then once repented it or whether they may best be promoted by some other way it being out of my Sphere I dare not presume to determine Your Lordship will best inform your self in thâ—s by Conâ—ulting with Virginia's presen â—onourable â—overnour Sir William Bâ—rkly or their late Edward Diggs Esq What waâ—â—oeve they determine to be best I shall humbly in obedieâ—ce to your Lordsâ—ips command endevour to contributâ— towards the comâ—assing this Remedy by propounding 1. That your Lordship would be pleased to acâ—uaint the King with the neceâ—sity of promoting the building Towns in each County of Virginia upon the consideration of the fore-mentionâ—d sad Conâ—equentâ— of their present manner of living there 2. Thâ—t Your Lordship upon the fore-going consideration be pleaâ—ed to move the pitiful and charitable heart of His â—râ—cious Majesty considering the Poverty and needâ— of Virginia for a Collâ—ction to be made in all the Churches of his three Kingdomâ—s there being considerable numbers of each Kingdome for the promoting a work of so great Châ—rity to the Souls of many thousands of his Loyal Subjects their Children and thâ— Generations after them and of numberlesse poor Heathen and that the Ministers of each Coâ—gregation be enjoyned with more then ordinary care and pains to stirre up the people to a free and liberal Contribution towards it or if this way be not thought sufficient that â—ome other way bâ— taken to do it 3. That the way of dispencing such collections for sending Work-men over for thâ— building Towns and Schooles and the assistance the persons that shall inhabit them shall contribute towards them may be determin'd here by the advice of Virginia's present or late Honourable Governours if in London and whom they shall make choice of for their assistants who have formerly lived in Virginia and that the King if he shall approve what is so determined may be humbly Petitioned to authorize it by his special command leâ—â— what is duely ordered here be perverted there Fourthly That those Planters who have such a considerable number of Servants as may be judged may enable them for it if they not willing for I have heard some expresse their willingnesse and some their averâ—nesse may by His Majesties Authority be enjoyned to contribute the Assistance that shall be thought meet for them to build themselves houses in the Towns-nearest to them and to inhabit them for they having horses enough in that â—ountry may be convenienc'd as their occasions require to visit their Plantations And the Masters who shall inhâ—bit the Towns having Families of Servants upon remote Plantations may be ordered to take care that upon Saturdays Afternoon when by the Custome of Virginia Servants are freed from their ordinary labour their Servants except one or two left by turns to secure their Plantations may repair to thâ—ir Houses in the Towns and there remain with their Masters until the publick Worship and Service of the Lorâ—s Day be ended Fifthlâ— That for a conâ—inual supply of able Ministâ—rs for their Churches after a â—et terâ— of years Your Lordship would pleaâ—e â—o enâ—evour the procuring an Act of Parliament whereby a câ—â—tain number of Fellowships as they happen to be next proportionably vacant in both the Universities may bear the name of Virginia Fellowships so long as the Needs of â—hat Church shall require it and none be admitted to thâ—m but suâ—h aâ— shall engage by promiâ—e to hold them seven years and no longer and at the expiâ—ation of thoâ—e seven years tâ—anâ—â—ort themsâ—lvâ—s to Virginia and serve that Church in the Office of the Ministery seven yeâ—rs more the Church theâ—e pâ—oviding for them which being expirâ—d they shall be left to their own Liberty to return or not and if they pâ—râ—â—â—m not the Conditâ—oâ—s of their Admittance then to be uncapable of any Prefeâ—meâ—t These things being procurâ—d I thiâ—k Vâ—rginia will be in the most probable way that her preâ—ent conditâ—on 〈◊〉 admit of being cured of the formentioned evils of her scatter'd Planting For hereby her Planters will be convenienced to give God the honour due unto his Name by attending constantly in full Congregations upon his publick Worship and Service they will enjoy the benefits of Christian Offices of frequent civil commerce and Society which begets mutual confidence trust and friendship the best ground-work for raising Companies of the best qualified and most able persons to combine in Designs most advantagious to their own and the publick Weal they will enjoy the benefits of vertuous Examples of publick Catechizing and instructing their Children and Servants in the Principles and Duties of the Christian Religion according to the Constitutions of the Church of England whereby not only Children and Servants but Parents and Masters who are ignorant may without being ashamed be enlightned with true saving knowledge and their Children in Schools of Learning may grow up to be serviceable both in