Part 7
When I went first to the North part of _Virginia,_ where the Westerly Colony had been planted, it had dissolved it self within a Year, and there was not one _Christian_ in all the Land. I was set forth at the sole Charge of four Merchants of _London;_ the Country being then reputed by your Westerlings, a most Rocky Barren, Desolate Desart; {MN-1} but the good Return brought from thence, with the Maps and Relations I made of the Country, which I made so manifest, some of them did believe me, and they were well embraced both by the _Londoners_ and the _Westerlings,_ for whom I had promised to undertake it, I thinking to have joined them all together, but that might well have been a work of _Hercules._ Betwixt them long there was much contention; the _Londoners_ indeed went bravely forward; but in three or four Years, I and my Friends consumed many hundred Pounds amongst the _Plimothians,_ who only fed me with delays, promises and excuses, but no Performance of any thing to any purpose. In the interim, many particular Ships went thither, and finding my Relations true, and that I had not taken that I brought home from the _French_ Men, as had been reported; yet further, for my Pains to discredit me, and my calling it _New-England,_ they obscured, and shadowed it, with the Title of _Canada,_ till at my humble suit, it pleased our most Royal King _Charles,_ whom God long keep, bless and preserve, then Prince of _Wales,_ to confirm it with my Map and Book, by the Title of _New England;_ the gain thence returning, did make the same thereof so increase, that thirty, forty, or fifty sail went Yearly only to Trade and Fish; but nothing would be done for a Plantation, till about some Hundred of your Brownists of _England, Amsterdam_ and _Leyden,_ went to _New Plimouth,_ whose humorous Ignorances, caused them for more than a Year to endure a wonderful deal of misery, with an infinite patience; saying my Books and Maps were much better cheap to teach them than my self; {MN-2} many other have used the like good Husbandry, that have payed soundly in trying their self-will'd conclusions; but those in time doing well, divers others have in small handfuls undertaken to go there, to be several Lords and Kings of themselves, but most vanished to nothing; notwithstanding the Fishing Ships, made such good returns, at last it was ingrossed by twenty Patentees, that divided my Map into twenty parts, and cast Lots for their shares; but Money not coming in as they expected, procured a Proclamation, none should go thither without their Licences to Fish; but for every thirty Tuns of Shipping, to pay them five Pounds; besides, upon great Penalties, neither to Trade with the Natives, cut down Wood for their Stages, without giving satisfaction, though all the Country is nothing but Wood, and none to make use of it, with many such other pretences, for to make this Country plant it self, by its own Wealth: Hereupon most Men grew so discontented, that few or none would go; so that the Patentees, who never a one of them had been there, seeing those Projects Would not prevail, have since not hindred any to go that would, that within these few last years, more have gone thither than ever.
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{MN-1} _Considerations about the loss of time._
{MN-2} _The effect of negardliness._
{MN} Now this Year 1629, a great company of People of good Rank, Zeal, Means, and Quality, have made a great Stock, and with six good Ships in the Months of April and May, they set Sail from _Thames,_ for the Bay of the _Massachusets,_ otherwise called _Charles's_ River; _viz._ the _George Bonaventure,_ of twenty pieces of Ordnance, the _Talbot_ nineteen, the _Lions-whelp_ eight, the _May-flower_ fourteen, the _Four Sisters_ fourteen, the _Pilgrim_ four, with three hundred and fifty Men, Women, and Children; also an hundred and fifteen head of Cattel, as Horse, Mares, and neat Beast; one and forty Goats, some Conies, with all Provision for Houshold and Apparel; six pieces of great Ordnance for a Fort, with Muskets, Pikes, Corselets, Drums, Colours, with all Provision necessary for a Plantation, for the good of Man; other Particulars I understand of no more, than is writ in the general History of those Countries.
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{MN} _A new Plantation_ 1629.
