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Book  '  '  - 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Virginia  Company  of  London, 


LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  THE  FIRST  COLONY 
NEVER    BEFORE    PRINTED. 


EDWARD   D.  NEILL 


NEC  FALSA  DICERE,  NEC  J^ERA  RETlCERE. 


JOEL   MUNSELL,    82   STATE   STREET. 
1869. 


•'  3  ^cc  luaiii)  lifclt)  to  be  ^i3l)eol•telleb  bvi  t()c  ijlciiber  i\rmn[)  of 
ihc'^Urgiiiia  ^Mantation,  wind]  for  tl;c  lime  mii][)t  [;aoe  been,  not 
ouli)  a  Mji  but  a  ble§Sc^  motlief  of  a  mimeroii8  aiii>  tbrioiiui 
i]eiieratioii,  brancbinn  far,  into  ot()er  colonies,  anb  \)d  iS '  3 
Jibe  110  ii'here,  but  entiuine  i^irntiita  lutt^  a  rtgbt  Ijeavt,  ml)  pen 
Mrecteb,  mi)  banb*  erecteb.  for  her  i^oob."     i^  u  r  c  I)  a  $,  IV,  1809^ 

®ob  tl)e  gatljer,  Son  anb  poll)  C^ljoet  iii()k()  goef>  before  u&  ui 
tl)e§e  tl)int]^,  (if  not  in  miraculous  fire  anb  doubij  pillar?,  a? 
iul)en  J^rael  luent  to  fcanaan,  i)Ct  in  tlje  light  of  reason  anb  ru]l)t 
consciincnce  of  arguments ; )  come  into  u6  anb  fill  uS  luitl)  tlje 
Spirit  of  iDisbom  anb  unberStanbing,  tlje  spirit  of  counsel  anb  of 
fortitubc,  tfje  Spirit  of  fnoiulcbge  anb  fear  of  tl)e  Sorb,  3  mai;  abb 
tl)c  spirit  of  nniti)  an^  counsel,  tl)at  he  mah  uouct)Safe  to  go  raitl) 
us,  anb  luc  luiti^  §ini,  anb  after  v>im  to  i^irginia.  9(men,  C 
•oilmen  '  ''Be  tfpu  the  SUplja  an^  Omega  of  Snglaiib  S  iMantation 
\n  ^i^irgitiia,  C  @ob  '       i»  u  r  c  has,  IV,  1826. 


PREFACE. 


N  tlic  month  of  May,  1868,  a  memorial  was  presented 
by  tlie  writer,  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  calljjppr  attention  to  two  large  folio 
volumes  of  manuscript  in  their  Library,  containing 
the  Transactions  of  the  Virginia  Company  of  London 
during  tlie  important  period  of  tlieir  existence,  and 
if  they  should  deem  them  worthy  of  being  printed, 
offering  without  compensation  to  annotate  and  super- 
intend their  publication.  The  communication  was 
read  in  the  Senate,  ordered  to  be  printed,  referred  to 
'the  Committee  on  Library,  and  attracted  no  attention. 

Believing  that  there  should  be  some  distinct  history  of  a  Company  that  planted 
the  first  permanent  English  settlement  in  America,  and  in  1619  instituted  the 
first  representative  legislative  Assembly,  whose  members  were  elected  by  general 
suffrage,  this  work  has  been  prepared,  and  by  the  liberality  of  a  true  disciple  of 
Aldus,  who  has  a  love  for  historical  studies,  Mr.  Munsell,  of  Albany,  New  York, 
is  presented  to  the  public. 

The  main  sources  of  information  have  been  the  manuscript  records  of  the 
Company,  the  history  of  the  preservation  of  which  for  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years,  is  full  of  interest. 

In  one  of  the  old  mansions  of  rural  Chelsea,  which  tradition  says  was  the  home 
of  Sir  Thomas  More,  the  warm  friend  of  Erasmus,  and  author  of  the  political 
romance  of  Utopia,  there  dwelt,  in  1624,  Sir  John  Dauvers,  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Virginia  Company,  who  had  married  the  gentle  and  comely  widow  Herbert, 
already  the  mother  of  ten  children,  two  of  whom  were  George,  the  holy  poet,  and 
Edward,  the  philosophical  Deist. 

After  the  king  resolved  to  destroy  the  charter  of  the  Company,  an  attempt  was 
made  to  obtain  the  records  by  their  opponents.  The  Secretary  of  the  Company, 
CoUingwood,  probably  under  the  direction  of  Deputy  Nicholas  Ferrar,  one  day 


iv  PREFACE. 

visited  Sir  Jolin  Danvers,  and  mentioned  that  tliree  London  mercliants  had  lately 
called  upon  him  to  obtain  information.  A  clerk  of  Collingwood  was  immedi- 
ately secured  as*  copyist,  and,  to  preclude  discovery,  was  locked  up  in  a  room  of 
Danver's  house,  while  he  transcribed  the  minutes. 

After  the  transactions  were  copied  on  folio  paper,  to  prevent  interpolation,  each 
page  carefully  compared  with  the  originals  by  Collingwood  and  then  subscribed 
"  Con.  Collingwood,"  Danvers  took  them  to  the  President  of  the  Company,  Henry 
Wriothesley,  Earl  of  Southampton.  The  Earl  was  highly  gratified  in  the  posses- 
sion of  a  duplicate  copy  of  the  Company's  transactions,  and  expressed  it  by 
throwing  his  arms  aroimd  the  neck  of  Sir  John,  and  then  turning  to  his  brother, 
said  :  "  Let  them  be  kept  at  my  house  at  Tichfield ;  they  are  the  evidences  of 
my  honor,  and  I  value  them  more  than  the  evidences  of  my  lands." 

During  the  same  year  Southampton  died  ;  and  Thomas,  his  son,  was  heir  and 
successor  to  the  title,  and  became  Lord  High  Treasurer  of  England,  and  lived 
until  1667.  Shortly  after  the  death  of  the  latter,  William  Byrd  of  Virginia,  the 
father  of  Hon.  William  Byrd  of  Westover,  purchased  the  manuscript  records  from 
the  executors  of  the  Earl  for  sixty  guineas. 

Rev.  William  Stiih,  who  subsequently  became  President  of  William  and 
Mary  College,  while  living  at  Varina,  on  James  river,  the  old  settlement  of  Sir 
Thomas  Dale,  better  known  since  the  civil  war  as  Dutch  Gap»  obtained  these 
records  from  the  Byrd  library  at  Westover ;  and  most  of  the  material  of  his 
History  of  Virginia,  completed  in  1746,  was  drawn  therefrom. 
,^  Stith's  brother-in-law,  Peyton  Randolph,  became  the  first  President  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress,  and  while  visiting  a  friend  at  his  seat  near  Philadelpliia,  in 
October,  1775,  suddenly  died.  When  his  library  was  sold  it  was  purchased  by* 
Thomas  Jefferson,  and  among  the  books  were  the  manuscript  records  of  the 
London  Company,  that  had  been  used  by  Stith. 

The  United  States  having  purchased  the  books  of  President  Jefferson,  these 
manuscripts  are  now  preserved  in  the  library  of  Congress.  They  are  bound  in 
two  volumes,  and  contain  the  Company's  transactions  from  April  28,  1619,  until 
June  7,  1624.  The  first  volume  contains  354  pages,  and  concludes  with  this 
statement : 

"  Memoranda  that  wee,  Edward  Waterhouse  and  Edward  Collingwood,  secre- 
taries of  the  Companies  for  Virginia  and  the  Sumer  Hands,  have  examined  and 
compared  the  Booke  going  before,  conteyning  one  hundred  seventy-seven  leaues 
from  Page  1  to  Page  354,  with  the  originall  Booke  of  Courts  itself.  And  doe 
finde  this  Booke  to  be  a  true  and  pfect  copie  of  the  said  originall  Courte  Booke, 
sauinge  that  there  is  wanting  in  the  copie,  of  Court  of  the  20th  May,  1620,  and 
the  brginning  of  the  Q'  Court  held  22nd  ;  but  as  farre  as  is  here  entered  in  this 
copie  doth  truly  agree  with  the  originall  itself. 


PREFACE.  V 

"  And  to  every  page  I,  Edward  Collingwood,  liaue  sett  my  hand  and  both  of  us 
do  hereby  testifie  as  above  that  it  is  a  true  copie. 
"  Jan.  38,  1623  [1634  N.  S.] 

"  EDW  :  WATERHOUSE,  Secret. 
"  ED  :  COLLINGWOOD,  Secret." 

The  second  volume  contains  387  pages,  and  is  concluded  with  the  following  note  : 

"  Memorand.  That  wee  Edward  Collingwood,  Secretary  of  the  Company  for 
Virginia,  and  Thomas  Collett,  of  the  Middle  Temple,  gentleman,  have  perused, 
compared  and  examined  this  present  booke,  begininge  att  page  1,  att  a  Prepara- 
tiue  Court  held  for  Virginia  the  20th  of  May,  1622,  and  endinge  at  this  present 
page  387  att  a  Preparatiue  Court  held  the  7th  of  Jime,  1624.  And  wee  doe  finde 
that  this  coppie  doth  perfectlie  agree  with  the  originall  books  of  the  Court 
belonging  to  the  Company  in  all  things,  saue  that  in  page  371,  the  graunt  of  800 
acres  to  Mr.  Maurice  Berkley  is  not  entred,  and  save  that  in  page  358  we  wanted 
the  Lord's  letter  to  Mr.  Deputy  Ferrar,  so  that  we  could  not  compare  itt  and  like- 
\nse  sauing  that  in  Page  348  wee  wanted  the  Gouernor  and  Counsell's  Letter 
from  Virginia  in  w'ch  respect  I,  Edward  ColUngwood,  haue  not  sett  my  hand  to 
those  three  pages,  but  to  all  the  rest  I  haue  sett  my  hand  severally  to  each  in 
confirmacon,  that  they  agree  truly  with  the  Originalls.  And  in  witness  and  con- 
firmacon  that  this  booke  is  a  true  coppy  of  the  Virginia  Courts,  wee  have  here- 
imder  ioyntly  sett  our  hands  the  19th  day  of  June,  1634. 

"THOMAS   COLLETT.i 
"EDWARD  COLLINGWOOD,  Seer." 

Judgment  against  the  Virginia  Company  had  been  pronounced  only  three  days 
before  the  last  note  was  written,  by  that  Lord  Chief  Justice  Ley,  called  by  John 
Milton  the  "old  man  eloquent,"  in  a  sonnet  to  the  Judge's  daughter  — "honour'd 
Margaret." 

On  the  15th  of  July  the  King  ordered  all  their  papers  to  be  given  to  a  Com- 
mission, which  afterwards  met  weekly  at  the  house  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith.  The 
entries  in  the  minutes  were  damaging  to  the  reputation  of  Smith  and  others  of 
the  Commission,  and  it  is  presumed  that  no  great  effort  was  made  to  preserve  the 
originals.  Repeated  searches  have  been  made  for  them  in  England,  but  they 
have  not  been  discovered. 

Prefixed  to  the  minutes  of  each  meeting  are  the  names  of  the  principal  lords, 
knights,  gentlemen  and  merchants  present.  In  some  cases  more  than  one  hundred 
are  recorded,  and  it  is  regretted  that  the  limits  of  the  work  prevented  the  publi- 
cation of  some  of  these  lists,  showing  the  presence  of  Generals  Cecil  and  Horatio 
Vere  ;  men  of  letters  like  Edward  Herbert,  afterwards  Lord  Cherbury  ;  eminent 

1  Thomas  Collett  was  a  nephew  of  John  and  Nicholas  Ferrar. 


vi  PliKFACE. 

phvsioians.  as  Gulston  and  Anthouv  :  the  poots,  John  Donno  and  Georj^o  Saudvs  ; 
and  divines,  as  Sanmel  Purchas  and  others. 

Besides  the  journals  of  the  Company,  use  has  also  been  made  of  a  large  folio 
manuscript  volume,  coutainino:  the  letters  of  the  Company  and  the  Colony,  with 
other  i^ajH^rs  from  the  year  ItJSl  to  1635,  and  a  smaller  folio  also  in  manuscript, 
but  prt>pared  at  a  later  period,  containinir  copies  of  early  papers. 

The  ettbrt  has  l)oen  to  repr^xluce  the  actors,  and  the  spirit  of  the  ajre  in  which 
they  livtHl.  Allusions  in  stajr«^plays,  the  letters  of  friends,  and  notices  in  the 
clmmicles  of  the  iH>riod.  have  been  interwoven  with  the  narrative  wherever  prac- 
ticable. No  one  can  read  the  corrt^s^xindence  of  that  era  without  beinjr  impivssed 
that  the  colonization  of  Viririnia  interestt\l  the  public  mind  of  England  as  much 
as  the  gold  discoveries  and  settlement  of  the  Pacitic  coast  has  occupi«.\l  the 
American  mind  during  the  last  quarter  century. 

The  return  of  Gossnold  in  1603,  with  the  announcement  that  he  had  found  a 
short,  direct  northern  wuto  to  America,  avoiding  the  diseases  and  delay  incident 
to  the  circuitous  voyage  by  way  of  the  West  Indies,  created  an  excitement  at  the 
London  Exchange  akin  to  the  laying  of  the  transatlantic  cable  in  modern  days, 
and  was  talkeil  over  at  the  fiivside,  and  refenwl  to  on  the  stage. 

Marstou's  play  of  Eastward  Ho,  written  in  lOOo,  and  xx^pular  for  years,  act  III, 
scene  3d,  iutrvxluces  a  talk  about  Virginia,  in  the  Blue  Anchor  Tavern,  by 
Billingsgate : 

SeaffitU.  "  Come,  drawer,  pierce  your  neatest  hogshead,  and  let's  have  cheare  — 
not  fit  for  your  Billingsg-ate  taverne,  btit  for  our  Virginian  Colonel ;  he  will  be 
here  instantly. 

J>ratcer.    "  You  shall  have  al  things  fit.  sir  :  please  you  have  any  more  wine  ? 

SpendaL  "  More  wine.  Slave  !  whether  we  driuke  it  or  no,  spill  it.  and  drawo 
more. 

Seag^ttU.  "  Come,  Ix^yes,  Virginia  longs  till  we  sharv>  the  rest  of  her  maiden- 
head. 

Spendal.    "  Why,  is  she  inhabitei^l  alreadie  with  any  English  ? 

SeaffuU.  "  A  whole  countrie  of  English  is  there,  man,  bread  of  those  that  were 
left  there  in  "79  ;  they  have  married  with  the  Indians,  and  make  'hem  bring  forth 
as  beautifuU  faces  as  any  we  have  in  England  :  and  therefore  the  Indians  are  st> 
in  love  with  'hem,  that  all  the  treasim^  they  have,  they  lay  at  their  ftx^te. 

iScapethr{ft.     "  But  is  there,  such  treasure  thert^  Captaine  as  I  have  heard  ? 

Seag-ull.  "  I  tell  thee,  golde  is  mort^  pleutifull  there,  then  copper  is  with  us : 
and  for  as  much  reilde  copi^er  as  I  can  bring,  I'le  have  thrise  the  weight  in  gold. 
'SVhy,  man.  all  their  dripping  pans  and  chamber-jx>tts  are  pure  gould  :  and  all  the 
chaines  ^^ith  which  they  chaine  up  their  streets  an>  massie  g\.ild  ;  all  the  prisoners 
they  take  are  fetertxl  in  gold  :  and  for  rubies  and  diamonds  they  goe  forth  in  holy- 
daves  and  gi\ther    hem  bv  the  sea-short\,  to  hang  on  their  chihlrt>ns  coates,  and 


V 


PREFACE.  ^j- 

fiticko  in  their  cl.il.lrenfl  caps,  as  commonly  as  our  children  weare  naffron  rrilt 
brooches,  and  ffroat(;H  with  holes  in  'hem. 
Scapcthrift.     "  And  is  it  a  pleasant  countrie  withall  ? 

Seagull.  "As  ever  the  sunne  shin'd  on ;  temperate  and  ful  of  all  sorts  of  ex- 
cellent viands  ;  wild  bore  is  as  common  there  as  our  tamest  bacon  is  here  •  venison 
as  mutton.  And  then  you  shall  live  freely  there,  without  sargeants  or  courtiers 
or  lawyers  or  intelligencers.  Then  for  your  meanes  to  advancement  there  it  is 
smiple,  and  not  preposterously  mixt.  You  may  bee  an  alderman  there,  and  never 
be  scavenger;  you  may  bee  any  other  officer,  and  never  be  a  slave.  You  may 
come  to  preferment  enough  and  never  be  a  pandar ;  to  riches  and  fortune  enough 
and  have  never  the  more  villanie  nor  the  lesse  witte.  Besides,  there  wee  shall 
have  no  more  law  than  conscience,  and  not  too  much  of  eyther  •  serve  God 
enough,  eate  and  drinke  enough,  and  '  enough  is  as  good  as  a  feast.' 
Spendthrift.    "  God's  me !  and  how  farre  is  it  thither  V 

SeaguU.  "Some  six  weekes  saile,  no  more,  with  any  indifferent  good  winde 
And  If  I  get  to  any  parte  of  the  Coast  of  Africa,  i'le  saile  thither  with  any  winde  • 
or  when  I  come  to  Cape  Finister,  there's  a  foreright  winde  continually  wafts  us' 
till  we  come  to  Virginia."  '  ' 

The_  interest  in  America  at  that  period,  will  also  be  seen  by  the  perusal  of  the 
lollowing 

BlBLIOXnECA    ViRGINIANA; 

Company  °''^'  Published  by  direction  or"  during  the  existence  of  the  Virginia 

1608. 

vt2r  ^'^^*!r  °i  '"""^  occurrences  and  accidents  of  noate  as  hath  hapned  in 
loT^T  :  first  planting  of  that  Collony,  which  is  now  residen  in  the 
South  part  thereof,  till  the  last  returne  from  thence 

M:^":.^:^.'"^'  ^--"«^*^^^  -^^  ^01^,  to  a  worship^.!! 

London :  Printed  for  John  Tappe,  and  are  to  bee  solde  at  the  Grey-hound  in 
Paules-Church-Yard,  by  W.  W.     1608.     Quarto,  black  letter 

The  editor,  J.  H.,  in  his  Preface  says:  "Some  of  the  bookes  were  printed 
under  the  name  of  Thomas  Watson,  by  whose  occasion  I  know  not  unlesse  it  were 
the  ouerrashnesse  or  mistakinge  of  the  workemen." 

1609. 

Virginia  Richly  Valued,'  by  the  description  of  themaine  land  of  Florida  her 
next  neighbour ;  etc.  Written  by  a  Portugall  gentleman  of  Elvas,  emploied  in 
all  the  action  and  translated  out  of  Portuguese  by  Richard  Hakluyt.     At  London  : 

1  See  page  26. 


viii  PREFACE. 

Printed  by  Felix  Kj-ngston  for  Matthew  Lownes,  and  are  to  be  sold  at  the  signe 
of  the  Bishop's  head  in  Paul's  Church  yard.     1609.    4to.  pp.  180. 

^  A  Sermon  Preach'd  at  White  Chappel,  in  the  Presence  of  many  Honourable 
and  Worshipfull  the  Adventurers  and  Planters  for  Virginia,  25  April,  1609.  Pub- 
lished for  the  benefit  and  use  of  the  Colony,  planted  and  to  be  planted  there,  and 
for  the  advancement  of  their  Christian  purpose. 

By  William  Symondes,  Preacher  at  Saint  Saviours  in  Southwarke. 

London  :  Printed  by  J.  Winder  for  Eleazar  Edgar.     1609.     4to. 

The  Epistle  Dedicatory  is  to  the  "  right  noble  and  worthie  Advancers  of  the 
Standard  of  Christ  among  the  Gentiles,  the  Adventurers  for  the  Plantation  of 
Virginia." 

v^       Nova  Britannia,  Ofiferinge  most  excellent  Fruites  by  Planting  in  Virginia.    Ex- 
citing all  such  to  be  well  aflFected  to  further  the  same.  /^      f<,^  X> 
London :  Printed  for  Samuel  Macham.    1609.    4to,  black  letter.         ' 

Saules  Prohibition  Staid,  a  reproof  to  those  that  traduce  Virginia. 
London,  1609.     Small  4to. 

A  Good  Speed  to  Virginia.  Esay  42.  4.  "  He  shall  not  faile  nor  be  discouraged, 
till  he  have  set  judgement  in  the  earth,  and  the  isles  shall  wait  for  his  law." 

London :  Printed  by  Felix  Kyngston  for  William  Welbie,  and  are  to  be  sold  at 
his  shop  at  the  signe  of  the  Grey-hound  in  Paul's  Church-yard,  1609.  4to,  Black 
letter,  15  leaves. 

The  "  Epistle  Dedicatorie,"  to  the  Lords,  Knights,  Merchants  and  Gentlemen 
adventurers  for  the  plantation  of  Virginia,  is  subscribed  E.  G.,  and  dated  "  From 
mine  house  at  the  North-end  of  Sithe's  lane,  London,  April  28,  Anno  1609."  The 
writer  regretted  that  he  was  able  "  neither  in  person,  nor  purse  to  be  a  partaker 
in  the  businesse." 

1610. 
V  A  Sermon  preached  in  London,  before  the  right  honorable  the  Lord  La  Warre, 

Lord  Governour  and  Captaine  Generall  of  Virgiuea,  and  others  of  his  Maiesties 
Counsell  for  that  kingdome,  and  the  rest  of  the  Aduentm-ers  in  that  Plantation  at 
the  said  Generall  his  leaue  taking  of  England  his  native  countrey,  and  departure 
for  Virginea,  February  21,  1609.  By  W.  Crashaw.  Bachelor  of  Divinitie  and 
Preacher  at  the  Temple.' 

London :  Printed  for  William  Welby,  and  are  to  bo  sold  in  Pauls  Churchyard 
at  the  signe  of  the  Swan,  1610. 

A  true  and  sincere  declaration  of  the  purpose  and  ends  of  the  Plantation  begim 
in  Virginia,  of  the  degrees  which  it  hath  received  ;  and  means  by  which  it  hath 


I  For  complete  title  see  pp.  34,  35. 


PREFACE.  ix 

beeno  advanced ;  and  the  resolution  and  conclusion  of  Lis  Majesties  Councel  of 
that  Colony,  for  the  constant  and  patient  prosecution  thereof,  until  by  the  mercies 
of  God  it  shall  re-tribute  a  fruitfull  harvest  to  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  this 
Commonwealth. 

Sett  forth  by  the  authority  of  the  Governors  and  Councellors  established  for 
that  Plantation.     Small  4to,  pp.  2G. 

sj  A  true  Declaration  of  the  Estate  of  the  Colonic  in  Virginia,  with  a  confutation 
of  such  scandalous  reports  as  haue  tended  to  the  disgrace  of  so  worthy  an  enter- 
prise. 

Published  by  aduise  and  direction  of  the  Councell  of  Virginia. 

A  wood-cut,  representing  one  man  planting  a  tree,  and  another  watering  a  tree, 
with  a  circlet  of  clouds  above,  and  the  word  Jehovah  in  Hebrew,  in  the  celitre. 

London  :  Printed  for  William  Barrett,  and  are  to  be  sold  at  the  blacke  Beare  in 
Pauls  Church-yard.     1610.     Small  4to,  pp.  68. 

1611. 
^   The  Relation  of  the  Right  Honourable  the  Lord  De-Lawarre,  Lord  Gouernour 
and  Captaine  Generall  of  the  Colonie,  planted  in  Virginia. 

London:  Printed  by  Wilham  Hall  for  William  Welbie  dwelling  in  Pauls 
Church-yeard  at  the  Signe  of  the  Swan.     4to,  pp.  15. 

\/  ' 
1613. 
^     The  New  Life  of  Virginea  :     Declaring  the  former  successe  and  present  estate 
of  that  plantation,  being  the  second  part  of  Nova  Britannia. 

Published  by  the  authoritie  of  his  Majesties  Counsell  of  Virginea. 
London :  Imprinted  by  Felix  Kyngston  for  William  Welby  dwelling  at  the 
signe  of  the  Swan  in  Paul's  Church-yard.     1612. 

This  work  is  dedicated  to  "  Sir  Thomas  Smith  of  London,  Governour  of  the 
Moscovia  and  East  India  Companies,  one  of  his  Majesties  Counsell  for  Virginia 
and  Treasurer  for  the  Colony."  In  the  dedicatory  Epistle,  signed  rM.,  it  is  said 
that  "  the  malitious  and  looser  sort  (being  acoompanied  with  the  licentious  vaine 
of  stage  poets)  have  whet  their  tongues  with  scornfull  taunts  against  the  action 
itselfe,  insomuch  as  there  is  no  common  speech,  nor  publike  name  of  any  thing 
this  day  (except  it  be  the  name  of  God)  which  is  more  \Wldly  depraved,  traduced 
and  derided  by  such  imhallowed  lips  than  the  name  of  Virginea." 

^y  A  Map  of  Virginea,  with  a  description  of  the  Countrey,  the  Commodities,  Peo- 
pie,  Government  and  Religion.  Written  by  Captain  Smith,  sometimes  Governour 
of  the  Countrey.  Whereunto  is  annexed  the  Proceedings  of  those  Colonies  since 
their  first  departure  from  England.  Taken  faithfully  as  they  were  written  out  of 
the  writings  of  Doctor  Russel,  Tho  :  Studley,  &c.  And  the  Relations  of  divers 
other  diligent  Observers  there  present  then,  and  now  many  of  them  in  England. 
By  W.  S.    At  Oxford,  Printed  by  Joseph  Barnes.     1612.    4to  pp  39 


X  PREFACE. 

s/  The  Proceedings  of  tlie  English  Colonie  in  Virginea,  since  their  first  beginning 
from  England  in  the  yeare  of  our  Lord  1606,  till  this  present  1612.  With  all 
their  Accidents  that  befell  them  in  their  Journies  and  Discoveries,  &c.  Unfolding 
even  the  fundamental  Causes,  from  whence  have  sprang  so  many  Miseries  to  the 
Undertakers,  and  Scandals  to  the  Businesse.  And  perused  and  confirmed  J^ 
diverse  now  resident  in  England,  that  were  Actors  in  this  Business.  By  W.  S.^ 
At  Oxford,  printed  by  Joseph  Barnes.     1612.   -pprlO^.  -■  >  >  -  <    'J    «>    - 

For  the  Colony  in  Virginea  Britannia.  Lavves  Diuine,  Morall  and  Martiall, 
&c.  Alget  qui  non  ardet.  Res  nostrse  subinde  non  sunt,  quales  quis  optaret,  sed 
quales  esse  possunt. 

Printed  at  London  for  Walter  Barre.     1612. 

1613. 
^  Good  Newes  from  Virginia.'  Sent  to  the  Coimsell  and  Company  of  Virginia, 
resident  in  England.  From  Alexander  Whitaker,  the  Minister  of  Henrico  in 
Virginia.  Wherein  also  is  a  narration  of  the  present  state  of  that  Country,  and 
our  Colonies  there.  Perused  and  published  by  direction  from  that  Coimsell. 
And  a  preface  prefixed  of  some  matters  touching  that  Plantation,  very  requisite 
to  be  made  knowne.     London. 

The  preface  of  34  pages  is  from  the  pen  of  W.  Crashaw,  a  distinguished  divine. 

/a  /T 
J  A  True  Discourse  of  the  Present  Estate  of  Virginia,  and  the  successe  of  the 

affaires  there  till  the  18  of  June,  1614.^ 

Together  With  a  Relation  of  the  seuerall  English  Townes  and  fortes,  the 
assured  hopes  of  that  countrie,  and  the  peace  concluded  with  the  Indians. 

The  Christening  of  Powhatan's  daughter  and  her  marriage  with  an  English- 
man. / 

Written  by  Raphe  Hamor  the  younger,  late  Secretary  in  that  Colony. 

Alget,  qui  non  ardet. 

Printed  at  London  by  John  Beale  for  William  Welby  dwelling  at  the  signe  of 
the  Swanne  in  Pauls  Church-yard.     1615.     4to,  pp.  69. 

The  dedication  is  "  To  the  Truly  Honorable  and  right  worthy  Knight,  Sr  Thomas 
Smith,  Gouernour  of  the  East  India,  Muscouia,  North-west  passages,  Somer 
Islands  Companies,  and  Treasurer  for  the  first  Colony  in  Virginia." 

In  the  Epistle  to  the  Reader,  the  same  language  is  used  about  stage-players  as 
in  the  Daily  Prayer  appended  to  the  bloody  code  of  1612.3 

1617. 

K/         Purchas,  his  Pilgrimage,  etc. 

By  Samuel  Purchas  Parson  of  St.  Martins  by  Ludgate,  London.  Una  Deus, 
una  Veritas. 

»  See  page  t8.  ""  See  page  88.  =*  See  page  64. 


PREFACE.  XI 

London :  Printed  by  William  Stansby  for  Henry  Fetherstone,  and  are  to  be 
sold  at  liis  sliop  in  Pauls  Churcli-yard,  at  the  signe  of  the  Kose.     1617. 

This  is  the  3d  edition,  much  enlarged,  and  gives  an  abstract  of  Rolfe's  relation 
of  Virginia,  then  in  manuscript. 

1619. 

V  A  Note  of  the  Shipping,  Men,  and  Provisions  sent  to  Virgfnia,  by  the  Trea- 
surer and  Company  in  the  yeere  1619.  With  the  Orders  and  Constitutions  partly 
collected  out  of  his  Majesties  Letters  Patent,  and  partly  ordained  upon  mature 
deliberation  by  the  Treasurer,  Co'unsail,  and  Company  of  Virginia,  for  the  better 
governing  of  the  Actions  and  Affaires  of  the  said  Company,  here  in  England 
y  CZt  residing.    164»;    4to.  -t  ^  o       A  ^-^.z  i.y^i  d\  £^  v  t  cm'^^.-C-^a  -  c'lV-i ,  ;,<  2 

Another  Note  of  the  shipping.  Men,  and  Provisions  sent  to  Virginia,  by  the 
Treasurer  and  Company,  in  the  yeere  1619.  Published  by  his  Majesties  Coimsell 
for  Virginia.     4to,  pp.  16. 

With  the  names  of  the  Adventurers,  with  their  several  Summs  adventured, 
paid  in  to  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  Knight,  late  Treasurer  of  the  Company  for  Vir- 
ginia. 4to,  pp.  30.  And  another  list  of  the  Names  of  some  other  advcntui-ers. 
With  the  sumfiis  paid  by  Order  to  Sir  Baptist  Hickes,  Knight,  and  to  Sir  Edwin 
Sandys  Knight. 

1620. 

A  Declaration  of  the  State  of  the  Colonie  and  Affaires  m  Virginia,  with  the 
Names  of  the  Adventurors,  and  Summes  adventoi'ed  in  that  Action.'  By  his  Ma- 
jesties Councell  for  Virginia,  22  Junij  1620.  ' 

London :  Printed  by  T.  S.    1620.    4to.  / 

Declaration  by  his  Majesties  Councell  for  Virginia,  touching  the  present  estate 
of  their  Colony  in  that  Country  dat.  20  Sep.  1620.    4to,  pp.  11. 

1622. 

Virginias  God  be  thanked,^  or  a  Sermon  of  Thanksgiving  on  Ps.  cvii.  23,  for 
the  happie  Successe  of  the  Affayres  in  Virginia,  this  last  yeare. 

"Preached  by  Patrick  Copland  at  Bow-Church  in  Cheapside,  before  the 
Honorable  Virginia  Company,  on  Thursday  the  18  of  Aprill  1622.  And  now 
published  by  the  Commandement  of  the  said  honorable  Company. 

"Hereunto  are  adjoyned  some  Epistles,  written  first  in  Latine  (and  now 
Englished)  in  the  East  Indies  by  Peter  Pope,  an  Indian  youth,  borne  in  the  bay 
of  Bengala,  who  was  first  taught  and  converted  by  the  said  P.  C.  And  after  bap- 
tized by  Master  John  Wood,  Dr  in  Divinitie,  in  a  famous  Assembly  before  the 

»  See  page  193.  2  ggg  page  377. 


O. 


xu 


PBEFACE. 


Right  Worsliippfull  tlie  East  India  Company  at  S.  Denis  in  Fan-Cliurcli  streete 
in  London  December  23,  1616. 

"  London.  Printed  by  J.  D.  for  William  Sheflfard  and  John  Bellamie,  and  are  to 
be  sold  at  the  two  Grey-honnds  in  Corne-hill,  neere  the  Eoyal  Exchange.  1623." 
4to.     Dedication  to  Va.  Co.,  3  pp.     Sermon,  36  pp.     Appendix,  6  pp. 

A  Consolation  for  our  Grammar  Schooles :  Or  a  faithfull  and  most  comfortable 
Incouragement,  for  laying  of  a  sure  Foundation  of  all  good  Learning  in  our 
Schooles,  and  for  prosperous  building  thereupon.  More  especially  for  all  those  of 
the  inferiour  sort,  and  all  ruder  Countries  and  Places  :  Namely  for  Ireland, 
Wales,  Virginia,  with  the  Sommer  Islands,  and  for  their  more  Speedie  attaining 
of  our  English  Tongue  by  the  same  labour,  that  all  may  speake  one  and  the  same 
language.  And  withall,  for  the  helping  of  all  such  as  are  desirous  speedlie  to 
recover  that  which  they  had  formerlie  got  in  the  grammar  schooles  :  and  to  pro- 
ceed aright  therein,  for  the  perpetual  benefit  of  these  our  Nations,  and  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ. 

London  :  Printed  by  Richard  Field,  for  Thomas  Man,  dwelling  in  Paternoster 
Row,  at  the  sign  of  the  Talbot.     1623.    4to,  pp.  84. 

There  is  an  Epistle  prefixed,  "  to  the  right  Honourable,  and  right  Worsliipful 
the  Governour,  Councell  and  Companie  for  Virginia,  and  of  the  Sommer  Islands, 
that  beginning  with  the  Lord,  and  carefully  planting  and  watering  of  his  sacred 
Religion,  they  may  find  a  more  happy  Growth  and  Increase,  and  evermore  sound 
and  lasting  joy  to  their  own  Soules.  Especially  for  dramng  the  poor  Natives  in 
Viro-inia,  and  all  other  of  the  rest  of  the  Rude  and  Barbarous  from  Sathan  to  God." 

"With  the  Judgment  and  Approbation  of  Dr.  James  Usher  and  Dr.  Daniel 
Featly,  March  16,  1630."  ^ 

>J       His  Maiesties  gracious  letter  to  the  Earl  of  Southampton  Treasurer  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Company  commanding  the  present  and  setting  up  of  Silke  Workes  and 
Planting  of  Vines  in  Virginia.    Also  a  Treatise  of  making  silke  by  John  Bonnoel.  /^  .^  t,^  o  a*. 
London :  Felix  Kyngston,  1633,    4to.     Bonnoel  was  "  silk-worm  raiser  to  the 

King."  ^ 

The  Company  in  their  letter  to  the  colonial  authorities  say:  "We  now 
commend  this  Booke  unto  you.  *  *  *  The  paines  and  industry  of 
the  Authour  for  the  benefit  of  the  Plantations  (being  a  member  of  our  Company) 
are  sufiicient  arguments  of  his  good  aflFection  to  the  action." 

A  Declaration  of  the  State  of  the  Colony  and  Affaires  in  Virginia ;  with  a  rela- 
tion of  the  barbarous  Massacre  in  the  time  of  Peace,  and  League,  treacherously 
executed  by  the  native  Infidels  upon  the  English,  the  33  of  March  last.  To- 
gether with  the  names  of  those  that  were  then  massacred,  that  their  lawful  heirs 


>  For  a  notice  of  this  book  of  John  Brinsley,  see  page  273.  ^  See  page  258. 


PREFACE.  Xiii 

by  this  notice  given  may  take  order  for  tlie  inheriting  of  their  Lands  and  Estates 
in  Virginia.'  And  a  Treatise  annexed,  written  by  that  learned  Mathematician 
Mr.  Henry  Briggs  of  the  North-west  Passage  to  the  South  Sea,  through  the  Con- 
tinent of  Virginia,  and  by  Fretum  Hudson.  Also  a  Commemoration  of  such 
worthy  benefactors  as  have  contributed  their  Christian  Charitie  towards  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  Colony.  And  a  Note  of  the  charges  of  necessarie  Provisions  fit 
for  every  Man  that  intends  to  go  to  Virginia.  Published  by  Authoritie. 
London,  for  Robert  Maylbourne.     1623.     4to,  pp.  54.       /i  ..   > 

y  A  Sermon  upon  the  VHI  verse  of  the  Chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.^ 
Preached  to  the  Hon.  Company  of  the  Virginian  Plantation,  13  Nouemb.  1G22. 

By  John  Donne,  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and  Dean  of  St.  Paul's,  Loudon.     4to,  1623. 

In  an  introductory  note  addressed  to  the  Virginia  Company  the  author' says  : 
"  By  your  favours,  I  had  some  place  amongst  you  before ;  but  now  I  am  an  adven- 
turer; if  not  to  Virginia,  yet  for  Virginia  :  for  every  man  that  prints  adventures. 
*  *  *  *  But  for  the  printing  of  this  Sermon,  I  am  not  only  under  your  invi- 
tation, but  under  your  commandment." 

It  will  be  noticed  in  the  Orders  for  first  expedition,  page  5,  Newport's  ship  is 
called  the  Sarah  Constant,  while  on  pages  15,  17,  the  ship  is  mentioned  as  the 
Susan  Constant.  The  discrepancy  is  caused  by  following  the  manuscript  records 
in  the  first  instance,  and  the  statement  of  Purchas  in  the  other  pages.  The 
reader's  attention  is  called  to  the  List  of  Errata,  foltewing  the  Index,  made 
necessary  by  the  absence  of  the  author  from  his  native  land  while  the  work  was 
passing  through  the  press.  The  paragraph,  page  377,  on  Copland's  Thanksgiving 
Sermon,  should  have  followed  page  292,  and  been  dated  April  10th,  1632. 

Weever,  in  the  preface  to  his  work  on  Momcments,  published  in  1631,  says  :  "  I 
likewise  write  the  orthographie  of  the  old  English  as  it  comes  to  my  hands,  and 
if  by  the  copying  out  of  the  same  it  be  any  manner  of  ways  mollified,  it  is  much 
against  my  will,  for  I  hold  originals  the  best." 

It  has  been  my  aim  to  retain  the  spelling  of  the  manuscripts  fr6m  which  I  have 
made  extracts,  but  certain  contractions  which  could  not  be  represented  by  modern 
type  have  necessarily  been  omitted.  The  paragraphs  extracted  are  complete,  care 
having  been  taken  to  avoid  an  hiatus. 

If  a  few  students  of  the  colonial  history  of  America  shall  derive  any  pleasure 
or  information  from  the  perusal  of  the  work,  the  great  object  of  its  publication 
will  have  been  attained.  To  those  who  may  think  the  details  are  minute  and 
trivial,  I  can  only  quote  from  a  letter  of  Dudley  of  Massachusetts,  written  in  1631 

'  See  page  334.  2  See  page  360. 


xiv  PREFACE. 

to  the  Countess  of  Lincoln,  two  of  wliose  sons-in-law  were  among  the  settlers  of 
that  Puritan  Colony : 

"  If  any  tax  me  for  wasting  paper  with  recording  these  small  matters,  such  may 
consider  that  small  things,  in  the  beginning  of  natural  or  politic  bodies,  are  as 
remarkable  as  greater  in  bodies  full  grown." 

EDWARD  D.  NEILL. 
\  Dublin,  Ikeland,  May  1, 1870. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I.  Page. 

Transactions  duking  the  Period  op  First  Charter,    ....       1 

CHAPTER  n. 
The  Period  of  the  Second  Charter, 23 

CHAPTER  III. 

Last  Charter  ;  the  Bermttdas  ;  Stage  Plays  ;  Lotteries  ;  Debate  in 

Parliament, 53 

CHAPTER  IV, 
Sir  Thomas  Dale, 73 

CHAPTER  V. 
Pocahontas  and  Companions, 83 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Rolfe's  Relation, 106 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Arg all's  Administration, 113 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Leyden  Puritans, 132 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Administration  op  Governor  Yeardley, 134 


xvi  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  X.  Page. 

The  Company  under  Directorship  op  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,    .       .       .    143 

CHAPTER  XI. 
First  Tear  of  Earl  of  Southampton's  Directorship,  .       .       .    192 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Second  Year  of  E.vrl  of  Southampton's  Directorship,       .       .       .    213 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Third  Year  of  Earl  of  Southampton's  Directorship,         .       .       .    299 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Great  Massacre, 317 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Waterhouse's  Relation,  and  List  of  Slain 334 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Continuation  op  Earl  op  Southampton's  Directorship,      .       .       .    347 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Dissolution  of  the  Company, 385 


f  ivgiuiii  (»Iomijmtij  of  ^§mii\m\. 


CHAPTER  I. 


TRANSACTIONS    DURING    THE    PERIOD   OF   THE    FIRST    CHARTER. 

pasx)^  ENRY,  the  Earl  of  Southampton, 
was  not  only  the  patron  of  Shake- 
speare and  other  men  of  letters, 
l^ut  the  friend  of  those  who  were 
engaged  in  the  discovery  of  dis- 
tant and  unknown  lands.  He 
had  been  disappointed  at  the  fail- 
ure of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh's  colony 
within  the  boundaries  of  what  is  now  North  Carolina,  and 
determined  to  engage  in  another  effort  to  plant  the  banner 
of  England  in  America.  Therefore  he  largely  contributed 
in  fitting  out  the  ship  Concord,  under  Captain  Bartholomew 
Gosnold,  who,  accompanied  by  other  gentlemen,  in  March, 
1602,  sailed  from  Falmouth,  and,  pursuing  a  direct  and 
northerly  route,  on  the  fourteenth  of  May  made  land 
in  America,  in  the  forty-third  degree  of  north  latitude. 
Going  ashore,  Gosnold  explored  the  coast  and  called,  in 
1 


2  VIROINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

consequence  of  the  abundance  of  fish  in  the  vicinity^  one 
of  the  headlands  Cape  Cod,  a  name  still  retained.  After 
trading  with  the  Indians,  the  ship  weighed  anchor  in  June 
and  arrived  at  Exmouth,  in  England,  in  the  middle  of 
July,  bringing  much  encouragement  for  planting  a  colony 
in  that  region. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century  a  pupil  of 
Westminster  school  one  day  called  upon  a  relative  in  the 
Middle  Temple,  upon  whose  table  were  opened  certain 
books  of  travel  and  a  map  of  the  world.  As  various 
seas  and  kingdoms  were  pointed  out,  the  youth  resolved 
that  if  he  ever  entered  the  university  he  would  devote 
himself  to  geographical  studies.  He  kept  the  resolution, 
and  in  time  Richard  Hakluyt  became  the  best  informed 
man  in  England  relative  to  the  climate,  races,  and  pro- 
ductions of  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe.  At  the  time 
that  Sir  Francis  Drake  was  fitting  out  his  expedition 
for  America,  he  was  chaplain  to  the  English  embassy  in 
Paris,  and  so  great  was  his  interest,  he  wrote  that  he  was 
ready  to  fly  to  England  "with  winges  of  Pegasus,"  and 
devote  his  reading  and  observation  in  furthering  the  work.^ 
Subsequently  he  was  consulted  by  the  Muscovy,  Green- 
land, and  East  India  Companies  before  they  engaged  in 
new  enterprises.  In  the  minutes  of  the  East  India  Com- 
pany, under  date  of  29th  of  January,  1601-2,  is  the  fol- 
lowing entry  :  ^  "  Mr.  Hakluyt,  the  historiographer  of 
the  East  India  Company,  being  here  before  the  committees, 
and  having  read  unto  them  out  of  his  notes  and  books, 
was  requested  to  set  down  in  writing  a  note  of  the  princi- 


1  Halclwjt  Soc.  Pub  ,  vol.  VII,  p.  xii  Introduction. 

2  Cal.  of  State  Papers,  East  Indies,  1513-1616,  p.  120. 


FIRST  CHARTER  PROCURED.  3 

pal  places  in  the  East  Indies,  and  where  trade  is  to  be  had, 
to  the  end  that  the  same  may  be  used  for  the  better  in- 
struction of  our  factors  in  the  said  voyage." 

The  report  of  Gosnold  relative  to  the  new  short  route, 
and  the  country  seen,  excited  a  wish  to  know  more,  and 
at  Hakluyt's  suggestion  two  vessels,  in  1603,  were  dis- 
patched from  Bristol,  and  those  in  command  lived  to  return 
and  verify  previous  statements.  The  Earl  of  Southamp- 
ton, and  his  brother-in-law,  Arundell,  baron  of  Wardour, 
in  1605  sent  out  Captain  George  Weymouth  upon  a  voyage 
of  discovery,  who  returned  about  the  middle  of  July  well 
pleased  with  the  Atlantic  coast  of  America. 

The  next  year  Hakluyt,  then  prebendary  of  Westmin- 
ster, Sir  Thomas  Gates,  Sir  George  Somers,  and  other 
"firm  and  hearty  lovers"  of  colonization,  petitioned  the 
king  for  the  privilege  of  colonizing  the  Atlantic  coast  of 
North  America,  and  on  the  6th  of  April,  1606,  a  patent 
was  sealed  for  "  Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  Sir  George  Som- 
mers  Knights,  Richard  Hackluit  Gierke  Prebendarie  of 
Westm  and  Edward  Maria  Wingfield,  Thomas  Hannam  and 
Raleigh  Gilbert  Esquires,  William  Parker  and  George  Pop- 
ham  Gents,  and  diuers  others,"  "to  reduce  a  colony  of  sondry 
of  o'  people  into  y'  part  of  America  comonly  called  Vir- 
ginia," between  the  thirty-fourth  and  forty-fifth  degrees  of 
north  latitude,  and  occupy  islands  within  one  hundred 
miles  of  the  coast. 

The  company  under  the  charter  was  divided;  Gates, 
Somers,  Hakluyt,  Wingfield,  adventurers  of  the  city  of 
London,  were  called  the  First  Colony,  and  to  begin  their 
first  plantation  at  any  point  in  Virginia  between  the  thirty- 
fourth  and  forty-first  degrees  of  north  latitude,  while  Han- 
nam, Gilbert,  Parker,  Popham,  and  associates,  of  the  town 


4  riBOmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

of  Plymouth,  were  called  the  Second  Colony,  and  to  plant 
between  the  thirty-eighth  and  forty-fifth  degrees  of  the 
same  latitude.^ 

The  summer  and  autumn  were  occupied  by  the  project- 
ors of  the  first  colony  of  the  company  in  forming  an  ex- 
pedition, and  in  view  of  its  departure  in  December,  neces- 
sary regulations  were  prepared  and  are  here  inserted,  copied 
from  the  manuscript  records  in  the  Library  of  Congress.^ 

Orders  for  First  Expedition. 

"  Certain  Orders  and  Directions  conceived  and  set  down 
the  tenth  day  of  December  in  the  year  of  the  reign  of  Our 
Soverain  Lord  King  James  of  England,  France  and  Ireland 
the  fourth,  and  of  Scotland  the  fortieth,  by  his  Majesties' 
Counsel  for  Virginia,  for  the  better  government  of  his  Ma- 
jesties' subjects,  both  captains,  soldiers,  marriners,  and 
others  that  are  now  bound  for  that  coast  to  settle  his 
Majesties'  first  colony  in  Virginia,  there  to  be  by  them 
observed  as  well  in  their  passages  thither  by  sea,  as  after 
their  arrival  and  landing  there. 

"Whereas  our  said  Soverain  Lord  the  King  by  certain 
articles  signed  by  his  Ma'tie,  and  sealed  with  his  Highness 
privy  seal  hath  appointed  us  whose  names  are  underwrit- 
ten with  some  others  to  be  his  Maj'ties  Counsel  for  Vir- 
ginia, giving  unto  us  by  his  Ma'ties  warrant  under  the  said 
privy  seal  full  power  and  authority  in  his  Ma'ties  name  to 
nominate  the  first  several  counsellors  of  the  several  colo- 
nies which  are  to  be  planted  in  Virginia,  and  to  give 

1  Manuscript  Charter  in  Virginia  Records,  1621-25,  in  Library  of 
Congress.     Large  folio. 

2  Virginia  Manuscripts.     Small  folio. 


ORDERS  FOR  FIRST  EXPEDITION.  5 

directions  unto  the  several  counsellors  for  their  better 
government  there,  we  having  such  due  respect  as  is  requi- 
site to  a  service  of  such  importance  being  assembled  to- 
gether for  the  better  ordering  and  directing  of  the  same 
do  bj  this  our  writing  sealed  with  his  Maj'ties  seal  ap- 
pomted  for  this  Counsel,  ordain,  direct,  and  appoint  in 
manner  and  form  followino;. 

"First,  Whereas  the  good  ship  called  the  Sarah  Constant 
and  the  ship  called  the  Goodspeed,  with  a  pinnace  called 
the  Discovery  are  now  ready  victualed,  riged,  and  furnished 
for  the  said  voyage;  we  think  it  fit  and  so  do  ordain  and 
appoint  that  Capt.  Christopher  Newport  shall  have  the 
sole  charge  to  appoint  such  captains,  soldiers,  and  mar- 
riners  as  shall  either  command,  or  be  shiped  to  pass  in  the 
said  ships  or  pinnace,  and  shall  also  have  the  charge  and 
oversight  of  all  such  munitions,  victuals,  and  other  pro- 
visions as  are  or  shall  be  shiped  at  the  publick  charge  of 
the  adventurers  in  them  or  any  of  them.     And  further 
that  the  said  Capt.  Newport  shall  have  the  sole  charge  and 
command  of  all  the  captains,  soldiers,  and  marriners  and 
other  persons  that  shall  go  in  any  the  said  ships  and  pin- 
nace HI  the  said  voyage  from  the  day  of  the  date  hereof, 
until  such  time  as  they  shall  fortune  to  land  upon  the 
said  coast  of  Virginia,  and  if  the  said  Captain  Newport 
shall  happen  to  dye  at  sea,  then  the  masters  of  the  said 
ships  and  pinnace  shall  carry  them  to  the  coast  of  Virginia 
aforesaid. 

"And  whereas  we  have  caused  to  be  delivered  unto  the 
said  Captain  Newport,  Captain  Barthol.  Gosnold  and  Captain 
John  Ratcliffe,  several  instruments  close  sealed  with  the 
Counsels  seal  aforesaid  containing  the  names  of  such  persons 
as  we  have  appointed  to  be  of  his  Majesties  Counsel  in  the 


6  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

said  country  of  Virginia,  we  do  ordain  and  direct  that  the  said 
Captain  Christopher  Newport,  Captain  Bartholomew  Gos- 
nold,  and  Captain  John  Eatchfle  or  the  survivor  or  sur- 
vivors of  them,  shall  within  four  and  twenty  hours  next 
after  the  said  ship  shall  arrive  upon  the  said  coast  of  Vir- 
ginia and  not  before  open  and  unseal  the  said  Instrument 
and  declare  and  publish  unto  all  the  company  the  names 
therein  set  down,  and  that  the  persons  by  us  therein  named 
are  and  shall  be  known,  and  taken  to  be  his  Maj'ties  Coun- 
sel of  his  first  Colony  in  Virginia  aforesaid.  And  further 
that  the  said  Counsel  so  by  us  nominated,  shall  upon  the 
publishing  of  the  said  instrument  proceed  to  the  election 
and  nomination  of  a  President  of  the  said  Counsel,  and  the 
said  President  in  all  matters  of  controversy  and  question 
that  shall  arise  during  the  continuance  of  his  authority 
where  there  shall  fall  out  to  be  equality  of  voices,  shall 
have  two  voices,  and  shall  have  full  power  and  authority 
with  the  advice  of  the  rest  of  the  said  Counsel,  or  the 
greatest  part  of  them  to  govern,  rule  and  command  all  the 
captains  and  soldiers,  and  all  other  his  Majesties  subjects 
of  his  Colony  according  to  the  true  meaning  of  the  orders 
and  directions  set  down  in  the  articles  signed  by  his  Maj'tie 
and  of  these  presents. 

"And  that  immediately  upon  the  election  and  nomina- 
tion of  the  said  President,  the  President  himself  shall  in 
the  presence  of  the  said  Counsel,  and  some  twenty  of  the 
principal  persons,  adventurers  in  the  said  voyage  to  be  by 
the  said  President  and  Counsel  called  thereunto,  take  his 
corporal  oath  upon  the  holy  Evangelists  of  alleageance  to 
our  Soverain  Lord  the  King  and  for  the  performance  of 
this  duty  in  his  place  in  manner  and  form  following. 

"I elected  President  for  his  Majesties  Counsel  for 


ORDERS  FOR  FIRST  EXPEDITION.  7 

the  first  Colony  to  Virginia  do  swear  that  I  shall  be  a  true 
and  faithfull  servant  unto  the  King's  Ma'tie  as  a  Counsel- 
lor and  President  of  his  Majesties  Counsel  for  the  first 
Colony  planted  or  to  be  planted  in  any  the  territories  of 
America  between  the  degrees  of  34  and  41  from  the  equi- 
noctial line  northward  and  the  trades  thereof,  and  that  I 
shall  faithfully  and  truly  declare  my  mind  and  opinion 
according  to  my  heart  and  conscience  in  all  things  treated 
of  in  that  Counsel,  and  shall  keep  secret  all  matter  com- 
mitted and  revealed  unto  me  concerning  the  same,  or  that 
shall  be  treated  of  secretly  in  that  Counsel  until  time 
as  by  the  consent  of  his  Majesties  Privy  Counsel  or  the 
Counsel  of  Virg'a  or  the  more  part  of  them,  publication 
shall  be  made  thereof,  and  of  all  matters  of  great  im- 
portance or  difficulty  I  shall  make  his  Majesties  Counsel 
for  Virginia  acquainted  therewith  and  follow  their  direc- 
tions therein.  I  shall  to  the  best  of  my  skill  and  know- 
ledge uprightly  and  duly  execute  all  things  coraitted  to  my 
care  and  charge  according  to  such  directions  as  are  or  shall 
be  given  unto  me  from  his  Maj'tie  his  heirs  or  successors, 
or  his  or  their  Privy  Counsel  or  his  or  their  Counsel  for 
Virginia  according  to  the  tenour,  effect  and  true  meaning 
of  his  Majesties  Letters  Patent,  and  of  such  articles  and 
instructions  are  set  down  by  his  Highness  under  his  Ma- 
jesties Privy  Seal  for  and  concerning  the  government  of 
the  said  Colony,  and  my  uttermost  bear  faith  and  alleage- 
ance  unto  the  King's  Majesty  his  heirs,  and  lawful  suc- 
cessors, as  shall  assist  and  defend  all  jurisdictions  and 
authorities  granted  unto  his  Majesty  and  annexed  unto  the 
Crown  as  against  forrain  princes,  persons  and  potentates 
whatsoever  be  it  by  act  of  Parliament  or  otherwise,  and 
generally  in  all  things  I  shall  do  as  a  true  and  faithfull 


8  VIROINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

servant  and  subject  ought  to  do  to  his  Majesty.  So  help 
me  God.  And  after  the  oath  so  by  him  taken,  the  said 
President  shall  minister  the  like  oath  to  every  one,  p'ticu- 
larly  of  the  said  Counsel  leaving  out  the  name  of  President 
only. 

"And  finally  that  after  the  arrival  of  the  said  ship  upon 
the  coast  of  Virginia  [and]  the  Counsellors'  names  pub- 
lished, the  said  Captain  Newport  shall  with  such  number 
of  men  as  shall  be  assigned  him  by  the  President  and 
Counsel  of  the  said  Colony  spend  and  bestow  two  months 
in  discovery  of  such  ports  and  rivers  as  can  be  found  in 
that  country,  and  shall  give  order  for  the  present  laiding 
and  furnishing  of  the  two  ships  above  named,  and  all  such 
principal  comodities  and  merchandize  as  can  there  be  had 
and  found,  in  such  sort  as  he  may  return  with  the  said 
ships  full  laden  with  good  merchandizes,  bringing  with  him 
full  relation  of  all  that  hath  passed  in  said  voyage,  by  the 
end  of  May  next  if  God  permit." 

Before  the  ships  sailed,  there  was  prepared  for  the  guid- 
ance of  the  officers  the  following  advisory  paper,  full  of 
valuable  suggestions,  and  perhaps  drawn  up  by  Hakluyt, 
who  had  been  called  to  prepare  similar  papers  by  the  East 
India  Company. 

Advice  for  the  Colony  on  Landing. 

"Instructions  given  by  way  of  advice  by  us  whom  it 
hath  pleased  the  King's  Majesty  to  appoint  of  the  Counsel 
for  the  intended  voyage  to  Virginia,  to  be  observed  by 
those  Captains  and  company  which  are  sent  at  this  present 
to  plant  there. 

"As  we  doubt  not  but  you  will  have  especial  care  to 


ADVICE  FOR  THE  COLONY  ON  LANDING.  9 

observe  the  ordinances  set  down  by  the  King's  Majesty 
and  delivered  unto  you  under  the  privy  seal;  so  for  your 
better  directions  upon  your  first  landing  we  have  thought 
good  to  recommend  unto  your  care  these  instructions  and 
articles  following. 

"When  it  shall  please  God  to  send  you  on  the  coast  of 
Virginia,  you  shall  do  your  best  endeavour  to  find  out  a 
safe  port  in  the  entrance  of  some  navigable  river  making 
choice  of  such  a  one  as  runneth  farthest  into  the  land,  and 
if  you  happen  to  discover  divers  portable  rivers,  and 
amongst  them  any  one  that  hath  two  main  branches  if 
the  difference  be  not  great  make  choice  of  that  which 
bendeth  most  toward  the  North-west  for  that  way  you 
shall  soonest  find  the  other  sea. 

"When  you  have  made  choice  of  the  river  on  which  / 
you  mean  to  settle  be  not  hasty  in  landing  your  victuals 
and  munitions,  but  first  let  Captain  Newport  discover  how 
far  that  river  may  be  found  navigable  that  you  make  elec- 
tion of  the  strongest,  most  wholesome  and  fertile  place  for 
if  you  make  many  removes  besides  the  loss  of  time,  you 
shall  greatly  spoil  your  victuals  and  your  casks,  and  with 
great  pain  transport  it  in  small  boats. 

"  But  if  you  choose  your  place  so  far  up  as  a  bark  of 
fifty  tuns  will  float  then  you  may  lay  all  your  provisions 
ashore  with  ease,  and  the  better  receive  the  trade  of  all 
the  countries  about  you  in  the  land,  and  such  a  place  you 
may  perchance  find  a  hundred  miles  from  the  river's  ' 
mouth,  and  the  further  up  the  better  for  if  you  sit  down 
near  the  entrance,  except  it  be  in  some  island  that  is  strong 
by  nature,  an  enemy  that  may  approach  you  on  even 
ground  may  easily  pull  you  out,  and  if  he  be  driven  to 
seek  you  a  hundred  miles  the  land  in  boats  you  shall  from 


t 


10  YIRGmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

both  sides  of  the  river  where  it  is  narrowest,  so  beat  them 
with  your  muskets  as  they  shall  never  be  able  to  prevail 
against  you. 

"And  to  the  end  that  you  be  not  surprized  as  the  French 
were  in  Florida  by  Melindus  and  the  Spaniard  in  the  same 
place  by  the  French,  you  shall  do  well  to  make  this  double 
provision,  first  erect  a  little  stoure  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river  that  may  lodge  some  ten  men,  with  whom  you  shall 
leave  a  light  boat,  that  when  any  fleet  shall  be  in  sight 
they  may  come  with  speed  to  give  you  warning.  Secondly 
you  must  in  no  case  suffer  any  of  the  native  people  of  the 
country  to  inhabit  between  you  and  the  sea  coast  for  you 
cannot  carry  yourselves  so  towards  them  but  they  will 
grow  discontented  with  your  habitation,  and  be  ready  to 
guide  and  assist  any  nation  that  shall  come  to  invade  you, 
and  if  you  neglect  this  you  neglect  your  safety. 

"  When  you  have  discovered  as  far  up  the  river  as  you 
mean  to  plant  yourselves  and  landed  your  victuals  and 
munitions  to  the  end  that  every  man  may  know  his  charge 
you  shall  do  well  to  divide  your  six  score  men  into  three 
parts,  whereof  one  party  of  them  you  may  appoint  to 
fortifie  and  build  of  which  your  first  work  must  be  your 
storehouse  for  victual;  the  other  you  may  imploy  in  pre- 
paring your  ground  and  sowing  your  corn  and  roots ;  the 
other  ten  of  these  forty  you  must  leave  as  centinel  at  the 
haven's  mouth.  The  other  forty  you  may  imploy  for  two 
months  in  discovery  of  the  river  above  you,  and  on  the 
country  about  you  which  charge  Captain  Newport  and 
Captain  Gosnold  may  undertake  of  these  forty  discoverers  ; 
when  they  do  espie  any  high  lands  or  hills  Capt.  Gosnold 
may  take  twenty  of  the  company  to  cross  over  the  lands, 
and  carrying  a  halfdozen  pickaxes  to  try  if  they  can  find 


TOPOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  TO  BE  TAKEN.  11 

any  minerals.  The  other  twenty  may  go  on  by  river,  and 
pitch  up  boughs  upon  the  banks'  side  by  which  the  other 
boats  shall  follow  them  by  the  same  turnings.  You  may 
also  take  with  them  a  wherry  such  as  is  used  here  in  the 
Thames,  by  which  you  may  send  back  to  the  President  for 
supply  of  munition  or  any  other  want  that  you  may  not 
be  driven  to  return  for  every  small  defect. 

"You  must  observe  if  you  can  whether  the  river  on 
which  you  plant  doth  spring  out  of  mountains  or  out  of 
lakes,  if  it  be  out  of  any  lake,  the  passage  to  the  other  sea 
will  be  the  more  easy,  and  is  like  enough  that  out  of  th(3 
same  lake  you  shall  find  some  spring  which  run  the  con- 
trary way  toward  the  East  India  Sea,  for  the  great  and 
famous  rivers  of  Volga,  Tauis  and  Dwina  have  three  heads 
near  joynd,  and  yet  the  one  falleth  into  the  Caspian  Sea, 
the  other  into  the  Euxine  Sea,  and  the  third  into  the 
Polonian  Sea. 

"In  all  your  passages  you  must  have  great  care  not  to 
offend  the  naturals,  if  you  can  eschew  it,  and  imploy  some 
few  of  your  company  to  trade  with  them  for  corn  and  all 
other  lasting  victuals  if  you  have  any  and  this  you  must 
do  before  that  they  perceive  you  mean  to  plant  among 
them,  for  not  being  sure  how  your  own  seed  corn  will  pro- 
sper the  first  year,  to  avoid  the  danger  of  famine,  use  and 
endeavour  to  store  yourselves  of  the  country  corn. 

"Your  discoverers  that  passes  over  land  with  hired  guides, 
must  look  well  to  them  that  they  slip  not  from  them,  and 
for  more  assurance,  let  them  take  a  compass  with  them, 
and  write  down  how  far  they  go  upon  every  point  of  the 
compass,  for  that  country  having  no  way  nor  path,  if  that 
your  guides  run  from  you  in  the  great  woods  or  desert,  you 
shall  hardly  ever  find  a  passage  back. 


12  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

'^  And  how  weary  soever  your  soldiers  be,  let  them  never 
trust  the  country  people  with  the  carriage  of  their  weapons, 
for  if  they  run  from  you  with  your  shott  which  they  only 
fear,  they  will  easily  kill  them  all  with  their  arrows.  And 
whensoever  any  of  yours  shoots  before  them,  be  sure  that 
they  be  chosen  out  of  your  best  markesmen,  for  if  they  see 
your  learners  miss  what  they  aim  at,  they  will  think  the 
weapon  not  so  terrible  and  thereby  will  be  bould  to  assault 
you. 

"Above  all  things  do  not  advertize  the  killing  of  any  of 
your  men,  that  the  country  people  may  know  it ;  if  they 
perceive  that  they  are  but  common  men,  and  that  with 
the  loss  of  many  of  theirs,  they  may  deminish  any  part  of 
yours,  they  will  make  many  adventures  upon  you.  If  the 
country  be  populous,  you  shall  do  well  also  not  to  let  them 
see  or  know  of  your  sick  men,  if  you  have  any,  which  may 
also  encourage  them  to  many  enterprises.  You  must  take 
especial  care  that  you  choose  a  seat  for  habitation  that 
shall  not  be  over  burthened  with  woods  near  your  town 
for  all  the  men  you  have  shall  not  be  able  to  cleanse 
twenty  acres  a  year,  besides  that  it  may  serve  for  a  covert 
for  your  enemies  round  about. 

"  Neither  must  you  plant  in  a  low  or  moist  place  because 
it  will  prove  unhealthfull.  You  shall  judge  of  the  good 
air  by  the  people,  for  some  part  of  that  coast  where  the 
lands  are  low  have  their  people  blear  eyed,  and  with 
swollen  bellies  and  legs,  but  if  the  naturals  be  strong  and 
clean  made  it  is  a  true  sign  of  a  wholesome  soil. 

"You  must  take  order  to  draw  up  the  pinnace  that  is 
left  with  you  under  the  fort,  and  take  her  sails  and  anchors 
ashore,  all  but  a  small  kedge  to  ride  by,  least  some  ill  dis- 
posed persons  slip  away  with  her. 


NEWPORT  TO  PREPARE  A  RELATION.  13 

"You  must  take  care  that  your  marriners  that  go  for 
wages,  do  not  marr  your  trade,  for  those  that  mind  not  to 
inhabite,  for  a  little  gain  will  debase  the  estimation  of  ex- 
change, and  hinder  the  trade  for  ever  after,  and  therefore 
you  shall  not  admit  or  suffer  any  person  whatsoever,  other 
than  such  as  shall  be  appointed  by  the  President  and 
Counsel  there,  to  buy  any  merchandizes  or  other  things 
whatsoever. 

"It  were  necessary  that  all  your  carpenters  and  other 
such  like  workmen  about  building  do  first  build  your  store- 
house and  those  other  rooms  of  pubHck  and  necessary  use 
before  any  house  be  set  up  for  any  private  person,  and 
though  the  workman  may  belong  to  any  private  persons 
yet  let  them  all  work  together  first  for  the  company  and 
then  for  private  men. 

"And  seeing  order  is  at  the  same  price  with  confusion 
it  shall  be  adviseably  done  to  set  your  houses  even  and  by 
a  Hue,  that  your  streets  may  have  a  good  breadth,  and  be 
carried  square  about  your  market  place,  and  every  street's 
end  opening  into  it,  that  from  thence  with   a  few  field 
pieces  you  may  command  every  street  throughout,  which 
market  place  you  may  also  fortify  if  you  think  it  needfull. 
"  You  shall  do  well  to  send  a  perfect  relation  by  Capt. 
Newport  of  all  that  is  done,  what  height  you  are  seated, 
how  far  into  the  land,  what  comodities  you  find,  what  soil,' 
woods  and  their  several  kinds,  and  so  of  all  other  things 
else  to  advertise  p'ticularly;  and  to  suffer  no  man  to  return  ^ 
but  by  pasport  from  the  President  and  Counsel,  nor  to 
write  any  letter  of  any  thing  that  may  discourage  others. 
"  Lastly  and  chiefly  the  way  to  prosper  and  achieve  good 
success  is  to  make  yourselves  all  of  one  mind  for  the  good 
of  your  country  and  your  own,  and  to  serve  and  fear  God 


14 


VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


the  Giver  of  all  Goodness,  for  every  plantation  which  our 
Heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted  shall  be  rooted  out."  ^ 

Newport  was  well  known  as  an  experienced  mariner, 
having  returned  from  the  West  Indies  about  a  year  before 
the  above  instructions  were  prepared,  and  presented  to  his 
Majesty  two  living  young  crocodiles  and  a  wild  boar.^  As 
the  preparations  for  the  expedition  drew  to  a  close,  many 
prayers  ascended  for  its  welfare,  and  the  scholars,  divines, 
statesmen,  merchants  and  laboring  men  of  London  heartily 
adopted  the  sentiments  of  the  poet  Drayton  on 


The  Virginian  Voyage. 


You  brave  heroic  minds, 

Wortliy  yoiir  country's  name, 
That  honour  still  pursue. 
Whilst  loitering  hinds 

Lurk  here  at  home  with  shame, 

Go,  and  subdue. 


And  cheerfully  at  sea. 
Success  you  still  entice. 

To  get  the  pearl  and  gold. 

And  ours  to  hold 
Virginia, 
Earth's  only  paradise. 


Britons,  you  stay  too  long. 
Quickly  aboard  bestow  you, 
And  with  a  merry  gale, 
Swell  your  stretch'd  sail, 
With  vows  as  strong. 
As  the  winds  that  blow  you. 

Your  course  securely  steer. 

West  and  by  South,  forth  keep. 
Rocks,  lee  shores,  nor  shoals, 
When  Eolus  scowls. 

You  need  not  fear. 

So  absolute  the  deep. 


In  kenning  of  the  shore 
(Thanks  to  God,  first  given) 

O  you  the  happy'st  men^ 

Be  frolic  then. 
Let  cannons  roar. 
Fighting  the  wide  Heaven. 

And  in  regions  far, 

Such  heroes  bring  ye  forth. 

As  those  from  whom  we  came. 
And  plant  our  name. 

Under  that  star, 

Not  known  unto  our  North. 


1  Manuscript  Virginia  Records.     Small  folio.     Library  of  Congress. 

2  Hoioe's  Continuation  of  Stow's  Chronicle,  ed.  of  1631,  p.  871. 


EMBARKATION  OF  THE  COLONY.  15 

And  as  there  plenty  grows  Thy  voyages  attend, 

Of  laurel,  every  where.  Industrious  Hackluit, 

Apollo's  sacred  tree,  ;^         Whose  reading  shall  inflame 

You  it  may  see  \        Men  to  seek  fame, 

A  poet's  brows  And  much  commend 
To  crown,  that  may  sing  there.  To  after-times  thy  wit. 

The  first  colony  left  the  Thames  on  the  19  th  of  De- 
cember, but  owing  to  unfavorable  weather  did  not  sail  from 
the  Downs  until  the  first  of  January,  1606-7.  They  were 
placed  in  three  vessels,  the  Susan  Constant  of  one  hundred 
tons,  with  seventy-one  persons,  in  charge  of  Christopher 
Newport  the  commander  of  the  fleet,  the  God-Speed,  of 
forty  tons,  Capt.  Bartholomew  Gosnold,  carrying  fifty-two 
persons,  and  the  Discovery,  of  twenty  tons,  Capt.  John 
Eatcliflfe,  carrying  twenty  persons.  The  Mercure  Francois, 
published  at  Paris,  1619,  says  some  of  the  passengers 
were  women  and  children.  Dissensions  arose  during 
the  voyage,  and  on  the  12th  of  February  John  Smith 
was  suspected  of  mutiny.  By  the  West  India  route  they 
reached  the  Virginia  coast  on  the  26th  of  April,  and 
having  entered  Chesapeake  bay,  on  that  night  opened  the 
sealed  instructions.  After  some  explorations  in  the  small 
boats,  they  planted  a  cross  at  Cape  Henry  on  the  29th, 
and  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  King 
James,  and  on  the  next  day  the  ships  anchored  at  Point 
Comfort,  now  Fortress  Monroe.  The  councillors  designated 
by  the  London  authorities  were  Edward  Maria  Wingfield,^ 
Bartholomew  Gosnold,  John  Smith,  Christopher  Newport, 
John  Ratclifie,  John  Martin,  and  John  Kendall.     Wing- 

1  He  was  the  grandson  of  Sir  Robert  Wingfield,  of  Huntingdonshire. 
His  father  was  Thomas  Maria  Wingfield,  so  christened  by  Queen  Mary 
and  Cardinal  Pole.      Camden  Society  Pub.,  No.  43. 


16  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

field  was  chosen  the  first  president,  a  man  of  honorable 
birth,  and  a  strict  disciplinarian,  who  had  been  a  com- 
panion with  Ferdinando  Gorges  in  the  wars  on  the  conti- 
nent of  Europe,  and  one  who  never  turned  his  face  from 
danger. 

Slowly  the  vessels  ascended  the  James  river,  and  on  the 
13tli  of  May,  1607,  stopped  at  a  peninsula  where  there 
was  good  anchorage  and  landing,  and  which  could  be 
readily  fortified,  and  in  honor  of  the  king  called  it  James- 
town, and  all  of  the  council  were  sworn  except  the  sus- 
pected Smith.^  A  fort  was  commenced  in  the  form  of  a 
triangle,  with  a  half-moon  at  every  corner^  and  intended 
for  four  or  five  pieces  of  artillery.  In  accordance  with  the 
orders  prepared  in  England,  Captain  Newport,  in  a  shallop, 
with  five  gentlemen,  four  mariners,  and  fourteen  sailors, 
ascended  the  river  on  a  tour  of  exploration.  At  one  of 
.^  the  Indian  villages  below  the  falls  of  the  James  was  found 
a  lad  of  about  ten  years  of  age,  with  yellow  hair  and 
whitish  skin,  who  was  no  doubt  the  offspring  of  the  colo- 
nists left  at  Roanoke  by  White,  of  whom  four  men,  two 
boys,  and  one  young  maid  had  been  preserved  from 
slaughter  by  an  Indian  chiefs 


1  For  the  facts  relative  to  tlie  early  days  of  the  colony,  I  am  indebted 
to  Wingfield's  Discourse  of  Virginia,  edited  by  Deane,  and  Capt.  New- 
port's Relation,  first  printed  from  manuscripts  in  vol.  IV,  Am.  Ant. 
Soc.  Coll. 

2  Strachey  says:  "His  majesty  hath  been  acquainted  that  the  men, 
women  and  children  of  the  first  plantation  at  Roanoke  were,  by  command- 
ment of  Powhatan,  he  persuaded  thereto  by  his  priests,  miserably  slaugh- 
tered, without  any  offence  given  by  the  first  planted,  who  twenty  and  odd 
years  had  peaceably  lived  intermixt  with  those  savages,  and  were  out  of 
his  territory."     Hakluyt  Publications,  vol.  VI,  p.  85. 


SAVAGES  ATTACK  JAMESTOWN.  17 

On  one  of  the  islets  at  the  foot  of  the  falls,  on  the  24th, 
Newport  planted  a  cross  with  the  inscription  "Jacobus, 
Rex,  1607,"  and  his  own  name  beneath.  On  the  26th, 
the  day  before  the  return  of  the  explorers  to  Jamestown, 
about  two  hundred  savages  attacked  the  unfinished  fort 
but  were  repulsed.  Wingfield  showed  himself  an  experi- 
enced soldier  in  directing  the  ordnance  of  the  ships  against 
the  savages,  and  was  foremost  in  danger,  an  arrow  passing 
through  his  beard.  The  colonists  had  one  boy  killed,  and 
eleven  men  wounded,  one  of  whom  died.  The  next  Sun- 
day, which  was  the  last  day  of  May,  Eustace  Clovell, 
strolling  without  the  fort,  was  pierced  with  six  arrows,  and 
after  eight  days  died. 

Captain  John  Smith  on  the  tenth  of  June  was  permit- 
ted to  take  the  oath  of  councillor  and  his  seat  at  the  board. 
With  the  assistance  of  the  sailors,  on  the  15th  the  fort  was 
finished. 

The  twenty-first  of  June  also  came  on  Sunday,  and  the 
communion  was  administered  by  the  devoted  chaplain, 
Rev.  Robert  Hunt,  and  that  evening  Newport  gave  a  fare- 
well supper  on  board  of  his  ship.  The  next  day  the 
Susan  Constant  sailed  with  specimens  of  the  forest,  and 
mineral  productions,  and  reached  England  in  less  than  five 
weeks  by  the  new  and  more  direct  route,  and  reported  that 
they  had  found  neither  silver  nor  gold.^ 


1  Sainsburi/,  p.  7.  The  Mercure  Francois^  vol.  I,  p.  271,  thus  speaks 
of  the  first  expedition  : 

"  Au  printemps  de  ceste  annee  la  colonic  (qui  deuoit  habiter  la  terre 
Australe  de  la  Virginie)  laquelle  estoit  de  cent  hommes  auec  leur  femmes 
et  enfans  sous  la  conduite  de  Vincfeld  s'embarqua  dans  un  nauire  que 
conduisoit  Newport  lequel  sans  aucun  mauuais  rencontre  fit  sa  deseente 
a  I'emboucheure  d'un  fleuue  de  la  Virginie  et  y  fit  mettre  pied  a  terre. 
3 


18  VIRQINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Dudley  Carleton,  in  a  letter  to  John  Chamberlain  dated 
18th  of  August,  1607,  writes  "that  Captain  Newport  has 
arrived  without  gold  or  silver,  and  that  the  adventurers, 
cumbered  by  the  presence  of  the  natives,  had  fortified 
themselves  at  a  place  called  Jamestown,  no  graceful  name, 
and  doubts  not  the  Spaniards  will  call  it  Villiaco.  Cap- 
tain Warman,  a  special  favorite  of  Sir  Walter  Copes,  had 
been  taken  in  the  act  of  shipping  for  Spain  with  intent  to 
defeat  the  Virginia  attempt.  A  Dutchman  writing  in 
Latin  calls  the  town  Jacobolis,  but  George  Percy  names  it 
James  Fort,  which  we  like  best  of  all  because  it  comes 
near  Chelmsford." 

The  low  situation  of  the  town,  with  the  swamps  of  the 
Chickahominy  in  the  rear,  was  very  unfavorable  to  health, 
and  nearly  every  day  during  the  month  of  August  graves 
were  dug.  Volleys  of  musketry  and  the  booming  of  the 
cannon  on  the  22d,  indicated  the  honorable  burial  of  "that 
worthy  and  religious  gentleman,  Capt.  Bartholomew  Gos- 
nold,"  an  experienced  navigator,  and  one  of  the  projectors 
of  the  colony. 

--  After  his  death  discord  increased,  and  John  Kendall 
was  deposed  as  councillor,  and  imprisoned,  for  creating  ill 
feeling  between  Wingfield  and  his  associates. 

In  the  month  of  September  the  council,  chafing  under 
the  prudence  and  military  exactness  of  the  president, 
demanded  a  larger  daily  supply  for  themselves,  but  he 


Vincfeld  et  les  nouueau?:  habitans  (que  tascherent  a  I'appriuoisier  auec 
quelques  pauures  Indiens)  y  commencement  a  faire  un  fort  et  courir  a  la 
recherclie  des  minieres,  ils  trouuent  du  christal  et  quelques  mineraux 
qu'ils  donnerent  a  Newport  pour  apporter  en  Angleterre  ce  qu'il  fit  et 
ne  fut  que  cinq  semaines  a  son  retour :  mais  ces  mineraux  se  trouuerent 
estre  peu  de  cliose." 


PLOT  TO  DEPOSE  WINGFIELD.  19 

refused,  on  the  ground  that  on  the  present  allowance 
their  supplies  would  last  but  thirteen  and  a  half  weeks,  ,^ 
and  it  was.  then  ordered  that  every  meal  of  fish  or  game 
obtained  should  cause  the  regular  porridge  to  be  withheld. 
After  Gosnold's  death  two  gallons  of  sack  and  aqua  vitse 
remained,  which  the  president  bunged  up,  as  a  reserve  for 
the  communion  table  and  great  extremities,  but  the  council 
"longed  for  to  sup  up  that  little  remnant!  for  they  had  now 
emptied  all  their  own  bottles."^  At  length  a  plot  was 
formed  by  RatclifFe,  Smith,  and  Martin,  to  depose  Wing- 
field  and  form  a  triumvirate.  On  the  eleventh  of  Sep- 
tember they  brought  him  before  them,  Ratcliffe  acting  as 
president,  and  preferred  the  following  frivolous  charges : 
Ratcliffe  charged  that  he  had  refused  him  a  'penny  wliitle, 
a  chicken,  a  spoonful  of  beer,  and  given  him  bad  corn; 
Smith  alleged  that  he  told  him  he  lied;  Martin  complained 
that  he  had  been  called  indolent.  After  this  he  was 
placed  on  board  of  the  pinnace  in  the  river,  and  kept  as  a 
prisoner. 

On  December  10th,  1607,  Captain  Smith  ascended  the 
Chickahominy  to  trade  for  corn,  and  during  his  absence, 
contrary  to  the  instructions  of  the  company  and  agreement 
of  the  triumvirate,  Gabriel  Archer  was  made  a  councillor. 

While  Smith  was  among  the  Indians  two  of  his  men, 
Emery  and  Robinson,  were  killed,  but  he  was  treated  with 
great  kindness  by  Powhatan,  and  after  a  few  weeks  he 
returned  to  Jamestown,  where  he  was  arrested  by  Archer  N 
for  allowing  the  death  of  his  two  men,  but  in  the  evening 
of  January  8,  1607-8,  the  day  he  was  indicted,  Captam 
Newport  returned  from  England,  who  immediately  released 


1  Am.  Ant.  Soc.  Coll.,  IV,  p.  82. 


20  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

from  custody  both  Smith  and  Wingfield.  After  the  immi- 
grants recovered  from  the  fatigue  of  the  voyage,  under 
Newport's  direction  they  erected  within  the  triangular 
compass  of  the  fort  a  store-house  and  rude  church  of  logs 
covered  with  rafters,  sedge,  and  earth,  while  he  proceeded 
with  Smith  and  Scrivener,  a  councillor  selected  from  the 
new  comers,  to  explore  the  river  Pamunkey,  and  exchange 
some  beads  and  "cloth  very  much  moth  eaten,"  which  had 
been  sold  by  the  East  India  Company  to  the  governor  of 
the  London  Company  for  the  Virginia  trade.  The  traffic 
with  Powhatan  was  profitable,  and  he  and  his  whole  party 
"were  lovingly  entertained,"  and  safely  returned  to  James- 
town on  the  9th  of  March,  with  the  pinnace  laden  with 
corn,  wheat,  beans  and  peas,  to  the  great  comfort  of  the 
settlers. 

The  ship  being  loaded  with  iron  ore,  sassafras,  cedar 
posts  and  walnut  boards,  Newport,  with  Archer  and  Wing- 
field  as  passengers,  sailed  on  the  10th  of  April  from  James- 
town, and  on  the  20th  of  May,  1(308,  arrived  in  England. 
Wingfield,  in  answer  to  the  objections  urged  against  him, 
prepared  a  statement  for  the  London  Company  in  which 
he  used  the  following  language : 

"To  the  President's  and  Councel's  obiections  I  saie  that 
I  do  know  curtesy  and  civiUty  became  a  Governor.  No 
penny  whitle  was  asked  me,  but  a  knifie  whereof  I  had 
none  to  spare.  The  Indyans  had  long  before  stoallen  my 
knife.  Of  chickins  I  never  did  eat  but  one,  and  that  in 
my  sickness.  Mr.  Ratcliff  had  before  that  time  tasted  of 
four  or  five.  I  had  by  my  own  huswiferie  bred  aboue 
thirty  seven,  and  the  most  part  of  them  of  my  own  poul- 
trye,  [of]  all  which  at  my  coming  awaie  I  did  not  see  three 


WmOFIELD'8  NARRATIVE.  21 

liueing.     I  never  denied  him  or  any  other  beare  when  I  had 
'**..  J    a    ''''^  ^""^  ""^  *^^  '^"^^  ^^^^^  ^ee  all  lived  vpon 

y^]^  r  *^'  *-^"^"  ^^  «"^  ^^^"^S^^'  I^ad  spread  a 
rumor  m  the  Collony,  that  I  did  feast  myself  and  my  seru- 
ants  out  of  the  common  stoare,  with  intent  as  I  gathered  to 
haue  stuTed  the  discontented  company  against  me.     I  tould 
him  privately  in  Mr.  Gosnold's  tent  that  indeede  I  had 
caused  half  a  pint  of  pease  to  be  sodden  with  a  peese  of 
pork,  of  my  own  prouision  for  a  poore  old  man  which  in  a 
sickness  whereof  he  died,  he  much  desired,  and  said  that 
It  out  of  his  malice  he  had  given  it  out  otherwise,  that  hee 
did  tell  a  leye.     It  was  proued  to  his  face,  that  he  begged  in 
Ireland,  hke  a  rogue,  without  a  lycence.     To  such  I  would 
not  my  name  should  be  a  companyon.     *     *     *     *     Mr 
Archer's  quarrell  to  me  was  because  hee  had  not  the  choice  ' 
of  the  place  for  our  plantation,  because  I  misHked  his  ley- 
mg  out  of  our  towne  in  the  pinnasse,  because  I  would  not 
swear  him  of  the  Councell  for  Virginia  which  neyther  would 
1  do  or  he  deserve. 

^    "Mr.  Smyth's  quarrel,  because  his  name  was  menconed 
in  the  entended  and  confessed  mutiny  by  Galthropp. 

"Thomas  Wootton,  the  surieon,  because  I  would  not 
subscribe  to  a  warrant  to  the  Treasurer  of  Virginia  to 
dehuer  him  money  to  furnish  him  with  druggs  and  other 
necessaries;  and  because  I  disallowed  his  living  in  the  pin- 
nasse, haumg  many  of  our  men  lyeing  sick  and  wounded  in 
our  town,  to  whose  dressings  by  that  means  he  slacked  his 
attendance. 

^  "Of  the  same  men  also  Captn  Gosnold  gaue  me  warn- 
mg,  mishkmg  much  their  dispositions,  and  assured  me  thev 
would  lay  hold  of  me  if  they  could.     *     ^^     *     J  cannot 


22  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

rack  one  word  or  thought  from  myself  touching  my  car- 
riage in  Virginia,  other  than  is  herein  set  down."  ^ 

On  the  approach  of  spring  the  ship  that  had  been  sepa- 
rated from  Captam  Newport,  and  was  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Nelson,  supposed  to  have  been  lost,  made  her  appear- 
ance with  seventy  immigrants,  and  with  a  good  supply  of 
provisions.  The  whole  number  added  to  the  colony  by  the  . 
arrival  of  the  ships  of  Newport  and  Nelson,  was  one  hun-  / 
dred  and  twenty.  Nelson  and  Newport  during  the  sum- 
mer returned  to  England.  One  writing  from  London  to  a 
friend,  on  July  7,  1608,  says :  "  Here  is  a  ship  newly 
come  from  Virginia  that  hath  been  long  missing.  She 
went  out  the  last  year,  in  concert  with  Captain  Newport, 
and  after  much  wandering  found  the  port  three  or  four 
days  after  his  departure  for  England.  I  hear  not  of  any 
novelties  or  other  commodities  she  hath  brought,  more 
than  sweet  wood." 

In  the  autumn  of  1608  Captain  Newport  arrived  the 
third  time  at  Jamestown  from  England,  and  brought 
seventy  passengers;  among  others  Francis  West,  brother 
of  Lord  Delaware,  Raleigh  Crashaw,  Daniel  Tucker,  Mrs. 
Forest,  and  her  maid  Ann  Burras.  The  iron  ore  which 
he  carried  back  on  the  return  voyage  was  smelted,  and 
seventeen  tons  of  metal  were  sold  at  £4  per  ton  to  the 
East  India  Company.^ 


1  Deane's  Wingjield.     Am.  Ant.  Soc.  Coll.,  vol.  IV. 

2  Cal  of  State  Papers,  East  Indies,  1513-1616,  p.  181. 


CHAPTEK  II. 


TRANSACTIONS  DUUlNG  THE  PERIOD  OF  SECOND  CHARTER. 

HE  prospects  of  the  colony  were  discouraging  cat  the 
commencement  of  the  year  1609,  and  in  the  hope 
of  improving  the  condition  of  affairs,  the  directors 
in  London  applied  for  a  more  specific  charter,  with 
enlarged  privileges.     On  the  23d  of  May  letters  patent  were 
issued  to  them,  authorizing  the  use  of  the  corporate  name  of 
The  Treasurer  and  Company  of  Adventurers  and  Planters  of 
the  City  of  London  for  the  First  Colony  in  Virginia,  and  o-rant- 
ing  that  part  of  America  on  the  sea  coast,  two  hundred 
miles  north,  as  well  as  two  hundred  miles  south  of  Point 
Comfort,  with   all  the  islands  lying  within  one  hundred 
miles.     A  council  and  treasurer  for  the  company  were  de- 
signated in  the  instrument,  with  the  provision  that  vacan- 
cies should  be  supplied  by  the  voice  of  the  greater  part  of 
the  company  at  a  meeting  called  for  that  purpose.     They 
were  also  allowed  to  make  and  revoke  such  regulations  as 
would  promote  the  interests  of  the  colony  in  Virginia. 

The  fifteenth  section  was  prepared  in  view  of  the  dis- 
sensions of  the  colonists,  and  assumptions  of  the  authori- 
ties, of  which  the  company  had  been  informed,  and  pro- 
vided for  a  thorough  reorganization  in  Virginia  afiairs. 
Its  language  is  as  follows  : 

"  And  we  do  also  declare,  that  for  divers  reasons  and 
considerations  as  thereunto  especially  moving,  our  will  and 


24  VIROmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

pleasure  is,  and  we  do  hereby  ordain  that  immediately 
from  and  after  such  time,  as  any  such  Governor  or  princi- 
pal officer  so  to  be  nominated  and  appointed  by  our  said 
Council  for  the  government  of  the  said  Colony  shall  arrive 
in  Virginia,  and  give  notice  unto  the  Colony  there  resident 
of  our  pleasure  in  this  behalf,  the  government  power  and 
authority  of  the  President  and  Council,  heretofore  by  our 
former  letters  patents  there  established,  and  all  laws  and 
constitutions  by  them  formerly  made,  shall  utterly  cease 
and  be  determined,  and  all  officers,  Governors  and  minis- 
ters formerly  constituted  or  appointed  shall  be  discharged 
any  thing  in  our  former  letters  patents  concerning  the  said 
plantation  contained,  in  any  wise  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing." 

This  charter,  as  published  in  the  Appendix  of  Stith's 
History  of  Virginia,  contains  the  names  of  hundreds  of 
members  of  the  company,  and  there  is  nothing  to  indicate 
that  all  had  not  belonged  from  the  year  1609. 

The  manuscript  copy  of  the  second  charter,  from  which 
Stith  printed,  was  sent  to  Virginia,  probably,  by  Governor 
Yeardley,  and  the  names  of  all  adventurers  up  to  that 
period  were  inserted.  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  early  in  1621, 
presented  to  the  company  the  outline  of  a  new  charter, 
and  in  explaining  the  proposed  modifications  said : 

"  To  avoide  the  infinity  of  names  by  reason  of  the  mul- 
titude of  Adventurers  (encreasing  still  more  and  more,  as 
for  that  many  were  already  named  in  a  former  Patent,)  he 
therefore  thought  good  in  this  only  to  name  the  Lords  of  the 
higher  liowse  of  Parliament,  and  add  those  words  compre- 


NUMEROUS  PUBLICATIONS.  25 

hendingin  effect  all  the  rest:  viz:  togeather  with  all  other 
Acluenturers  and  Planters  in  Virginia."^ 

The  Lord  Mayor  of  London  sent  a  precept  to  the  great 
hverj  companies  of  the  city,  urging  the  desirableness  not 
only  of  aidnig  the  company,  but  also  the  necessity  of  free- 
nig  themselves  of  a  swarm  of  unhappy  persons  who  in- 
fested their  streets,  the  cause  of  plague  and  famine,  and  of 
enticmg  them  to  go  to  Virginia.^     The  Merchant  Tailors' 
Company,  in  answer  to  the  application,  contributed  lOOZ 
out  of  the  joint  stock  of  the  house,  lOOZ  by  joint  subscrip- 
tion,  and  nidividual  members  adventured  58 7Z,  ISs  4cZ  in 
the  enterprise.     The  influence  of  the  pulpit  was  also  en- 
hsted  m  behalf  of  the  projected  expedition,  and  on  April 
25,  1609,  WilHam  Symonds,  preacher  at  Saint  Saviour's  in 
Southwark,  delivered  a  discourse  at  White  Chapel  in  the 
presence  of  many  of  the  adventurers  and   planters   for 
Virgmia,  which  was  published  for  the  benefit  and  use  of 
the  colony  planted  and  to  be  planted '  there,  and  for  the 
advancement  of  their  Christian  purpose. 

A  number  of  publications  during  the  year  appeared  in 
behalf  of  the  colony,  among  others,  Ncyva  Britannia,  and 
A  Good  Speed  to  Virginia.     Tobias  Matthew,  Archbishop 

1  Manuscript  Trans.  Va.  Co.,  Feb.  22,  1620-1. 

2  In  Herhert's  Liver,/  Companies,  vol.  I,  p.  154,  it  is  said  • 

"  An  entry  in  the  Merchant  Tailors  books,  1609,  states  a  precept  to 
have  been  received  from  the  Lord  Mayor  touching  this  company  making 
an  adventure  to  Virginia.  It  stated  the  necessity  of  getting  rid  of  a 
swarm  of  unhappy  inmates,  who  inhabit  the  city  of  London,  a  continual 
cause  of  death  and  famine,  and  the  very  continual  cause  of  all  the 
plagues  that  happen  in  the  kingdom  and  that  they  should  make  exertion 
to  entice  them  to  go  to  it." 


-/ 


26  VIRQINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

of  York,  wrote  in  the  month  of  June  to  the  Earl  of 
Somerset:  "Of  Virginia  there  are  so  many  tractates 
divine,  human,  historical,  political,  or  call  them  as  you 
please  as  no  further  intelligence  I  dare  desire,"  ^ 

Hakluyt,  to  attract  attention,  published  a  translation 
from  the  Portuguese  entitled  Virginia  riclily  valued,  hy  the 
descriptio7i  of  the  maine  land  of  Florida  her  next  neighbour, 
etc.,  and  prefixed  a  letter,  "  To  the  Right  Honourable,  the 
Right  Worshipfull  Counsellors,  and  others  the  cheerefull 
adventurors  of  the  aduancement  of  that  Christian  and 
noble  Plantation  in  Virginia,"  a  portion  of  which  is  given : 

"  This  worke  right  Honourable,  right  Worshipfull  and 
the  rest  though  small  in  shew,  yet  great  in  substance,  doth 
yield  much  light  to  our  enterprise  now  on  foot :  whether 
you  desire  to  know  the  present  and  future  commodities  of 
our  countrie;  or  the  qualities  and  conditions  of  the  In- 
habitants or  what  course  is  best  to  be  taken  with  them." 

After  reviewing  the  testimony  of  the  Spaniards  as  to 
the  presence  of  gold  and  other  mines  in  Florida,  he  con- 
cludes with  some  statements  relative  to  buffaloes  and 
Indians : 

"But  what  neede  I  to  stand  upon  forran  testimonies, 
since  Master  Thomas  Heriot,  a  man  of  much  iudgement 
in  these  causes,  signified  unto  you  all  at  your  late  solemne 
meeting  at  the  house  of  the  right  honourable  Earle  of 
Exeter,  how  to  the  southwest  of  our  old  fort  in  Virginia 
the  Indians  often  informed  him,  that  there  was  a  great 


1  Lodge's  111  Brit.  Hist.,  vol.  III. 


THE  BUFFALO  DESCRIBED.  27 

melting  of  red  mettall,  reporting  the  manner  in  working 
of  the  same.  Besides,  our  owne  Indians  have  lately 
reuealed  either  this  or  another  rich  mine  of  copper  or  gold 
in  a  towne  called  Ritanoe,  neere  certaine  mountaines  lying 
West  of  Roanoac. 

"  But  that,  which  I  make  no  small  account  of,  is,  the 
multitude  of  Oxen,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the  16. 
to  the  end  of  the  26.  Chapter,  are  nine  seuerall  times  made 
mention  of,  and  that  along  from  Chiaha,  Coste,  Pacaha, 
Coligoa,  and  Tulla,  still  toward  the  North,  to  wit,  toward 
vs,  there  was  such  store  of  them,  that  they  could  keepe  no 
come  for  them:  and  that  the  Indians  lined  upon  their 
flesh.  The  haire  of  these  Oxen  is  likewise  said  to  be  like 
a  soft  wooll,  betweene  the  course  and  fine  wooll  of  sheepe : 
and  not  so  onely,  but  they  make  bootes,  shooes,  targets,  and 
other  things  necessarie  of  the  same.  Besides  the  former 
benefits,  their  young  ones  may  be  framed  to  the  yoke,  for 
carting  and  tillage  of  our  ground.  And  I  am  in  good  hope, 
that  ere  it  be  long  we  shall  have  notice  of  their  being 
neerer  vs,  by  that  which  I  reade  in  the  Italian  relation  of 
Cabega  de  Vaca,  the  first  finder  of  them ;  which  writeth, 
That  they  spread  themselues  within  the  countrie  aboue 
foure  hundred  leagues.  Moreouer,  Vasques  de  Caronado, 
and  long  after  him,  Antonio  de  Espejo  (whose  voiages  are 
at  large  in  my  third  volume)  trauelled  many  leagues 
among  these  heards  of  Oxen,  and  found  them  from  33. 
degrees  ranging  very  farre  to  the  North  and  Northeast. 

"  To  come  to  the  second  generall  head,  which  in  the 
beginning  I  proposed,  concerning  the  manners  and  disposi- 
tions of  the  Inhabitants:  Among  other  things,  I  finde 
them  here  noted  to  be  very  eloquent  and  well  spoken,  as 
the  short  Orations,  interpreted  by  John  Ortiz,  which  lined 


28  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

twelue  yeeres  among  them,  make  sufficient  proofe.     And 
the  author,  which  was  a  gentleman  of  Eluas  in  Portugal!, 
emploied  in  all  the  action,  whose  name  is  not  set  downe, 
speaking  of  the  Cacique  of  TuUa,  saith,  that  as  well  this 
Cacique,  as  the  others,  and  all  those  which  came  to  the 
Gouernour  on  their  behalfe,  deliuered  their  message  or 
speech  in  so  good  order,  that  no  Oratour  could  utter  the 
same  more  eloquently.     But  for  all  their  faire  and  cunning 
speeches,  they  are  not  ouermuch  to  be  trusted :  for  they  be 
the  greatest  traitors  of  the  world,  as  their  manifold  most 
craftie  contriued  and  bloody  treasons,  here  set  doune  at 
large,  doe  euidently  proue.     They  be  also  as  unconstant  as 
the  wethercock,  and  most  readie  to  take  all  occasions  of 
aduantages  to  doe  mischiefe.     They  are  great  liars  and 
dissemblers ;  for  which  faults  often  times  they  had  their 
deserued  paiments.     And  many  times  they  gaue  good  tes- 
timonies of  their  great  valour  and  resolution.     To  handle 
them  gently,  while  gentle  courses  may  be  found  to  serue, 
it  will   be   without   comparison  the  best:    but  if  gentle 
polishing  will  not  serue,  the  one  shall  not  want  hammer- 
ours  and  rough  masons  enow,  I  meane  our  old  soldiers 
trained  up  in  the  Netherlands,  to  square  and  prepare  them 
to  our  Preachers  hands.^     To  conclude,  I  trust  by  your 
Honours  Worships  wise  instructions  to  the  noble  Gouern- 
our, the  worthy  Lieutenant  and  Admirall,  and  other  chiefe 
managers  of  the  businesse,  all  things  shall  be  so  prudently 
carried,  that  the  painfull  Preachers  shall  be  reuerenced  and 
cherished,  the  valiant  and  forward  soldiour  respected,  the 
diligent  rewarded,  the  coward  emboldened,  the  weake  and 


1  A  similar  sentiment  is  found  in  the  alleged  letter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Stock- 
ham  in  Smith's  History. 


GATES  AND  SOMEBS  EXPEDITION.  29 

sick  relieued,  the  mutinous  suppressed,  the  reputation  of 
the  Christians  among  the  Salauges  preserued,  our  most 
holy  faith  exalted,  all  Paganisme  and  idolatrie  by  little 
and  little  utterly  extinguished.  And  here  reposing  and 
resting  myselfe  upon  this  sweete  hope,  I  cease,  beseeching 
the  Almightie  to  blesse  this  good  work  in  your  hands  to 
the  honour  and  glorie  of  his  most  holy  name,  to  the  in- 
largement  of  the  dominions  of  his  sacred  Maiestie,  and  to 
the  generall  good  of  all  the  worthie  Aduenturers  and 
undertakers.  From  my  lodging  in  the  Colledge  of  West- 
minster this  15.  of  Aprill,  1609. 

"By  one  publikely  and  anciently  devoted  to  Gods  seruice, 
"  and  all  yours  in  this  so  good  action, 

"  KiCHARD  HAKLUYT." 

Departure  op  Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  Sir  George  Somers. 

The  first  voyage  under  the  second  charter  of  the  com- 
pany, was  on  a  grander  scale  than  the  previous  expedi- 
tions, and  the  ships  contained,  in  accordance  with  Hak- 
luyt's  suggestion,  old  soldiers  trained  up  in  the  Nether- 
lands. With  a  fair  wind,  on  the  first  day  of  June,  1609, 
a  fleet  of  nine  vessels  sailed  from  Plymouth,  Sir  Thomas 
Gates  ^  being  Lieutenant  General,  and  Sir  George  Somers 


1  Gates  had  been  in  the  service  of  the  United  Netherlands.  On  April 
24,  1608,  the  States-general  passed  the  following  resolution : 

"On  the  petition  of  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  Captain  of  a  company  of 
English  soldiers,  commissioned  by  the  King  of  Great  Britain  to  com- 
mand with  three  other  gentlemen  in  the  country  of  Virginia,  in  coloniz- 
ing- the  said  country,  the  Petitioner  is  therefore  allowed  to  be  absent  from 
his  company  for  the  space  of  one  year,  on  ojondition  that  he  supply  his 
company  with  good  officers  and  soldiers  for  the  public  service." 


30  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Admiral  of  Virginia,  to  reside  in  and  govern  the  colony. 
The  ship  Sea  Adventure  carried  Gales,  Somers,  and  Cap- 
tain Newport ;  the  Diamond  carried  Captain  Ratcliffe  and 
King;  the  Falcon,  Captain  Martin  and  Master  Nelson; 
N  the  Blessing,  Captain  Archer  and  Master  Adams,  with  six 
mares  and  two  horses;  the  Unity,  Captain  Martin  and 
Master  Pett ;  the  Lion,  Captain  Webb ;  the  Swallow,  Cap- 
tain Moone  and  Master  Somers ;  a  catch.  Master  Matthew 
Fitch;  and  a  boat  built  in  the  North  Colony,^  Captain 
Davies  and  Master  Davies.  About  five  hundred  colonists 
were  in  the  different  vessels,  and  the  voyage  was  pleasant 
until  the  23d  of  July,  when  a  hurricane  upset  the  catch 
and  drove  the  Sea  Venture  until  the  28th,  when  she  was 
stranded  at  the  Bermudas. 

Captain  Samuel  Argall,  a  relative  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith, 
the  treasurer  of  the  company,  in  the  month  of  July  arrived 
at  Jamestown  with  a  ship-load  of  wine  and  provisions  to 
trade  on  private  account,  contrary  to  the  regulations  of  the 
company.^  As  none  of  the  vessels  under  Gates  and 
Somers,  which  left  England  before  he  sailed,  had  reached 
their  destination,  and  the  settlers  were  suffering  for  pro- 


r 
Subsequently  the  States  paid  him  for  the  time  he  was  absent  in  Virginia. 

The  wife  and  daughters  of  Gates  accompanied  him  to  America,  and 

the  former  died.     His  children  were  Mary,  Elizabeth,  Anthony  and  Capt. 

Thomas,  killed  by  a  cannon  ball  at  Rochelle. 

1  This  vessel  was  built  at  Sagadahoc  by  the  Popham  colonists,  in  1607. 
Disheartened  by  the  death  of  Popham,  they  all  embarked  in  a  ship  from 
Exeter,  "  and  in  the  new  pynnace  the  Virginia,  and  sett  saile  for  England. 
And  this  was  the  end  of  that  northern  colony  uppon  the  river  Sacha- 
dehoc."     Ilak.  Pub.,  vol.  VI,  p.  180. 

2  Stith. 


WEST  ELECTED   TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT.  31 

visions,  they  seized  his  supplies.  Many  of  the  colonists  at 
this  time  had  gone  to  live  with  the  Indians,  and  eighty 
had  formed  a  new  settlement  twenty  miles  from  the  fort. 
Early  in  August  the  Blessing,  Captain  Archer,  and  three 
other  vessels  of  the  fleet,  sailed  up  the  river,  and  soon  the 
Diamond,  Capt.  Ratcliffe,  appeared  without  her  mainmast, 
to  be  followed  in  two  or  three  days  by  the  Swallow  in  like 
condition.  The  Sea  Venture,  with  Gates,  Somers,  New- 
port, and  some  of  the  principal  men,  was  still  missing,  and 
as  all  the  council  -were  dead,  and  Smith,  obtaining  the 
sympathy  of  the  sailors,  refused  to  surrender  the  control 
of  the  colony,  the  new  colonists  elected  Mr.  West,  brother 
of  Lord  Delawarr,  as  temporary  president.  Archer,  in  a 
letter  from  Jamestown  written  in  August,  says : 

"Inasmuch  as  the  President  [Smith]  to  strengthen  his 
authority  accorded  with  the  marriners  and  gaue  not  any 
due  respect  to  many  worthy  gentlemen  that  were  in  our 
ships,  whereupon  they  generally  with  my  consent  chose 
Master  West,  my  Lord  De-la  war's  brother  their  Governor 
or  President  de  bene  esse  in  the  absence  of  Sir  Thomas 
Gates,  or  if  he  miscarried  by  sea  then  to  continue  till  we 
heard  newes  from  our  Counsell  in  England.  This  choice 
of  him  they  made  not  to  disturbe  the  old  President  during 
his  term,  but  as  his  authority  expired,  then  to  take  upon 
him  the  sole  government  with  such  assistants  of  the  Cap- 
tains as  discreet  persons  as  the  colonic  afforded. 

"Perhaps  you  shall  have  it  blazoned  as  a  mutinie  by 
such  as  retaine  old  maUce,  but  Master  West,  Master  Piercie 
and  all  the  respected  gentlemen  of  worth  in  Virginia  can 
and  will  testifie  otherwise  upon  their  oaths.  For  the 
King's  patent  we  ratified,  but  refused  to  be  governed  by 


32  vmomiA  company  of  london. 

the  President  that  is  after  his  time  was  expired,  and  only 
subjected  ourselves  to  Master  West  whom  we  labour  to 
have  next  President."^ 

Soon  after  this  temporary  election  George  Percy,  brother 
to  the  Earl  of  Northumberland,  one  of  the  original  set- 
tlers, a  brave  and  honorable  man,  became  president,  while 
West,  Ratcliffe,  and  Martin,  were  made  councillors.  Cap- 
tain John  Smith  was  about  this  time  sent  to  England  to 
answer  for  sundry  misdemeanors,  which,  in  his  account,  is 
softened  down  to  a  visit  to  his  native  land  to  obtain  surgi- 
cal aid.'^ 

This  year  the  flying  squirrels  brought  from  Virginia 
were  considered  great  novelties,  and  much  sought  after  by 
noblemen  for  their  parks,  as  well  as  naturalists  for  their 
cabinets.  The  Earl  of  Southampton,  in  a  letter  to  Salis- 
bury, alludes  to  a  conversation  he  had  with  King  James 
about  these  little  animals,  who,  said  he,  was  sure  Salisbury 
would  procure  him  one,  and  adds,  that  he  need  not  apolo- 
gize for  alluding  to  this  subject,  for  "you  know  so  well  how 
he  is  affected  to  these  toys."  ^ 


1  Furchas,  IV,  1734. 

2  On  October  4,  1609  "  John  RedelyfFe  comenly  called,"  wrote  to  the 
Earl  of  Salisbury  in  substance  as  follows : 

"  That  Gates,  Somers,  Newport,  and  about  150  other  persons,  had  not 
arrived.  The  other  ships  have  all  come  in,  but  with  great  loss  of  men 
by  the  calenture.  Capt.  Argoll  was  found  in  an  English  ship  riding  at 
Jamestown.  They  found  all  the  counsel  dead,  but  Capt.  Smith  President 
who  reigned  sole  Governor,  and  is  now  sent  home  to  answer  some  misde- 
meanours. George  Percy  brother  to  my  Lord  Northumberland  is  elected 
President,  and  Mr.  West  brother  to  Lord  De-la-ware  of  the  Counsel  with 
Capt.  Martin.  One  hundred  men  planted  at  the  Falls,  others  at  work  on 
fort  at  Pt  Comfort."     Sainshury,  Gal.  State  Papers,  Colonial,  p.  8. 

3  Sainsburi/,  p.  8. 


DESERTERS  FROM  THE  COLONY.  33 

The  passengers  that  arrived  in  the  advance  ships  of  the 
expedition  were  an  ungodly  crew,  and  some  of  the  "^  unhal- 
lowed creatures"^  soon  forsook  the  country.  Twenty-eight 
or  thirty  were  sent  in  the  ship  Swallow  to  trade  for  corn 
with  the  Indians,  and  instead  of  returning  they  stole  away 
with  what  was  the  best  ship,  and  some  joined  themselves  to 
pirates,  while  others  returned  to  England,  having  bound 
themselves  to  agree  in  one  report  and  declare  that  they 
were  driven  away  by  famine.  To  uphold  themselves  they 
told  the  tragical  story  of  a  man  pinched  with  hunger  eat- 
ing his  dead  wife,  which  was  based  upon  the  fact  that  a 
man  who  hated  his  wife  had  secretly  killed  her,  then  cut 
her  in  pieces.  The  woman  being  missed  the  house  was 
searched  and  portions  of  her  mangled  body  found,  and  the 
man  to  excuse  himself  said  that  his  wife  had  died,  and 
that  want  of  food  had  compelled  him  to  save  her  body  for 
daily  food.  But  a  quantity  of  provisions  having  also  been 
discovered  in  the  house  he  was  arrested,  tried,  confessed 
the  murder,  and  was  burned  for  his  fiendish  act.^  These 
reports  of  returned  desperadoes  dampened  the  zeal  of  those 
who  had  intended  to  emigrate,  and  "the  wickedness"  that 
remained  in  Virginia  soon  made  trouble. 

While  friends  at  home  were  mourning  over  their  sup- 
posed death,  the  passengers  of  the  Sea  Venture  were  in 
good  health  at  the  Bermudas,  and  Gates  and  Somers  were 
busy  in  directing  the  construction  of  two  vessels,  the  larger 
of  eighty  tons.  The  sabbath  was  duly  observed,  and 
faithful  sermons  preached  by  the  chaplain,  Buck,  who  had 
been  a  student  at  Oxford.     Among  the  passengers  were 


1  Furchas,  IV,  1757. 

2  Ibid. 

5 


34  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

John  Rolfe  and  wife,  whose  child,  born  at  the  island,  was 
christened  Bermuda.  Some  Puritans  were  also  in  this 
party,  one  of  whom,  Stephen  Hopkins,  assisted  the  chap- 
lain in  conducting  the  services.^  While  tarrying  there 
Thomas  Powell,  the  cook  of  Sir  George  Somers,  was  mar- 
ried to  Elizabeth  Persons,  the  servant  of  a  Mrs.  Horton. 

The  ships  being  completed,  on  May  10,  1610,  the  party 
left  the  island,  and  in  thirteen  days  the  one  hundred  and 
forty  men  and  women  landed  at  Jamestown.  They  beheld 
the  sad  spectacle  of  a  few  famished  settlers.  The  bell  of 
the  frail  church  was  rung,  and  the  emaciated  colonists 
listened  to  the  "  zealous  and  sorrowful  prayer  "  of  Chaplain 
Buck.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  religious  service  the  com- 
mission of  Sir  Thomas  Gates  was  read,  and  Percy  retired 
from  office. 

As  ship  after  ship  came  home  laden  with  nothing  but 
evil  reports,  and  that  the  Sea  Venture  was  missing,  a  panic 
arose  among  members  of  the  company  in  London,  and 
many  withdrew  their  moneys.  Lord  La  Warre,  a  man  of 
courage  and  principle,  "  neither  whose  honor  nor  fortune 
needed  any  desperate  medicine,"  now  determined  to  go  in 
person  as  Captain-General  of  Virginia.  His  example,  con- 
stancy, and  resolution,  quickened  that  which  was  almost 
lifeless.  On  February  21,  1609-10,  William  Crashaw, 
preacher  at  the  Temple,  and  father  of  the  poet,  delivered 
a  stirring  sermon  before  his  majesty's  council  and  adven- 
turers of  Virginia,  in  view  of  Lord  Delaware's  departure.'^ 


1  Furchas,  vol.  IV,  p.  1744. 

2  The  sermon  was  published  with  the  following  title  : 

"  A  Sermon  preached  in  London,  before  the  right  honourable  the  Lord 
La  Warre,  Lord  Governour,  and  Captaine  Generall  of  Virginea,  and  others 


CRASHAWS  SERMON.  35 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  sermon  the  preacher  addressed 
Lord  De-la-Warr : 

"  And  thou  most  noble  Lord,  whom  God  hath  stirred  up 
to  neglect  tlie  pleasures  of  England,  and  with  Abraham  to 
go  'from  thy  country,  and  forsake  thy  kuidred  and  thy 
father's  house,  to  go  to  a  land  which  God  will  show  thee, 
give  me  leave  to  speak  the  truth.  Thy  ancestor  many 
hundred  years  ago  gained  great  honour  to  thy  house,  but 
by  this  action  thou  augmented  it.  *  *  *  *  Remember 
thou  art  a  general  of  English  men,  nay  a  general  of 
Christian  men ;  therefore  principally  look  to  religion.  You 
go  to  commend  it  to  the  Heathen,  then  practise  it  your- 
selves ;  make  the  name  of  Christ  honourable,  not  hateful 
unto  them." 

Five  weeks  later  Lord  Delawarr  sailed  for  Virginia  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  mostly  artificers,  and  shortly 
after  he  reached  Jamestown,  under  his  direction,  the  fol- 
lowing letter  was  sent  to  the  London  Company :  ^ 


of  Ms  Maiesties  Counsell  for  that  kingdom,  and  the  rest  of  the  Adven- 
turers in  that  Plantation,  at  the  said  Grenerall  his  leaue  taking  of  Eng- 
land his  native  countrey  and  departure  for  Virginea,  February  21,  1609. 
By  W.  Crashaw,  Bachelor  of  Divinitie,  and  Preacher  of  the  Temple. 
Wherein  both  the  lawfulness  of  that  action  is  maintained,  and  the  neces- 
sity thereof  is  also  demonstrated,  not  so  much  out  of  the  grounds  of 
Policie,  as  of  Humanity,  Equity  and  Christianity.  Taken  from  his  mouth 
and  published  by  direction. 

"  Daniel  xii.  3.  *  They  that  turn  many  to  righteousnesse  shall  shine 
as  the  starres  for  euer  and  euer.'  London,  Printed  for  William  Welby 
and  are  to  be  sold  in  Paul's  Churchyard  at  the  Signe  of  the  Swan,  1610." 

1  The  letter,  copied  from  the  original  among  the  Harleian  Manuscripts 
in  the  British  Museum,  was  published  in  the  Hakluyt  Society  Publica- 
tions of  1849. 


36  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Letter  of  Governor  and  Council  op  Virginia  to  the 
London  Company. 

"  Eight  Honourable  and  the  rest  of  our  very  loving 
friends ;  —  We  are  not  ignorant  how  divers  perplext  and 
jealous  eies  mae  looke  out,  and  keepe  more  then  friendly 
espiall  over  this  our  passive  and  misconceived  bewsines, 
and  now  (more  especially,  haply,  then  at  any  other  time), 
in  these  our  early  dayes,  and  after  the  aspersions  of  so 
many  slanderous  and  wandering  discourses,  which  have 
bin  scattered  by  malignant  and  ill-disposed  people  against 
it;  for  which  we  have  conceived  it  essentiall  with  the 
birth  of  the  worke  itself,  to  give  up  unto  your  noble  know- 
ledges the  truith  of  the  state  of  the  same,  and  of  some 
consequences  most  materiall  following  it,  since  it  tooke  pro- 
tection and  fostering  from  us. 

"  You  shall  please  then  to  know,  how  the  first  of  Aprill 
1610,  in  the  good  shipp  the  De-la-warr,  admirall,  accom- 
panied with  the  Blissing  of  Plinmouth,  viz-admirall,  and 
the  Hercules  of  Ry,  reere-admirall,  we  weyed  from  the 
Cowes,  getting  out  of  the  Needles,  and  with  a  favourable 
passadge  holding  consort ;  the  12th  day  we  fell  with  the 
Treseras,  and  recovered  that  evening  (within  three  leagues) 
the  westermost  part  of  St.  George's  Island,  where  we  lay 
that  night  becalmed ;  but  the  next  morning  with  the  sunn- 
rise  did  the  wind  likewise  rise,  west  and  west-by-South,  a 
rough  and  lowde  gale,  at  what  time  the  master  of  the 
Reere-admirall  told  me  of  a  roade  fitt  for  that  winde  at 
Gratiosa,  whereupon  I  willed  him  to  go  before  and  I  would 
follow,  and  so  we  stood  for  that  roade ;  but  it  was  my  for- 
tune to  lead  it  in,  where  we  came  to  an  ancor  at  fortie 


DELAWARE  ARRIVES  AT  CAPE  HENRY.  37 

fathom,  when  it  blew  so  much  winde  presently,  that  our 
ancor  came  home,  and  we  were  forced  to  sea  agahie :  the 
same  time  the  BHssing  was  compeld  to  cutt  her  cable  at 
haulfe,  for  in  the  weying  of  it  the  pale  of  her  capstan 
brake,  and  dangerously  hurte  12  of  our  men;  the  Her- 
cules was  likewise  forced  from  the  roade,  and  brake  her 
ancor ;  yet  the  next  day  we  mett  altogether  againe.  The 
15th  we  lost  sight  of  the  Hercules,  betweene  the  Treceras 
and  Gratiosa,  and  we  saw  her  no  more  untill  the  5th  of 
June,  at  what  time  we  made  land  to  the  southward  of  our 
harbour,  the  Chesiopiock  Bay,  where,  running  in  towards 
the  shoare,  steering  away  nor-west,  before  noone  we  made 
Cape  Henry,  bearing  nor-west  by  west;  and  that  night 
came  to  an  ancor  under  the  Cape,  where  we  went  ashoare, 
as  well  to  refresh  ourselves  as  to  fish,  and  to  sett  up  a  cross 
upon  the  pointe  (if  haply  the  Hercules  might  arrive  there) 
to  signify  our  coming  in. 