Church and State And by good Discipline and careful tending in well order'd Societies under faithful Teachers and Magistrates both Parents and Children would by the grace of God grow into habits of Christian Living and the light of their Graces and good works shining before the Heathen would above all other Oratory prevail with them both to be desirous to learn themselves and to bring their Children to be taught in the Christians Schools how to glorifie the same God with them That the former benefits will accrue to themselves needs no Proof the experience of all united well order'd Christian Societies sufficiently confirms it That the latter viz. the gaining the Heathen to the Christian Faith will be the hopeful Consequâ—nt of their habitual Christian living of the united lâ—ght of their graces and good works shining befâ—re the Heathen I shall not presuming to inform Your Lordship but not knowing to whom this Paper may be communicated make bold to add a brief Confirmation of it First by the testimony of that vertuous Heathen Emperour Alexander Sevâ—rus who when he pâ—rceived two of his Servants to be perâ—waded to receive the â—hristian Faith by the Eloquent Orations Origen had made before him to prove the Truth of it I perceive saith he Ye do wonder at the Learning of Origen whereby ye are induced to embrace the Christian Profession But truâ—y the Humility and Charity of the Christian People which â— do hear of and daily bâ—hold with my Eâ—es do much more move me to believe that their Christ is God then all his â—loquent Perswasionâ— This Heathen Emperour understood the Language of Origen and as the History relates wâ—s much moved with the convincing perswasive Arguments Origen uâ—ed to prove the Truth of the Christian Faith yet he professeth he was much more pâ—rswaded to believe it by the Humility and Charity the graces and veâ—tues which appeared in the Châ—istians lives which he heard of anâ— daily beheld But the Heathen in Virginia neither understand the Christians language noâ— the Christians theirs and although they did understand it I think it too
barâ—en to expresse the Christian Religion by and therefore they hâ—ve no other arguments left to convince them of the Truâ—h of the Christian Faith and to perâ—wade them to embâ—â—ce it But only which that Emperor acknowledged most perâ—wâ—sive the amiâ—blenesse of Châ—istiâ—n â—races and Vertues â—hining in their lives whose excelling beauty and bâ—nefit when they appear in united â—ocieties of Christians they may well perâ—wâ—de any rational Heâ—then thâ—t they are most conducing to procure thâ— true hâ—ppinâ—sse of â—ll united Societies and Commuâ—ities of Men and therefoâ—â— the Religion that teacheth tâ—em above all other to be embraced This Considerâ—tâ—on enforced the accute Acosta after he had spent 17 years in conversing with the Heathen in that new world though he was of a Church that pleads much for Miracles ingenuously to confesse that the greatest and even the only Miracle necessary to the Conversion of those Heathen is the gracious lives of Christians agreeable to that Christian Faith they professe and in this he subscribes but to St. Chrysostome affirming the same concerning the conversion of the Heathen in his dayes But long before Chrysostome the Prophet Isaiah foretold the power of this Miracle how powerful the glory of the Lord shining in the gracious lives of Christians should be to further the conversion of the Gentiles Isa. 60.2 3. Where speaking of the Church under the Gospel The Lord saith he shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee and what followes the Gentiles shall come to thy Light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising What is this Light and Brightnesse and Glory which should be seen upon the Church under the Gospel which should invite the Gentiles to come into it The same Prophet tells us Isa. 6â— 2 The Gâ—ntiles shall see thy Righteousnesse and all Kings thy Glory 'T is the Righteousnesse the Holynesse the graces shining in the lives of Christians 't is this should make their Seed known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the People So that all that see â—hem should acknowledge them that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed Isa. 61.9 And this shoulâ— make them bring their Sons and Daughters to be nurst up at the Churches breasts Isa. 49.22 23. Isa. 6.4 But when were these Prophecies fulfilled Two times are only remarkable for fulfilling them by Gods ordâ—nâ—ry way of Converting Heathen except the way of Converting them by Miracles and those were First The Times of Persecution when the Faith Constancy Meâ—knesse Pâ—tience and Châ—rity of the Christian Maâ—tyrs shiâ—eâ— so bright in the Heathens eyes through the Flames Wounds and Tortures they endured that it made them wonder at the glory of the Lord which was seen upon them and fall in love with the Christian Religion which brought forth such glorious Fruits in them But