USA > Virginia > Narratives of early Virginia, 1606-1625 > Part 34
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY, 1625
May it please your Lop$ 1
WHEN last we attended this Honourable Board yor Lops required two things at our hands to be presented this day in writing to your Lops.
The first, our opinion touching the best forme of Govern- ment to be made for Virginia; the second, as to such con- tract touching Tobacco wth his Matie as might both uphold his former Revenue, and not be grievous to the Plantations.
Concerning the former of wch proposicions, wee humbly crave leave thus much to deliver wthout offence, that it came altogether unexpected to us: who brought wth us, a strong and confirmed resolucion, not to intermedle any more in the business of Virginia, so soyled and wronged by the partie op- posite, and now reduced to extreame terms allmost past re- covery and wherein all our former labours, cares, and expenses had receaved by the practise and procurement of these men, the undeserved reward of rebuke and disgrace.
Notwithstanding, whome wee have alwayes found just and honoble and if happily some good may rebound thereby to that now distressed and languishing Plantation, weh hath bin heretofore so deare unto us, and weh gave so great hope of honour to this Kingdome, and might have bin in these tymes of warrly 2 preparations, of so great use and service to his Matie if it had bin so cherished and strengthened by these men, as when they gayned the government, they pretended and prom- ised, we wised 3 and designed : We here present in all humble- ness our deliberate opinion touching the forme of Government
1 Lordships.
2 Warlike. England was then at war with Spain.
3 Wished.
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now fittest to be established for the restoring and reviving of that Plantation, if it be possible yet to be recovered. Wherein wee thinke it requisite, that yo' Lops in the first place be truly informed, of the state of that Colony, what before it was, and what now it is, according unto the best advertisements from thence received.
The Plantation now in Virginia, began about the yeare 1606 and continued about twelve yeares under the Governemt of the selfe same handes, whereinto it was first intrusted by the Kings Matie the most Royall founder of this noble worke. The perticular carriages of this first Governemt are too long, and would bee too displeasing to yo' Lopps eares. But in Generall such it was, as the now Earle of Middlesex then Lo: high Treasurer 1 (being an ancient adventurer and councellor for Virginia) informed yo' Lops sitting in Counsell the 5th of March, 1622, when he told Alderman Johnson, That in former yeares when he the said alderman was Deputie, and the busi- ness was in other hands, it was carried leaudly,2 so that if they should be called to an accompt for it, their Estates would not answere it.
What his LoPP delivered as his owne censure, was truly the opinion of the whole company of Adventurers here in England: And wth them doth the Colonie concure having the last yeare by their Vice admirall sent a writing 3 signed by the hands of the Generall Assembly, and directed to his Matie, wherein having declared: The manner of Those Twelve yeares Governemt, they conclude wth these words, full of passion and griefe; and rather then to be reduced to live under the like Government, wee desire his Matie that Commissioners may be sent over with authoritie to hang us. Of this quallitie was the first Governemt And answerable to fforme, were the effects, as the Generall Assemblie having by oath examined the par- ticulars, sett downe in their Declaration directed to his late Matie.
1 Lionel Cranfield, Earl of Middlesex, lord high treasurer from 1621 to his impeachment in 1624.
2 Lewdly.
3 This was the paper entitled The Tragical Declaration.
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY
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1. For People then alive about the nomber of 400.1
2. Very many of them in want of corne, utterly destitute of cattle, swine, Poultry and other provisions to nourish them.
3. As for Fortificacon agaynst a forraigne enemy there was none at all, onely foure pieces mounted, but altogether unser- viceable.
4. There was only eight Plantacions, all weh were but poorely housed, and ill fortified agaynst the Savages.
5. Onely one old friggott belonging to the Sumer Ilandes, one shallop, one shippboate, and two small boats belonging to private men.
6. Three ministers in orders and Two wthout.
7. No comoditie on foote save Tobacco.
8. The Indians in doubtful Termes.
This as they report was the true estate of the Plantacons at the Twelve yeares end. To wch being added the other con- dicon of the colonie, wch in other writinges they expresse :
1. That they lived or rather suffered under Martial lawe.
2. Under a most extorting Governour there whome by 24 bundles of depositions they have accused of strange depre- dacons.
3. Under most oppressive orders hence, to the breach of all faith and honesty.
4. Wthout confort of wives or servants.
5. Wthout assurance of their estates.
6. There beinge no Dividents of Land laid out.2
7. wthout assurance of their Libties, being violently de- teyned as servts beyond their convenented tymes.
