SIR THOMAS DALE.
Thomas Dale, a soldier of distinction in the Low Countries, was
knighted by King James the First in June, 1608, as Sir Thomas Dale of
Surrey. He sailed with the appointment of "high marshall" from
England, for Virginia, March 17, 1611, arrived at Jamestown on the
19th of May following, and superseded Captain George Percy in the
government of the Colony. The States-General soon after gave him a
three years' leave of absence, which, in 1614, was extended. Under an
extraordinary code of "Lawes, Divine, Morall and Martial," compiled by
William Strachey, Dale inaugurated vigorous measures for the government
and advancement of the Colony. He planted a new settlement at
Henrico, remedied to some extent the pernicious system of a community
of property by allotting to each settler three acres of land to be worked
for his individual benefit; planted "comon gardens for hemp and flaxe,
and such other seedes," and conquered the Appomattox Indians and took
their town. He was superseded by Sir Thomas Gates in August, 1611,
but continued to take an active part in the affairs of the Colony; and
on Gates' return to England in March, 1613, he resumed the government.
It was under his auspices that the marriage of John Rolfe and
Pocahontas was consummated, and this politic example he singularly
attempted to follow himself, though he had a wife living in England.
He sent Ralph Hamor (who had been Secretary of the Council under
Lord De La Warr) to Powhatan, with a request for the younger sister
of Pocahontas, a girl scarce twelve years of age, but his overtures were
disdainfully rejected.
Dale returned to England in April, 1616. He was in Holland in February,
1617, and in January, 1619, was made Commodore of the East
Indian fleet, and had an engagement with the Dutch near Bantam.
His health gave way under the climate and he died early in 1620.
