A PLAINE DESCRIPTION OF THE BARMVDAS, NOW CALLED SOMMER ILANDS.

With the manner of their discouerie ANNO 1609. by the shipwrack and admirable deliuerance of Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Sommers, wherein are truly set forth the commodities and profits of that Rich, Pleasant, and Healthfull COVNTRIE.

WITH An Addition, or more ample relation of diuers other remarkeable matters concerning those Ilands since then experienced, lately sent from thence by one of the Colonie now there resident.

ECCLESIASTES 3:11.

God hath made euery thing beautifull in his time.

LONDON, Printed by W. Stansby, for W. Welby. 1613.

TO THE TRVLY HO­NORABLE AND RIGHT WOR­THY KNIGHT SIR THOMAS SMITH TREASVRER for the Colonies and Com­panies of VIRGINIA: and Gouernour of Mus­couia, East-India, North-west Passage, and SOMMER Ilands Companies.

HONORABLE SIR, the wisest of Men, or rather the wisedome of God tells vs,Eccles. 3.1. that there is a time for all things: and that the great God, who at his owne will beganne time it selfe, doth at his owne Time beginne all things else: the foolishnesse of men may aske and muse why was this so soone, and that so late? but the wisedome of God knowes what is fit for euery time: And surely amongst the sen­sible signes, and euident demonstrations of Gods all-gouerning prouidence, this is not the least, that he brings not forth his migh­tie works altogether, but makes every thing beautifull in his time. Eccl. 3.1 [...]. And as in his creation he made not al at once, but produced them in their seuerall daies: so in his gubernation, he reueileth not the knowledge of all things in one Age, but discouers them in the seuerall ages of the World. And if man aske why God doth thus, holy David giues the answere; The Lord hath so done his mar­vailous works, that they should be had in remembrance; Psal. 111.4. for were they all in one age (such is our corruption) they would bee lesse obserued and sooner forgotten, but being declared in their se­uerall times, euery Age finds matter to magnifie God; And therefore He whose glorious name is to be praised for euer, reueils some meruailous thing in euery generation,Psal. 72.19. that so his name may be praised from Generation to Generation.

Mans works are for the most part (as Christ saith of the Wine that is serued in at feasts) best at first, and afterwards worse: but with God it is cōtrarie; for as in the Creation, though euery daies [Page]worke was good, yet each daies was better then the former, and the last best of all:Gen. 1. So in his dispensation and gouernement of the world, all knowledge was not reueiled, nor all good things made knowne at the first, but day vnto day vttereth, and night to night (and why not also,Psal. 19.2. age vnto age) teacheth knowledge. And hence is it that as great secrets in nature, and as admirable perfections in art, and as rare inuentions, and profitable experiments (euery way) are daily discouered in these latter ages, as were in the for­mer. There be not yet two hundred yeares past since the admi­rable art of Printing was found out,It began about the yeare 1450 an inuention so excellent and so vsefull, so much tending to the honour of God, the manifesta­tion of the truth, propagation of the Gospell, restoration of lear­ning, diffusion of knowledge, and consequently the discouerie and destruction of Poperie, that the Pope and Popish Politicians wish it had neuer beene, and haue bestowed many a secret curse vpon him that first reueiled it; and no meruaile, for it hastens and helps forward his confusion more then all the Mechanicke my­steries in the World. Nor is yet foure hundred yeares agoe, since the superadmirable vse of the Loadstone was found out. The at­traction of yron vnto it was seene by Aristotle, and the Ancients, and it amazed them: But the correspondencie it hath with the Pole-starre, and consequently the excellent vse of it for Nauiga­tion (being one of the greatest wonders of the world) was not knowne to them; nay (which is more strange) not to the Apostles themselues; for had it beene, surely Saint Paul and his companie had not beene almost halfe a yeare in his voyage betwixt Iudaea and Italie,Acts 27. and that through so many difficulties, and at last ship­wrack; Nor would it haue beene said, that when neither Sunne nor Starre appeared for many dayes, Vers. 20. all hope of being saued was taken away. For when neither Sunne nor Starre appeares; yet by the helpe of this poore dead Creature, the Pilot can tell where he is, and knowes his course, more certainely now in the wide and vn­measurable Ocean, then they could in the narrow Mediterran Sea; and more easily now will an ordinarie Sea-man goe to the West Indies, then S. Paul with all the knowledge God had then reueiled, from Ierusalem to Rome: for howsoeuer the Lord was miraculously powerfull in the Apostles, and glorious and won­derfull in the Primitiue Church, in giuing knowledge of tongues, [Page]and other learning, and power of miracles, yet he did bound and limit it at his owne pleasure, and reserued this and other of his wonderfull works to be made knōwne in the later times, that so all men in all ages may know, that though all things perish, Psa. 102.26 yet God endures; and though all creatures waxe old as a garment, yet He is the same still and for euer.

