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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32721-8.txt b/32721-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f863fa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/32721-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10061 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The History of Virginia, in Four Parts, by +Robert Beverley, et al + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The History of Virginia, in Four Parts + + +Author: Robert Beverley + + + +Release Date: June 6, 2010 [eBook #32721] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR +PARTS*** + + +E-text prepared by Julia Miller, Christine Aldridge, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from +page images generously made available by Internet Archive/American +Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 32721-h.htm or 32721-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32721/32721-h/32721-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32721/32721-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/historyofvirgini00beve + + +Transcriber's note: + + 1. Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). + + 2. Minor punctuation irregularities have been made consistent. + + 3. A list of corrections and other notes appears at the end of + this text. + + + + + +THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR PARTS. + + +[Illustration] + + +I. THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA, AND THE GOVERNMENT + THEREOF, TO THE YEAR 1706. + +II. THE NATURAL PRODUCTIONS AND CONVENIENCES OF THE COUNTRY, SUITED + TO TRADE AND IMPROVEMENT. + +III. THE NATIVE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND + PEACE. + +IV. THE PRESENT STATE OF THE COUNTRY, AS TO THE POLITY OF THE GOVERNMENT, + AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE LAND THE 10TH OF JUNE 1720. + + +by + +ROBERT BEVERLEY, +A native and inhabitant of the place. + +Reprinted from the Author's Second Revised Edition, London, 1722. + +With an Introduction by Charles Campbell, +Author of the Colonial History of Virginia. + + + + + + + +J. W. Randolph, +121 Main Street, Richmond, Virginia. +1855. + +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1855, by +J. W. Randolph, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the Eastern +District of Virginia. + +H. K. Ellyson's Steam Presses, Richmond, Va. + + + + +THE TABLE. + + +BOOK I. + + +CHAPTER I. + +_History of the first attempts to settle Virginia, before the discovery + of Chesapeake bay._ + PAGE. +§1. Sir Walter Raleigh obtains letters patent, for making discoveries + in America, 8 + 2. Two ships set out on the discovery, and arrive at Roanoke inlet, 9 + Their account of the country, 9 + Their account of the natives, 9 + 3. Queen Elizabeth names the country of Virginia, 10 + 4. Sir Richard Greenvile's voyage, 10 + He plans the first colony, under command of Mr. Ralph Lane, 11 + 5. The discoveries and accidents of the first colony, 11 + 6. Their distress by want of provisions, 12 + Sir Francis Drake visits them, 12 + He gives them a ship and necessaries, 12 + He takes them away with him, 12 + 7. Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Greenvile, their voyages, 13 + The second settlement made, 13 + 8. Mr. John White's expedition, 13 + The first Indian made a Christian there, 14 + The first child born there of Christian parentage, 14 + Third settlement, incorporated by the name of the city of Raleigh, + in Virginia, 14 + Mr. White, their governor, sent home to solicit for supplies, 14 + 9. John White's second voyage; last attempts to carry them recruits, 14 + His disappointment, 15 +10. Capt. Gosnell's voyage to the coast of Cape Cod, 15 +11. The Bristol voyages, 16 +12. A London voyage, which discovered New York, 16 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Discovery of Chesapeake bay by the corporation of London adventurers; + their colony at Jamestown, and proceedings during the government by + an elective president and council._ + +§13. The companies of London and Plymouth obtain charters, 18 + 14. Captain Smith first discovers the capes of Virginia, 19 + 15. He plants his first colony at Jamestown, 20 + An account of Jamestown island, 20 + 16. He sends the ships home, retaining one hundred and eight men + to keep possession, 20 + 17. That colony's mismanagement, 21 + Their misfortunes upon discovery of a supposed gold mine, 21 + 18. Their first supplies after settlement, 22 + Their discoveries, and experiments in English grain, 22 + An attempt of some to desert the colony, 22 + 19. The first Christian marriage in that colony, 23 + They make three plantations more, 23 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_History of the colony after the change of their government, from + an elective president to a commissionated governor, until the + dissolution of the company._ + +§20. The company get a new grant, and the nomination of the governors + in themselves, 24 + They send three governors in equal degree, 24 + All three going in one ship, are shipwrecked at Bermudas, 24 + They build there two small cedar vessels, 24 + 21. Captain Smith's return to England, 25 + Mismanagements ruin the colony, 25 + The first massacre and starving time, 25 + The first occasion of the ill character of Virginia, 26 + The five hundred men left by Captain Smith reduced to sixty in + six months time, 26 + 22. The three governors sail from Bermudas, and arrive at Virginia, 26 + 23. They take off the Christians that remained there, and design, by + way of Newfoundland, to return to England, 27 + Lord Delaware arrives and turns them back, 27 + 24. Sir Thomas Dale arrives governor, with supplies, 27 + 25. Sir Thomas Gates arrives governor, 28 + He plants out a new plantation, 28 + 26. Pocahontas made prisoner, and married to Mr. Rolfe, 28 + 27. Peace with the Indians, 28 + 28. Pocahontas brought to England by Sir Thomas Dale, 29 + 29. Captain Smith's petition to the queen in her behalf, 29 + 30. His visit to Pocahontas, 32 + An Indian's account of the people of England, 32 + 31. Pocahontas' reception at court, and death, 33 + 32. Captain Yardley's government, 34 + 33. Governor Argall's good administration, 34 + 34. Powhatan's death, and successors, 34 + Peace renewed by the successors, 34 + 35. Captain Argall's voyage from Virginia to New England, 35 + 36. He defeats the French northward of New England, 35 + 37. An account of those French, 36 + 38. He also defeats the French in Acadia, 36 + 39. His return to England, 36 + Sir George Yardley, governor, 36 + 40. He resettles the deserted plantation, and held the first + assembly, 36 + The method of that assembly, 37 + 41. The first negroes carried to Virginia, 37 + 42. Land apportioned to adventurers, 37 + 43. A salt work and iron work in Virginia, 38 + 44. Sir Francis Wyat made governor, 38 + King James, his instructions in care of tobacco, 38 + Captain Newport's plantation, 38 + 45. Inferior courts in each plantation, 39 + Too much familiarity with the Indians, 39 + 46. The massacre by the Indians, anno 1622, 39 + 47. The discovery and prevention of it at Jamestown, 40 + 48. The occasion of the massacre, 41 + 49. A plot to destroy the Indians, 42 + 50. The discouraging effects of the massacre, 43 + 51. The corporation in England are the chief cause of misfortunes in + Virginia, 43 + 52. The company dissolved, and the colony taken into the king's + hands, 44 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_History of the government, from the dissolution of the company to the + year 1707._ + +§53. King Charles First establishes the constitution of government, in + the methods appointed by the first assembly, 45 + 54. The ground of the ill settlement of Virginia, 45 + 55. Lord Baltimore in Virginia, 46 + 56. Lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland, 46 + Maryland named from the queen, 46 + 57. Young Lord Baltimore seats Maryland, 46 + Misfortune to Virginia, by making Maryland a distinct + government, 47 + 58. Great grants and defalcations from Virginia, 47 + 59. Governor Harvey sent prisoner to England, and by the king remanded + back governor again, 47 + 60. The last Indian massacre, 48 + 61. A character and account of Oppechancanough, the Indian emperor, 48 + 62. Sir William Berkeley made governor, 49 + 63. He takes Oppechancanough prisoner, 49 + Oppechancanough's death, 50 + 64. A new peace with the Indians, but the country disturbed by the + troubles in England, 50 + 65. Virginia subdued by the protector, Cromwell, 50 + 66. He binds the plantations by an act of navigation, 51 + 67. His jealousy and change of governors in Virginia, 51 + 68. Upon the death of Matthews, the protector's governor, Sir William + Berkeley is chosen by the people, 52 + 69. He proclaims King Charles II before he was proclaimed in + England, 52 + 70. King Charles II renews Sir William Berkeley's commission, 52 + 71. Sir William Berkeley makes Colonel Morrison deputy governor, + and goes to England, 53 + The king renews the act concerning the plantation, 53 + 72. The laws revised, 53 + The church of England established by law, 53 + 73. Clergy provided for by law, 53 + 74. The public charge of the government sustained by law, 53 + 75. Encouragement of particular manufactures by law, 54 + 76. The instruction for all ships to enter at Jamestown, used + by law, 54 + 77. Indian affairs settled by law, 54 + 78. Jamestown encouraged by law, 54 + 79. Restraints upon sectaries in religion, 55 + 80. A plot to subvert the government, 55 + 81. The defeat of the plot, 55 + 82. An anniversary feast upon that occasion, 56 + 83. The king commands the building a fort at Jamestown, 56 + 84. A new restraint on the plantations by act of parliament, 56 + 85. Endeavors for a stint in planting tobacco, 56 + 86. Another endeavor at a stint defeated, 57 + 87. The king sent instructions to build forts, and confine the trade + to certain ports, 57 + 88. The disappointment of those ports, 58 + 89. Encouragement of manufactures enlarged, 58 + 90. An attempt to discovery the country backward, 59 + Captain Batt's relation of that discovery, 59 + 91. Sir William Berkeley intends to prosecute that discovery + in person, 60 + 92. The grounds of Bacon's rebellion, 60 + Four ingredients thereto, 61 + 93. First, the low price of tobacco, 61 + Second, splitting the country into proprieties, 61 + The country send agents, to complain of the propriety grants, 61 + 94. Third, new duties by act in England on the plantations, 62 + 95. Fourth, disturbances on the land frontiers by the Indians, 62 + First, by the Indians on the head of the bay, 62 + Second, by the Indians on their own frontiers, 63 + 96. The people rise against the Indians, 63 + They choose Nathan Bacon, Jr., for their leader, 63 + 97. He heads them, and sends to the governor for a commission, 64 + 98. He begins his march without a commission, 64 + The governor sends for him, 65 + 99. Bacon goes down in a sloop with forty of his men to the + governor, 65 +100. Goes away in a huff, is pursued and brought back by governor, 65 +101. Bacon steals privately out of town, and marches down to the + assembly with six hundred of his volunteers, 65 +102. The governor, by advice of assembly, signs a commission to Mr. + Bacon to be general, 66 +103. Bacon being marched away with his men is proclaimed rebel, 66 +104. Bacon returns with his forces to Jamestown, 66 +105. The governor flies to Accomac, 66 + The people there begin to make terms with him, 67 +106. Bacon holds a convention of gentlemen, 67 + They propose to take an oath to him, 67 +107. The forms of the oath, 67 +108. The governor makes head against him, 69 + General Bacon's death, 69 +109. Bacon's followers surrender upon articles, 69 +110. The agents compound with the proprietors, 69 +111. A new charter to Virginia, 70 +112. Soldiers arrive from England, 70 +113. The dissolution by Bacon's rebellion, 70 +114. Commissioners arrive in Virginia, and Sir William Berkeley returns + to England, 71 +115. Herbert Jeffreys, esq., governor, concludes peace with Indians, 71 +116. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, builds forts against + Indians, 71 + The assembly prohibited the importation of tobacco, 72 +117. Lord Colepepper, governor, 72 +118. Lord Colepepper's first assembly, 72 + He passes several obliging acts to the country, 72 +119. He doubles the governor's salary, 72 +120. He imposes the perquisite of ship money, 73 +121. He, by proclamation, raises the value of Spanish coins, and + lowers it again, 73 +122. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, 74 + The plant cutting, 74 +123. Lord Colepepper's second assembly, 75 + He takes away appeals to the assembly, 75 +124. His advantage thereby in the propriety of the Northern Neck, 76 +125. He retrenches the new methods of court proceedings, 77 +126. He dismantled the forts on the heads of rivers, and appointed + rangers in their stead, 77 +127. Secretary Spencer, president, 77 +128. Lord Effingham, governor, 77 + Some of his extraordinary methods of getting money, 77 + Complaints against him, 78 +129. Duty on liquors first raised, 78 +130. Court of Chancery by Lord Effingham, 78 +131. Colonel Bacon, president, 79 + The college designed, 79 +132. Francis Nicholson, lieutenant governor, 79 + He studies popularity, 79 + The college proposed to him, 79 + He refuses to call an assembly, 79 +133. He grants a brief to the college, 79 +134. The assembly address King William and Queen Mary for a college + charter, 80 + The education intended by this college, 80 + The assembly present the lieutenant governor, 80 + His method of securing this present, 80 +135. Their majesties grant the charter, 80 + They grant liberally towards the building and endowing of it, 80 +136. The lieutenant governor encourages towns and manufactures, 80 + Gentlemen of the council complain of him and are misused, 81 + He falls off from the encouragement of the towns and trade, 81 +137. Edmund Andros, governor, 81 + The town law suspended, 81 +138. The project of a post office, 81 +139. The college charter arrived, 81 + The college further endowed, and the foundation laid, 82 +140. Sir Edmund Andros encourages manufactures, and regulates + the secretary's office, 82 +141. A child born in the old age of the parents, 83 +142. Francis Nicholson, governor, 83 + His and Colonel Quarrey's memorials against plantations, 84 +143. His zeal for the church and college, 84 +144. He removes the general court from Jamestown, 84 +145. The taking of the pirate, 84 +146. The sham bills of nine hundred pounds for New York, 86 +147. Colonel Quarrey's unjust memorials, 87 +148. Governor Nott arrived, 88 +149. Revisal of the law finished, 88 +150. Ports and towns again set on foot, 88 +151. Slaves a real estate, 88 +152. A house built for the governor, 88 + Governor dies, and the college burnt, 88 +153. Edmond Jennings, esq., president, 89 +154. Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor, 89 + + +BOOK II. + +_Natural Productions and Conveniences of Virginia in its unimproved + state, before the English went thither._ + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Bounds and Coast of Virginia._ + +§1. Present bounds of Virginia, 90 + 2. Chesapeake bay, and the sea coast of Virginia, 91 + 3. What is meant by the word Virginia in this book, 91 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Of the Waters._ + +§4. Conveniency of the bay and rivers, 93 + 5. Springs and fountains descending to the rivers, 93 + 6. Damage to vessels by the worm, 94 + Ways of avoiding that damage, 94 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Earths, and Soils._ + +§7. The soil in general, 96 + River lands--lower, middle and upper, 96 + 8. Earths and clays, 98 + Coal, slate and stone, and why not used, 98 + 9. Minerals therein, and iron mine formerly wrought upon, 98 + Supposed gold mines lately discovered, 99 + That this gold mine was the supreme seat of the Indian temples + formerly, 99 + That their chief altar was there also, 99 + Mr. Whitaker's account of a silver mine, 99 +10. Hills in Virginia, 100 + Springs in the high lands, 101 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Wild Fruits._ + +§11. Spontaneous fruits in general, 102 + 12. Stoned fruits, viz: cherries, plums and persimmons, 102 + 13. Berries, viz: mulberries, currants, hurts, cranberries, + raspberries and strawberries, 103 + 14. Of nuts, 104 + 15. Of grapes, 105 + The report of some French vignerons formerly sent in thither, 107 + 16. Honey, and the sugar trees, 107 + 17. Myrtle tree, and myrtle wax, 108 + Hops growing wild, 109 + 18. Great variety of seeds, plants and flowers, 109 + Two snake roots, 109 + Jamestown weed, 110 + Some curious flowers, 111 + 19. Creeping vines bearing fruits, viz: melons, pompions, macocks, + gourds, maracocks, and cushaws, 112 + 20. Other fruits, roots and plants of the Indians, 114 + Several sorts of Indian corn, 114 + Of potatoes, 115 + Tobacco, as it was ordered by the Indians, 116 + + +CHAPTER V. + +_Fish._ + +§21. Great plenty and variety of fish, 117 + Vast shoals of herrings, shad, &c., 117 + 22. Continuality of the fishery, 118 + The names of some of the best edible fish, 118 + The names of some that are not eaten, 118 + 23. Indian children catching fish, 118 + Several inventions of the Indians to take fish, 119 + 24. Fishing hawks and bald eagles, 121 + Fish dropped in the orchard, 121 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Wild Fowl and Hunted Game._ + +§25. Wild Water Fowl, 123 + 26. Game in the marshes and watery grounds, 123 + 27. Game in the highlands and frontiers, 123 + Of the Opossum, 124 + 28. Some Indian ways of hunting, 124 + Fire hunting, 124 + Their hunting quarters, 125 + 29. Conclusion, 126 + + +BOOK III. + +_Indians, their Religion, Laws and Customs, in War and Peace._ + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Persons of the Indians, and their Dress._ + +§1. Persons of the Indians, their color and shape, 127 + 2. The cut of their hair, and ornament of their head, 128 + 3. Of their vesture, 128 + 4. Garb peculiar to their priests and conjurors, 130 + 5. Of the women's dress, 131 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Matrimony of the Indians, and Management of their Children._ + +§6. Conditions of their marriage, 133 + 7. Maidens, and the story of their prostitution, 133 + 8. Management of the young children, 134 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Towns, Building and Fortification of the Indians._ + +§9. Towns and kingdoms of the Indians, 135 +10. Manner of their building, 135 +11. Their fuel, or firewood, 136 +12. Their seats and lodging, 136 +13. Their fortifications, 136 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Cookery and Food of the Indians._ + +§14. Their cookery, 138 + 15. Their several sorts of food, 139 + 16. Their times of eating, 140 + 17. Their drink, 140 + 18. Their ways of dining, 141 + + +CHAPTER V. + +_Traveling, Reception and entertainment of the Indians._ + +§19. Manner of their traveling, and provision they make for it, 142 + Their way of concealing their course, 142 + 20. Manner of their reception of strangers, 143 + The pipe of peace, 143 + 21. Their entertainment of honorable friends, 145 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Learning and Languages of the Indians._ + +§22. That they are without letters, 147 + Their descriptions by hieroglyphics, 147 + Heraldry and arms of the Indians, 147 + 23. That they have different languages, 148 + Their general language, 148 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_War and Peace of the Indians._ + +§24. Their consultations and war dances, 149 + 25. Their barbarity upon a victory, 149 + 26. Descent of the crown, 150 + 27. Their triumphs for victory, 150 + 28. Their treaties of peace, and ceremonies upon conclusion + of peace, 151 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Religion, Worship and Superstitious Customs of the Indians._ + +§29. Their quioccassan and idol of worship, 152 + 30. Their notions of God, and worshiping the evil spirit, 155 + 31. Their pawwawing or conjurations, 157 + 32. Their huskanawing, 160 + 33. Reasons of this custom, 164 + 34. Their offerings and sacrifice, 165 + 35. Their set feasts, 165 + 36. Their account of time, 165 + 37. Their superstition and zealotry, 166 + 38. Their regard to the priests and magicians, 167 + 39. Places of their worship and sacrifice, 168 + Their pawcorances or altar stones, 168 + 40. Their care of the bodies of their princes after death, 169 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Diseases and Cures of the Indians._ + +§41. Their diseases in general, and burning for cure, 171 + Their sucking, scarifying and blistering, 171 + Priests' secrecy in the virtues of plants, 171 + Words wisoccan, wighsacan and woghsacan, 172 + Their physic, and the method of it, 172 + 42. Their bagnios or baths, 172 + Their oiling after sweating, 173 + + +CHAPTER X. + +_Sports and Pastimes of the Indians._ + +§43. Their sports and pastimes in general, 175 + Their singing, 175 + Their dancing, 175 + A mask used among them, 176 + Their musical instruments, 177 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Laws, and Authorities of the Indians among one another._ + +§44. Their laws in general, 178 + Their severity and ill manners, 178 + Their implacable resentments, 179 + 45. Their honors, preferments and authorities, 179 + Authority of the priests and conjurers, 179 + Servants or black boys, 179 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Treasure or Riches of the Indians._ + +§46. Indian money and goods, 180 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Handicrafts of the Indians._ + +§47. Their lesser crafts, as making bows and arrows, 182 + 48. Their making canoes, 182 + Their clearing woodland ground, 183 + 49. Account of the tributary Indians, 185 + + +BOOK IV. + +_Present State of Virginia._ + + +PART I. + +_Polity and Government._ + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Constitution of Government in Virginia._ + +§1. Constitution of government in general, 186 + 2. Governor, his authority and salary, 188 + 3. Council and their authority, 189 + 4. House of burgesses, 190 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Sub-Divisions of Virginia._ + +§5. Division of the country, 192 + 6. Division of the country by necks of land, counties and parishes, 192 + 7. Division of the country by districts for trade by navigation, 194 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Public Offices of Government._ + +§8. General officers as are immediately commissionated from the + throne, 196 + Auditor, Receiver General and Secretary, 196 + Salaries of those officers, 197 + 9. Other general officers, 197 + Ecclesiastical commissary and country's treasurer, 197 +10. Other public officers by commission, 197 + Escheators, 197 + Naval officers and collectors, 198 + Clerks and sheriffs, 198 + Surveyors of land and coroners, 199 +11. Other officers without commission, 199 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Standing Revenues or Public Funds._ + +§12. Public funds in general, 200 + 13. Quit rent fund, 200 + 14. Funds for maintenance of the government, 201 + 15. Funds for extraordinary occasions, under the disposition of the + assembly, 201 + 16. Revenue granted by the act of assembly to the college, 202 + 17. Revenue raised by act of parliament in England from the trade + there, 202 + + +CHAPTER V. + +_Levies for Payment of the Public, County and Parish Debts._ + +§18. Several ways of raising money, 203 + Titheables, 203 + 19. Public levy, 203 + 20. County levy, 204 + 21. Parish levy, 204 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Courts of Law in Virginia._ + +§22. Constitution of their courts, 205 + 23. Several sorts of courts among them, 206 + 24. General court in particular, and its jurisdiction, 206 + 25. Times of holding a general court, 206 + 26. Officers attending this court, 206 + 27. Trials by juries and empannelling grand juries, 207 + 28. Trial of criminals, 207 + 29. Time of suits, 208 + 30. Lawyers and pleadings, 208 + 31. County courts, 208 + 32. Orphans' courts, 209 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Church and Church Affairs._ + +§33. Parishes, 210 + 34. Churches and chapels in each parish, 210 + 35. Religion of the country, 210 + 36. Benefices of the clergy, 210 + 37. Disposition of parochial affairs, 211 + 38. Probates, administrations, and marriage licenses, 212 + 39. Induction of ministers, and precariousness of their livings, 213 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Concerning the College._ + +§40. College endowments, 214 + 41. The college a corporation, 214 + 42. Governors and visitors of the college in perpetual succession, 215 + 43. College buildings, 215 + 44. Boys and schooling, 215 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Military Strength in Virginia._ + +§45. Forts and fortifications, 217 + 46. Listed militia, 217 + 47. Number of the militia, 217 + 48. Service of the militia, 218 + 49. Other particulars of the troops and companies, 218 + + +CHAPTER X. + +_Servants and Slaves._ + +§50. Distinction between a servant and a slave, 219 + 51. Work of their servants and slaves, 219 + 52. Laws in favor of servants, 220 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Provision for the Poor, and other Public Charitable Works._ + +§53. Legacy to the poor, 223 + 54. Parish methods in maintaining their poor, 223 + 55. Free schools, and schooling of children, 224 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Tenure of Lands and Grants._ + +§56. Tenure and patents of their lands, 225 + 57. Several ways of acquiring grants of land, 225 + 58. Rights to land, 225 + 59. Patents upon survey, 225 + 60. Grants of lapsed land, 226 + 61. Grants of escheat land, 227 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Liberties and Naturalization of Aliens._ + +§62. Naturalizations, 228 + 63. French refugees at the Manican town, 228 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_Currency and Valuation of Coins._ + +§64. Coins current among them, what rates, and why carried from + among them to the neighboring plantations, 230 + + +PART II. + +_Husbandry and Improvements._ + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_People, Inhabitants of Virginia._ + +§65. First peopling of Virginia, 231 + 66. First accession of wives to Virginia, 231 + 67. Other ways by which the country was increased in people, 232 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_Buildings in Virginia._ + +§68. Public buildings, 234 + 69. Private buildings, 235 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_Edibles, Potables and Fuel._ + +§70. Cookery, 236 + 71. Flesh and fish, 236 + 72. Bread, 237 + 73. Their kitchen gardens, 237 + 74. Their drinks, 238 + 75. Their fuel, 238 + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +_Clothing in Virginia._ + +§76. Clothing, 239 + Slothfulness in handicrafts, 239 + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +_Temperature of the Climate, and the Inconveniences attending it._ + +§77. Natural temper and mixture of the air, 240 + 78. Climate and happy situation of the latitude, 240 + 79. Occasions of its ill character, 241 + Rural pleasures, 241 + 80. Annoyances, or occasions of uneasiness, 243 + Thunders, 243 + Heat, 243 + Troublesome insects, 243 + 81. Winters, 250 + Sudden changes of the weather, 251 + + +CHAPTER XX. + +_Diseases incident to the Country._ + +§82. Diseases in general, 252 + 83. Seasoning, 253 + 84. Cachexia and yaws, 253 + 85. Gripes, 253 + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +_Recreations and Pastimes in Virginia._ + +§86. Diversions in general, 254 + 87. Deer-hunting, 254 + 88. Hare-hunting, 254 + 89. Vermin-hunting, 255 + 90. Taking wild turkies, 256 + 91. Fishing, 256 + 92. Small game, 256 + 93. Beaver, 256 + 94. Horse-hunting, 257 + 95. Hospitality, 258 + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +_Natural Product of Virginia, and the Advantages of Husbandry._ + +§96. Fruits, 259 + 97. Grain, 261 + 98. Linen, silk and cotton, 261 + 99. Bees and cattle, 262 +100. Usefulness of the woods, 263 +101. Indolence of the inhabitants, 263 + + + + +THE PREFACE. + + +My first business in the world being among the public records of my +country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking notes of the +general administration of the government; but with no other design, than +the gratification of my own inquisitive mind; these lay by me for many +years afterwards, obscure and secret, and would forever have done so, +had not the following accident produced them: + +In the year 1703, my affairs calling me to England, I was soon after my +arrival, complimented by my bookseller with an intimation, that there +was prepared for printing a general account of all her majesty's +plantations in America, and his desire, that I would overlook it before +it was put to the press; I agreed to overlook that part of it which +related to Virginia. + +Soon after this he brings me about six sheets of paper written, which +contained the account of Virginia and Carolina. This it seems was to +have answered a part of Mr. Oldmixion's British Empire in America. I +very innocently, (when I began to read,) placed pen and paper by me, and +made my observations upon the first page, but found it in the sequel so +very faulty, and an abridgement only of some accounts that had been +printed sixty or seventy years ago; in which also he had chosen the most +strange and untrue parts, and left out the more sincere and faithful, so +that I laid aside all thoughts of further observations, and gave it only +a reading; and my bookseller for answer, that the account was too faulty +and too imperfect to be mended; withal telling him, that seeing I had in +my junior days taken some notes of the government, which I then had with +me in England, I would make him an account of my own country, if I could +find time, while I staid in London. And this I should the rather +undertake in justice to so fine a country, because it has been so +misrepresented to the common people of England, as to make them believe +that the servants in Virginia are made to draw in cart and plow as +horses and oxen do in England, and that the country turns all people +black who go to live there, with other such prodigious phantasms. + +Accordingly, before I left London, I gave him a short history of the +country, from the first settlement, with an account of its then state; +but I would not let him mingle it with Oldmixion's other account of the +plantations, because I took them to be all of a piece with those I had +seen of Virginia and Carolina, but desired mine to be printed by +itself. And this I take to be the only reason of that gentleman's +reflecting so severely upon me in his book, for I never saw him in my +life that I know of. + +But concerning that work of his, I may with great truth say, that +(notwithstanding his boast of having the assistance of many original +papers and memorials that I had not the opportunity of) he nowhere +varies from the account that I gave, nor advances anything new of his +own, but he commits so many errors, and imposes so many falsities upon +the world, To instance some few out of the many: + +Page 210, he says that they were near spent with cold, which is +impossible in that hot country. + +Page 220, he says that Captain Weymouth, in 1605, entered Powhatan river +southward of the bay of Chesapeake;----whereas Powhatan river is now +called James river, and lies within the mouth of Chesapeake bay some +miles, on the west side of it; and Captain Weymouth's voyage was only to +Hudson's river, which is in New York, much northward of the capes of +Virginia. + +Page 236, he jumbles the Potomac and eastern shore Indians as if they +lived together, and never quarrelled with the English; whereas the last +lived on the east side the great bay of Chesapeake, and the other on the +west. The eastern shore Indians never had any quarrel with the English, +but the Potomacs used many treacheries and enmities towards us, and +joined in the intended general massacre, but by a timely discovery were +prevented doing anything. + +Page 245, he says that Morrison held an assembly, and procured that body +of laws to be made; whereas Morrison only made an abridgement of the +laws then in being, and compiled them into a regular body; and this he +did by direction of Sir William Berkeley, who, upon his going to +England, left Morrison his deputy governor. + +Page 248, he says (viz: in Sir William Berkeley's time) the English +could send seven thousand men into the field, and have twice as many at +home; whereas at this day they cannot do that, and yet have three times +as many people in the country as they had then. + +By page 251, he seems altogether ignorant of the situation of Virginia, +the head of the bay and New York, for he there says: + +"When the Indians at the head of the bay traveled to New York, they +past, going and coming, by the frontiers of Virginia, and traded with +the Virginians, &c.;" whereas the head of the bay is in the common route +of the Indians traveling from New York to Virginia, and much about +halfway. + +Page 255, he says Sir William Berkeley withdrew himself from his +government; whereas he went not out of it, for the counties of Accomac +and Northampton, to which he retired, when the rebels rose, were two +counties of his government, and only divided from the rest by the bay of +Chesapeake. + +Page 266, he says, Dr. Thomas Bray went over to be president of the +college in Virginia; whereas he was sent to Maryland, as the bishop's +commissary there. And Mr. Blair, in the charter to the college, was made +president during life, and is still alive. He also says, that all that +was subscribed for the college came to nothing; whereas all the +subscriptions were in a short time paid in, and expended upon the +college, of which two or three stood suit, and were cast. + +Page 269, he tells of camels brought by some Guiana ships to Virginia, +but had not then heard how they throve with us. I don't know how he +should, for there never was any such thing done. + +Then his geography of the country is most absurd, notwithstanding the +wonderful care he pretends to have of the maps, and his expert knowledge +of the new surveys, (page 278) making almost as many faults as +descriptions. For instance: + +Page 272, Prince George county, which lies all on the southside of James +river, he places on the north, and says that part of James City county, +and four of the parishes of it, lie on the southside of James river; +whereas not one inch of it has so done these sixty years. + +Page 273, his account of Williamsburg is most romantic and untrue; and +so is his account of the college, page 302, 303. + +Page 274, he makes Elizabeth and Warwick counties to lie upon York +river; whereas both of them lie upon James river, and neither of them +comes near York river. + +Page 275, he places King William county above New Kent, and on both +sides Pamunkey river; whereas it lies side by side with New Kent, and +all on the north side Pamunkey river. He places King and Queen county +upon the south of New Kent, at the head of Chickahominy river, which he +says rises in it; whereas that county lies north of New Kent from head +to foot, and two large rivers and two entire counties are between the +head of Chickahominy and King & Queen. Essex, Richmond and Stafford +counties, are as much wrong placed. + +He says that York and Rappahannock rivers issue out of low marshes, and +not from the mountains as the other rivers, which note he has taken from +some old maps; but is a false account from my own view, for I was with +our present governor at the head spring of both those rivers, and their +fountains are in the highest ridge of mountains. + +Page 276, he says that the neck of land between Niccocomoco river and +the bay, is what goes by the name of the northern neck; whereas it is +not above the twentieth part of the northern neck, for that contains all +that track of land which is between Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. + +How unfaithful and frontless must such an historian be, who can upon +guess work introduce such falsities for truth, and bottom them upon such +bold assertions? It would make a book larger than his own to expose his +errors, for even the most general offices of the government he +misrecites. + +Page 298, he says the general court is called the quarter court, and is +held every quarter of a year; whereas it never was held but three times +a year, tho' it was called a quarter court. When he wrote, it was held +but twice a year, as I had wrote in my book, and has not been called a +quarter court these seventy-nine years. The county courts were never +limited in their jurisdiction to any summons, neither was the sheriff +ever a judge in them, as he would have it, but always a ministerial +officer to execute their process, &c. + +The account that I have given in the following sheets is plain and true, +and if it be not written with so much judgment, or in so good a method +and style as I could wish, yet in the truth of it I rest fully +satisfied. In this edition I have also retrenched such particulars as +related only to private transactions, and characters in the historical +part, as being too diminutive to be transmitted to posterity, and set +down the succession of the governors, with the more general incidents of +their government, without reflection upon the private conduct of any +person. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The name of BEVERLEY has long been a familiar one in Virginia. It is +said that the family may be traced among the records of the town of +Beverley in England, as far back as to the time of King John. During the +reign of Henry VIII, one of the Beverleys was appointed by the Crown a +commissioner for enquiring into the state and condition of the northern +monasteries. The family received some grants of church property, and one +branch of them settled at Shelby, the other at Beverley, in Yorkshire. +In the time of Charles I, John Beverley of Beverley adhered to the cause +of royalty, and at the restoration his name appears in the list of those +upon whom it was intended to confer the order of the Royal Oak. Robert +Beverley of Beverley, the representative of the family, having sold his +possessions in that town, removed with a considerable fortune to +Virginia, where he purchased extensive tracts of land. He took up his +residence in the county of Middlesex. Elected clerk of the House of +Burgesses, he continued to hold that office until 1676, the year of +Bacon's rebellion, in suppressing which he rendered important services, +and by his loyal gallantry won the marked favor of the Governor, Sir +William Berkley. In 1682 the discontents of Virginia arose again almost +to the pitch of rebellion. Two sessions of the Assembly having been +spent in angry and fruitless disputes, between Lord Culpepper, the +Governor, and the House of Burgesses, in May of that year, the +malcontents in the counties of Gloucester, New Kent and Middlesex, +proceeded riotously to cut up the tobacco plants in the beds, +especially the sweet-scented, which was produced nowhere else. +Culpepper, the Governor, prevented further waste by patrols of horse. +The ringleaders were arrested, and some of them hanged upon a charge of +treason. A riot-act was also passed, making plant-cutting high treason, +the necessity of which act evinces the illegality of the execution of +these unfortunate plant-cutters. The vengeance of the government fell +heavily upon Major Robert Beverley, clerk of the House of Burgesses, as +the principal instigator of these disturbances. He had before incurred +the displeasure of the governor and council, by refusing to deliver up +to them copies of the legislative journal, without permission of the +Assembly. Thus by a firm adherence to his duty, he drew down upon +himself an unrelenting persecution. + +In May, 1682, he was committed a prisoner on board the ship, the Duke of +York, lying in the Rappahannock river. Ralph Wormley, Matthew Kemp, and +Christopher Wormley, were directed to seize the records in Beverley's +possession, and to break open doors if necessary. Beverley was +afterwards transferred from the Duke of York to the ship Concord, and a +guard was set over him. Contriving however to escape from the custody of +the sheriff at York, the fugitive was retaken at his own house in +Middlesex county, and transported over to the county of Northampton, on +the Eastern Shore. Some months afterwards he applied by his attorney, +William Fitzhugh, for a writ of _habeas corpus_, which however was +refused. In a short time being again found at large, he was again +arrested, and remanded to Northampton. In 1683 new charges were brought +against him: 1st. That he had broken open letters addressed to the +Secretary's office; 2d. That he had made up the journal, and inserted +his Majesty's letter therein, notwithstanding it had been first +presented at the time of the prorogation; 3d. That in 1682 he had +refused to deliver copies of the journal to the governor and council, +saying "he might not do it without leave of his masters." + +In May, 1684, Major Robert Beverley was found guilty of high +misdemeanors, but judgment being respited, and the prisoner asking +pardon on his bended knees, was released upon giving security for his +good behavior in the penalty of £2,000. The abject terms in which he now +sued for pardon, form a singular contrast to the constancy of his +former resistance, and the once gallant and loyal Beverley, the +strenuous partizan of Berkley, thus became the victim of that tyranny +which he had once so resolutely defended. He had not however lost the +esteem of his countrymen, for in 1685 he was again elected clerk of the +Assembly. This body strenuously resisted the negative power claimed by +the governor, and passed resolutions complaining strongly of his +tyranny. He negatived them, and prorogued the Assembly. James II, +indignant at these democratical proceedings, ordered their dissolution, +and attributing these disorders mainly to Robert Beverley, their clerk, +commanded that he should be incapable of holding any office, and that he +should be prosecuted, and that in future the appointment of their clerk +should be made by the governor. + +In the spring of 1687 Robert Beverley died, the persecuted victim of an +oppressive government. Long a distinguished loyalist, he lived to become +a sort of patriot martyr. It is thus that in the circle of life extremes +meet. He married Catherine Hone of James City, and their children were +four sons: Peter, William, Harry, and Robert, (the historian,) and three +daughters, who married respectively, William Randolph, eldest son of +William Randolph of Turkey Island; Sir John Randolph, his brother, of +Williamsburg; and John Robinson. Peter Beverley was appointed clerk of +the Assembly in 1691. + +In the preface to the first edition of his History of Virginia, +published at London 1705, Robert Beverley says of himself: "I am an +Indian, and don't pretend to be exact in my language." This intimation +may perhaps have been merely playful, but the full and minute account +that he has given of the Indians, shows that he took a peculiar interest +in that race. + +In the preface to the second edition of his history, now republished, he +remarks: "My first business in this world being among the public records +of my country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking notes +of the general administration of the government." He was probably a +deputy in his father's office, and perhaps also in that of his brother +Peter Beverley. This Peter Beverley was in 1714 promoted to the place +of speaker of the House of Burgesses, and he was subsequently treasurer +of the colony. Robert Beverley, the historian, was born in Virginia, and +educated in England. He married Ursula, daughter of William Byrd of +Westover, on the James river. She lies buried at Jamestown. John +Fontaine, son of a Huguenot refugee, having come over from England to +Virginia, visited Robert Beverley, the author of this work, in the year +1715, at his residence, near the head of the Mattapony. Here he +cultivated several varieties of the grape, native and French, in a +vineyard of about three acres, situated upon the side of a hill, from +which he made in that year four hundred gallons of wine. He went to very +considerable expense in this enterprise, having constructed vaults of a +wine press. But Fontaine comparing his method with that used in Spain, +deemed it erroneous, and that his vineyard was not rightly managed. The +home-made wine Fontaine drank heartily of, and found it good, but he was +satisfied by the flavor of it that Beverley did not understand how to +make it properly. Beverley lived comfortably, yet although wealthy, had +nothing in or about his house but what was actually necessary. He had +good beds, but no curtains, and instead of cane chairs used wooden +stools. He lived mainly within himself upon the products of his land. He +had laid a sort of wager with some of the neighboring planters, he +giving them one guinea in hand, and they promising to pay him each ten +guineas, if in seven years he should cultivate a vineyard that would +yield at one vintage seven hundred gallons of wine. Beverley thereupon +paid them down one hundred pounds, and Fontaine entertained no doubt but +that in the next year he would win the thousand guineas. Beverley owned +a large tract of land at the place of his residence. On Sunday Fontaine +accompanied him to his parish church, seven miles distant, where they +heard a good sermon from the Rev. M. De Latané, a Frenchman. A son of +Beverley accompanied Fontaine in some of his excursions in that +neighborhood. On the banks of the Rappahannock, about five miles below +the falls, (Fredericksburg,) Fontaine came upon a tract of three +thousand acres of land, which Beverley offered him at £7 10s. per +hundred acres, and Fontaine would have purchased it, had not Beverley +somewhat singularly insisted upon making a title for nine hundred and +ninety-nine years, instead of an absolute fee simple. + +On the 20th of August, 1716, Alexander Spotswood, Governor of Virginia, +accompanied by John Fontaine, started from Williamsburg on his +expedition over the Appalachian mountains, as they were then called. +Having crossed the York river at the Brick House, they lodged that night +at Chelsea, the seat of Austin Moore, on the Mattapony river, in the +county of King William. On the following night they were hospitably +entertained by Robert Beverley at his residence. The governor left his +chaise there, and mounted his horse for the rest of the journey. +Beverley accompanied Spotswood in this exploration. On the 26th of +August Spotswood was joined by several gentlemen, two small companies of +rangers, and four Meherrin Indians. The gentlemen of the party appear to +have been Spotswood, Fontaine, Beverley, Austin Smith, Todd, Dr. +Robinson, Taylor, Mason, Brooke, and Captains Clouder and Smith. The +whole number of the party, including gentlemen, rangers, pioneers, +Indians and servants, was probably about fifty. They had with them a +large number of riding and pack-horses, an abundant supply of +provisions, and an extraordinary variety of liquors. + +The camps were named respectively after the gentlemen of the expedition, +and the first one being that of the 29th of August, was named in honor +of our historian, Robert Beverley. Here "they made," as Fontaine records +in his diary, "great fires, supped and drank good punch." In the preface +to this edition of the work, (1722,) Beverley says in reference to this +Tramontane expedition, "I was with the present Governor (Spotswood) at +the head spring of both those rivers, (the York and the Rappahannock,) +and their fountains are in the highest range of mountains." Thus it +appears that the historian was one of the celebrated knights of the +golden horseshoe. + +An Abridgement of the Laws of Virginia, published at London in 1722 is +ascribed to Robert Beverley. Filial indignation will naturally account +for the acrimony which in his history he exhibits towards Lord Culpepper +and Lord Howard of Effingham, who had so persecuted his father, the +clerk of the Assembly, and against Nicholson, who was Effingham's +deputy. In his second edition, when time had mitigated his animosities, +Beverley omitted some of his accusations against those governors. + +The first edition of Beverley's History of Virginia appeared at London +in 1705. It was republished in French at Paris in 1707, and in the same +year an edition was issued at Amsterdam. The second English edition was +published in 1722 at London. The work is dedicated to the Right +Honorable Robert Harley, so celebrated both as a statesman and as the +patron of letters. + +In the title page appear only the initials of the author's name, thus: +"R. B. Gent.," whence the blundering historian, Oldmixon, supposed his +name to be "Bullock," and in some German catalogues he received the +appellation of "Bird." Warden, an American writer, has repeated this +last misnomer. Beverley's work is divided into four parts, styled Books, +and the fourth book is again divided into two parts. + +Of the history, Mr. Jefferson in his "Notes on Virginia" has remarked, +that it is "as concise and unsatisfactory as Stith is prolix and +tedious." This criticism, however, is only applicable to Beverley's +first book, which includes the civil history of the colony; the other +three books on "the present state of Virginia" being sufficiently full +and satisfactory. Brief as is the summary of history comprised in book +first, it was probably quite ample enough for the taste of the readers +of Beverley's day. His style of writing is easy, unsophisticated and +pleasing, his simplicity of remark sometimes amusing, and the whole work +breathes an earnest, downright, hearty, old-fashioned Virginia spirit. +His account of the internal affairs of the colony is faithful, and in +the main correct, but in regard to events occurring beyond the precincts +of Virginia, he is less reliable. The second book treats of the boundary +of Virginia, waters, earth and soil, natural products, fish, wild fowl +and hunted game. Book third gives a full and minute description of the +manners and customs of the Indians, illustrated by Gribelin's +engravings. The contents are the persons and dress of the Indians, +marriage and management of children, towns, buildings and +fortifications, cookery and food, travelling, reception and +entertainments, language, war and peace, religion, diseases and +remedies, sports and pastimes, laws and government, money, goods and +handicrafts. The fourth book relates to the government of the colony, +its sub-divisions, public offices, revenues, taxes, courts, the church, +the college of William and Mary, militia, servants and slaves, poor +laws, free schools, tenure and conveyance of lands, naturalization and +currency, the people, buildings, eatables, drinkables and fuel, climate, +diseases, recreations, natural productions, and the advantages of +improved husbandry. The closing paragraph is as follows: "Thus they +depend upon the liberality of Nature, without endeavoring to improve its +gifts by art or industry. They sponge upon the blessings of a warm sun +and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of gathering in the +bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed to publish this slothful +indolence of my countrymen, but that I hope it will rouse them out of +their lethargy, and excite them to make the most of all those happy +advantages which Nature has given them, and if it does this, I am sure +they will have the goodness to forgive me." Happily, at the present day, +Virginia has been aroused from her lethargy, and with energetic efforts +is developing her rich resources. It may be hoped that with these +material improvements a wider interest in the history of the past may be +diffused. + +_Petersburg, May 30th, 1854._ + + + + +HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. + + +BOOK I. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE VIRGINIA, BEFORE + THE DISCOVERY OF CHESAPEAKE BAY. + + +The learned and valiant Sir Walter Raleigh, having entertained some +deeper and more serious considerations upon the state of the earth than +most other men of his time, as may sufficiently appear by his +incomparable book, the History of the World, and having laid together +the many stories then in Europe concerning America, the native beauty, +riches, and value of that part of the world, and the immense profits the +Spaniards drew from a small settlement or two thereon made, resolved +upon an adventure for farther discoveries. + +According to this purpose, in the year of our Lord 1583, he got several +men of great value and estate to join in an expedition of this nature, +and for their encouragement obtained letters patents from Queen +Elizabeth, bearing date the 25th of March, 1584, for turning their +discoveries to their own advantage. + +§ 2. In April following they set out two small vessels under the command +of Capt. Philip Amidas and Capt. Arthur Barlow, who after a prosperous +voyage, anchored at the inlet by Roanoke, at present under the +government of North Carolina. They made good profit of the Indian truck, +which they bought for things of much inferior value, and returned. Being +overpleased with their profits, and finding all things there entirely +new and surprising, they gave a very advantageous account of matters, by +representing the country so delightful and desirable, so pleasant and +plentiful; the climate and air so temperate, sweet, and wholesome; the +woods and soil so charming and fruitful; and all other things so +agreeable, that paradise itself seemed to be there in its first native +lustre. + +They gave particular accounts of the variety of good fruits, and some +whereof they had never seen the like before; especially, that there were +grapes in such abundance as was never known in the world. Stately tall +large oaks, and other timber; red cedar, cypress, pines, and other +evergreens and sweet woods, for tallness and largeness, exceeding all +they had ever heard of; wild fowl, fish, deer, and other game in such +plenty and variety, that no epicure could desire more than this new +world did seem naturally to afford. + +And to make it yet more desirable, they reported the native Indians +(which were then the only inhabitants) so affable, kind, and +good-natured; so uncultivated in learning, trades, and fashions; so +innocent and ignorant of all manner of politics, tricks, and cunning; +and so desirous of the company of the English, that they seemed rather +to be like soft wax, ready to take an impression, than anyways likely to +oppose the settling of the English near them. They represented it as a +scene laid open for the good and gracious Queen Elizabeth to propagate +the gospel in and extend her dominions over; as if purposely reserved +for her majesty by a peculiar direction of providence, that had brought +all former adventures in this affair to nothing; and to give a further +taste of their discovery, they took with them in their return for +England, two men of the native Indians, named Wanchese and Manteo. + +§ 3. Her majesty accordingly took the hint, and espoused the project as +far as her present engagements in war with Spain would let her; being so +well pleased with the account given, that as the greatest mark of honor +she could do the discoverer, she called the country by the name of +Virginia, as well for that it was first discovered in her reign, a +virgin queen, as it did still seem to retain the virgin purity and +plenty of the first creation, and the people their primitive innocence; +for they seemed not debauched nor corrupted with those pomps and +vanities which had depraved and enslaved the rest of mankind; neither +were their hands hardened by labor, nor their minds corrupted by the +desire of hoarding up treasure. They were without boundaries to their +land, without property in cattle, and seem to have escaped, or rather +not to have been concerned in the first curse, _of getting their bread +by the sweat of their brows_, for by their pleasure alone they supplied +all their necessities, namely, by fishing, fowling, and hunting; skins +being their only clothing, and these, too, five-sixths of the year +thrown by; living without labor, and only gathering the fruits of the +earth when ripe or fit for use; neither fearing present want, nor +solicitous for the future, but daily finding sufficient afresh for their +subsistence. + +§ 4. This report was backed, nay, much advanced by the vast riches and +treasure mentioned in several merchants' letters from Mexico and Peru, +to their correspondents in Spain, which letters were taken with their +ships and treasure, by some of ours in her majesty's service, in +prosecution of the Spanish wars. This was encouragement enough for a new +adventure, and set people's invention at work till they had satisfied +themselves, and made sufficient essays for the farther discovery of the +country. Pursuant whereunto, Sir Richard Greenvile, the chief of Sir +Walter Raleigh's associates, having obtained seven sail of ships, well +laden with provision, arms, ammunition, and spare men to make a +settlement, set out in person with them early in the spring of the +succeeding year to make farther discoveries, taking back the two Indians +with him, and according to his wish, in the latter end of May, arrived +at the same place where the English had been the year before; there he +made a settlement, sowed beans and peas, which he saw come up and grow +to admiration while he staid, which was about two months, and having +made some little discoveries more in the sound to the southward, and got +some treasure in skins, furs, pearl, and other rarities in the country, +for things of inconsiderable value, he returned for England, leaving one +hundred and eight men upon Roanoke island, under the command of Mr. +Ralph Lane, to keep possession. + +§ 5. As soon as Sir Richard Greenvile was gone, they, according to order +and their own inclination, set themselves earnestly about discovering +the country, and ranged about a little too indiscreetly up the rivers, +and into the land backward from the rivers, which gave the Indians a +jealousy of their meaning; for they cut off several stragglers of them, +and had laid designs to destroy the rest, but were happily prevented. +This put the English upon the precaution of keeping more within bounds, +and not venturing themselves too defenceless abroad, who till then had +depended too much upon the natives simplicity and innocence. + +After the Indians had done this mischief, they never observed any real +faith towards those English; for being naturally suspicious and +revengeful themselves, they never thought the English could forgive +them; and so by this jealousy, caused by the cowardice of their nature, +they were continually doing mischief. + +The English, notwithstanding all this, continued their discoveries, but +more carefully than they had done before, and kept the Indians in some +awe, by threatening them with the return of their companions again with +a greater supply of men and goods; and before the cold of the winter +became uneasy, they had extended their discoveries near an hundred miles +along the seacoast to the northward; but not reaching the southern cape +of Chesapeake bay in Virginia, they had as yet found no good harbor. + +§ 6. In this condition they maintained their settlement all the winter, +and till August following; but were much distressed for want of +provisions, not having learned to gather food, as the Indians did, nor +having conveniences like them of taking fish and fowl; besides, being +now fallen out with the Indians, they feared to expose themselves to +their contempt and cruelty; because they had not received the supply +they talked of, and which had been expected in the spring. + +All they could do under these distresses, and the despair of the +recruits promised them this year, was only to keep a good looking out to +seaward, if, perchance, they might find any means of escape, or recruit. +And to their great joy and satisfaction in August aforesaid, they +happened to espy and make themselves be seen to Sir Francis Drake's +fleet, consisting of twenty-three sail, who being sent by her majesty +upon the coast of America, in search of the Spanish treasures, had +orders from her majesty to take a view of this plantation, and see what +assistance and encouragement it wanted: Their first petition to him was +to grant them a fresh supply of men and provisions, with a small vessel, +and boats to attend them; that so if they should be put to distress for +want of relief, they might embark for England. This was as readily +granted by Sir Francis Drake, as asked by them; and a ship was appointed +them, which ship they began immediately to fit up, and supply +plentifully with all manner of stores for a long stay; but while they +were adoing this, a great storm arose, and drove that very ship (with +some others) from her anchor to sea, and so she was lost for that +occasion. + +Sir Francis would have given them another ship, but this accident coming +on the back of so many hardships which they had undergone, daunted them, +and put them upon imagining that Providence was averse to their designs; +and now having given over for that year the expectation of their +promised supply from England, they consulted together, and agreed to +desire Sir Francis Drake to take them along with him, which he did. + +Thus their first intention of settlement fell, after discovering many +things of the natural growth of the country, useful for the life of man, +and beneficial to trade, they having observed a vast variety of fish, +fowl and beasts; fruits, seeds, plants, roots, timber-trees, sweet-woods +and gums: They had likewise attained some little knowledge in the +language of the Indians, their religion, manners, and ways of +correspondence one with another, and been made sensible of their cunning +and treachery towards themselves. + +§ 7. While these things were thus acting in America, the adventurers in +England were providing, though too tediously, to send them recruits. And +though it was late before they could dispatch them (for they met with +several disappointments, and had many squabbles among themselves); +however, at last they provided four good ships, with all manner of +recruits suitable for the colony, and Sir Walter Raleigh designed to go +in person with them. + +Sir Walter got his ship ready first, and fearing the ill consequence of +a delay, and the discouragement it might be to those that were left to +make a settlement, he set sail by himself. And a fortnight after him Sir +Richard Greenvile sailed with the three other ships. + +Sir Walter fell in with the land at Cape Hatteras, a little to the +southward of the place, where the one hundred and eight men had been +settled, and after search not finding them, he returned: However Sir +Richard, with his ships, found the place where he had left the men, but +entirely deserted, which was at first a great disheartening to him, +thinking them all destroyed, because he knew not that Sir Francis Drake +had been there and taken them off; but he was a little better satisfied +by Manteo's report, that they were not cut off by the Indians, though he +could give no good account what was become of them. However, +notwithstanding this seeming discouragement, he again left fifty men in +the same island of Roanoke, built them houses necessary, gave them two +years provision, and returned. + +§ 8. The next summer, being Anno 1587, three ships more were sent, under +the command of Mr. John White, who himself was to settle there as +governor with more men, and some women, carrying also plentiful recruits +of provisions. + +In the latter end of July they arrived at Roanoke aforesaid, where they +again encountered the uncomfortable news of the loss of these men also; +who (as they were informed by Manteo) were secretly set upon by the +Indians, some cut off, and the others fled, and not to be heard of, and +their place of habitation now all grown up with weeds. However, they +repaired the houses on Roanoke, and sat down there again. + +The 13th of August they christened Manteo, and styled him Lord of +Dassamonpeak, an Indian nation so called, in reward of the fidelity he +had shewn to the English from the beginning, who being the first Indian +that was made a Christian in that part of the world, I thought it not +amiss to remember him. + +On the same occasion also may be mentioned the first child there born of +Christian parentage, viz: a daughter of Mr. Ananias Dare. She was born +the 18th of the same August, upon Roanoke, and, after the name of the +country, was christened Virginia. + +This seemed to be a settlement prosperously made, being carried on with +much zeal and unanimity among themselves. The form of government +consisted of a governor and twelve counselors, incorporated by the name +of governor and assistants, of the city of Raleigh, in Virginia. + +Many nations of the Indians renewed their peace, and made firm leagues +with the corporation. The chief men of the English also were so far from +being disheartened at the former disappointments, that they disputed for +the liberty of remaining on the spot; and by mere constraint compelled +Mr. White, their governor, to return for England to negotiate the +business of their recruits and supply, as a man the most capable to +manage that affair, leaving at his departure one hundred and fifteen in +the corporation. + +§ 9. It was above two years before Mr. White could obtain any grant of +supplies, and then in the latter end of the year 1589, he set out from +Plymouth with three ships, and sailed round by the Western and Caribbee +islands, they having hitherto not found any nearer way: for though they +were skilled in navigation, and understood the use of the globes, yet +did example so much prevail upon them, that they chose to sail a +thousand leagues about, rather than attempt a more direct passage. + +Towards the middle of August, 1590, they arrived upon the coast, at Cape +Hatteras, and went to search upon Roanoke for the people; but found, by +letters on the trees, that they were removed to Croatan, one of the +islands forming the sound, and southward of Roanoke about twenty +leagues, but no sign of distress. Thither they designed to sail to them +in their ships; but a storm arising in the meanwhile, lay so hard upon +them that their cables broke; they lost three of their anchors, were +forced to sea, and so returned home, without ever going near those poor +people again for sixteen years following. And it is supposed that the +Indians, seeing them forsaken by their country, and unfurnished of their +expected supplies, cut them off, for to this day they were never more +heard of. + +Thus, after all this vast expense and trouble, and the hazard and loss +of so many lives, Sir Walter Raleigh, the great projector and furtherer +of these discoveries and settlements, being under trouble, all thoughts +of farther prosecuting these designs lay dead for about twelve years +following. + +§ 10. And then, in the year 1602, Captain Gosnell, who had made one in +the former adventures, furnished out a small bark from Dartmouth, and +set sail in her himself with thirty odd men, designing a more direct +course, and not to stand so far to the southward, nor pass by the +Caribbee Islands, as all former adventurers had done. He attained his +ends in that, but touched upon the coast of America, much to the +northward of any of the places where the former adventurers had landed, +for he fell first among the islands forming the northern side of +Massachusetts bay in New England; but not finding the conveniences that +harbor affords, set sail again southward, and, as he thought, clear of +land into the sea, but fell upon the Byte of Cape Cod. + +Upon this coast, and a little to the southward, he spent some time in +trade with the Indians, and gave names to the islands of Martha's +Vineyard and Elizabeth's Isle, which retain the same to this day. Upon +Elizabeth's Isle he made an experiment of English grain, and found it +spring up and grow to admiration as it had done at Roanoke. Here also +his men built huts to shelter them in the night and bad weather, and +made good profit by their Indian traffic of furs, skins, &c. And as +their pleasure invited them, would visit the main, set receivers, and +save the gums and juices distilling from sweet woods, and try and +examine the lesser vegetables. + +After a month's stay here, they returned for England, as well pleased +with the natural beauty and richness of the place they had viewed, as +they were with the treasure they had gathered in it: neither had they a +head, nor a finger that ached among them all the time. + +§ 11. The noise of this short and most profitable of all the former +voyages, set the Bristol merchants to work also; who, early in the year +1603, sent two vessels in search of the same place and trade--which +vessels fell luckily in with the same land. They followed the same +methods Captain Gosnell had done, and having got a rich lading they +returned. + +§ 12. In the year 1605, a voyage was made from London in a single ship, +with which they designed to fall in with the land about the latitude +39°, but the winds put her a little farther northward, and she fell upon +the eastern parts of Long Island, (as it is now called, but all went +then under the name of Virginia.) Here they trafficked with the Indians, +as the others had done before them; made short trials of the soil by +English grain, and found the Indians, as in all other places, very fair +and courteous at first, till they got more knowledge of the English, and +perhaps thought themselves overreached because one bought better +pennyworths than another, upon which, afterwards, they never failed to +take revenge as they found their opportunity or advantage. So this +company also returned with the ship, having ranged forty miles up +Connecticut river, and called the harbor where they rid Penticost +harbor, because of their arrival there on Whitsunday. + +In all these latter voyages, they never so much as endeavored to come +near the place where the first settlement was attempted at Cape +Hatteras; neither had they any pity on those poor hundred and fifteen +souls settled there in 1587, of whom there had never since been any +account, no relief sent to them, nor so much as any enquiry made after +them, whether they were dead or alive, till about three years after +this, when Chesapeake bay in Virginia was settled, which hitherto had +never been seen by any Englishman. So strong was the desire of riches, +and so eager the pursuit of a rich trade, that all concern for the lives +of their fellow-christians, kindred, neighbors and countrymen, weighed +nothing in the comparison, though an enquiry might have been easily made +when they were so near them. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF CHESAPEAKE BAY, IN + VIRGINIA, BY THE CORPORATION OF LONDON ADVENTURERS, AND THEIR + PROCEEDINGS DURING THEIR GOVERNMENT BY A PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL + ELECTIVE. + + +§ 13. The merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth soon +perceived what great gains might be made of a trade this way, if it were +well managed and colonies could be rightly settled, which was +sufficiently evinced by the great profits some ships had made, which had +not met with ill accidents. Encouraged by this prospect, they joined +together in a petition to King James the First, shewing forth that it +would be too much for any single person to attempt the settling of +colonies, and to carry on so considerable a trade; they therefore prayed +his majesty to incorporate them, and enable them to raise a joint stock +for that purpose, and to countenance their undertaking. + +His majesty did accordingly grant their petition, and by letters +patents, bearing date the 10th of April, 1606, did in one patent +incorporate them into two distinct colonies, to make two separate +companies, viz: "Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, knights; Mr. +Richard Hackluit, clerk, prebend of Westminster, and Edward Maria +Wingfield, esq., adventurers of the city of London, and such others as +should be joined unto them of that colony, which should be called the +first colony, with liberty to begin their first plantation and seat, at +any place upon the coast of Virginia where they should think fit and +convenient, between the degrees of thirty-four and forty-one of northern +latitude. And that they should extend their bounds from the said first +seat of their plantation and habitation fifty English miles along the +seacoast each way, and include all the lands within an hundred miles +directly over against the same seacoast, and also back into the main +land one hundred miles from the seacoast; and that no other should be +permitted or suffered to plant or inhabit behind or on the back of them +towards the main land, without the express license of the council of +that colony, thereunto in writing first had and obtained. And for the +second colony, Thomas Hanham, Rawleigh Gilbert, William Parker, and +George Popham, esquires, of the town of Plymouth, and all others who +should be joined to them of that colony, with liberty to begin their +first plantation and seat at any place upon the coast of Virginia where +they should think fit, between the degrees of thirty-eight and forty +five of northern latitude, with the like liberties and bounds as the +first colony; provided they did not seat within an hundred miles of +them." + +§ 14. By virtue of this patent, Capt. John Smith was sent by the London +company, in December, 1606, on his voyage with three small ships, and a +commission was given to him, and to several other gentlemen, to +establish a colony, and to govern by a president, to be chosen annually, +and council, who should be invested with sufficient authorities and +powers. And now all things seemed to promise a plantation in good +earnest. Providence seemed likewise very favorable to them, for though +they designed only for that part of Virginia where the hundred and +fifteen were left, and where there is no security of harbor, yet, after +a tedious voyage of passing the old way again, between the Caribbee +islands and the main, he, with two of his vessels, luckily fell in with +Virginia itself, that part of the continent now so called, anchoring in +the mouth of the bay of Chesapeake; and the first place they landed upon +was the southern cape of that bay; this they named Cape Henry, and the +northern Cape Charles, in honor of the king's two eldest sons; and the +first great river they searched, whose Indian name was Powhatan, they +called James river, after the king's own name. + +§ 15. Before they would make any settlement here, they made a full +search of James river, and then by an unanimous consent pitched upon a +peninsula about fifty miles up the river, which, besides the goodness of +the soil, was esteemed as most fit, and capable to be made a place both +of trade and security, two-thirds thereof being environed by the main +river, which affords good anchorage all along, and the other third by a +small narrow river, capable of receiving many vessels of an hundred ton, +quite up as high as till it meets within thirty yards of the main river +again, and where generally in spring tides it overflows into the main +river, by which means the land they chose to pitch their town upon has +obtained the name of an island. In this back river ships and small +vessels may ride lashed to one another, and moored ashore secure from +all wind and weather whatsoever. + +The town, as well as the river, had the honor to be called by King +James' name. The whole island thus enclosed contains about two thousand +acres of high land, and several thousands of very good and firm marsh, +and is an extraordinary good pasture as any in that country. + +By means of the narrow passage, this place was of great security to them +from the Indian enemy; and if they had then known of the biting of the +worm in the salts, they would have valued this place upon that account +also, as being free from that mischief. + +§ 16. They were no sooner settled in all this happiness and security, +but they fell into jars and dissensions among themselves, by a greedy +grasping at the Indian treasure, envying and overreaching one another in +that trade. + +After five weeks stay before this town, the ships returned home again, +leaving one hundred and eight men settled in the form of government +before spoken of. + +After the ships were gone, the same sort of feuds and disorders +happened continually among them, to the unspeakable damage of the +plantation. + +The Indians were the same there as in all other places, at first very +fair and friendly, though afterwards they gave great proofs of their +deceitfulness. However, by the help of the Indian provisions, the +English chiefly subsisted till the return of the ships the next year, +when two vessels were sent thither full freighted with men and +provisions for supply of the plantation, one of which only arrived +directly, and the other being beat off to the Caribbee islands, did not +arrive till the former was sailed again for England. + +§ 17. In the interval of these ships returning from England, the English +had a very advantageous trade with the Indians, and might have made much +greater gains of it, and managed it both to the greater satisfaction of +the Indians, and the greater ease and security of themselves, if they +had been under any rule, or subject to any method in trade, and not left +at liberty to outvie or outbid one another, by which they not only cut +short their own profit, but created jealousies and disturbances among +the Indians, by letting one have a better bargain than another; for they +being unaccustomed to barter, such of them as had been hardest dealt by +in their commodities, thought themselves cheated and abused; and so +conceived a grudge against the English in general, making it a national +quarrel; and this seems to be the original cause of most of their +subsequent misfortunes by the Indians. + +What also gave a greater interruption to this trade, was an object that +drew all their eyes and thoughts aside, even from taking the necessary +care for their preservation, and for the support of their lives, which +was this: They found in a neck of land, on the back of Jamestown island, +a fresh stream of water springing out of a small bank, which washed down +with it a yellow sort of dust isinglass, which being cleansed by the +fresh streaming of the water, lay shining in the bottom of that limpid +element, and stirred up in them an unseasonable and inordinate desire +after riches; for they taking all to be gold that glittered, run into +the utmost distraction, neglecting both the necessary defence of their +lives from the Indians, and the support of their bodies by securing of +provisions; absolutely relying, like Midas, upon the almighty power of +gold, thinking that where this was in plenty, nothing could be wanting; +but they soon grew sensible of their error, and found that if this +gilded dirt had been real gold, it could have been of no advantage to +them. For, by their negligence, they were reduced to an exceeding +scarcity of provisions, and that little they had was lost by the burning +of their town, while all hands were employed upon this imaginary golden +treasure; so that they were forced to live for some time upon the wild +fruits of the earth, and upon crabs, muscles, and such like, not having +a day's provision before-hand; as some of the laziest Indians, who have +no pleasure in exercise, and wont be at the pains to fish and hunt: And, +indeed, not so well as they neither; for by this careless neglecting of +their defence against the Indians, many of them were destroyed by that +cruel people, and the rest durst not venture abroad, but were forced to +be content with what fell just into their mouths. + +§ 18. In this condition they were, when the first ship of the two before +mentioned came to their assistance, but their golden dreams overcame all +difficulties; they spoke not, nor thought of anything but gold, and that +was all the lading that most of them were willing to take care for; +accordingly they put into this ship all the yellow dirt they had +gathered, and what skins and furs they had trucked for, and filling her +up with cedar, sent her away. + +After she was gone, the other ship arrived, which they stowed likewise +with this supposed gold dust, designing never to be poor again; filling +her up with cedar and clap-board. + +Those two ships being thus dispatched, they made several discoveries in +James river and up Chesapeake bay, by the undertaking and management of +Captain John Smith; and the year 1608 was the first year in which they +gathered Indian corn of their own planting. + +While these discoveries were making by Captain Smith, matters run again +into confusion in Jamestown, and several uneasy people, taking +advantage of his absence, attempted to desert the settlement, and run +away with the small vessel that was left to attend upon it; for Captain +Smith was the only man among them that could manage the discoveries with +success, and he was the only man, too, that could keep the settlement in +order. Thus the English continued to give themselves as much perplexity +by their own distraction as the Indians did by their watchfulness and +resentments. + +§ 19. Anno 1609, John Laydon and Anna Burrows were married together, the +first Christian marriage in that part of the world; and the year +following the plantation was increased to near five hundred men. + +This year Jamestown sent out people, and made two other settlements; one +at Nansemond in James river, above thirty miles below Jamestown, and the +other at Powhatan, six miles below the falls of James river, (which last +was bought of Powhatan for a certain quantity of copper,) each +settlement consisting of about a hundred and twenty men. Some small time +after another was made at Kiquotan by the mouth of James river. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE ALTERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM AN + ELECTIVE PRESIDENT TO A COMMISSIONATED GOVERNOR, UNTIL THE + DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY. + + +§ 20. In the meanwhile the treasurer, council and company of Virginia +adventurers in London, not finding that return and profit from the +adventurers they expected, and rightly judging that this disappointment, +as well as the idle quarrels in the colony, proceeded from a mismanage +of government, petitioned his majesty, and got a new patent with leave +to appoint a governor. + +Upon this new grant they sent out nine ships, and plentiful supplies of +men and provisions, and made three joint commissioners or governors in +equal power, viz: Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain +Newport. They agreed to go all together in one ship. + +This ship, on board of which the three governors had embarked, being +separated from the rest, was put to great distress in a severe storm; +and after three days and nights constant bailing and pumping, was at +last cast ashore at Bermudas, and there staved, but by good providence +the company was preserved. + +Notwithstanding this shipwreck, and extremity they were put to, yet +could not this common misfortune make them agree. The best of it was, +they found plenty of provisions in that island, and no Indians to annoy +them. But still they quarrelled amongst themselves, and none more than +the two Knights; who made their parties, built each of them a cedar +vessel, one called the Patience, the other the Deliverance, and used +what they gathered of the furniture of the old ship for rigging; and +fish-oil, and hog's-grease, mixed with lime and ashes, instead of pitch +and tar: for they found great plenty of Spanish hogs in this island, +which are supposed to have swam ashore from some wrecks, and there +afterwards increased. + +§. 21. While these things were acting in Bermuda, Capt. Smith being very +much burnt by the accidental firing of some gun-powder, as he was upon a +discovery in his boat, was forced for his cure sake, and the benefit of +a surgeon, to take his passage for England, in a ship that was then upon +the point of sailing. + +Several of the nine ships that came out with the three governors +arrived, with many of the passengers; some of which, in their humors, +would not submit to the government there, pretending the new commission +destroyed the old one; that governors were appointed instead of a +president, and that they themselves were to be of the council, and so +would assume an independent power, inspiring the people with +disobedience; by which means they became frequently exposed in great +parties to the cruelty of the Indians; all sorts of discipline was laid +aside, and their necessary defence neglected; so that the Indians taking +advantage of those divisions, formed a stratagem to destroy them root +and branch; and, indeed, they did cut many of them off, by massacreing +whole companies at a time; so that all the out-settlements were +deserted, and the people that were not destroyed, took refuge in +Jamestown, except the small settlement at Kiquotan, where they had built +themselves a little fort, and called it Algernoon fort. And yet, for all +this, they continued their disorders, wasting their old provisions, and +neglecting to gather others; so that they who remained alive, were all +near famished, having brought themselves to that pass, that they durst +not stir from their own doors to gather the fruits of the earth, or the +crabs and muscles from the water-side: much less to hunt or catch wild +beasts, fish or fowl, which were found in great abundance there. They +continued in these scanty circumstances, till they were at last reduced +to such extremity, as to eat the very hides of their horses, and the +bodies of the Indians they had killed; and sometimes also upon a pinch +they would not disdain to dig them up again, to make a homely meal, +after they had been buried. + +Thus, a few months indiscreet management brought such an infamy upon the +country, that to this day it cannot be wiped away. And the sicknesses +occasioned by this bad diet, or rather want of diet, are unjustly +remembered to the disadvantage of the country, as a fault in the +climate; which was only the foolishness and indiscretion of those who +assumed the power of governing. I call it assumed, because the new +commission mentioned, by which they pretended to be of the council, was +not in all this time arrived, but remained in Bermuda with the new +governors. + +Here, I cannot but admire the care, labor, courage and understanding, +that Capt. John Smith showed in the time of his administration; who not +only founded, but also preserved all these settlements in good order, +while he was amongst them; and, without him, they had certainly all been +destroyed, either by famine, or the enemy long before; though the +country naturally afforded subsistence enough, even without any other +labor than that of gathering and preserving its spontaneous provisions. + +For the first three years that Capt. Smith was with them, they never had +in that whole time, above six months English provisions. But as soon as +he had left them to themselves, all went to ruin; for the Indians had no +longer any fear for themselves, or friendship for the English. And six +months after this gentleman's departure, the 500 men that he had left +were reduced to threescore; and they, too, must of necessity, have +starved, if their relief had been delayed a week longer at sea. + +§. 22. In the mean time, the three governors put to sea from Bermuda, in +their two small vessels, with their company, to the number of one +hundred and fifty, and in fourteen days, viz.: the 25th of May, 1610, +they arrived both together in Virginia, and went with their vessels up +to Jamestown, where they found the small remainder of the five hundred +men, in that melancholy way I just now hinted. + +§. 23. Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain Newport, the +governors, were very compassionate of their condition, and called a +council, wherein they informed them, that they had but sixteen days +provision aboard; and therefore desired to know their opinion, whether +they would venture to sea under such a scarcity; or, if they resolved to +continue in the settlement, and take their fortunes, they would stay +likewise, and share the provisions among them; but desired that their +determination might be speedy. They soon came to the conclusion of +returning for England; but because their provisions were short, they +resolved to go by the banks of Newfoundland, in hopes of meeting with +some of the fishermen, (this being now the season,) and dividing +themselves among their ships, for the greater certainty of provision, +and for their better accommodation. + +According to this resolution, they all went aboard, and fell down to Hog +Island, the 9th of June, at night, and the next morning to Mulberry +Island Point, which is eighteen miles below Jamestown, and thirty above +the mouth of the river; and there they spied a long boat, which the Lord +Delawarr (who was just arrived with three ships,) had sent before him up +the river sounding the channel. His lordship was made sole governor, and +was accompanied by several gentlemen of condition. He caused all the men +to return again to Jamestown; re-settled them with satisfaction, and +staid with them till March following; and then being very sick, he +returned for England, leaving about two hundred in the colony. + +§. 24. On the 10th of May, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale being then made +governor, arrived with three ships, which brought supplies of men, +cattle and hogs. He found them growing again into the like disorders as +before, taking no care to plant corn, and wholly relying upon their +store, which then had but three months provision in it. He therefore +set them to work about corn, and though it was the middle of May before +they began to prepare the ground, yet they had an indifferent good crop. + +§. 25. In August, the same year, Sir Thomas Gates arrived at Jamestown +with six ships more, and with a plentiful supply of hogs, cattle, fowls, +&c., with a good quantity of ammunition, and all other things necessary +for a new colony, and besides this, a reinforcement of three hundred and +fifty chosen men. In the beginning of September he settled a new town at +Arrabattuck, about fifty miles above Jamestown, paling in the neck above +two miles from the point, from one reach of the river to the other. Here +he built forts and sentry-boxes, and in honor of Henry Prince of Wales, +called it Henrico. And also run a palisade on the other side of the +river, at Coxendale, to secure their hogs. + +§. 26. Anno 1612, two ships more arrived with supplies; and Capt. +Argall, who commanded one of them, being sent in her to Patowmeck to buy +corn, he there met with Pocahontas, the excellent daughter of Powhatan; +and having prevailed with her to come aboard to a treat, he detained her +prisoner, and carried her to Jamestown, designing to make peace with her +father by her release; but on the contrary, that prince resented the +affront very highly; and although he loved his daughter with all +imaginable tenderness, yet he would not be brought to terms by that +unhandsome treachery; till about two years after a marriage being +proposed between Mr. John Rolfe, an English gentleman, and this lady; +which Powhatan taking to be a sincere token of friendship, he vouchsafed +to consent to it, and to conclude a peace, though he would not come to +the wedding. + +§. 27. Pocahontas being thus married in the year 1613, a firm peace was +concluded with her father. Both the English and Indians thought +themselves entirely secure and quiet. This brought in the Chickahominy +Indians also, though not out of any kindness or respect to the English, +but out of fear of being, by their assistance, brought under Powhatan's +absolute subjection, who used now and then to threaten and tyrannize +over them. + +§. 28. Sir Thomas Dale returning for England, Anno 1610, took with him +Mr. Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas, who, upon the marriage, was +christened, and called Rebecca. He left Capt. George Yardly +deputy-governor during his absence, the country being then entirely at +peace; and arrived at Plymouth the 12th of June. + +Capt. John Smith was at that time in England, and hearing of the arrival +of Pocahontas at Portsmouth, used all the means he could to express his +gratitude to her, as having formerly preserved his life by the hazard of +her own; for, when by the command of her father, Capt. Smith's head was +upon the block to have his brains knocked out, she saved his head by +laying hers close upon it. He was at that time suddenly to embark for +New England, and fearing he should sail before she got to London, he +made an humble petition to the Queen in her behalf, which I here choose +to give you in his own words, because it will save me the story at +large. + +§. 29. Capt. Smith's petition to her Majesty, in behalf of Pocahontas, +daughter to the Indian Emperor, Powhatan. + + To the most high and virtuous princess, Queen Anne, of Great + Britain: + + Most admired madam-- + + The love I bear my God, my king, and country, hath so often + emboldened me in the worst of extreme dangers, that now honestly + doth constrain me to presume thus far beyond myself, to present + your majesty this short discourse. If ingratitude be a deadly + poison to all honest virtues, I must be guilty of that crime, if I + should omit any means to be thankful. + + So it was, + + That about ten years ago, being in Virginia, and taken prisoner + by the power of Powhatan, their chief king, I received from this + great savage exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son, + Nantaquaus; the manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit I ever saw in + a savage; and his sister Pocahontas, the king's most dear and + well-beloved daughter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen + years of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart of my desperate + estate gave me much cause to respect her. I being the first + Christian this proud king and his grim attendants ever saw, and + thus enthralled in their barbarous power; I cannot say I felt the + least occasion of want, that was in the power of those my mortal + foes to prevent, notwithstanding all their threats. After some six + weeks fatting amongst those savage courtiers, at the minute of my + execution, she hazarded the beating out of her own brains to save + mine, and not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I + was safely conducted to Jamestown, where I found about eight and + thirty miserable, poor and sick creatures, to keep possession for + all those large territories of Virginia. Such was the weakness of + this poor commonwealth, as had not the savages fed us, we directly + had starved. + + And this relief, most gracious queen, was commonly brought us by + this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all these passages, when + unconstant fortune turned our peace to war, this tender virgin + would still not spare to dare to visit us; and by her our jars + have been oft appeased, and our wants still supplied. Were it the + policy of her father thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God + thus to make her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection to + our nation, I know not: but of this I am sure, when her father, + with the utmost of his policy and power, sought to surprise me, + having but eighteen with me, the dark night could not affright her + from coming through the irksome woods, and, with watered eyes, + give me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his fury, + which had he known, he had surely slain her. + + Jamestown, with her wild train, she as freely frequented as her + father's habitation; and during the time of two or three years, + she, next under God, was still the instrument to preserve this + colony from death, famine, and utter confusion, which if, in those + times, had once been dissolved, Virginia might have lain, as it + was at our first arrival, till this day. Since then, this business + having been turned and varied by many accidents from what I left + it, it is most certain, after a long and troublesome war, since my + departure, betwixt her father and our colony, all which time she + was not heard of, about two years after she herself was taken + prisoner, being so detained near two years longer, the colony by + that means was relieved, peace concluded, and at last, rejecting + her barbarous condition, she was married to an English gentleman, + with whom at this present she is in England. The first Christian + ever of that nation; the first Virginian ever spake English, or + had a child in marriage by an Englishman--a matter surely, if my + meaning be truly considered and well understood, worthy a prince's + information. + + Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to your majesty, what at + your best leisure, our approved histories will recount to you at + large, as done in the time of your majesty's life; and however + this might be presented you from a more worthy pen, it cannot from + a more honest heart. + + As yet, I never begged anything of the State; and it is my want of + ability, and her exceeding desert; your birth, means, and + authority; her birth, virtue, want and simplicity, doth make me + thus bold, humbly to beseech your majesty to take this knowledge + of her, though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter as + myself; her husband's estate not being able to make her fit to + attend your majesty. + + The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, and the rather + because of her being of so great a spirit, however her stature. If + she should not be well received, seeing this kingdom may rightly + have a kingdom by her means; her present love to us and + Christianity, might turn to such scorn and fury, as to divert all + this good to the worst of evil. Where finding that so great a + queen should do her more honor than she can imagine, for having + been kind to her subjects and servants, 'twould so ravish her with + content, as to endear her dearest blood, to effect that your + majesty and all the king's honest subjects most earnestly desire. + And so I humbly kiss your gracious hands, &c. + + (Signed) + JOHN SMITH. + Dated June, 1616. + +§. 30. This account was presented to her majesty, and graciously +received. But before Capt. Smith sailed for New England, the Indian +princess arrived at London, and her husband took lodgings for her at +Branford, to be a little out of the smoke of the city, whither Capt. +Smith, with some of his friends, went to see her and congratulate her +arrival, letting her know the address he had made to the queen in her +favor. + +Till this lady arrived in England, she had all along been informed that +Captain Smith was dead, because he had been diverted from that colony by +making settlements in the second plantation, now called New England; for +which reason, when she saw him, she seemed to think herself much +affronted, for that they had dared to impose so gross an untruth upon +her, and at first sight of him turned away. It cost him a great deal of +intreaty, and some hours attendance, before she would do him the honor +to speak to him; but at last she was reconciled, and talked freely to +him. She put him in mind of her former kindnesses, and then upbraided +him for his forgetfulness of her, showing by her reproaches, that even a +state of nature teaches to abhor ingratitude. + +She had in her retinue a Werowance, or great man of her own nation, +whose name was Uttamaccomack. This man had orders from Powhatan, to +count the people in England, and give him an account of their number. +Now the Indians having no letters among them, he at his going ashore, +provided a stick, in which he was to make a notch for every man he saw; +but this accomptant soon grew weary of that tedious exercise, and threw +his stick away: and at his return, being asked by his king, How many +people there were? He desired him to count the stars in the sky, the +leaves upon the trees, and the sand on the seashore, for so many people +(he said) were in England. + +§. 31. Pocahontas had many honors done her by the queen upon account of +Captain Smith's story; and being introduced by the Lady Delawarr, she +was frequently admitted to wait on her majesty, and was publicly treated +as a prince's daughter; she was carried to many plays, balls, and other +public entertainments, and very respectfully received by all the ladies +about the court. Upon all which occasions, she behaved herself with so +much decency, and showed so much grandeur in her deportment, that she +made good the brightest part of the character Capt. Smith had given of +her. In the meanwhile, she gained the good opinion of everybody so much, +that the poor gentleman, her husband, had like to have been called to an +account, for presuming to marry a princess royal without the king's +consent; because it had been suggested that he had taken advantage of +her, being a prisoner, and forced her to marry him. But upon a more +perfect representation of the matter, his majesty was pleased at last to +declare himself satisfied. But had their true condition here been known, +that pother had been saved. + +Everybody paid this young lady all imaginable respect; and it is +supposed, she would have sufficiently acknowledged those favors, had she +lived to return to her own country, by bringing the Indians to have a +kinder disposition towards the English. But upon her return she was +unfortunately taken ill at Gravesend, and died in a few days after, +giving great testimony all the time she lay sick, of her being a very +good Christian. She left issue one son, named Thomas Rolfe, whose +posterity is at this day in good repute in Virginia, and now hold lands +by descent from her. + +§. 32. Captain Yardly made but a very ill governor, he let the buildings +and forts go to ruin; not regarding the security of the people against +the Indians, neglecting the corn, and applying all hands to plant +tobacco, which promised the most immediate gain. In this condition they +were when Capt. Samuel Argall was sent thither governor, Anno 1617, who +found the number of people reduced to little more than four hundred, of +which not above half were fit for labor. In the meanwhile the Indians +mixing among them, got experience daily in fire arms, and some of them +were instructed therein by the English themselves, and employed to hunt +and kill wild fowl for them. So great was their security upon this +marriage; but governor Argall not liking those methods, regulated them +on his arrival, and Capt. Yardly returned to England. + +§. 33. Governor Argall made the colony flourish and increase +wonderfully, and kept them in great plenty and quiet. The next year, +viz.: Anno 1618, the Lord Delawarr was sent over again with two hundred +men more for the settlement, with other necessaries suitable: but +sailing by the Western Islands, they met with contrary winds, and great +sickness; so that about thirty of them died, among which the Lord +Delawarr was one. By which means the government there still continued in +the hands of Capt. Argall. + +§. 34. Powhatan died in April the same year, leaving his second brother +Itopatin in possession of his empire, a prince far short of the parts of +Oppechancanough, who by some was said to be his elder brother, and then +king of Chickahomony; but he having debauched them from the allegiance +of Powhatan, was disinherited by him. This Oppechancanough was a cunning +and a brave prince, and soon grasped all the empire to himself. But at +first they jointly renewed the peace with the English, upon the +accession of Itopatin to the crown. + +§. 35. Governor Argall flourishing thus under the blessings of peace and +plenty, and having no occasion of fear or disturbance from the Indians, +sought new occasions of encouraging the plantation. To that end, he +intended a coasting voyage to the northward, to view the places where +the English ships had so often laded; and if he missed them, to reach +the fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland, and so settle a trade and +correspondence either with the one or the other. In accomplishing +whereof, as he touched at Cape Cod, he was informed by the Indians, that +some white people like him were come to inhabit to the northward of +them, upon the coast of their neighboring nations. Capt. Argall not +having heard of any English plantation that way, was jealous that it +might be (as it proved,) the people of some other nation. And being very +zealous for the honor and benefit of England, he resolved to make search +according to the information he had received, and see who they were. +Accordingly he found the settlement, and a ship riding before it. This +belonged to some Frenchmen, who had fortified themselves upon a small +mount on the north of New England. + +§. 36. His unexpected arrival so confounded the French, that they could +make no preparation for resistance on board their ship; which Captain +Argall drew so close to, that with his small arms he beat all the men +from the deck, so that they could not use their guns, their ship having +only a single deck. Among others, there were two Jesuits on board, one +of which being more bold than wise, with all that disadvantage, +endeavored to fire one of their cannon, and was shot dead for his pains. + +Captain Argall having taken the ship, landed and went before the fort, +summoning it to surrender. The garrison asked time to advise; but that +being denied them, they stole privately away, and fled into the woods. +Upon this, Captain Argall entered the fort, and lodged there that night; +and the next day the French came to him, and surrendered themselves. It +seems the king of France had granted them a patent for this settlement, +but they gave it up to Captain Argall to be cancelled. He used them very +well, and suffered such as had a mind to return to France, to seek their +passage among the ships of the fishery; but obliged them to desert this +settlement. And those that were willing to go to Virginia, he took with +him. + +§. 37. These people were under the conduct of two Jesuits, who upon +taking a pique against their governor in Acadia, named Biencourt, had +lately separated from a French settlement at Port Royal, lying in the +bay, upon the south-west part of Acadia. + +§. 38. As Governor Argall was about to return to Virginia, father Biard, +the surviving Jesuit (out of malice to Biencourt,) told him of this +French settlement at Port Royal, and offered to pilot him to it; which +Governor Argall readily accepted of. With the same ease, he took that +settlement also; where the French had sowed and reaped, built barns, +mills, and other conveniences, which Captain Argall did no damage to; +but unsettled them, and obliged them to make a desertion from thence. He +gave these the same leave he had done the others, to dispose of +themselves; some whereof returned to France, and others went to settle +up the river of Canada. After this Governor Argall returned satisfied +with the provision and plunder he had got in those two settlements. + +§. 39. The report of these exploits soon reached England; and whether +they were approved or no, being acted without particular direction, I +have not learned; but certain it is, that in April following there +arrived a small vessel, which did not stay for anything, but took on +board Governor Argall, and returned for England. He left Capt. Nathaniel +Powel deputy; and soon after Capt. Yardly being knighted, was sent +governor thither again. + +§. 40. Very great supplies of cattle and other provisions were sent +there that year, and likewise 1000 or 1200 men. They resettled all their +old plantations that had been deserted, made additions to the number of +the council, and called an assembly of Burgesses from all parts of the +country, which were to be elected by the people in their several +plantations. + +These burgesses met the governor and council at Jamestown in May, 1620, +and sat in consultation in the same house with them, as the method of +the Scots Parliament is, debating matters for the improvement and good +government of the country. + +This was the first general assembly that was ever held there. I heartily +wish though they did not unite their houses again, they would, however, +unite their endeavors and affections for the good of the country. + +§. 41. In August following, a Dutch man-of-war landed twenty negroes for +sale; which were the first of that kind that were carried into the +country. + +§. 42. This year they bounded the corporations, (as they called them:) +But there does not remain among the records any one grant of these +corporations. There is entered a testimony of Governor Argall, +concerning the bounds of the corporation of James City, declaring his +knowledge thereof; and this is one of the new transcribed books of +record. But there is not to be found one word of the charter or patent +itself of this corporation. + +Then also, they apportioned and laid our lands in several allotments, +viz.: to the company in several places, to the governor, to a college, +to glebes, and to several particular persons; many new settlements were +made in James and York rivers. The people knew their own property, and +having the encouragement of working for their own advantage, many became +very industrious, and began to vie one with another, in planting, +building, and other improvements. Two gentlemen went over as deputies to +the company, for the management of their lands, and those of the +college. All thoughts of danger from the Indians were laid aside. +Several great gifts were made to the church and college, and for the +bringing up young Indians at school. Forms were made, and rules +appointed for granting patents for land, upon the condition of +importing goods and persons to supply and increase the colony. And all +there then began think themselves the happiest people in the world. + +§. 43. Thus Virginia continued to flourish and increase, great supplies +continually arriving, and new settlements being made all over the +country. A salt work was set up at Cape Charles, on the Eastern Shore; +and an iron work at Falling Creek, in James river, where they made proof +of good iron ore, and brought the whole work so near a perfection, that +they writ word to the company in London, that they did not doubt but to +finish the work, and have plentiful provision of iron for them by the +next Easter. At that time the fame of the plenty and riches, in which +the English lived there, was very great. And Sir George Yardly now had +all the appearance of making amends for the errors of his former +government. Nevertheless he let them run into the same sleepiness and +security as before, neglecting all thoughts of a necessary defence, +which laid the foundation of the following calamities. + +§. 44. But the time of his government being near expired, Sir Francis +Wyat, then a young man, had a commission to succeed him. The people +began to grow numerous, thirteen hundred settling there that year; which +was the occasion of making so much tobacco, as to overstock the market. +Wherefore his majesty, out of pity to the country, sent his commands, +that they should not suffer their planters to make above one hundred +pounds of tobacco per man; for the market was so low, that he could not +afford to give them above three shillings the pound for it. He advised +them rather to turn their spare time towards providing corn and stock, +and towards the making of potash, or other manufactures. + +It was October, 1621, that Sir Francis Wyat arrived governor, and in +November, Captain Newport arrived with fifty men, imported at his own +charge, besides passengers; and made a plantation on Newport's News, +naming it after himself. The governor made a review of all the +settlements, and suffered new ones to be made, even as far as Potomac +river. This ought to be observed of the Eastern Shore Indians, that they +never gave the English any trouble, but courted and befriended them from +first to last. Perhaps the English, by the time they came to settle +those parts, had considered how to rectify their former mismanagement, +and learned better methods of regulating their trade with the Indians, +and of treating them more kindly than at first. + +§. 45. Anno 1622, inferior courts were first appointed by the general +assembly, under the name of county courts, for trial of minute causes; +the governor and council still remaining judges of the supreme court of +the colony. In the meantime, by the great increase of people, and the +long quiet they had enjoyed among the Indians, since the marriage of +Pocahontas, and the accession of Oppechancanough to the imperial crown, +all men were lulled into a fatal security, and became everywhere +familiar with the Indians, eating, drinking, and sleeping amongst them; +by which means they became perfectly acquainted with all our English +strength, and the use of our arms--knowing at all times, when and where +to find our people; whether at home, or in the woods; in bodies, or +disperst; in condition of defence, or indefensible. This exposing of +their weakness gave them occasion to think more contemptibly of them, +than otherwise, perhaps, they would have done; for which reason they +became more peevish, and more hardy to attempt anything against them. + +§. 46. Thus upon the loss of one of their leading men, (a war captain, +as they call him,) who was likewise supposed to be justly killed, +Oppechancanough took affront, and in revenge laid the plot of a general +massacre of the English, to be executed on the 22d of March, 1622, a +little before noon, at a time when our men were all at work abroad in +their plantations, disperst and unarmed. This hellish contrivance was to +take effect upon all the several settlements at one and the same +instant, except on the Eastern Shore, whither this plot did not reach. +The Indians had been made so familiar with the English, as to borrow +their boats and canoes to cross the river in, when they went to consult +with their neighboring Indians upon this execrable conspiracy. And to +color their design the better, they brought presents of deer, turkies, +fish and fruits to the English the evening before. The very morning of +the massacre, they came freely and unarmed among them, eating with them, +and behaving themselves with the same freedom and friendship as +formerly, till the very minute they were to put their plot in execution. +Then they fell to work all at once everywhere, knocking the English +unawares on the head, some with their hatchets, which they call +tomahawks, others with the hoes and axes of the English themselves, +shooting at those who escaped the reach of their hands; sparing neither +age nor sex, but destroying man, woman, and child, according to their +cruel way of leaving none behind to bear resentment. But whatever was +not done by surprise that day, was left undone, and many that made early +resistance escaped. + +By the account taken of the Christians murdered that morning, they were +found to be three hundred and forty-seven, most of them falling by their +own instruments, and working tools. + +§. 47. The massacre had been much more general, had not this plot been +providentially discovered to the English some hours before the +execution. It happened thus: + +Two Indians that used to be employed by the English to hunt for them, +happened to lie together, the night before the massacre, in an +Englishmen's house, where one of them was employed. The Indian that was +the guest fell to persuading the other to rise and kill his master, +telling him, that he would do the same by his own the next day. +Whereupon he discovered the whole plot that was designed to be executed +on the morrow. But the other, instead of entering into the plot, and +murdering his master, got up (under pretence of going to execute his +comrade's advice,) went into his master's chamber, and revealed to him +the whole story that he had been told. The master hereupon arose, +secured his own house, and before day got to Jamestown, which, together +with such plantations as could receive notice time enough, were saved by +this means; the rest, as they happened to be watchful in their defence, +also escaped; but such as were surprised, were massacred. Captain +Croshaw in his vessel at Potomac, had notice also given him by a young +Indian, by which means he came off untouched. + +§. 48. The occasion upon which Oppechancanough took affront was this. +The war captain mentioned before to have been killed, was called +Nemattanow. He was an active Indian, a great warrior, and in much esteem +among them; so much, that they believed him to be invulnerable, and +immortal, because he had been in very many conflicts, and escaped +untouched from them all. He was also a very cunning fellow, and took +great pride in preserving and increasing this their superstition +concerning him, affecting everything that was odd and prodigious, to +work upon their admiration. For which purpose he would often dress +himself up with feathers after a fantastic manner, and by much use of +that ornament, obtained among the English the nickname of Jack of the +feather. + +This Nemattanow coming to a private settlement of one Morgan, who had +several toys which he had a mind to, persuaded him to go to Pamunky to +dispose of them. He gave him hopes what mighty bargains he might meet +with there, and kindly offered him his assistance. At last Morgan +yielded to his persuasion; but was no more heard of; and it is believed, +that Nemattanow killed him by the way, and took away his treasure. For +within a few days this Nemattanow returned to the same house with +Morgan's cap upon his head; where he found two sturdy boys, who asked +for their master. He very frankly told them he was dead. But they, +knowing the cap again, suspected the villain had killed their master, +and would have had him before a justice of peace, but he refused to go, +and very insolently abused them. Whereupon they shot him down, and as +they were carrying him to the governor, he died. + +As he was dying, he earnestly pressed the boys to promise him two +things. First, that they would not tell how he was killed; and, +secondly, that they would bury him among the English. So great was the +pride of this vain heathen, that he had no other thoughts at his death, +but the ambition of being esteemed after he was dead, as he had +endeavored to make them believe of him while he was alive, viz., that he +was invulnerable and immortal, though his increasing faintness convinced +himself of the falsity of both. He imagined, that being buried among the +English perhaps might conceal his death from his own nation, who might +think him translated to some happier country. Thus he pleased himself to +the last gasp with the boys' promises to carry on the delusion. This was +reckoned all the provocation given to that haughty and revengeful man +Oppechancanough, to act this bloody tragedy, and to take indefatigable +pains to engage in so horrid villainy all the kings and nations +bordering upon the English settlements, on the western shore of +Chesapeake. + +§ 49. This gave the English a fair pretence of endeavoring the total +extirpation of the Indians, but more especially of Oppechancanough and +his nation. Accordingly, they set themselves about it, making use of the +Roman maxim, (faith is not to be kept with heretics) to obtain their +ends. For, after some months fruitless pursuit of them, who could too +dexterously hide themselves in the woods, the English pretended articles +of peace, giving them all manner of fair words and promises of oblivion. +They designed thereby (as their own letters now on record, and their own +actions thereupon prove) to draw the Indians back, and entice them to +plant their corn on their habitations nearest adjoining to the English, +and then to cut it up, when the summer should be too far spent to leave +them hopes of another crop that year, by which means they proposed to +bring them to want necessaries and starve. And the English did so far +accomplish their ends, as to bring the Indians to plant their corn at +their usual habitations, whereby they gained an opportunity of repaying +them some part of the debt in their own coin, for they fell suddenly +upon them, cut to pieces such of them as could not make their escape, +and afterwards totally destroyed their corn. + +§ 50. Another effect of the massacre of the English, was the reducing +all their settlements again to six or seven in number, for their better +defence. Besides, it was such a disheartening to some good projects, +then just advancing, that to this day they have never been put in +execution, namely, the glasshouses in Jamestown, and the iron work at +Falling Creek, which has been already mentioned. The massacre fell so +hard upon this last place, that no soul was saved but a boy and a girl, +who with great difficulty hid themselves. + +The superintendent of this iron work had also discovered a vein of lead +ore, which he kept private, and made use of it to furnish all the +neighbors with bullets and shot. But he being cut off with the rest, and +the secret not having been communicated, this lead mine could never +after be found, till Colonel Byrd, some few years ago, prevailed with an +Indian, under pretence of hunting, to give him a sign by dropping his +tomahawk at the place, (he not daring publicly to discover it, for fear +of being murdered.) The sign was accordingly given, and the company at +that time found several pieces of good lead ore upon the surface of the +ground, and marked the trees thereabouts. Notwithstanding which, I know +not by what witchcraft it happens, but no mortal to this day could ever +find that place again, though it be upon part of the Colonel's own +possessions. And so it rests, till time and thicker settlements discover +it. + +§ 51. Thus, the company of adventurers having, by those frequent acts of +mismanagement, met with vast losses and misfortunes, many grew sick of +it and parted with their shares, and others came into their places, and +promoted the sending in fresh recruits of men and goods. But the chief +design of all parties concerned, was to fetch away the treasure from +thence, aiming more at sudden gain, than to form any regular colony, or +establish a settlement in such a manner as to make it a lasting +happiness to the country. + +Several gentlemen went over upon their particular stocks, separate from +that of the company, with their own servants and goods, each designing +to obtain land from the government, as Captain Newport had done, or at +least to obtain patents, according to the regulations for granting lands +to adventurers. Others sought their grants of the company in London, and +obtained authorities and jurisdictions, as well as land, distinct from +the authority of the government, which was the foundation of great +disorder, and the occasion of their following misfortunes. Among others, +one Captain Martin, having made very considerable preparations towards a +settlement, obtained a suitable grant of land, and was made of the +council there. But he, grasping still at more, hankered after dominion, +as well as possession, and caused so many differences, that at last he +put all things into distraction, insomuch that the Indians, still +seeking revenge, took advantage of these dissensions, and fell foul +again on the English, gratifying their vengeance with new bloodshed. + +§ 52. The fatal consequences of the company's maladministration cried so +loud, that king Charles the first, coming to the crown of England, had a +tender concern for the poor people that had been betrayed thither and +lost. Upon which consideration he dissolved the company in the year +1626, reducing the country and government into his own immediate +direction, appointing the governor and council himself, and ordering all +patents and processes to issue in his own name, reserving to himself a +quit-rent of two shillings for every hundred acres of land, and so _pro +rata_. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THE + COMPANY TO THE YEAR SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVEN. + + +§ 53. The country being thus taken into the king's hands, his majesty +was pleased to establish the constitution to be by a governor, council +and assembly, and to confirm the former methods and jurisdictions of the +several courts, as they had been appointed in the year 1620, and placed +the last resort in the assembly. He likewise confirmed the rules and +orders made by the first assembly for apportioning the land, and +granting patents to particular adventurers. + +§ 54. This was a constitution according to their hearts desire, and +things seemed now to go on in a happy course for encouragement of the +colony. People flocked over thither apace; every one took up land by +patent to his liking; and, not minding anything but to be masters of +great tracts of land, they planted themselves separately on their +several plantations. Nor did they fear the Indians, but kept them at a +greater distance than formerly. And they for their part, seeing the +English so sensibly increase in number, were glad to keep their distance +and be peaceable. + +This liberty of taking up land, and the ambition each man had of being +lord of a vast, though unimproved territory, together with the advantage +of the many rivers, which afford a commodious road for shipping at every +man's door, has made the country fall into such an unhappy settlement +and course of trade, that to this day they have not any one place of +cohabitation among them, that may reasonably bear the name of a town. + +§ 55. The constitution being thus firmly established, and continuing its +course regularly for some time, people began to lay aside all fears of +any future misfortunes. Several gentlemen of condition went over with +their whole families--some for bettering their estates--others for +religion, and other reasons best known to themselves. Among those, the +noble Cæcilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, thought, for +the more quiet exercise of his religion, to retire, with his family, +into that new world. For this purpose he went to Virginia, to try how he +liked the place. But the people there looked upon him with an evil eye +on account of his religion, for which alone he sought this retreat, and +by their ill treatment discouraged him from settling in that country. + +§ 56. Upon that provocation, his lordship resolved upon a farther +adventure. And finding land enough up the bay of Chesapeake, which was +likewise blessed with many brave rivers, and as yet altogether +uninhabited by the English, he began to think of making a new plantation +of his own. And for his more certain direction in obtaining a grant of +it, he undertook a journey northward, to discover the land up the bay, +and observe what might most conveniently square with his intent. + +His lordship finding all things in this discovery according to his wish, +returned to England. And because the Virginia settlements at that time +reached no farther than the south side of Potomac river, his lordship +got a grant of the propriety of Maryland, bounding it to the south by +Potomac river, on the western shore; and by an east line from Point +Lookout, on the eastern shore; but died himself before he could embark +for the promised land. + +Maryland had the honor to receive its name from queen Mary, royal +consort to king Charles the first. + +§ 57. The old Lord Baltimore being thus taken off, and leaving his +designs unfinished, his son and heir, in the year 1633, obtained a +confirmation of the patent to himself, and went over in person to plant +his new colony. + +By this unhappy accident, a country which nature had so well contrived +for one, became two separate governments. This produced a most unhappy +inconvenience to both; for, these two being the only countries under the +dominion of England that plant tobacco in any quantity, the ill +consequences to both is, that when one colony goes about to prohibit the +trash, or mend the staple of that commodity, to help the market, then +the other, to take advantage of that market, pours into England all they +can make, both good and bad, without distinction. This is very injurious +to the other colony, which had voluntarily suffered so great a +diminution in the quantity, to mend the quality; and this is notoriously +manifested from that incomparable Virginia law, appointing sworn agents +to examine their tobacco. + +§ 58. Neither was this all the mischief that happened to Virginia upon +this grant; for the example of it had dreadful consequences, and was in +the end one of the occasions of another massacre by the Indians. For +this precedent of my Lord Baltimore's grant, which entrenched upon the +charters and hounds of Virginia, was hint enough for other courtiers, +(who never intended a settlement as my lord did) to find out something +of the same kind to make money of. This was the occasion of several very +large defalcations from Virginia within a few years afterwards, which +was forwarded and assisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John +Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit-rents and all, but +the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged to that colony were +given away--nay, sometimes in those grants he included the very +settlements that had been before made. + +§ 59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was very unjust and +arbitrary in his other methods of government. He exacted with rigor the +fines and penalties, which the unwary assemblies of those times had +given chiefly to himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council, +and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny grew at last +insupportable; so that in the year 1639, the council sent him a +prisoner to London, and with him two of their number, to maintain the +articles against him. This news being brought to king Charles the first, +his majesty was very much displeased; and, without hearing anything, +caused him to return governor again. But by the next shipping he was +graciously pleased to change him, and so made amends for this man's +maladministration, by sending the good and just Sir William Berkeley to +succeed him. + +§ 60. While these things were transacting, there was so general a +dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir John Harvey, and +the difficulties in getting him out, that the whole colony was in +confusion. The subtle Indians, who took all advantages, resented the +incroachments upon them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and +disunited among themselves, and by the direction of Oppechancanough, +their king, laid the ground work of another massacre, wherein, by +surprise, they cut off near five hundred Christians more. But this +execution did not take so general effect as formerly, because the +Indians were not so frequently suffered to come among the inner +habitations of the English; and, therefore, the massacre fell severest +on the south side of James river, and on the heads of the other rivers, +but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechancanough kept the seat of +his government. + +§ 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, noble presence, and +extraordinary parts. Though he had no advantage of literature, (that +being nowhere to be found among the American Indians) yet he was +perfectly skilled in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused +all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had them all +entirely in subjection. + +This king in Smith's history is called brother to Powhatan, but by the +Indians he was not so esteemed. For they say he was a prince of a +foreign nation, and came to them a great way from the south west. And by +their accounts, we suppose him to have come from the Spanish Indians, +somewhere near Mexico, or the mines of Saint Barbe; but, be that matter +how it will, from that time till his captivity, there never was the +least truce between them and the English. + +§ 62. Sir William Berkeley, upon his arrival, showed such an opposition +to the unjust grants made by Sir John Harvey, that very few of them took +effect; and such as did, were subjected to the settled conditions of the +other parts of the government, and made liable to the payment of the +full quit-rents. He encouraged the country in several essays of potash, +soap, salt, flax, hemp, silk and cotton. But the Indian war, ensuing +upon this last massacre, was a great obstruction to these good designs, +by requiring all the spare men to be employed in defence of the country. + +§ 63. Oppechancanough, by his great age, and the fatigues of war, (in +which Sir William Berkeley followed him close) was now grown so +decrepid, that he was not able to walk alone, but was carried about by +his men wherever he had a mind to move. His flesh was all macerated, his +sinews slackened, and his eyelids became so heavy, that he could not +see, but as they were lifted up by his servants. In this low condition +he was, when Sir William Berkeley, hearing that he was at some distance +from his usual habitation, resolved at all adventures to seize his +person, which he happily effected. For with a party of horse he made a +speedy march, surprised him in his quarters, and brought him prisoner to +Jamestown, where, by the governor's command, he was treated with all the +respect and tenderness imaginable. Sir William had a mind to send him to +England, hoping to get reputation by presenting his majesty with a royal +captive, who at his pleasure, could call into the field ten times more +Indians, than Sir William Berkeley had English in his whole government. +Besides, he thought this ancient prince would be an instance of the +healthiness and long life of the natives of that country. However, he +could not preserve his life above a fortnight. For one of the soldiers, +resenting the calamities the colony had suffered by this prince's +means, basely shot him through the back, after he was made prisoner; of +which wound he died. + +He continued brave to the last moment of his life, and showed not the +least dejection at his captivity. He heard one day a great noise of the +treading of people about him; upon which he caused his eyelids to be +lifted up, and finding that a crowd of people were let in to see him, he +called in high indignation for the governor, who being come, +Oppechancanough scornfully told him, that had it been his fortune to +take Sir William Berkeley prisoner, he should not meanly have exposed +him as a show to the people. + +§ 64. After this, Sir William Berkeley made a new peace with the +Indians, which continued for a long time unviolated, insomuch that all +the thoughts of future injury from them were laid aside. But he himself +did not long enjoy the benefit of this profound peace; for the unhappy +troubles of king Charles the first increasing in England, proved a great +disturbance to him and to all the people. They, to prevent the infection +from reaching that country, made severe laws against the Puritans, +though there were as yet none among them. But all correspondence with +England was interrupted, supplies lessened, and trade obstructed. In a +word, all people were impatient to know what would be the event of so +much confusion. + +§ 65. At last the king was traitorously beheaded in England, and Oliver +installed Protector. However his authority was not acknowledged in +Virginia for several years after, till they were forced to it by the +last necessity. For in the year 1651, by Cromwell's command, Captain +Dennis, with a squadron of men of war, arrived there from the Caribbee +islands, where they had been subduing Bardoes. The country at first held +out vigorously against him, and Sir William Berkeley, by the assistance +of such Dutch vessels as were then there, made a brave resistance. But +at last Dennis contrived a stratagem, which betrayed the country. He had +got a considerable parcel of goods aboard, which belonged to two of the +Council, and found a method of informing them of it. By this means they +were reduced to the dilemma, either of submitting or losing their goods. +This occasioned factions among them; so that at last, after the +surrender of all the other English plantations, Sir Wm. was forced to +submit to the usurper on the terms of a general pardon. However, it +ought to be remembered, to his praise, and to the immortal honor of that +colony, that it was the last of all the king's dominions that submitted +to the usurpation; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and he +never took any post or office under the usurper. + +§ 66. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but he began to +contrive how to keep them under, that so they might never be able for +the time to come to give him farther trouble. To this end, he thought it +necessary to break off their correspondence with all other nations, +thereby to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and +other warlike provisions. According to this design, he contrived a +severe act of Parliament, whereby he prohibited the plantations from +receiving or exporting any European commodities, but what should be +carried to them by Englishmen, and in English built ships. They were +absolutely forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject to +the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered to manage a trade +or factory in any of them. In all which things the plantations had been +till then indulged, for their encouragement. + +§ 67. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector never +thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently changed their +governors, to prevent their intriguing with the people. So that, during +the time of the usurpation, they had no less than three governors there, +namely, Diggs, Bennet and Mathews. + +§ 68. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plantations, +exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhumanity to forbid them +all manner of trade and correspondence with other nations, at a time +when England itself was in distraction; and could neither take off +their commodities, nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither +had they ever been used to supply them with half the commodities they +expended, or to take off above half the tobacco they made. Such violent +proceedings made the people desperate, and inspired them with a desire +to use the last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless +usurpation. In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened; for +Governor Mathews died, and no person was substituted to succeed him in +the government. Whereupon the people applied themselves to Sir William +Berkeley, (who had continued all this time upon his own plantation in a +private capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again. + +§ 69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an unshaken loyalty +for the royal family, and therefore generously told the people, that he +could not approve of the Protector's rule, and was resolved never to +serve anybody but the lawful heir to the crown; and that if he accepted +the government, it should be upon their solemn promise, after his +example, to venture their lives and fortunes for the king, who was then +in France. + +This was no great obstacle to them, and therefore with an unanimous +voice they told him that they were ready to hazard all for the king. Now +this was actually before the king's return for England, and proceeded +from a brave principle of loyalty, for which they had no example. Sir +William Berkeley embraced their choice, and forthwith proclaimed Charles +the second king of England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Virginia, and +caused all process to be issued in his name. Thus his majesty was +actually king in Virginia, before he was so in England. But it pleased +God to restore him soon after to the throne of his ancestors; and so +that country escaped being chastised for throwing off the usurpation. + +§ 70. Upon the king's restoration, he sent Sir William Berkeley a new +commission, with leave to return to England, and power to appoint a +deputy in his absence. For his majesty in his exile had received +intelligence of this gentleman's loyalty, and during that time had +renewed his commission. + +§ 71. Upon this, Sir William Berkeley appointed Colonel Francis Morrison +Deputy Governor, and went for England to wait on his majesty, by whom he +was kindly received. At his return he carried his majesty's pressing +instructions for encouraging the people in husbandry and manufactures, +but more especially to promote silk and vineyards. There is a tradition, +that the king, in compliment to that colony, wore at his coronation a +robe made of the silk that was sent from thence. But this was all the +reward the country had for their loyalty; for the Parliament was pleased +to renew the act contrived by the usurper for discouraging the +plantations, with severer restraints and prohibitions by bonds, +securities, &c. + +§ 72. During the time of Sir William Berkeley's absence, Colonel +Morrison had, according to his directions, revised the laws, and +compiled them into one body, ready to be confirmed by the assembly at +his return. By these laws, the church of England was confirmed the +established religion, the charge of the government sustained, trade and +manufactures were encouraged, a town projected, and all the Indian +affairs settled. + +§ 73. The parishes were likewise regulated, competent allowances were +made to the ministers, to the value of about fourscore pounds a year, +besides glebes and perquisites, and the method of their preferment was +settled. Convenient churches and glebes were provided, and all necessary +parish officers instituted. Some steps were made also towards a free +school and college, and the poor were effectually provided for. + +§ 74. For support of the government, the duty of two shillings per +hogshead on all tobaccos, and that of one shilling per ton port duty on +shipping, were made perpetual; and the collectors were obliged to +account for the same to the general assembly. + +§ 75. For encouragement of manufactures, prizes were appointed for the +makers of the best pieces of linen cloth, and a reward of fifty pounds +of tobacco was given for each pound of silk. All persons were enjoined +to plant mulberry trees, for the food of the silk worm, according to the +number of acres of land they held. Tan houses were set up in each +county, at the county charge; and public encouragement was given to a +salt work on the eastern shore. A reward was appointed in proportion to +the tonnage of all sea vessels built there, and an exemption allowed +from all fees and duties payable by such shipping. + +§ 76. The king had commanded, that all ships trading to Virginia should +go to Jamestown, and there enter before they broke bulk. But the +assembly, from the impracticableness of that command, excused all, +except the James river ships, from that order, and left the others in +the rivers they were bound to, to ride dispersed, as the commanders +pleased; by whose example the James river ships were no sooner entered +with the officer at Jamestown, but they also dispersed themselves to +unload, and trade all over the river. By this means the design of towns +was totally balked, and this order proved only an ease to the officer of +James river, and a means of creating a good place to him. + +§ 77. Peace and commerce with the Indians was settled by law, and their +boundaries prescribed. Several other acts were made suiting the +necessity of the government; so that nothing then seemed to remain, but +the improvement of the country, and encouragement of those manufactures +the king had been pleased to recommend, together with such others as +should be found beneficial. + +§ 78. Sir William Berkeley at his return gave sanction to this body of +laws, and being then again in full possession of his government, and at +perfect peace with the Indians, set all hands industriously to work in +making country improvements. He passed a new act for encouragement of +Jamestown, whereby several houses were built therein, at the charge of +several counties. However, the main ingredient for the advancement of +towns was still wanting, namely, the confinement of all shipping and +trade to them only, by defect of which all the other expedients availed +nothing, for most of the buildings were soon converted into houses of +entertainment. + +§ 79. Anno 1663, divers sectaries in religion beginning to spread +themselves there, great restraints were laid upon them, under severe +penalties, to prevent their increase. + +This made many of them fly to other colonies, and prevented abundance of +others from going over to seat themselves among them. And as the former +ill treatment of my Lord Baltimore kept many people away, and drove +others to Maryland, so the present severities towards the nonconformists +kept off many more, who went to the neighboring colonies. + +§ 80. The rigorous circumscription of their trade, the persecutions of +the sectaries, and the little demand of tobacco, had like to have had +very fatal consequences. For, the poor people becoming thereby very +uneasy, their murmurings were watched and fed by several mutinous and +rebellious Oliverian soldiers that were sent thither as servants. These, +depending upon the discontented people of all sorts, formed a villainous +plot to destroy their masters, and afterwards to set up for themselves. + +This plot was brought so near to perfection, that it was the very night +before the designed execution ere it was discovered; and then it came +out by the relenting of one of their accomplices, whose name was +Birkenhead. This man was servant to Mr. Smith of Purton, in Gloucester +county, near which place, viz. at Poplar Spring, the miscreants were to +meet the night following, and put in execution their horrid conspiracy. + +§ 81. Upon this discovery by Birkenhead, notice was immediately sent to +the governor at Green Spring. And the method he took to prevent it was +by private orders, that some of the militia should meet before the time +at the place where the conspirators were to rendezvous, and seize them +as they came singly up to it. Which orders being happily executed, their +devilish plot was defeated. However, there were but a few taken; because +several of them making their escape, turned back such of their fellows +as they met on the road, and prevented most of them from coming up, or +from being discovered. + +Four of these rogues were hanged. But Birkenhead was gratified with his +freedom, and a reward of two hundred pounds sterling. + +§ 82. For the discovery and happy disappointment of this plot, an +anniversary thanksgiving was appointed on the 13th of September, the day +it was to have been put in execution. And it is great pity some other +days are not commemorated as well as that. + +§ 83. The news of this plot being transmitted to king Charles the +second, his majesty sent his royal commands to build a fort at +Jamestown, for security of the governor, and to be a curb upon all such +traitorous attempts for the future. But the country, thinking the danger +over, only raised a battery of some small pieces of cannon. + +§ 84. Another misfortune happened to the plantations this year, which +was a new act of parliament in England, laying a severer restraint upon +their supplies than formerly. By this act they could have no foreign +goods, which were not first landed in England, and carried directly from +thence to the plantations, the former restraint of importing them only +by Englishmen, in English built shipping, not being thought sufficient. + +This was a misfortune that cut with a double edge; for, first, it +reduced their staple tobacco to a very low price; and, secondly, it +raised the value of European goods to what the merchants pleased to put +upon them. + +§ 85. For this their assembly could think of no remedy, but to be even +with the merchants, and make their tobacco scarce by prohibiting the +planting of it for one year; and during that idle year to invite the +people to enter upon manufacturing flax and hemp. But Maryland not +concurring in this project, they were obliged in their own defence to +repeal the act of assembly again, and return to their old drudgery of +planting tobacco without profiting by it. + +§ 86. The country thus missed of their remedy in the stint of tobacco, +which on the contrary multiplied exceedingly by the great increase of +servants. This, together with the above mentioned curbs on trade, +exasperated the people, because now they found themselves under a +necessity of exchanging their commodities with the merchants of England +at their own terms. The assembly therefore again attempted the stint of +tobacco, and passed another act against planting it for one year. And +Carolina and Maryland both agreed to it. But some accident hindering the +agent of Carolina from giving notice thereof to Maryland by the day +appointed, the governor of that province proclaimed the act void, +although every body there knew that Carolina had fully agreed to all +things required of them. But he took advantage of this nice punctilio, +because of the loss such a diminution would have been to his annual +income, and so all people relapsed again into the disease of planting +tobacco. + +Virginia was more nettled at this ill usage from Maryland, than at her +former absolute denial; but were forced to take all patiently, and by +fair means get relief, if they could. They therefore appointed agents to +reassume the treaty, and submitted so low as to send them to Saint +Mary's, then the residence of the governor of Maryland, and the place +where the assemblies met. Yet all this condescension could not hold them +to their bargain. The governor said he had observed his part of the +agreement, and would not call an assembly any more upon that subject. + +§ 87. In this manner two whole years were spent, and nothing could be +accomplished for their relief. In the mean while England was studious to +prevent their receiving supplies from any other country. To do that more +effectually, it was thought expedient to confine the trade of that +colony to one place. But that not being found practicable, because of +the many great rivers that divide their habitations, and the +extraordinary conveniences of each, his majesty sent directions to build +forts in the several rivers, and enjoined all the ships to ride under +those forts; and farther ordered, that those places only should be the +ports of trade. + +§ 88. This instruction was punctually observed for a year, and +preparations were made for ports, by casting up breastworks in such +places as the assembly appointed, and the shipping did for that time +ride at those places. But the great fire and plague happening in London +immediately upon it, made their supplies that year very uncertain, and +the terror the people were in, lest the plague should be brought over +with the ships from London, prevented them from residing at those ports, +for fear of being all swept away at once. And so every body was left at +liberty again. + +§ 89. Still no favor could be obtained for the tobacco trade, and the +English merchants afforded but a bare support of clothing for their +crops. The assembly were full enough of resentment, but overlooked their +right way of redress. All they could do was to cause looms and +workhouses to be set up in the several counties, at the county charge. +They renewed the rewards of silk, and put great penalties upon every +neglect of making flax and hemp. About this time they sustained some +damage by the Dutch war; for which reason they ordered the forts to be +rebuilt of brick. But having yet no true notion of the advantage of +towns, they did not oblige the ships to ride under them. Which thing +alone, well executed, would have answered all their desires. + +§ 90. Sir William Berkeley, who was always contriving and industrious +for the good of the country, was not contented to set a useful example +at home, by the essays he made of potash, flax, hemp, silk, &c., but was +also resolved to make new discoveries abroad amongst the Indians. + +For this end he employed a small company of about fourteen English, and +as many Indians, under the command of Captain Henry Batt, to go upon +such an adventure. They set out together from Appomattox, and in seven +days' march reached the foot of the mountains. The mountains they first +arrived at, were not extraordinary high or steep; but, after they had +passed the first ridge, they encountered others that seemed to reach the +clouds, and were so perpendicular and full of precipices, that sometimes +in a whole day's march, they could not travel three miles in a direct +line. In other places they found large level plains and fine savannas, +three or four miles wide, in which were an infinite quantity of turkies, +deer, elks and buffaloes, so gentle and undisturbed that they had no +fear at the appearance of the men, but would suffer them to come almost +within reach of their hands. There they also found grapes so +prodigiously large, that they seemed more like bullace than grapes. When +they traversed these mountains, they came to a fine level country again, +and discovered a rivulet that descended backwards. Down that stream they +travelled several days, till they came to old fields and cabins, where +the Indians had lately been, but were supposed to have fled at the +approach of Batt and his company. However, the captain followed the old +rule of leaving some toys in their cabins for them to find at their +return, by which they might know they were friends. Near to these cabins +were great marshes, where the Indians which Captain Batt had with him +made a halt, and would positively proceed no farther. They said, that +not far off from that place lived a nation of Indians, that made salt, +and sold it to their neighbors. That this was a great and powerful +people, which never suffered any strangers to return that had once +discovered their towns. Captain Batt used all the arguments he could to +get them forward, but in vain. And so, to please those timorous Indians, +the hopes of this discovery were frustrated, and the detachment was +forced to return. In this journey it is supposed that Batt never crossed +the great ridge of mountains, but kept up under it to the southward. For +of late years the Indian traders have discovered, on this side the +mountains, about five hundred miles to the southward, a river they call +Oukfuskie, full of broad sunken grounds and marshes, but falling into +the bay or great gulf between cape Florida and the mouth of the +Mississippi, which I suppose to be the river where Batt saw the Indian +cabins and marshes, but is gone to from Virginia without ever piercing +the high mountains, and only encountering the point of an elbow, which +they make a little to the southward of Virginia. + +§ 91. Upon Captain Batt's report to Sir William Berkeley, he resolved to +make a journey himself, that so there might be no hinderance for want of +sufficient authority, as had been in the aforesaid expedition. To this +end he concerted matters for it, and had pitched upon his deputy +governor. The assembly also made an act to encourage it. But all these +preparations came to nothing, by the confusion which happened there soon +after by Bacon's rebellion. And since that, there has never been any +such discovery attempted from Virginia, when Governor Spotswood found a +passage over the great ridge of mountains, and went over them himself. + +§ 92. The occasion of this rebellion is not easy to be discovered: but +'tis certain there were many things that concurred towards it. For it +cannot be imagined, that upon the instigation of two or three traders +only, who aimed at a monopoly of the Indian trade, as some pretend to +say, the whole country would have fallen into so much distraction; in +which people did not only hazard their necks by rebellion, but +endeavored to ruin a governor, whom they all entirely loved, and had +unanimously chosen; a gentleman who had devoted his whole life and +estate to the service of the country, and against whom in thirty-five +years experience there had never been one single complaint. Neither can +it be supposed, that upon so slight grounds, they would make choice of a +leader they hardly knew, to oppose a gentleman that had been so long and +so deservedly the darling of the people. So that in all probability +there was something else in the wind, without which the body of the +country had never been engaged in that insurrection. + +Four things may be reckoned to have been the main ingredients towards +this intestine commotion, viz., First, The extreme low price of tobacco, +and the ill usage of the planters in the exchange of goods for it, which +the country, with all their earnest endeavors, could not remedy. +Secondly, The splitting the colony into proprieties, contrary to the +original charters; and the extravagant taxes they were forced to +undergo, to relieve themselves from those grants. Thirdly, The heavy +restraints and burdens laid upon their trade by act of Parliament in +England. Fourthly, The disturbance given by the Indians. Of all which in +their order. + +§ 93. First, Of the low price of tobacco, and the disappointment of all +sort of remedy, I have spoken sufficiently before. Secondly, Of +splitting the country into proprieties. + +King Charles the Second, to gratify some nobles about him, made two +great grants out of that country. These grants were not of the +uncultivated wood land only, but also of plantations, which for many +years had been seated and improved, under the encouragement of several +charters granted by his royal ancestors to that colony. Those grants +were distinguished by the names of the Northern and Southern grants of +Virginia, and the same men were concerned in both. They were kept +dormant some years after they were made, and in the year 1674 begun to +be put in execution. As soon as ever the country came to know this, they +remonstrated against them; and the assembly drew up an humble address to +his majesty, complaining of the said grants, as derogatory to the +previous charters and privileges granted to that colony, by his majesty +and his royal progenitors. They sent to England Mr. Secretary Ludwell +and Colonel Park, as their agents to address the king, to vacate those +grants. And the better to defray that charge, they laid a tax of fifty +pounds of tobacco per poll, for two years together, over and above all +other taxes, which was an excessive burden. They likewise laid +amercements of seventy, fifty, or thirty pounds of tobacco, as the cause +was on every law case tried throughout the country. Besides all this, +they applied the balance, remaining due upon account of the two shilling +per hogshead, and fort duties, to this use. Which taxes and amercements +fell heaviest on the poor people, the effect of whose labor would not +clothe their wives and children. This made them desperately uneasy, +especially when, after a whole year's patience under all these +pressures, they had no encouragement from their agents in England, to +hope for remedy; nor any certainty when they should be eased of those +heavy impositions. + +§ 94. Thirdly, Upon the back of all these misfortunes came out the act +of 25 Car. II. for better securing the plantation trade. By this act +several duties were laid on the trade from one plantation to another. +This was a new hardship, and the rather, because the revenue arising by +this act was not applied to the use of the plantations wherein it was +raised: but given clear away; nay, in that country it seemed to be of no +other use, but to burden the trade, or create a good income to the +officers; for the collector had half, the comptroller a quarter, and the +remaining quarter was subdivided into salaries, till it was lost. + +By the same act also very great duties were laid on the fisheries of the +plantations, if manufactured by the English inhabitants there; while the +people of England were absolutely free from all customs. Nay, though the +oil, blubber and whale bone, which were made by the inhabitants of the +plantations, were carried to England by Englishmen, and in English built +ships, yet it was held to a considerable duty, more than the inhabitants +of England paid. + +§ 95. These were the afflictions that country labored under when the +fourth accident happened, viz., the disturbance offered by the Indians +to the frontiers. + +This was occasioned, first, by the Indians on the head of the bay. +Secondly, by the Indians on their own frontiers. + +First. The Indians at the head of the bay drove a constant trade with +the Dutch in Monadas, now called New York; and to carry on this, they +used to come every year by the frontiers of Virginia, to hunt and +purchase skins and furs of the Indians to the southward. This trade was +carried on peaceably while the Dutch held Monadas; and the Indians used +to call on the English in Virginia on their return, to whom they would +sell part of their furs, and with the rest go on to Monadas. But after +the English came to possess that place, and understood the advantages +the Virginians made by the trade of their Indians, they inspired them +with such a hatred to the inhabitants of Virginia that, instead of +coming peaceably to trade with them, as they had done for several years +before, they afterwards never came, but only to commit robberies and +murders upon the people. + +Secondly. The Indians upon their own frontiers were likewise inspired +with ill thoughts of them. For their Indian merchants had lost a +considerable branch of their trade they knew not how; and apprehended +the consequences of Sir William Berkeley's intended discoveries, +(espoused by the assembly,) might take away the remaining part of their +profit. This made them very troublesome to the neighbor Indians; who on +their part, observing an unusual uneasiness in the English, and being +terrified by their rough usage, immediately suspected some wicked design +against their lives, and so fled to their remoter habitations. This +confirmed the English in the belief, that they had been the murderers, +till at last they provoked them to be so in earnest. + +§ 96. This addition of mischief to minds already full of discontent, +made people ready to vent all their resentment against the poor Indians. +There was nothing to be got by tobacco; neither could they turn any +other manufacture to advantage; so that most of the poorer sort were +willing to quit their unprofitable employments, and go volunteers +against the Indians. + +At first they flocked together tumultuously, running in troops from one +plantation to another without a head, till at last the seditious humor +of Colonel Nath. Bacon led him to be of the party. This gentleman had +been brought up at one of the Inns of court in England, and had a +moderate fortune. He was young, bold, active, of an inviting aspect, and +powerful elocution. In a word, he was every way qualified to head a +giddy and unthinking multitude. Before he had been three years in the +country, he was, for his extraordinary qualifications, made one of the +council, and in great honor and esteem among the people. For this reason +he no sooner gave countenance to this riotous mob, but they all +presently fixed their eyes upon him for their general, and accordingly +made their addresses to him. As soon as he found this, he harangued them +publicly. He aggravated the Indian mischiefs, complaining that they were +occasioned for want of a due regulation of their trade. He recounted +particularly the other grievances and pressures they lay under, and +pretended that he accepted of their command with no other intention but +to do them and the country service, in which he was willing to encounter +the greatest difficulties and dangers. He farther assured them he would +never lay down his arms till he had revenged their sufferings upon the +Indians, and redressed all their other grievances. + +§ 97. By these insinuations he wrought his men into so perfect an +unanimity, that they were one and all at his devotion. He took care to +exasperate them to the utmost, by representing all their misfortunes. +After he had begun to muster them, he dispatched a messenger to the +governor, by whom he aggravated the mischiefs done by the Indians, and +desired a commission of general to go out against them. This gentleman +was in so great esteem at that time with the council, that the governor +did not think fit to give him a flat refusal; but sent him word he would +consult the council, and return him a farther answer. + +§ 98. In the mean time Bacon was expeditious in his preparations, and +having all things in readiness, began his march, depending on the +authority the people had given him. He would not lose so much time as to +stay for his commission; but dispatched several messengers to the +governor to hasten it. On the other hand, the governor, instead of a +commission, sent positive orders to him to disperse his men and come +down in person to him, upon pain of being declared a rebel. + +§ 99. This unexpected order was a great surprise to Bacon, and not a +little trouble to his men. However, he was resolved to prosecute his +first intentions, depending upon his strength and interest with the +people. Nevertheless, he intended to wait upon the governor, but not +altogether defenceless. Pursuant to this resolution, he took about forty +of his men down with him in a sloop to Jamestown, where the governor was +with his council. + +§ 100. Matters did not succeed there to Mr. Bacon's satisfaction, +wherefore he expressed himself a little too freely. For which, being +suspended from the council, he went away again in a huff with his sloop +and followers. The governor filled a long boat with men, and pursued the +sloop so close, that Colonel Bacon moved into his boat to make more +haste. But the governor had sent up by land to the ships at Sandy Point, +where he was stopped and sent down again. Upon his return he was kindly +received by the governor, who, knowing he had gone a step beyond his +instructions in having suspended him, was glad to admit him again of the +council; after which he hoped all things might be pacified. + +§ 101. Notwithstanding this; Colonel Bacon still insisted upon a +commission to be general of the volunteers, and to go out against the +Indians; from which the governor endeavored to dissuade him, but to no +purpose, because he had some secret project in view. He had the luck to +be countenanced in his importunities, by the news of fresh murder and +robberies committed by the Indians. However, not being able to +accomplish his ends by fair means, he stole privately out of town; and +having put himself at the head of six hundred volunteers, marched +directly to Jamestown, where the assembly was then sitting. He presented +himself before the assembly, and drew up his men in battalia before the +house wherein they sat. He urged to them his preparations; and alledged +that if the commission had not been delayed so long, the war against the +Indians might have been finished. + +§ 102. The governor resented this insolent usage worst of all, and now +obstinately refused to grant him anything, offering his naked breast +against the presented arms of his followers. But the assembly, fearing +the fatal consequences of provoking a discontented multitude ready +armed, who had the governor, council and assembly entirely in their +power, addressed the governor to grant Bacon his request. They prepared +themselves the commission, constituting him general of the forces of +Virginia, and brought it to the governor to be signed. + +With much reluctancy the governor signed it, and thereby put the power +of war and peace into Bacon's hands. Upon this he marched away +immediately, having gained his end, which was in effect a power to +secure a monopoly of the Indian trade to himself and his friends. + +§ 103. As soon as General Bacon had marched to such a convenient +distance from Jamestown that the assembly thought they might deliberate +with safety, the governor, by their advice, issued a proclamation of +rebellion against him, commanding his followers to surrender him, and +forthwith disperse themselves, giving orders at the same time for +raising the militia of the country against him. + +§ 104. The people being much exasperated, and General Bacon by his +address and eloquence having gained an absolute dominion over their +hearts, they unanimously resolved that not a hair of his head should be +touched, much less that they should surrender him as a rebel. Therefore +they kept to their arms, and instead of proceeding against the Indians +they marched back to Jamestown, directing their fury against such of +their friends and countrymen as should dare to oppose them. + +§ 105. The governor seeing this, fled over the bay to Accomac, whither +he hoped the infection of Bacon's conspiracy had not reached. But +there, instead of that people's receiving him with open arms, in +remembrance of the former services he had done them, they began to make +terms with him for redress of their grievances, and for the ease and +liberty of trade against the acts of parliament. Thus Sir William, who +had been almost the idol of the people, was, by reason of their calamity +and jealousy, abandoned by all, except some few, who went over to him +from the western shore in sloops and boats, among which one Major Robert +Beverley was the most active and successful commander; so that it was +sometime before he could make head against Bacon, but left him to range +through the country at discretion. + +§ 106. General Bacon at first held a convention, of such of the chief +gentlemen of the country as would come to him, especially of those about +Middle Plantation, who were near at hand. At this convention they made a +declaration to justify his unlawful proceedings, and obliged people to +take an oath of obedience to him as their general. Then, by their +advice, on pretence of the governor's abdication, he called an assembly, +by writs signed by himself and four others of the council. + +The oath was word for word as follows: + + "Whereas the country hath raised an army against our common enemy + the Indians, and the same under the command of General Bacon, + being upon the point to march forth against the said common enemy, + hath been diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of + forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said General + Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil war among us, to the + ruin of this his majesty's country. And whereas it is notoriously + manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, knight, governor of the + country, assisted, counselled and abetted by those evil disposed + persons aforesaid, hath not only commanded, fomented and stirred + up the people to the said civil war, but failing therein, hath + withdrawn himself, to the great astonishment of the people, and + the unsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, + raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full of + dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting attempts + from the said governor and the evil counsellers aforesaid. And + since no proper means have been found out for the settlement of + the distractions, and preventing the horrid outrages and murders + daily committed in many places of the country by the barbarous + enemy, it hath been thought fit by the said general, to call unto + him all such sober and discreet gentlemen as the present + circumstances of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, + to consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the country. + So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of August, 1676, + accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare and conclude, and for + ourselves do swear in manner following: + + 1st. That we will at all times join with the said general Bacon + and his army, against the common enemy in all points whatsoever. + + 2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived and + designed the raising forces against the said general, and the army + under his command, thereby to beget a civil war, we will endeavor + the discovery and apprehending of all and every of those evil + disposed persons, and them secure, until farther order from the + general. + + 3rd. And whereas it is credibly reported, that the governor hath + informed the king's majesty that the said general, and the people + of the country in arms under his command, their aiders and + abettors, are rebellious, and removed from their allegiance; and + that upon such like information, he, the said governor, hath + advised and petitioned the king to send forces to reduce them, we + do farther declare and believe in our consciences, that it + consists with the welfare of this country, and with our allegiance + to his most sacred majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, + to the utmost of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces + whatsoever of that nature, until such time as the king be fully + informed of the state of the case, by such person or persons as + shall be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the + people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. And we + do swear, that we will him, the said general, and the army under + his command, aid and assist accordingly." + +§ 108. By this time the governor had got together a small party to side +with him. These he furnished with sloops, arms and ammunition, under +command of Major Robert Beverley, in order to cross the bay and oppose +the malcontents. By this means there happened some skirmishes, in which +several were killed, and others taken prisoners. Thus they were going on +by a civil war to destroy one another, and lay waste their infant +country, when it pleased God, after some months' confusion, to put an +end to their misfortunes, as well as to Bacon's designs, by his natural +death. He died at Dr. Green's in Gloucester county. But where he was +buried was never yet discovered, though afterward there was great +inquiry made, with design to expose his bones to public infamy. + +§ 109. In the meanwhile those disorders occasioned a general neglect of +husbandry, and a great destruction of the stocks of cattle, so that +people had a dreadful prospect of want and famine. But the malcontents +being thus disunited by the loss of their general, in whom they all +confided, they began to squabble among themselves, and every man's +business was, how to make the best terms he could for himself. + +Lieutenant General Ingram, (whose true name was Johnson) and Major +General Walklate, surrendered, on condition of pardon for themselves and +their followers, though they were both forced to submit to an incapacity +of bearing office in that country for the future. + +Peace being thus restored, Sir William Berkeley returned to his former +seat of government, and every man to his several habitation. + +§ 110. While this intestine war was fomenting there, the agents of the +country in England could not succeed in their remonstrance against the +propriety grants, though they were told that those grants should be +revoked. But the news of their civil war reaching England about the same +time, the king would then proceed no farther in that matter. So the +agents thought it their best way to compound with the proprietors. +Accordingly they agreed with them for four hundred pounds a man, which +was paid. And so all the clamor against those grants ended; neither was +any more heard from them there till above a dozen years afterwards. + +§ 111. But all those agents could obtain after their composition with +the lords, was merely the name of a new charter, granting only so much +of their former constitution as mentioned a residence of the governor or +deputy; a granting of escheat lands for two pounds of tobacco per acre, +composition; and that the lands should be held of the crown in the same +tenure as East Greenwich, that is, free and common soccage, and have +their immediate dependence on the crown. + +§ 112. When this storm, occasioned by Bacon, was blown over, and all +things quiet again, Sir William Berkeley called an assembly, for +settling the affairs of the country, and for making reparation to such +as had been oppressed. After which a regiment of soldiers arrived from +England, which were sent to suppress the insurrection; but they, coming +after the business was over, had no occasion to exercise their courage. +However, they were kept on foot there about three years after, and in +the Lord Colepepper's time, paid off and disbanded. + +§ 113. The confusion occasioned by the civil war, and the advantage the +Indians made of it in butchering the English upon all their frontiers, +caused such a desolation, and put the country so far back, that to the +year 1704 they had seated very little beyond the boundaries that were +then inhabited. At that time Jamestown was again burnt down to the +ground by Richard Laurence, one of Bacon's captains, who, when his own +men, that abhorred such barbarity, refused to obey his command, he +himself became the executioner, and fired the houses with his own +hands. This unhappy town did never after arrive to the perfection it +then had: and now it is almost deserted by removing in Governor +Nicholson's time the assembly and general court from thence to +Williamsburg, an inland place about seven miles from it. + +§ 114. With the regiment above mentioned arrived commissioners, to +enquire into the occasion and authors of this rebellion; and Sir William +Berkeley came to England: where from the time of his arrival, his +sickness obliged him to keep his chamber till he died; so that he had no +opportunity of kissing the king's hand. But his majesty declared himself +well satisfied with his conduct in Virginia, and was very kind to him +during his sickness, often enquiring after his health, and commanding +him not to hazard it by too early an endeavor to come to court. + +§ 115. Upon Sir William Berkeley's voyage to England, Herbert Jeffreys, +Esq., was appointed governor. He made formal articles of peace with the +Indians, and held an assembly at Middle Plantation, wherein they settled +and allowed a free trade with the Indians; but restrained it to certain +marts, to which the Indians should bring their commodities: and this +also to be under such certain rules as were by that assembly directed. +But this method was not agreeable to the Indians, who had never before +been under any regulation. They thought, that if all former usages were +not restored, the peace was not perfect; and therefore did not much rely +upon it, which made those new restrictions useless. + +Governor Jeffreys his time was very short there, he being taken off by +death the year following. + +§ 116. After him Sir Henry Chicheley was made deputy governor, in the +latter end of the year 1678. In his time the assembly, for the greater +terror of the Indians, built magazines at the heads of the four great +rivers, and furnished them with arms, ammunition and men in constant +service. + +This assembly also prohibited the importation of tobacco, which +Carolina, and sometimes Maryland, were wont to send thither, in order to +its being shipped off for England. But in that, I think, Virginia +mistook her interest. For, had they permitted this custom to become +habitual, and thus engrossed the shipping, as would soon have happened, +they could easily have regulated the trade of tobacco at any time, +without the concurrence of those other colonies, and without submitting +to their perverse humors as formerly. + +§ 117. The spring following, Thomas Lord Colepepper arrived there +governor, and carried with him some laws, which had been drawn up in +England, to be enacted in their assembly. And coming with the advantage +of restoring peace to a troubled nation, it was not difficult for him to +obtain whatever he pleased from the people. His influence too was the +greater by the power he had of pardoning those who had a hand in the +disorders committed in the late rebellion. + +§ 118. In his first assembly he passed several acts very obliging to the +country, viz., First, an act of naturalization, whereby the power of +naturalizing foreigners was placed in the governor. Secondly, an act for +cohabitation and encouragement of trade and manufactures; whereby a +certain place in each county was appointed for a town, in which all +goods imported and exported were to be landed and shipped off, bought +and sold. Which act was kindly brought to nothing by the opposition of +the tobacco merchants of England. Thirdly, an act of general pardon and +oblivion, whereby all the transgressions and outrages committed in the +time of the late rebellion were entirely remitted; and reparation +allowed to people that should be evil spoken of on that account. + +§ 119. By passing some laws that obliged the country, the Lord +Colepepper carried one that was very pleasing to himself, viz., the act +for raising a public revenue for the better support of the government. +By this he got the duties contained therein to be made perpetual; and +that the money, which before used to be accounted for to the assembly, +should be from thenceforth disposed of by his majesty's sole direction, +for the support of the government. When this was done, he obtained of +the king out of the said duties a salary of two thousand pounds per +annum, instead of one thousand, which was formerly allowed. Also one +hundred and sixty pounds per annum for house rent, besides all the usual +perquisites. + +§ 120. In those submissive times his lordship reduced the greatest +perquisite of his place to a certainty, which before that was only +gratuitous; that is, instead of the masters of ships making presents of +liquors or provisions towards the governor's house keeping, as they were +wont to do, he demanded a certain sum of money, remitting that custom. +This rate has ever since been demanded of all commanders as a duty; and +is twenty shillings for each ship or vessel, under an hundred tons, and +thirty shillings for each ship upwards of that burden, to be paid every +voyage, or port clearing. + +§ 121. This noble lord seemed to lament the unhappy state of the country +in relation to their coin. He was tenderly concerned that all their cash +should be drained away by the neighboring colonies, which had not set so +low an estimate upon it as Virginia; and therefore he proposed the +raising of it. + +This was what the country had formerly desired, and the assembly was +about making a law for it: but his lordship stopped them, alledging it +was the king's prerogative, by virtue of which he would do it by +proclamation. This they did not approve of, well knowing, if that were +the case, his lordship and every other governor would at any time have +the same prerogative of altering it, and so people should never be at +any certainty; as they quickly after found from his own practice. For +his drift was only to make advantage of paying the soldiers; money for +that purpose being put into his lordship's hands, he provided light +pieces of eight, which he with this view had bought at a cheap rate. +When this contrivance was ripe for execution, he extended the royal +prerogative, and issued forth a proclamation for raising the value of +pieces of eight from five to six shillings; and as soon as they were +admitted current at that value, he produced an order for paying and +disbanding the soldiers. Then those poor fellows, and such as had +maintained them, were forced to take their pay in those light pieces of +eight, at six shillings. But his lordship soon after himself found the +inconvenience of that proclamation; for people began to pay their +duties, and their ship money in coin of that high estimate, which was +like to cut short both his lordship's perquisites; and so he was forced +to make use of the same prerogative, to reduce the money again to its +former standard. + +§ 122. In less than a year the Lord Colepepper returned to England, +leaving Sir Henry Chicheley deputy governor. + +The country being then settled again, made too much tobacco, or too much +trash tobacco, for the market; and the merchants would hardly allow the +planter any thing for it. + +This occasioned much uneasiness again, and the people, from former +experience, despairing of succeeding in any agreement with the +neighboring governments, resolved a total destruction of the tobacco in +that country, especially of the sweet scented; because that was planted +no where else. In pursuance of which design, they contrived that all the +plants should be destroyed, while they were yet in the beds, and after +it was too late to sow more. + +Accordingly the ringleaders in this project began with their own first, +and then went to cut up the plants of such of their neighbors as were +not willing to do it themselves. However, they had not resolution enough +to go through with their work. + +This was adjudged sedition and felony. Several people were committed +upon it, and some condemned to be hanged. And afterwards the assembly +passed a law to make such proceedings felony for the future, (whatever +it was before,) provided the company kept together after warning by a +justice. + +§ 123. After this accident of plant cutting, the Lord Colepepper +returned, and held his second assembly, in which he contrived to gain +another great advantage over the country. His lordship, in his first +voyage thither, perceiving how easily he could twist and manage the +people, conceived new hopes of retrieving the propriety of the Northern +Neck, as being so small a part of the colony. He conceived that while +the remainder escaped free, which was far the greater part, they would +not engage in the interest of the lesser number; especially considering +the discouragements they had met with before, in their former +solicitation: though all this while, and for many years afterwards, his +lordship did not pretend to lay public claim to any part of the +propriety. + +It did not square with this project that appeals should be made to the +general assembly, as till then had been the custom. He feared the +burgesses would be too much in the interest of their countrymen, and +adjudge the inhabitants of the Northern Neck to have an equal liberty +and privilege in their estates with the rest of Virginia, as being +settled upon the same foot. In order therefore to make a better +pennyworth of those poor people, he studied to overturn this odious +method of appealing to the assembly, and to fix the last resort in +another court. + +To bring this point about, his lordship contrived to blow up a +difference in the assembly between the council and the burgesses, +privately encouraging the burgesses to insist upon the privilege of +determining all appeals by themselves, exclusive of the council; because +they, having given their opinions before in the general court, were, for +that reason, unfit judges in appeals from themselves to the assembly. +This succeeded according to his wish, and the burgesses bit at the bait, +under the notion of privilege, never dreaming of the snake that lay in +the grass, nor considering the danger of altering an old constitution so +abruptly. Thus my lord gained his end; for he represented that quarrel +with so many aggravations, that he got an instruction from the king to +take away all appeals from the general court to the assembly, and cause +them to be made to himself in council, if the thing in demand was of +£300 value, otherwise no appeal from the general court. + +§ 124. Of this his lordship made sufficient advantage; for in the +confusion that happened in the end of king James the Second's reign, +viz., in October 1688, he having got an assignment from the other +patentees, gained a favorable report from the king's council at law upon +his patent for the Northern Neck. + +When he had succeeded in this, his lordship's next step was to engage +some noted inhabitant of the place to be on his side. Accordingly he +made use of his cousin Secretary Spencer, who lived in the said Neck, +and was esteemed as wise and great a man as any of the council. This +gentleman did but little in his lordship's service, and only gained some +few strays, that used to be claimed by the coroner, in behalf of the +king. + +Upon the death of Mr. Secretary Spencer, he engaged another noted +gentleman, an old stander in that country, though not of the Northern +Neck, Col. Philip Ludwell, who was then in England. He went over with +this grant in the year 1690, and set up an office in the Neck, claiming +some escheats; but he likewise could make nothing of it. After him Col. +George Brent and Col. William Fitzhugh, that were noted lawyers and +inhabitants of the said Neck, were employed in that affair: but +succeeded no better than their predecessors. The people, in the mean +while, complained frequently to their assemblies, who at last made +another address to the king; but there being no agent in England to +prosecute it, that likewise miscarried. At last Colonel Richard Lee, one +of the council, a man of note and inhabitant of the Northern Neck, +privately made a composition with the proprietors themselves for his own +land. This broke the ice, and several were induced to follow so great an +example; so that by degrees, they were generally brought to pay their +quit-rents into the hands of the proprietors' agents. And now at last it +is managed for them by Col. Robert Carter, another of the council, and +the greatest freeholder in that proprietary. + +§ 125. To return to my Lord Colepepper's government, I cannot omit a +useful thing which his lordship was pleased to do, with relation to +their courts of justice. It seems, nicety of pleading, with all the +juggle of Westminster Hall, was creeping into their courts. The clerks +began in some cases to enter the reasons with the judgments, pretending +to set precedents of inviolable form to be observed in all future +proceedings. This my lord found fault with, and retrenched all dilatory +pleas, as prejudicial to justice, keeping the courts close to the merits +of the cause, in order to bring it to a speedy determination, according +to the innocence of former times, and caused the judgments to be entered +up short, without the reason, alledging that their courts were not of so +great experience as to be able to make precedents to posterity; who +ought to be left at liberty to determine, according to the equity of the +controversy before them. + +§ 126. In his time also were dismantled the forts built by Sir Henry +Chicheley at the heads of the rivers, and the forces there were +disbanded, as being too great a charge. The assembly appointed small +parties of light horse in their stead, to range by turns upon the +frontiers. These being chosen out of the neighboring inhabitants, might +afford to serve at easier rates, and yet do the business more +effectually; they were raised under the title or name of rangers. + +§ 127. After this the Lord Colepepper returned again for England, his +second stay not being much longer than the first; and Sir Henry +Chicheley being dead, he proclaimed his kinsman, Mr. Secretary Spencer, +president, though he was not the eldest member of the council. + +§ 128. The next year, being 1684, upon the Lord Colepepper's refusing to +return, Francis, Lord Howard of Effingham, was sent over governor. In +order to increase his perquisites, he imposed the charge of an annual +under seal of twenty shillings each for school masters; five pounds for +lawyers at the general court, and fifty shillings each lawyer at the +county courts. He also extorted an excessive fee for putting the seal to +all probates of wills, and letters of administration, even where the +estates of the deceased were of the meanest value. Neither could any be +favored with such administration, or probate, without paying that +extortion. If any body presumed to remonstrate against it, his +lordship's behavior towards that man was very severe. He kept several +persons in prison and under confinement, from court to court, without +bringing them to trial. Which proceedings, and many others, were so +oppressive, that complaints were made thereof to the king, and Colonel +Philip Ludwell was appointed agent to appear against him in England. +Whereupon the seal-money was taken off. + +§ 129. During the first session of assembly in this noble lord's time, +the duty on liquors imported from the other English plantations, was +first imposed. It was then laid, on pretence of lessening the levy by +the poll, for payment of public taxes; but more especially for +rebuilding the State house, which had not been rebuilt since Laurence +burnt it in Bacon's time. + +This duty was at first laid on wine and rum only, at the rate of three +pence per gallon, with an exemption of all such as should be imported in +the ships of Virginia owners. But the like duty has since been laid on +other liquors also, and is raised to four pence per gallon on wine and +rum, and one penny per gallon on beer, cider, lime-juice, &c.; and the +privilege of Virginia owners taken away, to the great discouragement of +their shipping and home trade. + +§ 130. This lord, though he pretended to no great skill in legal +proceedings, yet he made great innovations in their courts, pretending +to follow the English forms. Thus he created a new court of chancery +distinct from the general court, who had ever before claimed that +jurisdiction. He erected himself into a lord chancellor, taking the +gentlemen of the council to sit with him as mere associates and +advisers, not having any vote in the causes before them. And that it +might have more the air of a new court, he would not so much as sit in +the State house, where all the other public business was dispatched, but +took the dining-room of a large house for that use. He likewise made +arbitrary tables of fees, peculiar to this high court. However, his +lordship not beginning this project very long before he left the +country, all these innovations came to an end upon his removal, and the +jurisdiction returned to the general court again, in the time of Colonel +Nathaniel Bacon, whom he left president. + +§ 131. During that gentleman's presidency, which began Anno 1689, the +project of a college was first agreed upon. The contrivers drew up their +scheme, and presented it to the president and council. This was by them +approved, and referred to the next assembly. But Colonel Bacon's +administration being very short, and no assembly called all the while, +this pious design could proceed no farther. + +§ 132. Anno 1690, Francis Nicholson, esq., being appointed lieutenant +governor under the Lord Effingham, arrived there. This gentleman +discoursed freely of country improvements, instituted public exercises, +and gave prizes to all those that should excel in the exercises of +riding, running, shooting, wrestling, and cudgeling. When the design of +a college was communicated to him, he promised it all imaginable +encouragement. The first thing desired of him in its behalf, was the +calling of an assembly, but this he could by no means agree to, being +under obligations to the Lord Effingham to stave off assemblies as long +he could, for fear there might be farther representations sent over +against his lordship, who was conscious to himself how uneasy the +country had been under his despotic administration. + +§ 133. When that could not be obtained, then they proposed that a +subscription might pass through the colony, to try the humor of the +people in general, and see what voluntary contributions they could get +towards it. This he granted, and he himself, together with the council, +set a generous example to the other gentlemen of the country, so that +the subscriptions at last amounted to about two thousand five hundred +pounds, in which sum is included the generous benevolences of several +merchants of London. + +§ 134. Anno 1691, an assembly being called, this design was moved to +them, and they espoused it heartily; and soon after made an address to +king William and queen Mary in its behalf, and sent the Rev. Mr. James +Blair their agent to England to solicit their majesties charter for it. + +It was proposed that three things should be taught in this college, +viz., languages, divinity, and natural philosophy. + +The assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that time, that they +presented him with the sum of three hundred pounds, as a testimony of +their good disposition towards him. But he having an instruction to +receive no present from the country, they drew up an address to their +majesties, praying that he might have leave to accept it, which was +granted, and he gave one half thereof to the college. + +§ 135. Their majesties were well pleased with that pious design of the +plantation, and granted a charter, according to the desire of Mr. Blair +their agent. + +Their majesties were graciously pleased to give near two thousand pounds +sterling, the balance then due upon the account of quit-rents, towards +the founding the college; and towards the endowing of it, they allowed +twenty thousand acres of choice land, together with the revenue arising +by the penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland to +the other plantations. + +It was a great satisfaction to the archbishops and bishops, to see such +a nursery of religion founded in that new world, especially for that it +was begun in an episcopal way, and carried on wholly by zealous +conformists to the Church of England. + +§ 136. In this first assembly, Lieutenant Governor Nicholson passed acts +for encouragement of the linen manufacture, and to promote the leather +trade by tanning, currying, and shoe making. He also in that session +passed a law for cohabitation, and improvement of trade. + +Before the next assembly he tacked about, and was quite the reverse of +what he was in the first, as to cohabitation. Instead of encouraging +ports and towns, he spread abroad his dislike of them; and went among +the people finding fault with those things which he and the assembly had +unanimously agreed upon the preceding session. Such a violent change +there was in him, that it proceeded from some other cause than barely +the inconstancy of his temper. He had received directions from those +English merchants, who well knew that cohabitation would lessen their +consigned trade. + +§ 137. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived governor. He began +his government with an assembly, which overthrew the good design of +ports and towns; but the groundwork of this proceeding was laid before +Sir Edmund's arrival. However this assembly proceeded no farther than to +suspend the law till their majesties' pleasure should be known. But it +seems the merchants in London were dissatisfied, and made public +complaints against it, which their majesties were pleased to hear; and +afterwards referred the law back to the assembly again, to consider if +it were suitable to the circumstances of the country, and to regulate it +accordingly. But the assembly did not then proceed any farther in it, +the people themselves being infected by the merchants' letters. + +§ 138. At this session Mr. Neal's project for a post-office, and his +patent of post-master-general in those parts of America, were presented. +The assembly made an act to promote that design; but by reason of the +inconvenient distance of their habitations, and want of towns, this +project fell to nothing. + +§ 139. With Sir Edmund Andros, was sent over the college charter; and +the subsequent assembly declared, that the subscriptions which had been +made to the college were due, and immediately demandable. They likewise +gave a duty on the exportation of skins and furs, for its more +plentiful endowment, and the foundation of the college was laid. + +The subscription money did not come in with the same readiness with +which it had been underwritten. However there was enough given by their +majesties, and gathered from the people, to keep all hands at work and +carry on the building, the foundation whereof they then laid; and the +rest, upon suit, had judgment given against them. + +§ 140. Sir Edmund Andros was a great encourager of manufactures. In his +time fulling-mills were set up by act of assembly. He also gave +particular marks of his favor towards the propagating of cotton, which +since his time has been much neglected. He was likewise a great lover of +method and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made him find fault +with the management of the secretary's office. And, indeed, with very +good reason; for from the time of Bacon's rebellion till then, there +never was any office in the world more negligently kept. Several patents +of land were entered blank upon record; many original patents, records +and deeds of land, with other matters of great consequence, were thrown +loose about the office, and suffered to be dirtied, torn, and eaten by +the moths and other insects. But upon this gentleman's accession to the +government, he immediately gave directions to reform all these +irregularities; he caused the loose and torn records of value to be +transcribed into new books, and ordered conveniences to be built within +the office for preserving the records from being lost and confounded as +before. He prescribed methods to keep the papers dry and clean, and to +reduce them into such order, as that any thing might be turned to +immediately. But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were +finished, in October 1698, together with the office itself, and the +whole State House. But his diligence was so great in that affair, that +though his stay afterward in the country was very short, yet he caused +all the records and papers which had been saved from the fire to be +sorted again and registered in order, and indeed in much better order +than ever they had been before. In this condition he left them at his +quitting the government. + +He made several offers to rebuild the State House in the same place; and +had his government continued but six months longer, 'tis probable he +would have effected it after such a manner as might have been least +burthensome to the people, designing the greatest part at his own cost. + +§ 141. Sir Edmund Andros being upon a progress one summer, called at a +poor man's house in Stafford county for water. There came out to him an +ancient woman, and with her a lively brisk lad about twelve years old. +The lad was so ruddy and fair that his complexion gave the governor a +curiosity to ask some questions concerning him; and to his great +surprise was told that he was the son of that woman at 76 years of age. +His excellency, smiling at this improbability, enquired what sort of man +had been his father? To this the good woman made no reply, but instantly +ran and led her husband to the door, who was then above 100 years old. +He confirmed all that the woman had said about the lad, and, +notwithstanding his great age, was strong in his limbs and voice; but +had lost his sight. The woman for her part was without complaint, and +seemed to retain a vigor very uncommon at her years. Sir Edmund was so +well pleased with this extraordinary account, that, after having made +himself known to them, he offered to take care of the lad; but they +would by no means be persuaded to part with him. However, he gave them +20 pounds. + +§ 142. In November 1698, Francis Nicholson, Esq., was removed from +Maryland, to be governor of Virginia. But he went not then with that +smoothness on his brow he had carried with him when he was appointed +lieutenant-governor. He talked then no more of improving of +manufactures, towns and trade. But instead of encouraging the +manufactures, he sent over inhuman memorials against them, opposite to +all reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, "that the tobacco of that +country often bears so low a price, that it would not yield clothes to +the people that make it;" and yet presently after, in the same memorial, +he recommends it to the parliament "to pass an act, forbidding the +plantations to make their own clothing;" which, in other words, is +desiring a charitable law, that the planters shall go naked. In a late +memorial concerted between him and his creature Col. Quarrey, 'tis most +humbly proposed, "that all the English colonies on the continent of +North America be reduced under one government, and under one Viceroy; +and that a standing army be there kept on foot to subdue the queen's +enemies;" surmising that they were intending to set up for themselves. + +§ 143. He began his government with a shew of zeal for the church. In +the latter end of his time, one half of the intended building, that is +two sides of the square, was carried up and finished, in which were +allotted the public hall, the apartments and conveniences for several +masters and scholars, and the public offices for the domestics: the +masters and scholars were also settled in it, and it had its regular +visitations from the visitors and governors thereof. + +§ 144. Soon after his accession to the government, he procured the +assembly and courts of judicature to be removed from Jamestown, where +there were good accommodations for people, to Middle Plantation, where +there were none. There he flattered himself with the fond imagination of +being the founder of a new city. He marked out the streets in many +places so as that they might represent the figure of a W, in memory of +his late majesty King William, after whose name the town was called +Williamsburg. There he procured a stately fabric to be erected, which he +placed opposite to the college, and graced it with the magnificent name +of the capitol. + +§ 145. In the second year of this gentleman's government, there happened +an adventure very fortunate for him, which gave him much credit, and +that was the taking of a pirate within the capes of that country. + +It fell out that several merchant ships were got ready, and fallen down +to Lynhaven bay, near the mouth of James river, in order for sailing. A +pirate being informed of this, and hearing that there was no man of war +there, except a sixth rate, ventured within the capes, and took several +of the merchant ships. But a small vessel happened to come down the bay, +and seeing an engagement between the pirate and a merchantman, made a +shift to get into the mouth of James river, where the Shoram, a fifth +rate man of war, was newly arrived. The sixth rate, commanded by Capt. +John Aldred, was then on the careen in Elizabeth river, in order for her +return to England. + +The governor happened to be at that time at Kiquotan, sealing up his +letters, and Capt. Passenger, commander of the Shoram, was ashore, to +pay his respects to him. In the meanwhile news was brought that a pirate +was within the capes; upon which the captain was in haste to go aboard +his ship; but the governor stayed him a little, promising to go along +with him. The captain soon after asked his excuse, and went off, leaving +him another boat, if he pleased to follow. It was about one o'clock in +the afternoon when the news was brought; but 'twas within night before +his excellency went aboard, staying all that while ashore upon some +weighty occasions. At last he followed, and by break of day the man of +war was fairly out between the capes and the pirate; where, after ten +hours sharp engagement, the pirate was obliged to strike and surrender +upon the terms of being left to the king's mercy. + +Now it happened that three men of this pirate's gang were not on board +their own ship at the time of the surrender, and so were not included in +the articles of capitulation, but were tried in that country. In summing +up the charge against them (the governor being present) the +attorney-general extolled his excellency's mighty courage and conduct, +as if the honor of taking the pirate had been due to him. Upon this, +Capt. Passenger took the freedom to interrupt Mr. Attorney in open +court, and said that he was commander of the Shoram; that the pirates +were his prisoners; and that no body had pretended to command in that +engagement but himself: he farther desired that the governor, who was +then present, would do him the justice to confess whether he had given +the least word of command all that day, or directed any one thing during +the whole fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true; and fairly +yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain. + +§ 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by another instance +of his management, whereby he let the world know the violent passion he +had to publish his own fame. + +To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommended to the court of +England the necessity that Virginia should contribute a certain quota of +men, or else a sum of money, towards the building and maintaining a fort +at New York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New York was +their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they should help to +defend it. This was by order of his late majesty King William proposed +to the assembly; but upon the most solid reasons they humbly +remonstrated, "that neither the forts then in being, nor any other that +might be built in the province of New York, could in the least avail to +the defence and security of Virginia; for that either the French or the +northern Indians might invade that colony, and not come within an +hundred miles of any such fort." The truth of these objections are +obvious to any one that ever looked on the maps of that part of the +world. But the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this: +Those forts were necessary for New York, to enable that province to +engross the trade of the neighbor Indians, which Virginia had sometimes +shared in, when the Indians rambled to the southward. + +Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this: after he had +represented Virginia as republican and rebellious for not complying with +his proposal, he said publicly that New York should not want the 900 +pounds, though he paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after took a +journey to that province. + +When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, but pretending +earnest desires to serve New York, gave his own bills of exchange for +900 pounds to the aforesaid use, but prudently took a defeasance from +the gentleman to whom they were given, specifying, "that till her +majesty should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of the +quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made use of." This +was an admirable piece of sham generosity, and worthy of the great pains +he took to proclaim it. I myself have frequently heard him boast that he +gave this money out of his own pocket, and only depended on the queen's +bounty to repay him: though the money is not paid by him to this day. + +§ 147. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this untruth there; but +he also foisted it into a memorial of Col. Quarry's to the council of +trade, in which are these words: + + "As soon as Governor Nicholson found the assembly of Virginia would not + see their own interest, nor comply with her majesty's orders, he went + immediately to New York; and out of his great zeal to the queen's + service, and the security of her province, he gave his own bills for + 900 pounds to answer the quota of Virginia, wholly depending on her + majesty's favor to reimburse him out of the revenues in that province. + + "Certainly his excellency and Colonel Quarry, by whose joint wisdom and + sincerity this memorial was composed, must believe that the council of + trade have very imperfect intelligence how matters pass in that part of + the world, or else they would not presume to impose such a banter upon + them." + +But this is nothing, if compared with some other passages of that unjust +representation, wherein they took upon them to describe the people of +"Virginia to be both numerous and rich, of republican notions and +principles such as ought to be corrected and lowered in time; and that +then, or never, was the time to maintain the queen's prerogatives, and +put a stop to those wrong, pernicious notions which were improving +daily, not only in Virginia but in all her majesty's other governments. +A frown now from her majesty will do more than an army hereafter," &c. + +With those inhuman, false imputations, did those gentlemen afterwards +introduce the necessity of a standing army. + +§ 148. Thus did this gentleman continue to rule till August 1705, when +Edward Nott, esq., arrived governor, and gave ease to the country by a +mild rule. His commission was to be governor-general, but part of his +salary was paid my Lord Orkney as chief. Governor Nott had the general +commission given him, because it was suggested that that method, viz: +the supreme title, would give the greater awe, and the better put the +country to rights. + +§ 149. Governor Nott called an assembly the fall after his arrival, who +passed the general revisal of the laws, which had been too long in hand. +But that part of it which related to the church and clergy Mr. +Commissary could not be pleased in; wherefore that bill was dropt, and +so it lies at this day. + +§ 150. This assembly also passed a new law for ports and towns, +grounding it only upon encouragements, according to her majesty's letter +to that purpose. But it seems this also could not please the Virginia +merchants in England, for they complained against it to the crown, and +so it was also suspended. + +§ 151. This assembly also passed the law making slaves a real estate, +which made a great alteration in the nature of their estates, and +becomes a very good security for orphans whose parents happened to die +intestate. + +§ 152. This assembly also voted a house to be built for the governor's +residence, and laid duties to raise the money for it. But his excellency +lived not to see much effected therein, being taken off by death in +August 1706. In the first year of his government the college was burnt +down to the ground. + +§ 153. After this governor's death, their being no other nominated by +her majesty to succeed him, the government fell into the hands of Edmund +Jenings, Esq., the president, and the council, who held no assembly +during his time, neither did anything of note happen here. Only we heard +that Brigadier Robert Hunter received commission to be lieutenant-governor +under George, Earl of Orkney, the chief, and set out for Virginia, but was +taken prisoner into France. + +§ 154. During Brigadier Hunter's confinement in France, a new commission +issued to Colonel Alexander Spotswood to be lieutenant-governor, who +arrived here in Anno 1710. He, to the extraordinary benefit of this +country, still continues governor, having improved it beyond +imagination. His conduct has produced wonders. But it would not become +me to affront his modesty by publishing those innumerable benefits of +his administration to his face; therefore I shall leave them to adorn +the brighter history of some abler penman. + + + + +BOOK II. + +OF THE NATURAL PRODUCT AND CONVENIENCES OF VIRGINIA IN ITS UNIMPROVED + STATE, BEFORE THE ENGLISH WENT THITHER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +OF THE BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA. + + +§ 1. Virginia, as you have heard before, was a name at first given to +all the northern part of the continent of America; and when the original +grant was made, both to the first and second colonies, that is, to those +of Virginia and New England, they were both granted under the name of +Virginia. And afterwards, when grants for other new colonies were made +by particular names, those names for a long time served only to +distinguish them as so many parts of Virginia; and until the plantations +became more familiar to England, it was so continued. But in process of +time, the name of Virginia was lost to all except to that tract of land +lying along the bay of Chesapeake, and a little to the southward, in +which are included Virginia and Maryland; both which, in common +discourse, are still very often meant by the name of Virginia. + +The least extent of bounds in any of the grants made to Virginia, since +it was settled, and which we find upon record there, is two hundred +miles north from Point Comfort, and two hundred miles south, winding +upon the sea coast to the eastward, and including all the land west and +northwest, from sea to sea, with the islands on both seas, within an +hundred miles of the main. But these extents, both on the north and +south, have been since abridged by the proprietary grants of Maryland on +the north, and Carolina on the south. + +§ 2. The entrance into Virginia for shipping is by the mouth of +Chesapeake bay, which is indeed more like a river than a bay; for it +runs up into the land about two hundred miles, being everywhere near as +wide as it is at the mouth, and in many places much wider. The mouth +thereof is about seven leagues over, through which all ships pass to go +to Maryland. + +The coast is a bold and even coast, with regular soundings, and is open +all the year round; so that, having the latitude, which also can hardly +be wanted upon a coast where so much clear weather is, any ship may go +in by soundings alone, by day or night, in summer or in winter, and need +not fear any disaster, if the mariners understand anything; for, let the +wind blow how it will, and chop about as suddenly as it pleases, any +master, though his ship be never so dull, has opportunity, (by the +evenness of the coast,) either of standing off and clearing the shore, +or else of running into safe harbor within the capes. A bolder and safer +coast is not known in the universe; to which conveniences, there is the +addition of good anchorage all along upon it, without the capes. + +§ 3. Virginia, in the most restrained sense, distinct from Maryland, is +the spot to which I shall altogether confine this description; though +you may consider, at the same time, that there cannot be much difference +between this and Maryland, they being contiguous one to the other, lying +in the same bay, producing the same sort of commodities, and being +fallen into the same unhappy form of settlements, altogether upon +country seats, without towns. Virginia, thus considered, is bounded on +the south by North Carolina, on the north by Potomac river, which +divides it from Maryland, on the east by the main ocean, called the +Virginia seas, and on the west and northwest by the Californian sea, +whenever the settlements shall be extended so far, or now by the river +Mississippi. + +This part of Virginia, now inhabited, if we consider the improvements in +the hands of the English, it cannot upon that score be commended; but if +we consider its natural aptitude to be improved, it may with justice be +accounted one of the finest countries in the world. Most of the natural +advantages of it, therefore, I shall endeavor to discover, and set in +their true light, together with its inconveniences, and afterwards +proceed to the improvements. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OF THE WATERS. + + +§ 4. The largeness of the bay of Chesapeake, I have mentioned already. +From one end of it to the other, there is good anchorage, and so little +danger of a wreck, that many masters, who have never been there before, +venture up to the head of the bay, upon the slender knowledge of a +common sailor. But the experience of one voyage teaches any master to go +up afterwards without a pilot. + +Besides this bay, the country is watered with four great rivers, viz: +James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers, all which are full of +convenient and safe harbors. There are also abundance of lesser rivers, +many of which are capable of receiving the biggest merchant ships, viz: +Elizabeth river, Nansemond, Chickahominy, Pocoson, Pamunkey, Mattapony, +(which two last are the two upper branches of York river,) North river, +Eastermost river, Corotoman, Wiccocomoco, Pocomoke, Chissenessick, +Pungotegue, and many others. But because they are so well described in +the large maps of Virginia, I shall forbear any farther description of +them. + +These rivers are of such convenience, that for almost every half dozen +miles of their extent, there is a commodious and safe road for a whole +fleet, which gives opportunity to the masters of ships to lie up and +down straggling, according as they have made their acquaintance, riding +before that gentleman's door where they find the best reception, or +where 'tis most suitable to their business. + +§ 5. These rivers are made up by the conflux of an infinite number of +crystal springs of cool and pleasant water, issuing everywhere out of +the banks and sides of the valleys. These springs flow so plentifully, +that they make the river water fresh fifty, threescore, and sometimes a +hundred miles below the flux and reflux of the tides, and sometimes +within thirty or forty miles of the bay itself. The conveniences of +these springs are so many, they are not to be numbered. I shall +therefore content myself to mention that one of supplying the country +elsewhere, except in the lowlands, with as many mills as they can find +work for; and some of these send forth such a glut of water, that in +less than a mile below the fountain head, they afford a stream +sufficient to supply a grist mill, of which there are several instances. + +§ 6. The only mischief I know belonging to these rivers is, that in the +month of June annually, there rise up in the salts, vast beds of +seedling-worms, which enter the ships, sloops or boats wherever they +find the coat of pitch, tar, or lime worn off the timber, and by degrees +eat the plank into cells like those of a honey-comb. These worms +continue thus upon the surface of the water, from their rise in June +until the first great rains after the middle of July, but after that do +no fresh damage till the next summer season, and never penetrate farther +than the plank or timber they first fix upon. + +The damage occasioned by these worms may be four several ways avoided. + + 1. By keeping the coat (of pitch, lime and tallow, or whatever + else it is) whole upon the bottom of the ship or vessel, for these + worms never fasten nor enter, but where the timber is naked. + + 2. By anchoring the large vessel in the strength of the tide, + during the worm season, and hauling the smaller ashore; for in the + current of a strong tide, the worm cannot fasten. + + 3. By burning and cleaning immediately after the worm season is + over; for then they are but just stuck into the plank, and have + not buried themselves in it; so that the least fire in the world + destroys them entirely, and prevents all damage that would + otherwise ensue from them. + + 4. By running up into the freshes with the ship or vessel during + the five or six weeks that the worm is thus above water; for they + never enter, nor do any damage in fresh water, or where it is not + very salt. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. + + +§ 7. The soil is of such variety, according to the difference of +situation, that one part or other of it seems fitted to every sort of +plant that is requisite either for the benefit or pleasure of mankind. +And were it not for the high mountains to the northwest, which are +supposed to retain vast magazines of snow, and by that means cause the +wind from that quarter to descend a little too cold upon them, 'tis +believed that many of those delicious summer fruits, growing in the +hotter climates, might be kept there green all the winter without the +charge of housing, or any other care, than what is due to the natural +plants of the country, when transplanted into a garden. But as that +would be no considerable charge, any man that is curious might, with all +the ease imaginable, preserve as many of them as would gratify a +moderate luxury; and the summer affords genial heat enough to ripen them +to perfection. + +There are three different kinds of land, according to the difference of +situation, either in the lower parts of the country, the middle, or that +on the heads of the rivers. + + 1. The land towards the mouth of the rivers is generally of a low, + moist, and fat mould, such as the heavier sort of grain delight + in: as rice, hemp, Indian corn, &c. This also is varied here and + there with veins of a cold, hungry, sandy soil, of the same + moisture, and very often lying under water. But this also has its + advantages; for on such land generally grow the huckleberries, + cranberries, chinkapins, &c. These low lands are, for the most + part, well stored with oaks, poplars, pines, cedars, cypress and + sweet gums; the trunks of which are often thirty, forty, fifty, + some sixty or seventy feet high, without a branch or limb. They + likewise produce great variety of evergreens, unknown to me by + name, besides the beauteous holly, sweet myrtle, cedar, and the + live oak, which for three quarters of the year is continually + dropping its acorns, and at the same time budding and bearing + others in their stead. + + 2. The land higher up the rivers, throughout the whole country, is + generally a level ground, with shallow valleys, full of streams + and pleasant springs of clear water, having interspersed here and + there among the large levels some small hills and extensive vales. + The mould in some places is black, fat, and thick laid; in others + looser, lighter and thin. The foundation of the mould is also + various; sometimes clay, then gravel and rocky stones, and + sometimes marl. The middle of the necks, or ridges between the + rivers, is generally poor, being either a light sand, or a white + or red clay, with a thin mould. Yet even these places are stored + with chestnuts, chinkapins, acorns of the shrub oak, and a reedy + grass in summer, very good for cattle. The rich lands lie next the + rivers and branches, and are stored with large oak, walnut, + hickory, ash, beech, poplar, and many other sorts of timber, of + surprising bigness. + + 3. The heads of the rivers afford a mixture of hills, valleys and + plains, some richer than others, whereof the fruit and timber + trees are also various. In some places lie great plats of low and + very rich ground, well timbered; in others, large spots of meadows + and savannahs, wherein are hundreds of acres without any tree at + all, but yields reeds and grass of incredible height; and in the + swamps and sunken grounds grow trees as vastly big as I believe + the world affords, and stand so close together, that the branches + or boughs of many of them lock into one another; but what lessens + their value is, that the greatest bulk of them are at some + distance from water-carriage. The land of these upper parts + affords greater variety of soil than any other, and as great + variety in the foundations of the soil or mould, of which good + judgment may be made by the plants and herbs that grow upon it. + The rivers and creeks do in many places form very fine large + marshes, which are a convenient support for their flocks and + herds. + +§ 8. There is likewise found great variety of earths for physic, +cleansing, scouring, and making all sorts of potter's ware; such as +antimony, talk, yellow and red oker, fuller's-earth, pipe-clay, and +other fat and fine clays, marl, &c.; in a word, there are all kinds of +earth fit for use. + +They have besides, in those upper parts, coal for firing, slate for +covering, and stones for building, and flat paving in vast quantities, +as likewise pebble stones. Nevertheless, it has been confidently +affirmed by many, who have been in Virginia, that there is not a stone +in all the country. If such travelers knew no better than they said, my +judgment of them is, that either they were people of extreme short +memories, or else of very narrow observation. For though generally the +lower parts are flat, and so free from stones, that people seldom shoe +their horses; yet in many places, and particularly near the falls of the +rivers, are found vast quantities of stone, fit for all kinds of uses. +However, as yet, there is seldom any use made of them, because commonly +wood is to be had at much less trouble; and as for coals, it is not +likely they should ever be used there in anything but forges and great +towns, if ever they happen to have any, for, in their country +plantations, the wood grows at every man's door so fast, that after it +has been cut down, it will in seven years time grow up again from seed, +to substantial fire-wood; and in eighteen or twenty years it will come +to be very good board timber. + +§ 9. For mineral earths, it is believed they have great plenty and +variety, that country being in a good latitude, and having great +appearances of them. It has been proved, too, that they have both iron +and lead, as appears by what was said before concerning the iron works +set up at Falling creek in James river, where the iron proved reasonably +good; but before they got into the body of the mine, the people were cut +off in that fatal massacre, and the project has never been set on foot +since, till of late; but it has not had its full trial. + +The golden mine, of which there was once so much noise, may, perhaps, be +found hereafter to be some good metal, when it comes to be fully +examined. But be that as it will, the stones that are found near it, in +great plenty, are valuable, their lustre approaching nearer to that of +the diamond than those of Bristol or Kerry. There is no other fault in +them but their softness, which the weather hardens, when they have been +sometime exposed to it, they being found under the surface of the earth. +This place has now plantations on it. + +This I take to be the place in Purchase's fourth book of his pilgrim, +called Uttamussack, where was formerly the principal temple of the +country, and the metropolitan seat of the priests in Powhatan's time. +There stood the three great houses, near sixty feet in length, which he +reports to have been filled with the images of their gods; there were +likewise preserved the bodies of their kings. These houses they counted +so holy, that none but their priests and kings durst go into them, the +common people not presuming, without their particular direction, to +approach the place. + +There also was their great Pawcorance, or altar stone, which, the +Indians tell us, was a solid crystal, of between three and four feet +cube, upon which, in their greatest solemnities, they used to sacrifice. +This, they would make us believe, was so clear, that the grain of a +man's skin might be seen through it; and was so heavy too that when they +removed their gods and kings, not being able to carry it away, they +buried it thereabouts; but the place has never been yet discovered. + +Mr. Alexander Whittaker, minister of Henrico, on James river, in the +company's time, writing to them, says thus: "Twelve miles from the +falls there is a crystal rock, wherewith the Indians do head many of +their arrows; and three days journey from thence, there is a rock and +stony hill found, which is on the top covered over with a perfect and +most rich silver ore. Our men that went to discover those parts had but +two iron pickaxes with them, and those so ill tempered that the points +of them turned again, and bowed at every stroke, so that we could not +search the entrails of the place; yet some trial was made of that ore +with good success." + +§ 10. Some people that have been in that country, without knowing any +thing of it, have affirmed that it is all a flat, without any mixture of +hills, because they see the coast to seaward perfectly level: or else +they have made their judgment of the whole country by the lands lying on +the lower parts of the rivers, (which, perhaps, they had never been +beyond,) and so conclude it to be throughout plain and even. When in +truth, upon the heads of the great rivers, there are vast high hills; +and even among the settlements there are some so topping that I have +stood upon them and viewed the country all round over the tops of the +highest trees for many leagues together; particularly, there are Mawborn +hills in the freshes of James river; a ridge of hills about fourteen or +fifteen miles up Mattapony river; Toliver's mount, upon Rappahannock +river; and the ridge of hills in Stafford county, in the freshes of +Potomac river; all which are within the bounds of the English +inhabitants. But a little farther backward, there are mountains, which +indeed deserve the name of mountains for their height and bigness; which +by their difficulty in passing may easily be made a good barrier of the +country against incursions of the Indians, &c., and shew themselves over +the tops of the trees to many plantations at 70 or 80 miles distance +very plain. + +These hills are not without their advantages; for, out of almost every +rising ground, throughout the country, there issue abundance of most +pleasant streams, of pure and crystal water, than which certainly the +world does not afford any more delicious. These are every where to be +found in the upper parts of this country, and many of them flow out of +the sides of banks very high above the vales, which are the most +suitable places for gardens--where the finest water works in the world +may be made at a very small expense. + +There are likewise several mineral springs, easily discoverable by their +taste, as well as by the soil which they drive out with their streams. +But I am not naturalist skilful enough to describe them with the +exactness they deserve. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. + + +§ 11. Of fruits natural to the country, there is great abundance, but +the several species of them are produced according to the difference of +the soil, and the various situation of the country; it being impossible +that one piece of ground should produce so many different kinds +intermixed. Of the better sorts of the wild fruits that I have met with, +I will barely give you the names, not designing a natural history. And +when I have done that, possibly I may not mention one-half of what the +country affords, because I never went out of my way to enquire after +anything of this nature. + +§ 12. Of stoned fruits, I have met with three good sorts, viz: Cherries, +plums and persimmons. + + 1. Of cherries natural to the country, and growing wild in the + woods, I have seen three sorts. Two of these grow upon trees as + big as the common English white oak, whereof one grows in bunches + like grapes. Both these sorts are black without, and but one of + them red within. That which is red within, is more palatable than + the English black cherry, as being without its bitterness. The + other, which hangs on the branch like grapes, is water colored + within, of a faintish sweet, and greedily devoured by the small + birds. The third sort is called the Indian cherry, and grows + higher up in the country than the others do. It is commonly found + by the sides of rivers and branches on small slender trees, scarce + able to support themselves, about the bigness of the peach trees + in England. This is certainly the most delicious cherry in the + world; it is of a dark purple when ripe, and grows upon a single + stalk like the English cherry, but is very small, though, I + suppose, it may be made larger by cultivation, if anybody would + mind it. These, too, are so greedily devoured by the small birds, + that they won't let them remain on the tree long enough to ripen; + by which means, they are rarely known to any, and much more rarely + tasted, though, perhaps, at the same time they grow just by the + houses. + + 2. The plums, which I have observed to grow wild there, are of two + sorts, the black and the Murrey plum, both which are small, and + have much the same relish with the damson. + + 3. The persimmon is by Heriot called the Indian plum; and so + Smith, Purchase, and Du Lake, call it after him; but I can't + perceive that any of those authors had ever heard of the sorts I + have just now mentioned, they growing high up in the country. + These persimmons, amongst them, retain their Indian name. They are + of several sizes, between the bigness of a damson plum and a + burgamot pear. The taste of them is so very rough, it is not to be + endured till they are fully ripe, and then they are a pleasant + fruit. Of these, some vertuosi make an agreeable kind of beer, to + which purpose they dry them in cakes, and lay them up for use. + These, like most other fruits there, grow as thick upon the trees + as ropes of onions: the branches very often break down by the + mighty weight of the fruit. + +§ 13. Of berries there is a great variety, and all very good in their +kinds. Our mulberries are of three sorts, two black and one white; the +long black sort are the best, being about the bigness of a boy's thumb; +the other two sorts are of the shape of the English mulberry, short and +thick, but their taste does not so generally please, being of a faintish +sweet, without any tartness. They grow upon well spread, large bodied +trees, which run up surprisingly fast. These are the proper food of the +silk-worm. + + 1. There grow naturally two sorts of currants, one red and the + other black, more sweet than those of the same color in England. + They grow upon small bushes, or slender trees. + + 2. There are three sorts of hurts, or huckleberries, upon bushes, + from two to ten feet high. They grow in the valleys and sunken + grounds, having different relishes; but are all pleasing to the + taste. The largest sort grow upon the largest bushes, and, I + think, are the best berries. + + 3. Cranberries grow in the low lands and barren sunken grounds, + upon low bushes, like the gooseberry, and are much of the same + size. They are of a lively red, when gathered and kept in water, + and make very good tarts. I believe these are the berries which + Captain Smith compared to the English gooseberry, and called + Rawcomens; having, perhaps, seen them only on the bushes, where + they are always very sour. + + 4. The wild raspberry is by some there preferred to those that + were transplanted thither from England; but I cannot be of their + opinion. + + 5. Strawberries they have, as delicious as any in the world, and + growing almost every where in the woods and fields. They are eaten + almost by all creatures; and yet are so plentiful that very few + persons take care to transplant them, but can find enough to fill + their baskets, when they have a mind, in the deserted old fields. + +§ 14. There grow wild several sorts of good nuts, viz.: chestnuts, +chinkapins, hazelnuts, hickories, walnuts, &c. + + 1. Chestnuts are found upon very high trees, growing in barren + ridges. They are something less than the French chestnut; but, I + think not differing at all in taste. + + 2. Chinkapins have a taste something like a chestnut, and grow in + a husk or bur, being of the same sort of substance, but not so big + as an acorn. They grow upon large bushes, some about as high as + the common apple trees in England, and either in the high or low, + but always barren ground. + + 3. Hazelnuts are there in infinite plenty, in all the swamps; and + towards the heads of the rivers, whole acres of them are found + upon the high land. + + 4. Hickory nuts are of several sorts, all growing upon great + trees, and in an husk, like the French walnut, except that the + husk is not so thick, and more apt to open. Some of these nuts are + inclosed in so hard a shell, that a light hammer will hardly crack + them; and when they are cracked, their kernel is fastened with so + firm a web, that there is no coming at it. Several other sorts I + have seen with thinner shells, whose kernels may be got with less + trouble. There are also several sorts of hickories, called pig + nuts, some of which have as thin a shell as the best French + walnuts, and yield their meat very easily; they are all of the + walnut kind. + + 5. They have a sort of walnut they call black walnuts, which are + as big again as any I ever saw in England, but are very rank and + oily, having a thick, hard, foul shell, and come not clear of the + husk as the walnut in France doth; but the inside of the nut, and + leaves, and growing of the tree, declare it to be of the walnut + kind. + + 6. Their woods likewise afford a vast variety of acorns, seven + sorts of which have fallen under my observation. That which grows + upon the live oak, buds, ripens and drops off the tree, almost the + whole year around. All their acorns are very fat and oily; but the + live oak acorn is much more so than the rest, and I believe the + making of oil of them would turn to a good account; but now they + only serve as mast for the hogs and other wild creatures, as do + all the other fruits aforementioned, together with several other + sorts of mast growing upon the beach, pine and other trees. The + same use is made also of diverse sorts of pulse and other fruits + growing upon wild vines; such as peas, beans, vetches, squashes, + maycocks, maracocks, melons, cucumbers, lupines, and an infinity + of other sorts of fruits, which I cannot name. + +§ 15. Grapes grow wild there in an incredible plenty and variety, some +of which are very sweet and pleasant to the taste; others rough and +harsh, and perhaps fitter for wine or brandy. I have seen great trees +covered with single vines, and those vines almost hid with the grapes. +Of these wild grapes, besides those large ones in the mountains, +mentioned by Batt in his discovery, I have observed four very different +kinds, viz: + + 1. One of these sorts grows among the sand banks upon the edges of + the low grounds, and islands next the bay and sea, and also in the + swamps and breaches of the uplands. They grow thin in small + bunches, and upon very low vines. These are noble grapes; and + though they are wild in the woods, are as large as the Dutch + gooseberry. One species of them is white, others purple, blue and + black, but all much alike in flavor; and some long, some round. + + 2. A second kind is produced throughout the whole country, in the + swamps and sides of hills. These also grow upon small vines, and + in small bunches; but are themselves the largest grapes, as big as + the English bullace, and of a rank taste when ripe, resembling the + smell of a fox, from whence they are called fox grapes. Both these + sorts make admirable tarts, being of a fleshy substance, and + perhaps, if rightly managed, might make good raisins. + + 3. There are two species more that are common to the whole + country, some of which are black, and some blue on the outside, + and some white. They grow upon vast large vines, and bear very + plentifully. The nice observer might perhaps distinguish them into + several kinds, because they differ in color, size, and relish; but + I shall divide them only into two, viz: the early and the late + ripe. The early ripe common grape is much larger, sweeter and + better than the other. Of these some are quite black, and others + blue, and some white or yellow; some also ripen three weeks or a + month before the other. The distance of their ripening, is from + the latter end of August to the latter end of October. The late + ripe common grapes are less than any of the other, neither are + they so pleasant to the taste. They hang commonly till the latter + end of November, or till Christmas; all that I have seen of these + are black. Of the former of these two sorts, the French refugees + at the Monacan town made a sort of claret, though they were + gathered off of the wild vines in the woods. I was told by a very + good judge who tasted it, that it was a pleasant, strong, and full + bodied wine. From which we may conclude, that if the wine was but + tolerable good when made of the wild grape, which is shaded by the + woods from the sun, it would be much better if produced of the + same grape cultivated in a regular vineyard. + +The year before the massacre, Anno 1622, which destroyed so many good +projects for Virginia, some French vignerons were sent thither to make +an experiment of their vines. These people were so in love with the +country, that the character they then gave of it in their letters to the +company in England, was very much to its advantage, namely: "That it far +excelled their own country of Languedoc, the vines growing in great +abundance and variety all over the land; that some of the grapes were of +that unusual bigness, that they did not believe them to be grapes, until +by opening them they had seen their kernels; that they had planted the +cuttings of their vines at Michaelmas, and had grapes from those very +cuttings the spring following. Adding in the conclusion, that they had +not heard of the like in any other country." Neither was this out of the +way, for I have made the same experiment, both of their natural vine and +of the plants sent thither from England. + +The copies of the letters, here quoted, to the company in England, are +still to be seen; and Purchase, in his fourth volume of pilgrims, has +very justly quoted some of them. + +§ 16. The honey and sugar trees are likewise spontaneous near the heads +of the rivers. The honey tree bears a thick swelling pod, full of honey, +appearing at a distance like the bending pod of a bean or pea; it is +very like the carob tree in the herbals. The sugar tree yields a kind of +sap or juice, which by boiling is made into sugar. This juice is drawn +out by wounding the trunk of the tree, and placing a receiver under the +wound. It is said that the Indians make one pound of sugar out of eight +pounds of the liquor. Some of this sugar I examined very carefully. It +was bright and moist, with a large, full grain, the sweetness of it +being like that of good muscovado. + +Though this discovery has not been made by the English above 28 or +thirty years, yet it has been known among the Indians before the English +settled there. It was found out by the English after this manner: The +soldiers which were kept on the land frontiers to clear them of the +Indians, taking their range through a piece of low ground about forty +miles above the then inhabited parts of Potomac river, and resting +themselves in the woods of those low grounds, observed an inspissate +juice, like molasses, distilling from the tree. The heat of the sun had +candied some of this juice, which gave the men a curiosity to taste it. +They found it sweet, and by this process of nature learned to improve it +into sugar. But the Christian inhabitants are now settled where many of +these trees grow, but it hath not yet been tried, whether for quantity +or quality it may be worth while to cultivate this discovery. + +Thus the Canada Indians make sugar of the sap of a tree. And Peter +Martyr mentions a tree that yields the like sap, but without any +description. The eleomeli of the ancients, a sweet juice like honey, is +said to be got by wounding the olive tree; and the East Indians extract +a sort of sugar, they call jagra, from the juice, or potable liquor, +that flows from the coco tree. The whole process of boiling, graining +and refining of which, is accurately set down by the authors of Hortus +Malabaricus. + +§ 17. At the mouth of their rivers, and all along upon the sea and bay, +and near many of their creeks and swamps, grows the myrtle, bearing a +berry, of which they make a hard brittle wax, of a curious green color, +which by refining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make candles, +which are never greasy to the touch, nor melt with lying in the hottest +weather; neither does the snuff of these ever offend the smell like that +of a tallow candle; but instead of being disagreeable, if an accident +put a candle out, it yields a pleasant fragrancy to all that are in the +room; insomuch, that nice people often put them out, on purpose to have +the incense of the expiring snuff. + +The melting of these berries is said to have been first found out by a +surgeon in New England, who performed wonderful things, with a salve +made of them. This discovery is very modern, notwithstanding these +countries have been so long settled. + +The method of managing these berries is by boiling them in water, till +they come to be entirely dissolved, except the stone or seed in the +middle, which amounts in quantity to about half the bulk of the berry; +the biggest of which is something less than a corn of pepper. + +There are also in the plains, and rich low grounds of the freshes, +abundance of hops, which yield their product without any labor of the +husbandman, in weeding, hilling or poling. + +§ 18. All over the country is interspersed here and there a surprising +variety of curious plants and flowers. They have a sort of briar, +growing something like the sarsaparilla. The berry of this is as big as +a pea, and as round, the seed being of a bright crimson color. It is +very hard, and finely polished by nature, so that it might be put to +diverse ornamental uses, as necklaces are, &c. + +There are several woods, plants and earths, which have been fit for the +dying of curious colors. They have the puccoon and musquaspen, two +roots, with which the Indians use to paint themselves red. And a berry, +which grows upon a wild briar, dyes a handsome blue. There is the sumac +and the sassafras, which make a deep yellow. Mr. Heriot tells us of +several others which he found at Pamtego, and gives the Indian names of +them; but that language being not understood by the Virginians, I am not +able to distinguish which he means. Particularly he takes notice of +wasebur, an herb; chapacour, a root; and tangomockonominge, a bark. + +There's the snake root, so much admired in England for a cordial, and +for being a great antidote in all pestilential distempers. + +There's the rattlesnake root, to which no remedy was ever yet found +comparable; for it effectually cures the bite of a rattlesnake, which +sometimes has been mortal in two minutes. If this medicine be early +applied, it presently removes the infection, and in two or three hours +restores the patient to as perfect health as if he had never been hurt. + +The Jamestown weed (which resembles the thorny apple of Peru, and I take +to be the plant so called) is supposed to be one of the greatest coolers +in the world. This being an early plant, was gathered very young for a +boiled salad, by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the +rebellion of Bacon; and some of them eat plentifully of it, the effect +of which was a very pleasant comedy; for they turned natural fools upon +it for several days: one would blow up a feather in the air; another +would dart straws at it with much fury; and another stark naked was +sitting up in a corner, like a monkey, grinning and making mows at them; +a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and snear in their +faces, with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll. In this +frantic condition they were confined, lest they should in their folly +destroy themselves; though it was observed that all their actions were +full of innocence and good nature. Indeed, they were not very cleanly, +for they would have wallowed in their own excrements if they had not +been prevented. A thousand such simple tricks they played, and after +eleven days returned to themselves again, not remembering anything that +had passed. + +Perhaps this was the same herb that Mark Antony's army met with in his +retreat from the Parthian war and siege of Phraata, when such as had +eaten thereof employed themselves with much earnestness and industry in +grubbing up stones, and removing them from one place to another, as if +it had been a business of the greatest consequence. Wine, as the story +says, was found a sovereign remedy for it, which is likely enough, the +malignity of this herb being cold. + +Of spontaneous flowers they have an unknown variety: the finest crown +imperial in the world; the cardinal flower, so much extolled for its +scarlet color, is almost in every branch; the moccasin flower, and a +thousand others not yet known to English herbalists. Almost all the year +round the levels and vales are beautified with flowers of one kind or +other, which make their woods as fragrant as a garden. From the +materials, their wild bees make vast quantities of honey, but their +magazines are very often rifled by bears, raccoons, and such like +liquorish vermin. + +About the year 1701, walking out to take the air, I found, a little +without my pasture fence, a flower as big as a tulip, and upon a stalk +resembling the stalk of a tulip. The flower was of a flesh color, having +a down upon one end, while the other was plain. The form of it resembled +the pudenda of a man and woman lovingly joined in one. Not long after I +had discovered this rarity, and while it was still in bloom, I drew a +grave gentleman, about an hundred yards out of his way, to see this +curiosity, not telling him anything more than that it was a rarity, and +such perhaps as he had never seen nor heard of. When we arrived at the +place, I gathered one of them, and put it into his hand, which he had no +sooner cast his eye upon, but he threw it away with indignation, as +being ashamed of this waggery of nature. It was impossible to persuade +him to touch it again, or so much as to squint towards so immodest a +representation. Neither would I presume to mention such an indecency, +but that I thought it unpardonable to omit a production so +extraordinary. + +There is also found the fine tulip-bearing laurel tree, which has the +pleasantest smell in the world, and keeps blossoming and seeding several +months together. It delights much in gravelly branches of chrystal +streams, and perfumes the very woods with its odor. So also do the large +tulip tree, which we call a poplar, the locust, which resembles much +the jasmine, and the perfuming crab tree, during their season. With one +sort or other of these, as well as many other sweet-flowering trees not +named, the vales are almost everywhere adorned, and yield a surprising +variety to divert the traveler. + +They find a world of medicinal plants likewise in that country, and +amongst the rest the planters pretend to have a swamp-root, which +infallibly cures all fevers and agues. The bark of the sassafras tree +and wild cherry tree have been experimented to partake very much of the +virtue of the cortex peruviana. The bark of the root, of that which we +call the prickly ash, being dried and powdered, has been found to be a +specific in old ulcers and long running sores. Infinite is the number of +other valuable vegetables of every kind; but natural history not having +been my study, I am unwilling to do wrong to my subject by an unskillful +description. + +§ 19. Several kinds of the creeping vines bearing fruit, the Indians +planted in their gardens or fields, because they would have plenty of +them always at hand; such as muskmelons, watermelons, pompions, cushaws, +macocks and gourds. + + 1. Their muskmelons resemble the large Italian kind, and generally + fill four or five quarts. + + 2. Their watermelons were much more large, and of several kinds, + distinguished by the color of their meat and seed; some are red, + some yellow, and others white meated; and so of the seed, some are + yellow, some red, and some black; but these are never of different + colors in the same melon. This fruit the Muscovites call arpus; + the Turks and Tartars karpus, because they are extremely cooling. + The Persians call them hindnanes, because they had the first seed + of them from the Indies. They are excellently good, and very + pleasant to the taste, as also to the eye; having the rind of a + lively green color, streaked and watered, the meat of a carnation, + and the seed black and shining, while it lies in the melon. + + 3. Their pompions I need not describe, but must say they are much + larger and finer than any I ever heard of in England. + + 4. Their cushaws are a kind of pompion, of a bluish green color, + streaked with white, when they are fit for use. They are larger + than the pompions, and have a long narrow neck. Perhaps this may + be the ecushaw of T. Harriot. + + 5. Their macocks are a sort of melopepones, or lesser sort of + pompion or cushaw. Of these they have great variety; but the + Indian name macock serves for all, which name is still retained + among them. Yet the clypeatæ are sometimes called cymnels, (as are + some others also,) from the lenten cake of that name, which many + of them very much resemble. Squash, or squanter-squash, is their + name among the northern Indians, and so they are called in New + York and New England. These being boiled whole, when the apple is + young, and the shell tender, and dished with cream or butter, + relish very well with all sorts of butcher's meat, either fresh or + salt. And whereas the pompion is never eaten till it be ripe, + these are never eaten after they are ripe. + + 6. The Indians never eat the gourds, but plant them for other + uses. Yet the Persians, who likewise abound with this sort of + fruit, eat the cucurbita lagenaris, which they call kabach, + boiling it while it is green, before it comes to its full + maturity, for when it is ripe the rind dries, and grows as hard as + the bark of a tree, and the meat within is so consumed and dried + away, that there is then nothing left but the seed, which the + Indians take clean out, and afterwards use the shells, instead of + flagons and cups, as is done also in several other parts of the + world. + + 7. The maracock, which is the fruit of what we call the passion + flower, our natives did not take the pains to plant, having enough + of it growing everywhere, though they often eat it; this fruit is + about the size of a pullet's egg. + +§ 20. Besides all these, our natives had originally amongst them Indian +corn, peas, beans, potatoes and tobacco. + +This Indian corn was the staff of food upon which the Indians did ever +depend; for when sickness, bad weather, war, or any other ill accident +kept them from hunting, fishing and fowling, this, with the addition of +some peas, beans, and such other fruits of the earth, as were then in +season, was the family's dependence, and the support of their women and +children. + +There are four sorts of Indian corn: two of which are early ripe, and +two late ripe, all growing in the same manner; every single grain of +this when planted produces a tall upright stalk, which has several ears +hanging on the sides of it, from six to ten inches long. Each ear is +wrapt up in a cover of many folds, to protect it from the injuries of +the weather. In every one of these ears are several rows of grain, set +close to one another, with no other partition but of a very thin husk. +So that oftentimes the increase of this grain amounts to above a +thousand for one. + +The two sorts which are early ripe, are distinguished only by the size, +which shows itself as well in the grain as in the ear and the stalk. +There is some difference also in the time of ripening. + +The lesser size of early ripe corn yields an ear not much larger than +the handle of a case knife, and grows upon a stalk between three and +four feet high. Of this may be made two crops in a year, and perhaps +there might be heat enough in England to ripen it. + +The larger sort differs from the former only in largeness, the ear of +this being seven or eight inches long, as thick as a child's leg, and +growing upon a stalk nine or ten feet high. This is fit for eating about +the latter end of June, whereas the smaller sort (generally speaking) +affords ears fit to roast by the middle of June. The grains of both +these sorts are as plump and swelled as if the skin were ready to +burst. + +The late ripe corn is diversified by the shape of the grain only, +without any respect to the accidental differences in color, some being +blue, some red, some yellow, some white, and some streaked. That +therefore which makes the distinction, is the plumpness or shriveling of +the grain; the one looks as smooth and as full as the early ripe corn, +and this they call flint corn; the other has a larger grain, and looks +shriveled, with a dent on the back of the grain, as if it had never come +to perfection; and this they call she corn. This is esteemed by the +planters as the best for increase, and is universally chosen by them for +planting; yet I can't see but that this also produces the flint corn, +accidentally among the other. + +All these sorts are planted alike in rows, three, four or five grains in +a hill; the larger sort at four or five feet distance, the lesser sort +nearer. The Indians used to give it one or two weedings, and make a hill +about it, and so the labor was done. They likewise plant a bean in the +same hill with the corn, upon whose stalk it sustains itself. + +The Indians sowed peas sometimes in the intervals of the rows of corn, +but more generally in a patch of ground by themselves. They have an +unknown variety of them, (but all of a kidney shape,) some of which I +have met with wild; but whence they had their Indian corn I can give no +account; for I don't believe that it was spontaneous in those parts. + +Their potatoes are either red or white, about as long as a boy's leg, +and sometimes as long and big as both the leg and thigh of a young +child, and very much resembling it in shape. I take these kinds to be +the same with those which are represented in the herbals to be Spanish +potatoes. I am sure those called English or Irish potatoes are nothing +like these, either in shape, color or taste. The way of propagating +potatoes there, is by cutting the small ones to pieces, and planting the +cuttings in hills of loose earth; but they are so tender, that it is +very difficult to preserve them in the winter, for the least frost +coming at them, rots and destroys them, and therefore people bury 'em +under ground, near the fire-hearth, all the winter, until the time comes +that their seedings are to be set. + +How the Indians ordered their tobacco I am not certain, they now +depending chiefly upon the English for what they smoke; but I am +informed they used to let it all run to seed, only succoring the leaves +to keep the sprouts from growing upon, and starving them; and when it +was ripe they pulled off the leaves, cured them in the sun, and laid +them up for use. But the planters make a heavy bustle with it now, and +can't please the market neither. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OF THE FISH. + + +§ 21. As for fish, both of fresh and salt water, of shell fish, and +others, no country can boast of more variety, greater plenty, or of +better in their several kinds. + +In the spring of the year herrings come up in such abundance into their +brooks and fords to spawn, that it is almost impossible to ride through +without treading on them. Thus do those poor creatures expose their own +lives to some hazard, out of their care to find a more convenient +reception for their young, which are not yet alive. Thence it is that at +this time of the year the freshes of the rivers, like that of the +Broadruck, stink of fish. + +Besides these herrings, there come up likewise into the freshes from the +sea multitudes of shad, rock, sturgeon, and some few lampreys, which +fasten themselves to the shad, as the remora of Imperatus is said to do +to the shark of Tiburone. They continue their stay there about three +months. The shads at their first coming up are fat and fleshy; but they +waste so extremely in milting and spawning, that at their going down +they are poor, and seem fuller of bones, only because they have less +flesh. It is upon this account (I suppose) that those in the Severn, +which in Gloucester they call twaits, are said at first to want those +intermusculary bones, which afterwards they abound with. As these are in +the freshes, so the salts afford at certain times of the year many other +kinds of fish in infinite shoals, such as the old-wife, a fish not much +unlike an herring, and the sheep's-head, a sort of fish, which they +esteem in the number of their best. + +§ 22. There is likewise great plenty of other fish all the summer long; +and almost in every part of the rivers and brooks, there are found of +different kinds. Wherefore I shall not pretend to give a detail of them, +but venture to mention the names only of such as I have eaten and seen +myself, and so leave the rest to those that are better skilled in +natural history. However, I may add, that besides all those that I have +met with myself, I have heard of a great many very good sorts, both in +the salts and freshes; and such people, too, as have not always spent +their time in that country, have commended them to me beyond any they +had ever eaten before. + +Those which I know of myself I remember by the names of herring, rock, +sturgeon, shad, old-wife, sheep's-head, black and red drum, trout, +taylor, green-fish, sun-fish, bass, chub, place, flounder, whiting, +fatback, maid, wife, small-turtle, crab, oyster, mussel, cockle, shrimp, +needle-fish, breme, carp, pike, jack, mullet, eel, conger-eel, perch, +and cat, &c. + +Those which I remember to have seen there, of the kinds that are not +eaten, are the whale, porpus, shark, dog-fish, garr, stingray, +thornback, saw-fish, toad-fish, frog-fish, land-crab, fiddler, and +periwinckle. One day as I was hauling a sein upon the salts, I caught a +small fish about two inches and an half long, in shape something +resembling a scorpion, but of a dirty, dark color. I was a little shy of +handling it, though I believe there was no hurt in it. This I judge to +be that fish which Mr. Purchase in his Pilgrims, and Captain Smith in +his General History, page 125, affirm to be extremely like St. George's +Dragon, except only that it wants feet and wings. Governor Spotswood has +one of them dried in full shape. + +§ 23. Before the arrival of the English there the Indians had fish in +such vast plenty, that the boys and girls would take a pointed stick and +strike the lesser sort as they swam upon the flats. The larger fish, +that kept in deeper water, they were put to a little more difficulty to +take. But for these they made weirs, that is, a hedge of small riv'd +sticks, or reeds, of the thickness of a man's finger. These they wove +together in a row, with straps of green oak, or other tough wood, so +close that the small fish could not pass through. Upon high water mark +they pitched one end of this hedge, and the other they extended into the +river, to the depth of eight or ten feet, fastening it with stakes, +making cods out from the hedge on one side almost at the end, and +leaving a gap for the fish to go into them, which were contrived so that +the fish could easily find their passage into those cods when they were +at the gap, but not see their way out again when they were in. Thus, if +they offered to pass through, they were taken. + +Sometimes they made such a hedge as this quite across a creek at high +water, and at low would go into the run, then contracted into a narrow +stream, and take out what fish they pleased. + +At the falls of the rivers, where the water is shallow, and the current +strong, the Indians use another kind of weir, thus made: They make a dam +of loose stone, whereof there is plenty at hand, quite across the river, +leaving one, two or more spaces or tunnels for the water to pass +through; at the mouth of which they set a pot of reeds, wove in form of +a cone, whose base is about three feet, and perpendicular ten, into +which the swiftness of the current carries the fish, and there lodges +them. + +The Indian way of catching sturgeon, when they came into the narrow part +of the rivers, was by a man's clapping a noose over their tails, and by +keeping fast his hold. Thus a fish finding itself entangled would +flounce, and often pull the man under water, and then that man was +counted a cockarouse, or brave fellow, that would not let go; till with +swimming, wading and diving, he had tired the sturgeon, and brought it +ashore. These sturgeons would also often leap into their canoes in +crossing the river, as many of them do still every year into the boats +of the English. + +They have also another way of fishing like those on the Euxine sea, by +the help of a blazing fire by night. They make a hearth in the middle of +their canoe, raising it within two inches of the edge; upon this they +lay their burning lightwood, split into small shivers, each splinter +whereof will blaze and burn, end for end, like a candle: 'Tis one man's +work to attend his fire and keep it flaming. At each end of the canoe +stands an Indian, with a gig or pointed spear, setting the canoe +forward, with the butt end of the spear, as gently as he can, by that +means stealing upon the fish without any noise, or disturbing of the +water. Then they with great dexterity dart these spears into the fish, +and so take them. Now there is a double convenience in the blaze of this +fire, for it not only dazzles the eyes of the fish, which will lie +still, glaring upon it, but likewise discovers the bottom of the river +clearly to the fisherman, which the daylight does not. + +The following print, I may justly affirm to be a very true +representation of the Indian fishery. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab: 1. Book 2. Pag: 120] + +TAB. I. Represents the Indians in a canoe with a fire in the middle, +attended by a boy and a girl. In one end is a net made of silk grass, +which they use in fishing their weirs. Above is the shape of their +weirs, and the manner of setting a weir wedge across the mouth of a +creek. + + NOTE. That in fishing their weirs they lay the side of the canoe + to the cods of the weir, for the more convenient coming at them, + and not with the end going into the cods, as is set down in the + print: but we could not otherwise represent it here, lest we + should have confounded the shape of the weir with the canoe. + + In the air you see a fishing hawk flying away with a fish, and a + bald eagle pursuing to take it from him; the bald eagle has always + his head and tail white, and they carry such a lustre with them + that the white thereof may be discerned as far as you can see the + shape of the bird, and seems as if it were without feathers, and + thence it has its name bald eagle. + +§ 24. 'Tis a good diversion to observe, the manner of the fishing-hawk's +preying upon fish, which may be seen every fair day all the summer long, +and especially in a morning. At the first coming of the fish in the +spring, these birds of prey are surprisingly eager. I believe, in the +dead of winter, they fish farther off at sea, or remain among the craggy +uninhabited islands upon the sea coast. I have often been pleasantly +entertained by seeing these hawks take the fish out of the water, and as +they were flying away with their quarry, the bald eagles take it from +them again. I have often observed the first of these hover over the +water and rest upon the wing some minutes together, without the least +change of place, and then from a vast height dart directly into the +water, and there plunge down for the space of half a minute or more, and +at last bring up with him a fish which he could hardly rise with; then, +having got upon the wing again, he would shake himself so powerfully +that he threw the water like a mist about him; afterwards away he'd fly +to the woods with his game, if he were not overlooked by the bald eagle +and robbed by the way, which very frequently happens. For the bald eagle +no sooner perceives a hawk that has taken his prey but he immediately +pursues and strives to get above him in the air, which if he can once +attain, the hawk for fear of being torn by him, lets the fish drop, and +so by the loss of his dinner compounds for his own safety. The poor fish +is no sooner loosed from the hawk's talons, but the eagle shoots himself +with wonderful swiftness after it, and catches it in the air, leaving +all further pursuit of the hawk, which has no other remedy but to go and +fish for another. + +Walking once with a gentleman in an orchard by the river side, early in +the spring, before the fish were by us perceived to appear in shoal +water or near the shores, and before any had been caught by the people, +we heard a great noise in the air just over our heads, and looking up we +saw an eagle in close pursuit of a hawk that had a great fish in his +pounces. The hawk was as low as the apple trees before he would let go +his fish, thinking to recover the wood which was just by, where the +eagles dare never follow, for fear of bruising themselves. But, +notwithstanding the fish was dropped so low, and though it did not fall +above thirty yards from us, yet we with our hollowing, running and +casting up our hats, could hardly save the fish from the eagle, and if +it had been let go two yards higher he would have got it: but we at last +took possession of it alive, carried it home, and had it dressed +forthwith. It served five of us very plentifully for a breakfast, and +some to the servants. This fish was a rock near two feet long, very fat, +and a great rarity for the time of year, as well as for the manner of +its being taken. + +These fishing hawks, in more plentiful seasons, will catch a fish and +loiter about with it in the air, on purpose to have chase with an eagle; +and when he does not appear soon enough the hawk will make a saucy +noise, and insolently defy him. This has been frequently seen by persons +who have observed their fishings. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. + + +§ 25. As in summer, the rivers and creeks are filled with fish, so in +winter they are in many places covered with fowl. There are such a +multitude of swans, geese, brants, sheldrakes, ducks of several sorts, +mallard, teal, blewings, and many other kinds of water fowl, that the +plenty of them is incredible. I am but a small sportsman, yet with a +fowling piece have killed above twenty of them at a shot. In like manner +are the mill ponds and great runs in the woods stored with these wild +fowl at certain seasons of the year. + +§ 26. The shores, marshy grounds, swamps and savannahs are also stored +with the like plenty of other game of all sorts, as cranes, curlews, +herons, snipes, woodcocks, saurers, ox-eyes, plovers, larks, and many +other good birds for the table that they have not yet found a name for. +Not to mention beavers, otters, musk rats, minxes, and an infinite +number of other wild creatures. + +§ 27. Although the inner lands want these benefits, (which, however, no +pond or plash is without,) yet even they have the advantage of wild +turkeys, of an incredible bigness, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and +an infinity of small birds, as well as deer, hares, foxes, raccoons, +squirrels, opossums. And upon the frontier plantations, they meet with +bears, panthers, wild cats, elks, buffaloes and wild hogs, which yield +pleasure as well as profit to the sportsman. And though some of these +names may seem frightful to the English, who hear not of them in their +own country, yet they are not so there, for all these creatures ever +fly from the face of man, doing no damage but to the cattle and hogs, +which the Indians never troubled themselves about. + +Here I cannot omit a strange rarity in the female opossum, which I +myself have seen. They have a false belly, or loose skin quite over the +belly; this never sticks to the flesh of the belly, but may be looked +into at all times, after they have been concerned in procreation. In the +hinderpart of this is an aperture big enough for a small hand to pass +into: hither the young ones, after they are full haired, and strong +enough to run about, do fly whenever any danger appears, or when they go +to rest or suck. This they continue till they have learned to live +without the dam: but what is yet stranger, the young ones are bred in +this false belly without ever being within the true one. They are formed +at the teat, and there they grow for several weeks together into perfect +shape, becoming visibly larger, till at last they get strength, sight +and hair; and then they drop off and rest in this false belly, going in +and out at pleasure. I have observed them thus fastened at the teat from +the bigness of a fly until they become as large as a mouse. Neither is +it any hurt to the old one to open this budget and look in upon her +young. + +§ 28. The Indians had no other way of taking their water or land fowl, +but by the help of bows and arrows. Yet so great was their plenty, that +with this weapon only they killed what numbers they pleased. And when +the water fowl kept far from shore (as in warmer weather they sometimes +did) they took their canoes and paddled after them. + +But they had a better way of killing the elks, buffaloes, deer, and +greater game, by a method which we call fire hunting: that is, a company +of them would go together back into the woods any time in the winter, +when the leaves were falling and so dry that they would burn; and being +come to the place designed, they would fire the woods in a circle of +five or six miles compass; and when they had completed the first round +they retreated inward, each at his due distance, and put fire to the +leaves and grass afresh, to accelerate the work, which ought to be +finished with the day. This they repeat till the circle be so contracted +that they can see their game herded all together in the middle, panting +and almost stifled with heat and smoke; for the poor creatures being +frightened at the flame keep running continually round, thinking to run +from it, and dare not pass through the fire; by which means they are +brought at last into a very narrow compass. Then the Indians retreat +into the centre, and let fly their arrows at them as they pass round +within the circle; by this means, though they stand often quite clouded +in smoke, they rarely shoot each other. By this means they destroy all +the beasts collected within that circle. They make all this slaughter +chiefly for the sake of the skins, leaving most of the carcasses to +perish in the woods. + +Father Verbiast, in his description of the Emperor of China's voyage +into the Eastern Tartary, Anno 1682, gives an account of a way of +hunting the Tartars have, not much unlike this; only whereas the Indians +surround their game with fire, the Tartars do it with a great body of +armed men, who having environed the ground they design to drive, march +equally inwards, which, still as the ring lessens, brings the men nearer +each other, till at length the wild beasts are encompassed with a living +wall. + +The Indians have many pretty inventions to discover and come up to the +deer, turkeys and other game undiscerned; but that being an art known to +very few English there, I will not be so accessary to the destruction of +their game as to make it public. I shall therefore only tell you, that +when they go a hunting into the outlands, they commonly go out for the +whole season with their wives and family. At the place where they find +the most game they build up a convenient number of small cabins, wherein +they live during that season. These cabins are both begun and finished +in two or three days, and after the season is over they make no farther +account of them. + +§ 29. This, and a great deal more, was the natural production of that +country, which the native Indians enjoyed, without the curse of +industry, their diversion alone, and not their labor, supplying their +necessities. The women and children indeed were so far provident as to +lay up some of the nuts and fruits of the earth in their season for +their farther occasions: but none of the toils of husbandry were +exercised by this happy people, except the bare planting a little corn +and melons, which took up only a few days in the summer, the rest being +wholly spent in the pursuit of their pleasures. And indeed all that the +English have done since their going thither has been only to make some +of these native pleasures more scarce, by an inordinate and unseasonable +use of them; hardly making improvements equivalent to that damage. + +I shall in the next book give an account of the Indians themselves, +their religion, laws and customs; that so both the country and its +primitive inhabitants may be considered together in that original state +of nature in which the English found them. Afterwards I will treat of +the present state of the English there, and the alterations, I can't +call them improvements, they have made at this day. + + + + +BOOK III. + +OF THE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND PEACE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. + + +§ 1. The Indians are of the middling and largest stature of the English. +They are straight and well proportioned, having the cleanest and most +exact limbs in the world. They are so perfect in their outward frame, +that I never heard of one single Indian that was either dwarfish, +crooked, bandy-legged, or otherwise misshapen. But if they have any such +practice among them as the Romans had, of exposing such children till +they died, as were weak and misshapen at their birth, they are very shy +of confessing it, and I could never yet learn that they had. + +Their color, when they are grown up, is a chestnut brown and tawny; but +much clearer in their infancy. Their skin comes afterwards to harden and +grow blacker by greasing and sunning themselves. They have generally +coal black hair, and very black eyes, which are most commonly graced +with that sort of squint which many of the Jews are observed to have. +Their women are generally beautiful, possessing shape and features +agreeable enough, and wanting no charm but that of education and a fair +complexion. + +§ 2. The men wear their hair cut after several fanciful fashions, +sometimes greased, and sometimes painted. The great men, or better sort, +preserve a long lock behind for distinction. They pull their beards up +by the roots with musselshells, and both men and women do the same by +the other parts of their body for cleanliness sake. The women wear the +hair of the head very long, either hanging at their backs, or brought +before in a single lock, bound up with a fillet of peak, or beads; +sometimes also they wear it neatly tied up in a knot behind. It is +commonly greased, and shining black, but never painted. + +The people of condition, of both sexes, wear a sort of coronet on their +heads, from four to six inches broad, open at the top, and composed of +peak, or beads, or else of both interwoven together, and worked into +figures, made by a nice mixture of the colors. Sometimes they wear a +wreath of died furs, as likewise bracelets on their necks and arms. The +common people go bare-headed, only sticking large shining feathers about +their heads, as their fancies lead them. + +§ 3. Their clothes are a large mantle, carelessly wrapped about their +bodies, and sometimes girt close in the middle with a girdle. The upper +part of this mantle is drawn close upon the shoulders, and the other +hangs below their knees. When that's thrown off, they have only for +modesty sake a piece of cloth, or a small skin tied round their waist, +which reaches down to the middle of the thigh. The common sort tie only +a string round their middle, and pass a piece of cloth or skin round +between their thighs, which they turn at each end over the string. + +Their shoes, when they wear any, are made of an entire piece of +buckskin, except when they sew a piece to the bottom to thicken the +sole. They are fastened on with running strings, the skin being drawn +together like a purse on the top of the foot, and tied round the ankle. +The Indian name of this kind of shoe is moccasin. + +But because a draught of these things will inform the reader more +at first view than a description in many words, I shall present him with +the following prints drawn by the life. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab: 2 Book: 3 Pag 129] + +TAB. II. is an Indian man in his summer dress. The upper part of his +hair is cut short to make a ridge, which stands up like the comb of a +cock, the rest is either shorn off, or knotted behind his ear. On his +head are stuck three feathers of the wild turkey, pheasant, hawk, or +such like. At his ear is hung a fine shell with pearl drops. At his +breast is a tablet, or fine shell, smooth as polished marble, which +sometimes also hath etched on it a star, half moon, or other figure, +according to the maker's fancy. Upon his neck and wrists hang strings of +beads, peak and roenoke. His apron is made of a deer skin, gashed round +the edges, which hang like tassels or fringe; at the upper end of the +fringe is an edging of peak, to make it finer. His quiver is of a thin +bark; but sometimes they make it of the skin of a fox, or young wolf, +with the head hanging to it, which has a wild sort of terror in it; and +to make it yet more warlike, they tie it on with the tail of a panther, +buffalo, or such like, letting the end hang down between their legs. The +pricked lines on his shoulders, breast and legs, represent the figures +painted thereon. In his left hand he holds a bow, and in his right an +arrow. The mark upon his shoulderblade is a distinction used by the +Indians in traveling, to show the nation they are of; and perhaps is the +same with that which Baron Lahontan calls the arms and heraldry of the +Indians. Thus the several lettered marks are used by several other +nations about Virginia, when they make a journey to their friends and +allies. + +The landscape is a natural representation of an Indian field. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Fig. 2 Fig. 1 +Tab. 3 Book 3 Pag. 129] + +TAB. III is two Indian men in their winter dress. Seldom any but the +elder people wore the winter cloaks (which they call match-coats) till +they got a supply of European goods; and now most have them of one sort +or other in the cold winter weather. Fig. 1 wears the proper Indian +match-coat, which is made of skins, dressed with the fur on, sewed +together, and worn with the fur inwards, having the edges also gashed +for beauty sake. On his feet are moccasins. By him stand some Indian +cabins on the banks of the river. Fig. 2 wears the Duffield match-coat +bought of the English; on his head is a coronet of peak, on his legs are +stockings made of Duffields: that is, they take a length to reach from +the ankle to the knee, so broad as to wrap round the leg; this they sew +together, letting the edges stand out at an inch beyond the seam. When +this is on, they garter below knee, and fasten the lower end in the +moccasin. + +§ 4. I don't find that the Indians have any other distinction in their +dress, or the fashion of their hair, than only what a greater degree of +riches enables them to make, except it be their religious persons, who +are known by the particular cut of the hair and the unusual figure of +their garments; as our clergy are distinguished by their canonical +habit. + +The habit of the Indian priest is a cloak made in the form of a woman's +petticoat; but instead of tieing it about their middle, they fasten the +gatherings about their neck and tie it upon the right shoulder, always +keeping one arm out to use upon occasion. This cloak hangs even at the +bottom, but reaches no lower than the middle of the thigh; but what is +most particular in it is, that it is constantly made of a skin dressed +soft, with the pelt or fur on the outside, and reversed; insomuch, that +when the cloak has been a little worn the hair falls down in flakes, and +looks very shagged and frightful. + +The cut of their hair is likewise peculiar to their function; for 'tis +all shaven close except a thin crest, like a cock's comb, which stands +bristling up, and runs in a semicircle from the forehead up along the +crown to the nape of the neck. They likewise have a border of hair over +the forehead, which by its own natural strength, and by the +stiffening it receives from grease and paint, will stand out like the +peak of a bonnet. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +a Huskanaw pen. + 3 +Fig 2 a Priest a Conjurer Fig. 1 + Tab 4 Book 3 Pag 131] + +TAB. IV. Is a priest and a conjurer in their proper habits. The priest's +habit is sufficiently described above. The conjurer shaves all his hair +off, except the crest on the crown; upon his ear he wears the skin of +some dark colored bird; he, as well as the priest, is commonly grimed +with soot or the like; to save his modesty he hangs an otter skin at his +girdle, fastening the tail between his legs; upon his thigh hangs his +pocket, which is fastened by tucking it under his girdle, the bottom of +this is likewise fringed with tassels for ornament sake. In the middle +between them is the Huskanawpen spoken of § 32. + +§ 5. The dress of the women is little different from that of the men, +except in the tieing of their hair. The women of distinction wear deep +necklaces, pendants and bracelets, made of small cylinders of the conch +shell, which they call peak: they likewise keep their skin clean and +shining with oil, while the men are commonly bedaubed all over with +paint. + +They are remarkable for having small round breasts, and so firm, that +they are hardly ever observed to hang down, even in old women. They +commonly go naked as far as the navel downward, and upward to the middle +of the thigh, by which means they have the advantage of discovering +their fine limbs and complete shape. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Fig. 2 Fig. 1 +Tab 5 Book 3 Pag. 131] + +TAB. V. Is a couple of young women. The first wearing a coronet, +necklace and bracelet of peak; the second a wreath of furs on her head, +and her hair is bound with a fillet of peak and beads. Between the two +is a woman under a tree making a basket of silk grass after their own +manner. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Pipe of peace v. ch. I have seen. Lahontans Calumet of peace. +a Birchen Canoe or Canoe of Bark +Tab. 6 Book 3 Pag. 132] + +TAB. VI. Is a woman and a boy running after her. One of her hands rests +in her necklace of peak, and the other holds a gourd, in which they put +water or other liquid. + +The boy wears a necklace of runtees, in his right hand is an Indian +rattle, and in his left a roasting ear of corn. Round his waist is a +small string, and another brought cross through his crotch, and for +decency a soft skin is fastened before. + +Runtees are made of the conch shell as the peak is, only the shape is +flat and round like a cheese, and drilled edge ways. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OF THE MARRIAGES AMONGST THE INDIANS, AND MANAGEMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN. + + +§ 6. The Indians have their solemnities of marriage, and esteem the vows +made at that time as most sacred and inviolable. Notwithstanding they +allow both the man and the wife to part upon disagreement, yet so great +is the disreputation of a divorce, that married people, to avoid the +character of inconstant and ungenerous, very rarely let their quarrels +proceed to a separation. However, when it does so happen, they reckon +all the ties of matrimony dissolved, and each hath the liberty of +marrying another. But infidelity is accounted the most unpardonable of +all crimes in either of the parties as long as the contract continues. + +In these separations, the children go, according to the affection of the +parent, with the one or the other; for children are not reckoned a +charge among them, but rather riches, according to the blessing of the +Old Testament; and if they happen to differ about dividing their +children, their method is then to part them equally, allowing the man +the first choice. + +§ 7. Though the young Indian women are said to prostitute their bodies +for wampom peak, runtees, beads, and other such like fineries; yet I +never could find any ground for the accusation, and believe it only to +be an unjust scandal upon them. This I know, that if ever they have a +child while they are single, it is such a disgrace to them that they +never after get husbands. Besides, I must do them the justice to say, I +never heard of a child any of them had before marriage, and the Indians +themselves disown any such custom; though they acknowledge, at the same +time, that the maidens are entirely at their own disposal, and may +manage their persons as they think fit. + +§ 8. The manner of the Indians treating their young children is very +strange; for instead of keeping them warm, at their first entry into the +world, and wrapping them up, with I don't know how many clothes, +according to our fond custom, the first thing they do is to dip the +child over head and ears in cold water, and then to bind it naked to a +convenient board, having a hole fitly placed for evacuation; but they +always put cotton, wool, fur, or other soft things, for the body to rest +easy on, between the child and the board. In this posture they keep it +several months, till the bones begin to harden, the joints to knit, and +the limbs to grow strong; and then they let it loose from the board, +suffering it to crawl about, except when they are feeding or playing +with it. + +While the child is thus at the board, they either lay it flat on its +back, or set it leaning on one end, or else hang it up by a string +fastened to the upper end of the board for that purpose; the child and +board being all this while carried about together. As our women undress +their children to clean and shift their linen, so they do theirs to wash +and grease them. + +The method the women have of carrying their children after they are +suffered to crawl about, is very particular; they carry them at their +backs in summer, taking one leg of the child under their arm, and the +counter-arm of the child in their hand over their shoulder; the other +leg hanging down, and the child all the while holding fast with its +other hand; but in winter they carry them in the hollow of their +match-coat at their back, leaving nothing but the child's head out, as +appears by the figure. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Fig: 2. Fig: 3. Fig: 1. +Tab: 7. Book 3. Pag: 134] + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 8 Book 3 Pag. 135] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OF THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 9. The method of the Indian settlements is altogether by cohabitation, +in townships, from fifty to five hundred families in a town, and each of +these towns is commonly a kingdom. Sometimes one king has the command of +several of these towns, when they happen to be united in his hands by +descent or conquest; but in such cases there is always a vicegerent +appointed in the dependent town, who is at once governor, judge, +chancellor, and has the same power and authority which the king himself +has in the town where he resides. This viceroy is obliged to pay his +principal some small tribute, as an acknowledgment of his submission, as +likewise to follow him to his wars whenever he is required. + +§ 10. The manner the Indians have of building their houses is very +slight and cheap. When they would erect a wigwam, which is the Indian +name for a house, they stick saplings into the ground by one end, and +bend the other at the top, fastening them together by strings made of +fibrous roots, the rind of trees, or of the green wood of the white oak, +which will rive into thongs. The smallest sort of these cabins are +conical like a bee-hive; but the larger are built in an oblong form, and +both are covered with the bark of trees, which will rive off into great +flakes. Their windows are little holes left open for the passage of the +light, which in bad weather they stop with shutters of the same bark, +opening the leeward windows for air and light. Their chimney, as among +the true born Irish, is a little hole on the top of the house, to let +out the smoke, having no sort of funnel, or any thing within, to +confine the smoke from ranging through the whole roof of the cabin, if +the vent will not let it out fast enough. The fire is always made in the +middle of the cabin. Their door is a pendent mat, when they are near +home; but when they go abroad they barricade it with great logs of wood +set against the mat, which are sufficient to keep out wild beasts. +There's never more than one room in a house, except in some houses of +state, or religion, where the partition is made only by mats and loose +poles. + +§ 11. Their houses, or cabins, as we call them, are by this ill method +of building continually smoky when they have fire in them; but to ease +that inconvenience, and to make the smoke less troublesome to their +eyes, they generally burn pine or lightwood, (that is, the fat knots of +dead pine,) the smoke of which does not offend the eyes, but smuts the +skin exceedingly, and is perhaps another occasion of the darkness of +their complexion. + +§ 12. Their seats, like those in the eastern part of the world, are the +ground itself; and as the people of distinction amongst those used +carpets, so cleanliness has taught the better sort of these to spread +match-coats and mats to sit on. + +They take up their lodging in the sides of their cabins upon a couch +made of boards, sticks, or reeds, which are raised from the ground upon +forks, and covered with mats or skins. Sometimes they lie upon a bear +skin, or other thick pelt dressed with the hair on, and laid upon the +ground near a fire, covering themselves with their match-coats. In warm +weather a single mat is their only bed, and another rolled up their +pillow. In their travels, a grass plat under the covert of a shady tree, +is all the lodging they require, and is as pleasant and refreshing to +them as a down bed and fine Holland sheets are to us. + +§ 13. Their fortifications consist only of a palisade, of about ten or +twelve feet high; and when they would make themselves very safe, they +treble the pale. They often encompass their whole town; but for the +most part only their king's houses, and as many others as they judge +sufficient to harbor all their people when an enemy comes against them. +They never fail to secure within their palisade all their religious +relics, and the remains of their princes. Within this inclosure, they +likewise take care to have a supply of water, and to make a place for a +fire, which they frequently dance round with great solemnity. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. + + +§ 14. Their cookery has nothing commendable in it, but that it is +performed with little trouble. They have no other sauce but a good +stomach, which they seldom want. They boil, broil, or toast all the meat +they eat, and it is very common with them to boil fish as well as flesh +with their homony; this is Indian corn soaked, broken in a mortar, +husked, and then boiled in water over a gentle fire for ten or twelve +hours, to the consistence of frumenty: the thin of this is what my Lord +Bacon calls cream of maise, and highly commends for an excellent sort of +nutriment. + +They have two ways of broiling, viz., one by laying the meat itself upon +the coals, the other by laying it upon sticks raised upon forks at some +distance above the live coals, which heats more gently, and dries up the +gravy; this they, and we also from them, call barbecueing. + +They skin and paunch all sorts of quadrupeds; they draw and pluck their +fowl; but their fish they dress with their scales on, without gutting; +but in eating they leave the scales, entrails and bones to be thrown +away. They also roast their fish upon a hot hearth, covering them with +hot ashes and coals, then take them out, the scales and skin they strip +clean off, so they eat the flesh, leaving the bones and entrails to be +thrown away. + +They never serve up different sorts of victuals in one dish; as roast +and boiled fish and flesh; but always serve them up in several vessels. + +They bake their bread either in cakes before the fire, or in loaves on a +warm hearth, covering the loaf first with leaves, then with warm ashes, +and afterwards with coals over all. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 9 Book 3 Pag. 139] + +TAB. IX. Represents the manner of their roasting and barbecueing, with +the form of their baskets for common uses, and carrying fish. + +§ 15. Their food is fish and flesh of all sorts, and that which +participates of both; as the beaver, a small kind of turtle, or +terrapins, (as we call them,) and several species of snakes. They +likewise eat grubs, the nymphæ of wasps, some kinds of scarabæi, cicadæ, +&c. These last are such as are sold in the markets of Fess, and such as +the Arabians, Lybians, Parthians and Æthiopians commonly eat; so that +these are not a new diet, though a very slender one; and we are informed +that St. John was dieted upon locusts and wild honey. + +They make excellent broth of the head and umbles of a deer, which they +put into the pot all bloody. This seems to resemble the _jus nigrum_ of +the Spartans, made with the blood and bowels of a hare. They eat not the +brains with the head, but dry them and reserve them to dress their +leather with. + +They eat all sorts of peas, beans, and other pulse, both parched and +boiled. They make their bread of the Indian corn, wild oats, or the seed +of the sunflower. But when they eat their bread, they eat it alone, and +not with their meat. + +They have no salt among them, but for seasoning use the ashes of +hickory, stickweed, or some other wood or plant affording a salt ash. + +They delight much to feed on roasting ears; that is, the Indian corn, +gathered green and milky, before it is grown to its full bigness, and +roasted before the fire in the ear. For the sake of this diet, which +they love exceedingly, they are very careful to procure all the several +sorts of Indian corn before mentioned, by which means they contrive to +prolong their season. And indeed this is a very sweet and pleasing food. + +They have growing near their towns, peaches, strawberries, cushaws, +melons, pompions, macocks, &c. The cushaws and pompions they lay by, +which will keep several months good after they are gathered; the peaches +they save by drying them in the sun; they have likewise several sorts of +the phaseoli. + +In the woods, they gather chinkapins, chestnuts, hickories and walnuts. +The kernels of the hickories they beat in a mortar with water, and make +a white liquor like milk, from whence they call our milk hickory. +Hazelnuts they will not meddle with, though they make a shift with +acorns sometimes, and eat all the other fruits mentioned before, but +they never eat any sort of herbs or leaves. + +They make food of another fruit called cuttanimmons, the fruit of a kind +of arum, growing in the marshes: they are like boiled peas or capers to +look on, but of an insipid earthy taste. Captain Smith in his History of +Virginia calls them ocaughtanamnis, and Theod. de Bry in his +translation, sacquenummener. + +Out of the ground they dig trubs, earth nuts, wild onions, and a +tuberous root they call tuckahoe, which while crude is of a very hot and +virulent quality: but they can manage it so, as in case of necessity, to +make bread of it, just as the East Indians and those of Egypt are said +to do of colocassia, or the West Indians of cassava. It grows like a +flag in the miry marshes, having roots of the magnitude and taste of +Irish potatoes, which are easy to be dug up. + +§ 16. They accustom themselves to no set meals, but eat night and day, +when they have plenty of provisions, or if they have got any thing that +is a rarity. They are very patient of hunger, when by any accident they +happen to have nothing to eat; which they make more easy to themselves +by girding up their bellies, just as the wild Arabs are said to do in +their long marches; by which means they are less sensible of the +impressions of hunger. + +§ 17. Among all this variety of food, nature hath not taught them the +use of any other drink than water; which though they have in cool and +pleasant springs every where, yet they will not drink that if they can +get pond water, or such as has been warmed by the sun and weather. +Baron Lahontan tells of a sweet juice of maple, which the Indians to the +northward gave him, mingled with water; but our Indians use no such +drink. For their strong drink they are altogether beholden to us, and +are so greedy of it, that most of them will be drunk as often as they +find an opportunity; notwithstanding which it is a prevailing humor +among them, not to taste any strong drink at all, unless they can get +enough to make them quite drunk, and then they go as solemnly about it +as if it were part of their religion. + +§ 18. Their fashion of sitting at meals is on a mat spread on the +ground, with their legs lying out at length before them, and the dish +between their legs; for which reason they seldom or never sit more than +two together at a dish, who may with convenience mix their legs together +and have the dish stand commodiously to them both, as appears by the +figure. + +The spoons which they eat with do generally hold half a pint; and they +laugh at the English for using small ones, which they must be forced to +carry so often to their mouths that their arms are in danger of being +tired before their belly. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 10. Book 3 Pag. 141] + +TAB. X. Is a man and his wife at dinner. + + No. 1. Is their pot boiling with homony and fish in it. + + 2. Is a bowl of corn, which they gather up in their fingers, to + feed themselves. + + 3. The tomahawk, which he lays by at dinner. + + 4. His pocket, which is likewise stripped off, that he may be at + full liberty. + + 5. A fish. } + } Both ready for dressing. + 6. A heap of roasting ears.} + + 7. The gourd of water. + + 8. A cockle shell, which they sometimes use instead of a spoon. + + 9. The mat they sit on. + +All other matters in this figure are understood by the foregoing and +following descriptions. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OF THE TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 19. Their travels they perform altogether on foot, the fatigue of +which they endure to admiration. They make no other provision for their +journey but their gun or bow, to supply them with food for many hundred +miles together. If they carry any flesh in their marches, they barbecue +it, or rather dry it by degrees, at some distance over the clear coals +of a wood fire; just as the Charibees are said to preserve the bodies of +their kings and great men from corruption. Their sauce to this dry meat, +(if they have any besides a good stomach,) is only a little bear's oil, +or oil of acorns; which last they force out by boiling the acorns in a +strong lye. Sometimes also in their travels each man takes with him a +pint or quart of rockahomonie, that is, the finest Indian corn parched +and beaten to powder. When they find their stomach empty, (and cannot +stay for the tedious cookery of other things,) they put about a spoonful +of this into their mouths and drink a draught of water upon it, which +stays their stomachs, and enables them to pursue their journey without +delay. But their main dependence is upon the game they kill by the way, +and the natural fruits of the earth. They take no care about lodging in +these journeys, but content themselves with the shade of a tree or a +little high grass. + +When they fear being discovered or followed by an enemy in their +marches, they every morning, having first agreed where they shall +rendezvous at night, disperse themselves into the woods, and each takes +a several way, that so the grass or leaves being but singly pressed, may +rise again and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in +following a track, even where the impressions are not visible to other +people, especially if they have any advantage from the looseness of the +earth, from the stiffness of the grass, or the stirring of the leaves, +which in the winter season lie very thick upon the ground; and likewise +afterwards, if they do not happen to be burned. + +When in their travels they meet with any waters which are not fordable, +they make canoes of birch bark, by slipping it whole off the tree in +this manner: First, they gash the bark quite round the tree, at the +length they would have the canoe off, then slit down the length from end +to end; when that is done, they with their tomahawks easily open the +bark and strip it whole off. Then they force it open with sticks in the +middle, slope the under side of the ends and sow them up, which helps to +keep the belly open; or if the birch trees happen to be small they sow +the bark of two together. The seams they daub with clay or mud, and then +pass over in these canoes, by two, three, or more at a time, according +as they are in bigness. By reason of the lightness of these boats, they +can easily carry them over land, if they foresee that they are like to +meet with any more waters that may impede their march; or else they +leave them at the water side, making no farther account of them, except +it be to repass the same waters in their return. See the resemblance, +Tab. 6. + +§ 20. They have a peculiar way of receiving strangers, and +distinguishing whether they come as friends or enemies, though they do +not understand each other's language: and that is by a singular method +of smoking tobacco, in which these things are always observed: + + 1. They take a pipe much larger and bigger than the common tobacco + pipe, expressly made for that purpose, with which all towns are + plentifully provided; they call them the pipes of peace. + + 2. This pipe they always fill with tobacco, before the face of the + strangers, and light it. + + 3. The chief man of the Indians, to whom the strangers come, takes + two or three whiffs, and then hands it to the chief of the + strangers. + + 4. If the stranger refuses to smoke in it, 'tis a sign of war. + + 5. If it be peace, the chief of the strangers takes a whiff or two + in the pipe, and presents it to the next great man of the town + they come to visit; he, after taking two or three whiffs, gives it + back to the next of the strangers, and so on alternately, until + they have past all the persons of note on each side, and then the + ceremony is ended. + +After a little discourse, they march together in a friendly manner into +the town, and then proceed to explain the business upon which they came. +This method is as general a rule among all the Indians of those parts of +America as the flag of truce is among the Europeans. And though the +fashion of the pipe differ, as well as the ornaments of it, according to +the humor of the several nations, yet 'tis a general rule to make these +pipes remarkably bigger than those for common use, and to adorn them +with beautiful wings and feathers of birds, as likewise with peak, +beads, or other such foppery. Father Lewis Henepin gives a particular +description of one that he took notice of among the Indians upon the +lakes wherein he traveled. He describes it by the name of the calumet of +peace, and his words are these, Book I., chap. 24: + +"This calumet is the most mysterious thing in the world among the +savages of the continent of the Northern America; for it is used in all +their important transactions: however, it is nothing else but a large +tobacco pipe, made of red, black or white marble; the head is finely +polished, and the quill, which is commonly two feet and a half long, is +made of a pretty strong reed or cane, adorned with feathers of all +colors, interlaced with locks of women's hair. They tie it to two wings +of the most curious birds they can find, which makes their calumet not +much unlike Mercury's wand, or that staff ambassadors did formerly carry +when they went to treat of peace. They sheath that reed into the neck +of birds they call huars, which are as big as our geese, and spotted +with black and white; or else of a sort of ducks, which make their nests +upon trees, though the water be their ordinary element, and whose +feathers be of many different colors. However, every nation adorns their +calumet as they think fit, according to their own genius, and the birds +they have in their country. + +"Such a pipe is a pass and safe conduct among all the allies of the +nation who has given it. And in all embassies, the ambassador carries +that calumet, as the symbol of peace, which is always respected: for the +savages are generally persuaded, that a great misfortune would befall +them, if they violated the public faith of the calumet. + +"All their enterprises, declarations of war, or conclusions of peace, as +well as all the rest of their ceremonies, are sealed, (if I may be +permitted to say so,) with this calumet: They fill that pipe with the +best tobacco they have, and then present it to those with whom they have +concluded any great affair, and smoke out of the same after them." + +In tab. 6, is seen the calumet of peace, drawn by Lahontan, and one of +the sort which I have seen. + +§ 21. They have a remarkable way of entertaining all strangers of +condition, which is performed after the following manner: First, the +king or queen, with a guard and a great retinue, march out of the town, +a quarter or half a mile, and carry mats for their accommodation. When +they meet the strangers, they invite them to sit down upon those mats. +Then they pass the ceremony of the pipe, and afterwards, having spent +about half an hour in grave discourse, they get up, all together, and +march into the town. Here the first compliment is to wash the courteous +traveler's feet; then he is treated at a plentiful entertainment, served +up by a great number of attendants; after which he is diverted with +antique Indian dances, performed both by men and women, and accompanied +with great variety of wild music. At this rate he is regaled till +bedtime, when a brace of young, beautiful virgins are chosen to wait +upon him that night for his particular refreshment. These damsels are to +undress this happy gentleman, and as soon as he is in bed, they gently +lay themselves down by him, one on one side of him, and the other on the +other. They esteem it a breach of hospitality, not to submit to +everything he desires of them. This kind ceremony is used only to men of +great distinction--and the young women are so far from suffering in +their reputation for this civility, that they are envied for it by all +the other girls, as having had the greatest honor done them in the +world. + +After this manner, perhaps, many of the heroes were begotten in old +time, who boasted themselves to be the sons of some wayfaring god. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OF THE LEARNING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 22. These Indians have no sort of letters to express their words by; +but when they would communicate anything that cannot be delivered by +message, they do it by a sort of hieroglyphic, or representation of +birds, beasts, or other things, shewing their different meaning by the +various forms described, and by the different position of the figures. + +Baron Lahontan, in his second volume of New Voyages, has two +extraordinary chapters concerning the heraldry and hieroglyphics of the +Indians; but I, having had no opportunity of conversing with our Indians +since that book came to my hands, nor having ever suspected them to be +acquainted with heraldry, I am not able to say anything upon that +subject. + +The Indians, when they travel ever so small a way, being much embroiled +in war one with another, use several marks painted upon their shoulders +to distinguish themselves by, and show what nation they are of. The +usual mark is one, two, or three arrows. One nation paints these arrows +upwards, another downwards, a third sideways--and others again use other +distinctions, as in tab. 2, from whence it comes to pass, that the +Virginia assembly took up the humor of making badges of silver, copper +or brass, of which they gave a sufficient number to each nation in amity +with the English, and then made a law, that the Indians should not +travel among the English plantations without one of these badges in +their company, to show that they are friends. And this is all the +heraldry that I know is practiced among the Indians. + +§ 23. Their languages differ very much, as anciently in the several +parts of Britain; so that nations at a moderate distance do not +understand one another. However, they have a sort of general language, +like what Lahontan calls the Algonkine, which is understood by the chief +men of many nations, as Latin is in most parts of Europe, and Lingua +Franca quite through the Levant. + +The general language here used is said to be that of the Occaneeches, +though they have been but a small nation ever since those parts were +known to the English; but in what this language may differ from that of +the Algonkines, I am not able to determine. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +OF THE WAR, AND PEACE OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 24. When they are about to undertake any war or other solemn +enterprise, the king summons a convention of his great men to assist at +a grand council, which, in their language, is called a Matchacomoco. At +these assemblies, 'tis the custom, especially when a war is expected, +for the young men to paint themselves irregularly with black, red, +white, and several other motley colors, making one-half of their face +red, (for instance,) and the other black or white, with great circles of +a different hue round their eyes, with monstrous mustaches, and a +thousand fantastical figures, all over the rest of their body; and to +make themselves appear yet more ugly and frightful, they strew feathers, +down, or the hair of beasts upon the paint while it is still moist and +capable of making those light substances stick fast on. When they are +thus formidably equipped, they rush into the Matchacomoco, and instantly +begin some very grotesque dance, holding their arrows or tomahawks in +their hands, and all the while singing the ancient glories of their +nation, and especially of their own families--threatening and making +signs with their tomahawk what a dreadful havoc they intend to make +amongst their enemies. + +Notwithstanding these terrible airs they give themselves, they are very +timorous when they come to action, and rarely perform any open or bold +feats; but the execution they do, is chiefly by surprise and ambuscade. + +§ 25. The fearfulness of their nature makes them very jealous and +implacable. Hence it is, that when they get a victory, they destroy +man, woman and child, to prevent all future resentments. + +§ 26. I can't think it anything but their jealousy that makes them +exclude the lineal issue from succeeding immediately to the crown. Thus, +if a king have several legitimate children, the crown does not descend +in a direct line to his children, but to his brother by the same mother, +if he have any, and for want of such, to the children of his eldest +sister, always respecting the descent by the female, as the surer side. +But the crown goes to the male heir (if any be) in equal degree, and for +want of such, to the female, preferably to any male that is more +distant. + +§ 27. As in the beginning of a war, they have assemblies for +consultation, so, upon any victory or other great success, they have +public meetings again for processions and triumphs. I never saw one of +these, but have heard that they are accompanied with all the marks of a +wild and extravagant joy. + +Captain Smith gives the particulars of one that was made upon his being +taken prisoner, and carried to their town. These are his words, vol. I, +page 159: + + "Drawing themselves all in file, the king in the midst had all + their pieces and swords borne before him. Captain Smith was led + after him by three great savages, holding him fast by each arm, + and on each side six went in file, with their arrows nocked; but + arriving at the town, (which was but thirty or forty hunting + houses made of mats, which they remove as often as they please, as + we our tents,) all the women and children staring to behold him, + the soldiers first, all in the file, performed the form of a + bissom as well as could be, and on each flank officers as + sergeants to see them keep their order. A good time they continued + this exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dancing in such + several postures, and singing and yelling out such hellish notes + and screeches, being strangely painted, every one his quiver of + arrows, and at his back a club, on his arm a fox or an otter's + skin, or some such matter for his vambrace; their heads and + shoulders painted red, with oil and puccoons mingled together, + which scarlet-like color made an exceeding handsome show; his bow + in his hand, and the skin of a bird with the wings abroad dried, + tied on his head; a piece of copper, a white shell, a long + feather, with a small rattle growing at the tails of their snakes, + tied to it, or some such like toy. All this, while Smith and the + king stood in the midst guarded, as before is said, and after + three dances they all departed." + +I suppose here is something omitted, and that the conjurer should have +been introduced in his proper dress, as the sequel of the story seems to +mean. + +§ 28. They use formal embassies for treating, and very ceremonious ways +in concluding of peace, or else some other memorable action, such as +burying a tomahawk, and raising a heap of stones thereon, as the Hebrews +were wont to do; or of planting a tree, in token that all enmity is +buried with the tomahawk; that all the desolations of war are at an end, +and that friendship shall flourish among them like a tree. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CONCERNING THE RELIGION, WORSHIP, AND SUPERSTITIOUS CUSTOMS OF THE +INDIANS. + + +§ 29. I don't pretend to have dived into all the mysteries of the Indian +religion, nor have I had such opportunities of learning them as father +Henepin and Baron Lahontan had, by living much among the Indians in +their towns; and because my rule is to say nothing but what I know to be +truth, I shall be very brief upon this head. + +In the writings of those two gentlemen, I cannot but observe direct +contradictions, although they traveled the same country, and the +accounts they pretend to give are of the same Indians. One makes them +have very refined notions of a Deity, and the other don't allow them so +much as the name of a God. For which reason, I think myself obliged +sincerely to deliver what I can warrant to be true upon my own +knowledge; it being neither my interest, nor any part of my vanity, to +impose upon the world. + +I have been at several of the Indian towns, and conversed with some of +the most sensible of them in Virginia; but I could learn little from +them, it being reckoned sacrilege to divulge the principles of their +religion. However, the following adventure discovered something of it. +As I was ranging the woods, with some other friends, we fell upon their +quioccosan, (which is their house of religious worship,) at a time when +the whole town were gathered together in another place, to consult about +the bounds of the land given them by the English. + +Thus finding ourselves masters of so fair an opportunity, (because we +knew the Indians were engaged,) we resolved to make use of it, and to +examine their quioccosan, the inside of which they never suffer any +Englishmen to see; and having removed about fourteen logs from the door, +with which it was barricaded, we went in, and at first found nothing but +naked walls, and a fireplace in the middle. This house was about +eighteen feet wide, and thirty feet long, built after the manner of +their other cabins, but larger, with a hole in the middle of the roof to +vent the smoke, the door being at one end. Round about the house, at +some distance from it, were set up posts, with faces carved on them, and +painted. We did not observe any window or passage for the light, except +the door and the vent of the chimney. At last we observed, that at the +farther end, about ten feet of the room was cut off by a partition of +very close mats, and it was dismal dark behind that partition. We were +at first scrupulous to enter this obscure place, but at last we +ventured, and, groping about, we felt some posts in the middle; then +reaching our hands up those posts, we found large shelves, and upon +these shelves three mats, each of which was rolled up, and sowed fast. +These we handed down to the light, and to save time in unlacing the +seams, we made use of a knife, and ripped them, without doing any damage +to the mats. In one of these we found some vast bones, which we judged +to be the bones of men--particularly we measured one thighbone, and +found it two feet nine inches long. In another mat we found some Indian +tomahawks finely graved and painted. These resembled the wooden falchion +used by the prize-fighters in England, except that they have no guard to +save the fingers. They were made of a rough, heavy wood, and the shape +of them is represented in the tab. 10, No. 3. Among these tomahawks, was +the largest that ever I saw. There was fastened to it a wild turkey's +beard painted red, and two of the longest feathers of his wings hung +dangling at it, by a string of about six inches long, tied to the end of +the tomahawk. In the third mat there was something which we took to be +their idol, though of an underling sort, and wanted putting together. +The pieces were these--first, a board three feet and a half long, with +one indenture at the upper end like a fork, to fasten the head upon. +From thence half way down, were half hoops nailed to the edges of the +board, at about four inches' distance, which were bowed out, to +represent the breast and belly; on the lower half was another board of +half the length of the other, fastened to it by joints or pieces of +wood, which being set on each side stood out about fourteen inches from +the body, and half as high. We supposed the use of these to be for the +bowing out of the knees, when the image was set up. There were packed up +with these things, red and blue pieces of cotton cloth, rolls made up +for arms, thighs and legs, bent too at the knees, as is represented in +the figure of their idol, which was taken by an exact drawer in the +first discovery of the country. It would be difficult to see one of +these images at this day, because the Indians are extreme shy of +exposing them. We put the clothes upon the hoops for the body, and +fastened on the arms and legs to have a view of the representation; but +the head and rich bracelets, which it is usually adorned with, were not +there, or at least we did not find them. We had not leisure to make a +very narrow search, for having spent about an hour in this enquiry, we +feared the business of the Indians might be near over, and that if we +staid longer, we might be caught offering an affront to their +superstition. For this reason, we wrapt up those holy materials in their +several mats again, and laid them on the shelf where we found them. This +image, when dressed up, might look very venerable in that dark place +where 'tis not possible to see it, but by the glimmering light that is +let in by lifting up a piece of the matting, which we observed to be +conveniently hung for that purpose; for when the light of the door and +chimney glance in several directions upon the image through that little +passage, it must needs make a strange representation, which those poor +people are taught to worship with a devout ignorance. There are other +things that contribute towards carrying on this imposture. First, the +chief conjurer enters within the partition in the dark, and may +undiscerned move the image as he pleases. Secondly, a priest of +authority stands in the room with the people, to keep them from being +too inquisitive, under the penalty of the deity's displeasure and his +own censure. + +Their idol bears a several name in every nation, as Okee, Quioccos, +Kiwasa. They do not look upon it as one single being, but reckon there +are many of the same nature; they likewise believe that there are +tutelar deities in every town. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Idol call'd, OKEÈ, QUIÓCCOS, or KIWASA. +Tab. 11 Book 3 Pag. 155] + +TAB. 11. Their idol in his tabernacle. + +The dark edging shows the sides and roof of the house, which consists of +saplings and bark. The paler edging shows the mats, by which they make a +partition of about ten feet at the end of the house for the idol's +abode. The idol is set upon his seat of mats within a dark recess above +the people's heads, and the curtain is drawn up before him. + +§ 30. Father Henepin, in his continuation, page 60, will not allow that +the Indians have any belief of a Deity, nor that they are capable of the +arguments and reasonings that are common to the rest of mankind. He +farther says, that they have not any outward ceremony to denote their +worship of a Deity, nor have any word to express God by--that there's no +sacrifice, priest, temple, or any other token of religion among them. +Baron Lahontan, on the other hand, makes them have such refined notions, +as seem almost to confute his own belief of Christianity. + +The first I cannot believe, though written by the pen of that pious +father; because, to my own knowledge, all the Indians in these parts are +a superstitious and idolatrous people; and because all other authors, +who have written of the American Indians, are against him. As to the +other account of the just thoughts the Indians have of religion, I must +humbly intreat the baron's pardon; because I am very sure they have some +unworthy conceptions of God and another world. Therefore, what that +gentleman tells the public concerning them, is rather to show his own +opinions, than those of the Indians. + +Once in my travels, in very cold weather, I met at an Englishman's house +with an Indian, of whom an extraordinary character had been given me for +his ingenuity and understanding. When I saw he had no other Indian with +him, I thought I might be the more free; and therefore I made much of +him, seating him close by a large fire, and giving him plenty of strong +cider, which I hoped would make him good company and open-hearted. After +I found him well warmed, (for unless they be surprised some way or +other, they will not talk freely of their religion,) I asked him +concerning their god, and what their notions of him were? He freely told +me, they believed God was universally beneficent, that his dwelling was +in the heavens above, and that the influences of his goodness reached to +the earth beneath. That he was incomprehensible in his excellence, and +enjoyed all possible felicity; that his duration was eternal, his +perfection boundless, and that he possesses everlasting indolence and +ease. I told him I had heard that they worshipped the devil, and asked +why they did not rather worship God, whom they had so high an opinion +of, and who would give them all good things, and protect them from any +mischief that the devil could do them? To this his answer was, that, +'tis true God is the giver of all good things, but they flow naturally +and promiscuously from him; that they are showered down upon all men +indifferently without distinction; that God does not trouble himself +with the impertinent affairs of men, nor is concerned at what they do; +but leaves them to make the most of their free will, and to secure as +many as they can of the good things that flow from him; that therefore +it was to no purpose either to fear or worship him. But on the contrary, +if they did not pacify the evil spirit, and make him propitious, he +would take away or spoil all those good things that God had given, and +ruin their health, their peace, and their plenty, by sending war, plague +and famine among them; for, said he, this evil spirit is always busying +himself with our affairs, and frequently visiting us, being present in +the air in the thunder, and in the storms. He told me farther, that he +expected adoration and sacrifice from them, on pain of his displeasure, +and that therefore they thought it convenient to make their court to +him. I then asked him concerning the image which they worship in their +quioccasan, and assured him that it was a dead, insensible log, equipped +with a bundle of clouts, a mere helpless thing made by men, that could +neither hear, see nor speak, and that such a stupid thing could noways +hurt or help them. To this he answered very unwillingly, and with much +hesitation; however, he at last delivered himself in these broken and +imperfect sentences: It is the priests----they make the people believe, +and----. Here he paused a little, and then repeated to me, that it was +the priests----, and then gave me hopes that he would have said +something more; but a qualm crossed his conscience, and hindered him +from making any farther confession. + +§ 31. The priests and conjurers have a great sway in every nation. Their +words are looked upon as oracles, and consequently are of great weight +among the common people. They perform their adorations and conjurations +in the general language before spoken of, as the catholics of all +nations do their mass in the Latin. They teach that the souls of men +survive their bodies, and that those who have done well here, enjoy most +transporting pleasures in their elysium hereafter; that this elysium is +stored with the highest perfection of all their earthly pleasures; +namely, with plenty of all sorts of game for hunting, fishing and +fowling; that it is blest with the most charming women, who enjoy an +eternal bloom, and have an universal desire to please; that it is +delivered from excesses of cold or heat, and flourishes with an +everlasting spring. But that, on the contrary, those who are wicked and +live scandalously here, are condemned to a filthy, stinking lake after +death, that continually burns with flames that never extinguish; where +they are persecuted and tormented day and night, with furies in the +shape of old women. + +They use many divinations and enchantments, and frequently offer burnt +sacrifice to the evil spirit. The people annually present their first +fruits of every season and kind, namely, of birds, beasts, fish, fruits, +plants, roots, and of all other things, which they esteem either of +profit or pleasure to themselves. They repeat their offerings as +frequently as they have great successes in their wars, or their fishing, +fowling or hunting. + +Captain Smith describes the particular manner of a conjuration that was +made about him, while he was a prisoner among the Indians at the Pamunky +town, in the first settlement of the country; and after that I'll tell +you of another of a more modern date, which I had from a very good hand. +Smith's word's are these: vol. 1, p. 160. + + "Early in the morning, a great fire was made in a long house, and + a mat spread on the one side and on the other. On the one they + caused him to sit, and all the guard went out of the house, and + presently there came skipping in a great grim fellow, all painted + over with coal mingled with oil, and many snakes and weasel skins + stuffed with moss, and all their tails tied together, so as they + met in the crown of his head, like a tassel, and round about the + tassel was a coronet of feathers, the skins hanging round about + his head, back and shoulders, and in a manner covering his face; + with a hellish voice, and a rattle in his hand, with most strange + gestures and postures, he began his invocation, and environed the + fire with a circle of meal; which done, three much such like + devils came rushing in with the like antic tricks, painted half + black, half red; but all their eyes were painted white, and some + great strokes like mustaches, along their cheeks. Round about him + these fiends danced a pretty while; and then came in three more as + ugly as the rest, with red eyes and white strokes over their black + faces. At last they all sat down right against him, three of them + on one hand of the chief priest and three on the other. Then all + of them with their rattles began a song; which ended, the chief + priest laid down five wheat corns; then straining his arms and + hands with such violence that he sweat, and his veins swelled, he + began a short oration. At the conclusion they gave a short groan, + and then laid down three grains more; after that, began their song + again, and then another oration, ever laying down so many corns as + before, till they had twice encircled the fire. That done, they + took a bunch of little sticks prepared for that purpose, + continuing still their devotion, and at the end of every song and + oration, they laid down a stick betwixt the divisions of corn. + Till night neither he nor they did eat or drink, and then they + feasted merrily with the provisions they could make. Three days + they used this ceremony, the meaning whereof they told him was to + know if he intended them well or no. The circle of meal signified + their country, the circles of corn the bounds of the sea, and the + sticks his country. They imagined the world to be flat and round + like a trencher, and they in the midst." + +Thus far is Smith's story of conjuration concerning himself; but when he +says they encircled the fire with wheat, I am apt to believe he means +their Indian corn, which some, contrary to the custom of the rest of +mankind will still call by the name of Indian wheat. + +The latter story of conjuration is this: Some few years ago, there +happened a very dry time towards the heads of the rivers, and especially +on the upper parts of James river, where Col. Byrd had several quarters +of negroes. This gentleman has been for a long time extremely respected +and feared by all the Indians round about, who, without knowing the name +of any governor, have ever been kept in order by him. During this +drought, an Indian, well known to one of the Colonel's overseers, came +to him, and asked if his tobacco was not like to be spoiled? The +overseer answered yes, if they had not rain very suddenly. The Indian, +who pretended great kindness for his master, told the overseer if he +would promise to give him two bottles of rum, he would bring him rain +enough. The overseer did not believe anything of the matter, not seeing +at that time the least appearance of rain, nor so much as a cloud in the +sky; however, he promised to give him the rum when his master came +thither, if he would be as good as his word. Upon this, the Indian went +immediately a pauwawing as they call it, and in about half an hour, +there came up a black cloud into the sky that showered down rain enough +upon this gentleman's corn and tobacco, but none at all upon any of the +neighbors, except a few drops of the skirts of the shower. The Indian +for that time went away without returning to the overseer again, till he +heard of his master's arrival at the falls, and then he came to him and +demanded the two bottles of rum. The Colonel at first seemed to know +nothing of the matter, and asked the Indian for what reason he made that +demand? (Although his overseer had been so overjoyed at what had +happened that he could not rest till he had taken a horse and rode near +forty miles to tell his master the story.) The Indian answered with some +concern, that he hoped the overseer had let him know the service he had +done him, by bringing a shower of rain to save his crop. At this the +Colonel, not being apt to believe such stories, smiled, and told him he +was a cheat, and had seen the cloud acoming, otherwise he could neither +have brought the rain nor so much as foretold it. The Indian at this, +seeming much troubled, replied, why then had not such a one, and such a +one, (naming the next neighbor,) rain, as well as your overseer? for +they lost their crops, but I loved you and therefore I saved yours. The +Colonel made sport with him a little while, but in the end ordered him +the two bottles of rum, letting him understand, however, that it was a +free gift, and not the consequence of any bargain with his overseer. + +§ 32. The Indians have their altars and places of sacrifice. Some say +they now and then sacrifice young children; but they deny it, and assure +us, that when they withdraw their children, it is not to sacrifice them, +but to consecrate them to the service of their god. Smith tells of one +of these sacrifices in his time, from the testimony of some people who +had been eye-witnesses. His words are these, (vol. 1, p. 140): + + "Fifteen of the properest young boys, between ten and fifteen + years of age, they painted white; having brought them forth, the + people spent the forenoon in dancing and singing about them with + rattles. In the afternoon, they put these children to the root of + a tree. By them all the men stood in a guard, every one having a + bastinado in his hand, made of reeds bound together. They made a + lane between them all along, through which there were appointed + five young men to fetch these children: so every one of the five + went through the guard to fetch a child each after other by turns; + the guard fiercely beating them with their bastinadoes, and they + patiently enduring and receiving all, defending the children with + their naked bodies from the unmerciful blows, that pay them + soundly, though the children escape. All this while the women weep + and cry out very passionately, providing mats, skins, moss and dry + wood, as things fitting for their children's funeral. After the + children were thus past the guard, the guards tore down the tree, + branches and boughs with such violence, that they rent the body, + made wreaths for their heads, and bedecked their hair with the + leaves. + + "What else was done with the children was not seen; but they were + all cast on a heap in a valley as dead, where they made a great + feast for all the company. + + "The Werowance being demanded the meaning of this sacrifice, + answered, that the children were not dead, but that the Okee or + devil did suck the blood from the left breast of those, who + chanced to be his by lot, till they were dead; but the rest were + kept in the wilderness by the young men, till nine months were + expired, during which time they must not converse with any; and of + these were made their priests and conjurers." + +How far Captain Smith might be misinformed in this account, I can't say, +or whether their Okee's sucking the breast, be only a delusion or +pretence of the physician, (or priest, who is always a physician,) to +prevent all reflection on his skill when any happened to die under his +discipline. This I choose rather to believe, than those religious +romances concerning their Okee. For I take this story of Smith's to be +only an example of huskanawing, which being a ceremony then altogether +unknown to him, he might easily mistake some of the circumstances of it. + +The solemnity of huskanawing is commonly practiced once every fourteen +or sixteen years, or oftener, as their young men happen to grow up. It +is an institution or discipline which all young men must pass before +they can be admitted to be of the number of the great men, officers, or +cockarouses of the nation; whereas, by Capt. Smith's relation, they were +only set apart to supply the priesthood. The whole ceremony of +huskanawing is performed after the following manner: + +The choicest and briskest young men of the town, and such only as have +acquired some treasure by their travels and hunting, are chosen out by +the rulers to be huskanawed; and whoever refuses to undergo this process +dares not remain among them. Several of those odd preparatory fopperies +are premised in the beginning, which have been before related; but the +principal part of the business is, to carry them into the woods, and +there keep them under confinement, and destitute of all society for +several months, giving them no other sustenance but the infusion, or +decoction, of some poisonous, intoxicating roots; by virtue of which +physic, and by the severity of the discipline which they undergo, they +became stark, staring mad; in which raving condition, they are kept +eighteen or twenty days. During these extremities, they are shut up, +night and day, in a strong inclosure, made on purpose; one of which I +saw belonging to the Pamunky Indians, in the year 1694. It was in shape +like a sugar loaf, and every way open like a lattice for the air to pass +through, as in tab. 4, fig. 3. In this cage, thirteen young men had been +huskanawed, and had not been a month set at liberty when I saw it. Upon +this occasion, it is pretended that these poor creatures drink so much +of that water of Lethe, that they perfectly lose the remembrance of all +former things, even of their parents, their treasure, and their +language. When the doctors find that they have drank sufficiently of the +wysoccan, (so they call this mad potion,) they gradually restore them to +their senses again, by lessening the intoxication of their diet; but +before they are perfectly well, they bring them back into their towns, +while they are still wild and crazy, through the violence of the +medicine. After this, they are very fearful of discovering anything of +their former remembrance; for if such a thing should happen to any of +them, they must immediately be huskanawed again; and the second time, +the usage is so severe, that seldom any one escapes with life. Thus they +must pretend to have forgot the very use of their tongues, so as not to +be able to speak, nor understand anything that is spoken, till they +learn it again. Now, whether this be real or counterfeit, I don't know; +but certain it is, that they will not for some time take notice of any +body, nor anything with which they were before acquainted, being still +under the guard of their keepers, who constantly wait upon them +everywhere till they have learnt all things perfectly over again. Thus +they unlive their former lives, and commence men by forgetting that they +ever have been boys. If, under this exercise, any one should die, I +suppose the story of Okee, mentioned by Smith, is the salvo for it; for, +(says he) Okee was to have such as were his by lot, and such were said +to be sacrificed. + +Now this conjecture is the more probable, because we know that Okee has +not a share in every huskanawing; for though two young men happened to +come short home, in that of the Pamunky Indians, which was performed in +the year 1694, yet the Appomattoxs, formerly a great nation, though now +an inconsiderable people, made a huskanaw in the year 1690, and brought +home the same number they carried out. + +§ 33. I can account no other way for the great pains and secrecy of the +keepers, during the whole process of this discipline, but by assuring +you, that it is the most meritorious thing in the world to discharge +that trust well, in order to their preferment to the greatest posts in +the nation, which they claim as their undoubted right, in the next +promotion. On the other hand, they are sure of a speedy passport into +the other world, if they should, by their levity or neglect, shew +themselves in the least unfaithful. + +Those which I have observed to have been huskanawed, were lively, +handsome, well timbered young men, from fifteen to twenty years of age, +or upward, and such as were generally reputed rich. + +I confess, I judged it at the first sight to be only an invention of the +seniors, to engross the young men's riches to themselves; for, after +suffering this operation, they never pretended to call to mind anything +of their former property; but their goods were either shared by the old +men, or brought to some public use; and so those younkers were obliged +to begin the world again. + +But the Indians detest this opinion, and pretend that this violent +method of taking away the memory, is to release the youth from all their +childish impressions, and from that strong partiality to persons and +things, which is contracted before reason comes to take place. They hope +by this proceeding, to root out all the prepossessions and unreasonable +prejudices which are fixed in the minds of children. So that, when the +young men come to themselves again, their reason may act freely, without +being biased by the cheats of custom and education. Thus, also, they +become discharged from the remembrance of any ties by blood, and are +established in a state of equality and perfect freedom, to order their +actions, and dispose of their persons, as they think fit, without any +other control than that of the law of nature. By this means also they +become qualified, when they have any public office, equally and +impartially to administer justice, without having respect either to +friend or relation. Puffend. p. 7, book I. A proselyte of justice of +the Jews had a new soul. + +§ 34. The Indians offer sacrifice almost upon every new occasion; as +when they travel or begin a long journey, they burn tobacco instead of +incense, to the sun, to bribe him to send them fair weather, and a +prosperous voyage. When they cross any great water, or violent fresh, or +torrent, they throw in tobacco, puccoon, peak, or some other valuable +thing, that they happen to have about them, to intreat the spirit +presiding there to grant them a safe passage. It is called a fresh, when +after very great rains, or (as we suppose) after a great thaw of the +snow and ice lying upon the mountains to the westward, the water +descends in such abundance into the rivers, that they overflow the +banks, which bound their streams at other times. + +Likewise, when the Indians return from war, from hunting, from great +journeys or the like, they offer some proportion of their spoils, of +their chiefest tobacco, furs and paint, as also the fat, and choice bits +of their game. + +§ 35. I never could learn that they had any certain time or set days for +their solemnities; but they have appointed feasts that happen according +to the several seasons. They solemnize a day for the plentiful coming of +their wild fowl, such as geese, ducks, teal, &c., for the returns of +their hunting seasons, and for the ripening of certain fruits; but the +greatest annual feast they have, is at the time of their corn-gathering, +at which they revel several days together. To these they universally +contribute, as they do to the gathering in the corn. On this occasion, +they have their greatest variety of pastimes, and more especially of +their war-dances and heroic songs; in which they boast, that their corn +being now gathered, they have store enough for their women and children, +and have nothing to do, but to go to war, travel, and to seek out for +new adventures. + +§ 36. They make their account by units, tens, hundreds, &c., as we do; +but they reckon the years by the winters, or _cobonks_, as they call +them; which is a name taken from the note of the wild-geese, intimating +so many times of the wild geese coming to them, which is every winter. +They distinguish the several parts of the year, by five seasons, viz: +the budding or blossoming of the spring; the earing of the corn, or +roasting-ear time; the summer, or highest sun; the corn-gathering or +fall of the leaf, and the winter, or _cobonks_. They count the months +likewise by the moons, though not with any relation to so many in a +year, as we do; but they make them return again by the same name, as the +moon of stags, the corn moon, the first and second moon of _cobonks_, +&c. They have no distinction of the hours of the day, but divide it only +into three parts, the rise, power, and lowering of the sun. And they +keep their account by knots on a string, or notches on a stick, not +unlike the Peruvian quippoes. + +§ 37. In this state of nature, one would think they should be as pure +from superstition, and overdoing matters in religion, as they are in +other things; but I find it is quite the contrary; for this simplicity +gives the cunning priest a greater advantage over them, according to the +Romish maxim, "_Ignorance is the mother of devotion._" For, no bigotted +pilgrim appears more zealous, or strains his devotion more at the +shrine, than these believing Indians do, in their idolatrous adorations. +Neither do the most refined Catholics undergo their pennance with so +much submission, as these poor Pagans do the severities which their +priests inflict upon them. + +They have likewise in other cases many fond and idle superstitions, as +for the purpose. By the falls of James river upon Colonel Byrd's land, +there lies a rock which I have seen, about a mile from the river, +wherein are fairly imprest several marks like the footsteps of a +gigantic man, each step being about five feet asunder. These they aver +to be the track of their God. + +This is not unlike what the fathers of the Romish Church tell us, that +our Lord left the print of His feet on the stone, whereon he stood while +he talked with St. Peter; which stone was afterward preserved as a very +sacred relic; and after several translations, was at last fixed in the +Church of St. Sebastian, the martyr, where it is kept, and visited with +great expressions of devotion. So that the Indians, as well as these, +are not without their pious frauds. + +§ 38. As the people have a great reverence for the priest, so the priest +very oddly endeavours to preserve their respect, by being as hideously +ugly as he can, especially when he appears in public; for besides, that +the cut of his hair is peculiar to his function, as in tab. 4, book 3, +and the hanging of his cloak, with the fur reversed and falling down in +flakes, looks horridly shagged, he likewise bedaubs himself in that +frightful manner with paint, that he terrifies the people into a +veneration for him. + +The conjuror is a partner with the priest, not only in the cheat, but in +the advantages of it, and sometimes they officiate for one another. When +this artist is in the act of conjuration, or of _pauwawing_, as they +term it, he always appears with an air of haste, or else in some +convulsive posture, that seems to strain all the faculties, like the +Sybils, when they appeared to be under the power of inspiration. At +these times, he has a black bird with expanded wings fastened to his +ear, differing in nothing but color, from Mahomet's pigeon. He has no +clothing but a small skin before, and a pocket at his girdle, as in tab. +4, book 3. + +The Indians never go about any considerable enterprise, without first +consulting their priests and conjurers, for the most ingenious amongst +them are brought up to those functions, and by that means become better +instructed in their histories, than the rest of the people. They +likewise engross to themselves all the knowledge of nature, which is +handed to them by tradition from their forefathers; by which means they +are able to make a truer judgment of things, and consequently are more +capable of advising those that consult them upon all occasions. These +reverend gentlemen are not so entirely given up to their religious +austerities, but they sometimes take their pleasure (as well as the +laity) in fishing, fowling and hunting. + +§ 39. The Indians have posts fixed round their _Quioccassan_, which have +men's faces carved upon them, and are painted. They are likewise set up +round some of their other celebrated places, and make a circle for them +to dance about on certain solemn occasions. They very often set up +pyramidal stones and pillars, which they color with puccoon, and other +sorts of paint, and which they adorn with peak, roenoke, &c. To these +they pay all outward signs of worship and devotion, not as to God, but +as they are hieroglyphics of the permanency and immutability of the +Deity; because these, both for figure and substance, are of all +sublunary bodies, the least subject to decay or change; they also, for +the same reason, keep baskets of stones in their cabins. Upon this +account too, they offer sacrifice to running streams, which by the +perpetuity of their motion, typify the eternity of God. + +They erect altars wherever they have any remarkable occasion, and +because their principal devotion consists in sacrifice, they have a +profound respect for these altars. They have one particular altar, to +which, for some mystical reason, many of their nations pay an +extraordinary veneration; of this sort was the crystal cube, mentioned +book II, chap. 3, § 9. The Indians call this by the name of pawcorance, +from whence proceeds the great reverence they have for a small bird that +uses the woods, and in their note continually sound that name. This bird +flies alone, and is only heard in the twilight. They say, this is the +soul of one of their princes; and on that score, they would not hurt it +for the world. But there was once a profane Indian in the upper parts of +James river, who, after abundance of fears and scruples, was at last +bribed to kill one of them with his gun; but the Indians say he paid +dear for his presumption; for in a few days after he was taken away, +and never more heard of. I have young birds of this kind. + +When they travel by any of these altars, they take great care to +instruct their children and young people in the particular occasion and +time of their erection, and recommend the respect which they ought to +have for them; so that their careful observance of these traditions +proves almost as good a memorial of such antiquities as written records, +especially for so long as the same people continue to inhabit in or near +the same place. + +I can't understand that their women ever pretended to intermeddle with +any offices that relate to the priesthood or conjuration. + +§ 40. The Indians are religious in preserving the corpses of their kings +and rulers after death, which they order in the following manner: First, +they neatly flay off the skin as entire as they can, slitting it only in +the back; then they pick all the flesh off from the bones as clean as +possible, leaving the sinews fastened to the bones, that they may +preserve the joints together; then they dry the bones in the sun, and +put them into the skin again, which, in the meantime, has been kept from +drying or shrinking; when the bones are placed right in the skin, they +nicely fill up the vacuities with a very fine white sand. After this +they sew up the skin again, and the body looks as if the flesh had not +been removed. They take care to keep the skin from shrinking, by the +help of a little oil or grease, which saves it also from corruption. The +skin being thus prepared, they lay it in an apartment for that purpose, +upon a large shelf raised above the floor. This shelf is spread with +mats, for the corpse to rest easy on, and skreened with the same, to +keep it from the dust. The flesh they lay upon hurdles in the sun to +dry, and when it is thoroughly dried, it is sewed up in a basket, and +set at the feet of the corpse, to which it belongs. In this place also +they set up a quioccos, or idol, which they believe will be a guard to +the corpse. Here night and day one or other of the priests must give +his attendance, to take care of the dead bodies. So great an honor and +veneration have these ignorant and unpolished people for their princes, +even after they are dead. + +The mat is supposed to be turned up in the figure, that the inside may +be viewed. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 12 Book 3 Pag. 170] + +TAB. 12. Represents the burial of the kings. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +OF THE DISEASES AND CURES OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 41. The Indians are not subject to many diseases; and such as they +have, generally come from excessive heats and sudden colds, which they +as suddenly get away by sweating. But if the humor happen to fix, and +make a pain in any particular joint, or limb, their general cure then is +by burning, if it be in any part that will bear it; their method of +doing this is by little sticks of lightwood, the coal of which will burn +like a hot iron; the sharp point of this they run into the flesh, and +having made a sore, keep it running till the humor be drawn off; or else +they take punk, (which is a sort of soft touchwood, cut out of the knots +of oak or hickory trees, but the hickory affords the best,) this they +shape like a cone, (as the Japanese do their moxa for the gout,) and +apply the basis of it to the place affected. Then they set fire to it, +letting it burn out upon the part, which makes a running sore +effectually. + +They use sucking in sores frequently, and scarifying, which, like the +Mexicans, they perform with a rattlesnake's tooth. They seldom cut +deeper than the epidermis, by which means they give passage to those +sharp waterish humors that lie between the two skins, and cause +inflammations. Sometimes they make use of reeds for cauterizing, which +they heat over the fire, till they are ready to flame, and then apply +them upon a piece of thin wet leather to the place aggrieved, which +makes the heat more piercing. + +Their priests are always physicians, and by the method of their +education in the priesthood, are made very knowing in the hidden +qualities of plants and other natural things, which they count a part +of their religion to conceal from everybody, but from those that are to +succeed them in their holy function. They tell us their god will be +angry with them if they should discover that part of their knowledge; so +they suffer only the rattlesnake root to be known, and such other +antidotes, as must be immediately applied, because their doctors can't +be always at hand to remedy those sudden misfortunes which generally +happen in their hunting or traveling. + +They call their physic wisoccan, not from the name of any particular +root or plant, but as it signifies medicine in general. So that Heriot, +De Bry, Smith, Purchase and De Laet, seem all to be mistaken in the +meaning of this word wighsacan, which they make to be the name of a +particular root; and so is Parkinson in the word woghsacan, which he +will have to be the name of a plant. Nor do I think there is better +authority for applying the word wisank to the plant vincetoxicum +indianum germanicum, or winank to the sassafras tree. + +The physic of the Indians consists for the most part in the roots and +barks of trees, they very rarely using the leaves either of herbs or +trees; what they give inwardly, they infuse in water, and what they +apply outwardly, they stamp or bruise, adding water to it, if it has not +moisture enough of itself; with the thin of this they bath the part +affected, then lay on the thick, after the manner of a poultice, and +commonly dress round, leaving the sore place bare. + +§ 42. They take great delight in sweating, and therefore in every town +they have a sweating house, and a doctor is paid by the public to attend +it. They commonly use this to refresh themselves, after they have been +fatigued with hunting, travel, or the like, or else when they are +troubled with agues, aches, or pains in their limbs. Their method is +thus: the doctor takes three or four large stones, which after having +heated red hot, he places them in the middle of the stove, laying on +them some of the inner bark of oak beaten in a mortar, to keep them +from burning. This being done, they creep in six or eight at a time, or +as many as the place will hold, and then close up the mouth of the +stove, which is usually made like an oven, in some bank near the water +side. In the meanwhile the doctor to raise a steam, after they have been +stewing a little while, pours cold water on the stones, and now and then +sprinkles the men to keep them from fainting. After they have sweat as +long as they can well endure it, they sally out, and (though it be in +the depth of winter) forthwith plunge themselves over head and ears in +cold water, which instantly closes up the pores, and preserves them from +taking cold. The heat being thus suddenly driven from the extreme parts +to the heart, makes them a little feeble for the present, but their +spirits rally again, and they instantly recover their strength, and find +their joints as supple and vigorous as if they never had traveled, or +been indisposed. So that I may say as Bellonius does in his observations +on the Turkish bagnio's, all the crudities contracted in their bodies +are by this means evaporated and carried off. The Muscovites and +Finlanders are said to use this way of sweating also. "It is almost a +miracle," says Olearius, "to see how their bodies, accustomed to and +hardened by cold, can endure so intense a heat, and how that when they +are not able to endure it longer, they come out of the stoves as naked +as they were born, both men and women, and plunge into cold water, or +cause it to be poured on them." Trav. into Musc., I, 3, page 67. + +The Indians also pulverize the roots of a kind of anchusa, or yellow +alkanet, which they call puccoon, and of a sort of wild angelica, and +mixing them together with bear's oil, make a yellow ointment, with +which, after they have bathed, they anoint themselves Capapee; this +supples the skin, renders them nimble and active, and withal so closes +up the pores, that they lose but few of their spirits by perspiration. +Piso relates the same of the Brazilians; and my Lord Bacon asserts, that +oil and fat things do no less conserve the substance of the body, than +oil-colors and varnish do that of the wood. + +They have also a farther advantage of this ointment; for it keeps all +lice, fleas, and other troublesome vermin from coming near them; which +otherwise, by reason of the nastiness of their cabins, they would be +very much infested with. + +Smith talks of this puccoon, as if it only grew on the mountains, +whereas it is common to all the plantations of the English, now on the +land frontiers. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +OF THE SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 43. Their sports and pastimes are singing, dancing, instrumental +music, and some boisterous plays, which are performed by running, +catching and leaping upon one another; they have also one great +diversion, to the practicing of which are requisite whole handfuls of +little sticks or hard straws, which they know how to count as fast as +they can cast their eyes upon them, and can handle with a surprising +dexterity. + +Their singing is not the most charming that I have heard; it consists +much in exalting the voice, and is full of slow melancholy accents. +However, I must allow even this music to contain some wild notes that +are agreeable. + +Their dancing is performed either by few or a great company, but without +much regard either to time or figure. The first of these is by one or +two persons, or at most by three. In the meanwhile, the company sit +about them in a ring upon the ground, singing outrageously and shaking +their rattles. The dancers sometimes sing, and sometimes look menacing +and terrible, beating their feet furiously against the ground, and +shewing ten thousand grimaces and distortions. The other is performed by +a great number of people, the dancers themselves forming a ring, and +moving round a circle of carved posts, that are set up for that purpose; +or else round a fire, made in a convenient part of the town; and then +each has his rattle in his hand, or what other thing he fancies most, as +his bow and arrows, or his tomahawk. They also dress themselves up with +branches of trees, or some other strange accoutrements. Thus they +proceed, dancing and singing, with all the antic postures they can +invent; and he's the bravest fellow that has the most prodigious +gestures. Sometimes they place three young women in the middle of the +circle, as you may see in the figure. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab. 13 Book 3 Pag. 176] + +TAB. 13. Represents a solemn festival dance of the Indians round their +carved posts. + +Those which on each side are hopping upon their hams, take that way of +coming up to the ring, and when they find an opportunity strike in among +the rest. + +Captain Smith relates the particulars of a dance made for his +entertainment, by Pocahontas, daughter of the emperor Powhatan, to +divert him till her father came, who happened not to be at home when +Smith arrived at his town. Gen. Hist., p. 194. + + "In a fair plain field they made a fire, before which he sat down + upon a mat, when suddenly amongst the woods was heard such a + hideous noise and shrieking, that the English betook themselves to + their arms, and seized on two or three old men by them, supposing + Powhatan with all his power was coming to surprise them. But + presently Pocahontas came, willing him to kill her, if any hurt + were intended; and the beholders, which were men, women and + children, satisfied the captain that there was no such matter. + Then presently they were presented with this antic; thirty young + women came naked out of the woods, only covered behind and before + with a few green leaves, their bodies all painted, some of one + color, some of another, but all differing; their leader had a fair + pair of buck's horns on her head, an otter's skin at her girdle, + another at her arm, a quiver of arrows at her back, and a bow and + arrows in her hand. The next had in her hand a sword, another a + club, another a potstick; all of them being horned alike: the rest + were all set out with their several devices. These fiends, with + most hellish shouts and cries, rushing from among the trees, cast + themselves in a ring about the fire, singing and dancing with most + excellent ill variety, oft falling into their infernal + passions, and then solemnly betaking themselves again to sing and + dance; having spent an hour in this mascarado, as they entered, in + like manner they departed." + +They have a fire made constantly every night, at a convenient place in +the town, whither all that have a mind to be merry, at the public dance +or music, resort in the evening. + +Their musical instruments are chiefly drums and rattles: their drums are +made of a skin, stretched over an earthen pot half full of water. Their +rattles are the shell of a small gourd, or macock of the creeping kind, +and not of those called callibaches, which grow upon trees; of which the +Brazilians make their maraka, or tamaraka, a sort of rattle also, as +Clusius seems to intimate. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +OF THE LAWS, AND AUTHORITY OF THE INDIANS AMONG ONE ANOTHER. + + +§ 44. The Indians having no sort of letters among them, as has been +before observed, they can have no written laws; nor did the constitution +in which we found them seem to need many. Nature and their own +convenience having taught them to obey one chief, who is arbiter of all +things among them. They claim no property in lands, but they are in +common to a whole nation. Every one hunts and fishes, and gathers fruits +in all places. Their labor in tending corn, pompions, melons, &c., is +not so great, that they need quarrel for room, where the land is so +fertile, and where so much lies uncultivated. + +They bred no sort of cattle, nor had anything that could be called +riches. They valued skins and furs for use, and peak and roenoke for +ornament. + +They are very severe in punishing ill breeding, of which every Werowance +is undisputed judge, who never fails to lay a rigorous penalty upon it: +an example whereof I had from a gentleman that was an eye-witness; which +was this: + +In the time of Bacon's rebellion, one of these Werowances, attended by +several others of his nation, was treating with the English in New Kent +county about a peace; and during the time of his speech, one of his +attendants presumed to interrupt him, which he resented as the most +unpardonable affront that could be offered him; and therefore he +instantly took his tomahawk from his girdle and split the fellow's head +for his presumption. The poor fellow dying immediately upon the spot, he +commanded some of his men to carry him out, and went on again with his +speech where he left off, as unconcerned as if nothing had happened. + +The Indians never forget nor forgive an injury, till satisfaction be +given, be it national or personal: but it becomes the business of their +whole lives; and even after that, the revenge is entailed upon their +posterity, till full reparation be made. + +§ 45. The titles of honor that I have observed among them peculiar to +themselves, are only Cockarouse and Werowance, besides that of the king +and queen; but of late they have borrowed some titles from us, which +they bestow among themselves. A Cockarouse is one that has the honor to +be of the king or queen's council, with relation to the affairs of the +government, and has a great share in the administration. A Werowance is +a military officer, who of course takes upon him the command of all +parties, either of hunting, traveling, warring, or the like, and the +word signifies a war-captain. + +The priests and conjurers are also of great authority, the people having +recourse to them for counsel and direction upon all occasions; by which +means, and by help of the first fruits and frequent offerings, they riot +in the fat of the land, and grow rich upon the spoils of their ignorant +countrymen. + +They have also people of a rank inferior to the commons, a sort of +servants among them. These are called black boys, and are attendant upon +the gentry, to do their servile offices, which, in their state of +nature, are not many. For they live barely up to the present relief of +their necessities, and make all things easy and comfortable to +themselves, by the indulgence of a kind climate, without toiling and +perplexing their minds for riches, which other people often trouble +themselves to provide for uncertain and ungrateful heirs. In short, they +seem as possessing nothing, and yet enjoying all things. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +OF THE TREASURE OR RICHES OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 46. The Indians had nothing which they reckoned riches, before the +English went among them, except peak, roenoke, and such like trifles +made out of the conch shell. These past with them instead of gold and +silver, and served them both for money and ornament. It was the English +alone that taught them first to put a value on their skins and furs, and +to make a trade of them. + +Peak is of two sorts, or rather of two colors, for both are made of one +shell, though of different parts; one is a dark purple cylinder, and the +other a white; they are both made in size and figure alike, and commonly +much resembling the English bugles, but not so transparent nor so +brittle. They are wrought as smooth as glass, being one third of an inch +long, and about a quarter diameter, strung by a hole drilled through the +centre. The dark color is the dearest, and distinguished by the name of +wampom peak. The Englishmen that are called Indian traders, value the +wampom peak at eighteen pence per yard, and the white peak at nine +pence. The Indians also make pipes of this, two or three inches long, +and thicker than ordinary, which are much more valuable. They also make +runtees of the small shell, and grind them as smooth as peak. These are +either large like an oval bead, and drilled the length of the oval, or +else they are circular and flat, almost an inch over, and one third of +an inch thick, and drilled edgeways. Of this shell they also make round +tablets of about four inches diameter, which they polish as smooth as +the other, and sometimes they etch or grave thereon circles, stars, a +half moon, or any other figure suitable to their fancy. These they wear +instead of medals before or behind their neck, and use the peak, runtees +and pipes for coronets, bracelets, belts, or long strings hanging down +before the breast, or else they lace their garments with them, and adorn +their tomahawks, and every other thing that they value. + +They have also another sort which is as current among them, but of far +less value; and this is made of the cockle shell, broken into small bits +with rough edges, drilled through in the same manner as beads, and this +they call roenoke, and use it as the peak. + +These sorts of money have their rates set upon them as unalterable, and +current as the values of our money are. + +The Indians have likewise some pearl amongst them, and formerly had many +more, but where they got them is uncertain, except they found them in +the oyster banks, which are frequent in this country. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +OF THE HANDICRAFTS OF THE INDIANS. + + +§ 47. Before I finish my account of the Indians, it will not be amiss to +inform you, that when the English went first among them, they had no +sort of iron or steel instruments; but their knives were either +sharpened reeds or shells, and their axes sharp stones, bound to the end +of a stick, and glued in with turpentine. By the help of these, they +made their bows of the locust tree, an excessive hard wood when it is +dry, but much more easily cut when it is green, of which they always +took the advantage. They made their arrows of reeds or small wands, +which needed no other cutting, but in the length, being otherwise ready +for notching, feathering and heading. They fledged their arrows with +turkey feathers, which they fastened with glue made of the velvet horns +of a deer; but it has not that quality it's said to have, of holding +against all weathers; they arm'd the heads with a white transparent +stone, like that of Mexico mentioned by Peter Martyr, of which they have +many rocks; they also headed them with the spurs of the wild turkey +cock. + +They rubbed fire out of particular sorts of wood (as the ancients did +out of the ivy and bays) by turning the end of a hard piece upon the +side of a piece that is soft and dry, like a spindle on its inke, by +which it heats, and at length burns; to this they put sometimes also +rotten wood and dry leaves, to hasten the work. + +§ 48. Under the disadvantage of such tools they made a shift to fell +vast great trees, and clear the land of wood in places where they had +occasion. + +They bring down a great tree by making a small fire round the root, +and keeping the flame from running upward, until they burn away so much +of the basis, that the least puff of wind throws it down. When it is +prostrate, they burn it off to what length they would have it, and with +their stone tomahawks break off all the bark, which when the sap runs +will easily strip, and at other times also, if it be well warmed with +fire. When it is brought to a due length, they raise it upon a bed to a +convenient height for their working, and then, begin by gentle fires to +hollow it, and with scrapers rake the trunk, and turn away the fire from +one place to another, till they have deepened the belly of it to their +desire. Thus also they shape the ends, till they have made it a fit +vessel for crossing the water, and this they call a canoe, one of which +I have seen thirty feet long. + +When they wanted any land to be cleared of the woods, they chopped a +notch round the trees quite through the bark with their stone hatchets +or tomahawks, and that deadened the trees, so that they sprouted no +more, but in a few years fell down. However, the ground was plant-able, +and would produce immediately upon the withering of the trees. But now +for all these uses they employ axes and little hatchets, which they buy +of the English. The occasions aforementioned, and the building of their +cabins, are still the greatest use they have for these utensils, because +they trouble not themselves with any other sort of handicraft, to which +such tools are necessary. Their household utensils are baskets made of +silk grass, gourds, which grow to the shapes they desire them, and +earthen pots to boil victuals in, which they make of clay. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab: 14. Book: 3 Pag: 183] + +TAB. 14. Shows their manner of felling great trees (before they had +iron instruments) by firing the root, and bringing them to fit lengths, +and shaping them for use by fire alone. + +The Indians of Virginia are almost wasted, but such towns or people as +retain their names and live in bodies are hereunder set down, all which +together can't raise five hundred fighting men. They live poorly, and +much in fear of the neighboring Indians. Each town, by the articles of +peace, 1677, pays three Indian arrows for their land, and twenty beaver +skins for protection every year. + +In Accomac are eight towns, viz: + + Metomkin is much decreased of late by the small pox, that was + carried thither. + + Gingoteague. The few remains of this town are joined with a nation + of the Maryland Indians. + + Kiequotank is reduced to very few men. + + Matchopungo has a small number yet living. + + Occahanock has a small number yet living. + + Pungoteague. Governed by a queen, but a small nation. + + Onancock has but four or five families. + + Chiconessex has very few, who just keep the name. + + Nanduye. A seat of the empress. Not above twenty families, but she + hath all the nations of this shore under tribute. + +In Northampton, Gangascoe, which is almost as numerous as all the +foregoing nations put together. + +In Prince George Wyanoke is extinct. + +In Charles City Appomattox is extinct. + +In Surry. Nottawayes, which are about a hundred bowmen, of late a +thriving and increasing people. + +By Nansemond. Meherrin has about thirty bowmen, who keep at a stand. + +Nansemond. About thirty bowmen. They have increased much of late. + +In King William's county two. Pamunky has about forty bowmen, who +decrease. + +Chickahominy, which had about sixteen bowmen, but lately increased. + +In Essex. Rappahannock extinct. + +In Richmond. Port Tobacco extinct. + +In Northumberland. Wiccomocca has but few men living, which yet keep up +their kingdom and retain their fashion, yet live by themselves, separate +from all other Indians, and from the English. + +§ 49. Thus I have given a succinct account of the Indians; happy, I +think, in their simple state of nature, and in their enjoyment of +plenty, without the curse of labor. They have on several accounts reason +to lament the arrival of the Europeans, by whose means they seem to have +lost their felicity as well as their innocence. The English have taken +away great part of their country, and consequently made everything less +plentiful amongst them. They have introduced drunkenness and luxury +amongst them, which have multiplied their wants, and put them upon +desiring a thousand things they never dreamt of before. I have been the +more concise in my account of this harmless people, because I have +inserted several figures, which I hope have both supplied the defect of +words, and rendered the descriptions more clear. I shall, in the next +place, proceed to treat of Virginia as it is now improved, (I should +rather say altered,) by the English, and of its present constitution and +settlement. + + + + +OF THE PRESENT STATE OF VIRGINIA. + +AS THIS BOOK MUST CONSIST OF TWO PARTS, FIRST, THE POLITY OF THE +GOVERNMENT; SECONDLY, THE HUSBANDRY AND IMPROVEMENTS OF THE +COUNTRY; I SHALL HANDLE THEM SEPARATELY. + + +BOOK IV. + + +PART I. + +OF THE CIVIL POLITY AND GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +OF THE CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 1. I have already hinted, that the first settlement of this country +was under the direction of a company of merchants incorporated. + +That the first constitution of government appointed by them was a +president and council, which council was nominated by the corporation or +company in London, and the president annually chosen by the people in +Virginia. + +That in the year 1610, this constitution was altered, and the company +obtained a new grant of his majesty; whereby they themselves had the +nomination of the governor, who was obliged to act only by advice in +council. + +That in the year 1620, an assembly of burgesses was first called, from +all the inhabited parts of the country, who sat in consultation with the +governor and council, for settling the public affairs of the plantation. + +That when the company was dissolved, the king continued the same method +of government, by a governor, council and burgesses; which three being +united were called the general assembly. + +That this general assembly debated all the weighty affairs of the +colony, and enacted laws for the better government of the people; and +the governor and council were to put them in execution. + +That the governor and council were appointed by the king, and the +assembly chosen by the people. + +Afterwards the governor had a more extensive power put into his hands, +so that his assent in all affairs become absolutely necessary; yet was +he still bound to act by advice of council in many things. + +Until the rebellion 1676, the governor had no power to suspend the +counsellors, nor to remove any of them from the council board. + +Then a power was given him of suspending them, but with proviso, that he +gave substantial reasons for so doing; and was answerable to his majesty +for the truth of the accusation. + +Then also this model of government by a governor, council and assembly, +was confirmed to them with a farther clause, that if the governor should +happen to die, or be removed, and no other person in the country +nominated by the crown to supply his place, then the president, or +eldest councillor, with the assistance of any five of the council, +should take upon him the administration of the government, all which are +authorized by commission and instructions to the governor. + +Before the year 1680, the council sat in the same house with the +burgesses of assembly, much resembling the model of the Scotch +parliament; and the Lord Colepepper, taking advantage of some disputes +among them, procured the council to sit apart from the assembly; and so +they became two distinct houses, in imitation of the two houses of +parliament in England, the lords and commons; and so is the constitution +at this day. + +§ 2. The governor is appointed by the crown; his commission is under +seal, and runs during pleasure. + +He represents the king's person there in all things, and is subject to +his instructions. + +His assent is necessary to the laws, agreed upon by the council and +assembly; without it no law can be made. + +His test to all laws so assented to is also requisite. + +He calls assemblies by advice of council, but prorogues or dissolves +them without. + +He calls and presides in all councils of State, and hath his negative +there also. + +He appoints commissioners of county courts for the administration of +justice, by consent of council. + +He grants commissions to all officers of the militia, under the degree +of a lieutenant general, (which title he bears himself,) as he thinks +fit. + +He orders and disposes the militia for the defence of the country. + +He tests proclamations. + +He disposes of the unpatented land according to the charter, the laws of +that country, and his instructions; for which end, and for other public +occasions, the seal of the colony is committed to his keeping. + +All issues of the public revenue must bear his test. + +And by virtue of a commission from the admiralty he is made +vice-admiral. + +The governor's salary, till within these forty-five years last past, was +no more than a thousand pounds a year; besides which, he had about five +hundred more in perquisites. Indeed, the general assembly, by a public +act, made an addition of two hundred pounds a year to Sir William +Berkeley in particular, out of the great respect and esteem they bore to +that gentleman, who had been a long time a good and just governor; and +who had laid out the greatest part of his revenue in experiments, for +the advantage and improvement of the country; and who had, besides, +suffered extremely in the time of the usurpation. But this addition was +to determine with his government. + +Sir William Berkeley, after the short interval of Jeffery's and +Chicheley's being deputy-governors, was succeeded by the Lord +Colepepper, who, under pretence of his being a peer of England, obtained +of King Charles II. a salary of two thousand pounds, besides one hundred +and sixty pounds a year for house rent, because there was no house +appointed by the country for the governor's reception. This salary has +continued ever since, to the succeeding governors. + +If the administration of the government happen to fall into the hands of +the president and council, there is then usually allowed to the +president, the addition of five hundred pounds a year only; and to the +council, no more than what is given them at other times. + +§ 3. The gentlemen of the council are appointed by letter or instruction +from his majesty, which says no more, but that they be sworn of the +council. + +The number of the counsellors when complete, is twelve; and if at +anytime, by death or removal, there happen to be fewer than nine +residing in the country, then the governor has power to appoint and +swear into the council, such of the gentlemen of the country as he shall +think fit to make up that number, without expecting any direction from +England. + +The business of the council, is to advise and assist the governor in all +important matters of government, which he shall consult them in. + +In the general assembly, the council make the upper house, and claim an +entire negative voice to all laws, as the house of lords in England. + +The salary of the council is in all but three hundred and fifty pounds +per annum, to be proportioned among them according to their attendance +on general courts and assemblies. + +§ 4. The burgesses of assembly are elected, and returned from all parts +of the country, viz: from each county, two; and from James City, one; +and from the college, one; which make up in all sixty burgesses. They +are convened by writs issued from the secretary's office, under the seal +of the colony, and the test of the governor. These are directed to the +sheriff of each county respectively, and ought to bear date at least +forty days before the return. The freeholders are the only electors, and +wherever they have a freehold (if they be not women, or under age, or +aliens) they have a vote in the election. The method of summoning the +freeholders, is by publication of the writ, together with the day +appointed by the sheriff for election, at every church and chapel in the +county, two several Sundays successively. The election is concluded by +plurality of voices; and if either party be dissatisfied, or thinks he +has not fair treatment, he may demand a copy of the poll, and upon +application to the house of burgesses, shall have his complaint inquired +into. But to prevent undue elections, many acts have been there made, +agreeably to some lately enacted in England. + +The first business of a convention, by the governor's direction, is to +make choice of a speaker, and to present him in full house to the +governor. Upon this occasion, the speaker, in the name of the house, +petitions the governor to confirm the usual liberties and privileges of +assembly, namely, access to his person whenever they shall have +occasion; a freedom of speech and debate in the house, without being +farther accountable; a protection of their persons, and their servants +from arrest, &c. And these being granted by the governor, and the cause +of their meeting declared by him, they proceed to do business, choosing +committees, and in other things imitating as near as they can the +method of the honorable house of commons in England. + +The laws having duly passed the house of burgesses, the council, and the +governor's assent, they are transmitted to the king by the next shipping +for his approbation, his majesty having another negative voice. But they +immediately become laws, and are in force upon the governor's first +passing them, and so remain if his majesty don't actually repeal them, +although he be not pleased to declare his royal assent, one way or +other. + +There are no appointed times for their convention, but they are called +together whenever the exigencies of the country make it necessary, or +his majesty is pleased to order anything to be proposed to them. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OF THE SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA. + + +§ 5. The country is divided into twenty-nine counties, and the counties, +as they are in bigness, into fewer or more parishes, as they are filled +with inhabitants. + +The method of bounding the counties is at this time with respect to the +convenience of having each county limited to one single river, for its +trade and shipping, so that any one whose concerns are altogether in one +county, may not be obliged to seek his freight and shipping in more than +one river. Whereas at first, they were bounded with respect to the +circuit, and the propinquity of the extremes to one common centre, by +which means one county reached then quite across a neck of land from +river to river. But this way of bounding the counties being found more +inconvenient than the other, it was changed by a law into what it is +now. + +Besides this division into counties and parishes, there are two other +subdivisions, which are subject to the rules and alterations made by the +county courts, namely: into precincts or burroughs, for the limits of +constables; and into precincts or walks, for the surveyors of highways. + +§ 6. There is another division of the country into necks of land, which +are the boundaries of the escheators, viz: + + 1. The northern neck between Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. This + is the proprietary in the Lord Colepepper's family. + + 2. The neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, within which + Pamunky neck is included. + + 3. The neck between York and James rivers. + + 4. The lands on the south side of James river. + + 5. The land on the eastern shore; in all, five divisions. Each of + which has its particular escheat-master. + +In the northern neck are contained six counties. 1. Lancaster, viz: in +which are two parishes, viz: Christ Church, and Saint Mary White Chapel. +2. Northumberland, two parishes, viz: Fairfield and Boutracy, and +_Wiccocomoco_. 3. Westmoreland, two parishes, viz: Copely and +Washington. 4. Stafford, two parishes, viz: Saint Paul and Overworton. +5. Richmond, one parish, viz: North Farnham, and part of another, viz: +Sittenburn. 6. King George county, one parish, viz: Hanover, the other +part of Sittenburn. + +In the neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, are contained six +other counties, viz: + +1. Gloucester, in which are four parishes, viz: Pesso, Abingdon, Ware +and Kingston. 2. Middlesex, only one parish, viz: Christ Church. 3. King +and Queen, two parishes, viz: Stratton Major, Saint Stephen. 4. King +William, two parishes, viz: Saint John and Saint Margaret. 5. Essex, +three parishes, viz: South Farnham, Saint Anne, Saint Mary. 6. +Spottsylvania, one parish, viz: Saint George. + +In the neck between York and James river, there are seven counties and +part of an eighth. The seven entire counties are: 1. Elizabeth City, in +which is only one parish, named also Elizabeth City parish. 2. The +Warwick, in which are two parishes, viz: Denby, Mulberry Island. 3. +York, in which are two parishes, viz: Charles and Yorkhampton, and part +of a third called Braton. 4. James City, in which are three parishes and +part of two others, viz: James City, part of Wilmington, Merchants' +Hundred, and the other half of Braton. 5. New Kent, two parishes, viz: +Blisland, and Saint Peter. 6. Charles City, two parishes, viz: +Westover, and part of Wilmington. 7. Hanover, one parish, viz: Saint +Paul. And 8. Part of Henrico county, on the north side of James river, +by which river the parishes are also divided, there being two parishes +in the whole county, viz: Henrico and Saint James, and part of a third +called Bristol. + +On the south side James river are seven counties, and the other part of +Henrico. The seven counties, beginning at the bay as I have done in all +the rest are, viz: 1. Princess Anne, in which is but one parish, viz: +Lynhaven. 2. Norfolk, also one parish, called Elizabeth River. 3. +Nansemond, in which are three parishes, viz: Lower Parish, Upper Parish, +Chickaluck. 4. Isle of Wight, in which are two parishes, viz: Warwick +Squeeke Bay, and Newport. 5. Surry, two parishes, viz: Lyon's Creek, +Southwark. 6. Prince George, in which is one parish, viz: Martin +Brandon, and the other part of Bristol Parish, in Henrico. 7. Brunswick, +a new county constituted towards the southern pass of the mountains, on +purpose that by extraordinary encouragements the settlements may send up +that way first, as is given also to Spottsylvania county for the +northern pass. It is made one parish, by the name of Saint Andrew. + +On the eastern shore, that is, on the east side the great bay of +Chesapeake, the place where Sir William Berkeley retired to in the +rebellion, without withdrawing from his government, (as Mr. Oldmixon +declares he did) are two counties. 1. Northampton, having one parish, +named Hungers. 2. Accomac, having one parish, named also Accomac. + +In all there are at present twenty-nine counties, and fifty-four +parishes. + +§ 7. There is yet another division of the country into districts, +according to the rivers, with respect to the shipping and navigation. +These are the bounds appointed for the naval officers, and collectors of +the public duties, and are as follows: + + 1. The upper parts of James river, from Hog island upwards. + + 2. The lower parts of James river, from Hog island downwards to + the capes, and round Point Comfort to Back river. + + 3. York, Poquoson, Mobjack bay, and Piankatank rivers. + + 4. Rappahannock river. + + 5. Potomac river. + + 6. Pocomoke, and the other parts on the eastern, made formerly two + districts, but they are now united into one. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OF THE PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT. + + +§ 8. Besides the governor and council aforementioned, there are three +other general officers in that colony bearing his majesty's immediate +commission, viz: the auditor of the revenue, the receiver general of it, +and the secretary of state. + +The auditor's business is to audit the accounts of the public money of +the government, and duly to transmit the state of them to England. Such +as the quitrents, the money arising by the two shillings per hogshead, +fort duties, the fines and forfeitures, and the profit of escheats and +rights of land. His salary is six per cent of all the public money. The +present auditor is John Grimes, esq. + +The receiver general is to sell the public tobacco, collect and receive +the money, make the account thereof, and pay it out again by the king's +order. His salary is also six per cent. The present receiver general is +James Roscow, esq. + +The secretary's business is to keep the public records of the country, +and to take care that they be regularly and fairly made up, viz: all +judgments of the general court, as likewise all deeds, and other +writings there proved; and farther, to issue all writs, both ministerial +and judicial, relating thereto. To make out and record all patents for +land, and to take the return of all inquests of escheats. + +In his office is kept a register of all commissions of administration, +and probates of wills granted throughout the colony; as also of all +births, burials, marriages, and persons that go out of the country, of +all houses of public entertainment, and of all public officers in the +country, and of many other things proper to be kept in so general an +office. + +From this office are likewise issued all writs for choosing of +burgesses, and in it are filed authentic copies of all proclamations. + +The present secretary is Thomas Ficket, esq. + +The secretary's income arises from fees for all business done in his +office, which come (_communibus annis_) to about seventy thousand pounds +tobacco per annum, out of which he pays twelve thousand five hundred, +and cask, to the clerks. His other perquisites proceed out of the +acknowledgments paid him annually by the county clerks, and are besides +about forty thousand pounds of tobacco and cask. + +§ 9. There are two other general officers in the country who do not +receive their commission and authority immediately from the crown, and +those are: 1. The ecclesiastical commissary, viz: the Rev. James Blair, +authorized by the right reverend father in God, the lord bishop of +London, ordinary of all the plantations. 2. The country's treasurer, +viz: the Hon. Peter Beverley, esq., authorized by the general assembly. + +The commissary's business is to make visitations of churches and have +the inspection of the clergy. He is allowed one hundred pounds per annum +out of the quitrents. + +The treasurer's business is to receive the money from the several +collectors, and to make up the accounts of the duties raised by some +late acts of assembly for extraordinary occasions. His salary is six per +cent. of all money passing through his hands. + +These are all the general officers belonging to that government, except +the court of admiralty, which has no standing officer. The present judge +of the admiralty is John Clayton, esq. + +§ 10. The other public commission officers in the government, (except +those of the militia, for whom a chapter is reserved,) are escheators, +naval officers, collectors, clerks of courts, sheriffs of counties, +surveyors of land, and coroners. + +The escheators have their precincts or bounds, according to the several +necks of land; for their profits, they demand five pound for each +inquest taken, being paid only as business happens. + +The naval officers have their bounds according to the districts on the +rivers, and so have the collectors. The profits of the first arise from +large fees, upon the entering and clearing of all ships and vessels. The +collectors have each a salary out of the treasury in England of forty +pounds, sixty pounds, or an hundred pounds, according to their several +districts, they being appointed by the honorable commissioners of the +customs in England, pursuant to the statute made in the twenty-fifth +year of King Charles the second; and have, moreover, salaries of twenty +per cent. on all the duties they collect, by virtue of the same statute, +and also large fees for every entry and clearing. + +The naval officers' other profits, are ten per cent. for all moneys by +them received; both on the two shillings per hogshead, port duties, +skins and furs, and also on the new imposts on servants and liquors when +such duty is in being. + +The clerks of courts, sheriffs and surveyors, are limited according to +the several counties. The clerks of courts receive their commissions +from the secretary of State; the sheriffs theirs from the governor, and +the surveyors of land theirs from the governors of the college, in whom +the office of surveyor general is vested by their charter. + +The clerks' profits proceed from stated fees, upon all law suits and +business in their respective courts, except the clerk of the general +court, who is paid a salary by the secretary, who takes the fees of that +court to himself. + +The sheriff's profit is likewise by fees on all business done in the +county courts, to which he is the ministerial officer, and not judge of +the county court, as Mr. Oldmixon styles him, page 298; but the best of +his income is by a salary of all public tobacco, which is constantly put +into the sheriff's hands, to be collected and put into hundreds, +convenient for the market. He has likewise several other advantages, +which make his place very profitable. + +The profits of the surveyors of land are according to the trouble they +take. Their fees being proportioned to the surveys they make. + +The coroner is a commissioner officer also, but his profits are not +worth naming, though he has large fees allowed him when he does any +business. There are two or more of them appointed in each parish, as +occasion requires; but in the vacancy or absence of any, upon an +exigency, the next justice of peace does the business and receives the +fee, which is one hundred and thirty-three pounds of tobacco for an +inquest on a dead corpse, any other business seldom falling in his way. + +§ 11. There are other ministerial officers that have no commission; +which are, surveyors of the highways, constables and headboroughs. These +are appointed, relieved and altered annually by the county courts, as +they see occasion; and such bounds are given them as those courts think +most convenient. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OF THE STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 12. There are five sorts of standing public revenues in that country, +viz: 1. A rent reserved by the crown upon all the lands granted by +patent. 2. A revenue granted to his majesty by act of assembly, for the +support and maintenance of the government. 3. A revenue raised by the +assembly, and kept in their own disposal, for extraordinary occasions. +4. A revenue raised by the assembly, and granted to the college. And 5. +A revenue raised by act of parliament in England upon the trade there. + +§ 13. 1. The rent reserved upon their lands, is called his majesty's +revenue of quit rents, and is two shillings for every hundred acres of +land, patented by any person in that country, and two pence per acre for +all lands found to escheat; this is paid into the treasury there by all, +except the inhabitants of the Northern Neck, who pay nothing to the +king; but the whole quit rent of that neck is paid to certain +proprietors of the Lord Colepepper's family, who have the possession +thereof to themselves, upon the pretensions before rehearsed in the +first part of this book. + +This revenue has been upwards of fifteen hundred pounds a year, since +tobacco has held a good price. It is lodged in the receiver general's +hands, to be disposed of by his majesty. This money is left in bank +there, to be made use of upon any sudden and dangerous emergency, except +when it is called home to England; and for want of such a bank, Sir +William Berkeley was not able to make any stand against Bacon, whom +otherwise he might easily have subdued, and consequently have prevented +above one hundred thousand pounds expense to the crown of England, to +pacify those troubles. + +§ 14. 2. The revenue granted 10 his majesty by act of assembly, for the +support and maintenance of the government, arises first out of a duty of +two shillings per hogshead, which is paid for every hogshead of tobacco +exported out of that colony. 2. By a rate of fifteen pence per ton for +every ship, upon each return of her voyage, whether she be empty or +full. 3. By a duty of sixpence per poll for every passenger, bound or +free, going into that country to remain. 4. By the fines and forfeitures +imposed by several acts of assembly. There is also an addition, by wafts +and strays having no owner, composition of two pence per acre for +escheat land, chattels escheat, and the sale of land instead of rights, +at five shillings per right; all which are paid into the hands of the +receiver general, and disposed of by the governor and council, (with +liberty for the assembly to inspect the accounts when they meet,) for +defraying the public charges of the government. + +The revenue, _communibus annis_, amounts to more than three thousand +pounds a year. + +§ 15. 3. The revenue arising by act of assembly, and reserved to their +own disposal, is of two sorts, viz: a duty upon liquors imported from +the neighboring plantations, and a duty upon all slaves and servants +imported, except English. + +The duty on liquors used to be 4d. per gallon on all wines, rum, and +brandy; and 1d. per gallon on beer, cider and other liquors, discounting +twenty per cent. upon the invoice, except oats. + +The duty on servants and slaves used to be twenty shillings for each +servant, not being a native of England or Wales, and five pounds for +each slave or negro. + +The former of these duties amounts _communibus annis_, to six hundred +pounds a year, and the latter to more or less, as the negro ships happen +to arrive. + +The charge of building and adorning the governor's house and capitol, +was defrayed by these duties, and so was the erecting of the public +prison. + +These funds are gathered into the hands of the treasurer of the country, +and are disposed of only by order of assembly. + +§ 16. 4. The revenue raised by the assembly, and granted to the college, +is a duty on all skins and furs exported. This fund raises about an +hundred pounds a year, and is paid by the collectors, to the college +treasurer. + +§ 17. 5 and last. The fund raised by act of parliament in England upon +the trade there, is a duty of one penny per pound, upon all tobacco +exported to the plantations, and not carried directly to England. This +duty was laid by Stat. 25, Car. 2, cap. 7, and granted to the king and +his successors; and by their gracious majesties King William and Queen +Mary, it was given to the college. This duty does not raise, both in +Virginia and Maryland, above two hundred pounds a year, and is accounted +for to the college treasurer. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OF THE LEVIES FOR PAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC COUNTY AND PARISH DEBTS. + + +§ 18. They have but two ways of raising money publicly in that country, +viz: by duties upon trade, and a poll tax, which they call levies. Of +the duties upon trade, I have spoken sufficiently in the preceding +chapter. I come, therefore, now to speak of the levies, which are a +certain rate or proportion of tobacco charged upon the head of every +tithable person in the country, upon all alike, without distinction. + +They call all negroes above sixteen years of age tithable, be they male +or female, and all white men of the same age; but children and white +women are exempted from all manner of duties. + +That a true account of all these tithable persons may be had, they are +annually listed in crop time, by the justices of each county +respectively; and the masters of families are obliged, under great +penalties, then to deliver to those justices a true list of all the +tithable persons in their families. + +Their levies are threefold, viz: public, county and parish levies. + +§ 19. Public levies are such as are proportioned and laid equally, by +the general assembly, upon every tithable person throughout the whole +colony. These serve to defray several expenses appointed by law, to be +so defrayed, such as the executing of a criminal slave, who must be made +good to his owner. The taking up of runaways, and the paying of the +militia, when they happen to be employed upon the service. Out of these +they likewise pay the several officers of the assembly, and some other +public officers. They further defray the charge of the writs, for the +meeting of the house of burgesses, public expresses, and such like. + +The authority for levying this rate is given by a short act of assembly, +constantly prepared for that purpose. + +§ 20. The county levies are such as are peculiar to each county, and +laid by the justices upon all tithable persons, for defraying the charge +of their counties, such as the building and repairing their court +houses, prisons, pillories, stocks, &c., and the payment of all +services, rendered to the county in general. + +§ 21. The parish levies are laid by the vestry, for the payment of all +charges incident to the several parishes, such as the building, +furnishing, and adorning their churches and chapels, buying glebes and +building upon them, paying their ministers, readers, clerks, and +sextons. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OF THE COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 22. I have already, in the chronology of the government, hinted what +the constitution of their courts was in old time, and that appeals lay +from the general court to the assembly; that the general court, from the +beginning, took cognizance of all causes whatsoever, both ecclesiastical +and civil, determining everything by the standard of equity and good +conscience. They used to come to the merits of the cause as soon as they +could without injustice, never admitting such impertinences of form and +nicety as were not absolutely necessary; and when the substance of the +case was sufficiently debated, they used directly to bring the suit to a +decision. By this method, all fair actions were prosecuted with little +attendance, all just debts were recovered with the least expense of +money and time, and all the tricking and foppery of the law happily +avoided. + +The Lord Colepepper, who was a man of admirable sense, and well skilled +in the laws of England, admired the construction of their courts, and +kept them close to this plain method, retrenching some innovations that +were then creeping into them, under the notion of form, although, at the +same time, he was the occasion of taking away the liberty of appeals to +the assembly. + +But the Lord Howard, who succeeded him, endeavored to introduce as many +of the English forms as he could, being directly opposite to the Lord +Colepepper in that point. + +And lastly, Governor Nicholson, a man the least acquainted with law of +any of them, endeavored to introduce all the quirks of the English +proceedings, by the help of some wretched pettifoggers, who had the +direction both of his conscience and his understanding. + +§ 23. They have two sorts of courts, that differ only in jurisdiction, +namely: the general court, and the county courts. + +§ 24. The general court is a court held by the governor and council, or +any five of them, who by law are the judges of it, and take cognizance +of all causes, criminal, penal, ecclesiastical and civil. From this +court there is no appeal, except the thing in demand exceed the value of +three hundred pounds sterling, in which case an appeal is allowed to the +king and council, in England, and there determined by a committee of the +privy council, called the lords of appeals; the like custom being used +for all the other plantations. In criminal cases, I don't know that +there's any appeal from the sentence of this court; but the governor is +authorized, by his commission, to pardon persons found guilty of any +crime whatsoever, except of treason and wilful murder; and even in those +cases, he may reprieve the criminal, which reprieve stands good, and may +be continued from time to time until his majesty's pleasure be signified +therein. + +§ 25. This court is held twice a year, beginning on the 15th of April, +and on the 15th of October. Each time it continues eighteen days, +excluding Sundays, if the business hold them so long, and these were +formerly the only times of goal delivery; but now, by the governor's +commission, he appoints two other courts of goal delivery, and the king +allows one hundred pounds for each court to defray the charge thereof. + +§ 26. The officers attending this general court, are the sheriff of the +county wherein it sits, and his under officers. Their business is to +call the litigants, and the evidences into court, and to empannel +juries. But each sheriff, in his respective county, makes arrests, and +returns the writs to this court. + +§ 27. The way of empanneling juries to serve in this court, is thus: the +sheriff and his deputies every morning that the court sits, goes about +the town, summoning the best of the gentlemen, who resort thither from +all parts of the country. The condition of this summons is, that they +attend the court that day to serve upon the jury, (it not being known +whether there will be occasion or no.) And if any cause happen to +require a jury, they are then sworn to try the issue, otherwise, they +are in the evening, of course, dismissed from all further attendance, +though they be not formally discharged by the court. By this means are +procured the best juries this country can afford; for if they should be +summoned by writ of venire, from any particular county, that county +cannot afford so many qualified persons as are here to be found, because +of the great resort of gentlemen from all parts of the colony to these +courts, as well to see fashions, as to dispatch their particular +business. Nor is vicinage necessary there, to distinguish the several +customs of particular places, the whole country being as one +neighborhood, and having the same tenures of land, usages and customs. + +The grand juries are empanneled much after the same manner; but because +they require a greater number of men, and the court is always desirous +to have some from all parts of the country, they give their sheriff +order a day or two before, to provide this pannel. + +§ 28. In criminal matters this method is a little altered; because a +knowledge of the life, and conversation of the party, may give light to +the jury in their verdict. For this reason a writ of venire issues in +such cases, to summon six of the nearest neighbors to the criminal, who +must be of the same county wherein he lived; which writ of venire is +returned by the sheriff of the respective county, to the secretary's +office, and the names are taken from thence, by the sheriff attending +the general court, and put in the front of the pannel, which is filled +up with the names of the other gentlemen summoned in the town, to be of +the petty jury for the trial of that criminal. If the prisoner have a +mind to challenge the jurors, the same liberty is allowed him there as +in England; and if the pannel fall short, by reason of such challenge, +it must then be made up of the bystanders. + +§ 29. All actions in that country are generally brought to a +determination the third court, unless some special, extraordinary reason +be shown why the party can't make his defence so soon. The course is +thus: upon the defendant's nonappearance, order goes against the bail, +(for a capias is generally their first process,) on condition, that +unless the defendant appear, and plead at the next court, judgment shall +then be awarded for the plaintiff. When the defendant comes to the next +court he is held to plead. Thus, by common course, a year and a half +ends a cause in the general court, and three or four months in the +county court. If any one appeal from the judgment of the county court, +the trial always comes on the succeeding general court; so that all +business begun in the county court, tho' it runs to the utmost of the +law, (without some extraordinary event,) ought to be finished in nine +months. + +§ 30. Every one that pleases, may plead his own cause, or else his +friends for him, there being no restraint in that case, nor any licensed +practitioners in the law. If any one be dissatisfied with the judgment +of the county court, let it be for any sum, little or great, he may have +an appeal to the next general court, giving security to answer, and +abide the judgment of that court; but an action cannot originally be +brought in the general court, under the value of ten pounds sterling, or +of two thousand pounds of tobacco, except in some particular cases of +penal laws. + +§ 31. The county courts are constituted by law, and the justices thereof +appointed by commission from the governor with advice of council. They +consist of eight or more gentlemen of the county, called justices of the +peace, the sheriff being only a ministerial officer to execute its +process. This court is held monthly, and has jurisdiction of all causes +within the county, cognizable by common law or chancery, and not +touching life or member, and never was limited to any value in its +jurisdiction, as Mr. Oldmixion would have it, pag. 298. But in the case +of hog stealing, they may sentence the criminal to lose his ears; which +is allowed by a particular act for that purpose, as the punishment of +the second offence, the third is felony. In all things they proceed in +the same manner as the general court. + +§ 32. This monthly court hath the care of all orphans, and of their +estates, and for the binding out and well ordering of such fatherless +children, who are either without an estate, or have very little. + +In September annually they are to enquire into the keeping and +management of the orphan, as to his sustenance and education, to examine +into his estate, and the securities thereof, viz: whether the sureties +continue to be responsible, and his lands and plantations be kept +improving, and in repair, &c. If the orphan be poor, and bound an +apprentice to any trade, then their business is to enquire, how he is +kept to his schooling and trade; and if the court find he is either +misused or untaught, they take him from that master, and put him to +another of the same trade, or of any other trade, which they judge best +for the child. They cannot bind an orphan boy but to a trade, or the +sea. + +Another charitable method in favor of the poor orphans there, is this: +that besides their trade and schooling, the masters are generally +obliged to give them at their freedom, cattle, tools, or other things, +to the value of five, six, or ten pounds, according to the age of the +child when bound, over and above the usual quantity of corn and clothes. +The boys are bound till one and twenty years of age, and the girls till +eighteen. At which time, they who have taken any care to improve +themselves, generally get well married, and live in plenty, though they +had not a farthing of paternal estate. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +OF THE CHURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS. + + +§ 33. Their parishes are accounted large or small, in proportion to the +number of tithables contained in them, and not according to the extent +of land. + +§ 34. They have in each parish a convenient church, built either of +timber, brick or stone, and decently adorned with everything necessary +for the celebration of divine service. + +If a parish be of greater extent than ordinary, it hath generally a +chapel of ease; and some of the parishes have two such chapels, besides +the church, for the greater convenience of the parishioners. In these +chapels the minister preaches alternately, always leaving a reader to +read prayers when he can't attend himself. + +§ 35. The people are generally of the church of England, which is the +religion established by law in that country, from which there are very +few dissenters. Yet liberty of conscience is given to all other +congregations pretending to Christianity, on condition they submit to +all parish duties. They have but one set conventicle amongst them, viz: +a meeting of Quakers in Nansemond county, others that have lately, been +being now extinct; and 'tis observed by letting them alone they decrease +daily. + +§ 36. The maintenance for a minister there, is appointed by law at +sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco per annum, (be the parish great or +small;) as also a dwelling house and glebe, together with certain +perquisites for marriages and funeral sermons. That which makes the +difference in the benefices of the clergy is the value of the tobacco, +according to the distinct species of it, or according to the place of +its growth. Besides, in large and rich parishes, more marriages will +probably happen, and more funeral sermons. + +The fee by law for a funeral sermon is forty shillings, or four hundred +pounds of tobacco; for a marriage by license twenty shillings, or two +hundred pounds of tobacco, and where the banns are proclaimed, only five +shillings, or fifty pounds of tobacco. + +When these salaries were granted, the assembly valued tobacco at ten +shillings per hundred; at which rate, the sixteen thousand pounds comes +to fourscore pounds sterling; but in all parishes where the +sweet-scented grows, since the law for appointing agents to view the +tobacco was made, it has generally been sold for double that value, and +never under. + +In some parishes, likewise, there are by donation stocks of cattle and +negroes on the glebes, which are also allowed to the minister for his +use and encouragement, he only being accountable for the surrender of +the same value when he leaves the parish. + +§ 37. For the well governing of these, and all other parochial affairs, +a vestry is appointed in each parish. These vestries consist of twelve +gentlemen of the parish, and were at first chosen by the vote of the +parishioners; but upon the death of any, have been continued by the +survivors electing another in his place. These, in the name of the +parish, make presentation of ministers, and have the sole power of all +parish assessments. They are qualified for this employment by +subscribing, to be conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the +church of England. If there be a minister incumbent, he always presides +in the vestry. + +For the ease of the vestry in general, and for discharging the business +of the parish, they choose two from among themselves to be +church-wardens, which must be annually changed, that the burthen may lie +equally upon all. The business of these church-wardens, is to see the +orders and agreements of the vestry performed; to collect all the parish +tobacco, and distribute it to the several claimers; to make up the +accounts of the parish, and to present all profaneness and immorality to +the county courts, and there prosecute it. + +By these the tobacco of the minister is collected, and brought to him in +hogsheads convenient for shipping, so that he is at no farther trouble +but to receive it in that condition. This was ordained by the law of the +country, for the ease of the ministers, that so they being delivered +from the trouble of gathering in their dues, may have the more time to +apply themselves to the exercises of their holy function, and live in a +decency suitable to their order. It may here be observed, that the labor +of a dozen negroes does but answer this salary, and seldom yields a +greater crop of sweet scented tobacco than is allowed to each of their +ministers. + +§ 38. Probates of wills and administrations are, according to their law, +petitioned for in the county courts; and by them security taken and +certified to the governor, which, if he approves the commission, is then +signed by them without fee. Marriage licenses are issued by the clerks +of those courts, and signed by the justice in commission, or by any +other person deputed by the governor, for which a fee of twenty +shillings must be paid to the governor. The power of induction, upon +presentation of ministers, is also in the governor. + +In the year 1642, when the sectaries began to spread themselves so much +in England, the assembly made a law against them, to prevent their +preaching and propagating their doctrines in that colony. They admitted +none to preach in their churches but ministers ordained by some reverend +bishop of the church of England, and the governor, for the time being, +as the most suitable public person among them, was left sole judge of +the certificates of such ordination, and so he has continued ever +since. + +§ 39. The only thing I have heard the clergy complain of there, is what +they call precariousness in their livings; that is, that they have not +inductions generally, and therefore are not entitled to a freehold; but +are liable, without trial or crime alledged, to be put out by the +vestry. And though some have prevailed with their vestries, to present +them for induction, yet the greater number of the ministers have no +induction, but are entertained by agreement with their vestries, yet are +they very rarely turned out without some great provocation, and then, if +they have not been abominably scandalous, they immediately get other +parishes, for there is no benefice whatsoever in that country that +remains without a minister if they can get one, and no qualified +minister ever yet returned from that country for want of preferment. +They have now several vacant parishes. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CONCERNING THE COLLEGE. + + +§ 40. The college, as has been hinted, was founded by their late +majesties, King William and Queen Mary, of happy memory, in the year +1692. Towards the founding of which, they gave one thousand nine hundred +and eighty-five pounds, fourteen shillings and ten pence. They gave +moreover, towards the endowment of it, twenty thousand acres of land; +the revenue of one pence per pound on tobacco exported to the +plantations from Virginia and Maryland; and the surveyor general's +place, then avoid; and appointed them a burgess to represent them in the +assemblies. The land hitherto has yielded little or no profit; the duty +of one pence per pound, brings in about two hundred pounds a year; and +the surveyor general's place, about fifty pounds a year. To which the +assembly had added a duty on skins and furs exported, worth about an +hundred pounds a year. + +§ 41. By the same charter, likewise, their majesties granted a power to +certain gentlemen, and the survivors of them, as trustees, to build and +establish the college, by the name of William and Mary college; to +consist of a president and six masters, or professors, and an hundred +scholars, more or less, graduates or non-graduates; enabling the said +trustees, as a body corporate, to enjoy annuities, spiritual and +temporal, of the value of two thousand pounds sterling per annum, with +proviso to convert it to the building and adorning the college; and then +to make over the remainder to the president and masters, and their +successors, who are likewise to become a corporation, and be enabled to +purchase and hold to the value of two thousand pounds a year, but no +more. + +§ 42. The persons named in the charter for trustees, are made governors +and visitors of the college, and to have a perpetual succession, by the +name of governors and visitors, with power to fill up their own +vacancies, happening by the death or removal of any of them. Their +complete number may be eighteen, but not to exceed twenty, of which one +is to be rector, and annually chosen by themselves, on the first Monday +after the 25th of March. + +These have the nomination of the president and masters of the college, +and all other officers belonging to it; and the power of making statutes +and ordinances, for the better rule and government thereof. + +§ 43. The building is to consist of a quadrangle, two sides of which are +not yet carried up. In this part are contained all conveniencies of +cooking, brewing, baking, &c., and convenient rooms for the reception of +the president and masters, with many more scholars than are as yet come +to it. In this part are also the hall and school room. + +§ 44. The college was intended to be an intire square when finished. Two +sides of this were finished in the latter end of Governor Nicholson's +time, and the masters and scholars, with the necessary housekeepers and +servants, were settled in it, and so continued till the first year of +Governor Nott's time, in which it happened to be burnt (no body knows +how) down to the ground, and very little saved that was in it, the fire +breaking out about ten o'clock at night in a public time. + +The governor, and all the gentlemen that were in town, came up to the +lamentable spectacle, many getting out of their beds. But the fire had +got such power before it was discovered, and was so fierce, that there +was no hope of putting a stop to it, and therefore no attempts made to +that end. + +In this condition it lay till the arrival of Colonel Spotswood, their +present governor, in whose time it was raised again the same bigness as +before, and settled. + +There had been a donation of large sums of money, by the Hon. Robert +Boyle, esq., to this college, for the education of Indian children +therein. In order to make use of this, they had formerly bought half a +dozen captive Indian children slaves, and put them to the college. This +method did not satisfy this governor, as not answering the intent of the +donor. So to work he goes, among the tributary and other neighboring +Indians, and in a short time brought them to send their children to be +educated, and brought new nations, some of which lived four hundred +miles off, taking their children for hostages and education equally, at +the same time setting up a school in the frontiers convenient to the +Indians, that they might often see their children under the first +managements, where they learned to read, paying fifty pounds per annum +out of his own pocket to the schoolmaster there; after which many were +brought to the college, where they were taught till they grew big enough +for their hunting and other exercises, at which time they were returned +home, and smaller taken in their stead. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +OF THE MILITIA IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 45. The militia are the only standing forces in Virginia. They are +happy in the enjoyment of an everlasting peace, which their poverty and +want of towns secure to them. They have the Indians round about in +subjection, and have no sort of apprehension from them: and for a +foreign enemy, it can never be worth their while to carry troops +sufficient to conquer the country; and the scattering method of their +settlement will not answer the charge of an expedition to plunder them: +so that they feel none but the distant effect of war, which, however, +keeps 'em so poor, that they can boast of nothing but the security of +their persons and habitations. + +§ 46. The governor is lieutenant-general by his commission, and in each +county does appoint the colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major, who have +under them captains, and other commissioned and subaltern officers. + +Every freeman, (by which denomination they call all, but indented, or +bought servants,) from sixteen to sixty years of age, is listed in the +militia; which by a law is to be mustered in a general muster for each +county once a year; and in single troops and companies, four times more +at the least: most people there are skilful in the use of fire-arms, +being all their lives accustomed to shoot in the woods. This, together +with a little exercising, would soon make the militia useful. + +§ 47. The exact number of the militia is not now known, there not being +any account of the number taken of late years, but I guess them at this +time to be about eighteen thousand effective men in all. + +And whereas by the practice of former times upon the militia law, +several people were obliged to travel sometimes thirty or forty miles to +a private muster of a troop or company, which was very burdensome to +some, more than others, to answer only the same duty; this governor, +just and regular in all his conduct, and experienced to put his desires +in execution, so contrived, by dividing the counties into several +cantons or military districts, forming the troops and companies to each +canton, and appointing the musterfields in the centre of each, that now +throughout the whole country, none are obliged to travel above ten miles +to a private muster, and yet the law put in due execution. + +§ 48. Instead of the soldiers they formerly kept constantly in forts, +and of the others after them by the name of rangers, to scour the +frontiers clear of the Indian enemy, they have by law appointed the +militia to march out upon such occasions, under the command of the chief +officer of the county, where any incursion shall be notified. And if +they upon such expedition remain in arms three days and upwards, they +are then entitled to the pay for the whole time; but if it prove a false +alarm, and they have no occasion to continue out so long, they can +demand nothing. + +§ 49. The number of soldiers in each troop of light horse, are from +thirty to sixty, as the convenience of the canton will admit; and in a +company of foot about fifty or sixty. A troop or company may be got +together at a day's warning. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +OF THE SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 50. Their servants they distinguish by the names of slaves for life, +and servants for a time. + +Slaves are the negroes and their posterity, following the condition of +the mother, according to the maxim, _partus frequitur ventrem_. They are +called slaves, in respect of the time of their servitude, because it is +for life. + +Servants, are those which serve only for a few years, according to the +time of their indenture, or the custom of the country. The custom of the +country takes place upon such as have no indentures. The law in this +case is, that if such servants be under nineteen years of age, they must +be brought into court to have their age adjudged; and from the age they +are judged to be of, they must serve until they reach four and twenty; +but if they be adjudged upwards of nineteen, they are then only to be +servants for the term of five years. + +§ 51. The male servants, and slaves of both sexes, are employed together +in tilling and manuring the ground, in sowing and planting tobacco, +corn, &c. Some distinction indeed is made between them in their clothes, +and food; but the work of both is no other than what the overseers, the +freemen, and the planters themselves do. + +Sufficient distinction is also made between the female servants, and +slaves; for a white woman is rarely or never put to work in the ground, +if she be good for anything else; and to discourage all planters from +using any women so, their law makes female servants working in the +ground tithables, while it suffers all other white women to be +absolutely exempted; whereas, on the other hand, it is a common thing to +work a woman slave out of doors, nor does the law make any distinction +in her taxes, whether her work be abroad or at home. + +§ 52. Because I have heard how strangely cruel and severe the service of +this country is represented in some parts of England, I can't forbear +affirming, that the work of their servants and slaves is no other than +what every common freeman does; neither is any servant required to do +more in a day than his overseer; and I can assure you, with great truth, +that generally their slaves are not worked near so hard, nor so many +hours in a day, as the husbandmen, and day laborers in England. An +overseer is a man, that having served his time, has acquired the skill +and character of an experienced planter, and is therefore entrusted with +the direction of the servants and slaves. + +But to complete this account of servants, I shall give you a short +relation of the care their laws take, that they be used as tenderly as +possible: + + + BY THE LAWS OF THEIR COUNTRY, + + 1. All servants whatsoever have their complaints heard without fee + or reward; but if the master be found faulty, the charge of the + complaint is cast upon him, otherwise the business is done _ex + officio_. + + 2. Any justice of the peace may receive the complaint of a + servant, and order everything relating thereto, till the next + county court, where it will be finally determined. + + 3. All masters are under the correction and censure of the county + courts, to provide for their servants good and wholesome diet, + clothing and lodging. + + 4. They are always to appear upon the first notice given of the + complaint of their servants, otherwise to forfeit the service of + them until they do appear. + + 5. All servants' complaints are to be received at any time in + court, without process, and shall not be delayed for want of form; + but the merits of the complaint must be immediately enquired into + by the justices; and if the master cause any delay therein, the + court may remove such servants, if they see cause, until the + master will come to trial. + + 6. If a master shall at any time disobey an order of court, made + upon any complaint of a servant, the court is empowered to remove + such servant forthwith to another master who will be kinder, + giving to the former master the produce only, (after fees + deducted,) of what such servants shall be sold for by public + outcry. + + 7. If a master should be so cruel, as to use his servant ill, that + is fallen sick or lame in his service, and thereby rendered unfit + for labor, he must be removed by the church-wardens out of the way + of such cruelty, and boarded in some good planter's house, till + the time of his freedom, the charge of which must be laid before + the next county court, which has power to levy the same, from time + to time, upon the goods and chattels of the master, after which, + the charge of such boarding is to come upon the parish in general. + + 8. All hired servants are entitled to these privileges. + + 9. No master of a servant can make a new bargain for service, or + other matter with his servant, without the privity and consent of + the county court, to prevent the masters overreaching, or scaring + such servant into an unreasonable compliance. + + 10. The property of all money and goods sent over thither to + servants, or carried in with them, is reserved to themselves, and + remains entirely at their disposal. + + 11. Each servant at his freedom receives of his master ten bushels + of corn, (which is sufficient for almost a year,) two new suits of + clothes, both linen and woolen, and a gun, twenty shillings value, + and then becomes as free in all respects, and as much entitled to + the liberties and privileges of the country, as any of the + inhabitants or natives are, if such servants were not aliens. + + 12. Each servant has then also a right to take up fifty acres of + land, where he can find any unpatented. + +This is what the laws prescribe in favor of servants, by which you may +find, that the cruelties and severities imputed to that country, are an +unjust reflection. For no people more abhor the thoughts of such usage, +than the Virginians, nor take more precaution to prevent it now, +whatever it was in former days. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +OF THE OTHER PUBLIC CHARITABLE WORKS, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR PROVISION +FOR THE POOR. + + +§ 53. They live in so happy a climate, and have so fertile a soil, that +nobody is poor enough to beg, or want food, though they have abundance +of people that are lazy enough to deserve it. I remember the time when +five pounds was left by a charitable testator to the poor of the parish +he lived in, and it lay nine years before the executors could find one +poor enough to accept of this legacy, but at last it was given to an old +woman. So that this may in truth be termed the best poor man's country +in the world. But as they have nobody that is poor to beggary, so they +have few that are rich; their estates being regulated by the merchants +in England, who it seems know best what is profit enough for them in the +sale of their tobacco and other trade. + +§ 54. When it happens, that by accident or sickness, any person is +disabled from working, and so is forced to depend upon the alms of the +parish, he is then very well provided for, not at the common rate of +some countries, that give but just sufficient to preserve the poor from +perishing; but the unhappy creature is received into some charitable +planter's house, where he is at the public charge boarded plentifully. + +Many when they are crippled, or by long sickness become poor, will +sometimes ask to be free from levies and taxes; but very few others do +ever ask for the parish alms, or, indeed, so much as stand in need of +them. + +§ 55. There are large tracts of land, houses, and other things granted +to free schools, for the education of children in many parts of the +country; and some of these are so large, that of themselves they are a +handsome maintenance to a master; but the additional allowance which +gentlemen give with their sons, render them a comfortable subsistence. +These schools have been founded by the legacies of well inclined +gentlemen, and the management of them hath commonly been left to the +direction of the county court, or to the vestry of the respective +parishes. In all other places where such endowments have not been +already made, the people join, and build schools for their children, +where they may learn upon very easy terms. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +OF THE TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD THEIR LANDS, AND OF THEIR GRANTS. + + +§ 56. The tenure of their land there is free and common soccage, +according to custom of east Greenwich; and is created by letters +patents, issuing under the seal of the colony, and under the test of the +governor in chief for the time being. I don't find that the name of any +other officer is necessary to make the patent valid. + +§ 57. There are three ways of obtaining from his majesty a title to land +there, viz: 1. By taking a patent upon a survey of new land. 2. By +petition for land lapsed. 3. By petition for land escheated. The +conditions of the two former are the entry of rights; the condition of +the third a composition of two pounds of tobacco for every acre. + +§ 58. A right is a title any one hath by the royal charter to fifty +acres of land, in consideration of his personal transportation into that +country, to settle and remain there; by this rule also, a man that +removes his family is entitled to the same number of acres for his wife, +and each of his children; a right may be also obtained by paying five +shillings, according to a late royal instruction to the government. + +§ 59. A patent upon land for survey is acquired thus: 1. The man proves +his rights; that is, he makes oath in court of the importation of so +many persons, with a list of their names. This list is then certified by +the clerk of that court to the clerk of the secretary's office, who +examines into the validity of them, and files them in that office, +attesting them to be regular, or he purchases them at five shillings +each as aforesaid. When the rights are thus obtained, they are produced +to the surveyor of the county, and the land is showed to him; who, +thereupon, is bound to make the survey if the land had not been patented +before. These rights to land are as commonly sold by one man to another, +as the land itself; so that any one, not having rights by his own +importation, may have them by purchase. + +It is the business of the surveyor also to take care that the bounds of +his survey be plainly marked, either by natural boundaries, or else by +chopping notches in the trees, that happen in the lines of his courses; +but this is done at the charge of the man that employs him. + +This survey being made, a copy thereof is carried, with a certificate of +rights to the secretary's office, and there (if there be no objection) a +patent of course is made out upon it, which is presented to the governor +and council for them to pass; the patentee having no more to do but to +send for it when it is perfected, and to pay the fee at the first crop +to the sheriff of the county, by whom annually the fees are collected. + +This patent gives an estate in fee simple, upon condition of paying a +quit rent of twelve pence for every fifty acres, and of planting or +seating thereon, within three years, according to their law; that is, to +clear, plant, and tend three acres of ground for every fifty, and to +build an house, and keep a stock of cattle, sheep, or goats, in +proportion to the meaner part of the land in the patent. + +§ 60. Lapsed land, is when any one having obtained a patent as before, +doth not set or plant thereon within three years, as the condition of +the patent requires; but leaves it still all or part uninhabited and +uncultivated. In such case it is said to be lapsed, and any man is at +liberty to obtain a new patent in his own name of so much as is lapsed, +the method of acquiring which patent is thus. + +The party must apply himself by petition to the general court, another +to the governor, setting forth all the circumstances of the lapse. If +this petition be allowed, the court makes an order, to certify the same +to the governor, in whose breast it is then to make a new grant thereof +to such person if he thinks they deserve it, upon the same condition, of +setting or planting within three years, as was in the former patent. +Thus land may be lapsed or lost several times, by the negligence of the +patentees; who, by such omission, lose not only the land, but all their +rights and charges into the bargain. + +But if within the three years after the date of the patent, or before +any new petition is preferred for it, the patentee shall set or plant +the said land, as the law directs; it cannot afterwards be forfeited, +but by attainder, or escheat, in which case it returns to his majesty +again. + +Also when it happens, that the patentee dies within the three years, +leaving the heir under age, there is farther time given the heir after +he comes of age to set and save such land. + +§ 61. When land is suggested to escheat, the governor issues his warrant +to the escheator, to make inquest thereof: and when upon such inquest, +office is found for the king, it must be recorded in the secretary's +office, and there kept nine months, to see if any person will lay claim +to it, or can traverse the escheat. If any such appear, upon his +petition to the general court he is heard, before any grant can be made. +If no person oppose the inquest, the land is given to the man that shews +the best equitable right thereto; and if there be none such, it is then +granted to any one, that the governor and council shall think fit, the +grantee always paying two pounds of tobacco per acre into the treasury +of the country, as a fine of composition with his majesty for his +escheat: and thereupon a patent issues reciting premises. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +OF THE LIBERTIES AND NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 62. Christians of all nations have equal freedom there, and upon their +arrival become _ipso facto_ entitled to all the liberties and privileges +of the country, provided they take the oaths of obedience to the crown +and government, and obtain the governor's testimonial thereof. + +The method of obtaining naturalization is thus: the party desiring it +goes before the governor, and tenders his oath of allegiance, which the +governor thereupon administers, and immediately makes certificate of it +under the seal of the colony. By this means, the person alien is +completely naturalized to all intents and purposes. + +§ 63. The French refugees sent in thither by the charitable exhibition +of his late majesty king William, are naturalized, by a particular law +for that purpose. + +In the year 1699, there went over about three hundred of these, and the +year following about two hundred more, and so on, till there arrived in +all between seven and eight hundred men, women and children, who had +fled from France on account of their religion. + +Those who went over the first year, were advised to seat on a piece of +very rich land, about twenty miles above the falls of James river, on +the south side of the river; which land was formerly the seat of a great +and warlike nation of Indians, called the Manicans, none of which are +now left in those parts; but the land still retains their name, and is +called the Manican town. + +The refugees that arrived the second year, went also first to the +Manican town, but afterwards upon some disagreement, several dispersed +themselves up and down the country; and those that have arrived since +have followed their example, except some few, that settled likewise at +the Manican town. + +The assembly was very bountiful to those who remained at this town, +bestowing on them large donations, money and provisions for their +support; they likewise freed them from every public tax, for several +years to come, and addressed the governor to grant them a brief, to +entitle them to the charity of all well disposed persons throughout the +country; which together with the king's benevolence, supported them very +comfortably, till they could sufficiently supply themselves with +necessaries, which now they do indifferently well, and have stocks of +cattle and hogs. + +The year 1702, they began an essay of wine, which they made of the wild +grapes gathered in the woods; the effect of which was a strong bodied +claret, of good flavor. I heard a gentleman, who tasted it, give it +great commendation. Now if such may be made of the wild vine in the +woods, without pruning, weeding, or removing it out of the shade, what +may not be produced from a vineyard skilfully cultivated? But I don't +hear that they have done any thing since towards it, being still very +poor, needy, and negligent. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +OF THE CURRENCY AND VALUATION OF COINS IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 64. The coin which chiefly they have among them, is either gold, of +the stamp of Arabia, or silver and gold, of the stamp of France, +Portugal or the Spanish America: Spanish, French and Portuguese coined +silver is settled by law at three pence three farthings the pennyweight. +Gold of the same coin, and of Arabia, at five shillings the pennyweight. +English guineas at twenty-six shillings each, and the silver two pence +in every shilling advance, English old coin goes by weight as the other +gold and silver. + + + + +OF THE +HUSBANDRY AND IMPROVEMENTS +OF +VIRGINIA. + + +PART II. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +OF THE PEOPLE, INHABITANTS OF VIRGINIA. + + +§ 65. I can easily imagine with Sir Josiah Child, that this, as well as +all the rest of the plantations, was for the most part, at first, +peopled by persons of low circumstances, and by such as were willing to +seek their fortunes in a foreign country. Nor was it hardly possible it +should be otherwise; for 'tis not likely that any man of a plentiful +estate should voluntarily abandon a happy certainty, to roam after +imaginary advantages in a new world. Besides which uncertainty, he must +have proposed to himself to encounter the infinite difficulties and +dangers that attend a new settlement. These discouragements were +sufficient to terrify any man, that could live easily in England, from +going to provoke his fortune in a strange land. + +§ 66. Those that went over to that country first, were chiefly single +men who had not the incumbrance of wives and children in England; and if +they had, they did not expose them to the fatigue and hazard of so long +a voyage, until they saw how it should fare with themselves. From hence +it came to pass, that when they were settled there in a comfortable way +of subsisting a family, they grew sensible of the misfortune of wanting +wives, and such as had left wives in England sent for them, but the +single men were put to their shifts. They excepted against the Indian +women on account of their being pagans, as well as their complexions, +and for fear they should conspire with those of their own nation to +destroy their husbands. Under this difficulty they had no hopes, but +that the plenty in which they lived might invite modest women, of small +fortunes, to go over thither from England. However, they would not +receive any, but such as could carry sufficient certificate of their +modesty and good behavior. Those, if they were but moderately qualified +in all other respects, might depend upon marrying very well in those +days, without any fortune. Nay, the first planters were so far from +expecting money with a woman, that 'twas a common thing for them to buy +a deserving wife, that carried good testimonials of her character, at +the price of one hundred pounds, and make themselves believe they had a +bargain. + +§ 67. But this way of peopling the colony was only at first. For after +the advantages of the climate, and the fruitfulness of the soil were +well known, and all the dangers incident to infant settlements were +over, people of better condition retired thither with their families, +either to increase the estates they had before, or else to avoid being +persecuted for their principles of religion or government. + +Thus, in the time of the rebellion in England, several good cavalier +families went thither with their effects, to escape the tyranny of the +usurper, or acknowledgement of his title. And so again, upon the +restoration, many people of the opposite party took refuge there, to +shelter themselves from the king's resentment. But Virginia had not many +of these last, because that country was famous for holding out the +longest for the royal family, of any of the English dominions. For +which reason the Roundheads went, for the most part, to New England, as +did most of those that in the reign of King Charles II were molested on +account of their religion, though some of these fell likewise to the +share of Virginia. As for malefactors condemned to transportation, tho' +the greedy planter will always buy them, yet it is to be feared they +will be very injurious to the country, which has already suffered many +murders and robberies, the effect of that new law of England. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +OF THE BUILDINGS OF VIRGINIA. + + +§ 68. There are three fine public buildings in this country, which are +said to be the most magnificent of any in the English America: one of +which is the college before spoken of, another the capitol or state +house, as it was formerly called; that is, the house for convention of +the general assembly, for the sitting of the general court, for the +meeting of the council, and for keeping of their several offices, +belonging to them. + +Not far from this, is also built the public prison of the country for +criminals, which is a large and convenient structure, with partitions +for the different sexes, and distinct rooms for petty offenders. To this +is also annexed a convenient yard to air the criminals in, for the +preservation of their life and health, till the time of their trial; and +at the end of that, another prison for debtors. + +The third is a house for the governor, not the largest, but by far the +most beautiful of all the others. It was granted by the assembly in +Governor Nott's time, begun in President Jennings' time, but received +its beauty and conveniency for the many alterations and decorations, of +the present governor, Colonel Spotswood; who, to the lasting honor and +happiness of the country, arrived there, while this house was carrying +up. + +In his time was also built a new brick church, and brick magazine for +arms and ammunition, and the streets of the town altered from the +fanciful forms of Ws and Ms to much more conveniences. + +These are all erected at Middle plantation, now named Williamsburg, +where land is laid out for a town. They all are built of brick, and +covered with shingle, except the debtors' prison which is flat roofed +anew; a very useful invention of the present governor also. + +§ 69. The private buildings are also in his time very much improved, +several gentlemen there, having built themselves large brick houses of +many rooms on a floor; but they don't covet to make them lofty, having +extent enough of ground to build upon; and now and then they are visited +by high winds, which would incommode a towering fabric. They love to +have large rooms, that they may be cool in summer. Of late they have +made their stories much higher than formerly, and their windows larger, +and sashed with crystal glass; adorning their apartments with rich +furniture. + +All their drudgeries of cookery, washing, dairies, &c., are performed in +offices apart from the dwelling houses, which by this means are kept +more cool and sweet. + +Their tobacco houses are all built of wood, as open and airy as is +consistent with keeping out the rain; which sort of building is most +convenient for the curing of their tobacco. + +Their common covering for dwelling houses is shingle, which is an oblong +square of cypress or pine wood; but they cover their tobacco houses with +thin clap board; and though they have slate enough in some particular +parts of the country, and as strong clay as can be desired for making of +tile, yet they have very few tiled houses; neither has any one yet +thought it worth his while to dig up the slate, which will hardly be +made use of, till the carriage there becomes cheaper, and more common; +the slate lying far up the frontiers above water carriage. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +OF THE EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 70. The families being altogether on country seats, they have their +graziers, seedsmen, gardeners, brewers, bakers, butchers and cooks, +within themselves. They have plenty and variety of provisions for their +table; and as for spicery, and other things that the country don't +produce, they have constant supplies of them from England. The gentry +pretend to have their victuals dressed, and served up as nicely, as if +they were in London. + +§ 71. When I come to speak of their cattle, I can't forbear charging my +countrymen with exceeding ill husbandry, in not providing sufficiently +for them all winter, by which means they starve their young cattle, or +at least stint their growth; so that they seldom or never grow so large +as they would do, if they were well managed; for the humor is there, if +people can but save the lives of their cattle, though they suffer them +to be never so poor in the winter, yet they will presently grow fat +again in the spring, which they esteem sufficient for their purpose. And +this is the occasion, that their beef and mutton are seldom or never so +large, or so fat as in England. And yet with the least feeding +imaginable, they are put into as good case as can be desired; and it is +the same with their hogs. + +Their fish is in vast plenty and variety, and extraordinary good in +their kind. Beef and pork are commonly sold there, from one penny, to +two pence the pound, or more, according to the time of year; their +fattest and largest pullets at sixpence a piece; their capons at eight +pence or nine pence a piece; their chickens at three or four shillings +the dozen; their ducks at eight pence, or nine pence a piece; their +geese at ten pence or a shilling; their turkey hens at fifteen or +eighteen pence; and their turkey cocks at two shillings or half a crown. +But oysters and wild fowl are not so dear, as the things I have reckoned +before, being in their season the cheapest victuals they have. Their +deer are commonly sold from five to ten shillings, according to the +scarcity and goodness. + +§ 72. The bread in gentlemen's houses is generally made of wheat, but +some rather choose the pone, which is the bread made of Indian meal. +Many of the poorer sort of people so little regard the English grain, +that though they might have it with the least trouble in the world, yet +they don't mind to sow the ground, because they won't be at the trouble +of making a fence particularly for it. And, therefore, their constant +bread is pone, not so called from the Latin panis, but from the Indian +name oppone. + +§ 73. A kitchen garden don't thrive better or faster in any part of the +universe than there. They have all the culinary plants that grow in +England, and in greater perfection than in England. Besides these, they +have several roots, herbs, vine fruits, and salad flowers peculiar to +themselves, most of which will neither increase nor grow to perfection +in England. These they dish up various ways, and find them very +delicious sauce to their meats, both roast and boiled, fresh and salt; +such are the Indian cresses, red buds, sassafras flowers, cymlings, +melons and potatoes, whereof I have spoken at large in the 4th chapter +of the second book, section 20. + +It is said of New England, that several plants will not grow there, +which thrive well in England; such as rue, southernwood, rosemary, bays +and lavender; and that others degenerate, and will not continue above a +year or two at the most; such are July flowers, fennel, enula campana, +clary and bloodwort. But I don't know any English plant, grain or fruit, +that miscarries in Virginia: but most of them better their kinds very +much by being sowed or planted there. It was formerly said of the red +top turnip, that there, in three or four, years time, it degenerated +into rape; but that happened merely by an error in saving the seed; for +now it appears that if they cut off the top of such a turnip, that has +been kept out of the ground all the winter, and plant that top alone +without the body of the root, it yields a seed which mends the turnip in +the next sowing. + +§ 74. Their small drink is either wine and water, beer, milk and water, +or water alone. Their richer sort generally brew their small beer with +malt, which they have from England, though barley grows there very well; +but for want of the convenience of malthouses, the inhabitants take no +care to sow it. The poorer sort brew their beer with molasses and bran; +with Indian corn malted by drying in a stove; with persimmons dried in +cakes, and baked; with potatoes; with the green stalks of Indian corn +cut small, and bruised; with pompions, and with the batates canadensis, +or Jerusalem artichoke, which some people plant purposely for that use; +but this is the least esteemed of all the sorts before mentioned. + +Their strong drink is Madeira wine, cider, mobby punch, made either of +rum from the Caribbee islands, or brandy distilled from their apples and +peaches; besides brandy, wine, and strong beer, which they have +constantly from England. + +§ 75. Their fuel is altogether wood, which every man burns at pleasure, +it being no other charge to him than the cutting and carrying it home. +In all new grounds it is such an incumbrance, that they are forced to +burn great heaps of it to rid the land. They have very good pit coal (as +is formerly mentioned) in several places of the country; but no man has +yet thought it worth his while to make use of them, having wood in +plenty, and lying more convenient for him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +OF THE CLOTHING IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 76. They have their clothing of all sorts from England; as linen, +woollen, silk, hats and leather. Yet flax and hemp grow no where in the +world better than there. Their sheep yield good increase, and bear good +fleeces; but they shear them only to cool them. The mulberry tree, whose +leaf is the proper food of the silk worm, grows there like a weed, and +silk worms have been observed to thrive extremely, and without any +hazard. The very furs that their hats are made of perhaps go first from +thence; and most of their hides lie and rot, or are made use of only for +covering dry goods in a leaky house. Indeed, some few hides with much +ado are tanned and made into servants' shoes, but at so careless a rate, +that the planters don't care to buy them if they can get others; and +sometimes perhaps a better manager than ordinary will vouchsafe to make +a pair of breeches of a deerskin. Nay, they are such abominable ill +husbands, that though their country be overrun with wood, yet they have +all their wooden ware from England; their cabinets, chairs, tables, +stools, chests, boxes, cart wheels, and all other things, even so much +as their bowls and birchen brooms, to the eternal reproach of their +laziness. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +OF THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE, AND THE INCONVENIENCIES ATTENDING IT. + + +§ 77. The natural temperature of the inhabited part of the country is +hot and moist, though this moisture I take to be occasioned by the +abundance of low grounds, marshes, creeks and rivers, which are +everywhere among their lower settlements; but more backward in the +woods, where they are now seating, and making new plantations, they have +abundance of high and dry land, where there are only crystal streams of +water, which flow gently from their springs in innumerable branches to +moisten and enrich the adjacent lands, and where a fog is rarely seen. + +§ 78. The country is in a very happy situation, between the extremes of +heat and cold, but inclining rather to the first. Certainly it must be a +happy climate, since it is very near of the same latitude with the land +of promise. Besides, as the land of promise was full of rivers and +branches of rivers, so is Virginia. As that was seated upon a great bay +and sea, wherein were all the conveniencies for shipping and trade, so +is Virginia. Had that fertility of soil? So has Virginia, equal to any +land in the known world. In fine, if any one impartially considers all +the advantages of this country, as nature made it, he must allow it to +be as fine a place as any in the universe, but I confess I am ashamed to +say any thing of its improvements, because I must at the same time +reproach my countrymen with unpardonable sloth. If there be any excuse +for them in this matter, 'tis the exceeding plenty of good things with +which nature has blest them; for where God Almighty is so merciful as +to give plenty and ease, people easily forget their duty. + +All the countries in the world, seated in or near the latitude of +Virginia, are esteemed the fruitfullest and pleasantest of all climates. +As for example, Canaan, Syria, Persia, great part of India, China and +Japan, the Morea, Spain, Portugal, and the coast of Barbary, none of +which differ many degrees of latitude from Virginia. These are reckoned +the gardens of the world, while Virginia is unjustly neglected by its +own inhabitants, and abused by other people. + +§ 79. That which makes this country most unfortunate, is, that it must +submit to receive its character from the mouths not only of unfit, but +very unequal judges; for all its reproaches happen after this manner. + +Many of the merchants and others, that go thither from England, make no +distinction between a cold and hot country; but wisely go sweltering +about in their thick clothes all the summer, because forsooth they used +to do so in their northern climate; and then unfairly complain of the +heat of the country. They greedily surfeit with their delicious fruits, +and are guilty of great intemperance therein, through the exceeding +plenty thereof, and liberty given by the inhabitants; by which means +they fall sick, and then unjustly complain of the unhealthiness of the +country. In the next place, the sailors for want of towns there, were +put to the hardship of rolling most of the tobacco, a mile or more, to +the water side; this splinters their hands sometimes, and provokes them +to curse the country. Such exercise and a bright sun made them hot, and +then they imprudently fell to drinking cold water, or perhaps new cider, +which, in its season they found in every planter's house; or else they +greedily devour the green fruit, and unripe trash they met with, and so +fell into fluxes, fevers, and the belly ache; and then, to spare their +own indiscretion, they in their tarpaulin language, cry, God d----m the +country. This is the true state of the case, as to the complaints of its +being sickly; for, by the most impartial observation I can make, if +people will be persuaded to be temperate, and take due care of +themselves, I believe it is as healthy a country as any under heaven: +but the extraordinary pleasantness of the weather, and plenty of the +fruit, lead people into many temptations. The clearness and brightness +of the sky, add new vigor to their spirits, and perfectly remove all +splenetic and sullen thoughts. Here they enjoy all the benefits of a +warm sun, and by their shady trees are protected from its inconvenience. +Here all their senses are entertained with an endless succession of +native pleasures. Their eyes are ravished with the beauties of naked +nature. Their ears are serenaded with the perpetual murmur of brooks, +and the thorough-base which the wind plays, when it wantons through the +trees; the merry birds too, join their pleasing notes to this rural +comfort, especially the mock birds, who love society so well, that often +when they see mankind, they will perch upon a twig very near them, and +sing the sweetest wild airs in the world. But what is most remarkable in +these melodious animals, if they see a man take notice of them, they +will frequently fly at small distances, warbling out their notes from +perch to perch, be it house or tree convenient, and sometimes too fly +up, to light on the same again, and by their music make a man forget the +fatigues of his mind. Men's taste is regaled with the most delicious +fruits, which, without art, they have in great variety and perfection. +And then their smell is refreshed with an eternal fragrancy of flowers +and sweets, with which nature perfumes and adorns the woods and branches +almost the whole year round. + +Have you pleasure in a garden? All things thrive in it most +surprisingly; you can't walk by a bed of flowers, but besides the +entertainment of their beauty, your eyes will be saluted with the +charming colors and curiosity of the humming bird, which revels among +the flowers, and licks off the dew and honey from their tender leaves, +on which it only feeds. Its size is not half so large as an English +wren, and its color is a glorious shining mixture of scarlet, green and +gold. + +§ 80. On the other side, all the annoyances and inconveniences of the +country may fairly be summed up, under these three heads, thunder, heat, +and troublesome vermin. + +I confess, in the hottest part of the summer, they have sometimes very +loud and surprising thunder, but rarely any damage happens by it. On the +contrary, it is of such advantage to the cooling and refining of the +air, that it is oftener wished for than feared. But they have no +earthquakes, which the Caribbee islands are so much troubled with. + +Their heat is very seldom troublesome, and then only by the accident of +a perfect calm, which happens perhaps two or three times in a year, and +lasts but a few hours at a time; and even that inconvenience is made +easy by cool shades, open airy rooms, summer houses, arbors, and +grottos: but the spring and fall afford as pleasant weather as Mahomet +promised in his paradise. + +All the troublesome vermin that ever I heard anybody complain of, are +either frogs, snakes, musquitoes, chinches, seed ticks, or red worms, by +some called potato lice. Of all which I shall give an account in their +order. + +Some people have been so ill informed, as to say, that Virginia is full +of toads, though there never yet was seen one toad in it. The marshes, +fens, and watery grounds, are indeed full of harmless frogs which do no +hurt, except by the noise of their croaking notes: but in the upper +parts of the country, where the land is high and dry, they are very +scarce. In these swamps and running streams, they have frogs of an +incredible bigness, which are called bull frogs, from the roaring they +make. Last year I found one of these near a stream of fresh water, of so +prodigious a magnitude, that when I extended its legs, I found the +distance betwixt them to be seventeen inches and an half. If any are +good to eat, these must be the kind. + +Some people in England are startled at the very name of the rattle +snake, and fancy every corner of that province so much pestered with +them, that a man goes in constant danger of his life, that walks abroad +in the woods. But this is as gross a mistake, as most of the other ill +reports of that country. For in the first place this snake is very +rarely seen; and when that happens, it never does the least mischief, +unless you offer to disturb it, and thereby provoke it to bite in its +own defence. But it never fails to give you fair warning, by making a +noise with its rattle, which may be heard at a convenient distance. For +my own part I have traveled the country as much as any man in it of my +age, by night and by day, above the inhabitants, well as among them; and +yet before the first impression of this book I had never seen a rattle +snake alive, and at liberty, in all my life. I had seen them indeed +after they had been killed, or pent up in boxes to be sent to England. +The bite of this viper without some immediate application is certainly +death; but remedies are so well known, that none of their servants are +ignorant of them. I never knew any killed by these, or any other of +their snakes, although I had a general knowledge all over the country, +and had been in every part of it. They have several other snakes which +are seen more frequently, and have very little or no hurt in them, viz: +such as they call black snakes, water snakes, and corn snakes. The black +viper snake, and the copper-bellied snake, are said to be as venomous as +the rattle snake, but they are as seldom seen; these three poisonous +snakes bring forth their young alive, whereas the other three sorts lay +eggs, which are hatched afterwards; and that is the distinction they +make, esteeming only those to be venomous, which are viviparous. They +have likewise the horn snake, so called from a sharp horn it carries in +its tail, with which it assaults anything that offends it, with that +force, that as it is said it will strike its tail into the butt end of a +musket, from which it is not able to disengage itself. + +All sorts of snakes will charm both birds and squirrels, and the +Indians pretend to charm them. Several persons have seen squirrels run +down a tree directly into a snake's mouth; they have likewise seen birds +fluttering up and down, and chattering at these snakes, till at last +they have dropped down just before them. + +In the end of May, 1715, stopping at an orchard by the road side to get +some cherries, being three of us in company, we were entertained with +the whole process of a charm between a rattle snake and a hare, the hare +being better than half grown. It happened thus: one of the company in +his search for the best cherries espied the hare sitting, and although +he went close by her she did not move, till he, (not suspecting the +occasion of her gentleness,) gave her a lash with his whip; this made +her run about ten feet, and there sit down again. The gentleman not +finding the cherries ripe, immediately returned the same way, and near +the place where he struck the hare, he spied a rattle snake; still not +suspecting the charm, he goes back about twenty yards to a hedge to get +a stick to kill the snake, and at his return found the snake removed, +and coiled in the same place from whence he had moved the hare. This put +him into immediate thoughts of looking for the hare again, and he soon +spied her about ten feet off the snake, in the same place to which she +had started when he whipt her. She was now lying down, but would +sometimes raise herself on her fore feet struggling as it were for life +or to get away, but could never raise her hinder parts from the ground, +and then would fall flat on her side again, panting vehemently. In this +condition the hare and snake were when he called me; and though we all +three came up within fifteen feet of the snake to have a full view of +the whole, he took no notice at all of us, nor so much as gave a glance +towards us. There we stood at least half an hour, the snake not altering +a jot, but the hare often struggling and falling on its side again, till +at last the hare lay still as dead for some time. Then the snake moved +out of his coil, and slid gently and smoothly on towards the hare, his +colors at that instant being ten times more glorious and shining than at +other times. As the snake moved along, the hare happened to fetch +another struggle, upon which the snake made a stop, laying at his +length, till the hare had lain quiet again for a short space; and then +he advanced again till he came up to the hinder parts of the hare, which +in all this operation had been towards the snake; there he made a survey +all over the hare, raising part of his body above it, then turned off +and went to the head and nose of the hare, after that to the ears, took +the ears in his mouth one after the other, working each apart in his +mouth as a man does a wafer to moisten it, then returned to the nose +again, and took the face into his mouth, straining and gathering his +lips sometimes by one side of his mouth, sometimes by the other; at the +shoulders he was a long time puzzled, often hauling and stretching the +hare out at length, and straining forward first one side of his mouth +then the other, till at last he got the whole body into his throat. Then +we went to him, and taking the twist band off from my hat, I made a +noose and put it about his neck. This made him at length very furious, +but we having secured him, put him into one end of a wallet, and carried +him on horseback five miles to Mr. John Baylor's house, where we lodged +that night, with a design to have sent him to Dr. Cock, at Williamsburg; +but Mr. Baylor was so careful of his slaves that he would not let him be +put into his boat, for fear he should get loose and mischief them; +therefore, the next morning we killed him, and took the hare out of his +belly. The head of the hare began to be digested and the hair falling +off, having lain about eighteen hours in the snake's belly. + +I thought this account of such a curiosity would be acceptable, and the +rather because though I lived in a country where such things are said +frequently to happen, yet I never could have any satisfactory account of +a charm, though I have met with several persons who have pretended to +have seen them. Some also pretend that those sort of snakes influence +children, and even men and women, by their charms. But this that I have +related of my own view, I aver, (for the satisfaction of the learned,) +to be punctually true, without enlarging or wavering in any respect, +upon the faith of a Christian. + +In my youth I was a bear hunting in the woods above the inhabitants, and +having straggled from my companions, I was entertained at my return, +with the relation of a pleasant rencounter, between a dog and a rattle +snake, about a squirrel. The snake had got the head and shoulders of the +squirrel into his mouth, which being something too large for his throat, +it took him up some time to moisten the fur of the squirrel with his +spawl, to make it slip down. The dog took this advantage, seized the +hinder parts of the squirrel, and tugged with all his might. The snake, +on the other side, would not let go his hold for a long time, till at +last, fearing he might be bruised by the dog's running away with him, he +gave up his prey to the dog. The dog ate the squirrel, and felt no harm. + +Another curiosity concerning this viper, which I never met with in +print, I will also relate from my own observation: + +Sometime after my observation of the charm, my waiting boy being sent +abroad on an errand, also took upon himself to bring home a rattle snake +in a noose. I cut off the head of this snake, leaving about an inch of +the neck with it. This I laid upon the head of a tobacco hogshead, one +Stephen Lankford, a carpenter, now alive, being with me. Now you must +note that these snakes have but two teeth, by which they convey their +poison; and they are placed in the upper jaw, pretty forward in the +mouth, one on each side. These teeth are hollow and crooked like a +cock's spur. They are also loose or springing in the mouth, and not +fastened in the jaw bone as all other teeth are. The hollow has a vent, +also, through by a small hole a little below the point of the tooth. +These two teeth are kept lying down along the jaw, or shut like a spring +knife, and don't shrink up as the talons of a cat or panther. They have +also over them a loose thin film or skin of a flesh color, which rises +over them when they are raised, which I take to be only at the will of +the snake to do injury. This skin does not break by the rising of the +tooth only, but keeps whole till the bite is given, and then is pierced +by the tooth, by which the poison is let out. The head being laid upon +the hogshead, I took two little twigs or splinters of sticks, and having +turned the head upon its crown, opened the mouth, and lifted up the fang +or springing tooth on one side several times, in doing of which I at +last broke the skin. The head gave a sudden champ with its mouth, +breaking from my sticks, in which I observed that the poison ran down in +a lump like oil, round the root of the tooth. Then I turned the other +side of the head, and resolved to be more careful to keep the mouth open +on the like occasion, and observe more narrowly the consequence. For it +is observed, that though the heads of snakes, terrapins and such like +vermin, be cut off, yet the body will not die in a long time after--the +general saying is, till the sun sets. After opening the mouth on the +other side, and lifting up that fang also several times, he endeavored +to give another bite or champ; but I kept his mouth open, and the tooth +pierced the film and emitted a stream like one full of blood in blood +letting, and cast some drops upon the sleeve of the carpenter's shirt, +who had no waistcoat on. I advised him to pull off his shirt, but he +would not, and received no harm; and tho' nothing could then be seen of +it upon the shirt, yet in washing there appeared five green specks, +which every washing appeared plainer and plainer, and lasted so long as +the shirt did, which the carpenter told me was about three years after. +The head we threw afterwards down upon the ground, and a sow came and +eat it before our faces, and received no harm. Now I believe had this +poison lighted upon any place of the carpenter's skin that was scratched +or hurt, it might have poisoned him. I take the poison to rest in a +small bag or receptacle, in the hollow at the root of these teeth; but +I never had the opportunity afterwards to make a farther discovery of +that. + +I will likewise give you a story of the violent effects of this sort of +poison, because I depend upon the truth of it, having it from an +acquaintance of mine of good credit, one Colonel James Taylor, of +Mattapony, still alive, he being with others in the woods a surveying. +Just as they were standing to light their pipes, they found a rattle +snake and cut off his head, and about three inches of the body. Then he, +with a green stick which he had in his hand, about a foot and a half +long, the bark being newly peeled off, urged and provoked the head, till +it bit the stick in fury several times. Upon this the colonel observed +small green streaks to rise up along the stick towards his hand. He +threw the stick upon the ground, and in a quarter of hour the stick of +its own accord split into several pieces, and fell asunder from end to +end. This account I had from him again at the writing hereof. + +Musquitoes are a sort of vermin of less danger, but much more +troublesome, because more frequent. They are a long tailed gnat, such as +are in all fens and low grounds in England, and I think have no other +difference from them than the name. Neither are they in Virginia +troubled with them anywhere but in their low grounds and marshes. These +insects I believe are stronger, and continue longer there, by reason of +the warm sun, than in England. Whoever is persecuted with them in his +house, may get rid of them by this easy remedy: let him but set open his +windows at sunset, and shut them again before the twilight be quite shut +in. All the musquitoes in the room will go out at the windows, and leave +the room clear. + +Chinches are a sort of flat bug, which lurks in the bedsteads and +bedding, and disturbs people's rest a nights. Every neat housewife +contrives there, by several devices, to keep her beds clear of them. But +the best way I ever heard, effectually to destroy them, is by a narrow +search among the bedding early in the spring, before these vermin begin +to nit and run about; for they lie snug all the winter, and are in the +spring large and full of the winter's growth, having all their seed +within them; and so they become a fair mark to find, and may with their +whole breed be destroyed; they are the same as they have in London near +the shipping. + +Seed tick, and red worms are small insects, that annoy the people by +day, as musquitoes and chinches do by night; but both these keep out of +your way, if you keep out of theirs; for seed ticks are no where to be +met with, but in the track of cattle, upon which the great ticks fatten, +and fill their skins so full of blood, that they drop off, and wherever +they happen to fall, they produce a kind of egg, which lies about a +fortnight before the seedlings are hatched. These seedlings run in +swarms up the next blade of grass that lies in their way; and then the +first thing that brushes that blade of grass, gathers off most of these +vermin, which stick like burs upon anything that touches them. They void +their eggs at the mouth. + +Red worms lie only in old dead trees, and rotten logs; and without +sitting down upon such, a man never meets with them, nor at any other +season, but only in the midst of summer. A little warm water immediately +brings off both seed ticks and red worms, though they lie ever so thick +upon any part of the body. But without some such remedy they will be +troublesome; for they are so small that nothing will lay hold of them, +but the point of a penknife, needle, or such like. But if nothing be +done to remove them, the itching they occasion goes away after two days. + +§ 81. Their winters are very short, and don't continue above three or +four months, of which they have seldom thirty days of unpleasant +weather, all the rest being blest with a clear air, and a bright sun. +However, they have very hard frost sometimes, but it rarely lasts above +three or four days, that is, till the wind change: for if it blow not +between the north and north-west points, from the cold Appalachian +mountains, they have no frost at all. But these frosts are attended with +a serene sky, and are otherwise made delightful by the tameness of the +wild fowl and other game, which by their incredible number, afford the +pleasantest shooting in the world. + +Their rains, except in the depth of winter, are extremely agreeable and +refreshing. All the summer long they last but a few hours at a time, and +sometimes not above half an hour, and then immediately succeeds clear +sunshine again. But in that short time it rains so powerfully, that it +quits the debt of a long drought, and makes everything green and gay. + +I have heard that this country is reproached with sudden and dangerous +changes of weather, but that imputation is unjust; for tho' it be true, +that in the winter, when the wind comes over those vast mountains and +lakes to the north-west, which are supposed to retain vast magazines of +ice, and snow, the weather is then very rigorous; yet in spring, summer +and autumn, such winds are only cool and pleasant breezes, which serve +to refresh the air, and correct those excesses of heat, which the +situation would otherwise make that country liable to. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +OF THE DISEASES INCIDENT TO VIRGINIA. + + +§ 82. While we are upon the climate, and its accidents, it will not be +improper to mention the diseases incident to Virginia. Distempers come +not there by choaking up the spirits, with a foggy and thick air, as in +some northern climes; nor by a stifling heat, that exhales the vigor of +those that dwell in a more southerly latitude: but by a willful and +foolish indulging themselves in those pleasures, which in a warm and +fruitful country, nature lavishes upon mankind, for their happiness, and +not for their destruction. + +Thus I have seen persons impatient of heat, lie almost naked upon the +cold grass in the shades, and there, often forgetting themselves, fall +asleep. Nay, many are so imprudent, as to do this in an evening, and +perhaps lie so all night; when between the clew from heaven, and the +damps from the earth, such impressions are made upon the humors of their +body, as occasion fatal distempers. + +Thus also have I seen persons put into a great heat by excessive action, +and in the midst of that heat, strip off their clothes, and expose their +open pores to the air. Nay, I have known some mad enough in this hot +condition, to take huge draughts of cold water, or perhaps of milk and +water, which they esteem much more cold in operation than water alone. + +And thus likewise have I seen several people, (especially new-comers,) +so intemperate in devouring the pleasant fruits, that they have fallen +into dangerous fluxes and surfeits. These, and such like disorders, are +the chief occasions of their diseases. + +§ 83. The first sickness that any new-comer happens to have there, he +unfairly calls a seasoning, be it fever, ague, or any thing else, that +his own folly or excesses bring upon him. + +Their intermitting fevers, as well as their agues, are very troublesome, +if a fit remedy be not applied; but of late the doctors there have made +use of the Cortex Peruviana with success, and find that it seldom or +never fails to remove the fits. The planters, too, have several roots +natural to the country, which in this case they cry up as infallible; +and I have found by many examples a total immersion in cold spring +water, just at the accession of the fit an infallible cure. + +§ 84. When these damps, colds and disorders affect the body more gently, +and do not seize people violently at first; then for want of some timely +application, (the planters abhorring all physic, except in desperate +cases,) these small disorders are suffered to go on, until they grow +into a cachexia, by which the body is overrun with obstinate scorbutic +humors. And this in a more fierce, and virulent degree, I take to be the +yaws. + +§ 85. The gripes is a distemper of the Caribbee islands, not of that +country, and seldom gets footing there, and then only upon great +provocations; namely, by the intemperance before mentioned, together +with an unreasonable use of filthy and unclean drinks. Perhaps too it +may come by new unfine cider, perry or peach drink, which the people are +impatient to drink before it is ready; or by the excessive use of lime +juice, and foul sugar in punch and flip; or else by the constant +drinking of uncorrected beer, made of such windy unwholesome things as +some people make use of in brewing. + +Thus having fairly reckoned up the principal inconveniences of the +climate, and the distempers incident to the country, I shall add a +chapter of the recreations and amusements used there, and proceed to the +natural benefits they enjoy. After which, I shall conclude with some +hints concerning their trade and improvements. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +OF THE RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES USED IN VIRGINIA. + + +§ 86. For their recreation, the plantations, orchards and gardens +constantly afford them fragrant and delightful walks. In their woods and +fields, they have an unknown variety of vegetables, and other rarities +of nature to discover and observe. They have hunting, fishing and +fowling, with which they entertain themselves an hundred ways. There is +the most good nature and hospitality practiced in the world, both +towards friends and strangers: but the worst of it is, this generosity +is attended now and then with a little too much intemperance. The +neighborhood is at much the same distance as in the country in England; +but the goodness of the roads, and the fairness of the weather, bring +people often together. + +§ 87. The Indians, as I have already observed, had in their hunting, a +way of concealing themselves, and coming up to the deer, under the blind +of a stalking head, in imitation of which, many people have taught their +horses to stalk it, that is, to walk gently by the huntsman's side, to +cover him from the sight of the deer. Others cut down trees for the deer +to browse upon, and lie in wait behind them. Others again set stakes, at +a certain distance within their fences, where the deer have been used to +leap over into a field of peas, which they love extremely; these stakes +they so place, as to run into the body of the deer, when he pitches, by +which means they impale him; and for a temptation to the leap take down +the top part of the fence. + +§ 88. They hunt their hares, (which are very numerous,) a foot, with +mongrels or swift dogs, which either catch them quickly, or force them +to hole in a hollow tree, whither all their hares generally tend when +they are closely pursued. As soon as they are thus holed, and have +crawled up into the body of the tree, the business is to kindle a fire, +and smother them with smoke, till they let go their hold, and fall to +the bottom stifled; from whence they take them. If they have a mind to +spare their lives, upon turning them loose, they will be as fit as ever +to hunt at another time; for the mischief done them by the smoke +immediately wears off again. + +§ 89. They have another sort of hunting, which is very diverting, and +that they call vermin hunting; it is performed a foot, with small dogs +in the night, by the light of the moon or stars. Thus in summer time +they find abundance of raccoons, opossums and foxes in the corn fields, +and about their plantations: but at other times they must go into the +woods for them. The method is to go out with three or four dogs, and as +soon as they come to the place they bid the dogs seek out, and all the +company follow immediately. Wherever a dog barks, you may depend upon +finding the game; and this alarm draws both men and dogs that way. If +this sport be in the woods, the game, by the time you come near it, is +perhaps mounted to the top of an high tree, and then they detach a +nimble fellow up after it, who must have a scuffle with the beast before +he can throw it down to the dogs; and then the sport increases, to see +the vermin encounter those little curs. In this sort of hunting, they +also carry their great dogs out with them; because wolves, bears, +panthers, wild cats, and all other beasts of prey, are abroad in the +night. + +For wolves they make traps and set guns baited in the woods, so that +when he offers to seize the bait, he pulls the trigger, and the gun +discharges upon him. What Ælian and Pliny write, of the horses being +benumed in their legs, if they tread in the track of a wolf, does not +hold good here; for I myself, and many others, have rid full speed +after wolves in the woods, and have seen live ones taken out of a trap, +and dragged at a horse's tail; and yet those that followed on horse +back, have not perceived any of their horses to falter in their pace. + +§ 90. They have many pretty devices besides the gun to take wild +turkeys; and among others, a friend of mine invented a great trap, +wherein he at times caught many turkeys, and particularly seventeen at +one time; but he could not contrive it so as to let others in, after he +had entrapped the first flock, until they were taken out. + +§ 91. The Indian invention of weirs in fishing is mightily improved by +the English, besides which they make use of seins, trolls, casting nets, +setting nets, hand fishing and angling, and in each find abundance of +diversion. I have sat in the shade at the heads of the rivers angling, +and spent as much time in taking the fish off the hook as in waiting for +their taking it. Like those of the Euxine sea, they also fish with +spilyards, which is a long line staked out in the river, and hung with a +great many hooks on short strings, fastened to the main line, about +three or four feet asunder, supported by stakes, or buoyed up with +gourds. They use likewise the Indian way of striking the light of a fire +in the night, as is described in the second book, chapter 5, section 23. + +§ 92. Their fowling is answerable to their fishing for plenty of game in +its proper season. Some plantations have a vast variety of it, several +sorts of which I have not yet mentioned, as beaver, otter, squirrels, +partridges, pigeons, and an infinite number of small birds, &c. + +§ 93. The admirable economy of the beavers deserves to be particularly +remembered. They cohabit in one house are incorporated in a regular form +of government, something like monarchy, and have over them a +superintendent, which the Indians call pericu. He leads them out to +their several employments, which consist in felling of trees, biting off +the branches, and cutting them into certain lengths, suitable to the +business they design them for, all which they perform with their teeth. +When this is done, the pericu orders several of his subjects to join +together, and take up one of those logs, which they must carry to their +house or dam, as occasion requires. He walks in state by them all the +while, and sees that every one bears his equal share of the burthen; +while he bites with his teeth, and lashes with his tail, those that lag +behind, and do not lend all their strength; their way of carriage is +upon their tail. They commonly build their houses in swamps, and then to +raise the water to a convenient height, they make a dam with logs, and a +binding fort of clay, so firm, that though the water runs continually +over, it cannot wash it away. Within these dams they'll inclose water +enough to make a pool like a mill pond; and if a mill happen to be built +on the same stream, below their dam, the miller, in a dry season, finds +it worth his while to cut it, to supply his mill with water. Upon which +disaster the beavers are so expert at their work, that in one or two +nights' time they will repair the breach, and make it perfectly whole +again. Sometimes they build their houses in a broad marsh, where the +tide ebbs and flows, and then they make no dam at all. The doors into +their houses are under water. I have been at the demolishing of one of +these houses, that was found in a marsh, and was surprised to find it +fortified with logs, that were six feet long, and ten inches through, +and had been carried at least one hundred and fifty yards. This house +was three stories high, and contained five rooms, that is to say, two in +the lower, two in the middle story, and but one at the top. These +creatures have a great deal of policy, and know how to defeat all the +subtilty and stratagems of the hunter, who seldom can meet with them, +tho' they are in great numbers all over the country. + +§ 94. There is yet another kind of sport, which the young people take +great delight in, and that is, the hunting of wild horses; which they +pursue sometimes with dogs, and sometimes without. You must know they +have many horses foaled in the woods of the uplands, that never were in +hand, and are as shy as any savage creature. These having no mark upon +them, belong to him that first takes them. However, the captor commonly +purchases these horses very dear, by spoiling better in the pursuit; in +which case he has little to make himself amends, besides the pleasure of +the chase. And very often this is all he has for it; for the wild horses +are so swift, that 'tis difficult to catch them; and when they are +taken, 'tis odds but their grease is melted, or else being old, they are +so sullen, that they can't be tamed. + +§ 95. The inhabitants are very courteous to travelers, who need no other +recommendation, but the being human creatures. A stranger has no more to +do, but to enquire upon the road, where any gentleman or good +housekeeper lives, and there he may depend upon being received with +hospitality. This good nature is so general among their people, that the +gentry, when they go abroad, order their principal servant to entertain +all visitors, with everything the plantation affords. And the poor +planters, who have but one bed, will very often sit up, or lie upon a +form or couch all night, to make room for a weary traveler, to repose +himself after his journey. + +If there happen to be a churl, that either out of covetousness, or ill +nature, won't comply with this generous custom, he has a mark of infamy +set upon him, and is abhorred by all. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +OF THE NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA, AND THE ADVANTAGES OF THEIR + HUSBANDRY. + + +§ 96. The extreme fruitfulness of that country, has been sufficiently +shown in the second book, and I think we may justly add, that in that +particular it is not exceeded by any other. No seed is sown there, but +it thrives; and most of the northern plants are improved, by being +transplanted thither. And yet there's very little improvement made among +them, seldom anything used in traffic but tobacco. + +Besides all the natural productions mentioned in the second book, you +may take notice that apples from the seed never degenerate into crabs +there, but produce as good or perhaps better fruit than the mother tree, +(which is not so in England,) and are wonderfully improved by grafting +and managing; yet there are very few planters that graft at all, end +much fewer that take any care to get choice fruits. + +The fruit trees are wonderfully quick of growth; so that in six or seven +years time from the planting, a man may bring an orchard to bear in +great plenty, from which he may make store of good cider, or distill +great quantities of brandy; for the cider is very strong, and yields +abundance of spirit. Yet they have very few, that take any care at all +for an orchard; nay, many that have good orchards are so negligent of +them as to let them go to ruin, and expose the trees to be torn and +barked by the cattle. + +Peaches, nectarines, and apricots, as well as plumbs and cherries, grow +there upon standard trees. They commonly bear in three years from the +stone, and thrive so exceedingly, that they seem to have no need of +grafting or inoculating, if any body would be so good a husband; and +truly I never heard of any that did graft either plum, nectarine, peach +or apricot in that country, before the first edition of this book. + +Peaches and nectarines I believe to be spontaneous, somewhere or other +on that continent, for the Indians have, and ever had greater variety, +and finer sorts of them than the English. The best sort of these cling +to the stone, and will not come off clear, which they call plum +nectarines, and plum peaches, or cling stones. Some of these are twelve +or thirteen inches in the girt. These sorts of fruits are raised so +easily there, that some good husbands plant great orchards of them, +purposely for their hogs; and others make a drink of them, which they +call mobby, and either drink it as cider, or distill it off for brandy. +This makes the best spirit next to grapes. + +Grape vines of the English stock, as well as those of their own +production, bear most abundantly, if they are suffered to run near the +ground, and increase very kindly by slipping; yet very few have them at +all in their gardens, much less endeavor to improve them by cutting or +laying. But since the first impression of this book, some vineyards have +been attempted, and one is brought to perfection, of seven hundred and +fifty gallons a year. The wine drinks at present greenish, but the owner +doubts not of good wine, in a year or two more, and takes great delight +that way. + +When a single tree happens in clearing the ground, to be left standing, +with a vine upon it, open to the sun and air, that vine generally +produces as much as four or five others, that remain in the woods. I +have seen in this case, more grapes upon one single vine, than would +load a London cart. And for all this, the people till of late never +removed any of them into their gardens, but contented themselves +throughout the whole country with the grapes they found thus wild. + +A garden is no where sooner made than there, either for fruits or +flowers. Tulips from the seed, flower the second year. All sorts of +herbs have there a perfection in their flavor, beyond what I ever tasted +in a more northern climate. And yet they haven't many gardens in that +country, fit to bear the name of garden. + +§ 97. All sorts of English grain thrive, and increase there, as well as +in any other part of the world, as for example, wheat, barley, oats, +rye, peas, rape, &c. And yet they don't make a trade of any of them. +Their peas indeed are troubled with weevils, which eat a hole in them, +but this hole does neither damage the seed, nor make the peas unfit for +boiling. And such as are sowed late, and gathered after August, are +clear of that inconvenience. + +It is thought too much for the same man, to make the wheat, and grind +it, bolt it, and bake it himself. And it is too great a charge for every +planter, who is willing to sow barley, to build a malt house, and brew +house too, or else to have no benefit of his barley; nor will it answer, +if he would be at the charge. These things can never be expected from a +single family; but if they had cohabitations, it might be thought worth +attempting. Neither as they are now settled, can they find any certain +market for their other grain, which, if they had towns, would be quite +otherwise. + +Rice has been tried there, and is found to grow as well as in Carolina; +but it labors under the same inconvenience, the want of a community to +husk and clean it, and, after all, to take it off the planter's hands. + +§ 98. I have related at large in the first book how flax, hemp, cotton, +and the silk worms have thriven there in the several essays made upon +them; how formerly there was encouragement given for making of linen, +silk, &c., and how all persons not performing several things towards +producing of them were put under a fine; but now all encouragement of +such things is taken away or entirely dropped by the assemblies, and +such manufactures are always neglected when tobacco bears anything of a +price. + +Silk grass is there spontaneous in many places. I need not mention what +advantage may be made of so useful a plant, whose fibres are as fine as +flax, and much stronger than hemp. Mr. Purchase tells us, in his Fourth +Pilgrim, page 1786, that in the first discovery of this part of the +world they presented Queen Elizabeth with a piece of grogram that had +been made of it. And yet to this day they make no manner of use of this +plant, no, not so much as the Indians did, before the English came among +them, who then made their baskets, fishing nets, and lines of it. + +§ 99. The sheep increase well, and bear good fleeces; but they generally +are suffered to be torn off their backs by briars and bushes, instead of +being shorn, or else are left rotting upon the dunghill with their +skins. + +Bees thrive there abundantly, and will very easily yield to the careful +housewife a full hive of honey, and besides lay up a winter store +sufficient to preserve their stocks. + +The beeves, when any care is taken of them in the winter, come to good +perfection. They have noble marshes there, which, with the charge of +draining only, would make as fine pastures as any in the world; and yet +there is hardly an hundred acres of marsh drained throughout the whole +country. + +Hogs swarm like vermin upon the earth, and are often accounted such, +insomuch, that when an inventory of any considerable man's estate is +taken by the executors the hogs are left out, and not listed in the +appraisement. The hogs run where they list, and find their own support +in the woods, without any care of the owner; and in many plantations it +is well if the proprietor can find and catch the pigs, or any part of a +farrow, when they are young to mark them; for if there be any marked in +a gang of hogs, they determine the propriety of the rest, because they +seldom miss their gangs; but as they are bred in company, so they +continue to the end, except sometimes the boars ramble. + +§ 100. The woods produce great variety of incense and sweet gums, which +distill from several trees; as also trees bearing honey and sugar, as +before was mentioned. Yet there's no use made of any of them, either for +profit or refreshment. + +All sorts of naval stores may be produced there, as pitch, tar, rosin, +turpentine, plank, timber, and all sorts of masts and yards, besides +sails, cordage and iron, and all these may be transported by an easy +water carriage. + +§ 101. These, and a thousand other advantages, that country naturally +affords, which its inhabitants make no manner of use of. They can see +their naval stores daily benefit other people, who send thither to build +ships, while they, instead of promoting such undertakings among +themselves, and easing such as are willing to go upon them, allow them +no manner of encouragement, but rather the contrary. They receive no +benefit, nor refreshment, from the sweets and precious things they have +growing amongst them, but make use of the industry of England for all +such things. + +What advantages do they see the neighboring plantations make of their +grain and provisions, while they, who can produce them infinitely +better, not only neglect the making a trade thereof, but even a +necessary provision against an accidental scarcity, contenting +themselves with a supply of food from hand to mouth; so that if it +should please God to send them an unseasonable year, there would not be +found in the country provision sufficient to support the people for +three months extraordinary. + +By reason of the unfortunate method of the settlement, and want of +cohabitation, they cannot make a beneficial use of their flax, hemp, +cotton, silk, silk grass and wool, which might otherwise supply their +necessities, and leave the produce of tobacco to enrich them, when a +gainful market can be found for it. + +Thus, they depend altogether upon the liberality of nature, without +endeavoring to improve its gifts by art or industry. They sponge upon +the blessings of a warm sun, and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the +pains of gathering in the bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed to +publish this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that I hope it +will sometime or other rouse them out of their lethargy, and excite them +to make the most of all those happy advantages which nature has given +them; and if it does this, I am sure they will have the goodness to +forgive me. + + +FINIS. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +1. The author or printer has irregularly capitalized references to +"king" and queen". + +2. Illustrations: printer's inconsistancies have been retained. +(example: Ritchie and Ritchies, Fig: and Fig., etc.) + +3. Printer's correction: + + pg. x Table of Contents Chapter VI. §22., pg ref. 140 to 147. + +4. Spelling corrections (verified by multiple uses of correctly spelled +word elsewhere in text) + + pg. vi - "jr." to "Jr." (Nathan Bacon, Jr.) + pg. vi - "procecute" to "prosecute" (intends to prosecute) + pg. xviii - "abridgment" to "abridgement" (made an abridgement) + pg. xix - "Guina" to "Guiana" (brough by some Guiana ships) + pg. 1 - "malecontents" to "malcontents" (malcontents in the) + pg. 3 - "Beverly" to "Beverley" (mainly to Robert Beverley) + pg. 12 - "Cheaspeake" to "Chesapeake" (cape of Chesapeake bay) + pg. 26 - "Burmuda" to "Bermuda" (put to sea from Bermuda) + pg. 28 - "palisado" to "palisade" (run a palisade on) + pg. 31 - "christianity" to "Christianity" (to us and Christianity) + pg. 36 - "setttlement" to "settlement" (settlement at Port Royal) + pg. 38 - "foundatian" to "foundation" (which laid the foundation) + pg. 50 - "Carribbee" to "Caribbee" (the Caribbee islands) + pg. 66 - "againt" to "against" (against the presented arms) + pg. 70 - "butcheriug" to "butchering" (in butchering the English) + pg. 76 - "Fitz-Hugh" to "Fitzhugh" (Col. William Fitzhugh) + pg. 84 - "forbiding" to "forbidding" (forbidding the plantations) + pg. 97 - "chesnuts" to "chestnuts" (are stored with chestnuts) + pg. 105 - "ripen" to "ripens" (buds, ripens and drops off) + pg. 118 - "eat" to "eaten" (had ever eaten before) + pg. 118 - "frog fish" to "frog-fish" (saw-fish, toad-fish, frog-fish) + pg. 118 - "feets" to "feet" (it wants feet and wings) + pg. 120 - "eagel" to "eagle" (a bald eagle pursuing) + pg. 136 - "our" to "out" (keep out wild beasts) + pg. 140 - "Hazlenuts" to "Hazelnuts" (Hazelnuts they will not) + pg. 143 - "the" to "they" (they daub with clay) + pg. 146 - "steem" to "esteem" (They steem it a breach) + pg. 157 - "extingush" to "extinguish" (flames that never extinguish) + pg. 160 - "undestand" to "understand" (letting him understand) + pg. 163 - "dont" to "don't" (I don't know) + pg. 171 - "scarrifying" to "scarifying" (and scarifying which) + pg. 172 - "Purchass" to "Purchase" (Smith, Purchase and De Laet) + pg. 172 - "saplins" to "saplings" (stick saplings into the ground) + pg. 173 - "anchuse" to "anchusa" (a kind of anchusa) + pg. 174 - "vermine" to "vermin" (other troublesome vermin) + pg. 189 - "Cinchley's" to "Cincheley's" (Jeffery's and Cincheley's) + pg. 191 - "aws" to "laws" (The laws having duly passed) + pg. 197 - "Petes" to "Peter" (Hon. Peter Beverley) + pg. 208 - "nonapperance" to "nonappearance" (the defendant's + nonappearance) + pg. 215 - "Spottswood" to "Spotswood" (arrival of Colonel Spotswood) + pg. 234 - "coveniency" to "conveniency" (its beauty and conveniency) + pg. 235 - "daries" to "dairies" (cookery, washing, dairies,) + pg. 237 - "sallad" to "salad" (vine fruits, and salad flowers) + pg. 241 - "imtemperance" to "intemperance" (of great intemperance) + pg. 247 - "eat" to "ate" (The dog ate the squirrel) + pg. 251 - "Apalachain" to "Appalachain" (Appalachain mountains) + pg. 253 - "cachexie" to "cachexia" (grow into a cachexia) + pg. 256 - "patridges" to "partridges" (squirrels, partridges, + pigeons,) + pg. 257 - "they'l" to "they'll" (Within these dams they'll) + pg. 259 - "stong" to "strong" (cider is very strong) + pg. 261 - "havn't" to "haven't" (they haven't many gardens) + pg. 262 - "Purchass" to "Purchase" (Mr. Purchase tells us) + pg. 264 - "spunge" to "sponge" (They sponge upon the) + +5. A list of word variations wherein both appear in this text and have +been retained as printed. + + "Edmond Jennings" and "Edmund Jenings" + "Tab." and "tab." + "lime juice" and "lime-juice" + "acknowledgment" and "acknowledgement" + "Chickahominy" (for river and county) and "Chickahomony" (for place) + "cover" and "covert" (i.e. covert of a shady tree) + "conjuror(s)" and "conjurer(s)" + "Culpepper" (throughout Introduction) and "Colepepper" (regular Text) + "divers" and "diverse" (divers sectaries in religion) + "firewood" and "fire-wood" + "fishing hawk" and "fishing-hawk" + "Harriot" and "Heriot" (it is unclear if the author refers to the + same person) + "lieutenant governor (general)" and "lieutenant-governor (general) + "man of war" and "man-of-war" + "northwest" and "north-west" + "Oldmixon" and "Oldmixion" (proper name) + "one half" and "one-half" + "Pocoson" and "Poquoson" (place) + "Pungoteague" and "Pungotegue" (place) + "quioccasan" (1), "quioccassan" (2) and "quioccosan" (1) + "quitrents" and "quit-rents" + "resettled" and "re-settled" + "roasting ear" and "roasting-ear" + "savanna" and "savannah" + "silk worm" and "silk-worm" + "south west" and "south-west" + "staid" and "stayed" (used interchangably by author) + "subdivisions" and "sub-divisions" + "sweet scented" and "sweet-scented" + "sweet woods" and "sweet-woods" + "timber trees" and "timber-trees" + "traveled" and "travelled" + "traveling" and "travelling" + "turkeys" and "turkies" + "war captain" and "war-captain" + "water carriage" and "water-carriage" + "water side" and "water-side" + "wild geese" and "wild-geese" + "wilful" and "willful" + "woolen" and "woollen" + "George Yardley" and "George Yardly" + +6. Defined archaic words appearing in this text: + + "benumed" (benumbed) + "burthen" (burden) + "burthensome" (burdensome) + "choaking" (choking) + "chrystal" (crystal) + "covert" (protected; sheltered) + "disperst" (dispersed) + "divers" (diverse) + "intire" (entire) + "mascarado" (var. of mascarade(Fr) for masquerade) + "snear" (sneer) + "subtilty" (subtlety) + "vertuosi" (pl. of virtuoso, alt. virtuosi) + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR +PARTS*** + + +******* This file should be named 32721-8.txt or 32721-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/7/2/32721 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The History of Virginia, in Four Parts</p> +<p>Author: Robert Beverley</p> +<p>Release Date: June 6, 2010 [eBook #32721]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR PARTS***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by Julia Miller, Christine Aldridge,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/c/">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive/American Libraries<br /> + (<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/americana">http://www.archive.org/details/americana</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/historyofvirgini00beve"> + http://www.archive.org/details/historyofvirgini00beve</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<div class="tr"> +<h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3> + +<p>1. Minor punctuation irregularities have been made consistent.</p> + +<p>2. Numerous corrections have been made. A complete <a href="#Transcribers_Notes">list</a> is +located at the end of the text together with word use variations.</p> +</div> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 289px;"> +<img src="images/illus-001.jpg" width="289" height="500" alt="Frontispiece" title="Frontispiece" /> +</div><p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[Pg i]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h3>THE</h3> + +<h1>HISTORY OF VIRGINIA,</h1> + +<h3>IN FOUR PARTS.</h3> + + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="LIST"> +<tr><td class="tcolt">I.</td><td class="tcol4"><span class="smcap"> The History of the first settlement of Virginia, and the government thereof, to the year 1706.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tcolt">II.</td><td class="tcol4"><span class="smcap"> The natural productions and conveniences of the country, suited to trade and improvement.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tcolt">III.</td><td class="tcol4"><span class="smcap"> The native Indians, their religion, laws and customs, in war and peace.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td class="tcolt">IV.</td><td class="tcol4"><span class="smcap"> The present state of the country, as to the polity of the government, and the improvements of the land the 10th of June 1720.</span></td></tr> +</table><br /></div> + + + + + +<h2>BY ROBERT BEVERLEY,</h2> + +<p class="center">A native and inhabitant of the place.</p> + +<p class="titlep">REPRINTED FROM THE AUTHOR'S SECOND REVISED EDITION, LONDON, 1722.</p> + +<p class="titlep">WITH AN INTRODUCTION</p> + +<h3>BY CHARLES CAMPBELL,</h3> + +<p class="center">Author of the Colonial History of Virginia.</p> +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> +<h3>J. W. RANDOLPH,</h3> + +<h4>121 MAIN STREET, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.</h4> + +<h4>1855.</h4> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[Pg ii]</a></span>Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1855, by<br /> +J. W. RANDOLPH,<br /> +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the Eastern District of Virginia.</p> + + +<p class="titlep">H. K. ELLYSON'S STEAM PRESSES, RICHMOND, VA.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> + +<h2>THE TABLE.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> + +<p class="tocb"><a href="#BOOK_I">BOOK I.</a></p> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>History of the first attempts to settle Virginia, before the discovery +of Chesapeake bay.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> + +<tr><td></td><td></td><td class="tcol3"><span class="allcaps">PAGE.</span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">§1.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Walter Raleigh obtains letters patent, for making discoveries +in America,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">2.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Two ships set out on the discovery, and arrive at Roanoke inlet,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their account of the country,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">thier account of the natives,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">3.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Queen Elizabeth names the country of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">4.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Richard Greenvile's voyage,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_10">10</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He plans the first colony, under command of Mr. Ralph Lane,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">5.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The discoveries and accidents of the first colony,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">6.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their distress by want of provisions,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Sir Francis Drake visits them,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He gives them a ship and necessaries,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He takes them away with him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">7.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Greenvile, their voyages,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The second settlement made,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">8.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Mr. John White's expedition,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The first Indian made a Christian there,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The first child born there of Christian parentage,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Third settlement, incorporated by the name of the city of Raleigh, +in Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Mr. White, their governor, sent home to solicit for supplies,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">9.</td> +<td class="tcol4">John White's second voyage; last attempts to carry them recruits,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">His disappointment,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">10.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Capt. Gosnell's voyage to the coast of Cape Cod,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">11.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The Bristol voyages,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">12.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A London voyage, which discovered New York,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_16">16</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Discovery of Chesapeake bay by the corporation of London adventurers; +their colony at Jamestown, and proceedings during the government by an +elective president and council.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">§13.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The companies of London and Plymouth obtain charters,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">14.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Captain Smith first discovers the capes of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">15.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He plants his first colony at Jamestown,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">An account of Jamestown island,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">16.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He sends the ships home, retaining one hundred and eight men to keep possession,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">17.</td> +<td class="tcol4">That colony's mismanagement,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_21">21</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their misfortunes upon discovery of a supposed gold mine,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">18.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their first supplies after settlement,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their discoveries, and experiments in English grain,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">An attempt of some to desert the colony,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">19.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The first Christian marriage in that colony,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">They make three plantations more,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>History of the colony after the change of their government, from an elective +president to a commissionated governor, until the dissolution of the company.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§20.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The company get a new grant, and the nomination of the governors +in themselves,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">They send three governors in equal degree,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">All three going in one ship, are shipwrecked at Bermudas,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">They build there two small cedar vessels,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">21.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Captain Smith's return to England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Mismanagements ruin the colony,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The first massacre and starving time,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The first occasion of the ill character of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The five hundred men left by Captain Smith reduced to sixty in +six months time,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">22.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The three governors sail from Bermudas, and arrive at Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">23.</td> +<td class="tcol4">They take off the Christians that remained there, and design, by +way of Newfoundland, to return to England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Lord Delaware arrives and turns them back,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">24.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Thomas Dale arrives governor, with supplies,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">25.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Thomas Gates arrives governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He plants out a new plantation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">26.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Pocahontas made prisoner, and married to Mr. Rolfe,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">27.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Peace with the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_28">28</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">28.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Pocahontas brought to England by Sir Thomas Dale,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">29.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Captain Smith's petition to the queen in her behalf,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_29">29</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">30.</td> +<td class="tcol4">His visit to Pocahontas,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">An Indian's account of the people of England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_32">32</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">31.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Pocahontas' reception at court, and death,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">32.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Captain Yardley's government,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">33.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Governor Argall's good administration,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">34.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Powhatan's death, and successors,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Peace renewed by the successors,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_34">34</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">35.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Captain Argall's voyage from Virginia to New England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">36.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He defeats the French northward of New England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">37.</td> +<td class="tcol4">An account of those French,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">38.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He also defeats the French in Acadia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">39.</td> +<td class="tcol4">His return to England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Sir George Yardley, governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">40.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He resettles the deserted plantation, and held the first assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The method of that assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">41.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The first negroes carried to Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">42.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Land apportioned to adventurers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">43.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A salt work and iron work in Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">44.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Francis Wyat made governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">King James, his instructions in care of tobacco,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Captain Newport's plantation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">45.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Inferior courts in each plantation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_39">39</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Too much familiarity with the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">46.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The massacre by the Indians, anno 1622,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">47.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The discovery and prevention of it at Jamestown,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">48.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The occasion of the massacre,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">49.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A plot to destroy the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">50.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The discouraging effects of the massacre,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">51.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The corporation in England are the chief cause of +misfortunes in Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">52.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The company dissolved, and the colony taken into the +king's hands,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>History of the government, from the dissolution of the company to the +year 1707.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§53.</td> +<td class="tcol4">King Charles First establishes the constitution of government, in +the methods appointed by the first assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">54.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The ground of the ill settlement of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_45">45</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">55.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lord Baltimore in Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">56.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Maryland named from the queen,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">57.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Young Lord Baltimore seats Maryland,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Misfortune to Virginia, by making Maryland a distinct +government,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">58.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Great grants and defalcations from Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">59.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Governor Harvey sent prisoner to England, and by the king remanded +back governor again,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">60.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The last Indian massacre,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">61.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A character and account of Oppechancanough, the Indian emperor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">62.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir William Berkeley made governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">63.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He takes Oppechancanough prisoner,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Oppechancanough's death,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">64.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A new peace with the Indians, but the country disturbed by the +troubles in England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">65.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Virginia subdued by the protector, Cromwell,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">66.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He binds the plantations by an act of navigation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">67.</td> +<td class="tcol4">His jealousy and change of governors in Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_51">51</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">68.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Upon the death of Matthews, the protector's governor, Sir William Berkeley is chosen +by the people,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">69.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He proclaims King Charles II before he was proclaimed in England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">70.</td> +<td class="tcol4">King Charles II renews Sir William Berkeley's commission,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">71.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir William Berkeley makes Colonel Morrison deputy governor, and goes to England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The king renews the act concerning the plantation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">72.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The laws revised,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The church of England established by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">73.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Clergy provided for by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">74.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The public charge of the government sustained by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">75.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Encouragement of particular manufactures by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">76.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The instruction for all ships to enter at Jamestown, used by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">77.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Indian affairs settled by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">78.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Jamestown encouraged by law,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">79.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Restraints upon sectaries in religion,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_55">55</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">80.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A plot to subvert the government,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_55">55</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">81.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The defeat of the plot,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_55">55</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">82.</td> +<td class="tcol4">An anniversary feast upon that occasion,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">83.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The king commands the building a fort at Jamestown,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">84.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A new restraint on the plantations by act of parliament,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">85.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Endeavors for a stint in planting tobacco,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">86.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Another endeavor at a stint defeated,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">87.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The king sent instructions to build forts, and confine the trade to certain ports,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">88.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The disappointment of those ports,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">89.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Encouragement of manufactures enlarged,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">90.</td> +<td class="tcol4">An attempt to discovery the country backward,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Captain Batt's relation of that discovery,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">91.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir William Berkeley intends to prosecute that discovery in person,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">92.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The grounds of Bacon's rebellion,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Four ingredients thereto,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">93.</td> +<td class="tcol4">First, the low price of tobacco,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Second, splitting the country into proprieties,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The country send agents, to complain of the propriety grants,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">94.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Third, new duties by act in England on the plantations,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">95.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Fourth, disturbances on the land frontiers by the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">First, by the Indians on the head of the bay,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Second, by the Indians on their own frontiers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">96.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The people rise against the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">They choose Nathan Bacon, Jr., for their leader,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_63">63</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">97.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He heads them, and sends to the governor for a commission,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">98.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He begins his march without a commission,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_64">64</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The governor sends for him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">99.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bacon goes down in a sloop with forty of his men to the governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">100.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Goes away in a huff, is pursued and brought back by governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">101.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bacon steals privately out of town, and marches down to the assembly with six hundred +of his volunteers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">102.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The governor, by advice of assembly, signs a commission to Mr. Bacon to be general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">103.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bacon being marched away with his men is proclaimed rebel,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">104.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bacon returns with his forces to Jamestown,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">105.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The governor flies to Accomac,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_66">66</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The people there begin to make terms with him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">106.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bacon holds a convention of gentlemen,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">They propose to take an oath to him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">107.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The forms of the oath,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_67">67</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">108.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The governor makes head against him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">General Bacon's death,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">109.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bacon's followers surrender upon articles,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">110.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The agents compound with the proprietors,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">111.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A new charter to Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">112.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Soldiers arrive from England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">113.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The dissolution by Bacon's rebellion,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">114.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Commissioners arrive in Virginia, and Sir William Berkeley returns to England,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">115.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Herbert Jeffreys, esq., governor, concludes peace with Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">116.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, builds forts against Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The assembly prohibited the importation of tobacco,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">117.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lord Colepepper, governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">118.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lord Colepepper's first assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He passes several obliging acts to the country,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">119.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He doubles the governor's salary,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_72">72</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">120.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He imposes the perquisite of ship money,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">121.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He, by proclamation, raises the value of Spanish coins, and lowers it again,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">122.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The plant cutting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">123.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lord Colepepper's second assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He takes away appeals to the assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">124.</td> +<td class="tcol4">His advantage thereby in the propriety of the Northern Neck,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">125.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He retrenches the new methods of court proceedings,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">126.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He dismantled the forts on the heads of rivers, and appointed rangers in their stead,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">127.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Secretary Spencer, president,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">128.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lord Effingham, governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Some of his extraordinary methods of getting money,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Complaints against him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_78">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">129.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Duty on liquors first raised,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_78">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">130.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Court of Chancery by Lord Effingham,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_78">78</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">131.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Colonel Bacon, president,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The college designed,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">132.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Francis Nicholson, lieutenant governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He studies popularity,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The college proposed to him,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He refuses to call an assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">133.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He grants a brief to the college,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">134.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The assembly address King William and Queen Mary for a college charter,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The education intended by this college,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The assembly present the lieutenant governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">His method of securing this present,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">135.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their majesties grant the charter,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">They grant liberally towards the building and endowing of it,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">136.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The lieutenant governor encourages towns and manufactures,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Gentlemen of the council complain of him and are misused,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">He falls off from the encouragement of the towns and trade,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">137.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Edmund Andros, governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The town law suspended,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">138.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The project of a post office,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">139.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The college charter arrived,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The college further endowed, and the foundation laid,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">140.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Sir Edmund Andros encourages manufactures, and regulates the secretary's office,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">141.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A child born in the old age of the parents,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">142.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Francis Nicholson, governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">His and Colonel Quarrey's memorials against plantations,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">143.</td> +<td class="tcol4">His zeal for the church and college,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">144.</td> +<td class="tcol4">He removes the general court from Jamestown,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">145.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The taking of the pirate,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">146.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The sham bills of nine hundred pounds for New York,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_86">86</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">147.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Colonel Quarrey's unjust memorials,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_87">87</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">148.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Governor Nott arrived,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">149.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Revisal of the law finished,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">150.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Ports and towns again set on foot,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">151.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Slaves a real estate,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">152.</td> +<td class="tcol4">A house built for the governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Governor dies, and the college burnt,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">153.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Edmond Jennings, esq., president,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_89">89</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">154.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocb"><a href="#BOOK_II">BOOK II.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Natural Productions and Conveniences of Virginia in its +unimproved state, before the English went thither.</i></p> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_Ia">CHAPTER I.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Bounds and Coast of Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§1.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Present bounds of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_90">90</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">2.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Chesapeake bay, and the sea coast of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">3.</td> +<td class="tcol4">What is meant by the word Virginia in this book,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_91">91</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IIa">CHAPTER II.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Of the Waters.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§4.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Conveniency of the bay and rivers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">5.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Springs and fountains descending to the rivers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">6.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Damage to vessels by the worm,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Ways of avoiding that damage,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IIIa">CHAPTER III.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Earths, and Soils.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§7.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The soil in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">River lands—lower, middle and upper,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">8.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Earths and clays,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_98">98</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Coal, slate and stone, and why not used,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_98">98</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">9.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Minerals therein, and iron mine formerly wrought upon,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_98">98</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Supposed gold mines lately discovered,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">That this gold mine was the supreme seat of the Indian temples formerly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">That their chief altar was there also,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Mr. Whitaker's account of a silver mine,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">10.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Hills in Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_100">100</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Springs in the high lands,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IVa">CHAPTER IV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Wild Fruits.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§11.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Spontaneous fruits in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">12.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Stoned fruits, viz: cherries, plums and persimmons,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">13.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Berries, viz: mulberries, currants, hurts, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">14.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Of nuts,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">15.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Of grapes,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The report of some French vignerons formerly sent in thither,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">16.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Honey, and the sugar trees,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">17.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Myrtle tree, and myrtle wax,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_108">108</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Hops growing wild,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">18.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Great variety of seeds, plants and flowers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Two snake roots,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Jamestown weed,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_110">110</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Some curious flowers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">19.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Creeping vines bearing fruits, viz: melons, pompions, macocks, gourds, maracocks, and cushaws,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_112">112</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">20.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Other fruits, roots and plants of the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Several sorts of Indian corn,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_114">114</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Of potatoes,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_115">115</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Tobacco, as it was ordered by the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_116">116</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Fish.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§21.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Great plenty and variety of fish,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Vast shoals of herrings, shad, &c.,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">22.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Continuality of the fishery,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The names of some of the best edible fish,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The names of some that are not eaten,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">23.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Indian children catching fish,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_118">118</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Several inventions of the Indians to take fish,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">24.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Fishing hawks and bald eagles,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Fish dropped in the orchard,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_121">121</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Wild Fowl and Hunted Game.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§25.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Wild Water Fowl,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">26.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Game in the marshes and watery grounds,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">27.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Game in the highlands and frontiers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_123">123</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Of the Opossum,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">28.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Some Indian ways of hunting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Fire hunting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_124">124</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their hunting quarters,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_125">125</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">29.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Conclusion,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_126">126</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocb"><a href="#BOOK_III">BOOK III.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Indians, their Religion, Laws and Customs, in War and Peace.</i></p> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_Ib">CHAPTER I.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Persons of the Indians, and their Dress.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§1.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Persons of the Indians, their color and shape,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_127">127</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">2.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The cut of their hair, and ornament of their head,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">3.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Of their vesture,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">4.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Garb peculiar to their priests and conjurors,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_130">130</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">5.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Of the women's dress,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IIb">CHAPTER II.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Matrimony of the Indians, and Management of their Children.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§6.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Conditions of their marriage,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">7.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Maidens, and the story of their prostitution,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_133">133</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">8.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Management of the young children,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_134">134</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IIIb">CHAPTER III.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Towns, Building and Fortification of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§9.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Towns and kingdoms of the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">10.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Manner of their building,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_135">135</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">11.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their fuel, or firewood,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">12.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their seats and lodging,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_136">136</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">13.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their fortifications,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_136">136</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IVb">CHAPTER IV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Cookery and Food of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§14.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their cookery,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_138">138</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">15.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their several sorts of food,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">16.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their times of eating,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_140">140</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">17.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their drink,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_140">140</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">18.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their ways of dining,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_Vb">CHAPTER V.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Traveling, Reception and entertainment of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§19.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Manner of their traveling, and provision they make for it,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their way of concealing their course,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">20.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Manner of their reception of strangers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">The pipe of peace,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_143">143</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">21.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their entertainment of honorable friends,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIb">CHAPTER VI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Learning and Languages of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§22.</td> +<td class="tcol4">That they are without letters,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their descriptions by hieroglyphics,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Heraldry and arms of the Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_147">147</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">23.</td> +<td class="tcol4">That they have different languages,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_148">148</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their general language,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_148">148</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>War and Peace of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§24.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their consultations and war dances,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_149">149</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">25.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their barbarity upon a victory,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_149">149</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">26.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Descent of the crown,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">27.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their triumphs for victory,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">28.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their treaties of peace, and ceremonies upon conclusion of peace,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_151">151</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Religion, Worship and Superstitious Customs of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§29.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their quioccassan and idol of worship,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">30.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their notions of God, and worshiping the evil spirit,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_155">155</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">31.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their pawwawing or conjurations,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_157">157</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">32.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their huskanawing,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">33.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Reasons of this custom,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_164">164</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">34.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their offerings and sacrifice,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">35.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their set feasts,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">36.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their account of time,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_165">165</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">37.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their superstition and zealotry,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_166">166</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">38.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their regard to the priests and magicians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_167">167</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">39.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Places of their worship and sacrifice,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_168">168</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1"></td> +<td class="tcol4">Their pawcorances or altar stones,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_168">168</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">40.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their care of the bodies of their princes after death,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[Pg xi]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Diseases and Cures of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§41.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their diseases in general, and burning for cure,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their sucking, scarifying and blistering,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Priests' secrecy in the virtues of plants,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Words wisoccan, wighsacan and woghsacan,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their physic, and the method of it,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">42.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their bagnios or baths,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_172">172</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their oiling after sweating,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_173">173</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Sports and Pastimes of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§43.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their sports and pastimes in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their singing,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their dancing,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_175">175</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">A mask used among them,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their musical instruments,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_177">177</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Laws, and Authorities of the Indians among one another.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§44.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their laws in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_178">178</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their severity and ill manners,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_178">178</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their implacable resentments,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">45.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their honors, preferments and authorities,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Authority of the priests and conjurers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Servants or black boys,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Treasure or Riches of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§46.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Indian money and goods,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_180">180</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Handicrafts of the Indians.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§47.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their lesser crafts, as making bows and arrows,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_182">182</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">48.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their making canoes,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_182">182</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Their clearing woodland ground,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_183">183</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">49.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Account of the tributary Indians,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_185">185</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocb"><a href="#BOOK_IV">BOOK IV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Present State of Virginia.</i></p> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#PART_I">PART I.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Polity and Government.</i></p> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_Ic">CHAPTER I.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Constitution of Government in Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§1.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Constitution of government in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">2.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Governor, his authority and salary,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_188">188</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">3.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Council and their authority,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_189">189</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[Pg xii]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">4.</td> +<td class="tcol4">House of burgesses,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_190">190</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IIc">CHAPTER II.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Sub-Divisions of Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§5.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Division of the country,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_192">192</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">6.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Division of the country by necks of land, counties and parishes,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_192">192</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">7.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Division of the country by districts for trade by navigation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_194">194</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IIIc">CHAPTER III.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Public Offices of Government.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§8.</td> +<td class="tcol4">General officers as are immediately commissionated from the throne,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_196">196</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Auditor, Receiver General and Secretary,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_196">196</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Salaries of those officers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">9.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Other general officers,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Ecclesiastical commissary and country's treasurer,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">10.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Other public officers by commission,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Escheators,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_197">197</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Naval officers and collectors,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_198">198</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Clerks and sheriffs,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_198">198</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Surveyors of land and coroners,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_199">199</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">11.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Other officers without commission,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_199">199</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IVc">CHAPTER IV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Standing Revenues or Public Funds.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§12.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Public funds in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">13.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Quit rent fund,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">14.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Funds for maintenance of the government,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_201">201</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">15.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Funds for extraordinary occasions, under the disposition of the assembly,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_201">201</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">16.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Revenue granted by the act of assembly to the college,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_202">202</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">17.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Revenue raised by act of parliament in England from the trade there,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_202">202</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_Vc">CHAPTER V.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Levies for Payment of the Public, County and Parish Debts.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§18.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Several ways of raising money,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Titheables,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">19.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Public levy,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_203">203</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">20.</td> +<td class="tcol4">County levy,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_204">204</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">21.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Parish levy,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_204">204</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIc">CHAPTER VI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Courts of Law in Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§22.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Constitution of their courts,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_205">205</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">23.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Several sorts of courts among them,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_206">206</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">24.</td> +<td class="tcol4">General court in particular, and its jurisdiction,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_206">206</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">25.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Times of holding a general court,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_206">206</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii">[Pg xiii]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">26.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Officers attending this court,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_206">206</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">27.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Trials by juries and empannelling grand juries,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">28.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Trial of criminals,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">29.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Time of suits,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_208">208</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">30.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Lawyers and pleadings,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_208">208</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">31.</td> +<td class="tcol4">County courts,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_208">208</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">32.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Orphans' courts,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIIc">CHAPTER VII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Church and Church Affairs.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§33.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Parishes,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">34.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Churches and chapels in each parish,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">35.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Religion of the country,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">36.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Benefices of the clergy,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">37.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Disposition of parochial affairs,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_211">211</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">38.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Probates, administrations, and marriage licenses,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_212">212</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">39.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Induction of ministers, and precariousness of their livings,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_213">213</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIIIc">CHAPTER VIII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Concerning the College.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§40.</td> +<td class="tcol4">College endowments,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_214">214</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">41.</td> +<td class="tcol4">The college a corporation,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_214">214</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">42.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Governors and visitors of the college in perpetual succession,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">43.</td> +<td class="tcol4">College buildings,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">44.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Boys and schooling,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_IXc">CHAPTER IX.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Military Strength in Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§45.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Forts and fortifications,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_217">217</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">46.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Listed militia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_217">217</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">47.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Number of the militia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_217">217</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">48.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Service of the militia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_218">218</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">49.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Other particulars of the troops and companies,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_218">218</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_Xc">CHAPTER X.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Servants and Slaves.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§50.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Distinction between a servant and a slave,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">51.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Work of their servants and slaves,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">52.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Laws in favor of servants,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_220">220</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIc">CHAPTER XI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Provision for the Poor, and other Public Charitable Works.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§53.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Legacy to the poor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_223">223</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">54.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Parish methods in maintaining their poor,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_223">223</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">55.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Free schools, and schooling of children,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_224">224</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIIc">CHAPTER XII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Tenure of Lands and Grants.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§56.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Tenure and patents of their lands,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">57.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Several ways of acquiring grants of land,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">58.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Rights to land,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_225">225</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiv" id="Page_xiv">[Pg xiv]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">59.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Patents upon survey,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_225">225</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">60.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Grants of lapsed land,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_226">226</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">61.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Grants of escheat land,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_227">227</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIIIc">CHAPTER XIII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Liberties and Naturalization of Aliens.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§62.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Naturalizations,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">63.</td> +<td class="tcol4">French refugees at the Manican town,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Currency and Valuation of Coins.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§64.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Coins current among them, what rates, and why carried from among them to the neighboring plantations,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_230">230</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#PART_II">PART II.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Husbandry and Improvements.</i></p> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>People, Inhabitants of Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§65.</td> +<td class="tcol4">First peopling of Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_231">231</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">66.</td> +<td class="tcol4">First accession of wives to Virginia,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_231">231</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">67.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Other ways by which the country was increased in people,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_232">232</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Buildings in Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§68.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Public buildings,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_234">234</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">69.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Private buildings,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_235">235</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Edibles, Potables and Fuel.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§70.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Cookery,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_236">236</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">71.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Flesh and fish,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_236">236</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">72.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bread,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_237">237</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">73.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their kitchen gardens,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_237">237</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">74.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their drinks,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_238">238</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">75.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Their fuel,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_238">238</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Clothing in Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§76.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Clothing,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Slothfulness in handicrafts,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Temperature of the Climate, and the Inconveniences attending it.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§77.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Natural temper and mixture of the air,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_240">240</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">78.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Climate and happy situation of the latitude,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_240">240</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">79.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Occasions of its ill character,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_241">241</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xv" id="Page_xv">[Pg xv]</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Rural pleasures,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">80.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Annoyances, or occasions of uneasiness,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_243">243</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Thunders,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_243">243</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Heat,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_243">243</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Troublesome insects,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_243">243</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">81.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Winters,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_250">250</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td></td> +<td class="tcol2">Sudden changes of the weather,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_251">251</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Diseases incident to the Country.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§82.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Diseases in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_252">252</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">83.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Seasoning,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">84.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Cachexia and yaws,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">85.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Gripes,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_253">253</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Recreations and Pastimes in Virginia.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§86.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Diversions in general,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_254">254</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">87.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Deer-hunting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_254">254</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">88.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Hare-hunting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_254">254</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">89.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Vermin-hunting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_255">255</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">90.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Taking wild turkies,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">91.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Fishing,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">92.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Small game,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">93.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Beaver,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_256">256</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">94.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Horse-hunting,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_257">257</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">95.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Hospitality,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_258">258</a></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="tocc"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Natural Product of Virginia, and the Advantages of Husbandry.</i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="TOC"> +<tr><td class="tcol1">§96.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Fruits,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_259">259</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">97.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Grain,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_261">261</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">98.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Linen, silk and cotton,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_261">261</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">99.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Bees and cattle,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_262">262</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">100.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Usefulness of the woods,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_263">263</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tcol1">101.</td> +<td class="tcol4">Indolence of the inhabitants,</td> +<td class="tcol3"><a href="#Page_263">263</a></td></tr> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvi" id="Page_xvi">[Pg xvi]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xvii" id="Page_xvii">[Pg xvii]</a></span></p> +<h2>THE PREFACE.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> + +<p>My first business in the world being among the public records of +my country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking +notes of the general administration of the government; but with no +other design, than the gratification of my own inquisitive mind; these +lay by me for many years afterwards, obscure and secret, and would +forever have done so, had not the following accident produced them:</p> + +<p>In the year 1703, my affairs calling me to England, I was soon +after my arrival, complimented by my bookseller with an intimation, +that there was prepared for printing a general account of all her majesty's +plantations in America, and his desire, that I would overlook +it before it was put to the press; I agreed to overlook that part of it +which related to Virginia.</p> + +<p>Soon after this he brings me about six sheets of paper written, +which contained the account of Virginia and Carolina. This it seems +was to have answered a part of Mr. Oldmixion's British Empire in +America. I very innocently, (when I began to read,) placed pen and +paper by me, and made my observations upon the first page, but +found it in the sequel so very faulty, and an abridgement only of +some accounts that had been printed sixty or seventy years ago; in +which also he had chosen the most strange and untrue parts, and +left out the more sincere and faithful, so that I laid aside all thoughts +of further observations, and gave it only a reading; and my bookseller +for answer, that the account was too faulty and too imperfect to be +mended; withal telling him, that seeing I had in my junior days +taken some notes of the government, which I then had with me in England, +I would make him an account of my own country, if I could find +time, while I staid in London. And this I should the rather undertake in +justice to so fine a country, because it has been so misrepresented to +the common people of England, as to make them believe that the servants +in Virginia are made to draw in cart and plow as horses and +oxen do in England, and that the country turns all people black who +go to live there, with other such prodigious phantasms.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, before I left London, I gave him a short history of the +country, from the first settlement, with an account of its then state; +but I would not let him mingle it with Oldmixion's other account of +the plantations, because I took them to be all of a piece with those I +had seen of Virginia and Carolina, but desired mine to be printed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xviii" id="Page_xviii">[Pg xviii]</a></span> +by itself. And this I take to be the only reason of that gentleman's reflecting +so severely upon me in his book, for I never saw him in my life +that I know of.</p> + +<p>But concerning that work of his, I may with great truth say, that +(notwithstanding his boast of having the assistance of many original +papers and memorials that I had not the opportunity of) he nowhere +varies from the account that I gave, nor advances anything new of his +own, but he commits so many errors, and imposes so many falsities +upon the world, To instance some few out of the many:</p> + +<p>Page 210, he says that they were near spent with cold, which is +impossible in that hot country.</p> + +<p>Page 220, he says that Captain Weymouth, in 1605, entered Powhatan +river southward of the bay of Chesapeake;——whereas +Powhatan river is now called James river, and lies within the mouth +of Chesapeake bay some miles, on the west side of it; and Captain +Weymouth's voyage was only to Hudson's river, which is in New +York, much northward of the capes of Virginia.</p> + +<p>Page 236, he jumbles the Potomac and eastern shore Indians as if +they lived together, and never quarrelled with the English; whereas +the last lived on the east side the great bay of Chesapeake, and the +other on the west. The eastern shore Indians never had any quarrel +with the English, but the Potomacs used many treacheries and enmities +towards us, and joined in the intended general massacre, but by a +timely discovery were prevented doing anything.</p> + +<p>Page 245, he says that Morrison held an assembly, and procured +that body of laws to be made; whereas Morrison only made an abridgement +of the laws then in being, and compiled them into a regular +body; and this he did by direction of Sir William Berkeley, who, +upon his going to England, left Morrison his deputy governor.</p> + +<p>Page 248, he says (viz: in Sir William Berkeley's time) the +English could send seven thousand men into the field, and have +twice as many at home; whereas at this day they cannot do that, and +yet have three times as many people in the country as they had then.</p> + +<p>By page 251, he seems altogether ignorant of the situation of Virginia, +the head of the bay and New York, for he there says:</p> + +<p>"When the Indians at the head of the bay traveled to New York, +they past, going and coming, by the frontiers of Virginia, and traded +with the Virginians, &c.;" whereas the head of the bay is in the +common route of the Indians traveling from New York to Virginia, +and much about halfway.</p> + +<p>Page 255, he says Sir William Berkeley withdrew himself from his +government; whereas he went not out of it, for the counties of Accomac +and Northampton, to which he retired, when the rebels rose,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xix" id="Page_xix">[Pg xix]</a></span> +were two counties of his government, and only divided from the rest +by the bay of Chesapeake.</p> + +<p>Page 266, he says, Dr. Thomas Bray went over to be president of +the college in Virginia; whereas he was sent to Maryland, as the +bishop's commissary there. And Mr. Blair, in the charter to the college, +was made president during life, and is still alive. He also says, that +all that was subscribed for the college came to nothing; whereas all +the subscriptions were in a short time paid in, and expended upon the +college, of which two or three stood suit, and were cast.</p> + +<p>Page 269, he tells of camels brought by some Guiana ships to Virginia, +but had not then heard how they throve with us. I don't know +how he should, for there never was any such thing done.</p> + +<p>Then his geography of the country is most absurd, notwithstanding +the wonderful care he pretends to have of the maps, and his expert +knowledge of the new surveys, (page 278) making almost as many +faults as descriptions. For instance:</p> + +<p>Page 272, Prince George county, which lies all on the southside of +James river, he places on the north, and says that part of James City +county, and four of the parishes of it, lie on the southside of James river; +whereas not one inch of it has so done these sixty years.</p> + +<p>Page 273, his account of Williamsburg is most romantic and untrue; +and so is his account of the college, page 302, 303.</p> + +<p>Page 274, he makes Elizabeth and Warwick counties to lie upon +York river; whereas both of them lie upon James river, and neither +of them comes near York river.</p> + +<p>Page 275, he places King William county above New Kent, and on +both sides Pamunkey river; whereas it lies side by side with New +Kent, and all on the north side Pamunkey river. He places King and +Queen county upon the south of New Kent, at the head of Chickahominy +river, which he says rises in it; whereas that county lies +north of New Kent from head to foot, and two large rivers and two +entire counties are between the head of Chickahominy and King & +Queen. Essex, Richmond and Stafford counties, are as much wrong +placed.</p> + +<p>He says that York and Rappahannock rivers issue out of low marshes, +and not from the mountains as the other rivers, which note he has +taken from some old maps; but is a false account from my own view, +for I was with our present governor at the head spring of both those +rivers, and their fountains are in the highest ridge of mountains.</p> + +<p>Page 276, he says that the neck of land between Niccocomoco river +and the bay, is what goes by the name of the northern neck; whereas +it is not above the twentieth part of the northern neck, for that contains +all that track of land which is between Rappahannock and Potomac +rivers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xx" id="Page_xx">[Pg xx]</a></span>How unfaithful and frontless must such an historian be, who can +upon guess work introduce such falsities for truth, and bottom them +upon such bold assertions? It would make a book larger than his +own to expose his errors, for even the most general offices of the +government he misrecites.</p> + +<p>Page 298, he says the general court is called the quarter court, and +is held every quarter of a year; whereas it never was held but three +times a year, tho' it was called a quarter court. When he wrote, it +was held but twice a year, as I had wrote in my book, and has not +been called a quarter court these seventy-nine years. The county courts +were never limited in their jurisdiction to any summons, neither was +the sheriff ever a judge in them, as he would have it, but always a +ministerial officer to execute their process, &c.</p> + +<p>The account that I have given in the following sheets is plain and +true, and if it be not written with so much judgment, or in so good +a method and style as I could wish, yet in the truth of it I rest fully +satisfied. In this edition I have also retrenched such particulars as +related only to private transactions, and characters in the historical part, +as being too diminutive to be transmitted to posterity, and set down +the succession of the governors, with the more general incidents of +their government, without reflection upon the private conduct of any +person.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="INTRODUCTION" id="INTRODUCTION"></a>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> + +<p>The name of <span class="smcap">Beverley</span> has long been a familiar one in Virginia. +It is said that the family may be traced among the records +of the town of Beverley in England, as far back as to +the time of King John. During the reign of Henry VIII, +one of the Beverleys was appointed by the Crown a commissioner +for enquiring into the state and condition of the northern +monasteries. The family received some grants of church +property, and one branch of them settled at Shelby, the other +at Beverley, in Yorkshire. In the time of Charles I, John +Beverley of Beverley adhered to the cause of royalty, and at +the restoration his name appears in the list of those upon +whom it was intended to confer the order of the Royal Oak. +Robert Beverley of Beverley, the representative of the family, +having sold his possessions in that town, removed with a considerable +fortune to Virginia, where he purchased extensive +tracts of land. He took up his residence in the county of +Middlesex. Elected clerk of the House of Burgesses, he continued +to hold that office until 1676, the year of Bacon's rebellion, +in suppressing which he rendered important services, +and by his loyal gallantry won the marked favor of the Governor, +Sir William Berkley. In 1682 the discontents of Virginia +arose again almost to the pitch of rebellion. Two sessions +of the Assembly having been spent in angry and fruitless +disputes, between Lord Culpepper, the Governor, and the House +of Burgesses, in May of that year, the malcontents in the +counties of Gloucester, New Kent and Middlesex, proceeded +riotously to cut up the tobacco plants in the beds, especially<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> +the sweet-scented, which was produced nowhere else. Culpepper, +the Governor, prevented further waste by patrols of horse. +The ringleaders were arrested, and some of them hanged upon +a charge of treason. A riot-act was also passed, making plant-cutting +high treason, the necessity of which act evinces the +illegality of the execution of these unfortunate plant-cutters. +The vengeance of the government fell heavily upon Major Robert +Beverley, clerk of the House of Burgesses, as the principal +instigator of these disturbances. He had before incurred +the displeasure of the governor and council, by refusing to +deliver up to them copies of the legislative journal, without +permission of the Assembly. Thus by a firm adherence to his +duty, he drew down upon himself an unrelenting persecution.</p> + +<p>In May, 1682, he was committed a prisoner on board the +ship, the Duke of York, lying in the Rappahannock river. +Ralph Wormley, Matthew Kemp, and Christopher Wormley, +were directed to seize the records in Beverley's possession, +and to break open doors if necessary. Beverley was afterwards +transferred from the Duke of York to the ship Concord, +and a guard was set over him. Contriving however to +escape from the custody of the sheriff at York, the fugitive was +retaken at his own house in Middlesex county, and transported +over to the county of Northampton, on the Eastern Shore. +Some months afterwards he applied by his attorney, William +Fitzhugh, for a writ of <i>habeas corpus</i>, which however was refused. +In a short time being again found at large, he was +again arrested, and remanded to Northampton. In 1683 new +charges were brought against him: 1st. That he had broken +open letters addressed to the Secretary's office; 2d. That he +had made up the journal, and inserted his Majesty's letter +therein, notwithstanding it had been first presented at the +time of the prorogation; 3d. That in 1682 he had refused to +deliver copies of the journal to the governor and council, +saying "he might not do it without leave of his masters."</p> + +<p>In May, 1684, Major Robert Beverley was found guilty of +high misdemeanors, but judgment being respited, and the +prisoner asking pardon on his bended knees, was released +upon giving security for his good behavior in the penalty of +£2,000. The abject terms in which he now sued for pardon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> +form a singular contrast to the constancy of his former resistance, +and the once gallant and loyal Beverley, the strenuous +partizan of Berkley, thus became the victim of that +tyranny which he had once so resolutely defended. He had +not however lost the esteem of his countrymen, for in 1685 he +was again elected clerk of the Assembly. This body strenuously +resisted the negative power claimed by the governor, and +passed resolutions complaining strongly of his tyranny. He +negatived them, and prorogued the Assembly. James II, indignant +at these democratical proceedings, ordered their dissolution, +and attributing these disorders mainly to Robert Beverley, +their clerk, commanded that he should be incapable of +holding any office, and that he should be prosecuted, and that +in future the appointment of their clerk should be made by +the governor.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1687 Robert Beverley died, the persecuted +victim of an oppressive government. Long a distinguished +loyalist, he lived to become a sort of patriot martyr. It is +thus that in the circle of life extremes meet. He married +Catherine Hone of James City, and their children were four +sons: Peter, William, Harry, and Robert, (the historian,) and +three daughters, who married respectively, William Randolph, +eldest son of William Randolph of Turkey Island; Sir John +Randolph, his brother, of Williamsburg; and John Robinson. +Peter Beverley was appointed clerk of the Assembly in 1691.