euer he came he would signifie by so many fires he came with so many boats that we might know his strength Their Boats are but one great tree which is but burnt in the forme of a trough with gins and fire till it be as they would haue it For an armour he would haue ingaged vs a bagge of pearle but we refused as not regarding it that wee might the better learn where it grew He was very iust of his promise for oft we trusted him and he would come within his day to keepe his word He sent vs commonly euery day a brace of Bucks Conies Hares and fish sometimes Mellons Walnuts Cucumbers Pease and diuers rootes This Author sayth their corne groweth three times in fiue moneths in May they sow in Iuly reape in Iune they sow in August reape in Iuly sow in August reape We put some of our Pease in the ground which in ten dayes were 14. ynches high The soyle is most plentifull sweete wholesome and fruitfull of all oâ—her there are about 14. seuerall sorts of sweete smelling tymber trees the most parts of the vnderwood Bayes and such like such Okes as we but far greater and better After this acquaintance my selfe with seauen more went twenty myle into the Riuer Occam that runneth toward the Cittie Skicoack and the euening following we came to an I le called Roanoak from the harbour where we entred 7. leagues at the North end was 9. houses builded with Cedar fortified round with sharpe trees and the entrance like a Turnpik When we came towards it the wife of Granganameo came running out to meete vs her husband was absent commanding her people to draw our Boat ashore for beating on the billowes other she appoynted to carry vs on their backes a land others to bring our Ores into the house for stealing When we came into the other roome for there was fiue in the house she caused vs to sit downe by a great fire after tooke off our clothes and washed them of some our stockings and some our feete in warme water and she her selfe tooke much paines to see all things well ordered and to provide vs victuall After we had thus dryed our selues she brought vs into an Inner roome where she set on the bord standing a long the house somewhat like frumentie sodden venison and rosted fish in like manner mellons raw boyled rootes and fruites of diuers kindes There drinke is commonly water boyled with Ginger sometimes with Saxefras and wholsome herbes but whilest the Crape lasteth they drinke wine More loue she could not expresse to entertaine vs they care but onely to defend themselues from the short winter and feede on what they finde naturall in sommer In this feaâ—ting house was their Idoll of whom they â—ould vs vncredible things When we were at meate two or three of her men came amongst vs with their Bowes and Arrowes which caused vs to take our armes in hand She perceiuing our distrust caused their Bowes and Arrowes to be broken and they beâ—ten out of the gate but the euening approaching we returned to our boate where at she much grieuing brought our supper halfe boyled pots and all but when she saw vs but put our boat a little off from the shoar and lye at Anchor perceiuing our Ielousie she sent diuers men 30. women to sit al night on the shoare side against vs and sent vs fiue Mats to couer vs from the raine doing all she could to perswade vs to her house Though there was no cause of doubt we would not aduenture for on our safety depended the voyage but a more kinde louing people cannot be Beyond this I le is the maine land and the great riuer Occam on which standeth a Towne called Pomeiock and six dayes higher their City Skicoak those people neuer saw it but say there fathers affirme it to be aboue two houres iourney about Into this riuer falleth an other called Cipo where is found many Mustells wherein are Pearles likewise another Riuer called Nomapona on the one side whereof standeth a great towne called Chawanock the Lord of the Country is not subiect to Wingandacoa Beyond him an other king they cal Menatonon These 3. are in league each with other Towards the south 4. dayes iourney is Sequotan the southermost part of Wingandacoa Adioyning to Secotan beginneth the country Pomouik belonging to the King called Piamacum in the Country Nusiok vpon the great riuer Neus These haue mortall warres with Wingina King of Wingandacoa Betwixt Piemacum and the Lord of Secotan a peace was concluded notwithstanding there is a mortall malice in the Secotuns because this Piemacum invited diuers men and 30. women to a feast and when they were altogether merry before their Idoll which is but a meere illusion of the Deuill they sudainly slew all the men of Secotan and kept the women for their vse Beyond Roanoak are many Isles full of fruits and other Naturall increases with many Townes a long the side of the Continent Those Iles lye 200. myles in length and betweene them and the mayne a great long sea in some places 20. 40. or 50. myles broad in other more somewhere lesse And in this sea are 100. Iles of diuers bignesses but to get into it you haue but 3. passages and they very dangerous Though this you see for most part be but the relations of Saluages because it is the first I thought it not a misâ—e to remember them as they are written by them that returned ariued in England about the middest of September the same yeare This discouery was so welcome into England that it pleased her Mâ—iestie to call this Country of Wingandacoa Virginia by which name now you are to vnderstand how it was planted disolued reuned and enlarged The Performers of this voyage were these following Philip Amadas Captaine Arthur Barlow Captaine William Grenuill Iohn Wood. Iames Browewich Henry Greene. Beniamen Wood. Simon Ferdinando Of the Companie Nicholas Peryman Of the Companie Iohn Hewes Of the Companie Sir Richard Grenuills voyage to Virginia for Sir Walter Raleigh â—â—85 THe 9. of Aprill he departed from Plimouth with 7. sayle the chiefe men with him in command were Master Ralph Layne Master Thomas Candish Master Iohn Arundel Master Stukley Master Bremige Master Vincent Master Hâ—ryot and Master Iohn Clarke The 14. day we fell with the Canaries and the 7. of May with Dominico in the West Indies we landed at Portorico after with much a doe at Izabella on the north of Hispaniola passing by many Iles. Vpon the 20. we fell with the mayne of Florida and were put in great danger vpon Cape Fear The 26. we Anchored at Wocokon where the admiral had like to beene cast away presently we sent to Wingina to Roanoak and Master Arundell went to the mayne with Manteo a saluage and that day to Crooâ—on The 11. The Generall victualed for 8. dayes with a selected company went to the
far had approached by breaking the ice as the ebbe left him amongst those oasie shoules yet rather then to lye there frozeÌ„ to death by his owne example he taught them to march neere middle deepe a flight shot through this muddy frozen oase When the Barge floated he appoynted two or three to returne her aboord the Pinnace Where for want of water in melting the ice they made fresh water for the river there was salt But in this march Mr Russell whom none could perswade to stay behinde being somewhat ill and exceeding heauie so overtoyled himselfe as the rest had much adoe ere he got ashore to regaine life into his dead benummed spirits Quartering in the next houses we found we sent to Powhatan for provision who sent vs plentie of bread Turkies and Venison the next day having feasted vs after his ordinary manner he began to aske vâ— when we would be gone fayning he sent not for vs neither had he any corne and his people much lesse yet for fortie swords he would procure vs fortie Baskets The President shewing him the men there present that brought him the message and conditions asked Powhatan how it chanced he became so forgetfull thereat the King concluded the matter with a merry laughter asking for our Commodities but none he liked without gunnes and swords valuing a Basket of Corne more precious then a Basket of Copper saying he could rate his Corne but not the Copper Captaine Smith seeing the intent of this subtill Salvage began to deale with him after this manner Powhatan though I had many courses to haue made my provision yet beleeving your promises to supply my wants I neglected all to satisfie your desire and to testifie my loue I sent you my men for your building neglecting mine owne What your people had you haue ingrossed forbidding them our trade and now you thinke by consuming the time we shall consume for want not having to fulfill your strange demands As for swords and gunnes I told you long agoe I had none to spare and you must know those I haue can keepe me from want yet steale or wrong you I will not nor dissolue that friendship we haue mutually promised except you constraine me by our bad vsage The King having attentiuely listned to this Discourse promised that both he and his Country would spare him what he could the which within two dayes they should receiue Yet Captaine Smith sayth the King some doubt I haue of your comming hither that makes me not so kindly seeke to relieue you as I would for many doe informe me your comming hither is not for trade but to invade my people and possesse my Country who dare not come to bring you Corne seeing you thus armed with your men To free vs of this feare leaue aboord your weapons for here they are neâ—alesse we being all friends and for ever Powhatans With many such discourses they spent the day quartering that night in the Kings houses The next day he renewed his building which hee little intended should proceede For the Dutch-men finding his plentie and knowing our want and perceiving his preparations to surprise vs little thinking we could escape both him and famine to obtaine his favour revealed to him so much as they knew of our estates and proiects and how to prevent them One of them being of so great a spirit iudgement and resolution and a hireling that was certaine of his wages for his labour and ever well vsed both he and his Countrymen that the Prâ—sident knew not whom better to trust and not knowing any fitter for that imployment had sent him as a spy to discover Powhatans intent then little doubting his honestie nor could ever be certaine of his villany till neare halfe a yeare after Whilst we â—xpected the comming in of the Country we wrangled out of the King ten quarters of Corne for a copper Kettell the which the President perceiving him much to affect valued it at a much greater rate but in regard of his scarcity he would accept it provided we should haue as much more the next yeare or els the Country of Monacan Wherewith each seemed well contented and Powhatan began to expostulate the difference of Peace and Warre after this manner Captaine Smith you may vnderstand that I having seene the death of all my people thrice and not any one liuing of those three generations but my selfe I know the difference of Peace and Warre better then any in my Country But now I am old and ere long must die my brethren namely Opitchapam Opechancanough and Kekataugh my two sisters and their two daughters are distinctly each others successors I wish their experience no lesse then mine and your loue to them no lesse then mine to you But this bruit from Nandsamund that you are come to destroy my Country so much affrighteth all my people as they dare not visit you What will it availe you to take that by force you may quickly haue by loue or to destroy them that provide you food What can you get by warre when we can hide our provisions and fly to the woods whereby you must famish by wronging vs your friends And why are you thus iealous of our loues seeing vs vnarmed and both doe and are willing still to feede you with that you cannot get but by our labours Thinke you I am so simple not to know it is better to eate good meate lye well and sleepe quietly with my women and children laugh and be merry with you haue copper hatchets or what I want being your friend then be forced to flie from all to lie cold in the woods feede vpon Acornes rootes and such trash and be so hunted by you that I can neither rest eate nor sleâ—pe but my tyred men mâ—st watch and if a twig but breake every one cryeth there commeth Captaine Smith then must I fly I know not whether and thus with miserable feare end my miserable life leauing my pleasures to such youths as you which through your rash vnaduisednesse may quickly as miserably end for want of that you never know where to finde Let this therâ—fore assurâ— you of our loues and every yeare our friendly trade shall furnish you with Corne and now also if you would come in friendly manner to see vs and not thus with your guns and swords as to invade your foes To this subtill discourse the President thus replyed Seeing you will not rightly conceiue of our words we striue to make you know our thoughts by our deeds the vow I made you of my loue both my selfe and my men haue kept As for your promise I find it euery day violated by some of your subiects yet we finding your loue and kindnesse our custome is so far from being vngratefull that for your sake onely we haue curbed our thirsting desire of revenge els hâ—d they knowne as well the crueltie we vse to our enemies as our true loue and courtesie to our
of them being more willing to be at Iames towne with the newes than the other was ouerset and eleuen men cast away with the Boat Corne and all their prouision notwithstanding this put all the rest of the Saluages in that feare especially in regard of the great league we had with Opechankanough that we followed our labours quietly and in such securitie that diuers saluages of other Nations daily frequented vs with what prouisions they could get and would guide our men on hunting and oft hunt for vs themselues Captaine Yearly had a Saluage or two so well trained vp to their peeces they were as expert as any of the English and one hee kept purposely to kill him fowle There were diuers others had Saluages in like manner for their men Thus we liued together as if wee had beene one people all the time Captaine Yearley staied with vs but such grudges and discontents daily increased among our selues that vpon the arriuall of Captaine Argall sent by the Councell and Companie to bee our Gouernour Captaine Yearley returned for England in the yeere 1617. From the writings of Captaine Nathaniel Powell William Cantrill Sergeant Boothe Edward Gurganey During this time the Lady Rebecca alias Pocahontas daughter to Powhatan by the diligent care of Master Iohn Rolfe her husband and his friends was taught to speake such English as might well bee vnderstood well instructed in Christianitie and was become very formall and ciuill after our English manner shee had also by him a childe which she loued most dearely and the Treasurer and Company tooke order both for the maintenance of her and it besides there were diuers persons of great ranke and qualitie had beene very kinde to her and before she arriued at London Captaine Smith to deserue her former courtesies made her qualities knowne to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and her Court and writ a little booke to this effect to the Queene An abstract whereof followeth To the most high and vertuous Princesse Queene Anne of Great Brittanie Most admired Queene THe loue I beare my God my King and Countrie hath so oft emboldened mee in the worst of extreme dangers that now honestie doth constraine mee presume thus farre beyond my selfe to present your Maiestie this short discourse if ingratitude be a deadly poyson to all honest vertues I must bee guiltie of that crime if I should omit any meanes to bee thankfull So it is That some ten yeeres agoe being in Virginia and taken prisoner by the power of Powhatan their chiefe King I receiued from this great Saluage exceeding great courtesie especially from his sonne Nantaquaus the most manliest comeliest boldest spirit I euer saw in a Saluage and his sister Pocahontas the Kings most deare and wel-beloued daughter being but a childe of twelue or thirteene yeeres of age whose compassionate pitifull heart of my desperate estate gaue me much cause to respect her I being the first Christian this proud King and his grim attendants euer saw and thus inthralled in their barbarous power I cannot say I felt the least occasion of want that was in the power of those my mortall foes to preuent notwithstanding al their threats After some six weeks fatting amongst those Saluage Courtiers at the minute of my execution she hazarded the beating out of her owne braines to saue mine and not onely that but so preuailed with her father that I was safely conducted to Iames towne where I found about eight and thirtie miserable poore and sicke creatures to keepe possession of all those large territories of â—irginia such was the weaknesse of this poore Common-wealth as had the Saluages not fed vs we directly had starued And this reliefe most gracious Queene was commonly brought vs by this Lady Pocahontas notwithstanding all these passages when inconstant Fortune turned our peace to warre this tender Virgin would still not spare to dare to visit vs and by her our iarres haue beene oft appeased and our wants still supplyed were it the policie of her father thus to imploy her or the ordinance of God thus to make her his instrument or her extraordinarie affection to our Nation I know not but of this I am sure when her father with the vtmost of his policie and power sought to surprize mee hauing but eighteene with mee the darke night could not affright her from comming through the irkesome woods and with watered eies gaue me intelligence with her best aduice to escape his furie which had hee knowne hee had surely slaine her Iames towne with her wild traine she as freely frequented as her fathers habitation and during the time of two or three yeeres she next vnder God was still the instrument to preserue this Colonie from death famine and vtter confusion which if in those times had once beâ—ne dissolued Virginia might haue line as it was at our first arriuall to this day Since then this businesse hauing beene turned and varied by many accidents from that I left it at it is most certaine after a long and troublesome warre after my departure betwixt her father and our Colonie all which time shee was not heard of about two yeeres after shee her selfe was taken prisoner being so detained neere two yeeres longer the Colonie by that meanes was relieâ—ed peace concluded and at last reiecting her barbarous condition was maâ—ied to an Eâ—glâ—sâ— Geâ—â—leman with whom at this present she iâ— in England â—he first Christiâ—n â—uer of â—hat Nation the first Virgiâ—iâ—n euer spâ—ke Enâ—lâ—â—â—â—r â—r 〈…〉 mariage by an Eâ—glâ—shman a matter surely if my meaning bee truly â—â—â—â—â—dered and well vnderstood worthy a Princes vnderstanding Thus most gracious Lady I haue related to your Maâ—estie what at your best leasure our approued Hâ—stories will account you at large and done in the time of your Maiesties life and howeuer this might bee presented you from a more worthy pen iâ— cannot from a more honest heart as yet I neuer begged any thing of the state or any and it is my want of abilitie and her exceeding desert your birth meanes and authorâ—tie hir birth vertue want and simplicitie doth make mee thus bold humbly to beseech your Mâ—iestie to take this knowledge of her though it be from one so vnworthy to be the reporter as my selfe her husbands estate not being able to make her fit to attend your Maiestie the most and least I can doe is to tell you this because none so oft hath tried it as my selfe and the rather being of so great a spirit how euer her stature if she should not be well receiued seeing this Kingdome may rightly haue a Kingdome by her meanes her present loue to vs and Christianitie might turne to such scorne and furie as to diuert all this good to the worst of euill where finding so great a Queene should doe her some honour more than she can imagine for being so kinde to your seruants and subiects would so rauish her with content as endeare her dearest
10 s. 1 whipsaw set and filed with box file and wrest 10 s. 2 hammers 12 d. a peece 2 s. 3 shouels 18 d. a peece 4 s. 6 d. 2 spades at 18 d. a peece 3 s. 2 Augers at 6 d. peece 1 s. 6 Chissels at 6 d. a peece 3 s. 2 Percers stocked 4 d. a peece 8 d. 3 Gimblets at 2 d. a peece 6 d. 2 Hatchets at 21 d. a peece 3 s. 6 d. 2 frowes to cleaue pale 18 d. each 3 s. 2 hand Bills 20 d. a peece 3 s. 4 d. 1 Grindstone 4 s. Nailes of all sorts to the value of 2 l. 2 Pickaxes 3 s. Â 6 l. 2 s. 8 d. Houshold implements for a family and six persons and so for more or lesse after the rate 1 Iron pot 7 s. 1 Kettell 6 s. 1 large Frying-pan 2 s. 6 d. 1 Gridiron 1 s. 6 d. 2 Skellots 5 s. 1 Spit 2 s. Platters dishes spoones of wood 4 s. Â 1 l. 8 s. For Sugar Spice and Fruit and at Sea for six men 12 s. 6 d. So the full charge after this rate for each person will amount about the summe of 12 l. 10 s. 10 d. The passage of each man is 6 l. The fraught of these prouisions for a man will be about halfe a tun which is 1 l. 10 s. So the whole charge will amount to about 20 l. Now if the number be great Nets Hooks and Lines but Cheese Bacon Kine and Goats must be added And this is the vsuall proportion the Virginia Company doe bestow vpon their Tenents they send A briefe relation written by Captaine Smith to his Maiesties Commissioners for the reformation of Virginia concerning some aspersions against it HOnourable Gentlemen for so many faire and Nauigable Riuers so neere adioyning and piercing thorow so faire a naturall Land free from any inundations or large Fenny vnwholsome Marshes I haue not seene read nor heard of And for the building of Cities Townes and Wharfage if they will vse the meanes where there is no more ebbe nor floud Nature in few places affoords any so conuenient for salt Marshes or Quagmires In this tract of Iames Towne Riuer I know very few some small Marshes and Swamps there are but more profitable then hurtfull and I thinke there is more low Marsh ground betwixt Eriffe and Chelsey then Kecoughton and the Falls which is about one hundred and eighty miles by the course of the Riuer Being enioyned by our Commission not to vnplant nor wrong the Saluages because the channell was so neere the shore where now is Iames Towne then a thicke groue of trees wee cut them downe where the Saluages pretending as much kindnesse as could bee they hurt and slew one and twenty of vs in two houres At this time our diet was for most part water and bran and three ounces of little better stuffe in bread for fiue men a meale and thus we liued neere three moneths our lodgings vnder boughes of trees the Saluages being our enemies whom we neither knew nor vnderstood occasions I thinke sufficient to make men sicke and die Necessity thus did inforce me with eight or nine to try conclusions amongst the Saluages that we got prouision which recouered the rest being most sicke Six weeks I was led captiue by those Barbarians though some of my men were slaine and the rest fled yet it pleased God to make their great Kings daughter the means to returne me safe to Iames towne and releeue our wants and then our Common-wealth was in all eight and thirty the remainder of one hundred and fiue Being supplied with one hundred and twenty with twelue men in a boat of three tuns I spent foureteene weeks in those large waters the contents of the way of my boat protracted by the skale of proportion was about three thousand miles besides the Riuer we dwell vpon where no Christian knowne euer was and our diet for the most part what we could finde yet but one died The Saluages being acquainted that by command from England we durst not hurt them were much imboldned that famine and their insolencies did force me to breake our Commission and instructions cause Powhatan fly his Countrey and take the King of Pamavuke Prisoner and also to keepe the King of Paspahegh in shackels and put his men to doubletaskes in chaines till nine and thirty of their Kings paied vs contribution and the offending Saluages sent to Iames towne to punish at our owne discretions in the two last yeares I staied there I had not a man slaine All those conclusions being not able to preuent the bad euents of pride and idlenesse hauing receiued another supply of seuentie we were about two hundred in all but not twentie work-men In following the strict directions from England to doe that was impossible at that time So it hapned that neither wee nor they had any thing to eat but what the Countrey afforded naturally yet of eightie who liued vpon Oysters in Iune and Iuly with a pint of corne a week for a man lying vnder trees and 120 for the most part liuing vpon Sturgion which was dried til we pounded it to powder for meale yet in ten weeks but seuen died It is true we had of Tooles Armes Munition sufficient some Aquavitae Vineger Meale Pease and Otemeale but in two yeares and a halfe not sufficient for six moneths though by the bils of loading the proportions sent vs would well haue contented vs notwithstanding we sent home ample proofes of Pitch Tar Sope Ashes Wainskot Clapboord Silke grasse Iron Ore some Sturgion and Glasse Saxefras Cedar Cypris and blacke Walnut crowned Powhaton sought the Monacans Countrey according to the instructions sent vs but they caused vs neglect more necessary workes they had better haue giuen for Pitch and Sope ashes one hundred pound a tun in Denmarke Wee also maintained fiue or six seuerall Plantations Iames towne being burnt wee rebuilt it and three Forts more besides the Church and Store-house we had about fortie or fiftie seuerall houses to keepe vs warme and dry inuironed with a palizado of foureteene or fifteene foot and each as much as three or foure men could carrie We digged a faire Well of fresh water in the Fort where wee had three Bulwarks foure and twentie peece of Ordnance of Culuering Demiculuering Sacar and Falcon and most well mounted vpon conuenient plat-formes planted one hundred acres of Corne. We had but six ships to transport and supply vs and but two hundred seuenty seuen men boies and women by whose labours Virginia being brought to this kinde of perfection the most difficulties past and the foundation thus laid by this small meanes yet because we had done no more they called in our Commission tooke a new in their owne names and appointed vs neere as many offices and Officers as I had Souldiers that neither knew vs nor wee them without our consents or knowledge since there haue gone more
amongst vs not fearing any thing and kindly bad vs welcome in English he was a Sagamo towards the North where the ships vse to fish and did know the names of most of the Masters that vsed thither such victuall as we had we gaue him being the first Saluage we yet could speake with he told vs this place where we were was called Patuxet and that all the people three or foure yeeres agoe there died on the plague in a day or two we could not be rid of him then he returned to the Massasoyts from whence he came where is some sixty people but the Nawsits are 100. strong which were they encountred our people at the first Two daies after this Samoset for so was his name came againe and brought fiue or six of the Massasoyts with him with certaine skinnes and certaine tooles they had got that we had left in the woods at their alarums much frieâ—-dship they promised and so departed but Samoset would not leaue vs but fained himselfe sicke yet at last he went to entreat the Saluages come againe to confirme a peace now the third time as we were consulting of our Marshall orders two Saluages aâ—peared but when we went to them they vanished not long after came Samoâ—et Squanto a natiue of Patuxet where we dwell and one of them carried into Spaine by Hunt thence brought into England where a good time he liued and now here signified vnto vs their great Sachem of Massasoyt with Quadaquina his brother and all their men was there by to see vs not willing to send our Gouernour we sent Edward Wollisto with presents to them both to know their minds making him to vnderstand by his Interpreters how King Iames did salute him and was his friend after a little conference with twenty of his men he came ouer the brooke to our Plantation where we set him vpon a rug and then brought our Gouernour to him with Drums and Trumpets where after some circumstances for they vse few complements we treated of peace with them to this effect That neither he nor any of his should iniury or doe hurt to any of vs if they did he should send vs the offender that we might punish him and wee would doe the like to him if any did vniustly warre against him we would aid him as he should vs against our enemies and to send to his neighbour confederats to certifie them of this that they might likewise be comprised in these conditions that when any of them came to vs they should leaue their Bow and Arrowes behinde them as we would our peeces when we came to them all which the King seemed to like well of and was applauded of his followers in his person hee is a very lusty man in his best yeeres an able body graue of countenance and spare of speech in his attire little differing from the rest after all was done the Gouernour conducted him to the brooke but kept our hostage till our messengers returned in like manner we vsed Quaddaquina so all departed good friends Two of his people would haue staied with vs but wee would not permit them onely Samâ—set and Squanto wee entertained kindly as yet wee haue found they intend to keepe promise for they haue not hurt our men they haue found stragling in the Woods and are afraid of their powerfull Aduersaries the Narrobiggansets against whom hee hopes to make vse of our helpe The next day Squanto went a fishing for Eeles and in an houre he did tread as many out of the Ose with his feet as he could lift with his hand not hauing any other instrument But that we might know their habitations so well as they ours Stephen Hopkins and Edward Winslo had Squaâ—tum for their guide and Interpreter to Packanoki the habitation of the King of Massasoyt with a red horsemans coat for a present to entreat him by reason we had not victuall to entertaine them as we would he would defend his people so much from visiting vs and if hee did send he should alwaies send with the Messenger a copper Chaine they gaue him that they might know he came from him and also giue them some of his Corne for seede that night they lodged at Namasoet some fifteene miles off by the way we found ten or twelue women and children that still would pester vs till we were weary of them perceiuing it is the manner of them where victuall is to bee gotten with most ease there they will liue but on that Riuer of Namaschâ—t haue beene many habitations of the Saluages that are dead and the land lies waste and the Riuer abounding with great plenty of fish and hath beene much frequented by the French The next day trauelling with six or seuen Indians where we were to wade ouer the Riuer did dwell onely two old men of that Nation then liuing that thinking vs enemies sought the best aduantage they could to fight with vs with a wonderfull shew of courage but when they knew vs their friends they kindly welcommed vs after we came to a towne of the Massasoits but at Pakanoki the King was not towards night he arriued and was very proud both of our message and presents making a great oration to all his people Was not he Massasint Commander of the country about him was not such a towne his and the people of it and 20. townes more he named was his and should they not bring their skins to vs to which they answered they were his and they would victual they had none nor any lodging but a poore planke or two a foot high from the ground wheron his wife and he lay at the one end we at the other but a thin Mat vpon them two more of his chiefe men pressed by and vpon vs so that we were worse weary of our lodging then of our iourney Although there is such plenty of fish and fowle and wild beasts yet are they so lasie they will not take paines to catch it till meere hunger constraine them for in two or three daies we had scarce a meales meat whereby we were so faint we were glad to be at home besides what for the fleas and their howling and singing in the night in their houses and the Musketas without doores our heads were as light for want of sleepe as our bellies empty for want of meat The next voiage we made was in a Shallop with ten men to Nawsit sixteene miles from vs to fetch a Boy was lost in the Woods we heard was there whom Aspinet their King had bedecked like a saluage but very kindly he brought him to vs and so returned well to Patuyet Immediatly after the arriuall of the last ship they sent another of fiue and fifty tuns to supply them with seuen and thirty persons they set saile in the beginning of Iuly but being crossed by westernly winds it was the end of August ere they could passe Plimoth and arriued in
