 | The Fifth Booke.1
THE GENERALL HISTORIE OF
THE BERMUDAS,
now called the Summer Iles, from their
beginning in the yeere of our Lord 1593.2
to this present 1624. with their proceedings,
accidents and present estate. |  |
The Fifth Booke.
THE GENERALL HISTORIE OF
THE BERMUDAS,
now called the Summer Iles, from their
beginning in the yeere of our Lord 1593.
to this present 1624. with their proceedings,
accidents and present estate.
BEFORE we present you the matters of fact,
it isfit to offer to your view the Stage whereon they
were acted, for as Geography without History
seemeth a carkasse without motion, so History
without Geography, wandreth as a Vagrant
without a certaine habitation. Those Ilands
lie in the huge maine Ocean, and two hundred
leagues from any continent, situated
in 32. degrees and 25. minutes, of Northerly
latitude, and distant from England West
not past two miles and a halfe in breadth, environed with Rocks,
which to the North-ward, West-ward, and South-East, extend
further then they have bin yet well discovered: by reason of those
Rocks the Country is naturally very strong, for there is but two
places, and scarce two, unlesse to them who know them well,
where shipping may safely come in, and those now are exceeding
well fortified, but within is roome to entertaine a royall Fleet: the
Rocks in most places appeare at a low water, neither are they much
covered at a high, for it ebbs and flowes not past five foot; the shore
for most part is a Rocke, so hardened with the sunne, wind and
sea, that it is not apt to be worne away with the waves, whose
violence is also broke by the Rocks before they can come to the
shore: it is very uneven, distributed into hills and dales; the mold
is of divers colours, neither clay nor sand, but a meane betweene;
the red which resembleth clay is the worst, the whitest resembling
sand and the blackest is good, but the browne betwixt them both
which they call white, because there is mingled with it a white
meale is the best: under the mould two or three foot deep, and
sometimes lesse, is a kinde of white hard substance which they call
the Rocke: the trees usually fasten their roots in it; neither is it
indeed rocke or stone, or so hard, though for most part more harder
then Chalke; nor so white, but pumish-like and spungy, easily
receiving and containing much water. In some places Clay is found
under it, it seemes to be ingendred with raine water, draining
through the earth, and drawing with it of his substance unto a
certaine depth where it congeales; the hardest kinde of it lies under
the red ground like quarries, as it were thicke slates one upon
another, through which the water hath his passage, so that in such
places there is scarce found any fresh water, for all or the most part
of the fresh water commeth out of the Sea draining through the
sand, or that substance called the Rocke, leaving the salt behinde,
it becomes fresh: sometimes we digged wells of fresh water which we
finde in most places, and but three or foure paces from the Sea side,
some further, the most part of them would ebbe and flow as the
and in some places very strange, darke and cumbersome Caves.
The aire is most commonly cleere, very temperate, moist, with
a moderate heat, very healthfull and apt for the generation and
nourishing of all things, so as many things transported from hence
yeeld a farre greater increase, and if it be any living thing it becomes
fatter and better; by this meanes the country is so replenished with
Hens and Turkies, within the space of three or foure yeeres, that
many of them being neglected, forsake the houses and become wilde,
and so live in great abundance; the like increase there is in Hogs,
tame Conies, and other Cattle according to their kindes. There
seemes to be a continuall Spring, which is the cause some things
come not to that maturity and perfection as were requisite; and
though the trees shed their leaves, yet they are alwaies full of
greene; the Corne is the same they have in Virginia, and the
West-Indies: of this and many other things without plowing or
much labour, they have two Harvests every yeere, for they set about
March, which they gather in July; and againe in August, which
they reape in December; and little slips of Fig-trees and Vines doe
usually beare fruit within the yeere, and sometimes in lesse; but we
finde not the Grapes as yet come to any perfection; the like fertility
it hath in Oranges and Limons, Pomgranates, and other things.
Concerning the serenity and beauty of the skie, it may as truly be
said of those Ilands as ever it was said of the Rhodes, that there is
no one day throughout the 12. moneths, but that in some houre
thereof, the sun lookes singularly and cleere upon them: for the
temperature it is beyond all others most admirable; no cold there
is beyond an English Aprill, nor heat much greater then an ordinary
July in France, so that frost and snow is never seene here, not
stinking and infectious mists very seldome, by reason of the maine
Ocean, there is some wind stirring that cooles the aire: the winter
they have observes the time with ours, but the longest daies and
nights are shorter then ours almost by two houres.
We found it at first
all overgrowne with weeds, and plants ofseverall kinds, as many tall and goodly Cedars, infinite store of
Palmetoes, numbers of Mulberies, wild Olive-trees store, with divers
others unknowne both by name and nature, so that as yet they
become lost to many usefull imployments, which time and industry
no doubt will one day discover, and even already certaine of the
most notorious of them have gotten them appellations from their
the ground, with broad thick leaves, all over-armed with long and
sharpe dangerous thornes, the fruit being in forme not much unlike
a small greene Peare, and on the outside of the same colour, but
within bloud red, and exceeding full of juice; with graines not much
unlike the Pomgranat, and colouring after its nature. The poysoned
weed is much in shape like our English Ivy, but being but touched,
causeth rednesse, itching, and lastly blisters, the which howsoever
after a while passe away of themselves without further harme, yet
because for the time they are somewhat painfull, it hath got it selfe
an ill name, although questionlesse of no ill nature. Here is also
frequently growing a certaine tall Plant, whose stalke being all over
covered with a red rinde, is thereupon termed the red weed, the
root whereof being soked in any liquor, but a small quantity of the
Juice drunke alone, procures a very forcible vomit, and yet is
generally used by the people, and found very effectuall against the
paines and distempers of the stomacke.
A kinde of Wood-bind
there is likewise by the Sea verycommonly to bee found, which runnes upon trees twining it selfe
like a Vine: the fruit somewhat resembles a Beane, but somewhat
flatter, the which any way eaten worketh excellently in the nature of
a purge, and though very vehemently, yet without all perill. Contrary
to this, another small tree there is, which causeth costivenesse;
there is also a certaine Plant like a bramble bush, which beares a
long yellow fruit, having the shell very hard, and within it a hard
berry, that beaten and taken inwardly purgeth gently. There is
another fruit much like our Barberies, which being beaten or brused
betweene the teeth, sets all the mouth on an extreme heat very
terrible for the time, to avoid which they are swallowed downe
whole, || and found of the same or better operation then the red
Pepper, and thence borroweth the name. In the bottome of the Sea
there is growing upon the Rocks a large kinde of Plant in the forme
of a Vine leafe, but far more spread with veines in colour of a pale
red, very strangely interlaced and woven one into another, which
we call the Feather, but the vertue thereof is altogether unknowne,
but only regarded for the rarity. Now besides these naturall productions,
providences and paines since the Plantation have offered
divers others seeds and plants, which the soile hath greedily imbraced
and cherished, so that at this present 1623. there are great abundance
Indicos, Parsnips, exceeding large Radishes, the American
bread, the Cassado root, the Indian Pumpian, the Water-millon,
Musk-millon, and the most delicate Pine-apples, Plantans, and
Papawes, also the English Artichoke, Pease, etc. briefly whatsoever
else may be expected for the satisfaction either of curiosity, necessity
or delight.
Neither hath the aire for her part been wanting with due
supplies of many sorts of Fowles, as the gray and white Hearne, the
gray and greene Plover, some wilde Ducks and Malards, Coots and
Red-shankes, Sea-wigions, Gray-bitterns, Cormorants, numbers of
small Birds like Sparrowes and Robins, which have lately beene
destroyed by the wilde Cats, Wood-pickars, very many Crowes,
which since this Plantation are kild, the rest fled or seldome seene
except in the most uninhabited places, from whence they are
observed to take their flight about sun set, directing their course
towards the North-west, which makes many conjecture there are
some more Ilands not far off that way. Sometimes are also seene
Falcons and Jar-falcons,
they come seldome, they are held but as passengers; but above all
these, most deserving observation and respect are those two sorts
of Birds, the one for the tune of his voice, the other for the effect,
called the Cahow, and Egge-bird, which on the first of May, a day
constantly observed, fall a laying infinite store of Eggs neere as big
as Hens, upon certaine small sandie baies especially in Coupers Ile;
and although men sit downe amongst them when hundreds have
bin gathered in a morning, yet there is hath stayed amongst them
till they have gathered as many more: they continue this course till
Midsummer, and so tame and feareles, you must thrust them off
from their Eggs with your hand; then they grow so faint with laying,
they suffer them to breed and take infinite numbers of their yong to
eat, which are very excellent meat.
The Cahow is a Bird of the night, for all the day she lies hid
in holes in the Rocks, where they and their young are also taken
with as much ease as may be, but in the night if you but whoop and
hollow, they will light upon you, that with your hands you may
chuse the fat and leave the leane; those they have only in winter:
their Eggs are as big as hens, but they are speckled, the other white.
Master Norwood
they were neere all destroyed, till there was a strict inhibition for
their preservation. The Tropicke bird is white, as large as a Pullet,
with one onely long Feather in her taile, and is seldome seene far
distant from other of the Tropicks: another small Bird there is,
because she cries Pemblyco they call her so, she is seldome seene
in the day but when she sings, as too oft she doth very clamorously;
too true a Prophet she proves of huge winds and boysterous weather:
there were a kinde of small Owles in great abundance, but they are
now all slaine or fled: some tame Ducks, Geese and Pigeons there
are, but the two latter prosper not.
Concerning vermine and noisome creatures, there are not many,
but onely Rats and Cats, there increased since the Plantation, but
how they agree together you shall heare hereafter. The Musketas
and Flies are also too busie, with a certaine India Bug, called by the
Spaniards a Cacarootch,
and defile with their ill-sented dung: also the little Ants in summer
time are so troublesome, they are forced to dry their figs upon high
frames, and anoint their feet with tar, wherein they sticke, else they
would spoile them all || erethey could be dryed: Wormes in the
earth also there are, but too many, so that to keepe them from
destroying their Corne and Tobacco, they are forced to worme
them every morning, which is a great labour, else all would be
destroyed. Lizards there were many and very large, but now none,
and it is said they were destoyed by the Cat. Certaine Spiders also
of very large size are found hanging upon trees, but instead of
being any way dangerous as in other places, they are here of a most
pleasing aspect, all over drest, as it were with Silver, Gold, and
Pearle, and their Webs in the Summer woven from tree to tree, are
generally a perfect raw silke, and that as well in regard of substance
as colour, and so strong withall, that divers Birds bigger than
Black-birds, being like Snipes, are often taken and snared in them
as a Net: then what would the Silke-worme doe were shee there
to feede upon the continuall greene Mulbery?
But above all the rest of the Elements, the Sea is found most
abundantly liberall: hence have they as much excellent Fish, and
as much variety as need be desired. The most of which being
unknowne to our Northerne parts, got there new names, either for
and haunting amongst the Rocks, the fat Hog-fish from his swine-like
shape and snout: for this is not the old knowne Hog-fish with
brussels on his backe; the delicate Amber-fish from his taste and
smell, Angell-fish, Cony-fish, the small yellow taile from that
naturall painting; the great Growper from his odde and strange
grunting, some of them yet knowne to the Americans, as the
Purgoose, the Cavallo, the Gar-fish, Flying-fish and Morerayes: the
rest are common to other Continents; as the Whale in great numbers,
the Sharke, the Pilot-fish, the Sea-Breame, the Oyster and Lobster,
with divers others; twenty Tortoises have beene taken in a day, and
some of them will affoord halfe a bushell of Egges, and suffice to
feed forty men at a meale. And thus have you briefely epitomized
Mother Natures benefits to this little, yet dainty spot of earth.
Neither were it ingenuity to conceale wherein shee inclineth to the
Stepdame, especially since the particulars are so few, as rather
requisite Antidotes against idlenesse to rouse up industry, then any
great cause of much distaste, much lesse despaire: and of those to
speake troth, there are onely two: viz. the Winds, and the Wormes,
especially in the Spring and Autumne; and thus conditioned as yet
we will let rest these small Hands, in the midst of this mightie and
maine Ocean, so invironed on every side, by infinite numbers of
uncertaine scattered Rocks, lying shallowly hid under the surface
of the water, a league, two, three, foure, or five, to Sea, to the
which advantagers added by art, as hereafter you shall heare at
large, and finde described in the Map. It may well be concluded to
be the most impregnable place in the world, and although the
Amber Greece, Pearles, nor Tobacco, are of that quantity and
certainty to be relied upon to gaine wealth; yet by practise and
experience they finde, by Silke, Saffron, Indico, Madar, Sugar-canes,
Wine, Oile, and such like great profit may be expected: yet
were those hopelesse in regard of their conveniency to nourish and
maintaine themselves, and releeve them shall visit them with wood,
water, and other necessaries, besides what an eye-sore they are already
becommed to them that have them not, and how deare and
pretious to them that have them, I thinke none will deny but they
that befell the first finders; also the proceedings of the first Planters
and their successors, Master Norrod, Thomas Sparkes, and divers
others.
A briefe relation of the shipwracke of Henry May.
How these Iles came by the name of Bermudas,
or the infinitenumber of blacke Hogs, or so fearefull to the world, that many
called them the Ile of Devils, that all men did shun as Hell and
perdition; I will not expostulate, nor trouble your patiences with
those uncertaine antiqui- || ties further then thus; our men found
divers crosses, peeces of Spanish monies here and there. Two or
three wracks also they found, by certaine inscriptions to bee some
Spanish, some Dutch, some French; but the greatest rumour is, that
a Spanish ship called Bermudas was there cast away, carrying Hogges
to the West-Indies that swam a shore, and there increased: how
the Spaniards escaped is uncertaine: but they say, from that ship
those Iles were first called Bermudas, which till then for six thousand
yeares had beene namelesse.
But the first English-man that was ever in them, was one
Henry May, a worthy Mariner that went with Captaine Lancaster
to the East-Indies 1591. and in their returne by the West-Indies,
being in some distresse, sent this Henry May for England by one
Mounsier de la Barbotier, to acquaint the Merchants with their
estate. The last of November, saith May, we departed from Laguna
in Hispaniola, and the seventeenth of December following, we were
cast away upon the North-west of the Bermudas; the Pilots about
noone made themselves Southwards of the Iles twelve leagues, and
demanded of the Captaine their Wine of hight
which they had: but it seemes they were either drunke, or carelesse
of their charge; for through their negligences a number of good men
were cast away. I being but a stranger amongst fiftie and odde
French-men, it pleased God to appoint me to be one of them should
be saved. In this extremity we made a raft, which we towed with
our Boat, there were but six and twentie of us saved; and I seeing
scarce roome for the one halfe, durst not passe in amongst them till
the Captaine called me along with him, leaving the better halfe to
the seas mercy: that day we rowed till within two houres of night
his way to seeke fresh water, at length, by searching amongst many
weeds, we found some raine water, but in the maine are many
faire Baies, where we had enough for digging.
Now it pleased God before our ship split we saved our Carpenters
tooles, some Nailes, Sailes, and Tacklings, wherewith we went
roundly to worke, and built a Barke of eighty tunnes: In stead of
Pitch, we made Lime, mixed with Tortoise oyle, and as the Carpenters
calked her, I and another paied
which being in Aprill, became quickly dry, and as hard as a stone.
In Aprill it was so hot, we feared our water would faile, two
great Chests wee made, which we calked as our ship; those we
stowed on each side our maine Mast, filled them with water and
thirtie live Tortoises: wee found many Hogges, but so leane wee
could not eat them; the tops of the Palmeta berries
and the juyce we got out of the trees we cut downe our drinke, and
of the leaves, which are more then an Ell long, we covered our
Cabens, and made our beds, and found many of those provisions
as is related, but little foule weather. The eleventh of May it
pleased God to set us cleere of the Ile, after wee had lived there five
moneths: and the twentieth wee fell with Cape Britton, neere New
found Land, where refreshing our selves with wood and water, and
such things as we could get of the Salvages, it seemed a good
Countrey, but we staied not past foure houres before we set saile for
the banke of New found land, where wee met many ships, but not
any would take in a man of us, untill it pleased God we met a Barke
of Fawmothe, which received us for a little time, and with her we
tooke a French ship, wherein I left Captaine de la Barbotier, my
deare friend, and all his Company: and in August arrived at
Falmouth in this honest English Barke, 1594.
