USA > Virginia > Narratives of early Virginia, 1606-1625 > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
For the reformation of swearing, every freeman and Mr.2 of a family after thrise admontion shall give 5s or the value upon present demaunde, to the use of the church where he dwelleth ; and every servant after the like admontion, excepte his Mr. discharge the fine, shalbe subject to whipping. Provided, that the payment of the fine notwithstanding, the said servant shall acknowledge his faulte publiquely in the Churche.
No man whatsoever, coming by water from above, as from Henrico, Charles citty, or any place from the westwarde of James citty, and being bound for Kiccowtan,3 or any other parte on this side, the same shall presume to pass by, either by day or by night, without touching firste here at James citty to knowe whether the Governor will comande him any service. And the like shall they performe that come from Kicawtan
1 September 29, December 25, March 25, and June 24.
2 Master. 3 Kecoughtan, i.e., Elizabeth City.
273
1619]
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY
ward, or from any place between this and that, to go upwarde, upon paine of forfaiting ten pound sterling a time to the Gov- ernor. Provided, that if a servant having had instructions from his Master to observe this lawe, doe notwithstanding, trans- gresse the same, that then the said servant shalbe punished at the Governor's discretion; otherwise, that the master him- selfe shall undergo the foresaid penalty.
No man shall trade into the baye, either in shallop, pin- nace, or ship, without the Governor's license, and without putting in security that neither himself nor his Company shall force or wrong the Indians, upon paine that, doing otherwise, they shalbe censured at their returne by the Governor and Counsell of Estate.1
All persons whatsoever upon the Sabaoth daye shall fre- quente divine service and sermons both forenoon and after- noon, and all suche as beare armes shall bring their pieces swordes, poulder and shotte. And every one that shall transgresse this lawe shall forfaicte three shillinges a time to the use of the churche, all lawful and necessary impediments excepted. But if a servant in this case shall wilfully neglecte his Mr's comande he shall suffer bodily punishmente.
No maide or woman servant, either now resident in the Colonie or hereafter to come, shall contract herselfe in mar- riage without either the consente of her parents, or of her Mr or Mris, or of the magistrate and minister of the place both to- gether. And whatsoever minister shall marry or contracte any suche persons without some of the foresaid consentes shalbe subjecte to the severe censure of the Governor and Counsell of Estate.
Be it enacted by this present assembly that whatsoever servant hath heretofore or shall hereafter contracte himselfe in England, either by way of Indenture or otherwise, to serve any Master here in Virginia and shall afterward, against his said former contracte depart from his Mr without leave, or,
1 "The trade into the bay" was trade with the Indian tribes in furs, skins, and Indian baskets.
T
274
NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1619
being once imbarked shall abandon the ship he is appointed to come in, and so, being lefte behinde, shall putt himselfe into the service of any other man that will bring him hither, that then at the same servant's arrival here, he shall first serve out his time with that Mr that brought him hither and afterward also shall serve out his time with his former Mr according to his covenant.
Here ende the lawes.
All these lawes being thus concluded and consented to as aforesaid Captaine Henry Spellman1 was called to the barre to answere to certaine misdemeanors layde to his chardge by Robert Poole, interpretour, upon his oath (whose examination the Governor sente into England in the Prosperus), of which accusations of Poole some he acknowledged for true, but the greattest part he denyed. Whereupon the General Assembly having throughly2 heard and considered his speaches, did constitute this order following against him :
Aug. 4th, 1619.
This day Captaine Henry Spelman was convented before the General Assembly and was examined by a relation upon oath of one Robert Poole, Interpreter, what conference had passed between the said Spelman and Opochancano at Poole's meeting with him in Opochancano's courte. Poole chardgeth him he spake very unreverently and maliciously against this present Governor, whereby the honour and dignity of his place and person, and so of the whole Colonie, might be brought into con- tempte, by which meanes what mischiefs might ensue from the Indians by disturbance of the peace or otherwise, may easily be conjectured. Some thinges of this relation Spelman con- fessed, but the most parte he denyed, excepte onely one matter of importance, and that was that he hade informed Opochancano that within a yeare there would come a Governor greatter then this that nowe is in place. By which and by other re-
1 See p. 202, note 4.
2 Thoroughly.
275
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY
1619]
portes it seemeth he hath alienated the minde of Opochancano from this present Governour, and brought him in much dises- teem, both with Opochancano and the Indians, and the whole Colony in danger of their slippery designes.
