Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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A13057
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For the colony in Virginea Britannia. Lavves diuine, morall and martiall, &c.
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Virginia.; Strachey, William, 1572?-1621.
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1612
(1612)
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STC 23350; ESTC S111283
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56,375
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108
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and wisedome are strengthned by these two waies either by a kind of diuine nature which his happy creation hath blessed him with the vertue whereof comprehendeth foreseeth and vnderstandeth the truth and cleerenesse of all things or by instruction and tradition from others which must improue his wants and by experience render him perfect awaking him in all seasons a vigilant obseruer of ciuill cautions and ordinances an excellent reason inforcing no lesse vnto the knowledge of him that will shine a starre in the firmament where good men moue and that is that no man doth more ill then hee that is ignorant For the auoiding of which and to take away the plea of I did not know in him that shall exorbitate or goe aside with any delinquencie which may be dangerous in example or execution albeit true it is how hee is indeede the good and honest man that will be good and to that needeth fewe other precepts It hath appeared most necessary vnto our present Ethnarches Deputy Gouernor Sir Thomas Dale knight Marshall not onely to exemplifie the olde Lawes of the Colony by Sir Thomas Gates published put in execution by our Lord Generall Laware during his time one whole yeere of being there but by vertue of his office to prescribe and draw new with their due penaltyes according vnto which wee might liue in the Colony iustly one with another and performe the generall seruice for which we first came thither and with so great charges expences are now setled maintained there For my paines and gathering of them as I know they will be right welcom to such young souldiers in the Colony who are desirous to learne and performe their duties so I assure me that by you I shall bee encouraged to go on in the discharge of greater offices by examining and fauouring my good intention in this and in what else my poore knowledge or faithfulnesse may enable me to be a seruant in so beloued and sacred a businesse And euen so committing to your still most abstract graue and vnsatisfied carefulnesse both it and my selfe I wish returne of seuen fold into such his well inspired bosome who hath lent his helping hand vnto this new Sion From my lodging in the blacke Friers At your best pleasures either to returne vnto the Colony or to pray for the successe of it heere WILLIAM STRACHEY Articles Lawes and Orders Diuine Politique and Martiall for the Colony in Virginea first established by Sir Thomas Gates Knight Lieutenant Generall the 24. of May 1610. exemplified and approued by the Right Honourable Sir Thomas West Knight Lord Lawair Lord Gouernour and Captaine Generall the 12. of Iune 1610. Againe exemplified and enlarged by Sir Thomas Dale Knight Marshall and Deputie Gouernour the 22. of Iune 1611. WHereas his Maiestie like himselfe a most zealous Prince hath in his owne Realmes a principall care of true Religion and reuerence to God and hath alwaies strictly commaunded his Generals and Gouernours with all his forces wheresoeuer to let their waies be like his ends for the glorie of God And forasmuch as no good seruice can be performed or warre well managed where militarie discipline is not obserued and militarie discipline cannot be kept where the rules or chiefe parts thereof be not certainely set downe and generally knowne I haue with the aduise and counsell of Sir Thomas Gates Knight Lieutenant Generall adhered vnto the lawes diuine and orders politique and martiall of his Lordship the same exemplified an addition of such others as I haue found either the necessitie of the present State of the Colonie to require or the infancie and weaknesse of the bodie thereof as yet able to digest and doe now publish them to all persons in the Colonie that they may as well take knowledge of the Lawes themselues as of the penaltie and punishment which without partialitie shall be inflicted vpon the breakers of the same 1 FIrst since we owe our highest and supreme duty our greatest and all our allegeance to him from whom all power and authoritie is deriued and flowes as from the first and onely fountaine and being especiall souldiers emprest in this sacred cause we must alone expect our successe from him