USA > Virginia > The generall historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer isles: with the names of the adventurers, planters, and governours, from their first beginning, an. 1584. To this present 1626. With the proceedings of those severall colonies > Part 15
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156 The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler.
cient fences, and against the felling of marked trees appoint. ed for bounds. The fourteenth, grauted to a leuy for a thou- sand pound weight of Tobacco. towards the payment of pub- like workes, as the bridges and the mount. The fifteenth. for the eniovuing an acknowledgement and acception of all resident Gouervoars, and the warsanting him to continue, though his time be expired, till the arriuall of a legitimate successor from England, to preuont all vumeet and presump- tuous elections, besides it was desired by petition in Eng- land, the new Gouernours should line two months as a priuate man after his arriuall, if' his predecessor did stay so long, the better to learne and obserue his course. And these are the contests of those fifteene Acts, applied as you may perceite: which the laws of England could not take notice of. because cuers climate hath somewhat to it selfe in that kinde in par- ticulir; for otherwise as it is concelued, it had beene a high impudency and presumption to have medled with them, or indeed with any such as these lawes, that had with such great judgment and justice alwaies prouided for.
No sooner was this businesse ouer, but the Magasin ship is discovered, and that night came into the Harbour. but in a very weake and sickly case, hauing cast ouer board twenty or thirty of her people, and so violent was the infection, that the most part of the sailers, as well as passengers, were so sicke, or di trad. or both, that the Master confessed, had they stay- er at the Sea but a weeke longer, they had all perilised. - Torre ardund with this's in diuers Gentlemen of good fashion, with their wives and families: but many of them crasie by the tediousnesse of the voyage: howsocuer most of them, by the excellent salubrity of the aire, then which the world hath not a better, soone after recouered: yet some there were that . died presently after they got ashore, it being certainly the quality of the place, either to kill. or cure quickly, as the bo- dies are more or lesse corrupted. By this ship the Company sent a supply of ien persons for the generality, out of sten bad condition that it seemed they had picked the Males out of Newgate, the Females from Beidencell: As the Governour found it his best course, to grant out the women to such as were so greedy of wines, and would needs haue them for better for worse; and the men hee placed in the Kings Cas- tle for souldiers. But this bad, weake. sickly supply being dispersed for their best reliefe. by the much imployment of
The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler. 157
his boats in remoouing them, many of his owne mon became infected, so that for some weekes, they were not able to doc hini any serui e at all. Strict instructions also they brought for the planting of Sugar canes, for which the Hand being rockie and dry, is so vuproper, that few as yet haue becne scene to prosper: yet there are others hold the contrary opi- nion, that there is raine so ordinarily, the les are so moisi, as produceth all their plants in such infinit abundance: there is no great reason to suspect this, were it rightly vsed, more then the rest. Seventy thousand weight of Tobacco being prepared towards her fraught. she returned for Engine .- No sooner was she gone then came in another, sent by the Company and generalty, well conditioned, but shee failed not much to have beene cast away amongst those dangerous and terrible rocks: by her came also expresse command, they should entertaine no other ships, then were directly sent from the Company: this caused mach grudging, and indeed a generall distraction and exclamation among the Inhabi- tants, to be thus constrained to buy what they wanted, and sell what they had at what price the Magasin pleased, and to debarre true men from comming to them for trade or re- liefe, that were daily- received in all the harbours in Eng- land. So long this ship stayed going for fraught and wa- ges, the master not caring how long he lay at that rate in a good harbour, the Gouernour was ready to send her away by Proclamation. Thus ended the first yeere of the gouern- ment of C. Butler.
With the first of the second veere were hold the Assises, where all the Bailiffes were fined for not gining a beginning to the building of the bridges; there was also an order to restraine the excessiue wages all handicrafts men would haue: and that the Church-wardens should meet twice a yeere, to haue all the presentments made perfect against the Assises. The Assises done, all the ablest men were trained in their armes, and then departed to their owne homes. The towar thus cleared, he made certaine new carriages for some demy Culuerings, and a large new store-house of Cedar for the yearely Magazines goods: finished Warrickes Kont brown by Master More, and made a new plat-forme at Pugits Fort, also a faire house of lime and stone for the Townes-house. The three bridges appointed by the generall assembly, was followed with such diligence, though they were then
158 The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler.
an hundred. or an hundred and twenty foot in length, haning the foundation and arches in the Sea, were raised and ac- complished, so that man or beast with facility might passo them.