The general assembly upon Poole's testimony onely not willing to putt Spelman to the rigour and extremity of the lawe which might, perhaps both speedily and deservedly, have taken his life from him (upon the witness of one whom he muche excepted against) were pleased, for the present, to censure. him rather out of that his confession above written then out of any other prooffe. Several and sharpe punishments were pronounced against him by diverse of the Assembly, But in fine the whole courte by voices united did encline to the most favorable, which was that for this misdemeanour he should first be degraded of his title of Captaine, at the head of the troupe, and should be condemned to performe seven years service to the Colony in the nature of Interpreter to the Governour.
This sentence being read to Spelman he, as one that had in him more of the Savage then of the Christian, muttered certaine wordes to himselfe neither shewing any remorse for his offenses, nor yet any thankfulness to the Assembly for theire sofavourable censure, which he at one time or another (God's grace not wholly abandoning him) might with some one service have been able to have redeemed.
This day also did the Inhabitants of Paspaheigh, alias Argall's towne,1 present a petition to the general assembly to give them an absolute discharge from certain bondes wherein they stand bound to Captain Samuell Argall for the payment of 6001b and to Captain William Powell, at Captaine Argall's appointment, for the payment of 50 more. To Captaine Argall for 15 skore acres of wooddy ground, called by the name of Argal's towne or Paspaheigh; to Captaine Powell in respect
1 Argall's Town or Gift was situated on the north side of the river a mile from Jamestown in the old fields, where once stood the chief village of the Paspaheghs, but from which they had removed to Sandy Point not long before the coming of the white men. Argall's Town was established by Argall in 1617.
276
NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1619
of his paines in clearing the grounde and building the houses, for which Captaine Argal ought to have given him satisfaction. Nowe, the general assembly being doubtful whether they have any power and authority to discharge the said bondes, doe by these presents (at the Instance of the said Inhabitants of Paspaheigh, alias Martin's hundred people) become most humble sutours to the Treasurer, Counsell and Company in England that they wilbe pleased to gett the said bondes for 6001b to be cancelled; forasmuche as in their great comission they have expressly and by name appointed that place of Paspaheigh for parte of the Governour's lande. And wheras Captain William Powell is payde his 50 which Captain Argall enjoined the saide Inhabitantes to presente him with, as parte of the bargaine, the general assembly, at their intreaty, do become sutours on their behalfe, that Captaine Argall, by the Counsell and Company in England, may be compelled either to restore the said 50 from thence, or else that restitution thereof be made here out of the goods of the said Captaine Argall.
The last acte of the Generall Assembly was a contribution to gratifie their officers, as followeth:
Aug. 4th, 1619.
It is fully agreed at this general Assembly that in regard of the great paines and labour of the Speaker of this Assembly (who not onely first formed the same Assembly and to their great ease and expedition reduced all matters to be treatted of into a ready method, but also his indisposition notwithstand- ing wrote or dictated all orders and other expedients and is yet to write severall bookes for all the Generall Incorporations and plantations both of the great charter, and of all the lawes) and likewise in respecte of the diligence of the Clerke and ser- geant, officers thereto belonging, That every man and man- servant of above 16 yeares of age shall pay into the handes and Custody of the Burgesses of every Incorporation and plan- tation one pound of the best Tobacco, to be distributed to the
277
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY
1619]
Speaker and likewise to the Clerke and sergeant of the Assembly, according to their degrees and rankes, the whole bulke whereof to be delivered into the Speaker's handes, to be divided ac- cordingly. And in regarde the Provost Marshall of James citty hath also given some attendance upon the said General As- sembly, he is also to have a share out of the same. And this is to begin to be gathered the 24th of February nexte.
In conclusion, the whole Assembly comaunded the Speaker (as nowe he doth) to present their humble excuse to the Treas- urer Counsell and Company in England for being constrained by the intemperature of the weather and the falling sick of diverse of the Burgesses to breake up so abruptly - before they had so much as putt their lawes to the ingrossing. This they wholly comited to the fidelity of their speaker, who therin (his conscience telles him) hath done the parte of an honest man, otherwise he would be easily founde out by the Bur- gesses themselves, who with all expedition are to have so many bookes of the same lawes as there be both Incorpora- tions and Plantations in the Colony.
