all within the circle of Povey's
friends, that Povey and Noell both petitioned the King for Russell's
reappointment, and that Temple wrote Povey begging him to exert his
influence in his (Temple's) behalf, lest he lose the governorship. Povey
was certainly in high favor with the monarchy; in 1660 he was appointed
treasurer to the Duke of York and Master of Requests to his Majesty
in Extraordinary June 22, 1660,[2] and during the years that followed
he held office after office and with all the skill of a politician
continued to find offices for his kinsmen. William Blathwayt, of later
fame, was his nephew. Noell was no less honored; he became a member of
the Royal Company of Merchants, the Royal African Company, the Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England, and was finally
knighted in 1663 and died in 1665.[3] As we shall see, both men became
very active in the affairs of the plantations, and it is more than
likely that the opinions of the King in Council were not infrequently
shaped by their suggestions and advice.

How early the decision was reached to create separate councils of trade
and foreign plantations it is impossible to say. Some time between May
and August, 1660, Povey must have planned to recast his "Overtures"
and to present them for the consideration of the King. At first he
endeavored to adapt those of 1657 to the new situation by substituting
"Foreign Plantations" for the "West Indies," "Ma^{tie}" for "Highness,"
and "his Ma^{ties} Privie Councill" for "the great Councill"; but
he finally decided to present a new draft, in which, however, he
retained many of the essential clauses of the former paper. Whether the
recommendations of Povey as presented in the "Overtures" influenced Lord
Clarendon to recommend such councils to the King we cannot say; it is
more likely that the practice adopted under the Protectorate had already
commended itself to the Chancellor, who was beginning to show that
interest in the plantations which characterizes the early years of his
administration. That he should have consulted Noell and Povey and other
London merchants is to be expected of the man who for at least five
years kept up a close correspondence with Maverick of New England,
Ludwell of Virginia, and D'Oyley, Littleton, and Modyford in the
West Indies,[4] and who was constantly urging upon the King the
importance of the plantations as sources of revenue and the great
financial possibilities that lay in