Certain instructions sent out from England were "drawn into laws" for
protection of the Indians from injury, and regulating intercourse with
them, and educating their children, and preparing some of the most
promising boys "for the college intended for them; that from thence they
may be sent to that work of conversion"; for regulating agriculture,
tobacco, and sassafras, then the chief merchantable commodities raised.
Upon Captain Powell's petition, "a lewd and treacherous servant of his"
was sentenced to stand for four days with his ears nailed to the
pillory, and be whipped each day. John Rolfe complained that Captain
Martin had made unjust charges against him, and cast "some aspersion
upon the present government, which is the most temperate and just that
ever was in this country--too mild, indeed, for many of this colony,
whom unwonted liberty hath made insolent, and not to know themselves."
On the last day of the session were enacted such laws as issued "out of
every man's private conceit." "It shall be free for every man to trade
with the Indians, servants only excepted upon pain of whipping, unless
the master will redeem it off with the payment of an angel." "No man to
sell or give any of the greater hoes to the Indians, or any English dog
of quality, as a mastiff, greyhound, bloodhound, land or water spaniel."
"Any man selling arms or ammunition to the Indians, to be hanged so soon
as the fact is proved." All ministers shall duly "read divine service,
and exercise their ministerial function according to the ecclesiastical
laws and orders of the Church of England, and every Sunday, in the
afternoon, shall catechize such as are not ripe to come to the
communion." All persons going up or down the James River were to touch
at James City, "to know whether the Governor will command them any
service." "All persons whatsoever, upon the Sabbath days, shall frequent
divine service and sermons, both forenoon and afternoon; and all such as
bear arms shall bring their pieces, swords, powder, and shot."
Captain Henry Spellman, charged by Robert Poole, interpreter, with
speaking ill of the Governor "at Opochancano's court," was degraded from
his rank of captain, and condemned to serve the colony for seven years
as interpreter to the Governor. Paspaheigh, embracing three hundred
acres of land, was also called Argallstown, and was part of the tract
appropriated to the Governor. To compensate the speaker, clerk,
sergeant, and provost-marshal, a pound of the best tobacco was levied
from every male above sixteen years of age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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