Corn Conquers Virginia 49 



exploit the New World and whatever it might yield, King 

 James could approve of that. After all, Virginia might accom- 

 plish for him what no Stuart could ever succeed in doing 

 balance the budget. 



The colonists who set sail on New Year's Day, 1607, in Cap- 

 tain Newport's ships carried with them explicit directions from 

 Rev. Richard Haklyut. It was sound counsel he laid down. 

 He recommended among other things, 



You must have great care not to offend the naturals, if you can 

 eschew it; and employ some few of your company to trade with 

 them for corn and all other lasting victuals . . . And this you must 

 do before that they perceive you mean to plant among them. . . . 



You must take especial care that you choose a seat for habitation 

 that shall not be overburthened with woods near your town, for 

 all the men you have shall not be able to cleanse twenty acres a 

 year. . . . Neither must you plant in a low or moist place because 

 it will prove unhealthful. . . . 



Lastly and chiefly, the way to prosper and to achieve good suc- 

 cess is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your 

 country and your own, and to serve and fear God, the Giver of 

 all goodness, for every plantation which our Heavenly Father hath 

 not planted shall be rooted out. 



The expedition was well advertised. Newport's ships drew 

 sightseers who were curious about America and its natives. Cap- 

 tain Weymouth had brought back from his voyage to Maine 

 in 1605 five naked savages, with painted faces and long hair 

 adorned with feathers. An enterprising showman had touted 

 them about England with good monetary returns. Shake- 

 speare's complaint that men too miserly to tip a beggar would 

 'lay out ten doits to see a dead Indian," was not unfounded. 

 In market places, in village taprooms, in barracks from Pen- 

 zance to John O'Groats men were discussing Virginia and the 

 possibilities it offered for better living than they had in 

 England. 



No meaner copywriter than Michael Drayton waved New- 

 port's fleet to sea with the exhortation: 



