ΤΟ

LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS 1620. AT NEW PLYMOUTH.

(1620)

CHAPTER I.

Unsuccessful attempts of Gilbert, Raleigh, and others

1. QUEEN ELIZABETH, the reigning sovereign of PT I. England, gave to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, in 1578, by an р'D. II. open or patent letter, "all such remote, heathen, and c. I. barbarous lands," as he should discover in North America, and of which he should take possession; these lands not having been occupied before, by any Gilbert's 1578. other Christian power. She vested in him and his patent. neirs the right of property, and guaranteed that all, who should settle there, should enjoy the privileges of free citizens and natives of England. The patentee was to acknowledge the authority of the sovereign of England, and pay one-fifth of all the gold and silver obtained.

CHAPTER I.-1. From whom did Sir Humphrey Gilbert receive his patent? What lands did it give him? What rights vest in him and his heirs? What guarantee to those who should settle the country? What enjoin upon the person who received the patent ?

34

P'T. I.

P'D. II.

A LADY OF THE WOODS

2. In Gilbert's first attempt to plant a colony, he put to sea, but was obliged to return. In his second, he CH. 1. reached Newfoundland, where he took possession of the country for his sovereign by raising a pillar in1579, scribed with the British arms. From thence, he sailed 1583. south-westerly, till he reached the latitude of the mouth Gilbert's of the Kennebec. Here the largest of his three vessels ages. was wrecked, and all her crew perished.

to

two voy

His

disasters

3. Gilbert now finding it impossible to proceed, set his face towards England, keeping in the smallest of his remaining vessels, a barge of only ten tons; for his generous heart refused to put any to a peril, he was himself unwilling to share. The passage was stormy, but his pious mind found comfort in the reflection death, which, as he sat reading in the stern of his barge, he 1583. Sept. 22. uttered to his companions in the larger vessel; "we are as near heaven at sea, as on land." In the night, the lights of his little bark suddenly vanished, and he was heard of no more.

and

Sir W.

4. Sir Walter Raleigh, the brother-in-law of Gilbert, obtained from Queen Elizabeth, a transfer of his patent. Raleigh Raleigh had learned from the unsuccessful emigrants sends of France, the mildness and fertility of the south, and and thither he dispatched two vessels, under Philip Amidas, Barlow. and Arthur Barlow. They approached the shore at

Amidas

Beautiful

Pamlico Sound, and on landing in Ocracok or Roanoke Island, they found grapes abundant, and so near the coast, that the sea often washed over them.

5. The natives were as kindly as their climate and soil. The king's son, Granganimo, came with fifty of example his people, and received them with distinguished courhospi- tesy. He invited them to his dwelling at twenty miles tality. distance on the coast; but when they went, it chanced he was not at home. His wife came out to meet them

of native

2. In Gilbert's first attempt what happened? In his second how far did he proceed? In what manner take possession? What disaster did he meet, and at what place?-3. What trait of generosity did he exhibit? What were the last words he was heard to utter?-4. Who obtained a similar patent? Whom did Sir W. Raleigh send out? To what place did they go? What account did they give of Roanoke Island?-5. What of the natives? How did an Indian lady behave?

RALEIGH'S ATTEMPTS UNSUCCESSFUL.

She ordered some of her people to draw their boat PT.I. ashore to preserve it, and others to bring the English- P'D. II. men on their backs through the surf. She then con- CH. L. ducted her guests to her home, and had a fire kindled, that they might dry their clothes, which were wet with rain. In another room, she spread a plentiful repast of fish, venison, esculent roots, melons, and fruits. As they were eating, several Indians, armed with bows and arrows, entered. She chid them, and sent them away, lest her visiters should suffer from alarm.

Elizabeth

6. When the navigators returned to England, and made this report to Elizabeth, she was induced to call Queen the country VIRGINIA, as a memorial that the happy discovery had been made under a Virgin queen. This Virginia. name soon became general throughout the coast.

names

Seven

der

Gren

ville.

7. Raleigh now found many adventurers ready to embark in his project; and in 1585, he fitted out a 1585. squadron of seven ships, under the command of Sir ships unRichard Grenville, who followed the course of Amidas and Barlow, and touched at the same islands. In one of these he cruelly burned a village, because he suspected an Indian of having stolen a silver cup. He then left a colony under Captain Lane, at the island of Roanoke. The colonists, reduced to great distress for want of provisions, were, the next year, carried to En- Roanoke gland by Sir Francis Drake, who was returning from a successful expedition against the Spaniards in the West Indies.

Colony at

under

Lane.

8. Soon after their departure, they were sought by a ship, which had been sent by Raleigh with supplies; and afterwards by Sir Richard Grenville. He not finding them, most unwisely left fifteen of his crew to keep possession of the island, and then returned to England. Of this small number nothing was afterwards heard. Fifteen Probably they were destroyed by the injured and revengeful savages.

6. Who gave a name to the country? What name?-7. Whom did Raleigh next send? When? What was done by Sir R. Grenville ? What can you say of the colony which he left? 8. What of another small colony?

men lost.