It is yet but a hundreth yeares agoe, that (after the world had scarce dreamed of any other habitable place of the earth, more then Asia, Africke, and Europe) God discouered to vulgar know­ledge another, and as it were the new world of America, which if it had beene foretold in the elder ages, millions of men would neuer haue beleeued it. And that we in this present and peruerse age may also knowe, that Times and Seasons are in Gods hand, Acts 1. He hath vouchsafed amongst the many excellent inuentions and wonderfull discoueries of these times, to make knowne to vs of the poore Ʋirginian plantation, and by vs to the world, the hid­den and long concealed truth, touching the state of the Barmuda Ilands. Who did not thinke till within these foure yeares, but that those Ilands had beene rather a habitation of Diuells, then fit for men to dwell in? who did not hate the name when hee was on Land, and shunne the place when he was on the Seas? But behold the misprision and misconceits of the world! For true and large experience hath now told vs, it is one of the sweetest Paradises that be vpon the earth. Let them hearken to this and make vse of it, that mislike all new inuentions, and suspect all new discoue­ries, and hold it for a rule, That whatsoeuer is new is nought. If any had said seuen yeares agoe, the Barmuda Islands are not only accessible and habitable, but also fertile, fruitfull, plentifull, and a safe, secure, temperate, rich, sweet, and healthfull habitation for Man and especially for English bodies; oh how loudly would he haue beene laught at, and hist our of most mens companies! And yet no more then He would haue beene who foure hundred yeares agoe should haue told the world, that by the vse and helpe of a stone a man should more safely saile vpon the Ocean, round about the earth, then formerly in the narrow Seas: Or then He who two hundred yeares agoe should haue said, there was an Art by which all writing of bookes should bee saued, and that two men should Print more in a day, then two hundred can write: [Page]Or then He who 100.t yeares agoe did tell vs, there was another world, as it were vnder our feete, wherein men liued like vs, and a richer part of the world then ours. And yet all these are now proued true before our eyes, and all the world can witnesse it; and who is he that feeles not the benefit of these three blessings? Now therefore let the iealous and suspitious world beare his due reproofe, and let God haue his due glorie and praise, who brings to light things that lie hidde in darkenesse, and reueiles his mer­uailous works in his due time. And let the Planters and Patrons of the Ʋirginia Colonies take heart and comfort themselues; for that God, who by discouering these Ilands to them hath deli­uered the world from that old inueterate errour, and giuen them the rightfull possession (vnder God and his Maiestie) of so rich so wholesome, and healthfull Ilands, which may be as nurseries to Virginia, hath hereby let the world see that he will vphold that Christian plantation, if men should be so base and beastly to for­sake it. But (worthy Sir) if other men were like you, I needed not to make that (If) if all as able as you were as willing, and forward as you, wee should soone see a flourishing Christian Church, and Common-wealth in Virginia; But let this be your comfort, there is One that is more able, is also more willing then you, euen the God of heauen and earth: it is his worke you ma­nage, and his cause you haue in hand; he may worke with com­fort that works with God and for God; he that works with God is sure to preuaile; he that works for God is sure to be rewarded. You know good Sir (and you better then many) that He is well kept whom God keepes, and know also that hee shall bee roially re­warded whom God rewards. And know further for your com­fort, that though the burden lye vpon you and a few more, yet are there many honorable & worthy men of all sorts, who will neuer shrinke from you: Goe on therefore with courage and constan­cie, and be assured that though by your Honorable Embassages, and imploiments, and by your charitable & vertuous courses, you haue gained a worthy reputation in the world, yet nothing that you euer did or suffred more honours you in the eyes of all that are godly-wise, then your faithfull and vnwearied prosecution, your continuall and comfortable assistance of these foraine Plan­tations. A worke so honorable to God, our Religion, our King, [Page]and our Countrie; so comfortable to the Soules of the poore Saluages, and so profitable to the Aduenturers (that of Ʋirginia for our Posterities, but this of the Barmudas for the present) as the like (for all these put together) hath not beene attempted in the Christian world these many Ages. And be cause it is the glo­rie of God to declare his works: I cannot but commend your wisdomes in publishing those strange and welcome newes from the Barmudas: the stile is base and broken, I confesse, but it bet­ter beseemes the bare and naked truth. Now then let the Chri­stian world reioyce to see, that God is worshipped in the Deuills Ilands, and that English men liue safelie and sweetly there where neuer any liued before them. It is almost foure yeares agoe since our valorous Commanders Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Sommers, with a hundred and fiftie Persons more, were in a ter­rible tempest cast away vpon these Ilands, and so found it, when they sought it not: and though they suffered shipwrack vpon the Rocks that compasse these Ilands (as all other did that euer pitcht vpon them) yet were they preserued euery man; which neuer be­fell any but themselues, such was the fauour of God vnto them; And there they liued in health and safetie almost a yeare, when all the world held them dead, and had liued there till this day, and for ought we know, for euer, had they not made themselues two little ships of Cedar, in which they went to Ʋirginia, yet leauing two men in the Ilands, whom Sir George Sommers comming back againe from Virginia the same yeare, and our Colonie sent thither the last yeare, found in health and good liking: Our Co­lonie, consisting of some threescore men, hath now beene there almost a yeare, from whom we receiue this plaine and simple, but comfortable Narration, and to whom we now send a supply, not of victualls, or such prouisions, for they neede none such, but of men and vvomen, for habitation and plantation; which by the blessing of God now goes away this present moneth, there to plant a Christian Church, to endure to the worlds end, where ne­uer man dwelt before, since the worlds beginning: Oh happie men who there find God & his Angels, where the world thought had beene nothing, but the Deuill and his Swine into which he en­tered. The God that led them to it, saued them vpon it,Math. 8.31, 32. fed them in it, and sends vs so comfortable newes from it, still blesse it and [Page]defend it, and all his children in it, and all that now or hereafter goe to it, and all that loue it, and assist the plantation of Gods Church in it: Peace bee vpon them and Mercie, and vpon the Israel of God, Amen. And to you my Bretheren that be there and haue the honour to lay the first foundation of Gods Church there, and to you much honored Knight, and the rest, who by your care and charge doe beare the burthen, and maintaine the life of such glorious actions which lie neglected in this base and vnworthy world; for this your holy and heroicall resolutions, and your loue therein appearing to the Lord Iesus Christ and his holy Gospell, to our King and Countrie, I professe and deuote my selfe in all offices and duties of a Christian

Your Seruant in Christ Iesus. W. C.

