CONSIDERATIONS TOUCHING THE NEW CONTRACT FOR TOBACCO, AS THE SAME HATH been propounded by Master DITCHFIELD, and other undertakers.  
Printed 1625.   

CONSIDERATIONS touching the new Contract for TOBACCO.  
As the same hath been propounded by Master Ditchfield, and other undertakers.  
IN all contracts, especially of so public nature, there are two principal qualities thought most considerable, justice and Profit: For actions unjust want the blessing of God: and unconcionable damage draws on the complaints and murmurs of men.  
The former Contract for Tobacco, having been dissolved by the Lords, as not being beneficial to the Plantations: it was hoped and expected that a new Contract to succeed in planting thereof, should have rejected the former errors, and been wholly bend to the comfort of the now languishing Colonies: But the same having been taken into the careful consideration of sundry persons, well willer to the plantations, and many factions now partially affected, who neither had any hand as furthering the former Contract; nor came with any prejudice against this latter when it was first broached. It hath appeared unto them so full of all kinds of unjustice both to the Adventurers and planters, and so bend to the certain and sudden ruin of the plantations, that they have thought themselves bound both in duty and conscience to deliver these Reason's ensuing against it.  


The new Contract therefore, as it hath been delivered by parts in the meeting, we conceive to be these.  
1 That the Tobacco being henceforth to be made all in roll, two hundred thousand weight thereof shall be taken off by the Contractors and no more, at two shillings four pence the best sort, and 16. pence the other: and one third to be paid for it in hand, the other two thirds at 6 and 6 Months.  
2 That the King shall have yearly 10000 pound certain rent, and that 5000 pounds more shall be bestowed upon the plantations  
3. That for the third year, the Planter shall have two shillings 4 pence, and three shillings if their be profit, & 250000. weight taken off; & the King shall have 15000. pounds, & 5000. to the Plantation.  
4. That all the Tobacco of the plantation shall be brought to the port of London, and if more do come then 200000. the Contracters to take out of the whole what they will, & then to ship out the rest into Turkey & he bound not to bring it in again, nor to sell it to any that are like to do so.    

Reasons against this Contract.  
the whole what they will, and then we shall shift out the rest into Turkey, and be bound not to bring it in again, nor to sell it to any that is like to do so.  
It seemeth very hard that these Colonies in this their Infancy, should have worse conditions imposed upon them for their Merchandise, than any other to our knowledge in the world, for their goods being their own, and they borne for subjects they shall be commanded to bring all into this port of London, and yet not certain to vent the one moyitie of their Merchandise. For, the Colonies, if they stand and prosper, cannot make so little as 400000. weight a year; and these Contractors will take off only 200000. Again, for the particular Adventurers and Planters, there shall no man be certain to have any taken off, some only the Contractors particular friends; which the Contractors having liberty to choose & refuse what they list, there is an open gate for all parts of partiality in that kind. The Contractors and their friends making great quantities. Then for those great quantities of Tobacco which shall be refused, what shall become of them? They must be sent into Turkey: new Merchants must be sought; disgraced were offered them; loss by long keeping and shrinking; double charge by new fraught, that the poor planter and Adventurer were much better to give it away in the plantatioe, then here after so great charge to sell it for a little or nothing.  