The first English ship knowne to have beene cast away upon the
Bermudas 1609. From the relation of Master Jordan,
Master John Euens, Master Henry Shelly, and divers others.
YOU have heard, that when Captaine Smith was Governor of
Virginia, there were nine ships sent with Sir Thomas Gates,
and Sir George Somers, and Captaine Nuport with five hundred
people, to take in the old Commission, and rectifie
they set saile in May, and in the height of thirty degrees of
Northerly latitude, they were taken with an extreme storme, or
rather a part of Hericano, upon the five and twentieth of July,
which as they write, did not onely separate them from the Fleet,
but with the violent working of the Seas, their ship became so
shaken, torne, and leake, she received so much water as covered
two tire of Hogsheads above the ballace, that they stood up to the
middles, with Buckets, Baricos, and Kettles, to baile out the water.
Thus bailing and pumping three daies and three nights without
intermission, and yet the water seemed rather to increase then
diminish, in so much that being all utterly spent with labour, were
even resolved without any hope to shut up the hatches, and commit
themselves to the mercy of the Sea, which is said to be mercilesse, or
rather to the mercy of Almighty God, whose mercy farre exceeds all
his workes; seeing no sense or hope in mans apprehension, but
presently to sinke: some having some good and comfortable waters,
fetched them and dranke one to another, as taking their last leaves
untill a more happy, and a more joyfull meeting in a more blessed
world, when it pleased God out of his most gracious and mercifull
providence, so to direct and guide their ship for her most advantage;
That Sir George Somers all this time sitting upon the poupe,
scarce taking leisure to eat nor sleepe, coning
as upright as he could, otherwaies she must long erethat needs
have foundered, most wishedly and happily descried land; whereupon
many of them being fast asleepe: this unlooked for welcome newes,
as if it had bin a voice from heaven, hurrieth them all above hatches,
to looke for that they durst scarce beleeve, so that improvidently
forsaking that taske which imported no lesse then their lives, they
gave so dangerous advantage to their greedy enemy the salt water,
which still entred at the large breaches of their poore wooden
castle, as that in gaping after life, they had well-nigh swallowed
their death. Surely it is impossible any should not be urged to doe
his best, and although they knew it that place all men did so shun,
yet they spread all the saile they could to attaine them: for not
long it was before they strucke upon a rocke, till a surge of the sea
cast her from thence, and so from one to another, till most luckily
at last so upright betwixt two, as if she had beene in the stocks, till
this they expected but every blow a death. But now behold, suddenly
the wind gives place to a calme, and the billowes, which each by
overtaking her, would in an instant have shivered her in peeces,
become peaceable and still, so that with all conveniency and ease,
they unshipped all their goods, victuall, and persons into their Boats,
and with extreme joy, even almost to amazednesse, arrived in
safetie, though more then a league from the shore, without the
losse of a man; yet were they in all one hundred and fiftie: yet their
deliverance was not more strange in falling so happily upon the
land, as their feeding and preservation was beyond their hopes; for
you have heard, it hath beene to the Spaniards more fearefull then
an Utopian Purgatory, and to all Sea-men no lesse terrible then an
inchanted den of Furies and Devils, the most dangerous, unfortunate,
and forlorne place in the world, and they found it the richest,
healthfullest and pleasantest they ever saw, as is formerly said.
Being thus safe on shore, they disposed themselves to search the
Iles for food || and water; others to get a shore what they could
from the ship; not long Sir George wandred but found such a
fishing, that in halfe an houre with a hooke and line, he tooke so
many as sufficed the whole company, in some places they were so
thicke in the Coves, and so great, they durst not goe in lest they
should bite them, and these rocke fish are so great two will load a
man, and fatter nor better fish cannot be. Master Shelly
Bay neere a quarter of a mile over, so full of Mullets, as none of
them before had ever seene or heard of the like: the next day seeking
to kill them with fis-gigs, they strucke so many the water in many
places was red with bloud, yet caught not one, but with a net they
Pilchards and divers other sorts; great craw-fishes in a night by
making a fire they have taken in great quantity. Sir George had
twice his hooke and line broke out of his hand, but the third time
he made it so strong he caught the same fish, which had pulled
him into the Sea had not his men got hold of him, whereby he had
his three hookes againe that were found in her belly. At their first
hunting for hogs they found such abundance, they killed 32 and this
hunting and fishing was appointed to Captaine Robert Walsingham,
and Master Henry Shelly for the company in general: they report
they killed at least 500. besides Pigs, and many that were killed by
divers others; for the birds in their seasons, the facility to make their
cabens of Palmeta leaves, caused many of them utterly forget or
desire ever to returne from thence, they lived in such plenty, peace
and ease.
But let us remember how the Knights began to resolve in those
desperat affaires: many projects they had, but at last it was concluded,
to decke their long boat with their ship hatches; which
done, with all expedition they sent Master Raven,
Mariner, with eight more in her to Virginia, to have shipping from
thence to fetch them away; three weekes or a moneth they expected
her returne, but to this day she was never more heard of; all this
time was spent in searching the Iles: now although God still fed
them with this abundance of plenty, yet such was the malice of
envy or ambition, for all this good service done by Sommers, such a
great difference fell amongst their Commanders, that they lived
asunder in this distresse, rather as meere strangers then distressed
friends: but necessity so commanded, patience had the victory.
Two ships at this time by those severall parties were a building;
in the meane time two children were borne, the Boy was called
Bermudas, the Girle Bermuda, and amongst all those sorrowes
they had a merry English mariage; the forme of those Iles you may
see at large in the Map of Master Norwood,
see no place knowne hath better walls, nor a broader ditch. But
having finished and rigged their two new Cedar ships with such
provisions they saved from the Sea-adventurer they left amongst the
Rocks, they called the one the Patience, the other the Deliverance;
they used Lime and Oile, as May did, for Pitch and Tar. Sir George
Summers had in his Barke no Iron at all but one bolt in her Keele;
now having made their provisions of victuall and all things ready,
them, called Christopher Carter and Edward Waters, that for their
offences, or the suspition they had of their judgements, fled into the
woods, and there rather desired to end their daies then stand to
their trials and the event of Justice; for one of their consorts was
shot to death, and Waters being tied to a tree also to be executed,
had by chance a Knife about him, and so secretly cut the Rope, he
ran into the woods where they could not finde him. There were two
Salvages also sent from Virginia by Captain Smith, the one called
Namuntack, the other Matchumps, but some such differences
fell betweene them, that Matchumps slew Namuntack, and having
made a hole to bury him, because it was too short, he cut of his legs
and laid them by him, which murder he concealed till he was in
Virginia.
The foure and twentieth of the same moneth they arrived in
Virginia at James towne, where they found but threescore persons,
as you may reade at large in the History of Virginia, of the five
hundred left by Captaine Smith, also of the arrivall || of the Lord
Laware, that met them thus bound for England, returned them
backe, and understanding what plenty there was of hogs and other
good things in the Bermudas, was desirous to send thither to supply
his necessary occasions; whereupon Sir George Summers, the best
acquainted with the place, whose noble minde ever regarded a
generall good more then his owne ends, though above threescore
yeeres of age, and had meanes in England sutable to his ranke,
offered himselfe by Gods helpe to performe this dangerous voyage
againe for the Bermudas, which was kindly accepted, so upon the
19. of June, he imbarked in his Cedar ship, about the burthen of
thirty tunnes, and so set saile.
Much foule and crosse weather he had, and was forced to the
North parts of Virginia,
unknowne coast, he could not bee diverted from the search of the
Bermudas, where at last with his company he safely arrived: but
such was his diligence with his extraordinary care, paines and
industry to dispatch his businesse, and the strength of his body not
so long in such honourable services, the most part of his well beloved
and vertuous life, God and nature here determined, should ever
remaine a perpetuall memory of his much bewailed sorrow for his
death: finding his time but short, after he had taken the best course
he could to settle his estate, like a valiant Captaine he exhorted
them with all diligence to be constant to those Plantations, and with
all expedition to returne to Virginia. In that very place which we
now call Saint Georges towne, this noble Knight died, whereof the
place taketh the name. But his men, as men amazed, seeing the
death of him who was even as the life of them all, embalmed his
body and set saile for England, being the first that ever went to
seeke those Ilands, which have beene ever since called Summers
Iles, in honour of his worthy memory, leaving three men behind
them, that voluntarily stayed, whose names were Christopher
Carter, Edward Waters, there formerly left as is said, and Edward
Chard. This Cedar ship at last with his dead body arrived at
Whit-Church in Dorsetshire, where by his friends he was honourably
buried, with many vollies of shot, and the rites of a Souldier, and
upon his tombe was bestowed this Epitaph.
Autumnus sequitur, sæviet inde et hiems;
At ver perpetuum nascetur, et Anglia læta,
Decerpit flores florida terra tuas.
In English thus:
Autumne succeeds and stormy Winters blast,
Yet Englands joyfull Spring with joyfull showers,
O Florida, shall bring thy sweetest flowers.
The honour of this resolution belongs principally to Carter,
forthrough his importunity, not to leave such a place abandoned,
Chard and Waters were moved to stay with him, and the rest
promised with all the speed they could againe to revisit them. But
the ship once out of sight, those three Lords, the sole inhabitants
of all those Ilands, began to erect their little common wealth for a
while with brotherly regency, repairing the ground, planting
Corne, and such seeds and fruits as they had, building a house, etc.
Then making privy search amongst the crevises and corners of
those craggy Rocks, what this maine Ocean since the worlds creation
peece of Amber-greece was ever seene or heard of in one lumpe,
being in weight fourescore pound, besides divers other small peeces.
But now being rich, they grew so proud and ambitious, contempt
tooke such || place, they fell out for superiority, though but three
forlorne men, more then three thousand miles from their native
Country, and but small hope ever to see it againe. Notwithstanding,
they sometimes fell from words to blowes about meere trifles: in one
of which fights, one of them was bitten with his owne dog, as if the
dumbe beast would reprove them of their folly; at last Chard and
Waters, the two greater spirits, must try it out in the field, but
Carter wisely stole away their weapons, affecting rather to live
amongst his enemies, then by being rid of them live alone; and thus
those miserable men lived full two yeeres, so that all their clothes
were neere worne cleane from their backs, and their hopes of any
forraine releefe as naked as their bodies. At last they began to
recover their wits, yet in a fashion perhaps would have cost them
dearer then when they were mad; for concluding a tripartite peace
of their Matachin
they could, and therein to make a desperate attempt for Virginia,
or New found Land; but no sooner were they entred into that
resolution, but they descried a saile standing in for the shore, though
they neither knew what she was, nor what she would, they were so
over-joyed, with all possible speed they went to meet her, and
according to their hearts desire she proved an English-man, whom
they safely conducted into their harbour.
Now you are to understand, that Captaine Matthew Somers,
Nephew and heire to Sir George, that returned with his dead body,
though both he and his Company did their utmost in relating all
those passages to their Countrey-men and adventurers, their relations
were beleeved but as travellers tales, till it came to be apprehended
by some of the Virginia Company, how beneficiall it might
be, and helpfull to the Plantation in Virginia, so that some one
hundred and twentie of them bought the pretended right of all the
Company, and had sent this ship to make a triall; but first they had
obtained Letters Patents of the Kings most excellent Majestie. Sir
Thomas Smith was elected Treasurer and Governor heere, and
Master Richard More to be Governor of the Iles and Colony there.
The first beginning of a Colonie in the Somer Iles, under the
command of Master Richard More, extracted out of a plot of
Master Richard Norwood Surveior, and the relations of
divers others.
MASTER More thus finding those three men not onely well and
lusty, but well stored with divers sorts of provisions, as an
Acre of Corne ready to be gathered, numbers of Pumpions and
Indian Beanes, many Tortoises ready taken, good store of hogs
flesh salted, and made in flitches of Bacon, were very good, and so
presently landed his goods and sixty persons towards the beginning
of July 1612. upon the South side of Smiths Ile.
Not long after his arrivall, More having some private intelligence
of this Amber-greece, tooke first Chard
one of the three the most masterfull spirit, what Amber-greece,
Pearle, Treasure, or other Commodities they had found. Chard no
lesse witty then resolute, directly answered; Not any thing at all but
the fruits of the Ile, what his fellowes had done he knew not, but if
they had, he doubted not but to finde it out, and then hee should
know it certainly. This he spake onely to win time to sweare his
Consorts to secrecy, and he would finde the meanes how they should
all returne in that ship with it all for England, otherwise they
should be deceived of all. Till this was effected they thought every
houre an age; now for the better conveiance of it aboord, they
acquainted it to Captaine Davis, master of the ship, and one Master
Edwin Kendall, that for their secrecy and transportation should
participate with them: Without further ceremony the match was
accepted, and absolutely concluded, the plot laid, time and place
set downe to have it aboord. But Carter, were it for feare the
Governor at last should know of it, to whom so oft they had denied
it; or that the || rest should deceive him, is uncertaine; but most
certaine it is, he revealed all the plot to Master More: To get so
much wealth he knew would please them in England, though it did
displease all his Company, and to lose such a prize he would not for
faire tearmes, reproving his dishonesty, but not being answered
according to his expectation, he committed both Chard and him to
prison. The next Sabbath day Davis comming on shore, More also
taxed with very hard language and many threats, to lay him fast
also if he mended not his manners; Davis for the present replied
little, but went with him to the place of praier: but in the midst of
divine service he goeth away, commanding all his Sea-men to
follow him presently aboord, where he encourageth them to stand
to him like men, and hee would free the Prisoners, have all the
Amber-greece for themselves, and so be gone.
The Governor hearing of this resolution, prepares with his
company to repulse force with force, so that a generall expectance
of a civill uncivill warre possessed every man; but this threatning
gust passed over more calmlier then was expected; for Davis having
better advised with himselfe, repented his rashnesse, and desired a
reconcilement with the Governor. Peace thus concluded, Kendall
was set at libertie, but Chard was condemned, and upon the ladder
to be hanged for his obstinacy; yet upon better consideration More
reprived him, but kept him a prisoner all the time he staied in the
Country, which was generally thought a very bad reward for his
great desert, and that there was more of this Amber-greece imbeziled,
then would have contented all the finders, that never had any
consideration at all. The greatest part though More thus recovered,
yet Davis and Kendall had so much, either by the ignorance or
connivency of the Governors, that arriving in England, they prepared
themselves for a new voiage; at last they two falling out, the
Company having notice thereof, so tormented them both, they gave
over their voiage, and durst not be seene a long time after.
The Governor thus rid of the ship and those discontents,
removed his seat from Smiths Ile to Saint Georges, after he had
fitted up some small Cabbens of Palmeta leaves for his wife and
family, in that valley where now stands their prime towne called
St. Georges, hee began to apply himselfe to fortifie the Countrey,
and training his men in the exercise of armes. For although he was
but a Carpenter, he was an excellent Artist,
witty and industrious: he built and laid the foundation of eight or
nine Forts, called the Kings Castle, Charles Fort, Pembrookes
Fort, Smiths Fort, Pagits Fort, Gates Fort, Warwicks Castle, Saint
Katharines Fort, etc. mounting in them all the Ordnance he had,
preparing the ground to build Houses, plant Corne, and such Fruits
as they had.
Being thus busied, and as the necessitie of the time required,
were it by the secret provocation of some drones, that grew weary of
their taskes, or his affection to popularity is not certaine: But he
begins to tax the Governor in the Pulpit, hee did grinde the faces
of the poore, oppressing his Christian brethren with Pharaohs taxes.
