Part 6
{MN} But besides those great Kingdoms of _Congo, Angola,_ and _Azichi,_ in those unfrequented Parts are the Kingdoms of _Lango, Matania, Battua, Sofola, Mozambeche, Quivola,_ the Isle of St. _Lawrence, Mombaza, Melinda,_ the Empires of _Monomotapa, Monemugi,_ and _Presbyter John,_ with whom they have a kind of Trade, and their Rites, Customs, Climates, Temperatures, and Commodities by Relation. Also of great Lakes, that deserve the Names of Seas, and huge Mountains of divers sorts, as some scorched with heat, some covered with Snow; the Mountains of the Sun, also of the Moon, some of Chrystal, some of Iron, some of Silver, and Mountains of Gold, with the Original of _Nilus;_ likewise sundry sorts of Cattel, Fishes, Fowls, strange Beasts, and monstrous Serpents; for Africa was always noted to be a fruitful Mother of such terrible Creatures; who meeting at their watering places, which are but Ponds in desart places, in regard of the heat of the Country, and their extremities of Nature, make strange Copulations, and so ingender those extraordinary Monsters. Of all these you may read in the History, of this _Edward Lopez,_ translated into English by _Abraham Hartwel,_ and dedicated to _John_ Lord Arch-bishop of _Canterbury,_ 1597. But because the Particulars are most concerning the conversion of those Pagans, by a good poor Priest, that first converted a Noble Man, to convert the King, and the rest of the Nobility; sent for so many Priests and Ornaments into _Portugal,_ to Solemnize their Baptisms with such Magnificence, which was performed with such strange Curiosities, that those poor _Negro's_ adored them as gods, till the Priests grew to that Wealth, a Bishop was sent to rule over them, which they would not endure, which endangered to spoil all before they could be reconciled. But not to trouble you too long with those Rarities of uncertainties; let us return again to _Barbary,_ where the Wars being ended, and _Befferres_ possessed of _Morocco,_ and his Fathers Treasure, a new bruit arose amongst them, that _Muly Sidan_ was raising an Army against him, who after took his Brother _Befferres_ Prisoner; but by reason of the uncertainty, and the perfidious, treacherous, bloody murthers rather than War, amongst those perfidious, barbarous Moors, _Smith_ returned with _Merham,_ and the rest to _Saffe,_ and so aboard his Ship, to try some other conclusions at Sea.
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{MN} _Divers Nations yet unknown, and the wonders of_ Africa.
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CHAP. XX.
_A brave Sea Fight betwixt to_ Spanish _Men of War, and Captain_ Merham, _with_ Smith.
_Merham,_ a Captain of a Man of War then in the Road, invited Captain _Smith,_ and two or three more of them aboard with him, where he spared not any thing he had to express his kindness, to bid them welcome, till it was too late to go on Shoar, so that necessity constrained them to stay aboard; a fairer Evening could not be, yet ere Midnight, such a Storm did arise, they were forced to let slip Cable, and Anchor, and put to Sea; spooning before the Wind, till they were driven to the _Canaries;_ in the Calms they accommodated themselves, hoping this strange accident might yet produce some good event; not long it was before they took a small Bark coming from _Tenerif,_ loaded with Wine; three or four more they chased, two they took, but found little in them, save a few Passengers, that told them of five _Dutch_ Men of War, about the Isles, so that they stood for _Boiadora,_ upon the _African_ Shoar, betwixt which and _Cape Noa,_ they descryed two Sail. _Merham_ intending to know what they were, hailed them; very civilly they danced their Top-sails, and desired the Man of War to come aboard them, and take what he would, for they were but two poor distressed _Biskainers._ But _Merham_ the old Fox, seeing himself in the Lions paws, sprung his louf, the other tacked after him, and came close up to his nether Quarter, gave his Broad-side, and so loufed up to Windward; the Vice-Admiral did the like, and at the next bout, the Admiral with a noise of Trumpets, and all his Ordnance, Murtherers, and Muskets, boarded him on his Broad-side, the other in like manner on his ley Quarter, that it was so dark, there was little light, but fire and smoak; long he stayed not, before he, fell off, leaving 4 or 5 of his Men sprawling over the Grating; after they had battered _Merham_ about an hour, they boarded him again as before, and threw four Kedgars or Grapnels in Iron Chains, then shearing off, they thought so to have torn down the Grating; but the Admiral's Yard was so intangled in their Shrouds, _Merham_ had time to discharge two cross barr shot amongst them, and divers Bolts of Iron made for that purpose, against his Bow, that made such a Breach, he feared they both mould have sunk for Company; so that the _Spaniard_ was as yare in slipping