20 XVII. THOMAS, LORD DELAWARE. SIR THOMAS GATES. SIR GEORGE SOMERS. CAPT. CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT. SIR FERDINANDO WAINMAN, THE hiftory of these persons is fo blended, that a feparate account of each cannot be written from any materials in my poffeffion. Their characters, however, may be diftinguished in a few words, before I proceed to the hiftory of their united tranf actions, in the employment of the Company and Colony of Virginia. Lord DELAWARE is faid to have been a worthy peer of an ancient family; a man of fine parts and of a generous difpofition; who took much pains, and was at a great expense, to establish the Colony; in the fervice of which he fuffered much in his health, and finally died at fea, (1618) in his fecond voyage to America, in or near the mouth of the Bay which bears his name.* Sir THOMAS GATES, was probably a land officer. Between him and Sir George Somers, *Purchas, v. 1757. Keith,+131. Stith, 148. Somers, there was not that cordial harmony, which is always defirable between men who are engaged in the fame bufinefs. Excepting this, nothing is faid to his disadvantage.* Sir GEORGE SOMERS was a gentleman of rank and fortune, of approved fidelity and indefatigable industry; an excellent fea commander, having been employed in the navy of Queen Elizabeth, and having distinguished himself in feveral actions against the Spaniards in the Weft-Indies. At the time of his appointment to be Admiral of Virginia, he was above fixty years of age. His feat in Parliament was vacated by his acceptance of a colonial commiffion. He died in the fervice of the Colony (1610) at Bermuda, highly esteemed and greatly regretted.‡ CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT was a mariner of ability and experience in the American feas. He had been a commander in the na vy of Elizabeth, and, in 1592, had conducted an expedition against the Spaniards in the Weft-Indies; where, with three or four fhips, he plundered and burnt fome towns, and took feveral prizes, with a confiderable booty. He was a vain, empty, conceited man, and very + Chalmers, 27. " *Stith, 115. very fond of parade. By the advantage of going to and fro, he gained the confidence of the Council and Company in England, and whatever he propofed, was adopted by them. Some traits of his character have been given in the life of Capt. John Smith. In 1621 he imported fifty men, and feated them on a plantation, which he called Newport's News. Daniel Gookin came with a cargo of cattle from Ireland, and fettled firft on this plantation. He afterward removed to New-England.* Sir THOMAS DALE is faid to have been a gentleman of much honour, wisdom and experience. To him was entrusted the execution of the laws fent over by Sir Thomas Smith; which, though perhaps neceffary at that time, (1611) when fo many turbulent and refractory perfons were to be gov erned, yet were fubverfive of that freedom. which Englishmen claimed as their birth right, and gave too much power into the hands of a Governor. Though his administration was marked with rigour and fever ity, yet he did much toward advancing the fettlements. On a high neck of land in James *Stith, 205. Beverly, 37. Purchas, v. 1792. James River named Varina, he built a town which he called Henrico, in honour of Prince Henry, the remains of which were vifible when Mr. Stith wrote his hiftory (1746.) On the opposite fide of the river he made a plantation on lands, from which he expelled the Indians, and called it New-Bermuda. He ftaid in Virginia about five years, and returned to England (1616) after which there is no farther account of him. Of Sir FERDINANDO WAINMAN, nothing is faid but that he died foon after his arrival in Virginia, with Lord Delaware, in the fummer of 1610.† When the new Charter of Virginia was obtained, the Council and Company immediately equipped a fleet, to carry fupplies of men and women, with provifions and other neceffaries, to the Colony. The fleet confifted of seven ships, in each of which, befide the Captain, went one or more of the Counsellors or other officers of the Colony; and though there was a difpute about rank between two officers, Somers and Gates, they were placed in one'fhip with Newport, the third in command. The Governor- Stith, 123, 124, 138. f Stith, 117. General, Lord Delaware, did not fail with this fleet; but waited till the next year, to go with a further fupply. The names of the fhips and their commanders were as follow. The Sea-Adventure, Admiral Sir George Somers, with Sir Thomas Gates, and The Diamond, Captain Radcliffe and Cap- The Falcon, Captain Martin and Master The Bleffing, Gabriel Archer and Captain The Unity, Captain Wood and Master Pett. The Swallow, Captain Moone and Mafter, The fleet was attended by two smaller veffels, one of which was a ketch, commanded by Matthew Fitch, the other a pinnace, in which went Captain Davies and Mafter Davies.* This fleet failed from Plymouth on the fecond day of June, 1609. Though their orders were not to go by the old route of the Canaries and the Weft-Indies, but to fteer directly |