those errors I haue committed if God please I liue my care and paines shall endeuour to be thankfull if I die accept my good will If any desire to be further satisfied what defect is found in this they shall finde supplied in me that thus freely haue throwne my selfe with my mite into the Treasury of my Countries good not doubting but God will stirre vp some noble spirits to consider and examine if worthy Columbus could giue the Spaniards any such certainties for his designe when Queene Isabel of Spaine set him forth with 15. saile and though I promise no Mines of gold yet the warlike Hollanders let vs imitate but not hate whose wealth and strength are good testimonies of their treasury gotten by fishing and New-England hath yeelded already by generall computation one hundred thousand pounds at the least Therefore honourable and worthy Country men let not the meannesse of the word fish distaste you for it will afford as good gold as the Mines of Guiana or Potâ—ssie with lesse hazard and charge and more certainty and facility I. S. I. S. FINIS Errata PAg. 1. line 7. for Quineth reade Guineth pag. 153. li. 5. reade from the company and li. 20. for 25000. pounds reade 2500. pounds pag. 164. li. 53. for 1500. men reade 150. men pag. 168. li. 11. for Goston reade Gofton and Coranto Quowarranto and li. 13 reade before the Iudges in Westminster hall for the Lords of his Maiesties Priuy Counsell There are many other errors which being but small I intreat the courteous reader to correct as he findeth them * Coelum non attimum mutant a These are said a thousaÌ„d yeares agoe to haue beene in the North parts of America b He is said to discover the Pole 1360. c Madoc ap Owâ—n Planted some remote Western parts 1170. d America named of Americus Vesputius which discovered les then Colon or S ir Sâ—bastian Cabot and the Continent later ColoÌ„ first found the Isles 1492. the Continenâ— 1498. Aboue a yeare after Cabot had don it He was set forth by Henry 7 and after by Hen. 8. Kniâ—hted and made grand Pilot of EnglaÌ„d by Ed. 6 Vnder whoÌ„ he procured the sending of S ir Hugh Willoughby discovery of Greenland and Russia having by himself discovered on America froÌ„ 67 North lat to neere â—o South * Virginia now inhabited and New-England Their arrivall â—â—pundance â—f Gâ—apes The I le of Wâ—kokon In Lybanus are not many Conference with a Salvage The Arriuall of the Kings brother Trade with the Salvages Note The Ile Roanoak The great courtesie of a Woman A banquet Skicoac a great towne Pomovik How the Country was called Virginia Sir Richard Grenvils voyage 1585. Their first Plantation Chawonock Chawonock 700. men Menatonon his Relations of the I le of Pearle and a rich Mine the Sea by it Pemissapan his trechery The discouery of the riuer Moratâ—c A noble resolution The strange Mine of Chaunis Temoatan The great currant of the river Moratâ—â— The Conspiracy of Pemissapan The death of a most rare Salvage A slaughter of two Salvages Pemissapan slaine and â— others A most generous courtesie of Sir Francis Drake Virginia abandoned CoÌ„modities Dyes A strange Salt Rootes Fruits that 's strange Beasts extraordinary Fish Foules Their Religion How the world was made How man was made How they vse their gods Whether they goe after death Two men risen from death The subtiltie of their Priests Their simplicitie Their desire of salvation A wonderfull Accident Their strange opinions Calling Sir Richard Grenvill left fiftie â—en Master White his Voyages 1687. One of the Councell slaine How the fiftie men were slainâ— An ill misprision A child borne in Virginia A controversie who to send for Factor to England Master White his returne to Virginia Captaine Spicer and seauen others drowned They finde where they had buryed their provisions The end of this Plantation 12. yeares it lay dead Their first landing Martha's Vineyard Elizabeths Island A ' Copper Mine Their return Dangerous shoules Cod and Whales Their first landing Pentecost harbour The Captains diligence Trade with the Salvages Their trechery Fiue Salvages surprised A description of the river The latitude The temperature The windes The entrances Cape Henry Cape Charles The Country The mountaines The soyle The valleyes Plaines The river Powhatan The branches Iames Towne The severall Inhabitants R. Pamavnkee The inhabitants Payankatank R. Toppahanock R. The inhabitants Patawomek R. The inhabitants Pawtuxunt R. Bolus R. The head of the Bay Sasquesahanock The description of a Sasquesahanough Tockwhogh R. Rapahanock R. Kuskarawaock R. Wighcocomoco R. Accomack R. Chawonock The severall languages Why there is little grasse Woods with their fruits Elme Walnuts Supposed Cypres Mulberries Chesnuts Cherries Vines Chechinquamins Rawcomens How they vse their fruits Walnut mille Gummes Cedats Saxafiastrees Berries Matoum Strawberries Hearbes Rootes Wigâ—sacan a roote Pocones a small roote Musquaspen a roote Pellitory Sasafrage Onyons Their chiefe beasts are Deere Aroughcun Squirrels Assapanick a Squirrel flying Opassom Mussascus Beares The Beaver Otters VtchuÌ„quoyes Foxes-Dogges Martins Polcats Weesels and Minkes Birds Fish The rockes How they divide the yeare How they prepare the ground How they plant How they vse their Corne. How they vse their fish and flesh Planted fruits A proofe cattell will liue well The Commodities The numbeâ—â— Seaven hundred men were the most were seene together when they thought to haue surprised Captaine Smith A description of the people The Barbers The constitution The disposition The possessions Their attire Their ornaments Their buildings Their lodgings Their gardens How they vse their children The industrie of their women How they strike fire The order of dyet How they make their bowâ—s and arrowes Their kniues Their Targets and Swords Their Boats How they spin Their fish-hookes How they hunt One Salvage hunting alone Their Consultations Their enemies Massawomekes Their offer of subiection Their manner of Battell Their Musicke Their entertainement Their trade Their Phisicke Their Chirurgery Their charms to cure Their God How they bury their Kings Their ordinary burials Their Temples Their ornaments for their Priests The times of solemnitieâ— Their coniurations Their Altars Sacrifices to the water Their solemn Sacrifices of children which they call Black-boyes Those Black-boyes are made so mad with a kind of drinke that they will doâ— any mischiefe at the command of their Keepers Their resurrection A description of Powhatan His attendaÌ„ce and watch His treasury His wiues His successors Their authoritie The tenor of their lands His manner of punishments â— 46. S ir Thomas Smith Treasurer The first mover of the action Orders for government Monica an vnfrequented Isle full of Birds Their first landing Matters of government The discovery of the Falles Powhatan The Fort assaulted by the Salvages Captain Newports returne for England S ir Thomas Smith Treasurer The occasion of sicknesse The Sailers abuses A bad President Plentie vnexpected The building of Iames Towne The beginning of Trade
THE GENERALL HISTORIE OF Virginia New-England and the Summer Isles with the names of the Adventurers Planters and Governours from their first beginning An 1584. to this present 1624. WITH THE PROCEDINGS OF THOSE SEVERALL COLONIES and the Accidents that befell them in all their Journyes and Discoveries Also the Maps and Descriptions of all those Countryes their Commodities people Government Customes and Religion yet knowne DIVIDED INTO SIXE BOOKES By Captaine IOHN SMITH sometymes Governour in those Countryes Admirall of New England LONDON Printed by I.D. and I.H. for Michael Sparkes 1624. TO THE ILLVSTRIOVS AND MOST NOBLE PRINCESSE the Lady FRANCIS Duchesse of RICHMOND and LENOX MAy it please your Grace This History as for the raritie and varietie of the subiect so much more for the judicious Eyes it is like to vndergoe and most of all for that great Name whereof it dareth implore Protection might and ought to haue beene clad in better robes then my rude military hand can cut out in Paper Ornaments But because of the most things therein I am no Compiler by hear-say but haue beene a reall Actor I take my selfe to haue a propertie in them and therefore haue beene bold to challenge them to come vnder the reach of my owne rough Pen. That which hath beene indured and passed through with hardship and danger is thereby sweetned to the Actor when he becometh the Relator I haue deeply hazarded my selfe in doing and suffering and why should I sticke to hazard my reputation in Recording He that acteth two parts is the more borne withall if he come short or fayle in one of them Where shall we looke to finde a Iulius Caesar whose atchieuments shine as cleare in his owne Commentaries as they did in the field I confesse my hand though able to weild a weapon among the Barbarous yet well may tremble in handling a Pen among so many Indicious especially when I am so bold as to call so piercing and so glorious an Eye as your Grace to view these poore ragged lines Yet my comfort is that heretofore honorable and vertuous Ladies and comparable but amongst themselues haue offred me rescue and protection in my greatest dangers even in forraine parts I haue felt reliefe from that sex The beauteous Lady Tragabigzanda when I was a slaue to the Turkes did all she could to secure me When I overcame the Bashaw of Nalbrits in Tartaria the charitable Lady Callâ—mata supplyed my necessities In the vtmost of many extremities that blessed Pokahontas the great Kings daughter of Virginia oft saved my life When I escaped the crueltie of Pirats and most furious stormes a long time alone in a small Boat at Sea and driven ashore in France the good Lady Madam Chanoyes bountifully assisted me And so verily these my adventures haue tasted the same influence from your Gratious hand which hath given birth to the publication of this Narration If therefore your Grace shall daigne to cast your eye on this poore Booke view I pray you rather your owne Bountie without which it had dyed in the wombe then my imperfections which haue no helpe but the shrine of your glorious Name to be sheltered from censorious condemnation Vouchsafe some glimpse of your honorable aspect to accept these my labours to protect them vnder the shadow of your excellent Name which will inable them to be presented to the Kings royall Maiestie the most admired Prince Charles and the Queene of Bohemia your sweet Recommendations will make it the worthier of their good countenances And as all my endevours are their due tribute so this Page shall record to posteritie that my service shall be to pray to God that you may still continue the renowned of your sexe the most honored of men and the highly blessed of God Your Graces faithfull and devoted servant IOHN SMITH ¶ A Preface of foure Poynts THis plaine History humbly sheweth the truth that our most royall King Iames hath place and opportunitie to inlarge his ancient Dominions without wronging any which is a condition most agreeable to his most iust pious resolutions and the Prince his Highness may see where to plant new Colonies The gaining Prouinces addeth to the Kings Crown but the reducing Heathen people to ciuilitie and true Religion bringeth honour to the King of Heauen If his Princely wisedome and powerfull hand renowned through the world for admirable government please but to set these now Estates into order their composure will be singular the counsell of divers is confused the generall Stocke is consumed nothing but the touch of the Kings sacred hand can erect a Monarchy Most noble Lords and worthy Gentlemen it is your Honors that haue imployed great paines and large expence in laying the foundation of this State wherein much hath beene buried vnder ground yet some thing hath sprung vp and giuen you a taste of your adventures Let no difficulties alter your noble intentions The action is an honour to your Country and the issue may well reimburse you your summes expended Our practices haue hitherto beene but assayes and are still to be amended Let your bountie supply the necessities of weake beginnings and your excellent iudgements rectifie the proceedings the returne cannot choose in the end but bring you good Commodities and good contentments by your aduancing shipping and fishing so vsefull vnto our Nation Yee valiant and generous spirits personall possessors of these new-found Territories banish from among you Cowardise covetousnes iealousies and idlenes enemies to the raising your honours and fortunes vertue industry and amitie will make you good and great and your merits liue to ensuing Ages You that in contempt of necessities hazard your liues and estates imploying your studies labours in these faire endevours liue and prosper as I desire my soule should prosper For my selfe let emulation and enuie cease I ever intended my actions should be vpright now my care hath beene that my Relations should giue every man they concerne their due But had I not discovered and liued in the most of those parts I could not possibly haue collected the substantiall truth from such a number of variable Relations that would haue made a Volume at least of a thousand sheets Though the beginning may seeme harsh in regard of the Antiquities breuitie and names a pleasanter Discourse ensues The stile of a Souldier is not eloquent but honest and iustifiable so I desire all my friends and well-wishers to excuse and accept it and if any be so noble as to respect it he that brought New England to light though long since brought in obscuritie he is againe to be found a true servant to all good designes So I ever rest yours to command IOHN SMITH A Gentleman desirous to be vnknowne yet a great Benefactor to Virginia his loue to the Author the Company and History STay reade behold skill courage knowledge Arts Wonder of Nature Mirror of our Clime Mars Vulcan Neptune striue to haue their parts Rare Ornaments
rich honours of our time From far fetcht Indies and Virginia's soyle Here Smith is come to shew his Art and skill He was the Smith that hammered famins foyle And on Powhatan's Emperour had his will Though first ColuÌ„bus Indies true Christofer Cabots braue Florida much admirer Meta Incognita rare Martin Frobisher Gilberts braue Humphery Neptunes deuourer Captaine Amadis Raleighs discouerer Sir Richard Grenvill Zealands braue coaster Drake doomes drowne death Spaines scorner Gosnolds Relates Pring prime observer Though these be gone and left behinde a name Yet Smith is here to Anvile out a peece To after Ages and eternall Fame That we may haue the golden Iasons fleece He Vulcan like diâ— forge a true Plantation And chain'd their Kings to his immortall glory Restoring peace and plentie to the Nation Regaining honour to this worthy Story By him the Infidels had due correction He blew the bellowes still of peace and plentie He made the Indians bow vnto subiection And Planters ne're return'd to Albion empty The Colonies pin'd staru'd staring bones so feeble By his braue proiects proued strong againe The Souldiers ' lowance he did seeke to treble And made the Salvage in vncouth place remaine He left the Countrey in prosperous happie state And plenty stood with peace at each mans doore Regarding not the Salvage loue nor hate TheÌ„selues grew well the IndiaÌ„s wondrous poore This there he did and now is home return'd To shew vs all that never thither goe That in his heart he deepely oft hath mourn'd Because the Action goeth on so slow Braue graue Wise Rich prize Benefactors Replant want continue still good Actors Be kinde and finde bring eyes to blind By Gods great might giue Indians light Spend money Bloud to doe that good That may giue Indians heav'nly food And God no lesse you still shall blesse Both you and yours the Lands possesse S. M. See here behold as in a Glasse All that is or is and was T. T. 1624. Samuel Purchas of his friend Captaine Iohn Smith and his Virginia LOe here SMITHS Forge where Forgery's Roâ—gue-branded True Pegasus is shoo'd fetters are forged For Silke-sotts Milk-sops base Sloth farre hence landed Soile-chang'd Soule-soil'd still Englands dregs discharged To plant supplant Virginia home-disgorged Where vertues praise frames good men Stories armour 'Gainst Time Achilles-like with best Arts charged Pallas all-arm'd all-learn'd can teach Sword-Grammer Can Pens of Pikes Armes t' Arts to Scholar Souldier hammer Can Pilgrim make a Maker all so-well Hath taught Smith scoure my rustie out-worne Muse And so coniur'd her in Virginian Cell That things vnlearned long by want of vse Shee fresh areeds me read without abuse By fabling Arthurs great Acts little made By greater lies she saith seales Faith excuse T' Island Groonland Estotiland to wade After lie-legends Malgo Brandon are Wares braide The Fryer of Linne frights her with his black Art Nor Brittish Bards can tell where Madoc planted Cabots Thorns Elyots truth haue wenne her heart Eldest diâ—cov'rers of New Worlds Cont'nent granted So had iust Fates Colon and Vespuce panted This got the name last least of Three the Other New Worlds Isles found first Cabot is most chanted In Three-Mens-song did more New World discover Then both then any an hundred degrees coasted over Haile S ir Sebastian Englands Northern Pole Virginia's finder Virgin Eliza nam'd it Gaâ—e't Raleigh Rut Prat Hore I not enrole Amadas rites to English right first fram'd it Lane planted return'd nor had English tam'd it Greenviles and Whites men all slaine New Plantation IAMES founds Sloth confounds feare pride faction sham'd it Smiths Forge mends all makes chaines for Savage Nation Frees feeds the rest the rest reade in his Bookes Relation Thomas Macarnesse to his worthy friend and Countryman Captaine Iohn Smith WHo loues to liue at home yet looke abroad And know both passen and vnpassen road The prime Plantation of an vnknowne shore The men the manners fruitfulnesse and store Read but this little Booke and then confesse The lesse thou lik'st and lou'st thou liu'st the lesse He writ it with great labour for thy good Twice over now in paper 'fore in blood It cost him deare both paines without an ayme Of private profit for thy publicke gaine That thou mightst read and know and safely see What he by practice thou by Theoree Commend him for his loyall loving heart Or else come mend him and take thou his part To his friend Captaine Iohn Smith and his Worke. I Know not how Desert more great can rise Then out of Danger t' ane for good mens Good Nor who doth better winne th' Olympian prize Than he whose Countryes Honor stirres his bloud Private respects haue private expectation Publicke designes should publish reputation This Gentleman whose Volumne heere is stoard With strange discoverie of GODS strangest Creatures Giues vs full view how he hath Sayl'd and Oar'd And Marcht full many myles whose rough defeatures Hath beene as bold as puissant vp to binde Their barbarous strength 's to follow him dog-linde But wit nor valour now adayes payes scores For estimation all goes now by wealth Or friends tush â— thrust the beggar out of dores That is not Purse-lyn'd those which liue by stealth Shall haue their haunts no matter what 's the guest In many places monies well come best But those who well discerne esteeme not so Nor I of thee braue Smith that hast beat out Thy Iron thus though I but little know To what t' hast seene yet I in this am stout My thoughts maps to my minde some accidents That makes mee see thy greater presidents Io Done To my worthy friend Captaine Iohn Smith How great a part of knowledge had wee lost Both of Virginia and the Summer Isles Had not thy carefull diligence and cost Inform'd vs thus with thy industrious stile Like Caesar now thou writ'st what thou hast done These acts this Booke will liue while ther 's a Sunne Edw Worseley To his much respected Friend Captaine Iohn Smith ENvie avant For Smith whose Anvill was Experience Could take his heat knew how and when to Strike Wrought well this Peece till After-negligence Mistaking temper Cold or Scorch'd or like Vnskilfull workmen that can never Fyle Nor Pollish it that takes in Forge such toyle Heere Noble Smith thou shewest the Temper true Which other Tampring Tempres never knew Ro Norton To his loving friend Captaine Iohn Smith WHere actions speake the praises of a man There Pennes that vse to flatter silent be Or if they speake it is to scorne or scanne For such with vertue seldome doe agree When I looke backe on all thy labours past Thy travels perils losses oft â—ustaind By Sea and Land and which is worst and last Neglect or small reward so dearely gaind I doe admire thy still vndanted spirit vnwearied yet to worke thy Countries good This be thy praise then due vnto thy merit For it th' hast venter'd life and lost thy blood 1.
no such matter and that he would lend me mâ—n to fish and hunt He sent me word he would come himselfe to Roanock but delaying time eight dayes that all his men were there to be assembled not liking so much company I resolued the next day to goe visit him but first to giue them in the I le a Canvisado and at an instant to seaze on all their Canows about the I le But the towne tooke the Alarum before I ment it For when I sent to take the Canows he met one going from the shore ouerthrew her and cut off two Salvages heads wherevpon the cry arose being by their spyes perceiued for they kept as good watch over vs as we of them Vpon this they to their Bowes and we to our Armes three or foure of them at the first were slaine the rest fled into the woods The next morning I went to Dassamonpeack and sent Pemissapan word I was going to Croatan and tooke him in my way to complaine Osocon would haue stole my prisoner Skico Herevpon he did abide my comming being among eight of the principall est I gaue the watchword to my men and immediately they had that they purposed for vs. Himselfe being shot through with a Pistoll fell downe as dead but presently start vp and ran away from them all till an Irish Boy shot him over the buttocks where they tooke him and cut off his head Seauen dayes after Captaine Stafforton sent to me he descryed twentie-three Sayle The next day came to me himselfe of whom I must say this from the first to the last he neither spared labour or perill by land or sea fayre weather or foule to performe any serious seruice committed to him He brought me a letter from Sir Francis Drake whose generous mind offered to supply all my defects of shipping boats munition victuall clothes and men to further this action and vpon good consultation and deliberation he appointed me a ship of 70. tuns with an hundred men and foure moneths victuals two Pinnaces foure small Boats with two sufficient Masters with sufficient Gangs All this being made ready for me suddenly arose such a storme for foure dayes that had like to haue driuen the whole Fleete on shore many of them were forced to the Sea whereof my ship so lately giuen me was one with all my prouision and Company appoynted Notwithstanding the storme ceasing the Generall appointed me a ship of 170. tuns with all prouisions as before to carry me into England the next August or when I had performed such Discoueries as I thought fit Yet they durst not vndertake to bring her into the harbour but she must ride in the road leauing the care of the rest to my selfe advising me to consider with my Company what was fittest and with my best speed returne him answer Herevpon calling my Company together who were all as priuy of the Generals offer as my selfe their whole request was in regard of all those former miseries and no hope of the returne of Sir Richard Grenvill and with a generall consent they desired me to vrge him we might all goe with him for England in his Fleete for whose reliefe in that storme he had sustained more perill of wrack then in all his honorable actions against his enemies So with prayses to God we set sayle in Iune 1586. and arriued in Portsmouth the 27. of Iuly the same yeare Leaving this remembrance to posteritie To reason lend me thine attentiue eares Exempt thy selfe from mind-distracting cares Least that's here thus proiected for thy good By thee reiected be ere vnderstood Written by Mr Ralph Layne Governour The Observations of Mr. Thomas Heriot in this Voyage For Marchandize and Victualls WHat before is writ is also confirmed by that learned Mathematician Mr Thomas Heriot with them in the Country whose particular Relation of all the Beasts Birds Fishes Foules Fruites and Rootes and how they may be vsefull because I haue writ it before for the most part in the Discourse of Captaine Amidas and Captaine Layne except Silk grasse Wormesilke Flax like Hempe Allum Wapeith or Terra sigillata Tar Rosen Turpentine Civet-cats Iron ore Copper that hold Silver Coprose and Pearle Let those briefes suffice because I would not trouble you with one thing twice Dyes For Dyes Showmack the herbe Wasebur little rootes called Chapacor and the barke of a tree called by the Inhabitants Tangomockonominge which are for divers sorts of Reds What more then is related is an herbe in Dutch called Melden described like an Orange growing foure foote high the seede will make good broth and the stalke burnt to ashes makes a kinde of Salt other Salt they know not and we vsed of it for Pot-herbs Of their Tobacco we found plenty which they esteeme their chiefe Physicke Ground nuts Tiswaw we call China roots they grow in clusters and bring forth a bryer stalke but the leafe is far vnlike which will climbe vp to the top of the highest tree the vse knowne is to cut it in small peeces then stampe straine it with water and boyled makes a gelly good to eate Cassavia growes in Marishes which the Indians oft vse for bread and broth Habascon is like a Parsnip naught of it selfe except compounded and their Leekes like those in England Sequenummener a kinde of Berry like Capers and three kinde of Berries like Acornes called Sagatamenor Osamenor and Pummuckoner Saquenuckot and Maquowoc two kinde of beasts greater then Conies and very good meate in some places such plenty of gray Conies like hayres that all the people make them mantels of their skins I haue the names of 28. severall sorts that are dispersed in the Country of which 12. kindes we haue discouered and good to eate but the Salvages sometimes kill a Lyon and eate him There is plentie of Sturgeon in February March Aprill and May all Herings in abundance some such as ours but the most part of 18.20 or 24. yncheâ— long and more Trouts Porpisses Rayes Mullers Old-wiues Plaâ—ce Tortoises both by Sea and Land Crabs Oysters Mussels Scalops Periwinckles Crevises Secanank we haue the Pictures of 12. sorts more but their names we know not Turkeys Stockdoues Partridges Cranes Hernes Swans Geese Parrots Faulcons Merlins I haue the names in their language of 86. severall sorts Their woods are such as ours in England for the most part except Rakeock a greaâ— sweet tree whereof they make their Canowes and Ascopo a kinde of tree like Lowrell and Saxefras Their Natures and Manners Their Clothing Townes Houses Warres Arts Tooles handy crafts and educations are much like them in that part of Virginia we now inhabite which at large you may reade in the Description thereof But the relation of their Religion is strange as this Author reporteth Some Religion they haue which although it be farre from the truth yet being as it is there is hope it may be the
easier reformed They beleeue there are many gods which they call Mantoac but of different sorts and degrees Also that there is one chiefe God that hath beene from all eternitie who as they say when he purposed first to make the world made first other gods of a principall order to be as instruments to be vsed in the Creation and government to follow And after the Sunne Moone and Starres as pettie gods and the instruments of the other order more principall First they say were made waters out of which by the gods were made all diversitie of creatures that are visible or invisible For mankinde they say a Woman was made first which by the working of one of the gods conceiued and brought forth children and so they had their beginning but how many yeares or ages since they know not having no Records but onely Tradition from Father to sonne They thinke that all the gods are of humane shape and therefore represent them by Images in the formes of men which they call Kewasowok one alone is called Kewasa them they place in their Temples where they worship pray sing and make many offerings The common sort thinke them also gods They beleeue the immortalitie of the Soule when life departing from the body according to the good or bad workes it hath done it is câ—rried vp to the Tabernacles of the gods to perpetuall happpinesse or to Popogusso a great pit which they thinke to be at the furthest parts of the world where the Sunne sets and there burne continually To confirme this they told me of two men that had beene lately dead and revived againe the one hapned but few yeares before our comming into the country of a bad man which being dead and buried the next day the earth over him being seene to moue was taken vp who told them his soule was very neare entering into Popogusso had not one of the gods saued him and gaue him leaue to returne againe to teach his friends what they should doe to avoyd such torment The other hapned the same yeare we were there but sixtie myles from vs which they told me for news that one being dead buried taken vp as the first shewed that although his body had layne dead in the graue yet his soule liued and had travailed far in a long broad way on both sides whereof grew more sweet fayre and delicate trees and fruits then ever he had seene before at length he came to most braue and fayre houses neare which he met his Father that was dead long agoe who gaue him charge to goe backe to shew his friends what good there was to doe to inioy the pleasures of that place which when hee had done hee should come againe What subtiltie so ever be in the Weroances and Priests this opinion worketh so much in the common sort that they haue great respect to their Governours and as great care to avoyde torment after death and to enioy blisse Yet they haue divers sorts of punishments according to the offence according to the greatnesse of the fact And this is the sum of their Religion which I learned by having speciall familiaritie with their Priests wherein they were not so sure grounded nor gaue such credit but through conversing with vs they were brought into great doubts of their owne and no small admiration of ours of which many desired to learne more then we had meanes for want of vtterance in their Language to expresse Most things they saw with vs as Mathematicall Instruments Sea Compasses the vertue of the Loadstone Perspectiue Glasses burning Glasses Clocks to goe of themselues Bookes writing Guns and such like so far exceeded their capacities that they thought they were rather the workes of gods then men or at least the gods had taught vs how to make them which loued vs so much better then them caused many of them giue credit to what wespake concerning our God In all places where I came I did my best to make his immortall glory knowne And I told them although the Bible I shewed them contained all yet of it selfe it was not of any such vertue as I thought they did conceiue Notwithstanding many would be glad to touch it to kisse and imbrace it to hold it to their breasts and heads and stroke all their body over with it The King Wingina where we dwelt would oft be with vs at Prayer Twice he was exceeding sicke and like to dye And doubting of any helpe from his Priests thinking he was in such danger for offending vs and our God sent for some of vs to pray and be a meanes to our God he might liue with him after death And so did many other in the like case One other strange Accident leauing others will I mention before I end which mooued the whole Country that either knew or heard of vs to haue vs in wonderfull admiration There was no Towne where they had practised any villany against vs we leaving it vnpunished because we sought by all possible meanes to winne them by gentlenes but within a few dayes after our departure they began to dye in some Townes twenty in some forty in some sixty and in one an hundred and twenty which was very many in respect of their numbers And this hapned in no place we could learn where we had bin but where they had vsed some practise to betray vs. And this disease was so strange they neither knew what it was nor how to cure it nor had they knowne the like time out of minde a thing specially observed by vs as also by themselues in so much that some of them who were our friends especially Wingina had observed such effects in foure or fiue Townes that they were perswaded it was the worke of God through our meanes and that we by him might kill and slay whom we would without weapons and not come neare them And therevpon when they had any vnderstanding that any of their enemies abused vs in our Iourneyes they would intreat vs we would be a meanes to our God that they as the others that had dealt ill with vs might dye in like sort although we shewed them their requests were vngodly and that our GOD would not subiect himselfe to any such requests of men but all things as he pleased came to passe and that we to shew our selues his true servants ought rather to pray for the contrary yet because the effect sell out so suddenly after according to their desires they thought it came to passe by our meanes and would come giue vs thankes in their manner that though we satisfied them not in words yet in deeds we had fulfilled their desires This marueilous Accident in all the Country wrought so strange opinions of vs that they could not tell whether to thinke vs gods or men And the rather that all the space of their sicknesse there was no man of ours knowne to die or much
