USA > Virginia > Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia, Vol. I > Part 13
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In the third charter, 1611-12, March 12, which still recites that the plantation was undertaken "for the propagation of Chris- tian religion and reclaiming of people barbarous to civility and humanity," is a fact worth mentioning,-viz .: The fifth section
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expressly admits and confirms among the adventurers, George, Lord-Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry, Earl of Huntingdon, Edward, Earl of Bedford, and Richard, of Clanrickard, who were named in this formal manner at the request of the Company, "for the good and welfare of the plantation, and that posterity may hereafter know who have adventured and not been sparing of their purses in such a noble and generous action for the general good of their country." These are the only four named in this charter, and, as they had all become members of the Company already, this was doubtless done to get the influence of their names. There are still extant alphabetical lists of the adventurers down to the year 1620.
It was under this charter that that code of "Laws, Divine, Moral, and Martial," was introduced by Gates and Dale, about the period when the Company were seriously debating whether they should not recall Lord De la War home and abandon the action. They called Gates from Virginia to England to advise them on that subject. He and Lord De la War induced them to persevere : but the state of affairs, especially in the Colony, required new and vigorous remedies. The colonists were heterogeneous, disorderly, wasteful, and mutinous; they had to obtain something to return home by the ships ; they had to produce a part of their own sub- sistence, almost sword in hand; for the Indians, spoiled by New- port and others, and no longer fooled with articles of mere trifling value, would not trade freely, and were not only not yet conciliated by the marriage of Pocahontas, but were really exasperated by the new intruders. The Colony had to be reduced into somewhat of a camp both for purposes of labour and of defence. Compulsion in religious matters was a long-practised thing in the mother-coun- try and in those countries with whom she had intercourse. Indeed, are not some compulsory features inseparable from any system that tolerates a union between Church and State ? Can there long be entire religious freedom and tolerance, save where religion is sus- tained and enforced solely on the voluntary principle ? as in this most glorious land of free freedom,-the wonder, thus far, of hu- man history.
Neither Gates nor Dale was a despot or tyrant. They had no Brewster cases and appeals during their administration. Argall was a tyrant, and a government of greater mildness theoretically would have been arbitrarily administered by him.
In judging, then, of the code of laws referred to above, whilst we, with the road-to-Damascus light about us, cannot but condemn
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them, yet they should be viewed through the media of those days in which they were adopted.
Bishop Meade says that Strachy probably had a hand in con- cocting them. This is doubtful; but he certainly edited and vin- dicated them in 1612.
Promising a narrative of what he had seen and suffered in Ber- muda and Virginia, he says, "I do, in the mean time, present a transcript of the Toparchia, or state of those duties by which their Colonie stands regulated and commanded, that such may receive due checke, who malitiously and desperately heretofore have censured it ; and by examining of which they may be right sorrie so to have defaulked from us as if we lived there lawlesse, without obedience to our countrey or observance of religion to God." He declares, moreover, that the laws are not new, but "the same constant asterismes and starres which must guide all that travel in these perplexed ways and paths of public affairs," &c. By this code, which deals so lavishly in capital punishment, many and the chief offences were cognizable both by martial law and by the civil magistrate; but there was a goodly catalogue ap- pertaining only to martial discipline, which were to be diligently observed and severely executed. Along with the laws, Strachy publishes instructions from the marshal to each officer, and even to the private soldier, for the better enabling each in executing his duty. These are in the nature of a long and wholesome lecture, or charge, and wind up with the lengthy but excellent prayer quoted from by Bishop Meade, and which was to be said twice daily, upon the court of guard, by the captain or one of his prin- cipal officers.
