New York RUSSELL & RUSSELL 1959 COPYRIGHT 1914 BY PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS COPYRIGHT 1958, 1959 BY THOMAS J. WERTENBAKER LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG CARD NUMBER 39-11229 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

It was in May, 1910, that the author came to Princeton for an interview with President Woodrow Wilson concerning an appointment as Instructor in the Department of History, Politics, and Economics. He was elated when President Wilson engaged him, though not happy over the $1,000 salary. Yet with this sum to fall back on he borrowed $200, and took a trip to England. In London he went treasure hunting, the treasure of old documents relating to the history of colonial Virginia. He sought out the Bri

Arb. Smith, Works of Captain John Smith , Edward Arber. Scobell, Scobell's Collection of Acts and Ordinances of General Use . F. R., The First Republic in America , Alexander Brown. Gen., The Genesis of the United States , Alexander Brown. Force, Tracts and Other Papers Relating to the Colonies in North America , Peter Force. Nar. of Va., Narratives of Early Virginia , Lyon G. Tyler. Va. Car., Virginia Carolorum , E. D. Neill. Hen., The Statutes at Large , W. W. Hening. Proceedings of Va. Co., P

In December, 1606, three little vessels—the Sarah Constant , the Discovery and the Goodspeed —set sail from England under Captain Christopher Newport, for the distant shores of Virginia. [1] After a long and dangerous voyage across the Atlantic the fleet, on the sixth of May, 1607, entered the Chesapeake Bay. [2] The adventurers spent several days exploring this great body of water, landing parties to investigate the nature of the shores, and to visit the Indian tribes that inhabited them. They

King James I, from the beginning of his reign, was deeply desirous of planting the English nation upon the shores of the New World. It was with envy and alarm that he witnessed the extension of the power of Spain and of the Roman Catholic church across the Atlantic, while his own subjects were excluded from a share in the splendid prize. He must have perceived clearly that if the English wished to maintain their position as a great naval and mercantile people, the establishing of colonies in Ame

The people of Virginia sympathized deeply with the London Company in its efforts to prevent the revocation of the charter. The Governor, the Council and the Burgesses gave active assistance to Sandys and his friends by testifying to the wisdom of the management and contradicting the calumnies of their enemies. In the midst of the controversy the Privy Council had appointed a commission which they sent to Virginia to investigate conditions there and to gather evidence against the Company. This bo

Sir William Berkeley, who succeeded Governor Wyatt in 1642, is one of the striking figures of American colonial history. Impulsive, brave, dogmatic, unrelenting, his every action is full of interest. He early displayed a passionate devotion to the house of Stuart, which remained unshaken amid the overthrow of the monarchy and the triumph of its enemies. When the British Commons had brought the unhappy King to the block, Berkeley denounced them as lawless tyrants and pledged his allegiance to Cha

There were many who hailed the restoration of the monarchy as the dawn of an era of prosperity and happiness for Virginia. The colony, despite the efforts of some of its people, had remained loyal to the Crown until overpowered by force of arms. It might well expect especial favor and care from its prince, now that he was firmly established upon his throne. [381] Of the ability and justice of the Governor Virginia had had ample experience during the ten years of his first administration. Never w

For many years Virginia had been at peace with the neighboring Indians. [472] The long series of wars which had filled most of the first half of the seventeenth century had broken the spirit and power of the Pamunkeys, the Nansemonds and the Nottoways. [473] The remnants of these nations had become dependent upon the English, paying them tribute and looking to them for protection from their enemies. [474] In 1675, however, these friendly relations were disturbed by a southward movement of some o

When the news reached England that the common people of Virginia were in open revolt against their Governor, and had driven him from his capital, the King was not a little surprised and alarmed. The recollection of the civil war in England was still fresh enough in his memory to make him tremble at the mutterings of rebellion, even though they came from across the Atlantic. Moreover, since the customs from the Virginia tobacco yielded many thousand pounds annually, he could but be concerned for

For some years after the Restoration the administration of English colonial affairs had been very lax. The Council of Plantations, which had served as a Colonial Office during the period from 1660 to 1672, had done little to control the Governors or to supervise and direct their policies. With the exception of one list of questions sent to Virginia in 1670, they had left Sir William Berkeley almost entirely to his own devices. September 27, 1672, the Council of Plantations was united with the Bo