Colonial governor: born in
Northamptonshire, England, about 1530; was son of
Sir Ralph Lane, and Maud, daughter of Lord Parr, uncle of
Catharine Parr, one of the queens of Henry VIII.
He was equerry in the Court of Queen Elizabeth; commanded troops in
Ireland, first in 1569, and again in 1583-84; and was sent from
England with
Sir Richard Granville, by
Sir Walter Raleigh, to be governor of
Virginia, in 1585.
After his return from
Virginia he was colonel in the expedition of
Norris and
Drake against
Portugal in 1589, and in 1591 was mustermaster-general in
Ireland.
He was knighted by the lord-deputy in 1593.
Lane's administration as governor of
Virginia was fruitless of any good.
By following the example of
Grenville he exasperated the Indians.
Had he been kind and wise the colony might have prospered; but he and his followers were greedy for gold, and only
Harriott, the historian, acted like a sensible Christian.
Lane had the gold fever severely, and all trusted more to fire-arms than to friendship to secure the good — will of the Indians.
Sometimes the latter were treated with cruelty, and a flame of vengeance was kindled and kept alive.
The
Indians deceived the
English with tales of gold-bearing regions near, and that the source of the
Roanoke River was among rocks near the
Pacific Ocean, where the houses were lined with pearls.
Lane explored, found himself deceived, and returned.
The
Indians, who wanted to have the
English dispersed in the forest, so as to exterminate them in detail, were discomfited.
They looked with awe upon the
English with fire-arms, and, believing more were coming to take their lands away from them, they determined to slay them.
Lane, satisfied that there was a wide-spread conspiracy against the colony, struck the first blow.
He invited King Wingina and his principal chiefs to a friendly conference.
They came, confidingly, without weapons.
At a preconcerted signal
Lane and his followers fell upon and murdered the king and his companions.
Thenceforth both parties stood on the defensive.
The condition of the
English became desperate.
Their supplies became exhausted, and none could be got from the natives; only from the woods and waters could food be obtained.
The colony was on the verge of starvation and despair, when
Sir Francis Drake, returning from a raid upon Spanish towns, came to
Roanoke Island.
In his ship the colonists gladly embarked for
England.
Sir Ralph died in
Ireland, in 1604.