The religious services enjoined were as follows : - On week- days, early in the morning, the captain sent for tools, for which a receipt was given ; the companies assembled, with the tools, in the place of arms, where " the serjeant-major, or captain of the watch, upon their knees, made public and faithful prayers to Almighty God for his blessing and protection to attend them in this their business the whole day after-succeeding." The men were divided into gangs, who worked on alternate days. The gang for the day was then delivered to the maisters and overseers of the work ap- pointed, who kept them at labour until nine or ten o'clock, accord- ing to the season of the year; then, at the beat of the drum, they were marched to the church to hear divine service. After dinner, and rest till two or three o'clock, at beat of drum, the captain drew them forth to the place of arms, to be thence taken to their
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work till five or six o'clock, when, at beat of drum, they were again marched to church to evening prayer : they were then dis- missed,-those that were to set the watch with charge to prepare their arms, the others unto their rest and lodgings. After order given out for the watch, the captain had to assemble his company, except his sentinels, upon his court of guard, and there "humbly present themselves on their knees, and, by faithful and zealous prayer to Almighty God, commend themselves and their endea- yours to his merciful protection." Again, in the morning, an hour after the discharge of the watch, were they to repair to the court of guard, and there, "with public prayer, to give unto Al- mighty God humble thanks and praises for his merciful and safe protection through the night, and commend themselves to his no less merciful protection and safeguard for the day following."
It was also the special duty of the captain to have religious and manly care over the poor sick soldiers or labourers under his com- mand ; to keep their lodgings sweet and their beds standing three feet from the ground, as provided in the public injunctions.
A singular duty was laid upon him who was for the time the captain of the watch. Half an hour before divine service, morn- ing and evening, he had to shut the ports and place sentinels, and, the bell having tolled the last time, to search all the houses of the town, to command every one of what quality soever (the sick and hurt excepted) to repair to church; after which he was to follow all the guards with their arms into the church and lay the keys before the governor. On Sunday, he was to see that the Sabbath was noways profaned by any disorders, gaming, drunkenness, in- temperate meeting, or such like, in public or private, in the streets or within the houses. On the Sabbath, all were required, under severe penalties, to attend divine service, sermons, and catechizing, morning and evening. Any disrespect to a minister or preacher was also punished, and every person then in or who might arrive in the Colony was required to give an account of his or her reli- gious faith to the minister and to seek instruction from him.
In the midst of all this blended system-martial, civil, and religious-that same missionary spirit was maintained. Even in the charge from the marshal to his colonel in this passage :-
" If the wisest man that ever spake or writ (except him that was both God and man) summed up all the reckonings of worldly felicities in these two words,-lætari et benefacere, imploying a cheerful mirth with well-doing, (from which it cannot be severed,)-who hath more cause to be cheerful and inly glad than you, that have the comfort of so great well-
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doing, to which no other may be compared ? For what well-doing can be greater than to be stocks and authors of a people that shall serve and glo- rify God, which is the end of all our creation, and to redeem them from ignorance and infidelity to the true knowledge and worship of God, whereby you are made partakers of this promise, that they which lead others into righteousness shall shine like the stars in the firmament ? wherein be right well assured that your happiness is envied by many a right-knowing and excellent virtuous man in England," &c.
Bishop Meade has alluded to the fact that for several years after the death of Mr. Hunt the Colony was without a minister. This is referred to in "A True Declaration of the Estate of the Colony in Virginia," &c., published by the council in England, in 1610, as one of the causes which had provoked God to visit the plantation with those dire calamities which beset it at the time that Lord De la War was first sent out as Governor for life.
" Cast up," says the publication just referred to, "this reckoning toge- ther,-want of government, store of idleness, their expectations frustrated by the traitors, their market spoiled by the mariners, our nets broken, the deere chased away, our boats lost, our hogs killed, our trade with the Indians forbidden, some of our men fled, some murthered, and most, by drinking of the brackish water of James Fort, weakened and endaun- gered, famyne and sickness by all these means increased, here at home the monies came in so slowly that the Lord Laware could not be dis- patched till the Colony was worne and spent with difficulties. Above all, having neither ruler nor preacher, they neither feared God nor man, which provoked the wrath of the Lord of hosts and pulled down his judgments upon them."