</p> + +<p>In the preface to the first edition of his History of Virginia, +published at London 1705, Robert Beverley says of +himself: "I am an Indian, and don't pretend to be exact in +my language." This intimation may perhaps have been merely +playful, but the full and minute account that he has given +of the Indians, shows that he took a peculiar interest in that +race.</p> + +<p>In the preface to the second edition of his history, now +republished, he remarks: "My first business in this world being +among the public records of my country, the active thoughts +of my youth put me upon taking notes of the general administration +of the government." He was probably a deputy +in his father's office, and perhaps also in that of his brother +Peter Beverley. This Peter Beverley was in 1714 promoted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> +to the place of speaker of the House of Burgesses, and he +was subsequently treasurer of the colony. Robert Beverley, +the historian, was born in Virginia, and educated in England. +He married Ursula, daughter of William Byrd of Westover, +on the James river. She lies buried at Jamestown. John +Fontaine, son of a Huguenot refugee, having come over from +England to Virginia, visited Robert Beverley, the author of this +work, in the year 1715, at his residence, near the head of +the Mattapony. Here he cultivated several varieties of the +grape, native and French, in a vineyard of about three acres, +situated upon the side of a hill, from which he made in that +year four hundred gallons of wine. He went to very considerable +expense in this enterprise, having constructed vaults of a +wine press. But Fontaine comparing his method with that used +in Spain, deemed it erroneous, and that his vineyard was not +rightly managed. The home-made wine Fontaine drank heartily +of, and found it good, but he was satisfied by the flavor of it +that Beverley did not understand how to make it properly. +Beverley lived comfortably, yet although wealthy, had nothing +in or about his house but what was actually necessary. He +had good beds, but no curtains, and instead of cane chairs +used wooden stools. He lived mainly within himself upon the +products of his land. He had laid a sort of wager with some +of the neighboring planters, he giving them one guinea in +hand, and they promising to pay him each ten guineas, if in +seven years he should cultivate a vineyard that would yield +at one vintage seven hundred gallons of wine. Beverley thereupon +paid them down one hundred pounds, and Fontaine entertained +no doubt but that in the next year he would win +the thousand guineas. Beverley owned a large tract of land +at the place of his residence. On Sunday Fontaine accompanied +him to his parish church, seven miles distant, where they +heard a good sermon from the Rev. M. De Latané, a Frenchman. +A son of Beverley accompanied Fontaine in some of +his excursions in that neighborhood. On the banks of the +Rappahannock, about five miles below the falls, (Fredericksburg,) +Fontaine came upon a tract of three thousand acres of +land, which Beverley offered him at £7 10s. per hundred acres, +and Fontaine would have purchased it, had not Beverley somewhat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +singularly insisted upon making a title for nine hundred +and ninety-nine years, instead of an absolute fee simple.</p> + +<p>On the 20th of August, 1716, Alexander Spotswood, Governor +of Virginia, accompanied by John Fontaine, started from +Williamsburg on his expedition over the Appalachian mountains, +as they were then called. Having crossed the York river at +the Brick House, they lodged that night at Chelsea, the seat +of Austin Moore, on the Mattapony river, in the county of King +William. On the following night they were hospitably entertained +by Robert Beverley at his residence. The governor left +his chaise there, and mounted his horse for the rest of the +journey. Beverley accompanied Spotswood in this exploration. +On the 26th of August Spotswood was joined by several gentlemen, +two small companies of rangers, and four Meherrin Indians. +The gentlemen of the party appear to have been Spotswood, +Fontaine, Beverley, Austin Smith, Todd, Dr. Robinson, +Taylor, Mason, Brooke, and Captains Clouder and Smith. The +whole number of the party, including gentlemen, rangers, pioneers, +Indians and servants, was probably about fifty. They +had with them a large number of riding and pack-horses, an +abundant supply of provisions, and an extraordinary variety of +liquors.</p> + +<p>The camps were named respectively after the gentlemen of +the expedition, and the first one being that of the 29th of +August, was named in honor of our historian, Robert Beverley. +Here "they made," as Fontaine records in his diary, +"great fires, supped and drank good punch." In the preface +to this edition of the work, (1722,) Beverley says in reference +to this Tramontane expedition, "I was with the present Governor +(Spotswood) at the head spring of both those rivers, +(the York and the Rappahannock,) and their fountains are +in the highest range of mountains." Thus it appears that the +historian was one of the celebrated knights of the golden horseshoe.</p> + +<p>An Abridgement of the Laws of Virginia, published at London +in 1722 is ascribed to Robert Beverley. Filial indignation +will naturally account for the acrimony which in his history +he exhibits towards Lord Culpepper and Lord Howard of Effingham, +who had so persecuted his father, the clerk of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +Assembly, and against Nicholson, who was Effingham's deputy. +In his second edition, when time had mitigated his animosities, +Beverley omitted some of his accusations against those governors.</p> + +<p>The first edition of Beverley's History of Virginia appeared +at London in 1705. It was republished in French at Paris in +1707, and in the same year an edition was issued at Amsterdam. +The second English edition was published in 1722 at +London. The work is dedicated to the Right Honorable Robert +Harley, so celebrated both as a statesman and as the +patron of letters.</p> + +<p>In the title page appear only the initials of the author's +name, thus: "R. B. Gent.," whence the blundering historian, +Oldmixon, supposed his name to be "Bullock," and in some +German catalogues he received the appellation of "Bird." +Warden, an American writer, has repeated this last misnomer. +Beverley's work is divided into four parts, styled Books, and +the fourth book is again divided into two parts.</p> + +<p>Of the history, Mr. Jefferson in his "Notes on Virginia" has +remarked, that it is "as concise and unsatisfactory as Stith is +prolix and tedious." This criticism, however, is only applicable +to Beverley's first book, which includes the civil history of the +colony; the other three books on "the present state of Virginia" +being sufficiently full and satisfactory. Brief as is the summary +of history comprised in book first, it was probably quite ample +enough for the taste of the readers of Beverley's day. His +style of writing is easy, unsophisticated and pleasing, his simplicity +of remark sometimes amusing, and the whole work breathes +an earnest, downright, hearty, old-fashioned Virginia spirit. +His account of the internal affairs of the colony is faithful, +and in the main correct, but in regard to events occurring +beyond the precincts of Virginia, he is less reliable. The second +book treats of the boundary of Virginia, waters, earth and +soil, natural products, fish, wild fowl and hunted game. Book +third gives a full and minute description of the manners and +customs of the Indians, illustrated by Gribelin's engravings. +The contents are the persons and dress of the Indians, marriage +and management of children, towns, buildings and fortifications, +cookery and food, travelling, reception and entertainments, +language, war and peace, religion, diseases and remedies,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +sports and pastimes, laws and government, money, goods and +handicrafts. The fourth book relates to the government of the +colony, its sub-divisions, public offices, revenues, taxes, courts, +the church, the college of William and Mary, militia, servants +and slaves, poor laws, free schools, tenure and conveyance of +lands, naturalization and currency, the people, buildings, eatables, +drinkables and fuel, climate, diseases, recreations, natural productions, +and the advantages of improved husbandry. The closing +paragraph is as follows: "Thus they depend upon the liberality +of Nature, without endeavoring to improve its gifts by +art or industry. They sponge upon the blessings of a warm +sun and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of +gathering in the bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed +to publish this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that +I hope it will rouse them out of their lethargy, and excite +them to make the most of all those happy advantages which +Nature has given them, and if it does this, I am sure they +will have the goodness to forgive me." Happily, at the present +day, Virginia has been aroused from her lethargy, and +with energetic efforts is developing her rich resources. It may +be hoped that with these material improvements a wider interest +in the history of the past may be diffused.</p> + +<p><i>Petersburg, May 30th, 1854.</i></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> +<h1>HISTORY OF VIRGINIA.</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h1><a name="BOOK_I" id="BOOK_I"></a>BOOK I.</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> + +<p class="hang">SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO +SETTLE VIRGINIA, BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF CHESAPEAKE +BAY.</p> + + +<p>The learned and valiant Sir Walter Raleigh, having entertained +some deeper and more serious considerations upon +the state of the earth than most other men of his time, as +may sufficiently appear by his incomparable book, the History +of the World, and having laid together the many stories then +in Europe concerning America, the native beauty, riches, and +value of that part of the world, and the immense profits the +Spaniards drew from a small settlement or two thereon made, +resolved upon an adventure for farther discoveries.</p> + +<p>According to this purpose, in the year of our Lord 1583, +he got several men of great value and estate to join in an +expedition of this nature, and for their encouragement obtained +letters patents from Queen Elizabeth, bearing date the 25th +of March, 1584, for turning their discoveries to their own +advantage.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>§ 2. In April following they set out two small vessels under +the command of Capt. Philip Amidas and Capt. Arthur Barlow, +who after a prosperous voyage, anchored at the inlet +by Roanoke, at present under the government of North Carolina. +They made good profit of the Indian truck, which +they bought for things of much inferior value, and returned. +Being overpleased with their profits, and finding all +things there entirely new and surprising, they gave a very +advantageous account of matters, by representing the country +so delightful and desirable, so pleasant and plentiful; the +climate and air so temperate, sweet, and wholesome; the +woods and soil so charming and fruitful; and all other things +so agreeable, that paradise itself seemed to be there in its +first native lustre.</p> + +<p>They gave particular accounts of the variety of good fruits, +and some whereof they had never seen the like before; especially, +that there were grapes in such abundance as was +never known in the world. Stately tall large oaks, and +other timber; red cedar, cypress, pines, and other evergreens +and sweet woods, for tallness and largeness, exceeding +all they had ever heard of; wild fowl, fish, deer, and +other game in such plenty and variety, that no epicure +could desire more than this new world did seem naturally +to afford.</p> + +<p>And to make it yet more desirable, they reported the +native Indians (which were then the only inhabitants) so +affable, kind, and good-natured; so uncultivated in learning, +trades, and fashions; so innocent and ignorant of all +manner of politics, tricks, and cunning; and so desirous +of the company of the English, that they seemed rather +to be like soft wax, ready to take an impression, than anyways +likely to oppose the settling of the English near them. +They represented it as a scene laid open for the good and +gracious Queen Elizabeth to propagate the gospel in and +extend her dominions over; as if purposely reserved for +her majesty by a peculiar direction of providence, that had +brought all former adventures in this affair to nothing; and +to give a further taste of their discovery, they took with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +them in their return for England, two men of the native +Indians, named Wanchese and Manteo.</p> + +<p>§ 3. Her majesty accordingly took the hint, and espoused +the project as far as her present engagements in war with +Spain would let her; being so well pleased with the account +given, that as the greatest mark of honor she could +do the discoverer, she called the country by the name of +Virginia, as well for that it was first discovered in her +reign, a virgin queen, as it did still seem to retain the +virgin purity and plenty of the first creation, and the people +their primitive innocence; for they seemed not debauched +nor corrupted with those pomps and vanities which had +depraved and enslaved the rest of mankind; neither were +their hands hardened by labor, nor their minds corrupted +by the desire of hoarding up treasure. They were without +boundaries to their land, without property in cattle, +and seem to have escaped, or rather not to have been +concerned in the first curse, <i>of getting their bread by +the sweat of their brows</i>, for by their pleasure alone they +supplied all their necessities, namely, by fishing, fowling, +and hunting; skins being their only clothing, and these, +too, five-sixths of the year thrown by; living without labor, +and only gathering the fruits of the earth when ripe or +fit for use; neither fearing present want, nor solicitous for +the future, but daily finding sufficient afresh for their subsistence.</p> + +<p>§ 4. This report was backed, nay, much advanced by the +vast riches and treasure mentioned in several merchants' +letters from Mexico and Peru, to their correspondents in +Spain, which letters were taken with their ships and treasure, +by some of ours in her majesty's service, in prosecution +of the Spanish wars. This was encouragement enough +for a new adventure, and set people's invention at work +till they had satisfied themselves, and made sufficient essays +for the farther discovery of the country. Pursuant whereunto, +Sir Richard Greenvile, the chief of Sir Walter Raleigh's +associates, having obtained seven sail of ships, well +laden with provision, arms, ammunition, and spare men to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +make a settlement, set out in person with them early in +the spring of the succeeding year to make farther discoveries, +taking back the two Indians with him, and according +to his wish, in the latter end of May, arrived at the +same place where the English had been the year before; +there he made a settlement, sowed beans and peas, which +he saw come up and grow to admiration while he staid, +which was about two months, and having made some little +discoveries more in the sound to the southward, and got +some treasure in skins, furs, pearl, and other rarities in the +country, for things of inconsiderable value, he returned for +England, leaving one hundred and eight men upon Roanoke +island, under the command of Mr. Ralph Lane, to +keep possession.</p> + +<p>§ 5. As soon as Sir Richard Greenvile was gone, they, +according to order and their own inclination, set themselves +earnestly about discovering the country, and ranged about a +little too indiscreetly up the rivers, and into the land backward +from the rivers, which gave the Indians a jealousy of their +meaning; for they cut off several stragglers of them, and had +laid designs to destroy the rest, but were happily prevented. +This put the English upon the precaution of keeping more +within bounds, and not venturing themselves too defenceless +abroad, who till then had depended too much upon the natives +simplicity and innocence.</p> + +<p>After the Indians had done this mischief, they never observed +any real faith towards those English; for being naturally +suspicious and revengeful themselves, they never +thought the English could forgive them; and so by this jealousy, +caused by the cowardice of their nature, they were +continually doing mischief.</p> + +<p>The English, notwithstanding all this, continued their discoveries, +but more carefully than they had done before, and +kept the Indians in some awe, by threatening them with the +return of their companions again with a greater supply of +men and goods; and before the cold of the winter became +uneasy, they had extended their discoveries near an hundred +miles along the seacoast to the northward; but not reaching<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +the southern cape of Chesapeake bay in Virginia, they had +as yet found no good harbor.</p> + +<p>§ 6. In this condition they maintained their settlement all +the winter, and till August following; but were much distressed +for want of provisions, not having learned to gather +food, as the Indians did, nor having conveniences like them of +taking fish and fowl; besides, being now fallen out with the +Indians, they feared to expose themselves to their contempt +and cruelty; because they had not received the supply they +talked of, and which had been expected in the spring.</p> + +<p>All they could do under these distresses, and the despair of +the recruits promised them this year, was only to keep a good +looking out to seaward, if, perchance, they might find any +means of escape, or recruit. And to their great joy and satisfaction +in August aforesaid, they happened to espy and make +themselves be seen to Sir Francis Drake's fleet, consisting of +twenty-three sail, who being sent by her majesty upon the +coast of America, in search of the Spanish treasures, had +orders from her majesty to take a view of this plantation, +and see what assistance and encouragement it wanted: Their +first petition to him was to grant them a fresh supply of +men and provisions, with a small vessel, and boats to attend +them; that so if they should be put to distress for want of +relief, they might embark for England. This was as readily +granted by Sir Francis Drake, as asked by them; and +a ship was appointed them, which ship they began immediately +to fit up, and supply plentifully with all manner of +stores for a long stay; but while they were adoing this, a +great storm arose, and drove that very ship (with some others) +from her anchor to sea, and so she was lost for that occasion.</p> + +<p>Sir Francis would have given them another ship, but this +accident coming on the back of so many hardships which +they had undergone, daunted them, and put them upon imagining +that Providence was averse to their designs; and now +having given over for that year the expectation of their +promised supply from England, they consulted together, and +agreed to desire Sir Francis Drake to take them along with +him, which he did.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>Thus their first intention of settlement fell, after discovering +many things of the natural growth of the country, useful for +the life of man, and beneficial to trade, they having observed +a vast variety of fish, fowl and beasts; fruits, seeds, plants, +roots, timber-trees, sweet-woods and gums: They had likewise +attained some little knowledge in the language of the +Indians, their religion, manners, and ways of correspondence +one with another, and been made sensible of their cunning +and treachery towards themselves.</p> + +<p>§ 7. While these things were thus acting in America, the +adventurers in England were providing, though too tediously, +to send them recruits. And though it was late before they +could dispatch them (for they met with several disappointments, +and had many squabbles among themselves); however, +at last they provided four good ships, with all manner +of recruits suitable for the colony, and Sir Walter Raleigh +designed to go in person with them.</p> + +<p>Sir Walter got his ship ready first, and fearing the ill consequence +of a delay, and the discouragement it might be to +those that were left to make a settlement, he set sail by +himself. And a fortnight after him Sir Richard Greenvile +sailed with the three other ships.</p> + +<p>Sir Walter fell in with the land at Cape Hatteras, +a little to the southward of the place, where the one +hundred and eight men had been settled, and after search +not finding them, he returned: However Sir Richard, with +his ships, found the place where he had left the men, but +entirely deserted, which was at first a great disheartening to +him, thinking them all destroyed, because he knew not that +Sir Francis Drake had been there and taken them off; but he +was a little better satisfied by Manteo's report, that they were +not cut off by the Indians, though he could give no good +account what was become of them. However, notwithstanding +this seeming discouragement, he again left fifty men +in the same island of Roanoke, built them houses necessary, +gave them two years provision, and returned.</p> + +<p>§ 8. The next summer, being Anno 1587, three ships +more were sent, under the command of Mr. John White,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +who himself was to settle there as governor with more men, +and some women, carrying also plentiful recruits of provisions.</p> + +<p>In the latter end of July they arrived at Roanoke aforesaid, +where they again encountered the uncomfortable news +of the loss of these men also; who (as they were informed +by Manteo) were secretly set upon by the Indians, +some cut off, and the others fled, and not to be heard of, +and their place of habitation now all grown up with weeds. +However, they repaired the houses on Roanoke, and sat +down there again.</p> + +<p>The 13th of August they christened Manteo, and styled +him Lord of Dassamonpeak, an Indian nation so called, in +reward of the fidelity he had shewn to the English from +the beginning, who being the first Indian that was made +a Christian in that part of the world, I thought it not amiss +to remember him.</p> + +<p>On the same occasion also may be mentioned the first +child there born of Christian parentage, viz: a daughter of +Mr. Ananias Dare. She was born the 18th of the same +August, upon Roanoke, and, after the name of the country, +was christened Virginia.</p> + +<p>This seemed to be a settlement prosperously made, being +carried on with much zeal and unanimity among themselves. +The form of government consisted of a governor +and twelve counselors, incorporated by the name of governor +and assistants, of the city of Raleigh, in Virginia.</p> + +<p>Many nations of the Indians renewed their peace, and +made firm leagues with the corporation. The chief men +of the English also were so far from being disheartened at +the former disappointments, that they disputed for the liberty +of remaining on the spot; and by mere constraint compelled +Mr. White, their governor, to return for England to +negotiate the business of their recruits and supply, as a +man the most capable to manage that affair, leaving at his +departure one hundred and fifteen in the corporation.</p> + +<p>§ 9. It was above two years before Mr. White could +obtain any grant of supplies, and then in the latter end of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +the year 1589, he set out from Plymouth with three +ships, and sailed round by the Western and Caribbee +islands, they having hitherto not found any nearer way: +for though they were skilled in navigation, and understood +the use of the globes, yet did example so much prevail +upon them, that they chose to sail a thousand leagues +about, rather than attempt a more direct passage.</p> + +<p>Towards the middle of August, 1590, they arrived upon +the coast, at Cape Hatteras, and went to search upon Roanoke +for the people; but found, by letters on the trees, +that they were removed to Croatan, one of the islands +forming the sound, and southward of Roanoke about twenty +leagues, but no sign of distress. Thither they designed to +sail to them in their ships; but a storm arising in the +meanwhile, lay so hard upon them that their cables broke; +they lost three of their anchors, were forced to sea, and +so returned home, without ever going near those poor people +again for sixteen years following. And it is supposed +that the Indians, seeing them forsaken by their country, and +unfurnished of their expected supplies, cut them off, for +to this day they were never more heard of.</p> + +<p>Thus, after all this vast expense and trouble, and the +hazard and loss of so many lives, Sir Walter Raleigh, the +great projector and furtherer of these discoveries and settlements, +being under trouble, all thoughts of farther prosecuting +these designs lay dead for about twelve years following.</p> + +<p>§ 10. And then, in the year 1602, Captain Gosnell, who +had made one in the former adventures, furnished out a +small bark from Dartmouth, and set sail in her himself with +thirty odd men, designing a more direct course, and not +to stand so far to the southward, nor pass by the Caribbee +Islands, as all former adventurers had done. He attained +his ends in that, but touched upon the coast of America, +much to the northward of any of the places where +the former adventurers had landed, for he fell first among +the islands forming the northern side of Massachusetts bay +in New England; but not finding the conveniences that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +harbor affords, set sail again southward, and, as he +thought, clear of land into the sea, but fell upon the Byte +of Cape Cod.</p> + +<p>Upon this coast, and a little to the southward, he spent +some time in trade with the Indians, and gave names to +the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Elizabeth's Isle, +which retain the same to this day. Upon Elizabeth's Isle +he made an experiment of English grain, and found it +spring up and grow to admiration as it had done at Roanoke. +Here also his men built huts to shelter them in the +night and bad weather, and made good profit by their Indian +traffic of furs, skins, &c. And as their pleasure invited +them, would visit the main, set receivers, and save +the gums and juices distilling from sweet woods, and try +and examine the lesser vegetables.</p> + +<p>After a month's stay here, they returned for England, as +well pleased with the natural beauty and richness of the +place they had viewed, as they were with the treasure they +had gathered in it: neither had they a head, nor a finger +that ached among them all the time.</p> + +<p>§ 11. The noise of this short and most profitable of all +the former voyages, set the Bristol merchants to work also; +who, early in the year 1603, sent two vessels in search of +the same place and trade—which vessels fell luckily in +with the same land. They followed the same methods +Captain Gosnell had done, and having got a rich lading +they returned.</p> + +<p>§ 12. In the year 1605, a voyage was made from London +in a single ship, with which they designed to fall in +with the land about the latitude 39°, but the winds put her +a little farther northward, and she fell upon the eastern +parts of Long Island, (as it is now called, but all went +then under the name of Virginia.) Here they trafficked +with the Indians, as the others had done before them; +made short trials of the soil by English grain, and found +the Indians, as in all other places, very fair and courteous +at first, till they got more knowledge of the English, and +perhaps thought themselves overreached because one bought +better pennyworths than another, upon which, afterwards,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +they never failed to take revenge as they found their opportunity +or advantage. So this company also returned with +the ship, having ranged forty miles up Connecticut river, +and called the harbor where they rid Penticost harbor, because +of their arrival there on Whitsunday.</p> + +<p>In all these latter voyages, they never so much as endeavored +to come near the place where the first settlement +was attempted at Cape Hatteras; neither had they any pity +on those poor hundred and fifteen souls settled there in +1587, of whom there had never since been any account, +no relief sent to them, nor so much as any enquiry +made after them, whether they were dead or alive, till +about three years after this, when Chesapeake bay in Virginia +was settled, which hitherto had never been seen by +any Englishman. So strong was the desire of riches, and +so eager the pursuit of a rich trade, that all concern for the +lives of their fellow-christians, kindred, neighbors and +countrymen, weighed nothing in the comparison, though an +enquiry might have been easily made when they were so +near them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="hang">CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF +CHESAPEAKE BAY, IN VIRGINIA, BY THE CORPORATION +OF LONDON ADVENTURERS, AND THEIR PROCEEDINGS +DURING THEIR GOVERNMENT BY A PRESIDENT AND +COUNCIL ELECTIVE.</p> + + +<p>§ 13. The merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter, and +Plymouth soon perceived what great gains might be made +of a trade this way, if it were well managed and colonies +could be rightly settled, which was sufficiently evinced by +the great profits some ships had made, which had not met +with ill accidents. Encouraged by this prospect, they joined +together in a petition to King James the First, shewing +forth that it would be too much for any single person +to attempt the settling of colonies, and to carry on so +considerable a trade; they therefore prayed his majesty to +incorporate them, and enable them to raise a joint stock for +that purpose, and to countenance their undertaking.</p> + +<p>His majesty did accordingly grant their petition, and by +letters patents, bearing date the 10th of April, 1606, did +in one patent incorporate them into two distinct colonies, +to make two separate companies, viz: "Sir Thomas Gates, +Sir George Summers, knights; Mr. Richard Hackluit, clerk, +prebend of Westminster, and Edward Maria Wingfield, esq., +adventurers of the city of London, and such others as +should be joined unto them of that colony, which should +be called the first colony, with liberty to begin their first +plantation and seat, at any place upon the coast of Virginia<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +where they should think fit and convenient, between +the degrees of thirty-four and forty-one of northern latitude. +And that they should extend their bounds from the said +first seat of their plantation and habitation fifty English +miles along the seacoast each way, and include all the +lands within an hundred miles directly over against the +same seacoast, and also back into the main land one hundred +miles from the seacoast; and that no other should +be permitted or suffered to plant or inhabit behind or on +the back of them towards the main land, without the +express license of the council of that colony, thereunto in +writing first had and obtained. And for the second colony, +Thomas Hanham, Rawleigh Gilbert, William Parker, and +George Popham, esquires, of the town of Plymouth, and +all others who should be joined to them of that colony, +with liberty to begin their first plantation and seat at any +place upon the coast of Virginia where they should think +fit, between the degrees of thirty-eight and forty five of +northern latitude, with the like liberties and bounds as the +first colony; provided they did not seat within an hundred +miles of them."</p> + +<p>§ 14. By virtue of this patent, Capt. John Smith was +sent by the London company, in December, 1606, on his +voyage with three small ships, and a commission was given +to him, and to several other gentlemen, to establish a colony, +and to govern by a president, to be chosen annually, +and council, who should be invested with sufficient authorities +and powers. And now all things seemed to promise +a plantation in good earnest. Providence seemed likewise +very favorable to them, for though they designed only for +that part of Virginia where the hundred and fifteen were +left, and where there is no security of harbor, yet, after +a tedious voyage of passing the old way again, between +the Caribbee islands and the main, he, with two of his +vessels, luckily fell in with Virginia itself, that part of the +continent now so called, anchoring in the mouth of the +bay of Chesapeake; and the first place they landed upon +was the southern cape of that bay; this they named Cape<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +Henry, and the northern Cape Charles, in honor of the +king's two eldest sons; and the first great river they +searched, whose Indian name was Powhatan, they called +James river, after the king's own name.</p> + +<p>§ 15. Before they would make any settlement here, they +made a full search of James river, and then by an unanimous +consent pitched upon a peninsula about fifty miles +up the river, which, besides the goodness of the soil, was +esteemed as most fit, and capable to be made a place both +of trade and security, two-thirds thereof being environed by +the main river, which affords good anchorage all along, +and the other third by a small narrow river, capable of +receiving many vessels of an hundred ton, quite up as high +as till it meets within thirty yards of the main river again, +and where generally in spring tides it overflows into the +main river, by which means the land they chose to pitch +their town upon has obtained the name of an island. In +this back river ships and small vessels may ride lashed to +one another, and moored ashore secure from all wind and +weather whatsoever.</p> + +<p>The town, as well as the river, had the honor to be +called by King James' name. The whole island thus enclosed +contains about two thousand acres of high land, and +several thousands of very good and firm marsh, and is an +extraordinary good pasture as any in that country.</p> + +<p>By means of the narrow passage, this place was of great +security to them from the Indian enemy; and if they had +then known of the biting of the worm in the salts, they +would have valued this place upon that account also, as +being free from that mischief.</p> + +<p>§ 16. They were no sooner settled in all this happiness +and security, but they fell into jars and dissensions among +themselves, by a greedy grasping at the Indian treasure, +envying and overreaching one another in that trade.</p> + +<p>After five weeks stay before this town, the ships returned +home again, leaving one hundred and eight men settled +in the form of government before spoken of.</p> + +<p>After the ships were gone, the same sort of feuds and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +disorders happened continually among them, to the unspeakable +damage of the plantation.</p> + +<p>The Indians were the same there as in all other places, +at first very fair and friendly, though afterwards they gave +great proofs of their deceitfulness. However, by the help +of the Indian provisions, the English chiefly subsisted till +the return of the ships the next year, when two vessels +were sent thither full freighted with men and provisions +for supply of the plantation, one of which only arrived +directly, and the other being beat off to the Caribbee islands, +did not arrive till the former was sailed again for England.</p> + +<p>§ 17. In the interval of these ships returning from England, +the English had a very advantageous trade with the +Indians, and might have made much greater gains of it, +and managed it both to the greater satisfaction of the Indians, +and the greater ease and security of themselves, if +they had been under any rule, or subject to any method in +trade, and not left at liberty to outvie or outbid one another, +by which they not only cut short their own profit, but created +jealousies and disturbances among the Indians, by letting one +have a better bargain than another; for they being unaccustomed +to barter, such of them as had been hardest dealt +by in their commodities, thought themselves cheated and +abused; and so conceived a grudge against the English in +general, making it a national quarrel; and this seems to be +the original cause of most of their subsequent misfortunes +by the Indians.</p> + +<p>What also gave a greater interruption to this trade, was an +object that drew all their eyes and thoughts aside, even +from taking the necessary care for their preservation, and for +the support of their lives, which was this: They found in +a neck of land, on the back of Jamestown island, a fresh +stream of water springing out of a small bank, which washed +down with it a yellow sort of dust isinglass, which being +cleansed by the fresh streaming of the water, lay shining +in the bottom of that limpid element, and stirred up in them +an unseasonable and inordinate desire after riches; for they +taking all to be gold that glittered, run into the utmost distraction,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +neglecting both the necessary defence of their lives +from the Indians, and the support of their bodies by securing +of provisions; absolutely relying, like Midas, upon the almighty +power of gold, thinking that where this was in +plenty, nothing could be wanting; but they soon grew sensible +of their error, and found that if this gilded dirt had been +real gold, it could have been of no advantage to them. For, +by their negligence, they were reduced to an exceeding scarcity +of provisions, and that little they had was lost by the +burning of their town, while all hands were employed upon +this imaginary golden treasure; so that they were forced to +live for some time upon the wild fruits of the earth, and +upon crabs, muscles, and such like, not having a day's provision +before-hand; as some of the laziest Indians, who have +no pleasure in exercise, and wont be at the pains to fish +and hunt: And, indeed, not so well as they neither; for +by this careless neglecting of their defence against the Indians, +many of them were destroyed by that cruel people, +and the rest durst not venture abroad, but were forced to +be content with what fell just into their mouths.</p> + +<p>§ 18. In this condition they were, when the first ship of +the two before mentioned came to their assistance, but their +golden dreams overcame all difficulties; they spoke not, nor +thought of anything but gold, and that was all the lading +that most of them were willing to take care for; accordingly +they put into this ship all the yellow dirt they had gathered, +and what skins and furs they had trucked for, and filling +her up with cedar, sent her away.</p> + +<p>After she was gone, the other ship arrived, which they +stowed likewise with this supposed gold dust, designing never +to be poor again; filling her up with cedar and clap-board.</p> + +<p>Those two ships being thus dispatched, they made several +discoveries in James river and up Chesapeake bay, by the +undertaking and management of Captain John Smith; and +the year 1608 was the first year in which they gathered Indian +corn of their own planting.</p> + +<p>While these discoveries were making by Captain Smith, +matters run again into confusion in Jamestown, and several<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +uneasy people, taking advantage of his absence, attempted to +desert the settlement, and run away with the small vessel that +was left to attend upon it; for Captain Smith was the only +man among them that could manage the discoveries with +success, and he was the only man, too, that could keep the +settlement in order. Thus the English continued to give +themselves as much perplexity by their own distraction as +the Indians did by their watchfulness and resentments.</p> + +<p>§ 19. Anno 1609, John Laydon and Anna Burrows were +married together, the first Christian marriage in that part of +the world; and the year following the plantation was increased +to near five hundred men.</p> + +<p>This year Jamestown sent out people, and made two other +settlements; one at Nansemond in James river, above thirty +miles below Jamestown, and the other at Powhatan, six miles +below the falls of James river, (which last was bought of Powhatan +for a certain quantity of copper,) each settlement consisting +of about a hundred and twenty men. Some small +time after another was made at Kiquotan by the mouth of +James river.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="hang">SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE ALTERATION OF +THE GOVERNMENT FROM AN ELECTIVE PRESIDENT TO A +COMMISSIONATED GOVERNOR, UNTIL THE DISSOLUTION OF +THE COMPANY.</p> + +<p>§ 20. In the meanwhile the treasurer, council and company +of Virginia adventurers in London, not finding that +return and profit from the adventurers they expected, and +rightly judging that this disappointment, as well as the idle +quarrels in the colony, proceeded from a mismanage of government, +petitioned his majesty, and got a new patent +with leave to appoint a governor.</p> + +<p>Upon this new grant they sent out nine ships, and plentiful +supplies of men and provisions, and made three joint commissioners +or governors in equal power, viz: Sir Thomas +Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain Newport. They +agreed to go all together in one ship.</p> + +<p>This ship, on board of which the three governors had embarked, +being separated from the rest, was put to great distress +in a severe storm; and after three days and nights constant +bailing and pumping, was at last cast ashore at Bermudas, +and there staved, but by good providence the company +was preserved.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding this shipwreck, and extremity they were +put to, yet could not this common misfortune make them +agree. The best of it was, they found plenty of provisions +in that island, and no Indians to annoy them. But +still they quarrelled amongst themselves, and none more +than the two Knights; who made their parties, built each +of them a cedar vessel, one called the Patience, the +other the Deliverance, and used what they gathered of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +the furniture of the old ship for rigging; and fish-oil, and +hog's-grease, mixed with lime and ashes, instead of pitch +and tar: for they found great plenty of Spanish hogs in +this island, which are supposed to have swam ashore +from some wrecks, and there afterwards increased.</p> + +<p>§. 21. While these things were acting in Bermuda, +Capt. Smith being very much burnt by the accidental firing +of some gun-powder, as he was upon a discovery in +his boat, was forced for his cure sake, and the benefit of +a surgeon, to take his passage for England, in a ship +that was then upon the point of sailing.</p> + +<p>Several of the nine ships that came out with the three +governors arrived, with many of the passengers; some of +which, in their humors, would not submit to the government +there, pretending the new commission destroyed the +old one; that governors were appointed instead of a president, +and that they themselves were to be of the council, +and so would assume an independent power, inspiring the +people with disobedience; by which means they became +frequently exposed in great parties to the cruelty of the Indians; +all sorts of discipline was laid aside, and their necessary +defence neglected; so that the Indians taking advantage +of those divisions, formed a stratagem to destroy them +root and branch; and, indeed, they did cut many of them +off, by massacreing whole companies at a time; so that all +the out-settlements were deserted, and the people that were +not destroyed, took refuge in Jamestown, except the small +settlement at Kiquotan, where they had built themselves a +little fort, and called it Algernoon fort. And yet, for all +this, they continued their disorders, wasting their old provisions, +and neglecting to gather others; so that they who remained +alive, were all near famished, having brought themselves +to that pass, that they durst not stir from their own +doors to gather the fruits of the earth, or the crabs and muscles +from the water-side: much less to hunt or catch wild +beasts, fish or fowl, which were found in great abundance +there. They continued in these scanty circumstances, till +they were at last reduced to such extremity, as to eat the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +very hides of their horses, and the bodies of the Indians +they had killed; and sometimes also upon a pinch they +would not disdain to dig them up again, to make a homely +meal, after they had been buried.</p> + +<p>Thus, a few months indiscreet management brought such +an infamy upon the country, that to this day it cannot be +wiped away. And the sicknesses occasioned by this bad +diet, or rather want of diet, are unjustly remembered to +the disadvantage of the country, as a fault in the climate; +which was only the foolishness and indiscretion of those +who assumed the power of governing. I call it assumed, +because the new commission mentioned, by which they +pretended to be of the council, was not in all this time +arrived, but remained in Bermuda with the new governors.</p> + +<p>Here, I cannot but admire the care, labor, courage and +understanding, that Capt. John Smith showed in the +time of his administration; who not only founded, but +also preserved all these settlements in good order, while +he was amongst them; and, without him, they had certainly +all been destroyed, either by famine, or the enemy +long before; though the country naturally afforded subsistence +enough, even without any other labor than that +of gathering and preserving its spontaneous provisions.</p> + +<p>For the first three years that Capt. Smith was with +them, they never had in that whole time, above six +months English provisions. But as soon as he had left +them to themselves, all went to ruin; for the Indians had +no longer any fear for themselves, or friendship for the +English. And six months after this gentleman's departure, +the 500 men that he had left were reduced to threescore; +and they, too, must of necessity, have starved, if their +relief had been delayed a week longer at sea.</p> + +<p>§. 22. In the mean time, the three governors put to +sea from Bermuda, in their two small vessels, with their +company, to the number of one hundred and fifty, and +in fourteen days, viz.: the 25th of May, 1610, they arrived +both together in Virginia, and went with their vessels<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +up to Jamestown, where they found the small remainder +of the five hundred men, in that melancholy way +I just now hinted.</p> + +<p>§. 23. Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain +Newport, the governors, were very compassionate of +their condition, and called a council, wherein they informed +them, that they had but sixteen days provision aboard; +and therefore desired to know their opinion, whether they +would venture to sea under such a scarcity; or, if they +resolved to continue in the settlement, and take their fortunes, +they would stay likewise, and share the provisions +among them; but desired that their determination might +be speedy. They soon came to the conclusion of returning +for England; but because their provisions were short, +they resolved to go by the banks of Newfoundland, in +hopes of meeting with some of the fishermen, (this being +now the season,) and dividing themselves among their +ships, for the greater certainty of provision, and for their +better accommodation.</p> + +<p>According to this resolution, they all went aboard, and +fell down to Hog Island, the 9th of June, at night, and +the next morning to Mulberry Island Point, which is +eighteen miles below Jamestown, and thirty above the +mouth of the river; and there they spied a long boat, +which the Lord Delawarr (who was just arrived with three +ships,) had sent before him up the river sounding the channel. +His lordship was made sole governor, and was accompanied +by several gentlemen of condition. He caused all +the men to return again to Jamestown; re-settled them +with satisfaction, and staid with them till March following; +and then being very sick, he returned for England, +leaving about two hundred in the colony.</p> + +<p>§. 24. On the 10th of May, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale being +then made governor, arrived with three ships, which brought +supplies of men, cattle and hogs. He found them growing +again into the like disorders as before, taking no care to +plant corn, and wholly relying upon their store, which then +had but three months provision in it. He therefore set<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +them to work about corn, and though it was the middle +of May before they began to prepare the ground, yet they +had an indifferent good crop.</p> + +<p>§. 25. In August, the same year, Sir Thomas Gates arrived +at Jamestown with six ships more, and with a plentiful +supply of hogs, cattle, fowls, &c., with a good quantity +of ammunition, and all other things necessary for a new +colony, and besides this, a reinforcement of three hundred +and fifty chosen men. In the beginning of September +he settled a new town at Arrabattuck, about fifty miles +above Jamestown, paling in the neck above two miles from +the point, from one reach of the river to the other. Here +he built forts and sentry-boxes, and in honor of Henry +Prince of Wales, called it Henrico. And also run a palisade +on the other side of the river, at Coxendale, to secure +their hogs.</p> + +<p>§. 26. Anno 1612, two ships more arrived with supplies; +and Capt. Argall, who commanded one of them, being +sent in her to Patowmeck to buy corn, he there met with +Pocahontas, the excellent daughter of Powhatan; and having +prevailed with her to come aboard to a treat, he detained +her prisoner, and carried her to Jamestown, designing +to make peace with her father by her release; but +on the contrary, that prince resented the affront very highly; +and although he loved his daughter with all imaginable +tenderness, yet he would not be brought to terms +by that unhandsome treachery; till about two years after +a marriage being proposed between Mr. John Rolfe, an +English gentleman, and this lady; which Powhatan taking +to be a sincere token of friendship, he vouchsafed to consent +to it, and to conclude a peace, though he would not +come to the wedding.</p> + +<p>§. 27. Pocahontas being thus married in the year 1613, +a firm peace was concluded with her father. Both the +English and Indians thought themselves entirely secure and +quiet. This brought in the Chickahominy Indians also, +though not out of any kindness or respect to the English, +but out of fear of being, by their assistance, brought under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +Powhatan's absolute subjection, who used now and +then to threaten and tyrannize over them.</p> + +<p>§. 28. Sir Thomas Dale returning for England, Anno +1610, took with him Mr. Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas, +who, upon the marriage, was christened, and called Rebecca. +He left Capt. George Yardly deputy-governor during +his absence, the country being then entirely at peace; +and arrived at Plymouth the 12th of June.</p> + +<p>Capt. John Smith was at that time in England, and +hearing of the arrival of Pocahontas at Portsmouth, used +all the means he could to express his gratitude to her, as +having formerly preserved his life by the hazard of her +own; for, when by the command of her father, Capt. +Smith's head was upon the block to have his brains +knocked out, she saved his head by laying hers close +upon it. He was at that time suddenly to embark for +New England, and fearing he should sail before she got +to London, he made an humble petition to the Queen +in her behalf, which I here choose to give you in his +own words, because it will save me the story at large.</p> + +<p>§. 29. Capt. Smith's petition to her Majesty, in behalf of +Pocahontas, daughter to the Indian Emperor, Powhatan.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>To the most high and virtuous princess, Queen Anne, of +Great Britain:</p> + +<p>Most admired madam—</p> + +<p>The love I bear my God, my king, and country, hath +so often emboldened me in the worst of extreme dangers, +that now honestly doth constrain me to presume thus far +beyond myself, to present your majesty this short discourse. +If ingratitude be a deadly poison to all honest virtues, I +must be guilty of that crime, if I should omit any means +to be thankful.</p> + +<p> +So it was,<br /> +</p> + +<p>That about ten years ago, being in Virginia, and taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +prisoner by the power of Powhatan, their chief king, I +received from this great savage exceeding great courtesy, +especially from his son, Nantaquaus; the manliest, comeliest, +boldest spirit I ever saw in a savage; and his sister +Pocahontas, the king's most dear and well-beloved daughter, +being but a child of twelve or thirteen years of age, +whose compassionate pitiful heart of my desperate estate +gave me much cause to respect her. I being the first +Christian this proud king and his grim attendants ever +saw, and thus enthralled in their barbarous power; I cannot +say I felt the least occasion of want, that was in the +power of those my mortal foes to prevent, notwithstanding +all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those +savage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, she hazarded +the beating out of her own brains to save mine, and +not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I was +safely conducted to Jamestown, where I found about eight +and thirty miserable, poor and sick creatures, to keep possession +for all those large territories of Virginia. Such was +the weakness of this poor commonwealth, as had not the +savages fed us, we directly had starved.</p> + +<p>And this relief, most gracious queen, was commonly +brought us by this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all +these passages, when unconstant fortune turned our peace +to war, this tender virgin would still not spare to dare to +visit us; and by her our jars have been oft appeased, and +our wants still supplied. Were it the policy of her father +thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God thus +to make her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection +to our nation, I know not: but of this I am sure, when +her father, with the utmost of his policy and power, sought +to surprise me, having but eighteen with me, the dark night +could not affright her from coming through the irksome +woods, and, with watered eyes, give me intelligence, with +her best advice to escape his fury, which had he known, +he had surely slain her.</p> + +<p>Jamestown, with her wild train, she as freely frequented +as her father's habitation; and during the time of two or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +three years, she, next under God, was still the instrument +to preserve this colony from death, famine, and utter confusion, +which if, in those times, had once been dissolved, +Virginia might have lain, as it was at our first arrival, till +this day. Since then, this business having been turned +and varied by many accidents from what I left it, it is +most certain, after a long and troublesome war, since my +departure, betwixt her father and our colony, all which time +she was not heard of, about two years after she herself +was taken prisoner, being so detained near two years longer, +the colony by that means was relieved, peace concluded, +and at last, rejecting her barbarous condition, she was married +to an English gentleman, with whom at this present +she is in England. The first Christian ever of that nation; +the first Virginian ever spake English, or had a +child in marriage by an Englishman—a matter surely, if +my meaning be truly considered and well understood, worthy +a prince's information.</p> + +<p>Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to your majesty, +what at your best leisure, our approved histories will +recount to you at large, as done in the time of your +majesty's life; and however this might be presented you +from a more worthy pen, it cannot from a more honest +heart.</p> + +<p>As yet, I never begged anything of the State; and it +is my want of ability, and her exceeding desert; your +birth, means, and authority; her birth, virtue, want and +simplicity, doth make me thus bold, humbly to beseech +your majesty to take this knowledge of her, though it be +from one so unworthy to be the reporter as myself; her +husband's estate not being able to make her fit to attend +your majesty.</p> + +<p>The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, and +the rather because of her being of so great a spirit, however +her stature. If she should not be well received, seeing +this kingdom may rightly have a kingdom by her +means; her present love to us and Christianity, might turn +to such scorn and fury, as to divert all this good to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +worst of evil. Where finding that so great a queen should +do her more honor than she can imagine, for having been +kind to her subjects and servants, 'twould so ravish her +with content, as to endear her dearest blood, to effect that +your majesty and all the king's honest subjects most earnestly +desire. And so I humbly kiss your gracious hands, +&c.</p> + +<p class="closing">(Signed)</p> +<p class="quotsig">JOHN SMITH.</p> +<p>Dated June, 1616.<br /> +<br /></p></div> + +<p>§. 30. This account was presented to her majesty, and +graciously received. But before Capt. Smith sailed for +New England, the Indian princess arrived at London, and +her husband took lodgings for her at Branford, to be a +little out of the smoke of the city, whither Capt. Smith, +with some of his friends, went to see her and congratulate +her arrival, letting her know the address he had made +to the queen in her favor.</p> + +<p>Till this lady arrived in England, she had all along +been informed that Captain Smith was dead, because he +had been diverted from that colony by making settlements +in the second plantation, now called New England; for +which reason, when she saw him, she seemed to think herself +much affronted, for that they had dared to impose so +gross an untruth upon her, and at first sight of him turned +away. It cost him a great deal of intreaty, and some +hours attendance, before she would do him the honor to +speak to him; but at last she was reconciled, and talked +freely to him. She put him in mind of her former kindnesses, +and then upbraided him for his forgetfulness of her, +showing by her reproaches, that even a state of nature +teaches to abhor ingratitude.</p> + +<p>She had in her retinue a Werowance, or great man of +her own nation, whose name was Uttamaccomack. This +man had orders from Powhatan, to count the people in +England, and give him an account of their number. Now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +the Indians having no letters among them, he at his going +ashore, provided a stick, in which he was to make a notch +for every man he saw; but this accomptant soon grew weary +of that tedious exercise, and threw his stick away: and +at his return, being asked by his king, How many people +there were? He desired him to count the stars in the +sky, the leaves upon the trees, and the sand on the seashore, +for so many people (he said) were in England.</p> + +<p>§. 31. Pocahontas had many honors done her by the +queen upon account of Captain Smith's story; and being +introduced by the Lady Delawarr, she was frequently admitted +to wait on her majesty, and was publicly treated as +a prince's daughter; she was carried to many plays, balls, +and other public entertainments, and very respectfully received +by all the ladies about the court. Upon all which +occasions, she behaved herself with so much decency, and +showed so much grandeur in her deportment, that she +made good the brightest part of the character Capt. Smith +had given of her. In the meanwhile, she gained the +good opinion of everybody so much, that the poor gentleman, +her husband, had like to have been called to an +account, for presuming to marry a princess royal without +the king's consent; because it had been suggested that +he had taken advantage of her, being a prisoner, and +forced her to marry him. But upon a more perfect representation +of the matter, his majesty was pleased at last +to declare himself satisfied. But had their true condition +here been known, that pother had been saved.</p> + +<p>Everybody paid this young lady all imaginable respect; +and it is supposed, she would have sufficiently acknowledged +those favors, had she lived to return to her own +country, by bringing the Indians to have a kinder disposition +towards the English. But upon her return she was +unfortunately taken ill at Gravesend, and died in a few +days after, giving great testimony all the time she lay +sick, of her being a very good Christian. She left issue +one son, named Thomas Rolfe, whose posterity is at this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +day in good repute in Virginia, and now hold lands by +descent from her.</p> + +<p>§. 32. Captain Yardly made but a very ill governor, he +let the buildings and forts go to ruin; not regarding the +security of the people against the Indians, neglecting the +corn, and applying all hands to plant tobacco, which promised +the most immediate gain. In this condition they +were when Capt. Samuel Argall was sent thither governor, +Anno 1617, who found the number of people reduced +to little more than four hundred, of which not +above half were fit for labor. In the meanwhile the Indians +mixing among them, got experience daily in fire +arms, and some of them were instructed therein by the +English themselves, and employed to hunt and kill wild +fowl for them. So great was their security upon this +marriage; but governor Argall not liking those methods, +regulated them on his arrival, and Capt. Yardly returned +to England.</p> + +<p>§. 33. Governor Argall made the colony flourish and increase +wonderfully, and kept them in great plenty and +quiet. The next year, viz.: Anno 1618, the Lord Delawarr +was sent over again with two hundred men more +for the settlement, with other necessaries suitable: but +sailing by the Western Islands, they met with contrary +winds, and great sickness; so that about thirty of them +died, among which the Lord Delawarr was one. By +which means the government there still continued in the +hands of Capt. Argall.</p> + +<p>§. 34. Powhatan died in April the same year, leaving +his second brother Itopatin in possession of his empire, a +prince far short of the parts of Oppechancanough, who +by some was said to be his elder brother, and then king +of Chickahomony; but he having debauched them from +the allegiance of Powhatan, was disinherited by him. +This Oppechancanough was a cunning and a brave prince, +and soon grasped all the empire to himself. But at first +they jointly renewed the peace with the English, upon +the accession of Itopatin to the crown.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>§. 35. Governor Argall flourishing thus under the blessings +of peace and plenty, and having no occasion of +fear or disturbance from the Indians, sought new occasions +of encouraging the plantation. To that end, he intended +a coasting voyage to the northward, to view the places +where the English ships had so often laded; and if he +missed them, to reach the fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland, +and so settle a trade and correspondence either +with the one or the other. In accomplishing whereof, as +he touched at Cape Cod, he was informed by the Indians, +that some white people like him were come to inhabit to +the northward of them, upon the coast of their neighboring +nations. Capt. Argall not having heard of any English +plantation that way, was jealous that it might be (as +it proved,) the people of some other nation. And being +very zealous for the honor and benefit of England, he resolved +to make search according to the information he had +received, and see who they were. Accordingly he found +the settlement, and a ship riding before it. This belonged +to some Frenchmen, who had fortified themselves upon a +small mount on the north of New England.</p> + +<p>§. 36. His unexpected arrival so confounded the French, +that they could make no preparation for resistance on +board their ship; which Captain Argall drew so close to, +that with his small arms he beat all the men from the +deck, so that they could not use their guns, their ship +having only a single deck. Among others, there were +two Jesuits on board, one of which being more bold than +wise, with all that disadvantage, endeavored to fire one of +their cannon, and was shot dead for his pains.</p> + +<p>Captain Argall having taken the ship, landed and went +before the fort, summoning it to surrender. The garrison +asked time to advise; but that being denied them, +they stole privately away, and fled into the woods. Upon +this, Captain Argall entered the fort, and lodged there that +night; and the next day the French came to him, and surrendered +themselves. It seems the king of France had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +granted them a patent for this settlement, but they gave +it up to Captain Argall to be cancelled. He used them +very well, and suffered such as had a mind to return to +France, to seek their passage among the ships of the fishery; +but obliged them to desert this settlement. And those +that were willing to go to Virginia, he took with him.</p> + +<p>§. 37. These people were under the conduct of two Jesuits, +who upon taking a pique against their governor in +Acadia, named Biencourt, had lately separated from a +French settlement at Port Royal, lying in the bay, upon +the south-west part of Acadia.</p> + +<p>§. 38. As Governor Argall was about to return to Virginia, +father Biard, the surviving Jesuit (out of malice to +Biencourt,) told him of this French settlement at Port +Royal, and offered to pilot him to it; which Governor Argall +readily accepted of. With the same ease, he took +that settlement also; where the French had sowed and +reaped, built barns, mills, and other conveniences, which +Captain Argall did no damage to; but unsettled them, and +obliged them to make a desertion from thence. He gave +these the same leave he had done the others, to dispose of +themselves; some whereof returned to France, and others +went to settle up the river of Canada. After this Governor +Argall returned satisfied with the provision and plunder +he had got in those two settlements.</p> + +<p>§. 39. The report of these exploits soon reached England; +and whether they were approved or no, being acted without +particular direction, I have not learned; but certain it +is, that in April following there arrived a small vessel, +which did not stay for anything, but took on board Governor +Argall, and returned for England. He left Capt. +Nathaniel Powel deputy; and soon after Capt. Yardly being +knighted, was sent governor thither again.</p> + +<p>§. 40. Very great supplies of cattle and other provisions +were sent there that year, and likewise 1000 or 1200 men. +They resettled all their old plantations that had been deserted, +made additions to the number of the council, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +called an assembly of Burgesses from all parts of the +country, which were to be elected by the people in their +several plantations.</p> + +<p>These burgesses met the governor and council at Jamestown +in May, 1620, and sat in consultation in the same +house with them, as the method of the Scots Parliament +is, debating matters for the improvement and good government +of the country.</p> + +<p>This was the first general assembly that was ever held +there. I heartily wish though they did not unite their +houses again, they would, however, unite their endeavors +and affections for the good of the country.</p> + +<p>§. 41. In August following, a Dutch man-of-war landed +twenty negroes for sale; which were the first of that kind +that were carried into the country.</p> + +<p>§. 42. This year they bounded the corporations, (as they +called them:) But there does not remain among the records +any one grant of these corporations. There is entered +a testimony of Governor Argall, concerning the bounds +of the corporation of James City, declaring his knowledge +thereof; and this is one of the new transcribed books of +record. But there is not to be found one word of the +charter or patent itself of this corporation.</p> + +<p>Then also, they apportioned and laid our lands in several +allotments, viz.: to the company in several places, +to the governor, to a college, to glebes, and to several +particular persons; many new settlements were made in +James and York rivers. The people knew their own +property, and having the encouragement of working for +their own advantage, many became very industrious, and +began to vie one with another, in planting, building, and +other improvements. Two gentlemen went over as deputies +to the company, for the management of their lands, +and those of the college. All thoughts of danger from +the Indians were laid aside. Several great gifts were made +to the church and college, and for the bringing up young +Indians at school. Forms were made, and rules appointed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +for granting patents for land, upon the condition of +importing goods and persons to supply and increase the +colony. And all there then began think themselves the +happiest people in the world.</p> + +<p>§. 43. Thus Virginia continued to flourish and increase, +great supplies continually arriving, and new settlements +being made all over the country. A salt work was set +up at Cape Charles, on the Eastern Shore; and an iron +work at Falling Creek, in James river, where they made +proof of good iron ore, and brought the whole work so +near a perfection, that they writ word to the company in +London, that they did not doubt but to finish the work, +and have plentiful provision of iron for them by the next +Easter. At that time the fame of the plenty and riches, +in which the English lived there, was very great. And +Sir George Yardly now had all the appearance of making +amends for the errors of his former government. Nevertheless +he let them run into the same sleepiness and security +as before, neglecting all thoughts of a necessary +defence, which laid the foundation of the following calamities.</p> + +<p>§. 44. But the time of his government being near expired, +Sir Francis Wyat, then a young man, had a commission +to succeed him. The people began to grow numerous, +thirteen hundred settling there that year; which +was the occasion of making so much tobacco, as to overstock +the market. Wherefore his majesty, out of pity to +the country, sent his commands, that they should not suffer +their planters to make above one hundred pounds of +tobacco per man; for the market was so low, that he +could not afford to give them above three shillings the +pound for it. He advised them rather to turn their spare +time towards providing corn and stock, and towards the +making of potash, or other manufactures.</p> + +<p>It was October, 1621, that Sir Francis Wyat arrived +governor, and in November, Captain Newport arrived with +fifty men, imported at his own charge, besides passengers; +and made a plantation on Newport's News, naming it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +after himself. The governor made a review of all the +settlements, and suffered new ones to be made, even as +far as Potomac river. This ought to be observed of the +Eastern Shore Indians, that they never gave the English +any trouble, but courted and befriended them from first +to last. Perhaps the English, by the time they came to +settle those parts, had considered how to rectify their former +mismanagement, and learned better methods of regulating +their trade with the Indians, and of treating them +more kindly than at first.</p> + +<p>§. 45. Anno 1622, inferior courts were first appointed by +the general assembly, under the name of county courts, +for trial of minute causes; the governor and council still +remaining judges of the supreme court of the colony. In +the meantime, by the great increase of people, and the +long quiet they had enjoyed among the Indians, since the +marriage of Pocahontas, and the accession of Oppechancanough +to the imperial crown, all men were lulled into +a fatal security, and became everywhere familiar with the +Indians, eating, drinking, and sleeping amongst them; by +which means they became perfectly acquainted with all +our English strength, and the use of our arms—knowing +at all times, when and where to find our people; whether +at home, or in the woods; in bodies, or disperst; in +condition of defence, or indefensible. This exposing of +their weakness gave them occasion to think more contemptibly +of them, than otherwise, perhaps, they would have +done; for which reason they became more peevish, and +more hardy to attempt anything against them.</p> + +<p>§. 46. Thus upon the loss of one of their leading men, +(a war captain, as they call him,) who was likewise supposed +to be justly killed, Oppechancanough took affront, +and in revenge laid the plot of a general massacre of the +English, to be executed on the 22d of March, 1622, a +little before noon, at a time when our men were all at +work abroad in their plantations, disperst and unarmed. +This hellish contrivance was to take effect upon all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +several settlements at one and the same instant, except on +the Eastern Shore, whither this plot did not reach. The +Indians had been made so familiar with the English, as +to borrow their boats and canoes to cross the river in, +when they went to consult with their neighboring Indians +upon this execrable conspiracy. And to color their design the +better, they brought presents of deer, turkies, fish and fruits +to the English the evening before. The very morning of the +massacre, they came freely and unarmed among them, +eating with them, and behaving themselves with the same +freedom and friendship as formerly, till the very minute +they were to put their plot in execution. Then they fell +to work all at once everywhere, knocking the English unawares +on the head, some with their hatchets, which they +call tomahawks, others with the hoes and axes of the +English themselves, shooting at those who escaped the reach +of their hands; sparing neither age nor sex, but destroying +man, woman, and child, according to their cruel way +of leaving none behind to bear resentment. But whatever +was not done by surprise that day, was left undone, and +many that made early resistance escaped.</p> + +<p>By the account taken of the Christians murdered that +morning, they were found to be three hundred and forty-seven, +most of them falling by their own instruments, and +working tools.</p> + +<p>§. 47. The massacre had been much more general, had +not this plot been providentially discovered to the English +some hours before the execution. It happened thus:</p> + +<p>Two Indians that used to be employed by the English to +hunt for them, happened to lie together, the night before +the massacre, in an Englishmen's house, where one of +them was employed. The Indian that was the guest fell +to persuading the other to rise and kill his master, telling +him, that he would do the same by his own the next day. +Whereupon he discovered the whole plot that was designed +to be executed on the morrow. But the other, instead +of entering into the plot, and murdering his master, got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +up (under pretence of going to execute his comrade's advice,) +went into his master's chamber, and revealed to him +the whole story that he had been told. The master hereupon +arose, secured his own house, and before day got to +Jamestown, which, together with such plantations as could +receive notice time enough, were saved by this means; +the rest, as they happened to be watchful in their defence, +also escaped; but such as were surprised, were massacred. +Captain Croshaw in his vessel at Potomac, had +notice also given him by a young Indian, by which means +he came off untouched.</p> + +<p>§. 48. The occasion upon which Oppechancanough took +affront was this. The war captain mentioned before to have +been killed, was called Nemattanow. He was an active +Indian, a great warrior, and in much esteem among them; +so much, that they believed him to be invulnerable, and +immortal, because he had been in very many conflicts, +and escaped untouched from them all. He was also a +very cunning fellow, and took great pride in preserving +and increasing this their superstition concerning him, affecting +everything that was odd and prodigious, to work +upon their admiration. For which purpose he would +often dress himself up with feathers after a fantastic manner, +and by much use of that ornament, obtained among +the English the nickname of Jack of the feather.</p> + +<p>This Nemattanow coming to a private settlement of one +Morgan, who had several toys which he had a mind to, +persuaded him to go to Pamunky to dispose of them. He +gave him hopes what mighty bargains he might meet with +there, and kindly offered him his assistance. At last Morgan +yielded to his persuasion; but was no more heard of; +and it is believed, that Nemattanow killed him by the +way, and took away his treasure. For within a few days +this Nemattanow returned to the same house with Morgan's +cap upon his head; where he found two sturdy +boys, who asked for their master. He very frankly told +them he was dead. But they, knowing the cap again, suspected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +the villain had killed their master, and would have +had him before a justice of peace, but he refused to go, +and very insolently abused them. Whereupon they shot +him down, and as they were carrying him to the governor, +he died.</p> + +<p>As he was dying, he earnestly pressed the boys to promise +him two things. First, that they would not tell how +he was killed; and, secondly, that they would bury him +among the English. So great was the pride of this vain +heathen, that he had no other thoughts at his death, but +the ambition of being esteemed after he was dead, as he +had endeavored to make them believe of him while he was +alive, viz., that he was invulnerable and immortal, though +his increasing faintness convinced himself of the falsity of +both. He imagined, that being buried among the English +perhaps might conceal his death from his own nation, who +might think him translated to some happier country. Thus +he pleased himself to the last gasp with the boys' promises +to carry on the delusion. This was reckoned all the provocation +given to that haughty and revengeful man Oppechancanough, +to act this bloody tragedy, and to take indefatigable +pains to engage in so horrid villainy all the kings +and nations bordering upon the English settlements, on the +western shore of Chesapeake.</p> + +<p>§ 49. This gave the English a fair pretence of endeavoring +the total extirpation of the Indians, but more especially +of Oppechancanough and his nation. Accordingly, they set +themselves about it, making use of the Roman maxim, +(faith is not to be kept with heretics) to obtain their ends. +For, after some months fruitless pursuit of them, who could +too dexterously hide themselves in the woods, the English +pretended articles of peace, giving them all manner of fair +words and promises of oblivion. They designed thereby (as +their own letters now on record, and their own actions +thereupon prove) to draw the Indians back, and entice +them to plant their corn on their habitations nearest adjoining +to the English, and then to cut it up, when the summer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +should be too far spent to leave them hopes of another crop +that year, by which means they proposed to bring them to +want necessaries and starve. And the English did so far +accomplish their ends, as to bring the Indians to plant their +corn at their usual habitations, whereby they gained an opportunity +of repaying them some part of the debt in their +own coin, for they fell suddenly upon them, cut to pieces +such of them as could not make their escape, and afterwards +totally destroyed their corn.</p> + +<p>§ 50. Another effect of the massacre of the English, was +the reducing all their settlements again to six or seven in +number, for their better defence. Besides, it was such a disheartening +to some good projects, then just advancing, that +to this day they have never been put in execution, namely, +the glasshouses in Jamestown, and the iron work at Falling +Creek, which has been already mentioned. The massacre +fell so hard upon this last place, that no soul was saved but +a boy and a girl, who with great difficulty hid themselves.</p> + +<p>The superintendent of this iron work had also discovered +a vein of lead ore, which he kept private, and made use +of it to furnish all the neighbors with bullets and shot. But +he being cut off with the rest, and the secret not having +been communicated, this lead mine could never after be +found, till Colonel Byrd, some few years ago, prevailed +with an Indian, under pretence of hunting, to give him a +sign by dropping his tomahawk at the place, (he not daring +publicly to discover it, for fear of being murdered.) The +sign was accordingly given, and the company at that time +found several pieces of good lead ore upon the surface of +the ground, and marked the trees thereabouts. Notwithstanding +which, I know not by what witchcraft it happens, +but no mortal to this day could ever find that place again, +though it be upon part of the Colonel's own possessions. +And so it rests, till time and thicker settlements discover it.</p> + +<p>§ 51. Thus, the company of adventurers having, by those +frequent acts of mismanagement, met with vast losses and +misfortunes, many grew sick of it and parted with their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +shares, and others came into their places, and promoted the +sending in fresh recruits of men and goods. But the chief +design of all parties concerned, was to fetch away the treasure +from thence, aiming more at sudden gain, than to form +any regular colony, or establish a settlement in such a manner +as to make it a lasting happiness to the country.</p> + +<p>Several gentlemen went over upon their particular stocks, +separate from that of the company, with their own servants +and goods, each designing to obtain land from the government, +as Captain Newport had done, or at least to obtain +patents, according to the regulations for granting lands to +adventurers. Others sought their grants of the company in +London, and obtained authorities and jurisdictions, as well +as land, distinct from the authority of the government, +which was the foundation of great disorder, and the occasion +of their following misfortunes. Among others, one +Captain Martin, having made very considerable preparations +towards a settlement, obtained a suitable grant of land, and +was made of the council there. But he, grasping still at +more, hankered after dominion, as well as possession, and +caused so many differences, that at last he put all things +into distraction, insomuch that the Indians, still seeking revenge, +took advantage of these dissensions, and fell foul +again on the English, gratifying their vengeance with new +bloodshed.</p> + +<p>§ 52. The fatal consequences of the company's maladministration +cried so loud, that king Charles the first, coming +to the crown of England, had a tender concern for the +poor people that had been betrayed thither and lost. Upon +which consideration he dissolved the company in the year +1626, reducing the country and government into his own +immediate direction, appointing the governor and council +himself, and ordering all patents and processes to issue in +his own name, reserving to himself a quit-rent of two shillings +for every hundred acres of land, and so <i>pro rata</i>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="hang">CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM +THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY TO THE YEAR +SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVEN.</p> + + +<p>§ 53. The country being thus taken into the king's hands, +his majesty was pleased to establish the constitution to be +by a governor, council and assembly, and to confirm the +former methods and jurisdictions of the several courts, as +they had been appointed in the year 1620, and placed the +last resort in the assembly. He likewise confirmed the +rules and orders made by the first assembly for apportioning +the land, and granting patents to particular adventurers.</p> + +<p>§ 54. This was a constitution according to their hearts +desire, and things seemed now to go on in a happy course +for encouragement of the colony. People flocked over thither +apace; every one took up land by patent to his liking; and, +not minding anything but to be masters of great tracts of +land, they planted themselves separately on their several +plantations. Nor did they fear the Indians, but kept them +at a greater distance than formerly. And they for their part, +seeing the English so sensibly increase in number, were +glad to keep their distance and be peaceable.</p> + +<p>This liberty of taking up land, and the ambition each +man had of being lord of a vast, though unimproved territory, +together with the advantage of the many rivers, which +afford a commodious road for shipping at every man's door, +has made the country fall into such an unhappy settlement +and course of trade, that to this day they have not any +one place of cohabitation among them, that may reasonably +bear the name of a town.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>§ 55. The constitution being thus firmly established, and +continuing its course regularly for some time, people began +to lay aside all fears of any future misfortunes. Several +gentlemen of condition went over with their whole families—some +for bettering their estates—others for religion, and +other reasons best known to themselves. Among those, the +noble Cæcilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, +thought, for the more quiet exercise of his religion, to +retire, with his family, into that new world. For this purpose +he went to Virginia, to try how he liked the place. +But the people there looked upon him with an evil eye on +account of his religion, for which alone he sought this retreat, +and by their ill treatment discouraged him from settling +in that country.</p> + +<p>§ 56. Upon that provocation, his lordship resolved upon +a farther adventure. And finding land enough up the bay +of Chesapeake, which was likewise blessed with many brave +rivers, and as yet altogether uninhabited by the English, he +began to think of making a new plantation of his own. +And for his more certain direction in obtaining a grant of it, +he undertook a journey northward, to discover the land up +the bay, and observe what might most conveniently square +with his intent.</p> + +<p>His lordship finding all things in this discovery according +to his wish, returned to England. And because the Virginia +settlements at that time reached no farther than the south +side of Potomac river, his lordship got a grant of the +propriety of Maryland, bounding it to the south by Potomac +river, on the western shore; and by an east line from +Point Lookout, on the eastern shore; but died himself before +he could embark for the promised land.</p> + +<p>Maryland had the honor to receive its name from queen +Mary, royal consort to king Charles the first.</p> + +<p>§ 57. The old Lord Baltimore being thus taken off, and +leaving his designs unfinished, his son and heir, in the year +1633, obtained a confirmation of the patent to himself, and +went over in person to plant his new colony.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>By this unhappy accident, a country which nature had so +well contrived for one, became two separate governments. +This produced a most unhappy inconvenience to both; for, +these two being the only countries under the dominion of +England that plant tobacco in any quantity, the ill consequences +to both is, that when one colony goes about to +prohibit the trash, or mend the staple of that commodity, +to help the market, then the other, to take advantage of that +market, pours into England all they can make, both good +and bad, without distinction. This is very injurious to the +other colony, which had voluntarily suffered so great a +diminution in the quantity, to mend the quality; and this +is notoriously manifested from that incomparable Virginia +law, appointing sworn agents to examine their tobacco.</p> + +<p>§ 58. Neither was this all the mischief that happened to +Virginia upon this grant; for the example of it had dreadful +consequences, and was in the end one of the occasions +of another massacre by the Indians. For this precedent of +my Lord Baltimore's grant, which entrenched upon the +charters and hounds of Virginia, was hint enough for other +courtiers, (who never intended a settlement as my lord did) +to find out something of the same kind to make money of. +This was the occasion of several very large defalcations from +Virginia within a few years afterwards, which was forwarded +and assisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John +Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit-rents +and all, but the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged +to that colony were given away—nay, sometimes in those +grants he included the very settlements that had been before +made.</p> + +<p>§ 59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was +very unjust and arbitrary in his other methods of government. +He exacted with rigor the fines and penalties, which +the unwary assemblies of those times had given chiefly to +himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council, +and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny +grew at last insupportable; so that in the year 1639, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +council sent him a prisoner to London, and with him two +of their number, to maintain the articles against him. This +news being brought to king Charles the first, his majesty +was very much displeased; and, without hearing anything, +caused him to return governor again. But by the next +shipping he was graciously pleased to change him, and so +made amends for this man's maladministration, by sending +the good and just Sir William Berkeley to succeed him.</p> + +<p>§ 60. While these things were transacting, there was so +general a dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir +John Harvey, and the difficulties in getting him out, that +the whole colony was in confusion. The subtle Indians, +who took all advantages, resented the incroachments upon +them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and disunited +among themselves, and by the direction of Oppechancanough, +their king, laid the ground work of another massacre, +wherein, by surprise, they cut off near five hundred +Christians more. But this execution did not take so general +effect as formerly, because the Indians were not so frequently +suffered to come among the inner habitations of the +English; and, therefore, the massacre fell severest on the +south side of James river, and on the heads of the other +rivers, but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechancanough +kept the seat of his government.</p> + +<p>§ 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, +noble presence, and extraordinary parts. Though he had +no advantage of literature, (that being nowhere to be found +among the American Indians) yet he was perfectly skilled +in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused +all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had +them all entirely in subjection.</p> + +<p>This king in Smith's history is called brother to Powhatan, +but by the Indians he was not so esteemed. For they +say he was a prince of a foreign nation, and came to them +a great way from the south west. And by their accounts, +we suppose him to have come from the Spanish Indians, +somewhere near Mexico, or the mines of Saint Barbe; but,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +be that matter how it will, from that time till his captivity, +there never was the least truce between them and the +English.</p> + +<p>§ 62. Sir William Berkeley, upon his arrival, showed such +an opposition to the unjust grants made by Sir John Harvey, +that very few of them took effect; and such as did, were +subjected to the settled conditions of the other parts of the +government, and made liable to the payment of the full +quit-rents. He encouraged the country in several essays of +potash, soap, salt, flax, hemp, silk and cotton. But the +Indian war, ensuing upon this last massacre, was a great +obstruction to these good designs, by requiring all the spare +men to be employed in defence of the country.</p> + +<p>§ 63. Oppechancanough, by his great age, and the fatigues +of war, (in which Sir William Berkeley followed him close) +was now grown so decrepid, that he was not able to walk +alone, but was carried about by his men wherever he had +a mind to move. His flesh was all macerated, his sinews +slackened, and his eyelids became so heavy, that he could +not see, but as they were lifted up by his servants. In +this low condition he was, when Sir William Berkeley, +hearing that he was at some distance from his usual habitation, +resolved at all adventures to seize his person, which +he happily effected. For with a party of horse he made a +speedy march, surprised him in his quarters, and brought +him prisoner to Jamestown, where, by the governor's command, +he was treated with all the respect and tenderness +imaginable. Sir William had a mind to send him to England, +hoping to get reputation by presenting his majesty +with a royal captive, who at his pleasure, could call into +the field ten times more Indians, than Sir William Berkeley +had English in his whole government. Besides, he thought +this ancient prince would be an instance of the healthiness +and long life of the natives of that country. However, +he could not preserve his life above a fortnight. For one +of the soldiers, resenting the calamities the colony had suffered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +by this prince's means, basely shot him through the +back, after he was made prisoner; of which wound he +died.</p> + +<p>He continued brave to the last moment of his life, and +showed not the least dejection at his captivity. He heard +one day a great noise of the treading of people about him; +upon which he caused his eyelids to be lifted up, and finding +that a crowd of people were let in to see him, he called +in high indignation for the governor, who being come, Oppechancanough +scornfully told him, that had it been his fortune +to take Sir William Berkeley prisoner, he should not +meanly have exposed him as a show to the people.</p> + +<p>§ 64. After this, Sir William Berkeley made a new peace +with the Indians, which continued for a long time unviolated, +insomuch that all the thoughts of future injury from +them were laid aside. But he himself did not long enjoy +the benefit of this profound peace; for the unhappy +troubles of king Charles the first increasing in England, +proved a great disturbance to him and to all the people. +They, to prevent the infection from reaching that country, +made severe laws against the Puritans, though there were +as yet none among them. But all correspondence with +England was interrupted, supplies lessened, and trade +obstructed. In a word, all people were impatient to know +what would be the event of so much confusion.</p> + +<p>§ 65. At last the king was traitorously beheaded in England, +and Oliver installed Protector. However his authority +was not acknowledged in Virginia for several years after, +till they were forced to it by the last necessity. For in the +year 1651, by Cromwell's command, Captain Dennis, with +a squadron of men of war, arrived there from the Caribbee +islands, where they had been subduing Bardoes. The +country at first held out vigorously against him, and Sir +William Berkeley, by the assistance of such Dutch vessels +as were then there, made a brave resistance. But at last +Dennis contrived a stratagem, which betrayed the country. +He had got a considerable parcel of goods aboard, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +belonged to two of the Council, and found a method of informing +them of it. By this means they were reduced to +the dilemma, either of submitting or losing their goods. +This occasioned factions among them; so that at last, after +the surrender of all the other English plantations, Sir Wm. +was forced to submit to the usurper on the terms of a general +pardon. However, it ought to be remembered, to his +praise, and to the immortal honor of that colony, that it +was the last of all the king's dominions that submitted to +the usurpation; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and +he never took any post or office under the usurper.</p> + +<p>§ 66. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but +he began to contrive how to keep them under, that so they +might never be able for the time to come to give him +farther trouble. To this end, he thought it necessary to +break off their correspondence with all other nations, thereby +to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and +other warlike provisions. According to this design, he contrived +a severe act of Parliament, whereby he prohibited the +plantations from receiving or exporting any European commodities, +but what should be carried to them by Englishmen, +and in English built ships. They were absolutely +forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject +to the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered +to manage a trade or factory in any of them. In all which +things the plantations had been till then indulged, for their +encouragement.</p> + +<p>§ 67. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector +never thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently +changed their governors, to prevent their intriguing with the +people. So that, during the time of the usurpation, they +had no less than three governors there, namely, Diggs, Bennet +and Mathews.</p> + +<p>§ 68. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plantations, +exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhumanity +to forbid them all manner of trade and correspondence +with other nations, at a time when England itself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +was in distraction; and could neither take off their commodities, +nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither +had they ever been used to supply them with half the +commodities they expended, or to take off above half the +tobacco they made. Such violent proceedings made the people +desperate, and inspired them with a desire to use the +last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless usurpation. +In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened; +for Governor Mathews died, and no person was substituted +to succeed him in the government. Whereupon the people +applied themselves to Sir William Berkeley, (who had continued +all this time upon his own plantation in a private +capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again.</p> + +<p>§ 69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an unshaken +loyalty for the royal family, and therefore generously +told the people, that he could not approve of the Protector's +rule, and was resolved never to serve anybody but the lawful +heir to the crown; and that if he accepted the government, +it should be upon their solemn promise, after his +example, to venture their lives and fortunes for the king, +who was then in France.</p> + +<p>This was no great obstacle to them, and therefore with +an unanimous voice they told him that they were ready to +hazard all for the king. Now this was actually before the +king's return for England, and proceeded from a brave principle +of loyalty, for which they had no example. Sir William +Berkeley embraced their choice, and forthwith proclaimed +Charles the second king of England, Scotland, France, +Ireland and Virginia, and caused all process to be issued +in his name. Thus his majesty was actually king in Virginia, +before he was so in England. But it pleased God to +restore him soon after to the throne of his ancestors; and +so that country escaped being chastised for throwing off the +usurpation.</p> + +<p>§ 70. Upon the king's restoration, he sent Sir William +Berkeley a new commission, with leave to return to England, +and power to appoint a deputy in his absence. For<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +his majesty in his exile had received intelligence of this +gentleman's loyalty, and during that time had renewed his +commission.</p> + +<p>§ 71. Upon this, Sir William Berkeley appointed Colonel +Francis Morrison Deputy Governor, and went for England +to wait on his majesty, by whom he was kindly received. +At his return he carried his majesty's pressing instructions +for encouraging the people in husbandry and manufactures, +but more especially to promote silk and vineyards. There +is a tradition, that the king, in compliment to that colony, +wore at his coronation a robe made of the silk that was +sent from thence. But this was all the reward the country +had for their loyalty; for the Parliament was pleased to +renew the act contrived by the usurper for discouraging the +plantations, with severer restraints and prohibitions by bonds, +securities, &c.</p> + +<p>§ 72. During the time of Sir William Berkeley's absence, +Colonel Morrison had, according to his directions, revised +the laws, and compiled them into one body, ready to be +confirmed by the assembly at his return. By these laws, the +church of England was confirmed the established religion, +the charge of the government sustained, trade and manufactures +were encouraged, a town projected, and all the +Indian affairs settled.</p> + +<p>§ 73. The parishes were likewise regulated, competent +allowances were made to the ministers, to the value of +about fourscore pounds a year, besides glebes and perquisites, +and the method of their preferment was settled. Convenient +churches and glebes were provided, and all necessary +parish officers instituted. Some steps were made also towards +a free school and college, and the poor were effectually +provided for.</p> + +<p>§ 74. For support of the government, the duty of two +shillings per hogshead on all tobaccos, and that of one +shilling per ton port duty on shipping, were made perpetual; +and the collectors were obliged to account for the +same to the general assembly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>§ 75. For encouragement of manufactures, prizes were appointed +for the makers of the best pieces of linen cloth, +and a reward of fifty pounds of tobacco was given for each +pound of silk. All persons were enjoined to plant mulberry +trees, for the food of the silk worm, according to the +number of acres of land they held. Tan houses were set +up in each county, at the county charge; and public encouragement +was given to a salt work on the eastern shore. +A reward was appointed in proportion to the tonnage of all +sea vessels built there, and an exemption allowed from all +fees and duties payable by such shipping.</p> + +<p>§ 76. The king had commanded, that all ships trading to +Virginia should go to Jamestown, and there enter before +they broke bulk. But the assembly, from the impracticableness +of that command, excused all, except the James +river ships, from that order, and left the others in the rivers +they were bound to, to ride dispersed, as the commanders +pleased; by whose example the James river ships were no +sooner entered with the officer at Jamestown, but they also +dispersed themselves to unload, and trade all over the river. +By this means the design of towns was totally balked, and +this order proved only an ease to the officer of James river, +and a means of creating a good place to him.</p> + +<p>§ 77. Peace and commerce with the Indians was settled +by law, and their boundaries prescribed. Several other acts +were made suiting the necessity of the government; so that +nothing then seemed to remain, but the improvement of the +country, and encouragement of those manufactures the king +had been pleased to recommend, together with such others +as should be found beneficial.</p> + +<p>§ 78. Sir William Berkeley at his return gave sanction to +this body of laws, and being then again in full possession +of his government, and at perfect peace with the Indians, +set all hands industriously to work in making country improvements. +He passed a new act for encouragement of +Jamestown, whereby several houses were built therein, at +the charge of several counties. However, the main ingredient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +for the advancement of towns was still wanting, +namely, the confinement of all shipping and trade to them +only, by defect of which all the other expedients availed +nothing, for most of the buildings were soon converted into +houses of entertainment.</p> + +<p>§ 79. Anno 1663, divers sectaries in religion beginning +to spread themselves there, great restraints were laid upon +them, under severe penalties, to prevent their increase.</p> + +<p>This made many of them fly to other colonies, and prevented +abundance of others from going over to seat themselves +among them. And as the former ill treatment of my +Lord Baltimore kept many people away, and drove others +to Maryland, so the present severities towards the nonconformists +kept off many more, who went to the neighboring +colonies.</p> + +<p>§ 80. The rigorous circumscription of their trade, the +persecutions of the sectaries, and the little demand of tobacco, +had like to have had very fatal consequences. For, the +poor people becoming thereby very uneasy, their murmurings +were watched and fed by several mutinous and rebellious +Oliverian soldiers that were sent thither as servants. These, +depending upon the discontented people of all sorts, formed +a villainous plot to destroy their masters, and afterwards to +set up for themselves.</p> + +<p>This plot was brought so near to perfection, that it was +the very night before the designed execution ere it was +discovered; and then it came out by the relenting of one +of their accomplices, whose name was Birkenhead. This +man was servant to Mr. Smith of Purton, in Gloucester +county, near which place, viz. at Poplar Spring, the miscreants +were to meet the night following, and put in execution +their horrid conspiracy.</p> + +<p>§ 81. Upon this discovery by Birkenhead, notice was immediately +sent to the governor at Green Spring. And the +method he took to prevent it was by private orders, that +some of the militia should meet before the time at the place +where the conspirators were to rendezvous, and seize them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +as they came singly up to it. Which orders being happily +executed, their devilish plot was defeated. However, there +were but a few taken; because several of them making +their escape, turned back such of their fellows as they met +on the road, and prevented most of them from coming up, +or from being discovered.</p> + +<p>Four of these rogues were hanged. But Birkenhead was +gratified with his freedom, and a reward of two hundred +pounds sterling.</p> + +<p>§ 82. For the discovery and happy disappointment of this +plot, an anniversary thanksgiving was appointed on the 13th +of September, the day it was to have been put in execution. +And it is great pity some other days are not commemorated +as well as that.</p> + +<p>§ 83. The news of this plot being transmitted to king +Charles the second, his majesty sent his royal commands to +build a fort at Jamestown, for security of the governor, and +to be a curb upon all such traitorous attempts for the future. +But the country, thinking the danger over, only raised a +battery of some small pieces of cannon.</p> + +<p>§ 84. Another misfortune happened to the plantations this +year, which was a new act of parliament in England, laying +a severer restraint upon their supplies than formerly. By +this act they could have no foreign goods, which were not +first landed in England, and carried directly from thence to +the plantations, the former restraint of importing them only +by Englishmen, in English built shipping, not being thought +sufficient.</p> + +<p>This was a misfortune that cut with a double edge; for, +first, it reduced their staple tobacco to a very low price; +and, secondly, it raised the value of European goods to +what the merchants pleased to put upon them.</p> + +<p>§ 85. For this their assembly could think of no remedy, +but to be even with the merchants, and make their tobacco +scarce by prohibiting the planting of it for one year; and +during that idle year to invite the people to enter upon +manufacturing flax and hemp. But Maryland not concurring<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +in this project, they were obliged in their own defence +to repeal the act of assembly again, and return to their +old drudgery of planting tobacco without profiting by it.</p> + +<p>§ 86. The country thus missed of their remedy in the +stint of tobacco, which on the contrary multiplied exceedingly +by the great increase of servants. This, together with +the above mentioned curbs on trade, exasperated the people, +because now they found themselves under a necessity of +exchanging their commodities with the merchants of England +at their own terms. The assembly therefore again attempted +the stint of tobacco, and passed another act against planting +it for one year. And Carolina and Maryland both agreed +to it. But some accident hindering the agent of Carolina +from giving notice thereof to Maryland by the day appointed, +the governor of that province proclaimed the act void, although +every body there knew that Carolina had fully agreed +to all things required of them. But he took advantage of +this nice punctilio, because of the loss such a diminution +would have been to his annual income, and so all people +relapsed again into the disease of planting tobacco.</p> + +<p>Virginia was more nettled at this ill usage from Maryland, +than at her former absolute denial; but were forced to take +all patiently, and by fair means get relief, if they could. +They therefore appointed agents to reassume the treaty, and +submitted so low as to send them to Saint Mary's, then +the residence of the governor of Maryland, and the place +where the assemblies met. Yet all this condescension could +not hold them to their bargain. The governor said he had +observed his part of the agreement, and would not call an +assembly any more upon that subject.</p> + +<p>§ 87. In this manner two whole years were spent, and +nothing could be accomplished for their relief. In the mean +while England was studious to prevent their receiving supplies +from any other country. To do that more effectually, +it was thought expedient to confine the trade of that colony +to one place. But that not being found practicable, because +of the many great rivers that divide their habitations, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +the extraordinary conveniences of each, his majesty sent +directions to build forts in the several rivers, and enjoined +all the ships to ride under those forts; and farther ordered, +that those places only should be the ports of trade.</p> + +<p>§ 88. This instruction was punctually observed for a year, +and preparations were made for ports, by casting up breastworks +in such places as the assembly appointed, and the +shipping did for that time ride at those places. But the +great fire and plague happening in London immediately +upon it, made their supplies that year very uncertain, and +the terror the people were in, lest the plague should be +brought over with the ships from London, prevented them +from residing at those ports, for fear of being all swept +away at once. And so every body was left at liberty again.</p> + +<p>§ 89. Still no favor could be obtained for the tobacco +trade, and the English merchants afforded but a bare support +of clothing for their crops. The assembly were full +enough of resentment, but overlooked their right way of redress. +All they could do was to cause looms and workhouses +to be set up in the several counties, at the county +charge. They renewed the rewards of silk, and put great +penalties upon every neglect of making flax and hemp. +About this time they sustained some damage by the Dutch +war; for which reason they ordered the forts to be rebuilt +of brick. But having yet no true notion of the advantage +of towns, they did not oblige the ships to ride under them. +Which thing alone, well executed, would have answered +all their desires.</p> + +<p>§ 90. Sir William Berkeley, who was always contriving and +industrious for the good of the country, was not contented +to set a useful example at home, by the essays he made of +potash, flax, hemp, silk, &c., but was also resolved to make +new discoveries abroad amongst the Indians.</p> + +<p>For this end he employed a small company of about +fourteen English, and as many Indians, under the command +of Captain Henry Batt, to go upon such an adventure. +They set out together from Appomattox, and in seven days'<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +march reached the foot of the mountains. The mountains +they first arrived at, were not extraordinary high or steep; +but, after they had passed the first ridge, they encountered +others that seemed to reach the clouds, and were so perpendicular +and full of precipices, that sometimes in a whole +day's march, they could not travel three miles in a direct +line. In other places they found large level plains and fine +savannas, three or four miles wide, in which were an +infinite quantity of turkies, deer, elks and buffaloes, so gentle +and undisturbed that they had no fear at the appearance +of the men, but would suffer them to come almost within +reach of their hands. There they also found grapes so prodigiously +large, that they seemed more like bullace than +grapes. When they traversed these mountains, they came +to a fine level country again, and discovered a rivulet that +descended backwards. Down that stream they travelled several +days, till they came to old fields and cabins, where the +Indians had lately been, but were supposed to have fled at +the approach of Batt and his company. However, the captain +followed the old rule of leaving some toys in their +cabins for them to find at their return, by which they might +know they were friends. Near to these cabins were great +marshes, where the Indians which Captain Batt had with +him made a halt, and would positively proceed no farther. +They said, that not far off from that place lived a nation +of Indians, that made salt, and sold it to their neighbors. +That this was a great and powerful people, which never +suffered any strangers to return that had once discovered their +towns. Captain Batt used all the arguments he could to +get them forward, but in vain. And so, to please those timorous +Indians, the hopes of this discovery were frustrated, +and the detachment was forced to return. In this journey +it is supposed that Batt never crossed the great ridge of +mountains, but kept up under it to the southward. For of +late years the Indian traders have discovered, on this side +the mountains, about five hundred miles to the southward, +a river they call Oukfuskie, full of broad sunken grounds<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +and marshes, but falling into the bay or great gulf between +cape Florida and the mouth of the Mississippi, which I +suppose to be the river where Batt saw the Indian cabins +and marshes, but is gone to from Virginia without ever piercing +the high mountains, and only encountering the point of +an elbow, which they make a little to the southward of +Virginia.</p> + +<p>§ 91. Upon Captain Batt's report to Sir William Berkeley, +he resolved to make a journey himself, that so there +might be no hinderance for want of sufficient authority, as +had been in the aforesaid expedition. To this end he concerted +matters for it, and had pitched upon his deputy governor. +The assembly also made an act to encourage it. +But all these preparations came to nothing, by the confusion +which happened there soon after by Bacon's rebellion. And +since that, there has never been any such discovery attempted +from Virginia, when Governor Spotswood found a passage +over the great ridge of mountains, and went over them +himself.</p> + +<p>§ 92. The occasion of this rebellion is not easy to be +discovered: but 'tis certain there were many things that +concurred towards it. For it cannot be imagined, that upon +the instigation of two or three traders only, who aimed at +a monopoly of the Indian trade, as some pretend to say, +the whole country would have fallen into so much distraction; +in which people did not only hazard their necks by +rebellion, but endeavored to ruin a governor, whom they +all entirely loved, and had unanimously chosen; a gentleman +who had devoted his whole life and estate to the service +of the country, and against whom in thirty-five years +experience there had never been one single complaint. +Neither can it be supposed, that upon so slight grounds, +they would make choice of a leader they hardly knew, to +oppose a gentleman that had been so long and so deservedly +the darling of the people. So that in all probability +there was something else in the wind, without which the +body of the country had never been engaged in that insurrection.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>Four things may be reckoned to have been the main ingredients +towards this intestine commotion, viz., First, The +extreme low price of tobacco, and the ill usage of the planters +in the exchange of goods for it, which the country, +with all their earnest endeavors, could not remedy. Secondly, +The splitting the colony into proprieties, contrary +to the original charters; and the extravagant taxes they +were forced to undergo, to relieve themselves from those +grants. Thirdly, The heavy restraints and burdens laid +upon their trade by act of Parliament in England. Fourthly, +The disturbance given by the Indians. Of all which +in their order.</p> + +<p>§ 93. First, Of the low price of tobacco, and the disappointment +of all sort of remedy, I have spoken sufficiently +before. Secondly, Of splitting the country into proprieties.</p> + +<p>King Charles the Second, to gratify some nobles about +him, made two great grants out of that country. These +grants were not of the uncultivated wood land only, but +also of plantations, which for many years had been seated +and improved, under the encouragement of several charters +granted by his royal ancestors to that colony. Those grants +were distinguished by the names of the Northern and Southern +grants of Virginia, and the same men were concerned +in both. They were kept dormant some years after they +were made, and in the year 1674 begun to be put in execution. +As soon as ever the country came to know this, +they remonstrated against them; and the assembly drew +up an humble address to his majesty, complaining of the +said grants, as derogatory to the previous charters and privileges +granted to that colony, by his majesty and his royal +progenitors. They sent to England Mr. Secretary Ludwell +and Colonel Park, as their agents to address the king, to +vacate those grants. And the better to defray that charge, +they laid a tax of fifty pounds of tobacco per poll, for two +years together, over and above all other taxes, which was +an excessive burden. They likewise laid amercements of +seventy, fifty, or thirty pounds of tobacco, as the cause was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +on every law case tried throughout the country. Besides all +this, they applied the balance, remaining due upon account +of the two shilling per hogshead, and fort duties, to this +use. Which taxes and amercements fell heaviest on the +poor people, the effect of whose labor would not clothe +their wives and children. This made them desperately uneasy, +especially when, after a whole year's patience under +all these pressures, they had no encouragement from their +agents in England, to hope for remedy; nor any certainty +when they should be eased of those heavy impositions.</p> + +<p>§ 94. Thirdly, Upon the back of all these misfortunes +came out the act of 25 Car. II. for better securing the +plantation trade. By this act several duties were laid on +the trade from one plantation to another. This was a new +hardship, and the rather, because the revenue arising by +this act was not applied to the use of the plantations +wherein it was raised: but given clear away; nay, in that +country it seemed to be of no other use, but to burden the +trade, or create a good income to the officers; for the collector +had half, the comptroller a quarter, and the remaining +quarter was subdivided into salaries, till it was lost.</p> + +<p>By the same act also very great duties were laid on the +fisheries of the plantations, if manufactured by the English +inhabitants there; while the people of England were absolutely +free from all customs. Nay, though the oil, blubber +and whale bone, which were made by the inhabitants of +the plantations, were carried to England by Englishmen, +and in English built ships, yet it was held to a considerable +duty, more than the inhabitants of England paid.</p> + +<p>§ 95. These were the afflictions that country labored under +when the fourth accident happened, viz., the disturbance +offered by the Indians to the frontiers.</p> + +<p>This was occasioned, first, by the Indians on the head of +the bay. Secondly, by the Indians on their own frontiers.</p> + +<p>First. The Indians at the head of the bay drove a constant +trade with the Dutch in Monadas, now called New +York; and to carry on this, they used to come every year<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +by the frontiers of Virginia, to hunt and purchase skins and +furs of the Indians to the southward. This trade was carried +on peaceably while the Dutch held Monadas; and the +Indians used to call on the English in Virginia on their return, +to whom they would sell part of their furs, and with +the rest go on to Monadas. But after the English came to +possess that place, and understood the advantages the Virginians +made by the trade of their Indians, they inspired +them with such a hatred to the inhabitants of Virginia that, +instead of coming peaceably to trade with them, as they +had done for several years before, they afterwards never +came, but only to commit robberies and murders upon the +people.</p> + +<p>Secondly. The Indians upon their own frontiers were +likewise inspired with ill thoughts of them. For their Indian +merchants had lost a considerable branch of their trade +they knew not how; and apprehended the consequences of +Sir William Berkeley's intended discoveries, (espoused by +the assembly,) might take away the remaining part of +their profit. This made them very troublesome to the +neighbor Indians; who on their part, observing an unusual +uneasiness in the English, and being terrified by their rough +usage, immediately suspected some wicked design against +their lives, and so fled to their remoter habitations. This +confirmed the English in the belief, that they had been the +murderers, till at last they provoked them to be so in earnest.</p> + +<p>§ 96. This addition of mischief to minds already full of +discontent, made people ready to vent all their resentment +against the poor Indians. There was nothing to be got by +tobacco; neither could they turn any other manufacture to +advantage; so that most of the poorer sort were willing to quit +their unprofitable employments, and go volunteers against +the Indians.</p> + +<p>At first they flocked together tumultuously, running in +troops from one plantation to another without a head, till +at last the seditious humor of Colonel Nath. Bacon led him +to be of the party. This gentleman had been brought up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +at one of the Inns of court in England, and had a moderate +fortune. He was young, bold, active, of an inviting +aspect, and powerful elocution. In a word, he was every +way qualified to head a giddy and unthinking multitude. +Before he had been three years in the country, he was, for +his extraordinary qualifications, made one of the council, +and in great honor and esteem among the people. For this +reason he no sooner gave countenance to this riotous mob, +but they all presently fixed their eyes upon him for their +general, and accordingly made their addresses to him. +As soon as he found this, he harangued them publicly. +He aggravated the Indian mischiefs, complaining +that they were occasioned for want of a due regulation +of their trade. He recounted particularly the other grievances +and pressures they lay under, and pretended that +he accepted of their command with no other intention +but to do them and the country service, in which he was +willing to encounter the greatest difficulties and dangers. +He farther assured them he would never lay down his +arms till he had revenged their sufferings upon the Indians, +and redressed all their other grievances.</p> + +<p>§ 97. By these insinuations he wrought his men into so +perfect an unanimity, that they were one and all at his devotion. +He took care to exasperate them to the utmost, by +representing all their misfortunes. After he had begun to +muster them, he dispatched a messenger to the governor, +by whom he aggravated the mischiefs done by the Indians, +and desired a commission of general to go out against +them. This gentleman was in so great esteem at that time +with the council, that the governor did not think fit to +give him a flat refusal; but sent him word he would consult +the council, and return him a farther answer.</p> + +<p>§ 98. In the mean time Bacon was expeditious in his +preparations, and having all things in readiness, began his +march, depending on the authority the people had given +him. He would not lose so much time as to stay for his +commission; but dispatched several messengers to the governor<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +to hasten it. On the other hand, the governor, +instead of a commission, sent positive orders to him to disperse +his men and come down in person to him, upon pain +of being declared a rebel.</p> + +<p>§ 99. This unexpected order was a great surprise to +Bacon, and not a little trouble to his men. However, he +was resolved to prosecute his first intentions, depending upon +his strength and interest with the people. Nevertheless, he +intended to wait upon the governor, but not altogether defenceless. +Pursuant to this resolution, he took about forty +of his men down with him in a sloop to Jamestown, where +the governor was with his council.</p> + +<p>§ 100. Matters did not succeed there to Mr. Bacon's satisfaction, +wherefore he expressed himself a little too freely. +For which, being suspended from the council, he went +away again in a huff with his sloop and followers. The +governor filled a long boat with men, and pursued the +sloop so close, that Colonel Bacon moved into his boat to +make more haste. But the governor had sent up by land +to the ships at Sandy Point, where he was stopped and +sent down again. Upon his return he was kindly received +by the governor, who, knowing he had gone a step beyond +his instructions in having suspended him, was glad to admit +him again of the council; after which he hoped all things +might be pacified.</p> + +<p>§ 101. Notwithstanding this; Colonel Bacon still insisted +upon a commission to be general of the volunteers, and to +go out against the Indians; from which the governor endeavored +to dissuade him, but to no purpose, because he +had some secret project in view. He had the luck to be +countenanced in his importunities, by the news of fresh +murder and robberies committed by the Indians. However, +not being able to accomplish his ends by fair means, he +stole privately out of town; and having put himself at the +head of six hundred volunteers, marched directly to Jamestown, +where the assembly was then sitting. He presented +himself before the assembly, and drew up his men in battalia<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +before the house wherein they sat. He urged to them his +preparations; and alledged that if the commission had not +been delayed so long, the war against the Indians might +have been finished.</p> + +<p>§ 102. The governor resented this insolent usage worst of +all, and now obstinately refused to grant him anything, +offering his naked breast against the presented arms of his +followers. But the assembly, fearing the fatal consequences +of provoking a discontented multitude ready armed, who +had the governor, council and assembly entirely in their +power, addressed the governor to grant Bacon his request. +They prepared themselves the commission, constituting him +general of the forces of Virginia, and brought it to the +governor to be signed.</p> + +<p>With much reluctancy the governor signed it, and thereby +put the power of war and peace into Bacon's hands. +Upon this he marched away immediately, having gained +his end, which was in effect a power to secure a monopoly +of the Indian trade to himself and his friends.</p> + +<p>§ 103. As soon as General Bacon had marched to such +a convenient distance from Jamestown that the assembly +thought they might deliberate with safety, the governor, +by their advice, issued a proclamation of rebellion against +him, commanding his followers to surrender him, and forthwith +disperse themselves, giving orders at the same time for +raising the militia of the country against him.</p> + +<p>§ 104. The people being much exasperated, and General +Bacon by his address and eloquence having gained +an absolute dominion over their hearts, they unanimously +resolved that not a hair of his head should be touched, +much less that they should surrender him as a rebel. Therefore +they kept to their arms, and instead of proceeding +against the Indians they marched back to Jamestown, directing +their fury against such of their friends and countrymen +as should dare to oppose them.</p> + +<p>§ 105. The governor seeing this, fled over the bay to +Accomac, whither he hoped the infection of Bacon's conspiracy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> +had not reached. But there, instead of that people's +receiving him with open arms, in remembrance of +the former services he had done them, they began to make +terms with him for redress of their grievances, and for the +ease and liberty of trade against the acts of parliament. +Thus Sir William, who had been almost the idol of the +people, was, by reason of their calamity and jealousy, abandoned +by all, except some few, who went over to him from +the western shore in sloops and boats, among which one +Major Robert Beverley was the most active and successful +commander; so that it was sometime before he could make +head against Bacon, but left him to range through the +country at discretion.</p> + +<p>§ 106. General Bacon at first held a convention, of such +of the chief gentlemen of the country as would come to +him, especially of those about Middle Plantation, who were +near at hand. At this convention they made a declaration +to justify his unlawful proceedings, and obliged people to +take an oath of obedience to him as their general. Then, +by their advice, on pretence of the governor's abdication, +he called an assembly, by writs signed by himself and four +others of the council.</p> + +<p>The oath was word for word as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Whereas the country hath raised an army against our +common enemy the Indians, and the same under the command +of General Bacon, being upon the point to +march forth against the said common enemy, hath been +diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of +forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said +General Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil war +among us, to the ruin of this his majesty's country. And +whereas it is notoriously manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, +knight, governor of the country, assisted, counselled and +abetted by those evil disposed persons aforesaid, hath not +only commanded, fomented and stirred up the people to +the said civil war, but failing therein, hath withdrawn +himself, to the great astonishment of the people, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +unsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, +raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full +of dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting +attempts from the said governor and the evil counsellers +aforesaid. And since no proper means have been found +out for the settlement of the distractions, and preventing +the horrid outrages and murders daily committed in many +places of the country by the barbarous enemy, it hath been +thought fit by the said general, to call unto him all such +sober and discreet gentlemen as the present circumstances +of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, to +consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the +country. So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of +August, 1676, accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare +and conclude, and for ourselves do swear in manner following:</p> + +<p>1st. That we will at all times join with the said general +Bacon and his army, against the common enemy in all +points whatsoever.</p> + +<p>2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived +and designed the raising forces against the said general, +and the army under his command, thereby to beget a civil +war, we will endeavor the discovery and apprehending of +all and every of those evil disposed persons, and them +secure, until farther order from the general.</p> + +<p>3rd. And whereas it is credibly reported, that the governor +hath informed the king's majesty that the said general, +and the people of the country in arms under his command, +their aiders and abettors, are rebellious, and removed from +their allegiance; and that upon such like information, he, +the said governor, hath advised and petitioned the king to +send forces to reduce them, we do farther declare and believe +in our consciences, that it consists with the welfare of +this country, and with our allegiance to his most sacred +majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, to the utmost +of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces whatsoever +of that nature, until such time as the king be fully informed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +of the state of the case, by such person or persons as shall +be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the +people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. +And we do swear, that we will him, the said general, and +the army under his command, aid and assist accordingly."</p></div> + +<p>§ 108. By this time the governor had got together a +small party to side with him. These he furnished with +sloops, arms and ammunition, under command of Major +Robert Beverley, in order to cross the bay and oppose the +malcontents. By this means there happened some skirmishes, +in which several were killed, and others taken +prisoners. Thus they were going on by a civil war to destroy +one another, and lay waste their infant country, when +it pleased God, after some months' confusion, to put an end +to their misfortunes, as well as to Bacon's designs, by his +natural death. He died at Dr. Green's in Gloucester county. +But where he was buried was never yet discovered, though +afterward there was great inquiry made, with design to +expose his bones to public infamy.</p> + +<p>§ 109. In the meanwhile those disorders occasioned a +general neglect of husbandry, and a great destruction of the +stocks of cattle, so that people had a dreadful prospect of +want and famine. But the malcontents being thus disunited +by the loss of their general, in whom they all confided, +they began to squabble among themselves, and every man's +business was, how to make the best terms he could for +himself.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant General Ingram, (whose true name was Johnson) +and Major General Walklate, surrendered, on condition +of pardon for themselves and their followers, though they +were both forced to submit to an incapacity of bearing office +in that country for the future.</p> + +<p>Peace being thus restored, Sir William Berkeley returned +to his former seat of government, and every man to his +several habitation.</p> + +<p>§ 110. While this intestine war was fomenting there, the +agents of the country in England could not succeed in their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +remonstrance against the propriety grants, though they were +told that those grants should be revoked. But the news of +their civil war reaching England about the same time, the +king would then proceed no farther in that matter. So the +agents thought it their best way to compound with the proprietors. +Accordingly they agreed with them for four hundred +pounds a man, which was paid. And so all the +clamor against those grants ended; neither was any more +heard from them there till above a dozen years afterwards.</p> + +<p>§ 111. But all those agents could obtain after their composition +with the lords, was merely the name of a new +charter, granting only so much of their former constitution +as mentioned a residence of the governor or deputy; a +granting of escheat lands for two pounds of tobacco per +acre, composition; and that the lands should be held of +the crown in the same tenure as East Greenwich, that is, +free and common soccage, and have their immediate dependence +on the crown.</p> + +<p>§ 112. When this storm, occasioned by Bacon, was blown +over, and all things quiet again, Sir William Berkeley called +an assembly, for settling the affairs of the country, and for +making reparation to such as had been oppressed. After +which a regiment of soldiers arrived from England, which +were sent to suppress the insurrection; but they, coming +after the business was over, had no occasion to exercise their +courage. However, they were kept on foot there about +three years after, and in the Lord Colepepper's time, paid +off and disbanded.</p> + +<p>§ 113. The confusion occasioned by the civil war, and +the advantage the Indians made of it in butchering the +English upon all their frontiers, caused such a desolation, +and put the country so far back, that to the year 1704 they +had seated very little beyond the boundaries that were then +inhabited. At that time Jamestown was again burnt down +to the ground by Richard Laurence, one of Bacon's captains, +who, when his own men, that abhorred such barbarity, +refused to obey his command, he himself became the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +executioner, and fired the houses with his own hands. +This unhappy town did never after arrive to the perfection +it then had: and now it is almost deserted by removing +in Governor Nicholson's time the assembly and general +court from thence to Williamsburg, an inland place about +seven miles from it.</p> + +<p>§ 114. With the regiment above mentioned arrived commissioners, +to enquire into the occasion and authors of this +rebellion; and Sir William Berkeley came to England: +where from the time of his arrival, his sickness obliged him +to keep his chamber till he died; so that he had no opportunity +of kissing the king's hand. But his majesty declared +himself well satisfied with his conduct in Virginia, and was +very kind to him during his sickness, often enquiring after +his health, and commanding him not to hazard it by too +early an endeavor to come to court.</p> + +<p>§ 115. Upon Sir William Berkeley's voyage to England, +Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., was appointed governor. He made +formal articles of peace with the Indians, and held an assembly +at Middle Plantation, wherein they settled and allowed +a free trade with the Indians; but restrained it to +certain marts, to which the Indians should bring their commodities: +and this also to be under such certain rules as +were by that assembly directed. But this method was not +agreeable to the Indians, who had never before been under +any regulation. They thought, that if all former usages +were not restored, the peace was not perfect; and therefore +did not much rely upon it, which made those new restrictions +useless.</p> + +<p>Governor Jeffreys his time was very short there, he being +taken off by death the year following.</p> + +<p>§ 116. After him Sir Henry Chicheley was made deputy +governor, in the latter end of the year 1678. In his time +the assembly, for the greater terror of the Indians, built +magazines at the heads of the four great rivers, and furnished +them with arms, ammunition and men in constant +service.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>This assembly also prohibited the importation of tobacco, +which Carolina, and sometimes Maryland, were wont to +send thither, in order to its being shipped off for England. +But in that, I think, Virginia mistook her interest. For, +had they permitted this custom to become habitual, and +thus engrossed the shipping, as would soon have happened, +they could easily have regulated the trade of tobacco at any +time, without the concurrence of those other colonies, and +without submitting to their perverse humors as formerly.</p> + +<p>§ 117. The spring following, Thomas Lord Colepepper +arrived there governor, and carried with him some laws, +which had been drawn up in England, to be enacted in +their assembly. And coming with the advantage of restoring +peace to a troubled nation, it was not difficult for him +to obtain whatever he pleased from the people. His influence +too was the greater by the power he had of pardoning +those who had a hand in the disorders committed in the +late rebellion.</p> + +<p>§ 118. In his first assembly he passed several acts very +obliging to the country, viz., First, an act of naturalization, +whereby the power of naturalizing foreigners was placed in +the governor. Secondly, an act for cohabitation and encouragement +of trade and manufactures; whereby a certain place +in each county was appointed for a town, in which all +goods imported and exported were to be landed and shipped +off, bought and sold. Which act was kindly brought to +nothing by the opposition of the tobacco merchants of England. +Thirdly, an act of general pardon and oblivion, +whereby all the transgressions and outrages committed in the +time of the late rebellion were entirely remitted; and reparation +allowed to people that should be evil spoken of on +that account.</p> + +<p>§ 119. By passing some laws that obliged the country, the +Lord Colepepper carried one that was very pleasing to himself, +viz., the act for raising a public revenue for the better +support of the government. By this he got the duties contained +therein to be made perpetual; and that the money,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +which before used to be accounted for to the assembly, +should be from thenceforth disposed of by his majesty's sole +direction, for the support of the government. When this +was done, he obtained of the king out of the said duties a +salary of two thousand pounds per annum, instead of one +thousand, which was formerly allowed. Also one hundred +and sixty pounds per annum for house rent, besides all the +usual perquisites.</p> + +<p>§ 120. In those submissive times his lordship reduced the +greatest perquisite of his place to a certainty, which before +that was only gratuitous; that is, instead of the masters of +ships making presents of liquors or provisions towards the +governor's house keeping, as they were wont to do, he demanded +a certain sum of money, remitting that custom. +This rate has ever since been demanded of all commanders +as a duty; and is twenty shillings for each ship or vessel, +under an hundred tons, and thirty shillings for each ship +upwards of that burden, to be paid every voyage, or port +clearing.</p> + +<p>§ 121. This noble lord seemed to lament the unhappy +state of the country in relation to their coin. He was tenderly +concerned that all their cash should be drained away +by the neighboring colonies, which had not set so low an +estimate upon it as Virginia; and therefore he proposed the +raising of it.</p> + +<p>This was what the country had formerly desired, and the +assembly was about making a law for it: but his lordship +stopped them, alledging it was the king's prerogative, by virtue +of which he would do it by proclamation. This they +did not approve of, well knowing, if that were the case, his +lordship and every other governor would at any time have +the same prerogative of altering it, and so people should +never be at any certainty; as they quickly after found from +his own practice. For his drift was only to make advantage +of paying the soldiers; money for that purpose being +put into his lordship's hands, he provided light pieces of +eight, which he with this view had bought at a cheap rate.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +When this contrivance was ripe for execution, he extended +the royal prerogative, and issued forth a proclamation for +raising the value of pieces of eight from five to six shillings; +and as soon as they were admitted current at that +value, he produced an order for paying and disbanding the +soldiers. Then those poor fellows, and such as had maintained +them, were forced to take their pay in those light +pieces of eight, at six shillings. But his lordship soon after +himself found the inconvenience of that proclamation; for +people began to pay their duties, and their ship money in +coin of that high estimate, which was like to cut short both +his lordship's perquisites; and so he was forced to make use +of the same prerogative, to reduce the money again to its +former standard.</p> + +<p>§ 122. In less than a year the Lord Colepepper returned +to England, leaving Sir Henry Chicheley deputy governor.</p> + +<p>The country being then settled again, made too much tobacco, +or too much trash tobacco, for the market; and the +merchants would hardly allow the planter any thing for it.</p> + +<p>This occasioned much uneasiness again, and the people, +from former experience, despairing of succeeding in any +agreement with the neighboring governments, resolved a total +destruction of the tobacco in that country, especially of the +sweet scented; because that was planted no where else. In +pursuance of which design, they contrived that all the plants +should be destroyed, while they were yet in the beds, and +after it was too late to sow more.</p> + +<p>Accordingly the ringleaders in this project began with +their own first, and then went to cut up the plants of such +of their neighbors as were not willing to do it themselves. +However, they had not resolution enough to go through +with their work.</p> + +<p>This was adjudged sedition and felony. Several people +were committed upon it, and some condemned to be hanged. +And afterwards the assembly passed a law to make such +proceedings felony for the future, (whatever it was before,) +provided the company kept together after warning by a +justice.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>§ 123. After this accident of plant cutting, the Lord Colepepper +returned, and held his second assembly, in which he +contrived to gain another great advantage over the country. +His lordship, in his first voyage thither, perceiving how +easily he could twist and manage the people, conceived new +hopes of retrieving the propriety of the Northern Neck, as +being so small a part of the colony. He conceived that +while the remainder escaped free, which was far the greater +part, they would not engage in the interest of the lesser +number; especially considering the discouragements they had +met with before, in their former solicitation: though all this +while, and for many years afterwards, his lordship did not +pretend to lay public claim to any part of the propriety.</p> + +<p>It did not square with this project that appeals should be +made to the general assembly, as till then had been the custom. +He feared the burgesses would be too much in the +interest of their countrymen, and adjudge the inhabitants of +the Northern Neck to have an equal liberty and privilege in +their estates with the rest of Virginia, as being settled upon +the same foot. In order therefore to make a better pennyworth +of those poor people, he studied to overturn this odious +method of appealing to the assembly, and to fix the +last resort in another court.</p> + +<p>To bring this point about, his lordship contrived to blow +up a difference in the assembly between the council and +the burgesses, privately encouraging the burgesses to insist +upon the privilege of determining all appeals by themselves, +exclusive of the council; because they, having given their +opinions before in the general court, were, for that reason, +unfit judges in appeals from themselves to the assembly. +This succeeded according to his wish, and the burgesses bit +at the bait, under the notion of privilege, never dreaming +of the snake that lay in the grass, nor considering the danger +of altering an old constitution so abruptly. Thus my +lord gained his end; for he represented that quarrel with so +many aggravations, that he got an instruction from the king +to take away all appeals from the general court to the assembly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +and cause them to be made to himself in council, +if the thing in demand was of £300 value, otherwise no +appeal from the general court.</p> + +<p>§ 124. Of this his lordship made sufficient advantage; for +in the confusion that happened in the end of king James +the Second's reign, viz., in October 1688, he having got +an assignment from the other patentees, gained a favorable +report from the king's council at law upon his patent for +the Northern Neck.</p> + +<p>When he had succeeded in this, his lordship's next step +was to engage some noted inhabitant of the place to be on +his side. Accordingly he made use of his cousin Secretary +Spencer, who lived in the said Neck, and was esteemed as +wise and great a man as any of the council. This gentleman +did but little in his lordship's service, and only gained +some few strays, that used to be claimed by the coroner, in +behalf of the king.</p> + +<p>Upon the death of Mr. Secretary Spencer, he engaged +another noted gentleman, an old stander in that country, +though not of the Northern Neck, Col. Philip Ludwell, +who was then in England. He went over with this grant +in the year 1690, and set up an office in the Neck, claiming +some escheats; but he likewise could make nothing of +it. After him Col. George Brent and Col. William Fitzhugh, +that were noted lawyers and inhabitants of the said +Neck, were employed in that affair: but succeeded no better +than their predecessors. The people, in the mean while, +complained frequently to their assemblies, who at last made +another address to the king; but there being no agent in +England to prosecute it, that likewise miscarried. At last +Colonel Richard Lee, one of the council, a man of note +and inhabitant of the Northern Neck, privately made a composition +with the proprietors themselves for his own land. +This broke the ice, and several were induced to follow so +great an example; so that by degrees, they were generally +brought to pay their quit-rents into the hands of the proprietors' +agents. And now at last it is managed for them by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +Col. Robert Carter, another of the council, and the greatest +freeholder in that proprietary.</p> + +<p>§ 125. To return to my Lord Colepepper's government, I +cannot omit a useful thing which his lordship was pleased +to do, with relation to their courts of justice. It seems, +nicety of pleading, with all the juggle of Westminster Hall, +was creeping into their courts. The clerks began in some +cases to enter the reasons with the judgments, pretending to +set precedents of inviolable form to be observed in all future +proceedings. This my lord found fault with, and retrenched +all dilatory pleas, as prejudicial to justice, keeping the +courts close to the merits of the cause, in order to bring it +to a speedy determination, according to the innocence of former +times, and caused the judgments to be entered up +short, without the reason, alledging that their courts were +not of so great experience as to be able to make precedents +to posterity; who ought to be left at liberty to determine, +according to the equity of the controversy before them.</p> + +<p>§ 126. In his time also were dismantled the forts built by +Sir Henry Chicheley at the heads of the rivers, and the +forces there were disbanded, as being too great a charge. +The assembly appointed small parties of light horse in their +stead, to range by turns upon the frontiers. These being +chosen out of the neighboring inhabitants, might afford to +serve at easier rates, and yet do the business more effectually; +they were raised under the title or name of rangers.</p> + +<p>§ 127. After this the Lord Colepepper returned again for +England, his second stay not being much longer than the +first; and Sir Henry Chicheley being dead, he proclaimed +his kinsman, Mr. Secretary Spencer, president, though he +was not the eldest member of the council.</p> + +<p>§ 128. The next year, being 1684, upon the Lord Colepepper's +refusing to return, Francis, Lord Howard of Effingham, +was sent over governor. In order to increase his perquisites, +he imposed the charge of an annual under seal of +twenty shillings each for school masters; five pounds for lawyers +at the general court, and fifty shillings each lawyer at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +the county courts. He also extorted an excessive fee for +putting the seal to all probates of wills, and letters of administration, +even where the estates of the deceased were +of the meanest value. Neither could any be favored with +such administration, or probate, without paying that extortion. +If any body presumed to remonstrate against it, his +lordship's behavior towards that man was very severe. He +kept several persons in prison and under confinement, from +court to court, without bringing them to trial. Which proceedings, +and many others, were so oppressive, that complaints +were made thereof to the king, and Colonel Philip +Ludwell was appointed agent to appear against him in +England. Whereupon the seal-money was taken off.</p> + +<p>§ 129. During the first session of assembly in this noble +lord's time, the duty on liquors imported from the other +English plantations, was first imposed. It was then laid, +on pretence of lessening the levy by the poll, for payment +of public taxes; but more especially for rebuilding the State +house, which had not been rebuilt since Laurence burnt it +in Bacon's time.</p> + +<p>This duty was at first laid on wine and rum only, at +the rate of three pence per gallon, with an exemption of +all such as should be imported in the ships of Virginia +owners. But the like duty has since been laid on other +liquors also, and is raised to four pence per gallon on wine +and rum, and one penny per gallon on beer, cider, lime-juice, +&c.; and the privilege of Virginia owners taken +away, to the great discouragement of their shipping and +home trade.</p> + +<p>§ 130. This lord, though he pretended to no great skill +in legal proceedings, yet he made great innovations in their +courts, pretending to follow the English forms. Thus he +created a new court of chancery distinct from the general +court, who had ever before claimed that jurisdiction. He +erected himself into a lord chancellor, taking the gentlemen +of the council to sit with him as mere associates and advisers, +not having any vote in the causes before them. And<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +that it might have more the air of a new court, he would +not so much as sit in the State house, where all the +other public business was dispatched, but took the dining-room +of a large house for that use. He likewise made +arbitrary tables of fees, peculiar to this high court. However, +his lordship not beginning this project very long before +he left the country, all these innovations came to an end +upon his removal, and the jurisdiction returned to the general +court again, in the time of Colonel Nathaniel Bacon, +whom he left president.</p> + +<p>§ 131. During that gentleman's presidency, which began +Anno 1689, the project of a college was first agreed upon. +The contrivers drew up their scheme, and presented it to +the president and council. This was by them approved, and +referred to the next assembly. But Colonel Bacon's administration +being very short, and no assembly called all the +while, this pious design could proceed no farther.</p> + +<p>§ 132. Anno 1690, Francis Nicholson, esq., being appointed +lieutenant governor under the Lord Effingham, +arrived there. This gentleman discoursed freely of country +improvements, instituted public exercises, and gave prizes to +all those that should excel in the exercises of riding, running, +shooting, wrestling, and cudgeling. When the design +of a college was communicated to him, he promised it all +imaginable encouragement. The first thing desired of him +in its behalf, was the calling of an assembly, but this he +could by no means agree to, being under obligations to the +Lord Effingham to stave off assemblies as long he could, +for fear there might be farther representations sent over +against his lordship, who was conscious to himself how uneasy +the country had been under his despotic administration.</p> + +<p>§ 133. When that could not be obtained, then they proposed +that a subscription might pass through the colony, +to try the humor of the people in general, and see what +voluntary contributions they could get towards it. This he +granted, and he himself, together with the council, set a +generous example to the other gentlemen of the country,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +so that the subscriptions at last amounted to about two +thousand five hundred pounds, in which sum is included +the generous benevolences of several merchants of London.</p> + +<p>§ 134. Anno 1691, an assembly being called, this design +was moved to them, and they espoused it heartily; and +soon after made an address to king William and queen +Mary in its behalf, and sent the Rev. Mr. James Blair +their agent to England to solicit their majesties charter +for it.</p> + +<p>It was proposed that three things should be taught in +this college, viz., languages, divinity, and natural philosophy.</p> + +<p>The assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that +time, that they presented him with the sum of three hundred +pounds, as a testimony of their good disposition towards +him. But he having an instruction to receive no present +from the country, they drew up an address to their majesties, +praying that he might have leave to accept it, which +was granted, and he gave one half thereof to the college.</p> + +<p>§ 135. Their majesties were well pleased with that pious +design of the plantation, and granted a charter, according +to the desire of Mr. Blair their agent.</p> + +<p>Their majesties were graciously pleased to give near two +thousand pounds sterling, the balance then due upon the +account of quit-rents, towards the founding the college; +and towards the endowing of it, they allowed twenty thousand +acres of choice land, together with the revenue arising +by the penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia +and Maryland to the other plantations.</p> + +<p>It was a great satisfaction to the archbishops and bishops, +to see such a nursery of religion founded in that new +world, especially for that it was begun in an episcopal +way, and carried on wholly by zealous conformists to the +Church of England.</p> + +<p>§ 136. In this first assembly, Lieutenant Governor Nicholson +passed acts for encouragement of the linen manufacture,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +and to promote the leather trade by tanning, currying, +and shoe making. He also in that session passed a law +for cohabitation, and improvement of trade.</p> + +<p>Before the next assembly he tacked about, and was quite +the reverse of what he was in the first, as to cohabitation. +Instead of encouraging ports and towns, he spread abroad +his dislike of them; and went among the people finding +fault with those things which he and the assembly had unanimously +agreed upon the preceding session. Such a violent +change there was in him, that it proceeded from some other +cause than barely the inconstancy of his temper. He had +received directions from those English merchants, who well +knew that cohabitation would lessen their consigned trade.</p> + +<p>§ 137. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived +governor. He began his government with an assembly, +which overthrew the good design of ports and towns; but +the groundwork of this proceeding was laid before Sir Edmund's +arrival. However this assembly proceeded no farther +than to suspend the law till their majesties' pleasure +should be known. But it seems the merchants in London +were dissatisfied, and made public complaints against it, +which their majesties were pleased to hear; and afterwards +referred the law back to the assembly again, to consider +if it were suitable to the circumstances of the country, and +to regulate it accordingly. But the assembly did not then +proceed any farther in it, the people themselves being infected +by the merchants' letters.</p> + +<p>§ 138. At this session Mr. Neal's project for a post-office, +and his patent of post-master-general in those parts of +America, were presented. The assembly made an act to +promote that design; but by reason of the inconvenient +distance of their habitations, and want of towns, this project +fell to nothing.</p> + +<p>§ 139. With Sir Edmund Andros, was sent over the college +charter; and the subsequent assembly declared, that +the subscriptions which had been made to the college were +due, and immediately demandable. They likewise gave a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +duty on the exportation of skins and furs, for its more plentiful +endowment, and the foundation of the college was +laid.</p> + +<p>The subscription money did not come in with the same +readiness with which it had been underwritten. However +there was enough given by their majesties, and gathered +from the people, to keep all hands at work and carry on +the building, the foundation whereof they then laid; and +the rest, upon suit, had judgment given against them.</p> + +<p>§ 140. Sir Edmund Andros was a great encourager of +manufactures. In his time fulling-mills were set up by act +of assembly. He also gave particular marks of his favor +towards the propagating of cotton, which since his time has +been much neglected. He was likewise a great lover of +method and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made +him find fault with the management of the secretary's office. +And, indeed, with very good reason; for from the time of +Bacon's rebellion till then, there never was any office in +the world more negligently kept. Several patents of land +were entered blank upon record; many original patents, records +and deeds of land, with other matters of great consequence, +were thrown loose about the office, and suffered to +be dirtied, torn, and eaten by the moths and other insects. +But upon this gentleman's accession to the government, he +immediately gave directions to reform all these irregularities; +he caused the loose and torn records of value to be transcribed +into new books, and ordered conveniences to be built +within the office for preserving the records from being lost +and confounded as before. He prescribed methods to keep +the papers dry and clean, and to reduce them into such order, +as that any thing might be turned to immediately. +But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were +finished, in October 1698, together with the office itself, and +the whole State House. But his diligence was so great in +that affair, that though his stay afterward in the country +was very short, yet he caused all the records and papers +which had been saved from the fire to be sorted again and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +registered in order, and indeed in much better order than +ever they had been before. In this condition he left them +at his quitting the government.</p> + +<p>He made several offers to rebuild the State House in the +same place; and had his government continued but six +months longer, 'tis probable he would have effected it after +such a manner as might have been least burthensome to the +people, designing the greatest part at his own cost.</p> + +<p>§ 141. Sir Edmund Andros being upon a progress one +summer, called at a poor man's house in Stafford county for +water. There came out to him an ancient woman, and +with her a lively brisk lad about twelve years old. The +lad was so ruddy and fair that his complexion gave the governor +a curiosity to ask some questions concerning him; +and to his great surprise was told that he was the son of +that woman at 76 years of age. His excellency, smiling at +this improbability, enquired what sort of man had been his +father? To this the good woman made no reply, but instantly +ran and led her husband to the door, who was then +above 100 years old. He confirmed all that the woman +had said about the lad, and, notwithstanding his great age, +was strong in his limbs and voice; but had lost his sight. +The woman for her part was without complaint, and +seemed to retain a vigor very uncommon at her years. Sir +Edmund was so well pleased with this extraordinary account, +that, after having made himself known to them, he +offered to take care of the lad; but they would by no +means be persuaded to part with him. However, he gave +them 20 pounds.</p> + +<p>§ 142. In November 1698, Francis Nicholson, Esq., was +removed from Maryland, to be governor of Virginia. But +he went not then with that smoothness on his brow he had +carried with him when he was appointed lieutenant-governor. +He talked then no more of improving of manufactures, +towns and trade. But instead of encouraging the manufactures, +he sent over inhuman memorials against them, opposite +to all reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, "that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +the tobacco of that country often bears so low a price, that +it would not yield clothes to the people that make it;" and +yet presently after, in the same memorial, he recommends it +to the parliament "to pass an act, forbidding the plantations +to make their own clothing;" which, in other words, is desiring +a charitable law, that the planters shall go naked. +In a late memorial concerted between him and his creature +Col. Quarrey, 'tis most humbly proposed, "that all the +English colonies on the continent of North America be reduced +under one government, and under one Viceroy; and +that a standing army be there kept on foot to subdue the +queen's enemies;" surmising that they were intending to set +up for themselves.</p> + +<p>§ 143. He began his government with a shew of zeal for +the church. In the latter end of his time, one half of the +intended building, that is two sides of the square, was carried +up and finished, in which were allotted the public hall, +the apartments and conveniences for several masters and +scholars, and the public offices for the domestics: the masters +and scholars were also settled in it, and it had its regular +visitations from the visitors and governors thereof.</p> + +<p>§ 144. Soon after his accession to the government, he procured +the assembly and courts of judicature to be removed +from Jamestown, where there were good accommodations +for people, to Middle Plantation, where there were none. +There he flattered himself with the fond imagination of being +the founder of a new city. He marked out the streets +in many places so as that they might represent the figure of +a W, in memory of his late majesty King William, after +whose name the town was called Williamsburg. There he +procured a stately fabric to be erected, which he placed +opposite to the college, and graced it with the magnificent +name of the capitol.</p> + +<p>§ 145. In the second year of this gentleman's government, +there happened an adventure very fortunate for him, +which gave him much credit, and that was the taking of a +pirate within the capes of that country.</p> + +<p>It fell out that several merchant ships were got ready,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +and fallen down to Lynhaven bay, near the mouth of +James river, in order for sailing. A pirate being informed +of this, and hearing that there was no man of war there, +except a sixth rate, ventured within the capes, and took +several of the merchant ships. But a small vessel happened +to come down the bay, and seeing an engagement between +the pirate and a merchantman, made a shift to get into the +mouth of James river, where the Shoram, a fifth rate man +of war, was newly arrived. The sixth rate, commanded by +Capt. John Aldred, was then on the careen in Elizabeth +river, in order for her return to England.</p> + +<p>The governor happened to be at that time at Kiquotan, +sealing up his letters, and Capt. Passenger, commander of +the Shoram, was ashore, to pay his respects to him. In +the meanwhile news was brought that a pirate was within +the capes; upon which the captain was in haste to go +aboard his ship; but the governor stayed him a little, promising +to go along with him. The captain soon after asked +his excuse, and went off, leaving him another boat, if he +pleased to follow. It was about one o'clock in the afternoon +when the news was brought; but 'twas within night +before his excellency went aboard, staying all that while +ashore upon some weighty occasions. At last he followed, +and by break of day the man of war was fairly out between +the capes and the pirate; where, after ten hours +sharp engagement, the pirate was obliged to strike and surrender +upon the terms of being left to the king's mercy.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that three men of this pirate's gang +were not on board their own ship at the time of the surrender, +and so were not included in the articles of capitulation, +but were tried in that country. In summing up the charge +against them (the governor being present) the attorney-general +extolled his excellency's mighty courage and conduct, +as if the honor of taking the pirate had been due to +him. Upon this, Capt. Passenger took the freedom to interrupt +Mr. Attorney in open court, and said that he was +commander of the Shoram; that the pirates were his prisoners;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +and that no body had pretended to command in that +engagement but himself: he farther desired that the governor, +who was then present, would do him the justice to +confess whether he had given the least word of command +all that day, or directed any one thing during the whole +fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true; and +fairly yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain.</p> + +<p>§ 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by +another instance of his management, whereby he let the +world know the violent passion he had to publish his own +fame.</p> + +<p>To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommended +to the court of England the necessity that Virginia +should contribute a certain quota of men, or else a sum of +money, towards the building and maintaining a fort at New +York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New +York was their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they +should help to defend it. This was by order of his late +majesty King William proposed to the assembly; but upon +the most solid reasons they humbly remonstrated, "that +neither the forts then in being, nor any other that might be +built in the province of New York, could in the least avail +to the defence and security of Virginia; for that either the +French or the northern Indians might invade that colony, +and not come within an hundred miles of any such fort." +The truth of these objections are obvious to any one that +ever looked on the maps of that part of the world. But +the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this: +Those forts were necessary for New York, to enable that +province to engross the trade of the neighbor Indians, which +Virginia had sometimes shared in, when the Indians rambled +to the southward.</p> + +<p>Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this: +after he had represented Virginia as republican and rebellious +for not complying with his proposal, he said publicly +that New York should not want the 900 pounds, though<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +he paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after took a +journey to that province.</p> + +<p>When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, +but pretending earnest desires to serve New York, gave his +own bills of exchange for 900 pounds to the aforesaid use, +but prudently took a defeasance from the gentleman to +whom they were given, specifying, "that till her majesty +should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of +the quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made +use of." This was an admirable piece of sham generosity, +and worthy of the great pains he took to proclaim it. I +myself have frequently heard him boast that he gave this +money out of his own pocket, and only depended on the +queen's bounty to repay him: though the money is not +paid by him to this day.</p> + +<p>§ 147. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this untruth +there; but he also foisted it into a memorial of Col. +Quarry's to the council of trade, in which are these words: +"As soon as Governor Nicholson found the assembly of Virginia +would not see their own interest, nor comply with +her majesty's orders, he went immediately to New York; +and out of his great zeal to the queen's service, and the +security of her province, he gave his own bills for 900 +pounds to answer the quota of Virginia, wholly depending +on her majesty's favor to reimburse him out of the revenues +in that province.</p> + +<p>Certainly his excellency and Colonel Quarry, by whose +joint wisdom and sincerity this memorial was composed, +must believe that the council of trade have very imperfect +intelligence how matters pass in that part of the world, or +else they would not presume to impose such a banter upon +them."</p> + +<p>But this is nothing, if compared with some other passages +of that unjust representation, wherein they took upon +them to describe the people of "Virginia to be both numerous +and rich, of republican notions and principles such as +ought to be corrected and lowered in time; and that then,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +or never, was the time to maintain the queen's prerogatives, +and put a stop to those wrong, pernicious notions which +were improving daily, not only in Virginia but in all her +majesty's other governments. A frown now from her majesty +will do more than an army hereafter," &c.</p> + +<p>With those inhuman, false imputations, did those gentlemen +afterwards introduce the necessity of a standing +army.</p> + +<p>§ 148. Thus did this gentleman continue to rule till +August 1705, when Edward Nott, esq., arrived governor, +and gave ease to the country by a mild rule. His commission +was to be governor-general, but part of his salary was +paid my Lord Orkney as chief. Governor Nott had the general +commission given him, because it was suggested that +that method, viz: the supreme title, would give the greater +awe, and the better put the country to rights.</p> + +<p>§ 149. Governor Nott called an assembly the fall after +his arrival, who passed the general revisal of the laws, +which had been too long in hand. But that part of it +which related to the church and clergy Mr. Commissary +could not be pleased in; wherefore that bill was dropt, +and so it lies at this day.</p> + +<p>§ 150. This assembly also passed a new law for ports +and towns, grounding it only upon encouragements, according +to her majesty's letter to that purpose. But it seems +this also could not please the Virginia merchants in England, +for they complained against it to the crown, and so +it was also suspended.</p> + +<p>§ 151. This assembly also passed the law making slaves +a real estate, which made a great alteration in the nature +of their estates, and becomes a very good security for +orphans whose parents happened to die intestate.</p> + +<p>§ 152. This assembly also voted a house to be built for +the governor's residence, and laid duties to raise the money +for it. But his excellency lived not to see much effected +therein, being taken off by death in August 1706. In the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +first year of his government the college was burnt down to +the ground.</p> + +<p>§ 153. After this governor's death, their being no other +nominated by her majesty to succeed him, the government +fell into the hands of Edmund Jenings, Esq., the president, +and the council, who held no assembly during his +time, neither did anything of note happen here. Only we +heard that Brigadier Robert Hunter received commission to +be lieutenant-governor under George, Earl of Orkney, the +chief, and set out for Virginia, but was taken prisoner into +France.</p> + +<p>§ 154. During Brigadier Hunter's confinement in France, +a new commission issued to Colonel Alexander Spotswood +to be lieutenant-governor, who arrived here in Anno 1710. +He, to the extraordinary benefit of this country, still continues +governor, having improved it beyond imagination. +His conduct has produced wonders. But it would not become +me to affront his modesty by publishing those innumerable +benefits of his administration to his face; therefore I +shall leave them to adorn the brighter history of some abler +penman.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> +<h1><a name="BOOK_II" id="BOOK_II"></a>BOOK II.</h1> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="center">OF THE NATURAL PRODUCT AND CONVENIENCES OF +VIRGINIA IN ITS UNIMPROVED STATE, BEFORE +THE ENGLISH WENT THITHER.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_Ia" id="CHAPTER_Ia"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 1. Virginia, as you have heard before, was a name at +first given to all the northern part of the continent of America; +and when the original grant was made, both to the +first and second colonies, that is, to those of Virginia and +New England, they were both granted under the name of +Virginia. And afterwards, when grants for other new colonies +were made by particular names, those names for a +long time served only to distinguish them as so many parts +of Virginia; and until the plantations became more familiar +to England, it was so continued. But in process of time, +the name of Virginia was lost to all except to that tract of +land lying along the bay of Chesapeake, and a little to the +southward, in which are included Virginia and Maryland; +both which, in common discourse, are still very often meant +by the name of Virginia.</p> + +<p>The least extent of bounds in any of the grants made +to Virginia, since it was settled, and which we find upon +record there, is two hundred miles north from Point Comfort, +and two hundred miles south, winding upon the sea<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +coast to the eastward, and including all the land west and +northwest, from sea to sea, with the islands on both seas, +within an hundred miles of the main. But these extents, +both on the north and south, have been since abridged by +the proprietary grants of Maryland on the north, and Carolina +on the south.</p> + +<p>§ 2. The entrance into Virginia for shipping is by the +mouth of Chesapeake bay, which is indeed more like a +river than a bay; for it runs up into the land about two +hundred miles, being everywhere near as wide as it is at +the mouth, and in many places much wider. The mouth +thereof is about seven leagues over, through which all ships +pass to go to Maryland.</p> + +<p>The coast is a bold and even coast, with regular soundings, +and is open all the year round; so that, having the +latitude, which also can hardly be wanted upon a coast +where so much clear weather is, any ship may go in by +soundings alone, by day or night, in summer or in winter, +and need not fear any disaster, if the mariners understand +anything; for, let the wind blow how it will, and +chop about as suddenly as it pleases, any master, though +his ship be never so dull, has opportunity, (by the +evenness of the coast,) either of standing off and clearing +the shore, or else of running into safe harbor within the +capes. A bolder and safer coast is not known in the universe; +to which conveniences, there is the addition of good +anchorage all along upon it, without the capes.</p> + +<p>§ 3. Virginia, in the most restrained sense, distinct from +Maryland, is the spot to which I shall altogether confine +this description; though you may consider, at the same +time, that there cannot be much difference between this +and Maryland, they being contiguous one to the other, lying +in the same bay, producing the same sort of commodities, +and being fallen into the same unhappy form of settlements, +altogether upon country seats, without towns. Virginia, +thus considered, is bounded on the south by North +Carolina, on the north by Potomac river, which divides it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +from Maryland, on the east by the main ocean, called the +Virginia seas, and on the west and northwest by the Californian +sea, whenever the settlements shall be extended so +far, or now by the river Mississippi.</p> + +<p>This part of Virginia, now inhabited, if we consider the +improvements in the hands of the English, it cannot upon +that score be commended; but if we consider its natural +aptitude to be improved, it may with justice be accounted +one of the finest countries in the world. Most of the natural +advantages of it, therefore, I shall endeavor to discover, +and set in their true light, together with its inconveniences, +and afterwards proceed to the improvements.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IIa" id="CHAPTER_IIa"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE WATERS.</p> + + +<p>§ 4. The largeness of the bay of Chesapeake, I have +mentioned already. From one end of it to the other, there +is good anchorage, and so little danger of a wreck, that +many masters, who have never been there before, venture +up to the head of the bay, upon the slender knowledge of +a common sailor. But the experience of one voyage teaches +any master to go up afterwards without a pilot.</p> + +<p>Besides this bay, the country is watered with four great +rivers, viz: James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers, +all which are full of convenient and safe harbors. +There are also abundance of lesser rivers, many of which +are capable of receiving the biggest merchant ships, viz: +Elizabeth river, Nansemond, Chickahominy, Pocoson, Pamunkey, +Mattapony, (which two last are the two upper +branches of York river,) North river, Eastermost river, Corotoman, +Wiccocomoco, Pocomoke, Chissenessick, Pungotegue, +and many others. But because they are so well described +in the large maps of Virginia, I shall forbear any +farther description of them.</p> + +<p>These rivers are of such convenience, that for almost +every half dozen miles of their extent, there is a commodious +and safe road for a whole fleet, which gives opportunity +to the masters of ships to lie up and down straggling, +according as they have made their acquaintance, riding +before that gentleman's door where they find the best +reception, or where 'tis most suitable to their business.</p> + +<p>§ 5. These rivers are made up by the conflux of an infinite +number of crystal springs of cool and pleasant water,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +issuing everywhere out of the banks and sides of the valleys. +These springs flow so plentifully, that they make +the river water fresh fifty, threescore, and sometimes a hundred +miles below the flux and reflux of the tides, and sometimes +within thirty or forty miles of the bay itself. The +conveniences of these springs are so many, they are not to +be numbered. I shall therefore content myself to mention +that one of supplying the country elsewhere, except in the +lowlands, with as many mills as they can find work for; +and some of these send forth such a glut of water, that in +less than a mile below the fountain head, they afford a +stream sufficient to supply a grist mill, of which there are +several instances.</p> + +<p>§ 6. The only mischief I know belonging to these rivers +is, that in the month of June annually, there rise up in the +salts, vast beds of seedling-worms, which enter the ships, +sloops or boats wherever they find the coat of pitch, tar, or +lime worn off the timber, and by degrees eat the plank into +cells like those of a honey-comb. These worms continue +thus upon the surface of the water, from their rise in June +until the first great rains after the middle of July, but after +that do no fresh damage till the next summer season, and +never penetrate farther than the plank or timber they first +fix upon.</p> + +<p>The damage occasioned by these worms may be four several +ways avoided.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. By keeping the coat (of pitch, lime and tallow, or +whatever else it is) whole upon the bottom of the ship or +vessel, for these worms never fasten nor enter, but where +the timber is naked.</p> + +<p>2. By anchoring the large vessel in the strength of the +tide, during the worm season, and hauling the smaller +ashore; for in the current of a strong tide, the worm cannot +fasten.</p> + +<p>3. By burning and cleaning immediately after the worm +season is over; for then they are but just stuck into the +plank, and have not buried themselves in it; so that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +least fire in the world destroys them entirely, and prevents +all damage that would otherwise ensue from them.</p> + +<p>4. By running up into the freshes with the ship or vessel +during the five or six weeks that the worm is thus +above water; for they never enter, nor do any damage in +fresh water, or where it is not very salt.</p> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IIIa" id="CHAPTER_IIIa"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE EARTH AND SOILS.</p> + + +<p>§ 7. The soil is of such variety, according to the difference +of situation, that one part or other of it seems fitted +to every sort of plant that is requisite either for the benefit +or pleasure of mankind. And were it not for the high +mountains to the northwest, which are supposed to retain +vast magazines of snow, and by that means cause the +wind from that quarter to descend a little too cold upon +them, 'tis believed that many of those delicious summer +fruits, growing in the hotter climates, might be kept there +green all the winter without the charge of housing, or any +other care, than what is due to the natural plants of the +country, when transplanted into a garden. But as that +would be no considerable charge, any man that is curious +might, with all the ease imaginable, preserve as many of +them as would gratify a moderate luxury; and the summer +affords genial heat enough to ripen them to perfection.</p> + +<p>There are three different kinds of land, according to the +difference of situation, either in the lower parts of the country, +the middle, or that on the heads of the rivers.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. The land towards the mouth of the rivers is generally +of a low, moist, and fat mould, such as the heavier +sort of grain delight in: as rice, hemp, Indian corn, &c. +This also is varied here and there with veins of a cold, +hungry, sandy soil, of the same moisture, and very often +lying under water. But this also has its advantages; for on +such land generally grow the huckleberries, cranberries, +chinkapins, &c. These low lands are, for the most part,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +well stored with oaks, poplars, pines, cedars, cypress and +sweet gums; the trunks of which are often thirty, forty, +fifty, some sixty or seventy feet high, without a branch or +limb. They likewise produce great variety of evergreens, +unknown to me by name, besides the beauteous holly, +sweet myrtle, cedar, and the live oak, which for three +quarters of the year is continually dropping its acorns, and +at the same time budding and bearing others in their stead.</p> + +<p>2. The land higher up the rivers, throughout the whole +country, is generally a level ground, with shallow valleys, +full of streams and pleasant springs of clear water, having +interspersed here and there among the large levels some +small hills and extensive vales. The mould in some places +is black, fat, and thick laid; in others looser, lighter and +thin. The foundation of the mould is also various; sometimes +clay, then gravel and rocky stones, and sometimes +marl. The middle of the necks, or ridges between the +rivers, is generally poor, being either a light sand, or a +white or red clay, with a thin mould. Yet even these +places are stored with chestnuts, chinkapins, acorns of the +shrub oak, and a reedy grass in summer, very good for +cattle. The rich lands lie next the rivers and branches, +and are stored with large oak, walnut, hickory, ash, +beech, poplar, and many other sorts of timber, of surprising +bigness.</p> + +<p>3. The heads of the rivers afford a mixture of hills, +valleys and plains, some richer than others, whereof the +fruit and timber trees are also various. In some places +lie great plats of low and very rich ground, well timbered; +in others, large spots of meadows and savannahs, +wherein are hundreds of acres without any tree at all, +but yields reeds and grass of incredible height; and in +the swamps and sunken grounds grow trees as vastly big +as I believe the world affords, and stand so close together, +that the branches or boughs of many of them lock into one +another; but what lessens their value is, that the greatest +bulk of them are at some distance from water-carriage.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +The land of these upper parts affords greater variety of +soil than any other, and as great variety in the foundations +of the soil or mould, of which good judgment may +be made by the plants and herbs that grow upon it. +The rivers and creeks do in many places form very fine +large marshes, which are a convenient support for their +flocks and herds.</p> +</div> + +<p>§ 8. There is likewise found great variety of earths for +physic, cleansing, scouring, and making all sorts of potter's +ware; such as antimony, talk, yellow and red oker, fuller's-earth, +pipe-clay, and other fat and fine clays, marl, &c.; +in a word, there are all kinds of earth fit for use.</p> + +<p>They have besides, in those upper parts, coal for firing, +slate for covering, and stones for building, and flat paving +in vast quantities, as likewise pebble stones. Nevertheless, +it has been confidently affirmed by many, who have been +in Virginia, that there is not a stone in all the country. +If such travelers knew no better than they said, my judgment +of them is, that either they were people of extreme +short memories, or else of very narrow observation. For +though generally the lower parts are flat, and so free from +stones, that people seldom shoe their horses; yet in many +places, and particularly near the falls of the rivers, are +found vast quantities of stone, fit for all kinds of uses. +However, as yet, there is seldom any use made of them, +because commonly wood is to be had at much less trouble; +and as for coals, it is not likely they should ever be used +there in anything but forges and great towns, if ever they +happen to have any, for, in their country plantations, the +wood grows at every man's door so fast, that after it has +been cut down, it will in seven years time grow up again from +seed, to substantial fire-wood; and in eighteen or twenty +years it will come to be very good board timber.</p> + +<p>§ 9. For mineral earths, it is believed they have great +plenty and variety, that country being in a good latitude, +and having great appearances of them. It has been proved, +too, that they have both iron and lead, as appears by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +what was said before concerning the iron works set up at +Falling creek in James river, where the iron proved reasonably +good; but before they got into the body of the mine, +the people were cut off in that fatal massacre, and the +project has never been set on foot since, till of late; but +it has not had its full trial.</p> + +<p>The golden mine, of which there was once so much +noise, may, perhaps, be found hereafter to be some good +metal, when it comes to be fully examined. But be that +as it will, the stones that are found near it, in great plenty, +are valuable, their lustre approaching nearer to that of the +diamond than those of Bristol or Kerry. There is no other +fault in them but their softness, which the weather hardens, +when they have been sometime exposed to it, they +being found under the surface of the earth. This place +has now plantations on it.</p> + +<p>This I take to be the place in Purchase's fourth book of +his pilgrim, called Uttamussack, where was formerly the +principal temple of the country, and the metropolitan seat +of the priests in Powhatan's time. There stood the three +great houses, near sixty feet in length, which he reports to +have been filled with the images of their gods; there were +likewise preserved the bodies of their kings. These houses +they counted so holy, that none but their priests and kings +durst go into them, the common people not presuming, +without their particular direction, to approach the place.</p> + +<p>There also was their great Pawcorance, or altar stone, +which, the Indians tell us, was a solid crystal, of between +three and four feet cube, upon which, in their greatest solemnities, +they used to sacrifice. This, they would make us +believe, was so clear, that the grain of a man's skin might +be seen through it; and was so heavy too that when they +removed their gods and kings, not being able to carry it +away, they buried it thereabouts; but the place has never +been yet discovered.</p> + +<p>Mr. Alexander Whittaker, minister of Henrico, on James +river, in the company's time, writing to them, says thus:<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +"Twelve miles from the falls there is a crystal rock, +wherewith the Indians do head many of their arrows; and +three days journey from thence, there is a rock and stony +hill found, which is on the top covered over with a perfect +and most rich silver ore. Our men that went to discover +those parts had but two iron pickaxes with them, and those +so ill tempered that the points of them turned again, and +bowed at every stroke, so that we could not search the entrails +of the place; yet some trial was made of that ore +with good success."</p> + +<p>§ 10. Some people that have been in that country, without +knowing any thing of it, have affirmed that it is all a +flat, without any mixture of hills, because they see the +coast to seaward perfectly level: or else they have made +their judgment of the whole country by the lands lying on +the lower parts of the rivers, (which, perhaps, they had +never been beyond,) and so conclude it to be throughout +plain and even. When in truth, upon the heads of the +great rivers, there are vast high hills; and even among the +settlements there are some so topping that I have stood +upon them and viewed the country all round over the tops +of the highest trees for many leagues together; particularly, +there are Mawborn hills in the freshes of James river; a +ridge of hills about fourteen or fifteen miles up Mattapony +river; Toliver's mount, upon Rappahannock river; and the +ridge of hills in Stafford county, in the freshes of Potomac +river; all which are within the bounds of the English inhabitants. +But a little farther backward, there are mountains, +which indeed deserve the name of mountains for their +height and bigness; which by their difficulty in passing may +easily be made a good barrier of the country against incursions +of the Indians, &c., and shew themselves over the +tops of the trees to many plantations at 70 or 80 miles distance +very plain.</p> + +<p>These hills are not without their advantages; for, out of +almost every rising ground, throughout the country, there +issue abundance of most pleasant streams, of pure and crystal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +water, than which certainly the world does not afford +any more delicious. These are every where to be found +in the upper parts of this country, and many of them flow +out of the sides of banks very high above the vales, which +are the most suitable places for gardens—where the finest +water works in the world may be made at a very small expense.</p> + +<p>There are likewise several mineral springs, easily discoverable +by their taste, as well as by the soil which they +drive out with their streams. But I am not naturalist skilful +enough to describe them with the exactness they deserve.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IVa" id="CHAPTER_IVa"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY.</p> + + +<p>§ 11. Of fruits natural to the country, there is great +abundance, but the several species of them are produced +according to the difference of the soil, and the various situation +of the country; it being impossible that one piece of +ground should produce so many different kinds intermixed. +Of the better sorts of the wild fruits that I have met with, I +will barely give you the names, not designing a natural history. +And when I have done that, possibly I may not mention +one-half of what the country affords, because I never +went out of my way to enquire after anything of this +nature.</p> + +<p>§ 12. Of stoned fruits, I have met with three good sorts, +viz: Cherries, plums and persimmons.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. Of cherries natural to the country, and growing wild +in the woods, I have seen three sorts. Two of these grow +upon trees as big as the common English white oak, whereof +one grows in bunches like grapes. Both these sorts are +black without, and but one of them red within. That +which is red within, is more palatable than the English +black cherry, as being without its bitterness. The other, +which hangs on the branch like grapes, is water colored +within, of a faintish sweet, and greedily devoured by the +small birds. The third sort is called the Indian cherry, +and grows higher up in the country than the others do. It +is commonly found by the sides of rivers and branches on +small slender trees, scarce able to support themselves, about +the bigness of the peach trees in England. This is certainly +the most delicious cherry in the world; it is of a +dark purple when ripe, and grows upon a single stalk like<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +the English cherry, but is very small, though, I suppose, it +may be made larger by cultivation, if anybody would mind +it. These, too, are so greedily devoured by the small +birds, that they won't let them remain on the tree long +enough to ripen; by which means, they are rarely known +to any, and much more rarely tasted, though, perhaps, at +the same time they grow just by the houses.</p> + +<p>2. The plums, which I have observed to grow wild +there, are of two sorts, the black and the Murrey plum, +both which are small, and have much the same relish with +the damson.</p> + +<p>3. The persimmon is by Heriot called the Indian plum; +and so Smith, Purchase, and Du Lake, call it after him; +but I can't perceive that any of those authors had ever +heard of the sorts I have just now mentioned, they growing +high up in the country. These persimmons, amongst +them, retain their Indian name. They are of several sizes, +between the bigness of a damson plum and a burgamot +pear. The taste of them is so very rough, it is not to be +endured till they are fully ripe, and then they are a pleasant +fruit. Of these, some vertuosi make an agreeable kind +of beer, to which purpose they dry them in cakes, and lay +them up for use. These, like most other fruits there, grow +as thick upon the trees as ropes of onions: the branches +very often break down by the mighty weight of the fruit.</p> +</div> + +<p>§ 13. Of berries there is a great variety, and all very +good in their kinds. Our mulberries are of three sorts, two +black and one white; the long black sort are the best, being +about the bigness of a boy's thumb; the other two +sorts are of the shape of the English mulberry, short and +thick, but their taste does not so generally please, being of +a faintish sweet, without any tartness. They grow upon +well spread, large bodied trees, which run up surprisingly +fast. These are the proper food of the silk-worm.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. There grow naturally two sorts of currants, one red +and the other black, more sweet than those of the same +color in England. They grow upon small bushes, or slender +trees.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>2. There are three sorts of hurts, or huckleberries, upon +bushes, from two to ten feet high. They grow in the +valleys and sunken grounds, having different relishes; but +are all pleasing to the taste. The largest sort grow upon +the largest bushes, and, I think, are the best berries.</p> + +<p>3. Cranberries grow in the low lands and barren sunken +grounds, upon low bushes, like the gooseberry, and are +much of the same size. They are of a lively red, when +gathered and kept in water, and make very good tarts. I +believe these are the berries which Captain Smith compared +to the English gooseberry, and called Rawcomens; having, +perhaps, seen them only on the bushes, where they are always +very sour.</p> + +<p>4. The wild raspberry is by some there preferred to those +that were transplanted thither from England; but I cannot +be of their opinion.</p> + +<p>5. Strawberries they have, as delicious as any in the +world, and growing almost every where in the woods and +fields. They are eaten almost by all creatures; and yet are +so plentiful that very few persons take care to transplant +them, but can find enough to fill their baskets, when they +have a mind, in the deserted old fields.</p> +</div> + +<p>§ 14. There grow wild several sorts of good nuts, viz.: +chestnuts, chinkapins, hazelnuts, hickories, walnuts, &c.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. Chestnuts are found upon very high trees, growing in +barren ridges. They are something less than the French +chestnut; but, I think not differing at all in taste.