At Whitsonday was held the fourth generall Assise a: Saint Georges, where were trved twenty several causes; forre or fue were whipped or burnt in the hand, for break- ing of houses: also at order was made, that the party cast in the triall of any cause, should pay to euery of the lurors foure pence: moreouer, that not past ten leaves at the most should gros ypoa a play yof Tobacco, and that abo in the making it vp. a distinction should diligently beobserved of two kinds, a better and a worse: then they built a strong stone house for the Captaine of the Kings Castle and corps du guard; and re- paired what defects they could finde in the watformes and carriages.
Cantaine Powell so oft mentioned, kaviar beene in the West -ladies for the States of Moltoud. come to an aneper within shot of their Ordnance, desiring admittance for wood and water, of which hee had greatneed, butthe Gouernor would not permit him, so he weighed and departed, whereat the company were so madded, it was not possible to constraine them to cease their exclaimations against the Companies inhi- bition, till they were weary with exclaiming: But still for their better defence, not thinking themselves sufficiently se- eure, hanine finished tivo new plar-formes more, arrived the Magazin ship, but her Master was dead, and many of the Passengers, the rest for most part very sicke: and withall. a strange and wonderfull roport of much complaint mado against the Goueraor to the Company in England, by some of them returned in the last yeares shipping; but it was right daies before she could get in by reason of ill weather, being forceil againe to sea: so that the, they kept every night con- daually greet fires, she might see the le as well by night as dont but at least do arrived aai be platuly vaderstood, he Had more cause a great deale to looke for misconstruction of all his service then an acknowledgment, much lesse arecomponer any better then his predecessors but it is no new thing to regulie the best desert with the post vildest of jogratitude.
The very next daies night sier the arriuall of the Maga- zins ship. newes was brought the Governor by a dismaied
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The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler. 159
were landed in that part, and diuers ships discoucred at Sea, whereupon he presently manned the Forts, and instantly made thitherward in person with twentie men, determining as he found cause to draw together more strength by the way. Being got thither by the breake of the next day, instead of an onemy which he expected, he met onely with a company of poore distressed Portugals and Spaniards, who' in their passage from Carthagena in the West-Indies, in consort with the Spanish fleet of Plait: by the same storme that had indan- gered the Magazin ship, lost theirs vpon those terrible Rocks. being to the number of seventy persons, were strangely pro- serned: and the manner was thus,
About Sunne-set their ship beating amongst the Rocks, some twenty of the Sailers got into the Boat with what trea- sure they could, loading the Captain, the Master, and all the rest to the merey of the Sea. "But a boy not past foureteene veares of age that leaped after to haue got into the Boat, mis- sing that hope, it pleased God he got vpon a Chest a drift by him, whereon they report he continued two daies, and was driuen ncere to the cleane contrary part of the Hle. where he was taken vp neare dead, yet well recovered. All this night the ship sticking fast, the poore distressed in her the next day spying land, made a raft, and were those gaue the alarmmm first a shore about three of the clocke in the after noone .- The morning after, about seuen of the clocke came in the Boat to a place called Mangroue Bay; and the same day their Carpenter was driuen ashore vpon a Flanke neere Jiog- Bay. There was a Gentlewoman that had stood wet vpro the middle vpon the raft from the ship to the shore, being big with childe: and although this was vpon the thirteenth of sep- tember. she tooke no hurt, and was safely delivered of a Boy within three daies after. The best comfort could be giuen them in those extremities they had, although some of the baser sort had beene riding some of them before the Gio- uernors arrival: Also the spanish Capraine and the chicle with him, much complained of the treachery of his men to leaue him in that manner, yet had conueyed with them the most of the money they could come by, which he easily missed; whereupon hee suddenly caused all them he accused, to be searched, and recouered to the value of one hundred and fortie pounds starting, which he delinered imto the C'ap- moines hands, to be imploied in a generall porse towards their
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160
Their accidents und proceedings.
generall charge: during their stay in the Iles, some of the better sort, nine or ten weeks dieted at his owne table, the rest were billited amongst the Inhabitants at foure shillings the weeke, till they found shipping fin their passage, for which they paied' no more then the English paied themselues; and for the passage of diners of them, the Gouernor was glad to stand bound to the Master: some others that were not able to procure such friendship, were so constrained to stay in the Iles, till by their labours they had got so much as would transport them; and thus they were preserued, releeued, and delivered.