Bishop Meade quotes from Crashaw how providential and op- portune was the arrival of Lord De la War. Indeed, there did seem then to be a most remarkable divine interposition in behalf of the Colony, the striking circumstances of which are exultingly set forth in the "True Declaration" already mentioned :-
" He that shall further observe how God inclineth all casual events to work the necessary help of his saints must needs adore the Lord's infi- nite goodness. Never had any people more just cause to cast themselves at the footstool of God and to reverence his mercy than our distressed Colony; for if God had not sent Sir Thomas Gates from the Bermudas within four days, they had all been famished; if God had not directed the heart of that worthy knight to save the fort from fire* at their ship- ping, they had been destitute of a present harbour and succour; if they had abandoned the fort any longer time and had not so soon returned, ques-
* When they abandoned the town to return to England, the people were eager to burn up the place; and, to prevent them, Sir Thomas Gates, with a select party, stayed on shore till they had all embarked.
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tionless the Indians would have destroyed the fort which had been the means of our safety among them and a terror to them. If they had set sail sooner and had launched into the vast ocean, who could have pro- mised that they should have encountered the fleet of the Lord De la War? especially when they made for Newfoundland,-a course contrary to our navies approaching. If the Lord De la War had not brought with him a year's provision, what comfort could those souls have received, to have been relanded to a second destruction ? Brachium Domini, this was the arm of the Lord of hosts, who would have his people pass the Red Sea and wilderness and then to possess the land of Canaan. If God for man be careful, why should man be over-distrustful ?"
The following letter, from an unknown person, relates to the proposition at a later period to establish a College at Henrico :-
"TO SIR EDWIN SANDIS, TREASURER OF VIRGINIA.
+ IHS
" Good luck in the name of the Lord, who is daily magnified by the experiment of your zeal and piety in giving beginning to the foundation of the College in Virginia, the sacred work so due to heaven and so longed-for on earth. Now know we assuredly that the Lord will do you good, and bless you in all your proceedings, even as he blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that pertained unto him, because of the ark of God. Now that ye seek the kingdom of God all things shall be ministered unto you. This I well see already, and perceive that by your godly determina- tion the Lord hath given you favour in the sight of the people; and I know some whose hearts are much enlarged because of the house of the Lord our God, to procure your wealth, whose greater designs I have pre- sumed to outrun with this oblation, which I humbly beseech you may be accepted as the pledge of my devotion and as the earnest of the vows I have vowed unto the Almighty God of Jacob concerning this thing; which, till I may in part perform, I desire to remain unknown and un- sought after."
This oblation consisted of a communion-cup with the cover and case, a trencher-plate for the bread, a carpet of crimson velvet. and a linen damask tablecloth.
B. B. MINOR, Richmond, Va.
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ARTICLE IX.
Henrico Parish .- No. 1.
ABOUT twelve or fifteen miles below Richmond, on the north side of James River, lies a tract of land, than which none, except the island on which Jamestown stood, has more interest to a Vir- ginian. It was the second settlement in the Colony, with the exception of the feeble attempts at the Falls of James River, at Nansemond, and Hampton. In the year 1611,-four years after the first settlement at Jamestown, and while that was just strug- gling into existence,-Sir Thomas Dale, High-Marshal of Virginia, divided the colonists with Governor Gates, and brought with him three hundred and fifty men, (chiefly German labourers,) and built three rows of houses for them, a church, a house for himself, and others for "the honester sort of people,"-that is, the farmers. Palisadoes,-that is, fences,-to be some guard against the Indians and to keep in the cattle, and small watch-towers and other works, were put up. The place on which these things were erected was afterward called Farrar's Island, from the name of the man who bought it after the great massacre, but mis- named, just as Jamestown was; for a narrow neck of land united them both to the main, though, in the case of Jamestown, that neck has been overflowed, and it is now-not only in name, but in reality-an island. The other, Farrar's Island, is sometimes called the Great Bend, because, while the neck is only one hun- dred and twenty yards across, you must go seven miles around by water to reach the opposite point. It has also been called Dutch Gap, because there are indubitable marks of the commencement of a channel by the first Dutch settlers across its narrow neck, by which the water might be let through and thus the seven miles of travel be saved. The channel was opened about half-way across,-that is, about sixty yards,-and then abandoned. A proposition to do this was also made during the last war, but never executed. The same reason probably prevented in both instances,-viz .: the fear of injuring the bed of the river, or of inundating some of the adjoining lands. Another name was also given to the settlement in earlier times,-viz .: Dale's Gift,