neither doth this reach all States of the Church not particularly Virginia's so long as the Christians have the upper hand of the Heathen which God grant may continue till the End of Times 2. The times of the Churches peace when the Christians in their united Societies having the Liberty of their publick holy Assemblies in the House of God did constantly attend upon the Service of God in them and the Heathen comming in among them and beholding the comely order and beauty of their holy worship perceiving their Unanimity and Uniformity in the same faith and worship of the same God were so convinced of all and judged of all that the secrets of their hearts were made manifest and they fell down upon their faces and worship'd God and confessed that God was in them of a Truth as the Apostle saith Infidels would do such a Case 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. And therefore no doubt but many of them did And as for those of the Heathen who lived in the Cities and Towns with the Christians or near unto them and yet frequented not the Christians Churches which I suppose few of them would wholly omit men being generally of the Athenians temper inquisitive after what seems new to them but if there were as 't is possible any considerable numbers of such rigid Heathen yet even these beholding the comely order of the Christians Government the amiablenesse of their Conversations their Meeknesse Humility Charity their Righteousnesse shining as the Light and their just dealing as the Noon-day In sum seeing the light of their good works they were allured and won by degrees to glorifie the same God with them and these latter I take to be chiefly meant by the visible righteousnesse and glory of the Church under the Gospel which the Prophet Isaiah foretold for he saith it should be seen which should be so prevailing with the Heathen these the most ordinary wayes though there were other of Converting them to Christianity which Interpretation besides that it is cleared by the words of the Text cited and the evidence of the matter it exactly agrees with the judgement of the Learned Acosta and St. Chrysostome before mentioned Object But it may be objected that neither of these nor perhaps any other Ecclesiatick Writers have told us that Christians for this end ought to be â—nited in Socâ—eties in Towns that it is the glory of the graces and virtues of many Christians shining not in scatter'd Corners but invisible united Societies which is so perswasive and powerfully prevailing with the Heathen to embrace the Christian faith nor do they use any arguments to perswade Christians to live together in Towns and to incorporate into Societies for this end Answer And no marvel how could we reasonably expect it from them The Christians whom they knew dispers'd through the theâ— inhabited parts of the World except Hermites whoâ—e conâ—ition of liâ—e is not here spoken of were united in such Societies planted together in the House of â—od â—o as they might coâ—stantly attend upon the publiqâ—e sacred Minâ—strations of his Word and Woâ—ship and their light best shine before men to the glory of God Therefore for this manner of Châ—istians living together as there was nâ— need to argue so they might charitably hope there never would be Christâ—ans being bound to it by vertue of Christs coâ—mâ—nd To seek firstâ— the Kingdomâ— of God and the Righteâ—â—snessâ— thereof and to depend upon his promise for adding all other things to them of which Duty that theâ— might be â—aily minded Christ hath taught thâ—m by the methoâ— of thâ—t daily Praâ—er which he hath set them as to bâ—g of God so to seekâ— the Hallowing of his Name the advancement of his Kingdome and the doing of his will before their daily Bread from whence it follows that it is the Duty of all Christians to take care in the first place so to unite their habitations in Societies after such a manner as they may be best convenienc'd constantly to attend upon the publick Ministery of Gods holâ— Word Sacraments and Worship which conveniency only Towns and Villages afforâ— â— because God hath ordained the publick
Imprimatur GEO. STRADLING S. T. P. Rever in Christo Pat. GILE Episc. Lond. à Sac. domest Ex Aed Sabaud Sept. 15. 1662 Virginia's Cure OR An ADVISIVE NARRATIVE CONCERNING VIRGINIA DISCOVERING The true Ground of that CHURCHES Unhappiness and the only true Remedy As it was presented to the Right Reverend Father in God GVILBERT Lord Bishop of LONDON September 2. 