The gouernment surrendred to Sir Thomas Dale, who arriued in Virginia the tenth of May, 1611. out of Master Hamors Booke.
[ 1611] BEfore the Lord la Ware arriued in England,* 1.1 the Councell and Companie had dispatched away Sir Thomas Dale with three ships, men and cattell, and all other prouisions necessarie for a yeere; all which arriued well the tenth of May 1611. where he found them growing againe to their former estate of penurie, being so improuident as not to put Corne in the ground for their bread, but trusted to the store, then furnished but with three moneths pro∣uision; his first care therefore was to imploy all hands about setting of Corne, at the two Forts at Kecoughtan, Henry and Charles, whereby, the season then not fully past, though about the end of May, wee had an indifferent crop of good Corne.
This businesse taken order for, and the care and trust of it committed to his vn∣der-Officers,* 1.2 to Iames towne he hastened, where most of the companie were ••t their daily and vsuall works, bowling in the streets; these hee imployed about necessarie workes, as felling of Timber, repayring their houses ready to fall on their heads, and prouiding pales, posts and railes, to impale his purposed new towne, which by reason of his ignorance, being but newly arriued, hee had not resolued where to seat; therefore to better his knowledge, with one hundred men he spent some time in viewing the Riuer of Nausamund, in despight of the In∣dians then our enemies; then our owne Riuer to the Fales, where vpon a high land, inuironed with the maine Riuer, some twelue miles from the Fales, by Arsahattock, he resolued to plant his new towne.
It was no small trouble to reduce his people so timely to good order, being of so ill a condition, as may well witnesse his seueritie and strict imprinted booke of Articles, then needfull with all extremitie to be executed; now much mitiga∣ted; so as if his Lawes had not beene so strictly executed, I see not how the vtter subuersion of the Colonie should haue beene preuented, witnesse Webbes and Prices designe the first yeere, since that of Abbots, and others, more dangerous than the former. Here I entreat your patience for an Apologie, though not a pardon. This Ieffrey Abbots, how euer this Author censures him, and the Go∣uernour executes him, I know he had long serued both in Ireland and Nether∣lands, here hee was a Sargeant of my Companie, and I neuer saw in Virginia a more sufficient Souldier, lesse turbulent, a better wit, more hardy or industrious, nor any more forward to cut off them that sought to abandon the Countrie, or wrong the Colonie; how ingratefully those deserts might bee rewarded, enuied or neglected, or his farre inferiors preferred to ouer-top him, I know not, but such occasions might moue a Saint, much more a man, to an vnaduised passionate impatience, but how euer, it seemes he hath beene punished for his offences, that was neuer rewarded for his deserts. And euen this Summer Cole and Kitchins plot with three more,* 1.3 bending their course to Ocanahowan, fiue daies iourney from vs, where they report are Spaniards inhabiting. These were cut off by the Saluages, hired by vs to hunt them home to receiue their deserts: So as Sir Tho∣mas Dale hath not beene so tyrannous nor seuere by the halfe, as there was occa∣sion, and iust cause for it, and though the manner was not vsuall, wee were rather to haue regard to those, whom we would haue terrified and made fearefull to com∣mit the like offences, than to the offenders iustly condemned, for amongst them so hardned in euill, the feare of a cruell, painfull and vnusuall death more re∣straines them, than death it selfe. Thus much I haue proceeded of his endeuours, vntill the comming of Sir Thomas Gates, in preparing himselfe to proceed as he intended.