Captaine Smith): First, he made himselfe sport, in shewing his countrymen, by them, how he was used; feeding them with this law, who would not worke must not eat, till they were neere starved; continuallie threatning to beate them to death. Neither could they get from him, til perforce he brought them to our Captaine, that so we contented him, and punished them; as manie others that intended also to have followed them, were rather contented to labour at home then adventure to live Idle among the Salvages; of whom there was more hope to make better christians and good subjects, then the one halfe of those that counterfeited themselves both. For so afeard were all those kings and the better sorte of their people to displease us, that some of the baser sort that we have extreamlie hurt and punished for their villanies, would hire us, that we should not tell it to their kings or countrymen, who would also repunish them, and yet returne them to James Towne to content the President, by that testimonie of their loves.

Mr Sicklemore well returned from Chawonock, but found little hope and lesse certainetie of them [that] were left by Sir Walter Rawley.' So that Nathaniell Powell and Anas Todkill were also, by the Quiyoughquohanocks, conducted to the Mangoages to search them there. But nothing could we learne but they were all dead. This honest, proper, good promiskeeping king, of all the rest, did ever best affect us, and though to his false Gods he was yet very zealous; yet he would confesse, our God as much exceeded his, as our guns did his bowe and arrowes: often sending our President manie presents to praie to his God for raine, or his corne would perish; for his Gods were angrie all this time. To reclaime the Dutchmen, and one Bentley an other fugitive, we imploied one William Volda (a Switzer by birth), with pardons and promises to regaine them. Litle we then suspected this double villanie of anie villain, who plainly taught us, in the most trust was the greatest treason. For this wicked hypocrit, by the seeming hate he bore to the lewd condition of his cursed countrimen,

1In 1587. See p. 17, note 2.

having this opportunitie, by his imploiment to regaine them, conveighed them everie thing they desired to effect their project to destroie the colonie. With much devotion they expected the Spanyard, to whom they intended to have done good service. But to begin with the first oportunitie, they seeing necessitie thus inforced us to disperse our selves, importuned Powhatan to lend them but his forces, and they would not onlie destroie our hogs, fire our towne, and betraie our Pinnas: but bring to his service and subjection the most part of our companies. With this plot they had acquainted manie discontents; and manie were agreed to their divelish practise. But Thomas Douese and Thomas Mallard, whose christian harts much relenting at such an unchristian act, voluntarily revealed it to Captaine Smith: who did his best it might be concealed, perswading Douese and Malard to proceed in the confederacie, onlie to bring the irreclamable Dutch men and inconstant Salvages in such a maner amongst his ambuscadoes as he had prepared, as not manie of them shoulde ever have returned from out our peni[n]sula. But this brute comming to the ears of the impatient multitude, they so importuned the President to cut of[f] those Dutchmen, as amongst manie that offered to cut their throates before the face of Powhatan, Master Wiffin and Jefra Abot were sent to stab or shoot them. But these Dutch men made such excuses, accusing Volday (whom they supposed had revealed their project), as Abbot would not; yet Wiffin would, perceiving it but deceipt. The king understanding of this their imploiment, sent presentlie his messengers to Captaine Smith to signifie it was not his fault to detaine them, nor hinder his men from executing his command; nor did he, nor would he maintaine them or anie, to occasion his displeasure. But ere this busines was brought to a point, God having seene our misery sufficient, sent in Captaine Argall' to fish for Sturgion, with a ship well furnished with wine and bisket; which, though it was not sent us, such

'The celebrated Captain Samuel Argall, navigator, destroyer (1613) of the French settlements on Mt. Desert and at Port Royal, deputy-governor of Virginia 1617-1619, and a member from 1622 of the Council for New England.

were our occasions we tooke it at a price: but left him sufficient to returne for England. Still dissembling Valdo his villany; but certainlie hee had not escaped, had the President continued.

