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INTRODUCTION
This folio pamphlet of two leaves is listed as a "broadside" in the Catalogue
of a Collection of Printed Broadsides in the Possession of The Society of Antiquaries of
London, compiled by Robert Lemon (London, 1866). This sole surviving
copy, here transcribed and in part reproduced with the society's courteous
permission, is in substance a prospectus or circular announcing the forthcoming
publication of Smith's Generall Historie and soliciting financial aid
to that end. In form it has a row of printer's devices above the title, below
which, in smaller type, is a double-column summary of the planned contents
of the book, to which Smith's appeal is appended in italics with a space for
his autograph. Printed by John Dawson, it was apparently ready for distribution
before the end of 1623.
Following the general practice in this edition, the numerous unusual
spellings have been left untouched since it cannot be known whether they
were accidental or substantive variants; but misprints have been corrected
and a few marks of punctuation inserted (see the Textual Notes following
the text of the broadside; a full statement of editorial method appears in the
front matter to volume I). The broadside as a whole gives evidence of hasty
preparation and of little if any proofreading by Smith himself.
The chief importance of the prospectus lies in the evidence it provides
that Smith had assembled almost all of his sources for the Historie within a
matter of months after Alderman Robert Johnson's petition to King James
for an investigation of the affairs of the Virginia Company had started an
irreversible move toward a reorganization. That Smith may have seen in
this an opportunity to benefit himself is fairly clear, yet his broader interest
in the colonization of both Virginia and New England shines through.
The important fact here, then, is that the move toward a reorganization
of the company began in April 1623, and that before the year was out Smith
had put together a considerable volume designed to back up just such a
move. The broadside is thus a valuable link in any study of John Smith as an
activist as well as a propagandist and memoirist.
[The illustration on the preceding page is a somewhat reduced reproduction of the heading
of the broadside prospectus of Smith's Generall Historie, published in the following year. The editor
is grateful to the Society of Antiquaries of London for its courteous permission to reprint here
this portion of Broadside 209 and to prepare and publish a complete transcription of the text.]
THE generall History of Virginia, the Somer Iles, and New
England,
adventures. Also a Catalogue of their names who were
the first Treasurers heere, and planters and Governours
there; and how they have yeerely succeeded, from their
first beginning 1584. to this present 1623. with the
proceedings of these severall Colonies, and the accidents
that befell them in all their journeys and discoveries,
with the Mappes and descriptions of those countries,
commodities, people, government, customes, and Religion
yet knowne, for the generall good of all them who belong
to those Plantations and all their posterities.
Discovered,
observed, or collected by Captaine John Smithsometime Governour of Virginia, and Admirall of
New England.
N.B. Page references to Smith works in the notes refer in all instances to the page numbers
of the original editions, which are in boldface numerals in brackets in the margins.
1. The combination "Virginia, the Somer Iles, and New England" is found also in
the Generall Historie (with "Summer" for "Somer"), although both the engraved and
printed title pages (1624 and 1625, respectively) reverse the order of the last two. Below,
the title of the broadside refers to "this present 1623," and no event mentioned in it can
refer to a date later than Oct. (Capt. Woodhouse was in Bermuda by Oct. 24, 1623; see
the Generall Historie, 200n). Yet the book proper was entered for publication as early as
July 12, 1624. Smith's financial problem seems to have been quickly solved. The final
clause, beginning "for the generall good," was omitted in the engraved title.
The Introduction.
Anno Dom.
THE first voyage to the New world
now called America.
The first voyage to that part
thereof, now called the West Indies,
by Christopher Columbus.
The first voyage to that part,
called Florida and Norumbega,
John Cabot.
The first voyage of Sir Martin
Frobisher, to Meta Incognita.
The adventures of Sir Humphrey
Gilbert, upon this coast.
1. This "Introduction," seemingly intended
to be a separate chapter, takes up
little more than the first page of the Generall
Historie. On the basis of the latter, it may be
assumed that the year "1470," mentioned
below, is a misprint or miscopy of "1170," the
legendary date of Madock's voyage. The
"1488" date is also an error; Columbus did
not discover the West Indies until 1492.
The Contents of the Hystory.
The first Booke.
CAPTAINE Amides sent to discover
the coast of Florida, by Sir
Walter Raleigh and his associates.
