persons, not less than seven, of
good repute and well skilled in their professions and qualifications,
be selected to form a council. A greater number would be undesirable,
they said, because "in such an affair where there are many, the chief
things are done and ofttimes huddled up by a few; and there is neither
that secrecy, steadiness, nor particular care, nor so good an account
given of the trust, where more are employed than are necessary and
proportionable to the business."[5] The qualifications of the seven are
interesting: "(1) One to be a Merchant that hath been in those Indias
and trading that waie. (2) One also to bee a Merchant but not related
to that trade, and who rather retires from than pursues in profession.
(3) One well experienced Seaman, not or but little trading att present.
(4) One Gentleman that hath travailed; that hath language and something
of the civill Lawe. (5) One Citizen of a general capacitie and
conversation. (6) One that understands well our municipall Lawes and
the general Constitutions of England. (7) One to be a Secretarie to his
Highness in all Affaires in the West Indias, and relating thereunto, who
is solely to give himself up to this Employm^{t}." This council was to be
subordinated only to Cromwell and the Council and its powers were to be
fairly extensive. It was

"to have power to advise w^{th} all other Committees or Persons,
Officers, or others as occasion shall require;

"to consider (by what they shall observe here and what shalbee
represented from the Commission^{rs} now in the expedition) how
and what forreigne Plantations may be improved, transplanted,
and ordered;

"to reduce all Colonies and Plantations to a more certaine,
civill, and uniforme way of government and distribution of
publick justice;

"to keep a constant correspondence with the Commission^{rs} now
in the expedition, and w^{th} all the Chiefe Ports both at home
and abroad;

"to be able to give up once in a year unto his Highness a perfect
Intelligence and Account of the Government of every place, of their
complaints, their wants, their abundance of every ship trading
thither and its lading and whither consigned, and to know what the
proceeds of the place have been that yeare, whereby the intrinsick
value and the certaine condition of each port will be thoroughly
understood. And by this conduct and method those many rich place