er ninety people were dispatched
to the colony in 1619 and 1620 at a cost of approximately L2,000. This
settlement, however, did not thrive. Many of the settlers died of
disease and eleven were killed in the Indian massacre of 1622. By 1636
the adventurers had abandoned their plans to continue the settlement and
sold their interests to London merchants.

In addition to the stimulus to migration by the three foregoing types
of grants for particular plantations, the company took steps in 1618
toward reorganization of its administration. Sir Thomas Smith was still
in control of the company as treasurer and contributed to the reforms,
but the major contribution came from Sir Edwin Sandys who succeeded to
the position of treasurer in the spring of the following year. Rules
and by-laws were restated in the "Orders and Constitutions," which were
largely prepared in 1618 although not formally adopted until June,
1619. One additional document of 1618 was very significant because it
outlined a uniform land policy. Identified by the term "the greate
charter," it is listed in the _Records_ of the London Company as
"Instructions to Governor Yeardly" under the date November 18, 1618.

This "charter" outlined plans for distribution of the land dividend and
contained provisions for the headright system which became a basic
feature of the colony's land policy. One hundred acres were promised as
a first dividend to all adventurers for each paid-up share of stock at
L12 10s., another 100 acres as a second dividend when the first had been
settled ("sufficiently peopled"). "Ancient planters," that is, those who
had come to the colony prior to the departure of Sir Thomas Dale in
1616, were to receive similar grants if they had come to the colony at
their own expense. These foregoing grants were to be free of quitrent.
"Ancient planters" who came to the colony at the company's expense would
receive the same amount of land after a seven-year term of service but
would be required to pay a quitrent of two shillings for every 100
acres.

For settlers arriving after the departure of Dale in 1616 or those
migrating during the seven-year period following Midsummer Day of 1618,
separate regulations applied. If transported at company expense, the
colonist was to serve as a half-share tenant for seven years with no
promise of a land grant; if at his own expense, he was to receive as a
headright fifty acres on the first dividend and the same amount on