1661. Now publish'd to further the Welfare of that and the like PLANTATIONS By R. G. And this Gospel of the Kingdome shall be preach'd in all the world for a witness unto all Nations and then shall the End come Mat. 24.14 Is it time for yâ—u O ye to dwell in your ceiled houses and this House lie waste Now therefoâ—e thus saith the Lord of Hosts Consider your wayes Hag 1.4 5. London Printed by W. Godbid for Henry Brome at the Signe of the Gun in Ivy-lane 1662. A PREFACE THat the following Advisive Narrative was not at first intended for publique view there needs no other argument then it self the occasion and manner of address to perswade belief The occasion of writing this The present careful and ingenious Deputy Governour of VIRGINIA Col. Francis Morison sent Petitionary Letters with Propositions for bettering the state of that Church which fell to my lot to present to the Right reverend Fathers in God the Lord Bishop of London and the then Lord Bishop of Worcester understanding the Propositions I made bold to intimate that those Propositions though good would onely palliate not cure the miseries of that Church Whereupon my Lord of London was pleased to enjoyn me to set down in writing some Propositions concerning it I gladly embrac'd the injunction and blest God for the occasion But when I had stated and digested the Propositions upon a reflex they seemed too Magisterial to present to such a râ—verend Father of our Church without giving some account of the gâ—ounds and reasons enforcing their Necessity In persuance whereof I thought fit to premise a brief and plain Dâ—scription of our Peoplâ—â— scâ—ttâ—râ—d manner of Planting VIRGINIA which as to the inâ—abitants or those that have seen that Countrey is I conâ—ess needless But as to those heâ—e who can have no other Ideaâ—s of it than such as others Relaâ—â—ons frame in their Minds as also to the Discovâ—rie of the Grounds of their present unhappiness and the asseâ—ting the kind and manner of their Remedie which is the argument of this Discourse seemed to me no more then needful It is now publish'd through the hopes some have it may further the Publique Good designed which I pray God it may do and possibly it may by some or other of these ways Fiâ—st It may occasion sâ—me of greater Abilities to assert more copiously and fully the Tâ—uth of that Proposition I have briâ—fly proved viz. Thâ—t it is the Duty of Christians â—especially of such Christians as â—eat Plantations among the Heathenâ— so to unite their Habitations in Societies in Towns and Villages as may â—est convenience them constantâ—y to attend upon the publique Ministery of Gods Word Sacramâ—nts and woâ—ship A Duty of so cleâ—r consequence from Holy Scâ—iâ—ture and so necessary to be put in practise for 〈◊〉 the wâ—ll being of such Plantations as I hope will appâ—â—â— by the eâ—â—uing Narrative and Disâ—ourse that â—f 〈…〉 to promote it thrâ—ugh mens want of 〈…〉 gain their assent by the â—vidence â—f 〈…〉 means alone the number of the 〈…〉 if they assent they will at least be 〈…〉 may not a little advantage the putting this Duâ—y into Pâ—acâ—isâ— especially in VIRGINIA the most considerable Countrey under the Heavens which hath so long been abused and yet languisheth under the neglect of it which is the main End design'd Secondly It may possibly help to prevent the like Errors in Seating some new Plantations which were committed and are yet continued in Planting VIRGINIA Thirdly It may direct noble Heroick Spirits those liberal Souls that devise liberal things to the most moving objects of Christian Compassion and Charity that I think the whole Latitude of our most orthodox Protestant Church can present them Particularly it may direct their Charity to endow Fellowships in our Universities of Cambridge and Oxford which may bear the Name of VIRâ—INIA Fellowships and may be appropriated for supply of the Churches in VIRGINIA upon the Conditions specified in the fifth Proposition pag. 10. Nor need such Persons doubt to obtain by the Parliament a Confirmation of the Penalty therein specified in case the Persons that shall be admitted to such Fellowships shall refuse to perform the Conditions of their Admittance at the time limited to transport themselves to VIRGINIA to Serve that Church in the Office of the Ministry Nor can such Ministers plead their poverty and disability to do it because there is sufficient Provision made to defray the Charges of their Transportation of which they are desired to take notice by the seventh Proposal pag. 22. Nor is it the least considerable that such Students knowing for the space of seven yeers before hand thâ— Work to which they are design'd will be careful to order their Studies so as may best fit them for it Other ways there are by which the making this Publique may be subservient to the End design'd which I purposely omit However it succeed it may be some Testimony to my Friends there that I am not altogether unmindful of procuring to my Power the welfare of that poor scatter'd Church which indeed I am not not onely upon the account of Duty paying some solemn vows made in a time of trouble and extremity of Dangerâ— but even of Gratitude for the kind reception I found among them for the space of above Ten years when I could no longer endure â—he late Tyrannical Usurpations of my native Countrey Virginia's Cure OR An Advisive NARRATIVE CONCERNING VIRGINIA TO shew the unhappy State of the Church in Virginia and the true