Sir Richard Grenvill, sent to
that place they discovered, called the
country Virginia, and left 108. there
for a plantation. Their names; their
first entertainement and the Kings
treachery, the discovery of the river
Moratucke and Chawonoke. Also of
the Iles and countrey, and ten
salvages slaine, what commodities,
victuals, fruits, beasts, fishes, and
foules they found: The salvages
religion and beliefe, how the world
was made, how man was made, how
they use their gods, and whither they
goe after death. The subtilty of their
priests, the peoples simplicity; and
their desire of salvation. A wonderfull
accident, and their strange opinions:
how Sir Francis Drake
them all for England againe the
same yeere.
A supply sent to them though
they were gone, yet 50. men more
were left in the countrey, and their
accidents.
115. More were sent to supply
them, by Master White, the Salvages
slew the 50. and White returned.
White sent againe to releeve the
115.
returned for England: his observations,
and accidents. This is in the
height of 35, 36, and 37.
A discovery by Captaine Gosnoll
of Elizabeths Iles, in the height
of 39. with his observations, and
relations and returne.
The observations, and relations
of Captaine Martin Pring upon the
same coast, and his returne.
The discovery of Captaine
Waymouth in 44. his observations,
relations, and returne.
3. Although the "Contents of the
Hystory" as given here are occasionally
more detailed than the Contents listed on
sig. A3r-A4v in the Generall Historie, they are
"so similar that it is evident that the manuscript
was in shape before this circular was
prepared," yet "they are so different as to
make it certain that the 'Contents' of the
book was drawn up anew from the printed
sheets and not adapted from the earlier
outline" (L[uther] S. L[ivingston], Captain
John Smith's Circular or Prospectus of His
Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and
the Summer Isles ... With Notes [Cambridge,
Mass., 1914]).
5. White did not make the voyage in
1589, but in 1590 (Generall Historie, 15n).
Below, "height" was frequently used for
degrees of latitude.
The second Booke.
How a new commission was
obtained, and the countrey divided
into two Colonies, viz. the first and
the second.
The discoveries, observations,
and relations of Captaine Smith in
the degrees 37, 38, and 39. which is
the countrey we now call Virginia.
The discription of the Chisapeack
bay and the 7. navigable rivers, that
fall into it, and 39. severall kings that
possesse them. Also of the temperature,
the mountaines, rockes, soyle,
valleys, plaines, woodes, fruits, gums,
berries, hearbs, rootes, beasts, birds,
fishes and foules. How they divide
the yeere, prepare the ground, dresse
their meates, and the commodities
naturally that are, or may bee had by
industry. Their numbers. A description
of the people, their constitutions,
dispositions, attire, ornaments, buildings,
lodgings. How they use their
children, strike fire, make their
bowes and arrowes, knives, swordes,
and targets, boats, spin, and hunt,
Their consultations, maner of battell,
musicke, entertainment, trade, physicke,
chyrurgiry
gods. Ordinary and extraordinary,
burials, temples priests, ornaments,
solemnities, conjurations, alters, sacrifice,
blacke boyes, and resurrection.
A description of their Emperour his
attendants, watch, treasure, wives,
successours, authority, tenure of
lands, and maner of punishment:
with the estate and condition of 8.
other severall nations adjoyning to
them.
|| The third Booke.
The accidents that happened in
those proceedings.
Their orders of government,
their accidents in going, their first
landing; how the salvages assaulted
them, how they settled the governement:
The beginning of James towne,
how the salvages assaulted it, and
slew and hurt 21. of us. The names
of the governours and first planters,
the occasion of sickenes, plenty
unexpected, a project to have abandoned
the countrey suppressed. How
Captaine Smith forced the Kecoughtans
to contrabusion,
their god; an other project to
abandon the countrey, two English
slaine, Smith taken prisoner: Their
order of triumph, how he should
have beene executed, was preserved,
taught them to sow Gunpowder,
saved the Colony from being surprised,
how they conjured him.
Powhatan entertained him, would
have slaine him, and his daughter
saved his life, sent him to James
English: an other project to abandon
the countrey suppressed.
The arrivall of the first supply
by Captaine Nuport,
ship forced by ill weather from
Virginia to the West Indes: the
salvages opinion of our God, Smiths
revisitting Powhatan, his entertainement,
James towne burnt, a conceited
gold mine, an needelesse
charge, Captaine Nuports returne.
James towne rebuilt, a church, a
store house, the salvages plots to
murder all the English, Smiths
attempt to suppresse their insolencies,
a differance of the Counsels opinion,
a ship fraught with cedar.
The accidents that happened in
the discovery of the Bay, to twelve
men in a boate of three tunnes: An
extreame extremity by want of fresh
water; their boate neere sunke in a
gust, their fight with the Kusskarawaokes,
how we prevented their
ambuscados in the river of Patawomeke,
a mine like antimony, rockes
of marble, and of divers tinctures of
mettals: how to deale with the
salvages, Smith neere killed with a
sting-ray, a needlesse misery in his
absence at James towne, how it was
releeved.
