USA > Maryland > A sketch of the history of Maryland during the three first years after its settlement : to which is prefixed, a copious introduction > Part 10
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* Hume.
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SECT. VI. tions of the jure divino power of kings. * It is cer- tain that the arbitrary conduct of their immediate 1606. predecessors of the Tudor line, particularly queen Elizabeth and Henry VIII, seemed too strongly to authorise them in these sentiments. Although James's English subjects began in his reign to hold the privileges of parliament and the power of the house of commons in higher estimation than for. merly, yet the temper of the age was not then such as to view with much scrutiny or jealousy such small aberrations from the fundamental principles of a representative government as were to be found in an abstract clause of a Charles, as yet unexecuted. It was therefore without hesitation or reluctance, that the patentees of these colonies prepared, under the authority of this charter, to execute,their respec- tive plans.
Procced- ings of the My mouth
Although only four gentlemen are specially na- med in the foregoing letters, as patentees for the under this Company second colony, yet the general expression, " and all charter. others of the town of Plymouth, in the county of De- von, or elsewhere, who shall be joined unto them of that colony,"-necessarily implied the association of other persons with them for the purpose of mana, ging the affairs of the second colony, which asso- ciation now assumed the indiscriminate appellations of the Plymouth Company, and the North Virginia colony. Accordingly, we find mention made of the interference of so high and respectable a charac-
* Voltaire's character of Charles seems to be just : " He was a good husband, a good master, a good father, and an honest man : but he was an ill-advised king." Age of Louis XIV, Vol. I, p. 19.
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ter as Sir John Popham, lord chief justice of Eng- SECT. VI.
1606.
land, as one of the members of the Plymouth Com- pany, and a great promoter of the design. Mr. George Popham, one of the patentees, was his bro- ther .* Sir Ferdinando Gorges, then governor of Plymouth, and several other west-countrymen and merchants are mentioned also as being concerned in this company. t They seem to have been more ex- peditious than the members of the London Compa- ny, in their first attempts to carry into effect the in- tentions of the Charter. In August, 1606, they dis- patched a ship of fifty tons, under the command of Henry Challons, to make further discovery of the coasts of North Virginia ; and, if it should appear expedient, to leave as many men, as he could spare, in the country. On his passage, however, from the West India islands towards the American coast, he and his crew, consisting of about thirty persons, were taken by a Spanish fleet, and carried into Spain, where his vessel was confiscated. Although this misfortune_considerably abated the ardour of the Plymouth company; yet the lord chief justice Pop-
* Hutchinson's Hist. of Massachusetts, Vol. 1, p. 10.
t Oldmixon's British Emp. in America, Vol. 1, p. 26 .- It may be proper to observe herc, that, although the two colo- nies were to be under the direction and government of the king and his council of Virginia, yet the associators who ap- plied to the king for his letters patent became thereby divi- ded also into two mercantile or trading companies, one at London, the other at Plymouth, the former as proprietors of the first or South Virginia colony, and the latter as proprie- tors of the second or North Virginia colony, but each colony subject to the " laws, ordinances, and instructions" of the king and his council of Virginia.
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SECT. VI. ham having, immediately after the departure of Challons, sent out, at his own expense, another ship, 1600. under the command of Thomas Hanam, one of the patentees, whose business was not so much to settle "a colony as to make discovery in order thereto, the account given of the country on the return of this ship was so favourable as to cherish in a considera- ble degree the spirit of enterprise necessary for fur- ther undertakings .*
The King's instruc-
Mean-while, in order to effectuate the purpose of the letters patent, a set of instructions, under the tive to king's privy seal, relative to both colonies or com. both colo- panies, in pursuance of the before-mentioned impor- ties. tant clause in these letters, were made out on the twentieth of November, in the same year. Whe- ther these instructions were drawn up by the king himself, history does not expressly say .¡ As James
* Mod. Univ. Hist. Vol. 39, p. 270, and Holmes's Annals, Vol. 1, p. 154, where it is said, that Sir Ferdinando Gorges observed, on this occasion, that Martin Pring (or Prinn) who went with Hanam in this voyage, (and who had commanded the voyage of discovery in the year 1603, as before mentioned,) brought, on his return from this last-mentioned voyage, the . most exact account of the Virginia coast, that ever came to his hand. What part of the American coast they visited does not appear in modern authors who mention this voyage. The particulars of it, however, are probably to be found in Pur- chas's Pilgrimages.
