cording to the authority granted me by his Majesty's Royal Charter."

"First. I divided the whole into eight Bailiwicks or Counties, and these again into sixteen, several hundreds, consequently, into Parishes and Tithings as people did increase and the provinces were inhabited," &c.1

Gorges speaks in familiar terms, at the commencement of his narrative, of the efforts of Sir Humphrey Gilbert and of Sir Richard Grenville to plant colonies in America, the last of which terminated 1585, so that his mind was evidently familiar, at an early day, with their plans for American Colonization.

It has been recently made to appear that he was directly concerned in the great voyage of George Weymouth, in 1605, regarded as the initial point in the history of New England; and probably, in the previous ones of Gosnold, in 1602,2 and of Pring, in 1603.

1. Briefe Narration. Maine Hist. Coll. Vol. ii. p. 54.

2. Interest has of late been awakened as to the route, and the purposes of Gosnold's voyage, which at this time deserves notice.

On the 26th of March, 1602, Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold, in the 42d year of the reign of Elizabeth, sailed from Falmouth, in the County of Cornwall, for a voyage into the north part of Virginia, in the bark CONCORD, with thirty-two persons on board-twelve of them sailors, and twenty "to remain in the country for population." So that the priority of the English, in efforts to colonize the country, is clearly established. The country that invited rival efforts at colonization by the Dutch,

The information, recently brought to light by a publication of the Hon. Geo. Folsom, "A Catalogue of Original Documents in the English Archives, relating to the early History of Maine," proves, what

French and English, extended from Cape Breton to the head of Delaware bay.

Of those who came out with Gosnold, who was chief in command, and who died in Virginia in 1607, the only names preserved to us are Bartholomew Gilbert, second officer; John Angel; William Street, ship master; Robert Solterne, who came out with Pring the following yearafterwards a licensed clergyman; John Tucker; John Brereton, gentleman, and journalist of the voyage; James Rosier, the journalist of Weymouth's voyage in 1605, and Gabriel Archer, gentleman, and also journalist of the voyage, who subsequently went to Virginia.

The land-fall of Gosnold is thus described by Archer:

"On Friday, the fourteenth of May, early in the morning, we made the land, being full of fair trees-the land somewhat low-certain hammocks, or hills, lying into the land; the shore full of white sand, but very stony, or rocky. And standing fair along by the shore, about twelve of the clock the same day, we came to an anchor, where eight Indians, in a Biscay shallop, with mast and sail, and iron grapple, and a kettle of copper, came boldly aboard us; one of them apparelled with a waistcoat and breeches of black serge, made after our sea-fashion; hose and shoes on his feet; all the rest (saving one that had a pair of breeches of blue cloth) were naked. These people are of tall stature, broad and grim visage; of a black swart complexion; the eyebrows painted white; their weapons are bows and arrows. It seemed, by some words and signs they made, that some basques of St. John de Luz, have fished or traded in this place, being in the latitude of 43 degrees.

"But riding here, in no very good harbor, and withal doubting the weather, about three of the clock the same day in the afternoon, we weighed, and standing southerly off into the sea the rest of that day, and the night following, with a fresh gale of wind; in the morning, we found ourselves embayed within a mighty headland," &c.

This headland was Cape Cod, a name given to it by Gosnold, from the abundance of cod taken there, and which it still retains, despite the efforts of subsequent voyagers and writers, to affix to it the name of Cape James, in honor of the King.

John Brereton, the fellow passenger and histórian of the voyage, thus describes Gosnold's land-fall:

"The 13th day, we landed in seventy fathoms, and observed great beds of weeds, much woods, and divers things close floating by us, when

was before only a matter of conjecture, that Gorges was the chief promoter of Weymouth's voyage. In Gorges' letter, on file in the State Paper Office, published in full by Mr. Folsom, dated March 13,

as we find smelling of the shore as from some southern cape and Andalusia in Spain.

"The 14th, about six o'clock in the morning, we discovered land, that lay north, and the northerly part we called the Northland, in which to another rock, upon the same, lying twelve leagues west, that we called Savage rock; for six leagues toward the said rock is an outpoint of rising ground, the trees thereof were high and straight from the rock,

east northeast.

"But finding ourselves short of our purposed place, we set sail westward, leaving them and their coast about sixteen leagues S. W.; from thence we perceived in that course two small Islands, the one lying eastward from Savage rock, the other to the southward of it. The coast we left was full of goodly lands, fair plains, with little green round hills above the cliffs, appearing unto us.

The 15th day we had again sight of the land, which made ahead; being, as thought, an Island," &c.

This proved to be Cape Cod.

From these accounts, Dr. Belknap supposed Savage rock to be on the northerly shore of Massachusetts Bay, about Nahant. Drake, in his elaborate history of Boston, expresses the belief that "Savage rock" was in the vicinity of Great Boar's Head, in Hampton, and that Gosnold's land-fall was at Boon Island, on the Isle of Shoals, from the fact that they are nearer to the 43° of latitude than any Island on the coast.

The late John McKeen, Esq., of Brunswick, a thorough and accurate observer and explorer, in a paper read before the Maine Historical Society, exposes the errors of modern writers, and shows that the statement of Strachey, that Gosnold's land-fall was at the mouth of the Sagadahoc, is the true one. Strachey was a cotemporary, and undoubtedly wrote with the narrations of Archer and Brereton before him; and in constant intercourse with those who shared this adventurous voyage.

R. K. Sewall, Esq., in his able work, "Ancient Dominions in Maine,” concurs in fixing the land-fall of Gosnold at Sagadahoc.