vp 8. ynches although this was but the crust of the ground and much inferiour to the mould we after found in the mayne After we had taken order for all our necessary businesses we marched through two of these Isles The biggest was 4. or 5. myles in compasse we found here all sorts of ordinary trees besides Vines Currants Spruce Yew Angelica and divers gummes in so much many of our company wished themselues setled here Vpon the 30. our Captaine with 13. went to discover the mayne we in the ship espyed 3. Canowes that came towards the ship Which after they had well viewed one of them came aboord with 3. men and by our good vsage of them not long after the rest two dayes we had their companies in all respects they are but like them at Elizabeths Isles therefore this may suffice for their description In this time our Captain had discovered a fayre river trending into the mayne 40 myles and returned backe to bring in the ship The Salvages also kept their words and brought vs 40. Bever Oter and sable skins for the value of 5. shillings in kniues glasses combes and such toyes and thus we vsed them so kindly as we could because we intended to inhabit in their Country they lying aboord with vs and we ashore with them but it was but as changing man for man as hostages and in this manner many times we had their companies At last they desired our Captaine to goe with them to the mayne to trade with their Bashabes which is their chiefe Lord which we did our boat well manned with 14. yet would they row faster with 3. Ores in their Canowes then we with 8. but when we saw our old acquaintance would not stay aboord vs as before for hostage but did what they could to draw vs into a narrow câ—ke we exchanged one Owen Griffin with them for a yong fellow of theirs that he might see if he could discover any trechery as he did for he found there assembled 283. Salvages with bowes arrows but not any thing at all to trade as they pretended These things considered we conceited them to be but as all Salvages ever had beene kinde till they found opportunitie to do mischiefe Wherefoer we determined to take some of them before they should suspect we had discovered their plot lest they should absent themselues from vs so the first that ever after came into the ship were three which we kept and two we tooke on shore with much adoe with two Canowes their bowes and arrowes Some time we spent in sounding all the Isles channels and inlets thereabouts and we found 4. severall waies a ship might be brought into this Bay In the interim there came 2. Canowes more boldly aboord vs signifying we should bring our ship to the place where he dwelt to trade We excused our selues why we could not but vsed them kindly yet got them away with all the speed we could that they should not be perceiued by them in the houle then we went vp the river 26. myles of which I had rather not write then by my relation detract from it it is in breadth a myle neare 40. myles and a channell of 6.7.8.9 or 10. fadom on both sides every halfe myle gallant Coues to containe in many of them 100 sayle where they may lye on Oze without Cable or Anchor onely mored with a Hanser and it floweth 18. foot that you may make docke or carine ships with much facilitie besides the land is most rich trending all along on both sides in an equall plaine neither rocky nor mountainous but verged with a greene border of grasse doth make tender to the beholder her pleasant fertilitie if by cleansing away the woods she were converted into meadow The woods are great and tall such as are spoken of in the Islelands and well watered with many fresh springs Our men that had seene Oranoque so famous in the worlds eares Reogrande Loyer Slion report though they be great goodly rivers yet are not comparable to it Leaving our ship we went higher till we were 7. myles higher then the salt water flowed we marched towards the mountains we had seene but the weather was so hot our labour so great as our Captaine was contented to returne after we had erected a crosse we left this faire land and river in which the higher we went the better we liked it and returned to our ship By the way we met a Canow that much desired one of our men to go vp to their Basshabes but we knew their intents and so turned them off and though we had both time and provision to haue discovered much more and might haue found peradventure good trade yet because our company was but small we would not hazzard so hopefull a businesse as this was either for our private or particular ends being more regardfull of a publicke good and promulgating Gods holy Church by planting Christianity which was the intent of our adventurers so well as ours returning by the Isles in the entry of the Sound we called them St Georges Isles because on sunday we set out of England on sunday also the 16. of Iune we departed hence When we had run 30. leagues we had 40. fadom â—hen 70. then 100. After 2. or 3. watches more we were in 24. fadoms where we tooke so much Cod as we did know what to doe with and the 18. of Iuly came to Dartmouth and all our men as well God be thanked as when they went forth Thus may you see God hath not all his gifts bestowed on all or any one Words sweetest and wits sharpest courage strength of bone All rarities of minde and parts doe all concurre in none Written by Iames Rosier one of the Voyage VIRGINIA ⧠The second Booke THE SIXT VOYAGE 1606. To another part of Virginia where now are Planted our English Colonies Whom God increase and preserue Discovered and Described by Captaine IOHN SMITH sometimes Governour of the Countrey BY these former relations you may see what incoÌ„veniences still crossed those good intents and how great a mattter it was all this time to finde but a Harbour although there be so many But this Virginia is a Country in America betweene the degrees of 34. and 45. of the North latitude The bounds thereof on the East side are the great Ocean on the South lyeth Florida on the North nova Francia as for the West thereof the limits are vnknowne Of all this Country we purpose nor to speake but onely of that part which was planted by the English men in the yeare of our Lord 1606. And this is vnder the degrees 37.38 and 39. The temperature of this Country doth agree well with English constitutions being once seasoned to the Country Which appeared by this that though by many occasions our people fell sicke yet did they recover by very small meanes and continued in health though there were
other great causes not onely to haue made them sicke but even to end their dayes c. The Sommer is hot as in Spaine the Winter cold as in France or England The heat of sommer is in Iune Iuly and August but commonly the coole Breeses asswage the vehemency of the heat The chiefe of winter is halfe December Ianuary February and halfe March The colde is extreame sharpe but here the Proverbe is true that no extreame long continueth In the yeare 1607. was an extraordinary frost in most of Europe and this frost was found as extreame in Virginia But the next yeare for 8. or 10. dayes of ill weather other 14. dayes would be as Sommer The windes here are variable but the like thunder and lightning to purifie the ayre I haue seldome either seene or heard in Europe From the Southwest came the greatest gusts with thunder and heat The Northwest winde is commonly coole and bringeth faire weather with it From the North is the greatest cold and from the East and Southeast as from the Barmudas fogs and raines Some times there are great droughts other times much raine yet great necessitie of neither by reason we see not but that all the raritie of needfull fruits in Europe may be there in great plentie by the industry of men as appeareth by those we there Planted There is but one entrance by Sea into this Country and that is at the mouth of a very goodly Bay 18. or 20. myles broad The cape on the South is called Cape Henry in honour of our most noble Prince The land white hilly sands like vnto the Downes and all along the shores great plentie of Pines and Firres The north Cape is called Cape Charles in honour of the worthy Duke of Yorke The Isles before it Smith's Isles by the name of the discover Within is a country that may haue the prerogatiue over the most pleasant places knowne for large and pleasant navigable Rivers heaven earth never agreed better to frame a place for mans habitation were it fully manured and inhabited by industrious people Here are mountaines hils plaines valleyes rivers and brookes all running most pleasantly into a faire Bay compassed but for the mouth with fruitfull and delightsome land In the Bay and rivers are many Isles both great small some woody some plaine most of them low and not inhabited This Bay lyeth North and South in which the water floweth neare 200. myles and hath a channell for 140 myles of depth betwixt 6 and 15 fadome holding in breadth for the most part 10 or 14 myles From the head of the Bay to the Northwest the land is mountanous and so in a manner from thence by a Southwest line So that the more Southward the farther off from the Bay are those mountaines From which fall certaine brookes which after come to fiue principall navigable rivers These run from the Northwest into the South east and so into the West side of the Bay where the fall of every River is within 20 or 15 myles one of another The mountaines are of divers natures for at the head of the Bay the rockes are of a composition like Mill stones Some of Marble c. And many peeces like Christall we found as throwne downe by water from those mountaines For in Winter they are covered with much snow and when it dissolveth the waters fall with such violence that it causeth great inundations in some narrow valleyes which is scarce perceived being once in the rivers These waters wash from the rocks such glistering tinctures that the ground in some places seemeth as guilded where both the rocks and the earth are so splendent to behold that better iudgements then ours might haue beene perswaded they contained more then probabilities The vesture of the earth in most places doth manifestly proue the nature of the soyle to be lusty and very rich The colour of the earth we found in diverse places resembleth bole Armoniac terra sigillata and Lemnia Fullers earth Marle and divers other such appearances But generally for the most part it is a blacke sandy mould in some places a fat slimy clay in other places a very barren gravell But the best ground is knowne by the vesture it beareth as by the greatnesse of trees or abundance of weeds c. The Country is not mountanous nor yet low but such pleasant plaine hils and fertile valleyes one prettily crossing another watered so conveniently with fresh brookes and springs no lesse commodious then delightsome By the rivers are many plaine marishes containing some 20 some 100. some 200 Acres some more some lesse Other plaines there are few but onely where the Salvages inhabit but all overgrowne with trees weeds being a plaine wildernesse as God first made it On the west side of the Bay we sayd were 5. faire and delightfull navigable rivers The first of those and the next to the mouth of the Bay hath his course from the West Northwest It is called Powhatan according to the name of a principall country that lyeth vpon it The mouth of this river is neare three myles in breadth yet doe the shoules force the Channell so neare the land that a Sacre will overshoot it at point blanke It is navigable 150 myles the shouldes and soundings are here needlesse to be expressed It falleth from Rockes farre west in a Country inhabited by a nation they call Monacans But where it commeth into our discovery it is Powhatan In the farthest place that was diligently observed are falles rockes shoules c. which makes it past navigation any higher Thence in the running downeward the river is enriched with many goodly brookes which are maintained by an infinit number of small rundles and pleasant springs that disperse themselues for best service as do the veines of a mans body From the South there fals into it First the pleasant river of Apamatuck Next more to the East are two small rivers of Quiyoughcohanocke A little farther is a Bay wherein falleth 3 or 4 prettie brookes creekes that halfe intrench the Inhabitants of Warraskoyac then the river of Nandsamund and lastly the brooke of Chisapeack From the North side is the river of Chickahamania the backe river of Iames Towne another by the Cedar Isle where we liued ten weekes vpon Oysters then a convenient harbour for Fisher boats at Kecoughtan that so turneth it selfe into Bayes and Creekes it makes that place very pleasant to inhabit their cornefields being girded therein in a manner as Peninsulaes The most of these rivers are inhabited by severall nations or rather families of the name of the rivers They haue also over those some Governour as their King which they call Werowances In a Peninsula on the North side of this river are the English Planted in a place by them called Iames Towne in honour of the Kings most excellent Maiestie The first and next the rivers
mouth are the Kecoughtans who besides their women children haue not past 20. fighting men The Paspaheghes on whose land is seated Iames Towne some 40. myles from the Bay haue not past 40. The river called Chickahamania neare 250. The Weanocks 100. The Arrowhatocks 30. The place called Powhatan some 40. On the South side this river the Appamatucks haue sixtie fighting men The Quiyougcohanocks 25. The Nandsamūds 200. The Chesapeacks 100. Of this last place the Bay beareth the name In all these places is a severall commander which they call Werowance except the Chickahamanians who are governed by the Priests and their Assistants or their Elders called Caw-cawwassoughes In sommer no place affordeth more plentie of Sturgeon nor in winter more abundance of foule especially in the time of frost I tooke once 52 Sturgeons at a draught at another 68. From the later end of May till the end of Iune are taken few but yong Sturgeons of two foot or a yard long From thence till the midst of September them of two or three yards long and few others And in 4 or 5 houres with one Net were ordinarily taken 7 or 8 often more seldome lesse In the small rivers all the yeare there is good plentie of small fish so that with hookes those that would take paines had sufficient Foureteene myles Northward from the river Powhatan is the river Pamavnkee which is navigable 60 or 70 myles but with Catches and small Barkes 30 or 40 myles farther At the ordinary flowing of the salt water it divideth it selfe into two gallant branches On the South side inhabit the people of Youghtanund who haue about 60 men for warres On the North branch Mattapament who haue 30 men Where this river is divided the Country is called Pamavnkee and nourisheth neare 300 able men About 25. myles lower on the North side of this river is Werawocomoco where their great King inhabited when I was delivered him prisoner yet there are not past 40 able men Ten or twelue myles lower on the South side of this river is Chiskiack which hath some 40 or 50 men These as also Apamatuck Irrohatock and Powhatan are their great Kings chiefe alliance and inhabitants The rest his Conquests Before we come to the third river that falleth from the mountaines there is another river some 30 myles navigable that commeth from the Inland called Payankatanke the Inhabitants are about 50 or 60 serviceable men The third navigable river is called Toppahanock This is navigable some 130 myles At the top of it inhabit the people called Mannahoacks amongst the mountaines but they are aboue the place we described Vpon this river on the North side are the people Cuttatawomen with 30 fighting men Higher are the Moraughtacunds with 80. Beyond them Rapahanock with 100. Far aboue is another Cuttatawomen with 20. On the South is the pleasant seat of Nantaughtacund having 150 men This river also as the two former is replenished with fish and foule The fourth river is called Patawomeke 6 or 7 myles in breadth It is navigable 140 myles and fed as the rest with many sweet rivers and springs which fall from the bordering hils These hils many of them are planted and yeeld no lesse plentie and varietie of fruit then the river exceedeth with abundance of fish It is inhabited on both sides First on the South side at the very entrance is Wighcocomoco hath some 130 men beyond them Sekacawone with 30. The Onawmanient with 100. And the Patawomekes more then 200. Here doth the river divide it selfe into 3 or 4 convenient branches The greatest of the least is called Quiyough trending Northwest but the river it selfe turneth Northeast and is still a navigable streame On the Westerne side of this bought is Tauxenent with 40 men On the North of this river is Secowocomoco with 40. Somewhat further Potapaco with 20. In the East part is Pamacaeack with 60. After Moyowance with 100. And lastly Nacotchtanke with 80. The river aboue this place maketh his passage downe a low pleasant valley overshaddowed in many places with high rocky mountaines from whence distill innumerable sweet and pleasant springs The fift river is called Pawtuxunt of a lesse proportion then the rest but the channell is 16 fadome deepe in some places Here are infinit skuls of divers kindes of fish more then elswhere Vpon this river dwell the people called Acquintanacksuak Pawtuxunt and Mattapanient Two hundred men was the greatest strength that could be there perceived But they inhabit together and not so dispersed as the rest These of all other we found most civill to giue intertainement Thirtie leagues Northward is a river not inhabited yet navigable for the red clay resembling bole Armoniack we called it Bolus At the end of the Bay where it is 6 or 7 myles in breadth it divides it selfe into 4. branches the best commeth Northwest from among the mountaines but though Canows may goe a dayes iourney or two vp it we could not get two myles vp it with our boat for rockes Vpon it is seated the Sasquesahanocks neare it North and by West runneth a creeke a myle and a halfe at the head whereof the Eble left vs on shore where we found many trees cut with hatchets The next tyde keeping the shore to seeke for some Salvages for within thirtie leagues sayling we saw not any being a barren Country we went vp another small river like a creeke 6 or 7 myle From thence returning we met 7 Canowes of the Massowomeks with whom we had conference by signes for we vnderstood one another scarce a word the next day we discovered the small river people of Tockwhogh trending Eastward Having lost our Grapnell among the rocks of Sasquesahanocks we were then neare 200 myles from home and our Barge about two runs and had in it but 12 men to performe this Discovery wherein we lay aboue 12 weekes vpon those great waters in those vnknowne Countries having nothing but a little meale oatemeale and water to feed vs and scarce halfe sufficient of that for halfe that time but what provision we got among the Salvages and such rootes and fish as we caught by accident and Gods direction nor had we a Mariner nor any had skill to trim the sayles but two saylers and my selfe the rest being Gentlemen or them were as ignorant in such toyle and labour Yet necessitie in a short time by good words and examples made them doe that that caused them ever after to feare no colours What I did with this small meanes I leaue to the Reader to iudge and the Mappe I made of the Country which is but a small matter in regard of the magnitude thereof But to proceed 60 of those Sasquesahanocks came to vs with skins Bowes Arrows Targets Beads Swords and Tobacco pipes for presents Such great and well proportioned men are seldome seene for they seemed like Giants to the English yea and
to the neighbours yet seemed of an honest and simple disposition with much adoe restrained from adoring vs as Gods Those are the strangest people of all those Countries both in language attire for their language it may well beseeme their proportions sounding from them as a voyce in a vault Their attire is the skinnes of Beares and Woolues some haue Cassacks made of Beares heads skinnes that a mans head goes through the skinnes neck and the eares of the Beare fastned to his shoulders the nose and teeth hanging downe his breast another Beares face split behind him and at the end of the nose hung a Pawe the halfe sleeues comming to the elbowes were the neckes of Beares and the armes through the mouth with pawes hanging at their noses One had the head of a Woolfe hanging in a chaine for a Iewell his Tobacco pipe three quarters of a yard long prettily carued with a Bird a Deere or some such devise at the great end sufficient to beat out ones braines with Bowes Arrowes and clubs sutable to their greatnesse These are scarse knowne to Powhatan They can make neare 600 able men and are pallifadoed in their Townes to defend them from the Massawomekes their mortall enemies Fiue of their chiefe Werowances came aboord vs and crossed the Bay in their Barge The picture of the greatest of them is signified in the Mappe The calfe of whose leg was three quarters of a yard about and all the rest of his limbes so answerable to that proportion that he seemed the goodliest man we ever beheld His hayre the one side was long the other shore close with a ridge over his crowne like a cocks combe His arrowes were fiue quarters long headed with the splinters of a white christall-like stone in forme of a heart an inch broad and an inch and a halfe or more long These he wore in a Woolues skinne at his backe for his Quiver his bow in the one hand and his clubbe in the other as is described On the East side the Bay is the river Tockwhogh and vpon it a people that can make 100 men seated some seaven myles within the river where they haue a Fort very well pallisadoed and mantelled with barkes of trees Next them is Ozinies with sixty men More to the South of that East side of the Bay the river Rapahanock neere vnto which is the river Kuskarawaock Vpon which is seated a people with 200 men After that is the river Tants Wighcocomoco on it a people with 100 men The people of those rivers are of little stature of another language from the rest very rude But they on the river Acohanock with 40 men they of Accomack 80 men doth equalize any of the Territories of Powhatan and speake his language who over all those doth rule as King Southward we went to some parts of Chawonock and the Mangoags to search for them left by Mr White Amongst those people are thus many severall Nations of sundry Languages that environ Powhatans Territories The Chawonockes the Mangoags the Monacans the Mannahokes the Masawomekes the Powhatans the Sasquesahanocks the Atquanachukes the Tockwoghes and the Kuscarawaokes All those not any one vnderstandeth another but by Interpreters Their severall habitations are more plainly described by this annexed Mappe which will present to the eye the way of the mountaines and current of the rivers with their severall turnings bayes shoules Isles Inlets and creekes the breadth of the waters the distances of places and such like In which Mappe obserue this that as far as you see the little Crosses on rivers mountaines or other places haue beene discovered the rest was had by information of the Savages and are set downe according to their instructions Thus haue I walkt a wayless way with vncouth pace Which yet no Christian man did ever trace But yet I know this not affects the minde Which eares doth heare as that which eyes doe finde Of such things which are naturally in Virginia and how they vse them VIRGINIA doth afford many excellent vegetables and liuing Creatures yet grasse there is little or none but what groweth in low Marishes for all the Countrey is overgrowne with trees whose droppings continually turneth their grasse to weeds by reason of the rancknes of the ground which would soone be amended by good husbandry The wood that is most common is Oke and Walnut many of their Okes are so tall straight that they will beare two foote and a halfe square of good timber for 20 yards long Of this wood there is two or three severall kinds The Acornes of one kinde whose barke is more white then the other somewhat sweetish which being boyled at last affords a sweet oyle that they keepe in gourds to annoint their heads and ioynts The fruit they eate made in bread or otherwise There is also some Elme some blacke Walnut tree and some Ash of Ash and Elme they make sope Ashes If the trees be very great the Ashes will be good and melt to hard lumps but if they be small it will be but powder and not so good as the other Of walnuts there is 2 or 3 kindes there is a kinde of wood we called Cypres because both the wood the fruit and leafe did most resemble it and of those trees there are some neare three fadome about at the foot very straight and 50 60 or 80 foot without a branch By the dwelling of the Salvages are some great Mulbery trees and in some parts of the Countrey they are found growing naturally in prettie groues There was an assay made to make silke and surely the wormes prospered excellent well till the master workeman fell sicke During which time they were eaten with Rats In some parts were found some Chesnuts whose wild fruit equalize the best in France Spaine Germany or Italy Plums there are of three sorts The red and white are like our hedge plums but the other which they call Putchamins grow as high as a Palmeta the fruit is like a Medler it is first greene then yellow and red when it is ripe if it be not ripe it will draw a mans mouth awry with much torment but when it is ripe it is as delicious as an Apricot They haue Cherries and those are much like a Damson but for their tastes and colour we called them Cherries We saw some few Crabs but very small and bitter Of vines great abundance in many parts that climbe the toppes of the highest trees in some places but these beare but few grapes Except by the rivers savage habitations where they are not overshadowed from the sunne they are covered with fruit though never pruined nor manured Of those hedge grapes we made neere twentie gallons of wine which was like our French Brittish wine but certainely they would proue good were they well manured There is another sort of grape neere as great as a
Cherry this they call Messamins they be satte and the iuyce thicke Neither doth the taste so well please when they are made in wine They haue a small fruit growing on little trees husked like a Chesnut but the fruit most like a very small Acorne This they call Chechinquamins which they esteeme a great daintie They haue a berry much like our Gooseberry in greatnesse colour and tast those they call Rawcomens and doe eat them raw or boyled Of these naturall fruits they liue a great part of the yeare which they vse in this manner The Walnuts Chesnuts Acornes and Chechinquamins are dryed to keepe When they need walnuts they breake them betweene two stones yet some part of the shels will cleaue to the fruit Then doe they dry them againe vpon a Mat over a hurdle After they put it into a morter of wood and beat it very small that done they mix it with water that the shels may sinke to the bottome This water will be coloured as milke which they call Pawcohiccora and keepe it for their vse The fruit like Medlers they call Putchamins they cast vpon hurdles on a Mat and preserue them as Pruines Of their Chesnuts and Chechinquamins boyled they make both broath and bread for their chiefe men or at their greatest feasts Besides those fruit trees there is a white Popular and another tree like vnto it that yeeldeth a very cleare and an odoriferous Gumme like Turpentine which some called Balsom There are also Cedars and Saxafras trees They also yeeld gummes in a small proportion of themselues Wee tryed conclusions to extract it out of the wood but nature afforded more then our arts In the watry valleyes groweth a Berry which they call Ocoughtanamnis very much like vnto Capers These they dry in sommer When they eat them they boile them neare halfe a day for otherwise they differ not much from poyson Mattoum groweth as our Bents The feed is not much vnlike to Rie though much smaller This they vse for a daintie bread buttered with deare suet During Sommer there are either Strawberries which ripen in Aprill or Mulberries which ripen in May and Iune Raspises hurts or a fruit that the inhabitants call Maracocks which is a pleasant wholsome fruit much like a Lemond Many herbes in the spring are cōmonly dispersed throughout the woods good for brothes and sallets as Violets Purslain Sorrell c. Besides many we vsed whose names we know not The chiefe root they haue for food is called Tockawhoughe It groweth like a flagge in Marishes In one day a Salvage will gather sufficient for a weeke These roots are much of the greatnesse and taste of Potatoes They vse to cover a great many of them with Oke leaues and Ferne and then cover all with earth in the manner of a Cole-pit over it on each side they continue a great fire 24 houres before they dare eat it Raw it is no better then poyson and being rosted except it be tender and the heat abated or sliced and dryed in the Sunne mixed with sorrell and meale or such like it will prickle and torment the throat extreamely and yet in sommer they vse this ordinarily for bread They haue another roote which they call Wighsacan as th' other feedeth the body so this cureth their hurts and diseases It is a small root which they bruise and apply to the wound Pocones is a small root that groweth in the mountaines which being dryed and beate in powder turneth red And this they vse for swellings aches annointing their ioynts painting their heads and garments They account it very precious and of much worth Musquaspen is a roote of the bignesse of a finger and as red as bloud In drying it will wither almost to nothing This they vse to paint their Mattes Targets and such like There is also Pellitory of Spaine Sasafrage and divers other simples which the Apothecaries gathered and commended to be good and medicinable In the low Marishes grow plots of Onyons containing an Acre of ground or more in many places but they are small not past the bignesse of the toppe of ones Thumbe Of beasts the chiefe are Deere nothing differing from ours In the deserts towards the heads of the rivers there are many but amongst the rivers few There is a beast they call Aroughcun much like a badger but vseth to liue on trees as Squirrels doe Their Squirrels some are neare as great as our smallest sort of wilde Rabbets some blackish or blacke and white but the most are gray A small beast they haue they call Assapanick but we call them flying Squirrels because spreading their legs and so stretching the largenesse of their skins that they haue beene seene to fly 30 or 40 yards An Opassom hath a head like a Swine and a taile like a Rat and is of the bignesse of a Cat. Vnder her belly shee hath a bagge wherein she lodgeth carrieth and suckleth her young A Mussascus is a beast of the forme and nature of our water Rats but many of them smell exceeding strongly of Muske Their Hares no bigger then our Conies and few of them to be found Their Beares are very little in comparison of those of Muscovia and Tartaria The Beaver is as big as an ordinary water dog but his legs exceeding short His forefeete like a dogs his hinder feet like a Swans His taile somewhat like the forme of a Racket bare without haire which to eat the Salvages esteeme a great delicate They haue many Otters which as the Beaver's they take with snares and esteeme the skins great ornaments and of all those beasts they vse to feed when they catch them An Vtchunquoyes is like a wilde Cat. Their Foxes are like our silver haired Conies of a small proportion and not smelling like those in England Their Dogges of that Country are like their Woolues and cannot barke but howle and the Woolues not much bigger then our English Foxes Martins Powlecats Weesels and Minkes we know they haue because we haue seene many of their skinnes though very seldome any of them aliue But one thing is strange that we could never perceiue their Vermine destroy our Hennes Egges nor Chickens nor doe any hurt nor their flyes nor serpents any way pernicious where in the South parts of America they are alwayes dangerous and often deadly Of Birds the Eagle is the greatest devourer Hawkes there be of divers sorts as our Falconers called them Sparrow-hawkes Lanarets Goshawkes Falcons and Osperayes but they all prey most vpon fish Their Partridges are little bigger then our Quailes Wilde Turkies are as bigge as our tame There are Woosels or Blackbirds with red shoulders Thrushes and divers sorts of small Birds some red some blew scarce so bigge as a Wrenne but few in Sommer In Winter there are great plentie of Swans Cranes gray and white with
