A. D. J 606. 



247 



pal manager ; and the earl of Southampton joining himfelf to this com- 

 pany, procured Sir Thomas Dale (an experienced foldier in the Nether- 

 land wars) to be their firfl governor. Some of the other principal ma- 

 nagers were Sir Edwin Sandys, Sir John Danvers, Sir Maurice Abbot, 

 Alderman Abdy, &c. Thefe gentlemen prevailed on the great Sir 

 Francis Bacon to write his excellent inflrudions concerning new colo- 

 nies, which are printed amongft his other eflays. 



It is very true that the yellow ifinglafs dull found in James river, 

 find other golden dreams, did for a while fufpend the proper improve- 

 ment of that infant plantation, which was alfo greatly obflruded by 

 their many fquabbles with the natives, then very numerous there ; but 

 as they were regularly fupplied with neceflliries and recruits from Eng- 

 land, they at length furmounted all difficulties, the greateft of which 

 were perhaps their own inteftine divifions, and bad condud, often bring- 

 ing them into diflrefs. 



The company of merchant-adventurers of the city of Exeter obtained 

 an ad of Parliament [4 ^ac. I, c. 9] confirming a charter which Queen 

 Elizabeth had granted them, in the year 1560, for an exclufive trade to 

 the dominions of France. This was a proper monopoly legally efta- 

 bH{hed, but only as far as related to the reft of the inhabitants, who 

 were not free of that company, for which this ftatute afligns as a reafon 

 the inconveniencies arifen from the exceflive number of ignorant artifi- 

 cers, &c. who in that city took upon them to ufe the fcience, art, and 

 m.yftery of merchandize. 



In the fame felTion of parliament, and the very next ftatute, the town 

 of Southampton obtained power to exclude every one from merchan- 

 dizing, and buying and felhng in that town, who was not free of it, 

 with an exception, however, of the barons and freemen of the Cinque 

 ports, whofe privileges of buying and felling there are hereby preferved 

 entire. Both thefe monopolies, though merely local, would neverthe- 

 lefs in our more experienced days be deemed by wife men an unreafon- 

 able reftraint. 



1607. — Camden now pubiiftied his laft and improved edition of his 

 moft valuable work, intitled Britannia. Since his time the condition of 

 many Englifti towns is greatly altered for the better, by the general in- 

 creafe of commerce. For inftance, fpeaking of Lyme in Dorfetftiire, 

 he calls it a little town, fcarcely to be reputed a feaport town ar haven, 

 though frequented by fiihermen ; yet this once contemptible place is 

 now become a great town, and a port of good ftiipping, having a fine 

 pier and many opulent merchants. 



The town and port of Poole, alfo in rhe fame county, is greatly in- 

 creafed in ftiips and merchants fince a little before Camden's time, when 

 according to him the bulk of its inhabitants were a few fifliermen- 