his chained Grapnels, as _Merham_ was in cutting the Tackling, kept fast their Yards in his Shrouds; the Vice-Admiral presently cleared himself, but spared neither his Ordnance nor Muskets to keep _Merham_ from getting away, till the Admiral had repaired his Leak; from twelve at noon, till six at night, they thus interchanged one volly for another; then the Vice-Admiral fell on Stern, staying for the Admiral that came up again to him, and all that night stood after _Merham,_ that shaped his course for _Mamora,_ but such small way they made, the next Morning they were not three Leagues off from _Cape Noa._ The two _Spanish_ Men of War, for so they were, and well appointed, taking it in scorn as it seemed, with their Chase, Broad-side, and Stern, the one after the other, within Musket shot, plying their Ordnance; and after an hours Work, commanded _Merham_ amain for the King of Spain upon fair Quarter; _Merham_ drank to them, and so discharged his Quarter Pieces. Which Pride the _Spaniard_ to revenge, boarded him again, and many of them were got to the top to unsling the Main-Sail, which the Master and some others from the Round-House, caused to their cost to come tumbling down; about the Round-House the _Spaniards_ so pestred, that they were forced to the great Cablen and blew it up; the smoak and fire was so vehement, as they thought the Ship on fire; they in the Fore-Castle were no less assaulted, that they blew up a piece of the Grating, with a great many of _Spaniards_ more; then they cleared themselves with all speed, and _Merham_ with as much Expedition to quench the Fire with wet Cloaths and Water, which began to grow too fast. The _Spaniard_ still playing upon him with all the shot they could; the open Places presently they covered with old Sails, and prepared themselves to fight to the last Man. The Angry _Spaniard_ seeing the fire quenched, hung out a Flag of truce to have but a Parley; but that desperate _Merham_ knew there was but one way with him, and would have none, but the report of his Ordnance, which he did know well how to use for his best Advantage. Thus they spent the next Afternoon, and half the Night, when the _Spaniards_ either lost them or left them. Seven and twenty Men _Merham_ had slain and sixteen wounded, and could find they had received 140 great shot. A wounded _Spaniard_ they kept alive confessed, they had lost 100 Men in the Admiral, which they did fear would sink ere she could recover a Port. Thus Re-accommodating their Sails, they failed for _Sancta Cruse, Cape Goa,_ and _Magadore,_ till they came again to _Safee,_ and then he returned into England.
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CHAP. XXI.
_The continuation of the General History of_ Virginia; _the_ Summer Isles, _and_ New England; _with their present Estate from_ 1624. _to this present_ 1629.
Concerning these Countries, I would be sorry to trouble you with repeating one thing twice, as with their Mapps, Commodities, People, Government and Religion yet known; the beginning of these Plantations, their Numbers and Names, with the Names of the Adventures, the Yearly proceedings of every Governour both here and there. As for the Misprisions, Neglect, Grievances, and the causes of all these Rumours, losses and crosses that have happened; I refer you to the General History, where you shall find all this at large; especially to those Pages where you may read my Letter of Advice to the Councel and Company, what of necessity must be done, or lose all and leave the Country, 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. and seven Answers to his Majesty's Commissioners: Seven Questions what hath hindered _Virginia,_ and the remedy, Pag. 165. How those Noble Gentlemen spent near two Years in perusing all Letters came from thence; and the differences betwixt many Factions, both here and there, with their Complaints; especially about the _Sallery_ which should have been a new Office in _London,_ for the well ordering the sale of _Tobacco,_ that 2500 Pounds should Yearly have been raised out of it, to pay four or five Hundred Pounds Yearly to the Governour of that Company, two or three Hundred to his Deputy; the rest into Stipends of forty or fifty Pounds Yearly for their Clerks and other 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 Adventures in _England,_ except the undertakers for the Lotteries, Setters out of Ships, Adventures 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 sincerity, did pillage and deceive all the rest most cunningly: For more than 150000 Pounds have been spent out of the Common Stock, besides many thousands have been there Consumed, and near 7000 People that there died, only for want of good Order and Government, otherwise long ere this there would have been more than 20000 People, where after twenty Years spent only in Complement and trying new Conclusions, was remaining scarce 1500, with some few Cattel.
