Colonial Records of Virginia

Colonial Records of Virginia

The three succeeding papers are printed from the De Jarnette collection. The first is a census in gross without any details of sex, age or social condition. In these respects it lacks the interest which one feels in the list made out in 1623. In February, 1623, there were living in the Colony 1277 persons, and including 371 who had died during the preceding year, i.e. since April, 1622; it is evident that the greatest number of inhabitants during the year ending February 16, 1623not including those murdered in the massacreamounted to 1648; and in 1634, eleven years afterwards, they amounted to 5,119, being an increase of 3,471, or an average of about 315 per annum, by birth and immigration. Accustomed as we are to the rapid growth of new countries this seems but a small increase, but when it is remembered that they made the voyage in sailing vessels only, and that it then not unfrequently lasted three or four months, we have little cause for wonder. The next paper is a copy of a letter from His Majesty Charles II., to the Governor, Sir Wm. Berkeley, returning his thanks for a present of silk grown in Virginia. The first settlers were very anxious for success in this department of industry, and the House of Burgesses in 1657-'8 passed a law offering a premium of 5,000 pounds of tobacco to any one who made "100 pounds of wound silke in any one year," and in the next session, 1658-'9, the premium was made 10,000 pounds of tobacco for 50 pounds of "wound silke." We have frequently heard repeated a tradition to the effect that Charles II. wore a robe made of Virginia silk at his coronation. The circumstance of which this document is evidence, is probably the nearest approach to any thing of the sort that ever occurred, and hereafter this with the foolish and groundless story of one of the Lees going to see him when an exile at Breda, to offer him a crown and a refuge in Virginia, must be consigned to that oblivion which is likely, soon, we hope, to receive many of the mythical legends which have heretofore passed current for the history of Virginia. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 22594
Author: Various
Release Date: Sep 13, 2007
Format: eBook
Language: English