FOOTNOTES:

[1] Allyn and Bacon. 1913.

[2] Bradford's Plymouth Plantation, the main source for this topic, is quoted so extensively in the American History and Government that it is not used here in this connection.

A SOURCE BOOK IN AMERICAN HISTORY

[I. ENGLAND IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY]

1. Classes of Englishmen

William Harrison, in Holinshed's Chronicle (1577). Cf. No. 75 on like social divisions in early New England; and see American History and Government, § 65.

We in England divide our people commonlie into foure sorts, as gentlemen, citizens or burgesses, yeomen, ... or [and] laborers. Of gentlemen the first and cheefe (next the king) be the prince, dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons: and these are called gentlemen of the greater sort, or (as our common usage of speech is) lords and noblemen: and next unto them be knights, esquiers, and last of all they that are simplie called gentlemen, ... Who soever studieth the lawes of the realme, who so abideth in the universitie giving his mind to his booke, or professeth physicke and the liberall sciences, or beside his service in the roome of a capteine in the warres, or good counsell given at home, whereby his commonwealth is benefited, can live without manuell labour, and thereto is able and will beare the port, charge, and countenance of a gentleman, he shall for monie have a cote and armes bestowed upon him by heralds (who in the charter of the same doo of custome pretend antiquitie and service, and manie gaie things) and, thereunto being made so good cheape, be called master, which is the title that men give to esquiers and gentlemen, and reputed for a gentleman ever after....

... our merchants [are] to be installed, as amongst the citizens (although they often change estate with gentlemen, as gentlemen doo with them, by a mutuall conversion of the one into the other)....

Yeomen are ... free men, borne English, and [who] may dispend of their owne free land in yearelie revenue, to the summe of fortie shillings sterling, or six pounds as monie goeth in our times. ... This sort of people have a certeine preheminence, and more estimation than labourers and the common sort of artificers, and commonlie live wealthilie, keepe good houses, and travell to get riches. They are also for the most part farmers to gentlemen ... or at the leastwise artificers, and with grasing, frequenting of markets, and keeping of servants (not idle servants as the gentlemen doo, but such as get both their owne and part of their master's living) do come to great welth, in somuch that manie of them are able and doo buie the lands of unthriftie gentlemen, and often setting their sonnes to the schooles, to the universities, and to the Ins of the court, or otherwise leaving them sufficient lands whereupon they may live without labour, doo make them by those means to become gentlemen. These were they that in times past made all France afraid. ...

The fourth and last sort of people in England are daie labourers, poore husbandmen, and some retailers (which have no free land) copie holders, and all artificers,—as tailers, shomakers, carpenters, brickmakers, masons, etc. As for slaves and bondmen we have none, naie such is the privilege of our countrie by the especiall grace of God, and bountie of our princes, that if anie come hither from other realms, so soone as they set foot on land they become so free of condition as their masters. ... This fourth and last sort of people therefore have neither voice nor authoritie in the common wealth, but are to be ruled, and not to rule other; yet they are not altogither neglected, for in cities and corporat townes, for default of yeomen they are faine to make up their inquests [juries] of such maner of people. And in villages they are commonlie made churchwardens, sidemen, aleconners, now and then constables, and manie times injoie the name of hedboroughes. Unto this sort also may our great swarmes of idle serving men be referred, of whome there runneth a proverbe; 'Young serving men, old beggers,' bicause service is none heritage....

[A. SOUTHERN COLONIES TO 1660]

[II. MOTIVES FOR EARLY ENGLISH COLONIZATION]

2. From Sir George Peckham's "True Report"

Richard Hakluyt's Voyages ... and Discoveries (1589), III, 167 ff.

Peckham was a partner in Gilbert's enterprise. His Report, a considerable pamphlet, was written in 1582.

... To conclude, since by Christian dutie we stand bound chiefly to further all such acts as do tend to the encreasing the true flock of Christ by reducing into the right way those lost sheepe which are yet astray: And that we shall therein follow the example of our right vertuous predecessors of renowned memorie, and leave unto our posteritie a divine memoriall of so godly an enterprise: Let us, I say, for the considerations alledged, enter into judgement with our selves, whether this action may belong to us or no. ... Then shal her Majesties dominions be enlarged, her highnesse ancient titles justly confirmed, all odious idlenesse from this our Realme utterly banished, divers decayed townes repaired, and many poor and needy persons relieved, and estates of such as now live in want shail be embettered, the ignorant and barbarous idolaters taught to know Christ, the innocent defended from their bloodie tyrannical neighbours, the diabolicall custome of sacrificing humane creatures abolished....

