University of Virginia Library

Chapter XXI.
The continuation of the generall Historie of Virginia;

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the Summer Iles; and New England; with their
present estate from 1624. to this present 1629.

CONCERNING these Countreyes, I would be sorrie to trouble you
with repeating one thing twice, as with their Maps, Commodities,
People, Government and Religion yet knowen, the beginning of
those plantations, their numbers and names, with the names of the
Adventurers, the yeerely proceedings of everie Governour both here
and there. As for the misprisions,

neglect, grievances, and the causes
of all those rumours, losses and crosses that have happened; I referre
you to the Generall Historie, where you shall finde all this at large;
especially to those pages, where you may read my letter of advice to
the Councell and Company, what of necessitie must be done, or lose
all and leave the Countrey, pag. 70. what commodities I sent home,
pag. 163. my opinion and offer to the Company, to feed and defend
the Colonies, pag. 150. my account to them here of my actions there,
pag. 163. my seven answers to his Majesties Commissioners: seven
questions what hathhindered Virginia, and the remedie, pag. 165.
How those noble Gentlemen spent neere two yeares in perusing all
letters came from thence; and the differences betwixt many factions,
both here and there, with their complaints; especially about the
Sallerie, which should have beene a new office in London, for the
well ordering the sale of Tobacco, that 2500. pounds should yearely
have beene raised out of it, to pay foure or five hundred pounds yearly
to the Governor of that Companie; two or three hundred to his
Deputie; the rest into stipends of thirtie or fiftie pounds yearely for
their Clerks and under Officers which were never there, pag. 153.
but not one hundred pounds for all them in Virginia, nor any thing
for the most part of the Adventurers in England, except the undertakers
for the Lotteries, Setters out of ships, Adventurers of commodities,
also their Factors and many other Officers, there imployed
only by friendship to raise their fortunes out of the labours of the true
industrious planters by the title of their office, who ∥ under the colour
of sinceritie, did pillage and deceive all the rest most cunningly: For
more than 150000. pounds have beene spent out of the common
stocke, besides many thousands have beene there consumed, and
neere 7000. people that there died, only for want of good order and
government, otherwise long erethis there would have beene more
than 20000. people, where after twentie yeeres spent onely in complement,
and trying new conclusions, was remaining scarce 1500. with
some few cattell.

Then the Company dissolved, but no account of any thing; so
that his Majestie appointed Commissioners to oversee, and give order
for their proceedings. Being thus in a manner left to themselves, since
then within these foure yeeres, you shall see how wonderfully they
have increased beyond expectation; but so exactly as I desired, I
cannot relate unto you: For although I have tired my selfe in seeking
and discoursing with those returned thence, more than would a
voyage to Virginia;

few can tell me any thing, but of that place or
places they have inhabited, and he is a great traveller that hathgone
up and downe the river of James Towne, been at Pamaunke, Smiths
Iles, or Accomack; wherein for the most part they keepe one tune of
their now particular abundance, and their former wants, having
beene there, some sixteene yeeres, some twelve, some six, some neere
twentie, etc. But of their generall estate, or any thing of worth, the
most of them doth know verie little to any purpose.

Now the most I could understand in generall, was from the relation
of Master Nathaniel Cawsey,

that lived there with mee, and
returned Anno Dom. 1627. and some others affirme; Sir George
Yerley was Governour, Captaine Francis West, Doctor John Poot,
Captain Roger Smith, Captaine Matthewes, Captaine Tucker,
Master Clabourne, and Master Farrer of the Councell: their habitations
many. The Governour, with two or three of the Councell, are
for most part at James Towne, the rest repaire thither as there is
occasion; but everie three moneths they have a generall meeting, to
consider of their publike affaires.

Their numbers then were about 1500. some say rather 2000.
divided into seventeene or eighteene severall Plantations;

the
greatest part thereof towards the falls, are so inclosed with Pallizadoes
they regard not the salvages; and amongst those Plantations
above James Towne, they have now found meanes to take plentie of
fish, as well with lines, as nets, and where the waters are the largest,
having meanes, they need not want.

Upon this River they seldome see any salvages, but in the
woods, many times their fires: yet some few there are, that upon their
opportunitie have slaine some few stragglers, which have beene revenged
with the death of so many of themselves; but no other attempt
hathbeene made upon them this two or three yeares.

Their Cattle, namely Oxen, Kine, Buls, they imagine to be
about 2000. Goats great store and great increase; the wilde Hogs,
which were infinite, are destroyed and eaten by the salvages: but no
family is so poore, that hathnot tame Swine sufficient; and for
Poultrie, he is a verie ∥ bad husband breedeth not an hundred in a
yeere, and the richer sort doth daily feed on them.

For bread they have plentie, and so good, that those that make
it well, better cannot be: divers have much English corne, especially
Master Abraham Perce,

which prepared this yeere to sow two
hundred acres of English wheat, and as much with barley, feeding
daily about the number of sixtie persons at his owne charges.