We may truly affirme, that the intencons of the people in Virginia, were no wayes to settle there a colonie, but to gett
1 At Easter, 1619, about the time Sir George Yeardley arrived, there were one thousand people in Virginia - four hundred on the public plantations and six hundred on the private.
2 The joint-stock partnership expired November 30, 1616, and Captain Samuel Argall was sent to Virginia with instructions to give every settler his own private dividend. But Argall disregarded his orders and kept the people in servitude until he was superseded by Yeardley. Sir Thomas Smith was, therefore, not fairly responsible for the whole dismal picture drawn above.
2F
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a little wealth by Tobacco, then in price, and to return for Englande.
As for the Adventurers here the greatest part were long before beaten out as from an hopeless Action. In weh regard there was ffifteene thousand pounds of mens subscripcons wch by no means they could bee procured to pay in; sundry of them alleaging in theer answers in chancery upon their oathes, the misimployment of the monyes, and ill keeping of the accounts. Those few that followed the business, upon some hope to reforme it, were (by the Governours here, for their owne perticuler ends as is conceaved, for, to theire owne private bene- fitt it was only sutable) directed to bestowe their moneyes in adventuringe by way of Magazine,1 upon two comodities onely, Tobacco and Sassafras matters of present proffitt, but no wayes foundacons of a future state. Soe that of a mer- chantlike Trade there was some probbillitie at least for a while ; but of a Plantation there was none at all, neither in the course nor in the intencons either of the Adventurers here or the colonie there.
In this estate and condicon was the action lefte by the First to the second Governmt wch began in the yeare 1619 by the choice of ST Edwin Sandis for Treasurer. To whome the yeare followinge succeedª the Earle of Southampton.
1. Under whose Governmt by Gods blessing the Plantation soe prospered as by the end of the yeare 1621 the nomber of people was encreased, there, to be about Two thousand.
2. The number of Neat cattle, besides Goates and Swine, eight hundred.
3. The number of Housinge was proporcionably encreased, and the manner of building much bettered.
4. The number of Boats was Ten tymes multiplyed, and wch was much more, there were fower Shippes belonging to the Colonie.
5. Ther were sent more than eight able ministers.
1 Particular merchants would make up a fund and send over a ship with goods to exchange for tobacco and sassafras. This was called a magazine.
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY
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6. With great care and cost there were procured men skil- full in sawing Milles from Hambrough.1
7. Vigneroones from Lanquedock : 2 In divers places of the Colonie, Vineyards beganne, some of them conteyinge Ten thousand plants.
8. Store of silkeworme-seed sent.
9. And the Iron-workes brought after five thousand pounds expences to that assured perfection, as wth in Three months they promised to send home great quantities.
10. Many new Plantations were made.
11. All men had sufficiency of corne.
12. And many Great plenty of cattle, swyne and Poultrie, and other good provisions.
13. The mortalitie weh had raigned the two first yeares, (weh at that tyme was generall over all America) was at last ceased.
14. Soe that by this sodayne and unexpected advancement of Plantation in these things, together with the redresse of all former Grievances: supplies of young women for wives, and of youthes for servts being sent them.
15. The bloudy Lawes being silenced and their Governemt ordered like to that of this Kingdom.
16. Provisions being made for the mayntennce of Officers that they should not need to prey upon the people: And the like done for the ministers:
17. The libertie of a Generall assembly being granted them, whereby they find out and execute those things as might best tend to their good.
18. The Estates of Land by just Dividends being surely conveyed :
19. A ffree Trade from hense for all sorts of people being permitted, whereby they were eeven to superfluity furnished wth all necessaries :
The Colony grewe into an opinion that they were the hap- piest people in the world, weh meeting here at home wth the experience of most Noble Demeanor on the Companies part,
1 Hamburg. 2 Vinedressers from Languedoc.
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agaynst weh Envy itselfe could not finde any shadowe of cal- amny or offence : the reputacon of this action grew to such an height, as not only the old Adventurers renewed their zeale of their first Loves, but great numbers of new came dayly in wth assurance to expend large somes in the business.
And for the Plant"s to goe in person, not only here at home Thousands of choise people offred themselves: but out of Ire- land went divers shipps, and more were followinge: Three hundred ffamilies French and Dutch in the yeare 1621 made request to the state, that they might plant in Virginia ; 1 whither not long before, condempned persons had refused to go with pardon of their Lives.
