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The Capital and the Bay: Narratives of Washington and the Chesapeake Bay Region, ca. 1600-1925

The Calvert parers, Vol. III

"A BRIEFE RELATION OF THE VOYAGE VNTO MARYLAND."

On St Cecilias day, the 22 of November 1633 with a gentle Northerne gale we set saile from the Cowes about 10 in the morninge, toward the needles, being rockes at the south end of Ile of Wight, till by default of winde we were forced to ankour at Yarmouth, wch very kindly saluted vs how beit we were not out of feare, for the seamen secretly reported that they expected the post with letters from the Counsell at London: but God would tende the matter, and sent tht night soe strong a faire winde as forced a ffrench barke from her ankor hold driveing her foule vpon our pinnace forced her to set saile with losse of an ankour, and take to Sea, that being a dangerous place to floate in, whereby we were necessarily to follow, least we should part companie, and thus God frustrated the plot of our Seamen, this was the 23 of Novemb: on St Clements day who wonne his Crowne by being cast into the Sea fastned to an ankor; that morneing by 10 a clocke we came to Hurste Castle, and thence were saluted with a shot, and soe passed by the dangerous needles, being certaine sharpe rockes at the end of the Iland, much feared by Seamen

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for a double tyde which she carried to Shipwrecke, tone vpon the rockes, t- other vpon the sand, I omitt our danger passed Yarmouth, where by dragging anchour in a strong winde and tide we almost runne of our shipp a ground. All this Saturday and the night following the winde serued vs so well, that next day by 9 of Clocke we got beyond the westerne Cape of England, and so steered along not soe strongly as wee might because of our pinnace slow saileinge, whome we feared to leaue behinde, for feare shee might meet wth Turkes or some other pirates though we see nowe, by this meanes a faire shipp of London overtooke vs of 600 tunne, here we had a greate recreation to see that ship and ours runne for the fame with all the cloath they could make, an howers space with faire winde and weather, and pleasant sound of trumpetts, but ours gaue the other a topsaile and yet held with her, this done we stroke one course of our sailes, and staied for our pinnace, which was farre short of vs, and the draggon, for soe shee was called runne from vs out of sight that evening. Soe all Sunday and Munday the 24th and 25th of Novemb: we sailed afore the winde, till night, when the winde changed to Northwest so violent, and tempestuous, as the dragon was forced backe to ffamouth, not able to keep the sea, being yet not to goe southwest, but right south to Angola, and our pinnace mistrusting her strength came up to vs to tell that if shee were in distresse shee would shew two lights in her shroode; our master was a very sufficient seaman, and shipp as strong as could be made of oake and iron, 400 tunne, kingbuilt: makeinge faire weather in great stormes: now the master had his choise, whether he would returne England as the draggon did, or saile so close vp to the winde, as if he should not hold it he must necessarily fall vpon the Irish shoare, so infamous for rockes of greatest danger: of these

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two out of a certaine hardinesse and desire to trie the goodnesse of his shipp, in which he had neuer beene at Sea afore, he resolved to keep the sea, with great danger, wanting Sea=roome: the winde grew still lowder, and lowder makeing a bo?sterous sea, and about midnight we espied our pinnace with her two lights, as she had forewarned vs in the shroode from wch time till six weekes, we neuer see her more, thinkeing shee had assuredly beene foundred and lost in those huge seas, but it happened otherwise, for before shee came to the Irish Channell, where we were now tossinge, shee returned for England, and entered into the Scilley Iles, whence afterward in the dragons Company shee came to the long reach and Canarie Iles, God?uideing a convenient guard for that small vessell: this night thus frightfull being past the winde came about to South west, full against vs, though not very stronge so that with many tackes about we scarce crept on our way, soe all the 26 27 and 28 dayes the winde altered little, on the 29th the winde were all day a gathering and toward night poured forth such a sea of winde as if they would haue blowen our shipp vnder water at every blast, all next day beinge the blessed apostle St Andrewes day, the like cloude gathered in fearefull manner, terrible to the beholders, so that ere it began to blow it seemed all the sprightes and witches of Maryland were now set in battaile array against vs, this euening the master saw the sunne fish to swimme against the sunnes course, a thing euidently shewing fearfull stormes to come: about 10 in the night a blacke cloud shede a pittifull shower vpon vs, and presently such a furious winde followed as wee were able to beare noe cloath at all, and yet before we could take in our maine Course, wch we onely carried, a furious impression of winde suddainely came, and splitt it from top to toae, and cast one part

