sett down in his accustomed place, those of the Counsel of Estate sate nexte him on both handes, excepte onely the Secretary then appointed Speaker, who sate right before him, John Twine, clerke of the General assembly, being placed nexte the Speaker, and Thomas Pierse, the Sergeant, standing at the barre, to be ready for any Service the Assembly should comaund him. But forasmuche as men's affaires doe little prosper where God's service is neglected, all the Burgesses tooke their places in the Quire till a prayer was said by Mr. Bucke, the Minister, that it would please God to guide and sanctifie all our proceedings to his owne glory and the good of this Plantation. Prayer being ended, to the intente that as we had begun at God Almighty, so we might proceed with awful and due respecte towards the Lieutenant, our most gratious and dread Soveraigne, all the Burgesses were intreatted to retyre themselves into the body of the Churche, which being done, before they were fully admitted, they were called in order and by name, and so every man (none staggering at it) tooke the oathe of Supremacy, and then entred the Assembly....

These obstacles removed, the Speaker, who a long time had bene extreame sickly and therefore not able to passe through long harrangues, delivered in briefe to the whole assembly the occasions of their meeting. Which done, he read unto them the commission for establishing the Counsell of Estate and the general Assembly, wherein their duties were described to the life.

Having thus prepared them, he read over unto them the greate Charter, or commission 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 persuall of twoe Comitties, which 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 which the Counsell and Company in England 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 with the state of this Colony, or any lawe which 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....