In the seconde place, the Assembly doth most humbly crave pardon that in so shorte a space they could bring their matter to no more perfection, being for the present enforced to sende home titles rather then lawes, Propositions rather then resolutions, Attemptes then Acchievements, hoping their courtesy will accepte our poor endevour, and their wisedome wilbe ready to supporte the weakness of this little flocke.
Thirdly, the General Assembly doth humbly beseech the said Treasurer, Counsell and Company, that albeit it belong- eth to them onely to allowe or to abrogate any lawes which we shall here make, and that it is their right so to doe, yet that it would please them not to take it in ill parte if these lawes which we have now brought to light, do passe currant and be of force till suche time as we may knowe their farther pleasure out of Englande: for otherwise this people (who nowe at length have gotten the raines of former servitude into their owne swindge) would in shorte time growe so in-
278
NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1619
solent, as they would shake off all government, and there would be no living among them.1
Their last humble suite is, that the said Counsell and Company would be pleased, so soon as they shall finde it convenient, to make good their promise sett downe at the conclusion of their commission for establishing the Counsel of Estate and the General Assembly, namely, that they will give us power to allowe or disallowe of their orders of Courte, as his Majesty hath given them power to allowe or to reject our lawes.
In sume Sir George Yeardley, the Governour prorogued the said General Assembly till the firste of Marche, which is to fall out this present yeare of 1619,2 and in the mean season dissolved the same.
1 In after days the acts of the Assembly passed as laws, until they were vetoed by the king.
2 I.e., till March 1, 1620, of new style.
LETTER OF JOHN PORY, 1619
INTRODUCTION
JOHN PORY was born about 1570, studied at the university of Cambridge, and about 1597 became a disciple of Richard Hakluyt in "cosmographie and foreign histories." In 1600 he translated, edited, and published A Geographical Historie of Africa, written in Arabicke and Italian by John Leo, a More, borne in Granada and brought up in Barbarie. From 1605 to 1611 he was a member of Parliament for Bridgewater, and on April 19, 1610, he was made a master of arts at Cambridge. The next seven years were spent chiefly in travel in Europe and in the East, where he was attached to several embassies. In January, 1619, he sailed to Virginia as secretary of state with Sir George Yeardley, and was speaker of the first General Assembly which met at Jamestown, July 30, 1619, where his experience in Parliament was very useful to the members. From the adjournment of the assembly to August 22, 1622, he remained in Virginia, prosecuting voyages of discovery, writing letters, and otherwise making himself useful. He then sailed for England, and, stopping at the Plymouth settle- ment on Cape Cod Bay, relieved the famished colonists by a timely supply of provisions. In October, 1623, he was sent to Virginia as one of the commissioners to inquire into the real con- dition of affairs. They made their report in February, 1624. On July 15, 1624, Pory was made by the King one of the Virginia commission. He died at his house at Sutton St. Edmunds in Lincolnshire, in 1636. He was at times intemperate in his habits, but William Bradford was proud of his friendship, and his life on the whole was valuable and praiseworthy. The follow- ing letter is in the Public Record Office, London, and was pub- lished in the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, fourth series, IX. 4-30. Sir Dudley Carleton was an able diplo- matist, and at this time English ambassador to the Netherlands.
