The date of George Yeardley’sknighthood
The importance of the measures takenby the Virginia Company of London in the late autumn of 1618 to reform andreinvigorate its small colony in North America has long been appreciated. Theman entrusted with executing these tasks was the newly-appointed Governor,George Yeardley, who was knighted at Newmarket by King James VI and I justafter the company’s plans had been laid out. A description of Yeardley’sconversations with the King at Newmarket and subsequently with a number ofPrivy Councillors and others in London by “R.F.” survives amongst the FerrarPapers in Magdalene College, Cambridge’s library. It bears the date 5thDecember, 1618 and has been used todescribe the enthusiasm expressed by the King on the preceding Sunday, i.e. on29th November, and later by his advisers for the reform project. Butthe date upon which Yeardley was knighted was not 29th November,1618 but the Sunday before that, i.e. on 22nd November. That was thedate given by W.A.Shaw in his comprehensive list of the Knights of Englandpublished in 1906 (Volume 2, page 170). Furthermore, the newsletter writer,John Chamberlain, noted on 28th November that “Yardley, a meanefellow by way of provision goes as governor [to Virginia] and to grace him themore the King knighted him this week at Newmarket” (Letters (1939), Volume 2,page 188). Had James been aware of Yeardley’s connection to his bête noire, SirEdwin Sandys, it is unlikely that he would have done so. But this mistake overthe date when Yeardley was knighted is only one of the more serious problemsthat R.F.’s panegyric on the activities of Sandys and his supporters within theVirginia Company contains.
Christopher Thompson
3rd July, 2020
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