Chapter I: Preface

It has been my object in this small book to put into a handy form a short narrative of the History of the Thirteen Colonies. In the limited space at my command I have endeavoured to give as often as possible the actual words of contemporaries, hoping that the reader may thereby be tempted to search further for himself amongst the mass of documentary evidence which still needs so much careful study. I cannot send this book into the world without acknowledging my indebtedness to both the Beit Professor of Colonial History, Mr H. E. Egerton, and the Beit Lecturer on Colonial History, Mr W. L. Grant, whose kind suggestions have proved most valuable. At the same time I must thank Mr E. L. S. Horsburgh, for by his action the writing of this little work was made possible.

R. W. J.

OXFORD, 1908

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION: EARLY ENGLISH VOYAGES TO NORTH AMERICA

Spanish, French, and Dutch colonisation--English colonisation
--The Cabotian discoveries--The Cabots' second voyage--The
Bull of Alexander VI.--The voyages of John Rut and Master Hore
--Newfoundland Fishery--Cabot, Willoughby, and Chancellor--The
attraction of the West--The North-West Passage--Martin
Frobisher--Sir Humphrey Gilbert--Sir John Hawkins and Sir
Francis Drake--Sir Walter Raleigh--The Elizabethan Period 1