On the Method of Plants

To the Right Honourable, and Honourable, The Company of the Somers Islands. The Humble Petition of the General Assembly, Convened in the Somers Islands, August the 11th, 1673.

Whereas there have been several General Assemblies, who from time to time have presented the Grievances of these Islands to your Honours, but could never find redress of those burdens, taxes, and impositions, which have been laid upon us His Majesty’s freeborn Subjects; but still instead of relief (through the crafty designs, and sinister In this context, "sinister" refers to dishonest or underhanded dealings intended to benefit oneself at the expense of others. practices of some self-interested persons, as we conceive) have received a greater addition of misery, to the almost ruin of us the Inhabitants of these Islands, contrary to the King’s Letters Patents A legal document issued by a monarch granting a right, monopoly, or status—in this case, the original charter governing the colony., and the good and wholesome Book of Laws, Printed in the Year 1622, whereby the Company is obliged, and provision made to defray the public charges of these Islands, and to provide for us both Ammunition, Ministers, and Colony-Servants Indentured servants or laborers whose work was intended to support public infrastructure and officials rather than private individuals., etc. which continually of late have been wanting; for until His Majesty of his free grace and good will, was graciously pleased to supply us; upon strict search, by persons thereunto appointed, before the arrival of this Magazine Ship A ship sent annually by the Company to supply the colony with goods and collect the tobacco crop for export., there was not two rounds of Powder in the whole Country; and not one third part of small Arms for the Inhabitants, although there hath been extorted from us near four times the value of our Public Charges; of which, although we are part of the Successors and Assigns of the first Proprietors, yet have no account, nor of the disposal of our own Moneys: whereby His Majesty’s Island was laid open to the violence of a foreign Enemy, to the endangering of the loss of these Islands, and of the Lives and Liberties of us His Majesty’s most faithful and obedient Subjects. And whereas there ought to be five Ministers maintained in this Island, we enjoy but one; and these public Lands which were appointed for the defraying of Public Charges, are disposed of contrary to the King’s Majesty’s intention, in His gracious Letters Patents, and Orders in the good and wholesome Printed Book of Laws: and by the last Letters from the Company, we are commanded at our own charges to build a Fort, notwithstanding by unjust Taxes, Impositions,