y act of Parliament,[3] rather
than by a patent under the great seal, because the former would confer
"diverse privileges and assistances, and an immunity and sole trade
in any place they shall conquer or beget a trade with the Spaniard's
dominion," all of which a patent could not convey. The proposals were
presented to the Council of State in 1659 and were referred to a special
committee. They were debated in Council on August 7, and on October 20
Povey wrote to Governor Searle that they had received encouragement
and hoped to have a charter from Parliament, and because "they have so
much favor from the state they will have an influence upon most of the
English plantations."[4] Either Parliament refused to incorporate the
company or in the distractions of the winter of 1659-1660 the proposals
were lost sight of.

The group of merchants, among whom Noell and Povey were so conspicuous,
seemed to desire, as far as possible, a monopoly of the trade in America
and the West Indies, and to that end controlled to no inconsiderable
extent political appointments there. Governor Searle, of Barbadoes,
was their appointee, and Governors Russell, of Nevis, and Osborn,
of Montserrat, were in close touch with them and looked to them for
support. In 1657, acting through the committee for America, they
recommended that Edward Digges be made governor of Virginia, and about
the same time Martin Noell and eighteen others petitioned that Capt.
Watts be made governor of Jamaica. Lord Willoughby was practically
one of them, and Gen. Brayne and Lieut. Gen. D'Oyley were on intimate
terms with them. It is not surprising, in view of the importance of the
colonial trade and the disturbed condition of the plantations, that such
a man as Povey, who was always ready with plans and proposals, should
have endeavored to solve the problem of colonial control. He was in
frequent consultation with Noell concerning matters relating to the West
Indies, and in consequence, many schemes were discussed and carefully
worked out by them. The various drafts touching the West India Company
are elaborated in minute detail, and Povey showed clearly that he
possessed admirable qualities as a committee-man and an organizer.

The first "overture" or plan seems to have been written in 1654 at the
time when the expedition of Penn and Venables was on its way to the
West Indies, and does not refer specifically to Jamaica. Its authors
recommended that a competent number of