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of it into the sea this amazed the stoutest hearte, even of the sailours, who confessed they had seene ships cast away with lesse violence of weather, all the Catholiques fell to praier, Confessiones, and vowes, and then the helme being bound vp, and ship left without saile or gouernment to the windes and waues, floated at hull like a dish till god were pleased to take pittie vpon her: thus we were in feare of imminent death all this night never lookeing to see day in this world, till at length it pleased God to send some ease, and by little and little still more, till we were with milder weather freed from all those horrours: this deliuerie in a manner assured vs of Gods mercy towards vs, and those infidells Conversion of Maryland, his holy Goodness be foreuer praised, Amen. from this time to our iourneyes end, about 3 monethes, we had not one howre of bad weather, but soe?r?ous a nauigation, as our mariners never saw so sweet a passage: when I say 3 months, I meane not we were so long at sea but reckon the time spent at Barbadoes and St Christophers, for we were at sea onely 7 weekes and 2 daies, wch is held a speedy passage: from this time all alonge the Spanish Coast we had nor good, nor very bad windes, in wch time we looked for Turkes but saw none, it seemes they were returned home to celebrate their Tamisom, a great feast which happeneth about that time, after we had passed the Straits=mouth and the Maderas, and now went full afore the winde, which is here trade, and ever constant on one point of the Compasse, still servinge for south and Southwest as we sailed we made 3 ships bigger then ours, 3 leagus west from vs, labouring as we imagined towards vs: we feared the might be turkes, and therefore made readie for fight, neither wanted some who imprudently wished the master to make towards them, but he answered he could not iustifie that to the owners of the ship,

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and indeed he might well have found a hard bargaine of it, happily they were Canarie merchants and feared vs as we them; in the long reach we feared nought but Calmes, which sometimes held a fortnight or 3 weekes together, and starve men, but this happens not above once in an age, there are often tedious stayes for fault of winde, but when it comes it is ever the same (1) for our way: we sailed 3000 miles in this reach in a sea of milke without any calme in the dead of winter, where we had every as hote, as the hotest day of summer in England, so that in summer tis intolerable for heat, where I see that, diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum, for if we had not had those Crosses, rubbs, and difficulties before our comeing forth, we had got the hote weather which had doubtlesse, cost most of our liues: from our setting forth till Christmas day our sickenesse onely sea-sicknesse, then indeed for the celebrity of the daye wine being given ouer all the ship, it was soe immoderately taken as the next day 30 sickened of fevers, whereof about a dozen died afterward amongest which one Catholique venturer, Mr Nicholas ffarefax, and one very faithfull servant of my Lrde named Mr Barefoot; some curiosities we see in our way, as flieinge fishes, wch vse their finnes as well to flie as swimme, they are of the bignesse of sparling fish or great smelt very dainty for meat: some of them as they rise in hundreds pursued by the dolphins fell into our ship, being not able to flie aboue two or three acres, when their finnes being dried, they must neede dippe them into the water to flie a fresh againe; after we came within 21 and some odd minutes of the Aquinoctiall, where begins the tropicke, we saw the tropicke bird, bigge as falcons, with 2 white feathers in their traines and noe more, whether they alwaies, keep in the aire, or sometimes rest on the water I know not; when we had passed the

