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 left to Captaine Yearly.

NOw a little to commentary vpon all these proceedings,* 1.1 let me leaue but this as a caueat by the way; if the alteration of gouernment hath subuer∣ted great Empires, how dangerous is it then in the infancy of a common∣weale? The multiplicity of Gouernors is a great damage to any State, but vncertaine daily changes are burdensome, because their entertainments are chargeable, and many will make hay whilst the sunne doth shine, how euer it shall fare with the generality.

This deare bought Land with so much bloud and cost, hath onely made some few rich, and all the rest losers. But it was intended at the first, the first vnderta∣kers should be first preferred and rewarded, and the first aduenturers satisfied, and they of all the rest are the most neglected; and those that neuer aduentured a groat, neuer see the Country, nor euer did any seruice for it, imploied in their places, adorned with their deferrs, and inriched with their ruines; and when they a••e led fat, then in commeth others so leane as they were, who through their omnipotency doe as much. Thus what one Officer doth, another vndoth, on∣ly ayming at their owne ends, thinking all the world derides his dignity, can∣not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is Coffe••s being in authority with any thing. Euery man hath his minde free, but he can neuer be a true member to that estate, that to enrich himselfe beg∣gers

all the Countrie. Which bad course, there are many yet in this noble plan∣tation, whose true honour and worth as much scornes it, as the others loues it; for the Nobilitie and Gentrie, there is scarce any of them expects any thing bu•• the prosperitie of the action: and there are some Merchants and others, I am con∣fidently perswaded, doe take more care and paines, nay, and at their continual•• great charge, than they could be hired to for the loue of money, so honestly regar∣ding the generall good of this great worke, they would hold it worse than sa∣crilege, to wrong it but a shilling, or extort vpon the common souldier a penny. But to the purpose, and to follow the Historie.

* 1.2M^r. George Yearly now inuested Deputie Gouernour by S^r. Thomas Dale, appli∣ed himselfe for the most part in planting Tobacco, as the most present commodi∣tie they could deuise for a present gaine, so that euery man betooke himselfe to the best place he could for the purpose: now though Sir Thomas Dale had caused such an abundance of corne to be planted, that euery man had sufficient, yet the sup∣plies were sent vs, came so vnfurnished, as quickly eased vs of our superfluitie. To relieue their necessities, he sent to the Chickahamanias for the tribute Corne Sir Thom••s Dale and Captaine Argall had conditioned for with them: But such a bad answer they returned him, that hee drew together one hundred of his best shot, with whom he went to Chick••hamania; the people in some places vsed him indifferently, but in most places with much scorne and contempt, telling him he was but Sir Thomas D••les man, and they had payed his Master according to con∣dition, but to giue any to him they had no such order, neither would they obey him as they had done his Master; after he had told them his authoritie, and that he had the same power to enforce them that Dale had, they dared him to come on shore to fight, presuming more of his not daring, than their owne valours. Yearly seeing their insolencies, made no great difficultie to goe on shore at Ozinies, and they as little to incounter him: but marching from thence towards Mamanahunt, they put themselues in the same order they see vs, lead by their Captaine Kissana∣comen, Gouernour of Ozinies, & so marched close along by vs, each as threatning other who should first begin. But that night we quartered against Mamanahunt, and they passed the Riuer. The next day we followed them; there are few places in Virginia had then more plaine ground together, nor more plentie of Corne, which although it was but newly gathered, yet they had hid it in the woods where we could not finde it: a good time we spent thus in arguing the cause, the Saluages without feare standing in troupes amongst vs, seeming as if their counte∣nances had beene sufficient to dant vs: what other practises they had I know not; but to preuent the worst, our Captaine caused vs all to make ready, and vpon the word, to let flie among them, where he appointed: others also he commanded to seize on them they could for prisoners; all which being done according to our direction, the Captaine gaue the word, and wee presently discharged, where twelue lay,* 1.3 some dead, the rest for life sprawling on the ground, twelue more we ••••oke prisoners, two whereof were brothers, two of their eight Elders, the one tooke by Sergeant Boothe, the other by Robert a Polonian; Neere one hundred bushels of Corne we had for their ransomes, which was promised the Souldiers for a reward, but it was not performed: now Opechankanough had agreed with our Captaine for the subiecting of those people, that neither hee nor Powhatan could euer bring to their obedience, and that he should make no peace with them without his aduice: in our returne by Ozinies with our prisoners wee met Ope∣chankanough, who with much adoe, fained with what paines hee had p••ocured their peace, the which to requite, they called him the King of Ozin••s, and brought him from all parts many presents of Beads, Copper, and such trash as they had; here as at many other times wee were beholding to Captaine Henry Spilman our Interpreter,* 1.4 a Gentleman had liued long time in this Countrie, and sometimes a prisoner among the Saluages, and done much good seruice, though but badly rewarded. From hence we marcht towards Iames towne, we had three

Boats loaded with Corne and other luggage,* 1.5 the one of them being more wil∣ling to be at Iames towne with the newes than the other, was ouerset, and eleuen men cast away with the Boat, Corne and all their prouision; notwithstanding this put all the rest of the Saluages in that feare, especially in regard of the great league we had with Opechankanough, that we followed our labours quietly, and in such securitie, that diuers saluages of other Nations, daily frequented vs with what prouisions they could get, and would guide our men on hunting, and oft hunt for vs themselues. Captaine Yearly had a Saluage or two so well trained vp to their peeces, they were as expert as any of the English,* 1.6 and one hee kept pur∣posely to kill him fowle. There were diuers others had Saluages in like manner for their men. Thus we liued together, as if wee had beene one people, all the time Captaine Yearley staied with vs, but such grudges and discontents daily increased among our selues, that vpon the arriuall of Captaine Argall, sent by the Councell and Companie to bee our Gouernour, Captaine Yearley returned for England in the yeere 1617. From the writings of Captaine Nathaniel Powell, William Cantrill, Sergeant Boothe, Edward Gurganey.

During this time, the Lady Rebecca, alias Pocahontas, daughter to Powhatan,* 1.7 by the diligent care of Master Iohn Rolfe her husband and his friends, was taught to speake such English as might well bee vnderstood, well instructed in Christia∣nitie, and was become very formall and ciuill after our English manner; shee had also by him a childe which she loued most dearely, and the Treasurer and Com∣pany tooke order both for the maintenance of her and it, besides there were di∣uers persons of great ranke and qualitie had beene very kinde to her; and before she arriued at London, Captaine Smith to deserue her former courtesies, made her qualities knowne to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and her Court, and writ a little booke to this effect to the Queene: An abstract whereof followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A digression.
• * 1.2

  The gouernment of Captaine Yea••ley.
• * 1.3

  Twelue Saluages slaine, twelue prisoners taken, and peace con∣cluded.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 108
• * 1.5

  Eleuen men cast away.
• * 1.6

  A bad-presiders.
• * 1.7

  Pocahontas instru∣ctions.