USA > Virginia > Narratives of early Virginia, 1606-1625 > Part 24
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1 This is a disingenuous perversion of cause and effect. Dale's tyranny forced the men to run away, and afterwards, like other tyrants, he justified his harsh rule by its natural consequences. The remarks which follow, down to the mention of Cole's and Kitchins's plot, are Smith's, not Hamor's.
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mer Cole and Kitchins plot 1 with three more, bending their course to Ocanahowan, five daies journey from us, where they report are Spaniards inhabiting. These were cut off by the Salvages, hired by us to hunt them home to receive their deserts. So as Sir Thomas Dale hath not beene so tyrannous nor severe by the halfe, as there was occasion, and just cause for it; and though the manner was not usuall, wee were rather to have regard to those, whom we would have terrified and made fearefull to commit the like offences, than to the offenders justly condemned : for amongst them so hardned in evill, the feare of a cruell painfull and unusuall death more restraines them, than death it selfe. This much I have proceeded of his endevours, untill the comming of Sir Thomas Gates, in pre- paring himselfe to proceed as he intended.
Now in England againe, to second this noble Knight, the Counsell and Companie with all possible expedition pre- pared for Sir Thomas Gates six tall ships, with three hundred men, and one hundred Kine and other Cattell, with munition and all other manner of provision that could be thought need- full; and about the first or second of August, 1611. arrived safely at James towne.
The government returned againe to Sir Thomas Gates, 1611.
These worthy Knights being met, after their welcoming salutations, Sir Thomas Dale acquainted him what he had done, and what he intended: which designe Sir Thomas Gates well approving, furnished him with three hundred and fiftie men, such as himselfe made choice of. In the beginning of September, 1611. hee set saile, and arrived where hee intended to build his new towne: within ten or twelve daies he had invironed it with a pale, and in honour of our noble Prince
1 Edward Cole, Kitchins, and others had been acting as the guard to Molina, a Spanish spy, and were persuaded by him to attempt to reach the Spanish settlements in Florida; and, it being now a time of peace, they had travelled " some five days' journey to Ocanahoen," when they were "cut off" by the Indians, and brought back to Jamestown, where they were tried and six of them condemned and executed. Brown, First Republic, pp. 158, 211.
1611]
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Henry, called it Henrico. The next worke he did, was build- ing at each corner of the Towne a high commanding Watch- house, a Church, and Store-houses: which finished, hee began to thinke upon convenient houses for himselfe and men, which, with all possible speed hee could, he effected, to the great content of his companie, and all the Colonie.
This towne is situated upon a necke of a plaine rising land, three parts invironed with the maine River, the necke of land well impaled, makes it like an Ile; it hath three streets of well framed houses, a handsome Church, and the founda- tion of a better laid (to bee built of Bricke), besides Store- houses, Watch-houses, and such like. Upon the verge of the River there are five houses, wherein live the honester sort of people, as Farmers in England,1 and they keepe continuall centinell for the townes securitie. About two miles from the towne, into the Maine, is another pale, neere two miles in length, from River to River, guarded with severall Commanders, with a good quantitie of Corne-ground impailed, sufficiently secured to maintaine more than I suppose will come this three yeeres.
On the other side of the River, for the securitie of the towne, is intended to be impaled for the securitie of our Hogs, about two miles and a halfe, by the name of Hope in Faith, and Cox- endale, secured by five of our manner of Forts, which are but Palisadoes, called Charitie Fort, Mount Malado (a guest house for sicke people) a high seat and wholsome aire, Elisabeth Fort, and Fort Patience: And here hath Master Whitaker 2 chosen his Parsonage, impaled a faire framed Parsonage, and one hun- dred acres called Rocke hall, but these are not halfe finished.
About Christmas following, in this same yeere 1611. in regard of the injurie done us by them of Apamatuck, Sir Thomas Dale, without the losse of any, except some few Salvages, tooke it and their Corne, being but five miles by land from Henrico: and considering how commodious it might be for us, resolved to possesse and plant it, and at the
Hamor says, " as in Farmes in England."