Remedy of it I shall first give a brief Description of the Manner of our Peoples scatter'd Habitations there next shew the sâ—d unhappy consequentâ— of such their scatter'd Living both in reference to themselves and the poor Heathen that are about them and by the way briefly set down the cause of scattering their Habitations then proceed to propound the Remedy and means of procuring it next assert the Benefits of it in reâ—erence both to themselves and the Heathen â—et down the cause why this Remedy hath not been hitherto compâ—ss'dâ— and lastly till it can be procured give directioâ—â— for the present supply of their Churches That part of Virginia which hath at present craved your Loâ—dships Assistance to preserve the Christian Religion and to promote the Building Gods Church among them by supplying them with sufficient Ministers of the Gospel is bounded on the North by the great River Patomek on the South by the River Chawan including also the Land inhabited on the â—â—st side of 〈◊〉 Bâ—y called Accomack and contains above half as mucâ— Lâ—n◠〈◊〉 Englâ—nd it
likewise it obstructs the hopefullest way they have for the Conveâ—â—ion of the Heathen which is by winning the Heathen to bring in thâ—ir Children to be taught and instructed in ouâ— Schooles together with the Children of the Christians For as it is thâ— Beâ—uty and Glory of Christian â—races shining in the lives of Christians which must make the Heathen that are men in love with thâ— Christian Râ—ligion so it is that love which can oâ—ly perâ—wade them to bring in their Children to be taught and insâ—ructed in it But as it is unlikely thâ—t â—uch love should be wrought in them by the â—loâ—y of Chrâ—stiâ—n â—races appearing in the Chriâ—tians lives who as now planted aâ—e for the most part destitute of the ordinary means of Grace so granting that this might be yet it is very unlikely that any rationall Heathen should be perswaded to commit their Children to the teaching and education of such Christians whom they shall perceive to want Schooles of learning the means of both for their own It were easie to adde to these a heap of evill consequents of their scattered Planting which hinder their Temporal as well as Spiâ—ituall happinesse But I forbear it being a task unsuitable for my Profession and for that I know the Remedy to be the same for both and the removing the one will be the removing of the other Onely for conclusion of this part discovering Virginia's Disease and Misery Your Lordship may be pleased to represent to your thoughts the Evills of the fore-mentioned consequents of their scattered Planting in reference to the poor Heathen The effecting whose conversion should be the great end desigâ—ed by all who would be subservient to the Providence of God in Transporting our Colonies thither The Heathen enter frequently into some of the remote dispers'd habitations of the Christians the premises considered what can they see which should make them in love with their Religion They see their Families disordered their â—hildren untaught the publick Worship and Service of the great God they own neglected neglected upon that very day which they heare call'd the Lords Day and to be by the Christians peculiarly set a part for it yea so farre neglected that some of the Heathen have complained it was the worst of the seven to them because the servants of the Christians Plantations nearest to them being then left at liberty oft spend that day in visiting their Indian Towns to the disquiet of the Heathen but certainly to the great Scandall of the Christian Religion and little hopes have the poor Heathen of redresse whilst they see that Day so far neglected by the Christians that in many Parishes they see no publick holy Assemblies of our people no Ministers providâ—d for the holy Ministrations of such Assemblies no Churches erected and consecrated for such publique Sacred Ministrations or such in such deâ—olate Places and â—o remote from many of their habitations that an ingenuous Christian would blush to tell a Heathen that They are the houses of the Christians great â—od that made the Heaven and the â—arth of nothing in which he is honoured worshipp'd prayed unto and his heavenly will taught from his holy Word for if a sober diâ—creet Heathen and there are many such should reply Why hath not every Parish one of them and Ministers belonging to them why do not the Christians build their houses nearer them that they may come oftner to them whâ— are they not better built why will not all the Christians of a Pariâ—h bestow as much cost in building the house of their great God as one particular â—hristian among them bestows upon his own house what defence could an ingenuous Christian make which should not at once both shame himself and the Christians he woulâ— defend If then Sacriledge were so goodly a thing in the Heathens account as to make them in love with the Christians and their Religion for it they see the â—hristians robbing