But you are to understand, that the noble Lord chief Justice _Popham,_ Judge _Doderege;_ the Right Honourable Earls of _Pembroke, Southampton, Salisbury,_ and the rest, as I take it, they did all think, as I and them went with me, did; That had those two Countries been planted, as it was intended, that no other Nation should complant betwixt us. If ever the King of _Spain_ and we should fall foul, those Countries being so capable of all Materials for shipping, by this might have been Owners of a good Fleet of Ships, and to have relieved a whole Navy from _England_ upon occasion; yea, and to have furnished _England_ with the most Easterly Commodities; and now since, seeing how conveniently the _Summer Isles_ fell to our shares, so near the _West-Indies,_ we might with much more facility than the _Dutch_ Men have invaded the _West-Indies,_ that doth now put in practice, what so long hath been advised on, by many an honest _English_ States-man.
{MN} Those Countries, Captain _Smith_ oft times used to call his Children that never had Mother; and well he might, for few Fathers ever payed dearer for so little content; and for those that would truly understand, how many strange Accidents hath befallen them and him; how oft up, how oft down, sometimes near despair, and ere long flourishing, cannot but conceive Gods infinite Mercies and Favours towards them. Had his Designs been to have perswaded Men to a Mine of Gold, though few doth conceive either the charge or pains in refining it, nor the power nor care to defend it; or some new Invention to pass to the South Sea, or some strange Plot to invade some strange Monastery, or some portable Country, or some chargeable Fleet to take some rich Carocks in the _East-Indies;_ of Letters of Mart to rob some poor Merchants; What multitudes of both People and Money would contend to be first imployed? But in those noble endeavours (now) how few of quality, unless it be to beg some Monopoly; and those seldom seek the common good, but the Commons Goods, as you may read at large in his general History, _pag._ 217, 218, 219, his general Observations and Reasons for this Plantation; for yet those Countries are not so forward, but they may become as miserable as ever, if better courses be not taken than is; as this _Smith_ will plainly demonstrate to his Majesty, or any other noble Person of Ability, liable generously to undertake it; how within a Short time to make _Virginia_ able to resist any Enemy, that as yet lieth open to all, and yield the King more Custom within these few years, in certain staple Commodities, than ever it did in Tobacco; which now not being worth bringing home, the Custom will be as uncertain to the King, as dangerous to the Plantation.
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{MN} _Notes of inconveniency._
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CHAP. XXIV.
_A brief Discourse of divers Voyages made unto the goodly Country of_ Guinea _and the great River of the_ Amazons; _relating also the present Plantation there._
It is not unknown how that most Industrious and honourable Knight, Sir _Walter Rawleigh,_ in the Year of Our Lord 1595, taking the Isle of _Trinidado,_ fell with the Coast of _Guiana,_ Northward of the Line 10 degrees, and coasted the Coast, and searched up the River _Oranoco;_ where understanding that twenty several Voyages had been made by the Spaniards; in discovering this Coast and River, to find a passage to the great City of _Mano,_ called by them the _Eldorado,_ or the Golden City: he did his utmost to have found some better Satisfaction than Relations: {MN-1} But means failing him, he left his trusty Servant _Francis Sparrow_ to seek it, who wandring up and down those Countries, some fourteen or fifteen years, unexpectedly returned; I have heard him say, he was led blinded into this City by _Indians;_ but little Discourse of any purpose, touching the largeness of the report of it; his body seeming as a Man of an uncurable Consumption, shortly died here after in _England._ There are above thirty fair Rivers that fall into the Sea, between the River of _Amazons_ and _Oranoco,_ which are some nine degrees asunder. {MN-2} In the year 1605, Captain _Ley_, Brother to that noble Knight, Sir _Oliver Ley,_ with divers others, planted himself in the River _Weapoco,_ wherein I should have been a Party; but he died, and there lies buried, and the supply miscarrying, the rest escaped as they could.
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{MN-1} Sparrow _left to seek the great city of_ Mano.
{MN-2} Captain _Charles Ley._
{MN} Sir _Thomas Roe,_ known to be a most Noble Gentleman, before he went Lord Ambassadour to the Great _Mogul,_ or the Great _Turk,_ spent a year or two upon this Coast, and about the River of the _Amazons,_ {MN-2} wherein he most imployed Captain _Matthew Morton,_ an expert Sea-man in the discovery of this famous River, a Gentleman that was the first shot, and mortally supposed wounded to Death, with me in _Virginia,_ yet since hath been twice with command in _East-Indies;_ {MN-3} Also Captain _William White,_ and divers others worthy and industrious Gentlemen, both before and since, hath spent much time and charge to discover it more perfectly, but nothing more effected for a Plantation, till it was undertaken by Captain _Robert Harcote_ 1609.