"  Whilst  we  were  a  fishing,  divers  Indians  came  downe 
from  the  woods  unto  us,  and  with  faire  intreatye  on  both 
sides,  I  gave  unto  them  of  such  fish  as  we  tooke,  which 
was  good  store,  and  was  not  unwelcome  unto  them.,  for 
indeed  at  this  time  of  the  yeare  they  live  poore,  their 
come  being  but  newly  putt  into  the  ground,  and  their  old 
store  spent ;  oysters  and  crabbs,  and  such  fish  as  they  take 
in  their  weares,  is  their  best  releefe.  As  we  were  return- 
ing aboard  againe,  our  master  discried  a  sayle  close  by  the 
pointe  at  Cape  Henry,  whereupon  I  commaunded  him  to 
beare  up  the  helme,  and  we  gave  it  chase,  when  within  an 
hower  or  a  little  more,  to  our  no  little  [joy],  we  made  her 
to  be  the  Hercules,  our  reereadmirall,  whome  we  had  now 
lost  .  .  .  weekes  and  odd  dayes ;  and  this  night  (all  praise 
be  to  God  for  it)  came  to  an  ancor  under  Pointe  Comfort ; 


38  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

from  whence  the  captaine  of  the  forte,  Co[lonel]  James 
DavieSj  repaired  unto  us,  and  soone  had  unfolded  a  strange 
[narra]tion  of  a  double  quallitie,  mixed  both  with  joy  and 
sorrow.  He  let  us  to  understand  first  (because  thereof  I 
first  inquired)  of  the  arrivall  of  Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  Sir 
George  Sumers,  in  2  pinnisses,  with  all  their  company  safe 
from  the  Bermudas,  the  21  of  May  (about  some  fortnight 
before  our  now  coming  in)  whome,  he  tould  us,  were  now 
up  our  river  at  James  Town.  I  was  heartily  glad  to 
heare  the  happines  of  this  newes;  but  it  was  seasoned 
with  a  following  discourse,  compound  of  so  many  miseries 
and  calamities  (and  those  in  such  horrid  chaunges  and 
divers  formes,  as  no  story,  I  believe  ever  presented  the 
wrath  and  curse  of  the  eternall  offended  Maiestie  in  a 
greater  measure.  I  understood  moreover,  by  reason  I  saw 
the  Virginia  to  ly  then  in  Roade,  before  the  pointe  ridg, 
and  prepared  to  sett  sayle  out  of  the  river,  how  that  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  and  Sir  George  Sumers  were  within  a  tide 
or  two  coming  downe  againe,  purposing  to  abandon  the 
countrie,  whilest  they  had  meanes  yet  lefte  to  transport 
them  and  the  whole  company  to  Newfoundland. 

"  For  most  true  it  is,  the  straunge  and  unexpected  con- 
dition and  ...  in  which  Sir  Thomas  Gates  found  the 
colony,  gave  him  to  underst[and]  never  was  there  more 
neede  of  all  the  powers  of  judgement,  and  .  .  .  knowing, 

and  long  exercised  vertue,  then  now  to  be  awak 

calling  upon  him  to  save  such  whome  he  found  so  fo  .  .  . 
as  in  redeeming  himself  and  his  againe  from  falling  into 

the ties.     For  besides  that  he  found  the  forte 

unfurnished   (and  that  ....  and  many  casualties)  of  so 

lardge  an  accompt  and  number as  he  expected,  and 

knew  knew  came  alonge  the  last  yeare,  trained 


SAD  STATE  OF  JAMESTOWN.  39 

fleete  with  himself:    so  likewise  found  he  as  empty  and 

unfurnished  a entering   the   towne.       It   appeared 

raither  as  the  ruins  of  some  auntient  [for]tification,  then 
that  any  people  living  might  now  inhabit  it :  the  palli- 
sadoes  he  found  tourne  downe,  the  portes  open,  the  gates 
from  the  hinges,  the  church  ruined  and  unfrequented, 
empty  howses  (whose  owners  untimely  death  had  taken 
newly  from  them)  rent  up  and  burnt,  the  living  not  hable, 
as  they  pretended,  to  step  into  the  woodes  to  gather  other 
fire-wood :  and  it  is  true,  the  Indian  as  fast  killing  without 
as  the  famine  and  pestilence  within.  Only  the  blockhouse 
(somewhat  regarded)  was  the  safetie  of  the  remainder  that 
lived;  which  yet  could  not  have  preserved  them  now 
many  days  longer  from  the  watching,  subtile,  and  offended 
Indian,  who  (it  is  most  certaine)  knew  all  this  their  weak- 
nes,  and  forbare  too  timely  to  assault  the  forte,  or  hazard 
themselves  in  a  fruitles  warr  on  such  whome  they  were 
assured  in  short  time  would  of  themselves  perish,  and 
being  provoked,  their  desperate  condition  might  draw  forth 
to  a  valiaunt  defence ;  yet  were  they  so  ready  and  pre- 
pared, that  such  whome  they  found  of  our  men  stragled 
single  beyond  the  bounds,  at  any  time,  of  the  blockhouse, 
they  would  fiercely  chardge  (for  all  their  peices),  as  they 
did  2  of  our  people  not  many  dayes  before  Sir  Thomas 
Gates  was  come  in,  and  2  likewise  they  killed  after  his 
arrivall  4  or  5  dayes. 

"  But  that  which  added  most  to  his  sorowe,  and  not  a 
litle  startled  him,  was  the  impossibiUtie  which  he  con- 
ceived (and  conceived  truly)  how  to  amend  any  one  whitt 
of  this.  His  forces  were  not  of  habilitie  to  revenge  upon 
the  Indian,  nor  his  owne  supply  (now  brought  from  the 
Bermudas)   sufficient  to  relieve  his  people;    foi^  he  had 


40  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

brought  no  greater  store  of  provision  (as  not  jealous  that 
any  such  disaster  could  have  befalne  the  colony)  then 
might  well  serve  150  for  a  sea  voyage ;  and  at  this  time  of 
the  yeare,  neither  by  force  (had  his  power  bin  sufficient) 
nor  trade,  might  have  amended  these  wants,  by  any  help 
from  the  Indian  :  nor  was  there  any  meanes  in  the  forte  to 
take  fish,  for  there  was  neither  a  sufiicient  seave  to  be 
found,  nor  any  other  convenient  netts ;  and,  to  saye  true, 
if  there  had,  yet  was  there  not  aneye  sturgion  come  into 
the  river. 

"  All  these  considered,  he  then  entered  into  consultation 
with  Sir  George  Sumers  and  Capt.  Newporte,  calling  unto 
the  same  the  gentlemen  and  counsaile  of  the  former  go- 
vernment, intreating  both  the  one  and  the  other  to  advise 
with  him,  what  was  to  be  don :  the  provision  which  they 
both  had  aboard,  both  Sir  George  Sumers  and  Capt.  New- 
porte, was  examined  and  delivered,  how  it  being  rackt  to 
the  uttermost,  extended  not  to  above  16  dayes,  after  2 
cakes  a  day.  The  gentlemen  of  the  towne  (who  knew 
better  of  the  countrie)  could  not  give  them  any  hope,  or 
wayes  how  to  recover  oughts  from  the  Indian.  It  soone 
then  appeered  most  fitt,  by  a  generall  approbation,  that  to 
preserve  and  save  all  from  starving,  there  could  be  no 
readier  course  thought  on,  then  to  abandon  the  countrie, 
and  accommodating  themselves  the  best  that  they  might 
in  the  present  pinnasses  then  in  the  roade  (as,  namely,  in 
the  Discovery,  and  the  Virginia,  the  2  brought  from,  and 
builded  at,  the  Bermudas,  the  one  called  the  Deliveraunce, 
of  about  70  tonn,  and  the  other,  the  Patience,  of  about  30 
tonn),  with  all  speed  convenient,  to  make  for  the  New- 
foundland, where,  it  being  then  fishing  time,  they  might 


SORROWFUL  DEPARTURE  FROM  JAMESTOWN.  41 

meete  with  many  English  shipps,  into  which,  happily,  they 
might  disperce  most  of  the  company. 

"  This  consultation  taking  effect  the  7th  of  June,  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  having  appointed  every  pinnass  his  comple- 
ment and  nomber,  and  delivered  likewise  thereunto  a  pro- 
portionable rate  of  provision,  caused  every  man  to  repaire 
aboard :  and  bycause  he  would  preserve  the  towne  (albeit 
now  to  be  quitted)  unburned,  which  some  intemperate  and 
malitious  people  threatened,  his  one  company  he  caused 
likewise  to  be  cast  ashoare,  and  was  himself  the  last  of 
them,  when,  about  noone,  giving  a  farewell  with  a  peale  of 
small  shott,  he  sett  sayle,  and  that  night,  with  the  tide, 
fell  down  to  an  island  in  the  river,  which  our  people  here 
call  Hogg  Island ;  and  the  next  morning  the  tide  brought 
them  to  another  island,  which  they  have  called  Mulberry 
Island,  at  what  time  they  discovered  my  long  boat.  For 
I,  having  understood  of  the  resolution  by  the  aforesaid 
pinnas,  which  was  some  4  or  5  days  come  away  before, 
to  prepare  those  at  Pointe  Comforte,  with  all  expedition  I 
caused  the  same  to  be  man'd,  and  in  it  with  the  newes  of 
our  arrivall,  dispatched  my  letters  by  Captaine  Edward 
Brewister^  to  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  which,  meeting  to[gether] 


1  Among  the  adventurers'  names  appended  to  the  Company's  charter 
dated  May  23,  1609,  are  those  of  William  Brewster  and  Edward,  his  son. 
William  Brewster  was  at  that  time  a  man  of  large  family.  His  father, 
whose  name  he  bore,  had  been  postmaster  at  Scrooby,  and  soon  after  his 
death  he  was  appointed  to  the  same  position,  which  was  held,  until  non- 
conformity led  him  to  leave  his  native  land.  About  the  year  1609 
William  Brewster  went  to  Holland. 

Edward  was  employed  by  Lord  Delaware,  and,  as  will  be  seen  in 
another  chapter,  was  banished  from  Virginia  by  the  high-handed  Argall. 
In  August,  1619,  Secretary  Naunton,  referring  to  the  subsequent  Elder 
6 


42  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

before  the  aforesaid  Mulberry  Island,  the  8th  of  June 
aforesaid,  upon  the  receite  of  our  letters,  Sir  Thomas  Gates 
bore  up  the  helm  againe,  and  that  night  (the  wind  favour- 
able) relanded  all  his  men  at  the  forte ;  before  which,  the 
10th  of  June  being  Sonday,  I  brought  my  shipp,  and  in 
the  afternoon  went  ashoare,  where  after  a  sermon  made  by 
Mr.  Buck,  Sir  Thomas  Gates  his  preacher,  I  caused  my 
commission  to  be  read,  upon  which  Sir  Thomas  Gates  de- 
livered up  unto  me  his  owne  commission,  both  patents,  and 
the  counsell  scale  :  and  then  I  delivered  some  few  wordes 
unto  the  company,  laying  some  blames  on  them  for  many 
vanities  and  their  idlenes,  earnestly  wisshing  that  I  might 
no  more  find  it  so,  leaste  I  should  be  compeld  to  drawe  the 
sworde  of  justice,  to  cut  of  such  delinquents,  which  I  had 
much  rather  drawe  in  their  defence,  to  protect  from  eni- 
mies ;  heartening  them  with  the  knowledge  of  what  store 
of  provisions  I  had  brought  for  them ;  and  after,  not  find- 
ing as  yet  in  the  toune  a  convenient  house,  I  repaired 
aboard  againe,  where  the  12  th  of  June,  T  did  constitute 
and  give  places  of  office  and  chardge  to  divers  captaines 
and  gentlemen,  and  elected  unto  me  a  counsaile,  unto 
whome  I  administred  an  oath  of  faith,  assistance,  and 
secresy :  their  names  were  these :  — 

"  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  Knight,  Lieutenant  Gen[eral]. 

"  Sir  George  Sumers,  Knight.  Admirall. 

"Capt.  George  Percey,  Esq. 


of  New  Plymouth,  writes  :  "  Brewster  frightened  back  into  the  low 
countries  his  son  has  conformed  and  comes  to  church."  The  authorities 
upon  which  this  note  is  based  are  Bradford^ s  Plymouth  Plantation,  and 
the  Calendars  of  State  Papers,  and  Hunter's  Founders  of  Plymouth. 
Hunter  seems  not  to  have  known  that  the  father  of  the  May-Flower  emi- 
grant was  also  named  William,  and  postmaster  at  Scrooby. 


FAMianiNO  CONDITION.  43 

"Sir  Ferdinando  Wenman,  Knight  M[arshal]. 

"  Capt.  Christopher  Newport, 

"  William  Strachey,  Esq,  Secretary  [and  Recorder  ?] 

"  A  likewise  I  nominated  Capt.  John  Martin  Master  of 
the  B  ...  .  workes  for  Steele  and  iron :  and  Capt.  George 

Webb,   Serjeant of   the  forte :    and  Mr.   Daniell 

Tucker  and  Mr.  Robert  Wild,  clarkes  of  the  store. 

"  Our  first  care  was  to  advise  with  our  counsaile  for  the 
obtaining  of  such  provisions  of  victualls,  for  estore  and 
quallitie,  as  the  countrey  afforded  for  our  people.   It  did  not 
appeare  unto  us  that  any  kind  of  flesh,  deere,  or  what  els, 
of  that  kind  could  be  recouvered  from  the  Indians,  or  to 
be  sought  in  the  countrey  by  us ;  and  our  people,  together 
with  the  Indians  (not  to  friend),  had  the  last  winter  de- 
stroyed and  kild  up  all  our  hoggs,  insomuch  as  of  five  or 
six  hundred  (as  it  is  supposed),  there  was  not  above  one 
sow,  that  we  can  heare  of,  left  alive ;  not  a  henn  or  chick 
in  the  forte  (and  our  horses  and  mares  they  had  eaten  with 
the  first) ;  and  the  provision  which  we  had  brought  con- 
cerning any  kind  of  flesh  was  little  or  nothing  ;  whereupon 
it  pleased  Sir  George  Sumers  to  propose  a  voyage,  which, 
for  the  better  releife  and  good  of  the  colony,  he  would  per- 
form into  the  Bermudas  (which,  lying  in  the  height  of  32 
degrees  and  20  minutes,  5  degrees  from  our  bay,  may  be 
some  seveLn]  skore  leagues);    from  us,  or  thereabouts; 
reckoning  to  every  degree  that  lyes  nor-west  and  westerly, 
28  English  leagues) ;  and  from  thence  he  would  fetch  6 
monthes'  provision  of  flesh  and  fish,  and  some  Uve  hoggs, 
of  which  those  islands  (by  their  owne  reporte,  however, 
most  daungerous  to  fall  with)  are  marvellous  full  and  well 
stored ;  whereupon,  well  approving  and  applauding  a  mo- 
tion relishing  of  so  faire  hopes  and  much  goodness,  we 


44  VntQINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

gave  him  a  commission  the  15th  of  June,  who  in  his  owne 
Bermuda  pinnas,  the  Patience  accompanied  with  Capt. 
Samuell  Argall,  in  the  Discovery  (whome  we  sware  of  our 
counsaile  before  his  departure),  the  19th  of  June  fell  with 
the  tide  from  before  our  towne,  whome  we  have  ever  since 
accompanied  with  our  hearty  prayers  for  his  happy  and 
safe  returne. 

"  And  likewise  bicause  at  our  first  coming  we  found  in 
our  owne  river  no  store  of  fish  after  many  tryalls,  we  dis- 
patched with  instructions  the  17th  of  June,  Robert  Tin- 
dall,  master  of  the  Delawarr,  to  fish  unto  all  along  be- 
tweene  Cape  Henry  and  Cape  Charles  within  the  bay,  who 
the  last  of  the  same  returned  unto  us  againe,  but  mett 
with  so  small  a  quantitie  and  store  of  fish,  as  he  scarce 
tooke  so  much  as  served  the  company  that  he  caried  forth 
with  him.  Nor  were  we  in  the  meane  while  idle  at  the 
forte,  but  every  day  and  night  we  hayled  our  nett  some- 
times a  dozen  times  one  after  another,  but  it  pleased  not 
God  so  to  bless  our  labours,  that  we  should  at  any  time 
take  one  quarter  so  much  as  would  give  unto  our  people 
one  pound  at  a  meale  a  peice  (by  which  we  might  have 
better  husbanded  and  spared  our  peaz  and  oatmeale),  not- 
withstanding the  greate  store  we  now  saw  dayly  in  our  river. 

"  Thus  much  in  briefe  concerning  our  voyadge  hether, 
our  meeting  with  Sir  Thomas  Gates  heere,  and  our  joynt 
cares  and  indevours  since  our  arrivall ;  nor  shall  we  be 
fayling  in  our  parte  to  do  the  uttermost  that  we  may  for 
the  happy  structure  and  raysing  againe  of  this  too  much 
stooped  and  dejected  imployment.  It  rests  that  I  should 
now  truly  deliver  unto  yee  (right  honourable  and  rest  of 
our  good  friends)  somewhat  our  opinion,  or  rather  better 
judgement,  which  hath  observed  many  things,  and  those 


FERTILITY  OF  THE  SOIL.  45 

objected  cleare  to  reason,  most  benificiall  concerning  this 
countrie.  And  first,  we  have  experience,  and  our  owne 
eye  witnes,  how  young  soever  we  are  to  this  place,  that  no 
countrie  yealdeth  goodlier  come  or  more  manifold  increase, 
large  feildes  we  have  as  prospects  houerly  before  us  of  the 
same,  and  those  not  many  miles  from  our  quarter  (some 
whereof,  true  it  is,  to  quitt  the  mischeivous  Indian,  and 
irreconsilable  for  his  late  injuries  and  murthering  of  our 
men,  our  purpose  is  to  be  masters  of  ere  long,  and  to  thresh 
it  out  on  the  flores  of  our  barnes  when  the  time  shall 
serve) .  Next,  in  every  boske  and  common  hedge,  and  not 
farr  from  our  palUsado  gates,  we  have  thousands  of  goodly 
vines  running  along  and  leaning  to  every  tree,  which  yeald 
a  plentifull  grape  in  their  kind ;  let  me  appeale,  then,  to 
knowledge,  if  these  naturall  vines  were  planted^  dressed, 
and  ordered  by  skilfull  vinearoones,  whether  we  might  not 
make  a  perfect  grape  and  fruitfull  vintage  in  short  time  ? 
Lastly,  we  have  mad  triall  of  our  owne  English  seedes, 
kitchen  hearbes,  and  rootes,  and  find  them  no  sooner  putt 
into  the  ground  then  to  prosper  as  speedily  and  after  the 
same  qualitie  as  in  England. 

"  Only  let  me  truly  acknowledge  they  are  not  an  hun-  ^ 
dred  or  two  of  deboisht  hands,  dropt  forth  by  yeare  after 
yeare,  with  penury  and  leysure,  ill  provided  for  before  they  \ 
come,  and  worse  governed  when  they  are  here,  men  of 
such  distempered  bodies  and  infected  mindes,  whome  no 
examples  dayly  before  their  eyes,  either  of  goodness  or 
punishment,  can  deterr  from  their  habituall  impieties,  or 
terrific  from  a  shamefuU  death,  that  must  be  the  carpenters 
and  workers  in  this  so  glorious  a  building. 

"  But  (to  delude  and  mock  the  bewsines  no  longer)  as  a 
necessary  quantity  of  provisions  for  a  yeare  at  least  must 


46  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

/  be  carefully  sent  with  men,  so  likewise  must  there  be  the 
^  same  care  for  men  of  qualhtie,  and  paines  taking  men  of 
artes  and  practises,  chosen  out  and  sent  into  the  bewsines, 
and  such  are  in  dew  time  now  promised,  sett  downe  in 
the  scedule  at  the  end  of  our  owne  approved  discource, 
which  we  have  intituled  ^  A  true  and  sincere  declaration  of 
the  purpose  and  end  of  our  Plantation  begonn  in  Vir- 
ginia,' &c. 

"  And  these  two,  such  men  and  such  provision  are  like 
enough  to  make  good  the  ends  of  the  ymployment  in  all 
the  waies  both  for  re[pu]tation,  search  and  discovery  of 
the  countrie,  and  the  hope  of  the  South  Sea,  as  also  to 
returne  by  all  shipps  sent  hither  many  com[mo]dities  well 
knowne  to  be  heere,  if  meanes  be  to  prepare  them. 
W[here]  upon  give  me  leave,  I  beseech  yee,  further  to 
make  inference,  th[at]  since  it  hath  bin  well  thought  on 
by  yee  to  provide  for  the  gove[rnment]  by  chaunging  the 
authoritie  into  an  absolute  command  (indeed  .  .  .  virtuall 
advancement  to  these  like  bewsinesses  and  m  .  .  .  company 
us)  of  a  noble  and  well  instructed  leifet[enant]  ....  of 
an  industrious  admirall,  and  other  knights  and  gen  [tie- 
men],  and  officers,  each  in  their  severall  place  of  quallitie 
and  implo[yment],  if  the  other  two,  as  I  have  saide,  be 
taken  into  dew  accompte  .  .  .  valewed  as  the  sinewes  (as 
indeed  they  be)  of  this  action  (without  w[hich]  it  cannot 
possible  have  any  faire  subsisting,  however  men  ha[ve] 
belyed  both  it  and  themselves  heretofore)  then  let  no  rumor 
of  the  poverty  of  the  countrey  (as  if  in  the  wombe  thereof 
there  lay  not  those  ellimentall  seedes  which  could  produce 
so  man}^  goodly  birthes  of  plenty  and  increase,  yea,  and  of 
better  hopes  as  of  any  land  under  the  heavens  unto  whome 
the  sunn  is  no  neerer  a  neighbour  j  I  say,  let  no  imposture. 


INDUSTRY  TO  BE  ENCOURAGED.  47 

rumor  then,  nor  any  fame  of  some  one  or  a  few  more 
chaunceable  actions  interposing  by  the  way  or  at  home, 
wave  any  mans  faire  purpose  hetherward,  or  wrest  them 
to  a  declininge  and  falling  of  from  the  bewsines. 

"For  let  them  be  assured,  as  of  the  truitli  itself,  these 
premisses  considered,  looke  what  the  countrie  can  afforde, 
which  may,  by  the  quantitie  of  our  men,  be  safely  and 
conveniently  explored,  search  [ed,]  and  made  practise  of, 
these  things  shall  not  be  omitted  for  our  p[art],  nor  will 
be  by  the  lievetenant  generall  to  be  commaunded ;  nor  our 
commaunds  receaved  (as  in  former  times)  with  unwilUng- 
nes  or  falcenes,  either  in  our  people's  going  forth,  or  in  ex- 
ecution, being  for  each  one  in  his  place,  whither  com- 
maunder,  overseer,  or  labourer. 

"  For  the  causes  of  these  idle  and  restie  untowardnes 
being  by  the  authoritie  and  unitie  of  our  government 
removed,  all  hands  already  sett  to  it ;  and  he  that  knew 
not  the  way  to  goodnes  before,  but  cherisht  singularitie 
and  faction,  now  can  beate  out  a  path  himself  of  Industrie 
and  goodnes  for  others  to  trade  in,  such,  may  I  well  say,  is 
the  power  of  exemplar  vertue.  Nor  would  I  have  it  con- 
ceived that  we  would  exclude  altogether  gentlemen,  and 
such  whose  breeding  never  knew  what  a  daye's  labour 
meant,  for  even  to  such,  this  countrie  I  doubt  not  but  will 
give  likewise  excellent  satisfaction,  especially  to  the  better 
and  stayed  spirritts ;  for  he  amongst  us  that  cannot  digg, 
use  the  square,  nor  practise  the  ax  and  chissle,  yet  he  shall 
find  how  to  imploy  the  force  of  knowledge,  the  exercise  of 
counsell,  and  the  operation  and  power  of  his  best  breeding 
and  quallitie. 

"  And  thus,  right  honourable  and  the  rest  of  our  very 
good  friends,  assuring  yee  of  our  resolution  to  tarry  God's 


48  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

mercy  towards  us,  in  continuing  for  our  parte  this  planta- 
tion, I  only  will  intreate  yee  to  stand  favourable  unto  us 
for  a  new  supply  in  such  matters  of  the  two-fold  phisicke, 
which  both  the  soules  and  bodies  of  our  poor  people  heere 
stand  much  in  neede  of;  the  specialties  belonging  to  the 
one,  the  phisitians  themselves  (whome  I  hope  you  will  be 
carefull  to  send  unto  us)  will  bring  along  with  them ;  the 
particularities  of  the  other  we  have  sent  herein,  inclosed 
unto  us  by  Mr.  Dr.  Boone,^  whose  care  and  industrie  for  the 
preservation  of  our  men's  lives   (assaulted  with  straunge 
fluxes  and  agues),  we  have  just  cause  to  commend  unto 
your  noble  favours ;  nor  let  it,  I  beseech  yee,  be  passed 
over  as  a  motion  slight  and  of  no  moment  to  furnish  us 
with  these  things,  so  much  importuning  the  strength  and 
health  of  our  people,  since  we  have  true  experience  how 
many  men's  lives  these  phisicke  helpes  have  preserved 
since  our  coming  in,  God  so  blessing  the  practise  and  dili- 
gence of  or  doctor,  whose  store  is  nowe  growne  thereby  to 
so  lowe  an  ebb,  as  we  have  not  above  3  weekes  phisicall 
provisions,  if  our  men  continew  still  thus  visited  with  the 
sicknesses  of  the  countrie,  of  the  which  every  season  hath 
his  particular  infirmitie  reighning  in  it,  as  we  have  it 
related  unto  us  by  the  old  inhabitants ;  and  since  our  owne 
arrivall,  have  cause  to  feare  it  to  be  true,  who  have  had 
150  at  a  time  much  afflicted,  and  I  am  perswaded  had  lost 
the  greatest  part  of  them,  if  we  had  not  brought  these 
helpes  with  us. 

"And  so  concluding  your  farther  troubles,  with  this 
only  remembrance,  that  we  have,  with  advise  of  our  coun- 


1  Dr.  Bohune  was  afterwards  made  Physician-General  of  the  colony,  as 
will  be  seen  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 


CRUISE  OF  80MERS  AND  AROALL.  49 

sell,  conceived  it  most  fitt  to  detaine  yet  a  while,  for  all 
good  occasions,  the  good  shipp  the  Delawarr,  to  which  we 
hope  yee  wil  be  no  whitt  gainsaying :  we  cease  with  un- 
necessary relations  to  provoke  yee  any  farther. 
"James  Towne,  July  7th,  1610. 

"  Tho.  Lawarre.     Tho.  Gates.     Ferd.  Wenman. 
George  Percy.        William  Strachey." 


On  the  19th  of  June,  Sir  George  Somers,^  ^^  the  good  old 
gentleman,  out  of  his  love  and  zeal  not  motioning  but 
most  cheerfully  and  resolutely,"  says  the  dispatch  of  Dela- 
ware to  Earl  of  Salisbury,  reembarked  in  his  cedar  pin- 
nace of  thirty  tons  to  procure  provisions,  accompanied  by 
another  vessel  in  charge  of  Captain  Argall. 

Argall  says  they  first  steered  northward,  and  at  times 
did  "  fish  for  cods  and  hollibutts,"  and  that  he  was  ordered 
on  26th  of  July,  by  Sir  George  Somers,  "  to  steer  for  the 
river  Sagadahoc."  After  this  they  were  separated,  and 
Argall,  on  the  27th  of  August,  "  came  to  an  anchor  in  nine 
fathoms  in  a  very  great  Bay,"  called  by  him  Delaware,  and 
on  the  last  of  the  month  reached  Cape  Charles.^ 


1  Sir  George  Somers  was  living  at  ease,  and  a  member  of  Parliament, 
before  he  was  appointed  for  Virginia.  The  first  time  that  Virginia  was 
mentioned  in  debate  in  that  body,  was  on  February  14,  1609-10,  on  the 
question  whether  his  seat  would  be  made  vacant  by  his  going  to  Virginia. 

Sir  George  Moore  in  the  course  of  the  discussion  remarked  "  That  Sir 
George  Sommers  ought  not  to  be  removed.  No  disgrace  but  a  Grace  to 
be  Governour  in  Virginia." 

2  Strachey  says :  "  Captain  Argoll  in  his  returne  from  the  search 
of  the  Bermudas,  anno  1610,  after  he  had  lost  Sir  George  Somers,  28 
July,  in  a  dangerous  fogg,  well  beaten  to  and  fro,  fell  with  the  mayne, 
standingc  for  Cape  Cod,  and  made  good  from  44  degrees  what  Captayne 

7 


50  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

Soiners,  after  parting  from  Argall,  reached  the  Bermudas, 
where  his  frail  body  soon  succumbed  to  the  hardships  he 
had  encountered,  and  after  his  death  his  nephew,  Captain" 
Matthew  Somers,  embalmed  the  body  and  brought  it  to 
England,  and  the  remains  were  interred  with  military 
honors  at  Whitchurch,  in  Dorsetshire. 

About  Christmas  of  this  year  Captain  Argall,  in  the 
Discovery,  sailed  up  the  Potomac  river,  trading  at  Matcho- 
pongo,  the  residence  of  Jopassus,  a  brother  of  Powhatan, 
and  recovered  an  English  boy  named  Henry  Spilman.^ 
The  next  February,  with  some  seamen,  aided  by  Captain 
Edward  Brewster  with  a  small  land  force,  by  order  of  Lord 
Delaware,  he  attacked  the  chief  of  the  Wanaskoyaks  for 
breach  of  contract,  and  burned  two  of  his  towns. 

Sir  Thomas  Gates  had  been  sent  to  England  to  notify 
the  Company  of  the  condition  of  affairs,  and  after  consult- 
ing with  him  whether  they  should  abandon  the  attempt  to 
plant  a  colony,  they  took  heart  again,  and  resolved  to  send 
a  fresh  supply  of  men  and  provisions. 


Bartho.  G-osnoll  and  Captayne  Waymouth  wanted  in  their  discoveries 
*  *  *  *  and  in  the  latitude  of  39  discovered  another  goodly  bay, 
into  which  fell  many  tayles  of  faire  and  large  rivers,  and  which  might 
make  promise  of  some  westerly  passage;  the  Cape  whereof  in  38*  he 
called  Cape  Lawar."     HaMnyt  Soc.  Puh.,  vol.  VI,  pp.  42,  43. 

Argall  noted  the  gulf  stream  at  this  time.  He  says  that  the  sailors 
"  in  their  watch  did  see  a  race  and  that  ship  did  drive  apace  to  the  north- 
ward when  she  had  not  a  breath  of  wind."  He  returned  and  anchored 
at  Cape  .Charles  on  31st  of  August.     Purchas,  TV,  1758. 

1  "  Recovered  an  English  boy  called  Henry  Spilman,  who  had  lived 
\  amongst  them  one  whole  yeare,  and  despayring  of  ever  seeing  his  native 

country  his  father's  howse,  for  he  was  descended  of  a  gentile  family." 
Strachey  in  HaJc.  Pub.,  vol.  VI,  p.  39. 


RETURN  OF  SIR   THOMAS  GATES  51 

A  dispatch  to  Winwood,  Ambassador  at  the  Hague, 
dated  15th  of  December,  1610,  says :  "  So  soon  as  the 
Hector  now  ready  to  hoist  saile  shall  be  set  forth  of  this 
haven,  towards  Virginia,  Sir  Thomas  Gates  will  hasten  to 
the  Hao-ue,  where  he  will  conferr  with  the  States  about  the 
overture  of  Sir  Noel  Caron  hath  here  made  for  joining  us 
in  that  Colonie." 

While  Gates  was  in  Europe,  the  health  of  Delaware 
failed,  and  on  March  28th,  1611,  accompanied  by  Dr. 
Bohune  and  Capt.  Argall,  he  went  to  the  Western  Isles  to 
recruit,  and  from  thence  to  his  native  land.  His  unex- 
pected arrival  at  home  "  wrought  a  great  damp  of  coldness 
in  the  hearts  of  all  the  adventurers  but  one  spark  of  hope 
remained,"  for  before  the  illness  of  Delaware  was  known. 
Sir  Thomas  Dale  had  sailed  with  three  ships  for  James- 
town, with  men  and  cattle.  In  June,  1611,  Sir  Thomas 
Gates  sailed  again  with  six  ships,  his  wife  and  daughters, 
three  hundred  men,  and  one  hundred  cows,  besides  other 
cattle,  and  provisions  of  all  sorts.  The  wife  of  Gates  died 
on  the  passage,  but  the  expedition  safely  arrived  in  August, 
and  was  so  unexpected,  that  Captain  Davies,  in  command 
of  the  stockade  at  Cape  Henry,  supposed  it  was  a  hostile 
fleet,  and  word  was  sent  up  the  river  to  Sir  Thomas  Dale 
to  prepare  to  resist  their  advance. 

The  colony  now  numbered  seven  hundred  persons. 
Gates  took  possession  of  the  site  of  Hampton,  ''  a  delicate 
and  necessary  seat  for  a  city." '     Percy  was  in  command 


1  Winwood,  III,  239. 

2  "  Pocliins  one  of  Powhataa's  sonns  at  Kecouglitan,  and  was  the 
young  weroance  there  at  the  same  tyme  when  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  Lieuten- 
ant General  took  possession  of  yt.     Yt  is  an  ample  and  faire  countrie  in- 


52  vmomiA  company  of  london. 

at  Jamestown,  and  Dale  had  pushed  up  the  river  to  lay 
the  foundations  of  Henrico. 

In  the  autumn  the  ship  Star,  of  three  hundred  tons 
burthen,  fitted  and  prepared  in  England  with  scupper  holes 
to  take  in  masts,  sailed  from  Jamestown  with  about  forty 
fair  and  large  pines.-^  Chamberlain  writes  from  London  to 
Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  on  December  18,  1611 : 

"  Newport  the  Admiral  of  Virginia  is  newly  come  home, 
and  brings  word  of  the  arrival  there  of  Sir  Thomas  Gates 
and  his  company,  but  his  lady  died  by  the  way  in  some 
part  of  the  West  Indies,  He  hath  sent  his  daughters 
back  again,  which  I  doubt  not  is  a  piece  of  prognostication 
that  himself  means  not  to  tarry  long." " 

After  this  Newport  was  chosen  one  of  the  six  masters 
of  the  Royal  Navy,  and  was  engaged  by  the  East  India 
Company  to  escort  Sir  Robert  Sherley  to  Persia.^ 


deed  *  *  *  *  and  is  a  delicate  and  necessary  seate  for  a  citty  or 
chief  fortification,  being  so  neere  within  three  miles  by  water  the  mouth 
of  our  bay,  and  is  well  appointed  a  fitt  seat  for  one  of  our  chiefs  com- 
manders since  Point  Comfort,  being  (out  of  all  dispute)  to  be  fortefied  to 
\  secure  our  townes  above."  Strachey  in  Eak.  Pub.,  vol.  VI,  pp.  60,  61. 
y__^^  1  Eak.  Pub.,  vol.  VI,  p.  330. 

2  Chamberlain  in  Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  vol.  I,  p.  154. 
2  Howe's  continuation  of  Stow's  Chronicles  of  England,  p.  1018. 


CHAPTER  ni. 


LAST  CHAETER;  THE  BERMUDAS;  STAGE  PLAYS;  LOTTERIES; 
DEBATE  m  PARLIAMENT. 

HE  return  of  the  nephew  of  Somers  and  others, 
with  their  enthusiastic  descriptions  of  the  beauty 
and  fertiUty  of  the  Bermudas,  gave  an  impetus 
to  the  colonization  of  America.  The  General 
Company  sold  out  their  rights  to  one  hundred  and  twenty 
of  their  members,  who  proceeded  to  procure  the  shipping, 
men  and  provisions  for  the  settlement  of  these  isles  of  the 
sea. 

At  first  the  company  supposed  the  Bermudas  were  within 
their  domain,  but  upon  ascertaining  that  they  were  beyond 
the  prescribed  boundaries  of  their  patent,  application  was 
made  for  a  new  charter,  which  was  sealed  on  March  12, 
1611-12,  and  conveyed  to  them  all  islands  within  three 
hundred  leagues  of  the  coast  between  30  th  and  41st  de- 
gree of  north  latitude. 

It  further  provided  for  quarterly  meetings  of  the  com- 
pany, to  be  styled  and  called  The  four  Great  and  General 
Courts  of  the  Council  and  Compani/  of  Adventurers  for 
Virginia,'^  and  granted  the  power  to  erect  lotteries. 

The  next  month  the  Plough  sailed  for  the  Bermudas 
with  colonists,  where  in  July  they  safely  arrived.  The 
Earl  of  Southampton  wrote  to  the  King  that  the  ships  of 
the  company   had  possessed  the   islands,  and   that  the 


54  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Spaniards,  dismayed  at  the  frequency  of  hurricanes,  durst 
not  adventure  there,  but  call  it  Bcemoniorum  Imulam, 
and  that  the  English  merchants  had  sent  home  "  some 
amber  and  seed  pearls  which  the  devils  of  the  Bermudas 
love  not  better  to  retain,  than  the  Angels  of  Castile  to 
recover."  ^ 

In  the  summer  of  1613  a  vessel  brought  to  England 
from  the  Island  "some  quantity  of  pearl  and  between 
twenty  and  thirty  pounds  of  ambergris  worth  nine  hun- 
dred pounds,"  and  the  next  ship  returned  with  a  larger 
supply.^ 

Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  on  October  27th,  received  a  letter 
from  London  which,  speaking  of  the  Bermudas,  said  : 


I  Sainsbury,  Cal.  State  Papers,  Col.  Series,  p.  14,  and  Green's  State 
Papers,  1611-18.  The  letter  of  Shakespeare's  patron  recalls  several 
passages  in  the  play  of  the  Tempest,  written  not  long  after,  particularly 
the  colloquy  of  Prospero  and  Ariel. 

Pro.  Of  the  king's  ship, 

The  mariners  say,  how  thou  hast  dispos'd 

And  all  the  rest  o'  the  fleet  ? 
Ari.  Safely  in  harbour 

'  Is  the  king's  ship;  in  the  deep  nook  where  once 

Thou  call'dst  me  up  at  midnight  to  fetch  dew 

From  the  still-vex'd  Bermoothes,  there's  she  hid. 

Crashaw,  a  London  divine,  in  the  epistle  dedicatory  to  an  account  of 
the  Bermudas,  printed  in  1613,  says  : 

"  Who  did  not  thinke  till  within  these  foure  yeares,  but  that  those 
Islands  had  been  rather  a  habitation  of  Diuells,  than  fit  for  man  to  dwell 
in?  who  did  not  hate  the  name  when  hee  was  on  Land,  and  shunne  the 
place  when  he  was  on  the  Seas?  But  behold  the  misprision  and  mis- 
conceits  of  the  world !  For  true  and  large  experience  hath  now  told  vs, 
it  is  one  of  the  sweetest  Paradises  that  be  upon  the  earth." 

2  Court  and  Times  of  James  /,  I,  263. 


EAST  INDIA   COMPANY  PURCHASE  AMBER0R18.  55 

"  A  piece  of  ambergris  found  as  big  as  the  body  of  a 
giant  the  head  and  arms  are  wanting  but  so  foohshly 
handled  that  it  brake  in  pieces.  The  largest  piece  brought 
home  was  not  over  68  ounces  which  sells  for  12  or  15  shil- 
lings an  ounce  more  than  smaller  pieces."  ^ 

On  tlie  28th  of  July,  1614,  the  Virginia  sold  to  the 
East  India  Company  two  boxes  of  ambergris  at  3Z.  Is.  and 
3Z.  2s.  per  ounce.^ 

The  interests  of  the  Company  led  them  to  petition  for 
a  separate  charter,  and  on  the  29th  of  June,  1614,  there 
was  a  grant  sealed  to  Henry,  Earl  of  Southampton,  Lucy, 
Countess  of  Bedford,  Will.,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  Will.,  Lord 
Paget,  Will.,  Lord  Cavendish,  Sir  Ralph  Winwood,  Sir 
Robt.  Rich,  Sir  Thos.  Smy  the,  and  others,  of  incorporation, 
by  the  name  of  the  Governor  and  Company  of  the  City  of 
London,  for  the  plantation  of  the  Somers  Islands,  with 
sole  government  and  power  to  make  laws,  conformable  to 
the  laws  of  England.^ 

The  following  papers  copied  from  the  manuscript  trans- 
actions of  the  Company,  pertain  to  this  period  : 

Petition  op  Captain  Somers. 

"  To  the  King's  moast  Excellent  Mat'y 

"  The  Humble  Petition  of  Captayne  Mathew  Sommers 

"  Petitioner  in  the  King's  Bench 

"  Humbly  sheweth  unto  your  most  Excellent  Mat'y  that 
whereas  S''  Geo :  Sumers  Knight,  being  one  of  the  first  and 


i  Sainshury  State  Papers^  p.  15. 

2  Cal.  State  Papers,  East  India. 

3  Sainshury,  p.  17. 


56  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

cliiefe  of  the  Plantation  of  Virginia  as  appeareth  by  your 
Ma'tys  Letters  Pattents  adventured  therein  1000  and  odd 
pounds  and  being  forced  by  fowle  weather  to  saue  himselfe 
and  companie  sought  an  Hand  called  the  Barmudais,  where 
he  left  his  shippe  and  soone  after  his  life,  yo"^  humble  pe- 
tition' his  imediate  heire,  and  there  in  person  built^  small 
Pynnace  to  convey  his  companie  for  England,  and  left 
three  men  to  continue  the  possession  in  yo'  royall  right. 

"  The  Virginia  Companie  understanding  of  this  discouery 
did  challenge  it  as  their  right  beinge  100  leagues  at  the 
least  without  distance  of  their  Graunt :  the  said  Companie 
sent  a  Gouernor  with  men  to  take  that  possession  from 
yo'^  Ma'"°  and  findinge  yo'  petitioners  men  to  be  still  lyuinge 
who  found  by  their  Industrie  a  cake  of  Ambergreece  of 
160Z  waight  tho  the  said  Gouernor  hearinge  thereof  did 
violently  take  it  from  them  to  the  use  of  the  companie, 
who  sold  it  for  120,000^  and  offered  violence  to  the  men 
for  the  confessinge  of  more. 

"  Shortly  after  the  said  Companie  sold  the  said  Hands  to 
a  perticuler  Companie  for  2000^  as  was  confessed  by  S' 
Edwin  Sandys  in  open  court  without  any  reliefe  untill  this 
day  of  yo'  Petitioner  either  for  his  aduenture  or  otherwise, 
albeit  they  have  often  bin  sought  unto  at  yo'  petitioner's 
great  charge  and  utter  undoeinge,  and  nowe  not  so  much 
as  his  petition  to  be  read  in  their  Court,  but  threatned  to 
put  out  his  freind  the  Solicitor  thereof  out  of  the  Court. 
These  and  no  other  comforts  can  wee  the  auncient  Aduen- 
turers  receaue  amongst  them  w'ch  wee  most  humbhe  be- 
seech yo'  Ma"*"  for  god's  cause  to  see  redressed. 

"  ffarther  yo"^  petitioner  most  humbly  bessecheth  yo"^ 
sacred  Ma*^^  to  be  pleased  to  enter  into  consideration  of  yo*^ 
owne  Royall  rights  therein,  and  to  give  order  to  the  right 


REPLY  TO  CHARGES  OF  CAPT.  80MER8.  57 

Hono^'®  the  Lords  of  yo'"  Highnes  Counsell  for  the  hear- 
inge  and  determinning  of  yd"  Ma^^  Rights  and  also  for  the 
releiuinge  of  yo''  poore  suppliant. 

"  And  he  shall  (as  in  duty  most  bounden)  euer  pray  for 
yo'  Ma*^  most  happie  and  prosperous  raigne. 

The  Company's  Answer. 

"  The  Answeare  of  the  Gouernour  and  Compayny  for 
the  Summer  Islands  assembled  in  a  Generall  Courte  to  the 
Petition  of  Mathew  Sommers,  prisoner  in  the  Kings 
Bench. 

"  The  sayde  Gouernour  and  Compagny  for  answeare  there- 
unto say : 

"  That  true  it  is  that  the  Companie  for  Virginia  at  theire 
owne  great  charges  furnished  and  sett  S""  Thomas  Gats 
and  S'  Geo.  Summers  K"^'  with  a  fleet  of  diuers  shipps  and 
some  hundreds  of  people  in  a  voyedge  to  Virginia,  of  w'^^ 
the  S""  Thomas  Gates  to  bee  Leiutenant  Gouernour  and  to 
hold  the  chiefe  place  of  Gouernment  in  the  absence  the 
Lo.  DeLawarre  then  Gouernour  of  Virginia  and  S^  Geo. 
Somers  to  be  Admirall. 

"  And  it  is  also  true  that  the  said  S""  Tho.  Gats  and  S" 
Geo.  Sumers  passing  both  in  one  shipp  were  forced  by  fowle 
weather  and  a  leake  in  their  shipp  to  run  her  up  upon  the 
rocks  of  the  Hands  then  called  Barmudaes  and  nowe  the 
Sumer  Hands. 

"firom  whence  hauinge  built  a  small  ship  and  pin- 
nace they  went  on  to  Virginia,  with  intent  send  a  shipp 
backe  to  the  said  Barmudaes  for  the  bringinge  of  hoggs 
from  thence  to  Virginia  (whereof  in  the  said  Barmudaes 
they  found    great  store,   and    in   the   meane   were   left 


58  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

behind   three   of  ye  Companies    men   upon   other   occa- 
sions then  in  ye   said   petition  is  mentioned.      It  being 
then  conceaued  that  the  said  Hands  laye  nearre  to  Vir- 
ginia then  afterwards  proued,  and  consequently  that  they 
belonged  unto  the  Companie  of  Virginia,  by  virtue  of  an 
originall  graunt  from  his  Ma*^' ;  w'ch  afterwards  appearing 
to  be  otherwise  they  were  humble  suitors  unto  his  Ma*^^  for 
an  enlargement  of  said  former  graunt,  whereby  the  said 
Bermudaes  might  be  conteyned  within  their  lymitts,  w'ch 
they  also  obtayned,  In  w'ch  meanetime  S'  Geo.  Sumers 
beinge  sent   backe  from  Virginia  to   the   Barmudaes  for 
transportinge  of  the  said  Hoggs  by  reason  it  was  conceaued 
that  those  Hands  lyinge  lowe  would  not  easily  be  found 
againe,  but  by  a  man  of  good  skill  in  all  passages  by  sea, 
such  as  was  S'  Geo.  Sumers.     It  pleased  God  that  there  he 
ended  his  days,  and  the  petitioner  Mathewe  Somers  Kins- 
man to  S'  Geo.  Sumers  but  not  his  heire  (contrary  to  the 
trust  and  intended  purpose  of  that  voyage)  instead  of  re- 
turning with  the  said  Hoggs  for  Virginia  perswaded  the 
marriners   to   come   away  for   England,  where   the   said 
Mathewe  Sumers  hath  euer  since  continued  for  ought  that 
the  Companie  knoweth  without  performance  of  any  the 
least  seruice  for  behoofe  of  either  Plantation.     The  Com- 
panie for  Virginia  hauinge  obtained  the  said  graunt  of  the 
Barmudaes  from  his  Ma^'^  and  findinge  it  very  conuenient 
for  a  strength  to  Virginia  to  be  planted  and  peopled,  beinge 
not  able  to  effect  the  same  at  their  comon  charge,  did  passe 
their  right  awaye  to  diners  principall  members  of  their 
Companie  undertakinge  for  the  plantinge  and  peopling  of 
the  same. 

"  And  afterwards  upon  surrender  of  the  said  graunt  unto 
the  Kinge  his  Ma*^''  was  pleased  under  his  great  scale  to 


THE  THREE  LEFT  AT  THE  BERMUDAS.  59 

graunt  the  said  Hands  unto  the  said  Undertakers,  and  to 
incorporate  them  by  the  name  of  ye  Companie  of  the  Citty 
of  London  for  ye  planting  of  the  said  Barmudaes  from 
thence  forward  to  be  called  by  the  name  of  ye  Sumers 
Hands  for  the  plantinge  and  peoplinge  whereof  the  said 
Companie  haue  dispended  of  their  owne  proper  goodes  to 
the  sume  of  one  hundred  thousand  marks  and  upwards. 

"  And  they  saye  further  yt  true  it  is,  that  the  said  3 
men  left  behinde  in  ye  said  Hands  as  aforesaid  hapened  to 
finde  one  Block  of  Ambergreece  of  a  verie  great  value, 
the  right  whereunto  was  granted  to  the  said  Companie  for 
the  Sumer  Hands  by  the  Companie  for  Virginia  at  whose 
charges,  and  in  whose  seruice  ye  said  three  men  were  sett 
out  and  employed,  notwithstanding  by  reason  of  underhand 
conueyance  away  of  the  said  Ambergreece,  the  said  Com- 
panie for  the  Sumer  Hands  neuer  recouered  aboue  one 
Third  part  of  ye  said  Block  of  Ambergreece,  the  entire 
value  whereof  they  are  not  able  to  declare,  by  reason  that 
the  then  Gouernour  of  the  said  Companie,  being  then  also 
their  Treasurer,  hath  hitherto  refused  to  deliuer  up  to  the 
said  Companie  an  account  of  their  Treasury.^  And  touch- 
ing the  third  part  of  the  said  Ambergreece  w'ch  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  Gouernour  of  the  Companie,  where- 
unto they  conceaue  they  had  a  just  and  lawfuU  title  they 
haue  notwithstanding  compounded  for  the  same  with  the 
finders  thereof  aforesaid,  so  as  none  of  them  haue  any 
cause  to  complaine  of  ye  said  Companie,  and  least  of  all 
the  said  Mathew  Sumers  who  had  no  interest  therein. 

"  And  as  for  the  said  petitioners  demand  of  ye  right  of 
ye  said  S*"  Geo:  Sumers  in  Virginia  for  his  pretended  Ad- 


1  Sir  Thomas  Smith. 


60  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

uenture,  being  farr  short  of  ye  some  sett  downe  in  ye  said 
petition,  ye  said  Company  saitli  ye  said  Mathew  Sumers 
beinge  not  right  heire  to  ye  said  S""  Geo.  Sumers  (as  was 
confessed  by  his  Sohcitor  one  Capt.  Bayhe  in  open  court) 
can  haue  no  just  pretence  to  the  same,  but  that  the  Com- 
panie  for  Virginia  haue  always  showed  themselues  verie 
wining  to  doe  all  right  to  the  true  heires  of  S'  Geo.  Sumers 
with  as  much  fauor  aud  assistance  as  they  may  reasonably 
desire.  And  although  the  said  Mathew  Sumers  haue  no 
just  cause  to  stile  himself  an  auncient  either  Aduenturer 
or  Planter  consideringe  his  short  aboad  there,  and  soddaine 
returne  without  license ;  And  the  said  Companie  for  Vir- 
ginia haue  bin  greatly  enraged  by  his  Solicitor,  ye  said 
Capt.  Bailey  whome  it  seemeth  nothing  can  satisfie  but  the 
dissolution  of  both  of  ye  Plantations,  yet  if  there  be  any 
thing  of  right  belonginge  unto  the  said  Mathewe  Somers, 
upon  notice  giuen  thereof  he  may  receaue  all  fitt  satisfac- 
tion. 

"  This  beinge  the  true  state  of  ye  matters  complayned  of 
in  ye  said  petition,  the  said  Gouernour  and  Companie  for- 
beare  to  make  answeare  to  a  multitude  of  other  particulari- 
ties therein  contayned :  The  same  being  either  friuolous  or 
void  of  all  colour  of  truth." 

Mr.  Farrar,  the  deputy  of  the  Company,  at  one  of  their 
meetings  thus  stated  the  reason  why  they  should  notice 
the  petition  of  Captain  Somers : 

"At  a  Virginia  Court  held  19th  of  June,  1622  your 
Deputy  signified  further  that  one  Capt.  Somers  in  a  peti- 
tion to  his  Ma'tie  had  entituled  his  Ma*'"  to  the  Sumer 
Hands,  and  120,000?  for  the  Ambergreece  that  was  there 


STAGE  ALLUSIONS.  61 

founde,  the  Answeare  thereunto  although  it  properly  be- 
longed to  the  Sumers  Hands  Company  because  the  Vir- 
gmia  Companie  was  in  the  petition  taxed  of  iniustice  and 
oppression,  he  thought  fitt  by  the  waye  to  signifie  unto 
them,  that  they  might  see  what  machination  were  sett  a 
foote  against  the  Plantation." 

Allusions  to  Virginia  on  the  Stage. 

The  exaggerated  stories  of  the  wealth  of  the  Bermudas 
sometimes  excited  the  smile  of  the  opponents  of  the  com- 
pany, and  in  the  plays  of  the  period  there  were  frequent 
allusions  to  Virginia.     At  the  Mask  of  the  Middle  Temple 
and  Lincoln  Inns  of  Court  performed  at  White  Hall  on 
15th  of  February,  1612-13,  in  honor  of  the  nuptials  of 
the   Palsgrave    and   Princess   Elizabeth,    and   written  by 
Chapman,  the  chief  maskers  were  in  Indian  habits,  "  with 
high  spriged  feathers  on  their  heads,  their  vezirds  of  olive 
collour,  hayre  black  and  lardge  waving  downe  to  their 
shoulders."      The  musicians  were  attired  hke  Virginian 
priests,  who  were  supposed  to  adore  the  sun,  and  therefore 
called  Phoebades.     On  the  stage  was  the  representation  of 
rocks  and  caves,  and  Plutus,  god  of  riches,  was  a  principal 
person  in  the  play.     The  following  speech  is  made  by  one 
named  Capriccio:     "With  this  dull  deity  Riches,  a  rich 
island  lying  in  the  South  Sea  called  Poeana,  being  for 
strength  and  riches  called  the  navill  of  that  South  Sea  is  by 
earth's  round  motion  moved  near  this  Brittan  shore,  in 
which  island  being  yet  in  command  of  the  Virginian  con- 
tinent,   a    troupe  of    the    noblest   Virginian    inhabiting 
attended  hither  the  God  of  Riches  all  tryumphantly  shining 
in  a  mine  of  gould.     For  hearing  of  the  most  royal  so- 


62  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

lemnity  of  these  sacred  nuptials,  they  crost  the  Ocean  in 
their  honour  and  are  here  arrived."  ^ 

In  the  course  of  the  play  Honor  and  Eunomia  allude  to 
the  Virginian  priests. 

Honor.  "  Plutus,  the  Princes  of  tlie  Virgine  land 
Whom  I  made  crosse  the  Britain  ocean 
To  this  most  famed  ile  of  all  the  world 
To  do  due  homage  to  the  sacred  nuptials 
Of  Law  and  Vertue  celebrated  here 
By  this  howre  of  the  holy  eve,  I  know 
Are  ready  to  perform  the  rights  they  owe." 

After  the  Virginian  princes  sing  they  are  addressed  by 

Etmomia.  "Virginian  Princes,  ye  must  now  renounce 
Your  superstitious  worship  of  the  Sun, 
Subject  to  cloudy  darknings  and  descents; 
And  of  your  sweet  devotions  turne  the  events 
To  this  our  Britain  Phoebus,  whose  bright  skie 
Enlightened  with  a  Christian  piety 
Is  never  subject  to  black  error's  night, 
And  hath  already  offer'd  Heaven's  true  light 
To  your  darke  region ;  which  acknowledge  now 
Descend,  and  to  him  all  your  homage  vow." 

In  the  Mask  of  Flowers,  by  the  gentlemen  of  Gray's 
Inn,  gotten  up  under  the  auspices  of  the  learned  Sir  Fran- 
cis Bacon,  performed  at  White  Hall  upon  Twelfth  Night, 
1613-14,  Silenus  challenges  Kawasha  and  asserts  that  wine 
is  more  worthy  than  tobacco.  Kewasha  rode  in  "on  a 
kowle-staff  covered  with  a  foot-cloth  of  pide  stuff  borne  upon 
two  Indians'  shoulders  attired  like  Floridans."    On  his  head 

1  Nichols's  Progresses^  etc.,  of  King  James,  vol.  II,  pp.  568,  574. 


TEE  MASK  OF  FLOWERS  63 

was  a  cap  of  red-cloth  of  gold,  from  his  ears  were  pend- 
ants, a  glass  chain  was  about  his  neck,  his  body  and  legs 
were  covered  with  olive  coloured  stuff,  in  his  hand  were  a 
bow  and  arrows,  and  "  the  bases,  of  tobacco  colored  stuff 
cut  like  tobacco  leaves."  ^ 

Silenus.  "Kawasha  comes  in  majestie 
Was  never  such  a  God  as  lie 
He's  come  from  a  farre  countrie 
To  make  our  nose  a  chimney. 

Kawasha.  "  The  Wine  takes  the  contrary  way 
To  get  into  the  hood ; 
But  good  Tobacco  makes  no  stay 
But  seizeth  where  it  should. 
More  incense  hath  burned  at 
Great  Kawashae's  foote 
Than  to  Silen  and  Bacchus  both, 
And  take  in  Jove  to  boote. 

Silenus.  "  The  Worthies  they  were  nine  'tis  true 
And  lately  Arthur's  Knights  I  knew 
But  now  are  come  up  Worthies  new 
The  roaring  boyes  Kawashae's  crew. 

Kawasha.  ''  Silenus  toppes  the  barrel,  but 
Tobacco  toppes  the  braine 
And  makes  the  vapours  fine  and  soote, 
That  man  revives  againe. 
Nothing  but  fumigation 
Doth  charm  away  ill  spirits, 
Kawasha  and  his  nation 
Found  out  these  holy  rites." 

To  such  lolays  the  Rev.  Mr.  Crashaw  seems  to  allude  in 
the  introductory  epistle  to  Whitaker's   Qood  Neices  from 


1  Niclwls,  II,  739,  740. 


64  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Virginia,  when  he  speaks  of  the  calumnies  against  the 
colony,  "  and  the  jests  of  prophane  players  and  other  syco- 
phants and  the  flouts  and  mockes  of  some  who  by  their 
age  and  profession  should  be  no  mockers,"  ^  and  Purchas, 
also  a  clergyman,  writes  : 

"  God  Almighty  prosper  that  the  word  may  goe  out  of 
Bermuda,  and  the  law  of  the  Lord  from  Virginia  to  a  true 
conversion  of  the  American  World  then  hitherto  Our 
Humorists  or  Spanish  insolence  have  intended."  ^ 

In  the  Daily  Prayer  appointed  for  the  plantation,  pub- 
lished in  1612  with  the  civil  and  martial  code,  and  perhaps 
composed  by  Rev.  William  Crashaw,  is  this  petition : 

"  And  wheras  we  haue  by  vndertaking  this  plantation 
vndergone  the  reproofs  of  the  base  world,  insomuch  as 
many  of  our  owne  brethren  laugh  vs  to  scorne,  0  Lord  we 
pray  thee  fortifie  vs  against  this  temptation :  let  Sanballat 
&  Tobias,  Papists  &  Players  and  such  other  Amonits  & 
Horonits  the  scum  &  dregs  of  the  earth,  let  the  mocke  such 
as  helpe  to  build  vp  the  wals  of  Jerusalem,  and  they  that 
be  filthy,  let  the  be  filthy  still." ' 

The  Lotteries. 

An  intimate  friend  of  Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  on  February 
12,  1611-12,  wrote  from  London :     "There  is  a  lottery  in 


1  An  allusion,  probably,  to  Lord  Bacon,  who  spent  much  money  in 
getting  up  the  3Iask  of  Flowers. 

2  Purchas,  vol.  V,  p.  834. 

3  This  language  is  also  used  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Reader  prefixed  to 
Hamor's  Relation,  published  in  1615. 


LOTTERIES  ESTABLISHED.  65 

hand  for  furthering  the  Virginia  voyage,  and  an  under 
company  erecting  for  the  trade  of  the  Bermudas,  which 
have  changed  their  name  twice  within  this  month,  being 
first  christened  Yirginiola  as  a  member  of  that  plantation, 
but  now  lately  resolved  to  be  called  the  Summer  Islands, 
as  well  in  respect  of  the  continued  temperate  air,  as  in 
remembrance  of  Sir  George  Summers  that  died  there."  ^ 

The  London  Company,  under  the  charter  of  1609,  had 
become  demoralized.  One-third  of  the  members  after  pay- 
ing their  first  installment  never  took  any  more  interest  in 
colonization,  another  third  refused  to  pay  their  pledges, 
and  the  burthen  of  the  transactions  fell  upon  the  re- 
mainder. Suits  were  commenced  by  the  Company  against 
those  "  whose  hands  were  not  so  ready  to  go  to  their  purses 
as  they  were  to  the  paper,"  and  to  relieve  them  still  further 
the  lottery  was  projected.^ 

Howes  remarks  :  "  The  Kings  Maiesty  in  speciall  fauour 
for  the  present  plantation  of  English  Collonies  in  Virginia, 

1  Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  vol.  I,  pp.  160,  161. 
■-  Oa  August  1,  1613,  Chamberlain  wrote  to  Carleton  as  follows : 
"  When  the  business  at  Virginia  was  at  the  highest,  in  that  heat  many 
gentlemen  and  others  were  drawn  by  persuasion  and  importunity  of 
friends  to  underwrite  their  names  for  the  adventurers ;  but  when  it  came 
to  pay,  especially  the  second  or  third  time,  their  hands  were  not  so  ready 
to  go  to  their  purses  as  they  were  to  the  paper,  and  in  the  end  flatly 
refused.  Whereupon  they  are  sued  by  the  Company  in  Chancery,  where 
this  action  finds  such  favour  that  they  have  ready  despatch,  and  the 
underwriters  are  forced  to  make  payment  which  amounts  to  a  round  sum 
between  £3000  and  £4000.  Among  the  rest  your  cousin  Will.  Lytton 
was  drawn  on  by  Sir  Walter  Cope,  with  persuasion  that  he  should  not 
need  to  adventure  any  thing  unless  he  list,  but  only  to  give  his  name  for 
encouragement  to  others  and  for  a  countenance  to  the  cause.  But  now  it 
comes  to  the  reckoning,  he  is  fain  to  disburse  £40,  and  his  friend  Sir 
Walter  connot  protect  him."  Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  I,  263. 
9 


66  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

graunted  a  liberall  Lottery,  in  which  was  contained  fine 
thousand  pound  in  prizes  certaine,  besides  rewardes  of 
casualty,  and  began  to  be  drawne,  in  a  new  built  house  at 
the  West  end  of  Pauls,  the  29  of  June,  1612.  Out  of 
which  Lottery,  for  want  of  filling  up  the. number  of  lots, 
there  were  then  taken  out  and  throwne  away,  three  score 
thousand  blankes  without  abating  of  any  one  prize ;  and 
by  the  twentieth  of  July  all  was  drawne  and  finished. 
This  Lottery  was  so  plainly  carried,  and  honestly  per- 
formed, that  it  gaue  full  satisfaction  to  all  persons,  Thomas 
Sharplisse  a  Taylor  of  London  had  the  chief  prize,  viz, 
foure  thousand  Crownes  in  fayre  plate,  which  was  sent  to 
his  house  in  very  stately  manner :  during  the  whole  time 
of  the  drawing  of  this  lottery,  there  were  alwayes  present 
diners  worshipfull  Knights  and  Esquires,  accompanied  with 
sundry  graue  discreete  Citizens."  ^ 

It  was  not  until  after  the  arrival  in  England  of  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  and  Captain  Samuel  Argall,  about  the  month 
of  June,  1614,  that  steps  were  taken  to  have  the  great 
standing  lottery.^ 

Early  in  1615  the  council  sent  to  the  mayor  and  alder- 
men of  Canterbury  a  true  declaration  of  the  state  of  the 
English  colony  in  Virginia,  with  a  project,  by  the  help  of 
a  lottery,  to  bring  that  work  to  the  success  desired,  and 
commended  "  that  worthy  and  Christian  enterprize  to  their 


1  Howe's  continuation  of  Stow's  CJironides,  p.  1002. 

2  Purchas,  IV,  1773. 

Cuncga,  the  Spanish  embassador,  wrote  to  Madrid  on  Sept.  22,  1612, 
that  there  was  a  lottery  on  foot  to  raise  20,000  ducats.  In  this  all  the 
livery  companies  adventured.  The  Glrocers  ventured  62?.  15s.  and  won  a 
silver  salt  and  cover  valued  at  13?.  10s.  See  Herbert's  Livery  Com- 
panies and  Gal.  State  Papers. 


DEBATE  IN  HOUSE  OF  COMMONS.  67 

care,"  and  asked  that  they  would  use  their  best  endeavors 
to  persuade  persons  of  abiUty  to  buy  tickets.  With  the 
letter  were  blank  books  from  the  treasurer  and  council  of 
Viro-inia  for  registering  the  sums  adventured,  which  were 
to  be  returned  with  the  money  collected.^  Smith  has  pre- 
served in  his  history  the  Company's  declaration  relative  to 
the  lottery.^ 

Debate  in  Parliament  on  Virginia  Affairs. 

The  third  charter  of  the  London  Company,  with  its 
privilege  of  a  lottery,  had  created  some  jealousy,  and  in  the 
parHament  of  1614  led  to  considerable  discussion.^  Sir 
Thomas  Smith,  a  member  of  the  House  of  Commons,  in 
a  debate  on  the  20th  of  April,  said  that  if  he  as  the  go- 
vernor of  the  Company  could  influence  the  members,  the 
patent  should  be  brought  in.  Sergeant  Montague  declared 
that  the  patent  was  against  law,  and  a  member  by  the 
name  of  Middleton  said : 

"  That  the  Company  were  willing  to  yield  up  their  pa- 
tent, that  it  had  not  been  their  intention  to  use  it  other- 
wise than  for  the  good  of  all  parties,  and  confessed  that 
there  had  been  some  miscarriages.  The  shopkeepers  of 
London  sent  over  all  kinds  of  goods,  for  which  they  re- 
ceived tobacco  instead  of  coin,  infinitely  to  the  prejudice 
of  the  Commonwealth.  Many  of  the  divines  now  smell 
of  tobacco  and  poor  men  spend  id.  of  their  days  wages  at 
night   in   smoke,  and   wished   that   this   patent  may  be 


1  Sainshuri/,  Cal.  State  Paj^ers,  p.  18. 

2  General  Eistorj/,  LondoUj  1632,  p.  117. 

3  House  of  Commons  Journal. 


68  VmOINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

damned,  and  an  act  of  Parliament  passed  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Colony  by  a  Company." 

After  considerable  discussion  it  was  ordered  by  the 
House  of  Commons  that  the  patent  should  be  brought  the 
next  day. 

On  the  12th  of  May  the  council  for  Virginia  presented 
a  petition  for  aid,  which  was  read,  and  the  next  Monday, 
at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  was  designated  as  the  time 
to  hear  the  case ;  but  on  the  16th  Mr.  Brooke  moved  that 
the  Virginia  business  should  be  taken  up  the  next  day  at 
seven  o'clock. 

On  the  17th  of  May  it  was  ordered  that  Lords  South- 
ampton, Shefl&eld,  and  others,  should  come  in  to  hear  the 
discussion  of  Virginia  affairs,  and  shall  sit  with  uncovered 
heads  until  otherwise  requested  by  the  Speaker.  It  was 
further  ordered  that  any  member  that  stood  in  the  entry 
should  pay  a  fine  of  12c?.  to  the  Sergeant-at-arms,  and  that 
there  should  be  great  silence  while  the  Lords  were  present. 

The  members  of  the  Virginia  Company,  with  their  law- 
yer, the  eminent  Richard  Martin,  then  entered,  followed 
by  the  Lords,  who  passed  within  the  bar  of  the  house  and 
stood  bare.  As  soon  as  Martin  was  ready  to  proceed  with 
his  argument  the  Speaker  addressed  the  Lords  and  said  it 
was  now  the  pleasure  of  the  house  that  they  should  sit 
down  and  be  covered.  The  argument  in  behalf  of  the 
company  then  commenced,  and  its  classic  language  and 
brilliant  imagery  was  worthy  of  the  speaker  who,  when  a 
student  at  Oxford,  had  been  distinguished.^ 


i  Richard  Martin  was  a  native  of  Otterton,  Devonshire.  He  was 
witty,  eloquent,  and  convivial,  as  well  as  an  able  jurist.  A  short  period 
before  his  death  was  recorder  of  London.     He  died  in  1618.     The  fol- 


SPEECH  OF  RICHARD  MARTIN.  69 

Speech  op  Martin,  the  Company's  Attorney. 

Martin  opened  with  a  tribute  to  Queen  Elizabeth  of 
gracious  memory,  who  had  by  her  enterprize  become  Lady 
of  the  Seas,  whole  fleets  stooping  before  the  red  cross  in 
her  flag,  and  had  encouraged  her  subjects  to  sail  in  every 
sea.  He  then  sketched  the  eflforts  of  Amidas  and  White 
to  plant  on  the  peninsulas  of  North  Carolina  under  the 
auspices  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  "  a  subject  of  envy  in  his 
greatness,  now  a  mirror  of  the  vanity  of  all  earthly  things." 

Next  he  mentioned  the  preliminary  steps  that  had  been 
taken  in  1606  to  plant  in  Virginia,  and  to  bring  the  na- 
tives to  the  knowledge  of  true  religion,  and  then  described 
the  various  voyages  from  the  first  under  Newport.  Vir- 
ginia, he  contended,  was  "a  bridle  for  the  Neapolitan 
courser,  if  our  youth  of  England  were  able  to  sit  him,  for 
which  they  would  find  their  golden  spurs."  Since  Lord  De- 
laware became  governor  it  had  become  a  settled  plantation, 
and  all  it  now  needed  was  the  fostering  care  of  England. 

He  then  argued  that  the  possession  of  Virginia  was  a 
just  conquest,  referring  to  the  course  of  the  Spaniards  in 
the  West  Indies,  and  Don  John  Daquila  in  Ireland,  and 
that  the  treatment  of  the  savages  had  been  considerate. 
To  the  objection  that  a  formal  settlement  of  the  country, 
backed  by  the  power  of  England,  might  lead  to  a  war  with 
Spain,  he  replied,  that  there  could  be  no  just  cause  for 


lowing  lines  form  part  of  an  eulogy  which  appeared  beneath  his  portrait 
engraved  in  1620  : 

"  Legumque  lingua,  lexque  dicendi  magis  : 
Anglorum  alumnus,  prseco  Virginias,  ac  parens." 

Granger,  vol.  II. 
For  a  sketch  of  Martin  see  Wood's  Aihenx  Oxonienses,  vol.  II,  p.  250. 


70  VntGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

offence.  The  country  was  theirs  by  discovery,  and  the 
name  given  by  their  queen,  and  should  be  defended  as  the 
Spaniards  defended  the  West  Indies,  the  Portuguese  the 
East  Indies,  and  the  Hollanders  their  forts  in  the  Moluc- 
cas. "What  Virginia  now  needed  was  honest  laborers  with 
their  wives  and  children,  and  moved  that  a  committee 
might  be  appointed  to  consider  the  means  of  securing 
them,  and  that  some  of  the  Company  might  be  present  at 
their  dehberations.  In  concluding  he  reminded  the  mem- 
bers how  Henry  the  Seventh  penuriously  turned  his  face 
from  Columbus  because  he  could  not  see  the  profit  that 
would  result  to  England  from  his  projected  discoveries,  and 
urged  them  not  to  pursue  a  similar  parsimonious  course 
toward  Virginia;  and  then,  forgetting  in  the  warmth  of 
oratory  that  he  was  not  a  member  of  the  House,  but  there 
simply  as  a  lawyer  in  behalf  of  the  Virginia  Company,  he 
transcended  the  limits  of  courtesy,  and  reproved  them  for 
wasting  so  much  time  upon  ma,tters  of  less  importance. 

Martin  arraigned  tor  Contempt. 

As  soon  as  Martin  concluded,  Sir  Roger  Owen,  member 
from  Shrewsbury,  moved  that  the  Treasurer  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Company  and  its  members  withdraw  themselves 
until  the  sentiments  of  the  speech  were  debated.  Sir  Ed- 
ward Montague  thought  that  the  speech  "  was  the  most 
unfitting  that  was  ever  spoken  in  the  house,"  and  Sir  E. 
Hoby  was  for  calling  him  to  the  bar.  Mr.  Duncombe  said 
he  patronized  "  as  a  schoolmaster  teaching  his  scholars." 

Sir  R.  Phillips  admitted  that  he  had  made  a  great  mis- 
take, but  that  the  intention  should  be  considered,  that  the 
Lords  had  no  hand  in  the  matter,  and  he  was  willing  that 
the  members  of  the  Virginia  Company  should  remain  in 


MARTIN  BEFORE  THE  HOUSE.  71 

the  House.  Sir  G.  Moore  felt  that  it  was  an  extraordinary 
step  to  admit  counsel  in  the  House  upon  the  hearing  of  a 
petition,  and  that  the  speech  was  still  more  strange.  It 
was  at  length  decided  that  he  should  be  brought  to  the  bar 
of  the  House  on  the  next  day,  and  that  after  a  charge  from 
the  Speaker,  he  should  make  his  submission. 

The  next  morning  he  was  brought  before  the  Speaker,  and 
offered  to  kneel.  Sir  Randall  Crew,  the  Speaker,  then  spoke  : 

"  He  had  done  himself  much  credit  by  offering  to  kneel. 
The  case  was  this  a  petition  relative  to  the  Virginia  Com- 
pany had  been  presented,  and  an  order  for  the  Council  to 
appear,  that  he  as  their  Attorney  had  represented  himself 
with  divers  Lords.  That  the  House  at  first  was  disposed 
to  listen  to  him  with  all  due  respect  and  love  j  that  the 
retrospect  of  the  Virginia  Plantation  was  acceptable,  for  it 
had  been  viewed  with  the  eyes  of  love.  But  afterwards 
he  had  impertinently  digressed,  for  it  was  not  his  place  to 
censure  and  advise.  The  House  had  therefore  brought  him 
before  them,  and  although  many  were  his  acquaintances, 
yet  now  all  looked  upon  him  with  the  eyes  of  judges,  and 
not  as  private  friends." 

Martin  confessed  in  substance  as  follows : 

"  All  men  liable  to  err,  and  he  particularly  so,  but  he 
was  not  in  love  with  error,  and  as  willing  as  any  man  to 
be  divorced  therefrom.  Admits  that  he  digressed  from  the 
subject;  that  he  was  like  a  ship  that  cutteth  the  cable  and 
putteth  to  sea,  for  he  cut  his  memory  and  trusted  to  his 
invention.  "Was  glad  to  be  an  example  to  others,  and  sub- 
mitted to  the  censure  not  with  a  dejected  countenance,  for 
there  is  comfort  in  acknowledging  an  error." 

Sir  Wm.  Maynard  was  glad  the  House  yesterday  incHned 


72  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

to  mercy  and  commended  the  carriage  and  answer  of  the 
person  at  the  bar.  Sir  R.  Phillips  then  moved  that  Martin 
be  called  before  the  house,  and  their  pleasure  signified. 

The  house,  although  feeling  that  their  dignity  had  been 
offended,  in  view  of  his  acknowledgment  discharged  him 
from  custody.  Martin,  before  leaving,  assured  them  it  was 
not  his  intention  to  be  high-handed,  thanked  them  for 
their  favor,  and  petitioned  that  "  they  would  fill  up  the 
measure  of  their  grace,"  and  appoint  a  committee  to  con- 
sider the  Virginia  business. 

Lorkin,  on  May  28th,  writing  from  London  to  Sir 
Thomas  Puckering  at  Madrid,  remarks : 

"  Not  many  days  since  Mr.  Martin  the  lawyer  presum- 
ing to  tax  the  House,  incurred  the  danger  of  a  severe  cen- 
sure, if  many  friends  accompanied  by  an  humble  submis- 
sion of  his  own,  had  not  the  more  powerfully  mediated  for 
him.  He  was  no  member  of  the  House,  but  entertained 
by  the  Virginia  Company  to  recommend  unto  the  House  a 
favourable  consideration  of  something  that  imported  that 
adventure.  Coming  therefore  to  speak  he  left  his  theme 
which  was  appointed  him,  and  began  to  reprove  the  House 
for  wasting  so  much  time  to  so  little  purpose ;  and  then  as 
if  he  had  more  brain  than  all,  undertook  to  become  their 
pedagogue,  and  to  instruct  them  (chiefly  the  younger  sort, 
whereof  there  is  some  number)  in  what  steps  they  ought 
to  tread,  and  in  what  order  they  are  to  proceed.  The  next 
day  he  was  called  to  the  bar  and  there  arraigned  for  pre- 
sumption; where  upon  the  earnest  mediation  of  many 
friends,  and  his  own  submissive  acknowledgment  upon  his 
knees,  he  was  pardoned  his  oflfence."  ^ 


Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  vol.  I,  p.  317. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


SIR    THOMAS    DALE. 


HOM  AS  DALE  had  always  been  a  soldier.  In  youth 
he  entered  the  army  of  the  Low  Countries  as  a 
private,  and  rose  to  a  position  of  honor.  Robert 
Cecil,  in  March,  1604,  wrote  to  Winwood,  Enghsh 
Ambassador  to  the  States,  that  King  James  wished  him  to 
"  take  notice  of  his  gracious  opinion  of  the  merit  of  Cap- 
tain Dale  both  for  having  been  a  valiant  and  long  servitor, 
and  having  for  the  most  part  rendred  them  upon  his  [own] 
charges,"^  and  in  June^  1606,  he  was  knighted  as  Sir 
Thomas  Dale  of  Surrey.  Soon  after  this  he  was  with  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  at  Oudwater  in  South  Holland.  The 
States-general  on  June  20,  1611,  which  was  about  one 
month  after  his  arrival  in  Virginia,  granted  to  Captain 
Thomas  Dale  a  leave  of  absence  for  three  years.^  His 
advent  in  the  colony  was  marked  by  a  determination  to 
promote  by  force  that  system,  industry,  and  frugality  which 
had  raised  up  out  of  the  marshes  of  Holland,  towns  which 
were  the  centres  of  commerce,  manufactures,  and  pro- 
sperity. 

His  imperiousness  soon  led  to  an  altercation,  and  pulling 
the  beard  of  Captain  Newport  he  threatened  to  hang  him 


1  Winwood  Memorials. 

2  N.  Y.  Col.  Doc,  vol.  I. 

10 


74  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

for  some  statement  relative  to  Sir  Thomas  Smith. ^  He 
was  very  anxious  that  the  king  should  give  a  more  hearty 
recognition  of  the  colony,  and  on  the  17tli  of  August, 
1611,  wrote  to  Cecil,  the  Earl  of  Salisbury  as  a  true  lover 
of  God  and  his  country,  to  advance  the  work  to  its  proper 
height,  and  send  such  laborers  "  as  may  take  off  the  film 
of  ignorance  and  simplicity  which  veils  the  eyes  of  these 
poor  wretches  from  looking  upon  their  own  beauty,"  He 
proposed  to  settle  several  plantations,  the  first  at  Point 
Comfort,  the  second  fifteen  miles  off  at  a  place  called  Dis- 
kiack,  the  third  at  Jamestown,  the  fourth  at  Arsahattocks, 
eighty  miles  up  the  river,  and  the  fifth  ten  miles  above. 
He  also  stated  that  the  three  hundred  disorderly  persons 
brought  with  him  are  "  so  profane,  so  riotous,  so  full  of 
mutiny  that  not  many  are  Christians  but  in  name,  their 
bodies  so  diseased  and  crazed  that  not  sixty  of  them  may 
be  employed,"  and  urged  that  two  thousand  able-bodied 
men  might  be  sent  by  the  king,  to  enable  him  to  build  on 
sure  foundations.^ 

Winwood  received  a  letter  from  London  on  the  29  th  of 
November,  which  said : 

"  The  Plantations  of  Ireland  and  Virginia  do  prosper- 
ously succeed.  Some  fear  is  dispersed  amongst  the  weaker 
sort,  of  some  foreign  attempts  on  these  places,  but  the  Na- 
tion doth  not  apprehend  it  as  *  *  *  neither  is  here, 
care  taken  to  supply  Sir  Thomas  Dale  with  the  2000  men 
which  he  demandeth."  ^ 


1  Sainsbur^,  State  Papers,  p.  68. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  11. 

3  Wimvood  Memorials,  III,  309. 


DALE'S  ADMINISTRATION.  75 

After  Gates  returned  to  England  on  business,  and  Dela- 
warr  on  account  of  sickness,  Dale  enlarged  the  laws  they 
had  proclaimed,  and  also  introduced  the  martial  code  con- 
tained in  the  thirty-two  articles  of  war  of  the  army  of  the 
Netherlands,  with  the  cognizance  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith, 
the  treasurer  of  the  company.^  Under  military  surveil- 
lance the  colonists  erected  houses  and  other  improvements 
at  the  new  settlement  of  Henrico,  but  few  paid  any  atten- 
tion to  husbandry.  Gates  resumed  command  after  Dale 
had  instituted  his  severe  course,  and  from  the  time  of  his 
arrival  with  three  ships,  three  carvills,  and  three  hundred 
persons,  in  1611,  until  he  went  back  to  England,  the  only 
ships  sent  over  were  the  John  and  Francis,  and  Sarah, 
with  few  men  and  less  victuals,  the  Treasurer,  with 
Capt.  Sam.  Argall  and  fifty  persons,  and  the  Elizabeth, 
with  thirteen  persons,  and  in  this  last  vessel  Gates,  in  the 


1  These  laws  were  published  in  1612,  with  a  preface  by  Strachey  and 
the  following  title  page  : 

roR 

The  Colony  in  Virginea 

BRITTANNIA 

Lavves  Diuine,  Morall  and 

Martially  &c. 

Alget  qui  non  Ardet. 

Res  nostre  suhinde  non  sunt,  quales  quis  opiaret, 
sed  quales  esse  possunt. 

Printed  at  London  for  Walter  Barre.     1612. 
This  code  was  reprinted  by  Force.     See  Historical  Tracts,  vol.  III. 


76  vmomLA  company  of  London. 

spring  of  1614,  sailed,  and  never  again  returned  to  Vir- 
ginia.^ 

Dale  was  now  once  more  governor.  During  the  summer 
his  leave  of  absence  from  the  army  of  the  Netherlands 
expired,  but  King  James,  on  the  19th  of  August,  addressed 
a  letter  to  the  States-general  to  continue  "  his  absence  for 
two  or  three  years  more,  in  order  that  he  may  complete 
the  work  so  well  begun,"  and  the  request  was  granted.^ 

After  Gates  left,  want,  scarcity  and  severity  developed 
a  mutinous  spirit  among  the  settlers,  and  six  were  exe- 
cuted. The  John  and  Francis  during  this  period  again 
arrived  with  twenty  persons,  and  the  Treasurer  with  the 
same  number. 

In  the  latter  vessel  Dale  and  party  left  Virginia,  Cap- 
tain Yeardley  remaining  in  charge  of  the  government. 
Early  in  June,  1616,  the  ship  anchored  at  Plymouth,  and 
Dale  immediately  wrote  to  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the 
king  that  he  had  safely  returned  from  the  hardest  task  he 
ever  undertook,  and  would  present  himself  with  the  great- 
est speed,  and  give  an  account  of  that  admirable  country, 
one  of  the  goodhest  and  richest  kingdoms  of  the  world, 
which  being  inhabited  by  the  king's  subjects,  "  will  put 
such  a  bit  into  our  ancient  enemies  mouth  as  will  cut  his 
haughtiness  of  monarchy."  ^ 

During  the  year  1617  he  was  sick  and  feeble,  and  re- 
mained in  England,  but  early  the  next  year  he  was  in 
Holland,  and  on  the  7th  of  February  the  States-general 


^  Sainshny,  pp.  G7,  68. 

2  N.  Y.  Col.  Jboc,  vol.  1. 

3  Sainshury^  State  Papers,  p.  17- 


DALE'S  ADMINISTRATION.  77 

granted  him  full  pay  for  the  whole  ^Deriod  of  his  absence.^ 
Soon  after  this  he  appears  to  have  been  under  a  cloud,  for 
Lake,  one  of  the  kmg's  secretaries,  in  a  dispatch  of  March 
26th  to  the  English  Ambassador  to  the  States,  says: 
"  Your  Lordship  wrote  to  me  of  late  of  a  fault  of  Sir 
Thomas  Dale,  which  his  Majesty  and  all  men  have  con- 
demned in  him."  ^ 

As  early  as  1614  he  had  forwarded  from  Virginia  £100 
to  be  invested  by  Sir  William  Throckmorton  in  the  East 
India  Company,^  and  in  January,  1618-19,  King  James 
commissioned  him  as  chief  commander  of  the  East  India 

fleet.* 

In  1619  he  has  a  naval  engagement  with  the  Dutch 
near  Bantam,  and  early  in  1620,  succumbing  to  the 
climate,  died.  He  was  twice  married,  and  Lady  Fanny, 
the  second,  was  cousin  of  the  first  wife.^  At  a  meeting  of 
the  Virginia  Company,  held  on  1621,  the  treasurer  signi- 
fied "  that  my  Ladie  Dale  late  the  wife  of  Sir  Thomas 
Dale  deceased  the  worthy  Knight  and  great  aduancer  of 
the  Virginia  accon  desired  a  patent  for  a  particular  planta- 
tion which  was  granted."  ^ 

Rev.  Alexander  Whitaker. 

With  Dale,  came  to  Virginia  the  Rev.  Alexander  Whit- 
aker, son  of  the   distinguished   Puritan,   Dr.   Whitaker, 


1  N.  Y.  Col.  Doc,  vol.  I. 

2  Garleton  Letters  and  Dispatches. 

3  Cal.  State  Papers,  East  India  Series. 

4  Ri/mer,  XVII,  56. 

5  Green's  State  Papers,  vol.  III. 

<5  Manuscript  Trans.,  vol.  I,  p.  240. 


78  VIRGINIA  COMPANT  OF  LONDON. 

Master  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge.  He  had  been 
settled  in  one  of  the  northern  counties  of  England,  was 
possessed  of  some  estate,  and  beloved  by  his  neighbors, 
but,  says  Crashaw,  "without  any  persuasion  (but  God's 
and  his  own  heart)  did  voluntarily  leaue  his  warme  nest " 
to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  heathen  of  America. 

In  the  year  1613  there  was  published  in  London  "  Good 
Newes  from  Virginia,  sent  to  the  Counsell  and  Company 
of  Virginia  resident  in  England.  From  Alexander  Whit- 
aker.  Minister  of  Henrico  in  Virginia,"  etc.  The  little 
treatise  is  an  earnest  appeal  in  behalf  of  the  colony,  as 
will  be  perceived  from  the  following  extracts : 

"  Wherefore  since  God  hath  opened  the  doore  of  Vir- 
ginia to  our  country  of  England,  wee  are  to  think  that 
God  hath  as  it  were  by  the  word  of  his  mouth  called  us 
to  bestow  our  several  charity  on  them.  And  that  this  may 
the  better  appeare  wee  haue  many  reasons  to  encourage  us 
to  be  hberall-minded  and  open-handed  toward  them. 

"  First.  If  we  consider  the  almost  miraculous  beginning 
and  continuance  of  this  plantation  wee  must  confess  that 
God  hath  opened  this  passage  unto  us  and  led  us  by  the 
hand  unto  the  work,  for  the  mariners  that  were  sent  hither 
first  to  discover  the  Bay  of  Chsesepeac  found  it  only  by  the 
meere  direction  of  God's  providence  for  I  heard  one  of 
them  confesse  that  even  then  when  they  were  entred 
within  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  they  deemed  the  place  they 
sought  for,  to  have  been  many  degrees  further.  The  find- 
ing was  not  so  strange,  but  the  continuing  and  upholding 
of  it  hath  bin  most  wonderfull.  I  may  fitly  compare  it  to 
the  growth  of  an  infant  which  hath  been  afflicted  from  its 
birth  with  some  grievous  sickness  that  many  times  no  hope 


REV.  ALEXANDER   WEITAKER.  79 

of  life  hath  remained,  and  yet  it  liveth  still.^  Againe  if 
there  were  nothing  else  to  encourage  us,  yet  this  one  thing 
may  stirr  us  up  to  go  on  cheerfully  with  it,  that  the  divill 
is  a  capital  enemy  against  it  and  continually  seeketh  to 
hinder  the  prosperitie  and  good  proceedings  of  it.  Yea 
hath  heretofore  so  far  prevailed  by  his  instruments,  the 
covetous  hearts  of  many  backsUding  adventurers  at  home, 
also  by  his  servants  here,  some  striving  for  superioritie, 
others  by  murmurings,  mutinies  and  plaine  treasons,  and 
others  by  fornication,  prophaneness,  idleness  and  such 
monstrous  sinnes." 

After  alluding  to  the  expeditions  of  Gates  and  Somers, 
and  the  providential  arrival  of  Lord  Delawarre,  he  con- 
tinues : 

"  Since  when  the  English  colony  hath  taken  better  root 
and  as  a  spreading  herbe  whose  top  hath  bin  often  cropped 
off  renews  her  growth  and  spreads  herself  more  gloriously 
than  before.  So  this  Plantation  which  the  divell  hath  so 
often  troden  downe  is  by  the  miraculous  blessing  of  God 
revived,  and  daily  groweth  to  more  happy  and  hopeful 
successe.  I  have  shut  up  many  things  in  few  words  and 
have  alleadged  this  only  to  prove  unto  us  that  the  finger 
of  God  hath  been  the  only  true  worker  heare ;  that  God 
first  showed  us  the  place,  God  first  called  us  hither;  and 
here  God  by  his  special  providence  hath  maintained  us. 
Wherefore  by  him  let  us  be  encouraged  to  try  our  helpmg 
hands  to  this  good  work,  yea  God's  work. 


80  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Indians,  naked  Slaves  op  the  Devil. 

"  Secondly,  let  the  miserable  condition  of  these  naked 
slaves  of  the  divell  move  you  to  compassion  toward  them. 
They  acknowledge  that  there  is  a  great  good  God  but 
know  him  not,  having  the  eyes  of  their  understanding  as 
yet  blinded,  wherefore  they  serve  the  divell  for  feare,  after 
a  most  base  manner,  sacrificing  sometimes  (as  I  have  heere 
heard)  their  owne  children  to  him.  I  have  sent  one  image 
of  their  god  to  the  Counsell  in  England  which  is  painted 
upon  one  side  of  a  toad  stoole,  much  like  unto  a  deformed 
monster.  Their  priests  whom  they  call  Quockosonghs  are 
no  other  but  such  as  our  English  witches  are.  They  live 
naked  in  bodie,  as  if  the  shame  of  their  mind  deserved  no 
covering.  Their  names  are  as  naked  as  their  bodies,  and 
they  esteem  it  a  vertue  to  lie,  deceive  and  steale  as  their 
master  the  divell  teacheth  them.  Much  more  might  be 
said  of  their  miserable  condition,  but  I  refer  to  the  par- 
ticular mention  of  these  things  to  some  other  season.  If 
this  bee  the  life  what  think  you  shall  become  of  them  after 
death,  but  to  be  partakers  with  the  divell  and  his  angels 
for  evermore. 

"  Wherefore  you  wealthy  men  of  the  world,  whose  bel- 
lies God  hath  filled  with  this  hidden  treasure,  trust  not  in 
uncertain  riches,  neither  cast  your  eyes  upon  them,  for 
riches  taketh  to  her  wings  as  an  eagle,  and  flieth  into 
Heaven.  But  bee  each  in  good  works  ready  to  distribute 
and  communicate.  How  shamefully  do  the  most  of  you 
either  miserably  detaine  or  wickedly  mispend  Gods  goods 
whereof  he  made  you  his  stewards  !  The  Prodigall  men 
of  our  land  make  hast  to  fling  away  God's  treasure  as  a 
generous  burthen  which  they  desire  to  be  eased  of     Some 


WHITAKER'S  PLAIN  SPEECH.  81 

make  no  scruple  at  it  to  spend  yearly  an  hundred  pounds, 
two,  three,  five  hundred  and  much  more  about  dogs, 
hawkes,  and  hounds  and  such  sports,  which  will  not  give 
five  hundred  pence  to  reliefe  of  God's  poor  members. 

"  Others  will  not  care  to  lose  two  or  three  thousand 
pound  in  a  night  at  cards  and  dice  and  yet  suffer  poor 
Lazarus  to  perish  in  the  street  for  want  of  their  charitable 
almes.  Yea  divers  will  hyer  gardens  at  great  rates,  and 
build  stately  houses  for  their  whores,  which  have  no  com- 
passion on  the  fatherless  and  widdowes.  How  much  better 
were  it  for  these  men  to  remember  the  affliction  of  Joseph, 
to  extend  the  bowels  of  their  compassion  to  the  poore,  the 
fatherless,  the  afflicted  and  the  like  than  to  mispend  that 
which  they  must  give  a  straite  account  of  at  the  day  of 
Judgment. 

'^Are  not  these  miserable  people  heare  better  than 
hawkes,  hounds,  whores  and  the  like  ?  "  ^ 


•  1  The  establishment  of  the  gospel  in  America  created  among  English 
Christians  pleasant  anticipations.  Sir  Wm.  Alexander,  secretary  of  state 
for  Scotland,  and  subsequently  proprietor  of  Nova  Scotia,  a  few  months 
after  the  appearance  of  Whitaker's  Good  News,  wrote,  in  a  poem  called 
Doomsday : 

"  In  this  last  age.  Time  doth  new  worlds  display. 
That  Christ  a  church,  o'er  all  the  Earth  may  have, 
His  righteousness  shall  barbarous  realms  away, 
If  their  first  love,  more  civil  lands  will  leave, 
America  to  Europe  may  succeed, 
God  may  of  stones  raise  up  to  Abram,  seed." 

Some  years  after  George  Herbert,  in  the  CJmrch  Militant,  expressed  a 
similar  thought : 

"  Religion  stands  tiptoe  in  our  land 
Ready  to  pass  to  the  American  strand." 
11 


82  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  records  are  so  silent  concern- 
ing this  good  man.  Without  authority  it  has  been  asserted 
that  he  married  Pocahontas  to  John  Kolfe.  The  only 
mention  of  him  that  we  have  found,  is  the  statement  of 
Argall,  in  1617,  that  he  had  been  drowned. 


And  again 


"  Then  shall  Keligion  to  America  flee ; 
They  have  their  time  of  Gospel,  e'en  as  we." 


- ■!> ■««wi»imMlll«»MMllMMlWHIIIH*ii *» 


P^ 

1 

^ 

CHAPTER  V. 

POCAHONTAS  AND   COMPANIONS. 

N  the  first  relation  of  the  colony  of  Virginia, 
pubhshed  in  1608,  and  attributed  to  Captain 
Smith,  Pocahontas  is  briefly  noticed  in  these 
words : 


"  Powhatan  understanding  we  detained  certain  saluages 
sent  his  daughter  a  child  of  tenne  yeares  old,  which  not 
only  for  feature,  countenance,  and  proportion  much  exceed- 
eth  any  of  the  rest  of  his  people  but  for  wit  and  spirit  the 
only  non-pareil  of  his  countrie." 

In  the  same  narrative  Smith  states  that  he  was  treated 
with  kindness  by  Powhatan,  who  wished  him  to  live  in 
his  village,  and  afterwards,  he  adds,  "  hee  sent  me  home 
with  4  men,  one  that  usually  carried  my  Gowne  and  Knap- 
sacke  after  me,  two  other  loded  with  bread,  and  one  to 
accompanie  me."  ^ 

In  1609  Smith  was  sent  to  England  to  answer  some  mis- 
demeanors, and  never  again  lived  in  Virginia ;  but  in  his 
General  Eistory,  published  more  than  fifteen  years  after- 
wards, he  transforms  Powhatan  to  a  savage  wretch  ready 
to  beat  out  his  brains,  until  "  Pocahontas  the  kmg's  dear- 
est daughter  got  his  head  into  her  arms,  and  laid  her  owne 


1  Deane's  edition  of  True  Relation,  p.  38. 


84  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

upon  his  to  saue  him  from  death,"  ^  which  statement  is  per- 
petuated in  a  sculpture  by  Capellano,  which  may  be  seen 
over  one  of  the  doors  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington. 


Girlhood  of  Pocahontas. 

WilUam  Strachey,  secretary  of  the  colony,  who  arrived 
with  Lord  Delawarre  in  1610,  gives  a  vivid  description  of 
Pocahontas.  He  remarks  that  "Both  men,  women  and 
children  have  their  severall  names ;  at  first  according  to 
the  several  humour  of  their  parents,  '''  ^'  '^''  and  so  the 
great  King  Powhatan  called  a  young  daughter  of  his, 
whome  he  loved  well,  Pochahuntas,  which  may  signifie  lit- 
tle wanton,  howbeyt  she  was  rightly  called  Amonate  at 
more  ripe  yeares."  ^ 

In  another  chapter  he  states :  "  Their  younger  women 
goe  not  shadowed  amongst  their  owne  companie  until  they 
be  nigh  eleaven  or  twelve  returnes  of  the  leafe  old  (for 
soe  they  accompt  and  bring  about  the  yeare,  calling  the 
fall  of  the  leafe  taquitock)  ;  nor  are  they  much  ashamed 
thereof,  and  therefore  would  the  before  remembered  Pocha- 
huntas a  well  featured  but  wanton  young  girle,  Powhatan's 
daughter,  sometymes  resorting  to  our  fort,  of  the  age  then 
of  eleven  or  twelve  yeares,  get  the  boyes  forth  with  her 
into  the  markett  place,  and  make  them  wheele,  falling  on 
their  hands,  turning  up  their  heeles  upwards,  whome  she 
would  follow  and  wheele  so  herself,  naked  as  she  was  all 
the  fort  over ;  but  being  once  twelve  yeares,  they  put  on  a 
kind  of  semecinctum  lethern  apron  (as  do  our  artificers  or 


1  Smith's  History,  folio,  1632,  p.  49. 

2  EaUuyt  Puh.  Soc,  vol.  VI,  p.  65. 


INTERMARRIAGE  OF  ENGLISH  AND  INDIANS.  85 

handycrafts  men)  before  their  bellies,  and  are  very  shame- 
fac't  to  be  seen  bare."  ^ 

On  another  page  the  same  writer  mentions  that  "  They 
often  reported  unto  us  that  Powhatan  had  then  lyving 
twenty  sonnes  and  ten  daughters  *  *  *  besides  young 
Pocohunta  a  daughter  of  his,  using  sometyme  to  our  fort 
in  tymes  past,  nowe  married  to  a  private  captaine  called 
Kocoum  some  two  yeares  since."  ^ 

During  the  year  1612  a  plan  seems  to  have  been 
arranged  among  the  principal  men  of  Virginia  of  inter- 
marrying the  English  with  the  natives,  and  of  obtaining 
the  recognition  of  Powhatan  and  those  allied  to  him  as 
members  of  a  fifth  kingdom,  with  certain  privileges. 
Cunega,  the  Spanish  ambassador  at  London,  on  September 
22,  1612,  writes:  "Although  some  suppose  the  planta- 
tion to  decrease,  he  is  credibly  informed  that  there  is  a 
determination  to  marry  some  of  the  people  that  go  over  to 
Virginians;  forty  or  fifty  are  already  so  married,  and 
English  women  intermingle  and  are  received  kindly  by 
the  natives.  A  zealous  minister  hath  been  wounded  for 
reprehending  it."  ^ 

In  July  of  this  year  the  bold  and  unscrupulous  Captain 
Argall  sailed  from  England,  and  arrived  on  the  17th  of 
September  at  Point  Comfort. 

Argall's  Account  op  the  Capture  op  Pocahontas. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1613,  to  employ  his  own  lan- 
guage, "  I  was  told  by  certaine  Indians  my  friends  that 


1  Halduyt  Puh.  Soc,  vol  VI,  p.  111. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  54. 

3  Sainshwi/.     Was  this  clergyman  Mr.  Buck  or  Mr.  Whitaker  ? 


86  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

the  great  Powhatan's  daughter  Pokahuntis  was  with  the 
great  King  Patowomek  whether  I  presently  repaired  re- 
solving to  possesse  myselfe  of  her  by  any  stratagem  that  I 
could  use  for  the  ransoming  of  so  many  Englishmen  as 
were  prisoners  with  Powhatan  as  also  to  get  such  armes 
and  tooles  as  he6  and  other  Indians  had  got  by  murther 
and  stealing  some  others  of  our  nation,  with  some  quantity 
of  corne  for  the  colonies  reliefe. 

"So  soone  as  I  came  to  anchor  before  the  towne  I 
manned  my  boate,  and  sent  on  shore  for  the  King  of  Pas- 
tancy  and  Ensigne  Swift  (whom  I  had  left  as  a  pledge  of 
our  loue  and  truce  the  voyage  before)  who  ]Dresently  came 
and  brought  my  pledge  with  him,  whom  after  I  had 
received,  I  brake  the  matters  to  this  King  and  told  him 
that  if  he  did  not  betray  Pokohuntis  into  my  hands,  wee 
would  be  no  longer  brothers  nor  friends.  He  alleaged  that 
if  hee  undertake  the  businesse,  then  Powhatan  would 
make  warres  upon  him  and  his  people,  but  upon  my 
promise  that  I  would  joyne  with  him  against  him,  he 
repaired  presently  to  his  brother  the  great  King  of  Patow- 
omeck,  who  being  made  acquainted  with  the  matter  called 
his  counsell  together  and  after  some  few  houres  delibera- 
tion concluded  rather  to  deliver  her  into  my  hands ;  so 
presently  he  betrayed  her  into  my  boat,  when  I  carried  her 
aboord  my  ship.  This  done  an  Indian  was  dispatched  to 
Powhatan  to  let  him  know  that  I  had  taken  his  daughter, 
and  if  he  would  send  home  the  Englishman  (who  he  de- 
teained  in  slaverie,  with  such  armes  and  tooles  as  the  In- 
dians had  gotten  and  stolne  and  also  a  great  quantity  of 
corne  that  then  he  should  have  his  daughter  restored, 
otherwise  not.  This  very  much  grieved  this  great  King, 
yet  without  delay  he  returned  the  messenger  with  this 


CAPTURE  OF  POCAHONTAS.  87 

answere  that  he  desired  me  to  use  his  daughter  well  and 
bring  my  ship  into  his  river  and  then  he  would  give  me 
my  demands,  which  being  performed  I  should  deliver  his 
daughter  and  we  should  be  friends. 

''■  Having  received  this  answer  I  presently  departed, 
being  the  13  of  Aprill  and  repayred  with  all  speed  to  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  to  know  of  him  upon  what  conditions  he 
would  conclude  the  peace,  and  what  he  would  demand  to 
whom  I  also  delivered  my  prisoner  towards  whose  ransome 
within  few  days  the  King  sent  home  seven  of  our  men 
who  seemed  to  be  very  joy  full  for  that  they  were  freed 
from  the  slavery  and  feare  of  cruell  murther  which  they 
daily  before  lived  in.  They  brought  also  three  peeces,  one 
broad  axe  and  a  long  whip-saw  and  one  canow  of  corne. 
I  being  quit  of  my  prisoner  went  forward  with  the  frigot 
which  I  had  left  at  Point  Comfort  and  furnished  her." 

John  Chamberlain,  writing  from  London  on  August  1, 
1613,  to  Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  says: 

"There  is  a* ship  come  from  Virginia  with  news  of  their 
well  doing  which  puts  some  life  into  that  action  that  be- 
fore was  almost  at  the  last  cast.  They  have  taken  the 
daughter  of  a  King  that  was  their  greatest  enemy  as  she 
was  going  feasting  upon  a  river  to  visit  certain  friends,  for 
whose  ransom  the  father  offers  whatsoever  in  his  power, 
and  to  become  their  friend,  and  to  bring  them  where  they 
shall  meet  with  a  gold  mine.  They  proposed  unto  him 
three  conditions,  to  deliver  all  the  English  fugitives,  to 
render  all  manner  of  arms  or  weapons  of  theirs  that  are 
come  to  his  hands,  and  to  give  them  three  hundred  quarters 
of  corne.     The  two  first  he  promised  readily,  and  promis- 


88  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

eth  the  other  at  the  harvest  if  his  daughter  may  be  well 
used  in  the  meantime."  ^ 

Ralph  Hamor,  Jr.,  for  a  time  secretary  of  the  colony,  and 
whose  father  was  a  member  of  the  Company  and  a  mer- 
chant tailor  of  London,  visited  England  in  1614,  and  the 
next  year  published  "A  true  discourse  of  the  present 
estate  of  Virginia  until  18th  of  June  1614." 

It  is  a  narrative  of  considerable  embellishment,  and 
bears  evidence  of  having  been  composed  for  the  purpose  of 
exciting  the  king  and  others  to  contribute  moneys  for  the 
use  of  the  colony.  He  expands  the  statement  of  Argall 
relative  to  the  capture  of  Pocahontas,  and  narrates  her 
alliance  with  John  Rolfe,  who,  with  a  white  wife,  came  to 
Virginia  in  1610,  and  whose  child  was  christened  at  Ber- 
muda by  Chaplain  Buck,^  the  witnesses  being  Secretary 
Strachey  and  Captain  Newport.  His  statement,  which 
follows,  was  condensed  by  Smith,  and  has  been  to  this  day 
repeated  by  historians. 

Hamor's  Account  of  the  Seizure. 

"  It  chanced  Powhatan's  delight  and  darling  his  daughter 
Pocahuntas  (whose  fame  hath  euen  bin  spred  in  England 
by  the  title  of  Nonparella  of  Virginia)  in  her  princely  pro- 
gresse  I  may  so  terme  it  took  some  pleasure  in  the  absence 
of  Capt.  Argal  to  be  among  her  friends  at  Pataomecke  (as 
it  seemeth  by  the  relation  I  had)  imploied  thither  as  shop 
keepers  to  a  fare,  to  exchange  some  of  her  father's  corn 


1  Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  I,  262,  263. 

2  Purchas,  IV,  1744. 


POCAHONTAS  BEGUILED.  80 

for  theirs,  where  residing  some  three  months  or  longer,  it 
fortuned  upon  occasion  either  of  promise  or  profit  Captaine 
Argal  to  arrive  there,  when  Pocahuntas  desirous  to  renue 
her  famiUaritie  with  the  English  and  delighting  to  see 
them  would  gladly  visit  us  as  she  did :  of  whom  no  sooner 
had  Captaine  Argal  intelligence,  but  he  delt  with  an  old 
friend  and  adopted  brother  of  his  lapazeus  how  and  by 
what  meanes  he  might  procure  hir  captiue,  assuring  him 
that  now  or  neuer  was  the  time  to  pleasure  him  if  he 
entended  indeed  that  loue  which  he  had  made  profession 
of,  that  in  ransome  of  hir  he  might  redeeme  some  of  our 
English  men  armes  now  in  the  possession  of  hir  Father 
promising  to  vse  her  curteously,  promised  his  best  in- 
deauours  and  secresie  to  accomplish  his  desire;  and  thus 
wrought  it,  making  his  wife  an  instrument  (which  sex 
haue  euer  bin  most  powerfull  in  beguiling  inticements)  to 
effect  his  plot  which  hee  had  thus  laid,  he  agreed  that 
himself,  his  wife  and  Pocahuntas  would  accompanie  his 
brother  [Argall]  to  the  water-side,  whether  come,  his  wife 
should  faine  a  great  and  longing  desire  to  goe  aboorde  and 
see  the  shippe,  which  being  there  three  or  foure  times 
before  she  had  never  scene,  and  should  bee  earnest  with 
her  husband  to  permit  her:  he  seemed  angry  with  her 
making  as  he  pretended,  so  vnnecessary  a  request  as 
especially  being  without  the  company  of  women,  which 
denial  she  taking  unkindly  must  faine  to  weepe  (as  who 
knowes  not  that  women  can  command  teares)  whereupon 
her  husband  seeming  to  pitty  those  counterfeit  teares  gave 
her  leave  to  goe  aboord,  so  that  it  would  please  Pocahuntas 
to  accompany  her :  now  was  the  greatest  labour  to  win  her, 
guilty  perhaps  of  her  father's  wrongs,  yet  by  her  earnest 
persuasions  she  assented :  so  forthwith  aboord  they  went, 
12 


90  vmomiA  company  of  London. 

the  best  clieere  that  could  be  made  was  seasonably  pro- 
vided, to  supper  they  went  merry  on  all  hands  especially 
lapazeus  and  his  wife  who  to  expres  their  joy  would  ere 
be  treading  upo  Capt.  Argal's  foot,  as  who  shall  say  'tis 
don,  she  is  your  own.  Supper  ended  Pocahuntas  was 
borne  in  the  gunner's  roome,  but  lapazeus  and  his  wife 
desired  to  have  some  conference  with  their  brother  which 
was  only  to  acquaynt  him  by  what  stratagem  they  had 
betraied  his  prisoner  as  I  have  already  related  :  after  which, 
discourse,  to  sleep  they  went,  Pocahuntas  mistrusting  their 
policy  was  first  up  and  hastened  lapazeus  to  be  gon. 
Capt.  Argal  having  secretly  well  rewarded  him  with  a 
small  copper  kettle  and  some  other  less  valuable  toies  so 
highly  by  him  esteemed  that  doubtless  he  would  have 
betraied  his  own  father  for  them,  permitted  both  him  and 
his  wife  to  return  but  told  him  that  for  divers  considera- 
tions *  *  *  he  would  reserve  Pocahuntas  whereat  she 
began  to  be  exceeding  pensive  and  discontented." 

Hamor  relates  that  she  was  taken  to  Jamestown,  and  a 
messenger  sent  to  Powhatan  with  the  terms  of  ransom, 
and  that  three  months  after  he  sent  word  that  if  his 
daughter  was  restored  he  would  give  satisfaction.  He  also 
stated  that  in  March,  1614,  Capt.  Argall's  ship,  and  others, 
carrying  Dale  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  besides  Po- 
cahontas, ascended  the  York  river  and  appeared  before 
Powhatan's  town  to  demand  an  entire  restoration  of 
Englishmen  and  stolen  property.    To  resume  his  language : 

John  Rolfe's  Proposal. 

"Long  before  this  time  a  gentleman  of  approved  be- 
haviour and  honest  carriage  Maister  John  Rolfe  had  been 


BOLFE  LOVES  POCAHONTAS.  91 

in  loue  with  Pocahuntas  and  she  with  him  which  thing  at 
the  instant  that  we  were  in  parlee  with  them,  myself  made 
knowne  to  Sir  Thomas  Dale  by  a  letter  from  him^  whereby 
he  intreated  his  aduise  and  furtherance  in  his  loue,  if  so  it 
seemed  fit  to  him  for  the  good  of  the  Plantation,  and  Po- 
cahuntas acquainted  her  brethren  therewith ;  which  reso- 
lution Sir  Thomas  Dale  well  approving  was  the  only  cause 
he  was  so  milde  amongst  them,  who  otherwise  would  not 
have  departed  the  river  without  other  conditions. 

"  The  bruite  of  this  pretended  marriage  came  soone  to 
Powhatan's  knowledge,  a  thing  acceptable  unto  him  as 
appeared  by  his  sudden  consent  thereunto,  who  some  ten 
dales  after  sent  an  old  Uncle  of  hirs  named  Opachisco  to 
give  her  as  his  deputy  in  the  Church  -^  and  two  of  her  sons 
to  see  the  marriage  solemnized  which  was  accordingly  done 
about  the  fift  of  April." 

An  account  is  given  by  Hamor  of  the  council  with  the  In- 
dians, at  the  "Chicohominie,  seven  miles  from  Jamestown," 
and  the  several  articles  of  the  treaty,  the  last  of  which 
provided  that  there  should  be  eight  chief  men  under  Sir 
Thomas  Dale,  each  of  which  was  to  receive  a  red  coat  or 
livery  from  the  King  yearly,  a  picture  of  his  majesty  on 
copper,  with  a  chain  to  hang  around  the  neck,  these  eight 


1  Why  Kolfe  should  not  have  talked  with  Dale  at  Jamestown  it  is 
difficult  to  conceive.  The  letter  referred  to  is  appended  to  the  narrative, 
and  makes  about  seven  printed  pages,  and  is  a  labored  treatise,  giving 
reasons  when  a  Christian  should  marry  a  heathen,  and  has  the  musty 
smell  of  the  dusty  study  of  a  London  divine,  rather  than  the  fragrance 
of  a  letter  written  by  a  man  in  love. 

2  All  narratives  are  silent  as  to  where  the  church  was,  and  the  name 
of  the  minister  who  read  the  marriage  service. 


92  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

to  be  known  as  King  James's  noblemen.     Toward  the  con- 
clusion of  the  narrative  is  the  following  statement : 

"  It  pleased  Sir  Thomas  Dale  (myself  being  much  de- 
sirous before  my  return  for  England  to  visit  Powhatan  and 
his  Court,  because  I  would  be  able  to  speak  somewhat 
thereof  by  mine  own  knowledge)  to  imploy  myself  and 
on  Thomas  Salvage  (who  had  lived  three  years  with  Pow- 
hatan, and  speaks  the  language  naturally  one  whom  Pow- 
hatan much  aifecteth,  upon  a  message  unto  him,  which 
was  to  deale  with  him  if  by  any  meanes  I  might  procure 
a  daughter  of  his  who  (Pocahuntas  being  already  in  pos- 
session) is  generally  re23uted  to  be  his  delight  and  darling 
and  surely  he  esteemeth  her  as  his  owne  soule,  for  a  sure 
pledge  of  peace." 

After  arriving  at  Powhatan's  town,  Hamor  delivered  the 
following  speech : 


Sir  Thomas  Dale's  Proposal. 

"Sir  Thomas  Dale,  your  brother,  the  principal  com- 
mander of  the  English  men  sends  you  greeting  of  loue  and 
peace  on  his  part  inviolable,  and  hath  in  testimonie  thereof 
by  me,  sent  you  a  worthie  present,  viz,  two  large  peeces  of 
copper,  fine  strings  of  white  and  blue  beades,  fiue  wooden 
combes,  ten  fish  hookes  and  a  pair  of  knives,  (all  which  I 
delivered  him  one  thing  after  another  that  he  might  have 
time  to  view  each  particular.)  He  wished  me  also  to  cer- 
tifie  you  that  when  you  pleased  to  send  men  he  would  give 
you  a  great  grindstone."  My  message  and  gift  pleased  him 
I  proceeded  thus. 


SISTER  OF  POCAHONTAS  93 

"  The  bruite  of  the  exquesite  perfection  of  your  youngest 
daughter  being  famous  through  all  your  territories,  hath 
come  to  the  hearing  of  your  Brother  Sir  Thomas  Dale 
who  for  this  purpose  hath  ordered  me  hither  to  intreate 
you  to  permit  her,  with  me  to  return  unto  him  partly  for 
the  desire  her  sister  hath  to  see  her,  of  whom  if  fame  hath 
not  bin  prodigall  as  like  enough  it  hath  not,  your  brother 
by  your  favour  would  gladly  make  his  neerest  companion 
wife  and  bedfellow  and  the  reason  hereof  is  being  now 
friendly  and  finally  united  together  and  made  one  people 
in  the  bond  of  loue,  he  would  make  a  naturall  union  be- 
tween us,  principally  because  himselfe  hath  taken  resolu- 
tion to  dwell  in  your  country  so  long  as  he  liveth,  and 
would  therefore  not  only  have  the  firmest  assurance  he 
may  of  perpetual  friendship  for  you  but  also  hartily  bind 
himself  hereunto." 

This  proposition  of  Dale  was  not  entertained,  for  Pow- 
hatan had  just  sold  his  daughter  for  a  wife,  to  an  Indian, 
for  two  bushels  of  Indian  beads.  Hamor  replied,  "  I  sup- 
pose he  might  restore  the  beads,"  and  bring  the  daughter 
back,  not  twelve  years  old,  to  gratify  Sir  Thomas  Dale, 
but  Powhatan  would  not  listen  to  the  dishonorable  pro- 
posal, and  in  a  few  weeks  Hamor  sailed  for  England.^ 


1  Sir  Thomas  Dale  was  twice  married,  and  Fanny,  the  last,  was  cousin 
of  his  first  wife.  At  the  time  of  this  proposal  his  wife  was  in  England. 
See  Greene's  Cal.  State  Papers,  and  Manuscript  Transactions  of  London 
Company. 


94  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

EoLFE  THE  Pioneer  Tobacco  Planter. 
Hamor  gives  great  credit  to  Rolfe  as  the  first  to  plant 
tobacco    in   Virginia,   a   fact   not   mentioned   in   modern 
histories. 

"  I  may  not  forget  the  gentleman  worthie  of  much  com- 
mendations, which  first  took  the  paines  to  make  triall 
thereof,  his  name  Mr.  John  Rolfe,  Anno  Domini  1612, 
partly  for  the  loue  he  hath  a  long  time  borne  unto  it,  and 
partly  to  raise  commodities  to  the  adventurers,  in  whose 
behalfe  I  intercede  and  vouchsafe  to  hold  my  testimony  in 
beleefe  that  during  the  time  of  his  aboade  there,  which 
draweth  neere  upon  sixe  years  no  man  hath  laboured  to 
his  power  there,  and  worthy  incouragement  unto  England, 
by  his  letters  than  he  hath  done,  witness  his  marriage  with 
Powhatan's  daughter  one  of  rude  education,  manners  bar- 
barous, and  cursed  generation  merely  for  the  good  and 
honor  of  the  Plantation." 

PtEv.  Alexander  Whitaker's  alleged  Letter. 

Appended  to  Hamor's  narrative  is  the  following  letter, 
dated  June  18,  1614,  and  alleged  to  have  been  written  by 
the  Rev.  Alexander  Whitaker,  and  addressed  to  a  cousin, 
a  London  clergyman : 

"  Sir,  the  Colony  here  is  much  better.  Sir  Thomas  Dale 
our  religious  and  valiant  Geuernour  hath  now  brought  that 
to  passe  which  never  before  could  be  effected.  For  vvarre 
upon  our  enemies  and  kind  usage  of  our  freinds,  he  hath 
brought  them  to  make  for  peace  of  us  which  is  made  and 
they  dare  not  breake. 


ALLEGED  LETTER  OF  WHITAKEB.  95 

"  But  that  which  is  best  one  Pocahuntas  or  Matoa  the 
daughter  of  Powhatan  is  married  to  an  honest  and  dis- 
creete  English  Gentleman  Maister  Rolfe  and  that  after  she 
had  openly  renounced  hex  country  Idolatry,  confessed  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  was  baptised,  which  thing  Sir 
Thomas  Dale  had  laboured  a  long  time  to  ground  in  her. 

"Yet  notwithstanding  are  the  vertuous  deeds  of  this 
worthy  Knight  much  debased  by  the  letters  which  some 
wicked  men  have  written  from  thence,  and  especially  by 
one  C.  L.  If  you  heare  any  condemne  this  noble  Knight, 
or  doe  feare  to  come  further  for  those  slanderous  letters 
you  may  upon  my  word  reprove  them.  You  know  that 
no  malefactors  can  abide  the  face  of  the  Judge,  but  them- 
selves seeming  to  be  reproved  doe  prosecute  with  all  hatred." 

Purchas  professes  to  give  the  same  letter,  but  the  con- 
clusion is  different,  and  adds  to  the  suspicion  that  the  let- 
ter is  fictitious. 

Conclusion  in  Bamor.  Conclusion  in  Purchas. 

"  Sir  Thomas  Dale  (with  whom  "  But  I  much  more  muse  that  so 

I  am)  is  a  man  of  great  knowledge  few  of  our  English  Ministers  that 

in  Divinitie  and  of  good  conscience,  were  so  hot  against  the  Surplis  and 

Every  Sabbath   day  wee  preach  in  subscription     come    hither    where 

the  forenoone,  and  chatechizc  in  the  neither  are  spoken  of. 

afternoone.       Every    Saturday    at  "  Doe   they  not   either  wilfully 

night   I    exercise   in    Sir   Thomas  hide  their  tallents  or  keepe  them- 

Dale's  house.     Our  church  affaires  selues  at  home  for  fear  of  loosing  a 

be  consulted  on  by  the  Minister  and  few  pleasures  ?     But  I  referre  them 

foure  of  the  most  religious  men.  to  the  ludge  of  all  hearts  and  to  the 

Once  every  month  wee  have  a  com-  King  that  shall  reward  euery  one 

munion,  and  once  a  year  a  solemn  according  to  the  gaine  of  his  talent, 

fast.  "  But  you,  my  cosen,  hold  fast  that 

"  For  me  though  my  promise  of  which  you  hauc,  and  I  though  my 


96  VntOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

three  years  service  to  my  country  promise  of  three  yeeres  seruice  to 
be  expired  yet  I  will  abide  in  my  my  countrey  be  expired  will  abide 
vocation  here,  until  I  be  lawfully  in  my  vocation  here  until  I  be  law- 
called  from  hence.  And  so  betak-  fully  called  from  hence.  And  so 
ing  us  all  unto  the  mercies  of  God  betaking  us  all  unto  the  mercies  of 
in  Christ  Jesus,  I  rest  for  ever."  God  in  Christ  Jesus  I  rest  for  euer." 


