Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 1.djvu/41

 to suggest to the King a form of government for Virginia. He aided Capt. William Clayborne in settling Kent Island, and in 1634 he was one of the tobacco commissioners. He had a strong faith in the Northwest Passage, and contributed liberally to all the different expeditions sent out while he was living—Henry Hudson's, Button's. etc. He died aged 77, November 25, 1639, and was buried in Magna Church, where there is a handsome monument to his memory.

Smith, or Smyth, John, a great antiquary, son of Thomas Smyth, of Hoby, Leicestershire, and grandson of William Smyth, of Humberton, in Leicestershire; was born in 1567, and educated at Magdalene College, Oxford. He is generally known as John Smyth of Nibley. After completing his studies he returned to the Berkeley family as household steward, a post which he exchanged in 1597 for the more lucrative and dignified office of steward of the hundred and liberty of Berkeley. As keeper of the archives at Berkeley Castle, he had rich material for his "Lives" of the first twenty-one Lords Berkeley from the Conquest down, which after remaining in manuscript for a long time has been published. He left also in MSS. a "History of the Borough and Manor of Tetbury," "Tenure by Knights Service Under the Berkeleys," and several other works. He was an active member of the Virginia Company and regularly attended its meetings, and in 1618 determined to make a plantation of his own in that country. For this purpose he formed a partnership with Sir William Throckmorton, Sir George Yeardley, Richard Berkeley and George Thorpe, and obtained a special charter from the parent company. They established a settlement at James river, which was called "Berkeley Hundred," and which was afterwards the birthplace of President William Henry Harrison. He was a member of parliament in 1621, but took little part in the politics of the stormy times in which he lived, he died at Nibley in the autumn of 1640.

Martin, Richard, a noted lawyer, born at Otterton in Devonshire; student at Oxford, and afterwards at the Middle Temple. His learning, politeness and wit were the delight and admiration of all his acquaintances. He was frequently a member of parliament, and in 1601 spoke most eloquently against the monopolists. In 1612 he was a member of the council for the Virginia Company, and in 1614 he made a vigorous speech in behalf of the colony in parliament. In 1617 he was head of a private company which obtained from the Virginia Company a grant of 80,000 acres of land about seven miles below Jamestown. The estate called "Carter's Grove" is situated in this region in James City county. In 1618 he was made recorder of the city of London, but died a month later of the smallpox, and was buried in Temple Church, London. His grant of land in Virginia was known as "Martin's Hundred."

Cranfield, Lionel, Earl of Middlesex, was the younger son of Thomas Cranfield, Mercer of London, by Martha, daughter of Vincent Randolph, was baptized March 13, 1575; was an active and successful man of affairs, and rose rapidly to all the honors of the kingdom; was knighted July 4, 1613, and a few days later made surveyor-general of the customs; was master of the court of requests; master of the wardrobe; master of the wards; and commissioner of the navy; privy councillor; lord treasurer; Baron Cranfield, and Earl of Middlesex. He was a member of the council