Then the Company dissolved, but no Account of any thing; so that his Majesty appointed Commissioners to oversee, and give Order for their Proceedings. Being thus in a manner left to themselves, since then within these four Years, you shall see how wonderfully they have increased beyond expectation; but so exactly as I desired, I cannot relate unto you: For altho' I have tired my self 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 hath gone up and down the River of _James_ Town, been at _Pamaunk, Smith's_ Isles, or _Accomack;_ wherein for the most part, they keep one tune of their now particular abundance, and their former wants having been there, some sixteen Years, some twelve, some six, some near twenty, &c. But of their general Estate, or any thing of worth, the most of them doth know very little to any purpose.
{MN} Now the most I could understand in general, was from the Relation of Mr. _Nathaniel Cawsey,_ that lived there with me, and returned _Anno Dom._ 1627. and some others affirm; Sir _George Yerely_ was Governour, Captain _Francis West,_ Doctor _John Pott,_ Captain _Roger Smith,_ Captain _Matthews,_ Captain _Tucker,_ Mr. _Clabourn,_ and Mr. _Farrer,_ of the Council: their Habitations many. The Governour, with two or three of the Council, are for most part at _James_ Town, the rest repair thither as there is occasion; but every three Months they have a general Meeting, to consider of their Publick Affairs.
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{MN} _Their estate_ 1627.
{MN} Their Numbers then were about 1500, some say rather 2000, divided into seventeen or eighteen several Plantations; the greatest part thereof towards the falls, are so inclosed with Pallisadoes they regard not the _Salvages._ and amongst those Plantations above _James_ Town, they have now found means to take plenty of Fish, as well with Lines as Nets, and where the Waters are the largest, having Means they need not want.
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{MN} _Their numbers._
{MN} Upon this River they seldom see any _Salvages,_ but in the Woods, many times their Fires: yet some few there are, that upon their opportunity, have slain some few straglers, which have been revenged with the Death of so many of themselves; but no other Attempt hath been made upon them this two or three Years.
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{MN} _Their condition with the Salvages._
{MN} Their Cattel, Namely, Oxen, Kine, Bulls, they imagine to be about 2000; Goats great store and great increase; the wild Hoggs, which were infinite, are destroyed and eaten by the _Salvages:_ but no Family is so poor that hath not tame Swine sufficient; and for Poultry, he is a very bad Husband, breedeth not an Hundred in a Year, and the Richer sort doth daily feed on them.
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{MN} _Their increase of Cattel and Poultry._
{MN} For Bread they have plenty, and so good, that those that make it well, better cannot be: Divers have much _English_ Corn, especially Mr. _Abraham Perce,_ which prepared this Year to sow two Hundred Acres of _English_ Wheat, and as much with Barly, feeding daily about the number of sixty Persons at his own Charges.
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{MN} _Plenty of Corn._
{MN} For Drink, Some Malt the _Indian_ Corn, others Barly, of which they make good Ale, both strong and small, and such plenty thereof, few of the Upper Planters drink any Water: but the better sort are well furnished with Sack, _Aquavitae,_ and good _English_ Beer.
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{MN} _Their Drink._
{MN} The Servants commonly feed upon Milk Homili, which is bruised _Indian_ Corn pounded, and boiled thick, and Milk for the sawce; but boiled with Milk, the best of all will feed oft on it, and leave their Flesh; with Milk, Butter and Cheese; with Fish, Bulls-flesh, for they seldom kill any other, &c. And every one is so applied to his labour about Tobacco and Corn, which doth yield them such Profit, they never regard any food from the _Salvages,_ nor have they any Trade or Conference with them, but upon meer Accidents and Defiances: And now the Merchants have left it, there having gone so many voluntary Ships within these two Years, as have furnished them with Apparel, Sack, _Aquavitae,_ and all necessaries, much better than any before.
