USA > Virginia > Narratives of early Virginia, 1606-1625 > Part 33
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Answere 2. That generally for the Plantacions att all times from halfe ffloud to halfe ebb any boate that drawes betwixt three and 4 foote water may safely com in and Land their goods dry on Shore wthout wadinge and for further Cleeringe of these false objeccons, the Seamen there doe at all times de- liver the goods they bringe to the Owners dry on Shore, wherby itt plainely appeares not any of the Country people there in- habitinge are by this meanes in daunger of their lives, And at a great many Plantacions belowe James Citty and allmost all above they may att all times Land dry.3
3. The new people that are yearly sent over which arrive here for the most part very Unseasonably in Winter, finde neither Guest house, Inne nor any the like place to shroud themselves in at their arrivall, noe not soe much as a stroake given towards any such charitable worke soe that many of them by want hereof are not onely seen dyinge under hedges and in the woods but beinge dead ly some of them many dayes Unregarded and Unburied.
Answere 3. To the first they Answere that the winter is the most healthfull time and season for arrivall of new Commers.
1 This answer could hardly be made in truth. The climate of the James River was undoubtedly very deadly to the newcomers. Conditions have changed since that day, because of the opening of the forests. Deptford and Ratcliff were on the Thames near London. 2 Middle.
3 This description accords with the modern topography.
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True itt is that as yett ther is noe Guesthouse or place of in- terteynmt for Strangers. Butt wee averr that itt was a late in- tent and had by this time been putt in practise to make a generall gatheringe for the buildinge of such a Convenient house, wch by this time had been in good fowardnes had itt not pleased God to suffer this Disaster to fall out by the Indians. But al- though there be no publique Guesthouse yett are new Commers entertayned and lodged and provided for by the Governor in pryvate houses; And for any dyinge in the feilds through this defecte and lying unburied, wee are altogether ignorant, yett that many dy suddenly by the hand of God, wee often see itt to fall out even in this flourishinge and plentifull Citty in the middest of our streets. As for dyinge under hedges there is no hedge in all Virginia.
4. The Colony was this winter in much distress of victuall soe that English meale was soulde at the rate of thirtie shil- lings 1 a bushell their owne native Corne called Maize at ten and fifteen shillings the bushell, The weh howsoever itt lay heavy uppon the shoulders of the Generallytie it may be suspected not to be unaffected by some of the chiefe, for they only have- inge the means in these extremities to trade for Corne with the Natives doe herby ingrosse all into their hands and soe sell yt abrode at their owne prices, and my selfe have heard from the mouth of a prime one amonst them that hee would never wish that their owne Corne should be cheaper among them then eight shillings the bushell.
Answere 4. True itt is that English meale hath of late since the Massacre been sould for Tenn pounds of Tobacco the bushell wch no understandinge man can there value above fifteen shillings sterlinge, and here we finde (wthout a Massacre) by the judgment of God for our murmuringe att plentie Wheat hath this yeare been sould and still is in many places at three times the rate itt hath borne wthin two or three years last past; And againe Indian corne hath heretofore comonly been sould after the rate of five shillings the bushell. And farther meale bore so high a price this year as itt cost ready mony in
1 About $30 in present values.
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THE ANSWER TO CAPTAIN BUTLER
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England together wth the fraight and other charges neer uppon twelve shillinges, soe that if itt were sould at Tenn pounds of Tobacco ther will not be gayned twenty in the hundred.
5. Ther Howses are generally the worst that ever I sawe the meanest Cottages in England beinge every way equall (if not superior) with the most of the beste, And besides soe im- providently and scatteringly are they seated one from an other as partly by theire distance but especially by the interposicion of Creeks and Swamps as they call them they offer all advan- tages to their savadge enimys and are utterly deprived of all suddaine recollection of themselves uppon any tearmes what- soever.
Answere 5. First that the houses there were most built for use, and not for ornament, and are soe farr from beinge soe meane as they are reported that throughout his Mats Dominions here all labouringe mens houses (wch wee cheifly professe our selvs to be) are in no wise generally for goodnes to be compared unto them. And for the howses of men of better Ranke and quallety they are soe much better and convenyent that noe man of quallety wthout blushinge can make excepcion against them; Againe for the Creeks and Swamps every man ther that cannott goe by Land hath either a Boate or a Conoa for the Conveyinge and speedy passage to his neighbors house. As for Cottages ther are none in Virginia, that they knowe.