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Canaries our gouernour begunne to bee sollicitous for fraight homeward, fearinge we should come to late for it to Virginia, and likewise that the Virginians wd stand but our heauie freinde, though the could?haps furnish vs in that kinde after talke had with the commissioners and gentlemen, resolution was made to beare vp to Bonauista directly south, and an Iland right against Angola, on the Coast of Affrique 14 degrees from the line whither the Hollander since the losse of St Martines vseth to goe for salt, thence carrieing it to Newfoundland to make fish: this Iland abounds with goats, haueing in it none inhabitante but some 40 or 50 Portiugalls banished thither for crimes committed by them both the salt for fraight, and goates for fresh food inuited vs thither though if the yeare were wet, as it had beene the yeare afore noe salt can be made: we had not gone full 200 miles, when the Commissioners seeing all the commodity redounded to my Lrd, and that their land?uision was like to be spent by this circuit, caused the gouernour to question the purser what?uision of bread was aboard, and findeing it short we altered againe our course to St Christophers, and soe began to thinke at what season we were like to come to Maryland, and how we should?cure our seed corne, as for Virginia we expected little from them but blows, although we carried the kings letters to their Gouernour, and the governour himselfe much esteemed and loved my Lre yet wee feared he could or would doe vs little good being ouerawed by his councell; as for the Saluages we expected to finde them as our English ill wishers would make them, and therefore affraid to build all the weale of our plantation on price?adventures, resolution was made for the Barbadoes, the granarie of all the Charybbies Iles, which how be it it was somewhat about for corne was the surest course. In this Iland Mr Hierom Hawley his brother
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was gouernour, and in his absence Mr Acers his brother in law was deputie: here we arriued Januar: the 3 hopeinge for some refreshinge by conuenient good dyet some few dayes, but in part we were deceiued for euery thing bore so high price, that nothing could be had, but it Cost vs our eies, a pigge six weekes old was at 51 sterling a turke 50s and a chicken at 6s beefe or mutton they haue none, and the inhabitants live wholy vpon poane (that Indian bread) and homine, and potato roote which they have in such plentie as they will giue Cart loades to almost any for the fetching The gouernour told vs at first, corne was at 1s the bushell, but vnderstanding that we came for corne he called a Counsell and decreed there should none be sould vs vnder 2s a bushell, and soe we found him a kinde kinsman of Mr Hawleyes, other poore passages we had from not worth recountinge: at our arrivall here we vnderstood the Spanish fleet was at Bonauista to hinder all strangers from salt, and it being beyond the tropicke to make prize of them here therefore we admired the?uidence of god in?tecting vs from that danger: but from a farre great at Barbadoes, the very day we arriued, we found the Iland all in armes to the number of about 800 men, the seruants of the Iland had conspired to kill their masters and make themselues free, and then handsomely to take the first ship that came, and soe goe to sea, this first ship was ours and therefore it was the goodnesse of god to discover the treason by a seruant who was affraid to Joine in the plott with them, the ringleaders were 2 brothers named Westons Westerne men, whereof one was put to death but the other saued by means of friends, God be praised for this our deliverance. This is one of the 12 Charybbian Ilands which runne vp like a bow in the baye of Mexico, some 30 miles long, and 15 broad, 13 degrees from the line,

