l by the malign influence of Count Gondomar, the Spanish
ambassador, who was jealous of any encroachment on the Spanish
colony of Florida. He remarked to King James, of the Virginia Company,
that "they were deep politicians, and had further designs than a
tobacco-plantation; that as soon as they should get to be more numerous,
they intended to step beyond their limits, and, for aught he knew, they
might visit his master's mines." The massacre afforded an occasion to
the enemies of the company to attribute all the calamities of the colony
to its mismanagement and neglect, and thus to frame a plausible pretext
for dissolving the charter.

Captain Nathaniel Butler, a dependent of the Earl of Warwick, had, by
his influence, been sent out Governor of Bermudas for three years, where
he exercised the same oppression and extortion as Argall had exhibited
in Virginia. Upon finding himself compelled to leave those islands, he
came to Virginia, in the midst of the winter succeeding the massacre. He
was hospitably entertained by Governor Wyat, which kindness he proved
himself wholly unworthy of, his conduct being profligate and disorderly.
He demanded a seat in the council, to which he was in no way entitled.
He went up the James as far as to the mouth of the Chickahominy, where
"he plundered Lady Dale's cattle;" and after a three months' stay, he
set sail for England. Upon his return, Butler was introduced to the
king, and published "The Unmasked Face of our Colony in Virginia, as it
was in the Winter of 1622," in which he took advantage of the
misfortunes of the colony, and exaggerated its deplorable condition. The
Rev. William Mease, (who had been for ten years resident in the colony,)
with several others, replied to this defamatory pamphlet.[170:A]

The company was divided into two parties, the one headed by the Earl of
Southampton, Lord Cavendish, Sir Edward Sackville, Sir John Ogle, Sir
Edwin Sandys, with several others of less note; on the other side, the
leaders were the Earl of Warwick, Sir Thomas Smith, Sir Nathaniel Rich,
Sir Henry Mildmay, Alderman Johnson, etc. They appeared before the king,
the Earl of Warwick's faction presenting their accusations against the
company, and the other side defending it; and Sir Edward Sackville used
such freedom of language that "the king was fain to take him down
soundly and roundly." However, by the lord treasurer's intervention, the
matter was reconciled on the next day.[170:B]

In