Pocahontas  and  Companions  in  England. 

Sir  Thomas  Dale,  leaving  the  affairs  of  the  colony  in 
the  hands  of  Deputy  Governor  George  Yeardley,  early  in 
June,  1616,  arrived  at  Plymouth  with  Pocahontas  and  a 
party  of  Indians,  and  on  the  20th  Lord  Carew  notices  the 
fact  in  these  words : 

"  Sir  Thomas  Dale  retourned  frome  Virginia,  he  hathe 
brought  divers  men  and  women  of  thatt  countrye  to  be 
educated  here,^  and  one  Rolffe  who  married  a  daughter  of 


1  Before  this  an  Indian  lad  had  been  sent  to  England  to  be  educated. 
From  the  Planter^ s  Plea,  published  in  London,  1630,  is  extracted  the 
following : 

"  Amongst  such  as  have  beene  brought  over  into  England  from  Vir- 
ginia was  one  Nanamack,  a  youth  sent  over  by  the  Lo:  Delaware  when 
he  was  Governor  there,  who  coming  over  and  living  here  a  yeare  or  two 
in  houses  where  hce  heard  not  much  of  religion  but  sins,  had  many 
times  examples  of  drinking,  swearing  and  like  evills  ran  as  he  was,  a  mere 
Pagan,  but  after  into  a  godly  family  was  strangely  altered,  grew  to  under- 
stand the  principles  of  religion,  learnd  to  reade,  delighted  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, Prayers  and  other  Christian  duties,  mournfully  bewailed  the  state 
of  Country,  especially  his  brethren  and  gave  such  testimonies  of  his  love 
to  the  truth,  that  he  was  thought  fit  to  be  baptized,  but  being  prevented 
by  death  left  behind  such  testimonies  of  his  desire  of  God's  favor,  that 
it  moved  such  godly  Christians  as  knew  him,,  to  conceive  well  of  his 
condition."     Page  53. 


POCAHONTAS  ATTENDS  A  PLAT.  97 

Pohetan  (the  barbarous   prince)  called  Pocahuntas  hath 
brought  his  wife  with  him  into  England."  ^ 

Among  those  who  came  with  Pocahontas  as  a  counsellor 
was  Tamocomo,  who  had  married  her  sister.  Purchas 
says :  "  With  this  savage  I  have  often  conversed  at  my 
good  friends  Master  Doctor  Gulstone  where  he  was  a  fre- 
quent guest  and  where  I  have  seen  him  sing  and  dance 
his  diabolical  measures." 

After  the  first  weeks  of  her  residence  in  England  she 
does  not  appear  to  be  spoken  of  as  the  wife  of  Rolfe  by 
the  letter  writers.  Rev.  Peter  Fontaine  asserts  that 
"  when  they  heard  that  Rolfe  had  married  Pocahontas,  it 
was  deliberated  in  Council,  whether  he  had  not  committed 
high  treason  by  so  doing,  that  is  marrying  an  Indian 
princess." " 

Christmas,  his  Mask,  by  Ben  Jonson,  was  played  at  court 
on  6th  of  January,  1616-17,  and  Pocahontas  and  Tamo- 
como were  both  present.  On  the  18th  of  this  month 
Chamberlain  writes  to  Sir  Dudley  Carleton  : " 

"  On  Twelfth  night  there  was  a  Masque  when  the  new 
made  Earl  [Buckingham]  and  the  Earl  of  Montgomery 
danced  with  the  Queen.  *  *  *  The  Virginian  woman 
Pocahuntas  with  her  father  counsellor  have  been  with  the 
King  and  graciously  used,  and  both  she  and  her  assistant 
were  pleased  at  the  Masque.  She  is  upon  her  return 
though  sore  against  her  will,  if  the  wind  would  about  to 
send  her  away." 


1  Camden  Soc.  Pub.,  No.  7G,  p.  3G.     Purchas,  IV,  1874. 

2  Meade,  I,  82. 

3  Nichols's  Progresses,  etc.,  of  K.  James,  vol.  Ill,  p.  243. 

13 


98  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

In  the  year  1616  the  distinguished  artist  Simon  De 
Passe  engraved  a  portrait,  small  quarto  size,  with  the  fol- 
lowing legend : 

"  Matoaka  als  Kebecka  Filia  Potentiss  Princ :  Powhatani 
Imp.  Virginise." 

And  beneath : 

"  Matoaks  als  Rebecka  daughter  to  the  mighty  Prince 
Powhatan,  Emperour  of  Attanoughkornouck  als  Virginia 
converted  and  baptized  in  the  Christian  faith,  and  wife  to 
the  wor^  Mr.  Joh :  Rolff.     M  21  A^  1616."  ^ 

Chamberlain,  in  a  letter  to  Carleton,  Ambassador  at  the 
Hague,  dated  March  29,  1617,  writes :  "  The  Virginian 
woman  whose  picture  I  sent  you,  died  this  last  week  at 
Gravesend,  as  she  was  returning  homeward."  ^  Her  boy 
named  Thomas,  probably  after  Dale,  was  left  in  England, 
and  the  father  of  the  child,  John  Rolfe,  having  been  ap- 
pointed secretary,  was  intimately  associated  with  the 
unscrupulous  Argall,  now  made  Governor  of  Virginia,  and 
arrived.  May  15th,  at  Point  Comfort.  The  Company,  on 
August  23,  1618,  wrote  to  the  latter  : 


1  Notes  and  Queries,  London,  2d  series,  vol.  VII,  p.  403. 

2  In  the  Parish  Register  of  Gravesend  is  this  entry  : 

*'  1616  May  2j  Rebecca  Wrothe 

wyff  of  Thomas  Wroth  gent 
a  Virginia  lady  borne,  here  was  buried 
in  ye  chauncell." 

Notes  and  Queries,  vol.  V,  p.  123,  3d  series. 


POCAHONTAS. 
See  Howe's  Historical  Collections  of  Virginia. 


100  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

"  We  cannot  imagine  why  you  should  give  us  warning 
that  Opechankano  and  the  natives  have  given  the  country 
to  Mr.  Kolfe's  child,  and  that  they  reserve  it  from, all 
others  till  he  comes  of  years  except  as  we  suppose  as  some 
do  here  report  it  to  be  a  device  of  your  own,  to  some  special 
purpose  for  yourself." 


Ben  Jonson  on  Pocahontas. 

The  extravagant  statements  of  John  Smith  in  the 
General  History,  first  pubhshed  in  1624,  called  forth  criti- 
cism, and  he  was  charged  with  having  written  too  much 
and  done  too  Httle.  In  the  preface  to  his  Travels  and  Ad- 
ventures, published  in  1629,  he  states  that  "they  have 
acted  my  fatal  tragedies  upon  the  stage,  and  racked  my 
relations  at  their  pleasure." 

Jonson  noticed  his  heroine,  Pocahontas,  in  the  Staple  of 
News,  first  played  in  1625.  The  following  dialogue  there 
occurs  between  Picklock  and  Pennyboy  Canter : 

Pick.  "  A  tavern's  as  unfit  too  for  a  princess. 
P.  Cant.  "  No,  I  have  known  a  Princess  and  a 

great  one, 

Come  forth  of  a  tavern. 
Pick.  "  Not  go  in  Sir,  though. 
P.  Cant.  "  She  must  go  in,  if  she  came  forth  : 

the  blessed 

Pokahontas,  as  the  historian  calls  her,i 

And  great  king's  daughter  of  Virginia, 

Hath  been  in  womb  of  tavern." 


1  Smith,  in  his  dedication  of  the  General  History  to  the  Duchess  of 
Richmond,  says : 

"  In  the  utmost  of  many  extremities  that  blessed  Pokahontas,  the  great 
King's  daughter  of  Virginia  oft  saved  my  life." 


ROLFE  INDEBTED  TO  LADY  DELAWARE.  101 

ROLFE   SUSPECTED   OF   UNFAIR   DEALING. 

The  minutes  of  the  Company  do  not  give  a  very  high 
opinion  of  Rolfe's  honesty. 

"April  30,  1621,  Sir  John  Daiiers  signified  that  it  was 
the  request  of  my  lady  Lawarre  unto  this  Courte,  that  in 
consideration  of  her  goods  remayning  in  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Rolfe  in  Virginia,  she  might  receaue  satisfaction  for  the 
same  out  of  his  tobacco  now  sent  home. 

"  But  forasmuch  as  it  is  supposed  the  said  tobacco  is 
none  of  the  said  Rolf's  but  belonged  to  Mr.  Peirce,  it  was 
thought  fitt  that  Mr.  Henry  Rolfe  should  acquaint  my 
lady  Lawarre  of  his  brother's  offer  (as  he  informes)  to 
make  her  La'p  good  and  faithfull  account  of  all  such  goods 
as  remayne  in  his  hands,  upon  her  La'ps  direction  to  that 
efiect." 

Three  months  later  there  is  an  entry  as  follows : 

"  July  10,  1621.  It  was  signified  that  the  Ladie  Lawarr 
desyred  the  court  would  please  to  graunt  her  a  comission 
dyrected  to  Sir  Fraunces  Wyatt,  Mr.  George  Sandys  and 
others  to  examine  and  certifie  what  goods  and  money  of 
her  late  husband's,  deceased,  came  to  the  hands  of  Mr. 

Rolfe and  to  require  the  attendinge  to  his  promise 

that  she  may  be  satisfied." 


Rolfe's  White  Wife  and  Children. 

During  the  year  1622  Rolfe  died,  leaving  a  wife  and 
children,  besides  the  child  he  had  by  Pocahontas.     The 


102  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

following  statement  appears  in  the  books  of  the  Company 
under  date  of  October  7,  1622  : 

"  Mr.  Henry  Rolfe  in  his  petition  desiringe  the  estate 
his  Brother  John  Rolfe  deceased,  left  in  Virginia  might  be 
enquired  out  and  conuerted  to  the  best  use  for  the  main- 
tenance of  his  Relict  wife  and  Children  and  for  his 
indempnity  hauing  brought  up  the  Child  his  said  Brother 
had  by  Powhatan's  daughter  w'ch  child  is  yet  liuinge  and 
in  his  custodie. 

"  It  was  ordered  that  the  Governor  and  Counsell  of  Vir- 
ginia should  cause  enquiries  be  made  what  lands  and  goods 
the  said  John  Rolfe  died  seized  of,  and  in  case  it  be  found 
the  said  Rolfe  made  no  will,  then  to  take  such  order  for 
the  petitioner's  indempnity,  and  for  the  mayntenance  of 
the  said  children  and  his  relict  wife  ^  as  they  shall  find  his 
estate  will  beare  (his  debt  unto  the  Companie  and  others 
beinge  first  satisfied)  and  to  return  unto  the  Companie 
here  an  Account  of  their  proceedings." 


Sick  Indian  Girl  in  England. 

The  Indian  girls  that  accompanied  Pocahontas  to  Eng- 
land, appear  from  the  minutes  to  have  been  a  care  and 
expense  to  the  Company.  Under  date  of  May  11,  1620, 
is  the  following  entry : 

"  The  Court  takinge  notice  from  S^  William  Throgmorton 
that  one  of  the  maydes  which  Sir  Thomas  Dale  brought 

1  If  the  mother  of  his  infant  Bermuda  Rolfe  was  dead,  then  this 
relict  wife  was  the  third  Mrs  Rolfe. 


81CK  INDIAN  OIBL.  103 

from  Virginia,  a  native  of  the  countrie,  who  sometimes 
dwelt  a  servant  with  a  mercer  in  Cheapside,  is  now  verie 
weake  of  a  consumption  at  Mr.  Cough's  in  the  Black 
Friers  ^  who  hath  greate  care,  and  taketh  great  paines  to 
comforte  her  both  in  soule  and  bodie,  wheruppon  for  her 
recoverie  the  compainy  are  agreed  to  be  att  the  charge  of 
of  XX^  a  weeke  for  two  moneths  (if  it  please  god  she  bee 
not  before  the  expiration  thereof  restored  or  dye  in  the 
mean  season,)  for  the  adminstring  of  Physick  and  cordialls 
for  her  health,  and  that  the  first  paym't  begin  this  day 
seavennight  because  Mr.  Threr  for  this  yeare  reported  his 
accompts  set  up. 

"  Sir  W.  Throgmorton  out  of  his  private  purse  for  the 
same  purpose  hath  promise  to  give  XL^  all  w'ch  monney 
is  ordered  to  be  paid  to  Mr.  Gough  through  the  good 
assurance  that  the  Company  hath  of  his  careful  man- 
aginge." 

The  minutes  also  refer  to  two  other  "  Virginia  maydes." 


1  Kev.  William  Gouge,  D.  D.,  is  evidently  the  person  meant.  He  was 
educated  at  Cambridge,  an  eminent  Puritan,  cousin  of  Kev.  Alexander 
Whitaker,  called  by  Bancroft  the  Apostle  of  Virginia,  and  was  noted  for 
active  benevolence,  as  well  as  for  scholarship  and  pulpit  oratory.  In 
1643  he  was  a  member  of  the  celebrated  Westminster  Assembly  of  Di- 
vines, and  frequently  occupied  the  moderator's  chair.  After  a  pastorate 
of  forty-five  years  at  Blackfriars,  London,  he  died  December  12,  1653, 
aged  seventy-nine.  When  oflFered  more  profitable  positions  he  always 
declined,  saying  that  "  his  highest  ambition  was  to  go  from  Blackfriars  to 
Heaven." 


104  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Companions  or  Pocahontas  sent  to  the  Bermudas. 

At  a  Quarter  Court,  on  the  15tli  of  November,  1620, 
"  There  were  appoynted  to  take  care  of  the  two  Virginia 
maydes  remaynninge  in  the  custodie  of  M"^  Webb  the  hus- 
band, viz  M'  Casewell,  M'  Roberts,  M'  Canninge  and  M"^ 
Webb  who  are  likewise  desyred  to  place  them  in  good 
servises  where  they  may  learne  some  trade  to  live  by  here- 
after for  w'ch  respect  y®  Company  hath  promised  to  bestowe 
somethinge  with  them. 

At  a  Preparative  Court  held  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
11th  of  June,  1621,  "  M""  Webb  moved  that  some  course 
might  be  taken  that  the  two  Indian  maydes  might  be  dis- 
posed of  to  free  the  Company  of  the  weeklie  charge  that 
now  they  are  att  for  the  keeping  of  them. 

"  Whereuppon  some  havinge  moved  that  they  might  be 
sent  to  y®  Somer  Hands  att  the  charge  of  this  Company  itt 
was  thought  fitt  rather  to  referr  itt  to  the  next  Court  to 
determyne  thereof" 

At  a  great  and  general  Quarter  Court  held  the  13  th  of 
June,  "  Itt  beinge  referred  to  this  Courte  to  dyrect  some 
course  for  the  dispose  of  two  Indian  maydes  havinge  byne 
a  longe  time  verie  chargeable  to  y^  Company  itt  is  now 
ordered  that  they  shall  be  furnished  and  sent  to  the  Sum- 
mer Hands  whyther  they  were  willinge  to  goe  with  our 
servants  ....  towards  their  preferm't  in  marriage  with 
such  as  shall  accept  of  them  with  that  meanes — with 
especiall  dyrection  to  the  Gouv'nor  and  Counsell  there  for 
the  carefull  bestowinge  of  them." 

Six  months  after  this  resolution,  upon  a  proposition  to 
bring  over  some  Indian  lads  to  be  educated.  Sir  Edwin 
Sandys  well  remarked : 


sow  OF  POCAHONTAS.  105 

"  Now  to  send  for  them  into  England  and  to  have  them 
educated  here,  he  found  upon  experience  of  those  brought 
by  Sir  Tho.  Dale,  might  be  far  from  the  Christian  work 
intended." 

A  few  weeks  after  the  Company's  resolution,  the  Indian 
girls  arrived  at  the  Somers  Islands  to  be  married,  "  that 
after  they  were  conuerted  and  had  children,  they  might  be 
sent  to  their  Countrey  and  kindred  to  ciuilize  them."  The 
following  year,  Smith  says,  "  the  mariage  of  one  of  the 
Virginia  maides  was  consummated  with  a  husband  fit  for 
her,  attended  with  more  then  one  hundred  guests,  and  all 
the  dainties  for  their  dinner  could  be  prouided."  ^ 

Thomas  Rolfe,  the  child  of  Pocahontas,  after  being  edu- 
cated, returned  to  Virginia,  and  his  application  to  the 
Virginia  authorities  in  1641,  to  go  to  the  Indian  country 
to  visit  Cleopatra,  his  mother's  sister,  is  on  record.^  The 
brilliant  but  eccentric  John  Randolph  of  Roanoke,  it  is 
said,  prided  himself  upon  his  descent  from  the  child  of 
Pocahontas.  Campbell,  in  his  History  of  Virginia,  states 
that  the  first  Randolph  that  came  to  the  James  River  was 
an  esteemed  and  industrious  mechanic,  and  that  one  of  his 
sons,  Richard,  grandfather  of  John  Randolph,  married 
Jane  Boiling,  the  great  grand-daughter  of  Pocahontas.^ 


1  General  History,  etc.,  London,  1632,  pp.  197,  198. 
~  Manuscript  Va.  Records  in  Library  of  Congress. 
3  Campbell's  History  of  Virginia,  1860,  pp.  424,  631. 


14 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ROLFE'S  RELATION   OF   THE   STATE   OF  VIRGINIA. 

FTER  Rolfe  returned  with  Sir  Thomas  Dale  to 
England,  a  Relation,  under  his  name,  was  writ- 
ten, and  addressed  to  the  King.  Purchas,  in  his 
Pilgrimage,  published  in  1617,  alludes  to  it  and 
quotes  therefrom.  The  manuscript  is  still  in  the  British 
Museum,  and  in  1839  the  Relation  was  first  printed  in  the 
Southern  Literary  Messenger,  published  at  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, from  a  copy  of  the  original. 

The  following  extracts  give  a  very  good  picture  of  the 
condition  of  the  colony  in  the  year  1616  :  ^ 

"  Now  that  your  highnes  may  with  the  more  ease  under- 
stand in  what  condition  the  colony  standeth,  I  have  briefly 
sett  downe  the  manner  of  all  men's  several  imployments, 
the  number  of  them,  and  the  several  places  of  their  aboad, 
which  lolaces  or  seates  are  all  our  owne  ground,  not  so 
much  by  conquest,  which  the  Indians  hold  a  just  and  law- 
full  title,  but  purchased  of  them  freely,  and  they  verie 
willingly  selling  it. 

"The  places  which  are  now  possessed  and  inhabited  are 

sixe. 


1  It  liad  been  our  intention  to  have  published  the  entire  relation,  but 
the  limits  assi2;ned  for  the  work  forbid. 


SETTLEMENTS  IN  161G.  107 

1.  Henrico  and  the  lymitts  \  Members  belonging  to  ye 

2.  Bermuda  Nether    1  tt     ^    j   iBermiida  Towne,  a  phice 

3.  West  and  Sherley  j  ^^^^^^^^^^f  so  called  there,  by  reason 

4.  James  Towne  /of  the   strength  of   the 

5.  Kequoughtan  \  situation,  were  it  indif- 

6.  Dales-Gift  /ferently  fortified. 

"  The  generall  mayne  body  of  the  planters  are  divided 
into 

1.  Officers. 

2.  Laborers. 

3.  Farmors. 

"  The  officers  have  the  charge  and  care  as  well  over  the 
farmors  as  laborers  generallie^— that  they  watch  and  ward 
for  their  preservacions ;  and  that  both  the  one  and  the 
other's  busines  may  be  daily  followed  to  the  performance 
of  those  imployments,  which  from  the  one  are  required, 
and  the  other  by  covenant  are  bound  unto.  These  ofiicers 
are  bound  to  maintayne  themselves  and  families  with  food 
and  rayment  by  their  owne  and  their  servants'  Industrie. 

"  The  laborers  are  of  two  sorts.  Some  employed  onely 
in  the  generall  works,  who  are  fedd  and  clothed  out  of  the 
store  — others,  specially  artificers,  as  smiths,  carpenters, 
shoemakers,  taylors,  tanners,  &c.,  doe  worke  in  their  pro- 
fessions for  the  colony,  and  maintayne  themselves  with 
food  and  apparrell,  having  time  lymitted  them  to  till  and 
manure  their  ground. 

The  farmors  live  at  most  ease  — yet  by  their  good 
endeavors  bring  yearlie  much  plentie  to  the  plantation. 
They  are  bound  by  covenant,  both  for  themselves  and 
servants,  to  maintaine  your  Ma' ties  right  and  title  in  that 
kingdom,  against  all  foreigne  and  domestique  enemies.  To 
watch  and  ward  in  the  townes  where  they  are  resident. 


108  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON.  ■ 

To  do  thirty-one  dayes  service  for  the  colony,  when  they 
shalbe  called  thereunto  —  yet  not  at  all  tymes,  but  when 
their  owne  busines  can  best  spare  them.  To  maintayne 
themselves  and  families  with  food  and  rayment  —  and 
every  farmor  to  pay  yearlie  into  the  magazine  for  himself 
and  every  man  servant,  two  barrells  and  a  half  a  piece  of 
their  best  Indian  wheate,  which  amounteth  to  twelve 
bushells  and  a  halfe  of  English  measure.  Thus  briefly 
have  I  sett  downe  every  man's  particular  imployment  and 
manner  of  living;  albeit,  lest  the  people — who  generallie 
are  bent  to  covett  after  gaine,  especially  having  tasted  of 
the  sweete  of  their  labors  —  should  spend  too  much  of 
their  tyme  and  labor  in  planting  tobacco,  knowne  to  them 
to  be  verie  vendible  in  England,  and  so  neglect  their  til- 
lage of  corne,  and  fall  into  want  thereof,  it  is  provided 
for  —  by  the  providence  and  care  of  Sir  Thomas  Dale  — 
that  no  farmor  or  other  —  who  must  maintayne  them- 
selves —  shall  plant  any  tobacco,  unless  he  shall  yearely 
manure,  set  and  maintayne  for  himself  and  every  man 
servant  two  acres  of  ground  with  corne,  which  doing  they 
may  plant  as  much  tobacco  as  they  will,  els  all  their 
tobacco  shalbe  forfeite  to  the  colony  —  by  which  meanes 
the  magazin  shall  yearely  be  sure  to  receave  their  rent  of 
corne ;  to  maintayne  those  who  are  fedd  thereout,  being 
but  a  few,  and  manie  others,  if  need  be ;  they  themselves 
will  be  well  stored  to  keepe  their  families  with  overplus, 
and  reape  tobacco  enough  to  buy  clothes  and  such  other 
necessaries  as  are  needeful  for  themselves  and  household. 
For  an  easie  laborer  will  keepe  and  tend  two  acres  of 
corne,  and  cure  a  good  store  of  tobacco  —  being  yet  the 
principall  commoditie  the  colony  for  the  present  yieldeth. 
For  which  as  for  other  commodities,  the  councell  and  com- 


DESCRIPTION  OF  UENRIGO.  109 

pany  for  Virginia  have  already  sent  a  ship  thither,  furn- 
ished with  all  manner  of  clothing,  household  stuff  and 
such  necessaries,  to  establish  a  magazin  there,  which  the 
people  shall  buy  at  easie  rates  for  their  commodities  —  they 
selling  them  at  such  prices  that  the  adventurers  may  be 
no  loosers.  This  magazine  shalbe  yearelie  supplied  to 
furnish  them,  if  they  will  endeavor,  by  their  labor,  to 
maintayne  it  —  which  wilbe  much  beneficiall  to  the 
planters  and  adventurers,  by  interchanging  their  commodi- 
ties, and  will  add  much  encouragement  to  them  and  others 
to  preserve  and  follow  the  action  with  a  constant  resolution 
to  uphold  the  same. 

"  The  people  which  inhabite  the  said  six  severall  places 
are  disposed  as  folio  weth  : 

"At  Henrico,  and  in  the  precincte,  (which  is  seated  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  ninety  odd  myles  from  the 
mouth  thereof,  and  within  fifteen  or  sixteen  myles  of  the 
falls  or  head  of  that  river,  being  our  farthest  habitation 
within  the  land,)  are  thirty-eight  men  and  boyes,  whereof 
twenty-two  are  farmors,  the  rest  officers  and  others,  all 
whom  maintayne  themselves  with  food  and  apparrell.  Of 
this  towne  one  Capten  Smaley  hath  the  command  in  the 
absence  of  capten  James  Davis.  Mr.  Wm.  Wickham 
minister  there,  who,  in  his  life  and  doctrine,  give  good 
examples  and  godly  instructions  to  the  people.^ 

"  At  Bermuda  Nether  Hundred,  (seated  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  crossing  it  and  going  by  land  five  myles 
lower  then  Henrico  by  water,)  are  one  hundred  and  nine- 
teen —  which  seate  conteyneth  a  good  circuite  of  ground  — 
the  river  running  round,  so  that  a  pale  cross  a  neck  of 


1  He  was  not  in  orders. 


110  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

land  from  one  parte  of  the  river  to .  the  other,  maketh  it  a 
peninsula.  The  houses  and  dwellings  of  the  people  are 
sett  round  about  by  the  river,  and  along  the  pale,  so  farr 
distant  one  from  the  other,  that  upon  anie  alarme,  they 
can  succor  and  second  one  the  other.  These  people  are 
injoyned  by  a  charter,  (being  incorporated  to  the  Bermuda 
toune,  which  is  made  a  corporacoun,)  to  effect  and  per- 
forme  such  duties  and  services  whereunto  they  are  bound 
for  a  certain  tyme,  and  then  to  have  their  freedome.  This 
corporacoun'  admitt  no  farmers,  unles  they  procure  of  the 
governor  some  of  the  colony  men  to  be  their  servants,  for 
whom  (being  no  members  of  the  corporacoun,)  they  are  to 
pay  rent  corne  as  other  farmers  of  this  kind  —  these  are 
about  seventeen.  Others  also  comprehend  in  the  said 
number  of  one  hundred  and  nineteen  there,  are  resident, 
who  labor  generallie  for  the  colonic  :  amongst  whom  some 
make  pitch  and  tarr,  potashes,  charcole  and  other  works 
and  are  maintayned  by  the  magazin  —  but  are  not  of  the 
corporacoun.  At  this  place  (for  the  most  part)  liveth  cap- 
ten  Yeardley  deputy  marshal  and  deputy  governor.  M"^ 
Alexander  Whitaker,  (sonne  to  the  reverend  and  famous 
divine,  D''  Whitaker,)  a  good  divine,  hath  the  ministerial 
charge  here.^ 

^^At  West  and  Sherley  Hundred  (seated  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  lower  than  the  Bermudas  three  or  four 
myles,)  are  twenty-five,  commanded  by  cap  ten  Maddeson  — 
who  are  imploycd  onely  in  planting  and  curing  tobacco, — 
with  the  profitt  thereof  to  clothe  themselves  and  all  those 
who  labor  about  the  generall  business. 

"  At  James  Toune  (seated  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 


1  Drowned  early  in  1617. 


JAMESTOWN  AND  KECOUGUTAN.  Ill 

from  West  and  Sherley  Hundred  lower  down  about  thirty- 
seven  myles)  are  fifty,  under  the  command  of  heutenant 
Sharpe,  in  the  absence  of  capten  Francis  West,  Esq., 
brother  to  the  right  ho'ble  the  L.  Lawarre, —  whereof 
thirty-one  are  farmors;  all  theis  maintayne  themselves 
with  food  and  rayment.  M'  Richard  Buck  minister  there — 
a  verie  good  preacher.^ 

"  At  Kequoughtan   (being  not  farr  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  thirty-seven  miles  below  James  Towne  on  the 
same  side,)  are  twenty  —  whereof  eleven  are  farmors ;  all 
those  maintayne  themselves  as  former.      Capten  George 
'yyjL.irO-  )  Wedd  commander  Mr.  Wm.  Mays  minister  there.^  / 

•^  "  At  Dales-Gift  (being  upon  the  sea,  neere  unto  Cape  ^ 
Charles,  about  thirty  myles  from  Kequoughtan,)  are  seven- 
teen, under  the  command  of  one  lieutenant  Cradock ;  all 
these  are  fedd  and  maintayned  by  the  colony.  Their  labor 
is  to  make  salt  and  catch  fish  at  the  two  seasons  afore- 
mentioned. 

"  So  the  nomber  of  ofiicers  and  laborers  are  two  hundred 
and  five.  The  farmors  81 ;  besides  women  and  children, 
in  everie  place  some  —  which  in  all  amounteth  to  three 
hundred  and  fifty-one  persons- — a  small  nomber  to  ad- 
vance so  great  a  worke. 

"  Theis  severall  places  are  not  thus  weakly  man'd  as 
capable  of  no  greater  nomber,  for  they  will. 


1  Rev.  Ricliard  Buck  arrived  with  Gates  and  Somers  in  1610.  He 
was  chaplain  of  the  first  legislature  that  met,  in  -uly,  1619,  at  James- 
town. He  died  about  1624,  leaving  several  sons,  one  of  whom,  Benoni, 
was  the  first  idiot  born  in  the  colony. 

-  Rev.  William  Mease,  the  first  minister  at  Hampton,  arrived  about 
1611,  and  after  ten  years'  residence  returned  to  England. 


112  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  The  nomber  of  neate  cattle,  horses  and  goates,  which 
were  alive  in  Virginia  at  Sir    Thomas  Dale's  departure 
thence : 
Cowes,  ^ 

Heifers,         1 83/ 
Cow  calves,  J      )  in  all   J 144. 
Steeres,  41 
Bulles,  20 

Memorand :   20  of  the  cowes  were  great  with  calfe  at  his 
departure. 

^'"''''  I   I  in  all  }  6. 

Mares,  3   j  i 

Goates,  ^ 

and     V  male  and  female,  in  all  }  216. 
Kidds,  J 

Hoggs,  wild  and  tame,  not  to  be  numbered. 

Poultry,  great  plenty. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


GOVERNOR  SAMUEL  ARGALL. 

ALE  having  returned  to  Holland  early  in  1617, 
Argall  was  appointed  to  succeed  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  affiiirs  in  Virginia,  and  after  the  death 
of  Pocahontas,  the  ship  in  which  he  sailed  left 
the  coast  of  England,  and  on  the  15th  of  May  anchored 
off  Point  Comfort  in  Virginia,  with  about  one  hundred 
persons.  In  a  few  days,  after  five  weeks'  passage.  Captain 
Martin  also  arrived  in  a  pinnace.  In  a  letter  from  James- 
town, dated  on  the  9th  of  June,  Argall  wrote  to  the  Com- 
pany tliat  he  had  sent  Tomakin,'  whose  wife  was  the  sister 
of  Pocahontas,  to  tell  Opachankano  of  his  arrival,  and 
stated  that  since  his  return,  this  Indian  "  railed  against 
England,  English  people,  and  particularly  his  best  friend 
Sir  Thomas  Dale." 

In  the  same  communication  he  mentioned  that  the  Rev. 
Alexander  Whitaker  had  been  drowned,  and  requested  Sir 
Dudley  Digges  to  obtain  from  the  Archbishop  a  permit  for 
Mr.  Wickham  to  administer  the  sacrament,  as  there  was 
no  other  person.  It  is  evident  that  the  Company  were 
willing  to  employ  ministers  not  in  orders,  for  in  the  fol- 
lowing March  Argall  again  "desires  ordination  for  Mr. 
Wickham,  and  Mr.  Macock  a  Cambridge  scholar  also  a 
person  to  read  to  Mr.  Wickham  his  eyes  being  weak." 


1  Also  spelled  Tamocomo. 
15 


114  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Ill  view  of  the  languishing  condition  of  the  colony,  in 
April,  1618,  the  Lord  Delaware,  the  Governor  General, 
was  dispatched  by  the  Company  in  the  ship  Neptune,  with 
two  hundred  men  and  supplies.  After  his  departure  the 
George  came  in  from  Virginia  with  such  complaints  of  the 
malfeasance  of  Argall  that  the  Company  forwarded  to  him 
the  following : 

Letter  of  the  Company  to  Deputy  Governor  Argall. 

Sr  :  Wee  receaved  your  letters  by  the  George  directed  to 
the  right  Hono^^^  Lords,  before  the  receipt  whereof  wee 
had  finished  ours  w'ch  wee  purposed  to  have  sent  to  you 
by  this  conueyance  without  expectinge  the  George's  com- 
inge,  but  by  the  unexpected  contents  of  yours  wee  are 
driuen  to  lay  aside  our  former  and  briefly  to  declare  our 
minds  in  this  wherein  wee  take  no  pleasure. 

"  You  know  howe  many  wayes  you  have  bin  proceedinge 
chargeable  to  the  Companie  not  of  late  onely,  but  formerly 
when  you  converted  the  fruits  of  their  expence  to  yo'"  owne 
benefitt  without  being  called  to  an  Account ;  they  have 
also  put  hono^^''  reputation  upon  yo''  person  and  presuminge 
of  yo""  wisdome  and  discrecon  they  made  you  Gouernor  to 
follow  their  Comission  and  Instruccons  w'ch  in  the  person  and 
protestation  of  an  honest  gentleman  you  undertooke  to  doe. 

"  And  therefore  it  is  verie  strange  to  us  to  see  you  so 
change  and  differ  from  yo""  selfe  w'ch  by  yo''  words  and 
deeds,  being  the  testimony  of  yo'  minde  wee  do  sensibly 
see  and  feele  and  in  perticuler  you  intimate  first  unto  us, 
that  you  hold  yourself  disparaged  in  that  we  sent  you  our 
last  I'res  subscribed  with  so  fewe  hands,  y*  wee  termed  you 
but  Deputy  Governor,  and  that  we  should  think  our  Cape- 


CHARGES  AGAINST  ARGALL.  115 

marchant  a  fitt  man  to  deliver  our  I'res  to  your  hands,  you 
heape  up  also  many  unjust  accusations  against  us  and  the 
Magazine,  nourishinge  thereby  instead  of  pacifyinge  y" 
malcontented  humors  of  such  as  seek  to  bring  all  to  con- 
fusion, and  to  overthrowe  which  is  sealed  upon  wise  and 
■  equall  termes  to  be  props  of  the  Plantation  there,  and  the 
life  of  the  Aduenturers  here,  w'ch  both  undoubtedly  must 
stand  and  fall  together.  But  we  shall  easily  put  by  all 
such  yo"*  weake  imputacons  when  time  shall  serve  to 
debate  the  particulers,  and  when  we  feare  yo''  selfe  will  not 
be  able  to  answeare  yo''  owne  Actions,  yea  yo""  owne  I'res 
dated  at  James  Towne  in  March  1617  shall  justifie  us  in 
some  of  these  particulars  too  change  the  magazine  wherein 
you  are  contrarie  to  yo""  selfe. 

"Tobacco  and  sassafras  onely  for  wise  causes  are  re- 
strained at  reasonable  rates  to  the  magazine,  and  you 
beinge  Gouernor  restraine  no  man,  but  passengers  and 
marriners  bringe  the  greatest  part  of  tobacco  and  all  the 
sassafrass  for  themselves. 

^  "  It  is  laid  unto  yo""  charge  that  you  appropriate  the  In- 
dian trade  to  yo^  selfe,  you  use  our  ffrigott  that  came  from 
the  Somer  Hands  and  the  other  with  our  men  to  trade  for 
yo'-  owne  benefitt,  you  proclaime  in  the  Colony  that  no  man 
shall  trade  with  the  Indians,  nor  any  buy  any  ffurs  but 
yo""  selfe.  It  is  also  certified  that  you  take  the  ancient 
Planters  of  the  Colony  w'ch  ought  to  be  free  and  likewise 
those  from  the  comon  garden  to  sett  them  upon  yo""  owne 
imployments,  and  that  you  spend  up  our  store  corne  to 
feede  yo"-  owne  men  as  if  y°  Plantacon  were  onely  intended 
to  serve  yo'  turne. 

"  Wee  cannot  imagine"  why  you  should  giue  us  warninge 
y'  Opachankano,  and  the  Natiues  have  given  their  coun- 


116  VIROINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

try  to  M''  Rolfe's  child  and  that  they  will  reserve  it  from 
all  others  till  he  comes  of  yeares  except  as  we  suppose  as 
some  do  here  report  it  to  be  a  deuise  of  yo'  owne  to  some 
especcial  purpose  for  yo'^  selfe,  but  whither  yours  or  thers, 
wee  shall  little  esteeme  of  any  such  consequence. 

"  You  say  you  have  disposed  of  all  our  kine  accordinge 
to  our  Comission.  It  seemeth  you  neuer  looke  upon  our 
Instruments,  wee  gaue  you  no  such  Comission  but  the  con- 
trary in  expresse  words,  as  that  you  should  preserue  and 
nourish  them  to  y°  common  use,  only  a  few  w'ch  wee  had 
disposed  whereof  we  sent  you  the  p'ticulers ;  wee  thought 
it  impossible  when  we  made  you  Gouernor  y*  euer  you 
should  offer  us  this  kinde  of  dealinge,  not  once  to  mean 
how  many,  to  whome,  nor  for  what  consideration,  but  to 
do  them  all  away  of  yo'  owne  head,  to  take  satisfaccon  to 
yo'^  selfe,  wee  must  let  you  knowe  wee  allowe  of  no  such 
sale,  nor  of  the  deliuery  of  any  one  cowe  by  you  further 
than  yo''  Instruments  do  expressly  warrant. 

"  But  answerable  to  this  and  the  rest  you  have  also  delt 
with  us  for  the  Hyds  about  w'ch  it  is  well  knowne  yo'' 
selfe  what  trouble  we  had  with  the  L.  Admirall  and  Spanish 
Ambassadour,  and  how  dearly  they  cost  us,  and  we  know 
how  much  it  would  haue  imported  us  to  haue  had  them 
gone  by  this  shipp  as  well  for  the  reputacon  of  our  returne 
as  alsoe  for  helpinge  to  defray  the  great  chardge  of  the 
voyidge,  notwithstanding  they  very  fayrly  demanded  of 
you,  it  hath  pleased  you  there  to  stay  them  in  your  owne 
Custody  and  to  suffer  this  shipp  to  come  home  with  other 
mens  goods  and  not  vouchsafing  to  mention  the  Hyds  in 
your  general  letter  but  in  this  manner  ;  That  being  made 
Admirall  you  know  how  to  dispose  of  unlawfull  purchase, 
and  by  this  we  must  understand  the  Hyds  to  be  yours  as 


LETTER   TO  LOUD  DELAWARE.  117 

for  the  debts  and  wages  w'cli  you  say  you  have  payde  for 
us  wee  maruell  you  doe  not  send  us  a  noate  of  the  partic- 
ulars, for  to  our  knowledge  we  are  not  in  y^  kinde  indebted 
to  any  man,  if  there  be  any  such  matter,  or  that  you  haue 
prouided  any  stuff  for  the  CoUedge  as  you  writt  yett  you 
must  not  imagine  that  wee  are  so  insencible  of  reason  as 
to  suffer  either  of  those  to  bee  a  cloake  for  you  to  detayne 
our  hyds  or  to  convey  away  all  our  Catle  and  Corne,  either 
you  must  think  highly  of  yo''  selfe  or  very  meanely  of  us, 
in  y*  being  our  substitute  you  will  presume  to  offer  us  these 
wrongs,  and  to  suppose  you  may  doe  what  you  list  in  such 
a  publique  cause  without  being  called  to  accompt,  we  haue 
therefore  determined  of  a  course  and  wee  haue  written  to 
the  Lord  Gouernour,  w'ch  we  doubt  not  but  his  Lor'p  will 
impart  unto  you  and  soe  wee  rest. 

"  Your  very  louing  freinds 
"  London  22  August  1618.         "  Thomas  Smith 

"  Lionel  Cranfield 
"  John  Dauer 
"  John  Wolstenholme 
"Robert  Johnson." 

Unaware  of  the  death  of  Delaware  on  the  voyage,  they 
also  wrote  to  him  the  following : 

The  Virginia  Company  to  Lord  Delaware. 

"  Wee  are  now  enforced  to  write  unto  your  Lo'p :  of  im- 
portant matter  of  another  nature  which  is  touching  Mr. 
Samuel  Argall  whom  we  made  Governor  in  your  Lord'ps 
absence.  Wee  make  noe  doubte  but  he  has  deliuered  the 
Gouernment  with  an  accompt  of  his  doings  into  your  Lo'ps 


118  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

hands.  Wee  have  receiued  from  him  by  the  George  a 
very  strange  letter  which  together  with  those  Informations 
we  haue  against  him  by  sundry  witnesses  lately  come  from^ 
thence  doe  importe  more  discontent  in  the  Aduenturers 
heare,  and  more  hazard  to  the  Plantation  than  euer  did 
any  other  thing  y^  befel  that  Action  from  the  beginning. 
He's  discontent  that  wee  subscribed  our  Letter  sent  unto 
him  with  few  hands,  our  terming  him  to  bee  but  Deputy 
Gouernour,  hee  disdayning  to  bee  Deputy  to  any  man,  our 
letters  to  bee  delivered  unto  him  by  soe  meane  a  man  as 
the  Cape  Merchant,  with  many  such  like  which  we  pass 
ouer. 

"  And  breifly  wee  must  complayne  to  your  Lo'p  of  his 
neglecting  and  transgressing  our  Commission  and  Instruc- 
tions ;  first  hee  hath  made  away  all  the  Kyne  belonging 
to  the  Collony  and  taken  satisfaction  for  them  to  himselfe, 
whereas  wee  gaue  him  express  chardge  in  his  Instructions 
to  preserue  and  nourish  them  to  the  Common  use  except 
some  few  which  wee  had  disposed,  whereof  wee  writ  him 
in  particular.  Hee  has  suffered  passengers,  mariners  and 
others  w^^'out  restraynte  to  shipp  most  of  the  Tobacco  and 
all  the  Sassafrass  for  themselves,  which  by  order  of  Courte 
at  certayne  rates  agreed  upon  are  appro23riated  to  the 
magazine.  Hee  armes  himselfe  and  others  w^"^  uniust  accu- 
sations agaynst  us  to  overthrow  the  magazine,  without 
w'ch  wee  know  assuredly  y*  neither  the  Aduenturers  heare, 
nor, the  Plantation  there  can  long  subsist. 

"  He  hath  gotten  possession  and  keepeth  back  our  Hyds 
under  pretence  of  being  Admirall  w'ch  cost  our  joynt  stock 
well  neare  400"',  with  a  great  deale  of  toyle  and  trouble 
before  wee  could  obtaine  them,  with  his  obstinate  refusall 
to  deliver  them  hee  hath  done  us  soe  greate  displeasure  at 


ARGALL   TO  BE  SENT  TO   ENGLAND.  119 

the  returne  of  this  ship  that  he  could  not  haue  watched  to 
haue  done  us  a  greater. 

"  Hee  hath  forbidden  all  trade  and  commerce  with  the 
Indians  but  trades  amongst  them  with  the  Summer  Island 
Frigott,  and  our  men  to  his  owne  benefitt.  Hee  takes  the 
auncient  Collony  men  which  should  now  bee  free,  and  our  ( 
men  from  the  Common  Garden  to  sett  them  aboute  his 
own  imployment,  and  with  the  Collony's  share  of  Corne 
feeds  his  men,  hee  Proclaymes  that  noe  man  shall  dare  to 
buy  any  Furr  of  the  Indians  but  himself  as  if  the  Planta- 
tion and  People  were  ordayned  onely  to  serue  his  turne. 

"  These  and  soe  many  like  errours  of  his  are  layde  to 
his  charge  for  which  the  Aduenturers  heere  will  noe  way 
be  satisfyd  without  his  personal  appearance  to  make  his 
Answeare  and  they  are  hardly  restrayned  notwithstanding 
the  Kings  Court  in  progress  from  going  to  the  Court  to 
make  there  complaynte  and  to  procure  his  Ma't's  command 
to  fetch  him  home  and  therefore  pray  your  Lor'p  to  the 
avoyding  of  further  scandall  and  slaunders  to  the  Gouern- 
ment  of  our  Plantation  y^  you  will  cause  him  to  be  shipped 
home  in  this  ship  the  William  and  Thomas  to  satisfy  the   / 
Aduenturers  by  answearing  everything  as  shall  be  layde  to  f 
his  chardge,  and  for  y*  wee  suppose  there  will  be  found 
many  misdemeanors  of  his  for  w'ch  hee  may  make  satis- 
faction to  the  Company  we  pray  your  Lor'p  to  ceaze  uppon 
his  goods^  as  Tobacko  and  Furrs,  whereof  it  is  reported  he 
hath  gotten  together  great  stoare  to  the  Colonies  prejudice, 
and  so  sending  them  to  us  to  be  in  deposite  till  all  matters 
be  satisfyd  and  y*  your  Lo'p  would  be  pleased  to  take  back 
agayne  those  kyne  and  Bullocks  w'ch  by  his  unlawfull  sale 
are  despersed  heare  and  there,  and  y*  they  may  bee  brought 
together  agayne  to  the  Collonies  use,  and  to  such  others  of 


120  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

the  Hundreds  as  the  Generall  Courte  by  yo''  Lo'ps  consent 
did  order  and  appoynt." 

Argall's  desperate  course  continued  during  his  whole 
term  of  office.  Capt.  Edward,  the  son  of  "William  Brew- 
ster, and  agent  for  the  late  Lord  Delaware's  estate,  having 
complained  of  the  unlawful  use  of  Delaware's  servants  by 
Argall,  was  arrested,  and  on  October  15,  1618,  tried  by 
martial  law  and  sentenced  to  death,  but  upon  the  petition 
of  the  ministers  resident  in  the  colony  and  others  it  was 
commuted  to  banishment,  with  the  promise  that  he  would 
not  return. 

The  Earl  of  Warwick,  who  was  a  relative,  sent  him 
"  an  olde  comission  of  hostility  from  the  Duke  of  Savoy 
against  the  Spanyards,"  and  the  ship  Treasurer  "being 
manned  with  the  ablest  men  of  the  Colony  was  sett  out  on 
rovinge  in  y^  Spanish  Dominions  in  the  West  Indies,"  and 
after  a  successful  cruise  returned  to  Virginia  with  booty 
and  "  a  certaine  nomber  of  negroes."  Discovering  that 
Argall  had  escaped  in  the  swift  sailing  pinnace  Eleanor, 
and  fearing  the  new  Governor,  Yeardley,  Captain  Elfred  of 
the  Treasurer  sailed  for  the  Somers  Islands.  In  October, 
1619,  Capt.  Nathaniel  Butler  became  Governor  of  these 
islands,  and  he  took  from  Miles  Kendall  fourteen  negroes 
that  had  been  given  to  the  latter  by  the  captain  of  a  Hol- 
land vessel  commissioned  by  the  Prince  of  Orange,  under 
the  pretence  that  they  belonged  to  the  ship  Treasurer 
which  Argall  had  sent  to  rove  in  the  West  Indies. 

All  that  we  have  known  of  the  introduction  of  negro 
slaves  in  the  year  1619,  is  the  following  brief  statement  of 
Bolfe  quoted  by  Smith :  "  About  the  last  of  August  came 
in  a  Dutch  man  of  warre  that  sold  us  twenty  negars." 


ENGLISH  0IRL8  KIDNAPPED.  121 

Is  there  not  a  probability  that  the  vessel  was  under  the 
control  of  Argall,  if  not  the  ship  Treasurer?  If  twenty 
negroes  came  in  1619,  as  alleged,  their  increase  was  very 
slow,  for  according  to  a  census  of  16th  of  February,  1624, 
there  were  but  twenty-two  then  in  the  colony,  distributed 
as  follows :  eleven  at  Flourdieu  Hundred,  three  at  James 
City,  one  at  James  Island,  one  at  the  plantation  opposite 
James  City,  four  at  Warisquoyak,  and  two  at  Elizabeth 
City. 

About  the  same  time  that  "negars".  began  to  be  brought 
to  the  colony,  commenced  the  arrivall  of  starving  boys  and 
girls  picked  up  out  of  the  streets  of  London.^  In  connec- 
tion with  this  were  great  abuses.  Sir  Edward  Hext,  in 
October,  1618,  wrote  to  the  Privy  Council: 

"  Upon  complaint  that  Owen  Evans,  messenger  of  the 
Chamber,  had  a  pretended  commission  to  press  maidens  to 
be  sent  to  Virginia  and  the  Bermudas,  and  received  money 
thereby,  he  issued  a  warrant  for  his  apprehension.  Evans's 
undue  proceedings  bred  such  terror  to  the  poor  maidens 
that  forty  have  fled  from  one  parish  to  obscure  places,  and 
their  parents  do  not  know  what  has  become  of  them." 

And  on  November  13th  a  clerk  by  the  name  of  Robin- 
son was  hung,  drawn  and  quartered  for  counterfeiting  the 
great  seal,  and  it  was  said  "  that  another  course  of  his,  was 
by  virtue  of  this  commission,  to  take  up  rich  yeomen's 
daughters,  or  drive  them  to  compound,  to  serve  his  Majesty 
for  breeders  in  Virginia."  ^ 


1  Sainsburi/,  State  Papers,  p.  19. 
~  Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  II,  108. 
16 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  LEYDEN  PURITANS.i 


[HE  members  of  the  English  Independent  Church 
at  Leyden,  after  mature  deliberation,  determined 
to  go  to  America  and  "  live  as  a  distinct  body 
by  themselves  under  the  general  Government  of 
Virginia,  and  by  their  friends  to  sue  to  his  Majesty  that  he 
would  be  pleased  to  grant  them  freedom  of  religion ;  and 
that  this  might  be  obtained,  they  were  put  in  great  hope 
by  some  great  persons  of  good  rank  and  quality."  ^  Two 
of  their  number,  therefore,  in  1617,  visited  London  and 
"  found  the  Virginia  Company  very  desirous  to  have  them 
go  thither,  and  willing  to  grant  them  a  patent  with  as 
ample  privileges  as  they  had  or  could  grant  to  any." 

To  remove  the  objections  of  the  King  and  others  as  far 
as  possible,  the  following  articles  were  prepared  by  the 
church  at  Leyden  :  ^ 

"  Seven  Artikes  which  y®  Church  of  Leyden  sent  to  y^ 
Counsell  of  England  to  bee  considered  of  in  respeckt  of 


1  "  Those  whom  we  ordinarily  call  Puritans  are  men  of  strict  life  and 
precise  opinions."     Discourse  concerning  Puritans,  London,  1641. 

"  The  style  of  Puritans  properly  belongs  to  that  vile  sect  of  the  Ana- 
baptists, called  the  family  of  Love  —  such  were  Browne  and  Penry." 
James  First  in  Preface  to  Basilicon  Doron. 

2  Bradford,  pp.  28,  29;  Mass.  Hist.  Coll.,  4  S.,  vol.  III. 

3  Furnished  by  Mr.  Bancroft,  and  first  printed  in  N.  Y.  Hist.  Coll, 
2d  S.,  vol.  Ill,  Pt.  1. 


LETDEN  CHURCn  ARTICLES.  123 

their  judgments  occationed  about  their  going  to  Virginia 
Anno  1G18. 

"1.  To  y^  confession  of  fayth  pubUshed  in  y^  name  of  y® 
Church  of  Enghand  &  to  every  artikell  thereof  wee  do  w^'' 
y^  reformed  churches  where  we  hve  &  also  elsewhere  assent 
wholy. 

"2.  As  wee  do  acknolid  y""  doctryne  of  fayth  there  taught 
so  do  wee  y^  fruites  and  effeckts  of  y^  same  docktryne  to 
y^  begetting  of  saving  fayth  in  thousands  in  y^  land  (con- 
formistes  and  reformistes)  as  y'^  ar  called  w*^  whom  also  as 
w*^  our  brethren  wee  do  desyer  to  keepe  sperituall  com- 
munion in  peace,  and  will  pracktis  in  our  parts  all  lawfull 
thinges. 

"3.  The  Kings  Majesty  wee  acknolidg  for  Supreame 
Governor  in  his  Dominion  in  all  causes,  and  over  all  par- 
sons, and  y  none  maye  decklyne  or  apeale  from  his 
authority  or  judgment  in  any  cause  whatsoever,  but  y  in 
all  thinges  obedience  is  dewe  unto  him,  either  active,  if  y® 
thing  commanded  be  not  agaynst  God's  woord,  or  passive 
yf  itt  bee,  except  pardon  can  bee  obtayned. 

"4.  Wee  judg  itt  lawfull  for  his  Majesty  to  apoynt  bishops, 
civil  overseers,  or  officers  in  authority  onder  him,  in  y^ 
severall  provinces,  dioses,  congregations  in  parrishes  to  over- 
see y*"  Churches  and  governe  them  civilly  according  to  y^ 
Lawes  of  y^  Land,  unto  whom  y''  ar  in  all  thinges  to  give 
an  account  &  by  them  to  bee  ordered  according  to  God- 
ly nes. 

"  5.  The  authoryty  of  y^  present  bishops  in  y^  Land  wee 
do  acknohdg  so  far  forth  as  y""  same  is  indeed  derived  from 
his  Majesty  untto  them,  and  as  y*"  proseed  in  his  name, 
whom  wee  will  also  therein  honor  in  all  things  and  hun  in 
them. 


124  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"6.  Wee  believe  y*  no  sinod,  classes,  convocation,  or 
assembly  of  Ecclesiastical  officers  hath  any  power  or 
authority  att  all,  but  as  the  same  by  y®  magestraet  geven 
unto  them. 

"  7.  Lastly,  wee  desyer  to  give  untto  all  Superiors  dew 
honnor  to  preserve  y^  unity  of  y®  speritt  w*^  all  y  feare 
God,  to  have  peace  with  all  men  what  in  us  lyeth,  and 
wheerein  wee  err  to  bee  instructed  by  any. 
"  Subscribed  by 

"  John  Robinson 
and 

"  WiLLTAM  BeUSTER." 

After  the  articles  had  been  examined  by  the  Council  for 
Virginia,  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  wrote  to  Robinson  and 
Brewster  the  following  letter :  ^ 

"  After  my  hartie  salutations.  The  agents  of  your  con- 
gregation, Robert  Cushman  and  John  Carver  have  been  in 
comunication  with  diverse  selecte  gentlemen  of  his  Ma- 
jesties Counsell  for  Virginia ;  and  by  y^  writing  of  7  Arti- 
cles subscribed  with  your  names,  have  given  them  y*  good 
degree  of  satisfaction,  which  hath  caried  them  on  with  a 
resolution  to  sett  forward  your  desire  in  y^  best  sorte  y 
may  be  for  your  owne  and  the  publick  good.  Divers  per- 
.  ticulers  wherof  we  leave  to  their  faithfull  reports ;  having 
carried  themselves  heere  with  that  good  discretion  as  is 
both  to  their  owne  and  their  credite  from  whence  they 
came.     And  wheras  being  to  treate  for  a  multitude  of 


1  Bradford's   Plymouth   Plantation,   p.    31 ;    first   printed   from   the 
original  manuscript  in  Mass.  Hist.  Col.,  4th  series,  vol.  III. 


LETTER  OF  SANDYS  TO  PURITANS.  125 

people,  they  have  requested  further  time  to  conferr  with 
them  that  are  to  be  interessed  in  this  action,  about  y*^ 
severall  particularities  which  in  y*"  prosecution  thereof  will 
fall  out  considerable,  it  hath  been  very  willingly  assented 
too.  And  so  they  doe  now  returne  unto  you.  If  there- 
fore it  may  please  God  so  to  directe  your  desires  as  that  in 
your  parts  there  fall  out  no  just  impediments,  I  trust  by 
y^  same  direction  it  shall  likewise  appear,  that  on  our  parte, 
all  forwardnes  to  set  you  forward  shall  be  found  in  y*"  best 
note  which  with  reason  may  be  expected.  And  so  I  be- 
take you  with  this  designe  (w'^''  I  hope  verily  is  y^  worke 
of  God)  to  the  gracious  protection  and  blessing  of  y® 
Highest. 

"  London,  Nov^'  12  Your  very  loving  friend, 

"  An°:  1617.  Edwin  Sandys. 

To  this  letter  an  answer  was  sent,  dated  December  15, 
1617,  and  on  the  27th  of  the  following  January  another 
letter  was  forwarded  to  Sir  John  Wolstenholme. 

"  Riffht  WorP" :  with  due  acknowledormente  of  our 
thankfullnes  for  your  singular  care  and  pains  in  the  bussi- 
nes  of  Virginia,  for  our  &  we  hope  the  comone  good,  we 
doe  remember  our  humble  dutys  unto  you,  and  have  sent 
inclosed,  as  is  required  a  further  explanation  of  our  judg- 
ments in  the  3  points  specified  by  some  of  his  majesties 
Hon^^  Privie  Counsell ;  and  though  it  be  greevious  unto  us 
that  such  unjust  insinuations  are  made  against  us  yet  we 
are  most  glad  of  y^  occasion  of  making  our  just  purgation 
unto  so  honourable  personages.  The  declarations  we  have 
sent  inclosed,  the  one  more  breefe  and  generall  which  we 
thinke  y°  fitter  to  be  presented ;  the  other  something  more 


126  VIBQINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

large  and  in  which  we  express  some  small  accidental  dif- 
ferences which  if  it  seeme  good  unto  you  and  other  of  our 
worP^  freinds  you  may  send  instead  of  y^  former.  Our 
prayers  unto  God  is,  y*  your  "Wor^P  may  see  the  frute  of 
your  worthy  endeauors,  which  on  our  part  we  shall  not 
faile  to  furder  by  all  good  meanes  in  us.  And  so  praing  y* 
you  would  please  with  y°  convenientest  speed  y*  may  be, 
to  give  us  knowledge  of  y*"  success  of  y°  bussiness  with  his 
Majesties  Privy  Counsell,  and  accordingly  what  your 
further  pleasure  is,  either  for  our  direction  or  furtherance 
in  y®  same,  so  we  rest. 

"  Leyden  Jan.  27,  Your  WorPP  in  all  duty 

"An°  1617,  old  stile.  John  Robinson 

"  William  Breuster." 

The  seven  articles  of  the  Leyden  people  were  examined 
in  a  publication  written  by  T.  Drakes,  a  clergyman  of 
Essex.^  In  his  pamphlet  of  Counter  Demands  he  inquires  : 
"  Whether  it  were  not  good  for  them,  for  the  avoiding  of 
scandal,  and  in  the  expectance  of  some  prosperous  success 
by  the  permission  of  our  noble  King  and  honourable 
Counsel  to  remove  to  Virginia,  and  make  a  plantation 
there,  in  hope  to  convert  Infidels  to  Christianity  ?  " 

A  separatist  by  the  name  of  Euring,  in  1619,  in  a 
printed  reply,  states  that  his  brethren  would  prefer  to  be 
members  of  a  scriptural  church  in  the  meanest  part  of 
England  "  than  either  to  continue  where  many  of  us  as 
yet  live,  or  to  plant  ourselves  in  Virginia.  *  *  *  Yet 
even  for  Virginia,  thus  much,  —  When  some  of  ours  de- 
sired to  have  planted  ourselves  there  with  his  Majesty's 


Hanhury^i  I,  359. 


BLACKWELL  AN  AMSTERDAM  ELDER.  127 

leave  upon  these  three  grounds  first  that  they  might  be 
means  of  replanting  the  Gospel  amongst  the  heathen; 
secondly  that  they  might  live  under  the  Kings  govern- 
ment ;  thirdly  that  they  might  make  way  for  and  unite 
with  others,  what  in  them  lieth,  whose  consciences  are 
grieved  with  the  state  of  the  Church  in  England ;  —  the 
Bishops  did  by  all  means  oppose  them  and  their  friends 
therein."  ^ 

About  the  middle  of  February,  1618,  the  letter  of 
Robinson  and  Brewster  was  delivered  to  Wolstenholme, 
and  he  told  the  bearer  of  them  that  both  the  king  and  the 
bishops  had  consented  to  wink  at  their  departure.  Toward 
the  close  of  August  a  party  of  nonconformists  of  Presby- 
terian rather  than  Independent  sympathies,  under  the 
leadership  of  Francis  Blackwell,  who  had  been  an  elder  in 
the  Amsterdam  church,  sailed  for  Virginia.  The  voyage, 
owing  to  contrary  winds,  was  tedious,  and  the  ship  being 
overcrowded,  and  their  fresh  water  failing,  one  hundred 
and  thirty,  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons  on  board,  died, 
among  others  the  captain  of  the  vessel  and  Elder  Black- 
well. 

Upon  the  return  of  Governor  Argall  to  England,  in  May, 
1619,  who  had  secretly  and  dishonorably  slipped  away 
from  Virginia,  there  was  much  dissension  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Virginia  Company,  and  the  Leyden  people  for 
several  months  received  no  attention. 

Thomas  Clinton,  Earl  of  Lincoln,  before  his  death  urged 
that  Brewster  and  associate  should  receive  a  patent  in  the 
name  of  John  Wincopp,  and  in  the  minutes  of  the  Com- 
pany the  following  appears  under  date  of 


Hanhury,  I,  368. 


128  VIROINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

May  26,1619.  "One  Mr.  Wencop  comended  to  the 
ComjDany  by  the  Earle  of  Lincolne/  intending  to  goe  in 
person  to  Virginia,  and  there  to  plant  himselfe  and  his 
associates,  presented  his  pattent  now  to  the  Cort ;  w''*'  was 
referred  to  the  Comittee  that  meeteth  upon  Friday  morn- 
ing at  M""  Treasurer's  house  to  consider  and  if  need  be  to 
correct  the  same." 

Mr.  Wincopp,  Bradford  states,  was  not  a  member  of  the 
congregation,^  and  that  upon  the  advice  of  friends  it  was 
expedient  that  the  patent  should  be  in  his  name.  The 
Company  on  the  9th  of  June  ordered  the  seals  to  be  an- 
nexed, as  appears  from  the  following  entry : 

"  By  reason  it  grewe  late  and  the  Court  ready  to  breake 
up,  and  as  yet  M'  John  Whincop's  pattent  for  him  and  his 
associates  to  be  read,  it  was  ordered  that  the  scale  should 
be  annexed  unto  it,  and  haue  referred  the  trust  therefore 
to  the  Auditors  to  examine  that  it  agree  w*^  the  Originall, 
w'^''  if  it  doth  not  they  haue  promised  to  bring  it  into  the 
Court  and  cancell  it."  ^ 


1  He  died  the  previous  January.  Johnson  and  Humphrey,  who  came 
with  the  first  party  to  Salem,  Mass.,  were  sons-in-law. 

2  Dr.  Samuel,  Thomas,  and  John  Wincop,  were  brothers  and  clergymen 
settled  in  diflferent  parts  of  England.  On  Easter  Sunday,  1632,  they 
preached  at  the  same  church,  St.  Mary's  Spittle,  London.  May  not 
John,  in  1619,  have  been  the  tutor  at  the  Earl  of  Lincoln's?  Howe's 
edition  Stoio's  Survey  of  London.,  p.  781. 

3  Mr.  Deane,  the  careful  editor  of  Bradford,  in  a  note  on  page  44, 
says  :  "  We  should  like  to  know  precisely  when  the  Wincob  patent  was 
granted."  The  above  minute  shows  that  the  9th  of  June  was  the  date. 
In  a  memorial  presented  to  Congress  of  United  States  in  1868,  by  the 
writer,  the  17th  of  June,  by  a  misprint,  appears  as  the  date. 


WILLIAM  AND  EDWARD  BREWSTER.  129 

Bradford  says:  "God  so  disposed  as  he  [Wincopp] 
never  went,  nor  even  made  use  of  this  patente  which  had 
cost  them  so  much  labour  and  charge." 

The  patent  was  sent  over  to  Leyden  for  examination, 
and  was  probably  taken  there  by  Brewster.  About  the 
first  of  July  Brewster  and  his  family  removed  to  London. 
Carleton,  Ambassador  at  the  Hague,  in  a  dispatch  of  July 
22,1619,  that  Brewster  "within  these  three  weeks  re- 
moved from  thence,  and  gone  back  to  dwell  in  London," 
and  a  month  later  again  writes,  "  I  have  made  good  inquiry 
after  William  Brewster  at  Leyden,  and  am  well  assured 
that  he  is  not  returned  thither,  neither  is  it  likely  he  will 
having  removed  from  thence  both  his  family  and  goods." 
Capt.  Edward  Brewster,  his  son,  also  returned  this  year 
from  Virginia  and  conformed  to  the  church. 

Several  months  after  the  Wincopp  patent  was  sealed, 
another  movement  was  made  in  the  interest  of  the  Leyden 

people. 

At  a  general  quarterly  meeting  on  the  2d  of  February, 
1619  (0.  S.),  at  the  house  of  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  near 
Aldersgate,  he  acquainted  the  Company  of  a  grant  to 
"  John  Peeirce  and  his  associates  their  heires  and  assignes," 
which  was  read,  examined  and  sealed  in  view  of  and  with 
the  approbation  of  the  members  present. 

"  It  was  ordered  allso  by  generall  Consent  that  such 
Captaines  or  leaders  of  perticular  plantacons  that  shall  goe 
there  to  inhabit  by  virtue  of  their  graunts  and  plant  them- 
selues,  their  tenants  and  servants  in  Virginia  shall  have 
liberty  till  a  forme  of  gouernment  be  there  settled  them. 
Associating  unto  them  diuers  of  the  grauest  and  discreetest 
of  their  Companies,  to  make  Orders,  Ordinances  and  Con- 
17 


130  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

stitutions  for  the  better  orderinge  and  dyrectinge  of  their 
seruants  and  buisines,  prouided  they  be  not  repugnant  to 
the  Lawes  of  England." 

Two  weeks  later,  on  February  16th,  the  following  report 
was  made : 

"  Whereas  the  last  Court  a  speciall  Comittee  was  ap- 
pointed for  the  managinge  of  the  .£500  giuen  by  an  un- 
knowne  person  for  educatinge  the  Infidles  Children,  Mr. 
Threr  signified  that  they  haue  mett  and  taken  into  con- 
sideracon  the  proposicon  of  S""  John  Wolstenholme,  that 
John  Peirce  and  his  Associates  might  haue  the  trayninge 
and  bringinge  upp  of  some  of  these  children ;  but  the  said 
Comittee  for  diners  reasons  think  itt  inconuenyent ;  first 
because  after  their  arivall  will  be  longe  in  settlinge  them- 
selues,  as  also  that  the  Indians  are  not  acquainted  with 
them,  and  so  they  may  stay  4  or  5  years  before  they  have 
account  that  any  good  is  donne." 

For  several  months  the  Leyden  people  looked  around, 
but  failed  either  to  hire  or  purchase  shipping  for  their 
transportation.  The  directors  of  the  New  Netherlands 
Company,  on  February  12,  1620,  in  a  petition  to  the 
States-general,  make  the  following  statement : 

"  Now  it  happens  there  is  residing  at  Leyden  a  certain 
English  preacher  versed  in  the  Dutch  language  who  is  well 
inclined  to  proceed  thither  [Manhattan]  and  live  assuring 
the  petitioners  that  he  has  the  means  of  inducing  over 
four  hundred  families  to  accompany  him  hither  both  out 
of  this  country  and  England." 


WHSTON'S  PB0P08AL8.  131 

A  few  days  before  this  petition  was  presented,  as  has 
been  stated,  John  Peirce,  a  cloth-worker  of  London,  and 
his  associates,  obtained  a  grant  of  land  from  the  Virginia 
Company,  and  Mr.  Weston  proceeded  to  Leyden  in  the 
interest  of  the  patentees. 

Bradford  says:  "Some  Dutchmen  made  them  faire 
offers  about  goeing  with  them.  Also  one  Mr.  Thomas 
Weston  a  m'chant  of  London  came  to  Leyden  aboute  y« 
same  time  *  *  *  *  perswaded  them  to  goe  on  and 
not  to  medle  with  y'  Dutch  or  too  much  to  depend  on  y"^ 
Virginia  Company ;  for  if  that  failed,  if  they  came  to  reso- 
lution he  and  such  marchants  as  were  his  friends  (together 
with  their  own  meanes)  would  sett  them  forth." 

During  this  visit  articles  of  agreement  were  prepared  for 
Weston  to  take  back  and  submit  to  his  associates.  Mr. 
Weston  and  others  about  this  time  also  informed  them  "  y* 
sundrie  Hon'^^^  Lords  had  obtained  a  large  grante  from  y^ 
King,  for  y^  more  northerlie  parts  of  that  countrie  derived 
out  of  the  Virginia  patente,  and  wholy  secluded  from  the 
Governmente  and  to  be  called  another  name,  viz  New 
England.  Unto  which  Mr.  Weston  and  y'  cheefe  of  them 
begane  to  incline  it  was  best  for  them  to  goe,  as  for  other 
reasons  so  cheefly  for  y*"  hope  of  present  profite  to  be  made 
by  y''  fishing  that  was  found  in  y*  countrie."  ^ 

The  distractions  growing  out  of  the  petition  of  Sir  Ferd. 
Gorges  just  presented  to  the  King,  for  a  charter  excluding 
the  South  Colony  from  fishing  within  the  Hmits  of  the 
North  Colony,  led  to  confusion  and  difference  of  opinion. 


1  Early  in  1G20  Gorges  and  associates  petitioned  the  King  for  a  new 
patent  for  the  North  Colony,  to  be  called  New  England. 


132  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

Some  wished  the  Leyden  people  to  go  to  Guiana/  and 
others  desired  them  to  go  to  Virginia.  Weston  insisted 
upon  a  modification  of  the  articles  drawn  up  at  Leyden, 
and  Pastor  Robinson  was  disappointed  that  in  the  joint 
stock  and  partnership  for  seven  years,  two  days  in  each 
week  had  not  been  secured  for  the  private  use  of  those 
that  were  planters.  After  heartburnings  and  dissensions 
within  themselves,  and  doubts  as  to  the  fairness  of  the 
shipping  merchants,  the  Leyden  people  at  length  sailed  in 
the  May-flower  on  6th  of  September,  and  reached  Cape  Cod 
on  the  11th  of  November,  and  after  some  explorations,  on 
the  11th  of  December  (0.  S.)  landed  at  Plymouth  rock.^ 


1  In  May,  1620,  Koger,  a  brother  of  Lord  North,  secretly  embarked 
with  a  colony  for  the  river  Amazon,  and  by  proclamation  of  the  King 
his  commission  was  revoked,  his  immediate  return  commanded,  on  seizure 
by  any  English  vessels  that  may  meet  the  expedition.     Sainshuri/,  p.  23. 

Wroth,  in  Abortive  of  an  Idle  Hour^  1620,  says: 

"  They  say  a  new  plantation  is  intended 
Neere  or  about  the  Amazonian  river 
But  sure  that  mannish  race  is  now  quite  ended, 
O  that  Great  Jove,  of  all  good  gifts  the  giver 
Would  move  King  James,  once  more  to  store  that  clyme, 
With  the  Moll  Cut-purses  of  our  bad  time." 

2  Cushman  in  a  letter  to  Pastor  Kobinson,  on  June  20,  1620,  wrote : 
"We  have  hired  another  pilote  here,  one  Mr.  Clarke  who  went  last  year 
to  Virginia  with  a  ship  of  Kine."  Clark  was  probably  the  same  person 
referred  to  in  the  minutes  of  Virginia  Company  under  date  of  February 
13,  1621-2: 

"  Mr.  Deputy  acquainted  the  Court,  that  one  Mr.  Jo  :  Clarke  beinge 
taken  from  Virginia  longe  since  by  a  Spanish  shippe  that  came  to  dis- 
cover that  plantacon,  That  forasmuch  as  he  hath  since  that  time  donn 
the  Companie  good  seruice  in  many  voyages  to  Virginia,  and  of  late  went 
into  Ireland  for  transportation  of  Cattle  to  Virginia,  he  was  an  humble 


PEIRCE'S  VA.  CO.  PATENT  REVOKED.  133 

Before  they  landed  it  was  whispered  by  the  discontented 
"  that  when  they  came  ashore  they  could  use  their  own 
liberties;  for  none  had  power  to  command  them,  the 
patente  they  had  being  for  Virginia,  and  not  for  Neweng- 
land,  which  belonged  to  an  other  Goverment  with  which 
ye  Yirginia  Company  had  nothing  to  doe."  ^ 

The  May-flower  did  not  until  May  6,  1621,  return  to 
England,  and  on  the  first  of  the  next  month  John  Peirce, 
citizen  and  cloth-worker  of  London,  and  associates,  took  a 
patent  from  the  Council  of  New  England.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Virginia  Company  on  July  16,  of  the  same  year, 

"  It  was  moved,  seeing  that  Mr.  John  Peirce  had  taken 
a  patent  of  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges,  and  thereupon  seated 
his  company  within  the  limits  of  the  Northern  Plantations 
as  by  some  was  supposed,  whereby,  as  by  some  was  sup- 
posed, whereby  he  seemed  to  relinquish  the  benefit  of  the 
patent  he  took  of  this  Company,  that  therefore  the  said 
patent  might  be  called  in,  unless  it  might  appear  he  would 
begin  to  plant  within  the  limits  of  the   Southern  Colony." 

It  would  appear  from  this,  that  before  June  1,  1621, 
when  the  Council  of  New  England  gave  a  patent,  Peirce 
had  some  kind  of  agreement  with  Gorges,  as  he  had  always 
been  inclined,  in  view  of  the  profit  from  fishing,  to  settle 
the  Leyden  people  in  the  North  Colony. 


suitor  to  this  Court,  that  he  might  be  admitted  a  free  brother  of  the 
Companie,  and  have  some  shares  of  land  bestowed  upon  him." 

He  was  captured  by  the  Spaniards  in  1612.  Was  hired  by  Daniel 
Gookin,  owner  of  the  Providence,  to  take  that  ship  to  Virginia,  which 
arrived  April  10,  1623,  and  soon  after  this  he  died  in  the  colony. 

1  Bradford,  Mass.  His.  Coll.,  4  S.,  vol.  3,  p.  89. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


SIR  GEORGE  YEARDLEY  —  FIRST  AMERICAN   LEGISLATURE. 


|E0RGE  YEARDLEY,  a  brother  of  Ralph  Yeard- 
ley,  a  London  apothecary,  was  a  worthy,  ener- 
getic man,  who  came  to  the  colony  in  1610,  as 
one  of  Lord  Delaware's  captains.  On  the  5th  of 
October,  1618,  the  news  reached  London  of  Delaware's 
death  at  sea,  and  soon  after  Yeardley,  now  in  England,, 
was  made  the  successor  of  Argall.  His  appointment  was 
noticed  by  Sir  Philip  Mainwaring  in  a  letter  to  the  Earl  of 
Arundel,  dated  November  22,  1618  : 

'•  This  morning  the  King  knighted  the  new  Governor  of 
Virginia,  Sir  Edward  [George]  Yardley,  who  upon  a  long 
discourse  with  the  Kinge  doth  proue  very  understandinge. 
Amongst  many  other  things  he  tould  the  King  that  the 
people  of  that  country  doe  beleeve  the  resurrection  of  the 
body  and  that  when  the  body  dyes  the  soule  goes  into  cer- 
tain faire  pleasant  feilds  their  to  solace  itself  untill  the  end 
of  the  world,  and  then  the  soule  is  to  retourne  to  the  body 
againe  and  live  both  together  happilly  and  perpetually. 
Hereupon  the  Kinge  inferrd  that  the  Gosple  must  have 
been  heretofore  knowne  in  that  countrie  though  it  be  lost 
and  this  fragment  only  remaynes."  ^ 


Nichols,  III,  495;  Lodge,  HI  British  History,  III,  293,  294. 


JOHN  PORT,  SECRETARY.  •  135 

Not  being  connected  with  the  wealthy,  there  was  some 
disposition  to  sneer  at  his  elevation.  Sir  Dudley  Carleton 
received  a  letter,  dated  November  28th,  with  these  words : 

"  Here  be  two  or  three  ships  ready  for  Virginia  and  one 
Capt.  Yardley  a  mean  fellow  by  way  of  provision  goes  as 
Governor  and  to  grace  him  the  more,  the  King  knighted 
him  this  week  at  New  Market,  which  hath  set  him  up  so 
high,  that  he  flaunts  it  up  and  down  the  street  in  extraor- 
dinary bravery,  with  fourteen  or  fifteen  liveries  after  him."  ^ 

He  sailed  on  the  19  th  of  January,  but  owing  to  adverse 
weather  it  was  the  19th  of  April,  1619,  before  he  reached 
Jamestown.     John  Pory^  went  out  as  secretary  of  the 


1  Chamberlain  in  Nichols's  Progresses  of  James,  vol.  Ill,  p.  496. 

2  John  Pory  was  a  graduate  of  Cambridge,  a  great  traveler  and  good 
writer,  but  gained  the  reputation  of  being  a  chronic  tippler,  and  literary 
vao-abond  and  sponger.  When  young  he  excited  the  interest  of  Hakluyt 
who  in  a  dedication  to  the  third  volume  of  his  remarks :  "  Now 
because  long  since  I  did  foresee  that  my  profession  of  Diuinitie,  the 
care  of  my  family  and  other  occasions  might  call  and  divert  me  from 
these  kind  of  endeavours,  I  therefore  have  for  these  three  yeers  last  past 
encouraged  and  furthered  in  these  studies  of  Cosmographie  and  forren 
histories  my  very  honest,  industrious  and  learned  friend  Mr.  John  Pory, 
one  of  speciall  skill  and  extraordinary  hope  to  perform  great  matters  in 
the  same,  and  beneficial  to  the  commonwealth."  Pory  in  1600  prepared 
a  Geographical  History  of  Africa,  but  he  soon  disappointed  the  expecta- 
tions of  friends. 

A  letter  writer  on  August  11,  1612,  says:  "It  is  long  since  I  heard 
of  Master  Pory,  but  now  at  last  understand  he  lies  lieger  at  Paris,  main- 
tained by  the  Lord  Carew." 

Sir  Dudley  Carleton  wrote,  on  July  9,  1613,  from  Venice :  "  Master 
Pory  is  come  to  Turin  with  purpose  to  see  those  parts,  but  wants  j^rimum 
necessarium,  and  hath,  therefore,  conjured  me  with  these  words  —  bi/  the 


136  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

colony,  who  was  a  fine  scholar,  but  addicted  to  intemper- 
ance. Argall  was  informed,  by  a  swift  sailer  dispatched 
by  his  friends,  that  he  was  to  be  placed  under  arrest,  and 


kind  and  constant  intelligence  which  passeth  betwixt  you  and  my  best 
friends  in  England  —  to  send  him  fourteen  doubloons,  wherewith  to  dis- 
engage him,  where  he  lies  in  pawn,  not  knowing  how  to  go  forward  or 
backward.  I  have  done  more  in  respect  of  his  friends  than  himself,  for 
I  fear  he  is  fallen  too  much  in  love  with  the  pot  to  be  much  esteemed, 
and  have  sent  him  what  he  wrote  for  by  Matthew,  the  post." 

A  correspondent  of  Carleton  wrote,  on  August  1  of  the  same  year : 
"  You  had  not  need  meet  with  many  such  poor  moths  as  Master  Pory, 
who  must  have  both  meat  and  money,  for  drink  he  will  find  out  himself, 
if  it  be  above  ground,  or  no  deeper  than  the  cellar." 

Sir  Dudley  Carleton,  on  August  22,  1617,  writes  from  Hague  to  a 
friend :  "  If  Mr.  Pory  have  done  with  Constantinople,  and  can  Star 
JSaldo  against  the  pot,  which  is  hard  in  this  country,  he  shall  be  welcome 
unto  me,  for  I  love  an  old  acquaintance."  After  visiting  Constantinople 
he  was,  for  a  brief  period  in  1617,  an  attache  of  the  English  legation  at 
the  Hague,  about  the  time  of  the  residence  there  of  the  learned  Puritan 
divine.  Dr.  William  Ames,  whose  preaching  the  English  Ambassador 
attended.  In  1619  he  was  made  secretary  of  the  colony  of  Virginia,  and 
after  his  recall,  while  returning  to  England,  he  stopped  at  the  infant 
Plymouth  settlement  and  had  pleasant  intercourse  with  Governor  Brad- 
ford and  Elder  Brewster,  with  whom  he  may  have  been  acquainted  in 
Holland,  and  received  from  them  some  books,  which  he  esteemed  as 
"jewels,"  he  says,  in  a  note  to  Bradford  dated  August  28,  1622,  and 
signed,  "  Your  unfeigned  and  firm  friend."  See  Bradford's  JVew  Ply- 
mouth. 

A  letter  from  London,  dated  July  26,  1623,  says  :  "  Our  old  acquaint- 
ance, Mr.  Pory,  is  in  poor  case,  and  in  prison  at  the  Terceras,  whither  he 
was  driven,  by  contrary  winds,  from  the  north  coast  of  Virginia,  where  he 
had  been  upon  some  discovery,  and  upon  his  arrival  he  was  arraigned  and 
in  danger  to  be  hanged  for  a  pirate." 

In  the  fall  of  1623  he  was  appointed  by  the  King  to  go  to  Virginia 
and  report  the  condition  of  the  colony.  He  returned  the  next  year,  and 
died  about  1635. 


A  COLLEGE  PROJECTED.  137 

escaped  before  Yeardley  came,  and  was  in  London  early  in 

May. 

At  the  same  time  that  Yeardley  was  appointed  Governor, 
orders  were  given  for  the  establishment  of  a  university  in 
Virginia,  with  a  branch  college  for  the  education  of  Indian 
youth.     Soon  after  Dale  came  back  to  England  the  King 
had  ordered  that  collections  should  be  taken  up  in  each 
diocese  of  England,  for  the  planting  of  a  college  in  the 
colony.     In  their  instructions,  on  November  18,  1618,  the 
Company  use  these  words :     "  Whereas,  by  a  special  grant 
and  hcence  from  his  Majesty,  a  general  contribution  over 
this  Realm  hath  been  made  for  the  building  and  planting 
of  a  college  for  the  training  up  of  the  children  of  those 
Infidels  in  true  Religion,  moral  virtue,  and  civility,  and 
for  other  godlyness.  We  do  therefore,  according  to  a  former 
Grant  and  order,  hereby  ratifie,  confirm  and  ordain  that  a 
convenient  place  be  chosen  and  set  out  for  the  j)lanting  of 
a  University  at  the  said  Henrico  in  time  to  come,  and  that 
in  the  mean  time  preparation  be  there  made  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  said  College  for  the  Children  of  the  Infidels, 
according  to  such  instructions  as  we  shall  deliver.     And 
we  will  and  ordain  that  ten  thousand  acres,  partly  of  the 
lands  they  impaled,  and  partly  of  the  land  within  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  said  Henrico,  be  alotted  and  set  out  for  the 
endowing  of  the  said  University  and  College  with  con- 
venient possessions."  ^ 

A  week  after  the  date  of  this  communication,  a  ripe 
scholar  in  England,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Lorkin,  subsequently 
distinguished    as   secretary   of   the   English   embassy   in 


1  Manuscript  instructions  to  Yeardley,  Va.  Records,  small  folio,  in  Li- 
brary of  Congress. 

18 


138  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

France,  writes  to  an  acquaintance :  "  A  good  friend  of 
mine  projDounded  to  me  within  three  or  four  days  a  con- 
dition of  going  over  to  Virginia,  where  the  Virginia  Com- 
pany means  to  erect  a  college,  and  undertakes  to  procure 
me  good  assurance  of  £200  a  year  and  better,  and  if  I 
should  find  there  any  ground  of  dislike,  liberty  to  return 
at  pleasure.  I  assure  you,  I  find  preferment  coming  on  so 
slowly  here  at  home,  as  makes  me  much  incline  to  accept 
it.  I  will  do  nothing  rashly ;  your  allowance  or  disallow- 
ance of  the  motion  may  sway  me  either  way,  to  embrace 
it  or  refuse  it."  ^ 

Yeardley's  earliest  efforts  were  to  reform  the  abuses  that 
had  been  allowed  by  his  predecessor.  The  first  letters 
received  from  England  informed  him  of  a  change  in  the 
officers  of  the  Company,  and  he  heartily  cooperated  with 
the  new  directorship. 

"  In  James  Citty  "  he  found  "  only  those  houses  that  Sir 
Thomas  Gates  built  in  the  tyme  of  his  government,  with 
one  wherein  the  Governor  allwayes  dwelt,  and  a  church 
built  wholly  at  the  charge  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  citye, 
of  timber  being  fifty  foote  in  length  and  twenty  foot  ii\ 
breadth."  2 

At  Henrico  "  three  old  houses,  a  poor  ruinated  church, 
with  some  few  poore  buildings  in  the  Islande.  For  minis- 
ters to  instruct  the  people,  he  founde  only  three  authorized, 
two  others  who  never  received  their  orders."  ^ 


1  He  did  not  accept.      Court  and  Times  of  James  First,  II,  jip.  109 
110. 

2  iV.  Y.  Hist.  Sac.  ColL,  2d  scries,  vol.  Ill,  pt.  1,  p.  331.     In  1639  a 
brick  church  was  commenced. 

3  Ministers  in  orders,  Rev.  Richard  Buck,  William  Mease,  and  Mr. 
Bargrave,  a  nephew  of  Capt.  Bargrave,  who  established  in  1G18  the  first 


FIBST  AMERICAN  LE0I8LATUBE.  139 

It  was  granted  by  the  Company  that  there  should  be  an 
annual  General  Assembly,  to  be  composed  of  the  Governor 
and  Council,  and  two  burgesses  from  each  plantation,  to  be 
freely  elected  by  the  inhabitants  thereof. 

The  first  representative  legislative  assembly  ever  held 
within  the  limits  of  the  United  States,  convened  on  July 
30,  1619,  at  Jamestown.  The  chancel  of  the  church  was 
the  place  of  meeting,  and  the  proceedings  were  opened 
with  prayer  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Buck,  the  minister  of  the 
place.  The  Burgesses  were  then  requested  to  retire  to  the 
body  of  the  church,  and  there  in  order  they  were  called 
up  to  take  the  oath  of  supremacy,  and  enter  the  Assembly. 

John  Pory,  appointed  Speaker,  sat  in  front  of  Governor 
Yeardley,  and  next  was  John  Twine,  Clerk  of  the  House, 
and  at  the  bar  stood  Thomas  Pierse,  Sergeant-at-arms.^ 


private  plantation.  He  died  in  1621,  and  left  his  library,  valued  at  100 
marks,  to  the  college  at  Henrico.  Those  not  in  orders,  were  Mr.  Wm. 
Wickham  and  Samuel  Macock,  a  Cambridge  scholar,  and  both  made  mem- 
bers of  Yeardley's  Council. 

1  Members  of  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses,  1619. 

For  James  Gitty.  For  the  Citty  of  Henricus. 

Captaine  William  Powell «  Thomas  Dowse  ^ 

Ensigne  William  Spense.  John  Polentine« 

For  Charles  Citty.  For  Kiccowtan. 

Samuel  Sharpe  ^  Captaine  William  Tucker/ 

Samuel  Jordan.^  William  Capp.5' 

a  Gunner  of  James  City,  died  1623.    Widow  married  Mr.  Blany. 

b  In  1637  visited  England  in  the  Temporanco,  Capt.  Marmadukc  Keyner. 

c  Probably  died  in  1633,  leaving  a  wife  named  Cicely. 

d  Dowse  came  to  Virginia  in  1608. 

e  Pollington  visited  England  in  1636. 

/  For  many  years  a  councillor  of  Virginia. 

g  An  ancient  planter,  was  living  in  1630. 


140  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

The  delegates  from  Captain  John  Martin's  plantation 
were  excepted  to  because  of  a  peculiar  clause  in  his  patent 
releasing  him  from  obeying  any  order  of  the  colony  except 
in  times  of  war.  On  Monday,  the  second  of  August, 
Capt.  Jno.  Martin  appeared  at  the  bar  of  the  House,  and 
the  Speaker  asking  whether  he  would  relinquish  the  par- 
ticular clause  exempting  him  from  colonial  authority, 
replied,  that  he  would  not  yield  any  part  of  his  patent. 
The  Assembly  then  resolved  that  the  Burgesses  of  his 
plantation  were  not  entitled  to  seats. 

On  the  same  day  several  enactments  were  passed,  among 
others  the  following  :  Against  drunkenness  it  was  decreed 
that  any  person  found  drunk,  for  the  first  time  was  to  be 
reproved  privately  by  the  minister  j  the  second  time,  pub- 


For  Martin  Brandon,  Capt.  Jno.  For  ArgaVs  Gmfte. 
Martins.  Mr.  Pawlett 

Mr.  Thos.  Davis  Mr.  Gourgainy. 

Mr.  Robert  Stacy. 

For  Smythe's  Hundred.  For  Flowerdieu  Hundred. 

Captaine  Thomas  Graves  Ensign  Rossingham* 

Mr.  Walter  Shelley.  Mr.  Jefferson. 

For  Martin's  Hundred.  For  Captain  Lawne's  Plantation.<^ 

Mr.  John  Boys  «  Captaine  Christopher  Lawne 

John  Jackson.  Ensign  Washer. 

For  Captain  Wardes  Plantation. 
Captaine  Warde  '^ 
Lieutenant  Gibbes. 

o  Killed  in  massacre  of  1622. 
f>  Nephew  of  Yeardley.    Was  in  England  in  1640, 

c  Lawne  died  in  1620,  and  then  called  Isle  of  Wight  Plantation.    His  planta- 
tion was  commenced  in  1618. 

^  Ward  came  with  Bargrave  about  1618. 


SUNDRY  ENACTMENTS.  141 

licly ;  the  third  time,  "to  lye  in  boltes"  twelve  hours  and 
pay  a  fine,  and  if  he  still  persisted,  to  be  subjected  to  such 
severe  punishment  as  the  Governor  and  Council  should 
deem  proper. 

"  Against  excessive  apparall ;  that  every  man  be  cessed 
in  the  churche  for  all  pubhque  contributions,  if  he  be  un- 
married, according  to  his  owne  apparell ;  if  he  be  married 
according  to  his  owne  and  his  wives,  or  either  of  their 
apparell." 

The  following  action  was  taken  relative  to  Indian  edu- 
cation : 

''  Be  it  enacted  hy  this  present  Assembly,  That  for  laying  a 
surer  foundation  of  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  to 
Christian  religion,  cache  towne,  Citty,  Burrough  and  par- 
ticular plantation,  do  obtaine  unto  themselves  by  just 
meanes  a  certain  number  of  the  natives  children  to  be 
educated  by  them  in  true  religion  and  a  civile  course  of 
life ;  of  which  children  the  most  towardly  boyes  in  witt 
and  graces  of  nature  to  be  brought  up  by  them  in  the  firste 
elements  of  litterature,  so  as  to  be  fitted  for  the  CoUedge 
intended  for  them,  that  from  thence  they  may  be  sent  to 
that  worke  of  conversion." 

On  the  3d  of  August  John  Rolfe  presented  a  petition 
complaining  "  against  Captain  John  Martine  for  writing  a 
letter  to  him  wherein  (as  Mr.  Rolfe  alledgeth)  he  taxeth 
him  both  unseemly  and  amisse  of  certain  things  wherein 
he  was  never  faulty." 

The  next  day  being  the  last  of  the  session,  the  Speaker 
was  authorized  to  send  a  report  of  their  transactions  to  the 


142  VIROINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Company  in  England,  and  the  Governor  prorogued  the 
Assembly  until  the  first  day  of  the  following  March. 

The  report  made  by  Mr.  Pory,  the  Speaker  and  Secre- 
tary of  the  colony,  was  first  printed  in  1857,  in  the  Col- 
lections of  the  New  York  Historical  Society. 

Governor  Yeardley's  ^  commission  expired  in  November, 
1621,  and  declining  its  renewal,-  was  succeeded  by  Governor 
Wyatt. 


1  Grov.  Yeardley  with  his  instructions,  in  November,  1618,  received 
the  grant  of  Weymock,  and  a  parcel  adjoining  called  Kouwan,  part 
upon  a  creek  called  Mapscock,  and  from  the  head  thereof  to  the  head  of 
Queen's  creek,  within  the  territory  of  Charles  City.  He  also  owned  a 
large  plantation  at  Hungars,  in  Northampton  county,  eastern  shore  of 
Virginia.  His  wife's  name  was  Temperance,  and  it  is  supposed  his 
sympathies  were  with  the  Puritan  party.  When  Wyatt  retired,  Yeardley 
again  assumed  the  duties  of  governor,  having  been  in  England  at  the 
time  of  his  appointment,  in  April,  1626.  He  sailed  in  the  Ann,  with 
the  James  as  a  consort.  He  died  lamented,  in  November,  1627,  and  left 
two  sons,  Argall,  and  Francis  who  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  Both  were 
on  the  Puritan  side  during  the  civil  war.  Francis  for  a  time  lived  in 
Maryland  as  one  of  its  councillors.  In  the  second  volume  of  Tliurloe's 
State  Papers  there  is  a  letter  from  him  to  John  Ferrar,  former  deputy 
of  Virginia  Company,  dated  Lynn  Haven,  Virginia,  May  8,  1654,  giving 
an  account  of  his  explorations  in  North  Carolina,  the  previous  fall. 


CHAPTER  X. 

REORGANIZATION   OF  COMPANY,  AND   TRANSACTIONS  DURING 
THE  DIRECTORSHIP   OF   SIR  EDWIN   SANDYS. 

lEFORE  the  annual  election  of  1619,  a  large  ma- 
jority of  the  members  were  convinced  of  the 
propriety  of  electing  a  new  Treasurer,  and  when 
Sir   Thomas  Smith  found  that  his    resignation 
was  promptly  accepted,  he  was  greatly  chagrined. 

Robert  Cushman  in  a  letter  to  his  Leyden  companions 
dated  May  8,  1619,  gives  a  generally  correct  statement  of 
the  condition  of  the  Company  : 

"  The  maine  hinderance  of  our  proseedings  in  y°  Vir- 
ginia bussines  is  y^  dissentions  and  factions  as  they  terme 
it  among  y'  Counsell  &  Company  of  Virginia ;  which  are 
such  as  that  ever  since  we  came  up  no  busines  could  by 
them  be  dispatched.  The  occasion  of  this  trouble  amongst 
them  is,  for  that  a  while  since  S"^  Thomas  Smith  repining 
at  his  many  offices  &  troubls  wished  y"  Company  of  Vir- 
ginia to  ease  him  of  his  office  in  being  Treasurer  &  Gover' 
of  y^  Virginia  Company.  Wereupon  y^  Company  tooke 
occasion  to  dismisse  him  and  choose  S"^  Edwin  Sands  Trea- 
surer &  Cover'  of  y*'  Company.  He  having  60  voyces  S' 
John  Worstenholme    16  voices,  and   Alderman  Johnson 


144  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON.  , 

24.^  But  S*^  Thomas  Smith  when  he  saw  some  parte  of 
his  honour  lost,  was  very  angrie,  and  raised  a  faction  to 
cavill  &  contend  aboute  y^  election,  and  sought  to  taxe  S' 
Edwin  with  many  things  that  might  both  disgrace  him, 
and  allso  put  him  by  his  office  of  Governour.  In  which 
contentions  they  yet  stick  and  are  not  fit  nor  readie  to 
intermedle  in  any  bussines,  and  what  issue  things  will 
come  to  we  are  not  yet  certaine.  It  is  most  like  S"  Edwin 
will  Carrie  it  away  and  if  he  doe,  things  will  goe  well  in 
Virginia,  if  otherwise  they  will  goe  ill  enough  allways. 
We  hope. in  some  2  or  3  Court  days  things  will  settle."^ 

As  soon  as  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  accepted  the  office  of 
Treasurer  or  Governor  of  the  Company,  its  affairs  were 
reorganized.  For  the  first  time  a  journal  of  the  transac- 
tions of  each  meeting  was  prepared  by  the  Secretary,  and 
every  officer  was  held  to  a  strict  accountability. 


Extracts  from  the  Company's  Transactions  prom  the  Election 
OP  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  as  Treasurer,  April  28,  1619,  until  the 
Election  op  Earl  op  Southampton,  June  28,  1620. 

"  28  Aprill  1619.     A  Quarter  Court  held  for  Virginia  at 
S'  Thomas  Smith's  howse  in  Philpott  Lane. 

Sir  Thomas  Smith's  retiring  Speech. 

"This  Quarter  Court  according  to  the  L'res  Pattents 
being  chiefly  ordayned  for  the  eleccon  of  offisers  Mr.  Trer 


1  The  correct  vote  was  Sandis  59,  Wolstenholme  23,  Johnson  18.     See 
page  145.  ^ 

2  Bradford  in  Mass.  Ilist.  Coll.,  4th  series,  vol.  Ill,  pp.  36,  37. 


DEER  STEALER   TRANSPORTED.  145 

desired  the  Court  that  before  he  left  his  place,  he  might 
acquaynt  them  with  two  messages  Lately  rec.  from  the 
King :  The  one  was  that  he  receaued  a  I're  from  Mr.  Se- 
cretarie  Caluert  that  his  Ma'tie  had  sent  a  man  up  sus- 
pected for  deere  stealing  to  be  transported  for  Virginia ; 
and  understanding  that  Mr.  John  Ferrar  had  a  shipp 
shortly  to  goe  thither  desired  that  his  Ma'ties  resolution 
might  be  fulfilled  therein.  The  other  was  that  this  morn- 
ing there  came  a  messenger  of  the  Chamber  to  understand 
of  the  welfare  of  the  Plantation,  his  Ma'ty  hauing  heard 
that  a  shipp  was  come  from  thence  :  And  so  desired  the 
Court  to  proceed  to  the  choice  of  their  Officers,  signifying 
that  for  these  Twelue  yeares  he  hath  willingly  spent  his 
Labors  and  endeauors  for  the  support  thereof  j  and  being 
now  appointed  by  the  Kinge  a  Commissioner  of  the  Nauie 
he  could  not  giue  such  good  attendance  as  he  therein  de- 
sired. Requesting  the  Court  to  showe  him  so  much  fauor 
as  now  to  dispence  with  him,  and  to  elect  some  worthy 
man  in  his  place  for  he  had  resolued  to  relinquish  it,  and 
therefoure  desired  that  two  requests  might  be  graunted  him 
for  all  his  seruice  done  unto  them. 

"  First,  that  he  might  haue  their  good  report  according 
as  he  hath  deserued.  And  secondly  that  his  Account 
might  be  with  all  speed  audited,  that  before  he  dyed  he 
might  see  the  same  cleered,  and  receiue  his  Quietus  est 
under  the  Companie's  scale. 

Sir  Edwin  Sandys  elected  Treasurer. 

"  Which  the  Cort  finding  his  resolucon  to  be  settled  and 
that  he  would  not  stand  in  eleccon  they  proceeded  accord- 
ing to  the  Last  standing  order  now  read  to  make  choice  of 
their  Treasuror.     S'  Edwin  Sandis  S'"  John  Wolstenholme, 
19 


146  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

and  Mr.  Aldran  Johnson  being  nominated  and  accordingly 
ballated,  the  lott  fell  to  S'  Edwin  Sandis  to  be  Tre'r  he 
hauing  59  balls,  S"^  Jo.  Wolstenholme  23,  and  Aldran  John- 
son 18,  whereupon  his  oath  was  administered. 

John  Ferrar  elected  Deputy  Treasurer. 

"  Proceeding,  to  the  eleccon  of  the  Deputy,  there  was 
nominated  Mr.  Alder.  Johnson,  Mr.  Xpofer  Cletheroe,  and 
Mr.  John  Ferrar,  who  being  ballated  Mr.  John  Ferrar 
was  elected  Deputy  for  the  ensuing  yeare  by  hauing  52 
balls,  Mr.  Aldran  Johnson  29  Mr.  Christopher  Cletheroe 
ten ;  upon  which  the  said  Mr.  John  Ferrar  had  his  oath 
giuen. 

Captain  Daniel  Tucker. 

"  Upon  the  request  of  Captaine  Daniell  Tucker  for  this 
Court  to  conferr  20  shares  upon  him  for  his  fine  yeares 
seruice  spent  in  Virginia,  as  well  for  his  personall  aduen- 
tures  as  for  the  severall  offices  and  eminent  places  w'ch 
there  he  held,  and  executed  as  namely  Cape  Merchant 
Prouost  M'l  one  of  the  Counsell,  Truck  M'r  and  Vice  Ad- 
mirall,  wherein  by  reason  of  shortness  of  time,  was  now 
referred  to  the  Generall  Committee  to  giue  him  reward  as 
they  shall  thinke  fitt.^ 

Tlic  College  in  Virginia. 

May  26.  '''  It  was  also  by  Mr.  Tre'r  propounded  to  the 
Co'rt  as  a  thing  most  worthy  to  be  taken  into  consideracon 
both  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  hon'"  of  the  Company,  that 
forasmuch  as  the  King  in  his  most  gracious  fauo""  hath 


1  Tucker  was  a  clerk  under  Lord  Delaware  in  1610.     See  p.  43. 


PROPOSED  COLLEGE.  147 

graunted  his  L'res  to  the  severall  Bishops  of  this  Kingdome 
for  the  collecting  of  monies  to  erect  and  build  a  CoUedge 
in  Virginia  for  the  training  and  bringing  up  of  Infidells 
children  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God  and  understanding 
of  righteousnes.  And  considering  what  publique  notice 
may  be  taken  in  foreshowing  to  sett  forward  the  action, 
especially  of  all  those  w'ch  hath  contributed  to  the  same, 
that  therefore  to  begin  that  pious  worke,  there  is  allready 
towards  it  1500^''  or  thereabouts,  whereof  remayninge  in 
cash  800'^,  the  rest  is  to  be  answered  out  of  the  stock  of 
the  Generall  Company  for  so  much  w'ch  they  borrowed, 
besides  the  likelihood  of  more  to  come  in :  For  Mr.  Trea- 
surer hauing  some  conference  with  the  Bishop  of  Lichfield 
he  hath  not  heard  of  any  Colleccon  that  hath  beene  for 
that  busines  in  his  Dicocess ;  but  promisith  when  he  hath 
a  warr*  thereunto  he  will  with  all  dilligence  further  the 
enterprize ; 

"  Whereupon  he  conceaued  it  the  fittest,  that  as  yet 
they  should  not  build  the  Colledge,  but  rather  forbeare  a 
while,  and  begin  first  with  the  monees  they  haue  to  pro- 
uide  and  settle  an  Annuall  reuenue,  and  out  of  that  to 
begin  the  ereccon  of  the  said  Colledge  :  And  for  the  per- 
formance hereof  also  would  that  a  certain  peece  of  Land 
be  laid  out  at  Henrico,  being  the  place  formerly  resolued 
of,  w'ch  should  be  called  the  Colledge  Land,  and  for  the 
plantinge  of  the  same  send  presently  ffifty  good  persons  to 
be  seated  thereon,  and  to  occupy  the  same  according  to 
order,  and  to  haue  halfe  the  benefitt  of  their  labo'',  and 
the  other  halfe  to  goe  in  getting  forward  the  worke  and 
for  mayntenance  of  the  Tutors  and  SchoUers. 

"  He  therefore  propounded  that  a  Shipp  might  be  pro- 
uided  against  the  beginning  of  August,  to  carry  those  fiftie 


148  VIROINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

men  with  the  prouisions,  and  also  to  send  fiftie  persons 
more  to  the  Comon  Land  w'ch  may  raise  a  Stock  for  the 
paying  of  duties  there  and  defraying  the  Companies 
charge  here,  and  to  send  prouision  of  victualls  with  them 
for  a  yeare  :  And  for  the  defraying  of  the  charge  hereof 
did  also  propound  the  meanes ;  first  for  the  CoUedge  there 
was  money  in  cash,  and  besides  it  may  saue  the  joint-stock 
the  sending  out  a  shipp  this  yeare,  w'ch  for  4^  a  pound 
they  will  bring  from  thence  all  their  Tobacco^  w'ch  may 
arise  to  ffiue  hundred  pounds,  besides  many  that  may  come 
in  otherwise  to  helpe  to  beare  the  charge  of  the  voyage  : 
W'ch  proposition  was  well  liked,  but  the  time  and  season 
not  allowed  of  all,  and  by  some  obiected,  that  the  Generall 
Plantation  should  receaue  much  wrong,  if  more  men  were 
sent  over  so  sodaynly  before  those  that  are  allready  gone 
have  procured  wherewithall  to  subsist :  as  also  being  a 
matter  of  great  consequence  it  did  more  properly  belong  to 
the  deciding  of  a  Quarter  Co'*,  but  the  former  reasons  being 
answered,  and  being  further  alleaged  if  it  were  till  then 
prolonged,  the  time  would  be  past  for  their  prouisions  of 
beefe,  beere  and  meate.  Whereupon  after  long  arguing 
and  disputing  thereof  it  was  agreed  to  be  putt  to  the 
question ;  Which  being  propounded  whether  a  shipp 
should  be  sett  out  to  carry  men  for  these  two  good  uses, 
and  be  sett  out  at  the  publique  charge  (vizt)  with  50  pass- 
engers for  the  Colledge  Land,  and  50  for  the  Comon  Land, 
it  was  by  generall  consent  and  ereccon  of  hands  allowed  and 
confirmed. 

Quarter  Court,  June  9.  "A  former  Act  of  Court  made 
26th  die  Maij  touching  the  setting  out  a  Shipp  w*''  one 
hundred  men  for  the  Colledge  and  publique  land  was  now 
again  propounded  by  Mr.  Thr'er.     Which  being  putt  to  the 


LETTERS  FROM  GOV.    YEARDLEY.  149 

question,  received  the  confirmacon  of  the  Court;  and 
agreed  that  the  said  shipp  should  be  ready  to  sett  out  soon 
after  the  middest  of  July  at  the  furthest,  that  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God  they  may  ariue  there  by  the  end  of  October 
w'ch  is  the  fittest  and  seasonablest  time  for  men  to  doe 
some  busines. 

Tlic  Ship  Gift  returned  from  Virginia. 

June  14.  "  The  Guift  being  now  returned  from  Vir- 
ginia and  hauing  brought  I'res  from  S"^  George  Yeardley 
directed  to  S"^  Edwin  Sandis  intimating  the  sore  voyage 
they  had:  being  going  thither  from  the  19th  of  January  to 
the  19th  of  Aprill  following,  In  w'ch  time  there  dyed  14 
Landmen,  and  three  seamen  as  also  that  two  children  was 
borne  at  sea  and  dyed,  and  at  his  there  arriuall  finding  the 
Plantacion  to  be  in  great  scarsity  for  want  of  come, 
desired  the  Company  to  beare  with  him  if  for  this  yeare 
he  something  neglected  the  planting  of  Tobacco,  and  fol- 
lowed the  sowing  of  come,  whereby  the  next  yeare  he 
hoped  by  the  blessing  of  God  to  raise  such  a  cropp  thereof 
that  the  said  Plantacon  shall  haue  noe  greate  cause  to 
complaine  it  hath  of  want.  Other  priuate  business  Mr. 
Thr'er  acquaynted  the  Court  was  specified  in  his  L'res  w'ch 
is  first  to  receaue  the  aduise  of  the  Counsell,  and  by  their 
direccons  to  reueale  it  to  the  Court. 

People  for  the  College  Lands. 

"  It  was  moued  by  Mr.  Thr'er,  that  the  Generall  Comit- 
tee  should  forthwith  meete  for  the  setting  out  this  shipp 
and  furnishing  of  her  with  good  people  to  be  sent  to  the 
Colledge  and  publique  Land,  w'ch  hitherto  by  defect 
thereof,  the  Plantacon  hath  been  much  wronged :  w'ch  if 


150  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

the  Court  would  put  them  in  trust  for  the  prouiding  of 
such  they  would  intreate  the  Gentlemen  both  of  County 
and  Citty  to  helpe  them  therewith  w'ch  motion  the  Court 
comended,  and  haue  desired  Mr.  Thr'ers  assistance  therein, 
"  It  was  moued  by  Mr.  Threr  that  the  Court  would  take 
into  consideracon  to  appoint  a  comittee  of  choice  gentle- 
men and  other  of  his  Ma'tys  counsell  for  Virginia  concern- 
ing the  colledge,  being  a  waighty  busines,  and  so  greate 
that  an  Account  of  their  proceedings  therein  must  be  giuen 
to  the  State.  Upon  which  the  Court,  upon  deliberate  con- 
sideracon, have  recomended  the  care  thereof  unto  the 
right  wo.  S'  Dudley  Diggs,  S''  John  Dauers,  S'  Nath.  Rich, 
S""  Jo.  Wolstenholme,  Mr.  Deputy  Ferrar,  Mr.  Dr.  Anthony 
and  Mr.  Dr.  Gulson,  to  meete  at  such  time  as  Mr.  Trea- 
surer shall  giue  order  thereunto.^ 

Patent  for  Sundry  Kentish  Men. 

"  It  was  agreed  upon  the  mocon  of  S""  Dudley  Digges 
and  S"^  Thomas  Catto  into  the  Court  about  a  Pattent  to  be 
graunted  unto  sundry  Kentish  men,  who  would  seate  and 
plante  themselves  in  Virginia,  that  they  should  haue  as 
Large  priuiledges  and  immunities  as  is  graunted  to  any 
other  in  that  kinde. 


1  On  June  24th  the  committee  made  a  report  on  college  business  which 
space  compels  us  to  omit.  In  an  article  on  education  in  Virginia  during 
17th  century,  prepared  at  the  request  of  the  United  States  Commissioner 
of  Education,  the  writer  has  given  in  full  the  action  of  the  Company 
relative  to  schools. 


ALDERMAN  JOHNSON  REPROVED.  151 

Unseemly  Language  of  late  Deputy  Johnson. 

July  13.     "A  Court  held   for  Virginia   at   S"^   Thos. 
Smith's  howse  in  Philpott  Lane.^ 

"  The  busines  by  the  Last  Court  referred  unto  the  Coun- 
sell  touching  some  unseemly  words  giuen  by  Mr.  Aldran 
Johnson  unto  Mr.  Th'rer,  to  be  censured  by  them,  they 
hauing  mett  as  they  were  desired  and  thereon  considered 
did  now  deliuer  their  conclusion  unto  the  Courte,  where 
after  a  long  disputacon  and  reprofe  of  the  offence  comitted 
by  Mr.  Alderman,  and  a  general  cleering  of  Mr.  Thr'er  by 
ereccon  of  hands,  and  euery  man's  testimony  of  the  scan- 
dall  imputed  unto  him  by  Mr.  Alderman  that  he  should 
moue  any  of  the  Company  by  indecent  Language ;  It  was 
agreed  that  for  preuenting  the  Like  abuse  to  the  Th'rer 
hereafter,  the  former  Comittee,  that  is  to  say  the  Lord  of 
Southampton,  the  Lo.  of  Warwick,  S""  Jo.  Dauers,  S""  Tho. 
Gates,  S""  Nath.  Rich,  Mr.  Jo.  Wroth,  Mr.  Geo.  Thorpe  and 
Mr.  Deputy  iFerrar  to  whome  this  busines  was  formerly 
referred  now  adding  unto  their  number  S*"  Jo :  Wolsten- 
holme,  S""  Tho.  Wroth,  sliould  set  downe  in  writing  to  be 
entered  in  the  Court  bookes  the  iustification  w'ch  the  Court 
hath  giuen  to  Mr.  Thr'er,  And  should  withall  propose  to 
the  consideration  of  the  Court  the  forme  of  some  iust  Lawe 
for  the  preuenting  of  the  like  wrong  and  abuse  in  future 
tyme. 


1  The  meetings  of  the  Company,  after  the  election   of  Sandys,  were 
usually  held  at  Mr.  Ferrar's  house  in  St.  Sithe's  Lane. 


152  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Communion  Set  for  the  College. 

July  21.  ^'  There  was  at  the  sitting  downe  of  the  Court 
by  an  unknowne  person  presented  to  Mr.  Threr  the  letter 
following 

+ 
I.  H.  S. 

"  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  Threr  of  Virginia  : 

"  Good  luck  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  w^ho  is  dayly 
magnified  by  the  experiment  of  your  zeale  and  piety  in 
giuinge  begining  to  the  foundation  of  the  Colledge  in  Vir- 
ginia, the  sacred  worke  so  due  to  Heaven  and  soe  longed 
for  on  earth. 

"  Now  knowe  wee  assuredly  that  the  Lord  will  doe  you 
good  and  blesse  you  in  all  your  proceedings,  even  as  he 
blessed  the  howse  of  Obed  Edom  and  all  that  pertayne  to 
him  because  of  the  Arke  of  God.  Now  that  you  seeke 
the  Kingdome  of  God,  all  thinges  shall  be  ministred  unto 
you.  This  I  well  see  allready,  and  perceiue  that  by  this 
your  godlie  determinacon  the  Lord  hath  giuen  you  fauor 
in  the  sight  of  the  people,  and  I  knowe  some  whose  hearts 
are  much  enlarged  because  of  the  howse  of  the  Lord  our 
God  to  procure  you  Wealth,  whose  greater  designs  I  have 
presumed  to  outrun  with  this  oblacon,  which  I  humbly 
beseech  you  may  be  accepted  as  the  pledge  of  my  devocon, 
and  as  an  earnest  of  the  vowes  which  I  have  vowed  unto 
the  Almighty  God  of  Jacobb  concerning  this  thing,  which 
till  I  may  in  part  perform  1  desire  to  remayne  unknowne 
and  unsought  after. 

"  The  things  are  these  : 

"  A  Communion  Cup  with  the  couer  and  vase ; 


POLONIANS  IN  VIROINIA.  153 

"  A  Trencher  plate  for  the  bread 
"  A  Carpett  of  crimson  veluett 
"  A  Linnen  damaske  table  cloth. 

Polonians  in  Virginia  Enfranchised. 

"  Upon  some  dispute  of  the  Polonians  resident  in  Vir- 
ginia it  was  now  agreed  (notwithstanding  any  former  order 
to  the  contrary  law)  that  they  shalbe  enfranchized  and 
made  as  free  as  any  inhabitant  there  whatsoever.  And 
because  their  skill  in  making  pitch  and  tarr  and  sope  ashes 
shall  not  dye  with  them,  it  is  agreed  that  some  young  men 
shalbe  put  unto  them  to  learne  their  skill  and  knowledge 
therein  for  the  benefitt  of  the  country  hereafter. 

Summer  Recess. 

"  The  order  of  the  Last  Co""*  touching  the  dissoluing  of 
the  Courte  till  Michaelmas  time  being  now  putt  to  the 
question  was  ratified  by  Generall  consent. 

First  Meeting  after  Vacation. 

Oct.  20.  "  It  was  made  known  by  Mr.  Deputy  that  the 
time  being  expired  wherein  during  this  term  of  vacansye 
the  General  Courte  (according  to  order)  have  discontinued ; 
they  are  now  to  proceed  again  in  their  due  course  euery 
fortnight,  this  day  month  being  a  Generall  q'rter  Court : 
And  allthough  Mr.  Treasurer  be  yet  absent,  the  Company 
will  finde  at  his  coming  up  next  weeke  that  he  hath  not 
been  wanting  to  the  seruice  of  Virginia,  but  both  his  minde 
and  time  wholly  imployed  in  their  business,  contriuing  the 
meanes  of  sending  large  supplies  of  men  and  Cattle  for 
Virginia  this  next  spring. 

20 


154  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

Dissolute  Persons  to  be  Transported. 

"  A  I're  being  sent  from  his  Ma"^  directed  to  Mr.  T'rer 
and  Counsell  for  the  sending  diners  dissolute  persons  to 
Virginia  w'ch  S*"  Edward  Zouch  kn't  Marshall  will  giue 
informacon  of :  after  the  Counsell  had  perused  the  same 
was  brought  to  the  boord  and  read  to  the  Company,  w'ch 
considering  there  was  noe  present  meanes  of  conueying 
them  to  Virginia  thought  fitt  to  reserue  the  full  answere  to 
his  Ma^y  I're  till  the  next  Court  when  with  the  Lords  and 
Mr.  Treasuror  it  might  be  agreed  how  his  Ma"^^  comaunds 
might  most  speedily  and  conueniently  be  effected  :  In  the 
meane  while  S'  Jo.  Dauers  promised  to  acquaynt  Mr.  Se- 
cretarie  Caluert,  and  S""  Edw:  Zouch  the  reason  that  they 
haue  not  yet  set  sent  answere  to  his  Ma*'  gracious  L're. 

Nov.  3.  "  According  to  the  refference  in  the  Last  Court 
his  Ma*^  L're  was  now  taken  into  most  dutiful  considera- 
con  and  it  was  agreed  with  all  conueniencie  to  fulfill  his 
Ma*'  comaund,  and  to  send  them  ouer  to  be  seruants,  w'ch 
will  be  very  acceptable  unto  the  Inhabitants  as  Mr.  Thr'er 
hath  understood  from  them,  and  in  the  meane  time  till 
they  may  be  sent,  w'ch  will  be  about  January  Mr.  Trea- 
suror showed  that  in  like  case  the  Lo:  Maior  had  been 
soUicited  to  giue  order  for  the  keeping  of  them  in  Bride- 
well, w'ch  was  answered  to  be  performed  allready  and  the 
Court  desired  Mr.  Treasurer  to  giue  his  Ma'ty  an  answere 
by  Mr.  Secretary  Caluert. 

Coat  of  Arms  for  Virginia. 
"  Whereas  formerly  a  scale  for  the  Company  called  the 
Legall  Scale  was  referred  unto  a  Comittee  to  consider  in 
what  manner  it  should  be,  and  nothing  as  yet  done  therein  : 


THE  LEGAL  SEAL.  155 

It  was  agreed  that  Mr.  Harecutious  be  intreated  to  giue 
the  Auditors  sometimes  a  meeting  at  S'  Edwin  Sandis, 
where  they  will  deuise  to  take  a  Cote  for  Virginia  and 
agree  upon  the  Seale. 

Nov.  15.  "  Touching  the  Legal  Seale  spoken  of  in  the 
Last  Court  the  Auditors  at  their  Assembly  haue  therein 
taken  some  paynes  w'ch  they  now  presented  to  this  Courte  : 
And  whereas  they  had  spoken  to  one  for  the  cutting  of  it, 
there  is  one  Mr.  Hole  who  would  appropriate  that  unto 
himselfe  under  pretence  of  hauing  a  Pattent  for  the  en- 
grauing  of  all  scales,  w'ch  hath  the  Kinges  arms,  but  not 
for  any  part  thereof,  and  there  fore  appointed  them  to 
repaire  to  Mr.  Xtofer  Brooke '  of  Lincolne's  Inn  to  exa- 
mine it,  and  to  bring  his  opinion  under  his  hand  in  writing 
and  accordingly  it  should  be  determined.^ 


1  Brooke  was  the  son  of  the  Lord  Mayor  of  York.  Was  a  studeat  of 
Lincoln's  Inn,  and  a  poet  as  well  as  jurist.  In  1613  he  published  an 
Elegi/  on  the  Death  of  Henry,  Prince  of  Wales.  Browne,  a  poet  of  the 
day,  speaks  of  him  as 

'•  Brooke  whose  polished  lines 
Are  fittest  to  accomplish  high  designs." 