In the moneth insuing arrived the second ship, and she also had lost her Master, and diaers of her Passengers: in her came two Virginian Women to be married to some would hane them, that after they were conuerted and had children. they might be sent to their Countrey and kindred to cinilize them. Towards the end of this moneth came in the thirl ship with a small Magazin, hanting sold what she could, caried the rest to Virginie, and neuer did any of those Pas- sengers complaine either of their good diet, or too good vsa- ges at sea; but the cleane contrary still occasioned many of those extremities. The lift of Nouember the damnable plot of the powder treason was solomaized, with Praiers, Ser- mons, and a great Feast, whereto the Gouernor inuited the chiefe of the Sonniards, where drinking the Kings heaklı, it was honored with a quick volley of small shot, which was answered from the Forts with the great Ordnance, and then againe concluded with a second volley of small shot; neither was the afternoone without musicke and dancing, and at night many huge bone-fires of sweet wood.
The Spaniards to espresse their thankfulnesse at their de . parture, made a deed of gift to the Governor of whatsoeuer he could recouer of the wracked ship; but the ships as they went out came so dangerously vpon a Rock, that the poore Spaniards were so dismaied, swearing this place was ominous vnto them, especially the women, that desired rather to goo a shore and die howsoquer, than aduenture any further in such a labyrinth of dangers, but at Fist she got cleere without danger, and well to England; the other went to Virginia, wherein the Gqueror sent two great Chests filled with all such kiads and sorts of Fruits and Plants as their Hands had; as Figs, Pomigranats, Oranges, Lemony, Sogar-cane-,
The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler. 161
Plantanes, Potatoes, Papawes. Cassado roots, red Pepper, the Prickell-Poare, and the like. The ships thus dispatched, hee goeth into the maine, and so out to sea to the Spanish wracke. He had beene there before presently after her ru- ine, for neuer had ship a more sudden death, being now split in pecces all vader water. Ho fouad small hope to recover any thing, saue a Cable and an Anchor, and two good Sa- cars: but the wind was so high hice was forced to returne, being ten miles from the shore, onely with three Murderers, which were knowne to be the same Captaine Kendall had sold to Captaine Kerby, whose ship was taken by two men of warre of Corthagena, the most of his men slaine or hanged, and he being wounded, died in the woods. Now their Pi- lot being at this seruicc, got thus those three Murderers to their ship, and their shin thus to the Bermudas, as the Spa- miards remaining related to the Governor and others.
Having raised three small Bulwarkes at Southhamptons Forr, with two Curtaines, and two Rauilings, which indeed is onely the true absolute peece of fortification in the Iles: Christmas being come, and the prefixed day of the Assise: diuers were whipped and burnt in the band, onely three young boyes for stealing were condemned, and at the very point of hanging reprined. The Gouernour then sent his Lieuten- ant all ouer the maive to distribute Armes to those were found most fit to vse them, and to giac order for their randez- uous, which were hanged vp in the Church. About this time it chanced a pretty secret to be discovered to preserue their corne from the fly, or weavell, which did ia a mamer as much hurt as the rats. For the yeare before having made a Proclamation that all Corne should be gathered by a cer- taine day, because many lazy persons raune so after the ships to get Beere and Ammarita, for which they will giao any thing they haue, much had beene lost for want of gathering. This yeare hauing a very faire crop, some of the lahabitants, none of the best husbands, hastily gathered it for fear of the penaltie, threw it in great heaps into their house- enhusk . ed, and so let it lie foure or five moneths, which was thought would haue spoiled it: where the good husbands husked it, and with much labour hung it vp, where the Flies did so blow on it, they increased to so many Wervels, they generally complained of great losse; but those good fellow es that neuer cared but from anud to nenith, made their boasts, that not a
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169 The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler.