The great amendment in this and in all other parts of this Action, made the Earle of Middlesex say at yo' honoble Board, That in these latter tymes the Plantation by the good carriage had thriven and prospered beyond beliefe and allmost miracu- louslie.
This wee cannot but esteeme an honoble testimony proceed- ing from our most heavy enemy, who had himselfe layde in o' way soe many great Rubbs and Difficulties, as hee might well say, It was by miracle wee over passed them.
The first yeare, directly agaynst his Mats L'res Pattents, and consequently against Laws, by the judgment of the then Attorney-Generall, exceedingly over burdeninge our Com- moditie :
The second yeare to the Kings great dammage and abuse of the whole Kingdome procuringe an utter banishment of our Tobacco :
And the third yeare enforcinge us to bring all in, onely to the enrichmt of his private friends. But besides these; we were continually struglinge wth a most malicious faction wthin
1 They were Walloons, Huguenots, driven from Europe by persecution. Not liking the terms offered by the Virginia Company, they entered into negotiation with the Dutch West India Company, and in 1623 went to New York. Some few, nevertheless, came to Virginia. Among these was Nicholas Marlier (generally rendered Martian), who was the first patentee of the land where Yorktown is now located. He was an ancestor of George Washington.
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY
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our owne Body here; yet through all these difficulties did we wrestle by Gods blessing, with the expence of lesse then ffower and twenty thousands pounds of the Public stock. For how- so-ever your Lops have been enformed, the very thruth wch we shall alwayes make good is, that there was not receaved from the Lottaries in the tyme of this latter Governemt any more than Twenty one thousand seaven hundred sixty six poundes nyne shillings Two pence. By the expence of wch some to- gether wth about Three thousand pounds receaved from the Collections, wee brought the Colony to those Termes wee have related. And if in the Declaration sent to his Matie the last yeare, the colony have made a right and perfect calculacon, wee affirme unto yo' Lops that in the first Three yeares of this latter Governement the company sent as many shipps in nom- ber, but of greater burthen; as many people in nomber, but much better provided, as were sent in the first Twelve years. Yet had the latter Governem under Twenty fower Thousand poundes, and ST Thomas Smith receaved above Three score and ffifteene thousand pounds, of publique stock. Soe that wee may truly affirme through Gods blessing wth a Third part of the money, and in a fourth part of the tyme, wee brought the Plantation to foure tymes the nomber of men that Sr Thomas Smith left it in, and in all other parts incomparably better.
The Plantation being growne to this height by the end of the year 1621, it pleased God in his secrett judgment to give leave to the enemies thereof, by many powerfull and most wicked meanes to bring it downe agayne to the ground. The first Blowe was a most blowdy massacre, when by the Treacherous cruelty of the savages about 400 of o' People were slayne, upon the 22th of March 1621.1 The terror whereof wth the losse of much cattle and other substance, and a sodayne alteracon of the state of all things, so dismaide the whole Colony, as they allmost gave themselves for gone. But then appeared both the love of the Company to the Plantation and their great abilettie
1 At this time it was usual in England to regard the new year as beginning on March 25. We should date the massacre March 22, 1622.
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to goe through therewith : when in supply of this Loss, and for the encouragement of the Colony, they did send that yeare to Virginia 16 ships and 800 people and that altogether at the charges of private Adventurors. For the publique stock being utterly exhaust the yeare before was not able to contribute 500l. towards all this charge.
But this cruell Tragedy of the massacre was secondd by Two other sharpe Calamities in the very neck one of another :
First, scarcitie in the Colony by being putt off from their Grounds prepared, together wth the losse of their season and much seed; besides that through the troublesomnes of those tymes, they could not freely imploy themselves in plantinge thereof, no not in those their scanted grounds, many Planta- cions being drawne into few places for their better defence. wch pestringe of themselves did likewise breed contagious sicknesse; wch being encreased by the Infection brought in by some shipps, there dyed that yeare of mortallitie neere upon 600 more : and the Colony passed much hardnesse in their victuall, by reason of the miscarriage of one of their shippes, wch the Company sett forth wth above 5001. worth of meale and other provisions: But the shipp being blowne up wth Powder at the Summer Islandes, the Provisions were lost, and never came to Virginia.
