University of Virginia Library

CCCXXI. Sir Francis Wyatt. Letter to John Ferrar
April 7, 1623

Sr

I beseech you to hold mee excused, yt I haue not wrot ofener to you, in
my ɫrs to Sr Edwin Sandys, who com̃unicates all his thoughts wth you, I
haue exprest what I concieued materiall.

I vnderstand, that Capt9 Whitakers charges eight of the Companies
Tenants vpon my accompt, which because it may at first view be vnder-
stood, as if I had had the benefitt of them, you shall know, that two of
them being Sawyers and parcell Carpenters namely Greuett and Griffin
were entertained im̃ediately before the Massacre to worke about the
intended Inne, and after that about the Palisadoes, the Court of guard
&c So as there §is§ due from the Corporacion of James Citty sixe score
wt of Tobacco from them both, which could not be payd this yeare, our
Computacion fell so short, and publique duties so heauy: Wm Smith was
allowed for my guard, as one of the thirty, which the country assigned
mee: John Blisse being a Smith was employed in his trade, but the other
working with him falling sicke, he gott little, yet at next cropp you shall
recieue ratably: Roberts was hired to Gates, and Burland to Capt9
Norton by their Capt9 with my consent, and deserued well͠ their wages:
why it hath not beene gathered in was not my fault: Swartbrick kept
my Cattell and Capt9 Wm Powells, for which wee stand accomptable
for as much as any yor Tenants pay. John Radish was lett out for Rent,
but after the Massacre, (being furnished with neither cloathes nor pro-
uision nor well in health) his Mr kept him to find and cloath him onely:
There was neither ground for these to plant, nor prouision, and therfore
I gaue way that 3 or 4 of them should be lett out: and you see how lost a
yeare it was, els there had beene made an agreement for 100wt of Tob:
and three barrels of corne for each: since Capt9 Nuces death Mr Threasuror
for the yere [2] to come will take order, that which is past hath beene in
effect lost: I placed Capt9 Whitakers vpon the best ground I had, where he
had neere 5000 wt of Tobacco, if he placed no more of the Companies Ten-

ants there, but two, and I had no more ground to spare: indeed I was
streightened for roume, and such was the charge of guarding, as I had not
aboue a 1000 wt of Sixteene Tenants of mine, yt Planted at Pasbehaighes.
Truth is I was faine lend many of them (hauing wiues and Children) more
corne, then all their Croppe of Tobacco was worth: Therfore You will not
by this yeare esteeme what successe may be hereafter, it was my ill fortune
to come when mischief was breeding couered ouer with a treacherous peace:
and thinke of supplying mee, though but for vpholding the reputacion
of my place: Fauour vs what you may both in yor conceptions of what is
feazible by vs and in charging vs, ere wee be recouered, and belieue Con-
fidently if you were here, you would think wth vs: The Margarett and
John lighted in the Company of a Dutch Ship who said he would come
hither, I should be glad to know, what is to be done in those cases, as also
to haue a Copy of the Patent, wee hold by: Our people are so carelesse, as
if you please to thinke of some com̃ission for a Martiall Court, at least ad
terrorem, with what limitations you shall please for cases of life, it may do
much good: wee had lately some cutt off a trading, who I know were strong
enough, and it manifestly appeared they were surprised because there
was not a piece discharged: without §doubt§ either wee must drive them,
or they vs out of the countrey, for at one time or other they play vs false,
and indeede all trade must be forborne, and subsist of our selues, which
hitherto our necessity forced vs vnto: [3] Here are two Ships newly come
in the Margarett and John, of which wee were in despayre, and one from
Mr Gookin with 40 men for him, and 30 passengers besides: the first is in
great distresse for prouision and like to be burdensome to the countrey
for that: the other very scant also, both hauing=[sic] long out, and suffred
extreamly in their Passage: God send vs in some ships with prouision to
ballance the[m][115] Were it not that wee are cast behind hand for corne,
a[nd][115] our men stand so yll to health, you could not expect that w * * *[115]
might not be performed: I hope one day to see you here, at least to view
that countrey, you bestow such paines vpon, if not to bestow that labour
here, if the place be worthy of you: Our aduises are so yll belieued and
receiued, that it is of great consequence you were resolued whither wee
are abused by those of older experience in the countrey, or §wee§ all ioyne
to abuse you by wrong enformacion o[ne] of which you belieue of vs:
but pray God the Plantacion suffer not more by ytt, then wee in our
perticulers: I Rest