To the Reader.

Good Reader, this is the first Booke published to the world touching Sommer Ilands: but who shall liue to see the last? A more full and exact description of the Coun­trie, and Narration of the nature, site, and commodities, together with a true Historie of the great deliuerance of Sir Thomas Gates and his Companie vpon them, which was the first disco­uerie of them; thou maiest surely expect, if God will, to come into thy hands. This short Narration, in the meane time, shall ra­ther prepare thee for it, then preuent thee of it.

A DISCOVERY OF THE BARMV­DAS, NOW CALLED THE SOMMER Ilands.

I Being in ship called the sea­venture, with Sir Thomas Gates our Go­uernour, Sir George Som­mers, & Cap­tain Newport, three most worthy honoured Gen­tlemen, (whose balour and forti­tude the world must needes take no­tice of, and that in most Honourable [Page]designes) bound for Virginia, in the height of thirty degrees of northerly Latitude, or there abouts: we were taken with a most sharpe and cruell storme vpon the fiue and twentieth day of Iuly, Anno 1609. which did not onely separate vs from the resi­due of our fleet, (which were eight in number) but with the violent wor­king of the Seas our ship became so shaken, torne, and leaked, that shee receiued so much water as couered two tire of hogsheads aboue the bal­last; that our men stood vp to the middles, with buckets, baritos, and kettles, to baile out the water, and continually pumped for three dayes and three nights together, without any intermission; and yet the water seemed rather to encrease, then to di­minish: in so much that all our men, being vtterly spent, tyred, and disa­bled for longer labour, were euen re­solued, without any hope of their [Page]liues, to shut vp the hatches, and to haue committed themselues to the mercie of the sea, (which is said to be mercilesse) or rather to the mercie of their mightie God and Redeemer, (whose mercies exceed al his works) seeing no helpe, nor hope, in the ap­prehension of mans reason, that any mothers childe could escape that ine­uitable dāger, which euery man had proposed and digested to himselfe of present sinking. So that some of thē hauing some good and comfortable waters in the ship, fetcht them, and drunke one to the other, taking their last leaue one of the other, vntill their more ioyfull and happy meeting in a more blessed world; when it pleased God out of his most gracious and mercifull prouidence so to direct and guide our ship, (being left to the mer­cy of the sea) for her most aduantage; that Sir George Sommers sitting vpon the poope of the ship, (where he sate [Page]three dayes and three nights toge­ther, without meales meat, and little or no sleepe) couning the ship to keep her as vpright as he could (for other­wise shee must needes instantly haue foundred) most wishedly and happi­ly descried land; whereupon he most comfortably encouraged the compa­ny to follow their pumping, and by no meanes to cease bayling out of the water, with their buckets, baricos, and kettles; whereby they were so o­uer-wearied, and their spirits so spent with long fasting, and continuance of their labour, that for the most part they were fallen asleepe in corners, and wheresoeuer they chanced first to fit or lie: but hearing newes of land, wherewith they grew to bee some­what reuiued, being caried with will and desire beyond their strength, eue­ry man busled vp, and gathered his strength and feeble spirits together, to performe as much as their weake [Page]force would permitte them: through which weake meanes, it pleased God to worke so strongely as the water was staid for that little time, (which as wee all much feared, was the last period of our breathing) and the ship kept from present sinking, when it pleased God to send her within halfe an English mile of that land that Sir George Sommers had not long before descried: which were the Ilands of the Barmudas. And there neither did our shippe sincke, but more fortu­nately in so great a misfortune fell in betweene two rockes, where shee was fast lodged and locked, for fur­ther budging: whereby wee gained not only sufficient time, with the pre­sent helpe of our Boate, and Skiffe, safelye to set and conuey our men a­shore, (which were one hundred and fifty in number) but after wards had time and leasure to saue some good part of our goods and prouision, [Page]which the water had not spoyled, with all the tackling of the ship, and much of the yron about her, which were necessaries not a little auaile a­ble for the building and furnishing of a new shippe and pinnace, which we made there, for the transporting and carrying of vs to Virginia. But our deliuery was not more strange in fal­ling so opportunely and happily vp­on the land, as our feeding & preser­uation was beyond our hopes, & all mens expectations, most admirable. For the Ilands of the Barmudas, as euery man knoweth that hath heard or read of them, were neuer in­habited by any Christian or Heathen people, but euer esteemed, and repu­ted, a most prodigious and inchanted place, affoording nothing but gusts, stormes, and foule weather; which made euery Nauigator and Mariner to auoide them, as Scylla and Cha­ribdis; or as they would shun the Di­uell [Page]himselfe; and no man was euer heard to make for the place, but as against their willes, they haue by stormes and dangerousnesse of the rockes, lying seuen leagues into the Sea, suffered shipwracke; yet did we finde there the ayre so temperat, and the Country so abundantly fruitfull of all fit necessaries for the sustenta­tion and preseruation of mans life, that most in a manner of all our pro­uisions of bread, beere, and victuall, being quite spoyled, in lying long drowned in salt water; notwithstan­ding, wee were there for the space of nine moneths (few dayes ouer) not onely well refreshed, comforted, and with good satietie contented, but out of the abundance thereof, pro­uided