pioneers of the old south-第12节

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cattle；　and　drove　into　the　forest　the　settler　Frenchmen。　But　Port　Royal　and
the　land　about　it　called　Acadia；　though　much　hurt；　survived　Argall's
fishing。*

*　Argall；　on　his　fishing　trip；　has　been　credited　with　attacking　not　only
the　French　in　Acadia　but　the　Dutch　traders　on　Manhattan。　But　there　are
grounds　for　doubt　if　he　did　the　latter。


There　was　also　on　Virginia　in　these　days　the　shadow　of　Spain。　In　1611　the
English　had　found　upon　the　beach　near　Point　Comfort　three　Spaniards　from　a
Spanish　caravel　which；　as　the　Englishmen　had　learned　with　alarm；　〃was
fitted　with　a　shallop　necessarie　and　propper　to　discover　freshetts；　rivers；
and　creekes。〃　They　took　the　three　prisoner　and　applied　for　instructions　to
Dale；　who　held　them　to　be　spies　and　clapped　them　into　prison　at　Point　Comfort。

That　Dale's　suspicions　were　correct；　is　proved　by　a　letter　which　the　King
of　Spain　wrote　in　cipher　to　the　Spanish　Ambassador　in　London　ordering　him
to　confer　with　the　King　as　to　the　liberty　of　three　prisoners　whom
Englishmen　in　Virginia　have　captured。　The　three　are　〃the　Alcayde　Don　Diego
de　Molino；　Ensign　Marco　Antonio　Perez；　and　Francisco　Lembri　an　English
pilot；　who　by　my　orders　went　to　reconnoitre　those　ports。〃　Small　wonder　that
Dale　was　apprehensive。　〃What　may　be　the　daunger　of　this　unto　us；〃　he　wrote
home；　〃who　are　here　so　few；　so　weake；　and　unfortified；　。　。　。　I　refer　me　to
your　owne　honorable　knowledg。〃

Months　pass；　and　the　English　Ambassador　to　Spain　writes　from　Madrid　that　he
〃is　not　hasty　to　advertise　anything　upon　bare　rumours；　which　hath　made　me
hitherto　forbeare　to　write　what　I　had　generally　heard　of　their　intents
against　Virginia；　but　now　I　have　been　。　。　。　advertised　that　without
question　they　will　speedily　attempt　against　our　plantation　there。　And　that
it　is　a　thing　resolved　of；　that　ye　King　of　Spain　must　run　any　hazard　with
England　rather　than　permit　ye　English　to　settle　there　。　。　。　。Whatsoever　is
attempted；　I　conceive　will　be　from　ye　Havana。〃

Rumors　fly　back　and　forth。　The　next　year　1613the　Ambassador　writes　from
Madrid：　〃They　have　latelie　had　severall　Consultations　about　our　Plantation
in　Virginia。　The　resolution　isThat　it　must　be　removed；　but　they　thinke
it　fitt　to　suspend　the　execution　of　it；　。　。　。　for　that　they　are　in　hope
that　it　will　fall　of　itselfe。〃

The　Spanish　hope　seemed；　at　this　time；　not　at　all　without　foundation。
Members　of　the　Virginia　Company　had　formed　the　Somers　Islands　Company　named
for　Somers　the　Admiraland　had　planted　a　small　colony　in　Bermuda　where
the　Sea　Adventure　had　been　wrecked。　Here　were　fair；　fertile　islands　without
Indians；　and　without　the　diseases　that　seemed　to　rise；　no　man　knew　how；
from　the　marshes　along　those　lower　reaches　of　the　great　river　James　in
Virginia。　Young　though　it　was；　the　new　plantation　〃prospereth　better　than
that　of　Virginia；　and　giveth　greater　incouragement　to　prosecute　yt。〃　In
England　there　arose；　from　some　concerned；　the　cry　to　Give　up　Virginia　that
has　proved　a　project　awry！　As　Gates　was　once　about　to　remove　thence　every
living　man；　so　truly　they　might　〃now　removed　to　these　more　hopeful
islands！〃　The　Spanish　Ambassador　is　found　writing　to　the　Spanish　King：
〃Thus　they　are　here　discouraged　。　。　。　on　account　of　the　heavy　expenses　they
have　incurred；　and　the　disappointment；　that　there　is　no　passage　from　there
to　the　South　Sea　。　。　。　nor　mines　of　gold　or　silver。〃　This；　be　it　noted；　was
before　tobacco　was　discovered　to　be　an　economic　treasure。

