Whereas yow were pleased to grante Comission vnto Capt. Thomas Wiggin Mr. Francis Williams and myselfe with others, for the executinge the office of magistracie in these partes,2 now for as much as Mr. Williams hath taken a voyage vnto Virginia, Capt. Wigin and myselfe reste verie doubtfull (we hauinge noe copies of the said Comission) whether we maye call a Courte for tryall of such accions heare dependinge without Mr. Williams or some other Comissioner to ioyne with vs, and therefore I desire that your worshipp woulde be pleased to certifie either Capt. Wiggin or my selfe, what we may doe concerninge this matter: Thus beinge bolde to trouble you with these few lines I humblie take my leave and reste Your worships to comande to power

Humbly sheweth that wheareas these plantacions much abounding with rockie hills the nurceries of mynes and mineralls may probablie conteyne 423not only the most necessarie mynes of Iron (which some with much Cost and Difficultyes haue attempted, and in a good measure accomplished to the great benefitt of these plantacions) but alsoe with mynes of lead, tynne, Copper, and other metalls noe lesse profitable to the Countrye, which requires the assistance of manie ingenious heads hands and full purces, minerall matters being slow in growth and heavy in managing, And all necessaries as men skilfull in finding mynes, contriving watercourses stamping mills, ingens for drawing water, refynings, washings etc. being to be procured from farr with much chardge and the vent verie hasardous in all places, espetiellie here where hands require more then ordinarie incouradgement, and the vaynes of these metalls hardly to be found espetiallie in wildernesses, because for the most parte they are imbowelled deepe in their mother earth and often passe through places even impenitrable;

Your peticoner therefore being desirous to promote the publique good in this and to incouradge all men that are willing to spend their tyme and hasard their stockes and labours in these minerall afayres; (the speediest wayes as he supposeth to advance staple Comodityes) he humblie entreates that libertie may be graunted to him and his assignes to search for these mynes in all places within this Jurisdiction, and the same being found, to digg and cary away and dispose thereof for the best advantadge;

And that your peticoner may haue libertie to make wayes and watercourses and to cutt wood for building and coaling, likewise to digg stone, earth, sand etc. in land impropriated giving full satisfaction to the proprietours as three indifferent men shall award, one to be chosen by your peticoner or his assignees the other by the owner of the land the third by the Court; and soe the land to be confirmed to him and his assignes And that the stock may be free from all publique charges and the labourers freed as in the graunt to the Ironworks with other freedoms, Monopolies only excepted, which he desier not And lastly if he shall fynde any myne in wast land, that then the same with the land adioyning necessarie for the works be graunted to him his heires and assignees, and when there shalbe a plantation advanced thereon, that then the preveleges of a plantacion may be graunted to them And he shall accept of any person within this Jurisdiction that desires to adventure in this Discovery and prosecuting for these mynes and mineralls soe as he putt in his adventure within six moneths after the grant hereof provided yt be not lesse then fifty poundes in one mans name.