Memories of Virginia/First Memory
FIRST MEMORY
Founding Days
Turn back the page of history,
To Fourteen Hundred Ninety-seven,
When Cabot touched the Greenland shore,
His pilot guide the light of heaven;
Recall the dangers of the land;
Recall the perils of the sea.
To seize and hold the new found land,
The north New World discovery.
Sir Walter Raleigh on the land,
Bold Drake the viking of the sea,
The pioneers of New World fame,
To hold the great discovery.
Drake, Gilbert, Raleigh and Cavendish.
Historic men of enterprise,
The men of opportunity,
A world conquest before their eyes.
The Benjamins of New World fame,
Who left the Isaacs of the Old,
To found a kingdom of conquest,
A western empire long foretold.
The call "Sail on" again was heard,
The year of Sixteen hundred Seven,
John Smith, the Captain Pioneer,
The pilot chief to find a haven.
After the Jamestown massacre,
Matthews, he heard the call, "March On,"
He left the Old World for the New,
His race to stand American.
Let us revere his memory,
The British chief of founding sires,
The king makers of ancient Gaul,
Since Charles Martel led pioneers.
A name not written on the sand,
But on the hearts of founding men;
Who with their deeds make history
Regardless of the record pen.
Turn back the leaves of time today,
Recall Smith mariners of old,
The tempest tossed who reached Old Point,
Who came to seize, who came to hold.
Great Powhatan, the monarch king,
Who welcomed Smith and his brave band,
Foresaw the aim of Vikings bold
In quest of gold, in quest of land.
Jamestown the white man's cradle home,
Historic town of founding days,
In Pocahontas found a friend,
To cast o'er Smith protecting rays.
Child of the Sun, with heart of gold,
With heroes courage undefiled,
A daughter of the wilderness,
A Princess of the forest wild.
Recall the story of the James,
The legend of the famous river;
The romance of the Indian girl,
The keynote—then as now—"Forever."
The marriage of the forest child,
To lure her from her father's home;
A marriage of diplomacy,
To secure terms with Great Powhatan.
The princess pined for kith and kin;
Yet loyal from an English view.
Her heart turned back to Accomack,
The call of blood she heard was true.
She died in England, "The Beloved,"
She left a son of honored name:
Sir Thomas Rolfe of British birth,
His sire, John Rolfe, of Jamestown fame.
John Rolfe fell in the massacre,
Sixteen hundred twenty-two.
When Jamestown met a cruel fate,
Revenge the Indian point of view.
Recall that awful massacre,
The fatal year from every view;
When Indians fought for their own lands,
Their river homes—they stood for true.
A war cry sounded on the coast,
The torch gave signal of alarm;
The onset led by warriors brave,
Avengers of their island home.
The Indians chieftains, then as now,
Believed in home rights of the free;
They claimed their happy hunting grounds,
The heritage of destiny.
When England realized her loss,
The Government changed point of view;
"King James dissolved the Company,"
He called for men of courage true.
Matthews commissioned by the Crown,
First captain of the conquest helm,
To seize and hold Virginia lands,
A monarch of the New World realm,
The call of Colonists he heard,
An echo from the Indian nation;
With supreme power, "In the King's name,"
To guard and guide the new plantation.