Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/56

 Not long after the grant of this charter, James issued "Instructions for the Government of Virginia," in which he appointed a council, as provided for in the charter, to be increased or altered at the king's pleasure, and authorized to nominate and superintend the local councils, reduced by these instructions to seven members each. These seven were to choose a president from their own number, with power to suspend him or any counsellor for good cause, and to fill vacancies till new appointments came from England; the president to have a double vote. It was made the especial duty of these councils to provide that "the true Word and service of God, according to the rites and service of the Church of England, be preached, planted, and used in the colonies and among the neighboring savages." Tumults, rebellion, conspiracy, mutiny and sedition, along with seven other offences, all triable by jury, were declared capital; lesser offences were to be tried summarily, and punished by the local councils at their discretion; all laws enacted by these councils not touching life or limb, to remain in force till set aside by the king or the council for Virginia. For five years after their first plantation, the trade and industry of the colonists were to remain a common stock, or "two or three stocks at the most," to be managed, in each colony, by a factor selected annually by the local council, and in England, by committees appointed for that purpose. A knowledge of these provisions is quite necessary to make the early history of Virginia intelligible.

Under such a state of things as this, and under auspices of this nature, was the first permanent settlement effected by Englishmen in the New World.

 

1606—1625.

London Company consisted of Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard Haklyut, Edward Maria Wingfield, and others, especially Sir Thomas Smith, one of the assignees of Raleigh's patent. Every contributor of about 