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 24
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like ice, a good quantity we gathered, with which we com- monly cared any byle, hurt, or bruise; some burnt it in their lamps, which blowing out, the very snuffe will burne, so long as there is any of the cile remaining, for two or three dayes together.
The next Governour, was Captaine Philip Bell, whose time being expired, Captaine Roger Wood possessed bis place, a worthy Gentleman of good desert, and hath lived a long time in the Country; their numbers are about two or three thousand, men, women, and children, who increase there exceedingly; their greatest complaint, is want of appa- rell, and too much custome, and too many officers; the pity is, there are more men then women, yet no great mischiete; because there is so much lesse pride: the cattell they have increase exceedingly; their forts are well maintained by the Merchants here, and Planters chere; to be briefe, this Ile is an excellent bit, to rule a great horse.
All the Cohow birds and Egbirds are gone; seldome any wilde cats seene: no Rats to speake of; but the wormes are vet very troublesome; the people very healthfull: and the Ravens gone; fish enough, but not so neere the shore .as it used, by the much beating it; it is an Ile that hath such a rampire and a ditch, and for the quantity so manned, victu- alled, and fortified, as few in the world doe exceedit, or is like it.
The 22. of March, two ships came from thence: the Peter Bonaventure, neere two hundred tunnes, and sixteene peeces of Ordnance: the Captaine, Thomas Sherwin; The Master, Master Edward Some, like him in condition, a goodly, lusty, proper, valiant man; the Lydiu, wherein was Master Antho- ny Thorne, a smaller ship; were chased by eleven ships of Dunkerk; being thus overmatched, Captaine Sherwin was taken by them in Torben, ouly his valiant Master was slaine; the ship with about seventy English mien, they carried be- twixt Docer and Cullis, to Dunkerk; but the Lydiu safely recovered Dartmouth.
These noble adventurers for all those los ses, patiently doe beare them: but they hope the King and state will understand it is worth keeping, though it afford nothing but Tobacco, and that now worth little or nothing, custome and fraught payed, yet it is worth keeping, and wot supplanting; though
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great men feele not those losses, yet Gardiners, Carpenters, and Smiths doe pay for it.
From the relation of Robert Chesteren, and others.
CHAP. XXIII.
The proceedings and present estate of New-England. since 1624. to this present 1629.
WHEN I went first to the North part of Virginia; where the Westerly Colony had beene planted, it had dissolved it selfe within a yeare, and there was not one Christian in all the land. I was set forth at the sole charge of foure Mer- chants of London; the Country being then reputed by your westerlings, a most rockie, barren, desolate desart: but the good returne I brought from thence, with the maps and rela- tions I made of the Country, which I made so manifest, some of them did believe me, and they were well embraced, both by the Londoners, and Westerlings, for whom I had promis- ed to undertake it, thinking to have joyned them all toge- ther, but that might well have beene a worke for Hercules. Betwixt them long there was much contention; the London- ers indeed went bravely forward; but in three or foure yeares, I and my friends consumed many hundred pounds amongst the Plimothions, who only fed me but with delayes, promis- es, and excuses, but no performance of any thing to any pur- pose. In the interim, many particular ships went thither, and finding my relations true, and that I had not takep that I brought home from the French men, as had beede reported: vet further for my palnes to dis credit me. and try calling it New-England, they obscured it and shadowed it, with the title of Cannede. All at my bunible suit, it pleased our most Rovall King Charles, whom God long keepe, blesse, and preserve, then Prince of Wales, to confirme it with iny map and booke, by the title of Ne- England: the gaine thence reteruing did ma le the fame thereof so increase. that thirty. forty, or Bity saile, went yearely only to trade and fish; but
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nothing would be done for a plantation, till about some hun- dred, of your Brownists of England, Amsterdam, and Ley- den, went to New Plimouth whose humorous ignorances, caused them for more than a yeare, to endure a wonderfull deale of misery, with an infinite patience; saying my books and maps were much better cheape to teach them, than my selfe: many other have used the like good husbandry, that have payed soundly in trying their selfe-wilted conclusions; but those in time doing well, divers others have in small handfulls undertaken to goe there, to be severall Lords and Kings of themselves, but most vanished to nothing: notwith- standing the fishing ships, made such good returnes, at last it was ingrossed by twenty Pattenties, that divided my map into twenty parts, and cast lots for their shares; but mony not comming in as they expected, procured a Proclamation, none should goe thither without their licences to fish; but for every thirty tunnes of shipping, to pay them five pounds; besides, upon great penalties, neither to trade with the na- tives, cut downe wood for their stages, without giving satis- faction, though all the Country is nothing but wood, and none to make vse of it, with many such other pretences, for to make this Country plant it selle, by its owne wealth: here- upon most men grew so discontented, that few or none would goe; so that the Pattenties, who never one of them had beene there, seeing those proiects would not prevaile, have since not hindred any to goe that would, that within these few last yeares, more have gone thither than ever.