More finding this in short time, might breed ill bloud, called the
Company together and also the Minister, urging them plainly, to
tell him wherein he had deserved those hard accusations: whereupon,
with an universall cry they affirmed the contrary, so that Keath
downe on his knees to aske him forgivenesse. But Master More
kindly tooke him up, willing him to kneele to God, and hereafter be
more modest and charitable in his speeches; notwithstanding two
other discontents so upbraided More with that doctrine, and stood
to maintaine it, he impaneled a Jury, with a great deale of seeming
much adoe he would hang them being condemned, one of them
with the very feare, fell into a dead Palsie; so that the other was
set at libertie, and proved after a very good labourer.
Many conclusions he tried about the Sea-venture, the wracke of
Sir George So- || mers, but he got onely for his paines but two peece
of Ordnance. Having framed a Church of timber, it was blowne
downe by a tempest, so that he built another in a more closer place
with Palmeta leaves.
Before this yeere was expired, the adventerers sent them an
adviso
all expedition for their defence against the Spaniard, whom they
understood erelong would visit them: This occasioned him to keepe
all his men together in that Ile so hard at worke, that wanting
libertie to goe abroad for food, living onely on that they had, and
expected daily to receive from England, they were so over-toiled,
many fell sicke, but none died. Very earnest this ship was to have
all the Amber-greece, which Master More perceiving, was the
chiefest cause of their comming, and that it was the onely loadstone
to draw from England still more supplies; for all the expresse command
sent from the Company, he returned this ship but with the
one third part; so from thence she went to Virginia, and not long
after arrived safely in England.
But before her returne the Company sent the Martha with
sixtie Passengers more; they arrived in June with one Master Bartlet
to survey the Iland, and the estate of the Colonie, with expresse
command for all the Amber-greece: but More perceiving him not as
he would have him, and that the Company began to mistrust him,
would send no more but another third part, wherewith they returned,
he did not bring any thing to perfection; excusing himselfe, they
were not the right Mulberies he expected. About this time they
were in hope of a small crop of Tobacco, but it was most spoiled for
want of knowledge to use it. Now in England Master More became
amongst the Merchants marvelous distastfull, for the detaining so
long the Amber-greece; which delaies they so much abhorred, they
forthwith dispatched the Elizabeth the second time and forty
Passengers, much rebuking More for so long detaining the Amber-greece:
for the which, having now no more colourable excuses, he
delivered it, wherewith the ship went to Virginia, and thence home.
In this ship was brought the first Potato roots, which flourished
exceedingly for a time, till by negligence they were almost lost (all
but two cast-away roots) that so wonderfully have increased, they
are a maine releefe to all the Inhabitants. This ship was not long
gone but there came two Spanish ships, sounding with their Boat,
which attempted to come in: but from the Kings Castle Master
More made but two shot, which caused them presently depart.
Marke here the handy-worke of the divine providence, for they had
but three quarters of a barrell of powder, and but one shot more,
and the powder by carelesnesse was tumbled downe under the
mussels of the two peeces, were discharged, yet not touched with
fire when they were discharged.
This feare thus past, appeares another much worse, which was
the extremity of famine; in this extremity God sent Captaine Daniel
Elfrid
brought withall so many Rats, that within two yeeres after neere
ruined all; now though Elfrid had deceived his friend Fisher of
this Carvell in the West-Indies, they revenged Fishers injury, for
Elfrid had his passage for England, and they made use of all he had.
Some two moneths after, came in the Blessing with an hundred
Passengers; and two daies after the Starre with a hundred and
fourescore more, amongst which were many Gentlemen, as Master
Lower for Marshall, Master Barret, Master Felgate, and divers
others; but very unproper for what they undertooke. Within foureteene
daies after came in the Margaret and two Frygats, and in
them one hundred and threescore Passengers; also Master Bartlet
came now expresly to divide the Country into Tribes, and the
Tribes into shares. But Master More finding no mention made of
in England, by no meanes would admit of any division, nor suffer
his men from finishing their fortifications, which was so necessary,
it was his maine ambition to see that accomplished; but such
unkindnesse grew betwixt this Master Bartlet and || the Governour,
that the rude multitude with all the disdaine they could devise
caused Bartlet returne for England as he came. About this time
William Millington was drawne into the Sea by a fish, but never
after ever seene.
The neglect of this division was very hardly conceited in England,
so that Master More grew more and more in dislike with
the company; notwithstanding he followed the building of these
Forts so earnestly, neglecting planting of Corne,
neere all consumed, whereby they became so feeble and weake, some
would not, others could not goe abroad to seeke releefe, but starved
in their houses, and many that went abroad, through weaknesse
were subject to be suddenly surprized with a disease called the
Feauges, which was neither paine nor sicknesse, but as it were the
highest degree of weaknesse, depriving them of power and ability
from the execution of any bodily exercises, whether it were working,
walking, or what else: being thus taken, if any presently gave them
food, many times they straight recovered, yet some after a little
rest would bee able to walke, but if they found not present succour,
died.
About this time or immediatly before, came in a company of
Ravens, which continued amongst them all the time of this mortality
and then departed, which for any thing knowne, neither before nor
since were ever seene or heard of: this with divers other reasons
caused Master More to goe out to Sea, to see if he could discover
any other Ilands, but he went not farre ereill weather forced him
backe; and it were a noble adventure of him would undertake to
make more perfect all the dangers are about the Summer Iles.
Thus famine and misery caused Governour More leave all his
workes, and send them abroad to get what they could; one hundred
and fifty of the most weake and sicke he sent to Coupers Ile, where
were such infinite numbers of the Birds called Cahowes, which were
so fearelesse they might take so many as they would, and that
their gluttony was such, those heavenly blessings they so consumed
and wasted by carelesnesse and surfetting, many of them died upon
those silly Birds that offered themselves to the slaughter, which the
Governour understanding, caused them for change of aire to be
removed to Port-royall, and a Company of Fishers with a Boat to
releeve them with fish, but the Gange grew so lazie the poore
weaklings still died; they that remained killed the Cattle they found
in the Ile, faining the heat caused them to runne into the Sea and
so were drowned; so that the Governour sent againe for them
home, but some obtained leave still to live abroad; one amongst the
rest hid himselfe in the Woods, and lived onely on Wilkes and land
Crabs, fat and lusty many moneths, but most of them being at
Saint Georges, ordinarily was taken one hundred and fifty or two
hundred great fishes daily for their food; for want of hookes and
lines, the Smith made hookes of old swords, and lines of old ropes,
but finding all those poore Engines also decay, they sent one of the
two Frigats last left with them for England, to tell them of this
misery. All which was now attributed to Master Mores perversnesse,
who at first when he got the Amber-Greece had not such a generall
applause, but now all the worst could possibly be suggested was too
good for him; yet not knowing for the present how to send a better,
they let him continue still, though his time was neere expired, and
with all speed sent the Welcome fraught with provision, where shee
well arrived, and proved her selfe as welcome in deed as in name;
for all those extremities, Master Lewes Hues writeth, not one of all
those threescore that first beganne this Plantation was dead, which
shewes it was not impossible, but industry might have prevented a
great part of the others sluggish carelesnesse.
This ship much refreshed this miserable Colony, but Master
More seeing they sent not for him, his time being now expired,
understanding how badly they reputed him in England, and that
his imploiment now was more for their owne ends then any good
for himselfe, resolved directly to returne with this ship. Having
setled all things in the best order he could, left the government to
the charge || of the counsell of six to succeed each other monethly,
till they had further directions from England; whose names were
Captaine Miles Kendall, Captaine John Mansfield, Thomas
Knight, Charles Caldycot, Edward Waters, and Christopher
Carter, with twelve others for their assistances. More thus taking
leave of those Ilands, arrived in England, much wrangling they
shares of Land, and so he was dismissed of his charge, with shew of
favour and much friendship.
The rule of the six Governors.
THE first thing they did was casting of lots, who should rule first,
which lot lighted upon Master Caldicot. This last supply
somewhat abated the extremitie of their miseries, and the better
in that their fortifications being finished, they had the more leasure
to goe abroad with that meanes was brought to that purpose to
fish. Chard as you have heard, whom all this while More had kept
Prisoner, they set at libertie: now by reason of their former miseries,
little or nothing could be done; yet this Governor having thus
concluded his moneth, and prepared a Frigot and two and thirtie
men, hee imbarked himselfe with two other of his fellow counsellers;
namely, Knight and Waters for the West-Indies, to get Fruits and
Plants, Goats, young Cattle, and such like. But this poore vessell,
whether through ill weather, or want of Mariners, or both, in stead
of the Indies fell with the Canaries, where taking a poore Portugall,
the which they manned with ten of their owne people, as soone
after separated from her in a storme, and the next day was taken
by a French Pickaroune,
prize, makes a second time for the West-Indies, where she no
sooner arrived, but foundred in the sea; but the men in their Boat
recovered a desolate Ile, where after some few moneths stay, an
English Pyrat tooke them in, and some of them at last got for England,
and some few yeares after returned to the Somer Iles.
Captaine John Mansfield his moneth.
The Frigot thus gone, Captaine Mansfield succeeded. Then
was contrived a petition, as from the generalitie, unto the triumvirat
Governors;
should resigne the government to any should come from England,
upon what tearmes soever, untill six moneths after the returne of
their ship sent to the West-Indies: about this unwarrantable action,
Master Lewes Hues their Preacher was so violent in suppressing it,
that such discontents grew betwixt the Governors and him, and
imprisoned, but not long detained before released. Then the matter
fell so hotly againe to be disputed betwixt him and one Master
Keath a Scotch-man, that professed schollership, that made all the
people in a great combustion: much adoe there was, till at last as
they sate in the Church and ready to proceed to a judiciary course
against Master Hues, suddenly such an extreme gust of wind and
weather so ruffled in the trees and Church; some cried out, A miracle;
others, it was but an accident common in those Iles, but the noise
was so terrible it dissolved the assembly: notwithstanding, Master
Hues was againe imprisoned, and as suddenly discharged; but those
factions were so confused, and their relations so variable, that such
unnecessary circumstances were better omitted then any more
disputed.
This mans moneth thus ended, begins Master Carter, which
was altogether spent in quietnesse, and then Captaine Miles Kendall
had the rule, whose moneth was also as quietly spent as his Predecessors.
Then Captaine Mansfield begins his second moneth,
when the ship called the Edwin arrived with good supplies. About
this time divers Boats going to sea were lost, and some men drowned;
and || many of the Company repaired to Master Hues, that there
might bee a Councell according to Master Mores order of six
Governours, and twelve Assistants, whereupon grew as many more
such silly brawles as before, which at last concluded with as simple
a reconciliation. In the interim happened to a certaine number of
private persons as miserable and lamentable an accident, as ever
was read or heard of, and thus it was:
In the month of March, a time most subject of all others to
such tempests; on a Friday there went seven men in a boat of two
or three tunnes to fish. The morning being faire, so eager they were
of their journey, some went fasting: neither carried they either meat
or drinke with them, but a few Palmeta berries, but being at their
fishing place some foure leagues from the shoare, such a tempest
arose, they were quickly driven from the sight of land in an overgrowne
Sea, despairing of all hope, onely committing themselves to
Gods mercy, let the boat drive which way shee would. On Sunday
the storme being somewhat abated, they hoysed saile as they
thought towards the Island. In the evening it grew starke calme; so
that being too weake to use their oares, they lay a drift that night.
The next morning Andrew Hilliard, for now all his companions were
past strength either to helpe him or themselves: before a small gale
threw over board. On Wednesday three. And on Thursday at
night the sixt. All these but the last were buried by Hilliard in the
Sea, for so weake hee was growne hee could not turne him over as
the rest, whereupon hee stripped him, ripping his belly with his
knife, throwing his bowels into the water, hee spread his body
abroad tilted open with a sticke, and so lets it lie as a cisterne to
receive some lucky raine-water, and this God sent him presently
after, so that in one small shoure hee recovered about foure spoonefuls
of raine water to his unspeakeable refreshment; he also preserved
neere halfe a pint of blood in a shooe, which he did sparingly drinke
of to moist his mouth: two severall daies he fed on his flesh, to the
quantity of a pound, on the eleventh day from his losing the sight of
land, two flying fishes fals in his boat, whose warme jucie blood hee
sucked to his great comfort. But within an houre after to his greater
comfort you will not doubt, he once againe descried the land, and
within foure houres after was cast upon a rocke neere to Port royall,
where his boat was presently split in pieces, but himselfe, though
extreamly weake, made shift to clamber up so steepe and high a
rocke, as would have troubled the ablest man in the Ile to have
done that by day hee did by night.
Being thus astride on a rocke, the tumbling Sea had gotten
such possession in his braines, that a good while it was before his
giddy head would suffer him to venture upon the forsaking it:
towards the morning he craules a shore, and then to his accomplished
joy descernes where hee is, and travels halfe a day without any
refreshment then water, whereof wisely and temperately he stinted
himselfe, otherwise certainely hee had drunke his last. In which case
hee attaines a friends house: where at the first they tooke him for a
ghost, but at last acknowledged and received him with joy, his
story after some houres of recovery of strength to tell it, heard out
with admiration: he was not long after conveyed to the towne, where
he received his former health, and was living in the yeere 1622.
The next newes that happened in this time of ease, was, that a
merry fellow having found some few Dollars against the Flemish
wracke, the bruit went currant the treasure was found, and they all
made men. Much adoe there was to prevent the purloining of it,
before they had it: where after they had tyred themselves with
searching, that they found, amounted not to above twenty pounds
starling, which is not unlike but to be the remainder of some greater
store, washed from some wracke not farre from the shore.
The company by the Edwin receiving newes of the revels were
kept in Sommer Iles, resolved to make choice of a new Governour,
called Master Daniel Tuckar,
Virginia in the government of Captaine || Smith. All things being
furnished for his voyage; hee set saile in the George, consorted with
the Edwin, with many passengers, which being discovered by them
in those Iles, they supposed them the Frigot sent to the West Indies;
but when they understood what they were, much preparation they
made to resist the new Governour. Many great ostentations appeared
on both sides, but when the quondam Governour did see his men
for most part forsake him; all was very well and quietly compounded,
and with much kindnesse received and welcomed a shore, where his
Commission was no sooner read, then they accepted and acknowledged
him for their Governour.
The Government of Captaine Daniel Tuckar.
ABOUT the midst of May arrived this Governor,
where findingthe Inhabitants both abhorring all exacted labour, as also in a
manner disdaining and grudging much to be commanded by him;
it could not but passionate any man living. But at last according to
the Virginia order, hee set every one was with him at Saint Georges,
to his taske, to cleere grounds, fell trees, set corne, square timber,
plant vines and other fruits brought out of England. These by their
taske Masters by breake a day repaired to the wharfe, from thence
to be imployed to the place of their imployment, till nine of the
clocke, and then in the after-noone from three till Sunne-set. Beside
meat, drinke and cloaths, they had for a time a certaine kinde of
brasse money with a hogge on the one side, in memory of the
abundance of hogges was found at their first landing.
This course thus squared, imitating divers orders used in
Virginia, by Sir Thomas Dale: he began by them to looke into his
instructions given by the Company. Whereupon by one Master
Richard Norwood a Survayor, sent over for that purpose,
maine, which were to consist of fifty shares to a tribe; and twenty
five acers to every share. He also began to plant some Colony men,
on some of the especiall shares. He swore also certaine of the chiefe
men of every tribe to bee Bailiffes thereof; and appointed as many
men as hee was able for all supplied shares. The goods landed in the
store houses hee sent from thence, and dispersed it to his workemen
in generall: some Boats also began to be builded; but the pinace
called the Thomas suspected might make an escape, was laid up in
a docke, where shee yet remaineth.
In the beginning of the second moneth of his government, he
directed warrants to all the Bailiffes, for the holding of a generall
Assise at Saint Georges, and appointed Master Stokes Lieutenant
of the Kings Castle at the Gurnets head. The Edwin came with him
he sent to the West Indies by directions from England, to trade with
the natives, for cattell, corne, plants, and other commodities. A
course of great importance, which had it been pursued, would
certainly have produced more hopefull effects for the good of the
Colony, then all the supplies and Magazines
or will in a long time.
