In May, Sir Thomas Dale, on military leave from his post in the Low
Countries, arrived as deputy governor of Virginia. He proceeded to give
form and substance to the martial law which had been evoked by his
predecessors. It led to rather complete regimentation, and he was
severely criticized for it later, particularly by those hostile to his
administration. He began by posting proclamations “for the publique
view” at Jamestown. Later, he thoroughly inspected suitable settlement
sites and surveyed conditions generally. He wrote, on May 25, 1611, that
on arrival at Jamestown he found “... no corn sett, some few seeds put
into a private garden or Two; but the cattle, cows, goats, swine,
Poultry &c to be well and carefully on all hands preserved and all in
good plight and likeing.” To get things in order at the seat of
government, one party was designated to repair the church, another to
work on the stable, another to build a wharf. When things were
reasonably well in hand at Jamestown, he made plans to push the decision
to open a new settlement above Jamestown which would become the real
center of the colony. The reasons for such a removal of the seat of
government are well known—not sufficient high land, poor drinking water,
too much marsh, and a location not far enough upstream to be out of
reach of the Spanish.