a fort erected; goods had been buried in the earth and in part disinterred and scattered;— on a post within the fort the word CROATAN was carved without, however, a cross above it. the military art; Serves in the Low countries; Repairs to Scotland; Returns to Willoughby; Studies and exercises; adventures in France; Embarks for Italy; Thrown into the sea; His escape; Joins the Austrians in the war with the Turks; His gallantry; Combat with three Turks; Made prisoner at Rottenton; His sufferings and escape; Voyages and Travels; Returns to England. The weather proving stormy, seven of the company were lost by the capsizing of a boat, the stock of provisions grew short, and no [1602.] Captain Bartholomew Gosnold, further search was then made for the unfor- deviating from the oblique route by the Catunate Colonists. None of them ever was naries and the West Indies, made a direct found, and whether they perished by famine voyage in a small bark across the Atlantic, or by the Indian tomahawk, was left a subject and in seven weeks reached Massachusetts of mournful conjecture. The site of the Col- Bay. It was on this occasion, that Englishony was unfortunate, being difficult of access men for the first time landed on the soil of and near the stormy Cape Hatteras, whose New England. Gosnold returned to Engvery name is synonymous with danger and land in a short passage of five weeks. In shipwreck. Thus after many nobly planned these early voyages, the heroism of the navibut unhappily conducted expeditions, and gators is the more admirable, when we advert enormous expense of life and treasure, the to the extremely small burthen of their vesfirst plantation of Virginia became extinct. sels and the imperfection of nautical science at that day. [1591.] Sir Richard Grenville fell in a bloody action with a Spanish fleet near the [1606.] Measures were taken in England Azores. Mortally wounded, he was removed for planting another Colony, But prelimion board one of the enemy's ships and in nary to a relation of the settlement of Virtwo days died. In the hour of his death, he ginia proper, it is necessary to give some hissaid in the Spanish language to those around tory of Captain John Smith, "the father of him:-"Here I, Richard Grenville, die with the Colony." the Rickands at Great Heck, in Yorkshire. a joyous and quiet mind, for that I have ended He was born at Willoughby in Lincolnmy life as a true soldier ought to do, fighting shire, England, in 1579, being descended, on for his country, queen, religion and honor, his father's side, from an ancient family of my soul willingly departing from this body, Crudley, in Lancashire, on his mother's, from leaving behind the lasting fame of having behaved as every valiant soldier is in his duty bound to do."* This gallant knight was next to his kinsman, Sir Walter Raleigh, the principal person concerned in the first settlement of Virginia.t CHAPTER II. 1591-1604. He was educated at the free schools of Alford and Louth. At the age of thirteen, his sold his satchel, books and all he had, intendmind being bent upon bold adventures, he ing to go privately to sea. His father's death occurring just then, prevented the execution of that scheme. Having before lost his mother, he was now left an orphan with a competent estate, which, however, being too young to receive, he little regarded. At fifteen he was bound apprentice to Thomas Sendall of Linn, "the greatest merchant of all those parts." But in a little time, disgusted with the mo Gosnold's Voyage to New England; Early Life and Adventures of Captain John Smith; Born at Willoughby; At thirteen years of age undertakes to go to sea; At fif-notony of that life, he quit it and accompateen apprentice to a merchant; Visits France; Studies * Camden, quoted by Barrow in his Life of Sir Francis Drake, 169. The dying words of Grenville may recall to mind those of Campbell's Lochiel: "And leaving in death no blot on my name, nied a son of Lord Willoughby to France. There he began to learn the military art, and afterwards served some years in the Low countries. Thence he embarked for Scotland, with letters recommending him to the notice * Smith's Hist. of Va. 1., 1-54. "The Trve Travells, Adventures and Observations of Captaine Iohn Smith." Hillard's Life of Smith in Sparks' American Biography. of King James VI. After suffering illness mont with five hundred sequins and a box of and shipwreck, Smith reached Scotland; but jewels, his share of the prize. In Italy he finding himself without money or means ne- met with Lord Willoughby and his brother, cessary to make himself a courtier, he return- both recently wounded in a duel. At Rome ed to his native place, Willoughby. There, he saw the Pope, and surveyed the wonders indulging a romantic taste, he built for him- of the imperial city. Embarking at Venice, self a lodge in a neighboring forest, where he crossed over to the wild regions of Albahe studied military history and tactics, and nia and Dalmatia. Visiting next Gratz, in amused his leisure with hunting and horse- Styria, he met there the archduke Ferdinand, manship. In this retreat he was visited by and joining a German regiment, engaged in an Italian gentleman in the service of the the war with the Turks. At the siege of OlymEarl of Lincoln, who persuaded him to re- pack and of Stowle Wessenburg, in 1601, turn into the world, and he now repaired Smith distinguished himself as a volunteer once more to the Low countries. Having in the artillery service. For his good conmade himself master of