vs some reasonable quantitie and proportion of prouision, to car­ry vs for Virginia, and to maintaine our selues, and that companie wee found there, to the great releefe of [Page]them, as it fell out in their so great ex­tremities, and in respect of the short­nes of time, vntill it pleased God, that by my Lord de la Wars comming thi­ther, their store was better supplied. And greater, & better prouision wee might haue made, if we had had bet­ter meanes for the storing and trans­portation thereof. Wherefore my o­pinion sincerely of this Iland is, that whereas it hath beene, and is still accounted, the most dangerous, infortunate, and most forlorne place of the world, it is in truth the richest, healthfullest, and pleasing land, (the quantitie and bignesse thereof consi­dered) and meerely naturall, as euer man set foote vpon: the particular profits and benefits whereof, shall be more especially inserted, and hereun­to annexed, which euerie man to his owne priuate knowledge, that was there, can auouch and iustifie for a truth. Vpon the eight and twentieth [Page]day of Iuly 1609. (after the extre­mity of the storme was something qualified) wee fell vpon the shore at the Barmudas; where after our Ge­nerall Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Sommers, and Captaine New port, had by their prouident carefulnesse Lan­ded all their men, and so much of the goods and prouisions out of the ship, as was not vtterly spoyled, euerie man disposed and applyed himselfe to search for, and to seeke out such re­leefe and sustentation, as the Coun­trie afforded: and Sir George Sommers, a man mu [...]ed to extremities, (and knowing what thereunto belonged) was in this seruice neither idle nor backward, but presently by his care­full industry went, and found out suf­ficient of many kind of fishes, and so plentifull thereof, that in halfe an houre he tooke so many great fishes with hookes, as did suffice the whole company one day. And fish is there [Page]so abundant, that if a man steppe in­to the water, they will come round about him; so that men were faine to get out for feare of byting. These fi­shes are very fat and sweete, and of that proportion and bignesse, that three of them will conueniently lade two men: those we called rock-fish. Besides there are such abundance of Mullets, that with a seane might be taken at one draught one thousand at the least, and infinite store of pil­chards, with diuers kinds of great fishes, the names of them vnknowne to me: of crayfishes very great ones, and so great store, as that there hath beene taken in one night with ma­king lights, euen sufficient to feed the whole company a day. The Coun­trie affordeth great abundance of Hogges, as that there hath beene ta­ken by Sir George Sommers, who was the first that hunted for them, to the number of two and thirtie at one [Page]time, which he brought to the com­pany in a boate, built by his owne hāds. There is Fowle in great num­ber vpon the Ilands, where they breed, that there hath beene taken in two or three houres, a thousand at the least; the bird being of the bignes of a good Pidgeon, and layeth egges as big as Hen egges vpon the sand, where they come and lay them day­ly, although men sit downe amongst them; that there hath beene taken vp in one morning by Sir Thomas Gates men, one thousand of egges: and Sir George Sommers men, comming a lit­tle distance of time after them, haue stayed there whilst they came and layed their eggs amongst them, that they brought away as many more with them; with many young birds very fat and sweet. Another Sea fowle there is that lyeth in litle holes in the ground, like vnto a cony-hole; and are in great numbers, exceeding [Page]good meate, very fat and sweet (those we had in the winter) and their eggs are white, and of that bignesse, that they are not to be knowne from Hen egges. The other birds egges are speckled, and of a different colour: there are also great store and plenty of Herons, and those so familiar and tame, that wee beate them downe from the trees with stones and staues; but such were young Herons: besides many white Herons, with­out so much as a blacke or gray fea­ther on them, with other small birds so tame and gentle, that a man wal­king in the woods with a sticke, and whistling to them, they wil come and gaze on you, so neare that you may strike and kill many of them with your sticke; and with singing and hollowing you may doe the like. There are also great store of Torto­ses, (which some call Turtles) and those so great, that I haue seene a [Page]bushel of egges in one of their bellies, which are sweeter then any Henne egge: and the Tortose it selfe is all very good meate, and yeeldeth great store of oyle, which is as sweete as a­ny butter; and one of them will suffice fifty men a meale, at the least: and of these hath heene taken great store, with two boates, at the least forty in one day. The Country yeeldeth di­uers fruits, as prickled peares, great aboundance, which continue greene vpon the trees all the yeare; also great plenty of Mulberries, white and red: and on the same are great store of Silke-wormes, which yeeld cods of silke, both white and yellow, being some course, and some fine. And there is a tree called a Palmito tree, which hath a very sweet berry, vp­on which the hogs doe most seede; but our men finding the sweetnesse of them, did willingly share with the hogs for them, they being very plea­sant [Page]and wholesome, which made them carelesse almost of any bread with their meate; which occasioned vs to carry in a manner all that store of flower and meale wee did or could saue, for Virginia. The head of the Palmito tree is verie good meate, ei­ther raw or sodden, it yeeldeth a head which weigheth about twen­tie pound, and is farre better meate, then any cabbidge. There are an in­fite number of Cedar trees, (the fai­rest I thinke in the world) and those bring forth a verie