A DECLARATION Set forth by the Lord LIEUTENANT GENERALL the GENTLEMEN of the Councell & aſſembly occaſioned from the view of a printed paper.
ENTITULED. An Act Prohibiting trade with the Barbados, Virginea, Bermudes and Antegoe.
HAGH Printed by Samuel Broun English Bookeſeller. 1651. ⟨Octob .29. ⟩
THe Lord Lieutenant Generall together which the Gentlemen of this Councell and aſſembly having carrefully peruſed the ſayd printed paper and finding therein matter ſo highly concerning the freedome, happineſſe and wellfaire of this Iſlande thought it their duty to Communicate the ſame unto all the Inhabitans of this place together which their obſervations and reſolutions upon the ſame, and for the better and more methodical proceding therein they have firſt ordered the ſame to be publikly read as followeth.
Thus farre goes the ſayd Act by which the meaneſt underſtanding may be ſenſible into how low an abject a bondage, the force of it would (if not prevented) reduce the Inhabitans of this Iſland.
I. For firſt they do Alleadge that this Iſland was ſetled at the coſt and charges of the People of England, and therefore ought to be ſubjected to the people of England.
Certainly we all know that we the now Inhabitants of this Iſland were and ſtill are thoſe People of England the which with great hazard of out perſons and at our great coſt and charges have ſetled and inhabited this place and shall we therfore be ſubjected to the wills of thoſe that ſtay at home? Shall we be bound by the regulations of the Parliament in which we have no repreſentatives no perſons there choſen by us to propoſe or conſent to what is good for us or to oppoſe, or diſpute what is not for our benefit or behoofe? certainly this were a Slauish impoſition beyond what Englishmen ever yet ſufferd & we doubt not but thoſe courages which have brought us ſo farre from our Native Soile and found us out a living in theſe wild woods will ſtill keep us freemen (whithout which) our lives will be but lothſome to us.
II. Secondly it is alleaged you the inhabitans of this Iſland have by ſubtilty and force uſurped a power of Gouvernment.
Had we the Inhabitans of this Iſland ben heard what we could have ſayd, this allegation had never been printed. But thoſe who are deſigned to be ſlaves muſt not have the priviledge otherwiſe we could have ſayd and moſt truly can & do averr that the Gouvernment now if of force amongſt us is the ſame that hath ben conſtantly adhered unto, and obeyed ever ſince the ſetling this place and given unto us by the ſame Authority which gave New England theirs, againſt whom the ſayd Act objecteth nothing, and this Gouvernment now obeyed here is the neareſt moddell and reſſemblance (now left in the world) of that admirable forme under which all our Anceſtours of the English Nation florished for at leaſt one thouſand yeares paſt, & therfore we shall conclude the rules of logick and diſcovrie to be ſtrangly inverted, if the Continuance of, and Submiſsion to the ſettled rightfull Gouvernment be adjudged an uſurpation of new power, and on the Contrary an Vſurpation of a new Gouvernment and be held a Continuance of the Old.
III. Thirdly by the ſayd Act all Forraigners are prohibited from holding any commerce with the inhabitans of this Iſland.
Whereas all the old Planters well know how much they have ben beholding to the Dutch for their ſubſiſtance, and how difficult it would have ben (without their aſſiſtances) ever to have ſettled this place & even to this day we are ſenſible what neceſſary comforts they bring us and how much cheaper they ſell their Commodities to us then our owne Nation; but this comfort muſt be taken from us by them whoſe will muſt be our law: But we do Declare that we will never be ſo ungratefull to the Dutch for former helps as to deny them or any other Nation the freedome of our Ports and Protection of our Lawes wherby they may ſtill (& if they pleaſe) embrace a free Trade and Commerce with us.
IV. Fourthly to compleat our deſigned bondage, and make our necks willing to receive the yoake our owne Countremen are likewiſe prohibited from trade and correſpondency with us and none to come neare us but ſuch as have a particular licenſe, from ſome perſons for that purpoſe appointed.
By which meanes it may come to paſſe that no goods or commodities shall be brought hither but ſuch as thoſe licenſed perſons shall pleaſe to be ſold at the prizes that they shall impoſe; and no ships but theris arrive here, ſo that no Inhabitants of this Iſland, shall be able to ſend home the Native Commodities of this place for their owne account but be as meerely ſlaves to that Company that shall have the ſayd licenſe as our Negroes are to us, they making theirs the whole advantage of our labours and induſtries here. And therfore upon the whole matter we do declare that as on the one ſide we will not be wanting to uſe all the honeſt honorable, and moderate meanes we can for the continuanc•of a free trade and faire correſpondancy with our native countrey; ſo on the other ſide we will not ſo much degenerate from the ancient candour of true Englishmen as to proſtitute thoſe Liberties and Fredomes (to which we were borne) to the will and pleaſure of any: Neither do we thinke our numbers ſo contemptible or our reſolutions ſo weake as either to be forced or perſuaded to ſo vile a ſubmiſsion.