who is onely the blesser of all good attempts the King of kings the commaunder of commaunders and Lord of Hostes I do strictly commaund and charge all Captaines and Officers of what qualitie or nature soeuer whether commanders in the field or in towne or townes forts or fortresses to haue a care that the Almightie God bee duly and daily serued and that they call vpon their people to heare Sermons as that also they diligently frequent Morning and Euening praier themselues by their owne exemplar and daily life and dutie herein encouraging others thereunto and that such who shall often and wilfully absent themselues be duly punished according to the martiall law in that case prouided 2 That no man speake impiously or maliciously against the holy and blessed Trinitie or any of the three persons that is to say against God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost or against the knowne Articles of the Christian faith vpon paine of death 3 That no man blaspheme Gods holy name vpon paine of death or vse vnlawfull oathes taking the name of God in vaine curse or banne vpon paine of seuere punishment for the first offence so committed and for the second to haue a bodkin thrust through his tongue and if he continue the blaspheming of Gods holy name for the third time so offending he shall be brought to a martiall court and there receiue censure of death for his offence 4 No man shall vse any traiterous words against his Maiesties Person or royall authority vpon paine of death 5 No man shall speake any word or do any act which may tend to the derision or despight of Gods holy word vpon paine of death Nor shall any man vnworthily demeane himselfe vnto any Preacher or Minister of the same but generally hold them in all reuerent regard and dutifull intreatie otherwise he the offender shall openly be whipt three times and aske publike forgiuenesse in the assembly of the congregation three seuerall Saboth daies 6 Euerie man and woman duly twice a day vpon the first towling of the Bell shall vpon the working daies repaire vnto the Church to heare diuine Seruice vpon pain of losing his or her dayes allowance for the first omission for the second to be whipt and for the third to be condemned to the Gallies for six Moneths Likewise no man or woman shall dare to violate or breake the Sabboth by any gaming publique or priuate abroad or at home but duly sanctifie and obserue the same both himselfe and his familie by preparing themselues at home with priuate prayer that they may bee the better sitted for the publique according to the commandements of God and the orders of our Church as also euery man and woman shal repaire in the morning to
FOR The Colony in Virginea BRITANNIA Lavves Diuine Morall and Martiall c. Alget qui non Ardet Res nostrae subinde non sunt quales quis optaret sed quales esse possunt Printed at London for Walter Burre 1612. To the Right Honourable his singular good Lord the Lord LAWARR of the heroyicke and Religious Plantation in VIRGINIA-BRITANIA the sole personall Aduancer his Maiesties Lord Gouernour and Captaine GENERALL OF all things we enioy the Founders worth Is still most praide for In attempts of warre The Chargers fame is euer most set forth Of all things founded true Religion farre We are worthyest Palme and merits holyest meede This then Heroyicke Lord your glorie shrines That y' are sole personall Lord of this great deede Which more by all else shund the more it shines Skorne then all common Aymes and euery Act Where euery vulgar thrusts for profit on Nor praise nor prise affect like the meere Fact Nor any other Honour build vpon Then onely this since 't is for Christs deare word You shall be surnam'd The most Christian Lord. By an vnworthy follower of the same fortune your Lordships Seruant William Strachey To the much Honoured in all Nations acknowledged the most renowned famous Factor and Professor of all Actions that haue the warrant of Religion Honour or goodnesse Sir THOMAS SMITH Knight and in this piouâ— Plantation of Virginia-Britania the vnremoueable cordiall friend and right bounteous well chosen TREASVRER SIR if the traffique with all Nations Vent'ring your Purse for profit hath renown'd Your noble minde with all mens commendations For this diuine gaine it is triple Croun'd In which you traffique not with men but God Not venturing but surely gaining Soules Not onely such as Idlenesse had trod As low as hell and giuen their flesh to Fowles In our owne Countrey but such soules beside As liuing like the sonne of Earth the Moule Haue neuer yet Heauens sauing light descry'd More then the world he gaines that gaines a soule Which but your selfe though few or none esteeme Assures your soule a heauenly Diademe William Strachey To the Right Honorable the Lords of