3. A Discourse on Western Planting by Richard Hakluyt, 1584

Maine Historical Society Collections, Second Series, II (1877).

This pamphlet was written by Hakluyt, an English clergyman and an ardent advocate of American colonization, at Raleigh's request, to influence Queen Elizabeth. It fills 107 pages of the volume of the Maine collections.

Chapter I. That this Westerne discoverie will be greately for thinlargemente of the gospell of Christe, whereunto the princes of the Refourmed Relligion are chefely bounde, amongeste whome her Majestie ys principall.

Nowe the meanes to sende suche as shall labour effectually in this busines ys, by plantinge one or tuoo colonies of our nation upon that fyrme, where they may remaine in safetie, and firste learne the language of the people nere adjoyninge (the gifte of tongues beinge nowe taken awaye), and by little and little acquainte themselves with their manner, and so with discretion and myldeness distill into their purged myndes the swete and lively liquor of the gospel. Otherwise for preachers to come unto them rashly with oute some suche preparation for their safetie, yt were nothinge els but to ronne to their apparaunte and certaine destruction, as yt happened unto those Spanishe ffryers, that, before any plantinge, withoute strengthe and company, landed in Fflorida, where they were miserablye massacred by the savages.

Now yf they [Romanists], in their superstition, by means of their plantinge in those partes, have don so greate thinges in so shorte space, what may wee hope for in our true and syncere relligion, proposinge unto ourselves in this action not filthie lucre nor vaine ostentation, as they in deede did, but principally the gayninge of the soules of millions of those wretched people, the reducinge of them from darkenes to lighte, from falsehoodde to truthe, from dombe idolls to the lyvinge God, from the depe pitt of hell to the highest heavens.

And this enterprise the princes of the relligion (amonge whome her Majestie ys principall) oughte the rather to take in hande, because the papistes confirme themselves and drawe other to theire side, shewinge that they are the true Catholicke churche because they have bene the onely converters of many millions of infidells to Christianttie. Yea, I myselfe have bene demannded of them, how many infidells have been by us converted? ... Yet in very deede I was not able to name any one infidell by them converted. But God, quoth I, hath his tyme for all men, whoe calleth some at the nynthe, and some at the eleventh houer. And if it please him to move the harte of her Majestie to put her helpinge hande to this godly action, she shall finde as willinge subjectes of all sortes as any other prince in all Christendome.

Chapter V. That this voyadge will be a greate bridle to the Indies of the Kinge of Spaine. ...

But the plantinge of tuoo or three stronge fortes upon some goodd havens (whereof there is greate store) betwene Florida and Cape Briton, woulde be a matter in shorte space of greater domage as well to his flete as to his westerne Indies; for wee shoulde not onely often tymes indannger his flete in the returne thereof, but also in fewe yeres put him in hazarde in loosinge some parte of Nova Hispania.

Nowe if wee (beinge thereto provoked by Spanishe injuries) woulde either joyne with these savages, or sende or give them armor, as the Spaniardes arme our Irishe rebells, wee shoulde trouble the Kinge of Spaine more in those partes, than he hath or can trouble us in Ireland, and holde him at suche a bay as he was never yet helde at.[3]

4. Drayton's Ode to the Virginian Voyage

This poem was written by Michael Drayton in 1606, in honor of the proposed Virginian voyage that founded Jamestown. The complete Ode contains twelve stanzas, as printed in Drayton's Poems in 1619. It is reprinted in full in Brown's Genesis of the United States, I, 86-87.

You brave heroique minds,
Worthy your countries name,
That honour still pursue,
Goe, and subdue,
Whilst loyt'ring hinds
Lurk here at home with shame.

And cheerefully at sea,
Successe you still intice,
To get the pearle and gold,
And ours to hold,
Virginia,
Earth's only Paradise.

And in regions farre,
Such heroes bring yee forth
As those from whom we came;
And plant our name
Under that starre
Not knowne unto our north.

5. Goodspeed to Virginia, 1609

This pamphlet (by Robert Gray) contains about 9000 words. It was never printed. Extracts are given in Brown's Genesis of the United States, 293 ff. It was written to encourage the reorganization of the Virginia Company in 1609. (Cf. American History and Government, § 25.) The first of the extracts below comes from the "Epistle Dedicatory."