The salvages admiration of fire-works,
their incounter with the
Massawomekes at the head of the
Bay, an incounter with the Tockwhoghes,
the Sasguesahanocks
subjection to the English, the exceeding
love of the salvage Mosco, how
the Ropahanocks assaulted them,
and were slaine or fled: how they lay
in ambuscado so bedecked with
boughes as they seemed bushes, and
were repulsed, their fight with the
Mannahokes, the king of Hassininga's
brother shot, taken prisoner, and
peace concluded with their five kings.
Their relations of their gods and
countreys, friends and foes, how they
became friends with the Rapahanokckes:
A notable treachery of the
Nausamonds revenged, their fight
both by land and water with the
Nausamunds and Chisapeacks, their
subjection and conditions of tribute,
our returne to James towne.
The second supply brought by
Captaine Nuport, their names, a
crowne and many presents sent to
Powhatan, his scorne, many strange
devices to force us all to come for
England, a consultation, all the
counsell against the president; how
he suppressed their factions, and
went to Powhatan with foure men,
how Pokahontas entertained him
with a maske,
Powhatan, Powhatans answere, his
coronation, the discovery of the
Monacans, a punishment for swearing:
Smith with eighteene forceth the
Chickahamanias to contrabution, a
good tavern, the abuses of the
masters and sailers corrected, Master
Scriviners voyage to Werowocomoco,
and the accidents that befell him.
Nausamund forced to pay their
tribute, Appamatucke discovered,
Smiths journey to Pamauncke, the
discovery of Chawwonokes, Smiths
discourse to Powhatan, his reply and
flattery, and his discourse of peace
and warre, how the Dutch men
acquainted Powhatan, Smith came to
how to betray him: his plot to have
murdered Smith, his escape and the
kings excuse, Pokahontas discovereth
us her fathers treachery, the dutch
men deceive Captaine Winne and
armes the salvages against us. Smiths
discourse to the king of Pamaunke,
700 attempt to surprise us being but
sixteene, he incourageth his souldiers,
his offer to the king in single combate,
the kings dissimulation to betray him,
he taketh the king prisoner; their
attempts to be revenged corrected,
Master Scriviner and nine men
drowned, Master Wiffins desperate
journey to acquaint it to Smith.
Powhatan constraineth his men againe
to bee treacherous, which prevented,
with presents for peace, they fraughted
our ship wherewith we returne to
James towne.
Three new forts built, the dutch
mens plot to murder Smith, and fier
James towne, Smith taketh the king
of Paspahegh prisoner, his revenge
amongst the rest, the salvages desire
peace, Okanings
salvage smothered and recovered,
divers salvages slaine in meddling
with powder; they all are subjected,
and pay contrabution, great extremity
occasioned by rats, bread made of
dried sturgion, the punishment for
loyterers, the proufes of a healthfull
countrey, the salvages returne our
fugitives, the discovery of the Mangoags,
the Dutchmen living with
Powhatan attempt new commotions,
two men sent to kill them before
Powhatan, the occasion of those
inconveniences.
The alteration of the government,
with a headles supply of five hundred,
their mutinies, the salvages offer to
fight against them, their planting
Nausamund their bad usage of the salvages,
Powhatans chiefe seat,
for Copper, the salvages revenge their
wrongs upon the mutiners, as King
James his foes, the planting Nonesutch;
Smith appeaseth the salvages,
the salvages bring him their contrabution,
hee is neere blowne to death
with Gunpowder, the causes why hee
left the countrey, his returne for
England, the salvages revolt.
2. The phrase "8. other severall nations
adjoyning to them" is omitted in the Generall
Historie, both in the Contents and in the text.
Judging by the engraved map of Virginia
(1612), these eight nations were: Chawons
and Mangoags (of modern North Carolina),
Monacans and Mannahoacks (of western
Virginia), Sasquesahanough[s] and Atquanachukes
(of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and
New Jersey), and Tockwoghs and Kuskarawaoks
(of the Delmarva Peninsula). The
list excludes the Massawomecks, who lived
to the northwest and were not "adjoyning."
(Note that the spelling of Indian names is
that of the map cited.)
3. "Contrabusion" (repeated below
with -tion) is a mistake or misprint for
"contribution." Omitted in the Generall
Historie, the source of the error cannot be
known.
3. The -g- seems to be a misreading of
Smith's manuscript, as do the spellings
"Ropahanocks," "Rapahanokckes," and
"Nausamund" (for Nansamunds) in the
next few lines.