6. I found not the least peec of Fortification, Three Peeces of Ordinance onely mounted at James Citty and one at Flower- due Hundred,1 but never a one of them serviceable Soe that itt is most certaine that a smale Barke of one hundred Tunns may take its time to pass up the River in spite of them and com- minge to an Anchor before the Towne may beate all their houses downe aboute their eares and so forceinge them to retreat into the Woods, may land under the favour of their Ordinance and rifle the Towne at pleasure.
1 Flowerdew Hundred was about twenty miles from Jamestown up the river on the south side. It was at this time the property of Sir George Yeardley, who in 1621 erected on a point of land the first windmill in the United States. This point is yet known as "Windmill Point."
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Answere 6. Itt is true ther is as yett no other artificiall Fortificacions then Pallisadoes wherof allmoste everie Planta- cion hath one, and divers of them hath Trenches, And this last yeare Capt Eache was sent for that purpose. As for great Ordinance there are fower peeces mounted att James Citty and all serviceable, ther are six Mounted at Flowerdue hundred all of them likewise serviceable, And three mounted att Kic- coutan and all of them serviceable, there are likewise att New- porte Newes three, all of them serviceable, ther are likewise att Henrico seaven peeces and at Charles hundred two, and in other places, besides Fowlers and Murders 1 at divers places.
7. Expectinge accordinge to their printed Bookes 2 a great fowardnes of divers and sundry Comodities, At myne arrivall I found not any one of them so much as in any towardnes 3 of being. For the Iron workes were utterly wasted and the men dead, The Furnaces for Glass and Pots at a stay and in a smale hope, As for the rest they were had in a generall derision even amongst themselves, and the Pamphlets that had pub- lished here beinge sent thither by Hundreds wer laughed to scorne, and every base fellow boldly gave them the Lye in divers perticulers, Soe that Tobacco onely was the buisines and for ought that I could here every man madded upon that, and lyttle thought or looked for any thinge else.
Answere 7. That the Country yields divers usefull and rich Commodities weh by reason of the Infancie of the Plantacion, and this unexpected Massacre cannot yett be brought to per- feccon, and is no lesse hindred by the emulous and envious re- ports of ill willers whose pryvate ends by time wilbe discovered and by God recompensed. And wee doe further answer that this Country is a moste fruitfull Country and doth certainely produce divers rich Comodities. Itt is true that the Iron- works are wasted and the men dead, but that was by the Mas- sacre wch if itt had not happened ther had been a good proofe of that Comodity, for the works wer in a very great forwardnes. As for Vines likewise ther were divers Vine-yeards planted in sundry places, butt all of them putt back by the Massacre,
1 Murderers (cannon). 2 Circulars or pamphlets. 3 Forwardness.
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butt for the peoples derydinge of these Comodities or the books sent by the Compa : wee have never heard of any such scoffinge or derisions, butt as the Governor and Counsell ther are very desirous and have sett forth Proclamacions to cause all men to sett both Vines and Mulbery Trees, so the people generally are very desyrous and forward to rayse those former Commodi -- ties of Wine and Silke and likewise divers other good Comodities.1
8. I found the Antient Plantations of Henrico and Charles Citty wholly quitted and lefte to the spoile of the Indians, who not onely burned the houses saide to be once the best of all others, but fell uppon the Poultry, Hoggs, Cowes, Goates and Horses wherof they killed great numbers to the greate griefe as well as ruine of the Olde Inhabitants, whoe stick not to affirme that these were not onely the best and healthiest parts of all others, but might allsoe by their naturall strength of scituacion have been the most easefully preserved of all the rest.
9. Wheras accordinge to his Maties gratious Letters Pat- ents his People in Virginia are as neer as possibly may be to be governed after the excellent Lawes and Customes of Englande, I found in the Government there not onely ignorant and en- forced strayings in diver particulers, but willfull and intended ones; 2 Insomuch as some who urged due conformity have in contempt been tearmed men of Lawe, and were excluded from those rights which by orderly proceedings they were elected and sworne unto here.
10. There havinge been as it is thought not fewer than Tenn thousand soules transported thither ther are not through the aforenamed abuses and neglects above Two thousand of them at the present to be found alive, many of them alsoe in a
1 Nevertheless, Butler was very near right when he gave the emphasis to tobacco; and doubtless for many years the culture of tobacco was too absorbing.
