Benefits to England of Utilizing the Continent
of Virginia
Excerpts from a letter written 1622 to King James by Edward Waterhouse
as a preface to his account of the Indian massacre,
so that the King would not discontinue inhabiting Virginia
And including the discovery of a shortcut to China up the Potomack Riuer
The Countrey called Virginia (so named by the late Virgin-Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory) being the rightfull inheritance of his Maiesty, as first being discoucred at the costs and charges of that most prudent Prince of famous memory, King Henry the Seauenth, his Maiesties great Grandfather; The Patent whereof still extant to be seene, was granted to Iohn Cabot and diuers others of his subjects, who went thither with sixe Saile of Ships, and discouered as farre as from Cape Florida to New-found-land all along the Coast, and tooke possession thereof to the Kings vse, about that time when Ferdinando and Isabella discouered theWesterne Indies....
And since his Maiesties most happy comming to the Crowne, being an absolute King of three of the most populous Kingdomes...finding his Subjects to multiply by the blessed peace they enjoy vnder his happy gouernment, did out of his high wisedome and Princely care of the good of his Subjects, grant a msot gratious Patent to diuers Honourable persons, and others of his louing Subjects, authorizing them thereby to goe on in the Plantation of this his lawfull and rightfull Kingdome of Virginia....
This spatious and fruitful Country of Virginia is (as is generally knowne to all) naturally rich and exceedingly well watered, very temperate, and healthfull to the Inhabitants, abounding with as many naturall blessings, and replenished with as goodly Woods, and those full of Deere and sundry other beasts for mans sustenance; and the Seas and Riuers thereof as full of excellent fish of diuers sorts, and both water & land yeelding as great variety of fowle as any Country in the world is knowne to afford. The situation whereof being neere the midest of the world, betweene the extremities of heate and colde....
Those rich Furres, Cordage, and other commodities, which with difficulty and danger are now drawn from Russia will be had in Virginia and the parts adioyning with ease and safety. And the Masts, Plancks, and Boards, the Pitch and Tarre, the Pot-ashes and Sope-ashes, the Hempe and Flaxe, which now are fetched from Norway, Denmarke, Poland and Germany, will there be had in abundance. The Iron, which hath so wasted our English Woods is to be had in Virginia (where wasting of Woods is an ease and benefit to the Planter) for all good conditions answerable to the best Iron of the world, whereof proofe hath beene made. The Wines, Fruits, and Salt of France and Spaine: the Silkes of Persia and Italy, will be had also in Virginia, in no kinde of worth inferiour, where are whole Woods of many miles together of Mulberry trees of the best kindes, the proper food of the Silke-worme, and a multitude of other naturall commodities. Of Woods, Roots and Berries, for excellent dyes; of Plants and other Drugs for Physicall seruice; of sweet Woods, Oyles and Gummes, for pleasure and other vse; of Cotton-wooll, Silke-grasse and Sugar-Canes will there be had in abundance, with many other kindes. And for Corne, Cattell and fish in no place better; the Graine also of our owne Country propering there very well; but their Maize (being the naturall Graine of Virginia) doth farre exceed in pleasantnesse, strength, fertililitie, and generalitie of vse the Wheat of England. The Cattell which were transported thither (being now growne neere to fifteene hundred) doe become much bigger of body then the breed from whence they came. The Horses also more beautifull and fuller of courage....The Does of their Deere yeeld two Fawnes at a fall or birth, and sometimes three. and the fishings along our Coasts are in plenty of Fish equall to those of New-found-land and in greatness and goodness much superior....it paralelleth the most opulent and rich Kingdomes of the world...so doth it promise richer Mynes of the best and most desired mettals with them....
And for the Passage thither, and Trade there, it is free from all restraint by forren Princes..there is neyther danger in the way, through the encountring of the Enemy or Pyrate, nor meeting with Rockes or Sholes (by reason of the fayre and safe passage thorow the maine Ocean) nor tediousnes of iourney, which by reason of better knowledge then in former yeares...is oftener made and in fewer weekes then formerly it was wont to be in moneths; which (with the blessing of God) produced in the last Summer this effect, that the Fleet of nine Saile of ships, transporting above seaven hundred Passengers out of England and Ireland for the Plantation....
In the last yeares of 1619, 1620, and 1621 there hath beene prouided and sent for VIRGINIA forty two saile of ships three thousand fiue hundred and seaventy men and women besides store of cattell....In which space haue beene granted fifty Patents to particular persons for Plantation in Virginia....
The Iron-works, Glasse-works, Salt-works, the plentifull sowing of all sorts of English graine with the Plough..setting of store of Indian Corne or Maize, sufficient for our selves, and for trucke with the Natives; restraint of the quantity of Tobacco..planting of Vines and Mulberry-trees neere to their houses, Figg-trees, Pomgranate, Potatoes and Cotton-wooll seedes, Pocoon, Indico, Sugar-Canes, Madder, Woade, Hempe, Flaxe, and Silke-grasse; and for the erecting of a fayre Inne at James-Citiefor the better entertainment of new commers whereto and to other publike workes euery old planter there offered freely and liberally to contribute....great Forrests of Pines...a Copper-myne.
SHORT CUT TO CHINA
Furthermore, they write that in a Voyage made by Lieutenant Marmaduke Parkinson and other english Gentlemen vp the Riuer of Patomack they saw a China Boxe at one of the [Indian] Kings houses where they were: Being demanded where he had it, made answer That it was sent him from a King that dwelt in the West ouer the great Hils some tenne dayes journey whose Countrey is neare a great Sea, hee hauing that Boxe from a people, as he said, that came thither in ships, that weare clothes, crooked swords, & somwhat like our men dwelt in houses, and were called Acanack-China, and he offered our people that he would send his Brother along with them to that King...of a Sea, and the way to it West, they affirming that the heads of all those seaven goodly Riuers (the least whereof is greater then the Riuer of Thames and nauigable aboue an hundred and fifty miles, and not aboue sixe or eight miles one from another) which fall all into one great Bay, haue their rising out of a ridge of hils that runnes all along South and North; whereby they doubt not but to finde a safe, easie, and good passage to the South Sea...esteeming it not aboue an hundred and fifty miles from the head of the Falls where wee are now planted; the Discouery whereof will bring forth a most rich trade to Cathay, China, Iapan and those other of the East Indies to the inestimable benefit of this Kingdome....
INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN MASSACRE
We freely confesse that the Countrey is not so good as the Natiues are bad....In Nouember last he [Sir Francis Wiat Governor of VA] ariued in VIRGINIA, and entred vpon his Gouernment, he found the Country setled in a peace (as all men there thought)...because it was solemnly ratified and sworne, and at the request of the Native King [Indian Chief] stamped in Brasse [plaque], and fixed to one of his Oakes of note....
The houses generally set open to the Sauages who were alwaies friendly entertained at the tables of the English, and commonly lodged in their bed-chambers....
Opa-chan-kano the King [Chief] of theswe Sauages about the middle of March last...That he held the peace concluded so firme as the Skie should sooner fall then it dissolve....Even two dayes before the Massacre, some of our own men were guided thorow the woods by them in safety....and as well on the Friday morning (the fatal day) the 22 of March, as also in the euening, as in other days before, they came vnarmed into our houses.