PART II. BRITISH AMERICAN COLONIES. PERIOD I. FROM THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENT IN VIRGINIA, IN 1607, TO THE SETTLEMENT OF PLYMOUTH, IN 1620. First permanent colony in Virginia. April 26. enters 1607. THIS is the remarkable epoch of the arrival of the first permanent colony on the Virginia coast. On the reception of the patent from king James, several persons of consequence in the English nation undertook the arduous task of planting the Southern Colony. Having chosen a treasurer, and appointed other officers, they provided a fleet of three ships, to transport the emigrants, 100 in number, to Virginia. The charge of this embarkation was committed to Christopher Newport, already famous for his skill in the western navigation, who sailed from the Thames on the 20th of December the preceding year, carrying with him the royal instructions, and the names of the intended colonial council, carefully concealed in a box. "To this singular policy," says Chalmers," may be attributed the dissensions which soon commenced among the leaders, and which continued to distract them during a voyage long and disastrous."1 It was the intention of captain Newport to land at Roanoke; but, being driven by a violent storm to the northward of that Chesapeak place, he stood directly into the spacious Bay of Chesapeak, which seemed to invite his entrance. The promontory on the south of the bay he named Cape Henry, in honour of the Prince of Bay with the first colonists. 1 Smith, Hist. of Virginia, b. 2, 3. Purchas, Pilgrimage, i. 756; v. 1685. Chalmers, Political Annals, b. 1. c. 2. Newport followed the old course by the West Indies; which accounts for the interval of four months from his embarkation to his arrival off the American coast. Robertson, b. 9. 1607. prepare to Wales; and that on the north, Cape Charles, in honour of the Duke of York, afterward king Charles First of England. Thirty men, going on shore at Cape Henry for recreation, were suddenly assaulted by five Indians, who wounded two of them very dangerously. At night the box was opened, and the orders were Royal inread, in which Bartholomew Gosnold, John Smith, Edward Wing- structions field, Christopher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin, and opened, George Kendall, were named to be of the council, and to choose from their number a president for a year, who, with the council, should govern the colony. The adventurers were employed in seeking a place for settlement until the 13th of May, when they May 13. took possession of a peninsula on the north side of the river Take posPowhatan, called by the English James River, about 40 miles session, and from its mouth. To make room for their projected town, they build a here began to cut down the trees of the forest, which had for town, centuries afforded shelter and food to the natives. The code of laws, hitherto cautiously concealed, was at length promulgated. Affairs of moment were to be examined by a jury, but deter- Laws promined by the major part of the council, in which the president mulgated. was to have two voices. The council was sworn; Wingfield was chosen president; and "now commenced the rule of the Wingfield most ancient administration of Virginia, consisting of seven per- president sons, and forming a pure aristocracy." The members of the council, while they adhered to their orders in the choice of their president, on the most frivolous pretences excluded from a seat among them, Smith, famous in colonial annals, though nominated by the same instrument, from which they derived their authority. Animosities arose. Appeased in a degree at length by the prudent exhortations of Mr. Hunt, their chaplain, Smith was admitted into the council; and, receiving the communion the next day, they all turned their undivided attention to the government of a colony, "feeble in numbers and enterprise, which was thus planted in discord, and grew up in misery." In honour of king James, they called the town which they now built, James Town naTown. This was the first permanent habitation of the English med James in America. Newport and Smith, sent with 20 men to discover the head of the river Powhatan, arrived in six days at a town of the same name, consisting of about 12 houses, the principal and hereditary seat of Powhatan, emperor of the country. Although they received kind treatment throughout this excursion; yet, on their return to James Town, they found 17 men hurt, and a boy slain, by the Indians. To guard against frequent and sudden assaults 1 Chalmers, b. 1. 17-19. Newes from Virginia. 