Notwithstandinge these things were most grievous to the Company here; yett were they no wayes of Discouragement, but rather seemed to add heat to their former zeale: so as by the beginning of the year 1623 there appeared in readinesse and preparation to go to Virginia, double that nomber of people and Adventurers that any former yeare had carried. When on a sodayne the Plantation itselfe was by Captaine Butler in a certayne writinge Intituled The unmaskinge of Virginia, soe fowly disgraced, and the present miseries thereof so farr amplified above Truth, and the future hopes there of so belowe all good meanings derided and villified by divers ill willers of the Action especially some discontented members of the Company, as the greatest part of the intended supplies for New Plantations, gave over, as some of themselves will
1625]
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY
testify to yo' Lops, yet notwithstandinge, the united Body of the Company did even that year, 1623, send out eleven Shipps, stored wth supplies of victuall and provisions: although by many cruell encounters of the opposites, they were so hindered and dejected, directly wth Intention to make them abandon the busines. But the welfare of the Plantacon and the mayn- tennce of their own honour and credit, did prevaile so wth ,th the company that though wth certainty of their owne extreame loss, they passed in the aboundance of supply, not only the necessitis of the Colony, but even the unreasonable demaunds of their opposite : Having in fower days space that was given them after the notice of the Colonies want, procured the under- writing of fower thousand pounds Adventure : wch the Hono ble Board of the privy Counsell was pleased wth much Noble favour highly to approve.
As for the people that went that yeare in those eleven ships the nomber was not above 260, and those procured not wthout difficulty, so much had the disgrace of the Plantation spread amongst the comon sort of people.
Neither could it be prevented by the companie although they used all possible dilligence; solliciting the ComissionTs then appointed by his Matie by a publique examinacon of Captayne Butlers reporte, to clear the truth. But they would by no meanes bee drawne thereunto. As for the companie it selfe, their proceedings and demeanors were so approbriously calumniata as deprived them both of abillitie and credite to doe any good herein : but wth much sorrowe to behold how sencibly and dangerously the good opinion of this Action de- cayed; so that Preachers of note in the Cittie that had begun in this latter Governem to pray continually for Virginia, lefte quite the remembrance of it; finding the Action to growe either odious or contemptible in mens minds: wch yet but a little before was of that esteeme as divers on their death beds gave great Lagacies to the furtherance thereof ; and even from the East Indies by way of contribucon, hath bin sent by the ffactors and poore marriners above 1000 marks, so farr was the reputacon of this action spread, by the prosperinge thereof
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under the latter Governemt and by their zealous and sollici- tous endeavours. Wch although by the continuall encrease of further suffringes, their pattent being called in question, receaved a sore check: yet not withstanding their owne In- nocencie giving them courage and hope that they should over- come all wth honour and thanks of the state: there were ffive shipps provided for this last yeare, 1624, whereof one of them since the Companies disolucon hath given over her voyage: the other ffoure have proceeded, although wth much difficulty, in regard that a great part of the Passengers that afore in- tended to goe, fell off. Whereby two of the shippes weh had their comissions from the late companie in May last could not gett away till the end of this last yeare, the one in ffebruary, the other in March last.1
Thus have wee given yo' Lop® a true Informacon, both of the growth and languishinge of the Virginia Plantacion, in these ffive latter yeares Governemt : wherein no incombrances, no calamities whatsoever could keepe it soe downe, but that it did yearely advance itselfe wth a most remarkable growth whilst the carefull Nurse and tender mother the Company was permitted to governe it.
Though contagion and sword destroyed many people: yet whilst the nomber of new did doubly supply those that fayled it cannot be said, but the action was in a thriving, in a prosper- ous course; though not in a cleare or easy. Then began it to stand when the Companie was troubled; to stagger, when they were disgrac'd and discountenanced; to sinck, when they were terrifyed wth affreightment of dissolucon; since wch tyme there hath bin nothing at all done towards the recovery of helping it forward, but much towards the hindrenge and bring- ing it lower.
The poor supply of people and shippes that are gone, are but the remaynder of the late Companies cares and loves. The settlers out of the best of them doe affirme, that if they had not been so farr engaged before the unexpected dissolucon of the late Companie, they would have drawne back their ad-
1 I.e., in 1625.
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY
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ventures and People. When they shall arive in Virginia they will not bring eith comfort or supply to the Colonie: but only add to their Calamitie, to their grief.
