1 THat there are in Virginia about fifteene thousand English, and of Negroes brought thither, three hun­dred good servants.

2 That of Kine, Oxen, Bulls, Calves, twenty thousand, large and good, and they make plenty of Butter and very good Cheese.

3 That there are of an excellent raise, about two hundred Horse and Mares.

4 That of Asses for burthen and use, there is fifty, but daily increase.

5 That for Sheepe they have about three thousand, good wooll.

6 That for G [...]ates there number is five thousand, thrive well.

7 That for Swine both tame and wilde (in the Woods) innu­merable; the flesh pure and good, and Bacon none better.

8 That for Poultry, Hens, Turkies, Ducks, Geese, without number.

9 That they yearely plow and fow many hundred Acres of [Page 2] Wheat, as good, and faire, as any in the world, and great increase.

10 That they have plenty of Barley, make excellent Mault.

11 That they have Six publike Brewhouses, and most brew their owne Beere, strong and good.

12 That their Hopps are faire and large, thrive well.

13 That they sell their Beefe at two pence halfe penny a pound, Porke at three pence a pound, plentifully.

14 That their Cattell are about the prices in England, and most of the Ships that come yearly hither, are there V [...]ctuall'd.

15 That they have thirty severall sorts of Fish, River, and Sea, very excellent good in their kinds, plentifull and large.

16 That they have five and twenty sundry sorts of Birds and Fowles, Land and Water abundance, and for food not amisse.

17 That they have twenty kinde of Beasts, whereof Deere a­bundance, most sorts to be eaten; creeping Creatures many also.

18 That they have fifteene kinds of Fruits, pleasant and good, and with Italy they will compare for delicate Fruits.

19 That they have five and twenty sorts of Trees, large, good and fit for Shipping Housing, and other uses.

20 That they have Roots of severall kindes, Potatoes, Spara­gus, Carrets Turnips, Parsnips Onions, and Hartichokes.

22 For Herbes they have of all kinds for Gardena, nd Physicke Flowers.

23 That their Maize or Virginia Corne, it yeelds them five hundred for one, increase, ('its set as we doe garden Pease) it makes good Bread and Furmitie, will keep seven yeares, and maults well for Beere, and ripe in five Moneths, set in Aprill or May.

24 That they have store of Indian Pease, better then ours, Beans, Lupines, and the like.

25 They have store of Bees in their Woods, make plenty of ho­ney and wax and also tame Bees in hives about their Houses.

26 Indic [...] begins to be planted, and thrives wonderfully well, growes up to a little tree, and rich Indies made of the leaves of it, all men begins to get some of the Seeds, and know it will be often­times the gaine to them as Tobacco (and gaine now carries the Bell:) their hopes are great to gaine the Trade of it from the Mo­gulls [Page 3] Countrey, and to supply all Christendome, and this will be many Thousands of pounds in the yeare.

27 Their Tobacco is much vented and esteemed in all places, yet the quantities so great that's made, that the price there is but three pence a pound. A man can plant two Thousand waight a yeare of it, and also sufficient Corne and Rootes, and other provisi­ons for himselfe.

28 They begin to plant much Hempe and Flax which they find growes well and good, onely hands are wanting to this and other workes.

29 Iron Ore and rich Mine are in abundance in the Land, fit streams and waters to erect Iron Mils, woods never to be destroy'd to burne Coale, and all this lye on great Rivers bankes, easie for transportation of Wood and Ore, and there is Stone fit to build the Furnaces with; triall hath been made of this Iron Ore, and not better & richer in the World; his work Erected would be as much worth as a Silver Mine, all things considered: not onely to make all Instruments of Iron for the Plantations Uses, but for Building, Shipping, there being wanting in that Countrey no other Mate­rialls to that Worke; Then the casting of Ordnance, and ma­king them, will abound to serve all the World; so of Mussquets, Armour, all kinde of Tooles, and Manufacture of Iron Workes will be produced in abundance, so that it would become speedily the Magazine of Iron Instruments in every kinde, and at cheape rates; so that no Nation could afford them halfe so cheape, and all men know, that Iron will command better Mines.