horsemanship and duct he was put in command of two hunthe use of arms, Smith resolved to try his for- dred and fifty horse under Count Meldritch. tune against the Turks. Proceeding to St. In the Battle of Girke he had a horse killed Valery, in France, his trunks were plundered under him, and was badly wounded. At the by some French gallants, and he was forced siege of Regal he encountered and slew in to sell his cloak to pay his passage. Wan- a tournament three several Turkish champidering in France he experienced extraordi- ons, Turbashaw, Grualgo, and Bonny Mulnary vicissitudes of fortune. Walking one gro. For these exploits he was honored day in a forest, worn out with distress and with a triumphal procession, in which the fatigue, he fell prostrate on the ground by the side of a fountain, scarcely hoping ever to rise again. Found in this condition by a humane farmer, his necessities were relieved and he was enabled to pursue his journey. At another time he met in a grove one of the Frenchmen who had robbed him. Without a word on either side they drew their swords and fought. The Frenchman soon fell, but confessing his guilt, Smith, though hurt in the rencontre, spared his life. three Turks' heads were borne on lances. A horse richly caparisoned was presented to him with a cimeter and belt worth three hundred ducats, and he was promoted to the rank of Major. In the bloody battle of Rottenton he was wounded and made prisoner. With such of the prisoners as escaped massacre, he was sold into slavery at Axiopolis and fell into the hands of the Bashaw Bogall, who sent him by way of Adrianople to Constantinople, a present to his youthful misAided by the liberality of a former actress, Charatza Tragabigzanda. Captivated quaintance, "the Earl of Ployer," he went to with her prisoner, she treated him tenderly, Marseilles and embarked in a vessel crowded and to prevent his being sold again, sent him with pilgrims bound for Rome. On the voy- to remain for a time with her brother, the age, the weather proving stormy, the pil- Tymour Bashaw of Nalbritz, in Tartary. He grims, with bitter imprecations against Queen occupied a stone castle near the sea of Azof. Elizabeth and Smith, cast him as a heretic Immediately on Smith's arrival his head was into the sea, in order to propitiate Heaven. shaved, an iron collar rivetted on his neck, He saved himself by swimming to the islet of and he was clothed in hair-cloth. Here long St. Mary, (opposite Nice, in Savoy,) which he suffered cruel bondage. At length one he found inhabited only by a few cattle and day while threshing in a barn, the Bashaw goats. On the next day he was taken up by having cruelly beaten and reviled him, he a French ship, the Captain of which proving turned and slew him on the spot with the to be a friend of "the Earl of Ployer," en- threshing bat, then put on his clothes, hid tertained him kindly. With him Smith vis- his body in the straw, filled a sack with corn, ited Alexandria in Egypt, Scanderoon, the closed the doors, mounted the Bashaw's horse Archipelago, and coast of Greece. During and rode off. After wandering for some days the cruise, a Venetian argosy was captured he fell in with a highway, and observing that after a desperate action, in which Smith dis- the roads leading towards Russia were indiplayed signal courage. He landed in Pied-cated by a cross, he followed that sign, and April 10th, 1606, letters patent were issued authorizing the establishment of two Colonies in Virginia and other parts of Amer of North latitude, then known as Virginia, was divided into two colonies, the first, or Southern, and the second, or Northern. The Southern colony was appropriated to London, and the plantation of it was entrusted to Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers, in sixteen days reached Ecopolis, a Russian frontier post on the Don. The governor there took off his irons, and he was kindly treated by him and the lady Callamata. Passing ica. All the country from 34 to 45 degrees through Russia and Poland, he returned to Transylvania, in December, 1603. Here he met many friends and enjoyed so much happiness, that nothing less than his desire to revisit his native country could have torn him away. Proceeding through Hungary, Moravia and Bohemia, he went to Leipsic, where knights, Richard Hackluyt clerk, prebendary he found Prince Sigismund, who gave him of Westminster, Edward Maria Wingfield fifteen hundred golden ducats to repair his and some others. It was provided that the losses. Travelling through Germany, France Colony should have a council of its own, and Spain, from Gibraltar he sailed for Tan- subject to a superior council in England. gier, in Africa, and to the city of Morocco. The inferior council was authorized to search Taking passage in a French man-of-war, he for and dig mines, coin money, carry over was present in a terrible sea-fight with two adventurers and repel intruders. Revenue Spanish ships, and after touching at Santa duties were imposed, the colonists invested Cruz, Cape Goa and Mogadore, he finally with the privileges of English subjects, and returned to England about the year 1604. CHAPTER III. 1604-1607. Gosnold, Smith and others set on foot another expedition; James I. issues Letters patent; Instructions for govern ment of the Colony; Charter granted to London Com pany for First Colony of Virginia; Sir Thomas Smith Treasurer; Government of the Colony; Three vessels under Newport sail for Virginia; The voyage; Enter Chesapeake Bay; Ascend the James river; The Eng lish