The planters, in general, are all adventurers either in person, or purse.

The meanest adventurer in person shall have five hundred acres as a single share.

Every one, that adventureth twelve pounds ten shillings, shall have five hundred acres as a single share; and so ratably according to the adventure, be it more or less.

The plantation and adventure are intended to be partly general, and partly particular.

In the general plantation and adventure, all persons of all conditions and estates, even to the poorest servants and labourers, men, women, and children, may adventure as much or as little as they please, from ten shillings upwards, and shall have in fee simple the assured ratable increase and gain, according to the quantity of his adventure; so as, for every ten shillings adventured, he shall have twenty acres in inheritance, and so much yearly profit as those twenty acres may yield.

A register shall be truly kept of the names of every adventurer in person, and of every adventurer in money, and of the sum by him adventured, to the end that they may proportionably receive the full benefit of their adventures.

During the first three years, the whole benefit shall go towards the advancement of the plantation.

At the end of those three years, a fourth part of the clear profits remaining shall be divided betwixt all the adventurers in purse or person, ratably according to their shares and adventures.

Yearly, for seven years after the first three years ended, three parts of the whole clear yearly profit, upon every return, shall be in like manner divided; and the other fourth part shall go towards the advancement of the plantation.

In those ten years the land may be surveyed, and fit distributions and allotments made thereof to the adventurers and planters.

After those ten years, it shall be free for every one to make the best of his allotment at his own discretion by himself, or else to trade and deal in common, as he did before with others, which perhaps will be most convenient for all small adventurers: And a settled order shall for that end be continued, for a continual, joint, and common trade and commerce for ever: for otherwise it might prove hard for adventurers of small sums to reap any benefit after the ten years ended: But, by a common continued commerce, they, or their heirs, or assigns, shall be sure to have it.

A treasurer general for the plantations shall be resident in London, and, when the return of profit dividable shall be, he shall forthwith deliver to a particular treasurer, resident in every shire, the proportionable part or profit due to the adventurers of that shire, which particular treasurer shall deliver to the high constables of every hundred the proportionable part due to the adventurers of that hundred: And the high constables shall deliver to the constables and minister of every parish within their hundreds, where any adventurer shall be, the proportionable part due to the adventurers of that parish: And the

constable and minister shall deliver to every person in that parish his due, according to the proportion of his adventure.

To this end a register shall be kept by the constable and minister of each parish, of the names of each adventurer in that parish, with their several adventures, and the time when they brought in the same; so as such as be removed out of a parish where they adventured, to some other place, shall either themselves, or their heirs, or assigns, receive his proportionable profit in the parish where he adventured, without further trouble or travel.

The like register shall remain with the high constables, of the adventurers in their hundred.

And the like with the particular treasurer of that shire, of the adventurers of that shire.

And the like of all the adventurers whatsoever, with the treasurergeneral for the plantation.

But yet, such as adventure not before this next intended voyage, which we account the first voyage for the plantation, or before the second, but stay longer, expecting the event, must not expect equal shares with the first adventurers: But, if his adventure come in after the second voyage, and before the third, he shall want a fifth part of that which the first adventurers shall have: And such as come in before the fourth voyage, shall want two fifth parts: And such, as come in before the fifth voyage, shall want three fifth parts: And such as come in before the sixth voyage, (which perhaps may be the last voyage in the first three years, a voyage being set forth every half year) shall want four fifth parts of what the first adventurer shall have: And so a single share for so late an adventurer, of twelve pounds ten shillings, will be but one hundred acres in inheritance, and his profit accordingly in proportion, and so for a greater or lesser rate, so lately adven

tured.

that

Every adventurer in person, if he die, having neither wife nor child in Guiana living, his next kinsman, that will go in person at the next voyage, or sending after his decease, shall have his share or part: But, if none such will go in person, then the next heir of the deceased person, in England, shall have a fifth part of that share in inheritance, being about one hundred acres; and the residue, being four hundred acres, shall be disposed of to some other that will go in person; so, by the death of the party deceased, the number of the planters, in person, may not be diminished, and that yet his next heir here may have some competent benefit by the adventure of his kinsman's person. If a man and his wife go, each of them shall have five hundred acres; yet so, that the share of the wife be at the husband's disposal, as is used by husbands in England, that marry women heirs, who cannot alien the same without the wife's consent.

If a man and his wife go, the survivor shall have the other's share, if they have no children born in Guiana; but, if they have children born there, then only the survivor shall have the share of the deceased, until the child be twenty-one years old, and then the child shall have it; for that the share of the personal adventure of the survivor will

be a competent maintenance, so as the child may well have the other share.

If a man and his wife, and a child of theirs go, each shall have five hundred acres.

The shares of commanders, officers, and men of place and quality, that adventure in person, are not to be rated according to single shares of inferior and common persons, that adventure in person; but according to their place, quality, and merit, in such sort as shall be fit to give them content, and encouragement to adventure their persons in so honourable and worthy an action.

Divine preachers, that will imitate the glorious examples of the apostles (who ceased not to travel amongst all sorts of heathen and savage people, for the plantation of the holy gospel) are worthily numbered amongst the persons of place and quality, and shall have such worthy shares, for the adventure of their persons, in his service of the Blessed Trinty, as shall give them good content. Thus much concerning the general adventure and plantation.

In the particular plantation and adventure, there shall be certain signiories, or other portions of land, allotted them and granted to such, as like not to be partakers of the general plantation and adventure; but have, otherwise, a desire to join together in several companies, or corporations, of select friends and acquaintance; or else to plant a-part, and single by themselves, as lords of mannors, or as farmers.