God in all the fore-mentioned particulars robbing him of his Days Churches Ministers publick Worship and Service But I can truly affirm by what I have learn'd among divers Nations of those Heathen that it is a Sin which those Heathen by the Light of Nature do most detest and abhorre and the holy Scripture gives Testimonâ— to it Mal. 3.8 Will a man rob his God will a Heathen do it Can they then obâ—erve it in the Christians and not abhorre and detest both them and their Religion for it and in steaâ— of acknowledâ—ing them a seed which the Lord hath blessed think on the contrary thâ—t both they and their offspring are a Generâ—tion whom the Lord hath cuâ—â—ed No hopâ—s therefore of bringing the Heaâ—hen in love with the Christiaâ— Religioâ—â— whilâ—st â—o many evill anâ— scandalous consequeâ—ts atâ—â—nd the Christians scâ—tter'd manneâ— of planting in that wâ—lder esse An their scatter'd Planning beâ—ng the cause of such consequents the coâ—seâ—â—ents will râ—main so long as thâ—t continues as at this day it doth I have â—atherto â—orborn to mention the great danger that manâ— of the Christians are in of being destroyed by the Heathen as formerly hundreds of them have been because this consideration doth so easily oâ—fer it self upon the fore-mention'd description of their â—cattered Seating By which and the sad consequents of it if your Lordship shall please to contemplate the deplorable Estate and condition of the poor Church in Virginia which implores your aid it will present to your charitable heart such a moving object of your fatherly Care Pitty and Compassion as will employ all your Interest in the Kings Grace and Favor and your utmost power and endeavours to procure the Remedy The cause of their dispers'd Seating was at first a priviledge indulged by the royall Grant of having a right to 50 Acres of Landâ— for every person they should transport at their own charges by which means some men transporting many Servants thither and others purchasing the Rights of those that did took possession of great tracts of Land at theiâ— pleasure and by Degrees scattered their Plantations through the Country after the manner before described although therefore from the premisses it is easie to conclude that the onely way of remedy for Virginia's disease without which all other help will only palliate not cure must be by procuring Towns to be built and inhabited in theiâ—â—everal Counties Yet left any man be hereby injured in his just Right even this Remedy ought to be procured after â—uch a manner as the present manner of planting theâ—selves their poverty and mean condition will permit According to which whether the building Towns in each Countâ— of Virginia will be best proâ—oted by reviving a â—ormer Act of that Country for Markets in Stated places of each County where whatsoever should be transported into that Colony was onely to be sold which Act was perhaps over-hastily repealed the next ensuing Assembly held March 27. 1656. for in my hearing they who were the chief Agents in repealing it have more
Miâ—istery of these to be the means by which through his blessing upon the due using them his Name should be glorified his Kingdome advanc'd and his will perform'd and hath exprest it to be his will that he will be glorified before all the People honoured and praised in the great Congregations and therefore calls for it by his Word Psal. 100. O go your way into his Gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise be thankfull unto him and blesse his name And perhaps it may be truly affirmed that Virginia's Planters were the first considerable numbers of Christians in the whole world which first violated this stated Order of Christ I say not in a remote desert and in the sight of the Heathen which hugely aggravates their fault but the first that everâ— laâ—ted themselves after such a manner Hermites as before excepted whose manner of Life Virginians profess not as might make their due and constant attendance upon the publick worship and Service of God impossible to them and consequently diâ—able them to glorifie the Name and advance the Kingdome of God in the way God hath ordained and commandeâ— It may suffice therefore for answer to the Objectâ— to say that if neither ancient nor modern Writers have told us that Christians if they have Liberty ought to live together in visible united Societies in Cities Towns or Villages for the fore-mentioned ends it was because they knew no present need of writing any thing of it nor could charitably conjecture there would be any for the Future But dâ—er bought experience hath taught that it iâ— now necessary which hath made me thus fâ—r presume upon Your Lordships Candor and Patience for this brief asserting it There being no other Remedy for Virginia's Malady but by reducing her Planters into Towns Object The common Objection against this way of being reduced into Towns which I have often heard among them is that they shall be undone by it