University of Virginia Library

CII. William Weldon. A Letter to Sir Edwin Sandys
March 6, 1619/20

Sr May it please you to vnderstand that vpon the 10th of August
wee set sayle from Deale & havinge a faire & prosperous winde held
our Course toward the Caribo Islandℯ & vpon the 27th of Septemb:
fell wth Metallina & the .3th of octob: ancored at Menis from whence wee
dep̱ted the 11th of octob: & after some stormy & tempestuous wether
ariued at pointe Comfort vpon the 29th of Octob: & the 4th of Nouemb:
followinge ancored before James Citty where we landed all our people in
as good or better health then they were when they came abord a wonder-
full & miraculous passage the like whereof hath not bene knowne since
the first plantation of this Country wherein the lord plainly sheweth
that he loueth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellingℯ of Jacob

blessed be his glorious maiesty for this & all other his mercies, & may his loue
euer Continue to this his poore Vine that the roote of it may fill the land
& the hills may be couered wth the shadow of it. And truly the experience
of his former mercies (in preseruinge vs in that extreame hot Climate in
a ship so exceedingly pestered assureth me that he will doe this & much
more for vs if or sins hinder him not. But honorable Sr the great defectℯ of
the provisions promised in England hath very much greiued me & almost
dishartened my whole Company for whereas the tennantℯ were promised
3. suitℯ of ap̱ell for euery mann full armes & a Competent provision of
houshold stuffe I finde here but 2 suites of ap̱ell for a mann. (& one of
them soe meane & vnseruiceable that it will not defend them from the
iniury of the wether wch hath bene extreame Cold euer since our Com̄inge
hether) but 30 musketℯ 5. iron potℯ & 1. small kettle for 50. menn. To
omit the promises of kine & other thinges (wch I hope wilbe p̱formed) our
maine provision of victuallℯ is so short that the Gouernor & Capem9chant
seinge my Inuoice protested protested I had not a Competent proportion
for 50. menn for aboue 4. monethes havinge only 32½ h̴h̴dℯ of meale & a
small quantity of oyle & neither butter Cheese rice oatmeale or any other
English victuallℯ. In regard whereof the Gouernor & Counsell thought it
fitt to put out the one halfe of my Company for their victualls this yere &
a proportion of Corne & to Tobacco to victuall & ap̱ell them the next
yere wch I was Constrained to doe to my owne great greife & the no small
discontent of my whole Company. All wch inconueniencies I p̱swaded
them to beare wth patience & Cherefullnes vntill I acquainted them wth
my restraint of plantinge Tobacco wch is a thinge so distastefull to them
that they will wth no patience indure to heare of it bitterly Complayninge
that they haue noe other meanes to furnish themselues wth aparell for the
insuinge yere but are likely as they say (and for ought I Cann see) to be
starued if they be debarred of it. In regard of wch necessity & to make
them beare their present wantℯ wth more alacrity & for that I am p̱swaded
it is a thinge pleasinge to god that menn imploied in so s noble a busines
should haue any Christian incoragement I am bold to intreat inlargement
of my authority in that pointe & haue wth the allowance & good likinge
of the Gouernor giuen them leaue to plant some this yere but will restraine
them to so smale a quantity as possibly I Cann by inioyninge them to
sett so much Corne as they shalbe able to attend.

The land apointed for the Colledge is from Henrico to the falls of wch I
may say wth Dauid her lot is fallen to her in a faire ground shee hath a
goodly heritage beinge as pleasant & fruitfull a soyle as any this land yeel-
deth. But one of the best seatℯ is already planted by Captaine Mathews
for the vse of Sr Thomas Midleton & Alderman Johnson & another Chal-
enged by Thomas Dows by a graunt from Captaine Argoll one of them
beinge now ready for the plough & the other most Conuenient for pasture
both of them nere the place of my plantation & most fittinge for my
present vse The Gouernor whom I haue founde a noble fauorer & fur-
therer of this busines hath giuen them both warninge to dep̱te & take
ground elswhere wch they haue hether to forborne to doe trustinge that the
company will Confirme Captaine Argoll his grant wch I hope you will
forbeare to doe in regard these 2. seatℯ are the most conuenient & likely
to proue the most benificiall for the present vse of the Colledge. There is
small likelyhod of any proffit from my people this yere in regard the
nomber of them is but small & some of them Continually imployed in
fetchinge vp our provisions & the rest of them I haue imployed in build-
inge Conuenient howsinge for themselues & the vse of supplies wch I
expect of wch I found great want & they shall receiue no small Comfort
ffor my owne p̱te I will doe my vttermost indeuour to make their labors
profitable howsoeuer I haue hetherto receiued but small incouragement
yet seeinge by former experience that god hath beene good to Iraell &
beinge vndoubtedly p̱swaded that he will still continue to bee soe I haue
Comforted my selfe & am bold to incourage you to send such supplies as
you intended wch if you doe I pray you send such as haue bene brought
vp to labor & those betwene .20. & 30. yeres of age for old menn either
liue not or doe little seruice in this Country & aboue all let me intreat you
to send them well prouided both of victualls & aparell for I Cannot be
suplyed here (vpon any termes) of such necessaries as my Company
extreamly wanteth although I haue both spoken & sent & written to the
Capemarchaunt In regard whereof I haue dealt wth the bearer hereof
Thomas Smith (beinge one of the .2. menn wch I brought ouer for my
owne vse) who intendeth to bringe a ship & menn hether wth all Conuen-
ient speed) to bringe me such menn & necessaries as I shall want for
my owne priuate occasions & to supply the want of my Company
humbly intreatinge that he may haue a Com̄ission to that purpose

wch I hope you will not deny vnles some other order be taken to furnish
the Company wth thingℯ necessary And thus not havinge further to
inlarge humbly Comittinge yor worp & all yor indevours to godℯ mercifull
protection & direction I rest

[Indorsed by Sir Edwin Sandys:] Mr William Weldon 6 Martii 1619.
from Virginia

Voiage from 10 August to 29 October

The happiest passage that ever was.

All alive & healthier then when they took ship.

Complaint of their skant provisions.
Not 3. suits of apparell Error.
Herupon half his men placed wth Masters

Constrained necessarily to give them leve to plant som Tobacco.

Great praise of the College Land.

Alderman Johnsons men and One Dows by grant from C. Argall planting
upon part thereof he desireth they may be removed.

To send men between 20 & 30.

To assist his man Thomas Smith.

Answered in my Letter to Mr G. Thorp.

[Addressed:] To the Right worll Sr Edwine Sandℯ knight Treasurer of the
virginia Company in London