Parliaments of James I. and Plantation of America.
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second Parliament with as little delay as On April 20, Sir Thomas Smith, M. P. possible. Among the " Bills to be drawn for Sandwich (a member of his Majesty's by his Majesty's most gracious direction for Council for Virginia, and for the Virginia the good and comfort of his people, upon Company of London), stated to the House certain of the propositions exhibited to his of Commons, "that if he, as the Governor of Majesty and to be offered to the next the Company, could influence the members, Parliament," was "An Act for the better the patent should be brought in." "Ser plantation of Virginia and supply thereof." jeant (Sir Henry) Montague, M. P. for Lon Parliament met on Tuesday, April 5, 1614. don (another member of his Majesty's Coun "The House consisted of about 472, of cil for Virginia, and afterwards Lord Chief whom 300 were not in the last Parliament, Justice), declared that the patent was against whereof many are young." Many of the law," and Robert Middleton, Esq., another House of Lords, and about one hundred M. P. for London (a member of the Virginia and forty members of this House of Com Company), stated that the Company "were mons were also members of the Virginia willing to yield up their patent, that it had Company of London. In opening Par not been their intention to use it otherwise liament, the King made a long speech than for the good of all parties [i. e. of the "consisting of three principal parts wherein enterprise], confessed that there had been some miscarriages, and wished that this all his care lay, — to continue to his subjects, bona animi, bona corporis, et bona patent may be damned, and an act of fortuna, by maintaining religion, preserv Parliament passed for the government of ing of peace, and seeking their prosperity, the colony," etc. " After considerable dis by increasing of trades and traffics." cussion it was ordered by the House of As Bacon outlines the times, " the state Commons that the patent should be brought was then environed with envious foreigners; in." there were encroachments on matters of On this day (April 20) Parliament took trade; religion was a matter of controversy, their holiday, meeting again on Monday, and to look a year before him would trouble May 2. On May 12, the Council for Vir the best watchman in Europe." ginia presented a petition for aid, which was The great trading companies of England read, and the next Monday, the 16th, at were "upon the question" with Spain, nine o'clock in the morning, was designated France and Holland. Lieut. Wm. Turner as the time to hear the case; but on the with the Jesuits from North Virginia, Sir 16th Christopher Brooke, Esq., M. P. for Thomas Gates with Sieur de la Motte from York (a distinguished lawyer, a member of South Virginia, and Captain La Saussaye His Majesty's Council for the Virginia Com from France, all reached the neighborhood pany of London, and one of the attorneys of London about April, 1614. The English- for that company), moved that the Virginia American enterprise was " between two business should be taken up the next day (17th) at seven o'clock. fires," France and Spain; serious com plaints from these nations were then before On the 17th the Earl of Southampton, the English Privy Council. The colony Lord Sheffield, and Lord De la Warr, of Virginia was in jeopardy, and many of members of the House of Lords, and also the company wished to yield up their old members of His Majesty's Council for the patents, and to have the colony openly Virginia Company of London, " came in to attached to the crown and placed more countenance the cause of that company be immediately under the protection of the fore the House of Commons." Parliament. The celebrated lawyer, Richard Martin.