in their Estates Answer For Answer to which it may suffice to say 1. The most knowing and prudent among them have judg'd the contrary and that it would be the only way to enrich them and therefore have both wish'd and endeavour'd it though in vain witnesse the above-mention'd Act for Markets contrived by the prudent Edward Diggs Esq their sometime Governour and the very many attempts and contrivances to compasse it made and devised by the most Noble lover of Virginia Sir William Berkely their present Governour 2. It will be the most probable way of securing both their Persons and Estates against all attempts of the Heathen the Rumours whereof frequently spread through that Countrey do oft aâ—fright them for hereby either the Heathen will be gained after the manner before specified or their power not fear'd 3. Only Persons that are able will be enjoyned it according to the Tenour of the fourth Proposition and perhaps Collections being made and dispers'd according to the 2 and 3. Propositions or agreeable Sums of money raised by a Rate set upon every Hogshead of Tobacco imported into England according to the Honourable Sir William Berkleys Proposition in his view of Virginia Workmen may be provided for them and the Planters be at little Charge besides affording them Assistance and Dyet which they have in so greâ—t Plenty in that Countrey that very few or none will account the afforâ—ing that any impairing to their Estates If none of these answerâ— will satisfie such Objectors 4. Yet let them consider seriously what hath been before asserted That while they continue their present manner of scattered living whereby they necessitate themselves to rob God of his due publique Worship and Service they will continue under the Curse of â—od but by uniting their habitations in Towns they will make themselves capable of giving God his due honour in his house of Prayer in the great Congregations of his People and consequently of procuring his blessing for them that honour God God will honour and they that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of 〈◊〉 â—ouse of our God Psal. 92.13 Now whether their living under the Curse or under the Blessing of the Almighty will best improve their Estates let themselves judge These things considered men may wonder why the attempts made by the fore-mentioned Honourable Governours to reduce Virginia's Planters into Towns did never succeed and perhaps it may be hard for any that never lived among them rightly to conjecture But the truth in plain English is this Whatsoever is of publick concernment in Virginia is determined by their Grand Assemblies which are usually held once a year and consist of Governour and Councell which make the upper house and the Burgesses which represent the People and make the lower house and are chosen out of every County by the People after the manner that Burgesses are chosen for Parliaments in England and are more or fewer according as the People agree who are to defray their chargesâ— Whatsoever passes into an Act of Assembly must be agree'd upon by the Major part of Burgesses and these are usually such as went over Servants thither and though by time and industry they may have attained competent Estates yet by reason of their poor and mean education they are unskilful in judging of a good Estate either of Church or Common-wealth or of the means of procuring it No marvell therefore if the best proposals which have been made to such persons for reducing them into Towns offending in the least against their present private worldly interest though never so promising for the future have been from time to time bandied against by such Major parts of their Burgesses and the fewer wise heads over-voted by them And if at any time it hath so happened that the Major part of the Burgesses have been so meetly qualified and tempered as to enact any thing tending to such a publique good The following Assemblies have usually repealed it The consideration of which is the true ground of the whole third Proposition of the Contents of which and the rest if Your Lordship shall become the blessed procurer The forlorne Church which is now scattered in desolate Places of that wildernesse without any comlinesse which should make her desired and sought after may through Gods blessing in a few years gain such beauty wealth and ornament as may either enable her to nurse up Children of her own to become her servants in the Gospel or allure Strangers to court her for the Favour and if it shall please God to prolong your Honourable dayes till you shall hear of the promised blessed fruits of your labour of love and charity for that poor Church which God grant in mercy for his name and Churches sake what ravishing joy and contentment will affect your pious and charitable heart to contemplate at this distance the Glory of the Communion of Saints in their united holy Societies and Assemblies the constant beauty of their publique Worship of their holy