The General Historie of Virginia, New England & the Summer Isles (Vol. I) / Together with the True Travels, Adventures and Observations, and a Sea Grammar

Of Virginia now planted, discovered by Captaine Smith.
Of the Accidents and Proceedings of the English.
With their Proceedings after the alteration of the Government.
John Smith was borne in Willoughby in Lincolneshire, and a Scholler in the two Free-schooles of Alford and Louth. His father, George Smith, anciently descended from the ancient Smiths of Crudley in Lancashire, was a farmer-tenant of Lord Willoughby, to whom he bequeathed as a token of his dewtifull good will the best of my two yeares old colts. John, the eldest son, was baptised in the Parish Church of Willoughby, on the 6th January, 1579. His parents dying when he was about thirteene yeeres of age, left him a competent meanes, which hee not being capable to manage, little regarded; his minde being even then set upon brave adventures, sould his Satchell, bookes, and all he had intending secretly to get to Sea, but that his fathers death stayed him. About the age of fifteen he was bound apprentice to Master Thomas Sendell of Linne the greatest Merchant of all those parts; but because hee would not presently send him to Sea, he never saw his master in eight yeeres after. At length he succeeded in attending Peregrine Bertie, second son of Lord Willoughby, to France, but in a few weeks he was sent back to England his service being needlesse. Unwelcome at home, his friends liberally gave him (but out of his owne estate) ten shillings to be rid of him. With this he made his way to Paris and made friends with one Master David Hume, who making some use of his purse, gave him Letters to his friends in Scotland to preferre him to King James. Smith, however, having spent nearly all his money in Rouen, went to Havre where he first began to learne the life of a souldier. He next served two or three years in the Low Countries. Thence proceeding to Scotland (being shipwrecked on the Holy Island on the way) he delivered his letters, but After much kinde usage amongst those honest Scots, finding he had neither money nor means to make him a Courtier he returned to Willoughby. Here he retired to the woods, built himself a Pavillion of boughs and lived chiefly on venison, his exercise a good horse, with his lance and Ring, his books Macchiavelli's Art of War and Marcus Aurelius. Tiring of this life after a short time he returned to the Low Countries and began the adventurous career of which he gives such an enthralling description in his True Travels, Adventures and Observations.