to which merchants might send their wares, and from which might be drawn in
bulk, the raw stuffs that were needed at home. The idea of a surplus
population persisted; England of five million souls still thought that she
was crowded and that it would be well to have a land of younger sons, a
land of promise for all not abundantly provided for at home. It were surely
well, for mere pride's sake, to have due lot and part in the great New
World! And wealth like that which Spain had found was a dazzle and a lure.
"Why, man, all their dripping-pans are pure gold, and all the chains with
which they chain up their streets are massy gold; all the prisoners they
take are fettered in gold; and for rubies and diamonds they go forth on
holidays and gather 'em by the seashore!" So the comedy of "Eastward Ho!"
seen on the London stage in 1605--"Eastward Ho!" because yet they thought
of America as on the road around to China.

In this year Captain George Weymouth sailed across the sea and spent a
summer month in North Virginia--later, New England. Weymouth had powerful
backers, and with him sailed old adventurers who had been with Raleigh.
Coming home to England with five Indians in his company, Weymouth and his
voyage gave to public interest the needed fillip towards action. Here was
the peace with Spain, and here was the new interest in Virginia. "Go to!"
said Mother England. "It is time to place our children in the world!"

The old adventurers of the day of Sir Humphrey Gilbert had acted as
individuals. Soon was to come in the idea of cooperative action--the idea
of the joint-stock company, acting under the open permission of the Crown,
attended by the interest and favor of numbers of the people, and giving to
private initiative and personal ambition, a public tone. Some men of
foresight would have had Crown and Country themselves the adventurers,
superseding any smaller bodies. But for the moment the fortunes of Virginia
were furthered by a group within the great group, by a joint-stock company,