ounds.
At the end of seventy years there were annually imported into England
more than fifteen millions of pounds of it, from which was derived a
revenue of upwards of L100,000.[157:B]

In April, 1621, the House of Commons debated whether it was expedient to
prohibit the importation of tobacco entirely; and they determined to
exclude all save from Virginia and the Somer Isles. It was estimated
that the consumption of England amounted to one thousand pounds per
diem. This seductive narcotic leaf, which soothes the mind and quiets
its perturbations, has found its way into all parts of the habitable
globe, from the sunny tropics to the snowy regions of the frozen pole.
Its fragrant smoke ascends alike to the blackened rafters of the lowly
hut, and the gilded ceilings of luxurious wealth.

FOOTNOTES:

[154:A] Introduction to "A Counterblast to Tobacco, by James the First,
King of England," published at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1843.

[156:A] And one from which the king himself was not free.

[157:A] A copy of this rare pamphlet was lent me by N. S. Walker, Esq.,
of Richmond.

[157:B] Chalmers, Introduc. to Hist. of Revolt of Amer. Colonies, i. 13.

CHAPTER XV.

1621-1622.

Silk in Virginia--Endowment of East India School--Ministers in
Virginia--Sermon at Bow Church--Corporation of Henrico.

IN November and December, 1621, at an assembly held at James City, acts
were passed for encouraging the planting of mulberry-trees, and the
making of silk; but this enterprise, so early commenced in Virginia, and
so earnestly revived of late years, is still unsuccessful; and it may be
concluded that the climate of Virginia is unpropitious to that sort of
production.

The Rev. Mr. Copeland, Chaplain on board of the Royal James, East
Indiaman, on the return voyage from the East Indies, prevailed upon the
officers and crew of that ship to contribute seventy pounds toward the
establishment of a church and school in Virginia, and Charles City
County was selected as the site of it, and it was to be called the East
India School, and to be dependent upon the college at Henrico. The
Virginia Company allotted one thousand acres of land for the maintenance
of the master and usher, and presented three hundred acres to Mr.
Copeland. Workmen were accordingly sent out early in 1622, to begin the
building. The clergymen in Virginia at this time were Messrs. Whitaker,
Mease, Wickham, Stockham, and Bargrave.[158:A]

Early i