blacke wings Herons Geese Brants Ducke Wigeon Dotterell Oxeies Parrats and Pigeons Of all those sorts great abundance and some other strange kinds to vs vnknowne by name But in Sommer not any or a very few to be seene Of fish we were best acquainted with Sturgeon Grampus Porpus Seales Stingraies whose tailes are very dangerous Bretts Mullets white Salmonds Trowts Soles Plaice Herrings Conyfish Rockfish Eeles Lampreysâ—punc Catfish Shadesâ—punc Pâ—arch of three sorts Crabs Shrimps Crevises Oysters Cocles and Mâ—scles But the most strange fish is a small one so like the picture of St George his Dragon as possible can be except his legs and wings and the Toadefish which will swell till it be like to burst when it commeth into the ayre Concerning the entrailes of the earth little can be said for certaintie There wanted good Refiners for those that tooke vpon them to haue skill this way tooke vp the washings from the mountaines and some moskered shining stones and spangles which the waters brought downe flattering themselues in their owne vaine conceits to haue beene supposed what they were not by the meanes of that ore if it proued as their arts and iudgements expected Onely this is certaine that many regions lying in the same latitude afford Mines very rich of divers natures The crust also of these rockes would easily perswade a man to beleeue there are other Mines then yron and steele if there were but meanes and men of experience that knew the Mine from Spar. Of their Planted fruits in Virginia and how they vse them THey divide the yeare into fiue seasons Their winter some call Popanow the spring Cattapeuk the sommer Cohattayough the earing of their Corne Nepinough the harvest and fall of leafe Taquitock From September vntill the midst of November are the chiefe feasts sacrifice Then haue they plentie of fruits as well planted as naturall as corne greene and ripe fish fowle and wilde beasts exceeding fat The greatest labour they take is in planting their corne for the Country naturally is overgrowne with wood To prepare the ground they bruise the barke of the trees neare the root then doe they scortch the roots with fire that they grow no more The next yeare with a crooked peece of wood they beat vp the weeds by the rootes and in that mould they plant their Corne. Their manner is this They make a hole in the earth with a sticke and into it they put foure graines of wheate and two of beanes These holâ—s they make foure foote one from another Their women and children do continually keepe it with weeding and when it is growne middle high they hill it about like a hop-yard In Aprill they begin to plant but their chiefe plantation is in May and so they continue till the midst of Iune What they plant in Aprill they reape in August for May in September for Iune in October Every stalke of their corne commonly beareth two eares some three seldome any foure many but one and some none Every care ordinarily hath betwixt 200 and 500 graines The stalke being greene hath a sweet iuice in it somewhat like a sugar Cane which is the cause that when they gather their corne greene they sucke the stalkes for as we gather greene pease so doe they their corne being greene which excelleth their old They plant also pease they call Assentamenâ— which are the same they call in Italy Fagâ—h Their Beanes are the same the Turkes call Garnanses but these they much esteeme for dainties Their corne they rost in the eare greene and bruising it in a morter of wood with a Polt lap it in rowles in the leaues of their corne and so boyle it for a daintie They also reserue that corne late planted that will not ripe by roasting it in hot ashes the heat thereof drying it In winter they esteeme it being boyled with beanes for a rare dish they call Pausarowmena Their old wheat they first steepe a night in hot water in the morning pounding it in a morter They vse a small basket for their Temmes then pound againe the great and so separating by dashing their hand in the basket receiue the flower in a platter made of wood scraped to that forme with burning and shels Tempering this flower with water they make it either in cakes covering them with ashes till they be baked and then washing them in faire water they drie presently with their owne heat or else boyle them in water eating the broth with the bread which they call Ponap The grouces and peeces of the cornes remaining by fanning in a Platter or in the wind away the branne they boyle 3 or 4 houres with water which is an ordinary food they call Vstatahamen But some more thriftie then cleanly doe burne the core of the eare to powder which they call Pungnough mingling that in their meale but it never tasted well in bread nor broth Their fish flesh they boyle either very tenderly or boyle it so long on hurdles over the fire or else after the Spanish fashion putting it on a spit they turne first the one side then the other till it be as drie as their ierkin Beefe in the west Indies that they may keepe it a moneth or more without putrifying The broth of fish or flesh they eat as commonly as the meat In May also amongst their corne they plant Pumpeons and a fruit like vnto a muske mellon but lesse and worse which they call Macocks These increase exceedingly and ripen in the beginning of Iuly and continue vntill September They plant also Maracocks a wild fruit like a Lemmon which also increase infinitely They begin to ripe in September and continue till the end of October When all their fruits be gathered little els they plant and this is done by their women and children neither doth this long suffice them for neare three parts of the yeare they onely obserue times and seasons and liue of what the Country naturally affordeth from hand to mouth c. The Commodities in Virginia or that may be had by Industrie THe mildnesse of the ayre the fertilitie of the soyle and situation of the rivers are so propitious to the nature and vse of man as no place is more convenient for pleasure profit and mans sustenance vnder that latitude or climat Here will liue any beasts as horses goats sheepe asses hens c. as appeared by them that were carried thether The waters Isles and shoales are full of safe harbours for ships of warre or marchandize for boats of all sorts for transportation or fishing c. The Bay and rivers haue much marchantable fish and places fit for Salt coats building of ships making of Iron c. Muscovia and Polonia doe yearely receiue many thousands for pitch tarre sope-ashes Rosen Flax Cordage Sturgeon Masts Yards Wainscot Firres Glasse and such like also Swethland for Iron and Copper France in like manner for Wine Canvas and
of trading is for copper beads and such like for which they giue such commodities as they haue as skins foule fish flesh and their Country Corne. But their victualls are their chiefest riches Every spring they make themselues sicke with drinking the iuyce of a roote they call Wighsacan and water whereof they powre so great a quantitie that it purgeth them in a very violent manner so that in three or foure dayes after they scarce recover their former health Sometimes they are troubled with dropsies swellings aches and such like diseases for cure whereof they build a Stoue in the forme of a Doue-house with mats so close that a few coales therein covered with a pot will make the patient sweat extreamely For swellings also they vse small peeces of touchwood in the forme of cloues which pricking on the griefe they burne close to the flesh and from thence draw the corruption with their mouth With this roote Wighsacan they ordinarily heale greene wounds But to scarrifie a swelling or make incision their best instruments are some splinted stone Old vlcers or putrified hurts are seldome seene cured amongst them They haue many professed Phisicians who with their charmes and Rattles with an infernall rout of words and actions will seeme to sucke their inward griefe from their navels or their grieued places but of our Chirurgians they were so conceited that they beleeued any Plaister would heale any hurt But 't is not alwayes in Phisicians skill To heale the Patient that is sicke and ill For sometimes sicknesse on the Patients part Proues stronger farre then all Phisicians art Of their Religion THere is yet in Virginia no place discovered to be so Savage in which they haue not a Religion Deere and Bow and Arrowes All things that are able to doe them hurt beyond their prevention they adore with their kinde of divine worship as the fire water lightning thunder our Ordnance peeces horses c. But their chiefe God they worship is the Devill Him they call Okee and serue him more of feare then loue They say they haue conference with him and fashion themselues as neare to his shape as they can imagine In their Temples they haue his image euill favouredly carved and then painted and adorned with chaines of copper and beads and covered with a skin in such manner as the deformitie may well suit with such a God By him is commonly the sepulcher of their Kings Their bodies are first bowelled then dried vpon hurdles till they be very dry and so about the most of their ioynts and necke they hang bracelets or chaines of copper pearle and such like as they vse to weare their inwards they stuffe with copper beads hatchets and such trash Then lappe they them very carefully in white skins and so rowle them in mats for their winding sheets And in the Tombe which is an arch made of mats they lay them orderly What remaineth of this kinde of wealth their Kings haue they set at their feet in baskets These Temples and bodies are kept by their Priests For their ordinary burials they dig a deepe hole in the earth with sharpe stakes and the corpse being lapped in skins and mats with their iewels they lay them vpon stickes in the ground and so cover them with earth The buriall ended the women being painted all their faces with blacke cole and oyle doe sit twenty-foure houres in the houses mourning and lamenting by turnes with such yelling and howling as may expresse their great passions In every Territory of a Werowance is a Temple and a Priest two or three or more Their principall Temple or place of superstition is at Vitamussack at Pamavnkâ—e neare vnto which is a house Temple or place of Powhatans Vpon the top of certaine red sandy hils in the woods there are three great houses filled with images of their Kings and Devils and Tombes of their Predecessors Those houses are neare sixtie foot in length built arbour-wise after their building This place they count so holy as that but the Priests Kings dare come into them nor the Salvages dare not goe vp the river in boats by it but they solemnly cast some peece of copper white beads or Pocones into the river for feare their Okee should be offended and revenged of them Thus Feare was the first their Gods begot Till feare began their Gods were not In this place commonly are resident seauen Priests The chiefe differed from the rest in his ornaments but inferior Priests could hardly be knowne from the common people but that they had not so many holes in their eares to hang their iewels at The ornaments of the chiefe Priest were certaine attires for his head made thus They tooke a dosen or 16 or more snakes skins and stuffed them with mosse and of Weesels and other Vermines skins a good many All these they tie by their tailes so as all their tailes meete in the toppe of their head like a great Tassell Round about this Tassell is as it were a crowne of feathers the skins hang round about his head necke and shoulders and in a manner cover his face The faces of all their Priests are painted as vgly as they can devise in their hands they had every one his Rattle some base some smaller Their devotion was most in songs which the chiefe Priest beginneth and the rest followed him sometimes he maketh invocations with broken sentences by starts and strange passions and at every pause the rest giue a short groane Thus seeke they in deepe foolishnesse To climbe the height of happinesse It could not be perceiued that they keepe any day as more holy then other But onely in some great distresse of want feare of enemies times of triumph and gathering together their fruits the whole Country of men women and children come together to solemnities The manner of their devotion is sometimes to make a great fire in the house or fields and all to sing and dance about it with Rattles and shouts together foure or fiue houres Sometimes they set a man in the midst and about him they dance and sing he all the while clapping his hands as if he would keepe time and after their songs and dauncings ended they goe to â—heir Feasts Through God begetting feare Mans blinded minde did reare A hell-god to the ghosts A heaven-god to the hoasts Yea God vnto the Seas Feare did create all these They haue also divers coniurations one they made when I was their prisoner of which hereafter you shall reade at large They haue also certaine Altar stones they call Pawcorances but these stand from their Temples some by their houses others in the woods and wildernesâ—es where they haue had any extraordinary accident or incounter And as you travell at those stones they will tell you the cause why they were there erected which from age to age they instruct their children as their best records of antiquities
it haue rest and ease The names of them that were the first Planters were these following Councel Mr Edward Maria Wingfield Captaine Bartholomew Gosnoll Captaine Iohn Smith Captaine Iohn Ratliffe Captaine Iohn Martin Captaine George Kendall Gent. Mr Robert Hunt Preacher Mr George Percie Anthony Gosnoll George Flower Cap. Gabriell Archer Robert Fenton Robert Ford. William Bruster Edward Harrington Dru Pickhouse Thomas Iacob Iohn Brookes Ellis Kingston Thomas Sands Beniamin Beast Iehu Robinson Thomas Mouton Eustace Clovill Stephen Halthrop Kellam Throgmorton Edward Morish Nathaniell Powell Edward Browne Robert Bebethland Iohn Penington Ieremy Alicock George Walker Thomas Studley Richard Crofts Nicholas Houlgraue Thomas Webbt Iohn Waller Iohn Short William Tankard William Smethes Francis Snarsbrough Richard Simons Edward Brookes Richard Dixon Iohn Martin Roger Cooke Anthony Gosnold Tho Wotton Chirurg Iohn Stevenson Thomas Gore Henry Adling Francis Midwinter Richard Frith Carpenters William Laxon Edward Pising Thomas Emry Robert Small Labourers Iohn Laydon William Cassen George Cassen Thomas Cassen William Rodes William White Old Edward Henry Tavin George Goulding Iohn Dods William Iohnson William Vnger Iam Read Blacksmith Ionas Profit Sailer Tho Cowper Barber Will Garret Bricklayer Edward Brinto Mason William Loue Taylor Nic Scot Drum Wil Wilkinson Chirurg Samuell Collier boy Nat. Pecock boy Iames Brumfield boy Richard Mutton boy With divers others to the number of 100. CHAP. II. What happened till the first supply BEing thus left to our fortunes it fortuned that within ten dayes scarce ten amongst vs could either goe or well stand such extreame weaknes and sicknes oppressed vs. And thereat none need marvaile if they consider the cause and reason which was this whilest the ships stayed our allowance was somewhat bettered by a daily proportion of Bisket which the sailers would pilfer to sell giue or exchange with vs for money Saxefras furres or loue But when they departed there remained neither taverne beere house nor place of reliefe but the common Kettell Had we beene as free from all sinnes as gluttony and drunkennesse we might haue beene canonized for Saints But our President would never haue beene admitted for ingrossing to his private Oatmeale Sacke Oyle Aqua-vitae Beefe Egges or what not but the Kettell that indeed he allowed equally to be distributed and that was halfe a pint of wheat and as much barley boyled with water for a man a day and this having fryed some 26. weekes in the ships hold contained as many wormes as graines so that we might truely call it rather so much bran then corne our drinke was water our lodgings Castles in the ayre with this lodging and dyet our extreame toile in bearing and planting Pallisadoes so strained and bruised vs and our continuall labour in the extremitie of the heat had so weakned vs as were cause sufficient to haue made vs as miserable in our natiue Countrey or any other place in the world From May to September those that escaped liued vpon Sturgeon and Sea-crabs fiftie in this time we buried the rest seeing the Presidents proiects to escape these miseries in our Pinnace by flight who all this time had neither felt want nor sicknes so moved our dead spirits as we deposed him and established Ratcliffe in his place Gosnoll being dead Kendall deposed Smith newly recovered Martin and Ratcliffe was by his care preserved and relieued and the most of the souldiers recovered with the skilfull diligence of Mr Thomas Wotton our Chirurgian generall But now was all our provision spent the Sturgeon gone all helps abandoned each houre expecting the fury of the Salvages when God the patron of all good indevours in that desperate extremitie so changed the hearts of the Salvages that they brought such plenty of their fruits and provision as no man wanted And now where some affirmed it was ill done of the Councell to send forth men so badly provided this incontradictable reason will shew them plainely they are too ill advised to nourish such ill conceits first the fault of our going was our owne what could be thought fitting or necessary we had but what we should find or want or where we should be we were all ignorant and supposing to make our passage in two moneths with victuall to liue and the advantage of the spring to worke we were at Sea fiue moneths where we both spent our victuall and lost the opportunitie of the time and season to plant by the vnskilfull presumption of our ignorant transporters that vnderstood not at all what they vndertooke Such actions haue ever since the worlds beginning beene subiect to such accidents and every thing of worth is found full of difficulties but nothing so difficult as to establish a Common-wealth so farre remote from men and meanes and where mens mindes are so vntoward as neither doe well themselues nor suffer others But to proceed The new President and Martin being little beloved of weake iudgement in dangers and lesse industrie in peace committed the managing of all things abroad to Captaine Smith who by his owne example good words and faire promises set some to mow others to binde thatch some to build houses others to thatch them himselfe alwayes bearing the greatest taske for his owne share so that in short time he provided most of them lodgings neglecting any for himselfe This done seeing the Salvages superfluitie beginne to decrease with some of his workemen shipped himselfe in the Shallop to search the Country for trade The want of the language knowledge to mannage his boat without sailes the want of a sufficient power knowing the multitude of the Salvages apparell for his men and other necessaries were infinite impediments yet no discouragement Being but six or seauen in company he went downe the river to Kecoughtan where at first they scorned him as a famished man and would in derision offer him a handfull of Corne a peece of bread for their swords and muskets and such like proportions also for their apparell But seeing by trade and courtesie there was nothing to be had he made bold to try such conclusions as necessitie inforced though contrary to his Commission Let fly his muskets ran his boat on shore whereat they all fled into the woods So marching towards their houses they might see great heapes of corne much adoe he had to restraine his hungry souldiers from present taking of it expecting as it hapned that the Salvages would assault them as not long after they did with a most hydeous noyse Sixtie or seaventie of them some blacke some red some white some party-coloured came in a square order singing and dauncing out of the woods with their Okee which was an Idoll made of skinnes stuffed with mosse all painted and hung with chaines and copper borne before them and in this manner being well armed with Clubs Targets Bowes and Arrowes they charged the English that so kindly receiued them with their muskets loaden with Pistoll shot that downe fell their God and
wondrous shapes Of bodies strange and huge in growth and of stupendious makes At last they brought him to Meronocomoco where was Powhatan their Emperor Here more then two hundred of those grim Courtiers stood wondering at him as he had beene a monster till Powhatan and his trayne had put themselues in their greatest braveries Before a fire vpon a seat like a bedsted he sat covered with a great robe made of Rarowcun skinnes and all the tayles hanging by On either hand did sit a young wench of 16 or 18 yeares and along on each side the house two rowes of men and behind them as many women with all their heads and shoulders painted red many of their heads bedecked with the white downe of Birds but every one with something and a great chayne of white beads about their necks At his entrance before the King all the people gaue a great shout The Queene of Appamatuck was appointed to bring him water to wash his hands and another brought him a bunch of feathers in stead of a Towell to dry them having feasted him after their best barbarous manner they could a long consultation was held but the conclusion was two great stones were brought before Powhatan then as many as could layd hands on him dragged him to them and thereon laid his head and being ready with their clubs to beate out his braines Pocahontas the Kings dearest daughter when no intreaty could prevaile got his head in her armes and laid her owne vpon his to saue him from death whereat the Emperour was contented he should liue to make him hatchets and her bells beads and copper for they thought him aswell of all occupations as themselues For the King himselfe will make his owne robes shooes bowes arrowes pots plant hunt or doe any thing so well as the rest They say he bore a pleasant shew But sure his heart was sad For who can pleasant be and rest That liues in feare and dread And having life suspected doth It still suspected lead Two dayes after Powhatan having disguised himselfe in the most fearefullest manner he could caused Cap t Smith to be brought forth to a great house in the woods and there vpon a mat by the fire to be left alone Not long after from behinde a mat that divided the house was made the most dolefullest noyse he ever heard then Powhatan more like a devill then a man with some two hundred more as blacke as himselfe came vnto him and told him now they were friends and presently he should goe to Iames towne to send him two great gunnes and a gryndstone for which he would giue him the Country of Capahowosick and for ever esteeme him as his sonne Nantaquoud So to Iames towne with 12 guides Powhatan sent him That night they quarterd in the woods he still expecting as he had done all this long time of his imprisonment every houre to be put to one death or other for all their feasting But almightie God by his divine providence had mollified the hearts of those sterne Barbarians with compassion The next morning betimes they came to the Fort where Smith having vsed the Salvages with what kindnesse he could he shewed Rawhunt Powhatans trusty servant two demi-Culverings a mill-stone to carry Powhatan they found them somewhat too heavie but when they did see him discharge them being loaded with stones among the boughs of a great tree loaded with Isickles the yee and branches came so tumbling downe that the poore Salvages ran away halfe dead with feare But at last we regained some conference with them and gaue them such toyes and sent to Powhatan his women and children such presents as gaue them in generall full content Now in Iames Towne they were all in combustion the strongest preparing once more to run away with the Pinnace which with the hazzard of his life with Sakre falcon and musket shot Smith forced now the third time to stay or sinke Some no better then they should be had plotted with the President the next day to haue put him to death by the Leviticall law for the liues of Robinson and Emry pretending the fault was his that had led them to their ends but he quickly tooke such order with such Lawyers that he layd them by the heeles till he sent some of them prisoners for England Now ever once in foure or fiue dayes Pocahontas with her attendants brought him so much provision that saved many of their liues that els for all this had starved with hunger Thus from numbe death our good God sent reliefe The sweete asswager of all other griefe His relation of the plenty he had seene especially at Warawocomoco and of the state and bountie of Powhatan which till that time was vnknowne so revived their dead spirits especially the loue of Pocahontas as all mens feare was abandoned Thus you may see what difficulties still crossed any good indevour and the good successe of the businesse being thus oft brought to the very period of destruction yet you see by what strange means God hath still delivered it As for the insufficiency of them admitted in Commission that error could not be prevented by the Electors there being no other choise and all strangers to each others education qualities or disposition And if any deeme it a shame to our Nation to haue any mention made of those inormities let them pervse the Histories of the Spanyards Discoveries and Plantations where they may see how many mutinies disorders and dissentions haue accompanied them and crossed their attempts which being knowne to be particular mens offences doth take away the generall scorne and contempt which malice presumption covetousnesse or ignorance might produce to the scandall and reproach of those whose actions and valiant resolutions deserue a more worthy respect Now whether it had beene better for Captaine Smith to haue concluded with any of those severall proiects to haue abandoned the Countrey with some ten or twelue of them who were called the better sort and haue left Mr Hunt our Preacher Master Anthony Gosnoll a most honest worthy and industrious Gentleman Master Thomas Wotton and some 27 others of his Countrymen to the fury of the Salvages famine and all manner of mischiefes and inconveniences for they were but fortie in all to keepe possession of this large Country or starue himselfe with them for company for want of lodging or but adventuring abroad to make them provision or by his opposition to preserue the action and saue all their liues I leaue to the censure of all honest men to consider But We men imagine in our Iolitie That 't is all one or good or bad to be But then anone wee alter this againe If happily wee feele the sence of paine For then we 're turn'd into a mourning vaine Written by Thomas Studley the first Cape Merchant in Virginia Robert Fenton Edward Harrington and I. S. CHAP. III. The Arrivall of the first supply with their
feare being gone and our men recovered we were all content to take some paines to know the name of that seuen mile broad riuer for thirtie myles sayle we could see no inhabitants then we were conducted by two Savages vp a little bayed creeke towards Onawmanient where all the woods were layd with ambuscado's to the number of three or foure thousand Salvages so strangely paynted grimed and disguised shouting yelling and crying as so many spirits from hell could not haue shewed more terrible Many brauado's they made but to appeale their fury our Captaine prepared with as seeming a willingnesse as they to incounter them But the grazing of our bullets vpon the water many being shot on purpose they might see them with the Ecco of the of the woods so amazed them as downe went their bowes and arrowes and exchanging hostage Iames Watkins was sent six myles vp the woods to their Kings habitation We were kindly vsed of those Salvages of whom we vnderstood they were commanded to betray vs by the direction of Powhatan and he so directed from the discontents at Iames towne because our Captaine did cause them stay in their country against their wâ—lls The like incounters we found at Patowomek Cecocawonee and diuers other places but at Moyaones Nacotchtant and Toegs the people did their best to content vs. Hauing gone so high as we could with the bote we met diuers Saluages in Canowes well loaden with the flesh of Beares â—eere and other beasts whereof we had part here we found mighty Rocks growing in some places aboue the grownd as high as the shrubby trees and diuers other solid quarries of diuers tinctures and diuers places where the waters had falne from the high mountaines they had left a tinctured spaÌ„gled skurfe that made many bare places seeme as guilded Digging the growne aboue in the highest clifts of rocks we saw it was a claie sand so mingled with yeallow spangles as if it had beene halfe pin-dust In our returne inquiring still for this Matchqueon the king of Patawomeke gaue vs guides to conduct vs vp a little riuer called Quiyough vp which we rowed so high as we could Leauing the bote with six shot and diuers Salvages he marched seuen or eight myle before they came to the mine leading his hostages in a small chaine they were to haue for their paines being proud so richly to be adorned The mine is a great Rocky mountaine like Antimony wherein they digged a great hole with shells hatchets and hard by it runneth a fayre brooke of Christal-like water where they wash a way the drosse and keepe the remainder which they put in little baggs and sell it all ouer the country to paint there bodyes faces or Idols which makes them looke like Blackmores dusted over with siluer With so much as we could carry we returned to our bote kindly requiting this kinde king and all his kinde people The cause of this discovery was to search this mine of which Newport did assure vs that those small baggs we had giuen him in England he had tryed to hold halfe siluer but all we got proued of no value also to search what furrs the best whereof is at Cuscarawaoke where is made so much Rawranoke or white beads that occasion as much dissention among the the Salvages as gold and siluer amongst Christians and what other mineralls riuers rocks nations woods fishings fruites victuall and what other commodities the land afforded and whether the bay were endlesâ—e or how farre it extended of mines we were all ignorant but a few Beuers Otters Beares Martins and minkes we found and in diuers places that aboundance of fish lying so thicke with their heads aboue the water as for want of nets our barge driuing amongst them we attempted to catch them with a frying pan but we found it a bad instrument to catch fish with neither better fish more plâ—nty nor more variety for smal fish had any of vs euer seene in any place so swimming in the water but they are not to be caught with frying pans some small codd also we did see swim close by the shore by Smiths Iles and some as high as Riccards Clifts And some we haue found dead vpon the shore To exprest all our quarrels trecheries and incounters amongst those Salvages I should be too tedious but in breefe at all times we so incountred them and curbed their insolencies that they concluded with presents to purchase peace yet we lost not a man at our first meeting out Captaine euer obserued this order to demand their bowes and arrowes swordes mantells and furrs with some childe or two for hostage whereby we could quickly perceiue when they intended any villany Hauing finished this discouery though our victuall was neere spent he intended to see his imprisonment-acquaintances vpon the riuer of Rapahanock by many called Toppahanock but our bote by reason of the ebbe chansing to grownd vpon a many shoules lying in the entrances we spyed many fishes lurking in the reedes our Captaine spotting himselfe by nayling them to the grownd with his sword set vs all a fishing in that manner thus we tooke more in owne houre then we could eate in a day But it chansed our Captaine taking a fish from his sword not knowing her condition being much of the fashion of a Thornback but a long tayle like a ryding rodde whereon the middest is a most poysoned sting of two or three inches long bearded like a saw on each side which she strucke into the wrest of his arme neere an inch and a halfe no bloud nor wound was seene but a little blew spot but the torment was instantly so extreame that in foure houres had so swolen his hand arme and shoulder we all with much sorrow concluded his funerall and prepared his graue in an Island by as himselfe directed yet it pleased God by a precious oyle Docter Russell at the first applyed to it when he sounded it with proâ—e ere night his tormenting paine was so well asswaged that he eate of the fish to his supper which gaue no lesse ioy and content to vs then ease to himselfe for which we called the Island Stingray Isle after the name of the fish Hauing neither Chirurgian nor Chirurgery but that preseruatiue oyle we preseÌ„tly set sayles for Iames towne passing the mouthes of the riuers of Payankatank Pamavnkee the next day we safely arriued at Kecougtan The simple Salvages seeing our Captaine hurt and an other bloudy by breaking his shinne our numbers of bowes arrowes swords mantles and furrs would needes imagine we had beene at warres the truth of these accidents would not satisfie them but impatiently importuned vs to know with whom Finding their aptnesse to beleeue we fayled not as a great secret to tell them any thing that might affright them what spoyle we had got and made of the Massawomeks This rumor went faster vp the river then our Barge that arrived at
Rapahanock presented his Bow and Arrowes and confirmed all we desired except his sonne having no more but him he could not liue without him but in stead of his sonne he would giue him the three women Moraughtacund had stolâ—e This was accepted and so in three or foure Canowes so many as could went with vs to Moraughtacund where Mosco made them such relations and gaue to his friends so many Bowes and Arrowes that they no lesse loued him then admired vs. The 3 women were brought our Captaine to each he gaue a chayne of Beads and then causing Moraughtacund Mosco and Rapahanock stand before him bid Rapahanock take her he loued best and Moraughtacund chuse next to Mosco he gaue the third Vpon this away went their Canowes over the water to fetch their venison and all the provision they could and they that wanted Boats swam over the river the darke commanded vs then to rest The next day there was of men women and children as we coniectured six or seauen hundred dauncing singing and not a Bow nor Arrow seene amongst them Mosco changed his name Vâ—tasantascugh which we interpret Stranger for so they call vs. All promising ever to be our friends and to plant Corne purposely for vs and we to provide hatchets beads and copper for them we departed giuing them a Volley of shot and they vs as loud shouts and cryes as their strengths could vtter That night we anchored in the river of Payankatank and discovered it so high as it was navigable but the people were most a hunting saue a few old men women and children that were tending their corne of which they promised vs part when we would fetch it as had done all the Nations where ever we had yet beene In a fayre calme rowing towards poynt Comfort we anchored in Gosnolls Bay but such a suddaine gust surprised vs in the night with thunder and rayne that we never thought more to haue seene Iames Towne Yet running before the wind we sometimes saw the Land by the flashes of fire from heaven by which light onely we kept from the splitting shore vntill it pleased God in that blacke darknesse to preserue vs by that light to finde poynt Comfort there refreshing our selues because we had onely but heard of the Chisapeacks Nandsamunds we thought it as fit to know all our neighbours neare home as so many Nations abroad So setting sayle for the Southerne shore we sayled vp a narrow river vp the country of Chisapeack it hath a good channell but many shoules about the entrance By that we had sayled six or seauen myles we saw two or three little garden plots with their houses the shores overgrowne with the greatest Pyne and Firre trees wee ever saw in the Country But not seeing nor hearing any people and the riuer very narrow we returned to the great riuer to see if we could finde any of them Coasting the shore towards Nandsamund which is most Oyster-bankes at the mouth of that riuer we espied six or seauen Salvages making their wires who presently fled ashore we went and where they wrought we threw diuers toyes and so departed Farre we were not gone ere they came againe and began to sing and daunce and recall vs and thus we began our first acquaintance At last one of them desired vs to goe to his house vp that riuer into our Boat voluntarily he came the rest ran after vs by the shore with all shew of loue that could be Seauen or eight myles we sayled vp this narrow riuer at last on the Westerne shore we saw large Cornefields in the midst a little Isle and in it was abundance of Corne the people he told vs were all a hunting but in the Isle was his house to which he inuited vs with much kindnesse to him his wife and children we gaue such things as they seemed much contented them The others being come desired vs also to goe but a little higher to see their houses here our host left vs the rest rowed by vs in a Canow till we were so far past the Isle the riuer became very narrow Here we desired some of them to come abord vs wherat pausing a little they told vs they would but fetch their bows and arrowes and goe all with vs but being a-shore and thus armed they perswaded vs to goe forward but we could neither perswade them into their Canow nor into our Boat This gaue vs cause to prouide for the worst Farre we went not ere seauen or eight Canowes full of men armed appeared following vs staying to see the conclusion Presently from each side the riuer came arrowes so fast as two or three hundred could shoot them whereat we returned to get the open They in the Canowes let fly also as fast but amongst them we bestowed so many shot the most of them leaped overboard and swam ashore but two or three escaped by rowing being against their playnes our Muskets they found shot further then their Bowes for wee made not twentie shot â—re they all retyred behind the next trees Being thus got out of their trap we seised on all their Canowes and moored them in the midst of the open More then an hundred arrowes stucke in our Targets and about the boat yet none hurt onely Anthony Bagnall was shot in his Hat and another in his sleeue But seeing their multitudes and suspecting as it was that both the Nandsamunds and the Chisapeacks were together we thought it best to ryde by their Canowes a while to bethinke if it were better to burne all in the Isle or draw them to composition till we were prouided to take all they had which was sufficient to feed all our Colony but to burne the Isle at night it was concluded In the interim we began to cut in peeces their Canowes and they presently to lay downe their bowes making signes of peace peace we told them we would accept would they bring vs their Kings bowes and arrowes with a chayne of pearle and when we came againe giue vs foure hundred baskets full of Corne otherwise we would breake all their boats and burne their houses and corne and all they had To performe all this they alledged onely the want of a Canow so we put one a drift bad them swim to fetch her and till they performed their promise wee would but onely breake their Canowes They cryed to vs to doe no more all should be as we would which presently they performed away went their bowes and arrowes and tagge and ragge came with their baskets so much as we could carry we tooke and so departing good friends we returned to Iames Towne where we safely arrived the 7. of September 1608. There we found Mr Scrivener and divers others well recovered many dead some sicke the late President prisoner for mutiny by the honest diligence of Master Scrivener the haruest gathered but the provision in the store much spoyled with rayne
