1614 Tobacco. 57 liberation, Powhatan set free his English captives. During the period of her stay at Jamestown, John Rolfe (rolf), an honest and discreet' young Englishman, daily, hourly, and, as it were, in his very sleep, heard a voice crying in his ears that he should strive to make her a Christian. After a great struggle of mind, and daily and believing prayers, he resolved to labor for the conversion of the unregenerated maiden; and, winning the favor of Pocahontas, he desired her in marriage. 13. The youthful princess received instruction with docility; and soon, in the little church at POCAHONTAS. Jamestown, which rested on rough pine columns, fresh from the forest, she stood before the font, that out of the trunk of a tree had been hewn hollow like a canoe, openly renounced her country's idolatry, professed the faith of Jesus Christ, and was baptized. The gaining of this one soul, the first fruit of Virginia conversion,' was followed by her nuptials with Rolfe. The immediate result of this event to the colony was a confirmed peace with Powhatan." 1 14. At first the settlers cultivated the soil in common; but this did not promote industry, and it was found best to give each man a few acres to till for himself. Soon the cultivation of tobacco began in good earnest. Then there were no more gold-seekers. The fields, the gardens, the squares, and even the streets of Jamestown were planted with tobacco. As early as the year 1610, to Tobacco. 1 Three years after her marriage, Pocahontas was taken to England by her husband, where she was received as a princess, being presented at court, and treated with marked attention by all classes. When about to return to her native land, she suddenly died (in 1617), leaving a son from whom are descended the Bolling, Randolph, Fleming, and other families in Virginia. bacco was in general use in England. The manner of using it was partly to inhale the smoke and blow it out through the nostrils; and this was called "drinking tobacco." 15. The Virginia tobacco was imported into England in the leaf, in bundles; and was sometimes called the "American silver-weed." Bancroft says: "It was generally used instead of coin. Taxes were paid in tobacco; remittances to Europe were made in tobacco; the revenue of the clergy, the magistrates, and the colony, was collected in the same currency. The colonial tradesman received his pay in straggling parcels of it; and ships from abroad were obliged to lie whole months in the river, before boats, visiting the plantations on their banks, could pick up a cargo." Up to 1619, the plantations were cultivated by the settlers, most of the laborers being "apprenticed servants." In that year a Dutch vessel sailed up the James river and landed twenty negroes, who were sold as slaves. This was the beginning of negro slavery in the English colonies. of wives. 66 16. As yet there were but few families in the colony, and most of the men intended in time to return to England. Encouraged by the London company, ninety Importation young women of good reputation embarked for Virginia. These met with a favorable reception, and were married to the tenants of the company or to men who were able to support them," each man giving for his wife one hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco, the price of her passage to Virginia (1620). A second emigration met with even greater favor, the price paid, in some cases, exceeding one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco. Domes tic ties soon bound the settlers to their new homes. 17. The London company procured another charter-their third-which gave them greater privileges. Still the re Virginia a royal colony. turns from the colony did not satisfy them; and the Indians, on two occasions, massacred hundreds of the settlers. At last the king, James I., displeased with the freedom of speech indulged in at the public 1676 Bacon's Rebellion. 59 meetings of the company, took the affairs of the colony into his own hands, his excuse being that the disasters were the result of bad government (1620). Bacon's Rebellion. 18. Virginia thus became a royal province, her governors receiving their appointment from the king. Nearly fifty years later, all the "dominion of land and water called Virginia" was ceded by Charles II. to Lord Culpepper and the Earl of Arlington "for the term of thirty-one years." This act exasperated the inhabitants, who already had become dissatisfied because Berkeley, their governor, had carried out with great severity the offensive royal instructions in relation to commerce, taxes, the privileges of voting, and church worship. 