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because Sir Thomas here first divided lands to the colonists, who hitherto (while at Jamestown) lived in common, cultivating the fields on the island, but living together in the city. Fifty acres of fine river-bottom were allotted to each family. The city was called Henricopolis, or the City of Henry, after Prince Henry. It was afterward in common use contracted to Henrico. There were probably about five thousand acres of land in the settlement as bounded by the circuit of the river and the long palisadoes which separated it from the main-land on the north. If its figure be compared to the human body, the head of a man would represent the island, or rather peninsula; the neck represents the narrow part where the river, after its circuit, almost touches ; and then, if the arms be a little raised from the body on each side, you would have the remaining part of the settlement extending about two miles between the two rivers, as they seem to be. Indeed, the visitor to this spot, stand- ing on the elevation where Henrico City once stood, may see, almost at one view, what appear to be four beautiful rivers, though only one in reality. The effect upon both mind and eye is truly romantic and worth a visit from places far more distant than Richmond, though it is believed but few of the inhabitants of that city have ever enjoyed the sight. Let those who have any thing of the feeling of an antiquarian, or even of a Virginian, only visit that spot, taking with them the account given of its first settle- ment by Captain Smith, Sir Thomas Dale, or any other of our early writers, with the guidance of our fellow-citizen, Mr. Richard Randolph, who was born near it and lived on it forty years ago, and they may verify the accounts on the ground, may gather up some broken bricks, which have been worn by the ploughshare for one or two centuries on the well-known spots where the houses of Sir Thomas Dale, Rolph, and Pocahontas once stood. The corre- spondence between the ancient account and the present appear- ances and relics is too strong to admit of a lingering doubt. Near the Dutch Gap, or narrow neck separating what appears to be two beautiful rivers only by a few paces, stood the second church in Virginia and America, built immediately on the landing of these Virginia Pilgrims, and before Sir Thomas Dale laid the foundation of his own residence. And this was only preparatory to a much better one of brick, whose foundation, Captain Smith informs us, was soon laid. Such was the piety of our first ancestors. It was soon discovered that another settlement on the other side of the river-between James River and the Appo-
,
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mattox-was necessary to the security of the little colony at Henrico, for a troublesome tribe of Indians occupied that narrow corner between the two rivers, and annoyed the colonists. Accordingly, Sir Thomas, in a few months, divided his forces again, drove away the Indians from thence, and made a settle- ment, opposite to what is now called City Point, naming it Bermuda Hundred, and dividing lands here also to the settlers, and running a palisado from river to river across another neck. The Rev. Mr. Whittaker-of whom we have before spoken-was the minister to each of these settlements; for they were both in one parish (Henrico parish) from the first, and for a long time, extending (as did the county) on both sides of James River, included what is now Chesterfield county and Dale parish. Wherefore Mr. Whittaker, in order to be convenient to his whole parish, chose for his residence what is well known at this day as Rock Hall, on the southern bank of James River, in what is now Chesterfield, and opposite to the lowest part of the Great Bend. At this point Sir Thomas Dale built him a parsonage and set apart his glebe .* It was probably in crossing the river near his house, in order to visit his parishioners on the island, that he was drowned, as we have before stated. Having referred to the residence of Rolph and Pocahontas, it will be interesting to point the reader and the visitor to the very spot, since it is clearly ascertained. Mr. Rolph's house and residence were about two miles from the city of Henrico, down the river, where the court- house afterward stood, and where a parsonage and glebe also were located. All these sites are well known, and constitute what was called Varina.
Before proceeding further in our history of Henrico parish, we must make a digression, for which we are sure our readers will more than pardon us. It will be remembered that, in our sketch of the early history of Jamestown parish, we introduced some things concerning Henrico and Bermuda, alleging, as a sufficient reason, that the history of these three places were inti- mately connected and identified for some years, and, indeed, was the whole history of the colony at that time. For the same reason we now introduce into the early history of Henrico some things which might have formed a part of our notices of James-
* At a later period a church-called Jefferson's Church-was built near Rock Hall, and supplied by the minister from Varina. This church, or a part of it, may be still standing.