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{MN} _Their Servants diet._
{MN} For Arms, There is scarce any Man but he is furnished with a Piece, a Jack, a Coat of Male, a Sword or Rapier; and every Holy-day, every Plantation doth Exercise their Men in Arms, by which means Hunting and Fowling, the most part of them are most Excellent Marks-men.
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{MN} _Their Arms and Exercise._
{MN} For Discoveries they have made none, nor any other Commodity than Tobacco do they apply themselves unto, tho' never any was Planted at first. And whereas the Countrey was heretofore held most intemperate and contagious by many, now they have Houses, Lodgings, Victuals, and the Sun hath Power to Exhale up the moist Vapours of the Earth, where they have cut down the Wood, which before it could not, being covered with spreading tops of high Trees; they find it much more healthful than before; nor for their Numbers, few Countries are less troubled with Death, Sickness, or any other Disease, nor where overgrown Women become more fruitful.
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{MN} _Their Health and Discoveries._
{MN-1} Since this, Sir _George Yerely_ died 1628, Captain _West_ Succeeded him; but about a Year after, returned for _England._ Now Doctor _Poor_ is Governour, and the rest of the Council as before: _James_ Town is yet their chief Seat, most of the Wood destroyed, little Corn 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 Grass as can be. Here most of their Cattle do feed, their Owners being most some one way, some another, about their Plantations, and return again when they please, or any Shipping comes in to Trade. Here in the Winter they have Hay for their Cattel, but in other Places they Browze upon Wood, and the great husks of their Corn, with some Corn in them, doth keep them well. {MN-2} Mr. _Hutchins_ saith, they have 2000 Cattle, and about 5000 People, but _Master Floud, John Davis, William Emerson,_ and divers others say, about 5000 People, and 5000 Kine, Calves, Oxen and Bulls; for Goats, Hoggs and Poultry, Corn, Fish, Dear, and many sorts of other wild Beasts; and Fowl in their Season, they have so much more than they spend, they are able to feed three or four Hundred more than they have; and do oft much relieve many Ships, both there, and for their Return; and this last Year was there at least two or three and Twenty Sale. They have oft much Salt-fish from _New England,_ but fresh Fish enough, when they will take it; Peaches in abundance at _Kecoughtan;_ Apples, Pears, Apricocks, Vines, Figgs, and other Fruits some have Planted that prospered exceedingly, but their Diligence about Tobacco, left them to be spoiled by the Cattel, yet now they begin to Revive; {MN-3} Mrs. _Pearce,_ an Honest Industrious Woman, hath been there near twenty Years, and now returned, saith, she hath a Garden at _James_ Town, containing three or four Acres, where in one Year she hath gathered near an Hundred Bushels of excellent Figgs; and that of her own Provision she can keep a better House in _Virginia,_ than here in _London_ for 3 or 400 Pounds a Year, yet went thither with little or nothing. They have some tame Geese, Ducks and Turkies. The Masters now do so train up their Servants and Youth in shooting Deer and Fowl, that the Youths will kill them as well as their Masters. They have two Brew-houses, but they find the _Indian_ Corn so much better than ours, they begin to leave sowing it. Their Cities and Towns are only scattered Houses, they call Plantations, as are our Country Villages; but no Ordnance Mounted. The Forts Captain _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 Gain, it hath brought them to this abundance; but that they are so disjointed, and every one Commander of himself to Plant what he will: {MN-4} they are now so well provided, that they are able to subsist; and if they would join together, now to work upon Soap, Ashes, Iron, Rape-Oil, Mader, Pitch and Tarr, Flax and Hemp; as for their Tobacco, there comes from many Places such abundance, and the charge so great, it is not worth the bringing home.
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{MN-1} _The present estate of_ Virginia 1629.