2 Alexander Whitaker, son of William Whitaker, a celebrated Puritan divine. He was minister in Virginia from 1611 to his death in 1617.
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instant called it the new Bermudas; whereunto hee hath laid out and annexed to the belonging freedome and corporation for ever, many miles of Champian 1 and Woodland ground in severall hundreds, as the upper and nether hundreds, Roch- dale hundred, West Sherly hundred, and Digs his hundred. In the nether hundred he first began to plant, for there is the most Corne-ground, and with a pale of two miles, cut over from River to River, whereby we have secured eight English miles in compasse : upon which circuit, within halfe a mile of each other, are many faire houses already built; besides par- ticular mens houses neere to the number of fiftie. Rochdale, by a crosse pale welnigh foure miles long, is also planted with houses along the pale, in which hundred our Hogs and Cattell have twentie miles circuit to graze in securely. The building of the Citie 2 is referred till our harvest be in, which he in- tends to make a retreat against any forraigne enemie.
About fiftie miles from these is James towne, upon a fertill peninsula, which although formerly scandaled for an unhealth- full aire, wee finde it as healthfull as any other part of the Countrie; it hath two rowes of houses of framed timber, and some of them two stories and a garret higher, three large Store-houses joined together in length, and hee hath newly strongly impaled the towne. This Ile, and much ground about it, is much inhabited. To Kecoughtan we accounted it fortie miles, where they live well with halfe that allowance the rest have from the store, because of the extraordinarie quantitie of Fish, Fowle and Deere ; as you may reade at large in the Discoveries of Cap- taine Smith. And thus I have truly related unto you the present estate of that small part of Virginia wee frequent and possesse.
Since there was a ship fraughted with provision,3 and fortie men; and another since then with the like number and pro-
1 Champaign, open lands.
Bermuda City, subsequently Charles City, and now City Point, at the east of the mouth of the Appomattox River, across from Bermuda Hundred. 3 At this point the margin, under date 1612, notes, "Sir Thomas Smith, Treasurer," or head of the company, as he had been since the grant of the first charter in 1606. The third charter was granted in March, 1612.
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vision, to stay twelve 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 River Patawo- meake, to trade for Corne : the Salvages about us having small quarter, but friends and foes as they found advantage and oppor- tunitie. But to conclude our peace, thus it happened. Captaine Argall, having entred into a great acquaintance with Japazaws, an old friend of Captaine Smiths, and so to all our Nation, ever since hee discovered the Countrie, heard by him there was Poca- hontas, whom Captaine Smiths Relations intituleth the Num- parell 1 of Virginia, and though she had beene many times a preserver of him and the whole Colonie, yet till this accident shee was never seene at James towne since his departure.2 Being at Patawomeke, as it seemes, thinking her selfe un- knowne, was easily by her friend Japazaws 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 Salvage for this Copper Kettle would have done any thing, it seemed 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, 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. Japazaws 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 have some conference with Japazaws, which was onely that she should not perceive hee was any way guiltie of her cap- tivitie: so sending for her againe, hee told her before her friends, she must goe with him, and compound peace betwixt her Countrie and us, before she ever should see Powhatan; whereat the old Jew and his wife began to howle and crie as
1 Nonpareil. See pp. 69, 199, above.
2 In the autumn of 1609.
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fast as Pocahontas, that upon the Captaines faire perswasions, by degrees pacifying her selfe, and Japazaws and his wife, with the Kettle and other toies, went merrily on shore; and shee to James towne. A messenger forthwith was sent to her father, that his daughter Pocahontas he loved so dearely, he must ransome with our men, swords, peeces, tooles, &c. hee trecherously had stolne.
