CDXLVII. John Harvey. A Letter to Sir Nathaniel Rich
April 24, 1624
Manchester Papers, No. 400
Document in Public Record Office, London. Autograph document
List of Records No. 663
Honnorable Knight
I and my frends appointed, haue don our vtmost endevors for searching
out the truthe in answer to those com̃ands which the Lords of his Maties
Privy Councell were pleased to send vnto vs; and doe finde the pes persons
∥heer∥ to bee more in number, and provision of victualls to bee more
plentifull then wee expected, after the Massacre and so great a mortallity
both of men and Catle, but theyr is great want of Am̄unicion, and diuerse
solitary plantations too slenderly peopled, to avoyd the vigilancy of so
subtile and nimble an enemie, wherby, and by the stupid securitie of our
nation it is to bee feared, that in Som̄er time when the corne and weeds
are growne high, heer will bee much mischief done, as the Attempts of the
Indians in these two months of Marche and Aprill, a beadroll wherof sent
to theyr Lops Mr Pory will shewe you, doe shrewdly prognosticate. Other-
wise were the Indians driven of from infesting our people and Cattle, as
with no great forces in two or 3 yeares, they might bee, then the Plantation
wth good government would vndoutedly flourish. in February at our
com̄ing in, they were heer mett in a generall assembly, the first friutes
wherof, were most bitter invectiues in the highest pitche of spleen and
detraction, against the twelue yeares gouerment of Sr Thomas Smith,
and in answer to Mr Alderman Jonson and Captin Butler, with a letter,
petition, and other things all presented partly to his Maty and partly to
the Lordes, the coppies wherof wee haue attained vnto, for your and theyr
better information, and doe hope they will come to your hands before the
delivery of the Originalls, by Mr Pountess, the messenger of the gennerall
assemblie; Ever since the arrivall of the Bonny Besse wch was in September
last [2] these stormes haue bin a breeding, and at our arrivall at James
citty, wee found mens mynds fully possessed.
Longer I need not trouble your patience through the hand of so vnder-
standing and well furnisht a messenger.
[OMITTED]
In this countrye I remaine perforce, till my ships retourne from Cannada,
after which time, if god keep mee alive hauing been wintered and somered
heere, you shall knowe my opinion of the place to the full; So desiring to
bee remembred in all humble manner to my most honble good Lord the
Earle of Warwicke I rest.
Yours most affectionate at your seruice
John Haruey.
Virginia the, 24th of Aprill 1624.
[Directed:] To the honble Sr Nathaniell Riche knight giue these.
London.
[Indorsed by Sir Nathaniel Rich:]
Cap. Jo. Haruyese ɫre to me from Virginia dat 24. April 1624. rec' by
xjth June Mr Jo. Pory ii June 1624
