At a Meeting at James City July the 10th 1666. Present: Sir William Berkeley, Knt, Governor, &c., Thomas Ludwell, Sec., Majr Gen’l Richard Bennett, Col. Thomas Swann, Majr Gen’l Robert Smith, Col. Thomas Stegg, Theodorick Bland, Col. Miles Cary, Esqrs.
Whereas we are informed of the arrival of an enemies man of war who hath already taken two ships and may probably endeavour some further prejudice to this his Majesties colony or the ships now in it, It is therefore ordered that those twenty men who are now employed about the fort be forthwith armed, and Major Powell do command them ’til further order And that the said Powell do with all speed bury the ordinance at Point Comfort at least four feet deep and having so done to be with the said twenty men a guard for the said ordinance to defend them from any attempts which may be made upon them by the enemy and it is further ordered that Col. Yeo do forthwith put the County of Elizabeth City into a speedy posture of defence and to be ready upon all occasions to relieve the said guard if they shall be oppressed with the enemy upon an hours warning and Col. Cary is hereby ordered to send them powder and shott which is to be delivered to Col. Yeo who is to manage it to the best advantage for the countries service and to give an account of the expence of it and it is further ordered for the ease of the said Majr Powell that Col. Yeo with the like number of men do relieve the said Powell and so successively each other.
Whereas the inhabitants of his Majesties colony have several times in these four years last passed been barbarously murdered by the indians and contrary to several articles of peace concluded on between us and them and whereas we have frequently demanded satisfaction from them for their several breaches of the said peace but hitherto without such effect as we might in justice expect It is therefore ordered for revenge of the former and for the prevention of future mischeifs that the towns of Monzation, Nanzimond and Port Tobacco with the whole nation of the Doegs and Potomacks be forthwith prosecuted with war to their utter destruction if possible and that their women and children and their goods or as much of it as shall be taken to be disposed of according to such instructions as shall be issued from the Right Honourable the Governor. And it is further ordered that the said war be managed by such officers with such numbers of men and by such ways and means as the Governor shall think fit.
Whereas there is already arrived one enemy ship of war and more reasonably to be expected in a short time who may invade the persons and plantations of the inhabitants of this his Majesties colony to their great prejudice if not their ruine It is therefore ordered for the prevention of such threatening dangers that Majr Genl Richard Bennett do forthwith after the getting to his own house summon all the militia officers within his province together with the several and respective justices of the peace within the countries [counties] committed to his charge to appear as soon as possible at such place as he shall think fit there to provide that all boats and sloops fit for service be pressed to be ready at an hours warning and so many men well armed to be ready to man the said boats and sloops as shall be by him and them or any fix of them thought fit to attend the motion and prevent the landing of any such enemy and it is further ordered that in case any such boat or sloop shall want repairing or any materials necessary the said Majr Genl do press either carpenters or Smiths to work immediately upon the said work and to seize cordage or sales or any other necessarys for the said service to be paid for by the publick and it is further ordered that the said Majr Genl Bennett and the persons or any six of them shall hereby have full power to make such other constitutions as to them shall be thought fit for the better effecting the good ends aforesaid, being from time to time obedient to such further orders as they shall receive from the Right Honorable the Governor or from this board and it is further ordered that the ammunition delivered to the said Major Genl, shall remain in his hands not to be distributed until sufficient occasion requires it and lastly it is ordered that the militia officers of York river and the eastern shore do take notice of this order and do what is hereby enjoined within their several provinces and may God give them all good success in their several places.
Whereas it doth appear to us by experience that tho’ we build a fort according to his Majesties royal commands which we are now upon and shall perform with all possible speed yet by reason of the openness and large extent of the several rivers within this colony it will be impossible to defend the ships trading hither without so many forts as we are not able to build nor garrison It is therefore upon mature deliberation on the premises ordered that the Right Honourable the Governor be desired most humbly to supplicate his Majesty to command one of his frigates to attend here for the better defence of the ships aforesaid and we shall be always ready to supply her with our best assistance in what ever she shall have occasion for.
Whereas the publick affairs do often require a speedy dispatch of letters and other orders for the better management of the same which is often retarded to the hazard and prejudice of this country and the inhabitants thereof by the neglect of such persons to whose hands such publick dispatches come for their conveyance according to directions for the future prevention of which inconveniences It is ordered that all dispatches of a like nature be directed to the next justice of the peace to be conveyed from justice to justice until it arrive at the place it was directed to; and all justices within this county [country] are hereby strictly required to take special notice hereof and to yield a ready obedience to the same by sending such packets or orders forthwith the said next justice and they are further required to write on the said packets the time they received them and sent them away and hereof they nor any of them are not to fail.
For the preservation of this his Majesties colony and subjects, It is ordered that Majr Genl Robert Smith be hereby impowered to demand and make seizure of all powder and shot wherever it shall be either in merchants and planters custody that are not in imminent danger of an enemy which ammunition is to be paid for by the publick he the said Majr Genl being hereby impowered to appoint what other his Majesties officers he please for the effecting hereof and to distribute the said ammunition as he shall think fit for the good end aforesaid,
