CHAP.
VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.

COLONIZATION OF VIRGINIA IN THE EARLY PART
OF JAMES THE FIRST'S REIGN.

A. D. 1603-1609.

Attempts towards Colonization in North America renewed, soon after the accession of James the First, by reason of Gosnold's voyageExpedition fitted out from Bristol, in 1603- Notice of Richard Hakluyt, its chief promoter-Evidence of his religious zeal—Another expedition sent out by Lords Southampton and Thomas Arundel, in 1605-Letters Patent granted for the plantation of Virginia, April 10, 1606-Marked by the arbitrary spirit of the age, but acknowledging the duty of a Christian nation to communicate through her Colonies the knowledge of the truth which she enjoys -The same acknowledgment made by others who bore a part in those enterprises-Provision made at the same time by Royal Ordinance for the celebration of Divine Worship according to the rites of the Church of England-Character of Robert Hunt, the first Minister of the Church who accompanied the Colonists to Virginia-Archbishop Bancroft consulted respecting his appointment-Notice of Captain John Smith-Arrival of the Colony in Virginia-Settlement of James Town-The Holy Communion celebrated-Difficulties of the Colony-Valuable services of Smith-The church at James Town burnt-Hunt's patience and constancy-The church rebuilt-Smith's continued energy-His devotional habits-Appointed PresidentHis heavy trials-Second Charter, May 23, 1609-Lord De la Warr appointed Governor-Crashaw's Sermon-Symonds's Sermon -Gates and Somers depart for Virginia as Lord De la Warr's lieutenants Separated in a storm from those under their command-. The rest reach Virginia-Confusion in consequence-Smith severely wounded-Compelled to return to England-His character.

IN resuming the course of enquiry which has been Attempts tointerrupted, for the purpose of noticing the subjects nization in

wards colo

VIII.

rica renewed

CHAP. reviewed in the last chapter, we find that a very short North Ame- period of the reign of James the First had passed soonafter the away, ere the attention of many men of influence and accession of high station was again fixed upon the scheme of son of Gos- planting settlements in the continent of North nold's voy- America. They were attracted to that object

James the

First, by rea

age.

1

through the favourable reports brought to England
by Captain Gosnold, who had sailed, in the last year
of Elizabeth's reign, for the purpose of exploring the
coast north of Virginia. He pursued a higher
parallel of latitude than that followed by his pre-
decessors; and thereby discovered, and gave names
to, some of the chief capes and islands belonging to
those provinces of North America, which are now
called New England and Massachusets.
He re-
turned home, about three months after James had
ascended the throne; and published in glowing, but
just, terms, an account of the beauty and fertility
of those regions, and the inviting prospect which
they opened to his countrymen'. His account was
confirmed by notes of the same voyage, taken out
of a Tractate written by James Rosier to Sir Walter
Ralegh; and, in the first and third years of King
James's reign, vessels were sent out to ascertain the
truth of the reports which these writers had pro-
claimed.

1 They still retain the names originally given to them by Gosnold, e. g. Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Elizabeth's Island, &c.

2 See The relation of Captaine Gosnols Voyage to the North part of Virginia, begunne the six

and twentieth of March, Anno 42, Elizabeth Reginæ, and deliuered by Gabriel Archer, a Gentleman in the same Voyage.' Purchas, iv. 1647-1651.

3 Purchas, iv. 1651-1653.

VIII.

The first of these expeditions, under the command CHAP. of Captain Pring, was fitted out in 1603, by some of Expedition

from Bris

Notice of

Richard

chief pro

the chief merchants and inhabitants of Bristol. fitted out They were mainly incited to the enterprise by the tol in 1603. representations of Richard Hakluyt, from whose important volumes so much information has already been derived; and who was, at that time, Prebendary of St. Augustin, in the cathedral church of Bristol ". This diligent chronicler of England's maritime Hakluyt, its achievements was descended, as we are informed by moter." Fuller and by Wood, from an ancient family in Herefordshire, and was brought up at Westminster. From that school he was elected, in 1570, to a studentship of Christ Church, Oxford', where he was a contemporary and friend of Sir Philip Sidney; and inscribed to him his first collection of voyages and discoveries, printed in 15828. From his well known love for that pursuit, he was appointed, about the same time, to read public Lectures in the University on the subject of voyages and discoveries; and fulfilled that duty with great success. He was strongly urged by Sir Francis Walsingham, both on private and public grounds, to continue his 'travell in these and like

