VIRGINIA: BEING, A full and true Relation of the present State of the Plantation, their Health, Peace, and Plenty the number of people, with their abundance of Cattell, Fowl, Fish, &c. with severall sorts of rich and good Commodities, which may there be had, either Naturally, or by Art and Labour. Which we are fain to procure from Spain, France, Denmark, Swe- true estate of this Plan. years. Being sent from Virginia, at the request of a Gentleman of worthy note, who desired to know the true State of Virginia as it now stands. ALSO, A Narration of the Countrey, within a few foot, and other things needful for With the manner how the Emperor Nichotawance came to Sir William Berckley, attended with five petty Kings, to doe Homage, and bring Tribute to King CHARLES. With his solemne Protestation, that the Sun and Moon should lose their Lights, before he (or his people in that Country) should prove disloy all, but ever to keepe Faith and Allegiance to King CHARLES. London, Printed for Richard Wodenoth, at the Star under Peters Church in Cornhill. 1649. These things that follow in this ensuing Relation are certified by divers Letters from Virginia, by men of worth and credit there, written to a Friend in England, that for his owne, and others satisfaction, was desirous to know these particulars, and the present estate of that Countrey. And let no man doubt of the truth of it, there be many in England, Land and Seamen that can beare witnesse of it. And if this Plantation be not worth Encouragement, let every true Englishman judge. T 1 Hat 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 Goates 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 yearly plow and sow many hundred Acres of 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, Pork 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 Victuall'd. 15 That they have thirty several 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 Garden, and Physicke Flowers. 23 That their Maize of 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 years, and maults well for Beere, and ripe in five Moneths, set in April 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 Indico begins to be planted, and thrives wonderfully well, growes up to a little tree, and rich Indico made of the leaves of it, all men begins to get some of the seeds, and know it will be of ten-times 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 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 Mills, 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 and 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. 29 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 sixe 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 yearly divided betwixt the Undertakers and Workemen, the profit and gaine would be to the inriching of all. 30 They have 4 Wind-mills, and 5 Water-mills to grind their Corn; besides many Horse-mills of several kinds, and Handmills 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 yearly 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 Pipe-staves, Clap-board, choice Walnut-tree-wood, Ceader-tree-timber and the like, is transported by them if Tobacco is not their full lading. |