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town, but which were not at that time in our possession. It will be remembered that, in speaking of the marriage of Rolph and Pocahontas in the church at Jamestown, we alluded to a letter of the former to Sir Thomas Dale, in which he sets forth all the per- plexities of his soul on that subject and submitted the final decision to that pious and noble-spirited man. Through the kindness of our worthy citizen, Mr. Conway Robinson, of Richmond, I have pos- session of that letter, which he obtained during a recent visit to England, and here submit it to the reader. None can fail to per- ceive what a genuine spirit of piety and philanthropy breathes throughout it.
ROLPH'S LETTER TO SIR THOMAS DALE.
"The coppie of this Gentleman's Letter to Sir Thomas Dale, that after married Powhatan's daughter, containing the reasons that moved him thereunto .*
" HONOURABLE SIR, AND MOST WORTHY GOVERNOR :- When your lea- sure shall best serve you to peruse these lines, I trust in God the beginning will not strike you into greater admiration than the end will give you good content. It is a matter of no small moment, concerning my own parti- cular, which here I impart unto you, and which toucheth me so nearly as the tenderness of my salvation. Howbeit, I freely subject myself to your great and mature judgment, deliberation, approbation, and determi- nation ; assuring myself of your zealous admonition and godly comforts, either persuading me to desist, or encouraging me to persist therein, with a religious fear and godly care, for which (from the very instant that this began to roote itself within the secrete bosome of my breast) my daily and earnest praiers have bin, still are, and ever shall bee poored forth with, in as sincere a goodly zeal as I possibly may, to be directed, aided, and governed in all my thoughts, words, and deedes, to the glory of God and for my eternal consolation ; to persevere wherein I had never had more neede, nor (till now) could ever imagine to have bin moved with the like occasion. But (my case standing as it doth) what better worldly refuge can I here seeke, than to shelter myself under the safety of your favour- able protection ? And did not my case proceede from an unspotted con- science, I should not dare to offer to your view and approved judgment these passions of my troubled soule; so full of feare and trembling is hypocrisie and dissimulation. But, knowing my own innocency and godly fervour in the whole prosecution hereof, I doubt not of your benigne acceptance and clement construction. As for malicious depravers and turbulent spirits, to whom nothing is tasteful but what pleaseth their un- savoury pallate, I passe not for them, being well assured in my persuasion by the often trial and proving of myselfe in my holiest meditations and praises, that I am called hereunto by the Spirit of God; and it shall be sufficient for me to be protected by yourselfe in all virtuous and pious endeavours. And for my more happy proceedings herein, my daily obla-
* This letter is referred to in Sir Thomas Dale's, and went with it to England.
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tions shall ever be addressed to bring to passe to goode effects, that your- selfe and all the world may truly say, "This is the worke of God, and it is marvellous in our eies.'
"But to avoide tedious preambles, and to come nearer the matter : first, suffer with your patience to sweepe and make cleane the way wherein I walke from all suspicions and doubts, which may be covered therein, and faithfully to reveale unto you what should move me hereunto.
"Let, therefore, this my well-advised protestations, which here I make before God and my own conscience, be a sufficient witnesse at the dreadful day of judgment, when the secret of all living harts shall be opened, to condemn me herein, if my deepest intent and purpose be not to strive with all my power of body and minde, in the undertaking of so mighty a matter, for the good of this plantation, for the honour of our countrie, for the glory of God, for my own salvation, and for the converting to the true knowledge of God and Jesus Christ an unbelieving creature,-viz. : Po- kahontas. To whom my hartie and best thoughts are and have a long time bin so intangled and inthralled in so intricate a labyrinth, that I was even awearied to unwinde myself thereout. But Almighty God, who never faileth his that truly invocate his holy name, hath opened the gate and led me by the hand, that I might plainly see and discerne the safe pathes wherein to treade.
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