Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text ll as the rest.
_They say he bore a pleasant shew,
But sure his heart was sad.
For who can pleasant be, and rest,
That liues in feare and dread:
And having life suspected, doth
It still suspected lead._
Two dayes after, _Powhatan_ having disguised himselfe in the most
fearefullest manner he could, caused Captain _Smith_ to be brought
forth to a great house in the woods, and there vpon a mat by the fire
to be left alone. Not long after from behinde a mat that divided the
house, was made the most dolefullest noyse he ever heard; then
_Powhatan_, more like a devill than a man, with some two hundred more
as blacke as himselfe, came vnto him and told him now they were
friends, and presently he should goe to _James_ towne, to send him two
great gunnes, and a gryndstone, for which he would giue him the
Country of _Capahowosick_, and for ever esteeme him as his sonne
_Nantaquoud_.
So to _James_ towne with 12 guides _Powhatan_ sent him. That night,
they quartered in the woods, he still expecting (as he had done all
this long time of his imprisonment) every houre to be put to one death
or other; for all their feasting. But almightie God (by his divine
providence) had mollified the hearts of those sterne _Barbarians_ with
compassion. The next morning betimes they came to the Fort, where
_Smith_ having vsed the Salvages with what kindnesse he could, he
shewed _Rawhunt_, _Powhatan's_ trusty servant, two demi-Culverings and
a millstone to carry _Powhatan_; they found them somewhat too heavie:
but when they did see him discharge them, being loaded with stones,
among the boughs of a great tree loaded with Isickles, the yce and
branches came so tumbling downe, that the poore Salvages ran away
halfe dead with feare. But at last we regained some conference with
them, and gaue them such toyes: and sent to _Powhatan_, his women, and
children such presents, as gaue them in generall full content.
OUR RIGHT TO THOSE COUNTRIES, TRUE REASONS FOR PLANTATIONS, RARE
EXAMPLES.
(_From Advertisements for the Inexperienced._)
Many good religious devout men have made it a great question, as a
matter in conscience, by what warrant they might goe to possesse those
Countries, which are none of theirs, but the poore Salvages.
[Illustration: ~Jamestown, Va.~
The first permanent English settlement in America.]
Which poore curiosity will answer it selfe; for God did make the
world to be inhabited with mankind, and to have his name knowne to all
Nations, and from generation to generation: as the people increased,
they dispersed themselves into such Countries as they found most
convenient. And here in _Florida_, _Virginia_, _New-England_, and
_Cannada_, is more land than all the people in Christendome can manure
[_cultivate_], and yet more to spare than all the natives of those
Countries can use and culturate. And shall we here keepe such a coyle
for land, and at such great rents and rates, when there is so much of
the world uninhabited, and as much more in other places, and as good
or rather better than any wee possesse, were it manured and used
accordingly?
If this be not a reason sufficient to such tender consciences; for a
copper knife and a few toyes, as beads and hatchets, they will sell
you a whole Countrey [_district_]; and for a small matter, their
houses and the ground they dwell upon; but those of the _Massachusets_
have resigned theirs freely.
Now the reasons for plantations are many. _Adam_ and _Eve_ did first
begin this innocent worke to plant the earth to remaine to posterity;
but not without labour, trouble, and industry. Noah and his family
began againe the second plantation, and their seed as it still
increased, hath still planted new Countries, and one Country another,
and so the world to that estate it is; but not without much hazard,
travell, mortalities, discontents, and many disasters; had those
worthy Fathers and their memorable offspring not beene more diligent
for us now in those ages, than wee are to plant that yet unplanted for
after-livers: Had the seed of _Abraham_, our Saviour Christ Jesus and
his Apostles, exposed themselves to no more dangers to plant the
Gospell wee so much professe, than we; even we our selves had at this
moment beene as Salvages, and as miserable as the most barbarous
Salvage, yet uncivilized.
The _Hebrewes_, the _Lacedemonians_, the _Goths_, _Grecians_,
_Romans_, and the rest; what was it they would not undertake to
enlarge their Territories, inrich their subjects, and resist their
enemies? Those that were the founders of those great Monarchies and
their vertues, were no silvered idle golden Pharisees, but industrious
honest hearted Publicans; they regarded more provisions and
necessaries for their people, than jewels, ease, and delight for
themselves; riches was their servants, not their masters; they ruled
as fathers, not as tyrants; their people as children, not as slaves;
there was no disaster could discourage them; and let none thinke they
incountered not with all manner of incumbrances; and what hath ever
beene the worke of the best great Princes of the world, but planting
of Countries, and civilizing barbarous and inhumane Nations to
civility and humanity; whose eternall actions fils our histories with
more honour than those that have wasted and consumed them by warres.
Lastly, the _Portugals_ and _Spaniards_ that first began plantations
in this unknowne world of _America_ till within this 140. yeares
[1476-1616], whose everlasting actions before our eyes, will testifie
our idlenesse and ingratitude to all posterity, and neglect of our
duty and religion we owe our God, our King, and Countrey, and want of
charity to those poore Salvages, whose Countries we challenge, use and
possesse: except wee be but made to marre what our forefathers made;
or but only tell what they did; or esteeme our selves too good to take
the like paines where there is so much reason, liberty, and action
offers it selfe. Having as much power and meanes as others, why should
English men despaire, and not doe as much as any? Was it vertue in
those Hero[e]s to provide that [which] doth maintaine us, and
basenesse in us to do the like for others to come? Surely no: then
seeing wee are not borne for ourselves but each to helpe other; and
our abilities are much alike at the howre of our birth and the minute
of our death: seeing our good deeds or bad, by faith in Christs
merits, is all wee have to carry our soules to heaven or hell: Seeing
honour is our lives ambition, and our ambition after death to have an
honourable memory of our life; and seeing by no meanes we would be
abated of the dignitie and glory of our predecessors, let us imitate
their vertues to be worthily their successors; or at least not hinder,
if not further, them that would and doe their utmost and best
endeavour.
ASCENT OF THE JAMES RIVER, 1607.
(_From Newes from Virginia._)
The two and twenty day of Aprill [_or rather May, 1607_], Captain
_Newport_ and myself with diuers others, to the number Previous Next |