April 10. divides Vir ginia into 2 colonies. the London 1606. cordingly, by a patent, dated the 10th of April, divided that portion of North America, which stretches from the 34th to the 45th degree of latitude, into two districts, nearly equal. The Southern, called the First Colony, he granted to the London Company; the Northern, called the Second Colony, he granted to the Plymouth Company. He authorized Sir Thomas The First is Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard Hakluyt, Edward Maria allotted to Wingfield, and their associates, chiefly resident in London, to Company; settle any part that they should choose, of the Southern district; and vested in them a right of property to the land, extending along the coast fifty miles on each side of the place of their first habitation, and reaching into the interior country 100 miles. the Second, The Northern district he allotted, as a place of settlement, to Plymouth several knights, gentlemen, and merchants of Bristol, Plymouth, Company. and other parts of the west of England, with a similar grant of territory.1 to the Colonial government. Privileges. The supreme government of the colonies that were to be settled, was vested in a Council, resident in England, to be named by the king, according to such laws and ordinances as should be given under his sign manual; and the subordinate jurisdiction was committed to a council, resident in America, which was also to be nominated by the king, and to act conformably to his instructions. The charter, while it thus restricted the emigrants in the important article of internal regulation, secured to them and their descendants all the rights of denizens, in the same manner as if they had remained or had been born in England; and granted them the privilege of holding their lands in America by the freest and least burdensome tenure. The king permitted whatever was necessary for the sustenance or commerce of the new colonies to be exported from England, during the space of seven years, without paying any duty; and, as a farther incitement to industry, he granted them liberty of trade with other nations; and appropriated the duty, to be levied on foreign commodities, for 21 years, as a fund for the benefit of the colonies. He also granted them liberty of coining for their own use; of repelling enemies; and of staying ships that should trade there without leave.2 1 "That vast country, being found upon experience and tryal too large to be moulded upon one entire government, it was thought meet should be divided into a first and second colony." Hubbard, MS. N. Eng. 29. The Southern Colony was desirous of "beginning their Plantation and Habitation in some fit and convenient place" between 34 and 41 degrees north latitude, along the coasts of Virginia; the Northern Colony was desirous of planting between 38 and 45 degrees; and the Charter gave liberty accordingly:" Provided that the Plantation and Habitation of such of the said Colonies, as shall last plant themselves shall not be made within one hundred English miles of the other of them, that first began to make their Plantation." Charter. 2 Stith, Virg. Appendix, No. 1, and Hazard, Coll. i. 50-58, contain entire 1606. King James, on the 20th of November, issued "orders and instructions for the colonies," under the privy seal of England. He invested the general superintendence of the colonies in a Royal orcouncil in England, composed of a few persons of consideration for the coland talents, who were empowered to make laws, and to constitute onies. officers for their government, with a proviso, that such ordinancss should not touch any man's life or member; should only continue in force until made void by the king, or his council; and should be, in substance, consonant to the laws of England.1 Lord Chief Justice Popham, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and Aug. 12. some others of the Plymouth Company, sent Henry Challons, in H.Challons. a ship of 50 tons, to make farther discovery of the coasts of North Virginia; and, if it should appear expedient, to leave as many men as he could spare in the country. On his passage Nov. 12. from the West India islands toward the American coast, he and Is taken his crew, consisting of about 30 persons, were taken by a Spanish into Spain. fleet, and carried into Spain, where his vessel was confiscated.2 Although this misfortune damped the courage of the first adventurers; yet the lord chief justice Popham having immediately after the departure of Challons sent out another ship, under the command of Thomas Hanam, whose business was not so much to plant, as to make discovery in order to planting; the account given of the country, on the return of this ship, was so favourable, that the people of England were encouraged, and the year after came more boldly forward as adventurers.3 copies of this Patent. Purchas, b. 9. c. 1. Harris' Voy. i. 818. Smith, Virg. 203. Hubbard, N. Eng. c. 15. Brit. Emp. Introd. i. 22. Robertson, b. 9. Memoires de l'Amerique, ii. 185-192. 1 Chalmers, b. 1. c. 2. Burke's Hist. Virginia, i. 85-92. 2 Purchas, b. 10. c. 1, 2, where there is an entire account of this voyage. See also Prince, 1606. Chalmers, i, 79. Univ. Hist. xxxix. 270. Joselyn, Voy. 244. Harris' Voy. i. 851. Brit. Emp. i. 255. 3 Purchas, v. 1827. Harris' Voy. i. 851. Prince says, that Martin Prinn was in this voyage with Hanam; that they had supplies for Challons, but, not finding him, returned to England; and that Sir F. Gorges said, Prinn brought the most exact account of the Virginia coast, that ever came to his hand. He is generally named Pring. See A. D. 1603. and carried PART II. BRITISH AMERICAN COLONIES. PERIOD I. FROM THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLEMENT IN VIRGINIA, IN 1607, TO THE SETTLEMENT OF PLYMOUTH, IN 1620. First per manent 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 Bay with seemed to invite his entrance. The promontory on the south of the first colonists. the bay he named Cape Henry, in honour of the Prince of 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. BRITISH COLONIES. 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. The members of the sons, and forming a pure aristocracy." 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 991 In honour of king planted in discord, and grew up in misery." 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 boy slain, return to James Town, they found 17 men hurt, and 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. Indians sue for peace. March. about com missioners 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 commissioners 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 England, people.2 creased. tance to burnt. Great mor tality. 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 president. captain Ratcliffe was elected in his place.3 B. Gosnold. Ratcliffe chosen 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 |