University of Virginia Library

CCLXXX. Council in Virginia. Letter to Virginia Company of
London
January 20, 1622/3

We Cannot butt acknowledg godℯ greate goodnes yt after these last great
disasters hath stired vpp the harte of his most excelent matie to bestowe
vpon us soe Royall a gift of Armes & munitione wch we resolve to ymploy
to ye honor of our Countrey and revenge of his subiects bloud, for wch
munitione and his gratious intentione of supplyinge us wth people, we
beseech you to p̢sent our most humble thanks to his sacred Matie

In the next place wee must acknowledg ye hande of heauen also, that hath
not suffered the zeale to this Plantatione to dye or grow colde in ye[2]
bosomes of you the Honoble͠ Companie, but that you conceive yt rightlie
as a cause of the future strength, not a decay of this Colonie, wch before ran
in a more dangerous, though in a more plausible manner.

Wee haue anticipated your desires by settinge vppon the Indyans in all
places, mr Trev̄r firste fell vppon the Tapahatonahs, in two severall
expeditions, Sr. George yardley vppon ye Wyanokes and in a seconde
expeditione vppon the nancemunds, Warescoykℯ & Pawmunkie ye Chiefe
seate of Sansapen & apochankeno, Capt John West vppon the Tanx Pow-
hatans, and Capt9 William Powell vppon the Chocohominy Capt Hamer
beinge sent to the Patomecks to trade for Corne slew divers of ye Neco-
chincos yt sought to Circumvent him by treacherie, The like did Capt
madisone at Patomeck, Capt9 Hamer a seconde tyme ymployde to Patao-
meck for Corne slew some others yt p̳ved our enemies, And now is Capt
Tucker in the River of Rapahanock to take revenge vppon them, as
Confederates wth Apochankeno.

In all wch places we haue slaine divers, burnte theire Townes, destroyde
theire Wears & Corne and xxx Sr Georg Yardley in his last expeditione

brought into the Colonie aboue a Thowsande bushell of corne, wherin
he frely ymployd his shippinge, shallops, maryners, and servantℯ Besids
there hath been brought in by trade and force 3000 bushells more, wherin
we haue been forced to ymploy many p̱ties of men, the necessitie wherof
beeinge fore seene by us was one cause why wee drew into fewer bodies.

By conference of former experyences wth those of ours vppon the Salvages,
it is most aparant that they are an enemy nott suddenlie to be destroyde
wth the sworde by reasone of theire swyftnes of foote, and advantages of
the woodℯ, to wch vppon all our assaultℯ they retyre but by the way of
starvinge and all other meanes yt we can possiblely devise we will Con-
stantlie pursue their extirpatione. By Computatione and Confessione of
the Indyans themselves we have slayne more of them this yeere, then
hath been slayne before since the begininge of ye Colonie.

Wheras in the begininge of your Lres by the Trewloue you pass soe heavie
a Censure vppon us as yf we alone were guiltie, You may be pleased to
Consider what instructions you haue formerly given us, to wynn the
Indyans to us by A kinde entertayninge them in our howses, and yf it
were possible to Cohabitt wth us, and how ympossible it is for any watch
and warde to secure us against secrett Enemies yt live p̳miscouslie amongst
us, and are harbored in our bosomes, all Histories and your owne Dis-
course may Sufficyently informe you.

For the warninge given ye last yeere, some of us heere cann say nothinge
vnto yt, but Sr: George yardley and mr Pountis them selves doe affirme,
yt notice beeinge given by the Kinge of the Easterne shore of Apochaukeno
his plott, at the takinge vpp of Powhatans bones at wch Ceremony great
numbers of the Salvages were to be assembled to sett vppon every Plan-
tatione of the Colonie, Sr. George yardley him selfe in p̱sonne went to
every Plantatione and tooke a generall muster of all the men and theire
Armes, gaue straight Charge yt watch & warde should bee kept every
where, But Apochancono, earnestly denying[4] ye plott, and noe aparant
proofe brought in, our people by degrees fell againe to theire ordinary
watch not beeinge able to follow theire seuerall Labors and keepe soe
strict a guarde, especyally beinnge seated in smalle p̱ties, and at divers
tymes havinge had many the like Alarumes wch cam to nothinge. Neither

was it to be imagined yt vppon ye death of Nenemachanew, a man soe
farr owt of the favor of Apochancono yt he sent worde to Sr. George.
Yardley beinge then Gournor by his interpreter, yt for his p̱te he could
be contented his throte were Cutt, there w[ould] falle owte a generall
breach, wee beinge intreatie wth him and offeringe to doe him Justice
Accordinge to the Articles of the peace, yf vppon the takinge vpp of the
dead bodies yt might appere yt Nenemachanew had noe hande in theire
deaths wch was all yt Apochancon[o] required and ther vppon sent oute
as he fainde to search for ye bodies, and in the mean tyme sent woorde
yt the death of Nenemachanew beinge but one man should be noe occa-
sione of the breach of ye peace, and yt the Skye should sooner falle then
[ye] Peace be broken, one his p̱te, and that he had given order to all his
People to give us noe offence and desired the like from us.

