Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Instructions to the Governor of Albemarle County
Carolina. Lords Proprietors.
1676
Volume 01, Pages 230-232

[B. P. R. O. Col: Ent: Book. No. 20. P. 116.]
INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY US THE LORDS PROPRIETORS OF CAROLINA UNTO THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCILL OF THAT PARTE OF OUR PROVINCE CALLED ALBEMARLE.

Imprs you are to observe the rules of strict justice friendshipp and amity with the neighbour Indians and not suffer them to have any just cause to complain of any oppression or Injustice done them by any of the English within your Government.

Item 2dly you are to send us by the next oppertunity a true account of what tribute or payment are rendered by any of our people or officers from any of the Indians and upon what account such tribute or payment is demanded or prove due.

Item you are to take spetiall care that Justice be duly administered and that the wayes to attaine it may neither be tedious, troublesome nor

-------------------- page 231 --------------------
chargable for men of prudence and of estates have noe reason to venture themselves in any place where liberty and property are not well secured.

Item you are not onely yourselves to administer Justice duely accordinge to the Lawes established But you are to promote and propose in the Assembly the makinge of such Lawes as may best secure the antient and native rights of Englishmen, and in particular the tryall of all Criminall Causes and matters of fact by a jury of 12. sufficient freeholders accordinge to the 69th Article in the fundamentall Constitutions.

Item wee propose to you and the Assembly to be considered whethere it were fitt to be enacted that noe man should be arrested or restrained of his Liberty untill hee had bine first lawfully summon'd to appeare or appearing shall not give sufficient security for his answering the Law with his person and abidinge such Judgement as shall be given thereupon, but in such Case his Security are to stand lyable for his appearance or renderinge his Body But for the debt or makeinge sattisfaction for the Judgements given it should alsoe be considered how far the warrant of the great Councell shall bee allowed to arrest or seize without such summons the person of any one against whome proofe of any Capitall Crime Soe that such person be brought to a speedy tryall and have the access of friends and assistance for his just defence allowed him.

Item you are to take spetiall care to prohibite all trade and commerce between the Indians and any others that are noe freeholders of our Province of Carolina.

Item wee recommend to you the setleinge of Plantations and Townes on the south side of the river of Albemarle beinge a frontier settlement more espetially requires that it bee in townes.

Item wee expressly order you that you cause to bee settled and laide one, three Townes in our County of Albemarle which are to be porte Towns and noe other and att which Townes and noe where else shall itt be lawfull for any shipps or vessells to lade or unlade as in the 93rd Article of fundamentall Constitutions The said 3 Townes are to be the first upon Roanoke Island which wee will have bee the chiefe Towne and the place for the Councell and Assembly to meete the seconde Towne must be placd on the west side of the Little Rivers mouth and the 3rd Towne must bee upon the neck of land Betweene Salmon Creeke and Morrattocke River.

Item wee earnestly recommend to you the Governor and Councill that you consider well and advisedly what priviledges, concession, orders and rules may be made and granted either by us alone under our great Seale or by us and the assembly by an act and that you propose such things to

-------------------- page 232 --------------------
us by your next dispatches that wee may give order concerning them as wee shall find meete.

Item you are to doe all that in you lyes to deverte the trade of our People under you with those of New England and to bringe them with a more imediate Trade with England itt beinge a certaine Beggery to our people of Albemarle if they shall buy goods at 2d hand and soe much dearer then they may bee supply'd from England, and with all sell there Tobacco and other Commodities at a lower rate then they could doe in England. Besides the people of New England cannot be friends to the prosperity and Interest of our plantations which will certainly in tyme them one and render them inconsiderable.

Item in order to the Incourageinge a Trade with England and other places you are to send us an exact account of how many foot there is at Low water in your severall Inlets, what safety there is when a shipp is in and where she may doe best to unlade or take in Commodities for this has bine soe concealed and uncertainely reported here as if some persons amongst you had joyn'd with some of New England to engross that poore trade you have and Keepe you still under hatches.

Item you are to give an account what nomber of Inhabitants you have in your County and how much Tobacco they make yearely and what numbers of Cattle they have or what other Commodities they have to trade with that may Induce merchants to come theither.

Lastly you are upon all oppertunities to give us an account of how matters stand soe that wee may heare from you if possible twice and thrice a yeare.