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three hundred people； twelve kine； twenty goats； and all things needful for
the colony。〃 Gates followed in May with other ships； three hundred
colonists； and much cattle。
For the next few years Dale becomes； in effect； ruler of Virginia。 He did
much for the colony； and therefore； in that far past that is not so distant
either； much for the United States … a man of note； and worth considering。
Dale had seen many years of service in the Low Countries。 He was still in
Holland when the summons came to cross the ocean in the service of the
Virginia Company。 On the recommendation of Henry； Prince of Wales； the
States…General of the United Netherlands consented 〃that Captain Thomas
Dale （destined by the King of Great Britain to be employed in Virginia in
his Majesty's service） may absent himself from his company for the space of
three years； and that his said company shall remain meanwhile vacant； to be
resumed by him if he think proper。〃
This man had a soldier's way with him and an iron will。 For five years in
Virginia he exhibited a certain stern efficiency which was perhaps the best
support and medicine that could have been devised。 At the end of that time；
leaving Virginia； he did not return to the Dutch service； but became
Admiral of the fleet of the English East India Company； thus passing from
one huge historic mercantile company to another。 With six ships he sailed
for India。 Near Java； the English and the Dutch having chosen to quarrel；
he had with a Dutch fleet 〃a cruel； bloody fight。〃 Later； when peace was
restored； the East India Company would have given him command of an allied
fleet of English and Dutch ships； the objective being trade along the coast
of Malabar and an attempt to open commerce with …the Chinese。 But Sir
Thomas Dale was opening commerce with a vaster； hidden land； for at
Masulipatam he died。 〃Whose valor；〃 says his epitaph； 〃having shined in the
Westerne； was set in the Easterne India。〃
But now in Maytime of 1611 Dale was in Virginian waters。 By this day；
beside the main settlement of Jamestown； there were at Cape Henry and Point
Comfort small forts garrisoned with meager companies of men。 Dale made
pause at these； setting matters in order； and then； proceeding up the
river； he came to Jamestown and found the people gathered to receive him。
Presently he writes home to the Company a letter that gives a view of the
place and its needs。 Any number of things must be done； requiring
continuous and hard work； 〃as； namely； the reparation of the falling Church
and so of the Store…house； a stable for our horses； a munition house； a
Powder house； a new well for the amending of the most unwholesome water
which the old afforded。 Brick to be made； a sturgion house 。 。 。 a Block
house to be raised on the North side of our back river to prevent the
Indians from killing our cattle； a house to be set up to lodge our cattle
in the winter； and hay to be appointed in his due time to be made； a
smith's forge to be perfected caske for our Sturgions to be made； and
besides private gardens for each man common gardens for hemp and flax and
such other seeds； and lastly a bridge to land our goods dry and safe upon；
for most of which I take present order。〃
Dale would have agreed with Dr。 Watts that
Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do！
If we of the United States today will call to mind certain Western small
towns of some decades agoif we will review them as they are pictured in
poem and novel and playwe may receive； as it were out of the tail of the
eye； an impression of some aspects of these western plantings of the
seventeenth century。 The dare…devil； the bully； the tenderfoot； the
gambler； the gentleman…desperado had their counterparts in Virginia。 So had
the cool； indomitable sheriff and his dependable posse； the friends
generally of law and order。 Dale may be viewed as the picturesque sheriff
of this earlier age。
But it must be remembered that this Virginia was of the seventeenth； not of
the nineteenth century。 And law had cruel and idiot faces as well as faces
just and wise。 Hitherto the colony possessed no written statutes。 The
Company now resolved to impose upon the wayward an iron restraint。 It fell
to Dale to enforce the regulations known as 〃Lawes and Orders； dyvine；
politique； and martiall for the Colonye of Virginia〃not English civil law
simply； but laws 〃chiefly extracted out of the Lawes for governing the army
in the Low Countreys。〃 The first part of this code was compiled by William
Strachey； the latter part is thought to have been the work of Sir Edward
Cecil； Sir Thomas Gates； and Dale himself； approved and accepted by the
Virginia Company。 Ten years afterwards； defending itself before a Committee
of Parliament； the Company through its Treasurer declared 〃the necessity of
such laws； in some cases ad terrorem； and in some to be truly executed。〃
Seventeenth…century English law herself was terrible enough in all
conscience； but 〃Dale's Laws〃 went beyond。 Offences ranged from failure to
attend church and idleness to lese majeste。 The penalties were grosscruel
whippings； imprisonments； barbarous puttings to death。 The High Marshal
held the unruly down with a high hand。
But other factors than this Draconian code worked at last toward order in
this English West。 Dale was no small statesman； and he played ferment
against ferment。 Into Virginia now first came private ownership of land。；；
So much was given to each colonist； and care of this booty became to each a
preoccupation。 The Company at home sent out more and more settlers； and
more and more of the industrious； peace…loving sort。 By 1612 the English in
America numbered about eight hundred。 Dale projected another town； and
chose for its site the great horseshoe bend in the river a few miles below
the Falls of the Far West； at a spot we now call Dutch Gap。 Here Dale laid
out a town which he named Henricus after the Prince of Wales； and for its
citizens he drafted from Jamestown three hundred persons。 To him also are
due Bermuda and Shirley Hundreds and Dale's Gift over on the Eastern Shore。
As the Company sent over more colonists； there began to show； up and down
the James though at far intervals； cabins and clearings made by white men；
set about with a stockade； and at the river edge a rude landing and a
fastened boat。 The restless search for mines of gold and silver now
slackened。 Instead eyes turned for wealth to the kingdom of the Dlant and
tree； and to fur trade and fisheries。
* Hitherto there had been no trading or landholding by individuals。 All the
colonists contributed the products of their toil to the common store and
received their supplies from the Company。 The adventurers （stockholders）
contributed money to the enterprise； the colonists； themselves and their
labor。
Those ships that brought colonists were in every instance expected to
return to England laden with the commodities of Virginia。 At first cargoes
of precious ores were looked for。 These failing； the Company must take from
Virginia what lay at hand and what might be suited to English needs。 In
1610 the Company issued a paper of instructions upon this subjec