sweete berrie, and wholesome to eate. The Countrey (for as much as I could find my self, or heare by others) affords no veni­mous creature, or so much as a Rat or Mouse, or any other thing vn­wholesome. There is great store of Pearle, and some of them very faire, round, and Orientall; and you shall finde at least one hundred seede of Pearle in one Oyster; there hath [Page]beene likewise found some good quantitie of Amber Greece, and that of the best sort. There are al­so great plentie of whales, which I conceaue are verie easie to bee killed, for they come so vsually, and ordi­narilie to the shore, that wee heard them oftentimes in the night a bed; and haue seene many of them neare the shoare, in the day time. There was borne vpon the Barmudas, at the time of our being there, two chil­dren, the one a man child, there bap­tised by the name of Barmudas: and a woman childe, baptised by the name of Barmuda: as also there was a marriage betweene two Eng­lish people vpon that Iland. This Iland, I meane the maine Iland, with all the broken Ilands adia­cent, are made in the forme of a halfe Moone, but a little more rounder, and diuided into many broken I­lands [Page]and there are many good harbours in it, but we could find but one especiall. place to goe in, or rather to goe out from it, which was not al­together free from some Danger, where there is three Fathoms wa­ter at the entrance thereof, but with­in, sixe, seauen, or eight Fathoms at the least, where you may safely lie Land-locked, from the daunger of all Winds and Weathers, and moore to the Trees. The comming into it is so narrow & straight betweene the Rockes, as that it will with small store of Munition bee fortified, and easily defended, against the for­ces of the Potentest King of Europe, such aduantage the place affoords. There are also plentie of Hawkes, and verie good Tobacco, as I thinke, which through forgetful­nesse, I had almost omitted. Now hauing finished and rigged our ship, and Pinnesse, the one called the De­liuerance, [Page]the Pinnace which wee built there, the Patience, wee prepa­red and made our selues readie, to ship for Virginia, hauing powdred some store of Hogges flesh for prouisi­on thither, and the company thereof, for some reasonable time: but were compelled to make salt there for the same purpose, for all our salt was spent and spoiled, before wee recoue­red the shore. We carried with vs al­so a good portion of Tortoise-oyle, which either for frying or baking did vs very great pleasure, it being very sweete, nourishing, and wholesome: the greatest defects we found there, was tarre and pitch for our ship and pinnace, in stead whereof wee were forced to make lime there of a hard kinde of stone, and vse it: which for the present occasion and necessitie, with some war wee found cast vp by the Sea, from some ship wracke, ser­ued the turne to pay the seames of [Page]the pinnace Sir George Sommers built, for which hee had neither pitch nor tarre: so that God in the supplying of all our wants, beyond all measure, shewed himselfe still mercifull vnto vs, that me might accomplish our in­tended voy age to Virginia, for which I confidently hope, hee doth yet re­serue a blessing in store, and to the which I presume euery honest and religious hart will readily giue their Amen. when all thinges were made ready, and commodiously fitted, the winde comming faire, wee set saile and put off from the Barmudas, the tenth day of May, in the yeare 1610. and arriued at Iames towne in Vir­ginia, the foure and twentieth day of the same Moneth: where me found some threescore persons liuing. And being then some three weeks or there abouts passed, and not hearing of a­ny supply, it was thought fitting by a generall cōsent, to vse the best means [Page]for the preseruation of all those peo­ple that were liuing, being al in num­ber two hundred persons. And so vp­on the eight of Iune one thousand six hundred and ten, wee imbarked at Iames Towne, not hauing a­boue fourteene dayes virtuall, and so were determined to direct our course for New-found-land, there to refresh vs, and supply our selues with victu­all, to bring vs home; but it pleased God to dispose otherwise of vs, and to giue vs better meanes. For being all of vs shipped in foure pinnaces, and departed from the towne, al­most downe halfe the Riuer, we met my Lord de la Warre comming vp with three ships, wet furnished with victuall, which reuiued all the com­pany, and gaue them great content. And after some few dayes, my Lord vnderstanding of the great plentie of Hogges and Fish was at the Bar­mudas, and the necessitie of them in [Page]Virginia, was desirous to send thi­ther, to supply himselfe with those things, for the better comforting of his men, and the plantation of the Countrey. Whereupon Sir George Sommers being a man best acquainted with the place, and being willing to do seruice vnto his Prince and Coun­trey, without any respect of his own priuate gaine, and being of threescore yeares of age at the least, out of his worthy and valiant minde, offered himselfe to vndertake to performe with Gods helpe that dangerous voyage for the Barmudas, for the better releefe and comfort of the peo­ple in Virginia, and for the better plantation of it, which offer my Lord de la Warre very willingly and thank­fully accepted: and so vpon the nine­teenth of Iune, Sir George Sommers imbarked himselfe at Iames towne in a small Barge of thirtie tonne, or thereabout, that he built at the Bar­mudas: [Page]wherein hee laboured from morning vntill night, as duelie as any workeman doth labour for ma­ges, and built her all with Cedar, with little or no yron worke at all: hauing in her but one boult, which was in the kilson: notwithstanding thankes be to God, shee brought vs in safety to Virginia, and so I trust he wil protect him, and send him wel back againe, to his harts desire, and the great com­fort of all the compa­ny there.