These signories, or portions of land, shall be conveyed and assured unto them in fee simple, with all such royalties, liberties, privileges, franchises, and commodities, as shall be fit and necessary for the advancement of their plantations, and can, by virtue of the patent, be granted unto them.

They shall plant and people the same at their own proper costs and charges, and convert the profits thereof to their own use and advantage, under the conditions following:

They shall yearly pay unto such officers as shall be appointed for that purpose, the fifth part of all ore of gold and silver, as shall, at all times hereafter, be found and gotten within the bounds and limits of the signories and lands granted unto them, which fifth part of ore is, by the patent, reserved to his Majesty.

The fifth part being deducted for his Majesty, they shall also pay to the patentees, or unto their officers for that purpose appointed, all such rents and duties, as, betwixt the said patentees and them, shall be agreed upon; and such as have been usually paid by the planters and inhabiters of the like plantations, whereof there are extant many precedents; and also, from time to time, shall observe, pay, and perform all such other customs, impositions, reservations, and limitations, as are mentioned and expressed in the said patent.

And, for their safety and defence in all the said particular plantations, they shall be aided, protected, and defended, both by sea and land, against all assaulters, invaders, and intruders, according to the power and strength of the undertakers of the general plantation, which I hope, with God's assistance, shall be sufficient to resist and repel the malice of our greatest enemies.

A TRUE DECLARATION

OF THE

ARRIVAL OF CORNELIUS HAGA

(With others that accompanied him)

Ambassador for the General States of the United Netherlands,

AT THE

GREAT CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE.

Together, with the Entertainment unto them given by the Turk when they came to his palace, and what privileges were, by him, granted unto the said United Provinces. And, also, the copy of certain Letters, sent unto the said States of the Netherlands, from Constantinople. Faithfully translated out of the Dutch Copy.

London, printed for Thomas Archer, and are to be sold at his Shop in Pope'shead Palace, 1613. Quarto, containing thirty-two pages,

A true Declaration of the Arrival of Cornelius Haga (with others that accompanied him) Ambassador for the General States of the United Netherlands, at the great City of Constantinople.

THE

HE ambassador of the States-general of the United Netherland provinces, being sent out of Holland unto Constantinople, for his nearest and readiest way, determined to have travelled thither by land, through the kingdom of Hungary; but, when he should enter into it, the pensioners of the pope and the King of Spain, who at Vienna in Austria are chiefest commanders, were so hateful and spiteful against him, that they would not suffer him to pass along that way, so that by force he was constrained to travel through an unaccustomed way, and therein fell into the hands of the Archduke Ferdinandus of Gratz; by whom he was strictly examined, and, if it had been possible, would have stopped his passage. From thence he passed along by water, from one island to another, in great danger, and many perils, for that in those parts it was then a very hard and an extraordinary winter, and having passed them, at last, after he had travelled six months together, he arrived safely at Constantinople; where, upon the first day of May, 1612, he had audience given him by the great emperor of the Turks, to the great honour and reputation of the Netherland provinces, and of the states-general of the same: the solemnity whereof was in this manner performed:

The ambassador was conveyed unto the great Turk's court by Saphiler Aga, the chief commander of all the Turk's horsemen, and Siaus Bashaw, principal of all the gentlemen in the Turk's court, accompanied with an hundred siausers, all on horseback, in such and the same manner as they use to fetch and convey the ambassadors of the greatest monarchs and Kings that are, unto his court. The ambassador having increased his train with some Netherlanders as then resident in Constantinople, by reason that at the same time there lay divers Netherland ships before the town; and, besides them, with some that were his good friends, both inhabitants, and others of other nations, whom he before had known: Whereby the honour of the Netherlands was preserved, to the great contentment not only of the Turk himself, but also of all the bashaws of his court.

The old captain bashaw, for a sign and token of great affection and honour, caused the ambassador to ride upon his own best horse, which was most sumptuously saddled and bridled, wherein the Turks, above all other nations, do specially shew their pride and power. And so, in great solemnity, the aforesaid siausers, or the great Turk's gentlemen, richly clad and apparelled in cassocks of cloth of gold, velvet, and sattin, rode two and two before him: after them followed their servants, and some janisaries on foot, with two druggermen, or interpreters, on horseback: after them followed the ambassador, accompanied on each side by the aforesaid Saphiler Aga, and Siaus Bashaw, and his own followers, who, as gentlemen, after the manner there, do also kiss the great Turk's hand; and, in that manner, rode with a great applause and concourse of people to the Seraglio, or palace of the great Turk.

In this manner entering into the first gate of the Seraglio, Siaus Bashaw left the ambassador, and rode forward before him, to certify the bashaws of his coming. In this first gate there stood about sixty capitsers, or great Turk's porters, with their captain, for a watch: then approaching to the second gate of the Seraglio, the ambassador lighted from his horse, and was led in thereat by the arm, by Peichiis Bashaw, principal of the pages, apparelled all in gold, whose office it is to conduct all ambassadors unto the presence of the great Turk. Before this gate there stood about one hundred capitsers, with four captains for a guard, and within the gate were about three hundred sub-bashaws, which are captains of the janisaries, each having a long white feather, like a peacock's feather, on their heads. There all the bashaws lighted off from their horses, and went on foot to the divan, which is the council-chamber, wherein all the bashaws, with the principal visier, representing the great Turk's person, four days every week give open audience to all suitors, and determine all causes of the whole empire.

Having passed through this gate on the one side of two long galleries, supported with marble pillars, there stood Janisary Aga, the chief commander of all the Janisaries, and of all the footmen of Turkey, with ten-thousand Janisaries; and, on the other side, Saphiler Aga, the chief commander of the horsemen, with two thousand saphers, or horsemen, who altogether, bowing down their heads, after the