19. The people wanted but an excuse for appearing in arms, and this was soon found in an invasion made by the Susquehanna Indians. The struggle for popular liberty that ensued is known as "Bacon's Rebellion." In that struggle the little village of Jamestown was destroyed by fire. The people were in the full tide of success, when, suddenly, their leader, Nathaniel Bacon, sickened and died, leaving them without a head (1676). Berkeley caused twenty-two of them to be hung; and for this cruel and vindictive conduct he was recalled by the king, who exclaimed as he did so: "The old fool has taken away more lives in that naked country than I, for the murder of my father." 1 New England. 1. In the history of the struggle to plant a lasting settle ment at Jamestown are the names of two men whose good sense, honesty, and enterprise commend them to all who read the interesting story. These are of Smith and Gos 'Charles I. was tried on a charge of treason to his people, was pronounced guilty, and beheaded (1649). His son, Charles II., on becoming king, showed moderation and clemency (1660-1685). Early explorations. nold; and to these two men, more than to any other two, is the first success of that struggle due. These have also honorable records in the early history of New England. Gosnold, before going to Virginia, crossed the Atlantic in a small bark, explored a large part of the coast from Maine southward, discovered Cape Cod, and "well-nigh secured to New England the honor of the first permanent English settlement" (1602). 2. Smith, a few years later and after leaving Virginia, sailed with two ships, examined with care most of the coast that Gosnold had previously seen, prepared a map of his explorations, and gave to the country the name by which it has ever since been known, that of New England. Unfortunately, a terrible blot was cast upon the expedition, for which, however, its commander was in no wise to blame. After Smith's departure for England, the master of the second ship kidnapped several Indians, and, sailing to Europe, sold them to the Spaniards as slaves. First in Maine. 3. But we are anticipating events. It will be recollected that King James granted to two companies a large part of the vast region that had been discovered by the Cabots. We have shown how the beginning of settlement was English made in the southern portion of this region. settlement Under the charter to the Plymouth company, a colony, with George Popham as its president, was planted in the northern portion, near the mouth of the Kennebec river. This was also in 1607, only three months after Smith, Gosnold, and their companions had begun to clear the ground for the settlement of Jamestown. A fort, storehouse, rude cabins, and a church were built; but the intense cold of the winter, the death of their president, the destruction of their storehouse by fire, and other causes, so discouraged the settlers that they returned to Europe. Thus ended the colony. 4. To forty wealthy men, the most powerful of the English nobility, King James, in 1620, issued a patent which, 1607 The Pilgrims in England. The Great Patent. 61 "in American annals, and even in the history of the world, has but one parallel." By this charter, known as the "Great Patent," the whole of North America, from the fortieth to the forty-eighth degree of latitude, was granted in full property. This vast region, including all its islands, rivers, harbors, mines, and fisheries, was given to forty persons. The name of the new association was "The Council established at Plymouth;" but, for the sake of brevity, it was called the Council of Plymouth. The Plymouth company, so called, no longer existed. and Pilgrims. 5. There were at that time in England large numbers of the inhabitants who did not believe that it was right to worship God in the manner required by the laws of the country. They desired to purify the Established Church Puritans from what they regarded its corruptions: hence, in derision, they were called Puritans. The term was applied to several sects, including one known as Brownists; but these last were not strictly Puritans, for, while the Puritans denounced the Church of England, they still continued to have the most profound reverence for it. The Brownists, so called by the Puritans, were seceders or Separatists, inasmuch as, "renouncing all obedience to human authority in spiritual things," they separated themselves entirely from the Church of England and formed themselves into independent congregations. The Pilgrims in England. 6. "At an early period of King James's reign one of these congregations of seceders had been wont to hold meetings at Scrooby, then the residence of one William Brewster, a gentleman of fortune, a good scholar, who was living a retired life, devoted to study, meditation, and practical exertion to promote the cause of religion. The pastor of the church, one John Robinson, was a man of learning, eloquence, and lofty intellect. But what were such gifts in the possession of rebels, seceders, and Puritans? It is needless to say that Brewster and Robinson were baited, persecuted, watched day and night, some of the congregation often clapped into |