The first Shipp went in August, victualled only for Three months; the next in October; neither of them were arived the 25th of ffebruary last. Whereby they must needs come into Virginia in most miserable distresse.
The other two went out soe meanly provided that however their voyage shal be, they cannot but prove an insupported charge to the Colony, much disfurnished by the victualling of divers shipps lately returned thence, and so ill provided by a deceptful cropp, weh seemed large, but proved scant, as wee dare not acquaynt yo' Lops what experience perswades us, That there is like to followe in the Colonie some great distresse for victualls except by speedy supply hence they be relieved.
There is likewise in the Colony a most dangerous want of Powder, so great, as if the savages should but knowe advan- tage they have thereby they might easily in one day destroy all of people.
There is most extreame want of hose, shoes, and all apparell, even to a dangerous empeachement of their healthes: and that so generall, as the provisions carried in these late shipps, will not as farr as wee cann learne, supply the Tenth part of their necessities. The want of such wonted supplies, will un- doubtedly much dismay and deject the Colony. But when they shall understand of the Companies dissolucon, for the continuance of whose Governem and the Liberties they en- joyed under them, they were most importunate suitors to his Matie and that they are returned under those handes wch they so much abhorred:1 Wee doubt no possible meanes will be found to keepe the greatest and best part of the Colonie from imediatly cominge away. For wee are credibly informed, that some of the chiefs, have allready by sellinge of their Es- tates, made preparacon upon the first notice of the change, to leave the Country. But when further they shall heare the newes
1 I.e., under the control of Sir Thomas Smith, the chief manager of the company during the first twelve years.
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of the late contract,1 whereby all their hopes shal be quite ex- tinguished and all possibilitie of subsistance taken from them, wee cannot thinke that any will stay behinde that shall not be kept by force.
But howsoever it shall happen: sure we are that by these alteracons and courses, the mindes of the Planters wil be filled wth such Jealousies and suspicions as it wil be a long while ere they wil be reduced to a firm resolucon of setting up the Rest of their Lives and hopes, in the Colony: which wth all humble duty we are bold to say hath bin and will ever bee a disposition most pernicious to the establishing of the Planta- tion : And the overcoming thereof by the Company, we hold to have bin one of the greatest services that they did. This wee conceave to be the state of the Colonie now in Virginia wch though they should be persuadd or forced to stay yet wth- out supply of others sent hence, they must needs come to noth- inge in a very short space, although they had noe other enemy.
As for adventuringe hence, what by the disgracinge of the Action itselfe, and the undeserved suffrings of the late Com- panie, the businesse is brought to such a stand, as seemes incredible : there being no preparacon that wee can heare of not only of any shipp, but of any man to goe to Virginia whereas comonly for divers yeares before, there were foure or five shipps in readinesse, and as many hundreds of men, at this tyme of the yeare.
So that even in that reguard also the Colony will find them- selves both in great discomfort and in great danger. For al- though formerly they had no Forte on the Land to hinder a forraigne enemy : yet especially in the latter tymes, there was such a boundance of shipping comminge and goinge continually to Virginia that there hath bin sometymes told seaventeen sayle
1 The reference here is to a contract authorized by the king, with a Mr. Ditchfield, by which the crop of tobacco, for the first two years, was to be limited to 200,000 pounds, for which he was to pay the planters at the rate of 2s. 4d. per pound for the higher grades, and 1s. 4d. for the lower. Four hundred thousand pounds were not deemed enough at these rates. Bruce, Economic History of Virginia, I. 278.
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THE DISCOURSE OF THE OLD COMPANY
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together in James River. Whereby besides that it was a con- tinuall terror to the Natives it would have bin a difficult thinge to endamage the Colonie, wthout the power both of many shipps, and many souldiers, Weh was amongst divers others, a very mayne securitie and encouragement to persuade men boldly to goe to Virginia. But that and all other helpes being now foyled or much empayred although the nomber of men be at least Three tymes as many as when wee undertooke the Governem ; yet will wee Ingenuously yield, that equall thanks and equall honour wil be due to them, who shall now recover and restore it to that prosperous and flourishing estate to wch by Gods blessinge o' cares and labours had brought it, untill it was marred by them, who as appeares never loved it, but for their owne indirect ends, wch they have industriously pursued. Thus much touching the present estate of the Plantation, and the late generall decay thereof.
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