PALMER'S ISLE.

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Land Assigned to Samuel Jordan.

"The said Mary Tue likewise assigned 100 acres of land wch lies in Diggs his Hundred to Samuell Jordan of Charles Hundred gentleman.

Patents Recommended.

"These Patents followinge were read and compared and found to be right and therefore recomended them to the Afternoons Court for confirmacon.

July 3. The Court haue agreed to recomend Mr. Hopkins Minister unto the Gouernor of Virginia in respect of

1 Palmer's isle at the mouth of the Susquehanna was named after Edward Palmer of Leamington, Gioucestex lo., England. Camden says he was "a curious and diligent antiquary;" Fuller, in his Worthies, writes:rest "His plenteous estate afforded him opportunity to put forward the ingenuity

implanted by nature, for the public good, resolving to erect an academy in England

Virginia. In order whereunto, he purchased an island, called Palmer's island unto this day; but in pursuance thereof was at many thousand pounds expense some instruments employed therein, not discharging the trust reposed in them with corresponding fidelity." He died about 1625.

that good comendacon that Mr. Edw Allen1 hath giuen of him beinge desirous to goe ouer at his own charge.

Capt. Thomas Jones.

July 17. A mocon was made in the behaffe of Captaine Thomas Jones 2 Captaine of the Discouery nowe imployed in Virginia for Trade and ffishinge that he might be admitted a ffreeman of this Companie in reward of the good seruices he hath there performed. The Court liked well of the mocon and condiscended thereunto.

1 Edward Allen or Alleyn, formerly stage-player. In 1619 Dulwich College founded by him was completed. He died in 1626, aged 03.

2 Jones, for some reason not stated, although he sailed from England in November, 1621, did not arrive at Jamestown until the following April. In August, 1622, he anchored at New Plymouth. Bradford says: "Behold now another providence of God a ship comes into the harbor, one Captain Jones being chief therein. They were set out by some merchants to discover all the harbors between this and Virginia, and the shoals of Cape Cod, and to trade along the coast where they could

*

*

* There was in the ship a gentleman by name Mr. John Pory: he had been secretary in Virginia and was now going home, passenger in this ship."

On December 15th, of this year the Council for New England directed a letter to be written to the Treasurer of the Virginia Company complaining of Capt. Jones, for robbing the natives of New England of their furs, and taking some prisoners.

In July, 1625, Jones again arrived at Jamestown with a Spanish frigate, which he alleged was taken in West Indies, under a commission of the states to one Captain Powell, from whom he had separated, to repair this ship. Shortly after his arrival he died, and the Virginia authorities suspected that the Spanish vessel had been illegally obtained.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE MASSACRE.

In the month of July the first intelligence of the great massacre in Virginia, on Friday the 22d of March, was received by the Sea Flower.

Among others who came in the vessel, was brave Daniel Gookin, who was present at the 17th at a meeting of the Company. The following is the principal part of the account of the massacre as published by authority and prepared by Edward Waterhouse.

After relating the apparently friendly disposition of the Indians, the narrative says:

The Massacre.

"The Country being in this [peaceful] estate, an occasion was ministred of sending to Opachankano the King of these Sauages, about the middle of March last, what time the Messenger returned backe with these words from him, That he held the peace concluded so firme, as the Skie should sooner fall than it dissolue: yea, such was the treacherous dissimulation of that people who then had contriued our destruction, that euen two dayes before the Massacre, some of our men were guided thorow the woods by them in safety and one Browne, who then to learne the language liued among the Warrascoyacks (a Prouince of that King) was in friendly manner sent backe by them

to Captaine Hamor his Master, and many the like passages, rather increasing our former confidence, then any wise in the world ministring the least suspition of the breach of the peace, or of what instantly ensued; yea, they borrowed our owne Boates to conuey themselues crosse the Riuer (on the bankes of both sides whereof all our Plantations were) to consult of the diuellish murder that ensued, and of one vtU3r extirpation, which God of his mercy (by the meanes of some of themselues conuerted to Christianitie) preuented: and as well on the Friday morning (the fatal day) the 22 of March as also in the euening, as in other dayes before, they came vnarmed into our houses, without Bowes or arrowes, or other weapons, with Deere, Turkies, Fish, Furres, and other prouisions, to sell, and trucke with vs, for glasse, beades, and other trifles: yea in some places, sate down at Breakfast with our people at their tables, whom immediately with their owne tooles and weapons, eyther laid downe, or standing in their houses, they basely and barbarously murthered, not sparing eyther age or sexe, man, woman or childe; so sodaine in their cruell execution, that few or none discerned the weapon or blow that brought them to destruction. In which manner they also slew many of our people then at their seuerall workes and husbandries in the fields, and without their houses, some in planting Corne, and Tobacco, some in gardening, some in making Bricke, building, sawing, and other kindes of husbandry, they well knowing in what places and quarters each of our men were, in regard of their daily familiarity, and resort to vs for trading and other negotiations, which the more wil

i It was on Good Friday, April 18, 1044, that a second slaughter by the Indians occurred.

THE GREAT MASSACRE.

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lingly was by vs continued and cherished for the desire we had of effecting that great master-peece of workes, their conuersion.

"And by this meanes that fatall Friday morning, there fell vnder the bloudy and barbarous hands of that perfidious and inhumane people, contrary to all lawes of God and men, of Nature & Nations, three hundred fortyseuen men, women, and children, most by their owne weapons; and not being content with taking away life alone, they fell after againe vpon the dead, making as well as they could, a fresh murder, defacing, dragging, and mangling the dead carkasses into many pieces, and carrying some parts away in derision, with base and bruitish triumph."

A description is then given of their horrid murder of "that worthy religious Gentleman, Master George Thorpe, Esquire, Deputie of the Colledge Lands."

The narrative continues in these words: "I will knit againe together now the thred of my Discourse, and proceed to tell you, That at the time of this Massacre there were three or foure of our ships in Iames-Riuer, and one in the next Riuer, and daily more to come in, as three did within fourteene dayes after; one of which they endeuored to haue surprised, but in vaine, as had also beene their whole attempt, had any the least fore-knowledge beene in those places where the Massacre was committed:

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The Letters Qf M^ George Sandis, a worthy Gentleman and Treasurer there, likewise haue aduertised (as many others from many particular persons of note and worth) besides the Relations of many returned in the Sea-flower (the ship that brought vs this vnwelcome news) haue beene heard at large in the Publike Courts."