Now this yeare 1629. a great company of people of good ranke, zeale, meanes, and quality, have made a great stocke, and with six good ships in the mooeths of Aprill and May, they set saile from Thames, for the Bay of the Massachu- selts, otherwise called Charles River; viz. the George Bond- venture. of twenty peeces of Ordnance, the Talbot nineteene. the Lions-chelpe eight, the May Flower fourteene, the Foure. Sisters, fourtoene, the Pilgrim foure, with three hundred and fifty men, women, and children: also an lowedred and lif- teene head of Cattell, as horse, mares, and neat beast: one and forty goats, some Conies, with all provision for houshold, and apparell: six pieces of great Ordinance for a. Fort, with Muskets, Pikes, Corselets, Drumis, Colours, with all provi- siens necessary for a planration. for the good of man; other
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particulars I understand of no more, than is writ in the gen- erall Historie of those Countries.
But you are to understand, that the noble Lord chiefe In sice Popham, Indgo Doderege: the Right Honourable Earles of Pembroke, Southampton, Salesbury, and the rest, as I take it, they did all thinke, as I and them went with me. did: That had those two Countries beène planted, as it was intended, that no other nation should come plant betwixt u .. If ever the King of Spaine and we should fall foule, those Conarries being so capable of all materialls for shipping, by this might have beene osters of a good Fleet of shing and to have relceved a whole Navy from England upon occasion; yea, and to have furnished England with the most Easter y commodities: and now since. seeing how conveniently the Simmer Iles fell to our shares. so Deere the West Indies. wce might with much more theility than the Dutchmen have in- vadled the West Indies, that doth now put in practice, what so long hath beene advised on, by many an honest English States-man,
These Countries Captaine Smith oft times used to call his children that never had mother; and well he might, for few fathers ever payed dearer for so little content: and for those that would truly understand, how many strange acci- den's bath befallen them and hint: how oft up. how off downe sometimes neere desperate, and erc long flourishing, cannot buit conceive Gods infinite mercies and favours towards them. Had His desigues beene to have persivaded men to a miine of cold. though few doth conceive either the charge or paines in refining it, nor the power nor care to defend it; or some new Tavention to passe to the South Sea; or some strange. plot to invade some strange Monastery: or some portable Countrie; or some chargeable Fleet to take some rich Carocks in the East Indies; or Letters of Mart to rob some poor Merchants; what multitudes of both people and mony, wook! Has to be fr ilan . it in these noble endevours (now.) how few of quality, volesse it be to beg soine Monopolie; and those ofcome seeke the common good, bat the commons goods; as you may reade at large in hi generall his wrv, page. 217. 215. 019, his gruefall ofter- vations and reacous for this plantation; for yet those Coun- tries are not so forward but they may become as miserable as ever. if better courses be not taken than ist as this Smut
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will plainly demonstrate to his Majesty; or any other noble person of ability, liable generously to undertake it; how within a short time to make Virginia able to resist any ene- my, that as yet lieth open to all; and yeeld the King more custome within these few yeares, in certaine staple commo- dities, than ever it did in Tobacco; which now not being worth bringing home, the custome will bee as uncertaine to the King, as dangerous to the plantations.
CHAP. XXIIII.
A briefe discourse of divers voyages made onto the goodly Countrey of Guiana, and the great River of the Amazons; relating also the present Plantation there.
