31. The Condition of England. - The beginning of the seventeenth century marked a new epoch in the history of England. The period of the Reformation was over, and England had taken her place as the great Protestant nation of the world. The Revival of Learning had had its day, and England was beginning to become known as one of the great nations of letters. The wars with Spain were at an end for a time, and England was laying the foundation of her future commercial supremacy. The water route to India. had proved a valuable blessing, and England no longer needed to send out explorations to seek new passages to the rich countries. of the East. The maddening eagerness to secure wealth by the mining of gold was lessening as the fact was becoming apparent that gold was not easy to find. The time was at hand when merchants would begin to recognize the fact that the mother country had commercial interests in forming colonies. The day was coming when philanthropic citizens would seek to establish places of refuge for the oppressed and the poor that lived in the overcrowded cities of England. The conditions were ready for the successful establishment of colonies. 32. The Company. - Gosnold was not discouraged by his unsuccessful attempt at settlement within the limits of Virginia, and he returned to England with increased enthusiasm to try again. He considered that the cause of the failure of all the previous expe ditions lay in the lack of united action. He began at once to urge the merchants of his acquaintance to form a company for the purpose of planting colonies in America. There were a few men in England who had an enthusiasm for colonization like that of Gilbert and Raleigh. Among them were Edward Maria Wingfield, Robert Hunt, John Smith, Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Sir John Popham, and Richard Hakluyt. These men made application to King James for a charter to authorize them to form a company to make settlements in Virginia. The king granted their request, and issued the first colonial charter in 1606. John Smith begins the preface to his "Generall Historie" with the fol To 33. The Grant. By this charter the company was divided; the members who were in and around London were to make the First or Southern Company of Virginia; those merchants and gentlemen who had their headquarters at Plymouth, England, were to form the Second or Northern Company of Virginia. these companies was assigned all the land between Cape Fear, or the 34th parallel of latitude, and the St. Croix River, or the 45th parallel. The land granted was to extend back a distance of one hundred miles from the coast and was to belong entirely to these two companies. The territory south of the Rappahannock, or parallel 38°, was granted to the London Company; that north of New York City, or parallel 41°, to the Plymouth Company. The land between the two territories, from parallel 38° to parallel 41°, was to be common property, except that neither company should make settlement within one hundred miles of the other. lowing paragraph: "This plaine Historie humbly sheweth the truth; that our most royall King James hath place and opportunitie to enlarge his ancient Dominions without wronging any; (which is a condition most agreeable to his most iust and pious resolutions): and the Prince his Highness may see where to plant new colonies. The gaining Prouinces addeth to the Kings Crown But the reducing Heathen people to civilitie and true Religion, bringeth honour to the King of Heauen. If his Princely wisedome and powerfull hand, renowned through the world for admirable gouernment, please but to set these new Estates unto order; their composure will be singular; the counsell of divers is confused; the generall Stocke is consumed; nothing but the touch of the Kings sacred hand can erect a Monarchy." 34. The Conditions. Many important rights were granted to these companies; very few to the colonists whom they should send. The entire control of the colonies to be formed rested with the companies in England; even the local government was in the hands of a council appointed from England. The king required |