20 Skilfull Iron-men for the Works sent out of England, with the assistance of as many more able labourers there in Virginia, housing and victuall ready provided for them; (fitting places for Erecting, the Mills found out already, and Oxen for draught at hand,) the Worke in fixe Moneths time would be effected, and foure hundred pound charge to transport the twenty men to Virginia, with all tooles and necessaries for the Worke would doe it: and these Men for their incouragement to have halfe the gaine made of the Iron to be yearely divided betwixt the Undertakers and Workemen, the profit and gaine would be to the inriching of all.

[Page 4]30 They have 4 Wind-mills, and 5 Water-mills to grind their Corn; besides many Horse-mills of several kinds, and Hand-mills for several uses: A Sawing mill for Boards is much wanted; one mill driven by water, will do as much as 20 Sawyers &c.

31 There comes yeerly to trade with them above 30 saile of ships, and in these not so little as seven or eight hundred Ma­riners employed, (some say above a thousand, this is a conside­rable thing) and they return laden home in March; (this is a good seminary for Mariners.)

32 The Commodity these ships bring, is Linnen Cloth of all sorts, and so of Woollen Cloth, Stockins, Shooes, and the like things.

33 Most of the Masters of ships and chief Mariners have also there Plantations, and houses, and servants, &c. in Virginia; and so are every way great gainers by Fraight, by Merchandize, and by Plantation and P [...]pe-staves, Clap-board, choice Walnut-tree-vvood, Ceader-tree-timber and the like, is transported by them if Tobacco is not their full lading.

34 They have in their Colony Pinnaces, Barkes, great and small Boates many hundreds, for most of their Plantations stand upon the Rivers sides or up little Creek [...], and but a small way into the Land, so that for transportation and fishing they use many Boates.

35 They make Pitch and Tarre▪ (and there is materials in the Woods for abundance.) Also for Pot and Sope-ashes, Woods most proper and store: hands want.

36 That for Mulbery-trees, the natural and proper food for Silke-wormes, they have abundance in the woods, and some so large that one tree contains as many leaves as will seed Silke-worms that will make as much Silk as may be worth five pounds sterling money, this some French men affirme. And now they desire Silke-wormes-seed which is sent them▪ and their hopes are good of the thriving of it: A Commodity that may soon enrich them all with little labour, care or pains; all Materials so plentiful and at hand, the food in abundance, the Climate warm, & the work done in five weeks time, and within doors, by women and children as well as [Page 5] men, and at that time of the yeer in May, that it hinders not any o­ther work or planting, sowing, or the like employments; such an ad­vantage, that had the Dutch the like in any of their Plantations, they would improve it to the certaine gaine in the trade of Silke from Persia and China, which we fetch with great charge and ex­pence and hazard, and inrich Heathen and Mahumetans greatly; but to these things lack Publick and State encouragements to be­gin the work: but more of this in an other place, it deserves a full handling.

37 Vines in abundance and variety, do grow naturally over all the land, but by the birds and beasts, most devoured before they come to perfection and ripenesse; but this testifies and declares, That the Ground, and the Climate is most proper, and the Com­modity of Wine is not a contemptible Merchandize; but some men of worth & estate must give in these things example to the in­feriour inhabitants and ordinary sort of men, to shew them the gain and Commodity by it, which they will not believe but by ex­perience before their faces: And in Tobacco they can make 20. l. sterling a man. at 3 ^d a pound per annum; and this they find and know and the present gain is that, that puts out all endeavours from the attempting of others more Staple, and Sollid, and rich Commodities, out of the heads and hands of the Common people: So as I say, the wealthier sort of men must begin and give the ex­ample, and make the gain of other Commodities as apparent to them, by the effecting them to perfection, or it will not (as it hath not hither unto) go forward.

38 That they have health very well, and fewer die in a yeer there, according to the proportion, then in any place of England; since that men are provided with all necessaries, have plenty of vi­ctual bread, and good beer, and houseing, all which the English­men loves full dearly.

39 That the Passengers also come safe and well: the seamen of late years having found a way, that now in 5, 6, and 7 weeks they saile to Virginia free from all Rocks, Sands, and Pirats; and that they return home again in 20 dayes sometimes and 30 at most: the Winds commonly serving more constantly, being Westerly home­ward, the Easterly outward bound.