t Marshall (in his Life of Washington, Vol. 1, p. 25,) calls them a Code of Laws, framed by the king, for the govern- ment of the colonies. This would impress the reader with an idea, that James in his vanity, had compiled a volume of laws for the occasion. But a recurrence to the instrument will $bow that the title of " Orders and Instructions for the colo-
SECT. VI. 1606
HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
was not a little vain of his talents as a writer, and not much less so as a legislator, there is great pro- bability that they were the dictates of his own mind. If the arbitrary power which he supposed to be annexed to the prerogative of his crown, be allowed him, there is nothing in them but what was consonant to his usual exercise of that preroga- tive, and apparently necessary to carry into effect the provisions of the charter.
The patentees or proprietors of the first or South Proceed. Virginia colony, proceeded with more effect, though first or South Virginia
ings of the not with so much expedition, as those of the second
colony. On the receipt of their letters patent, pre- company. parations for the purpose had been undertaken by three small vessels, one of a hundred tons, another of forty, and a pinnace of twenty, with everything requisite for settling a colony, consisting of one hundred and five persons, were provided by the lat- ter end of the year, and the naval command thereof, together with the care of transporting the colony, was entrusted to capt. Christopher Newport, said to be " a mariner of celebrity and experience on the American coast."
Besides the set of " orders and instructions," under the king's privy seal before-mentioned, two other several sets of instructions were given by the South Virginia Company, on this occasion. One to capt. Christopher Newport, concerning the naval command and transportation of the colony: the
nies," which other writers give it, is more correct. Holmes's Annals, Vol. 1, p. 153 .- See them nearly at large, in Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 85.
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SECT. other, to him, (Newport,) in conjunction with capt. VI Bartholomew Gosnold and capt. John Ratcliffe, re-
1606. specting the form and administration of the govern- ment. These last, being the most important, were close sealed, and accompanied with orders that they were not to be opened for twenty-four hours after their arrival on the coast of Virginia. To these: were added also by his majesty, by way of advice, instructions of a general nature; containing, how- ever, one or two strange particulars, concerning a communication by some river or lake between Vir- ginia and the Indian or South Sea .*
The first colony This little squadron sailed from Blackwall, on sent out to the Thames, on the twentieth of December, 1606; settle Vir. der New. part, and a parma- nent set. thement Lamed at James' town. 1.07. but by some unlucky accidents, were for several weeks detained on the coast of England. At last, they continued their voyage, and having taken in fresh water and other necessaries at the Canaries, proceeded to the Caribbee islands, where they arri- ved on the twenty-third of February, 1607, and staid amongst them, but chiefly in the island of Nevis, about five weeks. These delays seem to have af- forded nourishment to some violent dissensions, which arose, during the voyage among the adventu- rers. Jealousy of power, and envy of preferment, seem to have been at the bottom of them. Symp- toms of these dissensions made their appearance be- fore the squadron had cleared the English coast, but they were in some measure allayed, it seems, by the prudent conduct and pious exhortations of their chaplain, the rev. Mr. Hunt. They, however.
* Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 93.
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eventuated in the arrest of capt. John Smith, on the absurd charge of an intention to murder the council, usurp the government, and make himself king of Virginia; and he was accordingly kept in close con- finement during the remainder of the voyage. Smith was, perhaps, the most extraordinary personage, of whom the early histories of North America have made mention. The accounts of his adventures in the east of Europe, seem rather to have been bor- rowed from some romance of the thirteenth century than taken from any real scenes of life. After these adventures, he had returned to England, his native country, and had accidentally formed an acquaint. · ance with captain Gosnold, in the height of the zeal of the latter for colonising America. Gosnold rightly conceiving that Smith's active genius was peculiarly fitted for such an undertaking, communi- cated his schemes to him. They were ardently em- braced by him, and he embarked with the other co- lonists for America.