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{MN-1} Sir _Thomas Roe._
{MN-2} Captain _Morton._
{MN-3} Captain _White._
{MN} This worthy Gentleman, after he had by Commission made a discovery to his mind, left his Brother _Michael Harcote,_ with some fifty or sixty Men in the River _Weapoco,_ and so presently returned to _England,_ where he obtained by the favour of Prince _Henry_ a large Patent for all that Coast called _Guiana,_ together with the famous River of _Amazons,_ to him and his Heirs: but so many troubles here surprized him, though he did his best to supply them, he was not able, only some few he sent over as Passengers, with certain _Dutch_ Men, but to small purpose. Thus this business lay dead for divers years, till Sir _Walter Rawleigh,_ accompanied with many valiant Soldiers and brave Gentlemen, went his last Voyage to _Guiana,_ amongst the which, was Captain _Roger North,_ Brother to the Right Honourable the Lord _Dudley North,_ who upon this Voyage, having stayed, and seen divers Rivers upon this Coast, took such a liking to those Countries, having had before this Voyage, more perfect and particular Information of the excellency of the great River of the _Amazons,_ above any of the rest, by certain _English_ Men returned so rich, from thence in good Commodities, they would not go with Sir _Walter Rawleigh_ in search of Gold; that after his return for _England_, he endeavoured by his best Abilities to interest his Country and State in those fair Regions, which by the way of Letters Patents unto divers Noble Men and Gentlemen of Quality, erected into a Company and Perpetuity for Trade and Plantation, not knowing of the Interest of Captain _Harcote._
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{MN} Captain _Harcote._
{MN} Whereupon accompanied with 120 Gentlemen and others, with a Ship, a Pinnace and two Shallops, to remain in the Country, he set Sail from _Plimouth_ the last of _April_ 1620, and within seven Weeks after he arrived well in the _Amazons,_ only with the loss of one old Man: Some hundred Leagues they ran up the River to settle his Men, where the sight of the Country and People so contented them, that never Men thought themselves more happy: Some _English_ and _Irish_ that had lived there some eight years, only supplied by the _Dutch,_ he reduced to his Company and to leave the _Dutch:_ having made a good Voyage, to the value of more than the charge, he returned to _England_ with divers good Commodities, besides, Tobacco: So that it may well be conceived, that if this Action had not been thus crossed the Generality of _England_ had by this time been won and encouraged therein. But the time was not yet come, that God would have this great business effected, by reason of the great Power the Lord _Gundamore,_ Ambassadour for the King of _Spain,_ had in _England,_ to cross and ruin those Proceedings, and so unfortunate Captain _North_ was on this business, he was twice committed Prisoner to the Tower, and the Goods detained, till they were spoiled, who beyond all others, was by much the greatest Adventurer and Loser.
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{MN} Captain _Roger North._
{MN} Notwithstanding all this, those that he had left in the _Amazons,_ would not abandon the Country. Captain _Thomas Painton,_ a worthy Gentleman; his Lieutenant dead. Captain _Charles Parker,_ Brother to the Right Honourable the Lord _Morley,_ lived there six years after; Mr. _John Christmas,_ five years; so well, they would not return, although they might, with divers other Gentlemen of Quality and others: All thus destitute of any supplies from _England._ But all Authority being dissolved, want of Government did more wrong their Proceedings, than all other crosses whatsoever. Some relief they had sometime from the _Dutch,_ who knowing their Estates, gave what they pleased, and took what they list. Two Brothers, Gentlemen, _Thomas_ and _William Hixon,_ who stayed three years there, are now gone to stay in the _Amazons,_ in the Ships lately sent thither.