</p> + +<p>2. Chinkapins have a taste something like a chestnut, +and grow in a husk or bur, being of the same sort of substance, +but not so big as an acorn. They grow upon large +bushes, some about as high as the common apple trees in +England, and either in the high or low, but always barren +ground.</p> + +<p>3. Hazelnuts are there in infinite plenty, in all the +swamps; and towards the heads of the rivers, whole acres +of them are found upon the high land.</p> + +<p>4. Hickory nuts are of several sorts, all growing upon +great trees, and in an husk, like the French walnut, except<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +that the husk is not so thick, and more apt to open. +Some of these nuts are inclosed in so hard a shell, that +a light hammer will hardly crack them; and when they +are cracked, their kernel is fastened with so firm a web, +that there is no coming at it. Several other sorts I have +seen with thinner shells, whose kernels may be got with +less trouble. There are also several sorts of hickories, +called pig nuts, some of which have as thin a shell as +the best French walnuts, and yield their meat very easily; +they are all of the walnut kind.</p> + +<p>5. They have a sort of walnut they call black walnuts, +which are as big again as any I ever saw in England, +but are very rank and oily, having a thick, hard, foul shell, +and come not clear of the husk as the walnut in France +doth; but the inside of the nut, and leaves, and growing +of the tree, declare it to be of the walnut kind.</p> + +<p>6. Their woods likewise afford a vast variety of acorns, +seven sorts of which have fallen under my observation. +That which grows upon the live oak, buds, ripens and drops +off the tree, almost the whole year around. All their acorns +are very fat and oily; but the live oak acorn is much more +so than the rest, and I believe the making of oil of them +would turn to a good account; but now they only serve +as mast for the hogs and other wild creatures, as do all the +other fruits aforementioned, together with several other sorts +of mast growing upon the beach, pine and other trees. +The same use is made also of diverse sorts of pulse and +other fruits growing upon wild vines; such as peas, beans, +vetches, squashes, maycocks, maracocks, melons, cucumbers, +lupines, and an infinity of other sorts of fruits, which I +cannot name.</p> +</div> + +<p>§ 15. Grapes grow wild there in an incredible plenty and +variety, some of which are very sweet and pleasant to the +taste; others rough and harsh, and perhaps fitter for wine +or brandy. I have seen great trees covered with single +vines, and those vines almost hid with the grapes. Of these +wild grapes, besides those large ones in the mountains, mentioned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +by Batt in his discovery, I have observed four very +different kinds, viz:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. One of these sorts grows among the sand banks upon +the edges of the low grounds, and islands next the bay and +sea, and also in the swamps and breaches of the uplands. +They grow thin in small bunches, and upon very low vines. +These are noble grapes; and though they are wild in the +woods, are as large as the Dutch gooseberry. One species +of them is white, others purple, blue and black, but all +much alike in flavor; and some long, some round.</p> + +<p>2. A second kind is produced throughout the whole +country, in the swamps and sides of hills. These also +grow upon small vines, and in small bunches; but are +themselves the largest grapes, as big as the English bullace, +and of a rank taste when ripe, resembling the smell of a +fox, from whence they are called fox grapes. Both +these sorts make admirable tarts, being of a fleshy substance, +and perhaps, if rightly managed, might make good raisins.</p> + +<p>3. There are two species more that are common to the +whole country, some of which are black, and some blue +on the outside, and some white. They grow upon vast +large vines, and bear very plentifully. The nice observer +might perhaps distinguish them into several kinds, because +they differ in color, size, and relish; but I shall divide them +only into two, viz: the early and the late ripe. The early +ripe common grape is much larger, sweeter and better than +the other. Of these some are quite black, and others blue, +and some white or yellow; some also ripen three weeks +or a month before the other. The distance of their ripening, +is from the latter end of August to the latter end of +October. The late ripe common grapes are less than any +of the other, neither are they so pleasant to the taste. They +hang commonly till the latter end of November, or till +Christmas; all that I have seen of these are black. Of +the former of these two sorts, the French refugees at the +Monacan town made a sort of claret, though they were +gathered off of the wild vines in the woods. I was told by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +a very good judge who tasted it, that it was a pleasant, +strong, and full bodied wine. From which we may conclude, +that if the wine was but tolerable good when made +of the wild grape, which is shaded by the woods from the +sun, it would be much better if produced of the same grape +cultivated in a regular vineyard.</p> +</div> + +<p>The year before the massacre, Anno 1622, which destroyed +so many good projects for Virginia, some French vignerons +were sent thither to make an experiment of their vines. +These people were so in love with the country, that the +character they then gave of it in their letters to the company +in England, was very much to its advantage, namely: +"That it far excelled their own country of Languedoc, +the vines growing in great abundance and variety all over +the land; that some of the grapes were of that unusual +bigness, that they did not believe them to be grapes, until +by opening them they had seen their kernels; that they +had planted the cuttings of their vines at Michaelmas, and +had grapes from those very cuttings the spring following. +Adding in the conclusion, that they had not heard of the +like in any other country." Neither was this out of the +way, for I have made the same experiment, both of their +natural vine and of the plants sent thither from England.</p> + +<p>The copies of the letters, here quoted, to the company +in England, are still to be seen; and Purchase, in his +fourth volume of pilgrims, has very justly quoted some of +them.</p> + +<p>§ 16. The honey and sugar trees are likewise spontaneous +near the heads of the rivers. The honey tree bears +a thick swelling pod, full of honey, appearing at a distance +like the bending pod of a bean or pea; it is very like the +carob tree in the herbals. The sugar tree yields a kind of +sap or juice, which by boiling is made into sugar. This +juice is drawn out by wounding the trunk of the tree, and +placing a receiver under the wound. It is said that the +Indians make one pound of sugar out of eight pounds of +the liquor. Some of this sugar I examined very carefully.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +It was bright and moist, with a large, full grain, the +sweetness of it being like that of good muscovado.</p> + +<p>Though this discovery has not been made by the English +above 28 or thirty years, yet it has been known among +the Indians before the English settled there. It was found +out by the English after this manner: The soldiers which +were kept on the land frontiers to clear them of the Indians, +taking their range through a piece of low ground about +forty miles above the then inhabited parts of Potomac river, +and resting themselves in the woods of those low grounds, +observed an inspissate juice, like molasses, distilling from the +tree. The heat of the sun had candied some of this juice, +which gave the men a curiosity to taste it. They found it +sweet, and by this process of nature learned to improve it +into sugar. But the Christian inhabitants are now settled +where many of these trees grow, but it hath not yet been +tried, whether for quantity or quality it may be worth while +to cultivate this discovery.</p> + +<p>Thus the Canada Indians make sugar of the sap of a +tree. And Peter Martyr mentions a tree that yields the +like sap, but without any description. The eleomeli of the +ancients, a sweet juice like honey, is said to be got by +wounding the olive tree; and the East Indians extract a +sort of sugar, they call jagra, from the juice, or potable +liquor, that flows from the coco tree. The whole process +of boiling, graining and refining of which, is accurately +set down by the authors of Hortus Malabaricus.</p> + +<p>§ 17. At the mouth of their rivers, and all along upon +the sea and bay, and near many of their creeks and +swamps, grows the myrtle, bearing a berry, of which they +make a hard brittle wax, of a curious green color, which +by refining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make +candles, which are never greasy to the touch, nor melt with +lying in the hottest weather; neither does the snuff of these +ever offend the smell like that of a tallow candle; but +instead of being disagreeable, if an accident put a candle +out, it yields a pleasant fragrancy to all that are in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +room; insomuch, that nice people often put them out, on +purpose to have the incense of the expiring snuff.</p> + +<p>The melting of these berries is said to have been first +found out by a surgeon in New England, who performed +wonderful things, with a salve made of them. This discovery +is very modern, notwithstanding these countries have +been so long settled.</p> + +<p>The method of managing these berries is by boiling +them in water, till they come to be entirely dissolved, +except the stone or seed in the middle, which amounts +in quantity to about half the bulk of the berry; the biggest +of which is something less than a corn of pepper.</p> + +<p>There are also in the plains, and rich low grounds of +the freshes, abundance of hops, which yield their product +without any labor of the husbandman, in weeding, hilling +or poling.</p> + +<p>§ 18. All over the country is interspersed here and there +a surprising variety of curious plants and flowers. They +have a sort of briar, growing something like the sarsaparilla. +The berry of this is as big as a pea, and as +round, the seed being of a bright crimson color. It is +very hard, and finely polished by nature, so that it might +be put to diverse ornamental uses, as necklaces are, &c.</p> + +<p>There are several woods, plants and earths, which have +been fit for the dying of curious colors. They have the +puccoon and musquaspen, two roots, with which the Indians +use to paint themselves red. And a berry, which +grows upon a wild briar, dyes a handsome blue. There +is the sumac and the sassafras, which make a deep yellow. +Mr. Heriot tells us of several others which he found +at Pamtego, and gives the Indian names of them; but +that language being not understood by the Virginians, I +am not able to distinguish which he means. Particularly +he takes notice of wasebur, an herb; chapacour, a root; +and tangomockonominge, a bark.</p> + +<p>There's the snake root, so much admired in England for +a cordial, and for being a great antidote in all pestilential +distempers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>There's the rattlesnake root, to which no remedy was +ever yet found comparable; for it effectually cures the +bite of a rattlesnake, which sometimes has been mortal in +two minutes. If this medicine be early applied, it presently +removes the infection, and in two or three hours restores +the patient to as perfect health as if he had never been hurt.</p> + +<p>The Jamestown weed (which resembles the thorny apple +of Peru, and I take to be the plant so called) is supposed +to be one of the greatest coolers in the world. This being +an early plant, was gathered very young for a boiled salad, +by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the rebellion +of Bacon; and some of them eat plentifully of it, the effect +of which was a very pleasant comedy; for they turned natural +fools upon it for several days: one would blow up a +feather in the air; another would dart straws at it with +much fury; and another stark naked was sitting up in a +corner, like a monkey, grinning and making mows at them; +a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and +snear in their faces, with a countenance more antic than +any in a Dutch droll. In this frantic condition they were +confined, lest they should in their folly destroy themselves; +though it was observed that all their actions were full of +innocence and good nature. Indeed, they were not very +cleanly, for they would have wallowed in their own excrements +if they had not been prevented. A thousand such +simple tricks they played, and after eleven days returned +to themselves again, not remembering anything that had +passed.</p> + +<p>Perhaps this was the same herb that Mark Antony's +army met with in his retreat from the Parthian war and +siege of Phraata, when such as had eaten thereof employed +themselves with much earnestness and industry in +grubbing up stones, and removing them from one place +to another, as if it had been a business of the greatest +consequence. Wine, as the story says, was found a sovereign +remedy for it, which is likely enough, the malignity +of this herb being cold.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>Of spontaneous flowers they have an unknown variety: +the finest crown imperial in the world; the cardinal flower, +so much extolled for its scarlet color, is almost in every +branch; the moccasin flower, and a thousand others not +yet known to English herbalists. Almost all the year +round the levels and vales are beautified with flowers of +one kind or other, which make their woods as fragrant +as a garden. From the materials, their wild bees make +vast quantities of honey, but their magazines are very +often rifled by bears, raccoons, and such like liquorish vermin.</p> + +<p>About the year 1701, walking out to take the air, I +found, a little without my pasture fence, a flower as big +as a tulip, and upon a stalk resembling the stalk of a +tulip. The flower was of a flesh color, having a down +upon one end, while the other was plain. The form of +it resembled the pudenda of a man and woman lovingly +joined in one. Not long after I had discovered this rarity, +and while it was still in bloom, I drew a grave gentleman, +about an hundred yards out of his way, to see this +curiosity, not telling him anything more than that it was +a rarity, and such perhaps as he had never seen nor +heard of. When we arrived at the place, I gathered one +of them, and put it into his hand, which he had no +sooner cast his eye upon, but he threw it away with indignation, +as being ashamed of this waggery of nature. It +was impossible to persuade him to touch it again, or so +much as to squint towards so immodest a representation. +Neither would I presume to mention such an indecency, +but that I thought it unpardonable to omit a production +so extraordinary.</p> + +<p>There is also found the fine tulip-bearing laurel tree, +which has the pleasantest smell in the world, and keeps +blossoming and seeding several months together. It delights +much in gravelly branches of chrystal streams, and +perfumes the very woods with its odor. So also do the +large tulip tree, which we call a poplar, the locust, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +resembles much the jasmine, and the perfuming crab tree, +during their season. With one sort or other of these, as +well as many other sweet-flowering trees not named, the +vales are almost everywhere adorned, and yield a surprising +variety to divert the traveler.</p> + +<p>They find a world of medicinal plants likewise in that +country, and amongst the rest the planters pretend to have +a swamp-root, which infallibly cures all fevers and agues. +The bark of the sassafras tree and wild cherry tree have +been experimented to partake very much of the virtue of +the cortex peruviana. The bark of the root, of that which +we call the prickly ash, being dried and powdered, has +been found to be a specific in old ulcers and long running +sores. Infinite is the number of other valuable vegetables +of every kind; but natural history not having been +my study, I am unwilling to do wrong to my subject by +an unskillful description.</p> + +<p>§ 19. Several kinds of the creeping vines bearing fruit, +the Indians planted in their gardens or fields, because they +would have plenty of them always at hand; such as muskmelons, +watermelons, pompions, cushaws, macocks and +gourds.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. Their muskmelons resemble the large Italian kind, +and generally fill four or five quarts.</p> + +<p>2. Their watermelons were much more large, and of several +kinds, distinguished by the color of their meat and +seed; some are red, some yellow, and others white meated; +and so of the seed, some are yellow, some red, and some +black; but these are never of different colors in the same +melon. This fruit the Muscovites call arpus; the Turks +and Tartars karpus, because they are extremely cooling. +The Persians call them hindnanes, because they had the +first seed of them from the Indies. They are excellently +good, and very pleasant to the taste, as also to the eye; +having the rind of a lively green color, streaked and watered, +the meat of a carnation, and the seed black and +shining, while it lies in the melon.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>3. Their pompions I need not describe, but must say +they are much larger and finer than any I ever heard of +in England.</p> + +<p>4. Their cushaws are a kind of pompion, of a bluish +green color, streaked with white, when they are fit for +use. They are larger than the pompions, and have a +long narrow neck. Perhaps this may be the ecushaw of +T. Harriot.</p> + +<p>5. Their macocks are a sort of melopepones, or lesser +sort of pompion or cushaw. Of these they have great variety; +but the Indian name macock serves for all, which +name is still retained among them. Yet the clypeatæ are +sometimes called cymnels, (as are some others also,) from +the lenten cake of that name, which many of them very +much resemble. Squash, or squanter-squash, is their name +among the northern Indians, and so they are called in +New York and New England. These being boiled whole, +when the apple is young, and the shell tender, and dished +with cream or butter, relish very well with all sorts of +butcher's meat, either fresh or salt. And whereas the +pompion is never eaten till it be ripe, these are never +eaten after they are ripe.</p> + +<p>6. The Indians never eat the gourds, but plant them +for other uses. Yet the Persians, who likewise abound +with this sort of fruit, eat the cucurbita lagenaris, which +they call kabach, boiling it while it is green, before it +comes to its full maturity, for when it is ripe the rind +dries, and grows as hard as the bark of a tree, and the +meat within is so consumed and dried away, that there +is then nothing left but the seed, which the Indians take +clean out, and afterwards use the shells, instead of flagons +and cups, as is done also in several other parts of the +world.</p> + +<p>7. The maracock, which is the fruit of what we call the +passion flower, our natives did not take the pains to plant, +having enough of it growing everywhere, though they +often eat it; this fruit is about the size of a pullet's egg.</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>§ 20. Besides all these, our natives had originally amongst +them Indian corn, peas, beans, potatoes and tobacco.</p> + +<p>This Indian corn was the staff of food upon which +the Indians did ever depend; for when sickness, bad weather, +war, or any other ill accident kept them from hunting, +fishing and fowling, this, with the addition of some +peas, beans, and such other fruits of the earth, as were +then in season, was the family's dependence, and the support +of their women and children.</p> + +<p>There are four sorts of Indian corn: two of which are +early ripe, and two late ripe, all growing in the same +manner; every single grain of this when planted produces +a tall upright stalk, which has several ears hanging on +the sides of it, from six to ten inches long. Each ear is +wrapt up in a cover of many folds, to protect it from the +injuries of the weather. In every one of these ears are +several rows of grain, set close to one another, with no +other partition but of a very thin husk. So that oftentimes +the increase of this grain amounts to above a thousand +for one.</p> + +<p>The two sorts which are early ripe, are distinguished +only by the size, which shows itself as well in the grain +as in the ear and the stalk. There is some difference +also in the time of ripening.</p> + +<p>The lesser size of early ripe corn yields an ear not +much larger than the handle of a case knife, and grows +upon a stalk between three and four feet high. Of this +may be made two crops in a year, and perhaps there +might be heat enough in England to ripen it.</p> + +<p>The larger sort differs from the former only in largeness, +the ear of this being seven or eight inches long, as +thick as a child's leg, and growing upon a stalk nine +or ten feet high. This is fit for eating about the latter +end of June, whereas the smaller sort (generally speaking) +affords ears fit to roast by the middle of June. The +grains of both these sorts are as plump and swelled as if +the skin were ready to burst.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>The late ripe corn is diversified by the shape of the +grain only, without any respect to the accidental differences +in color, some being blue, some red, some yellow, +some white, and some streaked. That therefore which +makes the distinction, is the plumpness or shriveling of the +grain; the one looks as smooth and as full as the early +ripe corn, and this they call flint corn; the other has a +larger grain, and looks shriveled, with a dent on the +back of the grain, as if it had never come to perfection; +and this they call she corn. This is esteemed by the +planters as the best for increase, and is universally chosen +by them for planting; yet I can't see but that this also +produces the flint corn, accidentally among the other.</p> + +<p>All these sorts are planted alike in rows, three, four or +five grains in a hill; the larger sort at four or five feet +distance, the lesser sort nearer. The Indians used to give +it one or two weedings, and make a hill about it, and so +the labor was done. They likewise plant a bean in the +same hill with the corn, upon whose stalk it sustains itself.</p> + +<p>The Indians sowed peas sometimes in the intervals of +the rows of corn, but more generally in a patch of +ground by themselves. They have an unknown variety +of them, (but all of a kidney shape,) some of which I +have met with wild; but whence they had their Indian +corn I can give no account; for I don't believe that it +was spontaneous in those parts.</p> + +<p>Their potatoes are either red or white, about as long +as a boy's leg, and sometimes as long and big as both +the leg and thigh of a young child, and very much resembling +it in shape. I take these kinds to be the same +with those which are represented in the herbals to be +Spanish potatoes. I am sure those called English or Irish +potatoes are nothing like these, either in shape, color or +taste. The way of propagating potatoes there, is by cutting +the small ones to pieces, and planting the cuttings in +hills of loose earth; but they are so tender, that it is very +difficult to preserve them in the winter, for the least frost<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +coming at them, rots and destroys them, and therefore +people bury 'em under ground, near the fire-hearth, all the +winter, until the time comes that their seedings are to be +set.</p> + +<p>How the Indians ordered their tobacco I am not certain, +they now depending chiefly upon the English for what +they smoke; but I am informed they used to let it all +run to seed, only succoring the leaves to keep the sprouts +from growing upon, and starving them; and when it was +ripe they pulled off the leaves, cured them in the sun, +and laid them up for use. But the planters make a +heavy bustle with it now, and can't please the market +neither.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE FISH.</p> + + +<p>§ 21. As for fish, both of fresh and salt water, of shell +fish, and others, no country can boast of more variety, +greater plenty, or of better in their several kinds.</p> + +<p>In the spring of the year herrings come up in such +abundance into their brooks and fords to spawn, that it is +almost impossible to ride through without treading on them. +Thus do those poor creatures expose their own lives to +some hazard, out of their care to find a more convenient +reception for their young, which are not yet alive. Thence +it is that at this time of the year the freshes of the +rivers, like that of the Broadruck, stink of fish.</p> + +<p>Besides these herrings, there come up likewise into the +freshes from the sea multitudes of shad, rock, sturgeon, +and some few lampreys, which fasten themselves to the +shad, as the remora of Imperatus is said to do to the shark +of Tiburone. They continue their stay there about three +months. The shads at their first coming up are fat and +fleshy; but they waste so extremely in milting and spawning, +that at their going down they are poor, and seem +fuller of bones, only because they have less flesh. It is +upon this account (I suppose) that those in the Severn, +which in Gloucester they call twaits, are said at first to +want those intermusculary bones, which afterwards they +abound with. As these are in the freshes, so the salts +afford at certain times of the year many other kinds of fish +in infinite shoals, such as the old-wife, a fish not much +unlike an herring, and the sheep's-head, a sort of fish, +which they esteem in the number of their best.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>§ 22. There is likewise great plenty of other fish all the +summer long; and almost in every part of the rivers and +brooks, there are found of different kinds. Wherefore I +shall not pretend to give a detail of them, but venture to +mention the names only of such as I have eaten and seen +myself, and so leave the rest to those that are better skilled +in natural history. However, I may add, that besides all +those that I have met with myself, I have heard of a great +many very good sorts, both in the salts and freshes; and +such people, too, as have not always spent their time in +that country, have commended them to me beyond any they +had ever eaten before.</p> + +<p>Those which I know of myself I remember by the names +of herring, rock, sturgeon, shad, old-wife, sheep's-head, +black and red drum, trout, taylor, green-fish, sun-fish, +bass, chub, place, flounder, whiting, fatback, maid, wife, +small-turtle, crab, oyster, mussel, cockle, shrimp, needle-fish, +breme, carp, pike, jack, mullet, eel, conger-eel, +perch, and cat, &c.</p> + +<p>Those which I remember to have seen there, of the kinds +that are not eaten, are the whale, porpus, shark, dog-fish, +garr, stingray, thornback, saw-fish, toad-fish, frog-fish, land-crab, +fiddler, and periwinckle. One day as I was hauling +a sein upon the salts, I caught a small fish about two +inches and an half long, in shape something resembling a +scorpion, but of a dirty, dark color. I was a little shy of +handling it, though I believe there was no hurt in it. This +I judge to be that fish which Mr. Purchase in his Pilgrims, +and Captain Smith in his General History, page 125, affirm +to be extremely like St. George's Dragon, except only that +it wants feet and wings. Governor Spotswood has one of +them dried in full shape.</p> + +<p>§ 23. Before the arrival of the English there the Indians +had fish in such vast plenty, that the boys and girls would +take a pointed stick and strike the lesser sort as they swam +upon the flats. The larger fish, that kept in deeper water, +they were put to a little more difficulty to take. But for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +these they made weirs, that is, a hedge of small riv'd sticks, +or reeds, of the thickness of a man's finger. These they +wove together in a row, with straps of green oak, or other +tough wood, so close that the small fish could not pass +through. Upon high water mark they pitched one end of +this hedge, and the other they extended into the river, to +the depth of eight or ten feet, fastening it with stakes, +making cods out from the hedge on one side almost at the +end, and leaving a gap for the fish to go into them, which +were contrived so that the fish could easily find their passage +into those cods when they were at the gap, but not +see their way out again when they were in. Thus, if +they offered to pass through, they were taken.</p> + +<p>Sometimes they made such a hedge as this quite across +a creek at high water, and at low would go into the run, +then contracted into a narrow stream, and take out what +fish they pleased.</p> + +<p>At the falls of the rivers, where the water is shallow, and +the current strong, the Indians use another kind of weir, +thus made: They make a dam of loose stone, whereof +there is plenty at hand, quite across the river, leaving one, +two or more spaces or tunnels for the water to pass +through; at the mouth of which they set a pot of reeds, +wove in form of a cone, whose base is about three feet, +and perpendicular ten, into which the swiftness of the +current carries the fish, and there lodges them.</p> + +<p>The Indian way of catching sturgeon, when they came +into the narrow part of the rivers, was by a man's clapping +a noose over their tails, and by keeping fast his hold. +Thus a fish finding itself entangled would flounce, and +often pull the man under water, and then that man was +counted a cockarouse, or brave fellow, that would not let +go; till with swimming, wading and diving, he had tired +the sturgeon, and brought it ashore. These sturgeons +would also often leap into their canoes in crossing the +river, as many of them do still every year into the boats +of the English.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>They have also another way of fishing like those on +the Euxine sea, by the help of a blazing fire by night. +They make a hearth in the middle of their canoe, raising +it within two inches of the edge; upon this they lay their +burning lightwood, split into small shivers, each splinter +whereof will blaze and burn, end for end, like a candle: +'Tis one man's work to attend his fire and keep it +flaming. At each end of the canoe stands an Indian, +with a gig or pointed spear, setting the canoe forward, +with the butt end of the spear, as gently as he can, by +that means stealing upon the fish without any noise, or +disturbing of the water. Then they with great dexterity +dart these spears into the fish, and so take them. Now +there is a double convenience in the blaze of this fire, +for it not only dazzles the eyes of the fish, which will +lie still, glaring upon it, but likewise discovers the bottom +of the river clearly to the fisherman, which the daylight +does not.</p> + +<p>The following print, I may justly affirm to be a very +true representation of the Indian fishery.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-142.jpg" width="600" height="374" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va. +Tab: 1. Book 2. Pag: 120" title="Tab 1" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va.<br /> +Tab: 1. Book 2. Pag: 120</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> I. Represents the Indians in a canoe with a fire in +the middle, attended by a boy and a girl. In one end is a +net made of silk grass, which they use in fishing their +weirs. Above is the shape of their weirs, and the manner +of setting a weir wedge across the mouth of a creek.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p><span class="smcap">Note.</span> That in fishing their weirs they lay the side of +the canoe to the cods of the weir, for the more convenient +coming at them, and not with the end going into the cods, +as is set down in the print: but we could not otherwise +represent it here, lest we should have confounded the shape +of the weir with the canoe.</p> + +<p>In the air you see a fishing hawk flying away with a +fish, and a bald eagle pursuing to take it from him; the +bald eagle has always his head and tail white, and they +carry such a lustre with them that the white thereof may +be discerned as far as you can see the shape of the bird, +and seems as if it were without feathers, and thence it has +its name bald eagle.</p> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>§ 24. 'Tis a good diversion to observe, the manner of the +fishing-hawk's preying upon fish, which may be seen every +fair day all the summer long, and especially in a morning. +At the first coming of the fish in the spring, these birds of +prey are surprisingly eager. I believe, in the dead of winter, +they fish farther off at sea, or remain among the +craggy uninhabited islands upon the sea coast. I have often +been pleasantly entertained by seeing these hawks take the +fish out of the water, and as they were flying away with +their quarry, the bald eagles take it from them again. I +have often observed the first of these hover over the water +and rest upon the wing some minutes together, without the +least change of place, and then from a vast height dart directly +into the water, and there plunge down for the space +of half a minute or more, and at last bring up with him a +fish which he could hardly rise with; then, having got +upon the wing again, he would shake himself so powerfully +that he threw the water like a mist about him; afterwards +away he'd fly to the woods with his game, if he +were not overlooked by the bald eagle and robbed by the +way, which very frequently happens. For the bald eagle +no sooner perceives a hawk that has taken his prey but he +immediately pursues and strives to get above him in the +air, which if he can once attain, the hawk for fear of being +torn by him, lets the fish drop, and so by the loss of +his dinner compounds for his own safety. The poor fish is +no sooner loosed from the hawk's talons, but the eagle +shoots himself with wonderful swiftness after it, and catches +it in the air, leaving all further pursuit of the hawk, which +has no other remedy but to go and fish for another.</p> + +<p>Walking once with a gentleman in an orchard by the +river side, early in the spring, before the fish were by us +perceived to appear in shoal water or near the shores, and +before any had been caught by the people, we heard a +great noise in the air just over our heads, and looking up +we saw an eagle in close pursuit of a hawk that had a +great fish in his pounces. The hawk was as low as the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +apple trees before he would let go his fish, thinking to recover +the wood which was just by, where the eagles dare +never follow, for fear of bruising themselves. But, notwithstanding +the fish was dropped so low, and though it +did not fall above thirty yards from us, yet we with our +hollowing, running and casting up our hats, could hardly +save the fish from the eagle, and if it had been let go two +yards higher he would have got it: but we at last took +possession of it alive, carried it home, and had it dressed +forthwith. It served five of us very plentifully for a breakfast, +and some to the servants. This fish was a rock near +two feet long, very fat, and a great rarity for the time of +year, as well as for the manner of its being taken.</p> + +<p>These fishing hawks, in more plentiful seasons, will catch +a fish and loiter about with it in the air, on purpose to +have chase with an eagle; and when he does not appear +soon enough the hawk will make a saucy noise, and insolently +defy him. This has been frequently seen by persons +who have observed their fishings.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME.</p> + + +<p>§ 25. As in summer, the rivers and creeks are filled with +fish, so in winter they are in many places covered with +fowl. There are such a multitude of swans, geese, brants, +sheldrakes, ducks of several sorts, mallard, teal, blewings, +and many other kinds of water fowl, that the plenty of +them is incredible. I am but a small sportsman, yet with +a fowling piece have killed above twenty of them at a +shot. In like manner are the mill ponds and great runs in +the woods stored with these wild fowl at certain seasons of +the year.</p> + +<p>§ 26. The shores, marshy grounds, swamps and savannahs +are also stored with the like plenty of other game of +all sorts, as cranes, curlews, herons, snipes, woodcocks, saurers, +ox-eyes, plovers, larks, and many other good birds for +the table that they have not yet found a name for. Not to +mention beavers, otters, musk rats, minxes, and an infinite +number of other wild creatures.</p> + +<p>§ 27. Although the inner lands want these benefits, +(which, however, no pond or plash is without,) yet even +they have the advantage of wild turkeys, of an incredible +bigness, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and an infinity of +small birds, as well as deer, hares, foxes, raccoons, squirrels, +opossums. And upon the frontier plantations, they meet +with bears, panthers, wild cats, elks, buffaloes and wild +hogs, which yield pleasure as well as profit to the sportsman. +And though some of these names may seem frightful +to the English, who hear not of them in their own country, +yet they are not so there, for all these creatures ever fly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +from the face of man, doing no damage but to the cattle +and hogs, which the Indians never troubled themselves +about.</p> + +<p>Here I cannot omit a strange rarity in the female opossum, +which I myself have seen. They have a false belly, +or loose skin quite over the belly; this never sticks to the +flesh of the belly, but may be looked into at all times, +after they have been concerned in procreation. In the +hinderpart of this is an aperture big enough for a small +hand to pass into: hither the young ones, after they are +full haired, and strong enough to run about, do fly whenever +any danger appears, or when they go to rest or suck. +This they continue till they have learned to live without +the dam: but what is yet stranger, the young ones are bred +in this false belly without ever being within the true one. +They are formed at the teat, and there they grow for several +weeks together into perfect shape, becoming visibly larger, +till at last they get strength, sight and hair; and then +they drop off and rest in this false belly, going in and out +at pleasure. I have observed them thus fastened at the teat +from the bigness of a fly until they become as large as a +mouse. Neither is it any hurt to the old one to open this +budget and look in upon her young.</p> + +<p>§ 28. The Indians had no other way of taking their +water or land fowl, but by the help of bows and arrows. +Yet so great was their plenty, that with this weapon only +they killed what numbers they pleased. And when the +water fowl kept far from shore (as in warmer weather they +sometimes did) they took their canoes and paddled after +them.</p> + +<p>But they had a better way of killing the elks, buffaloes, +deer, and greater game, by a method which we call fire +hunting: that is, a company of them would go together +back into the woods any time in the winter, when the +leaves were falling and so dry that they would burn; and +being come to the place designed, they would fire the +woods in a circle of five or six miles compass; and when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +they had completed the first round they retreated inward, +each at his due distance, and put fire to the leaves and +grass afresh, to accelerate the work, which ought to be finished +with the day. This they repeat till the circle be so +contracted that they can see their game herded all together +in the middle, panting and almost stifled with heat and +smoke; for the poor creatures being frightened at the flame +keep running continually round, thinking to run from it, +and dare not pass through the fire; by which means they +are brought at last into a very narrow compass. Then the +Indians retreat into the centre, and let fly their arrows at +them as they pass round within the circle; by this means, +though they stand often quite clouded in smoke, they rarely +shoot each other. By this means they destroy all the +beasts collected within that circle. They make all this +slaughter chiefly for the sake of the skins, leaving most of +the carcasses to perish in the woods.</p> + +<p>Father Verbiast, in his description of the Emperor of +China's voyage into the Eastern Tartary, Anno 1682, gives +an account of a way of hunting the Tartars have, not much +unlike this; only whereas the Indians surround their game +with fire, the Tartars do it with a great body of armed +men, who having environed the ground they design to +drive, march equally inwards, which, still as the ring lessens, +brings the men nearer each other, till at length the +wild beasts are encompassed with a living wall.</p> + +<p>The Indians have many pretty inventions to discover and +come up to the deer, turkeys and other game undiscerned; +but that being an art known to very few English there, I +will not be so accessary to the destruction of their game as +to make it public. I shall therefore only tell you, that +when they go a hunting into the outlands, they commonly +go out for the whole season with their wives and family. +At the place where they find the most game they build up +a convenient number of small cabins, wherein they live during +that season. These cabins are both begun and finished +in two or three days, and after the season is over they +make no farther account of them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>§ 29. This, and a great deal more, was the natural production +of that country, which the native Indians enjoyed, +without the curse of industry, their diversion alone, and not +their labor, supplying their necessities. The women and +children indeed were so far provident as to lay up some of +the nuts and fruits of the earth in their season for their farther +occasions: but none of the toils of husbandry were exercised +by this happy people, except the bare planting a +little corn and melons, which took up only a few days in +the summer, the rest being wholly spent in the pursuit of +their pleasures. And indeed all that the English have done +since their going thither has been only to make some of +these native pleasures more scarce, by an inordinate and unseasonable +use of them; hardly making improvements equivalent +to that damage.</p> + +<p>I shall in the next book give an account of the Indians +themselves, their religion, laws and customs; that so both +the country and its primitive inhabitants may be considered +together in that original state of nature in which the English +found them. Afterwards I will treat of the present +state of the English there, and the alterations, I can't call +them improvements, they have made at this day.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> +<h1><a name="BOOK_III" id="BOOK_III"></a>BOOK III.</h1> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="center">OF THE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND +CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND PEACE.</p> + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_Ib" id="CHAPTER_Ib"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS.</p> + + +<p>§ 1. The Indians are of the middling and largest stature +of the English. They are straight and well proportioned, +having the cleanest and most exact limbs in the +world. They are so perfect in their outward frame, that +I never heard of one single Indian that was either dwarfish, +crooked, bandy-legged, or otherwise misshapen. But if they +have any such practice among them as the Romans had, +of exposing such children till they died, as were weak +and misshapen at their birth, they are very shy of confessing +it, and I could never yet learn that they had.</p> + +<p>Their color, when they are grown up, is a chestnut +brown and tawny; but much clearer in their infancy. +Their skin comes afterwards to harden and grow blacker +by greasing and sunning themselves. They have generally +coal black hair, and very black eyes, which are most commonly +graced with that sort of squint which many of the +Jews are observed to have. Their women are generally +beautiful, possessing shape and features agreeable enough, +and wanting no charm but that of education and a fair +complexion.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>§ 2. The men wear their hair cut after several fanciful +fashions, sometimes greased, and sometimes painted. The +great men, or better sort, preserve a long lock behind for +distinction. They pull their beards up by the roots with +musselshells, and both men and women do the same by +the other parts of their body for cleanliness sake. The +women wear the hair of the head very long, either hanging +at their backs, or brought before in a single lock, +bound up with a fillet of peak, or beads; sometimes also +they wear it neatly tied up in a knot behind. It is commonly +greased, and shining black, but never painted.</p> + +<p>The people of condition, of both sexes, wear a sort of +coronet on their heads, from four to six inches broad, open +at the top, and composed of peak, or beads, or else of +both interwoven together, and worked into figures, made +by a nice mixture of the colors. Sometimes they wear a +wreath of died furs, as likewise bracelets on their necks +and arms. The common people go bare-headed, only +sticking large shining feathers about their heads, as their +fancies lead them.</p> + +<p>§ 3. Their clothes are a large mantle, carelessly wrapped +about their bodies, and sometimes girt close in the +middle with a girdle. The upper part of this mantle is +drawn close upon the shoulders, and the other hangs below +their knees. When that's thrown off, they have only +for modesty sake a piece of cloth, or a small skin tied +round their waist, which reaches down to the middle of the +thigh. The common sort tie only a string round their +middle, and pass a piece of cloth or skin round between +their thighs, which they turn at each end over the string.</p> + +<p>Their shoes, when they wear any, are made of an entire +piece of buckskin, except when they sew a piece to +the bottom to thicken the sole. They are fastened on +with running strings, the skin being drawn together like a +purse on the top of the foot, and tied round the ankle. +The Indian name of this kind of shoe is moccasin.</p> + +<p>But because a draught of these things will inform the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +reader more at first view than a description in many words, +I shall present him with the following prints drawn by +the life.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-153.jpg" width="600" height="370" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va. +Tab: 2 Book: 3 Pag 129" title="Tab 2" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va.<br /> +Tab: 2 Book: 3 Pag 129</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> II. is an Indian man in his summer dress. The +upper part of his hair is cut short to make a ridge, +which stands up like the comb of a cock, the rest is +either shorn off, or knotted behind his ear. On his head +are stuck three feathers of the wild turkey, pheasant, +hawk, or such like. At his ear is hung a fine shell +with pearl drops. At his breast is a tablet, or fine shell, +smooth as polished marble, which sometimes also hath +etched on it a star, half moon, or other figure, according +to the maker's fancy. Upon his neck and wrists hang +strings of beads, peak and roenoke. His apron is made +of a deer skin, gashed round the edges, which hang like +tassels or fringe; at the upper end of the fringe is an +edging of peak, to make it finer. His quiver is of a +thin bark; but sometimes they make it of the skin of a +fox, or young wolf, with the head hanging to it, which +has a wild sort of terror in it; and to make it yet more +warlike, they tie it on with the tail of a panther, buffalo, +or such like, letting the end hang down between their +legs. The pricked lines on his shoulders, breast and legs, +represent the figures painted thereon. In his left hand he +holds a bow, and in his right an arrow. The mark upon +his shoulderblade is a distinction used by the Indians in +traveling, to show the nation they are of; and perhaps +is the same with that which Baron Lahontan calls the +arms and heraldry of the Indians. Thus the several lettered +marks are used by several other nations about Virginia, +when they make a journey to their friends and +allies.</p> + +<p>The landscape is a natural representation of an Indian +field.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-155.jpg" width="600" height="395" alt="Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond. +Fig. 2 Fig. 1 +Tab. 3 Book 3 Pag. 129" title="Tab 3" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Fig. 2 Fig. 1<br /> +Tab. 3 Book 3 Pag. 129</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> III is two Indian men in their winter dress. +Seldom any but the elder people wore the winter cloaks +(which they call match-coats) till they got a supply of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +European goods; and now most have them of one sort or +other in the cold winter weather. Fig. 1 wears the proper +Indian match-coat, which is made of skins, dressed +with the fur on, sewed together, and worn with the fur +inwards, having the edges also gashed for beauty sake. +On his feet are moccasins. By him stand some Indian +cabins on the banks of the river. Fig. 2 wears the Duffield +match-coat bought of the English; on his head is a +coronet of peak, on his legs are stockings made of Duffields: +that is, they take a length to reach from the ankle +to the knee, so broad as to wrap round the leg; this +they sew together, letting the edges stand out at an inch +beyond the seam. When this is on, they garter below +knee, and fasten the lower end in the moccasin.</p> + +<p>§ 4. I don't find that the Indians have any other distinction +in their dress, or the fashion of their hair, than only +what a greater degree of riches enables them to make, except +it be their religious persons, who are known by the +particular cut of the hair and the unusual figure of their +garments; as our clergy are distinguished by their canonical +habit.</p> + +<p>The habit of the Indian priest is a cloak made in the +form of a woman's petticoat; but instead of tieing it about +their middle, they fasten the gatherings about their neck and +tie it upon the right shoulder, always keeping one arm out +to use upon occasion. This cloak hangs even at the bottom, +but reaches no lower than the middle of the thigh; +but what is most particular in it is, that it is constantly +made of a skin dressed soft, with the pelt or fur on the outside, +and reversed; insomuch, that when the cloak has been +a little worn the hair falls down in flakes, and looks very +shagged and frightful.</p> + +<p>The cut of their hair is likewise peculiar to their function; +for 'tis all shaven close except a thin crest, like a +cock's comb, which stands bristling up, and runs in a semicircle +from the forehead up along the crown to the nape of +the neck. They likewise have a border of hair over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +forehead, which by its own natural strength, and by the +stiffening it receives from grease and paint, will stand out +like the peak of a bonnet.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-159.jpg" width="600" height="404" alt="a Huskanaw pen. +3 +Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond. +Fig 2 a Priest Fig. 1 a Conjurer +Tab 4 Book 3 Pag 131" title="Tab 3" /> +<span class="caption">a Huskanaw pen. 3<br /> +Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Fig 2 a Priest Fig. 1 a Conjurer<br /> +Tab 4 Book 3 Pag 131</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> IV. Is a priest and a conjurer in their proper +habits. The priest's habit is sufficiently described above. +The conjurer shaves all his hair off, except the crest on the +crown; upon his ear he wears the skin of some dark +colored bird; he, as well as the priest, is commonly grimed +with soot or the like; to save his modesty he hangs an +otter skin at his girdle, fastening the tail between his legs; +upon his thigh hangs his pocket, which is fastened by tucking +it under his girdle, the bottom of this is likewise fringed +with tassels for ornament sake. In the middle between +them is the Huskanawpen spoken of § 32.</p> + +<p>§ 5. The dress of the women is little different from that +of the men, except in the tieing of their hair. The women +of distinction wear deep necklaces, pendants and bracelets, +made of small cylinders of the conch shell, which they +call peak: they likewise keep their skin clean and shining +with oil, while the men are commonly bedaubed all over +with paint.</p> + +<p>They are remarkable for having small round breasts, and +so firm, that they are hardly ever observed to hang down, +even in old women. They commonly go naked as far as +the navel downward, and upward to the middle of the +thigh, by which means they have the advantage of discovering +their fine limbs and complete shape.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-161.jpg" width="600" height="399" alt="Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond. +Fig. 2 Fig. 1 +Tab 5 Book 3 Pag. 131" title="Tab 5" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Fig. 2 Fig. 1<br /> +Tab 5 Book 3 Pag. 131</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> V. Is a couple of young women. The first wearing +a coronet, necklace and bracelet of peak; the second a +wreath of furs on her head, and her hair is bound with a +fillet of peak and beads. Between the two is a woman +under a tree making a basket of silk grass after their own +manner.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-164.jpg" width="600" height="375" alt="Pipe of peace IV ch. I have seen. Lahontans Calumet of peace. +a Birchen Canoe or Canoe of Bark +Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va. +Tab. 6 Book 3 Pag. 132" title="Tab 6" /> +<span class="caption">Pipe of peace IV <sup>ch.</sup> I have seen. Lahontans Calumet of peace.<br /> +a Birchen Canoe or Canoe of Bark<br /> +Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va.<br /> +Tab. 6 Book 3 Pag. 132</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> VI. Is a woman and a boy running after her. +One of her hands rests in her necklace of peak, and the +other holds a gourd, in which they put water or other +liquid.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>The boy wears a necklace of runtees, in his right hand is +an Indian rattle, and in his left a roasting ear of corn. +Round his waist is a small string, and another brought cross +through his crotch, and for decency a soft skin is fastened +before.</p> + +<p>Runtees are made of the conch shell as the peak is, only +the shape is flat and round like a cheese, and drilled edge +ways.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IIb" id="CHAPTER_IIb"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE MARRIAGES AMONGST THE INDIANS, AND MANAGEMENT +OF THEIR CHILDREN.</p> + + +<p>§ 6. The Indians have their solemnities of marriage, and +esteem the vows made at that time as most sacred and inviolable. +Notwithstanding they allow both the man and the +wife to part upon disagreement, yet so great is the disreputation +of a divorce, that married people, to avoid the character +of inconstant and ungenerous, very rarely let their +quarrels proceed to a separation. However, when it does so +happen, they reckon all the ties of matrimony dissolved, +and each hath the liberty of marrying another. But infidelity +is accounted the most unpardonable of all crimes in +either of the parties as long as the contract continues.</p> + +<p>In these separations, the children go, according to the +affection of the parent, with the one or the other; for children +are not reckoned a charge among them, but rather +riches, according to the blessing of the Old Testament; and +if they happen to differ about dividing their children, their +method is then to part them equally, allowing the man the +first choice.</p> + +<p>§ 7. Though the young Indian women are said to prostitute +their bodies for wampom peak, runtees, beads, and +other such like fineries; yet I never could find any ground +for the accusation, and believe it only to be an unjust +scandal upon them. This I know, that if ever they have +a child while they are single, it is such a disgrace to them +that they never after get husbands. Besides, I must do +them the justice to say, I never heard of a child any of +them had before marriage, and the Indians themselves disown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +any such custom; though they acknowledge, at the +same time, that the maidens are entirely at their own disposal, +and may manage their persons as they think fit.</p> + +<p>§ 8. The manner of the Indians treating their young +children is very strange; for instead of keeping them warm, +at their first entry into the world, and wrapping them up, +with I don't know how many clothes, according to our fond +custom, the first thing they do is to dip the child over head +and ears in cold water, and then to bind it naked to a convenient +board, having a hole fitly placed for evacuation; but +they always put cotton, wool, fur, or other soft things, for +the body to rest easy on, between the child and the board. +In this posture they keep it several months, till the bones +begin to harden, the joints to knit, and the limbs to grow +strong; and then they let it loose from the board, suffering +it to crawl about, except when they are feeding or playing +with it.</p> + +<p>While the child is thus at the board, they either lay it +flat on its back, or set it leaning on one end, or else hang +it up by a string fastened to the upper end of the board for +that purpose; the child and board being all this while carried +about together. As our women undress their children +to clean and shift their linen, so they do theirs to wash and +grease them.</p> + +<p>The method the women have of carrying their children +after they are suffered to crawl about, is very particular; +they carry them at their backs in summer, taking one leg of +the child under their arm, and the counter-arm of the child +in their hand over their shoulder; the other leg hanging +down, and the child all the while holding fast with its +other hand; but in winter they carry them in the hollow of +their match-coat at their back, leaving nothing but the +child's head out, as appears by the figure.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-168.jpg" width="600" height="392" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond. +Fig: 2. Fig: 3. Fig: 1. +Tab: 7. Book 3. Pag: 134" title="Tab 7" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Fig: 2. Fig: 3. Fig: 1.<br /> +Tab: 7. Book 3. Pag: 134</span> +</div> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-171.jpg" width="600" height="371" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond. +Tab. 8 Book 3 Pag. 135" title="Tab 8" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Tab. 8 Book 3 Pag. 135</span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IIIb" id="CHAPTER_IIIb"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS OF THE +INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 9. The method of the Indian settlements is altogether +by cohabitation, in townships, from fifty to five hundred +families in a town, and each of these towns is commonly a +kingdom. Sometimes one king has the command of several +of these towns, when they happen to be united in his hands +by descent or conquest; but in such cases there is always a +vicegerent appointed in the dependent town, who is at once +governor, judge, chancellor, and has the same power and +authority which the king himself has in the town where he +resides. This viceroy is obliged to pay his principal some +small tribute, as an acknowledgment of his submission, as +likewise to follow him to his wars whenever he is required.</p> + +<p>§ 10. The manner the Indians have of building their +houses is very slight and cheap. When they would erect a +wigwam, which is the Indian name for a house, they stick +saplings into the ground by one end, and bend the other at +the top, fastening them together by strings made of fibrous +roots, the rind of trees, or of the green wood of the white +oak, which will rive into thongs. The smallest sort of +these cabins are conical like a bee-hive; but the larger are +built in an oblong form, and both are covered with the +bark of trees, which will rive off into great flakes. Their +windows are little holes left open for the passage of the +light, which in bad weather they stop with shutters of the +same bark, opening the leeward windows for air and light. +Their chimney, as among the true born Irish, is a little +hole on the top of the house, to let out the smoke, having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +no sort of funnel, or any thing within, to confine the smoke +from ranging through the whole roof of the cabin, if the +vent will not let it out fast enough. The fire is always +made in the middle of the cabin. Their door is a pendent +mat, when they are near home; but when they go abroad +they barricade it with great logs of wood set against the +mat, which are sufficient to keep out wild beasts. There's +never more than one room in a house, except in some +houses of state, or religion, where the partition is made only +by mats and loose poles.</p> + +<p>§ 11. Their houses, or cabins, as we call them, are by +this ill method of building continually smoky when they +have fire in them; but to ease that inconvenience, and to +make the smoke less troublesome to their eyes, they generally +burn pine or lightwood, (that is, the fat knots of dead +pine,) the smoke of which does not offend the eyes, but +smuts the skin exceedingly, and is perhaps another occasion +of the darkness of their complexion.</p> + +<p>§ 12. Their seats, like those in the eastern part of the +world, are the ground itself; and as the people of distinction +amongst those used carpets, so cleanliness has taught +the better sort of these to spread match-coats and mats to +sit on.</p> + +<p>They take up their lodging in the sides of their cabins +upon a couch made of boards, sticks, or reeds, which are +raised from the ground upon forks, and covered with mats +or skins. Sometimes they lie upon a bear skin, or other +thick pelt dressed with the hair on, and laid upon the +ground near a fire, covering themselves with their match-coats. +In warm weather a single mat is their only bed, and +another rolled up their pillow. In their travels, a grass plat +under the covert of a shady tree, is all the lodging they require, +and is as pleasant and refreshing to them as a down +bed and fine Holland sheets are to us.</p> + +<p>§ 13. Their fortifications consist only of a palisade, of +about ten or twelve feet high; and when they would make +themselves very safe, they treble the pale. They often encompass<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +their whole town; but for the most part only their +king's houses, and as many others as they judge sufficient +to harbor all their people when an enemy comes against +them. They never fail to secure within their palisade all +their religious relics, and the remains of their princes. Within +this inclosure, they likewise take care to have a supply +of water, and to make a place for a fire, which they frequently +dance round with great solemnity.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IVb" id="CHAPTER_IVb"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD.</p> + + +<p>§ 14. Their cookery has nothing commendable in it, but +that it is performed with little trouble. They have no other +sauce but a good stomach, which they seldom want. They +boil, broil, or toast all the meat they eat, and it is very +common with them to boil fish as well as flesh with their +homony; this is Indian corn soaked, broken in a mortar, +husked, and then boiled in water over a gentle fire for ten +or twelve hours, to the consistence of frumenty: the thin of +this is what my Lord Bacon calls cream of maise, and +highly commends for an excellent sort of nutriment.</p> + +<p>They have two ways of broiling, viz., one by laying the +meat itself upon the coals, the other by laying it upon +sticks raised upon forks at some distance above the live +coals, which heats more gently, and dries up the gravy; this +they, and we also from them, call barbecueing.</p> + +<p>They skin and paunch all sorts of quadrupeds; they draw +and pluck their fowl; but their fish they dress with their +scales on, without gutting; but in eating they leave the +scales, entrails and bones to be thrown away. They also +roast their fish upon a hot hearth, covering them with hot +ashes and coals, then take them out, the scales and skin +they strip clean off, so they eat the flesh, leaving the bones +and entrails to be thrown away.</p> + +<p>They never serve up different sorts of victuals in one +dish; as roast and boiled fish and flesh; but always serve +them up in several vessels.</p> + +<p>They bake their bread either in cakes before the fire, or +in loaves on a warm hearth, covering the loaf first with +leaves, then with warm ashes, and afterwards with coals +over all.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-177.jpg" width="600" height="379" alt="Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond. +Tab. 9 Book 3 Pag. 139" title="Tab 9" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Tab. 9 Book 3 Pag. 139</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> IX. Represents the manner of their roasting and +barbecueing, with the form of their baskets for common +uses, and carrying fish.</p> + +<p>§ 15. Their food is fish and flesh of all sorts, and that +which participates of both; as the beaver, a small kind of +turtle, or terrapins, (as we call them,) and several species of +snakes. They likewise eat grubs, the nymphæ of wasps, +some kinds of scarabæi, cicadæ, &c. These last are such +as are sold in the markets of Fess, and such as the Arabians, +Lybians, Parthians and Æthiopians commonly eat; so +that these are not a new diet, though a very slender one; +and we are informed that St. John was dieted upon locusts +and wild honey.</p> + +<p>They make excellent broth of the head and umbles of a +deer, which they put into the pot all bloody. This seems +to resemble the <i>jus nigrum</i> of the Spartans, made with the +blood and bowels of a hare. They eat not the brains with +the head, but dry them and reserve them to dress their leather +with.</p> + +<p>They eat all sorts of peas, beans, and other pulse, both +parched and boiled. They make their bread of the Indian +corn, wild oats, or the seed of the sunflower. But when +they eat their bread, they eat it alone, and not with their +meat.</p> + +<p>They have no salt among them, but for seasoning use +the ashes of hickory, stickweed, or some other wood or plant +affording a salt ash.</p> + +<p>They delight much to feed on roasting ears; that is, the +Indian corn, gathered green and milky, before it is grown to +its full bigness, and roasted before the fire in the ear. For +the sake of this diet, which they love exceedingly, they are +very careful to procure all the several sorts of Indian corn +before mentioned, by which means they contrive to prolong +their season. And indeed this is a very sweet and pleasing +food.</p> + +<p>They have growing near their towns, peaches, strawberries, +cushaws, melons, pompions, macocks, &c. The cushaws<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +and pompions they lay by, which will keep several +months good after they are gathered; the peaches they save +by drying them in the sun; they have likewise several sorts +of the phaseoli.</p> + +<p>In the woods, they gather chinkapins, chestnuts, hickories +and walnuts. The kernels of the hickories they beat in a +mortar with water, and make a white liquor like milk, from +whence they call our milk hickory. Hazelnuts they will +not meddle with, though they make a shift with acorns +sometimes, and eat all the other fruits mentioned before, but +they never eat any sort of herbs or leaves.</p> + +<p>They make food of another fruit called cuttanimmons, the +fruit of a kind of arum, growing in the marshes: they are +like boiled peas or capers to look on, but of an insipid +earthy taste. Captain Smith in his History of Virginia calls +them ocaughtanamnis, and Theod. de Bry in his translation, +sacquenummener.</p> + +<p>Out of the ground they dig trubs, earth nuts, wild +onions, and a tuberous root they call tuckahoe, which while +crude is of a very hot and virulent quality: but they can +manage it so, as in case of necessity, to make bread of it, +just as the East Indians and those of Egypt are said to do +of colocassia, or the West Indians of cassava. It grows like +a flag in the miry marshes, having roots of the magnitude +and taste of Irish potatoes, which are easy to be dug up.</p> + +<p>§ 16. They accustom themselves to no set meals, but eat +night and day, when they have plenty of provisions, or if +they have got any thing that is a rarity. They are very +patient of hunger, when by any accident they happen to +have nothing to eat; which they make more easy to themselves +by girding up their bellies, just as the wild Arabs are +said to do in their long marches; by which means they are +less sensible of the impressions of hunger.</p> + +<p>§ 17. Among all this variety of food, nature hath not +taught them the use of any other drink than water; which +though they have in cool and pleasant springs every where, +yet they will not drink that if they can get pond water, or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +such as has been warmed by the sun and weather. Baron +Lahontan tells of a sweet juice of maple, which the Indians +to the northward gave him, mingled with water; but +our Indians use no such drink. For their strong drink they +are altogether beholden to us, and are so greedy of it, that +most of them will be drunk as often as they find an opportunity; +notwithstanding which it is a prevailing humor +among them, not to taste any strong drink at all, unless +they can get enough to make them quite drunk, and then +they go as solemnly about it as if it were part of their +religion.</p> + +<p>§ 18. Their fashion of sitting at meals is on a mat spread +on the ground, with their legs lying out at length before +them, and the dish between their legs; for which reason +they seldom or never sit more than two together at a dish, +who may with convenience mix their legs together and have +the dish stand commodiously to them both, as appears by +the figure.</p> + +<p>The spoons which they eat with do generally hold half a +pint; and they laugh at the English for using small ones, +which they must be forced to carry so often to their mouths +that their arms are in danger of being tired before their +belly.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-181.jpg" width="600" height="384" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond. +Tab. 10. Book 3 Pag. 141" title="Tab 10" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Tab. 10. Book 3 Pag. 141</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> X. Is a man and his wife at dinner.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>No. 1. Is their pot boiling with homony and fish in it.</p> + +<p>2. Is a bowl of corn, which they gather up in their fingers, +to feed themselves.</p> + +<p>3. The tomahawk, which he lays by at dinner.</p> + +<p>4. His pocket, which is likewise stripped off, that he +may be at full liberty.</p> + +<p>5. A fish.<span style="margin-left: 6.5em;">}</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;">} Both ready for dressing.</span><br /> +6. A heap of roasting ears.}</p> + +<p>7. The gourd of water.</p> + +<p>8. A cockle shell, which they sometimes use instead of a +spoon.</p> + +<p>9. The mat they sit on.</p> +</div> + +<p>All other matters in this figure are understood by the foregoing +and following descriptions.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_Vb" id="CHAPTER_Vb"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OF +THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 19. Their travels they perform altogether on foot, the +fatigue of which they endure to admiration. They make no +other provision for their journey but their gun or bow, to +supply them with food for many hundred miles together. +If they carry any flesh in their marches, they barbecue it, +or rather dry it by degrees, at some distance over the clear +coals of a wood fire; just as the Charibees are said to preserve +the bodies of their kings and great men from corruption. +Their sauce to this dry meat, (if they have any besides +a good stomach,) is only a little bear's oil, or oil of +acorns; which last they force out by boiling the acorns in +a strong lye. Sometimes also in their travels each man +takes with him a pint or quart of rockahomonie, that is, the +finest Indian corn parched and beaten to powder. When +they find their stomach empty, (and cannot stay for the tedious +cookery of other things,) they put about a spoonful of +this into their mouths and drink a draught of water upon +it, which stays their stomachs, and enables them to pursue +their journey without delay. But their main dependence is +upon the game they kill by the way, and the natural fruits +of the earth. They take no care about lodging in these +journeys, but content themselves with the shade of a tree +or a little high grass.</p> + +<p>When they fear being discovered or followed by an enemy +in their marches, they every morning, having first +agreed where they shall rendezvous at night, disperse themselves +into the woods, and each takes a several way, that so +the grass or leaves being but singly pressed, may rise again<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in +following a track, even where the impressions are not visible +to other people, especially if they have any advantage +from the looseness of the earth, from the stiffness of the +grass, or the stirring of the leaves, which in the winter +season lie very thick upon the ground; and likewise afterwards, +if they do not happen to be burned.</p> + +<p>When in their travels they meet with any waters which +are not fordable, they make canoes of birch bark, by slipping +it whole off the tree in this manner: First, they gash +the bark quite round the tree, at the length they would +have the canoe off, then slit down the length from end to +end; when that is done, they with their tomahawks easily +open the bark and strip it whole off. Then they force it +open with sticks in the middle, slope the under side of the +ends and sow them up, which helps to keep the belly +open; or if the birch trees happen to be small they sow the +bark of two together. The seams they daub with clay or +mud, and then pass over in these canoes, by two, three, or +more at a time, according as they are in bigness. By reason +of the lightness of these boats, they can easily carry +them over land, if they foresee that they are like to meet +with any more waters that may impede their march; or +else they leave them at the water side, making no farther +account of them, except it be to repass the same waters in +their return. See the resemblance, Tab. 6.</p> + +<p>§ 20. They have a peculiar way of receiving strangers, +and distinguishing whether they come as friends or enemies, +though they do not understand each other's language: and +that is by a singular method of smoking tobacco, in which +these things are always observed:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. They take a pipe much larger and bigger than the +common tobacco pipe, expressly made for that purpose, with +which all towns are plentifully provided; they call them the +pipes of peace.</p> + +<p>2. This pipe they always fill with tobacco, before the +face of the strangers, and light it.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>3. The chief man of the Indians, to whom the strangers +come, takes two or three whiffs, and then hands it to the +chief of the strangers.</p> + +<p>4. If the stranger refuses to smoke in it, 'tis a sign of +war.</p> + +<p>5. If it be peace, the chief of the strangers takes a whiff +or two in the pipe, and presents it to the next great man +of the town they come to visit; he, after taking two or +three whiffs, gives it back to the next of the strangers, and +so on alternately, until they have past all the persons of +note on each side, and then the ceremony is ended.</p> +</div> + +<p>After a little discourse, they march together in a friendly +manner into the town, and then proceed to explain the business +upon which they came. This method is as general a +rule among all the Indians of those parts of America as the +flag of truce is among the Europeans. And though the +fashion of the pipe differ, as well as the ornaments of it, +according to the humor of the several nations, yet 'tis a +general rule to make these pipes remarkably bigger than +those for common use, and to adorn them with beautiful +wings and feathers of birds, as likewise with peak, beads, +or other such foppery. Father Lewis Henepin gives a particular +description of one that he took notice of among the +Indians upon the lakes wherein he traveled. He describes +it by the name of the calumet of peace, and his words are +these, Book I., chap. 24:</p> + +<p>"This calumet is the most mysterious thing in the world +among the savages of the continent of the Northern America; +for it is used in all their important transactions: however, +it is nothing else but a large tobacco pipe, made of +red, black or white marble; the head is finely polished, and +the quill, which is commonly two feet and a half long, is +made of a pretty strong reed or cane, adorned with feathers +of all colors, interlaced with locks of women's hair. They +tie it to two wings of the most curious birds they can find, +which makes their calumet not much unlike Mercury's wand, +or that staff ambassadors did formerly carry when they went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +to treat of peace. They sheath that reed into the neck of +birds they call huars, which are as big as our geese, and +spotted with black and white; or else of a sort of ducks, +which make their nests upon trees, though the water be +their ordinary element, and whose feathers be of many different +colors. However, every nation adorns their calumet +as they think fit, according to their own genius, and the +birds they have in their country.</p> + +<p>Such a pipe is a pass and safe conduct among all the +allies of the nation who has given it. And in all embassies, +the ambassador carries that calumet, as the symbol of +peace, which is always respected: for the savages are generally +persuaded, that a great misfortune would befall them, +if they violated the public faith of the calumet.</p> + +<p>"All their enterprises, declarations of war, or conclusions +of peace, as well as all the rest of their ceremonies, are sealed, +(if I may be permitted to say so,) with this calumet: +They fill that pipe with the best tobacco they have, and +then present it to those with whom they have concluded +any great affair, and smoke out of the same after them."</p> + +<p>In tab. 6, is seen the calumet of peace, drawn by Lahontan, +and one of the sort which I have seen.</p> + +<p>§ 21. They have a remarkable way of entertaining all +strangers of condition, which is performed after the following +manner: First, the king or queen, with a guard and a +great retinue, march out of the town, a quarter or half a +mile, and carry mats for their accommodation. When they +meet the strangers, they invite them to sit down upon those +mats. Then they pass the ceremony of the pipe, and afterwards, +having spent about half an hour in grave discourse, +they get up, all together, and march into the town. +Here the first compliment is to wash the courteous traveler's +feet; then he is treated at a plentiful entertainment, +served up by a great number of attendants; after which he +is diverted with antique Indian dances, performed both by +men and women, and accompanied with great variety of +wild music. At this rate he is regaled till bedtime, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +a brace of young, beautiful virgins are chosen to wait upon +him that night for his particular refreshment. These damsels +are to undress this happy gentleman, and as soon as +he is in bed, they gently lay themselves down by him, one +on one side of him, and the other on the other. They +steem it a breach of hospitality, not to submit to everything +he desires of them. This kind ceremony is used only to +men of great distinction—and the young women are so +far from suffering in their reputation for this civility, that +they are envied for it by all the other girls, as having had +the greatest honor done them in the world.</p> + +<p>After this manner, perhaps, many of the heroes were begotten +in old time, who boasted themselves to be the sons +of some wayfaring god.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIb" id="CHAPTER_VIb"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE LEARNING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 22. These Indians have no sort of letters to express +their words by; but when they would communicate anything +that cannot be delivered by message, they do it by a +sort of hieroglyphic, or representation of birds, beasts, or other +things, shewing their different meaning by the various forms +described, and by the different position of the figures.</p> + +<p>Baron Lahontan, in his second volume of New Voyages, +has two extraordinary chapters concerning the heraldry and +hieroglyphics of the Indians; but I, having had no opportunity +of conversing with our Indians since that book came +to my hands, nor having ever suspected them to be acquainted +with heraldry, I am not able to say anything upon +that subject.</p> + +<p>The Indians, when they travel ever so small a way, being +much embroiled in war one with another, use several marks +painted upon their shoulders to distinguish themselves by, +and show what nation they are of. The usual mark is one, +two, or three arrows. One nation paints these arrows upwards, +another downwards, a third sideways—and others +again use other distinctions, as in tab. 2, from whence it +comes to pass, that the Virginia assembly took up the humor +of making badges of silver, copper or brass, of which +they gave a sufficient number to each nation in amity with +the English, and then made a law, that the Indians should +not travel among the English plantations without one of +these badges in their company, to show that they are +friends. And this is all the heraldry that I know is practiced +among the Indians.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>§ 23. Their languages differ very much, as anciently in +the several parts of Britain; so that nations at a moderate +distance do not understand one another. However, they +have a sort of general language, like what Lahontan calls +the Algonkine, which is understood by the chief men of +many nations, as Latin is in most parts of Europe, and +Lingua Franca quite through the Levant.</p> + +<p>The general language here used is said to be that of the +Occaneeches, though they have been but a small nation +ever since those parts were known to the English; but in +what this language may differ from that of the Algonkines, +I am not able to determine.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE WAR, AND PEACE OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 24. When they are about to undertake any war or +other solemn enterprise, the king summons a convention of +his great men to assist at a grand council, which, in their +language, is called a Matchacomoco. At these assemblies, +'tis the custom, especially when a war is expected, for the +young men to paint themselves irregularly with black, red, +white, and several other motley colors, making one-half of +their face red, (for instance,) and the other black or white, +with great circles of a different hue round their eyes, with +monstrous mustaches, and a thousand fantastical figures, all +over the rest of their body; and to make themselves appear +yet more ugly and frightful, they strew feathers, down, or +the hair of beasts upon the paint while it is still moist and +capable of making those light substances stick fast on. +When they are thus formidably equipped, they rush into +the Matchacomoco, and instantly begin some very grotesque +dance, holding their arrows or tomahawks in their hands, +and all the while singing the ancient glories of their nation, +and especially of their own families—threatening and making +signs with their tomahawk what a dreadful havoc they +intend to make amongst their enemies.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding these terrible airs they give themselves, +they are very timorous when they come to action, and rarely +perform any open or bold feats; but the execution they do, +is chiefly by surprise and ambuscade.</p> + +<p>§ 25. The fearfulness of their nature makes them very +jealous and implacable. Hence it is, that when they get<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +a victory, they destroy man, woman and child, to prevent +all future resentments.</p> + +<p>§ 26. I can't think it anything but their jealousy that +makes them exclude the lineal issue from succeeding immediately +to the crown. Thus, if a king have several legitimate +children, the crown does not descend in a direct line +to his children, but to his brother by the same mother, if +he have any, and for want of such, to the children of his +eldest sister, always respecting the descent by the female, +as the surer side. But the crown goes to the male heir (if +any be) in equal degree, and for want of such, to the female, +preferably to any male that is more distant.</p> + +<p>§ 27. As in the beginning of a war, they have assemblies +for consultation, so, upon any victory or other great success, +they have public meetings again for processions and triumphs. +I never saw one of these, but have heard that +they are accompanied with all the marks of a wild and extravagant +joy.</p> + +<p>Captain Smith gives the particulars of one that was made +upon his being taken prisoner, and carried to their town. +These are his words, vol. I, page 159:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">"Drawing themselves all in file, the king in the midst +had all their pieces and swords borne before him. Captain +Smith was led after him by three great savages, holding +him fast by each arm, and on each side six went in file, +with their arrows nocked; but arriving at the town, (which +was but thirty or forty hunting houses made of mats, which +they remove as often as they please, as we our tents,) all +the women and children staring to behold him, the soldiers +first, all in the file, performed the form of a bissom as well +as could be, and on each flank officers as sergeants to see +them keep their order. A good time they continued this +exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dancing in +such several postures, and singing and yelling out such hellish +notes and screeches, being strangely painted, every one +his quiver of arrows, and at his back a club, on his arm a +fox or an otter's skin, or some such matter for his vambrace;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +their heads and shoulders painted red, with oil and +puccoons mingled together, which scarlet-like color made +an exceeding handsome show; his bow in his hand, and +the skin of a bird with the wings abroad dried, tied on his +head; a piece of copper, a white shell, a long feather, with +a small rattle growing at the tails of their snakes, tied to it, +or some such like toy. All this, while Smith and the king +stood in the midst guarded, as before is said, and after +three dances they all departed."</p> + +<p>I suppose here is something omitted, and that the conjurer +should have been introduced in his proper dress, as the +sequel of the story seems to mean.</p> + +<p>§ 28. They use formal embassies for treating, and very +ceremonious ways in concluding of peace, or else some other +memorable action, such as burying a tomahawk, and raising +a heap of stones thereon, as the Hebrews were wont to +do; or of planting a tree, in token that all enmity is buried +with the tomahawk; that all the desolations of war are +at an end, and that friendship shall flourish among them +like a tree.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">CONCERNING THE RELIGION, WORSHIP, AND SUPERSTITIOUS +CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 29. I don't pretend to have dived into all the mysteries +of the Indian religion, nor have I had such opportunities +of learning them as father Henepin and Baron Lahontan +had, by living much among the Indians in their towns; and +because my rule is to say nothing but what I know to be +truth, I shall be very brief upon this head.</p> + +<p>In the writings of those two gentlemen, I cannot but observe +direct contradictions, although they traveled the same +country, and the accounts they pretend to give are of the +same Indians. One makes them have very refined notions +of a Deity, and the other don't allow them so much as the +name of a God. For which reason, I think myself obliged +sincerely to deliver what I can warrant to be true upon my +own knowledge; it being neither my interest, nor any part +of my vanity, to impose upon the world.</p> + +<p>I have been at several of the Indian towns, and conversed +with some of the most sensible of them in Virginia; +but I could learn little from them, it being reckoned sacrilege +to divulge the principles of their religion. However, +the following adventure discovered something of it. As I +was ranging the woods, with some other friends, we fell +upon their quioccosan, (which is their house of religious +worship,) at a time when the whole town were gathered together +in another place, to consult about the bounds of the +land given them by the English.</p> + +<p>Thus finding ourselves masters of so fair an opportunity, +(because we knew the Indians were engaged,) we resolved +to make use of it, and to examine their quioccosan, the inside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +of which they never suffer any Englishmen to see; +and having removed about fourteen logs from the door, +with which it was barricaded, we went in, and at first +found nothing but naked walls, and a fireplace in the middle. +This house was about eighteen feet wide, and thirty +feet long, built after the manner of their other cabins, but +larger, with a hole in the middle of the roof to vent the +smoke, the door being at one end. Round about the +house, at some distance from it, were set up posts, with +faces carved on them, and painted. We did not observe +any window or passage for the light, except the door and +the vent of the chimney. At last we observed, that at the +farther end, about ten feet of the room was cut off by a +partition of very close mats, and it was dismal dark behind +that partition. We were at first scrupulous to enter this +obscure place, but at last we ventured, and, groping about, +we felt some posts in the middle; then reaching our hands +up those posts, we found large shelves, and upon these +shelves three mats, each of which was rolled up, and sowed +fast. These we handed down to the light, and to save +time in unlacing the seams, we made use of a knife, and +ripped them, without doing any damage to the mats. In +one of these we found some vast bones, which we judged +to be the bones of men—particularly we measured one thighbone, +and found it two feet nine inches long. In another +mat we found some Indian tomahawks finely graved and +painted. These resembled the wooden falchion used by the +prize-fighters in England, except that they have no guard +to save the fingers. They were made of a rough, heavy +wood, and the shape of them is represented in the tab. 10, +No. 3. Among these tomahawks, was the largest that ever I +saw. There was fastened to it a wild turkey's beard painted +red, and two of the longest feathers of his wings hung +dangling at it, by a string of about six inches long, tied to +the end of the tomahawk. In the third mat there was something +which we took to be their idol, though of an underling +sort, and wanted putting together. The pieces were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +these—first, a board three feet and a half long, with one indenture +at the upper end like a fork, to fasten the head +upon. From thence half way down, were half hoops nailed +to the edges of the board, at about four inches' distance, +which were bowed out, to represent the breast and belly; +on the lower half was another board of half the length of +the other, fastened to it by joints or pieces of wood, which +being set on each side stood out about fourteen inches from +the body, and half as high. We supposed the use of these to +be for the bowing out of the knees, when the image was +set up. There were packed up with these things, red and +blue pieces of cotton cloth, rolls made up for arms, thighs +and legs, bent too at the knees, as is represented in the figure +of their idol, which was taken by an exact drawer in the +first discovery of the country. It would be difficult to see +one of these images at this day, because the Indians are extreme +shy of exposing them. We put the clothes upon the +hoops for the body, and fastened on the arms and legs to +have a view of the representation; but the head and rich +bracelets, which it is usually adorned with, were not there, +or at least we did not find them. We had not leisure to +make a very narrow search, for having spent about an hour +in this enquiry, we feared the business of the Indians might +be near over, and that if we staid longer, we might be +caught offering an affront to their superstition. For this +reason, we wrapt up those holy materials in their several +mats again, and laid them on the shelf where we found +them. This image, when dressed up, might look very venerable +in that dark place where 'tis not possible to see it, +but by the glimmering light that is let in by lifting up a +piece of the matting, which we observed to be conveniently +hung for that purpose; for when the light of the door and +chimney glance in several directions upon the image through +that little passage, it must needs make a strange representation, +which those poor people are taught to worship with +a devout ignorance. There are other things that contribute +towards carrying on this imposture. First, the chief conjurer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +enters within the partition in the dark, and may undiscerned +move the image as he pleases. Secondly, a priest of authority +stands in the room with the people, to keep them from +being too inquisitive, under the penalty of the deity's displeasure +and his own censure.</p> + +<p>Their idol bears a several name in every nation, as Okee, +Quioccos, Kiwasa. They do not look upon it as one single +being, but reckon there are many of the same nature; +they likewise believe that there are tutelar deities in every +town.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 336px;"> +<img src="images/illus-197.jpg" width="336" height="600" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va. +Idol call'd, OKEÈ, QUIÓCCOS, or KIWASA. +Tab. 11 Book 3 Pag. 155" title="Tab 11" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va.<br /> +Idol call'd, OKEÈ, QUIÓCCOS, or KIWASA.<br /> +Tab. 11 Book 3 Pag. 155</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> 11. Their idol in his tabernacle.</p> + +<p>The dark edging shows the sides and roof of the house, +which consists of saplings and bark. The paler edging +shows the mats, by which they make a partition of about +ten feet at the end of the house for the idol's abode. The +idol is set upon his seat of mats within a dark recess above +the people's heads, and the curtain is drawn up before him.</p> + +<p>§ 30. Father Henepin, in his continuation, page 60, will +not allow that the Indians have any belief of a Deity, nor +that they are capable of the arguments and reasonings that +are common to the rest of mankind. He farther says, that +they have not any outward ceremony to denote their worship +of a Deity, nor have any word to express God by—that +there's no sacrifice, priest, temple, or any other token +of religion among them. Baron Lahontan, on the other +hand, makes them have such refined notions, as seem almost +to confute his own belief of Christianity.</p> + +<p>The first I cannot believe, though written by the pen of +that pious father; because, to my own knowledge, all the +Indians in these parts are a superstitious and idolatrous people; +and because all other authors, who have written of the +American Indians, are against him. As to the other account +of the just thoughts the Indians have of religion, I +must humbly intreat the baron's pardon; because I am very +sure they have some unworthy conceptions of God and another +world. Therefore, what that gentleman tells the public +concerning them, is rather to show his own opinions, +than those of the Indians.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>Once in my travels, in very cold weather, I met at an +Englishman's house with an Indian, of whom an extraordinary +character had been given me for his ingenuity and +understanding. When I saw he had no other Indian with +him, I thought I might be the more free; and therefore I +made much of him, seating him close by a large fire, and +giving him plenty of strong cider, which I hoped would +make him good company and open-hearted. After I found +him well warmed, (for unless they be surprised some way +or other, they will not talk freely of their religion,) I asked +him concerning their god, and what their notions of him +were? He freely told me, they believed God was universally +beneficent, that his dwelling was in the heavens above, +and that the influences of his goodness reached to the earth +beneath. That he was incomprehensible in his excellence, +and enjoyed all possible felicity; that his duration was +eternal, his perfection boundless, and that he possesses everlasting +indolence and ease. I told him I had heard that +they worshipped the devil, and asked why they did not +rather worship God, whom they had so high an opinion of, +and who would give them all good things, and protect them +from any mischief that the devil could do them? To this +his answer was, that, 'tis true God is the giver of all good +things, but they flow naturally and promiscuously from +him; that they are showered down upon all men indifferently +without distinction; that God does not trouble himself +with the impertinent affairs of men, nor is concerned at +what they do; but leaves them to make the most of their +free will, and to secure as many as they can of the good +things that flow from him; that therefore it was to no purpose +either to fear or worship him. But on the contrary, if +they did not pacify the evil spirit, and make him propitious, +he would take away or spoil all those good things that God +had given, and ruin their health, their peace, and their +plenty, by sending war, plague and famine among them; +for, said he, this evil spirit is always busying himself with our +affairs, and frequently visiting us, being present in the air in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +the thunder, and in the storms. He told me farther, that he +expected adoration and sacrifice from them, on pain of his +displeasure, and that therefore they thought it convenient +to make their court to him. I then asked him concerning +the image which they worship in their quioccasan, and assured +him that it was a dead, insensible log, equipped with +a bundle of clouts, a mere helpless thing made by men, +that could neither hear, see nor speak, and that such a stupid +thing could noways hurt or help them. To this he answered +very unwillingly, and with much hesitation; however, +he at last delivered himself in these broken and imperfect +sentences: It is the priests——they make the people +believe, and——. Here he paused a little, and then +repeated to me, that it was the priests——, and then +gave me hopes that he would have said something more; +but a qualm crossed his conscience, and hindered him from +making any farther confession.</p> + +<p>§ 31. The priests and conjurers have a great sway in +every nation. Their words are looked upon as oracles, and +consequently are of great weight among the common people. +They perform their adorations and conjurations in the +general language before spoken of, as the catholics of all +nations do their mass in the Latin. They teach that the +souls of men survive their bodies, and that those who have +done well here, enjoy most transporting pleasures in their +elysium hereafter; that this elysium is stored with the highest +perfection of all their earthly pleasures; namely, with +plenty of all sorts of game for hunting, fishing and fowling; +that it is blest with the most charming women, who enjoy +an eternal bloom, and have an universal desire to please; +that it is delivered from excesses of cold or heat, and +flourishes with an everlasting spring. But that, on the contrary, +those who are wicked and live scandalously here, are +condemned to a filthy, stinking lake after death, that continually +burns with flames that never extinguish; where they +are persecuted and tormented day and night, with furies in +the shape of old women.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>They use many divinations and enchantments, and frequently +offer burnt sacrifice to the evil spirit. The people +annually present their first fruits of every season and kind, +namely, of birds, beasts, fish, fruits, plants, roots, and of all +other things, which they esteem either of profit or pleasure +to themselves. They repeat their offerings as frequently as +they have great successes in their wars, or their fishing, +fowling or hunting.</p> + +<p>Captain Smith describes the particular manner of a conjuration +that was made about him, while he was a prisoner +among the Indians at the Pamunky town, in the first settlement +of the country; and after that I'll tell you of another +of a more modern date, which I had from a very good +hand. Smith's word's are these: vol. 1, p. 160.</p> + +<p class="blockquot">"Early in the morning, a great fire was made in a long +house, and a mat spread on the one side and on the other. +On the one they caused him to sit, and all the guard went +out of the house, and presently there came skipping in a +great grim fellow, all painted over with coal mingled with +oil, and many snakes and weasel skins stuffed with moss, +and all their tails tied together, so as they met in the crown +of his head, like a tassel, and round about the tassel was a +coronet of feathers, the skins hanging round about his +head, back and shoulders, and in a manner covering his +face; with a hellish voice, and a rattle in his hand, with +most strange gestures and postures, he began his invocation, +and environed the fire with a circle of meal; which done, +three much such like devils came rushing in with the like +antic tricks, painted half black, half red; but all their eyes +were painted white, and some great strokes like mustaches, +along their cheeks. Round about him these fiends danced +a pretty while; and then came in three more as ugly as +the rest, with red eyes and white strokes over their black +faces. At last they all sat down right against him, three of +them on one hand of the chief priest and three on the other. +Then all of them with their rattles began a song; which +ended, the chief priest laid down five wheat corns; then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +straining his arms and hands with such violence that he +sweat, and his veins swelled, he began a short oration. At +the conclusion they gave a short groan, and then laid down +three grains more; after that, began their song again, and +then another oration, ever laying down so many corns as +before, till they had twice encircled the fire. That done, +they took a bunch of little sticks prepared for that purpose, +continuing still their devotion, and at the end of every song +and oration, they laid down a stick betwixt the divisions +of corn. Till night neither he nor they did eat or drink, +and then they feasted merrily with the provisions they could +make. Three days they used this ceremony, the meaning +whereof they told him was to know if he intended +them well or no. The circle of meal signified their country, +the circles of corn the bounds of the sea, and the sticks +his country. They imagined the world to be flat and round +like a trencher, and they in the midst."</p> + +<p>Thus far is Smith's story of conjuration concerning himself; +but when he says they encircled the fire with wheat, +I am apt to believe he means their Indian corn, which +some, contrary to the custom of the rest of mankind will +still call by the name of Indian wheat.</p> + +<p>The latter story of conjuration is this: Some few years +ago, there happened a very dry time towards the heads of +the rivers, and especially on the upper parts of James river, +where Col. Byrd had several quarters of negroes. This +gentleman has been for a long time extremely respected and +feared by all the Indians round about, who, without knowing +the name of any governor, have ever been kept in order +by him. During this drought, an Indian, well known +to one of the Colonel's overseers, came to him, and asked +if his tobacco was not like to be spoiled? The overseer +answered yes, if they had not rain very suddenly. +The Indian, who pretended great kindness for his master, +told the overseer if he would promise to give him two +bottles of rum, he would bring him rain enough. The +overseer did not believe anything of the matter, not seeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> +at that time the least appearance of rain, nor so much +as a cloud in the sky; however, he promised to give him +the rum when his master came thither, if he would be as +good as his word. Upon this, the Indian went immediately +a pauwawing as they call it, and in about half an hour, +there came up a black cloud into the sky that showered +down rain enough upon this gentleman's corn and tobacco, +but none at all upon any of the neighbors, except a few +drops of the skirts of the shower. The Indian for that +time went away without returning to the overseer again, +till he heard of his master's arrival at the falls, and then +he came to him and demanded the two bottles of rum. +The Colonel at first seemed to know nothing of the matter, +and asked the Indian for what reason he made that +demand? (Although his overseer had been so overjoyed +at what had happened that he could not rest till he had +taken a horse and rode near forty miles to tell his master +the story.) The Indian answered with some concern, +that he hoped the overseer had let him know the service +he had done him, by bringing a shower of rain to +save his crop. At this the Colonel, not being apt to believe +such stories, smiled, and told him he was a cheat, +and had seen the cloud acoming, otherwise he could neither +have brought the rain nor so much as foretold it. +The Indian at this, seeming much troubled, replied, why +then had not such a one, and such a one, (naming the +next neighbor,) rain, as well as your overseer? for they lost +their crops, but I loved you and therefore I saved yours. +The Colonel made sport with him a little while, but in +the end ordered him the two bottles of rum, letting him +understand, however, that it was a free gift, and not the +consequence of any bargain with his overseer.</p> + +<p>§ 32. The Indians have their altars and places of sacrifice. +Some say they now and then sacrifice young children; +but they deny it, and assure us, that when they +withdraw their children, it is not to sacrifice them, but to +consecrate them to the service of their god. Smith tells<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +of one of these sacrifices in his time, from the testimony of +some people who had been eye-witnesses. His words are +these, (vol. 1, p. 140):</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"Fifteen of the properest young boys, between ten and +fifteen years of age, they painted white; having brought +them forth, the people spent the forenoon in dancing and +singing about them with rattles. In the afternoon, they put +these children to the root of a tree. By them all the men +stood in a guard, every one having a bastinado in his hand, +made of reeds bound together. They made a lane between +them all along, through which there were appointed five +young men to fetch these children: so every one of the +five went through the guard to fetch a child each after other +by turns; the guard fiercely beating them with their bastinadoes, +and they patiently enduring and receiving all, defending +the children with their naked bodies from the unmerciful +blows, that pay them soundly, though the children +escape. All this while the women weep and cry out +very passionately, providing mats, skins, moss and dry +wood, as things fitting for their children's funeral. After +the children were thus past the guard, the guards tore down +the tree, branches and boughs with such violence, that they +rent the body, made wreaths for their heads, and bedecked +their hair with the leaves.</p> + +<p>"What else was done with the children was not seen; +but they were all cast on a heap in a valley as dead, where +they made a great feast for all the company.</p> + +<p>"The Werowance being demanded the meaning of this sacrifice, +answered, that the children were not dead, but that +the Okee or devil did suck the blood from the left breast of +those, who chanced to be his by lot, till they were dead; +but the rest were kept in the wilderness by the young men, +till nine months were expired, during which time they must +not converse with any; and of these were made their priests +and conjurers."</p> +</div> + +<p>How far Captain Smith might be misinformed in this account, +I can't say, or whether their Okee's sucking the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> +breast, be only a delusion or pretence of the physician, (or +priest, who is always a physician,) to prevent all reflection +on his skill when any happened to die under his discipline. +This I choose rather to believe, than those religious romances +concerning their Okee. For I take this story of +Smith's to be only an example of huskanawing, which being +a ceremony then altogether unknown to him, he might +easily mistake some of the circumstances of it.</p> + +<p>The solemnity of huskanawing is commonly practiced +once every fourteen or sixteen years, or oftener, as their +young men happen to grow up. It is an institution or discipline +which all young men must pass before they can be +admitted to be of the number of the great men, officers, or +cockarouses of the nation; whereas, by Capt. Smith's relation, +they were only set apart to supply the priesthood. The +whole ceremony of huskanawing is performed after the following +manner:</p> + +<p>The choicest and briskest young men of the town, and +such only as have acquired some treasure by their travels +and hunting, are chosen out by the rulers to be huskanawed; +and whoever refuses to undergo this process dares +not remain among them. Several of those odd preparatory +fopperies are premised in the beginning, which have been +before related; but the principal part of the business is, to +carry them into the woods, and there keep them under +confinement, and destitute of all society for several months, +giving them no other sustenance but the infusion, or decoction, +of some poisonous, intoxicating roots; by virtue of +which physic, and by the severity of the discipline which they +undergo, they became stark, staring mad; in which raving +condition, they are kept eighteen or twenty days. During +these extremities, they are shut up, night and day, in a +strong inclosure, made on purpose; one of which I saw belonging +to the Pamunky Indians, in the year 1694. It was +in shape like a sugar loaf, and every way open like a lattice +for the air to pass through, as in tab. 4, fig. 3. In this +cage, thirteen young men had been huskanawed, and had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +not been a month set at liberty when I saw it. Upon this +occasion, it is pretended that these poor creatures drink so much +of that water of Lethe, that they perfectly lose the remembrance +of all former things, even of their parents, their treasure, +and their language. When the doctors find that they have +drank sufficiently of the wysoccan, (so they call this mad potion,) +they gradually restore them to their senses again, by lessening +the intoxication of their diet; but before they are perfectly +well, they bring them back into their towns, while +they are still wild and crazy, through the violence of the +medicine. After this, they are very fearful of discovering anything +of their former remembrance; for if such a thing +should happen to any of them, they must immediately be +huskanawed again; and the second time, the usage is so +severe, that seldom any one escapes with life. Thus they +must pretend to have forgot the very use of their tongues, +so as not to be able to speak, nor understand anything that +is spoken, till they learn it again. Now, whether this be +real or counterfeit, I don't know; but certain it is, that they +will not for some time take notice of any body, nor anything +with which they were before acquainted, being still +under the guard of their keepers, who constantly wait upon +them everywhere till they have learnt all things perfectly +over again. Thus they unlive their former lives, and commence +men by forgetting that they ever have been boys. If, +under this exercise, any one should die, I suppose the story +of Okee, mentioned by Smith, is the salvo for it; for, (says +he) Okee was to have such as were his by lot, and such +were said to be sacrificed.</p> + +<p>Now this conjecture is the more probable, because we +know that Okee has not a share in every huskanawing; +for though two young men happened to come short home, +in that of the Pamunky Indians, which was performed in +the year 1694, yet the Appomattoxs, formerly a great nation, +though now an inconsiderable people, made a huskanaw +in the year 1690, and brought home the same number +they carried out.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>§ 33. I can account no other way for the great pains and +secrecy of the keepers, during the whole process of this discipline, +but by assuring you, that it is the most meritorious +thing in the world to discharge that trust well, in order to +their preferment to the greatest posts in the nation, which +they claim as their undoubted right, in the next promotion. +On the other hand, they are sure of a speedy passport +into the other world, if they should, by their levity or +neglect, shew themselves in the least unfaithful.</p> + +<p>Those which I have observed to have been huskanawed, +were lively, handsome, well timbered young men, from fifteen +to twenty years of age, or upward, and such as were +generally reputed rich.</p> + +<p>I confess, I judged it at the first sight to be only an invention +of the seniors, to engross the young men's riches to +themselves; for, after suffering this operation, they never +pretended to call to mind anything of their former property; +but their goods were either shared by the old men, or brought +to some public use; and so those younkers were obliged +to begin the world again.</p> + +<p>But the Indians detest this opinion, and pretend that this +violent method of taking away the memory, is to release +the youth from all their childish impressions, and from that +strong partiality to persons and things, which is contracted +before reason comes to take place. They hope by this proceeding, +to root out all the prepossessions and unreasonable +prejudices which are fixed in the minds of children. So +that, when the young men come to themselves again, their +reason may act freely, without being biased by the cheats +of custom and education. Thus, also, they become discharged +from the remembrance of any ties by blood, and +are established in a state of equality and perfect freedom, +to order their actions, and dispose of their persons, as they +think fit, without any other control than that of the +law of nature. By this means also they become qualified, +when they have any public office, equally and impartially +to administer justice, without having respect either to friend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +or relation. Puffend. p. 7, book I. A proselyte of justice +of the Jews had a new soul.</p> + +<p>§ 34. The Indians offer sacrifice almost upon every new +occasion; as when they travel or begin a long journey, they +burn tobacco instead of incense, to the sun, to bribe him to +send them fair weather, and a prosperous voyage. When +they cross any great water, or violent fresh, or torrent, they +throw in tobacco, puccoon, peak, or some other valuable +thing, that they happen to have about them, to intreat the +spirit presiding there to grant them a safe passage. It is called +a fresh, when after very great rains, or (as we suppose) +after a great thaw of the snow and ice lying upon the +mountains to the westward, the water descends in such abundance +into the rivers, that they overflow the banks, which +bound their streams at other times.</p> + +<p>Likewise, when the Indians return from war, from hunting, +from great journeys or the like, they offer some proportion +of their spoils, of their chiefest tobacco, furs and paint, +as also the fat, and choice bits of their game.</p> + +<p>§ 35. I never could learn that they had any certain +time or set days for their solemnities; but they have appointed +feasts that happen according to the several seasons. +They solemnize a day for the plentiful coming of their +wild fowl, such as geese, ducks, teal, &c., for the returns +of their hunting seasons, and for the ripening of certain +fruits; but the greatest annual feast they have, is at the +time of their corn-gathering, at which they revel several +days together. To these they universally contribute, as +they do to the gathering in the corn. On this occasion, +they have their greatest variety of pastimes, and more especially +of their war-dances and heroic songs; in which +they boast, that their corn being now gathered, they have +store enough for their women and children, and have +nothing to do, but to go to war, travel, and to seek out +for new adventures.</p> + +<p>§ 36. They make their account by units, tens, hundreds, +&c., as we do; but they reckon the years by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +winters, or <i>cobonks</i>, as they call them; which is a name +taken from the note of the wild-geese, intimating so many +times of the wild geese coming to them, which is every +winter. They distinguish the several parts of the year, +by five seasons, viz: the budding or blossoming of the +spring; the earing of the corn, or roasting-ear time; the +summer, or highest sun; the corn-gathering or fall of the +leaf, and the winter, or <i>cobonks</i>. They count the months +likewise by the moons, though not with any relation to +so many in a year, as we do; but they make them return +again by the same name, as the moon of stags, the +corn moon, the first and second moon of <i>cobonks</i>, &c. +They have no distinction of the hours of the day, but +divide it only into three parts, the rise, power, and lowering +of the sun. And they keep their account by knots +on a string, or notches on a stick, not unlike the Peruvian +quippoes.</p> + +<p>§ 37. In this state of nature, one would think they +should be as pure from superstition, and overdoing matters +in religion, as they are in other things; but I find it is +quite the contrary; for this simplicity gives the cunning +priest a greater advantage over them, according to the Romish +maxim, "<i>Ignorance is the mother of devotion.</i>" For, +no bigotted pilgrim appears more zealous, or strains his +devotion more at the shrine, than these believing Indians +do, in their idolatrous adorations. Neither do the most +refined Catholics undergo their pennance with so much submission, +as these poor Pagans do the severities which their +priests inflict upon them.</p> + +<p>They have likewise in other cases many fond and idle +superstitions, as for the purpose. By the falls of James +river upon Colonel Byrd's land, there lies a rock which I +have seen, about a mile from the river, wherein are fairly +imprest several marks like the footsteps of a gigantic man, +each step being about five feet asunder. These they aver +to be the track of their God.</p> + +<p>This is not unlike what the fathers of the Romish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +Church tell us, that our Lord left the print of His feet +on the stone, whereon he stood while he talked with St. +Peter; which stone was afterward preserved as a very sacred +relic; and after several translations, was at last fixed in the +Church of St. Sebastian, the martyr, where it is kept, and +visited with great expressions of devotion. So that the Indians, +as well as these, are not without their pious frauds.</p> + +<p>§ 38. As the people have a great reverence for the priest, +so the priest very oddly endeavours to preserve their respect, +by being as hideously ugly as he can, especially when he +appears in public; for besides, that the cut of his hair is +peculiar to his function, as in tab. 4, book 3, and the +hanging of his cloak, with the fur reversed and falling +down in flakes, looks horridly shagged, he likewise bedaubs +himself in that frightful manner with paint, that he terrifies +the people into a veneration for him.</p> + +<p>The conjuror is a partner with the priest, not only in +the cheat, but in the advantages of it, and sometimes they +officiate for one another. When this artist is in the act +of conjuration, or of <i>pauwawing</i>, as they term it, he +always appears with an air of haste, or else in some convulsive +posture, that seems to strain all the faculties, like +the Sybils, when they appeared to be under the power of +inspiration. At these times, he has a black bird with expanded +wings fastened to his ear, differing in nothing but +color, from Mahomet's pigeon. He has no clothing but +a small skin before, and a pocket at his girdle, as in tab. +4, book 3.</p> + +<p>The Indians never go about any considerable enterprise, +without first consulting their priests and conjurers, for the +most ingenious amongst them are brought up to those functions, +and by that means become better instructed in their +histories, than the rest of the people. They likewise engross +to themselves all the knowledge of nature, which is handed +to them by tradition from their forefathers; by which +means they are able to make a truer judgment of things, +and consequently are more capable of advising those that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +consult them upon all occasions. These reverend gentlemen +are not so entirely given up to their religious austerities, +but they sometimes take their pleasure (as well as +the laity) in fishing, fowling and hunting.</p> + +<p>§ 39. The Indians have posts fixed round their <i>Quioccassan</i>, +which have men's faces carved upon them, and +are painted. They are likewise set up round some of +their other celebrated places, and make a circle for them +to dance about on certain solemn occasions. They very often +set up pyramidal stones and pillars, which they color +with puccoon, and other sorts of paint, and which they +adorn with peak, roenoke, &c. To these they pay all +outward signs of worship and devotion, not as to God, +but as they are hieroglyphics of the permanency and immutability +of the Deity; because these, both for figure +and substance, are of all sublunary bodies, the least subject +to decay or change; they also, for the same reason, +keep baskets of stones in their cabins. Upon this account +too, they offer sacrifice to running streams, which by the +perpetuity of their motion, typify the eternity of God.</p> + +<p>They erect altars wherever they have any remarkable occasion, +and because their principal devotion consists in sacrifice, +they have a profound respect for these altars. They +have one particular altar, to which, for some mystical reason, +many of their nations pay an extraordinary veneration; +of this sort was the crystal cube, mentioned book II, chap. +3, § 9. The Indians call this by the name of pawcorance, +from whence proceeds the great reverence they have for a +small bird that uses the woods, and in their note continually +sound that name. This bird flies alone, and is only +heard in the twilight. They say, this is the soul of one +of their princes; and on that score, they would not hurt +it for the world. But there was once a profane Indian in +the upper parts of James river, who, after abundance of +fears and scruples, was at last bribed to kill one of them +with his gun; but the Indians say he paid dear for his presumption;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +for in a few days after he was taken away, and +never more heard of. I have young birds of this kind.</p> + +<p>When they travel by any of these altars, they take great +care to instruct their children and young people in the particular +occasion and time of their erection, and recommend +the respect which they ought to have for them; so that +their careful observance of these traditions proves almost as +good a memorial of such antiquities as written records, +especially for so long as the same people continue to inhabit +in or near the same place.</p> + +<p>I can't understand that their women ever pretended to intermeddle +with any offices that relate to the priesthood or +conjuration.</p> + +<p>§ 40. The Indians are religious in preserving the corpses +of their kings and rulers after death, which they order in +the following manner: First, they neatly flay off the skin as +entire as they can, slitting it only in the back; then they +pick all the flesh off from the bones as clean as possible, +leaving the sinews fastened to the bones, that they may +preserve the joints together; then they dry the bones in +the sun, and put them into the skin again, which, in the +meantime, has been kept from drying or shrinking; when +the bones are placed right in the skin, they nicely fill +up the vacuities with a very fine white sand. After this +they sew up the skin again, and the body looks as if the +flesh had not been removed. They take care to keep the +skin from shrinking, by the help of a little oil or grease, +which saves it also from corruption. The skin being +thus prepared, they lay it in an apartment for that purpose, +upon a large shelf raised above the floor. This shelf +is spread with mats, for the corpse to rest easy on, and +skreened with the same, to keep it from the dust. The +flesh they lay upon hurdles in the sun to dry, and when +it is thoroughly dried, it is sewed up in a basket, and set +at the feet of the corpse, to which it belongs. In this +place also they set up a quioccos, or idol, which they believe +will be a guard to the corpse. Here night and day<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> +one or other of the priests must give his attendance, to take +care of the dead bodies. So great an honor and veneration +have these ignorant and unpolished people for their princes, +even after they are dead.</p> + +<p>The mat is supposed to be turned up in the figure, +that the inside may be viewed.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 348px;"> +<img src="images/illus-214.jpg" width="348" height="600" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond. +Tab. 12 Book 3 Pag. 170" title="Tab 12" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond.<br /> +Tab. 12 Book 3 Pag. 170</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> 12. Represents the burial of the kings.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE DISEASES AND CURES OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 41. The Indians are not subject to many diseases; and +such as they have, generally come from excessive heats and +sudden colds, which they as suddenly get away by sweating. +But if the humor happen to fix, and make a pain +in any particular joint, or limb, their general cure then is +by burning, if it be in any part that will bear it; their +method of doing this is by little sticks of lightwood, the coal +of which will burn like a hot iron; the sharp point of this +they run into the flesh, and having made a sore, keep it +running till the humor be drawn off; or else they take +punk, (which is a sort of soft touchwood, cut out of the +knots of oak or hickory trees, but the hickory affords the +best,) this they shape like a cone, (as the Japanese do their +moxa for the gout,) and apply the basis of it to the place +affected. Then they set fire to it, letting it burn out upon +the part, which makes a running sore effectually.</p> + +<p>They use sucking in sores frequently, and scarifying, +which, like the Mexicans, they perform with a rattlesnake's +tooth. They seldom cut deeper than the epidermis, by +which means they give passage to those sharp waterish +humors that lie between the two skins, and cause inflammations. +Sometimes they make use of reeds for cauterizing, +which they heat over the fire, till they are ready to flame, +and then apply them upon a piece of thin wet leather to +the place aggrieved, which makes the heat more piercing.</p> + +<p>Their priests are always physicians, and by the method +of their education in the priesthood, are made very knowing +in the hidden qualities of plants and other natural<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +things, which they count a part of their religion to conceal +from everybody, but from those that are to succeed them +in their holy function. They tell us their god will be +angry with them if they should discover that part of their +knowledge; so they suffer only the rattlesnake root to be +known, and such other antidotes, as must be immediately +applied, because their doctors can't be always at hand +to remedy those sudden misfortunes which generally happen +in their hunting or traveling.</p> + +<p>They call their physic wisoccan, not from the name of +any particular root or plant, but as it signifies medicine in +general. So that Heriot, De Bry, Smith, Purchase and De +Laet, seem all to be mistaken in the meaning of this word +wighsacan, which they make to be the name of a particular +root; and so is Parkinson in the word woghsacan, which he +will have to be the name of a plant. Nor do I think +there is better authority for applying the word wisank to +the plant vincetoxicum indianum germanicum, or winank +to the sassafras tree.</p> + +<p>The physic of the Indians consists for the most part in +the roots and barks of trees, they very rarely using the +leaves either of herbs or trees; what they give inwardly, +they infuse in water, and what they apply outwardly, they +stamp or bruise, adding water to it, if it has not moisture +enough of itself; with the thin of this they bath the part +affected, then lay on the thick, after the manner of a +poultice, and commonly dress round, leaving the sore place +bare.</p> + +<p>§ 42. They take great delight in sweating, and therefore +in every town they have a sweating house, and a +doctor is paid by the public to attend it. They commonly +use this to refresh themselves, after they have been fatigued +with hunting, travel, or the like, or else when they are +troubled with agues, aches, or pains in their limbs. Their +method is thus: the doctor takes three or four large stones, +which after having heated red hot, he places them in the +middle of the stove, laying on them some of the inner bark<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +of oak beaten in a mortar, to keep them from burning. +This being done, they creep in six or eight at a time, or +as many as the place will hold, and then close up the +mouth of the stove, which is usually made like an oven, +in some bank near the water side. In the meanwhile +the doctor to raise a steam, after they have been stewing +a little while, pours cold water on the stones, and now +and then sprinkles the men to keep them from fainting. +After they have sweat as long as they can well endure it, +they sally out, and (though it be in the depth of winter) +forthwith plunge themselves over head and ears in cold water, +which instantly closes up the pores, and preserves them +from taking cold. The heat being thus suddenly driven +from the extreme parts to the heart, makes them a little +feeble for the present, but their spirits rally again, and +they instantly recover their strength, and find their joints +as supple and vigorous as if they never had traveled, or +been indisposed. So that I may say as Bellonius does in +his observations on the Turkish bagnio's, all the crudities +contracted in their bodies are by this means evaporated +and carried off. The Muscovites and Finlanders are said +to use this way of sweating also. "It is almost a miracle," +says Olearius, "to see how their bodies, accustomed +to and hardened by cold, can endure so intense a heat, and +how that when they are not able to endure it longer, +they come out of the stoves as naked as they were born, +both men and women, and plunge into cold water, or cause +it to be poured on them." Trav. into Musc., I, 3, page 67.</p> + +<p>The Indians also pulverize the roots of a kind of anchusa, +or yellow alkanet, which they call puccoon, and of a sort of +wild angelica, and mixing them together with bear's oil, +make a yellow ointment, with which, after they have +bathed, they anoint themselves Capapee; this supples the +skin, renders them nimble and active, and withal so closes +up the pores, that they lose but few of their spirits by +perspiration. Piso relates the same of the Brazilians; and +my Lord Bacon asserts, that oil and fat things do no less<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +conserve the substance of the body, than oil-colors and varnish +do that of the wood.</p> + +<p>They have also a farther advantage of this ointment; +for it keeps all lice, fleas, and other troublesome vermin +from coming near them; which otherwise, by reason of the +nastiness of their cabins, they would be very much infested +with.</p> + +<p>Smith talks of this puccoon, as if it only grew on the +mountains, whereas it is common to all the plantations of +the English, now on the land frontiers.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 43. Their sports and pastimes are singing, dancing, instrumental +music, and some boisterous plays, which are performed +by running, catching and leaping upon one another; +they have also one great diversion, to the practicing of +which are requisite whole handfuls of little sticks or hard +straws, which they know how to count as fast as they can +cast their eyes upon them, and can handle with a surprising +dexterity.</p> + +<p>Their singing is not the most charming that I have +heard; it consists much in exalting the voice, and is full of +slow melancholy accents. However, I must allow even this +music to contain some wild notes that are agreeable.</p> + +<p>Their dancing is performed either by few or a great company, +but without much regard either to time or figure. +The first of these is by one or two persons, or at most by +three. In the meanwhile, the company sit about them in a +ring upon the ground, singing outrageously and shaking +their rattles. The dancers sometimes sing, and sometimes +look menacing and terrible, beating their feet furiously +against the ground, and shewing ten thousand grimaces and +distortions. The other is performed by a great number of +people, the dancers themselves forming a ring, and moving +round a circle of carved posts, that are set up for that purpose; +or else round a fire, made in a convenient part of +the town; and then each has his rattle in his hand, or +what other thing he fancies most, as his bow and arrows, or +his tomahawk. They also dress themselves up with branches +of trees, or some other strange accoutrements. Thus they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +proceed, dancing and singing, with all the antic postures +they can invent; and he's the bravest fellow that has the +most prodigious gestures. Sometimes they place three young +women in the middle of the circle, as you may see in the +figure.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-222.jpg" width="600" height="376" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va. +Tab. 13 Book 3 Pag. 176" title="Tab 13" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va.<br /> +Tab. 13 Book 3 Pag. 176</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> 13. Represents a solemn festival dance of the Indians +round their carved posts.</p> + +<p>Those which on each side are hopping upon their hams, +take that way of coming up to the ring, and when they +find an opportunity strike in among the rest.</p> + +<p>Captain Smith relates the particulars of a dance made for +his entertainment, by Pocahontas, daughter of the emperor +Powhatan, to divert him till her father came, who happened +not to be at home when Smith arrived at his town. +Gen. Hist., p. 194.</p> + +<p class="blockquot">"In a fair plain field they made a fire, before which he +sat down upon a mat, when suddenly amongst the woods +was heard such a hideous noise and shrieking, that the English +betook themselves to their arms, and seized on two or +three old men by them, supposing Powhatan with all his +power was coming to surprise them. But presently Pocahontas +came, willing him to kill her, if any hurt were intended; +and the beholders, which were men, women and +children, satisfied the captain that there was no such matter. +Then presently they were presented with this antic; thirty +young women came naked out of the woods, only covered +behind and before with a few green leaves, their bodies all +painted, some of one color, some of another, but all differing; +their leader had a fair pair of buck's horns on her +head, an otter's skin at her girdle, another at her arm, a +quiver of arrows at her back, and a bow and arrows in her +hand. The next had in her hand a sword, another a club, +another a potstick; all of them being horned alike: the +rest were all set out with their several devices. These +fiends, with most hellish shouts and cries, rushing from +among the trees, cast themselves in a ring about the fire, +singing and dancing with most excellent ill variety, oft<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> +falling into their infernal passions, and then solemnly betaking +themselves again to sing and dance; having spent an +hour in this mascarado, as they entered, in like manner +they departed."</p> + +<p>They have a fire made constantly every night, at a convenient +place in the town, whither all that have a mind to +be merry, at the public dance or music, resort in the evening.</p> + +<p>Their musical instruments are chiefly drums and rattles: +their drums are made of a skin, stretched over an earthen +pot half full of water. Their rattles are the shell of a +small gourd, or macock of the creeping kind, and not of +those called callibaches, which grow upon trees; of which +the Brazilians make their maraka, or tamaraka, a sort of +rattle also, as Clusius seems to intimate.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE LAWS, AND AUTHORITY OF THE INDIANS AMONG +ONE ANOTHER.</p> + + +<p>§ 44. The Indians having no sort of letters among +them, as has been before observed, they can have no written +laws; nor did the constitution in which we found them +seem to need many. Nature and their own convenience +having taught them to obey one chief, who is arbiter of all +things among them. They claim no property in lands, but +they are in common to a whole nation. Every one hunts +and fishes, and gathers fruits in all places. Their labor in +tending corn, pompions, melons, &c., is not so great, that +they need quarrel for room, where the land is so fertile, +and where so much lies uncultivated.</p> + +<p>They bred no sort of cattle, nor had anything that could +be called riches. They valued skins and furs for use, and +peak and roenoke for ornament.</p> + +<p>They are very severe in punishing ill breeding, of which +every Werowance is undisputed judge, who never fails to +lay a rigorous penalty upon it: an example whereof I had +from a gentleman that was an eye-witness; which was this:</p> + +<p>In the time of Bacon's rebellion, one of these Werowances, +attended by several others of his nation, was treating +with the English in New Kent county about a peace; and +during the time of his speech, one of his attendants presumed +to interrupt him, which he resented as the most unpardonable +affront that could be offered him; and therefore +he instantly took his tomahawk from his girdle and split the +fellow's head for his presumption. The poor fellow dying +immediately upon the spot, he commanded some of his men<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> +to carry him out, and went on again with his speech where +he left off, as unconcerned as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>The Indians never forget nor forgive an injury, till satisfaction +be given, be it national or personal: but it becomes +the business of their whole lives; and even after that, the +revenge is entailed upon their posterity, till full reparation +be made.</p> + +<p>§ 45. The titles of honor that I have observed among +them peculiar to themselves, are only Cockarouse and Werowance, +besides that of the king and queen; but of late +they have borrowed some titles from us, which they bestow +among themselves. A Cockarouse is one that has the honor +to be of the king or queen's council, with relation to the +affairs of the government, and has a great share in the administration. +A Werowance is a military officer, who of +course takes upon him the command of all parties, either of +hunting, traveling, warring, or the like, and the word signifies +a war-captain.</p> + +<p>The priests and conjurers are also of great authority, the +people having recourse to them for counsel and direction +upon all occasions; by which means, and by help of the +first fruits and frequent offerings, they riot in the fat of the +land, and grow rich upon the spoils of their ignorant countrymen.</p> + +<p>They have also people of a rank inferior to the commons, +a sort of servants among them. These are called +black boys, and are attendant upon the gentry, to do their +servile offices, which, in their state of nature, are not many. +For they live barely up to the present relief of their necessities, +and make all things easy and comfortable to themselves, +by the indulgence of a kind climate, without toiling +and perplexing their minds for riches, which other people +often trouble themselves to provide for uncertain and ungrateful +heirs. In short, they seem as possessing nothing, +and yet enjoying all things.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE TREASURE OR RICHES OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 46. The Indians had nothing which they reckoned +riches, before the English went among them, except peak, +roenoke, and such like trifles made out of the conch shell. +These past with them instead of gold and silver, and served +them both for money and ornament. It was the English +alone that taught them first to put a value on their skins +and furs, and to make a trade of them.</p> + +<p>Peak is of two sorts, or rather of two colors, for both +are made of one shell, though of different parts; one is a +dark purple cylinder, and the other a white; they are both +made in size and figure alike, and commonly much resembling +the English bugles, but not so transparent nor so +brittle. They are wrought as smooth as glass, being one +third of an inch long, and about a quarter diameter, strung +by a hole drilled through the centre. The dark color is the +dearest, and distinguished by the name of wampom peak. +The Englishmen that are called Indian traders, value the +wampom peak at eighteen pence per yard, and the white +peak at nine pence. The Indians also make pipes of this, +two or three inches long, and thicker than ordinary, which +are much more valuable. They also make runtees of the +small shell, and grind them as smooth as peak. These are +either large like an oval bead, and drilled the length of the +oval, or else they are circular and flat, almost an inch over, +and one third of an inch thick, and drilled edgeways. Of +this shell they also make round tablets of about four inches +diameter, which they polish as smooth as the other, and +sometimes they etch or grave thereon circles, stars, a half<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +moon, or any other figure suitable to their fancy. These +they wear instead of medals before or behind their neck, +and use the peak, runtees and pipes for coronets, bracelets, +belts, or long strings hanging down before the breast, or +else they lace their garments with them, and adorn their +tomahawks, and every other thing that they value.</p> + +<p>They have also another sort which is as current among +them, but of far less value; and this is made of the cockle +shell, broken into small bits with rough edges, drilled +through in the same manner as beads, and this they call +roenoke, and use it as the peak.</p> + +<p>These sorts of money have their rates set upon them as +unalterable, and current as the values of our money are.</p> + +<p>The Indians have likewise some pearl amongst them, and +formerly had many more, but where they got them is uncertain, +except they found them in the oyster banks, which +are frequent in this country.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE HANDICRAFTS OF THE INDIANS.</p> + + +<p>§ 47. Before I finish my account of the Indians, it will +not be amiss to inform you, that when the English went +first among them, they had no sort of iron or steel instruments; +but their knives were either sharpened reeds or +shells, and their axes sharp stones, bound to the end of a +stick, and glued in with turpentine. By the help of these, +they made their bows of the locust tree, an excessive hard +wood when it is dry, but much more easily cut when it +is green, of which they always took the advantage. They +made their arrows of reeds or small wands, which needed +no other cutting, but in the length, being otherwise ready +for notching, feathering and heading. They fledged their +arrows with turkey feathers, which they fastened with glue +made of the velvet horns of a deer; but it has not that +quality it's said to have, of holding against all weathers; +they arm'd the heads with a white transparent stone, like +that of Mexico mentioned by Peter Martyr, of which they +have many rocks; they also headed them with the spurs +of the wild turkey cock.</p> + +<p>They rubbed fire out of particular sorts of wood (as the +ancients did out of the ivy and bays) by turning the end +of a hard piece upon the side of a piece that is soft and +dry, like a spindle on its inke, by which it heats, and at +length burns; to this they put sometimes also rotten wood +and dry leaves, to hasten the work.</p> + +<p>§ 48. Under the disadvantage of such tools they made a +shift to fell vast great trees, and clear the land of wood +in places where they had occasion.</p> + +<p>They bring down a great tree by making a small fire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +round the root, and keeping the flame from running upward, +until they burn away so much of the basis, that the +least puff of wind throws it down. When it is prostrate, +they burn it off to what length they would have it, and +with their stone tomahawks break off all the bark, which +when the sap runs will easily strip, and at other times +also, if it be well warmed with fire. When it is brought to +a due length, they raise it upon a bed to a convenient +height for their working, and then, begin by gentle fires +to hollow it, and with scrapers rake the trunk, and turn +away the fire from one place to another, till they have +deepened the belly of it to their desire. Thus also they +shape the ends, till they have made it a fit vessel for +crossing the water, and this they call a canoe, one of +which I have seen thirty feet long.</p> + +<p>When they wanted any land to be cleared of the woods, +they chopped a notch round the trees quite through the +bark with their stone hatchets or tomahawks, and that +deadened the trees, so that they sprouted no more, but in +a few years fell down. However, the ground was plant-able, +and would produce immediately upon the withering of +the trees. But now for all these uses they employ axes +and little hatchets, which they buy of the English. The +occasions aforementioned, and the building of their cabins, +are still the greatest use they have for these utensils, because +they trouble not themselves with any other sort of +handicraft, to which such tools are necessary. Their household +utensils are baskets made of silk grass, gourds, which +grow to the shapes they desire them, and earthen pots to +boil victuals in, which they make of clay.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/illus-244.jpg" width="600" height="367" alt="Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va. +Tab: 14. Book: 3 Pag: 183" title="Tab 14" /> +<span class="caption">Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va.<br /> +Tab: 14. Book: 3 Pag: 183</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tab.</span> 14. Shows their manner of felling great trees (before +they had iron instruments) by firing the root, and +bringing them to fit lengths, and shaping them for use by +fire alone.</p> + +<p>The Indians of Virginia are almost wasted, but such +towns or people as retain their names and live in bodies +are hereunder set down, all which together can't raise five<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +hundred fighting men. They live poorly, and much in +fear of the neighboring Indians. Each town, by the articles +of peace, 1677, pays three Indian arrows for their +land, and twenty beaver skins for protection every year.</p> + +<p>In Accomac are eight towns, viz:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>Metomkin is much decreased of late by the small pox, +that was carried thither.</p> + +<p>Gingoteague. The few remains of this town are joined +with a nation of the Maryland Indians.</p> + +<p>Kiequotank is reduced to very few men.</p> + +<p>Matchopungo has a small number yet living.</p> + +<p>Occahanock has a small number yet living.</p> + +<p>Pungoteague. Governed by a queen, but a small nation.</p> + +<p>Onancock has but four or five families.</p> + +<p>Chiconessex has very few, who just keep the name.</p> + +<p>Nanduye. A seat of the empress. Not above twenty families, +but she hath all the nations of this shore under +tribute.</p></div> + +<p>In Northampton, Gangascoe, which is almost as numerous +as all the foregoing nations put together.</p> + +<p>In Prince George Wyanoke is extinct.</p> + +<p>In Charles City Appomattox is extinct.</p> + +<p>In Surry. Nottawayes, which are about a hundred bowmen, +of late a thriving and increasing people.</p> + +<p>By Nansemond. Meherrin has about thirty bowmen, +who keep at a stand.</p> + +<p>Nansemond. About thirty bowmen. They have increased +much of late.</p> + +<p>In King William's county two. Pamunky has about +forty bowmen, who decrease.</p> + +<p>Chickahominy, which had about sixteen bowmen, but +lately increased.</p> + +<p>In Essex. Rappahannock extinct.</p> + +<p>In Richmond. Port Tobacco extinct.</p> + +<p>In Northumberland. Wiccomocca has but few men +living, which yet keep up their kingdom and retain their +fashion, yet live by themselves, separate from all other +Indians, and from the English.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>§ 49. Thus I have given a succinct account of the Indians; +happy, I think, in their simple state of nature, +and in their enjoyment of plenty, without the curse of +labor. They have on several accounts reason to lament +the arrival of the Europeans, by whose means they seem +to have lost their felicity as well as their innocence. +The English have taken away great part of their country, +and consequently made everything less plentiful amongst +them. They have introduced drunkenness and luxury +amongst them, which have multiplied their wants, and +put them upon desiring a thousand things they never +dreamt of before. I have been the more concise in my +account of this harmless people, because I have inserted +several figures, which I hope have both supplied the defect +of words, and rendered the descriptions more clear. +I shall, in the next place, proceed to treat of Virginia as +it is now improved, (I should rather say altered,) by the +English, and of its present constitution and settlement.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> +<h1>OF THE<br /> +PRESENT STATE OF VIRGINIA.</h1> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> + +<p class="centersc">AS THIS BOOK MUST CONSIST OF TWO PARTS, FIRST, THE POLITY +OF THE GOVERNMENT; SECONDLY, THE HUSBANDRY AND +IMPROVEMENTS OF THE COUNTRY; I SHALL +HANDLE THEM SEPARATELY.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h1><a name="BOOK_IV" id="BOOK_IV"></a>BOOK IV.</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="PART_I" id="PART_I"></a>PART I.</h2> + +<p class="center">OF THE CIVIL POLITY AND GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_Ic" id="CHAPTER_Ic"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 1. I have already hinted, that the first settlement of +this country was under the direction of a company of merchants +incorporated.</p> + +<p>That the first constitution of government appointed by +them was a president and council, which council was nominated +by the corporation or company in London, and the +president annually chosen by the people in Virginia.</p> + +<p>That in the year 1610, this constitution was altered, and +the company obtained a new grant of his majesty; whereby<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +they themselves had the nomination of the governor, who +was obliged to act only by advice in council.</p> + +<p>That in the year 1620, an assembly of burgesses was first +called, from all the inhabited parts of the country, who sat +in consultation with the governor and council, for settling +the public affairs of the plantation.</p> + +<p>That when the company was dissolved, the king continued +the same method of government, by a governor, +council and burgesses; which three being united were called +the general assembly.</p> + +<p>That this general assembly debated all the weighty affairs +of the colony, and enacted laws for the better government +of the people; and the governor and council were to put +them in execution.</p> + +<p>That the governor and council were appointed by the +king, and the assembly chosen by the people.</p> + +<p>Afterwards the governor had a more extensive power put +into his hands, so that his assent in all affairs become absolutely +necessary; yet was he still bound to act by advice of +council in many things.</p> + +<p>Until the rebellion 1676, the governor had no power to +suspend the counsellors, nor to remove any of them from +the council board.</p> + +<p>Then a power was given him of suspending them, but +with proviso, that he gave substantial reasons for so doing; +and was answerable to his majesty for the truth of the accusation.</p> + +<p>Then also this model of government by a governor, +council and assembly, was confirmed to them with a farther +clause, that if the governor should happen to die, or +be removed, and no other person in the country nominated +by the crown to supply his place, then the president, +or eldest councillor, with the assistance of any five of the +council, should take upon him the administration of the +government, all which are authorized by commission and +instructions to the governor.</p> + +<p>Before the year 1680, the council sat in the same house<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> +with the burgesses of assembly, much resembling the model +of the Scotch parliament; and the Lord Colepepper, +taking advantage of some disputes among them, procured +the council to sit apart from the assembly; and so they +became two distinct houses, in imitation of the two houses +of parliament in England, the lords and commons; and +so is the constitution at this day.</p> + +<p>§ 2. The governor is appointed by the crown; his commission +is under seal, and runs during pleasure.</p> + +<p>He represents the king's person there in all things, and +is subject to his instructions.</p> + +<p>His assent is necessary to the laws, agreed upon by the +council and assembly; without it no law can be made.</p> + +<p>His test to all laws so assented to is also requisite.</p> + +<p>He calls assemblies by advice of council, but prorogues +or dissolves them without.</p> + +<p>He calls and presides in all councils of State, and hath +his negative there also.</p> + +<p>He appoints commissioners of county courts for the administration +of justice, by consent of council.</p> + +<p>He grants commissions to all officers of the militia, under +the degree of a lieutenant general, (which title he bears +himself,) as he thinks fit.</p> + +<p>He orders and disposes the militia for the defence of the +country.</p> + +<p>He tests proclamations.</p> + +<p>He disposes of the unpatented land according to the charter, +the laws of that country, and his instructions; for which +end, and for other public occasions, the seal of the colony +is committed to his keeping.</p> + +<p>All issues of the public revenue must bear his test.</p> + +<p>And by virtue of a commission from the admiralty he is +made vice-admiral.</p> + +<p>The governor's salary, till within these forty-five years +last past, was no more than a thousand pounds a year; besides +which, he had about five hundred more in perquisites. +Indeed, the general assembly, by a public act, made an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> +addition of two hundred pounds a year to Sir William +Berkeley in particular, out of the great respect and esteem +they bore to that gentleman, who had been a long time a +good and just governor; and who had laid out the greatest +part of his revenue in experiments, for the advantage and +improvement of the country; and who had, besides, suffered +extremely in the time of the usurpation. But this +addition was to determine with his government.</p> + +<p>Sir William Berkeley, after the short interval of Jeffery's +and Chicheley's being deputy-governors, was succeeded by +the Lord Colepepper, who, under pretence of his being a +peer of England, obtained of King Charles II. a salary +of two thousand pounds, besides one hundred and sixty +pounds a year for house rent, because there was no house +appointed by the country for the governor's reception. This +salary has continued ever since, to the succeeding governors.</p> + +<p>If the administration of the government happen to fall +into the hands of the president and council, there is then +usually allowed to the president, the addition of five hundred +pounds a year only; and to the council, no more than +what is given them at other times.</p> + +<p>§ 3. The gentlemen of the council are appointed by letter +or instruction from his majesty, which says no more, but +that they be sworn of the council.</p> + +<p>The number of the counsellors when complete, is twelve; +and if at anytime, by death or removal, there happen to +be fewer than nine residing in the country, then the governor +has power to appoint and swear into the council, such +of the gentlemen of the country as he shall think fit to +make up that number, without expecting any direction from +England.</p> + +<p>The business of the council, is to advise and assist the +governor in all important matters of government, which he +shall consult them in.</p> + +<p>In the general assembly, the council make the upper +house, and claim an entire negative voice to all laws, as +the house of lords in England.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>The salary of the council is in all but three hundred +and fifty pounds per annum, to be proportioned among +them according to their attendance on general courts and +assemblies.</p> + +<p>§ 4. The burgesses of assembly are elected, and returned +from all parts of the country, viz: from each county, two; +and from James City, one; and from the college, one; +which make up in all sixty burgesses. They are convened +by writs issued from the secretary's office, under the seal +of the colony, and the test of the governor. These are +directed to the sheriff of each county respectively, and +ought to bear date at least forty days before the return. +The freeholders are the only electors, and wherever they +have a freehold (if they be not women, or under age, or +aliens) they have a vote in the election. The method of +summoning the freeholders, is by publication of the writ, +together with the day appointed by the sheriff for election, +at every church and chapel in the county, two several Sundays +successively. The election is concluded by plurality +of voices; and if either party be dissatisfied, or thinks he +has not fair treatment, he may demand a copy of the poll, +and upon application to the house of burgesses, shall have +his complaint inquired into. But to prevent undue elections, +many acts have been there made, agreeably to some +lately enacted in England.</p> + +<p>The first business of a convention, by the governor's +direction, is to make choice of a speaker, and to present +him in full house to the governor. Upon this occasion, +the speaker, in the name of the house, petitions the governor +to confirm the usual liberties and privileges of assembly, +namely, access to his person whenever they shall have +occasion; a freedom of speech and debate in the house, +without being farther accountable; a protection of their persons, +and their servants from arrest, &c. And these being +granted by the governor, and the cause of their meeting +declared by him, they proceed to do business, choosing +committees, and in other things imitating as near as they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +can the method of the honorable house of commons in +England.</p> + +<p>The laws having duly passed the house of burgesses, the +council, and the governor's assent, they are transmitted to +the king by the next shipping for his approbation, his majesty +having another negative voice. But they immediately +become laws, and are in force upon the governor's first +passing them, and so remain if his majesty don't actually +repeal them, although he be not pleased to declare his +royal assent, one way or other.</p> + +<p>There are no appointed times for their convention, but +they are called together whenever the exigencies of the +country make it necessary, or his majesty is pleased to order +anything to be proposed to them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IIc" id="CHAPTER_IIc"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 5. The country is divided into twenty-nine counties, +and the counties, as they are in bigness, into fewer or more +parishes, as they are filled with inhabitants.</p> + +<p>The method of bounding the counties is at this time +with respect to the convenience of having each county limited +to one single river, for its trade and shipping, so that +any one whose concerns are altogether in one county, may +not be obliged to seek his freight and shipping in more +than one river. Whereas at first, they were bounded with +respect to the circuit, and the propinquity of the extremes +to one common centre, by which means one county reached +then quite across a neck of land from river to river. But +this way of bounding the counties being found more inconvenient +than the other, it was changed by a law into what +it is now.</p> + +<p>Besides this division into counties and parishes, there are +two other subdivisions, which are subject to the rules and +alterations made by the county courts, namely: into precincts +or burroughs, for the limits of constables; and into +precincts or walks, for the surveyors of highways.</p> + +<p>§ 6. There is another division of the country into necks +of land, which are the boundaries of the escheators, viz:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. The northern neck between Potomac and Rappahannock +rivers. This is the proprietary in the Lord Colepepper's +family.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>2. The neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, +within which Pamunky neck is included.</p> + +<p>3. The neck between York and James rivers.</p> + +<p>4. The lands on the south side of James river.</p> + +<p>5. The land on the eastern shore; in all, five divisions. +Each of which has its particular escheat-master.</p></div> + +<p>In the northern neck are contained six counties. 1. Lancaster, +viz: in which are two parishes, viz: Christ Church, +and Saint Mary White Chapel. 2. Northumberland, two +parishes, viz: Fairfield and Boutracy, and <i>Wiccocomoco</i>. +3. Westmoreland, two parishes, viz: Copely and Washington. +4. Stafford, two parishes, viz: Saint Paul and Overworton. +5. Richmond, one parish, viz: North Farnham, +and part of another, viz: Sittenburn. 6. King George +county, one parish, viz: Hanover, the other part of Sittenburn.</p> + +<p>In the neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, are +contained six other counties, viz:</p> + +<p>1. Gloucester, in which are four parishes, viz: Pesso, +Abingdon, Ware and Kingston. 2. Middlesex, only one +parish, viz: Christ Church. 3. King and Queen, two +parishes, viz: Stratton Major, Saint Stephen. 4. King +William, two parishes, viz: Saint John and Saint Margaret. +5. Essex, three parishes, viz: South Farnham, +Saint Anne, Saint Mary. 6. Spottsylvania, one parish, +viz: Saint George.</p> + +<p>In the neck between York and James river, there are +seven counties and part of an eighth. The seven entire +counties are: 1. Elizabeth City, in which is only one +parish, named also Elizabeth City parish. 2. The Warwick, +in which are two parishes, viz: Denby, Mulberry +Island. 3. York, in which are two parishes, viz: Charles +and Yorkhampton, and part of a third called Braton. 4. +James City, in which are three parishes and part of two +others, viz: James City, part of Wilmington, Merchants' +Hundred, and the other half of Braton. 5. New Kent, +two parishes, viz: Blisland, and Saint Peter. 6. Charles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +City, two parishes, viz: Westover, and part of Wilmington. +7. Hanover, one parish, viz: Saint Paul. And 8. Part +of Henrico county, on the north side of James river, by +which river the parishes are also divided, there being two +parishes in the whole county, viz: Henrico and Saint +James, and part of a third called Bristol.</p> + +<p>On the south side James river are seven counties, and +the other part of Henrico. The seven counties, beginning +at the bay as I have done in all the rest are, viz: 1. +Princess Anne, in which is but one parish, viz: Lynhaven. +2. Norfolk, also one parish, called Elizabeth River. 3. +Nansemond, in which are three parishes, viz: Lower Parish, +Upper Parish, Chickaluck. 4. Isle of Wight, in which +are two parishes, viz: Warwick Squeeke Bay, and Newport. +5. Surry, two parishes, viz: Lyon's Creek, Southwark. +6. Prince George, in which is one parish, viz: +Martin Brandon, and the other part of Bristol Parish, in +Henrico. 7. Brunswick, a new county constituted towards +the southern pass of the mountains, on purpose that by +extraordinary encouragements the settlements may send up +that way first, as is given also to Spottsylvania county for +the northern pass. It is made one parish, by the name of +Saint Andrew.</p> + +<p>On the eastern shore, that is, on the east side the great +bay of Chesapeake, the place where Sir William Berkeley +retired to in the rebellion, without withdrawing from his +government, (as Mr. Oldmixon declares he did) are two +counties. 1. Northampton, having one parish, named Hungers. +2. Accomac, having one parish, named also Accomac.</p> + +<p>In all there are at present twenty-nine counties, and +fifty-four parishes.</p> + +<p>§ 7. There is yet another division of the country into +districts, according to the rivers, with respect to the shipping +and navigation. These are the bounds appointed for the +naval officers, and collectors of the public duties, and are +as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>1. The upper parts of James river, from Hog island +upwards.</p> + +<p>2. The lower parts of James river, from Hog island +downwards to the capes, and round Point Comfort to Back +river.</p> + +<p>3. York, Poquoson, Mobjack bay, and Piankatank +rivers.</p> + +<p>4. Rappahannock river.</p> + +<p>5. Potomac river.</p> + +<p>6. Pocomoke, and the other parts on the eastern, made +formerly two districts, but they are now united into one.</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IIIc" id="CHAPTER_IIIc"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT.</p> + + +<p>§ 8. Besides the governor and council aforementioned, +there are three other general officers in that colony bearing +his majesty's immediate commission, viz: the auditor of +the revenue, the receiver general of it, and the secretary of +state.</p> + +<p>The auditor's business is to audit the accounts of the +public money of the government, and duly to transmit the +state of them to England. Such as the quitrents, the +money arising by the two shillings per hogshead, fort duties, +the fines and forfeitures, and the profit of escheats and +rights of land. His salary is six per cent of all the public +money. The present auditor is John Grimes, esq.</p> + +<p>The receiver general is to sell the public tobacco, collect +and receive the money, make the account thereof, and pay +it out again by the king's order. His salary is also six per +cent. The present receiver general is James Roscow, esq.</p> + +<p>The secretary's business is to keep the public records of +the country, and to take care that they be regularly and +fairly made up, viz: all judgments of the general court, +as likewise all deeds, and other writings there proved; and +farther, to issue all writs, both ministerial and judicial, relating +thereto. To make out and record all patents for +land, and to take the return of all inquests of escheats.</p> + +<p>In his office is kept a register of all commissions of +administration, and probates of wills granted throughout +the colony; as also of all births, burials, marriages, and +persons that go out of the country, of all houses of public +entertainment, and of all public officers in the country, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +of many other things proper to be kept in so general an +office.</p> + +<p>From this office are likewise issued all writs for choosing +of burgesses, and in it are filed authentic copies of all proclamations.</p> + +<p>The present secretary is Thomas Ficket, esq.</p> + +<p>The secretary's income arises from fees for all business +done in his office, which come (<i>communibus annis</i>) to about +seventy thousand pounds tobacco per annum, out of which +he pays twelve thousand five hundred, and cask, to the +clerks. His other perquisites proceed out of the acknowledgments +paid him annually by the county clerks, and are +besides about forty thousand pounds of tobacco and cask.</p> + +<p>§ 9. There are two other general officers in the country +who do not receive their commission and authority immediately +from the crown, and those are: 1. The ecclesiastical +commissary, viz: the Rev. James Blair, authorized by +the right reverend father in God, the lord bishop of London, +ordinary of all the plantations. 2. The country's treasurer, +viz: the Hon. Peter Beverley, esq., authorized by the general +assembly.</p> + +<p>The commissary's business is to make visitations of +churches and have the inspection of the clergy. He is +allowed one hundred pounds per annum out of the quitrents.</p> + +<p>The treasurer's business is to receive the money from the +several collectors, and to make up the accounts of the +duties raised by some late acts of assembly for extraordinary +occasions. His salary is six per cent. of all money +passing through his hands.</p> + +<p>These are all the general officers belonging to that government, +except the court of admiralty, which has no +standing officer. The present judge of the admiralty is John +Clayton, esq.</p> + +<p>§ 10. The other public commission officers in the government, +(except those of the militia, for whom a chapter is +reserved,) are escheators, naval officers, collectors, clerks of +courts, sheriffs of counties, surveyors of land, and coroners.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>The escheators have their precincts or bounds, according +to the several necks of land; for their profits, they demand +five pound for each inquest taken, being paid only as business +happens.</p> + +<p>The naval officers have their bounds according to the districts +on the rivers, and so have the collectors. The profits +of the first arise from large fees, upon the entering and +clearing of all ships and vessels. The collectors have each +a salary out of the treasury in England of forty pounds, +sixty pounds, or an hundred pounds, according to their several +districts, they being appointed by the honorable commissioners +of the customs in England, pursuant to the statute +made in the twenty-fifth year of King Charles the second; +and have, moreover, salaries of twenty per cent. on all the +duties they collect, by virtue of the same statute, and also +large fees for every entry and clearing.</p> + +<p>The naval officers' other profits, are ten per cent. for all +moneys by them received; both on the two shillings per +hogshead, port duties, skins and furs, and also on the new +imposts on servants and liquors when such duty is in being.</p> + +<p>The clerks of courts, sheriffs and surveyors, are limited +according to the several counties. The clerks of courts +receive their commissions from the secretary of State; the +sheriffs theirs from the governor, and the surveyors of +land theirs from the governors of the college, in whom the +office of surveyor general is vested by their charter.</p> + +<p>The clerks' profits proceed from stated fees, upon all law +suits and business in their respective courts, except the +clerk of the general court, who is paid a salary by the +secretary, who takes the fees of that court to himself.</p> + +<p>The sheriff's profit is likewise by fees on all business +done in the county courts, to which he is the ministerial +officer, and not judge of the county court, as Mr. Oldmixon +styles him, page 298; but the best of his income +is by a salary of all public tobacco, which is constantly +put into the sheriff's hands, to be collected and put into +hundreds, convenient for the market. He has likewise<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> +several other advantages, which make his place very profitable.</p> + +<p>The profits of the surveyors of land are according to the +trouble they take. Their fees being proportioned to the +surveys they make.</p> + +<p>The coroner is a commissioner officer also, but his profits +are not worth naming, though he has large fees allowed +him when he does any business. There are two or more +of them appointed in each parish, as occasion requires; +but in the vacancy or absence of any, upon an exigency, +the next justice of peace does the business and receives +the fee, which is one hundred and thirty-three pounds of +tobacco for an inquest on a dead corpse, any other business +seldom falling in his way.</p> + +<p>§ 11. There are other ministerial officers that have no +commission; which are, surveyors of the highways, constables +and headboroughs. These are appointed, relieved +and altered annually by the county courts, as they see occasion; +and such bounds are given them as those courts +think most convenient.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IVc" id="CHAPTER_IVc"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 12. There are five sorts of standing public revenues in +that country, viz: 1. A rent reserved by the crown upon +all the lands granted by patent. 2. A revenue granted +to his majesty by act of assembly, for the support and maintenance +of the government. 3. A revenue raised by the +assembly, and kept in their own disposal, for extraordinary +occasions. 4. A revenue raised by the assembly, and +granted to the college. And 5. A revenue raised by act +of parliament in England upon the trade there.</p> + +<p>§ 13. 1. The rent reserved upon their lands, is called +his majesty's revenue of quit rents, and is two shillings +for every hundred acres of land, patented by any person +in that country, and two pence per acre for all lands found +to escheat; this is paid into the treasury there by all, except +the inhabitants of the Northern Neck, who pay nothing +to the king; but the whole quit rent of that neck is paid +to certain proprietors of the Lord Colepepper's family, who +have the possession thereof to themselves, upon the pretensions +before rehearsed in the first part of this book.</p> + +<p>This revenue has been upwards of fifteen hundred pounds +a year, since tobacco has held a good price. It is lodged +in the receiver general's hands, to be disposed of by his +majesty. This money is left in bank there, to be made +use of upon any sudden and dangerous emergency, except +when it is called home to England; and for want of such +a bank, Sir William Berkeley was not able to make any +stand against Bacon, whom otherwise he might easily have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +subdued, and consequently have prevented above one hundred +thousand pounds expense to the crown of England, +to pacify those troubles.</p> + +<p>§ 14. 2. The revenue granted 10 his majesty by act of +assembly, for the support and maintenance of the government, +arises first out of a duty of two shillings per hogshead, +which is paid for every hogshead of tobacco exported out +of that colony. 2. By a rate of fifteen pence per ton +for every ship, upon each return of her voyage, whether +she be empty or full. 3. By a duty of sixpence per +poll for every passenger, bound or free, going into that +country to remain. 4. By the fines and forfeitures imposed +by several acts of assembly. There is also an +addition, by wafts and strays having no owner, composition +of two pence per acre for escheat land, chattels escheat, +and the sale of land instead of rights, at five shillings per +right; all which are paid into the hands of the receiver +general, and disposed of by the governor and council, +(with liberty for the assembly to inspect the accounts when +they meet,) for defraying the public charges of the government.</p> + +<p>The revenue, <i>communibus annis</i>, amounts to more than +three thousand pounds a year.</p> + +<p>§ 15. 3. The revenue arising by act of assembly, and +reserved to their own disposal, is of two sorts, viz: a duty +upon liquors imported from the neighboring plantations, and +a duty upon all slaves and servants imported, except English.</p> + +<p>The duty on liquors used to be 4d. per gallon on all +wines, rum, and brandy; and 1d. per gallon on beer, cider +and other liquors, discounting twenty per cent. upon the invoice, +except oats.</p> + +<p>The duty on servants and slaves used to be twenty shillings +for each servant, not being a native of England or +Wales, and five pounds for each slave or negro.</p> + +<p>The former of these duties amounts <i>communibus annis</i>, +to six hundred pounds a year, and the latter to more or +less, as the negro ships happen to arrive.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>The charge of building and adorning the governor's house +and capitol, was defrayed by these duties, and so was the +erecting of the public prison.</p> + +<p>These funds are gathered into the hands of the treasurer +of the country, and are disposed of only by order of assembly.</p> + +<p>§ 16. 4. The revenue raised by the assembly, and +granted to the college, is a duty on all skins and furs +exported. This fund raises about an hundred pounds a +year, and is paid by the collectors, to the college treasurer.</p> + +<p>§ 17. 5 and last. The fund raised by act of parliament +in England upon the trade there, is a duty of one penny +per pound, upon all tobacco exported to the plantations, +and not carried directly to England. This duty was laid +by Stat. 25, Car. 2, cap. 7, and granted to the king and +his successors; and by their gracious majesties King William +and Queen Mary, it was given to the college. This +duty does not raise, both in Virginia and Maryland, above +two hundred pounds a year, and is accounted for to the +college treasurer.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_Vc" id="CHAPTER_Vc"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE LEVIES FOR PAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC COUNTY +AND PARISH DEBTS.</p> + + +<p>§ 18. They have but two ways of raising money publicly +in that country, viz: by duties upon trade, and a poll tax, +which they call levies. Of the duties upon trade, I have +spoken sufficiently in the preceding chapter. I come, therefore, +now to speak of the levies, which are a certain rate +or proportion of tobacco charged upon the head of every +tithable person in the country, upon all alike, without distinction.</p> + +<p>They call all negroes above sixteen years of age tithable, +be they male or female, and all white men of the same +age; but children and white women are exempted from all +manner of duties.</p> + +<p>That a true account of all these tithable persons may be +had, they are annually listed in crop time, by the justices +of each county respectively; and the masters of families are +obliged, under great penalties, then to deliver to those justices +a true list of all the tithable persons in their families.</p> + +<p>Their levies are threefold, viz: public, county and parish +levies.</p> + +<p>§ 19. Public levies are such as are proportioned and laid +equally, by the general assembly, upon every tithable person +throughout the whole colony. These serve to defray several +expenses appointed by law, to be so defrayed, such as the +executing of a criminal slave, who must be made good to +his owner. The taking up of runaways, and the paying of +the militia, when they happen to be employed upon the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +service. Out of these they likewise pay the several officers +of the assembly, and some other public officers. They +further defray the charge of the writs, for the meeting of +the house of burgesses, public expresses, and such like.</p> + +<p>The authority for levying this rate is given by a short +act of assembly, constantly prepared for that purpose.</p> + +<p>§ 20. The county levies are such as are peculiar to each +county, and laid by the justices upon all tithable persons, +for defraying the charge of their counties, such as the +building and repairing their court houses, prisons, pillories, +stocks, &c., and the payment of all services, rendered to +the county in general.</p> + +<p>§ 21. The parish levies are laid by the vestry, for the +payment of all charges incident to the several parishes, such +as the building, furnishing, and adorning their churches +and chapels, buying glebes and building upon them, paying +their ministers, readers, clerks, and sextons.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIc" id="CHAPTER_VIc"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 22. I have already, in the chronology of the government, +hinted what the constitution of their courts was in +old time, and that appeals lay from the general court to +the assembly; that the general court, from the beginning, +took cognizance of all causes whatsoever, both ecclesiastical +and civil, determining everything by the standard of equity +and good conscience. They used to come to the merits of +the cause as soon as they could without injustice, never +admitting such impertinences of form and nicety as were +not absolutely necessary; and when the substance of the +case was sufficiently debated, they used directly to bring the +suit to a decision. By this method, all fair actions were +prosecuted with little attendance, all just debts were recovered +with the least expense of money and time, and all +the tricking and foppery of the law happily avoided.</p> + +<p>The Lord Colepepper, who was a man of admirable +sense, and well skilled in the laws of England, admired +the construction of their courts, and kept them close to +this plain method, retrenching some innovations that were +then creeping into them, under the notion of form, although, +at the same time, he was the occasion of taking away the +liberty of appeals to the assembly.</p> + +<p>But the Lord Howard, who succeeded him, endeavored +to introduce as many of the English forms as he could, +being directly opposite to the Lord Colepepper in that point.</p> + +<p>And lastly, Governor Nicholson, a man the least acquainted +with law of any of them, endeavored to introduce<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +all the quirks of the English proceedings, by the help of +some wretched pettifoggers, who had the direction both of +his conscience and his understanding.</p> + +<p>§ 23. They have two sorts of courts, that differ only in +jurisdiction, namely: the general court, and the county +courts.</p> + +<p>§ 24. The general court is a court held by the governor +and council, or any five of them, who by law are the +judges of it, and take cognizance of all causes, criminal, +penal, ecclesiastical and civil. From this court there is no +appeal, except the thing in demand exceed the value of +three hundred pounds sterling, in which case an appeal is +allowed to the king and council, in England, and there +determined by a committee of the privy council, called the +lords of appeals; the like custom being used for all the other +plantations. In criminal cases, I don't know that there's +any appeal from the sentence of this court; but the governor +is authorized, by his commission, to pardon persons found +guilty of any crime whatsoever, except of treason and wilful +murder; and even in those cases, he may reprieve the +criminal, which reprieve stands good, and may be continued +from time to time until his majesty's pleasure be signified +therein.</p> + +<p>§ 25. This court is held twice a year, beginning on the +15th of April, and on the 15th of October. Each time it +continues eighteen days, excluding Sundays, if the business +hold them so long, and these were formerly the only times +of goal delivery; but now, by the governor's commission, +he appoints two other courts of goal delivery, and the +king allows one hundred pounds for each court to defray the +charge thereof.</p> + +<p>§ 26. The officers attending this general court, are the +sheriff of the county wherein it sits, and his under officers. +Their business is to call the litigants, and the evidences +into court, and to empannel juries. But each sheriff, in +his respective county, makes arrests, and returns the writs +to this court.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>§ 27. The way of empanneling juries to serve in this +court, is thus: the sheriff and his deputies every morning +that the court sits, goes about the town, summoning the +best of the gentlemen, who resort thither from all parts +of the country. The condition of this summons is, that +they attend the court that day to serve upon the jury, (it +not being known whether there will be occasion or no.) +And if any cause happen to require a jury, they are then +sworn to try the issue, otherwise, they are in the evening, +of course, dismissed from all further attendance, though +they be not formally discharged by the court. By this +means are procured the best juries this country can afford; +for if they should be summoned by writ of venire, from +any particular county, that county cannot afford so many +qualified persons as are here to be found, because of the great +resort of gentlemen from all parts of the colony to these +courts, as well to see fashions, as to dispatch their particular +business. Nor is vicinage necessary there, to distinguish +the several customs of particular places, the whole country +being as one neighborhood, and having the same tenures +of land, usages and customs.</p> + +<p>The grand juries are empanneled much after the same +manner; but because they require a greater number of +men, and the court is always desirous to have some from +all parts of the country, they give their sheriff order a day +or two before, to provide this pannel.</p> + +<p>§ 28. In criminal matters this method is a little altered; +because a knowledge of the life, and conversation of the +party, may give light to the jury in their verdict. For this +reason a writ of venire issues in such cases, to summon +six of the nearest neighbors to the criminal, who must be +of the same county wherein he lived; which writ of venire +is returned by the sheriff of the respective county, to the +secretary's office, and the names are taken from thence, +by the sheriff attending the general court, and put in the +front of the pannel, which is filled up with the names of +the other gentlemen summoned in the town, to be of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +petty jury for the trial of that criminal. If the prisoner +have a mind to challenge the jurors, the same liberty is +allowed him there as in England; and if the pannel fall +short, by reason of such challenge, it must then be made +up of the bystanders.</p> + +<p>§ 29. All actions in that country are generally brought to +a determination the third court, unless some special, extraordinary +reason be shown why the party can't make his +defence so soon. The course is thus: upon the defendant's +nonappearance, order goes against the bail, (for a capias +is generally their first process,) on condition, that unless +the defendant appear, and plead at the next court, judgment +shall then be awarded for the plaintiff. When the defendant +comes to the next court he is held to plead. Thus, by +common course, a year and a half ends a cause in the +general court, and three or four months in the county court. +If any one appeal from the judgment of the county court, +the trial always comes on the succeeding general court; so +that all business begun in the county court, tho' it runs +to the utmost of the law, (without some extraordinary event,) +ought to be finished in nine months.</p> + +<p>§ 30. Every one that pleases, may plead his own cause, +or else his friends for him, there being no restraint in that +case, nor any licensed practitioners in the law. If any one +be dissatisfied with the judgment of the county court, let +it be for any sum, little or great, he may have an appeal +to the next general court, giving security to answer, and +abide the judgment of that court; but an action cannot +originally be brought in the general court, under the value +of ten pounds sterling, or of two thousand pounds of tobacco, +except in some particular cases of penal laws.</p> + +<p>§ 31. The county courts are constituted by law, and the +justices thereof appointed by commission from the governor +with advice of council. They consist of eight or more +gentlemen of the county, called justices of the peace, the +sheriff being only a ministerial officer to execute its process. +This court is held monthly, and has jurisdiction of all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> +causes within the county, cognizable by common law or +chancery, and not touching life or member, and never was +limited to any value in its jurisdiction, as Mr. Oldmixion +would have it, pag. 298. But in the case of hog stealing, +they may sentence the criminal to lose his ears; which is +allowed by a particular act for that purpose, as the punishment +of the second offence, the third is felony. In all +things they proceed in the same manner as the general +court.</p> + +<p>§ 32. This monthly court hath the care of all orphans, +and of their estates, and for the binding out and well ordering +of such fatherless children, who are either without an +estate, or have very little.</p> + +<p>In September annually they are to enquire into the keeping +and management of the orphan, as to his sustenance and +education, to examine into his estate, and the securities +thereof, viz: whether the sureties continue to be responsible, +and his lands and plantations be kept improving, and in +repair, &c. If the orphan be poor, and bound an apprentice +to any trade, then their business is to enquire, how he +is kept to his schooling and trade; and if the court find he +is either misused or untaught, they take him from that +master, and put him to another of the same trade, or of +any other trade, which they judge best for the child. They +cannot bind an orphan boy but to a trade, or the sea.</p> + +<p>Another charitable method in favor of the poor orphans +there, is this: that besides their trade and schooling, the +masters are generally obliged to give them at their freedom, +cattle, tools, or other things, to the value of five, six, or ten +pounds, according to the age of the child when bound, over +and above the usual quantity of corn and clothes. The +boys are bound till one and twenty years of age, and the +girls till eighteen. At which time, they who have taken +any care to improve themselves, generally get well married, +and live in plenty, though they had not a farthing of +paternal estate.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIIc" id="CHAPTER_VIIc"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE CHURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS.</p> + + +<p>§ 33. Their parishes are accounted large or small, in proportion +to the number of tithables contained in them, and +not according to the extent of land.</p> + +<p>§ 34. They have in each parish a convenient church, +built either of timber, brick or stone, and decently adorned +with everything necessary for the celebration of divine service.</p> + +<p>If a parish be of greater extent than ordinary, it hath generally +a chapel of ease; and some of the parishes have +two such chapels, besides the church, for the greater convenience +of the parishioners. In these chapels the minister +preaches alternately, always leaving a reader to read +prayers when he can't attend himself.</p> + +<p>§ 35. The people are generally of the church of England, +which is the religion established by law in that country, +from which there are very few dissenters. Yet liberty +of conscience is given to all other congregations pretending +to Christianity, on condition they submit to all parish duties. +They have but one set conventicle amongst them, +viz: a meeting of Quakers in Nansemond county, +others that have lately, been being now extinct; and 'tis +observed by letting them alone they decrease daily.</p> + +<p>§ 36. The maintenance for a minister there, is appointed +by law at sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco per annum, (be +the parish great or small;) as also a dwelling house and glebe, +together with certain perquisites for marriages and funeral +sermons. That which makes the difference in the benefices<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +of the clergy is the value of the tobacco, according to +the distinct species of it, or according to the place of its +growth. Besides, in large and rich parishes, more marriages +will probably happen, and more funeral sermons.</p> + +<p>The fee by law for a funeral sermon is forty shillings, +or four hundred pounds of tobacco; for a marriage by +license twenty shillings, or two hundred pounds of tobacco, +and where the banns are proclaimed, only five shillings, or +fifty pounds of tobacco.</p> + +<p>When these salaries were granted, the assembly valued +tobacco at ten shillings per hundred; at which rate, the +sixteen thousand pounds comes to fourscore pounds sterling; +but in all parishes where the sweet-scented grows, since +the law for appointing agents to view the tobacco was +made, it has generally been sold for double that value, +and never under.</p> + +<p>In some parishes, likewise, there are by donation stocks +of cattle and negroes on the glebes, which are also allowed +to the minister for his use and encouragement, he only +being accountable for the surrender of the same value +when he leaves the parish.</p> + +<p>§ 37. For the well governing of these, and all other +parochial affairs, a vestry is appointed in each parish. +These vestries consist of twelve gentlemen of the parish, +and were at first chosen by the vote of the parishioners; +but upon the death of any, have been continued by the +survivors electing another in his place. These, in the name +of the parish, make presentation of ministers, and have +the sole power of all parish assessments. They are qualified +for this employment by subscribing, to be conformable +to the doctrine and discipline of the church of +England. If there be a minister incumbent, he always +presides in the vestry.</p> + +<p>For the ease of the vestry in general, and for discharging +the business of the parish, they choose two from among +themselves to be church-wardens, which must be annually +changed, that the burthen may lie equally upon all. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +business of these church-wardens, is to see the orders and +agreements of the vestry performed; to collect all the +parish tobacco, and distribute it to the several claimers; +to make up the accounts of the parish, and to present all +profaneness and immorality to the county courts, and there +prosecute it.</p> + +<p>By these the tobacco of the minister is collected, and +brought to him in hogsheads convenient for shipping, so +that he is at no farther trouble but to receive it in that +condition. This was ordained by the law of the country, +for the ease of the ministers, that so they being delivered +from the trouble of gathering in their dues, may have the +more time to apply themselves to the exercises of their holy +function, and live in a decency suitable to their order. It +may here be observed, that the labor of a dozen negroes +does but answer this salary, and seldom yields a greater +crop of sweet scented tobacco than is allowed to each of +their ministers.</p> + +<p>§ 38. Probates of wills and administrations are, according +to their law, petitioned for in the county courts; and +by them security taken and certified to the governor, which, +if he approves the commission, is then signed by them +without fee. Marriage licenses are issued by the clerks of +those courts, and signed by the justice in commission, or +by any other person deputed by the governor, for which a +fee of twenty shillings must be paid to the governor. The +power of induction, upon presentation of ministers, is also +in the governor.</p> + +<p>In the year 1642, when the sectaries began to spread +themselves so much in England, the assembly made a law +against them, to prevent their preaching and propagating +their doctrines in that colony. They admitted none to +preach in their churches but ministers ordained by some +reverend bishop of the church of England, and the governor, +for the time being, as the most suitable public person +among them, was left sole judge of the certificates of such +ordination, and so he has continued ever since.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span>§ 39. The only thing I have heard the clergy complain +of there, is what they call precariousness in their livings; +that is, that they have not inductions generally, and therefore +are not entitled to a freehold; but are liable, without +trial or crime alledged, to be put out by the vestry. And +though some have prevailed with their vestries, to present +them for induction, yet the greater number of the ministers +have no induction, but are entertained by agreement with +their vestries, yet are they very rarely turned out without +some great provocation, and then, if they have not been +abominably scandalous, they immediately get other parishes, +for there is no benefice whatsoever in that country that +remains without a minister if they can get one, and no +qualified minister ever yet returned from that country for +want of preferment. They have now several vacant +parishes.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIIIc" id="CHAPTER_VIIIc"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">CONCERNING THE COLLEGE.</p> + + +<p>§ 40. The college, as has been hinted, was founded by +their late majesties, King William and Queen Mary, of +happy memory, in the year 1692. Towards the founding +of which, they gave one thousand nine hundred and eighty-five +pounds, fourteen shillings and ten pence. They gave +moreover, towards the endowment of it, twenty thousand +acres of land; the revenue of one pence per pound on +tobacco exported to the plantations from Virginia and +Maryland; and the surveyor general's place, then avoid; +and appointed them a burgess to represent them in the +assemblies. The land hitherto has yielded little or no +profit; the duty of one pence per pound, brings in about +two hundred pounds a year; and the surveyor general's +place, about fifty pounds a year. To which the assembly +had added a duty on skins and furs exported, worth about +an hundred pounds a year.</p> + +<p>§ 41. By the same charter, likewise, their majesties granted +a power to certain gentlemen, and the survivors of them, +as trustees, to build and establish the college, by the name +of William and Mary college; to consist of a president and +six masters, or professors, and an hundred scholars, more +or less, graduates or non-graduates; enabling the said trustees, +as a body corporate, to enjoy annuities, spiritual and +temporal, of the value of two thousand pounds sterling per +annum, with proviso to convert it to the building and adorning +the college; and then to make over the remainder to +the president and masters, and their successors, who are +likewise to become a corporation, and be enabled to purchase<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +and hold to the value of two thousand pounds a +year, but no more.</p> + +<p>§ 42. The persons named in the charter for trustees, +are made governors and visitors of the college, and to have +a perpetual succession, by the name of governors and visitors, +with power to fill up their own vacancies, happening by +the death or removal of any of them. Their complete +number may be eighteen, but not to exceed twenty, of +which one is to be rector, and annually chosen by themselves, +on the first Monday after the 25th of March.</p> + +<p>These have the nomination of the president and masters +of the college, and all other officers belonging to it; and +the power of making statutes and ordinances, for the better +rule and government thereof.</p> + +<p>§ 43. The building is to consist of a quadrangle, two +sides of which are not yet carried up. In this part are +contained all conveniencies of cooking, brewing, baking, +&c., and convenient rooms for the reception of the president +and masters, with many more scholars than are as yet +come to it. In this part are also the hall and school +room.</p> + +<p>§ 44. The college was intended to be an intire square +when finished. Two sides of this were finished in the +latter end of Governor Nicholson's time, and the masters +and scholars, with the necessary housekeepers and servants, +were settled in it, and so continued till the first year of +Governor Nott's time, in which it happened to be burnt +(no body knows how) down to the ground, and very little +saved that was in it, the fire breaking out about ten o'clock +at night in a public time.