Transcriber's Note: Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. THE BIRTH OF THE NATION [Illustration: The First English Church in America.] 'Tis just three hundred years ago We sailed through unknown Narrows And landed on an unknown coast Amid a flight of arrows. We planted England's standard there, And taught the Western savage. In its defence we lightly held His tomahawk and ravage. And there, between two forest trees, We raised our first rude altar; Roofed by a storm-rent sail we read Old England's Prayers and Psalter, An echo in the strange, new land Awoke to slumber never: It caught old England's battle-word-- "God and my Right" forever! THE BIRTH OF THE NATION JAMESTOWN, 1607 BY MRS. ROGER A. PRYOR AUTHOR OF "THE MOTHER OF WASHINGTON AND HER TIMES," "REMINISCENCES OF PEACE AND WAR" ILLUSTRATIONS BY WILLIAM DE LEFTWICH DODGE New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., Ltd. 1907 All rights reserved COPYRIGHT, 1907, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published March, 1907. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. To M. GORDON PRYOR RICE IN TOKEN OF HER MOTHER'S LOVE AND ADMIRATION CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGES Jamestown Celebration. Legends of the Discovery of America. 1-7 Columbus. The Cabots. Pope Alexander VI. Amerigo Vespucci. The Power of Spain. Queen Elizabeth's Patent. Sir Humphrey Gilbert. Our Shores only sighted by the English before 1600 CHAPTER II Sir Walter Raleigh. Expedition to Islands near North Carolina. 8-15 Glowing Reports. Failure of First Colony. Enmity of Indians. Second Colony to Roanoke Island. Virginia Dare. Expedition for Relief of Colony. Colonists had Disappeared. Fate never Known CHAPTER III Death of Queen Elizabeth. James I., Appearance and Character. 16-33 Corrupt Court. Poverty of Common People. Highway Robbers. London Company undertakes Virginia Colony. The Necessities of a Countess. Extravagance. Political, Religious, and Literary Aspects of the Time. Royal Charter obtained for New Colony CHAPTER IV England's First Colony. Emigrants Subject to Commercial 34-44 Corporation, to Domestic Council, to Superior Council, to Arbitrary Rule of King. The Three Ships. Christopher Newport. Allowance for Each Man. Cargo of Ships. Sealed Orders. Robert Hunt. Books Brought. Character of Colonists. Names of Most Prominent. Captain John Smith. Motives of Adventurers. Attitude toward Indians. Little Interest in England. Drayton's Poem CHAPTER V