2. Powhatan village was the original
seat from which Powhatan, the "Emperor,"
took his name; it was not his chief seat in
1607-1609.
The fourth Booke.
The planting point comfort,
them at Nonesutch, and Nausamund
slaine, and forced to James towne:
Captaine Ratliffe with thirty slaine,
the fruits of improvidence, the arrivall
of Sir Thomas Gates, Powhatan
kils the dutch men, James towne
abandoned, the arrivall of the Lord
Laware, Sir George Somers sent to
the Bermudas, Gates for England,
Argall to Patawomeke, they builde
two fortes, the returne of the Lord
Laware and Captaine Argal: their
relation in England.
The arrivall of Sir Thomas Dale,
divers mutinies suppressed, the second
arrivall of Gates, they build Henerico
and the Bermuda, the second arrivall
of Argall, how he tooke Pokahontas
prisoner, Dales voyage to Pamauncke,
the mariage of Pokahontas to master
Rolfe.
The Chickahamanias desire
friendship, Articles of peace, Captaine
Argals voyage to Porte royall,
Master Hamors message to Powhatan,
estate of the colony, a Spanish ships
attempt and successe.
The contents of the declaration
and managing of the lottery.
The returne of Sir Thomas Dale,
Captaine Yerley
rebell, he suppresseth
them, a relation to Queene Anne
concerning Pokahontas, how the
Queene entertained her, her death
and godly end.
Haile stones eight inches about,
the death of the Lord la Ware, eight
English murdered by the salvages,
Powhatans death.
Warraskoyacke planted, a Parlament
in virginia: Captaine Wards
journey to Monahiggan, the arrivall
of a dutch man of warre, feare of the
salvages treachery, the erecting of
foure Corporations, Master Dormors
journey from new England to Virginia,
an inventory of the shipping,
men and provision sent this yeere.
A desperate sea fight, betwixt
two Spanish men of || warre, and
Captaine Chester going to Virginia,
the names of all their adventureres,
their summes payed to Sir Thomas
Smith.
The Earle of Southhampton
chosen treasurer, Master Stockams
relation from thence of their true
estate, the arrivall of Sir Frances
Wyate, Master Gockings
a note of the shipping, men and
provision sent this yeere, the travels
of master John Pory, gifts given,
pattents granted, etc.
Twenty five only sent to build
barkes and boates, their confident
security, Jacke of the feather murders
Morgan, his two men kils Jacke,
Opechankanough dissembled his revenge,
the massacre, memorandumes,
his Majesties gift, London sets out
one hundred persons, the conclusion,
how the Spanyards raise their wealth
in the West Indes.
The chiefe men slaine in the
massacre, and the numbers with them,
a strange adventure by Captaine
Chroshair,
Waters and his wife, Captaine Smiths
offer to the company to suppresse the
salvages, all their plantations redused
to five or sixe, how they proceeded,
and surprised, Nausamund, Pamauncke,
and Patawomecke.
The losse of Captaine Spilman
and his company at Patawomecke,
that the salvages are not so terrible
as our men are carelesse, their
present estate, how the king hath
pleased to take it into his consideration:
A note of such provisions, as
either private families or single
persons need use, how many ships
are gone, and now a preparing to
supply them, the cause of all those
disasters, why there comes nothing
thence but tobacco, the cause of the
massacre, what charge would have
settled the governement, the remedy
and charge, the defects of the
governement, how to rectifie it.
The fift Booke.
The generall History of the
Summer Iles.
Henry May the first English
man was ever in them, how he was
cast away and got for England.
How Sir George Summers was
cast upon those Iles, how he lived
nine moneths in them, with one
hundred and fifty, built two ships,
left two men behind him, and
arrived in virginia.
His returne to the Bermudas,
how he changed their names, his death
and Epitath, those Iles patronized and
sold to one hundred and twenty.
How three men left there lived,
and found amber-greece
thousand pound: their first plantation.
Advice from England, of the
Spanyards, how two Spanish ships
attempted to enter, and were repulsed.
The beginning of rats, a strange
comming, and vanishing of ravens.
A man drawne into the Sea by a
fish and drowned.
A wonderfull accident of Hilyard
and his consorts.
Only planting and good husbandry.
Fishing for Whale, the countrey
neere devoured with rats, their
strange and sudden confusion, seven
men came in a boat for England.
Henry Longs desperate escape,
the devision of the Iles into tribes, and
the tribes into shares, the names of
the adventureres, and their shares in
every tribe; the description of the
Ilands, the ayre, fishes, woodes, birds,
fruits, beasts, springes and caves.