L. G. T.
281
LETTER OF JOHN PORY, 1619 SECRETARY OF VIRGINIA, TO SIR DUDLEY CARLETON
Right Honourable, and my singular good Lorde:
HAVING mett with so fitt a messenger as this man of warre of Flushing,1 I could not but imparte with your lordship (to whom I am so everlastingly bounde) these poore fruites of our labours here; wherein though your worship will espie many errours and imperfections, and matters of lowe esteeme; yet withall you wilbe contente to observe the very principle and rudiments of our Infant-Commonwealth; which though nowe contemptible, your worship may live to see a flourishing Es- tate : maugre both Spaniards and Indians. The occasion of this ship's coming hither was an accidental consortship in the West Indies with the Tresurer, an English man of warre also, licensed by a Commission from the Duke of Savoye to take Spaniards as lawfull prize. This ship, the Treasurer, wente out of England in Aprill was twelvemoneth, about a moneth, I thinke, before any peace was concluded between the king of Spaine and that prince. Hither shee came to Captaine Argall, then governour of this Colony, being parte-owner of her. Hee more for love of gaine, the root of all evill, then for any true love he bore to this Plantation, victualled and manned her
1 This Dutch man-of-war is the one which in August, 1619, sold to the settlers at Jamestown the first Africans imported into this country. The ship had cruised in the West Indies in company with the Treasurer sent out by Captain Argall under a commission from the Duke of Savoy, then at war with Spain. Both came to Jamestown freighted with slaves. On its way to Jamestown the Dutch or Flemish man-of-war touched at the Bermudas, where Kerby, the captain, presented fourteen negroes to Governor Kendall in return for supplies. The Treasurer reached the Bermudas towards the close of 1619 with twenty-nine slaves.
282
283
LETTER OF JOHN PORY
1619]
anewe, and sent her with the same Commission to raunge the Indies. The evente thereof (we may misdoubte) will prove some attempte of the Spaniard upon us, either by waye of revenge, or by way of prevention; least we might in time make this place sedem belli against the West Indies. But our Gov- ernour being a Soldier truly bred in that university of warre, the Lowe Countries, purposeth at a place or two upon the river fortifiable to provide for them, animating in the meane while this warlike people (then whom for their small number no prince can be served with better) by his example to prepare their courages.
Both those of our nation and the Indians also have this Torride sommer bene visited with great sickness and mortality ; which our good God (his name be blessed for it) hath recom- pensed with a marvelous plenty, suche as hath not bene since our first coming into the lande. For my selfe I was partly at land and partly at sea vexed with a calenture of some 4 or 5 moneths. But (praised be God) I am nowe as healthfull as ever I was in my life. Here (as your lordship cannot be ignorant) I am, for faulte of a better, Secretary of Estate, the first that ever was chosen and appointed by Commission from the Counsell and Company in England, under their handes and common seale. By my fees I must maintaine my selfe ; which the Governour telles me, may this yeere amounte to a matter of 300l sterling; whereof fifty I doe owe to himselfe, and I pray God the remainder may amounte to a hundred more. As yet I have gotten nothing, save onely (if I may speak it with- out boasting) a general reputation of integrity, for having spoken freely to all matters, according to my conscience; and as neare as I could discerne, done every man right.
As touching the quality of this country, three thinges there bee which in fewe yeares may bring this Colony to perfection ; the English plough, Vineyards, and Cattle. For the first, there be many grounds here cleared by the Indians to our handes, which being much worne out,1 will beare no more of
1 These were called "old fields."
284
NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1619
their corne, which requireth an extrordinary deale of sappe and substance to nourish it; but of our graine of all sortes it will beare great abundance. We have had this yeare a plenti- full cropp of English wheat, though the last harvest 1618 was onely shed upon the stubble, and so selfe-sowne, with out any other manurance. In July last so soon as we had reaped this selfe-sowen wheate, we sett Indian corne upon the same grounde, which is come up in great abundance ; and so by this meanes we are to enjoye two crops in one yeare from off one and the same fielde. The greatest labour we have yet bestowed upon English wheate, hath bene upon newe broken up groundes, one ploughing onely and one harrowing, far shorte of the Tilthe used in Christendome, which when we shall have ability enough to performe, we shall produce miracles out of this earthe.
Vines here are in suche abundance, as where soever a man treads, they are ready to embrace his foote. I have tasted here of a great black grape as big as a Damascin,1 that hath a true Muscatell-taste; 2 the vine whereof now spending itselfe to the topps of high trees, if it were reduced into a vineyard, and there domesticated, would yield incomparable fruite. The like or a better taste have I founde in a lesser sorte of black grapes.3 White grapes 4 also of great excellency I have hearde to be in the country ; but they are very rare, nor did I ever see or taste of them. For cattle, they do mightily increase here, both kine, hogges and goates, and are much greater in stature, then the race of them first brought out of England. No lesse are our horses and mares likely to multiply, which proove of a delicate shape, and of as good spirite and metall.