2 Butler means that he found that the orders of the company, which promised a government after the excellent laws and customs of England, were wilfully disregarded.
2 E
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sickly and desperate estate: 1 Soe that itt may undoubtedly [be] expected that unlesse the Confusions and pryvate ends of some of the Company here, and the bad executions in second- inge them by their Agents there be redressed with speed by some divine and supreame hand, that in steed of a Plantacion it will shortly gett the name of a Slaughterhouse, and soe justly become both odious to our selves and contemptible to all the worlde.
Answere. All these wee leave to be answered by the Gov- ernor and Company some of them beinge unfitt to be deter- myned of by us. And for the last wee being ignorant how many have been transported or are now lyvinge there.
Wee whose names are hereunder and hereafter written have uppon mature deliberacion and after full examinacion and consideracion of the premises, drawne upp these answers beinge such as we finde in our consyencies to be true, and shall att all times justifie them uppon our oathes. In wittnes wherof wee have hereunder sett our hands.2
1 The Virginia Company afterwards undertook to answer these three last charges. The condition of the plantations at Henrico and Charles City was ascribed to an Indian massacre, which was unavoidable. There was noth- ing in the charge of arbitrary rule, which had no better ground than the exclusion of Butler's unjust claim to a seat in the council. As to the number of emigrants, it did not exceed 6000, of whom 2500 had been sent over during the twelve years of Sir Thomas Smith; 2500, and not 2000, still sur- vived.
2 Upon this follow sixteen attestations by persons who had lived in Virginia or mariners who had visited the country, all of whom declare the answers above given to be truthful.
THE TRAGICAL RELATION OF THE VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY, 1624
INTRODUCTION
THE effort of the faction of Sir Thomas Smith in the Virginia Company to secure a dissolution was heartily reprobated by the Virginia Assembly, and in January, 1624, they drew up a paper denouncing the administration of Sir Thomas Smith and extolling that of Sandys and Southampton. The exact truth cannot be expected of such a paper, but after its perusal there can be but one opinion of the merits of the two parties. The original is in the Library of Congress, Division of Manu- scripts. The text which follows has been carefully collated with this original. The document was first printed in Neill's Virginia Company of London, pp. 407-411.
L. G. T.
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THE TRAGICAL RELATION OF THE VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY, 1624
The answere of the Generall Assembly in Virginia to a Declara- tione of the state of the Colonie in the 12 yeers of Sr Thomas Smiths Government, exhibited by Alderman Johnson 1 and others.
HOLDINGE it a sinne against God, and our owne sufferinge, to suffer the World to be abused wth untrue reportes, and to give unto vice the reward of vertue, we in the name of the whole Colonie of Virginia, in our generall assembly, many of us having beene eye witnesses and patients 2 of those tymes have framed out of our duty to this country, and love unto truth, this Dismaskinge of those prayses wch are contayned in the foresaide declarationes.
In those 12 yeers of ST Tho: Smith his goverment, we averr that the Colony for the most parte remayned in great want and misery under most severe and Crewell lawes sent over in printe,3 and contrary to the expresse Letter of the Kinge in his most gracious Charter, and as mercylessly executed, often times without tryall or Judgment. The allowance in those tymes for a man was only eight ounces of meale and half a pinte of pease
1 Alderman Robert Johnson of London was one of the leading members of the Smith faction in the company, and had been deputy-treasurer under Smith. He took a leading part in procuring the dissolution of the company. 2 Sufferers.
3 These printed laws, entitled Laws Divine, Morall and Martiall (London, 1612; reprinted in Force's Tracts, Washington, 1844, Vol. III.) were pro- mulgated by Sir Thomas Gates at Jamestown for the first time, May 24, 1610. They were afterwards enlarged by Sir Thomas Dale, who intro- duced the martial code contained in the thirty-two articles of war of the army of the Netherlands, with the cognizance of Sir Thomas Smith, the treasurer of the company.
422
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RELATION OF THE VIRGINIA ASSEMBLY
1624]
for a daye, the one and the other mouldy, rotten, full of Cob- webs and Maggotts loathsome to man and not fytt for beasts, wch forced many to flee for reliefe to the Savage Enemy, who being taken againe were putt to sundry deaths as by hanginge, shooting and breakinge uppon the wheele and others were forced by famine to filch for their bellies, of whom one for steelinge of 2 or 3 pints of oatemeale had a bodkinge thrust through his tounge and was tyed wth a chaine to a tree untill he starved, yf a man through his sicknes had not been able to worke, he had noe allowance at all, and soe consequently per- ished. Many through these extremities, being weery of life, digged holes in the earth and there hidd themselves till they famished.
