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DECIMA SEPTIMA PARS PATENTIUM DE ANNO REGNI REGIS CAROLI SECUNDI TERTIO DECIMO, CAR. 2di. 13tio.

A PROCLAMA CON

FOR THE ENCOURAGING OF PLANTERS IN

HIS MAJESTY'S ISLAND OF JAMAICA,

IN THE WEST-INDIES,

WE

EE, being fully fatisfied that our island of Jamaica, being a pleasant and moft fertile foyle, and fcituate moft commodioufly for trade' and commerce, is likely, through God's bleffing, to bee a greate benefitt and advantage to this, and other our kingdomes and dominions, have thought fitt, for encouraging of our fubjects, as well fuch as are already upon the faid ifland, as all others that fhall transport themselves thither, and refide and plant there, to declare and publifh, and wee do hereby declare and publish, that thirtie acres of improveable lands fhall be granted and allotted to every fuch perfon, male or female, being twelve years old, or upwards, who now refides or within two years next enfuing fhall refide upon the faid ifland, and that the fame fhall bee affigned and fett out by the governor and councell, within fix weeks next after notice fall be given, in writing, fubfcribed by fuch planter or planters, or fome of them, in behalfe of the reft, to the governor, or fuch officer as hee fhall appoint in that behalfe, fignifying their refolutions to plant there, and when they intend to bee on the place; and, in cafe they doe not goe thither, within fix months, then next enfuing, the faid allotment fhall be void, and free to be affigned, to any other planter; and that every person and perfons, to whom fuch affignment fhall bee made, fhall hold and enjoy the faid lands, foe to be affigned, and all houses, edifices, buildings, and inclosures, thereupon to be built or made, to them and to their heirs for ever, by and under fuch tenures, as is ufual in other plantationsfubject to us. Neverthelelle, they are to be obliged to ferve in armes, upon any infurreccon, mutiny, or forraine in vafion, and that the faid affignments and allotments that bee made and confirmed, under the publique feale of the faid

inland

inland, with power to create any mannor or mannors, and with fuch convenient and fuitable priviledges and imunities as the grantee fhall reasonably defire and require; and a draught of fuch affignment fhall bee prepared by our learned councell in the lawe, and delivered to the governor to that purpofe; and that all fifhings and pifcharies, and all copper, lead, tinn, irons, coales, and all other mines (except gold and filver) within fuch refpective allottments, fhall bee enjoyed by the grantees thereof, referving onely a twentieth part of the product of the faid mines to our ufe; and wee doe further publish and declare, that all children of any of our naturall borne fubjects of England, to bee borne in Jamaica, fhall, from their refpective births, bee reputed to bee, and fhall bee, free denizens of England, and shall have the fame priviledges, to all intents and purposes, as our free borne fubjects of England, and that all free perfons fhall have the libertie, without interruption, to transport themselves, and their famylies, and any their goods (except onley coyne and bullion), from any our dominions and territories,, to the faid ifland of Jamaica; and wee doe ftrictly charge and command all planters, foldiers, and others, upon the faid ifland, to yield obedience to the lawfull commands of our right trufty and well-beloved Thomas lord Windsor, now our governor of our faid ifland, and to every other governor thereof, for the tyme being, under paine of our displeasure, and fuch penalties as may be inflicted thereupon. Given at our courte at Whitehall, the fourenth day of December.

'p. ipem. Regem.

AN

AN ADDRESS OF THE COUNCIL OF JAMAICA

TO THE KING.