IT is not unknowen how that most industrious and honour- able Knight Sir Walter Rauleigh, in the yeare of our Lord 1595. taking the Ile of Trinidado, fell with the Coast of Guiana North:ward of the Line ten degrees, and coasted the Coast: and searched up the River Oranoco: where under- standing that twentie severall voyages had beene made by the Spanyards, in discovering this Coast and River; to finde a passage to the great Citie of Mano, called by them the El- dorado, or the Golden Cities he did his utmost to have found some better satisfaction than relations: But meanes failing him, bee left his trustie servant Francis Sparrow to secke it, who wandring up and downe those Countreyes, some foure- teene or fifteene yeares, unexpectedly returned: I have heard him say, he was led blinded into this Citie by Jadians; but little discourse of any purpose touching the largenesse of the report of it; his body seeming as a man of an uncurable consumption, shortly dyed here atter in England. There are above thirtie faire rivers that fall into the Sea, betweene the River of Amazons and Oranoco, which are some nine degrees asunder.
In the veare 1605. Captaine Ley, brother to that uoble Knight Sir Oliver Ley, with divers others, planted himselfe
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in the River Weapoco, wherein I should have beene a partie; but hee dyed, and there lyes buried, and the supply miscar- rying, the rest escaped as they could.
Sir Thomas Roe, well knowen to be a most noble Gentle- man, before he went Lord Ambassadour to the Great Mogoll, or the Great Turke, spent a yeare or two upon this Coast, and about the River of the Amazones, wherein he most im- ployed Captaine Matthew Morton, an expert Sea-man in the discoverie of this famous River, a Gentlemen that was the first shot and mortally supposed wounded to death, with me in Virginia, vet since hath beene twice with command in the East Indies; Also Captaine William White, and divers others worthy and industrious Gentlemen, both before and since, hath spent much time and charge to discover it more perfitly, but nothing more effected for a Plantation, till it was undertaken by Captaine Robert Harcote, 1609.
This worthy Gentleman, after he had by Commission made a discoverie to his minde, left his brother Michael Har- cote, with some fiftie or sixtie men in the River Weapoco, and so presently returned to England, where he obtained by the favour of Prince Henrie, a large Patent for all that Coast called Guinno, together with the famous River of Amazones, to him and his heires: but so many troubles here surprized him, though he did his best to supply them, he was not able, only some few hee sent over as passengers with certaine Dutch-men, but to small purpose. Thus this businesse lay dead for divers yeeres, till Sir Walter Rauleigh, accompani- ed with many valiant Souldiers and brave Gentlemen, went his last voyage to Guiana. amongst the which was Captaine Roger North, brother to the Right Honourable the Lord Dudley North, who upon this voyage having stayed and seene divers Rivers upon this Coast, tooke such a liking to those Countreyes, having had before this voyage more per- fect and practical information of the excellencie of the great River of the Amazones above any of the rest, by certaine Englishmen returned so rich from thence in good commodi- ties, they would not goe with Sir Walter Rayleigh in search of gold; that after his returne for England, he endevoured by his best abilities to interest his Country and state in those faire Regions, which by the way of Letters Patents unto di- vers Noblemen and Gendemen of qualitie, erected into a
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company and perpetuitie for trade and plantation, not know. ing of the Interest of Captaine Harcote.
Whereupon accompanied with 120. Gentlemen and others, with a ship, a pinnace and two shallops, to remaine in the Countrey, hee set saile from Plimouth the last of April 1620, and within seven weekes after hee arrived well in the Amazones, only with the losse of one old man: some hun- dred leagues they ran up the River to settle his men, where the sight of the Countrey and people so contented them, that never men thought themselves more happie: Some. Eng- lish and Irish that had lived there some eight yeeres, only supplyed by the Dutch, bee reduced to his company and to leave the Dutch: having made a good voyage, to the value of more than the charge, he returned to England with divers good commodities, besides Tobacco: So that it may well be conceived, that if this action had not beene thus crossed, the Generalitie of England had by this time beene wonne and encouraged therein. But the time was not yet come, that God would have this great businesse effected, by reason of the great power the Lord Gundamore, Ambassadour for the King of Spaine, had in England, to crosse and ruine those proceedings, and so unfortunate Captaine North was in this businesse, hee was twice committed prisoner to the Tower, and the goods detained, till they were spoiled, who beyond all others was by much the greatest Adventurer and Loser.