To the Right Noble and Honorable Earles, Barons, and Lords, and to the Right Worshipfull Knights, Merchants, and Gentlemen, Adventurers for the plantation of Virginea, all happie and prosperous successe, which may either augment your glorie, or increase your wealth, or purchase your eternitie.

Time ... consumes both man and his memorie. It is not brasse nor marble that can perpetuate immortalitie of name upon the earth. [But] A right sure foundation ... have you (My Lords and the rest of the most Worthie Adventurers for Virginia) laid for the immortalitie of your names and memorie, which, for the advancement of Gods glorie, the renowne of his Majestie, and the good of your Countrie, have undertaken so honourable a project, as all posterities shall blesse: and Uphold your names and memories so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth: Whereas they which preferre their money before vertue, their pleasure before honour, and their sensuall securitie before heroicall adventures, shall perish with their money, die with their pleasures, and be buried in everlasting forgetfulnes....

And therefore we may justly say, as the children of Israel say here to Joshua, we are a great people, and the lande is too narrow for us; so that whatsoever we have beene, now it behooves us to be both prudent and politicke, and not to deride and reject good powers of profitable and gainefull expectation; but rather to embrace every occasion which hath any probabilitie in its future hopes: And seeing there is neither preferment nor employment for all within the lists of our Countrey, we might justly be accounted as in former times, both imprudent and improvident, if we will yet sit with our armes foulded on our bosomes, and not rather seeke after such adventers whereby the Glory of God may be advanced, the teritories of our Kingdome inlarged, our people both preferred and employed abroad, our wants supplyed at home, His Majesties customes wonderfully augmented, and the honour and renown of our Nation spread and propagated to the ends of the World....

The report goeth, that in Virginia the people are savage and incredibly rude, they worship the divell, offer their young children in sacrifice unto him, wander up and downe like beasts, and in manners and conditions, differ very little from beasts, having no Art, nor science, nor trade, to imploy themselves, or give themselves unto, yet by nature loving and gentle, and desirous to imbrace a better condition. Oh how happy were that man which could reduce this people from brutishness to civilitie, to religion, to Christianitie, to the saving of their souls....

Farre be it from the hearts of the English, they should give any cause to the world to say that they sought the wealth of that Countrie above or before the glorie of God, and the propagation of his Kingdome.

Their second objection is [the argument of opponents of colonization] that this age will see no profit of this plantation. Which objection admit it were true, yet it is too brutish, and bewraies their neglect and incurious respect of posteritie: we are not borne like beasts for ourselves, and the time present only. ... What benefit or comfort should we have enjoyed in things of this world, if our forefathers had not provided better for us, and bin more carefully respective of posteritie than for themselves? We sow, we set, we build, not so much for ourselves as for posteritie; ... They which onely are for themselves, shall die in themselves, and shall not have a name among posterity; their rootes shall be dried up beneath, and above shall their branches bee cut down, their remembrance shall perish from the earth, and they shall have no name in the street. Job xviii; 16, 17.

Others object to the continuall charges [assessments] which will prove in their opinion very heavie and burdensome to those that shall undertake the said Plantation. These like the dog in the manger, neither eate hay themselves, neither will they suffer the Oxe that would. They never think any charge too much that may any way increase their owne private estate. They have thousands to bestow about the ingrossing of a commoditie, or upon a morgage, or to take their neighbors house over his head, or to lend upon usurie; but if it come to a publicke good, they grone under the least burden of charges that can bee required of them. These men should be used like sponges; they must be squeased, seeing they drink up all, and will yeeld to nothing, though it concerne the common good never so greatly. But it is demonstratively prooved in Nova Britannia, that the charges about this Plantation will be nothing, in comparison of the benefit that will grow thereof. And what notable thing I pray you can be brought to passe without charges? ... Without question, he that saves his money, where Gods glory is to be advanced, Christian religion propagated and planted, the good of the commonwealth increased, and the glorious renowne of the King inlarged is subject to the curse of Simon Magus, his money and he are in danger to perish together. Let none therefore find delaies, or faine excuses to withhold them from this imployment for Virginia, seeing every opposition against it is an opposition against God, the King, the Church, and the Commonwealth....

6. Nova Britannia, 1609

Peter Force's Historical Tracts, I (Washington, 1836).