Thus was that summer when little wanted consumed and spent and nothing done such was the gouernment of Captaine Ratliffe but onely this discovery wherein to expresse all the dangers accidents and incounters this small number passed in that small Barge by the scale of proportion about three thousand myles with such watery dyet in those great waters and barbarous Countries till then to any Christian vtterly vnknowne I rather referre their merit to the censure of the courteous and experienced Reader then I would be tedious or partiall being a partie But to this place to come who will adventure with iudgements guide and reason how to enter Finds in this worlds broad sea with winde and tyde Ther 's safer sayle then any where beside But 'cause to wanton novices it is A Province full of fearefulnesse I wiss Into the great vast deepe to venter out Those shallow rivers let them coast about And by a small Boat learne there first and marke How they may come to make a greater Barke Written by Anthony Bagnall Nathanaell Powell and Anas Todkill CHAPTER VII The Presidency surrendred to Captaine Smith the Arrivall and returne of the second Supply And what happened THe tenth of September by the Election of the Councell and request of the Company Captaine Smith receiued the Letters Patents which till then by no meanes he would accept though he was often importuned therevnto Now the building of Ratliffes Pallace stayed as a thing needlesse the Church was repaired the Store-house recouered buildings prepared for the Supplyes we expected the Fort reduced to a fiue-square forme the order of the Watch renewed the squadrons each setting of the Watch trained the whole Company euery Saturday exercised in the plaine by the west Bulwarke prepared for that purpose we called Smithfield where sometimes more then an hundred Salvages would stand in an amazement to behold how a fyle would batter a tree where he would make them a marke to shoot at the boats trimmed for trade which being sent out with Lieutenant Percy in their Iourney incountred the second Supply that brought them backe to discover the Country of Monacan How or why Captaine Newport obtained such a private Commission as not to returne without a lumpe of gold a certaintie of the South sea or one of the lost company sent out by Sir Water Raleigh I know not nor why he brought such a fiue peeced Barge not to beare vs to that South sea till we had borne her over the mountaines which how farre they extend is yet vnknowne As for the Coronation of Powhatan and his presents of Bason and Ewer Bed Bedstead Clothes and such costly nouelties they had beene much better well spared then so ill spent for wee had his favour much better onely for a playne peece of Copper till this stately kinde of soliciting made him so much overvalue himselfe that he respected vs as much as nothing at all As for the hyring of the Poles and Dutch-men to make Pitch Tar Glasse Milles and Sope ashes when the Country is replenished with people and necessaries would haue done well but to send them and seauentie more without victualls to worke was not so well aduised nor considered of as it should haue beene Yet this could not haue hurt vs had they beene 200. though then we were 130 that wanted for our selues For we had the Salvages in that decorum their harvest being newly gathered that we feared not to get victuals for 500. Now was there no way to make vs miserable but to neglect that time to make prouision whilst it was to be had the which was done by the direction from England to performe this strange discovery but a more strange Coronation to loose that time spend that victualls we had tyre and starue our men hauing no meanes to carry victuals munition the hurt or sicke but on their owne backes How or by whom they were inuented I know not but Captaine Newport we onely accounted the Author who to effect these proiects had so guilded mens hopes with great promises that both Company and Councell concluded his resolution for the most part God doth know they little knew what they did nor vnderstood their owne estates to conclude his conclusions against all the inconveniences the foreseeing President alledged Of this Supply there was added to the Councell one Captaine Richard Waldo and Captaine Wynne two auncient Souldiers and valiant Gentlemen but yet ignorant of the busines being but newly arriued Ratliffe was also permitted to haue his voyce Mr Scrivener desirous to see strange Countries so that although Smith was President yet the Maior part of the Councell had the authoritie and ruled it as they listed As for clearing Smiths obiections how Pitch and Tarre Wainscot Clapbord Glasse and Sope ashes could be provided to relade the ship or provision got to liue withall when none was in the Country and that we had spent before the ship departed to effect these projects The answer was Captaine Newport vndertooke to fraught the Pinnace of twentie tunnes with Corne in going and returning in his Discovery and to refraught her againe from Werowocomoco of Powhatan Also promising a great proportion of victualls from the Ship inferring that Smiths propositions were onely devices to hinder his iourney to effect it himselfe and that the crueltie he had vsed to the Salvages might well be the occasion to hinder these Designes and seeke revenge on him For which taxation all workes were left and 120 chosen men were appointed for Newports guard in this Discovery But Captaine Smith to make cleare all those seeming suspitions that the Salvages were not so desperate as was pretended by Captaine Newport and how willing since by their authoritie they would haue it so he was to assist them what he could because the Coronation would consume much time he vndertooke himselfe their message to Powhatan to intreat him to come to Iames Towne to receiue his presents And where Newport durst not goe with lesse then 120. he onely tooke with him Captaine Waldo Mr Andrew Buckler Edward Brinton and Samuel Collier with these foure he went over land to Werowocomoco some 12 myles there he passed the river of Pamavnkee in a Salvage Canow Powhatan being 30 myles of was presently sent for in the meane time Pocahontas and her women entertained Captaine Smith in this manner In a fayre plaine field they made a fire before which he sitting vpon a mat suddainly amongst the woods was heard such a hydeous noise and shreeking that the English betooke themselues to their armes and seized on two or three old men by them supposing Powhatan with all his power was come to surprise them But presently Pocahontas came willing him to kill her if any hurt were intended and the beholders which were men women and children satisfied the Captaine there was no such matter Then presently they were presented with this anticke thirtie young women came naked out of the woods onely covered
Commission I was content to be overrulâ—d by the maior part of the Councell I feare to the hazard of vs all which now is generally confessed when it is too late Onely Captaine Winne and Captaine Waldo I haue sworne of the Councell and Crowned Powhatan according to you instructions For thâ— charge of this Voyage of two or three thousand pounds we haue not receiued the value of an hundred pounds And for the quartred Boat to be borne by thâ— Souldiers over the Falles Newport had 120 of the best men he could chuse If he had burnt her to ashâ—s one might haue carried her in a bag but as she is fiue hundred cannâ—t to a navigable place aboue the Falles And for him at that time to find in the South Sea a Mine of gold or any of them sent by Sir Walter Raleigh at our Consultation I told them was as likely as the rest But during this great discovery of thirtie myles which might as well haue beene done by one man and much more for the value of a pound of Copper at a seasonable tyme they had the Pinnace and all the Boats with thâ—m but one that remained with me to serue the Fort. In their absence I followed the new begun workes of Pitch and Tarre Glasse Sope-ashes and Clapboord whereof some small quantities we haue sent you But if you rightly consider what an infinite toyle it is in Russia and Swethland where the woods are proper for naught els and though there be the helpe both of man and beast in those ancient Common-wealths which many an hundred yeares haue vsed it yet thousands of those poore people can scarce gâ—t necessaries to liue but from hâ—nd to mouth And though your Factors there can buy as much in a week as will fraught you a ship or as much as you please you must not expect from vs any such matter which are but a many of ignorant miserable soules that are scarce able to get wherewith to liue and defend our selues against the inconstant Salvages finding but here and there a tree fit for the purpose and want all things els the Russians haue For the Coronation of Pâ—whatan by whose advice you sent him such presents I know not but this giue me leaue to tell you I feare thâ—y will be the confusion of vs all ere we heare from you againe At your Ships arrivall the Salvages harvest was newly gathered and we going to buy it our owne not being halfe sufficient for so great a number As for the two ships loading of Corne Nâ—wport prâ—mised to provide vs from Powhatan he brought vs but foureteene Bushels and from the Monacans nothing but the most of the men sicke and neare famished From your Ship we had not provision in victuals worth twenty pound and we are more then two hundred to liue vpon this the one halfe sicke the other little better For the Saylers I confesse they daily make good cheare but our dyet is a little meale and water and not sufficient of that Though there be fish in the Sea foules in the ayre and Beasts in the woods their bounds are so large they so wilde and we so weake and ignorant we cannot much trouble them Captaine Newport we much suspect to be the Authour of those inventions Now that you should know I haue made you as great a discovery as he for lesse charge then he spendeth you every meale I haue sent you this Mappe of the Bay and Rivers with an annexed Relation of the Countries and Nations that inhabit them as you may see at large Also two barrels of stones and such as I take to be good Iron ore at the least so devided as by their notes you may see in what places I found them The Souldiers say many of your officers maintaine their families out of that you send vs and that Newport hath an hundred pounds a yeare for carrying newes For every master you haue yet sent can find the way as well as he so that an hundred pounds might be spared which is more then we haue all thâ—t helpe to pay him wages Cap. Ratliffe is now called Sicklâ—more a poore counterfeited Imposture I haue sent you him home least the company should cut his throat What he is now every one can tell you if he and Archer returne againe they are sufficient to keepe vs alwayes in factions When you send againe I intreat you rather send but thirty Caâ—penters husbandmen gardiners fisher men blacksmiths masons and diggers vp of trees roots well provided then a thousand of such as we haue for except wee be able both to lodge them and feed them the most will consume with want of necessaries before they can be made good for any thing Thus if you please to consider this account and of the vnnecessary wages to Captaine Newport or his ships so long lingering and staying here for notwithstanding his boasting to leaue vs victuals for 12 monâ—ths though we had 89 by this discovery lame and sicke and but a pinte of Corne a day for a man we were constrained to giue him three hogsheads of that to victuall him homeward or yet to send into Germany or Poleland for glasse-men the rest till we be able to sustaine our selues and relieue them when they come It were better to giue fiue hundred pound a tun for those grosse Commodities in Denmarke then send for them hither till more necessary things be provided For in over-toyling our weake and vnskilfull bodies to satisfie this desire of present profit we can scarce ever recover our selues from one Supply to another And I humbly intreat you hereafter let vs know what we should receiue and not stand to the Saylers courtesie to leaue vs what they please els you may charge vs with what you will but we not you with any thing These are the causes that haue kept vs in Virginia from laying such a foundation that â—re this might haue given much better content and satisfaction but as yet you must not looke for any profitable returnes so I humbly rest The Names of those in this Supply were these with their Proceedings and Accidents Captaine Peter Winne Captaine Richard Waldo were appoynted to be of the Councell Master Francis VVest brother to the Lord La VVarre Gent. Thomas Graues Raleigh Chroshaw Gabriel Beadle Iohn Beadle Iohn Russell William Russell Iohn Cuderington William Sambage Henry Leigh Henry Philpot. Harmon Harrison Daniel Tucker Henry Collins Hugh Wolleston Iohn Hoult Thomas Norton George Yarington George Burton Thomas Abbay William Dowman Thomas Maxes Michael Lowick Master Hunt Thomas Fâ—rrâ—st Iohn Dauxe Tradsmen Thomas Phâ—lps Iohn Prat. Iohn Clarke Ieffrey Shortridge Dionis Oconor Hugh Winne Dauid ap Hugh Thomas Bradley Iohn Burraâ— Thomas Lâ—vander Henry Bell. Master Powell David Ellis Thomas Gibson Labourers Thomas Dawse Thomas Mallard William Tayler Thomas Fox Nicholas Hancock Walker Williams Floud Morley Rose Scot. Hardwyn Boyes Milman Hilliard Mistresse Forrest and Anne Burras her maide eight Dutch men and
corne we found it halfe rotten and the rest so consumed with so many thousands of Rats that increased so fast out there originall was from the ships as we knew not how to keepe that little we had This did driue vs all to our wits end for there was nothing in the country but what nature afforded Vntill this time Kemps and Tassore were fettered prisoners and did double taske and taught vs how to order and plant our fields whom now for want of victuall we set at liberty but so well they liked our companies they did not desire to goe from vs. And to expresse their loues for 16. dayes continuance the Countrie people brought vs when least 100. a day of Squirrils Turkyes Deere and other wilde beasts But this want of corne occasioned the end of all our works it being worke sufficient to provide victuall 60. or 80. with Ensigne Laxon was sent downe the riuer to liue vpon Oysters and 20. with liutenant Percy to try for fishing at Poynt Comfort â— but in six weekes they would not agree once to cast out the net he being sicke and burnt fore with Gun-pouder Master West with as many went vp to the falls but nothing could be found but a few Acornes of that in store euery man had their equall proportion Till this present by the hazard and indeuours of some thirtie or fortie this whole Colony had ever beene fed We had more Sturgeon then could be deuoured by Dog and Man of which the industrious by drying and pounding mingled with Caviarâ— Sorell and other wholesome hearbes would make bread and good meate others would gather as much Tockwhogh roots in a day as would make them bread a weeke so that of those wilde fruites and what we caught we liued very well in regard of such a diet But such was the strange condition of some 150 that had they not beene forced nolens volens perforce to gather and prepare their victuall they would all haue starued or haue eaten one another Of those wild fruits the Salvages often brought vs and for that the President would not fullfill the vnreasonable desire of those distracted Gluttonous Loyterers to sell not only out kettles how 's tooles and Iron nay swords pieces and the very Ordnance and howses might they haue prevayled to haue beene but Idle for those Saluage fruites they would haue had imparted all to the Saluages especially for one basket of Corne they heard of to be at PowhataÌ„s fifty myles from our Fort. Though he bought neere halfe of it to satisfie their humors yet to haue had the other halfe they would haue sould their soules though not sufficient to haue kept them a weeke Thousands were there exclamations suggestions and deuises to force him to those base inventions to haue made it an occasion to abandon the Country Want perforce constrained him to indure their exclaiming follies till he found out the author one Dyer a most crafty fellow and his ancient Maligner whom he worthily punished and with the rest he argued the case in this maner Fellow souldiers I did little thinke any so false to report or so many to be so simple to be perswaded that I either intend to starue you or that Powhatan at this present hath corne for himselfe much lesse for you or that I would not haue it if I knew where it were to be had Neither and I thinke any so malitious as now I see a great many yet it shal not so passionate me but I will doe my best for my most maligner But dreame no longer of this vaine hope from Powhatan not that I will longer forbeare to force you from your Idlenesse and punish you if you rayle But if I finde any more runners for Newfoundland with the Pinnace let him assuredly looke to ariue at the Gallows You cannot deny but that by the hazard of my life many a time I haue saued yours when might your owne wills haue preuailed you would haue starued and will doe still whether I will or noe But I protest by that God that made me since necessitie hath not power to force you to gather for your selues those fruites the earth doth yâ—eld you shall not onely gather for your selues but those that are sicke As yet I neuer had more from the storâ— then the worst of you and all my English extraordinary prouision that I haue you shall see me diuide it amongst the sick And this Saluage trash you so scornfully repine at being put in your mouthes your stomackes can disgest if you would haue better you should haue brought it and therefore I will take a course you shall prouide what is to be had The sick shall not starue but equally share of all our labours and he that gathereth not every day as much as I doe the next day shall be set beyond the riuer and be banished from the Fort as a droue till he amend his conditions or starue But some would say with Seneca I know those things thou sayst are true good Nurse But fury forceth me to follow worse My man is burried headlong vp and downe Desiring better counsell yet finds none This order many murmured was very cruell but it caused the most part so well â—â—â—tirre themselues that of 200. â—xcept they were drowned there died not past seuen as for Captaine Winne and Master Leigh they were dead ere this want hapned and the rest dyed not so want of â—uch as preserued the rest Many were billetted amongst the Saluage â—hâ—râ—oy we knew all their passages fields and habitations how tâ— gather and vse there fruits as well as themselues for they did know wee had such a commanding power at Iames towne they durst not wrong vs of a pin So well those poore Salvages vsed vs that were thus billetted that diuers of the Sâ—uldiers ran away to search Kemps Tassore our old prisoners Glad were these Salvages to haue such an oportunity to testifie their loue vnto vs for in stead of entertaining them and such things as they had stollen with all their great Offers and promises they made them how to reuenge their iniuryes vpon Captaine Smith Kemps first madâ— himselfe sport in shewing his countrie men â—y them how he was vsed feeding â—eÌ„ with this law who would not work must not eat till they were neere starued in â—â—â—de continually threatning to beate them to death neither could they get from him till hee and his consorts brought them perforce to our Captaine that so well contented him and punished them as many others that intended also to follow them were rather contented to labour at home then aduenture to liue idlâ—ly amongst the Salvages of whom there was more hope to make better Christians 〈◊〉 good subiects then the one halfe of those that counterfeited themselues both For so affraide was 〈◊〉 those kings and the better sort of the people to displease vs that some of the baser sort that we haue extreamly hurt and punished for
there villanies would hire vs we should not tell it to their kings or countrymen who would also repunish them and yet returne them to Iames towne to content the President for a testimony of their loues Master Sicklemore well returned from Chawwonoke but found little hope and lesse certaintie of them were left by Sir Walter Raleigh The riuer he saw was not great the people few the countrey most over growne with pynes where there did grow here and there straglingly Pemminaw we call silke grasse But by the riuer the ground was good and exceeding furtill Master Nathanael powell and Anas Todkill were also by the Quiyoughquohanocks conducted to the Mangoags to search them there but nothing could they learne but they were all dead This honest proper good promise keeping king of all the rest did euer best affect vs and though to his false Gods he was very zealous yet he would confesse our God as much exceeded his as our Gunns did his Bow and Arrowes often sending our President may presents to pray to his God for raine or his corne would perish for his Gods were angry Three dayes iorney they conducted them through the woodâ— into a high country towards the Sâ—â—thwest â—here they saw here and there a little câ—rne fiâ—â—d by some little spring or smal brooke but no riuer they could see the peâ—â—le in all reâ—pects like the rest except there language they liue most vpon rootes fruites and wilde beastâ— and trade with them towards the sea and the fatter countryes for dryed fish and corne for skâ—ns All this time to recouer the Dutch-men and one Bentley another fugitiue we imployed one Williâ—m Volday a Zwitzar by birth with Pardons promises to regaine them Little we then suspected this double villaine of any villany who plainly taught vs in the most trust was the greatest treason for this wicked hypocrite by the seeming hate he bore to the lewd conditions of his cursed country men hauing this oportunity by his imployment to regaine them conuayed them euery thing they desired to eâ—fect their proiects to distroy the Colony With much deuotion they expected the Spaniard to whom they intended good seruice or any other that would but carry them from vs. But to begin with the â—â—rst oportunity thâ—â— seâ—ing necessitie thus inforced vs to disperse our selues importuned Powhatan to lend them but his forces and they would not onely distroy our Hoggs fire our towne and betray our Pinnace but bring to his seruice and subiection the most of our company With this plot they had acquainted many Discontents and many were agreed to their Deuilish practise But one Thomas Douse and Thomas Mallard whose christian hearts relented at such an vnchristian act voluntarily reuealed it to Captaine Smith who caused them to conceale it perswading â—ouse and Mallard to proceed in their confedracie onely to bring the irreclamable Dutch men and the inconstant Salvages in such a maner amongst such Ambuscado's as he had prepared that not many of theÌ„ should returne from our Peninsula But this brute coÌ„ming to the â—ares of the impatieÌ„t multitude they so importuned the President to cut off those Dutch men as amongst many that offred to cut their throats befâ—re the face of PowhataÌ„ the first was LieutenaÌ„t Percy and Mr. Iohn Cuderington two Gentlemen of as bold resolute spirits as could possibly be fouÌ„d But the PresideÌ„t had occasioÌ„ of other imploiment for them gaue gaue way to Master Wyffin and Sarieant Ieffrey Abbot to goe and stab them or shoot them But the Dutch men made such excuses accusing Velday whom they supposed had reuealed their proiect as Abbot would not yet Wyffing would perceiuing it but deceit The King vnderstanding of this their imployment sent presently his messengers to Captaine Smith to signifie it was not his fault to detaine them nor hinder his men from executing his command nor did he nor would he mantaine them or any to occasion his displeâ—sure But whilst this businesse was in hand Arriued one Captaine Argall and Master Thomas Sedan sent by Master Cornelius to truck with the Colony and fish for Sturgeon with a ship well furnished with wine and much other good provision Though it was not sent vs our necessities was such as inforced vs to take it He brought vs newes of a great supply and preparation for the Lord La Woore with letters that much taxed our President for his heard dealing with the Salvages and not returning the shippes fraughted Notwithstanding we kept this ship tell the fleere arriued True it is Argall lost his voyage but we renictualled him and sent him for England with a true relation of the causes of our defailments and how imposible it was to returne that wealth they expected or obserue there instructions to indure the Salvages insolencies or doe any thing to any purpose except they would send vs men and meanes that could produce that they so much desired otherwises all they did was lost and could not but come to confusion The villany of Volday we still dissembled Adam vpon his pardon came home but Samuell still stayed with Powhahan to heare further of their estates by this supply Now all their plots Simth so well vnderstood they were his best advantages to secure vs from any trechery could be done by them or the Salvages which with facility he could revenge when he would because all those countryes more feared him then Powhatan and hee had such parties with all his bordering neighbours and many of the rest for loue or feare would haue done any thing he would haue them vpon any commotion though these fugitiues had done all they could to perswade Powhatan King Iames would kill Smith for vsing him and his people so vnkindly By this you may see for all those crosses trecheries and dissentions how hee wrestled and overcame without bloudshed all that happened also what good was done how few dyed what food the Countrey naturally affoordeth what small cause there is men should starue or be murthered by the Salvages that haue discretion to mannage them with courage and industrie The two first yeares though by his adventures he had oft brought the Salvages to a tractable trade yet you see how the envious authoritie ever crossed him and frustrated his best endevours But it wrought in him that experience and estimation amongst the Salvages as otherwise it had bin impossible he had ever effected that he did Notwithstanding the many miserable yet generous and worthy adventures he had oft and long endured in the wide world yet in this case he was againe to learne his Lecture by experience Which with thus much adoe having obtained it was his ill chance to end when he had but onely learned how to begin And though he left those vnknowne difficulties made easie and familiar to his vnlawfull successors who onely by liuing in Iames Towne presumed to know more then all the world could direct them Now though they had
Padget 5. Pembrok 6. Cauendish 7. Smith 8. Hambleton St Catherins forte F Pembroks forte K Kings Castell M Southampton forte L Devonshire Redute O A Scale of 8 Miles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 St George Towne D Warwicks forte E The 3 Bridges A.B.C. P Riches Mount State house The Letters A.B.C. shew the sittuation of the 3 bridges P the Mount D.E.F.G.H.I.K.L.M.N.O. the forts how and by whom they wer made the history will shew you The discription of the land by Mr Norwood All contracted into this order by Captaine Iohn Smith Smiths forte I Pagets forte H Penistons Redoute G Charles forte N Printed by Iames Reeve THE FOVRTH BOOKE TO MAKE PLAINE THE TRVE PROCEEdings of the Historie for 1609. we must follow the examinations of Doctor Simons and two learned Orations published by the Companie with the relation of the Right Honourable the Lord De la Ware What happened in the first gouernment after the alteration in the time of Captaine George Piercie their Gouernour THE day before Captaine Smith returned for England with the ships Captaine Dauis arriued in a small Pinace with some sixteene proper men more To these were added a company from Iames towne vnder the command of Captaine Iohn Sickelmore alias Ratliffe to inhabit Point Comfort Captaine Martin and Captaine West hauing lost their boats and neere halfe their men among the Saluages were returned to Iames towne for the Saluages no sooner vnderstood Smith was gone but they all reuolted and did spoile and murther all they incountered Now wee were all constrained to liue onely on that Smith had onely for his owne Companie for the rest had consumed their proportions and now they had twentie Presidents with all their appurtenances Master Piercie our new President was so sicke hee could neither goe nor stand But ere all was consumed Captaine West and Captaine Sickelmore each with a small ship and thirtie or fortie men well appointed sought abroad to trade Sickelmore vpon the confidence of Powhatan with about thirtie others as carelesse as himselfe were all slaine onely Ieffrey Shortridge escaped and Pokahontas the Kings daughter saued a boy called Henry Spilman that liued many yeeres after by her meanes amongst the Patawomekes Powhatan still as he found meanes cut off their Boats denied them trade so that Captaine West set saile for England Now we all found the losse of Captaine Smith yea his greatest maligners could now curse his losse as for corne prouision and contribution from the Saluages we had nothing but mortall wounds with clubs and arrowes as for our Hogs Hens Goats Sheepe Horse or what liued our commanders officers Saluages daily consumed them some small proportions sometimes we tasted till all was deuoured then swords armes pieces or any thing wee traded with the Saluages whose cruell fingers were so oft imbrewed in our blouds that what by their crueltie our Gouernours indiscretion and the losse of our ships of fiue hundred within six moneths after Captaine Smiths departure there remained not past sixtie men women and children most miserable and poore creatures and those were preserued for the most part by roots herbes acornes walnuts berries now and then a little fish they that had startch in these extremities made no small vse of it yea euen the very skinnes of our horses Nay so great was our famine that a Saluage we slew and buried the poorer sort tooke him vp againe and eat him and so did diuers one another boyled and stewed with roots and herbs And one amongst the rest did kill his wife powdered her and had eaten part of her before it was knowne for which hee was executed as hee well deserued now whether shee was better roasted boyled or carbonado'd I know not but of such a dish as powdered wise I neuer heard of This was that time which still to this day we called the staruing time it were too vile to say and scarce to be beleeued what we endured but the occasion was our owne for want of prouidence industrie and gouernment and not the barrennesse and defect of the Countrie as is generally supposed for till then in three yeeres for the numbers were landed vs we had neuer from England prouision sufficient for six moneths though it seemed by the bils of loading sufficient was sent vs such a glutton is the Sea and such good fellowes the Mariners we as little tasted of the great proportion sent vs as they of our want and miseries yet notwithstanding they euer ouer-swayed and ruled the businesse though we endured all that is said and chiefly liued on what this good Countrie naturally afforded yet had wee beene euen in Paradice it selfe with these Gouernours it would not haue beene much better with vs yet there was amongst vs who had they had the gouernment as Captaine Smith appointed but that they could not maintaine it would surely haue kept vs from those extremities of miseries This in ten daies more would haue supplanted vs all with death But God that would not this Countrie should be vnplanted sent Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Sommers with one hundred and fiftie people most happily preserued by the Bermudas to preserue vs strange it is to say how miraculously they were preserued in a leaking ship as at large you may reade in the insuing Historie of those Ilands The gouernment resigned to Sir Thomas Gates 1610. WHen these two Noble Knights did see our miseries being but strangers in that Countrie and could vnderstand no more of the cause but by coniecture of our clamours and complaints of accusing and excusing one another They embarked vs with themselues with the best meanes they could and abandoning Iames towne set saile for England whereby you may see the euent of the gouernment of the former Commanders left to themselues although they had liued there many yeeres as formerly hath beene spoken who hindred now their proceedings Captaine Smith being gone At noone they fell to the I le of Hogs and the next morning to Mulbery point at what time they descried the Long-boat of the Lord la Ware for God would not haue it so abandoned For this honourable Lord then Gouernour of the Countrie met them with three ships exceedingly well furnished with all necessaries fitting who againe returned them to the abandoned Iames towne Out of the obseruations of William Simmons Doctor of Diuinitie The gouernment deuolued to the Lord la Ware HIs Lordship arriued the ninth of Iune 1610. accompanied with Sir Ferdinando Warnman Captaine Houlâ—roft Captaine Lawson and diuers other Gentlemen of sort the tenth he came vp with his fleet went on shore heard a Sermon read his Commission and entred into consultation for the good of the Colonie in which secret counsell we will a little leaue them that we may duly obserue the reuealed counsell of God Hee that shall but turne vp his eie and behold the spangled canopie of heauen or shall but cast downe his eie and consider the embroydered
