[1] This allowed the crown to benefit from the offerings of the new land, including its natural resources, new markets for English goods, and the leverage it provided against the Spanish.
[4] The English settlers arrived in the area in 1607 when ships such as the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery stopped nearby at Portcomfort.
[4] The early years of Elizabeth City were harsh with starvation, disease and armed conflict with local Indigenous peoples causing the site to be nearly abandoned.
[4] It was not completely abandoned, however, due to John Rolfe's tobacco planting in Elizabeth City and the surrounding area.
[5] In 1619 the General Assembly chose to rename Kecoughtan, Elizabeth City in honour of the daughter of King James I, the new Queen of Bohemia.
[7] Post-colonization the Powhatan population decreased due to the diseases the English settlers brought with them that the tribe had no immunity to.
[7] In the winter of 1607, as a sign of peace, the chief of the Powhatan tribe sent gifts to settlements near Elizabeth City such as Jamestown which were often accompanied by his daughter Pocahontas.
The four other justices at the same time as Thorowood were John Sibsey and Henry Seawell, who were Burgesses, and Francis Mason and William Julian who were established Ancient Planters.
Ancient planters were early colonists that migrated to Virginia and in 1618 were given free land, so despite their previous standing, they were considered wealthy members of the colonies.
[3] The Court in Elizabeth City fell within the tradition of English common law and many cases relied on the teams of justices to use their collective wisdom, governmental experience, and Christian ethics to reach a conclusion.
[3] For example, Daniel Gookin Sr. who arrived in the colony from Ireland in 1621 brought 30 passengers creating an Irish population in Elizabeth City.
[8] Lower-class women were brought from England to the colonies to marry the settlers and in exchange they received a fresh start and security.