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Show 1'36] [37-] treat the. Subjeét with Calmnei's and Candor, to be Valid, to the Lands which are now poffifléd by the Colony of' Virginia, {he conveyed to Sir and alto with a due Regard to Truth. Walter Rawleigh, the Property, Dominion and Previous to a direé‘t Confideration of the Charter granted to this Province or Colony, and the better to elucidate the true Senf‘e and Meaning of it, we would take a View of the State of the Englifh North American Continent at the Time when and after Polreflion was firfi taken of any Part of it, by the Europeans. It was then pof~ fefi‘ed by Heathenaand Barbarous People, who had nevezthelefs all that Right to the Soil and Sovereignty in and over the Lands they polléflbd, which God had originally given to Man. Who-t ther their being Heathen, inferred any Right or Authority to Chriftian Princes, a Right which had long been aflhmed by the Pope, to dilpofe of their Lands to others, we will leave to your Ex- cellency or any one of Underflanding and impartialjudgment to confider. It is certain they had in no other Scnfc forfeited them to any Power in Europe. Should the Doctrine be admitted that Sovereignty thereof, to be held of the Crown by Homage, and a certain Render, without any Relkrvation to heriElF of any Share in the Legiflative and Executive Authority. After the At»- tainder of Sir Walter, King James the Firfi crc- , ated two Virginia Companies, to be governed each by Laws tranfinitted to them by hisMajeiiy, and not- by the Parliament,withPowcr to ellablilh and caufe to be made :1 Coin to pals current a- mong them ; and veiled with all Liberties, Fran- chifes and Immunities within any of his other Dominions, to all Intents and ‘Pnrpofes, as if they had been abiding, and born wit/5m t/wRea/m. A Declaration {imilar to this is contained in the firl't Charter of this Colony, and in thofe of . ether American Colonies; which {hows that the Colonies were not intended or confitlered to be within the Realm of England, though within the People. gives to any Chrittian Prince a Right and '1 lllr to the Dominion and Property, {lill it is vefletl in the Crown alone. It was an Acqtiili- Allegiance of the Englilh Crown. After this, another Charter was granted by the fame King James, to the Treainrer and Company of Viiginia,veliing them with full Power and Authority, to make, ordain and eflablifh all Manner of Or. "on of Foreizm Territory, not annexed to the ders, Laws, Directions, Inllrnétions, Forms and Realmof England, and therefore at the abftilure Dtlpolal «l the Crown. For we take it to he Ceremonies of Government and Magil‘tracyfit and a it‘lrlttiPoint, that the King has a coniiitutienal any Relbrvation for focusing: their Stthiciftion to P‘EWWilve to dif‘pofb of and alienate any Part Of his lit‘rl'itm‘irs not annexed to the Rea'm. in the Pfll'liaviié‘iit and litture Laws of England. ‘A thrustercife of this Prerogative, Queen Elizabeth King to the Treafitrcr and ‘fl‘ompany of Virginia, g'i'l'c‘d the {irli American Charter: and claiming vcliing them with Power and :‘tuthority to make a 19g!" by Virtue of Difeovery, then Fuppoi'ed Laws, with an Addition of this Claulc, " f0 al« ways Dill‘overy of Lands owned and pollefTed byPagan _ ~ {0 neceiiary, and the fame to alnogareflzc. ,without third Chat [Cr was afterwards granted by the {time |