All our riches for the present doe consiste in Tobacco, wherein one man by his owne labour hath in one yeare raised to himselfe to the value of 200l sterling; and another by the meanes of sixe servants hath cleared at one crop a thousand
1 Damson.
2 The muscadine, the fruit of which grows in clusters of three or four 3 The frost grape.
berries.
4 Probably the scopenong, which is found near the North Carolina line.
285
LETTER OF JOHN PORY
1619]
pound English.1 These be true, yet indeed rare examples, yet possible to be done by others. Our principall wealth (I should have said) consisteth in servants: But they are chardgeable to be furnished with armes, apparell and bedding and for their transportation and casual,2 both at sea, and for their first yeare commonly at lande also : But if they escape, they prove very hardy, and sound able men.
Nowe that your lordship may knowe, that we are not the veriest beggers in the worlde, our cowekeeper here of James citty on Sundays goes accowtered all in freshe flaming silke; and a wife of one that in England had professed the black arte, not of a scholler, but of a collier of Croydon, weares her rough bever hatt with a faire perle hatband, and a silken suite thereto correspondent. But to leave the Populace, and to come higher; the Governour here, who at his first coming, besides a great deale of worth in his person, brought onely his sword with him, was at his late being in London, together with his lady, out of his meer gettings here, able to disburse very near three thousand pounde to furnishe himselfe for his voiage. And once within seven yeares, I am persuaded (absit invidia verbo) that the Governors place here may be as profittable as the lord Deputies of Irland.
All this notwithstanding, I may say of myselfe, that when I was the last yeare with your lordship at Middleborough, si mens non laeva fuisset, I might have gone to the Hagh with you, and founde myselfe there nowe in far better company, which indeed is the soule of this life, and might have bene deeply ingrafted into your lordship's service, which since I have a thousand time affected in vaine. And therefore seeing I have missed that singular happiness, I must for what remaines,
1 One thousand pounds at that time was equivalent to $20,000 in present values.
2 Contingent expenses.
After their first year emigrants became in a measure acclimated or "seasoned." A thousand people were in Virginia at Easter, 1619, and to this number 3570 were added during the next three years, yet only 1240 were resident in the colony on Good Friday, March 22, 1622, a day when the horrors of an Indian massacre reduced the number to 894. The mor- tality from sickness fell heaviest, of course, on the servant class.
286
NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
[1619
depende upon Gods providence, who my hope is, wilbe so merciful towards me, as once more before I dye, to vouchsafe me the sight of your countenance, wherein, I speak unfainedly, I shall enjoye as much happines as in any other thing I can imagine in this worlde.
At my first coming hither the solitary uncouthnes of this place, compared with those partes of Christendome or Turky where I had bene; and likewise my being sequestred from all occurrents and passages which are so rife there, did not a lit- tle vexe me. And yet in these five moneths of my continuance here, there have come at one time or another eleven saile of ships into this river; but fraighted more with ignorance, then with any other marchandize.1 At length being hardned to this custome of abstinence from curiosity, I am resolved wholly to minde my busines here, and nexte after my penne, to have some good book alwayes in store, being in solitude the best and choicest company. Besides among these Christall rivers, and oderiferous woods I doe escape muche expense, envye, contempte, vanity, and vexation of minde. Yet good my lorde, have a little compassion upon me, and be pleased to sende me what pampletts and relations of the Interim since I was with you, as your lordship shall thinke good, directing the same (if you please) in a boxe to Mr. Ralfe Yeardley, Apothecary (brother to Sir George Yeardley our governour), dwelling at the signe of the Hartychoke in great Woodstreet,2 to be sente to me by the first, together with his brothers thinges. This pacquett I delivered to one Marmaduke Rayner, an Englishman, who goes intertained as Pilott in this Flemishe
The original settlers and the first two supplies were largely composed of gentlemen, who nearly all perished of diseases and lack of food. Then martial law was tried, and workmen were imported, but they did not do as well as the gentlemen, and nearly all died. The culture of tobacco immensely increased the supply of servants, but they continued to die very quickly, even after free institutions were introduced. About 1642 tobacco had fallen from 3s. 6d. a pound to 1d., and after that time the emigration was of the best material in England, who sought rest from the turmoil of civil war. See Tyler, England in America, pp. 109, 115.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.