Mr. McKeen sums up the case in the following brief statement :

"The bark Concord, Capt. Gosnold, sailed from Falmouth, England, on the 26th of March, O. S., 1602, and on the 14th of April, had sight of the Island of St. Mary, one of the Azores. On the 23d of April, they were in north latitude 37°. On the 7th of May, they first saw birds of various kinds, which was an indication that they were approaching the land. On the 9th of May, they were near north latitude 43°. On

1607, addressed to Mr. Chalinge (Challong) he speaks of the return of the former voyage, of but

the 12th of May, they had the "smell of land," by which it was likened they were not far from it. But on the 14th, being in north latitude 43°, pursuing their course westerly, at six o'clock in the morning, they discovered land, which lay directly north from the ship, and which Strachey says was "land about Sagadahock." Pursuing their course westerly, they observed the land full of fair trees, and somewhat low; certain hammocks, or hills, lying into the land; the shores full of white sand, but very stony, or rocky. They had not proceeded far, when they discovered land ahead, over the starboard bow. This point of land called by the natives Semiamis, and by the English, Cape Elizabeth, after the name of the reigning queen. Finding this land not what was expected, "being short of their proposed place," they named it Northland, and pursued their course. From Cape Elizabeth, they veered a little south, and now commenced estimating their distances. They continued their course a fair distance from the land, till they came opposite an outpoint of wooded land; the trees tall and straight. The distance from Cape Elizabeth they estimated at five leagues. This point is now called on our maps, "Fletcher's Point." It is situated near Saco, and the estimated distance from the Cape is very nearly correct.

"From this point, they shaped their course W. S. W., and sailed seven leagues to a great rock in the land, where they came to an anchor. This rock they called Savage Rock, and it is now named on our maps, York Nubble.

66

"This, likewise, corresponds to the course and distance as now estimated on the maps. I am indebted for the two last suggestions to a communication in the Temperance Journal (a newspaper printed in Portland) of January, 1859, which was over the signature of 'Rockport.' "To this place, 'the great rock in the land,' the Concord arrived at twelve o'clock at noon, having sailed from six o'clock in the morning, from the first point discovered, bearing north to this place about fortyeight miles. This rock was called Savage Rock."

The opinion that the land-fall of Gosnold was upon the coast of Maine, between Monhegan and Cape Elizabeth, is strongly confirmed by the fact that Pring in his voyage the next year with Robert Salterne as a companion, followed the same general direction. He followed the track of Gosnold, having on board some of Gosnold's party. Pring came in sight of land further east, between 43° and 44° of latitude, at the mouth of the Penobscot Bay, and gave the name of Fox Islands to the group still bearing the name, from the fact of taking a silver-grey fox upon it. The only objection to this theory is the supposition that this rock was found in the precise latitude 43°, which would bring them into the neighborhood of the Isle of Shoals, or Boon Island. But the intelligent reader will perceive from the language as quoted from Archer, that the place "where the Basques fished" was in 43°-a loose form of expression as applied to a fishing region, extending indefinitely for a con

the five savages," whom Weymouth took as "the chief return To US, WHO FIRST, sent to the coast.'

"1

siderable space along the coast. There is reason to suppose they were not particular in determining the exact latitude of the places named, from the fact, that their place fixed on for settlement, Elizabeth Isle, is

1. 1607, Mar. 13. Plymouth. Letter of Sir Ferdinando Gorges to Mr. Chalinge.

Mr. Chalinge-I received your Irê sent me by the Mr. Nicholas Hines by whom I rest satisfied for your pte of the proceedinge of the voyadge and I doubte not but you willbe able to answer the expectacon of all your freindes. I hoope you shall receive verie shortlie, if alreadie you have not, an attestation out of the highe Courte of Admiraltie to give satisfacon of the truthe of our intent, yt sett you out, let me advise you to take heede that you be not ov'shott in acceptinge recompence for wrongs received, for you know that the jorney hath bene noe smale chardge to us, yt first sent to the Coast and had for our returne but the five salvages whereof two of the principal you had with you and since within in two months after your depture we sent out an other shippe to come to your supplie, and now again we have made a nue preparacon of di-. vers others, all of wch throughe your misfortune is likely to be frustrate and our time and chardge lost, therefore your demands must be answerable hereunto, and accordinglie seeke for satisfacon which cannot be lesse than five thousande poundes and therefore before you conclude for lesse attende to receive for resolucon from hence, if they answere you not thereafter, for if their condicon be not such as shallbe reasonable, we do know howe to right ourselves, for rather then we will be loasers a penny by them we will attend a fitter time to gott us our content, and in the mean time leave all in their hands, therefore be you careful herein, and remember yt it is not the buisness of merchants or rovers but as you knowe of men of another ranke and such as will not preferre manie complayntes nor exhibite divers petitions for that they understande a shorter way to the woode, soe comendinge you to God and continuing my selfe

Plymoth 13 of
Marche 1607

Postcript

your most assured and lovinge friende
Ferdinando Gorges

I pray you use the meanes that the salvages and the companie be sent over with as muche speede as is possible and yt you hasten yourself away if you see not likelihoode of a present ende to be had for we will not be tired with their delaies and endlesse sutes such as commonlie they use but leave all to time and God the just revenger of wrongs Ferdinando Gorges

(Endorsed)

The Coopie of Sr. Ferdinando Gorges his lrê to
Mr. Chalens.

Received ye 6 day."

An abstract of this letter is given in the "Calender of State Papers."

See note, page 19.