2  The  Mr.  Hole  referred  to  in  the  minute  was  William  Hole,  or  Hoole, 
engraver  of  the  map  of  Virginia,  printed  in  1612,  and  reissued  in  1624 
in  "smith's  General  Histonj.  In  1618  he  obtained  a  life  grant  as 
'<  sculptor  of  the  iron  for  money."  The  following  anecdote  from  the 
Weever  Manuscripts  is  told  by  Hunter : 

King  James  evidently  did  not  like  the  proceedings  of  the  Virginia 
Company,  and  when  the  device  of  the  seal  was  presented  to  him,  where 
on  one  side  was  St.  George  slaying  the  dragon,  with  the  motto  Fas  Alium 
superare  draconem,  meaning  the  unbelief  of  the  natives,  he  commanded 
that  the  motto  should  be  omitted.  The  motto  on  the  other  side, 
En  dat  Virginia  quintum,  allusive  to  the  four  crowns  was  in  the  taste 
of  the  times.     The  "  Cote  for  Virginia,"  with  a  slight  alteration  of  the 


156  VIROINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Collections  for  the  College. 

"  Mr.  Trer  desired  the  allowance  of  this  Court  of  one 
thing  agreed  of  by  the  Auditors  and  Comittee  of  the  Col- 
ledge  w'ch  was  that  1400^  of  mony  in  all  being  receiued 
of  the  coUeccon  monyes  by  S'  Tho:  Smith,  of  w'ch  upon 
seuerall  occasions  there  was  rented  by  way  of  Loane  for 
the  use  of  the  Company  eight  Hundred  pounds  the  Re- 
mainder being  500'  odd  mony  now  paid  unto  Mr.  Trea- 
surer :     Therefore  that  the  said  800'  might  be  reimbursed 


motto,  was  used  by  the  colony  until  its  separation  from  Great  Britain. 
The  escutcheon  is  quartered  with  the  arms  of  England  and  France,  Scot- 
land and  Ireland,  crested  by  a  maiden  queen  with  flowing  hair  and 
eastern  crown.  Supporters:  Two  men  in  armor,  beavers  open,  helmets 
ornamented  with  three  ostrich  feathers,  each  holding  a  lance.  Motto  : 
En  dat  Virginia  quantum. 

Spenser,  Raleigh's  friend,  dedicated  his  Fairy  Queen  to  Elizabeth, 
"  Queen  of  England,  France,  Ireland  and  Virginia."  After  James  of 
Scotland  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  England,  Virginia  would  be  in  com- 
pliment called  a  fifth  kingdom. 

In  an  edition  of  Stow's  Survey  of  London,  published  in  1632,  the  coat 
of  arms  appears  with  the  motto.  En  dat  Virginia  quintam,  and  it  may  be 
that  the  quintum  on  the  frontispiece  of  Smith's  History,  editions  of  1624 
and  1632,  is  an  error  of  the  engraver,  although  it  is  correct  as  an  adjec- 
tive qualifying  regnum.     The  editor  of  the  /Swvey  subjoins  the  following 

note : 

"  The  Company  of  Merchants  called  Merchants  of  Virginia,  Bermuda 
or  Summer  Islands  (for  I  heare)  all  these  additions  are  given  them.  I 
know  not  the  time  of  their  incorporating,  neither  by  whom  their  armes 
supporters  and  crest  were  granted." 

On  the  title  page  of  the  Revised  Statutes  of  Virginia  for  1733,  1752, 
and  1759,  the  coat  appears  with  the  motto,  En  dat  Virginia  quartam,  the 
adjective  agreeing  with  coronam  understood.  After  the  union  of  England 
and  Scotland,  in  1707,  quintam  was  probably  changed  to  quartam. 


PROPOSITIONS  OF  SANDYS.  157 

out  of  the  comon  cash  into  the  Colledge  mony  w'bh  was 
ratified  and  allowed  of  by  the  Court. 

Quarter  Court. 

"  At  a  great  and  generall  Quarter  Court  holden  for  Vir- 
ginia on  Wednesday  the  17th  of  November,  1619. 

List  of  Counsellors. 

"  Before  the  reading  of  the  Co"^^^  there  was  presented  by 
Mr.  Tre'r  a  list  of  all  the  Counsellors  names  of  Virginia, 
being  of  Earles,  Barons,  Knights,  Gentlemen  and  citizens 
about  100  in  all,  w'th  this  caution  that  if  any  heard  them- 
selves named,  and  had  not  taken  their  oaths,  they  were  to 
repair  to  the  Lo.  Chancellor  or  the  Lo.  Chamberlaine  to 
be  sworne. 

"  The  Courtes  being  read  Mr.  Treasurer  putt  the  Court  in 
remembrance  of  his  former  proposicons  propounded  in  the 
Co""*  iij  Die  Nouembris  hauing  before  that  propounded  them 
to  the  Counsell  and  lastly  to  the  Preparatiue  Court,  and 
desires  to  haue  the  iudgment  of  this  Great  and  Generall 
Court  concerning  them :  When,  upon  the  request  of  some 
noble  men,  he  related  them  againe  to  the  Co""^  in  effect  as 
foUoweth. 

Propositions  of  Sir  Edwin  Sandys.'^ 

"  Therefore  his  first  Proposition  was,  that  the  Company 
would  be  pleased  that  those  Tenants  for  the  Publique 
might  be  encreased  this  next  Spring  to  the  number  of  300, 
viz"  one  hundred  for  the  Gouernor's  Land,  100  for  the 


1  He  gave  an  extended  review  of  past  errors,  and  the  condition  of  the 
colony,  before  stating  his  propositions. 


158  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Companies,  and  100  for  the  CoUedge  Land :  w'ch  (if  he  be 
truly  informed  by  those  who  best  should  know  it)  being 
rightly  imployed  will  not  yield  lesse  in  value  than  three 
thousand  pounds  yearely  reuennue  for  these  pubhque  uses. 
And  because  care  both  hath  beene  and  shall  be  taken  that 
diners  stayed  persons  and  of  good  condicons  haue  been 
and  shall  be  sent  amongst  them. 

One  hundred  Children  proposed  to  he  sent. 

"His  second  Proposition  was  that  for  their  ease  and 
comodiousnes  there  be  100  young  persons  sent  to  be  their 
Apprentices,  in  the  charge  whereof  he  hoped  this  Hono^^® 
Citty  would  pertake  with  the  Company  as  they  formerly 
had  done. 

Maids  for  Wives. 

"And  because  he  understood  that  the  people  thither 
transported  though  seated  there  in  their  persons  for  some 
foure  yeares  are  not  settled  in  their  mindes  to  make  it 
their  place  of  rest  and  continuance ;  but  hauing  gotten 
some  wealth  there  to  returne  agayne  to  England. 

"  For  the  remedying  of  that  mischiefe  and  of  establishing 
a  perpetuitie  of  the  Plantation,  he  aduised  and  made  it  his 
Third  Proposition  to  send  them  oner  One  hundred  young 
Maides  to  become  wifes ;  that  wifes,  children  and  familie 
might  make  them  lesse  mouable  and  settle  them,  together 
with  their  Posteritie  in  that  Soile.^ 


^  On  Nov.  3d,  at  a  Preparatory  Court  "  He  wished  that  a  fitt  hundred 
might  be  sent  of  women,  maids  young  and  uncorrupt  to  make  wifes  to 
the  Inhabitants." 


TRANSPORTATION  OF  CATTLE.  159 

Mode  of  Transportation. 

"His  next  Proposition  was  for  the  manner  of  transporting 
those  persons  thus  to  make  up  ffiue  hundred  for  the  Pub- 
lique  Land,  wherein  he  aduised  that  they  should  not  as 
heretofore  giue  shipping  for  this  purpose,  whereas  every 
shipp  at  his  returne  in  bare  fraighte  and  wages  emptied 
the  Cash  of  800  and  sometimes  1000'^  but  that  they  should 
as  they  had  allreadie  done  this  present  yeare  take  the 
opportunitie  of  the  Ships  trading  to  Newfoundland,  and  so 
to  transport  them  at  six  pounds  a  person  without  after 
reckonings. 

Cattle  to  he  provided. 

"  A  fifte  proposicion  for  the  sending  of  20  Heifers  upon 
!- 1  ..  100  of  those  Tenants,  Therefore  in  the  whole,  w'ch 
he  hoped  might  be  done  taking  the  opportunity  of  shipping 
in  the  westerne  parts  at  Ten  pounds  a  head  600^'  in  the 
whole, 

Annual  Estimates. 

"  Lastly  touching  the  charges  he  related  particularly  as 
formerly  he  had  done,  diuers  great  incouragements  of  sup- 
ply to  come  in ;  he  estimated  the  whole  charge  at  foure 
thousand  pounds  to  be  done  sparingly,  and  bountifully  at 
5000^' ;  He  promised  not  to  leaue  the  Company  one  penny 
in  debt  for  any  thing  in  his  yeare  to  be  performed :  And 
moreouer  that  he  would  discharge  3000^'  of  former  debts 
and  reckoninge  according  to  the  Stock  left  in  the  Lottaries 
at  his  coming  to  this  place  :  This  done  he  hoped  the  Pub- 
lique  would  agayne  be  well  restored,  and  foundacon  laid 
for  a  future  great  State,  The  Aduenturers  and  Planters 


160  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

well  comforted  and  encouraged,  All  matter  of  scandall  and 
reproach  remoued,  and  so  he  would  comend  the  Accon  to 
the  blessing  of  God. 

"These  Proposicons  after  some  pause,  receauing  noe  oppo- 
sicon  were  put  to  the  question,  and  receaued  the  generall 
approbacon  of  the  Court,    i 

"  Allso  he  acquainted  that  in  settinge  forward  y*  of  his 
proposicounes  now  confirmed  he  had  to  thatt  purpose  been 
with  the  Lord  Maior,  who  found  him  as  willinge  to  plea- 
sure the  Company  as  he  desyred  w'ch  all  desyred  to  haue 
their  mynde  in  writinge  that  the  Court  of  Aldermen  and 
the  Common  Councill  may  the  better  understand  them, 
w'ch  beinge  now  reddy  drawne  was  read  and  allowed  of 
the  coppy  of  w'ch  ensueth. 

Homeless  Boys  and  Girls  of  London. 

"To  the  Ri. Honorable  S""  Wm.  Cockaine,'  knt  Lord  Maior  of 
the  Cittie  of  London,  and  the  Right  Worp^  y'  Aldermen, 
his  Brethren,  and  the  Wo^^'  the  Common   Counsell  of 
the  said  Citty : 
"  The  Threr,  Counsell  and  Company  of  Virginia,  assembled 

in  their  great  and  generall  courte  the  17th  of  November, 


1  William  Cockaiue  was  a  distinguished  merchant;  sheriff  in  1609; 
chief  of  the  new  company  of  merchant  adventurers,  which  gave  King 
James  a  great  banquet  on  June  22, 1609,  at  his  house  and  there  knighted. 
He  died  in  1626,  and  the  distinguished  poet  and  divine,  John  Donne, 
preached  his  funeral  sermom. 

The  following  letter  of  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  on  January  28,  1620,  to 
one  of  the  King's  secretaries.  Sir  Robert  Naunton,  shows  that  the  child- 
ren were  not  always  willing  to  embark  : 

"  The  city  of  London  have  appointed  one  hundred  children  from  the 
superfluous  multitude  to  be  transported  to  Virginia,  there  to  be  bound 


POOR  CHILDREN  TRANSPORTED.  161 

1619,  haue  taken  into  consideracon  the  continuall  great 
forwardness  of  this  honorable  Cytty  in  advancing  the  plan- 
tacon  of  Virginia,  and  pticularly  in  furnishinge  out  one 
hundred  children  this  last  yeare,  which,  by  tlie  goodnes  of 
God,  ther  safely  arriued  (save  such  as  dyed  in  the  waie) 
and  are  well  pleased,  we  doubt  not,  for  this  benefit,  for 
which,  your  bountiful  assistance,  we,  in  the  name  of  the 
wholl  plantacon,  do  yield  unto  you  due  deserved  thanks. 

"  And  forasmuch  as  wee  haue  now  resolued  to  send  this 
next  Springe  very  large  supplies  for  the  strength  and 
encreasinge  of  the  colony,  styled  by  the  name  of  the 
London  CoUony,  and  find  that  the  sendinge  of  these  child- 
ren to  be  apprentised  hath  been  very  grateful  to  the  peo- 
ple. Wee  pray  yo*"  Lo^  and  the  rest,  in  pursuite  of  your 
former  so  precious  Accons,  to  renew  the  like  fauours,  and 
furnish  us  again  with  one  hundred  more  for  the  next 
Springe. 

"  Our  desire  is  that  we  may  have  them  of  12  yeares  old 
&  upward,  with  allowance  of  Three  pound  a  peec  for  their 
transportacon,  and  forty  shillings  a  pees  for  their  apparell, 
as  was  formerly  granted.  They  shall  be  apprentizes  ;  the 
boys  till  they  come  to  21  years  of  age ;  the  girles  till  like 
age,  or  till  they  be  marryed,  and  afterward  they  shall  be 
placed  as  Tennants  upon  the  publique  lands,  with  best 


apprentices  upon  very  beneficial  conditions.  They  have  also  granted 
£500  for  their  passage  and  outfit.  Some  of  the  ill-disposed  children, 
•who,  under  severe  masters  in  Virginia,  may  be  brought  to  goodness,  and 
of  whom  the  city  is  specially  desirous  to  be  disburdened,  declare  their 
unwillingness  to  go.  The  city  wanting  authority  to  deliver,  and  the  Vir- 
ginia Company  to  transport  these  children  against  their  will,  desire 
higher  authority  to  get  over  the  difficulty."      Cal.  State  Papers,  Colonial 

Series. 

21 


162  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

condicons,  where  they  shall  have  houses  with  stocke  of 
come  and  cattle  to  begin  with,  and  afterward  the  moyty 
of  all  increase  and  profit  whatsoever. 

"  And  so  we  leaue  this  mocon  to  your  honorable  and  grave 
consider  aeon. 

Interview  loith  Secretary  Calvert. 

"  After  this  hee  signified  that  according  to  the  desire  of 
the  Last  Courte  hee  had  been  with  Mr.  Secretary  Caluert 
and  deliuered  the  Companies  answere  touchinge  the  Trans- 
porting of  men  prest  by  his  Ma'ty  w'ch  gaue  nott  full 
sattisfaccon  for  that  the  King's  desyre  admitted  no  delaies, 
but  forthwith  to  haue  50  of  the  100  shipt  away  w*^  all 
speed,  Notwithstanding  the  many  inconvenyances  w'ch 
Mr.  Threr  alleadged  would  thereby  accrew  unto  the  Com- 
pany that  they  could  not  goe  in  lesse  than  fouer  Shipps, 
for  feare  they  beinge  many  together  may  drawe  more  unto 
them  and  so  muteny  and  carry  away  the  Ships  w'ch  would 
stand  the  Company  in  fowre  thousand  pounds,  and  they 
not  suddenly  to  be  gotten  at  this  time  of  the  yeare,  but  all 
not  *  *  *  hee  tolde  them  what  a  pinch  he  was  putt 
unto,  and  therefore  desyred  their  Counsell  and  Advise. 

Company  to  maintain  Convicts  till  shipped. 

"  Whereuppon  diuers  waies  being  thought  on  and  con- 
sidered, the  Court  could  finde  noe  fitter  nor  more  satisfac- 
tory answere  then  this ;  That  the  Company  would  be  att 
the  charge  to  mayntayne  them  till  ther  may  be  shipping 
prouided,  if  soe  be  they  were  commanded  to  doe  itt.  And 
therefore  haue  apoynted  a  Comitte  of  Select  Merchants  to 
imploy  their  wholl  indeauours  for  the  compassinge  of  ship- 
pinge  w'th  all  speed  possible,  Namely  Mr.  Deputy  Ferrar, 


STALLENOE  KILLED  BY  EPP8.  163 

Mr.  Keightley  Mr.  Wiseman  Mr.  Cranmore,  Mr.  Bull,  Mr. 
Sheppard  and  Mr.  Mellinge  and  to  that  end  Mr.  Threr 
was  content  the  Eight  hundred  pounds  Aduentured  by  the 
generall  Stocke  in  the  Magazine  should  remaine  there  to 
be  employed  to  these  uses  from  time  to  time,  whereunto  if 
they  pleased  there  could  be  two  hundred  pounds  more 
added  outt  of  the  cash  in  his  Custody  w'ch  Thousand 
pounds  to  be  only  for  the  satisfyinge  of  his  Mat's  desyres 
from  tyme  to  tyme. 

Some  of  the  Dissolute  to  he  sent  to  Somer's  Islands. 
"And  whereas  the  Company  of  the  Somer  Hands  doth 
allwaies  reporte  of  the  gracious  fauour  his  Ma*^  extendeth 
to  Virginia,  that  therefore  the  next  Quarter  Courte  of  the 
said  Islands,  the  Company  thereof  be  intreated  to  joyne 
for  the  Transporte  of  some  of  them  to  be  Seruants  uppon 
their  Land ;  my  Lord  of  Warwick,  S"^  Edwin  Sandys,  Mr. 
John  Ferrar  and  others  intending  to  take  some  of  them  to 
that  purpose,  for  prosecutinge  of  w'ch  itt  being  putt  to  y^ 
question  was  generally  agreed  of  intreatinge  Mr.  Threr 
that  to  this  effect  hee  would  in  writinge  drawe  the  answere 
and  deliuer  itt  to  Mr.  Secretary  Caluert  to  informe  his 
Ma'ty. 

A71  old  Planter  killed  in  a  Quarrel. 

"As  allso  that  such  things  as  belonged  to  Cap.  Stallenge  ^ 
slayne  ther  by  Wm.  Epps  be  reserued  for  the  use  and 
benefitt  of  his  widdowe. 


1  Stallenge  had  returned  from  a  fishing  voyage  to  New  England.  He 
was  "  slaine  in  a  priuate  quarrcll."  Smith,  in  Neio  England  Trialls, 
London,  1622,  says  his  name  was  Edward  Koweroft.  In  another  work 
published  by  Council  of  New  England,  he  is  called  Rocraft. 


164  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Captain  JVeivport's  Son  desires  some  Land  selected. 

"  Whereas  the  Company  hath  formerly  graimted  to  Cap- 
tain Newporte  a  bill  of  Aduenture  of  fower  hundred 
pounds,  and  his  sonne^  now  desyringe  order  from  this 
Courte  for  the  layinge  out  of  some  part  of  the  same  :  Mr. 
Treasurer  was  entreated  and  authorized  by  this  generall 
Assembly  for  to  write  to  S'  George  Yeardly  and  the  Coun- 
sell  of  State  for  the  effecting  hereof. 

Tlie  Transportation  of  Vagabonds. 

"An  extraordinary  Courte  held  the  xxij"^  of  Nouember 
1619. 

"  Mr.  Treasurer  signified  that  this  extraordinary  Courte 
was  to  acquaynte  them  that  according  to  the  intent  of  the 
last  great  Courte  hee  had  drawne  the  letter  to  his  Ma%  in 
the  name  of  the  Trer,  Counsell  and  Company  and  had 
deliuered  itt  to  Mr.  Secretary  Caluert  together  with  a 
coppie  thereof,  butt  itt  beinge  thought  that  I're  would  not 
serue  his  Ma^^  hee  was  to  propound  this  and  craue  theire 
further  aduise,  that  if  one  hundred  pounds  w'ch  should 
haue  beene  for  mayntenance  of  those  men  might  be  giuen 
extraordinary,  in  grosse  besides  the  ordinary  allowance  of 
Six  pounds  the  man  to  any  that  may  be  found  to  transport 
them  with  all  expedicon.  The  Knight  Marshall  hauinge 
promised  S""  John  Dauers  that  if  they  may  be  sent  pre- 
sentlie  hee  will  furnish  them  w'th  such  p'sons  of  what 
quallyty  and  condicon  they  desire.  Unto  w'ch  was  ob- 
iected  that  if  some  were  found  to  undertake  this  yet  itt 


1  John  Newport  the  only  son  and  heir.     It  is  possible  that  Newport 
News  was  the  tract  selected. 


DELBRIDOE  ASKS  TO  FISH  AT  GAPE  COD.  165 

might  might  be  this  month  the  ship  could  be  dispeeded  and 
they  during  such  time  must  be  mayntayned  att  the  Com- 
panies charge ;  wch  was  answered  itt  could  not  be  helped, 
his  Ma"^^  Command  must  be  fulfilled,  therefore  being  putt 
to  the  question  was  generally  allowed  of. 

Gorges  objects  to  fishing  in  North  Colony. 

Dec.  1.  "  The  last  great  generall  Courte  being  read  Mr. 
Threr  acquainted  them  that  Mr.  John  Delbridge  purposing 
to  settle  a  pticuler  Colony  in  Virginia  desyring  of  the  Com- 
pany that  for  the  defrayinge  somewhat  of  his  charges,  that 
hee  might  bee  admitted  to  fish  at  Cape  Codd  wch  request 
was  opposed  by  S'"  Ferdinando  Gorge  aleaginge  that  hee 
alwaies  fauored  Mr.  Delbridge,  but  in  this  hee  thought 
himselfe  something  touched  that  he  should  sue  to  this 
Company,  and  not  rather  to  him  as  proplie  belonging  to 
the  North  Colony  to  giue  libertie  for  the  fishinge  in  that 
place,  it  being  within  theire  latitude  which  was  answered 
by  Mr.  Thr'er  that  the  Comp^  of  the  S°  and  North  Planta- 
tion are  the  one  free  of  the  other.  And  that  the  Ir'es  pat- 
tent  is  that  each  may  fish  within  the  other  the  Sea  being 
free  for  both,  w'ch  if  the  N°  Colony  abridge  them  of  this, 
they  would  take  away  theire  means  and  encouragement  of 
sendinge  of  men. 

"  Unto  which  S""  Ferdinando  Georges  replyed  that  if  hee 
mistake  not  himselfe  both  the  Companies  were  lymitted  by 
y^  Pattent  unto  w'ch  hee  would  submitt  himselfe,  for  the 
decydinge  whereof  itt  is  referred  unto  the  Counsell  who 
are  of  both  Companies  to  examine  the  L'res  Pattents  to 
morrow  afternoone  att  my  Lord  of  Southampton's  and 
accordingly  to  determine  the  dispute. 


166  vntomiA  company  of  london. 

Report  touching  Letters  Patent. 

Dec.  15.  "The  Counsell  meetinge  accordinge  to  the 
referrence  in  the  Last  Courte  and  perusinge  the  I'res  Pat- 
tents  grew  to  this  conclusion  that  by  the  lycense  of  the 
said  Counsell  itt  might  be  lawfull  for  either  of  the  said 
Collonies  to  fish  within  the  liberties  the  one  as  of  the 
other,  butt  since  some  of  the  Northern  Collony  flyinge 
from  that  agreement  pretend  to  consider  better  of  itt  be- 
fore they  will  giue  answer  thereunto. 

Smith's  Hundred  to  fish  in  North  Colony. 

"  Howsomever  the  Counsell  hauinge  occasion  to  pursue 
itt  uppo  the  mocon  of  Mr.  Threr  have  giuen  Lycense 
under  their  Scale  unto  the  Society  of  Smith's  Hundred  to 
goe  a  fishinge,  w'ch  scale  was  this  day  in  open  Courte,  and 
by  the  allowance  thereof  affixed  to  theire  said  Lycense,  as 
allso  to  a  Duplicate  of  the  same. 

Alphabetical  Publication  of  Adventurers. 

"  At  this  Court  Mr.  Threr  acquainted  the  Company  that 
the  day  before  S'  Tho:  Smiths  acct  had  beene  brought  in 
to  the  Auditors,  and  for  the  spedyer  Auditinge  and  con- 
cludinge  of  them  itt  was  moved  by  him  in  the  name  of 
the  Auditors  who  by  one  assent  had  approued  thereof  that 
a  publicacon  might  be  sett  out  in  priuate,  And  y*'  first  parte 
to  sett  downe  the  names  in  Alphabeticall  order  of  euery 


BRIDEWELL  PRISONERS.  167 

Aduenturer,  and  their  seuerall  summs  aduentured^  that 
therby  all  may  take  notice  of  their  sumes  brought  in,  and 
be  summoned  to  com  in  for  their  Land  proportionable 
thereunto,  before  the  best  were  possessed  by  new  Aduen- 
turers  or  planters,  w'ch  might  be  allso  a  means  of  a  speedy 
encrease  and     ^     *     '''     of  the  plantation. 

"  And  in  the  second  p*  to  confute  such  scandalous  reports 
as  haue  beene  diuulged  of  Virginia  by  the  justificacon  of 
the  Inhabitants  there,  wcli  mocon  was  generally  approued 
by  the  Courte  referringe  the  drawing  of  the  said  publicacon 
to  Mr.  Threr  &  Dr.  Winstone. 

Ship  for  the  Bridewell  Inmates. 

Dec.  23.  "A  Comission  to  John  Damyron^  Mr.  of  y^ 
Duety  being  now  red  and  allowed  for  takinge  y^  first  op- 
tunj^tie  of  winde  and  weather  to  sett  Saile  for  Virginia  w*'^ 
the  passengers  the  Company  shijDpeth  by  command  from 
his  Ma*y  was  now  ordered  that  the  scale  should  be  there- 
unto affixed.  Mr.  Deputy  informinge  the  Court  that  the 
Knight  Marshall  hauinge  been  w*^  Mr.  Threr  gaue  him  to 
understand  that  uppon  Monday  morninge  Fiftie  of  the 
persons  to  be  transported  for  his  Ma*^  should  be  att  Bride- 
well for  the  Company  to  make  choyce  of  such  as  they 
think  fitt  for  the  present  to  be  sent ;  therefore  moued  that 


^  In  1620  the  Company  published  a  Declaration,  with  the  names  of  the 
adventurers  and  the  sums  adventured,     lleprinted  in  Force,  vol.  III. 
Captain  Wingfield  adventured  88  li. 

Sir  Thomas  Gates  100  " 

William  Brewster  20  " 

Capt.  Ed.  Brewster,  his  son  30  '' 

Capt.  Jno:  Smith  9  " 

Smith  was  the  smallest  subscriber  of  hundreds  of  adventurers. 

'^  Was  Damarin's  Cove  named  after  this  captain  ? 


168  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

some  might  repare  thither  att  8  of  the  Clock  to  meet  the 
knt  marshall  about  that  buisines  :  Whereuppon  the  Courte 
haue  desyred  Mr.  Dr.  Wynstone,  Mr.  Canninge,  Mr.  Cran- 
more,  and  Mr.  Thomas  Mellinge  to  be  there  att  that  time. 

Quarter  Court. 

"  Att  a  greate  and  Generall  Quarter  Courte  holden  for 
Virginia  att  S"  Edwin  Sandys  house  neer  Aldersgate  the 
second  of  February,  1619. 

"  The  Treasurer  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  of  Graunts  of  Land 
hee  acquainted  them  of  fower  seurall  paire  of  Indentures 
lying  all  ingrossed  before  them  granted  unto  Mr.  Robert 
Heath  Recorder  of  London  and  his  Associates,  the  second 
to  Doctor  Bohune  James  Swifte  and  their  Associates  for 
Transportation  of  300  persons;  the  Third  to  William 
Tracy  esquire  and  his  associates  for  Transportation  of  500 
persons  and  the 

Grant  to  John  Peirce  and  Associates. 

Fourth  to  John  Peeirce  and  his  associates  their  heires  and 
assignes,  which  being  all  fowre  now  red  and  examined  and 
fyndinge  them  agree  with  the  draughts  perused  and  allowed 
by  the  Auditors  were  all  of  them  allowed  and  sealed  in 
view  of  the  Courte  with  a  Totall  Approbacon. 

February  2, 1619  (old  style)  :  "  A  Ire  from  an  unknowne 
person  was  read,  directed  to  Mr.  Treasurer,  promisinge  five 
hundred  pounds  for  the  edticatinge  and  bringinge  up  Infi- 
dells'  children  in  Christyanitie,  which  Mr.  Treasurer,  not 
willinge  to  meddle  therewith  alone,  desired  the  court  to 
apoynt  a  select  comittee  for  the  manadginge  and  imploy- 
inge  of  itt  to  which  purpose  :  they  made  choyce  of:  Lord 


LETTER  OF  DUST  AND  ASHES.  169 

Pagett,  S""  Tho.  Wroth,  Mr.  Jo.  Wroth,  Mr.  Deputie,  Mr. 
Tho.  Gibbs,  Dr.  Winstone,  Mr.  Bamfourde,  and  Mr. 
Keightley. 

The  Gop-py  of  w^^^  Letter  ensueth. 

"  S' :  Yo'  Charitable  endeauors  for  Virginia  hath  made 
you  a  ffather,  me  a  fauourer  of  those  good  works  wch, 
although  heretofore  hath  com  lieer  to  their  birth,  yett  for 
want  of  strength  could  neuer  be  deliuered,  (envy  &  diuision 
dashinge  these  younglings  even  in  the  wombe,)  until  your 
helpfuU  hand  w^*"  other  fauorable  psonages,  gaue  them  both 
birth  and  beinge  for  the  better  cherishinge  of  wch  good 
and  pious  worke,  seeinge  many  casting  guifts  in  the  Trea- 
sury, I  am  encourraged  to  tender  my  poore  mite ;  and 
although  I  cannott  with  the  Princes  of  Issaker  bringe  gould 
and  silver  coveringe,  yet  offer  here  what  I  cann,  some 
goats'  hayre,  necessary  stuffe  for  the  Lord's  Tabernacle, 
protesting  heer  in  my  sinceritie,  wthout  Papisticall  merritt 
or  Pharasaicall  applause,  wishing  from  my  hart  as  much 
unitie  in  yo'"  honorable  undertakinge  as  ther  is  sinceritie 
in  my  designes,  to  the  furtherance  of  wch  good  worke,  the 
converting  of  Infidles  to  the  fayth  of  Christe,  I  pmised  by 
my  good  friends  500  li  for  the  mayntenance  of  a  conveyent 
nomber  of  younge  Indians  taken  att  the  age  of  Seauen 
years,  or  younger,  and  instructed  in  the  readinge  and 
understandinge  the  principalis  of  Xrian  Religion  unto  the 
age  of  12  years,  and  then  as  occasion  serueth,  to  be  trayned 
and  brought  upp  in  some  lawfull  trade  with  all  humanitie 
and  gentleness  untill  the  age  of  one  and  Twenty  years, 
and  then  to  enioy  like  liberties  and  pryviledges  with  our 
natiue  English  in  that  place. 

"  And  for  the  better  pformance  thereof  you  shall  receaue 
22 


170  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

50^^  more,  which  shall  be  deliuered  into  the  hands  of  two 
religious  psons  with  certitude  of  payment,  who  shall  once 
every  quarter  examine  and  certify  to  the  Treasurer  here, 
in  England,  the  due  operacon  of  these  promises,  together 
with  the  names  of  those  children  thus  taken,  there  foster- 
fathers  and  overseers,  not  doubtinge  but  you  are  all  assured 
that  guiftes  denoted  to  God's  service  cannott  be  diuerted 
to  pryuate  and  secular  advantages  without  sacriledge.  If 
yo''  grauer  iudgments  can  deuise  a  more  charitable  course 
for  such  younge  children,  I  beseech  you  informe  my  friend, 
with  your  securitie  for  true  pformance,  and  my  beneuo- 
lence  shal  be  allwaies  redy  to  be  deliuered  accordingly. 

"  The  greatest  Courtesie  I  expect  or  craue  is  to  conceale 
my  frend's  name,  lest  importunytie  urge  him  to  betray 
that  trust  of  secresie  wch  he  he  hath  faythfully  promised, 
hee  hath  moved  my  harte  to  this  good  woorke.  Dyrect 
yo'^  charitable  endeauors  herein  whylst  I  rest,  ab  famo, 

"  Dust  and  Ashes. 

"  Sir  Edwin  Sandys, 

"  Tlie  faithful  Treasurer  for  Virginia} 


Great  Crop  in  Virginia. 

Feb.  16.  "  Mr.  Treasurer  acquainted  the  Courte  that 
hee  had  receaued  Letters  from  Virginia  importinge  the 
wellfare  of  the  Plantacon  although  they  haue  been  much 
distempered  by  reason  of  an  intemperate  heate,  not  onely 


1  On  February  16  the  proposition  to  give  the  £500  to  John  Peirce 
and  associates  for  educating  Indian  children  was  rejected,  and  it  was  pro- 
posed that  the  several  hundreds  should  take  a  few.  On  the  22d  the  pro- 
prietors of  Smith's  Hundred  stated  that  they  would  give  £100  to  be 
released  from  the  training  of  any  Indian  children.    • 


WANT  OF  PH7SIGIAN8  AND  APOTHECARIES.  171 

hapninge  unto  them  but  chiefly  amongst  the  Indians  re- 
questing that  the  Company  would  send  them  some  Phi^- 
tions  and  appothycaries  of  w'ch  they  stand  much  need  oil: 
relating  allso  to  y^  great  Comforte  of  the  Comp^  and  ni- 
couragment  of  those  wch  shall  send,  f  plenty  of  Corne 
that  God  this  yeare  hath  blest  them  with,  the  like  neuer 
happened  since  the  English  was  there  planted  hauing  had 
two  haruests,  the  first  being  taken,  the  winde  pduced  a 
second,  and  the  ground  beinge  so  extraordinary  fifat  &  good 
yt  sowinge  Indian  Corne  uppon  that  stuble  they  had  like- 
wise a  great  cropp  thereof 

Capt.  Spillman  degraded. 

''  Signifyinge  allso  that  one  Capt.  Spillman  who  thought 
to  depmue  the  Gouernor  of  his  Authoritie  by  his  instiga- 
con  to  Opochankino,  of  a  great  man  y*  should  com  and  put 
him  out  of  his  place.  The  said  Gouernor  and  Councell  of 
State  haue  proceeded  in  due  tryall  of  him,  butt  bemge 
mercifull  in  sparinge  his  life  haue  degraded  him  from  his 
Captship  and  made  him  a  seruant  of  the  Collony  for 
seauen  yeares  in  quallytie  of  an  Interpriter.^ 

SJiips  Commissioned. 

<-'  Three  Comissions  being  presented  to  the  Courte  was 
allowed  to  be  sealed  one  to  William  Shawe  M'"  of  the  Lon- 
don Marchant,  the  other  to  Capt.  Jones  M-"  of  the  Faulcon, 
and  the  third  to  Mr.  Edmonds  M"^  of  the  Tryall  to  set  saile 
with  the  first  fayre  winde  for  Virginia. 

,  On  Au-ust  4,  1619,  Robert  Poole  testified  to  House  of  Burgesses  as 
to  SpUlman's  conversation  with  Opochankino,  and  on  that  day  he  was 
degraded.  See  Journal  of  Assembly  in  iV.  Y.  Hist  Sac.  Coll,  2d  Series, 
voh  III. 


172  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

A  Bag  of  Gold. 

February  22.  "  A  Box  standinge  uppon  the  Table  with 
this  direccon,  '  To  Sir  Edwin  Saudis,  the  faithfuU  Treasurer 
for  Virginia;  he  acquainted  them  that  itt  was  brought 
unto  him  by  a  man  of  good  fashion,  who  would  nether  tell 
him  his^  name  nor  from  whence  hee  came ;  butt  by  the 
subscripcon  being  the  same  with  Letter,  he  coniectured 
that  it  might  be  the  550  li  promised  them. 

"  And  it  beinge  agreed  that  the  Box  should  be  opened, 
ther  was  a  bage  of  new  golde  containing  the  said  sum  of 
cccccl". 

"  Whereupon  Docter  Winstone  reportinge  that  the  Co- 
mittee  held  requisite  for  the  mannaginge  thereof,  and  that 
itt  should  be  wholly  in  y°  charge  of  Smith's  Hundred.  Itt 
was  desyred  by  some  that  the  resolucon  should  be  psented 
in  writinge  at  the  next  Courte,  wch,  in  regard  of  the  Ash- 
Wednesdays  sermon,  was  agreed  to  be  uppon  Thursday 
after. 

Balloting  Box. 

"Hee  also  signified  unto  them  of  the  Ballating-boxe 
standinge  uppon  the  table,  how  itt  was  intended  att  first 
another  way  as  might  appear  by  the  armes  upon  it ;  but 
now  Mr.  Holloway  had  given  itt  freely  to  this  company, 
that  therefore,  to  gratifie  him,  they  would  entertaine  him 
into  their  Societie  by  giving  him  a  single  share  of  land  in 
Virginia,  wch  being  put  to  the  question  was  ratified  unto 
him ;  whereuppon  Mr.  Deputy  was  entreated  to  prouide  a 
a  Case  for  the  better  preseruinge  of  itt. 


FIB8T  AMERICAN  LE0I8LATUBE.  173 

DispulG  of  North  and  South  Colony. 

March  15.     "  Mr.  Tlirer  signyfied  that  the  N°  Collony 

intendinge  to  re-plant  themselues  in  Virginia,  had  peticoned 

to  the  Kinge  and  to  the  Lords  for  y°  obteyninge  a  new 

pattent,  wch  the  Lords  referred  unto  the  Lord  Duke  &  the 

Lord  of  Arundell.     And  the  Lord  Arundell  deUuered  itt 

to  him  for  to   call  the  Counsell,  understanding  of  some 

differences  about  fishinge  betwixt  them,  and  that  if  they 

could   not  determine  of  it,   that  then  to  returne   theire 

opinions  to  their  Lo^',  wheruppon,  accordinglie  hauinge 

mett,  and,  as  formerly,  disputed  the  buisines,  they  could 

not  conclude  thereof,  but  dissented  the  one  from  the  other, 

that  therfore,  accordinge  to  his  Lo^"  comand,  the  Court 

would  please  to  nominate  some  to  give  intelligence  how  the 

buisines  betwixt  them  doth  depend,   which  the  Courte, 

pceiuing  none  to  understand  the  cause  so  well  as  himselfe, 

most  ernestly  besought  him  to  take  the  paines,  which  hee 

beino-  very  loth  and  unwillinge,  by  reason  of  the  exceed- 

inge  multitude  of  the  Company's  buisines  depending  uppon 

him,  desyred  to  be  excused  ;  but  not  prevaylinge,  he  was 

so  ernestly  solicited  thereunto,  hee  could  not  gainesay  itt, 

wheruppon  they  associated  unto  him  Sir  John  Dauers,  Mr. 

Harbert,  and  Mr.  Keightley  to  repaire  thither  to-morrow 

morninge  att  8  of  the  clocke. 

Acts  of  First  Colonial  Legislative  Assembly. 

"  The  Actes  of  y^  generall  assembly  in  Virginia  beinge 
yett  to  read  together  with  a  I're  wch  Mr.  Yeardley  ^  de- 
syred may  be  read  for  the  cleeringe  of  his  Brother  S' 


Ralph  Yeardley,  a  Loudon  apothecary. 


174  vmamiA  company  of  london. 

George  Yeardley,  because  it  was  held  inconvenyent  to 
spend  an  ordinary  Courte  herewith  itt  was  agreed  that 
Monday  next  in  the  afternoone  be  apoynted  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

News  from  Virginia.      Great  Sickness. 

March  15.  "  The  Courte  beinge  sett  Mr.  Threr  made 
knowne  y*  the  George  beinge  returned  from  Virginia  had 
brought  Ir'es  certifyinge  allso  of  the  greate  mortallytie 
wch  hath  been  in  Virginia,  about  300  of  y""  Inhabitants 
hauinge  dyed  this  last  yeare  and  that  S''  George  Yeardley 
comitted  the  same  error  as  formerly,  that  he  dyrecteth  all 
his  letters  to  the  Counsell  and  not  any  to  the  Company : 
But  for  y^  people  sent  in  the  Bona  Nona  they  are  aryued 
in  health  are  all  liuinge  &  prosper  well  applyiuge  tliem- 
selues  with  the  rest  according  to  direccon  to  the  buildinge 
of  the  houses,  tillinge  of  the  ground,  plantinge  Silkgrass : 
Butt  forasmuch  as  the  Courte  was  wholly  ignorant  of  the 
State  of  the  Collony  wch  by  readinge  of  those  letters  now 
come  they  might  be  enformed  of,  therefore  itt  was  ernestly 
moued  by  diuers  now  ]3resent  that  they  might  be  published 
to  the  Courte  but  sundry  of  the  Counsell  thinking  itt 
inconuenyent  till  a  full  nomber  thereof  haue  first  heard 
itt,  wch  was  accounted  Seauen  together,  itt  was  therefore 
deferred  till  the  next  Courte  and  in  the  intryme  it  was 
agreed  that  the  Counsell  at  two  of  the  clocke  should  be 
desyred  to  meet  upon  Fryday  afternoon  at  two  of  the 
clocke  at  Mr.  Threr's  house,  and  that  Capt.  Smith  and 
Capt.  Maddison  there  attend  to  make  their  greiuances  wch 
they  pretend  done  unto  them  by  S''  George  Yeardley. 

"  A  meetinge  of  Comittees  held  at  S""  Thomas  Smiths  by 
order  from  the  Virginia  Courte  18th  March  1619  [0.  S.] 


TEE  FISHERY  QUESTION.  175 

Dispute  of  South  and  North  Colony  about  Fishing. 

March  18.  "Concerning  the  difference  of  fishinge  be- 
tweene  the  South  and  N"  Collony  itt  pleased  Mr.  Threr  to 
signifie  that  although  hee  was  very  unwillinge  by  reason 
of  the  multitude  of  other  buisinesses  yett  hee  and  the 
Comittee  had  intended  the  Lo.  Duke,  and  the  Lo:  of 
Arundle  and  there  was  for  the  other  side  S'  Ferd :  Gorge 
and  others  where  disputinge  the  matter  before  their  Lo^^ 
they  pleased  neither  to  allow  nor  disalowe  entirely  the  one 
parte  or  the  other,  but  sett  doone  &  order  as  seemed  fittest 
to  theire  Lo^®  for  the  obteyning  a  copjDy  whereof  they  now 
appoynted  the  Secretary  to  repare  to  S'  Clement  Edmonds 
and  desire  itt  of  him  in  the  name  of  the  Comp^  &  ap- 
poynted him  to  giue  his  clarke  a  fee. 

Navigation  Proposed. 

"  Hee  also  signified  that  S""  George  Yeardley  desyreth  of 
them,  for  the  good  of  the  Colony,  that  a  navigacon  might 
be  sett  upp  wch  would  produce  good  benefit  to  the  planta- 
con,  and,  to  that  end,  nomynated  unto  them  one  Marma- 
duke  Rayner,^  who  is  willinge  to  goe,  if  they  please  to  give 
him  his  passage,  wch  man  being  also  well  knowne  to  Sir 
Thomas  Roe,  he  gave  very  good  commendacons  of  him, 
whereuppon  it  was  agreed,  uppon  the  terms  menconed,  he 
should  be  sent. 

Acts  of  Virginia  Assemhly  of  1619. 

April  8, 1620.  "  Allso  hee  signified  that  hauinge  p'used 
the  Acts  of  the  generall  Assembly,  he  found  them  in  theire 
greatest  pt  to  be  very  well  and  iudicially  carryed  &  pformed 

1  He  became  a  noted  colonial  sea  captain.  In  the  later  records  of  North 
Carolina  this  name  of  Marmaduke  Reyner  is  found.  Are  the  Reyners  of 
modern  days  descendants  of  the  old  captain  ? 


176  VIRGINIA    COMPANY  OF  lONDON 

butt  because  they  are  to  be  ratifyed  by  a  great  and  generall 
Courte,  therefore  he  hath  writ  unto  them  that  till  then 
they  cannott  be  confirmed ;  in  the  meane  time  hee  moued 
that  a  select  Comittee  of  choyce  men  might  be  appoynted 
to  drawe  them  into  head  and  to  rijDcn  the  buisines,  that  itt 
might  be  in  a  readinesse  against  the  said  Courte. 

Order  relative  to  South  and  North  Colony. 

May  11.  "The  Order  made  by  the  Lord  Duke  and  y^ 
Lord  Arundell  uppo  referrence  unto  them  in  y*^  behalfe  of 
the  S°  and  N°  Collonies  a  coppy  thereof  beinge  perused  itt 
gaue  not  satisfaccon  to  the  one  CoUony  or  the  other, 
wheruppo  forasmuch  as  the  N'*  Collony  hath  peticoned  to 
the  Kinge  for  obtayninge  a  new  Pattent,  and  therein  to 
declare  the  one  Collony  to  haue  priuiledges  wherein  the 
other  this  Comp*^  findinge  themselues  greiued  therby  beinge 
a  meanes  to  debarr  them  from  the  ymunities  his  Ma"^  hath 
freely  and  gratiously  graunted  them  for  matter  of  fishinge, 
itt  is  agreed  y*  a  peticon  likewise  be  exhibited  to  his  Ma"*' 
from  this  Company  for  the  maintenance  thereof  and  that 
some  of  L°'^''  of  y®  Pryvie  Counsell  wch  one  of  this  Societie 
be  entreated  to  deliuer  itt  from  them  for  pformance  of 
w'ch  the  Courte  hath  requested  Mr.  Threr  who  hath 
assented  to  see  it  effected. 

Intolerable  Fees  of  John  Pory. 

May  15.  "The  Comittee  appoynted  for  to  consider  of 
certaine  Lands  and  Ten'ts  wch  the  Court  thought  fitt  to 
be  graunted  unto  Mr.  John  Porey  and  thereby  to  annihi- 
late the  intollerable  fees  granted  him  by  the  Gouernor  and 
Counsell  of  Estate  there  and  sent  thither  for  ratificacon 
reported  now  that  hauinge  taken  the  same  into  considera- 
con  they  hould  it  requisite  that  for  the  present  hee  haue 


THE  KING  AND  ANNUAL  ELECTION  Vl*J 

500  acres  of  Land  allotted  for  him  and  his  Successors  and 
20  men  to  be  planted  thereuppon  to  be  transported  att  the 
Companies  charges,  Ten  to  be  sent  this  yeare,  and  10  next 
yeare  wch  hereafter  may  be  enlarged  as  the  Company  shall 
see  cause,  wch  being  putt  to  the  approbacon  of  the  Court 
was  allowed,  and  confirmed  by  generall  consent. 

General  Quarter  Court. 

May  17.  "  Upon  the  request  of  some  of  the  generally- 
tie  itt  was  ordered  that  frome  henceforth  before  the  Com- 
pany proceed  to  the  choyce  of  theire  officers  the  chapter  or 
title  of  eleccon  shall  allwaies  be  red  before. 

"  Post  Prandiu. 

"  In  the  beginning  of  this  Afternoone  Courte  Mr.  Threr 
acquainted  them  of  one  S'  Francis  Nethersole  who  is 
shortly  to  goe  into  Bohemia,  and  because  hee  was  not  of 
the  Comp^  hee  desyed  libertie  for  him  to  sett  amongst  them 
this  day  to  understand  theire  proceedings  wch  hee  doubted 
not  hee  would  reporte  of  to  the  best,  wch  the  Courte 
willinglie  assented  to. 

Message  from  King  relative  to  Election. 

"Imeadiately  after  and  before  they  proceeded  in  any 
buisiness  one  Mr.  Kerkham  agent  sent  from  the  King  pre- 
sented himselfe  to  the  boord  and  signified  to  the  Courte 
that  his  Ma"^  understanding  of  the  eleccon  of  theire  Trea- 
surer wch  they  intended  this  day  to  make  choyce  of,  out 
of  an  especial  care  and  respect  hee  hath  to  that  plantation 
hath  required  him  to  nominate  unto  them  Fower  outt  of 
wch  his  pleasure  is  the  Company  should  make  choyce  of 
one  to  be  their  Treasurer,  That  was  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  Sir 


23 


178  VIROINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Thomas  Koe,  Mr.  Alderman  Johnson,  and  Mr.  Maurice 
Abbott  and  noe  other. 

Deputies  for  the  Colony. 

Then  proceedinge  to  the  Accoustomable  manner  the 
Courts  were  red,  after  which  Mr.  Threr  signified  to  the 
Courte  the  Companies  former  resolucon  for  entertayment 
of  2  new  Officers  by  the  name  of  2  Deputies  to  gouerne  2 
pts  of  the  publique  land  in  Virginia,  one  was  Mr.  George 
Thorpe  well  knowne  to  the  Company  for  his  sufiiciencie 
who  is  allredie  gone  and  haue  departed  him  to  gouerne  the 
Colledge  Land,  wth  graunt  of  300  Acres  perpetually  be- 
longinge  to  that  place,  and  10  Tenents  to  be  placed  up 
the  Land. 

Thomas  Nuce,  Deputy  in  charge  of  Company's  Land. 

The  other  of  the  same  worth  now  present  called  Mr. 
Thomas  Nuce^  touchinge  whome  it  was  agreed  that  he 
should  take  charge  of  the  Companies  Land  and  Tenents  in 
Virginia  whatsoeuer  and  for  his  entertaymt  haue  ordered 
that  hee  and  such  as  shall  succeed  him  shall  in  that  place 
haue  1200  acres  of  Land  sett  out  belonging  to  that  office 
GOO  at  Kiquotan  now  called  Elizabeth  Cittie,  400  acres  at 
Charles  Cittie,  100  att  Henrico,  100  att  James  Cittie. 


1  Thomas  Nuce  settled  at  Elizabeth  City,  but  soon  died.  On  April  12, 
1621  Sir  William  Nuce,  who  had  been  a  planter  in  Ireland,  offered  to 
transport  before  midsummer  of  1625,  2,000  persons  to  Virginia.  The 
Company  gave  him  the  title  of  Marshall,  but  he  also  only  lived  a  few 
days  after  his  arrival. 


RETIRING  ADDRESS  OF  SANDYS.  179 

Statement  of  Sir  Edwin  Sa7u7j/s  in  retiring  from  tlia  Treasurer  ship. 

The  buisiness  being  thus  ordered  Mr.  Threr  according  to 
the  standing  Lawe  of  the  Company  before  the  giiieinge 
upp  of  his  place  proceeded  to  declare  unto  this  Courte  the 
State  of  the  Colony  together  with  the  supplies  in  this 
yeare,  and  the  present  State  of  the  Treasury,  how  both 
hee  found  itt  and  now  should  leaue  itt. 

Condition  of  the  Colony  in  Spring  of  1618. 

First  therefore  he  declared  that  it  appeared  by  a  Ire 
written  from  the  generall  Colony  and  directed  to  this  Com- 
pany that  at  the  latter  arrivall  of  the  ship  called  the 
Georg^  in  Virginia  wch  was  in  April  1618  the  number  of 
men,  women  and  children  was  about  400,  amongst  wch 
200  was  the  most  that  were  able  to  sett  land  to  husbandry, 
and  butt  one  plough  was  goinge  in  all  the  country  wch 
was  the  fruite  of  full  12  years  labour,  and  aboue  one 
hundred  thousand  marks  expended,  disbursed  out  of  the  pub-  ^A^  <  ^  ^ 
lique  Treasurie  ouer  and  aboue  the  some  of  some  8  and  9000'^ 
debt  into  wch  the  Company  was  brought  and  besides  the 
the  great  expenses  of  pticularr  aduenturers.  The  Colony 
being  thus  weake  and  the  Treasury  utterly  exhaust  Itt 
pleased  diuers  Lords,  Knights,  gentlemen  and  citizens 
(grieued  to  see  this  great  Action  fall  to  nothinge)  to  take 
the  matter  a  new  in  hand  and  at  their  priuate  charges 
(ioyninge  themselves  into  Societies)  whereof  the  first  of  ,_  ^ 
any  moment  now  called  Southampton  Hundred  hath  had  lI  ^'^  ' 
320  persons  sent  unto  itt,  the  next  called  Martin's  Hun- 
dred aboue  200  psons  and  some  other  in  like  sorte  so  that 
at  the  cominge  away  of  Captaine  Argall  at  Easter  1619  '^ 
there  were  persoilns  in  the  Colony  neere  1000. 


180  VIBQINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

ArgalVs   Malfeasance. 

"Butt  as  the  pryuate  plantacon  began  thus  to  encrease  so 
contrary  wise  the  state  of  the  publique  for  the  setting  up 
whereof  about  75000''  had  been  spent  grew  mto  utter  con- 
sumption. For  whereas  the  Dej)uty  Gouernor  att  his 
arriuall  to  that  place  wch  was  in  or  aboute  May  1617  hath 
left  and  deliuered  to  him  by  his  predisessor  a  porcon  of 
publique  Land  called  the  Companies  Garden  which  yeilded 
to  them  in  one  yeare  about  300'*^  profitt.  Seruants  54  im- 
jDloyed  in  the  same  Garden,  and  in  Salt  works  sett  upp  for 
the  service  of  the  Collony,  Tenants  81,  yeilded  a  yearly 
C  rent  of  corne  &  semises,  wch  rent  corne  together  .with  the 
Tribute  corne  from  the  Barbarians  amounted  to  aboue 
1200  of  our  bushells  by  the  yeare,  Kine  80,  Goats  88. 

"About  two  yeares  after  viz,  Easter  1619  att  the  cominge 
i  away  of  the  said  Deputy  Gouernor  ^his  wholl  State  of  the 
publique  was  gone  and  consumed,  ther  beinge  not  lefte  att 
that  time  to  the  Company  either  the  land  aforesaid  or  any 
Tennant,  Seruant,  Rent  or  Trybute  corne,  cowe  or  salt- 
worke  and  but  six  Goates  onely,  without  one  penny  yeilde 
to  the  Company  for  their  so  great  losse,  in  way  of  Accompt 
or  restitucon  to  this  very  day. 

Diminution  of  Commodities. 

"This  is  allso  further  to  be  knowne  that  whereas  about  2 
or  3  yeares  before  there  had  been  sent  home  to  the  Com- 
pany within  compass  of  14  monneths,  eleuen  seuerall 
comodities,  they  were  by  this  time  reduced  to  two  namely 
Tobacco  and  Sassafrass,  and  the  planting  &  jDrouiding  of 
Corne  so  utterly  neglected  that  the  dearth  grew  excessiue 
had  not  the  same  been  spedilie  releijfled  from  home  with 
200  quarters  of  meale  sent  hither  att  one  time  by  the 


SHIPS  SENT  m  1C19.  181 

Magazine,  and  this  was  the  State  of  the  Colony  in  Vir- 
ginia in  Easter  Terme  1619,  att  wch  time  hee  was  chosen 
to  their  seruice  in  this  place. 

Shipping  of  the  Year  1G19. 

"  A  note  of  the  Shippinge,  Men,  and  Prouisions  sent  to 
Virginia  by  the  Treasurer  and  y^  Company  Ann°  1619. 

Sliipps.  The  Bona  Noua  of  200  Tunn  sent  in  August     1619  wtli  120  psons. 

Tlie  Dutie  of  70  Tunn  sent  in  January   1G19  wtli  051  psons. 

The  Jonathan  of  350  Tunn  sent  m  ffebruary  1619  wtli  200  psons. 

The  Tryall  of  300  Tunn  sent  in  ffebruary  1619  wth  040  psons 

&  60  kine. 
The  ffaulcon  of  150  Tunn  sent  in  ffebruary  1619  wth  036  psons 

&  52  kine,  4  mares. 
The  Marchant  of  London  300  Tunn  sent  in  March       1619  wth  200  psons. 
The  Swan  of  Barnstable    100  Tunn  sent  in  March       1619  wth  071  psons. 
The  Bona  Venture  of         240  Tunn  sent  in  April        1620  wth  153  psons. 
Besides  these  sett  out  by  the  Treasuror  and  Company,  there  hath 
been  sett  out  by  particular  Aduenturers  for  pryuate  plantacons. 
The  Garland  of  250  Tunn  sent  in  June     1619  wth  45  personns. 

who  are  yet  detayned  in  the  Summer  Hands. 
A  ship  of  Bristole  of  80  Tunn  sent  in  Septembr  1619  wth  45  personns. 

There  are  also  two  ships  in  provddinge,  to  be  shortlie  gone  for  aboute 

800  personns  more  to  be  sent  by  pryuate  Aduenturers  to  Virginia  300  persons. 

Sume  of  the  Persons  1261 

WTiereof  in  eight  ships  sett  out  by  the  Threr  and  Company  871 

Gifts  of  the  Benevolent. 

"  Ther  haue  been  giuen  to  y^  Colony  this  yeare  by  De- 
uoute  Persons  these  guiftes  ensuinge. 

"  Guifts.  Two  Persons  unknowne  have  giuen  faire  Plate 
&  other  rich  Ornam*"  for  two  Communion  Tables,  whereof 
one  for  the  Colledge,  and  the  other  for  the  Church  of  Mrs. 
Mary  Robinsons  foundinge,  who  in  the  fformer  yeare  by 
her  will  gaue  two  hundred  pounds  towards  the  foundinge  a 
Church  in  Virginia. 


182  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  Another  unknowne  pson  (together  w^^  a  goodly  letter) 
hath  lately  sent  to  the  Threr  550^'  in  gold  for  the  bring- 
inge  upp  of  Children  of  the  Infidles,  first  in  y'^  knowledge 
of  God  &  true  religion  &  next  in  fitt  trades  whereby 
honestly  to  line. 

"  Mr.  Nicholas  Ferrar  ^  deceased  hath  by  his  will  giuen 
300^'  for  the  Colledge  in  Virginia  to  be  paid  when  ther 
shel  be  tenn  of  the  Infidles  Children  placed  in  itt,  and  in 
the  meane  time  fower  and  Twentie  pound  by  year,  to  be  dis- 
tributed unto  three  discreet  and  godlie  men  in  the  Colony 
w^^  shall  honestly  bringe  upp  three  of  the  Infidles  Child- 
ren in  Christian  Religion,  and  some  good  course  to  line  by. 

"  An  Unknowne  Person  sent  to  the  Threr  the  sume  of 
Tenn  pound  for  aduancing  the  plautacon. 

Patents  granted. 

"  Ther  have  been  Pattents  graunted  this  yeare  for  Per- 
ticular  Plantacons. 

1  To  Mr.  Wincopp 

2  To  Mr.  Heath  Recorder  of  London 

3  To  Doctor  Bohunn 


4  To  Mr.  Delbridge 

5  To  Mr.  Tracie 

6  To  Mr.  Peirce 

7  To  Mr.  Poyntz 

8  To  Mr.  Barkley 

9  To  Southampton  Hundred 

10  To  Captain  Bargraue 

11  To  Captaine  Warde 


Who  haue  under- 
taken to  Trans- 
I  porte  to  Virginia 
great  multitude  of 
people  wth  store 
of  Cattle. 


1  Nicholas  Ferrar,  Sr.,  was  a  prosperous  merchant,  and  in  his  capacious 
mansion,  after  April,  1619,  the  Company  usually  met.  His  wife's  maiden 
name  was  Mary  Wodenoth,  and  was  probably  a  relative  of  Arthur  Wode- 


RECEIPTS  AND  EXPENDITURES.  183 

Treasnrer'  s  Accounts. 

"  After  wch  writing  being  read  Mr.  Therer  proceded  to 
declare  unto  the  Courte  the  state  of  his  Accompt  as  well 
for  the  Companies  generall  cash  as  for  the  cash  of  the  Col- 
ledge  and  first  hee  sayeth  hee  hath  receaued  no  warrant 
for  disbursement  of  their  monny  but  such  as  he  knew  to 
be  iust  and  necessarie,  that  in  the  booke  of  Accompt  wch 
hee  exhibited  to  the  Courte  Auditors  and  approued  by  5 
of  the  7  Auditors  and  the  other  two  beinge  away  hee  hath 
sett  downe  distinctly  the  pticular  reasons  as  well  of  his 
seueral  receipts  as  of  his  seuerall  disbursmts  the  briefe 
whereof  ensueth. 

Receipt®  for  the  generall  Cash. 

£       s.     d. 

Remayninge  of  the  last  yeare  0111,  12,  02 

Old  debts  &  duties  recouered  1442,  04,  01 

Bills  of  Aduenture  0037,  10,  00 

Lottery  Monny  7000,  00,  00 

For  passengers  &  fraight,  wth  some  cattle 

sould  0809,  08,  08 

Monney  lent  repayde  20,  00,  00 
Of  the  Citty  for  a  hundred  children  sent 

tu  Virginia  400,  00,  00 

Monny  giuen  0010,  00,  00 

Sumis  9830,  14,  11 


noth,  a  member  of  the  Company,  who  prepared  a  brief  narrative  of  the 
corporation  from  its  organization  to  its  dissolution,  which  after  his  death 
was  published,  in  1651,  at  London.  Deputies  John  and  N.  Ferrar  were 
sons,  and  William,  Councillor  in  Virginia. 


184  VIBQINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Disbursements  out  of  the  Generall  Cash. 

£,  s.     d. 

Old  debts  and  duties  discharged  3707,  17,  02 

Setting  out  Ship  men  and  prouisions  6598,  00,  06 

Officers  wages  0112,  10,  00 

Petty  charges  layd  out  by  the  Officers  0013,  06,  11 


Sumis        10431,  14,  07 


College 


&^ 


Receipts  for  y^  Colledge  2043  02  Hi 

Disbursments  for  the  Colledge  1477  15  05 

Thanks  to  the  Company. 

"  Lastly  hee  concluded  with  his  respectiue  thanks,  first 
to  the  Comp*  in  generall  for  their  Loue  in  chosinge  him, 
and  then  pticularly  to  the  Lords  for  their  so  frequent  pre- 
sence to  the  graceinge  of  the  Courte,  and  great  assistance 
in  the  buisnes ;  To  the  Officers  for  their  faythfull  ioyninge 
with  him  in  the  supportinge  of  his  burthen,  and  againe  to 
the  Courte  in  generall  for  their  patience  in  bearinge  with 
his  unwilling  erro""^  and  other  naturall  infirmities,  so  de- 
liuering  upp  his  Office  togeather  with  the  Sealls  hee  desyred 
the  Courte  to  p'ceed  in  Eleccon  of  there  Threr  accordinge 
to  the  message  Lately  receaued  from  his  Ma*^  and  there- 
uppon  withdrew  himselfe  out  of  Courte. 

A  Pinch,  about  the  Privilege  of  free  Election. 

"  Uppon  well  this  great  and  generall  Courte  found  them- 

selues  uppon  a  deliberate  consideracon  of  the  matter  at  an 

.  exceedinge  pinch,  for  if  they  should  not  doe  as  the  Kinge 


PRIVILEGE  OF  FREE  ELECTION.  185 

had  commanded  they  might  incurre  suspicon  of  defect  in 
poynte  of  duty  from  wch  they  protested  they  were  and 
would  be  free,  on  the  other  side  if  they  should  proceed 
accordinge  to  the  Lymitts  of  that  message  they  suffered  a 
great  breach  into  their  priuyledge  of  free  Eleccon  graunted 
to  them  by  his  Ma*®  Letters  Pattents,  wch  they  hold  fitt 
rather  to  lay  downe  with  all  dutie  and  submission  att  his 
jyf^ties  £gg^  i\iQxi  to  be  depryued  of  there  pryueledge,  and 
theruppon  prusinge  the  said  I'res  pattents  after  longe  argu- 
inge  and  debatinge,  itt  was  concluded  by  generall  ereccon 
of  hands,  that  the  eleccon  might  and  should  be  Adiourned 
to  the  next  Quarter  Courte  notwithstanding  any  order 
made  by  the  Company  to  the  contrarie. 

Annual  Election  Postponed. 

"  Wlier  uppon  as  itt  manyfestly  appeared  that  his  Ma"® 
hadd  been  much  misinformed  ^  of  the  mauaginge  of  their 
buisness  this  last  yeare,  Itt  was  agreed  according  to  the 
opynion  aforesaide  that  the  day  of  Eleccon  should  be  putt 
off  till  the  next  great  generall  Courte  some  six  weeks  hence 


'  King  James  declared  that  "  the  Virginia  Company  was  a  seminary 
for  a  seditious  Parliament,"  and  he  disliked  Sandys  because  he  was  one 
of  the  leaders  of  the  people's  party  in  the  House  of  Commons  The 
Company  were  gratified  with  the  promptness  with  which  he  had  transacted 
their  business,  and  desired  to  reelect  him.  The  King,  however,  refused 
to  listen  to  the  appeals  of  Southampton  and  others,  and  declared  Sandys 
was  his  "  greatest  enemy,"  and  that  "  he  could  hardly  think  well  of 
whomsoever  was  his  friend."  In  a  furious  passion  he  concluded  by  say- 
ing, "  choose  the  devil  if  you  will,  but  not  Sir  Edwin  Sandys."  These 
facts  are  stated  in  a  now  rare  pamphlet  which  was  published  in  London, 
1651,  with  the  title  "  A  short  Collection  of  the  most  remarkable  passages 
from  the  Originall  to  the  Dissolution  of  the  Virginia  Company,"  a  copy 
of  which  is  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 
24 


186  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

in  Midsomer  Tearme,  and  till  they  understood  the  Kinges 
further  pleasure,  And  in  the  intrym  they  humbly  entreated 
the  Right  Honorable  y®  Lord  of  Southampton,  Vycount 
Doncaster,  The  Lord  Cauendish,  y^  Lord  Sheffield,  S'  John 
Dauers,  S""  Nicholas  Tufton  S'  Laurence  Hide,  Mr.  Xp"^ 
Brooks,  Mr.  Gibbes,  Mr.  Herbert,  Mr.  Keightley  and  Mr. 
Cranmer  to  meet  uppon  Fryday  morninge  att  Southamp- 
ton House  to  determine  of  an  humble  answere  to  his  Ma*^ 
message  and  to  deliuer  to  him  a  true  informacon  as  well 
of  the  former  as  of  this  latter  years  gouernment  of  the 
buisnes  for  Virginia  beseechinge  allso  that  his  Ma^^^  would 
be  pleased  not  to  take  from  them  the  pryuiledge  of  their 
L'res  Pattents,  but  that  itt  might  in  their  choyce  to  haue 
free  eleccon. 

Sir  Edwin  Sandijs  denies  a  false  Rumor. 

May  23,  1620.  Extraordinary  Court.  "  Mr.  Threr  de- 
syred  that  before  they  preceded  unto  other  buisnes  hee 
might  speake  a  few  words  for  the  cleeringe  and  iustifyinge 
himselfe ;  for  whereas  itt  is  dyuulged  that  he  should  in- 
cense the  Spanish  Ambassador^  against  Capt.  Argoll,  as 
allso  against  the  Lo"^  North  and  Capt.  North  his  brother  he 
vowed  and  protested  that  he  neuer  did  see  the  Spanish 
Ambassador  butt  in  the  streets,  nor  neuer  sent  or  receiued 
any  message  to  or  from  him,  neither  I're  or  any  other 
writings ;  wheruppon  in  his  behalfe  itt  was  said  itt  was 
impossible  to  be  him,  itt  beinge  sett  on  foote  when  he  was 


1  Gondomar,  the  Spanish  Ambassador,  was  in  high  favor  with  James. 
On  the  15th  of  the  month  the  King  had  issued  a  proclamation  against 
Cap.  Roger  North  and  associates,  who  had  secretly  embarked  for  the 
Amazon. 


CASE  OF  EDWARD  BREWSTER.  187 

in  the  country,  butt  that  there  were  so  many  of  these 
Asp'sions  that  this  is  no  wonder  and  that  if  they  had  their 
right  they  deserued  to  receaue  condigne  punishment  for 
rumoringe  such  falsities. 

Brewster  vs.  Argall. 

"  This  day  being  appoynted  by  order  of  Courte  was  spent 
in  hearinge  the  cause  between  Captaine  Argall  and  Cap- 
taine  Brewster^  touchinge  his  condempnacon  att  a  Marshalls 
Court  in  Virginia. 

"  The  Sentence  of  the  Courte  touching  Capt.  Brewsters 
condempnation, 

[The  opinion  of  the  Court  is  too  long  for  insertion,  and 
only  the  conclusion  follows.] 

"  All  which  Prouisoes  beinge  duly  weighed  and  con- 
sidered the  said  Courte  in  fine  proceded  to  deliuer  their 
resolucon ;  that  the  said  p'ceedings  against  the  said  Cap- 
tain Edward  Brewster  were  uniust  and  unlawfull  and  not 
warrantable  either  in  matter  or  forme  by  the  Lawes  of  this 
Realme  or  by  any  power  or  authoritie  deryued  from  his 
Ma^^'^  and  that  itt  did  not  any  way  appeare  to  the  said 
Courte  that  the  said  Capt.  Brewster  either  by  the  deeds  or 
words  whereof  hee  stood  charged  att  the  time  of  the  said 
Tryall  by  the  said  Martiall  Courte  did  any  waie  deserue 
the  seuere  penaltie  of  death,  and  that  the  manner  of  said 
tryall  by  Martiall  Law,  and  in  a  Martiall  Courte,  beinge 
in  time  of  soe  generall  peace  and  no  rebellion  or  mutyney 
was  to  be  held  for  unlawfull  and  of  no  validitie  and  conse- 


1  Edward  Brewster  seems  to  have  remained  in  London.  His  name 
appears  among  members  present  at  meetings  of  Company  in  1G23-24. 
He  and  Henry  Seile,  in  1635,  were  booksellers  near  the  north  door  of  St. 
Paul's,  and  at  a  later  period  was  Treasurer  of  the  Stationers'  Company. 


188  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

quentlie  the  said  Captaine  Brewster  was  to  be  held  as  a 
Loyall  man  and  not  lawfully  condempned,  the  sentence  of 
the  said  Martiall  Court  (from  wch  the  said  Captaine 
Brewster  hath  appealed)  notwithstandinge. 

The  substance  of  wch  opinion  and  resolucon  of  the  said 
Court  beinge  first  seuerally  delivered  by  the  said  Lords, 
Knights  and  others  of  the  said  Councell  then  present,  was 
finally  approued  and  ratefied  by  the  said  Generall  Courte 
by  a  generall  ereccon  of  hands,  no  one  dissintinge  xcept 
Mr.  Thomas  Wroth. 

Irrejjular  Meeting  in  Sir  Thos.  Smith's  Bedchamber. 

June  26.  "  Itt  appeareth  att  this  Preparatiue  Courte 
that  a  pryuate  meetinge  of  some  gents  and  marchants  att 
S""  Thomas  Smiths  house  in  his  bed  chamber  uppon  Fryday 
the  16th  day  of  June  1620  wher  there  was  no  sufficient 
authoritie  one  Mr.  Canninge  deliuered  a  peticon  to  S"" 
Thomas  Smith  conteyninge  y^  applauding  of  his  former 
gouernment  and  much  scandalinge  the  proceedinge  of  y® 
present,  the  pretended  end  of  his  peticon  being  onely  to 
obteyne  y*"  dissolucon  of  an  iniuncon  in  a  pryuate  sute 
graunted  Cap*  Bargraues  against  S''  Thomas  Smith,  Mr. 
Alderman  Johnson  and  himselfe  with  others  wch  last 
poynte  was  only  debated  proper,  two  not  touched,  as  diuers 
present  now  testifie  who  were  there  and  disliked  itt,  and 
protest  it  neuer  went  by  hands,  nor  generall  consent,  wch 
occasions  this  Courte  to  thinke  that,  that  pryuate  buisness 
of  Capt.  Bargraues  was  both  taken  hold  of  for  some  other 
purpose,  the  rather  for  that  itt  was  in  this  Courte  auowed 
that  Canning  soone  after  sayde  that  the  peticon  was  now 
with  the  Kinge  and  a  figg  for  the  piper,  wch  malicious 
kinde  of  proceedinge  to  aduance  craftylie  or  impayre  falslie 


ELECTION  OF  TREASURER.  189 

mens  reputacons  this  Courte  doth  utterlie  condemne  and 
thinke  fitt  to  be  censured  in  the  next  Quarter  Courte  for 
wch  cause  Canninge  and  all  that  were  present  at  that  pry- 
uate  meetinge  are  to  be  summoned  to  the  next  Quarter 
Courte. 

Councillors  for  Virginia. 

"  Uppon  notice  from  S'  George  Yeardley  y*  the  Councel- 
lors  in  Virginia  must  needs  be  supplyed  the  Court  hath 
now  chosen  Mr.  Thorpe,  Mr.  Nuse,  Mr.  Pountis,  Mr. 
Tracy,  Mr.  Dauid  Middleton,  and  Mr.  Bluett  to  be  of  the 
Councell  of  Estate  in  Virginia. 

Election  of  Earl  of  Southampton,  Treasurer. 

June  28.  "  A  great  and  generall  Quarter  Courte  held 
in  the  afternoone  at  Mr.  Ferrar's  house. 

"  The  Earle  of  Southampton  acquainted  this  Courte  that 
himselfe  wth  the  rest  of  the  Lords  and  gentlemen  requested 
thereunto  by  the  last  Quarter  Courte  had  presented  there 
humble  desires^  unto  his  Ma*'^  for  the  free  elleccon  of  theire 
Treasurer  whereunto  his  Ma*^^  had  most  gratiously  condi- 
scented  signifyinge  unto  them  that  it  would  be  pleasinge 
to  him  they  made  choyce  of  such  a  one  as  might  at  all 
times  and  occasions  haue  free  accesse  unto  his  royall  psonn. 
And  further  declaringe  that  itt  was  the  mistakeinge  of  the 
messenger  hauinge  not  receaued  his  message  imeadiately 
from  his  owne  royall  mouth  to  exclud  them  from  the 
libertie  of  choosinge  any  butt  the  fower  nominated  whome 


1  On  the  7th  of  this  month  Sandys  wrote,  from  his  seat  at  Northborne 
in  Kent,  to  Buckingham,  that  he  would  cheerfully  bestow  one  year  more 
in  the  service  of  the  Virginia  Company,  and  implored  him  to  use  his 
influence  to  "  re-patriate  the  long  exiled  in  his  Majesties  favour."  Sains- 
hury  State  Papers,  p.  24. 


190  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

his  Ma*^*^®  intent  was  indeed  to  recomend  butt  not  so  as  to 
barr  the  Comp*^  from  the  choyse  of  any  other. 

"  Wheruppon  the  whole  Courte  rendred  to  his  Ma*^^®  all 
humble  thanks  and  ordered  that  by  writinge  itt  should  be 
signified  unto  his  Ma"°. 

Then  Mr.  Herbert  deliuered  unto  the  Company  that 
whereas  by  some  distraction  and  dissensions  in  the  Com- 
pany the  buisness  much  suffered  in  the  reputacon  and 
otherwise  they  should  now  tliinke  uppon  some  person  of 
such  worth  and  authoritie  as  might  giue  full  remedie  there- 
unto ;  wch  since  it  could  not  be  pformed  by  the  late  Trer 
a  man  of  that  greate  stabillitie  and  sufficiencie  together 
with  his  industrie  and  integritie  as  of  his  ranke  there  could 
not  be  found  any  to  passe  him,  there  was  now  left  noe  hope 
except  itt  might  please  some  of  those  Honorable  Psonages 
then  present  to  vouchsaffe  to  accept  of  the  place,  who  by 
adicon  of  Nobillitie  might  effect  that  wch  others  by  meere 
habillytie  could  not  doe. 

"  Wch  mocon  beinge  exceedinglie  approued  the  whole 
Courte  imeadiately  with  much  ioy  and  applause  nominated 
the  Earle  of  Southampton^  with  much  ernestness  beseech- 
inge  his  Lo^  that  for  the  redeeminge  of  this  Noble  Planta- 
con  and  Company  from  the  mines  that  seerae  to  hange 
ouer  itt  he  would  vouchsaffe  to  accept  of  the  place  of  Threr. 

Southampton's  Accejytance. 

"  Wch  it  pleased  him  after  some  small  pause  in  fine 
to  doe  in  very   noble  manner   out  of  the   worthie   loue 


1  The  Earl  of  Southampton,  soon  after  the  dissolution  of  the  Company, 
assumed  the  command  of  an  English  Regiment  in  the  Low  Countries. 
In  November,  1624,  he  and  one  of  his  sons  died  of  disease  near  Bergen- 
op-zoom.  Their  bodies  were  sent  to  England,  and  on  Innocent's  Day 
interred  in  Tichfield. 


JOUN  FEBRAB  BEELEGTED  DEPUTY.  191 

and  affeccon  that  he  bare  to  the  Plantacon.  And  the 
Courte  in  testimonial!  of  their  bounden  thankfuUnesse  and 
of  the  great  honoure  and  respect  they  ought  him,  did  re- 
solue  to  surcease  the  ballatinge  box,  and  without  nomina- 
con  of  any  other  by  ereccon  of  hands  his  LoP  was  chosen 
Trer,  and  tooke  his  Oath.  Wch  done  his  Lo^  desyred  the 
Comp^  that  they  would  all  putt  on  the  same  mindes  wth 
wch  hee  hadd  accepted  that  place. 

John  Ferrar  reelected  Deputy. 

"  For  place  of  Deputie  this  Courte  nominated  Mr.  Fer- 
rar, Mr.  Keightley  and  Mr.  Cranmer,  who  beinge  putt  to 
the'  Ballatinge  Box  Mr.  Ferrar  was  chosen  by  pluraUtie  of 
Balles  who  took  his  Oth.^ 

E.  CoUingioood  elected  Secretary/. 

"  Mr.  Fotherby  the  Secretary  offered  to  giue  upp  his 
place  in  the  due  performance  whereof  the  Company 
provinge  him  to  haue  been  some  way  faulty  hee  was  dis- 
charged and  Mr.  Collingwood  recommended  by  my  Lord  of 
Warwick  and  S""  John  Dauers,  chosen  in  his  place. 

And  in  regard  that  in  a  day  of  so  great  ioy  none  should 
goe  away  grieued,  the  Courte  condiscended  ouer  and  aboue 
the  5''^due  to  Mr.  Fotherbie  for  his  wages  to  bestow  uppon 
him  10^^ 

1  John  Ferrar,  son  of  Nicholas,  was  a  merchant,  and  lived  with  his 
mother  after  she  was  a  widow,  and  the  Company  continued  to  meet  at 
Mrs  Ferrar's  house.  A  daughter  of  John  was  christened  Virginia,  and 
became  an  accomplished  writer.  She  was  the  authoress  of  a  treatise  on  ^ 
silk-worms  reprinted  in  the  Force  Historical  Tracts,  and  in  1651  was 
published  "  A  Mapp  of  Virginia,  discovered  to  y^  Hills,  and  its  latt : 
from  35  de-.  and  ^  neer  Florida,  to  41  deg.  bounds  of  New  England. 
Domina  Virginia  Farrar,  Collegit.  And  sold  by  L  Stephenson  at  y« 
Sunne  below  Ludgate  1651."  The  father  died  in  1657,  and  the  daughter 
in  1687. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

EXTRACTS  FROM  TRANSACTIONS  DURING  THE  FIRST  YEAR  OF 
THE  DIRECTORSHIP  OF  EARL  OF  SOUTHAMPTON  —  JULY  7,  1620, 
MAY  3,  1631. 

Cape  Cod  Fishery. 

ULY  7,  1620.     "  Sir  John  Dauers  and  S^  Thomas 

Roe  are  appoynted  comittees  to  drawe  a  generall 

I're  to  his  Ma"*"  to  preserue  the  fishinge  at  Cape 

Codd  free   and   indifferent  to  both  the  Collonies 

as  was  intended  in  the  first  Pattent  and  being  drawne  to 

present  the  same  at  the  next  Courte  uppon  Wednesday. 


John  Wood  proposes  to  build  Ships  in  Virginia. 

July  12.  "John  Wood  in  his  Peticon  desyred  that  the 
Courte  would  please  in  regard  hee  is  resolued  to  iijhabite 
in  Virginia  to  graunt  him  8  shares  in  Elizabeth  River  for 
8  shares  of  land  formerly  graunted  unto  him  because  there 
is  Timber  fittinge  for  his  turne,  and  water  sufficient  to 
launch  such  ships  as  shal  be  there  built  for  the  use  and 
seruice  of  the  Company. 

The  Courte  theruppon  hath  ordered  and  agreed  to  re- 
comend  the  consideracon  of  the  premises  unto  the  Go- 
uenor  and  Counsell  of  Virginia  to  deale  therin  as  they  shall 
thinke  fitt. 


DECLABATION  OF  THE  COLONIE,  1020.  193 

Mr.  Woodall  scandalizes  the  Company's  late  Book.i 

July  18.  "  Reporte  beinge  made  unto  this  Courte  that 
Mr.  Woodall  had  scandalized  the  booke  lately  sett  out  by 
his  Ma^'*"'  Councell  for  Virginia  by  a  most  disgracefull 
Tearme,  in  callyng  itt  a  lybell,  with  wch  hee  being  charged 
sought  by  a  rediculous  interpretacon  of  that  worde  accord- 
inge  to  the  sense  itt  bears  in  Latin  in  some  sorte  to  exten- 
uate and  excuse. 

"  Butt  for  that  itt  was  further  allso  laide  to  his  charge 
that  hee  had  irapudentlie  cast  a  foule  aspercon  uppon  S'' 
Edwin  Sandys  knight^  in  sayinge  hee  did  butt  usurpe  the 
Authoritie  of  the  Courte :  The  Company  were  therewith 
exceedingly  moued  and  theruppon  did  forthwith  order  that 
the  examinacon  of  both  his  disgracefull  scandalls  should 


I  The  book  is  printed  in  the  third  volume  of  Force's  Historical  Tracts. 
The  title  is 

A 
DECLARATION 

of  the  State  of 

THE  COLONIE  AND  AFFAIRES 

IN  VIRGINIA 

with 

THE  NAMES  OP  THE  ADUENTURERS, 

AND  SUMMES  ADUENTURED  IN 

THAT  ACTION. 

By  his  Maiesties  Counseh,  for 
Virginia.    22  Junij  1630. 

LONDON 

Printed  by  T.  S.  1620. 
25 


194  VIRGTNIA  COMPANY  OF  LONnOK. 

be  referred  to  the  censure  of  the  next  Quarter  Courte. 
And  in  the  meaue  time  he  should  remayne  suspended  from 
the  Courte. 

Isle  op  Wight  Plantation. 

Nov.  3.  "  Uppon  the  humble  peticon  of  S""  Richard 
Worslup,  knight  Baronett,  Nathaniel  Basse  gent/  John 
Hobson  gentleman,  Antho.  Oleuan,  Richard  Wiseman, 
Robert  Newland,  Robert  Gyner  and  William  Wellis,  asso- 
ciate and  fellow  aduenturers  with  Capt.  Christopher  Lawne 
deceased  the  Courte  was  pleased  to  graunt  unto  them  and 
their  heires  a  confirmacon  of  theire  Old  Pattent,  with  all 
manner  of  pryviledges  therin  conteyned,  and  that  the  said 
plantacon  shall  from  henceforth  be  called  the  lie  of  Wights 
Plantacon,  prouided  that  the  heirs  of  the  said  Christopher 
Lawne  be  no  way  preiudiced  therby :  And  in  regard  of 
the  late  Mortalitie  of  the  persons  transported  heretofore  by 
the  said  Captaine  Lawne  the  Court  hath  likewise  giuen 
them  till  Midsomer  1625  to  make  up  the  nomber  of  these 
said  psonns  menconed  in  their  former  Pattents.^ 


1  Basse  had  a  plantation  known  as  Basse's  Choice.  In  1630  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Council  of  Yirginia,  and  in  March,  1631-2,  he  was 
authorized  to  go  to  New  England,  and  oifer  the  inhabitants  a  settlement 
on  Delaware  Bay. 

2  Lawn's  Creek  in  Isle  of  Wight  county,  preserves  the  name  of  the 
first  planter.  On  November  21,  1621,  Edward  Bennett,  a  London  mer- 
chant, obtained  a  patent  and  made  a  settlement  here.  His  associates  in 
the  adventure  were  Robert  and  Richard  Bennett,  Thomas  Ayres,  Thomas 
and  Richard  Wiseman.  The  first  settlers  were  Puritans,  and  they  may 
have  built  the  Smithfield  church  still  standing.  Their  first  minister  was 
the  Rev.  Wm.  Bennett,  who  preached  for  the  plantation  until  1623.  It 
is  probable  that  to  this  settlement  the  Rev.  Henry  Jacob  of  London 
came  in  1624,  and  soon  died.  The  plantation  was  sometimes  called 
Warrosquoyak,  and  sometimes  Edward  Bennett's. 


SIB  F.   O0ROE8- FISHING  EIGHTS.  195 

Differences  between  South  and  North  Colony. 
Nov.  4,  1620.     "  Wheruppon  S""  Edwin  Sandys  did  inti- 
mate  unto  the  Courte  y*  hee  was  informed  that  S""  Ferdi- 
nando  Gorges  had  pcnred  unto  himselfe  and  others  a  new 
Patent  (now  passed  his  Ma*^  great  seale)  wherein  certain 
words  were  conveyed  that  did  not  only  contradict  a  former 
order  of  the  Lids  of  the  Counsell,  which  their  Lps,  after  a 
full  hearinge  of  the  allegacons  on  both  sides,  and  sett  down 
in  June  last,  by  wch  this  company  had  yielded  some  of 
their  right  to  doe  them  good,  and  therby  promised  to  fish 
onely  for  their  necessities  and  transportation  of  people ; 
*     *     *    butt,  by  this  new  graunt,  the  Aduenturers  of  the 
Northern  CoUony  had  allso  utterlie  excluded  those  of  the 
Sotherne  from  fishinge  att  all  uppon  that  coaste,  without 
their  leaue  and  lycense  first  sought  and  obtayned,  which  was 
contrary  and  manifestly  repugnant  to  that  comunitie  and 
freedomc  wch  his  Ma^^  by  the  first  Patent,  as  is  conceived, 
hath  been  pleased  to  graunt  unto  either  Collony : 

"The  Courte,  therfore,  seeinge  no  reason  why  they 
should  loose  their  former  right  graunted  unto  them  by  the 
first  Patent,  the  Sea  allso  beinge  to  all  as  free  and  comon 
as  the  Ayre,  and  fyndinge  less  reason  why  S'  Ferdinando 
Gorges  should  now  appropriate  and  make  a  monopolie  of 
yt  fishinge,  which  hath  allreadie  cost  this  company  6,000'' : 
and  wasUie  only  means  left  (now  the  Lotteries  were  allmost 
spent  and  other  supply  began  to  faile)  to  enable  them  to 
transport  their  people  and  susteyne  their  plantacon  withall : 
did,  wth  a  generall  consent,  resolue  forthwith  to  peticon 
to  his  Ma*^'  for  a  redresse  herein,  and  to  pray  a  further  de- 
claracon  of  his  gracious  pleasure  and  intention  concern- 
inge  that  clause  of  prohibition  and  restrainte  inserted  in 


196  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

the  New  Pattent,  whereby  they  were  defeated  of  their 
libertie  of  fishinge.  Whereuppon  they  appointed  these 
comittees  to  drawe  the  said  peticon,  and  to  make  itt,  in  sub- 
stance, agreeable  to  those  three  poynts  Sir  Edwin  Sandys 
had  dehuered  in  open  Courte.  And  for  that  Sir  Thomas 
Roe  said  that  hee  was  the  next  day  to  goe  to  the  court, 
they  desired  him  to  psent  the  same  to  his  Ma*^. 

Daniel  Gookin  offers  to  transport  Cattle. 

Nov.  13.  "  Whereas  uppon  a  former  treatie  had  with 
Mr.  Wood  in  the  behalfe  of  Mr.  Gookin  ^  for  transportacon 
of  Cattle  outt  of  Ireland  into  Virginia  an  offer  was  made 
unto  him  after  the  rate  of  10'^^  a  Co  we  uppon  certificate  of 
their  safe  Landinge,  prouided  they  were  fayre  and  Lardge 
Cattle  and  of  our  English  breed.  The  said  Mr.  Wood 
hath  now  returned  his  fynall  aunswere  that  hee  cannott 
entertaine  the  bargaine  under  xif '^  the  Cowe  without  ex- 
ceedinge  greate  losse. 


1  Gookin,  a  native  of  Kent,  England,  had  been  living  at  or  near  Cork, 
Ireland.  On  November  22,  1621,  he  arrived  in  Virginia,  and  settled  at 
Newport  News.  He  became  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the 
colony. 

His  son  Daniel,  in  1642,  then  about  thirty  years  of  age,  was  Pre- 
sident of  the  County  Court  of  Upper  Norfolk,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Puritan  church  there  established.  In  1644  he  went  to  Massachusetts, 
and  became  the  friend  of  Eliot  and  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs. 
He  died  in  March,  1687,  and  his  tombstone  is  still  visible  at  Cambridge. 
Chief  Justice  Sewall,  who  visited  him  while  dying,  entered  in  his  journal 
the  following  brief  but  expressive  tribute,  "  a  right  good  man." 

His  descendants  are  numerous,  and  one,  J.  Wingate  Thornton,  an  accu- 
rate and  accomplished  historical  writer,  published  a  sketch  of  Gookin. 


BOOKS  FOR   THE  COLLEGE  IN  VIBOINIA-  197 

Donation  op  a  Map  and  Books. 

Nov.  15.  "After  the  Acts  of  the  former  Courte  were 
read  a  straunger  stept  in  presentiiige  a  Mapp  of  S'  Walter 
^^  Kawhghes  conta;yninge  a  Descripcon  of  Guiana,  and  wth  the 
same  fower  great  books  as  the  Guifte  of  one  unto  the  Com- 
pany that  desyred  his  name  might  not  be  made  knowne, 
whereof  one  booke  was  a  treatise  of  St.  Augustine  of  the 
Citty  of  God  transLated  into  English,  the  other  three 
greate  Volumes  wer  the  works  of  Mr.  Perkins  ^  newlie  cor- 
rected and  amended,  wch  books  the  Donor  desyred  they 
might  be  sent  to  the  CoUedge  in  Virginia  there  to  remayne 
in  saftie  to  the  use  of  the  coUegiates  thereafter,  and  not 
^  ^^  '  suffered  at  any  time  to  be  sent  abroade  or  used  in  the 
meane  while,  For  wch  so  worthy  a  guifte  my  Lord  of 
Southampton  desyred  the  p'tie  that  presented  them  to 
returne  deserued  thanks  from  himselfe  and  the  rest  of  the 
6  ■     Company  to  him  that  had  so  kindly  bestowed  them. 


1  William  Perkins,  D.D.,  had  been  a  lecturer  in  Cambridge  University, 
and  was  a  Puritan.  K.ev.  John  Robjnson,  of  Leyden,  had  been  one  of 
his  pupils,  and  used  his  Catechism  in  Holland.  Gov.  Leverett  and  asso- 
ciates, of  Massachusetts,  in  a  letter  to  Robert  Boyle,  the  philosopher,  say : 

'■  If  Mr.  Perkins  and  those  good  old  Puritans  in  King  Edward  the 
Sixth,  and  Q.  Elizabeth's  time  did  in  their  principles  of  religion  teach 
evil  doctrine,  then  may  we  be  rendered  such." 

In  the  Manuscript  Council  Book  of  Maryland  Colony  there  is  an  in- 
ventory of  goods  of  Claiborne  seized  at  Palmer's  Island  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Susquehanna,  the  site  of  an  academy  projected  by  Palmer,  an  English 
scholar  of  wealth,  and  among  the  articles  mentioned  is  "  One  folio  volume 
of  Mr.  Perkins's  works."  May  this  not  have  been  one  of  the  three  sent 
over  to  Virginia? 


198  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Contrast  for  Cattle. 

"  Thomas  Wood  beinge  now  willinge  (though  he  con- 
ceiued  itt  a  hard  bargaine)  to  accept  of  the  offer  of  the 
former  Courte,  wch  was  that  for  euerie  Cowe  of  our  English 
breed  transported  by  him  or  his  Agents  safe  and  sound  to 
Virginia  hee  should  be  paide  Eleuen  pounds  and  for  euery 
Shee  Goate  three  pounds  some  shillings  uppon  certificate 
att  his  returne  from  the  Gouernor  there ;  hee  moued  there- 
fore now  that  hee  might  have  some  assurance  under  the 
Companies  Seale  for  the  payment  of  said  monny  :  Wher- 
uppon  the  Courte  ordered  that  accordinge  to  his  request  hee 
should  haue  his  securitie  confirmed  under  the  Seale  of  the 
Company  for  wch  they  gaue  order  to  Mr.  Deputy  to  see  it 
done. 

North  and  South  Colony. 

Nov.  13,  1620.  "S""  Thomas  Roe  att  the  request  of 
the  Company  hauinge  deliuered  theire  peticon  to  his  Ma"° 
made  now  a  reporte  of  his  highness's  gracious  answere 
thereunto,  who  said  that  if  anything  were  passed  in  New 
England  Patent  that  might  be  preiudiciall  to  them  of 
the  Southerne  Collony,  it  was  surreptitiously  donn, 
and  without  his  knowledge,  and  that  he  had  bin 
abused  therby  by  those  that  pretended  otherwise  unto  him. 
Itt  pleased  his  Ma"*"  to  expres  as  much,  in  effect,  to  my 
Lord  of  Southampton,  with  many  other  gracious  words,  in 
commendacon  of  this  Plantacon,  and  signified  further  that 
his  Ma*^  forthwith  gaue  commandment  to  my  Lord  Chann- 
cellor,  then  present,  that  if  this  new  patent  Avere  not 
sealed  for  to  forbeare  the  Seale,  and  if  it  were  sealed  and 
not  delivered,  that  they  should  keep  it  in  hand  till  they 
were  better  informed.     His  Lop  further  signified  that  uppon 


IIOANOAKE  SETTLEMENT.  199 

Saturday  last  they  had  been  wth  my  Lord  Chauncellor 
about  it,  when  were  present  the  Duke  of  Lenox,  the  Earle 
of  Arundell,  Mr.  Secretary,  and  some  others,  who,  after  a 
full  hearinge  of  y^  allegacons  on  both  sides,  did  order  that 
the  patent  should  be  deliuered  to  be  perused  by  some  of 
the  Southerne  Collony,  who  are  to  make  reporte  of  what 
excepcons  they  finde  thereunto  against  the  next  meetinge.^ 

Proposed  Settlement  in  North  Carolina. 

Nov.  15,  1 620.  "  Some  of  the  Summer  Hands  Company 
moued  that  the  Courte  would  be  pleased,  as  well  in  respect 
that  the  Barmudas  was  sould  unto  them  for  a  farr  greater 
quantitie  of  land  then  they  nowe  finde  itt  to  be,  as  allso 
for  the  better  enablinge  of  them  to  subsiste  and  to  procure 
and  maynteyne  a  mutuall  dependance  and  traffique  here- 
after, to  graunt  and  confirme  unto  them,  in  this  great  and 
generall  Quarter  Courte,  a  good  porcon  of  Land  in  Virginia, 
on  that  side  of  the  Coaste  as  lyes  nearest  unto  them,  either 
att  Ronoque  southerly,  or  else  whereat  shall  be  most  con- 
venyent  for  them,  not  being  yett  inhabited ;  wch  request 
the  Courte  taking  into  consideracon,  did  order  and  agree 
that  accordinge  to  the  number  of  their  shares,  (being  in  all 
400  or  thereabouts),  they  should  haue  for  euery  share  100 
acres  of  land  in  Virginia,  and  50  acres  for  every  person 
that  shall  be  transported  thither.  *  *  *  '^'  The 
Courte  ordered  that  a  Ire  should  be  written  to  the  Go- 


1  On  the  15th  Southampton  said  that  he  had  that  afternoon  stated  to 
the  Piivy  Council  their  exceptions  to  the  New  Enghmd  patent,  and  that 
it  had  been  ordered  that  for  the  present  the  patent  of  Gorges  should  be 
sequestered,  and  that  the  Virginia  Company  would  have  their  privilege 
of  fishing. 


200  VIROINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

vernor  to  sett  out  their  bounds  and  lymitts  where  they 
shall  like  best  to  seat  themselves,  so  as  they  may  not  be 
preiudicial  to  any  other  plantacon  ther  alredy. 


PtEAsoN  OF  Soui  Hampton's  Absence. 

Dec.  13.  "  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  signified  unto  this  Courte 
that  my  Lo :  of  Southampton  uppon  some  important  occa- 
sions would  not  be  present  this  afternoone  but  had  all  that 
parte  of  the  day  for  many  houers  together  taken  extra- 
ordinary paines  in  a  buisness  that  concerned  them  very 
much  wherof  they  should  afterward  haue  a  good  Account 
as  soon  as  they  hadd  further  pceeded  therein,  and  brought 
the  same  to  some  better  issue. 

Arrival  of  Ships  in  Virginia. 

"  Hee  further  signified  that  they  had  receaued  certificate 
of  the  safie  Arivall  of  all  their  Ships  sent  the  last  Springe, 
as  namely  the  Frauncis,  Bona  Venture  with  all  their  peo- 
ple saue  one,  the  Tryall  and  Faulcon  with  all  theire  Pas- 
sengers, the  London  Marchant  with  all  theirs,  the  Duty 
wth  all  saue  one.  And  soe  likewise  the  Swann  of  Barnsta- 
ble, butt  the  Jonathan  in  her  tedious  passage  of  200  had 
lost  16  :  Soe  that  by  this  last  supply  they  had  landed  in 
Virginia,  in  all  well  neare  the  number  of  800  persons  for 
well  greate  blessinge  (with  the  loss  of  soe  fewe)  hee 
rendred  unto  the  almightie  all  possible  thanks. 

Dr.  Bohnn,  Physician-General  op  Virginia. 

"  Mr.  Doctor  Bohnne  hauinge  desyred  y*  hee  might  be 
a  Phisition  generall  for  the  Company  accordinge  to  such 


SETTLEMENTS  IN  VIRGINIA.  201 

condlcons  as  were  formerly  sett  downe  by  way  of  Articles 
unto  which  place  they  had  allotted  five  hundred  acres  of 
Land  and  twenty  Tennants  to  be  placed  theruppon  att 
the  Companies  charge.  The  Courte  was  pleased  to  accept 
of  his  humble  sute  for  that  place  &  imployment  and  ther- 
fore  ordered  that  he  should  haue  tenn  men  prouided  forth- 
with to  goe  now  with  him,  and  tenn  more  should  be  sent 
in  this  next  Springe  wch  should  be  transported  att  the 
Companies  charge  and  furnished  as  other  of  the  Tennants 
be,  prouided  that  xxtie  Tennants  being  thereon  established 
and  made  good  for  one  whole  year  after  their  Landinge, 
the  said  Doctor  Bohune  do  after  if  any  of  them  dye  coue- 
nant  to  supply  and  mayntayne  from  time  to  time  uppon 
the  said  Land :  And  att  his  decease  or  otherwise  sur- 
render of  the  said  place,  leaue  the  like  number  of  men  and 
stocke  of  cattle  as  are  by  order  of  Courte  to  the  saide  office 
allowed  and  appoynted. 

Captain  Roger  Smith  returns  to  Virginia. 

"  Capt.  Roger  Smith  ^  being  desirous  to  goe  this  present 
voyage  to  Virginia,  moued  that  he  might  haue  the  charge 
of  some  of  those  people  that  were  now  sent  to  be  the  Com- 
panies Tenants.  And  further  that  the  Company  would 
please  to  bestowe  uppon  him  some  meanes  to  make  him 
the  better  fitt  for  the  said  voyadge  :  Forasmuch  therefore 
as  the  said  Captaine  Smith  was  recommended  to  be  a 
gentleman  very  sufficient  for  that  imployment  and  in  re- 
gard of  his  good  experience  already  (hauinge  been  hereto- 


1  For  several  years  a  prominent  member  of  Council  of  Virginia.     His 
plantation  was  at  Charles  city. 
26 


202  VniGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

fore  in  Virginia  about  some  three  years)  might  thereby  doe 
the  Company  great  seruice :  The  Cornet  was  pleased  for 
his  better  encouragement  to  giue  him  30'^  freely  to  furnish 
him  with  necessaries  and  ordered  that  he  should  haue  the 
comand  of  50  persons  now  transported  to  be  Tenants  upon 
the  Companies  Lands. 

A  YOUNG  Scholar. 

^  "  The  said  Captaine  Smith  further  moued  in  the  behalfe 
of  a  younge  Scholler  desirous  to  goe  with  him  this  present 
voyadge  that  he  might  be  admitted  preacher  to  the  people 
now  sent.  The  Courte  hereupon  agreed  to  giue  him  a  text 
to  preach  upon  about  a  fortnight  hence  in  the  handling 
whereof  if  they  found  him  a  sufficient  scholler,  he  should 
be  entertayned  accordingly. 


Captain  Madison  an  old  Planter. 

"  Capt.  Maddison  ^  hauing  been  heretofore  twelue  yeares 
together  in  Virginia,  and  there  imployed  by  S'  Thomas 
Dale  (the  Gouernor)  in  discovering- the  said  Countrye  and 
seuerall  Eiuers  therein  did  nowe  peticon  that  he  might 
retourne  to  the  Colony  and  proceed  in  a  further  discouering 
of  comodious  places  for  habitacon  within  the  Land. 

"  The  Court  hereupon  ordered  that  he  should  be  treated 
with  by  the  Comittees  both  for  the  manner  of  his  discouery 
as  also  to  make  it  to  appeare  what  the  charge  thereof  will 
be  unto  the  Company. 


I  Isaac  Madison,  an  influential  man. 


GOV.    YEABDLETS  BETIBEMENT.  203 

Expiration  of  Gov.  Yearbley's  Commission. 
Jan.  29,  1620-1.     "  My  Lord  of  Southampton  signified 
unto  this  Court  that  forasmuch  as  the  time  of  S^  George 
Yeardley's  comission  of  Gouernorshipp  would  ere  long  be 
expired,  beinge  to  continue  but  till  November  next :  . 

"  It  was  therefore  expedient  nowe  at  this  Quarter  Court 
(in  respect  of  the  shortnes  of  the  time)  either  to  confirme 
S'  George  Yeardley  againe  in  his  said  office  by  a  newe 
eleccon  :  or  to  proceed  to  the  choice  of  some  other  fitt  per- 
son of  quahtie  to  succeed  him  who  might  be  prepared  to 
o-oe  to  Virginia  by  July  next  at  the  farthest  wch  later 
course  his  Lo^  did  the  rather  encline  unto  because  he  had 
receaued  aduertisement  of  S^  George  Yeardley  importumng 
desire  to  relinquish  his  said  office  at  the  expiracon  of  his 
said  comission,  in  reguards  he  had  soe  long  a  time  togeather 
(now  allmost  three  yeares)  attended  wholly  upon  the  pub- 
lique  seruice. 

Nomination  of  Sir  Francis  Wyatt. 
"  His  Lo^'  therefore  proposed  unto  the  Company  a  gentle- 
man recomended  unto  him  for  his  many  good  parts  (namely 
S^  Francis  Wyatt)  who  was  well  reputed  of,  both  in  respect 
of  his  parentage,  good  education,  integritie  of  life,  and 
faire  fortunes  (being  his  Father's  eldest  sonne)  as  also  for 
his  sufficiency  otherwise,  being  deemed  every  way  without 
exception  fittinge  for  this  place  who  was  likewise  desirous 
to  take  this  charge  upon  him  if  the  Company  would  please 
to  accept  of  his  willingness  to  doe  them  seruice. 

"  Notwithstanding  his  Lo>'  praied  the  Company  not  to 
neglect  the  nominacon  of  some  other  if  they  could  thinke 
of  °any  one  or  more  sufficient  persons  of  quality  that  would 


204  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

willingly  undergoe  this  waightie  burden  of  gouernment 
who  might  togeather  with  this  gentleman  aforenamed 
stand  for  the  eleccon  at  the  next  Quarter  Courte. 


Election  op  Governor  Wyatt.^ 

Jan.  31.  "After  these  businesses  were  thus  ordered, 
and  the  Court  nowe  full,  my  Lord  of  Southampton  moued 
that  if  the  Company  so  pleased  they  would  now  goe  to  the 
eleccon  of  their  newe  Gouernor  of  Virginia  who  was  to 
succeed  S'  George  Yeardley  after  the  expiration  of  his  said 
comission  (wch  is  to  determine  in  Nouemb.  next,)  S"" 
George  Yeardley  hauing  then  allso  a  desire  to  release  and 
disburden  himself  of  the  said  place  of  Gouernm*. 

"  The  Court  therefore  proceeded  hauing  agreed  to  a  pre- 
sent eleccon  my  Lo :  prayed  the  Company  that  if  accord- 
ing to  his  former  admonition  they  had  bethought  themselves 
of  any  person  of  quality  fitting  for  so  eminent  a  place  that 
would  be  willing  to  undertake  the  due  managing  thereof 
that  they  would  now  please  to  nominate  the  man,  who 


1  George,  the  father  of  Gov.  Wyatt,  was  at  this  time  living  in  Ireland, 
and  his  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Finch.  He  died  in  1624. 
His  daughter  Eleanora  married  Sir  John  Finch.  His  son  Francis, 
Governor  of  Virginia,  married  Margai-et,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Sandys. 
In  a  letter  of  Chamberlain  to  Carleton  on  June  19,  1623,  there  is  refer- 
ence to  a  relative  in  these  words  : 

<'  An  unruly  son  of  the  Lady  Finch's,  whom  she  sent  to  Virginia  to  be 
tamed  within  five  or  six  days  after  his  return  fell  into  a  quarrel  with  the 
watch,  where  he  was  so  hurt,  he  died  the  next  morning." 

Gov.  Wyatt  arrived  in  Virginia  in  October,  1621,  and  left  in  the  year 
1626  on  account  of  his  private  afi'airs  in  England,  his  father  being  dead. 
In  1639  he  was  made  Governor  the  second  time,  but  was  soon  succeeded 
by  Berkeley.  He  died  August  24,  1644,  and  was  buried  at  Bexley  in 
Kent.  ^ 


SIB  FRANCIS   WTATT  CHOSEN  GOVERNOR.  205 

might  be  put  to  the  ballating  box  togeather  with  Sir  Fran- 
cis'^ Wyate  who  was  formerly  proposed  and  recomended 
unto  them.  But  no  other  person  being  so  much  named 
and  for  that  this  gentleman  S'  Francis  Wyate  was  both 
recommended  and  so  well  knowne  to  be  euery  way  sufficient 
to  take  this  charge  upon  him,  he  was  in  this  great  and 
generall  Quarter  Courte  with  the  whole  consent  and  appro- 
bacon  of  the  same  (saue  two  only  whose  balles  were  found 
in  the  negation  box,)  chosen  to  be  the  successiue  Gouernor 
of  Virginia  after  S"^  George  Yeardley : 

Wyatt  returns  Thanks.  - 

^'  Wch  place  S'  Francis  Wyate  hauing  wth  much  thank- 
fulness accepted  of,  and  with  a  free  acknowledgement  of 
his  affecon  and  resolucon  constantly  bent  to  doe  the  Com- 
pany the  best  seruice  he  could  in  that  place :  It  was  like- 
wise moued  that  for  his  better  encouragement  herein  the 
Court  would  be  pleased  to  bestowe  another  fauor  upon  him 
by  admitting  him  one  of  his  Ma^«  Counsell  here  for  Vir- 
ginia, wch  mocon  was  thought  very  reasonable,  and  was 
generally  assented  unto,  as  being  willing  in  point  of  honor 
to  enhable  and  encourage  him,  the  better  to  undertake  the 
said  place  of  gouermt  upon  him. 

Draft  for  a  new  Patent. 

"  An  extraordinary  Court  held  for  Virginia  22  Februarij 

1620  [21]. 

"  S""  Edwin  Sandys  signified  unto  the  Company  that  my 
Lord  of  Southampton  by  reason  of  this  buissy  time  of  Par- 
liam*  could  not  be  spared  to  be  here  at  this  present  meetinge ; 


206  VIBOINIA    COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

and  therefore  desired  to  be  excused,  he  further  acquainted 
them  that  the  occasion  of  their  being  assembled  this  day  was 
to  let  them  knowe,  how  carefull  he  had  been,  in  the  drawing 
up  of  their  newe  Patent,  now  presented  to  be  read  unto 
them,  wherein  he  reported  what  extraordinary  paines  he 
had  taken,  as  well  to  amend  in  this  new  draft,  the  defects 
he  had  noted  in  all  the  former  Patents,  also  to  supply  out 
of  them,  and  other  presidents  of  like  nature,  what  he  in 
his  own  experience  and  iudgement  had  obserued  to  be 
necessary  for  them,  as  also  he  had  not  omitted  to  inserte 
therein,  such  necessary  cautions,  as  would  hereafter  serue 
and  saue  them  harmles  against  any  Proclamation  or  Patent, 
that  might  (as  heretofore)  be  procured  to  their  preiudice, 
the  same  being  once  passed  under  the  Seale  and  confirmed 
by  Act  of  Parhament. 

The  Title  op  GtOvernor  substituted  for  Treasurer. 

"  But  before  the  reading  of  this  newe  Patent,  he  desired 
to  acquainte  them  with  some  alteracons  he  had  made 
therein,  *  *  *  espeacially  in  two  points  namely  in  the 
head,  and  in  the  body  thereof  First  in  the  head.  That 
whereas  in  the  former  Patents  their  cheife  officer  was  called 
by  the  name  of  Treasurer  he  had  in  this  giuen  him  a  more 
eminent  title,  by  styling  him  their  Gouernor :  because  the 
name  Treasurer  seemed  to  imply  an  inferior  officer  an  one 
that  was  to  be  an  Accountant. 

The  Name  of  New  England. 

"  And  because  the  Northerne  Colony=Aduenturers,  had 
to  their  Territories  giuen  the  name  of  New-England,  he 


ALTERATIONS  OF  THE  PATENT -TOBACCO.  207 

thought  fitt  that  theirs  did  still  retaine  the  ould  name  of 
Virghiia,  for  by  this  meanes  all  Virginia  should  be  theirs, 
for  the  body  of  this  Patent,  as  namely  in  their  new  Incor- 
poracon  he  said,  he  had  likewise  differed  from  the  former 
in   two  points:  first  in  the   materiall   parte   thereof,  by 
abrideging  the  same,  and  restrayning  it  onely  to  such  Ad- 
uenturers  and  Planters  as  haue  at  least  one  share  of  Land 
of  200  acres  in  Virginia :  and  for  the  formall  parte  thereof 
as  well  to  auoide  the  infinity  of  names  by  reason  of  the 
multitude  of  Aduenturers  (encreasing  still  more  and  more,) 
as  for  that  many  were  already  named  in  a  former  Patent 
he  therefore  thought  good  in  this  to  name  only  the  Lords 
of  the  higher  howse  of  Parliament,  and  add  thereunto  these 
words  comprehending  in  effect  all  the  rest:  viz  :  togeather 
with  all  other  Aduenturers  and  Planters  in  Virginia ;  and 
some  other  necessary  alteracons  and  addicons  he  said  he  . 
had  made  in  some  other  parte  of  the  said  Patent,  wch  in 
the  readinge  he  would  notifie  unto  them  desiringe  their 
attention  to  the  readinge  thereof,  and  to  giue  their  best 
advise  about  the  same. 

Edward  Bennett's  Treatise. 

April  12,  1621.  "  S*"  Edwin  Sandys  moued  that  in  re- 
gards Mr.  Edward  Bennett^  a  cittizen  had  so  well  deserved 
of  this  Company  by  a  treatise  wch  he  made  touching  the 
inconuenience  that  the  importacon  of  Tobacco  out  of 
Spaine  had  brought  into  this  land ;  and  by  his  often  attend- 
ance upon  the  Comittees  of  the  Lower  howse  of  Comons 

1  An  influential  London  merchant.  Established  a  plantation  opposite 
Jamestown.  Uncle  of  Richard  Bennett,  so  prominent  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  Virginia  and  Maryland. 


208  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

about  the  same  (who  were  well  inclyned  to  aiford  their 
best  assistance  for  prohibiting  ^  the  bringing  of  Spanish 
Tobacco)  that  therefore  he  might  haue  the  fauor  to  be 
admitted  a  free  member  of  the  Company  wch  mocon  was 
thought  very  reasonable  and  being  putt  to  the  question 
was  generally  assented  unto  and  confirmed  by  ereccon  of 
hands. 

George  Sandys  proposed  as  Treasurer  of  the  Colony. 

^'  It  pleased  my  Lo :  of  Southampton  to  propose  a  gentle- 
man well  knowne  unto  them  all  as  a  man  very  fitt  to  take 
that  charge  upon  him  namely  Mr.  George  Sandys^  who 


1  Brother  of  Sir  Edwin,  a  poet  and  scholar.  Before  he  left  England 
he  published  a  translation  of  five  books  of  Ovid,  to  which  Drayton 
alludes  in  a  rhyming  letter  to  Sandys  after  he  reached  Virginia : 

"  And  worthy  George,  by  industry  and  use, 
Let's  see,  what  lines  Virginia  will  produce; 
Go  on  with  Ovid,  as  you  have  begun 
With  the  first  five  books ;   let  y'r  numbers  run 
Glib  as  the  former  so  shall  it  live  long. 
And  do  much  honor  to  the  English  tongue." 

A  second  edition  of  the  translation  of  the  first  five  books  was  published 
in  1621,  in  16mo  form,  pp.  141,  with  introduction.  The  work  completed 
while  in  Virginia  was  published  in  1626,  at  London,  in  folio,  with  the 
title  "  Ovid's  Metamorphosis,  Englished,  Mythologized,  and  Bepresented 
in  figures.  An  Essay  to  the  Translation  of  Virgil's  JEneis.  By  G.  S.," 
and  in  1640  another  illustrated  and  annotated  edition,  folio,  was  published 
in  London. 

Sandys  lived  to  be  an  aged  man,  and  died  at  the  house  of  his  niece, 
the  wife  of  Gov.  Wyatt,  at  Bcxley  in  Kent.  In  the  Register  of  Bexley 
Abbey  is  the  following  entry  : 

"  Georgius  Sandys,  Poetarum  Anglorum  sui  soeculi  facile  princeps, 
sepultus  fuit  Martii  7,  stilo  Anglic.  An.  Dom.  1643." 


JOUN  SMITH'S  STRICTURES  209 

indeed  was  generally  so  well  reputed  of,  for  his  approued 
fidelity  sufficiency  and  integrity :  as  they  conceaued  a  fitter 
man  could  not  be  chosen  for  that  place  and  thereupon 
agreed  to  his  eleccon;  referring  him  to  the  former  comit- 
tees  to  be  further  treated  and  concluded  with  concerning 
the  same. 

Capt.  John  Smith  offers  an  Amendment. 

"Hereupon,  and   upon  declaracon  of  the   state  of  the 
newe  Patent  made  by  S'"  Edwyn  Sandys,  Mr.  Smith  took 
occasion,  first  to  ptest  that  his  desyne  in  that  he  had  to 
speake,  reflected  not  either  upon  y*^  person  of  the  nowe 
Gouerno'  in  Virginia,  or  upon  the  new  Gouernor  here  m 
Court,  or  upon  any  other  in  particular  but  for  the  generall 
hono--  and  welfare  of  the  plantation  was  to  entreat  of  my 
Lord  of  Southampton  and  the  Counsell  that  in  the  said 
Patent  (if  no  such  addicon  of  power  were  therein  inserted) 
authority  might  be  giuen  to  the  quarter  Courte  to  question 
the  Gouernor  of  Virginia  here  in  England  if  the  ill  merritt 
of  his  gouernment  should  so  deserue,  and  to  punish  him 
by  fyne  or  otherwise.     For  he  could  not  but  declare  that 
not  publicum  but  priuatum  comodum  did  seeme  to  haue 
been  their  ends  of  effecting  that  place  ;  for  his  priuate 
Letters  (whereof  he  had  at  tymes  receaued  aboue  forty) 
did  as  he  thought  truely  informe.     That  no  direccons  or 
instruccons    (wch  with   singler  wisedome   dilligence    and 
care)   had  from  tyme  to  tyme  issued  from  the  Treasurer 
and  Counsell  here,  had  been  put  by  them  in  execucon  to 
the  loss  of  many  mens  Hues  there,  to  the  hinderance  and 
scandall  of  the  whole  Plantacon,  and   to  the  disesteeme 
and  slightinge  of  the  persons  of  the  Treasurer  and  Coun- 
27 


210  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

sell  here,  and  the  authoritie  of  the  whole  Court,  wch  he 
only  presumed  to  comend  to  their  consideracons. 

Reply  to  Smith's  Motion. 

"  But  thereunto  answeare  was  made  y*  it  was  the  opinion 
of  Mr.  Attorney  Generall  upon  a  smaler  matter  in  their 
newe  Patent  than  this  was  (namely  the  punishment  of  La- 
bourors,  artificers  and  such  like  offendors)  that  he  feared,  it 
would  haue  much  adoe  to  passe  with  such  a  clause  the 
howse  of  Parliament.  And  besides  they  had  already 
power  in  the  said  Patent  to  displace  the  Gouernor  upon  iust 
occasions :  wch  was  conceaued  to  be  as  much  as  would  be 
graunted  unto  them  by  Acte  of  Parliament  touching  that 
point. 

Captain  John  Smith  proposes  to  compile  a  History. 

April  12,  1621.  "  Mr.  Smith  moued,  that  for  so  much  as 
y*'  lottaries  were  now  suspended,  which  hitherto  had  con- 
tinued the  reall  and  substantiall  food,  by  which  Virginia 
hath  been  nourished,  that  insteade  thereof  shee  might  be 
now  preserued  by  divulginge  faire  and  good  report  as  shee 
and  her  worthy  undertakers  did  well  deserve,  declaring 
that  it  could  not  but  much  advance  the  Plantacon  in  the 
popular  opinion  of  the  CoiiToii  Subjects  to  haue  a  faire  and 
perspicuous  history,  compiled  of  that  Country,  from  her  first 
discouery  to  this  day :  and  to  have  the  memory  and  fame 
of  many  of  their  worthies,  though  they  be  dead,  to  Hue 
and  be  transmitted  to  all  posteritie;  as  namely  :  S""  Thomas 
Dale,  S""  George  Somers,  S""  Walter  Rawleigh,  the  Lo  De- 
la-warr,  S""  Thomas  Gates,  and  diuers  others  whereunto 
were  it  not  for  suspition  of  flattery,  he  would  wish  also  the 
name  of  many  her  other  worthies  yet  liuinge  and  some  of 


JOHN  SMITH'S  HISTORY  OF  VIBQINIA.  211 

them  now  present  in  Court,  might  have  also  their  hono^^*" 
and  good  deseruinge  comended  to  eternall  thankfullness, 
for  that  our  inabilities  had  as  yet  no  trewer  coyne,  where- 
with to  recompense  their  paines  and  merritt ;    affirmmg 
also,   that  the  best  now  planted  parts  of  America  under 
the    Spanish    goverment   nor    their   Annals    or   histories 
of  those  times,  in  their  like  age  of  ours,  nowe  12  years 
old  Virginia  afforded  better  matter  of  relacon  than  Vir- 
ginia hath  donn:    and  doth.     With  what  effect  such  a 
generall  history,  (deduced  to  the  life  to  this  yeare),  would 
worke  throughout  the  Kingdome,  with  the  generall  and 
comon   subject,  may   be  gathered    by  the    little    pamph- 
letts  or  declaracons  lately   printed:       And  besides   fewe 
succeedinge  yeares  would  soon  consume  the  lives  of  many 
whose  Uvinge  memories  yet  retayned  much,  and  devour 
those  letters  and  intelligences  which  yet  remaine  in  loose 
and   neglected   papers:   for  which   boldness,  in   mouinge 
hereof,  he  prayed  his  LoP'  pardon,  ledd  hereunto  upon  the 
request  of  some  fellows  of  the  Generallity.^ 


1  The  records  of  the  Company  do  not  show  that  any  action  was  taken 
upon  the  proposition,  although  Smith,  in  his  General  Bistort/  published 
in  1624,  says  it  was  accepted. 