This unwelcome newes much troubled Powhatan, because hee loved both his daughter and our commodities well, yet it was three moneths after 1 ere hee returned us any answer : then by the perswasion of the Councell, he returned seven of our men, with each of them an unserviceable Musket, and sent us word, that when wee would deliver his daughter, hee would make us satisfaction for all injuries done us, and give us five hundred bushels of Corne, and for ever be friends with us. That he sent, we received in part of payment, and re- turned him this answer: That his daughter should be well used; but we could not beleeve 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 for a longtime 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 up into his owne River,2 to his chiefe habitation, with his daughter. With many scornfull bravado's they affronted us, proudly demanding Why wee came thither; our reply was, Wee had brought his daughter, and to receive the ransome for her that was promised, or to have it perforce. They nothing dismayed thereat, told us, We were welcome if wee came to fight, for they were provided for us: but advised us, if wee loved our lives to retire; else they would use us as they had done Captaine Ratcliffe : We told them, Wee would presently have a better answer; but we were no sooner within shot of the shore than they let flie their Arrowes among us in the ship.
1 July, 1613. 2 York River.
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Being thus justly provoked, 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 up the River, where they demanded Why wee burnt their houses, and wee, Why they shot at us: They replyed, it was some stragling Salvage, with many other excuses, they intended no hurt, but were our friends: We told them, Wee came not to hurt them, but visit them as friends also. Upon this we concluded a peace, and forthwith they dispatched messengers to Powhatan; whose answer, they told us, wee must expect foure and twentie houres ere the messengers could returne: Then they told us, 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 us 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,1 where we saw about foure hundred men well appointed; here they dared us to come on shore, which wee did; no shew of feare they made at all, nor offered to resist our landing, but walking boldly up and downe amongst us, demanded to conferre with our Captaine, of his comming in that manner, and to have 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 us, and defend their owne as they could. Which was but onely to deferre the time, to carrie away their provision; yet wee promised them truce till the next day at noone, and then if they would fight with us, they should know when we would begin by our Drums and Trumpets.
Upon this promise, two of Powhatans sonnes came unto us to see their sister: at whose sight, seeing her well, though they heard to the contrarie, they much rejoiced, promising they would perswade her father to redeeme her, and for ever be friends with us. And upon this, the two brethren went
1 Matchot was an Indian village situated according to Smith's map on the south side of the Pamunkey River, but from the description in Hamor's True Discourse, it appears to have been on the north side.
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aboord with us; and we sent Master John 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 Opechancanough, his brother and successor ; hee promised to doe the best he could to Pow- hatan, all might be well. So it being Aprill, and time to pre- pare our ground and set our Corne, we returned to James Towne, promising the forbearance of their performing their promise, till the next harvest.
Long before this, Master John Rolfe, an honest Gentleman, and of good behaviour, had beene in love with Pocahontas, and she with him : which thing at that instant I made knowne to Sir Thomas Dale by a letter from him, wherein hee intreated his advice, and she acquainted her brother with it, which reso- lution Sir Thomas Dale well approved: the bru[i]te of this mariage came soone to the knowledge of Powhatan, a thing acceptable to him, as appeared by his sudden consent, for within ten daies he sent Opachisco, an old Uncle of hers, and two of his sons, to see the manner of the mariage, and to doe in that behalfe what they were requested, for the confirmation thereof, as his deputie; which was accordingly done about the first of Aprill.1 And ever since wee have had friendly trade and commerce, as well with Powhatan himselfe, as all his subjects.
Besides this, by the meanes of Powhatan, we became in league with our next neighbours, the Chicahamanias, a lustie and a daring people, free of themselves. These people, so soone as they heard of o[u]r peace with Powhatan, sent two mes- sengers with presents to Sir Thomas Dale, and offered them his 2 service, excusing all former injuries, hereafter they would ever be King James his subjects, and relinquish the name of Chickahamania, to be called Tassautessus, as they call us; and Sir Thomas Dale there Governour, as the Kings Deputie ; onely they desired to be governed by their owne Lawes, which
1 More correctly, "about the fifth of April" (1614). See Rolfe's letter on pp. 235-244, above.
2 Offered him their service.
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is eight of their Elders as his substitutes. This offer he kindly accepted, and appointed the day hee would come to visit them.
When the appointed day came, Sir Thomas Dale and Cap- taine Argall with fiftie men well appointed, went to Chicka- hamania, where wee found the people expecting our comming ; they used us kindly, and the next morning sate in counsell, to conclude their peace upon these conditions :
First, they should for ever bee called Englishmen, and bee true subjects to King James and his Deputies.
