or legal contest — by war, or by diplomacy, colony was placed under the government and they resolved to make a resolute effort of an old soldier, trained up in the Nether lands, " armed with the power of a viceroy on the diplomatic plan. Parliament was not in session in January, and assisted with some sufficient counsel." The next session of Parliament began 1609, when the petition for the special charter was issued, nor in May, when the Feb. 9, 1 6 10. On Feb. 21 the Rev. Wm. charter was sealed to the Virginia Company Crashaw, preacher at the Inner Temple, London, delivered a sermon before Lord De of London; but that instrument was pre pared under the special supervision of Sir la Warr and others, " at the said Lord Thomas Smith and Sir Edwin Sandys, Generall his leave taking of England his and drafted by Sir Henry Hobart, attorney- Native countrey and departure for Virginia." general, and Sir Francis Bacon, solicitor- This sermon was published in March by L. general, all of whom were then members of D. (Rev. Lancelot Dawes?) and dedicated Parliament. The Secretary of State, the " To The Thrice Honorable, Grave, Re diplomatic head of the English government, ligious, the Lords, Knights, Burgesses, now was at the head of this company, and the happily assembled in Parliament: L. D. government itself was immediately behind humbly considering the union of their it — the company being in fact a diplo interest in all endeavours for the common matic agent of the government in the mat good, together with the zealous, costly, ter. Twenty-one members of the House care of many of them, to advance the of Lords, and at least one hundred and propagation of the Gospell; Doth conse fifty members of the House of Commons crate this sermon, spoken and published for were members of this company; "being a incouragement of Planters in Virginia." — greater union of Nobles and Commons than And L. D. took the pains to write to the ever concurred in the kingdom to such an printer, charging him particularly that the undertaking "; and of the fifty-two members "Dedication to the Parliament" must " be of His Majesty's "careful and understand fairely prefixed to the Booke." ing " Council for the Company, fourteen On Feb. 14, 1610, when the debate- on were members of the House of Lords, a the question " whether the seat in Parliament majority of the remainder were members of of Sir George Somers should be made va the House of Commons, and the rest were cant," took place, many in England thought leading men of affairs of that remarkable that Somers had perished at sea in the period. tempest of 1 609, and I am not certain The movement was taken well in hand. whether his seat was declared vacant be The whole enterprise was under " the sup cause he had gone to Virginia, as sometimes port of the Royal authority," and each por said, or because it was thought that he was tion thereof was under the supervision of dead. The following entry is from the roll men especially fitted for that purpose. The of that Parliament : — • " Lyme. — Geo. Somers, Kt. national, diplomatic, and legal questions in volved, at home and abroad, were " under John Hassard, gent., in their places, deceased, the provident and good direction " of states Francis Russel, Kt. ), „ men, diplomats, politicians and lawyers. Geo. Jeffrys, Esq. ) Men of affairs had charge of the business This Parliament was finally dissolved on, portion, sending out planters, supplies, etc., to the colony; the voyages were under the Feb. 9, 1611. In February, 1614, the Council of State command of old sailors " well practiced on the Atlantic in forepast times "; and the determined that it was expedient to call a
