University of Virginia Library

CLIX. William Powell. A Letter to Sir Edwin Sandys
April 12, 1621

Not any waye moved with the power of your place, Right Noble Sr,
although I hartelie wish such honnors might euer be so worthelie conferd:
but as I must confess invited, naye incited by those inward beautyes,
pietie, and pittye wch do so loudlie speak you to the world more then
man, did I adventure to present vnto your gentle acceptance the free
offering of my willing services: how curteouslye itt pleased you to intertaine
them I was certefyed by verball relation from Mr Hudlestone, he farther
intimatinge, that if there had not bynn some differences betweene our
Gennerall Sr George Yeardley, whome you much respect, and my self,
you had vndoubtedlie amplified your favours in a larger measure: although
your least of loue is farr beyond my best of merritt, yett so ambitiouslie
covetous am I of your good repute, that I beseech you thinke it not
ymp̱tinent, if to remoue such vnpleasinge obstacles I somewhat dilate
vpon those occurrences. St Paules affection against Alexander the Smithe,
doth sufficientlie argue the lawfulnes of a complainte, wherein deliberate
discretion inquireth after the matter not the man, for we must not haue
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the god of glorie, with respect of
persons, least we com̃itt sinne, and be convinced of the law as transgres-
sours. there is a woe pronounced against the world because of offences,

but that woe pertaines vnto that man by whome the offence commeth, in
the determininge whereof qui statuit aliquid parte inaudita altera
æqua licet statuerit haud æquus fuit, for that is to be partial in our selues,
and to become iudges of euil thoughtℯ: but the rule of amitye commendℯ
vnto vs a good opinion of those we effect, so doth the lawe of charitie
com̃aunde vs to be well minded towardℯ all men, especialie strangers
causes of necessitie and cases of incertaintie: Yett both of them are
limited with this prove as vsq̢ ad aras amicus. I will not saye but that
itt is much to be desired, that either good men were com̃aunders or els
that commaunders were good men but He that plucketh the mightye one
from his seate plainlye shewes that Error may sometimes sitt regalie
inthroned * * * Auri nobilitas luteam si vestiat ollam, hanc tamen
haud sequitur non minus esse lutum for we are all by nature the sonnes
of wrath: servinge the prince of the aire, wch is the spirrit that rules in the
hartes of the disobedient But I will no longer insist vpon this poynte,
houlding itt no good plea for any one to seek excuse through an others
guilt: nor indeed can I otherwise (Noble Sr) but ingeniouslye acknowledg,
that there is nothing herein sayed, that any waye p̱taines vnto your self,
whose satisfaction I onlye aime att for so much vprightnes of hart, and
sinceritie of iudgment, hath bynn manifested by those letters you sent
over concerning theis occasions, that itt evidentlie appears, those admir-
able vertues whereby Innocencye is mightelie defended, and Justice
ympartialie distributed, haue an innated residence within you. I will
therefore cast about againe, and steere some other course to harbour my
self from theis seas of trouble, to the effecting whereof I will onlie request
so much of your humanitye, as not to conceave me of so ill a disposition
either by ill nature or worse nurture, to desire contention with any, much
less with my superior, I knowe, that ludere cum sanctis, est nihil aliud
quã lupum auribus tenere, and might thereby hope to be charitablie
adiudged, that I would not idelye Diis bellum gerrere but leaving that,
I will wholie relie one your wisdomes apprehension when itt shalbe trulie
given you, how those differences were begun and ended, when I doubt
not but my desires will appeare without any straine that maye merritt
the ymputation of a vice, In the meane time, for that I well knowe you
haue had no smale hand in the removinge of those greevances, I cannot
but thankfullie wish you maye happelie receave that blessed reward of the
peacemaker: and reverend Sr let me not I beseech you be thought ympu-
dentlie troublesome, if I farther request the p̱seuerance of this your
goodnes towardℯ me, for those differences being ended, I hope there is
* * * any thing left that cann raise a wale of sep̱ation betweene your
favour and my fortunes, and because I knowe my desertℯ are verie weak,
and that theye who attend the Bridegrome worthelie must haue oyle in
theire lampes, I will onlie now report this vnto you wch I haue noted
amoungest theis Savadges. The greate Werowance Powhawtan in his
annuall progress through his pettye provinces com̃ing to Patowamack, was
there as in other places intertained with the greatest honnor that Nation
could, amoung'st other shewes of solemnitie, and much mirthe, itt was
ordered that theire Younge men, such as were fitt for warr, should in a
souldyerlike manner present themselues before his Maiestye, each of
theis in his turne declaringe what what worthie exploites by theire
vndaunted valours [1a] theye had achieved against theire Ennimyes the
Massoamackℯ and the wilde Beastes of theire fforest, euery one strivinge
to strayne his actions highest therebye expecting the greater reward and
commendations. Amoung'st these he whose lott was last though not of
least account havinge noted his ffellowes in theire extraordinarye boast-
inges, to devoure even more then all that might be sayed to any purpose
in that kinde, com̃inge forth and with a stoute and decent behaviour
making his obeseyance thus related And I my Lorde went this morninge
into a great Marshe and there valientlye killed six Muske Rattℯ, wch
though itt be no more then the boyes do dailye yett this my Leige is true
and most of the rest but fables. This moved the whole assemblye to
laughter, nor was the truthe of his meane action either blamed blaymed
or shamed, for the Jest so tooke the Kinge that this fellowes poore
indeavours was most regarded and best rewarded fabula narratur, and
so I rest