Notwithstanding all this, those that he had left in the Amazons would not abandon the Countroy. Captaine Tho- mas Painton, a worthy Gentleman, his Licateurat dead .- Captaine Charles Parker, brother to the Right Honourable the Lord Morley, lived there six yeares after; Mr. boks Christ- mas, five yeares, so well, they would not returne, although they might, with divers other Gentle-men of qualitie and others: all thus destitute of any supplyes from England .- But all authoritie being dissolved, want of government did more wrong their proceedings, than all other crosses what- soever. Some releefe they had somedine from the Dutch, who knowing their estates, gave what they pleased and tooke what they list. Tivo brothers Gentkmen, Thomas and William Hixon, who stayed three yeares there, are now gone to stay in the Amazons, in the ships lately sent thither.
The businesse thus remaining in this sort, three private men left of that Company, named Mr. Thomes Worring.
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John Rhodes, and Robert Bims, having lived there about two yeares, came for England, and to be free from the disorders that did grow in the Amazons for want of Government amongst their Countrey-men, and to be quiet amongst them- selves, made meanes to set themselves out for St. Christo- phers; their whole number being but fifteene persons, that payed for their passage in a ship going for Virginia, where they remained a yeare before they were supplyed, and then that was but foure or five men. Thus this Ile, by the small beginning, having no interruption by their owne Countrey, hath now got the start of the Continent and maine Land of Guiana, which hath beene layd apart and let alone untill that Captaine North, ever watching his best opportunitie and advantage of time in the state, hath now againe pursued and set on foot hisformer designe. Captaine Hurcote being now willing to surrender his grant, and to joyne with Captaine North, in passing a new Patent, and to ercet a company for trade and plantation in the Amazons, and all the Coast and Countrey of Guiana for ever. Whereupon, they have sent this present yeare in Ianuarie, and since 1628. foure ships with neere two hundred persons; the first ship with 112. men not one miscarried; the rest went since, not yet heard of, and are preparing another with their best expedition: and since Ianuarie is gone from Holland, 100. English and Irish, conducted by the old Planters.
This great River lieth under the Line, the two chiefe head lands North and South, are about three degrees asunder, the mouth of it is so full of many great and small Iles, it is an easie matter for an unexperienced Pilot to lose his way. It is held one of the greatest rivers in America, and as most men thinke, in the world: and commeth downe with such a fresh, it maketh the Sea fresh more than thirtie miles from the shore. Captaine North having seated his men about an hundred leagues in the Maine, sont Captaine William White, with thirtie Gentlemen and others, in a pinvace of thirtic tun, to discover further, which they did some two hundred leagues, where they found the River to divide it selfe in two parts, till then all full of Hands, and a Countrey most healthfull, pleasant and fruitfull: for they found food enough, and all je- turned safe and in good health: In this discoverie they saw many Townes well inhabited. some with three hundred peo- ple, some with five, six, or seven hundred; and of some they
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understood to be of so many thousands, most differing rerie much, especially in their languages: whereof they suppose by those Indians, they understand are many hundreds more, unfrequented till then by any Christian, most of them starke naked, both men, women and children, but they saw not any such giant-like women as the Rivers name importeth. But for those where Captaine North hath seated his company, it is not knowen where Indians were ever so kinde to any Nation, not sparing any paines, danger or labour, to feed and maintaine them. The English following their buildings, fortifications and sugar-workes; for which they have sent most expert men, and with them all things necessarie for that purpose: to effect which, they want not the helpe of those kinde Indians to produce; and many other good com- modities, which (God willing) will ere long make plaine and apparent to this Kingdome, and all the Adventurers and Well-willers to this Plantation, to bee well worthy the che- rishing and following with all alacritie.
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CHAP. XXV.
The beginning and proceedings of the new plantation of St. Christopher by Captaine Warner.
MASTER Rulfe Merifield and others, having furnished this worthy industrious Gentleman, hee arrived at St. Christo- phers, as is said, with fifteene men, the 28. of Ianuarie, 1623. viz. William Tested, John Rhodes, Robert Bims, Mr. Beni- field, Sergeant Iones, Mr. Ware, William Roule, Rowland Grascocke, Mr. Bond, Mr. Langley, Mr. Weaver, Edward Warner their Captaines sonne, and now Deputy-Governour till his fathers returne, Sergeant Aplon, one Sailer and a Cooke: At their arrivall they found three French-men, who sought to oppose Captaire Warner, and to set the Indians upon us: but at last we all became friends, and lived with the Indians a moneth, then we built a Fort, and a house, and planting fruits, by September we made a crop of Tobac- co; but upon the nineteenth of September came a Hericano
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and blew it away, all this while we lived upon Cassady bread, Potatoes, Plantines, Pines, Turtles, Guanes, and fish plentie; for drinke wee had Nicnobbic.