[Page 6]40 That the mouth of the two Capes of Land, Cape Henry on the South, and Cape Charles on the North; the entrance in is in 37 degrees: that the first River up the West is James River, where most of the Plantations are setled and Towns: the second is Charles river on the North of it; and the third called by the Indian name Tapahanuke, the 4 river Patawoenicke, the 5 river Patuxant, the 6 Bolus, the 7 Saquisahanuke: at the head of the great Bay of Chespiacke, into which Bay these 7 rivers from the West side of it do all enter and run into, and so the mouth of the Bay issueth out due East into the main Sea between the two afore­said Capes: the Baylies North and South, and hath a Channel in draught of 140 miles, and in depth between 5, 6, and 15 fathomes in some places. The widenesse of the Bay is from the West side which is the great Land, to the East side of the Land which joynes upon the Sea called the Acamake-shore; the widenesse & breadth of this Bay I say, is about 9, 10, & 14 miles broad in some places of it; and these 7 Rivers have their mouths into the Bay, not a­bove 20 miles, each River is distant from the other: But this in Smiths Map is more at large described.

41 That some English about a thousand are seated upon the Acamake-shore by Cape Charles, (where Captaine Teardley is chief Commander) now called the County of Northampton.

42 That they have Lime in abundance made for their houses, store of Bricks made, and House and Chimnies built of Brick, and some Wood high and fair, covered with Shingell for Tyle, yet they have none that make them, wanting workmen; in that trade the Brickmakers have not the art to do it, it shrinketh.

43 That since the Massacre, the Savages have been driven far away, many destroyed of them, their Towns and houses ruinated, their cleer grounds possessed by the English to sow Wheat in: and their great King Opechaukenow (that bloody Monster upon 100 yeers old) was taken by Sir William Berkely the Governour.

44 All kinds of Trades-men may live well there, and do gaine much by their labours and arts, as Turners, Potters, Coopers; to make all kind of earthen and wooden Vessells, Sawyers, Carpen­ters, [Page 7] Tyle-makers, Boat-wrights, Taylors, Shoemakers, Tanners, Fishermen, and the like.

45 Young youths from 16 yeers and upward, for Apprentises and Servants for some yeers, then to have Land given them, and Cattel to set up. Thousands of these kinds of young boyes & may­dens wanting.

46 That the Government is after the Lawes of England, (that is well for men before they go, to know under what Lawes they shall live:) A Governour and Councel of State; and yeerly ge­neral Assemblies▪ men chosen and sent out of each County, (there being 12 in Virginia;) these men Vote, and by the major part all things are concluded; and they are Elected to those places by the most voices in the County for whom they are chosen, and by whom sent.

47 They have 20 Churches in Virginia, and Ministers to each, and the Doctrine and Orders after the Church of England: the Ministers Livings are esteemed worth at least 100. l per an. they are paid by each planter so much Tobacco per Pole, & so many bushels of Corn: they live all in peace and love.

48 That for matter of their better knowledge of the Land they dwell in, the Planters resolve to make a further Discovery into the Country West and by South up above the Fall and over the Hills, and are confident upon what they have learned from the Indians, to find away to a West or South Sea by land or rivers, & to disco­ver a way to China and East Indies or unto some other Sea that shal carry them thither; For Sir Francis Dr [...]ke was on the back side of Virginia in his voyage about the world in 37 degrees just opposite to Virginia, and called Nova Albion, and by the Natives kind­ly used: And now all the question is only how broad the Land may be to that place from the head of James River above the Falls, but all men conclude if it be not narrow, yet that there is and will be found the like rivers issuing into a South Sea or a West Sea on the other side of those Hills, as there is on this side when they run from the West down into a East Sea after a course of 150 miles: but of this certainty M. Hen. Brigs that most judicious & learned Mathe­matician wrote a small Tractate, & presented it to that most noble [Page 8] Earle of Southampton then Governour of the Virginia Compa­ny in England, Ann. 1623. to which I referre for a full infor­mation.