Notwthstandinge order was taken generally through owt ye whole Colony
to stande vppon theire guards, vntill further tryall, but ye Indyans Com-
inge daylie amongst us and puttinge them selves into our powers, bread
in our People a securitie

These and divers other Circumstances Considered, wee were in good
hope yt you woulde not haue added sorrow to afflictione, woundinge our
reputationes wth such disgrasfull reprooffes, vnworthie of our sufferinge yf
not of our industrie, But yt you would first haue ascended to ye trew cause
wch we wth you confes to bee all our sinns havinge since loste more by
the Imediate hand of God, then by the Trecherie of the Salvages, And
would to god yt the Cowetuosnes of some at home, did nott minister
swell to our drunkenness heere fillinge the Countrey wth wyne not only in
quantetie excessive, but in qualletie base and infectious: for apparell wee
know noe excess, butt in the puristes, and had not that taxe p̳ceeded
from you, wee should haue thought it a floute for our povertie and
nakedness

The Remoueall to the Easterne shore wch you calle an abandoninge of
this River (beinge aplace indeede yt Comandℯ not only this but all the
Rivers in the Baye, was a thinge only in[5] dispute & speculations: But
vppon the Consideratione, that it might be at first sight a taint to our

reputations, & noe way lawfull to forsake our stations wthowt leave, yt
p̳ceeded noe farther, as all our Accons since may Sufficyently proue,
Havinge Carefully repayred the decays of James Cyttie, and invited all
men to builde theire wch p̳ceeded Cheerfully one, till your Lres of Dis-
persinge men againe, wherin wee submitt our Judgmentℯ to your Com-
andℯ, made every man looke to his privatt, But yt it was necessary to seate
together in two or three great bodyes, was the vnanimyous voyce both of
the Counsell and Planters, And noe doupt would haue draune one the
buildinge of fortified Townes, wherof now wee dispayre, wherby we might
haue made advantage of their Salvage trecherie by the securinge of our
selves from the native and forren Enemie, and yt wthowt tax of feare beinge
rather a hopeinge §me§ Conceptione then A thinge yt wee know, and this
we take to haue beene the first endevors of all new plantations; wee Con-
clude this poynt wth ye 4th resone geven in your printed booke, yt to be
scattered in smalle Compenies are helps to victorie, but hinderances to
Civilitie.

The quittinge of soe many Plantations was absolutly necessarie, and
wee more willinglie suffer a reprooff in p̳servinge your people, then Com-
endatione in their hazarde (in one wee will instance ye necessitie of all) by
A muster taken of my Lady dales family, wch consisted of two and twentie
wherof eight were boys, most of the men were new and vntrayned wth
very little munitione, and but six peeces and one Armour amongst them,
and 54 headd of Cattle, wch all those men were nott Sufficyent to guarde,
except eyther the place or Industry of inclosure had given advantage.
As for ye Irone Woorkes we had resolved to haue strengthned them wth
all ye planters theraboutℯ, yf soe many of ye princypall woorke men had
not beene slayne, as in the opinione of mr Barkley and mr Southerne it was
vtterlie ympossible to p̳ceede in that woorke though wth ye asistance of the
whole Colonie, neyther was it possible retaynige any more of ye plantations
eyther to Draw a Competent force to revenge our selves vppon our eniemies,
or to send abroade p̱ties to p̳cure Corne for our p̱rnt reliefe, wch our reputa-
tions and necessetie required, as may appeere by this, wheras by Comon
consent, 300 were thought to bee the lest number to assault Apochancono
him selfe, whose discomfiture, would proue ye dishartinge of the residew,
vppon A generall vew taken, there could nott be levied aboue 180 men,
wherof 80 at least were only serviceable for Caryinge of Corne, and yet

these few Plantations wee helde, especyally by resone of the sickness of
our people were left as weake, as was in any sorte Justifiable.