Captain  Smith's  General  History  was  published  after  the  Quo  War- 
ranto was  issued  against  the  Virginia  Company,  and  it  is  evident  that  he 
wrote  in  the  interest  of  their  opponents.  There  is  no  evidence  beyond 
his  statement  that  the  letters  which  he  publishes  as  written  to  the  Com- 
pany were  ever  received  by  them. 

His  writings  are  those  of  a  gascon  and  beggar.  He  seemed  to  be 
always  in  the  attitude  of  one  craving  recognition  or  remuneration  for 
alleged  services,  and  Fuller's  description  of  his  writings  and  character  ia 
the'' For^^tes  of  England,  is  probably  not  far  from  the  truth.  He  is, 
however,  worthy  of  being  remembered,  as  an  early  explorer  of  the  At- 
lantic coast      Massachusetts  has  already  a  monument  to  his  memory. 


212  VLRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Election  of  William  Nuce,  Marshal  oe  Virginia. 

May  2,  1621.  ''  Proceedinge  to  the  eleccon  of  Marshall 
for  somuch  as  Captaine  William  Newce  was  onely  pro- 
posed to  stand  to  the  eleccon  and  to  be  put  to  the  Ballat- 
ing  Box,  was  by  the  same  chosen  wth  a  generall  consent 
(saue  of  three  balls  onely  found  in  the  negatiue  boxe)  to 
be  Marshall  of  Virginia. 


Will  not  her  example  provoke  Virginia  and  Maryland  to  the  same  good 
work,  as  the  first  map  of  the  James  River  and  Chesapeake  Bay  was  pre- 
pared for  Smith's  True  Relation  ? 


■  ■■■■■M»»»»n«»i«->Tnrr»»^»»»«»»nw»wii«Trgw»TTOT«««lM««llllwiB«» 


CHAPTER  XII. 

PROCEEDINGS  DURING  THE  SECOND  YEAR  OF  SOUTHAMPTON'S 
DIRECTORSHIP. 

T  a  great  and  generall  Quarter  Courte  held  for 
Virginia  on  Wednesday  the  second  of  May, 
1621. 
"  After  those  buisnesses  were  thus  ordered 
and  the  day  farr  spent,  it  was  moued  that  seeing  my  Lo.  of 
Southampton  was  not  yet  come,  they  might  notwithstand- 
ing proceed  to  the  eleccon  of  their  newe  Treasurer  for  the 
yeare  ensuinge :  wch  mocon  being  agreed  unto  and  my 
Lo :  of  Southampton  onely  proposed  for  eleccon  his  Lo^  was 
forthwith  ballated  according  to  order  and  thereby  chosen 
with  a  full  and  generall  consent  of  the  whole  Courte  (as 
appeared  by  the  Balls  there  being  not  one  against  y*)  to 
continue  and  hold  the  said  place  of  Treasurer  for  the  ensu- 
ing yeare.^ 


I  A  few  weeks  after  this  election  the  Treasurer,  Earl  of  Southampton, 
and  his  predecessor,  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  were  committed  by  order  of  the 
King.  Two  persons  were  deputed  to  search  Sir  Edwin's  study,  which 
done  they  required  his  wife's  keys  to  search  her  cabinet  and  boxes, 
which  she  readily  obeyed,  and  told  the  parties  that  she  wished  his  majesty 
had  a  key  to  unlock  her  husband's  heart,  that  his  majesty  might  see 
there  was  not  anything  therein  but  loyalty. 

The  Earl  of  Southampton's  answer  to  the  commissioners  sent  from  the 
King  was,  that  if  his  offense  was  criminal  he  was  to  answer  in  the  Star 


214  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


Norwood  recommended  as  Surveyor. 

"  Mr.  Norwood  ^  being  recomended  by  Captain  Tucker 
for  his  sufficiency  in  surueying  of  Lands  and  one  desirous 
to  goe  ouer  to  Virginia,  upon  that  was  now  chosen  for  that 
place  and  referred  to  the  former  Comittee  to  treat  with  him 
concerning  some  allowances  to  be  giuen  unto  him. 


Capt.  John  Smith  asks  for  a  Reward. 

"  Captain  John  Smith  ^  in  his  peticon  showeth  that  for 
so  much  as  he  hath  not  onely  aduentured  money  for  the 
good  of  the  Plantacon  and  twise  built  James  Towne  and 


Chamber;  if  capital,  at  the  King's  Bench;  if  of  lesser  moment,  at  the 
Council  table  ;  and  further  declared,  that  for  his  own  part  he  was  resolved 
not  to  do  any  thing  which  might  prejudice  the  privilege  and  freedom  of 
a  member  of  Parliament.  In  about  a  month  they  were  released.  Court 
and  Times  of  James  First,  pp.  259,  267. 

1  Richard  Norwood  had  surveyed  the  Somers  Islands  when  they  were 
first  settled.  He  did  not  go  to  Virginia.  In  a  letter  written  from  Somers 
Islands  in  May,  1645,  he  says  he  had  taught  school  there  for  thirty 
years,  and  that  he  had  at  that  time  twenty  scholars.  He  was  the  pioneer 
English  teacher  in  North  America. 

2  Captain  Smith  was  a  talented  and  adventurous  man,  but  made  re- 
markable allegations.  He  arrived  at  Jamestown  May  13,  1607,  and  was 
sent  home  in  the  fall  of  1609.  He  adventured  £9  in  the  Company.  His 
request  for  aid  was  never  reported  on  by  the  committee.  Good  old  Ful- 
ler in  his  Worthies  of  England,  says:  "  From  the  Turks  in  Europe  he 
passed  to  the  pagans  in  America,  where  such  his  perils,  preservations, 
dangers,  deliverances,  they  seem  to  most  men  above  belief,  to  some  be- 
yond truth.  *  *  *  It  soundeth  much  to  the  diminution  of  his  deeds 
that  he  alone  is  the  herald  to  publish  and  proclaim  them."  He  died 
June  21,  1631. 


ELECTION  OF  SECRETARY.  215 

fower  other  particular  Plantacons  as  he  alledgeth  but  for 
that  he  discouered  the  country  and  releaued  the  Colony 
willingly  three  yeares  with  that  wch  he  gott  from  the 
Sauages  wth  great  perill  and  hazard  of  his  life  :  that  there- 
fore in  considerac'on  hereof  the  Company  would  please  to 
reward  him  either  out  of  the  Treasury  here,  or  out  of  the 
proffitsof  the  generalUty  in  Virginia:  Touching  wch  re- 
quest the  Court  hath  referred  him  to  the  Comittees  ap- 
pointed for  rewarding  of  men  upon  merrits. 

Election  of  Secretary  or  the  Colony. 
June  11.     "  But  touchinge  the  Secretary  of  State  there 
that  now  is  namely  (Mr.  Porey)  it  remained  to  know  their 
Pleasure  whether  they  would  continue  him  still  in  his  said 
office  or  make  a  change.     Whereupon  it  was  signified  that 
for  so  much  as  Mr.  Porey  had  not  caried  himself  well  m  the 
said  place  to  the  contentmt  of  the  Company  it  was  con- 
ceaued  to  be  the  generall  purpose  of  the  court  to  change 
him  for  a  better  so  nere  as  they  could  and  therefore  de- 
sired some  other  might  be  nominated  unto  them.     Where- 
uppon  Mr.  Deputy  gave  notice  of  4   worthie  gentlemen 
that  had  been  recommended  unto  him  for  that  place,  all  of 
them  well-bred,  sufficientlie  well  quallifyed,  so  as  the  mean- 
est of  them  seemed  more  worthie  of  a  better  place,  not  in 
respect  of  the  quallitie  thereof,  but  in  respect  of  the  enter- 
taynement  belonging  thereunto;  so  as  it   was  his  griefe 
that  they  had  not  places  for  them  all,  but  must  be  forced 
to  dismisse  three  of  them. 

"  The  names  of  the  said  gentlemen  were  these  :  Mr. 
Paramore,  Mr.  Dauison,  Mr.  Smith,  and  Mr.  Waterhouse, 
who  hath  been  recomended  by  Sir  John  Dauers  for  three 


216  VmOINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

things  especially,  namely,  his  honestie,  religion,  and  siiffi- 
ciencie,  for  wch  he  would  undertake,  uppon  that  knowledge 
they  had  of  him,  this  gentleman,  Mr.  Waterhouse,  should 
make  good  to  their  full  satisfaceon. 

"  Butt  itt  was  signified  that  they  all  fower  having  been 
comended  to  the  Lord  of  Southampton,  his  lordship  was 
so  nobly  mynded  toward  this  company  as  to  leave  them  to 
their  free  libertie  of  choyce  of  any  of  them  by  an  orderly 
eleccon,  and  therefore  wished  they  would,  in  the  mean 
time,  make  some  further  enquirie  against  the  next  Courte. 

June  13.  "Mr.  Deputy  moued  to  knowe  their  pleasure 
whether  they  would  haue  Mr.  Poreys  comission  renued  or  the 
place  to  be  supplyed  by  another.  Wheruppon  the  Company 
declaring  their  desire  to  make  a  change,  there  were  fower 
gentlemen  proposed  for  the  said  place,  *  *  *  being  all 
of  them  recomended,  by  worthy  psonns,  for  their  honestie 
sufficiencie,  and  experience  in  Secretary  affaires,  but  be- 
cause no  more  butt  three  could  stand  for  the  eleccon,  itt 
was  putt  to  the  question  wch  three  they  would  have 
nominated  for  that  purpose,  whereuppon  Mr.  Smith  was 
dismissed,  and  the  other  three  appoynted  to  stand  for  the 
eleccon,  who  beinge  all  three  putt  to  the  Ballating  Box, 
choise  was  made  of  Mr.  Dauison,  he  havinge  the  major  p't 
of  Balls,  who,  beinge  called  in  to  take  notice  that  the  Secre- 
taries place  was  fallen  uppon  him,  did  declare  his  thankful 
acknowledgm't  unto  the  Company  of  their  fauour  towards 
him,  promising  his  best  to  answer  their  expectacon  of  him. 


An  Apothecary  offers  himself. 

"  It  was  signified  unto  the  Courte  that  an  Apothecary 
offered  to  transporte  himself  and  his  wife  att  his  own  charge 


HEIR  OF  RICHARD  EAELUTT.  217 

to  Virginia  if  the  Company  would  please  to  giue  them 
their  transporte  of  two  children,  the  one  beinge  under  the 
age  of  eight,  and  the  other,  a  youth  of  good  yeares :  wch 
offer  the  Courte  did  verie  well  like  as  in  respecte  of  the 
great  want  of  men  of  his  profession,  and  beinge  putt  to 
the  question  did  agree  therunto ;  Prouided  that  the  said 
Apothecary  att  his  cominge  ouer  did  exercise  his  skill  and 
practise  in  that  profession  w'ch  itt  should  b(3  lawfuU  and 
free  for  him  to  doe,  and  to  that  end  should  be  recomended 
to  the  Gouernor. 

Ministers  for  the  Colony. 

"  Intelhgence  beinge  giuen  of  two  Mynisters  y*  offered 
themselues  to  goe  for  Virginia  the  Court  referred  them  to 
be  treated  and  concluded  with  by  ye  Comittees. 

And  for  so  much  as  S'  Fraunces  Wyat  desyred  hee  might 
make  choyse  of  one  that  was  willinge  to  goe  with  him  y® 
Courte  assented  therunto. 


Heir  of  Richard  Hakluyt. 

"  Mr.  Edward  Hackluite  assigned  two  Shares  of  25^^ 
Aduenture  to  one  John  More  being  next  heire  to  Richard 
Hackluite  his  Mher  deceased,  desyred  itt  might  pass  the 
approbacon  of  this  Courte  which  was  accordingly  graunted 
they  findinge  his  said  Father  uppon  search  of  the  booke  no 
way  indebted  to  the  Company  for  y""  same.^ 


The  son  of  Hakluyt  is  said  to  have  been  a  spendthrift. 


28 


218  VIRGINIA   COMPANY.  OF  LONDON. 

•Letter  from  Daniel  Gookin  of  Cork,  Ireland. 

July  2.     "  Mr.  Deputy  signified  of  a  letter  he  had  re- 
ceaued  from  Mr.  Gookin  of  Ireland  who  desyred  y*  a  clause 
in  the  contract  between  him  and  the  Company  touchinge 
Cattle  wch  hee  had  undertaken  to  transport  to  Virginia 
after  the  rate  of  eleuen  pounds  the  Heiffer  and  Shee  Goats 
at  o'"^  10'  a  peece  for  wch  he  might  take  any  Comodities  in 
Virginia  at  such  prizes  as  the  Company  here  had  sett  downe 
hee  desired  y^  those  words  might  bee  more  cleerly  ex- 
playned.     And  to  this  effect  Mr.  Deputy  signified  y*  they 
had  drawne  a  Letter  in  the  name  of  the  Counsell  and  Com- 
pany unto  Mr.  Gookin   declaringe  that  theire  intent  and 
meanhige  was  itt  should  be  Lawfull  and  free  for  him  and 
his  factors  to  Trade  barter  and  sell  all  such  Comodities  hee 
shall  carry  thither  att  such  rates  and  prizes  as  he  shall 
thinke  good  and  for  his  Cattle  shall  receiue  either  of  the 
Gouernor  or  other  pryuate  persons  any  of  the  comodities 
there  growinge  att  such  prizes  as  hee  cann  agree.  And  lastly 
y*  accordinge  to  Mr.  Gookin s'  request  in  his  said  I're  they 
had  promised  y*  hee  should  haue  a  Pattent  for  a  pticular 
Plantation  as   Large  as  y*  graunted  to  S""  William  Newce 
and  should  allso  haue  liberty  to  take  100  hoggs  out  of  the 
Forest   uppon   condicon   that  he  repay  the  said  nomber 
againe   unto  the  Company  within   the   tearme  of  seauen 
yeares :     Prouided  that  hee  use  them  for  breed  and  in- 
crease and  not  for  present  slaughter. 

Letter  to  the  Colonial  Authorities  prepared. 

"  And  further  to  this  effect  they  had  allso  drawn  a  letter 
to  the  Gouernor  and  Counsell  of  State  in  Virginia  both 


HUDSON  AND  DELAJVARE  RIVER  DISCOVERIES.       219 

well  beinge  now  psented  and  read  the  Court  did  very  well 
approue  of  and  gaue  order  that  the  Seale  of  the  Counsell 
should  be  affixed  to  that  addressed  to  Mr.  Gookin,  and  that 
some  of  y^  Counsell  should  signe  the  other  to  the  Counsell 
of  Virginia. 

Arrival  op  the  Bona  Nova. 
July  10.  "  Mr.  Deputie  signified,  that  the  occasion  of 
warninge  the  Courte  this  present  day  was  to  acquaint  them 
with  the  aryuall  of  the  Bona  Noua  rydinge  att  Anchor 
neer  the  He  of  Wight,  by  wch  Ship  hauing  receiued  diuers 
letters,  and  one  generall  Letter  from  the  Counsell  of  State 
in  Virginia  directed  to  the  Company  here  hee  thought  fitt 
to  imparte  itt  unto  them  att  this  meetinge  and  hereuppon 
prayed  they  would  attend  y^  hearinge  of  them  wch  being 
read  the  pticular  relacons  gaue  the  Company  verie  great 
content  to  hear  that  some  Staple  Comodities,  as  Vines,  and 
Silke,  began  to  be  planted  accordinge  to  the  Companies 
former  directions  and  that  they  prospered  with  so  good 
successe. 

Treaty  with  the  Indians. 

"  As  allso  to  heare  of  the  confirmacon  of  a  Peace,  and  of 
a  League  wth  the  Indian  Kinge  wherby  not  onely  a  great 
trade  and  comerce  with  them  heareafter  for  Corne  and 
other  Comodities  is  like  to  ensue  and  good  means  allso  for 
conuerting  them  to  Christianytie  and  to  draw  them  to  Hue 
amongst  our  people. 

Discoveries  in  Hudson  and  Delaware  Rivers  and  Elsewhere. 

"  Butt  fitt  occasions  likewise  seem  now  to  be  offered  of 
further  Discoueries  up  into  the  Countrie  both  for  the  find- 


220  VIBGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

inge  out  of  the  South  Sea  and  certaine  Mynes  menconed 
in  the  said  letters  will  undoubtedlie  conduce  to  the  great 
honor  and  enlargment  of  the  generall  Plantacon  in  a 
short  time ;  Ther  was  also  read  unto  the  Company  a 
relacon  of  three  seuerall  Voyadges  made  this  last  Sumer, 
one  to  y^  Southward  to  Roanocke  made  by  Mr.  Marmaduk 
Rayner.  A  second  by  Ensigne  Sauadge  in  the  great  Bay 
wherein  is  a  relacon  of  a  great  Trade  of  Furrs  by  French- 
men ;  A.  Third  Mr.  Dirmers  Discoueries  from  Cape  Charles 
to  Cape  Codd  up  Delawarr  Riuer,  and  Hudson's  Riuer 
beinge  butt  20  or  30  leagues  from  our  Plantacon  and  within 
our  lymits,  in  which  Riuers  were  found  diuers  Ships  of 
Amsterdam  and  Home  who  yearly  had  there  a  great  and 
rich  Trade  for  Furrs  wch  haue  moued  the  Gouernor  and 
Counsell  of  State  in  Virginia  ernestly  to  solicite  and  inuite 
the  Company  to  undertake  soe  certaine  and  gainfull  a 
Voyadge. 

"  Mr.  Chamberlyn  likewise  informed  the  Comp*  of  the 
great  Trade  that  the  Frenchmen  had  in  those  pts  of  Vir- 
ginia to  their  infinite  gaine  wch  might  with  far  less  charge 
and  greater  ease  be  undertaken  by  the  Company. 

Kev.  Mr.  Bolton. 

""  Uppon  the  Right  Honorable  the  Ea :  of  Southampton's 
recommendacons  of  Mr.  Bolton  ^  Minister  for  his  honestie 
and  sufficiencie  in  Learninge  and  to  undertake  the  care 
and  charge  of  the   Mynistry,   The   Company   have   been 


1  Rev.  Mr.  Bolton  was  sent  to  Elizabeth  City,  but  subsequently  assigned 
to  the  plantations  on  the  Eastern  Shore,  now  Accomac  and  Northampton 
counties. 


DEATH  OF  DE.  BOUUN.  221 

pleased  to  entertaine  him  for  their  Mynister  in  some  vacant 
place  in  Virginia  and  have  therfore  referred  him  to  the 
Comittee  to  be  treated  and  concluded  with  touchmge  his 
allowance  and  seated  where  they  shall  thinke  fitt  and  most 
conuenyent  for  him. 

Dr.  Pott  Physician  in  place  of  Bohun. 
July  16.     "For  so  much  as  the  Phisicons  place  to  the 
Company  was  now  become  voyde  by  reason  of  the  untimely 
death  of  Dr.  Bohune^  slaine  in  the  fight  wth  two  Spanish 
Ships  of  Warr  the  19th  of  March  last;    Doctor  Gulstone^ 
did  now  take  occasion  to  recomend  unto  the  Company  for  the 
said  place  one  Mr.  Potts  a  M'  of  Artes  and  as  hee  afirmed 
well  practised  in  Chirurgerie  and  Phisique,  and  expert  allso 
in  distillinge   of   waters  and   that  hee  had  many  other 
ingenious  deuises,  soe  as  he  supposed  his  seruice  would 
be  of  great  use  unto  the  Colony  in  Virginia,  but  prayed  y 
wheras  Doctor  Bohune  was  tyed  by  his  Contract  to  supply 
such  of  his  Tenants  as  should  dy  after  the  first  year  att 
his  owne  charge,  that  Mr.  Potts  ^  might  be  released  of  that 

J,  1  Dr.  BohuQ  died  encouraging  the  crew  to  fight. 

2  Theodore  Gulston  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Wm.  Gulston.     Educated  at 

-^  Oxford.  Not  only  a  good  physician  but  versed  in  classical  and  theologi- 
cal lore  He  died  in  1632,  and  bequeathed  £200  to  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians for  an  anatomy  lectureship.  The  Gulstonian  lecture  is  still  de- 
livered. 

A      3  John  Pott  had  a  peculiar  career  in  Virginia.     For  several  years  he 

~  was  a  Councillor,  and  in  1629,  when  Lord  Baltimore  visited  Virginia, 
was  Governor.  Upon  the  arrival  the  next  year  of  his  successor,  the  rough 
Harvey  he  was  charged  by  his  enemies  with  pardoning  Edward  Walks  of 

.  Archee's  Hope,  a  willful  murderer,  and  guilty  of  other  crimes.  Harvey 
confined  him  to  Harrope,  his  plantation,  seven  miles  from  James  City, 


222  VIBOmiA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

couenant  being  too  strict  and  ouerhard  as  hee  supposed  ; 
butt  it  was  aunswered  itt  was  not  in  the  power  of  any 
other  butt  a  Quarter  Courte  to  reverse  or  alter  the  same 
but  should  allwaies  finde  the  Company  in  all  things  verie 
reasonable  to  all  well  deseruinge  men,  and  therefor  if  Mr. 
Potts  would  accept  of  the  place  uj)pon  the  same  condieons 
as  Dr.  Bohune  did  he  should  be  entertayned  and  for  his 
better  content  should  be  specially  recommended  to  the 
Gouernor  to  be  well  accommodated  and  should  have  a 
Chest  of  Phisique  of  20'^  charge  unto  the  Company,  and 
all  things  thereunto  apptayninge  together  with  lO'*^  in 
Books  of  Phisique  well  should  allwaies  belonge  unto  the 
Company,  wch  Chest  of  Phisique  and  Books  Doctor  Gul- 
stone  was  desyred  to  buy.  And  seeinge  he  intended  to 
carry  ouer  with  him  his  wife,  a  man  and  a  mayde  they 
should  haue  him  transported  free,  and  if  one  or  more 
Chirurgions  could  be  gott  they  likewise  should  haue  their 
passage  freed,  wch  Condieons  Mr.  Potts  hauing  accepted  of 
was  referred  to  the  Comittees  to  be  further  treated  &  con- 
cluded with. 

Rev.  Hant  Wyatt. 

"It  was   signified   that    S""   Frauncis   Wyatts   brother^ 
beinge  a  M'"  of  Arts  and  a  good  diuine  and  very  willinge 

now  Williamsburgli,  and  confiscated  his  property.  His  wife  Elizabeth 
proceeded  to  England  to  appeal  against  the  wrongs  done  her  husband. 
The  Commissioners  who  examined  the  case  reported  that  the  condemning 
of  Dr.  Pott  upon  superficial  hearing,  for  felony,  was  very  rigorous.  The 
King,  on  July  25,  1631,  pardoned  him,  especially  as  he  was  "  the  only 
physician  in  the  Colony." 

1  Rev.  Hant  Wyatt  returned  with  his  brother  to  England,  and  became 
Vicar  of  Bexley   in   Kent.     Opposed   to   the   retrograde   tendencies   of 


SIR  FRANCIS   WYATT  GOVERNOR.  223 

to  goe  with  him  this  present  Voyadge,  might  be  enter- 
tayned  and  phaced  as  Mynister  ouer  his  people,  and  haue 
the  same  allowance  towards  the  furnishinge  of  himsclfe 
with  necessaries  as  others  haue  hadd,  and  that  his  wife 
mi^ht  haue  her  transporte  freed,  wch  mocon  was  thought 
veSe  reasonable,  and  ordered  by  ereccon  of  hands  that  hee 
should  be  entertayned  and  haue  the  place  hee  desyred,  and 
the  hke  allowance  of  monny  graunted  unto  Mr.  Bolton 
lately  entertayned. 

The  Company's  Letter  to  Colonial  Authorities,  dated  July 
25,  1621,  sent  in  the  Ship  George. 

"  After  our  harty  comendations,  we  receiued  yo'r  letters 
by  the  Bona  Nova  so  lately,  as  we  haue  not  had  leasure 
to  peruse  them,  being  opressed  with  a  multitude  of  bussi- 
ness,  that  night  and  day  employed  us.  We  shall  therefore 
by  this  letter  only  touch  some  principall  points,  reserving 
ourselves  to  a  time  of  more  leasure  fully  to  deliberate,  and 
give  you  answer,  referringe  you  for  a  supply  of  matters 
therein  omitted  to  our  generall  instructions,  which  we 
desire  you  diligently  to  peruse  and  punctually  to  observe. 
Wee  have  sent  you  S""  Francis  Wyatt  to  be  the  future  Go- 
vernor, to  whom  we  require  all  respect  and  obedience  be 
given. '  Mr.  Sandys  we  have  ellected  our  Treasurer,  and 
stated  his  place  and  given  him  authority  to  cause  all  our 


Archbishop  Laud  he  was  arraigned  before  the  High  Commission.  He 
left  some  of  his  children  in  Virginia,  one  of  whom  may  have  been  Ralph 
Wyatt,  who  married  a  widow  of  Capt.  William  Button,  a  gentleman  who 
for  public  services  had  received  from  the  Privy  Council  of  England  a 
lar-e  ^rant  of  land,  on  both  sides  of  the  river  Appomatox. 


224  VmOINIA    COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

orders  concerning  staple  commodities  to  be  putt  in  execu- 
tion. Mr.  Davison  is  chosen  by  the  (Quarter  Court  for 
Secretary.  Their  dispatches  have  wholy  possest  us  for  a 
while,  and  we  hope  that  by  the  addition  of  such  able 
ministers,  you  will  be  enabled  to  performe  what  we  par- 
ticularly enjoyne.  The  want  of  able  officers  haue  been 
heretofore  pleaded  for  the  cause  our  directions  have  been 
no  better  observed.  Wee  desire  that  these  gentlemen  may 
be  well  accommodated  at  theire  landinge,  and  theire  peo- 

Preacliers  sent. 

pie  well  lodged.  Wee  have  likewise  sent  you  two  sufficient 
preachers,  Mr.  Hant  Wyatt,  who  is  to  be  preacher  to  the 
Governor's  Tenants ;  and  Mr.  Bolton,  whom  we  have  con- 
signed to  Elizabetli  Citty  to  inhabit  with  Capt.  Tho.  Nuce 
to  whom  we  recomend  him,  understanding  that  Mr.  Stock- 

>  Phi/sicians  and  Surgeons. 

ton^  is  otherwise  stated.  And  for  supply  of  the  Physi- 
tion's  place,  we  have  sent  you  Doctor  Pott,  with  two 
Chirurgions  and  a  chest  of  Phisicke  and  Chirurgery  -,  not 
doubtinge  but  youe  will  entertaine  and  supplie  them  well 
at  his  landinge,  with  all  necessaries  and  according  unto 
the  Companies  promise,  give  him  helpe  for  the  speedy 
buildinge  of  a  house  imediately  upon  his  arrivall. 

Claiborne  chosen  Surveyor. 

"  The  twenty  tenants  formerly  sent  must  be  delivered 
him,  and  the  land  belonging  to  his  place  sett  out,  and  what 


1  Rev.  Mr.  Stockton  succeeded  Rev.  Win.  Wickham  at  Henrico  and 
Bermuda  Hundred. 


CLAIBORNE  MADE  8UBVET0B.  225 

are  wantinge  of  the  number  of  twenty  are  to  be  supplied 
out  of  the  Companye's  Tenants,  which  wee  doubt  not  but 
may  be  done  with  theire  very  good  sattisfaction.  Itt  is 
our  express  will  that  the  Tenants  belonging  to  every  office, 
be  fixed  to  his  certaine  place  uppon  the  lands  sett  out  for 
itt,  for  which  Mr.  Cleyburne  is  chosen  to  be  our  Surveyor,^ 
who  at  the  Companies  very  great  charge  is  sett  out,  as  by 
his  condition  of  agreement  you  may  perceive.  Great  hath 
been  the  care  of  the  Company  to  sattisfy  your  desires  that 
they  have  spared  for  no  paines  nor  charge. 

"  The  pubUque  lands  sett  out,  and  that  which  belongs 
to  publique  persons,  his  next  employment  must  be  to  sett 
out  lands  belonging  to  p'ticular  Plantations,  and  then  that 
of  private  persons :  for  the  publique  he  is  to  do  by  vertue 
of  his  place  without  other  than  the  former  salarie,  neither 
may  he  exceed  when  he  is  employed  by  any  private  per- 
sons the  rate  of  vi^  the  day,  which  some  must  be  duly  paid 
him  in  good  and  valuable  comodities.  And  for  that  we 
find  by  experience  that  notwithstandinge  our  strict  comands 
to  the  contrary  divers  shipps  sett  out  for  monthly  wages 


1  Claiborne  was  one  of  the  most  enterprising  men  of  the  Colony.  At 
an  early  period  he  planted  on  Kent  Island  in  the  Chesapeake,  and  had  a 
post  at  Palmer's  Isle,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Susquehanna.  In  1629  he  led 
an  expedition  against  Candayack,  no-.v  West  Point,  at  mouth  of  Pa- 
munkey,  and  for  his  services  to  the  Colony  he  was  granted  a  tract  ot  land 
at  this  point.  He  was  much  maligned  by  the  officers  of  Lord  Baltimore 
because  he  would  not  relinquish  his  rights  as  a  citizen  of  Virginia.  l.d- 
mundson,  a  Quaker  preacher,  in  1673  met  him  at  a  religious  meeting, 
and  was  invited  to  call  at  his  house.  Soon  after  this  he  must  have  died, 
for  the  preacher  in  his  journal  says :  "He  was  a  solid,  wise  man, 
received  the  truth,  and  died  in  the  same,  leaving  two  Friends  his 
executors."  His  descendants  are  numerous  in  the  south  and  southwest 
of  the  United  States. 
29 


226  VmOINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

make  long  and  unnecessary  stales,  to  our  excessive  charge, 
and  that  for  want  of  due  care  shipps  come  so  unsufficiently 
provided,  as  we  have  reason  to  feare  that  some  of  them 
have  foundred  in  the  sea,  and  also  to  prevent  the  fraud 
and  abuse  of  M'rs  of  Shipps  and  mariners  in  detention  of 
goods  sent  to  the  Planters,  and  in  selling  theire  goods  at 

John  Pountis  Vice  Admiral. 

excessive  rates;  Therefore  we  have  ellected  Mr.  John 
Pountis,  our  Vice  Admirall  provisionally  for  one  year  till 
by  a  Quarter  Court  his  place  may  be  confirmed  unto  him 
and  stated  with  Tenants,  being  assured  that  by  his  suffi- 
ciencie,  integrity  and  Industrie  these  and  many  such  grow- 
ing mischiefes  will  be  prevented. 

A  Private  Magazine. 

"  With  great  difficulty  we  have  erected  a  private  maga- 
zine, men  being  most  unwilling  to  be  drawn  to  subscrip- 
tion to  l^e  paid  in  smoke  :  if  therefore  youe  expect  for  the 
future  any  such  place  it  must  be  your  principall  care,  the 
Cape  Merchant  be  not  constrained  to  vent  his  comodities 
att  any  sett  price,  and  in  particular  not  to  be  enforced  to 
take  Tobacco  at  any  certain  rate ;  and  that  you  be  aiding 
as  well  to  this  as  to  the  former  Magazine  for  the  returne 
of  debts  we  require  that  the  Market  be  open  for  all  men, 
that  the  charitable  intentions  of  the  adventurers  be  not 
abused  and  turned  into  private  gaine :  Therefore  we 
desire  you  to  have  principally  in  your  care,  that  a  strict 
Proclamation  be  sett  out  to  prohibitt  such  engrossing  of 
comodities,  and  forestalling  the  market,  thereby  to  vent  it 
to  the  poor  people  at  excessive  rates,  such  oppression  and 
grindinge  of  the  poor  wee  in  our  hearte  abhorr,  and  require 


IBON  WORKS  AND  SxiW  MILLS.  227 

you  severely  to  punishe,  assuring  youe  nothing  can  be 
more  pleasing  unto  us,  than  the  exemplarie  punishment  of 
such  Monsters  as  devoure  their  brethren  by  this  wicked 
and  barbarous  course,  especially  if  such  wickednesse  should 
be  exercised  by  men  in  place  or  authority. 

Mr.  Berlcley  to  estahUsh  Iron   Works. 

"  The  advancement  of  the  Iron  Workes  we  esteeme  to 
be  most  necessarie,  by  perfecting  whereof  we  esteeme  the 
Plantation  is  gainer:  we  therefore  require  all  possible 
assistance  be  given  to  Mr.  Berkley^  now  sent  and  all 
furtherance  to  his  ship  especially  good  entertainment  at 
their  landinge,  that  they  may  be  well  lodged  and  cherished 
with  such  comfortable  help  as  the  place  will  afford,  which 
we  will  thankfully  requite  to  any  that  shall  advance  this 
our  much  desired  worke.  And  here  againe  we  renew  our 
former  comendations  of  Mr.  Lapworth,  and  that  in  a  very 
effective  manner. 

Dutchmen  sent  to  erect  Saw-mills. 

"  In  the  next  place  we  comend  unto  your  care  our  Saw 
Mills,  a  work  of  such  importance  as  it  deserves  your 
speciall  furtherance  and  therefore  we  desire  the  Dutchmen 
sent  for  the  fabricke  of  them  may  be  extraordinarily  well 
used  and  carefully  provided  of  apparell  out  of  the  new 
Magazine,  which  we  would  have  paid  for  by  the  Com- 
panies Tobacco ;  as  for  such  other  necessaries  as  they  want 
especially,  butt  which  cannot  now  be  shipped  for  want  of 
time  and  tunnage,  wee  have  desired  S""  Francis  Wyat  to 

1  John  Berkeley,  formerly  of  Beverstone  Castle,  Gloucester,  a  gentle- 
man of  an  honorable  family.      Waterhouse. 


228  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

supply  them  with,  which  he  shall  be  repaid,  and  thus  sup- 
plied wee  hope  they  will  be  encouraged  to  bring  that  so 
much  desired  worke  to  perfection. 

Indian  Civilization. 

"We  exceedingly  approve  the  course  in  taking  in  of 
Indian  families  as  beinge  a  great  meanes  to  reduce  that 
nation  to  civility,  and  to  the  imbracing  of  our  Christian 
reUgion,  the  blessed  end  wee  have  proposed  to  ourselves  in 
this  Plantation,  and  we  doubt  not  of  your  vigilancie  that 
you  be  not  thus  entrapped,  nor  that  the  Savadge  have  by 
this  meanes  to  surprize  you.  And  to  you  Mr.  Thorpe  we 
will  freely  confesse  that  both  your  letters  and  endeavours 
are  most  acceptable  to  us  :  the  entering  upon  those  staple 
comodities  of  wine  and  silk  wee  highly  comend  and  assure 
you  it  is  the  Companies  care  to  reward  your  merit,  which 
debt  they  will  discharge  if  either  the  Clergie  heare  supply 
our  Stocke,  or  a  return  from  the  College  Tenants  shall 
enable  us.  In  the  meane  while  they  desire  you  to  proceed 
in  these  noble  courses  assuring  you  of  all  love  and  respect. 

White  Earth. 

"  The  vessels  of  earth  you  sent  wee  have  not  yett 
received,  when  tryall  is  made  you  shall  heare  from  us. 
And  we  pray  you  all  in  generall  that  such  extraordinary 
oare  or  earth  as  you  find  you  send  us  over  in  plentie,  for 
that  which  was  sent  by  your  Capt.  Nuce  was  in  so  small 
proportion  as  we  hardly  could  make  any  triall  thereof;  we 
conceive  it  to  be  Terra  Lemnia  and  it  is  exceeding  good 
for  the  flux,  youe  shall  therefore  do  well  to  bring  it  into 
use  in  the  Colony  :  we  desire  youe  Captain  Newce  therefore 
to  send  us  over  three  or  foure  Tunne  of  the  said  white  earth. 


HUDSON  AND  DELAWARE  RIVER  TRADE.  229 

"And  we  desire  youe  the  Governor  and  Counsell  to 
haue  an  especiall  care  that  no  greater  proportion  thereof 
than  we  from  time  to  time  direct  youe  be  brought  over,  for 
if  it  be  brought  over  in  greater  quantity  it  will  not  pay  the 
freight.  This  comodity  is  intended  to  be  apropriated  to 
the^generall  Company  and  if  any  benefitt  shall  be  received 
thereby  itt  shall  be  employed  in  fortification  and  other 
publique  and  pious  worke  for  the  advancement  of  the 
Colony. 

Captain  Nuce. 

"  And  for  that  the  Comp'y  of  youe  Capt.  Neuce  as  great 
hopes  as  of  any  of  their  publique  instruments,  and  haue 
by  your  letters  received  great  satisfaction  therefore  they 
have  in  bountie  added  to  your  former  proportion  of  Land 
300  acres  which  is  to  be  appropriated  to  the  place  for  ever  : 
for  manuringe  which  they  by  Quarter  Courte  have  ordered 
that  youe  shall  have  ten  men  sent  over  by  next  yeare, 
only  they  desire  that  you  will  be  so  provided  of  corn  and 
other  necessaries  as  they  may  be  only  at  the  charge  of 
transport,  armes,  apparrell  and  workinge  tooles;  and  not 
for  vittualls,  because  the  stocke  is  exhausted.  We  have 
sent  a  shipp  of  cattell  from  Ireland  whereof  we  desire  that 
Capt.  Newce  first  be  served  with  his  promised  number. 

Trade  in  Hudson  and  Delaware  Rivers. 

"  The  hopes  youe  have  putt  the  Company  in  of  a  trade 
of  flfurs  to  be  had  in  Hudson's  and  De  La  Ware  river,  have 
made  many  private  adventurers  of  great  worth  and  well 
affected  to  the  Plantation  to  sett  out  a  shipp  to  that  par- 
ticular end,  to  which  we  desire  youe  to  give  all  possible 
furtherance.     The  voiadges  and  discoveries  already  made 


230  VmOINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

within  the  Land,  as  also  upon  the  sea  coast  we  highly 
comend  :  and  desire  a  constant  course  be  held  therein  :  for 
in  that  consists  the  very  life  of  the  Plantation. 

Guest  Houses. 

"We  comend  to  your  care  especially  the  building  of 
Guest-houses,  which  we  strictly  charge  youe  to  be  brought 
to  perfection :  we  conceive  that  bussiness  would  have  been 
effected,  if  half  so  much  care  and  time  had  been  taken  to 
do  it,  as  hath  been  spent  in  giving  reasons  to  the  contrary. 
The  plea  of  impossibility  we  admitt  nott ;  the  discontent 
we  assume  ourselves  is  rather  a  bug-beare,  than  an  essen- 
tiall  cause  of  forbearance ;  the  spoile  of  our  goods  by  fre- 
quent removes  is  a  weake  allegation  :  but  that  it  should 
be  a  more  regular  kind  of  killinge  of  men  (as  some  have 
been  pleased  to  write)  we  deeme  strange  error  of  judgment. 

Abuse  of  Company' s  Tenants. 

"  We  cannot  conceale  from  youe,  that  it  is  heare  reported 
that  contrary  to  the  public  faith  given,  not  the  sicke  but 
the  ablest  men  are  lett  out  to  hire  and  theire  provisions 
converted  to  private  uses.  And  where  it  is  pretended  this 
planting  them  with  old  planters  is  for  theire  health,  they 
are  so  unmercifully  used  that  it  is  the  greatest  cause  of 
our  tennant's  discontent ;  and  though  we  hope  this  is  not 
in  all  parts  true,  yet  we  cannot  conceive  such  unwilling- 
ness to  proceed  in  this  worke  should  they  not  have  some 
other  grounds  than  is  alledged  :  lett  it  therefore  be  your 
worke  at  the  first  general  session  of  the  Counsell  to  effect 
this  business,  and  it  shall  be  our  care  to  provide  for  the 
well  orderinge  and  furnishinge  of  them. 


GLASS   WORKS  TO  BE  ERECTED.  231 

Capt.   Wm.  Norton  and  the  Glass  Works. 

"  We  comend  unto  you  Capt.  Wm.  Norton  who  is  now 
sett  out  by  the  general  Company  and  many  private  adven- 
turers for  the  erectinge  of  a  Glass  worke ;  we  desire  he 
may  be  planted  with  his  gauge  in  the  Guest  house  that 
Lieutenant  Whittakers  hath  erected  us,  there  to  reside  till 
he  hath  found  a  convenient  place  to  erect  his  furnace,  in 
the  choice  whereof  we  desire  you  to  give  him  your  best 
assistance,  and  especially  have  a  care  to  seat  him  neare 
some  well  inhabited  place,  that  neither  his  Gauge  be  sub- 
ject to  surprize,  nor  the  comoditie  of  glasse  and  beads  be 
vilified  by  too  common  a  sale  to  the  Indians. 

Lieut.   Whituker  commended. 

"  And  we  cannot  forbear  to  deliver  unto  you  the  good 
opinion  the  company  have  received  of  Lieutenant  Whit- 
takers for  the  good  accompt  given  by  him  of  his  charge, 
but  especially  of  his  obedience  to  them  directing  in  erect- 
inge a  guest  house  for  reward  whereof  they  have  confided 
unto  him  that  which  Sir  George  Yeardley  last  yeare  gave 
him,  and  promised  two  servants  to  be  imported  next  yeare 
thereby  to  encourage  him  and  others  to  proceed  in  vertue, 
and  continue  in  their  obedience,  whereof  the  Company  and 
ourselves  much  like  their  arguments  and  discourses. 

Minister  for  the  College  Tenants. 

"  We  are  in  hopes  to  send  to  the  College  tennants  a  very 
sufficient  Minister,  and  we.  desire  youe  Mr.  Thorpe  that  a 
house  may  be  ready  for  him  and  good  provision  to  entertaine 
him;  and  the  like  course  may  be  held  in  all  the  plantations. 


232  VIRGINIA   COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Directions  to  Deputies  Thorpe  and  Nuce. 

"  We  desire  you  Mr.  Thorpe  and  Mr.  Newce  to  be  care- 
full  of  the  presenting  and  that  the  moyity  be  equally 
divided  and  returned  unto  the  Company :  for  the  stock  of 
the  Company  is  utterly  exhausted.  We  have  sent  you  a 
Comission  for  the  Counsell  wherein  we  inserted  the  names 
of  all  such  as  our  intent  is  shall  be  of  the  Counsell. 

Oppressive  Fees  forhiddcn. 

"  Againe  we  comend  unto  you  that  the  people  be  not 
oppressed,  esppecially  that  you  limitt  the  fees  of  officers, 
and  among  them  those  of  the  Provost  Marshalls  and  Jay- 
lors  whereof  we  have  daily  great  complaints.  We  require 
that  such  matters  as  shall  be  laid  uppon  delinquents  be 
hereafter  registred  and  an  accompt  yearly  be  given  of 
those  that  be  tended  and  in  what  publique  worke  (to 
which  we  only  restraine  them)  they  are  employed. 

"In  generall  we  comend  to  your  care  all  such  bussiness 
as  by  particular  letters  concerninge  private  men  we  have 
formerly  and  now  againe  recomended  unto  you.  And  in 
particular  from  you  the  Governor  wee  expect  a  good 
accompt  of  the  great  trust  we  have  reposed  in  you,  hoping 
you  will  not  faile  in  the  least,  but  deliver  upp  to  your  suc- 
cessor Sir  Francis  Wyatt  or  in  case  he  dy  to  such  a  one  as 
by  the  Counsell  in  Virginia  shall  be  chosen  at  the  expira- 
tion of  your  Comission,  the  comand  of  the  Colony  in  good 
and  flourishing  estate,  and  much  better  in  condition  than 
when  you  found  itt  wherein  you  shall  do  an  acceptable 
thinge  to  us  and  glorious  to  yourself  In  the  meanwhile 
we  expect  the  performance  of  some  remarkable  service 


D  JJPLIGA  TE  mSTR  UGTI0N8.  233 

whereof  you  have  meditated  long,  and  have  put  us  in  hope 
you  will  effect  before  the  period  of  your  Government. 

"  And  even  so  we  comend  you  and  all  the  rest  to  the 
protection  of  the  Almightie. 

Your  very  lovinge  frends, 
"  Signed  by  the     Ea.  of  Southampton     Mr.  Dep.  Ferrar 
Sir  Edwin  Sandis         Mr.  Nich  T^nn 
Do^  Anthony  Mr.  Gibbs 

Do^  Gulston  Mr.  Wrote 

D"*  Winston  Mr.  Wroth. 

"  London,  this  25th  of 

July,  1621."  . 

Company's  Letter  of  August  21, 1621,  sent  in  the  Marmaduke. 
"  After  our  harty  comendation.  In  our  last  letter  sent 
you  by  the  George  we  promise  a  full  and  sattisfactory 
answer  to  all  your  propositions,  but  by  reason  of  the  absence 
of  the  most  part  of  the  Counsell,  as  also  that  bussiness 
dayly  beyond  our  expectation  infinitely  increaseth,  we  are 
constrained  only  to  touch  upon  some  few  particulars, 
reserving  ourselves  for  more  oportune  tyme  when  with  a 
clear  judgment  we  may  fully  deliver  our  minde  to  you. 
You  shall  receive  by  the  hande  of  Mr.  Leech  now  bound 
for  Virginia  in  the  Marmaduke,  a  copy  of  our  last  letter 
together  with  a  dupUcate  of  the  Instructions  and  Comissions 
sent  by  the  new  Governor,  Sir  Francis  Wyatt,  by  whose 
happy  arrivall  we  hope  you  are  informed  what  care  we 
have  taken  to  give  you  full  sattisfaction  in  most  or  all 
of  your  demands,  and  therefore  we  will  hope  for  of  the 
like  respective  information  of  our  desires  from  you.  There 
are  gone  and  is  going  from  here  many  shipps  for  Virginia, 
30 


234  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

and  we  canot  but  apprehend  with  great  griefe  the  suf- 
ferings of  these  multitudes  at  their  first  landing,  for  want 
of  Guest  Houses  wherein  they  might  have  a  while  shelter 
themselves  from  the  injuries  of  the  air  in  the  cold  season, 
which  omission  and  defect  we  hope  and  very  earnestly 
desire  you  will  supply  by  a  courteous  and  Christian  enter- 
tainment of  them  in  your  owne  houses,  till  they  may  con- 
veniently provide  themselves,  and  that  against  the  next 
yeare,  you  will  have  erected  in  the  foure  several  Boroughs, 
as  many  Guest  houses  to  relieve  these  great  numbers. 

A  Widow  and  Eleven  Maids  for  Wives. 

»  "We  send  you  in  this  shipp  one  widdow  and  eleven  maids 
for  wives  for  the  people  in  Virginia ;  there  hath  been 
especiall  care  had  in  the  choise  of  them  for  there  hath  not 
any  one  of  them  beene  received  but  uppon  good  comenda- 
tions,  as  by  a  noat  herewith  sent  you  may  perceive :  we 
pray  you  all  therefore  in  generall  to  take  them  into  your 
care,  and  most  especially  we  recommend  them  to  you  Mr. 
Pountes  that  at  their  first  landinge  they  may  be  housed, 
lodged  and  provided  for  of  diet  till  they  be  marryed  for 
such  was  the  hast  of  sendinge  them  away,  as  that  straight- 
ned  with  time,  we  had  no  meanes  to  putt  provisions  aboard, 
which  defect  shalbe  supplied  by  the  Magazine  shipp ;  and 
in  case  they  cannot  be  presently  marryed  we  desire  they 
may  be  putt  to  several  householders  that  have  wives  till 
they  can  be  provided  of  husbands.  There  are  neare  fiftie 
more  which  are  shortly  to  come,  we  sent  by  our  most 
honoble  Lord  William  the  Earle  of  Southampton  and  certain 
worthy  gentlemen  who  taking  into  there  consideration,  that 
the  Plantation  can  never  flourish  till  families  be  planted  and 
the  respect  of  wives  and  children  fix  the  people  in  the  soyle; 


MARBIAGE8  TO  BE  FREE.  235 

therefore  have  given  this  faire  beginninge  for  the  reim- 
bursinge  of  whose  charges,  itt  is  ordered  that  every  man 
that  marries  them  give  120'^  waight  of  best  leafe  Tobacco 
for  each  of  them,  and  in  case  any  of  them  dye  that  pro- 
portion must  be  advanced  to  make  it  upp  to  uppon  those  that 
survive;    and  this  certainly  is   sett  downe  for  that  the 
price  sett  upon  the  boyes  sent  last  yeare  beinge  20^''  which 
was  so  much  money  out  of  purse  here,  there  was  returned 
66^^  of  Tobacco  only,  and  that  of  the  worst  and  basest,  so 
that   fraight   and   shrinkage   reconed    together   with   the 
baseness  of  the  Comoditie  there  was  not  one  half  returned, 
which  injury  the  Company  is  sensible  of  as  they  demand 
restitution,  which  accordingly  must  be  had  of  them  that 
took  uppon  them  the  dispose  of  them  the  rather  that  no 
man  may  mistake  himself,  in  accomptinge  Tobacco  to  be  cur- 
rant 3s  sterling  contrary  to  exp/esse  orders.     And  though 
we  are  desirouse  that  marriadge  be  free  according  to  the  law 
of  nature,  yett  under  vow  not  have  those  maids  deterred 
and   married   to   servants  but  only   to  such   freemen  or 
tenants  as  have  meanes  to  maintaine  them  :  we  pray  you 
therefore    to   be   fathers   to   them   in    this   bussiness  not 
enforcing  them  to  marrie  against  their  wills ;  neither  send 
we  them  to  be  servants  but  in  case  of  extremitie,  for  we 
would  have  their  condition  so  much  better  as  multitudes 
may  be  allured  thereby  to  come  unto  you ;  and  you  may 
assure   such  men   as  marry  those   women  that  the  first 
servants  sent  over  by  the  Company  shall  be  consigned  to 
them,  it  being  our  intent  to  preserve  families  and  proper 
married  men  before  single  persons  :  The  tobacco  that  shall 
be  due  uppon  the  marriadge  of  these  maides  we  desire  Mr. 
Pountis  to  receive  and  return  by  the  first,  as  also  the  little 
quantities  of  Pitzarn  Rock  and  Piece  of  Oare  the  copie  of 


23(5  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

whose  bill  is  here  returned.  To  conclude  the  Company 
for  some  weighty  reasons  too  long  to  relate  have  ordered 
that  no  man  marrying  these  women  expect  the  proportion 
of  land  usually  allotted  for  each  head,  which  to  avoid 
clamor  or  troble  hereafter  you  shall  do  well  to  give  them 
notice  of. 

"In  the  next  place  we  commend  unto  care  Capt  W°* 
Norton  and  his  Italians  together  with  the  rest  of  his  Com- 
pany to  whom  we  pray  you  to  be  helpful  at  his  landing, 
to  convey  his  People  and  goods  of  to  the  guest  house  of 
Lieutenant  Whitakers :  It  is  the  only  body  in  this  shipp 
that  the  Generall  company  hath  interest  in  and  therefore 
we  will  expect  the  best  helpe  and  advice  especially  in 
making  choice  of  a  healthfull  place  to  plant  himself  in 
neare  to  the  l3est  inhabited  towne,  either  in  Charles  Citty 
or  Henerico,  but  by  no  meanes  lower  than  James  Cittie ; 
nor  remote  from  people :  and  in  case  Capt  Norton  shall  dy 
we  pray  you  Mr  George  Sandys  to  undertake  the  oversight 
of  the  worke  :  and  if  he  should  faile  by  any  misaccident 
(which  God  forbid)  we  entreat  you  Mr  George  Thorpe  and 
Mr.  Jo.  Pountis  to  take  it  into  your  care  and  in  your  absence 
to  appoint  some  trustie  person  to  ouste  that  bussiness  for 
which  the  generall  Company  and  private  adventurers  will 
be  very  thankfull  to  you. 

"  The  making  of  beads  is  one  of  Capt  Nortons  chiefe  em- 
ployments which  being  the  mony  you  trade  with  the 
natives  we  would  by  no  meanes  have  through  to  much 
abundance  vilified,  or  the  Virginians  at  all  permitted  to  see 
or  understand  the  manufacture  of  them :  we  pray  you 
therefore  seriously  to  consider  what  proportion  of  beads 
can  be  vented  and  therewith  not  abated  and  intimate  the 
proportion  to  Capt  Norton  and  his  Italians  and  certifie  the 


ABUSES  TO  BE  REFORMED.  237 

same  to  us  in  your  next  letter,  that  accordingly  we  may 
limitt  the  quantitie  that  shall  from  time  to  time  be  made: 

Indian  Corn  Improperly  Substituted. 

"  Upon  sight  of  Capt.  Nortons  invoice  you  shall  procure 
what  living  provisions  he  is  sett  out  with,  which  in  case  of 
his  failing  we  desire  may  be  carefully  preserved  for  his 
people.  And  here  we  cannot  hide  from  you  an  informa- 
tion that  is  lately  given  us  that  sutch  provisions  as  we 
send  with  new  men  were  taken  from  them  and  Indian 
corne  given  them  instead  thereof,  the  extreame  labor  of 
beating  thereof  being  no  small  disheartening  to  the  newcom- 
ers, and  the  suddaine  change  of  dyett  is  affirmed  confidently 
to  be  the  cause  of  the  flux  in  our  men  to  an  irreparable  loss. 
We  desire  you  the  whole  body  of  the  Counsell  to  take 
care  that  those  abiisses  be  reformed  for  the  future. 

Lusty  Youths  for  Martinis  Hundred. 

"  The  adventurers  of  Martin's  Hundred  intend  to  pro- 
ceed in  theire  plantation,  they  haue  sent  twelve  lustie 
youths  in  this  Shipp  which  supplie  they  will  secure  with 
a  quota  of  fourty  more  in  the  Magazine  Shipp  very 
suddainly  to  followe  theire  governor  Mr.  Harwood  is  en- 
gaged to  acquaint  you  with  his  instructions,  to  whom  we 
pray  you  according  give  your  best  assistance. 

Boats  not  to  he  sent  among  Indians  for  Corn. 

^"  Wee  cannot  butt  condemne  the  use  that  is  made  your 
boats  that  we  only  employed  in  trading  in  the  bay  for  corne 
almost  every  letter  tells  of  that  trade  which  we  only  approve 
you  are  of  neccessitie,  for  we  contend  it  would  be  much 
better  for  the  plantation  and  more  honorable  for  you  and 


238  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

o'r  nation  that  the  naturalls  should  come  for  their  pro- 
visions to  you,  than  you  to  begg  your  bread  of  them.     We 
shall  wth  a  great  deale  more  content  heare  of  store  houses 
full  of  corne  of  your  own  growth,  than  your  shallop  laden 
with  corne  for  the  Bay  :  we  pray  you  therefore  that  a  larger 
proportion  of  ground  be  assignd  to  every  man  to  plant  than 
formerly  hath  been,  and  that  severest  punishment  be  in- 
flicted uppon  such  as  dare  to  break  the  constitution  herein, 
and  that  officers  be  not  spared  nor  the  tenants  nor  their  ser- 
vants  dispenced   with.     Our   magazine   is    suddainly   to 
follow  the  shipp,  wherein  there  are  much  greater  propor- 
tions of  things  sent  than  was  in  the  last :  And  though  wee 
nor  will  they  sell  theire  comodities  uppon  trust  we  see 
that  any  thing  is  good  enough  for  the  marchant ;  how 
unworthy  we  and  the  Company  are  of  this  contempt  we 
appeale  to  yourselves,  yet.hadd  it  not  been  repeated  by 
you  nor  the  insolence  punished,  but  seeing  our  care  and 
the  ac'y  is  repaid  with  such  monstrous  ingratitude  we  desire 
you  to  give  notice  to  the  Collony  that  after  this  yeare  they 
expect  no  further  supply  of  any  necessaries  to  be  exchanged 
with  them  for  their  darling  tobbacco ;  we  have  given  them 
a  yeares  notice  beforehand  that  they  may  fall  upon  some 
other  course. 

"  And  being  sensible  of  the  great  losse  the  Adventurers 
still  sustaineth  by  your  roule  tobacco  made  up  with  fillers  (as 
the  term  is)  order  throughout  the  Collony  that  they  may 
be  provided  to  exchange  with  our  cape  marchant  Mr.  But- 
leaf;  and  such  as  willfully  transgresst  this  having  notice  if 
they  suffer  for  it,  it  shalbe  no  part  of  our  care. 

"  There  is  an  intention  to  send  out  an  excellent  shipwright 
with  a  gauge  of  thirty  or  fortie  carpenters  and  boatwrights. 
The  Company  is  in  treatie  with  him,  and  the  roule  of  Ad- 


PREPABAT10N8  FOB  SHIPWRIGHTS.  239 

venturers  is  almost  full  so  that  you  may  certainly  expect 
him  the  next  Spring.  In  the  interim  we  pray  you  that  a 
great  number  of  trees  of  the  white  and  black  oake 
growing  in  wett  grounds  be  felled  and  many  more  barked 
to  season  by  standing.  The  time  most  fitting  to  fell  and 
barke  the  trees  is  in  November  and  December,  and  the 
beginning  of  Januarie.  In  the  choise  of  the  place  we  pray 
you  to  have  respect  unto  the  maners  of  the  iron  works, 
and  of  the  saw  mills ;  most  especially  we  pray  your  assist- 
ance in  the  perfectinge  of  these  two  workes,  the  profitt  will 
redound  to  the  whole  Collony,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary 
that  you  extend  your  authouritie  to  the  utmost  lymitts  to 
enforce  such  as  shall  refuse  the  help  to  a  bussiness  so  much 
tending  to  the  generall  good  :  If  those  works  be  not  per- 
fected the  body  of  the  shipwrights  will  be  of  no  use,  and  if 
this  opportunity  be  lost,  mens  hearts  wilbe  discoraged 
from  further  adventuring  :  we  have  to  sattisfi.e  your  desires 
and  to  supplie  your  necessities  enterd  uppon  this  p  we 
therefore  expect  the  best  help  to  perfect  your  owne  work 
whereby  you  shall  do  nothing  glorious  in  itselfe,  benefi.tt 
for  yourselves  and  the  whole  Collony ;  acceptable  to  us 
and  the  whole  Company,  and  being  perfect  it  will  be  the 
securitie  reputation,  and  defense  of  the  litle  Comon 
Wealth,  which  now  in  his  infancie,  must  be  supported  by 
fame  and  hope  of  sutch  comodities.  And  so  desiringe  God 
to  bless  youe  and  all  your  good  endeavors  tendinge  to  the 
advancement  and  establishing  of  the  Collony  we  bid  you 
farewell. 

"  London,  this  12^'^  of  Yo'r  very  L°-  friends, 

August,  1621." 


240  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  Wee  send  you  againe  copies  of  the  letters  and  agree- 
ments Avith  Mr.  Gookin  and  recomend  his  good  entertain- 
ment to  you,  and  in  particuler  we  seriously  advise  that 
you  do  your  best  endevors  to  pay  him  in  tobacco  though 
at  one  D  waight  the  cow,  and  to  take  as  few  cows  as  possi- 
ble may  be  uppou  mony  heare  to  be  paid  by  the  Company, 
because  our  stocke  is  utterly  wasted ;  let  him  have  very 
good  tobacco  for  his  cowes  now  at  his  first  voiadge,  for  if 
he  make  a  good  return  it  may  be  the  occasion  of  a  trade  with 
you  from  those  parts,  whereby  you  may  be  abundantly  sup- 
plied, not  only  with  cattle,  but  with  most  of  these  comodi- 
ties  that  you  want  att  better  and  easier  rate  than  we  from 
hence  shalbe  able. 

"  Since  the  conclusion  of  our  letter  we  have  received 
from  his  Ma' tie  a  Petition  exhibiting  unto  him  by  cer- 
tain ffrenchmen  and  Walloones  Desires  to  inhabite  in 
Virginia :  we  have  considered  of  these  propositions  and 
have  returned  them  so  fine  an  answer  as  wee  consider  they 
will  resolve  to  go,  the}'-  wilbe  60  families,  consisting  of 
about  300  persons,  you  may  expect  them  cominge  about 
the  next  spring.  We  hope  they  wilbe  a  great  strength  to 
the  Collony. 


"  Subscribed  by  the 


"  Lo.  Sheffield 
Sr  John  Dnvers 
Mr.  Sam  Wrote 
Mr.  Jo.  Ferrar  Depputie 
Indreton  Winston 
Mr.  Nicho.  FerrEn 
M.  Thr  :  Sheapeard." 


mTBODUGTION  OF  SILK  WORMS.  241 


Company's  Letter  dated  September  11th,  1621,  and  sent  by  Ship 

Warwick. 

"  Sept.  11,  1621. 

"  After  o'"  very  liartie  Comendacons  :  you  shall  now  by 
this   Shipp  the   Warwicke   and  the   Pin  ace  that  cometh 
along  with  her,  receiue  those  supplies  that  we  formerly  in  o"" 
';^c^-t  ^e/letters  by  the  Genge  and  Marmaduke  promised;  the  set- 
'        ting  forth  of  wch  hath  beene  of  so  exceeding  and  noble 
and  labo'"*  unto  us,  being  but  a  very  few  on  whom  so  great 
a  burthen  hath  lien,  and  we  haue  not  been  been  able  to 
intend  anything  else  :  wherefore  in  that  regard  as  also  that 
the  noble   Earl   of  Southampton  is  not  yet  returned  to 
London,  nor  those  eminent  persons  without  whose  Coun- 
selle  and  authoritie  we  tliinke  it  not  fitt  to  proceed  to 
resolucon  in  so  waightie  bussinesses;  y""  letters  and  dis- 
patches by  the   Bona   Nova,   and  the   Margrett  &  John 
must  yet  remaine   unanswered  ;   but  by  the   Dutie  wch 
about  the  middle  of  next  month  is  to  depart  we  hope  you 
shall  receive  full  sattisfaccon ;  wch  Shipp  shall  bring  with 
her  store  of  silke  worme   seed   and   abundance   of  vine 
plants,  for  both  wch   we  desire  not  only  that  generall 
pperations  be  made,  but  that  timely  notice  and  order  be 
given  throughout  the  whole  colony,  that  every  pticuler 
man  may   make    prouision   for   the   receiuinge   of  some 
quantitie  of  them  both,  and  that  a  straight  charge  be  giuen 
for  the  pserving  of  vines    and  mulbery   trees,   wch  we 
understand  with  others  are  promiscuously  defrayed ;  and 
because  the  skill  of  handling  them  is  only  deriued  from  the 
Frenchmen  we  canot  but  here  recomend  this  to  yo"^  fauo' 
and  regard  that  they  may  be  kindly  used  and  cherished. 
31 


242  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Stipplies  fur  Frenchmen   and  Dutchmen. 

"  We  haue  as  by  the  Inuoice  you  shall  perceiue  sent 
them  and  the  Dutch-men  (the  delay  of  whose  most  neces- 
sarie  workes  is  with  much  indignation  here  resented)  diuers 
provisions  of  victualls  as  also  a  cloth  to  make  them 
apparrell ;  for  hose  and  shoes  and  other  such  matters  we 
desire  they  may  be  supphed  by  the  Companies  stock  there, 
out  of  the  Magazine  wch  now  comes  along  in  the  War- 
wicke  large  and  abundante  in  all  usefull  and  necessarie 
comodities. 

Luxuries    Discountenanced. 

"  For  as  for  vanities  and  superfluities  although  we  find 
they  yeeld  most  profitt  in  Virginia ;  yet  we  haue  thought 
it  most  unfitt  to  nourish  by  such  supplies  that  euil  genius 
of  pride  and  ryott  wch  we  wish  were  utterly  extinguished 
and  this  o'  care  herein  hath  had  an  eie  rather  to  the 
benefitt  of  the  plantation  than  the  profitt  of  the  Aduen- 
turers;  wch  shall  not  we  hope  prove  preiudiciall  but 
rather  breed  a  willingness  and  desire  in  the  whole  collony 
to  make  us  a  speedy  and  profitible  returne  of  the  stocke 
now  sent,  (and  not  as  hitherto  euill  and  disgratefull  words 
for  o'r  zeale  of  their  welfare  and  nothing  at  all  is  at  least 
less  than  the  principal  laide  out),  for  their  relief  and  com- 
fort : 

Small  Returns  from    Goods  sent. 

"  For  you  shall  understand,  that  (not  only  of  the  ould 
Magazine  wch  was  aboue  7,000  pounds,  we  canot  hope 
to  see  much  aboue  half  we  hitherto  haue  not  receiued 
any  one  peny)  but  euen  the  new  Magazine  sent  last  yeare 


LOSSES  ON  TOBACCO.  243 

by  Mr.  Blany  is  returned  back  with  the  loss  of  the  princi- 
pal! it  self  after  almost  two  yeares  time  and  so  many 
hassards  born  and  yet  to  beare  ;  a  thing  so  unkindly  and 
distastefully  taken  here  as  if  the  accompts  had  been  sooner 
knowne  we  much  feare  that  supplies  now  sent  had  been 
farr  short  of  what  they  now  are :  But  that  we  may  not 
now  againe  incurr  the  like  unworthy  damages,  we  desn^e 
you  by  whose  wisdome  and  integritie  wee  expect  a  gene- 
rail  redresse  to  be  by  all  lawful  and  iust  fauo'^  aidinge  and 
assistinge  to  the  bussiness  itselfe,  and  to  o^'  factor  Mr. 
Blany  that  both  his  pson  and  the  goods  may  be  safely  and 
conueniently  provided  for  and  accomodated,  and  that  the 
sellinge  and  barteringe  of  them  be  left  free  to  his  discretion 
and  according  to  the  prices  and  instruccons  he  hath  here 
giuen  unto  him  by  the  Aduenturers,  whose  unanimous  reso- 
lution and  charge  is  not  to  accept  of  tobacco  at  3«  p  pound  : 

Tobacco  not  to  be  taken  for  Goods. 

"  Finding  besides  all  former  losses  that  neare  40  thou- 
sand waight  sent  home  last  yeare  for  the  generall  Com- 
pany and  Magazine  the  better  half  hath  not  yeelded  vnj^ 
p  pound  and  the  rest  not  aboue  ijHo  wch  prices  there  is  no 
possibilitie  that  they  should  ariue  this  next  yeare,  so  that 
there  must  be  an  abatement  of  the  price  of  tobacco  there ; 
neither  can  we  yeeld  (wch  is  by  some  Planters  propounded) 
but  by  the  whole  company,  not  only  the  Aduenturers^ of 
the  Magazine  denied  to  continue  the  ould  rate  of  3«  p 
pound,  and  to         as  much  in  the  goods  sent  hence  as  the 
tobacco  is  esteemed  less  worth  than  that  rate  for  although 
for  matter  of  profitt  it  might  go  currant  much  alike,  yet 
thereby  we  should  soe  mantaine  the  collony  in  their  ouer- 
weening  esteeme  of  their  darlmge  Tobacco,  to  the  ouerthrow 


244  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

of  all  other  Staple  comodities,  and  likewise  to  continue  the 
vill  will  they  liaue  conceiued  there  and  scandalous  reports 
here  spread  of  oppression  and  exaccons  from  the  Company, 
selhng  all  theire  Comodities  for  three  times  the  vallew  of 
what  they  cost  upon  which  fond  and  uniust  surmises  they 
thinke  it  lawfull  to  use  all  maner  of  deceipt  and  falshood 
in  their  tobacco  that  they  put  of  [on]  the  Magazine  ; 

Frauds  hi  (he  Tobacco  Trade. 

"  Which  is  the  next  thing  wherein  we  yo'  care  and  fauo^ 
being  assured  from  o'"  Factor  in  Holland  that  except  the 
tobacco  that  shall  next  come  thence  proue  to  be  of  more 
pfection  and  goodnesse  than  that  was  sent  home  last,  there 
is  no  hope  that  it  will  vent  att  all,  for  albeit  itt  passed 
once  yett  the  wary  buyer  will  not  be  againe  taken,  so 
that  we  heartily  wish  that  youe  would  make  some  provi- 
sion for  the  burninge  of  all  base  and  rotten  stuff,  and  not 
suffer  any  iDut  very  good  to  be  cured  at  least  sent  home 
whereby  these  would  certainly  be  more  aduanced  in  the 
price  upon  lesse  in  the  quantity  :  howsoeuer  we  hope  that 
no  bad  nor  ill  condiconed  Tobacco  shall  be  by  compelling 
authoritie  (abusing  its  power  giuen  for  publique  good  to 
priuate  benefitt)  putt  uppon  o''  Factor,  and  very  earnestly 
desire  that  he  may  have  the  helpe  of  iustice  to  constraine 
men  to  pay  their  debts  unto  him  both  remaining  of  the  last 
yeares  accompt  and  what  shall  this  yeare  grow  dewe,  and 
that  in  Comodities  of  the  same  vallew  and  goodness  as  shal- 
be  by  him  contracted  for. 

Enyrossing  Forbidden. 

"  The  engrossinge  of  some  of  the  principall  Comodities  in 
the  last  Magazine  is  here  much  distasted,  as  a  wrong  to 


YOUNG  WOMEN  SHIPPED.  245 

the  Stocke  to  be  depriued  of  their  best  Comodities  at  a  low 
rate ;  but  principally  to  the  whole  Collony  who  were  hereby 
made  to  pay  dearer  and  forced  to  take  other  Comodities 
that  they  needed  not.  These  disorders  we  point  out  and 
are  so  long  and  earnest  in  this  bussiness  of  the  Magazine 
not  out  of  the  priuate  interest  wch  some  of  us  haue  there- 
in but  out  of  a  true  and  sincere  care  and  zeale  of  the 
general  good  of  the  Plantation,  wch  we  are  assured  will 
receiue  notable  aduancement  by  a  good  and  speedy  returne, 
for  that  will  much  help  if  it  come  to  the  fitt  markett  of 
this  stok  now  aduentured,  the  good  pceed  whereof  will  en- 
courage and  confirme  the  good  minds  of  the  ould  Aduen- 
turers  by  many  losses  almost  beaten  out  and  draw  in 
many  new  into  the  Company,  and  wch  most  of  all  phapps 
concerns  the  collony,  establish  a  constant  and  large  trade 
with  them,  whereby  not  only  all  their  wants  but  all  their 
desires  will  be  at  all  times  plentifully  furnished ;  but  on 
the  contrary  if  this  succeed  like  the  former  it  is  in  vaine  to 
hope  for  like  suplies  from  hence  :  for  want  whereof  if  the 
whole  collony  fall  uppon  any  calamitie  or  miserie,  theirs 
be  the  shame  and  guilt  whose  fault  it  is  ;  as  for  us  it  will 
be  our  comforts  neither  to  haue  failed  in  abundance  of 
charitie  hitherto,  nor  in  timely  aduise  and  warnninge  now 
giuen. 

Thirty-e'ujlit  Maids  and  young    Women  shipped. 

"  By  this  Shipp  and  Pinace  called  the  Tyger,  we  also 
send  as  many  maids  and  young  women  as  will  make  upp 
the  number  of  fiftie,  w**^  those  twelue  formerly  sent  in  the 
the  Marmaduk,  w^^  we  hope  shalbe  receiued  w*''  the  same 
Christian  pietie  and  charitie  as  they  were  sent  from  hence; 
the  prouidinge  for  them  at  theire  first  landing  and  dispos- 


246  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

inge  of  them  in  marriage,  (wch  is  o'  cheife  intent),  we 
leaue  to  yo""  care  and  wisdome,  to  take  that  order  as  may 
most  conduce  to  their  good,  and  sattisfaccon  of  the  Aduen- 
venturers,  for  the  charges  disbursed  in  settinge  them  forth, 
wch  coming  to  twehie  pounds  and  upwards,  they  require 
one  hundred  and  fiftie  of  the  best  leafe  tobacco  for  each  of 
them  ;  and  if  any  of  them  dye  there  must  be  a  proportion- 
able addition  uppon  the  rest ;  this  increase  of  thirty  pounds 
weight  since  those  sent  in  the  Marmaduke,  they  have 
resolued  to  make,  finding  the  great  shrinkage  and  other 
losses,  upon  the  tobacco  from  Virginia  will  not  beare  lesse, 
wch  tobacco  as  it  shalbe  receiued,  we  desire  may  be 
deliuered  to  M'  Ed.  Blany,  who  is  to  keepe  thereof  a  pticu- 
lar  accompt. 

Great  Oare  in  the  Selection  of  the  Girls. 

"We  haue  used  extraordinary  care  and  dilligence  in 
the  choise  of  them,  and  haue  receiued  none  of  whom  we 
haue  not  had  good  testimony  of  theire  honest  life  and 
cariadge,  wch  together  wth  their  names,  we  send  there 
inclosed  for  the  sattisfaction  of  such  as  shall  marry  them  ; 
for  whose  further  encoradgement  we  desire  you  to  giue  pub- 
lique  notice  that  the  next  spring  we  purpose  to  send  ouer 
as  many  youths  for  apprentices  to  those  that  shall  now 
marry  any  of  them  and  make  us  due  sattisfaccon. 

Liberty  in  Marriage.,  alloioed. 

This  and  theire  owne  good  deserts  together  with  yo'  fauo"" 
and  care,  will,  we  hope,  marry  them  all  unto  honest  and 
sufficient  men,  whose  meanes  will  reach  to  present  re-pay- 
ment ;  but  if  any  of  them  shall  unwarily  or  fondly  bestow 
herself  (for  the  liberty  of  marriadge  we  dare  not  infrindge) 


NEW  aOMEBS  TO  BE  GABBD  FOR.  ,  247 

uppon  such  as  shall  not  be  able  to  giue  present  sattisfac- 
tlon  we  desire  that  at  least  as  soon  as  abillity  shalbe,  they 
be  compelled  to  pay  the  true  quantity  of  tobacco  propor- 
coned,  and  that  this  debt  may  haue  pcedence  of  all  others 
to  be  recouered. 

Guorf  «ts(e"  to  heprovMed  for  the  Unmarrkd. 

"  For  the  rest,  wch  we  hope  will  not  be  many,  we  desire 
yo'  best  furtherance  for  prouiding  them  fitting  sermces 
till  they  may  hapne  uppon  good  matehes,  and  are  here 
perswaded  by  many  old  Planters  that  there  will  be  maisters 
enow  found  there,  who  will  readily  lay  down  what  charges 
shall  be  required,  uppon  assurance  of  repayment  at  their 
mariadges,  wch  as  iust  and  reasonable  we  desire  may  be 
.iuen  them.     But  this  and  many  other  thmgs  m  this 
bussiness  we  must  referr  to  yo'  good   consideracons  and 
fruittful  endeauors  in  opeinge   a  work  begun  Ifre  out  of 
piettie  and  tending  so  much  to  the  benifitt  of  the  Planta. 
tiou  shall  not  miscarry  for  any  want  of  good  will  or  care 
on  yo'  part." 

Martin's  Hiuulred  re-organized. 
<•  The  Society  of  Martin's  Hundred  whose  designes  by 
many  misfortunes,  as  well  here  as  in  Virginia  have  been 
hitherto  checked,  do  now  againe  go  forward  cherefuUy; 
sending  a  supplie  of  people  largly  furnished  with  all  neces- 
sarie  prouisions  :  the  succoring  and  cherishinge  of  them 
and  their  proceedings  we  in  effectual  man'  recomends  wth 
yo'  desiringe  you  to  be  by  all  possible  fauors  aiding  and 
assisting  them,  and  in  particular  of  the  Inhabitants  of 
Wolsten-Holmes  Towne,  their  old  tenants  shall  unkindly 
refuse  to  entertaine  for  a  while  the  new  comers  in  their 


248  VIRGmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

bowses ;  we  desire  that  by  y<f  command  tbey  may  biUited 
amongst  tbem,  and  tbey  compelled  to  be  cbaritible  and 
bounden  in  dutie ;  as  likewise  if  tbey  sball  use  any  auers- 
ness  or  remissniss  in  tbe  deliuery  of  sucb  cattle  as  by  tbe 
Aduenturers  is  here  ordered,  we  desire  you  by  your  autbo- 
ritie  to  make  tbe  deccision,  and  not  to  permitt  the  people 
now  sent  to  sufter  any  preiudice  at  all  for  tbe  want  of 
tbem.  Tbe  command  and  our  sigbt  of  tbese  people  tbey 
bane  comitted  to  Mr  Ricbard  Keane  now  in  Virginia. 

Rev.  Thomas  White. 

"  Tbe  company  is  by  diners  waies  informed  tbat  tbere 
is  a  great  want  of  wortbie  ministers  in  Virginia  tberefore 
tbey  bave  entertained  and  now  send  along  M''  Tbomas 
Wbite^  a  man  of  good  sufficiencie  for  learning  and  recom- 
ended  for  integritie  and  uprigbtnes  of  life  and  of  so  good 
zeale  to  the  Plantation  tbat  be  is  content  to  go  wtb  tbat 
small  allowance  the  Companie's  stock  is  able  now  to  aford 
him,  and  to  put  himself  uppon  such  preferrment  there  as 
be  shall  deserue,  and  you  sbalbe  able  to  accomodate  him 
with,  web  if  it  be  of  tbe  places  belonging  to  tbe  Company 
we  bave  promised  him  here  an  addicon  to  the  small  allow- 
ance be  bath  now  receiued ;  now  and  likewise  tbat  y"^  godly 
care  and  wisdomes  will  prouide  for  him  in  some  competent 
maner  till  be  may  be  furnished  with  the  full  number  of 


1  A  Rev.  Mr.  White  was  censured  by  Mr.  Harvey,  because  lie  could 
show  no  orders.  It  is  probable  that  he  identified  himself  with  the  new 
Maryland  colony,  which  was  largely  protestant,  and  he  may  have  been 
the  Mr.  Thomas  White,  who  in  1(339,  uniced  in  marriage  John  Hollis 
and  Restituta  Tue,  of  Maryland.  A  Thomas  White  also  gives  some  tes- 
timony relative  to  Jerome  Hawley's  will.  Andrew  White  was  the  name 
of  the  pioneer  Jesuit  in  Maryland. 


8 UNDR  7  DIRECTIONS.  249 

tenets  belonging  to  the  Ministrie  ;  wch  for  him  and  all 
others  shall  we  hope  in  the  beginninge  of  the  Spring  be 
accomplished.  If  he  finds  entertainment  from  any  priuate 
hmidred ;  then  we  shall  expect  from  them  the  restitution  of 
o'"  charges,  that  is  six  pounds  for  his  passage,  and  eight 
XDOunds  deliuered  him  towards  the  making  of  some  proui- 
sions,  as  for  bookes,  we  doubt  not  but  you  will  be  able  to 
supplie  them  out  of  the  hbraries  of  so  many  that  haue 
died. 

Sundry  Directions. 

"There  are  two  French  youths  now  sent  to  Capt.  Tho. 
Nuce,  part  of  those  ten  promised  him  the  next  Springe  ; 
this  anticipation,  although  in  a  very  difficult  time,  for  want 
of  mony,  we  haue  yeelded  unto,  upon  S""  John  Danuers  his 
motion,  that  Capt  Nuce  might  be  so  much  pleasured. 
Wee  send  likewise  one  Miles-  Prickett  to  be  employed  m 
the  Companies  seruice  and  especially  in  making  of  Salt, 
wch  we  are  informed  he  heretofore  pracktised  in  Virginia, 
he  is  to  serue  till  AUhollantide  in  the  year  1622,  without 
any  reward  at  all,  wch  is  here  beforehand  paid  him  by  his 
passage  and  apparrell  giuen  him. 

"  The  releases  of  diners  persons  here  graunted  we  pray 
you  to  make  good  the  Condicons  seuerally  specified,  as  also 
to  giue  yo^"  best  furtherance  for  the  accomplishment  of  all 
such  bussiness  as  by  pticuler  letters  or  petticons  under- 
written are  recomended  unto  you  for  the  Coiinsell  and 
Company  whose  last  and  ioynt  request  is  in  the  behalf  of 
Cap*  Guy  and  the  Maister  of  the  Warwick  that  uppon 
the  good  pformance  of  theire  voiadge  as  well  as  kindly 
usinge  and  cherishinge  the  Passengers,  as  safely  deliuering 
all  their  goods  they  may  be  dispatched  from  Virginia  j  and 
32 


f^;- 


250  VIBOINTA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

what  theire  necessities  shall  require  may  speedily  and 
curteously  be  supplied  ;  and  if  you  send  any  goods  home 
in  this  Shipp  or  any  other  we  pray  youe  to  take  bond 
for  the  deliuery  of  the  same ;  and  giue  them  orders  to  stay 
at  the  He  of  Wight  or  the  Downes  w*'^  out  breakinge- 
bulke,  till  they  receiue  direccon  from  hence  at  what  Port 
they  shall  unlade  at.  And  so  wishing  a  happy  beginninge 
and  prosperous  successe  in  all  yo''  waightie  affairs  we  at 
psent  betake  you  and  the  whole  Colony  and  yo""  charge  to 
the  blessing  of  God  Almightie  :  and  rest 
"  Yo'"  assured  Louing  frends. 

"  Edward  Hawley        Jo  :  Wolstenholme 
Theodore  Gulston      Tho  :  Gibbs 
Jo :  Ferrard  Deputie  Tho  :  Winston 
Robert  Smith  Nicho  :  Ferrad*    \ 

Fran.  Anthony  Tho  :  Sheaperd. 

"  London  the  11*^ 
"  September,  1621. 

"  Postcript. 

"  In  case  M""  Blaney  dye,  we  desire  M""  Pountis  in  pticular 
to  take  care  of  his  bussiness." 


•  Edward  Bennett  Commended. 

Oct.  24.  "  The  first  patent  was  for  a  gentleman  that  had 
deserued  singularly  well  of  the  Company  before  hee  was  a 
member  thereof.  And  since  his  admittance  hee  had  been  att 
a  verie  great  charge  for  transportinge  of  people  to  Virginia 
namely  Mr.  Bennett  who   now   ioyn^s  himselfe  in  this 


EFFORTS  FOR  A  SCHOOL.  251 

buisines  with  Mr.  Wiseman  and  Mr.   Ayers  and  diuers 
others  their  associates. 

Rev.  Mr.  Staples. 
"  M'  Chamberlayne  recomended  unto  the  Company  one 
Mr.  Staples  a  preacher  who  hauinge  a  brother  in  Virginia 
that  had  giuen  him  good  encouragement  to  come  hither 
was  desirous  to  goe  ouer  :  wheruppon  some  of  Martins 
Hundred  seemed  to  be  wiUinge  to  entertaine  him  for  their 
hundred. 

The  East  India  School. 
"  October  24,  1621,  Mr.  Deputy  acquainted  the  Courte 
that  one  Mr.  Copeland,^  a  mynister  lately  returned  from 
the  East  Indies,  out  of  an  earnest  desire  to  giue  some  fur- 
therance unto  the  plantacon  in  Virginia,  had  been  pleased, 
as  well  by  his  owne  good  example  as  by  psuasion,  to  stir 
upp  many  that  came  with  him  in  the  Ship  called  the 


L  The  Rev.  Patrick  Copland,  or  Copeland,  in  1613  went  to  Surat.  The 
nest  year  he  sent  to  England  a  native  lad  he  had  taught  to  read  and  write, 
"  to  be  instructed  in  religion,  that  hereafter  he  may  be  sent  home  to  con- 
vert some  of  his  nation."  On  July  18.  1615,  letters  were  read  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  East  India  Company  from  Copeland,  asking  that  steps  might  be 
taken  "  for  the  baptism  of  the  lad  who  appears  now  to  be  in  the  East,  being 
of  opinion  that  it  was  fit  to  have  it  publicly  effected,  being  the  first  fruits 

of  India."  ' 

Copeland,  a  few  days  before  the  news  of  the  massacre  in  Virginia  reached 
England,  was  appointed  Rector  of  the  intended  College  for  the  conversion 
of  Indian  youth  at  Henrico,  but  he  did  not  accept,  and  remained  in  England 
until  after  the  dissolution  of  the  Company.  After  this  his  intimate  friend 
Nicholas  Ferrar,  late  Deputy  of  the  Company,  paid  the  £300  left  by  his 
father  for  a  college  for  Indians  to  the  Somers  Island  Company,  upon 
condition  that  they  would  always  educate  three  Virginia  Indian  children, 


252  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Royall  James  to  contribute  towardes  some  good  worke  to 
be  begunn  in  Virginia,  insomuch  that  hee  hadd  pcured 
allredy  a  matter  of  some  70h  to  be  implo3'ed  that  waie,  and 
had  allso  writt  from  Cape  Bona  Speranza  to  diuers  Factors 
in  the  East  Indies  to  moue  them  to  some  charitable  con- 
tribucon  thereunto.  So,  as  hee  hoped,  they  would  see 
uery  shortlie  his  letters  would  produce  some  good  effect 
among  them,  especially  if  hee  might  understand  in  what 
manner  they  intended  to  imploy  the  same.  Itt  was  therfore 
ordered  that  a  Comittee  should  be  appoynted  to  treat  with 
Mr.  Copeland  about  itt.  And  forasmuch  as  hee  had-  so 
well  deserued  of  the  Company  by  his  extraordinary  care 
and  paynes  in  this  business,  itt  was  thought  fitt  and  or- 
dered that  he  should  be  admitted  a  free  Brother  of  this 
Company,  and  att  the  next  Quarter  Courte  itt  should  be 
moued  that  some  proporcon  of  land  might  be  bestowed 
uppon  him  in  gratificacon  of  his  worthie  endeauors  to 
aduance  this  intended  worke  ;  and  further,  itt  was  thought 


and  wlien  of  proper  age  put  them  in  business  or  send  them  back  to  con- 
vert their  relatives. 

To  carry  out  this  scheme,  Copeland  appears  to  have  gone  to  the  Somers 
Islands.  In  1678  Rev.  Hugh  Peters  then  at  Salem,  Mass.,  corresponded 
with  him,  as  he  had  become  an  ardent  nonconformist.  When  nearly 
eighty  years  of  age,  about  1637,  went  with  Governor  Sayle  to  Eleuthera, 
one  of  the  Bahamas,  to  found  a  colony  where  there  should  be  freedom  of 
conscience,  and  a  separation  of  the  church  from  the  secular  authority.  Soon 
after  this  Sayle  visited  the  Puritans  of  James  River,  whose  pastor  was 
Rev.  Thos.  Harrison,  and  had  been,  until  he  became  a  nonconformist. 
Governor  Berkeley's  chaplain,  and  invited  them  to  emigrate  to  the  new 
plantation.  They  declined,  but  a  portion  of  them  moved  to  the  vicinity 
of  Annapolis,  Maryland,  and  was  instrumental  in  securing  the  celebrated 
Act  of  Toleration  passed  by  the  Assembly  of  that  Province  in  1648. 
The  time  of  Copeland's  death  has  not  been  ascertained. 


DISPOSAL  OF  DONATION.  253 

iitt  allso  to  add  him  to  the  number  of  some  other  speciall 
Benefactors  unto  the  plantacon  whose  memoriall  is  pre- 
serued  The  Comittee  to  treat  with  him  are  these :  Mr. 
Deputy,  Mr.  Gibbs,  Mr.  Nicho.  Ferrar,  Mr.  Bamforde, 
Mr.  Abra.  Chamberlyne,  Mr.  Roberts,  Mr.  Ayers." 

Disposition  of  the  Copeland  Donation. 
"On  the  last  of  October,  1621,  Mr.  Deputy  signified 
that,  forsomuch  as  it  was  reserued  unto  the  Companie  to 
determine  whither  the  said  money  should  be  imploied 
towards  the  buildinge  of  a  church  or  a  schoole,  as  afore- 
said, the  Comittee  appointed  haue  had  conference  with  Mr. 
Copland  about  it,  and  do  hold  it  fitt,  for  many  important 
reasons,  to  imploye  the  said  contribucon  towards  the 
ereccon  of  a  publique  free  schoole  in  Virginia,  towards  wch 
an  unknowne  person  hath  likewise  giuen  301i,  as  may  ap- 
peare  by  the  Report  of  the  said  Comittee,  now  presented 

to  be  read.  ^ 

"At  a  meetinge  of  the  Comittee  on  Tuesday,  the  oUth 
of  Octob,  1621,  present  Mr.  Deputy,  Mr.  Gibbs,  Mr.  Wrote, 
Mr.  Ayres,  Mr.  Nicholas  Farrar,  Mr.  Roberts. 

"  The  said  Comittee  meetinge  this  Afternoone  to  treat 
with  Mr.  Copland  touchinge  the  dispose  of  the  money 
giuen  by  some  of  the  East  Indy  Companie  that  came  with 
him  in  the  Royall  James,  to  be  bestowed  upon  some  good 
worke  for  the  benefit  of  the  plantacon  in  Virginia;  the 
said  Mr.  Copland  beinge  now  present  did  deliuer  in  a  note 
the  names  of  those  that  had  freely  and  willingly  contri- 
buted their  moneyes  hereunto,  wch  moneys  Mr.  Copland 
said  they  desired  might  be  imployed  towards  the  buildinge 
either  of  a  Church  or  Schoole  in  Virginia,  which  the  Com- 
panie should  think  fitt.     And  that  although  this  some  of 


254  VIRGmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

money  was  but  a  small  proporcon  to  pforme  so  great  a 
worke,  yet  Mr.  Copland  said  he  doubted  not  but  to  psuade 
the  East  Indy  Companie  whome  he  meant  to  solicite,  to 
make  some  addicon  thereunto,  besids  he  said  that  he  had 
uery  effectually  writt  the  coppie  of  well  letter  he  showed 
and  was  read  to  diners  fiactories  in  the  East  Indies  to 
stirr  them  up  to  the  like  contribucon  towards  the  pform- 
ance  of  this  pious  worke  as  they  had  already  donne  for 
the  buildinge  of  a  church  at  Wappinge,  where  by  his 
Report,  they  haue  giuen  about  40011. 

"It  beinge,  therefore,  nowe  taken  into  consideracon 
whither  a  Church  or  a  Schoole  was  most  necessarie,  and 
might  nearest  agree  to  the  intencons  of  the  Donors  :  It  was 
conceuued  that  forsomuch  as  each  pticular  plantacon,  as 
well  as  the  generall,  either  had  or  ought  to  haue  a  Church 
appropriated  unto  them,  there  was  therefore  a  greater  want 
of  a  Schoole  than  of  Churches  : 

"  As  also  for  that  it  was  impossible,  with  so  small  a  pro- 
porcon, to  compasse  so  great  a  charge  as  the  buildinge  of 
a  Church  would  require,  they  therefore  conceaued  it  most 
fitt  to  resolue  for  the  erectinge  of  a  publique  free  schoole,  ^ 
well,  being  for  the  educacon  of  Children  and  groundinge  of 
them  in  the  principles  of  religion.  Ciuility  of  life  and 
humane  learninge  seemed  to  carry  with  it  the  greatest 
weight  and  highest  consequence  unto  the  plantacons  as 
that  whereof  both  Church  and  Comon  wealth  take  their 
originall  foundacon  and  happie  estate,  this  beinge  also  like 
to  proue  a  work  most  acceptable  unto  the  Planters,  through 
want  whereof  they  haue  bin  hitherto  constrained  to  their 
great  costs  to  send  their  Children  from  thence  hither  to 
be  taught.  ^ 


SCHEME  FOR  A  FREE  sduOOL.  255 

"  Secondly  It  was  thought  fitt  that  this  schoole  should 
be  placed  in  one  of  the  fower  Citties  and  they  conceaued 
that  Charles  Citty,  of  the  fower  did  affoord  the  most 
convenient  place  for  that  purpose  as  well  in  respect  it 
matcheth  with  the  best  in  holesomeness  of  Aire,  as  also 
for  the  comodious  situacon  thereof,  being  not  farr  distant 
from  Henrico  and  other  particular  plantacons. 

"It  was  also  thought  fitt  that  in  hono'  of  the  East 
Indy  Benefactors,  the  same  should  be  called  the  East  Indy 
Schoole,  who  shall  haue  precedence  before  any  other  to 
preferr  their  Children  thither  to  be  brought  up  in  the  rudi- 
ments of  learninge  ; 

"  It  was  also  thought  fitt  that  this,  as  a  Collegiate  or 
free  schoole,  should  have  dependance  upon  the  Colledge 
in  Virginia  wch  should  be  made  capable  to  receaue  Schol- 
lers  from  the  schoole  into  such  ScoUershipps  and  fellow- 
shipps  of  said  Colledge  shall  be  endowed  withall  for  the 
aduancement  of  schollers  as  they  arise  by  degrees  and 
deserts  in  learninge. 

"  That  for  the  better  mayntenance  of  the  scholm'  and 
usher  intended  there  to  be  placed  it  was  thought  fitt 
that  it  should  be  moued  at  the  next  Quarter  Co*  that 
1000  acres  of  Land  should  be  allotted  unto  the  said  ScolP, 
and  that  5  p'sons,  besides  an  ouerseer  of  them  should  be 
forthwith  sent  upon  this  charge,  in  the  condicon  of  Appren- 
tises,  to  manure  and  cultiuate  the  said  land,  and  that,  ouer 
and  aboue  this  allowance  of  land  and  tenants  unto  the 
schoolm"",  such  as  send  their  children  to  this  schoole 
should  giue  some  benevolence  unto  the  schoolm"",  for  the 
better  encrease  of  his  mayntenance. 

"  That  it  should  be  specially  recomended  to  the  Go- 
uernor  to  take  care  that  the  planters  there  be  stirred  up 


256  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

to  put  their  helpinge  hands  towards  the  speedy  build- 
inge  of  the  said  schoole,  in  respect  their  Children  are 
like  to  receaue  the  greatest  benefitt  thereby  in  their 
educacon :  and  to  let  them  knowe  that  those  that  exceed 
others  in  their  bounty  and  Assistance  hereunto  shal  be 
priuileged  with  the  preferment  of  their  Children  to  the 
said  schoole  before  others  that  shall  be  found  less  worthie. 

"  It  is  likewise  thought  fitt  that  a  good  schoolm^"  be 
prouided  forthwith  to  be  sent  unto  this  scoole. 

"  It  was  also  informed  by  a  gentleman  of  this  Comittee 
that  he  knew  one  that  desired  not  to  be  named  that 
would  bestowe  301i,  to  be  added  to  the  former  some  of  7011 
to  make  it  an  lOOli,  towards  the  buildinge  of  the  said 
schoole  : 

"  This  report,  being  read  was  well  approued  of  and 
thought  fitt  to  be  referred  for  confirmation  to  the  next 
Quarter  Court." 

The  Quarter  Court  on  19  th  of  November  approved  the 
report,  and  granted  Mr.  Copeland  three  hundred  acres  of 
land.  On  January  28,  1621-2,  that  he  had  found  an 
usher  for  the  free  school,  but  on  Feb.  27,  he  told  the  Com- 
pany that  the  proposed  usher  had  become  unwilling  to  go 
unless  he  had  the  title  of  master.  On  13  th  of  March  it 
was  agreed  that  Mr.  Dike,  if  he  would  go  and  prove  compe- 
tent, should  be  recognized  as  Master  of  the  Free  School 
intended  at  Charles  City.  He  after  this  declined  the 
appointment,  and  the  colonial  authorities  were  empowered 
to  select  an  usher  or  schoolmaster.  In  June,  1625,  the 
Governor  and  Council  of  Virginia,  wrote  : 

"  We  should  be  ready  with  our  utmost  endeavors  to 
assist  the  pious  work  of  the  East  India  free  school,  but 
we   must   not   dissemble  that,  besides   the  unseasonable 


PETITION  OF  ANTHONY  008N0LD.  257 

arrival,  we   thought  the   acts  of  Mr.  Caroloif  will  over- 
balance all  his  other  sufficiency  though  exceeding  good." 

After  this  there  is  no  statement  relative  to  this  school, 
and  it  was  probably  never  erected. 


Anthony  Gosnold,  early  Planter. 

October  31.  "  Upon  the  humble  peticon  of  Mr.  Anthony 
Gosnold  ^  gentleman  it  is  agreed  and  ordered  first  that  he 
shall  haue  two  shares  of  land  in  Virginia,  due  unto  him 
for  the  aduenture  of  25'"^  in  money  paid  into  the  Treasury  to 
S"  Thomas  Smith  as  by  his  bill  now  shewed  by  him  in 
Court  under  the  Companys'  Scale  though  it  were  not  sett 
downe  in  the  printed  booke,  may  appeare. 

"  And  secondly  that  he  shall  haue  one  share  of  land  more 
wch  of  right  also  belongeth  unto  him  for  his  psonall  Ad- 
uenture to  Virginia  some  16  yeares  since  upon  his  owne 
charge. 

"  Thirdly  whereas  the  said  Mr.  Gosnold  alledgeth  he  had 
two  kinsmen  that  died  longe  since  seized  of  land  in  Virginia 
who  by  their  last  will  gaue  him  their  said  land  :  It  is  like- 
wise orderd  that  it  shalbe  recomended  to  the  Gouernor  to 
take  order  that  upon  due  proufe  made  thereof,  he  do  him 
iustice,  Lastly  touchinge  the  merritt  of  his  pson  in  reguard 
of  his  longe  and  hard  service  for  many  yeares  together  in 
the  condicon  of  a  seruant,  notwithstandinge  he  ought  to 
haue  bin  free  :     The  Court  hath  referred  him  to  the  Com- 


1  Among  those  who  landed  at  Jamestown  in  1607  were  Capt.  Barth  : 
Gosnold,  who  died   August   22d;     Anthony  Gosnold   his  brother;  and 
Anthony  his  son  and  nephew.     The  petitioner  was  probably  the  last. 
33 


258  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

ittee  appointed  for  rewardinge  men  upon  their  good  de- 
seruings. 

"  It  being  likewise  moued  that  forsomuch  as  diners  worthie 
gent:  desired  to  be  Mr.  Gosnolds  Associates  intendinge  at 
their  owne  charge  to  transport  100  psons  to  Virginia  there 
to  plant  and  inhabite  that  therefore  the  said  Mr.  Gosnold 
might  have  a  Patent  for  pticular  plantacon  wch  was 
accordingly  graunted  and  ordered  to  be  drawne  up  against 
the  next  Quarter  Courte. 


Book  on  Silk  Worms. 

"  Mr.  Deputie  informed  the  Companie  of  the  great  paines 
that  Mr.  Bonnell  the  Frenchman,  m'"  of  the  Kings  Silk- 
wormes  at  Oakland  had  taken  in  penninge  a  Treatise  in 
French  concerninge  the  orderinge  of  Silkwormes  and  mak- 
inge  of  silk  wch  treatise  for  that  it  might  be  of  speciall  use 
unto  the  Planters  in  Virginia,  he  therefore  moued  this 
Court  would  please  to  recomend  it,  to  some  to  translate  it 
into  English  and  afterward  that  it  might  be  prped  and  being 
approued  it  might  be  printed,  wch  the  Court  assented  unto, 
and  praid  M""  Deputy  to  see  it  donne,  and  that  a  good 
number  of  the  said  Booke  might  be  sent  unto  the  Colony 
in  Virginia  by  the  next  Shippe  that  goes. 


Widow  Smalley. 

"  Elizabeth  Smalley  ^  widdowe  hauinge  peticoned  to  the 
Kinge  against  Captaine  Argall  pretendinge  that  he  deteyned 


1  Prdbably  the  widow  of  Captain   Smalley  in  command   at  Henrico  in 
1616.     In  the  year  1624  she  was  living  in  New  England. 


DONATION  FOR  AN  ANNUAL  SERMON.  259 

certain  goods  from  her  to  the  value  of  500^^  and  being  re- 
ferred by  his  Ma*'''  to  his  Highnes  Counsell  for  Virginia 
did  now  peticon  to  the  Companie  to  take  hearinge  of  the 
said  cause  accordinge  to  his  Ma*^  Referrence  whereupon 
the  Counsell  agreed  to  meete  upon  friday  followinge  in  the 
Afternoone  about  two  of  the  Clocke  at  Mr.  ffarrars  house 
against  wch  time  order  is  now  giuen  for  warninge  both 
the  said  Widdowe  Smalley  and  Capt.  Argall  to  make  their 
appearance  as  also  all  such  witnesses  as  could  be  pduced 
on  the  behalf  of  the  said  complaynant. 


Rev.  Robert  Staples. 

"  Mr.  Robert  Staples  a  Minister  comended  much  by 
M*^  Abraham  Chamberlin  and  by  certificate  from  many 
diuines  resident  in  this  Citty  reportinge  him  to  be  of  honest 
conuersacon  and  a  good  Scholler :  beinge  desirous  to  goe  to 
Virginia  did  nowe  make  request,  that  the  Companie  would 
please  to  entertaine  him  for  their  Minister  there. 

"  But  the  Companie  wantinge  meanes  to  furnish  him 
out  did  moue  that  some  of  the  pticular  plantacons  would 
imploy  him. 

Whereupon  M""  Darnelly  signified  that  he  thought  that 
they  of  Martins  Hundred  wanted  a  Minister  to  whome  he 
was  recomended. 


Donation  for  an  Annual  Sermon. 

"At  a  Court  held  for  Virginia,  the  14*''  of  Nouember, 
1621. 

"  M'^  Deputy  acquainted  the  Companie  that  at  the  end  of 
the   last  Sumer   Hands  Court,  held   the  seventh  of  this 


260  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

present  moneth  there  came  a  letter  into  his  hands  from 
an  unknowne  person  directed  unto  him  and  the  rest  of 
the  Counsell  and  Comp*  for  Virginia,  wch  letter  for  that 
many  of  the  Virginia  Comp''  were  then  psent,  he  caused 
to  be  opened  and  read,  the  Contents  whereof  are  as  fol- 
lowing. 

"' ALetterdated  the  7°of  Nouember,  1621,  directed  to  M' 
Deputy  ffarrar,  and  to  the  rest  of  the  Counsel  and  Com- 
panie  for  Virginia. 

"  '  You  shall  receaue  here  enclosed  40®  for  a  sermon  to 
be  preached  before  the  Virginia  Companie  this  Michalemas 
Terme  and  before  the  Quarter  Court  day  :  The  place  I 
leaue  to  y®  Companie's  appointement,  Also  I  desire  that 
M'  Dauenport  may  preach  the  first  sermon  if  the  Com- 
panie approue  hereof:  I  will,  if  God  permit,  make  a 
perpetuity  in  this  kinde :  So  beseechinge  your  good  ac- 
ceptance of  this  small  mite,  as  also  that  you  Mr  Deputy 
performe  yo*"  promise  in  concealinge  my  name,  I  take  my 
leaue  and  rest  a  day  lie  orator  for  Virginia.' 

"  This  letter  beinge  read,  and  the  Companie  then  pre- 
sent demanded  on  what  day  they  would  haue  this  sermon 
preached,  it  was  then  agreed  to  haue  it  upon  this  day  before 
the  Virginia  Companie,  and  after  sermon  it  was  also  upon 
mocon  agreed  to  suppe  together,  M''  Gibbs  beinge  entreated 
to  giue  notice  hereof  to  M'"  Dauenport  accordingly. 

"  Nowe  forsomuch  as  it  further  appeareth  by  the  said 
Letter  that  the  Author  of  this  Guift  hath  j)romised  upon 
the  Companie's  good  acceptance  hereof  to  make  oppor- 
tunity of  this  kinde,  M""  Deputy  therefore  moued  that  this 
Court  would  please  to  recomend  it  to  the  next  Quarter 
Court  to  appoint  on  what  daye  hereafter  this  yearely  exer- 
cise shalbe  pformed,  wch  mocon  the  Court  did  well  approue 


QUARTER  COURT.  261 

of  and  accordingly  referred  it  to  the  iudgment  of  the 
Quarter  Court  to  order  it,  and  in  the  meane  time  entreated 
M''  Deputy  who  Ivnewe  the  gentleman,  to  signifie  the  Com- 
panies especyall  thanks  unto  him. 


Quarter  Court. 

Nov.  21.  "It  beinge  formerly  ordered  by  the  Preparative 
Court  that  in  reguard  of  the  many  buissinesses  that  were 
to  be  dispatched  this  daye  the  Court  should  begin  in  the 
forenoon  to  examine  such  patents  as  were  appointed  to  be 
made  ready  against  this  Court  as  also  such  comissions  as 
were  to  be  graunted  to  M"^^  of  Shipps  to  ffish  and  trade,  the 
said  patents  and  also  the  drafte  of  the  Comissions  beinge 
nowe  presented  to  this  court  were  read  and  after  examina- 
con  beinge  put  to  j"  question  were  well  approued  of. 

"  The  Patents  were  these  vizt : 
"  Patent  to 


Arthur  Swaiue,  pr  for  plantinge  of  100  psons^ 

Rowland  Truloue  pr  " 

John  Crowe  pr  " 

Mr.  Edw.  %der 

Mr.  Symond  Leeke  " 

Daniell  Gookin  " 

M-^  Edw  :  Bennett  " 

S' Charles  ]!^orth 

M"^  Levinge  " 


100 
100 
100 
100 
300 


Aduenturers. 


1 

100  )■  Planters. 

100 

100 


"  The  Comissions  granted  for  ffishinge  and  trade  were 
these  vizt : 

Jo  :  Hudleston         M''  of  the  Bona  Nona  of  200  tun. 

Tho  :  Smith  M"^  of  the  Hopewell    of  60  tun. 

Daniel  Gale  M-^  of  the  Darlinge     of  40  tun. 

Capt  Tho  Jones      M'  of  the  Discouery  of  60  tun. 


262  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Roll  for  Sending  Maids  to  Virginia. 

"  The  Third  Roll  was  for  sendinge  of  Mcayds  to  Virginia 
to  be  made  Wyues,  wch  the  Planters  there  did  verie  much 
desire,  by  the  want  of  whome  haue  sprunge  the  greatest 
hinderances  of  the  encrease  of  the  Plantacon,  in  that  most 
of  them  esteeminge  Virginia  not  as  a  place  of  Habitacon 
but  onely  of  a  short  soiourninge  haue  applyed  themselves 
and  their  labors  wholly  to  the  raisinge  of  present  proffitt 
and  utterly  neglected  not  only  staple  comodities  but  euen 
the  verie  necessaries  of  man's  life,  in  reguard  whereof  and 
to  preuent  so  great  an  inconuenience  hereafter  whereby 
the  Planters  minds  may  be  the  faster  tyed  to  Virginia  by 
/''  the  bonds  of  Wyues  and  Children  care  hath  bin  taken  to 
prouide  them  younge,  handsome  and  honestly  educated 
mayds  whereof  60  are  already  sent  to  Virginia,  being  such 
as  were  specially  recomended  unto  the  Companie  for  theire 
good  bringinge  up  by  their  parents  or  friends  of  good 
worth :  wch  mayds  are  to  be  disposed  in  marriage  to  the 
most  honest  and  industrious  planters  who  are  to  defraye 
and  satisfie  to  the  Adventurers  the  charges  of  their  pas- 
sages and  prouisions  at  such  rate  as  they  and  the  Aduen- 
turers  Agents  there  shall  agree,  and  in  case  any  of  them 
faile  through  mortality  it  is  ordered  that  a  proporconable 
addicon  shalbe  made  upon  the  rest.  In  the  furtherance  of 
such  Christian  Accon  diuers  of  the  said  Aduenturers  had 
underwritt  diuers  good  somes  of  money  none  under  8^^ 
whereby  the  whole  some  of  that  Roll  did  already  amount 
to  800'*^  as  may  appeare  by  the  subscriptions. 


SHIPMENT  OF  MAIDS  TO  VIBGINIA.  263 

Fur  Trade  in  Rivers  Delaware  and  Hudson. 

"  The  Fourth  Roll  was  intended  for  a  most  certaine  and 
beneficiall  trade  of  Furre  to  be  had  wtli  the  Indians  in 
Virginia  in  the  lymitts  of  the  Southerne  Colony,  it  being 
credibly  informed  both  by  letters  from  the  Gouernor  and 
Counsell  of  State  in  Virginia  as  also  by  relacon  of  others 
of  the  greate  Trade  of  Furrs  wch  is  yeerly  made  by  the 
French  and  Duch  Shipps  in  a  verie  great  proporcon  in 
DeLawarr  and  Hudsons  Riuer  beinge  not  aboue  30  or  50 
leagues  distant  from  the  Plantation  and  for  that  there  is 
at  this  present  so  good  an  oportunity  offered  for  the 
cheape  and  safe  managing  of  the  said  Trade  it  hath  moued 
many  of  the  former  Aduenturers  to  subscribe  unto  this  Roll, 
Also  wherein  it  is  so  ordered  that  none  shall  subscribe 
aboue  100^*^  nor  any  man  for  lesse  than  20  ^'^.  whereof  onely 
a  Third  part  for  the  present  voyadge  is  to  be  imployed  in 
wch  Roll  there  is  already  underwritten  the  Some  of  900^^^, 
well  shippe  is  also  departed.^ 


Company's  Letter  dated  Nov.  26,  1621,  to  the  Governor  and 
Council  op  Virginia. 

"  After  o'^  verie  hartie  comendacons.  Our  la ot  unto  you 
were  by  y®  Warwick  and  Tyger  wch  departed  hence  about 
the  midle  of  September  with  a  magazine  of  2000'^^  under 
the  hands  of  M""  Blany,  and  about  fiftie  maids  wch  we 
hope  are  long  ere  this  safely  ariued  with  you,  we  were 
then  so  ample  in  our  aduices  concerninge  the  orderinge  of 
those  supplies  as  we  shall  not  need  at  psent  to  enlarge  any 


1  The  Discovery,  Capt,  Jones. 


264  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

thing  concerning  them  further  than  with  all  earnestness  to 
desire  y^  serious  cares  and  uttermost  endeauors  for  the 
accomplishinge  of  things  in  such  maner  as  they  were  then 
recomended  unto  you  wch  will  not  only  be  here  of  us  and 
the  Company  very  gratefully  accepted  as  a  pledge  from 
yo'^selues  in  the  Collony  of  that  mutual  good-will  and  re- 
spect wch  o'  affecconate  loue  and  zealous  care  of  theire 
welfare  doth  deserue ;  but  undoubtedlie  produce  many 
great  matters  highly  to  the  benefitt  and  aduancement  of 
the  Plantation ;  for  what  may  you  not  expect  that  iust 
and  fair  pformance  of  things  will  bring  to  passe,  when  the 
expectation  only  and  the  confidence  thereof  haue  done  so 
much  and  caused  so  many  kinds  of  Aduenturers,  one 
whereof  and  one  of  the  principall  is  the  trade  of  Furrs  now 
by  the  Discouerie  to  be  attempted. 

The  Trade  for  Furs. 

"  And  we  hope  by  Gods  blessing  shalbe  happilie  effected 
if  yo'  serious  cares  and  endeuors  be  bestowed  thereuppon ; 
wch  although  we  nothing  doubt  of  in  a  matter  of  so  great 
hono""  and  exceeding  profitt  to  the  Collony  as  this  is  like  to 
be,  and  whereunto  we  haue  so  often  and  earnestly  been  by 
tljem  merited  :  yet  we  cannot  but  againe  and  againe  desire 
you  to  giu^  all  fauo'  and  assistance  thereunto,  and  that  in 
all  earnest  t:*'id  effectual  maner. 

Ordnance  to  he  furnished  the  Discovery. 

"  The  hope  ^f  Silkeworme  seed  whereof  we  are  yett  dis- 
apointed  hath  kept  the  Shipp  longer  than  we  meant,  and 
later  than  phapps  were  fitt  for  the  two  voiadges  she  is  to  be 
imployed,  that  r^either  of  them  therefore  may  miscarrie  we 
pray  you  to  ta.ve  order,  that  she  may  with  all  expedicon 


INTERPRETERS  TO  BE  EMPLOYED.  265 

proceed  in  the  Furr  voiadge,  and  not  to  suffer  any  time 
to  be  lost,  either  by  default  of  the  Marriners  (if  they 
should  be  negligent)  or  for  want  of  such  suppUes  as  they 
are  to  receiue  from  you.  The  Aduenturers  of  Southamp- 
ton hundred  (who  out  of  a  noble  disposition  to  forward  the 
buissines  haue  with  great  chargunder  took  it  thus  in  their 
Shipp)  haue  very  abundantly  prouided  her  wit-h  all  things 
necessarie;  yet  if  there  be  any  thing  whereby  shee  may 
be  strengthened  or  accomodated  we  desire  you  to  furnish 
her  there  with  and  in  pticular  that  you  lett  them  the 
brasse  peeces  wch  were  sent  in  the  Charles. 

hiterprefers  io  he  Empliijed. 

"  If  Ukewise  the  Shipps  Company  shall  seeme  too  weake 
we  desire  you  to  make  supplie  out  of  the  CoUony  of  such 
men  as  are  most  fitt,  and  in  especiall  that  you  putt  in  two 
or  three  skilfull  in  the  languages  and  maners  of  the  Indians, 
and  expert  in  those  places,  wherein  the  trade  is  to  be,  that 
serue  for  guides  and  interpreters. 

"The  Aduenturers  had  purposed  to  haue  sent  some 
quantities  of  beanes  and  pease  for  trade  but  the  Shipps 
rowl  the  ordinarie  calamitie  of  Virginia  voiadges  proues 
to  strait,  and  they  haue  been  further  informed  that  those 
graines  are  not  so  acceptable  as  the  Virginia  mast :  where- 
fore we  desire  you  to  furnish  them  with  such  quantities 
of  maze  as  they  shall  need,  and  likewise  with  whatever 
else  may  be  to  the  furtherance  of  the  accon.  In  wch 
whatsoeuer  persons  shalbe  employed,  the  Aduenturers 
are  wiUinge  that  a  due  satisfaction  may  be  made  them. 

Instructions  to  Caj^t.  Jones.  "— 

"  They  haue  desired  us  to  send  you  both  the  Inuoyces  of 
theire  goods  and  the  Coppies  of  the  Instruccons  wch  they 
34 


266  VIEOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

haue  giuen  unto  Capt  Jones,  whereby  they  may  pereiue 
how  much  they  reUe  uppon  yo""  Counsell  and  assistance, 
wch  as  well  for  theire  owne  sakes  (that  so  much  deserues, 
as  also  for  ours  that  so  earnestly  intreat  you),  we  assure 
them  will  not  be  wanting. 

•  Special  Request  to  Gov.    Wt/att  and  others. 

"  And  especially  we  intreat  you  S""  Francis  Wyatt  as 
Gouernor,  and  S'  George  Yeardley  and  M''  Pountis  whose 
experience  in  the  countrie  and  interest  in  the  bussines 
are  greatest,  to  be  most  particularly  careful  and  solicitous 
thereof,  that  things  may  be  so  contriued  with  judgment, 
and  ordered  with  wisdome,  as  not  only  the  present  voy- 
adge  may  proue  successful,  but  a  future  trade  be  esta- 
blished. We  desire  you  to  esteem  it  as  indeed  it  is, 
though  undtaken  by  priuate  men  yet  a  very  generall 
and  publique  bussiness,  so  we  conceue  it,  and  in  that 
regard  haue  thought  good  to  comend  it  unto  you  in  this 
letter  :  Of  other  matters  the  Bona  Nona  and  Hopewell 
will  certifie  you.  And  so  with  humble  prayers  to  God 
Almightie  to  protect  and  guide  you  in  all  your  afiaires,  we 
rest 

Yo""  very  louing  trends 
Lo.  Paget,  Lo.  Tuston,  Lo.  Gary 

Earle  of  Warwick,  S'  John  Dauers,    Nicho.  Hide 
Theodore  Gulston,  Samuel  Wrote,      Francis  Anthony 
John  Ferrar,  Nicholas  Ferrar,  John  Delbridge 

"  London  26*^^ 

"November,  1621. 

To  o""  verie  Lo  :  frend  S"*  Francis  Wyatt,  Gounor  and  Capt 
Generall  of  Virginia,  and  the  rest  of  the  Counsell  of  State 
there  vesidinge. 


THANKS  FOB  SUPPLY  OF  MAIDS  267 

Company's  Letter,  dated  Dec  5.  1621,  to  the  Governor  and 
Council  of  Virginia. 

"  After  o""  very  hartie  Comendacons.  Wee  writ  unto 
you  very  lately  by  the  Discouerie  whereof  Capt  Thomas 
Jones  went  Maister :  we  haue  since  receiued  certained 
advice  that  there  are  newly  gon  from  Amsterdam  for 
the  same  trade  of  ffurrs,  and  the  self  same  places  two 
Small  Pinaces  the  one  of  40  Tunns  with  fowre,  and  the 
other  of  80  Tunns  wth  six  peeces  of  cast  ordinance  double 
manned,  and  exceedingly  well  prouided  wth  comodities : 
wherefore  it  will  very  much  import  that  the  Discouerie 
be  instantly  expedited  from  Virginia,  wth  those  necessarie 
supplies  of  men  and  prouisions  that  we  have  entreated 
you  to  furnish  her  wth,  that  she  may  not  come  either  to 
weak  or  to  late,  or  any  way  unfitt  for  the  p'formance  of 
her  bussiness ;  for  the  p'ticularities  whereof  we  refer  you 
to  o""  former  letters,  the  copies  whereof  we  here  inclosed 
send  you.  Now  we  only  in  the  most  effectuall  maner  that 
we  may  againe  recomend  it  to  yo""  most  serious  cares  and 
zealous  furtherance. 

Returns  /or  the  Maids  sent. 

For  the  supplies  of  the  Magazine  and  Maids  formerly 
sent  in  the  Marmaduke,  Warwick  and  Tyger ;  we  assure 
o''selues  things  are  in  that  forwardnes  of  a  good  returne 
(through  yo'"  prudent  cares  and  fauo""^)  as  we  haue  more 
cause  to  giue  you  hartie  thanks  than  need  to  intreat  yo' 
assistance  therein  ;  yett  because  no  diligence  in  so  waightie 
matters  can  be  thought  superfluous,  we  haue  at  the  en- 
treatie  of  the  Aduenturers,  here  inclosed  sent  you  the 
copie  of  that  dispatch,  to  reueiue  things  in  yo''  memorie, 


268  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

and  thereto  do  now  againe  adioyne  o"^  most  earnest  in- 
treaties  for  yo''  and  iust  fauo'^,  till  the  full  accomplishinge 
of  all  those  businesses  in  such  manner  as  is  desired,  and 
indeed  deserued,  by  such  free  and  worthie  minds  as  those 
Aduenturers  moue  from.  Wee  will  not  recapitulate  what 
wee  haue  amply  in  o""  former  letters  expressed  how  iust 
and  necessarie  it  is  (the  Companies  stock  being  utterly  ex- 
hausted, and  no  meanes  of  supply  but  from  priuate  purses) 
that  a  good  and  profitable  accompt  should  be  returned  of 
these  many  Aduenturers  ;  we  will  only  add  (wch  to  gene- 
rous minds  is  of  no  small  force)  that  by  yo''  wise  cares 
and  iust  fauo*'^  it  is  expected  ;  and  in  that  confidence,  but 
principaly  out  of  a  singular  zeale  to  aduance  the  Planta- 
con,  and  accomodate  the  Planters,  although  the  Aduen- 
turers alreadie  sent  haue  been  so  many  and  so  large ;  as 
©""selues  cannot  but  wonder,  yet  haue  the  selfsame  persons 
newly  underwritt  nere  a  thousand  pounds  for  the  sending 
of  Shippwrights  and  house  carpenters. 

SupfJy  to  he  sent. 

"  And  so  farr  is  the  busines  alreadie  proceeded  in,  as 
we  may  assure  you  and  yo",  the  Collony,  that  by  God's 
blessing  they  shall  by  the  end  of  Aprill  at  the  furthest 
haue  this  necessarie  supply  among  them :  In  the  mean- 
space  wee  desire  that  fitt  preperations  may  be  made  for 
the  entertaining  of  them,  that  shall  after  make  prepara- 
tion for  others :  In  wch  regard  we  giue  yo'^  this  timely 
notice ;  and  also  that  you  might  be  ptakers  with  us  of  the 
comfort  and  encoragement,  wch  we  dayly  receiue  by  the 
continuance  and  increase  of  those  free  and  worthie  Aduen- 
turers,  wherein  we  wth  all  thankfull  humilitie  do  acknowl- 
edge the  gratious  Prouidence  of  God  in  so  much  enlargeinge 


FUNDS  FOR  FREE  SCHOOL.  269 

(uppon  the  failinge  of  the  publique  reiienues)  the  hearts 
of  priuate  men,  in  a  verie  difficult  time,  and  after  so  many 
unfortunate  Aduentures  made  in  the  Kke  kind,  to  pforme 
these  great  works  so  aduantageable  and  necessarie  unto 
the  Phmtation. 