The　Elizabeth　from　London　reached　Virginia　in　May；　1613。　It　brought　to　the
colony　news　of　Bermuda；　and　incidentally　of　that　new　notion　brewing　in　the
mind　of　some　of　the　Company。　When　the　Elizabeth；　after　a　month　in　Virginia；
turned　homeward；　she　carried　a　vigorous　letter　from　Dale；　the　High　Marshal；
to　Sir　Thomas　Smith；　Treasurer　of　the　Company。

〃Let　me　tell　you　all　at　home　＇writes　Dale＇　this　one　thing；　and　I　pray
remember　it；　if　you　give　over　this　country　and　loose　it；　you；　with　your
wisdoms；　will　leap　such　a　gudgeon　as　our　state　hath　not　done　the　like　since
they　lost　the　Kingdom　of　France；　be　ot　gulled　with　the　clamorous　report　of
base　people；　believe　Caleb　and　Joshua；　if　the　glory　of　God　have　no　power
with　them　and　the　conversion　of　these　poor　infidels；　yet　let　the　rich
mammons'　desire　egge　them　on　to　inhabit　these　countries。　I　protest　to　you；
by　the　faith　of　an　honest　man；　the　more　I　range　the　country　the　more　I
admire　it。　I　have　seen　the　best　countries　in　Europe；　I　protest　to　you；
before　the　Living　God；　put　them　all　together；　this　country　will　be
equivalent　unto　them　if　it　be　inhabited　with　good　people。〃

If　ever　Mother　England　seriously　thought　of　moving　Virginia　into　Bermuda；
the　idea　was　now　given　over。　Spain；　suspending　the　sword　until　Virginia
〃will　fall　of　itselfe；〃　saw　that　sword　rust　away。

Five　years　in　all　Dale　ruled　Virginia。　Then；　personal　and　family　matters
calling；　he　sailed　away　home　to　England；　to　return　no　more。　Soon　his　star
〃having　shined　in　the　Westerne；　was　set　in　the　Easterne　India。　〃At　the　helm
in　Virginia　he　left　George　Yeardley；　an　honest；　able　man。　But　in　England；
what　was　known　as　the　〃court　party〃　in　the　Company　managed　to　have　chosen
instead　for　De　La　Warr's　deputy　governor；　Captain　Samuel　Argall。　It　proved
an　unfortunate　choice。　Argall；　a　capable　and　daring　buccaneer；　fastened　on
Virginia　as　on　a　Spanish　galleon。　For　a　year　he　ruled　in　his　own　interest；
plundering　and　terrorizing。　At　last　the　outcry　against　him　grew　so　loud
that　it　had　to　be　listened　to　across　the　Atlantic。　Lord　De　La　Warr　was　sent
out　in　person　to　deal　with　matters　but　died　on　the　way；　and　Captain
Yeardley；　now　knighted　and　appointed　Governor；　was　instructed　to　proceed
against　the　incorrigible　Argall。　But　Argall　had　already　departed　to　face
his　accusers　in　England。