Thus disturbed by internal dissensions, the little fleet left the West Indies, on the third of April, 1607, but not falling in with the land for three days after their reckoning was out, serious propositions were made for returning to England. The place of their destination was the old disastrous situation at Roanoke; but fortunately they were overtaken by a storm, which drove them to the mouth of the Chesapeake, which they entered on the twenty-sixth of April. The promontory on the south side of the entrance into the bay, they called Cape Henry, in honour of the then prince of Wales, who died not
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SECT. 1.1 long afterwards, and that on the north side Cape Charles, in honour of the then duke of York, who was afterwards king Charles I, of England. Impa- 1607. tient to land, a party of about thirty men went on shore at Cape Henry, to recreate and refresh them- selves, but they were suddenly and boldly attacked by only five savages, who wounded two of them very dangerously. A large and beautiful river which empties itself into the bay, on the west of Cape Henry, naturally first invited their attention. It was in that season of the year when the country is clothed in its richest verdure, and seemed to prc- sent itself to them dressed in its most attractive charms. In search of some fit place for a settle- ment, they proceeded up this river, to which they gave the name of James, in honour of his majesty; though called by the natives Powhatan, probably in honour of their grand chief or sovereign, who occasionally dwelt on its banks. Near the mouth of this river they met with five of the natives, who invited them to their town, Kecoughtan, or Kicho- tan, where Hampton now stands. Here those who went on shore were feasted with cakes made of In- dian corn, and " regaled with tobacco and a dance."* In return, they presented to the natives beads and other trinkets. As they proceeded further up the river, another company of Indians appeared in arms. Their chief Apamatica, holding in one hand his bow and arrows, and in the other a pipe of to- bacco, demanded the cause of their coming. They made signs of peace, and were received in a friend-
*Smith's Hist, of Virginia.
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ly manner. On further exploring the river they came to a peninsula, situated on the north side of it, where they were also hospitably received by the natives, whose chief Paspiha, being informed of their intentions, offered them as much land as they wanted, and sent them a deer for their entertain- ment. As this peninsula was so "situated as not only to afford them convenient anchorage, but some security against any invasion of the natives, it was fixed upon as the most eligible spot for their first colonisation. Accordingly they here debarked on the 13th of May, and called the place James' town, which name it has ever since retained. The sealed instructions before-mentioned being now opened, it was found, that Bartholomew Gosnold, John Smith, Edward Maria Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Martin, John Ratcliffe, and George Kendall, were appointed counsellors, who being duly sworn, proceeded, according to the king's instruction un- der the privy seal before-mentioned, to elect their president, of which their choice fell upon Edward Maria Wingfield. They excluded Smith from the council, and a declaration was entered on their mi- nutes, setting down at large their reasons for so doing. He was released from his confinement, but it was with some difficulty that he could obtain a trial in the colony, his accusers proposing that he should be sent to England for that purpose. After a fair hearing, however, he was honourably acquit- ted of the charges against him, and took his seat in the council.
As a minute detail of the proceedings of these
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SECT. colonists, and the events which attended them, more VI. properly appertains to a history of Virginia, of 1607. which there are several, we shall for the future con- fine ourselves only to those incidents thereof which have some immediate relation to that of Maryland.
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SECTION VII.
The distresses of the first Virginia colony, and the services of cap- tain Smith-His first attempt to explore the bay of Chesapeake- His second attempt more successful-A general sketch of the tribes of Indians then inhabiting Virginia and Maryland-Smith becomes president of Virginia, and the tenor of some instructions from England to Virginia-An attempt of the Plymouth company to settle a colony in Maine-The second charter of Virginia, and the causes of granting it-The settlement of the Dutch at New York-English attempt to settle Newfoundland-The third charter of Virginia-Captain Argall's expedition to break up the French and Dutch settlements at Nova Scotia and New York.
