Page:The Life of George Washington, Volume 1.djvu/56

 25 INTRODUCTION. chap. i. given under the sign manual, and privy seal of 1606. England. Two other boards were formed in England, which were in like manner to consist of thirteen persons, to be appointed by the king, who were invested with the superior direction of the affairs of the colonies. The adventurers were allowed to search for, and open mines of gold, silver, and copper; yielding one fifth of the two former metals, and one fifteenth of the latter, to the king ; and to make a coin which should be current, both among the colonists and the natives. The president and council, within the colo- nies, were authorized to repel those who should, without their authority, attempt to settle, or trade within their jurisdiction, and to seize and detain the persons, and effects, of such intruders, until they should pay a duty of two and one half per centum, ad valorem, if sub- jects, but of five per centum, if aliens. These taxes were to be applied, for twenty- one years, to the use of the adventurers, and were afterwards, to be paid into the royal ex- chequer. code of laws While the council for the patentees were drawn up for, , , ••. the proposed employed in making preparations to secure king james. the benefits of their grant, James was no less assiduously engaged in the new, and to his vanity the flattering task of framing a code of laws, for the government of the colonies about to be planted. Having at length prepared this