entertained by the Chief of the Quiyonghcohanocks; Landing at Jamestown; Wingfield President; Smith excluded from the council. * the lands granted to settlers in free and common soccage. On the 20th of November, 1606, instructions were given by the Crown for the government of the two Colonies, directing that the council in England should be appointed by the Crown, the local council by the superior one in England, the local council to choose a President annually from its own body, the Christian religion to be preached, lands to descend as in England, the trial by jury secured in criminal causes, and the council empowered to determine all civil actions, all produce and goods imported to be stored in magazines, a clerk and treasurer, or Cape Merchant to be appointed for the colony. The stockholders, styled adventurers, were authorized to organize a company for the Bartholomew Gosnold was the prime mo- management of the business of the colony, ver, and Captain John Smith the chief actor in and to superintend the proceedings of the the settlement of Virginia. Gosnold, who local council. The Colonists were enjoined had already made a voyage to New England, to treat the natives with kindness, and to in 1602, for many years fruitlessly labored to endeavor by all means to convert them to set on foot an expedition for that purpose. Christianity. March 9th, 1607, the genAt length he was reinforced in his efforts by eral council was enlarged and further inCaptain Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, a structions given for its government. May merchant, Robert Hunt, a clergyman, and 23rd, a charter was granted to the treasurer others, and by their united exertions, certain and company of adventurers for the city of the nobility, gentry and merchants be- of London for the first Colony of Virginia. came interested in the project, and King To this company was granted all the land in James the first, who, in 1603, had succeeded that part of America called Virginia, from Elizabeth, was induced to lend it his coun- Point Comfort along from the sea-coast to tenance. † the Northward two hundred miles, and to • Stith, 30. + Smith, Vol. I, p. 149. VOL. XIII-10 * Hening's Statutes at Lerge, Vol. I, p. 57. west. the Southward two hundred miles up into the interposition of the clergyman, Mr. Hunt. the land from sea to sea West and North- The winds at length proving favorable, the The council in England was authori- little fleet proceeded along the old route, by zed to establish forms of government for the the Canaries, to the West Indies, and after Colony, and the governor was empowered, in passing three weeks there, sailed in quest of case of rebellion, or mutiny, to enforce mar- the island of Roanoke. Having exceeded tial law, and the oath of supremacy was re- their reckoning three days, without finding quired to be taken by the Colonists. For land, the crew grew impatient, and Ratcliffe, the rest, the provisions of the letters patent captain of the pinnace, proposed to steer granted to Sir Thomas Gates were generally back for England. At this conjuncture, a re-enacted. * Sir Thomas Smith was ap- violent storm providentially drove them into pointed Treasurer of the company in Eng- the mouth of Chesapeake bay. The first land, and the chief management of their af- land they came in sight of, April 26, 1607, fairs was entrusted to him. He was an emi- they called Cape Henry, in honor of the nent London merchant, had been chief of prince of Wales, eldest son of king James.* Sir Walter Raleigh's assignees, was about A party of thirty landing, found "flowers of this time governor of the East India Com- divers kinds and colors and goodly trees." pany, and had been ambassador to Russia. † While recreating themselves on the shore, The frame of government provided for the they were assaulted by five of the savages, new Colony was cumbrous and complicated. who came creeping upon all fours from the The legislative and administrative powers were hills, like bears," and wounded two, but reso distributed between the local council, the tired at the discharge of muskets.† Crown and the company, as to involve delay, uncertainty, conflict and irresponsibility. The Colonists, by the words of the charter, were invested with the rights of English- John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, Chrismen; yet as far as political rights were con- topher Newport, John Ratcliffe, John Martin cerned, there being no security provided by and George Kendall. They were instructed which they could be vindicated, they might to elect out of their own number a president often prove to be of no more real value than for one year. He and the council together the parchment on which they were written. were invested with the government. Affairs Yet the government of an infant colony must of moment were to be examined by a jury, of necessity be for the most part arbitrary. but determined by the council. The political rights of the colonists must for a time lie in abeyance. The civil rights of place for the settlement. A point, at the enthe Virginia colonists were protected by the trial by jury, and lands were held by a free tenure. That night the sealed box was opened, when it appeared that the members of council appointed, were Bartholomew Gosnold, Seventeen days were spent in quest of a trance of the Chesapeake bay, they named Point Comfort, because they found a good harbor there, which, after the late storm, After long delay three vessels were equip-" put them in good comfort." Landing there