Governor Argal's conduct became unusually rigorous; and martial law, which had been proclaimed and executed, during the turbulence of former times, was now, in a season of peace, made the common law of the land: he published several edicts, "which mark the severity of his rule, but some of them evinced his attention to public safety. He ordered that all goods should be sold, at an advance of twenty per cent., and tobacco taken at three shillings per pound, and not more nor less, under the penalty of three years servitude to the colony; that there should be no private trade nor familiarity with the Indians; that no Indian should be taught to shoot game, under the penalty of death, to the teacher and learner; that no man should shoot, except in his own defence, against an enemy, till a new supply of ammunition was received, on pain of a year's servitude; that every person should go to church, on Sundays and holidays, or be confined the night succeeding the of fence, and be a slave to the colony the following week; for the second offence, a slave for a month, and for the third, a year and a day."

In the month of April, 1619, Sir George Yardly, who had been appointed governor general of Virginia, reached Jamestown, and, in pursuance of his instruc. tions, issued a proclamation for the holding of a colonial assembly, on the 19th of June. On that day, the representatives of eleven boroughs assembled to exercise legislative powers; they sat in the same house with the governor and council, according to the practice of the Scotch parliament.

The fall of this year is remarkable for a dreadful mortality in Virginia, not less than three hundred colonists having fallen victims to it.

N. CARO. 11.

Twenty thousand pounds of tobacco were this year, exported from Virginia to England.

The Puritan or Reformed church, in the north of England, had, in the year 1606, on account of its dispersed state, divided into to two distinct churches: one of which, under the care of John Robinson, finding itself extremely harrassed, on account of its non-conformity, sought an asylum in Holland: they settled in Amsterdam, and afterwards in Leyden. After residing several years in the last city, various causes induced them to think of a removal to America. In the year 1617, having determined to go to Virginia, they despatched some of their members to treat with the Virginia company, from which, after several attempts, they obtained a patent, in the year 1619.

Preparations were instantly made, and in the month of July, of the following year, a part of the church returned to England, and on the 5th of August, sat sail from South Hampton, for Virginia, on board the ship Enterprise, of one hundred tons; and a smaller one, the Speedwell, of sixty: a leak sprung by the latter, compelled them to return, and they at last sailed from Plymouth, leaving the leaky ship behind, and taking another called the May Flower.

They reached cape Cod, on the 19th of November, and finding themselves more northerly than they wished, they stood to the southward, intending to land towards Hudson river falling, however, among shoals, encountering severe storms, they were induced, as the winter was rapidly advancing, to abandon their plan, and after coasting for a considerable time in search of a convenient spot, the company landed, on the 23d of December, and two days after, began to build the first house,

on the spot where the present town of Plymouth, in the state of Massachusetts, now stands.

A few days after their departure from Englaud, king James had granted a patent to the duke of Lenox, the marquises of Buckingham and Hamilton, the earls of Arundel and Warwick, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and thirty-four other persons, and their successors, under the style of "The council established at Plymouth, in the county of Dover, for the planting, ruling, ordering and governing of New England, in America." The country lies, between forty and forty-eight degrees of north latitude, from sea to sea, was given them in absolute property; the rest of their charter, differs but little from that of the Virginia company.

In the mean time, eleven ships, with twelve hundred and sixteen persons, had arrived at Jamestown, and soon after, one hundred and fifty girls, either "young and uncorrupt," or "handsome and well recommended, for their virtuous education and demeanor," were sent to the colonists. They were thought too valuable to be gratuitously bestowed: one hundred weight of tobacco, the value of which, in money, was about fifty dollars, was at first insisted upon; but the supply not being equal to the demand, the price advanced fifty per cent. and one hundred dissolute persons were delivered, by the king's command, to the treasurer and company at home, by the knight marshal, and were accordingly sent

over as servants.

The culture of tobacco had hitherto exclusively engrossed the attention of the colonists. It was now directed, to more immediate and variegated objects: one hundred and fifty persons were employed in setting up iron works; others were directed to apply them

selves to making pitch, tar and potash, to erect some mills, and prepare for the culture of silk: tobacco was, however, still considered the principal staple commodity, and an inspestion of it was now ordered.

A Dutch ship arrived at Jamestown, and disposed of twenty negroes: this was the first importation of the

kind.

The colony was flourishing; it had been divided into eleven parishes, and had five clergymen.

In the next year, governor Yardly was succeeded by Sir Francis Wyatt; seven hundred settlers arrived with the new administrator: he brought an ordinance and constitution of the treasurer, council and company, in England, for settling the government of the colony in a governor, a council of state, or his assistants, and a general assembly. The latter body was to consist of two burgesses, to be chosen by every town, hundred, or particular plantation: the governor had a negative on all laws: but they were not to have any force till ratified by the general court, or the company in England, whose orders were, on return, to be of no force, till approved by the general assembly in Virginia.

Provision was made for the establishment of a school in Charles city, and for the support of the clergy throughout the province.

Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who was entrusted with the affairs of the Plymouth company, conceived the design of persuading the Scotch to form a settlement in New England for that purpose a patent, for the whole country of Acadia, was granted to Sir William Alexander: it was erected into a palatinate, by the name of Nova Scotia, to be holden as a fief of the crown of Scotland, and the proprietor was invested with the accustomed re

gal powers, belonging to a county palatine. The attempt to bring over a Scotch colony proved abortive. Sir Alexander divided his palatinate into two districts, calling the southern one Nova Caledonia, and the other Nova Alexandria.

This year, George Calvert Lord Baltimore, obtained a patent for the south-eastern peninsula, of Newfoundland, which, he named the province of Avalon, from Avalonius, a monk, who was supposed to have converted the British king Lucius and all his court, to Christianity. At Ferryland, in the province of Avalon, lord Baltimore built a fine house, and spent two thousand five hundred pounds sterling, in advancing his plantation. He appointed Edward Wynne, governor of the colony, and visited it twice in person; but he was so annoyed by the French, that, though he repulsed and pursued their ships, and took sixty prisoners, yet, he found his province so much exposed to their insults, and the trouble and expense of defending it so very great, that he was obliged to abandon it.

Virginia now made rapid advances in population and wealth. The quantity of tobacco, now exported, was more than sufficient to supply the English market; and the company opening a trade, for the surplus, with the Dutch, considerable shipments were made to Middleberry and Flushing. This division of wealth, and the consequent diminution of the revenue, which the crown derived, from a duty which had been imposed on the importation of tobacco, awoke the attention of the king, who interposed his authority, to check, what he called an illegal innovation. The company invoked, not only their general privileges as Englishmen, to carry their commodities to the best market, but insisted on the full