graine of theirs had beene touched nor hurt, there being no better way to preserue it then by letting it lie in its huske, and spare an infinite labour formerly had beene vsed. There were also very luckily about this time found out diuers pla- ces of fresh water, of which many of the Forts were very destitute, and the Church-wardens and Side-men were very busie in correcting the prophaners of the Sabbath, Drunkards, Gamesters, and such like. There came also from Virginie a small Barke with many thanks for the presents sent them: much Aquauitæ, Ofle, Sacke and Bricks they brought in ex- change of more Fruits and Plants. Ducks, Turkies and Limestone, of which she had plenty, and so returned. Dur- ing the aboad of the stay of this ship, the mariage of one of the Virginia maides was consummated with a husband fit for her. attended with more then one hundred guests, and all the dainties for their dinner could be prouided; they made also another triall to fish for Whales, but it tooke no more effect then the former: this was done by the Master of the Virginia ship that professed moch skill that way, but bauing fraughted his ship with Limestone, with 26000. weight of Potatocs, and such things as be desired, returned for Virginia. *
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A desperate fellow being to bee arraigned for stealing a Turky, rather then he would en- dure his triall, secretly conueighed himselfe to Sea in a little Boat, and neuer since was euer heard of, nor is he cuer like to be, without an exceeding wonder, little lesse then a miracle. In lune they made another triall about the Spanish wrackc, and recovered another Sacre and a Murderer, also he caused to be hewed out of the maine Rocke a paire of large staires for the convenient landing of goods and passengers, a worke much to the beauty and benefit of the towne. With twenty chosen men, and tivo excellent Divers, the Gouernour went himselfe to the wracke Worwick, but they could recover but one Murderer, from thence he went to the Seu : Reasons. the wracke of Sir George Summers, the hull though iwc or three fathomes in the water, the : found vaperished and with much a doe weighed a Sacre, her shel: Anchor, diter- barres of Iron and pies of Lead, which stond the Plantation in very great stead. Towards the end of laly he went to seeist for a wracke they reported lay vnder water with ber batches spiked vp, bu they could not finde her. but from the Spa.
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Their accidents and proceedings.
nish wracke lay there by, they weighed three faire Sacres more, and so returned through the Tribes to Saint Georges: some were also imployed to seeke out beds of Oisters for Pearle, some they found, some seed Pearle they got, but out of one little shell aboue all the rest they got about 120. small Pearle, but somewhat defective in their colour.
The time of Captain Butlers gouernment drawing neare an end, the Colony presented vnto him diuers grievances, to in- treat him to remember to the Lords and Company in Eng- land at his returne: also they appointed two to be iovned with him, with letters of credence to solicit in their behalfe those grievances following: First, they were defrauded of the food of their soules: for being not fewer then one thou- sand and fiue hundred people, dispersed in length twenty miles, they had at that present but one Minister, nor neuer had but two, and they so shortned of their promises, that but onely for meere pity they would haue forsaken them. Secondly, neglected in the safety of their lives by wants of all sorts of of munition. Thirdly, they had beene censured contrary to his Maiesties Lawes, and not allowed them the benefit of their booke as they are in England, but by Cap- tain Butler. Fourthly, they were frustrated of many of their couenants, and most extremely pinched and vndone by the extortion of the Magazine, for although their Tobacco was stinted but at two shillings sixpence the pound, yet they pitched their commodities at what rate they pleased. Fifthly, their fatherless children are left in little better condition then slaucs, for if their Parents die in debt, their children are made as bondmen till the debt be discharged : these things being perfected, there grew a great question of one Heriot for plotting of factions and abusing the gouernour, for which he was condemned to lose his cares, yet he was vsed so fa- uourably he lost but the part of one in all.
By this time it being growne past the wonted season of the coumiing in of ships from Englund, after a generall long- ing and expectation, especially of the Gouernour, whose Commission being neere vpon expiration, gage him cause to wish for a meane of deliverance from so troublesome and thanklesse an imploiment as he had hitherto found it: a saile is discouered, and long it was not before shee arrived in the Kings Castle-Harbour: this Barke was set out by two or three priuate men of the Company, and hauing landed her
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Their accidents and proceedings.
supplies, was to goe for Virginia; by her. the Gouernour re- celued certaine advertisements of the carriage and behauiour of the Spaniards, which he had relieued as vou hane heard the yeere before; that quite contrary both to his merit, their vow, and his owne expectation, they made clamours against him, the which being seconded by the Spanish Ambassadour, caused the State to fall in examination about it; whereupon haning fully cleared their ingratefulnesse and impudency, and being assured of the choice of a successor that was to be expected within Que or six weekes; hee was desirous to take the opportunity of this Barke, and to visit the Colony in Vir- ginia in his returne for England: leaving the gouernment to Captaine Feleat, Captaine Stokes, Master Lewis Heures, Master Nedom, and Master Ginner, but now his time being fully expired, and the fortifications finished. Die. the Kings Cas- tle wherein were mounted vpon sufficient Platformes sixteene piece of Ordnances: In Charles Fort two; In Southampton Fort fine: betwixt which and the Castle passeth the Chan- ell into the Harbour, secured by three and twenty peeces of good artillery to play ypon it. In Corpers lle is Pembrocks Fort, where is two Peeces. The Chanell of Saint George is guarded by Smiths Fort, and Pagits Fort, in which is eleuen peece of Ordnance. Saint George towne is halfe a league within the Harbour. commanded by Warwicks Fort, where are three great Peeces, and on the Wharfe before the Gouernours house eight more, besides the warning Peece by the mount, and three in Saint Kotharines; so that in all there are ten Fortresses and two and fly peeces of Ordnance suf- ficient and servicenih: their formes and situations you may sce more plainlier described in the Map: and to defend those. he left one thousand noe hundred persons with neero a hun- dred boats, and the lle well replenished with store of such fruits, prouisions and Poultry, as is formerly related; yet for so departing and other occasions, much difference bach bceao betwixt him and some of the Company, as any of his Prede- cessors, which I rather wish were reconciled, then to be a reporter of such ueprofitable dissentions.
