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JAMES TOWNE In the Words of Contemporaries |
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8. SIR THOMAS DALE
FOLLOWING this great crisis, and the near abandonment of the colony in June 1610, new life was instilled into the colony in 1611 by the arrival of a new deputy governor, Sir Thomas Dale. Under his direction the existing communal system was abolished and a more stringent code of laws, suitable to the harsh conditions of a savage land, was introduced. Copies of these laws have been preserved, and a selection from them reads:
There shall no man or woman, Launderer or Launderesse, dare to wash any uncleane Linnen, drive bucks [wash clothes], or throw out the water or suds of fowle cloathes, in the open streete, within the Pallizadoes, or within forty foote of the same, nor rench, and make cleane, any kettle, pot, or pan, or such like vessell within twenty foote of the old well, or new Pumpe: nor shall any one aforesaid, within lesse then a quarter of one mile from the Pallizadoes, dare to doe the necessities of nature, since by these unmanly, slothfull, and loathsome in modesties, the whole Fort may bee choaked, and poisoned with ill aires, and so corrupt (as in all reason cannot but much infect the same) and this shall they take notice of, and avoide, upon paine of whipping and further punishment, as shall be thought meete, by the censure of a martiall Court. . . .
Hee [the governor] shall not suffer in his Garrison any Souldier to enter into Guard, or to bee drawne out into the field without being armed according to the Marshals order, which is, that every shot shall either be furnished with a quilted coate of Canvas, a headpeece, and a sword, or else with a light Armor, and Bases quilted, with which hee shall be furnished: and every Targiteer with his Bases to the small of his legge, and his headpeece, sword and pistoll, or Scuppet provided for that end. And likewisee every Officer armed as before, with a firelocke, or Snaphaunse, headpeece, and a Target, onely the Serieant in Garrison shall use his Halbert, and in field his Snaphaunse and Target.
For the Colony in Virginea Britannia. Lawes Divine, Morall and Martial, &c. C. 1610—11.
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Last Modified: Thurs, Sep 11 2003 10:00:00 pm PST |