4 Purchas, iv. 1654-1666. 5 Ib. iv. 1654.

6 Fuller's Worthies of England, (Herefordshire) p. 39; and Wood's Athenæ Oxonienses, (Bliss's Edition) ii. 186.

7 He was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, February 19, 1573; and to that of Master of Arts, June 27, 1577. Wood's Fasti Oxonienses, i. 193. 206.

Sidney, p. 347. This collection
being afterwards swallowed up,
like little streams or rivers in the
ocean of his larger naval collec-
tions, the said first edition has been
overlooked or undistinguished by
those who have attempted any
catalogue of [Hakluyt's] publica-
tions in particular, or of travels
and voyages in general.' Hak-
luyt's Life in Biographia Britan-

8 Zouch's Life of Sir Philip nica.

VIII.

CHAP. matters; and the expedition of Sir Humphrey
Gilbert to Newfoundland, the fortunes of which have
been already told, and which then was on the eve of
sailing, received at his hands the most valuable as-
sistance 10. Wood states, that, before he entered
Holy Orders, he lived for some time in the Middle
Temple, where he supposes that he studied the
municipal law. But there is good reason for believ-
ing this statement to be erroneous. A kinsman, who
bore the same name with himself, was a member of
that Society, and Wood has mistaken the one for the
other. To this kinsman and namesake, Richard
Hakluyt, the Prebendary, owed his first ardent love
of historical and geographical knowledge: and, in his
Epistle Dedicatorie' to Sir Francis Walsingham,
which is prefixed to the first edition of his voyages,
he thus describes an interview which, in his boyhood,
he had with him. I do remember that being a
youth, and one of her Maiestie's scholars at West-
minster that fruitfull nurserie, it was my happe to
visit the chamber of M. Richard Hakluyt, my cosin,
a gentleman of the Middle Temple, well knowen
vnto you, at a time when I found lying open vpon
his boord, certeine bookes of Cosmographie, with an
vniversal Mappe. He seeing me somewhat curious
in the view thereof, began to instruct my ignorance by
showing me the diuision of the earth, into three parts
after the olde account, and then according to this lat-
ter, and better distribution into more: he pointed with

9 Hakluyt, iii. 227.
iii. 205; and Walsingham's to Ald-
10 See Parmenius's letter to him, worth, a Bristol merchant, iii. 227.

VIII.

his wand to all the knowen Seas, Gulfs, Bayes, CHAP. Straights, Capes, Riuers, Empires, Kingdomes, Dukedomes, and Territories of ech part, with declaration also of their speciall commodities and particular wants, which by the benefit of traffike, and entercourse of merchants, are plentifully supplied. From the Mappe he brought me to the Bible, and turning to the 107 Psalm, directed mee to the 23 and 24 verses, where I read, that they which go downe to the sea in ships, and occupy by the great waters, they see the works of the Lord and his woonders in the deepe, &c. Which words of the Prophet, together with my cousin's discourse (things of high and and rare delight to my yong nature) tooke in me so deepe an impression, that I constantly resolued, if ever I were preferred to the Vniuersity, where better time and more conuenient place might be ministered for these studies, I would, by God's assistance, prosecute that knowledge and kinde of literature the doores whereof (after a sort) were so happily opened before me.'

of his reli

Thus was the foundation laid of that valuable Evidence store of knowledge which Hakluyt afterwards ac- gious zeal. quired, and which he sought to make ever subordinate to the highest and noblest ends of God's service. Soon after he was ordained, he proceeded to Paris as chaplain to Sir Edward Stafford, the English ambassador; and, whilst in that city, availed himself of every opportunity to promote the great object which he had so much at heart. The sacred duties to be performed, and the blessings ultimately to be accomplished by the extension of the British name, in