Thomas Hariot, the Mathematician, the Philosopher and the ScholarStevens, Henry
Philosophy
Thomas Hariot, the Mathematician, the Philosopher and the Scholar
Stevens, Henry
Harriot, Thomas, 1560-1621; Hercules Club
As Raleigh’s friend and agent White’s name deserves honorable mention
in the history of ‘Ould Virginia.’ He was an original adventurer in the
‘First Colonie’ and was one of the hundred and nine who spent a whole
year at and about Roanoke and returned with Drake in 1586. He went
again to Virginia in April 1587 as Governor of Raleigh’s’ Second
Colonie,’ consisting of one hundred and fifty persons in three ships,
being the fourth expedition. Raleigh appointed to him twelve assistants
‘to whome he gave a Charter, and incorporated them by the name of
Governour and Assistants of the Citie of Raleigh in Virginia,’ intended
to be founded on the Chesapeake Bay. It never became more than a ‘paper
city.’
This Second Colony landed at Roanoke the 20th of July, but finding
themselves disappointed and defeated in all points, the colonists
joined in urging the Governor to return to England for supplies and
instructions. He reluctantly departed the 27th of August from Roanoke,
leaving there his daughter, who was the mother of the first child of
English parents born in English North America, Virginia Dare. He
intended immediately to return to Virginia with relief, but the
embarrassments of Raleigh, the
stirring times, and the ‘Spanish Armada’ defeated Sir Walter and
frustrated all his plans.
On the 20th of November 1587 Governor White having reached home
apprised Raleigh of the circumstances and requirements of the Colony.
Sir Walter at once ‘appointed a pinnesse to be sent thither with all
such necessaries as he vnderstood they stood in neede of,’ and also
‘wrote his letters vnto them, wherein among other matters he comforted
them with promise, that with all conuenient speede he would prepare a
good supply of shipping and men with sufficience of all thinges
needefull, which he intended, God willing, should be with them the
Sommer following.’ This promised fleet was got ready in the harbor of
Bideford under the personal care and supervision of Sir Richard
Grenville, and waited only for a fair wind to put to sea. Then came
news of the proposed invasion of England by Philip King of Spain with
his ‘invincible armada,’ so wide spread and alarming that it was deemed
prudent by the Government to stay all ships fit for war in any ports of
England to be in readiness for service at home ; and even Sir Richard
Grenville was commanded not to leave Cornwall.
Governor White however having left about one hundred and twenty men,
women and children in Virginia, among whom were his own daughter and
granddaughter, left no stone unturned for their relief. He labored so
earnestly and successfully that he obtained two small ‘pinneses’ named
the ‘Brave’ and the ‘Roe,’ one of thirty and the other of twenty-five
tons, ‘wherein fifteen planters and all their provision, with certain
reliefe for those that wintered in the Countrie was to be transported.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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