AN ADDITION SENT HOME BY THE LAST SHIPS from our Colonie in the Barmudas

BEing bound for the Som­mer Ilands, in the shippe called the Plough, wee imbarked the 28. of Aprill 1612. So passing downe to Graues­end, wee anchored at Tilbery hope vntill the fifth of May. The winde comming faire, wee put foorth and came to the Downes the sixth of May, where we stayed till the ninth. And then setting forward, wee had a faire and comfortable passage, and by Gods blessing found so direct a course, that on the eleuenth of Iuly [Page]in the morning betwixt nine and ten of the clocke wee discried our hoped and desired Ilands, and in the after­noone of the same day about three a clocke we arriued in a very safe har­bour neare S. Georges Iland, there we landed all our men and women, and had beene at an anchor abdue an houre before wee could heare of our three men which had been left there. As soone as wee had landed all our company, we went all to prayer, and gaue thankes vnto the Lord for our safe arriuall; and whilest we were at prayer, wee saw our three men come rowing downe to vs, the sight of whom did much reioyce vs: so they welcomming vs, and we the like to them againe, we sung a Psalme and praised the Lord for our safe mee­ting, and went to supper.

The next day being the Sabbath day, which wee dedicated to God in the best manner we could, wee abode [Page]still in the foresaid Iland with all the rest of our company till munday morning, being the thirteenth of Iu­ly: then wee went vp with our ship and company higher into the har­bour, to the place where these three men had planted themselues. And wheras many English men would haue thought that wee should haue found these three men either dead, or more like sauage then ciuill, I assure you al my friends and acquaintance (and so generally to all my country men in England) we found them ci­uill, honest and religious, and ma­king conscience of their waies: you shall not heare an oath proceed out of their mouths; vaine and idle talke they vsed not: and it seemed appa­rantly vnto our eyes that they haue not beene idly giuen. For howsoeuer to be but three of them left in such a desolate place not inhabited, nor as­sured of any to come to them: would [Page]haue made most men fainted in any thing they should haue took in hād; yet was it not so with these mē: nay they shewed vnto vs a good exam­ple, who are now come to them. For they haue planted corne, great store of wheate, Beanes Tobacco and Mellons, with many other good things for the vse of man: besides they haue wrought vpon timber, in squaring & sawing of Cedar trees, for they intended to build a small Pinnace to carry them into Virgi­nia, being almost out of hope and comfort of our comming; because Captaine Dauies his time was to haue beene with them long before we came. And thus they spent their time in labor, imploying themselues in one good action or other.

Now to certifie you the truth of the state of the Country, I am loath to write that which I haue seene, by reason you would condemne my [Page]writing (as I feare) and thinke it to be but false reports come from vs to draw more company hither, for I perceiue the world is giuē too much to such surmises. But why should I feare to write that which I know to be true, when as all the shippes company will or may approue it, but cannot reproue it? As first the Cap­taine, the Master and his Mate, and all the rest of the Saylers: first I will begin with the Fish and Fowls which the Countrey doth yeeld.

We were no sooner come within a league of the land, but a company of Fish, as it were, met vs, and neuer left vs til we were come to an ankor within the harbour; and as soone as we had passed ouer our busines, and all things safe and in order, with a hooke and line wee tooke more then all our whole company was able to eate, so that there was enough to feed many more. The next day after [Page]the Sabbath wee went with our net and boat, and if we would haue loaded two boats we might; and so may you doe day by day, Fishes doe so abound, and they be of these sorts, Mullets, Breames, Hogge-fish, Rock-fish and Lobstars, with more sorts of other Fish which I cannot name.

Turkles there bee of a mightie bignesse; one Turkle will serue or suffice three or foure score at a meale, especially if it bee a shee Turkle, for she will haue as many egges as will suffice fiftie or threescore at a meale; this I can assure you, they are very good and wholesome meate none of it bad, no not so much as the very guts and maw of it, for they are ex­ceeding fat, and make as good tripes as your beastes bellies in England. And for Fowle wee went the third day of our arriuall vnto the Bird-Ilands (as we call them) and vsing [Page]neither sticke nor stone-bow, nor gunne, wee tooke them vp with our hands so many as we would, that euery one of the company were to haue some three, some foure a peece; three for a childe, boy or girle, for a man foure; then reckon what those that serued some fourescore people did amount vnto. But this is for certaine, if we would haue brought away twice so many more wee might, but our order is not to take Fish or Fowle but for one or two meales, because that by reason of the flies, and heate of the countrey, they will not keepe, especially these two monthes, Iune and Iuly, and some part of August.

Some sixe dayes after our com­ming, we sent out for Hogges, so the company which went out brought home some: for the meat of them, I hould your mutton of England not of so sweet and pleasant a taste.

Fowles there are of diuers sorts, but amongst all there is a bird like vnto yours, which you call in Eng­land a Crow, which though they talke in the Barmuda language, yet their tongues shall walke as fast as any English womans: wee cannot goe vp into the woods, but they will follow after vs with such an outcry, that it would fret a man to heare them; they are very good meat, fat, and as white flesh as a Chicken, we many times make some of them leaue their talking with stones or cudgels, for they will sit and face you hard at your hand.

And whereas it is reported that this Land of the Barmudas, with the Ilands about it (which are ma­ny, at the least an hundred) are in­chanted and kept with euill and wic­ked spirits; it is a most idle and false report. God grant that wee haue brought no wicked spirits with vs, [Page]or that there comes none after vs, for we found none there so ill as our selues, nor the three men neuer saw any euill or hurtfull thing in the Land all the time since their com­ming, and wee hane found the like since our landing: no nor any noy­some thing or hurtfull, more then a poore flie which tarries not aboue two or three moneths.