Presently after her departure began the Assises, executed by his
Deputy. The chiefe matter handled was the hanging one John Wood
a French man, for speaking many distastefull and mutinous speeches
against the Governour, to shew the rest by that example, the power
of his authority, which after with his owne hands he so oft executed
with a bastinado amongst the poorer sort; many tearmed it a
cruelty, not much lesse then tyranny: but the sequell is more then
strange.
So it was that five of them, seeing by no meanes they could get
passage for England, resolved to undergoe all hazards but they
would make an escape from such servitude. The chiefe mariner and
plotter of this businesse, was Richard Sanders and his confederates,
William Goodwin a ship Carpenter, Thomas Harison a Joyner,
James Barker a Gentleman, and Henry Puet. These repairing to the
Governour, and with pleasing insinuations told him, if hee would
allow them but || things necessary, they would build him a boat of
two or three tunnes, with a close decke, should goe a fishing all
weathers. The Governour halfe proud that hee had brought his men
to so good a passe, as he conceived, to offer themselves to so necessary
a worke; instantly with all willingnesse furnished them with all
things they could desire, and many faire promises to incourage them
to performe it with all expedition. Having made choise of a place
that in a short time shee was brought to perfection. By this time, the
ship that brought the Governour, being ready to depart, hee sends
a lusty gange to goe fetch his new boat to carry him aboard, but
arriving at the place where she was built, they could heare no more
of her, but she was gone the last evening to Sea, to try how shee
would saile. Much search and dispute was where this boat should be:
but at last they found divers letters in the cabbins, to this effect,
directed to the Governour, and other their friends: that their hard
and bad usage was so intolerable, and their hope so small ever againe
to see their Countrey, or be delivered from such servitude, they did
rather chuse to put themselves to that desperate hazard to goe for
England, in which if they miscaried, as it was much to be mistrusted,
their lives and bloods should be required at their hands was the
cause. A compasse Diall Barker had borrowed of Master Hues, to
whom he writ that as hee had oft perswaded them to patience, and
that God would pay them though none did: hee must now bee
contented with the losse of his Diall, with his owne doctrine. Such
leasure they found to bee merry when in the eye of reason they were
marching into a most certaine ruine. The Governour being thus
satisfied of their escape, extreamly threatned them no lesse then a
hanging, but the stormes of the Ocean they now more feared then
him; good provision by bartering they had got from the ship, where
Goodwin in a bravado told the Mariners, though he could not be
permitted to goe with them, yet peradventure hee might be in
England before them, whereat the Master and his Mate laughed
merrily. But having beene now under saile three weekes, the winds
so favoured them, they felt nothing of what they had cause to feare:
then a blustering gale blowing in their teeth, put them to much
extremity for divers dayes, then becomming more gentle away they
past prosperously some eight or ten dayes more, till meeting a
French Piccaroune of whom they desired succour, hee like himselfe
tooke from them what hee liked, leaving them not so much as a
crosse-staffe to observe withall, and so cast them off: their course
still they continued till their victuall began to fall to the lowest ebbe;
and the very knees of their small vessell were halfe hewed away for
fire wood. At last to their infinit joy they arrived in Ireland, where
the Earle of Tomund honorably entertained them, and caused the
boat to be hung up for a Monument, and well she might, for shee
had sailed more then 3300. miles by a right line thorow the maine
Sea, without any sight of land, and I thinke, since God made the
world, the like navigation was never done, nor heard of. This
there tooke, it was his chance to buy an old chest, for three or foure
shillings, but because it wanted a key hee repented his bargaine,
and would gladly have sold it againe for lesse. A certaine time it lay
tossed to and fro as a thing hee little regarded, but at last having
little to doe, hee broke it open, where he found a thousand pounds
starling, or so much gold as bought him in England a good
estate, which leaving with his wife he returned againe to the East
Indies.
The George setting saile three dayes after this escape, the
Governour seazed and confiscated all that those fugitives left behinde
them. Within a weeke after returned the Edwin from the West Indies,
furnished with figges, pynes, sugar-canes, plantaines, papawes
divers other plants, which were presently replanted, and since
increased into greater numbers, also an Indian and a Negar, and so
much ligna vitæ as defrayed all the charge. The Governor thus
busied amongst his plants, making hedges of Figtrees, and Pomgranets,
and severall divisions by || Palizadoes for the defence of
their guarding and keeping their cattell, for in such husbandry
qualities he well deserved great commendations. The Adventurers
to supply him sent with all speed they could the Hopewell, a small
Barke, but an excellent sailer, and in her one Captaine Powell an
excellent Mariner, and well acquainted in the Indies where he was
to goe trade, after he had landed his passengers in the Summer Iles:
but in his journey at the Westerne Iles meeting a Brasile man, hee
liked the suger and passengers so well, hee mand the Carvill with
his owne men, and continued his course, but bethinking himself
how this would be entertained at the Summer Iles, hee found such
doubts, hee went directly for the West Indies to take time to resolve
what to doe: arriving there hee met a French rover, one every way
as cunning as himselfe, but much more trecherous. A great league of
kindnesse is soone made betweene them, upon confidence whereof,
Powell and some of the chiefe with him being invited aboord him, is
easily entised, and in the midst of their cups both hee and his
company treacherously made prisoners; and thus was forced to give
him their prise, or hang at the yards arme with all his company.
Having set them a shore, away goes the French man; Powels ship
being but hard by, presently fetcht them all a boord, but finding his
victuall neere spent, and no hope at all to recover his prize, set his
Portugales on shore, and set saile for the Summer Iles; where
safely arriving, hee declared the whole passage to the Governour,
seemed well enough to approve.
This Governour still spent his time in good husbandry, although
some of the snarling sort here in England, whom nothing will please,
writ to him hee was fitter to be a Gardiner then a Governour: some
time he spent in digging of a great pond, but that worke proved
altogether unprofitable: about that time was held the second
Assise. The greatest matter passed, was a Proclamation against the
spoile of Cahowes, but it came too late, for they were most destroyed
before: a platforme hee caused to be erected by Pagits Fort, where
a good Fort were very necessary. Captaine Powell not having
performed his service in the West Indies, he conditioned with the
Company, is sent thither againe by this Governour, and thirteene
or fourteene of his best men, furnished with all things necessary. In
the meane time the Company understanding, that in January,
February and March, there are many Whales, for which fishing
they sent the Neptune, a tall ship well provided with every thing
fitting for that purpose. But before she arrived, Captaine Tuckar,
who had brought also with him most provisions for that imploiment,
sent three good Shalops to try what could be done, but whether it
was the swiftnes of the Whale in swimming, or the condition of the
place, certaine it is for all their labour and hazard, they could kill
none, though they strucke many.
To begin his second yeere, he called the third Assise, where
divers were punished as their faults deserved: three were condemned
to die; two were reprived, but the third was hanged:
there was also a levy for the repairing two Forts; but that labour
tooke not such effect as was intended, for want of good directions.
But the great God of heaven
being angry at somewhat happenedin those proceedings, caused such an increase of silly rats,
in the space of two yeeres so to abound, before they regarded
them, that they filled not onely those places where they were first
landed, but swimming from place to place, spread themselves into
all parts of the Countrey, insomuch that there was no Iland but it
was pestered with them; and some fishes have beene taken with rats
in their bellies, which they caught in swimming from Ile to Ile:
their nests they had almost in every tree, and in most places their
burrowes in the ground like conies: they spared not the fruits of the
plants, or trees, nor the very plants themselves, but ate them up.
When they had set their corne, the rats would come by troupes in
escaped till it came to earing, it should then very hardly escape
them: and they became noysome even to the very persons of men.
They used all the diligence they could for the destroying of || them,
nourishing cats both wilde and tame, for that purpose; they used
ratsbane, and many times set fire on the woods, that oft ran halfe
a mile before it was extinct; every man was enjoyned to set twelve
traps, and some of their owne accord have set neere an hundred,
which they ever visited twice or thrice in a night; they also trained
up their dogges to hunt them, wherein they became so expert, that
a good dog in two or three houres would kil forty or fifty. Many
other devices they used to destroy them, but could not prevaile,
finding them still increasing against them: nay they so devoured the
fruits of the earth, that they were destitute of bread for a yeere or
two; so that when they had it afterwards, they were so wained
from it, they easily neglected to eat it with their meat. Besides they
endevoured so much for the planting Tobacco for present gaine,
that they neglected many things might more have prevailed for
their good, which caused amongst them much weaknesse and
mortality, since the beginning of this vermine.
At last it pleased God, but by what meanes it is not well
knowne, to take them away;
many dogs which lived on them, were famished, and many of them
leaving the woods, came downe to their houses, and to such places
where they use to garbish their fish, and became tame. Some have
attributed the destruction of them to the encrease of wild cats, but
that is not likely they should be so suddenly encreased rather at
that time, then foure yeeres before; and the chiefe occasion of this
supposition was, because they saw some companies of them leave
the woods, and slew themselves for want of food. Others by the
coldnesse of winter, which notwithstanding is never so great there,
as with us in March, except it be in the wind: besides the rats
wanted not the fethers of young birds and chickins, which they
daily killed, and Palmeta mosse to build themselves warme nests
out of the wind, as usually they did; neither doth it appeare that the
cold was so mortall to them, seeing they would ordinarily swimme
from place to place, and bee very fat even in the midst of winter. It
remaineth then, that as God doth sometimes effect his will without
subordinate and secondary causes, so wee need not doubt, but that
in the speedy encrease of this vermine; as also by the preservation
of so many of them by such weake meanes as they then enjoyed, and
especially in the so sudden removall of this great annoyance, there
more mediate and secret worke of God.
About this time Henry Long, with seven others in an extreame
storme were cast away, but three of them escaped. One of them
being asked what hee thought in the worst of that extremity,
answered, he thought nothing but gallowes claime thy right, and it
seemes God well heard his prayer, and rewarded his ingratitude;
for he was hanged within halfe a yeere after.
five men went to Sea, but as yet was never heard of, and three more
drowned in a boat. By Hilliards house grew a very faire Cedar, which
by a thunder clap was rent almost to small shivers, and a man
stood by him, and Samuel Tanton, most fearfully blasted, yet
neither they, the house, nor a little childe, yet a paire of racks in
the house was all torne to fitters. The Neptune not long after arriving
to fish for whale, her fortune proved no better then the Governours,
yet some are of opinion, profit might be made by them.
In May they discried foure saile, so that manning all their
Forts, they stood two daies in Armes, expecting what they were; at
last they found it Master Powell returned from the West-Indies in
the Hopewell, where missing such trade as he expected, these three
Frigots comming in his way, he could not chuse but take them;
Meale, Hides and Munition was their lading. Faire weather the
Governor made with Powell, till he had got all the goods into his
owne possession, and then called Powell to a strict account for
doing such an unwarrantable act; much a doe then was betwixt the
taker and receiver; but Powell was glad to be excused to answer it
in England, leaving all hee had taken behinde him in the Iles: The
Neptune also returned with him, but noble Powell lost all his pay and
pillage for || this yeeres worke. For which the Company sent for to
Tuckar, so that he also lost his part as well as Powell: Notwithstanding,
the Governour by this meanes being strong in shipping,
fitted the Carvill with twelve men, under the command of Edward
Waters formerly spoken of, and sent them to Virginia about such
businesse as hee had conceived. Arriving there, they obtained some
goates, and hogs, and what they could spare, and so returned for
the Summer Iles; but whether they could not finde the Iles for want
of skill, or beaten off by ill weather, or the ill will they bare the
Governor, it matters not much: but they bare up again for Virginia,
where they all remained, and would returne no more to Summer Iles.
The Governour thinking to make some use of the hides, set
some that professed themselves Tanners, to make tryall of their
skill; but they lost their labours and spoiled the hides. Also he called
another Assise concerning a poore fellow called Gabriel, for concealing
some speeches Master Pollard and Master Rich
tending to the dis-reputation of the Governour, and his injustice
and cruelties; which being brought within the compasse of sedition
and mutiny, though a yeere agoe; many were called in question
about it, although every one ordinarily had spoke as much. Yet
Gabriel for example sake was condemned to bee hanged, and was
upon the ladder, but reprieved. The other two Master Pollard, and
Master Rich were imprisoned, but upon better consideration, the
fact appeared so small and ridiculous, upon their submission they
were pardoned, and restored to their places.
The division of the Summer Iles into Tribes, by Master
Richard Norwood, Surveyor.
ACCORDING to the directions of the Councell and Company, as
they had determined by lot, Master Norwood tooke a plot of
the Ile, and divided it with as much faithfulnes as he could, assigning
to every Adventurer his share or proportion, as namely, to lay out
a large proportion, to bee called the generall land, and imployed for
publike uses, as for the maintenance of the Governour, Ministers,
Commanders of Forts, souldiers, and such like: and to this end was
assigned St. Georges Iland, St. Davids Iland, Longbridge Iland,
Smiths Iland, Coopers Iland, Cony Iland, Nonesuch Iland, part of
the maine, and sundry other small Iles. The rest was to be divided
into eight parts, each part to be called a tribe, and to have his
denomination of some principall person that was Adventurer
therein: and accordingly the first Tribe to bee Eastward, was then
called Bedfords Tribe, now Hamiltons: the second, Smiths Tribe:
the third, Cavendish, now Devonshires: the fourth, Pembrooks: the
fift, Pagits: the sixt, Mansils, now Warwicks: the seventh, Southhampton:
the eighth, Sands: in the honours of the Right honorable
the Marquis Hamilton, Sir Thomas Smith, the Earle of Devonshire,
the Earle of Pembrooke, the Lord Pagit, the Earle of Warwicke,
the Earle of Southhampton, and Sir Edwin Sands. Againe each of
those Tribes were to bee divided into fifty parts, called shares; and
every Adventurer to have his shares in these tribes as was determined,
and more largely by his Booke of the Survay of the Countrey, which
is in the Records of the Colony. And then began this which was
before as you have heard, but as an unsetled and confused Chaos, to
receive a disposition, forme, and order, and become indeed a
Plantation.