This tract of some 12,000 words (equivalent to thirty-five pages of this volume) was written in 1609 for the same purpose as No. 5 above.

So I wish and intreat all well affected subjects, some in their persons, others in their purses, cheerefully to adventure, and joyntly take in hand this high and acceptable worke, tending to advance and spread the kingdome of God, and the knowledge of the truth, among so many millions of men and women, Savage and blind, that never yet saw the true light shine before their eyes ... as also for the honor of our King, and enlarging of his kingdome, and for preservation and defence of that small number our friends and countrimen already planted, least for want of more supplies we become a scorne to the world, subjecting our former adventures to apparent spoile and hazard, and our people (as a prey) to be sackt and puld out of possession, as were the French out of Nova Francia, not many yeares ago; and, which is the lest and last respect (yet usuallie preferred), for the singular good and benefite that will undoubtedly arise to this whole nation, and to everie one of us in particular, that will adventure therein.

It is knowne to the world [reference to attempts of Raleigh and Gilbert] how the present generation, scorning to sit downe by their losses, made newe attempts, not induring to looke on whilst so huge and spacious countries (the fourth part of the world) and the greatest and wealthiest part of all the rest, should remain a wilderness, subject (for the most part) but to wild beasts and fowles of the ayre, and to savage people, which have no Christian nor civill use of any thing; and that the subjects onely of one Prince Christian [Spaniards], which but within the memorie of man began first to creepe upon the face of those Territories, and now by meanes of their remnants settled here and there, do therefore imagine the world to be theirs, shouldring out all other nations, accounting themselves Kings and Commanders, not onely in townes and places where they have planted, but over all other partes of America, which containe sundrie vast and barbarous Regions, many of which (to this day) they never knew, nor did ever setle foote therein: which notwithstanding, if it were yeelded them as due, yet their strength and meanes, farre inferiour to their aspires, will never stretch to compasse ... the hundredth part.

But seeing we so passed by their dwellings, that in seating ourselves, wee sought not to unsettle them, but by Gods mercy, after many stormes, were brought to the Coast of another countrie, farre distant and remote from their habitations: why should any frowne or envie at it; or if they doe, why should wee (neglecting so faire an opportunitie) faint or feare to enlarge our selves? Where is our force and auncient vigour? Doth our late reputation sleepe in the dust? No, no, let not the world deceive it selfe; we still remaine the same, and upon just occasion given, we shall quickly shew it too:

... But wee must beware that ... that bitter root of greedy gaine be not so settled in our harts, that beeing in a golden dreame, if it fall not out presently to our expectation, we slinke away with discontent, and draw our purses from the charge. If any shew this affection, I would wish his baseness of minde to be noted. What must be our direction then? No more but this: if thou dost once approve the worke, lay thy hand to it cheerfully, and withdraw it not till thy taske bee done. In all assayes and new supplies of money be not lagge, nor like a dull horse thats alwaies in the lash; for heere lies the poison of all good attempts, when as men without halling and pulling, will not be drawne to performance, for by this, others are discouraged, the action lies undone, and the first expence is lost: But are wee to looke for no gaine in the lewe of all adventures? Yes undoubtedly, there is assured hope of gaine, as I will shew anon in due place; but look it be not chiefe in your thoughts. God, that hath said by Solomon: Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many daies thou shalt find it: he will give the blessing.

... Two things are especially required herein, people to make the plantation, and money to furnish our present provisions and shippings now in hand: For the first, wee neede not doubt, our land abounding with swarmes of idle persons, which having no meanes of labour to releeve their misery, doe likewise swarme in lewd and naughtie practises, so that if we seeke not some waies for their forreine employment, wee must provide shortly more prisons and corrections for their bad conditions, for it fares with populous common weales as with plants and trees that bee too frolicke, which not able to sustaine and feede their multitude of branches, doe admit an engrafting of their buds and sciences into some other soile, accounting it a benefite for preservation of their kind, and a disburdening their stocke of those superfluous twigs that suck away their nourishment.

7. Statement of the Virginia Company, 1609

Brown's Genesis of the United States, I, 377 ff. This is one of the pamphlets put forth by the Company to stimulate stock subscription and emigration. As to the motives set forth in it, and in Nos. 2-6 above, cf. American History and Government, § 17.