2 It was pleasantly situated on a hill, a little below the spot where Richmond is now built. Belknap, Biog. i. 256. chosen Town. 1607. and ambuscades, the fort was now palisaded; the ordnance was mounted; and the men were armed and exercised. On the 15th of June the Indians voluntarily sued for peace; and Newport set sail for England, leaving 100 men, with provisions, arms, ammunition, and other necessaries for a settlement.1 June 15. for peace. March. Ordinance about com for the colonies. Virginia colony in On the prayer of the colonists, king James issued an ordinance for enlarging the number and authority of his commissionmissioners ers for directing the affairs of the colonies. Encouraged by favourable reports, and invigorated by this increase of power, the Virginia treasurer and council in England exerted themselves with laudable diligence, to transmit proper supplies to the plantation. Captain Nelson was sent to James Town with an additional supply of men; and, before the close of the year, Newport arrived with 70 more, making 200 in all in the colony. These accessions consisted of many gentlemen, a few labourers, several refiners, goldsmiths, and jewellers. "The various denominations of these men," says Chalmers, "evince the views of the whole." The ships were at length sent back; the one, loaded by the miners with a glittering earth, which, they vainly hoped, contained golden metal; the other, loaded with cedar. These First remit- are recorded as the first Virginia products, as constituting the first remittance, and as indicating the earliest pursuits of an infant people.2 creased. tance to England. burnt. Great mortality. In the course of the year, the colony met with various calamiJames town ties. The store house at James Town accidentally taking fire, the town, thatched with reeds, burned with such violence, that the fortifications, arms, apparel, bedding, and a great quantity of private goods and provision, were consumed. From May to September, 50 persons died, of which number was Bartholomew Gosnold, a member of the council. The extreme heat of the summer, and the extreme cold of the succeeding winter, were alike fatal to the colonists. Captain Wingfield, becoming obnoxious to the company, was deposed from the presidency; and captain Ratcliffe was elected in his place.3 B. Gosnold. Ratcliffe chosen president. 1 Stith, 46, 47. Other authorities for this and the preceding articles are, Purchas, i. 756, 757; v. 1706, 1707; Smith, Virg. 43-45; Keith, 59; Neal, N. Eng. i. 18. Most of the names of these first colonists are preserved in Smith's Virginia. 2 Smith, Virg. 54. Purchas, v. 1709. Chalmers, i. 21. Prince, 1607. 3 Smith, Virg. 44. Purchas, v. 1690, 1706, 1707. Newes from Virginia. Belknap, Biog. Art. GosNOLD. B. Gosnold died 22 August, and, being one of the council, was honourably buried, "having all the ordnance in the fort shot off, with many volleys of small shot." It was this honoured man, who made the memorable voyage to the northern parts of Virginia (now New England) five years before. See A. D. 1602.-The mortality, in the first instance, was ascribed to excessive toil" in the extremity of the heat," wretched lodgings, and scanty, unwholesome food. "Had we been as free from all sinnes as gluttony and drunkennesse," says Smith, "we might have been canonized for saints." The Subsequent mortality was ascribed to the severity of the winter : "By the bitter 66 In November, captain Smith went in a barge with a party of 1607. 15 men for the discovery of the Chickahominy. He made several excursions, and returned to the fort with corn which he had Smith taken purchased of the Indians. In further prosecuting his discoveries, prisoner he hired a boat, and two Indians for his guides. Leaving seven of the men with the care of the barge, he proceeded still higher up the river with his Indian guides and two of his own company. At length, leaving one Indian with his two men, he took the other Indian with him; and, while exploring the head of the river, he heard the cry of Indians, which was succeeded by an arrow that struck him in the thigh. Indians soon appeared. After firing his pistol at them, and binding the Indian to his arm with his garters and using him as a buckler, he was encompassed by 200 of them, and taken prisoner. On his asking for their captain, they showed him Opechancanough (a brother of Powhatan), king of Pamaunkee, to whom he gave a round ivory double compass dial, which excited their admiration. This procured him a respite; but, within half an hour afterward, they tied him to a tree with the intention of shooting him. When they were assembled around him with their deadly weapons, Opechancanough holding up the compass, they all instantly laid down their bows and arrows. Having conducted their prisoner in triumph to numerous Indian tribes, they at last brought him to Werowocomoco, where Powhatan resided in state, with a strong guard of Indians around him. When the prisoner entered the apart- hatan. ness of that great frost, above half the Virginia colony took their deaths." This frost "was recompensed with as mild a winter with them the next year." Purchas, i. 757, 760. The winters of this and the following year were extremely severe in the more northerly parts of America. Lescarbot, who was in Canada about this time, remarks, that "these last winters of 1607, 1608, have been the hardest that ever was seene. Many savages died through the rigour of the weather; in these our parts many poore people and travellers have bene killed through the same hardnesse of winter weather." Purchas, v. 1637. 