The names of the Adventurers, and their shares in every Tribe,
according to the survey, and the best information yet
ascertained, of any of their alterations.
| Hamiltons Tribe. | Shares. |
| James, Lord Marquis Hamilton | 6 |
| Sir Edward Harwood. | 4 |
| Master John Delbridge. | 3 |
| Master John Dike. | 3 |
| Master Ellis Roberts. | 2 |
| Master Robert Phips. | 1 |
| Master Ralph King. | 1 |
| Master Quicks assignes. | 2 |
| Master William Canning. | 4 |
| Master William Canning. | 1 |
| Master William Web. | 1 |
| Master John Bernards assignes. | 2 |
| Master Elias Roberts Junior. | 1 |
| Master John Gearing. | 2 |
| Master Cleophas Smith. | 2 |
| Robert Earle of Warwick. | 4 |
| Master Thomas Covell. | 3 |
| Master Greenwels assignes. | 1 |
| Master Cley. | 1 |
| Master Powlson. | 2 |
| Master John Dike. | 1 1/2 |
| Common land for conveniency. | 25 |
| Master John Dike. | 1 1/2 |
| Master George Thorps assignes. | 1 |
| Sir Dudley Digs assignes. | 2 |
| Master Richard Edwards. | 2 |
| Master William Pane. | 4 |
| Master Robert Smith. | 2 |
| Master George Barkley assignes. | 5 |
| Sir Samuel Sands. | 1 |
| Master Anthony Pennistone. | 4 |
| Sir Edwin Sands. | 5 |
| Sir Thomas Smith. | 5 |
| Master Richard More. | 4 |
| Master Adam Brumfield | 2 |
| Master Robert Johnson Alderman. | 5 |
| Master John Wroth. | 3 |
| Master George Smith. | 4 |
| Master Anthony Penistone. | 2 |
| Master John Dike. | 1 |
| Master John Dike. | 1 |
| Master John Bernards heires. | 2 |
| Robert Earle of Warwick. | 2 |
| Master Francis West. | 2 |
| William Lord Cavendish. | 5 |
| William Earle of Devonshire. | 5 |
| Master Edward Luckin. | 5 |
| Master Edward Ditchfield. | 1 |
| Master Edward Ditchfield. | 4 |
| Master William Nicols. | 2 |
| Master Edward Ditchfield. | 1 |
| Master John Fletcher. | 2 |
| Master Gedion Delawne. | 2 |
| Master Anthony Pennistone. | 3 |
| Master Best. | 2 |
| Master Edward Luckin. | 2 |
| Master Richard Rogers. | 2 |
| Master William Palmer. | 4 |
| Master George Smith. | 4 |
| Gleab land. | 2 |
| Master Nicholas Hide. | 1 |
| Sir Lawrence Hide. | 1 |
| Master Thomas Judwyn. | 2 |
| William Earle of Pembrooke. | 10 |
| Master Richard Edwards. | 1 |
| Master Harding. | 1 |
| Master Richard Edwards. | 1 |
| Master Elias Roberts. | 1 |
| Master Richard Edwards. | 1 |
| Master Jacobsons assignes. | 1 |
| Master John Farrar. | 1 |
| Master Nicholas Farrar. | 1 |
| Master Nicholas Farrar. | 1 |
| Master William Canning. | 2 |
| Master Richard Martin. | 2 |
| Master Moris Abbot. | 2 |
| Master Richard Caswell. | 1 |
| Master Richard Caswell. | 2 |
| Master William Caswell. | 1 |
| Master Richard Edwards. | 2 |
| Master Richard Caswell. | 1 |
| Master Richard Edwards. | 1 |
| Master George Sands assignes. | 2 |
| Master William Paine. | 2 |
| Master John Chamberlaine. | 5 |
| Master Thomas Ayres, and | |
| Master Richard Wiseman. | 4 |
| Master Richard Wiseman | 1 |
| William Lord Pagit. | 10 |
| Master William Palmer. | 4 |
| Master Bagnell. | 5 |
| Master John Bale. | 1 |
| Master Wheatley. | 4 |
| Master Christopher Barron. | 4 |
| Master John Wodall. | 1 |
| Master John Wodall. | 1 |
| Master Lewis. | 2 |
| Master Owen Arthors assignes. | 2 |
| Master George Etheridge. | 4 |
| 2 | |
| Sir William Wade. | 1 |
| Master John Bernards heires. | 1 |
| Master Wheatley. | 2 |
| Captaine Daniel Tuckar. | 2 |
| Master William Felgate. | 1 |
| Robert Earle of Warwicke. | 5 |
| Master George Smith. | 5 |
| Master Samuel Tickner. | 2 |
| Master Francis Mevell. | 1 |
| Master Stephen Sparrow. | 1 |
| Master Joseph Man. | 5 |
| Captaine Daniel Tuckar. | 2 |
| Master Elias More. | 1 |
| Doctor. Anthony Hunton | 2 |
| Master Francis Moverill. | 1 |
| Master Richard Poulson | 1 |
| Master Mathew Shephard. | 1 |
| Master George Tuckar. | 10 |
| Master Charles Clitheroe. | 1 |
| Master George Swinow. | 2 |
| Master Richard Tomlings. | 1 |
| Master Francis Meverill. | 1 |
| Master John Waters. | 2 |
| Master Martin Bond. | 2 |
| Captaine Daniel Tuckar. | 4 |
| Master John Britton. | 1 |
| Master Richard Chamberland. | 3 |
| Master Leonard Harwods assignes. | 1 |
| Master John Banks. | 1 |
| Sir Nathanael Rich. | 12 |
| Robert Earle of Warwicke. | 3 |
| || Master Richard More. | 6 |
| Master George Scot. | |
| Master Edward Scot. | 6 |
| Master Anthony Abdy. | |
| Henry Earle of Southampton. | 4 |
| Master Andrew Broumfield. | 2 |
| Master Henry Timbed. | 2 |
| Sir Thomas Hewet. | 2 |
| Master Perce. | 1 |
| Sir Ralph Winwood. | 2 |
| Master George Barcklies heires. | 5 |
| Sir Edwin Sands. | 5 |
| Master Jerom Hidon. | 10 |
| Master Thomas Millin and | |
| Master John Cuffe. | 2 |
| Master Robert Chamberlaine. | 2 |
| Master Abraham Chamberlaine. | 1 |
| Master George Smith. | 2 |
| Master Robert Gore. | 3 |
| Sir Edward Sackvile. | 1 |
| Sir John Dauers. | 1 |
| Master Robert Gore. | 2 |
| Master John Delbridge. | 1 |
| Master John Wroth. | 1 |
| Master John Wests heires. | 4 |
| Master Richard Chamberlaine. | 10 |
Touching the common ground in each Tribe, as also the over-plus,
you may finde that at large in the Booke of Surveyes amongst
their Records.
Now though the Countrey was small, yet they could not conveniently
have beene disposed and well setled, without a true
description and a survey of it; and againe, every man being setled
where he might constantly abide, they knew their businesse, and
fitted their houshold accordingly: then they built no more Cabbens,
but substantiall houses, they cleered their grounds, and planted not
onely such things as would yeeld them their fruits in a few moneths,
but also such as would affoord them profit within a few yeares, so
that in a short time the Countrey began to aspire, and neerely
approach unto that happinesse and prosperitie, wherein now it
flourisheth, etc.
But to follow the History;
upon the best plot of ground couldbe found, the Governor prevailed so much with the generalitie, they
built a faire house of Cedar, which being done, he appropriated it
to himselfe, which occasioned exceeding much distaste. About this
time arrived the Diana with a good supply of men and provision,
and the first Magazin ever seene in those Iles; which course is not
so much commended here, as cursed and abhorred by reason of
enhansements of all the Inhabitants there; six or seven weeks this
ship staied, then having towards her fraught thirtie thousand weight
of Tobacco; which proving good, and comming to a lucky Market,
gave great encouragement to the Adventurers to goe lustily forward
in their Plantation, and without such successe, there is nothing but
grudging and repining. But about the appropriation of this new
built house, many bad discontents grew betwixt the oppressed
Colony and the Governor, especially betwixt him and the Minister,
and Lewes, who would neither be feared with threats nor imprisonment,
that their malice continued till they met in England, of which
the Minister made the cause so plaine, hee very well and honestly it
seemes, discharged himselfe.
Now in those times of these endlesse uncivill broiles, two desperate
men and a proper Gentlewoman got into a Boat, and thinking
to make an escape to Virginia, as appeared by some Letters
they left behinde them were never more heard on.
moneth after the like was attempted by six others, so desirous they
were to be rid of their servitude; but their plot being discovered by
one of their societie, they were apprehended, arraigned, and condemned
to be hanged: the next day being led with halters about
their neckes to the place of execution, one was hanged, and the rest
reprived.
The Diana arriving well in England, for all the infinite numbers
of complaints, the Tobacco did helpe to sweeten all manner of
grievances, yet it bred a distaste in the opinions of so many, they
began to thinke of another Governor; but for that time it was so
qualified by divers of his friends, they dispatched away the Blessing,
which arrived in the Somer Iles. Though their generall Letter was
faire and courteous to the Governor, yet by the report of the Passengers
and divers particular letters from his friends, it was assured
him his cruelty and covetousnesse, for all his paines and industry
was much disliked, nor was he like to enjoy his || house, and that
land he had planted for himselfe, by the extreme oppression of the
Comminalty. This caused so many jelousies to arise in his conceit,
that at last he fully resolved to returne by this ship, that no sooner
set saile from England, then they proceeded to the nomination of a
new Governor. Many were presented according to the affections of
those that were to give in their voices, but it chiefely rested betwixt
one Captaine Southwell, and one Master Nathaniel Butler, where
wee will leave them a while to the consideration of the Court and
Company. Now Captaine Tuckar having instituted Captaine
Kendall one of the six Governors before spoken of for his substitute,
returned with this ship directly for England, as well to excuse
himselfe of those objections he suspected, as to get assured him the
house and land he had alotted for himselfe, lest it might otherwise
be disposed of in his absence.
Collected out of their Records by N. B. and the relations of
Master Pollard, and divers others.
The Government of Captaine Miles Kendall, Deputy for
Captaine Tuckar.
THE unexpected returne of Captaine Tuckar, caused a demurre
in the election of the new Governor; some perswading these oft
changes were so troublesome, dangerous, and chargeable, it were
best to continue Captaine Kendall; others againe stood for Captaine
Tuckar, but during the time of these opinions, the Gilliflower was
dispatched with a supply. Now I should have remembred, Tuckar
was no sooner out of the harbour, but he met Master Elfred in a
to his Deputy Master Kendall, to have a care of all things, and
beware of too much acquaintance with this ship, which hee suspected
was bound for the West-Indies. Notwithstanding, Elfred received
what kindnesse the Ile could afford; he promised to revisit them at
his returne; this done, because they would not be governlesse when
his Deputiship was expired, there was a generall assembly, and by
that Election Kendall was confirmed to succeed still Governor.
Now they began to apply themselves to the finishing some plat-forme
about Smiths Fort, and laying the foundation of a Church to
be built of Cedar, till the Gillyflower arrived with some private letters
to Kendall, how he was elected Governor of those Iles for three
yeeres. During her stay they held their Assises, where for some few
suspected facts three were condemned, and the better to terrific the
rest, led to the place of execution, but reprieved; divers of the rest
had their faults pardoned, and the Gilliflower set saile for New
found land.
The love and kindnesse, honesty and industry of this Captaine
Kendall, hath beene very much commended; by others, somewhat
disliked: but an Angell in those imploiments cannot please all men,
yet this consideration bred much ill bloud as well here as there, so
that the Company directly concluded, Captaine Butler should with
what expedition they could, goe to be their Governor: In the
Interim they tooke the opportunitie of a ship, called the Sea-flower,
bound for Virginia, and by her sent a Preacher
with divers Passengers, and newes of a new Governor. This bred a
great distaste amongst many, that still they should have new
officers and strangers for their Governors they never heard of, and
themselves still kept there whether they would or no, without any
preferment, no nor scarce any of them their inhabiting, to have any
land at all of their owne, but live all as tenants, or as other mens
poore servants.
About this time came in Captaine Kerby with a small Barke
from the West-Indies, who having refreshed himselfe, was very
kindly used by the Governor || and so departed. Not long after a
Dutch Frigot was cast away upon the Westerne shore, yet by the
helpe of the English they saved the men, though the ship perished
amongst the Rocks. A little after one Ensigne Wood
loading of a peece, by thrusting a pike into the concavitie, grating
upon the shot, or somewhat about the powder, strucke fire within
the Sea, though hee was got out by some that stood by him, yet
hee died of those wounds. Within two or three daies after, Captaine
Elfred now comes in a second time: but of that we shall say more
in the government of Captaine Butler, who presently after arrived
with a good supply, and was kindly entertained by Captaine Kendall
and all the Colony.
From a relation of Thomas Sparks, and divers others.
The Government of Captaine Nathaniel Butler.
CAPTAINE Butler being arrived the twentieth of October, 1619.
some mutterings there was how to maintaine their election of
Captaine Kendall, but better remembring themselves, that conceit
quickly dissolved. The next day, Kendall, the Ministers, and the
Counsell went aboord to salute the new Governor, where after they
had dined with the best entertainment he could give them; they
saw the Redout belonging to the Kings Castle by a mischance on
fire, whither he repaired with all the meanes he could to quench it;
but all the platforme and cariages were consumed before their faces,
and they could not helpe it. Two daies after he went up to the
Towne, had his Commission publikely read, made a short speech
to the Company, and so tooke upon him the government. Then
presently he began to repaire the most necessary defects: The next
moneth came in the Garland, sent from England six or seven weekes
before him; so that being seventeene weeks in her voyage, it was
so tedious and grievous to divers of the Fresh-water Passengers, that
such a sicknesse bred amongst them, many died as well Sailers as
Passengers. Having taken the best order he could for their releefe,
passed through all the Tribes, and held his first Assise in Captaine
Tuckars house at the over-plus. Towards the last of this moneth of
November there arose a most terrible storme or Hericano, that blew
up many great trees by the roots: the Warwick that brought the
Governor was cast away, but the Garland rid by her, saved her
selfe by cutting downe her Masts; and not long after a second
storme, no lesse violent then the first, wherein the Mount which was
out to Sea, was blowne up by the roots, and all that Winter crop of
corne blasted: And thus was the new Governor welcomed.
With the beginning of the new yeere he began his first peece of
fortification, upon a Rocke which flankers the Kings Castle, and
finding the ship called the Treasurer starke rotten and unserviceable,
hee tooke nine peeces of Ordinance from her to serve other uses.
The Garland for want of meanes, could not make her voiage to
Virginia as she was appointed; wherefore he entertained her to
returne to England, with all the Tabacco they had in the Ile. It was
January
to have beene twice cast away. But those strange and unavoidable
mischances, rather seemed to quicken the Governors industry then
to dull it. Having finished the Church begun by Captaine Kendall,
with an infinite toile and labour he got three peeces out of the
wracke Warwicke. Having an excellent Dutch Carpinter he entertained
of them that were cast away in the Dutch Frigot; he imploied
him in building of Boats, whereof they were in exceeding great
want. In February they discovered a tall ship beating too and
againe, as it seemed by her working, being ignorant of the Coast;
some thought her a Spaniard to view their Forts, which stand most
to || that part she so neerely approached; some, English; but the
most, some Dutch man of Warre: The wind blew so high, they
durst not send out a Boat, though they much doubted she would be
foule of their Rocks, but at last she bore up rommy for the Sea, and
we heard of her no more. That evening, a lucky fellow it should
seeme he was, that found a peece of Amber-greece of eight ounces,
as he had twice before, which bringing to the Governor, he had
ready money for the one halfe, after three pound an ounce, according
to their order of Court, to encourage others to looke out for more,
and prevent the mischiefe insueth by concealing of it.
Within a few daies after, they descried two Frigots that came
close to the shore, and sent a Letter to the Governor, writ in Italian,
that they were Hollanders had beene in the West-Indies, and desired
but to arrive, refresh themselves with wood and water, and so be
gone. The Governor forthwith sent them to understand, that being
there under his Majestie of England to command those Iles,
to carrie himselfe a friend to his friends, and an enemy to his enemies;
if therefore he could shew a lawfull Commission for his being honestly
and nobly emploied, he and his should be kindly welcome, otherwise
they were to adventure at their perills. But his Commission was so
good, he staied there two moneths, and was so well fitted with Oile
Scoutans arrivall, with many thanks to their old friend Captaine
Powell that had conducted him thither: the Colony being exceedingly
in great want and distresse, bought the most part of it at reasonable
rates, so Captaine Scoutan returned to the West-Indies, and
Captaine Powell for his part in the Low-Countries. Whilest these
things were in action, the Adventurers in England made many a
long looke for their ships; at last the Garland brought them all the
newes, but the Tobacco was so spoiled either in the leaking ship, or
the making up, it caused a great suspicion there could none was
good come from those Iles; where (were they but perfit in the cure)
questionlesse it would be much better then a great quantitie of that
they sell for Verinas, and many a thousand of it in London hath
beene bought and sold by that title.
The Governor being cleere of those distractions, falls upon the
restoring of the burnt Redoubt, where he cuts out a large new
plat-forme, and mounts seven great peece of Ordnance upon new
cariages of Cedar. Now amongst all those troubles, it was not the
least to bring the two Ministers to subscribe to the Booke of Common
Praier, which all the Bishops in England could not doe. Finding it
high time to attempt some conformitie, bethought himselfe of the
Liturgie of Garnsey and Jarse,
much stumbled at, were omitted. No sooner was this propounded,
but it was gladly imbraced by them both, whereupon the Governor
translated it verbatim out of French into English, and caused the
eldest Minister upon Easter day to begin the use thereof at St.