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the clime is so hote as being now winter they can endure to weare noe more then a shirt, a pare of linneing drawers and linnen stockings on them, that time their corne was newly reapt. they vse noe bede, but onely hamachoes which are curious blankets of fine cotton neatly wrought and painted on the outside, and hung vp a yard or lesse from ground by a rope at each end fastned to two posts when they goe to rest and on the day time taken away, and carried about with them when they trauaile, here are many things as well?fitable for trade, as full of content to behold, their trade is chiefely in corne and cotton, which cotton it delighted vs much to see grow vpon trees in such plentie, the cotton tree is not much higher then a barbara bush, but more treelike, it beares a little bude in bignesse like a wallnut, which at full time opening in the middle into fower quarter, their appeares a knot of cotton white as snow, with six seede in the middle of the bignesse of vetches which with an inuention of wheele they take out and soe keep it till the merchants fetch it from them: here is a cabbage growes on a tree 180 foot high to be eaten raw or boiled, the stalke of it is for one yard from top good meat, to be eaten raw with pepper, it is in tast like the Spanish Cardo but sweeter, the tree beares but one yearely, and in wood is onely a leguminous substance: here are also foxeberrie trees, high as ash the berrie is of bignesse of a hazell nut with an vnctuous skin or couer which washeth scoureth and laddereth passing well, but is (as they say) somewhat too strong for fine linnen, of these I found and carried a number to Maryland, and haue them now in the ground: there is another tree called palm Christi, with a spongious stalke, it beares a great thorny cluster of ashcoloured seede speckled with blacke whereof is made an excellent oyle Oranges, lemmons, limes, pomegranade, peaches

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and such other fruite there are but not in any great plentie as yet; another fruit I saw called guaueos, in taste like quinches, in colour like gould, in figure like the smallest lemmons, a fruit very gratefull to taste; another there is like vnto these called Papares, ouer sweet and luscious, which they vse to eat boiled with other meate. But the rarest of all other that I thinke is in the world, is the Charybbian Pineaple, of the colour of gould, mixed with an orient greene, bigge as three Spanish pineaples, and of the same figure externall to the eie, saue that the worke of this is more?fect, it is not hard to peele, but of softe and thinne skinne, of delitious taste not haueing one membranula or kernell, but all from highest part to lowest, cleane through equally dainty to taste, it beares in the toppe a Crowne of its owne leaues curiously compacte, and well it may for sure it is the queene of all meat fruits without exception, the taste, as neere as I can expresse it is an Aromaticall compound of wine and strawberries, and a better thing then this of Soueraigne efficacy to preserue health, and so well tempered to mans bodie as though it would consume a knife put thereing any time, there is nothing more restoritiue: it growes from a thing like a Spanish thistle, one onely on euery roote, but the leafe hath noe prickles, but a curious peake about its edges: in fine I wish one of them in your hande with this paper, for nothing can express it but it selfe: there is another speciall fruit called a plantaine, singular for pleasant and delightfull tast, fructus platani as in latine they terme it the tree is but a leguminous substance, to the hight and thicnesse of a tree of thicknesse of ones thigh, the leaues which are onely in the toppe for its ribbats are commonly a yard or more in length, and more then a quarter brood decently seamed with veines runneing like ribbs from the thicke in the middle as from the

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backe bone, it growes as high as a Cherry tree in the top from the very middle pith springeth a purple sheath like a sugar loafe full of blossomes, which with its weight turnes the head dounward and then comes thereon the fruit in a cluster like and hundred cuc?bers together, but being ripe yellow coloured and somewhat bigger, they are of curious taste like Marmalate and much of that temper, very delightfull fit to?serve, bake, or eat rawe. The potato root is of the very same colour skinne and figure of artichooke rootes, but in taste and temper much like a carrot, but farre more excellent: here is the Cinnamon tree, the Aualto tree the rope tree, which from the top sendeth out long suckers, which take root in the ground and so spread ouer large places, the wilde figge tree, the Maw forest tree which is poison; the monkey tree bearing fruit, a plaine and?fect munkeys face, and many others: foule I see little, save some few pigeons stocdoues, and some others, vines will not grew there, the place is a plaine ground, growne ouer wth trees and vndershrubs without passage, except where the planters have cleared, some few Catholiques there be both English and Irish, here we staied from January 3 to the 24th by which meanes we came to enjoy againe our pinnace, wch not knowing of our comeing was guided, to our soe great comfort as if that day we had beene reuived to life againe: for before we saw her in the harbour we gaue her for lost in that hideous storme: herein gods mercy was shewed towards vs, and noe lesse again in staying vs here till the Spanish ships, in number fiue, were gone out of our way: for soe it happened, five great Spanish men of warre came to scoure the Charybbian Coaste, and make prize of whomesoever they saw saile, beyond the grave Meridian or tropicke: and had beene those very dayes before St Christophers, where findeing 2 small english barkes, and 2