DURING the remaining part of the year 1607, SECT. VII. after the arrival and settlement of this first Virginia colony at James' town, it appears to have struggled with much difficulty for existence. The provisions which were left for their sustenance by Newport, the first Virginia who sailed with his ships for England, some time in colony, and the
June this year, were not only scanty, but bad in services of their quality, having received damage in the holds captain of their ships during the voyage. Hence the colo- Smith. lonists became subject to discases, arising as well from the unhealthiness of the climate, as from a scarcity bordering on famine. This contributed much to a diminution of their numbers. They were harassed also with repeated attacks by the na- tives, who were far from being content with the visit of these strangers, when they found out that it would probably be permanent. Added to those difficulties, the conduct of their president Wing. field, and his successor Ratcliffe, was such as to
1607. The dis- tresses of
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SECT. excite considerable disturbance and dissatisfaction. VII. Disregarding the distresses of the colony, these
1607. presidents had not only consumed the stores of pro- visions, in the indulgence of their own luxury, but had planned schemes for deserting the country and escaping to England. Smith, whose active and vigorous mind had been constantly employed dur- ing these distresses, both in protecting the colony from the hostile attacks of the savages, and in pro- curing from the natives corn and other provisions, was obviously the only member of the council in whom the colonists could, with any confidence, re- pose the administration of their affairs. Pursuing with ardour, his endeavours to procure supplies, as well as to explore the country, he was unfortunately captured by the Indians ; but after undergoing an interesting series of adventures, with them for seven weeks, his life was almost miraculously saved, through the amiable interposition of the princess Pocahontas, a favourite daughter of the emperor Powhatan. Restored to the colony again, his influ- ence became doubly necessary. Wearied with their hardships and distresses, a great portion of the co- lony had determined to abandon the country. Hc arrived just in time to prevent the execution of their design. By persuasion, he obtained a majority for continuing ; and by force, he compelled the mino- rity to submit. He now experienced also, somc benefit from his captivity ; for it acquired him con- siderable repute among the Indians, and enabled him to preserve the colony in plenty of provisions until the arrival of two vessels, which had been dis- patched from England under the command of cap.
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tain Newport, with a supply of provisions, of instru- SECT. ments of husbandry, and with a reinforcement of VII.
one hundred and twenty persons. 1608.
This seasonable accession of force and provi- His first sions, although it brought joy to the colonists, yet explore
attempt to had the inconvenience of inducing them again to a the bay of Chesa- relaxation of discipline, and to a neglect of the ad- peake. vice and direction of Smith, who zealously opposed their idle pursuit of wealth, in loading the ships des- tined to return in the spring, with an imaginary golden orc, instead of preparing for their future sub- sistence. Perceiving this, he bent his attention to more important pursuits. Well knowing that this fatal delusion would end in a scarcity of food, which had indeed already begun to be felt, he proposed, as they had not hitherto extended their researches beyond the countries contiguous to James' river, to open an intercourse with the more remote tribes, and to explore the shores of that vast reservoir of waters-the bay of Chesapeake. The execution of this arduous design, he undertook himself, ac- companied by doctor Russell, in an open boat of about three tons burthen, and with a crew of thir- teen men. On, the second of June, he fell down the river in company with the boat of Newport's vessels, under the command of captain Nelson ; and parting with her at the capes, began his sur- vey at Cape Charles. He examined, with im- mense fatigue and danger, every river, inlet, and bay, on both sides of the Chesapeake, as far as the mouth of the Rappahanock ; from whence he re -. turned on the twenty-first of July to James' town :
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SECT. according to some, through the want of provisions, ** VII. but more probably, as mentioned by others, t from 1608. an accident which happened to him at the mouth of the Rappahanock. Having stuck with his sword, a fish called the Stingray, which lay in the sedge, the animal struck him in the wrist with the thorn which lay in its tail. The pain was for some time so vio- lent, and the appearance of the wound so swoln and livid, that his life was despaired of. From this place they immediately sailed to James' town ; and in memory of this event, a small island at the mouth of that river has been called Stingray island.#
On his return to James' town, he found the co- lony in the utmost confusion and disorder. Those who had arrived last with Newport, were all sick ; a general scarcity prevailed, and an universal dis- content with the president, Ratcliffe, whom they charged with riotously consuming the stores, and unnecessarily fatiguing the people with building a house of pleasure for himself in the woods. The seasonable arrival of Smith, prevented their fury from breaking out into acts of personal violence ; and they contented themselves with deposing their president. Whether Smith was immediately thereon
· Marshall's Life of Washington, Vol. 1, p. 39.
t Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 121.
