(1) A Quarter Courte held for Virginia at Mr Ferrars in St Sithes Lane the 17th of May 1620.
Present—[The list includes 172 names with the addenda "and many others." The first eight named were Lords; the next thirty, knights.]
Uppon request of some of the generallytie itt was ordered that frome hence forth before the Company proceed to the choyce of their Officers the Chapter or title of election [i.e., the company's rules regarding elections] shall allwaies be red before.
Imeadiately after, and before they proceeded in any buisines, one mr Kerkham agent, sent from the King, presented himselfe to the boord and signified to the Courte that his Majestie, understandinge of the Eleccion of their Treasuror, which they intended this day to make choyce of, out of an especiall care and respect hee hath to that Plantacion, hath required him to nominate unto them ffower, outt of which his pleasure is the Company should make choyce of one to be their Treasurer; That was, Sir Thomas Smith, Sir Thomas Roe, Mr. Alderman Johnson, and Mr. Maurice Abbott, and noe other.
These buisines beinge thus ordered mr Treasurer accordinge to the standing Lawes of the Company before the giveinge upp of his place proceeded to declare unto this Courte the State of the Colony together with the Supplies of this yeare, and the present State of the Treasury, how both hee found itt and now should leave itt. [See No. 26 above.]
Lastly hee concluded with his respective thanks, first to the Company in generall for their love in chosinge him, and then particularly to the Lords for their so frequent presence to the graceinge of the Courte and great assistance in the buisines; to the Officers for their faythfull joyninge with him in the supportinge of his burthen; and againe to the Courte in generall for their patience in bearringe with his unwillinge errors and other naturall infirmities. So deliveringe upp his Office togeather with the Sealls, hee desyred the Courte to proceed in Eleccion of their Treasuror, accordinge to the message lately receaved from his Majesty: and theruppon withdrew himselfe out of the Courte.
Uppon which this great and generall Courte found themselves uppon a deliberate consideracion of the matter att an exceedinge pinch: for if they should not doe as the Kinge had commaunded they might incurre suspicion of defect in poynte of duety,—from which they protested they were and would be free; on the other side, if they should proceed accordinge to the lymitts of that message they suffered a greate breach into their Prevyledge of free Eleccion graunted to them by his Majestys letters Pattents, which they held fitt rather to lay downe with all dutie and submission att his Majesties ffeet then to be depryved of their pryveledge. And theruppon perusing the said letters Pattents, after longe arguinge and debatinge, itt was concluded by generall ereccion of hands, that the eleccion might and should be adjourned to the next Quarter Courte notwithstanding any order made by the Company to the contrarie.
Wheruppon forasmuch as itt manyfestly appeared that his Majestie hadd beene much misinformed of the menaginge of their buisines this last yeare, Itt was agreed accordinge to the opynion aforesaide that the day of Eleccon should be putt of till the next generall Courte some six weeks hence in Midsomer Tearme, and till they understood the Kings farther pleasure, And in the intrym they humbly entreated the Right Honorable the Lord of Southampton, Vyscount Doncaster, The Lord Cavendish, the Lord Sheffield, Sir John Davers, Sir Nicholas Tufton, Sir Lawrence Hide, mr Christopher Brook, mr Gibbes, mr Herbert, mr Keightley, and mr Cranmer to meet uppon ffryday morninge att Southampton house to determine of an humble answere unto his Majesties message and to deliver to him a true informaccon as well of the former as of this latter years government of the buisines for Virginia, beseechinge allso that his Majestie would be pleased not to take from them the Pryveledge of their letters Pattents, butt that itt might be in their owne choyce to have free eleccion.