man worthie of much
commendations, which first took the pains to make triall
thereof, his name Mr. John Rolfe, Anno Domini 1612, partly
for the love he hath a long time borne unto it, and partly
to raise commodities to the adventurers, in whose behalfe I
intercede and vouchsafe to hold my testimony in beleefe that
during the time of his aboade there, which draweth neere
sixe years no man hath laboured to his power there, and
worthy incouragement unto England, by his letters than he
hath done, witness his marriage with Powhatan's daughter one
of rude education, manners barbarous, and cursed generation
merely for the good and honor of the plantation."

[Illustration: John Rolfe.]

The first general planting of tobacco by the colony began according to
this writer--
"at West and Sherley Hundred (seated on the north side of
the river, lower than the Bermudas three or four myles)
where are twenty-five commanded by capten Maddeson--who are
imployed onely in planting and curing tobacco."

This was in 1616, when the colony numbered only three hundred and
fifty-one persons. Rolfe, in his relation of the state of Virginia,
written and addressed to the King, gives the following description of
the condition of the colony in 1616:

"Now that your highness may with the more ease understand in
what condition the colony standeth, I have briefly sett
downe the manner of all men's several imployments, the
number of them, and the several places of their aboad, which
places or seates are all our owne ground, not so much by
conquest, which the Indians hold a just and lawfull title,
but purchased of them freely, and they verie willingly
selling it. The places which are now possessed and inhabited
are sixe:--Henrico and the lymitts, Bermuda Nether hundred,
West and Sherley hundred, James Towne, Kequoughtan, and
Dales-Gift. The generall mayne body of the planters are
divided into Officers, Laborers, Farmors.

"The officers have the charge and care as well over the
farmors as laborers generallie--that they watch and ward for
their preservacions; and that both the one and the other's
busines may be daily followed to the performance of those
imployments, which from the one are required, and the other
by covenant are bound unto. These officers are bound to
maintayn