Page images
PDF
EPUB

sell here, and the authoritie of the whole Court, wch he only presumed to comend to their consideracons.

Reply To Smith's Motion.

"But thereunto answeare was made y* it was the opinion of Mr. Attorney Generall upon a smaler matter in their newe Patent than this was (namely the punishment of Labourers, artificers and such like offendors) that he feared, it would haue much adoe to passe with such a clause the howse of Parliament. And besides they had already power in the said Patent to displace the Gouernor upon iust occasions: wch was conceaued to be as much as would be graunted unto them by Acte of Parliament touching that point.

Captain John Smith Proposes To Compile A History.

April 12, 1621. "Mr. Smith moued, that for so much as ye lottaries were now suspended, which hitherto had continued the reall and substantiall food, by which Virginia hath been nourished, that insteade thereof shee might be now preserued by divulginge faire and good report as shee and her worthy undertakers did well deserve, declaring that it could not but much advance the Plantacon in the popular opinion of the Common Subjects to haue a faire and perspicuous history, compiled of that Country, from her first discouery to this day: and to have the memory and fame of many of their worthies, though they be dead, to liue and be transmitted to all posteritie; as namely: S Thomas Dale, Sr George Somers, Sr Walter Rawleigh, the Lo Dela-warr, Sr Thomas Gates, and diuers others whereunto were it not for suspition of flattery, he would wish also the name of many her other worthies yet liuinge and some of

JOHN SMITH'S HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.

211

them now present in Court, might have also their honoble and good deseruinge comended to eternall thankfullness, for that our inabilities had as yet no trewer coyne, wherewith to recompense their paines and merritt; affirming also, that the best now planted parts of America under the Spanish goverment nor their Annals or histories of those times, in their like age of ours, nowe 12 years old Virginia afforded better matter of relacon than Virginia hath donn: and doth. With what effect such a generall history, (deduced to the life to this yeare), would worke throughout the Kingdome, with the generall and comon subject, may be gathered by the little pamphletts or declaracons lately printed: And besides fewe succeedinge yeares would soon consume the lives of many whose livinge memories yet retayned much, and devour those letters and intelligences which yet remaine in loose and neglected papers: for which boldness, in mouinge hereof, he prayed his Los pardon, ledd hereunto upon the request of some fellows of the Generallity.1

1 The records of the Company do not show that any action was taken upon the proposition, although Smith, in his General History published in 1624, says it was accepted.

Captain Smith's General History was published after the Quo Warranto was issued against the Virginia Company, and it is evident that he wrote in the interest of their opponents. There is no evidence beyond his statement that the letters which he publishes as written to the Company were ever received by them.

His writings are those of a gascon and beggar. He seemed to be always in the attitude of one craving recognition or remuneration for alleged services, and Fuller's description of his writings and character in the Worthies of England, is probably not far from the truth. He is, however, worthy of being remembered, as an early explorer of the Atlantic coast Massachusetts has already a monument to his memory.

ELECTION OF WILLIAM NUCE, MARSHAL OF VIRGINIA.

66

May 2, 1621. "Proceedinge to the eleccon of Marshall for somuch as Captaine William Newce was onely proposed to stand to the eleccon and to be put to the Ballating Box, was by the same chosen wth a generall consent (saue of three balls onely found in the negatiue boxe) to be Marshall of Virginia.

Will not her example provoke Virginia and Maryland to the same good work, as the first map of the James River and Chesapeake Bay was prepared for Smith's True Relation?

CHAPTER XII.

PROCEEDINGS DURING THE SECOND YEAR OF SOUTHAMPTON'S

DIRECTORSHIP.

[ocr errors]

Ta great and generall Quarter Courte held for Virginia on Wednesday the second of May, 1621.

"After those buisnesses were thus ordered and the day farr spent, it was moued that seeing my Lo. of Southampton was not yet come, they might notwithstanding proceed to the eleccon of their newe Treasurer for the yeare ensuinge: wch mocon being agreed unto and my Lo: of Southampton onely proposed for eleccon his Lop was forthwith ballated according to order and thereby chosen with a full and generall consent of the whole Courte (as appeared by the Balls there being not one against y*) to continue and hold the said place of Treasurer for the ensuing yeare.1

1 A few weeks after this election the Treasurer, Earl of Southampton, and his predecessor, Sir Edwin Sandys, were committed by order of the King. Two persons were deputed to search Sir Edwin's study, which done they required his wife's keys to search her cabinet and boxes, which she readily obeyed, and told the parties that she wished his majesty had a key to unlock her husband's heart, that his majesty might see there was not anything therein but loyalty.

The Earl of Southampton's answer to the commissioners sent from the King was, that if his offense was criminal he was to answer in the Star

NORWOOD RECOMMENDED AS SURVEYOR.

"Mr. Norwood1 being recomended by Captain Tucker for his sufficiency in surueying of Lands and one desirous to goe ouer to Virginia, upon that was now chosen for that place and referred to the former Comittee to treat with him. concerning some allowances to be giuen unto him.

66

CAPT. JOHN SMITH ASKS FOR A Reward.

"Captain John Smith2 in his peticon showeth that for so much as he hath not onely aduentured money for the good of the Plantacon and twise built James Towne and

Chamber; if capital, at the King's Bench; if of lesser moment, at the Council table; and further declared, that for his own part he was resolved not to do any thing which might prejudice the privilege and freedom of a member of Parliament. In about a month they were released. Court and Times of James First, pp. 259, 267.

1 Richard Norwood had surveyed the Somers Islands when they were first settled. He did not go to Virginia. In a letter written from Somers Islands in May, 1645, he says he had taught school there for thirty years, and that he had at that time twenty scholars. He was the pioneer English teacher in North America.

2 Captain Smith was a talented and adventurous man, but made remarkable allegations. He arrived at Jamestown May 13, 1607, and was sent home in the fall of 1609. He adventured £9 in the Company. His request for aid was never reported on by the committee. Good old Fuller in his Worthies of England, says: "From the Turks in Europe he passed to the pagans in America, where such his perils, preservations, dangers, deliverances, they seem to most men above belief, to some beyond truth. It soundeth much to the diminution of his deeds that he alone is the herald to publish and proclaim them." He died June 21, 1631.

* * *

« PreviousContinue »