2 Touching the price of two shillings 4 pence for the best sort, and 16. pence for the rest: it is to be known and considered, that of long time by agreement between the Companies and Colonies, the Tobacco in Virginia itself, is valued at 3 shillings the pound, and in Summer Lands at 2 shillings six pence: which price they planters there refusing to abate, and the Adventurers and Merchants here not able to give, hath occasioned the selling of wares unto them at double and treeble their values, they having their no money, but paying for all in Tobacco. See then in what state this contract doth place them. Their Tobacco must now be all made into roll, to the greater waist of the commodity, and greater charge and labour of the planter and maker, whereas leaf Tobacco in Foreign parts doth sell much better, being made thus, it is all to be brought to the port of London, and so into the custom house, where it must abide the Contracters pleasure and leisure, what & whose they will take, and what and whose they will leave: the charge of fraught and shrinking, cannot be valued at less than 4 pence the pound: so the clear price cometh of the best to 2 shillings and 12. pence the rest. Now experience hath showed, that in every years' returns of Tobacco, there hath been some few Countries that have far exceeded the rest in goodness, these than must be taken for Tobaccoes of the best sort, and paid for at the best price, and all the rest being above 20. times as much in quantity, and not attaining to the goodness of the former, must necessarily in right and truth be made Tobacco of the other sort, and consequently rated at the lower price, the Contracts stiftnes refusing to have more than two sorts. In conclusion the Adventurer and planter, can by this contract expect little more than 12. pence the pound for his Tobacco. And this at the best hand, for so much as the contracters shall be pleased to take off: for, as for the remains refused, which must go into Turkey, if he gets 4. the pound, he may think himself well dealt with by those that need to give no manner then the list, And for this 12. pence: it shall be paid, one third part in hand, and the other two thirds, at 6 and 6 months. And this being the main substance of this contract, it cannot but be apparent unto all men of experience in the affairs of the plantations, that the Adventurers and Planters, shall not sell their Tobacco for one half of that which it standeth them in. For as for trusting to the hope of that clause in the Contract, that after two years, if their be profit, the price shall be raised to 2. shillings and 3. shillings, that comfort is small, the time being long, the hope uncertain; and even that price being too little to make them saviours. And thus much touching the particular estates of the Adventurers and planters wherein they are to be placed by this new contract.  
3. But now thirdly to come to the general Plantations themselves, and to enter into consideration, whether by virtue of this Contract they are likely to subsist and prosper: It is here first to be considered, that the plantations having been founded under his Majesty's gracious amity, at the excessive great charges of the Adventurers and planters, and so continued for many years, with small or no retribution except to some few persons: and the attempts of setting up Staple commodities, as Iron, Silk, wines etc. though pursued with great constancy, care and charge, have hitherto failed by sundry misaccidents. To think the bestowing now of 5000. pounds a year upon the plantations, and that drawn from the labours, and as it were, from the blood of the planters, will raise them up from that great decay, into which during the space of those latter two years they have apparently fallen; is like to prove a great and dangerous error, whereas the only means remaining to advance the plantations, was the encouragement of the Adventurers thither, especially in person, with hope of wealth, good government and justice.. Experience having showed that after the public stock was utterly exhausted, and the Lotteries ended, yet the plantation in Virginia did exceedingly increase by the multitude of Families, and other particular persons, transported thither at their own charge, upon the a foresaid hopes and encouragements, till the fatal blow of the Massacre given those a broad, and the great molestations and disheartenings of the company and Adventurers here at home, cast the Colony into that consideration in which now it languisheth. But whensoever it shall please his gracious Majesty, to revive and renew the former hopes and encouragements, it will no doubt restore the former life to the plantation; the remains whereof this contract must needs extinguish, which is thus to be demonstrated. The only commodity for Merchants in both the plantations: is at this day no other than Tobacco, whereby their apparel, tools, implements, and all other necessaries (except victual) are procured, there are at this day in both the Colonies, at the least 3000. persons. This allowance of 200000. weight to both the Plantations, cometh but to 65. pound weight of Tobacco the person, which at 12. the pound weight, cometh to 3. pound 5. shillings, out of which all the planters in the Summer Lands, and such as are Tenants, or Servants in Virginia, pay half to their owners, whether Landlords or Masters: so that to themselves their remains for their maintenance, only 32 shillings 6 pence the piece. The charge of transporting a person to Virginia, cannot be less at this day than 20 pounds, which being a thing so generally known, must needs dishearten all future planters from going, and force the present Adventurers rather to send for their servant's home, then to maintain them at a perpetual charge without hope of profit. And this hath diverse of them already openly declared, we conclude therefore that to imagine, that the bestowing of 5000. pound a year upon the Colonies, and that drawn from the hard labours of the poor planters themselves will uphold the plantations, when they shall find that they can be no longer masters of their own goods, but must be forced to transport them, when they cannot vent them, to put them into their hands, who shall take and refuse what themselves please, and sell them before their faces, perhaps at a Noble a pound, and give them but 6 pence after a years attendance for their goods, with the fraught and all other charges and losses: & this example also in Tobacco engendering a fear of the like measure in all other commodities whensoever they should be raised. That we say as before in our understanding to be a very great error, and of pernicious consequence to both the plantations. No less then to draw 40 ounces of blood from a tender weak Infant, and then to make him a restorative out of five ounces of the same blood.  
