Evelyn's Diary. 10 Mar 1671. To London, about passing my patent as one of the standing Council of Plantations, a considerable honor, the others in the Council being chiefly noblemen and officers of state.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 May 1671. A letter was then read from Sir Thomas Modiford (age 51), Governor of Jamaica; and then the Council broke up.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 May 1671. The first thing we did was, to settle the form of a circular letter to the Governors of all his Majesty's (age 40) Plantations and Territories in the West Indies and Islands thereof, to give them notice to whom they should apply themselves on all occasions, and to render us an account of their present state and government; but, what we most insisted on was, to know the condition of New England, which appearing to be very independent as to their regard to Old England, or his Majesty (age 40), rich and strong as they now were, there were great debates in what style to write to them; for the condition of that Colony was such, that they were able to contest with all other Plantations about them, and there was fear of their breaking from all dependence on this nation; his Majesty (age 40), therefore, commended this affair more expressly. We, therefore, thought fit, in the first place, to acquaint ourselves as well as we could of the state of that place, by some whom we heard of that were newly come from thence, and to be informed of their present posture and condition; some of our Council were for sending them a menacing letter, which those who better understood the peevish and touchy humor of that Colony, were utterly against.

Evelyn's Diary. 06 Jun 1671. I went to Council, where was produced a most exact and ample information of the state of Jamaica, and of the best expedients as to New England, on which there was a long debate; but at length it was concluded that, if any, it should be only a conciliating paper at first, or civil letter, till we had better information of the present face of things, since we understood they were a people almost upon the very brink of renouncing any dependence on the Crown.

Evelyn's Diary. 21 Jun 1671. To Council again, when one Colonel Cartwright, a Nottinghamshire man, (formerly in commission with Colonel Nicholls) gave us a considerable relation of that country; on which the Council concluded that in the first place a letter of amnesty should be dispatched.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 Jun 1671. To Council, where Lord Arlington (age 53) acquainted us that it was his Majesty's (age 41) proposal we should, every one of us, contribute £20 toward building a Council chamber and conveniences somewhere in Whitehall, that his Majesty (age 41) might come and sit among us, and hear our debates; the money we laid out to be reimbursed out of the contingent moneys already set apart for us, viz, £1,000 yearly. To this we unanimously consented. There came an uncertain bruit from Barbadoes of some disorder there. On my return home I stepped in at the theater to see the new machines for the intended scenes, which were indeed very costly and magnificent.

Evelyn's Diary. 29 Jun 1671. To Council, where were letters from Sir Thomas Modiford (age 51), of the expedition and exploit of Colonel Morgan (age 36), and others of Jamaica, on the Spanish Continent at Panama.

Evelyn's Diary. 04 Jul 1671. To Council, where we drew up and agreed to a letter to be sent to New England, and made some proposal to Mr. Gorges, for his interest in a plantation there.

Evelyn's Diary. 24 Jul 1671. To Council. Mr. Surveyor brought us a plot for the building of our Council chamber, to be erected at the end of the Privy garden, in Whitehall.

Evelyn's Diary. 03 Aug 1671. A full appearance at the Council. The matter in debate was, whether we should send a deputy to New England, requiring them of the Massachusetts to restore such to their limits and respective possessions, as had petitioned the Council; this to be the open commission only; but, in truth, with secret instructions to inform us of the condition of those Colonies, and whether they were of such power, as to be able to resist his Majesty (age 41) and declare for themselves as independent of the Crown, which we were told, and which of late years made them refractory. Colonel Middleton (age 63), being called in, assured us they might be curbed by a few of his Majesty's (age 41) first-rate frigates, to spoil their trade with the islands; but, though my Lord President (age 46) was not satisfied, the rest were, and we did resolve to advise his Majesty (age 41) to send Commissioners with a formal commission for adjusting boundaries, etc., with some other instructions.

Evelyn's Diary. 15 Sep 1671. In the afternoon at Council, where letters were read from Sir Charles Wheeler (age 51), concerning his resigning his government of St. Christopher's.

Evelyn's Diary. 14 Nov 1671. To Council, where Sir Charles Wheeler (age 51), late Governor of the Leeward Islands, having been complained of for many indiscreet managements, it was resolved, on scanning many of the particulars, to advise his Majesty (age 41) to remove him; and consult what was to be done, to prevent these inconveniences he had brought things to. This business staid me in London almost a week, being in Council, or Committee, every morning till the 25th.

Evelyn's Diary. 12 Feb 1672. At the Council, we entered on inquiries about improving the plantations by silks, galls, flax, senna, etc., and considered how nutmegs and cinnamon might be obtained and brought to Jamaica, that soil and climate promising success. Dr. Worsley being called in, spoke many considerable things to encourage it. We took order to send to the plantations, that none of their ships should adventure homeward single, but stay for company and convoys. We also deliberated on some fit person to go as commissioner to inspect their actions in New England, and, from time to time, report how that people stood affected. In future, to meet at Whitehall [Map].

Evelyn's Diary. 01 Mar 1672. A full Council of Plantations, on the danger of the Leeward Islands, threatened by the French, who had taken some of our ships, and began to interrupt our trade. Also in debate, whether the new Governor of St. Christopher should be subordinate to the Governor of Barbadoes. The debate was serious and long.

Evelyn's Diary. 16 Apr 1672. Sat in Council, preparing Lord Willoughby's commission and instructions as Governor of Barbadoes and the Caribbee Islands.

Evelyn's Diary. 19 Apr 1672. At Council, preparing instructions for Colonel Stapleton, now to go Governor of St. Christopher's, and heard the complaints of the Jamaica merchants against the Spaniards, for hindering them from cutting logwood on the mainland, where they have no pretense.

Evelyn's Diary. 21 Jun 1672. At a Council of Plantations. Most of this week busied with the sick and wounded.

Evelyn's Diary. 01 Sep 1672. I spent this week in soliciting for moneys, and in reading to my Lord Clifford (age 42) my papers relating to the first Holland war. Now, our Council of Plantations met at Lord Shaftesbury's (age 51) (Chancellor of the Exchequer) to read and reform the draft of our new Patent, joining the Council of Trade to our political capacities. After this, I returned home, in order to another excursion to the seaside, to get as many as possible of the men who were recovered on board the fleet.

Evelyn's Diary. 13 Oct 1672. After sermon (being summoned before), I went to my Lord Keeper's, Sir Orlando Bridgeman (age 66), at Essex House, where our new patent was opened and read, constituting us that were of the Council of Plantations, to be now of the Council of Trade also, both united. After the patent was read, we all took our oaths, and departed.

Evelyn's Diary. 24 Oct 1672. Met in Council, the Earl of Shaftesbury (age 51), now our president, swearing our secretary and his clerks, which was Mr. Locke, an excellent learned gentleman, and student of Christ Church, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Frowde. We dispatched a letter to Sir Thomas Linch, Governor of Jamaica, giving him notice of a design of the Dutch on that island.

Evelyn's Diary. 08 Nov 1672. At Council, we debated the business of the consulate of Leghorn. I was of the committee with Sir Humphry Winch (age 50), the chairman, to examine the laws of his Majesty's (age 42) several plantations and colonies in the West Indies, etc.