AN ORDINANCE OF THE Lords and Commons Aſſembled in Parliament.
WHereas many thouſands of the natives and good Subjects of this Kingdome of England, through the oppreſſion of the Prelates, and other ill affected Miniſters and Officers of State, have of late yéeres to their great griefe and miſerable hardſhip bin inforced to Tranſplant themſelves and their families into ſeverall Iſlands, and other remote & deſolate parts of the Weſt-Indies. and having there through excéeding great labour and induſtry (with the bleſſing of God) obtained for themſelves and their families ſome competent and convenient meanes of maintenance and ſubſiſtance, ſo that they are now in a reaſonable well ſetled and peaceable condition. But fearing leaſt the outragious malice of Papiſts and other ill affected perſons ſhould reach unto them in their poore and low, (but as yet peaceable2 condition,) and having béene informed, that there hath béene lately procured from His Majeſty ſeverall grants under the great Seale for erecting ſome new Governours and Commanders amongſt the ſaid Planters in their aforementioned Plantations; Whereupon the ſaid planters, Adventurers, and Owners of Land in the ſaid forraign Plantations, have preferred their Petition unto this preſent Parliament, that for the better ſecuring of them and their preſent Eſtates, there obtained through ſo much extreame labour and difficulty, they might have ſome ſuch Governours and government as ſhould be approved of and confirmed by the authority of both Houſes of Parliament. Which petition of theirs the Lords and Commons having taken into conſideration, and finding it of great importance both to the ſafety and preſervation of the aforeſaid Natives and Subjects of this Kingdome, as well from all forraigne invaſions and oppreſſions, as from their owne inteſtine diſtractions and diſturbances, as alſo much tending to the honour and advantage of His Majeſties Dominions, have thought fit, and doe hereby Conſtitute and Ordaine Robert Earle of Warwicke Governour in chiefe, and Lord high Admirall of all thoſe Iſlands, and other plantations, inhabited, planted, or belonging to any His Majeſties the King of Englands Subjects, or which hereafter may be inhabited, planted, or belonging to them, within the bounds, and upon the coaſts of America. And for the more effectuall, ſpéedier, and eaſier tranſaction of this ſo weighty and important a buſineſſe, which concernes the wel-being and preſervation of ſo many of the diſtreſſed Natives of this and other His Majeſties Dominions, The Lords and Commons3 have thought fit that Philip Earle of Pembrooke, Edward Earle of Mancheſter, William Viſcount Say and Seale, Phillip Lord Wharton, Iohn Lord Roberts, Members of the Houſe of Peeres, Sir Gilbert Gerard Knight and Baronet, Sir Arthur Heſelrigg Baronet, Sir Henry Vane junior Knight, Sir Benjamin Rudyer Knight, Iohn Pym, Oliver Cromwell, Dennis Bond, Myles Corbet, Cornelius Holland, Samuel Vaſſall, Iohn Rolls, and William Spurſtow, Eſq. Members of the Houſe of Commons, ſhall be Commiſſioners to joyne in ayd and aſſiſtance with the ſaid Earl of Warwicke chiefe Governor and Admirall of the ſaid plantations, which chiefe Governour, together with the ſaid Commiſſioners or any foure of them, ſhall hereby have power and authority to provide for, order, and diſpoſe all things which they ſhall from time to time find moſt fit and advantagious to the wel-governing, ſecuring, ſtrengthning and preſerving of the ſaid Plantations, and chiefely to the preſervation and advancement of the true proteſtant Religion amongſt the ſaid planters, inhabitants, and the further enlargement and ſpreading of the Goſpell of Chriſt amongſt thoſe that yet remain there in great and miſer•ble blindneſſe and ignorance. And for the better advancement of this ſo great a work, It is hereby further ordained by the ſaid Lords and Commons, That the aforeſaid Governour & Commiſſioners ſhall hereby have power and authority upon all weighty and important occaſions which may concerne the good and ſafety of the aforeſaid Planters, to call unto their advice and aſſiſtance therein any other of the aforeſaid Planters, Owners of Land, or Inhabitants of the ſaid Iſlands and Plantations,4 which ſhall then be within twenty miles of the place where the ſaid Commiſioners ſhall then be; And ſhall have power and authority to ſend for, view, and make uſe of all ſuch Records, Books, and Papers which doe or may concerne any of the ſaid Plantations: And becauſe the well-ſetling and eſtabliſhing of ſuch Officers and Governours as ſhall be laborious and faithfull in the right governing of all ſuch perſons as bée reſident in or upon the ſaid Plantations, and due ordering and diſpoſing all ſuch Affaires as concerne the ſafety and welfare of the ſame, is of very great advantage to the publique good of all ſuch remote and new Plantations.