the Councell of Virginea NOblest of men though t is the fashion now Noblest to mixe with basest for their gaine Yet doth it fare farre otherwise with you That scorne to turne to Chaos so againe And follow your supreme distinction still Till of most noble you become diuine And imitate your maker in his will To haue his truth in blackest nations shine VVhat had you beene had not your Ancestors Begunne to you that make their nobles good And where white Christians turne in maners Mores You wash Mores white with sacred ChristaÌ„ bloud This wonder ye that others nothing make Forth theÌ„ great LL. for your Lords Sauiors sake By him all whose duty is tributary to your Lordships and vnto so excellent a cause William Strachey To the constant mighty and worthie friends the Commitâ—ies Assistants vnto his Maiesties Councell for the Colonie in VIRGINEA-BRITANNIA WHen I went forth vpon this voyage Right worthy Gentlemen true it is I held it a seruice of dutie during the time of my vnprofitable seruice and purpose of stay in the Colonie for which way else might I adde vnto the least hight of so Heroicke and pious a building to propose vnto my self to be though an vnable Remembrancer of all accidents occurrences and vndertakings thereunto aduentitiall In most of which since the time our right famous sole Gouernour then now Lieutenant Generall Sir Thomas Gates Knight after the ensealing of his Commission hasted to our fleete in the West there staying for him I haue both in the Bermudas and since in Virginea beene a sufferer and an eie witnesse and the full storie of both in due time shall consecrate vnto your viewes as vnto whom by right it appertaineth being vowed patrones of a worke and enterprise so great then which no obiect nor action the best of bests in these times may carry with it the like fame honour or goodnesse Howbet since many impediments as yet must detaine such my obseruations in the shadow of darknesse vntill I shall be able to deliuer them perfect vnto your iudgements 〈◊〉 I shall prouoke and challenge I do in the meanetime present a transcript of the Toparchia or State of those duties by which theâ—â— Colonie stands regulated and commaunded that such may receiue due chicke who malitiously and desperately heretoforè haue censured of it and by examining of which they may be right sorie so to haue defaulked from vs as if we liued there lawlesse without obedience to our Countrey or obseruancie of Religion to God Nor let it afflict the patience of such full and well instructed iudgements vnto whom many of these constitutions and Lawes Diuine or Marshall may seeme auncient and common since these grounds are the same constant Asterismes and starres which must guide all that trauell in thâ—se perplexed wayes and paths of publique affairs whosoeuer shall wander from them shall but decline a hazardous and by-course to bring their purposes to good effect Nor let another kind quarrell or traduce the Printing of them to be deliuered in particular to officers and priuate Souldiers for their better instruction especially vnto a Company for the 〈◊〉 vnsetled and vnfurnished since we know well how short our memories are oftentimes and vnwilling to giue stoâ—ge to the better things and such things as limit and bound mankind in their necessariest duties For which it transcends not the reach of his vnderstanding who is conuersant if but as for a festiuall exercise euery 〈◊〉 Moone in reading of a booke that records and edâ—cts for manners or ciuill duties haue vsually beene fixed vpon ingrauen Tables for the Commons daily to ouerlooke a custome more especially cherished by those not many yeeres since in Magnuza who haue restored as I mâ—â— say after so great a floud and rage of abused goodnessâ— all Lawes literature and Vertue againe which had well nigh perished had not the force of piety and sacred reason remaining in the bosomes of some few opposed it selfe against the fury of so great a calamity of whom it is an vndenyable truth that the meanes and way wherby they reduced the generall defâ—ction was by printing thereby so houlding vppe those inuolued principles and Instructions wherein as in a mirror the blind and wandering iudgement might suruaye what those knowledges were which taught both how to gouerne and how to obey the end indeed of sociable mankinds Creation since without order and gouernment the onely hendges whereupon not onely the safety but the being of all states doe turne and depend what society may possible subsist or commutatiue goodnesse be practised And thus lawâ—s being published euery common eye may take suruey of their duties and carrying away the tenour of the same meditate bethinke how safe quiet and comely it is to be honest iust and ciuill And indeed all the sacred powers of knowledge