And by such a Discovery the Planters in Virginia, shall gain the rich trade of the East India, and so cause it to be driven through the Continent of Virginia, part by Land, and part by Water, and in a most gainfull way and safe, and far lesse expenceful and dangerous, then now it is.

And they doubt not to find some rich and beneficiall Country, and commodities not yet known to the world that lies West and by South now from their present Plantation.

49 That the Swedes have come and crept into a River called Delawar, that is, within the limits of Virginia in 38 degrees and 30 min. it lies, and are there planted▪ 100 of them drive a great and se­cret trade of Furs, which they trade for with the Natives: it is but 2 dayes journey by land from our Plantations, and a dayes sail by Sea from Cape Charles.

50 And again, the Hollanders have stoln into a River called Hudsons river in the limits also o [...] Virginia (and about 39 degrees) they have built a strong Fort there, and call it Prince Maurice and New Netherlands, they drive a trade of Furres there with the Na­tives for above ten thousand pounds a yeer.

These two Plantations are between Virginia and New Eng­land on our side of Cape Cood which parts us and New England.

Thus are the English nosed in all places, and out-traded by the Dutch, they would not suffer the English to use them so: But they have vigilant States men, and advance all they can for a Common good, and will not spare any incouragements to their people to dis­cover.

But it is well known, that our English Plantations have had little countenances, nay, that our Statesmen (when time was) had store of Gondemores gold to destroy and discountenance the Plantation of Virginia, and he effected it in a great part, by dissolving the [Page 9] Company, wherein most of the Nobility, Gentry, Corporate Cities, and most Merchants of England, were Interested and Engaged; after the expence of some hundred of thousands of pounds: For Gundemore did affirme to his Friends, that hee had Commission from his Master to ruine that Plantation. For, said he, should they thrive and goe on increasing, as they have done under the Government of that Popular L. of Southampton my Masters West-Indies, and his Mexico would shortly be visi­ted by Sea and by Land, from those Planters in Virginia. And Marquis Hambleton told the Earle of Southampton, that Gun­demore said to King James, that the Virginia Courts, was but a Seminarie to a Seditious Parliament. But this is but a touch by the way, and for a future Item to our Countrey not to despise Plantations.

51 The Land in Virginia is most fruitfull, and produceth, with very great increase, whatsoever is committed into the Bow­ells of it, Planted▪ Sowed. A fat rich Soile every where wate­red with many fine Springs, small Rivolets, and wholesome Waters.

52 The Countrey is with pleasant rising small Ascents and Descents, Valleys, Hills, Meadowes, and some levell Upland: Its Woody all over, but where labour hath cleared the ground from Trees, and this truely is the great labour in Virginia, to fell Trees, and to get up the Roots, and so make cleare ground for the Plow.

53 Stones, and Rocks, and Quarries of severall kinds, and very fit for the Iron Furnaces (as triall hath been made to endure fire) are in divers places found in Virginia.

54 There is divers skins of Beasts for Merchandize and u­ses, as Beavers, Otters, Squirrels, wild Cats, and Christall is there found.

55 Divers kinds of Druggs, Gummes, Dyes, Paints, that the Indians use.

56 There is a kind of Flax the Indians use to make threeds of and strings, we call it silke grasse, i'ts fine to make both Lin­nen [Page 10] and Stuffe of it; abundance in many places of it groweth.

57 To the Southward of James River, some fiftie miles by Land, and eighty by Sea, lyes the River Chawanok: whither Master Porey went by Land, and reported, the King there told him, that within ten days Journey Westward towards Sun set­ting, there were a people that did gather out of a River sand, the which they washed in Sives, and had a thing out of it, that they then put into the Fire, which melted, & became like to our Copper, and offered to send some of his People to guide him to that place. But master Porey being not provided with men as he would have had of English, he returned to Sir George Yearly, and acquainted him with the Relation. But before they could prepare for the Journey, and Discovery, the first Massa­cre happened, and so to this day it hath beene unattempted. The Company also in England was dissolved, their Patent most unjustly, against all Law and Conscience, taken from them. Procured by the Spanish Gold and Faction, and the Colony never looked after, whether sinke or swimme; and hath now these twenty foure yeares since, laboured for life, and onely to subsist with much adoe; The Cattell then left, increased to what you heare, and in all these many yeares no more People in it, and they having little Incouragement, and great unce­tainties, whether ever to be continued a Colony, whereby men have had no heart to Plant for Posterity, but every man for the present, Planted Tobacco to get a livelyhood by it.