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or 3 great Hollanders guarded with a man of warre, by way of Salue gave them a peece of ordinance, or two: (unwilling to wrong the priviledge of that?misshend plantation, to which they had giuen time till one halfe years end to be gone and?vide them elsewhere, or else to expect blowes to enforce them, this plantation was once afore destroied by the Spaniard, saue some few hidden in the mountaines, by whome with much miserie the place was againe restored:) the holland man of warre for his salute, returned a bullet, and weighing anchour made to sea, to enter fight, and withall engaged the 2 English barkes to doe the like: of those fiue English and Hollands, onely 2 had ordinance; but the Spaniards each about 30 brasse peeces, the manner of this feight I know not, but in fine all runne away except the man of warre, who either fired her selfe or sunke when she could hold out no longer, for she cannot be heard of. If we had come the whilest, tis like enough we had beene to forward with the rest, haveing so?ft a ship soe well gunn'd and man'd, and whether we had wonne or lost, our ship had certainly spoiled for saile til she had been repared, but god who endeareth the spirituall good of Maryland?served vs from danger, Protector noster et merces nostra magna nimis: the 24th of January we weighed from Barba: and by noone next day made St Lucia=s one the Charybbies, divided in it selfe, the servants (being Negroes) against the Saluage maisters; then about 4 in the evening we came before Matilena¹ where we came to ankor, and 2 Canowes, of starknaked Indians came paddleing aboard vs, with paruats, pumpkins, callabashes, bonana-s muskmellons watermellons and the like to exchange with vs; they much feared at first the greatnesse of our ship,

[Note 1: 1 Probably Martinique; called by the Spaniards Martinico, and formerly by the natives Madiana.]

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and though we put out a white flagge of peace, yet they desired we would put forth our nations proper colours, which done, they?ceived whence wee were, and then boldly came aboard: this people is bigger then ours, and fatt and tawney coloured with ointments and oiles wherewth they be painted, something wee trucked with them, as knives, bells and the like: and so they returned, saieing if we would ride there till morneing they would bring better trucke, as hammachoes, baskets and the like: they are a fierce nation, feeding on mans flesh wthout all knowledge of god, and haue heretofore cut of some English enterprisers: the Iland is all a hill, yet wonderfull fruitfull and florishing it is the serious report of seamen, vpon report of a ffrench wrecke, that here hath beene seene the Carbuncle, haveing in his head a pretious stone, light as a glowinge coale, of infinite valew ffides sit penes autorem: next morning by dawneing of the day we made Guadelupe an Ile so called for the similitude it hath with Guadelupe of Spaine, mountainous, almost as the other, by noone we came before Monserat, where is a noble plantation of Irish Catholique whome the virginians would not suffer to live with them because of their religion thence next morneing wee came to Maeuis,¹ an Iland infamous for agues by reason of the bad aire, here haveing staied a day, next morninge we came to St Christophers hard by, where we staied 10 dayes, nobly enterteined by Sr Thomas Waroner, governour, Captaine Jefferson, leiuetennant Coronell, by 2 Catholique Capt: Cauerley, and Capt. Pellam, and my selfe in particular by the governour of the ffrench Colonie: in the same Iland, here is beside all the varities of Barbadoes, a hill of brimstone and much more to be admired, here is also the virgin plant, or Parthenia, wch. they terme the sensible tree, which after the

[Note 1: 1 Probably Nevis.]

