s in which grants to
individuals or the lesser associations would fall--Kecoughtan at the
mouth of the James, Henrico at the head of its navigation, and in
between Charles City and James City. From the Bermuda adventurers the
company borrowed the idea of establishing a public estate intended to
meet as nearly as possible all costs of government. In each borough
3,000 acres were to be set aside as the company's land for cultivation
by its own tenants, who would work at half shares. Out of the company's
moiety would come the support of all superior officers, excepting the
governor, for whom an additional 3,000 acres would be set aside in
James City. The company thus committed itself to a not inconsiderable
program of colonization on its own responsibility.

One wonders what it was that inspired this renewed, and most ambitious,
venture in Virginia--a venture that would carry to Virginia over the
next five years something like 4,500 colonists. Several possibilities
can be suggested. First of all, it should be noted that the interest of
the London adventurers in the colonization of America had never
faltered, despite repeated disappointment, since they had originally
laid their hands to the task in 1606. This, at any rate, is true of the
adventurers who led, and more especially of Sir Thomas Smith. After it
had become no longer possible to push the adventure in Virginia, they
had turned to Bermuda, where an initial success seems to have
encouraged another try in Virginia. The plans adopted for Bermuda and
later for Virginia indicate that the adventurers shrewdly capitalized
on the desire of Englishmen in many different walks of life for title
to the undeveloped lands of America. A newly stirring missionary
impulse had its part to play, if only by giving to the name of Virginia
more helpful associations. Argall had captured Pocahontas, the favored
daughter of Powhatan, and with her as hostage the colonists had forced
a peace with a heretofore implacable foe. More than that John Rolfe had
married the Princess Pocahontas, as the English liked to call her, and
Sir Thomas Dale as his last major service to the colony had brought her
to England in 1616. In London, at court, and elsewhere, she and her
entourage of Indian maidens had been a most effective advertisement of
Virginia. Even after her own death in 1617, her maiden consorts had
stayed on for many months before being finally returned to Virginia by
way of Bermuda. Since 16