Georges towne, where himselfe, most of the Councell, Officers and
Auditorie received the Sacrament: the which forme they continued
during the time of his government.
Much about this time, in such a faire morning, that had invited
many Boats farre out to the Sea to fish, did rise such a Hericano
that much indangered them all, so that one of them with two
Boies were driven to Sea and never more heard of.
thus agreed, a Proclamation was published for keeping of the
Sabbath, and all the defective cariages he endevoured to have
be ready upon any occasion to discover any shipping, and tooke
order every Fort should have the like: Also caused numbers of
Cedars to be brought from divers places in flotes, to rebuild the
Mount, which with an unspeakable toile, was raised seven foot
higher then before, and a Falcon mounted at the foot, to be alwaies
discharged for a warning to all the Forts upon the discovery of any
shipping, and this he called Rich Mount. This exceeding toile and
labour, having no Cattle but onely mens || strengths, caused many
petitions to the Governour, that all those generall works might
cease till they had reaped their harvests, in that they were in great
distresse for victuall; which hee so well answered, their owne
shames did cause them desist from that importunity, and voluntarily
performe as much as hee required.
Finding accidentally a little crosse erected in a by place,
amongst a many of bushes, understanding there was buried the
heart and intrailes of Sir George Summers, hee resolved to have a
better memory for so worthy a Souldier, then that. So finding also a
great Marble stone brought out of England, hee caused it by
Masons to bee wrought handsomely and laid over the place, which
hee invironed with a square wall of hewen stone, Tombe like;
wherein hee caused to bee graven this Epitaph he had composed,
and fixed it upon the Marble stone; and thus it was,
Noble Sir George Summers went hence to heaven;
Whose well tri'd worth that held him still imploid,
Gave him the knowledge of the world so wide.
Hence 't was by heavens decree, that to this place
He brought new guests, and name to mutuall grace.
At last his soule and body being to part,
He here bequeath'd his entrails and his heart.
Upon the sixt of June
began the second Assise, that reducedthem to the direct forme used in England. For besides the Governour
and Councell, they have the Bailiffes of the Tribes, in nature of the
Deputy Lieutenants of the shires in England, for to them are all
precepts and warrants directed, and accordingly answered and
respected; they performe also the duties of Justices of Peace, within
their limits. The subordinate Officers to these in every tribe, are the
Constables, Head-borowes, and Church-wardens; these are the triers
of the Tobacco, which if they allow not to be marchantable, is burnt:
and these are the executioners of their civill and politicke causes.
For points of warre and martiall affaires, they have the Governour
for Lieutenant generall, the Sergeant major, Master of Ordinance,
Captaines of Companies, Captaines of Forts, with their
severall officers, to traine and exercise those numbers under their
charge, in martiall discipline.
Concerning their Courts for decision of right and justice, the
first, though last in constitution, is their generall assembly; allowed
by the state in England, in the nature of a Parliament, consisting of
about forty persons; viz. the Governour, the Counsell, the Bailiffes
of the tribes, and two Burgesses of each tribe chosen by voyces in
the tribe, besides such of the Clergie as the Governour thinkes most
fit, to be held once a yeere, as you shal heare more thereof hereafter.
The next Court is the Assise or Jayles of deliverie,
yeere, in Christmas, and Whitson weeke, for all criminall offenders,
and civill causes betwixt party and party; as actions of debt,
trespasse, battery, slander, and the like: and these are determined
by a Jury of twelve men, and above them is also a grand Jury to
examine matters of greater consequence. The last day of the Assise
might also well be held a Court, for hearing the trangressions in
matters of contempt, mis-behaviour towards any Magistrate, riots,
seditious speakers, contemners of warrants, and such like: there are
also as occasion shall require, many matters heard by the Governor,
or his Officers, and oft justice done in severall places, but those are
but as daies of hearing, and as preparatives against their Courts, etc.
At this last Assize eighteene were arrained for criminall causes,
a number very extraordinary considering the place; but now occasioned
by reason of the hard yeere, and the store of ill chosen new
commers; of these, some were censured to the whipping post, some
burned in the hand,
was reprieved, the other hanged; this done, every man returned to
his home: many trials they made againe about the Warwicke, but to
small pur- || pose, her Ordnance being lashed so fast they could not
be unloosed, till the ropes and decks were rotten, yet some few
buttes of beare being flote they got, which though it had lien six
moneths under water was very good, notwithstanding the next
yeere they recovered five peeces of Ordnance.
Upon the first of August, according to the Companies instructions
from England, began the generall assembly at the towne of
Saint George, which was the first these Iles ever had; consisting as
is said, of the Governour, Councell, Bailiffes, and Burgesses, and a
Secretarie to whom all bils were presented, and by him openly read
in the house, also a Clerke to record the Acts, being thirty two in all;
consent received and enacted, the titles whereof are these following:
as for all the reasons for them, they would be too tedious to recite.
The first was against the unjust sale and letting of apprentises
and other servants, and this was especially for the righting the
undertakers in England. The second, concerning the disposing of
aged, diseased, and impotent persons, for it being considered how
carelesse many are in preferring their friends, or sending sometimes
any they can procure to goe, such unserviceable people should be
returned back at their charge that sent them, rather then be
burdensome to the poore Inhabitants in the Iles. The third, the
necessary manning the Kings Castle, being the key of the Ile, that
a garison of twelve able men should bee there alwaies resident: and
3000. eares of corne, and 1000. pounds of Tobacco payed them by
the generality yeerely, as a pension. The fourth, against the making
unmarchantable Tobacco, and Officers sworne to make true trials,
and burne that was naught. The fift, injoyned the erection of
certaine publike bridges, and the maintenance of them. The sixt,
for a continuall supply of victuall for all the Forts, to bee preserved,
till some great occasion to use it. The seventh was, for two fixed
dayes every yeere for the Assises. The eight, commands the making
of high-waies, and prohibiting the passage over mens grounds and
planted fields, as well to prevent the spoyling of gardens, as conveniencie
to answer any alarum. The ninth, for the preserving young
tortoises and birds, that were carelesly destroyed. The tenth,
provided against vagabonds, and prohibited the entertainement
other mens servants. The eleventh, compelled the setting of a due
quantity of corne for every family. The twelfth, the care corne being
set, enjoyned the keeping up of their poultry till it was past their
reaches. The thirteenth, for the preservation of sufficient fences, and
against the felling of marked trees appointed for bounds. The
fourteenth, granted to a levy for a thousand pound weight of
Tobacco, towards the payment of publike workes, as the bridges
and the mount. The fifteenth, for the enjoyning an acknowledgement
and acception of all resident Governours, and the warranting him to
continue, though his time be expired, till the arrivall of a legitimate
successor from England, to prevent all unmeet and presumptuous
elections, besides it was desired by petition in England, the new
Governour should live two months as a private man after his
arrivall, if his predecessor did stay so long, the better to learne and
applied as you may perceive: which the lawes of England could not
take notice of, because every climate hath somewhat to it selfe in
that kinde in particular; for otherwise as it is conceived, 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
judgement and justice alwaies provided for.
No sooner was this businesse over, but the Magazin ship is
discovered, and that night came into the Harbour, but in a very
weake and sickly case, having cast over 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 dismaid,
that the Master confessed, had they stayed at the Sea but a weeke
longer, they had all perished. There arrived with this ship divers
Gentlemen of good fashion, with their wives and families; but many
of them crasie by the tediousnesse of the voy- || age: howsoever most
of them, by the excellent salubrity of the aire, then which the world
hath not a better, soone after recovered; 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 bodies are more or
lesse corrupted. By this ship the Company sent a supply of ten
persons for the generality, but of such bad condition that it seemed
they had picked the Males out of Newgate, the Females from
Bridewell: As the Governour found it his best course, to grant out
the women to such as were so greedy of wives, and would needs
have them for better for worse; and the men hee placed in the Kings
Castle for souldiers. But this bad, weake, sickly supply being dispersed
for their best reliefe, by the much imployment of his boats in
remooving them, many of his owne men became infected, so that for
some weekes, they were not able to doe him any service at all.
Strict instructions also they brought for the planting of Sugar canes,
for which the Iland being rockie and dry, is so unproper, that few
as yet have beene seene to prosper: yet there are others hold the
contrary opinion, that there is raine so ordinarily, the Iles are so
moist, as produceth all their plants in such infinit abundance: there
is no great reason to suspect this, were it rightly used, more then
the rest. Seventy thousand weight of Tobacco being prepared
towards her fraught, she returned for England. No sooner was shee
gone then came in another, sent by the Company and generality,
well conditioned, but shee failed not much to have beene cast away
amongst those dangerous and terrible rocks; by her came also expresse
sent from the Company: this caused much grudging, and indeed a
generall distraction and exclamation among the Inhabitants, to be
thus constrained to buy what they wanted, and sell what they had
at what price the Magazin pleased, and to debarre true men from
comming to them for trade or reliefe, that were daily received in all
the harbours in England. So long this ship stayed going for fraught
and wages, the Master not caring how long he lay at that rate in a
good harbour, the Governour was ready to send her away by
Proclamation. Thus ended the first yeere of the government of
Captaine Butler.
With the first of the second yeere were held the Assises, where
all the Bailiffes were fined for not giving a beginning to the building
of the bridges; there was also an order to restraine the excessive
wages all handicrafts men would have: and that the Church-wardens
should meet twice a yeere, to have all their 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 towne thus cleered, he made certaine new carriages for
some demy Culverings, and a large new storehouse of Cedar for the
yeerely Magazines goods; finished Warwicks Fort begun by Master
More, and made a new platforme at Pagits 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 more then an hundred, or an hundred and twenty foot in
length,
and accomplished, so that man or beast with facility might passe
them.
At Whitsonday was held the fourth generall Assise at Saint
Georges, where were tryed twenty severall causes; foure or five were
whipped or burnt in the hand, for breaking of houses: also an order
was made, that the party cast
to every of the Jurours foure pence: moreover, that not past ten
leaves at the most should grow upon a plant of Tobacco, and that
also in the making it up, a distinction should diligently be observed
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
repaired what defects they could finde in the platformes and
carriages.
Captaine Powell so oft mentioned, having beene in the West
their Ordnance, desiring admittance for wood and water, of which
hee had great need, but the Governor || 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 inhibition, till they were weary with exclaming:
But still for their better defence, not thinking themselves
sufficiently secure, having finished two new plat-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 report of much complaint made against the
Governor to the Company in England, by some of them returned
in the last yeeres shipping: but it was eight daies before she could
get in by reason of ill weather, being forced againe to Sea; so that
time, they kept every night continually great fires, she might see the
Ile as well by night as day; but at last she arrived, and he plainly
understood, he had more cause a great deale to looke for misconstruction
of all his service then an acknowledgment, much lesse a
recompence any better then his predecessors; but it is no new thing
to requite the best desert with the most vildest of ingratitude.
The very next daies night after the arrivall of the Magazins
ship, newes was brought the Governor by a dismaied Messenger
from Sands his Tribe, that one hundred Spaniards were landed in
that part, and divers ships discovered 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,
in stead of an enemy 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;
Magazin ship, lost theirs upon those terrible Rocks, being to
the number of seventy persons, were strangely preserved; 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 treasure they
could, leaving the Captaine, the Master, and all the rest to the mercy
of the Sea. But a Boy not past foureteene yeares of age that leaped
after to have got into the Boat, missing that hope, it pleased God he
got upon a Chest a drift by him, whereon they report he continued
two daies, and was driven neere to the cleane contrary part of the
night the ship sticking fast, the poore distressed in her the next day
spying land, made a raft, and were those gave the alarum first a
shore about three of the clocke in the after noone. The morning
after, about seven of the clocke came in the Boat to a place called
Mangrove Bay; and the same day their Carpenter was driven a shore
upon a Planke neere Hog Bay. There was a Gentlewoman that had
stood wet up to the middle upon the raft from the ship to the shore,
being big with childe; and although this was upon the thirteenth of
September, she tooke no hurt, and was safely delivered of a Boy
within three daies after. The best comfort could be given them in
those extremities they had, although some of the baser sort had beene
rifling some of them before the Governors arrivall: Also the Spanish
Captaine and the chiefe with him, much complained of the treachery
of his men to leave him in that manner, yet had conveyed 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 recovered to the value of one hundred and fortie pounds
starling, which he delivered into the Captaines hands, to be imploied
in a generall purse towards their 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 for their passage, for which they
paied no more then the English paied themselves; and for the
passage of divers of them, the Governor 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
preserved, releeved, and delivered.
In the moneth insuing arrived the second ship, and she also had
lost her Master, and divers of her Passengers; in her came two
Virginian Women to be married to some would have them, that after
they were converted and had children, they might be sent to their
Countrey and kindred to civilize them.
moneth came in the third ship with a small Magazin, having sold
what she could, caried the rest to Virginia, and never did any of those
Passengers complaine either of their good diet, or too good usage at
sea; but the cleane contrary still occasioned many of those extremities.
The fift of November the damnable plot of the powder treason
the Governor invited the chiefe of the Spaniards, where drinking the
Kings health, it was honored with a quicke volly 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 expresse their thankfulnesse at their departure,
made a deed of gift to the Governor of whatsoever he could recover
of the wracked ship; but the ships as they went out came so dangerously
upon a Rock, that the poore Spaniards were so dismaied,
swearing this place was ominous unto them, especially the women,
that desired rather to goe a shore and die howsoever, than adventure
any further in such a labyrinth of dangers, but at last she got cleere
without danger, and well to England; the other went to Virginia,
wherein the Governor sent two great Chests filled with all such kinds
and sorts of Fruits and Plants as their Ilands had; as Figs, Pomgranats,
Oranges, Lemons, Sugar-canes, Plantanes, Potatoes, Papawes,
Cassado
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
ruine, for never had ship a more sudden death, being now split in
peeces all under water. He found small hope to recover any thing,
save a Cable and an Anchor, and two good Sacars; but the wind was
so high hee 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 Carthagena, the most of his men slaine or
hanged, and he being wounded, died in the woods. Now their Pilot
being at this service, got thus those three Murderers to their ship, and
their ship thus to the Bermudas, as the Spaniards remaining related
to the Governor and others.
Having raised three small Bulwarkes at Southhamptons Fort,
with two Curtaines, and two Ravilings,
true absolute peece of fortification in the Iles; Christmas being come,
and the prefixed day of the Assise; divers were whipped and burnt in
the hand, onely three young boyes for stealing were condemned, and
at the very point of hanging reprived. The Governour then sent his
Lieutenant all over the maine to distribute Armes to those were
found most fit to use them, and to give order for their randezvous,
pretty secret to be discovered to preserve their corne from the fly,
or weavell, which did in a manner as much hurt as the rats. For the
yeere before having made a Proclamation that all Corne should be
gathered by a certaine day, because many lazy persons ranne so
after the ships to get Beere and Aquavitæ, for which they will give
any thing they have, much had beene lost for want of gathering.
This yeare having a very faire crop, some of the Inhabitants, none
of the best husbands, hastily gathered it for feare of the penaltie,
threw it in great heaps into their houses unhusked, and so let it lie
foure or five moneths, which was thought would have spoiled it:
where the good husbands husked it, and with much labour hung it
up, where the Flies did so blow on it, they increased to so many
Weavels, they generally || complained of great losse; but those good
fellowes that never cared but from hand to mouth, made their boasts,
that not a graine of theirs had beene touched nor hurt, there being
no better way to preserve it then by letting it lie in its huske, and
spare an infinite labour formerly had beene used. There were also
very luckily about this time found out divers places 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 Virginia a small Barke with many thanks for the presents
sent them; much Aquavitæ, Oile, Sacke and Bricks they brought
in exchange of more Fruits and Plants, Ducks, Turkies and Limestone,
of which she had plenty, and so returned. During 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 provided; 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 much skill that way, but having
fraughted his ship with Limestone, with 20000. weight of Potatoes,
and such things as he desired, returned for Virginia.