And we can not imagine that there is ſo meane & baſe minded a fellow amongſt us, that will not perferre an honorable Death, before a Tedious & ſlavish life:
20. of Februari 1650.
WHereas the peacable Government of his Iſland together which the rightfull liberties of the Inhabitants thereof are in great and apparent hazard to be loſt, unleſſe ſeaſonnable and timely care be uſed to preſerve the ſame, and whereas no expedient can be more proper and more agreable to reaſon and Iuſtice then that all thoſe perſons, who enjoy thoſe Liberties & Priviledges should cheefully and unanimouſly Engage for the maintainnance and defence of the ſame.
Be it therfore Enacted and Ordained by the Lord Lieutenant Generall the Councell and Gentlemen of the Aſſembly and by Authority of the ſame, that all Freeholders & Freemen living and abiding within this Iſland, shall at ſome time before the 20 day of March Next enſuing the date hereof, repaire to ſome one of the Juſtices of the parish wherein they reſpectively shall live or abide at ſuch time and place as shall be by them appointed, and willingly, cheerefully ſubſcribe the enſuing Engagement, by ſetting their names and markes unto the ſame, and be it further Enacted, and Ordeined, by the Authority afore ſayd, that all and every Perſon or Perſons that shall not have repaired to ſome one of the ſayd Iuſtices aforeſayd, and ſubſcribe the Engagement before the 20. of March according to the true Intent and meaning of this preſent Act, that all and every ſuch Perſon or Perſons shall be from thence forth diſabled to be plaintife in any Action real or Perſonall, in any Court within this Iſland, and from being heire to any man; or any man to be heire to him or in7 capable of ever making a will, or being Executours, and his Perſon to be ſecured at ſuch time and in ſuch manner as to the right Honorable the Lord Lieutenant Generall and Councell shall ſeeme fit or convenient, unleſſe the ſayd Perſon shall conforme him ſelf and shew reaſonnable excuſe for his neglect therein, and it is further Ordained and Enacted that the ſaid Juſtices of every parish within this Iſland be required and Authoriſed to receave the ſaid Subſcription and after the ſaid 20. day of March to make returne thereof with the name of all ſuch Perſons as have not ſubſcribed the ſame unto the right Honnorable the Lord Lieutenant Generall, or whom his Lordship shall apoint to recive the ſame. And be it further Enacted and Ordained, by the Authority aforeſayd that whatſoever Perſon or Perſons, ſo conforming and ſubſcribing the ſayd enſuing Engagement as by this Act is required and shall faile to performe accordingly, shall be counted and cald upon, as an Enemy to the publike peace of this Iſland and being therof convicted at a publick Seſſions by a Iury of twelfe men shall ſuffer according to the nature of his offence.
Laſtly be it Enacted & Ordained by the Authority aforeſayd, that all Servants with in this Iſland their times Expiring before or after the 20. day of March as afore ſayd, shall within one month after ſuch Expiration of their ſayd time repaire unto the reſpective Iuſtices in their ſeverall precints which in this Iſland, and there ſubſcribe to this ſayd Engagement (and not ſubſcribing and failing to performe accordingly) be counted as aforeſayd and being convicted as is before mentioned shall accordingly ſuffer.
WE whoſe names are here underwritten do whilſt we live in this Iſland Mutually Covenant & Engage each with the other, & with the uttmoſt hazard of our Perſons & Eſtats, to maintaine and defend the rightfull Government of this place by Councell and Aſſembly as alſo the Perſon of the Right Honnorable the Lord Willughby. Acknowledged our Governour & Lord Lieutenant Generall by the Conſent and Approbation of the whole Iſland with all the Freedomes Liberties and Priviledges Juſtly belonging to the Lord Willughby or us the Inhabitants hereof as well concerning our Lawes Religion Perſons &c Eſtates within this Iſland, as alſo our free Commerce & Trade both at home & abroad in forraine parts againſt all manner of Perſons or Nations whatſoever that shall attempt or Endevour to Deprive us of the ſame,
20. February 1650.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A82258)
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