related vnto you the present estate of that small part of Virginia wee frequent and possesse Since there was a ship fraughted with prouision and fortie men and another since then with the like number and prouision to stay twelue moneths in the Countrie with Captaine Argall which was sent not long after After hee had recreated and refreshed his Companie hee was sent to the Riuer Patawomeake to trade for Corne the Saluages about vs hauing small quarter but friends and foes as they found aduantage and opportunitie But to conclude our peace thus it happened Captaine Argall hauing entred into a great acquaintance with Iapazaws an 〈…〉 of Captaine Smiths and so to all our Nation euer since â—ee dâ—scouered the Countrie hard by him there was Pocahontas whom Captaine Smiths Relations intituleth the Numparell of Virginia and though she had beene many times a preseruer of him and the whole Colonie yet till this accident shee was neuer seene at Iames towne since his departure being at Patawomâ—ke as it seemes thinking her selfe vnknowne was easily by her friend Iapazaws perswaded to goe abroad with him and his wife to see the ship for Captaine Argall had promised him a Copper Kettle to bring her but to him promising no way to hurt her but keepe her till they could conclude a peace with her father the Saluage for this Copper Kettle would haue done any thing it seemâ—d by the Relation for though she had seene and beene in many ships yet hee caused his wife to faine how desirous she was to see one and that hee offered to beat her for her importunitie till she wept But at last he told her if Pocahontas would goe with her hee was content and thus they betraied the poore innocent Pocahontas aboord where they were all kindly feasted in the Cabbin Iapazaws treading oft on the Captaines foot to remember he had done his part the Captaine when he saw his time perswaded Pocahontas to the Gun-roome faining to haue some conference with Iapazaws which was onely that she should not perceiue hee was any way guiltie of her captiuitie so sending for her againe hee told her before her friends she must goe with him and compound peace betwixt her Countrie and vs before she euer should see Powhatan whereat the old Iew and his wife began to howle and crie as fast as Pocahontas that vpon the Captaines faire perswasions by degrees pacifying her selfe and Iapazaws and his wife with the Kettle and other toies went merrily on shore and shee to Iames towne A messenger forthwith was sent to her father that his daughter Pocahontas he loued so dearely he must ransome with our men swords peeces tooles c. hee trecherously had stolne This vnwelcome newes much troubled Powhatan because hee loued both his daughter and our commodities well yet it was three moneths after ere hee returned vs any answer then by the perswasion of the Councell he returned seuen of our men with each of them an vnseruiceable Musket and sent vs word that when wee would deliuer his daughter hee would make vs satisfaction for all iniuries done vs and giue vs fiue hundred bushels of Corne and for euer be friends with vs. That he sent we receiued in part of payment and returned him this answer That his daughter should be well vsed but we could not beleeue the rest of our armes were either lost or stolne from him and therefore till hee sent them we would keepe his daughter This answer it seemed much displeased him for we heard no more from him a long time after when with Captaine Argals ship and some other vessels belonging to the Colonie Sir Thomas Dale with a hundred and fiftie men well appointed went vp into his owne Riuer to his chiefe habitation with his daughter with many scornfull brauado's they affronted vs proudly demanding why wee came thither our reply was Wee had brought his daughter and to receiue the ransome for her that was promised or to haue it perforce They nothing dismayed thereat told vs We were welcome if wee came to fight for they were prouided for vs but aduised vs if wee loued our liues to retire else they would vse vs as they had done Captaine Ratcliffe We told them wee would presently haue a better answer but we were no sooner within shot of the shore than they let flie their Arrowes among vs in the ship Being thus iustly prouoked wee presently manned our Boats went on shore burned all their houses and spoiled all they had we could finde and so the next day proceeded higher vp the Riuer where they demanded â—hy wee burnt their houses and wee why they shot at vs They replyed it was some sâ—ragling Saluage with many other excuses they inâ—ended no hurt but were our friends We told them wee came not to hurt them but vâ—sit them as friends also Vpon this we concluded a peace and forthwith they dispatched messengers to Powhatan whose answer they told vs wee must expect foure and twentie houres ere the messengers could returne Then they told vs our men were runne away for feare we would hang them yet Powhatans men were runne after them as for our Swords and Peeces they should be brought vs the next day which was only but to delay time for the next day they came not Then we went higher to a house of Powhatans called Matchot where we saw about foure hundred men well appointed here they darâ—d vs to come on shore which wee did no shew of feare they made at all nor offered to resist our landing but walking boldly vp and downe amongst vs demanded to conferre with our Captaine of his comming in that manner and to haue truce till they could but once more send to their King to know his pleasure which if it were not agreeable to their expectation then they would fight with vs and defend their owne as they could which was but onely to deferre the time to carrie away their prouision yet wee promised them truce tiâ—l the next day at noone and then if they would fight with vs they should know when we would begin by our Drums and Trumpets Vpon this promise two of Powhatans sonnes came vnto vs to see their sister at whose sight seeing her well though they heard to the contrarie they much reioiced promising they would perswade her father to redeeme her and for euer be friends with vs. And vpon this the two brethren went aboord with vs and we sent Mâ—ster Iohn Rolfe and Master Sparkes to Powhatan to acquaint him with the businesse kindly they were entertained but not admitted the presence of Powhatan but they spoke with Opechaucanough his brother and successor hee promised to doe the best he could to Powhatan all might be well So it being Aprill and time to prepare our ground and set our Corne we returned to Iames Towne promising the forbearance of their performing their promise till the next haruest Long before this Master Iohn Rolfe an
bloud to effect that your Maiestie and all the Kings honest subiects most earnestly desire And so I humbly kisse your gracious hands Being about this time preparing to set saile for New-England I could not stay to doe her that seruice I desired and she well deserued but hearing shee was at Branford with diuers of my friends I went to see her After a modest salutation without any word she turned about obscured her face as not seeming well contented and in that humour her husband with diuers others we all left her two or three houres repenting my selfe to haue writ she could speake English But not long after she began to talke and remembred mee well what courtesies shee had done saying You did promise Powhatan what was yours should bee his and he the like to you you called him father being in his land a stranger and by the same reason so must I doe you which though I would haue excused I durst not allow of that title because she was a Kings daughter with a well set countenance she said Were you not afraid to come into my fathers Countrie and caused feare in him and all his people but mee and feare you here I should call you father I tell you then I will and you shall call mee childe and so I will bee for euer and euer your Countrieman They did tell vs alwaies you were dead and I knew no other till I came to Plimoth yet Powhatan did command Vitamatomakkin to seeke you and know the truth because your Countriemen will lie much This Saluage one of Powhatans Councell being amongst them held an vnderstanding fellow the King purposely sent him as they say to number the people here and informe him well what wee were and our state Arriuing at Plimâ—th according to his directions he got a long sticke whereon by notches hee did thinke to haue kept the number of all the men hee could see but he was quickly wearie of that taske Comming to London where by chance I met him hauing renâ—wed our acquaintance where many were desirous to heare and see his behauiour hee told me Powhatan did bid him to finde me out to shew him our God the King Queene and Prince I so much had told them of Concerning God I told him the best I could the King I heard he had seene and the rest hee should see when he would he denied euer to haue seene the King till by circumstâ—nces he was satisfied he had Then he replyed very sadly You gaue Powhatan a white Dog which Powhatan fed as himselfe but your King gaue me nothing and I am better than your white Dog The small time I staid in London diuers Courtiers and others my acquaintances hath gone with mee to see her that generally concluded they did thinke God had a great hand in her conuersion and they haue seene many English Ladies worse fauoured proportioned and behauioured and as since I haue heard it pleased both the King and Queenes Maiestie honourably to esteeme her accompanied with that honourable Lady the Lady De la Ware and that honourable Lord her husband and diuers other persons of good qualities both publikely at the maskes and otherwise to her great satisfaction and content which doubtlesse she would haue deserued had she liued to arriue in Virginia The gouernment deuolued to Captaine Samuel Argall 1617. THe Treasurer Councell and Companie hauing well furnished Captaine Samuel Argall the Lady Pocahontas alias Rebecca with her husband and others in the good ship called the George it pleased God at Graues-end to take this young Lady to his mercie where shee made not more sorrow for her vnexpected death than ioy to the beholders to heare and see her mâ—ke so religious and godly an end Her little childe Thomas Rolfe therefore was left at Plimâ—th with Sir Lewis Stukly that desired the keeping of it Captaine Hamar his vice-Admirall was gone before but hee found him at Plimoth In March they set saile 1617. and in May he arriued at Iames towne where hee was kindly entertained by Captaine Yearley and his Companie in a martiall order whose right hand file was led by an Indian In Iames towne he found but fiue or six houses the Church downe the Palizado's broken the Bridge in pieces the Well of fresh water spoiled the Store-house they vsed for the Church the market-place and streets and all other spare places planted with Tobacco the Saluages as frequent in their houses as themselues whereby they were become expert in our armes and had a great many in their custodie and possession the Colonie dispersed all about planting Tobacco Captaine Argall not liking those proceedings altered them agreeable to his owne minde taking the best order he could for repairing those defects which did exceedingly trouble vs we were constrained euery yeere to build and repaire our old Cottages which were alwaies a decaying in all places of the Countrie yea the very Courts of Guard built by Sir Thomas Dale was ready to fall and the Palizado's not sufficient to keepe out Hogs Their number of people were about 400. but not past 200. fit for husbandry and tillage we found there in all one hundred twentie eight cattell and fourescore and eight Goats besides innumerable numbers of Swine and good plentie of Corne in some places yet the next yeere the Captaine sent out a Frigat and a Pinnace that brought vs neere six hundred bushels more which did greatly relieue the whole Colonie For from the tenants wee seldome had aboue foure hundred bushels of rent Corne to the store and there was not remaining of the Companies companie past foure and fiftie men women and Children This yeere hauing planted our fields came a great drought and such a cruell storme of haile which did such spoile both to the Corne and Tobacco that wee reaped but small profit the Magazine that came in the George being fiue moneths in her passage proued very badly conditioned but ere shâ— arriued we had gathered and made vp our Tobacco the best at three shillings the pound the rest at eighteene pence To supply vs the Councell and Company with all possible care and diligence furnished a good ship of some two hundred and fiftie tunne with two hundred people and the Lord la Ware They set saile in Aprill and tooke their course by the westerne Iles where the Gouernour of the I le of Saint Michael receiued the Lord la Ware and honourably feasted him with all the content hee could giue him Going from thence they were long troubled with contrary winds in which time many of them fell very sicke thirtie died one of which number was that most honourable Lord Gouernour the Lord la Ware whose most noble and generous disposition is well knowne to his great cost had beene most forward in this businesse for his Countries good Yet this tender state of Virginia was not growne to that maturitie to maintaine such state and pleasure as was
Deere and Hogges and thence to Rickahake betwixt Cissapeack and Nansamund where they now are seated vnder the command of Itoyatin and so I returned to Iames Towne where I found the gouernment rendred to Sir Francis Wyat. In February also he trauelled to the South Riuer Chawonock some sixtie miles ouer land which he found to be a very fruitfull and pleasant Country yeelding two haruests in a yeare and found much of the Silke grasse formerly spoken of was kindly vsed by the people and so returned Captaine Each sent to build a Fort to secure the Countrey IT was no small content to all the Aduenturers to heare of the safe ariuall of all those ships and companies which was thought sufficient to haue made a Plantation of themselues and againe to second them was sent Captaine Each in the Abigale a ship of three or foure hundred tunnes who hath vndertaken to make a Block-house amongst the Oyster banks that shall secure the Riuer The furnishing him with Instruments cost three hundred pounds but the whole charge and the ships returne will be neere two thousand pounds In her went Captaine Barwicke with fiue and twentie men for the building ships and Boats and not other waies to be imploied and also a selected number to build the Eâ—st Indie Schoole but as yet from Virginia little returnes but priuate mens Tobacco and faire promises of plentie of Iron Silke Wine and many other good and rich commodities besides the speedy conuersion of the Saluages that at first were much discouraged from liuing amongst them when they were debarred the vse of their peeces therefore it was disputed as a matter of State whether such as would liue amongst them should vse them or not as a bait to allure them or at least such as should bee called to the knowledge of Christ. But because it was a great trouble for all causes to be brought to Iames Towne for a triall Courts were appointed in conuenient places to releeue them but as they can make no Lawes in Virginia till they be ratified here so theâ— thinke it but reason none should bee inacted here without their consents because they onely feele them and must liue vnder them Still they complaine for want of Corne but what must be had by Trade and how vnwilling any Officer when he leaueth his place is to make good his number of men to his Successor but many of them during their times to help themselues vndoes the Company for the seruants you allow them or such as they hire they plant on their priuate Lands not vpon that belongeth to their office which crop alwaies exceeds yours besides those which are your tenants to halfes are forced to row them vp and downe whereby both you and they lose more then halfe Nor are those officers the ablest or best deseruing but make their experience vpon the companies cost and your land lies vnmanured to any purpose and will yeeld as little profit to your next new officers The massacre vpon the two and twentieth of March. THe Prologue to this Tragedy is supposed was occasioned by Nemattanow otherwise called Iack of the Feather because hee commonly was most strangely adorned with them and for his courage and policy was accounted amongst the Saluages their chiefe Captaine and immortall from any hurt could bee done him by the English This Captaine comming to one Morgans house knowing he had many commodities that hee desired perswaded Morgan to goe with him to Pamauke to trucke but the Saluage murdered him by the way and after two or three daies returned againe to Morgans house where he found two youths his Seruants who asked for their Master Iack replied directly he was dead the Boyes suspecting as it was by seeing him weare his Cap would haue had him to Master Thorp But Iack so moued their patience they shot him so he fell to the ground put him in a Boat to haue him before the Gouernor then seuen or eight miles from them But by the way Iack finding the pangs of death vpon him desired of the Boyes two things the one was that they would not make it knowne hee was slaine with a bullet the other to bury him amongst the English At the losse of this Saluage Opechankanough much grieued and repined with great threats of reuenge but the English returned him such terrible answers that he cunningly dissembled his intent with the greatest signes he could of loue and peace yet within foureteene daies after he acted what followeth Sir Francis Wyat at his arriuall was aduertised he found the Countrey setled in such a firme peace as most men there thought sure and vnuiolable not onely in regard of their promises but of a necessitie The poore weake Saluages being euery way bettered by vs and safely sheltred and defended whereby wee might freely follow our businesse and such was the conceit of this conceited peace as that there was seldome or neuer a sword and seldomer a peece except for a Deere or Fowle by which assurances the most plantations were placed straglingly and scatteringly as a choice veine of rich ground inuited them and further from neighbours the better Their houses generally open to the Saluages who were alwaies friendly fed at their tables and lodged in their bed-chambers which made the way plaine to effect their intents and the conuersion of the Saluages as they supposed Hauing occasion to send to Opechankanough about the middle of March hee vsed the Messenger well and told him he held the peace so firme the sky should fall or he dissolued it yet such was the treachery of those people when they had contriued our destruction euen but two daies before the massacre they guided our men with much kindnesse thorow the woods and one Browne that liued among them to learne the language they sent home to his Master yea they borrowed our Boats to transport themselues ouer the Riuer to consult on the deuillish murder that insued and of our vtter extirpation which God of his mercy by the meanes of one of themselues conuerted to Christianitie preuented and as well on the Friday morning that fatall day being the two and twentieth of March as also in the euening before as at other times they came vnarmed into our houses with Deere Turkies Fish Fruits and other prouisions to sell vs yea in some places sat downe at breakfast with our people whom immediatly with their owne tooles they slew most barbarously not sparing either age or sex man woman or childe so sudden in their execution that few or none discerned the weapon or blow that brought them to destruction In which manner also they slew many of our people at seuerall works in the fields well knowing in what places and quarters each of our men were in regard of their familiaritie with vs for the effecting that great master-peece of worke their conuersion and by this meanes fell that fatall morning vnder the bloudy and barbarous hands of that perfidious and
their destructions yet you see God by a conuerted Saluage that disclosed the plot saued the rest and the Pinnace then in Pamavukes Riuer whereof say they though our sinnes made vs vnworthy of so glorious a conuersion yet his infinite wisdome can neuerthelesse bring it to passe and in good time by such meanes as we thinke most vnlikely for in the deliuery of them that suruiue no mans particular carefulnesse saued one person but the meere goodnesse of God himselfe freely and miraculously preseruing whom he pleased The Letters of Master George Sands a worthy Gentleman and many others besides them returned brought vs this vnwelcome newes that hath beene heard at large in publike Court that the Indians and they liued as one Nation yet by a generall combination in one day plotted to subuert the whole Colony and at one instant though our seuerall Plantations were one hundred and fortie miles vp on Riuer on both sides But for the better vnderstanding of all things you must remember these wilde naked natiues liue not in great numbers together â—â—t dispersed commonly in thirtie fortie fiftie or sixtie in a company Some places haue two hundred few places more but many lesse yet they had all warning giuen them one from another in all their habitations though farre asunder to meet at the day and houre appointed for our destruction at al our seueral Plantations some directed to one place some to another all to be done at the time appointed which they did accordingly Some entring their houses vnder colour of trading so tooke their aduantage others drawing vs abroad vnder faire pretences and the rest suddenly falling vpon those that were at their labours Six of the counsell suffered vnder this treason and the slaughter had beene vniuersall if God had not put it into the heart of an Indian who lying in the house of one Pace was vrged by another Indian his Brother that lay with him the night before to kill Pace as he should doe Perry which was his friend being so commanded from their King telling him also how the next day the execution should be finished Perrys Indian presently arose and reueales it to Pace that vsed him as his sonne and thus them that escaped was saued by this one conuerted Infidell And though three hundred fortie seuen were slaine yet thousands of ours were by the meanes of this alone thus preserued for which Gods name be praised for euer and euer Pace vpon this securing his house before day rowed to Iamâ—s Towne and told the Gouernor of it whereby they were preuented and at such other Plantations as possibly intelligence could be giuen and where they saw vs vpon our guard at the sight of a peece they ranne away but the rest were most slaine their houses burnt such Armes and Munition as they found they tooke away and some cattell also they destroied Since wee finde Opechankanough the last yeare had practised with a King on the Easterne shore to furnish him with a kind of poison which onely growes in his Country to poison vs. But of this bloudy acte neuer griefe and shame possâ—ssed any people more then themselues to be thus butchered by so naked and cowardly a people who dare not stand the presenting of a staffe in manner of a peece nor an vncharged peecâ— in the hands of a woman But I must tell those Authors though some might be thus cowardly there were many of them had better spirits Thus haue you heard the particulars of this massacre which in those respects some say will be good for the Plantation because now we haue iust cause to destroy them by all meanes possible but I thinke it had beene much better it had neuer happened for they haue giuen vs an hundred times as iust occasions long agoe to subiect them and I wonder I can heare of none but Master â—â—ockam and Master Whitaker of my opinion Moreouer where before we were troubled in cleering the ground of great Timber which was to them of small vse now we may take their owne plaine fields and Habitations which are the pâ—easantest places in the Countrey Besides the Deere Turkies and other Beasts and Fowles will exceedingly increase if we beat the Saluages out of the Countrey for at all times of the yeare they neuer spare Male nor Female old nor young egges nor birds fat nor leane in season or out of season with them all is one The like they did in our Swine and Goats for they haue vsed to kill eight in tenne more then we or else the wood would most plentifully abound with victuall besides it is more easie to ciuilize them by conquest then faire meanes for the one may be made at once but their ciuilizing will require a long time and much industry The manner how to suppresse them is so often related and approued I omit it here And you haue twenty examples of the Spaniards how they got the West-Indies and forced the treacherous and rebellious Infidels to doe all manner of drudgery worke and slauery for them themselues liuing like Souldiers vpon the fruits of their labours This will make vs more circumspect and be an example to posteritie But I say this might as well haue beene put in practise sixteene yeares agoe as now Thus vpon this Anuill shall wee now beat our selues an Armour of proofe hereafter to defend vs against such incuâ—sions and euer hereafter make vs more circumspect but to helpe to repaire this losse besides his Maiesties bounty in Armes he gaue the Company out of the Tower and diuers other Honorable persons haue renewed their aduentures we must not omit the Honorable Citie of London to whose endlesse praise wee may speake it are now setting forward one hundred persons and diuers others at their owne costs are a repairing and all good men doe thinke neuer the worse of the businesse for all these disâ—sters What growing state was there euer in the world which had not the like Rome grew by oppression and rose vpon the backe of her enemies and the Spaniards haue had many of those counterbuffes more than we Columbus vpon his returne from the West-Indies into Spaine hauing left his people with the Indies in peace and promise of good vsage amongst them at his returne backe found not one of them liuing but all treacherously slaine by the Saluages After this againe when the Spanish Colonies were increased to great numbers the Indians from whom the Spaniards for trucking stuffe vsed to haue all their corne generally conspired together to plant no more at all intending thereby to famish them themselues liuing in the meane time vpon Cassaua a root to make bread onely then knowne to themselues This plot of theirs by the Spaniards ouersight that foolishly depended vpon strangers for their bread tooke such effect and brought them to such misery by the rage of famine that they spared no vncleane nor loathsome beast no not the poisonous and hideous Serpents
but eat them vp also deuouring one death to saue them from another and by this meanes their whole Colony well-neere surfeted sickned and died miserably and when they had againe recouered this losse by their incontinency an infinite number of them died on the Indian disease we call the French Pox which at first being a strange and an vnknowne malady was deadly vpon whomsoeuer it lighted then had they a little flea called Nigua which got betweene the skinne and the flesh before they were aware and there bred and multiplied making swellings and putrifactions to the decay and losse of many of their bodily members Againe diuers times they were neere vndone by their ambition faction and malice of the Commanders Columbus to whom they were also much beholden was sent with his Brother in chaines into Spaine and some other great Commanders killed and murdered one another Pizzaro was killed by Almagros sonne and him Vasco beheaded which Vasco was taken by Blasco and Blasco was likewise taken by Pizzaros Brother And thus by their couetous and spightfull quarrels they were euer shaking the maine pillars of their Common-weale These and many more mischiefes and calamities hapned them more then euer did to vs and at one time being euen at the last gaspe had two ships not arriued with supplies as they did they were so disheartned they were a leauing the Countrey yet we see for all those miseries they haue attained to their ends at last as is manifest to all the world both with honour poweâ— and wealth and whereas beâ—ore few could be hired to goe to inhabit there now with great sute they must obtaine it but where there was no honesty nor equity nor sanctitie nor veritie nor pieâ—ie nor good ciuilitie in such a Countrey certainly there can bee no stabilitie Therefore let vs not be discouraged but rather animated by those conclusions seeing we are so well assured of the goodnesse and commodities may bee had in Virginia nor is it to be much doubted there is any want of Mines of most sorts no not of the richest as is well knowne to some yet liuing that can make it manifest when time shall serue and yet to thinke that gold and siluer Mines are in a country otherwise most rich and fruitfull or the greatest wealth in a Plantation is but a popular error as is that opinion likewise that the gold and siluer is now the greatest wealth of the West Indies at this present True it is indeed that in the first conquest the Spaniards got great and mighty store of treasure from the Natiues which they in long space had heaped together and in those times the Indians shewed them entire and rich Mines which now by the relations of them that haue beene there are exceedingly wasted so that now the charge of getting those Metals is growne excessiue besides the consuming the liues of many by their pestilent smoke and vapours in digging and refining them so that all things considered the cleere gaines of those metals the Kings part defraied to the Aduenturers is but small and nothing neere so much as vulgarly is imagined and were it not for other rich Commodities there that inrich them those of the Contraction house were neuer able to subsist by the Mines onely for the greatest part of their Commodities are partly naturall and partly transported from other parts of the world and planted in the West-Indies as in their mighty wealth of Sugarcanes being first transported from the Canaries and in Ginger and other things brought out of the East-Indies in their Cochanele Indicos Cotton and their infinite store of Hides Quick-siluer Allum Woad Brasill woods Dies Paints Tobacco Gums Balmes Oiles Medicinals and Perfumes Sassaparilla and many other physicall drugs These are the meanes whereby they raise that mighty charge of drawing out their gold and siluer to the great cleare reuenue of their King Now seeing the most of those commodities or as vsefull may be had in Virginia by the same meanes as I haue formerly said let vs with all speed take the priority of time where also may be had the priority of place in chusing the best seats of the Country which now by vanquishing the saluages is like to offer a more faire and ample choice of fruitfull habitations then hitherto our gentlenesse and faire comportments could attaine vnto The numbers that were slaine in those seuerall Plantations 1 AT Captaine Berkleys Plantation himselfe and 21. others seated at the Falling-Crick 66. miles from Iames City 22 2 Master Thomas Sheffelds Plantation some three miles from the Falling-Crick himselfe and 12. others 13 3 At Henrico Iland about two miles from Sheffelds Plantation 6 4 Slaine of the College people twenty miles from Henrico 17 5 At Charles City and of Captaine Smiths men 5 6 At the next adioyning Plantation 8 7 At William Farrars house 10 8 At Brickley hundred fifty miles from Charles City Master Thorp and 10 9 At Westouer a mile from Brickley 2 10 At Master Iohn Wests Plantation 2 11 At Captaine Nathaniel Wests Plantation 2 12 At Lieutenant Gibs his Plantation 12 13 At Richard Owens house himselfe and 6 14 At Master Owen Macars house himselfe and 3 15 At Martins hundred seuen miles from Iames City 73 16 At another place 7 17 At Edward Bonits Plantation 50 18 At Master Waters his house himselfe and 4 19 At Apamatucks Riuer at Master Perce his Plantation fiue miles from the College 4 20 At Master Macocks Diuident Captaine Samuel Macock and 4 21 At Flowerda hundred Sir George Yearleys Plantation 6 22 On the other side opposite to it 7 23 At Master Swinhows house himselfe and 7 24 At Master William Bickars house himselfe and 4 25 At Weanock of Sir George Yearleys people 21 26 At Powel Brooke Captaine Nathaniel Powel and 12 27 At South-hampton hundred 5 28 At Martin Brandons hundred 7 29 At Captaine Henry Spilmans house 2 30 At Ensigne Spences house 5 31 At Master Thomas Perse his house by Mulbery I le himselfe and 4 The whole number 347. Men in this taking bettered with affliction Better attend and mind and marke Religion For then true voyces issue from their hearts Then speake they what they thinkâ— in inmost parts The truth remaines they cast off sained Arts. THis lamentable and so vnexpected a distaster caused them all beleeue the opinion of Master Stockam and draue them all to their wits end it was twenty or thirty daies ere they could resolue what to doe but at last it was concluded all the petty Plantations should be abandoned and drawne onely to make good fiue or six places where all their labours now for the most part must redound to the Lords of those Lands where they were resident Now for want of Boats it was impossible vpon such a sudden to bring also their cattle and many other things which with much time charge and labour they had then in possession with them all which for