Secondly, neither to kill nor detaine any of our men, nor cattell, but bring them home.
Thirdly, to bee alwaies ready to furnish us with three hun- dred men, against the Spaniards or any.
Fourthly, they shall not enter our townes, but send word they are new Englishmen.
Fiftly, that every fighting man, at the beginning of harvest, shall bring to our store two bushels of Corne, for tribute, for which they shall receive so many Hatchets.
Lastly, the eight chiefe men should see all this performed, or receive the punishment themselves: for their diligence they should have a red coat, a copper chaine, and King James his picture, and be accounted his Noblemen.
All this they concluded with a generall assent, and a great shout to confirme it: then one of the old men began an Ora- tion, bending his speech first to the old men, then to the young, and then to the women and children, to make them understand how strictly they were to observe these conditions, and we would defend them from the furie of Powhatan, or any enemie whatsoever, and furnish them with Copper, Beads, and Hatch- ets : but all this was rather for feare Powhatan and we, being so linked together, would bring them againe to his subjection ; the which to prevent, they did rather chuse to be protected by us, than tormented by him, whom they held a Tyrant. And thus wee returned againe to James towne.
When our people were fed out of the common store, and laboured jointly together, glad was he could slip from his
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labour, or slumber over his taske he cared not how, nay, the most honest among them would hardly take so much true paines in a weeke, as now for themselves they will doe in a day: neither cared they for the increase, presuming that howsoever the harvest prospered, the generall store must maintaine them, so that wee reaped not so much Corne from the labours of thirtie, as now three or foure doe provide for themselves. To prevent which, Sir Thomas Dale hath allotted every man three Acres of cleare ground, in the nature of Farmes, except the Bermudas:1 who are exempted, but for one moneths service in the yeere, which must neither bee in seed-time, nor harvest; for which doing, no other dutie they pay yeerely to the store, but two barrels and a halfe of Corne.2 From all those Farmers (whereof the first was William Spence, an honest, valiant, and an industrious man, and hath con- tinued from 1607. to this present) from those is expected such a contribution to the store, as wee shall neither want for our selves, nor to entertaine our supplies; for the rest, they are to worke eleven moneths for the store, and hath one moneth onely allowed them to get provision to keepe them for twelve, ex- cept two bushels of Corne they have out of the store. If those can live so, why should any feare starving; and it were much better to denie them passage that would not, ere they come, bee content to ingage themselves to those conditions : for onely from the slothfull and idle drones, and none else, hath sprung the manifold imputations, Virginia innocently hath undergone; and therefore I would deter such from comming here, that cannot well brooke labour, except they will undergoe much punishment and penurie, if they escape the skurvie: but for the industrious, there is reward sufficient, and if any thinke there is nothing but bread, I referre you to his 3 relations that discovered the Countrie first.
1 Bermuda Hundred and Bermuda City at the mouth of the Appomat- tox River, or Upper and Nether Bermuda Hundreds.
2 The remainder of this paragraph is not derived from Hamor.
3 Smith's.
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The government left to Sir Thomas Dale, upon Sir Thomas Gates returne for England.
Sir Thomas Dale understanding there was a plantation of Frenchmen in the north part of Virginia, about the degrees of 45. sent Captaine Argall to Port Royall and Sancta Crux; where finding the Frenchmen abroad dispersed in the Woods, surprized their Ship and Pinnace, which was but newly come from France, wherein was much good apparel and other pro- vision, which he brought to James towne: but the men es- caped, and lived among the Salvages of those Countries.
