"That whereas, in his royal father's time, the charter of the Virginia Company was by a quo warranto annulled; and whereas his said father was, and he himself also is, of opinion, that the government of that Colony by a company incorporated, consisting of a multitude of persons of various dispositions, amongst whom affairs of the greatest moment are ruled by a majority of votes, was not so proper, for carrying on, prosperously, the affairs of the colony; wherefore, to reduce the government thereof to such a course as might best agree with that form which was held in his royal monarchy; and considering also, that we hold those territories of Virginia and Somer isles, as also that of New England, lately planted, with the limits thereof, to be a part of our royal empire; we ordain that the government of Virginia shall immediately depend on ourself, and not be committed to any company or corporation, to whom it may be proper to trust matters of trade and commerce, but cannot be fit to commit the ordering of state affairs. "Wherefore our commissioners for those affairs shall proceed as directed, till we establish a council here for that colony; to be subordinate to our council here for that colony. And at our charge we will maintain those public officers and ministers and that strength of men, munition, and fortification, which shall be necessary for the defence of that plantation. And we will also settle and assure the particular rights and interests of every planter and adventurer. Lastly, whereas the tobacco of those plantations (the only present means of their subsisting) cannot be managed for the good of the plantations, unless it be brought into one hand, whereby the foreign tobacco of those plantations may yield a certain and ready price to the owners thereof: to avoid all differences between the planters and adventurers themselves, we resolve to take the same into our own hands, and to give such prices for the same as may give reasonable satisfaction, whereof we will determine at better leisure." From this time forward the Plantation seemed to prosper, Charles granted lands to all the planters and adventurers who would till them, upon paying the annual sum of two shillings payable to the crown for each hundred acres. Before the death of King James, however, the cultivation of tobacco had become so extensive that every other product seemed of but little value in comparison with it, and the price realized from its sale being so much greater than that obtained for "Corne," the latter was neglected and its culture almost entirely abandoned. Arthur and Carpenter, in their History of Virginia, give a graphic and truthful picture of its cultivation during the reign of King James:--