It is thereby further Ordained and Decréed, That the ſaid Robert Earle of Warwick, Governour in chiefe, and Admirall of the ſaid Plantations, together with the aforeſaid Commiſſ oners, Philip Earle of Pembroke, Edward Earle of Mancheſter, William Viſcount Say and Seale, Philip Lord Wharton, John Lord Roberts, Sir Gilbert Gerard Knight and Baronet, Sir Arthur Heſelrigge Baronet, Sir Henry Vane junior, Knight, Sir Benjamin Rudyer Knight, John Pym, Oliver Cromwell, Dennis Bond, Miles Corbett, Cornelius Holland, Samuel Vaſſall, John Rolls, and William Purſtowe, Eſquires, or the greater number of them ſhall have power and authority from time to time to nominate, appoint, and conſtitute all ſuch ſubordinate Governours, Councellors, Commanders, Officers and Agents as they ſhall judge to be beſt affected, and moſt fit and ſerviceable for the ſaid Iſlands and Plantations; And ſhall hereby have power and authority upon the death or other avoydance of the5 aforeſaid chiefe Governour and Admirall, or any the other Commiſſioners before named, from time to time to nominate and appoint ſuch other chiefe Governour and Admirall, or Commiſſioners, in the place and room of ſuch as ſhall ſo become void. And ſhall alſo hereby have power and authority to remove any of the ſaid ſubordinate Governours, Councellors, Commanders, Officers, or Agents, which are, or ſhall be appointed to Governe, Councell, or Negotiate the publike Affaires of the ſaid Plantation, and in their place and roome to appoint ſuch other Officers as they ſhall judge fit. And it is hereby ordained, That no ſubordinate Governours, Councellors, Commanders, Officers, Agents, Planters, or Inhabitants whatſoever, that are now reſident in or upon the ſaid Iſlands or Plantations, ſhall admit or receive any other new Governours, Councellors, Commanders, Officers, or Agents whatſoever, but ſuch as ſhall be allowed and approved of under the Hands and Seales of the aforeſaid chiefe Governour and high Admirall of the ſaid Plantation, together with the Hands and Seales of the aforementioned Commiſſioners, or any ſix of them, or under the Hands and Seales of ſuch as they ſhall authorize thereunto.
And whereas for the better government and ſecurity of the ſaid Plantations and Iſlands, and the Owners and Inhabitants thereof, there may be juſt and fit occaſion to aſſigne over ſome part of the power and authority (granted in this Ordinance to the chiefe Governor and Commiſſioners aforenamed) unto the ſaid Owners, Inhabitants, or others; It is hereby Ordained, That the ſaid chiefe Governour and Commiſſioners before mentioned, or the greater number of6 them, ſhall hereby be authorized to aſſigne, ratifie, and confirme ſo much of their aforementioned authority and power, and in ſuch manner, and to ſuch perſons as they ſhall judge to be fit for the better governing and preſerving of the ſaid Plantations and Iſlands from open violence and private diſturbance and diſtractions.
And laſtly, That whoſoever ſhall doe, execute, or yéeld obedience to any thing contained in this Ordinance, ſhall by vertue hereof bee ſaved harmeleſſe and indempnified.