Aprill and May were spent in building a strong new Prison,
and perfecting some of the Fortifications, and by the labour of
twenty men in fourteene daies was got from the Spanish wracke foure
excellent good Sacres, and mounted them at the Forts. Then began
the generall Assize, where not fewer then fifty civill, or rather uncivill
actions were handled, and twenty criminall prisoners brought
Plantation, that he thought himselfe happy his time was so neere
expired: three of the foulest acts were these: the first for the rape of
a married woman, which was acquitted by a senselesse Jury; the
second for buggering a Sow, and the third for Sodomy with a boy,
for which they were hanged; during the time of the imprisonment of
this Buggerer of the Sow, a Dung-hill Cocke belonging to the same
man did continually haunt a Pigge of his also, and to the wonder of
all them that saw it who were many, did so frequently tread the
Pigge as if it had beene one of his Hens, that the Pigge languished and
died within a while after, and then the Cocke resorted to the very same
Sow (that this fellow was accused for) in the very same manner; and
as an addition to all this, about the same time two Chickens were
hatched, the one whereof had two heads, the other crowed very loud
and lustily within twelve houres after it was out of the shell. A
desperate fellow being to bee arraigned for stealing a Turky, rather
then he would endure his triall, secretly conveighed himselfe to Sea
in a little Boat, and never since was ever heard of, nor is he ever
like to be, without an exceeding wonder, little lesse then a miracle. In
June they made another triall about the Spanish wracke, 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 two excellent
Divers, the Governour went himselfe to the wracke Warwick, but they
could recover but one Murderer, from thence he went to the Sea-
adventure, the wracke of Sir George Summers, the hull though two
or three fathomes in the water, they found unperished and with
much a doe weighed a Sacre, her sheat Anchor, divers barres of
Iron and pigs of Lead, which stood the Plantation in very great
stead. Towards the end of July he went to seeke for a wracke they
reported lay under water with her hatches spiked up, but they could
not finde her, but from the Spanish 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 above all the rest they got about 120. small
Pearle, but somewhat defective in their colour.
The time of Captain Butlers government drawing neere an end,
the Colony presented unto him divers grievances, to intreat him to
also they appointed two to be joyned 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 thousand and five hundred people, dispersed in length
twenty miles, they had at that present but one Minister, nor never
had but two, and they so shortned of their promises, that but onely
for meere pity they would have forsaken them. Secondly, neglected
in the safety of their lives by wants of all sorts of munition. Thirdly,
they had beene censured contrary to his Majesties Lawes, and not
allowed them the benefit of their booke as they are in England, but
by Captaine Butler. Fourthly, they were frustrated of many of their
covenants, and most extremely pinched and undone 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 fatherlesse children are left in
little better condition then slaves, 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 Governour, for which he was
condemned to lose his eares, yet he was used so favourably he lost
but the part of one in all.
By this time it being growne past the wonted season of the
comming in of ships from England, after a generall longing and
expectation, especially of the Governour, whose Commission being
neere upon expiration, gave 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 discovered, and long it was not before
shee arrived in the Kings Castle-Harbour: this Barke was set out by
two or three private men of the Company, and having landed her
supplies, was to goe for Virginia; by her the Governour received
certaine advertisements of the carriage and behaviour of the Spaniards,
which he had relieved as you have 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
and impudency, and being assured of the choice of a
successor that was to be expected within five or six weekes; hee was
desirous to take the opportunity of this Barke, and to visit the Colony
in Virginia in his returne for England: leaving the government to
Captaine Felgat, Captaine Stokes, Master Lewis Hewes, Master
Nedom and Master Ginner. But now his time being fully expired,
and the fortifications finished, viz. The Kings Castle wherein were
mounted upon sufficient Platformes sixteene peece of Ordnances: In
Charles Fort two; In Southampton Fort five, betwixt which and the
Castle passeth the Chanell into the Harbour, secured by three and
twenty peeces of good artillery to play upon it. In Cowpers Ile is
Pembrocks Fort, where is two Peeces. The Chanell of Saint George
is guarded by Smiths Fort, and Pagits Fort, in which is eleven 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 Governours house eight more,
besides the warning Peece by the mount, and three in Saint
Katharines; so that in all there are ten Fortresses and two and fifty
peeces of Ordnance sufficient and serviceable: their formes and
situations you may see more plainlier described in the Map; and to
defend those, he left one thousand five hundred persons with neere
a hundred boats, and the Ile well replenished with store of such
fruits, provisions and Poultry, as is formerly related; yet for so
departing and other occasions, much difference hath beene betwixt
him and some of the Company, as any of his Predecessors, which I
rather wish were reconciled, then to be a reporter of such unprofitable
dissentions.
For
Till envy and ambition, and backbiting be none,
Till perjury and idlenesse, and injury be out,
And truly till that villany the worst of all that rout;
Unlesse those vises banisht be, what ever Forts you have,
A hundred walls together put will not have power to save.
Master John Barnard sent to be Governour.
To supply this place was sent by the noble adventurers John
Bernard, a Gentleman both of good meanes and quality, who
arrived 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 provisions sufficient. During the time of his life
which was but six weekes in reforming all things he found defective,
he shewed himselfe so judiciall and industrious as gave great satisfaction,
and did generally promise vice was in great danger to be
suppressed, and vertue and the Plantation much advanced; but so
it hapned that both he and his wife died in such short time they
were both buried in one day and one grave, and Master John
Harrison chosen Governour till further order came from England.
What hapned in the government of Master John Harrison.
THEY are still much troubled with a great short worme that
devours their Plants in the night, but all the day they lie hid in
the ground, and though early in the morning they kill so many, they
would thinke there were no more, yet 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, and doe much hurt; besides all this, there
hapned this yeere a very heavy disaster, for a ship wherein there had
beene much swearing and blaspheming used all the voyage, and
landed what she had to leave in those Iles, jovially froliking in their
Cups and Tobacco, by accident fired the Powder, that at the very
instant blew up the great Cabin, and some one way and some
another, it is a wonder to thinke how they could bee so blowne out
of the gun-roome into the Sea, where some were taken up living,
so pitifully burned, their lives were worse then so many deaths,
some died, some lived, but eighteene were lost at this fatall blast, the
ship also immediatly sunke with threescore barrels of meale sent for
Virginia, and all the other provision in her was thus lost.
Now to consider how the Spaniards, French, and Dutch, have
beene lost and preserved in those invincible Iles, yet never regarded
them but as monuments of miseries, though at this present they all
desire them; How Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Summers
abundance of victuall they found, how it was first planted by the
English, the strange increase of Rats, and their sudden departure,
the five men came for England in a boat, the escape of Hilliard, and
the rest of those accidents there hapned, a man would thinke it a
tabernacle 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 upon the highest altars
of sorrow, thus to be set upon the highest Pinacles of content,
and presently throwne downe to the lowest degree of extremity, as
you see have beene the yeerely succeedings of those Plantations; the
which to overcome, as it is an incomparable honour, so it can be no
dishonour if a man doe miscarry by unfortunate accidents in such
honourable actions, the which renowne and vertue to attaine hath
|| caused so many attempts by divers Nations besides ours, even to
passe through the very amazement of adventures. Upon the relation
of this newes the Company hath sent one Captaine Woodhouse,
a Gentleman of good repute and great experience in the warres,
and no lesse provident then industrious and valiant: then returned
report, all goeth well there. It is too true, in the absence of the noble
Treasurer, Sir Edward Sackvill, now Earle of Dorset, there have
beene such complaints betwixt the Planters and the Company, that
by command the Lords appointed Sir Thomas Smith againe
Treasurer, that since then according to their order of Court he is
also elected, where now we must leave them all to their good fortune
and successe, till we heare further of their fortunate proceedings.
To his friend Captaine Smith, upon his
description of New-England.
Ther's reason I should honour them and you:
I dare to censure thus: Your Project's good;
And may (if follow'd) doubtlesse quit the paine,
With honour, pleasure and a trebble gaine;
Beside the benefit that shall arise
To make more happy our Posterities.
For would we daigne to spare, though 'twere no more
Then what ore-fils, and surfets us in store,
To order Nature's fruitfulnesse a while
In that rude Garden, you New-England stile;
With present good, ther's hope in after-daies
Thence to repaire what Time and Pride decaies
In this rich Kingdome. And the spacious West
Being still more with English bloud possest,
The proud Iberians shall not rule those Seas,
To checke our ships from sailing where they please;
Nor future times make any forraine power
Become so great to force a bound to Our.
Much good my minde foretels would follow hence
With little labour, and with lesse expence.
Thrive therefore thy Designe, who ereenvy:
England may joy in England's Colony,
Virginia seeke her Virgin sisters good,
Be blessed in such happy neighbourhood:
Or, whatsoere Fate pleaseth to permit,
Be thou still honour'd for first moving it.
To that worthy and generous Gentleman,
my very good friend, Captaine Smith.
May be eternized with living fame:
Though foule Detraction Honour would pervert,
And Envie ever waits upon desert:
|| In spight of Pelias, when his hate lies cold,
Returne as Jason with a fleece of gold.
Then after-ages shall record thy praise,
That a New-England to this Ile didst raise:
And when thou di'st (as all that live must die)
Thy fame live here; thou, with Eternity.
To his worthy Captaine, the Author.
In bloudy wars, where thousands have beene slaine.
Then give me leave in this some part to beare;
And as thy servant, here to reade my name.
Tis true, long time thou hast my Captaine beene
In the fierce warres of Transilvania:
Long erethat thou America hadst seene,
Or led wast captiv'd in Virginia;
Thou that to passe the worlds foure parts dost deeme
No more, then t'were to goe to bed, or drinke,
And all thou yet hast done, thou dost esteeme
As nothing. This doth cause me thinke
That thou I'ave seene so oft approv'd in dangers,
(And thrice captiv'd, thy valour still hath freed)
Art yet preserved, to convert those strangers:
By God thy guide I trust it is decreed.
For me: I not commend but much admire
Thy England yet unknowne to passers by-her.
For it will praise it selfe in spight of me;
Thou it, it thou, to all posterity.
To my honest Captaine, the Author.
But shall be censur'd and traduc't by some!
This worthy Worke, which thou hast bought so deare,
Ne thou, nor it, Detractors need to feare.
Thy words by deeds so long thou hast approv'd,
Of thousands know thee not thou art belov'd.
And this great Plot will make thee ten times more
Knowne and belov'd, than erethou wert before.
I never knew a Warrier yet, but thee,
From wine, Tobacco, debts, dice, oaths, so free.
I call thee Warrier: and I make the bolder;
For, many a Captaine now, was never Souldier.
Some such may swell at this: but (to their praise)
When they have done like thee, my Muse shall raise
Their due deserts to Worthies yet to come,
To live like thine (admir'd) till day of Doome.
Your true friend, sometimes your souldier,
Tho. Carlton.
1. For Bk. V, Smith drew heavily on the writings of Nathaniel Butler, governor of
Bermuda, 1619-1622, and Richard Norwood, colonist and surveyor, 1613-1617 and
1637-1675 (see the Biographical Directory). Butler's MS "Historye of the Bermudaes or
Summer Islands" (Sloane MS 750, B.L.) was edited by General Sir J. Henry Lefroy,
Hakluyt Society, 1st Ser., LXV (London, 1882); hereafter cited as Butler, Bermudaes.
Norwood's primary work, "A Plott or Mappe of Bermudas or the summer Islands made
by Richard Norwood," was entered in the Stationers' Register, Jan. 19, 1621/22 (E.
Arber, ed., A Transcript of the Registers of the Company of Stationers of London, 1554-1640
A.D. ... [London, 1875-1877], IV, 63), but no copy is known to exist today. A contemporary
MS copy now owned by the John Carter Brown Library, Providence, R.I., has
the title "Insularum de la Bermuda detectio" and has been printed in full in Champlin
Burrage, ed., John Pory's Lost Description of Plymouth Colony ... (Boston and New York,
1918), 3-31; hereafter cited as Norwood, Bermuda. In 1625, however, Purchas reprinted
a portion of the 1622 "lost edition," with some minor variants from the surviving MS
copy (Pilgrimes, IV, 1796-1800). Because of its broader availability, the Purchas version
is also referred to in the following notes.
Apart from Butler and Norwood, Smith either stands alone or, on occasion, is supported
by documents printed in Lefroy, comp., Memorials of the Discovery and Early Settlement of the
Bermudas or Somers Islands, 1515-1685 (London, 1877), and other contemporary sources
mentioned in the notes below.
4. Smith borrowed the aphorism, without credit, from Purchas, Pilgrimage (1613),
44: "Geographie without Historie seemeth a carkasse without life and motion: Historie
without Geographic moveth, but in moving wandreth as a vagrant, without certaine
habitation."
1. "Caves full of obstructions," the clause being Smith's addition. The descriptive
paragraphs that follow have been drawn on by poets such as Andrew Marvell and Edmund
Waller.
2. "No doubt the Castor-oil Plant, Ricinus communis" (Lefroy, Memorials, I, 329).
Much more likely, however, would be identification with "pokeweed," a plant of the
genus Phytolacca.
2. Also spelled "cohow, cohoo"; Puffianus obscurus. The identity of the "egge-bird"
is uncertain.
3. Norwood had surveyed Bermuda and returned to England in the summer of 1617,
where he remained at least until the end of 1638, except for a brief visit to Virginia in the
spring of 1623 (see The Journal of Richard Norwood, with intro. by Wesley Frank Craven and
Walter B. Hayward [New York, 1945], xi-xii, xxxi, xl). During that time it is not improbable
that he and Smith exchanged courtesies and that both of them saw Butler.
1. Butler elucidates: "Another smale birde ther is, the which, by some ale-hanters
[haunters of ale-houses] of London sent over hether, hath bin termed the pimplicoe, for so
they imagine (and a little resemblance putts them in mind of a place so dearely beloved),
her note articulates" (Bermudaes, 4). Pimlico was a popular pleasure resort at Hoxton,
north of London, famed for its ale. (In the 1840s in far-off Australia another bird was
so named for the same reason.)
2. "Cucaracha." Borrowing from Butler, Smith introduced the word from which
"cockroach" was derived.
1. The earliest mention of rock-fish in print is surely in Silvester Jourdain, A Discovery
of the Bermudas ... (London, 1610), 12; the word is not recorded in the OED. Below, "brussels"
is either a variant spelling of dialectal "brustle," or a misprint for "brissel," a variant
of "bristle." Butler has "prickles" (Bermudaes, 7).
2. Butler inserts "only" here; below, Smith inserts the flying-fish and "morerayes,"
thereby introducing "morays" in a curious phonetic form. The porgies (paugies) and
cavallos were definitely American, with names adapted from Spanish forms.
3. The following peroration, if not borrowed from Thomas Sparkes (see n. 1, below),
is surely Smith's.
5. This puzzling statement is clarified in a long passage just before the end of Bk. V
(pp. 200-201, below).
1. Sparkes is known in the annals of Bermuda only as a name. "Norrod" is a
"phonetic" spelling of Norwood.
2. Smith's basic source for this passage is "A Briefe Note of a Voyage to the East
Indies" (Hakluyt, Principal Navigations, III, 571-574).
4. "Wine of height" was a former perquisite of seamen on getting safely up or down
to a particular latitude.
1. Smith's word, in place of the original "did plaister"; from Spanish pegar, "stick,
smear" (see the Sea Grammar, 13).
2. This sentence was added from Butler, Bermudaes, and is corrupt. Presumably Smith
referred to palmito tops (or cabbages) for bread and palmito berries to eat as berries. The
words are Butler's but the sequence is not.
1. The only surviving text drawn on by Smith for this section is Jourdain's Discovery
(p. 172n), which appeared anonymously in a 2d ed. in 1613, under the title A Plaine
Description of the Barmudas ..., with a 21-page "Addition" and some trifling changes in the
original text. Henry Shelly is mentioned in surviving records, as is a "Master Ewens,"
but nothing further is known about them. There is little if anything to hint that Smith used
Strachey's "Reportory" here, so the additional details may have come from Shelly
and Euens (or Evens?). See the Biographical Directory, s.v. Strachey, William; and p.