to aduenture to their ship but shee was a drift in the Riuer before they returned thus frustrate of all hopes Captaine Butler the third night ranging the shore in his Boat to seeke them discharged his Muskets but they supposing it some Saluages had got some English peeces they grew more perplexed then euer so he returned and lost his labour The fourth day they vnloaded their Boat and stopping her leakes with their handkerchiefes and other rags two rowing and two bailing out the water but farre they went not ere the water grew vpon them so fast and they so tired they thought themselues happy to be on shore againe though they perceiued the Indians were not farre off by their fires Thus at the very period of despaire Fuller vndertooke to sit a stride vpon a little peece of an old Canow so well it pleased God the wind and tide serued by padling with his hands and feet in the water beyond all expectation God so guided him three or foure houres vpon this boord he arriued at their ship where they no lesse amazed then he tired they tooke him in Presently as he had concluded with his Companions he caused them discharge a peece of Ordnance if he escaped which gaue no lesse comfort to Master Argent and the rest then terror to those Plantations that heard it being late at such an vnexpected alarum but after with warme clothes and a little strong water they had a little recouered him such was his courage and care of his distressed friends he returned that night againe with Master Felgate to conduct him to them and so giuing thanks to God for so hopelesse a deliuerance it pleased his Diuine power both they and their prouision came safely aboord but Fuller they doubt will neuer recouer his benumbed legs and thighes Now before Butlers arriuall in England many hard speeches were rumored against him for so leauing his charge before he receiued order from the Company Diuers againe of his Souldiers as highly commended him for his good gouernment art iudgement and industry But to make the misery of Virginia appeare that it might be reformed in time how all those Cities Townes Corporations Forts Vineyards Nurseries of Mulberies Glasse-houses Iron forges Guest-houses Silke-wormes Colleges the Companies great estate and that plenty some doe speake of here are rather things in words and paper then in effect with diuers reasons of the causes of those defects if it were false his blame nor shame could not be too much but if there bee such defects in the gouernment and distresse in the Colony it is thought by many it hath beene too long concealed and requireth rather reformation then disputation but howeuer it were not amisse to prouide for the worst for the best will help it selfe Notwithstanding it was apprehended so hardly and examined with that passion that the brute thereof was spread abroad with that expedition it did more hurt then the massacre and the fault of all now by the vulgar rumour must be attributed to the vnwholesomnesse of the ayre and barrennesse of the Countrey as though all England were naught because the Fens and Marshes are vnhealthy or barren because some will lie vnder windowes and starue in Cheap-side rot in Goales die in the street high-waies or any where and vse a thousand deuices to maintaine themselues in those miseries rather then take any paines to liue as they may by honest labour and a great part of such like are the Planters of Virginia and partly the occasion of those defailements In the latter end of this last yeare or the beginning of this Captaine Hâ—nrie Spilman a Gentleman that hath liued in those Countries thirteene or foureteene yeares one of the best Interpreters in the Land being furnished with a Barke and six and twentie men hee was sent to trucke in the Riuer of Patawomek where he had liued a long time amongst the Saluages whether hee presumed too much vpon his acquaintance amongst them or they sought to be reuenged of any for the slaughter made amongst them by the English so lately or hee sought to betray them or they him are all seuerall relations but it seemes but imaginary for then returned report they left him ashore about Patawomek but the name of the place they knew not with one and twentie men being but fiue in the Barke the Saluages ere they suspected any thing boorded them with their Canowes and entred so fast the English were amazed till a Sailer gaue fire to a peece of Ordnance onely at randome at the report whereof the Saluages leapt ouer-boord so distracted with feare they left their Canowes and swum a shore and presently after they heard a great brute amongst the Saluages a shore and saw a mans head throwne downe the banke whereupon they weighed Anchor and returned home but how he was surprised or slaine is vncertaine Thus things proceed and vary not a iot Whether we knew them or we know them not A particular of such necessaries as either priuate families or single persons shall haue cause to prouide to goe to Virginia whereby greater numbers may in part conceiue the better how to prouide for themselues Apparell A Monmoth Cap. 1 s. 10 d. 3 falling bands 1 s. 3 d. 3 shirts 7 s. 6 d. 1 Waste-coat 2 s. 2 d. 1 suit of Canuase 7 s. 6 d. 1 suit of Frize 10 s. 1 suit of Cloth 15 s. 3 paire of Irish stockings 4 s. 4 paire of shooes 8 s. 8 d. 1 paire of garters 10 d. 1 dozen of pointâ— 3 d. 1 paire of Canuas sheets 8 s. 7 ells of Canuas to make a bed and boulster to be filled in Virginia seruing for two men 8 s. 5 ells of course Canuas to make a bed at Sea for two men 5 s. 1 course rug at sea for two men 6 s. Â 4 l. Victuall for a whole yeare for a man and so after the rate for more 8 bushels of meale 2 l. 2 bushels of pease 6 s. 2 bushels of Otemeale 9 s. 1 gallon of Aquavitae 2 s. 6 d. 1 gallon of oyle 3 s. 6 d. 2 gallons of Vineger 2 s. Â 3 l. 3 s. Armes for a man but if halfe your men be armed it is well so all haue swords and peeces 1 Armor compleat light 17 s. 1 long peece fiue foot and a halfe neere Musket bore 1 l. 2 s. 1 Sword 5 s. 1 Belt 1 s. 1 Bandilier 1 s. 6 d. 2 pound of powder 18 s. 6 pound of shot or Lead Pistoll and Goose shot 5 s. Â 3 l. 9 s. 6 d. Tooles for a family of six persons and so after the rate for more 5 broad howe 's at 2 s. a peece 10 s. 5 narrow howe 's at 16 d. a peece 6 s. 8 d. 2 broad axes at 3 s. 8 d. a peece 7 s. 4 d. 5 felling axes at 18 d. a peece 7 s. 6 d. 2 steele handsawes at 16 d. a peece 2 s. 8 d 2 two handsawes at 5 s. a peece
Passenger and three pounds for euery tun of goods at which rate a thousand ships may now better be procured then one at the first when the common stocke defrayed all fraughts wages prouisions and Magazines whereby the Ships are so pestred as occasions much sicknesse diseases and mortality for though all the Passengers die they are sure of their fraught and then all must be satisfied with Orations disputations excuses and hopes As for the letters of aduice from hence and their answers thence they are so well written men would beleeue there were no great doubt of the performance and that all things were wel to which error here they haue beene euer much subiect and there not to beleeue or not to releeue the true and poore estate of that Colony whose fruits were commonly spent before they were ripe and this losse is nothing to them here whose great estates are not sensible of the losse of their aduentures and so they thinke or will not take notice but it is so with all men but howsoeuer they thinke or dispose of all things at their pleasure I am sure not my selfe onely but a thousand others haue not onely spent the most of their estates but the most part haue lost their liues and all onely but to make way for the triall of more new conclusions and he that now will aduenture but twelue pounds ten shillings shall haue better respect and as much fauour then he that sixteene yeere agoe aduentured as much except he haue money as the other hath but though he haue aduentured fiue hundred pound and spent there neuer so much time if hee haue no more and not able to begin a family of himselfe all is lost by order of Court But in the beginning it was not so all went then out of one purse till those new deuices haue consumed both mony and purse for at first there were but six Patentees now more then a thousand then but thirteene Counsailors now not lesse then an hundred I speake not of all for there are some both honourable and honest but of those Officers which did they manage their owne estates no better then the affaires of Virginia they would quickly fall to decay so well as it but this is most euident few Officers in England it hath caused to turne Banquerupts nor for all their complaints would leaue their places neither yet any of their Officers there nor few of the rest but they would be at home but fewer Aduenturers here will aduenture any more till they see the businesse better established although there be some so wilfully improuident they care for nothing but to get thither and then if their friends be dead or want themselues they die or liue but poorely for want of necessaries and to thinke the old Planters can releeue them were too much simplicity for who here in England is so charitable to feed two or three strangers haue they neuer so much much lesse in Virginia where they want for themselues Now the generall complaint saith that pride couetousnesse extortion and oppression in a few that ingrosses all then sell all againe to the comminalty at what rate they please yea euen men women and children for who will giue most occasions no small mischiefe amongst the Planters As for the Company or those that doe transport them prouided of necessaries God forbid but they should receiue their charges againe with aduantage or that masters there should not haue the same priuilege ouer their seruants as here but to sell him or her for forty fifty or threescore pounds whom the Company hath sent ouer for eight or ten pounds at the most without regard how they shall be maintained with apparell meat drinke and lodging is odious and their fruits sutable therefore such merchants it were better they were made such merchandize themselues then suffered any longer to vse that trade and those are defects sufficient to bring a well setled Common-wealth to misery much more Virginia Quest. 7. How thinke you it may be rectified Answ. If this Maiestie would please to intitle it to his Crowne and yearely that both the Gouernours here and there may giue their accounts to you or some that are not ingaged in the businesse that the common stocke bee not spent in maintaining one hundred men for the Gouernour one hundred for two Deputies fifty for the Treasurer fiue and twenty for the Secretary and more for the Marshall and other Officers who were neuer there nor aduentured any thing but onely preferred by fauour to be Lords ouer them that broke the ice and beat the path and must teach them what to doe if any thing happen well it is their glory if ill the fault of the old directors that in all dangers must endure the worst yet not fiue hundred of them haue so much as one of the others also that there bee some present course taken to maintaine a Garrison to suppresse the Saluages till they be able to subsist and that his Maiesty would please to remit his custome or it is to be feared they will lose custome and all for this cannot be done by promises hopes counsels and countenances but with sufficient workmen and meanes to maintaine them not such delinquents as here cannot be ruled by all the lawes in England yet when the foundation is laid as I haue said and a common-wealth established then such there may better be constrained to labour then here but to rectifie a common-wealth with debaushed people is impossible and no wise man would throw himselfe into such a society that intends honestly and knowes what he vndertakes for there is no Country to pillage as the Romans found all you expect from thence must be by labour For the gouernment I thinke there is as much adoe about it as the Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland men here conceiting Virginia as they are erecting as many stately Offices as Officers with their attendants as there are labourers in the Countrey where a Constable were as good as twenty of their Captaines and three hundred good Souldiers and labourers better then all the rest that goe onely to get the fruits of other mens labours by the title of an office Thus they spend Michaelmas rent in Mid-summer Moone and would gather their Haruest before they haue planted their Corne. As for the maintenance of the Officers the first that went neuer demanded any but aduentured good summes and it seemes strange to me the fruits of all their labours besides the expence of an hundred and fifty thousand pounds and such multitudes of people those collaterall Officers could not maintaine themselues so well as the old did and hauing now such liberty to doe to the Saluages what they will the others had not I more then wonder they haue not fiue hundred Saluages to worke for them towards their generall maintenance and as many more to returne some content and satisfaction to the Aduenturers that for all their care charge and diligence can heare nor
see nothing but miserable complaints therefore vnder your correction to rectifie all is with all expedition to passe the authority to them who will releeue them lest all bee consumed ere the differences be determined And except his Maiestie vndertake it or by Act of Parlament some small tax may be granted throughout his Dominions as a Penny vpon euery Poll called a head-penny two pence vpon euery Chimney or some such collection might be raised and that would be sufficient to giue a good stocke and many seruants to sufficient men of any facultie and transport them freely for paying onely homage to the Crowne of England and such duties to the publike good as their estates increased reason should require Were this put in practice how many people of what quality you please for all those disasters would yet gladly goe to spend their liues there and by this meanes more good might be done in one yeere then all those pety particular vndertakings will effect in twenty For the Patent the King may if he please rather take it from them that haue it then from vs who had it first pretending to his Maiesty what great matters they would doe and how little we did and for any thing I can conceiue had we remained still as at first it is not likely we could haue done much worse but those oft altering of gouernments are not without much charge hazard and losse If I be too plaine I humbly craue your pardon but you requested me therefore I doe but my duty For the Nobility who knowes not how freely both in their Purses and assistances many of them haue beene to aduance it committing the managing of the businesse to inferiour persons amongst whom questionlesse also many haue done their vtmost best sincerely and truly according to their conceit opinion and vnderstanding yet grosse errors haue beene committed but no man liues without his fault for my owne part I haue so much adoe to amend my owne I haue no leisure to looke into any mans particular but those in generall I conceiue to be true And so I humbly rest Yours to command I. S. THus those discords not being to be compounded among themselues nor yet by the extraordinary diligences care and paines of the noble and right worthy Commissioners Sir William Iones Sir Nicholas Fortescue Sir Francis Goston Sir Richard Sutton Sir Henry Bourgchier and Sir William Pit a Corante was granted against Master Deputy Farrar and 20. or 30. others of that party to plead their causes before the right Honourable the Lords of his Maiesties Priuy Councell now notwithstanding all the Relations Examinations and intercepting of all Letters whatsoeuer came from thence yet it seemes they were so farre vnsatisfied and desired to know the truth as well for the preseruation of the Colony as to giue content and doe all men right they sent two Commissioners strictly to examine the true estate of the Colony Vpon whose returne after mature deliberation it pleased his royall Maiesty to suppresse the course of the Court at Deputy Farrars and that for the present ordering the affaires of Virginia vntill he should make a more full settlement thereof the Lord Viscount Mandeuile Lord President of his Maiesties Priuie Councell and also other Priuy Councellors with many vnderstanding Knights and Gentlemen should euery Thursday in the afternoone meet at Sir Thomas Smiths in Philpot lane where all men whom it should concerne may repaire to receiue such directions and warrant for their better security as more at large you may see in the Proclamation to that effect vnder the great Seale of England dated the 15. of Iuly 1624. But as for the relations last returned what numbers they are how many Cities Corporations townes and houses cattle and horse they haue what fortifications or discoueries they haue made or reuenge vpon the Saluages who are their friends or foes or what commodities they haue more then Tobacco their present estate or what is presently to be put in execution in that the Commissioners are not yet fully satisfied in the one nor resolued in the other at this present time when this went to the Presse I must intreat you pardon me till I be better assured Thus far I haue trauelled in this Wildernesse of Virginia not being ignorant for all my paines this discourse will be wrested tossed and turned as many waies as there is leaues that I haue writ too much of some too little of others and many such like obiections To such I must answer in the Companies name I was requested to doe it if any haue concealed their approued experiences from my knowledge they must excuse me as for euery fatherles or stolne relation or whole volumes of sofisticated rehearsals I leaue them to the charge of them that desire them I thanke God I neuer vndertooke any thing yet any could tax me of carelesnesse or dishonesty and what is hee to whom I am indebted or troublesome Ah! were these my accusers but to change cases and places with me but 2. yeeres or till they had done but so much as I it may be they would iudge more charitably of my imperfections But here I must leaue all to the triall of time both my selfe Virginia's preparations proceedings and good euents praying to that great God the protector of all goodnesse to send them as good successe as the goodnesse of the action and Country deserueth and my heart desireth FINIS THE FIFTH BOOKE THE GENERALL HISTORIE OF THE BERMVDAS now called the Summer Iles from their beginning in the yeere of our Lord 1593. to this present 1624. with their proceedings accidents and present estate BEfore we present you the matters of fact it is fit to offer to your view the Stage whereon they were acted for as Geography without History seemeth a carkasse without motion so History without Geography wandreth as a Vagrant without a certaine habitation Those Ilands lie in the huge maine Ocean and two hundred leagues from any continent situated in 32. degrees and 25. minutes of Northerly latitude and distant from England West South-West about 3300. miles some twenty miles in length and not past two miles and a halfe in breadth enuironed with Rocks which to the North-ward West-ward and South-East extend further then they haue bin yet well discouered by reason of those Rocks the Country is naturally very strong for there is but two places scare two vnlesse to them who know them well where shipping may safely come in and those now are exceeding well fortified but within is roome to entertaine a royall Fleet the Rocks in most places appeare at a low water neither are they much couered at a high for it ebbs and flowes not past fiue foot the shore for most part is a Rocke so hardened with the sunne wind and sea that it is not apt to be worne away with the waues whose violence is also broke by the Rocks before they can come to the shore it is very
vneuen distributed into hills and dales the mold is of diuers colours neither clay nor sand but a meane betweene the red which resembleth clay is the worst the whitest resembling sand and the blackest is good but the browne betwixt them both which they call white because there is mingled with it a white meale is the best vnder the mould two or three foot deep and sometimes lesse is a kinde of white hard substance which they call the Rocke the trees vsually fasten their roots in it neither is it indeed rocke or stone or so hard though for most part more harder then Chalke nor so white but pumish-like and spungy easily receiuing and containing much water In some places Clay is found vnder it it seemes to be ingendred with raine water draining through the earth and drawing with it of his substance vnto a certaine depth where it congeales the hardest kinde of it lies vnder the red ground like quarries as it were thicke slates one vpon another through which the water hath his passage so that in such places there is scarce found any fresh water for all or the most part of the fresh water commeth out of the Sea draining through the sand or that substance called the Rocke leauing the salt behinde it becomes fresh sometimes we digged wells of fresh water which we finde in most places and but three or foure paces from the Sea side some further the most part of them would ebbe and flow as the Sea did and be leuell or little higher then the superficies of the sea and in some places very strange darke and cumbersome Caues The aire is most commonly cleere very temperate moist with a moderate heat very healthfull and apt for the generation and nourishing of all things so as many things transported from hence yeeld a farre greater increase and if it be any liuing thing it becomes fatter and better by this meanes the country is so replenished with Hens and Turkies within the space of three or foure yeeres that many of them being neglected forsake the houses and become wilde and so liue in great abundance the like increase there is in Hogs tame Conies and other Cattle according to their kindes There seemes to be a continuall Spring which is the cause some things come not to that maturity and perfection as were requisite and though the trees shed their leaues yet they are alwaies full of greene the Corne is the same they haue in Virginia and the West-Indies of this and many other things without plowing or much labour they haue two Haruests euery yeere for they set about March which they gather in Iuly and againe in August which they reape in December and little slips of Fig-trees and Vines doe vsually beare fruit within the yeere and sometimes in lesse but we finde not the Grapes as yet come to any perfection the like fertility it hath in Oranges and Limons Pomgranates and other things Concerning the serenity and beauty of the skie it may as truly be said of those Ilands as euer it was said of the Rhodes that there is no one day throughout the 12. moneths but that in some houre thereof the sun lookes singularly cleere vpon them for the temperature it is beyond all others most admirable no cold there is beyond an English Aprill nor heat much greater then an ordinary Iuly in France so that frost and snow is neuer seene here nor stinking and infectious mists very seldome by reason of the maine Ocean there is some wind stirring that cooles the aire the winter they haue obserues the time with ours but the longest daies and nights are shorter then ours almost by two houres We found it at first all ouergrowne with weeds and plants of seuerall kinds as many tall and goodly Cedars infinite store of Palmetoes numbers of Mulberies wild Oliue-trees store with diuers others vnknowne both by name and nature so that as yet they become lost to many vsefull imployments which time and industry no doubt will one day discouer and euen already certaine of the most notorious of them haue gotten them appellations from their apparent effects as the Prickell-peare which growes like a shrub by the ground with broad thick leaues all ouer-armed with long and sharpe dangerous thornes the fruit being in forme not much vnlike a small greene Peare and on the outside of the same colour but within bloud red and exceeding full of iuice with graines not much vnlike the Pomgranat and colouring after its nature The poysoned weed is much in shape like our English Iuy but being but touched causeth rednesse itching and lastly blisters the which howsoeuer after a while passe away of themselues without further harme yet because for the time they are somewhat painfull it hath got it selfe an ill name although questionlesse of no ill nature Here is also frequently growing a certaine tall Plant whose stalke being all ouer couered with a red rinde is thereupon termed the red weed the root whereof being soked in any liquor or but a small quantity of the Iuice drunke alone procures a very forcible vomit and yet is generally vsed by the people and found very effectuall against the paines and distempers of the stomacke A kinde of Wood-bind there is likewise by the Sea very commonly to bee found which runnes vpon trees twining it selfe like a Vine the fruit somewhat resembles a Beane but somewhat flatter the which any way eaten worketh excellently in the nature of a purge and though very vehemently yet without all perill Contrary to this another small tree there is which causeth costiuenesse there is also a certaine Plant like a bramble bush which beares a long yellow fruit hauing the shell very hard and within it a hard berry that beaten and taken inwardly purgeth gently There is another fruit much like our Barberies which being beaten or brused betweene the teeth sets all the mouth on an extreme heat very terrible for the time to auoid which they are swallowed downe whole and found of the same or better operation then the red Pepper and thence borroweth the name In the bottome of the Sea there is growing vpon the Rocks a large kinde of Plant in the forme of a Vine leafe but far more spread with veines in colour of a pale red very strangely interlaced wouen one into another which we call the Feather but the vertue thereof is altogether vnknowne but only regarded for the rarity Now besides these naturall productions prouidences paines since the Plantation haue offered diuers other feeds plants which the soile hath greedlily imbraced cherished so that at this present 1623. there are great abundance of white red and yellow coloured Potatoes Tobacco Sugarcanes Indicos Parsnips exceeding large Râ—dishes the American bread the Cassado root the Indian Pumpian the Water-millon Musk-millon the most delicate Pine-apples Plantans and Papawes also the English Artichoke Pease c. briefly
meane which is Wood Flax Pitch Tarre Rozen Cordage and such like which they exchange againe to the French Spaniards Portugals and English c. for what they want are made so mighty strong and rich as no state but Venice of twice their magnitude is so well furnished with so many faire Cities goodly Townes strong Fortresses and that abundance of shipping and all sorts of Merchandize as well of Gold Siluer Pearles Diamonds precious Stones Silkes Veluets and Cloth of Gold as Fâ—sh Pitch Wood or such grosse Commodities What voiages and discoueries Eâ—st and West North and South yea about the world make they What an Army by Sea and Land haue they long maintained in despight of one of the greatest Princes of the world and neuer could the Spaniard with all his Mines of Gold and Siluer pay his debts his friends and Army halfe so truly as the Hollanders still haue done by this contemptible Trade of Fish Diuers I know may alleage many other assistances but this is the chiefest Mine and the Sea the source of those siluer streames of all their vertue which hath made them now the very miracle of industry the onely paterne of perfection for these affaires and the benefit of fishing is that Primum Mobile that turnes all their spheares to this height of plentie strength honor and exceeding great admiration Herring Cod and Ling is that triplicitie that makes their wealth and shippings multiplicitie such as it is and from which few would thinke it they should draw so many millions yeerely as they doe as more in particular in the trials of New England you may see and such an incredible number of ships that breeds them so many Sailers Mariners Souldiers and Merchants neuer to be wrought out of that Trade and fit for any other I will not deny but others may gaine as well as they that will vse it though not so certainly nor so much in quantitie for want of experience and this Herring they take vpon the Coast of England and Scotland their Cod and Ling vpon the Coast of Izeland and in the North seas if wee consider what gaines the Hamburgans the Biskinners and French make by fishing nay but how many thousands this fiftie or sixty yeeres haue beene maintained by New found land where they take nothing but small Cod whereof the greatest they make Cor-fish and the rest is hard dried which we call Poore-Iohn would amaze a man with wonder If then from all those parts such paines is taken for this poore gaines of Fish especially by the Hâ—â—landers that hath but little of their owne for building of ships and setting them to sea but at the second third fourth or fift hand drawne from so many pâ—râ—s of the world ere they come together to be vsed in those voiages If these I say can gaine why should we more doubt then they but doe much better that may haue most of all those things at our doores for taking and making and here are no hard Landlords to racke vs with high rents or extorting fines nor tedious pleas in Law to consume vs with their many yeeres disputation for Iustice no multitudes to occasion such impediments to good orders as in popular States so freely hath God and his Maiestie bestowed those blessings on them will attempt to obtaine them as here euery man may be master of his owne labour and land or the greatest part if his Maiesties royall meaning be not abused and if he haue nothing but his hands he may set-vp his Trade and by industry quickly grow rich spending but halfe that time well which in England we abuse in idlenesse worse or as ill Here is ground as good as any lieth in the height of forty one forty two forty three c. which is as temperate and as fruitfull as any other parallel in the world As for example on this side the line West of it in the South Sea is Nona Albion discouered as is said by Sir Francis Drake East from it is the most temperate part of Portugall the ancient Kingdomes of Galizia Bisky Nauarre Aragon Cattilonia Castillia the old and the most moderatest of Castillia the new Valentia which is the greatest part of Spaine which if the Histories be true in the Romans time abounded no lesse with gold siluer Mines then now the West-Indies the Romans then vsing the Spaniards to worke in those Mines as now the Spaniards doe the Indians In France the Prouinces of Gascony Langadooke Auignon Prouince Dolphine Pyamont and Turyne are in the same parallel which are the best and richest parts of France In Italy the Prouinces of Genua Lumbardy and Verona with a great part of the most famous state of Venice the Dukedomes of Bononia Mantua Ferrara Rauenna Bolognia Florence Pisa Sienna Vrbine Ancona and the ancient Citie and Countrey of Rome with a great part of the Kingdome of Naples In Slauonia Istria and Dalmatia with the Kingdomes of Albania In Grecia those famous Kingdomes of Macedonia Bullulgaria Thessalia Thracia or Romania where is seated the most pleasant and plentifull Citie in Europe Constantinople In Asia in the same latitude are the temperatest parts of Natolia Armenia Persia and China besides diuers other large Countries and Kingdomes in those most milde and temperate Regions of Asia Southward in the same height is the richest of Gold Mines Chily and Baldinia and the mouth of the great Riuer of Plate c. for all the rest of the world in that height is yet vnknowne Besides these reasons mine owne eies that haue seene a great part of those Cities and their Kingdomes as well as it can finde no aduantage they haue in Nature but this they are beautified by the long labour and diligence of industrious people and art This is onely as God made it when hee created the world Therefore I conclude if the heart and intrailes of those Regions were sought if their Land were cultured planted and manured by men of industry iudgement and experience what hope is there or what need they doubt hauing the aduantages of the Sea but it might equalize any of these famous Kingdomes in all commodities pleasures and conditions seeing euen the very hedges doe naturally affoord vs such plentie as no ship need returne away emptie and onely vse but the season of the Sea Fish will returne an honest gaine besides all other aduantages her treasures hauing yet neuer beene opened nor her originals wasted consumed nor abused And whereas it is said the Hollanders serue the Easterlings themselues and other parts that want with Herring Ling and wet Cod The Easterlings a great part of Europe with Sturgion and Cauiare as the Blacke Sea doth Grecia Podolia Sagouia Natolia and the Hellespont Cape Blanke Spaine Portugall and the Leuant with Mulit and Puttargo New foundland the most part of the chiefe Southerne Ports in Europe with a thin Poore-Iohn which hath beene so long so much ouer-laied
