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Letter from George Monck, Duke of Albemarle to William Berkeley
Albemarle, George Monck, Duke of, 1608-1670; Carolina. Lords Proprietors.
September 08, 1663
Volume 01, Pages 52-55

[B. P. R. O. Col: Ent: Book. No. 20. p. 6.]

Cocke Pitt this 8. day of Septr 1663.


Since you left us we have indeavoured to procure and at lenkth have obtayned his Majestie's Charter for the province of Carrolina. A coppy of which Charter and unto which we refer ourselves, we doe hearewith send you since the sealeing whereof there started a title under a pattent graunted in the 5th yeare of Kinge Charles the 2d to Sir Robert Heath under which there hath beene a Clayme by the Duke of Norfolkes

Agents and another by Sir Ric: Greenefields heires: but all there that shall plant notwithstanding that pattent, are by an Act of Kinge and Councill secured against that pattent: and that pattent by Kinge and Councill made Null and ordered to be made soe by the Kinge's Authurney in the Courts of Law a coppy of which order we hearewith send you, soe that noe person need not scruple planting under our pattent besides we have many more advantages then is in the other to incorrage the undertakers, we are informed that there are some people setled on the north east parte of the river Chowan and that others have inclynations to plant there, as alsoe on the Larboard side entring of the same river soe that we hold it convenient that a Governor be forthwith appoynted for that Collony, and for that end we have by Captain Whittey sent you a power to constitute and appoynt one or two Governors and Councelles and other Officers unto which power we referr ourselves: we haveing onely reserved the nomination of a surveyor and secrytary: as officers that wilbe fitt to take care of your and our Interest, the one by faithfully leying out all lande the other by justly recording the same, the surveyor by name Monsiear Lepreyrie whoe we conceave will goe in this ship if not in the next he is recomended by Sir George Carteret to be able that way and a good Injenear for the making of fortifications.

The secrytary is one Mr Richard Cobthrop recomended to us by my Lord John Berkeley, he hath the repute of an honest injeinous and stout man: he promiseth to be ready to goe hence within a moneth we shall hasten him to you.

Wee doe likewayes send you proposealls to all that will plant, which we prepared upon receipt of a paper from some new England men that desired to setle neare Cape Faire, in which our condisentions are as low as it is possible for us to desend, this was not intended for your merriddian, where we hope to find more fassill people, whoe by your Interest may setle upon better tearmes for us, which we leave to your management which our oppinion that you grante as much as is possible rather then deter any from planting there, by our instructions and proposealls you will see what proportions of lande we intend for each master and sarvant and in what manner to be allotted, but we understand that the people that are there have bought great tracts of land from the Indians, which if they shall injoye will weaken the plantation.

1. First because those persons will in probobillity keepe all that land to themselves, and soe make the neighbowrhood of others remote from there assistance in case of danger.


2. If any new Commers would setle neare there habitations they will not peradventure admitt it without purchasing and possibly upon hard tearmes which will discorrage people from planting; wherefore it is our resolution and desire that you persuade and compell those persons to be sattisfyed with such proportions as we allot to others which wilbe more then any such number of men, to and for whome these proportions are to be given, cann manage and therefore enough: more will but scatter the people and render them lyable to be easyly destroyed by any enymyes soe that the fixing the way that our Instructions mentions wilbe the best course of setling as we conceave, howeaver we doe leave it to you that are upon the place and cann best judge; desiring you to keepe this Letter and our Instructions and proposealls private to your selfe; the reason of giving you power to setle two Governors that is of each side of the river one, is because some persons that are for liberty of Contience may desire a Governor of there owne proposing, which those of the other side of the river may not so well like, and our designe being to incorrage those people to plant abroad and to stocke well those parts with planters: inciteth us to comply alwayse and with all sorts of persons, as farr as possibly we cann, you wilbe best able to judge when you heare all partyes and therefore referr the thing wholly to you, takeing your design into consideration. Wee have granted to Sir Jno. Colleton the Island called by some Carelyle Island lyeing neare Roanoake and Chowan river: he will leave it with you to take a parte with him if you please, soe that you may order possession to be given of the same to his assignes; inclosed is a Coppy of his Graunte; Although my Lord Chancellors my Lord Berkeleyes and my Lord Ashlyes hands be not to the power and papers we send you, the reason whereof is because they are not in towne, yet doe they consent to what we doe: soe that you may act without danger or scruple.

The entrance to Chowan river is difficult and water but for small vessells: but we understand that there is an Entrance, boald and deepe water in the Lattitude of 34. which is neare the rivers called the Newse and Pamplycoe which we conceave may be best discovered from your parts in order to which we desire you to procure at fraught or other wayse some small vessell that draws little water with a boald boat to make that discovery and some others into the sownd, through which sownd big greate ships may peradventure come to Chowan and give us admittance into the other brave rivers that lye in the sownd and whylst they are abroade, they may looke into Charles river a very little to the southward of Cape Faire, and give us an account of what is there: this if it may be done

with little troble and expence of time; the charge you shall be at we shall each man upon notice pay our shares: some moneys we are in disburse for you heare: which may be allowed out of what you disburse there; this worke we hold necessary to be done, that the Kinge may see that wee sleepe not with his grant but are promoting his service and his subjects profitt; by Captain Whitteyes relation you may easyly pass by land and river from your Government to Chowan river and ryde but 25 myles by land which makes us presume earnestly to intreat you to make a jorney theither whereby you may upon your owne knowledge give us your opinion of it: and direct such discoveryes to be made up the river as you shall see fitt: which and all other things hearein and in our Instructions contayned we committ to your consideration and care and remayne