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least touch of ones hand I see fall downe withered, and then againe revived after a little space; here is the locust tree which I supposed to be that whereon St John Baptist lived in the wildernesse, it is high as an elme, soe loved of bees as they build their Combes on it, I have seene and tasted the honnie, then wch settinge aside the name wilde, there is none purer of taste and colour, the fruit is also called a locust, haveing a hard sheath as bigge as six beane code, conteineing in it a tough substance in taste like meale and honny, with fower or 5 seede of colour and greatnesse like chestnut, some of them we have planted, from this place we came to Virginia ffebruary the 27th, much contrary to My Lrde instructions, we expected here every hower to be staied by the Councell, desireing noethinge more then our ruine, at this time Captaine Claborne was there from whome we vnderstood the Indians were all in armes to resist vs, haveing heard that 6 Spanish ships were a comeing to destroy them all the rumour was most like to have begunne from himselfe, we had the kings letters, and my Lord treasurers to the governours, which made him shew to vs the best vsage, the place afforded with?mise to furnish vs with all manner of Provistions for our plantation though much against his Councells will, not doubting I suppose to receive noble gratification from my Lrd by whose helpe he hoped to recover a great summe of money due to him out of the exchequer; here we staied 8 or 9 daies not wthout imminent daunger, vnder Commande of the Castle, and then on the 3 of March came into Chesapeake bay, at the mouth of Patomecke, this baye is the most delightfull water I ever saw, between two sweet lande, with a channell, 4: 5: 6: 7: and 8 fathoms deepe, some 10 leagues broad, at time of yeare full of fish, yet it doth yeeld to Patomecke, wch we have made St Gregories; this is the sweetest and greatest river I

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have seene, so that the Thames is but a little finger to it, there are noe marshes or swampes about it, but solid firme ground, with great variety of woode, not choaked vp with vndershrubs, but commonly so farre distant from each other as a coach and fower horses may travale without molestation; at our first comeing we found (as we were told) all in armes; the king of Pascatoway had drawne together 500 bowmen, great fires were made by night over all the Country, and the biggnesse of our ship made the natives reporte, we came in a Canow as bigg as an Iland, with so many men, as trees were in a wood, with great terrour vnto them all: thus we sailed some 20 leagues vp the river to Hern=Iland, so called for infinite swarmes of hernes thereon, this we called St Clements, here we first came ashoare; here by the overturning of a shallop wch we had allmost lost our mades which wee brought along, the linnen, they went to wash was much of it lost, which is noe small matter in these parte: the ground is heare, (as in very many places covered with pokiberies, (a little wilde walnut hard of shell, but with a sweet kernell) with ackhornes, black walnut, cedar, saxafras, vines, salladherbes, and such like; it is not above 400 acres, and therefore too little to seat vpon for vs: therefore they have designed it for a fort to Command the river, meaneing to raise another on the maine land against it, and soe to keep the river from forraigne trade, here being the narrowest of the river: in this place on our b: Ladies day in lent, we first offered, erected a crosse, and with devotion tooke solemne possession of the Country: here our governour was aduised not to settle himselfe, till he spoake with the emperour of Pascatoway, and told him the cause of his comeing (to wit) to teach them a divine doctrine, whereby to lead them to heaven, and to enrich with such ornaments of civill life as our owne country
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abounded withall, not doubting but this emperour beinge satisfied, the other kings would be more peaceable, with this intention he tooke our pinnace and went therein higher vp the river, in their way they found still all the Indians fleede from their houses; till comeing to Patomecke towne, he found there the king thereof a Childe, gouerned by Archihoe, his vncle: here, by an Interpretour, they had some speech with Archihoe (a graue and considerate man, and shewed his errours in part vnto him, which he seemed to acknowledge, bidding them all very welcome; they could?ceed but little with him in matters of religion, their interpretors being a???testant of Virginia, but promised shortly to returne to him, some one or other; which he desired they would and promised they should have the best entertainment they could make them and his men should hunt and fish for them, and he and they would devide what soever they got, being (as they all generally be) of a very loveing and kinde nature ffrom here they went to Pascatoway, the seat of the Emperour, where 500 bowmen came to meet them at the water side, here the Emperour, lesse feareing then the rest came privately aboard, where he found kind vsage, and?ceiveing we came with good meaneing towards them, gave leave to vs to sett downe where we pleased; the king being aboard, his men by the water side feared some treason, till by interpretours, we assured them otherwise. In this iourney our governour tooke Captaine Henrie ffleet, and his 3 barkes, who had beene a firebrand to inflame the Indians against vs. this Capt: brought aboard our shipp accepted of a?portion in our beaver trade, for to serve my Lord, excellent in language, love, and experience with the Indians, most of all other, thus he remained, vntill haveing talked with Claborne, another of our chiefe enemies, he revolted, and leaveing vs went againe