</p> + +<p>The governor, and all the gentlemen that were in town, +came up to the lamentable spectacle, many getting out of +their beds. But the fire had got such power before it was +discovered, and was so fierce, that there was no hope of +putting a stop to it, and therefore no attempts made to that +end.</p> + +<p>In this condition it lay till the arrival of Colonel Spotswood,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> +their present governor, in whose time it was raised +again the same bigness as before, and settled.</p> + +<p>There had been a donation of large sums of money, by +the Hon. Robert Boyle, esq., to this college, for the education +of Indian children therein. In order to make use of +this, they had formerly bought half a dozen captive Indian +children slaves, and put them to the college. This method +did not satisfy this governor, as not answering the intent of +the donor. So to work he goes, among the tributary and +other neighboring Indians, and in a short time brought them +to send their children to be educated, and brought new +nations, some of which lived four hundred miles off, taking +their children for hostages and education equally, at the +same time setting up a school in the frontiers convenient +to the Indians, that they might often see their children +under the first managements, where they learned to read, +paying fifty pounds per annum out of his own pocket to +the schoolmaster there; after which many were brought to +the college, where they were taught till they grew big +enough for their hunting and other exercises, at which time +they were returned home, and smaller taken in their stead.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IXc" id="CHAPTER_IXc"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE MILITIA IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 45. The militia are the only standing forces in Virginia. +They are happy in the enjoyment of an everlasting peace, +which their poverty and want of towns secure to them. +They have the Indians round about in subjection, and have +no sort of apprehension from them: and for a foreign enemy, +it can never be worth their while to carry troops sufficient +to conquer the country; and the scattering method of their +settlement will not answer the charge of an expedition to +plunder them: so that they feel none but the distant effect +of war, which, however, keeps 'em so poor, that they can +boast of nothing but the security of their persons and habitations.</p> + +<p>§ 46. The governor is lieutenant-general by his commission, +and in each county does appoint the colonel, lieutenant-colonel +and major, who have under them captains, and +other commissioned and subaltern officers.</p> + +<p>Every freeman, (by which denomination they call all, but +indented, or bought servants,) from sixteen to sixty years of +age, is listed in the militia; which by a law is to be mustered +in a general muster for each county once a year; and +in single troops and companies, four times more at the +least: most people there are skilful in the use of fire-arms, +being all their lives accustomed to shoot in the woods. +This, together with a little exercising, would soon make the +militia useful.</p> + +<p>§ 47. The exact number of the militia is not now known, +there not being any account of the number taken of late<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> +years, but I guess them at this time to be about eighteen +thousand effective men in all.</p> + +<p>And whereas by the practice of former times upon the +militia law, several people were obliged to travel sometimes +thirty or forty miles to a private muster of a troop or company, +which was very burdensome to some, more than +others, to answer only the same duty; this governor, just +and regular in all his conduct, and experienced to put his +desires in execution, so contrived, by dividing the counties +into several cantons or military districts, forming the troops +and companies to each canton, and appointing the musterfields +in the centre of each, that now throughout the whole +country, none are obliged to travel above ten miles to a private +muster, and yet the law put in due execution.</p> + +<p>§ 48. Instead of the soldiers they formerly kept constantly +in forts, and of the others after them by the name of rangers, +to scour the frontiers clear of the Indian enemy, they +have by law appointed the militia to march out upon such +occasions, under the command of the chief officer of the +county, where any incursion shall be notified. And if they +upon such expedition remain in arms three days and upwards, +they are then entitled to the pay for the whole time; +but if it prove a false alarm, and they have no occasion to +continue out so long, they can demand nothing.</p> + +<p>§ 49. The number of soldiers in each troop of light horse, +are from thirty to sixty, as the convenience of the canton +will admit; and in a company of foot about fifty or sixty. +A troop or company may be got together at a day's warning.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_Xc" id="CHAPTER_Xc"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 50. Their servants they distinguish by the names of +slaves for life, and servants for a time.</p> + +<p>Slaves are the negroes and their posterity, following the +condition of the mother, according to the maxim, <i>partus +frequitur ventrem</i>. They are called slaves, in respect of +the time of their servitude, because it is for life.</p> + +<p>Servants, are those which serve only for a few years, +according to the time of their indenture, or the custom +of the country. The custom of the country takes place +upon such as have no indentures. The law in this case +is, that if such servants be under nineteen years of age, +they must be brought into court to have their age adjudged; +and from the age they are judged to be of, they +must serve until they reach four and twenty; but if they +be adjudged upwards of nineteen, they are then only to +be servants for the term of five years.</p> + +<p>§ 51. The male servants, and slaves of both sexes, are +employed together in tilling and manuring the ground, +in sowing and planting tobacco, corn, &c. Some distinction +indeed is made between them in their clothes, and +food; but the work of both is no other than what the overseers, +the freemen, and the planters themselves do.</p> + +<p>Sufficient distinction is also made between the female +servants, and slaves; for a white woman is rarely or never +put to work in the ground, if she be good for anything +else; and to discourage all planters from using any women +so, their law makes female servants working in the ground<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> +tithables, while it suffers all other white women to be absolutely +exempted; whereas, on the other hand, it is a +common thing to work a woman slave out of doors, nor +does the law make any distinction in her taxes, whether +her work be abroad or at home.</p> + +<p>§ 52. Because I have heard how strangely cruel and severe +the service of this country is represented in some parts +of England, I can't forbear affirming, that the work of +their servants and slaves is no other than what every common +freeman does; neither is any servant required to do +more in a day than his overseer; and I can assure you, +with great truth, that generally their slaves are not worked +near so hard, nor so many hours in a day, as the husbandmen, +and day laborers in England. An overseer is +a man, that having served his time, has acquired the skill +and character of an experienced planter, and is therefore +entrusted with the direction of the servants and slaves.</p> + +<p>But to complete this account of servants, I shall give +you a short relation of the care their laws take, that they +be used as tenderly as possible:</p> + +<p class="centersc" style="padding-top: 1em;">BY THE LAWS OF THEIR COUNTRY,</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>1. All servants whatsoever have their complaints heard +without fee or reward; but if the master be found faulty, +the charge of the complaint is cast upon him, otherwise +the business is done <i>ex officio</i>.</p> + +<p>2. Any justice of the peace may receive the complaint +of a servant, and order everything relating thereto, till the +next county court, where it will be finally determined.</p> + +<p>3. All masters are under the correction and censure of +the county courts, to provide for their servants good and +wholesome diet, clothing and lodging.</p> + +<p>4. They are always to appear upon the first notice given +of the complaint of their servants, otherwise to forfeit the +service of them until they do appear.</p> + +<p>5. All servants' complaints are to be received at any time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> +in court, without process, and shall not be delayed for want +of form; but the merits of the complaint must be immediately +enquired into by the justices; and if the master +cause any delay therein, the court may remove such servants, +if they see cause, until the master will come to +trial.</p> + +<p>6. If a master shall at any time disobey an order of +court, made upon any complaint of a servant, the court is +empowered to remove such servant forthwith to another +master who will be kinder, giving to the former master +the produce only, (after fees deducted,) of what such servants +shall be sold for by public outcry.</p> + +<p>7. If a master should be so cruel, as to use his servant +ill, that is fallen sick or lame in his service, and thereby +rendered unfit for labor, he must be removed by the church-wardens +out of the way of such cruelty, and boarded in +some good planter's house, till the time of his freedom, +the charge of which must be laid before the next county +court, which has power to levy the same, from time to +time, upon the goods and chattels of the master, after +which, the charge of such boarding is to come upon the +parish in general.</p> + +<p>8. All hired servants are entitled to these privileges.</p> + +<p>9. No master of a servant can make a new bargain for +service, or other matter with his servant, without the privity +and consent of the county court, to prevent the masters +overreaching, or scaring such servant into an unreasonable +compliance.</p> + +<p>10. The property of all money and goods sent over +thither to servants, or carried in with them, is reserved to +themselves, and remains entirely at their disposal.</p> + +<p>11. Each servant at his freedom receives of his master +ten bushels of corn, (which is sufficient for almost a year,) +two new suits of clothes, both linen and woolen, and a +gun, twenty shillings value, and then becomes as free in +all respects, and as much entitled to the liberties and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> +privileges of the country, as any of the inhabitants or +natives are, if such servants were not aliens.</p> + +<p>12. Each servant has then also a right to take up fifty +acres of land, where he can find any unpatented.</p> +</div> + +<p>This is what the laws prescribe in favor of servants, by +which you may find, that the cruelties and severities imputed +to that country, are an unjust reflection. For no +people more abhor the thoughts of such usage, than the +Virginians, nor take more precaution to prevent it now, +whatever it was in former days.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIc" id="CHAPTER_XIc"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE OTHER PUBLIC CHARITABLE WORKS, AND PARTICULARLY +THEIR PROVISION FOR THE POOR.</p> + + +<p>§ 53. They live in so happy a climate, and have so fertile +a soil, that nobody is poor enough to beg, or want +food, though they have abundance of people that are lazy +enough to deserve it. I remember the time when five +pounds was left by a charitable testator to the poor of the +parish he lived in, and it lay nine years before the executors +could find one poor enough to accept of this legacy, +but at last it was given to an old woman. So that this +may in truth be termed the best poor man's country in +the world. But as they have nobody that is poor to beggary, +so they have few that are rich; their estates being +regulated by the merchants in England, who it seems +know best what is profit enough for them in the sale of +their tobacco and other trade.</p> + +<p>§ 54. When it happens, that by accident or sickness, any +person is disabled from working, and so is forced to depend +upon the alms of the parish, he is then very well provided +for, not at the common rate of some countries, that +give but just sufficient to preserve the poor from perishing; +but the unhappy creature is received into some charitable +planter's house, where he is at the public charge boarded +plentifully.</p> + +<p>Many when they are crippled, or by long sickness become +poor, will sometimes ask to be free from levies and taxes; +but very few others do ever ask for the parish alms, or, +indeed, so much as stand in need of them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span></p> + +<p>§ 55. There are large tracts of land, houses, and other +things granted to free schools, for the education of children +in many parts of the country; and some of these are so +large, that of themselves they are a handsome maintenance +to a master; but the additional allowance which gentlemen +give with their sons, render them a comfortable +subsistence. These schools have been founded by the legacies +of well inclined gentlemen, and the management of +them hath commonly been left to the direction of the +county court, or to the vestry of the respective parishes. In +all other places where such endowments have not been +already made, the people join, and build schools for their +children, where they may learn upon very easy terms.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIIc" id="CHAPTER_XIIc"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD THEIR LANDS, +AND OF THEIR GRANTS.</p> + + +<p>§ 56. The tenure of their land there is free and common +soccage, according to custom of east Greenwich; and +is created by letters patents, issuing under the seal of the +colony, and under the test of the governor in chief for +the time being. I don't find that the name of any other +officer is necessary to make the patent valid.</p> + +<p>§ 57. There are three ways of obtaining from his majesty +a title to land there, viz: 1. By taking a patent +upon a survey of new land. 2. By petition for land +lapsed. 3. By petition for land escheated. The conditions +of the two former are the entry of rights; the condition of +the third a composition of two pounds of tobacco for every +acre.</p> + +<p>§ 58. A right is a title any one hath by the royal charter +to fifty acres of land, in consideration of his personal +transportation into that country, to settle and remain there; +by this rule also, a man that removes his family is entitled +to the same number of acres for his wife, and each +of his children; a right may be also obtained by paying +five shillings, according to a late royal instruction to the +government.</p> + +<p>§ 59. A patent upon land for survey is acquired thus: +1. The man proves his rights; that is, he makes oath in +court of the importation of so many persons, with a list +of their names. This list is then certified by the clerk +of that court to the clerk of the secretary's office, who +examines into the validity of them, and files them in that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> +office, attesting them to be regular, or he purchases them +at five shillings each as aforesaid. When the rights are +thus obtained, they are produced to the surveyor of the +county, and the land is showed to him; who, thereupon, +is bound to make the survey if the land had not been +patented before. These rights to land are as commonly +sold by one man to another, as the land itself; so that +any one, not having rights by his own importation, may +have them by purchase.</p> + +<p>It is the business of the surveyor also to take care that +the bounds of his survey be plainly marked, either by +natural boundaries, or else by chopping notches in the +trees, that happen in the lines of his courses; but this is +done at the charge of the man that employs him.</p> + +<p>This survey being made, a copy thereof is carried, with +a certificate of rights to the secretary's office, and there (if +there be no objection) a patent of course is made out upon +it, which is presented to the governor and council for +them to pass; the patentee having no more to do but to +send for it when it is perfected, and to pay the fee at +the first crop to the sheriff of the county, by whom annually +the fees are collected.</p> + +<p>This patent gives an estate in fee simple, upon condition +of paying a quit rent of twelve pence for every fifty +acres, and of planting or seating thereon, within three years, +according to their law; that is, to clear, plant, and tend +three acres of ground for every fifty, and to build an +house, and keep a stock of cattle, sheep, or goats, in +proportion to the meaner part of the land in the patent.</p> + +<p>§ 60. Lapsed land, is when any one having obtained a +patent as before, doth not set or plant thereon within +three years, as the condition of the patent requires; but +leaves it still all or part uninhabited and uncultivated. In +such case it is said to be lapsed, and any man is at +liberty to obtain a new patent in his own name of so +much as is lapsed, the method of acquiring which patent +is thus.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>The party must apply himself by petition to the general +court, another to the governor, setting forth all the circumstances +of the lapse. If this petition be allowed, the court +makes an order, to certify the same to the governor, in +whose breast it is then to make a new grant thereof to such +person if he thinks they deserve it, upon the same condition, +of setting or planting within three years, as was in the +former patent. Thus land may be lapsed or lost several +times, by the negligence of the patentees; who, by such +omission, lose not only the land, but all their rights and +charges into the bargain.</p> + +<p>But if within the three years after the date of the patent, +or before any new petition is preferred for it, the patentee +shall set or plant the said land, as the law directs; it cannot +afterwards be forfeited, but by attainder, or escheat, in +which case it returns to his majesty again.</p> + +<p>Also when it happens, that the patentee dies within the +three years, leaving the heir under age, there is farther time +given the heir after he comes of age to set and save such +land.</p> + +<p>§ 61. When land is suggested to escheat, the governor +issues his warrant to the escheator, to make inquest thereof: +and when upon such inquest, office is found for the king, it +must be recorded in the secretary's office, and there kept +nine months, to see if any person will lay claim to it, or +can traverse the escheat. If any such appear, upon his +petition to the general court he is heard, before any grant +can be made. If no person oppose the inquest, the land is +given to the man that shews the best equitable right thereto; +and if there be none such, it is then granted to any one, +that the governor and council shall think fit, the grantee always +paying two pounds of tobacco per acre into the treasury +of the country, as a fine of composition with his majesty +for his escheat: and thereupon a patent issues reciting +premises.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIIIc" id="CHAPTER_XIIIc"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE LIBERTIES AND NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS IN +VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 62. Christians of all nations have equal freedom there, +and upon their arrival become <i>ipso facto</i> entitled to all the +liberties and privileges of the country, provided they take +the oaths of obedience to the crown and government, and +obtain the governor's testimonial thereof.</p> + +<p>The method of obtaining naturalization is thus: the party +desiring it goes before the governor, and tenders his oath of +allegiance, which the governor thereupon administers, and +immediately makes certificate of it under the seal of the +colony. By this means, the person alien is completely naturalized +to all intents and purposes.</p> + +<p>§ 63. The French refugees sent in thither by the charitable +exhibition of his late majesty king William, are naturalized, +by a particular law for that purpose.</p> + +<p>In the year 1699, there went over about three hundred of +these, and the year following about two hundred more, and +so on, till there arrived in all between seven and eight hundred +men, women and children, who had fled from France +on account of their religion.</p> + +<p>Those who went over the first year, were advised to seat +on a piece of very rich land, about twenty miles above the +falls of James river, on the south side of the river; which +land was formerly the seat of a great and warlike nation of +Indians, called the Manicans, none of which are now left +in those parts; but the land still retains their name, and is +called the Manican town.</p> + +<p>The refugees that arrived the second year, went also first<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> +to the Manican town, but afterwards upon some disagreement, +several dispersed themselves up and down the country; +and those that have arrived since have followed their +example, except some few, that settled likewise at the Manican +town.</p> + +<p>The assembly was very bountiful to those who remained +at this town, bestowing on them large donations, money and +provisions for their support; they likewise freed them from +every public tax, for several years to come, and addressed +the governor to grant them a brief, to entitle them to the +charity of all well disposed persons throughout the country; +which together with the king's benevolence, supported them +very comfortably, till they could sufficiently supply themselves +with necessaries, which now they do indifferently +well, and have stocks of cattle and hogs.</p> + +<p>The year 1702, they began an essay of wine, which they +made of the wild grapes gathered in the woods; the effect +of which was a strong bodied claret, of good flavor. I heard +a gentleman, who tasted it, give it great commendation. +Now if such may be made of the wild vine in the woods, +without pruning, weeding, or removing it out of the shade, +what may not be produced from a vineyard skilfully cultivated? +But I don't hear that they have done any thing since +towards it, being still very poor, needy, and negligent.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE CURRENCY AND VALUATION OF COINS IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 64. The coin which chiefly they have among them, is +either gold, of the stamp of Arabia, or silver and gold, of +the stamp of France, Portugal or the Spanish America: +Spanish, French and Portuguese coined silver is settled by +law at three pence three farthings the pennyweight. Gold +of the same coin, and of Arabia, at five shillings the pennyweight. +English guineas at twenty-six shillings each, and +the silver two pence in every shilling advance, English old +coin goes by weight as the other gold and silver.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span></p> +<h1>OF THE<br /> +HUSBANDRY AND IMPROVEMENTS<br /> +OF<br /> +VIRGINIA.</h1> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="PART_II" id="PART_II"></a>PART II.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE PEOPLE, INHABITANTS OF VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 65. I can easily imagine with Sir Josiah Child, that +this, as well as all the rest of the plantations, was for the +most part, at first, peopled by persons of low circumstances, +and by such as were willing to seek their fortunes in a +foreign country. Nor was it hardly possible it should be +otherwise; for 'tis not likely that any man of a plentiful +estate should voluntarily abandon a happy certainty, to roam +after imaginary advantages in a new world. Besides which +uncertainty, he must have proposed to himself to encounter +the infinite difficulties and dangers that attend a new settlement. +These discouragements were sufficient to terrify any +man, that could live easily in England, from going to provoke +his fortune in a strange land.</p> + +<p>§ 66. Those that went over to that country first, were +chiefly single men who had not the incumbrance of wives +and children in England; and if they had, they did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> +expose them to the fatigue and hazard of so long a voyage, +until they saw how it should fare with themselves. From +hence it came to pass, that when they were settled there +in a comfortable way of subsisting a family, they grew sensible +of the misfortune of wanting wives, and such as had +left wives in England sent for them, but the single men +were put to their shifts. They excepted against the Indian +women on account of their being pagans, as well as their +complexions, and for fear they should conspire with those +of their own nation to destroy their husbands. Under this +difficulty they had no hopes, but that the plenty in which +they lived might invite modest women, of small fortunes, +to go over thither from England. However, they would +not receive any, but such as could carry sufficient certificate +of their modesty and good behavior. Those, if they were +but moderately qualified in all other respects, might depend +upon marrying very well in those days, without any fortune. +Nay, the first planters were so far from expecting money +with a woman, that 'twas a common thing for them to buy +a deserving wife, that carried good testimonials of her character, +at the price of one hundred pounds, and make +themselves believe they had a bargain.</p> + +<p>§ 67. But this way of peopling the colony was only +at first. For after the advantages of the climate, and the +fruitfulness of the soil were well known, and all the dangers +incident to infant settlements were over, people of +better condition retired thither with their families, either to +increase the estates they had before, or else to avoid being +persecuted for their principles of religion or government.</p> + +<p>Thus, in the time of the rebellion in England, several +good cavalier families went thither with their effects, to +escape the tyranny of the usurper, or acknowledgement of +his title. And so again, upon the restoration, many people +of the opposite party took refuge there, to shelter themselves +from the king's resentment. But Virginia had not many +of these last, because that country was famous for holding +out the longest for the royal family, of any of the English<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> +dominions. For which reason the Roundheads went, for the +most part, to New England, as did most of those that in +the reign of King Charles II were molested on account of +their religion, though some of these fell likewise to the +share of Virginia. As for malefactors condemned to transportation, +tho' the greedy planter will always buy them, +yet it is to be feared they will be very injurious to the +country, which has already suffered many murders and robberies, +the effect of that new law of England.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE BUILDINGS OF VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 68. There are three fine public buildings in this country, +which are said to be the most magnificent of any in the +English America: one of which is the college before spoken +of, another the capitol or state house, as it was formerly +called; that is, the house for convention of the general +assembly, for the sitting of the general court, for the +meeting of the council, and for keeping of their several +offices, belonging to them.</p> + +<p>Not far from this, is also built the public prison of the +country for criminals, which is a large and convenient structure, +with partitions for the different sexes, and distinct +rooms for petty offenders. To this is also annexed a convenient +yard to air the criminals in, for the preservation of +their life and health, till the time of their trial; and at the +end of that, another prison for debtors.</p> + +<p>The third is a house for the governor, not the largest, but +by far the most beautiful of all the others. It was granted +by the assembly in Governor Nott's time, begun in President +Jennings' time, but received its beauty and conveniency +for the many alterations and decorations, of the present +governor, Colonel Spotswood; who, to the lasting honor +and happiness of the country, arrived there, while this house +was carrying up.</p> + +<p>In his time was also built a new brick church, and brick +magazine for arms and ammunition, and the streets of the +town altered from the fanciful forms of Ws and Ms to +much more conveniences.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>These are all erected at Middle plantation, now named +Williamsburg, where land is laid out for a town. They +all are built of brick, and covered with shingle, except the +debtors' prison which is flat roofed anew; a very useful +invention of the present governor also.</p> + +<p>§ 69. The private buildings are also in his time very +much improved, several gentlemen there, having built themselves +large brick houses of many rooms on a floor; but +they don't covet to make them lofty, having extent enough +of ground to build upon; and now and then they are +visited by high winds, which would incommode a towering +fabric. They love to have large rooms, that they +may be cool in summer. Of late they have made their +stories much higher than formerly, and their windows larger, +and sashed with crystal glass; adorning their apartments +with rich furniture.</p> + +<p>All their drudgeries of cookery, washing, dairies, &c., +are performed in offices apart from the dwelling houses, +which by this means are kept more cool and sweet.</p> + +<p>Their tobacco houses are all built of wood, as open and +airy as is consistent with keeping out the rain; which +sort of building is most convenient for the curing of their +tobacco.</p> + +<p>Their common covering for dwelling houses is shingle, +which is an oblong square of cypress or pine wood; but +they cover their tobacco houses with thin clap board; and +though they have slate enough in some particular parts of the +country, and as strong clay as can be desired for making +of tile, yet they have very few tiled houses; neither has +any one yet thought it worth his while to dig up the slate, +which will hardly be made use of, till the carriage there +becomes cheaper, and more common; the slate lying far +up the frontiers above water carriage.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 70. The families being altogether on country seats, +they have their graziers, seedsmen, gardeners, brewers, bakers, +butchers and cooks, within themselves. They have +plenty and variety of provisions for their table; and as for +spicery, and other things that the country don't produce, +they have constant supplies of them from England. The +gentry pretend to have their victuals dressed, and served up +as nicely, as if they were in London.</p> + +<p>§ 71. When I come to speak of their cattle, I can't forbear +charging my countrymen with exceeding ill husbandry, +in not providing sufficiently for them all winter, by which +means they starve their young cattle, or at least stint their +growth; so that they seldom or never grow so large as +they would do, if they were well managed; for the humor +is there, if people can but save the lives of their +cattle, though they suffer them to be never so poor in the +winter, yet they will presently grow fat again in the spring, +which they esteem sufficient for their purpose. And this +is the occasion, that their beef and mutton are seldom or +never so large, or so fat as in England. And yet with the +least feeding imaginable, they are put into as good case as +can be desired; and it is the same with their hogs.</p> + +<p>Their fish is in vast plenty and variety, and extraordinary +good in their kind. Beef and pork are commonly sold +there, from one penny, to two pence the pound, or more, +according to the time of year; their fattest and largest +pullets at sixpence a piece; their capons at eight pence or +nine pence a piece; their chickens at three or four shillings<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> +the dozen; their ducks at eight pence, or nine pence a +piece; their geese at ten pence or a shilling; their turkey +hens at fifteen or eighteen pence; and their turkey cocks +at two shillings or half a crown. But oysters and wild +fowl are not so dear, as the things I have reckoned before, +being in their season the cheapest victuals they have. Their +deer are commonly sold from five to ten shillings, according +to the scarcity and goodness.</p> + +<p>§ 72. The bread in gentlemen's houses is generally +made of wheat, but some rather choose the pone, which +is the bread made of Indian meal. Many of the poorer +sort of people so little regard the English grain, that +though they might have it with the least trouble in the +world, yet they don't mind to sow the ground, because +they won't be at the trouble of making a fence particularly +for it. And, therefore, their constant bread is pone, +not so called from the Latin panis, but from the Indian +name oppone.</p> + +<p>§ 73. A kitchen garden don't thrive better or faster in +any part of the universe than there. They have all the +culinary plants that grow in England, and in greater perfection +than in England. Besides these, they have several +roots, herbs, vine fruits, and salad flowers peculiar to +themselves, most of which will neither increase nor grow +to perfection in England. These they dish up various +ways, and find them very delicious sauce to their meats, +both roast and boiled, fresh and salt; such are the Indian +cresses, red buds, sassafras flowers, cymlings, melons +and potatoes, whereof I have spoken at large in the +4th chapter of the second book, section 20.</p> + +<p>It is said of New England, that several plants will not +grow there, which thrive well in England; such as rue, +southernwood, rosemary, bays and lavender; and that others +degenerate, and will not continue above a year or two at +the most; such are July flowers, fennel, enula campana, +clary and bloodwort. But I don't know any English +plant, grain or fruit, that miscarries in Virginia: but most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> +of them better their kinds very much by being sowed or +planted there. It was formerly said of the red top turnip, +that there, in three or four, years time, it degenerated into +rape; but that happened merely by an error in saving +the seed; for now it appears that if they cut off the top +of such a turnip, that has been kept out of the ground +all the winter, and plant that top alone without the body +of the root, it yields a seed which mends the turnip in +the next sowing.</p> + +<p>§ 74. Their small drink is either wine and water, beer, +milk and water, or water alone. Their richer sort generally +brew their small beer with malt, which they have +from England, though barley grows there very well; but +for want of the convenience of malthouses, the inhabitants +take no care to sow it. The poorer sort brew their beer +with molasses and bran; with Indian corn malted by drying +in a stove; with persimmons dried in cakes, and +baked; with potatoes; with the green stalks of Indian corn +cut small, and bruised; with pompions, and with the +batates canadensis, or Jerusalem artichoke, which some +people plant purposely for that use; but this is the least +esteemed of all the sorts before mentioned.</p> + +<p>Their strong drink is Madeira wine, cider, mobby punch, +made either of rum from the Caribbee islands, or brandy +distilled from their apples and peaches; besides brandy, +wine, and strong beer, which they have constantly from +England.</p> + +<p>§ 75. Their fuel is altogether wood, which every man +burns at pleasure, it being no other charge to him than +the cutting and carrying it home. In all new grounds it +is such an incumbrance, that they are forced to burn great +heaps of it to rid the land. They have very good pit +coal (as is formerly mentioned) in several places of the +country; but no man has yet thought it worth his while +to make use of them, having wood in plenty, and lying +more convenient for him.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE CLOTHING IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 76. They have their clothing of all sorts from England; +as linen, woollen, silk, hats and leather. Yet flax and +hemp grow no where in the world better than there. +Their sheep yield good increase, and bear good fleeces; +but they shear them only to cool them. The mulberry +tree, whose leaf is the proper food of the silk worm, +grows there like a weed, and silk worms have been observed +to thrive extremely, and without any hazard. The +very furs that their hats are made of perhaps go first +from thence; and most of their hides lie and rot, or are +made use of only for covering dry goods in a leaky house. +Indeed, some few hides with much ado are tanned and +made into servants' shoes, but at so careless a rate, that +the planters don't care to buy them if they can get others; +and sometimes perhaps a better manager than ordinary will +vouchsafe to make a pair of breeches of a deerskin. Nay, +they are such abominable ill husbands, that though their +country be overrun with wood, yet they have all their +wooden ware from England; their cabinets, chairs, tables, +stools, chests, boxes, cart wheels, and all other things, +even so much as their bowls and birchen brooms, to the +eternal reproach of their laziness.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE, AND THE INCONVENIENCIES +ATTENDING IT.</p> + + +<p>§ 77. The natural temperature of the inhabited part of the +country is hot and moist, though this moisture I take to +be occasioned by the abundance of low grounds, marshes, +creeks and rivers, which are everywhere among their +lower settlements; but more backward in the woods, where +they are now seating, and making new plantations, they +have abundance of high and dry land, where there are +only crystal streams of water, which flow gently from their +springs in innumerable branches to moisten and enrich +the adjacent lands, and where a fog is rarely seen.</p> + +<p>§ 78. The country is in a very happy situation, between +the extremes of heat and cold, but inclining rather +to the first. Certainly it must be a happy climate, since +it is very near of the same latitude with the land of promise. +Besides, as the land of promise was full of rivers +and branches of rivers, so is Virginia. As that was seated +upon a great bay and sea, wherein were all the conveniencies +for shipping and trade, so is Virginia. Had that +fertility of soil? So has Virginia, equal to any land in the +known world. In fine, if any one impartially considers all +the advantages of this country, as nature made it, he must +allow it to be as fine a place as any in the universe, but +I confess I am ashamed to say any thing of its improvements, +because I must at the same time reproach my countrymen +with unpardonable sloth. If there be any excuse +for them in this matter, 'tis the exceeding plenty of good +things with which nature has blest them; for where God<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +Almighty is so merciful as to give plenty and ease, people +easily forget their duty.</p> + +<p>All the countries in the world, seated in or near the latitude +of Virginia, are esteemed the fruitfullest and pleasantest +of all climates. As for example, Canaan, Syria, +Persia, great part of India, China and Japan, the Morea, +Spain, Portugal, and the coast of Barbary, none of which +differ many degrees of latitude from Virginia. These are +reckoned the gardens of the world, while Virginia is unjustly +neglected by its own inhabitants, and abused by other +people.</p> + +<p>§ 79. That which makes this country most unfortunate, is, +that it must submit to receive its character from the mouths +not only of unfit, but very unequal judges; for all its reproaches +happen after this manner.</p> + +<p>Many of the merchants and others, that go thither from +England, make no distinction between a cold and hot country; +but wisely go sweltering about in their thick clothes +all the summer, because forsooth they used to do so in their +northern climate; and then unfairly complain of the heat +of the country. They greedily surfeit with their delicious +fruits, and are guilty of great intemperance therein, through +the exceeding plenty thereof, and liberty given by the inhabitants; +by which means they fall sick, and then unjustly +complain of the unhealthiness of the country. In the next +place, the sailors for want of towns there, were put to the +hardship of rolling most of the tobacco, a mile or more, to +the water side; this splinters their hands sometimes, and +provokes them to curse the country. Such exercise and a +bright sun made them hot, and then they imprudently fell +to drinking cold water, or perhaps new cider, which, in its +season they found in every planter's house; or else they +greedily devour the green fruit, and unripe trash they met +with, and so fell into fluxes, fevers, and the belly ache; +and then, to spare their own indiscretion, they in their tarpaulin +language, cry, God d——m the country. This is +the true state of the case, as to the complaints of its being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> +sickly; for, by the most impartial observation I can make, +if people will be persuaded to be temperate, and take due +care of themselves, I believe it is as healthy a country as +any under heaven: but the extraordinary pleasantness of the +weather, and plenty of the fruit, lead people into many +temptations. The clearness and brightness of the sky, add +new vigor to their spirits, and perfectly remove all splenetic +and sullen thoughts. Here they enjoy all the benefits of a +warm sun, and by their shady trees are protected from its +inconvenience. Here all their senses are entertained with +an endless succession of native pleasures. Their eyes are +ravished with the beauties of naked nature. Their ears are +serenaded with the perpetual murmur of brooks, and the +thorough-base which the wind plays, when it wantons +through the trees; the merry birds too, join their pleasing +notes to this rural comfort, especially the mock birds, who +love society so well, that often when they see mankind, +they will perch upon a twig very near them, and sing the +sweetest wild airs in the world. But what is most remarkable +in these melodious animals, if they see a man take notice +of them, they will frequently fly at small distances, +warbling out their notes from perch to perch, be it house or +tree convenient, and sometimes too fly up, to light on the +same again, and by their music make a man forget the +fatigues of his mind. Men's taste is regaled with the most +delicious fruits, which, without art, they have in great variety +and perfection. And then their smell is refreshed with +an eternal fragrancy of flowers and sweets, with which nature +perfumes and adorns the woods and branches almost +the whole year round.</p> + +<p>Have you pleasure in a garden? All things thrive in it +most surprisingly; you can't walk by a bed of flowers, but +besides the entertainment of their beauty, your eyes will be +saluted with the charming colors and curiosity of the humming +bird, which revels among the flowers, and licks off +the dew and honey from their tender leaves, on which it +only feeds. Its size is not half so large as an English<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> +wren, and its color is a glorious shining mixture of scarlet, +green and gold.</p> + +<p>§ 80. On the other side, all the annoyances and inconveniences +of the country may fairly be summed up, under +these three heads, thunder, heat, and troublesome vermin.</p> + +<p>I confess, in the hottest part of the summer, they have +sometimes very loud and surprising thunder, but rarely any +damage happens by it. On the contrary, it is of such advantage +to the cooling and refining of the air, that it is +oftener wished for than feared. But they have no earthquakes, +which the Caribbee islands are so much troubled +with.</p> + +<p>Their heat is very seldom troublesome, and then only by +the accident of a perfect calm, which happens perhaps two +or three times in a year, and lasts but a few hours at a +time; and even that inconvenience is made easy by cool +shades, open airy rooms, summer houses, arbors, and grottos: +but the spring and fall afford as pleasant weather as +Mahomet promised in his paradise.</p> + +<p>All the troublesome vermin that ever I heard anybody +complain of, are either frogs, snakes, musquitoes, chinches, +seed ticks, or red worms, by some called potato lice. Of +all which I shall give an account in their order.</p> + +<p>Some people have been so ill informed, as to say, that +Virginia is full of toads, though there never yet was seen +one toad in it. The marshes, fens, and watery grounds, are +indeed full of harmless frogs which do no hurt, except by +the noise of their croaking notes: but in the upper parts of +the country, where the land is high and dry, they are very +scarce. In these swamps and running streams, they have +frogs of an incredible bigness, which are called bull frogs, +from the roaring they make. Last year I found one of +these near a stream of fresh water, of so prodigious a magnitude, +that when I extended its legs, I found the distance +betwixt them to be seventeen inches and an half. If any +are good to eat, these must be the kind.</p> + +<p>Some people in England are startled at the very name<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> +of the rattle snake, and fancy every corner of that province +so much pestered with them, that a man goes in constant +danger of his life, that walks abroad in the woods. But this +is as gross a mistake, as most of the other ill reports of that +country. For in the first place this snake is very rarely +seen; and when that happens, it never does the least mischief, +unless you offer to disturb it, and thereby provoke +it to bite in its own defence. But it never fails to give +you fair warning, by making a noise with its rattle, which +may be heard at a convenient distance. For my own part +I have traveled the country as much as any man in it +of my age, by night and by day, above the inhabitants, +well as among them; and yet before the first impression +of this book I had never seen a rattle snake alive, and at +liberty, in all my life. I had seen them indeed after they +had been killed, or pent up in boxes to be sent to England. +The bite of this viper without some immediate application +is certainly death; but remedies are so well known, that +none of their servants are ignorant of them. I never knew +any killed by these, or any other of their snakes, although +I had a general knowledge all over the country, and had +been in every part of it. They have several other snakes +which are seen more frequently, and have very little or no +hurt in them, viz: such as they call black snakes, water +snakes, and corn snakes. The black viper snake, and the +copper-bellied snake, are said to be as venomous as the +rattle snake, but they are as seldom seen; these three poisonous +snakes bring forth their young alive, whereas the +other three sorts lay eggs, which are hatched afterwards; +and that is the distinction they make, esteeming only those +to be venomous, which are viviparous. They have likewise +the horn snake, so called from a sharp horn it carries +in its tail, with which it assaults anything that offends it, +with that force, that as it is said it will strike its tail into +the butt end of a musket, from which it is not able to +disengage itself.</p> + +<p>All sorts of snakes will charm both birds and squirrels,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> +and the Indians pretend to charm them. Several persons +have seen squirrels run down a tree directly into a snake's +mouth; they have likewise seen birds fluttering up and +down, and chattering at these snakes, till at last they have +dropped down just before them.</p> + +<p>In the end of May, 1715, stopping at an orchard by the +road side to get some cherries, being three of us in company, +we were entertained with the whole process of a charm +between a rattle snake and a hare, the hare being better +than half grown. It happened thus: one of the company +in his search for the best cherries espied the hare sitting, +and although he went close by her she did not move, till +he, (not suspecting the occasion of her gentleness,) gave her +a lash with his whip; this made her run about ten feet, +and there sit down again. The gentleman not finding the +cherries ripe, immediately returned the same way, and near +the place where he struck the hare, he spied a rattle snake; +still not suspecting the charm, he goes back about twenty +yards to a hedge to get a stick to kill the snake, and at his +return found the snake removed, and coiled in the same +place from whence he had moved the hare. This put him +into immediate thoughts of looking for the hare again, and +he soon spied her about ten feet off the snake, in the same +place to which she had started when he whipt her. She +was now lying down, but would sometimes raise herself +on her fore feet struggling as it were for life or to get away, +but could never raise her hinder parts from the ground, +and then would fall flat on her side again, panting vehemently. +In this condition the hare and snake were when +he called me; and though we all three came up within +fifteen feet of the snake to have a full view of the whole, +he took no notice at all of us, nor so much as gave a glance +towards us. There we stood at least half an hour, the +snake not altering a jot, but the hare often struggling and +falling on its side again, till at last the hare lay still as +dead for some time. Then the snake moved out of his +coil, and slid gently and smoothly on towards the hare,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> +his colors at that instant being ten times more glorious and +shining than at other times. As the snake moved along, +the hare happened to fetch another struggle, upon which +the snake made a stop, laying at his length, till the hare +had lain quiet again for a short space; and then he advanced +again till he came up to the hinder parts of the +hare, which in all this operation had been towards the +snake; there he made a survey all over the hare, raising +part of his body above it, then turned off and went to +the head and nose of the hare, after that to the ears, +took the ears in his mouth one after the other, working +each apart in his mouth as a man does a wafer to moisten +it, then returned to the nose again, and took the face into +his mouth, straining and gathering his lips sometimes by +one side of his mouth, sometimes by the other; at the +shoulders he was a long time puzzled, often hauling and +stretching the hare out at length, and straining forward first +one side of his mouth then the other, till at last he got +the whole body into his throat. Then we went to him, +and taking the twist band off from my hat, I made a noose +and put it about his neck. This made him at length very +furious, but we having secured him, put him into one end +of a wallet, and carried him on horseback five miles to Mr. +John Baylor's house, where we lodged that night, with a +design to have sent him to Dr. Cock, at Williamsburg; +but Mr. Baylor was so careful of his slaves that he would +not let him be put into his boat, for fear he should get +loose and mischief them; therefore, the next morning we +killed him, and took the hare out of his belly. The head +of the hare began to be digested and the hair falling off, +having lain about eighteen hours in the snake's belly.</p> + +<p>I thought this account of such a curiosity would be acceptable, +and the rather because though I lived in a country +where such things are said frequently to happen, yet I +never could have any satisfactory account of a charm, +though I have met with several persons who have pretended +to have seen them. Some also pretend that those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +sort of snakes influence children, and even men and women, +by their charms. But this that I have related of my own +view, I aver, (for the satisfaction of the learned,) to be +punctually true, without enlarging or wavering in any respect, +upon the faith of a Christian.</p> + +<p>In my youth I was a bear hunting in the woods above +the inhabitants, and having straggled from my companions, +I was entertained at my return, with the relation of a +pleasant rencounter, between a dog and a rattle snake, about +a squirrel. The snake had got the head and shoulders of +the squirrel into his mouth, which being something too +large for his throat, it took him up some time to moisten the +fur of the squirrel with his spawl, to make it slip down. +The dog took this advantage, seized the hinder parts of +the squirrel, and tugged with all his might. The snake, +on the other side, would not let go his hold for a long +time, till at last, fearing he might be bruised by the dog's +running away with him, he gave up his prey to the dog. +The dog ate the squirrel, and felt no harm.</p> + +<p>Another curiosity concerning this viper, which I never +met with in print, I will also relate from my own observation:</p> + +<p>Sometime after my observation of the charm, my waiting +boy being sent abroad on an errand, also took upon +himself to bring home a rattle snake in a noose. I cut off +the head of this snake, leaving about an inch of the neck +with it. This I laid upon the head of a tobacco hogshead, +one Stephen Lankford, a carpenter, now alive, being with +me. Now you must note that these snakes have but two +teeth, by which they convey their poison; and they are +placed in the upper jaw, pretty forward in the mouth, one +on each side. These teeth are hollow and crooked like a +cock's spur. They are also loose or springing in the +mouth, and not fastened in the jaw bone as all other teeth +are. The hollow has a vent, also, through by a small hole +a little below the point of the tooth. These two teeth are +kept lying down along the jaw, or shut like a spring knife,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> +and don't shrink up as the talons of a cat or panther. +They have also over them a loose thin film or skin of a +flesh color, which rises over them when they are raised, +which I take to be only at the will of the snake to do +injury. This skin does not break by the rising of the +tooth only, but keeps whole till the bite is given, and then +is pierced by the tooth, by which the poison is let out. +The head being laid upon the hogshead, I took two little +twigs or splinters of sticks, and having turned the head upon +its crown, opened the mouth, and lifted up the fang or +springing tooth on one side several times, in doing of which +I at last broke the skin. The head gave a sudden champ +with its mouth, breaking from my sticks, in which I observed +that the poison ran down in a lump like oil, round the +root of the tooth. Then I turned the other side of the +head, and resolved to be more careful to keep the mouth +open on the like occasion, and observe more narrowly the +consequence. For it is observed, that though the heads of +snakes, terrapins and such like vermin, be cut off, yet the +body will not die in a long time after—the general saying +is, till the sun sets. After opening the mouth on the other +side, and lifting up that fang also several times, he endeavored +to give another bite or champ; but I kept his mouth +open, and the tooth pierced the film and emitted a stream +like one full of blood in blood letting, and cast some drops +upon the sleeve of the carpenter's shirt, who had no waistcoat +on. I advised him to pull off his shirt, but he would +not, and received no harm; and tho' nothing could then be +seen of it upon the shirt, yet in washing there appeared +five green specks, which every washing appeared plainer and +plainer, and lasted so long as the shirt did, which the carpenter +told me was about three years after. The head we +threw afterwards down upon the ground, and a sow came +and eat it before our faces, and received no harm. Now +I believe had this poison lighted upon any place of the +carpenter's skin that was scratched or hurt, it might have +poisoned him. I take the poison to rest in a small bag or<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> +receptacle, in the hollow at the root of these teeth; but +I never had the opportunity afterwards to make a farther +discovery of that.</p> + +<p>I will likewise give you a story of the violent effects of +this sort of poison, because I depend upon the truth of it, +having it from an acquaintance of mine of good credit, one +Colonel James Taylor, of Mattapony, still alive, he being +with others in the woods a surveying. Just as they were +standing to light their pipes, they found a rattle snake and +cut off his head, and about three inches of the body. +Then he, with a green stick which he had in his hand, +about a foot and a half long, the bark being newly peeled +off, urged and provoked the head, till it bit the stick in +fury several times. Upon this the colonel observed small +green streaks to rise up along the stick towards his hand. +He threw the stick upon the ground, and in a quarter of +hour the stick of its own accord split into several pieces, +and fell asunder from end to end. This account I had +from him again at the writing hereof.</p> + +<p>Musquitoes are a sort of vermin of less danger, but much +more troublesome, because more frequent. They are a +long tailed gnat, such as are in all fens and low grounds +in England, and I think have no other difference from +them than the name. Neither are they in Virginia troubled +with them anywhere but in their low grounds and marshes. +These insects I believe are stronger, and continue longer +there, by reason of the warm sun, than in England. Whoever +is persecuted with them in his house, may get rid of +them by this easy remedy: let him but set open his windows +at sunset, and shut them again before the twilight be quite +shut in. All the musquitoes in the room will go out at the +windows, and leave the room clear.</p> + +<p>Chinches are a sort of flat bug, which lurks in the bedsteads +and bedding, and disturbs people's rest a nights. +Every neat housewife contrives there, by several devices, +to keep her beds clear of them. But the best way I ever +heard, effectually to destroy them, is by a narrow search<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> +among the bedding early in the spring, before these vermin +begin to nit and run about; for they lie snug all the winter, +and are in the spring large and full of the winter's +growth, having all their seed within them; and so they +become a fair mark to find, and may with their whole +breed be destroyed; they are the same as they have in +London near the shipping.</p> + +<p>Seed tick, and red worms are small insects, that annoy +the people by day, as musquitoes and chinches do by night; +but both these keep out of your way, if you keep out of +theirs; for seed ticks are no where to be met with, but +in the track of cattle, upon which the great ticks fatten, +and fill their skins so full of blood, that they drop off, +and wherever they happen to fall, they produce a kind of +egg, which lies about a fortnight before the seedlings are +hatched. These seedlings run in swarms up the next +blade of grass that lies in their way; and then the first +thing that brushes that blade of grass, gathers off most of +these vermin, which stick like burs upon anything that +touches them. They void their eggs at the mouth.</p> + +<p>Red worms lie only in old dead trees, and rotten logs; +and without sitting down upon such, a man never meets +with them, nor at any other season, but only in the midst +of summer. A little warm water immediately brings off +both seed ticks and red worms, though they lie ever so +thick upon any part of the body. But without some such +remedy they will be troublesome; for they are so small +that nothing will lay hold of them, but the point of a +penknife, needle, or such like. But if nothing be done +to remove them, the itching they occasion goes away after +two days.</p> + +<p>§ 81. Their winters are very short, and don't continue +above three or four months, of which they have seldom +thirty days of unpleasant weather, all the rest being blest +with a clear air, and a bright sun. However, they have +very hard frost sometimes, but it rarely lasts above three +or four days, that is, till the wind change: for if it blow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> +not between the north and north-west points, from the cold +Appalachian mountains, they have no frost at all. But these +frosts are attended with a serene sky, and are otherwise +made delightful by the tameness of the wild fowl and +other game, which by their incredible number, afford the +pleasantest shooting in the world.</p> + +<p>Their rains, except in the depth of winter, are extremely +agreeable and refreshing. All the summer long they last +but a few hours at a time, and sometimes not above half +an hour, and then immediately succeeds clear sunshine +again. But in that short time it rains so powerfully, that +it quits the debt of a long drought, and makes everything +green and gay.</p> + +<p>I have heard that this country is reproached with sudden +and dangerous changes of weather, but that imputation is +unjust; for tho' it be true, that in the winter, when the +wind comes over those vast mountains and lakes to the +north-west, which are supposed to retain vast magazines +of ice, and snow, the weather is then very rigorous; yet +in spring, summer and autumn, such winds are only cool +and pleasant breezes, which serve to refresh the air, and +correct those excesses of heat, which the situation would +otherwise make that country liable to.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE DISEASES INCIDENT TO VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 82. While we are upon the climate, and its accidents, +it will not be improper to mention the diseases incident to +Virginia. Distempers come not there by choaking up the +spirits, with a foggy and thick air, as in some northern +climes; nor by a stifling heat, that exhales the vigor of +those that dwell in a more southerly latitude: but by a willful +and foolish indulging themselves in those pleasures, +which in a warm and fruitful country, nature lavishes upon +mankind, for their happiness, and not for their destruction.</p> + +<p>Thus I have seen persons impatient of heat, lie almost +naked upon the cold grass in the shades, and there, often +forgetting themselves, fall asleep. Nay, many are so imprudent, +as to do this in an evening, and perhaps lie so all +night; when between the clew from heaven, and the damps +from the earth, such impressions are made upon the humors +of their body, as occasion fatal distempers.</p> + +<p>Thus also have I seen persons put into a great heat by +excessive action, and in the midst of that heat, strip off +their clothes, and expose their open pores to the air. Nay, +I have known some mad enough in this hot condition, to +take huge draughts of cold water, or perhaps of milk and +water, which they esteem much more cold in operation than +water alone.</p> + +<p>And thus likewise have I seen several people, (especially +new-comers,) so intemperate in devouring the pleasant fruits, +that they have fallen into dangerous fluxes and surfeits. +These, and such like disorders, are the chief occasions of +their diseases.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span>§ 83. The first sickness that any new-comer happens to +have there, he unfairly calls a seasoning, be it fever, ague, +or any thing else, that his own folly or excesses bring upon +him.</p> + +<p>Their intermitting fevers, as well as their agues, are very +troublesome, if a fit remedy be not applied; but of late the +doctors there have made use of the Cortex Peruviana with +success, and find that it seldom or never fails to remove the +fits. The planters, too, have several roots natural to the +country, which in this case they cry up as infallible; and I +have found by many examples a total immersion in cold +spring water, just at the accession of the fit an infallible +cure.</p> + +<p>§ 84. When these damps, colds and disorders affect the +body more gently, and do not seize people violently at first; +then for want of some timely application, (the planters abhorring +all physic, except in desperate cases,) these small +disorders are suffered to go on, until they grow into a +cachexia, by which the body is overrun with obstinate scorbutic +humors. And this in a more fierce, and virulent degree, +I take to be the yaws.</p> + +<p>§ 85. The gripes is a distemper of the Caribbee islands, +not of that country, and seldom gets footing there, and then +only upon great provocations; namely, by the intemperance +before mentioned, together with an unreasonable use of filthy +and unclean drinks. Perhaps too it may come by new unfine +cider, perry or peach drink, which the people are impatient +to drink before it is ready; or by the excessive use +of lime juice, and foul sugar in punch and flip; or else by +the constant drinking of uncorrected beer, made of such +windy unwholesome things as some people make use of in +brewing.</p> + +<p>Thus having fairly reckoned up the principal inconveniences +of the climate, and the distempers incident to the +country, I shall add a chapter of the recreations and amusements +used there, and proceed to the natural benefits they +enjoy. After which, I shall conclude with some hints concerning +their trade and improvements.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES USED IN VIRGINIA.</p> + + +<p>§ 86. For their recreation, the plantations, orchards and +gardens constantly afford them fragrant and delightful walks. +In their woods and fields, they have an unknown variety of +vegetables, and other rarities of nature to discover and observe. +They have hunting, fishing and fowling, with which +they entertain themselves an hundred ways. There is the +most good nature and hospitality practiced in the world, +both towards friends and strangers: but the worst of it is, +this generosity is attended now and then with a little too +much intemperance. The neighborhood is at much the +same distance as in the country in England; but the goodness +of the roads, and the fairness of the weather, bring +people often together.</p> + +<p>§ 87. The Indians, as I have already observed, had in +their hunting, a way of concealing themselves, and coming +up to the deer, under the blind of a stalking head, in imitation +of which, many people have taught their horses to +stalk it, that is, to walk gently by the huntsman's side, to +cover him from the sight of the deer. Others cut down +trees for the deer to browse upon, and lie in wait behind +them. Others again set stakes, at a certain distance within +their fences, where the deer have been used to leap over +into a field of peas, which they love extremely; these +stakes they so place, as to run into the body of the deer, +when he pitches, by which means they impale him; and +for a temptation to the leap take down the top part of the +fence.</p> + +<p>§ 88. They hunt their hares, (which are very numerous,)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> +a foot, with mongrels or swift dogs, which either catch them +quickly, or force them to hole in a hollow tree, whither all +their hares generally tend when they are closely pursued. +As soon as they are thus holed, and have crawled up into +the body of the tree, the business is to kindle a fire, and +smother them with smoke, till they let go their hold, and +fall to the bottom stifled; from whence they take them. If +they have a mind to spare their lives, upon turning them +loose, they will be as fit as ever to hunt at another time; +for the mischief done them by the smoke immediately wears +off again.</p> + +<p>§ 89. They have another sort of hunting, which is very +diverting, and that they call vermin hunting; it is performed +a foot, with small dogs in the night, by the light of the +moon or stars. Thus in summer time they find abundance +of raccoons, opossums and foxes in the corn fields, and +about their plantations: but at other times they must go into +the woods for them. The method is to go out with three +or four dogs, and as soon as they come to the place they +bid the dogs seek out, and all the company follow immediately. +Wherever a dog barks, you may depend upon finding +the game; and this alarm draws both men and dogs +that way. If this sport be in the woods, the game, by the +time you come near it, is perhaps mounted to the top of an +high tree, and then they detach a nimble fellow up after it, +who must have a scuffle with the beast before he can throw +it down to the dogs; and then the sport increases, to see the +vermin encounter those little curs. In this sort of hunting, +they also carry their great dogs out with them; because +wolves, bears, panthers, wild cats, and all other beasts of +prey, are abroad in the night.</p> + +<p>For wolves they make traps and set guns baited in the +woods, so that when he offers to seize the bait, he pulls +the trigger, and the gun discharges upon him. What +Ælian and Pliny write, of the horses being benumed in +their legs, if they tread in the track of a wolf, does not +hold good here; for I myself, and many others, have rid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> +full speed after wolves in the woods, and have seen live +ones taken out of a trap, and dragged at a horse's tail; and +yet those that followed on horse back, have not perceived +any of their horses to falter in their pace.</p> + +<p>§ 90. They have many pretty devices besides the gun to +take wild turkeys; and among others, a friend of mine invented +a great trap, wherein he at times caught many turkeys, +and particularly seventeen at one time; but he could +not contrive it so as to let others in, after he had entrapped +the first flock, until they were taken out.</p> + +<p>§ 91. The Indian invention of weirs in fishing is mightily +improved by the English, besides which they make use +of seins, trolls, casting nets, setting nets, hand fishing and +angling, and in each find abundance of diversion. I have +sat in the shade at the heads of the rivers angling, and +spent as much time in taking the fish off the hook as +in waiting for their taking it. Like those of the Euxine +sea, they also fish with spilyards, which is a long line +staked out in the river, and hung with a great many +hooks on short strings, fastened to the main line, about +three or four feet asunder, supported by stakes, or buoyed +up with gourds. They use likewise the Indian way of +striking the light of a fire in the night, as is described in +the second book, chapter 5, section 23.</p> + +<p>§ 92. Their fowling is answerable to their fishing for +plenty of game in its proper season. Some plantations +have a vast variety of it, several sorts of which I have +not yet mentioned, as beaver, otter, squirrels, partridges, +pigeons, and an infinite number of small birds, &c.</p> + +<p>§ 93. The admirable economy of the beavers deserves +to be particularly remembered. They cohabit in one house +are incorporated in a regular form of government, something +like monarchy, and have over them a superintendent, +which the Indians call pericu. He leads them out to +their several employments, which consist in felling of trees, +biting off the branches, and cutting them into certain +lengths, suitable to the business they design them for, all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> +which they perform with their teeth. When this is done, +the pericu orders several of his subjects to join together, +and take up one of those logs, which they must carry to +their house or dam, as occasion requires. He walks in +state by them all the while, and sees that every one bears +his equal share of the burthen; while he bites with his +teeth, and lashes with his tail, those that lag behind, and +do not lend all their strength; their way of carriage is +upon their tail. They commonly build their houses in +swamps, and then to raise the water to a convenient height, +they make a dam with logs, and a binding fort of clay, so +firm, that though the water runs continually over, it cannot +wash it away. Within these dams they'll inclose water +enough to make a pool like a mill pond; and if a mill +happen to be built on the same stream, below their dam, +the miller, in a dry season, finds it worth his while to +cut it, to supply his mill with water. Upon which disaster +the beavers are so expert at their work, that in one or +two nights' time they will repair the breach, and make it +perfectly whole again. Sometimes they build their houses +in a broad marsh, where the tide ebbs and flows, and then +they make no dam at all. The doors into their houses +are under water. I have been at the demolishing of one +of these houses, that was found in a marsh, and was surprised +to find it fortified with logs, that were six feet long, +and ten inches through, and had been carried at least one +hundred and fifty yards. This house was three stories +high, and contained five rooms, that is to say, two in the +lower, two in the middle story, and but one at the top. +These creatures have a great deal of policy, and know +how to defeat all the subtilty and stratagems of the hunter, +who seldom can meet with them, tho' they are in great +numbers all over the country.</p> + +<p>§94. There is yet another kind of sport, which the young +people take great delight in, and that is, the hunting of +wild horses; which they pursue sometimes with dogs, and +sometimes without. You must know they have many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> +horses foaled in the woods of the uplands, that never were +in hand, and are as shy as any savage creature. These +having no mark upon them, belong to him that first takes +them. However, the captor commonly purchases these +horses very dear, by spoiling better in the pursuit; in which +case he has little to make himself amends, besides the +pleasure of the chase. And very often this is all he has +for it; for the wild horses are so swift, that 'tis difficult to +catch them; and when they are taken, 'tis odds but their +grease is melted, or else being old, they are so sullen, that +they can't be tamed.</p> + +<p>§ 95. The inhabitants are very courteous to travelers, +who need no other recommendation, but the being human +creatures. A stranger has no more to do, but to enquire +upon the road, where any gentleman or good housekeeper +lives, and there he may depend upon being received with +hospitality. This good nature is so general among their +people, that the gentry, when they go abroad, order their +principal servant to entertain all visitors, with everything the +plantation affords. And the poor planters, who have but +one bed, will very often sit up, or lie upon a form or +couch all night, to make room for a weary traveler, to +repose himself after his journey.</p> + +<p>If there happen to be a churl, that either out of covetousness, +or ill nature, won't comply with this generous +custom, he has a mark of infamy set upon him, and is +abhorred by all.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> +<hr style="width: 10%;" /> +<p class="centersc">OF THE NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA, AND THE ADVANTAGES +OF THEIR HUSBANDRY.</p> + + +<p>§ 96. The extreme fruitfulness of that country, has been +sufficiently shown in the second book, and I think we +may justly add, that in that particular it is not exceeded +by any other. No seed is sown there, but it thrives; and +most of the northern plants are improved, by being transplanted +thither. And yet there's very little improvement +made among them, seldom anything used in traffic but +tobacco.</p> + +<p>Besides all the natural productions mentioned in the +second book, you may take notice that apples from the +seed never degenerate into crabs there, but produce as good +or perhaps better fruit than the mother tree, (which is not +so in England,) and are wonderfully improved by grafting +and managing; yet there are very few planters that graft +at all, end much fewer that take any care to get choice +fruits.</p> + +<p>The fruit trees are wonderfully quick of growth; so +that in six or seven years time from the planting, a man +may bring an orchard to bear in great plenty, from which +he may make store of good cider, or distill great quantities +of brandy; for the cider is very strong, and yields abundance +of spirit. Yet they have very few, that take any +care at all for an orchard; nay, many that have good orchards +are so negligent of them as to let them go to ruin, +and expose the trees to be torn and barked by the cattle.</p> + +<p>Peaches, nectarines, and apricots, as well as plumbs and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> +cherries, grow there upon standard trees. They commonly +bear in three years from the stone, and thrive so exceedingly, +that they seem to have no need of grafting or +inoculating, if any body would be so good a husband; +and truly I never heard of any that did graft either plum, +nectarine, peach or apricot in that country, before the first +edition of this book.</p> + +<p>Peaches and nectarines I believe to be spontaneous, somewhere +or other on that continent, for the Indians have, and +ever had greater variety, and finer sorts of them than the +English. The best sort of these cling to the stone, and +will not come off clear, which they call plum nectarines, +and plum peaches, or cling stones. Some of these are +twelve or thirteen inches in the girt. These sorts of fruits +are raised so easily there, that some good husbands plant +great orchards of them, purposely for their hogs; and others +make a drink of them, which they call mobby, and either +drink it as cider, or distill it off for brandy. This makes +the best spirit next to grapes.</p> + +<p>Grape vines of the English stock, as well as those of +their own production, bear most abundantly, if they are +suffered to run near the ground, and increase very kindly +by slipping; yet very few have them at all in their gardens, +much less endeavor to improve them by cutting or +laying. But since the first impression of this book, some +vineyards have been attempted, and one is brought to perfection, +of seven hundred and fifty gallons a year. The +wine drinks at present greenish, but the owner doubts not +of good wine, in a year or two more, and takes great +delight that way.</p> + +<p>When a single tree happens in clearing the ground, to +be left standing, with a vine upon it, open to the sun +and air, that vine generally produces as much as four or +five others, that remain in the woods. I have seen in this +case, more grapes upon one single vine, than would load +a London cart. And for all this, the people till of late +never removed any of them into their gardens, but contented<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> +themselves throughout the whole country with the +grapes they found thus wild.</p> + +<p>A garden is no where sooner made than there, either for +fruits or flowers. Tulips from the seed, flower the second +year. All sorts of herbs have there a perfection in their +flavor, beyond what I ever tasted in a more northern +climate. And yet they haven't many gardens in that country, +fit to bear the name of garden.</p> + +<p>§ 97. All sorts of English grain thrive, and increase +there, as well as in any other part of the world, as for +example, wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, rape, &c. And +yet they don't make a trade of any of them. Their peas +indeed are troubled with weevils, which eat a hole in them, +but this hole does neither damage the seed, nor make the +peas unfit for boiling. And such as are sowed late, and +gathered after August, are clear of that inconvenience.</p> + +<p>It is thought too much for the same man, to make the +wheat, and grind it, bolt it, and bake it himself. And it +is too great a charge for every planter, who is willing to sow +barley, to build a malt house, and brew house too, or else +to have no benefit of his barley; nor will it answer, if he +would be at the charge. These things can never be expected +from a single family; but if they had cohabitations, +it might be thought worth attempting. Neither as they +are now settled, can they find any certain market for +their other grain, which, if they had towns, would be +quite otherwise.</p> + +<p>Rice has been tried there, and is found to grow as +well as in Carolina; but it labors under the same inconvenience, +the want of a community to husk and clean it, +and, after all, to take it off the planter's hands.</p> + +<p>§ 98. I have related at large in the first book how +flax, hemp, cotton, and the silk worms have thriven there +in the several essays made upon them; how formerly +there was encouragement given for making of linen, silk, +&c., and how all persons not performing several things towards +producing of them were put under a fine; but now<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span> +all encouragement of such things is taken away or entirely +dropped by the assemblies, and such manufactures are always +neglected when tobacco bears anything of a price.</p> + +<p>Silk grass is there spontaneous in many places. I need +not mention what advantage may be made of so useful a +plant, whose fibres are as fine as flax, and much stronger +than hemp. Mr. Purchase tells us, in his Fourth Pilgrim, +page 1786, that in the first discovery of this part of the +world they presented Queen Elizabeth with a piece of +grogram that had been made of it. And yet to this day +they make no manner of use of this plant, no, not so +much as the Indians did, before the English came among +them, who then made their baskets, fishing nets, and lines +of it.</p> + +<p>§ 99 The sheep increase well, and bear good fleeces; +but they generally are suffered to be torn off their backs +by briars and bushes, instead of being shorn, or else are +left rotting upon the dunghill with their skins.</p> + +<p>Bees thrive there abundantly, and will very easily +yield to the careful housewife a full hive of honey, and +besides lay up a winter store sufficient to preserve their +stocks.</p> + +<p>The beeves, when any care is taken of them in the +winter, come to good perfection. They have noble marshes +there, which, with the charge of draining only, would +make as fine pastures as any in the world; and yet there +is hardly an hundred acres of marsh drained throughout +the whole country.</p> + +<p>Hogs swarm like vermin upon the earth, and are +often accounted such, insomuch, that when an inventory of +any considerable man's estate is taken by the executors +the hogs are left out, and not listed in the appraisement. +The hogs run where they list, and find their own support +in the woods, without any care of the owner; and +in many plantations it is well if the proprietor can find +and catch the pigs, or any part of a farrow, when they +are young to mark them; for if there be any marked in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> +gang of hogs, they determine the propriety of the rest, +because they seldom miss their gangs; but as they are +bred in company, so they continue to the end, except +sometimes the boars ramble.</p> + +<p>§ 100. The woods produce great variety of incense and +sweet gums, which distill from several trees; as also trees +bearing honey and sugar, as before was mentioned. Yet +there's no use made of any of them, either for profit or +refreshment.</p> + +<p>All sorts of naval stores may be produced there, as +pitch, tar, rosin, turpentine, plank, timber, and all sorts +of masts and yards, besides sails, cordage and iron, and +all these may be transported by an easy water carriage.</p> + +<p>§ 101. These, and a thousand other advantages, that +country naturally affords, which its inhabitants make no +manner of use of. They can see their naval stores daily +benefit other people, who send thither to build ships, while +they, instead of promoting such undertakings among themselves, +and easing such as are willing to go upon them, +allow them no manner of encouragement, but rather the +contrary. They receive no benefit, nor refreshment, from +the sweets and precious things they have growing amongst +them, but make use of the industry of England for all +such things.</p> + +<p>What advantages do they see the neighboring plantations +make of their grain and provisions, while they, who can +produce them infinitely better, not only neglect the making +a trade thereof, but even a necessary provision against an +accidental scarcity, contenting themselves with a supply of +food from hand to mouth; so that if it should please God +to send them an unseasonable year, there would not be +found in the country provision sufficient to support the people +for three months extraordinary.</p> + +<p>By reason of the unfortunate method of the settlement, +and want of cohabitation, they cannot make a beneficial use +of their flax, hemp, cotton, silk, silk grass and wool, which +might otherwise supply their necessities, and leave the produce<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> +of tobacco to enrich them, when a gainful market +can be found for it.</p> + +<p>Thus, they depend altogether upon the liberality of nature, +without endeavoring to improve its gifts by art or +industry. They sponge upon the blessings of a warm sun, +and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of gathering +in the bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed to publish +this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that I +hope it will sometime or other rouse them out of their lethargy, +and excite them to make the most of all those happy +advantages which nature has given them; and if it does +this, I am sure they will have the goodness to forgive me.</p> + + +<p>FINIS.</p> + +<hr style="width: 95%;" /> + +<h3><a name="Transcribers_Notes" id="Transcribers_Notes"></a>Transcriber's Note:</h3> + +<p>1. The author or printer has irregularly capitalized references to "king" +and queen".</p> + +<p>2. Illustrations: printers inconsistancies have been retained. (ex. +Ritchie and Ritchies, Fig: and Fig., etc.)</p> + +<p>3. Printer's correction:</p> + +<p class="blockquot">pg. x Table of Contents Chapter VI. §22., pg ref. 140 to 147.</p> + +<p>4. Spelling corrections (verified by multiple uses of correctly spelled +word elsewhere in text)</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>pg. vi - "jr." to "Jr." (Nathan Bacon, Jr.)</p> + +<p>pg. vi - "procecute" to "prosecute" (intends to prosecute)</p> + +<p>pg. xviii - "abridgment" to "abridgement" (made an abridgement)</p> + +<p>pg. xix - "Guina" to "Guiana" (brough by some Guiana ships)</p> + +<p>pg. 1 - "malecontents" to "malcontents" (malcontents in the)</p> + +<p>pg. 3 - "Beverly" to "Beverley" (mainly to Robert Beverley)</p> + +<p>pg. 12 - "Cheaspeake" to "Chesapeake" (cape of Chesapeake bay)</p> + +<p>pg. 26 - "Burmuda" to "Bermuda" (put to sea from Bermuda)</p> + +<p>pg. 28 - "palisado" to "palisade" (run a palisade on)</p> + +<p>pg. 31 - "christianity" to "Christianity" (to us and Christianity)</p> + +<p>pg. 36 - "setttlement" to "settlement" (settlement at Port Royal)</p> + +<p>pg. 38 - "foundatian" to "foundation" (which laid the foundation)</p> + +<p>pg. 50 - "Carribbee" to "Caribbee" (the Caribbee islands)</p> + +<p>pg. 66 - "againt" to "against" (against the presented arms)</p> + +<p>pg. 70 - "butcheriug" to "butchering" (in butchering the English)</p> + +<p>pg. 76 - "Fitz-Hugh" to "Fitzhugh" (Col. William Fitzhugh)</p> + +<p>pg. 84 - "forbiding" to "forbidding" (forbidding the plantations)</p> + +<p>pg. 97 - "chesnuts" to "chestnuts" (are stored with chestnuts)</p> + +<p>pg. 105 - "ripen" to "ripens" (buds, ripens and drops off)</p> + +<p>pg. 118 - "eat" to "eaten" (had ever eaten before)</p> + +<p>pg. 118 - "frog fish" to "frog-fish" (saw-fish, toad-fish, frog-fish)</p> + +<p>pg. 118 - "feets" to "feet" (it wants feet and wings)</p> + +<p>pg. 120 - "eagel" to "eagle" (a bald eagle pursuing)</p> + +<p>pg. 136 - "our" to "out" (keep out wild beasts)</p> + +<p>pg. 140 - "Hazlenuts" to "Hazelnuts" (Hazelnuts they will not)</p> + +<p>pg. 143 - "the" to "they" (they daub with clay)</p> + +<p>pg. 146 - "steem" to "esteem" (They steem it a breach)</p> + +<p>pg. 157 - "extingush" to "extinguish" (flames that never extinguish)</p> + +<p>pg. 160 - "undestand" to "understand" (letting him understand)</p> + +<p>pg. 163 - "dont" to "don't" (I don't know)</p> + +<p>pg. 171 - "scarrifying" to "scarifying" (and scarifying which)</p> + +<p>pg. 172 - "Purchass" to "Purchase" (Smith, Purchase and De Laet)</p> + +<p>pg. 172 - "saplins" to "saplings" (stick saplings into the ground)</p> + +<p>pg. 173 - "anchuse" to "anchusa" (a kind of anchusa)</p> + +<p>pg. 174 - "vermine" to "vermin" (other troublesome vermin)</p> + +<p>pg. 189 - "Cinchley's" to "Cincheley's" (Jeffery's and Cincheley's)</p> + +<p>pg. 191 - "aws" to "laws" (The laws having duly passed)</p> + +<p>pg. 197 - "Petes" to "Peter" (Hon. Peter Beverley)</p> + +<p>pg. 208 - "nonapperance" to "nonappearance" (the defendant's +nonappearance)</p> + +<p>pg. 215 - "Spottswood" to "Spotswood" (arrival of Colonel Spotswood)</p> + +<p>pg. 234 - "coveniency" to "conveniency" (its beauty and conveniency)</p> + +<p>pg. 235 - "daries" to "dairies" (cookery, washing, dairies,)</p> + +<p>pg. 237 - "sallad" to "salad" (vine fruits, and salad flowers)</p> + +<p>pg. 241 - "imtemperance" to "intemperance" (of great intemperance)</p> + +<p>pg. 247 - "eat" to "ate" (The dog ate the squirrel)</p> + +<p>pg. 251 - "Apalachain" to "Appalachain" (Appalachain mountains)</p> + +<p>pg. 253 - "cachexie" to "cachexia" (grow into a cachexia)</p> + +<p>pg. 256 - "patridges" to "partridges" (squirrels, partridges, pigeons,)</p> + +<p>pg. 257 - "they'l" to "they'll" (Within these dams they'll)</p> + +<p>pg. 259 - "stong" to "strong" (cider is very strong)</p> + +<p>pg. 261 - "havn't" to "haven't" (they haven't many gardens)</p> + +<p>pg. 262 - "Purchass" to "Purchase" (Mr. Purchase tells us)</p> + +<p>pg. 264 - "spunge" to "sponge" (They sponge upon the)<br /> +<br /></p></div> + + +<p>5. A list of word variations wherein both appear in this text and have +been retained as printed.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"Edmond Jennings" and "Edmund Jenings"</p> + +<p>"Tab." and "tab."</p> + +<p>"lime juice" and "lime-juice"</p> + +<p>"acknowledgment" and "acknowledgement"</p> + +<p>"Chickahominy" (for river and county) and "Chickahomony" (for place)</p> + +<p>"cover" and "covert" (i.e. covert of a shady tree)</p> + +<p>"conjuror(s)" and "conjurer(s)"</p> + +<p>"Culpepper" (throughout Introduction) and "Colepepper" (regular Text)</p> + +<p>"divers" and "diverse" (divers sectaries in religion)</p> + +<p>"firewood" and "fire-wood"</p> + +<p>"fishing hawk" and "fishing-hawk"</p> + +<p>"Harriot" and "Heriot" (it is unclear if the author refers to the same +person)</p> + +<p>"lieutenant governor (general)" and "lieutenant-governor (-general)</p> + +<p>"man of war" and "man-of-war"</p> + +<p>"northwest" and "north-west"</p> + +<p>"Oldmixon" and "Oldmixion" (proper name)</p> + +<p>"one half" and "one-half"</p> + +<p>"Pocoson" and "Poquoson" (place)</p> + +<p>"Pungoteague" and "Pungotegue" (place)</p> + +<p>"quioccasan" (1), "quioccassan" (2) and "quioccosan" (1)</p> + +<p>"quitrents" and "quit-rents"</p> + +<p>"resettled" and "re-settled"</p> + +<p>"roasting ear" and "roasting-ear"</p> + +<p>"savanna" and "savannah"</p> + +<p>"silk worm" and "silk-worm"</p> + +<p>"south west" and "south-west"</p> + +<p>"staid" and "stayed" (used interchangably by author)</p> + +<p>"subdivisions" and "sub-divisions"</p> + +<p>"sweet scented" and "sweet-scented"</p> + +<p>"sweet woods" and "sweet-woods"</p> + +<p>"timber trees" and "timber-trees"</p> + +<p>"traveled" and "travelled"</p> + +<p>"traveling" and "travelling"</p> + +<p>"turkeys" and "turkies"</p> + +<p>"war captain" and "war-captain"</p> + +<p>"water carriage" and "water-carriage"</p> + +<p>"water side" and "water-side"</p> + +<p>"wild geese" and "wild-geese"</p> + +<p>"wilful" and "willful"</p> + +<p>"woolen" and "woollen"</p> + +<p>"George Yardley" and "George Yardly"</p> +</div> + +<p>6. Defined archaic words appearing in this text:</p> + +<p class="blockquot"> + "benumed" (benumbed)<br /> + "burthen" (burden)<br /> + "burthensome" (burdensome)<br /> + "choaking" (choking)<br /> + "chrystal" (crystal)<br /> + "covert" (protected; sheltered)<br /> + "disperst" (dispersed)<br /> + "divers" (diverse)<br /> + "intire" (entire)<br /> + "mascarado" (var. of mascarade(Fr) for masquerade)<br /> + "snear" (sneer)<br /> + "subtilty" (subtlety)<br /> + "vertuosi" (pl. of virtuoso, alt. virtuosi)</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR PARTS***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 32721-h.txt or 32721-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/7/2/32721">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/7/2/32721</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The History of Virginia, in Four Parts + + +Author: Robert Beverley + + + +Release Date: June 6, 2010 [eBook #32721] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR +PARTS*** + + +E-text prepared by Julia Miller, Christine Aldridge, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from +page images generously made available by Internet Archive/American +Libraries (http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 32721-h.htm or 32721-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32721/32721-h/32721-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32721/32721-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/historyofvirgini00beve + + +Transcriber's note: + + 1. Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). + + 2. Minor punctuation irregularities have been made consistent. + + 3. A list of corrections and other notes appears at the end of + this text. + + + + + +THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR PARTS. + + +[Illustration] + + +I. THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA, AND THE GOVERNMENT + THEREOF, TO THE YEAR 1706. + +II. THE NATURAL PRODUCTIONS AND CONVENIENCES OF THE COUNTRY, SUITED + TO TRADE AND IMPROVEMENT. + +III. THE NATIVE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND + PEACE. + +IV. THE PRESENT STATE OF THE COUNTRY, AS TO THE POLITY OF THE GOVERNMENT, + AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE LAND THE 10TH OF JUNE 1720. + + +by + +ROBERT BEVERLEY, +A native and inhabitant of the place. + +Reprinted from the Author's Second Revised Edition, London, 1722. + +With an Introduction by Charles Campbell, +Author of the Colonial History of Virginia. + + + + + + + +J. W. Randolph, +121 Main Street, Richmond, Virginia. +1855. + +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1855, by +J. W. Randolph, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court in and for the Eastern +District of Virginia. + +H. K. Ellyson's Steam Presses, Richmond, Va. + + + + +THE TABLE. + + +BOOK I. + + +CHAPTER I. + +_History of the first attempts to settle Virginia, before the discovery + of Chesapeake bay._ + PAGE. +Sec. 1. Sir Walter Raleigh obtains letters patent, for making + discoveries in America, 8 + 2. Two ships set out on the discovery, and arrive at Roanoke inlet, 9 + Their account of the country, 9 + Their account of the natives, 9 + 3. Queen Elizabeth names the country of Virginia, 10 + 4. Sir Richard Greenvile's voyage, 10 + He plans the first colony, under command of Mr. Ralph Lane, 11 + 5. The discoveries and accidents of the first colony, 11 + 6. Their distress by want of provisions, 12 + Sir Francis Drake visits them, 12 + He gives them a ship and necessaries, 12 + He takes them away with him, 12 + 7. Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Richard Greenvile, their voyages, 13 + The second settlement made, 13 + 8. Mr. John White's expedition, 13 + The first Indian made a Christian there, 14 + The first child born there of Christian parentage, 14 + Third settlement, incorporated by the name of the city of Raleigh, + in Virginia, 14 + Mr. White, their governor, sent home to solicit for supplies, 14 + 9. John White's second voyage; last attempts to carry them recruits, 14 + His disappointment, 15 +10. Capt. Gosnell's voyage to the coast of Cape Cod, 15 +11. The Bristol voyages, 16 +12. A London voyage, which discovered New York, 16 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Discovery of Chesapeake bay by the corporation of London adventurers; + their colony at Jamestown, and proceedings during the government by + an elective president and council._ + +Sec. 13. The companies of London and Plymouth obtain charters, 18 + 14. Captain Smith first discovers the capes of Virginia, 19 + 15. He plants his first colony at Jamestown, 20 + An account of Jamestown island, 20 + 16. He sends the ships home, retaining one hundred and eight men + to keep possession, 20 + 17. That colony's mismanagement, 21 + Their misfortunes upon discovery of a supposed gold mine, 21 + 18. Their first supplies after settlement, 22 + Their discoveries, and experiments in English grain, 22 + An attempt of some to desert the colony, 22 + 19. The first Christian marriage in that colony, 23 + They make three plantations more, 23 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_History of the colony after the change of their government, from + an elective president to a commissionated governor, until the + dissolution of the company._ + +Sec. 20. The company get a new grant, and the nomination of the + governors in themselves, 24 + They send three governors in equal degree, 24 + All three going in one ship, are shipwrecked at Bermudas, 24 + They build there two small cedar vessels, 24 + 21. Captain Smith's return to England, 25 + Mismanagements ruin the colony, 25 + The first massacre and starving time, 25 + The first occasion of the ill character of Virginia, 26 + The five hundred men left by Captain Smith reduced to sixty in + six months time, 26 + 22. The three governors sail from Bermudas, and arrive at Virginia, 26 + 23. They take off the Christians that remained there, and design, by + way of Newfoundland, to return to England, 27 + Lord Delaware arrives and turns them back, 27 + 24. Sir Thomas Dale arrives governor, with supplies, 27 + 25. Sir Thomas Gates arrives governor, 28 + He plants out a new plantation, 28 + 26. Pocahontas made prisoner, and married to Mr. Rolfe, 28 + 27. Peace with the Indians, 28 + 28. Pocahontas brought to England by Sir Thomas Dale, 29 + 29. Captain Smith's petition to the queen in her behalf, 29 + 30. His visit to Pocahontas, 32 + An Indian's account of the people of England, 32 + 31. Pocahontas' reception at court, and death, 33 + 32. Captain Yardley's government, 34 + 33. Governor Argall's good administration, 34 + 34. Powhatan's death, and successors, 34 + Peace renewed by the successors, 34 + 35. Captain Argall's voyage from Virginia to New England, 35 + 36. He defeats the French northward of New England, 35 + 37. An account of those French, 36 + 38. He also defeats the French in Acadia, 36 + 39. His return to England, 36 + Sir George Yardley, governor, 36 + 40. He resettles the deserted plantation, and held the first + assembly, 36 + The method of that assembly, 37 + 41. The first negroes carried to Virginia, 37 + 42. Land apportioned to adventurers, 37 + 43. A salt work and iron work in Virginia, 38 + 44. Sir Francis Wyat made governor, 38 + King James, his instructions in care of tobacco, 38 + Captain Newport's plantation, 38 + 45. Inferior courts in each plantation, 39 + Too much familiarity with the Indians, 39 + 46. The massacre by the Indians, anno 1622, 39 + 47. The discovery and prevention of it at Jamestown, 40 + 48. The occasion of the massacre, 41 + 49. A plot to destroy the Indians, 42 + 50. The discouraging effects of the massacre, 43 + 51. The corporation in England are the chief cause of misfortunes in + Virginia, 43 + 52. The company dissolved, and the colony taken into the king's + hands, 44 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_History of the government, from the dissolution of the company to the + year 1707._ + +Sec. 53. King Charles First establishes the constitution of + government, in the methods appointed by the first assembly, 45 + 54. The ground of the ill settlement of Virginia, 45 + 55. Lord Baltimore in Virginia, 46 + 56. Lord Baltimore, proprietor of Maryland, 46 + Maryland named from the queen, 46 + 57. Young Lord Baltimore seats Maryland, 46 + Misfortune to Virginia, by making Maryland a distinct + government, 47 + 58. Great grants and defalcations from Virginia, 47 + 59. Governor Harvey sent prisoner to England, and by the king remanded + back governor again, 47 + 60. The last Indian massacre, 48 + 61. A character and account of Oppechancanough, the Indian emperor, 48 + 62. Sir William Berkeley made governor, 49 + 63. He takes Oppechancanough prisoner, 49 + Oppechancanough's death, 50 + 64. A new peace with the Indians, but the country disturbed by the + troubles in England, 50 + 65. Virginia subdued by the protector, Cromwell, 50 + 66. He binds the plantations by an act of navigation, 51 + 67. His jealousy and change of governors in Virginia, 51 + 68. Upon the death of Matthews, the protector's governor, Sir William + Berkeley is chosen by the people, 52 + 69. He proclaims King Charles II before he was proclaimed in + England, 52 + 70. King Charles II renews Sir William Berkeley's commission, 52 + 71. Sir William Berkeley makes Colonel Morrison deputy governor, + and goes to England, 53 + The king renews the act concerning the plantation, 53 + 72. The laws revised, 53 + The church of England established by law, 53 + 73. Clergy provided for by law, 53 + 74. The public charge of the government sustained by law, 53 + 75. Encouragement of particular manufactures by law, 54 + 76. The instruction for all ships to enter at Jamestown, used + by law, 54 + 77. Indian affairs settled by law, 54 + 78. Jamestown encouraged by law, 54 + 79. Restraints upon sectaries in religion, 55 + 80. A plot to subvert the government, 55 + 81. The defeat of the plot, 55 + 82. An anniversary feast upon that occasion, 56 + 83. The king commands the building a fort at Jamestown, 56 + 84. A new restraint on the plantations by act of parliament, 56 + 85. Endeavors for a stint in planting tobacco, 56 + 86. Another endeavor at a stint defeated, 57 + 87. The king sent instructions to build forts, and confine the trade + to certain ports, 57 + 88. The disappointment of those ports, 58 + 89. Encouragement of manufactures enlarged, 58 + 90. An attempt to discovery the country backward, 59 + Captain Batt's relation of that discovery, 59 + 91. Sir William Berkeley intends to prosecute that discovery + in person, 60 + 92. The grounds of Bacon's rebellion, 60 + Four ingredients thereto, 61 + 93. First, the low price of tobacco, 61 + Second, splitting the country into proprieties, 61 + The country send agents, to complain of the propriety grants, 61 + 94. Third, new duties by act in England on the plantations, 62 + 95. Fourth, disturbances on the land frontiers by the Indians, 62 + First, by the Indians on the head of the bay, 62 + Second, by the Indians on their own frontiers, 63 + 96. The people rise against the Indians, 63 + They choose Nathan Bacon, Jr., for their leader, 63 + 97. He heads them, and sends to the governor for a commission, 64 + 98. He begins his march without a commission, 64 + The governor sends for him, 65 + 99. Bacon goes down in a sloop with forty of his men to the + governor, 65 +100. Goes away in a huff, is pursued and brought back by governor, 65 +101. Bacon steals privately out of town, and marches down to the + assembly with six hundred of his volunteers, 65 +102. The governor, by advice of assembly, signs a commission to Mr. + Bacon to be general, 66 +103. Bacon being marched away with his men is proclaimed rebel, 66 +104. Bacon returns with his forces to Jamestown, 66 +105. The governor flies to Accomac, 66 + The people there begin to make terms with him, 67 +106. Bacon holds a convention of gentlemen, 67 + They propose to take an oath to him, 67 +107. The forms of the oath, 67 +108. The governor makes head against him, 69 + General Bacon's death, 69 +109. Bacon's followers surrender upon articles, 69 +110. The agents compound with the proprietors, 69 +111. A new charter to Virginia, 70 +112. Soldiers arrive from England, 70 +113. The dissolution by Bacon's rebellion, 70 +114. Commissioners arrive in Virginia, and Sir William Berkeley returns + to England, 71 +115. Herbert Jeffreys, esq., governor, concludes peace with Indians, 71 +116. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, builds forts against + Indians, 71 + The assembly prohibited the importation of tobacco, 72 +117. Lord Colepepper, governor, 72 +118. Lord Colepepper's first assembly, 72 + He passes several obliging acts to the country, 72 +119. He doubles the governor's salary, 72 +120. He imposes the perquisite of ship money, 73 +121. He, by proclamation, raises the value of Spanish coins, and + lowers it again, 73 +122. Sir Henry Chicheley, deputy governor, 74 + The plant cutting, 74 +123. Lord Colepepper's second assembly, 75 + He takes away appeals to the assembly, 75 +124. His advantage thereby in the propriety of the Northern Neck, 76 +125. He retrenches the new methods of court proceedings, 77 +126. He dismantled the forts on the heads of rivers, and appointed + rangers in their stead, 77 +127. Secretary Spencer, president, 77 +128. Lord Effingham, governor, 77 + Some of his extraordinary methods of getting money, 77 + Complaints against him, 78 +129. Duty on liquors first raised, 78 +130. Court of Chancery by Lord Effingham, 78 +131. Colonel Bacon, president, 79 + The college designed, 79 +132. Francis Nicholson, lieutenant governor, 79 + He studies popularity, 79 + The college proposed to him, 79 + He refuses to call an assembly, 79 +133. He grants a brief to the college, 79 +134. The assembly address King William and Queen Mary for a college + charter, 80 + The education intended by this college, 80 + The assembly present the lieutenant governor, 80 + His method of securing this present, 80 +135. Their majesties grant the charter, 80 + They grant liberally towards the building and endowing of it, 80 +136. The lieutenant governor encourages towns and manufactures, 80 + Gentlemen of the council complain of him and are misused, 81 + He falls off from the encouragement of the towns and trade, 81 +137. Edmund Andros, governor, 81 + The town law suspended, 81 +138. The project of a post office, 81 +139. The college charter arrived, 81 + The college further endowed, and the foundation laid, 82 +140. Sir Edmund Andros encourages manufactures, and regulates + the secretary's office, 82 +141. A child born in the old age of the parents, 83 +142. Francis Nicholson, governor, 83 + His and Colonel Quarrey's memorials against plantations, 84 +143. His zeal for the church and college, 84 +144. He removes the general court from Jamestown, 84 +145. The taking of the pirate, 84 +146. The sham bills of nine hundred pounds for New York, 86 +147. Colonel Quarrey's unjust memorials, 87 +148. Governor Nott arrived, 88 +149. Revisal of the law finished, 88 +150. Ports and towns again set on foot, 88 +151. Slaves a real estate, 88 +152. A house built for the governor, 88 + Governor dies, and the college burnt, 88 +153. Edmond Jennings, esq., president, 89 +154. Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor, 89 + + +BOOK II. + +_Natural Productions and Conveniences of Virginia in its unimproved + state, before the English went thither._ + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Bounds and Coast of Virginia._ + +Sec. 1. Present bounds of Virginia, 90 + 2. Chesapeake bay, and the sea coast of Virginia, 91 + 3. What is meant by the word Virginia in this book, 91 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Of the Waters._ + +Sec. 4. Conveniency of the bay and rivers, 93 + 5. Springs and fountains descending to the rivers, 93 + 6. Damage to vessels by the worm, 94 + Ways of avoiding that damage, 94 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Earths, and Soils._ + +Sec. 7. The soil in general, 96 + River lands--lower, middle and upper, 96 + 8. Earths and clays, 98 + Coal, slate and stone, and why not used, 98 + 9. Minerals therein, and iron mine formerly wrought upon, 98 + Supposed gold mines lately discovered, 99 + That this gold mine was the supreme seat of the Indian temples + formerly, 99 + That their chief altar was there also, 99 + Mr. Whitaker's account of a silver mine, 99 +10. Hills in Virginia, 100 + Springs in the high lands, 101 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Wild Fruits._ + +Sec. 11. Spontaneous fruits in general, 102 + 12. Stoned fruits, viz: cherries, plums and persimmons, 102 + 13. Berries, viz: mulberries, currants, hurts, cranberries, + raspberries and strawberries, 103 + 14. Of nuts, 104 + 15. Of grapes, 105 + The report of some French vignerons formerly sent in thither, 107 + 16. Honey, and the sugar trees, 107 + 17. Myrtle tree, and myrtle wax, 108 + Hops growing wild, 109 + 18. Great variety of seeds, plants and flowers, 109 + Two snake roots, 109 + Jamestown weed, 110 + Some curious flowers, 111 + 19. Creeping vines bearing fruits, viz: melons, pompions, macocks, + gourds, maracocks, and cushaws, 112 + 20. Other fruits, roots and plants of the Indians, 114 + Several sorts of Indian corn, 114 + Of potatoes, 115 + Tobacco, as it was ordered by the Indians, 116 + + +CHAPTER V. + +_Fish._ + +Sec. 21. Great plenty and variety of fish, 117 + Vast shoals of herrings, shad, &c., 117 + 22. Continuality of the fishery, 118 + The names of some of the best edible fish, 118 + The names of some that are not eaten, 118 + 23. Indian children catching fish, 118 + Several inventions of the Indians to take fish, 119 + 24. Fishing hawks and bald eagles, 121 + Fish dropped in the orchard, 121 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Wild Fowl and Hunted Game._ + +Sec. 25. Wild Water Fowl, 123 + 26. Game in the marshes and watery grounds, 123 + 27. Game in the highlands and frontiers, 123 + Of the Opossum, 124 + 28. Some Indian ways of hunting, 124 + Fire hunting, 124 + Their hunting quarters, 125 + 29. Conclusion, 126 + + +BOOK III. + +_Indians, their Religion, Laws and Customs, in War and Peace._ + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Persons of the Indians, and their Dress._ + +Sec. 1. Persons of the Indians, their color and shape, 127 + 2. The cut of their hair, and ornament of their head, 128 + 3. Of their vesture, 128 + 4. Garb peculiar to their priests and conjurors, 130 + 5. Of the women's dress, 131 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Matrimony of the Indians, and Management of their Children._ + +Sec. 6. Conditions of their marriage, 133 + 7. Maidens, and the story of their prostitution, 133 + 8. Management of the young children, 134 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Towns, Building and Fortification of the Indians._ + +Sec. 9. Towns and kingdoms of the Indians, 135 +10. Manner of their building, 135 +11. Their fuel, or firewood, 136 +12. Their seats and lodging, 136 +13. Their fortifications, 136 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Cookery and Food of the Indians._ + +Sec. 14. Their cookery, 138 + 15. Their several sorts of food, 139 + 16. Their times of eating, 140 + 17. Their drink, 140 + 18. Their ways of dining, 141 + + +CHAPTER V. + +_Traveling, Reception and entertainment of the Indians._ + +Sec. 19. Manner of their traveling, and provision they make for it, 142 + Their way of concealing their course, 142 + 20. Manner of their reception of strangers, 143 + The pipe of peace, 143 + 21. Their entertainment of honorable friends, 145 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Learning and Languages of the Indians._ + +Sec. 22. That they are without letters, 147 + Their descriptions by hieroglyphics, 147 + Heraldry and arms of the Indians, 147 + 23. That they have different languages, 148 + Their general language, 148 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_War and Peace of the Indians._ + +Sec. 24. Their consultations and war dances, 149 + 25. Their barbarity upon a victory, 149 + 26. Descent of the crown, 150 + 27. Their triumphs for victory, 150 + 28. Their treaties of peace, and ceremonies upon conclusion + of peace, 151 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Religion, Worship and Superstitious Customs of the Indians._ + +Sec. 29. Their quioccassan and idol of worship, 152 + 30. Their notions of God, and worshiping the evil spirit, 155 + 31. Their pawwawing or conjurations, 157 + 32. Their huskanawing, 160 + 33. Reasons of this custom, 164 + 34. Their offerings and sacrifice, 165 + 35. Their set feasts, 165 + 36. Their account of time, 165 + 37. Their superstition and zealotry, 166 + 38. Their regard to the priests and magicians, 167 + 39. Places of their worship and sacrifice, 168 + Their pawcorances or altar stones, 168 + 40. Their care of the bodies of their princes after death, 169 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Diseases and Cures of the Indians._ + +Sec. 41. Their diseases in general, and burning for cure, 171 + Their sucking, scarifying and blistering, 171 + Priests' secrecy in the virtues of plants, 171 + Words wisoccan, wighsacan and woghsacan, 172 + Their physic, and the method of it, 172 + 42. Their bagnios or baths, 172 + Their oiling after sweating, 173 + + +CHAPTER X. + +_Sports and Pastimes of the Indians._ + +Sec. 43. Their sports and pastimes in general, 175 + Their singing, 175 + Their dancing, 175 + A mask used among them, 176 + Their musical instruments, 177 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Laws, and Authorities of the Indians among one another._ + +Sec. 44. Their laws in general, 178 + Their severity and ill manners, 178 + Their implacable resentments, 179 + 45. Their honors, preferments and authorities, 179 + Authority of the priests and conjurers, 179 + Servants or black boys, 179 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Treasure or Riches of the Indians._ + +Sec. 46. Indian money and goods, 180 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Handicrafts of the Indians._ + +Sec. 47. Their lesser crafts, as making bows and arrows, 182 + 48. Their making canoes, 182 + Their clearing woodland ground, 183 + 49. Account of the tributary Indians, 185 + + +BOOK IV. + +_Present State of Virginia._ + + +PART I. + +_Polity and Government._ + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Constitution of Government in Virginia._ + +Sec. 1. Constitution of government in general, 186 + 2. Governor, his authority and salary, 188 + 3. Council and their authority, 189 + 4. House of burgesses, 190 + + +CHAPTER II. + +_Sub-Divisions of Virginia._ + +Sec. 5. Division of the country, 192 + 6. Division of the country by necks of land, counties and parishes, 192 + 7. Division of the country by districts for trade by navigation, 194 + + +CHAPTER III. + +_Public Offices of Government._ + +Sec. 8. General officers as are immediately commissionated from the + throne, 196 + Auditor, Receiver General and Secretary, 196 + Salaries of those officers, 197 + 9. Other general officers, 197 + Ecclesiastical commissary and country's treasurer, 197 +10. Other public officers by commission, 197 + Escheators, 197 + Naval officers and collectors, 198 + Clerks and sheriffs, 198 + Surveyors of land and coroners, 199 +11. Other officers without commission, 199 + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Standing Revenues or Public Funds._ + +Sec. 12. Public funds in general, 200 + 13. Quit rent fund, 200 + 14. Funds for maintenance of the government, 201 + 15. Funds for extraordinary occasions, under the disposition of the + assembly, 201 + 16. Revenue granted by the act of assembly to the college, 202 + 17. Revenue raised by act of parliament in England from the trade + there, 202 + + +CHAPTER V. + +_Levies for Payment of the Public, County and Parish Debts._ + +Sec. 18. Several ways of raising money, 203 + Titheables, 203 + 19. Public levy, 203 + 20. County levy, 204 + 21. Parish levy, 204 + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Courts of Law in Virginia._ + +Sec. 22. Constitution of their courts, 205 + 23. Several sorts of courts among them, 206 + 24. General court in particular, and its jurisdiction, 206 + 25. Times of holding a general court, 206 + 26. Officers attending this court, 206 + 27. Trials by juries and empannelling grand juries, 207 + 28. Trial of criminals, 207 + 29. Time of suits, 208 + 30. Lawyers and pleadings, 208 + 31. County courts, 208 + 32. Orphans' courts, 209 + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Church and Church Affairs._ + +Sec. 33. Parishes, 210 + 34. Churches and chapels in each parish, 210 + 35. Religion of the country, 210 + 36. Benefices of the clergy, 210 + 37. Disposition of parochial affairs, 211 + 38. Probates, administrations, and marriage licenses, 212 + 39. Induction of ministers, and precariousness of their livings, 213 + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_Concerning the College._ + +Sec. 40. College endowments, 214 + 41. The college a corporation, 214 + 42. Governors and visitors of the college in perpetual succession, 215 + 43. College buildings, 215 + 44. Boys and schooling, 215 + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_Military Strength in Virginia._ + +Sec. 45. Forts and fortifications, 217 + 46. Listed militia, 217 + 47. Number of the militia, 217 + 48. Service of the militia, 218 + 49. Other particulars of the troops and companies, 218 + + +CHAPTER X. + +_Servants and Slaves._ + +Sec. 50. Distinction between a servant and a slave, 219 + 51. Work of their servants and slaves, 219 + 52. Laws in favor of servants, 220 + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Provision for the Poor, and other Public Charitable Works._ + +Sec. 53. Legacy to the poor, 223 + 54. Parish methods in maintaining their poor, 223 + 55. Free schools, and schooling of children, 224 + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Tenure of Lands and Grants._ + +Sec. 56. Tenure and patents of their lands, 225 + 57. Several ways of acquiring grants of land, 225 + 58. Rights to land, 225 + 59. Patents upon survey, 225 + 60. Grants of lapsed land, 226 + 61. Grants of escheat land, 227 + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Liberties and Naturalization of Aliens._ + +Sec. 62. Naturalizations, 228 + 63. French refugees at the Manican town, 228 + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_Currency and Valuation of Coins._ + +Sec. 64. Coins current among them, what rates, and why carried from + among them to the neighboring plantations, 230 + + +PART II. + +_Husbandry and Improvements._ + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_People, Inhabitants of Virginia._ + +Sec. 65. First peopling of Virginia, 231 + 66. First accession of wives to Virginia, 231 + 67. Other ways by which the country was increased in people, 232 + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_Buildings in Virginia._ + +Sec. 68. Public buildings, 234 + 69. Private buildings, 235 + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_Edibles, Potables and Fuel._ + +Sec. 70. Cookery, 236 + 71. Flesh and fish, 236 + 72. Bread, 237 + 73. Their kitchen gardens, 237 + 74. Their drinks, 238 + 75. Their fuel, 238 + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +_Clothing in Virginia._ + +Sec. 76. Clothing, 239 + Slothfulness in handicrafts, 239 + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +_Temperature of the Climate, and the Inconveniences attending it._ + +Sec. 77. Natural temper and mixture of the air, 240 + 78. Climate and happy situation of the latitude, 240 + 79. Occasions of its ill character, 241 + Rural pleasures, 241 + 80. Annoyances, or occasions of uneasiness, 243 + Thunders, 243 + Heat, 243 + Troublesome insects, 243 + 81. Winters, 250 + Sudden changes of the weather, 251 + + +CHAPTER XX. + +_Diseases incident to the Country._ + +Sec. 82. Diseases in general, 252 + 83. Seasoning, 253 + 84. Cachexia and yaws, 253 + 85. Gripes, 253 + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +_Recreations and Pastimes in Virginia._ + +Sec. 86. Diversions in general, 254 + 87. Deer-hunting, 254 + 88. Hare-hunting, 254 + 89. Vermin-hunting, 255 + 90. Taking wild turkies, 256 + 91. Fishing, 256 + 92. Small game, 256 + 93. Beaver, 256 + 94. Horse-hunting, 257 + 95. Hospitality, 258 + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +_Natural Product of Virginia, and the Advantages of Husbandry._ + +Sec. 96. Fruits, 259 + 97. Grain, 261 + 98. Linen, silk and cotton, 261 + 99. Bees and cattle, 262 +100. Usefulness of the woods, 263 +101. Indolence of the inhabitants, 263 + + + + +THE PREFACE. + + +My first business in the world being among the public records of my +country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking notes of the +general administration of the government; but with no other design, than +the gratification of my own inquisitive mind; these lay by me for many +years afterwards, obscure and secret, and would forever have done so, +had not the following accident produced them: + +In the year 1703, my affairs calling me to England, I was soon after my +arrival, complimented by my bookseller with an intimation, that there +was prepared for printing a general account of all her majesty's +plantations in America, and his desire, that I would overlook it before +it was put to the press; I agreed to overlook that part of it which +related to Virginia. + +Soon after this he brings me about six sheets of paper written, which +contained the account of Virginia and Carolina. This it seems was to +have answered a part of Mr. Oldmixion's British Empire in America. I +very innocently, (when I began to read,) placed pen and paper by me, and +made my observations upon the first page, but found it in the sequel so +very faulty, and an abridgement only of some accounts that had been +printed sixty or seventy years ago; in which also he had chosen the most +strange and untrue parts, and left out the more sincere and faithful, so +that I laid aside all thoughts of further observations, and gave it only +a reading; and my bookseller for answer, that the account was too faulty +and too imperfect to be mended; withal telling him, that seeing I had in +my junior days taken some notes of the government, which I then had with +me in England, I would make him an account of my own country, if I could +find time, while I staid in London. And this I should the rather +undertake in justice to so fine a country, because it has been so +misrepresented to the common people of England, as to make them believe +that the servants in Virginia are made to draw in cart and plow as +horses and oxen do in England, and that the country turns all people +black who go to live there, with other such prodigious phantasms. + +Accordingly, before I left London, I gave him a short history of the +country, from the first settlement, with an account of its then state; +but I would not let him mingle it with Oldmixion's other account of the +plantations, because I took them to be all of a piece with those I had +seen of Virginia and Carolina, but desired mine to be printed by +itself. And this I take to be the only reason of that gentleman's +reflecting so severely upon me in his book, for I never saw him in my +life that I know of. + +But concerning that work of his, I may with great truth say, that +(notwithstanding his boast of having the assistance of many original +papers and memorials that I had not the opportunity of) he nowhere +varies from the account that I gave, nor advances anything new of his +own, but he commits so many errors, and imposes so many falsities upon +the world, To instance some few out of the many: + +Page 210, he says that they were near spent with cold, which is +impossible in that hot country. + +Page 220, he says that Captain Weymouth, in 1605, entered Powhatan river +southward of the bay of Chesapeake;----whereas Powhatan river is now +called James river, and lies within the mouth of Chesapeake bay some +miles, on the west side of it; and Captain Weymouth's voyage was only to +Hudson's river, which is in New York, much northward of the capes of +Virginia. + +Page 236, he jumbles the Potomac and eastern shore Indians as if they +lived together, and never quarrelled with the English; whereas the last +lived on the east side the great bay of Chesapeake, and the other on the +west. The eastern shore Indians never had any quarrel with the English, +but the Potomacs used many treacheries and enmities towards us, and +joined in the intended general massacre, but by a timely discovery were +prevented doing anything. + +Page 245, he says that Morrison held an assembly, and procured that body +of laws to be made; whereas Morrison only made an abridgement of the +laws then in being, and compiled them into a regular body; and this he +did by direction of Sir William Berkeley, who, upon his going to +England, left Morrison his deputy governor. + +Page 248, he says (viz: in Sir William Berkeley's time) the English +could send seven thousand men into the field, and have twice as many at +home; whereas at this day they cannot do that, and yet have three times +as many people in the country as they had then. + +By page 251, he seems altogether ignorant of the situation of Virginia, +the head of the bay and New York, for he there says: + +"When the Indians at the head of the bay traveled to New York, they +past, going and coming, by the frontiers of Virginia, and traded with +the Virginians, &c.;" whereas the head of the bay is in the common route +of the Indians traveling from New York to Virginia, and much about +halfway. + +Page 255, he says Sir William Berkeley withdrew himself from his +government; whereas he went not out of it, for the counties of Accomac +and Northampton, to which he retired, when the rebels rose, were two +counties of his government, and only divided from the rest by the bay of +Chesapeake. + +Page 266, he says, Dr. Thomas Bray went over to be president of the +college in Virginia; whereas he was sent to Maryland, as the bishop's +commissary there. And Mr. Blair, in the charter to the college, was made +president during life, and is still alive. He also says, that all that +was subscribed for the college came to nothing; whereas all the +subscriptions were in a short time paid in, and expended upon the +college, of which two or three stood suit, and were cast. + +Page 269, he tells of camels brought by some Guiana ships to Virginia, +but had not then heard how they throve with us. I don't know how he +should, for there never was any such thing done. + +Then his geography of the country is most absurd, notwithstanding the +wonderful care he pretends to have of the maps, and his expert knowledge +of the new surveys, (page 278) making almost as many faults as +descriptions. For instance: + +Page 272, Prince George county, which lies all on the southside of James +river, he places on the north, and says that part of James City county, +and four of the parishes of it, lie on the southside of James river; +whereas not one inch of it has so done these sixty years. + +Page 273, his account of Williamsburg is most romantic and untrue; and +so is his account of the college, page 302, 303. + +Page 274, he makes Elizabeth and Warwick counties to lie upon York +river; whereas both of them lie upon James river, and neither of them +comes near York river. + +Page 275, he places King William county above New Kent, and on both +sides Pamunkey river; whereas it lies side by side with New Kent, and +all on the north side Pamunkey river. He places King and Queen county +upon the south of New Kent, at the head of Chickahominy river, which he +says rises in it; whereas that county lies north of New Kent from head +to foot, and two large rivers and two entire counties are between the +head of Chickahominy and King & Queen. Essex, Richmond and Stafford +counties, are as much wrong placed. + +He says that York and Rappahannock rivers issue out of low marshes, and +not from the mountains as the other rivers, which note he has taken from +some old maps; but is a false account from my own view, for I was with +our present governor at the head spring of both those rivers, and their +fountains are in the highest ridge of mountains. + +Page 276, he says that the neck of land between Niccocomoco river and +the bay, is what goes by the name of the northern neck; whereas it is +not above the twentieth part of the northern neck, for that contains all +that track of land which is between Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. + +How unfaithful and frontless must such an historian be, who can upon +guess work introduce such falsities for truth, and bottom them upon such +bold assertions? It would make a book larger than his own to expose his +errors, for even the most general offices of the government he +misrecites. + +Page 298, he says the general court is called the quarter court, and is +held every quarter of a year; whereas it never was held but three times +a year, tho' it was called a quarter court. When he wrote, it was held +but twice a year, as I had wrote in my book, and has not been called a +quarter court these seventy-nine years. The county courts were never +limited in their jurisdiction to any summons, neither was the sheriff +ever a judge in them, as he would have it, but always a ministerial +officer to execute their process, &c. + +The account that I have given in the following sheets is plain and true, +and if it be not written with so much judgment, or in so good a method +and style as I could wish, yet in the truth of it I rest fully +satisfied. In this edition I have also retrenched such particulars as +related only to private transactions, and characters in the historical +part, as being too diminutive to be transmitted to posterity, and set +down the succession of the governors, with the more general incidents of +their government, without reflection upon the private conduct of any +person. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The name of BEVERLEY has long been a familiar one in Virginia. It is +said that the family may be traced among the records of the town of +Beverley in England, as far back as to the time of King John. During the +reign of Henry VIII, one of the Beverleys was appointed by the Crown a +commissioner for enquiring into the state and condition of the northern +monasteries. The family received some grants of church property, and one +branch of them settled at Shelby, the other at Beverley, in Yorkshire. +In the time of Charles I, John Beverley of Beverley adhered to the cause +of royalty, and at the restoration his name appears in the list of those +upon whom it was intended to confer the order of the Royal Oak. Robert +Beverley of Beverley, the representative of the family, having sold his +possessions in that town, removed with a considerable fortune to +Virginia, where he purchased extensive tracts of land. He took up his +residence in the county of Middlesex. Elected clerk of the House of +Burgesses, he continued to hold that office until 1676, the year of +Bacon's rebellion, in suppressing which he rendered important services, +and by his loyal gallantry won the marked favor of the Governor, Sir +William Berkley. In 1682 the discontents of Virginia arose again almost +to the pitch of rebellion. Two sessions of the Assembly having been +spent in angry and fruitless disputes, between Lord Culpepper, the +Governor, and the House of Burgesses, in May of that year, the +malcontents in the counties of Gloucester, New Kent and Middlesex, +proceeded riotously to cut up the tobacco plants in the beds, +especially the sweet-scented, which was produced nowhere else. +Culpepper, the Governor, prevented further waste by patrols of horse. +The ringleaders were arrested, and some of them hanged upon a charge of +treason. A riot-act was also passed, making plant-cutting high treason, +the necessity of which act evinces the illegality of the execution of +these unfortunate plant-cutters. The vengeance of the government fell +heavily upon Major Robert Beverley, clerk of the House of Burgesses, as +the principal instigator of these disturbances. He had before incurred +the displeasure of the governor and council, by refusing to deliver up +to them copies of the legislative journal, without permission of the +Assembly. Thus by a firm adherence to his duty, he drew down upon +himself an unrelenting persecution. + +In May, 1682, he was committed a prisoner on board the ship, the Duke of +York, lying in the Rappahannock river. Ralph Wormley, Matthew Kemp, and +Christopher Wormley, were directed to seize the records in Beverley's +possession, and to break open doors if necessary. Beverley was +afterwards transferred from the Duke of York to the ship Concord, and a +guard was set over him. Contriving however to escape from the custody of +the sheriff at York, the fugitive was retaken at his own house in +Middlesex county, and transported over to the county of Northampton, on +the Eastern Shore. Some months afterwards he applied by his attorney, +William Fitzhugh, for a writ of _habeas corpus_, which however was +refused. In a short time being again found at large, he was again +arrested, and remanded to Northampton. In 1683 new charges were brought +against him: 1st. That he had broken open letters addressed to the +Secretary's office; 2d. That he had made up the journal, and inserted +his Majesty's letter therein, notwithstanding it had been first +presented at the time of the prorogation; 3d. That in 1682 he had +refused to deliver copies of the journal to the governor and council, +saying "he might not do it without leave of his masters." + +In May, 1684, Major Robert Beverley was found guilty of high +misdemeanors, but judgment being respited, and the prisoner asking +pardon on his bended knees, was released upon giving security for his +good behavior in the penalty of L2,000. The abject terms in which he now +sued for pardon, form a singular contrast to the constancy of his +former resistance, and the once gallant and loyal Beverley, the +strenuous partizan of Berkley, thus became the victim of that tyranny +which he had once so resolutely defended. He had not however lost the +esteem of his countrymen, for in 1685 he was again elected clerk of the +Assembly. This body strenuously resisted the negative power claimed by +the governor, and passed resolutions complaining strongly of his +tyranny. He negatived them, and prorogued the Assembly. James II, +indignant at these democratical proceedings, ordered their dissolution, +and attributing these disorders mainly to Robert Beverley, their clerk, +commanded that he should be incapable of holding any office, and that he +should be prosecuted, and that in future the appointment of their clerk +should be made by the governor. + +In the spring of 1687 Robert Beverley died, the persecuted victim of an +oppressive government. Long a distinguished loyalist, he lived to become +a sort of patriot martyr. It is thus that in the circle of life extremes +meet. He married Catherine Hone of James City, and their children were +four sons: Peter, William, Harry, and Robert, (the historian,) and three +daughters, who married respectively, William Randolph, eldest son of +William Randolph of Turkey Island; Sir John Randolph, his brother, of +Williamsburg; and John Robinson. Peter Beverley was appointed clerk of +the Assembly in 1691. + +In the preface to the first edition of his History of Virginia, +published at London 1705, Robert Beverley says of himself: "I am an +Indian, and don't pretend to be exact in my language." This intimation +may perhaps have been merely playful, but the full and minute account +that he has given of the Indians, shows that he took a peculiar interest +in that race. + +In the preface to the second edition of his history, now republished, he +remarks: "My first business in this world being among the public records +of my country, the active thoughts of my youth put me upon taking notes +of the general administration of the government." He was probably a +deputy in his father's office, and perhaps also in that of his brother +Peter Beverley. This Peter Beverley was in 1714 promoted to the place +of speaker of the House of Burgesses, and he was subsequently treasurer +of the colony. Robert Beverley, the historian, was born in Virginia, and +educated in England. He married Ursula, daughter of William Byrd of +Westover, on the James river. She lies buried at Jamestown. John +Fontaine, son of a Huguenot refugee, having come over from England to +Virginia, visited Robert Beverley, the author of this work, in the year +1715, at his residence, near the head of the Mattapony. Here he +cultivated several varieties of the grape, native and French, in a +vineyard of about three acres, situated upon the side of a hill, from +which he made in that year four hundred gallons of wine. He went to very +considerable expense in this enterprise, having constructed vaults of a +wine press. But Fontaine comparing his method with that used in Spain, +deemed it erroneous, and that his vineyard was not rightly managed. The +home-made wine Fontaine drank heartily of, and found it good, but he was +satisfied by the flavor of it that Beverley did not understand how to +make it properly. Beverley lived comfortably, yet although wealthy, had +nothing in or about his house but what was actually necessary. He had +good beds, but no curtains, and instead of cane chairs used wooden +stools. He lived mainly within himself upon the products of his land. He +had laid a sort of wager with some of the neighboring planters, he +giving them one guinea in hand, and they promising to pay him each ten +guineas, if in seven years he should cultivate a vineyard that would +yield at one vintage seven hundred gallons of wine. Beverley thereupon +paid them down one hundred pounds, and Fontaine entertained no doubt but +that in the next year he would win the thousand guineas. Beverley owned +a large tract of land at the place of his residence. On Sunday Fontaine +accompanied him to his parish church, seven miles distant, where they +heard a good sermon from the Rev. M. De Latane, a Frenchman. A son of +Beverley accompanied Fontaine in some of his excursions in that +neighborhood. On the banks of the Rappahannock, about five miles below +the falls, (Fredericksburg,) Fontaine came upon a tract of three +thousand acres of land, which Beverley offered him at L7 10s. per +hundred acres, and Fontaine would have purchased it, had not Beverley +somewhat singularly insisted upon making a title for nine hundred and +ninety-nine years, instead of an absolute fee simple. + +On the 20th of August, 1716, Alexander Spotswood, Governor of Virginia, +accompanied by John Fontaine, started from Williamsburg on his +expedition over the Appalachian mountains, as they were then called. +Having crossed the York river at the Brick House, they lodged that night +at Chelsea, the seat of Austin Moore, on the Mattapony river, in the +county of King William. On the following night they were hospitably +entertained by Robert Beverley at his residence. The governor left his +chaise there, and mounted his horse for the rest of the journey. +Beverley accompanied Spotswood in this exploration. On the 26th of +August Spotswood was joined by several gentlemen, two small companies of +rangers, and four Meherrin Indians. The gentlemen of the party appear to +have been Spotswood, Fontaine, Beverley, Austin Smith, Todd, Dr. +Robinson, Taylor, Mason, Brooke, and Captains Clouder and Smith. The +whole number of the party, including gentlemen, rangers, pioneers, +Indians and servants, was probably about fifty. They had with them a +large number of riding and pack-horses, an abundant supply of +provisions, and an extraordinary variety of liquors. + +The camps were named respectively after the gentlemen of the expedition, +and the first one being that of the 29th of August, was named in honor +of our historian, Robert Beverley. Here "they made," as Fontaine records +in his diary, "great fires, supped and drank good punch." In the preface +to this edition of the work, (1722,) Beverley says in reference to this +Tramontane expedition, "I was with the present Governor (Spotswood) at +the head spring of both those rivers, (the York and the Rappahannock,) +and their fountains are in the highest range of mountains." Thus it +appears that the historian was one of the celebrated knights of the +golden horseshoe. + +An Abridgement of the Laws of Virginia, published at London in 1722 is +ascribed to Robert Beverley. Filial indignation will naturally account +for the acrimony which in his history he exhibits towards Lord Culpepper +and Lord Howard of Effingham, who had so persecuted his father, the +clerk of the Assembly, and against Nicholson, who was Effingham's +deputy. In his second edition, when time had mitigated his animosities, +Beverley omitted some of his accusations against those governors. + +The first edition of Beverley's History of Virginia appeared at London +in 1705. It was republished in French at Paris in 1707, and in the same +year an edition was issued at Amsterdam. The second English edition was +published in 1722 at London. The work is dedicated to the Right +Honorable Robert Harley, so celebrated both as a statesman and as the +patron of letters. + +In the title page appear only the initials of the author's name, thus: +"R. B. Gent.," whence the blundering historian, Oldmixon, supposed his +name to be "Bullock," and in some German catalogues he received the +appellation of "Bird." Warden, an American writer, has repeated this +last misnomer. Beverley's work is divided into four parts, styled Books, +and the fourth book is again divided into two parts. + +Of the history, Mr. Jefferson in his "Notes on Virginia" has remarked, +that it is "as concise and unsatisfactory as Stith is prolix and +tedious." This criticism, however, is only applicable to Beverley's +first book, which includes the civil history of the colony; the other +three books on "the present state of Virginia" being sufficiently full +and satisfactory. Brief as is the summary of history comprised in book +first, it was probably quite ample enough for the taste of the readers +of Beverley's day. His style of writing is easy, unsophisticated and +pleasing, his simplicity of remark sometimes amusing, and the whole work +breathes an earnest, downright, hearty, old-fashioned Virginia spirit. +His account of the internal affairs of the colony is faithful, and in +the main correct, but in regard to events occurring beyond the precincts +of Virginia, he is less reliable. The second book treats of the boundary +of Virginia, waters, earth and soil, natural products, fish, wild fowl +and hunted game. Book third gives a full and minute description of the +manners and customs of the Indians, illustrated by Gribelin's +engravings. The contents are the persons and dress of the Indians, +marriage and management of children, towns, buildings and +fortifications, cookery and food, travelling, reception and +entertainments, language, war and peace, religion, diseases and +remedies, sports and pastimes, laws and government, money, goods and +handicrafts. The fourth book relates to the government of the colony, +its sub-divisions, public offices, revenues, taxes, courts, the church, +the college of William and Mary, militia, servants and slaves, poor +laws, free schools, tenure and conveyance of lands, naturalization and +currency, the people, buildings, eatables, drinkables and fuel, climate, +diseases, recreations, natural productions, and the advantages of +improved husbandry. The closing paragraph is as follows: "Thus they +depend upon the liberality of Nature, without endeavoring to improve its +gifts by art or industry. They sponge upon the blessings of a warm sun +and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the pains of gathering in the +bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed to publish this slothful +indolence of my countrymen, but that I hope it will rouse them out of +their lethargy, and excite them to make the most of all those happy +advantages which Nature has given them, and if it does this, I am sure +they will have the goodness to forgive me." Happily, at the present day, +Virginia has been aroused from her lethargy, and with energetic efforts +is developing her rich resources. It may be hoped that with these +material improvements a wider interest in the history of the past may be +diffused. + +_Petersburg, May 30th, 1854._ + + + + +HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. + + +BOOK I. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE VIRGINIA, BEFORE + THE DISCOVERY OF CHESAPEAKE BAY. + + +The learned and valiant Sir Walter Raleigh, having entertained some +deeper and more serious considerations upon the state of the earth than +most other men of his time, as may sufficiently appear by his +incomparable book, the History of the World, and having laid together +the many stories then in Europe concerning America, the native beauty, +riches, and value of that part of the world, and the immense profits the +Spaniards drew from a small settlement or two thereon made, resolved +upon an adventure for farther discoveries. + +According to this purpose, in the year of our Lord 1583, he got several +men of great value and estate to join in an expedition of this nature, +and for their encouragement obtained letters patents from Queen +Elizabeth, bearing date the 25th of March, 1584, for turning their +discoveries to their own advantage. + +Sec. 2. In April following they set out two small vessels under the command +of Capt. Philip Amidas and Capt. Arthur Barlow, who after a prosperous +voyage, anchored at the inlet by Roanoke, at present under the +government of North Carolina. They made good profit of the Indian truck, +which they bought for things of much inferior value, and returned. Being +overpleased with their profits, and finding all things there entirely +new and surprising, they gave a very advantageous account of matters, by +representing the country so delightful and desirable, so pleasant and +plentiful; the climate and air so temperate, sweet, and wholesome; the +woods and soil so charming and fruitful; and all other things so +agreeable, that paradise itself seemed to be there in its first native +lustre. + +They gave particular accounts of the variety of good fruits, and some +whereof they had never seen the like before; especially, that there were +grapes in such abundance as was never known in the world. Stately tall +large oaks, and other timber; red cedar, cypress, pines, and other +evergreens and sweet woods, for tallness and largeness, exceeding all +they had ever heard of; wild fowl, fish, deer, and other game in such +plenty and variety, that no epicure could desire more than this new +world did seem naturally to afford. + +And to make it yet more desirable, they reported the native Indians +(which were then the only inhabitants) so affable, kind, and +good-natured; so uncultivated in learning, trades, and fashions; so +innocent and ignorant of all manner of politics, tricks, and cunning; +and so desirous of the company of the English, that they seemed rather +to be like soft wax, ready to take an impression, than anyways likely to +oppose the settling of the English near them. They represented it as a +scene laid open for the good and gracious Queen Elizabeth to propagate +the gospel in and extend her dominions over; as if purposely reserved +for her majesty by a peculiar direction of providence, that had brought +all former adventures in this affair to nothing; and to give a further +taste of their discovery, they took with them in their return for +England, two men of the native Indians, named Wanchese and Manteo. + +Sec. 3. Her majesty accordingly took the hint, and espoused the project as +far as her present engagements in war with Spain would let her; being so +well pleased with the account given, that as the greatest mark of honor +she could do the discoverer, she called the country by the name of +Virginia, as well for that it was first discovered in her reign, a +virgin queen, as it did still seem to retain the virgin purity and +plenty of the first creation, and the people their primitive innocence; +for they seemed not debauched nor corrupted with those pomps and +vanities which had depraved and enslaved the rest of mankind; neither +were their hands hardened by labor, nor their minds corrupted by the +desire of hoarding up treasure. They were without boundaries to their +land, without property in cattle, and seem to have escaped, or rather +not to have been concerned in the first curse, _of getting their bread +by the sweat of their brows_, for by their pleasure alone they supplied +all their necessities, namely, by fishing, fowling, and hunting; skins +being their only clothing, and these, too, five-sixths of the year +thrown by; living without labor, and only gathering the fruits of the +earth when ripe or fit for use; neither fearing present want, nor +solicitous for the future, but daily finding sufficient afresh for their +subsistence. + +Sec. 4. This report was backed, nay, much advanced by the vast riches and +treasure mentioned in several merchants' letters from Mexico and Peru, +to their correspondents in Spain, which letters were taken with their +ships and treasure, by some of ours in her majesty's service, in +prosecution of the Spanish wars. This was encouragement enough for a new +adventure, and set people's invention at work till they had satisfied +themselves, and made sufficient essays for the farther discovery of the +country. Pursuant whereunto, Sir Richard Greenvile, the chief of Sir +Walter Raleigh's associates, having obtained seven sail of ships, well +laden with provision, arms, ammunition, and spare men to make a +settlement, set out in person with them early in the spring of the +succeeding year to make farther discoveries, taking back the two Indians +with him, and according to his wish, in the latter end of May, arrived +at the same place where the English had been the year before; there he +made a settlement, sowed beans and peas, which he saw come up and grow +to admiration while he staid, which was about two months, and having +made some little discoveries more in the sound to the southward, and got +some treasure in skins, furs, pearl, and other rarities in the country, +for things of inconsiderable value, he returned for England, leaving one +hundred and eight men upon Roanoke island, under the command of Mr. +Ralph Lane, to keep possession. + +Sec. 5. As soon as Sir Richard Greenvile was gone, they, according to order +and their own inclination, set themselves earnestly about discovering +the country, and ranged about a little too indiscreetly up the rivers, +and into the land backward from the rivers, which gave the Indians a +jealousy of their meaning; for they cut off several stragglers of them, +and had laid designs to destroy the rest, but were happily prevented. +This put the English upon the precaution of keeping more within bounds, +and not venturing themselves too defenceless abroad, who till then had +depended too much upon the natives simplicity and innocence. + +After the Indians had done this mischief, they never observed any real +faith towards those English; for being naturally suspicious and +revengeful themselves, they never thought the English could forgive +them; and so by this jealousy, caused by the cowardice of their nature, +they were continually doing mischief. + +The English, notwithstanding all this, continued their discoveries, but +more carefully than they had done before, and kept the Indians in some +awe, by threatening them with the return of their companions again with +a greater supply of men and goods; and before the cold of the winter +became uneasy, they had extended their discoveries near an hundred miles +along the seacoast to the northward; but not reaching the southern cape +of Chesapeake bay in Virginia, they had as yet found no good harbor. + +Sec. 6. In this condition they maintained their settlement all the +winter, and till August following; but were much distressed for want of +provisions, not having learned to gather food, as the Indians did, nor +having conveniences like them of taking fish and fowl; besides, being +now fallen out with the Indians, they feared to expose themselves to +their contempt and cruelty; because they had not received the supply +they talked of, and which had been expected in the spring. + +All they could do under these distresses, and the despair of the +recruits promised them this year, was only to keep a good looking out to +seaward, if, perchance, they might find any means of escape, or recruit. +And to their great joy and satisfaction in August aforesaid, they +happened to espy and make themselves be seen to Sir Francis Drake's +fleet, consisting of twenty-three sail, who being sent by her majesty +upon the coast of America, in search of the Spanish treasures, had +orders from her majesty to take a view of this plantation, and see what +assistance and encouragement it wanted: Their first petition to him was +to grant them a fresh supply of men and provisions, with a small vessel, +and boats to attend them; that so if they should be put to distress for +want of relief, they might embark for England. This was as readily +granted by Sir Francis Drake, as asked by them; and a ship was appointed +them, which ship they began immediately to fit up, and supply +plentifully with all manner of stores for a long stay; but while they +were adoing this, a great storm arose, and drove that very ship (with +some others) from her anchor to sea, and so she was lost for that +occasion. + +Sir Francis would have given them another ship, but this accident coming +on the back of so many hardships which they had undergone, daunted them, +and put them upon imagining that Providence was averse to their designs; +and now having given over for that year the expectation of their +promised supply from England, they consulted together, and agreed to +desire Sir Francis Drake to take them along with him, which he did. + +Thus their first intention of settlement fell, after discovering many +things of the natural growth of the country, useful for the life of man, +and beneficial to trade, they having observed a vast variety of fish, +fowl and beasts; fruits, seeds, plants, roots, timber-trees, sweet-woods +and gums: They had likewise attained some little knowledge in the +language of the Indians, their religion, manners, and ways of +correspondence one with another, and been made sensible of their cunning +and treachery towards themselves. + +Sec. 7. While these things were thus acting in America, the adventurers in +England were providing, though too tediously, to send them recruits. And +though it was late before they could dispatch them (for they met with +several disappointments, and had many squabbles among themselves); +however, at last they provided four good ships, with all manner of +recruits suitable for the colony, and Sir Walter Raleigh designed to go +in person with them. + +Sir Walter got his ship ready first, and fearing the ill consequence of +a delay, and the discouragement it might be to those that were left to +make a settlement, he set sail by himself. And a fortnight after him Sir +Richard Greenvile sailed with the three other ships. + +Sir Walter fell in with the land at Cape Hatteras, a little to the +southward of the place, where the one hundred and eight men had been +settled, and after search not finding them, he returned: However Sir +Richard, with his ships, found the place where he had left the men, but +entirely deserted, which was at first a great disheartening to him, +thinking them all destroyed, because he knew not that Sir Francis Drake +had been there and taken them off; but he was a little better satisfied +by Manteo's report, that they were not cut off by the Indians, though he +could give no good account what was become of them. However, +notwithstanding this seeming discouragement, he again left fifty men in +the same island of Roanoke, built them houses necessary, gave them two +years provision, and returned. + +Sec. 8. The next summer, being Anno 1587, three ships more were sent, +under the command of Mr. John White, who himself was to settle there as +governor with more men, and some women, carrying also plentiful recruits +of provisions. + +In the latter end of July they arrived at Roanoke aforesaid, where they +again encountered the uncomfortable news of the loss of these men also; +who (as they were informed by Manteo) were secretly set upon by the +Indians, some cut off, and the others fled, and not to be heard of, and +their place of habitation now all grown up with weeds. However, they +repaired the houses on Roanoke, and sat down there again. + +The 13th of August they christened Manteo, and styled him Lord of +Dassamonpeak, an Indian nation so called, in reward of the fidelity he +had shewn to the English from the beginning, who being the first Indian +that was made a Christian in that part of the world, I thought it not +amiss to remember him. + +On the same occasion also may be mentioned the first child there born of +Christian parentage, viz: a daughter of Mr. Ananias Dare. She was born +the 18th of the same August, upon Roanoke, and, after the name of the +country, was christened Virginia. + +This seemed to be a settlement prosperously made, being carried on with +much zeal and unanimity among themselves. The form of government +consisted of a governor and twelve counselors, incorporated by the name +of governor and assistants, of the city of Raleigh, in Virginia. + +Many nations of the Indians renewed their peace, and made firm leagues +with the corporation. The chief men of the English also were so far from +being disheartened at the former disappointments, that they disputed for +the liberty of remaining on the spot; and by mere constraint compelled +Mr. White, their governor, to return for England to negotiate the +business of their recruits and supply, as a man the most capable to +manage that affair, leaving at his departure one hundred and fifteen in +the corporation. + +Sec. 9. It was above two years before Mr. White could obtain any grant of +supplies, and then in the latter end of the year 1589, he set out from +Plymouth with three ships, and sailed round by the Western and Caribbee +islands, they having hitherto not found any nearer way: for though they +were skilled in navigation, and understood the use of the globes, yet +did example so much prevail upon them, that they chose to sail a +thousand leagues about, rather than attempt a more direct passage. + +Towards the middle of August, 1590, they arrived upon the coast, at Cape +Hatteras, and went to search upon Roanoke for the people; but found, by +letters on the trees, that they were removed to Croatan, one of the +islands forming the sound, and southward of Roanoke about twenty +leagues, but no sign of distress. Thither they designed to sail to them +in their ships; but a storm arising in the meanwhile, lay so hard upon +them that their cables broke; they lost three of their anchors, were +forced to sea, and so returned home, without ever going near those poor +people again for sixteen years following. And it is supposed that the +Indians, seeing them forsaken by their country, and unfurnished of their +expected supplies, cut them off, for to this day they were never more +heard of. + +Thus, after all this vast expense and trouble, and the hazard and loss +of so many lives, Sir Walter Raleigh, the great projector and furtherer +of these discoveries and settlements, being under trouble, all thoughts +of farther prosecuting these designs lay dead for about twelve years +following. + +Sec. 10. And then, in the year 1602, Captain Gosnell, who had made one +in the former adventures, furnished out a small bark from Dartmouth, and +set sail in her himself with thirty odd men, designing a more direct +course, and not to stand so far to the southward, nor pass by the +Caribbee Islands, as all former adventurers had done. He attained his +ends in that, but touched upon the coast of America, much to the +northward of any of the places where the former adventurers had landed, +for he fell first among the islands forming the northern side of +Massachusetts bay in New England; but not finding the conveniences that +harbor affords, set sail again southward, and, as he thought, clear of +land into the sea, but fell upon the Byte of Cape Cod. + +Upon this coast, and a little to the southward, he spent some time in +trade with the Indians, and gave names to the islands of Martha's +Vineyard and Elizabeth's Isle, which retain the same to this day. Upon +Elizabeth's Isle he made an experiment of English grain, and found it +spring up and grow to admiration as it had done at Roanoke. Here also +his men built huts to shelter them in the night and bad weather, and +made good profit by their Indian traffic of furs, skins, &c. And as +their pleasure invited them, would visit the main, set receivers, and +save the gums and juices distilling from sweet woods, and try and +examine the lesser vegetables. + +After a month's stay here, they returned for England, as well pleased +with the natural beauty and richness of the place they had viewed, as +they were with the treasure they had gathered in it: neither had they a +head, nor a finger that ached among them all the time. + +Sec. 11. The noise of this short and most profitable of all the former +voyages, set the Bristol merchants to work also; who, early in the year +1603, sent two vessels in search of the same place and trade--which +vessels fell luckily in with the same land. They followed the same +methods Captain Gosnell had done, and having got a rich lading they +returned. + +Sec. 12. In the year 1605, a voyage was made from London in a single ship, +with which they designed to fall in with the land about the latitude +39 deg., but the winds put her a little farther northward, and she fell +upon the eastern parts of Long Island, (as it is now called, but all went +then under the name of Virginia.) Here they trafficked with the Indians, +as the others had done before them; made short trials of the soil by +English grain, and found the Indians, as in all other places, very fair +and courteous at first, till they got more knowledge of the English, and +perhaps thought themselves overreached because one bought better +pennyworths than another, upon which, afterwards, they never failed to +take revenge as they found their opportunity or advantage. So this +company also returned with the ship, having ranged forty miles up +Connecticut river, and called the harbor where they rid Penticost +harbor, because of their arrival there on Whitsunday. + +In all these latter voyages, they never so much as endeavored to come +near the place where the first settlement was attempted at Cape +Hatteras; neither had they any pity on those poor hundred and fifteen +souls settled there in 1587, of whom there had never since been any +account, no relief sent to them, nor so much as any enquiry made after +them, whether they were dead or alive, till about three years after +this, when Chesapeake bay in Virginia was settled, which hitherto had +never been seen by any Englishman. So strong was the desire of riches, +and so eager the pursuit of a rich trade, that all concern for the lives +of their fellow-christians, kindred, neighbors and countrymen, weighed +nothing in the comparison, though an enquiry might have been easily made +when they were so near them. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF CHESAPEAKE BAY, IN + VIRGINIA, BY THE CORPORATION OF LONDON ADVENTURERS, AND THEIR + PROCEEDINGS DURING THEIR GOVERNMENT BY A PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL + ELECTIVE. + + +Sec. 13. The merchants of London, Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth soon +perceived what great gains might be made of a trade this way, if it were +well managed and colonies could be rightly settled, which was +sufficiently evinced by the great profits some ships had made, which had +not met with ill accidents. Encouraged by this prospect, they joined +together in a petition to King James the First, shewing forth that it +would be too much for any single person to attempt the settling of +colonies, and to carry on so considerable a trade; they therefore prayed +his majesty to incorporate them, and enable them to raise a joint stock +for that purpose, and to countenance their undertaking. + +His majesty did accordingly grant their petition, and by letters +patents, bearing date the 10th of April, 1606, did in one patent +incorporate them into two distinct colonies, to make two separate +companies, viz: "Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, knights; Mr. +Richard Hackluit, clerk, prebend of Westminster, and Edward Maria +Wingfield, esq., adventurers of the city of London, and such others as +should be joined unto them of that colony, which should be called the +first colony, with liberty to begin their first plantation and seat, at +any place upon the coast of Virginia where they should think fit and +convenient, between the degrees of thirty-four and forty-one of northern +latitude. And that they should extend their bounds from the said first +seat of their plantation and habitation fifty English miles along the +seacoast each way, and include all the lands within an hundred miles +directly over against the same seacoast, and also back into the main +land one hundred miles from the seacoast; and that no other should be +permitted or suffered to plant or inhabit behind or on the back of them +towards the main land, without the express license of the council of +that colony, thereunto in writing first had and obtained. And for the +second colony, Thomas Hanham, Rawleigh Gilbert, William Parker, and +George Popham, esquires, of the town of Plymouth, and all others who +should be joined to them of that colony, with liberty to begin their +first plantation and seat at any place upon the coast of Virginia where +they should think fit, between the degrees of thirty-eight and forty +five of northern latitude, with the like liberties and bounds as the +first colony; provided they did not seat within an hundred miles of +them." + +Sec. 14. By virtue of this patent, Capt. John Smith was sent by the +London company, in December, 1606, on his voyage with three small ships, +and a commission was given to him, and to several other gentlemen, to +establish a colony, and to govern by a president, to be chosen annually, +and council, who should be invested with sufficient authorities and +powers. And now all things seemed to promise a plantation in good +earnest. Providence seemed likewise very favorable to them, for though +they designed only for that part of Virginia where the hundred and +fifteen were left, and where there is no security of harbor, yet, after +a tedious voyage of passing the old way again, between the Caribbee +islands and the main, he, with two of his vessels, luckily fell in with +Virginia itself, that part of the continent now so called, anchoring in +the mouth of the bay of Chesapeake; and the first place they landed upon +was the southern cape of that bay; this they named Cape Henry, and the +northern Cape Charles, in honor of the king's two eldest sons; and the +first great river they searched, whose Indian name was Powhatan, they +called James river, after the king's own name. + +Sec. 15. Before they would make any settlement here, they made a full +search of James river, and then by an unanimous consent pitched upon a +peninsula about fifty miles up the river, which, besides the goodness of +the soil, was esteemed as most fit, and capable to be made a place both +of trade and security, two-thirds thereof being environed by the main +river, which affords good anchorage all along, and the other third by a +small narrow river, capable of receiving many vessels of an hundred ton, +quite up as high as till it meets within thirty yards of the main river +again, and where generally in spring tides it overflows into the main +river, by which means the land they chose to pitch their town upon has +obtained the name of an island. In this back river ships and small +vessels may ride lashed to one another, and moored ashore secure from +all wind and weather whatsoever. + +The town, as well as the river, had the honor to be called by King +James' name. The whole island thus enclosed contains about two thousand +acres of high land, and several thousands of very good and firm marsh, +and is an extraordinary good pasture as any in that country. + +By means of the narrow passage, this place was of great security to them +from the Indian enemy; and if they had then known of the biting of the +worm in the salts, they would have valued this place upon that account +also, as being free from that mischief. + +Sec. 16. They were no sooner settled in all this happiness and security, +but they fell into jars and dissensions among themselves, by a greedy +grasping at the Indian treasure, envying and overreaching one another in +that trade. + +After five weeks stay before this town, the ships returned home again, +leaving one hundred and eight men settled in the form of government +before spoken of. + +After the ships were gone, the same sort of feuds and disorders +happened continually among them, to the unspeakable damage of the +plantation. + +The Indians were the same there as in all other places, at first very +fair and friendly, though afterwards they gave great proofs of their +deceitfulness. However, by the help of the Indian provisions, the +English chiefly subsisted till the return of the ships the next year, +when two vessels were sent thither full freighted with men and +provisions for supply of the plantation, one of which only arrived +directly, and the other being beat off to the Caribbee islands, did not +arrive till the former was sailed again for England. + +Sec. 17. In the interval of these ships returning from England, the English +had a very advantageous trade with the Indians, and might have made much +greater gains of it, and managed it both to the greater satisfaction of +the Indians, and the greater ease and security of themselves, if they +had been under any rule, or subject to any method in trade, and not left +at liberty to outvie or outbid one another, by which they not only cut +short their own profit, but created jealousies and disturbances among +the Indians, by letting one have a better bargain than another; for they +being unaccustomed to barter, such of them as had been hardest dealt by +in their commodities, thought themselves cheated and abused; and so +conceived a grudge against the English in general, making it a national +quarrel; and this seems to be the original cause of most of their +subsequent misfortunes by the Indians. + +What also gave a greater interruption to this trade, was an object that +drew all their eyes and thoughts aside, even from taking the necessary +care for their preservation, and for the support of their lives, which +was this: They found in a neck of land, on the back of Jamestown island, +a fresh stream of water springing out of a small bank, which washed down +with it a yellow sort of dust isinglass, which being cleansed by the +fresh streaming of the water, lay shining in the bottom of that limpid +element, and stirred up in them an unseasonable and inordinate desire +after riches; for they taking all to be gold that glittered, run into +the utmost distraction, neglecting both the necessary defence of their +lives from the Indians, and the support of their bodies by securing of +provisions; absolutely relying, like Midas, upon the almighty power of +gold, thinking that where this was in plenty, nothing could be wanting; +but they soon grew sensible of their error, and found that if this +gilded dirt had been real gold, it could have been of no advantage to +them. For, by their negligence, they were reduced to an exceeding +scarcity of provisions, and that little they had was lost by the burning +of their town, while all hands were employed upon this imaginary golden +treasure; so that they were forced to live for some time upon the wild +fruits of the earth, and upon crabs, muscles, and such like, not having +a day's provision before-hand; as some of the laziest Indians, who have +no pleasure in exercise, and wont be at the pains to fish and hunt: And, +indeed, not so well as they neither; for by this careless neglecting of +their defence against the Indians, many of them were destroyed by that +cruel people, and the rest durst not venture abroad, but were forced to +be content with what fell just into their mouths. + +Sec. 18. In this condition they were, when the first ship of the two before +mentioned came to their assistance, but their golden dreams overcame all +difficulties; they spoke not, nor thought of anything but gold, and that +was all the lading that most of them were willing to take care for; +accordingly they put into this ship all the yellow dirt they had +gathered, and what skins and furs they had trucked for, and filling her +up with cedar, sent her away. + +After she was gone, the other ship arrived, which they stowed likewise +with this supposed gold dust, designing never to be poor again; filling +her up with cedar and clap-board. + +Those two ships being thus dispatched, they made several discoveries in +James river and up Chesapeake bay, by the undertaking and management of +Captain John Smith; and the year 1608 was the first year in which they +gathered Indian corn of their own planting. + +While these discoveries were making by Captain Smith, matters run again +into confusion in Jamestown, and several uneasy people, taking +advantage of his absence, attempted to desert the settlement, and run +away with the small vessel that was left to attend upon it; for Captain +Smith was the only man among them that could manage the discoveries with +success, and he was the only man, too, that could keep the settlement in +order. Thus the English continued to give themselves as much perplexity +by their own distraction as the Indians did by their watchfulness and +resentments. + +Sec. 19. Anno 1609, John Laydon and Anna Burrows were married together, +the first Christian marriage in that part of the world; and the year +following the plantation was increased to near five hundred men. + +This year Jamestown sent out people, and made two other settlements; one +at Nansemond in James river, above thirty miles below Jamestown, and the +other at Powhatan, six miles below the falls of James river, (which last +was bought of Powhatan for a certain quantity of copper,) each +settlement consisting of about a hundred and twenty men. Some small time +after another was made at Kiquotan by the mouth of James river. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +SHEWING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE ALTERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM AN + ELECTIVE PRESIDENT TO A COMMISSIONATED GOVERNOR, UNTIL THE + DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY. + + +Sec. 20. In the meanwhile the treasurer, council and company of Virginia +adventurers in London, not finding that return and profit from the +adventurers they expected, and rightly judging that this disappointment, +as well as the idle quarrels in the colony, proceeded from a mismanage +of government, petitioned his majesty, and got a new patent with leave +to appoint a governor. + +Upon this new grant they sent out nine ships, and plentiful supplies of +men and provisions, and made three joint commissioners or governors in +equal power, viz: Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain +Newport. They agreed to go all together in one ship. + +This ship, on board of which the three governors had embarked, being +separated from the rest, was put to great distress in a severe storm; +and after three days and nights constant bailing and pumping, was at +last cast ashore at Bermudas, and there staved, but by good providence +the company was preserved. + +Notwithstanding this shipwreck, and extremity they were put to, yet +could not this common misfortune make them agree. The best of it was, +they found plenty of provisions in that island, and no Indians to annoy +them. But still they quarrelled amongst themselves, and none more than +the two Knights; who made their parties, built each of them a cedar +vessel, one called the Patience, the other the Deliverance, and used +what they gathered of the furniture of the old ship for rigging; and +fish-oil, and hog's-grease, mixed with lime and ashes, instead of pitch +and tar: for they found great plenty of Spanish hogs in this island, +which are supposed to have swam ashore from some wrecks, and there +afterwards increased. + +Sec. 21. While these things were acting in Bermuda, Capt. Smith being very +much burnt by the accidental firing of some gun-powder, as he was upon a +discovery in his boat, was forced for his cure sake, and the benefit of +a surgeon, to take his passage for England, in a ship that was then upon +the point of sailing. + +Several of the nine ships that came out with the three governors +arrived, with many of the passengers; some of which, in their humors, +would not submit to the government there, pretending the new commission +destroyed the old one; that governors were appointed instead of a +president, and that they themselves were to be of the council, and so +would assume an independent power, inspiring the people with +disobedience; by which means they became frequently exposed in great +parties to the cruelty of the Indians; all sorts of discipline was laid +aside, and their necessary defence neglected; so that the Indians taking +advantage of those divisions, formed a stratagem to destroy them root +and branch; and, indeed, they did cut many of them off, by massacreing +whole companies at a time; so that all the out-settlements were +deserted, and the people that were not destroyed, took refuge in +Jamestown, except the small settlement at Kiquotan, where they had built +themselves a little fort, and called it Algernoon fort. And yet, for all +this, they continued their disorders, wasting their old provisions, and +neglecting to gather others; so that they who remained alive, were all +near famished, having brought themselves to that pass, that they durst +not stir from their own doors to gather the fruits of the earth, or the +crabs and muscles from the water-side: much less to hunt or catch wild +beasts, fish or fowl, which were found in great abundance there. They +continued in these scanty circumstances, till they were at last reduced +to such extremity, as to eat the very hides of their horses, and the +bodies of the Indians they had killed; and sometimes also upon a pinch +they would not disdain to dig them up again, to make a homely meal, +after they had been buried. + +Thus, a few months indiscreet management brought such an infamy upon the +country, that to this day it cannot be wiped away. And the sicknesses +occasioned by this bad diet, or rather want of diet, are unjustly +remembered to the disadvantage of the country, as a fault in the +climate; which was only the foolishness and indiscretion of those who +assumed the power of governing. I call it assumed, because the new +commission mentioned, by which they pretended to be of the council, was +not in all this time arrived, but remained in Bermuda with the new +governors. + +Here, I cannot but admire the care, labor, courage and understanding, +that Capt. John Smith showed in the time of his administration; who not +only founded, but also preserved all these settlements in good order, +while he was amongst them; and, without him, they had certainly all been +destroyed, either by famine, or the enemy long before; though the +country naturally afforded subsistence enough, even without any other +labor than that of gathering and preserving its spontaneous provisions. + +For the first three years that Capt. Smith was with them, they never had +in that whole time, above six months English provisions. But as soon as +he had left them to themselves, all went to ruin; for the Indians had no +longer any fear for themselves, or friendship for the English. And six +months after this gentleman's departure, the 500 men that he had left +were reduced to threescore; and they, too, must of necessity, have +starved, if their relief had been delayed a week longer at sea. + +Sec. 22. In the mean time, the three governors put to sea from Bermuda, +in their two small vessels, with their company, to the number of one +hundred and fifty, and in fourteen days, viz.: the 25th of May, 1610, +they arrived both together in Virginia, and went with their vessels up +to Jamestown, where they found the small remainder of the five hundred +men, in that melancholy way I just now hinted. + +Sec. 23. Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, and Captain Newport, the +governors, were very compassionate of their condition, and called a +council, wherein they informed them, that they had but sixteen days +provision aboard; and therefore desired to know their opinion, whether +they would venture to sea under such a scarcity; or, if they resolved to +continue in the settlement, and take their fortunes, they would stay +likewise, and share the provisions among them; but desired that their +determination might be speedy. They soon came to the conclusion of +returning for England; but because their provisions were short, they +resolved to go by the banks of Newfoundland, in hopes of meeting with +some of the fishermen, (this being now the season,) and dividing +themselves among their ships, for the greater certainty of provision, +and for their better accommodation. + +According to this resolution, they all went aboard, and fell down to Hog +Island, the 9th of June, at night, and the next morning to Mulberry +Island Point, which is eighteen miles below Jamestown, and thirty above +the mouth of the river; and there they spied a long boat, which the Lord +Delawarr (who was just arrived with three ships,) had sent before him up +the river sounding the channel. His lordship was made sole governor, and +was accompanied by several gentlemen of condition. He caused all the men +to return again to Jamestown; re-settled them with satisfaction, and +staid with them till March following; and then being very sick, he +returned for England, leaving about two hundred in the colony. + +Sec. 24. On the 10th of May, 1611, Sir Thomas Dale being then made +governor, arrived with three ships, which brought supplies of men, +cattle and hogs. He found them growing again into the like disorders as +before, taking no care to plant corn, and wholly relying upon their +store, which then had but three months provision in it. He therefore +set them to work about corn, and though it was the middle of May before +they began to prepare the ground, yet they had an indifferent good crop. + +Sec. 25. In August, the same year, Sir Thomas Gates arrived at Jamestown +with six ships more, and with a plentiful supply of hogs, cattle, fowls, +&c., with a good quantity of ammunition, and all other things necessary +for a new colony, and besides this, a reinforcement of three hundred and +fifty chosen men. In the beginning of September he settled a new town at +Arrabattuck, about fifty miles above Jamestown, paling in the neck above +two miles from the point, from one reach of the river to the other. Here +he built forts and sentry-boxes, and in honor of Henry Prince of Wales, +called it Henrico. And also run a palisade on the other side of the +river, at Coxendale, to secure their hogs. + +Sec. 26. Anno 1612, two ships more arrived with supplies; and Capt. +Argall, who commanded one of them, being sent in her to Patowmeck to buy +corn, he there met with Pocahontas, the excellent daughter of Powhatan; +and having prevailed with her to come aboard to a treat, he detained her +prisoner, and carried her to Jamestown, designing to make peace with her +father by her release; but on the contrary, that prince resented the +affront very highly; and although he loved his daughter with all +imaginable tenderness, yet he would not be brought to terms by that +unhandsome treachery; till about two years after a marriage being +proposed between Mr. John Rolfe, an English gentleman, and this lady; +which Powhatan taking to be a sincere token of friendship, he vouchsafed +to consent to it, and to conclude a peace, though he would not come to +the wedding. + +Sec. 27. Pocahontas being thus married in the year 1613, a firm peace +was concluded with her father. Both the English and Indians thought +themselves entirely secure and quiet. This brought in the Chickahominy +Indians also, though not out of any kindness or respect to the English, +but out of fear of being, by their assistance, brought under Powhatan's +absolute subjection, who used now and then to threaten and tyrannize +over them. + +Sec. 28. Sir Thomas Dale returning for England, Anno 1610, took with him +Mr. Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas, who, upon the marriage, was +christened, and called Rebecca. He left Capt. George Yardly +deputy-governor during his absence, the country being then entirely at +peace; and arrived at Plymouth the 12th of June. + +Capt. John Smith was at that time in England, and hearing of the arrival +of Pocahontas at Portsmouth, used all the means he could to express his +gratitude to her, as having formerly preserved his life by the hazard of +her own; for, when by the command of her father, Capt. Smith's head was +upon the block to have his brains knocked out, she saved his head by +laying hers close upon it. He was at that time suddenly to embark for +New England, and fearing he should sail before she got to London, he +made an humble petition to the Queen in her behalf, which I here choose +to give you in his own words, because it will save me the story at +large. + +Sec. 29. Capt. Smith's petition to her Majesty, in behalf of Pocahontas, +daughter to the Indian Emperor, Powhatan. + + To the most high and virtuous princess, Queen Anne, of Great + Britain: + + Most admired madam-- + + The love I bear my God, my king, and country, hath so often + emboldened me in the worst of extreme dangers, that now honestly + doth constrain me to presume thus far beyond myself, to present + your majesty this short discourse. If ingratitude be a deadly + poison to all honest virtues, I must be guilty of that crime, if I + should omit any means to be thankful. + + So it was, + + That about ten years ago, being in Virginia, and taken prisoner + by the power of Powhatan, their chief king, I received from this + great savage exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son, + Nantaquaus; the manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit I ever saw in + a savage; and his sister Pocahontas, the king's most dear and + well-beloved daughter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen + years of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart of my desperate + estate gave me much cause to respect her. I being the first + Christian this proud king and his grim attendants ever saw, and + thus enthralled in their barbarous power; I cannot say I felt the + least occasion of want, that was in the power of those my mortal + foes to prevent, notwithstanding all their threats. After some six + weeks fatting amongst those savage courtiers, at the minute of my + execution, she hazarded the beating out of her own brains to save + mine, and not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I + was safely conducted to Jamestown, where I found about eight and + thirty miserable, poor and sick creatures, to keep possession for + all those large territories of Virginia. Such was the weakness of + this poor commonwealth, as had not the savages fed us, we directly + had starved. + + And this relief, most gracious queen, was commonly brought us by + this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all these passages, when + unconstant fortune turned our peace to war, this tender virgin + would still not spare to dare to visit us; and by her our jars + have been oft appeased, and our wants still supplied. Were it the + policy of her father thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God + thus to make her his instrument, or her extraordinary affection to + our nation, I know not: but of this I am sure, when her father, + with the utmost of his policy and power, sought to surprise me, + having but eighteen with me, the dark night could not affright her + from coming through the irksome woods, and, with watered eyes, + give me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his fury, + which had he known, he had surely slain her. + + Jamestown, with her wild train, she as freely frequented as her + father's habitation; and during the time of two or three years, + she, next under God, was still the instrument to preserve this + colony from death, famine, and utter confusion, which if, in those + times, had once been dissolved, Virginia might have lain, as it + was at our first arrival, till this day. Since then, this business + having been turned and varied by many accidents from what I left + it, it is most certain, after a long and troublesome war, since my + departure, betwixt her father and our colony, all which time she + was not heard of, about two years after she herself was taken + prisoner, being so detained near two years longer, the colony by + that means was relieved, peace concluded, and at last, rejecting + her barbarous condition, she was married to an English gentleman, + with whom at this present she is in England. The first Christian + ever of that nation; the first Virginian ever spake English, or + had a child in marriage by an Englishman--a matter surely, if my + meaning be truly considered and well understood, worthy a prince's + information. + + Thus, most gracious lady, I have related to your majesty, what at + your best leisure, our approved histories will recount to you at + large, as done in the time of your majesty's life; and however + this might be presented you from a more worthy pen, it cannot from + a more honest heart. + + As yet, I never begged anything of the State; and it is my want of + ability, and her exceeding desert; your birth, means, and + authority; her birth, virtue, want and simplicity, doth make me + thus bold, humbly to beseech your majesty to take this knowledge + of her, though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter as + myself; her husband's estate not being able to make her fit to + attend your majesty. + + The most and least I can do, is to tell you this, and the rather + because of her being of so great a spirit, however her stature. If + she should not be well received, seeing this kingdom may rightly + have a kingdom by her means; her present love to us and + Christianity, might turn to such scorn and fury, as to divert all + this good to the worst of evil. Where finding that so great a + queen should do her more honor than she can imagine, for having + been kind to her subjects and servants, 'twould so ravish her with + content, as to endear her dearest blood, to effect that your + majesty and all the king's honest subjects most earnestly desire. + And so I humbly kiss your gracious hands, &c. + + (Signed) + JOHN SMITH. + Dated June, 1616. + +Sec. 30. This account was presented to her majesty, and graciously +received. But before Capt. Smith sailed for New England, the Indian +princess arrived at London, and her husband took lodgings for her at +Branford, to be a little out of the smoke of the city, whither Capt. +Smith, with some of his friends, went to see her and congratulate her +arrival, letting her know the address he had made to the queen in her +favor. + +Till this lady arrived in England, she had all along been informed that +Captain Smith was dead, because he had been diverted from that colony by +making settlements in the second plantation, now called New England; for +which reason, when she saw him, she seemed to think herself much +affronted, for that they had dared to impose so gross an untruth upon +her, and at first sight of him turned away. It cost him a great deal of +intreaty, and some hours attendance, before she would do him the honor +to speak to him; but at last she was reconciled, and talked freely to +him. She put him in mind of her former kindnesses, and then upbraided +him for his forgetfulness of her, showing by her reproaches, that even a +state of nature teaches to abhor ingratitude. + +She had in her retinue a Werowance, or great man of her own nation, +whose name was Uttamaccomack. This man had orders from Powhatan, to +count the people in England, and give him an account of their number. +Now the Indians having no letters among them, he at his going ashore, +provided a stick, in which he was to make a notch for every man he saw; +but this accomptant soon grew weary of that tedious exercise, and threw +his stick away: and at his return, being asked by his king, How many +people there were? He desired him to count the stars in the sky, the +leaves upon the trees, and the sand on the seashore, for so many people +(he said) were in England. + +Sec. 31. Pocahontas had many honors done her by the queen upon account +of Captain Smith's story; and being introduced by the Lady Delawarr, she +was frequently admitted to wait on her majesty, and was publicly treated +as a prince's daughter; she was carried to many plays, balls, and other +public entertainments, and very respectfully received by all the ladies +about the court. Upon all which occasions, she behaved herself with so +much decency, and showed so much grandeur in her deportment, that she +made good the brightest part of the character Capt. Smith had given of +her. In the meanwhile, she gained the good opinion of everybody so much, +that the poor gentleman, her husband, had like to have been called to an +account, for presuming to marry a princess royal without the king's +consent; because it had been suggested that he had taken advantage of +her, being a prisoner, and forced her to marry him. But upon a more +perfect representation of the matter, his majesty was pleased at last to +declare himself satisfied. But had their true condition here been known, +that pother had been saved. + +Everybody paid this young lady all imaginable respect; and it is +supposed, she would have sufficiently acknowledged those favors, had she +lived to return to her own country, by bringing the Indians to have a +kinder disposition towards the English. But upon her return she was +unfortunately taken ill at Gravesend, and died in a few days after, +giving great testimony all the time she lay sick, of her being a very +good Christian. She left issue one son, named Thomas Rolfe, whose +posterity is at this day in good repute in Virginia, and now hold lands +by descent from her. + +Sec. 32. Captain Yardly made but a very ill governor, he let the buildings +and forts go to ruin; not regarding the security of the people against +the Indians, neglecting the corn, and applying all hands to plant +tobacco, which promised the most immediate gain. In this condition they +were when Capt. Samuel Argall was sent thither governor, Anno 1617, who +found the number of people reduced to little more than four hundred, of +which not above half were fit for labor. In the meanwhile the Indians +mixing among them, got experience daily in fire arms, and some of them +were instructed therein by the English themselves, and employed to hunt +and kill wild fowl for them. So great was their security upon this +marriage; but governor Argall not liking those methods, regulated them +on his arrival, and Capt. Yardly returned to England. + +Sec. 33. Governor Argall made the colony flourish and increase +wonderfully, and kept them in great plenty and quiet. The next year, +viz.: Anno 1618, the Lord Delawarr was sent over again with two hundred +men more for the settlement, with other necessaries suitable: but +sailing by the Western Islands, they met with contrary winds, and great +sickness; so that about thirty of them died, among which the Lord +Delawarr was one. By which means the government there still continued in +the hands of Capt. Argall. + +Sec. 34. Powhatan died in April the same year, leaving his second brother +Itopatin in possession of his empire, a prince far short of the parts of +Oppechancanough, who by some was said to be his elder brother, and then +king of Chickahomony; but he having debauched them from the allegiance +of Powhatan, was disinherited by him. This Oppechancanough was a cunning +and a brave prince, and soon grasped all the empire to himself. But at +first they jointly renewed the peace with the English, upon the +accession of Itopatin to the crown. + +Sec. 35. Governor Argall flourishing thus under the blessings of peace and +plenty, and having no occasion of fear or disturbance from the Indians, +sought new occasions of encouraging the plantation. To that end, he +intended a coasting voyage to the northward, to view the places where +the English ships had so often laded; and if he missed them, to reach +the fisheries on the banks of Newfoundland, and so settle a trade and +correspondence either with the one or the other. In accomplishing +whereof, as he touched at Cape Cod, he was informed by the Indians, that +some white people like him were come to inhabit to the northward of +them, upon the coast of their neighboring nations. Capt. Argall not +having heard of any English plantation that way, was jealous that it +might be (as it proved,) the people of some other nation. And being very +zealous for the honor and benefit of England, he resolved to make search +according to the information he had received, and see who they were. +Accordingly he found the settlement, and a ship riding before it. This +belonged to some Frenchmen, who had fortified themselves upon a small +mount on the north of New England. + +Sec. 36. His unexpected arrival so confounded the French, that they could +make no preparation for resistance on board their ship; which Captain +Argall drew so close to, that with his small arms he beat all the men +from the deck, so that they could not use their guns, their ship having +only a single deck. Among others, there were two Jesuits on board, one +of which being more bold than wise, with all that disadvantage, +endeavored to fire one of their cannon, and was shot dead for his pains. + +Captain Argall having taken the ship, landed and went before the fort, +summoning it to surrender. The garrison asked time to advise; but that +being denied them, they stole privately away, and fled into the woods. +Upon this, Captain Argall entered the fort, and lodged there that night; +and the next day the French came to him, and surrendered themselves. It +seems the king of France had granted them a patent for this settlement, +but they gave it up to Captain Argall to be cancelled. He used them very +well, and suffered such as had a mind to return to France, to seek their +passage among the ships of the fishery; but obliged them to desert this +settlement. And those that were willing to go to Virginia, he took with +him. + +Sec. 37. These people were under the conduct of two Jesuits, who upon +taking a pique against their governor in Acadia, named Biencourt, had +lately separated from a French settlement at Port Royal, lying in the +bay, upon the south-west part of Acadia. + +Sec. 38. As Governor Argall was about to return to Virginia, father Biard, +the surviving Jesuit (out of malice to Biencourt,) told him of this +French settlement at Port Royal, and offered to pilot him to it; which +Governor Argall readily accepted of. With the same ease, he took that +settlement also; where the French had sowed and reaped, built barns, +mills, and other conveniences, which Captain Argall did no damage to; +but unsettled them, and obliged them to make a desertion from thence. He +gave these the same leave he had done the others, to dispose of +themselves; some whereof returned to France, and others went to settle +up the river of Canada. After this Governor Argall returned satisfied +with the provision and plunder he had got in those two settlements. + +Sec. 39. The report of these exploits soon reached England; and whether +they were approved or no, being acted without particular direction, I +have not learned; but certain it is, that in April following there +arrived a small vessel, which did not stay for anything, but took on +board Governor Argall, and returned for England. He left Capt. Nathaniel +Powel deputy; and soon after Capt. Yardly being knighted, was sent +governor thither again. + +Sec. 40. Very great supplies of cattle and other provisions were sent +there that year, and likewise 1000 or 1200 men. They resettled all their +old plantations that had been deserted, made additions to the number of +the council, and called an assembly of Burgesses from all parts of the +country, which were to be elected by the people in their several +plantations. + +These burgesses met the governor and council at Jamestown in May, 1620, +and sat in consultation in the same house with them, as the method of +the Scots Parliament is, debating matters for the improvement and good +government of the country. + +This was the first general assembly that was ever held there. I heartily +wish though they did not unite their houses again, they would, however, +unite their endeavors and affections for the good of the country. + +Sec. 41. In August following, a Dutch man-of-war landed twenty negroes for +sale; which were the first of that kind that were carried into the +country. + +Sec. 42. This year they bounded the corporations, (as they called them:) +But there does not remain among the records any one grant of these +corporations. There is entered a testimony of Governor Argall, +concerning the bounds of the corporation of James City, declaring his +knowledge thereof; and this is one of the new transcribed books of +record. But there is not to be found one word of the charter or patent +itself of this corporation. + +Then also, they apportioned and laid our lands in several allotments, +viz.: to the company in several places, to the governor, to a college, +to glebes, and to several particular persons; many new settlements were +made in James and York rivers. The people knew their own property, and +having the encouragement of working for their own advantage, many became +very industrious, and began to vie one with another, in planting, +building, and other improvements. Two gentlemen went over as deputies to +the company, for the management of their lands, and those of the +college. All thoughts of danger from the Indians were laid aside. +Several great gifts were made to the church and college, and for the +bringing up young Indians at school. Forms were made, and rules +appointed for granting patents for land, upon the condition of +importing goods and persons to supply and increase the colony. And all +there then began think themselves the happiest people in the world. + +Sec. 43. Thus Virginia continued to flourish and increase, great supplies +continually arriving, and new settlements being made all over the +country. A salt work was set up at Cape Charles, on the Eastern Shore; +and an iron work at Falling Creek, in James river, where they made proof +of good iron ore, and brought the whole work so near a perfection, that +they writ word to the company in London, that they did not doubt but to +finish the work, and have plentiful provision of iron for them by the +next Easter. At that time the fame of the plenty and riches, in which +the English lived there, was very great. And Sir George Yardly now had +all the appearance of making amends for the errors of his former +government. Nevertheless he let them run into the same sleepiness and +security as before, neglecting all thoughts of a necessary defence, +which laid the foundation of the following calamities. + +Sec. 44. But the time of his government being near expired, Sir Francis +Wyat, then a young man, had a commission to succeed him. The people +began to grow numerous, thirteen hundred settling there that year; which +was the occasion of making so much tobacco, as to overstock the market. +Wherefore his majesty, out of pity to the country, sent his commands, +that they should not suffer their planters to make above one hundred +pounds of tobacco per man; for the market was so low, that he could not +afford to give them above three shillings the pound for it. He advised +them rather to turn their spare time towards providing corn and stock, +and towards the making of potash, or other manufactures. + +It was October, 1621, that Sir Francis Wyat arrived governor, and in +November, Captain Newport arrived with fifty men, imported at his own +charge, besides passengers; and made a plantation on Newport's News, +naming it after himself. The governor made a review of all the +settlements, and suffered new ones to be made, even as far as Potomac +river. This ought to be observed of the Eastern Shore Indians, that they +never gave the English any trouble, but courted and befriended them from +first to last. Perhaps the English, by the time they came to settle +those parts, had considered how to rectify their former mismanagement, +and learned better methods of regulating their trade with the Indians, +and of treating them more kindly than at first. + +Sec. 45. Anno 1622, inferior courts were first appointed by the general +assembly, under the name of county courts, for trial of minute causes; +the governor and council still remaining judges of the supreme court of +the colony. In the meantime, by the great increase of people, and the +long quiet they had enjoyed among the Indians, since the marriage of +Pocahontas, and the accession of Oppechancanough to the imperial crown, +all men were lulled into a fatal security, and became everywhere +familiar with the Indians, eating, drinking, and sleeping amongst them; +by which means they became perfectly acquainted with all our English +strength, and the use of our arms--knowing at all times, when and where +to find our people; whether at home, or in the woods; in bodies, or +disperst; in condition of defence, or indefensible. This exposing of +their weakness gave them occasion to think more contemptibly of them, +than otherwise, perhaps, they would have done; for which reason they +became more peevish, and more hardy to attempt anything against them. + +Sec. 46. Thus upon the loss of one of their leading men, (a war captain, +as they call him,) who was likewise supposed to be justly killed, +Oppechancanough took affront, and in revenge laid the plot of a general +massacre of the English, to be executed on the 22d of March, 1622, a +little before noon, at a time when our men were all at work abroad in +their plantations, disperst and unarmed. This hellish contrivance was to +take effect upon all the several settlements at one and the same +instant, except on the Eastern Shore, whither this plot did not reach. +The Indians had been made so familiar with the English, as to borrow +their boats and canoes to cross the river in, when they went to consult +with their neighboring Indians upon this execrable conspiracy. And to +color their design the better, they brought presents of deer, turkies, +fish and fruits to the English the evening before. The very morning of +the massacre, they came freely and unarmed among them, eating with them, +and behaving themselves with the same freedom and friendship as +formerly, till the very minute they were to put their plot in execution. +Then they fell to work all at once everywhere, knocking the English +unawares on the head, some with their hatchets, which they call +tomahawks, others with the hoes and axes of the English themselves, +shooting at those who escaped the reach of their hands; sparing neither +age nor sex, but destroying man, woman, and child, according to their +cruel way of leaving none behind to bear resentment. But whatever was +not done by surprise that day, was left undone, and many that made early +resistance escaped. + +By the account taken of the Christians murdered that morning, they were +found to be three hundred and forty-seven, most of them falling by their +own instruments, and working tools. + +Sec. 47. The massacre had been much more general, had not this plot been +providentially discovered to the English some hours before the +execution. It happened thus: + +Two Indians that used to be employed by the English to hunt for them, +happened to lie together, the night before the massacre, in an +Englishmen's house, where one of them was employed. The Indian that was +the guest fell to persuading the other to rise and kill his master, +telling him, that he would do the same by his own the next day. +Whereupon he discovered the whole plot that was designed to be executed +on the morrow. But the other, instead of entering into the plot, and +murdering his master, got up (under pretence of going to execute his +comrade's advice,) went into his master's chamber, and revealed to him +the whole story that he had been told. The master hereupon arose, +secured his own house, and before day got to Jamestown, which, together +with such plantations as could receive notice time enough, were saved by +this means; the rest, as they happened to be watchful in their defence, +also escaped; but such as were surprised, were massacred. Captain +Croshaw in his vessel at Potomac, had notice also given him by a young +Indian, by which means he came off untouched. + +Sec. 48. The occasion upon which Oppechancanough took affront was this. +The war captain mentioned before to have been killed, was called +Nemattanow. He was an active Indian, a great warrior, and in much esteem +among them; so much, that they believed him to be invulnerable, and +immortal, because he had been in very many conflicts, and escaped +untouched from them all. He was also a very cunning fellow, and took +great pride in preserving and increasing this their superstition +concerning him, affecting everything that was odd and prodigious, to +work upon their admiration. For which purpose he would often dress +himself up with feathers after a fantastic manner, and by much use of +that ornament, obtained among the English the nickname of Jack of the +feather. + +This Nemattanow coming to a private settlement of one Morgan, who had +several toys which he had a mind to, persuaded him to go to Pamunky to +dispose of them. He gave him hopes what mighty bargains he might meet +with there, and kindly offered him his assistance. At last Morgan +yielded to his persuasion; but was no more heard of; and it is believed, +that Nemattanow killed him by the way, and took away his treasure. For +within a few days this Nemattanow returned to the same house with +Morgan's cap upon his head; where he found two sturdy boys, who asked +for their master. He very frankly told them he was dead. But they, +knowing the cap again, suspected the villain had killed their master, +and would have had him before a justice of peace, but he refused to go, +and very insolently abused them. Whereupon they shot him down, and as +they were carrying him to the governor, he died. + +As he was dying, he earnestly pressed the boys to promise him two +things. First, that they would not tell how he was killed; and, +secondly, that they would bury him among the English. So great was the +pride of this vain heathen, that he had no other thoughts at his death, +but the ambition of being esteemed after he was dead, as he had +endeavored to make them believe of him while he was alive, viz., that he +was invulnerable and immortal, though his increasing faintness convinced +himself of the falsity of both. He imagined, that being buried among the +English perhaps might conceal his death from his own nation, who might +think him translated to some happier country. Thus he pleased himself to +the last gasp with the boys' promises to carry on the delusion. This was +reckoned all the provocation given to that haughty and revengeful man +Oppechancanough, to act this bloody tragedy, and to take indefatigable +pains to engage in so horrid villainy all the kings and nations +bordering upon the English settlements, on the western shore of +Chesapeake. + +Sec. 49. This gave the English a fair pretence of endeavoring the total +extirpation of the Indians, but more especially of Oppechancanough and +his nation. Accordingly, they set themselves about it, making use of the +Roman maxim, (faith is not to be kept with heretics) to obtain their +ends. For, after some months fruitless pursuit of them, who could too +dexterously hide themselves in the woods, the English pretended articles +of peace, giving them all manner of fair words and promises of oblivion. +They designed thereby (as their own letters now on record, and their own +actions thereupon prove) to draw the Indians back, and entice them to +plant their corn on their habitations nearest adjoining to the English, +and then to cut it up, when the summer should be too far spent to leave +them hopes of another crop that year, by which means they proposed to +bring them to want necessaries and starve. And the English did so far +accomplish their ends, as to bring the Indians to plant their corn at +their usual habitations, whereby they gained an opportunity of repaying +them some part of the debt in their own coin, for they fell suddenly +upon them, cut to pieces such of them as could not make their escape, +and afterwards totally destroyed their corn. + +Sec. 50. Another effect of the massacre of the English, was the reducing +all their settlements again to six or seven in number, for their better +defence. Besides, it was such a disheartening to some good projects, +then just advancing, that to this day they have never been put in +execution, namely, the glasshouses in Jamestown, and the iron work at +Falling Creek, which has been already mentioned. The massacre fell so +hard upon this last place, that no soul was saved but a boy and a girl, +who with great difficulty hid themselves. + +The superintendent of this iron work had also discovered a vein of lead +ore, which he kept private, and made use of it to furnish all the +neighbors with bullets and shot. But he being cut off with the rest, and +the secret not having been communicated, this lead mine could never +after be found, till Colonel Byrd, some few years ago, prevailed with an +Indian, under pretence of hunting, to give him a sign by dropping his +tomahawk at the place, (he not daring publicly to discover it, for fear +of being murdered.) The sign was accordingly given, and the company at +that time found several pieces of good lead ore upon the surface of the +ground, and marked the trees thereabouts. Notwithstanding which, I know +not by what witchcraft it happens, but no mortal to this day could ever +find that place again, though it be upon part of the Colonel's own +possessions. And so it rests, till time and thicker settlements discover +it. + +Sec. 51. Thus, the company of adventurers having, by those frequent acts of +mismanagement, met with vast losses and misfortunes, many grew sick of +it and parted with their shares, and others came into their places, and +promoted the sending in fresh recruits of men and goods. But the chief +design of all parties concerned, was to fetch away the treasure from +thence, aiming more at sudden gain, than to form any regular colony, or +establish a settlement in such a manner as to make it a lasting +happiness to the country. + +Several gentlemen went over upon their particular stocks, separate from +that of the company, with their own servants and goods, each designing +to obtain land from the government, as Captain Newport had done, or at +least to obtain patents, according to the regulations for granting lands +to adventurers. Others sought their grants of the company in London, and +obtained authorities and jurisdictions, as well as land, distinct from +the authority of the government, which was the foundation of great +disorder, and the occasion of their following misfortunes. Among others, +one Captain Martin, having made very considerable preparations towards a +settlement, obtained a suitable grant of land, and was made of the +council there. But he, grasping still at more, hankered after dominion, +as well as possession, and caused so many differences, that at last he +put all things into distraction, insomuch that the Indians, still +seeking revenge, took advantage of these dissensions, and fell foul +again on the English, gratifying their vengeance with new bloodshed. + +Sec. 52. The fatal consequences of the company's maladministration cried so +loud, that king Charles the first, coming to the crown of England, had a +tender concern for the poor people that had been betrayed thither and +lost. Upon which consideration he dissolved the company in the year +1626, reducing the country and government into his own immediate +direction, appointing the governor and council himself, and ordering all +patents and processes to issue in his own name, reserving to himself a +quit-rent of two shillings for every hundred acres of land, and so _pro +rata_. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +CONTAINING THE HISTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THE + COMPANY TO THE YEAR SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVEN. + + +Sec. 53. The country being thus taken into the king's hands, his majesty +was pleased to establish the constitution to be by a governor, council +and assembly, and to confirm the former methods and jurisdictions of the +several courts, as they had been appointed in the year 1620, and placed +the last resort in the assembly. He likewise confirmed the rules and +orders made by the first assembly for apportioning the land, and +granting patents to particular adventurers. + +Sec. 54. This was a constitution according to their hearts desire, and +things seemed now to go on in a happy course for encouragement of the +colony. People flocked over thither apace; every one took up land by +patent to his liking; and, not minding anything but to be masters of +great tracts of land, they planted themselves separately on their +several plantations. Nor did they fear the Indians, but kept them at a +greater distance than formerly. And they for their part, seeing the +English so sensibly increase in number, were glad to keep their distance +and be peaceable. + +This liberty of taking up land, and the ambition each man had of being +lord of a vast, though unimproved territory, together with the advantage +of the many rivers, which afford a commodious road for shipping at every +man's door, has made the country fall into such an unhappy settlement +and course of trade, that to this day they have not any one place of +cohabitation among them, that may reasonably bear the name of a town. + +Sec. 55. The constitution being thus firmly established, and continuing its +course regularly for some time, people began to lay aside all fears of +any future misfortunes. Several gentlemen of condition went over with +their whole families--some for bettering their estates--others for +religion, and other reasons best known to themselves. Among those, the +noble Caecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, thought, for +the more quiet exercise of his religion, to retire, with his family, +into that new world. For this purpose he went to Virginia, to try how he +liked the place. But the people there looked upon him with an evil eye +on account of his religion, for which alone he sought this retreat, and +by their ill treatment discouraged him from settling in that country. + +Sec. 56. Upon that provocation, his lordship resolved upon a farther +adventure. And finding land enough up the bay of Chesapeake, which was +likewise blessed with many brave rivers, and as yet altogether +uninhabited by the English, he began to think of making a new plantation +of his own. And for his more certain direction in obtaining a grant of +it, he undertook a journey northward, to discover the land up the bay, +and observe what might most conveniently square with his intent. + +His lordship finding all things in this discovery according to his wish, +returned to England. And because the Virginia settlements at that time +reached no farther than the south side of Potomac river, his lordship +got a grant of the propriety of Maryland, bounding it to the south by +Potomac river, on the western shore; and by an east line from Point +Lookout, on the eastern shore; but died himself before he could embark +for the promised land. + +Maryland had the honor to receive its name from queen Mary, royal +consort to king Charles the first. + +Sec. 57. The old Lord Baltimore being thus taken off, and leaving his +designs unfinished, his son and heir, in the year 1633, obtained a +confirmation of the patent to himself, and went over in person to plant +his new colony. + +By this unhappy accident, a country which nature had so well contrived +for one, became two separate governments. This produced a most unhappy +inconvenience to both; for, these two being the only countries under the +dominion of England that plant tobacco in any quantity, the ill +consequences to both is, that when one colony goes about to prohibit the +trash, or mend the staple of that commodity, to help the market, then +the other, to take advantage of that market, pours into England all they +can make, both good and bad, without distinction. This is very injurious +to the other colony, which had voluntarily suffered so great a +diminution in the quantity, to mend the quality; and this is notoriously +manifested from that incomparable Virginia law, appointing sworn agents +to examine their tobacco. + +Sec. 58. Neither was this all the mischief that happened to Virginia upon +this grant; for the example of it had dreadful consequences, and was in +the end one of the occasions of another massacre by the Indians. For +this precedent of my Lord Baltimore's grant, which entrenched upon the +charters and hounds of Virginia, was hint enough for other courtiers, +(who never intended a settlement as my lord did) to find out something +of the same kind to make money of. This was the occasion of several very +large defalcations from Virginia within a few years afterwards, which +was forwarded and assisted by the contrivance of the Governor, Sir John +Harvey, insomuch that not only the land itself, quit-rents and all, but +the authorities and jurisdictions that belonged to that colony were +given away--nay, sometimes in those grants he included the very +settlements that had been before made. + +Sec. 59. As this gentleman was irregular in this, so he was very unjust and +arbitrary in his other methods of government. He exacted with rigor the +fines and penalties, which the unwary assemblies of those times had +given chiefly to himself, and was so haughty and furious to the council, +and the best gentlemen of the country, that his tyranny grew at last +insupportable; so that in the year 1639, the council sent him a +prisoner to London, and with him two of their number, to maintain the +articles against him. This news being brought to king Charles the first, +his majesty was very much displeased; and, without hearing anything, +caused him to return governor again. But by the next shipping he was +graciously pleased to change him, and so made amends for this man's +maladministration, by sending the good and just Sir William Berkeley to +succeed him. + +Sec. 60. While these things were transacting, there was so general a +dissatisfaction, occasioned by the oppressions of Sir John Harvey, and +the difficulties in getting him out, that the whole colony was in +confusion. The subtle Indians, who took all advantages, resented the +incroachments upon them by his grants. They saw the English uneasy and +disunited among themselves, and by the direction of Oppechancanough, +their king, laid the ground work of another massacre, wherein, by +surprise, they cut off near five hundred Christians more. But this +execution did not take so general effect as formerly, because the +Indians were not so frequently suffered to come among the inner +habitations of the English; and, therefore, the massacre fell severest +on the south side of James river, and on the heads of the other rivers, +but chiefly of York river, where this Oppechancanough kept the seat of +his government. + +Sec. 61. Oppechancanough was a man of large stature, noble presence, and +extraordinary parts. Though he had no advantage of literature, (that +being nowhere to be found among the American Indians) yet he was +perfectly skilled in the art of governing his rude countrymen. He caused +all the Indians far and near to dread his name, and had them all +entirely in subjection. + +This king in Smith's history is called brother to Powhatan, but by the +Indians he was not so esteemed. For they say he was a prince of a +foreign nation, and came to them a great way from the south west. And by +their accounts, we suppose him to have come from the Spanish Indians, +somewhere near Mexico, or the mines of Saint Barbe; but, be that matter +how it will, from that time till his captivity, there never was the +least truce between them and the English. + +Sec. 62. Sir William Berkeley, upon his arrival, showed such an opposition +to the unjust grants made by Sir John Harvey, that very few of them took +effect; and such as did, were subjected to the settled conditions of the +other parts of the government, and made liable to the payment of the +full quit-rents. He encouraged the country in several essays of potash, +soap, salt, flax, hemp, silk and cotton. But the Indian war, ensuing +upon this last massacre, was a great obstruction to these good designs, +by requiring all the spare men to be employed in defence of the country. + +Sec. 63. Oppechancanough, by his great age, and the fatigues of war, (in +which Sir William Berkeley followed him close) was now grown so +decrepid, that he was not able to walk alone, but was carried about by +his men wherever he had a mind to move. His flesh was all macerated, his +sinews slackened, and his eyelids became so heavy, that he could not +see, but as they were lifted up by his servants. In this low condition +he was, when Sir William Berkeley, hearing that he was at some distance +from his usual habitation, resolved at all adventures to seize his +person, which he happily effected. For with a party of horse he made a +speedy march, surprised him in his quarters, and brought him prisoner to +Jamestown, where, by the governor's command, he was treated with all the +respect and tenderness imaginable. Sir William had a mind to send him to +England, hoping to get reputation by presenting his majesty with a royal +captive, who at his pleasure, could call into the field ten times more +Indians, than Sir William Berkeley had English in his whole government. +Besides, he thought this ancient prince would be an instance of the +healthiness and long life of the natives of that country. However, he +could not preserve his life above a fortnight. For one of the soldiers, +resenting the calamities the colony had suffered by this prince's +means, basely shot him through the back, after he was made prisoner; of +which wound he died. + +He continued brave to the last moment of his life, and showed not the +least dejection at his captivity. He heard one day a great noise of the +treading of people about him; upon which he caused his eyelids to be +lifted up, and finding that a crowd of people were let in to see him, he +called in high indignation for the governor, who being come, +Oppechancanough scornfully told him, that had it been his fortune to +take Sir William Berkeley prisoner, he should not meanly have exposed +him as a show to the people. + +Sec. 64. After this, Sir William Berkeley made a new peace with the +Indians, which continued for a long time unviolated, insomuch that all +the thoughts of future injury from them were laid aside. But he himself +did not long enjoy the benefit of this profound peace; for the unhappy +troubles of king Charles the first increasing in England, proved a great +disturbance to him and to all the people. They, to prevent the infection +from reaching that country, made severe laws against the Puritans, +though there were as yet none among them. But all correspondence with +England was interrupted, supplies lessened, and trade obstructed. In a +word, all people were impatient to know what would be the event of so +much confusion. + +Sec. 65. At last the king was traitorously beheaded in England, and Oliver +installed Protector. However his authority was not acknowledged in +Virginia for several years after, till they were forced to it by the +last necessity. For in the year 1651, by Cromwell's command, Captain +Dennis, with a squadron of men of war, arrived there from the Caribbee +islands, where they had been subduing Bardoes. The country at first held +out vigorously against him, and Sir William Berkeley, by the assistance +of such Dutch vessels as were then there, made a brave resistance. But +at last Dennis contrived a stratagem, which betrayed the country. He had +got a considerable parcel of goods aboard, which belonged to two of the +Council, and found a method of informing them of it. By this means they +were reduced to the dilemma, either of submitting or losing their goods. +This occasioned factions among them; so that at last, after the +surrender of all the other English plantations, Sir Wm. was forced to +submit to the usurper on the terms of a general pardon. However, it +ought to be remembered, to his praise, and to the immortal honor of that +colony, that it was the last of all the king's dominions that submitted +to the usurpation; and afterwards the first that cast it off, and he +never took any post or office under the usurper. + +Sec. 66. Oliver had no sooner subdued the plantations, but he began to +contrive how to keep them under, that so they might never be able for +the time to come to give him farther trouble. To this end, he thought it +necessary to break off their correspondence with all other nations, +thereby to prevent their being furnished with arms, ammunition, and +other warlike provisions. According to this design, he contrived a +severe act of Parliament, whereby he prohibited the plantations from +receiving or exporting any European commodities, but what should be +carried to them by Englishmen, and in English built ships. They were +absolutely forbid corresponding with any nation or colony not subject to +the crown of England. Neither was any alien suffered to manage a trade +or factory in any of them. In all which things the plantations had been +till then indulged, for their encouragement. + +Sec. 67. Notwithstanding this act of navigation, the Protector never +thought the plantations enough secured, but frequently changed their +governors, to prevent their intriguing with the people. So that, during +the time of the usurpation, they had no less than three governors there, +namely, Diggs, Bennet and Mathews. + +Sec. 68. The strange arbitrary curbs he put upon the plantations, +exceedingly afflicted the people. He had the inhumanity to forbid them +all manner of trade and correspondence with other nations, at a time +when England itself was in distraction; and could neither take off +their commodities, nor supply them sufficiently with its own. Neither +had they ever been used to supply them with half the commodities they +expended, or to take off above half the tobacco they made. Such violent +proceedings made the people desperate, and inspired them with a desire +to use the last remedy, to relieve themselves from this lawless +usurpation. In a short time afterwards a fair opportunity happened; for +Governor Mathews died, and no person was substituted to succeed him in +the government. Whereupon the people applied themselves to Sir William +Berkeley, (who had continued all this time upon his own plantation in a +private capacity,) and unanimously chose him their governor again. + +Sec. 69. Sir William Berkeley had all along retained an unshaken loyalty +for the royal family, and therefore generously told the people, that he +could not approve of the Protector's rule, and was resolved never to +serve anybody but the lawful heir to the crown; and that if he accepted +the government, it should be upon their solemn promise, after his +example, to venture their lives and fortunes for the king, who was then +in France. + +This was no great obstacle to them, and therefore with an unanimous +voice they told him that they were ready to hazard all for the king. Now +this was actually before the king's return for England, and proceeded +from a brave principle of loyalty, for which they had no example. Sir +William Berkeley embraced their choice, and forthwith proclaimed Charles +the second king of England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Virginia, and +caused all process to be issued in his name. Thus his majesty was +actually king in Virginia, before he was so in England. But it pleased +God to restore him soon after to the throne of his ancestors; and so +that country escaped being chastised for throwing off the usurpation. + +Sec. 70. Upon the king's restoration, he sent Sir William Berkeley a new +commission, with leave to return to England, and power to appoint a +deputy in his absence. For his majesty in his exile had received +intelligence of this gentleman's loyalty, and during that time had +renewed his commission. + +Sec. 71. Upon this, Sir William Berkeley appointed Colonel Francis Morrison +Deputy Governor, and went for England to wait on his majesty, by whom he +was kindly received. At his return he carried his majesty's pressing +instructions for encouraging the people in husbandry and manufactures, +but more especially to promote silk and vineyards. There is a tradition, +that the king, in compliment to that colony, wore at his coronation a +robe made of the silk that was sent from thence. But this was all the +reward the country had for their loyalty; for the Parliament was pleased +to renew the act contrived by the usurper for discouraging the +plantations, with severer restraints and prohibitions by bonds, +securities, &c. + +Sec. 72. During the time of Sir William Berkeley's absence, Colonel +Morrison had, according to his directions, revised the laws, and +compiled them into one body, ready to be confirmed by the assembly at +his return. By these laws, the church of England was confirmed the +established religion, the charge of the government sustained, trade and +manufactures were encouraged, a town projected, and all the Indian +affairs settled. + +Sec. 73. The parishes were likewise regulated, competent allowances were +made to the ministers, to the value of about fourscore pounds a year, +besides glebes and perquisites, and the method of their preferment was +settled. Convenient churches and glebes were provided, and all necessary +parish officers instituted. Some steps were made also towards a free +school and college, and the poor were effectually provided for. + +Sec. 74. For support of the government, the duty of two shillings per +hogshead on all tobaccos, and that of one shilling per ton port duty on +shipping, were made perpetual; and the collectors were obliged to +account for the same to the general assembly. + +Sec. 75. For encouragement of manufactures, prizes were appointed for the +makers of the best pieces of linen cloth, and a reward of fifty pounds +of tobacco was given for each pound of silk. All persons were enjoined +to plant mulberry trees, for the food of the silk worm, according to the +number of acres of land they held. Tan houses were set up in each +county, at the county charge; and public encouragement was given to a +salt work on the eastern shore. A reward was appointed in proportion to +the tonnage of all sea vessels built there, and an exemption allowed +from all fees and duties payable by such shipping. + +Sec. 76. The king had commanded, that all ships trading to Virginia should +go to Jamestown, and there enter before they broke bulk. But the +assembly, from the impracticableness of that command, excused all, +except the James river ships, from that order, and left the others in +the rivers they were bound to, to ride dispersed, as the commanders +pleased; by whose example the James river ships were no sooner entered +with the officer at Jamestown, but they also dispersed themselves to +unload, and trade all over the river. By this means the design of towns +was totally balked, and this order proved only an ease to the officer of +James river, and a means of creating a good place to him. + +Sec. 77. Peace and commerce with the Indians was settled by law, and their +boundaries prescribed. Several other acts were made suiting the +necessity of the government; so that nothing then seemed to remain, but +the improvement of the country, and encouragement of those manufactures +the king had been pleased to recommend, together with such others as +should be found beneficial. + +Sec. 78. Sir William Berkeley at his return gave sanction to this body of +laws, and being then again in full possession of his government, and at +perfect peace with the Indians, set all hands industriously to work in +making country improvements. He passed a new act for encouragement of +Jamestown, whereby several houses were built therein, at the charge of +several counties. However, the main ingredient for the advancement of +towns was still wanting, namely, the confinement of all shipping and +trade to them only, by defect of which all the other expedients availed +nothing, for most of the buildings were soon converted into houses of +entertainment. + +Sec. 79. Anno 1663, divers sectaries in religion beginning to spread +themselves there, great restraints were laid upon them, under severe +penalties, to prevent their increase. + +This made many of them fly to other colonies, and prevented abundance of +others from going over to seat themselves among them. And as the former +ill treatment of my Lord Baltimore kept many people away, and drove +others to Maryland, so the present severities towards the nonconformists +kept off many more, who went to the neighboring colonies. + +Sec. 80. The rigorous circumscription of their trade, the persecutions of +the sectaries, and the little demand of tobacco, had like to have had +very fatal consequences. For, the poor people becoming thereby very +uneasy, their murmurings were watched and fed by several mutinous and +rebellious Oliverian soldiers that were sent thither as servants. These, +depending upon the discontented people of all sorts, formed a villainous +plot to destroy their masters, and afterwards to set up for themselves. + +This plot was brought so near to perfection, that it was the very night +before the designed execution ere it was discovered; and then it came +out by the relenting of one of their accomplices, whose name was +Birkenhead. This man was servant to Mr. Smith of Purton, in Gloucester +county, near which place, viz. at Poplar Spring, the miscreants were to +meet the night following, and put in execution their horrid conspiracy. + +Sec. 81. Upon this discovery by Birkenhead, notice was immediately sent to +the governor at Green Spring. And the method he took to prevent it was +by private orders, that some of the militia should meet before the time +at the place where the conspirators were to rendezvous, and seize them +as they came singly up to it. Which orders being happily executed, their +devilish plot was defeated. However, there were but a few taken; because +several of them making their escape, turned back such of their fellows +as they met on the road, and prevented most of them from coming up, or +from being discovered. + +Four of these rogues were hanged. But Birkenhead was gratified with his +freedom, and a reward of two hundred pounds sterling. + +Sec. 82. For the discovery and happy disappointment of this plot, an +anniversary thanksgiving was appointed on the 13th of September, the day +it was to have been put in execution. And it is great pity some other +days are not commemorated as well as that. + +Sec. 83. The news of this plot being transmitted to king Charles the +second, his majesty sent his royal commands to build a fort at +Jamestown, for security of the governor, and to be a curb upon all such +traitorous attempts for the future. But the country, thinking the danger +over, only raised a battery of some small pieces of cannon. + +Sec. 84. Another misfortune happened to the plantations this year, which +was a new act of parliament in England, laying a severer restraint upon +their supplies than formerly. By this act they could have no foreign +goods, which were not first landed in England, and carried directly from +thence to the plantations, the former restraint of importing them only +by Englishmen, in English built shipping, not being thought sufficient. + +This was a misfortune that cut with a double edge; for, first, it +reduced their staple tobacco to a very low price; and, secondly, it +raised the value of European goods to what the merchants pleased to put +upon them. + +Sec. 85. For this their assembly could think of no remedy, but to be even +with the merchants, and make their tobacco scarce by prohibiting the +planting of it for one year; and during that idle year to invite the +people to enter upon manufacturing flax and hemp. But Maryland not +concurring in this project, they were obliged in their own defence to +repeal the act of assembly again, and return to their old drudgery of +planting tobacco without profiting by it. + +Sec. 86. The country thus missed of their remedy in the stint of tobacco, +which on the contrary multiplied exceedingly by the great increase of +servants. This, together with the above mentioned curbs on trade, +exasperated the people, because now they found themselves under a +necessity of exchanging their commodities with the merchants of England +at their own terms. The assembly therefore again attempted the stint of +tobacco, and passed another act against planting it for one year. And +Carolina and Maryland both agreed to it. But some accident hindering the +agent of Carolina from giving notice thereof to Maryland by the day +appointed, the governor of that province proclaimed the act void, +although every body there knew that Carolina had fully agreed to all +things required of them. But he took advantage of this nice punctilio, +because of the loss such a diminution would have been to his annual +income, and so all people relapsed again into the disease of planting +tobacco. + +Virginia was more nettled at this ill usage from Maryland, than at her +former absolute denial; but were forced to take all patiently, and by +fair means get relief, if they could. They therefore appointed agents to +reassume the treaty, and submitted so low as to send them to Saint +Mary's, then the residence of the governor of Maryland, and the place +where the assemblies met. Yet all this condescension could not hold them +to their bargain. The governor said he had observed his part of the +agreement, and would not call an assembly any more upon that subject. + +Sec. 87. In this manner two whole years were spent, and nothing could be +accomplished for their relief. In the mean while England was studious to +prevent their receiving supplies from any other country. To do that more +effectually, it was thought expedient to confine the trade of that +colony to one place. But that not being found practicable, because of +the many great rivers that divide their habitations, and the +extraordinary conveniences of each, his majesty sent directions to build +forts in the several rivers, and enjoined all the ships to ride under +those forts; and farther ordered, that those places only should be the +ports of trade. + +Sec. 88. This instruction was punctually observed for a year, and +preparations were made for ports, by casting up breastworks in such +places as the assembly appointed, and the shipping did for that time +ride at those places. But the great fire and plague happening in London +immediately upon it, made their supplies that year very uncertain, and +the terror the people were in, lest the plague should be brought over +with the ships from London, prevented them from residing at those ports, +for fear of being all swept away at once. And so every body was left at +liberty again. + +Sec. 89. Still no favor could be obtained for the tobacco trade, and the +English merchants afforded but a bare support of clothing for their +crops. The assembly were full enough of resentment, but overlooked their +right way of redress. All they could do was to cause looms and +workhouses to be set up in the several counties, at the county charge. +They renewed the rewards of silk, and put great penalties upon every +neglect of making flax and hemp. About this time they sustained some +damage by the Dutch war; for which reason they ordered the forts to be +rebuilt of brick. But having yet no true notion of the advantage of +towns, they did not oblige the ships to ride under them. Which thing +alone, well executed, would have answered all their desires. + +Sec. 90. Sir William Berkeley, who was always contriving and industrious +for the good of the country, was not contented to set a useful example +at home, by the essays he made of potash, flax, hemp, silk, &c., but was +also resolved to make new discoveries abroad amongst the Indians. + +For this end he employed a small company of about fourteen English, and +as many Indians, under the command of Captain Henry Batt, to go upon +such an adventure. They set out together from Appomattox, and in seven +days' march reached the foot of the mountains. The mountains they first +arrived at, were not extraordinary high or steep; but, after they had +passed the first ridge, they encountered others that seemed to reach the +clouds, and were so perpendicular and full of precipices, that sometimes +in a whole day's march, they could not travel three miles in a direct +line. In other places they found large level plains and fine savannas, +three or four miles wide, in which were an infinite quantity of turkies, +deer, elks and buffaloes, so gentle and undisturbed that they had no +fear at the appearance of the men, but would suffer them to come almost +within reach of their hands. There they also found grapes so +prodigiously large, that they seemed more like bullace than grapes. When +they traversed these mountains, they came to a fine level country again, +and discovered a rivulet that descended backwards. Down that stream they +travelled several days, till they came to old fields and cabins, where +the Indians had lately been, but were supposed to have fled at the +approach of Batt and his company. However, the captain followed the old +rule of leaving some toys in their cabins for them to find at their +return, by which they might know they were friends. Near to these cabins +were great marshes, where the Indians which Captain Batt had with him +made a halt, and would positively proceed no farther. They said, that +not far off from that place lived a nation of Indians, that made salt, +and sold it to their neighbors. That this was a great and powerful +people, which never suffered any strangers to return that had once +discovered their towns. Captain Batt used all the arguments he could to +get them forward, but in vain. And so, to please those timorous Indians, +the hopes of this discovery were frustrated, and the detachment was +forced to return. In this journey it is supposed that Batt never crossed +the great ridge of mountains, but kept up under it to the southward. For +of late years the Indian traders have discovered, on this side the +mountains, about five hundred miles to the southward, a river they call +Oukfuskie, full of broad sunken grounds and marshes, but falling into +the bay or great gulf between cape Florida and the mouth of the +Mississippi, which I suppose to be the river where Batt saw the Indian +cabins and marshes, but is gone to from Virginia without ever piercing +the high mountains, and only encountering the point of an elbow, which +they make a little to the southward of Virginia. + +Sec. 91. Upon Captain Batt's report to Sir William Berkeley, he resolved to +make a journey himself, that so there might be no hinderance for want of +sufficient authority, as had been in the aforesaid expedition. To this +end he concerted matters for it, and had pitched upon his deputy +governor. The assembly also made an act to encourage it. But all these +preparations came to nothing, by the confusion which happened there soon +after by Bacon's rebellion. And since that, there has never been any +such discovery attempted from Virginia, when Governor Spotswood found a +passage over the great ridge of mountains, and went over them himself. + +Sec. 92. The occasion of this rebellion is not easy to be discovered: but +'tis certain there were many things that concurred towards it. For it +cannot be imagined, that upon the instigation of two or three traders +only, who aimed at a monopoly of the Indian trade, as some pretend to +say, the whole country would have fallen into so much distraction; in +which people did not only hazard their necks by rebellion, but +endeavored to ruin a governor, whom they all entirely loved, and had +unanimously chosen; a gentleman who had devoted his whole life and +estate to the service of the country, and against whom in thirty-five +years experience there had never been one single complaint. Neither can +it be supposed, that upon so slight grounds, they would make choice of a +leader they hardly knew, to oppose a gentleman that had been so long and +so deservedly the darling of the people. So that in all probability +there was something else in the wind, without which the body of the +country had never been engaged in that insurrection. + +Four things may be reckoned to have been the main ingredients towards +this intestine commotion, viz., First, The extreme low price of tobacco, +and the ill usage of the planters in the exchange of goods for it, which +the country, with all their earnest endeavors, could not remedy. +Secondly, The splitting the colony into proprieties, contrary to the +original charters; and the extravagant taxes they were forced to +undergo, to relieve themselves from those grants. Thirdly, The heavy +restraints and burdens laid upon their trade by act of Parliament in +England. Fourthly, The disturbance given by the Indians. Of all which in +their order. + +Sec. 93. First, Of the low price of tobacco, and the disappointment of all +sort of remedy, I have spoken sufficiently before. Secondly, Of +splitting the country into proprieties. + +King Charles the Second, to gratify some nobles about him, made two +great grants out of that country. These grants were not of the +uncultivated wood land only, but also of plantations, which for many +years had been seated and improved, under the encouragement of several +charters granted by his royal ancestors to that colony. Those grants +were distinguished by the names of the Northern and Southern grants of +Virginia, and the same men were concerned in both. They were kept +dormant some years after they were made, and in the year 1674 begun to +be put in execution. As soon as ever the country came to know this, they +remonstrated against them; and the assembly drew up an humble address to +his majesty, complaining of the said grants, as derogatory to the +previous charters and privileges granted to that colony, by his majesty +and his royal progenitors. They sent to England Mr. Secretary Ludwell +and Colonel Park, as their agents to address the king, to vacate those +grants. And the better to defray that charge, they laid a tax of fifty +pounds of tobacco per poll, for two years together, over and above all +other taxes, which was an excessive burden. They likewise laid +amercements of seventy, fifty, or thirty pounds of tobacco, as the cause +was on every law case tried throughout the country. Besides all this, +they applied the balance, remaining due upon account of the two shilling +per hogshead, and fort duties, to this use. Which taxes and amercements +fell heaviest on the poor people, the effect of whose labor would not +clothe their wives and children. This made them desperately uneasy, +especially when, after a whole year's patience under all these +pressures, they had no encouragement from their agents in England, to +hope for remedy; nor any certainty when they should be eased of those +heavy impositions. + +Sec. 94. Thirdly, Upon the back of all these misfortunes came out the act +of 25 Car. II. for better securing the plantation trade. By this act +several duties were laid on the trade from one plantation to another. +This was a new hardship, and the rather, because the revenue arising by +this act was not applied to the use of the plantations wherein it was +raised: but given clear away; nay, in that country it seemed to be of no +other use, but to burden the trade, or create a good income to the +officers; for the collector had half, the comptroller a quarter, and the +remaining quarter was subdivided into salaries, till it was lost. + +By the same act also very great duties were laid on the fisheries of the +plantations, if manufactured by the English inhabitants there; while the +people of England were absolutely free from all customs. Nay, though the +oil, blubber and whale bone, which were made by the inhabitants of the +plantations, were carried to England by Englishmen, and in English built +ships, yet it was held to a considerable duty, more than the inhabitants +of England paid. + +Sec. 95. These were the afflictions that country labored under when the +fourth accident happened, viz., the disturbance offered by the Indians +to the frontiers. + +This was occasioned, first, by the Indians on the head of the bay. +Secondly, by the Indians on their own frontiers. + +First. The Indians at the head of the bay drove a constant trade with +the Dutch in Monadas, now called New York; and to carry on this, they +used to come every year by the frontiers of Virginia, to hunt and +purchase skins and furs of the Indians to the southward. This trade was +carried on peaceably while the Dutch held Monadas; and the Indians used +to call on the English in Virginia on their return, to whom they would +sell part of their furs, and with the rest go on to Monadas. But after +the English came to possess that place, and understood the advantages +the Virginians made by the trade of their Indians, they inspired them +with such a hatred to the inhabitants of Virginia that, instead of +coming peaceably to trade with them, as they had done for several years +before, they afterwards never came, but only to commit robberies and +murders upon the people. + +Secondly. The Indians upon their own frontiers were likewise inspired +with ill thoughts of them. For their Indian merchants had lost a +considerable branch of their trade they knew not how; and apprehended +the consequences of Sir William Berkeley's intended discoveries, +(espoused by the assembly,) might take away the remaining part of their +profit. This made them very troublesome to the neighbor Indians; who on +their part, observing an unusual uneasiness in the English, and being +terrified by their rough usage, immediately suspected some wicked design +against their lives, and so fled to their remoter habitations. This +confirmed the English in the belief, that they had been the murderers, +till at last they provoked them to be so in earnest. + +Sec. 96. This addition of mischief to minds already full of discontent, +made people ready to vent all their resentment against the poor Indians. +There was nothing to be got by tobacco; neither could they turn any +other manufacture to advantage; so that most of the poorer sort were +willing to quit their unprofitable employments, and go volunteers +against the Indians. + +At first they flocked together tumultuously, running in troops from one +plantation to another without a head, till at last the seditious humor +of Colonel Nath. Bacon led him to be of the party. This gentleman had +been brought up at one of the Inns of court in England, and had a +moderate fortune. He was young, bold, active, of an inviting aspect, and +powerful elocution. In a word, he was every way qualified to head a +giddy and unthinking multitude. Before he had been three years in the +country, he was, for his extraordinary qualifications, made one of the +council, and in great honor and esteem among the people. For this reason +he no sooner gave countenance to this riotous mob, but they all +presently fixed their eyes upon him for their general, and accordingly +made their addresses to him. As soon as he found this, he harangued them +publicly. He aggravated the Indian mischiefs, complaining that they were +occasioned for want of a due regulation of their trade. He recounted +particularly the other grievances and pressures they lay under, and +pretended that he accepted of their command with no other intention but +to do them and the country service, in which he was willing to encounter +the greatest difficulties and dangers. He farther assured them he would +never lay down his arms till he had revenged their sufferings upon the +Indians, and redressed all their other grievances. + +Sec. 97. By these insinuations he wrought his men into so perfect an +unanimity, that they were one and all at his devotion. He took care to +exasperate them to the utmost, by representing all their misfortunes. +After he had begun to muster them, he dispatched a messenger to the +governor, by whom he aggravated the mischiefs done by the Indians, and +desired a commission of general to go out against them. This gentleman +was in so great esteem at that time with the council, that the governor +did not think fit to give him a flat refusal; but sent him word he would +consult the council, and return him a farther answer. + +Sec. 98. In the mean time Bacon was expeditious in his preparations, and +having all things in readiness, began his march, depending on the +authority the people had given him. He would not lose so much time as to +stay for his commission; but dispatched several messengers to the +governor to hasten it. On the other hand, the governor, instead of a +commission, sent positive orders to him to disperse his men and come +down in person to him, upon pain of being declared a rebel. + +Sec. 99. This unexpected order was a great surprise to Bacon, and not a +little trouble to his men. However, he was resolved to prosecute his +first intentions, depending upon his strength and interest with the +people. Nevertheless, he intended to wait upon the governor, but not +altogether defenceless. Pursuant to this resolution, he took about forty +of his men down with him in a sloop to Jamestown, where the governor was +with his council. + +Sec. 100. Matters did not succeed there to Mr. Bacon's satisfaction, +wherefore he expressed himself a little too freely. For which, being +suspended from the council, he went away again in a huff with his sloop +and followers. The governor filled a long boat with men, and pursued the +sloop so close, that Colonel Bacon moved into his boat to make more +haste. But the governor had sent up by land to the ships at Sandy Point, +where he was stopped and sent down again. Upon his return he was kindly +received by the governor, who, knowing he had gone a step beyond his +instructions in having suspended him, was glad to admit him again of the +council; after which he hoped all things might be pacified. + +Sec. 101. Notwithstanding this; Colonel Bacon still insisted upon a +commission to be general of the volunteers, and to go out against the +Indians; from which the governor endeavored to dissuade him, but to no +purpose, because he had some secret project in view. He had the luck to +be countenanced in his importunities, by the news of fresh murder and +robberies committed by the Indians. However, not being able to +accomplish his ends by fair means, he stole privately out of town; and +having put himself at the head of six hundred volunteers, marched +directly to Jamestown, where the assembly was then sitting. He presented +himself before the assembly, and drew up his men in battalia before the +house wherein they sat. He urged to them his preparations; and alledged +that if the commission had not been delayed so long, the war against the +Indians might have been finished. + +Sec. 102. The governor resented this insolent usage worst of all, and now +obstinately refused to grant him anything, offering his naked breast +against the presented arms of his followers. But the assembly, fearing +the fatal consequences of provoking a discontented multitude ready +armed, who had the governor, council and assembly entirely in their +power, addressed the governor to grant Bacon his request. They prepared +themselves the commission, constituting him general of the forces of +Virginia, and brought it to the governor to be signed. + +With much reluctancy the governor signed it, and thereby put the power +of war and peace into Bacon's hands. Upon this he marched away +immediately, having gained his end, which was in effect a power to +secure a monopoly of the Indian trade to himself and his friends. + +Sec. 103. As soon as General Bacon had marched to such a convenient +distance from Jamestown that the assembly thought they might deliberate +with safety, the governor, by their advice, issued a proclamation of +rebellion against him, commanding his followers to surrender him, and +forthwith disperse themselves, giving orders at the same time for +raising the militia of the country against him. + +Sec. 104. The people being much exasperated, and General Bacon by his +address and eloquence having gained an absolute dominion over their +hearts, they unanimously resolved that not a hair of his head should be +touched, much less that they should surrender him as a rebel. Therefore +they kept to their arms, and instead of proceeding against the Indians +they marched back to Jamestown, directing their fury against such of +their friends and countrymen as should dare to oppose them. + +Sec. 105. The governor seeing this, fled over the bay to Accomac, whither +he hoped the infection of Bacon's conspiracy had not reached. But +there, instead of that people's receiving him with open arms, in +remembrance of the former services he had done them, they began to make +terms with him for redress of their grievances, and for the ease and +liberty of trade against the acts of parliament. Thus Sir William, who +had been almost the idol of the people, was, by reason of their calamity +and jealousy, abandoned by all, except some few, who went over to him +from the western shore in sloops and boats, among which one Major Robert +Beverley was the most active and successful commander; so that it was +sometime before he could make head against Bacon, but left him to range +through the country at discretion. + +Sec. 106. General Bacon at first held a convention, of such of the chief +gentlemen of the country as would come to him, especially of those about +Middle Plantation, who were near at hand. At this convention they made a +declaration to justify his unlawful proceedings, and obliged people to +take an oath of obedience to him as their general. Then, by their +advice, on pretence of the governor's abdication, he called an assembly, +by writs signed by himself and four others of the council. + +The oath was word for word as follows: + + "Whereas the country hath raised an army against our common enemy + the Indians, and the same under the command of General Bacon, + being upon the point to march forth against the said common enemy, + hath been diverted and necessitated to move to the suppressing of + forces, by evil disposed persons raised against the said General + Bacon, purposely to foment and stir up civil war among us, to the + ruin of this his majesty's country. And whereas it is notoriously + manifest, that Sir William Berkeley, knight, governor of the + country, assisted, counselled and abetted by those evil disposed + persons aforesaid, hath not only commanded, fomented and stirred + up the people to the said civil war, but failing therein, hath + withdrawn himself, to the great astonishment of the people, and + the unsettlement of the country. And whereas the said army, + raised by the country for the causes aforesaid, remain full of + dissatisfaction in the middle of the country, expecting attempts + from the said governor and the evil counsellers aforesaid. And + since no proper means have been found out for the settlement of + the distractions, and preventing the horrid outrages and murders + daily committed in many places of the country by the barbarous + enemy, it hath been thought fit by the said general, to call unto + him all such sober and discreet gentlemen as the present + circumstances of the country will admit, to the Middle Plantation, + to consult and advise of re-establishing the peace of the country. + So we, the said gentlemen, being this third of August, 1676, + accordingly met, do advise, resolve, declare and conclude, and for + ourselves do swear in manner following: + + 1st. That we will at all times join with the said general Bacon + and his army, against the common enemy in all points whatsoever. + + 2nd. That whereas certain persons have lately contrived and + designed the raising forces against the said general, and the army + under his command, thereby to beget a civil war, we will endeavor + the discovery and apprehending of all and every of those evil + disposed persons, and them secure, until farther order from the + general. + + 3rd. And whereas it is credibly reported, that the governor hath + informed the king's majesty that the said general, and the people + of the country in arms under his command, their aiders and + abettors, are rebellious, and removed from their allegiance; and + that upon such like information, he, the said governor, hath + advised and petitioned the king to send forces to reduce them, we + do farther declare and believe in our consciences, that it + consists with the welfare of this country, and with our allegiance + to his most sacred majesty, that we, the inhabitants of Virginia, + to the utmost of our power, do oppose and suppress all forces + whatsoever of that nature, until such time as the king be fully + informed of the state of the case, by such person or persons as + shall be sent from the said Nathaniel Bacon, in the behalf of the + people, and the determination thereof be remitted hither. And we + do swear, that we will him, the said general, and the army under + his command, aid and assist accordingly." + +Sec. 108. By this time the governor had got together a small party to side +with him. These he furnished with sloops, arms and ammunition, under +command of Major Robert Beverley, in order to cross the bay and oppose +the malcontents. By this means there happened some skirmishes, in which +several were killed, and others taken prisoners. Thus they were going on +by a civil war to destroy one another, and lay waste their infant +country, when it pleased God, after some months' confusion, to put an +end to their misfortunes, as well as to Bacon's designs, by his natural +death. He died at Dr. Green's in Gloucester county. But where he was +buried was never yet discovered, though afterward there was great +inquiry made, with design to expose his bones to public infamy. + +Sec. 109. In the meanwhile those disorders occasioned a general neglect of +husbandry, and a great destruction of the stocks of cattle, so that +people had a dreadful prospect of want and famine. But the malcontents +being thus disunited by the loss of their general, in whom they all +confided, they began to squabble among themselves, and every man's +business was, how to make the best terms he could for himself. + +Lieutenant General Ingram, (whose true name was Johnson) and Major +General Walklate, surrendered, on condition of pardon for themselves and +their followers, though they were both forced to submit to an incapacity +of bearing office in that country for the future. + +Peace being thus restored, Sir William Berkeley returned to his former +seat of government, and every man to his several habitation. + +Sec. 110. While this intestine war was fomenting there, the agents of the +country in England could not succeed in their remonstrance against the +propriety grants, though they were told that those grants should be +revoked. But the news of their civil war reaching England about the same +time, the king would then proceed no farther in that matter. So the +agents thought it their best way to compound with the proprietors. +Accordingly they agreed with them for four hundred pounds a man, which +was paid. And so all the clamor against those grants ended; neither was +any more heard from them there till above a dozen years afterwards. + +Sec. 111. But all those agents could obtain after their composition with +the lords, was merely the name of a new charter, granting only so much +of their former constitution as mentioned a residence of the governor or +deputy; a granting of escheat lands for two pounds of tobacco per acre, +composition; and that the lands should be held of the crown in the same +tenure as East Greenwich, that is, free and common soccage, and have +their immediate dependence on the crown. + +Sec. 112. When this storm, occasioned by Bacon, was blown over, and all +things quiet again, Sir William Berkeley called an assembly, for +settling the affairs of the country, and for making reparation to such +as had been oppressed. After which a regiment of soldiers arrived from +England, which were sent to suppress the insurrection; but they, coming +after the business was over, had no occasion to exercise their courage. +However, they were kept on foot there about three years after, and in +the Lord Colepepper's time, paid off and disbanded. + +Sec. 113. The confusion occasioned by the civil war, and the advantage the +Indians made of it in butchering the English upon all their frontiers, +caused such a desolation, and put the country so far back, that to the +year 1704 they had seated very little beyond the boundaries that were +then inhabited. At that time Jamestown was again burnt down to the +ground by Richard Laurence, one of Bacon's captains, who, when his own +men, that abhorred such barbarity, refused to obey his command, he +himself became the executioner, and fired the houses with his own +hands. This unhappy town did never after arrive to the perfection it +then had: and now it is almost deserted by removing in Governor +Nicholson's time the assembly and general court from thence to +Williamsburg, an inland place about seven miles from it. + +Sec. 114. With the regiment above mentioned arrived commissioners, to +enquire into the occasion and authors of this rebellion; and Sir William +Berkeley came to England: where from the time of his arrival, his +sickness obliged him to keep his chamber till he died; so that he had no +opportunity of kissing the king's hand. But his majesty declared himself +well satisfied with his conduct in Virginia, and was very kind to him +during his sickness, often enquiring after his health, and commanding +him not to hazard it by too early an endeavor to come to court. + +Sec. 115. Upon Sir William Berkeley's voyage to England, Herbert Jeffreys, +Esq., was appointed governor. He made formal articles of peace with the +Indians, and held an assembly at Middle Plantation, wherein they settled +and allowed a free trade with the Indians; but restrained it to certain +marts, to which the Indians should bring their commodities: and this +also to be under such certain rules as were by that assembly directed. +But this method was not agreeable to the Indians, who had never before +been under any regulation. They thought, that if all former usages were +not restored, the peace was not perfect; and therefore did not much rely +upon it, which made those new restrictions useless. + +Governor Jeffreys his time was very short there, he being taken off by +death the year following. + +Sec. 116. After him Sir Henry Chicheley was made deputy governor, in the +latter end of the year 1678. In his time the assembly, for the greater +terror of the Indians, built magazines at the heads of the four great +rivers, and furnished them with arms, ammunition and men in constant +service. + +This assembly also prohibited the importation of tobacco, which +Carolina, and sometimes Maryland, were wont to send thither, in order to +its being shipped off for England. But in that, I think, Virginia +mistook her interest. For, had they permitted this custom to become +habitual, and thus engrossed the shipping, as would soon have happened, +they could easily have regulated the trade of tobacco at any time, +without the concurrence of those other colonies, and without submitting +to their perverse humors as formerly. + +Sec. 117. The spring following, Thomas Lord Colepepper arrived there +governor, and carried with him some laws, which had been drawn up in +England, to be enacted in their assembly. And coming with the advantage +of restoring peace to a troubled nation, it was not difficult for him to +obtain whatever he pleased from the people. His influence too was the +greater by the power he had of pardoning those who had a hand in the +disorders committed in the late rebellion. + +Sec. 118. In his first assembly he passed several acts very obliging to the +country, viz., First, an act of naturalization, whereby the power of +naturalizing foreigners was placed in the governor. Secondly, an act for +cohabitation and encouragement of trade and manufactures; whereby a +certain place in each county was appointed for a town, in which all +goods imported and exported were to be landed and shipped off, bought +and sold. Which act was kindly brought to nothing by the opposition of +the tobacco merchants of England. Thirdly, an act of general pardon and +oblivion, whereby all the transgressions and outrages committed in the +time of the late rebellion were entirely remitted; and reparation +allowed to people that should be evil spoken of on that account. + +Sec. 119. By passing some laws that obliged the country, the Lord +Colepepper carried one that was very pleasing to himself, viz., the act +for raising a public revenue for the better support of the government. +By this he got the duties contained therein to be made perpetual; and +that the money, which before used to be accounted for to the assembly, +should be from thenceforth disposed of by his majesty's sole direction, +for the support of the government. When this was done, he obtained of +the king out of the said duties a salary of two thousand pounds per +annum, instead of one thousand, which was formerly allowed. Also one +hundred and sixty pounds per annum for house rent, besides all the usual +perquisites. + +Sec. 120. In those submissive times his lordship reduced the greatest +perquisite of his place to a certainty, which before that was only +gratuitous; that is, instead of the masters of ships making presents of +liquors or provisions towards the governor's house keeping, as they were +wont to do, he demanded a certain sum of money, remitting that custom. +This rate has ever since been demanded of all commanders as a duty; and +is twenty shillings for each ship or vessel, under an hundred tons, and +thirty shillings for each ship upwards of that burden, to be paid every +voyage, or port clearing. + +Sec. 121. This noble lord seemed to lament the unhappy state of the country +in relation to their coin. He was tenderly concerned that all their cash +should be drained away by the neighboring colonies, which had not set so +low an estimate upon it as Virginia; and therefore he proposed the +raising of it. + +This was what the country had formerly desired, and the assembly was +about making a law for it: but his lordship stopped them, alledging it +was the king's prerogative, by virtue of which he would do it by +proclamation. This they did not approve of, well knowing, if that were +the case, his lordship and every other governor would at any time have +the same prerogative of altering it, and so people should never be at +any certainty; as they quickly after found from his own practice. For +his drift was only to make advantage of paying the soldiers; money for +that purpose being put into his lordship's hands, he provided light +pieces of eight, which he with this view had bought at a cheap rate. +When this contrivance was ripe for execution, he extended the royal +prerogative, and issued forth a proclamation for raising the value of +pieces of eight from five to six shillings; and as soon as they were +admitted current at that value, he produced an order for paying and +disbanding the soldiers. Then those poor fellows, and such as had +maintained them, were forced to take their pay in those light pieces of +eight, at six shillings. But his lordship soon after himself found the +inconvenience of that proclamation; for people began to pay their +duties, and their ship money in coin of that high estimate, which was +like to cut short both his lordship's perquisites; and so he was forced +to make use of the same prerogative, to reduce the money again to its +former standard. + +Sec. 122. In less than a year the Lord Colepepper returned to England, +leaving Sir Henry Chicheley deputy governor. + +The country being then settled again, made too much tobacco, or too much +trash tobacco, for the market; and the merchants would hardly allow the +planter any thing for it. + +This occasioned much uneasiness again, and the people, from former +experience, despairing of succeeding in any agreement with the +neighboring governments, resolved a total destruction of the tobacco in +that country, especially of the sweet scented; because that was planted +no where else. In pursuance of which design, they contrived that all the +plants should be destroyed, while they were yet in the beds, and after +it was too late to sow more. + +Accordingly the ringleaders in this project began with their own first, +and then went to cut up the plants of such of their neighbors as were +not willing to do it themselves. However, they had not resolution enough +to go through with their work. + +This was adjudged sedition and felony. Several people were committed +upon it, and some condemned to be hanged. And afterwards the assembly +passed a law to make such proceedings felony for the future, (whatever +it was before,) provided the company kept together after warning by a +justice. + +Sec. 123. After this accident of plant cutting, the Lord Colepepper +returned, and held his second assembly, in which he contrived to gain +another great advantage over the country. His lordship, in his first +voyage thither, perceiving how easily he could twist and manage the +people, conceived new hopes of retrieving the propriety of the Northern +Neck, as being so small a part of the colony. He conceived that while +the remainder escaped free, which was far the greater part, they would +not engage in the interest of the lesser number; especially considering +the discouragements they had met with before, in their former +solicitation: though all this while, and for many years afterwards, his +lordship did not pretend to lay public claim to any part of the +propriety. + +It did not square with this project that appeals should be made to the +general assembly, as till then had been the custom. He feared the +burgesses would be too much in the interest of their countrymen, and +adjudge the inhabitants of the Northern Neck to have an equal liberty +and privilege in their estates with the rest of Virginia, as being +settled upon the same foot. In order therefore to make a better +pennyworth of those poor people, he studied to overturn this odious +method of appealing to the assembly, and to fix the last resort in +another court. + +To bring this point about, his lordship contrived to blow up a +difference in the assembly between the council and the burgesses, +privately encouraging the burgesses to insist upon the privilege of +determining all appeals by themselves, exclusive of the council; because +they, having given their opinions before in the general court, were, for +that reason, unfit judges in appeals from themselves to the assembly. +This succeeded according to his wish, and the burgesses bit at the bait, +under the notion of privilege, never dreaming of the snake that lay in +the grass, nor considering the danger of altering an old constitution so +abruptly. Thus my lord gained his end; for he represented that quarrel +with so many aggravations, that he got an instruction from the king to +take away all appeals from the general court to the assembly, and cause +them to be made to himself in council, if the thing in demand was of +L300 value, otherwise no appeal from the general court. + +Sec. 124. Of this his lordship made sufficient advantage; for in the +confusion that happened in the end of king James the Second's reign, +viz., in October 1688, he having got an assignment from the other +patentees, gained a favorable report from the king's council at law upon +his patent for the Northern Neck. + +When he had succeeded in this, his lordship's next step was to engage +some noted inhabitant of the place to be on his side. Accordingly he +made use of his cousin Secretary Spencer, who lived in the said Neck, +and was esteemed as wise and great a man as any of the council. This +gentleman did but little in his lordship's service, and only gained some +few strays, that used to be claimed by the coroner, in behalf of the +king. + +Upon the death of Mr. Secretary Spencer, he engaged another noted +gentleman, an old stander in that country, though not of the Northern +Neck, Col. Philip Ludwell, who was then in England. He went over with +this grant in the year 1690, and set up an office in the Neck, claiming +some escheats; but he likewise could make nothing of it. After him Col. +George Brent and Col. William Fitzhugh, that were noted lawyers and +inhabitants of the said Neck, were employed in that affair: but +succeeded no better than their predecessors. The people, in the mean +while, complained frequently to their assemblies, who at last made +another address to the king; but there being no agent in England to +prosecute it, that likewise miscarried. At last Colonel Richard Lee, one +of the council, a man of note and inhabitant of the Northern Neck, +privately made a composition with the proprietors themselves for his own +land. This broke the ice, and several were induced to follow so great an +example; so that by degrees, they were generally brought to pay their +quit-rents into the hands of the proprietors' agents. And now at last it +is managed for them by Col. Robert Carter, another of the council, and +the greatest freeholder in that proprietary. + +Sec. 125. To return to my Lord Colepepper's government, I cannot omit a +useful thing which his lordship was pleased to do, with relation to +their courts of justice. It seems, nicety of pleading, with all the +juggle of Westminster Hall, was creeping into their courts. The clerks +began in some cases to enter the reasons with the judgments, pretending +to set precedents of inviolable form to be observed in all future +proceedings. This my lord found fault with, and retrenched all dilatory +pleas, as prejudicial to justice, keeping the courts close to the merits +of the cause, in order to bring it to a speedy determination, according +to the innocence of former times, and caused the judgments to be entered +up short, without the reason, alledging that their courts were not of so +great experience as to be able to make precedents to posterity; who +ought to be left at liberty to determine, according to the equity of the +controversy before them. + +Sec. 126. In his time also were dismantled the forts built by Sir Henry +Chicheley at the heads of the rivers, and the forces there were +disbanded, as being too great a charge. The assembly appointed small +parties of light horse in their stead, to range by turns upon the +frontiers. These being chosen out of the neighboring inhabitants, might +afford to serve at easier rates, and yet do the business more +effectually; they were raised under the title or name of rangers. + +Sec. 127. After this the Lord Colepepper returned again for England, his +second stay not being much longer than the first; and Sir Henry +Chicheley being dead, he proclaimed his kinsman, Mr. Secretary Spencer, +president, though he was not the eldest member of the council. + +Sec. 128. The next year, being 1684, upon the Lord Colepepper's refusing to +return, Francis, Lord Howard of Effingham, was sent over governor. In +order to increase his perquisites, he imposed the charge of an annual +under seal of twenty shillings each for school masters; five pounds for +lawyers at the general court, and fifty shillings each lawyer at the +county courts. He also extorted an excessive fee for putting the seal to +all probates of wills, and letters of administration, even where the +estates of the deceased were of the meanest value. Neither could any be +favored with such administration, or probate, without paying that +extortion. If any body presumed to remonstrate against it, his +lordship's behavior towards that man was very severe. He kept several +persons in prison and under confinement, from court to court, without +bringing them to trial. Which proceedings, and many others, were so +oppressive, that complaints were made thereof to the king, and Colonel +Philip Ludwell was appointed agent to appear against him in England. +Whereupon the seal-money was taken off. + +Sec. 129. During the first session of assembly in this noble lord's time, +the duty on liquors imported from the other English plantations, was +first imposed. It was then laid, on pretence of lessening the levy by +the poll, for payment of public taxes; but more especially for +rebuilding the State house, which had not been rebuilt since Laurence +burnt it in Bacon's time. + +This duty was at first laid on wine and rum only, at the rate of three +pence per gallon, with an exemption of all such as should be imported in +the ships of Virginia owners. But the like duty has since been laid on +other liquors also, and is raised to four pence per gallon on wine and +rum, and one penny per gallon on beer, cider, lime-juice, &c.; and the +privilege of Virginia owners taken away, to the great discouragement of +their shipping and home trade. + +Sec. 130. This lord, though he pretended to no great skill in legal +proceedings, yet he made great innovations in their courts, pretending +to follow the English forms. Thus he created a new court of chancery +distinct from the general court, who had ever before claimed that +jurisdiction. He erected himself into a lord chancellor, taking the +gentlemen of the council to sit with him as mere associates and +advisers, not having any vote in the causes before them. And that it +might have more the air of a new court, he would not so much as sit in +the State house, where all the other public business was dispatched, but +took the dining-room of a large house for that use. He likewise made +arbitrary tables of fees, peculiar to this high court. However, his +lordship not beginning this project very long before he left the +country, all these innovations came to an end upon his removal, and the +jurisdiction returned to the general court again, in the time of Colonel +Nathaniel Bacon, whom he left president. + +Sec. 131. During that gentleman's presidency, which began Anno 1689, the +project of a college was first agreed upon. The contrivers drew up their +scheme, and presented it to the president and council. This was by them +approved, and referred to the next assembly. But Colonel Bacon's +administration being very short, and no assembly called all the while, +this pious design could proceed no farther. + +Sec. 132. Anno 1690, Francis Nicholson, esq., being appointed lieutenant +governor under the Lord Effingham, arrived there. This gentleman +discoursed freely of country improvements, instituted public exercises, +and gave prizes to all those that should excel in the exercises of +riding, running, shooting, wrestling, and cudgeling. When the design of +a college was communicated to him, he promised it all imaginable +encouragement. The first thing desired of him in its behalf, was the +calling of an assembly, but this he could by no means agree to, being +under obligations to the Lord Effingham to stave off assemblies as long +he could, for fear there might be farther representations sent over +against his lordship, who was conscious to himself how uneasy the +country had been under his despotic administration. + +Sec. 133. When that could not be obtained, then they proposed that a +subscription might pass through the colony, to try the humor of the +people in general, and see what voluntary contributions they could get +towards it. This he granted, and he himself, together with the council, +set a generous example to the other gentlemen of the country, so that +the subscriptions at last amounted to about two thousand five hundred +pounds, in which sum is included the generous benevolences of several +merchants of London. + +Sec. 134. Anno 1691, an assembly being called, this design was moved to +them, and they espoused it heartily; and soon after made an address to +king William and queen Mary in its behalf, and sent the Rev. Mr. James +Blair their agent to England to solicit their majesties charter for it. + +It was proposed that three things should be taught in this college, +viz., languages, divinity, and natural philosophy. + +The assembly was so fond of Governor Nicholson at that time, that they +presented him with the sum of three hundred pounds, as a testimony of +their good disposition towards him. But he having an instruction to +receive no present from the country, they drew up an address to their +majesties, praying that he might have leave to accept it, which was +granted, and he gave one half thereof to the college. + +Sec. 135. Their majesties were well pleased with that pious design of the +plantation, and granted a charter, according to the desire of Mr. Blair +their agent. + +Their majesties were graciously pleased to give near two thousand pounds +sterling, the balance then due upon the account of quit-rents, towards +the founding the college; and towards the endowing of it, they allowed +twenty thousand acres of choice land, together with the revenue arising +by the penny per pound on tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland to +the other plantations. + +It was a great satisfaction to the archbishops and bishops, to see such +a nursery of religion founded in that new world, especially for that it +was begun in an episcopal way, and carried on wholly by zealous +conformists to the Church of England. + +Sec. 136. In this first assembly, Lieutenant Governor Nicholson passed acts +for encouragement of the linen manufacture, and to promote the leather +trade by tanning, currying, and shoe making. He also in that session +passed a law for cohabitation, and improvement of trade. + +Before the next assembly he tacked about, and was quite the reverse of +what he was in the first, as to cohabitation. Instead of encouraging +ports and towns, he spread abroad his dislike of them; and went among +the people finding fault with those things which he and the assembly had +unanimously agreed upon the preceding session. Such a violent change +there was in him, that it proceeded from some other cause than barely +the inconstancy of his temper. He had received directions from those +English merchants, who well knew that cohabitation would lessen their +consigned trade. + +Sec. 137. In February, 1692, Sir Edmund Andros arrived governor. He began +his government with an assembly, which overthrew the good design of +ports and towns; but the groundwork of this proceeding was laid before +Sir Edmund's arrival. However this assembly proceeded no farther than to +suspend the law till their majesties' pleasure should be known. But it +seems the merchants in London were dissatisfied, and made public +complaints against it, which their majesties were pleased to hear; and +afterwards referred the law back to the assembly again, to consider if +it were suitable to the circumstances of the country, and to regulate it +accordingly. But the assembly did not then proceed any farther in it, +the people themselves being infected by the merchants' letters. + +Sec. 138. At this session Mr. Neal's project for a post-office, and his +patent of post-master-general in those parts of America, were presented. +The assembly made an act to promote that design; but by reason of the +inconvenient distance of their habitations, and want of towns, this +project fell to nothing. + +Sec. 139. With Sir Edmund Andros, was sent over the college charter; and +the subsequent assembly declared, that the subscriptions which had been +made to the college were due, and immediately demandable. They likewise +gave a duty on the exportation of skins and furs, for its more +plentiful endowment, and the foundation of the college was laid. + +The subscription money did not come in with the same readiness with +which it had been underwritten. However there was enough given by their +majesties, and gathered from the people, to keep all hands at work and +carry on the building, the foundation whereof they then laid; and the +rest, upon suit, had judgment given against them. + +Sec. 140. Sir Edmund Andros was a great encourager of manufactures. In his +time fulling-mills were set up by act of assembly. He also gave +particular marks of his favor towards the propagating of cotton, which +since his time has been much neglected. He was likewise a great lover of +method and dispatch in all sorts of business, which made him find fault +with the management of the secretary's office. And, indeed, with very +good reason; for from the time of Bacon's rebellion till then, there +never was any office in the world more negligently kept. Several patents +of land were entered blank upon record; many original patents, records +and deeds of land, with other matters of great consequence, were thrown +loose about the office, and suffered to be dirtied, torn, and eaten by +the moths and other insects. But upon this gentleman's accession to the +government, he immediately gave directions to reform all these +irregularities; he caused the loose and torn records of value to be +transcribed into new books, and ordered conveniences to be built within +the office for preserving the records from being lost and confounded as +before. He prescribed methods to keep the papers dry and clean, and to +reduce them into such order, as that any thing might be turned to +immediately. But all these conveniences were burnt soon after they were +finished, in October 1698, together with the office itself, and the +whole State House. But his diligence was so great in that affair, that +though his stay afterward in the country was very short, yet he caused +all the records and papers which had been saved from the fire to be +sorted again and registered in order, and indeed in much better order +than ever they had been before. In this condition he left them at his +quitting the government. + +He made several offers to rebuild the State House in the same place; and +had his government continued but six months longer, 'tis probable he +would have effected it after such a manner as might have been least +burthensome to the people, designing the greatest part at his own cost. + +Sec. 141. Sir Edmund Andros being upon a progress one summer, called at a +poor man's house in Stafford county for water. There came out to him an +ancient woman, and with her a lively brisk lad about twelve years old. +The lad was so ruddy and fair that his complexion gave the governor a +curiosity to ask some questions concerning him; and to his great +surprise was told that he was the son of that woman at 76 years of age. +His excellency, smiling at this improbability, enquired what sort of man +had been his father? To this the good woman made no reply, but instantly +ran and led her husband to the door, who was then above 100 years old. +He confirmed all that the woman had said about the lad, and, +notwithstanding his great age, was strong in his limbs and voice; but +had lost his sight. The woman for her part was without complaint, and +seemed to retain a vigor very uncommon at her years. Sir Edmund was so +well pleased with this extraordinary account, that, after having made +himself known to them, he offered to take care of the lad; but they +would by no means be persuaded to part with him. However, he gave them +20 pounds. + +Sec. 142. In November 1698, Francis Nicholson, Esq., was removed from +Maryland, to be governor of Virginia. But he went not then with that +smoothness on his brow he had carried with him when he was appointed +lieutenant-governor. He talked then no more of improving of +manufactures, towns and trade. But instead of encouraging the +manufactures, he sent over inhuman memorials against them, opposite to +all reason. In one of these, he remonstrates, "that the tobacco of that +country often bears so low a price, that it would not yield clothes to +the people that make it;" and yet presently after, in the same memorial, +he recommends it to the parliament "to pass an act, forbidding the +plantations to make their own clothing;" which, in other words, is +desiring a charitable law, that the planters shall go naked. In a late +memorial concerted between him and his creature Col. Quarrey, 'tis most +humbly proposed, "that all the English colonies on the continent of +North America be reduced under one government, and under one Viceroy; +and that a standing army be there kept on foot to subdue the queen's +enemies;" surmising that they were intending to set up for themselves. + +Sec. 143. He began his government with a shew of zeal for the church. In +the latter end of his time, one half of the intended building, that is +two sides of the square, was carried up and finished, in which were +allotted the public hall, the apartments and conveniences for several +masters and scholars, and the public offices for the domestics: the +masters and scholars were also settled in it, and it had its regular +visitations from the visitors and governors thereof. + +Sec. 144. Soon after his accession to the government, he procured the +assembly and courts of judicature to be removed from Jamestown, where +there were good accommodations for people, to Middle Plantation, where +there were none. There he flattered himself with the fond imagination of +being the founder of a new city. He marked out the streets in many +places so as that they might represent the figure of a W, in memory of +his late majesty King William, after whose name the town was called +Williamsburg. There he procured a stately fabric to be erected, which he +placed opposite to the college, and graced it with the magnificent name +of the capitol. + +Sec. 145. In the second year of this gentleman's government, there happened +an adventure very fortunate for him, which gave him much credit, and +that was the taking of a pirate within the capes of that country. + +It fell out that several merchant ships were got ready, and fallen down +to Lynhaven bay, near the mouth of James river, in order for sailing. A +pirate being informed of this, and hearing that there was no man of war +there, except a sixth rate, ventured within the capes, and took several +of the merchant ships. But a small vessel happened to come down the bay, +and seeing an engagement between the pirate and a merchantman, made a +shift to get into the mouth of James river, where the Shoram, a fifth +rate man of war, was newly arrived. The sixth rate, commanded by Capt. +John Aldred, was then on the careen in Elizabeth river, in order for her +return to England. + +The governor happened to be at that time at Kiquotan, sealing up his +letters, and Capt. Passenger, commander of the Shoram, was ashore, to +pay his respects to him. In the meanwhile news was brought that a pirate +was within the capes; upon which the captain was in haste to go aboard +his ship; but the governor stayed him a little, promising to go along +with him. The captain soon after asked his excuse, and went off, leaving +him another boat, if he pleased to follow. It was about one o'clock in +the afternoon when the news was brought; but 'twas within night before +his excellency went aboard, staying all that while ashore upon some +weighty occasions. At last he followed, and by break of day the man of +war was fairly out between the capes and the pirate; where, after ten +hours sharp engagement, the pirate was obliged to strike and surrender +upon the terms of being left to the king's mercy. + +Now it happened that three men of this pirate's gang were not on board +their own ship at the time of the surrender, and so were not included in +the articles of capitulation, but were tried in that country. In summing +up the charge against them (the governor being present) the +attorney-general extolled his excellency's mighty courage and conduct, +as if the honor of taking the pirate had been due to him. Upon this, +Capt. Passenger took the freedom to interrupt Mr. Attorney in open +court, and said that he was commander of the Shoram; that the pirates +were his prisoners; and that no body had pretended to command in that +engagement but himself: he farther desired that the governor, who was +then present, would do him the justice to confess whether he had given +the least word of command all that day, or directed any one thing during +the whole fight. This, his excellency acknowledged, was true; and fairly +yielded the honor of that exploit to the captain. + +Sec. 146. This governor likewise gained some reputation by another instance +of his management, whereby he let the world know the violent passion he +had to publish his own fame. + +To get honor in New York, he had zealously recommended to the court of +England the necessity that Virginia should contribute a certain quota of +men, or else a sum of money, towards the building and maintaining a fort +at New York. The reason he gave for this, was, because New York was +their barrier, and as such, it was but justice they should help to +defend it. This was by order of his late majesty King William proposed +to the assembly; but upon the most solid reasons they humbly +remonstrated, "that neither the forts then in being, nor any other that +might be built in the province of New York, could in the least avail to +the defence and security of Virginia; for that either the French or the +northern Indians might invade that colony, and not come within an +hundred miles of any such fort." The truth of these objections are +obvious to any one that ever looked on the maps of that part of the +world. But the secret of the whole business in plain terms was this: +Those forts were necessary for New York, to enable that province to +engross the trade of the neighbor Indians, which Virginia had sometimes +shared in, when the Indians rambled to the southward. + +Now the glory Col. Nicholson got in that affair was this: after he had +represented Virginia as republican and rebellious for not complying with +his proposal, he said publicly that New York should not want the 900 +pounds, though he paid it out of his own pocket, and soon after took a +journey to that province. + +When he arrived there, he blamed Virginia very much, but pretending +earnest desires to serve New York, gave his own bills of exchange for +900 pounds to the aforesaid use, but prudently took a defeasance from +the gentleman to whom they were given, specifying, "that till her +majesty should be graciously pleased to remit him the money out of the +quit rents of Virginia, those bills should never be made use of." This +was an admirable piece of sham generosity, and worthy of the great pains +he took to proclaim it. I myself have frequently heard him boast that he +gave this money out of his own pocket, and only depended on the queen's +bounty to repay him: though the money is not paid by him to this day. + +Sec. 147. Neither was he contented to spread abroad this untruth there; but +he also foisted it into a memorial of Col. Quarry's to the council of +trade, in which are these words: + + "As soon as Governor Nicholson found the assembly of Virginia would not + see their own interest, nor comply with her majesty's orders, he went + immediately to New York; and out of his great zeal to the queen's + service, and the security of her province, he gave his own bills for + 900 pounds to answer the quota of Virginia, wholly depending on her + majesty's favor to reimburse him out of the revenues in that province. + + "Certainly his excellency and Colonel Quarry, by whose joint wisdom and + sincerity this memorial was composed, must believe that the council of + trade have very imperfect intelligence how matters pass in that part of + the world, or else they would not presume to impose such a banter upon + them." + +But this is nothing, if compared with some other passages of that unjust +representation, wherein they took upon them to describe the people of +"Virginia to be both numerous and rich, of republican notions and +principles such as ought to be corrected and lowered in time; and that +then, or never, was the time to maintain the queen's prerogatives, and +put a stop to those wrong, pernicious notions which were improving +daily, not only in Virginia but in all her majesty's other governments. +A frown now from her majesty will do more than an army hereafter," &c. + +With those inhuman, false imputations, did those gentlemen afterwards +introduce the necessity of a standing army. + +Sec. 148. Thus did this gentleman continue to rule till August 1705, when +Edward Nott, esq., arrived governor, and gave ease to the country by a +mild rule. His commission was to be governor-general, but part of his +salary was paid my Lord Orkney as chief. Governor Nott had the general +commission given him, because it was suggested that that method, viz: +the supreme title, would give the greater awe, and the better put the +country to rights. + +Sec. 149. Governor Nott called an assembly the fall after his arrival, who +passed the general revisal of the laws, which had been too long in hand. +But that part of it which related to the church and clergy Mr. +Commissary could not be pleased in; wherefore that bill was dropt, and +so it lies at this day. + +Sec. 150. This assembly also passed a new law for ports and towns, +grounding it only upon encouragements, according to her majesty's letter +to that purpose. But it seems this also could not please the Virginia +merchants in England, for they complained against it to the crown, and +so it was also suspended. + +Sec. 151. This assembly also passed the law making slaves a real estate, +which made a great alteration in the nature of their estates, and +becomes a very good security for orphans whose parents happened to die +intestate. + +Sec. 152. This assembly also voted a house to be built for the governor's +residence, and laid duties to raise the money for it. But his excellency +lived not to see much effected therein, being taken off by death in +August 1706. In the first year of his government the college was burnt +down to the ground. + +Sec. 153. After this governor's death, their being no other nominated by +her majesty to succeed him, the government fell into the hands of Edmund +Jenings, Esq., the president, and the council, who held no assembly +during his time, neither did anything of note happen here. Only we heard +that Brigadier Robert Hunter received commission to be lieutenant-governor +under George, Earl of Orkney, the chief, and set out for Virginia, but was +taken prisoner into France. + +Sec. 154. During Brigadier Hunter's confinement in France, a new commission +issued to Colonel Alexander Spotswood to be lieutenant-governor, who +arrived here in Anno 1710. He, to the extraordinary benefit of this +country, still continues governor, having improved it beyond +imagination. His conduct has produced wonders. But it would not become +me to affront his modesty by publishing those innumerable benefits of +his administration to his face; therefore I shall leave them to adorn +the brighter history of some abler penman. + + + + +BOOK II. + +OF THE NATURAL PRODUCT AND CONVENIENCES OF VIRGINIA IN ITS UNIMPROVED + STATE, BEFORE THE ENGLISH WENT THITHER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +OF THE BOUNDS AND COAST OF VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 1. Virginia, as you have heard before, was a name at first given to +all the northern part of the continent of America; and when the original +grant was made, both to the first and second colonies, that is, to those +of Virginia and New England, they were both granted under the name of +Virginia. And afterwards, when grants for other new colonies were made +by particular names, those names for a long time served only to +distinguish them as so many parts of Virginia; and until the plantations +became more familiar to England, it was so continued. But in process of +time, the name of Virginia was lost to all except to that tract of land +lying along the bay of Chesapeake, and a little to the southward, in +which are included Virginia and Maryland; both which, in common +discourse, are still very often meant by the name of Virginia. + +The least extent of bounds in any of the grants made to Virginia, since +it was settled, and which we find upon record there, is two hundred +miles north from Point Comfort, and two hundred miles south, winding +upon the sea coast to the eastward, and including all the land west and +northwest, from sea to sea, with the islands on both seas, within an +hundred miles of the main. But these extents, both on the north and +south, have been since abridged by the proprietary grants of Maryland on +the north, and Carolina on the south. + +Sec. 2. The entrance into Virginia for shipping is by the mouth of +Chesapeake bay, which is indeed more like a river than a bay; for it +runs up into the land about two hundred miles, being everywhere near as +wide as it is at the mouth, and in many places much wider. The mouth +thereof is about seven leagues over, through which all ships pass to go +to Maryland. + +The coast is a bold and even coast, with regular soundings, and is open +all the year round; so that, having the latitude, which also can hardly +be wanted upon a coast where so much clear weather is, any ship may go +in by soundings alone, by day or night, in summer or in winter, and need +not fear any disaster, if the mariners understand anything; for, let the +wind blow how it will, and chop about as suddenly as it pleases, any +master, though his ship be never so dull, has opportunity, (by the +evenness of the coast,) either of standing off and clearing the shore, +or else of running into safe harbor within the capes. A bolder and safer +coast is not known in the universe; to which conveniences, there is the +addition of good anchorage all along upon it, without the capes. + +Sec. 3. Virginia, in the most restrained sense, distinct from Maryland, is +the spot to which I shall altogether confine this description; though +you may consider, at the same time, that there cannot be much difference +between this and Maryland, they being contiguous one to the other, lying +in the same bay, producing the same sort of commodities, and being +fallen into the same unhappy form of settlements, altogether upon +country seats, without towns. Virginia, thus considered, is bounded on +the south by North Carolina, on the north by Potomac river, which +divides it from Maryland, on the east by the main ocean, called the +Virginia seas, and on the west and northwest by the Californian sea, +whenever the settlements shall be extended so far, or now by the river +Mississippi. + +This part of Virginia, now inhabited, if we consider the improvements in +the hands of the English, it cannot upon that score be commended; but if +we consider its natural aptitude to be improved, it may with justice be +accounted one of the finest countries in the world. Most of the natural +advantages of it, therefore, I shall endeavor to discover, and set in +their true light, together with its inconveniences, and afterwards +proceed to the improvements. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OF THE WATERS. + + +Sec. 4. The largeness of the bay of Chesapeake, I have mentioned already. +From one end of it to the other, there is good anchorage, and so little +danger of a wreck, that many masters, who have never been there before, +venture up to the head of the bay, upon the slender knowledge of a +common sailor. But the experience of one voyage teaches any master to go +up afterwards without a pilot. + +Besides this bay, the country is watered with four great rivers, viz: +James, York, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers, all which are full of +convenient and safe harbors. There are also abundance of lesser rivers, +many of which are capable of receiving the biggest merchant ships, viz: +Elizabeth river, Nansemond, Chickahominy, Pocoson, Pamunkey, Mattapony, +(which two last are the two upper branches of York river,) North river, +Eastermost river, Corotoman, Wiccocomoco, Pocomoke, Chissenessick, +Pungotegue, and many others. But because they are so well described in +the large maps of Virginia, I shall forbear any farther description of +them. + +These rivers are of such convenience, that for almost every half dozen +miles of their extent, there is a commodious and safe road for a whole +fleet, which gives opportunity to the masters of ships to lie up and +down straggling, according as they have made their acquaintance, riding +before that gentleman's door where they find the best reception, or +where 'tis most suitable to their business. + +Sec. 5. These rivers are made up by the conflux of an infinite number of +crystal springs of cool and pleasant water, issuing everywhere out of +the banks and sides of the valleys. These springs flow so plentifully, +that they make the river water fresh fifty, threescore, and sometimes a +hundred miles below the flux and reflux of the tides, and sometimes +within thirty or forty miles of the bay itself. The conveniences of +these springs are so many, they are not to be numbered. I shall +therefore content myself to mention that one of supplying the country +elsewhere, except in the lowlands, with as many mills as they can find +work for; and some of these send forth such a glut of water, that in +less than a mile below the fountain head, they afford a stream +sufficient to supply a grist mill, of which there are several instances. + +Sec. 6. The only mischief I know belonging to these rivers is, that in the +month of June annually, there rise up in the salts, vast beds of +seedling-worms, which enter the ships, sloops or boats wherever they +find the coat of pitch, tar, or lime worn off the timber, and by degrees +eat the plank into cells like those of a honey-comb. These worms +continue thus upon the surface of the water, from their rise in June +until the first great rains after the middle of July, but after that do +no fresh damage till the next summer season, and never penetrate farther +than the plank or timber they first fix upon. + +The damage occasioned by these worms may be four several ways avoided. + + 1. By keeping the coat (of pitch, lime and tallow, or whatever + else it is) whole upon the bottom of the ship or vessel, for these + worms never fasten nor enter, but where the timber is naked. + + 2. By anchoring the large vessel in the strength of the tide, + during the worm season, and hauling the smaller ashore; for in the + current of a strong tide, the worm cannot fasten. + + 3. By burning and cleaning immediately after the worm season is + over; for then they are but just stuck into the plank, and have + not buried themselves in it; so that the least fire in the world + destroys them entirely, and prevents all damage that would + otherwise ensue from them. + + 4. By running up into the freshes with the ship or vessel during + the five or six weeks that the worm is thus above water; for they + never enter, nor do any damage in fresh water, or where it is not + very salt. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OF THE EARTH AND SOILS. + + +Sec. 7. The soil is of such variety, according to the difference of +situation, that one part or other of it seems fitted to every sort of +plant that is requisite either for the benefit or pleasure of mankind. +And were it not for the high mountains to the northwest, which are +supposed to retain vast magazines of snow, and by that means cause the +wind from that quarter to descend a little too cold upon them, 'tis +believed that many of those delicious summer fruits, growing in the +hotter climates, might be kept there green all the winter without the +charge of housing, or any other care, than what is due to the natural +plants of the country, when transplanted into a garden. But as that +would be no considerable charge, any man that is curious might, with all +the ease imaginable, preserve as many of them as would gratify a +moderate luxury; and the summer affords genial heat enough to ripen them +to perfection. + +There are three different kinds of land, according to the difference of +situation, either in the lower parts of the country, the middle, or that +on the heads of the rivers. + + 1. The land towards the mouth of the rivers is generally of a low, + moist, and fat mould, such as the heavier sort of grain delight + in: as rice, hemp, Indian corn, &c. This also is varied here and + there with veins of a cold, hungry, sandy soil, of the same + moisture, and very often lying under water. But this also has its + advantages; for on such land generally grow the huckleberries, + cranberries, chinkapins, &c. These low lands are, for the most + part, well stored with oaks, poplars, pines, cedars, cypress and + sweet gums; the trunks of which are often thirty, forty, fifty, + some sixty or seventy feet high, without a branch or limb. They + likewise produce great variety of evergreens, unknown to me by + name, besides the beauteous holly, sweet myrtle, cedar, and the + live oak, which for three quarters of the year is continually + dropping its acorns, and at the same time budding and bearing + others in their stead. + + 2. The land higher up the rivers, throughout the whole country, is + generally a level ground, with shallow valleys, full of streams + and pleasant springs of clear water, having interspersed here and + there among the large levels some small hills and extensive vales. + The mould in some places is black, fat, and thick laid; in others + looser, lighter and thin. The foundation of the mould is also + various; sometimes clay, then gravel and rocky stones, and + sometimes marl. The middle of the necks, or ridges between the + rivers, is generally poor, being either a light sand, or a white + or red clay, with a thin mould. Yet even these places are stored + with chestnuts, chinkapins, acorns of the shrub oak, and a reedy + grass in summer, very good for cattle. The rich lands lie next the + rivers and branches, and are stored with large oak, walnut, + hickory, ash, beech, poplar, and many other sorts of timber, of + surprising bigness. + + 3. The heads of the rivers afford a mixture of hills, valleys and + plains, some richer than others, whereof the fruit and timber + trees are also various. In some places lie great plats of low and + very rich ground, well timbered; in others, large spots of meadows + and savannahs, wherein are hundreds of acres without any tree at + all, but yields reeds and grass of incredible height; and in the + swamps and sunken grounds grow trees as vastly big as I believe + the world affords, and stand so close together, that the branches + or boughs of many of them lock into one another; but what lessens + their value is, that the greatest bulk of them are at some + distance from water-carriage. The land of these upper parts + affords greater variety of soil than any other, and as great + variety in the foundations of the soil or mould, of which good + judgment may be made by the plants and herbs that grow upon it. + The rivers and creeks do in many places form very fine large + marshes, which are a convenient support for their flocks and + herds. + +Sec. 8. There is likewise found great variety of earths for physic, +cleansing, scouring, and making all sorts of potter's ware; such as +antimony, talk, yellow and red oker, fuller's-earth, pipe-clay, and +other fat and fine clays, marl, &c.; in a word, there are all kinds of +earth fit for use. + +They have besides, in those upper parts, coal for firing, slate for +covering, and stones for building, and flat paving in vast quantities, +as likewise pebble stones. Nevertheless, it has been confidently +affirmed by many, who have been in Virginia, that there is not a stone +in all the country. If such travelers knew no better than they said, my +judgment of them is, that either they were people of extreme short +memories, or else of very narrow observation. For though generally the +lower parts are flat, and so free from stones, that people seldom shoe +their horses; yet in many places, and particularly near the falls of the +rivers, are found vast quantities of stone, fit for all kinds of uses. +However, as yet, there is seldom any use made of them, because commonly +wood is to be had at much less trouble; and as for coals, it is not +likely they should ever be used there in anything but forges and great +towns, if ever they happen to have any, for, in their country +plantations, the wood grows at every man's door so fast, that after it +has been cut down, it will in seven years time grow up again from seed, +to substantial fire-wood; and in eighteen or twenty years it will come +to be very good board timber. + +Sec. 9. For mineral earths, it is believed they have great plenty and +variety, that country being in a good latitude, and having great +appearances of them. It has been proved, too, that they have both iron +and lead, as appears by what was said before concerning the iron works +set up at Falling creek in James river, where the iron proved reasonably +good; but before they got into the body of the mine, the people were cut +off in that fatal massacre, and the project has never been set on foot +since, till of late; but it has not had its full trial. + +The golden mine, of which there was once so much noise, may, perhaps, be +found hereafter to be some good metal, when it comes to be fully +examined. But be that as it will, the stones that are found near it, in +great plenty, are valuable, their lustre approaching nearer to that of +the diamond than those of Bristol or Kerry. There is no other fault in +them but their softness, which the weather hardens, when they have been +sometime exposed to it, they being found under the surface of the earth. +This place has now plantations on it. + +This I take to be the place in Purchase's fourth book of his pilgrim, +called Uttamussack, where was formerly the principal temple of the +country, and the metropolitan seat of the priests in Powhatan's time. +There stood the three great houses, near sixty feet in length, which he +reports to have been filled with the images of their gods; there were +likewise preserved the bodies of their kings. These houses they counted +so holy, that none but their priests and kings durst go into them, the +common people not presuming, without their particular direction, to +approach the place. + +There also was their great Pawcorance, or altar stone, which, the +Indians tell us, was a solid crystal, of between three and four feet +cube, upon which, in their greatest solemnities, they used to sacrifice. +This, they would make us believe, was so clear, that the grain of a +man's skin might be seen through it; and was so heavy too that when they +removed their gods and kings, not being able to carry it away, they +buried it thereabouts; but the place has never been yet discovered. + +Mr. Alexander Whittaker, minister of Henrico, on James river, in the +company's time, writing to them, says thus: "Twelve miles from the +falls there is a crystal rock, wherewith the Indians do head many of +their arrows; and three days journey from thence, there is a rock and +stony hill found, which is on the top covered over with a perfect and +most rich silver ore. Our men that went to discover those parts had but +two iron pickaxes with them, and those so ill tempered that the points +of them turned again, and bowed at every stroke, so that we could not +search the entrails of the place; yet some trial was made of that ore +with good success." + +Sec. 10. Some people that have been in that country, without knowing any +thing of it, have affirmed that it is all a flat, without any mixture of +hills, because they see the coast to seaward perfectly level: or else +they have made their judgment of the whole country by the lands lying on +the lower parts of the rivers, (which, perhaps, they had never been +beyond,) and so conclude it to be throughout plain and even. When in +truth, upon the heads of the great rivers, there are vast high hills; +and even among the settlements there are some so topping that I have +stood upon them and viewed the country all round over the tops of the +highest trees for many leagues together; particularly, there are Mawborn +hills in the freshes of James river; a ridge of hills about fourteen or +fifteen miles up Mattapony river; Toliver's mount, upon Rappahannock +river; and the ridge of hills in Stafford county, in the freshes of +Potomac river; all which are within the bounds of the English +inhabitants. But a little farther backward, there are mountains, which +indeed deserve the name of mountains for their height and bigness; which +by their difficulty in passing may easily be made a good barrier of the +country against incursions of the Indians, &c., and shew themselves over +the tops of the trees to many plantations at 70 or 80 miles distance +very plain. + +These hills are not without their advantages; for, out of almost every +rising ground, throughout the country, there issue abundance of most +pleasant streams, of pure and crystal water, than which certainly the +world does not afford any more delicious. These are every where to be +found in the upper parts of this country, and many of them flow out of +the sides of banks very high above the vales, which are the most +suitable places for gardens--where the finest water works in the world +may be made at a very small expense. + +There are likewise several mineral springs, easily discoverable by their +taste, as well as by the soil which they drive out with their streams. +But I am not naturalist skilful enough to describe them with the +exactness they deserve. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OF THE WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY. + + +Sec. 11. Of fruits natural to the country, there is great abundance, but +the several species of them are produced according to the difference of +the soil, and the various situation of the country; it being impossible +that one piece of ground should produce so many different kinds +intermixed. Of the better sorts of the wild fruits that I have met with, +I will barely give you the names, not designing a natural history. And +when I have done that, possibly I may not mention one-half of what the +country affords, because I never went out of my way to enquire after +anything of this nature. + +Sec. 12. Of stoned fruits, I have met with three good sorts, viz: Cherries, +plums and persimmons. + + 1. Of cherries natural to the country, and growing wild in the + woods, I have seen three sorts. Two of these grow upon trees as + big as the common English white oak, whereof one grows in bunches + like grapes. Both these sorts are black without, and but one of + them red within. That which is red within, is more palatable than + the English black cherry, as being without its bitterness. The + other, which hangs on the branch like grapes, is water colored + within, of a faintish sweet, and greedily devoured by the small + birds. The third sort is called the Indian cherry, and grows + higher up in the country than the others do. It is commonly found + by the sides of rivers and branches on small slender trees, scarce + able to support themselves, about the bigness of the peach trees + in England. This is certainly the most delicious cherry in the + world; it is of a dark purple when ripe, and grows upon a single + stalk like the English cherry, but is very small, though, I + suppose, it may be made larger by cultivation, if anybody would + mind it. These, too, are so greedily devoured by the small birds, + that they won't let them remain on the tree long enough to ripen; + by which means, they are rarely known to any, and much more rarely + tasted, though, perhaps, at the same time they grow just by the + houses. + + 2. The plums, which I have observed to grow wild there, are of two + sorts, the black and the Murrey plum, both which are small, and + have much the same relish with the damson. + + 3. The persimmon is by Heriot called the Indian plum; and so + Smith, Purchase, and Du Lake, call it after him; but I can't + perceive that any of those authors had ever heard of the sorts I + have just now mentioned, they growing high up in the country. + These persimmons, amongst them, retain their Indian name. They are + of several sizes, between the bigness of a damson plum and a + burgamot pear. The taste of them is so very rough, it is not to be + endured till they are fully ripe, and then they are a pleasant + fruit. Of these, some vertuosi make an agreeable kind of beer, to + which purpose they dry them in cakes, and lay them up for use. + These, like most other fruits there, grow as thick upon the trees + as ropes of onions: the branches very often break down by the + mighty weight of the fruit. + +Sec. 13. Of berries there is a great variety, and all very good in their +kinds. Our mulberries are of three sorts, two black and one white; the +long black sort are the best, being about the bigness of a boy's thumb; +the other two sorts are of the shape of the English mulberry, short and +thick, but their taste does not so generally please, being of a faintish +sweet, without any tartness. They grow upon well spread, large bodied +trees, which run up surprisingly fast. These are the proper food of the +silk-worm. + + 1. There grow naturally two sorts of currants, one red and the + other black, more sweet than those of the same color in England. + They grow upon small bushes, or slender trees. + + 2. There are three sorts of hurts, or huckleberries, upon bushes, + from two to ten feet high. They grow in the valleys and sunken + grounds, having different relishes; but are all pleasing to the + taste. The largest sort grow upon the largest bushes, and, I + think, are the best berries. + + 3. Cranberries grow in the low lands and barren sunken grounds, + upon low bushes, like the gooseberry, and are much of the same + size. They are of a lively red, when gathered and kept in water, + and make very good tarts. I believe these are the berries which + Captain Smith compared to the English gooseberry, and called + Rawcomens; having, perhaps, seen them only on the bushes, where + they are always very sour. + + 4. The wild raspberry is by some there preferred to those that + were transplanted thither from England; but I cannot be of their + opinion. + + 5. Strawberries they have, as delicious as any in the world, and + growing almost every where in the woods and fields. They are eaten + almost by all creatures; and yet are so plentiful that very few + persons take care to transplant them, but can find enough to fill + their baskets, when they have a mind, in the deserted old fields. + +Sec. 14. There grow wild several sorts of good nuts, viz.: chestnuts, +chinkapins, hazelnuts, hickories, walnuts, &c. + + 1. Chestnuts are found upon very high trees, growing in barren + ridges. They are something less than the French chestnut; but, I + think not differing at all in taste. + + 2. Chinkapins have a taste something like a chestnut, and grow in + a husk or bur, being of the same sort of substance, but not so big + as an acorn. They grow upon large bushes, some about as high as + the common apple trees in England, and either in the high or low, + but always barren ground. + + 3. Hazelnuts are there in infinite plenty, in all the swamps; and + towards the heads of the rivers, whole acres of them are found + upon the high land. + + 4. Hickory nuts are of several sorts, all growing upon great + trees, and in an husk, like the French walnut, except that the + husk is not so thick, and more apt to open. Some of these nuts are + inclosed in so hard a shell, that a light hammer will hardly crack + them; and when they are cracked, their kernel is fastened with so + firm a web, that there is no coming at it. Several other sorts I + have seen with thinner shells, whose kernels may be got with less + trouble. There are also several sorts of hickories, called pig + nuts, some of which have as thin a shell as the best French + walnuts, and yield their meat very easily; they are all of the + walnut kind. + + 5. They have a sort of walnut they call black walnuts, which are + as big again as any I ever saw in England, but are very rank and + oily, having a thick, hard, foul shell, and come not clear of the + husk as the walnut in France doth; but the inside of the nut, and + leaves, and growing of the tree, declare it to be of the walnut + kind. + + 6. Their woods likewise afford a vast variety of acorns, seven + sorts of which have fallen under my observation. That which grows + upon the live oak, buds, ripens and drops off the tree, almost the + whole year around. All their acorns are very fat and oily; but the + live oak acorn is much more so than the rest, and I believe the + making of oil of them would turn to a good account; but now they + only serve as mast for the hogs and other wild creatures, as do + all the other fruits aforementioned, together with several other + sorts of mast growing upon the beach, pine and other trees. The + same use is made also of diverse sorts of pulse and other fruits + growing upon wild vines; such as peas, beans, vetches, squashes, + maycocks, maracocks, melons, cucumbers, lupines, and an infinity + of other sorts of fruits, which I cannot name. + +Sec. 15. Grapes grow wild there in an incredible plenty and variety, some +of which are very sweet and pleasant to the taste; others rough and +harsh, and perhaps fitter for wine or brandy. I have seen great trees +covered with single vines, and those vines almost hid with the grapes. +Of these wild grapes, besides those large ones in the mountains, +mentioned by Batt in his discovery, I have observed four very different +kinds, viz: + + 1. One of these sorts grows among the sand banks upon the edges of + the low grounds, and islands next the bay and sea, and also in the + swamps and breaches of the uplands. They grow thin in small + bunches, and upon very low vines. These are noble grapes; and + though they are wild in the woods, are as large as the Dutch + gooseberry. One species of them is white, others purple, blue and + black, but all much alike in flavor; and some long, some round. + + 2. A second kind is produced throughout the whole country, in the + swamps and sides of hills. These also grow upon small vines, and + in small bunches; but are themselves the largest grapes, as big as + the English bullace, and of a rank taste when ripe, resembling the + smell of a fox, from whence they are called fox grapes. Both these + sorts make admirable tarts, being of a fleshy substance, and + perhaps, if rightly managed, might make good raisins. + + 3. There are two species more that are common to the whole + country, some of which are black, and some blue on the outside, + and some white. They grow upon vast large vines, and bear very + plentifully. The nice observer might perhaps distinguish them into + several kinds, because they differ in color, size, and relish; but + I shall divide them only into two, viz: the early and the late + ripe. The early ripe common grape is much larger, sweeter and + better than the other. Of these some are quite black, and others + blue, and some white or yellow; some also ripen three weeks or a + month before the other. The distance of their ripening, is from + the latter end of August to the latter end of October. The late + ripe common grapes are less than any of the other, neither are + they so pleasant to the taste. They hang commonly till the latter + end of November, or till Christmas; all that I have seen of these + are black. Of the former of these two sorts, the French refugees + at the Monacan town made a sort of claret, though they were + gathered off of the wild vines in the woods. I was told by a very + good judge who tasted it, that it was a pleasant, strong, and full + bodied wine. From which we may conclude, that if the wine was but + tolerable good when made of the wild grape, which is shaded by the + woods from the sun, it would be much better if produced of the + same grape cultivated in a regular vineyard. + +The year before the massacre, Anno 1622, which destroyed so many good +projects for Virginia, some French vignerons were sent thither to make +an experiment of their vines. These people were so in love with the +country, that the character they then gave of it in their letters to the +company in England, was very much to its advantage, namely: "That it far +excelled their own country of Languedoc, the vines growing in great +abundance and variety all over the land; that some of the grapes were of +that unusual bigness, that they did not believe them to be grapes, until +by opening them they had seen their kernels; that they had planted the +cuttings of their vines at Michaelmas, and had grapes from those very +cuttings the spring following. Adding in the conclusion, that they had +not heard of the like in any other country." Neither was this out of the +way, for I have made the same experiment, both of their natural vine and +of the plants sent thither from England. + +The copies of the letters, here quoted, to the company in England, are +still to be seen; and Purchase, in his fourth volume of pilgrims, has +very justly quoted some of them. + +Sec. 16. The honey and sugar trees are likewise spontaneous near the heads +of the rivers. The honey tree bears a thick swelling pod, full of honey, +appearing at a distance like the bending pod of a bean or pea; it is +very like the carob tree in the herbals. The sugar tree yields a kind of +sap or juice, which by boiling is made into sugar. This juice is drawn +out by wounding the trunk of the tree, and placing a receiver under the +wound. It is said that the Indians make one pound of sugar out of eight +pounds of the liquor. Some of this sugar I examined very carefully. It +was bright and moist, with a large, full grain, the sweetness of it +being like that of good muscovado. + +Though this discovery has not been made by the English above 28 or +thirty years, yet it has been known among the Indians before the English +settled there. It was found out by the English after this manner: The +soldiers which were kept on the land frontiers to clear them of the +Indians, taking their range through a piece of low ground about forty +miles above the then inhabited parts of Potomac river, and resting +themselves in the woods of those low grounds, observed an inspissate +juice, like molasses, distilling from the tree. The heat of the sun had +candied some of this juice, which gave the men a curiosity to taste it. +They found it sweet, and by this process of nature learned to improve it +into sugar. But the Christian inhabitants are now settled where many of +these trees grow, but it hath not yet been tried, whether for quantity +or quality it may be worth while to cultivate this discovery. + +Thus the Canada Indians make sugar of the sap of a tree. And Peter +Martyr mentions a tree that yields the like sap, but without any +description. The eleomeli of the ancients, a sweet juice like honey, is +said to be got by wounding the olive tree; and the East Indians extract +a sort of sugar, they call jagra, from the juice, or potable liquor, +that flows from the coco tree. The whole process of boiling, graining +and refining of which, is accurately set down by the authors of Hortus +Malabaricus. + +Sec. 17. At the mouth of their rivers, and all along upon the sea and bay, +and near many of their creeks and swamps, grows the myrtle, bearing a +berry, of which they make a hard brittle wax, of a curious green color, +which by refining becomes almost transparent. Of this they make candles, +which are never greasy to the touch, nor melt with lying in the hottest +weather; neither does the snuff of these ever offend the smell like that +of a tallow candle; but instead of being disagreeable, if an accident +put a candle out, it yields a pleasant fragrancy to all that are in the +room; insomuch, that nice people often put them out, on purpose to have +the incense of the expiring snuff. + +The melting of these berries is said to have been first found out by a +surgeon in New England, who performed wonderful things, with a salve +made of them. This discovery is very modern, notwithstanding these +countries have been so long settled. + +The method of managing these berries is by boiling them in water, till +they come to be entirely dissolved, except the stone or seed in the +middle, which amounts in quantity to about half the bulk of the berry; +the biggest of which is something less than a corn of pepper. + +There are also in the plains, and rich low grounds of the freshes, +abundance of hops, which yield their product without any labor of the +husbandman, in weeding, hilling or poling. + +Sec. 18. All over the country is interspersed here and there a surprising +variety of curious plants and flowers. They have a sort of briar, +growing something like the sarsaparilla. The berry of this is as big as +a pea, and as round, the seed being of a bright crimson color. It is +very hard, and finely polished by nature, so that it might be put to +diverse ornamental uses, as necklaces are, &c. + +There are several woods, plants and earths, which have been fit for the +dying of curious colors. They have the puccoon and musquaspen, two +roots, with which the Indians use to paint themselves red. And a berry, +which grows upon a wild briar, dyes a handsome blue. There is the sumac +and the sassafras, which make a deep yellow. Mr. Heriot tells us of +several others which he found at Pamtego, and gives the Indian names of +them; but that language being not understood by the Virginians, I am not +able to distinguish which he means. Particularly he takes notice of +wasebur, an herb; chapacour, a root; and tangomockonominge, a bark. + +There's the snake root, so much admired in England for a cordial, and +for being a great antidote in all pestilential distempers. + +There's the rattlesnake root, to which no remedy was ever yet found +comparable; for it effectually cures the bite of a rattlesnake, which +sometimes has been mortal in two minutes. If this medicine be early +applied, it presently removes the infection, and in two or three hours +restores the patient to as perfect health as if he had never been hurt. + +The Jamestown weed (which resembles the thorny apple of Peru, and I take +to be the plant so called) is supposed to be one of the greatest coolers +in the world. This being an early plant, was gathered very young for a +boiled salad, by some of the soldiers sent thither to quell the +rebellion of Bacon; and some of them eat plentifully of it, the effect +of which was a very pleasant comedy; for they turned natural fools upon +it for several days: one would blow up a feather in the air; another +would dart straws at it with much fury; and another stark naked was +sitting up in a corner, like a monkey, grinning and making mows at them; +a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and snear in their +faces, with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll. In this +frantic condition they were confined, lest they should in their folly +destroy themselves; though it was observed that all their actions were +full of innocence and good nature. Indeed, they were not very cleanly, +for they would have wallowed in their own excrements if they had not +been prevented. A thousand such simple tricks they played, and after +eleven days returned to themselves again, not remembering anything that +had passed. + +Perhaps this was the same herb that Mark Antony's army met with in his +retreat from the Parthian war and siege of Phraata, when such as had +eaten thereof employed themselves with much earnestness and industry in +grubbing up stones, and removing them from one place to another, as if +it had been a business of the greatest consequence. Wine, as the story +says, was found a sovereign remedy for it, which is likely enough, the +malignity of this herb being cold. + +Of spontaneous flowers they have an unknown variety: the finest crown +imperial in the world; the cardinal flower, so much extolled for its +scarlet color, is almost in every branch; the moccasin flower, and a +thousand others not yet known to English herbalists. Almost all the year +round the levels and vales are beautified with flowers of one kind or +other, which make their woods as fragrant as a garden. From the +materials, their wild bees make vast quantities of honey, but their +magazines are very often rifled by bears, raccoons, and such like +liquorish vermin. + +About the year 1701, walking out to take the air, I found, a little +without my pasture fence, a flower as big as a tulip, and upon a stalk +resembling the stalk of a tulip. The flower was of a flesh color, having +a down upon one end, while the other was plain. The form of it resembled +the pudenda of a man and woman lovingly joined in one. Not long after I +had discovered this rarity, and while it was still in bloom, I drew a +grave gentleman, about an hundred yards out of his way, to see this +curiosity, not telling him anything more than that it was a rarity, and +such perhaps as he had never seen nor heard of. When we arrived at the +place, I gathered one of them, and put it into his hand, which he had no +sooner cast his eye upon, but he threw it away with indignation, as +being ashamed of this waggery of nature. It was impossible to persuade +him to touch it again, or so much as to squint towards so immodest a +representation. Neither would I presume to mention such an indecency, +but that I thought it unpardonable to omit a production so +extraordinary. + +There is also found the fine tulip-bearing laurel tree, which has the +pleasantest smell in the world, and keeps blossoming and seeding several +months together. It delights much in gravelly branches of chrystal +streams, and perfumes the very woods with its odor. So also do the large +tulip tree, which we call a poplar, the locust, which resembles much +the jasmine, and the perfuming crab tree, during their season. With one +sort or other of these, as well as many other sweet-flowering trees not +named, the vales are almost everywhere adorned, and yield a surprising +variety to divert the traveler. + +They find a world of medicinal plants likewise in that country, and +amongst the rest the planters pretend to have a swamp-root, which +infallibly cures all fevers and agues. The bark of the sassafras tree +and wild cherry tree have been experimented to partake very much of the +virtue of the cortex peruviana. The bark of the root, of that which we +call the prickly ash, being dried and powdered, has been found to be a +specific in old ulcers and long running sores. Infinite is the number of +other valuable vegetables of every kind; but natural history not having +been my study, I am unwilling to do wrong to my subject by an unskillful +description. + +Sec. 19. Several kinds of the creeping vines bearing fruit, the Indians +planted in their gardens or fields, because they would have plenty of +them always at hand; such as muskmelons, watermelons, pompions, cushaws, +macocks and gourds. + + 1. Their muskmelons resemble the large Italian kind, and generally + fill four or five quarts. + + 2. Their watermelons were much more large, and of several kinds, + distinguished by the color of their meat and seed; some are red, + some yellow, and others white meated; and so of the seed, some are + yellow, some red, and some black; but these are never of different + colors in the same melon. This fruit the Muscovites call arpus; + the Turks and Tartars karpus, because they are extremely cooling. + The Persians call them hindnanes, because they had the first seed + of them from the Indies. They are excellently good, and very + pleasant to the taste, as also to the eye; having the rind of a + lively green color, streaked and watered, the meat of a carnation, + and the seed black and shining, while it lies in the melon. + + 3. Their pompions I need not describe, but must say they are much + larger and finer than any I ever heard of in England. + + 4. Their cushaws are a kind of pompion, of a bluish green color, + streaked with white, when they are fit for use. They are larger + than the pompions, and have a long narrow neck. Perhaps this may + be the ecushaw of T. Harriot. + + 5. Their macocks are a sort of melopepones, or lesser sort of + pompion or cushaw. Of these they have great variety; but the + Indian name macock serves for all, which name is still retained + among them. Yet the clypeatae are sometimes called cymnels, (as are + some others also,) from the lenten cake of that name, which many + of them very much resemble. Squash, or squanter-squash, is their + name among the northern Indians, and so they are called in New + York and New England. These being boiled whole, when the apple is + young, and the shell tender, and dished with cream or butter, + relish very well with all sorts of butcher's meat, either fresh or + salt. And whereas the pompion is never eaten till it be ripe, + these are never eaten after they are ripe. + + 6. The Indians never eat the gourds, but plant them for other + uses. Yet the Persians, who likewise abound with this sort of + fruit, eat the cucurbita lagenaris, which they call kabach, + boiling it while it is green, before it comes to its full + maturity, for when it is ripe the rind dries, and grows as hard as + the bark of a tree, and the meat within is so consumed and dried + away, that there is then nothing left but the seed, which the + Indians take clean out, and afterwards use the shells, instead of + flagons and cups, as is done also in several other parts of the + world. + + 7. The maracock, which is the fruit of what we call the passion + flower, our natives did not take the pains to plant, having enough + of it growing everywhere, though they often eat it; this fruit is + about the size of a pullet's egg. + +Sec. 20. Besides all these, our natives had originally amongst them Indian +corn, peas, beans, potatoes and tobacco. + +This Indian corn was the staff of food upon which the Indians did ever +depend; for when sickness, bad weather, war, or any other ill accident +kept them from hunting, fishing and fowling, this, with the addition of +some peas, beans, and such other fruits of the earth, as were then in +season, was the family's dependence, and the support of their women and +children. + +There are four sorts of Indian corn: two of which are early ripe, and +two late ripe, all growing in the same manner; every single grain of +this when planted produces a tall upright stalk, which has several ears +hanging on the sides of it, from six to ten inches long. Each ear is +wrapt up in a cover of many folds, to protect it from the injuries of +the weather. In every one of these ears are several rows of grain, set +close to one another, with no other partition but of a very thin husk. +So that oftentimes the increase of this grain amounts to above a +thousand for one. + +The two sorts which are early ripe, are distinguished only by the size, +which shows itself as well in the grain as in the ear and the stalk. +There is some difference also in the time of ripening. + +The lesser size of early ripe corn yields an ear not much larger than +the handle of a case knife, and grows upon a stalk between three and +four feet high. Of this may be made two crops in a year, and perhaps +there might be heat enough in England to ripen it. + +The larger sort differs from the former only in largeness, the ear of +this being seven or eight inches long, as thick as a child's leg, and +growing upon a stalk nine or ten feet high. This is fit for eating about +the latter end of June, whereas the smaller sort (generally speaking) +affords ears fit to roast by the middle of June. The grains of both +these sorts are as plump and swelled as if the skin were ready to +burst. + +The late ripe corn is diversified by the shape of the grain only, +without any respect to the accidental differences in color, some being +blue, some red, some yellow, some white, and some streaked. That +therefore which makes the distinction, is the plumpness or shriveling of +the grain; the one looks as smooth and as full as the early ripe corn, +and this they call flint corn; the other has a larger grain, and looks +shriveled, with a dent on the back of the grain, as if it had never come +to perfection; and this they call she corn. This is esteemed by the +planters as the best for increase, and is universally chosen by them for +planting; yet I can't see but that this also produces the flint corn, +accidentally among the other. + +All these sorts are planted alike in rows, three, four or five grains in +a hill; the larger sort at four or five feet distance, the lesser sort +nearer. The Indians used to give it one or two weedings, and make a hill +about it, and so the labor was done. They likewise plant a bean in the +same hill with the corn, upon whose stalk it sustains itself. + +The Indians sowed peas sometimes in the intervals of the rows of corn, +but more generally in a patch of ground by themselves. They have an +unknown variety of them, (but all of a kidney shape,) some of which I +have met with wild; but whence they had their Indian corn I can give no +account; for I don't believe that it was spontaneous in those parts. + +Their potatoes are either red or white, about as long as a boy's leg, +and sometimes as long and big as both the leg and thigh of a young +child, and very much resembling it in shape. I take these kinds to be +the same with those which are represented in the herbals to be Spanish +potatoes. I am sure those called English or Irish potatoes are nothing +like these, either in shape, color or taste. The way of propagating +potatoes there, is by cutting the small ones to pieces, and planting the +cuttings in hills of loose earth; but they are so tender, that it is +very difficult to preserve them in the winter, for the least frost +coming at them, rots and destroys them, and therefore people bury 'em +under ground, near the fire-hearth, all the winter, until the time comes +that their seedings are to be set. + +How the Indians ordered their tobacco I am not certain, they now +depending chiefly upon the English for what they smoke; but I am +informed they used to let it all run to seed, only succoring the leaves +to keep the sprouts from growing upon, and starving them; and when it +was ripe they pulled off the leaves, cured them in the sun, and laid +them up for use. But the planters make a heavy bustle with it now, and +can't please the market neither. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OF THE FISH. + + +Sec. 21. As for fish, both of fresh and salt water, of shell fish, and +others, no country can boast of more variety, greater plenty, or of +better in their several kinds. + +In the spring of the year herrings come up in such abundance into their +brooks and fords to spawn, that it is almost impossible to ride through +without treading on them. Thus do those poor creatures expose their own +lives to some hazard, out of their care to find a more convenient +reception for their young, which are not yet alive. Thence it is that at +this time of the year the freshes of the rivers, like that of the +Broadruck, stink of fish. + +Besides these herrings, there come up likewise into the freshes from the +sea multitudes of shad, rock, sturgeon, and some few lampreys, which +fasten themselves to the shad, as the remora of Imperatus is said to do +to the shark of Tiburone. They continue their stay there about three +months. The shads at their first coming up are fat and fleshy; but they +waste so extremely in milting and spawning, that at their going down +they are poor, and seem fuller of bones, only because they have less +flesh. It is upon this account (I suppose) that those in the Severn, +which in Gloucester they call twaits, are said at first to want those +intermusculary bones, which afterwards they abound with. As these are in +the freshes, so the salts afford at certain times of the year many other +kinds of fish in infinite shoals, such as the old-wife, a fish not much +unlike an herring, and the sheep's-head, a sort of fish, which they +esteem in the number of their best. + +Sec. 22. There is likewise great plenty of other fish all the summer long; +and almost in every part of the rivers and brooks, there are found of +different kinds. Wherefore I shall not pretend to give a detail of them, +but venture to mention the names only of such as I have eaten and seen +myself, and so leave the rest to those that are better skilled in +natural history. However, I may add, that besides all those that I have +met with myself, I have heard of a great many very good sorts, both in +the salts and freshes; and such people, too, as have not always spent +their time in that country, have commended them to me beyond any they +had ever eaten before. + +Those which I know of myself I remember by the names of herring, rock, +sturgeon, shad, old-wife, sheep's-head, black and red drum, trout, +taylor, green-fish, sun-fish, bass, chub, place, flounder, whiting, +fatback, maid, wife, small-turtle, crab, oyster, mussel, cockle, shrimp, +needle-fish, breme, carp, pike, jack, mullet, eel, conger-eel, perch, +and cat, &c. + +Those which I remember to have seen there, of the kinds that are not +eaten, are the whale, porpus, shark, dog-fish, garr, stingray, +thornback, saw-fish, toad-fish, frog-fish, land-crab, fiddler, and +periwinckle. One day as I was hauling a sein upon the salts, I caught a +small fish about two inches and an half long, in shape something +resembling a scorpion, but of a dirty, dark color. I was a little shy of +handling it, though I believe there was no hurt in it. This I judge to +be that fish which Mr. Purchase in his Pilgrims, and Captain Smith in +his General History, page 125, affirm to be extremely like St. George's +Dragon, except only that it wants feet and wings. Governor Spotswood has +one of them dried in full shape. + +Sec. 23. Before the arrival of the English there the Indians had fish in +such vast plenty, that the boys and girls would take a pointed stick and +strike the lesser sort as they swam upon the flats. The larger fish, +that kept in deeper water, they were put to a little more difficulty to +take. But for these they made weirs, that is, a hedge of small riv'd +sticks, or reeds, of the thickness of a man's finger. These they wove +together in a row, with straps of green oak, or other tough wood, so +close that the small fish could not pass through. Upon high water mark +they pitched one end of this hedge, and the other they extended into the +river, to the depth of eight or ten feet, fastening it with stakes, +making cods out from the hedge on one side almost at the end, and +leaving a gap for the fish to go into them, which were contrived so that +the fish could easily find their passage into those cods when they were +at the gap, but not see their way out again when they were in. Thus, if +they offered to pass through, they were taken. + +Sometimes they made such a hedge as this quite across a creek at high +water, and at low would go into the run, then contracted into a narrow +stream, and take out what fish they pleased. + +At the falls of the rivers, where the water is shallow, and the current +strong, the Indians use another kind of weir, thus made: They make a dam +of loose stone, whereof there is plenty at hand, quite across the river, +leaving one, two or more spaces or tunnels for the water to pass +through; at the mouth of which they set a pot of reeds, wove in form of +a cone, whose base is about three feet, and perpendicular ten, into +which the swiftness of the current carries the fish, and there lodges +them. + +The Indian way of catching sturgeon, when they came into the narrow part +of the rivers, was by a man's clapping a noose over their tails, and by +keeping fast his hold. Thus a fish finding itself entangled would +flounce, and often pull the man under water, and then that man was +counted a cockarouse, or brave fellow, that would not let go; till with +swimming, wading and diving, he had tired the sturgeon, and brought it +ashore. These sturgeons would also often leap into their canoes in +crossing the river, as many of them do still every year into the boats +of the English. + +They have also another way of fishing like those on the Euxine sea, by +the help of a blazing fire by night. They make a hearth in the middle of +their canoe, raising it within two inches of the edge; upon this they +lay their burning lightwood, split into small shivers, each splinter +whereof will blaze and burn, end for end, like a candle: 'Tis one man's +work to attend his fire and keep it flaming. At each end of the canoe +stands an Indian, with a gig or pointed spear, setting the canoe +forward, with the butt end of the spear, as gently as he can, by that +means stealing upon the fish without any noise, or disturbing of the +water. Then they with great dexterity dart these spears into the fish, +and so take them. Now there is a double convenience in the blaze of this +fire, for it not only dazzles the eyes of the fish, which will lie +still, glaring upon it, but likewise discovers the bottom of the river +clearly to the fisherman, which the daylight does not. + +The following print, I may justly affirm to be a very true +representation of the Indian fishery. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab: 1. Book 2. Pag: 120] + +TAB. I. Represents the Indians in a canoe with a fire in the middle, +attended by a boy and a girl. In one end is a net made of silk grass, +which they use in fishing their weirs. Above is the shape of their +weirs, and the manner of setting a weir wedge across the mouth of a +creek. + + NOTE. That in fishing their weirs they lay the side of the canoe + to the cods of the weir, for the more convenient coming at them, + and not with the end going into the cods, as is set down in the + print: but we could not otherwise represent it here, lest we + should have confounded the shape of the weir with the canoe. + + In the air you see a fishing hawk flying away with a fish, and a + bald eagle pursuing to take it from him; the bald eagle has always + his head and tail white, and they carry such a lustre with them + that the white thereof may be discerned as far as you can see the + shape of the bird, and seems as if it were without feathers, and + thence it has its name bald eagle. + +Sec. 24. 'Tis a good diversion to observe, the manner of the fishing-hawk's +preying upon fish, which may be seen every fair day all the summer long, +and especially in a morning. At the first coming of the fish in the +spring, these birds of prey are surprisingly eager. I believe, in the +dead of winter, they fish farther off at sea, or remain among the craggy +uninhabited islands upon the sea coast. I have often been pleasantly +entertained by seeing these hawks take the fish out of the water, and as +they were flying away with their quarry, the bald eagles take it from +them again. I have often observed the first of these hover over the +water and rest upon the wing some minutes together, without the least +change of place, and then from a vast height dart directly into the +water, and there plunge down for the space of half a minute or more, and +at last bring up with him a fish which he could hardly rise with; then, +having got upon the wing again, he would shake himself so powerfully +that he threw the water like a mist about him; afterwards away he'd fly +to the woods with his game, if he were not overlooked by the bald eagle +and robbed by the way, which very frequently happens. For the bald eagle +no sooner perceives a hawk that has taken his prey but he immediately +pursues and strives to get above him in the air, which if he can once +attain, the hawk for fear of being torn by him, lets the fish drop, and +so by the loss of his dinner compounds for his own safety. The poor fish +is no sooner loosed from the hawk's talons, but the eagle shoots himself +with wonderful swiftness after it, and catches it in the air, leaving +all further pursuit of the hawk, which has no other remedy but to go and +fish for another. + +Walking once with a gentleman in an orchard by the river side, early in +the spring, before the fish were by us perceived to appear in shoal +water or near the shores, and before any had been caught by the people, +we heard a great noise in the air just over our heads, and looking up we +saw an eagle in close pursuit of a hawk that had a great fish in his +pounces. The hawk was as low as the apple trees before he would let go +his fish, thinking to recover the wood which was just by, where the +eagles dare never follow, for fear of bruising themselves. But, +notwithstanding the fish was dropped so low, and though it did not fall +above thirty yards from us, yet we with our hollowing, running and +casting up our hats, could hardly save the fish from the eagle, and if +it had been let go two yards higher he would have got it: but we at last +took possession of it alive, carried it home, and had it dressed +forthwith. It served five of us very plentifully for a breakfast, and +some to the servants. This fish was a rock near two feet long, very fat, +and a great rarity for the time of year, as well as for the manner of +its being taken. + +These fishing hawks, in more plentiful seasons, will catch a fish and +loiter about with it in the air, on purpose to have chase with an eagle; +and when he does not appear soon enough the hawk will make a saucy +noise, and insolently defy him. This has been frequently seen by persons +who have observed their fishings. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OF WILD FOWL AND HUNTED GAME. + + +Sec. 25. As in summer, the rivers and creeks are filled with fish, so in +winter they are in many places covered with fowl. There are such a +multitude of swans, geese, brants, sheldrakes, ducks of several sorts, +mallard, teal, blewings, and many other kinds of water fowl, that the +plenty of them is incredible. I am but a small sportsman, yet with a +fowling piece have killed above twenty of them at a shot. In like manner +are the mill ponds and great runs in the woods stored with these wild +fowl at certain seasons of the year. + +Sec. 26. The shores, marshy grounds, swamps and savannahs are also stored +with the like plenty of other game of all sorts, as cranes, curlews, +herons, snipes, woodcocks, saurers, ox-eyes, plovers, larks, and many +other good birds for the table that they have not yet found a name for. +Not to mention beavers, otters, musk rats, minxes, and an infinite +number of other wild creatures. + +Sec. 27. Although the inner lands want these benefits, (which, however, no +pond or plash is without,) yet even they have the advantage of wild +turkeys, of an incredible bigness, pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and +an infinity of small birds, as well as deer, hares, foxes, raccoons, +squirrels, opossums. And upon the frontier plantations, they meet with +bears, panthers, wild cats, elks, buffaloes and wild hogs, which yield +pleasure as well as profit to the sportsman. And though some of these +names may seem frightful to the English, who hear not of them in their +own country, yet they are not so there, for all these creatures ever +fly from the face of man, doing no damage but to the cattle and hogs, +which the Indians never troubled themselves about. + +Here I cannot omit a strange rarity in the female opossum, which I +myself have seen. They have a false belly, or loose skin quite over the +belly; this never sticks to the flesh of the belly, but may be looked +into at all times, after they have been concerned in procreation. In the +hinderpart of this is an aperture big enough for a small hand to pass +into: hither the young ones, after they are full haired, and strong +enough to run about, do fly whenever any danger appears, or when they go +to rest or suck. This they continue till they have learned to live +without the dam: but what is yet stranger, the young ones are bred in +this false belly without ever being within the true one. They are formed +at the teat, and there they grow for several weeks together into perfect +shape, becoming visibly larger, till at last they get strength, sight +and hair; and then they drop off and rest in this false belly, going in +and out at pleasure. I have observed them thus fastened at the teat from +the bigness of a fly until they become as large as a mouse. Neither is +it any hurt to the old one to open this budget and look in upon her +young. + +Sec. 28. The Indians had no other way of taking their water or land fowl, +but by the help of bows and arrows. Yet so great was their plenty, that +with this weapon only they killed what numbers they pleased. And when +the water fowl kept far from shore (as in warmer weather they sometimes +did) they took their canoes and paddled after them. + +But they had a better way of killing the elks, buffaloes, deer, and +greater game, by a method which we call fire hunting: that is, a company +of them would go together back into the woods any time in the winter, +when the leaves were falling and so dry that they would burn; and being +come to the place designed, they would fire the woods in a circle of +five or six miles compass; and when they had completed the first round +they retreated inward, each at his due distance, and put fire to the +leaves and grass afresh, to accelerate the work, which ought to be +finished with the day. This they repeat till the circle be so contracted +that they can see their game herded all together in the middle, panting +and almost stifled with heat and smoke; for the poor creatures being +frightened at the flame keep running continually round, thinking to run +from it, and dare not pass through the fire; by which means they are +brought at last into a very narrow compass. Then the Indians retreat +into the centre, and let fly their arrows at them as they pass round +within the circle; by this means, though they stand often quite clouded +in smoke, they rarely shoot each other. By this means they destroy all +the beasts collected within that circle. They make all this slaughter +chiefly for the sake of the skins, leaving most of the carcasses to +perish in the woods. + +Father Verbiast, in his description of the Emperor of China's voyage +into the Eastern Tartary, Anno 1682, gives an account of a way of +hunting the Tartars have, not much unlike this; only whereas the Indians +surround their game with fire, the Tartars do it with a great body of +armed men, who having environed the ground they design to drive, march +equally inwards, which, still as the ring lessens, brings the men nearer +each other, till at length the wild beasts are encompassed with a living +wall. + +The Indians have many pretty inventions to discover and come up to the +deer, turkeys and other game undiscerned; but that being an art known to +very few English there, I will not be so accessary to the destruction of +their game as to make it public. I shall therefore only tell you, that +when they go a hunting into the outlands, they commonly go out for the +whole season with their wives and family. At the place where they find +the most game they build up a convenient number of small cabins, wherein +they live during that season. These cabins are both begun and finished +in two or three days, and after the season is over they make no farther +account of them. + +Sec. 29. This, and a great deal more, was the natural production of that +country, which the native Indians enjoyed, without the curse of +industry, their diversion alone, and not their labor, supplying their +necessities. The women and children indeed were so far provident as to +lay up some of the nuts and fruits of the earth in their season for +their farther occasions: but none of the toils of husbandry were +exercised by this happy people, except the bare planting a little corn +and melons, which took up only a few days in the summer, the rest being +wholly spent in the pursuit of their pleasures. And indeed all that the +English have done since their going thither has been only to make some +of these native pleasures more scarce, by an inordinate and unseasonable +use of them; hardly making improvements equivalent to that damage. + +I shall in the next book give an account of the Indians themselves, +their religion, laws and customs; that so both the country and its +primitive inhabitants may be considered together in that original state +of nature in which the English found them. Afterwards I will treat of +the present state of the English there, and the alterations, I can't +call them improvements, they have made at this day. + + + + +BOOK III. + +OF THE INDIANS, THEIR RELIGION, LAWS AND CUSTOMS, IN WAR AND PEACE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +OF THE INDIANS AND THEIR DRESS. + + +Sec. 1. The Indians are of the middling and largest stature of the English. +They are straight and well proportioned, having the cleanest and most +exact limbs in the world. They are so perfect in their outward frame, +that I never heard of one single Indian that was either dwarfish, +crooked, bandy-legged, or otherwise misshapen. But if they have any such +practice among them as the Romans had, of exposing such children till +they died, as were weak and misshapen at their birth, they are very shy +of confessing it, and I could never yet learn that they had. + +Their color, when they are grown up, is a chestnut brown and tawny; but +much clearer in their infancy. Their skin comes afterwards to harden and +grow blacker by greasing and sunning themselves. They have generally +coal black hair, and very black eyes, which are most commonly graced +with that sort of squint which many of the Jews are observed to have. +Their women are generally beautiful, possessing shape and features +agreeable enough, and wanting no charm but that of education and a fair +complexion. + +Sec. 2. The men wear their hair cut after several fanciful fashions, +sometimes greased, and sometimes painted. The great men, or better sort, +preserve a long lock behind for distinction. They pull their beards up +by the roots with musselshells, and both men and women do the same by +the other parts of their body for cleanliness sake. The women wear the +hair of the head very long, either hanging at their backs, or brought +before in a single lock, bound up with a fillet of peak, or beads; +sometimes also they wear it neatly tied up in a knot behind. It is +commonly greased, and shining black, but never painted. + +The people of condition, of both sexes, wear a sort of coronet on their +heads, from four to six inches broad, open at the top, and composed of +peak, or beads, or else of both interwoven together, and worked into +figures, made by a nice mixture of the colors. Sometimes they wear a +wreath of died furs, as likewise bracelets on their necks and arms. The +common people go bare-headed, only sticking large shining feathers about +their heads, as their fancies lead them. + +Sec. 3. Their clothes are a large mantle, carelessly wrapped about their +bodies, and sometimes girt close in the middle with a girdle. The upper +part of this mantle is drawn close upon the shoulders, and the other +hangs below their knees. When that's thrown off, they have only for +modesty sake a piece of cloth, or a small skin tied round their waist, +which reaches down to the middle of the thigh. The common sort tie only +a string round their middle, and pass a piece of cloth or skin round +between their thighs, which they turn at each end over the string. + +Their shoes, when they wear any, are made of an entire piece of +buckskin, except when they sew a piece to the bottom to thicken the +sole. They are fastened on with running strings, the skin being drawn +together like a purse on the top of the foot, and tied round the ankle. +The Indian name of this kind of shoe is moccasin. + +But because a draught of these things will inform the reader more +at first view than a description in many words, I shall present him with +the following prints drawn by the life. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab: 2 Book: 3 Pag 129] + +TAB. II. is an Indian man in his summer dress. The upper part of his +hair is cut short to make a ridge, which stands up like the comb of a +cock, the rest is either shorn off, or knotted behind his ear. On his +head are stuck three feathers of the wild turkey, pheasant, hawk, or +such like. At his ear is hung a fine shell with pearl drops. At his +breast is a tablet, or fine shell, smooth as polished marble, which +sometimes also hath etched on it a star, half moon, or other figure, +according to the maker's fancy. Upon his neck and wrists hang strings of +beads, peak and roenoke. His apron is made of a deer skin, gashed round +the edges, which hang like tassels or fringe; at the upper end of the +fringe is an edging of peak, to make it finer. His quiver is of a thin +bark; but sometimes they make it of the skin of a fox, or young wolf, +with the head hanging to it, which has a wild sort of terror in it; and +to make it yet more warlike, they tie it on with the tail of a panther, +buffalo, or such like, letting the end hang down between their legs. The +pricked lines on his shoulders, breast and legs, represent the figures +painted thereon. In his left hand he holds a bow, and in his right an +arrow. The mark upon his shoulderblade is a distinction used by the +Indians in traveling, to show the nation they are of; and perhaps is the +same with that which Baron Lahontan calls the arms and heraldry of the +Indians. Thus the several lettered marks are used by several other +nations about Virginia, when they make a journey to their friends and +allies. + +The landscape is a natural representation of an Indian field. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Fig. 2 Fig. 1 +Tab. 3 Book 3 Pag. 129] + +TAB. III is two Indian men in their winter dress. Seldom any but the +elder people wore the winter cloaks (which they call match-coats) till +they got a supply of European goods; and now most have them of one sort +or other in the cold winter weather. Fig. 1 wears the proper Indian +match-coat, which is made of skins, dressed with the fur on, sewed +together, and worn with the fur inwards, having the edges also gashed +for beauty sake. On his feet are moccasins. By him stand some Indian +cabins on the banks of the river. Fig. 2 wears the Duffield match-coat +bought of the English; on his head is a coronet of peak, on his legs are +stockings made of Duffields: that is, they take a length to reach from +the ankle to the knee, so broad as to wrap round the leg; this they sew +together, letting the edges stand out at an inch beyond the seam. When +this is on, they garter below knee, and fasten the lower end in the +moccasin. + +Sec. 4. I don't find that the Indians have any other distinction in their +dress, or the fashion of their hair, than only what a greater degree of +riches enables them to make, except it be their religious persons, who +are known by the particular cut of the hair and the unusual figure of +their garments; as our clergy are distinguished by their canonical +habit. + +The habit of the Indian priest is a cloak made in the form of a woman's +petticoat; but instead of tieing it about their middle, they fasten the +gatherings about their neck and tie it upon the right shoulder, always +keeping one arm out to use upon occasion. This cloak hangs even at the +bottom, but reaches no lower than the middle of the thigh; but what is +most particular in it is, that it is constantly made of a skin dressed +soft, with the pelt or fur on the outside, and reversed; insomuch, that +when the cloak has been a little worn the hair falls down in flakes, and +looks very shagged and frightful. + +The cut of their hair is likewise peculiar to their function; for 'tis +all shaven close except a thin crest, like a cock's comb, which stands +bristling up, and runs in a semicircle from the forehead up along the +crown to the nape of the neck. They likewise have a border of hair over +the forehead, which by its own natural strength, and by the +stiffening it receives from grease and paint, will stand out like the +peak of a bonnet. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +a Huskanaw pen. + 3 +Fig 2 a Priest a Conjurer Fig. 1 + Tab 4 Book 3 Pag 131] + +TAB. IV. Is a priest and a conjurer in their proper habits. The priest's +habit is sufficiently described above. The conjurer shaves all his hair +off, except the crest on the crown; upon his ear he wears the skin of +some dark colored bird; he, as well as the priest, is commonly grimed +with soot or the like; to save his modesty he hangs an otter skin at his +girdle, fastening the tail between his legs; upon his thigh hangs his +pocket, which is fastened by tucking it under his girdle, the bottom of +this is likewise fringed with tassels for ornament sake. In the middle +between them is the Huskanawpen spoken of Sec. 32. + +Sec. 5. The dress of the women is little different from that of the men, +except in the tieing of their hair. The women of distinction wear deep +necklaces, pendants and bracelets, made of small cylinders of the conch +shell, which they call peak: they likewise keep their skin clean and +shining with oil, while the men are commonly bedaubed all over with +paint. + +They are remarkable for having small round breasts, and so firm, that +they are hardly ever observed to hang down, even in old women. They +commonly go naked as far as the navel downward, and upward to the middle +of the thigh, by which means they have the advantage of discovering +their fine limbs and complete shape. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Fig. 2 Fig. 1 +Tab 5 Book 3 Pag. 131] + +TAB. V. Is a couple of young women. The first wearing a coronet, +necklace and bracelet of peak; the second a wreath of furs on her head, +and her hair is bound with a fillet of peak and beads. Between the two +is a woman under a tree making a basket of silk grass after their own +manner. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Pipe of peace v. ch. I have seen. Lahontans Calumet of peace. +a Birchen Canoe or Canoe of Bark +Tab. 6 Book 3 Pag. 132] + +TAB. VI. Is a woman and a boy running after her. One of her hands rests +in her necklace of peak, and the other holds a gourd, in which they put +water or other liquid. + +The boy wears a necklace of runtees, in his right hand is an Indian +rattle, and in his left a roasting ear of corn. Round his waist is a +small string, and another brought cross through his crotch, and for +decency a soft skin is fastened before. + +Runtees are made of the conch shell as the peak is, only the shape is +flat and round like a cheese, and drilled edge ways. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OF THE MARRIAGES AMONGST THE INDIANS, AND MANAGEMENT OF THEIR CHILDREN. + + +Sec. 6. The Indians have their solemnities of marriage, and esteem the vows +made at that time as most sacred and inviolable. Notwithstanding they +allow both the man and the wife to part upon disagreement, yet so great +is the disreputation of a divorce, that married people, to avoid the +character of inconstant and ungenerous, very rarely let their quarrels +proceed to a separation. However, when it does so happen, they reckon +all the ties of matrimony dissolved, and each hath the liberty of +marrying another. But infidelity is accounted the most unpardonable of +all crimes in either of the parties as long as the contract continues. + +In these separations, the children go, according to the affection of the +parent, with the one or the other; for children are not reckoned a +charge among them, but rather riches, according to the blessing of the +Old Testament; and if they happen to differ about dividing their +children, their method is then to part them equally, allowing the man +the first choice. + +Sec. 7. Though the young Indian women are said to prostitute their bodies +for wampom peak, runtees, beads, and other such like fineries; yet I +never could find any ground for the accusation, and believe it only to +be an unjust scandal upon them. This I know, that if ever they have a +child while they are single, it is such a disgrace to them that they +never after get husbands. Besides, I must do them the justice to say, I +never heard of a child any of them had before marriage, and the Indians +themselves disown any such custom; though they acknowledge, at the same +time, that the maidens are entirely at their own disposal, and may +manage their persons as they think fit. + +Sec. 8. The manner of the Indians treating their young children is very +strange; for instead of keeping them warm, at their first entry into the +world, and wrapping them up, with I don't know how many clothes, +according to our fond custom, the first thing they do is to dip the +child over head and ears in cold water, and then to bind it naked to a +convenient board, having a hole fitly placed for evacuation; but they +always put cotton, wool, fur, or other soft things, for the body to rest +easy on, between the child and the board. In this posture they keep it +several months, till the bones begin to harden, the joints to knit, and +the limbs to grow strong; and then they let it loose from the board, +suffering it to crawl about, except when they are feeding or playing +with it. + +While the child is thus at the board, they either lay it flat on its +back, or set it leaning on one end, or else hang it up by a string +fastened to the upper end of the board for that purpose; the child and +board being all this while carried about together. As our women undress +their children to clean and shift their linen, so they do theirs to wash +and grease them. + +The method the women have of carrying their children after they are +suffered to crawl about, is very particular; they carry them at their +backs in summer, taking one leg of the child under their arm, and the +counter-arm of the child in their hand over their shoulder; the other +leg hanging down, and the child all the while holding fast with its +other hand; but in winter they carry them in the hollow of their +match-coat at their back, leaving nothing but the child's head out, as +appears by the figure. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Fig: 2. Fig: 3. Fig: 1. +Tab: 7. Book 3. Pag: 134] + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 8 Book 3 Pag. 135] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OF THE TOWNS, BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 9. The method of the Indian settlements is altogether by cohabitation, +in townships, from fifty to five hundred families in a town, and each of +these towns is commonly a kingdom. Sometimes one king has the command of +several of these towns, when they happen to be united in his hands by +descent or conquest; but in such cases there is always a vicegerent +appointed in the dependent town, who is at once governor, judge, +chancellor, and has the same power and authority which the king himself +has in the town where he resides. This viceroy is obliged to pay his +principal some small tribute, as an acknowledgment of his submission, as +likewise to follow him to his wars whenever he is required. + +Sec. 10. The manner the Indians have of building their houses is very +slight and cheap. When they would erect a wigwam, which is the Indian +name for a house, they stick saplings into the ground by one end, and +bend the other at the top, fastening them together by strings made of +fibrous roots, the rind of trees, or of the green wood of the white oak, +which will rive into thongs. The smallest sort of these cabins are +conical like a bee-hive; but the larger are built in an oblong form, and +both are covered with the bark of trees, which will rive off into great +flakes. Their windows are little holes left open for the passage of the +light, which in bad weather they stop with shutters of the same bark, +opening the leeward windows for air and light. Their chimney, as among +the true born Irish, is a little hole on the top of the house, to let +out the smoke, having no sort of funnel, or any thing within, to +confine the smoke from ranging through the whole roof of the cabin, if +the vent will not let it out fast enough. The fire is always made in the +middle of the cabin. Their door is a pendent mat, when they are near +home; but when they go abroad they barricade it with great logs of wood +set against the mat, which are sufficient to keep out wild beasts. +There's never more than one room in a house, except in some houses of +state, or religion, where the partition is made only by mats and loose +poles. + +Sec. 11. Their houses, or cabins, as we call them, are by this ill method +of building continually smoky when they have fire in them; but to ease +that inconvenience, and to make the smoke less troublesome to their +eyes, they generally burn pine or lightwood, (that is, the fat knots of +dead pine,) the smoke of which does not offend the eyes, but smuts the +skin exceedingly, and is perhaps another occasion of the darkness of +their complexion. + +Sec. 12. Their seats, like those in the eastern part of the world, are the +ground itself; and as the people of distinction amongst those used +carpets, so cleanliness has taught the better sort of these to spread +match-coats and mats to sit on. + +They take up their lodging in the sides of their cabins upon a couch +made of boards, sticks, or reeds, which are raised from the ground upon +forks, and covered with mats or skins. Sometimes they lie upon a bear +skin, or other thick pelt dressed with the hair on, and laid upon the +ground near a fire, covering themselves with their match-coats. In warm +weather a single mat is their only bed, and another rolled up their +pillow. In their travels, a grass plat under the covert of a shady tree, +is all the lodging they require, and is as pleasant and refreshing to +them as a down bed and fine Holland sheets are to us. + +Sec. 13. Their fortifications consist only of a palisade, of about ten or +twelve feet high; and when they would make themselves very safe, they +treble the pale. They often encompass their whole town; but for the +most part only their king's houses, and as many others as they judge +sufficient to harbor all their people when an enemy comes against them. +They never fail to secure within their palisade all their religious +relics, and the remains of their princes. Within this inclosure, they +likewise take care to have a supply of water, and to make a place for a +fire, which they frequently dance round with great solemnity. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OF THEIR COOKERY AND FOOD. + + +Sec. 14. Their cookery has nothing commendable in it, but that it is +performed with little trouble. They have no other sauce but a good +stomach, which they seldom want. They boil, broil, or toast all the meat +they eat, and it is very common with them to boil fish as well as flesh +with their homony; this is Indian corn soaked, broken in a mortar, +husked, and then boiled in water over a gentle fire for ten or twelve +hours, to the consistence of frumenty: the thin of this is what my Lord +Bacon calls cream of maise, and highly commends for an excellent sort of +nutriment. + +They have two ways of broiling, viz., one by laying the meat itself upon +the coals, the other by laying it upon sticks raised upon forks at some +distance above the live coals, which heats more gently, and dries up the +gravy; this they, and we also from them, call barbecueing. + +They skin and paunch all sorts of quadrupeds; they draw and pluck their +fowl; but their fish they dress with their scales on, without gutting; +but in eating they leave the scales, entrails and bones to be thrown +away. They also roast their fish upon a hot hearth, covering them with +hot ashes and coals, then take them out, the scales and skin they strip +clean off, so they eat the flesh, leaving the bones and entrails to be +thrown away. + +They never serve up different sorts of victuals in one dish; as roast +and boiled fish and flesh; but always serve them up in several vessels. + +They bake their bread either in cakes before the fire, or in loaves on a +warm hearth, covering the loaf first with leaves, then with warm ashes, +and afterwards with coals over all. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchie & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 9 Book 3 Pag. 139] + +TAB. IX. Represents the manner of their roasting and barbecueing, with +the form of their baskets for common uses, and carrying fish. + +Sec. 15. Their food is fish and flesh of all sorts, and that which +participates of both; as the beaver, a small kind of turtle, or +terrapins, (as we call them,) and several species of snakes. They +likewise eat grubs, the nymphae of wasps, some kinds of scarabaei, cicadae, +&c. These last are such as are sold in the markets of Fess, and such as +the Arabians, Lybians, Parthians and Aethiopians commonly eat; so that +these are not a new diet, though a very slender one; and we are informed +that St. John was dieted upon locusts and wild honey. + +They make excellent broth of the head and umbles of a deer, which they +put into the pot all bloody. This seems to resemble the _jus nigrum_ of +the Spartans, made with the blood and bowels of a hare. They eat not the +brains with the head, but dry them and reserve them to dress their +leather with. + +They eat all sorts of peas, beans, and other pulse, both parched and +boiled. They make their bread of the Indian corn, wild oats, or the seed +of the sunflower. But when they eat their bread, they eat it alone, and +not with their meat. + +They have no salt among them, but for seasoning use the ashes of +hickory, stickweed, or some other wood or plant affording a salt ash. + +They delight much to feed on roasting ears; that is, the Indian corn, +gathered green and milky, before it is grown to its full bigness, and +roasted before the fire in the ear. For the sake of this diet, which +they love exceedingly, they are very careful to procure all the several +sorts of Indian corn before mentioned, by which means they contrive to +prolong their season. And indeed this is a very sweet and pleasing food. + +They have growing near their towns, peaches, strawberries, cushaws, +melons, pompions, macocks, &c. The cushaws and pompions they lay by, +which will keep several months good after they are gathered; the peaches +they save by drying them in the sun; they have likewise several sorts of +the phaseoli. + +In the woods, they gather chinkapins, chestnuts, hickories and walnuts. +The kernels of the hickories they beat in a mortar with water, and make +a white liquor like milk, from whence they call our milk hickory. +Hazelnuts they will not meddle with, though they make a shift with +acorns sometimes, and eat all the other fruits mentioned before, but +they never eat any sort of herbs or leaves. + +They make food of another fruit called cuttanimmons, the fruit of a kind +of arum, growing in the marshes: they are like boiled peas or capers to +look on, but of an insipid earthy taste. Captain Smith in his History of +Virginia calls them ocaughtanamnis, and Theod. de Bry in his +translation, sacquenummener. + +Out of the ground they dig trubs, earth nuts, wild onions, and a +tuberous root they call tuckahoe, which while crude is of a very hot and +virulent quality: but they can manage it so, as in case of necessity, to +make bread of it, just as the East Indians and those of Egypt are said +to do of colocassia, or the West Indians of cassava. It grows like a +flag in the miry marshes, having roots of the magnitude and taste of +Irish potatoes, which are easy to be dug up. + +Sec. 16. They accustom themselves to no set meals, but eat night and day, +when they have plenty of provisions, or if they have got any thing that +is a rarity. They are very patient of hunger, when by any accident they +happen to have nothing to eat; which they make more easy to themselves +by girding up their bellies, just as the wild Arabs are said to do in +their long marches; by which means they are less sensible of the +impressions of hunger. + +Sec. 17. Among all this variety of food, nature hath not taught them the +use of any other drink than water; which though they have in cool and +pleasant springs every where, yet they will not drink that if they can +get pond water, or such as has been warmed by the sun and weather. +Baron Lahontan tells of a sweet juice of maple, which the Indians to the +northward gave him, mingled with water; but our Indians use no such +drink. For their strong drink they are altogether beholden to us, and +are so greedy of it, that most of them will be drunk as often as they +find an opportunity; notwithstanding which it is a prevailing humor +among them, not to taste any strong drink at all, unless they can get +enough to make them quite drunk, and then they go as solemnly about it +as if it were part of their religion. + +Sec. 18. Their fashion of sitting at meals is on a mat spread on the +ground, with their legs lying out at length before them, and the dish +between their legs; for which reason they seldom or never sit more than +two together at a dish, who may with convenience mix their legs together +and have the dish stand commodiously to them both, as appears by the +figure. + +The spoons which they eat with do generally hold half a pint; and they +laugh at the English for using small ones, which they must be forced to +carry so often to their mouths that their arms are in danger of being +tired before their belly. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 10. Book 3 Pag. 141] + +TAB. X. Is a man and his wife at dinner. + + No. 1. Is their pot boiling with homony and fish in it. + + 2. Is a bowl of corn, which they gather up in their fingers, to + feed themselves. + + 3. The tomahawk, which he lays by at dinner. + + 4. His pocket, which is likewise stripped off, that he may be at + full liberty. + + 5. A fish. } + } Both ready for dressing. + 6. A heap of roasting ears.} + + 7. The gourd of water. + + 8. A cockle shell, which they sometimes use instead of a spoon. + + 9. The mat they sit on. + +All other matters in this figure are understood by the foregoing and +following descriptions. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OF THE TRAVELING, RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 19. Their travels they perform altogether on foot, the fatigue of +which they endure to admiration. They make no other provision for their +journey but their gun or bow, to supply them with food for many hundred +miles together. If they carry any flesh in their marches, they barbecue +it, or rather dry it by degrees, at some distance over the clear coals +of a wood fire; just as the Charibees are said to preserve the bodies of +their kings and great men from corruption. Their sauce to this dry meat, +(if they have any besides a good stomach,) is only a little bear's oil, +or oil of acorns; which last they force out by boiling the acorns in a +strong lye. Sometimes also in their travels each man takes with him a +pint or quart of rockahomonie, that is, the finest Indian corn parched +and beaten to powder. When they find their stomach empty, (and cannot +stay for the tedious cookery of other things,) they put about a spoonful +of this into their mouths and drink a draught of water upon it, which +stays their stomachs, and enables them to pursue their journey without +delay. But their main dependence is upon the game they kill by the way, +and the natural fruits of the earth. They take no care about lodging in +these journeys, but content themselves with the shade of a tree or a +little high grass. + +When they fear being discovered or followed by an enemy in their +marches, they every morning, having first agreed where they shall +rendezvous at night, disperse themselves into the woods, and each takes +a several way, that so the grass or leaves being but singly pressed, may +rise again and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in +following a track, even where the impressions are not visible to other +people, especially if they have any advantage from the looseness of the +earth, from the stiffness of the grass, or the stirring of the leaves, +which in the winter season lie very thick upon the ground; and likewise +afterwards, if they do not happen to be burned. + +When in their travels they meet with any waters which are not fordable, +they make canoes of birch bark, by slipping it whole off the tree in +this manner: First, they gash the bark quite round the tree, at the +length they would have the canoe off, then slit down the length from end +to end; when that is done, they with their tomahawks easily open the +bark and strip it whole off. Then they force it open with sticks in the +middle, slope the under side of the ends and sow them up, which helps to +keep the belly open; or if the birch trees happen to be small they sow +the bark of two together. The seams they daub with clay or mud, and then +pass over in these canoes, by two, three, or more at a time, according +as they are in bigness. By reason of the lightness of these boats, they +can easily carry them over land, if they foresee that they are like to +meet with any more waters that may impede their march; or else they +leave them at the water side, making no farther account of them, except +it be to repass the same waters in their return. See the resemblance, +Tab. 6. + +Sec. 20. They have a peculiar way of receiving strangers, and +distinguishing whether they come as friends or enemies, though they do +not understand each other's language: and that is by a singular method +of smoking tobacco, in which these things are always observed: + + 1. They take a pipe much larger and bigger than the common tobacco + pipe, expressly made for that purpose, with which all towns are + plentifully provided; they call them the pipes of peace. + + 2. This pipe they always fill with tobacco, before the face of the + strangers, and light it. + + 3. The chief man of the Indians, to whom the strangers come, takes + two or three whiffs, and then hands it to the chief of the + strangers. + + 4. If the stranger refuses to smoke in it, 'tis a sign of war. + + 5. If it be peace, the chief of the strangers takes a whiff or two + in the pipe, and presents it to the next great man of the town + they come to visit; he, after taking two or three whiffs, gives it + back to the next of the strangers, and so on alternately, until + they have past all the persons of note on each side, and then the + ceremony is ended. + +After a little discourse, they march together in a friendly manner into +the town, and then proceed to explain the business upon which they came. +This method is as general a rule among all the Indians of those parts of +America as the flag of truce is among the Europeans. And though the +fashion of the pipe differ, as well as the ornaments of it, according to +the humor of the several nations, yet 'tis a general rule to make these +pipes remarkably bigger than those for common use, and to adorn them +with beautiful wings and feathers of birds, as likewise with peak, +beads, or other such foppery. Father Lewis Henepin gives a particular +description of one that he took notice of among the Indians upon the +lakes wherein he traveled. He describes it by the name of the calumet of +peace, and his words are these, Book I., chap. 24: + +"This calumet is the most mysterious thing in the world among the +savages of the continent of the Northern America; for it is used in all +their important transactions: however, it is nothing else but a large +tobacco pipe, made of red, black or white marble; the head is finely +polished, and the quill, which is commonly two feet and a half long, is +made of a pretty strong reed or cane, adorned with feathers of all +colors, interlaced with locks of women's hair. They tie it to two wings +of the most curious birds they can find, which makes their calumet not +much unlike Mercury's wand, or that staff ambassadors did formerly carry +when they went to treat of peace. They sheath that reed into the neck +of birds they call huars, which are as big as our geese, and spotted +with black and white; or else of a sort of ducks, which make their nests +upon trees, though the water be their ordinary element, and whose +feathers be of many different colors. However, every nation adorns their +calumet as they think fit, according to their own genius, and the birds +they have in their country. + +"Such a pipe is a pass and safe conduct among all the allies of the +nation who has given it. And in all embassies, the ambassador carries +that calumet, as the symbol of peace, which is always respected: for the +savages are generally persuaded, that a great misfortune would befall +them, if they violated the public faith of the calumet. + +"All their enterprises, declarations of war, or conclusions of peace, as +well as all the rest of their ceremonies, are sealed, (if I may be +permitted to say so,) with this calumet: They fill that pipe with the +best tobacco they have, and then present it to those with whom they have +concluded any great affair, and smoke out of the same after them." + +In tab. 6, is seen the calumet of peace, drawn by Lahontan, and one of +the sort which I have seen. + +Sec. 21. They have a remarkable way of entertaining all strangers of +condition, which is performed after the following manner: First, the +king or queen, with a guard and a great retinue, march out of the town, +a quarter or half a mile, and carry mats for their accommodation. When +they meet the strangers, they invite them to sit down upon those mats. +Then they pass the ceremony of the pipe, and afterwards, having spent +about half an hour in grave discourse, they get up, all together, and +march into the town. Here the first compliment is to wash the courteous +traveler's feet; then he is treated at a plentiful entertainment, served +up by a great number of attendants; after which he is diverted with +antique Indian dances, performed both by men and women, and accompanied +with great variety of wild music. At this rate he is regaled till +bedtime, when a brace of young, beautiful virgins are chosen to wait +upon him that night for his particular refreshment. These damsels are to +undress this happy gentleman, and as soon as he is in bed, they gently +lay themselves down by him, one on one side of him, and the other on the +other. They esteem it a breach of hospitality, not to submit to +everything he desires of them. This kind ceremony is used only to men of +great distinction--and the young women are so far from suffering in +their reputation for this civility, that they are envied for it by all +the other girls, as having had the greatest honor done them in the +world. + +After this manner, perhaps, many of the heroes were begotten in old +time, who boasted themselves to be the sons of some wayfaring god. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OF THE LEARNING AND LANGUAGES OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 22. These Indians have no sort of letters to express their words by; +but when they would communicate anything that cannot be delivered by +message, they do it by a sort of hieroglyphic, or representation of +birds, beasts, or other things, shewing their different meaning by the +various forms described, and by the different position of the figures. + +Baron Lahontan, in his second volume of New Voyages, has two +extraordinary chapters concerning the heraldry and hieroglyphics of the +Indians; but I, having had no opportunity of conversing with our Indians +since that book came to my hands, nor having ever suspected them to be +acquainted with heraldry, I am not able to say anything upon that +subject. + +The Indians, when they travel ever so small a way, being much embroiled +in war one with another, use several marks painted upon their shoulders +to distinguish themselves by, and show what nation they are of. The +usual mark is one, two, or three arrows. One nation paints these arrows +upwards, another downwards, a third sideways--and others again use other +distinctions, as in tab. 2, from whence it comes to pass, that the +Virginia assembly took up the humor of making badges of silver, copper +or brass, of which they gave a sufficient number to each nation in amity +with the English, and then made a law, that the Indians should not +travel among the English plantations without one of these badges in +their company, to show that they are friends. And this is all the +heraldry that I know is practiced among the Indians. + +Sec. 23. Their languages differ very much, as anciently in the several +parts of Britain; so that nations at a moderate distance do not +understand one another. However, they have a sort of general language, +like what Lahontan calls the Algonkine, which is understood by the chief +men of many nations, as Latin is in most parts of Europe, and Lingua +Franca quite through the Levant. + +The general language here used is said to be that of the Occaneeches, +though they have been but a small nation ever since those parts were +known to the English; but in what this language may differ from that of +the Algonkines, I am not able to determine. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +OF THE WAR, AND PEACE OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 24. When they are about to undertake any war or other solemn +enterprise, the king summons a convention of his great men to assist at +a grand council, which, in their language, is called a Matchacomoco. At +these assemblies, 'tis the custom, especially when a war is expected, +for the young men to paint themselves irregularly with black, red, +white, and several other motley colors, making one-half of their face +red, (for instance,) and the other black or white, with great circles of +a different hue round their eyes, with monstrous mustaches, and a +thousand fantastical figures, all over the rest of their body; and to +make themselves appear yet more ugly and frightful, they strew feathers, +down, or the hair of beasts upon the paint while it is still moist and +capable of making those light substances stick fast on. When they are +thus formidably equipped, they rush into the Matchacomoco, and instantly +begin some very grotesque dance, holding their arrows or tomahawks in +their hands, and all the while singing the ancient glories of their +nation, and especially of their own families--threatening and making +signs with their tomahawk what a dreadful havoc they intend to make +amongst their enemies. + +Notwithstanding these terrible airs they give themselves, they are very +timorous when they come to action, and rarely perform any open or bold +feats; but the execution they do, is chiefly by surprise and ambuscade. + +Sec. 25. The fearfulness of their nature makes them very jealous and +implacable. Hence it is, that when they get a victory, they destroy +man, woman and child, to prevent all future resentments. + +Sec. 26. I can't think it anything but their jealousy that makes them +exclude the lineal issue from succeeding immediately to the crown. Thus, +if a king have several legitimate children, the crown does not descend +in a direct line to his children, but to his brother by the same mother, +if he have any, and for want of such, to the children of his eldest +sister, always respecting the descent by the female, as the surer side. +But the crown goes to the male heir (if any be) in equal degree, and for +want of such, to the female, preferably to any male that is more +distant. + +Sec. 27. As in the beginning of a war, they have assemblies for +consultation, so, upon any victory or other great success, they have +public meetings again for processions and triumphs. I never saw one of +these, but have heard that they are accompanied with all the marks of a +wild and extravagant joy. + +Captain Smith gives the particulars of one that was made upon his being +taken prisoner, and carried to their town. These are his words, vol. I, +page 159: + + "Drawing themselves all in file, the king in the midst had all + their pieces and swords borne before him. Captain Smith was led + after him by three great savages, holding him fast by each arm, + and on each side six went in file, with their arrows nocked; but + arriving at the town, (which was but thirty or forty hunting + houses made of mats, which they remove as often as they please, as + we our tents,) all the women and children staring to behold him, + the soldiers first, all in the file, performed the form of a + bissom as well as could be, and on each flank officers as + sergeants to see them keep their order. A good time they continued + this exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dancing in such + several postures, and singing and yelling out such hellish notes + and screeches, being strangely painted, every one his quiver of + arrows, and at his back a club, on his arm a fox or an otter's + skin, or some such matter for his vambrace; their heads and + shoulders painted red, with oil and puccoons mingled together, + which scarlet-like color made an exceeding handsome show; his bow + in his hand, and the skin of a bird with the wings abroad dried, + tied on his head; a piece of copper, a white shell, a long + feather, with a small rattle growing at the tails of their snakes, + tied to it, or some such like toy. All this, while Smith and the + king stood in the midst guarded, as before is said, and after + three dances they all departed." + +I suppose here is something omitted, and that the conjurer should have +been introduced in his proper dress, as the sequel of the story seems to +mean. + +Sec. 28. They use formal embassies for treating, and very ceremonious ways +in concluding of peace, or else some other memorable action, such as +burying a tomahawk, and raising a heap of stones thereon, as the Hebrews +were wont to do; or of planting a tree, in token that all enmity is +buried with the tomahawk; that all the desolations of war are at an end, +and that friendship shall flourish among them like a tree. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CONCERNING THE RELIGION, WORSHIP, AND SUPERSTITIOUS CUSTOMS OF THE +INDIANS. + + +Sec. 29. I don't pretend to have dived into all the mysteries of the Indian +religion, nor have I had such opportunities of learning them as father +Henepin and Baron Lahontan had, by living much among the Indians in +their towns; and because my rule is to say nothing but what I know to be +truth, I shall be very brief upon this head. + +In the writings of those two gentlemen, I cannot but observe direct +contradictions, although they traveled the same country, and the +accounts they pretend to give are of the same Indians. One makes them +have very refined notions of a Deity, and the other don't allow them so +much as the name of a God. For which reason, I think myself obliged +sincerely to deliver what I can warrant to be true upon my own +knowledge; it being neither my interest, nor any part of my vanity, to +impose upon the world. + +I have been at several of the Indian towns, and conversed with some of +the most sensible of them in Virginia; but I could learn little from +them, it being reckoned sacrilege to divulge the principles of their +religion. However, the following adventure discovered something of it. +As I was ranging the woods, with some other friends, we fell upon their +quioccosan, (which is their house of religious worship,) at a time when +the whole town were gathered together in another place, to consult about +the bounds of the land given them by the English. + +Thus finding ourselves masters of so fair an opportunity, (because we +knew the Indians were engaged,) we resolved to make use of it, and to +examine their quioccosan, the inside of which they never suffer any +Englishmen to see; and having removed about fourteen logs from the door, +with which it was barricaded, we went in, and at first found nothing but +naked walls, and a fireplace in the middle. This house was about +eighteen feet wide, and thirty feet long, built after the manner of +their other cabins, but larger, with a hole in the middle of the roof to +vent the smoke, the door being at one end. Round about the house, at +some distance from it, were set up posts, with faces carved on them, and +painted. We did not observe any window or passage for the light, except +the door and the vent of the chimney. At last we observed, that at the +farther end, about ten feet of the room was cut off by a partition of +very close mats, and it was dismal dark behind that partition. We were +at first scrupulous to enter this obscure place, but at last we +ventured, and, groping about, we felt some posts in the middle; then +reaching our hands up those posts, we found large shelves, and upon +these shelves three mats, each of which was rolled up, and sowed fast. +These we handed down to the light, and to save time in unlacing the +seams, we made use of a knife, and ripped them, without doing any damage +to the mats. In one of these we found some vast bones, which we judged +to be the bones of men--particularly we measured one thighbone, and +found it two feet nine inches long. In another mat we found some Indian +tomahawks finely graved and painted. These resembled the wooden falchion +used by the prize-fighters in England, except that they have no guard to +save the fingers. They were made of a rough, heavy wood, and the shape +of them is represented in the tab. 10, No. 3. Among these tomahawks, was +the largest that ever I saw. There was fastened to it a wild turkey's +beard painted red, and two of the longest feathers of his wings hung +dangling at it, by a string of about six inches long, tied to the end of +the tomahawk. In the third mat there was something which we took to be +their idol, though of an underling sort, and wanted putting together. +The pieces were these--first, a board three feet and a half long, with +one indenture at the upper end like a fork, to fasten the head upon. +From thence half way down, were half hoops nailed to the edges of the +board, at about four inches' distance, which were bowed out, to +represent the breast and belly; on the lower half was another board of +half the length of the other, fastened to it by joints or pieces of +wood, which being set on each side stood out about fourteen inches from +the body, and half as high. We supposed the use of these to be for the +bowing out of the knees, when the image was set up. There were packed up +with these things, red and blue pieces of cotton cloth, rolls made up +for arms, thighs and legs, bent too at the knees, as is represented in +the figure of their idol, which was taken by an exact drawer in the +first discovery of the country. It would be difficult to see one of +these images at this day, because the Indians are extreme shy of +exposing them. We put the clothes upon the hoops for the body, and +fastened on the arms and legs to have a view of the representation; but +the head and rich bracelets, which it is usually adorned with, were not +there, or at least we did not find them. We had not leisure to make a +very narrow search, for having spent about an hour in this enquiry, we +feared the business of the Indians might be near over, and that if we +staid longer, we might be caught offering an affront to their +superstition. For this reason, we wrapt up those holy materials in their +several mats again, and laid them on the shelf where we found them. This +image, when dressed up, might look very venerable in that dark place +where 'tis not possible to see it, but by the glimmering light that is +let in by lifting up a piece of the matting, which we observed to be +conveniently hung for that purpose; for when the light of the door and +chimney glance in several directions upon the image through that little +passage, it must needs make a strange representation, which those poor +people are taught to worship with a devout ignorance. There are other +things that contribute towards carrying on this imposture. First, the +chief conjurer enters within the partition in the dark, and may +undiscerned move the image as he pleases. Secondly, a priest of +authority stands in the room with the people, to keep them from being +too inquisitive, under the penalty of the deity's displeasure and his +own censure. + +Their idol bears a several name in every nation, as Okee, Quioccos, +Kiwasa. They do not look upon it as one single being, but reckon there +are many of the same nature; they likewise believe that there are +tutelar deities in every town. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Idol call'd, OKEE, QUIOCCOS, or KIWASA. +Tab. 11 Book 3 Pag. 155] + +TAB. 11. Their idol in his tabernacle. + +The dark edging shows the sides and roof of the house, which consists of +saplings and bark. The paler edging shows the mats, by which they make a +partition of about ten feet at the end of the house for the idol's +abode. The idol is set upon his seat of mats within a dark recess above +the people's heads, and the curtain is drawn up before him. + +Sec. 30. Father Henepin, in his continuation, page 60, will not allow that +the Indians have any belief of a Deity, nor that they are capable of the +arguments and reasonings that are common to the rest of mankind. He +farther says, that they have not any outward ceremony to denote their +worship of a Deity, nor have any word to express God by--that there's no +sacrifice, priest, temple, or any other token of religion among them. +Baron Lahontan, on the other hand, makes them have such refined notions, +as seem almost to confute his own belief of Christianity. + +The first I cannot believe, though written by the pen of that pious +father; because, to my own knowledge, all the Indians in these parts are +a superstitious and idolatrous people; and because all other authors, +who have written of the American Indians, are against him. As to the +other account of the just thoughts the Indians have of religion, I must +humbly intreat the baron's pardon; because I am very sure they have some +unworthy conceptions of God and another world. Therefore, what that +gentleman tells the public concerning them, is rather to show his own +opinions, than those of the Indians. + +Once in my travels, in very cold weather, I met at an Englishman's house +with an Indian, of whom an extraordinary character had been given me for +his ingenuity and understanding. When I saw he had no other Indian with +him, I thought I might be the more free; and therefore I made much of +him, seating him close by a large fire, and giving him plenty of strong +cider, which I hoped would make him good company and open-hearted. After +I found him well warmed, (for unless they be surprised some way or +other, they will not talk freely of their religion,) I asked him +concerning their god, and what their notions of him were? He freely told +me, they believed God was universally beneficent, that his dwelling was +in the heavens above, and that the influences of his goodness reached to +the earth beneath. That he was incomprehensible in his excellence, and +enjoyed all possible felicity; that his duration was eternal, his +perfection boundless, and that he possesses everlasting indolence and +ease. I told him I had heard that they worshipped the devil, and asked +why they did not rather worship God, whom they had so high an opinion +of, and who would give them all good things, and protect them from any +mischief that the devil could do them? To this his answer was, that, +'tis true God is the giver of all good things, but they flow naturally +and promiscuously from him; that they are showered down upon all men +indifferently without distinction; that God does not trouble himself +with the impertinent affairs of men, nor is concerned at what they do; +but leaves them to make the most of their free will, and to secure as +many as they can of the good things that flow from him; that therefore +it was to no purpose either to fear or worship him. But on the contrary, +if they did not pacify the evil spirit, and make him propitious, he +would take away or spoil all those good things that God had given, and +ruin their health, their peace, and their plenty, by sending war, plague +and famine among them; for, said he, this evil spirit is always busying +himself with our affairs, and frequently visiting us, being present in +the air in the thunder, and in the storms. He told me farther, that he +expected adoration and sacrifice from them, on pain of his displeasure, +and that therefore they thought it convenient to make their court to +him. I then asked him concerning the image which they worship in their +quioccasan, and assured him that it was a dead, insensible log, equipped +with a bundle of clouts, a mere helpless thing made by men, that could +neither hear, see nor speak, and that such a stupid thing could noways +hurt or help them. To this he answered very unwillingly, and with much +hesitation; however, he at last delivered himself in these broken and +imperfect sentences: It is the priests----they make the people believe, +and----. Here he paused a little, and then repeated to me, that it was +the priests----, and then gave me hopes that he would have said +something more; but a qualm crossed his conscience, and hindered him +from making any farther confession. + +Sec. 31. The priests and conjurers have a great sway in every nation. Their +words are looked upon as oracles, and consequently are of great weight +among the common people. They perform their adorations and conjurations +in the general language before spoken of, as the catholics of all +nations do their mass in the Latin. They teach that the souls of men +survive their bodies, and that those who have done well here, enjoy most +transporting pleasures in their elysium hereafter; that this elysium is +stored with the highest perfection of all their earthly pleasures; +namely, with plenty of all sorts of game for hunting, fishing and +fowling; that it is blest with the most charming women, who enjoy an +eternal bloom, and have an universal desire to please; that it is +delivered from excesses of cold or heat, and flourishes with an +everlasting spring. But that, on the contrary, those who are wicked and +live scandalously here, are condemned to a filthy, stinking lake after +death, that continually burns with flames that never extinguish; where +they are persecuted and tormented day and night, with furies in the +shape of old women. + +They use many divinations and enchantments, and frequently offer burnt +sacrifice to the evil spirit. The people annually present their first +fruits of every season and kind, namely, of birds, beasts, fish, fruits, +plants, roots, and of all other things, which they esteem either of +profit or pleasure to themselves. They repeat their offerings as +frequently as they have great successes in their wars, or their fishing, +fowling or hunting. + +Captain Smith describes the particular manner of a conjuration that was +made about him, while he was a prisoner among the Indians at the Pamunky +town, in the first settlement of the country; and after that I'll tell +you of another of a more modern date, which I had from a very good hand. +Smith's word's are these: vol. 1, p. 160. + + "Early in the morning, a great fire was made in a long house, and + a mat spread on the one side and on the other. On the one they + caused him to sit, and all the guard went out of the house, and + presently there came skipping in a great grim fellow, all painted + over with coal mingled with oil, and many snakes and weasel skins + stuffed with moss, and all their tails tied together, so as they + met in the crown of his head, like a tassel, and round about the + tassel was a coronet of feathers, the skins hanging round about + his head, back and shoulders, and in a manner covering his face; + with a hellish voice, and a rattle in his hand, with most strange + gestures and postures, he began his invocation, and environed the + fire with a circle of meal; which done, three much such like + devils came rushing in with the like antic tricks, painted half + black, half red; but all their eyes were painted white, and some + great strokes like mustaches, along their cheeks. Round about him + these fiends danced a pretty while; and then came in three more as + ugly as the rest, with red eyes and white strokes over their black + faces. At last they all sat down right against him, three of them + on one hand of the chief priest and three on the other. Then all + of them with their rattles began a song; which ended, the chief + priest laid down five wheat corns; then straining his arms and + hands with such violence that he sweat, and his veins swelled, he + began a short oration. At the conclusion they gave a short groan, + and then laid down three grains more; after that, began their song + again, and then another oration, ever laying down so many corns as + before, till they had twice encircled the fire. That done, they + took a bunch of little sticks prepared for that purpose, + continuing still their devotion, and at the end of every song and + oration, they laid down a stick betwixt the divisions of corn. + Till night neither he nor they did eat or drink, and then they + feasted merrily with the provisions they could make. Three days + they used this ceremony, the meaning whereof they told him was to + know if he intended them well or no. The circle of meal signified + their country, the circles of corn the bounds of the sea, and the + sticks his country. They imagined the world to be flat and round + like a trencher, and they in the midst." + +Thus far is Smith's story of conjuration concerning himself; but when he +says they encircled the fire with wheat, I am apt to believe he means +their Indian corn, which some, contrary to the custom of the rest of +mankind will still call by the name of Indian wheat. + +The latter story of conjuration is this: Some few years ago, there +happened a very dry time towards the heads of the rivers, and especially +on the upper parts of James river, where Col. Byrd had several quarters +of negroes. This gentleman has been for a long time extremely respected +and feared by all the Indians round about, who, without knowing the name +of any governor, have ever been kept in order by him. During this +drought, an Indian, well known to one of the Colonel's overseers, came +to him, and asked if his tobacco was not like to be spoiled? The +overseer answered yes, if they had not rain very suddenly. The Indian, +who pretended great kindness for his master, told the overseer if he +would promise to give him two bottles of rum, he would bring him rain +enough. The overseer did not believe anything of the matter, not seeing +at that time the least appearance of rain, nor so much as a cloud in the +sky; however, he promised to give him the rum when his master came +thither, if he would be as good as his word. Upon this, the Indian went +immediately a pauwawing as they call it, and in about half an hour, +there came up a black cloud into the sky that showered down rain enough +upon this gentleman's corn and tobacco, but none at all upon any of the +neighbors, except a few drops of the skirts of the shower. The Indian +for that time went away without returning to the overseer again, till he +heard of his master's arrival at the falls, and then he came to him and +demanded the two bottles of rum. The Colonel at first seemed to know +nothing of the matter, and asked the Indian for what reason he made that +demand? (Although his overseer had been so overjoyed at what had +happened that he could not rest till he had taken a horse and rode near +forty miles to tell his master the story.) The Indian answered with some +concern, that he hoped the overseer had let him know the service he had +done him, by bringing a shower of rain to save his crop. At this the +Colonel, not being apt to believe such stories, smiled, and told him he +was a cheat, and had seen the cloud acoming, otherwise he could neither +have brought the rain nor so much as foretold it. The Indian at this, +seeming much troubled, replied, why then had not such a one, and such a +one, (naming the next neighbor,) rain, as well as your overseer? for +they lost their crops, but I loved you and therefore I saved yours. The +Colonel made sport with him a little while, but in the end ordered him +the two bottles of rum, letting him understand, however, that it was a +free gift, and not the consequence of any bargain with his overseer. + +Sec. 32. The Indians have their altars and places of sacrifice. Some say +they now and then sacrifice young children; but they deny it, and assure +us, that when they withdraw their children, it is not to sacrifice them, +but to consecrate them to the service of their god. Smith tells of one +of these sacrifices in his time, from the testimony of some people who +had been eye-witnesses. His words are these, (vol. 1, p. 140): + + "Fifteen of the properest young boys, between ten and fifteen + years of age, they painted white; having brought them forth, the + people spent the forenoon in dancing and singing about them with + rattles. In the afternoon, they put these children to the root of + a tree. By them all the men stood in a guard, every one having a + bastinado in his hand, made of reeds bound together. They made a + lane between them all along, through which there were appointed + five young men to fetch these children: so every one of the five + went through the guard to fetch a child each after other by turns; + the guard fiercely beating them with their bastinadoes, and they + patiently enduring and receiving all, defending the children with + their naked bodies from the unmerciful blows, that pay them + soundly, though the children escape. All this while the women weep + and cry out very passionately, providing mats, skins, moss and dry + wood, as things fitting for their children's funeral. After the + children were thus past the guard, the guards tore down the tree, + branches and boughs with such violence, that they rent the body, + made wreaths for their heads, and bedecked their hair with the + leaves. + + "What else was done with the children was not seen; but they were + all cast on a heap in a valley as dead, where they made a great + feast for all the company. + + "The Werowance being demanded the meaning of this sacrifice, + answered, that the children were not dead, but that the Okee or + devil did suck the blood from the left breast of those, who + chanced to be his by lot, till they were dead; but the rest were + kept in the wilderness by the young men, till nine months were + expired, during which time they must not converse with any; and of + these were made their priests and conjurers." + +How far Captain Smith might be misinformed in this account, I can't say, +or whether their Okee's sucking the breast, be only a delusion or +pretence of the physician, (or priest, who is always a physician,) to +prevent all reflection on his skill when any happened to die under his +discipline. This I choose rather to believe, than those religious +romances concerning their Okee. For I take this story of Smith's to be +only an example of huskanawing, which being a ceremony then altogether +unknown to him, he might easily mistake some of the circumstances of it. + +The solemnity of huskanawing is commonly practiced once every fourteen +or sixteen years, or oftener, as their young men happen to grow up. It +is an institution or discipline which all young men must pass before +they can be admitted to be of the number of the great men, officers, or +cockarouses of the nation; whereas, by Capt. Smith's relation, they were +only set apart to supply the priesthood. The whole ceremony of +huskanawing is performed after the following manner: + +The choicest and briskest young men of the town, and such only as have +acquired some treasure by their travels and hunting, are chosen out by +the rulers to be huskanawed; and whoever refuses to undergo this process +dares not remain among them. Several of those odd preparatory fopperies +are premised in the beginning, which have been before related; but the +principal part of the business is, to carry them into the woods, and +there keep them under confinement, and destitute of all society for +several months, giving them no other sustenance but the infusion, or +decoction, of some poisonous, intoxicating roots; by virtue of which +physic, and by the severity of the discipline which they undergo, they +became stark, staring mad; in which raving condition, they are kept +eighteen or twenty days. During these extremities, they are shut up, +night and day, in a strong inclosure, made on purpose; one of which I +saw belonging to the Pamunky Indians, in the year 1694. It was in shape +like a sugar loaf, and every way open like a lattice for the air to pass +through, as in tab. 4, fig. 3. In this cage, thirteen young men had been +huskanawed, and had not been a month set at liberty when I saw it. Upon +this occasion, it is pretended that these poor creatures drink so much +of that water of Lethe, that they perfectly lose the remembrance of all +former things, even of their parents, their treasure, and their +language. When the doctors find that they have drank sufficiently of the +wysoccan, (so they call this mad potion,) they gradually restore them to +their senses again, by lessening the intoxication of their diet; but +before they are perfectly well, they bring them back into their towns, +while they are still wild and crazy, through the violence of the +medicine. After this, they are very fearful of discovering anything of +their former remembrance; for if such a thing should happen to any of +them, they must immediately be huskanawed again; and the second time, +the usage is so severe, that seldom any one escapes with life. Thus they +must pretend to have forgot the very use of their tongues, so as not to +be able to speak, nor understand anything that is spoken, till they +learn it again. Now, whether this be real or counterfeit, I don't know; +but certain it is, that they will not for some time take notice of any +body, nor anything with which they were before acquainted, being still +under the guard of their keepers, who constantly wait upon them +everywhere till they have learnt all things perfectly over again. Thus +they unlive their former lives, and commence men by forgetting that they +ever have been boys. If, under this exercise, any one should die, I +suppose the story of Okee, mentioned by Smith, is the salvo for it; for, +(says he) Okee was to have such as were his by lot, and such were said +to be sacrificed. + +Now this conjecture is the more probable, because we know that Okee has +not a share in every huskanawing; for though two young men happened to +come short home, in that of the Pamunky Indians, which was performed in +the year 1694, yet the Appomattoxs, formerly a great nation, though now +an inconsiderable people, made a huskanaw in the year 1690, and brought +home the same number they carried out. + +Sec. 33. I can account no other way for the great pains and secrecy of the +keepers, during the whole process of this discipline, but by assuring +you, that it is the most meritorious thing in the world to discharge +that trust well, in order to their preferment to the greatest posts in +the nation, which they claim as their undoubted right, in the next +promotion. On the other hand, they are sure of a speedy passport into +the other world, if they should, by their levity or neglect, shew +themselves in the least unfaithful. + +Those which I have observed to have been huskanawed, were lively, +handsome, well timbered young men, from fifteen to twenty years of age, +or upward, and such as were generally reputed rich. + +I confess, I judged it at the first sight to be only an invention of the +seniors, to engross the young men's riches to themselves; for, after +suffering this operation, they never pretended to call to mind anything +of their former property; but their goods were either shared by the old +men, or brought to some public use; and so those younkers were obliged +to begin the world again. + +But the Indians detest this opinion, and pretend that this violent +method of taking away the memory, is to release the youth from all their +childish impressions, and from that strong partiality to persons and +things, which is contracted before reason comes to take place. They hope +by this proceeding, to root out all the prepossessions and unreasonable +prejudices which are fixed in the minds of children. So that, when the +young men come to themselves again, their reason may act freely, without +being biased by the cheats of custom and education. Thus, also, they +become discharged from the remembrance of any ties by blood, and are +established in a state of equality and perfect freedom, to order their +actions, and dispose of their persons, as they think fit, without any +other control than that of the law of nature. By this means also they +become qualified, when they have any public office, equally and +impartially to administer justice, without having respect either to +friend or relation. Puffend. p. 7, book I. A proselyte of justice of +the Jews had a new soul. + +Sec. 34. The Indians offer sacrifice almost upon every new occasion; as +when they travel or begin a long journey, they burn tobacco instead of +incense, to the sun, to bribe him to send them fair weather, and a +prosperous voyage. When they cross any great water, or violent fresh, or +torrent, they throw in tobacco, puccoon, peak, or some other valuable +thing, that they happen to have about them, to intreat the spirit +presiding there to grant them a safe passage. It is called a fresh, when +after very great rains, or (as we suppose) after a great thaw of the +snow and ice lying upon the mountains to the westward, the water +descends in such abundance into the rivers, that they overflow the +banks, which bound their streams at other times. + +Likewise, when the Indians return from war, from hunting, from great +journeys or the like, they offer some proportion of their spoils, of +their chiefest tobacco, furs and paint, as also the fat, and choice bits +of their game. + +Sec. 35. I never could learn that they had any certain time or set days for +their solemnities; but they have appointed feasts that happen according +to the several seasons. They solemnize a day for the plentiful coming of +their wild fowl, such as geese, ducks, teal, &c., for the returns of +their hunting seasons, and for the ripening of certain fruits; but the +greatest annual feast they have, is at the time of their corn-gathering, +at which they revel several days together. To these they universally +contribute, as they do to the gathering in the corn. On this occasion, +they have their greatest variety of pastimes, and more especially of +their war-dances and heroic songs; in which they boast, that their corn +being now gathered, they have store enough for their women and children, +and have nothing to do, but to go to war, travel, and to seek out for +new adventures. + +Sec. 36. They make their account by units, tens, hundreds, &c., as we do; +but they reckon the years by the winters, or _cobonks_, as they call +them; which is a name taken from the note of the wild-geese, intimating +so many times of the wild geese coming to them, which is every winter. +They distinguish the several parts of the year, by five seasons, viz: +the budding or blossoming of the spring; the earing of the corn, or +roasting-ear time; the summer, or highest sun; the corn-gathering or +fall of the leaf, and the winter, or _cobonks_. They count the months +likewise by the moons, though not with any relation to so many in a +year, as we do; but they make them return again by the same name, as the +moon of stags, the corn moon, the first and second moon of _cobonks_, +&c. They have no distinction of the hours of the day, but divide it only +into three parts, the rise, power, and lowering of the sun. And they +keep their account by knots on a string, or notches on a stick, not +unlike the Peruvian quippoes. + +Sec. 37. In this state of nature, one would think they should be as pure +from superstition, and overdoing matters in religion, as they are in +other things; but I find it is quite the contrary; for this simplicity +gives the cunning priest a greater advantage over them, according to the +Romish maxim, "_Ignorance is the mother of devotion._" For, no bigotted +pilgrim appears more zealous, or strains his devotion more at the +shrine, than these believing Indians do, in their idolatrous adorations. +Neither do the most refined Catholics undergo their pennance with so +much submission, as these poor Pagans do the severities which their +priests inflict upon them. + +They have likewise in other cases many fond and idle superstitions, as +for the purpose. By the falls of James river upon Colonel Byrd's land, +there lies a rock which I have seen, about a mile from the river, +wherein are fairly imprest several marks like the footsteps of a +gigantic man, each step being about five feet asunder. These they aver +to be the track of their God. + +This is not unlike what the fathers of the Romish Church tell us, that +our Lord left the print of His feet on the stone, whereon he stood while +he talked with St. Peter; which stone was afterward preserved as a very +sacred relic; and after several translations, was at last fixed in the +Church of St. Sebastian, the martyr, where it is kept, and visited with +great expressions of devotion. So that the Indians, as well as these, +are not without their pious frauds. + +Sec. 38. As the people have a great reverence for the priest, so the priest +very oddly endeavours to preserve their respect, by being as hideously +ugly as he can, especially when he appears in public; for besides, that +the cut of his hair is peculiar to his function, as in tab. 4, book 3, +and the hanging of his cloak, with the fur reversed and falling down in +flakes, looks horridly shagged, he likewise bedaubs himself in that +frightful manner with paint, that he terrifies the people into a +veneration for him. + +The conjuror is a partner with the priest, not only in the cheat, but in +the advantages of it, and sometimes they officiate for one another. When +this artist is in the act of conjuration, or of _pauwawing_, as they +term it, he always appears with an air of haste, or else in some +convulsive posture, that seems to strain all the faculties, like the +Sybils, when they appeared to be under the power of inspiration. At +these times, he has a black bird with expanded wings fastened to his +ear, differing in nothing but color, from Mahomet's pigeon. He has no +clothing but a small skin before, and a pocket at his girdle, as in tab. +4, book 3. + +The Indians never go about any considerable enterprise, without first +consulting their priests and conjurers, for the most ingenious amongst +them are brought up to those functions, and by that means become better +instructed in their histories, than the rest of the people. They +likewise engross to themselves all the knowledge of nature, which is +handed to them by tradition from their forefathers; by which means they +are able to make a truer judgment of things, and consequently are more +capable of advising those that consult them upon all occasions. These +reverend gentlemen are not so entirely given up to their religious +austerities, but they sometimes take their pleasure (as well as the +laity) in fishing, fowling and hunting. + +Sec. 39. The Indians have posts fixed round their _Quioccassan_, which have +men's faces carved upon them, and are painted. They are likewise set up +round some of their other celebrated places, and make a circle for them +to dance about on certain solemn occasions. They very often set up +pyramidal stones and pillars, which they color with puccoon, and other +sorts of paint, and which they adorn with peak, roenoke, &c. To these +they pay all outward signs of worship and devotion, not as to God, but +as they are hieroglyphics of the permanency and immutability of the +Deity; because these, both for figure and substance, are of all +sublunary bodies, the least subject to decay or change; they also, for +the same reason, keep baskets of stones in their cabins. Upon this +account too, they offer sacrifice to running streams, which by the +perpetuity of their motion, typify the eternity of God. + +They erect altars wherever they have any remarkable occasion, and +because their principal devotion consists in sacrifice, they have a +profound respect for these altars. They have one particular altar, to +which, for some mystical reason, many of their nations pay an +extraordinary veneration; of this sort was the crystal cube, mentioned +book II, chap. 3, Sec. 9. The Indians call this by the name of pawcorance, +from whence proceeds the great reverence they have for a small bird that +uses the woods, and in their note continually sound that name. This bird +flies alone, and is only heard in the twilight. They say, this is the +soul of one of their princes; and on that score, they would not hurt it +for the world. But there was once a profane Indian in the upper parts of +James river, who, after abundance of fears and scruples, was at last +bribed to kill one of them with his gun; but the Indians say he paid +dear for his presumption; for in a few days after he was taken away, +and never more heard of. I have young birds of this kind. + +When they travel by any of these altars, they take great care to +instruct their children and young people in the particular occasion and +time of their erection, and recommend the respect which they ought to +have for them; so that their careful observance of these traditions +proves almost as good a memorial of such antiquities as written records, +especially for so long as the same people continue to inhabit in or near +the same place. + +I can't understand that their women ever pretended to intermeddle with +any offices that relate to the priesthood or conjuration. + +Sec. 40. The Indians are religious in preserving the corpses of their kings +and rulers after death, which they order in the following manner: First, +they neatly flay off the skin as entire as they can, slitting it only in +the back; then they pick all the flesh off from the bones as clean as +possible, leaving the sinews fastened to the bones, that they may +preserve the joints together; then they dry the bones in the sun, and +put them into the skin again, which, in the meantime, has been kept from +drying or shrinking; when the bones are placed right in the skin, they +nicely fill up the vacuities with a very fine white sand. After this +they sew up the skin again, and the body looks as if the flesh had not +been removed. They take care to keep the skin from shrinking, by the +help of a little oil or grease, which saves it also from corruption. The +skin being thus prepared, they lay it in an apartment for that purpose, +upon a large shelf raised above the floor. This shelf is spread with +mats, for the corpse to rest easy on, and skreened with the same, to +keep it from the dust. The flesh they lay upon hurdles in the sun to +dry, and when it is thoroughly dried, it is sewed up in a basket, and +set at the feet of the corpse, to which it belongs. In this place also +they set up a quioccos, or idol, which they believe will be a guard to +the corpse. Here night and day one or other of the priests must give +his attendance, to take care of the dead bodies. So great an honor and +veneration have these ignorant and unpolished people for their princes, +even after they are dead. + +The mat is supposed to be turned up in the figure, that the inside may +be viewed. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond._ +Tab. 12 Book 3 Pag. 170] + +TAB. 12. Represents the burial of the kings. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +OF THE DISEASES AND CURES OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 41. The Indians are not subject to many diseases; and such as they +have, generally come from excessive heats and sudden colds, which they +as suddenly get away by sweating. But if the humor happen to fix, and +make a pain in any particular joint, or limb, their general cure then is +by burning, if it be in any part that will bear it; their method of +doing this is by little sticks of lightwood, the coal of which will burn +like a hot iron; the sharp point of this they run into the flesh, and +having made a sore, keep it running till the humor be drawn off; or else +they take punk, (which is a sort of soft touchwood, cut out of the knots +of oak or hickory trees, but the hickory affords the best,) this they +shape like a cone, (as the Japanese do their moxa for the gout,) and +apply the basis of it to the place affected. Then they set fire to it, +letting it burn out upon the part, which makes a running sore +effectually. + +They use sucking in sores frequently, and scarifying, which, like the +Mexicans, they perform with a rattlesnake's tooth. They seldom cut +deeper than the epidermis, by which means they give passage to those +sharp waterish humors that lie between the two skins, and cause +inflammations. Sometimes they make use of reeds for cauterizing, which +they heat over the fire, till they are ready to flame, and then apply +them upon a piece of thin wet leather to the place aggrieved, which +makes the heat more piercing. + +Their priests are always physicians, and by the method of their +education in the priesthood, are made very knowing in the hidden +qualities of plants and other natural things, which they count a part +of their religion to conceal from everybody, but from those that are to +succeed them in their holy function. They tell us their god will be +angry with them if they should discover that part of their knowledge; so +they suffer only the rattlesnake root to be known, and such other +antidotes, as must be immediately applied, because their doctors can't +be always at hand to remedy those sudden misfortunes which generally +happen in their hunting or traveling. + +They call their physic wisoccan, not from the name of any particular +root or plant, but as it signifies medicine in general. So that Heriot, +De Bry, Smith, Purchase and De Laet, seem all to be mistaken in the +meaning of this word wighsacan, which they make to be the name of a +particular root; and so is Parkinson in the word woghsacan, which he +will have to be the name of a plant. Nor do I think there is better +authority for applying the word wisank to the plant vincetoxicum +indianum germanicum, or winank to the sassafras tree. + +The physic of the Indians consists for the most part in the roots and +barks of trees, they very rarely using the leaves either of herbs or +trees; what they give inwardly, they infuse in water, and what they +apply outwardly, they stamp or bruise, adding water to it, if it has not +moisture enough of itself; with the thin of this they bath the part +affected, then lay on the thick, after the manner of a poultice, and +commonly dress round, leaving the sore place bare. + +Sec. 42. They take great delight in sweating, and therefore in every town +they have a sweating house, and a doctor is paid by the public to attend +it. They commonly use this to refresh themselves, after they have been +fatigued with hunting, travel, or the like, or else when they are +troubled with agues, aches, or pains in their limbs. Their method is +thus: the doctor takes three or four large stones, which after having +heated red hot, he places them in the middle of the stove, laying on +them some of the inner bark of oak beaten in a mortar, to keep them +from burning. This being done, they creep in six or eight at a time, or +as many as the place will hold, and then close up the mouth of the +stove, which is usually made like an oven, in some bank near the water +side. In the meanwhile the doctor to raise a steam, after they have been +stewing a little while, pours cold water on the stones, and now and then +sprinkles the men to keep them from fainting. After they have sweat as +long as they can well endure it, they sally out, and (though it be in +the depth of winter) forthwith plunge themselves over head and ears in +cold water, which instantly closes up the pores, and preserves them from +taking cold. The heat being thus suddenly driven from the extreme parts +to the heart, makes them a little feeble for the present, but their +spirits rally again, and they instantly recover their strength, and find +their joints as supple and vigorous as if they never had traveled, or +been indisposed. So that I may say as Bellonius does in his observations +on the Turkish bagnio's, all the crudities contracted in their bodies +are by this means evaporated and carried off. The Muscovites and +Finlanders are said to use this way of sweating also. "It is almost a +miracle," says Olearius, "to see how their bodies, accustomed to and +hardened by cold, can endure so intense a heat, and how that when they +are not able to endure it longer, they come out of the stoves as naked +as they were born, both men and women, and plunge into cold water, or +cause it to be poured on them." Trav. into Musc., I, 3, page 67. + +The Indians also pulverize the roots of a kind of anchusa, or yellow +alkanet, which they call puccoon, and of a sort of wild angelica, and +mixing them together with bear's oil, make a yellow ointment, with +which, after they have bathed, they anoint themselves Capapee; this +supples the skin, renders them nimble and active, and withal so closes +up the pores, that they lose but few of their spirits by perspiration. +Piso relates the same of the Brazilians; and my Lord Bacon asserts, that +oil and fat things do no less conserve the substance of the body, than +oil-colors and varnish do that of the wood. + +They have also a farther advantage of this ointment; for it keeps all +lice, fleas, and other troublesome vermin from coming near them; which +otherwise, by reason of the nastiness of their cabins, they would be +very much infested with. + +Smith talks of this puccoon, as if it only grew on the mountains, +whereas it is common to all the plantations of the English, now on the +land frontiers. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +OF THE SPORTS AND PASTIMES OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 43. Their sports and pastimes are singing, dancing, instrumental +music, and some boisterous plays, which are performed by running, +catching and leaping upon one another; they have also one great +diversion, to the practicing of which are requisite whole handfuls of +little sticks or hard straws, which they know how to count as fast as +they can cast their eyes upon them, and can handle with a surprising +dexterity. + +Their singing is not the most charming that I have heard; it consists +much in exalting the voice, and is full of slow melancholy accents. +However, I must allow even this music to contain some wild notes that +are agreeable. + +Their dancing is performed either by few or a great company, but without +much regard either to time or figure. The first of these is by one or +two persons, or at most by three. In the meanwhile, the company sit +about them in a ring upon the ground, singing outrageously and shaking +their rattles. The dancers sometimes sing, and sometimes look menacing +and terrible, beating their feet furiously against the ground, and +shewing ten thousand grimaces and distortions. The other is performed by +a great number of people, the dancers themselves forming a ring, and +moving round a circle of carved posts, that are set up for that purpose; +or else round a fire, made in a convenient part of the town; and then +each has his rattle in his hand, or what other thing he fancies most, as +his bow and arrows, or his tomahawk. They also dress themselves up with +branches of trees, or some other strange accoutrements. Thus they +proceed, dancing and singing, with all the antic postures they can +invent; and he's the bravest fellow that has the most prodigious +gestures. Sometimes they place three young women in the middle of the +circle, as you may see in the figure. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab. 13 Book 3 Pag. 176] + +TAB. 13. Represents a solemn festival dance of the Indians round their +carved posts. + +Those which on each side are hopping upon their hams, take that way of +coming up to the ring, and when they find an opportunity strike in among +the rest. + +Captain Smith relates the particulars of a dance made for his +entertainment, by Pocahontas, daughter of the emperor Powhatan, to +divert him till her father came, who happened not to be at home when +Smith arrived at his town. Gen. Hist., p. 194. + + "In a fair plain field they made a fire, before which he sat down + upon a mat, when suddenly amongst the woods was heard such a + hideous noise and shrieking, that the English betook themselves to + their arms, and seized on two or three old men by them, supposing + Powhatan with all his power was coming to surprise them. But + presently Pocahontas came, willing him to kill her, if any hurt + were intended; and the beholders, which were men, women and + children, satisfied the captain that there was no such matter. + Then presently they were presented with this antic; thirty young + women came naked out of the woods, only covered behind and before + with a few green leaves, their bodies all painted, some of one + color, some of another, but all differing; their leader had a fair + pair of buck's horns on her head, an otter's skin at her girdle, + another at her arm, a quiver of arrows at her back, and a bow and + arrows in her hand. The next had in her hand a sword, another a + club, another a potstick; all of them being horned alike: the rest + were all set out with their several devices. These fiends, with + most hellish shouts and cries, rushing from among the trees, cast + themselves in a ring about the fire, singing and dancing with most + excellent ill variety, oft falling into their infernal + passions, and then solemnly betaking themselves again to sing and + dance; having spent an hour in this mascarado, as they entered, in + like manner they departed." + +They have a fire made constantly every night, at a convenient place in +the town, whither all that have a mind to be merry, at the public dance +or music, resort in the evening. + +Their musical instruments are chiefly drums and rattles: their drums are +made of a skin, stretched over an earthen pot half full of water. Their +rattles are the shell of a small gourd, or macock of the creeping kind, +and not of those called callibaches, which grow upon trees; of which the +Brazilians make their maraka, or tamaraka, a sort of rattle also, as +Clusius seems to intimate. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +OF THE LAWS, AND AUTHORITY OF THE INDIANS AMONG ONE ANOTHER. + + +Sec. 44. The Indians having no sort of letters among them, as has been +before observed, they can have no written laws; nor did the constitution +in which we found them seem to need many. Nature and their own +convenience having taught them to obey one chief, who is arbiter of all +things among them. They claim no property in lands, but they are in +common to a whole nation. Every one hunts and fishes, and gathers fruits +in all places. Their labor in tending corn, pompions, melons, &c., is +not so great, that they need quarrel for room, where the land is so +fertile, and where so much lies uncultivated. + +They bred no sort of cattle, nor had anything that could be called +riches. They valued skins and furs for use, and peak and roenoke for +ornament. + +They are very severe in punishing ill breeding, of which every Werowance +is undisputed judge, who never fails to lay a rigorous penalty upon it: +an example whereof I had from a gentleman that was an eye-witness; which +was this: + +In the time of Bacon's rebellion, one of these Werowances, attended by +several others of his nation, was treating with the English in New Kent +county about a peace; and during the time of his speech, one of his +attendants presumed to interrupt him, which he resented as the most +unpardonable affront that could be offered him; and therefore he +instantly took his tomahawk from his girdle and split the fellow's head +for his presumption. The poor fellow dying immediately upon the spot, he +commanded some of his men to carry him out, and went on again with his +speech where he left off, as unconcerned as if nothing had happened. + +The Indians never forget nor forgive an injury, till satisfaction be +given, be it national or personal: but it becomes the business of their +whole lives; and even after that, the revenge is entailed upon their +posterity, till full reparation be made. + +Sec. 45. The titles of honor that I have observed among them peculiar to +themselves, are only Cockarouse and Werowance, besides that of the king +and queen; but of late they have borrowed some titles from us, which +they bestow among themselves. A Cockarouse is one that has the honor to +be of the king or queen's council, with relation to the affairs of the +government, and has a great share in the administration. A Werowance is +a military officer, who of course takes upon him the command of all +parties, either of hunting, traveling, warring, or the like, and the +word signifies a war-captain. + +The priests and conjurers are also of great authority, the people having +recourse to them for counsel and direction upon all occasions; by which +means, and by help of the first fruits and frequent offerings, they riot +in the fat of the land, and grow rich upon the spoils of their ignorant +countrymen. + +They have also people of a rank inferior to the commons, a sort of +servants among them. These are called black boys, and are attendant upon +the gentry, to do their servile offices, which, in their state of +nature, are not many. For they live barely up to the present relief of +their necessities, and make all things easy and comfortable to +themselves, by the indulgence of a kind climate, without toiling and +perplexing their minds for riches, which other people often trouble +themselves to provide for uncertain and ungrateful heirs. In short, they +seem as possessing nothing, and yet enjoying all things. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +OF THE TREASURE OR RICHES OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 46. The Indians had nothing which they reckoned riches, before the +English went among them, except peak, roenoke, and such like trifles +made out of the conch shell. These past with them instead of gold and +silver, and served them both for money and ornament. It was the English +alone that taught them first to put a value on their skins and furs, and +to make a trade of them. + +Peak is of two sorts, or rather of two colors, for both are made of one +shell, though of different parts; one is a dark purple cylinder, and the +other a white; they are both made in size and figure alike, and commonly +much resembling the English bugles, but not so transparent nor so +brittle. They are wrought as smooth as glass, being one third of an inch +long, and about a quarter diameter, strung by a hole drilled through the +centre. The dark color is the dearest, and distinguished by the name of +wampom peak. The Englishmen that are called Indian traders, value the +wampom peak at eighteen pence per yard, and the white peak at nine +pence. The Indians also make pipes of this, two or three inches long, +and thicker than ordinary, which are much more valuable. They also make +runtees of the small shell, and grind them as smooth as peak. These are +either large like an oval bead, and drilled the length of the oval, or +else they are circular and flat, almost an inch over, and one third of +an inch thick, and drilled edgeways. Of this shell they also make round +tablets of about four inches diameter, which they polish as smooth as +the other, and sometimes they etch or grave thereon circles, stars, a +half moon, or any other figure suitable to their fancy. These they wear +instead of medals before or behind their neck, and use the peak, runtees +and pipes for coronets, bracelets, belts, or long strings hanging down +before the breast, or else they lace their garments with them, and adorn +their tomahawks, and every other thing that they value. + +They have also another sort which is as current among them, but of far +less value; and this is made of the cockle shell, broken into small bits +with rough edges, drilled through in the same manner as beads, and this +they call roenoke, and use it as the peak. + +These sorts of money have their rates set upon them as unalterable, and +current as the values of our money are. + +The Indians have likewise some pearl amongst them, and formerly had many +more, but where they got them is uncertain, except they found them in +the oyster banks, which are frequent in this country. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +OF THE HANDICRAFTS OF THE INDIANS. + + +Sec. 47. Before I finish my account of the Indians, it will not be amiss to +inform you, that when the English went first among them, they had no +sort of iron or steel instruments; but their knives were either +sharpened reeds or shells, and their axes sharp stones, bound to the end +of a stick, and glued in with turpentine. By the help of these, they +made their bows of the locust tree, an excessive hard wood when it is +dry, but much more easily cut when it is green, of which they always +took the advantage. They made their arrows of reeds or small wands, +which needed no other cutting, but in the length, being otherwise ready +for notching, feathering and heading. They fledged their arrows with +turkey feathers, which they fastened with glue made of the velvet horns +of a deer; but it has not that quality it's said to have, of holding +against all weathers; they arm'd the heads with a white transparent +stone, like that of Mexico mentioned by Peter Martyr, of which they have +many rocks; they also headed them with the spurs of the wild turkey +cock. + +They rubbed fire out of particular sorts of wood (as the ancients did +out of the ivy and bays) by turning the end of a hard piece upon the +side of a piece that is soft and dry, like a spindle on its inke, by +which it heats, and at length burns; to this they put sometimes also +rotten wood and dry leaves, to hasten the work. + +Sec. 48. Under the disadvantage of such tools they made a shift to fell +vast great trees, and clear the land of wood in places where they had +occasion. + +They bring down a great tree by making a small fire round the root, +and keeping the flame from running upward, until they burn away so much +of the basis, that the least puff of wind throws it down. When it is +prostrate, they burn it off to what length they would have it, and with +their stone tomahawks break off all the bark, which when the sap runs +will easily strip, and at other times also, if it be well warmed with +fire. When it is brought to a due length, they raise it upon a bed to a +convenient height for their working, and then, begin by gentle fires to +hollow it, and with scrapers rake the trunk, and turn away the fire from +one place to another, till they have deepened the belly of it to their +desire. Thus also they shape the ends, till they have made it a fit +vessel for crossing the water, and this they call a canoe, one of which +I have seen thirty feet long. + +When they wanted any land to be cleared of the woods, they chopped a +notch round the trees quite through the bark with their stone hatchets +or tomahawks, and that deadened the trees, so that they sprouted no +more, but in a few years fell down. However, the ground was plant-able, +and would produce immediately upon the withering of the trees. But now +for all these uses they employ axes and little hatchets, which they buy +of the English. The occasions aforementioned, and the building of their +cabins, are still the greatest use they have for these utensils, because +they trouble not themselves with any other sort of handicraft, to which +such tools are necessary. Their household utensils are baskets made of +silk grass, gourds, which grow to the shapes they desire them, and +earthen pots to boil victuals in, which they make of clay. + +[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._ +Tab: 14. Book: 3 Pag: 183] + +TAB. 14. Shows their manner of felling great trees (before they had +iron instruments) by firing the root, and bringing them to fit lengths, +and shaping them for use by fire alone. + +The Indians of Virginia are almost wasted, but such towns or people as +retain their names and live in bodies are hereunder set down, all which +together can't raise five hundred fighting men. They live poorly, and +much in fear of the neighboring Indians. Each town, by the articles of +peace, 1677, pays three Indian arrows for their land, and twenty beaver +skins for protection every year. + +In Accomac are eight towns, viz: + + Metomkin is much decreased of late by the small pox, that was + carried thither. + + Gingoteague. The few remains of this town are joined with a nation + of the Maryland Indians. + + Kiequotank is reduced to very few men. + + Matchopungo has a small number yet living. + + Occahanock has a small number yet living. + + Pungoteague. Governed by a queen, but a small nation. + + Onancock has but four or five families. + + Chiconessex has very few, who just keep the name. + + Nanduye. A seat of the empress. Not above twenty families, but she + hath all the nations of this shore under tribute. + +In Northampton, Gangascoe, which is almost as numerous as all the +foregoing nations put together. + +In Prince George Wyanoke is extinct. + +In Charles City Appomattox is extinct. + +In Surry. Nottawayes, which are about a hundred bowmen, of late a +thriving and increasing people. + +By Nansemond. Meherrin has about thirty bowmen, who keep at a stand. + +Nansemond. About thirty bowmen. They have increased much of late. + +In King William's county two. Pamunky has about forty bowmen, who +decrease. + +Chickahominy, which had about sixteen bowmen, but lately increased. + +In Essex. Rappahannock extinct. + +In Richmond. Port Tobacco extinct. + +In Northumberland. Wiccomocca has but few men living, which yet keep up +their kingdom and retain their fashion, yet live by themselves, separate +from all other Indians, and from the English. + +Sec. 49. Thus I have given a succinct account of the Indians; happy, I +think, in their simple state of nature, and in their enjoyment of +plenty, without the curse of labor. They have on several accounts reason +to lament the arrival of the Europeans, by whose means they seem to have +lost their felicity as well as their innocence. The English have taken +away great part of their country, and consequently made everything less +plentiful amongst them. They have introduced drunkenness and luxury +amongst them, which have multiplied their wants, and put them upon +desiring a thousand things they never dreamt of before. I have been the +more concise in my account of this harmless people, because I have +inserted several figures, which I hope have both supplied the defect of +words, and rendered the descriptions more clear. I shall, in the next +place, proceed to treat of Virginia as it is now improved, (I should +rather say altered,) by the English, and of its present constitution and +settlement. + + + + +OF THE PRESENT STATE OF VIRGINIA. + +AS THIS BOOK MUST CONSIST OF TWO PARTS, FIRST, THE POLITY OF THE +GOVERNMENT; SECONDLY, THE HUSBANDRY AND IMPROVEMENTS OF THE +COUNTRY; I SHALL HANDLE THEM SEPARATELY. + + +BOOK IV. + + +PART I. + +OF THE CIVIL POLITY AND GOVERNMENT OF VIRGINIA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +OF THE CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 1. I have already hinted, that the first settlement of this country +was under the direction of a company of merchants incorporated. + +That the first constitution of government appointed by them was a +president and council, which council was nominated by the corporation or +company in London, and the president annually chosen by the people in +Virginia. + +That in the year 1610, this constitution was altered, and the company +obtained a new grant of his majesty; whereby they themselves had the +nomination of the governor, who was obliged to act only by advice in +council. + +That in the year 1620, an assembly of burgesses was first called, from +all the inhabited parts of the country, who sat in consultation with the +governor and council, for settling the public affairs of the plantation. + +That when the company was dissolved, the king continued the same method +of government, by a governor, council and burgesses; which three being +united were called the general assembly. + +That this general assembly debated all the weighty affairs of the +colony, and enacted laws for the better government of the people; and +the governor and council were to put them in execution. + +That the governor and council were appointed by the king, and the +assembly chosen by the people. + +Afterwards the governor had a more extensive power put into his hands, +so that his assent in all affairs become absolutely necessary; yet was +he still bound to act by advice of council in many things. + +Until the rebellion 1676, the governor had no power to suspend the +counsellors, nor to remove any of them from the council board. + +Then a power was given him of suspending them, but with proviso, that he +gave substantial reasons for so doing; and was answerable to his majesty +for the truth of the accusation. + +Then also this model of government by a governor, council and assembly, +was confirmed to them with a farther clause, that if the governor should +happen to die, or be removed, and no other person in the country +nominated by the crown to supply his place, then the president, or +eldest councillor, with the assistance of any five of the council, +should take upon him the administration of the government, all which are +authorized by commission and instructions to the governor. + +Before the year 1680, the council sat in the same house with the +burgesses of assembly, much resembling the model of the Scotch +parliament; and the Lord Colepepper, taking advantage of some disputes +among them, procured the council to sit apart from the assembly; and so +they became two distinct houses, in imitation of the two houses of +parliament in England, the lords and commons; and so is the constitution +at this day. + +Sec. 2. The governor is appointed by the crown; his commission is under +seal, and runs during pleasure. + +He represents the king's person there in all things, and is subject to +his instructions. + +His assent is necessary to the laws, agreed upon by the council and +assembly; without it no law can be made. + +His test to all laws so assented to is also requisite. + +He calls assemblies by advice of council, but prorogues or dissolves +them without. + +He calls and presides in all councils of State, and hath his negative +there also. + +He appoints commissioners of county courts for the administration of +justice, by consent of council. + +He grants commissions to all officers of the militia, under the degree +of a lieutenant general, (which title he bears himself,) as he thinks +fit. + +He orders and disposes the militia for the defence of the country. + +He tests proclamations. + +He disposes of the unpatented land according to the charter, the laws of +that country, and his instructions; for which end, and for other public +occasions, the seal of the colony is committed to his keeping. + +All issues of the public revenue must bear his test. + +And by virtue of a commission from the admiralty he is made +vice-admiral. + +The governor's salary, till within these forty-five years last past, was +no more than a thousand pounds a year; besides which, he had about five +hundred more in perquisites. Indeed, the general assembly, by a public +act, made an addition of two hundred pounds a year to Sir William +Berkeley in particular, out of the great respect and esteem they bore to +that gentleman, who had been a long time a good and just governor; and +who had laid out the greatest part of his revenue in experiments, for +the advantage and improvement of the country; and who had, besides, +suffered extremely in the time of the usurpation. But this addition was +to determine with his government. + +Sir William Berkeley, after the short interval of Jeffery's and +Chicheley's being deputy-governors, was succeeded by the Lord +Colepepper, who, under pretence of his being a peer of England, obtained +of King Charles II. a salary of two thousand pounds, besides one hundred +and sixty pounds a year for house rent, because there was no house +appointed by the country for the governor's reception. This salary has +continued ever since, to the succeeding governors. + +If the administration of the government happen to fall into the hands of +the president and council, there is then usually allowed to the +president, the addition of five hundred pounds a year only; and to the +council, no more than what is given them at other times. + +Sec. 3. The gentlemen of the council are appointed by letter or instruction +from his majesty, which says no more, but that they be sworn of the +council. + +The number of the counsellors when complete, is twelve; and if at +anytime, by death or removal, there happen to be fewer than nine +residing in the country, then the governor has power to appoint and +swear into the council, such of the gentlemen of the country as he shall +think fit to make up that number, without expecting any direction from +England. + +The business of the council, is to advise and assist the governor in all +important matters of government, which he shall consult them in. + +In the general assembly, the council make the upper house, and claim an +entire negative voice to all laws, as the house of lords in England. + +The salary of the council is in all but three hundred and fifty pounds +per annum, to be proportioned among them according to their attendance +on general courts and assemblies. + +Sec. 4. The burgesses of assembly are elected, and returned from all parts +of the country, viz: from each county, two; and from James City, one; +and from the college, one; which make up in all sixty burgesses. They +are convened by writs issued from the secretary's office, under the seal +of the colony, and the test of the governor. These are directed to the +sheriff of each county respectively, and ought to bear date at least +forty days before the return. The freeholders are the only electors, and +wherever they have a freehold (if they be not women, or under age, or +aliens) they have a vote in the election. The method of summoning the +freeholders, is by publication of the writ, together with the day +appointed by the sheriff for election, at every church and chapel in the +county, two several Sundays successively. The election is concluded by +plurality of voices; and if either party be dissatisfied, or thinks he +has not fair treatment, he may demand a copy of the poll, and upon +application to the house of burgesses, shall have his complaint inquired +into. But to prevent undue elections, many acts have been there made, +agreeably to some lately enacted in England. + +The first business of a convention, by the governor's direction, is to +make choice of a speaker, and to present him in full house to the +governor. Upon this occasion, the speaker, in the name of the house, +petitions the governor to confirm the usual liberties and privileges of +assembly, namely, access to his person whenever they shall have +occasion; a freedom of speech and debate in the house, without being +farther accountable; a protection of their persons, and their servants +from arrest, &c. And these being granted by the governor, and the cause +of their meeting declared by him, they proceed to do business, choosing +committees, and in other things imitating as near as they can the +method of the honorable house of commons in England. + +The laws having duly passed the house of burgesses, the council, and the +governor's assent, they are transmitted to the king by the next shipping +for his approbation, his majesty having another negative voice. But they +immediately become laws, and are in force upon the governor's first +passing them, and so remain if his majesty don't actually repeal them, +although he be not pleased to declare his royal assent, one way or +other. + +There are no appointed times for their convention, but they are called +together whenever the exigencies of the country make it necessary, or +his majesty is pleased to order anything to be proposed to them. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +OF THE SUBDIVISIONS OF VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 5. The country is divided into twenty-nine counties, and the counties, +as they are in bigness, into fewer or more parishes, as they are filled +with inhabitants. + +The method of bounding the counties is at this time with respect to the +convenience of having each county limited to one single river, for its +trade and shipping, so that any one whose concerns are altogether in one +county, may not be obliged to seek his freight and shipping in more than +one river. Whereas at first, they were bounded with respect to the +circuit, and the propinquity of the extremes to one common centre, by +which means one county reached then quite across a neck of land from +river to river. But this way of bounding the counties being found more +inconvenient than the other, it was changed by a law into what it is +now. + +Besides this division into counties and parishes, there are two other +subdivisions, which are subject to the rules and alterations made by the +county courts, namely: into precincts or burroughs, for the limits of +constables; and into precincts or walks, for the surveyors of highways. + +Sec. 6. There is another division of the country into necks of land, which +are the boundaries of the escheators, viz: + + 1. The northern neck between Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. This + is the proprietary in the Lord Colepepper's family. + + 2. The neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, within which + Pamunky neck is included. + + 3. The neck between York and James rivers. + + 4. The lands on the south side of James river. + + 5. The land on the eastern shore; in all, five divisions. Each of + which has its particular escheat-master. + +In the northern neck are contained six counties. 1. Lancaster, viz: in +which are two parishes, viz: Christ Church, and Saint Mary White Chapel. +2. Northumberland, two parishes, viz: Fairfield and Boutracy, and +_Wiccocomoco_. 3. Westmoreland, two parishes, viz: Copely and +Washington. 4. Stafford, two parishes, viz: Saint Paul and Overworton. +5. Richmond, one parish, viz: North Farnham, and part of another, viz: +Sittenburn. 6. King George county, one parish, viz: Hanover, the other +part of Sittenburn. + +In the neck between Rappahannock and York rivers, are contained six +other counties, viz: + +1. Gloucester, in which are four parishes, viz: Pesso, Abingdon, Ware +and Kingston. 2. Middlesex, only one parish, viz: Christ Church. 3. King +and Queen, two parishes, viz: Stratton Major, Saint Stephen. 4. King +William, two parishes, viz: Saint John and Saint Margaret. 5. Essex, +three parishes, viz: South Farnham, Saint Anne, Saint Mary. 6. +Spottsylvania, one parish, viz: Saint George. + +In the neck between York and James river, there are seven counties and +part of an eighth. The seven entire counties are: 1. Elizabeth City, in +which is only one parish, named also Elizabeth City parish. 2. The +Warwick, in which are two parishes, viz: Denby, Mulberry Island. 3. +York, in which are two parishes, viz: Charles and Yorkhampton, and part +of a third called Braton. 4. James City, in which are three parishes and +part of two others, viz: James City, part of Wilmington, Merchants' +Hundred, and the other half of Braton. 5. New Kent, two parishes, viz: +Blisland, and Saint Peter. 6. Charles City, two parishes, viz: +Westover, and part of Wilmington. 7. Hanover, one parish, viz: Saint +Paul. And 8. Part of Henrico county, on the north side of James river, +by which river the parishes are also divided, there being two parishes +in the whole county, viz: Henrico and Saint James, and part of a third +called Bristol. + +On the south side James river are seven counties, and the other part of +Henrico. The seven counties, beginning at the bay as I have done in all +the rest are, viz: 1. Princess Anne, in which is but one parish, viz: +Lynhaven. 2. Norfolk, also one parish, called Elizabeth River. 3. +Nansemond, in which are three parishes, viz: Lower Parish, Upper Parish, +Chickaluck. 4. Isle of Wight, in which are two parishes, viz: Warwick +Squeeke Bay, and Newport. 5. Surry, two parishes, viz: Lyon's Creek, +Southwark. 6. Prince George, in which is one parish, viz: Martin +Brandon, and the other part of Bristol Parish, in Henrico. 7. Brunswick, +a new county constituted towards the southern pass of the mountains, on +purpose that by extraordinary encouragements the settlements may send up +that way first, as is given also to Spottsylvania county for the +northern pass. It is made one parish, by the name of Saint Andrew. + +On the eastern shore, that is, on the east side the great bay of +Chesapeake, the place where Sir William Berkeley retired to in the +rebellion, without withdrawing from his government, (as Mr. Oldmixon +declares he did) are two counties. 1. Northampton, having one parish, +named Hungers. 2. Accomac, having one parish, named also Accomac. + +In all there are at present twenty-nine counties, and fifty-four +parishes. + +Sec. 7. There is yet another division of the country into districts, +according to the rivers, with respect to the shipping and navigation. +These are the bounds appointed for the naval officers, and collectors of +the public duties, and are as follows: + + 1. The upper parts of James river, from Hog island upwards. + + 2. The lower parts of James river, from Hog island downwards to + the capes, and round Point Comfort to Back river. + + 3. York, Poquoson, Mobjack bay, and Piankatank rivers. + + 4. Rappahannock river. + + 5. Potomac river. + + 6. Pocomoke, and the other parts on the eastern, made formerly two + districts, but they are now united into one. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +OF THE PUBLIC OFFICES OF GOVERNMENT. + + +Sec. 8. Besides the governor and council aforementioned, there are three +other general officers in that colony bearing his majesty's immediate +commission, viz: the auditor of the revenue, the receiver general of it, +and the secretary of state. + +The auditor's business is to audit the accounts of the public money of +the government, and duly to transmit the state of them to England. Such +as the quitrents, the money arising by the two shillings per hogshead, +fort duties, the fines and forfeitures, and the profit of escheats and +rights of land. His salary is six per cent of all the public money. The +present auditor is John Grimes, esq. + +The receiver general is to sell the public tobacco, collect and receive +the money, make the account thereof, and pay it out again by the king's +order. His salary is also six per cent. The present receiver general is +James Roscow, esq. + +The secretary's business is to keep the public records of the country, +and to take care that they be regularly and fairly made up, viz: all +judgments of the general court, as likewise all deeds, and other +writings there proved; and farther, to issue all writs, both ministerial +and judicial, relating thereto. To make out and record all patents for +land, and to take the return of all inquests of escheats. + +In his office is kept a register of all commissions of administration, +and probates of wills granted throughout the colony; as also of all +births, burials, marriages, and persons that go out of the country, of +all houses of public entertainment, and of all public officers in the +country, and of many other things proper to be kept in so general an +office. + +From this office are likewise issued all writs for choosing of +burgesses, and in it are filed authentic copies of all proclamations. + +The present secretary is Thomas Ficket, esq. + +The secretary's income arises from fees for all business done in his +office, which come (_communibus annis_) to about seventy thousand pounds +tobacco per annum, out of which he pays twelve thousand five hundred, +and cask, to the clerks. His other perquisites proceed out of the +acknowledgments paid him annually by the county clerks, and are besides +about forty thousand pounds of tobacco and cask. + +Sec. 9. There are two other general officers in the country who do not +receive their commission and authority immediately from the crown, and +those are: 1. The ecclesiastical commissary, viz: the Rev. James Blair, +authorized by the right reverend father in God, the lord bishop of +London, ordinary of all the plantations. 2. The country's treasurer, +viz: the Hon. Peter Beverley, esq., authorized by the general assembly. + +The commissary's business is to make visitations of churches and have +the inspection of the clergy. He is allowed one hundred pounds per annum +out of the quitrents. + +The treasurer's business is to receive the money from the several +collectors, and to make up the accounts of the duties raised by some +late acts of assembly for extraordinary occasions. His salary is six per +cent. of all money passing through his hands. + +These are all the general officers belonging to that government, except +the court of admiralty, which has no standing officer. The present judge +of the admiralty is John Clayton, esq. + +Sec. 10. The other public commission officers in the government, (except +those of the militia, for whom a chapter is reserved,) are escheators, +naval officers, collectors, clerks of courts, sheriffs of counties, +surveyors of land, and coroners. + +The escheators have their precincts or bounds, according to the several +necks of land; for their profits, they demand five pound for each +inquest taken, being paid only as business happens. + +The naval officers have their bounds according to the districts on the +rivers, and so have the collectors. The profits of the first arise from +large fees, upon the entering and clearing of all ships and vessels. The +collectors have each a salary out of the treasury in England of forty +pounds, sixty pounds, or an hundred pounds, according to their several +districts, they being appointed by the honorable commissioners of the +customs in England, pursuant to the statute made in the twenty-fifth +year of King Charles the second; and have, moreover, salaries of twenty +per cent. on all the duties they collect, by virtue of the same statute, +and also large fees for every entry and clearing. + +The naval officers' other profits, are ten per cent. for all moneys by +them received; both on the two shillings per hogshead, port duties, +skins and furs, and also on the new imposts on servants and liquors when +such duty is in being. + +The clerks of courts, sheriffs and surveyors, are limited according to +the several counties. The clerks of courts receive their commissions +from the secretary of State; the sheriffs theirs from the governor, and +the surveyors of land theirs from the governors of the college, in whom +the office of surveyor general is vested by their charter. + +The clerks' profits proceed from stated fees, upon all law suits and +business in their respective courts, except the clerk of the general +court, who is paid a salary by the secretary, who takes the fees of that +court to himself. + +The sheriff's profit is likewise by fees on all business done in the +county courts, to which he is the ministerial officer, and not judge of +the county court, as Mr. Oldmixon styles him, page 298; but the best of +his income is by a salary of all public tobacco, which is constantly put +into the sheriff's hands, to be collected and put into hundreds, +convenient for the market. He has likewise several other advantages, +which make his place very profitable. + +The profits of the surveyors of land are according to the trouble they +take. Their fees being proportioned to the surveys they make. + +The coroner is a commissioner officer also, but his profits are not +worth naming, though he has large fees allowed him when he does any +business. There are two or more of them appointed in each parish, as +occasion requires; but in the vacancy or absence of any, upon an +exigency, the next justice of peace does the business and receives the +fee, which is one hundred and thirty-three pounds of tobacco for an +inquest on a dead corpse, any other business seldom falling in his way. + +Sec. 11. There are other ministerial officers that have no commission; +which are, surveyors of the highways, constables and headboroughs. These +are appointed, relieved and altered annually by the county courts, as +they see occasion; and such bounds are given them as those courts think +most convenient. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +OF THE STANDING REVENUES, OR PUBLIC FUNDS IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 12. There are five sorts of standing public revenues in that country, +viz: 1. A rent reserved by the crown upon all the lands granted by +patent. 2. A revenue granted to his majesty by act of assembly, for the +support and maintenance of the government. 3. A revenue raised by the +assembly, and kept in their own disposal, for extraordinary occasions. +4. A revenue raised by the assembly, and granted to the college. And 5. +A revenue raised by act of parliament in England upon the trade there. + +Sec. 13. 1. The rent reserved upon their lands, is called his majesty's +revenue of quit rents, and is two shillings for every hundred acres of +land, patented by any person in that country, and two pence per acre for +all lands found to escheat; this is paid into the treasury there by all, +except the inhabitants of the Northern Neck, who pay nothing to the +king; but the whole quit rent of that neck is paid to certain +proprietors of the Lord Colepepper's family, who have the possession +thereof to themselves, upon the pretensions before rehearsed in the +first part of this book. + +This revenue has been upwards of fifteen hundred pounds a year, since +tobacco has held a good price. It is lodged in the receiver general's +hands, to be disposed of by his majesty. This money is left in bank +there, to be made use of upon any sudden and dangerous emergency, except +when it is called home to England; and for want of such a bank, Sir +William Berkeley was not able to make any stand against Bacon, whom +otherwise he might easily have subdued, and consequently have prevented +above one hundred thousand pounds expense to the crown of England, to +pacify those troubles. + +Sec. 14. 2. The revenue granted 10 his majesty by act of assembly, for the +support and maintenance of the government, arises first out of a duty of +two shillings per hogshead, which is paid for every hogshead of tobacco +exported out of that colony. 2. By a rate of fifteen pence per ton for +every ship, upon each return of her voyage, whether she be empty or +full. 3. By a duty of sixpence per poll for every passenger, bound or +free, going into that country to remain. 4. By the fines and forfeitures +imposed by several acts of assembly. There is also an addition, by wafts +and strays having no owner, composition of two pence per acre for +escheat land, chattels escheat, and the sale of land instead of rights, +at five shillings per right; all which are paid into the hands of the +receiver general, and disposed of by the governor and council, (with +liberty for the assembly to inspect the accounts when they meet,) for +defraying the public charges of the government. + +The revenue, _communibus annis_, amounts to more than three thousand +pounds a year. + +Sec. 15. 3. The revenue arising by act of assembly, and reserved to their +own disposal, is of two sorts, viz: a duty upon liquors imported from +the neighboring plantations, and a duty upon all slaves and servants +imported, except English. + +The duty on liquors used to be 4d. per gallon on all wines, rum, and +brandy; and 1d. per gallon on beer, cider and other liquors, discounting +twenty per cent. upon the invoice, except oats. + +The duty on servants and slaves used to be twenty shillings for each +servant, not being a native of England or Wales, and five pounds for +each slave or negro. + +The former of these duties amounts _communibus annis_, to six hundred +pounds a year, and the latter to more or less, as the negro ships happen +to arrive. + +The charge of building and adorning the governor's house and capitol, +was defrayed by these duties, and so was the erecting of the public +prison. + +These funds are gathered into the hands of the treasurer of the country, +and are disposed of only by order of assembly. + +Sec. 16. 4. The revenue raised by the assembly, and granted to the college, +is a duty on all skins and furs exported. This fund raises about an +hundred pounds a year, and is paid by the collectors, to the college +treasurer. + +Sec. 17. 5 and last. The fund raised by act of parliament in England upon +the trade there, is a duty of one penny per pound, upon all tobacco +exported to the plantations, and not carried directly to England. This +duty was laid by Stat. 25, Car. 2, cap. 7, and granted to the king and +his successors; and by their gracious majesties King William and Queen +Mary, it was given to the college. This duty does not raise, both in +Virginia and Maryland, above two hundred pounds a year, and is accounted +for to the college treasurer. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +OF THE LEVIES FOR PAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC COUNTY AND PARISH DEBTS. + + +Sec. 18. They have but two ways of raising money publicly in that country, +viz: by duties upon trade, and a poll tax, which they call levies. Of +the duties upon trade, I have spoken sufficiently in the preceding +chapter. I come, therefore, now to speak of the levies, which are a +certain rate or proportion of tobacco charged upon the head of every +tithable person in the country, upon all alike, without distinction. + +They call all negroes above sixteen years of age tithable, be they male +or female, and all white men of the same age; but children and white +women are exempted from all manner of duties. + +That a true account of all these tithable persons may be had, they are +annually listed in crop time, by the justices of each county +respectively; and the masters of families are obliged, under great +penalties, then to deliver to those justices a true list of all the +tithable persons in their families. + +Their levies are threefold, viz: public, county and parish levies. + +Sec. 19. Public levies are such as are proportioned and laid equally, by +the general assembly, upon every tithable person throughout the whole +colony. These serve to defray several expenses appointed by law, to be +so defrayed, such as the executing of a criminal slave, who must be made +good to his owner. The taking up of runaways, and the paying of the +militia, when they happen to be employed upon the service. Out of these +they likewise pay the several officers of the assembly, and some other +public officers. They further defray the charge of the writs, for the +meeting of the house of burgesses, public expresses, and such like. + +The authority for levying this rate is given by a short act of assembly, +constantly prepared for that purpose. + +Sec. 20. The county levies are such as are peculiar to each county, and +laid by the justices upon all tithable persons, for defraying the charge +of their counties, such as the building and repairing their court +houses, prisons, pillories, stocks, &c., and the payment of all +services, rendered to the county in general. + +Sec. 21. The parish levies are laid by the vestry, for the payment of all +charges incident to the several parishes, such as the building, +furnishing, and adorning their churches and chapels, buying glebes and +building upon them, paying their ministers, readers, clerks, and +sextons. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OF THE COURTS OF LAW IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 22. I have already, in the chronology of the government, hinted what +the constitution of their courts was in old time, and that appeals lay +from the general court to the assembly; that the general court, from the +beginning, took cognizance of all causes whatsoever, both ecclesiastical +and civil, determining everything by the standard of equity and good +conscience. They used to come to the merits of the cause as soon as they +could without injustice, never admitting such impertinences of form and +nicety as were not absolutely necessary; and when the substance of the +case was sufficiently debated, they used directly to bring the suit to a +decision. By this method, all fair actions were prosecuted with little +attendance, all just debts were recovered with the least expense of +money and time, and all the tricking and foppery of the law happily +avoided. + +The Lord Colepepper, who was a man of admirable sense, and well skilled +in the laws of England, admired the construction of their courts, and +kept them close to this plain method, retrenching some innovations that +were then creeping into them, under the notion of form, although, at the +same time, he was the occasion of taking away the liberty of appeals to +the assembly. + +But the Lord Howard, who succeeded him, endeavored to introduce as many +of the English forms as he could, being directly opposite to the Lord +Colepepper in that point. + +And lastly, Governor Nicholson, a man the least acquainted with law of +any of them, endeavored to introduce all the quirks of the English +proceedings, by the help of some wretched pettifoggers, who had the +direction both of his conscience and his understanding. + +Sec. 23. They have two sorts of courts, that differ only in jurisdiction, +namely: the general court, and the county courts. + +Sec. 24. The general court is a court held by the governor and council, or +any five of them, who by law are the judges of it, and take cognizance +of all causes, criminal, penal, ecclesiastical and civil. From this +court there is no appeal, except the thing in demand exceed the value of +three hundred pounds sterling, in which case an appeal is allowed to the +king and council, in England, and there determined by a committee of the +privy council, called the lords of appeals; the like custom being used +for all the other plantations. In criminal cases, I don't know that +there's any appeal from the sentence of this court; but the governor is +authorized, by his commission, to pardon persons found guilty of any +crime whatsoever, except of treason and wilful murder; and even in those +cases, he may reprieve the criminal, which reprieve stands good, and may +be continued from time to time until his majesty's pleasure be signified +therein. + +Sec. 25. This court is held twice a year, beginning on the 15th of April, +and on the 15th of October. Each time it continues eighteen days, +excluding Sundays, if the business hold them so long, and these were +formerly the only times of goal delivery; but now, by the governor's +commission, he appoints two other courts of goal delivery, and the king +allows one hundred pounds for each court to defray the charge thereof. + +Sec. 26. The officers attending this general court, are the sheriff of the +county wherein it sits, and his under officers. Their business is to +call the litigants, and the evidences into court, and to empannel +juries. But each sheriff, in his respective county, makes arrests, and +returns the writs to this court. + +Sec. 27. The way of empanneling juries to serve in this court, is thus: the +sheriff and his deputies every morning that the court sits, goes about +the town, summoning the best of the gentlemen, who resort thither from +all parts of the country. The condition of this summons is, that they +attend the court that day to serve upon the jury, (it not being known +whether there will be occasion or no.) And if any cause happen to +require a jury, they are then sworn to try the issue, otherwise, they +are in the evening, of course, dismissed from all further attendance, +though they be not formally discharged by the court. By this means are +procured the best juries this country can afford; for if they should be +summoned by writ of venire, from any particular county, that county +cannot afford so many qualified persons as are here to be found, because +of the great resort of gentlemen from all parts of the colony to these +courts, as well to see fashions, as to dispatch their particular +business. Nor is vicinage necessary there, to distinguish the several +customs of particular places, the whole country being as one +neighborhood, and having the same tenures of land, usages and customs. + +The grand juries are empanneled much after the same manner; but because +they require a greater number of men, and the court is always desirous +to have some from all parts of the country, they give their sheriff +order a day or two before, to provide this pannel. + +Sec. 28. In criminal matters this method is a little altered; because a +knowledge of the life, and conversation of the party, may give light to +the jury in their verdict. For this reason a writ of venire issues in +such cases, to summon six of the nearest neighbors to the criminal, who +must be of the same county wherein he lived; which writ of venire is +returned by the sheriff of the respective county, to the secretary's +office, and the names are taken from thence, by the sheriff attending +the general court, and put in the front of the pannel, which is filled +up with the names of the other gentlemen summoned in the town, to be of +the petty jury for the trial of that criminal. If the prisoner have a +mind to challenge the jurors, the same liberty is allowed him there as +in England; and if the pannel fall short, by reason of such challenge, +it must then be made up of the bystanders. + +Sec. 29. All actions in that country are generally brought to a +determination the third court, unless some special, extraordinary reason +be shown why the party can't make his defence so soon. The course is +thus: upon the defendant's nonappearance, order goes against the bail, +(for a capias is generally their first process,) on condition, that +unless the defendant appear, and plead at the next court, judgment shall +then be awarded for the plaintiff. When the defendant comes to the next +court he is held to plead. Thus, by common course, a year and a half +ends a cause in the general court, and three or four months in the +county court. If any one appeal from the judgment of the county court, +the trial always comes on the succeeding general court; so that all +business begun in the county court, tho' it runs to the utmost of the +law, (without some extraordinary event,) ought to be finished in nine +months. + +Sec. 30. Every one that pleases, may plead his own cause, or else his +friends for him, there being no restraint in that case, nor any licensed +practitioners in the law. If any one be dissatisfied with the judgment +of the county court, let it be for any sum, little or great, he may have +an appeal to the next general court, giving security to answer, and +abide the judgment of that court; but an action cannot originally be +brought in the general court, under the value of ten pounds sterling, or +of two thousand pounds of tobacco, except in some particular cases of +penal laws. + +Sec. 31. The county courts are constituted by law, and the justices thereof +appointed by commission from the governor with advice of council. They +consist of eight or more gentlemen of the county, called justices of the +peace, the sheriff being only a ministerial officer to execute its +process. This court is held monthly, and has jurisdiction of all causes +within the county, cognizable by common law or chancery, and not +touching life or member, and never was limited to any value in its +jurisdiction, as Mr. Oldmixion would have it, pag. 298. But in the case +of hog stealing, they may sentence the criminal to lose his ears; which +is allowed by a particular act for that purpose, as the punishment of +the second offence, the third is felony. In all things they proceed in +the same manner as the general court. + +Sec. 32. This monthly court hath the care of all orphans, and of their +estates, and for the binding out and well ordering of such fatherless +children, who are either without an estate, or have very little. + +In September annually they are to enquire into the keeping and +management of the orphan, as to his sustenance and education, to examine +into his estate, and the securities thereof, viz: whether the sureties +continue to be responsible, and his lands and plantations be kept +improving, and in repair, &c. If the orphan be poor, and bound an +apprentice to any trade, then their business is to enquire, how he is +kept to his schooling and trade; and if the court find he is either +misused or untaught, they take him from that master, and put him to +another of the same trade, or of any other trade, which they judge best +for the child. They cannot bind an orphan boy but to a trade, or the +sea. + +Another charitable method in favor of the poor orphans there, is this: +that besides their trade and schooling, the masters are generally +obliged to give them at their freedom, cattle, tools, or other things, +to the value of five, six, or ten pounds, according to the age of the +child when bound, over and above the usual quantity of corn and clothes. +The boys are bound till one and twenty years of age, and the girls till +eighteen. At which time, they who have taken any care to improve +themselves, generally get well married, and live in plenty, though they +had not a farthing of paternal estate. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +OF THE CHURCH AND CHURCH AFFAIRS. + + +Sec. 33. Their parishes are accounted large or small, in proportion to the +number of tithables contained in them, and not according to the extent +of land. + +Sec. 34. They have in each parish a convenient church, built either of +timber, brick or stone, and decently adorned with everything necessary +for the celebration of divine service. + +If a parish be of greater extent than ordinary, it hath generally a +chapel of ease; and some of the parishes have two such chapels, besides +the church, for the greater convenience of the parishioners. In these +chapels the minister preaches alternately, always leaving a reader to +read prayers when he can't attend himself. + +Sec. 35. The people are generally of the church of England, which is the +religion established by law in that country, from which there are very +few dissenters. Yet liberty of conscience is given to all other +congregations pretending to Christianity, on condition they submit to +all parish duties. They have but one set conventicle amongst them, viz: +a meeting of Quakers in Nansemond county, others that have lately, been +being now extinct; and 'tis observed by letting them alone they decrease +daily. + +Sec. 36. The maintenance for a minister there, is appointed by law at +sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco per annum, (be the parish great or +small;) as also a dwelling house and glebe, together with certain +perquisites for marriages and funeral sermons. That which makes the +difference in the benefices of the clergy is the value of the tobacco, +according to the distinct species of it, or according to the place of +its growth. Besides, in large and rich parishes, more marriages will +probably happen, and more funeral sermons. + +The fee by law for a funeral sermon is forty shillings, or four hundred +pounds of tobacco; for a marriage by license twenty shillings, or two +hundred pounds of tobacco, and where the banns are proclaimed, only five +shillings, or fifty pounds of tobacco. + +When these salaries were granted, the assembly valued tobacco at ten +shillings per hundred; at which rate, the sixteen thousand pounds comes +to fourscore pounds sterling; but in all parishes where the +sweet-scented grows, since the law for appointing agents to view the +tobacco was made, it has generally been sold for double that value, and +never under. + +In some parishes, likewise, there are by donation stocks of cattle and +negroes on the glebes, which are also allowed to the minister for his +use and encouragement, he only being accountable for the surrender of +the same value when he leaves the parish. + +Sec. 37. For the well governing of these, and all other parochial affairs, +a vestry is appointed in each parish. These vestries consist of twelve +gentlemen of the parish, and were at first chosen by the vote of the +parishioners; but upon the death of any, have been continued by the +survivors electing another in his place. These, in the name of the +parish, make presentation of ministers, and have the sole power of all +parish assessments. They are qualified for this employment by +subscribing, to be conformable to the doctrine and discipline of the +church of England. If there be a minister incumbent, he always presides +in the vestry. + +For the ease of the vestry in general, and for discharging the business +of the parish, they choose two from among themselves to be +church-wardens, which must be annually changed, that the burthen may lie +equally upon all. The business of these church-wardens, is to see the +orders and agreements of the vestry performed; to collect all the parish +tobacco, and distribute it to the several claimers; to make up the +accounts of the parish, and to present all profaneness and immorality to +the county courts, and there prosecute it. + +By these the tobacco of the minister is collected, and brought to him in +hogsheads convenient for shipping, so that he is at no farther trouble +but to receive it in that condition. This was ordained by the law of the +country, for the ease of the ministers, that so they being delivered +from the trouble of gathering in their dues, may have the more time to +apply themselves to the exercises of their holy function, and live in a +decency suitable to their order. It may here be observed, that the labor +of a dozen negroes does but answer this salary, and seldom yields a +greater crop of sweet scented tobacco than is allowed to each of their +ministers. + +Sec. 38. Probates of wills and administrations are, according to their law, +petitioned for in the county courts; and by them security taken and +certified to the governor, which, if he approves the commission, is then +signed by them without fee. Marriage licenses are issued by the clerks +of those courts, and signed by the justice in commission, or by any +other person deputed by the governor, for which a fee of twenty +shillings must be paid to the governor. The power of induction, upon +presentation of ministers, is also in the governor. + +In the year 1642, when the sectaries began to spread themselves so much +in England, the assembly made a law against them, to prevent their +preaching and propagating their doctrines in that colony. They admitted +none to preach in their churches but ministers ordained by some reverend +bishop of the church of England, and the governor, for the time being, +as the most suitable public person among them, was left sole judge of +the certificates of such ordination, and so he has continued ever +since. + +Sec. 39. The only thing I have heard the clergy complain of there, is what +they call precariousness in their livings; that is, that they have not +inductions generally, and therefore are not entitled to a freehold; but +are liable, without trial or crime alledged, to be put out by the +vestry. And though some have prevailed with their vestries, to present +them for induction, yet the greater number of the ministers have no +induction, but are entertained by agreement with their vestries, yet are +they very rarely turned out without some great provocation, and then, if +they have not been abominably scandalous, they immediately get other +parishes, for there is no benefice whatsoever in that country that +remains without a minister if they can get one, and no qualified +minister ever yet returned from that country for want of preferment. +They have now several vacant parishes. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CONCERNING THE COLLEGE. + + +Sec. 40. The college, as has been hinted, was founded by their late +majesties, King William and Queen Mary, of happy memory, in the year +1692. Towards the founding of which, they gave one thousand nine hundred +and eighty-five pounds, fourteen shillings and ten pence. They gave +moreover, towards the endowment of it, twenty thousand acres of land; +the revenue of one pence per pound on tobacco exported to the +plantations from Virginia and Maryland; and the surveyor general's +place, then avoid; and appointed them a burgess to represent them in the +assemblies. The land hitherto has yielded little or no profit; the duty +of one pence per pound, brings in about two hundred pounds a year; and +the surveyor general's place, about fifty pounds a year. To which the +assembly had added a duty on skins and furs exported, worth about an +hundred pounds a year. + +Sec. 41. By the same charter, likewise, their majesties granted a power to +certain gentlemen, and the survivors of them, as trustees, to build and +establish the college, by the name of William and Mary college; to +consist of a president and six masters, or professors, and an hundred +scholars, more or less, graduates or non-graduates; enabling the said +trustees, as a body corporate, to enjoy annuities, spiritual and +temporal, of the value of two thousand pounds sterling per annum, with +proviso to convert it to the building and adorning the college; and then +to make over the remainder to the president and masters, and their +successors, who are likewise to become a corporation, and be enabled to +purchase and hold to the value of two thousand pounds a year, but no +more. + +Sec. 42. The persons named in the charter for trustees, are made governors +and visitors of the college, and to have a perpetual succession, by the +name of governors and visitors, with power to fill up their own +vacancies, happening by the death or removal of any of them. Their +complete number may be eighteen, but not to exceed twenty, of which one +is to be rector, and annually chosen by themselves, on the first Monday +after the 25th of March. + +These have the nomination of the president and masters of the college, +and all other officers belonging to it; and the power of making statutes +and ordinances, for the better rule and government thereof. + +Sec. 43. The building is to consist of a quadrangle, two sides of which are +not yet carried up. In this part are contained all conveniencies of +cooking, brewing, baking, &c., and convenient rooms for the reception of +the president and masters, with many more scholars than are as yet come +to it. In this part are also the hall and school room. + +Sec. 44. The college was intended to be an intire square when finished. Two +sides of this were finished in the latter end of Governor Nicholson's +time, and the masters and scholars, with the necessary housekeepers and +servants, were settled in it, and so continued till the first year of +Governor Nott's time, in which it happened to be burnt (no body knows +how) down to the ground, and very little saved that was in it, the fire +breaking out about ten o'clock at night in a public time. + +The governor, and all the gentlemen that were in town, came up to the +lamentable spectacle, many getting out of their beds. But the fire had +got such power before it was discovered, and was so fierce, that there +was no hope of putting a stop to it, and therefore no attempts made to +that end. + +In this condition it lay till the arrival of Colonel Spotswood, their +present governor, in whose time it was raised again the same bigness as +before, and settled. + +There had been a donation of large sums of money, by the Hon. Robert +Boyle, esq., to this college, for the education of Indian children +therein. In order to make use of this, they had formerly bought half a +dozen captive Indian children slaves, and put them to the college. This +method did not satisfy this governor, as not answering the intent of the +donor. So to work he goes, among the tributary and other neighboring +Indians, and in a short time brought them to send their children to be +educated, and brought new nations, some of which lived four hundred +miles off, taking their children for hostages and education equally, at +the same time setting up a school in the frontiers convenient to the +Indians, that they might often see their children under the first +managements, where they learned to read, paying fifty pounds per annum +out of his own pocket to the schoolmaster there; after which many were +brought to the college, where they were taught till they grew big enough +for their hunting and other exercises, at which time they were returned +home, and smaller taken in their stead. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +OF THE MILITIA IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 45. The militia are the only standing forces in Virginia. They are +happy in the enjoyment of an everlasting peace, which their poverty and +want of towns secure to them. They have the Indians round about in +subjection, and have no sort of apprehension from them: and for a +foreign enemy, it can never be worth their while to carry troops +sufficient to conquer the country; and the scattering method of their +settlement will not answer the charge of an expedition to plunder them: +so that they feel none but the distant effect of war, which, however, +keeps 'em so poor, that they can boast of nothing but the security of +their persons and habitations. + +Sec. 46. The governor is lieutenant-general by his commission, and in each +county does appoint the colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major, who have +under them captains, and other commissioned and subaltern officers. + +Every freeman, (by which denomination they call all, but indented, or +bought servants,) from sixteen to sixty years of age, is listed in the +militia; which by a law is to be mustered in a general muster for each +county once a year; and in single troops and companies, four times more +at the least: most people there are skilful in the use of fire-arms, +being all their lives accustomed to shoot in the woods. This, together +with a little exercising, would soon make the militia useful. + +Sec. 47. The exact number of the militia is not now known, there not being +any account of the number taken of late years, but I guess them at this +time to be about eighteen thousand effective men in all. + +And whereas by the practice of former times upon the militia law, +several people were obliged to travel sometimes thirty or forty miles to +a private muster of a troop or company, which was very burdensome to +some, more than others, to answer only the same duty; this governor, +just and regular in all his conduct, and experienced to put his desires +in execution, so contrived, by dividing the counties into several +cantons or military districts, forming the troops and companies to each +canton, and appointing the musterfields in the centre of each, that now +throughout the whole country, none are obliged to travel above ten miles +to a private muster, and yet the law put in due execution. + +Sec. 48. Instead of the soldiers they formerly kept constantly in forts, +and of the others after them by the name of rangers, to scour the +frontiers clear of the Indian enemy, they have by law appointed the +militia to march out upon such occasions, under the command of the chief +officer of the county, where any incursion shall be notified. And if +they upon such expedition remain in arms three days and upwards, they +are then entitled to the pay for the whole time; but if it prove a false +alarm, and they have no occasion to continue out so long, they can +demand nothing. + +Sec. 49. The number of soldiers in each troop of light horse, are from +thirty to sixty, as the convenience of the canton will admit; and in a +company of foot about fifty or sixty. A troop or company may be got +together at a day's warning. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +OF THE SERVANTS AND SLAVES IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 50. Their servants they distinguish by the names of slaves for life, +and servants for a time. + +Slaves are the negroes and their posterity, following the condition of +the mother, according to the maxim, _partus frequitur ventrem_. They are +called slaves, in respect of the time of their servitude, because it is +for life. + +Servants, are those which serve only for a few years, according to the +time of their indenture, or the custom of the country. The custom of the +country takes place upon such as have no indentures. The law in this +case is, that if such servants be under nineteen years of age, they must +be brought into court to have their age adjudged; and from the age they +are judged to be of, they must serve until they reach four and twenty; +but if they be adjudged upwards of nineteen, they are then only to be +servants for the term of five years. + +Sec. 51. The male servants, and slaves of both sexes, are employed together +in tilling and manuring the ground, in sowing and planting tobacco, +corn, &c. Some distinction indeed is made between them in their clothes, +and food; but the work of both is no other than what the overseers, the +freemen, and the planters themselves do. + +Sufficient distinction is also made between the female servants, and +slaves; for a white woman is rarely or never put to work in the ground, +if she be good for anything else; and to discourage all planters from +using any women so, their law makes female servants working in the +ground tithables, while it suffers all other white women to be +absolutely exempted; whereas, on the other hand, it is a common thing to +work a woman slave out of doors, nor does the law make any distinction +in her taxes, whether her work be abroad or at home. + +Sec. 52. Because I have heard how strangely cruel and severe the service of +this country is represented in some parts of England, I can't forbear +affirming, that the work of their servants and slaves is no other than +what every common freeman does; neither is any servant required to do +more in a day than his overseer; and I can assure you, with great truth, +that generally their slaves are not worked near so hard, nor so many +hours in a day, as the husbandmen, and day laborers in England. An +overseer is a man, that having served his time, has acquired the skill +and character of an experienced planter, and is therefore entrusted with +the direction of the servants and slaves. + +But to complete this account of servants, I shall give you a short +relation of the care their laws take, that they be used as tenderly as +possible: + + + BY THE LAWS OF THEIR COUNTRY, + + 1. All servants whatsoever have their complaints heard without fee + or reward; but if the master be found faulty, the charge of the + complaint is cast upon him, otherwise the business is done _ex + officio_. + + 2. Any justice of the peace may receive the complaint of a + servant, and order everything relating thereto, till the next + county court, where it will be finally determined. + + 3. All masters are under the correction and censure of the county + courts, to provide for their servants good and wholesome diet, + clothing and lodging. + + 4. They are always to appear upon the first notice given of the + complaint of their servants, otherwise to forfeit the service of + them until they do appear. + + 5. All servants' complaints are to be received at any time in + court, without process, and shall not be delayed for want of form; + but the merits of the complaint must be immediately enquired into + by the justices; and if the master cause any delay therein, the + court may remove such servants, if they see cause, until the + master will come to trial. + + 6. If a master shall at any time disobey an order of court, made + upon any complaint of a servant, the court is empowered to remove + such servant forthwith to another master who will be kinder, + giving to the former master the produce only, (after fees + deducted,) of what such servants shall be sold for by public + outcry. + + 7. If a master should be so cruel, as to use his servant ill, that + is fallen sick or lame in his service, and thereby rendered unfit + for labor, he must be removed by the church-wardens out of the way + of such cruelty, and boarded in some good planter's house, till + the time of his freedom, the charge of which must be laid before + the next county court, which has power to levy the same, from time + to time, upon the goods and chattels of the master, after which, + the charge of such boarding is to come upon the parish in general. + + 8. All hired servants are entitled to these privileges. + + 9. No master of a servant can make a new bargain for service, or + other matter with his servant, without the privity and consent of + the county court, to prevent the masters overreaching, or scaring + such servant into an unreasonable compliance. + + 10. The property of all money and goods sent over thither to + servants, or carried in with them, is reserved to themselves, and + remains entirely at their disposal. + + 11. Each servant at his freedom receives of his master ten bushels + of corn, (which is sufficient for almost a year,) two new suits of + clothes, both linen and woolen, and a gun, twenty shillings value, + and then becomes as free in all respects, and as much entitled to + the liberties and privileges of the country, as any of the + inhabitants or natives are, if such servants were not aliens. + + 12. Each servant has then also a right to take up fifty acres of + land, where he can find any unpatented. + +This is what the laws prescribe in favor of servants, by which you may +find, that the cruelties and severities imputed to that country, are an +unjust reflection. For no people more abhor the thoughts of such usage, +than the Virginians, nor take more precaution to prevent it now, +whatever it was in former days. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +OF THE OTHER PUBLIC CHARITABLE WORKS, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR PROVISION +FOR THE POOR. + + +Sec. 53. They live in so happy a climate, and have so fertile a soil, that +nobody is poor enough to beg, or want food, though they have abundance +of people that are lazy enough to deserve it. I remember the time when +five pounds was left by a charitable testator to the poor of the parish +he lived in, and it lay nine years before the executors could find one +poor enough to accept of this legacy, but at last it was given to an old +woman. So that this may in truth be termed the best poor man's country +in the world. But as they have nobody that is poor to beggary, so they +have few that are rich; their estates being regulated by the merchants +in England, who it seems know best what is profit enough for them in the +sale of their tobacco and other trade. + +Sec. 54. When it happens, that by accident or sickness, any person is +disabled from working, and so is forced to depend upon the alms of the +parish, he is then very well provided for, not at the common rate of +some countries, that give but just sufficient to preserve the poor from +perishing; but the unhappy creature is received into some charitable +planter's house, where he is at the public charge boarded plentifully. + +Many when they are crippled, or by long sickness become poor, will +sometimes ask to be free from levies and taxes; but very few others do +ever ask for the parish alms, or, indeed, so much as stand in need of +them. + +Sec. 55. There are large tracts of land, houses, and other things granted +to free schools, for the education of children in many parts of the +country; and some of these are so large, that of themselves they are a +handsome maintenance to a master; but the additional allowance which +gentlemen give with their sons, render them a comfortable subsistence. +These schools have been founded by the legacies of well inclined +gentlemen, and the management of them hath commonly been left to the +direction of the county court, or to the vestry of the respective +parishes. In all other places where such endowments have not been +already made, the people join, and build schools for their children, +where they may learn upon very easy terms. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +OF THE TENURE BY WHICH THEY HOLD THEIR LANDS, AND OF THEIR GRANTS. + + +Sec. 56. The tenure of their land there is free and common soccage, +according to custom of east Greenwich; and is created by letters +patents, issuing under the seal of the colony, and under the test of the +governor in chief for the time being. I don't find that the name of any +other officer is necessary to make the patent valid. + +Sec. 57. There are three ways of obtaining from his majesty a title to land +there, viz: 1. By taking a patent upon a survey of new land. 2. By +petition for land lapsed. 3. By petition for land escheated. The +conditions of the two former are the entry of rights; the condition of +the third a composition of two pounds of tobacco for every acre. + +Sec. 58. A right is a title any one hath by the royal charter to fifty +acres of land, in consideration of his personal transportation into that +country, to settle and remain there; by this rule also, a man that +removes his family is entitled to the same number of acres for his wife, +and each of his children; a right may be also obtained by paying five +shillings, according to a late royal instruction to the government. + +Sec. 59. A patent upon land for survey is acquired thus: 1. The man proves +his rights; that is, he makes oath in court of the importation of so +many persons, with a list of their names. This list is then certified by +the clerk of that court to the clerk of the secretary's office, who +examines into the validity of them, and files them in that office, +attesting them to be regular, or he purchases them at five shillings +each as aforesaid. When the rights are thus obtained, they are produced +to the surveyor of the county, and the land is showed to him; who, +thereupon, is bound to make the survey if the land had not been patented +before. These rights to land are as commonly sold by one man to another, +as the land itself; so that any one, not having rights by his own +importation, may have them by purchase. + +It is the business of the surveyor also to take care that the bounds of +his survey be plainly marked, either by natural boundaries, or else by +chopping notches in the trees, that happen in the lines of his courses; +but this is done at the charge of the man that employs him. + +This survey being made, a copy thereof is carried, with a certificate of +rights to the secretary's office, and there (if there be no objection) a +patent of course is made out upon it, which is presented to the governor +and council for them to pass; the patentee having no more to do but to +send for it when it is perfected, and to pay the fee at the first crop +to the sheriff of the county, by whom annually the fees are collected. + +This patent gives an estate in fee simple, upon condition of paying a +quit rent of twelve pence for every fifty acres, and of planting or +seating thereon, within three years, according to their law; that is, to +clear, plant, and tend three acres of ground for every fifty, and to +build an house, and keep a stock of cattle, sheep, or goats, in +proportion to the meaner part of the land in the patent. + +Sec. 60. Lapsed land, is when any one having obtained a patent as before, +doth not set or plant thereon within three years, as the condition of +the patent requires; but leaves it still all or part uninhabited and +uncultivated. In such case it is said to be lapsed, and any man is at +liberty to obtain a new patent in his own name of so much as is lapsed, +the method of acquiring which patent is thus. + +The party must apply himself by petition to the general court, another +to the governor, setting forth all the circumstances of the lapse. If +this petition be allowed, the court makes an order, to certify the same +to the governor, in whose breast it is then to make a new grant thereof +to such person if he thinks they deserve it, upon the same condition, of +setting or planting within three years, as was in the former patent. +Thus land may be lapsed or lost several times, by the negligence of the +patentees; who, by such omission, lose not only the land, but all their +rights and charges into the bargain. + +But if within the three years after the date of the patent, or before +any new petition is preferred for it, the patentee shall set or plant +the said land, as the law directs; it cannot afterwards be forfeited, +but by attainder, or escheat, in which case it returns to his majesty +again. + +Also when it happens, that the patentee dies within the three years, +leaving the heir under age, there is farther time given the heir after +he comes of age to set and save such land. + +Sec. 61. When land is suggested to escheat, the governor issues his warrant +to the escheator, to make inquest thereof: and when upon such inquest, +office is found for the king, it must be recorded in the secretary's +office, and there kept nine months, to see if any person will lay claim +to it, or can traverse the escheat. If any such appear, upon his +petition to the general court he is heard, before any grant can be made. +If no person oppose the inquest, the land is given to the man that shews +the best equitable right thereto; and if there be none such, it is then +granted to any one, that the governor and council shall think fit, the +grantee always paying two pounds of tobacco per acre into the treasury +of the country, as a fine of composition with his majesty for his +escheat: and thereupon a patent issues reciting premises. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +OF THE LIBERTIES AND NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 62. Christians of all nations have equal freedom there, and upon their +arrival become _ipso facto_ entitled to all the liberties and privileges +of the country, provided they take the oaths of obedience to the crown +and government, and obtain the governor's testimonial thereof. + +The method of obtaining naturalization is thus: the party desiring it +goes before the governor, and tenders his oath of allegiance, which the +governor thereupon administers, and immediately makes certificate of it +under the seal of the colony. By this means, the person alien is +completely naturalized to all intents and purposes. + +Sec. 63. The French refugees sent in thither by the charitable exhibition +of his late majesty king William, are naturalized, by a particular law +for that purpose. + +In the year 1699, there went over about three hundred of these, and the +year following about two hundred more, and so on, till there arrived in +all between seven and eight hundred men, women and children, who had +fled from France on account of their religion. + +Those who went over the first year, were advised to seat on a piece of +very rich land, about twenty miles above the falls of James river, on +the south side of the river; which land was formerly the seat of a great +and warlike nation of Indians, called the Manicans, none of which are +now left in those parts; but the land still retains their name, and is +called the Manican town. + +The refugees that arrived the second year, went also first to the +Manican town, but afterwards upon some disagreement, several dispersed +themselves up and down the country; and those that have arrived since +have followed their example, except some few, that settled likewise at +the Manican town. + +The assembly was very bountiful to those who remained at this town, +bestowing on them large donations, money and provisions for their +support; they likewise freed them from every public tax, for several +years to come, and addressed the governor to grant them a brief, to +entitle them to the charity of all well disposed persons throughout the +country; which together with the king's benevolence, supported them very +comfortably, till they could sufficiently supply themselves with +necessaries, which now they do indifferently well, and have stocks of +cattle and hogs. + +The year 1702, they began an essay of wine, which they made of the wild +grapes gathered in the woods; the effect of which was a strong bodied +claret, of good flavor. I heard a gentleman, who tasted it, give it +great commendation. Now if such may be made of the wild vine in the +woods, without pruning, weeding, or removing it out of the shade, what +may not be produced from a vineyard skilfully cultivated? But I don't +hear that they have done any thing since towards it, being still very +poor, needy, and negligent. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +OF THE CURRENCY AND VALUATION OF COINS IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 64. The coin which chiefly they have among them, is either gold, of +the stamp of Arabia, or silver and gold, of the stamp of France, +Portugal or the Spanish America: Spanish, French and Portuguese coined +silver is settled by law at three pence three farthings the pennyweight. +Gold of the same coin, and of Arabia, at five shillings the pennyweight. +English guineas at twenty-six shillings each, and the silver two pence +in every shilling advance, English old coin goes by weight as the other +gold and silver. + + + + +OF THE +HUSBANDRY AND IMPROVEMENTS +OF +VIRGINIA. + + +PART II. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +OF THE PEOPLE, INHABITANTS OF VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 65. I can easily imagine with Sir Josiah Child, that this, as well as +all the rest of the plantations, was for the most part, at first, +peopled by persons of low circumstances, and by such as were willing to +seek their fortunes in a foreign country. Nor was it hardly possible it +should be otherwise; for 'tis not likely that any man of a plentiful +estate should voluntarily abandon a happy certainty, to roam after +imaginary advantages in a new world. Besides which uncertainty, he must +have proposed to himself to encounter the infinite difficulties and +dangers that attend a new settlement. These discouragements were +sufficient to terrify any man, that could live easily in England, from +going to provoke his fortune in a strange land. + +Sec. 66. Those that went over to that country first, were chiefly single +men who had not the incumbrance of wives and children in England; and if +they had, they did not expose them to the fatigue and hazard of so long +a voyage, until they saw how it should fare with themselves. From hence +it came to pass, that when they were settled there in a comfortable way +of subsisting a family, they grew sensible of the misfortune of wanting +wives, and such as had left wives in England sent for them, but the +single men were put to their shifts. They excepted against the Indian +women on account of their being pagans, as well as their complexions, +and for fear they should conspire with those of their own nation to +destroy their husbands. Under this difficulty they had no hopes, but +that the plenty in which they lived might invite modest women, of small +fortunes, to go over thither from England. However, they would not +receive any, but such as could carry sufficient certificate of their +modesty and good behavior. Those, if they were but moderately qualified +in all other respects, might depend upon marrying very well in those +days, without any fortune. Nay, the first planters were so far from +expecting money with a woman, that 'twas a common thing for them to buy +a deserving wife, that carried good testimonials of her character, at +the price of one hundred pounds, and make themselves believe they had a +bargain. + +Sec. 67. But this way of peopling the colony was only at first. For after +the advantages of the climate, and the fruitfulness of the soil were +well known, and all the dangers incident to infant settlements were +over, people of better condition retired thither with their families, +either to increase the estates they had before, or else to avoid being +persecuted for their principles of religion or government. + +Thus, in the time of the rebellion in England, several good cavalier +families went thither with their effects, to escape the tyranny of the +usurper, or acknowledgement of his title. And so again, upon the +restoration, many people of the opposite party took refuge there, to +shelter themselves from the king's resentment. But Virginia had not many +of these last, because that country was famous for holding out the +longest for the royal family, of any of the English dominions. For +which reason the Roundheads went, for the most part, to New England, as +did most of those that in the reign of King Charles II were molested on +account of their religion, though some of these fell likewise to the +share of Virginia. As for malefactors condemned to transportation, tho' +the greedy planter will always buy them, yet it is to be feared they +will be very injurious to the country, which has already suffered many +murders and robberies, the effect of that new law of England. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +OF THE BUILDINGS OF VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 68. There are three fine public buildings in this country, which are +said to be the most magnificent of any in the English America: one of +which is the college before spoken of, another the capitol or state +house, as it was formerly called; that is, the house for convention of +the general assembly, for the sitting of the general court, for the +meeting of the council, and for keeping of their several offices, +belonging to them. + +Not far from this, is also built the public prison of the country for +criminals, which is a large and convenient structure, with partitions +for the different sexes, and distinct rooms for petty offenders. To this +is also annexed a convenient yard to air the criminals in, for the +preservation of their life and health, till the time of their trial; and +at the end of that, another prison for debtors. + +The third is a house for the governor, not the largest, but by far the +most beautiful of all the others. It was granted by the assembly in +Governor Nott's time, begun in President Jennings' time, but received +its beauty and conveniency for the many alterations and decorations, of +the present governor, Colonel Spotswood; who, to the lasting honor and +happiness of the country, arrived there, while this house was carrying +up. + +In his time was also built a new brick church, and brick magazine for +arms and ammunition, and the streets of the town altered from the +fanciful forms of Ws and Ms to much more conveniences. + +These are all erected at Middle plantation, now named Williamsburg, +where land is laid out for a town. They all are built of brick, and +covered with shingle, except the debtors' prison which is flat roofed +anew; a very useful invention of the present governor also. + +Sec. 69. The private buildings are also in his time very much improved, +several gentlemen there, having built themselves large brick houses of +many rooms on a floor; but they don't covet to make them lofty, having +extent enough of ground to build upon; and now and then they are visited +by high winds, which would incommode a towering fabric. They love to +have large rooms, that they may be cool in summer. Of late they have +made their stories much higher than formerly, and their windows larger, +and sashed with crystal glass; adorning their apartments with rich +furniture. + +All their drudgeries of cookery, washing, dairies, &c., are performed in +offices apart from the dwelling houses, which by this means are kept +more cool and sweet. + +Their tobacco houses are all built of wood, as open and airy as is +consistent with keeping out the rain; which sort of building is most +convenient for the curing of their tobacco. + +Their common covering for dwelling houses is shingle, which is an oblong +square of cypress or pine wood; but they cover their tobacco houses with +thin clap board; and though they have slate enough in some particular +parts of the country, and as strong clay as can be desired for making of +tile, yet they have very few tiled houses; neither has any one yet +thought it worth his while to dig up the slate, which will hardly be +made use of, till the carriage there becomes cheaper, and more common; +the slate lying far up the frontiers above water carriage. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +OF THE EDIBLES, POTABLES, AND FUEL IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 70. The families being altogether on country seats, they have their +graziers, seedsmen, gardeners, brewers, bakers, butchers and cooks, +within themselves. They have plenty and variety of provisions for their +table; and as for spicery, and other things that the country don't +produce, they have constant supplies of them from England. The gentry +pretend to have their victuals dressed, and served up as nicely, as if +they were in London. + +Sec. 71. When I come to speak of their cattle, I can't forbear charging my +countrymen with exceeding ill husbandry, in not providing sufficiently +for them all winter, by which means they starve their young cattle, or +at least stint their growth; so that they seldom or never grow so large +as they would do, if they were well managed; for the humor is there, if +people can but save the lives of their cattle, though they suffer them +to be never so poor in the winter, yet they will presently grow fat +again in the spring, which they esteem sufficient for their purpose. And +this is the occasion, that their beef and mutton are seldom or never so +large, or so fat as in England. And yet with the least feeding +imaginable, they are put into as good case as can be desired; and it is +the same with their hogs. + +Their fish is in vast plenty and variety, and extraordinary good in +their kind. Beef and pork are commonly sold there, from one penny, to +two pence the pound, or more, according to the time of year; their +fattest and largest pullets at sixpence a piece; their capons at eight +pence or nine pence a piece; their chickens at three or four shillings +the dozen; their ducks at eight pence, or nine pence a piece; their +geese at ten pence or a shilling; their turkey hens at fifteen or +eighteen pence; and their turkey cocks at two shillings or half a crown. +But oysters and wild fowl are not so dear, as the things I have reckoned +before, being in their season the cheapest victuals they have. Their +deer are commonly sold from five to ten shillings, according to the +scarcity and goodness. + +Sec. 72. The bread in gentlemen's houses is generally made of wheat, but +some rather choose the pone, which is the bread made of Indian meal. +Many of the poorer sort of people so little regard the English grain, +that though they might have it with the least trouble in the world, yet +they don't mind to sow the ground, because they won't be at the trouble +of making a fence particularly for it. And, therefore, their constant +bread is pone, not so called from the Latin panis, but from the Indian +name oppone. + +Sec. 73. A kitchen garden don't thrive better or faster in any part of the +universe than there. They have all the culinary plants that grow in +England, and in greater perfection than in England. Besides these, they +have several roots, herbs, vine fruits, and salad flowers peculiar to +themselves, most of which will neither increase nor grow to perfection +in England. These they dish up various ways, and find them very +delicious sauce to their meats, both roast and boiled, fresh and salt; +such are the Indian cresses, red buds, sassafras flowers, cymlings, +melons and potatoes, whereof I have spoken at large in the 4th chapter +of the second book, section 20. + +It is said of New England, that several plants will not grow there, +which thrive well in England; such as rue, southernwood, rosemary, bays +and lavender; and that others degenerate, and will not continue above a +year or two at the most; such are July flowers, fennel, enula campana, +clary and bloodwort. But I don't know any English plant, grain or fruit, +that miscarries in Virginia: but most of them better their kinds very +much by being sowed or planted there. It was formerly said of the red +top turnip, that there, in three or four, years time, it degenerated +into rape; but that happened merely by an error in saving the seed; for +now it appears that if they cut off the top of such a turnip, that has +been kept out of the ground all the winter, and plant that top alone +without the body of the root, it yields a seed which mends the turnip in +the next sowing. + +Sec. 74. Their small drink is either wine and water, beer, milk and water, +or water alone. Their richer sort generally brew their small beer with +malt, which they have from England, though barley grows there very well; +but for want of the convenience of malthouses, the inhabitants take no +care to sow it. The poorer sort brew their beer with molasses and bran; +with Indian corn malted by drying in a stove; with persimmons dried in +cakes, and baked; with potatoes; with the green stalks of Indian corn +cut small, and bruised; with pompions, and with the batates canadensis, +or Jerusalem artichoke, which some people plant purposely for that use; +but this is the least esteemed of all the sorts before mentioned. + +Their strong drink is Madeira wine, cider, mobby punch, made either of +rum from the Caribbee islands, or brandy distilled from their apples and +peaches; besides brandy, wine, and strong beer, which they have +constantly from England. + +Sec. 75. Their fuel is altogether wood, which every man burns at pleasure, +it being no other charge to him than the cutting and carrying it home. +In all new grounds it is such an incumbrance, that they are forced to +burn great heaps of it to rid the land. They have very good pit coal (as +is formerly mentioned) in several places of the country; but no man has +yet thought it worth his while to make use of them, having wood in +plenty, and lying more convenient for him. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +OF THE CLOTHING IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 76. They have their clothing of all sorts from England; as linen, +woollen, silk, hats and leather. Yet flax and hemp grow no where in the +world better than there. Their sheep yield good increase, and bear good +fleeces; but they shear them only to cool them. The mulberry tree, whose +leaf is the proper food of the silk worm, grows there like a weed, and +silk worms have been observed to thrive extremely, and without any +hazard. The very furs that their hats are made of perhaps go first from +thence; and most of their hides lie and rot, or are made use of only for +covering dry goods in a leaky house. Indeed, some few hides with much +ado are tanned and made into servants' shoes, but at so careless a rate, +that the planters don't care to buy them if they can get others; and +sometimes perhaps a better manager than ordinary will vouchsafe to make +a pair of breeches of a deerskin. Nay, they are such abominable ill +husbands, that though their country be overrun with wood, yet they have +all their wooden ware from England; their cabinets, chairs, tables, +stools, chests, boxes, cart wheels, and all other things, even so much +as their bowls and birchen brooms, to the eternal reproach of their +laziness. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +OF THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CLIMATE, AND THE INCONVENIENCIES ATTENDING IT. + + +Sec. 77. The natural temperature of the inhabited part of the country is +hot and moist, though this moisture I take to be occasioned by the +abundance of low grounds, marshes, creeks and rivers, which are +everywhere among their lower settlements; but more backward in the +woods, where they are now seating, and making new plantations, they have +abundance of high and dry land, where there are only crystal streams of +water, which flow gently from their springs in innumerable branches to +moisten and enrich the adjacent lands, and where a fog is rarely seen. + +Sec. 78. The country is in a very happy situation, between the extremes of +heat and cold, but inclining rather to the first. Certainly it must be a +happy climate, since it is very near of the same latitude with the land +of promise. Besides, as the land of promise was full of rivers and +branches of rivers, so is Virginia. As that was seated upon a great bay +and sea, wherein were all the conveniencies for shipping and trade, so +is Virginia. Had that fertility of soil? So has Virginia, equal to any +land in the known world. In fine, if any one impartially considers all +the advantages of this country, as nature made it, he must allow it to +be as fine a place as any in the universe, but I confess I am ashamed to +say any thing of its improvements, because I must at the same time +reproach my countrymen with unpardonable sloth. If there be any excuse +for them in this matter, 'tis the exceeding plenty of good things with +which nature has blest them; for where God Almighty is so merciful as +to give plenty and ease, people easily forget their duty. + +All the countries in the world, seated in or near the latitude of +Virginia, are esteemed the fruitfullest and pleasantest of all climates. +As for example, Canaan, Syria, Persia, great part of India, China and +Japan, the Morea, Spain, Portugal, and the coast of Barbary, none of +which differ many degrees of latitude from Virginia. These are reckoned +the gardens of the world, while Virginia is unjustly neglected by its +own inhabitants, and abused by other people. + +Sec. 79. That which makes this country most unfortunate, is, that it must +submit to receive its character from the mouths not only of unfit, but +very unequal judges; for all its reproaches happen after this manner. + +Many of the merchants and others, that go thither from England, make no +distinction between a cold and hot country; but wisely go sweltering +about in their thick clothes all the summer, because forsooth they used +to do so in their northern climate; and then unfairly complain of the +heat of the country. They greedily surfeit with their delicious fruits, +and are guilty of great intemperance therein, through the exceeding +plenty thereof, and liberty given by the inhabitants; by which means +they fall sick, and then unjustly complain of the unhealthiness of the +country. In the next place, the sailors for want of towns there, were +put to the hardship of rolling most of the tobacco, a mile or more, to +the water side; this splinters their hands sometimes, and provokes them +to curse the country. Such exercise and a bright sun made them hot, and +then they imprudently fell to drinking cold water, or perhaps new cider, +which, in its season they found in every planter's house; or else they +greedily devour the green fruit, and unripe trash they met with, and so +fell into fluxes, fevers, and the belly ache; and then, to spare their +own indiscretion, they in their tarpaulin language, cry, God d----m the +country. This is the true state of the case, as to the complaints of its +being sickly; for, by the most impartial observation I can make, if +people will be persuaded to be temperate, and take due care of +themselves, I believe it is as healthy a country as any under heaven: +but the extraordinary pleasantness of the weather, and plenty of the +fruit, lead people into many temptations. The clearness and brightness +of the sky, add new vigor to their spirits, and perfectly remove all +splenetic and sullen thoughts. Here they enjoy all the benefits of a +warm sun, and by their shady trees are protected from its inconvenience. +Here all their senses are entertained with an endless succession of +native pleasures. Their eyes are ravished with the beauties of naked +nature. Their ears are serenaded with the perpetual murmur of brooks, +and the thorough-base which the wind plays, when it wantons through the +trees; the merry birds too, join their pleasing notes to this rural +comfort, especially the mock birds, who love society so well, that often +when they see mankind, they will perch upon a twig very near them, and +sing the sweetest wild airs in the world. But what is most remarkable in +these melodious animals, if they see a man take notice of them, they +will frequently fly at small distances, warbling out their notes from +perch to perch, be it house or tree convenient, and sometimes too fly +up, to light on the same again, and by their music make a man forget the +fatigues of his mind. Men's taste is regaled with the most delicious +fruits, which, without art, they have in great variety and perfection. +And then their smell is refreshed with an eternal fragrancy of flowers +and sweets, with which nature perfumes and adorns the woods and branches +almost the whole year round. + +Have you pleasure in a garden? All things thrive in it most +surprisingly; you can't walk by a bed of flowers, but besides the +entertainment of their beauty, your eyes will be saluted with the +charming colors and curiosity of the humming bird, which revels among +the flowers, and licks off the dew and honey from their tender leaves, +on which it only feeds. Its size is not half so large as an English +wren, and its color is a glorious shining mixture of scarlet, green and +gold. + +Sec. 80. On the other side, all the annoyances and inconveniences of the +country may fairly be summed up, under these three heads, thunder, heat, +and troublesome vermin. + +I confess, in the hottest part of the summer, they have sometimes very +loud and surprising thunder, but rarely any damage happens by it. On the +contrary, it is of such advantage to the cooling and refining of the +air, that it is oftener wished for than feared. But they have no +earthquakes, which the Caribbee islands are so much troubled with. + +Their heat is very seldom troublesome, and then only by the accident of +a perfect calm, which happens perhaps two or three times in a year, and +lasts but a few hours at a time; and even that inconvenience is made +easy by cool shades, open airy rooms, summer houses, arbors, and +grottos: but the spring and fall afford as pleasant weather as Mahomet +promised in his paradise. + +All the troublesome vermin that ever I heard anybody complain of, are +either frogs, snakes, musquitoes, chinches, seed ticks, or red worms, by +some called potato lice. Of all which I shall give an account in their +order. + +Some people have been so ill informed, as to say, that Virginia is full +of toads, though there never yet was seen one toad in it. The marshes, +fens, and watery grounds, are indeed full of harmless frogs which do no +hurt, except by the noise of their croaking notes: but in the upper +parts of the country, where the land is high and dry, they are very +scarce. In these swamps and running streams, they have frogs of an +incredible bigness, which are called bull frogs, from the roaring they +make. Last year I found one of these near a stream of fresh water, of so +prodigious a magnitude, that when I extended its legs, I found the +distance betwixt them to be seventeen inches and an half. If any are +good to eat, these must be the kind. + +Some people in England are startled at the very name of the rattle +snake, and fancy every corner of that province so much pestered with +them, that a man goes in constant danger of his life, that walks abroad +in the woods. But this is as gross a mistake, as most of the other ill +reports of that country. For in the first place this snake is very +rarely seen; and when that happens, it never does the least mischief, +unless you offer to disturb it, and thereby provoke it to bite in its +own defence. But it never fails to give you fair warning, by making a +noise with its rattle, which may be heard at a convenient distance. For +my own part I have traveled the country as much as any man in it of my +age, by night and by day, above the inhabitants, well as among them; and +yet before the first impression of this book I had never seen a rattle +snake alive, and at liberty, in all my life. I had seen them indeed +after they had been killed, or pent up in boxes to be sent to England. +The bite of this viper without some immediate application is certainly +death; but remedies are so well known, that none of their servants are +ignorant of them. I never knew any killed by these, or any other of +their snakes, although I had a general knowledge all over the country, +and had been in every part of it. They have several other snakes which +are seen more frequently, and have very little or no hurt in them, viz: +such as they call black snakes, water snakes, and corn snakes. The black +viper snake, and the copper-bellied snake, are said to be as venomous as +the rattle snake, but they are as seldom seen; these three poisonous +snakes bring forth their young alive, whereas the other three sorts lay +eggs, which are hatched afterwards; and that is the distinction they +make, esteeming only those to be venomous, which are viviparous. They +have likewise the horn snake, so called from a sharp horn it carries in +its tail, with which it assaults anything that offends it, with that +force, that as it is said it will strike its tail into the butt end of a +musket, from which it is not able to disengage itself. + +All sorts of snakes will charm both birds and squirrels, and the +Indians pretend to charm them. Several persons have seen squirrels run +down a tree directly into a snake's mouth; they have likewise seen birds +fluttering up and down, and chattering at these snakes, till at last +they have dropped down just before them. + +In the end of May, 1715, stopping at an orchard by the road side to get +some cherries, being three of us in company, we were entertained with +the whole process of a charm between a rattle snake and a hare, the hare +being better than half grown. It happened thus: one of the company in +his search for the best cherries espied the hare sitting, and although +he went close by her she did not move, till he, (not suspecting the +occasion of her gentleness,) gave her a lash with his whip; this made +her run about ten feet, and there sit down again. The gentleman not +finding the cherries ripe, immediately returned the same way, and near +the place where he struck the hare, he spied a rattle snake; still not +suspecting the charm, he goes back about twenty yards to a hedge to get +a stick to kill the snake, and at his return found the snake removed, +and coiled in the same place from whence he had moved the hare. This put +him into immediate thoughts of looking for the hare again, and he soon +spied her about ten feet off the snake, in the same place to which she +had started when he whipt her. She was now lying down, but would +sometimes raise herself on her fore feet struggling as it were for life +or to get away, but could never raise her hinder parts from the ground, +and then would fall flat on her side again, panting vehemently. In this +condition the hare and snake were when he called me; and though we all +three came up within fifteen feet of the snake to have a full view of +the whole, he took no notice at all of us, nor so much as gave a glance +towards us. There we stood at least half an hour, the snake not altering +a jot, but the hare often struggling and falling on its side again, till +at last the hare lay still as dead for some time. Then the snake moved +out of his coil, and slid gently and smoothly on towards the hare, his +colors at that instant being ten times more glorious and shining than at +other times. As the snake moved along, the hare happened to fetch +another struggle, upon which the snake made a stop, laying at his +length, till the hare had lain quiet again for a short space; and then +he advanced again till he came up to the hinder parts of the hare, which +in all this operation had been towards the snake; there he made a survey +all over the hare, raising part of his body above it, then turned off +and went to the head and nose of the hare, after that to the ears, took +the ears in his mouth one after the other, working each apart in his +mouth as a man does a wafer to moisten it, then returned to the nose +again, and took the face into his mouth, straining and gathering his +lips sometimes by one side of his mouth, sometimes by the other; at the +shoulders he was a long time puzzled, often hauling and stretching the +hare out at length, and straining forward first one side of his mouth +then the other, till at last he got the whole body into his throat. Then +we went to him, and taking the twist band off from my hat, I made a +noose and put it about his neck. This made him at length very furious, +but we having secured him, put him into one end of a wallet, and carried +him on horseback five miles to Mr. John Baylor's house, where we lodged +that night, with a design to have sent him to Dr. Cock, at Williamsburg; +but Mr. Baylor was so careful of his slaves that he would not let him be +put into his boat, for fear he should get loose and mischief them; +therefore, the next morning we killed him, and took the hare out of his +belly. The head of the hare began to be digested and the hair falling +off, having lain about eighteen hours in the snake's belly. + +I thought this account of such a curiosity would be acceptable, and the +rather because though I lived in a country where such things are said +frequently to happen, yet I never could have any satisfactory account of +a charm, though I have met with several persons who have pretended to +have seen them. Some also pretend that those sort of snakes influence +children, and even men and women, by their charms. But this that I have +related of my own view, I aver, (for the satisfaction of the learned,) +to be punctually true, without enlarging or wavering in any respect, +upon the faith of a Christian. + +In my youth I was a bear hunting in the woods above the inhabitants, and +having straggled from my companions, I was entertained at my return, +with the relation of a pleasant rencounter, between a dog and a rattle +snake, about a squirrel. The snake had got the head and shoulders of the +squirrel into his mouth, which being something too large for his throat, +it took him up some time to moisten the fur of the squirrel with his +spawl, to make it slip down. The dog took this advantage, seized the +hinder parts of the squirrel, and tugged with all his might. The snake, +on the other side, would not let go his hold for a long time, till at +last, fearing he might be bruised by the dog's running away with him, he +gave up his prey to the dog. The dog ate the squirrel, and felt no harm. + +Another curiosity concerning this viper, which I never met with in +print, I will also relate from my own observation: + +Sometime after my observation of the charm, my waiting boy being sent +abroad on an errand, also took upon himself to bring home a rattle snake +in a noose. I cut off the head of this snake, leaving about an inch of +the neck with it. This I laid upon the head of a tobacco hogshead, one +Stephen Lankford, a carpenter, now alive, being with me. Now you must +note that these snakes have but two teeth, by which they convey their +poison; and they are placed in the upper jaw, pretty forward in the +mouth, one on each side. These teeth are hollow and crooked like a +cock's spur. They are also loose or springing in the mouth, and not +fastened in the jaw bone as all other teeth are. The hollow has a vent, +also, through by a small hole a little below the point of the tooth. +These two teeth are kept lying down along the jaw, or shut like a spring +knife, and don't shrink up as the talons of a cat or panther. They have +also over them a loose thin film or skin of a flesh color, which rises +over them when they are raised, which I take to be only at the will of +the snake to do injury. This skin does not break by the rising of the +tooth only, but keeps whole till the bite is given, and then is pierced +by the tooth, by which the poison is let out. The head being laid upon +the hogshead, I took two little twigs or splinters of sticks, and having +turned the head upon its crown, opened the mouth, and lifted up the fang +or springing tooth on one side several times, in doing of which I at +last broke the skin. The head gave a sudden champ with its mouth, +breaking from my sticks, in which I observed that the poison ran down in +a lump like oil, round the root of the tooth. Then I turned the other +side of the head, and resolved to be more careful to keep the mouth open +on the like occasion, and observe more narrowly the consequence. For it +is observed, that though the heads of snakes, terrapins and such like +vermin, be cut off, yet the body will not die in a long time after--the +general saying is, till the sun sets. After opening the mouth on the +other side, and lifting up that fang also several times, he endeavored +to give another bite or champ; but I kept his mouth open, and the tooth +pierced the film and emitted a stream like one full of blood in blood +letting, and cast some drops upon the sleeve of the carpenter's shirt, +who had no waistcoat on. I advised him to pull off his shirt, but he +would not, and received no harm; and tho' nothing could then be seen of +it upon the shirt, yet in washing there appeared five green specks, +which every washing appeared plainer and plainer, and lasted so long as +the shirt did, which the carpenter told me was about three years after. +The head we threw afterwards down upon the ground, and a sow came and +eat it before our faces, and received no harm. Now I believe had this +poison lighted upon any place of the carpenter's skin that was scratched +or hurt, it might have poisoned him. I take the poison to rest in a +small bag or receptacle, in the hollow at the root of these teeth; but +I never had the opportunity afterwards to make a farther discovery of +that. + +I will likewise give you a story of the violent effects of this sort of +poison, because I depend upon the truth of it, having it from an +acquaintance of mine of good credit, one Colonel James Taylor, of +Mattapony, still alive, he being with others in the woods a surveying. +Just as they were standing to light their pipes, they found a rattle +snake and cut off his head, and about three inches of the body. Then he, +with a green stick which he had in his hand, about a foot and a half +long, the bark being newly peeled off, urged and provoked the head, till +it bit the stick in fury several times. Upon this the colonel observed +small green streaks to rise up along the stick towards his hand. He +threw the stick upon the ground, and in a quarter of hour the stick of +its own accord split into several pieces, and fell asunder from end to +end. This account I had from him again at the writing hereof. + +Musquitoes are a sort of vermin of less danger, but much more +troublesome, because more frequent. They are a long tailed gnat, such as +are in all fens and low grounds in England, and I think have no other +difference from them than the name. Neither are they in Virginia +troubled with them anywhere but in their low grounds and marshes. These +insects I believe are stronger, and continue longer there, by reason of +the warm sun, than in England. Whoever is persecuted with them in his +house, may get rid of them by this easy remedy: let him but set open his +windows at sunset, and shut them again before the twilight be quite shut +in. All the musquitoes in the room will go out at the windows, and leave +the room clear. + +Chinches are a sort of flat bug, which lurks in the bedsteads and +bedding, and disturbs people's rest a nights. Every neat housewife +contrives there, by several devices, to keep her beds clear of them. But +the best way I ever heard, effectually to destroy them, is by a narrow +search among the bedding early in the spring, before these vermin begin +to nit and run about; for they lie snug all the winter, and are in the +spring large and full of the winter's growth, having all their seed +within them; and so they become a fair mark to find, and may with their +whole breed be destroyed; they are the same as they have in London near +the shipping. + +Seed tick, and red worms are small insects, that annoy the people by +day, as musquitoes and chinches do by night; but both these keep out of +your way, if you keep out of theirs; for seed ticks are no where to be +met with, but in the track of cattle, upon which the great ticks fatten, +and fill their skins so full of blood, that they drop off, and wherever +they happen to fall, they produce a kind of egg, which lies about a +fortnight before the seedlings are hatched. These seedlings run in +swarms up the next blade of grass that lies in their way; and then the +first thing that brushes that blade of grass, gathers off most of these +vermin, which stick like burs upon anything that touches them. They void +their eggs at the mouth. + +Red worms lie only in old dead trees, and rotten logs; and without +sitting down upon such, a man never meets with them, nor at any other +season, but only in the midst of summer. A little warm water immediately +brings off both seed ticks and red worms, though they lie ever so thick +upon any part of the body. But without some such remedy they will be +troublesome; for they are so small that nothing will lay hold of them, +but the point of a penknife, needle, or such like. But if nothing be +done to remove them, the itching they occasion goes away after two days. + +Sec. 81. Their winters are very short, and don't continue above three or +four months, of which they have seldom thirty days of unpleasant +weather, all the rest being blest with a clear air, and a bright sun. +However, they have very hard frost sometimes, but it rarely lasts above +three or four days, that is, till the wind change: for if it blow not +between the north and north-west points, from the cold Appalachian +mountains, they have no frost at all. But these frosts are attended with +a serene sky, and are otherwise made delightful by the tameness of the +wild fowl and other game, which by their incredible number, afford the +pleasantest shooting in the world. + +Their rains, except in the depth of winter, are extremely agreeable and +refreshing. All the summer long they last but a few hours at a time, and +sometimes not above half an hour, and then immediately succeeds clear +sunshine again. But in that short time it rains so powerfully, that it +quits the debt of a long drought, and makes everything green and gay. + +I have heard that this country is reproached with sudden and dangerous +changes of weather, but that imputation is unjust; for tho' it be true, +that in the winter, when the wind comes over those vast mountains and +lakes to the north-west, which are supposed to retain vast magazines of +ice, and snow, the weather is then very rigorous; yet in spring, summer +and autumn, such winds are only cool and pleasant breezes, which serve +to refresh the air, and correct those excesses of heat, which the +situation would otherwise make that country liable to. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +OF THE DISEASES INCIDENT TO VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 82. While we are upon the climate, and its accidents, it will not be +improper to mention the diseases incident to Virginia. Distempers come +not there by choaking up the spirits, with a foggy and thick air, as in +some northern climes; nor by a stifling heat, that exhales the vigor of +those that dwell in a more southerly latitude: but by a willful and +foolish indulging themselves in those pleasures, which in a warm and +fruitful country, nature lavishes upon mankind, for their happiness, and +not for their destruction. + +Thus I have seen persons impatient of heat, lie almost naked upon the +cold grass in the shades, and there, often forgetting themselves, fall +asleep. Nay, many are so imprudent, as to do this in an evening, and +perhaps lie so all night; when between the clew from heaven, and the +damps from the earth, such impressions are made upon the humors of their +body, as occasion fatal distempers. + +Thus also have I seen persons put into a great heat by excessive action, +and in the midst of that heat, strip off their clothes, and expose their +open pores to the air. Nay, I have known some mad enough in this hot +condition, to take huge draughts of cold water, or perhaps of milk and +water, which they esteem much more cold in operation than water alone. + +And thus likewise have I seen several people, (especially new-comers,) +so intemperate in devouring the pleasant fruits, that they have fallen +into dangerous fluxes and surfeits. These, and such like disorders, are +the chief occasions of their diseases. + +Sec. 83. The first sickness that any new-comer happens to have there, he +unfairly calls a seasoning, be it fever, ague, or any thing else, that +his own folly or excesses bring upon him. + +Their intermitting fevers, as well as their agues, are very troublesome, +if a fit remedy be not applied; but of late the doctors there have made +use of the Cortex Peruviana with success, and find that it seldom or +never fails to remove the fits. The planters, too, have several roots +natural to the country, which in this case they cry up as infallible; +and I have found by many examples a total immersion in cold spring +water, just at the accession of the fit an infallible cure. + +Sec. 84. When these damps, colds and disorders affect the body more gently, +and do not seize people violently at first; then for want of some timely +application, (the planters abhorring all physic, except in desperate +cases,) these small disorders are suffered to go on, until they grow +into a cachexia, by which the body is overrun with obstinate scorbutic +humors. And this in a more fierce, and virulent degree, I take to be the +yaws. + +Sec. 85. The gripes is a distemper of the Caribbee islands, not of that +country, and seldom gets footing there, and then only upon great +provocations; namely, by the intemperance before mentioned, together +with an unreasonable use of filthy and unclean drinks. Perhaps too it +may come by new unfine cider, perry or peach drink, which the people are +impatient to drink before it is ready; or by the excessive use of lime +juice, and foul sugar in punch and flip; or else by the constant +drinking of uncorrected beer, made of such windy unwholesome things as +some people make use of in brewing. + +Thus having fairly reckoned up the principal inconveniences of the +climate, and the distempers incident to the country, I shall add a +chapter of the recreations and amusements used there, and proceed to the +natural benefits they enjoy. After which, I shall conclude with some +hints concerning their trade and improvements. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +OF THE RECREATIONS AND PASTIMES USED IN VIRGINIA. + + +Sec. 86. For their recreation, the plantations, orchards and gardens +constantly afford them fragrant and delightful walks. In their woods and +fields, they have an unknown variety of vegetables, and other rarities +of nature to discover and observe. They have hunting, fishing and +fowling, with which they entertain themselves an hundred ways. There is +the most good nature and hospitality practiced in the world, both +towards friends and strangers: but the worst of it is, this generosity +is attended now and then with a little too much intemperance. The +neighborhood is at much the same distance as in the country in England; +but the goodness of the roads, and the fairness of the weather, bring +people often together. + +Sec. 87. The Indians, as I have already observed, had in their hunting, a +way of concealing themselves, and coming up to the deer, under the blind +of a stalking head, in imitation of which, many people have taught their +horses to stalk it, that is, to walk gently by the huntsman's side, to +cover him from the sight of the deer. Others cut down trees for the deer +to browse upon, and lie in wait behind them. Others again set stakes, at +a certain distance within their fences, where the deer have been used to +leap over into a field of peas, which they love extremely; these stakes +they so place, as to run into the body of the deer, when he pitches, by +which means they impale him; and for a temptation to the leap take down +the top part of the fence. + +Sec. 88. They hunt their hares, (which are very numerous,) a foot, with +mongrels or swift dogs, which either catch them quickly, or force them +to hole in a hollow tree, whither all their hares generally tend when +they are closely pursued. As soon as they are thus holed, and have +crawled up into the body of the tree, the business is to kindle a fire, +and smother them with smoke, till they let go their hold, and fall to +the bottom stifled; from whence they take them. If they have a mind to +spare their lives, upon turning them loose, they will be as fit as ever +to hunt at another time; for the mischief done them by the smoke +immediately wears off again. + +Sec. 89. They have another sort of hunting, which is very diverting, and +that they call vermin hunting; it is performed a foot, with small dogs +in the night, by the light of the moon or stars. Thus in summer time +they find abundance of raccoons, opossums and foxes in the corn fields, +and about their plantations: but at other times they must go into the +woods for them. The method is to go out with three or four dogs, and as +soon as they come to the place they bid the dogs seek out, and all the +company follow immediately. Wherever a dog barks, you may depend upon +finding the game; and this alarm draws both men and dogs that way. If +this sport be in the woods, the game, by the time you come near it, is +perhaps mounted to the top of an high tree, and then they detach a +nimble fellow up after it, who must have a scuffle with the beast before +he can throw it down to the dogs; and then the sport increases, to see +the vermin encounter those little curs. In this sort of hunting, they +also carry their great dogs out with them; because wolves, bears, +panthers, wild cats, and all other beasts of prey, are abroad in the +night. + +For wolves they make traps and set guns baited in the woods, so that +when he offers to seize the bait, he pulls the trigger, and the gun +discharges upon him. What Aelian and Pliny write, of the horses being +benumed in their legs, if they tread in the track of a wolf, does not +hold good here; for I myself, and many others, have rid full speed +after wolves in the woods, and have seen live ones taken out of a trap, +and dragged at a horse's tail; and yet those that followed on horse +back, have not perceived any of their horses to falter in their pace. + +Sec. 90. They have many pretty devices besides the gun to take wild +turkeys; and among others, a friend of mine invented a great trap, +wherein he at times caught many turkeys, and particularly seventeen at +one time; but he could not contrive it so as to let others in, after he +had entrapped the first flock, until they were taken out. + +Sec. 91. The Indian invention of weirs in fishing is mightily improved by +the English, besides which they make use of seins, trolls, casting nets, +setting nets, hand fishing and angling, and in each find abundance of +diversion. I have sat in the shade at the heads of the rivers angling, +and spent as much time in taking the fish off the hook as in waiting for +their taking it. Like those of the Euxine sea, they also fish with +spilyards, which is a long line staked out in the river, and hung with a +great many hooks on short strings, fastened to the main line, about +three or four feet asunder, supported by stakes, or buoyed up with +gourds. They use likewise the Indian way of striking the light of a fire +in the night, as is described in the second book, chapter 5, section 23. + +Sec. 92. Their fowling is answerable to their fishing for plenty of game in +its proper season. Some plantations have a vast variety of it, several +sorts of which I have not yet mentioned, as beaver, otter, squirrels, +partridges, pigeons, and an infinite number of small birds, &c. + +Sec. 93. The admirable economy of the beavers deserves to be particularly +remembered. They cohabit in one house are incorporated in a regular form +of government, something like monarchy, and have over them a +superintendent, which the Indians call pericu. He leads them out to +their several employments, which consist in felling of trees, biting off +the branches, and cutting them into certain lengths, suitable to the +business they design them for, all which they perform with their teeth. +When this is done, the pericu orders several of his subjects to join +together, and take up one of those logs, which they must carry to their +house or dam, as occasion requires. He walks in state by them all the +while, and sees that every one bears his equal share of the burthen; +while he bites with his teeth, and lashes with his tail, those that lag +behind, and do not lend all their strength; their way of carriage is +upon their tail. They commonly build their houses in swamps, and then to +raise the water to a convenient height, they make a dam with logs, and a +binding fort of clay, so firm, that though the water runs continually +over, it cannot wash it away. Within these dams they'll inclose water +enough to make a pool like a mill pond; and if a mill happen to be built +on the same stream, below their dam, the miller, in a dry season, finds +it worth his while to cut it, to supply his mill with water. Upon which +disaster the beavers are so expert at their work, that in one or two +nights' time they will repair the breach, and make it perfectly whole +again. Sometimes they build their houses in a broad marsh, where the +tide ebbs and flows, and then they make no dam at all. The doors into +their houses are under water. I have been at the demolishing of one of +these houses, that was found in a marsh, and was surprised to find it +fortified with logs, that were six feet long, and ten inches through, +and had been carried at least one hundred and fifty yards. This house +was three stories high, and contained five rooms, that is to say, two in +the lower, two in the middle story, and but one at the top. These +creatures have a great deal of policy, and know how to defeat all the +subtilty and stratagems of the hunter, who seldom can meet with them, +tho' they are in great numbers all over the country. + +Sec. 94. There is yet another kind of sport, which the young people take +great delight in, and that is, the hunting of wild horses; which they +pursue sometimes with dogs, and sometimes without. You must know they +have many horses foaled in the woods of the uplands, that never were in +hand, and are as shy as any savage creature. These having no mark upon +them, belong to him that first takes them. However, the captor commonly +purchases these horses very dear, by spoiling better in the pursuit; in +which case he has little to make himself amends, besides the pleasure of +the chase. And very often this is all he has for it; for the wild horses +are so swift, that 'tis difficult to catch them; and when they are +taken, 'tis odds but their grease is melted, or else being old, they are +so sullen, that they can't be tamed. + +Sec. 95. The inhabitants are very courteous to travelers, who need no other +recommendation, but the being human creatures. A stranger has no more to +do, but to enquire upon the road, where any gentleman or good +housekeeper lives, and there he may depend upon being received with +hospitality. This good nature is so general among their people, that the +gentry, when they go abroad, order their principal servant to entertain +all visitors, with everything the plantation affords. And the poor +planters, who have but one bed, will very often sit up, or lie upon a +form or couch all night, to make room for a weary traveler, to repose +himself after his journey. + +If there happen to be a churl, that either out of covetousness, or ill +nature, won't comply with this generous custom, he has a mark of infamy +set upon him, and is abhorred by all. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +OF THE NATURAL PRODUCTS OF VIRGINIA, AND THE ADVANTAGES OF THEIR + HUSBANDRY. + + +Sec. 96. The extreme fruitfulness of that country, has been sufficiently +shown in the second book, and I think we may justly add, that in that +particular it is not exceeded by any other. No seed is sown there, but +it thrives; and most of the northern plants are improved, by being +transplanted thither. And yet there's very little improvement made among +them, seldom anything used in traffic but tobacco. + +Besides all the natural productions mentioned in the second book, you +may take notice that apples from the seed never degenerate into crabs +there, but produce as good or perhaps better fruit than the mother tree, +(which is not so in England,) and are wonderfully improved by grafting +and managing; yet there are very few planters that graft at all, end +much fewer that take any care to get choice fruits. + +The fruit trees are wonderfully quick of growth; so that in six or seven +years time from the planting, a man may bring an orchard to bear in +great plenty, from which he may make store of good cider, or distill +great quantities of brandy; for the cider is very strong, and yields +abundance of spirit. Yet they have very few, that take any care at all +for an orchard; nay, many that have good orchards are so negligent of +them as to let them go to ruin, and expose the trees to be torn and +barked by the cattle. + +Peaches, nectarines, and apricots, as well as plumbs and cherries, grow +there upon standard trees. They commonly bear in three years from the +stone, and thrive so exceedingly, that they seem to have no need of +grafting or inoculating, if any body would be so good a husband; and +truly I never heard of any that did graft either plum, nectarine, peach +or apricot in that country, before the first edition of this book. + +Peaches and nectarines I believe to be spontaneous, somewhere or other +on that continent, for the Indians have, and ever had greater variety, +and finer sorts of them than the English. The best sort of these cling +to the stone, and will not come off clear, which they call plum +nectarines, and plum peaches, or cling stones. Some of these are twelve +or thirteen inches in the girt. These sorts of fruits are raised so +easily there, that some good husbands plant great orchards of them, +purposely for their hogs; and others make a drink of them, which they +call mobby, and either drink it as cider, or distill it off for brandy. +This makes the best spirit next to grapes. + +Grape vines of the English stock, as well as those of their own +production, bear most abundantly, if they are suffered to run near the +ground, and increase very kindly by slipping; yet very few have them at +all in their gardens, much less endeavor to improve them by cutting or +laying. But since the first impression of this book, some vineyards have +been attempted, and one is brought to perfection, of seven hundred and +fifty gallons a year. The wine drinks at present greenish, but the owner +doubts not of good wine, in a year or two more, and takes great delight +that way. + +When a single tree happens in clearing the ground, to be left standing, +with a vine upon it, open to the sun and air, that vine generally +produces as much as four or five others, that remain in the woods. I +have seen in this case, more grapes upon one single vine, than would +load a London cart. And for all this, the people till of late never +removed any of them into their gardens, but contented themselves +throughout the whole country with the grapes they found thus wild. + +A garden is no where sooner made than there, either for fruits or +flowers. Tulips from the seed, flower the second year. All sorts of +herbs have there a perfection in their flavor, beyond what I ever tasted +in a more northern climate. And yet they haven't many gardens in that +country, fit to bear the name of garden. + +Sec. 97. All sorts of English grain thrive, and increase there, as well as +in any other part of the world, as for example, wheat, barley, oats, +rye, peas, rape, &c. And yet they don't make a trade of any of them. +Their peas indeed are troubled with weevils, which eat a hole in them, +but this hole does neither damage the seed, nor make the peas unfit for +boiling. And such as are sowed late, and gathered after August, are +clear of that inconvenience. + +It is thought too much for the same man, to make the wheat, and grind +it, bolt it, and bake it himself. And it is too great a charge for every +planter, who is willing to sow barley, to build a malt house, and brew +house too, or else to have no benefit of his barley; nor will it answer, +if he would be at the charge. These things can never be expected from a +single family; but if they had cohabitations, it might be thought worth +attempting. Neither as they are now settled, can they find any certain +market for their other grain, which, if they had towns, would be quite +otherwise. + +Rice has been tried there, and is found to grow as well as in Carolina; +but it labors under the same inconvenience, the want of a community to +husk and clean it, and, after all, to take it off the planter's hands. + +Sec. 98. I have related at large in the first book how flax, hemp, cotton, +and the silk worms have thriven there in the several essays made upon +them; how formerly there was encouragement given for making of linen, +silk, &c., and how all persons not performing several things towards +producing of them were put under a fine; but now all encouragement of +such things is taken away or entirely dropped by the assemblies, and +such manufactures are always neglected when tobacco bears anything of a +price. + +Silk grass is there spontaneous in many places. I need not mention what +advantage may be made of so useful a plant, whose fibres are as fine as +flax, and much stronger than hemp. Mr. Purchase tells us, in his Fourth +Pilgrim, page 1786, that in the first discovery of this part of the +world they presented Queen Elizabeth with a piece of grogram that had +been made of it. And yet to this day they make no manner of use of this +plant, no, not so much as the Indians did, before the English came among +them, who then made their baskets, fishing nets, and lines of it. + +Sec. 99. The sheep increase well, and bear good fleeces; but they generally +are suffered to be torn off their backs by briars and bushes, instead of +being shorn, or else are left rotting upon the dunghill with their +skins. + +Bees thrive there abundantly, and will very easily yield to the careful +housewife a full hive of honey, and besides lay up a winter store +sufficient to preserve their stocks. + +The beeves, when any care is taken of them in the winter, come to good +perfection. They have noble marshes there, which, with the charge of +draining only, would make as fine pastures as any in the world; and yet +there is hardly an hundred acres of marsh drained throughout the whole +country. + +Hogs swarm like vermin upon the earth, and are often accounted such, +insomuch, that when an inventory of any considerable man's estate is +taken by the executors the hogs are left out, and not listed in the +appraisement. The hogs run where they list, and find their own support +in the woods, without any care of the owner; and in many plantations it +is well if the proprietor can find and catch the pigs, or any part of a +farrow, when they are young to mark them; for if there be any marked in +a gang of hogs, they determine the propriety of the rest, because they +seldom miss their gangs; but as they are bred in company, so they +continue to the end, except sometimes the boars ramble. + +Sec. 100. The woods produce great variety of incense and sweet gums, which +distill from several trees; as also trees bearing honey and sugar, as +before was mentioned. Yet there's no use made of any of them, either for +profit or refreshment. + +All sorts of naval stores may be produced there, as pitch, tar, rosin, +turpentine, plank, timber, and all sorts of masts and yards, besides +sails, cordage and iron, and all these may be transported by an easy +water carriage. + +Sec. 101. These, and a thousand other advantages, that country naturally +affords, which its inhabitants make no manner of use of. They can see +their naval stores daily benefit other people, who send thither to build +ships, while they, instead of promoting such undertakings among +themselves, and easing such as are willing to go upon them, allow them +no manner of encouragement, but rather the contrary. They receive no +benefit, nor refreshment, from the sweets and precious things they have +growing amongst them, but make use of the industry of England for all +such things. + +What advantages do they see the neighboring plantations make of their +grain and provisions, while they, who can produce them infinitely +better, not only neglect the making a trade thereof, but even a +necessary provision against an accidental scarcity, contenting +themselves with a supply of food from hand to mouth; so that if it +should please God to send them an unseasonable year, there would not be +found in the country provision sufficient to support the people for +three months extraordinary. + +By reason of the unfortunate method of the settlement, and want of +cohabitation, they cannot make a beneficial use of their flax, hemp, +cotton, silk, silk grass and wool, which might otherwise supply their +necessities, and leave the produce of tobacco to enrich them, when a +gainful market can be found for it. + +Thus, they depend altogether upon the liberality of nature, without +endeavoring to improve its gifts by art or industry. They sponge upon +the blessings of a warm sun, and a fruitful soil, and almost grudge the +pains of gathering in the bounties of the earth. I should be ashamed to +publish this slothful indolence of my countrymen, but that I hope it +will sometime or other rouse them out of their lethargy, and excite them +to make the most of all those happy advantages which nature has given +them; and if it does this, I am sure they will have the goodness to +forgive me. + + +FINIS. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +1. The author or printer has irregularly capitalized references to +"king" and queen". + +2. Illustrations: printer's inconsistancies have been retained. +(example: Ritchie and Ritchies, Fig: and Fig., etc.) + +3. Printer's correction: + + pg. x Table of Contents Chapter VI. Sec.22., pg ref. 140 to 147. + +4. Spelling corrections (verified by multiple uses of correctly spelled +word elsewhere in text) + + pg. vi - "jr." to "Jr." (Nathan Bacon, Jr.) + pg. vi - "procecute" to "prosecute" (intends to prosecute) + pg. xviii - "abridgment" to "abridgement" (made an abridgement) + pg. xix - "Guina" to "Guiana" (brough by some Guiana ships) + pg. 1 - "malecontents" to "malcontents" (malcontents in the) + pg. 3 - "Beverly" to "Beverley" (mainly to Robert Beverley) + pg. 12 - "Cheaspeake" to "Chesapeake" (cape of Chesapeake bay) + pg. 26 - "Burmuda" to "Bermuda" (put to sea from Bermuda) + pg. 28 - "palisado" to "palisade" (run a palisade on) + pg. 31 - "christianity" to "Christianity" (to us and Christianity) + pg. 36 - "setttlement" to "settlement" (settlement at Port Royal) + pg. 38 - "foundatian" to "foundation" (which laid the foundation) + pg. 50 - "Carribbee" to "Caribbee" (the Caribbee islands) + pg. 66 - "againt" to "against" (against the presented arms) + pg. 70 - "butcheriug" to "butchering" (in butchering the English) + pg. 76 - "Fitz-Hugh" to "Fitzhugh" (Col. William Fitzhugh) + pg. 84 - "forbiding" to "forbidding" (forbidding the plantations) + pg. 97 - "chesnuts" to "chestnuts" (are stored with chestnuts) + pg. 105 - "ripen" to "ripens" (buds, ripens and drops off) + pg. 118 - "eat" to "eaten" (had ever eaten before) + pg. 118 - "frog fish" to "frog-fish" (saw-fish, toad-fish, frog-fish) + pg. 118 - "feets" to "feet" (it wants feet and wings) + pg. 120 - "eagel" to "eagle" (a bald eagle pursuing) + pg. 136 - "our" to "out" (keep out wild beasts) + pg. 140 - "Hazlenuts" to "Hazelnuts" (Hazelnuts they will not) + pg. 143 - "the" to "they" (they daub with clay) + pg. 146 - "steem" to "esteem" (They steem it a breach) + pg. 157 - "extingush" to "extinguish" (flames that never extinguish) + pg. 160 - "undestand" to "understand" (letting him understand) + pg. 163 - "dont" to "don't" (I don't know) + pg. 171 - "scarrifying" to "scarifying" (and scarifying which) + pg. 172 - "Purchass" to "Purchase" (Smith, Purchase and De Laet) + pg. 172 - "saplins" to "saplings" (stick saplings into the ground) + pg. 173 - "anchuse" to "anchusa" (a kind of anchusa) + pg. 174 - "vermine" to "vermin" (other troublesome vermin) + pg. 189 - "Cinchley's" to "Cincheley's" (Jeffery's and Cincheley's) + pg. 191 - "aws" to "laws" (The laws having duly passed) + pg. 197 - "Petes" to "Peter" (Hon. Peter Beverley) + pg. 208 - "nonapperance" to "nonappearance" (the defendant's + nonappearance) + pg. 215 - "Spottswood" to "Spotswood" (arrival of Colonel Spotswood) + pg. 234 - "coveniency" to "conveniency" (its beauty and conveniency) + pg. 235 - "daries" to "dairies" (cookery, washing, dairies,) + pg. 237 - "sallad" to "salad" (vine fruits, and salad flowers) + pg. 241 - "imtemperance" to "intemperance" (of great intemperance) + pg. 247 - "eat" to "ate" (The dog ate the squirrel) + pg. 251 - "Apalachain" to "Appalachain" (Appalachain mountains) + pg. 253 - "cachexie" to "cachexia" (grow into a cachexia) + pg. 256 - "patridges" to "partridges" (squirrels, partridges, + pigeons,) + pg. 257 - "they'l" to "they'll" (Within these dams they'll) + pg. 259 - "stong" to "strong" (cider is very strong) + pg. 261 - "havn't" to "haven't" (they haven't many gardens) + pg. 262 - "Purchass" to "Purchase" (Mr. Purchase tells us) + pg. 264 - "spunge" to "sponge" (They sponge upon the) + +5. A list of word variations wherein both appear in this text and have +been retained as printed. + + "Edmond Jennings" and "Edmund Jenings" + "Tab." and "tab." + "lime juice" and "lime-juice" + "acknowledgment" and "acknowledgement" + "Chickahominy" (for river and county) and "Chickahomony" (for place) + "cover" and "covert" (i.e. covert of a shady tree) + "conjuror(s)" and "conjurer(s)" + "Culpepper" (throughout Introduction) and "Colepepper" (regular Text) + "divers" and "diverse" (divers sectaries in religion) + "firewood" and "fire-wood" + "fishing hawk" and "fishing-hawk" + "Harriot" and "Heriot" (it is unclear if the author refers to the + same person) + "lieutenant governor (general)" and "lieutenant-governor (general) + "man of war" and "man-of-war" + "northwest" and "north-west" + "Oldmixon" and "Oldmixion" (proper name) + "one half" and "one-half" + "Pocoson" and "Poquoson" (place) + "Pungoteague" and "Pungotegue" (place) + "quioccasan" (1), "quioccassan" (2) and "quioccosan" (1) + "quitrents" and "quit-rents" + "resettled" and "re-settled" + "roasting ear" and "roasting-ear" + "savanna" and "savannah" + "silk worm" and "silk-worm" + "south west" and "south-west" + "staid" and "stayed" (used interchangably by author) + "subdivisions" and "sub-divisions" + "sweet scented" and "sweet-scented" + "sweet woods" and "sweet-woods" + "timber trees" and "timber-trees" + "traveled" and "travelled" + "traveling" and "travelling" + "turkeys" and "turkies" + "war captain" and "war-captain" + "water carriage" and "water-carriage" + "water side" and "water-side" + "wild geese" and "wild-geese" + "wilful" and "willful" + "woolen" and "woollen" + "George Yardley" and "George Yardly" + +6. Defined archaic words appearing in this text: + + "benumed" (benumbed) + "burthen" (burden) + "burthensome" (burdensome) + "choaking" (choking) + "chrystal" (crystal) + "covert" (protected; sheltered) + "disperst" (dispersed) + "divers" (diverse) + "intire" (entire) + "mascarado" (var. of mascarade(Fr) for masquerade) + "snear" (sneer) + "subtilty" (subtlety) + "vertuosi" (pl. of virtuoso, alt. virtuosi) + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HISTORY OF VIRGINIA, IN FOUR +PARTS*** + + +******* This file should be named 32721.txt or 32721.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/7/2/32721 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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