Free  School. 

"  There  is  one  thing  likewise  that  hath  lately  hapned 
unto  us,  not  great  in  itself  but  of  great  good  hope ;  the 
gentleman  and  Mariners  of  the  Royall  James  belonging  to 
the  East  India  Company,  being  mett  at  Cap  Bona  Speranza 
by  some  English  Shipps  outward  bound,  and  certified  of 
the  prosperitie  of  Virginia,  did  there  (uppon  the  exhorta- 
tion of  M'  Copland  theire  Minister)  bestow  the  sume  of 
70^^^  towards  the  buildinge  of  a  free  schoole  in  Virginia ; 
well  pious  guift  hath  lately  receiued  an  addiccon  of  SO^'^  by 
an  unknowne  pson.  The  maner  of  employeinge  the  mony 
well  the  Company  hath  resolved  uppon,  we  send  you  here 
inclosed,  desiringe  that  you  would  likewise  take  it  into 
yo*^  considerations. 

Salt,  Iron   Worha,  and  Mills  to  he  built. 

"  Wee  likewise  send  you  the  copies  of  some  Courts 
whereby  you  shall  understand  what  hath  lately  passed  con- 
cerninge  the  bringinge  in  of  all  o''  Tobacco,  wch  we  doubt 
not  but  yo""  haue  and  shall  heare  of  by  many  waies ;  other- 
wise we  should  haue  been  loth  to  mingle  any  thing  un- 
pleasant amongst  so  much  ioyfull  and  comfortable  as  we 
haue  before  related ;  but  such  is  the  composition  of  all 
worldly  afl:aires ;  for  o'selves  we  are  not  and  desire  you  like- 
wise not  to  be  discoraged  att  any  difficulties  that  do  or 
may  arise ;   wch  we  interprett  onely  as  the  tryall  of  pa- 


270  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

tience  and  vertue,  whether  we  be  worthie  to  be  the  Instru- 
ments of  so  glorious  a  worke  as  this  Plantation  is,  so  we 
wish  and  desire  you  to  continue  and  go  on  cheerfully  in 
yc  waighty  charge  according  to  the  instruccons  we  haue 
giuen  you  and  in  especiall  that  you  use  all  possible  dilli- 
genc  and  industrious  care  to  further  and  accomplish  those 
great  and  many  designes  of  Salte,  Sawinge  Mills  and  Iron, 
not  letting  slipp  those  occacons  wch  phapps  will  hardly  be 
ever  recouered ;  nor  neglecting  the  pfectinge  of  those  things 
wch  you  haue  and  euer  shall  haue  a  certain  necessitie 
of  but  an  uncertaine  assurance  of  from  us  :  wee  desire  ^''ou 
therefore  very  earnestly  to  endeuor  the  setting  up  of  those 
and  other  staple  Comodities,  and  by  example  and  by 
pperations  to  make  the  whole  Collony  capable,  what  neces- 
sitie lieth  uppon  them  to  make  a  good  store  within  them- 
selues  of  all  usefull  comodities  rather  than  a  small  aduan- 
tage  of  psent  profitt. 

Seed-f,  Pigeona,  Conies,   Peacocks,  31a stiffs,  Bec-hivcs. 

"  Wee  haue  by  this  Shipp  and  the  Discouerie  sent  you 
diners  sorts  of  seeds  and  fruit  trees  as  also  Pidgeons,  Con- 
nies, Peacocks,  Mastiues  and  Beehiues,  as  you  shall  by  the 
Inuoice  perceiue.  Wee  have  sent  unto  you  likewise  some 
vine  cuttings  and  a  very  small  quantitie  of  Silkworm 
seed,  of  both  which  we  had  hoped  to  haue  sent  you  abund- 
ance, and  in  that  regard  deteined  the  Discouerie  so  long ; 
but  of  thinges  so  farr  remote  we  are  not  absolutely  maisters, 
we  are  put  in  howerly  expectation  thereof  In  the  mean- 
while we  pray  you  that  these  now  seut,  and  those  you 
formerly  had  may  be  improued  by  the  most;  and  the  skill 
of  the  Frenchmen  diffused  amongst  many,  though  they 
haue  not  much  matter  to  exercise  it  in. 


FORTIFICATIONS.  271 


Patents   Granted. 

"  There  haiie  been  nyne  seuerall  Patients  granted  at  o' 
last  Quarter  Court,  and  aboue  1000  people  undtaken  to  be 
transported  by  them  this  next  Spring,  we  desire  you  there- 
fore that  those  due  prouisions  of  GuesUiouses  (so  often 
sollicited  by  us)  may  be  made,  and  abundance  of  corn 
planted  to  supplie  them  at  fittinge  prices  in  regard  that 
though  the  great  rayse  of  grayne  here,  they  are  like  to 
come  slenderly  furnished  hence. 

Pa.^scngevs  to  he  k'uuUi/  Treated. 

"  And  further  we  comend  unto  yo'  care  and  charitie  the 
contentment  of  those  psent  Planters  that  of  their  first  land- 
ing they  may  haue  y""-  best  furtherance  for  the  lodgeing 
them  in  bowses,  and  also  in  setting  out  of  theire  land  in 
conuenient  places  together  with  the  best  assistance  and 
direccon  in  their  courses  at  their  first  arriual  that  they 
may  by  curteous  usage  be  encoraged  to  stay  with  you 
and  others  inuited  to  come  unto  you ;  and  amongst  these 
in  pticular  wee  cannot  but  comend  Mr.  Copeland  three 
Tenant's  he  hauing  excited  that  fauor  of  the  Company. 

Fortifications. 

"  Wee  haue  diligently  laboured  but  not  yett  able  to  effect 
any  thinge  towards  the  helpe  in  the  matter  of  Fortification  ; 
yet  are  we  not  of  hope  not  to  do  something  shortly.  In 
the  meane  while  we  desire  you  not  to  be  any  thing  remisse 
in  whatsoeuer  may  tend  to  yo"-  saftie  to  wch  no  gaine  can 
be  comparable,  but  to  be  alwaies  so  prepared  as  in  immi- 
nent danger,  and  especially  to  supphe  with  abundance  of 
care  and  vigilancie,  what  you  want  in  strength. 


272  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Copper. 

"  The  coniectures  of  the  Southwest  passage  and  the 
peece  of  Copper  wch  you  sent  as  wee  gladly  saw  and  heard, 
for  since  you  now  begin  to  discouer  the  Countrie,  and 
enquire  after  Coinodities  we  doubt  not,  but  you  shall  find 
what  you  seeke  or  better :  wherefore  we  earnestly  desire 
you  to  continue  and  proceed  herein  accordinge  to  yo'  best 
meanes ;  and  to  send  us  from  time  to  time  the  cards  of 
such  places  as  you  shall  discouer ;  and  large  quantities  of 
the  Comodities  you  found,  for  the  Sayes  of  things  are  not 
easily  nor  certainly  made  in  small  quantities. 

"  The  plate  of  Copper  holds  nothing  else  but  is  so 
pfect  good  that  if  it  might  be  gotten  with  so  easie  labor 
as  the  Indians  relate,  there  were  were  no  mine  should 
equal  the  riches  thereof;  that  further  you  have  und'stood 
thereof  we  desire  by  the  next  yeare,  that  we  may  both 
sattisfie  o^'selues  and  others  and  either  begin  or  leaue  so 
rich  a  hope. 

Ships  to  he  speeilili/  dispatched. 

"  The  last  thing  we  haue  at  present  to  write  is  that 
those  Shipps  the  Bona  Nona  and  Hopewell  both  in  o'"  owne 
and  the  Companie's  name  may  be  seriously  recomended 
unto  you  that  they  may  be  speedily  dispatched  for  Vir- 
ginia, and  neither  by  you  deteined,  nor  sufiered  themselues 
to  tritie  out  the  time.  In  wch  we  especially  require 
the  care  of  M'  Pountis  whom  in  o''  last  Quarter  Court  we 
haue  chosen  Vice  Admirall  and  purpose,  God  willing,  with 
the  first  opportunitie  to  estate  the  place  with  twelve 
Tenants.  This  or  whatsoeuer  fauor  or  curtesie  you  aford 
unto  the  Shipps  in  furtherance  of  their  intended  fishinge 


THANKS  TO  AN  A  UTHOB.  273 

voyadges  wee  pray  you  effectually  to  pforme,  for  so  both 
the  undertakers  and  settlers  out  of  them  do  deserue  at  yo' 
hands,  and  the  good  or  ill  success  of  this  busines  doth 
very  highly  import  the  Collony  wch  we  doubt  not  but  you 
fully  und'stand : 

"  And  so  we  comitt  you  to  the  guidance  and  protection 
of  the  Allmightie  and  rest 

"  Yo""  very  Louing  frends 

"  Lo :  Cauendish,     Ea  of  Warwick 
Lo  :  Padgett  Sr  Jhn  Dauers 

Thos  Gibbs 
Sam  Wrote 

NiCHO.  Ferrar,    John  Ferrar,  Dept 
Tho  Sheaperd 
John  Smith. 
"  London  this  5*  of  September 

a  1621" 


December  19.  "Mr.  Bamfield  signified  unto  the  Court 
of  a  booke  compiled  by  a  painefull  schoolm',  one  Mr. 
John  Brinsley  :  whereupon  the  Court  gaue  order  that  the 
Companie's  thanks  should  be  giuen  unto  him,  and  ap- 
pointed a  select  Comittee  to  pruse  the  said  Booke,  vizt : 
Sir  John  Dauers  Mr.  Deputy  Mr.  Gibbs  Mr.  Wrote  Mr. 
Bamfeild  Mr.  Copland  Mr.  Ayres  and  Mr.  Nicho  :  ffarrar. 
who  are  entreated  to  meete  when  Mr.  Deputy  shall  ap- 
point and  after  to  make  report  of  their  opinions  touchinge 
the  same  at  the  next  Court. 

"At  a  Court  held  for  Virginia  on  Wedensday  the  16th 
Janua:  1621  [1622],  the  Comittee  appointed  to  pruse  the 
35 


274  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

booke  which  Mr.  Jo  :  Brinsley/  schoolm',  presented  at 
the  Last  Court,  touchiiige  the  edilcacon  of  the  younger 
sort  of  schollers,  forsomuch  as  they  had  yet  no  time  to 
pruse  the  same,  by  reason  of  many  buissinesses  that  did 
occurr  they  desired  of  the  Court  some  longer  respite,  wch 
was  graunted  unto  them.  Mr.  Copland  beinge  present 
was  entreated  to  pruse  it  in  the  mean  time  and  deliuer 
his  opinion  thereof  unto  the  said  Comittee  at  their  meet- 
inace  about  it.^ 


Letter  op  Governor  and  Council  of  Virginia  to  the  Company, 
WRITTEN  January  1621-2,  and  forwarded  by  Ship  George. 

"  Right  Hono'''^ 

"Wee  haue  receaued  you'  Letter  dated  at  London  the 
22d  of  September,  1622,  by  the  Warwicke  arriued  heare 
at  James  Cyttie  the  10th  day  of  December,  wherein  you 
haue  manifested  so  greate  care  of  us,  and  the  whole  Colony 


iBrinsley  was  the  nephew  of  Bishop  Hall,  and  his  amanueusis  at 
the  Synod  of  Dort.  He  became  an  eminent  schoolmaster  and  noucon- 
formist  divine,  and  published  numerous  sermons  and  grammatical  works. 

■-  In  U)22  Brinsley  published  "  A  Consolation  for  our  Grammar  Schooles; 
or  a  faithful  and  most  comfortable  encouragement  for  laying  of  a  sure 
foundation  of  a  good  learning  in  our  schooles,  and  for  prosperous  building 
therefor ;  more  specially  for  all  those  of  the  inferior  sort,  and  all  rude 
countries  and  places,  namely  for  Ireland,  Wales,  Virginia,  with  the  Som- 
mer  islands,  and  for  their  more  speedie  attaining  of  our  English  tongue 
by  the  same  labour,  that  all  may  speake  one  and  the  same  language. 
And  withall,  for  the  helping  of  all  such  as  are  desirous  speedlie  to  recouer 
that  which  they  had  formerlie  got  in  the  grammar  schooles  ;  and  to  pro- 
ceed aright  therein,  for  the  perpetual  benefit  of  these  our  nations,  and  of 
the  churches  of  Christ.  London  :  Printed  by  Richard  Field,  for  Thomas 
Mann,  dwelling  in  Paternoster  Row,  at  the  sign  of  the  Talcot;  1622." 


DEFICIENCY  OF  SEED.  275 

as  we  cannott  but  with  all  thankfullnes  acknowledg  our 
selues  much  bounden  unto  you  for  the  same,  before  the 
receipt  of  wch  Letter  wee  had  (accordinge  to  the  instruc- 
tions giuen  us)  taken  order  in  the  firste  Sessions  of  the 
generall  Assemblie,  helde  in  Nouember  and  December, 
that  great  store  of  Vines  and  Mulberry  trees  should  be 
planted  in  all  places,  and  such  as  were  growinge  preserued 
and  had  expresly  phibited  the  destroyinge  of  mulberry 
trees  in  the  clearinge  of  Growndes. 

Att  wch  Assemblie  we  did  playnly  prceaue  that  the 
whole  country  was  very  well  affected  to  the  plantinge  of 
both  and  to  the  receauing  of  silk-worme  foode,  and  that 
y*  is  our  ernest  desire  that  you  woulde  be  pleased  to  pro- 
ceed in  this  course,  and  of  sending  us  all  sortes  of  Vines  in 
greate  abundance,  as  alsoe  greate  store  of  all  sortes  of  the 
best  graine,  as  wheate,  Barlie,  Gates,  and  pease  of  all  the 
best  kindes,  for  though  wee  bee  very  desirous  to  falle  to 
the  sowinge  of  all  sorts  of  our  English  graine  as  well  as 
Indian  (since  this  Countrey  is  very  pper  for  them,  and  that 
there  so  much  cleare  grounde  in  the  Colonic)  wherein  a 
plowe  may  be  able  to  goe  yet  are  wee  at  this  tyme  very 
much  unprovided  of  any  good  seed  corne,  for  our  wheate 
wch  was  firste  brought  hither  from  the  French  Colonic  is 
not  only  of  a  small  and  bad  kinde,  but  hath  been  also 
much  decaied  (since  it  came  hither)  for  wante  of  well  cul- 
tivatinge  the  grounde. 

Want  of  Seed. 

"  As  for  Barlie,  oates,  and  the  best  Pease  there  is  either 
none  or  a  very  small  quantitie  of  any  of  them  in  the 
Countrey.  And  to  y^  ende  that  w*  graine  or  seed  soeuer 
you  shall  be  pleased  to  send  us  ouer :  may  be  in  the  more 


276  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

likelyhood  to  prosper  when  it  conieth  hither,  wee  desire 
that  a  care  may  bee  taken  that  the  Wheate  and  Barlie  may 
be  brought  in  the  chafie.  And  thac,  such  corne  or  seeds  as 
you  shall  sende  may  bee  noe  older  than  of  the  harvest  next 
precedinge,  And  that  they  may  nott  bee  stoude  in  the 
holde  butt  betweane  the  Decks,  for  y*  the  heate  of  the 
holde  will  spoyle  whatt  corne  or  seede  soe  uer  you  shall 
sende. 


SJiip  in  the  Autumn  and  hi/  the  Northern  Course. 

"And  wee  doe  conceaue  it  to  be  very  fitt  that  what 
Shipps  shall  bringe  such  things  be  appoynted  to  come  the 
Northerne  course,  and  to  sett  saile  at  such  a  tyme  as  they 
may  in  all  likeliehood  ariue  here  about  September  or  Octo- 
ber well  tyme  and  coorse  wee  holde  to  bee  the  most 
healthfull  for  the  cominge  in  of  Passengers,  and  therefore 
could  wishe  that  as  fewe  be  sent  hither  in  the  Springe  of 
the  yeere  as  may  bee  seeinge  y^  of  those  Shipps  wch 
ariued  here  this  Autum,  there  hath  not  died  one  passen- 
ger by  the  way,  and  haue  hitherto  had  theire  healthes 
since  theire  Landinge. 


The  Tiger  taken  by  the  Turks. 

"  Wee  haue  receaued  all  such  Prouisiones  as  were  in  those 
Shipps  sent  to  the  Dutch  and  Frenchmen  saue  onely  the 
Cloath  sent  to  make  them  Apparell,  wch  we  feare  was  lost 
in  the  Tiger  taken  by  the  Turks  since  wee  can  by  no 
m^eanes  heare  thereof. 


PRICE  OF  TOBACCO.  217 


ThankK  for  the  Magazine. 

"Wee   canott  but  giue  condigne   thanks  for  sendinge 
hither  this  Magasene  soe  well  furnished  to  wch  wee  shall  to 
the  uttermost  of  our  powers  bee  aidinge  and  assistinge 
in  all  things  wee  may,  that  by  the  pfitable  returne  thereof 
the  Aduenturers  may  be  Encoraged  to  goe  on  cherfullie 
in  this  course,  and  so  establish  with  us  here  constant,  large 
and  continuall  Trade  from  tyme  to  tyme  onely  wee  are 
sorrie  that  y'  ariued  heere  soe  late,  that  the  most  of  this 
year's  Tobacco  was  otherwise  disposed  of  before,  but  we 
are  perswaded  yf  Mr.  Blanye  bee  faire  to  trust  forth  any 
of  his  Comodities  hee  will  be  no  loser  therby,  by  reason 
that  the  next  years  Tobacco  cannott,  butt  in  all  liekelihood 
(by  the  coorse  we  haue  taken)  be  very  much  improued. 

Fricc  of  Tobacco. 

"  It  is  a  thinge  very  well  liked  of  here  that  you  haue 
left  the  Price  of  Tobacco  at  libertie  since  that  it  is  of  such 
an  uncertaine  valew  by  reason  of  the   great  difference 

thereof. 

"  And  howsoeuer  much  of  the  Tobacco  of  the  last  cropp 
hath  not  proued  very  good  of  the  unseasonable- 

ness  of  the  Yeere  and  of  the  wante  of  tyme  for  the  curinge 
wee  desire  that  noe  president  may  be  made  there- 
of, Especyallie  of  that  by  the  Maryners,  whose 
beinge  of  badd  as  well  as  good  wee  could  nott  But 
haue  taken  order  as  much  as  in  us  Lyeth  to  preuent  this 
to  come : 


278  VIBGimA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Arrival,  of  the  Maids. 

Wee  haue  taken   as  great  care   as  possible  wee   coulde 
without  any  prouisione  at  all  for  the  well  dis- 
posinge  of  the  maides  sent  in  and  the  Warwick 

and  could  wish  that  the  next  supplie  of  may  bring 

some   small  pvisione  with   them  to  helpe  them 
until  they  may  be  conuenientlie  disposed  of. 

"  The  people  of  Martins  hundred  (as  we  are  informed 
by  Mr.  Harwood)  doe  willinglie  and  louinglie  receaue  the 
new  comers  who  also  shall  have  from  us  all  lawfuU  aide 
and  assistance  in  all  things. 

Want  of  Clergymen. 

"  The  Information  giuen  you  of  the  wante  of  wourthie 
ministers  heere  is  very  trew,  and  therefore  wee  must  giue 
you  greate  thanks  for  sendinge  ouer  Mr.  Thomas  White, 
who  we  hope  shall  be  accomodated  to  his  good  likinge, 
soe  y*  is  our  ernest  request  that  you  woulde  be  pleased  to 
send  us  ouer  many  more  learned  and  sincere  Ministers  (of 
wch  there  is  so  greate  wante  in  so  many  ptes  of  the 
Countrey)  who  shal  be  assured  to  find  very  good  entertayn- 
ment  for  the  Inhabitants  who  are  very  unwillinge  to  lay 
any  part  of  the  burthen  thereof  uppon  yourselues. 

Fortifications. 

"  Hauing  accordinge  to  your  instructions  taken  into  sin- 
cere consideration  the  matter  of  Defence,  wee  doe  finde  it 
heere  of  soe  great  and  necessarie  ymportance,  as  we  most 
humbly  desire  that  you  will  be  pleased  not  onlie  w'^  only 
to  send  us  ouer  hither  some  men  skillfull  in  the  Arte  of 


INVIAm  BELIOION  AND  ASTBONOMY.  279 

Fortificationes  to  whom  wee  shall  ^e  -die  to  giue  our 
Comodious  and  most  Defensible  place  fo'' *^  f^f  "/^^^ 
the  Chieff  Cyttie  of  this  Kingdome,  yf  they  shall  fiude  J  ames 
Cyttie  a  place  not  fitt  or  ppcr  for  that  purpose. 

Captidn    Thor'pe  visits  Indian  Chiefs. 

"Whereas  Sr:  Francis  Wyatt  findinge  the  country  att 
l,is  ariual  in  very  greate  amytie  and  confidence  wth  the 
iatiu  s  L  d  bein'g:  Desirous  by  all  good  meanes  to  con- 
"and  enlarg:  the  same,  as  a  thinge  very  nece.an 
It  the  beeinninge  of  his  Gouerment,  did  (with  the  ac  uise 
aU  consent  of  the  Counsell)  said  Capt :  Thorpe  wth  a 
ZLZTa  a  presente  both  to  the  great  Kinge  Lasawpers 
formerly  called  Osatand  and  his  Brother  Apoeh-kano 

j"  e  Xl-ur  new  Gouernor  would  contynue  the 
Letue  or  nott,  Apochankano  gaue  him  very  good  hope  of 
£e  cntertaininge  of  some  of -r  famyhes^..  U^^^^  «  t 
them  and  of  theire  sendinge  to  Cohabitt  with  us,  and  dia 
-  confine  a  former  pmise  of  Sendinge  one  to  be  our  guide 
bey!il  the  Falles  to  certain  mines  weh  wee  purpose  to  tye 
him  unto. 

Luh.ms'  Vmo.  »fBdl.j!on  and  A.lrom«!,. 
"  Caot  Thorpe  found  by  discoursinge  with  him  that  he 
had  mt  LioLsof  religion  in  '^^-.^^^-itl^^^^C, 
<,ined  in  soe  great  blindnes,  for  hee  w.llmglye  Ackno  viewed 
that  theirs  was  nott  the  right  waye,  desinnge  to  bee  in- 
ducted in  ours  and  confessed  that  God  loued^s  bet^r 
than  them,  and  that  he  thought  the  cause  of  his  Angre 
Iglst  them  was  their  Coustome  of  makinge  their  Child- 


280  vmomiA  company  of  lonbon 

ren  black  boys.  Hee  fownde  alsoe  hee  had  some  know- 
ledge of  many  of  the  fixed  starrs  and  had  obserued  the 
North  starr  and  the  course  of  the  Constellations  about 
y^,  and  called  the  great  beare  Manguakaiau,  wch  in  their 
Language  signifies  the  same,  and  beinge  then  in  the 
niidest  of  his  huntinge  did  in  conclusion  referr  Capt. 
Thorpe  touchinge  all  matters  to  a  fourther  conference  at 
Pomunke,  when  he  had  ended  his  huntinge. 

Governor's  Tenants. 

"  The  lands  belonginge  to  the  place  of  Gouernor  was 
resigned  to  Sr  Francis  Wyatt,  but  of  the  hundred  Tenantes 
wch  should  bee  on  that  lande  hee  hath  receaued  only  46. 
There  were  more  of  Capt.  Argalls  guard  aliue,  but  they 
are  to  bee  made  free,  and  for  one  M*'  Pountis  will  giue 
you  satisfactione  who  receaued  him  of  S''  George  Yardly 
at  his  Landinge,  because  he  was  his  Prentice  by  Indenture 
in  Englande,  as  for  the  rest  of  the  Tennants  S*"  George  Yardly 
denieth  to  make  them  good.  And  sayeth  that  hauinge 
made  noe  such  Agreement  wth  you  at  any  tyme  he  holdeth 
nott  himselfe  tyed  unto  yt.  And  therefore  should  take  it 
for  a  matter  of  great  Iniustice  to  be  compelled  thereunto, 
and  in  that  you  refused  to  accept  of  his  offer  of  the  pffits 
of  his  Tennants  yt  was  in  your  pleasure  soe  to  doe.  But  he 
holdeth  himself  agreued  that  you  should  now  seeme  to 
require  a  farr  greater  matter  at  his  handes  he  after 
the  refusall  beinge  bounde  to  pforme  neither,  who  sayeth 
also  that  he  did  neuer  place  uppon  the  Gouenor's  lands 
aboue  227  persons,  but  that  the  residue  of  the  230  were 
placed  by  him  one  ye  Companie's  Lands  for  their  benefitt. 
Now  seeinge  S""  George  Yardley  denyeth  that  there  was 
any  Agreement  made  between  you  and  him  for  the  mak- 


LETTER  FROM  TBE  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.         281 

inge  good  of  the  200  Tenantes  uppon  the  Gouernors  Lande 
we  haue  forborne  to  com  pell  him  thereunto,  untill  we 
receaue  3^our  further  directions  therein. 

Councillor  s  Oath. 

"  The  Oath  of  Counsellors  hath  beene  Administred  to 
all  the  seuerall  psons  mentioned  in  that  Comissione,  saue 
only  to  M'"  Leach  who  came  not  to  us,  and  Mr  Pawlett  of 
whom  we  were  doubtfuU  there  being  here  two  of  that 
name,  and  neither  required  it  of  us : 

Treasurer  a  Tern  nits 

"  Yt  beinge  a  matter  of  difficultie  to  finde  out  on  the 
suddaine  such  a  conuenient  place  for  the  Seatinge  of  the 
Thresurers  Tenantes  as  in  our  ludgments  we  thought 
requisite,  and  that  would  haue  much  endangered  the 
health  of  his  people  and  beene  the  meanes  of  the  certaine 
loss  of  his  next  yeers  cropp  to  haue  kept  them  long  without 
employment,  about  James  Cyttie,  M^'  Threasurer  was  out  of 
necessitie  enforced  to  purchase  for  himselfe  out  of  his  own 
priuate  Estate  200  hundred  acres  of  Lande  being  the 
diuident  of  a  priuate  planter,  for  the  present  employment 
of  his  people,  where  they  are  yett  remayninge.  But  the 
Lande  belonginge  to  the  place  of  Thresurer  wee  purpose 
as  soon  as  may  bee  to  haue  allotted,  and  the  Tenants 
belonginge  thereunto  placed  thereon. 

"  The  like  course  wee  purpose  to  take  for  the  Land  and 
Tennantes  belonging  to  the  place  of  Physition  who  onto  of 
the  like  necessitie  was  faine  for  the  present  to  giue  certain 
closes  and  clere  ground  for  the  employment  of  his  people 
not  far  from  James  Cyttie. 
36 


282  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 


Accomack  iSettlemeiit. 

"  The  Secretaries  Tenantes  were  the  last  yeere  placed 
at  Achamack  where  soe  many  of  them  as  remaine  aliue  doe 
yett  remaine,  but  whether  y^  bee  fitt  they  should  contynue 
there,  well  or  nott,  y*  is  matter  very  considerable  since 
that  place  ys  soe  farr  from  James  Cyttie.  And  seeinge 
that  of  the  twentie  Tenantes  belonginge  to  that  place  there 
are  butt  onely  9  remayninge,  we  haue  thought  y  fitt  to 
allow  the  Secretaries  in  the  mean  tyme  certaine  fees  for 
the  supplyinge  of  his  Tenantes  that  are  wanting,  until  you 
shalbe  pleased  to  take  some  order  for  the  makinge  of  them 
upp: 

Excessive  Tohacco  Phiutimj. 

"For  the  drawinge  of  the  People  from  the  excessiue  plant- 
inge  of  Tobacco,  wee  haue  by  the  consent  of  the  generall 
Assemblie  restrayned  them  to  one  hundred  plants  ye 
headd,  uppon  cache  of  wch  plantes  there  are  to  bee  left 
butt  onely  nyne  leaues  wch  pportions  as  neere  as  could  be 
guessed,  was  generally  conceaued  would  be  agreable  wth 
the  hundred  waight  you  haue  allowed.  By  wch  meanes 
as  also  by  the  course  that  we  haue  taken  for  the  keepinge 
of  euery  man  to  his  Trade  we  doubt  nott  butt  very  much 
to  preuent  the  Tmoderate  plantinge  of  Tobacco.  But 
nothinge  can  more  encourage  all  men  to  the  plantinge  of 
corne  in  abundance  and  soe  diuert  them  from  plantinge  of 
Tobacco,  then  you  would  be  pleased  (since  y*  you  desire  that 
greate  plenty  of  Corne  bee  planted  here  as  well  for  such 
multitudes  of  people  as  you  hope  yearly  to  send  ouer,  as  for 
our  owne  selues  to  allow  us  a  Marchantable  Rate  here  for 


LETTER  FROM  THE  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.         283 

our  Corne,  either  to  bee  paide  by  Bills  of  Exchange  in  Eng- 
land or  in  Comodities  to  be  deliuered  here  at  25  p.  centum, 
the  prise  of  Is  the  Bushell  being  pposed  by  the  generall 
Asserablie  was  by  us  thought  very  reasonable  since  the 
Corne  you  send  ouer  besides  the  hazard  of  being  lost  or 
spoyled  at  Sea,  doth  stand  you  in  as  much  or  more  the 
charge  or  fraight  in  Cask  considered. 

First  Mill  in   United  States. 

The  good  example  of  S""  George  Yardley  by  whom  a 
wind-mill  hath  been  allredy  built,  and  of  M^  Thresurer  who 
ys  about  the  Erectinge  of  a  water  mill  wee  hope  be  great 
encouragements  to  others  in  a  matter  of  soe  greate  and 
generall  use. 

Iron  Works. 

"  The  care  we  haue  taken  of  the  Iron  Wourkes  we  re- 
serue  to  be  reported  by  M*^  Thresurer  and  M^'  Barkley  him- 
selfe.  Wee  are  about  the  erectinge  of  a  salte  worke  by  the 
helpe  of  Mr.  Maurice  Barkley  who  hath  undertaken  the 
ouersight  thereof,  and  with  a  man  that  hath  very  good 
skill  therin,  and  Miles  Pirkett  whom  you  haue  sent  to  y* 
purpose  to  be  employed  under  him. 

Commodities  for  Export. 

"  Pitch  and  Tarr  we  are  in  doupt  will  neuer  proue  staple 
comodities  by  reason  y*  the  Trees  (for  ought  we  cann  yett 
understand)  doe  grow  soe  dispersedlie  as  they  are  nott 
worthy  the  fetchinge  togeatber.  Sope  Ashes  and  p 
heereafter  proue  a  good  comoditie,  but  there  are  required 
towards  that  hands  and  at  so  cheape  a  rate  as  cannot 

yett  bee. 


284  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  Wee  haue  sent  you  a  Sample  of  y*  wch  wee  take  to  bee 
the  Silke   grass  by   M'"   Harryott  in   S''   Walter 

Rauleighs  Vioage  of  Discouerie  and  wee  are  informed 
farr  larger  and  fayrer  in  many  places  than  y"  sample  wch 
M'  Pory  who  found  y^  oute  in    his   late   Vioage  of 
Discoverie  and  after  wch  y^  y'  our  purpose  seriouslie 

to  make  further 

Puhlic  House  to  he  Built. 

"  By  the  consent  of  the  last  Generall  Assemblie  there  y^ 
a  large  Contribution  to  be  underwritten  for  the  buildinge 
of  a  howse  of  Entertainment  at  James  and  therefore 

woode  earnestly  desire  y^  you  would  be  pleased  to  send 
ouer  some  of  Carpenters  Brickmakers  and  Bricklayers 
of  wch  usefull  trades  there  is  very  great  want,  and  for 
whose  labour  wee  wilbe  content  to  paye  after  a  good  rate 

Gla&s  Workii. 

"  Touchinge  the  pceeding  of  Capt.  Norton  and  the  Italians 
M'  Thresurer  hath  prmised  to  giife  you  pticular  aduertis- 
ment :  The  booke  wch  you  haue  been  pleased  to  comend 
unto  us  haih  nott  yet  been  redd  ouer  by  euery  one  of  the 
Counsell,  butt  by  as  many  as  haue  redd  it,  is  very  much 
distasted  for  the  bitternes  of  the  language. 

Earl  of  Pemhrohe 

"  Yt  is  noe  small  encouragement  unto  us  that  the  Right 
Hono^^^  the  Earle  of  Pembrooke  hath  vouchsafed  to  caste 
a  favorable  eye  uppon  the  Southern  Colonic  who  shall 
comand  from  us  our  best  endeauors  in  chusinge  out  for  his 
LorP  and  his  Assocyatts  the  most  comodious  seate  that 
may  be 


LETTER  FROM  THE  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.         285 


Arrival  of  Gookin'n  Ship. 

"  There  ariued  lieere  about  the  22*''  of  Nouember  a  shipp 
from  M'  Gookin  out  of  Ireland  wholy  uppou  his  owne 
Adventure,  withoute  any  relatione  at  all  to  his  contract 
wth  you  in  England,  wch  was  soe  well  furnished  with  all 
sortes  of  pvisione,  as  well  as  with  Cattle  as  wee  coflld  wyshe 
all  men  would  follow  theire  example,  hee  hath  also  brought 
with  him  aboute  50  men  upon  that  Aduenture,  besides 
some  30  other  Passengers,  wee  haue  Accordinge  to  their 
desire  seated  them  at  Newports  news,  and  we  doe  canceiue 
great  hope  yff  the  Irish  Plantation  p'per  y*  frome  Ireland 
greate  multitude  of  People  wilbe  like  to  come  hither 

Ship  Builders  needed. 

"  Wee  doe  humblie  entreate  you  to  go  on  wth  your  pur- 
pose of  sending  ouer  of  Shipwrightes,  who  for  this  Colonic 
y*  is  yett  seated  one  the  riuers  side,  wilbe  heere  men  of 
singular  use  for  the  buildinge  of  Shipps,  Pynnaces,  and 
small  vessells,  without  the  wch  wee  cannott  well  psecute 
our  discouerie  and  seakinge  to  Trade  wth  our  neighbours, 
or  Transporte  eyther  ourselues  or  our  Goodes  from  one 
place  to  another 

Project  of  Ccjit.  Nuce. 

"  Wee  haue  lieerein  sent  you  a  piect  of  Capt  Newces  wch 
yf  you  shalbe  pleased  to  take  likinge  of  yt  is  thought  heere, 
will  yeelde  you  a  more  certain  pffitt  than  your  Tenants  to 
halfes,  wch  being  pposed  to  the  generall  Assemblie,  was  by 
them  very  well  approved  of:  we  haue  uppon  his  Peticione 
and  deepe  ptestations  (yt  he  is  utterlie  ignorant  in  the 
busines  of  the  Sawinge  Mills)  sent  home  the  Dutchmans 


2gg  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Sonne  who  cam  ouer  hither  only  for  the  commforte  of  his 
father,  and  the  rather  to  discharge  you  of  the  payinge  of 
unnecessary  wages. 

Master  of  Gooklns  Ship. 

"  M'"  Pountis  hath  had  some  conference  with  y^  M'  of  the 
Irish  shipp  a  Dutchman,  whose  name  ys  Cornelius  Johnson 
of  Home  in  Hollande,  who  is  soe  farr  in  loue  with  this 
Countrey  as  he  intendeth  to  returne  hither;  within  this 
Twelue  moneth,  and  of  him  selfe  offered  to  pcure  and  bringe 
ouer  a  fitt  M'"  workman  to  build  Sawinge  mills  heere  wch 
shall  goe  with  the  winde,  of  which  you  may  be  pleased  to 
enquire  fourther,  yf  you  thinke  good,  wch  wee  desire  they 
may  undertake  themselues,  by  wch  course,  you  shall  run 
noe  hassard  but  yf  it  pcede  well,  you  may  take  y^  Aduan- 
tage  of  theire  Example. 

"  Thus  desiringe  you  to  beleeue  y*  we  will  unanimouslie 
joine  to  the  uttmost  of  our  powers  for  the  Aduancement  of 
the  Colonic,  of  y^  future  psperi tie  whereof  we  conceaue  the 
greatest  hope,  by  how  much  yt  hath  pleased  God  to  bless 
this  Colonic,  wth  much  better  health  than  formerlie,  we 
most  humblie  take  our  leeues  and  remaine  at  your  comande 
"  Francis  Wyett 
George  Yeardlei      George  Sandys 
George  Thorpe 

Jo:  Barkley  Natha.  Poule 

Ch:  Dauisone  Tho.  Newce 

John  Pott  Sam  Macok 

Jo:  Pountis." 


EDUCATION  IN  VIRGINIA.  287 


Letter  from  ''Dust  and  Ashes." 

January  30,  1621-2.  "  The  letter  subscribed  D.  and 
A.,  brought  to  the  former  Court  by  an  unknowne  Mes- 
senger was  nowe  againe  presented  to  be  read  the  contents 
whereof  are  as  foUoweth  : 

"'January  28th,  1621. 

" '  Most  worthie  Conipanie  :  Whereas  I  sent  the  Trea- 
suror  and  yorselues  a  letter,  subscribed  '  Dust  and  Ashes,' 
wch  promised  550h.  to  guie  to   the  prsons  expressed  and 
did  soone  afterward,  accordinge  to  my  promise  send  the  said 
money  to  S^'  Edwin  Sandys  to  be  deliuered  to  the  Companie, 
In  wch  letter  I  did  not  directly  order  the  bestowinge  of  the 
said  money  but  shewed  my  intent  for  the  conuersion  of  In- 
fidells'  Children,  as  it  will  appeare  by  that  letter  which  I 
desire  may  be  read  in  open  Court,  wherein  I  chieffly  com- 
ended  the  orderinge  thereof  to  the  wisdome  of  the  Hono^^^ 
Companie,     And  whereas  the  gentlemen  of  Southampton 
Hundred  haue  undertaken  the  disposinge  of  the  said  55011, 
I  haue  longe  attended  to  see  the  erectinge  of  some  schoole  or 
other  waye  whereby  some  of  the  Children  of  the  Virginians 
might  haue  bin  taught  and  brought  up  in  Christian  reli- 
gion and  good  manners  wch  not  beinge  donne  accordinge 
to  my  intent  but  the  money  deteyned  by  a  priuate  hun- 
dred all  this  while  contrary  to  my  minde,  though  I  iudge 
verie  charitably  of  that  honoble  Society,     And  as  already 
you  haue  receaued  a  great  and  the  most  painfully  gained 
part  of  my  estate  towards  the  layinge  of  the  foundacon  of 
Christian    religion    and   helpinge    forward  of  this    pious 
worke  in  that  Heathen,  nowe  Christian,  Land,  so  nowe  I 


288  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

require  of  the  whole  Body  of  yo""  Hono^^''  and  worthie  Com- 
panie,  whome  I  entrusted  with  the  dispose  of  the  said  mo- 
neyes,  to  see  the  same  speedily  and  faithfully  conuerted  to 
the  worke  intended.  And  I  do  further  propound  to  you  the 
hono^^®  Companie,  that  if  you  will  procure  that  some  of  the 
male  Children  of  y*^  Virginians  though  but  a  fewe  be  brought 
ouer  into  England  here  to  be  educated  and  taught,  and  to 
weare  a  habbit  as  the  Children  of  Christ's  Hospitall  do 
and  that  you  will  be  pleased  to  see  the  5501i  conuerted  to 
this  use,  then  I  faithfully  promise  that  when  eight  or  ten 
of  the  Virginians'  Children  are  brought  ouer,  and  placed 
in  London  either  in  Christ's  Hospitall  or  els  in  the  Vir- 
ginan  Schoole  or  Hospitall  as  it  may  be  called  and  by  the 
wills  and  guifts  of  good  men  may  be  yearly  augmented, 
where  the  Companie  may  haue  an  ey  ouer  them,  and  be  (as 
it  were)  nursing  Fathers  unto  them,  then  I  say  I  faithfully 
promise  to  add  45011  more,  to  make  the  sume  l,0001i  wch 
if  God  permitt  I  will  cheerfully  send  you  only  I  desire  to 
nominate  the  first  tutor  or  Gouernor  who  shall  take  charge 
to  nurse  and  instruct  them  :  But  if  you  in  yo*"  wisdomes  like 
not  of  this  mocon  then  my  humble  suite  unto  the  whole  body 
of  yo^'  Honorable  Companie  is  that  my  former  guift  of  55011 
be  wholly  imployed  and  bestowed  upon  a  free  schoole  to 
be  erected  in  Southampton  Hundred,  so  it  be  presently 
imployed,  or  such  other  place  as  I  or  my  friends  shall  well 
like  of  wherein  both  English  and  Virginians  may  be  taught 
together  and  that  the  said  Schoole  be  endowed  with  such 
priuileges  as  you,  in  your  wisdomes,  shall  think  fitt:  The 
M'  of  wch  Schoole  I  humbly  craue  may  not  be  allowed  to 
goe  ouer  except  he  first  bringe  in  to  the  Companie  sound  tes- 
timony of  his  sufficiency  in  learninge  and  sincerity  of  life. 


MRS.  READ  AND  CAPT.  MARTIN.  289 

" '  The  Lord  giue  you  wise  and  uuderstandinge  harts, 
that  his  worke  therein  be  not  negligently  performed. 

"  '  D.  and  A. 

"  Directed  to  '  The  Right  Honorable  and  worthy  the 
"  '  Treasurer,  Councill  and  Company  of  Virginia.'  " 


Wife  of  Read,'  the  Blacksmith. 

March  13.  "The  peticon  of  Isabell  Read  beinge  taken 
into  consideracon  the  Court  hath  ordered  that  shee  shall  re- 
paire  to  Captaine  Jo.  Martin  to  require  his  aunsweare  touch- 
inge  his  promise  of  satisfaccon  for  her  goods  that  he  hath 
acknowledged  came  to  his  hands  and  which  he  hath  since 
alienated  and  sold  unto  others  as  shee  made  to  appeare  and 
touchinge  her  other  request  for  the  howse  and  100  acres 
of  land  wch  James  Read  her  Husband  deceased  in  Virginia 
enioyed  in  respect  of  y^  Aduenture  of  his  person  thither, 
and  died  seized  of  them,  the  Court  hath  confirmed  the 
same  unto  her  Daughter  Joane  accordinge  to  her  desire, 
beinge  the  next  heire  unto  her  deceased  father. 

"  The  appointed  Comittee  hauinge  drawne  up  a  Declara- 
tion by  waye  of  Aunsweare  unto  Captaine  Martins  Certifi- 
cate and  Patent  the  same  was  nowe  presented  in  Courte 
and  read  being  this  that  followeth 

"'Right  Honorable  whereas  at  a  greate  and  Generall 
Quarter  Courte  for  Virginia  held  the  xxxthe  of  January  last 


1  James  Road,  blacksDiith.  landed  with  the  first  party  at  Jamestown,  in 
May,  1607. 

37 


290  VIRamiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

their  was  presented  to  the  Said  Courte  a  Certificate  on  the 
behalfe  of  Cap*  Jno.  Martin,  in  y^  name  of  y^  Coansell  & 
Comp''  for  his  Ma"''  here  resident  conteyninge  a  DecLaration 
of  his  worth  and  seruises  and  therby  reporting  him  to  be 
worthie  to  enioy  the  Patents  and  priueledges  therin  graunted 
unto  him  subscribed  by  some  Hon^^*"  personns  and  others: 
diuers  of  whome  the  Company  conseavinge  not  to  be  fully 
enformed  of  the  truth  of  all  passages  in  that  buisines,  haue 
therfore  thought  itt  their  duty  to  giue  unto  them  and 
pticularly  unto  yo''  Lo^*  a  true  Accompt  of  the  State  and 
Carriage  thereof 

"  '  May  it  please  yo'  Lo^'  therefore  to  be  aduertised  That 
whereas  the  said  Company  are  Lymitted  and  dyrected  by  his 
Ma*'  Lres  Patents  to  4  great  and  generall  quarter  Courts  only 
for  passinge  of  all  matters  of  greatest  waight  and  pticularly 
for  disposinge  of  the  Land  in  Virginia,  and  as  beinge  a  fun- 
dam' tall  Lawe  was  notoreously  knowne  to  all  the  Company 
&  for  further  caution  hath  bine  from  time  to  time  accord- 
ingly declared  to  the  Planters  as  an  ordinance  from  his 
Ma*y  to  be  inuyolably  obserued. 

" '  Contrarie  here  unto  there  was  psented  att  a  pryuate 
inferior  Courte  2  seuerall  Patents  ready  engrossed  (ye 
Corny*  not  beinge  afore  acquainted  wtli  them)  the  one 
Constitutinge  the  said  Capt  Martin  M'  of  the  Ordnance, 
the  other  conteynhige  a  Graunt  of  Land  unto  him,  his  heirs, 
executors  and  assignes,  By  wch  pryuate  Courte  called  ex- 
traordinarilie  and  as  by  ye  effect  appeared  for  y*  onely 
buisiness  the  said  Patent  was  unlawfully  and  unduly 
passed  notwithstandinge  y°  dislike  of  diuers  then  psent^ 
but  yett  neuer  had  y*'  Confirmacon  of  a  Quarter  Courte. 

'"Secondly  the  saide  Patent  for  Land  doth  conteyne  an 
intended   graunt   of  diuers   exorbutant   pryueledges    and 


COMPACT' 8  ANSWER  TO  GAPT.  MARTIN.  291 

transcendent  liberties  to  Cap^  Martin  apparantlie  repugnant 
to  iustice  and  the  good  Gouerment  of  the  generall  pLantacon 
wch  the  Comp*  by  his  Ma"'^^  Lres  Patents  to  them  could 
not  graunt  as  mainely  the  exemption  of  all  the  people  within 
his  Lands  from  the  Gouernm^  of  the  Gouernor  and  Coun- 
sell  in  Virginia  and  from  all  other  seruices  of  the  whole 
Colony  there  (except  in  case  of  Warr  and  allso  a  graunt  of 
unlymited  Fishinge,  And  allso  y^  Fifte  pt  of  all  rich  Mynes, 
And  to  enioy  all  other  Mynes  found  by  him  his  heirs  or 
assignes,  and  of  Comon  Martes  to  be  erected  att  his  plea- 
sure &  many  other  generall  indefinite  liberties  as  appeareth 
in  the  said  Patent ;  By  collour  of  wch  exorbitant  Patent 
many  great  inconuenyencies  haue  followed  to  y*"  Company 
and  Colony,  as  in  pticularr  Capt  Martins  refusall  to  Sub-/ 
mitt  himselfe  to  ye  Lawes,  and  orders  of  the  Colony  in 
Virginia. 

"  •'  And  y*  this  Plantacon  is  made  a  Receptacle  &  Harbo'*  / 
of  disordered  psonns  who  subterfuge  thither  from  ordinary  f 
Justice,  All  wch  &  many  other  mischeefs  haue  been  often 
Complayned  of  by  y"  Colony  att  their  pticular  and  generall 
Assemblies  and  by  y^  Gouerno''  there  aud  most  grieuously 
by  Capt  Argall  himselfe  then  Gouerno''  by  his  letter  to  the 
Company,  notwithstanding  his  owne  subscripcon  to  Capt 
Martins  saide  Certificate  in  approbacon  of  the  said  Patent 
uppon  wch  Lre  an  orde^^  was  made  in  a  great  and  generall 
Quarter  Court  in  May  1618  and  a  Comittee  appoynted  to 
examine  and  reforme  y^  said  Patent  there  being  psent  att 
y*  Court  S""  Thomas   Smith  and  Mr.  Alderman  Johnson 
then  Trer  and  Deputy  to  this  Company  so  y^  itt  seemeth 
strange  to  y^  Comp^  to  finde  their  hands  allso  to  Capt  Mar-; 
tins  Certificate  contradictinge  the  Act  oT  y*  great  Courte 
wherein  themselues  were  y*'  principall  directors : 


292  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"'Moreouer  y^  said   inconueniences  haue  been  lately 
satisfied  Viua  Voce  before  the  Company  in  open  Courte. 

"  'Lastly  y*^  Company  haue  and  doe  alwaies  offer  to  grant 
ye  said  Captaine  Martin  (of  any  of  whose  good  demerritts 
they  should  be  glad  to  heare  and  cherish)  uppon  surrender 
of  his  former  a  new  patent  of  all  his  Land  with  as  large 
and  ample  pryuyledges  as  any  other  hath  wch  fauour  all 
butt  himselfe  haue  most  willingly  &  thankfully  accepted  of 
"'The  said  Certificate  of  Capt  John  Martin  was  subb- 
scribed  to  with  these  names,  vizd 

"'Pembroak  Tho:  Smith 

Ro :  Warwick  -  Fra  :  West 

Leicester  W^  St  John 

MOUNTGOMERY  ROB^  JoHNSON- 

Sheffeilde  Samuell  Argall 

Ro:  Mansell  W«  Canning' 

"Wch  Declaration  beinge  read  and  some  words  altered 
that  might  fitt  it  to  the  qualitie  of  those  that  were  no  lords 
that  had  subscribed  to  the  said  Certificate  and  after  put  to 
the  question  was  well  approued  of  and  order  gmen  to  the 
Secretary  to  make  diuers  copies  thereof,  the  Court  entreat- 
in-e  S^  Jo  Dauers  and  Mr.  Tomlins  to  delmer  unto  such 
Lords  as  had  subscribed  thereunto  a  particular  Coppie  ot 
the  Companies  aunsweare  unto  the  said  Certificate  as  also 
unto  the  M^  of  requests  wch  they  were  pleased  to  under- 
take and  for  the  rest  order  was  giuen  to  the  Secretary  to 
deliuer  a  Coppie  to  each  of  them. 


THE  INDIAN  MASSACRE  OF  1623.  293 


Letter  of  the  Governor  and  Council  of  Virginia, 
WRITTEN  IN   April,  1622. 

"  Right  Hono''^^ 

"  Wee  receued  your  Letters  bearinge  date  the  26*^  of 
Nouember  and  5'^  of  December,  162  ,  the  first  by  the  Dis- 
couerie  which  ariued  not  at  James  Cyttie  until  the  14^^  of 
April  last,  the  other  by  the  Bona  Noua  the  T"^  of  the  same 
and  will  doe  our  best  to  fulfil  your  comands  as  farr  as  the 
necessitie  of  our  prsente  afiayres  will  prmitt.  But  since 
our  last  by  the  George  dated  in  Januarie  1621  itt  hath 
•  pleased  God  for  our  many  seruices  to  laye  a  most  lament- 
able Afflictione  uppon  this  Plantation,  by  the  trecherie  of 
the  Indyans,  who  on  the  22*^  of  March  laste  attempted  in 
most  places  under  the  Coulor  of  unsuspected  amytie,  in 
by  Surprize  to  haue  cutt  us  of  all,  and  to  haue 
Swept  us  away  at  once  throughoute  the  whole  lande  had 
itt  nott  plesed  god  of  his  abundant  mercy  to  preuent  them 
in  many  places,  for  wch  we  can  neuer  sufficyent  magnifie 
his  blessed  name. 

Grent  Massacre. 

"  Butt  yet  they  puayled  soe  farr  y*  they  haue  massacred 
in  all  partes  aboue  three  hundred  men,  women,  and  child- 
ren, and  haue  since  nott  only  spoyled  and  slaine  diners  of 
our  Cattell,  and  some  moer  of  our  people,  and  burnte  most 
of  the  Howses  we  haue  forsaken,  but  haue  also  enforced 
us  to  quitt  many  of  our  Plantacons,  and  so  unite  more 
neerely  together  in  some  places  the  better  for  to  strengthen 
and  defende  ourselues  against  them. 


/ 


294  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Plantations    Occnpied. 

"  Wee  haue  thought  most  fitt  to  hold  those  few  places 
James  Cyttie,  w^*^  Paspebay,  and  certain  Plantacons  one 
the  other  side  of  the  riuer  ouer  against  the  cyttie,  and 
Kickoghtan  and  Newports  News  Southampton  hundred, 
Flowerdon  hundred,  Sherley  hundred  and  Plantacions  of 
M""  Samuell  Jourdans ;  all  other  through  out  the  whole 
Colonie  we  haue  been  fayne  to  abandon  and  to  bringe  the 
most  of  our  Cattle  to  James  Cyttie,  the  Island  beinge  the 
securest  place  for  them,  wch  we  hold  in  all  the  Riuer.  And 
these  are  more  than  wee  could  willinglie  haue  held  but 
that  it  was  ympossible  to  receaue  from  so  many  dispersed 
and  straglinge  Plantacions,  and  bringe  of  so  many  people, 
Goods,  Prouisions,  and  Cattle  to  any  one  place  soe  Sud- 
ainly  as  the  seasone  of  the  yeere  for  plantinge  required, 
neyther  yf  wee  would  was  there  in  any  one  wee  held  so 
much  clered  grounde  or  Howsinge  as  was  able  to  receaue 
halfe  the  people  togeather.  Now  matters  standinge  with 
us  heere  in  this  unhappie  State,  there  are  some  few  things 
of  especyall  consequence  wch  voluntariely  offer  them- 
selues  both  to  your  consideracons  and  ours,  and  uppon  the 
speedie  accomplishment  whereof  both  the  Honor  and 
safetie  of  the  whole  Accon  depende,  and  therefore  we 
cannott  but  assure  ourselues,  you  wilbe  as  sencyble  thereof 
as  the  ymportance  of  the  cause  require th. 

Importance  of  a  Fortified  Place. 

"  The  First,  wch  wee  did  a  little  touch  att  in  our  laste 

Letters  sent  by  the  George,  ys  the    greate  necessitie  of 

/      findinge  oute   a  place   soe  defensible  to  seate   uppon,  as 

where  we  may  soe  fortifie  ourselues  that  neyther  the  In- 


LETTER  OF  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.  295 

dyains  may  infest  us  (wch  they  will  continuallie  endeauor 
to  doe)  nor  forraine  enemy  subuert  us,  wch  wilbe  the 
master  peece  of  this  great  woorke,  for  since  this  late  woeful 
experience  hath  taught  us,  That  our  first  and  princypall 
care  should  haue  beene  for  our  safetie,  by  the  neglect 
whereof  the  Plantacon  though  it  hath  seemed  to  goe  on 
in  a  hopefull  and  florishinge  course,  yett  hath  all  this 
while,  gone  butt  soe  much  out  of  the  way. 

Settlements  too  Scattered. 

"  And  that  it  could  not  butt  bee  subiect  to  much  damages 
to  bee  soe  dispersedlie  and  promiscuously  planted  w'^  our 
late  reconsiled  saluage  enymies,  y*  y°  very  necessarie  for  us 
yett  at  last  to  laye  better  and  surer  foundations  for  y^  tyme 
to  come.  And  since  the  place  ys  yett  to  seeke,  to  make 
choyce  of  such  nowe,  and  there  to  fortifie  ourselues,  soe  as 
we  may  be  able  to  defend  us  even  against  our  most  power- 
full  Enemyes,  and  therefore  we  most  humblie  desire  that 
you  would  be  pleased  to  giue  us  leaue  to  remaine  in  such 
a  place  as  wee  shall  finde  most  fitt  to  seate  uppon,  for  the 
dyscouery  whereof  wee  intende  this  Summer  to  use  our 
best  endeauors. 

Desire  to  settle  in  one  place. 

"  And  to  that  ende  to  haue  comissione  That  the  Generall 
assemblie  here  may  haue  full  power  and  Authoritie  to  re- 
moue  to  such  a  place  as  they  shall  resolue  one,  and  because 
we  cannott  serue  ourselues,  as  wee  should  unles  wee  unite 
too-ether  in  greate  Bodies,  where  wee  must  be  contented  for 
for  a  while  w*''  small  quantities  of  Lande  according  to  y^ 
of  theire  people ;  that  you  would  bee  pleased  for  a 
tyme  y*  noe  Patients  be  graunted  at  home  to  any  pticular 


295  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

plantation  to  seate  when  they  thinke  good,  but  both  for 
the  place  and  pportione  of  Lande  they  bee  att  the  direc- 
tione  and  pportionment  of  the  Gouernor  and  Counsell  here. 

Necessity  for  Corn. 

^'  The  next  matter  of  greatest  jnnportanee  ys  how  in  this 
tyme  of  distresse  untill  y®  Plantation  hath  a  little  recouered 
itselfe  and  is  somewhat  settled,  we  shalbe  puided  of  a 
sufficyent  pportione  of  corne,  wherein  now  the  very  life  of 
the  whole  Colony  consist,  to  feede  for  many  monthes,  as  we 
heere  too  third  ptes  wherof  are  women,  children  and 
unskilfull  people  since  there  neuer  was  more  cause  to  feare 
the  miserable  ruin  of  y''  Plantation  by  a  relapse  into  an 
extreame  famine,  than  at  this  tyme  unles  our  wants  be 
supplied  from  home,  (for  besides  the  seasone  of  plantinge 
corne  almost  lost  before  wee  could  drawe  together  many 
whose  labours  myght  haue  beene  a  great  helpe  to  the 
encreasinge  of  our  store,  must  now  of  necessitie  be  em- 
ployed in  watchinge  and  wardinge  night  and  daye  for  the 
saftie  of  the  rest  of  the  howses,  of  the  cattle,  and  of  the 
corne  w*^^  shalbe  planted,  and  many  must  be  sent  out 
against  the  Indyans,  that  we  may  be  the  more  quiett  and 
safe  at  home  ;  neyther  can  wee  now  plant  corne  in  so  many 
places  as  wee  could  (especially  neere  the  howses  by  rear 
gone  y*  proceadeth  all  ouer  the  grounde  and  thick  growne) 
that  the  Indyans  may  hide  themselues  therein,  who  will 
from  tyme  to  tyme  peeke  out  many  of  our  people  whilst 
they  are  about  theire  weedinge  and  dressinge  thereof,  and 
we  haue  great  reason  to  doupt  since  they  haue  heretofore 
practized  the  like,  that  where  wee  doe  plant  any  corne  they 
will  eyther  cutt  it  downe  or  destroy  it  in  Summer  before 
y^  bee  ripe  or  by  stealth  share  with  us  at  Haruest.     And 


LETTER  OF  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.  297 

as  for  our  last  and  beste  refuge  heere  which  y^  our  getting 
of  corne  eyther  from  our  freends  by  trade,  or  from  our 
enemies  by  force  though  we  will  to  our  uttermost  endeuo"" 
both,  y*  is  very  uncertaine  and  hazardous.  And  therefore 
we  most  humbly  desire  that  since  a  sufficyent  pportione  of 
corne  and  that  very  good  and  well  chosen  be  sent  as  may 
be  able  to  sustaine  the  whole  colonic  this  next  yoere,  yf 
neede  shall  soe  require,  and  that  noe  man  be  suffered  to 
come  hither  without  a  yeers  prouision  of  corne  at  leste. 

Arms  Wi/nfed. 

"  Another  thinge  of  noe  lesse  moment  than  the  former  y^ 
Arnies  and  munitions  of  w^""  there  is  heere  at  this  tyme  so 
great  wante  that  at  least  a  third  pte  of  men  able  to  beare 
Armes  are  utterly  unpuided  thereof  and  without  w*^*^  we 
cannot  only  not  goe  fourth  to  reuenge  us  uppon  our  enemyes 
but  shalbe  euen  unable  to  defend  ourselues  at  home.  And 
therefore  shall  also  desire  y*  some  speedie  course  be  taken 
for  the  sendinge  of  a  large  quantitie  thereof  and  y^  a  con- 
tinual supplie  may  follow  from  tyme  to  tyme. 

An    KiKjlnecr  requested. 

"  And  since  wee  are  resolued  to  bestow  much  paynes  in 
matter  of  fortifications  where  wee  seate  ourselues,  that  you 
would  be  pleased  w**"  all  speede  to  sende  us  some  Skillfull 
Engineers  fit  for  such  a  worke  at  alsoe  great  store  of  spades, 
shouells,  mattocks,  prickaxes,  and  other  tooles  fitt  for  that 
purpose.  For  w^^  as  also  for  such  corne,  Armes,  munition 
or  any  thing  else  w^^  you  shalbe  pleased  to  send  us,  y'  is 
not  our  desire  to  be  any  way  chargeable  unto  you  but  as 
we  are  confident  to  be  able  to  doe  it,  notwithstandinge  all 
those  misfortunes  w^^'  haue  befalne  us,  soe  shall  wee  be 
38 


\ 


298  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

most  willinge  to  giue  you  such  sattisfaction  further  for  them 
•^th  -^gj^.^  gQQ^  Tobacco,  and  for  the  pformance  whereof  we 
doe  by  these  presents  engage  ourselues  unto  you. 

"  Thus  makinge  noe  question  but  that  yf  you  shalbe 
pleased  to  send  us  those  suppUes  hi  our  necessities,  the 
speedines  wherof  will  dubble  your  fauo'  to  us  therein. 
And  therfore  we  cannott  but  againe  with  all  ernestness 
ymportune  the  same,  the  Plantation  will  suddenly  be  in  a 
farr  more  safer  happie,  and  florishinge  estate  than  euer 
it  was  before.     We  most  humbly  take  our  leaues  and  rest 

Att  yo""  comands. 

Bowes,  tlie  Chronicler. 

May  20.  "  M'"  Howe  the  Cronicler^  makinge  a  request  for 
12'^  of  Tobacco  w'^''  he  pretends  was  promised  him  yearely  in 
consideracon  of  his  paines  and  willingness  to  doe  the  Compa- 
nie  seruice  in  his  Booke  relatinge  the  passages  concerninge 
Virginia.  The  Court  was  pleased  to  graunt  his  request  for 
this  yeare  giuinge  order  that  so  much  should  be  deliuered 
him  of  the  Companies  Tobacco  w'^^he  thankfully  accepted  of. 

Maids  Town. 

May  22.  "  The  Aduenturors  for  the  Maides  sent  the  last 
Somer,  hauingc  moued  for  a  ratable  proporcon  of  Land  to 
their  Aduenture  to  be  laid  out  together,  where  they  intend 
to  build  a  Towne  w'^''  they  desire  may  be  called  by  the 
name  of  Maydes  Towne.  The  Court  hath  graunted  the  re- 
quest and  approued  of  the  name  theyhaue  giuen  thereunto. 


1  Edward  Howes,  geutlenian  and  chronicler,  continued  Stoioe's  Chroni- 
cles of  England,  and  in  his  Ilistorij  of  Raign  of  Juntcs  the  First  speaks 
well  of  Virginia,  lie  was  probably  the  same  Ed.  Howes,  who  frequently 
corresponded  with  Winthrop  of  Connecticut. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THIRD  YEAR  OF  THE  EARL  OF   SOUTHAMPTON'S  DIRECTORSHIP. 

Transactions  from  May  22,  until  Sbptember,  1622. 
Annval  Election. 

AY  22,  1622.     "  Upon  mocon  in  reguard  the  Af- 
ternoone  was  farr  spent,  it  was  by  a  generall 
consent  agreed  unto  that  the  Court  should  be 
continued  after  6  of  the  Clocke  till  all  buisi- 
nesses  were  ordered. 

"  Imediately  after  these  things  were  thus  ordered,  as  the 
Court  were  proceedinge  after  their  accustomed  manner  to 
the  eleccon  of  their  Treasuror,  Deputy  and  other  Officers 
for  the  present  yeare  accordinge  to  the  direccon  of  his 
Ma*'  Letters  Patents,  M"^  Alderman  Hamersly '  rose  upp 
and  hauinge  first  excused  his  seldome  cominge  to  Courte 
by  reason  of  the  officers  negligent  warninge  of  him  he  said, 

Calvert  has  a  Message  from  the  King  delivered. 

"  That  himselfe  and  Mr.  Bell  ^  were  both  comanded  by 
M"^  Secretary  Caluert  to  deUuer  a  Message  in  his  Ma*'  name 
unto  this  Court,  namely  to  signifie,  that  although  it  was  not 

1  Hu<^h  Hamersly,  haberdasher,  a  proruinent  merchant,  sheriff  in  1618, 
mayor  of  London  1627. 

-  Robt.  Bell,  for  years  an  associate  with  Sir  Thomas  Smith  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  affairs  of  East  India  Company.  , 


300  VIBOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

his  Ma"*''  desire  to  infringe  their  liberty  of  free  eleccon  yet 
it  would  be  pleasing  unto  him,  if  they  made  choise  for 
Treasuror  and  Deputy  any  of  the  gentlemen  (comended 
for  their  sufficienceness  whose  names  were  menconed  in 
the  paper  nowe  presented  in  open  Court  w'^''  were  these 
that  follow,  vizt : 

ffo7'  Treasuror  were  nameiL  for  Deputy. 

S-"  J^  Wolstenholme.  M^  Leat.'' 

S"-  W"  Russell.  M  R°  Oftly.^ 

M--  Cletherow.^  M-"  Stiles. 

M'-  Maurice  Abbott."  M"^  Abdy." 

M""  Hamford."  M'  Bateman.' 

"  M''  Bell  beinge  also  entreated  to  deliuer  the  Message  he 
had  receaued  from  M''  Secretary  Caluert  said  That  he  was 
not  present  when  M''  Secretary  Caluert  imparted  this  Mes- 
sage to  M'  Alderman  Hamersly  but  that  there  came  a 
Messenger  to  him  one  night  to  require  him  to  attend  M' 
Secretary  Caluert  ^  at  his  Chamber  and  beinge  there  M'' 


1  Christopher  Cletherow  had  been  one  of  the  directors  of  East  India 
Company,  sherifi' in  1625. 

2  Maurice  Abbott,  brother  of  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  at  a  late 
period  one  of  the  Conimissioners  for  Virginia,  sheriff  of  l^ondon  in  1627. 

3  Afterwards  Sir  Humphrey  Handford,  sheriff  of  Loudon,  1622. 
•  Nicholas  Leat,  ironmonger. 

5  Robert  Offley,  merchant  of  London,  died  in  1631. 

6  Probably  Anthony  Abdy. 

7  Robert  Bateman  who  had  been  solicitor  of  East  India  Company. 

^  George  Calvert  created  baron  of  Baltimore,  February,  1625,  On  the 
accession  of  Charles,  having  under  Gondomar's  influence  joined  the  church 
of  Rome,  refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  supremacy,  was  retired.  Visited 
his  plantation  in  New  Foundland  in  1627,  and  again  in  1628.     From 


REELECTION  OF  SO  UTEAMPTON.  301 

Secretary  told  him,  that  his  Ma"*'  commanded  him  to 
signifie  his  pleasure  that  out  of  his  good  wishes  (for 
the  good  of  the  Company  and  the  Plantation  he  had 
recomended  to  this  Court  certaine  Gentlemen  (named  in 
the  paper  nowe  presented)  if  the  Company  so  thought  good  : 
But  it  was  not  his  meaninge  to  infringe  the  liberty  of 
their  free  choyse ;  And  being  desirous  to  haue  his  mes- 
sage in  writinge,  M*"  Secretary  said  it  needed  not  for  it 
was  but  short. 

Earl  of  Southampton's  Reelection. 

"  Both  Av'^^  Message  agreeinge  in  substance,  and  beinge 
a  full  remonstrance  of  his  Ma*^  well  wishinge  unto  the 
Plantation  and  of  his  gracious  meaninge  not  to  infringe 
the  priuiledge  of  the  Companie  and  liberty  of  their  free 
eleccon  was  receaued  with  great  ioye  and  contentment  of 
the  whole  Court  and  thereupon  proceedinge  to  the  eleccon 
of  their  Treasuror,  for  w'^^only  three  by  the  orders  of  the 


thence  went  to  Virginia,  but  refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  supremacy  re- 
quired by  hxw,  was  expelled  from  the  colony.  In  1632  obtained  a  charter 
for  settling  a  portion  of  Virginia,  but  died  on  April  IBth.  A  manuscript 
in  Library  of  Congress  copied  from  the  original  in  British  Sluseuni,  fur- 
nishes the  following  facts  : 

The  king,  when  the  patent  was  brought,  asked  Baltimore,  what  should 
be  the  name  of  the  region  ceded  ?  He  replied  it  would  have  been  pleasant 
to  have  called  it  after  the  king,  but  another  province  had  been  called 
Carolana.  Then  said  Charles,  "  Let  us  name  it  after  the  queen,  what 
think  you  of  Mariana?"  Baltimore  reminded  the  king  that  was  also  the 
name  of  the  Spanish  historian  who  taught  that  the  will  of  the  people  was 
higher  than  the  law  of  tyrants.  Still  disposed  to  compliment  his  wife,  the 
king  said  "  Let  it  be  Terra  Marias,"  and  the  blank  for  the  name  of  the 
province  was  thus  filled. 

Wolstenholme  was  largely  engaged  in  trade  with  America. 


302  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Company  could  stand,  It  was  generally  agreed  that  ont 
of  the  fine  formerly  proposed  by  his  Ma^'*"  for  Treasuror ; 
choise  should  be  made  of  two  of  them  to  stand  in  eleccon 
with  one  that  the  company  should  name  : 

"  Whereupon  the  former  fine  beinge  seuerally  put  to  the 
question  It  appeared  by  ereccon  of  most  hands  that  Mr. 
Clethero  and  Mr.  Hanford,  were  to  stand  for  it :  Then 
the  Companie  named  the  Lord  of  Southampton  who  beinge 
all  three  accordingly  ballated,  the  place  fell  to  the  Lord 
of  Southampton  by  hauinge  117  balls,  Mr.  Clethero  13, 
and  Mr.  Hamford  7. 

"  In  like  manner  out  of  the  fiue  formerly  named  by  his 
Ma*'*"  for  Deputy,  by  ereccon  of  most  hands  M""  Leat  and 
M'  Bateman  were  to  stand  for  it,  unto  whome  the  Companie 
hauinge  added  M""  Nicholas  Farrar  they  were  all  three  put 
to  the  Ballatinge  Boxe,  and  thereupon  choise  was  made  of 
M'"  Nicholas  Farrar  by  hauinge  103,  M""  Bateman  10,  and 
M-"  Leate  8. 

June  5.  "  My  Lo :  Cauendish  acquainted  the  Court  w*^ 
his  Ma*^  Answeare  unto  the  message  he  deliuered  in  the 
name  of  the  Companie  in  the  presence  of  my  Lo  :  Haugh- 
ton  and  diuers  others  of  the  Counsell  that  attended  them. 


The  London  Company  to  Governor  and  Council  of  Virginia, 
June  10,  1622. 

"  After  o'"  very  heartie  comendacons  :  The  safe  arriuall 
of  all  the  Sliipps  and  people  sent  this  last  yeare  to  Virginia, 
hath  bredd  such  abundance  of  ioy  as  could  not  be  con- 
tained amongst  o'selues,  but  hath  declared  itself  by  pub- 
lique  thanksgiueinge  unto  God  Almightie  that  of  the  rich- 
ness of  his  mercies  through   all  waies    and  passages   so 


LETTER  TO  OOVEBNOB  AND  COUNCIL.  303 

securely  conducted  you  :  This  unexpected  blessing  doth 
much  encouradge  us  in  the  midest  of  many  difficulties  w*^ 
an  assured  hope  that  the  indignation  of  God  is  now  at 
last  appeased  and  that  his  gratious  fauor"  shall  henceforth 
lead  you  on  successfully  in  all  things :  And  this  we  hope 
the  rather  by  the  good  enterance  w*'*'  we  haue  understood 
you  haue  made  in  the  Iron  works,  and  other  staple  com- 
odities,  wherein  we  most  earnestly  intreat  you  with  all 
constancie  and  dilligence  to  proceed  :  for  there  is  now  an 
absolute  necessitie  upon  us  to  make  good  and  that  speedily 
by  reall  proofe  some  of  those  things,  w'^  the  expectation  of 
^ch  ^Q  \i^\xQ  so  long  posessed  the  world. 

Iron  and    Wine  expected. 

"  Wherefore  as  y"'  owne  welfare  and  the  aduancement  of 
y^  Plantation  is  deare  and  pretious  unto  you,  or  if  our  loues 
and  endeuors  haue  deserued  ought  at  yo""  hands  ;  we  pray 
and  intreat  you  not  tofaile  in  the  performance  of  what  we 
in  y"""  behalfe  haue  promised  :  and  let  us  haue  at  least  by  the 
next  returnes  some  good  quantitie  of  Iron  and  Wyne ;  that 
w'^  you  sent  by  the  George  was  by  long  carrieng  spoiled 
but  principally  by  the  mustie  caske  wherein  itt  was  putt 
so  that  it  hath  been  rather  of  scandall  than  creditt  unto  us. 

Silk  raising  vr(/ed. 

"  His  Ma"^  aboue  all  things  requires  from  us  a  proofe  of 
silke  ;  sharply  reprouinge  the  neglect  thereof,  wherefore 
we  pray  you  lett  that  little  stock  you  haue  be  carefully 
improued,  the  mulberrie  trees  preserued  and  increased, 
and  all  other  fitt  preparations  made  for,  God  willing 
before  Christmas  you  shall  receiue  from   us  one  hundred 


304  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

ounces  of  Silkworme  seed  at  least,  wch  comeing  to  late 
from  Valentia  we  haue  been  forced  to  hatch  it  here. 

Silk  Grass. 

"  The  Silk  grasse  sent  home  by  Mr.  Pory,  whose  paines 
and  discouries  we  much  esteeme,  is  auouched  unto  us  by 
them  that  haue  long  lined  in  the  East  Indies  to  be  the 
same  of  wch  the  Cambaya  stufes  are  made,  we  pray  you 
therefore  and  him  in  pticular  to  endevo'  to  procure  some 
good  quantitie  of  it  that  experience  may  be  made  thereof. 

Proj'osed  Altera  (ion  uf  Tenant's  Conditions. 

"The  project  of  Capt.  Newce  concerninge  the  altering  of 
the  condicons  with  o'"  Tenants  hath  been  the  more  care- 
fully considered  of  by  us  in  regard  it  was  recommended  by 
you  in  generall,  but  as  yett  we  are  come  to  no  determina- 
tion thereof  through  the  interupcon  of  many  and  weighty 
bussineses,  wch  haue  wholly  taken  off  o'  times  and  wch 
we  could  by  no  meanes  wane,  but  we  shall  true  enough 
giue  answer  thereunto  :  In  the  meanwhile  we  desire  that 
no  alteration  be  made  Ijut  that  the  best  may  be  donne 
according  to  the  course  therein. 

Fortifications. 

"  Wee  haue  much  and  very  carefully  labored  in  the 
matter  of  Fortification,  wch  you  so  much  presse  but  hau- 
inge  fruitlessly  attempted  diurswaies,  Capt.  Each,  maister 
of  the  Abigaile  made  offer  uppon  the  assurance  of  60,000 
waight  of  Tobacco  homwards  at  3d  p.  pound  fraight  to 
carrie  twelue  carpenters  with  him,  by  whom  and  his  owne 
Mariners   together   with    the    assistance   of  the    Collony 


LETTER  TO  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.  305 

layinge  his  Sliipp  nere  Blunt  Point,  he  wold  erect  before 
the  end  of  March  uppon  the  oyster  banks  a  Block  House 
that  should  forbid  the  passage  of  any  Shipp  upp  higher  in 
the  riuer.  Wee  haue  many  times  aduised  with  the  Planters 
lately  come  ouer,  and  by  the  opinions  and  entreatie  of 
them  all  assuring  us  it  will  be  a  most  necessarie  and 
welcome  busines  haue  agreed  with  Capt.  Each  to  sett  for- 
ward from  the  Isle  of  Wight  the  beginning  of  August 
next ;  and  although  the  Company  at  psent  be  much  in- 
debted neere  two  thousand  pounds  yet  for  the  effectinge 
hereof  they  haue  not  refused  to  bestow  neare  300'*^  in 
Instruments  and  other  provisions  necessarie  the  repay- 
ment whereof  they  will  expect  the  psent  yeare  from  the 
Collony,  for  whose  safty  and  securitie  they  doe  it :  Wee 
send  you  here  the  plott  of  that  wch  he  hath  proposed  unto 
us,  that  by  consideration  thereof  you  maybe  better  prepared. 

The.    Comjyani/ a  Debts. 

"  The  Companies  debts  here  at  home  make  us  very 
solicitous  w^*^  hauinge  grown  not  for  o"^  ownselues  here, 
whereas  you  well  know  all  things  are  donne  freelie,  but 
for  the  aduantage  and  good  of  the  Plantation,  and  Collonie  ;• 
we  cannot  but  desire  y°^  w*^*^  haue  the  greatest  benefitt  to 
take  likewise  uppon  you,  part  of  the  care  for  the  sattisfac- 
con  thereof,  that  neither  the  Company  be  disinabled  and 
dishonored,  nor  those  priuate  psons  who  stand  engaged  for 
them,  damaged,  whose  deserts  towards  you,  as  in  this  so 
in  all  other  things  haue  been  very  great :  wherefore  we 
earnestlie  intreat  you  to  be  all  assistant  in  what  possible 
you  may  to  those  whose  pticular  charge  it  is  for  the  im- 
proueinge  and  recouringe  of  the  Companies  debts  and 
reuenwes. 

39 


oQg  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Poor    Tobacco. 

"  The  Tobacco  sent  home  by  the  George  for  the  Company 
proued  very  meane  and  is  yett  unsould  although  it  hath 
been  offered  at  3'  the  pound.  This  we  thought  fitt  to 
aduise  you  concerninge  the  quantitie  and  the  maner  how 
it  is  raised,  in  both  w'^''  being  done  coutrarie  to  their 
direccons  and  extreamly  to  theire  preiudice,  the  Companie 
is  very  ill  sattisfied,  wee  will  write  by  the  next  more  largely. 

The  Glass    Works. 

"  Next  the  publique,  wee  must  againe  recomend  unto 
you  the  last  yeares  und''takinge  of  the  Glass-wotks,  the 
Furrs,  the  Maids,  and  the  Magazine,  that  each  of  them 
respectiuely  haue  y"*""  best  fan"''  and  assistance,  so  that 
although  they  haue  missed  of  the  psent  return  w*'^  they 
expected,  yett  in  the  end  the  good  proceed  of  their  Aduen- 
tures  may  enable  and  encouradg  them  to  go  on  in  these 
and  the  like  necessarie  kinds  of  supplies,  w*'^  haue  here 
risen  not  out  of  the  supfluitie  of  theire  estates  but  out 
of  their  charitie  and  great  zeale  w'^^  they  beare  unto  the 
•Plantation,  w""^  by  the  delay  of  one  yeare  is  sett  so  much 
backward,  whereof  the  damage  is  the  Collonies,  and  o"  the 
discontent  and  grefe,  who  would  willingly  haue  continued 
o""  yearely  supplies  if  we  might  haue  been  answered  as  was 
fitt  with  yearly  returnes  whereof  wee  see  no  just  cause 
to  the  contrarie. 

The  Maids. 

"  Wee  understand  that  M""  Pountis  his  care  and  charitie 
in  prouiding  for  the  maids  hath  been  very  great,  for  w*^*^ 
not  onely  the  pticular  Aduenturers  who  haue  sent  him  a 


LETTER  TO  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.  307 

remembrance  of  their  loues,  but  the  whole  Company  return 
him  verie  hartie  thanks :  But  whereas  we  are  informed 
by  some  priuate  letters  of  his  purpose  to  come  to  England 
this  yeare,  if  it  be  not  grounded  on  waightier  reasons  than 
are  alledged  we  erneastly  intreate  him  to  stay  considering 
both  in  regards  of  his  skill  and  office,  there  wil  be  speciall 
need  of  his  assistance  in  the  buildinge  of  the  forte  and 
otherwise  :  In  thiFrequest  the  Aduenturers  of  Southamp- 
ton hundred  ioyne,  who  by  the  good  entrance  that  he  hath 
made  in  theire  bussines  haue  conceiued  much  hope  of  the 
bettering  their  Plantacon  ;  and  for  the  ordering  of  the 
Discoverie  and  the  proceeds  of  her  vioadge  w^^  hath  been 
a  maruailous  charge  unto  them  they  do  much  reUe  uppon 
his  help.  The  reward  of  the  great  paines  and  care  w^*' 
we  and  they  by  the  seurall  employments  haue  putt  uppon 
him  shal  be  to  the  uttermost  of  our  abillities  and  we  doubt 
not  to  his  full  content,  for  the  pformance  whereof  we  de- 
sire creditt  onely  till  the  ariuall  of  the  Abigaile. 


Cattle. 


"One  thing  more  in  pticular  we  are  to  intreat  him, 
that  whereas  there  haue  been  a  deliuerie  of  certaine  Kine 
and  Calues  unto  him  by  M'^  Woodalls  appointant,  that  he 
do  not  proceed  in  the  sale  or  disposinge  of  any  more  of 
them  then  are  already  sold,  till  they  haue  further  order 
from  the  Company  who  conceiue  themselves  much  wronged 
in  the  deUury  of  so  many,  besids  that  there  is  claime 
made  by  others  unto  that  debt  uppon  w^*^  M""  Woodall  had 
the  order  for  the  catle. 


308  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Ship  Builders  sent. 

"  In  this  Shipp  cometh  ouer  Capt  Tho:  Barwick  w^^fiue 
and  twentie  psons  und'  his  gouerm*  for  the  building  of 
boats,  Shipps,  and  Pinnaces,  uppon  w^*"  they  are  onely  to  be 
employed ;  the  list  of  theire  names,  the  Copies  of  their 
seuerall  couennants,  and  the  Inuoyce  of  their  prouisions  we 
send  you  here  along,  to  the  intent  that  by  the  knowledge 
of  those  pticulars  yo''  cares  and  fauo'^  might  the  better 
help  forward  this  busines  :  There  is  not  any  thing  of  this 
nature,  as  hath  put  us  to  so  much  troble  and  charge  as 
ths  Project  hath  done ;  wherefore  as  the  most  difficult,  we 
most  especially  recommend  it  unto  you  desiringe  you  that  all 
the  prsons  in  generall  may  be  cherished,  so  in  pticular  Capt 
Tho :  Barwick  may  find  from  you  that  fau"*'  and  respect  as 
may  better  enable  him  for  the  pformance  of  his  place. 

Oversight  of  George  Sandys  Requested. 

"  And  as  of  all  in  generall  so  in  pticular,  we  verie  ear- 
nestlie  request  M'  George  Sandys  from  whom  at  first  this 
project  in  part  moued  to  haue  an  especial  regard  unto 
the  proceedinge  thereof,  and  that  he  would  be  pleased  to 
take  the  accompts  of  Capt.  Tho  :  Barwick  and  to  transmitt 
the  profitts  accordingly  as  they  shall  grow  due  from  time 
to  time,  unto  the  Aduenturers.  Our  desire  is  that  they 
should  be  sett  downe  all  together  in  one  place  where  after 
the  conuenient  howsinge  of  themselues,  they  should  all 
Hue  and  work  together  in  their  seuerall  trades  ;  the  choos- 
ing of  a  place  is  lefte  to  yo''  and  their  owne  iudgments,  so 
as  there  may  be  at  the  least  1200  acres  of  land  appropri- 
ated unto  it,  and  for  the  better  easing  of  them  in  drawinge 
of  their  Tymber  the  Company  haue  graunted  to  lend  him 


LETTER  TO  GOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.  309 

foure  of  theire  oxen,  wch  we  pray  yo^  cause  to  be  deliuered 
unto  them. 

Carpenter  for  East  India  School. 

"  There  comes  also  along  one  Leonard  Hudson  a  Car- 
penter, wth  his  wife  and  fiue  of  o'  Apprentices  for 
the  erecting  of  the  East  India  Schoole,  the  monies  would 
not  reach  unto  the  sending  of  an  Vsher  as  was  at  first 
intended,  and  besides  uppon  a  second  consideration  it 
was  thought  good  to  giue  the  Collony  the  choise  of  the 
Schoolem''  or  Vsher,  if  so  be  there  be  any  there  fitt  for 
the  place,  if  not  we  desire  to  und'^stand  what  proportion  of 
maintainance  they  will  alowe  and  accordingly  wee  will 
do  o"^  best  to  procure  from  hence  an  honest  and  sufficient 
man  for  such  a  charge.  The  building  of  a  Schoole  and 
setting  out  the  land  at  Charles  Cittie  is  not  so  absolutely 
required,  but  that  if  an  other  place  shal  be  iudged  more 
conuenient  by  the  Colonic  is  left  to  yo""  choise,  but  that 
there  be  such  a  proportion  of  land  somewhere  laid  out, 
and  that  these  people  now  sent  be  kept  together  for  cul- 
tivating the  land  and  building  of  a  house,  may  not  upon 
any  reason  whatsoeuer  be  altred  :  wherefore  we  pray  you 
to  lett  the  buissines  proceed  in  that  course,  where  in  the 
notice  of  a  good  beginninge  we  are  assured  will  stirr  upp 
the  minds  of  diurs  good  people  to  add  liberaly  to  this 
foundation :  There  is  very  much  in  this  buissines  that 
wee  must  leaue  to  yo''  cares  and  wisdomes  ;  and  the  help 
and  assistance  of  good  people,  of  wch  we  doubt  not. 

Rev.   William  Leate. 

"  We  send  ouer  M"*  Willm  Leate,  a  minister  recomended 
unto  us  for  sufficiencie  of  learning  and  integrity  of  life : 


310  vntaiNiA  company  of  London. 

if  he  be  entertained  by  any  private  Societie  we  shall  ex- 
pect the  charge  of  26^*^  wch  the  Comp.  hath  laid  out  for 
him,  to  be  returned  by  the  first  in  good  Tobacco  IS'^  p^'^ 
and  not  aboue,  and  in  this  in  the  like  kinds  we  especially 
desire  the  care  of  M'"  George  Sandys  that  by  the  returne 
of  the  Stock  we  may  be  enabled  to  continue  the  supplies. 

Provhions  for  Mr.  Bcrliclcy. 

"  The  good  endeauo'""  of  M*"  Berkley  we  kindly  accept 
and  haue  sent  him  and  his  people  diners  prouisions  wch 
he  writt  for :  for  matter  of  apparell  he  must  supplie  that 
out  of  the  Magazines  we  hauinge  beyond  our  liberties 
strained  o^'selues;  but  the  Aduenturers  of  Southampton 
hundred  desire  that  he  may  out  of  their  Store  haue  fine 
kine  deliured  him  and  his  Company. 

Supplies  for  Frenchmen. 

"  There  is  likewise  some  prouisions  for  the  Frenchmen 
and  the  next  Shipp  shall  bring  their  apparell,  there  wadges 
haue  been  paid  here  to  M'"  Bonall,  theire  kind  usage  and 
the  instructing  and  training  up  of  many  in  their  skille  and 
arts  are  things  we  especially  recomend  unto  you. 

Captain  NorUm. 

"  The  Aduenturers  of  the  Glasse  haue  sent  Capt  Norton 
a  good  supplie,  the  Copie  of  all  wch  Invoyces  together 
with  that  of  Martins  hundred  we  send  here  inclosed;  that 
you  miglit  the  better  right  them  if  by  the  negligence  and 
default  of  the  Mariners,  they  sufier  any  damage.  Uppon 
the  good  performance  of  this  Vioadge  by  the  Master  we 
desire  you  to  aford  him  all  the  fauo'"  and  curtesie  you  may, 


LETTER  TO  OOVERNOR  AND  COUNCIL.  ^W 

the  owners  and  undertakers  of  the  Shipp,  being  persons 
likely  by  large  Aduentures  mutch  to  aduance  the  Plan- 
tation. 

Rev.  Robert  Faulett. 

"M'  Robert  Paulett  the  Minister,  was  he  whom  the 
Court  chose  to  be  of  the  Counsell  for  M'^  Harwood,  the 
Aduenturers  of  Martin  hundred  desire  that  he  might  be 
spared  from  that  office,  their  bussines  requiringe  his  presence 
continually.  The  last  thing  that  we  will  conclude  with 
is,  that  it  hath  pleased  my  Lord  of  Southampton  for  one 
yeare  more  to  accept  the  place  of  Treasurer,  and  the  Lo : 
Cauendish  of  the  gouerment  of  the  Sumer  Hands.  And 
so  reseruinge  all  other  pticulars  untill  better  conueniencie, 
we  comitt  yo"  and  all  y*''"  affaires  to  the  guidinge  and  pro- 
tection of  the  Allmightie. 

"  Yo'"  very  Louinge  frends 
"  London  10  January  1622         Willm  :  Deuonshire 

Theoph:  Howard 
"To  o"*  very  Louing  frends         Willm.  Cauendish 
S'"  Francis  Wyatt  Knight         Ed  :  Sackfeild 
Gouernor,  and  Capt  Genall         Jo :  Lawton 
of  Virginia,  and  to  the  rest         Edwin  Sandis 
of  the   Counsell  of  State         Jo :  Dauers 
there,  these  be.  Robert  Smith 

NiCHO:  Ferrar  Deputie 
John  Ferrar 

ThO  :  GiBBS 

John  Smith 
Tho  :  Sheaperd" 


312  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


The  Kings  Forest  in  Virginia. 

Junel^.  "  The  Aunsweare  of  the  Counsell  andComimymj  for  Virginia 
assembled  in  a  generoll  Courte  IJune  19,  1622]  to  the  Fetition  of  Captayiie 
Jhon  Martyn  and  Capt :  Robert  Hassell  with  many  others  unnamed  touch- 
ing that  iohich  they  call  the  King's  Forrest  in  Virginia. 

"  The  sayde  Counsell  and  Companie  for  aunsweare  there- 
into saye  that  they  acknowledge  no  Kinge  of  Virginia  but 
Kinge  James,  of  and  under  whome  they  hold  and  not  from 
Kinge  Powhatan  so  named  by  the  Peticioners. 

"  True  it  is  that  for  a  permanent  home  as  well  to  his 
royall  Ma"''  the  flounder  of  that  Plantation  as  also  to  his 
princely  Issue  they  haue  named  both  their  chiefe  Citties, 
as  also  other  places  most  remarkable  with  the  names  of  his 
Ma*^^  and  of  his  Children  w*=^  they  suppose  doth  noe  waye 
alter  the  proprietie  of  Inheritance  in  those  places  w'^*'  his 
Ma"^  by  his  letters  Patent  under  his  great  scale  hath 
graunted  to  the  said  Companie  for  and  throughout  all 
Virginia. 

"  Touchinge  the  Kings  Forrest  so  named  in  the  peticon, 
it  is  a  name  happily  knowne  to  Capt :  Martin  and  his 
Associats  but  not  to  the  Company,  and  in  the  circuit  of 
that  Territory  w""^  they  are  pleased  to  call  the  Forrest  are 
placed  both  James  Citty  beinge  the  principall  Citty  in 
Virginia,  and  place  of  residence  for  the  Gouernor  and 
Counsell  and  also  diuers  other  principall  plantacons  and 
namely  that  of  the  Citty  of  London. 

"  Touchinge  the  Deere  it  is  true  that  generally  the  whole 
Countrie  of  Virginia  is  replenished  with  them,  but  for  the 
swyne  they  are  no  other  than  y^  breed  of  such  as  haue 
been  transported  thither  by  the  Companie  :     And   it   is 


PERNICIO  US  A  D  VENTURERS.  3x3 

straunge  unto  them  y*  Capt.  Martin  who  is  said  to  haue 
ruined  as  well  his  owne  State  (if  euer  he  had  any)  as 
also  the  estate  of  others  who  put  him  in  trust  (as  namely 
Capt.  Bargraue)  and  who  hath  made  his  owne  Territory 
there  a  Receptacle  of  vagabonds  and  bankrupts  and  other 
disorderly  psons  (whereof  there  hath  bin  made  publique 
complaint)  and  who  is  famous  for  nothinge  but  all  kinde  of 
base  condicons  so  published  in  print  by  the  Relations  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  Colony  about  10  yeares  since,  and 
who  for  the  said  condicons  was  displaced  by  the  Lord  De 
Lawarr  from  beinge  of  the  Counsell  as  a  most  unworthie 
person,  and  who  hath  presumed  of  his  owne  authority 
(no  way  deriued  from  his  Ma'^"^)  to  giue  uniust  sentence 
of  death  upon  diners  of  his  Ma*^  subjects  and  seen  the  same 
put  in  cruell  execucon,  should  dare  to  offer  himselfe  to  his 
Sacred  Ma^^^  as  a  Agent  either  for  matter  of  good  hus- 
bandrie  or  good  order. 

"  And  as  for  Capt :  Hazell  he  is  neither  Aduenturer  in 
the  Companie  nor  Planter  in  Colony  but  a  meere  stranger 
to  both,  nor  otherwise  knowne  unto  them  than  as  an  In- 
terpreter to  a  Polonian  Lord  of  his  owne  creatinge. 

"  But  if  his  Ma''*"  should  be  pleased  to  haue  a  Royall  de- 
measne  sett  out  for  his  Ma*^  his  heirs  and  successors  in 
Virginia  to  be  and  to  be  called  for  euer  the  Kins-'s  Land 
there  could  be  nothinge  more  ioyfull  to  the  said  Counsell 
and  Companie,  nor  wherein  they  would  more  willingly 
imploy  their  uttermost  endeauors  for  the  aduancinge  of  a 
perpetuall  standinge  Reuenue  to  his  Ma"^ 

Quarter  Court. 

July  3.     "  The  Court  gaue  order  that  a  Receipt  should 
be  sealed  for  47'^  16' w'^^  the  gentlemen  and  marriners  had 
40 


314  vmaiNiA  company  of  london. 

giuen  to  the  East  India  ComiDaiiy  to  be  imployed  in  layinge 
the  foundacon  of  a  Church  in  Virginia. 

Capt.  Martin  Prim. 

"  The  Court  thought  fitt  to  make  Capt :  Martin  Prim 
(the  Captain  of  the  Royall  James)  a  freeman  of  the  Com- 
panie,  and  to  giue  him  two  shares  of  land  in  reguard  of 
the  Large  contribucon  w''^  the  gentlemen  and  marriners  of 
that  shippe  had  giuen  towards  good  works  in  Virginia 
whereof  he  was  an  especiall  furtherer. 

Rev.  Mr.  Femhcrlon. 

"  The  Court  thought  fitt  to  bestowe  a  freedome  uppon 
M""  Pemberton  a  minister  of  Gods  word,  intendinge  forth- 
with to  goe  to  Virginia  and  there  to  imploye  himselfe  for 
the  conuertinge  of  the  Infidells. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lcnmce. 

"  The  Court  likewise  thought  fitt  to  make  M""  Launce  a 
ffreeman  understandinge  that  he  was  a  continuall  remem- 
brancer of  the  Plantation  in  his  Prayers. 

Land  assiffiiecl  to  Daniel  Gookin. 

"  M''  Mary  Tue  daughter  of  Hugh  Crouch  beinge  the 
heire  and  Executrix  of  Lieutenant  Richard  Crouch  did 
sett  and  assigne  ouer  in  this  Court  150  Acres  of  land,  w''^ 
he  said  Leiutenant  Crouch  did  bequeath  unto  her  by 
the  name  of  Mary  Younge  his  sister,  w'^^  Land,  was  for 
their  seruants  psonall  Aduentures  and  lyes  at  Newports 
Newes,  the  said  land  shee  assigned  ouer  to  M'  Daniel  1 
Gookin. 


PALMERS  ISLE.  315 

Land  Assigned  to  Samuel  Jordan. 

^'  The  said  Mary  Tue  likewise  assigned  100  acres  of  land 
w*'^  lies  in  Diggs  his  Hundred  to  Samuell  Jordan  of 
Charles  Hundred  gentleman. 

Patents  Recommended. 

"  These  Patents  folio winge  were  read  and  compared  and 
found  to  be  right  and  therefore  recomended  them  to  the 
Afternoons  Court  for  confirmacon. 

The  Lady  Berkeley  ^ 
M"  Tho  :  Addisou      | 
M'  Edw:  Johnson-      ^duenturers 
(     M"^  Edw  :  Palmer  ^ 
M"^  Wm  Felgate 
M'  Fran  Pecke,  &c 
]VP  John  Harvy         ^ 
M'' John  Pemberton   | 
M''  Wm  Rowsly         J>  Planters 
M"^  Dan  :  Gookin 
M-^  Chris :  Hilhiry 

Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins. 

July  3.  The  Court  haue  agreed  to  recomend  Mr.  Hop- 
kins Minister  unto  the  Gouernor  of  Virginia  in  respect  of 


'  Palmer's  isle  at  the  mouth  of  the  Susquehanna  was  named  after 
Edward  Palmer  of  Leamington,  Gloucester  Co.,  England.  Camden  says  he 
was  "  a  curious  and  diligent  antiquary;"  Fuller,  in  his  Worthies,  writes  : 
"  His  plenteous  estate  afforded  him  opportunity  to  put  forward  the  ingenuity 
implanted  by  nature,  for  the  public  good,  resolving  to  erect  an  academy  in 
Virginia.  In  order  whereuuto,  he  purchased  an  island,  called  Palmer's  is- 
land unto  this  day ;  but  in  pursuance  thereof  was  at  many  thousand  pounds 
expense  some  instruments  employed  therein,  not  discharging  the  trust 
reposed  in  them  with  corresponding  fidelity."     He  died  about  1625. 


316  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

that  good  comendacon  that  Mr.  Edw  Allen^  hath  giuen  of 
him  beinge  desirous  to  goe  ouer  at  his  own  charge. 

Capt.  Thomas  Jones. 

July  17.  A  mocon  was  made  in  the  behaife  of  Captaine 
Thomas  Jones  ^  Captaine  of  the  Discouery  nowe  imployed 
in  Virginia  for  Trade  and  ffishinge  that  he  might  be 
admitted  a  ffreeman  of  this  Companie  in  reward  of  the 
good  seruices  he  hath  there  performed.  The  Court  liked 
well  of  the  mocon  and  condiscended  thereunto. 


1  Edward  Allen  or  Alleyn,  formerly  stage-player.  In  1619  Dulwich 
College  founded  by  him  was  completed.     He  died  in  1626,  aged  63. 

2  Jones,  for  some  reason  not  stated,  although  he  sailed  from  England 
in  November,  1621,  did  not  arrive  at  Jamestown  until  the  following 
April.  In  August,  1622,  he  anchored  at  New  Plymouth.  Bradford 
says  :  "Behold  now  another  providence  of  God  a  ship  comes  into  the  har- 
bor, one  Captain  Joues  being  chief  therein.  They  were  set  out  by  some 
merchants  to  discover  all  the  harbors  between  this  and  Virginia,  and  the 
shoals  of  Cape  Cod,  and  to  trade  along  the  coast  where  they  could  * 
*  *  There  was  in  the  ship  a  gentleman  by  name  Mr.  John  Pory  : 
he  had  been  secretary  in  Virginia  and  was  now  going  home,  passenger  in 
this  ship." 

On  December  15th,  of  this  year  the  Council  for  New  England  directed 
a  letter  to  be  written  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Virginia  Company  complain- 
ing of  Capt.  Jones,  for  robbing  the  natives  of  New  England  of  their  furs, 
and  taking  some  prisoners. 

In  July,  1G25,  Jones  again  arrived  at  Jamestown  with  a  Spanish 
frio-ate  which  he  alleged  was  taken  in  West  Indies,  under  a  commission 
of  the  states  to  one  Captain  Powell,  from  whom  he  had  separated,  to  re- 
pair this  ship.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  he  died,  and  the  Virginia  autho- 
rities suspected  that  the  Spanish  vessel  had  been  illegally  obtained. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 


THE  MASSACRE. 

In  the  month  of  July  the  first  intelligence  of  the  great 
massacre  in  Virginia,  on  Friday  the  22d  of  March,  was  re- 
ceived by  the  Sea  Flower. 

Among  others  who  came  in  the  vessel,  was  brave 
Daniel  Gookin,  who  was  present  at  the  17th  at  a  meetmg 
of  the  Company.  The  following  is  the  prmcipal  part  ot 
the  account  of  the  massacre  as  published  by  authority  and 
prepared  by  Edward  Waterhouse. 

After  relating  the  apparently  friendly  disposition  of  the 
Indians,  the  narrative  says  : 

The  Massacre. 
"  The  Country  being  in  this  [peaceful]  estate,  an  occasion 
was  ministred  of  sending  to  Opachankano  the  King  of 
these  Sauages,  about  the  middle  of  March  last,  what  time 
the  Messenger  returned  backe  with  these  words  from  him. 
That  he  held  the  peace  concluded  so  firme,  as  the  Skie 
should  sooner  fall  than  it  dissolue :  yea,  such  was  the 
treacherous  dissimulation  of  that  people  who  then  had  con- 
triued  our  destruction,  that  euen  two  dayes  before  the 
Massacre,  some  of  our  men  were  guided  thorow  the  woods 
by  them  in  safety :  and  one  Browne,  who  then  to  learne 
the  language  liued  among  the  Warrascotjac7cs{3,  Proumce 
of  that  Kingf  was  in  friendly  manner  sent  backe  by  them 


318  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

to  Captaiiie  Hcnnor  his  Master,  and  many  the  like  passages, 
rather  increasing  our  former  confidence,  then  any  wise  in 
the  world  ministring  the  least  suspition  of  the  breach  of 
the  peace,  or  of  what  instantly  ensued  ;  yea,  they  borrowed 
our  owne  Boates  to  conuey  themselues  crosse  the  Riuer  (on 
the  bankes  of  both  sides  whereof  all  our  Plantations  were) 
to  consult  of  the  diuellish  murder  that  ensued,  and  of  one 
vti-er  extirpation,  which  God  of  his  mercy  (by  the  meanes 
of  some  of  themselues  conuerted  to  Christianitie)  preuented  : 
and  as  well  on  the  Friday  morning  (the  fatal  day)  the  22 
of  March  as  also  in  the  euening,  as  in  other  dayes  before, 
they  came  vnarmed  into  our  houses,  without  Bowes  or 
arrowes,or  other  weapons,  with  Deere,  Turkies,  Fish,  Furres, 
and  other  prouisions,  to  sell,  and  trucke  with  vs,  for  glasse, 
beades,  and  other  trifles  :  yea  in  some  places,  sate  down  at 
Breakfast  with  our  people  at  their  tables,  whom  imme- 
diately with  their  owne  tooles  and  weapons,  eyther  laid 
downe,  or  standing  in  their  houses,  they  basely  and  barbar- 
ously murthered,  not  sparing  eyther  age  or  sexe,  man, 
woman  or  childe ;  so  sodaine  in  their  cruell  execution,  that 
few  or  none  discerned  the  weapon  or  blow  that  brought 
them  to  destruction.  In  which  manner  they  also  slew  many 
of  our  people  then  at  their  seuerall  workes  and  husbandries 
in  the  fields,  and  without  their  houses,  some  in  planting 
Corne,  and  Tobacco,  some  in  gardening,  some  in  making 
Bricke,  building,  sawing,  and  other  kindes  of  husbandry, 
they  well  knowing  in  what  places  and  quarters  each  of  our 
men  were,  in  regard  of  their  daily  familiarity,  and  resort  to 
vs  for  trading  and  other  negotiations,  which  the  more  wil- 


ilt  was  on  Good  Friday,  April  18,  1644,  that  a  second  slaughter  by  the 
Indians  occurred. 


THE  GREAT  MASSACRE.  319 

lingly  was  by  vs  continued  and  cherished  for  the  desire  we 
had  of  effecting  that  great  master-peece  of  workes,  their 
conuersion. 

"  And  by  this  meanes  that  fatall  Friday  morning,  there 
fell  vnder  the  bloudy  and  barbarous  hands  of  that  per- 
fidious and  inhumane  people,  contrary  to  all  lawes  of 
God  and  men,  of  Nature  &  Nations,  three  hundred  forty- 
seuen  men,  women,  and  children,  most  by  their  owne 
weapons;  and  not  being  content  with  taking  away  life 
alone,  they  fell  after  againe  vpon  the  dead,  making  as  well 
as  they  could,  a  fresh  murder,  defacing,  dragging,  and 
mangling  the  dead  carkasses  into  many  pieces,  and  carry- 
ing some  parts  away  in  derision,  with  base  and  bruitish 
triumph." 

A  description  is  then  given  of  their  horrid  murder  of 
''  that  worthy  religious  Gentleman,  Master  George  Thorpe, 
Esquire,  Deputie  of  the  Colledge  Lands." 

The  narrative  continues  in  these  words  :  "  I  will  knit 
againe  together  now  the  tlired  of  my  Discourse,  and  pro- 
ceed to  tell  you.  That  at  the  time  of  this  Massacre  there 
were  three  or  foure  of  our  ships  in  lames-Riuer,  and  one 
in  the  next  Riuer,  and  daily  more  to  come  in,  as  three  did 
within  fourteene  dayes  after  ;  one  of  which  they  endeuored 
to  haue  surprised,  but  in  vaine,  as  had  also  beene  their 
whole  attempt,  had  any  the  least  fore-knowledge  beene  in 
those  places  where  the  Massacre  was  committed  :  '='  -^  * 
*  :;.  *  :•:  *  *  rj.^^  Lcttcrs  of  M^  George  Sandis,  a 
worthy  Gentleman  and  Treasurer  there,  likewise  haue 
aduertised  (as  many  others  from  many  particular  persons  of 
note  and  worth)  besides  the  Relations  of  many  returned  in 
the  Sea-flower  (the  ship  that  brought  vs  this  vnwelcome 
news)  haue  beene  heard  at  large  in  the  Publike  Courts." 


320  VIBOmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

♦  ♦  ^:  *  .-J:  Tliey  certifie  further,  That  besides  Mas- 
ter George  Thorpe,  before  mentioned,  Master  lohn  Berke- 
ley, Captaine  Nathaniel  Powel,  and  his  wife,  (daughter  of 
Master  William  Tracy,  and  great  with  childe)  and  Cap- 
taine Maycoch,  all  Gentlemen  of  birth,  vertue,  and  industry, 
and  of  the  Councell  there,  suffered  vnder  this  their 
cruelty  and  treason.  That  the  slaughter  had  been  vni- 
uersall,  if  God  had  not  put  it  into  the  heart  of  an  Indian 
belonging  to  one  Perry,  to  disclose  it,  who  lining  in  the 
house  of  one  Pace,  was  vrged  by  another  Indian  his 
Brother  (who  came  the  night  before  and  lay  with  him)  to 
kill  Pace  (so  commanded  by  their  King  as  he  declared)  as 
hee  would  kill  Perry :  telling  further  that  by  such  an 
houre  in  the  morning  a  number  would  come  from  diners 
places  to  finish  the  Execution,  who  failed  not  at  the  time  : 
Perries  Indian  rose  out  of  his  bed  and  reueales  it  to 
Pace,  that  vsed  him  as  a  Sonne  :  And  thus  the  rest  of 
the  Colony  that  had  warning  giuen  them,  by  this  meanes 
was  saued.  Such  was  (God  bee  thanked  for  it)  the  good 
fruit  of  an  Infidell  conuerted  to  Christianity  ;  for  though 
three  hundred  and  more  of  ours  died  by  many  of  these/ 
Pagan  Infidels,  yet  thousands  of  ours  were  saued  by  the 
means  of  one  of  them  alone  which  was  made  a  Christian ; 
Blessed  be  God  for  euer,  whose  mercy  endureth  for  euer ; 
Blessed  bee  God  whose  mercy  is  aboue  his  iustice,  and 
farre  aboue  all  his  workes ;  who  wrought  this  deliuerance 
whereby  their  soules  escaped  euen  as  a  Bird  out  of  the 
snare  of  the  Fowler. 

"Pace  upon  this  discouery,  securing  his  house,  before 
day,  rowed  oner  the  lliuer  to  lames-City  (in  that  place 
neere  three  miles  in  bredth)  and  gaue  notice  thereof 
to  the  Gouernor,  by  which  meanes  they  were  preuented 


INDIANS  TO  BE  CONQUERED.  321 

there,  and  at  such  other  Plantations  as  was  possible  for  a 
timely  intelligence  to  be  giuen ;  for  where  they  saw  vs 
standing  vpon  our  Guard,  at  the  sight  of  a  Peece  they  all 

ranne  away." 

In  concluding  the  statement  Waterhouse  rejoices  that 
the  Indians  are  to  be  conquered.     He  says : 

"  Because  the  way  of  conquering  them  is  much  more 
easie  then  of  ciuilizing  them  by  faire  meanes,  for  they  are 
a  rude,  barbarous,  and  naked  people,  scattered  in  small 
companies,  which  are  helps  to  Victorie,  but  hinderances  to 
Ciuilitie  :  Besides  that,  a  conquest  may  be  of  many,  and  at 
once ;  but  ciuility  is  in  particular,  and  slow,  the  effect  of 
long  time,  and  great  industry.  Moreouer,  victorie  of  them 
may  bee  gained  many  waies ;  by  force,  by  surprize,  by 
famine  in  burning  their  Corne,  by  destroying  and  burning 
their  Boats,  and  Canoes,  and  Houses,  by  breaking  their 
fishing  weares,  by  assailing  them  in  their  huntings,  whereby 
they  get  the  greatest  part  of  their  sustenance  in  Winter, 
by  pursuing  and  chasing  them  with  our  horses,  and  blood- 
Hounds  to  draw  after  them,  and  Mastiues  to  teare  them, 
which  take  this  naked,  tanned,  deformed  Sauages  for  no 
other  than  wild  beasts,  and  are  so  fierce  and  fell  vpon 
them,  that  they  feare  them  worse  than  their  old  Deuill 
which  they  worship,  supposing  them  to  be  a  new  and  worse 
kinde  of  Deuils  then  their  owne." 


41 


322  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


London    Company  to  the  Virginia  Colony  upon    Intelligence 
OF  the  Indian  Massacre,  Dated  August  1,  1622. 

"  To  our  very  loving  frends  Sr.  Francis  Wyatt  Knight, 
Governor  &  Captaine  generall  of  Virginia,  and  to  the 
rest  of  the  Counsell  of  State  there  : 

"  After  our  very  hartie  comendations ;  Wee  haue,  to 
o''  extreame  grief,  understood  of  the  great  Massacre  exe- 
cuted on  o''  people  in  Virginia,  and  that  in  such  a  maner 
as  is  more  miserable  than  the  death  itself.  To  fall  by 
the  hande  of  men  so  contemptible  ;  to  be  surprised  by 
treacherie  in  a  time  of  known  danger ;  to  be  deafe  to  so 
plaine  a  warning,  as  we  now  to  late  undrstand  was  last 
yeare  given ;  to  be  secure  on  an  occaon  of  so  great  suspi- 
tion  and  iealousie  as  was  Nenemathanewe's  death ;  not  to 
pceive  any  thing  in  so  opne  and  generall  conspiracie ;  but 
to  be  made  in  parte  instruments  of  contriving  it,  and" 
almost  guiltie  of  the  destrucon  by  a  blindfold  and  stupid 
entertaininge  of  it,  wch  the  least  wisdome  or  coui\age  suf- 
ficed to  preuent  euen  on  the  point  of  execution,  are  cir- 
cumstances that  do  add  much  to  o""  sorrow,  and  make  us  to 
confesse  that  it  is  the  heavie  hand  of  Allmightie  God  for 
the  punishment  of  o""  and  yo''  transgressions ;  to  the  humble 
acknowledgment  and  pfect  amendment  whereof,  together 
with  orselues,  we  seriously  aduise  and  inuite  you,  and  in 
particular  earnestly  require  the  speedie  redress  of  those 
two  enormous  excesses  of  apparell  and  drinkeing,  the  crie 
whereof  cannot  but  haue  gon  up  to  Heaven,  since  the  in- 
famie  hath  spredd  itself  to  all  that  have  but  heard  the 
name  of  Virginia,  to  the  detestation  of  all  good  minds,  the 
scorne  of  others,  and  o*^  extreame  griefe  and  shame.    In  the 


HINDRANCES  TO  SUCCESS.  323 

strength  of  those  faults  undoubtedly,  and  the  neglect  of 
the  Devine  worshipp,  have  the  Indians  prevailed,  more 
than  in  yd"  weaknes.  Whence  the  euil  therefore  spring, 
the  remedy  must  first  begin,  and  an  humble  reconciliation 
be  made  with  the  Devine  Ma"°,  by  future  conformitie  unto 
His  most  iust  and  holie  lawes,  which  doinge  we  doubt  not 
but  that  you  shall  be  safe  from  the  hands  of  all  yo""  ene- 
mies, and  them  that  hate  you,  from  whom,  if  God's  pro- 
tection be  not  with  you,  no  strength  of  situation  can  saue 
you,  and  wth  it,  we  conceiue  not,  but  where  you  be,  you 
may  make  yourselues  as  secure  as  in  any  other  place 
whatsoeuer,  and  in  all  other  respects  the  cliaung  cannot 
but  be  to  the  worst,  may  to  the  utter  ouerthrow  not  only 
of  all  o""  labo""^  and  changes  the  expectation  of  his  Ma^^^  and 
the  whole  State ;  wherefore  you  shall  do  well  so  wholie  to 
abandon  the  thought  thereof  as  in  this  point  not  to  return 
us  any  answer;  Spartam  quam  nactus  es  hanc  exorna; 
than  to  applie  all  yo''  thoughts  and  endeuo''^  and  in  espe- 
ciall  to  the  setting  upp  of  Staple  comodities,  according  to 
those  often  instruccons  and  reiterated  aduises  that  wee 
haue  continually  giuen  you,  the  want  whereof  hath  been 
the  truest  obiection  against  y^  succeedinge  of  this  Planta- 
tion and  the  greatest  hindrance  and  impediment  (as  we 
conceiue)  that  his  Ma"*"  and  the  State  haue  not  set  to  a 
more  liberall  hand  to  the  furtherance  thereof,  but  now  at 
last  it  hath  pleased  God  for  the  confirmation  no  doubt  of 
o'"  hopes  and  redoubling  of  o""  and  y°''  coradges,  to  encline 
his  Ma*'*'^  Royall  heart  to  graunt  the  Sole  importation  of 
Tobacco  (a  thing  long  and  earnestly  desired)  to  the  Vir- 
ginia and  Sumer  Hands  Companies  and  that  upon  such 
condicons  as  the  priuate  profit  of  each  man  is  likely  to  be 
much  improued  and  the  generall  state  of  the  Plantation 


324  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

strongly  secured,  Avliile  his  Ma*^  reuenue  is  so  closely  ioyned 
as  together  with  the  Collonie  it  must  rise  and  I'aile,  grow 
and  empaire,  and  that  not  a  small  matter  neither,  but  of 
twenty  thousand  pounds  p.  ann.  (for  the  offer  of  so  much 
in  certainty  hath  his  Ma^"^  been  pleased  to  refuse  in  fauor 
of  the  Plantations) . 

Four  Hundred  i/oung  Men  fo  he  sent. 

"  The  good  effects  likely  hence  to  ensue  are  to  obuious 
for  us  to  sett  downe  and  phapps  greater  than  we  can  im- 
agine ;  they  only  in  generall  we  may  assure  o^'selues  and 
yo""^,  that  there  shal  be  no  iust  fauo*"  tending  to  the  ad- 
uancement  of  the  Plantacon  that  we  may  not  hope  from 
his  Ma*^''  who  uppon  o*"  humble  peticon  and  the  mediation 
of  the  Lords  of  his  most  Hono^'*^  Priuie  Counsell  hath  out 
of  his  Royall  bountie  been  pleased  to  bestow  ujDpon  us 
diu'®  armes  (although  in  these  parts  unseruiseable  yett 
such  as  against  the  Indians  may  be  uery  usefull :  w'^'^  we 
doubt  not  but  by  the  Abigaile  to  send  you;  and  are 
further  put  in  an  assured  hope  to  obtaine  the  number  of 
400  young  men  well  furnished  out  of  England  and  Wales 
at  20'''  a  person  to  repaire  w^*^  aduantage  the  number  that  is 
lost,  to  sett  upp  the  publique  reuenues  of  the  Companie, 
and  sattisfie  the  deserts  of  worthie  persons  in  the  Colony ; 
this  suplie  we  hope  to  procure,  so  as  they  may  be  w^*^ 
you  before  the  Spring. 

Difficult  to  obtain    Corn. 

"  The  fear  of  y*""  want  of  Corne  doth  much  perplex  us, 
seeing  so  little  possibility  to  supply  you,  the  jDublique  stock 
being  utterly  as  yo'  know  exhausted  and  the  last  yeares 
aduentures  made  by  priuate  men  not  returned  as  was 


FORT  TO  BE  BUILT.  325 

promised,  we  haue  no  hope  of  raising  any  valuable  Maga- 
zine but  rather  feare  to  see  the  effect  of  what  we  forwarned 
by  the  Warwick. 

Self-Reliance  urged. 

"  Other  waies  and  meanes  are  so  uncertaine  as  wee  can- 
not wish  you  to  rely  uppon  any  thing  but  yo''  selues,  yet 
shall  there  not  be  left  any  meanes  unatempted  on  o"^  parts 
in  this  kind  and  for  other  necessaries  to  supplie  you  hoping 
that  the  danger  of  this  extremitie  will  hence  forward 
pswade  you  not  to  comitt  the  certainty  of  yo""  lines  to  the 
uncertainty  of  one  haruest;  and  that  at  last  you  will 
und'-stand  it  is  as  fitt  and  necessarie  to  yeeld  the  return  of 
Aduentures  yearely  as  to  receiue  them ; 

Captain  Each  to  build  a  Fort. 

"But  of  these  things  the  Abigaile  shall  not  only  bring 
you  further  notice,  but  we  hope  in  some  part  the  pformance 
whose  stay  hath  by  these  last  newes  been  a  little  prolonged, 
but  by  the  end  of  the  month  wee  doubt  not  to  dispatch 
her  •  o""  designes  in  her  entertainment  we  aduised  of  by 
the  Furtherance  but  now  send  it  you  more  fully  expressed 
in  the  Order  of  the  Quarter  Court ;  to  the  accomplishing 
whereof  we  earnestly  desire  you  to  applie  yo""  uttermost 
endeuors ;  although  phapps  it  may  proue  in  the  effect  of 
less  consequence  than  we  desire,  and  of  greater  difficultie 
in  the  execucon  than  is  propounded ;  yet  it  canot  be  but 
the  bare  name  of  a  Forte  will  proue  of  more  worth  than 
the  charges  and  paines  required  thereunto. 

"  The  particularities  of  the  pformance,  we  must  reserue 
till  the  Shipp  itself  come,  only  now  we  thought  necessarie 
to  let  yo°  und'  stand  that  the  Company  hath  couenanted 


326  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

uppoH  the  effecting  of  tlie  buissines  to  make  the  fraight  of 
the  Shipp  homeward  800^^  w*^*"  they  haue  to  pforme  by  the 
ladinge  abroad  of  three  score  and  four  thousand  waight 
of  Tobacco  at  3^  p  lb,  and  at  this  price  the  generall  Com- 
pany, the  Aduenturers  of  the  old  ioynt  stock  of  Mr. 
Blaney's  Magazine,  of  Southampton  Hundred  (who  haue 
refused  for  their  owne  and  the  Collonies  benefitt  the  im- 
ploying  of  the  Discouerie  in  Virginia,)  and  of  Martin's 
Hundred  haue  agreed  and  orderd  that  their  Tobaco  shal 
be  brought  home  in  the  Abigaile,  w''*'  we  desire  you  to  take 
order  may  be  pformed  accordingly.  The  procuring  of  the 
rest  to  make  up  the  former  quantitie  is  the  thing  we  are 
now  most  seriously  to  recomend  unto  yo'"  cares  w*"^  uppon 
this  timely  aduise  (before  the  coming  of  so  many  Shipps, 
things  be  forestaled)  we  doubt  not  you  will  verie  easly 
effect,  the  price  being  so  indifferent,  the  conueyance  so 
safe  and  good,  and  the  delay  of  a  little  time  in  the  coming- 
home  of  the  Tobacco  no  disaduantage  at  all  by  reason  of 
the  contract  that  we  haue  lately  concluded  with  his  Ma"^  so 
that  we  doubt  not,  but  by  the  volluntarie  offers  of  priuate 
men  you  may  raise  the  full  quantitie  for  fraight  w*^''  other- 
wise by  authoritie  must  be  prouided,  that  neether  the  Com- 
pany be  dishonored  by  breach  of  their  Couents  with  Capt. 
Each,  nor  much  lesse  be  endangered  in  that  w^''  for  the 
Collonies  good  only  they  haue  und^'taken. 