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{MN} _Nota bene._
The business thus remaining in this fort, three private Men left of that Company, named Mr. _Thomas Warriner, John Rhodes,_ and _Robert Bims,_ having lived there about two years, came for _England,_ and to be free from the disorders that did grow in the _Amazons,_ for want of Government amongst their Country-men, and to be quiet amongst themselves, made means to let themselves out for St. _Christophers;_ their whole number being but fifteen Persons that payed for their Passage in a Ship going for _Virginia,_ where they remained a year before they were supplied, and then that was but four or five Men. Thus this Isle, by this small beginning, having no interruption by their own Country, hath not got the start of the Continent and main Land of _Guinea,_ which hath been laid apart, and let alone until that Captain _North,_ ever watching his best opportunity and advantage of time in the State, hath now again pursued, and set on foot his former design. Captain _Harcote_ being now willing to surrender his Grant, and to joyn with Captain _North,_ in passing a new Patent, and to erect a Company for Trade and Plantation in the _Amazons,_ and all the Coast and Country of _Guinea_ for ever. Whereupon, they have sent this present year in _January,_ and since 1628, four Ships, with near two hundred Persons; the first Ship with 112 Men, not one miscarried; the rest went since, not yet heard of and are preparing another with their best Expedition; and since _January_ is gone from _Holland,_ 100 _English_ and _Irish,_ conducted by the old Planters.
This great River lieth under the Line, the two chief Head Lands North and South, are about three degrees asunder, the mouth of it is so full of many great and small Isles, it is an easie matter for an unexperienced Pilot to lose his way. It is held one of the greatest Rivers in _America,_ and as most Men think in the World; and cometh down with such a fresh, it maketh the Sea fresh, more than thirty Miles from the Shoar. Captain _North_ having seated his Men about an hundred Leagues in the Main, sent Captain _William White,_ with thirty Gentlemen and others, in a Pinnace of thirty Tun, to discover further, which they did some two hundred Leagues, where they found the River to divide it self in two parts, till then all full of Islands, and a Country most healthful, pleasant and fruitful; for they found food enough, and all returned safe and in good health: In this discovery, they saw many Towns well inhabited, some with three hundred People, some with five, six, or seven hundred; and of some they understood to be of so many thousands, most differing very much, especially in their Languages: Whereof they suppose by those _Indians,_ they understand are many hundreds more, unfrequented till then by any _Christian,_ most of them stark naked, both Men, Women and Children, but they saw not any such Giant-like Women as the Rivers name importeth. But for those where Captain _North_ hath seated his Company, it is not known where Indians were ever so kind to any Nation, not sparing any pains, danger or labour, to feed and maintain them. The _English_ following their Buildings, Fortifications and Sugar-works; for which they have sent most expert Men, and with them all things necessary for that purpose; to effect which, they want not the help of those kind Indians to produce; and many other good Commodities, which (God willing) will ere long make plain and apparent to this Kingdom, and all the Adventures and Well-willers to this Plantation, to be well worthy the cherishing and following with all alacrity.
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CHAP. XXV.
_The Beginning and Proceedings of the new Plantation of St._ Christopher _by Captain_ Warner.
Master _Ralph Merifield_ and others, having furnished this worthy Industrious Gentleman, {MN-1} he arrived at St. _Christophers,_ as is said, with fifteen Men, the 28th of _January_ 1623, _viz. William Tested, John Rhodes, Robert Bints,_ Mr. _Benifield,_ Sergeant _Jones,_ Mr. _Ware, William Ryle, Rowland Grascock,_ Mr. _Bond,_ Mr. _Langley,_ Mr. _Weaver, Edward Warner,_ their Captain's Son, and now Deputy Governour, till his Father's return, Sergeant _Aplon,_ one Sailor and a Cook: At their arrival, they found three _French_ Men, who sought to oppose Captain _Warner,_ and to set the _Indians_ upon us; but at last we all became Friends, and lived with the _Indians_ a Month, then we built a Fort, and a House, and planting Fruits, by _September_ we made a crop of Tobacco; {MN-2} but upon the nineteenth of _September_ came a _Hericano_ and blew it away, all this while we lived upon Cassada Bread, Potatoes, Plantanes, Pines, Turtles, Guanes, and Fish plenty; for drink we had _Nicnobby._
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{MN-1} 1623.
{MN-2} _A Hericano._
{MN} The 18th March 1624 arrived Captain _Jefferson,_ with three Men Passengers in the _Hopewell_ of _London,_ with some Trade for the _Indians,_ and then we had another crop of Tobacco, in the mean time the _French_ had planted themselves in the other end of the Isle; with this crop Captain _Warner_ returned for _England_ in _September_ 1625.