106n, above.
4. "Leake" is an obsolete parallel form of "leaky," used by Smith and others.
Below, "tire" and "ballace" are variant forms of "tier" and "ballast." "Bar[r]icos"
(for "kegs") is another borrowing from Spanish.
1. Jourdain says half a mile (Discovery, 7). This was on the N shore of St. George's
Island, near Fort Katherine, at Sea-Venture Flats (Butler, Bermudaes, 107n).
2. Henry Ravens had been ship's master for Christopher Newport as early as 1594
(see Barbour, Jamestown Voyages, I, 58n).
3. This passage is from Butler, who adds parenthetically, "a qualetye over common
to the English" (Bermudaes, 14).
1. A far more prolix account is to be found in Strachey's "Reportory" (Purchas,
Pilgrimes, IV, 1743-1746). There is confusion about Edward Waters. Strachey has it
Robert Waters (ibid., 1746), and Butler has Robert Walters (Bermudaes, 14-15). Cf. Smith's
earlier account, pp. 153-154, above, and p. 187, below. Modern secondary sources usually
overlook Butler's account.
2. This account is cut too short to be easily understood. Namontack was sent to
England while Smith was president of the council in Virginia, after the narration on
p. 70 above (anno 1608) and before Hamor's story on p. 115. The details seem not to be
found elsewhere.
4. This account is based on the Proceedings, 108, which shows that "the North parts
of Virginia" refers to "the coast of Sagadahock [Maine]." Smith has added other details
here.
3. Here in the obsolete sense of "setting in order." Butler has "cleareinge of some
ground" (ibid., 18).
1. "Sword-dancer"; from Spanish or Italian, from Arabic. The passage is from
Butler (ibit., 19) and was almost certainly inspired by Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia: "... who
ever sawe a matachin daunce to imitate fighting, this was a fight that did imitate the
matachin: for they being but three that fought, every one had adversaries..." (Bk. I,
74v [London, 1590]; facsimile with intro. by Carl Dennis [Kent, Ohio, 1970]).
2. This paragraph is based on Norwood, Bermuda, 5-6 (Purchas, Pilgrimes, IV, 1796).
The date in the margin should be extended to include 1612.
1. "A sketch or outline of a literary work" (OED); see p. 169n, above. Note that
Smith's "plot" implies something unfinished, whereas Purchas states that it was printed,
and the Stationers' Register shows that it was entered for publication.
2. Jourdain gives the date as July 11 (Plaine Description, sig. D4r-v). Smith's Isle,
named for Sir Thomas Smythe, was the site (modern St. George's Harbour) of Smith's
Fort on John Smith's re-engraving of Norwood's map. Smith returns to Butler's account
here (Bermudaes, 2c).
3. Butler does not mention Chard by name, but refers to "one of [the] three insulers
... (being of the most masterfull speritt among them ...)" (Bermudaes, 20).
5. Smith has pruned injudiciously here: "he" refers to More (also, Moore), and
it was More who "revealed himselfe" to Kendall (Butler, Bermudaes, 23).
1. Smith himself seems to have misunderstood Butler's "dead palsie"; both of the men
were freed "after some weekes of emprisonment" and "proved very true labourers"
(Butler, Bermudaes, 25).
1. Smith has condensed Butler's detailed explanation so that the meaning is vague
(cf. ibid., 32). In addition, Smith apparently added the last sentence clumsily from hearsay.
2. For a study of Daniell Ellffryth (his spelling), see his "Guide to the Caribbean,
1631," ed. Stanley Pargellis and Ruth Lapham Butler, WMQ, 3d Ser., I (1944), 273-316.
3. Fisher was most likely the Capt. Edward Fisher who had accompanied Robert
Harcourt on his voyage to Guiana in 1609 (see A Relation of a Voyage to Guiana by Robert
Harcourt, 1613, ed. Sir C. Alexander Harris, Hakluyt Soc., 2d Ser., LX [London, 1928],
65, 110, 116).
4. Once more Smith has over-condensed his source. Norwood's account suggests that
the ravens could have come from and returned to undiscovered islands between Bermuda
and Virginia. Although no such islands had been found, he concludes by saying that "the
passage to and from Virginia would be more safe and easie" if the matter were settled
(Norwood, Bermuda, 9). With the next paragraph, Smith returns to Butler, Bermudaes, 41.
It is the beginning of the calendar year 1615 (see the next page for the beginning of the
English legal year).
1. Another detail added by Smith. Port Royall was on the SW of the main island and
Cooper's Island off the SE coast.
3. Lewis Hughes, A Plaine and True Relation of the Goodness of God Towards the Sommer
Ilands (London, 1621), sig. B1v.
1. Although Smith supplies the names of the six men More left in charge (omitted
by Butler), he condenses Butler's account excessively (cf. Bermudaes, 41-47). On Kendall,
see p. 190n, below.
2. "Corsair, pirate"; from Spanish picarón, "big rogue." Smith apparently introduced
the word in this sense in English here (OED). Butler used "rover" (Bermudaes, 47).
4. Butler explains: "for the other three as you have heard wer gone in the pinnace"
(Bermudaes, 48).
2. Butler's account runs to nearly 10 modern octavo pages in print. It is picturesque
but hard to condense.
4. "Dollar" was the usual English name for the Spanish silver peso. Smith has pared
this story to the bone, and he unfortunately omitted Butler's comment: when the finder
of the treasure cried the colonists were all "made men!" Butler commented "Madd men
indeed" (Bermudaes, 68). Cf. Purchas's marginal note on White, who, "having lived with
the Natives," was "a made man" (Barbour, Jamestown Voyages, I, 145n).
1. See the brief mentions in Barbour, Jamestown Voyages, II, 419, and in the True
Travels, 42; and further references below.
2. Smith is somewhat on his own here, although supported by Butler, Bermudaes,
75-187. Among minor antiquated phrases, note that being "imployed" to a place of
employment meant merely being sent there.
3. The "discovery" of Norwood's holographic "Journal" (first made public in 1945)
has shown that this was not the case. From it we learn that Norwood arrived in Bermuda
"the latter part of 1613," aged just about 23. After some months a "Master Berkeley"
arrived with instructions to survey the islands and got Norwood to help him, along with
Charles Caldicot (see p. 181, above). But it was only after the arrival of Capt. Tucker that
Norwood went to work in earnest to "lay out the eight tribes" (Norwood, Journal,
xxi-xxx; see p. 171n, above). Below, "acer" was an obsolescent form of "acre."
1. Lefroy supplies a note (Butler, Bermudaes, 83n): "Donogh ... O'Brien, the great
Earl of Thomond, ... was at this time President of Munster ... -- See the Peerage of Ireland,
by J. Lodge and M. Archdall, vol. ii, 1789."
3. A Portuguese ship in the Brazil trade. Below, "Westerne Iles" is Smith's variation
for "West Indies."
1. The third man was hanged for stealing a Dutch cheese, first valued at less than 12d.
(Lefroy, Memorials, 1, 129; and Butler, Bermudaes, 90). This was in Mar. 1617/18.
3. "Silly" is a favorite contemptuous adjective of Smith's. What follows is based on
Butler, Bermudaes, 90-92.
2. Here Smith elaborates on Butler's account with the aid of Norwood (Purchas,
Pilgrimes, IV, 1797).
1. Norwood's original has "a more immediate and secret worke of God" (Purchas,
Pilgrimes, IV, 1797). Whether the reversal of meaning ("mediate" for "immediate") was
Smith's or the typesetter's carelessness cannot be known.
3. Smith is interpolating again here. "Shivers" meant "splinters." Samuel Tanton
(better, Tatam) was later (in 1626) a member of the council in Bermuda.
1. Nicholas Gabriel was a laborer; Lewis Pollard, bailiff of Southampton tribe; and
George Rich, a kinsman of Robert Rich, earl of Warwick (Lefroy, Memorials, 1, 127-129;
and Butler, Bermudaes, 99).
2. Although the following paragraph corresponds generally with Butler's account
(Bermudaes, 105-108), it is much more succinct.
1. This list, apparently compiled by Smith, is reprinted in Lefroy, Memorials, I,
141-143, where reference is made to the original letters patent (charter) of June 29, 1615,
and the alphabetical list of names of the original adventurers (ibid., 83-100).
1. Abraham Goos's engraving of Norwood's map, dated 1626, has "Incognita" in
the blank space immediately below.
2. This appears to be summarized, if not copied, in Butler, Bermudaes, 105-106. The
Booke of the Survey is mentioned by Norwood (Bermuda, 12; and Purchas, Pilgrimes, IV,
1798), and the following paragraph is abstracted from the same passage.
2. Butler had "their preacher Master Lewes [Hughes]" (ibid., 111). Either Smith or
the printer got confused.
3. The construction seems odd; "on" is probably a misprint for "of," but Smith
could have heard it in some religious connection. It does not seem to appear in the "King
James" Bible (1611).
1. Lefroy curiously interprets this as referring to Nathaniel Bernard, chosen in
London on Sept. 5, 1622, to be minister in Bermuda. Since the passage refers to 1619,
Butler himself would seem to be more logical.
2. This section on Kendall's government is based on Butler, Bermudaes, 122-148
(also see p. 191n, below). Miles Kendall appears to have been related to George Kendall,
one of the original councillors in Virginia, as well as to Sir Edwin Sandys (Barbour,
"George Kendall," VMHB, LXX [1962], 308; and a letter to Sandys from Bermuda, Apr.
15, 1623, in Kingsbury, Va. Co. Records, IV, 119-122).
1. Despite Smith's statement, the bulk of this section evidently was condensed from
ibid. (see p. 190n, above). Thomas Sparkes is obscure (cf. Lefroy, Memorials, I, 489, II,
648-649).
4. The Garland, with Butler's lieutenant-general, Capt. Robert Felgate, aboard,
arrived early in Nov., having sailed from England in June, bound also for Virginia
(Butler, Bermudaes, 155). In the next sentence, "over-plus" was a technical term used in
referring to the island(s) or parts of islands in Bermuda purposely excluded from the eight
"tribes" that were allotted to groups of investors/colonists, called "adventurers."
3. The meaning is that the governor being there to command the isles for the king of
England, the Dutch captain was to comply with the governor's wishes.
1. For Capt. Peter Scoutan, see Butler, Bermudaes, 165, and Lefroy, Memorials, I, 273;
for Powell, see p. 135n, above. Butler specifies that he first went to the Low Countries and
then back to England.
2. Read: "suspicion there was that none good could come from those Isles." "None"
in the adjectival sense of "not any" lingered on well into the 17th century.
3. "Varinas," so called from the Venezuelan town and district of that name, was a
"luxury" tobacco in the 17th century.
4. The Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey. The theological issues are discussed
in Lefroy, Memorials, I, 151n, 676-686. Butler was patently a realist, more like Samuel
Argall, perhaps, than John Smith.
5. The hurricane story is Smith's addition, as is the detail of the cedar boat "to goe
with Ores [oars]." The "car[r]iages" were for seven pieces of ordnance (Butler, Bermudaes,
167).
2. Smith follows Butler again, after a brief omission, but substitutes his own summary
of the administrative organization in Bermuda for the long harangue delivered by Butler,
and quoted in extenso by him (Bermudaes, 177-187).
1. Read: "Jail-delivery," i.e., the clearing a jail by bringing the prisoners to trial
at the assizes (OED).
1. The full text of these acts is transcribed in Lefroy, Memorials, I, 165-179. It should
be noted that these were enacted by the second colonial assembly. The first had been held
in Jamestown a year before. Both of these preceded the basically discrete or dissimilar
"Mayflower Compact" of Nov. 11/21, 1620.
2. "Employment." Below, the 12th act emphatically required that all colonists house
their turkeys and other poultry at every planting of corn and so keep them until the corn
was "half [a] legge high above ground" (see ibid., 175).
1. "Discouraged, frightened." Below, "crasie [modern, crazy]" means "broken down
in physical [rather than mental] health."
2. The last phrase is Smith's. Bridewell was a general "house of correction," but at
least one "female" detained there may have suggested the "segregated" notion to him.
Newgate had long had an evil reputation.
1. Smith has again reduced Butler's Bermudaes to a mere outline, omitting all the
correspondence between the company in London and the governor. One sidelight omitted:
in three months the 1,200 colonists, at least half of them women and children, consumed
2,000 gallons of "hott composed waters [assorted spirituous liquors]" (ibid., 226-227).
2. A frequent spelling of "vile, vilest." Smith could well sympathize with Butler, who
was being vilified by Kendall and others much as Smith had been by Archer and Ratcliffe.
3. An unusual spelling of "plate," for Spanish plata, "silver." The Spanish "silver
fleets" brought bullion from Peru and Mexico to Spain.
2. These were "Indian maydes" who had accompanied Pocahontas to England in
1616 and had "byne a long time verie chargeable to the Company [so that it was] now
ordered that they shalbe furnished and sent to the Summer Ilands whether they were
willinge to goe with one servante apeec[e] towards their preferment in marriage" (Kingsbury,
Va. Co. Records, I, 496 [June 13, 1621]; also see McClure, ed., Letters of Chamberlain,
II, 12 [June 22, 1616]). A few lines below, Nov. 5 was, of course, "Guy Fawkes Day,"
celebrated then far differently from now.
1. "Cassava, manioc." The next sentences refer to the governor's investigation of the
Spanish wreck.
3. The "curtains" were parts of a wall between two bastions; the "ravelins," the
outworks in front of the curtains.
1. In other words, the orders regarding where the militia were to assemble were hung
up in the church.
2. That is, the corn was better preserved "by being left lieinge in its naturall coatearmour,
the husk," than by the "ill-bestowed unproffitable labour of huskeinge and
hanginge of it up" (Butler, Bermudaes, 282).
1. Butler's term as governor would be over in late Oct. 1622. The "strange Sodomy"
recounted next is curious in that similar aberrations are recorded for the Pilgrim colony in
Plymouth (William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison [New York,
1952], 320-322) but not for Virginia. Lefroy was too Victorian to be honest and substituted
asterisks for Butler's vivid narrative (Memorials, I, 287).
1. The phrase "not allowed them the benefit of their booke" means that the formality
of English legal procedure was lacking.
2. This paragraph has been over-condensed from Butler's narrative (Bermudaes,
294-302), which comes to an abrupt end less than a page later (p. 303). The "Heriot"
mentioned was one Thomas Harriott, a tobacco maker who had been in Bermuda at least
since 1616 (Lefroy, Memorials, I, 124).
3. The paragraph thus labeled has been used in the introduction to W. G. Perrin, ed.,
Boteler's Dialogues, Navy Records Soc., LXV ([London], 1929), x-xi: "The statement of
the Company in February 1623 that he [Butler] 'secretly fled eight days before the arrival
of the new Governor ...' appears to be mere spitefulness of the opposition then in the
ascendant, and the view expressed by Captain John Smith in his General Historie ... (Book
V, 199) seems a fairer explanation of the facts."
1. Capt. Robert Felgate has been mentioned (p. 191n, above). The others are Capt.
Thomas Stokes, sheriff; Master Lewis Hughes, preacher; Master George Needham, "an
old planter"; and (probably) Anthony Jenner, an overseer (see Lefroy, Memorials, I,
Index).
2. From Fotherby (Atheomastix, 268), from Plautus, Persa (see Barbour, "Smith and
the Bishop," 23-24).
1. Although Smith's specific source here is not certain, his account is generally accepted
(see the documents in Lefroy, Memorials, I, 271-283, for supporting evidence).
2. Capt. Harrison served as governor from late Dec. 1622 until the arrival of Capt.
Henry Woodhouse (or Wodehouse), before Oct. 24, 1623 (ibid., 335). Smith's narrative
again is generally supported by surviving documents (ibid., 261-338).
| The Fifth Booke.1
THE GENERALL HISTORIE OF
THE BERMUDAS,
now called the Summer Iles, from their
beginning in the yeere of our Lord 1593.2
to this present 1624. with their proceedings,
accidents and present estate. | |