Large  Emigration. 

"  There  come  now  ouer  in  the  Shipp,  and  are  imediately 
to  follow  in  some  others  many  hundreds  of  people,  to  whom 
as  we  here  think  o'selues  bound  to  giue  the  best  encour- 
agments  for  their  goinge,  in  reguard  (that  in  the  want  of 
a  publique   stock)    there  is  no  way  left  to  encrease  the 


ENCO  URA  QEMENT  OF  PL  ANT  A  TI0N8.  327 

Plantation  but  by  abundance  of  priuate  und'"takers ;  So  we 
thinke  you  obliged  to  giue  all  possible  furtherance  and 
assistance  for  the  good  entertaining  and  well  settling  of 
them  that  they  may  both  thriue  and  prosper,  and  others 
by  their  welfare  be  drawne  after  them  :  This  is  the  way 
that  we  conceiue  most  eifectuall  for  the  engaging  of  this 
State,  and  securing  of  Virginia,  for  in  the  multitude  of 
people,  is  the  strength  of  a  kingdome ;  The  allotting  out  of 
pticular  Diuidents,  and  the  setliuge  of  priuate  psons,  we 
leaue  (untill  things  may  receiue  a  better  sorce)  unto  yo"" 
wisdomes  and  iudgments  not  doubting  but  you  will  find 
out  some  course  as  shall  giue  content  to  reasonable  minds  : 
w<=^  we  very  much  desire  may  be  doun,  as  far  as  ciuill  life 
and  securitie  will  pmitt,  both  w'^'^  together  w^"  religeon,  by 
this  inordinate  stragglinge  run  hazard  of  perishinge  ;  w^'^ 
error  by  so  hard  a  chastizment  we  hope  from  henceforward 
they  will  be  willing  of  themselues  to  amend,  if  not  yo' 
authoritie  must  restraine  them,  not  suffering  any  to  plant 
or  sett  down  any  where,  but  with  so  sufficient  a  number 
of  able  men  and  well  prouided  as  may  not  in  theire  owne, 
but  in  yo'"  iudgements  (who  shal  be  therefore  accountable) 
defend  themselues  from  any  assaults  of  the  Indians  :  in 
w^*"  regard  as  also  for  their  better  ciuill  gouernment  (w^^ 
mutuall  Societie  doth  most  conduce  unto)  wee  think  it  fitt 
that  the  houses  and  buildings  be  so  contriued  together,  as 
may  make  if  not  hansome  Townes,  yet  compact  and  orderly 
villages;  that  this  is  the  most  proper  and  successfull 
maner  of  proceedinge  in  new  Plantacons,  besides  those  of 
former  ages,  the  example  of  the  Spaniards  in  the  West 
Indies  doth  fully  instance,  and  against  it  we  do  not  con- 
ceiue there  will  be  any  repugnancie  except  from  shallow 
understandings  that  cast  not  beyond  the  present :  or  from 


328  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

minds  and  affeccons  Avholely  intent  to  to  the  satisfieing  of 
their  priuate  interests  although  w*^  the  mine  of  the  pub- 
lique  State. 

Abandoned  Plantations. 

"  The  relinquishing  of  Charles  Cittie,  Henerico,  the  Iron 
Works,  the  Colledg-lands  and  Martins  hundred  are  things 
not  only  of  discontent  but  of  evill  fame,  although  we  doubt 
not  undeserued ;  the  replanting  of  them  is  of  absolute 
necessitie,  least  the  best  fire  that  maintaines  the  accon  here 
aliue  be  putt  out,  for  Martins  hundred  we  leaue  to  the 
Adventurer,  to  take  such  expedient  course  therein  as  them- 
selues  please,  only  the  seconding  thereof  we  most  earnestly 
recomend  unto  you,  but  for  the  speedy  restoringe  of  the 
rest  we  pray  you  to  employ  yo''  uttermost  endeuo''^,  and  if 
the  College  Tennts  and  those  belonging  to  the  Iron  Work 
shall  not  be  sufficient  (as  we  much  doubt)  to  make  these 
places  good  of  themselues  we  desire  you  to  propound  these 
two  condicons  for  the  inuiting  of  priuate  men,  to  a  com- 
petent number  to  ioyn  with  them. 

7Vte  Compavy' a  Land. 

"  First,  to  sett  down  uppon  the  Companies  Land  occu- 
pieing  and  manuringe  to  theire  owne  benefitt  only,  such 
quantitie  thereof  as  they  can  manage  untill  such  time  as 
they  may  go  uppon  there  own  Diuidents,  when  there  shall 
by  the  Companies  Tennts  and  Seruants  be  a  full  recom- 
pense and  sattisfaccon  made  them  in  kind,  for  y*^  clearing 
of  ground,  building  of  houses,  and  what  euer  other  cost  or 
charge  they  haue  bestowed  upon  the  Companies  land,  and 
must  then  leaue  unto  them.  If  this  preuaile  not  (well  we 
chiefly  wish)  then  are  we  content  to  giue  to  euery  family 


SOLICITUDE  FOB  THE  COLLEGE.  329 

ten  acres  of  land  in  those  places  well  you  setting  out  we 
will  confirme  to  them  and  theire  heires  for  euer,  and  this 
ten  acres  shall  not  be  accompted  in  part  of  any  other  pro- 
porcon  due  unto  them,  nor  be  any  impediment  to  hinder 
them  from  going  uppon  theire  Diuidents  when  they  please; 
condiconally,  that  the  land  be  not  left  uncultiuated  and 
the  houses  uninhabited. 

People  left  at  Iron  Works. 

"The  people  remaining  at  the  Iron-works  we  desire 
may  be  comitted  unto  the  charge  of  M""  Maurice  Barkley 
to  be  imployed  (since  we  cannot  hope  that  the  worke 
should  go  forward  in  such  manner  as  may  be  most  bene- 
ficiall  to  themselues  and  us  untill  such  time  as  we  may 
againe  resume  that  bussines  so  many  times  unfortunatly 
attempted,  and  yett  so  absolute  necessarie  as  we  shall  haue 
no  quiett  untill  we  see  it  pfected;  to  wch  purpose  we 
desire  there  may  by  the  first  oportunity  be  sent  us  a 
pticular  Ust  of  the  names  and  professions  of  the  men,  as 
also  a  noat  of  the  tooles  and  materialls  wanting  for  the 
erecting  of  the  worke. 

College  Affaires. 

"  Of  no  lesse  waight  do  we  esteeme  the  Colledge  affaires 
wch  we  pray  you  to  take  into  yo""  considerations,  not  only 
as  a  publique  but  a  sacred  bussines ;  and  in  pticular  we 
very  earnestly  request  the  care  and  paines  of  M'  George 
Sandys  for  the  settling  and  orderinge  of  the  Tennts ;  who 
being  now  by  long  experience  growne  skillful  in  all  maners 
of  the  Countrie,  we  are  informed  it  will  not  be  lesse  ad- 
uantageable  unto  us  and  of  farr  more  content  to  themselues 
to  be  left  to  theire  owne  disposinge  and  gouernment  and  to 
42 


330  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

reduce  the  uncertaintie  of  half  to  the  certaintie  of  a  Rent ; 
wch  we  haue  therefore  agreed  shal  be  euery  pson  20  bushells 
of  corne;  60  waight  of  good  leafe  tobacco,  and  one  pound 
of  Silke,  to  be  yearly  paid  together  wth  six  dayes  labo''®  in 
publique  works,  and  ouer  and  aboue  that  they  be  bound 
to  buildinge  of  conuenient  houses  plantinge  of  orchards, 
gardens  etc  on  the  College  Land  and  not  elsewhere  :  they 
that  will  accept  of  these  Condicons,  you  shall  leaue  to 
themselves  but  so  as  for  better  conueniencie  of  living  fowr 
or  at  least  three  of  them  sorte  themselues  to  work  and 
Hue  together,  and  be  bound  each  for  other  for  the  true 
pformance  of  their  Couents ;  those  other  that  shall  not  be 
willing  or  worthie  of  such  agreement  we  leaue  to  you  to 
take  the  best  order  in  disposinge  of  them  ;  as  for  those  that 
shal  be  Artificers  and  of  Manuall  trades  and  occupacons 
we  conceiue  that  they  may  likewise  pforme  this  bargaine 
although  they  follow  theire  trades,  wch  rather  than  that 
they  should  not  do.  we  leaue  it  to  you  to  contract  other- 
wise with  them,  as  you  shall  thinke  best,  allways  reseruing 
that  their  lining  shall  be  uppon  ye  Colledge  Lands. 

"  As  for  the  Brick-makers  we  desire  that  they  may  be 
held  to  theire  contract  made  with  M""  Thorpe,  to  the  intent 
that  when  opportunitie  shal  be  for  the  erecting  of  the 
fabricke  of  the  Colledge,  the  materialls  be  not  wanting. 
These  are  part  of  the  remedies  that  are  to  be  applied  for 
the  repairinge  of  this  late  disaster. 

War  of  Extermination  urged. 

"  As  for  the  Actors  thereof,  we  cannot  but  wth  much 
griefe  proceed  to  the  condemnation  of  their  bodies,  the 
saving  of  whose  Soules  we  have  so  zealously  affected;  but 
since  the  inocent  blood  of  so  many  Christians  doth  in  jus- 


SCHEME  OF  INDIAN  EXTERMINATION.  33  J 

tice  crie  out  for  revenge,  and  yd"  future  securitie  in  wisdom 
require,  we  must  advise  you  to  roote  out  from  being  any 
longer  a  people  so  cursed,  a  nation  ungratefull  to  all 
benefitts,  and  uncapable  of  all  goodnesse ;  at  least  to  the 
removall  of  them  so  farr  from  you  as  you  may  not  only  be 
out  of  danger,  but  out  of  feare  of  them,  of  whose  faith  and 
good  meaning  you  can  never  be  secure.  Wherefore,  as 
they  have  merited,  let  them  have  a  ppetual  warre  without 
peace  or  truce ;  and,  although  they  have  desired  it,  without 
mercfe,  too.  Yet,  remembering  who  we  are  rather  than 
what  they  have  been,  we  cannot  but  advise  not  only  the 
sparing  but  the  preservation  of  the  yonger  people  of  both 
Sexes,  whose  bodies  may  by  labor  and  service  become  pro- 
fitable, and  their  minds  not  overgrowne  with  evill  Customes, 
be  reduced  to  civilitie,  and  afterwards  to  Christianitie. 
And,  because  there  is  a  necessitie  not  only  in  the  thing 
itself,  but  in  the  speediness  of  effecting  it,  we  think  it  fitt 
that,  besides  that  certaine  way  of  famishing,  (whereunto, 
we  doubt  not,  but  you  have  ere  this  giuen  a  good  begin- 
ning by  the  burning  of  their  corne,  or  the  reaping  it  to 
your  owne  benefitt,)  you  add  and  putt  in  execution  all 
other  waies  and  means  of  theire  destruction,  not  omitting 
so  much  as  to  provoke  theire  neighbouring  enemies  (by  the 
reward  of  beads  and  copper  uppon  the  bringing  in  of  their 
heads,)  to  the  fierce  pursuing  of  them,  and  that  at  such 
times  especially  as  yourselves  may  issue  out  upon  them 
likewise,  which  we  think  should  be  often  don  from  all 
parts  of  the  collony  together.  But  for  a  full  securing  of 
yourselves,  and  a  certain  destroyinge  of  them,  we  conceive 
no  meanes  so  proper  nor  expedient  as  to  maintaine  con- 
tinually certaine  bands  of  men  of  able  bodies  and  inured 
to  the  Countrie,  of  stout  minds  and  active  hands,  that  may, 


332  VIBQINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

from  time  to  time,  in  several  bodies,  pursue  and  follow  them, 
surprising  them  in  their  habitations,  interrupting  them  in 
theire  hunting,  burning  theire  Townes,  demolishing  theire 
Temples,  destroyinge  theire  Canoes,  plucking  upp  theire 
weares,  carrying  away  theire  corne,  and  depriving  them 
of  whatsoever  may  yeeld  them  succor  or  relief;  by  which 
means  in  a  very  short  while  both  your  just  revenge  and 
your  perpetuall  security  might  be  certainly  effected. 

Soldiers  to  he  sr/pjiorted. 

"  As  for  the  maintanance  of  those  men  with  vittuals  and 
munition,  we  conceive  it  just  and  equall  that  it  should  be 
a  generall  levy  throughout  the  whole  Collony,  in  regarde 
whereof  the  one  moyitie  of  the  prise,  as  well  of  the  psons 
of  men  for  slaues  should  be  unto  the  collony  for  fortifica- 
tion and  other  public  uses,  and  the  other  moyitie  divided 
amongst  the  Souldiars  themselues.  In  further  satisfaction 
of  whose  travells  and  hazards,  we  do  purpose  a  hberall 
recompense  out  of  the  labors  of  those  yong  people  which, 
by  his  Majestie's  gratious  favor,  we  hope  to  obtaine  out  of 
the  severall  Counties  of  this  Kingdom,  which,  as  it  shall 
be  bountifull  to  all,  so  it  shall  be  redoubled  to  them,  unto 
whose  hands  the  principalis,  either  in  execution  or  con- 
trivement  of  this  Treacherie,  shall  fall ;  but  if  any  can  take 
Opachancano  himself,  he  shall  have  a  great  and  singular 
reward  from  us. 

"  As  for  those  Indians  whom  God  used  as  instruments 
of  revealing  and  preventinge  the  totall  ruine  of  you  all,  we 
think  a  good  respect  and  recompense  due  unto  them, 
which  by  a  good  and  carefull  education  of  them  may  best 
be  expressed  and  satisfied,  whereby  they  may  be  made 
capable  of  further  benefitts  and  favors. 


CHRISTOPHER  DA  VISON.  333 

"  Wee  send  you  a  Copie  of  o'  Letters  by  the  Furtherance 
wch  wee  doubt  not  but  is  safely  long  ere  this  arrived  with 
you  the  suplies  therein  sent  of  Shipwrights  and  East  India 
Schoole,  we  cannot  but  againe  most  effectually  and  ear- 
nestly recomend  unto  yo'^  Care  and  fauors,  wch  phapps  by 
the  Chang  of  things  with  you,  they  will  the  more  need. 
The  improuing  of  the  Companies  reuenues  &  recouene  of 
their  Debts,  is  of  those  things  without  w'ch  neither  we 
nor  you  can  subsist. 

"  Many  other  matters  we  haue  to  write  if  time  would 
giue  leaue,  for  want  whereof,  we  must  reserue  them  till 
the  departure  of  the  Abigaile.  And  now  comitting  you 
and  all  yo""  affaires  to  the  good  guard  and  proteccon  of  the 
Almightie  we  bid  you  hartily,  farewell. 

August  the  first  Yo""  very  Louing  frends 

1622  The  Treasurer  &  Counsell  of  Virginia. 

Witnessed  by  M.  Collingwood  —  Secr.^ 

1  Christopher  Davison,  secretary  of  the  colony,  died  soon  after  the  mas- 
sacre, and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  the  son  of  Sir  William 
Davison,  one  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  ambassadors,  to  whose  Jegation  Wil- 
liam Brewster,  afterwards  one  of  the  founders  of  New  Plimouth,  was  in 
early  life  attached. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  RELATION  OF  WATERHOUSE. 

0  allay  the  panic  in  England,  caused  by  the  news 
of  the  Massacre,  a  member  of  the  Company, 
Edward  Wat^rhouse,  distinguished  for  integrity, 
and  a  religious  spirit,  published  a  small  quarto 
of  54  pages,  entitled 

"  A  Declaration  of  the  State  of  the  Colonic,  and  affaires 
in  Virginia.  With  a  Relation  of  the  barbarous  Massacre 
in  the  time  of  peace  and  league,  treacherously  executed 
upon  the  English  by  the  Native  Infidels,  22  March  last." 

The  treatise  opened  with  the  following  dedicatory  letter: 

"  To  the  Hon'^^^^®  Companie  of  Virginia  Right  Honorable 

and  Worthy : 

"  The  fame  of  our  late  vnhappy  accident  in  Virginwi, 
hath  spread  it  selfe,  I  doubt  not,  into  all  parts  abroad,  and 
as  it  is  talked  of  of  all  men,  so  no  question  of  many,  and 
of  most,  it  cannot  but  be  misreported,  some  carryed  away 
with  ouer-weak  lightnesse  to  beleeue  all  they  heare,  how 
vntrue  soeuer ;  others  out  of  their  disaffection  possibly  to 
the  Plantation,  are  desirous  to  make  that,  which  is  ill, 
worse ;  and  so  the  truth  of  the  Action,  which  is  only  one, 
is  varied  and  misreported.  I  haue  thought  it  therefore  a 
part  of  some  acceptable  seruice  in  me  towards  you,  whose 
fauors  haue  preferred  me  to  be  a  member  of  your  Compa7iy, 
to  present  you  with  these  my  poore  labours,  the  Collection 


BEL  A  TION  OF  WA  TERHO  USE.  335 

of  the  truth  hereof,  drawne  from  the  relation  of  some  of 
those  that  were  beholders  of  that  Tragedie,  and  who  hardly 
escaped  from  tasting  of  the  same  cup,  as  also  from  the 
Letters  sent  you  by  the  Gouernour  and  other  Gentlemen 
of  quality,  and  of  the  Gouncell  in  that  Colonic,  read  openly 
here  in  your  Courts :  That  so  the  world  may  see  that  it 
was  not  the  strength  of  a  professed  enemy  that  brought 
this  slaughter  on  them,  but  contriued  by  the  perfidious 
treachery  of  a  false-hearted  people,  that  know  not  God  nor 
faith      No  generous  spirit  will  forbeare  to  goe  on  for  this 
accident  that  hath  hapned  to  the  Plantation,  but  proceed 
rather  chearfuUy  in  this  honorable  Enterprize,  since  the 
discouery  of  their  bruitish  falshood  will  proue   (as  shall 
appeare  by  this  Treatise  following)  many  waies  aduan- 
tageable  to  vs,  and  make  this  forewarning  a  forearming 
for  euer  to  preuent  a  greater  mischiefe. 

"  Accept  it  from  me,  I  most  humbly  beseech  you,  as  the 
first  fruits  of  my  poore  seruice.  Time  may  happily  make 
me  able  to  yeeld  you  some  other  worke  whose  subiect  may 
bee  loy,  as  this  is  a  Theame  of  Sadnesse :  Meane  time,  I 
commit' You  and  the  Noble  Colony  to  Gods  good  blessing, 
as  he  that  shall  alwaies  be. 

"  A  true  Votarie  for  your  happinesse, 

and  seruant  to  your  commands, 

Edward  Waterhouse." 

The  account  of  the  Colony  prefixed  to  the  narrative  of 
the  Massacre,  was  the  best  of  the  several  that  had  been 
prepared  for  the  use  of  the  Company.  After  speaking  of 
the  advantages  of  the  direct  northern  route  to  the  Atlantic 
coast,  he  adds : 


336 


VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


"  Which  (with  the  Blessing  of  God)  produced  in  the  last 
Summer  this  effect,  that  in  the  Fleet  of  nine  Saile  of  ships, 
transporting  aboue  seauen  hundred  Passengers  out  of 
Migland  and  Ireland,  for  the  Plantation,  but  one  person 
(in  whose  roome  another  at  Sea  was  borne)  miscarryed  by 
the  way.  And  for  them  after  arriual,  there  are  conue- 
nient  lodgings  now  in  building,  and  carefull  attendance 
in  Guests-houses  prouiding,  till  those  that  ariue  can  pro- 
uide  for  themselues. 

"  In  the  three  last  yeares  of  1619,  1620,  and  1621,  there 
hath  beene  prouided  and  sent  for  Virginia  forty-two  Saile 
of  ships,  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  seauenty  men 
and  women  for  Plantation,  with  requisite  prouision,  besides 
store  of  Cattle,  and  in  those  ships  haue  beene  aboue  twelue 
hundred  Mariners  imployed :  there  hath  also  beene  sent 
in  those  yeares  nine  ships  to  the  Sommer  Hands  with  about 
nine  hundred  people  to  inhabite  there,  in  which  ships  two 
hundred  and  forty  Mariners  were  imployed.     In  which 
space  haue  beene  granted  fifty  Patents  to  particular  per- 
sons, for  Plantation  in  Virginia,  who  with  their  associates 
haue  undertaken  therein  to  transport  great  multitudes  of 
people  and  cattell  thither,  which  for  the  most  part  is  since 
performed,  and  the  residue  now  in  preparing,  as  by  the 
seuerall  Declarations  of  each  yeare  in  their  particulars ; 
(manifested  and  approved  in  our  generall   and  publike 
Quarter-Courts)  and  for  the  fuller  satisfaction  of  all  desirous 
to  vnderstand  the  particularities  of  such  proceedings,  hath 
beene  by  printing  commended  to  the  understanding  of  all. 


RELATION  OF  WATEBEOUSE.  337 

Voyage  up  the-  Potomac. 

"  Furtliermore,  they  write  that  in  a  Voyage  made  by 
Lieutenant  Marmaduke  Parkinson,  and  other  Enghsh  Gen- 
tlemen, up  the  Riuer  of  Patomack  they  saw  a  Ghina-Boxe 
at  one  of  the  Kings  houses  where  they  were  :  Being  de- 
manded where  he  had  it,  made  answer,  That  it  was  sent 
him  from  a  King  that  dwelt  in  the  West  ouer  the  great 
Hils,  some  tenne  dayes  journey,  whose  Countrey  is  neare  a 
great  Sea,  hee  hauing  that  Boxe,  from  a  people  as  he  said, 
that  came  thither  in  ships,  that  weare  cloaths,  crooked 
swords,  and  somewhat  like  our  men,  dwelt  in  houses,  and 
were  called  Acanack-China :  and  he  offered  our  people, 
the  he  would  send  his  Brother  along  with  them  to  that 
King,  which  offer  the  Gouernor  purposed  not  to  refuse ; 
and  the  rather,  by  reason  of  the  continual  constant  rela- 
tions of  all  those  Sauages  in  Virginia,  of  a  Sea,  and  the 
way  to  it  West,  the  affirming  that  the  heads  of  all  those 
seauen  Riuer  of  Thames,  and  nauigable  aboue  and  hundred 
and  fifty  miles,  and  not  aboue  sixe  or  eight  miles  one  from 
another,  which  fall  all  into  one  great  Bay,  haue  their 
rising  out  of  a  ridge  of  hils,  that  runnes  all  a  long  South 
and  North :  whereby  they  doubt  not  but  to  find  a  safe, 
easie  and  good  passage  to  the  South  Sea,  part  by  water, 
and  part  by  land,  esteeming  it  not  aboue  an  hundred  an 
fifty  miles  from  the  head  of  the  Falls,  where  wee  are  now 
planted ;  the  Discouery  whereof  will  bring  forth  a  most 
rich  trade  to  Cathay,  China,  Ja]^an,  and  those  other  of  the 
Ea\t  Indies,  to  the  inestimable  benefit  of  this  Kingdome. 

But  for  the  further  proofe  thereof,  and  of  the  North-west 
passage  thither  by  Sea,  I  referre  the  Reader  to  the  Treatie 
annexed  at  the  end  of  this  Booke,  written  by  that  learned 
43 


338  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

and  famous  MatJwmaticicm,  IP'  Henry  Briggs,  which  I  hau- 
ing  happily  attained  unto,  haue  published  for  the  common 
good. 

Falling  Creek  Iron  Worhs. 

"Moreouer,  the  Letters  of  M'  John  BerUey,  sometimes 
of  Beuerstone  Castle  in  the  County  of  Glocester,  (a  Gentle- 
man of  an  honorable  famiUe)  likewise  certifie,  that  a  more 
fit  place  foV  Iron-workes  (whereof  he  was  made  Master  and 
ouerseer)  then  in  Virginia,  both  for  woods,  water,  mynes, 
and  stone,  was  not  to  be  found  :  And  that  by  Whitsontide 
then  next  (now  past)  the  Company  might  relye  upon  good 
quantities  of  Iron  made  by  him :  which  also  by  Letters 
from  M''  George  Sandis  the  third  of  March  last,  was  con- 
firmed, with  this  farther  description  of  the  place  (called 
TheFalling  GreeJce)  to  be  so  fitted  for  that  purpose,  as  if 
Nature  had  applyed  herselfe  to  the  wish  and  direction  of 
the  workeman ;  where  also  were  great  stones  hardly  scene 
else-where  in  Virginia,  lying  on  the  place,  as  though  they 
had  beene  brought  thither  to  aduance  the  erection  of 
those  Workes. 

Settlement  in    Ujjper   Chesapeake  Buy. 

"  The  Letters  of  M'"  Parey  (verified  also  from  the  GoVf 
ernor  and  Councell)  aduertised  of  a  late  Discouery  by  him 
and  others  made  into  the  great  Bay  North-ward,  (reseruing 
the  founding  of  the  bottome  thereof  for  a  second  Voyage,) 
where  hee  left  setled  very  happily  neare  an  hundred  Eng- 
lish, with  hope  of  a  good  trade  for  Furres  there  to  be  had. 
From  thence  was  brought  by  Lieutenant  Perhmson,  in  his 
voyage,  some  of  that  kind  of  Earth  which  is  called  Terra 
Lemnia  (there  to  be  had  in  great  abundance)  as  good  as 
that  of  Turkey. 


RELATION  OF  WATERE0U8E. 


339 


"  Here  following  is  set  clowne  a  true  List  of  the  names  of 
all  those  that  were  massacred  by  the  treachery  of  the 
Sauages  in  Virginia,  the  22^'^  March  last. 
"  To  the  end  that  their  lawfull  heyres  may  take  speedy 
order  for  the  inheriting  of  their  lands  and  estates 
there  :    For  which  the  honourable  Company  of  Vir- 
ginia are  ready  to  doe  them  all  right  and  fauour. 

At  Captame  Berckleys  Plantation  seated  at  Falling  Greeks,  wme  QQ  miles 
from  James-  Citie  in  Vinjinia. 


Robert  Horner  Mason. 
Philip  Barnes. 
William  Swandal. 
Robert  Williams,  his  Wife 

and  Childe. 
Giles  Bradshawe,  his  Wife 

and  Childe. 
John  Howlet,  and  his  sonne 
Thomas  Wood,  and  Collins 

his  man. 
Joseph  Fitch,  apothecary  to 

Doctor  Pots. 


John  Berkley  Esquire. 
Thomas  Brasington. 
John  Sawyer. 
Roger  Dauid. 
Francis  Gowsh. 
Bartholmew  Peram. 
Giles  Peram. 
John  Dowler. 
Laurence  Dowler. 
Lewis  Willians. 
Richard  Bascough. 
Thomas  Holland. 
John  Hunt. 

At  blaster  Thomas  Sheffield  Plantation,  some  three  miles  from  the  Falling 

Creeke. 

Master  Th  :   Shefaeld,^  and  Robert  Tyler  a  boy. 

Rachel  his  wife.  Mathew . 

John  Reeue.  Judeth  Howard. 

William  Tyler  a  boy.  Thomas  Poole. 

Samuel  Reeue.  Methusalem • 

John  Ellen.  Thomas  Taylor. 

William  Tyler. 


'The  son  of  William  Sheffield. 


340  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

At  Henrico  Hand  about  two  miles  from  SheffielJs  Plantation. 

Atkins.  William  Perigo. 

Weston.  Owen  Jones,  one  of  Capt. 

Philip  Shatford.  Berkleys  people. 

Slaine  of  the  Colledge  People,  about  txoo  miles  from  Henrico-  Citie. 

Samuel  Stringer.  Thomas  Cooke. 

George  Soldan.  John  Clements. 

William  Basset.  James  Faulkoner. 

John  Perry.  Christopher  Henley. 

Edward  Ember.  Willian  Jordan. 

Jarrat  Moore.  Robert  Dauis. 

Thomas  Xerles.  Thomas  Hobson. 

Thomas  Freeman.  William  Baily. 
John  Allen.  . 

At  Apo-mattucJce  River  at  blaster  Abraham  Pierce  his  Plantation  some 
five  miles  oj^  the  Colledge  People. 

William  Charte.  John  Barker  a  boy. 

Jo  :   Waterhowse.  Robert  Yeoman. 

At  Charles- Citie  and  about  the  Precincts  of  Capt.  Smiths  Company. 

Roger  Royal.  Edward  Heydon. 

Thomas  Jones.  Henry  Bushel. 

Robert  Maruel. 

At  other  Plantations  next  adioyning. 

Richard  Plat,  and  his  Childe,    and 

his  Brother.  his  Sister. 

Henry    Milward,  Richard  a  boy. 

his  wife,  Goodwife  Redhead. 


BEL  A  TION  OF  WA  TERHO  USE.  341 

At  Mr.  William  Farrars  House. 

Master  John  England  William   her    sonne, 
and  his  Man.  Thomas  his  Man. 

John  Bel.  James  Woodshaw. 

Henricke  Peterson,    and  Mary  and  j  ^^.^  ^^^^^^^^ 

Alice  his  Wife,  and  Ehzabeth,  j 

At  Berhley-Himdrcd  some  five  miles  from  Charles- Citie. 

Capt.  George  Sharpe  Esq.  Giles  Wilkins. 

one  of  his  Maiesties  Giles  Bradway. 

Pentioners.  Richard  Fereby. 

John  Bowles.  Thomas  Sharpe. 

Richard  Bowles,  his  Wife,  Robert  Jordan. 

and  Childe.  Edward  Painter. 

At  Westouer,  about  a  mile  from  Berhley-Eimdred. 

And  first  at  Cap.  Fr.  Wests  Plantation : 

James  English.  Richard  Dash. 

At  Master  John  Wests  Plantation  : 

V  Christopher  Turner.  Dauid  Owen. 

At  Capt.  Nathanael  Wests  : 

Michael  Aleworth.  John  Wright. 

An  Lieutenant  Gibs  his  Dividend  : 

John  Paly.  Richard  Wainham. 

Thomas  Ratcliffe.  Benomy  Kejnuan. 

Michael  Booker.  Thomas  Gay. 

John  Higglet.  James  Vpfall. 

Nathanael  Earle.  Daniel  -  M"^  Dombe- 
John  Gibbes.  lowes  man. 

William  Parker. 


342  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

\ 
At  Mr.  Richard  Oioens  house. 

Richard  Owen.  One  old  Maid  called 

Stephen  Dubo.  blinde  Margaret. 

Francis,  an  Irishman.  William  Reeue. 
Thomas  Paine. 

At  Master  Owen  Macars  house. 

Owen  Macar.  Richard  Yeaw. 

Garret  Farrel.  One  Boy. 

At  Master  Macocks  Dividend. 

Capt.  Samuel  Macock  Thomas  Browne. 

Esquire.  John  Downes. 

Edward  Lister. 

At  Flowerdieu-Hundred  Sir  George  Yeardleys  Plantation. 

John  Philips.  Robert  Taylor. 

Thomas  Nuson.  Samuel  Jarret. 

John  Braford.  Elizabeth  Bennet. 

At  the  other  side  of  the  River  opposite  to  Flowerdieu-Hundred. 

Master  Hobson,  and  Thomas  Philips. 

his  Wife.  Richard  Campion. 

Richard  Storks.  Anne  Greene. 
John  Slaughter. 

At  Mr.  Swinhowe  his  House. 

Mistris  Swinhow,  and  Richard  Mosse. 

Thomas  and  John  Larkin. 

George  Shinhow  her  William  Blyth. 

sonnes.  Thomas  Grindal. 


RELATION  OF  WATERH0U8E. 


343 


William  Bykar. 
Math:  Hawthorn 
and  his  Wife. 


At  Mr.  William  Bikars  house. 

Edward  Peirce. 
Nicholas  Howsdon. 


Nathanael  Elie 
John  Flores. 
Henry  Gape 


At  We^noack  of  Sir  George  Yeardley  Ms  people. 

Henry  Haynes. 
John  Blewet. 
Henry  Rice. 


—  Buckinsrham. 


Hurt. 


William  Puffet. 
William  Walker. 
John  Gray. 
James  Boate. 
John  Suersby. 
Thomas  Euans. 
Thomas  ap-Richard. 


Jonas  Alpart. 
Thomas  Stephens. 
Samuel  Goodwine. 
John  Snow,  and 

his  Boy. 
Margery  Blewet. 


At  Powle- Brooke. 


Capt.  Nath  :  Powle 

Esq.  and  his  Wife, 
Daughter  to  M'"  Tracy. 
Mistris  Bray. 
Adam  Rayners  Wife. 
Barbara  Burges. 
William  Head. 


Thomas  Woolcher. 
William  Meakins. 

Robert . 

Peter  Jordan. 
Nathanael  Leydon. 
Peter  Goodale. 


At  Southampton-Bundred. 

Robert  Goffe,    and  John  Dauis. 

his  Wife.  William  Mountfort. 

William  Larkum. 


344 


VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


\  At  Martin  Brandons. 

Lieutenant  Sanders.  his  Wife 

Ensigne  Sherley.  2  Boyes. 

John  Taylor,  and  Mathew  a  Polander. 

At  Cajytaine  SpHmans  house. 

John  Basingthwayte.  Walter  Shawe. 

At  Ensigne  Spence  his  house. 

WilUam  Richmond.  WilUam  Fierfax. 

John  Fowler.  The  Tinker. 

Alexander  Bale. 


Persons  slaine  at  Martins- Hundred 

Lieutenant  Rich  :  Kean. 
Master  Tho :  Boise,  & 
Mistris  Boise  his  wife,  & 
a  sucking  Childe, 
4  of  his  men 

A  Maide 
2  Children 
Nathanael  Jefferies  wife 
Margaret  Dauies 

3  Seraunts 
Master  John  Boise 

his  Wife. 
A  Maide. 

4  Men-seruants 
Laurence  Wats, 

his  Wife 
2  Men  seruants 


some  seaven  miles  from  James-  Citie. 

Richard  Staples, 
his  wife 

and  Childe. 
2  Maides 
6  Men  and  Boyes 
Walter  Dauies,  & 

his  brother 
Christopher  Guillam 
Thomas  Combar 

A  Man 
Ralphe  Digginson 

his  Wife 
Richard  Cholfer 
George  Jones 
Cisby  Cooke, 

his  Wife 
Dauid  Bons 


RELATION  OF  WATERE0U8E. 


345 


Timothy  Moise, 

his  Man 
Henry  Bromage, 

his  Wife, 

his  Daughter, 

his  Man. 
Edward  How, 

his  Wife, 

his  Childe. 
A  child  of  John  Jackson, 
4  Men  seraunts 
Josua  Dary, 

his  Wife, 

At  Mr  Thomas  Peirce  his 

Master  Tho :  Peirce, 
his  Wife, 
and  Childe 


John  Benner 
John  Mason 
William  Pawmet 
Thomas  Bats 
Peter  Lighborrow 
James  Thorley 
Robert  Walden 
Thomas  Tolling 
John  Butler 
Edward  Rogers 
Maximilian  Russel 
Henry  a  Welchman 

house,  over  against  Mulberry  Hand. 

John  Hopkins 
John  Samon 
A  French  boy 


At  Mr  Edward 
Master  Th :    Brewood 

his  Wife, 

his  Childe 
Robert  Gray 
John  Griffin 
Ensigne  Harrison 
John  Costard 
Dauid  Barry 
Thomas  Sheppard 
Henry  Price 

Robert 

Edward  Jolby 
Richard 


44 


Bennets  Plantation. 

2  Seraunts 
Thomas  Ferris 
George  Cole 
Remember  Michel 

Bullocke 

Richard  Chandler 
Henry  Moore 
Nicholas  Hunt 
John  Corderoy 
Richard  Cockwell 
John  Howard 
Mistris  Harrison 
Mary  Dawks 


346 


VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


Alice  Jones 
Thomas  Cooke 
Philip  Worth 
Mathew  a  maid. 
Francis  Winder 
Thomas  Conly 
Richard  Woodward 
Humfrey  Cropen 
Thomas  Bacon 
Euan  Watkins 
Richard  Lewis 
Edward  Towse 


Annie  English 
Rebecca 


Master  Prowse 

Hugh 

John 

Edward 


Mistris  Chamberlin 
Parnel  a  maid 
Humfrey  Sherbrooke 
John  Wilkins 
John  Burton 


M'  John  Pountis  his  men. 


John  Scotchmore 

Edward  Turner 

Edward  Brewster,     Lieutenant  Pierce  his  men. 

Thomas  Holland,      Capt.  Whittakers  man. 

At  Master    Walters  his  house. 

Master  Edward  Walters  a  Maid 

his  wife,  a  Boy. 

a  Childe, 

The  whole  number  347. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THIRD  YEAR  OF  SOUTHAMPTON'S  DIRECTORSHIP  CONTINUED, 
SEPTEMBER  5,  1622  UNTIL  JUNE  25,  1623.  ALSO  EXTRACTS 
FROM  THE  TRANSACTIONS  UNTIL  JUNE  1624. 

Eleanor  Phillips  takes  a  Convict  to  Virginia. 

EPT.  5,  1622.     "  M^  Deputy  further  acquainted 
the  Court  that  he  had  receaued  a  warrant  signed 
by  sundry  Lords  of  his  Ma''  Priuy  Councell  di- 
rected to   the    Treasurer   and    Deputy  of  this 
Companie  requiringe  one  Dan  :  Francke   (a  malefactor  re- 
preiued)    be  sent  to  Virginia    (from  whence  he  may  not 
returne  into  any  of  his  Ma''  Dominions  without  speaciall 
license  obtained  under  six  of   the  Counsells  hands)    w'** 
Francke  had  consented  to  serue  in  Virginia  one  Elianor 
Phillips  that  nowe  goes  over  with  him,  in  consideracon 
whereof  the  said  Phillips  offers  to  paye  for  his  passage  if 
the  Companie  please  to  permitt  the  said   Franke  to  goe  : 
Whereupon  the  Court  ordered  he  should  be  sent   to   Vir- 
ginia accordinge  to  the   Lord's  order,   and  should  be  put 
aboard  the  Southampton,   and  comitted  to  the  charge  of 
M'  James  Chester,  Captaine  of  the  said  Shippe  bound  for 
Virginia  to  deliuer  him  in  Virginia,  according  to  his  direc- 
cons. 


Company's  Letter,  Oct.  7,  1622,   to  Governor  and  Council  op 

Virginia. 
"After  o'  very  hartie  Comendacons :  Wee  had  not  thought 
to  haue  written  unto  yo"  till  wee  had  been  inuited  by  your 


348  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

letters  unto  us :  but  the  necessitie  of  some  thinge  to  be 
pformed  by  yo"  hath  made  us  think  it  necessarie  to  remem- 
ber them  in  an  extraordinarie  maner,  and  to  reinforce  by 
Instruccons  and  charge  of  the  Counsell,  by  the  advise  and 
desires  of  us  ye  Company 

"  The  late  calamities  that  haue  befalne  do  much  grieue 
but  no  whit  daunt  us,  for  we  see  no  danger  but  rather  ad- 
uantage  to  be  made  thereby,  nor  any  further  daunger  ex- 
cept it  be  in  yo'  feares  wch  would  nowe  be  as  vitious  as 
yo'  former  securitie  and  as  much  betray  you  to  desctruction : 
for  as  you  may  see  the  increase  of  our  hopes  and  courage 
in  the  largenes  of  supplies  now  sent  by  priuate  men,  since 
the  publique  is  not  able  unto  the  continuance  whereof  we 
see  such  a  disposition  in  mens  minds  as  we  cannot  but 
think  that  the  seeding  of  this  blood  wil  be  the  Seed  of  the 
Plantation,  for  the  addicon  of  price  hath  much  endeared 
the  purchase 

Sharj)  Revenge  Advised. 

"  And  now  to  all  the  rest,  we  conceaue  it  a  Sinne  against 
the  dead  to  abandon  the  enterprize,  till  we  haue  fully 
settled  the  possession  for  wch  so  many  of  o'  Brethren  haue 
lost  their  lines ;  this  is  the  first  thing  due  from  us  and  you ; 
and  the  next  is  a  sharp  reuenge  uppon  the  bloody  mis- 
creants euen  to  the  measure  that  they  intended  against  us, 
the  rooting  them  out  for  beinge  longer  a  people  uppon  the 
face  of  the  Earth ;  for  the  effecting  whereof  as  you  haue 
already  receaued  aduise  from  the  Counsell  (wch  we  desire 
you  in  all  points  to  follow)  so  you  shall  now  receaue  a 
gratious  supplie  from  his  most  excellent  Ma''^  of  Armes 
and  weapons  fitt  and  prop,  for  such  seruice  :  The  disposinge 
of  them  to  psons  and  places  we  leaue  to  yo'  iudgments,  but 


PLANTATION  HINDERED.  349 

only  for  vse ;  the  proprietie  must  remaine  to  the  generall 
Collony  as  the  begining  of  a  Publique  Armorie,  and  a  per- 
petuall  testmiony  of  his  Ma'^  royall  bountie  and  fauo' :  from 
wch  wee  hope  very  speedily  to  obtaine  the  meanes  of  re- 
storing the  Publique,  rewarding  the  good  deserts  of  all, 
especially  whose  worke  shal  be  shewed  in  these  psent  diffi- 
culties, and  fully  to  furnish  the  number  of  Tennts,  which 
in  yo"  the  Governor  and  other  officers  places  we  und^stand 
are  wanting  not  only  to  o^  griefe  but  wonder.  But  both 
for  the  future  and  that  wch  is  past,  rest  assured  we  shall 
prouide  and  make  sattisfaccon 

Planting  of  Corn  urged. 

"  And  had  ere  this  donn  in  a  very  aduantageable  maner 
unto  yo"  insteed  of  Tennts,  sending  you  seruants,  had  not 
yo^  last  letters  disclaymed  them,   without  such  supply  of 
corne  and  vittual  as  was  impossible  for  vs  to  prouide  through 
o^  pouertie,  and  its  high  price :    wherefore  the  hundred 
youths  wch  wth  500''^  we  had  procured  from  the  Cittie, 
wee   were   constrained   to  giue  unto  the   Sumer  Ileands 
Company  to  theire  benefitt  and  o^  damage,  and  all  through 
want  of  corne  :     The    abundant  planting  and   prouision 
whereof  haueing  been  for  these  last  foure  yeares  so  con- 
tinually urged  from  us  and  yett  as  constantly  neglected 
and  contemned,  giues  iust  cause  to  doubt  (and  the  more 
through  the  two  Strang  proposisions  wch  we  heare  of  late 
haue  beene  made  of  ingrossinge  all  and  leaning  all :)   that 
there  hath  been  in  some    (in  whom  it  ought  least  to  haue 
beene)  an  intent  to  hinder  the  encrease  of  the  Plantation 
further  then  it  might  be  theire  own  gaine  and  greatnesse : 
a  horrible   Cryme  and  treason  euen  against  God  himself, 
to  whom  this  great  work  in  o^  intents  is  principally  conse- 


350  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

crated ;    and  yett  such  courses  force  us  allmost  to  such 
suspicon  : 

Directions  to  Governor  Wyatt. 

"  Neither  shall  we  belieue  otherwise  of  you  S'  Francis 
Wyatt  and  the  rest  in  whom  we  yett  haue  great  confidence 
except  the  Collony  and  Plantation  be  from  henceforth  by 
yo'  courage,  cares  and  endeau°"  kept  and  maintained  and 
euery  principall  part  thereof  where  formerly  it  was,  and 
that  in  abundance  of  grayne  and  vittual ;  wch  since  the 
Savadges  enmitie  could  not  hinder  in  the  Collonies  weakest 
infancie  we  canot  thinke  it  can  now  do,  when  the  strength 
thereof  is  almost  ten  times  doubled,  except  we  should 
thinke  you  lesse  then  they  were  :  but  we  on  the  contrary 
haue  such  confidence  in  yo'  vallors  and  wisdome,  that  we 
hope  to  und'  stand  as  suddaine  an  end  of  this  warr,  as  it 
had  an  unexpected  beginninge  beinge  pswaded  theire  owne 
terrors  will  driue  them  away,  except  yo"  retaine  them. 

Importance  of  WatchfuUness. 

"  As  for  enemies  of  equall  condicon  in  Armes  and  under- 
standing, and  more  mightier  in  power  than  yo'  selues  we 
know  none,  and  in  God  feare  none  :  yett  we  thinke  it  yo' 
dutie  to  stand  alwaies  uppon  yo"^  guard,  and  prepared  for 
defeate  as  much  as  yo"  may,  the  rest  God  will  supplie  if 
you  serue  him. 

_  Discipline  to  he  maintained. 

"  Abundance  of  Munition,  wch  yo'  selues  must  take  care 
that  both  the  Publique  and  Priuate  be  allwaies  well  stored, 
wth  the  exercising  and  training  upp  of  the  people  in  Mar- 
tiall  Discipline,  and  carefull  preseruation  of  theire  Armes 


ENCO  URA  OEMENT  OF  SHIPPING.  351 

wherein  there  must  needs  haue  been  unanswerable  neglect: 
if  there  be  that  want  yo^  letters  imply,  are  things  obuious 
that  we  need  not  further  touch  : 

Raising  of  Staple  Commodities. 

"  To  these  we  desire  you  to  take  into  yo'  consideration 
the  continuallmaintainance  of  good  Shipping  in  the  Riuer ; 
wch  might  easly  be  effected,  if  by  raysinge  of  any  Staple 
Comodities  they  might  haue  some  part  of  fraight  home- 
ward, a  little  would  suffice,  such  is  the  danger  and  pouertie 
of  all  Marchants  employments,  that  the  certaintie  of  very 
smale  gaine  would  inuite  Shipping  in  abundance,  of  all 
times  in  the  yeare  to  transport  people  for  Virginia,  wch 
would  not  only  serue  by  the  accommodatinge  of  euery 
mans  occacons  to  further  great  numbers:  but  also  by  a 
necessary  engagement  of  those  to  whom  the  Shipping  be- 
longs cause  many  large  Aduentures  to  be  made  and  much 
people  to  be  sent  that  otherwise  would  neuer  go  :^ 

"  We  pray  you  seriously  therefore  to  endeauo'  it,  and  to 
take  into  yo^  consideration  what  dependance  good  things 
haue  one  upon  another,  and  how  a  right  and  orderly 
proceeding  brings  all  enterprises  to  pfeccon,  seeing  the  fol- 
lowing of  Staple  Comodities  doth  not  only  tend  to  the  con- 
ueniences  of  well  lining  there,  and  to  the  riches  of  them 
that  raise  them,  but  bringeth  along  with  it  not  only  the 
encrease  of  y^  Plantation,  but  also  the  defence  and  securi- 
tie  thereof :  euery  Shipp  being  a  Bullwark ;  and  because 
by  the  same  meanes  they  that  meane  you  harme  can  only 
offend  you,  we  thought  it  necessarie  aboue  all  things  to 
secure  the  Riuer  from  suddaine  Inuasion  by  Shipping : 


352  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Block  House  at  Blunt  Point. 

"To  wch  purpose  haueinge  fruitlessly  attempted,  all 
though  by  the  meaues  of  very  noble  Pursonages,  who  were 
best  able  to  effect  itt,  what  hath  in  the  name  of  the  Collony 
beene  so  often  and  importunatly  requested,  the  sending  of 
Enginers,  we  haue  gladly  embraced  the  offer  of  Capt  Each 
concerning  the  erectinge  of  a    Block-house  about  Blunt 
Point,   whereunto   we   were  pswaded   and   entreated   by 
the    aduise    and    desires   of  almost    all  that  know   that 
Countrie,  as  well  Planters  as  Seamen  as  a  thing  very  feaz- 
able  and  of  great  benefitt.       Whereuppon    although   the 
attention  of  mens  mynds  uppon  the  first  news  of  the  late 
Callametie,  and  much  more  yo^  grieuous  apprehension  of 
itt  brought  it  into  consultation  whether  it  were  not  impos- 
sible to  make  those  preparations  and  prouision  that  on  o' 
parts  weare  requisite  thereto,  yett  we  resolued  to  go  on 
wth  o^  former  deliberation,  and  haue  (though  wth  extreame 
difficultie  and  hazard)  by  Gods  blessing  effected  whatsoeuer 
we  intended. 

"  Now  that  you  on  yo'  parts  faile  not  to  pforme  and 
accomplish  the  thing  itself  we  desire,  entreat,  and  euen 
aduise  you  for  yo'  owne  sakes,  for  o",  for  yo^  safty,  for  yo^ 
reputation,  and  for  the  sattisfaction  of  all  good  mynds  who 
are  in  a  longing  expectation  thereof :  If  the  difficulties 
proue  greater  than  we  here  conceiued ;  in  the  wrestUng 
with  them  will  be  tryall  of  yo""  courages,  and  in  the  ouer- 
coming  of  them,  the  encrease  of  yo^  honors.  If  the  worke 
proue  not  of  that  consequence  as  is  ptended  yet  it  will  al- 
ways be  more  worth  than  the  labor  and  cost  that  is  thereto 
required,  and  ye  remonstrance  of  yo^  willingness  to  pforme 
what  you  can  to  yo^  own  safety  will  effectually  moue  and 


TAX  TO  BUILD  FORT.  353 

prouide  (wee  doubt  not)  the  ineanes  to  pforme  fully  what 
you  desire  :  to  speake  plainly  we  shall  neuer  belieue,  nor 
dare  to  attempt  any  thing  of  great  engagement  and  hazard, 
till  by  reall  example  of  some  extraordinarie  worke  by  you 
effected,  we  may  haue  proofe  of  the  sinceritie  of  yo^  inten- 
cons  and  assurance  not  to  be  deluded  and  frustrated  as  we 
haue  hitherto  beene  in  so  great  and  chargeable  undtakings. 
Performe  in  this,,  and  you  cannot  further  require,  what 
we  will  not  und^  take  for  you  in  this  kind ;  if  this  of  itself 
proue  not  sufacient,  wch  we  will  hope. 

Colonists  to  assist  in  building  a  Fort. 

"  The    Adventurers   of    Martins  Hundred    haue   very 
worthely  made  offer,   and  ordered  their  officers  that  the 
fifte  part  of  theire  hundred  be  from  time  to  time  employed 
in  this  worke,  till  it  may  be  pfected  :     Southampton  Hun- 
dred haue  followed  the  example  and  generally  all  priuate 
Aduenturers  of  vs  that  haue  people  in  Virginia,  very  will- 
ingly agree  to  the  like  proporcon ;  this  tax  we  haue  here 
made,  not  to  giue  you  thereby  authority  (wch  needed  not) 
but  to  giue  a  good  example  to  the  rest  of  the  Collony,  by 
taking  more  of  the  burden  then  can  be  proporconable  can 
be  due  unto  us,  then  fully  to  supply  the  rest  that  shal  be 
needfull.     This  disposition  of  mynds  we  assure  o^selues  ^ 
you  shall  find,  if  not,  you  must  make  it,  and  compell  them  f 
to  theire  owne  good  that  will  not  otherwise  understand  it, 
but  we  hope  there  shall  be  no  such  occacon  giuen,   consi- 
dering the  marueilous  forwardnes  of  the  Colony  in  this  kind 
by   niany   letters   expressed:    the  remembrance    whereof 
brings  to  mynd  the  noble  offer  made  by  S'  George  Yeard- 
ley,  worthie  the  place  he  bore,  to  whom  we  must  acknow- 
45 


354  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

ledge  the  honor  of  this  proposicon  first  mouehig,  and 
accordingly  doubt  not  but  in  the  furtherance  of  ye  execu- 
con  of  it,  he  will  deserue  both  yo'  and  o'  thanks  in  an  es- 
peciall  manner. 

Return  Freight  of  the  Ship. 

"  The  Shipp  and  Mariners  imployment  as  you  find  in 
the  Charter-partie  is  to  be  discharged  by.  a  fraight  of  800''*, 
and  that  to  be  raysed  by  lading  aboard  of  64000  waight 
of  Tobacco  at  S'*  p'""  att  wch  rate  besides  the  Generall 
Companyes  it  is  agreed  and  ordered  by  the  seuerall  socie- 
ties and  the  Aduenturors  of  Southampton  hundred,  the 
old  Magazine,  and  last  yeares  Joynt  Stock,  and  that  now 
sent  both  consigned  to  M^  Ed  :  Blany,  the  Glasse,  the  Furrs, 
the  Mayds,  the  Shipwrights,  that  their  Tobacco  shal  be 
laden  aboard  and  sent  home  in  the  Abigaile,  and  if  it  shal 
be  thought  necessarie  by  the  officers  and  factors  to  send 
home  any  of  it  before,  that  then  there  shal  be  lefte  in  the 
hands  of  M'  George  Sandys  the  Treasuror,  the  fifteenth 
pound  of  Tobacco  (and  more  if  that  will  not  sattisfie)    to- 
wards the  making  upp  of  the  800'''  wch  is  to  be  paid  the 
Shipp  and  for  other  necessarie  uses   of  the   Colony ;  unto 
the  same  condicons  do   all  priuate  Aduenturers  hkewise 
agree,  conditonally  you  hold  the  same  course  uppon  all  the 
Tobacco  through  the  Land ;   wch  we  hold  very  equall  and 
indeed  necessarie  to  be  done  if  you  cannot  find  better 
meanes  for  the  discharge  of  such  payment,  as  the  Company 
hath  couented  to  Capt  Each,  wch  being  plainly  expressed 
in  the  Charter-party  sent  you  we  shall  not  need  to  repeat 
but  only  to  desire  yo'  especiall  care,  so  to  order  and  dispose 
things  as  we  be  not  dishonored  nor  endamaged  any  way, 
nor  any  thinge  lefte  to  us  here  to  pay :    and  lil^ewise  for 


.  DEMANDS  UPON  THE  COMPANY.  355 

satisfaccon  and  payment  of  the  materialls  now  sent  for  the 
erectinge  of  the  forte,  we  haue  alwaies  been  promised  by 
the  Colony  to  be  sattisfied  and  repaid,  and  now  so  much 
the  more  strictly  to  be  obserued  because  they  be  aduentures 
of  diuers  priuate  men  who  for  the  furtherance  of  this  worke 
seeing  the  Companies  inabilitie  haue  made  prouision  of  the 
things  and  consigned  them  to  M^  Blany  wth  order  not  to 
dispose  of  any  of  them  till  the  forte  be  serued :  this  their 
good  mynds  deserue  yo^  especiall  care  that  they  may  be 
reimbursed  of  this  charge. 

The    Magazine. 

"  And  now  we  come  to  the  returning  of  yo'  Magazine 
and  Aduentures  now  and  formerly  sent  in  wch  we  are  ex- 
treamly  solicitous,  not  so  much  for  o'  owne  Interesses 
(although  they  be  great)  as  for  yo"  wch  be  farr  more  :  for 
us  wee  hope  God  will  otherwise  repay,  if  you  do  not,  but 
for  you  we  cannot  conceaue,  but  that  as  you  justly  deserue 
yo"  will  be  cleane  leaft  and  abandoned  for  any  supplies 
hereafter  ;  and  what  danger  that  may  be,  yo'  present  ne- 
cessities speake  wch  because  they  were  not  last  yeare  fore- 
seene,  no  regard  was  had  of  returning  any  thing  nor  be- 
liefe ;  to  the  protestation  wch  at  o'  desire  the  Counsell  in 
theire  letters  by  the  Warwick  made,  wch  we  cannot  but 
remember  to  o'  griefe,  though  to  o'  justification  :  lett  the 
smart  of  sence  now  teach,  what  on  the  creditt  of  o'  words 
you  would  not  learne,  that  yo'  gaines  to  yo'  damage  by 
thus  gaining  tyme,  and  that  the  returning  of  o'  Stock  home 
so  much  empaired  howeare  it  be  pleasant  unto  you  for 
awhile,  will  in  the  end  be  more  bitter  unto  you  then  us  : 
speedy  and  full  returnes  must  be  made  else  it  is  impossible 
for  us  to  proceed  on,  not  so  much  for  unwillingness,   as  o' 


356  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

inabilities,  o'  Aduentures  are  greater,  then  we  can  now 
beare,  much  lesse,  increase.  This  scant  supplie  wch  is  now 
sent  had  been  impossible  to  haue  been  raised,  if  either  the 
necessity  that  required  it,  or  the  pawne  that  jo'  offer  had 
been  lesse ;  the  preseruation  of  the  whole  Colony,  and  the 
Reuenues  of  the  whole ;  or  if  the  securitie  had  been  worse 
than  the  faith  of  you  the  Gouernor,  Treasuror,  and  Coun- 
sell,  or  the  dilligence  and  importunitie  of  them  that  labored 
it  here,  lesse  then  indefatigable,  and  such  as  would  receiue 
no  nay,  you  had  wanted  euen  all,  that  you  shall  now  God 
willing  receaue  :  Wee  send  you  the  Rolle  of  Subscription 
to  give  you  euidence  hereof.  The  multitude  of  Aduen- 
tures and  maner  of  bringing  in  mony  to  all  good  under- 
standing, demonstrate  that  thinges  are  at  the  bottom,  ex- 
cept the  currant  be  againe  restored  from  Virginia.  Wee 
haue  no  more  in  this  point  to  add,  but  that  as  we  see  it, 
the  restles  labor  of  those  that  here  beare  office,  by  pro- 
curing Aduentures  to  supplie  ye  Colony  so  wee  thinke  it 
should  be  yo"  to  prouide  that  by  profitable  returnes  they 
may  be  enabled  and  encouraged  to  continue  it. 

"  The  Companies  great  pouertie,  and  many  debts  keeps 
us  infinitely  perplexed  and  more  because  there  are  dayly 
ineuitable  occacons  of  expence  and  no  ground  or  hope  of 
Reuenues  except  from  Virginia :  we  therefore  most 
earnestly  intreat  you  seriously  to  endeauor  the  improuinge 
of  the  Companies  reuenues  there,  and  in  pticular  that  the 
debts  due  uppon  the  50  youths  sent  in  the  Dutie  and  others 
may  be  wthout  faile  recouered  and  sent  home  this  yeare  : 
wherein  we  especially  require  the  care  and  dilligence  of 
M'  George  Sandys  whose  charge  it  is  ;  and  haue  accord- 
ingly ordered  that  there  should  be  pticular  Instruccons 


SASSAFBA8  TO  BE  SENT  HOME.  357 

giuen  by  the  Auditors  and  Bookeeper  in  this  point,  to  wch 
we  referr. 

Sassafras  ivanted. 

"  We  think  it  very  fitt  that  you  send  home  by  the  Abi- 
gaile  60000  waight  of  Sassafras,  in  regard  she  is  to  bring 
it  fraight  free,  what  shal  be  made  thereof  assure  yo'selues 
shall  according  to  our  promise  be  returned  in  Armes  and 
Munition,  or  otherwise  expended  in  fortification  as  yo""- 
selues  shall  desire.  But  we  pray  you  in  no  sort  to  rely 
uppon  that  for  the  payment  of  Capt  Each  in  any  part, 
much  lesse  in  whole  ;  in  regard  the  price  is  so  base  and 
the  glutt  so  great  that  it  will  no^^  sell  but  at  very  long  time 
and  that  for  very  little. 

Grievances. 

"  There  haue  been  many  Peticons  putt  up  unto  us  of 
greeuances  for  wrongs  by  uniust  factors  and  ptners  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  of  claymes  to  lands  and  goods  by  the  late  death 
of  frends;  all  wch  together  with  o'- desires  under  them  we 
haue  orderd  to  be  sent  you,  to  see  that  iustice  be  fully  and 
speedily  pformed,  and  an  accompt  of  all  yo'  proceedings 
endorsed  uppon  the  back  of  the  Peticons  with  all  conue- 
niencie  returned  :  that  by  the  relief  of  the  oppressed  and 
helpinge  of  the  poor  and  needy  you  may  gaine  fauo'  both 
wth  God  and  men. 

People  for  Martins  Hundred. 

"  The  Adventurers  of  Martins  hundred  haue  now  sett 
forth  a  verie  chargeable  supply  of  people  for  the  reposess- 
ing  of  theire  Plantation ;  the  thing  is  very  pretious  to  us 
that  und'  stand  the  seasonablenes  of  it,  and  see  what  ad- 


358  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

uantage  of  reputation  the  whole  bussines  of  the  Plantation 
hath  receaued  by  theire  good  example  of  courage  and  con- 
stancies wch  is  more  remarkable  by  the  abundance  of  diffi- 
culties they  haue  overpast :  we  canot  but  herein  acknow- 
ledge a  singular  obligation  of  o'  selues  and  all  that  loue  the 
Plantation  unto  them  wch  if  you  do,  we  desire  you  to  ex- 
presse  it  by  the  furthering  and  assisting  theire  people  and 
affaires  wth  all  the  fauor  and  help  that  you  possibly  may : 
And  as  this  great  body,  so  likewise  we  think  it  o'  duty  to 
recommend  unto  you  all  the  pticular  Planters  that  now 
come  ouer  :  desiringe  you  that  the  abundance  of  yo'  loues 
and  cares,  may  be  to  the  setling  and  disposing  of  them  as 
much  as  may  be  to  their  content,  but  certainly  to  their 
safety  and  welfare. 

Concluding  Remarks. 

"  These  are  the  things  that  we  haue  thought  good  to  re- 
member thus  unto  you,  and  for  discharge  of  o'  duty  to 
require  at  yo'  hands :  The  manteyning  of  the  Plantation 
by  yo'  courage  and  the-  prouidinge  for  the  plenty  of  it  by 
yo'  Industrie,  by  yo'  wisdome,  and  by  this  psent  worke  of 
the  forte,  to  secure  yo'  selues  from  enemies,  and  from  the 
famine  and  nakednes  by  a  iust  retribution  of  profitt  to  yo' 
frends ;  that  you  be  carefull  of  the  publique  reuenues  wth- 
out  wch  yo'  priuate  cannot  long  flourish,  and  that  yo"  do 
iustice  and  right  as  yo'  desire  to  receaue  it ;  that  with  loue 
and  care  you  entertaine  them  that  come  unto  you  with 
xpectacon  thereof;  and  now  lastly  that  you  cary  upright 
and  sinceare  mynds,  and  go  on  forward  with  constancie  in 
good,  and  patience  in  euill :  So  shall  no  doubt  Gods  bless- 
ing be  uppon  you  to  the  pspering  of  all  yo'  enterprises,  and 
the  rewarding  of  yo'  deserts.     Giuen  in  a  great  and  gene- 


PASSENGER  BEQULATIONS.  359 

rail  Court  held  for  Virginia  the  7""  of  October  1622.  And 
ordered  to  be  signed  by  the  Deputy  and  witnessed  by  the 
Secretary  in  the  name  of  the  Company. 

Subscribed  by 

Nicholas  Ferrar,  Deputy. 
Ed  :  COLLINGWOOD,  Secretary. 

Need  op  a  Passenger  Register. 

Oct.  23.  "  M'  Deputy  further  aquainted  the  Court  that 
diuers  of  the  Counsell  and  Companie  had  of  late  obserued 
some  erors  and  defaults  in  the  transportinge  of  persons 
and  goods  w'*"  if  there  were  not  some  timely  remedy  for 
preuention  would  breed  much  wronge  to  the  priuate  Plant- 
ers that  goe  ouer,  and  hereafter  great  trouble  and  vexacon 
to  this  Court :  The  points  were  three  :  First  that  diuers 
Shipps  now  goeinge  daylie  (as  well  from  London  as  other 
parts)  without  any  further  Referrance  to  the  Companie 
than  a  Commission  from  them,  there  was  no  note  or  Reg- 
ister kept  of  the  names  of  the  persons  transported  whereby 
himself  and  the  other  officers  were  not  able  to  giue  any 
satisfaccon  to  the  persons  that  did  daylie  and  howerly  en- 
quire after  their  frends  gon  to  Virginia,  to  the  great  dis- 
content of  people  here,  and  that  this  likewise  would  proue 
a  thinge  of  great  trouble  and  molestacon  to  the  Court  when 
after  the  expiracon  of  1624  either  the  persons  themselues 
transported  or  their  heires  should  come  to  clame  their 
diuisions  of  lands  the  Companie  huainge  no  ground  to 
knowe  what  or  why  any  thinge  should  be  due  unto  them 
but  their  owne  wordes. 


360  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

D^   Donne  to  preach  annual  Sermon. 

"M'  Deputy  signified  unto  the  Companie,  it  was  not 
unknowne  unto  them  that  amongst  the  many  worthie 
Guifts  bestowed  on  the  Plantacon  there  was  the  last  yeare 
giuen  hj  a  person  refusinge  as  yet  to  be  named  40'  p.  Ann. 
for  euer  (and  thereupon  an  order  established)  for  a  sermon 
to  be  preached  before  the  Virginia  Companie  euery  Micha' 
Terme  or  Wednesday  fortnight  before  the  last  Wednesday 
in  the  said  Terme,  Hee  therefore  moued  to  knowe  their 
pleasure  whome  they  would  entreat  to  preach  the  said 
Sermon  :  Whereupon  some  proposinge  the  Dean  of  Paules, 
the  Court  without  naminge  any  other,  did  verie  much 
desire  he  might  be  entreated  thereunto,  hoping  he  would 
please  upon  their  generall  request  signified  unto  him,  to 
undertake  the  paines  and  the  rather  for  that  he  was  a 
Brother  of  this  Companie  and  of  their  Counsell,  In  con- 
sidrance  whereof  the  Court  praid 

S^  Jo :  Dauers  M^  Binge  & 

S^  Phil,  Cary  M«  Deputy 

to  solicite  him  earnestly  hereunto  in  the  name  of  the  Com- 
panie ;  wch  they  promised  to  performe  and  for  the  place 
where  the  Sermon  is  to  be  preached  The  Court  haue 
made  choise  of  S'  Michaell's  Church  in  Cornehill  as  the 
most  conuenient.  ^ 


1  John  Donne's  sermon  was  preached  before  the  Company  in  Novem- 
ber, from  Acts,  i,  8.  It  is  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  his  style, 
abounding  in  quaint  conceits,  startling  figures,  pedantic  quotations,  faith- 
ful exhortations  and  pointed  appeals.  In  concluding  the  sermon  he 
cheers  the  members  by  alluding  to  the  great  work  performed  in  the  be- 
ginning of  a  Church  and  Commonwealth  in  America,  where  their  child- 


VENISON  SUPPERS.  361 

Annual  Supper. 

"After  w'*"  sermon  ended,  it  is  also  thought  fitt  and 
agreed  the  Custome  they  begun  the  last  yeare  shalbe  con- 
tinued namely  to  supp  together,  and  for  that  cause  haue 
entreated  M^  Caswell  and  M^  Mellinge  (who  last  time  so 
well  pformed  it  to  all  the  Companies  content  being  assigned 
with  M^  Bennett  and  M^  Rider  to  be  Stewards  this  yeare 
also,  for  prouidinge  and  orderinge  of  the  supper,  and  buissi- 
nes  thereunto  belonging  and  of  the  place  where  it  shalbe 
kept,  and  accordingly  to  giue  notice  thereof  unto  all  the 
Companie  by  sendinge  the  Officer  with  Ticketts  that  are 
to  be  printed  for  this  purpose,  notifyinge  the  time  and 
place,  and  what  each  man  is  to  paye,  wch  is  now  agreed 
shall  be  iij=  a  peece,  as  findinge  by  the  last  yeares  experi- 
ence it  cannott  be  lesse,  to  beare  out  the  full  charge : 

Members  requested  to  send  Venison. 

"  And  for  that  at  such  great  feasts  Venizon  is  esteemed 
to  bee  a  most  necessary  Complement,  the  Court  hath  thought 
latt  that  letters  be  addressed,  in  the  name  of  the  Company 
unto  such  Noblemen  and  gentlemen  as  are  of  this  Society 
to  request  this  fauo^  at  their  hands  and  withall  their  pre- 
sence at  the  said  Supper.^ 

rea  could  be  well  accommodated,  and  adds  that  those  that  were  young 
would  live  to  see  that  "  You  have  made  this  Island,  which  is  but  the 
suburbs  of  the  Old  World,  a  bridge,  a  gallery  to  the  New ;  to  join  all  to 
that  world,  that  shall -never  grow  old,  the  kingdom  of  Heaven." 

1  Chamberlain  wrote  :  "  On  Wednesday  night  the  Virginia  Company 
had  a  feast  or  meeting  at  Merchanttaylors  Hall,  whither  many  of  the 
Nobility  and  Council  were  invited  but  few  came.  They  spent  twenty  one 
does,  and  were  between  three  and  four  hundred  at  3^  a  man  :  The  Dean 
of  Pauls  preached  according  to  the  custom  of  all  feastings  now-a-days." 

Nichols,  IV,  781. 

46 


362  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Letter  from  Ralph  Hamor. 

"  Capt  Hamers  Letter  was  read  relatinge  some  accidents 
that  had  happned  in  the  Colony  since  the  Massacre,  the 
kiUinge  of  the  Indians,  burninge  of  their  Townes,  the 
ioyninge  with  the  King  of  Patomacke  against  Opachan- 
kano,  Capt  Maddison  sent  unto  him  with  30  English,  the 
insolent  Answe^  of  Opachankano  to  the  Gouerno"  message 
for  restoringe  of  the  captiue  English,  with  the  dishono'  he 
did  to  the  Kings  Picture,  the  resolucon  of  y'  Gouernor  and 
Counsell  at  the  end  of  August  to  make  warre  upon  Opach- 
ankano, with  500  men,  hopinge  by  Gods  helpe  this  winter 
to  cleare  the  Country  of  him  and  settlinge  the  Colony  in 
a  farr  better  estate  than  it  was  before,  and  that  this  Mas- 
sacre will  proue  much  to  the  speedie  aduancem'  of  the 
Colony  and  much  to  the  benefitt  of  all  those  that  shall 
now  come  Hither. 

Lord  St.  John  presents  Coats  op  Mail. 

Nov.  20.  "M'  Deputy  acquainted  the  Court  with  a.noble 
Guift  of  the  Lo :  St  John  of  Basinge  (vizt)  60  Cots  of 
Male  w'"^  for  the  defence  of  the  Country  at  the  mocon  of 
S'  John  Dauers  in  the  name  of  the  Companie  he  sent^p 
in  August  last,  and  were  sent  in  the  Abigaile. 

Legacy  for  the  Education  of  Indian  Children. 
"  M'  Deputy  further  acquainted  the  Company  that  M' 
George  Ruggle  ^  lately  fellowe  of  Clare  Hall  in  Cambridge 


^  George  Ruggle  had  been  a  fellow  student  of  Nicholas  Ferrar  at  Clare 
Hall,  Cambridge.  He  was  the  author  of  the  celebrated  comedy,  Ignora- 
mus, which  was  acted  by  the  students  before  King  James,  which  so  pleased 
the  King  that  he  said  he  believed  the  author,  and  the  actors  together  had 
a  design  to  make  him  laugh  himself  to  death.— Pec/mrf/'s  Life  of  Ni-ho- 
las  Ferrar,  p.  24. 


BEq  UEST  FOB  INDIAN  SCHOOL.  363 

beinge  a  Brother  of  the  Company  and  newly  deceased  (w"^' 
he  said  he  could  not  without  great  greife  mencon)  had  by 
his  will  bequeathed  100'"  for  the  educacon  of  Infidells  child- 
ren w^*^  he  had  caused  to  be  put  into  the  Table  :    w^'  the 
Court  well  approued  of;    but  seemed    (at  least  the  most 
part)  to  be  utterly  ignorant  of  the  person  or  qualities  of 
the  man :  Whereupon  desiringe  to  be  informed  of  both 
Deputy  Farrar's  Eulogy  on  George  Ruggle. 
"  M'  Deputy  told  them  he  was  a  man  second  to  none  in 
knowledge  of  all  manner  of  humanity,  learninge,  and  so 
generally  reputed  in  the  Vniuersity  of  singular  honestie 
and  iutegritie  of  life,  sincere  and  zealous  in  ReUgion,  and 
of  verie  great  wisedome  and  understandinge  :  All  w'"^  good 
parts  he  had  for  these  last  three  yeares,   wholly  almost 
spent  and  exercised  in  Virginia  buisinesses,  hauinge   (be- 
sides continually  assistinge  his  Brothers  and  himselfe  with 
Counsell  and  all  manner  of  helpe  in  these  places)  written 
sundry  treatises  for  the  benefitt  of  the  Plantation,  and  in 
pticular  the  worke  so  highly  comended  by  S^  Edwin  Sandys, 
concerninge  the  Gouerm^  of  Virginia,  but  such  was  his 
modestie   that   he  would  by  no  meanes  suffer   it  to  be 
knowne  duringe  his  Ufe.    But  now  beinge  dead  M'"  Deputy 
said  he  could  not  with  a  good  conscience  depriue  him  of 
that  Hono^  w"^'  he  so  duely  deserued. 

Governor  and  Council  of   Virginia  to  London  Company,  Jan- 
uary 20,  1622-28. 

"  Right  Hono'^''^ 

"  We  cannot  butt  acknowledg  gods  greate  goodnes  y^ 
after  those  last  great  disasters  hath  stired  upp  the  harte  of 
his  most  excelent  Ma'"  to  bestowe  uppon  us  soe  Royall  a 


364  VntOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

gifte  of  Armes  &  munition  wch  we  resolue  to  ymploy  to  y' 
honor  of  our  Countrey  and  reuenge  of  his  subiects  bloud 
for  wch  munitione  and  his  gratious  intentione  of  supply- 
ing us  wth  people  we  beseech  you  to  psent  our  most  humble 
thanks  to  his  Sacred  Ma'''=  In  the  next  place  wee  must 
acknowledg  y^  hande  of  heauen  also,  that  hath  not  suffered 
the  zeale  to  this  Plantation  to  dye  or  grow  colde  in  y^ 
J  bosomes  of  yo"  the  Hono*"'^  Companie,  but  that  you  con- 

ceiue  yt  rightlie  as  increase  of  the  future  strength,  not  a 
decay  of  this  Colonic,  wch  befoer  ran  in  a  more  dangerous, 
though  in  a  more  plausible  manner 

Revenge  upon  the  Indians. 

"  Wee  haue  anticepated  your  desires  by  settinge  uppon 
the  Indyans  in  all  pices,  M'  Trer  firste  fell  uppon  the  Tap- 
ahatonaks  in  to  seuerall  expeditions,  Sir  George  Yardley 
uppon  y^  Wyanokes,  and  in  a  second  expedition  uppon  the 
Nancemonds,  Warescoyks  &  Pawmunkie  ye  chiefe  seate  of 
Sassapen  &  Apochankeno,  Capt  John  West  uppon  the 
Taux  Powhatane,  and  Capt  William  Powell  uppon  the 
Checohominy,  Capt  Hamer  being  sent  to  the  Patomecks 
to  trade  for  corne  slew  diuers  of  y'  Necochincos  y'  sought 
to  Circumuent  him  by  treacherie.  The  like  did  Capt  Mad- 
isone  at  Patomeck,  Capt  Hamer  a  second  tyme  ymployed 
to  Pataomeck  for  corne  slew  some  others  y'  pved  our 
enemies,  And  now  is  Capt  Tucker  in  the  Riuer  of  Rapa- 
hanock  to  take  reuenge  uppon  them  as  Confederates  with 
Apochankeno. 

Destruction  of  Villages. 

"  In  all  wch  places  we  haue  slaine  diuers,  burnt  their 
townes  destroyed  their  wears,  &  corne  and  S'  Georg  Yardley 


INDIAN  WAB8.  365 

in  his  last  expedition  brought  into  the  Colonie  aboue  a 
Thousande  bushell  of  corne,  wherein  he  freely  employed 
his  shippinge  shallops,  maryners,  and  servants  Besides 
there  hath  been  brought  in  by  trade  and  force  3000  bush- 
ells  more,  wherein  we  haue  been  forced  to  ymploy  many 
pties  of  men,  the  necessitie  wherof  being  fore  seene  by  us, 
was  one  cause  why  wee  drew  into  fower  bodies. 

Indians  difficult  to  Exterminate. 

"  By  conferance  of  former  experyences  with  those  of  ours 
uppon  the  Saluages  it  is  most  aparant  that  they  are  an 
enemy  not  suddenlie  to  be  destroyed  with  the  sworde  by 
reason  of  theire  swyftnes  of  foote,  and  aduantages  of  the 
woode,  to  wch  uppon  all  our  assaults  they  retyre  but  by 
the  way  of  staruinge  and  all  other  meanes  y'  we  can  pos- 
sibly deuise  we  will  constantlie  pursue  their  extirpation. 
By  computation  and  confessione  of  the  Indyans  themselues, 
we  haue  slayne  moer  of  them  this  yeere,  than  hath  been 
slayne  before  since  y'  begininge  of  y'  Colonie. 

Censure  of  the  Company. 

"  Whereas  in  the  begininge  of  your  Lres  by  the  Trew- 
loue  you  pass  so  heauie  a  Censure  uppon  us  as  yf  we  alone 
were  guiltie,  you  may  be  pleased  to  consider,  what  instruc- 
tions you  haue  formerly  giuen  us,  to  wynn  the  Indyans  to 
us  by  A  kind  entertayninge  them  in  o^  howses,  and  yf  it 
were  possible  to  co-habit  wth  us,  and  how  ympossible  it  is 
for  any  watch  and  warde  to  secure  us  against  secrett  ene- 
mies y'  liue  pmiscuouslie  amongst  us,  and  are  harbored  in 
our  bosomes,  all  Histories  and  your  owne  discourse  may 
sufficyentlie  informe  you. 


366  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Warniny  of  the  intended  Massacre. 

"  For  the  warninge  giuen  the  last  yeere,  some  of  us  heere 
can  say  nothinge  unto  yt,  but  S'  George  Yardley  and  M' 
Pountis  themselues  doe  affirme  yt  notice  beinge  giuen  by 
the  Kinge  of  the  Easterne  Shore  of  Apochankeno  his  plott, 
at  the  takinge  upp  of  Powhatans  bones  at  wch  Ceremony 
many  great  numbers  of  the  Saluages  were  to  be  assembled 
to  sett  uppon  euery  Plantation  of  the  Colonic,  S'  George 
Yardley  himselfe  in  psone  went  to  euery  Plantation  and 
tooke  a  generall  muster  of  all  the  men  and  their  Armes, 
gaue  straight  Charge  y'  watch  and  warde  should  be  kept 
euery  where.  But  Apochancono  earnestly  denying  ye 
plott,  and  noe  aparant  proofe  brought  our  people  by  de- 
grees fell  againe  to  theire  ordinary  watch  not  beeinge  able 
to  follow  their  seuerall  Labors  and  keep  soe  strict  a  guarde, 
especyally  beinge  seated  in  small  pties,  and  at  diuers  tymes 
hauinge  had  many  the  like  Alarums  wch  came  to  nothinge. 
Neither  was  it  to  be  imagined  y*  uppon  y^  death  of  Nene- 
machanew,  a  man  soe  farr  owt  of  the  fauor  of  Apochancono 
y*  he  sent  worde  to  S'  George  Yardley,  being  then  Gou^nor, 
by  his  interpreter  y'  for  his  pte  he  could  be  contented  his 
throte  were  cutt,  there  would  fall  owte  a  generall  breach, 
wee  being  in  treatie  wtli  him  and  offeringe  to  doe  him  Jus- 
tice. Accordinge  to  the  Articles  of  peace,  yf  uppon  the 
taking  upp  of  the  dead  bodies  y'  myght  appere  y'  Nene- 
machanew  had  noe  hand  in  theire  deaths  wch  was  all  y' 
Apochancono  required,  and  then  uppon  sent  onto  us  to 
search  for  y^  bodies  and  in  the  mean  tyme  sent  woorde  y* 
the  death  of  Nenemachanew  being  but  one  man  should  be 
noe  occasione  of  the  breach  of  y'  peace,  and  y'  the  Skye 
should  sooner  falle  than  Peace  be  broken  one  his  pte,  and 


REMOVAL  TO  ACCOMAG.  367 

that  he  had  giuen  order  to  all  his  people  to  giue  us  noe 
offence  and  desired  the  like  from  us.  Notwithstanding 
order  was  taken  generally  through  owt  ye  whole  Colony 
to  stand  uppon  theire  guards  until  further  tryall,  but  y^ 
Indyans  cominge  daylie  amongst  us,  and  putting  them- 
selues  into  our  powers,  bread  in  our  people  a  securitie 

Saddened  by    Company' s  Reproofs. 

"  These  and  diners  other  Circumstances  considered  wee 
were  in  good  hope  yt  you  would  not  haue  added  sorrow  to 
affliction,  wouudinge  our  reputationes  wth  such  disgrasfull 
reproofes,  unworthie  of  our  suffering  yf  not  of  our  Industrie, 
But  y'  you  would  first  haue  ascended  to  y^  trew  cause  wch 
we  with  causes  to  bee  all  our  seruices  hauinge  since  lost 
more  by  the  Imediate  hand  of  God  than  by  the  Treacherie 
of  the  Saluages,  And  would  to  god  yt  the  Couetousnes  of 
some  at  home,  did  not  only  in  quantetie  excessiue,  but  in 
qualtitie  base  and  infectious  :  for  apparell  wee  know  noe 
excesse  butt  in  the  parishes,  and  had  not  that  taxe  pceeded 
from  you,  wee  should  haue  thought  it  a  flante  for  our  pou- 
ertie  and  nakednesse. 

Removal  to  Accomac. 

"  The  remouall  to  the  Eastern  Shore  wch  you  call  an 
abandoninge  of  this  Riuer  (beinge  a  place  indeede  y'  com- 
ands  not  only  this  but  all  the  Riuers  in  the  Baye)  was  a 
thinge  only  in  dispute  &  speculatinge  But  uppon  the  con- 
sideratione  that  it  might  be  at  first  sight  a  taint  to  our 
reputations  &  noe  way  lawfull  to  forsake  our  stations  with 
out  leaue,  y'  pceeded  noe  farther  as  all  our  Accons  since 
may  sufficyently  proue,  hauinge  carefully  repayred  the  de- 
cays of  James  Cyttie  and  inuited  all  men  to  builde  theire, 


3Q8  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

wch  pceeded  cheerfully  one,  till  your  Lres  of  dyspersinge 
men  againe  Wherein  wee  submitt  our  Judgments  to  your 
Comands,  made  euery  man  look  to  his  priuatt  [interest.] 
Butt  y'  it  was  necessary  to  seatt  together  in  two  or  three 
great  bodyes  was  the  unanymous  voyce  both  of  the  Coun- 
sell  and  Planters,  And  noe  doupt  would  haue  draune  one 
the  buildinge  of  fortified  Townes  whereof  now  wee  dispayer, 
wherby  we  might  haue  made  aduantage  of  their  Saluage 
treacherie  by  the  securinge  of  ourselues  from  the  natiue 
and  forren  Enemie,  and  y'  without  a  tax  of  feare  beinge 
rather  a  conception,  than  a  thing  we  know  and  this 

we  take  to  hand  the  first  endeuors  of  all  new  planta- 

tions ;  wee  conclude  this  poynt  wth  the  4^'"  reson  giuen  in 
your  printed  booke,  y'  to  be  scattered  in  small  Companies 
are  helps  to  victorie,  but  hinderances  to  Ciuilitie. 

Lady  Dale's  Plantation. 

"  The  quittinge  of  Soe  many  Plantations  was  absolutely 
necessarie,  and  wee  moer  willinglie  suffer  reprooff  in  pseru- 
ing  you'  people,  than  Comendation  in  their  hazarde  in  one 
wee  will  instance  the  necessitie  of  all,  by  a  muster  taken 
of  my  Lady  Dales  family  wch  consisted  of  two  and  twentie, 
whereof  eight  were  boys,  most  of  the  men  were  new  and 
untrayned,  wth  very  little  munitione,  and  but  six  peeces 
and  one  Armour  amongst  them,  and  54  headd  of  Cattle 
wch  all  these  men  were  not  Sufficient  to  guarde  excpt 
eyther  the  place  or  Industry  of  enclosure  had  giuen  ad- 
uantage 

Iron   Works. 

"  As  for   ye   Irone  Workes   we  had   resolued   to   haue 
strengthened  them  with  all  y'  planters  therabouts,  yf  soe 


UNJUST  CHARGES.  369 

many  of  ye  principall  woorke  men  had  not  been  slayne,  as  in 
the  opinione  of  M'"  Barkley  and  M""  Southerne,  it  was  utterly 
ympossible  to  pceede  in  that  worke,  though  w*''  y^  assist- 
ance of  the  whole  Colonie,  neyther  was  it  possible  retayn- 
inge  any  more  of  y""  Plantations,  eyther  Draw  a  competent 
force  to  reuenge  ourselues  uppon  our  enemies,  or  to  send 
abroad  pties  to  pcure  corne  for  o'"  psent  reliefe,  w^^  our  re- 
putations and  necessitie  required,  as  may  appear  by  this, 
wheras  by  comm  consent  300  were  thought  to  bee  the 
lest  number  to  assault  Apochancono  himselfe,  whose  dis- 
comfiture would  proue  y^  dishartininge  of  the  residue, 
uppon  a  generall  vote  taken,  there  could  not  be  leuied 
aboue  180  men,  whereof  80  at  lest  were  only  seruiceable 
for  caryinge  of  Corne,  and  yet  those  few  Plantations  wee 
holde  especyally  by  resone  of  the  sicknesse  of  our  people 
were  left  as  weake,  as  was  in  any  sort  justifiable. 

The  Crime  of  Ingrosdng. 

"  For  y*  of  ingrossinge  all,  and  leauinge  all  our  inno- 
cency  knowes  not  how  to  interprett  it,  and  desyre  alsoe  w*^ 
y''  beloued  discyple,  you  would  be  pleased  to  poynt  out 
y^  man  guiltie  of  y*'  horrible  treasone  against  god  him- 
selfe, since  by  naminge  none  you  charge  vs  all,  nether 
know  wee  any  that  had  nott  freely  aduentured  themselues 
and  pted  wth  theire  pticular  pfiits  to  aduance  your  designes 
and  not  their  owne  gaine  and  greatness,  for  the  repayer  of 
wch  causeles  suspitions  wee  shall  endeuor  accordinge  to 
your  comande  to  restore  y'  Plantations  where  formerly 
they  were  and  to  maintaine  them  with  abundance  of 
graine  and  Victuall,  Prouided  y*  we  be  not  charged  from 
home  w""  such  multitudes  of  people  scantlie  or  utterlie  un- 
prouided  as  formerly  hath  been  sent  and  come  ouer,  beinge 

47 


370  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

y®  Chief  cause  of  our  scarcitie,  and  how  soeuer  you  haue 
very  worthely  sett  in  priute  to  all  mens  vewe  w*  pvisions 
are  necessarie  to  be  brought  hither,  yet  it  is  but  in  pte  ob- 
serued  euen  by  those  last  suplies. 

Superiority  of  present  Government. 

"  Wee  desire  to  make  noe  comparisone  w*^  those  y*  haue 
formerliegouerned,  to  whose  memories  we  giue  all  respect  & 
honor,  but  yf  you  please  to  take  a  suruey  of  those  tymes,  you 
may  perceue  y*  there  were  held  but  fower  Plantations,  and 
those  not  subdiuided,  fed  and  appareled  wholie  by  your 
comon  purse,  and  yett  were  all  Colonic  seruants  under  the 
eye  of  y^  Magistrate  at  the  absolute  Comandeof  the  Gou'nor, 
and  y'  under  Marshall  Law,  wheras  before  this  Massacre 
there  were  neere  80  seuerall  Plantationes  and  Diuidents, 
and  accordinge  to  your  late  instructions  are  like  to  be  no 
lesse  than  fortie,  ten  tymes  as  many  as  were  then  man- 
tayned,  would  to  God  o'  numbers  of  men,  held  the  like 
pportione. 

Scarcity  of  Corn. 

"  For  our  former  wante  of  corne  wee  y*  are  latelie  come 
can  say  nothinge,  those  y^  were  heere  before  alleage  y* 
scant  and  bad  prouisions  sent  ouer  with  new  comers  and 
that  all  Tenants  at  halfes  (the  CoUedge  only  excepted) 
were  neuer  able  to  feede  themselues  by  theire  labours  three 
moneths  in  y*"  Yeere. 

Frenchmen  industrious. 

"  Wheras  the  Frenchmen  generallie  haue  allways  plen- 
tifully prouided  for  themselues  and  others,  and  some  of 
them  haue  effected  more  wth  their  pticuler  families  than 


SHORT  CROP  OF  TOBACCO.  371 

the  whole  Colone  in  that  alleaged  infamie  ?     And  yf  this 
last  disaster  had  not  beefalne  us  wee  should  nott  haue 
needed   y*  supphe  of  meale,  for  your  great  paynes  and 
trauell  in  pcuringe  whereofe  we  giue  you  humble  thanks, 
but  we  confes  freely,  yf  we  had  knowne  y*  would  haue  cost 
you  soe  much  trouble  wee  would  neuer  have  writt  for  y*, 
and  for  y^  future,  if  y'  they  be  puided  for  f  shall  herafter 
come  ouer  we  are  confident  there  wilbe  no  cause  To  intreat 
your  helpe  for  supplie  of  come  or  any  other  pvisione, 
fourther  than  voluntary  aduenture  will  bringe  in,  w'^  shall 
neuer  be  intreted  for  us,  seeinge  by  reason  of  our  great 
crosses,  wee  haue  not  beene  enabled  to  our  griefe  to  make 
suchspeedie  and  full  retourne  for  those  aduentures  you  haue 
pcured,  as  was  expected. 

Cause  of  sloio  Returns. 

"  The  maine  cause  why  retournes  were  not  made  for  y^ 
last  yeers  Magazine  was  because  before  the  arriuall  of  the 
Warwick,  most  of  the  Tobacco  in  y^  Lande  was  solde  and 
made  away  to  other  shippinge  that  formerly  ariued.  To 
whom  you  required  our  fauors  to  be  showne  in  respect  of 
their  less  number  of  people  transported  than  usuall,  soe  as 
of  necessitie  your  factor  myght  haue  kept  y*^  goods  dead 
uppon  his  hands  or  sell  them  to  be  paide  this  cropp  Wher- 
in  yf  hee  haue  been  denied  any  assistance  from  us  in  re- 
coueringe  his  depts  you  might  then  soe  bitterhe  censure  us. 

"Other  helpe  wee  could  not  giue  him  beinge  not  at  all 
acquainted  with  y''  pticularitie  of  his  busines.  Beside  there 
haue  and  doe  come  daylie  into  this  lande  so  many  priuatt 
Aduentures  equallie  recomended  unto  us,  as  fine  times  y^ 
Cropp  of  this  yeere  will  nott  satisfie  there  being  not  made 
aboue  three  score  thousand  waight  of  Tobacco  in  the  whole 


372  VIEOmiA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Collonie,  and  so  many  priuatt  aduentures  besides,  that 
except  we  should  deny  free  trade  contrarie  to  y*'  equitie  of 
your  order,  doe  and  will  take  away  much  of  our  Tobacco 
though  we  haue  no  warrant  to  them  to  recouer  it,  Because 
many  of  their  comodities  as  Sacke,  sweete  meates  and 
stronge  Liquors  are  soe  acceptable  to  the  people. 

Staple  Commodities. 

"  Concerninge  the  raisinge  of  Staple  Comodities  our  en- 
deauors  therein  and  how  farr  it  was  aduanced  before  this 
disaster  you  haue  been  formerly  aduised ;  how  ernest  our 
intentes  are  to  psecute  them  heerafter.  Mr  Thre""  will  more 
pticularly  informe  you. 

Mmirice  Berheley. 

"  The  failinge  of  Iron  woorkes  is  much  lamented  by 
the  whole  Collony  whose  assistance  they  wanted  not 
whiles  it  was  in  theyre  power  to  assiste  them,  the  state  of 
w'^'^  woorke  wee  referre  to  y®  relatione  of  Mr.  Maurice  Bark- 
ley  who  is  now  to  returne  by  whom  we  will  send  you  a  Ust 
of  y^  names  and  pfessions  of  the  men,  togeather  wth  a  note 
of  y^  tooles  and  materialls  necessary  for  the  reerectinge  of 
that  woorke. 

Silk-worm  Seed. 

"  The  Silke  woorme  seede  w^*"  was  formerly  sent  ouer 
were  all  hatch*"  out  before  they  cam  to  our  hands,  only 
those  now  receued  are  for  y"  gratest  pte  well  conditioned, 
and  shalbe  carefully  pserued. 

"The  Mulberie  trees  great  store  were  ye  last  yeere 
planted,  and  shalbe  yeerly  inclosed,  the  like  care  of  Vines 
we  will  haue. 


PROD  UCTS  OF  TEE  CO  UNTB  T.  373 


Silk   Grass. 

"The  Silke  grasse  we  purpose  to  send  you  some  quantitie, 
soe  much  as  shall  suffice  to  make  experience  of  it,  and  yf 
it  proue  right  we  can  send  you  therof  aboundance. 

Sassafras. 

"  For  gatheringe  of  Sasafras  although  the  necessitie  of  the 
yeere  doth  require  y«  employment  of  more  hands  than  we 
haue  soe  many  People  beinge  to  bee  reseated  uppon  their 
Plantations,  hauinge  howses  to  build  and  the  tyme  of 
plantinge  drawinge  neere,  yet  will  doe  our  best  to  Satisfie 
your  desires  therein. 

Glass    Works. 

"  For  what  hath  been  done  in  the  glasse  works  Mr.  Threr 
will  inform  you  therin,  the  like  will  Mr.  Pountis  for  the 
maides,  as  also  .for  Mr.  Woodalls  cattle. 

Fur  Voyage. 

"  And  as  for  the  Fur  Vioadge  we  cannott  resolue  you, 
Capt  Jhones  being  nott  yett  retorned. 

Captain  Barwich  and  Company. 

"  Capt.  Barwick  and  his  Companie  at  their  ariuall  were 
Acomodated  accordinge  to  theire  Desire  in  James  Cyttie, 
when  they  haue  spent  their  tymes  in  howsinge  themselues, 
and  are  now  woorkinge  uppon  shallops,  Since  his  arrmall 
by  sicknes  he  hath  lost  many  of  his  princypall  workmen, 
and  he  himselfe  at  present  very  dangerouslie  sick,  Mr.  Thre' 
will  at  all  tymes  take  Accompt  of  the  pfitts  and  returne 
them. 


374  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Carpenters  for  East  India  School. 

"  The  men  sent  fory®  buildinge  of  the  East  India  Scoole 
were  for  the  psent  placed  amongst  the  Colledge  Tenants, 
fower  of  them  are  dead,  the  residue  shalbe  placed  w^^ 
the  first  conveniencie  at  Martins  hmidred  according  to  Mr. 
Coplands  request  to  the  Gouernor  and  Counsell. 

Death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Leake. 

"  The  little  experience  wee  haue  of  M""  Leake  made  good 
your  Comendations  of  him,  and  his  death  to  us  very  gre- 
uous. 

Death  of  Sir  Wm.  Nuce. 

"  Sir  William  Nuce  did  not  aboue  two  days  suruiue  the 
readinge  of  his  Pattent,  Whose  long  delay  and  sudden  losse 
were  to  our  great  disaduantage.  He  brought  with  him 
very  few  people,  sicklie,  ragged  and  altogether  wthout 
puisione,  his  sudden  death  and  great  depts  left  his  estate 
much  entangled  to  our  extraordinarie  trouble. 

Payments  for  the  Maids  and  Boys. 

u  ]y[r  Treas'  hath  receaued  a  booke  of  accompt  concerning 
the  Tobacco  sent  home  for  the  fiftie  youths  sent  in  the 
Dewtie,  and  the  maides  in  the  Jonathan  and  Londone 
Marchant,  and  of  2407  powndesof  Tobac^cosent  home  by  the, 
1407^*^  thereof  was  for  ye  Transportation  of  nyne  of  the 
Cyttie  boys,  nyne  maides  and  fower  men;  the  residue 
w*^  20  barrells  of  Corne  paide  heere  was  for  y®  rent 
of  twentie  boys  of  the  Cyttie  Boys  the  yeere  past,  .wch 
was  as  much  as  you  receaue  for  most  of  yo''  Tenants 
of  makinge  upp  thesomme  expended  for  the  Duetie  boys  and 


REVENUES  OF  THE  COMPANY.  375 

the  maides  wee  will  do  our  best  y*  they  who  had  them 
may  make  you  Satisfactions. 

"ConcerDinge  the  reuenews  of  the  Companie  we  suppose 
you  haue  found  by  your  officers  where  the  error  is,  we 
conceaue  yt  yf  you  would  be  pleased  to  Change  the  Con- 
dition of  Tenants  into  Seruants  for  future  supplies  and 
not  send  ouer  new  officers  neerly  unexperienced  in  the 
Countrey  to  comande  them,  who  thogh  they  may  be  very 
sufficyent  for  much  worthie  ymployment,  eyther  martiall 
or  ciuill,  are  not  soe  fitt  for  y*^  ouerlookinge  and  directinge 
men  in  their  labours,  in  wch  affayes  experience  instructith 
more  than  much  other  sufficiencie,  That  then  your  reue- 
newes  might  be  greatly  Improued. 

Capt.  Each  and  Fortification. 

"  Capt.  Each  hath  not  yett  vewed  the  place  at  Wadris- 
coyks  whether  it  be  fitt  for  fortification  or  nott,  when  he 
hath  yf  he  shall  find  it  sezable,  and  will  undertake  it  he 
shall  haue  our  utmost  and  best  assistance,  as  farr  as  this 
yeers  pouertie  will  pmitt,  wch  we  will  supplie  in  the  next. 

College   Tenants. 

"  The  College  Tenants  w*^  much  difficultie,  we  are  now 
about  to  resettle  and  haue  engaged  ourselues  to  supplie 
them  with  Corne  untill  haruest  hauinge  strengthend  them 
with  diuers  of  the  old  Planters,  uppon  y*"  Conditions  wch 
yourselues  haue  ppounded. 

Martins  Hundred. 

"The  Aduenturers  of  Martins  Hundred  whom  haue  putt 
life  into  the  Accon  by  reenforcinge  theire  supplies,  may 
pmise  from  us  to  themselues  all  possible  asistance.    Liut. 


376  vmaiNiA  company  of  london. 

Parkinson  w^^  his  people  is  already  gone  downe  y*"  like 
we  shalbe  redie  to  doe  to  y^  rest  of  the  plantations. 

Petitions. 

"  We  haue  receaued  diuers  peticiones  wherin  wee  wilbee 
readie  to  dco  Justice  as  ye  proofes  shall  arise  uppon  Ex- 
aminatione,  nor  can  any  man  for  ought  we  knowe,  complayne 
Justly  that  a  lawfull  hearinge  hath  been  denied  him  at 
any  tyme. 

Charity  Invoked. 

"Lastlie  we  conclude  w*^  our  humble  request  unto  you  y* 
you  will  not  judge  us  by  the  euents  of  thinges  wch  are  euer 
uncertain  especyally  in  a  new  Plantation,  nor  by  reportes 
of  branded  people,  some  of  whom  haue  deseruedly  under- 
gone seuerall  kinds  of  punishment,  nor  of  the  malitious 
and  unknowinge,  but  rather  to  giue  creditt  to  our  publique 
informations  and  then  we  shall  cheerfullie  as  we  haue 
euer  faithfully  pceede  to  the  aduancement  of  your  de- 
signes,  the  good  success  wherof  we  humblie  recomend  to 
y''  fauors  of  the  Allmightie,  and  euer  remaine, 

"  Most  humbly  at  yo'  Comands, 
"James  Cytty  y"  20^^'  of  Fra.  Wyatt 

January  1622.  George  Yardley 

George  Sandys 
Roger  Smith 
John  Pountis 
Ralphe  Hamor. 
u  T^Q  ye  right  Hono''^"  y^  Earl  of  Southampton  and  other 
y''  Lordes,  w^^  the  rest  of  the  Woorthie  aduenturers  of  y* 
Virginia  Company." 


TEANKSOIVING  SERMON.  377 


Rev.  p.  Copeland  to  preach  Thanksgiving  Sermon. 

April  10,  1623.  "  Forsomuch  as  the  George  was  now 
returned  safe  from  Virginia  confirminge  the  good  newes 
they  had  formerly  receaued  of  the  safe  arriuall  of  their 
shipps  and  people  in  Virginia  sent  this  last  Somer,  it  was 
now  thought  fitt  and  resolued  accordinge  to  a  mocon  for- 
merly made  to  the  like  eifect  that  a  sermon  should  be 
preached  to  express  Companies  thankfulness  unto  God  for 
this  his  great  and  extraordinary  blessinge  : 

"  To  wch  end  the  Court  entreated  M'"  Copland  beinge 
present  to  take  the  paines  to  preach  the  said  sermon, 
being  a  brother  of  the  Companie,  and  one  that  was  well 
acquainted  w*"^  the  happie  successe  of  their  affaires  in  Vir- 
ginia this  last  yeare,  upon  w*^^  request  M'  Copland  was 
pleased  to  undertake  it  and  thereupon  two  places  beinge 
proposed  where  this  exercise  should  be  pformed,  namely 
St.  Michaells  in  Cornhill,  or  Bowe  Church,  it  was  by  erec- 
con  of  hands  appointed  to  be  in  Bowe  Church  on  Wednes- 
day next,  beinge  the  17th  Day  of  this  present  Moneth  of 
Aprill  about  4  of  the  Clocke  in  the  Afternoone,  for  w'^^  pur- 
pose M'  Carter  is  appointed  to  giue  notice  of  the  time  and 
place  to  all  the  Companie.^ 


1  The  sermon  was  preached  and  printed  in  quarto  with  the  title  :  "  Vir- 
ginia's God  to  be  thanked,  or  a  Sermon  of  Thanksgiving  for  the  happy 
success  of  the  affairs  in  Virginia,  this  last  year.  Published  by  command- 
ment of  tbe  Company." 


48 


378  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 


John  Martin  the  Persian. 

"  John  Martin  the  Persian  makinge  humble  suite  for  the 
Companies  fauo'  to  the  Farmers  of  his  Ma*®  Custome  to  free 
him  from  payinge  double  Custome  w*^*^  they  required  of  him 
being  a  stranger  notwithstandinge  he  was  made  a  free  man  in 
Virginia  by  S'  George  Yeardley,  then  Gouernor  as  by  Certifi- 
cate under  the  Collonies  Seale  appeared,  Answeare  was 
made  touchinge  his  freedome  that  none  but  the  King  could 
make  him  a  free  denizon  of  England,  and  for  the  Custome 
demanded  the  Farmers  themselues  could  not  nowe  remitt 
it  in  reguard  they  had  already  entred  the  parcell  into  their 
books  and  charged  it  upon  Account,  whereupon  it  beinge 
taken  into  consideracon  howe  he  might  be  relieued  he  was 
at  length  aduised  to  peticon  unto  my  Lo :  Trear  for  re- 
mittinge  the  said  imposicon  in  reguard  he  was  a  freeman  of 
Virginia  and  intended  to  returne  thither  againe  w**^  some 
seruants  out  of  the  proceed  of  that  small  parcell  of  To- 
bacco he  had  brought  ouer  to  supplie  his  wants. 


Trial  Sermon  or  Mr.  Staples. 

"  M'  Staples  Minister  recommended  by  M'  Abra  :  Cham- 
berlen  and  by  certificate  under  the  hands  of  well  neare 
20  Diuines  continuing  still  his  earnest  request  unto  the 
Companie  for  some  allowance  towards  the  transport  and 
furnishinge  out  of  himselfe  his  wife  and  child  to  Virginia, 
where  he  hath  a  Brother  lyuinge  w*'^  moues  him  the 
rather  to  goe,  for  w*^^  allowance  he  is  entreated  to  put 
himselfe  wholly  their  free  bounty  the  Court  takinge  it 
into  consideracon  did  at  length  agree  that  allthough  their 


REV.  MR.  STAPLES.  379 

Stocke  was  spent  they  could  strayne  themselues  to  giue 
him  20''^  to  pay  for  his  said  passage  and  to  furnish  him  with 
necessaries  and  for  that  it  was  moued  that  he  might  haue 
sometestimony  of  his  suflficiencie  by  a  Sermon  he  was  desired 
to  preach  upon  Sunday  come  sen  night  in  the  Afternoone 
at  St  Scyth's  Church  w^^  he  promised  to  performe. 

Sir  Walter  Raleigh's  Son. 
April  12.     "  Mr.  Deputy  propounded  S-"  Walter  Raw- 
leighes  sonne  to  be  admitted  into  the  Company  w^^^  in  re- 
guard  his  father  was  y^  first  discouerer  of  Virginia,  was 
generally  well  liked  of 

Duppa's  Bad  Beer. 
June  18.  "  The  Owners  of  the  Abigail  further  Ac- 
quainted the  Court  that  wheras  they  understood  a  great 
part  of  the  beer  was  bad  and  such  as  had  likelie  much 
endamaged  the  peoples  health,  that  that  Beer  was  bought 
of  M"".  Dupper  who  had  receiued  of  them  a  great  price  for 
itt.  Wherfore  as  well  for  the  Cleeringe  of  their 
Inocencie  as  allso  for  the  iust  sattisfaccon  of  the  world, 
they  purposed  to  complane  either  to  the  Commissioners  or 
the  LL'^«  of  the  Counsell  in  case  the  Company  had  not  suffi- 
cient authorytie  of  themselves  to  p'ceed  against  M""  Dupper. 

Richard  Downes,  a  Scholar. 

"  Edward  Downes  peticoned  that  his  son  Richard  Downes 
hauinge  continued  in  Virginia  these  4  yeares  and  being 
bred  a  schollar  went  ouer  in  hope  of  preferment  in  the 


380  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Colledge  there;  might  now  be  free  to  Hue  there  of  himselfe 
and  haue  50  acres  of  land  to  plant  upon.  The  Court  con- 
ceauinge  his  suite  to  be  verie  reasonable  haue  recomended 
the  graunt  thereof  to  the  next  Quarter  Court. 


Postponement  of  Annual  Election. 

"  At  a  Quarter  Court  held  for  Virginia  the  25*  of  June, 
1623 

"  M""  Deputy  acquainted  the  Court  that  he  had  receaued 
a  Letter  from  his  Ma*'*'  sent  unto  him  by  a  seruant  of  M' 
Secretary  Caluert  and  directed  to  the  Treasurer  Counsel! 
and  Companie  for  Virginia  w*^^  Ire  (hauinge  acquainted  the 
counsell  for  Virginia)  they  thought  fitt  it  should  be  first 
read  before  they  proceeded  to  any  other  buissiness  :  wher- 
upon  the  L're  was  opened  and  read  the  Coppie  whereof  doth 
here  ensue. 
" 'James  R 

" '  Right  Trustie  and  wel  beloued  :  Wee  greet  you  well : 
Forasmuch  as  Wee  haue  appointed  a  Comission  to  exa- 
mine the  present  estate  of  the  Virginia  Plantation  with 
sundrie  other  things  and  matters  appertayninge  thereunto 
and  that  we  expect  within  these  fewe  dayes  to  haue  some 
Accompt  made  us  of  their  Laboures  in  that  seruice  :  Un- 
derstandinge  that  to  morrowe  beinge  the  25*''  of  this 
Moneth;  you  intend  to  hold  a  Court  for  the  said  Company: 
Our  will  and  pleasure  is  that  you  do  forbeare  the  eleccon  of 
any  Officers  untill  to  morrowe  fortnight  at  the  soonest  but 
to  let  those  that  be  already  remayne  as  they  are  in  the 
meane  time. 


DEATH  OF  THOMAS  NUCE.  381 

"  '  Giuen  at  our  Court  at  Greenwich  the  fower  and  twen- 
tieth day  of  June,  in  the  one  &  twentieth  yeare  of  our 
Raigne  of  great  Brittaine,  France  and  Ireland.^'" 


TRANSACTIONS  UNTIL  JUNE,  1864. 


/6l4^ 


The  Company,  owing  to  the  bitter  controversies  that  pre- 
vailed at  the  meetings  held  during  the  last  years  of 
existence,  transacted  but  Httle  business,  and  there  are  few 
entries  in  the  Journals  of  this  period  that  pertain  to  the 
affairs  of  the  colony. 

Widow  of  Capt.  Thomas  Nuce. 

August  6.  "  S""  John  Dauers  acquainted  the  Court  that 
he  had  receaued  from  M^'^  Nuice  the  late  wife  of  Deputy 
Nuice  deceased  in  Virginia,  wherein  she  requested  that  the 
Companie  in  tender  reguard  of  her  great  losse  by  the  late 
death  of  her  said  Husband  beinge  now  left  desolate  and 
comfortless  in  a  strainge  Country  farr  from  all  her  frends, 
they  therefore  would  please  to  grant  her  that  fauo'  that 
she  might  still  enioy  the  moytie  of  those  Tenants  labo"^^ 
that  belonged  to  her  Husband's  place,  w*^^  if  he  had  Hued 

1  After  this  was  read  there  was  a  long  and  general  silence.  It  was  then 
voted,  that  the  present  officers  should  be  continued,  as  by  the  express 
words  of  their  charter,  they  could  only  elect  officers  at  a  quarterly  meeting. 


382 


VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 


had  of  right  bin  due  unto  him,  until  such  time  as  they 
shall  dispose  of  the  said  place. 

"  M""  Deputy  also  signified  that  M""  Pountys  in  his  letter  to 
him  comendinge  much  the  Gentlewomans  good  carriage  and 
charity  to  diners  in  that  Countrie,  did  with  much  earn- 
estness desire  the  same  fauo'  of  the  Companie  in  her 
behalfe :  Whereupon  the  Court  takinge  it  into  their  conside- 
racon  conceaued  her  request  to  be  verie  reasonable  and  did 
therefore  generally  agree  it  should  accordingly  be  remembered 
in  the  generall  letter  to  the  counsell  there  sent  by  Hopewell. 


Annual  Sermon  Postponed. 

Nov.  12.  "  A  Ire  from  an  unknowne  p'son  beinge  pre- 
sented to  the  Court  and  read  wherein  was  enclosed  two 
peeces  of  gold  of  40'  for  a  sermon  to  be  preached  this  year 
(as  was  the  last)  before  the  Companie.  It  beinge  taken 
into  consideracon  it  was  thought  fitt  (and  so  agreed)  the 
Sermon  should  be  respited  for  a  time  in  reguard  of  the 
present  troubles  of  the  Companie. 

"  M""  Caswell  payinge  allowance  for  the  money  he  dis- 
bursed ouer  aboue  that  he  receaued  of  the  Companie  for 
their  last  Sermon  feast  at  Marchantaylors  Hall  being  then 
their  Steward  was  referred  to  the  Auditors. 


Capt.  William   Peirce. 

Nov.  19.  "Uppon  mocon  order  was  giuen  for  a  Com- 
mission to  be  drawne  upp  and  sealed  for  William  Peirce 
M'  of  the  good  Shipp  called  the  Returne  of  100  Tuns 
bound  for  transportacon  of  passengers  to  Virginia. 


MBS.  JORDAN'S  FICKLENESS  383 


Breach  of  Promise  Case. 

April  21,  1624.  "  M'  Deputy  signified  of  certain  other 
pap-"^  that  came  inclosed  in  y"  aforesaid  Box  w*=^  were  read 
wherof  one  conteyninge  certaine  examinacons  touchinge  a 
difference  between  M"^  Pooley  and  M'^  Jourdan  referred 
unto  the  company  here  for  answere,  and  the  Court  en- 
treated M""  Purchas  to  conferr  with  some  Ciuilians  and 
aduise  what  answere  was  fitt  to  be  returned  in  such  a  case.' 

Reelection  of  Earl  of  Southampton. 

April  1624.     "  Itt  beinge  taken  into  Consideracon  by 
this  present  Court,  after  all  reasons  heard  and  debated  itt 
was    at   length   agreed   by  a   generall  erection  of  hands 
that  the  Lawe  concerninge  the  lymitinge   of  the  Office 
of  Treasurer  and  Deputy  to  the  term  of  3  years  should  be 
suspended,  and  accordingly  resoluinge  to  go  to  eleccon,  the 
Earle    of   Southampton  was   generally  and  unanimously 
nominated    and   beinge    putt   in   election  w*^  the    Right 
Hon^^^  the  Lord  Cauendish,  the  place  fell  to  the  Earle  of 
Southampton,  by  hauinge  69  balls,  the   Lord  Cauendish 
fine,   and   the   Negatiue   box  2.     Whereuppon   y"   Court 
besought  the  Lord  Cauendish  and  the  rest  of  the  Counsell 
present  to  acquaint  his.LoP  with  this  choyce  and  how 

1  Pooly  alleged  that  the  widow  Jordan  engaged  herself  to  him  three  or 
four  days  after  her  husband's  death.  After  this  the  widow  disavowed 
the  engagement,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  governor  and  council  of  Vir- 
ginia Contracted  herself  to  William  Ferrar,  for  many  years  a  prominent 
councillor,  and  probably  a  brother  of  John  and  Nicholas  the  deputies  of 
the  company. 


384  vmaiNiA  company  of  london. 

humbly  and  instantly  the  Court  besought  his  Lo^  to  accept 
thereof. 


Reelection  of  Nicholas  Ferrar.' 

"  For  Deputy  M''  Alderman  Johnson  M""  Nicholas  Ferrar 
beinge  proposed  and  ballated,  the  place  fell  to  M""  Ferrar 
by  hauinge  64  balls  M""  Alderman  10  and  the  negatiue  box 
1.     Whereuppon  beinge  brought  to  his  place  tooke  his  oath. 


Reelection  of  Wyatt  as  Governor  op  Virginia. 

"Sir  Fraunces  Wyat^  beinge  proposed  to  the  Court  and 
some  earnestlie  mouinge  that  S'"  Samuel  Argall  (in  reguard 
of  his  worth  and  desire  hereunto)  might  stand  in  Eleccon 
with  him  they  were  both  ballated  and  the  place  fell  to  S"^ 
Frauncis  Wyat  by  hauinge  69  balls,  S'  Samuel  Argall  8 
and  y®  negative  box  2. 


1  Nicholas  Ferrar,  Jr.,  brother  of  John,  was  educated  at  Cambridge. 
At  the  age  of  21,  he  was  one  of  the  train  of  the  Princess  Elizabeth  in 
1613,  after  her  marriage  with  Frederic,  the  Elector  Palatine.  After  the 
dissolution  of  the  company  in  the  year  1626,  he  was  ordained  deacon  in  the 
church  of  England,  and  became  Rector  of  Little  Gidding  in  Huntington. 
George  Herbert,  the  poet,  was  an  intimate  friend.  His  piety  was  most 
elevated,  and  his  taste  led  him  to  ritualism.  He  never  married  and  died 
in  1637,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  Among  his  friends  was  the 
Puritan,  the  Rev.  Patrick  Copelaud. 

~  His  wife  soon  after  this  returned  to  England.  Chamberlain  writes  to 
Carleton  on  June  19th.  "  The  Lady  Wyat,  daughter  as  I  take  it  to  Lord 
Samuel  Sandys  is  returned  from  Virginia,  great  with  child,  and  Mrs. 
Percy  in  her  company." 


i 

1 

CHAPTER  XVn. 

•THE  DISSOLUTION  OF  THE  COMPANY. 

HE  faction  in  the  Company  led  by  the  Earl  of 
Warwick,  Sir  Thomas  Smith  the  late  Treasurer, 
and  Alderman  Johnson  late  Deputy  Treasurer, 
although  few  in  numbers,  had  the  sympathy  of 
the  court  party  in  politics.  Early  in  the  year  1623,  it 
was  evident  that  the  proceedings  of  the  Company  were 
to  be  met  with  objections/  After  a  contract  had  been 
made  with  the  King  relative  to  the  sole  importation  of 
tobacco,  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Company  recom- 
mended certain  officers,  with  salaries,  to  look  after  their 
tobacco  trade.  The  report  was  adopted,  and  Mr  Wrote, 
the  mouth-piece  of  the  faction,  made  it  the  pretext  for  a 
rupture,  and  said  the  salaries  were  "carried  fowly  and 
with  much  arte,  surreptitously  and  to  priuate  ends,"  and 
that  men    "could  not   speak   their    minds   freely,   were 

1  The  Marquis  of  Hamilton  and  Earl  of  Pembroke  solemnly  affirmed  to 
Southampton  that  they  heard  Gondomar,  the  Spanish  Ambassador,  say 
to  the  King :  "  That  it  was  time  for  him  to  look  to  the  Virginia  Courts 
which  were  kept  at  the  Forrar's  House,  where  too  many  of  his  Nobility 
and  Gentry  resorted  to  accompany  the  popular  Lord  Southampton  and  the 

dangerous  Sandys." 

They  further  stated  :   "  Your  enemies  will  prevail  at  last ;   for  let  the  y 

Company  do  what  they  can  in  open  defiance  of  honor  and  justice,  it  is 
absolutely  determined  at  all  events  to  take  away  your  ]pa,tent."—Feckard's 
Ferrar,  pp.  115,  121, 

49 


386  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

ouerawed."  The  upright  merchant  John  Farrar,  and 
Deputy  Treasurer,  at  the  next  meeting,  declared  the 
remarks  to  be  "  untrue  and  scandalous,"  and  Lord  Caven- 
dish said  "  that  Wrote  had  not  only  affronted  him  in  par- 
ticular, but  the  Earl  of  Southampton  and  the  rest  of  the 
Counsel  and  Committee." 

At  subsequent  meetings  M^"  Wrote  became  more  violent 
in  his  speech,  and  on  the  last  of  January,  1622-23,  the  Mi- 
nutes state :  "  In  great  passion  challenged  the  Earl  of 
Southampton  for  giuing  him  the  lye  in  the  Third  person 
at  a  Sumers  Islands  court,  saying  '  that  if  any  man  should 
saye  that  in  any  thing  men  were  overawed  and  durst  not 
speak  it,  was  put  into  his  mouth  by  the  Deuill,  the  father 
of  lyes,  for  a  fowler  lye  himselfe  neuer  told.' " 

The  Earl  of  Southampton  as  presiding  officer,  instantly 
told  Wrote  "  that  had  he  carried  himselfe  so  in  any  other 
place  but  this,  he  would  not  have  endured  it,  and  sharply 
willed  him  to  behaue  himself  in  a  better  maner." 

On  the  fourth  of  February  the  discussion  continued,  and 
Captain  John  Smith,  who  was  then  on  the  side  of  the 
Company,  said  "  that  hauinge  spent  upon  Virginia  a  verie 
great  matter,^  he  did  by  God's  blessinge  hope  to  receaue 
this  yeare  a  good  quantity  of  Tobacco  w^*^  he  would  not 
willingly  haue  come  under  the  hands  of  them  that  would 
performe  the  buissiness  for  loue,  and  not  upon  a  good  and 
competent  salary." 