For yt of ingrosinge all, and leavinge all, our innocency knowes not how
to interprett it, and desire alsoe wth ye beloued Discyple, you would be
pleased to poynt owte ye man guiltie of yt horrible treasone against god
himself, since by naminge none you Charge vs all, nether know wee any,
that §we§ had nott freely adventured them selves, and p̱ted wth theire
p̱ticuler p̳ffitℯ to aduance your designes, and nott theire owne gaine and
greatness, for the repayre of wch causeles suspitione, we shall endeuor
accordinge to your Comande, to restore ye Plantations where formerly
they were and to mantaine them wth aboundance of graine and Victuall,
Provided yt we be not charged from home wth such multitudes of people
scantlie or vtterlie vnprovided, as formerly hath been sent and Come over,
beinge ye Chief cause of our scarcytie, and how soeuer you haue very
worthely sett in printe to all mens vewe wt p̳visions are necessarie to be
brought hither, yet it is but in p̱te observed, (even by these last suplies)

Wee desire to make noe comparisone wth those yt haue formerlie gouerned,
to whose memories we give all respect & honor, but yf you please to take
a survey of those tymes, you may p̱ceave yt there were held but fower
Plantations, and those not subdivided: fed and Appareled wholie by
your Comon purse, and yett were all Colonie servantℯ vnder the eye of
ye Magistrate at the absolute Comande of the Gournor, and yt vnder
Marshall Law, wheras before this Massacre there were neere (80) severall
Plantations and dividentℯ, and Accordinge to your late instructions are
like to bee no less then fortie, ten tymes as many as were then mantayned,
would to God our numbers of men held the like p̳portione.

For our former wante of Corne, wee yt are latelie come can say nothinge,
those yt were heere before, alleag[e] ye scant and bad p̳visiones xxx §sent
ouer§ wth new Comers, and that all Tenantℯ at halfes (the Colledge
only excepted) were never able to feede themselves by theire labours
three moneths in ye Yeere Wheras the ffree men generallie haue allways
plentifully §prouided for themselues and others, and some of them haue§
effected more wth §their§ p̱ticuler families, [then] the whole Colonie in
that alleaged infancie; And yf this last disaster had not beefallen us wee
should nott haue needed yt supplie of meale, for your great paynes and

travell p̳curinge wherof wee give you humble thanks, but we confes
freely, yf we had knowne yt would haue cost you soe much trouble, wee
would never haue writt for yt, and for ye future see yt they be p̳vided for
yt shall heerafter come over, we are Confident there wilbe noe cause To
intreat your helpe for supplie of Corne or any other p̳visone, fourther
then voluntary Adventurer[s] will bringe in, wch shall never be intreted
for us, seeinge by reasone of our great Crosses, wee haue nott beene enabled
to our griefe, to make such speedie and full retourns for those adventures
you haue p̳cured as was expected.

The maine Cause why retournes were not made for ye last yeers
magazine, was because before the arivall of the warwick, most of the
Tobacco in ye lande was solde and made Away to other shippinge that
formerly arived, To whom you required our favors to be shewne in
respect of theire lesse number of people Transported then vsuall, soe as of
necessitie your factor must haue kept yr goods dead vppone his handes, or
sell them to be paide this Cropp, Wherin, yf hee haue been denied any
asistance from vs for Recoveringe his depts you might then soe bitterly
Censure vs. Other helpe wee coulde nott giue him, beinge not at all
acquainted wth ye p̱ticularities of his busines, Besidℯ, there haue and doe
come daylie into this lande soe many privatt Adventurs equallie Recom-
ended vnto us, as five tymes ye Cropp of this yeere will nott satisfie, there
beinge not made aboue three-score thowsand waight of Tobacco in the
whole Collonie, and soe many privatt Adventures besidℯ, that except wee
should deny fre[e] trade contrarie to ye equitie of your order, doe and will
take Away much of our Tobacco though wee geeue noe warrant to them
to recover it, Because many of their comodities as Sackℯ sweete meates
and stronge Liquors, are soe acceptable to the people.

Concerninge ye raisinge of Staple Comodities, our endevors therin and
how farr, it was advanced before this disaster, you haue been formerly
advised, how ernest our intentes are to p̳secute them heerafter, Mr. Thr̃e:
will more p̱ticulerly informe you.

The failinge of ye Irone woorkℯ is much lamented by the whole Collony
whose asistance they wanted nott, whiles it was in theyr power to asiste
them, the state of wch woorke wee Referr to ye relatione of Mr. Maurice
Barkley, who is now to retorne, by whom we will send you a list of ye

names and p̳fessions of the men, togeather wth a note of ye tooles and mate-
rialls necessary for the reerectaige of that woorke.

The silke woorme seede wch was formerly sent were all hatcht before they
cam to our hands, only those now receved are for ye gretest p̱te well con-
ditioned, and shalbe carefully p̢served.

For Mulberie trees great store were ye last yeere planted and shalbe yeerly
inclosed, the like care we will haue of Vines.