And had not this present Governour beene sent as hee was, and continued, who hath done all a Gentleman could doe to mainetaine it alive. It had upon this second Massacre beene utterly deserted and ruinated; as things stand in our owne Land. If any demand the cause of this late Massacre, all having been forgiven and forgotten, what the Indians did the first time; Those that are Planters there, write the occasion of the Indi­ans doing so wicked an Act, was. ☞ That some of them [Page 11] confessed, That their great King was by some English Infor­med, that all was under the Sword in England, in their Native Countrey, and such divisions in our Land; That now was his time, or never, to roote out all the English▪ For those that they could not surprize and kill under the feigned masque of Friendship and feasting, and the rest would be by wants; and having no supplyes from their own Countrey which could not helpe them, be suddenly Consumed and Famished. The Indians Allaruming them night and day, and killing all their Cattell, as with ease they might doe, and by destroying in the nights, all their Corne Fields, which the English could not defend. All this had (as they write) taken full effect, if God had not abated the Cou­rages of the Savages in that moment of time, they so treache­rously slew the English; who were presently (the Act done) so affrighted in their owne minds, that they had not the heart to follow the Counsells their King had commanded: but to the admiration of the English, prosecuted not their opportuni­tie, nor were constant to their owne Principles, But fled away and retyred themselves many miles distant off the Colony; which little space of time gave the English opportunity to ga­ther themselves together, call an Assembly, secure their Cattell, and to thinke upon some way to defend themselves, if need were, and then to offend their Enemies; which by the great mercy of God was done and effected; And the particulars of all is worthy in some other place to be remembred and manifested to the VVorld, that the great God may have his due Glory, Honour, and Praise for ever and ever, Amen, Amen, Amen. And now at this present the Colony is in good estate (and ne­ver a third time to be so surprised by a seeming Friend.) And they conclude, their conditions are now, such as they may and will greatly improve the advancement and wel-fare of the Col­lony, even by this late sad Accident; and the Pit there Enemies digged for them, they are like to fall into themselves, and their mischiefe will and hath assuredly fallen farre more upon their own Pates; since their great King was taken Prisoner.

And in briefe, they say in three Letters, that if God please, in mercy, now to looke upon poore England, that it fall not into a second Warre, nor relapses, but a happy Peace setled in their Native Countrey. Then they in Virginia shall be as hap­pie a people as any under heaven, for there is nothing wan­ting there to produce them, Plenty, Health, and Wealth.

58 Concerning New-England, that they have Trade with them to and fro, and are but foure dayes Saile off from Virgi­nia, that they have had many Cattell from Virginia, and Corne, and many other things; That New-England, is in a good Con­dition for livelyhood. But for matter of any great hopes but Fish­ing, there is not much in that Land; For its as Scotland is to England, so much difference, and lyes upon the same Land North­ward, as Scotland doth to England: there is much Cold, Frost and Snow, and their Land so barren, except a Herring be put into the hole that you set the Corne or Maize in, it will not come up; and it was great pittie, all those people being now about twenty Thousand, did not seate themselves at first to the South of Virginia, in a warme and rich Countrey, where their Industrie would have produced Sugar, Indico, Ginger, Cotten, and the like Commodities.

And its now reported in Virginia that Thousands of them are removing (with many from Summer Islands also) unto the Bahana Islands, neere the Cape of Florida; and thats the right way for them to goe and thrive.