For the inclination of the weather, considering in what climate it lies, wee haue had for the space of some fortie dayes no raine, but very coole and fresh gales of winde, yet in the day-time very hotte; but wee agree with it very wel, and not a man that hath lien sicke or diseased, but all likes well, and followes & imployes themselues to one businesse or o­ther.

For the fruits which the Land yeelds, they bee the Mulberie, great store, and Peares which haue in [Page]them a red liquor, as the Pomgra­nat hath, or somewhat redder, but very wholesome: if you eat an hun­dred at one time, you shall neuer sur­fet of them; if you eat som proportion of them they will bind, but if you ex­ceed in eating of them, then are they of the contrary operation: yet neuer any that hurt themselues by them, eat they neuer so many. It is cer­taine that one man eat aboue a peck of them in some ten houres, and was neuer the worse. We haue a kinde of Berrie vpon the Cedar tree, verie pleasant to eat; and for the Palmito tree, the toppe of it is a great deale sweeter and wholesomer then any Cabedge.

In some of our Ilands there growes Pepper, but not so good as our Indian Pepper: diuers sorts of other good things there is, which the seuerall times of the yeare bring forth one after another; but the top [Page]of the Palmito tree is in season and good all the yeare.

For the ground, I hold it the ri­chest ground to beare forth fruit, (whatsoeuer one shall lay into it) that is in the world, and very easie and light for digging; so that if a man wil labour, he may turne vp a great quantitie in a day, for it is a fat sandy ground, & of colour a brownered.

After the time of our landing ma­ny of the company digged certaine plats of ground, and sowed diuers sortes of seedes to make triall of the ground, and for certaine they were seene aboue the ground sprung vp the fourth day after their sowing: and amongst all the rest of the seeds, the Cowcumber and the Mellon were forward: we haue set and sow­ed fourescore and one sorts of seeds, it was ten dayes before the shippes comming away, and for the most part they are all come vp.

Of necessitie I must needs mention [Page]the Palme-tree once againe, I haue found it so good; take a hat­chet and cut him, or an augar and bore him, and it yeelds a very plea­sant liquour, much like vnto your sweete wines; it beares likewise a berry in bignes of a prune, and in taste much like.

Also we haue Oliues grow with vs, but no great store: many other good excellent things we haue grow with vs, which this short time will not permit me to write of so largely as I might; but this is of truth, that Hogges, Turkles, Fish and Fowle doe abound as dust of the earth: for Amber-greece and Pearle wee haue not had leasure in so few dayes since our arriuall to goe looke out for the one, or to fish for the other, but the three men which were left there, haue found of them both. Also they haue made a great deale of Tobac­co, and if some would come that [Page]haue skill in making it, it would bee very commodious both to the Mer­chant, and to the maker of it. And for the Silke-worme, if any were brought ouer, and some of skill to vse them, there would be very much good done with them, for the verie Spider in these our Ilands doth weaue perfect fine Silke, both yel­low and white.

The Timber of the Countrey consisteth of three sorts, the one is the Cedar, verie fine Timber to worke vpon, of colour redde, and verie sweete: the other sorts wee haue no name for, for there is none in the company hath seene the like in other Countries, before we came, some did thinke it to be Lignum vi­tae, but it is not so, it is verie fine wood, of colour yellow, and it beares a leafe like vnto a Walnut, and the rine or barke is much like a Malnut tree, and the barke, if one taste of it, will bite ones tongue, as if [Page]it were Ginney Pepper, that wood also is very sweet; the other is much like vnto the second, but onely it is white; the Palme-tree is no timber, but it growes vp of a great height, and no tree growes like vnto it; for other trees as they grow vp in length, so they grow in bignesse, but the Palme-tree the higher it growes, so the smaller it growes: there is another kinde of wood, which some also thinke is Lignum vitae, and some of it is come ouer for example.

Other kind of trees there be, but no timber trees they are; but a­mongst all the rest there growes a kinde of tree called. Mangrowes, they grow very strangely, & would make a man wonder to see the man­nes of their growing, whereof you shall heare at more leasure.

Also amongst al the fores of Fish, there is one very strange Fish, and bew [...]ifull to behold, wee call it an [Page]Angell-fish (as well it may be) for as you see the picture of an Angell made, so is this, and it shewes of ma­ny colours both in the water swim­ming, and out of the water, and as daintie a fish of meat as a Salmon, or rather better.

The plentifull time of our fruits is in your Winter, from October till it be May, or about the latter end of May is the plentifullest time of our fruits but some we haue al the yeare of one fruit or other.

The Climate I hold to be verie good, and agreeable with our con­stitutions of England, and for the virtuall very wholesome and good: for the three men which were left there are very fat and faire, not tan­ned or burned in the Sun so much as we which came last, & they say thē ­selues they neuer were sicke all the time of their being there, and one of them hath beene there three yeares and vpwards, (one Christopher Car­ter [Page]by name, a Buckingham-shire man, borne in wickham or therea­bouts.)

And for such extraordinarie wea­ther, for thunder and lightning, as it is reported of these Ilands, I can see no such matter, but more tempe­rate and better weather then you haue in England: wee haue gone a hunting, and lien out night by night for Hogges: and if wee had beene wette by weather or by wading, wee may lay vs downe so wette to sleepe with a Palme­tree leafe or two vnder vs, and one aboue vs, and we sleepe sound­ly without any taking cold or be­ing disturbed with any thing else: your aires in England are far more subiect to diseases then these I­lands are.