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{MN} 1624.
In his absence came in a _French_ Pinnace, under the command of _Monsieur de Nombe,_ that told us, the _Indians_ had slain some _French_ Men in other of the _Caribbe_ Isles, and that there were six Peryagoes, which are huge great Trees, formed as your Canoos, but so laid out on the sides with Boards, they will seem like a little Gally: {MN} Six of those, with about four or five hundred strange _Indians_ came unto us, we bade them be gone, but they would not; whereupon we and the _French_ joyned together, and upon the fifth of _November_ set upon them, and put them to flight: upon New years Even they came again, found three _English_ going about the Isle, whom they slew.
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{MN} _Their Fight with the_ Indians.
{MN-1} Until the fourth of _August,_ we stood upon our Guard, living upon the spoil and did nothing. But now Captain _Warner_ arriving again with near an hundred People, then we fell to work and planting as before; {MN-2} but upon the fourth of September, came such a Hericano, as blew down all our Houses, Tobacco, and two Drums into the air we know not whither, drove two Ships on Shoar that were both split; all our Provision thus lost, we were very miserable, living only on what we could get in the wild Woods, {MN-3} we made a small party of French and English to go aboard for Provision, but in their returning home, eight _French_ Men were slain in the Harbour.
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{MN-1} 1625.
{MN-2} _A Hericano._
{MN-3} _Eight French Slain._
{MN} Thus we continued till near _June_ that the _Tortles_ came in 1627, but the French being like to starve, sought to surprize us, and all the Cassado, Potatoes, and Tobacco we had planted, but we did prevent them. The 26th of _October,_ came in Captain _William Smith,_ in the _Hope-well,_ with some Ordnance, Shot and Powder, from the Earl of _Carlisle,_ with Captain _Pelham_ and thirty Men; about that time also came the _Plow,_ also a small Ship of _Bristow,_ with Captain _Warner's_ Wife, and six or seven Women more.
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{MN} 1627.
{MN} Upon the 25th of _November,_ the _Indians_ set upon the French, for some injury about their Women, and slew six and twenty _French_ Men, five _English,_ and three _Indians._ Their Weapons are Bows and Arrows, their Bows are never bent, but the string lies flat to the Bow; their Arrows a small Reed, four or five foot long, headed some with the poisoned Sting of the Tail of a Stingray, some with Iron, some with Wood, but all so poisoned, that if they draw but blood, the hurt is incurable.
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{MN} _Three_ Indians _Slain._
{MN} The next day came in Captain _Charles Saltonstall,_ a young Gentleman, Son of Sir _Samuel Saltonstall,_ who brought with him good store of all Commodities to relieve the Plantation; but by reason some _Hollanders,_ and others had been there lately before him, who carried away with them all the Tobacco, he was forced to put away all his Commodities upon trust till the next crop; in the mean time he resolved there to stay, and imploy himself and his Company in planting Tobacco, hoping thereby to make a Voyage, but before he could be ready to return for _England,_ a _Hericano_ happening, his Ship was split, to his great loss, being sole Merchant and owner himself, notwithstanding forced to pay to the Governour the fifth part of his Tobacco, and for fraught to _England,_ three pence a pound, and nine pence a pound custom, which amounts together to more than threescore pound in the hundred pound, to the great discouragement of him and many others, that intended well to those Plantations. Nevertheless he is gone again this present year 1629, with a Ship of about three hundred Tuns, and very near two hundred People, with Sir _William Tuffton_ Governour for the _Barbadoes_, and divers Gentlemen, and all manner of Commodities fit for a Plantation.
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{MN} _The arrival of many English Ships._
Captain _Prinn,_ Captain _Stone,_ and divers others came in about _Christmas;_ so that this last year, there hath been about thirty Sail of _English, French,_ and _Dutch_ Ships, and all the _Indians_ forced out of the Isle, for they had done much mischief amongst the _French,_ in cutting their Throats, burning their Houses, and spoiling their Tobacco; amongst the rest _Tegramund,_ a little Child, the King's Son, his Parents being slain, or fled, was by great chance saved, and carefully brought to _England,_ by Master _Merifield,_ who brought him from thence, and bringeth him up as his own Children.