THE
HE alteration of the form of government in this your majesty's ifland
of Jamaica unto that of your kingdom of Ireland, which your ma-
jefty, the beft and greateft of kings, hath graciously commanded us to
fubmit to and own, we your majefty's truly loyal and dutiful fubjects,
hitherto have and yet do, by a willing readinefs, and ready willingness,
declare our entire obedience and hearty conformity thereunto, because
your majefty commands. And although your majesty's great perfpicuity
and truly royal prudence is best able to determine what government is
fitteft for your fubjects in this ifland, yet with all due fubmiffion, in all
humility, we beg leave to reprefent to your majefty the great inconveni-
encies attending the prefent form in tranfmitting our laws home. The
vaft diftance of place will of neceffity cause a great expence of time be-
tween the first framing of our laws here and tranfmitting and returning of
them hither again; fo that, before they can be paffed into laws by the
confent of the aflembly here, there will probably as great caufe arife to
alter as there was at firft to make them. And, with due fubmiffion, we
judge it even impoffible to adapt laws to the prefent conftitution, fo as not
to admit of often and great alterations; for, according to our experience
hitherto, we have found urgent occafions to alter and amend the laws
that more immediately concern us here, at the leaft every two years,
and we cannot forefee but we fhall be under the fame neceffity ftill; fo
that if your majefty graciously please to take it into your princely con-
fideration, and either reftore to us the former power and way or method of
making laws, or at least remit that part of the prefent method of making
Jaws, which only concern us here, as they may pafs without tranfmitting
the fame, we hope, by our perfect fubmiffion and entire obedience to all
your laws here, your majesty will be a glorious prince and your fubjects
here an happy people. And whereas the gentlemen of the affembly, in
their addrefs to your majefty, read here in council the 15th of November,
1679, do declare, as to the bill of revenue, wherein your majesty's name
was left out, that there are feveral members of their affembly now fitting
who were members when that bill paffed three times in form in the
affembly, and, upon the best recollection of their memories, they are
fully

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fully perfuaded and do believe that the bill was again fent down with that amendment from the governor and council according as the act paffed.-We, the gentlemen of your majefty's council here prefent at the paffing of the bill, do moft humbly, with all fubmiffion, aver and declare, that we were fo far from confenting that the faid bill fhould pafs without your. majesty's name in it, that we do not remember that it was ever debated or mentioned in council, further, to the beft of our refpective knowledges, than that it was read three times, and paffed the commons board with your majefty's name in it: and are the rather induced to this our confidence becaufe we find the original act was erafed by the then fpeaker's own hand; moreover, the feveral amendments of the faid bill, that were made in council, were all taken notice of in the minutes of our council book, and no mention made of this. The gentlemen of the affembly do produce nothing out of their journals to justify their reflection on us, therefore it is to be prefumed they cannot; and we do therefore humbly and unanimously declare, we never did at any time, either jointly or feverally, make any complaint to the affembly, or any of them, of the power given by your majesty unto his excellency our prefent governor to fufpend any of your majefty's council; therefore, as we have hitherto yielded all due obedi ence and fubmiffion to your majesty's royal will and pleasure concerning us, fo we hope we fhall ftill approve ourselves fuch, and, as in duty bound, ever pray for your majcity's long life, and that you may profper oufly and triumphantly reign over us.

This was unanimously agreed to in council by the refpective members there of who were prefent at the paffing the bill of revenue. Colonel Thomas Ballard, colonel John Cope, colonel Robert Byndlofs, colonel Thomas Freeman, colonel William Joy, colonel Thomas Fuller, John White efquires; and confented to by the whole council, excepting lieutenantcolonel Samuel Long,

.AN

AN ABSTRACT

OF THE

GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA SINCE HIS MAJESTY's

RESTORATION,

GIVEN IN BY

SIR THOMAS LYNCH TO THE KING IN COUNCIL.

IN

N 1661 colonel Delahoide had a commiffion to govern, and, having disbanded the army, to erect a civil government, and to act by advice of a council confifting of about twelve chofen by the country, in the nature of their reprefentatives; which government lafted about eight or ten months.

My lord Windfor fucceeding, in 1662, he carried over a proclamation to give thirty acres to all fettlers, and a promise to them and their children of denization and freedom as natives of England. He likewife was impowered to call affemblies, and to make laws not repugnant to those of England, to which the government was affimilated. His council was of his own election.

Sir Charles Lyttleton fucceeded my lord Windfor, who ftayed about twenty months; he governs as his deputy, called the first affembly that made a body of laws and an act for raifing of money, which was difpofed of to the public ufe of the island, and received by a collector of their own, and never accounted for here. He had, as my lord Windfor, a council of about twelve chofen by himself, and governed about twelve months.

He left the council, and fir Thomas Lynch as prefident, to govern until fir Thomas Modyford, in May, 1664, came with commiffion and inftructions to erect a judicature and call affemblies to make laws that were to be of force two years, and no longer, unless the king approved

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