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and traded with out leave, and got that time above 200 skins, and as we feared incensed the Indians against vs; yet first he had brought vs to as noble a seat as could be wished, and as good ground as I suppose is in all Europe; whilest our gouernour was abroad, the Indians began to loose feare and come to our coart of guarde, and sometimes aboard our shipp, wondering where that tree should grow, out of which so great a canow should be hewen, supposing it all of one peece, as their canows vse to be, they trembled to heare our ordinance thinking them fearefuller then any thunder they had ever heard: the governour being returned from Pascatoway, by ffleets directions, we came some 9 or 10 leagues lower in the riuer Patomecke; to a lesser riuer on the north side of it, as bigge as Thames, which we call St Georges, this riuer makes 2 excellent bayes, wherein might harbour 300 saile of 1000 tunne a peece with very great safetie, the one called St Georges bay, the other, more inward St Maries, on the one side of this river lives the king of Yoacomaco, on the other our plantation is seated, about halfe a mile from the water, and our towne we call St Maries. To avoid all occasion of dislike, and Colour of wrong we bought the space of thirtie miles of ground of them, for axes, hoes, cloth and hatchets, which we call Augusto Carolino: it made them more willing to enterteine vs, for that they had warres wth the Sasquasahannockes, who come sometimes vpon them, and waste and spoile them and their country, for thus they hope by our meanes to be safe. God disposeing things thus for those which were to come to bring the light of his holy law to these distressed, poore infidels, so that they doe indeed like vs better for comeing so well provided assuring themselves of greater safety, by liveing by vs. Is not this miraculous that a nation a few daies before in generall armes against vs,

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and our enterprise should like lambes yeeld themselves, glad of our company, giveing vs houses land, and liveings for a trifle, Digitus dei est hic, and some great good is meant toward this people: some few Indians are here to stay by vs till next yeare, and then the land is wholy to be ours alone. The natives of?son be very?per and tall men, by nature swarthy, but much more by art, painting themselves with colours in oile a darke read, especially about the head, which they doe to keep away the gnats, wherein I confesse there is more ease then honesty; as for their faces they vse sometimes other colours, as blew from the nose downeward, and read vpward, and sometimes contrary, wise with great variety, and in gastly manner, they have noe bearde till they be very old, but insteed thereof sometimes draw long lines with colours from the sides of their mouth to their eares, they weare their diuersly some haveing it cut all short, one halfe of the head, and long on the other; others have it all long, but generally they weare all a like at the left eare, and sometimes at both eares which they fold vp with a string of wampampeake or roanoake about it: some of their Caucorouses as they terme them, or great men weare the forme of a fish of Copper in their foreheads; they all weare beade about their neckes, men and women, with otherwhiles a haukes bill or the talents of an eagles or the teeth of beasts, or sometimes a pare of great eagles wings linked together and much more of the like; their apparell is deere skins and other furrs, which they weare loose like mantles, vnder which all their women, and those which are come to mans stature weare peizomata of skins, which keep them decently covered from all offence of sharpe eies, all the rest are naked, and sometimes the men of the younger sort weare nothing at all; their weapons are a bow and bundle of arrowes, an ell long, feathered with turkies