CHAPTER　VII。　YOUNG　VIRGINIA

The　choice　of　Sir　Edwyn　Sandys　as　Treasurer　of　the　Virginia　Company　in　1619
marks　a　turningpoint　in　the　history　of　both　Company　and　colony。　At　a　moment
when　James　I　was　aiming　at　absolute　monarchy　and　was　menacing　Parliament；
Sandys　and　his　partythe　Liberals　of　the　dayturned　the　sessions　of　the
Company　into　a　parliament　where　momentous　questions　of　state　and　colonial
policy　were　freely　debated。　The　liberal　spirit　of　Sandys　cast　a　beam　of
light；　too；　across　the　Atlantic。　When　Governor　Yeardley　stepped　ashore　at
Jamestown　in　mid…April；　he　brought　with　him；　as　the　first　fruits　of　the　new
regime；　no　less　a　boon　than　the　grant　of　a　representative　assembly。

There　were　to　be　in　Virginia；　subject　to　the　Company；　subject　in　its　turn
to　the　Crown；　two　〃Supreme　Councils；〃　one　of　which　was　to　consist　of　the
Governor　and　his　councilors　chosen　by　the　Company　in　England。　The　other　was
to　be　elected　by　the　colonists；　two　representatives　or　burgesses　from　each
distinct　settlement。　Council　and　House　of　Burgesses　were　to　constitute　the
upper　and　lower　houses　of　the　General　Assembly。　The　whole　had　power　to
legislate　upon　Virginian　affairs　within　the　bounds　of　the　colony；　but　the
Governor　in　Virginia　and　the　Company　in　England　must　approve　its　acts。

A　mighty　hope　in　small　was　here！　Hedged　about　with　provisions；　curtailed
and　limited；　here　nevertheless　was　an　acorn　out　of　which；　by　natural　growth
and　some　mutation；　was　to　come　popular　government　wide　and　deep。　The
planting　of　this　small　seed　of　freedom　here；　in　1619；　upon　the　banks　of　the
James　in　Virginia；　is　an　event　of　prime　importance。

On　the　30th　of　July；　1619；　there　was　convened　in　the　log　church　in
Jamestown　the　first　true　Parliament　or　Legislative　Assembly　in　America。
Twenty…two　burgesses　sat；　hat　on　head；　in　the　body　of　the　church；　with　the
Governor　and　the　Council　in　the　best　seats。　Master　John　Pory；　the　speaker；
faced　the　Assembly；　clerk　and　sergeant…at…arms　were　at　hand；　Master　Buck；
the　James　town　minister；　made　the　solemn　opening　prayer。　The　political
divisions　of　this　Virginia　were　Cities；　Plantations；　and　Hundreds；　the
English　population　numbering　now　at　least　a　thousand　souls。　Boroughs
sending　burgesses　were　James　City；　Charles　City；　the　City　of　Henricus；
Kecoughtan；　Smith's　Hundred；　Flowerdieu　Hundred；　Martin's　Hundred；　Martin
Brandon；　Ward's　Plantation；　Lawne's　Plantation；　and　Argall's　Gift。　This
first　Assembly　attended　to　Indian　questions；　agriculture；　and　religion。

Most　notable　is　this　year　1619；　a　year　wrought　of　gold　and　iron。　John
Rolfe；　back　in　Virginia；　though　without　his　Indian　princess；　who　now　lies
in　English　earth；　jots　down　and　makes　no　comment　upon　what　he　has　written：
〃About　the　last　of　August　came　in　a　Dutch　man　of　warre　that　sold　us　twenty
Negars。〃

No　European　state　of　that　day；　few　individuals；　disapproved　of　the　African
slave　trade。　That　dark　continent　made　a　general　hunting…ground。　England；
Spain；　France；　the　Netherlands；　captured；　bought；　and　sold　slaves。
Englishmen　in　Virginia　bought　without　qualm；　as　Englishmen　in　England
bought　without　qualm。　The　cargo　of　the　Dutch　ship　was　a　commonplace。　The
only　novelty　was　that　it　was　the　first　shipload　of　Africans　brought　to
English…America。　Here；　by　the　same　waters；　were　the　beginnings　of　popular
government　and　the　young　upas…tree　of　slavery。　A　contradiction　in　terms
was　set　to　resolve　itself；　a　riddle