, at Amsterdam in 1617, and shortly after at Paris. By the
Earl of Warwick's influence he now procured the place of Secretary for
the Colony of Virginia, having come over in April, 1619, with Sir George
Yeardley, who appointed him one of his council.

In June, Governor Yeardley summoned the first legislative assembly that
ever met in America. It assembled at James City or Jamestown, on Friday,
the 30th of July, 1619, upwards of a year before the Mayflower left
England with the Pilgrims. A record of the proceedings is preserved in
the London State Paper Office, in the form of a Report from the Speaker,
John Pory.[139:B]

John Pory, Secretary of the Colony, was chosen Speaker, and John Twine,
Clerk. The Assembly sate in the choir of the church, the members of the
council sitting on either side of the Governor, and the Speaker right
before him, the Clerk next the Speaker, and Thomas Pierse, the Sergeant,
standing at the bar.

Before commencing business, prayer was said by Mr. Bucke, the minister.
Each burgess then, as called on, took the oath of supremacy. When the
name of Captain Ward was called, the Speaker objected to him as having
seated himself on land without authority. Objection was also made to the
burgesses appearing to represent Captain Martin's patent, because they
were, by its terms, exempted from any obligation to obey the laws of the
colony. Complaint was made by Opochancano, that corn had been forcibly
taken from some of his people in the Chesapeake, by Ensign Harrison,
commanding a shallop belonging to this Captain John Martin, "Master of
the Ordinance." The Speaker read the commission for establishing the
Council of State and the General Assembly, and also the charter brought
out by Sir Thomas Yeardley. This last was referred to several committees
for examination, so that if they should find anything "not perfectly
squaring with the state of the colony, or any law pressing or binding
too hard," they might by petition seek to have it redressed, "especially
because this great charter is to bind us and our heirs forever." Mr.
Abraham Persey was the Cape-merchant. The price at which he was to
receive tobacco, "either for commodities or upon bills," was fixed at
three shillings for the best and eighteen pence for the second rate.
After inquiry the burgesses from Martin's patent were excluded, and the
Assembly "humbly demanded" of the Virginia Company an explanation of
that clause in his patent entitling him t