4. Now in the last place, seeing this contract is so much magnified as tending to the great and certain good of the plantations, we will take a little pains to make inquiry by way of reasons for whose benefit in truth, it hath been set on foot.  
By force of this Contract, and by virtue of his Majesty's Proclamation, getting into their hands the sole sale of all Tobacco to be expended either in this virtue, or the kingdom of Irelad. It is not to be thought but they will advance the price (after the nature of all Monopolies) at least to as high a rate as it hath borne in former times, that is to 8 or 9 shillings the pound; but admit they will begin first with a Noble a pound, two hundred thousand Nobles cometh unto sixty six thousand, six hundred sixty six pounds 13 shillings 4. pence. His Majesty's rent out of the plantations cometh unto 15. thousand pounds: the planters and the Adventurers part after the rate of 18. pence the pound, which in probability is like to be the highest medium cometh unto 15000. pounds. So the charge in the whole coming unto 30000 pound. Thereiss 36000 pound, and one thousand marks remaining to themselves in way of retribution for their pains & adventure; and as themselves say to appease all such storms as may arise. To great a proportion to be drawn from the plantations, to allow them scarce a sixth part of their own, and to bestow almost four six parts upon men no better deserving. In the former Contract, what clamour and complaint against 25000. pounds to have been raised for Saleries, and all other charges, which came to little more than a penny upon the pound? Whereas these men profess that under 12 pence a pound gotten at least, they would not meddle with it, and they hoped for far more. By computation of the former contract there was to come 60000 pounds at least, to the benefit of the plantations; whereof the 4 part is now is thought a sufficient portion, and yet that Contract was said to be pernicious to the Colonies, and this beneficial. Indeed to do equal right unto both, the contract is better than the former, in that it excludeth all foreign Tobacco which with great violence was pressed upon the former for the first two years; but this is to be attribued to his Majesty's great grace, giving a favourable ear to the suit of the Commons in Parliament, as appear in his Majesty's late proclamation. In the debating of the former Contract it was alleged against it, by such as are now great furtherers of this, that though the planters' Tobacco were sold at 5 shillings the pound yet by reason of his Majesty's third, they should be loser's; and now 16 pence a pound is thought price sufficient. This excessive gain of the contracters & undertakers, we conceive undoubtedly to be a thing unjust, and tending to the immediate destruction of the plantations, for whatsoever they get the planter looseth, and where the planter looseth, the Colony is so much impoverished: For whatsoever the planter makes, that goes all back to the plantation again, and what the contracter gets, it remaineth with him to his own enriching. For, as for the returning of 5000. pounds to the plantations which this heavy contract adnexed; It is in truth to send one hundred men thither, and to stay thousands from thence. The strength and prosperity of the Colony consisting in multitudes of people.   

5. Some things we are forced to add touching the proceeding of this Contract.  
1 First, whereas the Adventurers of the Summer Lands remain still a Company, and are restrained by their Letters Patents from ordering of matters of Trade but in a Quarter Court: This Contract hath been sought to have been concluded, in a mean and extraordinary meeting, and no Court at all, when few were present, and those few men's silence also entered as a consent, not many of them understanding it, and those that understood it being amazed, at so great Injustice.  
2 Secondly, the Virginia Company being now discharged, it had been fit the Colony had been consulted about it; and not to dispose of other men's states and goods, without their consent and knowledge.  
3 Thirdly, the very manner of treating of this Contract, hath bred a suspicion of very indirect proceedings: for first it hath been framed secretly and in the dark: it hath been published but by fragments, and some principal parts concealed. Some of the Commissioners appear to be the chief and principal Contracters: other some, though they do not appear; yet they are partners with them in their Trading, are Contracters, which plainly shows that they have an interest in it. And so the same men are the Contrivers and makers of the bargain for themselves, and buyers and sellers, of one and the same wares; and take away and set the prizes of other men's goods, for their own inordinate lucre.  
4. Lastly, under pretence of doing allthings orderly, they have made a comity of themselves, as in the behalf of the Colonies and planters, to Treat with their fellow Commissioners the Conracters for speedier payments.  
And most of these men have they chosen to be Committees whom the Adventurers and planters have a long time complained off for their exorbitant wrongs to one or both the plantations.  
Many other exceptions may be taken, but these shall suffice at this present.   
FINIS.