For drinke, some malt the Indian corne, others barley, of which
they make good Ale, both strong and small, and such plentie thereof,
few of the upper Planters drinke any water: but the better sort are
well furnished with Sacke, Aquavitæ, and good English Beere.

Their servants commonly feed upon Milke Homini,

which is
bruized Indian corne pounded, and boiled thicke, and milke for the
sauce; but boiled with milke, the best of all will oft feed on it, and
leave their flesh; with milke, butter and cheese; with fish, Bulls flesh,
for they seldome kill any other, etc. And everie one is so applyed to
his labour about Tobacco and Corne, which doth yeeld them such
profit, they never regard any food from the salvages, nor have they
any trade or conference with them, but upon meere accidents and
defiances: and now the Merchants have left it, there have gone so
many voluntarie ships within this two yeeres, as have furnished them
with Apparell, Sacke, Aquavitæ, and all necessaries, much better
than ever before.

For Armes, there is scarce any man but he is furnished with a
Peece, a Jacke,

a Coat of Maile, a Sword, or Rapier; and everie
Holy-day, everie Plantation doth exercise their men in Armes, by
which meanes, hunting and fowling, the most part of them are most
excellent markmen.

For Discoveries they have made none, nor any other commoditie
than Tobacco doe they apply themselves unto, though never any
was planted at first. And whereas the Countrey was heretofore held
most intemperate and contagious by many, now they have houses,
lodgings and victuall, and the Sunne hathpower to exhale up

the
moyst vapours of the earth, where they have cut downe the wood,
which before it could not, being covered with spreading tops of high
trees; they finde it much more healthfull than before; nor for their
numbers, few Countreyes are lesse troubled with death, sicknesse, or
any other disease, nor where overgrowne women become more fruitfull.

Since this, Sir George Yerley died 1628. Captaine West succeeded
him; but about a yeere after returned for England: Now
Doctor Poot

is Governour, and the rest of the Councell as before:
James Towne is yet their chiefe seat, most of the wood destroyed,
little corne there planted, but all converted into pasture and gardens,
wherein doth grow all manner of herbs and roots we have in England
in abundance, and as good grasse as can be. Here most of their Cattle
doe feed, their Owners being most some one way, some another,
about their plantations, and returne againe when they please, or any
shipping comes in to trade. Here in winter they have hay for their
Cattell, but in other places they browze upon wood, and the great
huskes of their corne, with some corne in ∥ them, doth keepe them
well. Master Hutchins saith, they have 2000. Cattle, and about
5000. people; but Master Floud, John Davis, William Emerson, and
divers others, say, about five thousand people, and five thousand
kine, calves, oxen, and bulls; for goats, hogs, and poultry; corne,
fish, deere, and many sorts of other wilde beasts; and fowle in their
season, they have so much more than they spend, they are able to
feed three or foure hundred men more than they have; and doe oft
much releeve many ships, both there, and for their returne; and this
last yeare was there at least two or three and twenty saile. They have
oft much salt fish from New England, but fresh fish enough, when
they will take it; Peaches in abundance at Kecoughtan; Apples,
Peares, Apricocks, Vines, figges, and other fruits some have planted,
that prospered exceedingly, but their diligence about Tobacco, left
them to be spoiled by the cattell, yet now they beginne to revive;
Mistresse Pearce, an honest industrious woman, hathbeene there
neere twentie yeares, and now returned, saith, shee hatha Garden
at James towne, containing three or foure acres, where in one yeare
shee hathgathered neere an hundred bushels of excellent figges; and
that of her owne provision she can keepe a better house in Virginia,
than here in London for 3. or 400. pounds a yeare, yet went thither
with little or nothing. They have some tame geese, ducks, and
turkies. The masters now do so traine up their servants and youth in
shooting deere, and fowle, that the youths will kill them as well as
their Masters. They have two brew-houses, but they finde the Indian
corne so much better than ours, they beginne to leave sowing it.
Their Cities and Townes are onely scattered houses, they call plantations,
as are our Country Villages, but no Ordnance mounted. The
Forts Captaine Smith left a building, so ruined, there is scarce mention
where they were; no discoveries of any thing more, than the
curing of Tobacco, by which hitherto, being so present a commodity
of gaine, it hathbrought them to this abundance; but that they are
so disjoynted, and every one commander of himselfe, to plant what
he will: they are now so well provided, that they are able to subsist;
and if they would joyne together now to worke upon Sope-ashes,
Iron, Rape-oile, Mader, Pitch and Tarre, Flax and Hempe; as for
their Tobacco, there comes from many places such abundance, and
the charge so great, it is not worth the bringing home.

There is gone, and now a going,

divers Ships; as Captaine
Perse, Captaine Prine, with Sir John Harvy to be their governour,
with two or three hundred people; there is also some from Bristow,
and other parts of the West Country a preparing, which I heartily
pray to God to blesse, and send them a happy and prosperous voyage.