It pleased Sir Thomas Dale, before my returne to Eng- land, because I would be able to speake somewhat of my owne knowledge, to give mee leave to visit Powhatan and his Court : being provided, I had Thomas Salvage with mee, for my Interpreter; with him and two Salvages for guides, I went from the Bermuda in the morning, and came to Matchot the next night, where the King lay upon the River of Pamaunke. His entertainment was strange to me, the boy he knew well, and told him; My child, I gave you leave, being my boy, to goe see your friends, and these foure yeeres 1 I have not seene you, nor heard of my owne man Namontack I sent to England,2 though many ships since have beene returned thence. Hav- ing done with him, hee began with mee, and demanded for the chaine of pearle he sent his brother Sir Thomas Dale at his first arrivall, which was a token betwixt them, when ever hee should send a messenger from himselfe to him, he should weare that chaine about his necke, since the peace was concluded, otherwaies he was to binde him and send him home.
It is true Sir Thomas Dale had sent him such word, and gave his Page order to give it me, but he forgot it, and till this present I never heard of it, yet I replyed I did know there was such an order, but that was when upon a sudden he should
1 1610-1614.
2 Namontack, who was slain by another Indian, Matchumps, in the Bermuda Islands, when shipwrecked with Gates, in 1609.
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have occasion to send an Englishman without an Indian Guide; but if his owne people should conduct his messenger, as two of his did me who knew my message, it was sufficient ; with which answer he was contented, and so conducted us to his house, where was a guard of two hundred Bow-men that alwaies attend his person. The first thing he did, he offered me a pipe of Tobacco, then asked mee how his brother Sir Thomas Dale did, and his daughter, and unknowne sonne, and how they lived, loved and liked; I told him his brother was well, and his daughter so contented, she would not live againe with him; whereat he laughed, and demanded the cause of my comming : I told him my message was private, and I was to deliver it onely to himselfe and Papaschicher, one of my guides that was acquainted with it; instantly he com- manded all out of the house, but onely his two Queenes, that alwaies sit by him, and bade me speake on.
I told him, by my Interpreter, Sir Thomas Dale hath sent you two pieces of Copper, five strings of white and blue Beads, five woodden Combes, ten Fish-hookes, a paire of Knives, and that when you would send for it, hee would give you a Grind- stone; all this pleased him: but then I told him his brother Dale, hearing of the fame of his youngest daughter, desiring in any case he would send her by me unto him, in testimonie of his love, as well for that he intended to marry 1 her, as the desire her sister had to see her, because being now one people, and hee desirous for ever to dwell in his Countrie, he conceived there could not be a truer assurance of peace and friendship, than in such a naturall band of an united union. I needed not entreat his answer by his oft interrupting mee in my speech, and presently with much gravitie he thus replyed.
I gladly accept your salute of love and peace, which while I live, I shall exactly keepe; his pledges thereof I receive with no lesse thanks, although they are not so ample as formerly he had received: but for my daughter, I have sold her within
1 A curious proposal of Dale's, as he had a wife and several children living in England.
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this few daies to a great Werowance, for two bushels of Raw- renoke,1 three daies journie from me. I replyed, I knew his greatnesse in restoring the Rawrenoke, might call her againe to gratifie his brother, and the rather, because she was but twelve yeeres old, assuring him, besides the band of peace, hee should have for her, three times the worth of the Rawrenoke, in Beads, Copper, Hatchets, &c. His answer was, he loved his daughter as his life, and though hee had many children, hee delighted in none so much as shee, whom if he should not often behold, he could not possibly live, which she living with" us he could not do, having resolved upon no termes to put himselfe into our hands, or come amongst us; therefore desired me to urge him no further, but returne his brother this answer : That I desire no firmer assurance of his friendship than the promise hee hath made, from me he hath a pledge, one of my daughters, which so long as she lives shall be sufficient, when she dies, he shall have another : I hold it not a brotherly part to desire to bereave me of my two children at once. Farther, tell him though he had no pledge at all, hee need not distrust any injurie from me or my people; there have beene too many of his men and mine slaine, and by my occasion there shall never be more, (I which have power to performe it, have said it) although I should have just cause, for I am now old, and would gladly end my daies in peace; if you offer me injurie, my countrie is large enough to goe from you: Thus much I hope will satisfie my brother. Now because you are wearie, and I sleepie, wee will thus end. So commanding us victuall and lodging, we rested that night, and the next morning he came to visit us, and kindly conducted us to the best cheere hee had.
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