Piersey, as soon as he reached Virginia, delivered to Argoll, who at that time was at the head of affairs in the Colony, letters with which he had been entrusted, placing his authority in disposing of the goods of the Magazine upon the same footing as that of the Governor.[1] This excited the warm indignation of Argoll, who now proceeded to treat with contempt the command of the Company in England, that the tobacco and sassafras should be reserved to be exchanged for the merchandise imported in the magazine ship. In spite of the severe laws introduced by Gates and Dale, condemning with the utmost severity all bartering between the captains and mariners of vessels and the settlers, Argoll permitted the former, as well as the passengers in their ships, to buy up all the tobacco and sassafras that they could obtain, thus seriously diminishing if not dissipating the supply upon which the Cape Merchant had depended for the profitable disposition of
- ↑ Randolph MSS., vol. III, p. 140.
library, purchased by Congress; they are also in Randolph MSS., vol. III, p. 139, Virginia Historical Society Manuscript Collections. “1. To be here (Virginia) in September, start in June, at which time corn and tobacco are harvested. 2. After September, goods can be landed or shipt without great hazard. 3. Because there being few tailors, people will not be able to get their clothes in time for winter. 4. You (that is, the Company) will then have the best tobacco. 5. Your ships will get home by Candlemas, before the East India ships set out, which will help ye speedy venting of your tobacco. 6. If the ships fail to arrive before March, our seed time, we cannot afford to attend to the Magazine. 7. For want of boats, it will be fourteen days loss to a man in transportation of goods, in which time he may lose all his corn and tobacco. 8. If your ships return after April, the heat of the hole will hurt the tobacco. 9. Furnish the Magazine with more than is needed in the present and let a continual trade be on foot, and then at the arrival of your shipping, you will have a cargo of commodities ready, which will be soon despatched. 10. If you grant more commissions for general trade, as you have to Captain Martin, (of Martin’s Hundred, which enjoyed special privileges and immunities) you will overthrow the Magazine.”
