The generall historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles with the names of the adventurers, planters, and governours from their first beginning. an⁰: 1584. to this present 1624. With the procedings of those severall colonies and the accidents that befell them in all their journyes and discoveries. Also the maps and descriptions of all those countryes, their commodities, people, government, customes, and religion yet knowne. Divided into sixe bookes. By Captaine Iohn Smith sometymes governour in those countryes & admirall of New England.

The gouernment surrendred to Sir George Yearley.

FOr to begin with the yeere of our Lord, 1619. there arriued a little Pinnace priuatly from England about Easter for Captaine Argall, who taking order for his affaires, within foure or fiue daies returned in her, and left for his Deputy, Captaine Nathaniel Powell. On the e••ighteenth of Aprill, which was but ten or twelue daies after, arriued Sir George Yearley, by whom we vnder∣stood Sir Edwin Sands was chosen Treasurer, and Master Iohn Farrar his Deputy, and what great supplies was a preparing to be sent vs, which did rauish vs so much with ioy and content, we thought our selues now fully satisfied, for our long toile and labours, and as happy men as any in the world. Notwithstanding, such an accident hapned Captaine Stallings, the next day his ship was cast away, and he not long after slaine in a priuate quarrell. Sir George Yearly to beginne his go∣uernment, added to be of his councell, Captaine Francis West, Captaine Nathani∣el Powell▪ Master Iohn Pory, Master Iohn Rolfe, and Master William Wickam, and Ma∣ster Samuel Macocke, and propounded to haue a generall assembly with all expe∣dition. Vpon the twelfth of this Moneth, came in a Pinnace of Captaine Bar∣graues, and on the seuenteenth Captaine Lownes, and one Master Euans, who in∣tended to plant themselues at Waraskoyack,* 1.1 but now Ophechankanough will not come at vs, that causes vs suspect his former promises.

In May came in the Margaret of Bristoll, with foure and thirty men, all well and in health, and also many deuout gifts, and we were much troubled in examining some scandalous letters sent into England, to disgrace this Country with barren∣nesse, to discourage the aduenturers, and so bring it and vs to ruine and confusi∣on; notwithstanding, we finde by them of best experience, an industrious man not other waies imploied, may well tend foure akers of Corne, and 1000. plants of Tobacco, and where they say an aker will yeeld but three or foure barrels, we haue ordinarily foure or fiue, but of new ground six, seuen, and eight, and a barrell of Pease and Beanes, which we esteeme as good as two of Corne, which is after thir∣ty or forty bushels an aker,* 1.2 so that one man may prouide Corne for fiue, and ap∣parell for two by the profit of his Tobacco; they say also English Wheat will yeeld but sixteene bushels an aker, and we haue reaped thirty: besides to ma∣nure the Land, no place hath more white and blew Marble than here, had we but Carpenters to build and make Carts and Ploughs, and skilfull men that know how to vse them, and traine vp our cattell to draw them, which though we inde∣uour to effect, yet our want of experience brings but little to perfection but planting Tobaco, and yet of that many are so couetous to haue much, they make little good; besides there are so many sofisticating Tobaco-mungers in England▪ were it neuer so bad, they would sell it for Ʋerinas, and the trash that remaineth should be Ʋirginia, such deuilish bad mindes we know some of our owne Coun∣try-men doe beare, not onely to the businesse, but also to our mother England her selfe; could they or durst they as freely defame her.

The 25. of Iune came in the Triall with Corne and Cattell all in safety, which tooke from vs cleerely all feare of famine; then our gouernour and councell cau∣sed Burgesses to be chosen in all places,* 1.3 and met at a generall Assembly, where all matters were debated thought expedient for the good of the Colony, and Cap∣taine Ward was sent to Monahigan in new England, to fish in May, and returned the latter end of May, but to small purpose, for they wanted Salt: the George also was sent to New-found-land with the Cape Merchant, there she bought fish, that de∣fraied her charges, and made a good voyage in seuen weekes. About the last of August came in a dutch man of warre that sold vs twenty Negars, and Iapazous King of Patawomeck, came to Iames towne, to desire two ships to come trade in his Riuer, for a more plentifull yeere of Corne had not beene in a long time, yet very contagious, and by the trechery of one Poule, in a manner turned heathen, wee