Wee cannott for this our scarsitie blame our Comanders heere, in respect that o" sustenance was to come from England, for had they at that time given us better allowance we had per- ished in generall, soe lamentable was our scarsitie that we were constrayned to eate Doggs, Catts, ratts, Snakes, Toadstooles, horse hides and wt nott, one man out of the mysery that he endured, killinge his wiefe powdered 1 her upp to eate her, for weh he was burned. Many besides fedd on the Corps of dead men, and one who had gotten unsatiable, out of custome to that foode could not be restrayned, untill such tyme as he was executed for it, and in deede soe miserable was our estate, that the happyest day that ever some of them hoped to see, was when the Indyans had killed a mare, they 2 wishinge whilst she was a boylinge that S' Tho: Smith were uppon her backe in the kettle.
And wheras it is afirmed that there were very fewe of his Maties subjects left in those dayes, and those of the meanest ranke, we answere that for one that now dyes, there then per- ished five, many beinge of Auncyent Howses and borne to estates of 10001i by the yeere, some more some lesse, who like- wyse perished by famine. Those who survived, who had both adventured theire estates and personnes, were Constrayned to serve the Colony, as yf they had been slaves, 7 or 8 yeers for
1 Salted.
2 The desperate settlers.
.
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their freedomes, who underwent as harde and servile labor as the basest Fellow that was brought out of Newgate.
And for discovery we saye that nought was discovered in those 12 yeers, and in these 4 or 5 last yeers much more then formerly.1
For o" howses and churches in those tymes they were soe meane and poore by resone of those calamities that they could not stand above one or two yeers, the people never goinge to woorke but out of the bitterness of theire spiritts threatninge execrable curses uppon Sr: Thomas Smith, nether could a blessinge from god be hoped for in those buildings weh were founded uppon the bloud of soe many Christians.2
The Townes were only James Cyttie, Henryco, Charles hundred, West and Sherley hundred, and Kicoughtan, all wch in those tymes were ruined alsoe, unlesse some 10 or 12 howses in the Corporatione of James Cyttie. At this present tyme are 4 for every one that were then, and forty times ex- ceedinge in goodnesse.3 Fortifications there were non at all against the foraigne enemy, and those that were against the domestick very few and contemptible. Bridges there was only one weh also decayde in that tyme.4 Yf through the forsaid calamities many had not perished we doupt not but there might have been many more than 1000 people in the lande when Sr Thomas Smith left the Goverment.
But we conceive that when Sr George Yardly arrived Govno" hee founde not above 400,5 most of those in want of
1 "Discoveries" (i.e., explorations) were made in both periods. Long before Sir Thomas Smith's term expired, all of eastern Virginia was well known to the settlers; Delaware Bay had been visited, and the Bermuda Islands settled. The discoveries made in the four or five last years were probably those of John Pory.
2 The houses were made of green wood, which soon decayed.
3 The houses at this time were made of seasoned timbers.
4 In 1611 Sir Thomas Dale made a bridge, i.e., a wharf, above where the church tower now stands at Jamestown, on which to land goods from the ships. This was the "bridge" referred to.
5 This was the number on the public plantations, but the private settle- ments had 600 more, making 1000 in all. Abstract of Proceedings of the Virginia Company of London, I. 65.
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corne, nearly destitute of cattle, swyne, poultrey and other necessary provisions to nourishe them. Ministers to instruct the people there were some whose sufficyentcie and abilitie we will not tax, yet divers of them had no Orders.
We knowe not at any time that we exceeded in Armes, Pow- der and munitions, yet that in qualitie almost altogether use- lesse. We acknowledg in those times there was a tryall made of divers staple Comodities, the Colony as then not havinge meanes to proceede therin, we hope in tyme there may be some better progressions be made, and had it not beene for the Mas- sacre, many by this had beene brought to perfectione. As for boats in the tyme of that Govermte, there was only one left that was servicable in the Colonie, for wch one besides 4 or 5 shipps and pynnaces, there are now not soe fewe as 40, the barques and barges that then were built in number fewe, so unwillinglie and weakly by the people effected, that in the same time they also perished.