For silke grass we purpose to send you some quantetie, soe much as shall
suffice to make experience of it, and yf it proue right, we can send you
therof in aboundance.

For gatheringe of Sasafras, although the necessitie of the yere[7] doth require
ye ymploymt of more handes then we haue, soe many People beinge to bee
reseated vppon their plantac̃on havinge howses to builde, and the tyme
of plantinge drawinge neere, yet will wee doe our best to Satisfie your
desires therin.

For what hath been donne in the glass workℯ, mr. Thr̃e: will informe you
therin, the like will mr Pountis for the maides, as also for Mr Woodalls
Cattle, and as for the furre Vioadge we canott resolve you, Capt Jhones
beinge nott yett retorned.

Capt Barwich and his Companie at their arivall were Accomodated
accordinge to theire Desire in James Cyttie, where they haue spent their
tymes in howsinge them selves, and are now woorkinge vppon shallops,
Since his arivall by sicknes he hath lost many of his princypall woorkmen,
and he him selfe at p̢sent very daungerouslie sick, mr Threã will at all tymes
take Accompt of the p̳fitts and returne them.

The men sent for ye buildinge of the East Indie Scoole were for the p̢sent
placed amongst the Colledg Tenantℯ, fower of them are dead the residue
shalbe placed wth the first Conveniencie at martins hundred accordinge to
mr Coplandℯ request to the Gouernor and Councell.

The little experience wee hadd of mr Leake, made good your Comendations
of him, and his death to us very greveous.

Sr. William Nuce did not aboue two days surviue the readinge of his
Pattent, Whose longe delay and sudden losse were to our great disadvan-
tage, He brought wth him very few people, sicklie, ragged and altogether
wthowt p̳visione, his sudden death and great Depts, left his estate much
intangled to our extraordinarie trouble.

Mr. Treãor hath receaued abooke of accompts concerninge the Tobacco
sent home for the fiftie youths sent in the dewtie, and the maides in the
Jonathan, and Londone marchant, and of 2407 pownde of Tobacco sent
home by the George, 1407ll͠ thereof was for ye Transportatione of nyne
of the Cyttie boys, nyne maides and fower men: the residwe wth 20 barrells
of Corne paide heere, was for ye rent of twentie boys of the Cyttie Boys
the yeere past, wch was as much as you receaved for most of yor Tenants,
wt the Tobacco comes shorte of makinge vpp the somme expended for
the duetie boys and the maides, wee will doe our best, yt they who had
them may make you Satisfactione.

Concerninge the revenews of the Compenie, we suppose you haue fownd
by your officers where the error is, we conceave yt yf you would be pleased
to Chaunge the Conditione of Tenatℯ into servants for the future Supplies,
and nott send over new officers meerly vnexperienced in the Countrey to
comande them, who though they may be * * * * very sufficyent
for much worthier ymployment, eyther martiall or Civill, are not soe fitt
for ye overlookinge and directinge men in theire labours, in wch affayrs
experience instructs more then any other Sufficyencie, That then your
revenues might be greatly Improved.

Capt Eache hath not yett vewed the place at Wariscoyks whether it be
fitt for fortificati[on] or nott, when he hath, yf he shall find it fezable
and will vndertake it, he shall haue our vtmost and best Asistance, as
far as this yeers povertie will p̱mitt, wch we will supplie in the next.

The Colledg Tenatℯ, wth much dificultie, we are now about to resettle
and haue engaged our selves to supplie them wth Cornne vntill harvest,
havinge strengthned them wth divers of the olde Planters vppon ye Con-
ditions wch your selves haue p̳pounded.

The Adventurers of martins Hundred whom haue putt Liefe into the
Accone by [reenforceinge] theire Supplies may prmise from vs to them-

selves all possible asistance, Livt. Parkinson wth his people is alredie
gone downe, ye like we shalbe redie to doe to ye rest of the Plantatione

We have receaved divers Peticions wherin wee wilbee readie to doe Jus-
tice, as ye proofes shall arise vppon Examinatione, nor can any man for
ought we know, complayne Justly that A Lawfull hearinge hath been
denied him at any tyme.

Lastlie we Conclude wth our humble request vnto you, yt you will not
iudge of us by the eventℯ of thingℯ wch are ever vncerten especyallie in
a new Plantatione, nor by reportes of branded people, some of whom
have deservedlie vndergone seuerall kindℯ of punishment nor of the
malitious and vnknowinge, but rather to give Creditt to our publique
informations, and then we shall Cherfullie, as we haue ever faithfully,
p̳ceede to the advauncment of your designes the good success whereof,
we humblie recomend to ye favors of the Allmightie and ever remaine.