59 Now these are the severall sorts and kinds of Beasts, Birds, Fish, in Virginia.

• 1 Lyons, But all these foure sorts are up in the higher parts of the Countrey, on the hills and mountaines, few to be seene in the lower parts where the English are; the Elkes are as great as Oxen, their horns six foot wide, and have two Calves at a time; the skins make good Buffe, and the flesh as good as Beefe.
• 2 Beares, But all these foure sorts are up in the higher parts of the Countrey, on the hills and mountaines, few to be seene in the lower parts where the English are; the Elkes are as great as Oxen, their horns six foot wide, and have two Calves at a time; the skins make good Buffe, and the flesh as good as Beefe.
• 3 Leopard, But all these foure sorts are up in the higher parts of the Countrey, on the hills and mountaines, few to be seene in the lower parts where the English are; the Elkes are as great as Oxen, their horns six foot wide, and have two Calves at a time; the skins make good Buffe, and the flesh as good as Beefe.
• 4 Elkes. But all these foure sorts are up in the higher parts of the Countrey, on the hills and mountaines, few to be seene in the lower parts where the English are; the Elkes are as great as Oxen, their horns six foot wide, and have two Calves at a time; the skins make good Buffe, and the flesh as good as Beefe.
• 5 Deere.
• 6 Foxes.
• 7 Wilde Cats.
• 8 Raconnes, as good meat as Lambe
• 9 Passonnes▪ This beast hath a bagge under her belly into which she takes her young ones, if at any time affrighted, and carries them away.
• 10 Two sorts of Squirrels▪ One called a flying one, for that she spreads like a Batt a certaine loose skin she hath and so flyes a good way.
• 13 A Muske Rat, So called for his great sweetnesse and shape.
• 14 Hares.
• 15 Beavers.
• 16 Otters.
• 17 Doggs. But barke not, after the shape of a Wolfe, and Foxes smell not: VVolves but little, neither not fierce.
• 18 Wolves.
• 19 Marti [...]s, Poule Cats, Weesels, Minks: but these Vermine hurt not Hens, Chickins or Eggs at any time.
• 20 A little beast like a Conny, the Foxes kill many of them.

• 1 Eagles.
• 2 Hawkes of six severall kinds.
• 3 Parteridges many.
• 4 Wilde Turkies, some weighing sixtie pound weight.
• 5 Red Birds, that sing rarely.
• 6 Nightingales.
• 7 Blue Birds, smaller then a Wren.
• 8 Blacke birds.
• 9 Thrushes.
• 10 Heath Cocks.
• 11 Swannes.
• 12 Cranes
• 13 Hernes.
• 14 Geese.
• 15 Brants.
• 16 Ducks.
• 17 Widgeons.
• 18 Dottrells.
• 19 Oxeyes.
• 20 Parrots.
• 21 Pidgeons.
• 22 Owles.

Many more that have no English Names; for one called the Mock bird, that counterfeits all other severall Birds cryes and tunes.

• 1 Codde.
• 2 B asse.
• 3 Drummes six foot long.
• 4 Sheepsheads, this Fish makes broath so like Mutton-broath, that the difference is hardly known.
• 5 Conger.
• 6 Eeles.
• 7 Trouts.
• 8 Mullets.
• 9 Plaice.
• 10 Grampus.
• 11 Porpus.
• 12 Scales.
• 13 Sturgeons, of 10 foot long.
• 14 Stingraes.
• 15 Brets.
• 16 White Salmon.
• 17 Soles.
• 18 Herring.
• 19 Conny-Fish.
• 20 Rocke-fish.
• 21 Lampres.
• 22 Cray Fish.
• 23 Shads.
• 24 Perch.
• 25 Crabbs.
• 26 Shrimps.
• 27 Crecy-Fish.
• 28 Oysters.
• 29 Cockles.
• 30 Mussels.
• 31 St. George Fish.
• 32 Toad-Fish.

• 1 Okes red and white VVood.
• 2 Ashe.
• 3 Wallnut, two kinds.
• 4 Elmes
• 5 Ceadar.
• 6 Cypres three fathomes about.
• 7 Mulbery Trees great and good.
• 8 Chesnut Trees,
• 9 Plum Trees of many kinds.
• 10 The Puchamine Tree.
• 11 The Laurell.
• 12 Cherries.
• 13 Crahes.
• 14 Vines.
• 15 Sassafras.

Fruits they have, Strawberies, Gooseberies, Raspices, Mara­cokos, Puchamines, Muskmillions, Pumpions; And for Fruits brought thither and planted. Aples, Peares, Quinces, Apricocks, Peaches; and many more kindes excellent good, &c.