CAROLINA.) Virginia in history proper begins, however, with the grant by James 1. on April 10, Dine,, of territory two hundred miles wide, be tween 34° and 45° north latitude to two com panies. usually called. front the residences of their chief incorporators, the London and the Ply mouth companies. (See MAssAcursErrs.) By this charter the London Company could colonize between and and the Plymouth between 3S' and 45°, provided the colonies were 100 miles apart. The government was vested in a Royal Council of Virginia in London. superior to resident councils nominated by the Crown and governing by royal instructions. Sealed instructions pro vided for a local constitution and an annual pres ident in the colony. The land was to be held in free and common socage, and the settlers and their children were "forever to enjoy all liberties, franchises, and immunities enjoyed by English men in England." The Virginia Company of Lon don, holding the southern grant, was organized un der Sir Thomas Smith. treasure•. With its colony, 120 emigrants in three ships, Christopher New port cleared England. December-February, 1607, reaching Cape Henry April 26, 1607, Having ex plored Chesapeake Bay, they entered James River and founded on a peninsula forty miles up the river Jamestown (Jamesfort ). May 14, 1607. the first permanent English settle ment in America. Malaria. Indian hostil ity. unaccustomed labor, and insufficient pro visions left on Newport's return to England, re duced the colony to half by September. Dis sensions arose, and when Captain Newport re turned, January 12, 1608. bringing `near 100' more men, only 38 were left, Wingfield prisoner. Smith condemned. and Archer's `parlia ment' summoned. In the latter part of 1608 the Indians refused to sell corn, and hut for the energy and tact of Captain John Smith (q.v.) as president the colony must have perished. In 1609 a new charter strictly incorporated the Lon don Company, enlarged its territory, and vested the colony's government in the company's Treas urer and Council in London. endowed with sover eign powers. On June 1, 1609, large reinforce ments were sent consisting of nine ships carrying 500 persons, including women and children. One ship sank, and one was wrecked on the Ber mudas, now discovered by Somers. Seven ships with 300 persons reached Jamestown, and Smith returned to England on one of these ships. The
winter was known as the 'starving time,' and the colony was reduced from 500 to 60 within six months. Though 140 arrived in the "Sea Venture," Lieutenant-Governor Gates abandoned Jamestown, June 7, 1610. and was halted only by the opportune arrival of Lord Delaware, the Governor. Delaware left George Percy as Deputy Governor in 1611 with some 150 colonists. Percy was succeeded by Sir Thomas Dale and Sir Thomas Gates.
Dale and Oates brought 500 colonists with cattle. built new towns (Hetca•ico. Bermuda, Charles City), and by Dale's harsh martial rule effectually quelled lawlessness. Communism re mained, but favored classes (oilieers, farmers, artisans) in 1613 and 1616 received eon 0itional freedom for self-maintenance. A new charter in 1612 had added the Bermudas, estab lished elective and legislative courts in the com pany. exempted it from duties, and authorized lotteries. John Rolfe established tobaeco culture and his marriage (1613) to Pocahontas, daugh ter of the powerful Indian Sachem Powhatan. won that chief and further brightened colonial prospects. 'Mismanagement by Sir Thomas Smith and the court party produced dissensions in the company; Sir Edwin Sandys (q.v.) and the popu lar party gained control in 1618 and commis Sir George Yeardley governor to replace the rapacious Argall and establish personal free dom. On -July 30, 1619. the first representative assembly in America (a council elected by the company and a house of Burgesses chosen by the free colonists) met. The same year twenty-one negro servants (see SERVITUDE) were introduced by Dutch and English privateers. Women were sent as wives to the Virginia settlers, the husband paying 120 pounds of tobacco for his wife. The laws of 1619 were approved by the company, and in 1621 a written constitution, the work of Sir Edwin Sandys, was granted. By 1620 the population of the colony had reached 4000, including apprentices. indented servants, and some petty convicts sent over by the King. who was becoming bitterly hostile to the company. In the midst of this prosperity the Indians rose and massacred 'about 400' of the settlers, :March 22. 1022. The King's hos tility to democracy in the company led to quo warranto proceedings in 1624. The charter was revoked June 26th. and Virginia became a royal colony.