CHAPTER VI 

 THE HUGUENOTS IN VIRGINIA 



THE earliest mention of the French in colonial ^/''H^®* • 

 iviention in 

 Virginia occurs in the year 1610. In June of ^^lo 

 that year Captain-General and Governor Lord 

 De la Warr arrived off the Virginia coast at the mouth 

 of the James River. Before proceeding up the river to 

 Jamestown, he went ashore with several of his officers to 

 inspect the soil and vegetation of his new dominion. All 

 were charmed with the fertility and luxuriance which 

 they beheld on every side, and the governor, as the ac- 

 count runs, on discerning the richness of the soil and the 

 mildness of the climate " determined to set a Frenchman 

 heere awork to j^lant Vines which grew naturally in great 

 plentie.'' Going on up the river to Jamestown, De la pfl^t^'^'r^'"^ 

 Warr " alloted every Man his particular Place and Busi- 

 ness. The French prepared to plant the Vines ; the Eng- 

 lish laboured in the Woods and Grounds." 



In 1619 Sir Edwin Sandys, treasurer of the Virginia 

 Company makes mention of the vines " which by culture 

 will be brought to excellent perfection. For the affecting 

 whereof divers skillful Vignerons are sent. . . . Our 

 Frenchmen assure us that no Countrie in the World is 

 more proper for vines . . . than Virginia." 



In 1621, the new governor, Sir Francis Wyatt, was in- 1621 

 structed "to plant Mulberry trees and make silk, and 

 take care of the Frenchmen sent about that work." 



The Virginia Company expected a great future for the 

 wine and silk trade in the New World, and in order to 

 foster it they brought over several skillful Frenchmen. 

 The venture did not appear to succeed, however, and not 



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