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feathers, and headed with points of deeres hornes, peeces of glasse, or flints, which they make fast with an excellent glew which they have for that purpose, the shaft is a small cane or sticke, wherewith I have seeme them kill at 20 yards distance, little birds of the bignesse of sparrows, and they vse to practise themselves by casting vp small stickes in the aire, and meeting it with an arrow before it come to ground: their bow is but weake and shoots level but a little way, they daily catch partridge, deere, turkies, squirrels and the like of which there is wonderfull, but as yet we dare not venture ourselves in the woods to seeke them, nor have we leasure; their houses are built in an halfe ovall forme 20 foot long, and 9 or 10 foot high with a place open in the top, halfe a yard square, whereby they admit the light, and let forth the smoake, for they build their fire, after the manner of ancient halls of England, in the middle of the house, about which they lie to sleep vpon mats, spread on a low scaffold hafe a yard from ground: in one of these houses we now doe celebrate, haveing it dressed a little better then by the Indians, till we get a better, which shall be shortly as may be: the naturall wit of these men is good, conceiueing a thing quick to; they excell in smell and taste, and have farre sharper sight then we have their diett is poane, made of wheat, and hominie, of the same with pease and beanes together, to which sometimes they add fish, foule, and venison, especially at solemne feasts: they are very tem?ate from wines and hote waters, and will hardly taste them, save those whome our English have carrupted: for chastity I never see any action in man or woman tendinge to soe much as levity, and yet the poore soules are daily with vs and bring vs turkie, partridge, oisters, squirells as good as any rabbit, bread and the like, running to vs with smileing countenance and will help vs in fishing, fouling, hunting, or

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what we please: they hold it lawfull to have many wiues, but all keep the rigour of coniugall faith to their husbands the very aspect of the women is modest and grave; they are generally so noble, as you can doe them noe favour, but they will returne it: there is small passion amongst them, they vse in discourse of great affaires to be silent, after a question asked, and then after a little studdie to answere in few words, and stand constant to their resolution; if these were once christian, they would doubtlesse be a vertuous and renowned nation; they exceedingly desire civill life and Christian apparrell and long since had they beene cloathed, had the covetous English merchants (who would exchange cloath for nought but beauer, which every one could not get) held them from it (God forbid we should do the like): as for religion we neither have language as yet to finde it out, nor care wee trust therein the?testant interpretours; Mr Altham, hath writ somethin thereof, wch himselfe can witnesse; and likewise Mr Thorowgood, who drive trade with the Indians; They acknowledge one god of heaven, whome they call our god, and crie a 1000 shames on those that so lightly offend soe good a god, but give noe externall honnour to him But vse all their might to please an Okee which signifies a frantique spirit, for feare of harme from him. I heare also, they adore wheat and fire, as gods very beneficiall to mans nature, In the Matchcomaco, or temple of the Patuxans, this ceremonie was seene by our trades; at a day appointed the townes about mett together, and built a great fire, then standinge all about the same, lifted vp their hands to heaven Crieing Taho Taho, after this was brought forth a bagge of Peake, which is their tobacco, with a great tobacco pipe, and carried about the fire, a young man following it, crieing Taho Taho, with great variety of gesture of body, this done they

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filled the pipe, and gave to every one a draught of smoake from it which they breathed out on all parts of their bodies, as it were to sanctifie them to the service of their god, this is all I can say, save that we?ceive they haue notice by tradition of Noah his flood wee have not beene above one moneth Conversant amongest them and therefore must reserve further particulars to the next ship; I will end therefore with the soyle, which is excellent so that we cannot sett downe a foot, but tread on Strawberries, raspires, fallen mulberrie vines, acchorns, walnutts, saxafras &c: and those in the wildest woods, the ground is commonly a blacke mould above, and a foot within ground of a readish colour; all is high woods except where the Indians haue cleared for corne, it abounds with delicate springs which are our best drinke. Birds diversely feathered there are infinite, as eagles, swans, hernes, geese, bitters, duckes, partridge read, blew, partie coloured, and the like, by which will appeare, the place abounds not alone with?fit, but also with pleasure +

Laus Deo

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