were very iealous the Saluages would surprize vs. The Gouernours haue boun∣ded foure Corporations; which is the Companies, the Vniuersity,* 1.4 the Gouer∣nours and Gleabe land: Ensigne Wil. Spencer, & Thomas Barret a Sergeant, with some others of the ancient Planters being set free, we are the first farmers that went forth, and haue chosen places to their content, so that now knowing their owne land, they striue who should exceed in building and planting. The fourth of Nouember the Bona noua came in with all her people lusty and well; not long af∣ter one Master Dirmer sent out by some of Plimoth for New-England, arriued in a Barke of fiue tunnes, and returned the next Spring; notwithstanding the ••il ru∣mours of the vnwholsomnesse of Iames towne, the new commers that were planted at old P••spaheghe, little more then a mile from it, had their healths better then any in the Country.* 1.5 In December Captaine Ward returned from Pat••wo∣meck, the people there dealt falsly with him, so that hee tooke 800. bushels of Corne from them perforce. Captaine Woddiffe of Bristol came in not long after, with all his people lusty and in health, and we had two particular ••ouernors sent vs, vnder the titles of Deputies to the Company, the one to haue charg•• of the Colledge Land, the other of the Companies: Now you are to vnderst••nd, that because there haue beene many compl••ints against the G••uernors, C••p••aines, and Officers in Virginia, for buy••ng and selli••g ••en and b••••es, or to b•••• set ouer from one to another for a yeerely rent, was ••eld in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a ••••••ng most in∣tolerable, o•• that ••he tenants or lawfull seruan••s sho••ld b•• put ••••om ••••••ir p••••ces, or abridged their Couenants, ••as ••o ••di••us, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the ••ery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••h••re•••• b••••ught a great scandall to the generall action. T•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 good and wor••h•• 〈…〉〈…〉 and ••p••ointed a hundred men sho•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 prouided to serue and attend the Gouer•••••••• 〈…〉〈…〉 gouernm••nt, which number he was to make good at his departure, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his Successor in like manner, fifty to the Deputy-Gouernour of the College land, and fifty to the D••puty of the Companies land, fifty to the Treasurer, to the Secretary fiue and twenty, and more to the Marshall and C••pe merchant; which they are also to leaue to their suc∣cessors, and likewise to euery particular Officer such a compe••ency, as he might liue well in his Office, without oppressing any vnder their charge, which good law I pray God it be well obserued, and then we may truly say in Virginia, we are the most happy people in the world. By me Iohn Rolfe.

There went this yeere by the Companies records, 11. ships, and 1216.* 1.6 per∣sons to be thus disposed on: Tenants for the Gouernors land fourescore, besides fifty sent the former spring; for the Companies land a hundred and thirty, for the College a hundred, for the Glebe land fifty, young women to make wiues ninety, seruants for publike seruice fifty, and fifty more whose labours were to bring vp thirty of the infidels children, the rest were sent to priuate Plantations.* 1.7

Two persons vnknowne haue giuen faire Plate and Ornaments for two Com∣munion Tables, the one at the College, the other at the Church of Mistris Ma∣ry Robinson, who towards the foundation gaue two hundred pound. And another vnknowne person sent to the Treasurer fiue hundred and fifty pounds, for the bringing vp of the saluage children in Christianity. Master Nicholas Farrar de∣ceased, hath by his Will giuen three hundred pounds to the College, to be paid when there shall be ten young Saluages placed in it, in the meane time foure and twenty pound yeerely to bee distributed vnto three discreet and godly young men in the Colony, to bring vp three wilde young infidels in some good course of life, also there were granted eleuen Pattents,* 1.8 vpon condition to transport peo∣ple and cattle to increase the Plantations.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Waraskoyack planted.
• * 1.2

  A barrell they account foure bushels.
• * 1.3

  Their time of Parlament.
• * 1.4

  Foure corpora∣tions named.
• * 1.5

  Captaine Wards exploit.
• * 1.6

  The number of Ships and men.
• * 1.7

  Gifts giuen.
• * 1.8

  But few per∣forme them.