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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from the Barbados Governor's Council to Charles II, King of England
Barbados. Council
September 29, 1666
Volume 01, Pages 149-150

[B. P. R. O. Colonial Papers. Vol. XX. No. 144.]
LT. GOVr & COUNCIL OF BARBADOS TO THE KING. 29th SEPT. 1666

May it please Your Majesty

His Excellency the Lord Willoughby haveing appointed us of his Councell for the Governt of this Island the many dangers at present which threaten the safety thereof and of your Maj. whole dominion in these parts have rendred it our duty to informe your Maj. that soe by a

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tymely reliefe yor Maj. honour and authority might be restored and preserved and wee secured from the violence of our Enemies.

Wherefore wee most humbly informe yor Majty that the restraint of trade here for some yeares past hath withheld the prosperity of these Yor Maj. Collonies and will if not prevented in short tyme destroy them especially in that of Negroes of whom very few have been sold here and those the worst such as the Spaniards would not look on and yet they at farr greater rates than the Spaniard gives for the best or the Merchant before he was restrained afforded them as by a solemn declaration here published wee were promised which only men compelled by necessity haveing dealt for have therein found their certaine ruine and many on that score forced daily to forsake these Countries. The richer sort who could better withstand the necessity have bought few or none although thereby they have made less sugar by the one halfe then with a full supply they might have done which hath beene a greater losse in the revenue of the customes to your Majty then the Spanish trade will any way recompense but least wee should presume too farr wee shall only say that thes Setlements have beene made and upheld by Negroes and without constant supplies of them cannot subsist which that wee may the better have and all other necessities for our plantations wee most humbly implore Yor Maj. to grant your loyall subjects that have adventured our lives & fortunes thus farr to the increase of Yor Maj. Dominions and Revenewes the same freedome of trade att all times as those our Brethren in England with less difficulty enjoy and as in duty bound wee shall ever pray for yor long and happy raigne over us.

Yor Majesties Loyall and
most obedient Subjects
WILL. WILLOUGHBY
JOHN YEAMANS.
HENRY HAWLEY.
PHILIP BELL.
WILLIAM KIRTON
THOMAS WARDALL
SAM. BARWICK
WILL. SHARPE
ROBERT HOOPER
CHRISTOPHER CODRINGTON.

Barbados. September 29th 1666.

[Indorsed.]

Lieut. Generall and Councill of Barbados Rec. 30. Novr Answd 4 Dec.

With a temporary Commission for the execution of the Lord Willoughby's powers.