The building a Church, two
ships in distresse releeved, twenty
eight Negroes preserved, the losse of
the Warwicke.
Supplies of sixe ships and three
pinasses.
Two ships and a pinas more with
two hundred and fifty persons, the
strange deliverance of a Spanish
wracke.
The arrivall of master Barnard
for governour, his death.
A ship split in the road with
Gunpowder, and foureteene slaine,
the present estate of the Collony,
Captaine Wodhouse sent for governour.
The sixt Booke.
The generall history of
new England.
How this cost, hath beene
coasted, planted, and abandoned as a
barren, fearefull, rocky and miserable
desart.
Captaine Smiths first voyage,
how hee described the coast, what
trade, peace and wars he had with
the salvages, made his voyage in sixe
moneths, and returned with the
value of one thousand five hundred
pounds.
How he drew the Londoners and
the West country to apprehend it,
and what contention since there hath
beene for it;
How he gat our most gratious
Prince Charles to call it new England,
and name the most remarkeable
places: a table of the old names and
the new, observations for ignorant
directers, his relations of fifteene of
their petty kings, countries, rivers,
harbours, Iles, mountaines, Landmarkes,
woodes, fruits, beasts, fishes,
foules, with their benefits both by sea
and land; and why most proper and
commodious for England.
His second voyage, his ship
neere foundred in the sea, how he
reimbarked himselfe, encountred the
English pirats, fought with the French
pirats, and was betrayed by foure
released him, his men ran from him
with ship and all that he had, how he
lived with the French, what fights
they had, what rich prises they tooke,
the French mens ingratitude, thirteene
saile cast away, the Generall
drowned, 100000. pounds lost, how
hee escaped, and proceeded against
the French men in France, returned
for England, and punished them
that ran from him.
His third adventure for new
England, and soliciting the nobility,
cities, companies, and gentry to
understand it: the successe of all the
ships thither imployed every yeere,
you shall find in the history.
A plantation, the building new
Plymoth, their first fight with the
salvages, strange things in olde
sepulchres, their conditions of peace,
their journey to Pakanoky,
Nawsit, and proceedings. Their supplies,
thirteene saile sent to fish, and
returne.
The planters ship taken by a
French man, a relation of their
estate at new Plymoth, the difference
between the Narrobigganses
the Massasoyts, our revenge of them
for wronging our salvage Squantom
and his friends and confederats.
Thirty seven ships went this
yeere to fish, made great voyages, a
relation of the plantations, proceedings,
the Paragon twice neere wrackt
upon our coast, sent to supply
them.
The ordinary dangers in going
to virginia, or new England, considerations,
42. ships that hath made
a greater returne then ever, (and I
thinke not that so many would goe
if they found no profit) a relation of
the benefit of fishing, with the charge,
hazard, and gaine to bee expected,
and how to builde a fleete of good
ships to make a little navy Royall,
with necessarie observations, and
proportions of the charge of shipping,
for fishing or plantation.
|| These observations are all I
have for the expences of a thousand
pound, and the losse of eighteene
yeeres of time, besides all the travels,
dangers, miseries and incumbrances
for my countries good, I have endured
gratis: and had I not discovered and
lived in the most of these parts, I
could not possibly have collected the
substantiall trueth from such an
infinite number of variable Relations,
that would make a volume of at least
a thousand sheetes: and this is composed
in lesse then eighty sheets,
besides the three Maps, which will
stand me neere in an hundred pounds,
which summe I cannot disbursse: nor
shall the Stationers have the coppy
for nothing. Therfore I humbly
entreat your Honour, either to
adventure, or give me what you
will be both accountable, and thankfull;
not doubting but that the Story
will give you satisfaction, and stirre
up a double new life in the Adventurers,
when they shall see plainely
the causes of all those defailements,
and how they may be amended.
And so I humbly rest.
1. Probably a misprint for 10,000. The
text reads "thirtie thousand Rialls of eight"
(Generall Historie, 225).
5. As pointed out in Livingston's notes
to Capt. John Smith's Circular ([5]), there are
63 sheets in the Generall Historie, "not
including the engraved title-page nor the
four maps," and "an hundred pounds" is
more likely Smith's estimate of the cost of
printing the entire edition. Besides, he
wanted "something in payment for his
manuscript." Livingston is correct in pointing
out here that Edward Arber misunderstood
the situation (Edward Arber, ed., Captain
John Smith ... Works, 1608-1631, The English
Scholar's Library Edition, No. 16 [Birmingham,
1884], 274); £100 would have been an
absurd fee for three maps.
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