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[1606 A.D.] deemed, that the sailors were accustomed, before embarking, to perform solemn acts of devotion, as if to prepare for eternity. The anticipation of disasters was not visionary; Columbus was shipwrecked twice, and once remained for eight months on an island, without any communication with the civilised world; Hudson was turned adrift in a small boat by a crew whom suffering had rendered mutinous; Willoughby perished with cold; Roberval, Parmenius, Gilbert - and how many others? and how many others? - went down at sea; and such was the state of the art of navigation, that intrepidity and skill were unavailing against the elements without the favour of heaven./

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"Being for most part of such tender educations, and small experience in Martiall accidents because they found not Loyalist Cities, nor such faire houses, nor at their owne wishes any of their accustomed dainties with feather beds and downe pillowes, Tavernes and Alehouses in every breathing place, neither such plentie of gold and silver and dissolute libertie as they expected, they had little or no care of anything but to pamper their bellies, to fly away with our Pinnaces, or procure their meanes to returne to England. For the country was to them a misery, a ruine, a death, a hell, and their reports here, and their actions there according."-CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH.

THE accession of James I in 1603 to the English throne and the peace which he negotiated with Spain having put an end to privateering expeditions against the Spanish settlements, the attention of English merchants, navigators, and adventurers was now directed to more peaceful enterprises. Commerce and colonisation took the place of piracy and plunder. Sir Walter Raleigh was in the Tower, attainted of high treason for his attempt to substitute Arabella Stuart instead of James I as Elizabeth's successor. His patent being forfeit by his attainder, James I granted a new charter (April 10th, 1606), by which the American coast, between the thirty-fourth and the fortyfifth degree of north latitude-from Cape Fear to Passamaquoddy Baywas set apart to be colonised by two rival companies [or rather, one company in two divisions], one composed chiefly of London adventurers, the other of residents in the west of England, especially at Plymouth and Bristol, at that time the chief seats of the west country trade. Liverpool, as yet, was an inconsiderable village, and the north of England a pastoral country.

The advancement of the divine glory, "by bringing the Indians and savages resident in those parts to human civility and a settled and quiet

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[1606-1607 A.D.]

government," was alleged as the principal motive of James's grant. The undertakers, however, looked chiefly to a gainful commerce and profitable

returns.

By the provisions of the charter, the London Company, whose settlement was to be distinguished as the First Colony of Virginia, might plant anywhere between thirty-four and forty-one degrees of north latitude, or between Cape Fear and the east end of Long Island. The Plymouth Company, whose settlement was to be called the Second Colony of Virginia, might plant anywhere between the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth degrees of north latitude, or between Delaware Bay and Halifax; but neither company was to begin its settlement within a hundred miles of any spot previously occupied by the other. Each colony was to extend along the coast fifty miles either way from the point first occupied, and from the same point inland and seaward, either way, one hundred miles, including all islands within that distance, and embracing ten thousand square miles of continental territory. A council, resident in each colony, to be composed of thirteen members nominated by the king, was to manage local affairs. No settlement was to be allowed inland of either colony without the express consent of its council. A "Council of Virginia," resident in England, its members also appointed by the king, was to exercise a general superintendence over both colonies.

The two companies were authorised to search for mines, paying the king a fifth of all gold and silver, and a fifteenth of all copper. They were empowered to coin money, to invite and carry over adventurers, to repel intruders, to levy duties for their own use during twenty-one years, and to export goods from England free of all imposts for seven years. Lands in the colony were to be held of the king, on the most favourable tenure; the colonists and their children to have all the rights of native-born Englishmen.

A few months after the grant of this charter, James issued "Instructions for the government of Virginia," in which he appointed a council, as provided for in the charter, to be increased or altered at the king's pleasure, and authorised to nominate and superintend the local councils, reduced by these instructions to seven members each, who annually were to choose a president from their own number, with power to suspend him or any councillor for good cause, and to fill vacancies till new appointments came from England; the president to have a double vote. It was made the especial duty of these councils to provide that "the true word and service of God, according to the rites and service of the Church of England, be preached, planted, and used in the colonies and among the neighbouring.savages." Tumults, rebellion, conspiracy, mutiny, and sedition, along with five other offenses, all triable by jury, were declared capital. For five years after their first plantation, the trade and industry of the colonists were to remain a common stock, or "two or three stocks at the most," to be managed, in each colony, by a factor selected annually by the local council, and in England by committees appointed for that purpose. A knowledge of these provisions is necessary to make the early history of Virginia intelligible.

THE LONDON COMPANY SETTLES VIRGINIA AT JAMESTOWN (1607 A.D.) The persons named in the charter of Virginia as founders of the London Company were Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard Hakluyt, and Edwin Maria Wingfield. Others were persuaded, or had previously agreed to take part in the enterprise, especially Sir Thomas Smith, an eminent merchant of London, one of the assignees of Raleigh's patent, who was chosen

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[1607 A.D.]

treasurer of the new company. For every sum of £12 10s., about $60, paid into the company's treasury, the contributor was entitled to a hundred acres of land, and as much more when the first lot was cultivated. This was called "the adventure of the purse." Under the head of "personal adventure," whosoever emigrated to Virginia, or carried others thither at his own expense, was to be allowed a hundred acres for each person so transported. It was expected by this allowance not only to encourage the voluntary emigration of persons able to pay their own expenses, but to promote the transportation, at the expense of private individuals, of servants indented or bound for a term of years-a species of emigrants esteemed essential to the industry of the colony, and which we shall find as a distinct class in all the Anglo-American settlements. On all grants of land a quit-rent was reserved.