1

By this you may see, for all those crosses, treacheries, and dissentions; howe he wrastled and overcame (without bloud shed) all that hapned: also what good was done, how few died, what food the country naturally affordeth; what small cause there is men should starve, or be murdered by the Salvages, that have discretion to manage this courage and industry. The 2. first years though by his adventures he had oft brought the Salvages to a tractable trade, yet you see how the envious authority ever crossed him, and frustrated his best endeavours. Yet this wrought in him that experience and estimation among the Salvages, as otherwaies it had bin impossible he had ever effected that he did. Though the many miserable yet generous and worthy adventures he had long and oft indured as wel in some parts of Africa and America, as in the most partes of Europe and Asia, by land or sea, had taught him much: yet, in this case, he was againe to learne his Lecture by experience; which with thus much a doe having obtained, it was his ill chance to end when hee had but onlie learned how to begin. And though hee left these unknowne difficulties (made easie and familiar) to his unlawfull successors; whoe onlie by living in James Towne, presumed to know more then al the world could direct them; though they had all his souldiers, with their triple power, and twise triple better meanes: by what they have done in his absence, the world doth see; and what they would have done in his presence, had he not prevented their indiscretions it doth justlie approve what cause he had to send them for England. But they have made it more plaine since their returne: having his absolute authoritie freely in their power, with all the advantages and opportunity that his labours had effected. As I am sorry their actions have made it so manifest, so am I unwilling to say what reason doth compell me to make apparant the truth, least I should seeme partial, reasonlesse, or malitious.

1 Manage with.

? Lesson.

CHAPTER XII

The Arival of the third supply.

To redresse those jarres and ill proceedings, the Councell in England altered the governement: and devolved the authoritie to the Lord De-la-ware. Who for his deputie, sent Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers.' With 9 ships and 500 persons, they set saile from England in May 1609. A small catch perished at sea in a Herycano. The Admiral,2 with 150 men, with the two knights and their new commission, their bils of loading with al manner of directions, and the most part of their provision, arived not. With the other 7, as Captaines, arived Ratliffe (whose right name was Sickelmore), Martin, and Archer: who as they had been troublesome at sea, beganne againe to marre all ashore. For though, as is said, they were formerly deposed and sent for England: yet now returning againe, graced by the title of Captaines of the passengers, seeing the admirall wanting, and great probabilitie of her losse, strengthned themselves with those newe companies, so railing and exclaiming against Captaine Smith, that they mortally hated him ere ever they see his face. Who understanding by his scouts, the arivall of such a fleet, little dreaming of any such supply, supposing them Spaniards, hee so determined and ordered his affaires as wee little feared their arivall, nor the successe of our incounter: nor were the Salvages any way negligent or unwilling to aide and assist

This is an error. Sir Thomas Gates was given the first commission as governor of Virginia. Lord Delaware was second governor, though the office was given him for life. Sir Thomas Gates, a soldier in the Elizabethan and Low-Country wars, was one of the original incorporators of the Virginia Company, and is named first in the charter; governor, 1609–1610, 1611–1614; a member of the Council of New England established in 1620. Sir George Somers had commanded important naval expeditions in the last years of Queen Elizabeth, and had been a member of Parliament under King James.

'Admiral in the sense of flagship; the Sea Venture, wrecked on the Bermuda Islands.

us with their best power. Had it so beene, wee had beene happy. For we would not have trusted them but as our foes; whereas receiving those as our countriemen and friends, they did their best to murder our President, to surprise the store, the fort, and our lodgings; to usurp the governement, and make us all their servants, and slaves to our owne merit. To 1000 mischiefes these lewd Captaines led this lewd company, wherein were many unruly gallants packed thether by their friends to escape il destinies: and those would dispose and determine of the governement, sometimes one, the next day another, to day the old commission, to morrow the new, the next day by neither. In fine, they would rule all or ruine all. Yet in charitie, we must endure them thus to destroy us; or by correcting their follies, have brought the worlds censure upon us, to have beene guiltie of their bloods. Happy had we bin had they never arrived, and we for ever abandoned and (as we were) left to our fortunes: for on earth was never more confusion or miserie then their factions occasioned.

The President seeing the desire those braves had to rule, seeing how his authoritie was so unexpectedly changed, would willingly have left all and have returned for England: but seeing there was smal hope this newe commission would arive, longer hee would not suffer those factious spirits to proceed. It would bee too tedious, too strange, and almost incredible, should I particularly relate the infinite dangers, plots, and practises hee daily escaped amongst this factious crue; the chiefe whereof he quickly laid by the heeles, til his leasure better served to doe them justice. And to take away al occasions of further mischiefe, Mr Persie had his request granted, to returne for England: and Mr West1 with 120 went to plant at the falles; Martin with neare as many to Nansamund ; with their due proportions of all provisions, according to their numbers.

Now the Presidents yeare being neere expired, he made Martin President: who knowing his own insufficiencie, and

Francis West, afterward deputy-governor of Virginia, a younger

brother of Lord Delaware.