ped for the expedition, one of twenty tons, April 30th, they saw five Indians, who were one of forty, the third of one hundred. They at first alarmed, but seeing Captain Newport were commanded by Captain Christopher lay his hand upon his heart, they came boldNewport, a navigator experienced in voyages ly up and invited the strangers to Kecoughto the New world. Orders were put on board, enclosed in a sealed box, not to be opened until their arrival in Virginia. They set sail on the 19th of December, 1606, from Blackwall. For six weeks head-winds detained them in the Downs, within view of the Eng- * Smith, vol. 1, p. 151. Cape Charles was called after lish coast. During this interval, disorder the King's second son, then Duke of York, afterwards threatening a mutiny, prevailed among the adventurers. However it was suppressed by Stith, Appendix 8. I Hen., 76. + Stith, 42. tan (Hampton) their town. There the English were entertained with corn-bread, tobacco and pipes and a dance. May 4th, they were kindly received by the Paspaheghs. The Charles I. Narrative (in 4 Purchas' Pilgrims, p. 1685.) by George Percy, brother of the Earl of Northumberland and one of the first expedition. See Hillard's Life of Smith, in Sparks' Amer. Biog. 211 and 214, in note. Hillard in the main follows Stith. chief of a neighboring tribe sent a guide man in sunder." The English making signs to conduct them to his habitation, and stood of peace, were suffered to land unmolested.* on the bank of the river to meet them when At length they selected for the site of the they landed, "with all his train," (says Per- Colony, a peninsula on the North side of the cy,) "as goodly men as any I have seen of James river and about forty miles from its savages or Christians, the Werowance † com- mouth. In honor of the reigning king, they ing before them playing on a flute made of named it Jamestown. It belonged to the a reed, with a crown of deer's hair, colored country of the Paspaheghs. The situation red, in fashion of a rose, fastened about his eligible in some points, was, however, exknot of hair, and a great plate of copper on tremely unhealthy. They landed at Jamesthe other side of his head, with two long town on the 13th day of May, 1607. This feathers, in fashion of a pair of horns, placed was the first permanent settlement effected in the midst of his crown. His body was by the English in North America, after the painted all with crimson, with a chain of lapse of one hundred and ten years from the beads about his neck; his face painted blue, discovery of the Continent by the Cabots, besprinkled with silver ore, as we thought; and twenty-two years after the first attempt his ears all behung with bracelets of pearl to colonize it, made under the auspices of and in either ear a bird's claw through it, Walter Raleigh. beset with fine copper or gold. He enter- Upon landing, the council took the oath tained us in so modest a proud fashion, as of office; Edward Maria Wingfield, a Lonthough he had been a prince of civil govern- don merchant, † was elected President,—the ment, holding his countenance without laugh- first executive officer in Virginia. Thomas ter or any such ill behavior. He caused his Studley was made cape merchant or treasmat to be spread on the ground, where he urer of the Colony. Smith was excluded sate down with a great majesty, taking a pipe from his seat in the council, upon some false of tobacco, the rest of his company standing pretences. about him. After he had rested awhile, he rose and made signs to us to come to his town. He went foremost and all the rest of his people and ourselves followed him up a steep hill, where his palace was settled. We passed through the woods in fine paths, having most pleasant springs, which issued from CHAPTER IV. 1607-1608. the mountains. We also went through the Newport and Smith with a party explore the James to the goodliest corn-fields that ever were seen in any country. When we came to Rappohanna town he entertained us in good humanity." When this hospitable, unsophisticated chief was piping a welcome to the English, how little did he anticipate the scenes which were to ensue ! Falls; Powhatan; Jamestown assaulted by Indians; Smith's Voyages up the Chickahominy; Murmurs against him; Again explores the Chickahominy; Made prisoner; Carried captive through the country; Taken to Werowocomoco; Rescued by Pocahontas; Returns to Jamestown; Fire there; Rage for gold-hunting; Newport visits Powhatan; Newport's departure; Affairs at Jamestown. On the 8th of May, they went further up All hands now fell to work; the council the river to the country of the Appomattocks, planning a fort, the rest clearing ground for who came forth to meet them "with bows pitching tents, preparing clapboard for freightand arrows in a most warlike manner, with ing the vessels, laying off gardens, weaving the swords at their backs, beset with sharp stones and pieces of iron able to cleave a Called by Percy, in his Narrative, Rappahannas, but as no such tribe is mentioned by Smith as being found near the James river, they were probably the Quiyoughcoha nocks, who dwelt on the North side of the river, about ten miles above Jamestown.-Smith, vol. 1, p. 140-1. † Chief. fish-nets, &c. The Indians frequently visited them in a friendly way. The President's overweening jealousy would allow no military exercise or fortification, save the boughs of trees, thrown together in a half-moon, by the energy of Cap *Percy's Narrative. + Hillard's Life of Smith. 2 Sparks' Amer. Biog. 209. |