We never perceaved that the natives of the Countrey did voluntarily yeeld them selves subjects to our gracyous Sov- raigne, nether that they took any pride in that title, nor paide at any tyme any contrybutione of corne for sustentation of the Colony, nor could we at any tyme keepe them in such good respect of correspondency as we became mutually helpful each to the other but contrarily what at any was done proceeded from feare and not love, and their corne procured by trade or the sworde.
To wt grouth of perfectione the Colony hath attayned at the end of those 12 yeers wee conceave may easily be judged by wt we have formerly saide. And rather then to be reduced to live under the like Govment we desire his Matie that Com- missioners may be sent over, wth authoritie to hange us.
Alderman Johnson, one of the Authors of this Declaratione, hath reasone to comend him 1 to whose offences and infamies he is so inseparably chained.
By the generall report of the Country wch we never hard contradicted, we affirme this to be true wherof all or the most
1 I.e., Sir Thomas Smith.
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA [1624
parte were eye witnesses or resident in the Country when every particuler within written were effected.
Francis Wyatt
George Sandis
Clement Dilke Luke Boyse
John Pott
John Utie
John Powntis
John Chew
Roger Smith
Richard Stephens
Raphe Hamor
John Southerne
Wm. Tucker
Samuel Sharpe
Wm. Peerce
Henry Watkins
Rawley Croshaw
Nathanell Causey
Samuel Mathews
Jabez Whittaker
Richard Bigge Richard Kingswell
John Willcox
John Pollington
Nicholas Marten
Robert Addams
Edward Blany
Gabriell Holland
Isack Madisone
Thomas Marlott
THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY, 1625
INTRODUCTION
THE government of Virginia under the first charter (1606) was that of a supreme council in England appointed by the king and a subordinate council in Virginia; and neither the Virginia Company nor the settlers had any political authority. Under the second charter (1609), the government was centred in England in a treasurer and council, who selected a governor for Virginia having authority independent of the local council. The third charter (1612) vested the authority in England in the company and, as a consequence, parties arose. On the question of governing the colony, the company soon divided into two factions, - one in favor of continuing martial law, at the head of which was Sir Robert Rich, afterwards Earl of Warwick, and the "Country" or "Patriot Party" in favor of ending the system of servitude. The latter party was led by Sir Thomas Smith, who had been treasurer ever since 1609, Sir Edwin Sandys, Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, Sir John Danvers, and John and Nicholas Ferrar. In 1618 Sir Thomas Smith was deposed from his office, and Sandys made treasurer, which so offended Smith that he joined forces with the court party. After a year Sandys, finding himself an object of dis- favor with the king, stepped aside, and the Earl of Southampton, who agreed with Sandys in all his views, was appointed and kept in office till the company's dissolution. The five years' rule of the patriot party was a period of extraordinary activity in Virginia affairs, and the plans of Sandys and Southampton were remarkably statesmanlike and far-reaching. But the calamities of epidemics and an Indian massacre, which could not be prevented, made them a prey to all kinds of attack.
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NARRATIVES OF EARLY VIRGINIA
At the suggestions of Lionel Cranfield, the crafty Earl of Middlesex, they were induced to apply to King James for the monopoly of the sale of tobacco in England, and they became entangled in a quarrel, which was fanned to a white heat by the intrigues of Count Gondomar, the Spanish minister. The court party took the matter to the king, and after a long agitation the charter was revoked. After this the king appointed a com- mission, consisting in part of members of the court party, to take charge of Virginia affairs, but on his death, the next year, King Charles, his son, revoked the former royal commission and intrusted affairs relating to Virginia to a committee of the Privy Council, who ignored the Smith party and called the Sandys party into consultation. These last presented a paper in April, 1625, called "The Discourse of the Old Company," in which they gave a full history of affairs, and petitioned to be reincorporated. Charles was not indisposed to grant the request, but postponed the matter from time to time till senti- ment in the colony, which once favored the company, became adverse to it, as the Virginians found that they enjoyed a larger degree of liberty under the neglect of the king than under the care of the company.
The document is reprinted, by permission, from the Virginia Magazine of History, I. 155-167, 287-302. The last part of it, not narrative, but containing suggestions as to future govern- ment, etc., has been omitted. The original is in the Public Record Office in London.
L. G. T.
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