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165
The Government of Master John Barnard.
For
Till trechery and faction, and anarice be gone, Till enuy and ambition, and backbiting be none,
Till periury and idlenesse, and iniury be out,
And truly till that villany the worst of all that rout;
Vnlesse those vises banisht be, what euer Forts you haue,
A hundred walls together put will not haue power to sauc
Master Tohn Barnard sent to be Gouernour. 1622.
To supply this place was sent by the noble aduenturers Ichn Bernard. a Gentleman both of good meanes and quali- ty, who arriued within eight daies after Butlers departure with two ships, and about one hundred and forty passengers with armes and all sorts of munition and other prouisions suf- fieient. During the time of his life which was but six weekes in reforming all things he found defectiue, he showed him- selfe so iudiciall and industrious as gaue great satisfaction, and did generally promise vice was in great danger to be sup- pressed, and vertue and the Plantation much aduaneed ; bat so it happened that both he and his wife died in . such short time they were both buried in one day and one graue, and Master John Harrison chosen Governor till further order came from England.
What hapned in the government of Master John Harrison. 1623.
THEY are still much troubled with a great short worinc that deuours their Plants in the night, but all the day thev lic hid in the ground, and though early in the morning they kill so many, they would thinke there were no more, vet the next morning you shall finde as many. The Caterpillers to their fruits are also as pernicious, and the land Crabs in some places are as thicke in their Borowes as Conies in a Warren,
166 What hupned in the gourrument of M. John Harrison.
and doe much hurt ; besides all this, there happened this yeere a very heauy disaster, for a ship wherein there had becne much swearing and blasphering vsed all the voyage. and landed what she bad to leaue in those Isles, iquially fro- liking in their Cups and Tobacco, by accident fired the pow- der, that at the very instant blew vp the great. Cabin, and some one way and some another, it is a wonder to thinke how they could bee so blowue out of the gun-roome into the Sea, where some were taken vp living, so pitifully burned. their lives were worse than so many deaths, some died, some liued, but eighteene were lost at this fatall blast, the ship also immediately sunke with threescore barrels of meale sent for Virginia, and all the other pronision in her was thus lost.
Now to consider how the Spaniards, French, and Dutch, have beene lost and presorued in those invincible les, vet neuer regarded them but as monuments of miseries, though at this present they all desire them; How Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Summers being ready to sinke in the sea were saued, what an incredible abundance of victuall they found, how it was first planted by the English, the strange increase of Rats, and their sudden departure, the Que men came from England in a boat, the escape of Hilliard, and the rest of those acceidents there hapned, a man would thinke it a taber- nacle of miracles, and the worlds wonder, that from such a Paradise of admiration who would thinke should spring such wonders of afflictions as are onely fit to be sacrificed vpon the highest altars of sorrow, thus to be set ypon the highest Pinacles of content, and presently throwne downe to the lowest degree of extremity, as you see haue beene the yeere- ly succeedings of those Plantations; the which to ouercome. as it is an incomparable honour, so it can be no dishonour if a man doe miscarry by vnfortunate accidents in such honour- able actions, the which renowne and vertue to attaine bath caused so many attempts by diuers Nations besides ours, quen to passe through the very amazement of aduentures .--- Vpon the relation of this newes the Company hath seat one Captaine Woodhouse, a Gentleman of good repute and great experience in the warres, and no lesse provident then idus- trions and valiant: then returned report, all goeth welt there. It is too true, in the absence of the noble Treasurer, Sir Euward Sackrill, now Earle of Dorset, there have beene
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