Whales there are great store at that time of the yeare, when they come in, which time of their comming is in Februarie, and tar­rie [Page]till Iune. Likewise there commeth in two other Fishes with them, but such, as the whale had rather bee without their company; one is called a Sword-fish, the other a Threasher; the Sword-fish swimmes vnder the whale, and pricketh him vpward; the Threasher keepeth aboue him, and with a mightie great thing like vn­to a flaile, hee so bangeth the Whale, that hee will roare as though it thundered, and doth giue him such blowes, with his weapon, that you would thinke it to bee a cracke of great shot.

Hastie occasion of businesse doth make mee write somewhat hastilie, and leaue out many things which were fitte to bee spoken of, wherefore against my will I am forced to leaue my worke, which I haue begunue, before I come into the middest of it, but I hope it will suffice you that are my friends to passe it ouer [Page]in the best manner you can, for there is much broken English of it, & badly pen­ned: regard I pray you the matter, not the manner, the truth of the storie, and not the stile.

But this I say to them that haue aduentured in Virginia, especially to such as thinke they shall lose by that worthy action: let them do the like to vs, and I make no doubt but wee shall in short time giue them satisfaction.

For our Inchanted Ilands which is kept, as some say, with spirits, will wrong no friend nor foe, but yeeld all men their expectations:

If we can praise God for so great a blessing and labour to make benefit of it to his glory, the honour of our Religion, the strength of our Country, and good of our selues. And if you in England will doe what is fit for you, as we will, by Gods helpe, what is fit for vs, we hope shortly to see the day that men shal say, Blessed bee God that suffered Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir George Sommers to be cast away vpon these Ilands.

A Copie of the Articles which Master R. MORE, Gouernour Deputie of the Sommer Ilands, propounded to the Companie that were there with him to bee subscribed vnto, which both hee and they subscribed the se­cond of August, in his house, Anno 1612. which about the same time he sent into England to the worshipfull Companie of the Adventurers.

WE who haue here vnder subscribed our names, be­ing by the great goodnesse of God safely arriued at the Sommer Ilands, with purpose here to inhabit, doe hereby promise and binde our selues to the performance of the seuerall Articles hereafter following, and that in the presence of the most glorious God, who hath in mercie brought vs hither.

First, We doe faithfully promise, and by these presents solemnely binde our selues euer-more to worship that a­foresaid only true and euer-liuing God, who hath made the Heauens, and the Earth, the Sea, and all that therein is, and that according to those rules that are prescribed in his most holy Word, and euer to continue in that faith in­to the which we were baptised in the Church of England, and to stand in defence of the same against all Atheists, Papists, Anabaptists, Brownists, and all other Heretiques and Sectaries whatsoeuer, dissenting from the said Word and Faith.

Secondly, because the keeping of the Sabboth-day ho­ly is that wherein a principall part of Gods worship doth consist, and is as it were the Key of all the other parts thereof, wee doe therefore in the presence aforesaid pro­mise, That we will set a-part all our owne labours and im­ploiments on that day, vnlesse it be those that be of meere necessitie, much more vaine and vnfruitfull practises, and apply our selues to the hearing of Gods word, Prayer, and all other exercises of Religion in his word required, to the vttermost of our power.

Thirdly, Seeing the true worship of God and a holy Life cannot bee seuered, wee doe therefore promise in the presence aforesaid, That to the vttermost of our power we will liue together in doing that which is iust, both to­wards God and Man, and in particular we will forbeare to take the most holy name of God in vaine, in ordinarie swearing by it, or any other thing, or by scoffing, or vaine abusing of his most holy Word, or to vse cursing, or filthy speeches, or any other thing forbidden in Gods most holy Word, as also to liue together without stealing one from another, or quarrelling one with another, or slandering one of another: And to auoide all things that stand not with the good estate of a Christian Church and well go­uerned Commonwealth, as also to embrace the contrarie, as Iustice, and Peace, Loue, and all other things that stand with the good and comfort of Societie.

Fourthly, Whereas we are here together farre remote from our natiue soile of England, and yet are indeede the naturall Subiects of our most royall and gratious King IAMES of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. We doe therefore in the pre­sence aforesaid solemnely promise euer more to continue [Page]the loyall Subiects of our said Soueraigne King, his Heires and Successors, and neuer to reuolt from him, or them, vn­to any other whatsoeuer, but euermore to acknowledge his Supreme Gouernement.

Fiftly, Whereas wee were sent hither by diuers Ad­uenturers of the Citie of London, and other parts of the Realme of England, we doe here in the presence aforesaid promise to vse all diligence for the good of the Plantation, and not to purloine or imbesell any of the prohibited Cōmodities out of the generall estate, but to vse all faith­fulnesse as it becommeth Christians to doe, as also to bee obedient to all such Gouernour or Gouernours, or their Deputie or Deputies, as are, or shall bee by them sent to gouerne vs; As also to yeeld all reuerence towards the Ministerie or Ministers of the Gospell, sent, or to be sent.

Sixtly and lastly, Wee doe here in presence aforesaid promise, the Lord assisting vs, that if at any time hereafter any forraine power shall attempt to put vs out of this our lawfull possession, not cowardly to yeeld vp the same, but manfully to fight as true English men, for the defence of the Common-wealth we liue in, and Gospell wee pro­fesse, and that whiles we haue breath we will not yeeld to any, that shall inuade vs vpon any conditions whatso­euer.

FINIS.

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