# Burk's Ilist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 121. I find it so re- lated by Burk, who probably took it from Stith ; but it is to be observed, that no island is there laid down in bishop Ma- dison's new map of Virginia, but the south cape of Rappa- hanock is there denominated Stingray Point. As the island is mentioned to have been small, it may possibly have been since washed away, or not worthy of notice in a map.
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elected president in his stead, or whether that event was postponed until his return from his second ex- pedition up the Chesapeake, does not appear certain from the historians of Virginia. It seems, however, that Mr. Matthew Scrivener, a man of respectabi- lity, who had been sent from England with Newport in his last voyage, and nominated one of the coun- cil in Virginia, was elected vice-president by the colonists ; which seems to imply that Smith was considered by them, as their president, but that Scrivener should be intrusted with the administra- tion of the affairs of the colony, during his absence.
Smith accordingly prepared for pursuing his His se- scheme, of thoroughly exploring the Chesapeake ; tempt cond at- and it is on this expedition, we are to consider him more suc. cessful.
as the first European adventurer, who had ever pe- netrated into the interior parts of the country now constituting the state of Maryland. After remain- ing since his return, only three days at James' town, he set out again on the twenty-fourth of July, with twelve men; probably in the same open vessel, which he had used before.
· But before we follow Mr. Smith, in his route up A general the Chesapeake, it may be well to pay some atten- sketch of tion to the accounts which writers upon this subject of Indians the tribes have given us of the situation of some of the prin- Virginia inhabiting cipal nations of Indians, together with a few of the and Mary. subordinate tribes, who were found to inhabit on land the borders of the Chesapeake, when the Europeans first intruded on them. The country which now forms the state of Virginia, including also a part of the state of Maryland, was occupied by upwards of forty different tribes of Indians. These tribes were
SECT. VIL.
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SECT. VII. formed again into three great and distinct confede- racies or nations, denominated the Powhatans, the
1608. Manahoacs, and Monacans. Each of these three nations spoke a different language, and were under separate and distinct governments, insomuch that interpreters were necessary when they transacted business with each other.
The Powhatans possessed all that part of the country bordering on the sea-board and the Chesa- peake, which extends from North Carolina to the mouth of the Patuxent, in Maryland. On the westward, their territories seem to have been bound- ed by a supposed line running with the highlands, and crossing the heads of the rivers from North Carolina to the head of the Patuxent .* Some of the Powhatans are said also to have occupied what is now called the eastern shore of Virginia, under the denomination of the Accohanocs and Acco- macks, from whence probably Accomack county took its name.
The Monacans inhabited that part of Virginia which lies on the highlands, to the westward of a line drawn through the falls of James' river, in ex- tent from York river to North Carolina.f
The Manahoacs appear to have possessed that
* Sce Mr. Charles Thompson's note (5) in the Appendix to Mr. Jefferson's Notes. Also Burk's Hist. of Virginia, Vol. 1, p. 112.
t The Monacans afterwards assumed the name of Tusca- roras, and for some cause deserted their country in Virginia about the year 1712, and joined the Iroquois, commonly called the Five Nations, making the Sixth. Colden's Hist. of the Five Nations, p. 5. Jefferson's Notes, query 11.
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SECT. VII.
part of Virginia, in the highlands, to the westward of the Powhatans, lying between the York and Pa- towmack rivers. These two nations, (the Monacans 1603. and Manahoacs,) were in amity with each other, but waged joint and perpetual war against the Powha- tans.
That part of Maryland which- lies between the Patuxent and the Patapsco rivers from the bay to the Alleghaney mountains, seems to have been inha- bited by a nation called the Shawanecs,* still ex- isting in the northwestern parts of the United States. ¡
. The Susquehanocks appear to have lived along the river Susquehanah, to the westward thereof, not only in Maryland, but to a considerable extent in Pennsylvania, probably occupying that part of Ma- ryland which forms Harford county ; and to the northward and eastward of them was a nation called originally Lenopi, by the French Loups, but since by the English Delawares, whose country is said to have extended from the Hittatinny mountains to Duck-creek, in the state of Delaware, including all the Jerseys and the southeastern part of Pennsyl- vania. It is not improbable, that it included also a part of Cœcil county in Maryland.#
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