1 In the triumphal march, “their order was this: Drawing themselves all in file, the King in the midst had all their peeces and swords borne before him: Captaine Smith was led after him by three great lubbers, holding him fast; on each side went six in file, with their arrows nocked." On their arrival at the residence of the Indian emperor, above 200 of “his courtiers stood wondering" at the prisoner, "until Powhatan and his train had put themselves in their greatest bravery. Before a fire he sat on a seate like a bedsted, covered with a great robe of Rarowcun [racoon] skinnes, all the tailes hanging by: on each hand did set a young wench of sixteene or eighteene yeeres of age; along on each side the house two rowes of men, and behind them as many women, with all their heads and shoulders painted red, many of their heads bedecked with the white downe of birds, every one adorned with something; a great chaine also of white beades about their neckes." Powhatan was ordinarily attended by a guard of 40 or 50 of the tallest men in his country. "Every night upon the foure quarters of his house (says Smith) are four sentinels, each standing from other a flight shoot, and at every halfe houre one from the corps du guard doth hollow, shaking his lips with his finger betweene them, unto whom every sentinel doth answer round from his stand: if any faile, they presently send forth an officer that beateth him extreamely." Smith, Virginia, 37, 47. Purchas, v. 1708. 17 VOL I. Brought be fore Pow 1607. ment of the sovereign, all the people gave a shout. The queen of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him water, to wash his hands; and another person brought a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel, to dry them. Having feasted him in their best manner, they held a long consultation, at the conclusion of which, two great stones were brought before Powhatan. As many of the Indians as could, laying hands on the devoted prisoner, dragged him to the stones, and placed his head on them, with the intention of beating out his brains with clubs. At this His life sa- moment Pocahontas, the king's favourite daughter, her entreaties ved by Po- and tears not availing to rescue the captive from execution, rushed in between him and the executioner, took his head into her arms, and laid her own upon it, to ward off the blow. The father was subdued; and the victim was spared. Two days He is sent afterward Powhatan sent Smith, accompanied by 12 guides, to James Town.1 cahontas. to James Town. The number of Indians, at this time, within 60 miles of James Town, was supposed to be about 7000; nearly 2000 of whom were warriors.2 On the recent encouragement for settling North Virginia, Sir John Popham and others sent out two ships under the command of George Popham and Raleigh Gilbert,3 with 100 men, with ordnance and all provisions necessary until they might receive farther supplies. They sailed from Plymouth the last of May; and, falling in with the island of Monahigon on the 11th of August, landed on a peninsula, at the mouth of Sagadahock, or Kennebeck river.4 Here, after a sermon was delivered, and their patent and laws were read, they built a store house, and fortified it, and gave it the name of Fort St. George. On the 5th of 1 Smith, Virginia, 46-49, 52. Stith, 50, 56, 59. Purchas, i. 757. Smith had been a prisoner with the Indians seven weeks. He "thought they intended to fat him to eat him."-At the fire of James Town, Smith says, that Mr. Hunt, the preacher, lost all his library, and all that he had, yet none ever saw him repine. 2 Smith, in Purchas, v. 1697. The most, seen together by the English, were 700 or 800. 3 He was a nephew of Sir Walter Raleigh. Biog. Britan. [Art. GILBERT.] says, he made a voyage to Virginia this year in behalf of his uncle. 4 Purchas, i. 756. Smith describes it as "a faire navigable river, but the coast all thereabouts most extreme stony and rocky." Hist. Virginia, and New England, b. 6. Joselyn, Voy. 244. Hubbard, N. Eng. c. 2. It was "northward of 43°." 5 Belknap, Biog. i. 350. What Dr. Belknap calls a peninsula, is called in the Collections of Mass. Historical Society [i. 252.] Parker's island; and is there said to be formed by the waters of Kennebeck on the west, by the sea on the south, by the waters called Jeremysquam Bay on the east, and by a small strait of waters, which divides it from Arrowsick Island, on the north. "The island is now called Parker's Island, because it was purchased of the natives in the year 1650, by one John Parker, who was the first occupant after the year 1608." |