The 18. of March 1623. arrived Captaine Jefferson with three men passengers in the Hope-well of London, with some trade for the Indians, and then we had another crop of To- bacco, in the meane time the French had planted themselves in the other end of the Ile: with this crop Captaine Warner returned for England September, 1625.
In his absence came in a French pinnace. under the com- mand of Monsieur de Nombe, that told us, the Indians had slaine some Frenchmen in other of the Charybes lles, and that there were six Peryagoes, which are huge great trees formed as your Canowes, but so laid out on the sides with boords, they will seeme like a little Gally: six of those, with about foure or five hundred strange Indians came vnto us, we bade them be gone, but they would not; whereupon we and the French joyned together, and upon the fifth of No- vember set upon them, and put them to flight: upon New- veares Even they came againe, found three English going about the Ile. whom they slue.
Vntill the fourth of August, we stood upon our guard, living upon the spoile and did nothing. But now Captaine Warner arriving againe with neere an hundred people, then we fell to worke and planting as before; but upon the fourth of September, came such a Hericano, as blew downe all our houses, Tobacco, and two Drums into the aire we know not whither, drove two ships on shore that were both split; all our provision thus lost, we were very miserable, living onely on what we could get in the wilde woods, we made a small party of French and English to goe aboord for provi- sion, but in their returning home, eight French men were slaine in the barbour.
Thus wes continued till neere Iune that the Tortels came came in, 1637. but the French being like to starve, sought to surprize us, and all the Cassado, Potatos, and Tobacco we had planted, but we did prevent them. The 26. of October, came in Captaine William Smith, in the Hope-well, with some Ordnance, shot and powder, from the Earle of Carlile; with Captaine Pelham and thirty men. about that time also came the Pion; also a small ship of Bristowe, with Captaine Warners wife, and six or seven women more.
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Vpon the 25 of November, the Indians set upon the French, for some injury about their women, and slew six and twentie French men, five English, and three Indians. Their weapons are bowes and arrowes; their bowes are never bent, but the string lies flat to the bow; their arrowes a small reed, foure or five foot long, headed some with the poysoned sting of the taile of a Stingray, some with iron, some with wood, but all so poysoned, that if they draw but bloud, the hurt is incurable.
The next day came in Captaine Charles Saltonstall, a young Gentleman, son of Sir Samuell Saltonstall, who brought with him good store of all commodities to releeve the plan- tation; but by reason some Hollanders, and others, had bin there lately before him, who carried away with them all the Tobacco, he was forced to put away all his commodities upon trust till the next erop; in the meane time hee resolved there to stay, and imploy himsel'e and his company in plant- ing Tobacco, hoping thereby to make a voyage, but before he could be ready to returne fo: England, a Hericuno hap- ning, his ship was split, to his great losse, being sole Mer- chant and owner himselfe, notwithstanding forced to pay to the Governour, the fift part of his Tobacco, and for franght to England, three pence a pound, and wine pence a pound cus- tome, which amounts together to more than three score pound in the hundred pound, to the great discouragement of him and many others, that intended well to those plantations,- Neverthelesse he is gone againe this present yeare 1629. with a ship of about three hundred tunnes, and very neere two hundred people, with Sir William Tufton Governour for the Barbados, and divers gentlemen, and all manner of commodities fit for a plantation.
Captaine Prinne, Captaine Stone, and divers others, came in about Christmas; so that this last yeare there hath beene about thirtie saile of English, French, and Dutch ships, and all the Indians forced out of the Ile, for they had done much mischiefe amongst the French, in cutting their throats, burn- ing their houses, and spoyliog their Tobacco; amongst the rest Tegramund, a little childle the King's sonne, his parents being slaine, or fled, was by great chance saved, and carefully brought to England by Master Merifield, who brought him from thence, and bringeth Him up as bis ow ne children.
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