adventurers contributing in joint stock under the auspices of the Company. The William and Thomas, the last of these two vessels to reach Virginia, which was in January, 1618, was accompanied by the Gift, a ship sent to the Colony by the Society of Martin’s Hundred, one of the private associations to which a large grant of land had been made when the year came around for the first declaration of a dividend.[1] This vessel brought over supplies intended for the Hundred only. The supplies imported in the William and Thomas seem to have been exchanged for tobacco in spite of the presence of Argoll and the ruin which his policy had caused, for it returned to England in July, 1619, having on board a cargo of twenty thousand pounds. A large sum in the shape of bills of exchange upon the Company was also brought back, apparently indicating that the Magazine had fallen short in quantity of goods, of the demand in the Colony, so that the Cape Merchant was forced to pay in this form for a part of the tobacco bought. Abraham Piersey did not return to England in the magazine ship, but instead wrote a letter in which he recommended that thereafter he should be permitted to sell the articles forwarded to him as Cape Merchant at such rates as he could secure, without regard to any price fixed upon by the adventurers of the joint stock. He also complained that much of the merchandise sent him was not suited to the character of the trade in Virginia.[2]
- ↑ Briefe Declaration of the Plantation of Virginia, Colonial Records of Virginia, State Senate Doct., Extra, 1874, p. 78.
- ↑ Abstracts of Proceedings of the Virginia Company of London, vol. I, pp. 12, 13. The Cape Merchant had difficulty in collecting some of the debts due the Magazine, owing to the perversity of Captain Martin. “Mr. Piersey, the Cape Merchant, taking notice of Captain Martin’s denial of protecting any within his territory from arrest for debt, affirmed that having delivered divers warrants to the provost marshal of James City in Virginia, to be served on men that were indebted, living loosely within Captain Martin’s plantation, the provost marshall told him that the said Captain Martin resisted the officer, and drew arms upon and would not suffer him to execute the said Warrants.” Abstracts of Proceedings of the Virginia Company of London, vol. I, pp. 187, 188.