{MN-2} _Mr._ Hutchins. _Five thousand people. Five thousand Cattel. Goats, Hogs, and Poultry infinite._
{MN-3} _Good Hospitality._
{MN-4} _Commodities worth making, Black Wallnut, Also for Pikes, Oak for Planks, knees for ships, Cypress, for Chests, &c._
There is gone, and now a going, divers Ships, as Captain _Perse,_ Captain _Prine,_ with Sir _John Harvey_ 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 Bless, and send them a Happy and Prosperous Voyage.
_Nathaniel Causie,_ Master _Hutchins,_ Master _Floud, John Davis, William Emerson,_ Master _William Barnet,_ Master _Cooper,_ and others.
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CHAP. XXII.
_The proceedings and present estate of the_ Summer Isles, _from_ Anno Dom. 1624, _to this present_ 1629.
From the _Summer Isles,_ Mr. _Ireland,_ and divers others report, their Forts, Ordnance and Proceedings, are much as they were in the Year 1622. as you may read in the General History, Pag. 199. Captain _Woodhouse_ Governour. There are few sorts of any Fruits in the West Indies, but they grow there in abundance; yet the fertility of the Soil in many Places decayeth, being Planted every Year, for their Plantains, which is a most delicate Fruit, they have lately found a way by Pickling or Drying them, to bring them over into _England,_ there being no such Fruit in _Europe,_ and wonderful for increase. For Fish, Flesh, Figgs, Wine, and all sorts of most excellent Herbs, Fruits and Roots they have in abundance. In this Governour's time, a kind of Whale, or rather a Jubarta, was driven on Shoar in _Southampton_ Tribe from the West, over an Infinite Number of Rocks so bruised, that the Water in the Bay where she lay, was all Oily, and the Rocks about it all Bedasht with Parmacitty, congealed like Ice, a good quantity we gathered, with which we commonly cured any Boil, Hurt or Bruise; some burnt it in their Lamps, which blowing out, the very snuff will burn so long as there is any of the Oil remaining, for two or three days together. {MN}
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{MN} _The present Estate of the_ Summer Isles.
The next Governour was Captain _Philip Bell,_ whose time being expired, Captain _Roger Wood_ possess'd his Place, a worthy Gentleman of good desert, and hath lived a long time in the Country; their Numbers are about 2 or 3000 Men, Women and Children, who increase there exceedingly; their greatest Complaint is want of Apparel, and too much Custom, and too many Officers; the Pity is, there are no more Men than Women, yet no great Mischief, because there is so much less Pride: the Cattle they have increase exceedingly; their Forts are well maintain'd by the Merchants here, and Planters there; to be brief, this Isle is an excellent Bit to Rule a great Horse.
All the Cohow Birds and Egbirds are gone; seldom any wild Catts seen; no Rats to speak off; but the Worms are yet very troublesome; the People very healthful, and the Ravens gone; Fish enough, but not so near the shoar as it used, by the much beating it; it is an Isle that hath such a Rampire and a Ditch, and for the quantity so manned, Victualled, and Fortified, as few in the World do exceed it, or is like it.
{MN} The 22d of March, two Ships came from thence; the _Peter-Bonaventure,_ near 200 Tunns, and sixteen Pieces of Ordnance; the Captain, _Thomas Sherwin;_ the Master, Mr. _Edward Some,_ like him in Condition, a Goodly, Lusty, Proper, Valiant Man: The _Lydia,_ wherein was Mr. _Anthony Thorne,_ a smaller Ship, were chased by eleven Ships of _Dunkirk;_ being thus over-match'd, Captain _Sherwin_ was taken by them in _Torbay,_ only his Valiant Master was slain; the Ship with about seventy _English_ Men they carried betwixt _Dover_ and _Callais_ to _Dunkirk;_ but the _Lydia_ safely recovered _Dartmouth._
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{MN} _An Evil Mischance._
These Noble Adventures for all thole losses patiently do bear them; but they hope the King and State will understand it is worth keeping, tho' it afford nothing but Tobacco, and that now worth little or nothing, Custom and Fraught pay'd, yet it is worth keeping, and not supplanting; tho' great Men feel not those losses, yet Gardiners, Carpenters and Smiths, do pay for it.
From the Relation of _Robert Chestevan_ and others.
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CHAP. XXIII.
_The Proceedings and present Estate of_ New England, _since_ 1624. _to this present_ 1629.