The  day  after  this  Mr.  Wrote,  having  refused  to  apolo- 
gize for  his  indecorous  speeches,  was  suspended,  and  from 
that  time  the  determination  of  the  faction  to  break  up  the 
Company  was  more  marked.     Early  in  April,  Alderman 


1  The  Records  show  no  expenditure  on  his  part. 


JOHJSrSOK'S  COMPLAINT.  387 

Johnson,  in  behalf  of  the  faction,  presented  the  following 
petition  to  the  King  : 

Petition  op  x\lderman  Johnson  and  Others. 

«  To  y^  Kings  most  exellent  Ma*^. 

"  The  humble  petition  of  Sundry  the  Aduenturers  and 
Planters  of  the  Virginia  and  Sumers  Hands  Plantacons. 
"  Most  gracious  Soueraigne  : 

"  Amongst  the  many  memorable  works  of  yo""  Ma*'  gra- 
cious Raigne  those  of  the  Plantacons  of  Virginia  and  the 
Somer  Hands  are  not  the  Least.     The  beginninge  of  w'^^ 
enterprize  beinge  the  first  forraigne  Colony  planted  by  our 
nation   accompanyed  w*  soe  great  a  charge  to    furnish 
ships  and  men  and  to  make  yearly  new   Supplies  wthout 
any  present  hope  of  retribucon  was  sufftcient  att  the  first 
veiwe  and  computacon  to  haue  discourraged  y"^  most  reso- 
lute and  forward  Aduenturers,  butt  by  God's  Assistance  ■ 
and   yo'    Ma*'    gracious   encourragem*'  wch   that  discreet 
and  mylde  Gouerm'  first  nomynated  and  appoynted  by 
yo^  Ma*^%  all  sortes  of  men  were  in  such  kind  and  frendly 
manner  inuited  to  engage  themselues  y*  notw*^standinge 
many  difficulties  that  great  Accon  (w*^''  otherwise  had  per- 
ished in  the  birth,  not  onely  tooke  hfe   and  beinge  butt 
pceeded  in  a  moste  hopefull  and  comfortable   Course  for 
many  years  togeather  with  unity  and  loue  amongst  ourselues 

and enterteynmn*  of  those  Sauadge  Indians  by  wch 

endeauors  sundry  of  those  Infidells  and  some  of  emynent 
sort  were  conuerted  to  Christian  Religion,  Staple  Comodi- 
ties  began  to  be  raysed  and  imported  into  this  kingdome, 
as  Iron,  Sturgion,  Caueary,  Sope  and  Pottashes,  Masts  for 


388  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

Ships,  Clapboard,  Pipestanes,  Waynscott,  Wine,  Pitch 
and  Tarr  and  y*  most  desired  work  of  Silkwormes  :  These 
were  y*^  blessings  then  uppon  our  peaceable  proceedinge. 

"  Butt  wee  know  not  howe  itt  is  of  late  yeares  com  to 
passe  that  notwithstandinge  yo'  Ma^'*^^  subiects  haue  been 
in  great  multitude  exported  to  the  Plantacons  yett  y® 
aforesaid  Comodides  and  other  y''  fruits  of  y*  worke  do 
not  appear  as  in  former  times,  o'^  unitie  and  peace  att 
home  is  turned  to  Ciuill  discord  and  dissencon  amongst 
o'  selues,  and  to  Massacre  and  Hostility  between  the  Na- 
tiues  and  our  Colony  in  Virginia,  and  diuers  of  y^  Antient 
Aduenturers  and  Planters  conceiue  themselues  many  ways 
iniured  abused  and  oppressed.  In  wch  respect  fearinge 
y*  y®  utter  ruine  and  distruccon  of  those  great  works  is 
like  to  followe  without  the  help  of  a  Supreame  hand,  and 
not  holdinge  itt  fitt  to  trouble  yo'  Sacred  ears  w^^  pticular 
complaints  wee  are  forced  for  remedy  to  appeale  to  yo' 
moste  excellent  Ma^^. 

"  Humbly  prayinge  y*  some  worthy  personages  whom 
yo'  Ma'y  shall  please  may  be  noiated  and  appointed  by 
comission  under  y^  great  Seale  of  England  who  by  Oath  or 
otherwise  by  all  Lawfull  means  and  waies  may  enquire 
and  examine  y®  true  state  of  y'^  Plantacons  att  y"^  time  when 
S'  Thomas  Smith  lefte  y''  Gouerment  of  y*'  said  Comp" : 
and  all  incidents  thereunto  belonginge,  as  also  what  moneys 
since  y*  time  haue  been  collected  for  y'^  Plantacons,  and  by 
whome,  howe  the  same  haue  been  procured  and  expended,  and 
what  after  y®  expense  of  so  much  money  is  y®  true  estate 
and  condicon  of  y^  said  Plantacons  at  this  present :  As 
allso  to  enquire  into  all  abuses  and  greiuances  concerninge 
the  former  pticulars  And  of  all  wrongs  and  iniuries  done  to 
any  y®    Aduenturers  or   Planters   and   the   grounds   and 


JOEN-SON'S  COMPLAINT.  389 

causes  thereof,  and  to  propound  how  the  same  in  time  to 
come  be  reformed  and  howe  the  businesses  of  y®  said  Plan- 
tacons  may  be  better  mannaged  Soe  that  all  Contentions 
and  difficulties  being  reconciled,  the  Authors  thereof  con- 
dignly  punished,  unitie  and  peace  resettled,  and  y*^  forme 
of  Gouerninge,  and  dyrectinge  those  Affaires  beinge  better 
established  that  worke  may  prospr  w*^  a  blessinge  from 
heauen,  to  yo'  Ma*^  great  honour  and  proffitt,  and  to  those 
religious  and  publique  ends  for  wch  they  were  first  under- 
taken." 

As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  this  petition  had  been 
offered,  an  extraordinary  court  of  the  Company  was  called 
on  Saturday,  April  12,  1623,  in  the  forenoon. 

"  The  Lo :  Cauendish  acquainted  the  Company  that  the 
cause  of  calling  this  Court,  at  soe  unseasonable  a  time  was 
to  acquaint  them  how  that  Alderman  Johrison  together 
w^*^  some  others  his  Associates  had  presented  a  peticon  to 
his  Ma*^"  complayning  much  of  the  misgouernm'  of  the 
Companies  and  Plantacons  for  the  Last  foure  yeares,  w^'^ 
to  the  entent  it  might  not  make  any  impression  in  his 
Royall  breast  to  the  preiudice  of  the  Company  his  Lo^  con- 
ceaued  that  the  Company  were  to  thinke  of  some  present 
course  to  giue  his  Ma*^^®  satissfaccon  by  a  true  Declaracon 
both  of  the  State  of  the  Colony,  and  of  the  cariage  of 
buisinesses  here  at  home  by  the  Company." 

Two  days  after  this,  a  committee  of  the  Company  ap- 
peared before  the  Privy  Council  to  answer  the  false  alle- 
gations in  Johnson's  petition.  ^     Chamberlain,  in  a  letter  to 


1  In  Peckard's  Life  of  Nicholas  Fei'rar,  it  is  stated  that  on  the  Thursday 
before  Easter  1623,  he  and  others  were  called  before  the  Privy  Council, 
when  Cranfield  the  Lord  Treasurer  presented  Johnson's  and  Butler's  ac- 


390  vmomiA  company  of  London. 

Carleton,  dated  on  the  19tli,  writes :  "  There  is  a  great 
faction  fallen  out  in  the  Virginia  Company.  The  heads 
on  the  one  side  are,  the  Earl  of  Southampton,  the  Lord 
Cavendish,  Sir  Edward  Sackville,  Sir  John  Ogle,  Sir  Edwin 
Sandys,  with  divers  others  of  meaner  quality.  On  the  other 
side  are,  the  Earl  of  Warwick,  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  Sir 
Nathaniel  Rich,  Sir  Henry  Mildmay,  Alderman  Johnson 
and  many  more.  On  Monday  [14th]  they  were  before  the 
King  with  accusations  and  allegations,  where  Sir  Edward 
Sackville  carried  himself  so  malpertly  and  insolently,  that 
the  King  was  fain  to  take  him  down  soundly  and  roundly, 
but  I  hear  that  by  means  of  the  Lord  Treasurer  he  made 
his  peace  next  day."  ^ 

On  the  17th  the  Privy  Council  met  and  appointed  the 
commission  of  inquiry  asked  for  by  Alderman  Johnson, 
who,  in  accordance  with  the  wish  of  the  Virginia  Company, 
were  instructed  to  inquire  into  its  affairs,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  Sir  Thomas  Smith's  directorship. 


cusations,  and  said  they  must  be  answered  by  the  next  Monday.  Ferrar 
asked  for  an  extension  of  time,  but  Cranfield  enraged  cried  out,  "  Not  an 
hour  longer  than  till  Monday  afternoon,  and  therefore  take  up  the  papers 
and  be  gone." 

It  was  thought  by  Cranfield  and  others  that  they  would  not  be  able  to 
reply  to  the  various  charges  in  so  brief  a  period,  but  Ferrar  gave  a  portion 
of  the  allegations  to  Lord  Cavendish,  a  portion  to  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  and 
examined  the  rest  himself.  Six  clerks  were  kept  at  work  night  and  day, 
allowing  only  two  hours  for  sleep  and  meals,  and  to  the  discomfiture  of 
their  enemies  in  the  Privy  Council,  the  Company  appeared  with  their 
answer,  the  reading  of  which  occupied  six  hours.  The  Company  never 
heard  what  became  of  their  answer,  as  the  Council  secreted  it.  (pp.  143 
144). 

1  Court  and  Times  of  James  I,  vol.  II,  pp.  389,  390. 


LETTER  TO  THE  COLONY.  391 

It  was  also  ordered  that  no  private  letters  sent  to  the 
colony  should  allude  to  the  divisions,  and  that  the  Com- 
pany should  send  a  letter  exhorting  the  colonists  to  live 
in  peace. 

On  the  28th  the  letter  of  the  Company  for  Virginia, 
was  submitted  to  the  Privy  Council,  but  as  it  omitted  to 
mention  the  King's  grace  and  favor,  was  returned  for 
correction. 

In  a  few  days  the  letter  was  amended  and  sent  to 
Virginia,  in  the  ship  Bonny  Bess. 


Letter  Prepared  for  the  Colony  by  Order  of   Privy  Council 

OF  THE  King. 

"After  o''  very  hartie  comendacons.  Wee  haue  receaued 
yo""  letters  sent  by  the  Truloue  and  James,  wherby  we 
und'stand  through  God's  assistance  you  haue  made  a 
good  beginning  to  that  iust  reuenge  wch  you  owe  the 
Authors  of  that  bloody  Massacre  : 

No  Quarter  to  Indians. 

"  Wch  we  desire  you  very  earnestly  wth  all  diligence  and 
care  to  prosecute  according  to  the  aduise  and  instructions 
we  haue  formerly  giuen  you  and  that  course  yo""  haue 
already  begun  untill  you  haue  so  fully  accomplished  it  as 
yo'  security  from  all  danger  in  that  kind  may  be  fully 
wrought. 


*&' 


Causes  of  Sickness  to  be  avoided. 

"  Wee  cannot  but  be  much  grieued  at  the  Sicknes  and 
mortality  that  hath  hapned  since  the  Massacre,  wherein 


392  VntGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

although  we  do  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God  in  chastiz- 
ing of  o^^  and  yo'®  sinnes,  yet  since,  both  now  and  formerly 
it  hath  as  from  the  naturall  causes  proceeded  in  great  part 
through  distempers  and  disorders  in  dyet  and  lodginge : 
we  most  especially  recomend  unto  yo'  care  the  puent- 
ing  and  remedying  of  those  inconueniences  according  to 
those  good  and  prouident  courses  wch  we  haue  so  often 
aduised  and  directed  you  unto : 

Guest  Souse. 

"  And  in  pticular  we  cannot  but  require  wch  we  haue 
so  often  heretofore  urged  the  building  of  Guest-houses  in 
each  Citty  and  Borough  for  the  enterteinmt  of  new 
comers,  wherof  yo'  letters  of  the  last  yeare  haue  such 
hope  and  assurance  in  regard  of  the  great  retribution  of 
1500^*^  wch  you  signified  was  to  be  gathred  amongst  you, 
as  we  verily  expected  thepformance  thereof  ere  this  time; 
but  as  we  do  conceiue  and  in  part  excuse  the  delay  thereof 
through  that  great  misfortune  that  befell  you,  so  we  now 
cannot  but  require  so  much  more  dilligence  and  care  for 
the  speedy  pformance  thereof.  And  in  the  meane  while 
we  very  earnestly  recomend  unto  you  the  people  that 
come  now  ouer  in  this  Shipp  that  yo""  cares  and  fauours 
begin  wth  the  first  enterteining  them  at  theire  arriuall  and 
extend  to  the  accommodating  and  settlinge  them  respect- 
iuely  so  as  may  be  to  their  health  and  security  according 
as  in  o'^  letters  by  the  James  and  Trueloue  we  gaue  you 
aduise. 


TOBACCO  IN  EXCESS.  393 


Attention  to  Staples. 

"  The  carefull  and  dilligent  prosecucon  of  Staple  Comodi- 
ties  w^^  we  promist;   we  aboue  all  things  pray  you  to 
pforme  so  as  we  may  haue  speedily  the  reall  proof  and 
testimonies  of  yo""  cares  and  endeauors  therein,  especially 
in  that  of  Iron,  of  Vines,  and  Silk  the  neglect  and  delay 
whereof  so  long  :  as  it  is  of  much  shame  and  dishonor  to 
the  Plantation,  so  it  is  to  us  here  cause  of  infinit  grief  and 
discontent,  especially  in  regard  of  his  Ma*^  iust  resentment 
therein,   that   his   Royall  expectacon  after   so  long   and 
patient  forbearance  is  not  yet  sattisfied,  whereby  although 
we  might  deseruedly  feare  a  diminution  of  his  Royall  grace 
and  loue  to  the  Plantation,  w*^'^  after  so  long  a  time  and  so 
long  a  supplie  by  his  Ma*^  fauor  haue  brought  forth  no 
better  fruit  than  Tobacco,  yett  by  the  goodnes  of  God  in- 
clyning  his  princely  heart,  we  haue  receiued  not  only  from 
the  Lords  of  his  Priuy  Counsell,  but  from  his  Royall  mouth 
such  assurance  not  only  of  his  tender  loue  and  care  but  also 
of  his  Royall  intentions  for  the  aduancement  of  the  Plan- 
tation ;  that  we  canot  but  exceedingly  reioyce  therein  and 
pswade  you  with  much  more  comfort  and  encouragement 
to  go  on  in  the  buildinge  upp  of  his  Royall  worke  w^^  all 
sincerity,  care,  and  dilligence,  and  that  w**^  that  pfect  loue 
and  union  amongst  yo^selues  as  may  really  demonstrate  that 
yo^'  intentions  are  all  one,  the  aduancement  of  God's  glorie 
and  the  seruice  of  his  Royall  Ma^^® :  for  the  pticularities  of 
his  Ma^*  gratious  intentions  for  the  future  good,  yoii  may 
in  pte  undrstand  them  by  the  courses  appointed  by  the 
Lords,  whereof  we  here  inclosed  send  the  orders : 

50 


394  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Tobacco  Contract  Dissolved. 

"  And  we  are  further  to  signifie  unto  you  that  the  Lords 
of  his  Ma*'  Priuy  Counsell,  hauing  by  his  Ma*y  order  taken 
into  their  considerations  the  contract  made  last  Sommer 
by  the  Company  haue  dissolued  the  same  ;  and  signified 
that  his  Ma*^''  out  of  his  gratious  and  Royall  intencon  and 
Princely  fauor  to  the  Plantation  hath  resolued  to  graunt  a 
sole  Importation  of  Tobacco  to  the  two  Plantations,  wth 
an  exception  only  of  40,000  weight  of  y*'  best  Spanish 
Tobacco  to  be  yerely  brought  in  :  And  it  hath  also  pleased 
his  Ma"''  in  fauor  of  the  Plantation  to  reduce  y^  custom 
and  imposicon  of  tobacco  to  9^^  p  ^'^ :  And  last  of  all  we  are 
to  signifie  unto  you  that  their  Lo^p'  haue  ordered  that  all 
the  Tobacco  shall  be  brought  in  from  both  Plantations  as 
by  their  Lops  order  whereof  we  send  you  a  copy,  you  may 
perceaue.  "  Yo'  very  Louing  frends 

"  London  y^  2th  of  May,  1623  Lo :  Cauendish 

S^  Nath  Rich 
Lo :  Pagett 
"  To  o'    very  Louing  frends  S'         S^  Edw.  Sackuill 
Francis    Wyatt   Knight    and  S^  Edwin  Sandys 

Capt  Generall  of  Virginia  and         S^  Jo:  Bourchier 
to  the  rest  of  the  Counsell  of         Ald.  Johnston  - 
State  there  these  be.  M^  Tho.  Gibbs 

M^  John  Ferrar  " 

"  At  a  Court  held  for  Virginia,  on  Wedensday  in  the 
Afternoone,  the  last  of  Aprill  1623. 

The  Lo  :  Cauendish  acquainted  the  Company  that  diuers 
ancient  Planters,  M'"  of  Shipps,  Marriners,  and  sundry 
other  persons  that   had  lined  long  in  Virginia  and  haue 


BUTLER'S  SLANDERS  ANSWERED.  395 

beene  many  tymes  there,  had  presented  y^  Comittee  w*^ 
an  answere  unto  Capt  Butlers  Informacon  concerning  the 
Colony  in  Virginia ;  wherein  they  did  directly  contrary 
the  most  mayne  points  of  his  Informacon,  prouing  them 
to  be  Mse  and  scandalous,  w'^  was  by  ereccon  of  hands 
ordered  to  be  read  being  this  w^*"  followeth. 

Virginia  Planters' Answer  to  Captain  ^Butler.        A'' a.-t^.o^^  <lA 

"  The  Answers  of  diners  Planters  that  haue  long  lined 
in  Virginia,  as  alsoe  of  Sundry  Marriners  and  other  per- 
sons y'  haue  been  often  at  Virginia  vnto  a  paper  in- 
tituled : 

"  The  Vnmasked  face  of  our  Colony  in  Virginia,  as  it 
was  in  y  Winter  of  y**  yeare  1622. 

"1.  I  founde  the  Plantacons  generally  seated  uppon 
meere  Salt  marishes  full  of  infectious  Boggs  and  muddy 
Creekes  and  Lakes  &  therby  subiected  to  all  those  incon- 
veniencies  and  diseases  which  are  soe  comonly  found  in  y^ 
moste  vnsounde  &  most  vnhealthy  parts  of  England 
wherof  euery  Country  &  Climate  hath  some. 

"  Answere  1.  Wee  say  that  there  is  no  place  inhabited, 
but  is  conueniently  habitable.  And  for  y^  first  Plantacon  , 
w'^'^  is  Kiccoutan  against  w"^*"  (if  any  be  most  exception  \ 
may  be  made  itt  is  euery  way  soe  well  disposed  that  in  that 
place  well  gouerned  men  may  enioy  their  healthes,  and  line 
as  plentifully  as  in  any  parte  of  England,  or  other  his  Ma""' 
dominons,  yett  that  there  are  Marishes  in  some  places 
wee  acknowledge ;  But  soe  as  they  are  more  Comodeous 
for  diuers  good  respects  and  uses,  then  if  they  were  want- 
inge.  As  for  Boggs  wee  knowe  of  none  in  all  y"  Country 
and  for  the  rest  of  the  Plantancons  as  Newports'  News, 


396  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Blunt  Poynt,  Wariscoyake,  Martin's  Hundred,  Paspahey, 
and  all  the  Plantacons  right  ouer  against  James  Citty,  and 
all  the  Plantacons  aboue  these  w*^^  are  many,  they  are 
verie  fruitfull  and  pleasant  Seates,  free  from  Salt  Marishes 
being  all  on  the  fresh  river,  and  they  are  all  verie  health- 
full,  and  high  land,  except  James  Citty  w^^  is  yett  as  high 
as  Debtforde  or  Radclyffe. 

"2.  I  founde  y''  shores  and  sides  of  those  parts  of  y" 
Mayne  Riuer  where  ou'"  Plantacons  are  setled  euery  wher 
soe  shallow  as  noe  Boates  can  approach  y®  shores,  soe  y* 
besides  y*'  difficulty  daunger  and  spoile  of  goods  in  y^  Land- 
inge  of  them  y""  people  are  forced  to  a  Continuall  wadinge 
&  wettinge  of  themselues  and  y*  in  y"  prime  of  winter 
when  ye  Shipps  comonly  arriue,  and  therby  get  such  vyo- 
lent  surfetts  of  colde  uppon  colde  as  seldom  leaue  them 
until  they  leaue  to  Hue. 

"  Answere  2.  That  generally  for  the  Plantacons  att  all 
times  from  halfe  floud  to  halfe  ebb  any  boate  y*  drawes 
betwixt  three  and  4  foote  water  may  safely  com  in  & 
Land  their  goods  dry  on  shore  w%ut  wadinge  &  for  fur- 
ther cleeringe  of  his  false  obieccons,  the  Seamen  there  doe 
at  all  times  deliuer  the  goods  they  bring  to  the  Owners 
dry  on  shore  wherby  itt  plainly  appeares  not  any  of  y® 
Country  j)eople  there  inhabitinge  are  by  this  meanes  in 
daunger  of  theire  lines,  And  at  a  great  many  Plantacons 
belowe  James  Citty  and  allmost  all  aboue  they  may  at  all 
times  land  dry. 

''  3.  The  new  people  y*'  are  yearly  sent  ouer  which 
arriue  here  for  y'^  most  part  very  unseasonably  in 
Winter,  finde  neither  Guest  house,  Inne  nor  any  y®  like 
place  to  shroud  themselues  in  at  their  arriuall  nor  not  soe 
much  as  a  stroake  giuen  towards  any  such  charitable  worke 


1^0  P  UBLIG  O  UEST  HO  USE.  397 

for  y*  many  of  them  by  want  hereof  are  not  onely  seen 
dyinge  under  hedges  &  in  the  woods  but  beinge  dead  ly  some 
of  them  many  dayes  vnregarded  and  vnburied. 

"  Answer  3.  To  y®  first  they  Answer  that  the  whiter  is 
the  most  healthfull  time  &  season  for  arriuall  of  new  Com- 
ers. True  itt  is  y*  as  yett  ther  is  noe  Guest  house  or  place 
of  interteynment  for  Strangers,  Butt  wee  auerr  y*  itt  was 
a  late  intent  and  had  by  this  time  been  putt  in  practise  to 
make  a  generall  gatheringe  for  the  buildinge  of  such  a 
Convenient  house,  w"''  by  this  time  had  been  in  good 
fowardnes  had  itt  not  ^Dleased  God  to  suffer  this  disaster  to 
fall  out  by  the  Indians.  But  allthoughe  there  be  no  pub- 
lique*  Guest  house  yett  are  new  Commers  entertayned  and 
lodged  &  puided  for  by  y^  Gouerno'"  in  pry u ate  houses ; 
And  for  any  dyinge  in  the  feilds  through  this  defecte  & 
lying  unburied  wee  are  altogether  ignorant,  yett  y*  many 
dy  suddenly  by  y""  hand  of  God,  wee  often  see  itt  to  fall  out 
euen  in  this  flourishinge  &  plentifull  Citty  in  y*^  middest  of 
our  streets,  as  for  dyinge  under  hedges  there  is  no  hedge 
in  all  Virginia. 

"4.  The  Colony  was  this  winter  in  much  distress  of 
victuall  soe  that  English  meale  was  soulde  at  y"  rate  of 
thirtie  shillings  a  bushell  their  owne  natiue  Corne  called 
Maize  at  ten  and  fifteen  shillings  the  bushell,  The  w*''' 
howsoeuer  itt  Lay  heauy  uppon  y*"  shoulders  of  y°  Gene- 
rallytie  it  maybe  suspected  not  to  be  vnaffected  by  some 
of  y''  Chiefe  for  they  only  haueinge  the  means  in  these  ex- 
tremities to  trade  for  Corne  with  y''  Natiues  doe  herby 
ingrosse  all  into  their  hands  and  soe  sell  y*  abrode  at  their 
own  prices  &  myself  haue  heard  from  the  mouth  of  a  prime 
one  amongst  them  y*  hee  would  neuer  wish  y*  their  owne 


398  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

Corne  should  be  cheaper  among  them  eight  shilHngs  the 
bushell. 

"Answer  4.  True  itt  is  y*  English  meale  hath  of  late 
since  the  Massacre  been  sould  for  Tenn  pounds  of  Tobacco 
y®  bushell  w^^^  no  understandinge  man  can  there  value 
aboue  fifteen  shillings  sterlinge,  and  here  we  finde  wthout 
a  Massacre  by  the  iudgment  of  God  for  our  murmurings  att 
plentie  Wheat  hath  this  yeare  been  sould  and  still  is  in 
many  places  at  three  times  the  rate  it  hath  borne  wthin  two 
or  three  years  last  past ;  And  againe  Indian  corne  hath 
heretofore  coraonly  been  sould  after  the  rate  of  five  shillings 
the  bushell,  And  further  meale  bore  so  high  a  prise  this 
year  as  itt  cost  ready  mony  in  England  together  w*^?^  the 
fraight  &  other  charges  neer  uppon  twelue  shillinge  for 
y*,  if  itt  were  sould  at  Tenn  pounds  of  Tobacco  ther  will 
not  be  gayned  twenty  in  the  hundred. 

"  5.  Ther  Howses  are  generally  the  worst  y*  euer  I  sawe 
y^  meanest  Cottages  in  England  beinge  euery  way  equall 
(if  not  superior)  with  y®  most  of  the  beste,  And  besides  soe 
improuidently  and  scatteringly  are  they  seated  one  from 
another  as  partly  by  theire  distance  but  especially  by  the 
interposicon  of  Creeks  and  swamps  as  they  call  them  they 
ofier  all  aduantages  to  their  sauadge  enimys  &  are  utterly 
depriued  of  all  suddaine  recollection  of  themselues  uppon 
any  tearmes  whatsoeuer. 

"  Answere  5.  First  that  the  houses  there.were  most  built 
for  use,  and  not  for  ornament,  and  are  soe  farre  from  being 
soe  meane,  as  they  are  reported  y*  throughout  his  Ma*®  Do- 
minions here  all  labouringe  mens  houses  (w'^''  wee  chiefly 
pfesse  our  selues  to  be)  are  in  no  wise  generally  for  good- 
nes  to  be  compared  unto  them.  And  for  the  howses  of 
men  of  better  ranke  and  quallity  they  are  so  much  better 


NUMBER  OF  CANNONS.  399 

and  convenyent  y*  noe  man  of  quallity  w*out  blushinge 
can  make  exception  against  them ;  Againe  for  the  Creeks 
and  Swamps  euery  man  ther  that  cannott  goe  by  Land 
hath  either  a  Boate  or  a  Conoa  for  y*"  conueyinge  &  speedy 
passage  to  his  neighbo""'  house.  As  for  Cottages  ther  are 
none  in  Virginia,  that  they  knowe. 

"6.1  found  not  y^  Least  peec  of  Fortification,  Three 
Peeces  of  Ordinance  onely  mounted  at  James  Citty,  and  one 
at  Flowerdue  Hundred  but  neuer  a  one  of  them  seruiceable 
Soe  that  itt  is  most  certaine  y*  a  Small  Barke  of  one 
hundred  Tunns  may  take  its  time  to  pass  up  the  Riuer  in 
spite  of  them  &  cominge  to  an  Anchor  before  the  Towne 
may  beate  all  their  houses  downe  about  their  eares  &  so 
forceinge  them  to  retreat  into  y®  woods,  may  Land  under 
the  fauor  of  their  Ordinance  &  rifle  the  Towne  at  pleasure. 

"  Answere  6.  Itt  is  true  ther  is  as  yett  no  other  Arti- 
ficiall  Fortificacons  then  Pallisadoes  wherof  allmost  euerie 
Plantacon  hath  one  &  diners  of  them  hath  Trenches,  And 
this  last  yeare  Capt  Eache  was  sent  for  y*  purpose.  As 
for  great  Ordinance  there  are  fower  peeces  mounted  at 
James  City,  and  all  seruiceable,  ther  are  six  mounted  at 
Flowerdue  hundred  all  of  them  likewise  seruiceable,  And 
three  mounted  att  Kiccoutan,  and  all  of  them  seruiceable, 
there  are  likewise  att  Newporte  Newes  three,  all  of  them 
seruiceable,  ther  are  likewise  at  Henrico  seauen  peeces, 
and  at  Charles  Hundred  two,  and  in  other  places,  besides 
Fowlers  and  Mortors  at  diners  places. 

"  7.  Expectinge  accordinge  to  their  printed  Bookes  a 
great  fowardnes  of  diuers  &  Sundry  Comodities,  At  myne 
ariuall  I  found  not  any  one  of  them,  so  much  as  in  any 
towardnes  of  being.  For  y"  Iron  workes  were  utterly 
vasted  &  y"  men  dead,  the  Furnaces  for  Glass  and  Pots  at 


400  VIBGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

a  stay  &  in  a  small  hope,  As  for  y®  rest  they  were  had  in 
a  generall  derision  euen  amongst  themselues,  and  y*"  Pamph- 
lets y*  had  published  there  beinge  sent  thither  by  Hun- 
dreds wer  laughed  to  scorne,  and  euery  base  fellow  boldly 
gaue  them  y"  Lye  in  diners  perticulars,  Soe  that  Tobacco 
onely  was  y*"  buisines  &  for  ought  y*  I  could  here  euery 
man  madded  upon  y\  and  lyttle  thought  or  looked  for  any 
thinge  else. 

"  Answere  7 .  That  y*"  Country  yeilded  diners  usefull  and 
rich  Comodities  w*'^'  by  reason  of  y®  Infancie  of  y®  Plantacon, 
and  this  unexpected  Massacre  cannott  yett  be  brought  to 
pfeccon  &  is  no  less  hindred  by  y*"  emulous  and  envious  reports 
of  ill  willers  whose  pry  vate  ends  by  time  wil  be  discouered,^ 
and  by  God  recompensed.  And  wee  doe  further  answer 
y*  this  Country  is  a  most  fruitfull  Country  &  doth  cer- 
tainely  pduce  diners  rich  Comodities.  Itt  is  true  y*  the  Iron 
works  are  wasted  and  y""  men  dead,  but  y*  was  by  the 
Massacre  w*  if  it  had  not  happened  ther  had  been  a  good 
proofe  of  y*  Comodity,  for  y*^  works  were  in  a  very  great 
forwardnes.  As  for  Vinos  likewise  ther  were  diners  Vine- 
yeards  planted  in  sundry  places,  butt  all  of  them  putt  back 
by  the  Massacre,  but  for  the  peoples  derydinge  of  these 
Comodities,  or  the  books  sent  by  y*'  Comp^ :  wee  haue  neuer 
heard  of  any  such  scoffinge  or  derisions,  butt  as  the 
Gouernor  and  Counsell  ther  are  very  desirous  and  haue 
sett  forth  proclamations  to  cause  all  men  to  sett  both  vines 
and  Mulbery  trees,  so  the  people  generally  are  very  de- 
syrous  &  forward  to  rayse  these  former  comodities  of  Wine 
and  Silke  &  likewise  diners  other  good  Comodities. 

"8.1  found  y^  Antient  Plantations  of  Henrico,  & 
Charles  Citty  wholly  quitted,  and  lefte  y''  spoile  of  y'  In- 
dians who  not  onely  burned  y*'  houses  saide  to  be  once  y^ 


DECREASE  OF  POP  ULA  TION.  401 

best  of  all  others,  but  fell  uppon  y""  Poultry,  Hoggs,  Cowes, 
Goates  and  Horses  whereof  they  killed  great  numbers  to 
y*"  greate  griefe  as  well  as  mine  of  y"  Olde  Inhabitants,  who 
sticke  not  to  affirme  y*  these  were  not  onely  y*^  best  and 
healthiest  parts  of  all  others,  but  might  allsoe  by  their 
naturall  strength  of  scituacon  haue  been  y^  most  easefully 
preserued  of  all  the  rest. 

"  9.  Wheras  accordinge  to  his  Ma*'^^  gratious  Letters 
Patents  his  People  in  Virginia  are  as  neer  as  possibly  may 
be  to  be  gouerned  after  y^  excellent  Lawes  and  Customs  of 
Englande,  I  found  in  y^  Gouernment  then  not  onely  ignor- 
ant &  enforced  strayinge  in  diuer  particulers,  but  willfull 
&  intended  ones  ;  Insomuch  as  some  urged  due  conformity 
haue  in  contempt  been  termed  men  of  Lawe,  and  were  ex- 
cluded from  those  rights  which  by  orderly  proceedings  they 
were  elected  and  sworne  unto  here. 

"  10.  There  hauinge  been  as  it  is  thought  not  fewer  than 
Tenn  thousand  soules  transported  thither  ther  are  not 
through  the  aforenamed  abuses  and  neglects  aboue  Two 
thousand  of  them  at  y""  present  to  be  found  aliue,  many  of 
tliem  alsoe  in  a  sickly  and  desperate  estate  :  Soe  y*  itt 
may  undoutedly  expected  y*  unless  y®  Confusions  and  pry- 
uate  ends  of  some  of  y®  Company  here,  and  y®  bad  execu- 
tions in  secondinge  them  by  their  Agents  there,  be  redressed 
with  speed  by  some  diuine  and  Supreame  hand  that  in 
steed  of  a  Plantacon  it  will  shortly  gett  the  name  of  a 
Slaughter  house,  and  for  iustly  become  both  odious  to  our- 
selues  and  contemptible  to  all  the  worlde. 

"  Answere.     All  these  wee  leaue  to  be  answered  by  the 

Gouernor  and  Companj^  some  of  them  beinge  unfitt  to  be 

determyned  of  by  us.    And  for  y*'  last  wee  being  ignorant 

how  many  haue  been  transported  or  are  now  seruinge  there. 

51 


402  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  Wee  whose  names  we  here  under  and  here  after  written 
haue  uppon  mature  deliberacon  &  after  full  examinacon 
and  consideracon  of  the  premises,  drawne  upp  these  answers 
being  such  as  we  finde  in  our  consyences  to  be  true,  and 
shall  att  all  times  iustifie  them  uppon  our  oathes.  In 
witness  whereof  wee  haue  hereunder  sett  our  hands. 

"  I  William  Mease  Mynister  hauinge  liued  tenn  years  in 
Virginia  and  affirme  all  the  answeres  aboue,  except  that 
of  the  Ordinance  and  Pallisadoes.  William  Mease. 

''I  Marmaduke  Rayner  haue  gone  3  seuerall  M'  of  Ships 
to  Virginia  and  liued  16  moneths  there  together,  and 
affirm  all  the  answers  aboue.  Marmaduke  Rayner. 

"  I  John  Proctor  haue  liued  14  years  in  Virginia  &  doe 
affirme  all  the  answers  aboue  except  that  of  the  Ordinance 
and  Pallysadoes,  but  I  know  ther  is  neer  uppon  20 
peeces  of  Ordinance.  John  Procter. 

"  I  William  Euens  haue  gone  M'  of  Ships  to  Virginia  4 
seuerall  times  &  liued  one  wholl  year  ther  or  ther  aboutes 
and  affirme  all  the  answers  aboue  except  that  of  the 
Ordinance  and  Pallisadoes.  William  Ewens. 

"  I  James  Carter,  M""  of  y^  Truloue  doe  affirme  all  the 
answers  within  written,  but  y*  I  haue  not  seen  the  Ord- 
nance att  Henrico,  and  Charles  Citty  but  all  the  rest  I 
haue.  James  Carter. 

"  I  Gregory  Pearle  hauinge  been  Maister's  mate  and  liued 
in  Virginia  16  monneths  doe  affirme  all  the  answers  wthin 


TESTIMONIALS.  403 

written  saue  that  I  haue  not  seen  the  Ordinance  at  Hen- 
rico and  Charles  Cittj.  Gregory  Pearle. 

^'  AVlUiam  Green  Chirurgion  in  the  Temperance  hauinge 
lined  17  monneths  in  Virginia  doe  affirme  all  the  answers 
within  written  except  y*  I  haue  not  seen  the  Ordnance 
att  Henry  CO.  William  Green  Surgeon. 

"  I  Henry  Hitch  Chirurgion  of  y°  James  hauinge  been  2 
seurall  times  in  Virginia  and  liued  att  one  time  there 
about  5  monneths  doe  affirme  all  the  Answers  wthin  writ- 
ten, saue  y*  I  know  not  of  y"  matters  about  James  Citty. 

Henry  Hitch. 

"  I  Edward  Sanders  haueinge  Hued  3  years  in  Virginia 
doe  affirme  all  the  answers  within  written  except  that  of 
the  Ordinance  and  Pallysadoes  and  other  matters  y*  aboue 
Paspahay.  The  marke  of  E.  S.  Edward  Sanders 

"  I  John  Dennis  M'  of  y^  Marmaduk  affirme  all  y^  an- 
swers within  written  except  y*  of  the  Guesthouse,  y^  Ordi- 
nance, &  y"  Palisadoes.  John  Dennis. 

"  I  Tobias  Felgate  haue  gone  M'"  and  Mate  of  Ships  5 
times  to  Virginia  &  affirme  all  the  Answeres  aboue  except 
that  of  the  Ordinance  onely.  Tobias  Felgate. 

"  I  Samuel  Mole  haue  liued  3  years  or  ther  aboutes  in 
Virginia  beinge  a  Chirurgion  and  affirme  all  the  answers 
Avithin  written  saue  that  I  haue  not  seen  the  Ordinance 
att  Henrico  &  Charles  Citty,  nor  haue  been  in  Henrico. 

"  Samuel  Mole. 


404  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  I  Thomas  Prosser  haue  gone  3  times  M'"^  Mate  to  Vir- 
ginia and  haue  lined  att  one  time  about  3  qrs  of  a  year 
there  &  affirme  all  the  answers  within  written  except  that 
of  y""  Ordnance  &  Pallysadoes.  Thomas  Prosser. 

"  I  Robert  Dodson  hauinge  been  twice  in  Virginia 
affirme  all  the  answers  within  written  for  all  matters  from 
James  Cittj  Downeward  sauinge  y*  I  doe  not  knowe  of 
y®  Proclam  aeons  for  Vines.  Robert  Dodson. 

"  I  Maurice  Thompson  haue  lined  6  years  in  Virginia 
doe  affirme  all  y^  answers  wthin  written  sane  y*  I  know 
not  of  the  Ordnance  att  Flowerdue  hundred,  nor  att  Hen- 
rico and  Charles  Citty.  Maurice  Tompson. 

"  I  John  Snoade  hauinge  lined  3  years  and  halfe  in  Vir- 
ginia doe  affirme  all  y®  answers  wthin  written  Sauinge  y*  I 
haue  not  seen  Ordnance  at  Flowerdue  Hundred,  Henrico, 
and  Charles  Citty.  John  Snoad." 

On  May  7th,  a  paper  based  upon  the  above  was  read 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Company,  approved,  and  ordered  to  be 
presented  to  the  King.     It  was  entitled  : 

"  A  true  Answere  to  a  writinge  of  Informacon  presented 
to  his  Ma"°  by  Cap.  Nath:  Butler  intituled 

"  TJie  Vnmasked  face  of  our  Golonie  in  Virginia  as  it  was 
in  y^  winter  of  y^  yeare  1622." 

The  conclusion  of  the  answer  was  in  these  words  : 
"  And  touchinge  y*^  last  3  Articles  of  y"'  said  Capt  But- 
ters  informacon  wherunto  the  Said  16  psonns  say  they 
cann  make  no  answere,  the  same  beinge  either  aboue  or 


B  UTLEB'S  CAL  UMNIES  ANSWERED.  405 

wthout  the  compass  of  theire  knowledge,  the  Company 
for  the  present  returne  this  Answere  in  briefe. 

"  To  y^  first  of  their  being  the  8^^  Article  and  conteyn- 
ino-e  onely  a  descripcon  of  deuastation  of  Two  plantacons 
called  Henrico  &  Charles  Citty  by  the  late  Massacre  by 
the  Infidles,  wch  might  easily  indeed  haue  been  preserued 
if  the  said  Massacre  had  been  foreseen  or  feared :  The  Com- 
pany can  say  no  more,  but  y^  itt  was  the  unauoydable 
Calamytie  of  such  a  Treacherous  Warr  but  y*^  Plantacons 
as  they  hope  are  againe  restored  according  to  express  order 
giuen  from  hence  to  the  Colony. 

"  To  y''  9*  Article  conteyninge  a  Complainte  of  the  now 
Gouerm*  now  in  Virginia  they  haue  no  cause  to  giue  any 
Creditt  to  the  said  Information,  the  same  in  appearance 
being  grounded  uppon  the  said  Captaines  discontent,  and 
for  y*  hee  was  not  accepted  there  to  sitt  in  Counsell  with 
them,  whereto  he  could  plead  neither  right  nor  deserte. 

"  To  y''  last  Article  beinge  a  conclusion  of  all  his  former 
misinformations  wth  addicon  allso  of  some  new  untruths 
they  say  that  ther  were  neuer  sent  aboue  6000  to  Virginia, 
w'^^  is  short  4000  of  his  informacon.  And  y*  in  the  first 
12  years  by  the  best  computacon,  that  can  now  be  made 
ther  hauinge  been  no  Accompt  then  kept  either  of  their 
names  or  nombers,  ther  were  not  sent  aboue  2500  at  the 
moste  wherof  there  dyed  5000  at  Sea. 

"  They  say  also  that  notwithstandinge  the  Late  Massacre 
and  the  great  mortaUty  w'^  hath  since  ensued  occasioned  by 
the  effects  of  the  said  Massacre,  there  are  yet  remayninge 
aliue  in  that  Colony  of  Virginia  to  the  number  of  aboute  2500 
psonns  wherof  good  proofe  is  to  be  made,  and  y*  y''  forsaken 
plantacons  are  againe  in  restoringe,  and  the  Staple  Como- 
dities  setting  upp  againe  accordinge  to  the  orders  from  heere. 


406  VmOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

But  touchinge  his  last  clause  of  the  Confusions  and  pryuate 
ends  of  some  of  the  Company  here,  and  the  bad  executions 
in  secondinge  them  by  ther  Agents  there  they  desire  that 
hee  may  be  Comanded  to  discouer  the  same  in  pticular  befor 
y°  Commissioners  appointed.  And  in  the  meane  time  they 
p'test  against  itt  as  Calamnious  and  Slanderous  and  of  the 
selfe  same  trouth  wth  the  rest  of  his  Informations." 

The  following  February,  the  assembly  of  Virginia 
answered  Capt.  Butler's  calumnies.  In  reply  to  Butler's 
objection  that  their  houses  were  meaner  than  the  meanest 
cottages  in  England  they  use  the  following  words  : 

u  ye  greatest  disparagement  that  some  of  them  receaued, 
haue  pceeded  from  his  Riotts  and  lasciuious  filthiness  w*^ 
infamous  women,  purchased  with  his  royalls  of  eight,  and 
wedges  of  gould,  the  spoyle  of  the  distressed  Spanyards  in 
the  Burmudas." 

To  the  statement  that  of  ten  thousand  persons  trans- 
ported only  two  are  alive,  the  General  Assembly  answer  : 

"  His  computatione  of  tenn  Thousande  faleth  short  of 
fower,  and  those  for  the  most  pte  wasted  by  more  then 
Egiptian  slauery  and  Scythian  crueltie  w"^^  was  exercysed 
uppon  us  your  poore  and  miserable  subjects  by  lawes  writ- 
ten in  bloud,  and  executed  with  all  sortes  of  Tyranie  in 
the  tyme  of  S'"  Thomas  Smiths  Gou'ment  wherof  we  send 
your  Ma"*"  the  trew  and  tragicall  relatione  by  w*"^  it  may 
easily  appeare  that  the  alleged  confusiones  and  priuatt  ends 
will  strongly  reflect  uppon  him  and  his  instructors.  And 
how  unfitt  they  are  to  restore  y*  Plantation  w^""  suffered 
soe  much  by  that  Gouernment,  Wee  humblie  refer  to 
your  Princely  consideracons  Inuokinge  that  diuine  and 
supreame  hande  to  ptect  us  from  such  Gouernors  &  their 


SIB  THOMAS  SMITH'S  GOVERNMENT.  407 

ministers  who  haue  poured  our  blood  on  the  earth  like 
Water,  and  fatted  theraselues  w^^  o'  famine  in  that  misera- 
ble bondage,  but  to  support  us  in  this  iust  and  gentle  Au- 
thoritie  w'^'  hath  cherished  us  of  late  by  more  worthy 
magistrates.  And  we  our  Wyues  and  pooer  Children,  as 
is  our  dewtie  shall  euer  pray  to  God  to  giue  you  in  this 
worlde  all  increse  of  happiness,  and  to  crowne  you  in  the 
world  to  come  w^^  immortall  glory." 

The  Virginia  Assembly  at  the  same  time  transmitted 
the  following  "true  and  tragical  relation  :  " 

The  Tragical  Relation  or  ViRGiNtA  Assembly. 

"  The  answere  of  the  Generall  Assembly  in  Virginia  to 
a  Declaratione  of  the  state  of  theColonie  in  the  12  yeers  of 
S    Thomas   Smiths  Gouerment,  exhibited  by  Alderman 

r 

Johnson  and  others. 

"  Holdinge  it  a  sinne  against  God,  and  ou""  owne  suflfer- 
inge,  to  suffer  the  World  to  be  abused  w^^  untrue  reportes, 
and  to  giue  unto  vice  the  reward  of  vertue,  we  in  the  name 
of 'the  whole  Colonic  of  Virginia,  in  our  generall  assembly, 
many  of  us  hauing  beene  eye  witnesses  and  patients  of 
those  tymes  haue  framed  out  of  our  duty  to  this  country,  and 
loue'unto  truth,  this  Dismaskinge  of  those  prayses  w"*"  are 
contayned  in  the  foresaid  declarationes. 

"  In  those  12  yeers  of  S'  Tho  :  Smith  his  gouerment,  we 
auerr  that  the  Colony  for  y^  most  pte  remayned  in  greate 
want  and  misery  under  most  seuere  and  Crewell  lawes 
sent  ouer  in  printe,  and  contrary  to  the  expresse  Let- 
ter of  the  Kinge  in  his  most  gracious  Charter,  and  as 
mercylessly  executed,  often  times  wthout  tryall  or  Judg- 
ment.    The  allowance  in  those  tymes  for  a  man  was  only 


408  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

eight  ounces  of  meale  and  half  a  pinte  of  pease  for  a  daye 
the  one  &  y^  other  mouldy,  rotten,  full  of  Cobwebs  and 
Maggotts  loathsome  to  man  and  not  fytt  for  beasts,  w*^^ 
forced  many  to  flee  for  reliefe  to  the  Savage  Enemy,  who 
being  taken  againe  were  putt  to  sundry  deaths  as  by  hang- 
inge,  shootinge  and  breakinge  uppon  the  wheele  &  others 
were  forced  by  famine  to  filch  for  their  bellies,  of  whom 
one  for  steelinge  2  or  3  pints  of  oatemeale  had  a  bodkinge 
thrust  through  his  tounge  and  was  tyed  wth  a  cliaine  to 
a  tree  untill  he  starued,  yf  a  man  through  his  sicknes  had 
not  been  able  to  worke,  he  had  noe  allowance  at  all,  and 
soe  consequently  perished  many  through  these  extremi- 
ties, being  weery  of  life  digged  holes  in  the  earth  and  hidd 
themselues  till  they  famished. 

"  We  cannott  for  this  our  scarsitie  blame  our  Comanders 
heere,  in  respect  that  o'"  sustenance  was  to  come  from  Eng- 
land, for  had  they  at  that  time  giuen  us  noe  better  allow- 
ance we  had  perished  in  generall,  so  lamentable  was  our 
scarsitie  that  we  were  constrained  to  eat  Doggs,  Catts, 
ratts.  Snakes,  Toad-stooles,  horse-hides  and  w*  nott,  one 
man  out  of  the  mysery  he  endured,  killinge  his  Aviefe 
powdered  her  upp  to  eate  her,  for  w*^'^  he  was  burned. 
Many  besides  fedd  on  the  Corps  of  dead  men,  and  one 
who  had  gotten  unsatiable,  out  of  custome  to  that  fbode 
could  not  be  restrayned,  until  such  tyme  as  he  was  exe- 
cuted for  it,  and  indeede  soe  miserable  was  our  estate  that 
the  happyest  day  that  euer  some  of  them  hoped  to  see, 
was  when  the  Indyans  had  killed  a  mare  they  wishing 
whilst  she  was  boylinge  y^  S^.  Tho  :  Smith  was  uppon  her 
backe  in  the  kettle. 

"  And  wheras  it  is  afirmed  that  there  were  very  fewe 
of  his  Ma*^®^  subiects  left  in  those  dayes  and  those  of  the 


DEC  A  T  OF  TO  WN8.  409 

meanest  ranke,  we  answere  y*  for  one  that  now  dyes,  there 
then  perished  fine,  many  beinge  of  Auncyent  Howses  and 
borne  to  estates  of  1000^  by  the  yeere,  some  more,  some 
less  who  likewise  perished  by  famine.  Those  who  suruived 
who  had  both  aduentured  theire  estates  and  prsonnes  were 
constrayned  to  serue  the  Colony  as  if  they  had  been  slaues, 
7  or  8  yeeres  for  their  freedomes,  who  underwent  as 
hard  and  seruile  labor  as  the  basest  fellow  that  was 
brought  out  of  Newgate. 

"  And  for  discouery  we  saye  that  none  was  discouered 
in  those  12  yeeres,  and  in  these  4  or  5  last  yeers  much  more 
than  formerly. 

"  For  o''  howses  and  churches  in  those  tymes  they  were 
so  meane  and  poore  by  reson  of  those  calamities  that  they 
could  not  stand  aboue  one  or  two  yeeres,  the  people  neuer 
goinge  to  woorke  but  out  of  y®  bitternes  of  theire  spirrits 
threatning  execrable  curses  uppon  Sr :  Thomas  Smith, 
neither  could  a  blessinge  from  god  be  hoped  for  in  those 
buildings  w*"^  were  founded  uppon  y^  bloud  of  soe  many 
Christians. 

"  The  Townes  were  only  James  Cyttie,  Henryco,  Charles 
hundred,  Wfest  &  Sherley  hundred,  and  Kiccoughtan  all 
w^^  in  those  tymes  were  ruined  alsoe,  unless  some  10  or  12 
howses  in  y*  Corporatione  of  James  Cyttie  at  this  present 
tyme  are  4  for  euer  one  that  were  there,  and  forty  times 
exceedinge  in  goodnesse,  fortifications  there  were  none  at 
all  against  y®  foraigne  enemy,  and  those  that  were  against 
the  domestick  very  few  and  contemptible.  Bridges  there 
was  only  one  w*^*^  also  decay de  in  that  tyme,  yf  through 
the  forsaid  calamities  many  had  not  perished  we  doupt  not 
but  there  might  haue  been  many  more  than  1000  people 
in  the  lande  when  S""  Thomas  Smith  left  the  Gouerment. 
52 


410  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

"  But  we  conceiue  y*  when  S""  George  Yardly  arriued 
Gouno''  hee  found  not  aboue  400,  most  of  those  m  want  of 
corne,  nearly  destitute  of  cattle,  swyne,  poultrey  and  other 
necessary  pulsions  to  nourish  them.  Ministers  to  instruct 
the  people  there  were  some  whose  sufficyencie  and  abilitie 
we  will  not  tax,  yet  diuers  of  them  had  no  Orders. 

"  We  knowe  not  at  any  time  y*  we  exceeded  in  Armes, 
Powder  &  munitions,  but  y^  "in  qualitie  almost  altogether 
uselesse.  We  acknowledg  in  those  times  there  was  a 
tryall  made  of  diuers  staple  Comodities,  the  Colony  as 
then  not  hauinge  meanes  to  pceed  therin,  we  hope  in  tyme 
there  may  be  some  better  pgressions  be  made,  and  had  it 
not  beene  for  the  Massacre  may  by  this  had  beene 
brought  to  pfectione,  as  for  boats  in  the  tyme  of  y* 
Gouermt  there  was  only  one  left  y*  was  seruicable  in  the 
Colonic,  for  w^^  one  besides  4  or  5  Shipps  and  pynnaces, 
there  are  now  not  so  fewe  as  40,  the  barques,  and  barges  y* 
then  were  built  in  number  few,  so  unwillinglie  and  weakly 
by  the  people  effected,  y*  in  the  same  time  they  also  fished 
weneuer  prceaued  y^  the  natiues  of  the  Countrey  did  volun- 
tarily yeeld  themselues  subiects  to  our  gracyous  Souraigne, 
nether  that  they  took  any  pride  in  that  title,  nor  puide  at 
any  tyme  any  contrybutione  of  corne  for  sustentation  Of  y® 
Colony,  no*"  could  we  at  any  tyme  keepe  them  in  such  good 
respect  of  correspondency  as  we  became  mutually  helpful 
each  to  the  other  but  contrarily  w*  at  any  was  doune 
pceeded  from  feare  and  not  loue,  and  their  corne  pcured  by 
trade  or  the  sworde. 

"  To  w*  growth  of  pfectione  the  Colony  hath  attayned  at 
y"  end  of  those  22  [12]  yeeres  wee  conceaue  ma,y  easily  be 
iudged  by  w*  we  haue  formerly  saide.  And  rather  to  be 
reduced   to  Hue  under   the   like  Goument   we  desire   his 


OFFICERS  OF  COMPANY  IMPRISONED. 


411 


Mca"^  y*  Commissioners  may  be  sent  ouer,  w^*"  autlioritie  to 

liange  us. 

"  Alderman  Johnson,  one  of  y°  Authors  of  this  Declara- 
tione  hath  reasone~to  comend  him  to  wliose  offences  and 
infamies  he  is  so  inseparably  chained. 

"  By  y^  generall  reporte  of  y*"  Country  w*'^  we  neuer  hard 
contradicted,  we  affirme  this  to  be  true  wherof  all  or  y"  most 
pte  were  eye  witnesses  or  resident  in  y^  Country  when 
euery  pticuler  within  written  were  effected. 

"  Wm.  Tucker  Francis  Wyatt 

Wm.  Peerce  George  Sandis 

Rawley  Croshaw        John  Pott 


Samuel  Mathews  - 
Jabez  Whittaker 
John  Willcox 
Nicholas  Marten 
Edward  Blany 
IsACK  Madisone 
Clement  Dilke 
Luke  Boyse 
John  Utie 
John  Chew 
Richard  Staples 


John  Powntis 
Roger  Smith 
Raphe  Hamor 
John  Southerne 
Samuel  Sharpe 
Henry  Watkins 
Nathanael  Causey 
Richard  Bigge 
Richard  Kingswell 
John  Pollington 
Robert  Addams 
Gabriell  Holland 
Thomas  Marlott  " 


The  Earl  of  Warwick  and  associates  were  much  cha- 
grined at  the  papers  presented  by  the  Company  to  the 
King,  and  induced  the  Privy  Council  on  the  loth  of  May, 
1623,  to  order  that  Lord  Cavendish,  Sir  Edwin  Sandys, 
Nicholas  and  John  Ferrar,  "  chief  actors  in  inditing  and 
penning"  "an  impertinent  declaration   containing  bitter 


/ 


^-^2  VIBOINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

invectives  and    aspersions,"    should    be   confined  to  their 
houses  until  further  order. 

On  the  22d  the  Privy  Council  directed  that  all  charters, 
books,  letters,  and  other  writings,  should  be  delivered  up 
to  the  recently  appointed  Commissioners  for  Virginia  and 
the  Somers  Islands.^ 

The  King  was  indignant  at  the  action  of  the  Company 
relative  to  his  letter  read  at  their  meeting  on  25th  of  June, 
"relative  to  the  election  of  officers,  and  he  ordered  the 
Privy  Council  to  find  out  whether  it  was  because  of  the 
words  of  their  Charter,  or  a  mere  pretext  to  thwart  his 
command,  and  at  the  same  time  the  Attorney-General  was 
instructed  to  examine  whether  their  conduct  had  not  ren- 
dered void  their  charter.  The  next  month,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Virginia  or  Somers  Island  Company,  Lord  Caven- 
dish and  the  Earl  of  Warwick  engaged  in  angry  debate  and 
one  calling  the  other  a  liar,  a  challenge  was  passed  and 
accepted. 

There  was  great  excitement  throughout  London  as  the 
rumor  flew  from  street  to  street  that  two  such  eminent  men 
Were  about  to  fight  a  duel  on  the  continent,  and  the  Privy 
Council,  on  the  19th  of  July,  issued  an  order  that  all  the 
ports  of  the  kingdom  should  be  carefully  watched  so  that 
they  might  not  cross  the  channel.  In  a  few  days  Caven- 
dish was  detected,  and  arrested  at  Shoreham  in  Essex,  but 
Warwick,  by  disguising  himself  as  a  merchant,  reached 

1  In  a  communication  from  the  Virginia  and  Somers  Island  Companies 
found  on  page  2o6  of  second  volume  of  Manuscripts  Trans.  Virginia 
Company^  is  the  following  statement :  "  Some  of  wCi  Letters  Patents  the 
verrie  originalls,  and  of  other  some  authentical  Coppies  haue  been  trans- 
mitted unto  the  Plantations,  and  are  there  remayninge  with  them." 

2  See  page  380. 


DUEL  PREVENTED.  413 

the  opposite  shore,  but  was  taken  at  Ghent  early  m  August, 
and  ordered  to  return/ 

Chamberlain,  who  was  always  full  of  court  gossip,  wrote 
on  July  26th,  to  Sir  Dudley  Carleton : 

''  The  last  week,  the  Earl  of  Warwick  and  the  Lord 
Cavendish  fell  so  foul  at  a  Virginia  or  Bermuda's  Court, 
that  the  lie  passed  and  repassed,  and  they  are  got  over  to 
try  their  fortune,  yet  we  do  not  hear  they  are  met,  so  that 
there  is  hope  they  may  return  -safe.  In  the  meantime 
their  ladies  forget  not  their  old  familiarity,  but  meet  daily 
to  lament  their  misfortune.  The  factions  in  these  two 
Companies  are  grown  so  violent,  as  Guelfs  and  Gebellines, 
were  not  more  animated  one  against  another ;  and  they  sel- 
dom meet  upon  the  Exchange,  or  in  the  streets,  but  they 
brabble  and  quarrell." 

On  the  31st  of  July,  the  Attorney-General  reported 
that  he  had  diligently  perused  the  letters  patent  of  the 
Company,  and  that  it  was  his  opinion  that  the  King  could 
revoke  their  privileges. 

During  the  rest  of  the  summer,  as  many  members  of  the 
Company  and  Privy  Council  were  out  of  town,  nothing 
further  was  done,  but  at  a  meeting  of  the  Company,  held 
on  Wednesday,  October  15th,  an  order  of  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil was  read,  declaring  the  King's  intention  to  remodel  th^e 
Company,  by  appointing  a  governor  and  twelve  assistants 


1  In  a  letter  written  by  Chichester  to  the  wife  of  Warwick,  on  August 
12,  and  first  published  on  June  29,  1867,  in  London  Notes  and  Queries, 
is  this  statement :  "  Inquiringe  of  my  noble  friends  what  they  had  heard 
of  the  earle,  M'"  Secretary  Calvert  told  me,  that  he  went  from  KngUind 
in  a  small  boate  laden  with  salt,  apparalled  like  a  marchant,  and  beings 
inquired  after  by  force  of  letters  written  to  M''  Trumbull  (Icgat.  for  his 
Ma'i'^^  att  Brussels),  he  was  found  and  stayed  at  Graunt." 


414  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON 

residents  of  England,  and  dependent  upon  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil, and  also  a  governor,  and  twelve  assistants,  residents 
in  Virginia,  to  be  nominated  by  the  Governor  and  assist- 
ants living  in  England,  and  inquiring  what  action  the  Com- 
pany would  take  on  the  proposition. 

To  the  communication  the  Company  replied  'that  the 
surrender  of  their  charter  was  a  matter  of  such  moment, 
that  they  asked  for  time  to  consider,  and  stated  that  the 
subject  would  be  fully  discussed  at  their  next  Quarter 
Court,  on  the  19th  of  November,  the  earliest  period  their 
charter  gave  them  power,  to  make  further  answer. 

The  Lords  of  the  Privy  Council,  not  pleased  with  the 
reply,  peremptorily  ordered  the  Company  to  bring  a  di- 
rect answer  on  the  next  Monday.  The  question  being 
then  referred  at  the  special  meeting,  only  nine  voted  to 
surrender  the  charter,  namely :  Sir  Samuel  Argall,  Sir 
Thos.  Wroth,  Capt.  Jno.  Martin,  Mr.  Canning,  Mr.  Wood- 
all,  Martin  the  Armenian,  Molasco  a  Pole,  and  two  others. 
Early  in  November,  a  quo  warranto  was  issued  against 
the  Company."  ^ 

At  the  regular  quarterly  meeting  on  19th  of  November, 
the  question  of  surrendering  the  charter  was  fully  discussed 
and  rejected,  seven  persons  only  voting  in  favor  of  the  pro- 
position. Steps  were  also  taken  to  procure  their  books 
and  papers,  which  for  fourteen  days  had  been  sequestered 

"M'"  Binge  hearinge  this  mocon  of  peticoninge  the  Lords 
for  y°  Companies  Books  said  (as  hee  was  goinge  out  of  the 
court)  that  Lett  them  make  as  many  peticons  as  they  will, 
they  shall  as  soone  haue  a  Haulter,  as  haue  them.  Wherof 
present  Complainte  beinge  made  and  the  words  certified 


1  See  Journal  of  Virginia  Company,  Nov.  12,  1623. 


SURRENDER  OF  CHARTER.  415 

by  three  that  ouerheard  him,  namely  by  M^'  Gilbert  More- 
wood,  M'-  Wiseman,  and  M^'  Spruson,  the  Court  were  much 
troubled  therat,  and  held  itt  fitt  to  be  complayned  of  to  the 
Lords  of  the  Counsell."  ^ 

The  Privy  Council  restored  their  books  and  pa,pers  that 
they  might  properly  answer  the  quo  warranto. 

During  the  debate  on  the  surrender  of  the  charter,  Can- 
ning, one  of  the  faction,  met  Keightley,  also  a  member  of 
the  Company,  on  the  Exchange,  and  struck  him,  for  which 
he  was  arrested  and  fined  twenty  pounds. 

On  the  26th  of  April,  1624,  M^'  Ferrar^  presented  to  the 
House  of  Commons  a  petition  from  the  Virginia  Company, 
and  a  day  was  appointed  for  its  consideration.  The  only 
entry  that  appears  in  the  Journal  relative  to  the  matter, 
is  on  Friday,  29th  of  April,  in  these  words  : 

"  M""  Speaker  delivereth  and  readeth  a  Letter  from  the 
King  concerning  the  Virginia  Petition.  The  petition  by 
general  Resolution  withdrawn." 

A  letter  written  a  few  days  after  by  Sir  Francis  Nether- 
sole  to  Sir  Dudley  Carleton  gives  a  very  satisfactory  ac- 
count of  the  proceedings  on  the  petition. 

"  On  Wednesday  last  M^'  Ferrar,  deputy  of  the  Company, 
Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  Lord  Cavendish,  and  Sir  John  Danvers 
made  relation  of  proceedings;  they  layed  the  great  load 

"Tcoventry,  the  Attorney  General,  in  explaining  why  Bing  was  not 
placed  with  Butler,  Pory  and  Wrote  in  the  commission  of  July,  1624, 
wrote  that  he  was  "  somewhat  light  "  '•  a  mere  good  fellow,  of  no  estate, 
who  for  offensive  behaviour  to  Lord  Southampton  had  been  committed  to 
the  Marshalsea."      Saaisburi/,  p.  65. 

■-'  Nicholas  Ferrar  was  a  member  of  the  House,  representing  Lymington, 
in  Southampton  Co. 


416  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

upon  the  Lord  Treasurer/  charged  the  commissioners  ap- 
pointed by  the  King  to  report  upon  the  cause,  with  extreme 
partiality,  and  accused  Sir  Nath.  Rich  of  being  an  active 
ill-instrument.  At  the  time  when  the  Commissioners  were 
to  examine  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  and  the  former  governors 
as  to  their  governments,  he  was  commanded  by  the  Lord 
Treasurer,  in  the  King's  name  to  go  out  of  town.  The 
King  disavowed  it,  and  gave  Sandys  liberty  to  return. 

"  The  business  aj^pearing  very  foul,  many  at  first  unwilling 
were  now  content  to  have  it  ripped  up.  Next  day  the 
King  forbade  the  House  to  proceed  any  further,  the  matter 
having  been  specially  recommended  to  his  Council.  His 
Majesty  feared  that  troubles  to  quiet  which  much  pains 
had  already  been  taken,  might  be  stirred  again,  by  the 
House  meddling  with  them. 

"  This  was  assented  to  by  a  general  silence,  but  not  with- 
out soft  muttering,  that  any  other  business,  in  the  same 
^way,  might  be  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  Parliament."  ^ 

The  case  of  the  Company  was  called  up  at  the  Trinity 
Term  of  the  King's  Bench,  in  1624.  The  plea  of  Coventry, 
the  Attorney-General,  for  revoking  the  charter,  was  : 

"  That  it  was  in  general  an  unlimited,  vast  patent.  In 
particular,  the  main  inconvenience  was,  that  by  the  words 
of  the  charter,  the  Company  had  a  power  given  them  to 


1  Lionel  Cranfield,  now  Earl  of  Middlesex,  and  the  Lord  Treasurer,  was 
a  corrupt  man,  and  on  the  19th  of  May,  about  one  month  after  the  charter 
of  the  Company  was  declared  null  and  void,  the  House  appointed  Sir 
Edwin  Sandys  and  Mr.  Ferrar  to  draw  up  a  petition  to  the  King  com- 
plaining of  his  bribery  and  extortion.  The  result  of  the  investigation 
led  to  his  being  deprived  of  oflfice,  fined  £50,000,  and  committed  to  the 
Tower. 

-  Sainshuri/,  Cnl.  State  Papert^,  pp.  61,  62, 


CHARTER  ANNULLED.  417 

carry  away,  and  transport  to  Virginia,  as  many  of  the 
King's  loving  subjects  as  were  desirous  to  go  thither.  And 
consequently,  he  said,  by  exercising  this  liberty,  they  may 
in  the  end  carry  away  all  the  King's  subjects  into  a  foreign 
land."^ 

On  the  16th  of  June,  the  last  day  of  the  term,  Chief 
Justice  Ley  declared : 

"  That  the  Patent  or  Charter  of  the  Company  of  English 
Merchants  trading  to  Virginia,  and  pretending  to  exercise 
a  power  and  authority  over  his  Majestys  good  subjects 
there,  should  be  thenceforth  null  and  void."  ^ 

Wentworth,  afterwards  Earl  of  Strafford,  expressed  the' 
joy  of  the  Court  party  in  a  letter  to  a  kinsman,  Christopher 
Wandesforde : 

"Yesterday,  Virginia  Patent  was  overthrown  at  the 
King's  Bench,  so  an  end  to  that  plantations  savings.  Me- 
thinks,  I  imagine  the  Quaternity  before  this  have  had  a 
meeting  of  comfort  and  consolation,  stiring  up  each  other 
to  bear  it  courageously,  and  Sir  Edwin  Sandys  in  the  midst 
of  them  sadly  sighing  forth,  oh  !  the  burden  of  Virginia."  ^ 
On  the  26th,  the  Privy  Council  ordered  Nicholas  Ferrar, 
Deputy  for  the  late  Company  of  Virginia,  to  bring  all 
papers  and  books  concerning  the  late  Corporation,  and  de- 
posited with  the  keeper  of  the  Council  chest  until  further 
order. 

To  avoid  the  "popularnes"  of  the  Virginia  government, 
the  King  on  the  15th  of  July,  issued  a  proclamation  ap- 
pointing a  number  of  commissioners  to  take  charge  of  the 

1  Peckard's  Ferrar,  p.  145. 

2  /  dem. 

3  Strafford  Disjmtchcs,  p.  21. 

53 


418  VIRGINIA  COMPANY  OF  LONDON. 

affairs  of  the  colony.  ^  In  this  document,  the  lack  of 
prosperity  in  Virginia,  is  attributed  to  the  mismanagement 
of  the  London  Company,  and  then  the  paper  continues  : 

"  And  to  that  purpose  yf  our  first  Grante  herein  men- 
tioned, and  our  most  princely  and  prudent  Instructions 
given  in  the  begyning  of  the  Plantation  for  the  Direction 
of  the  Affaires  thereof  by  thirteen  Councellors  in  Virginia 
all  nomynated  by  us,  had  been  pursued  much  better 
Effects  had  been  produced,  than  had  been  by  the  Altera- 
tion thereof  into  so  popular  a  course,  and  amongst  so  many 
handes  as  then  y*  was,  which  caused  much  contention  and 
confusion ;  whereuppon  We  entering  into  mature  and 
deliberate  consideration  of  the  Premisses,  did  by  the  advise 
of  the  Lordes  of  our  Privie  Councell,  resolve  by  altering 
the  Charters  and  Letters  Patentes  of  the  said  Company  as 
to  the  Points  of  Governemente  wherein  the  same  might  be 
found  defective,  to  settle  such  a  course  as  might  best  secure 
the  safetye  of  our  People  there,  and  cause  the  said  Planta- 
tion to  florish,  and  yet  with  preservation  of  the  interest 
of  Everie  Planter  or  Adventurer  soe  farr  forth  as  theire 
present  Interest  shall  not  prejudice  the  publique  Planta- 
tions : 

"  But  because  the  said  Tresorer  and  Companye  did  not 
-submitt  theire  Charters  to  be  reformed,  our  Proceedings 
therein  were  stayed  for  a  time,  untill,  upon  a  quo  Warranto 
brought,  and  a  legall  and  judiciall  proceeding  therein  by 
due  course  of  Lawe,  the  saide  Charters  are  avoided."  ^ 


1  Among  those  nominated  were  Capt.  Nath.  Butler,  Samuel  Wrote,  John 
Pory,  Alderman  Johnson  and  Secretary  Calvert.  Rijvier,  vol.  xvii,  p.  612. 

2  Rymer,  vol.  xvil,  p.  611. 


PAPER  AND  BOOKS  TAKEN. 


419 


The  proclamation  concluded  by  authorizing  them  to 
take  possession  of  the  seals,  charters,  instructions,  books, 
letters,  and  all  other  writings  of  the  Company. 

The  success  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith  was  now  complete. 
The  next  day  after  the  proclamation,  the  Commissioners 
mentioned  therein  met,  and  agreed  to  meet  every  Thursday 
at  the  house  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  for  the  transaction  of 
business.^ 


^  Sainshury,  Cal.  State  Papers,  p.  65. 


ERKATA. 


»e   50  Wanaskoyaks, 

■  111  George  Wedd, 

'    221  Archee's  Hope, 
'    222  Hant  Wyatt, 
'    233  Nich.  Tiun, 
'    238  Ml-.  Butleaf, 

•  240  Indreton  Winston, 
'      "    Nicho.  Forren, 

"    Thr:  Sheapeard, 

■  241  Genge, 

'    249  Miles  Puckett, 

•  250  Jo.  Ferrard, 

"    Nicho.  Ferrad, 

■  252  lu  1678, 

■  278  September, 

■  293  demerrits, 

•  338  Mr.  Parey, 
375  Wadriscoyks, 

•  377  April  10, 1623, 


should  read  Waraskoyaks. 

"  George  Webb. 

"  Archer's  Hope. 

"  Haut  Wyatt. 

"  Nich.  Ferrar. 

"  Mr.  Butler. 

"  Dr.  Tho's  Winston. 

"  Nicho.  Ferrar. 

"  Tho.  Sheperd. 

"  George. 

"  Miles  Pirkett. 

"  Jo.  Ferrar. 

"  Nicho.  Ferrar. 

"  In  1G3S. 

"  December. 

"  merits. 

"  Mr.  Porcy. 

"  Warriscoyaks. 

"  April  10, 1622. 


Y««nBiiiMlfTr*-»^r»»" Miii«ll»MlUILKHH»lllllB»WllHMI«aX» 


INDEX. 


A  true  answer  to  Capt.  Butler's  Calum- 
nies, 404-406. 

Abbott,  Maurice,  178,  300. 

Abdv,  Mr.,  300. 

Academy  at  Palmer's  Island,  315. 

Accomack  settlement,  282  ;  planters 
proposed  removal  to,  360. 

Aconack-china,  name  of  people,  337. 

Acts  of  first  Virginia  legislature,  140, 
173,  175. 

Adams,  Capt.,  30. 

Advice  to  first  colonists,  8. 

Alexander,  Sir  W.,  alludes  in  a  poem 
to  America,  81  ;  proprietor  of  Nova 
Scotia,  81. 

Allen,  Edward,  stage  player,  316. 

Ambergris,  54,  55,  56,  59. 

America  referred  to  by  poets,  81. 

American  Antiquarian  Society's  publi- 
cations, 16. 

Amidas,  early  explorers,  69. 

Ammunition  and  men  promised  to  Vir- 
ginia, 324. 

Amsterdam,  ships  from,  220 ;  people  in 
fur  trade,  267. 

Annual  Sermon  of  Virginia  Company, 
260,360;  postponed,  383. 

Annual  supper  of  Virginia  Company, 
382. 

Anthony,  Dr.  Francis,  150,  233,  250, 
266. 

Apothecaries  needed,  171. 

Apothecary,  an,  oflfers  his  services,  206. 

Apparel,  excess  of,  in  Virginia,  141,322. 

Appomattox  river,  223. 

plantation,  list  of  slain  at,  340. 


Archer,  Gabriel,  Virginia  councillor, 
16 ;  returns  to  England,  20  ;  op- 
Ijoses  President  Wingfield,  21  ;  ac- 
companies Gates  and  Somers,  30  ; 
his  letter  from  Jamestown,  31. 
Argall,  Capt.  Samuel,  first  arrival  in 
Virginia,  30,  32 ;  court  martials 
Edward  Brewster,  41,  120;  sails 
with  Somers  for  provisions,  44; 
names  Delaware  bay,  49;  visits 
Potomac  river,  50 ;  attacks  the 
Warasquoyaks,  50;  accompanies 
Lord  Delaware  to  England,  51  ;  aj- 
rives  at  Point  Comfort  in  1612,  85  ; 
visits  England  in  1614,  66  ;  com- 
mands ship  Treasurer,  75  ;  abducts 
Pocahontas,  86  ;  builds  a  ship  at 
Point  Comfort,  87  ;  visits  Pow- 
hatan with  Sir  Tho.  Dale,  87; 
visits  England  in  1616,  113  ;  made 
deputy  governor  of  Virginia,  113  ; 
announces  drowning  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Whitaker,  113  ;  asks  for  ordination 
of  Macock  and  Wickham,  113  ;  his 
ship  brings  negroes  to  Virginia, 
120  ;  charges  of  corruption  against, 
114,  180;  escapes  from  Virginia, 
127!  135,  179 ;  course  toward  Capt. 
Brewster  disapproved,  187  ;  mention 
of,  259,  282,  384,  414. 

Arms  wanted  in  Virginia,  297  ;  coat  of, 
for  Virginia,  155. 

Arsahattocks,  74. 

Articles  of  Levden  Church,  122,  12b. 

Arundell,  Lord,  3,  173,  175,  176,  199. 

Attorney  General  Coventry,  in  favor  of 
taking  away  Virginia  Company's 
charter,  413,  416. 


422 


INDEX. 


Augustine's,  St.,   "  City   of   God "   pre- 
sented, 197. 
Ayers,  Mr.,  251,  253. 


B. 

Bacon,  Sir  Francis,  62. 

Balloting  box,  172,  191, 216, 302. 

Bamfield,  Mr.,  273. 

Bamfourde,  Mr.,  169,  253. 

Bargrave,  Capt.  John,  188,  313. 

Bargrave,  Rev.  Mr.,  nephew  of  Dr. 
Bargrave,  138 ;  bequeaths  library 
to   college,   139. 

Barwick,  Capt.  Thos.,  takes  over  ship- 
builders, 308, 373. 

Basse,  Nathaniel,  Gent.,  194  ;  authorized 
to  invite  New  England  colonists, 
194. 

Basse's  Choice  Plantation,  194. 

Bateman,  Mr.,  300. 

Baylie,  Capt.,  60. 

Beads  made  by  Italians,  237. 

Beer,  bad,  of  Duppa,  379. 

Bell,  Robert,  299. 

Bennet,  Edward,  plantation  of,  194 ; 
slain  at,  345  ;  patent  to,  261  ;  his 
tract  on  Tobacco,  207  ;  commended, 
250. 

Bennet,  Rev.  William,  194. 

Bennet,  Richard,  194. 

Bennet,  Robert,  captain,  194. 

Berkeley,  John,  patent  to,  183 ;  builds 
iron  works,  227,  283  ;  killed  by  sa- 
vages, 320,  338. 

Berkeley,  Maurice,  283,  329,  309  ;  to  re- 
turn to  England,  372. 

Berkeley  plantation,  list  of  killed,  338  ; 
Hundred,  341. 

Bermuda  Hundred,  109. 

Bermudas,  Gates  and  Somers  at,  33, 
50 ;  Somers  sails  for,  43  ;  sold  by 
Virginia  Comi^any,  53,  50 ;  sliip 
Plough  sails  for,  53  ;  Shakespeare 
alludes  to,  54. 

Beverstone  Castle,  Gloucester,  227. 

Bikar's  plantation,  slain  at,  343. 

Bing,  Mr.,  insulting  speech  of,  414. 

Blackwell,  Francis,  Amsterdam  elder, 
127  ;  dies  on  way  to  Virginia,  127. 

Blany,  Ed.,  keeper  of  colony  magazine, 
242,  246,  250,  263,  277, 354. 

Blessing,  ship,  arrival  of,  31. 

Bloodhounds  to  chase  Indians,  321. 

Bluett,  Mr.,  of  Virginia  Council,  189. 


Blunt  Point  fortification,  305,  352. 
Boats  not  to  trade  with  Indians,  238. 
Bohun,   Dr.,  physician  general,   48,  51, 

182,  200  ;  grant  of  land  to,  168. 
Boiling,  Jane,  wife  of  Richard  Randolph, 
Bolton,  Rev.  Mr.,  220,  224. 
Bonnoel,  J.,  silkworm  raiser  to  king, 

258,   310 ;  Treatise  on   Silkworms, 

258. 
Bow  Church,  Copland's  sermon  at,  377. 
Boys,  John,  member  of  first  legislature, 

140. 
Boys  transported  in  ship  Duty,  356,  374. 
Breach  of  promise  of  marriage,  383. 
Brewster,  Capt.  Edward,  ascends  James 

river    with  despatches    to    Gates, 

41 ;  attacks  Waraskoyaks,  50 ;  false 

charges  against,  120, 187  ;  conforms 

to  the  church,   129,  167 ;  his  case 

considered  by  Virginia  Company, 

187;    sketch   of 
Brewster,  William  and  son  Edward,  41. 
Brewster,  William,  subscribes  Leyden 

articles,  129  ;  departs  from  Leyden, 

129,333. 
Brickmakers  for  College,  380. 
Bridewell  prisoners  transported,  167. 
Briggs,  Henry,  on  north-west  passage, 

337. 
Brinsley,  John,  schoolmaster,  273  ;  his 

consolation  for  Grammar  Schools, 

274. 
Brooke,  Christo.,  of  Lincoln's  Inn,  68, 

155,  186. 
Browne,  Mr.,  lives  among  Waraskoyaks, 

-aier 

Buck,  Rev.  Richard,  sails  with  Gates 
and  Somers,  33,  34  ;  preaches  be- 
fore Lord  Delaware,  42  ;  christens 
an  infant  of  Rolfe,  88 ;  resides  at 
Jamestown,  111 ;  chaplain  first  Le- 
gislature, 139  ;  idiot  child  of, 

Buflt'alo  described,  27. 

Burras,  Ann,  22. 

Butler,  Natli.,  his  slanders,  395 ;  ans- 
wered, 406  ;  api)ointed  a  commis- 
sioner for  Virginia,  418. 


C. 


Calvert,  Secretary,  George,  1  ;  about  a 
deer  stealer,  145  ;  about  transporta- 
tion of  ci'iminals,  154  ;  is  written  to, 
by  Virginia  Company,  164,  299,  300, 
310,  413,  418. 


INDEX. 


423 


Canning,  Mr.  Win.,  154,  168, 188,  189, 

293  ;  assaults  Keiglitley,  415. 
Cape  Charles,  44, 49. 
Cape  Cod  named  by  Gosnold,  2  ;  Argall 
steers  for,  49  ;  May  Flower  arrives 
at,   132 ;   fisheries,   193,   196  ;  Del- 
bridge  desires  to  fish  at,  165. 
Cape  Henry,  37,  44,  51. 
Cape  La  Warr,  50. 
Capp,   Wni,  member  fii'st  legislature, 

139. 
Carey,  Lord,  366. 
Carolina,  199. 
Caroloff,   Mr.,  and  East   India  School, 

357. 
Carou,  Sir  Noel,  81. 
Carter,  Capt.,  of  the  True  Love,  403. 
Carver,  John,    Leyden  nonconformist, 

124. 
Caswell,  Mr.,  104,  361. 
Cattle  for  Virginia,  159,  196,   340,  307  ; 

of  Mr.  Woodall,  373. 
Catto,  Sir  Thomas,  150. 
Cavendish,    Lord,  186,   273,  303,  311  ; 
alludes  to  Johnson's  petition,  389  ; 
alludes  to   Butler's  slanders,   395  ; 
quarrels  with  WarAvick,  413  ;  con- 
templated duel  with  Warwick,  413. 
Chamberlain,  on  Pocahontas's  capture, 
87 ;  on   Pocahontas   going  to  the 
play,  97;  sends  Pocahontas's  picture, 
98  ;  letters  to  Sir  D.  Carleton,  18, 
52,  55,  65. 
Chapman's    mask  played,   61 ;  Ode  on 

Virginia  Voyage,  22. 
Charles  city,  178  ;  list  of  slain  at,  340  ; 

East  India  School  at,  255,  309. 
Charter,  first,  of  Virginia   Company,  3  ; 

second,  23  ;  last,  53. 
Chesapeake  explored  by  Pory,  338. 
Chester,  Jas.,  captain  of  the  Southamp- 
ton, 367. 
Chicahominie,  council  at,  91. 
Children. 

China  box  among  the  Indians,  337. 
Chiskiack. 
Christ's  Hospital. 
Church,  donation  for,  314. 
Churches  and  houses  poorly  built,  409. 
Claiborne,  Wm.,  surveyor,  235  ;  at  Kent 
Island,  335  ;  at  Pamunkey,  335 ;  de- 
scribed by  Quaker  preacher,  335. 
Clare  Hall,  Cambridge. 
Clarke,  John,  pilot  of  May -Flower,  132  ; 

hired  by  Daniel  Gookin,  133. 
Cleopatra,  sister  of  Pocahontas,  105. 


Clergymen ;  see  ministers. 
Cletheroe,  Christopher,  146,  300,  302. 
Clinton,   Thos.,  Earl  of  Lincoln,  137  ; 

recommends  Jno.   Wencopp,  127  ; 

sons  in  law  at  Salem,  128. 
Clovell,  Eustace,  sliot  by  Indians,  17. 
Coats  of  mail  presented,"363. 
Cockaine,  Sir  William,  letter  to,  160. 
College,  receipts  for,  184  ;  see  education. 
Collingwood,    Ed.,    Sec.    of     Virginia 

Company,  191,  333,  389. 
Colony,  first,  of  Virginia  Company,  3  ; 

second,  4. 
Copper,  specimens  of,  372. 
Copland,  Rev.  Patrick,  251,  372,  377. 
Corn,  Indian,  produces  sickness,  237. 
Corn,  scarcity  of,  296,  334,  370. 
Councillors,  first,  in  Virginia,  55. 
Cradock,  Lt.,  of  Dales-Gift,  111. 
Cranfield,  Lionel,  117,  416. 
Cranmer,  Mr.,  168.  186,  191. 
Crashaw,  llaleigh,  33. 
Crashaw,  Rev.  Wm.,  his  sermon,  35  ; 

describes   Bermudas,  54 ;  on  stage 

players,  64. 
Crocodiles  presented  to  King  James,  14. 
Crouch,  Lt.  Richard,  314. 
Crow,  John,  patent  to,  361. 
Cruelties  to  colonists,  408. 
Cushman,  Robert,  Leyden  nonconform- 
ist, 134,  133,  143. 


D. 

Dale,  Lady  Fanny,  wife  of  Sir.  Thos.,  77, 
93,  368. 

Dale,  Sir.  Thos.,  expedition  of,  51  ;  at 
Henrico,  53  ;  his  early  career,  73  ; 
quarrels  with  Newport,  73  ;  writes 
for  colonists,  74  ;  proclaims  martial 
law,  75  ;  takes  Pocahontas  to  Eng- 
land, 76,  96  :  goes  to  Holland,  76  ; 
commands  East  India  fleet,  77; 
treaty  with  Indians,  93  ;  proposal 
for  sister  of  Pocahontas,  93. 

Dales-Gift,  described  by  Rolfe,  111. 

Damyron,  captain  of  ship  Duty,  167. 

Danver,  Sir  John,  101, 117, 150, 151, 154, 
164, 173, 186, 191,240,349,366,273, 
311. 

Darnelly,  Mr.,  259. 

Davenport,  Rev.  John,  asked  to  preach, 
260. 

Davies,  captain  of  the  Virginia,  30  37 
49. 


424 


INDEX. 


Davis,  Thos.,  member  of  first  Legisla- 

lature,  139. 
Davison,     Cliristoplier,     Secretary     of 

Colony.  215,  224,  286,  333. 
Deane's    edition    of    Wingfield's    Dis- 
course, 16. 
Declaration  of  State  of  Virginia,  193. 
Deer  steeler  transported,  145. 
Delaware  Bay,  so  named  by  Argall,  49  ; 
River,     exploration    of,    220,    229, 
263. 
Delaware,  Lord,  Capt.  Gen.  of  Virginia, 
24  ;  letter  from,  35  ;  arrives  at  Cape 
Henry,  37  ;  meets  the  Virginia,  38  ; 
sends  Capt.  Brewster  to  Gates,  41 ; 
arrives  at  Jamestown,  42  ;  appoints 
officers,   42,   43  ;    sicliness  and  re- 
turn, 51  ;    second  voyage  to    Vir- 
ginia, 114  ;  bis  deatli,  124. 

Delbridge,  John,  No.  P.  and  Cape  Cod 
fishery,  165,266. 

Dennis,  John,  captain  of  Marmaduke, 
403. 

Devonshire,  311. 

Diamond,  ship,  arrives,  31. 

Digges,  Sir  Dudley,  113,  150. 

Dike,  Mr.,  schoolmaster,  256. 

Discovery,  ship,  Capt.  Jones,  293,  807. 

Dispute  of  North  and  South  Colony,  173, 
175, 176. 

Dodson,  Robert,  liis  testimony,  404. 

Donation  of  Mrs.  Mary  Robinson,  181  ; 
Patrick  Copland,  251 ;  Dust  and 
Ashes,  169,  257. 

Doncaster,  Viscount,  186. 

Doune,  John,  Dean  of  Paul's,  360. 

Downes,  Edward,  scholar  in  Virginia, 
379. 

Dowse,  Thos.,  of  first  legislature,  139. 

Drake,  Sir  Francis,  2. 

Drayton,  ])oe.m  on  Virginia  Voyage,  14  ; 
his  mask,  24. 

Drunkenness,  penalty  for,  140. 

Duel  of  Warwick  and  Cavendish  stopped, 
413. 

Duppa's  bad  beer,  377. 

Dutchmen  erect  saw  mills,  227, 242,  285  ; 
in  Delaware,  261. 


E. 

Each,  captain  of  ship  Aljigail,  304,  325, 

352,  375. 
East    India    Company    employs    Capt. 

Newport,  52 ;  Free   School  in  Vir- 


East  India  Company,  continued  — 

ginia,  25, 256,  269, 333  ;  Free  School, 
carpenters  for,  309. 

Education  in  Virginia,  254,  287,  in  Col- 
lege at  Henrico,  117,  137,  147,  150, 
184,  329  ;  president  for  College  pro- 
posed, 137;  library  left  to  college, 
139-,  collections  for  College,  137, 147, 
156;  communion  set  for  College,  152. 

Election  of  Company  officers  opposed 
by  King  James,  177, 184;  Sir  Edwin 
Sanders,  as  treasurer,  143  - 145  ; 
Earl  of  Southampton,  189, 213,  300. 

Elfred,  Capt.,  120, 

Elizabeth  City,  178;  River  plantation, 
192. 

Emery,  Mr.,  killed  by  Indians,  19. 

Engineer,  request  for,  297. 

Engrossing,  crime  of,  369. 

Epps,  Wm.,  kills  Capt.  Stallenge,  163. 

Euens,  Capt.  W.,  402. 


F. 

Factions  in  the  Company,  418. 

Falling  Creek  Iron  Works,  338  ;  list  of 

killed  at,  339. 
Fees,  oppressive,  232. 
Felgate,  Capt.  Tobias,  403. 
Ferrar,    John,    notice    of,    191,     Dep., 
Treasurer,  145,  146,  150,  151,  191, 
233,  240,  250,  253,  266,  273,  811  ; 
Ferrar,  Nicholas,  Jr.,  384;  elected  deputy, 
302  ;   eulogy  on   Ruggle,  363 ;  re- 
elected, 384 ;  member  of  parliament, 
415  ;  mention  of,  233,  240,  250,  253, 
266,  273,   311,  359,  417. 
Ferrar,  Nicholas,  Sr.,  notice  of,  182, 183. 
Ferrar,  Virginia,  notice  of,  191. 
Ferrar,  William,  Councillor,  183;  planta- 
tion slain  at,   341  ;   marries  widow 
Jordan,  383. 
Ferrar's,  Mr.,  house,  189. 
Fishery  at  Cape  Cod,  165,  193. 
Fitch,  Capt.  Matthew,  30. 
Flowerdieu,  slain  at,  342. 
Fontaine,  Rev.  Peter,  97. 
Force,  Historical  Tracts,  75. 
Forest,  Mrs.,  arrival  in  Virginia,  22. 
Forestalling  the  market,  245. 
Fortifications,  278,  294,  304,  325. 
Forts  to  be  built  at  Blunt  Point,  270, 

305. 
Fotherby,    Sec.  of  Virginia  Company, 
resigns,  191. 


INDEX. 


425 


Francke,  Dan,  a  convict,  347. 

Free  School,  369. 

French  Fur  Traders,  220  ;  vine  dressers, 

241. 
Frenchmen  desire  to   go  to  Virginia, 

240  ;  supplies  for,  242  ;  young,  sent 

to  Cape  Newce,  247. 
Fur    trade  in   Delaware  and   Hudson, 

2G3,  264,  267,  338  voyage  of  Capt. 

Jones,  373. 


G. 

Gal  thorp's  intended  mutiny,  21. 

Gates,  Sir  Thos.,  early  member  of  Vir- 
ginia Company,  3  ;  first  voyage  to 
Virginia,  29,  57,  in  Netherlands  ; 
arrival  at  Jamestown,  34 ;  aban- 
dons Jamestown,  38;  visits  England, 
50  ;  wife's  death,  51  ;  his  daughters, 
52  ;  second  voyage,  51 ;  third  voy- 
age, 75;  at  meeting  of  Company,  151 . 

Gats,  Daniel,  captain  of  the  Darling, 
261. 

Gibbes,  Lieut.,  140. 

Gibbs,  Mr.,  109,  186,  233,  250,  253,  260. 
273,  311. 

Gilbert  Raleigh,  3. 

Girls,  poor,  sent  to  Virginia,  121. 

Glass  works,  331,  284, 306,  373. 

Gondomar,  Spanish  ambassador,  186. 

Gookiu,  Daniel,  Jr.,  friend  of  Eliot,  196. 

Gookin,  Daniel,  notice  of,  196 ;  takes 
cattle  from  Ireland,  196,  318,  240  ; 
owns  ship  Providence,  133  ;  at  New- 
port News,  314 ;  visits  England, 
317. 

Gorges,  Sir  Ferdinaudo,  131,  133  ;  and 
Cape  Cod  fishery,  165  ;  disputes 
with  Virginia  Company,  175  ;  ob- 
tains new  patent,  195. 

Gosnold,  Anthony,  early  planter,  257. 

Gosnold,  Bartholomew,  early  planter, 
257. 

Gosnold,  Capt.  Barth,  expedition  of,  1  ; 
names  Cape  Cod,  2;  explores 
Virginia,  10  ;  death  of,  18  ;  cautions 
Wingfield,  21. 

Gouge,  Rev.  Wm.,  103. 

Gourgainy,  Mr.,  140. 

Grants  of  land,  168. 

Graves,  Thomas,  140. 

Green,  Surgeon  W.,  403. 

Greenland  Company,  2. 

Grocers'  Company,  66. 

54 


Guest  Houses,  230,  236,  271,  284,  392. 
Guiana,  132, 197. 

Gulston,   Dr.    Theodore,   97,   150,   221, 
233,  250,  266. 


H. 

Hakluyt,  Richard,  notice  of,  2  ;  histo- 
riographer, 2  ;  translates  "  Virginia 
richly  valued,"  26  ;  commends  John 
Pory,  135  ;  his  son  Edward,  217. 

Hamersley,  Alderman,  299,  300. 

Hamford,  Mr.,  300,  301. 

Hamor,  Ralph,  visits  England,  88 ; 
writes  a  narrative,  88  ;  seeks  Indian 
wife  for  Sir  Thos.  Dale,  93 ;  men- 
tion of,  318,  362,  364. 

Hampton ;  see  Kecoughtan. 

Hannam,  Thomas,  3. 

Harrope,  Dr.  Pott's  plantation,  221 . 

Harvey,  Governor,  348. 

Harwood,  Mr.,  337,  311. 

Hassell,  Capt.  Robert,  312,  313.- 

Haughton,  Lord,  302. 

Hawley,  Jerome,  248. 

Heath,  recorder  of  London,  168, 183. 

Henrico,  75,  108,138,  178  ;  list  of  killed 
at,  340. 

Herbert,  George,  refers  to  America,  81. 

Herbert,  Mr.,  173, 186, 190. 

Heriot,  Thomas,  17, 384. 

Hext,  Sir  Ed.,  on  kidnapped  girls,  121. 

Hide,  Nicholas,  200. 

Hide,  Sir  Lawrence,  186. 

Hitch,  Surgeon  Henry,  403. 

Hobson,  John,  194. 

Hog  Island,  41. 

Hole,  William,  engraver,  155. 

HoUoway,  Mr.,  172. 

Hopkins,  Stephen,  a  Puritan,  34. 

Horton,  Mrs.,  her  servant  girl  marries, 
34. 

Howard,  Theophilus,  311. 

Howes,  the  chronicler,  398. 

Hudleston,  John,  Capt.  of  Bona  Nova, 
261. 

Hudson,  Leonard,  carpenter,  309. 

Hudson  River,  trade  in,  220,  229,  261. 

Hunt,  Rev.  Robert,  first  clergyman,  17. 


I. 


Indian  girl  sick  in  England,  102  ;  girl 
married   at    Bermudas,   105 ;   edu- 


426 


INDEX. 


Indian,  continued  — 

cation,  169,  170  ;  religion  and  as- 
tronomy, 279  ;  massacre  on  Good 
Friday,' 293  ;  villages  burned,  364  ; 
extermination  urged,  322,  330,  364, 
365,  391. 

Indians  not  to  receive  guns,  12  ;  not  to 
be  told  of  deaths,  12  ;  not  to  be  sub- 
dued, 28  ;  naked  slaves  of  the  devil, 
85  ;  intermarriage  alleged,  85  ;  treat 
with  Dale,  91  ;  to  be  chased  with 
bloodhounds,  321. 

Ireland,  transportation  from,  178,  336  ; 
cattle  from,  196,  218,  229. 

Irish  Plantation,  285  ;  ship,  the  cap- 
tain a  Dutchman,  286. 

Iron  ore  taken  to  England,  20  ;  sold  to 
E.  I.   C^ompany,  22.  3  J  ^:    {  }  ': 

Iron  works,  239,  270,  283,  303,  Wt.ik^< 

Isle  of  Wight  plantation,  194.  5  -  ;, 

Italian  glass  workers,  236,  284. 


J. 


Jackson,  John,  140. 

Jacob,  Eev.  Henry,  194. 

James  the  First  wants    squirrels,   44  ; 

letter  to  Virginia  Company,  380. 
Jamestown,  first  arrival  at,  16  ;  attacked 
by   Indians,    17 ;  called    Jacobolis, 
18 ;  rude  church  of,   20  ;    want   of 
food  at,  44  ;  described  by  Rolfe,  110  ; 
in  Yeardley's  day,  138. 
Jefferson,  Mr.,  140. 
--Johnson,    Alderman   Robert,    107,    144, 
146, 178,  292  ;  abuses  Sir  E.  Sandys, 
151  ;  charges  against  Virginia  Com- 
pany, 387. 
Johnson,  Ben,  his  Mask  of  Christmas, 

97  ;  allusion  to  Pocahontas,  100. 
-Johnson,  Cornelius,  captain  of  Gookin's 

ship,  286.  -      -        - 
Jones,  captain  of  the  Falcon,  171. 
Jones,  Capt.  Thos.,   of  the   Discovery, 

261,  264,  267,  373  ;  notice  of,  316. 
Jopassus,  Indian  chief,  89. 
Jordan,  Samuel,  139,  315  ;  widow  mar- 
ries Wm.  Ferrar,  383. 


K. 

Kawasha,  in  Mask  of  Flowers,  63. 
Keane,  Richard,  248. 


Kecoughtan,  now  Hampton,  occupied  by 
Gates,  51  ;  described  by  Rolfe,  111. 

Keightley,  Mr.,  169,  173,  186,  191  ;  sues 
Canning  for  assault,  415. 

Kendall,  John,  of  Virginia  Council,  15  ; 
deposed,  18. 

Kendall,  Miles,  negro  stealer,  120. 

Kentish  men,  patent  for,  150. 

Kidnapping  of  girls,  121. 

Kighotan,  178. 

King,  Captain,  30. 

King  James,  orders  dissolute  to  Vir- 
ginia, 154  ;  sends  message  to  Vir- 
ginia Company,  177 ;  dislikes  Sir 
E.  Sandys  ;  nominates  officers  for 
Virginia  Company,  300;  letter  to 
Virginia  Company,  380  ;  reorganizes 
Virginia  Company,  418. 

King's  Forest,  in  Virginia,  312. 

Kirkham,  Mr.,  177. 


L. 

Lapworth,  Mr.,  227. 

Launce,  Rev.  Mr.,  prays  for  the  Colony, 
■314. 

Lawne,  Christopher,  140,  194. 

Laws  for  the  Colony,  75. 

Lawton,  Jo.,  311. 

Leate,  Nicholas,  300. 

Leate,  Rev.  Wm.,  309  ;  death  of,  394. 

Leech,  Mr.,  233,  281. 

Leeke,  Simeon,  patent  to,  261. 

Legislature,  the  first,  139,  143. 

Leicester,  292. 

Lenox,  duke  of,  199. 

Letters  of  Dust  and  Ashes,  169,  287. 

Letters  of  Governor  and  Council  of  Vir- 
ginia, January,  1621-22,  274;  April, 
1622,  293  ;  January,  1622  -  23,  363. 

Letters  of  Virginia  Company,  July  25, 
1621,  223;  Aug.  21,  233;  Sept.  11, 
241  ;  Nov.  20,  263  ;  Dec.  5,  267  ; 
June  10,  1622,  302  ;  Aug.  1,  322  ; 
Oct.  7,  347  ;  May  2,  1623,  391. 

Leverett,  Dep.  Gov.  of  Mass.  to  Boyle, 
197. 

Levinge,  Mr.,  patent  to,  261. 

Ley,   Judge,   decides  against   Virginia 

Company,  417. 
Leyden,  Independent  church  at,   122  ; 

articles,  123. 
Leyden  people  opposed  by  bishops,  127  ; 
winked  at  by  the  king,  127  ;  obtain 


INDEX. 


427 


Leyden,  continued  — 

a  patent  in  name  of  John  Wincopp, 
128 ;  obtain  second  patent,  129  ; 
invited  to  Manhattan,  130 ;  land 
at   New  Plymouth,  131. 

Lincoln,  Earl  of ;  see  Clinton. 

Livery  companies  of  London,  25. 

London  vagabond  children,  161. 

Lorkin,  Rev.   Thos.,  and  proposed  col- 
lege, 138. 

Lotteries,  25,  64. 

Lusty  youths  transported,  237. 

Luxuries  discountenanced,  243. 


M. 

Macar's,  Owen,  plantation,  slain  at,  342. 

Macock,  Samuel,  a  Cambridge  scholar, 
113,  139,  286  ;  killed  by  Indians, 
320. 

Madison,  Capt.,  100, 174, 202. 

Magazine  of  goods,  277. 

Maids  sent  for  wives,  234,  262,  263  ;  un- 
married to  have  good  masters,  247  ; 
marriage  terms,  235,  246  ;  in  ships 
Tiger  and  Marmaduke,  245  ;  care- 
fully selected,  246. 

Maid's  Town,  298. 

Mansell,  Robert,  292. 

Manwaring,  Sir  P.,  describes  Yeardley, 
134. 

Map  by  Virginia  Ferrar,  191. 

Martin,  Brandon,  slain  at,  344 

Martin,  Capt.  John,  member  of  first 
Council,  15 ;  opposes  Wiugfield, 
19  ;  with  Somers  and  Gates,  30 ; 
master  of  Iron  Works,  43  ;  returns 
from  England,  113  ;  complained  of 
by  Rolfe,  141 ;  certificate  to,  292  ; 
his  request  not  granted,  289,  292  ; 
concerning  King's  Forest,  312  ;  dis- 
placed by  Lord  Delaware,  313. 

Martin,  John,  the  Persian,  378. 

Martin,  Richard,  attorney  of  Virginia 
Company,  68 ;  before  Parliament, 
70  ;  begs  pardon,  71. 

Martin's  Hundred,  140,  179,  237,  242, 
247,  259,   358,   375 ;  slain   at,   344. 

Maryland,  marriage  in,  248. 

Massacre  by  Indians,  293,  316,  319 ; 
relation  of,  by  Waterhouse,  317. 

Mastiffs  to  chase  Indians,  821. 

Matchopougo,  50. 

Matthew,  Archbishop  of  York,  25. 

May-Flower,  ship,  132, 133. 


Mease,  Rev.  Wm.,  notice  of.  111. 

Merchant  Tailor's  Company,  25. 

"  Mercure    Francois,"   account  of   first 

Virginia  voyage,  15,  17. 
Mellinge,  Mr.,  168,  361. 
Middleton,  Mr.,  189. 
Mill,  first  in  Virginia,  283. 
Ministers  of  Gospel,  names  of  : 

Bennett,  Rev.  Wm.,  194. 

Bolton,  Rev.  Robert,  220,  224. 

Buck,  Rev.  Richard,  33,  111. 

Copland,  Rev.  Patrick,  251, 256, 377. 

Davenport,  Rev.  John,  260. 

Fontaine,  Rev. 

Gouge,  Rev.  Wm.,  103. 

Harrison,  Rev.  Thos.,  252. 

Hopkins,  Rev.,  315. 

Hunt,  Rev.,  17. 

Launce,  Rev.,  314. 

Leate,  Rev.,  309,  314. 

Lorkin,  Rev.  Thos.,  254. 

Mease,  Rev.  Wm.,  111. 

Paulet,  Rev.  Robert,  311. 

Pemberton,  Rev.,  314. 

Peters,  Rev.  Hugh,  252. 

Staples,  Rev.,  271,  378. 

Stockton,  Rev.,  224. 

Thomas,  Rev.,  248,  278. 

Whitaker,  Rev.  Alex.,  113. 

White,  Rev.  Andrew,  248. 

Wickham,  Wm.,  224. 

Wyatt,  Rev.  Hant,  223,  224. 
Ministers  of  Gospel,  offer  services,  217  ; 

in  Yeardley's  time,  138. 
Mole,  Saiimel,  Surgeon,  403. 
Montgomery,  Earl  of,  97,  393. 
Mooue,  captain  of  the  Swallow,  30. 


Nanamack,  Indian  lad,  dies  in  England, 

96. 
Nansemonds  attacked  by  Yeardley,  364. 
Negroes,  brought  by  ship  Treasurer,  120; 

census  of,  in  1634,  121. 
Nelson,  Capt.,  arrives  at  Jamestown,  23. 
Nemenachanew,  a  chief,  366. 
Nettersole,  Sir  Francis,  177. 
Newce,  Sir  Wm.,  Marshal  of  Virginia, 

178,  218  ;  death  of.  374. 
Newce,  Thos.,  superintendent  of  lands, 

178,  189,  232,  286,  304  ;  sends  home 

white   earth,   238 ;    to  have   cattle 

from  Ireland,  239;  widow  of,  381, 

382. 


428 


INDEX. 


New  England,  name  of,  206. 

New  Englanders  invited  to   Virginia, 

194. 
Newfoundland,  Gates  and  Somers  Bail 
for,  41. 

New  Netherlands  Co.,  and  Leyden  non- 
conformists, 130. 

Newport,  Capt.  Christopher,  and  first 
expedition,  5;  to  explore  for  two 
months,  8 ;  to  select  a  site,  9  ;  to 
write  a  narrative,  13  ;  presents  croco- 
diles to  king,  14;  returns  to  England, 
17  ;  second  voyage  to  Virginia,  19  ; 
visits  Powhatan,  20  ;  second  return 
to  England,  22  ;  third  voyage,  22  ; 
wrecked  with  Gates  and  Somers, 
31;  retires  from  Virginia,  52  ;  master 
in  Royal  Navy,  52  ;  goes  to  Persia, 
52  ;  beard  pulled  by  Dale,  73. 

Newport.  John,  only  son  of  captain,  164. 

Newport  News,  196  ;  Gookin's  land  at, 
314. 

Norfolk,  Upper,  176. 

North,  Lord,  186. 

North,  Capt.,  186. 

North,  Charles,  patent  to,  261. 

North  Virginia  Colony,  165;  disputes 
about  fisheries,  173,  175,  176,  195, 
198. 

Norton,  Capt.  Wm.,  and  glass  works, 
231,  310  ;  and  Italians,  236,  284. 


O. 

Oak  trees,  to  be  cut  down  and  barked, 

239. 
Oath  taken   by  President  of  Virgmia 

Council,  6. 
Offley,  Robert,  300. 
Olevan,  Anthony,  194. 
Opochankano,  100,  171,  279,   316,  362, 
-^        366. 
Orders  for  first  expedition,  6. 
Ordinance  by  ship  Charles,  265. 
Oweng,   Richard,    plantation   slain   at, 

342.    .•    .  ,       ,,  .: 

P.  ' 

Pace,  Mr.,  notifies  Governor  of  massacre, 

320. 
Pagett,  Lord,  169,  266,  273. 
Palmer,  Edward,  sketch  of,  315. 
Palmer's  Island,  197  ;  academy  at,  197. 
Pamunkeys,  attacked,  264. 


Paramore,  Mr.,  215. 
Parker,  William,  5. 
Parkinson,  Lt.,  explores  the  Potomac, 

337,  338. 
Parliament,  seat  of  Sir  George  Somers 
vacated  ;  remarks  on  Virginia  Com- 
pany, 67. 
Passe,  Simon,  engraving  of  Pocahontas, 

98. 
Passenger  register  to  be  kept,  359. 
Patent,  new,  for  company,  draft  of,  205. 
Patents  granted  in   1619,  182  ;  recom- 
mended and  granted,  315,  334. 
Paulett,  Rev.  Mr.,  140,  281,  286,  311. 
Pearle,  Gregory,  403. 
Peirce,  Abm.,  plantation,  slain  at,  340. 
Peirce,  John  and  Leyden,  people,  129  ; 
and  associates,  133,  170  ;  patent  of 
land  to,  168. 
Peirce,  Thomas,  plantation,  slain  at,  345. 
Pemberton,  Rev.  Mr. 
Pembroke,  Earl  of,  284,  292.  v   ,  ^■ 

Percy,  George,  31,  32, 34,  42,  51.  '     \ 
Perkins,  Rev.  Dr.,  works  presented,  197. 
Perry's,  Mr.,  Indian,  reveals  the  plot  to 

kill,  320. 
Persons,  Elizabeth,  married,  34. 
Peters,  Rev.  Hugh,  252. 
Pett,  Capt.,  30. 
Phillips,  Eleanor,  takes  a  male  convict, 

347. 
Physician  General  Dr.  Bohun,  200. 
Physicians,  want  of,  171. 
Pierse,  Thos.,  sergeant-at-arms,  139. 
Pine  masts  sent  to  England,  52. 
Pirkett,  Miles,  249. 
Pitch  and  tar,  283. 
Plantations  to  be  resettled,  328. 
Pochins,  son  of  Powhatan,  51. 
Pocahontas,  described  in  True  Relation, 
83;  described  in  General  History,  83; 
described  by  Strachey,  84,   85  ;  ab- 
duction  of,  86 ;     in   England,   97  ; 
portrait  of,  98  ;  death  of,  98  ;  Ben 
Jonson  alludes  to,  100 ;  her  child, 
101. 
Point  Comfort,  32,  74,  87,  98. 
Pollington,  John,  131. 
Polonians  enfranchised,  153. 
Poole,  Robert,  182. 

Pooley,  Mr.,  complains  of  widow  Jor- 
dan, 383. 
Popham  Colony,  30. 
Popham,  George,  3. 

Population  of  Virginia,   111  ;  in  1611, 
51  ;  in  1619,  179. 


INDEX. 


429 


Pory,  John,  Secretary  of  Colony,  135, 

139,  14-2,  176,  231,  336,  304,  418  ; 

sketch  of,  135,  136. 
- ,  Potomac  River  explored,  337. 
'^  Pott,  John,  M.D.,  331,  334,  386  ;  sketch 

of,  331. 
Pountis,  John,  Vice  Admiral,  189,  326, 

234,  336,  273,  280,  286,  376. 
Powell,  Capt.  W.,  139,  364. 
Powell,  Nathaniel,  killed   by   Indians, 

330  ;  plantation,  slain  at,  343. 
Powell,  Thomas,  cook  of  Soniers,  34. 
Powhatan,  30,  90,  91,  93. 
Poyntz,  Mr.,  patent  to,  183. 
Presbyterian  Colony,  137. 
Pring,  Martin,  captain  of  Royal  James, 

314. 
Privy  Council  and  the  Company,  390  ; 

demands  the  charter,  413. 
Prosser,  Thomas,  404. 
Publications  on  Virginia  numerous,  35. 
Purchas,  Rev.  Samuel,  64 ;  and  case  of 

widow  Jordan,  383. 
Puritans  of  Leyden,   133  ;    defined  by 

King  James,  133  ;  in  Virginia,  184. 


R. 

Raleigh,  Sir  Walter,  69, 197,  384 ;  son 
of,  379. 

Randolph,  Jolm,  of  Roanoke,  105. 

Randolph,  Richard,  marries  great  grand- 
daughter of  Pocahontas,  105. 

Rappahannock  Indians,  364. 

Ratcliffe,  Capt.  John,  6,  15,  19,  31. 

Rayner,  Capt.  Marmaduke,  175,  320, 
403. 

Read,  James,  blacksmith,  early  settler, 
389  ;  Isabella,  his  widow,  389. 

Register  book  for  emigrants,  359. 

Rich,  Sir  Nathaniel,  150,  151. 

Rider,  Mr.,  and  annual  supper,  361. 

Roanoke  settlement,  16,  199  ;  country 
explored,  230. 

Roberts,  Mr.,  104,  353. 
^Robinson,  a  clerk,  kidnaps  girls,  131. 
-Robinson,  Mary,  donation  for  church, 
181 ;  -a  settler,  killed  by  Indians,  19. 
-  Robinson,  Rev.  John,  of  Leyden,  124, 
197. 

Rocroft,  Capt.,  alias  Stallenge,  163. 

Roe,  Sir  Thomas,  175,  178,  192,  196. 

Rolfe,  John,  quoted  by  Purchas,  105  ; 
describes  Virginia,  107,  108 ;  his 
child  born  at  Bermudas,  34  ;  early 


Rolfe,  continued  — 

tobacco  planter,  94 ;  with  Poca- 
hontas in  England,  97;  Secretary 
of  Colony,  98 ;  his  widow  and 
children,  102;  complains  of  Capt. 
Martin,  141. 

Rolfe,  TlKmias,  son  of  Pocahontas,  98. 

Rossingham,  Mr.,  140. 

Ruggle,  George,  author  of  "Ignoramus." 
362 ;  legacy  for  Indian  education, 
362;  Nicholas  Ferrar's  eulogy  of, 
363. 

Russel,  Sir  W.,  300. 


8. 

Sackville,  Sir  Edward,  rebuked,  390. 

Sagadahoc  river,  49  ;  pinnace  Virginia 
built  at,  30. 

St.  John,  Lord,  presents  coats  of  mail, 
362. 

St.  Michael's  church,  360. 

St.  Sythe's,  379. 

Salt  works,  270. 

Sanders,  Edward.  403. 

Sandys,  George, A'reasurer  of  Virginia, 
101,  208,223,  336,  384,^308,  309, 
356,  364,  376;  Drayton's  poem  to, 
308  ;  letter  on  the  massacre,  319  ; 
supt.  of  College  lands,  336  ;  supt. 
of  iron  works,  338. 

Sandys,  Sir  Edwin,  on  Indian  education, 
105  ;  and  Leyden  people,  134  ;  elect- 
ed Treasurer  of  Virginia  Company, 
143  - 145  ;  meeting  at  his  house  to 
devise  a  seal,  153  ;  letter  about 
London  children,  161  ;  and  Sec. 
Calvert,  163 ;  retiring  speech  of, 
179  ;  hated  by  King  James,  185  ; 
readiness  to  serve  Virginia  Com- 
pany, 189  ;  denies  a  rumor,  186 ; 
drafts  a  new  patent,  305 ;  obliged 
to  leave  London,  416. 

Sassafrass  wanted,  357,  373. 

Savage,  Thomas,  93. 

Saw  mills,  337,  239,  270. 

School,  East  India,  at  Charles  City,  254  ; 
usher  for,  256. 

Scrivener,  Mr.,  of  Virginia  Council,  20. 

Sea  Flower  brings  news  of  Massacre, 
319. 

Seal  cut  for  Virginia,  155. 

Seed  sent  to  Virginia,  270  ;  scarcity  of, 
375. 

Sermon,  donation  for  yearly,  359. 


430 


INDEX. 


Sermon,  Rev.  John  Davenport  to  preach,  ' 
260;  Rev.  Jolm  Donne,  to  preach, 
360  ;  annual,  postponed,  383. 
Shakespeare's  Tempest,  54. 
Sharp,  Capt.,  killed,  341. 
Sharp,  Lt.,  in  command  at  Jamestown, 

111. 
Sharpless,  Thomas,  his  lottery  prize,  66. 
Shaw,    Wm.,  captain  of  London  Mer- 
chant, 171. 
Sheffield,  Lord,  186,  240,  292. 
Sheffield  plantation,  killed  at,  339  -  40. 
Shelley,  Walter,  140. 
Shepherd,  Thomas,  240,  250,  273,  311. 
Sherley  Himdred,  110. 
Sherlev,  Sir  Robert,  52. 
Ship,  Abigail,  324,  362. 
Blessing,  31,  36,  37. 
Bona  Nova,  174, 180,  223,  241,  261, 

266,  272,  293. 
Bona  Venture,  181,  200. 
Bonny  Bess,  391. 

Charles,  265. 

Darling,  261. 

Deliverance,  40,  44. 

Diamond,  30,  31. 

Discovery,  40,  261,  265,  270. 

Duty,  167.  181,  241,  373. 

Eleanor,  120. 

Elizabeth,  75. 

Falcon,  171,  181  200. 

Garland,  181. 

George,  114, 174,  179, 233, 241,  292. 

Gift,  149. 

God  Speed,  5. 

Hercules,  36,  37. 

Hopewell,  261,  266,  272. 

James,  392. 

John  and  Francis,  75. 

Jonathan,  181,  200,  219,  373. 

Lion,  31. 

London  Merchant,  171, 181, 200, 373. 

Marmaduke,  233,  245,  267. 

Mary  and  John,  241. 

Neptune,  114. 

Patience,  40. 

Plough,  53. 

Return,  382. 

Royal  James,  252,  269. 

Sarah,  75. 

Sarah  or  Susan  Constant,  5,  17. 

Sea  Adventure,  30,  31. 

Sea  Flower,  317,  319. 

Southampton,  347. 

Star,  52. 

Swallow,  30,  33. 


Sliip,  Swan,  of  Barnstable,  181,  200. 
Tiger,  245,  263,  267. 
Treasurer,  75,  120. 
Trial,  171,  181,  200. 
True  Love,  365,  392. 
Virginia,  30. 
VS^arwick,  241,  249,  263.  207,  274, 

355,371. 
Wm.  and  Thomas,  119. 
Ships,  arrivals  in  three  years,  330. 
Ship  building,  238,  268,  308,  373. 
Ships  sent  to  Virginia,  1619,  181. 
Sickness,  great,  in  Virginia,  174. 
Silenus  praises  wine,  63. 
Silkgrass,  174,  304,  373. 
Silkworm    seed,    241,    264,  270,    285; 

hatched.  372. 
Silkworms,  book  on,  258,  303. 
Smalley,  Captain,  109,  258  ;  widow,  258. 
Smith,     Capt.    John,     suspected,     15 ; 
opposes  Wingfield,  19  ;  accused  of 
lying,  20;  sent  to    England,    32; 
as  member  of  Virginia  Company, 
209,  210,  214,  215,  216,  385  ;  notice 
of,  211  ;  described  by  Fuller,  214. 
Smith,  Capt.  Matthew,  30,  53,  55,  60. 
Smith,  Roger,  49,  174,  201.  376. 
Smith,  Sir  Thomas,  74,  75,  117, 174, 177, 
192  ;  retiring  speech,  144  ;  Virginia 
Company,    dissatisfied   with,    144 ; 
Virginia    Company    meets  at    his 
house,   144,  151,  188;  and  college 
money,  156  ;  cm-sed  by  Virginians, 
408,   409;  destroys  Virginia  Com- 
pany, 419. 
Smith,  Thomas,  captain  of  Hopewell, 

261. 
Snoade,  John,  404. 
Somers,  Sir  George,  3,  29,  40,  49,  50  ; 

wrecked,  57  ;  death  of,  58. 
Somers  Islands  Company,  55,  58. 199. 
Southampton,  Henry.  Earl  of,  aids  Gos- 
nold,  1 ;  patron  of  letters,  1  ;  asks 
for  tiying  squirrels,   32  ;  describes 
Bermudas,  54;  and  Cape  Cod  fishery, 
165;    elected    Treasurer    Virginia 
Company,   189,    190 ;  reelected    in 
1621,   213;  reelected  in  1022,  300; 
repels  insolence,  383. 
Southampton  Hundred,  119,  182  ;  slain 

at,  344. 
Southerne,  Mr.,  369. 
South  Sea  discovery,  65,  338. 
Spence,  Ensign,  139.  344. 
Spilman,   Capt.,  degraded,    171  ;  slam, 
344.