University of Virginia Library

Chapter 3.
A great comfort to new England, it is no Iland:
a strange plague.

NOTWITHSTANDING since they have beene left in a manner, as
it were, to themselves, they have increased their numbers to
foure or five thousand, and neere as many cattell, with plenty of
Goats, abundance of Swine, Poultry and Corne, that as they report,
they have sufficient and to spare, to entertaine three or foure hundred
people, which is much better than to have many people more than
provision. Now having glutted the world with their too ∥ much over-abounding
Tabacco: Reason, or necessity, or both, will cause them,
I hope, learne in time better to fortifie themselves, and make better
use of the trials of their grosse commodities that I have propounded,
and at the first sent over: and were it not a lamentable dishonour so
goodly a Countrey after so much cost, losse, and trouble, should now
in this estate not bee regarded and supplied. And to those of New-England
may it not be a great comfort to have so neare a neighbour
of their owne Nation, that may furnish them with their spare cattell,
swine, poultry, and other roots and fruits, much better than from
England. But I feare the seed of envy, and the rust of covetousnesse
doth grow too fast, for some would have all men advance Virginia to
the ruine of New-England; and others the losse of Virginia to sustaine
New-England, which God of his mercy forbid: for at first it was intended
by that most memorable Judge Sir John Popham, then Lord
chiefe Justice of England, and the Lords of his Majesties Privy
Councel, with divers others, that two Colonies should be planted, as
now they be, for the better strengthening each other against all occurrences;

the which to performe, shal ever be in my hearty prayers to
Almighty God, to increase and continue that mutuall love betwixt
them for ever.

By this you may perceive somewhat, what unexpected inconveniences
are incident to a plantation, especially in such a multitude
of voluntary contributers, superfluity of officers, and unexperienced
Commissioners. But it is not so, as yet, with those for New-England;
for they will neither beleeve nor use such officers, in that they are
overseers of their owne estates, and so well bred in labour and good
husbandry as any in England, where as few as I say was sent me to
Virginia, but these were naught here and worse there.

"

Now when these shall have laid the foundations, and provided
"meanes beforehand, they may entertain all the poore artificers and
"laborers in England, and their families which are burthensome to
"their Parishes and Countries where they live upon almes and be"nevolence
for want of worke, which if they would but pay for their
"transportation, they ∥ should never be troubled with them more;
"for there is vast land enough for all the people in England, Scot"land,
and Ireland: and it seemes God hathprovided this Country
"for our Nation, destroying the natives by the plague, it not touch"ing
one Englishman, though many traded and were conversant
"amongst them; for they had three plagues in three yeares succes"sively
neere two hundred miles along the Sea coast, that in some
"places there scarce remained five of a hundred, and as they report
"thus it began:

A fishing ship being cast away upon the coast, two of the men
escaped on shore; one of them died, the other lived among the natives
till he had learned their language: then he perswaded them to become
Christians, shewing them a Testament, some parts thereof
expounding so well as he could, but they so much derided him, that
he told them hee feared his God would destroy them: whereat the
King assembled all his people about a hill, himselfe with the Christian
standing on the top, demanded if his God had so many people
and able to kill all those? He answered yes, and surely would, and
bring in strangers to possesse their land: but so long they mocked
him and his God, that not long after such a sicknesse came, that of
five or six hundred about the Massachusets there remained but thirty,
on whom their neighbours fell and slew twenty eight: the two remaining
fled the Country till the English came, then they returned and

surrendred their Countrey and title to the English: if this be not true
in every particular, excuse me, I pray you, for I am not the Author:
but it is most certaine there was an exceeding great plague amongst
them; for where I have seene two or three hundred, within three
yeares after remained scarce thirty, but what disease it was the salvages
knew not till the English told them, never having seene, nor
heard of the like before.