Pory, John, was already a man of wide travel and experience and an author and geographer of note, when he first became associated with the Virginia colony. born about 1570, he possessed a naturally quick intelligence and entered Cambridge University at the age of seventeen. He later became a disciple of Hakluyt, the distinguished geographer, and it is possible that he gained his first knowledge of and interest in the subject from his master, with whom he studied "cosmographie and foreign histories." Pory won considerable distinction in 1600 by the publication of "A Geographical History of Africa written in Arabicke and Italian by John Leo, a More, born in Granada and brought up in Barbarie; Translated and Collected by John Pory, London." The work was later incorporated by old Purchas in his "Pilgrims." Its method seems to have been a "link between the narratives of the Arabian geographers and the discoveries of modern travellers and navigators." Besides the translation he added a considerable amount of original matter to the work. In recognition of the service he had rendered science, he was given the degree of Master of Arts of Cambridge. He represented Bridgewater in parliament from 1605 to 1611. Pory's knowledge of geography was not to remain merely hearsay. In 1611 he obtained a license to travel and went to Paris, where he remained a considerable period. On his way thither he was the bearer of important state documents to Cardinal Perron. He was also able to provide the French historian, De Thou, with material for his life of Mary, Queen of Scotts. After his sojourn in Paris, he travelled extensively and made a long stay in Constantinople. Pory enjoyed a wide acquaintance and knew many of the most distinguished men of his time. The first appearance of his name in connection with the Virginia colony was in 1609, in the second royal charter, but it was not until January 19, 1619, that he actually set foot in the New world. He was the first secretary of state that "ever was chosen and appointed by commission from the counsell and company in England, under their hand and common seal." Upon his arrival he was promptly made a member of the council, and on July 30, 1619, he had the honor of being the first speaker of the first free assembly in America. He was a valuable addition to the colony during the three years he remained in Virginia, embarking upon many trips of discovery and research and writing descriptive letters which are now very valuable to the historian and antiquary. On one of these trips, begun with the intention of exploring the coast line, he was driven out of his course by storms and wrecked on the Azores, where he was seized, tried for piracy and in danger of being hung. He escaped in some unknown manner and return to England, but was chosen in 1623 to carry to Virginia and there publish throughout the country three royal proclamations. he was also appointed one of the commissioners to inquire into the condition of the colony. After his return to London from this second American voyage, he became a member of the home council for Virginia, but never again crossed the water. he lived in London until about 1631, writing news letters. In this year he withdrew from active life to the retirement of his home at Sutton Saint Edmunds, where he lived until his death in 1635-36.