charge but care must be had they arriue in the Spring or else that prouision be made for them against winter Of certaine red berries called Kermes which is worth ten shillings the pound but of these haue beene sold for thirty or forty shillings the pound may yeerely be gathered a good quantity Of the Muskrat may be well raised gaines worth their labour that will endeuour to make triall of their goodnesse Of Beuers Otters and Martins blacke Foxes and Furres of price may yeerely be had six or seuen thousand and if the trade of the French were preuented many more 25000. this yeere were brought from those northerne parts into France of which trade we may haue as good part as the French if we take good courses Of Mines of Gold and Siluer Copper and probabilities of Lead Crystall and Allum I could say much if relations were good assurances it is true indeed I made many trialls according to the instructions I had which doth perswade me I need not despaire but that there are metals in the Country but I am no Alcumist nor will promise more then I know which is who will vndertake the rectifying of an iron Forge if those that buy meat and drinke coles ore and all necessaries at a deare rate gaine where all these things are to be had for taking vp in my opinion cannot lose Of woods seeing there is such plenty of all sorts if those that build ships and boats buy wood at so great a price as it is in England Spaine France and Holland and all other prouisions for the nourishment of mans life liue well by their trade when labour is all required to take these necessaries without any other tax what hazard will be here but to doe much better and what commodity in Europe doth more decay then wood for the goodnesse of the ground let vs take it fertill or barren or as it is seeing it is certaine it beares fruits to nourish and feed man beast as well as England and the Sea those seuerall sorts of fishes I haue related thus seeing all good things for mans sustenance may with this facility be had by a little extraordinary labour till that transported be increased all necessaries for shipping onely for labour to which may added the assistance of the Saluages which may easily be had if they be discreetly handled in their kinds towards fishing planting and destroying woods what gaines might be raised if this were followed when there is but once men to fill your store houses dwelling there you may serue all Europe better and farre cheaper then can the Iland Fishers or the Hollanders Cape-blanke or Newfound land who must be at much more charge then you may easily be coniectured by this example Two thousand will fit out a ship of 200. tunnes one of 100. tuns if of the dry fish they both make fraught that of 200. and goe for Spaine sell it but at ten shillings a quintall but commonly it giues fifteene or twenty especially when it commeth first which amounts to 3. or 4000 pound but say but ten which is the lowest allowing the rest for waste it amounts at that rate to 2000. which is the whole charge of your two ships and the equipage then the returne of the mony and the fraught of the ship for the vintage or any other voyage is cleere gaine with your ship of one hundred tunnes of traine Oile and Cor-fish besides the Beuers and other commodities and that you may haue at home within six moneths if God please to send but an ordinary passage then sauing halfe this charge by the not staying of your ships your victuall ouerplus of men and wages with her fraught thither with necessaries for the Planters the Salt being there made as also may the nets and lines within a short time if nothing may be expected but this it might in time equalize your Hollanders gaines if not exceede them hauing their fraughts alwaies ready against the arriuall of the ships this would so increase our shipping and sailers and so incourage and imploy a great part of our Idlers and others that want imployment fitting their qualities at home where they shame to doe that they would doe abroad that could they but once taffe the sweet fruits of their owne labours doubtlesse many thousands would be aduised by good discipline to take more pleasure in honest industry then in their humors of dissolute idlenesse But to returne a little more to the particulars of this Countrey which I intermingle thus with my proiects and reasons not being so sufficiently yet acquainted in those parts to write fully the estate of the Sea the Aire the Land the Fruits their Rocks the People the Gouernment Religion Territories Limitations Friends and Foes But as I gathered from their niggardly relations in a broken language during the time I ranged those Countries c. the most Northerne part I was at was the Bay of Pennobscot which is East and West North and South more then ten leagues but such were my occasions I was constrained to be satisfied of them I found in the Bay that the Riuer ranne farre vp into the Land and was well inhabited with many people but they were from their habitations either fishing amongst the Iles or hunting the Lakes and Woods for Deere and Beuers the Bay is full of great Iles of one two six or eight miles in length which diuides it into many faire and excellent good Harbours On the East of it are the Tarrentines their mortall enemies where inhabit the French as they report that liue with those people as one Nation or Family And Northwest of Pennobscot is Mecaddacut at the foot of a high Mountaine a kinde of fortresse against the Tarrentines adioyning to the high Mountaines of Pennobscot against whose feet doth beat the Sea but ouer all the Land Iles or other impediments you may well see them foureteene or eighteene leagues from their situation Segocket is the next then Nuskoucus Pemmaquid and Sagadahock vp this Riuer where was the Westerne Plantation are Aumoughcawgen Kinnebeke and diuers others where are planted some Corne fields Along this Riuer thirtie or fortie miles I saw nothing but great high clifts of barren Rocks ouergrowne with Wood but where the Saluages dwell there the ground is excellent salt and fertill Westward of this Riuer is the Country of Aucocisco in the bottome of a large deepe Bay full of many great Iles which diuides it into many good Harbours Sawocotuck is the next in the edge of a large Sandy Bay which hath many Rockes and Iles but few good Harbours but for Barkes I yet know but all this Coast to Pennobscot and as farre as I could see Eastward of it is nothing but such high craggy clifty Rockes and stony Iles that I wonder such great Trees could grow vpon so hard foundations It is a Countrey rather to affright then delight one and how to describe a
more plaine spectacle of desolation or more barren I know not yet are those rocky Iles so furnished with good Woods Springs Fruits Fish and Fowle and the Sea the strangest Fish-pond I euer saw that it makes me thinke though the coast be rocky and thus affrightable the Vallies and Plaines and interior parts may well notwithstanding be very fertill But there is no Country so fertill hath not some part barren and New-England is great enough to make many Kingdomes and Countries were it all inhabited As you passe the coast still westward Accominticus and Passataquack are two conuenient Harbours for small Barkes and a good Country within their craggy clifts Augoan is the next this place might content a right curious iudgement but there are many sands at the entrance of the Harbour and the worst is it is imbayed too farre from the deepe Sea here are many rising hils and on their tops and descents are many corne fields and delightfull groues On the East is an I le of two or three leagues in length the one halfe plaine marish ground fit for pasture or salt Ponds with many faire high groues of Mulbery trees and Gardens there is also Okes Pines Walnuts and other wood to make this place an excellent habitation being a good and safe Harbour Naiâ—mkeck though it be more rocky ground for Augoan is sandy not much inferiour neither for the harbour nor any thing I could perceiue but the multitude of people from hence doth stretch into the Sea the faire headland Tragabigzanda now called Cape An fronted with the three Iles wee called the three Turkes heads to the north of this doth enter a great Bay where we found some habitations and Corne fields they report a faire Riuer and at least 30. habitations doth possesse this Country But because the French had got their trade I had no leisure to discouer it the Iles of Mattahunts are on the west side of this Bay where are many Iles and some Rocks that appeare a great height aboue the water like the Pyramides in Aegypt and amongst them many good Harbours and then the country of the Massachusits which is the Paradice of all those parts for here are many Iles planted with Corne Groues Mulberies saluage Gardens and good Harbours the Coast is for the most part high clayie sandy clifts the sea Coast as you passe shewes you all along large Corne fields and great troupes of well proportioned people but the French hauing remained here neere six weekes left nothing for vs to take occasion to examine the Inhabitants relations viz. if there be three thousand people vpon those Iles and that the Riuer doth pierce many daies iourney the entrailes of that Country we found the people in those parts very kinde but in their fâ—ry no lesse valiant for vpon a quarrell we fought with forty or fifty of them till they had spent all their Arrowes and then we tooke six or seuen of their Canowes which towards the euening they ransomed for Beuer skinnes and at Quonahasit falling out there but with one of them he with three others crossed the Harbour in a Canow to certaine rockes whereby wee must passe and there let flie their Arrowes for our shot till we were out of danger yet one of them was slaine and another shot through his thigh Then come you to Accomacke an excellent good Harbour good land and no want of any thing but industrious people after much kindnesse wee fought also with them though some were hurt some slaine yet within an houre after they became friends Cape Cod is the next presents it selfe which is onely a headland of high hils ouer-growne with shrubby Pines hurts and such trash but an excellent harbour for all weathers This Cape is made by the maine Sea on the one side and a great Bay on the other in forme of a Sickell on it doth inhabit the people of Pawmet and in the bottome of the Bay them of Chawum towards the South and South-west of this Cape is found a long and dangerous shoule of rocks and sand but so farre as I incercled it I found thirty fathome water and a strong currant which makes mee thinke there is a chanell about this Shoule where is the best and greatest fish to be had winter and summer in all the Country but the Saluages say there is no Chanell but that the Shoales beginne from the maine at Pawmâ—t to the I le of Nawset and so extends beyond their knowledge into the Sea The next to this is Capawucke and those abounding Countries of Copper Corne People and Mineralls which I went to discouer this last yeeâ—e but because I miscarried by the way I will leaue them till God please I haue better acquaintance with them The Massachusets they report sometimes haue warres with the Bashabes of Pennobscot are not alwaies friends with them of Chawum and their alliance but now they are all friends and haue each trade with other so farre as they haue society on each others frontiers for they make no such voyages as from Pennobscot to Cape Cod seldome to Massachset In the North as I haue said they haue begun to plant Corne whereof the south part hath such plenty as they haue what they will from them of the North and in the Winter much more plenty of fish and fowle but both Winter Summer hath it in one part or other all the yeere being the meane and most indifferent temper betwixt heat and cold of all the Regions betwixt the Line and the Pole but the Furs Northward are much better and in much more plenty then Southward The remarkablest Iles and Mountaines for land Markes are these the highest Ile is Sorico in the Bay of Pennobscot but the three Iles and the Iles of Matinack are much further in the Sea Merynacus is also three plaine Iles but many great Rocks Monahigan is a round high I le and close by it Monanis betwixt which is a small Harbour where we rid in Damerils Iles is such another Sagadahocke is knowne by Satquin and foure or fiue Iles in their mouth Smiths Iles are a heape together none neere them against Accomintycus the three Turkes heads are three Iles seene farre to Sea-ward in regard of the Head-land The chiefe Head-lands are onely Cape Tragabigzanda and Cape Cod now called Cape Iames and Cape Aâ—ne The chiefe Mountaines them of Pennobscot the twinkling Mountaine of Acocisco the great Mountaine of Sassanow and the high Mountaine of Mâ—ssâ—câ—uset Each of which you shall finde in the Map their places forme and alâ—â—â—des The waters are most pure proceeding from the intrailes of rocky Mountaâ—â—es the Herbs and Fruits are of many sorts and kinds as Alkermes Currans Muâ—beries Vines Respises Gooseberies Plums Wall-nuts Chesse-nuts Small 〈◊〉 Pumpions Gourds Strawberies Beanes Pease and Maize a kinde or two of Flax wherewith they make Nets Lines and Ropes both small and great very strong for their quantities Oake is the
matter yet must I sigh and say How oft hath Fortune in the world thinke I brought slauery freedome and turned all diuersly Newfoundland I haue heard at the first was held as desperate a fishing as this I proiect for New England Placentia and the Banke nere also as doubtfull to the French But for all the disasters hapned me the businesse is the same it was and the fiue ships went from London whereof one was reported more then three hundred tunnes found fish so much that neither Izeland man nor Newfoundland man I could heare of hath bin there will go any more to either place if they may go thither So that vpon the good returne of my Vice-Admirall this yeere are gone 4 or 5 sailes and from London as many only to make voyages of profit where from Plimoth as if all the English had bin there till my returne put all their returnes together they would scarce make one a sauour of neere a dozen I could nominate except one sent by Sir Francis Popam though there be fish sufficient as I am perswaded to fraugh yerely foure or fiue hundred Saile or as many as will goe For this fishing stretcheth along the Sea Coast from Cape Iames to Newfoundland which is seuen or eight hundred miles at the least and hath his course in the deepes and by the shore all the yere long keeping their hants and feedings as the beasts of the field and the birds of the aire But all men are not such as they should be that haue vndertaken those voyages All the Romans were not Scipiocs nor Carthagenians Hanibals nor all the Genwâ—ses Columbusses nor all the Spaniards Courteses had they diued no deeper in the secrets of their discoueries then we or stopped at such doubts and poore accidentall chances they had neuer beene remembred as they are yet had they no such certainties to begin as we But to conclude Adam and Eue did first begin this innocent worke to plant the earth to remaine to posterity but not without labour trouble and industry Noe and his family began againe the second Plantation and their seed as it still increased hath still planted new Countries and one Countrey another and so the world to that estate it is but not without much hazard trauell mortalities discontents and many disasters Had those worthy Fathers and their memorable off-spring not beene more diligent for vs now in these ages then we are to plant that yet are vnplanted for the after liuers Had the seed of Abraham our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles exposed themselues to no more dangers to teach the Gospell then we euen wee our selues had at this present beene as saluage and as miserable as the most barbarous Saluage yet vnciuilized The Hebrewes and Lacedemonians the Gothes the Grecians the Romanes and the rest what was it they would not vndertake to inlarge their Teritories enrich their subiects resist their enemies Those that were the founders of those great Monarchies and their vertues were no siluered idle golden Pharises but industrious Iron steeled Publicans They regarded more prouisions and necessaries for their people then Iewels riches ease or delight for themselues Riches were their Seruants not their Masters They ruled as Fathers not as Titants their people as Children not as Slaues there was no disaster could discourage them and let none thinke they incountred not with all manner of incumbrances And what hath euer beene the worke of the greatest Princes of the Earth but planting of Countries and ciuilizing barbarous and inhumane Nations to ciuilitie and humanitie whose eternall actions fills our Histories Lastly the Portugals and Spaniards whose euer-liuing actions before our eies will testifie with them our idlenesse and ingratitude to all posterities and the neglect of our duties in our pietie and religion We owe our God our King and Countrey and want of Charitie to those poore Saluages whose Countrey wee challenge vse and possesse except wee be but made to vse and marre what our fore-fathers made or but onely tell what they did or esteeme our selues too good to take the like paines Was it vertue in them to prouide that doth maintaine vs and basenesse in vs to doe the like for others Surely no. Then seeing we are not borne for our selues but each to help other and our abilities are much alike at the houre of our birth and the minute of our death seeing our good deeds or our bad by faith in Christs merits is all we haue to carie our soules to heauen or hell Seeing honor is our liues ambition and our ambition after death to haue an honorable memory of our life and seeing by no meanes we would be abated of the dignities and glories of our predecessors let vs imitate their vertues to be worthily their successors to conclude with Lucretius Its want of reason or its reasons want Which doubts the minde and iudgement so doth dant That those beginnings makes men not to grant Iohn Smith writ this with his owne hand Here followeth a briefe Discourse of the trials of New England with certaine Obseruations of the Hollanders vse and gaine by fishing and the present estate of that happy Plantation begun but by sixtie weake men in the yeere of our Lord 1620. and how to build a fleet of good ships to make a little Nauy Royall by the former Author HE saith that it is more then foure and forty yeeres agoe and it is more then fortie yeeres agoe since he writ it that the Herring Busses out of the Low Countries vnder the King of Spaine were fiue hundred besides one hundred French men and three or foure hundred saile of Flemings The Coast of Wales and Lancashire was vsed by 300 Saile of Strangers Ireland at Beltamore fraughted yeerely three hundred saile of Spaniards where King Edward the sixt intended to haue made a strong Castle because of the straight to haue tribute for fishing Black Rocke was yerely fished by three or foure hundred saile of Spaniards Portugals and Biskiners The Hollanders raise yeerely by Herring Cod and Ling thirty thousand pounds English and French by Salt-fish Poore-Iohn Salmons and Pilchards three hundred thousand pounds Hambrough and the Sound for Sturgion Lobsters and Eeles one hundred thousand pounds Cape Blanke for Tunny and Mullit by the Biskiners and Spaniards thirty thousand pounds That the Duke of Medina receiueth yeerely tribute of the Fishers for Tunny Mallit and Porgos more then ten thousand pounds Lubecke hath seuen hundred ships Hambrough six hundred Emden lately a Fisher towne one thousand foure hundred whose customes by fishing hath made them so powerfull as they be Holland and Zeland not much greater then Yorkeshire hath thirty walled Townes foure hundred Villages and twenty thousand saile of Ships and Hoies three thousand six hundred are Fisher-men whereof one hundred are Doggers seuen hundred Pinkes and Well-Boats seuen hundred Fraud-boats Britters and Tode-boats with thirteene hundred Busses besides three hundred that yeerely fish about
Yarmouth where they sell their fish for Gold and fifteene yeeres agoe they had more then an hundred and sixteene thousand Sea-faring-men These fishing ships doe take yeerely two hundred thousand last of fish twelue barrels to a last which amounts to 300000. pounds by the fisher mens price that 14. yeeres agoe did pay for their tenths three hundred thousand pound which venting in Pumerland Sprustia Denmarke Lefeland Russia Swethland Germany Netherlands England or else where c. makes their returnes in a yeere about threescore and ten hundred thousand pounds which is seuen millions and yet in Holland there is neither matter to build ships nor merchandize to set them forth yet by their industry they as much increase as other nations decay but leauing these vncertainties as they are of this I am certaine That the coast of England Scotland and Ireland the North Sea with Island and the Sound Newfound-land and Cape Blanke doe serue all Europe as well the land townes as ports and all the Christian shipping with these sorts of staple fish which is transported from whence it is taken many a thousand mile viz. Herring salt Fish Poore-Iohn Sturgion Mullit Tunny Porgos Cauiare Buttargo Now seeing all these sorts of fish or the most part of them may be had in a land more fertill temperate and plentifull of all necessaries for the building of ships boats and houses and the nourishment of man the seasons are so proper and the fishings so neere the habitations we may there make that New-England hath much aduantage of the most of those parts to serue all Europe farre cheaper then they can who at home haue neither wood salt nor food but at great rates at Sea nothing but what they carry in their ships an hundred or two hundred leagues from the habitation But New-Englands fishings is neere land where is helpe of Wood Water Fruits Fowles Corne or other refreshings needfull and the Terceras Mederas Canaries Spaine Portugall Prouaues Sauoy Sicillia and all Italy as conuenient markets for our dry fish greene fish Sturgion Mullit Cauiare and Buttargo as Norway Swethland Lâ—â—tuania or Germany for their Herring which is heare also in abundance for taking they returning but Wood Pitch Tar Sope-ashes Cordage Flax Wax and such like commodities wee Wines Oiles Sugars Silkes and such merchandize as the Straits offoord whereby our profit may equalize theirs besides the increase of shipping and Marriners and for proofe hereof In the yeere of our Lord 1614. you haue read how I went from London also the next yeere 1615. how foure good ships went from London and I with two more from Plimoth with all our accidents successes and returnes in the yeere 1616. ere I returned from France the Londoners for all their losse by the Turkes sent foure ships more foure more also went from Plimoth after I returned from France I was perswaded againe to goe to Plimoth with diuers of my friends with one hundred pound for our aduentures besides our charges but wee found all things as vntoward as before and all their great promises nothing but aire yet to prepare the voyage against the next yeere hauing acquainted a great part of the Nobility with it and ashamed to see the Prince his Highnesse till I had done some what worthy his Princely view I spent that Summer in visiting the Cities and Townes of Bristoll Exeter Bastable Bodnam Perin Foy Milborow Saltash Dartmouth Absom Tattnesse and the most of the Gentry in Cornewall and Deuonshire giuing them Bookes and Maps shewing how in six moneths the most of those ships had made their voyages and some in lesse and with what good successe by which incitation they seemed so well contented as they promised twenty saile of ships should goe with mee next yeere and in regard of my paines charge and former losses the westerne Commissioners in behalfe of themselues and the rest of the Company and them hereafter that should be ioyned to them contracted with me by articles indented vnder our hands to be Admirall of that Country during my life and in the renewing of their Letters-Patents so to be nominated Halfe the fruits of our endeuours to be theirs the rest our owne being thus ingaged now the businesse is made plaine and likely to prosper some of them would not onely forget me and their promises but also obscure me as if I had neuer beene acquainted in the businesse but I am not the first they haue deceiued There was foure good ships prepared at Plimoth but by reason of their disagreement the season so wasted as onely two went forward the one being of two hundred tunnes returned well fraught to Plimoth and her men in health within fiue moneths the other of fourescore tunnes went for bilbow with drie fish and made a good returne In this voyage Edward Rowcroft alias Stallings a valiant Souldier that had beene with me in Virginia and was with me also when I was betrayed by the French was sent againe in those ships and hauing some wrong offered him there by a French man he tooke him and as he writ to me went with him to Virginia with fish to trade with them for such commodities as they might spare he had not past ten or twelue men and knew both those countries well yet he promised me the next spring to meet me in New-England but the ship and he both perished in Virginia This yeere againe diuers ships intending to goe from Plimoth so disagreed there went but one of two hundred tunnes who stayed in the Country about six weeks which with eight and thirty men and boies had her fraught which she sold at the first penny for 2100. besides the Furres so that euery poore Sailer that had but a single share had his charges and sixteene pound ten shillings for his seuen moneths worke Master Thomas Diâ—m-ire an vnderstanding and industrious Gentleman that was also with mâ— amongst the French men hauing liued about a yeere in Newfoundland returning to Plimoth went for New-England in this ship so much approued of this Country that he staied there with fiue or six men in a little Boat finding two or three French men amongst the Saluages who had lost their ship augmented his company with whom he ranged the Coast to Virginia where he was kindly welcommed and well refreshed thence returned to New-England againe where hauing beene a yeere in his backe returne to Virginia he was so wounded by the Saluages he died vpon it let not men attribute these their great aduentures and vntimely deaths to vnfortunatenesse but rather wonder how God did so long preserue them with so small meanes to doe so much leauing the fruits of their labours to be an incouragement to those our poore vndertakings and as warnings for vs not to vndertake such great workes with such small meanes and this for aduantage as they writ vnto me that God had laid this Country open for vs and slaine the most part of the inhabitants by ciuill warres and a
those did neuer heare of them though they dwell in England might bee made some rare secrets and great Countries vnknowne except some few Relations of Master Dirmer In England some are held great trauellers that haue seene Venice and Rome Madrill Toledo Siuill Algere Prague or Ragonsa Constantinople or Ierusalem and the Piramides of Egypt that thinke it nothing to goe to Summer Iles or Virginia which is as far as any of them and I hope in time will proue a more profitable and more laudable iourney as for the danger you see our Ladies and Gentlewomen account it nothing now to goe thither and therefore I hope all good men will better apprehend it and not suffer them to languish in despaire whom God so wonderfully and oft hath preserued What here I haue writ by Relation if it be not right I humbly intreat your pardons but I haue not spared any diligence to learne the truth of them that haue beene actors or sharers in those voyages In some particulars they might deceiue mee but in the substance they could not for few could tell me any thing except where they fished But seeing all those haue liued there doe confirme more then I haue writ I doubt not but all those testimonies with these new begun examples of Plantation will moue both Citie and Country freely to aduenture with me more then promises But because some Fortune-tellers say I am vnfortunate had they spent their time as I haue done they would rather beleeue in God then their calculations and peraduenture haue giuen as bad an account of their actions and therefore I intreat leaue to answer those obiecters that thinke it strange if this be true I haue made no more vse of it rest so long without imploiment nor haue no more reward nor preferment To which I say I thinke it more strange they should tax me before they haue tried as much as I haue both by land and sea as well in Asia and Affrica as Europe and America where my Commanders were actors or spectators they alwaies so freely rewarded me I neuer needed bee importunate or could I euer learne to beg What there I got I haue spent yet in Virginia I staied till I left fiue hundred behinde me better prouided then euer I was from which blessed Virgin ere I returned sprung the fortunate habitation of Summer Iles. This Virgins Sister now called New England at my humble sute by our most gracious Prince Charles hath beene neere as chargeable to me and my friends for all which although I neuer got shilling but it cost mee a pound yet I would thinke my selfe happy could I see their prosperities But if it yet trouble a multitude to proceed vpon these certainties what thinke you I vndertooke when nothing was knowne but that there was a vast land I neuer had power and meanes to doe any thing though more hath beene spent in formall delaies then would haue done the businesse but in such a penurious and miserable manner as if I had gone a begging to build an Vniuersitie where had men beene as forward to aduenture their purses and performe the conditions they promised mee as to crop the fruits of my labours thousands ere this had beene bettered by these designes Thus betwixt the spur of desire and the bridle of reason I am neere ridden to death in a ring of despaire the reines are in your hands therefore I intreat you ease me and those that thinke I am either idle or vnfortunate may see the cause and know vnlesse I did see better dealing I haue had warning enough not to be so forward againe at euery motion vpon their promises vnlesse I intended nothing but to carie newes for now they dare aduenture a ship that when I went first would not aduenture a groat so they may be at home againe by Michaelmas which makes me remember and say with Master Hackluit Oh incredulitie the wit of fooles that slouingly doe spit at all things faire a sluggards Cradle a Cowards Castle how easie it is to be an Infidell But to the matter By this all men may perceiue the ordinary performance of this voyage in fiue or six moneths the plentie of fish is most certainly approued and it is certaine from Cannada and New England within these six yeeres hath come neere twenty thousand Beuer skinnes Now had each of these ships transported but some small quantitie of the most increasing Beasts Fowles Fruits Plants and Seeds as I proiected by this time their increase might haue beene sufficient for more then one thousand men But the desire of present gaine in many is so violent and the endeuours of many vndertakers so negligent euery one so regarding their priuate gaine that it is hard to effect any publike good and impossible to bring them into a body rule or order vnlesse both honesty as well as authoritie and money assist experience But your home-bred ingrossing Proiecters will at last finde there is a great difference betwixt saying and doing or those that thinks their directions can be as soone and easily performed as they can conceit them or that their conceits are the fittest things to bee put in practise or their countenances maintaine Plantations But to conclude the fishing will goe forward wâ—ether you plant it or no whereby a Colony may be then transported with no great charge that in short time might prouide such fraughts to buy on vs there dwelling as I would hope no ship should goe or come emptie from New England The charge of this is onely Salt Nets Hookes Lines Kniues Irish-rugges course cloth Beads Glasse and such trash onely for fishing and trade with the Saluages besides our owne necessarie prouisions whole endeuours would quickly defray all this charge and the Saluages did intreat me to inhabit where I would Now all those ships till these last two yeeres haue beene fishing within a square of two or three leagues and scarce any one yet will goe any further in the Port they fish in where questionlesse fiue hundred may haue their fraught as well as elsewhere and be in the market ere others can haue the fish in their ships because New Englands fishing begins in February in Newfoundland not till the midst of May the progression hereof tends much to the aduancement of Virginia and Summer Iles whose empty ships may take in their fraughts there and would be also in time of need a good friend to the Inhabitants of Newfoundland The returnes made by the Westerne men are commonly diuided in three parts one for the owner of the ship another for the Master and his Company the third for the victualers which course being still permitted will be no hinderance to the Plantation as yet goe there neuer so many but a meanes of transporting that yeerely for little or nothing which otherwise wil cost many hundreds of pounds If a ship can gaine twenty thirty fifty in the hundred nay three hundred for one