The company thus organised fitted out three vessels, under the command of Christopher Newport, who had acquired a maritime reputation by former expeditions against the Spaniards. One hundred and five men embarked in these vessels (December 19, 1606), destined to form the first colony of Virginia, but not very well selected for such a purpose. Of this small number forty-eight were "gentlemen," persons brought up to esteem manual labour as degrading. There were but twelve labourers, four carpenters, and a few other mechanics. The rest were soldiers and servants. The leaders were Wingfield, a merchant, one of those named in the charter as projector of the colony; Gosnold, whose voyage, already mentioned, had revived the spirit of colonisation; Hunt, the chaplain; and John Smith [not yet twenty-eight years old], an energetic adventurer, the historian of the enterprise, in which he played a conspicuous part. While a mere boy, impelled by a restless spirit, he had left home, and, finding his way across Europe, had engaged in the Austrian service in the war against the Turks, still regarded, at that time, as the common enemy of Christendom. After many adventures, in which he gave repeated proofs of remarkable courage and resolution, Smith had returned to England, and accidentally forming an acquaintance with Gosnold, entered with characteristic zeal into the scheme for colonising Virginia.

The names of the future councillors to whom the government of the colony was to be intrusted were carried to Virginia a profound secret, carefully sealed up in a tin box, along with King James's instructions. Newport proceeded by way of the Canaries and the West Indies, and during the long passage cabals arose. Wingfield, jealous of Smith's reputation, accused him of a design to murder the council, usurp the government, and make himself king of Virginia; and on this extraordinary charge Smith was arrested, and kept in confinement during the remainder of the passage. Several weeks were spent among the Caribbee Islands. Sailing thence in search of the coast of Virginia, a fortunate storm drove the vessels past Roanoke, and after a four months' passage from England they entered Chesapeake Bay April 26th, 1607. The two headlands at the entrance were named Cape Henry and Cape Charles, after the king's two sons. A party of thirty landing on Cape Henry were attacked by five of the natives, and had two of their number wounded. Presently the ships came to anchor at old Point Comfort, at the mouth of a broad river or estuary. The sealed box was now opened and the names of Wingfield, Newport, Gosnold, Smith and three others were found in it, appointed to compose the council.

Nearly three weeks were employed in exploring the country, during which the vessels ascended the great river Powhatan, a principal tributary of the Chesapeake. The new comers were kindly received at several places by the natives, who now saw white men for the first time. A spot was chosen for

[1607 A.D.] settlement May 13th on the north bank of the river, about fifty miles from the baya peninsula which afforded, on the water side, good anchorage, and on the land side might be easily defended, but with a low and marshy situation unfavourable to health. This spot was called Jamestown,' and the river soon became known as James, or King's river.d

CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH'S OWN ACCOUNT OF THE LANDING AT JAMESTOWN

Kinde Sir, commendations remembred, &c. you shall vnderstand that after many crosses in the downes by tempests wee arriued safely uppon the Southwest part of the great Canaries: within foure or fiue daies after we set saile for Dominica, the 26. of April: the first land we made, we fell with Cape Henry, the verie mouth of the Bay of Chissiapiacke, which at that present we little expected, hauing by a cruell storme bene put to the Northward: anchoring in this Bay twentie or thirtie went a shore with the Captain, and in coming aboard, they were assalted with certaine Indians, which charged them within Pistoll shot: in which conflict, Captaine Archer and Mathew Morton were shot: whereupon, Captaine Newport seconding them, made a shot at them, which the Indians little respected, but hauing spent their arrowes retyred without harme, and in that place was the box opened, wherein the counsell for Virginia was nominated: and arriuing at the place where wee are now seated, the Counsel was sworn, and the president elected, which for that yeare was Maister Edm. Maria Wingfield, where was made choice for our scituation, a verie fit place for the erecting of a great cittie, about which some contention passed betwixt Captaine Wingfield and Captaine Gosnold, notwithstanding all our prouision was brought a shore, and with as much speede as might bee wee went about our fortification.

The two and twenty day of Aprill, Captain Newport and myselfe with diuers others, to the number of twenty two persons set forward to discouer the Riuer, some fiftie or sixtie miles, finding it in some places broader, & in some narrower, the Countrie (for the moste part) on each side plaine high ground, with many fresh Springes, the people in places kindely intreating vs, daunsing and feasting vs with strawberries, Mulberries, Bread, Fish, and other their Countrie prouisions wherof we had plenty: for which Captaine Newport kindely requited their least fauours, with Bels, Pinnes, Needles, beades, or Glasses, which so contented them that his liberallitie made them follow vs, from place to place, and euer kindely to respect vs.

In the midway staying to refresh our selues in a little Ile foure or fiue sauages came vnto vs which described vnto vs the course of the Riuer, and after in our iourney, they often met vs trading with vs for such prouision as wee had, and arriuing at Arsatecke, hee whom we supposed to bee the chiefe King of all the rest, moste kindely entertained vs, giuing vs in a guide to go with vs up the Riuer to Powhatan, of which place their great Emperor taketh his name, where he that they honored for King vsed vs kindely. But to finish this discourie, we passed on further, where within an ile we were intercepted with great craggy stones ye in the midst of the riuer where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a violence, as not any boat can possibly passe, and so broad disperseth the streame, as there is not past fiue or

['As this settlement was in the vast region claimed by Spain under the name of Florida, there was constant danger of incursions like that of Menendez against the French, as described in the last chapter. Indeed Dr. Alexander Brown has recently published the correspondence between the king of Spain and his minister at London, both of them eager to wipe out the Jamestown settlement, but deferring hostilities in the hope that this colony would be abandoned as had so many others.]

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