A True and Sincere Declaration of the Purposes and Ends of the Plantation in Virginia. By Authority of the Governor and Councillors, December 14, 1609.[4]

... If all these be yet too weake to confirm the doubtfull, or awake the drousie, then let us come nearer, and arise from their reasons and affections to their soules and consciences: remember that what was at first but of conveniency, and for Honour is now become a case of necessity and piety: let them consider, that they have promised to adventure and not performed it; that they have encouraged and exposed many of Honorable birth, and which is of more consequence 600 of our Bretheren by our common mother the Church, Christians of one Faith and one Baptisme, to a miserable and inevitable death. Let not any man flatter himself, that it concernes not him, for he that forsakes whome he may safely releeve, is as guilty of his death as he that can swim, and forsakes himself by refusing, is of his owne. Let every man look inward, and disperse that cloud of avarice, which darkeneth his spiritual sight and he will finde there that when he shall appeare before the Tribunall of Heaven, it shall be questioned him what he hath done? Hath he fed and clothed the hungry and naked? It shall be required, what he hath done for the advancement of that Gospell which hath saved him; and for the releefe of his makers Image, whome he was bound to save: O let there be a vertuous emulation betweene us and the Church of Rome, in her owne Glory, and Treasury of Good Workes! And let us turn all our contentions upon the common enemy of the Name of Christ. How farre hath she sent out her Apostles and thorough how glorious dangers? How is it become a marke of Honor to her Faith, to have converted Nations, and an obloquie cast upon us, that we, having the better Vine, should have worse dressers and husbanders of it?....

Appendix.—To render a more particular satisfaction and account. ... And to avoyde both the scandall and peril of accepting idle and wicked persons; such as shame or fear compels into this action (and such as are the weedes and ranknesse of this land; who, being the surfet of an able, healthy, and composed body must needes be the poison of one so tender, feeble, and as yet unformed); And to divulge and declare to all men, what kinde of persons, as well for their religion and conversations, as Faculties, Arts and Trades, we propose to accept of:—We have thought it convenient to pronounce that for the first provision, we will receive no man that cannot bring or render some good testimony of his religion to God, and civil manners and behaviour to his neighbor with whom he hath lived; And for the second, we have set downe in a Table annexed, the proportion, and number we will entertaine in every necessary Arte, upon proofe and assurance that every man shall be able to performe that which he doth undertake, whereby such as are requisite to us may have knowledge and preparation to offer themselves. And we shall be ready to give honest entertainment and content, and to recompence with extraordinary reward, every fit and industrious person respectively to his Paines and quality.

The Table of such as are required to This Plantation.

8. Marston's "Eastward Hoe"

Marston published this play in 1605 to caricature the intended Virginian colonization. The name is a survival of the idea that Columbus had found the East. In the extract, the mate, Sea Gull, at a tavern meeting, is persuading some young blades to embark for the venture.

Sea Gull. Come boyes, Virginia longs till we share the rest of her....

Spendall. Why, is she inhabited alreadie with any English?

Sea Gull. A whole countrie of English is there, men bread of those that were left there in '79 [Ralegh's colony of '87 is meant]; they have married with the Indians ... [who] are so in love with them that all the treasure they have they lay at their feete.

Scape Thrift. But is there such treasure there, Captaine ...?

Sea Gull. I tell thee, golde is more plentifull there then copper is with us; and for as much redde copper as I can bring, Ile have thrise the waight in gold. Why, man, all their dripping pans ... are pure gould; and all the chaines with which they chaine up their streets are massie gold; all the prisoners they take are fettered in gold; and for rubies and diamonds they goe forth on holydayes and gather 'em by the seashore to hang on their childrens coates, and sticke in their children's caps, as commonly as our children wear saffron-gilt brooches. ... Besides, there wee shall have no more law than consceince, and not too much of eyther.

9. Crashaw's "Daily Prayer"

Force's Historical Tracts, III (1844), page 67.

The ardent clerical advocates of expansion, like Hakluyt and Crashaw, resented bitterly such "jests of prophane players" as No. 8 above; and Crashaw retorted by this passage in his form for "A Prayer duly said [at Jamestown] Morning and Evening ... either by the Captaine of the watch himselfe, or by some one of his principall officers." This form was drawn up in 1609, before Delaware's expedition, and was incorporated afterward in Dale's Code of Laws. The prayer would fill some twelve pages of this volume.

And whereas we have by undertaking this plantation undergone the reproofs of a base world, insomuch that many of our oune brethren laugh us to scorne, O Lord, we pray thee fortifie us against this temptation. Let ... Papists and players and such other ... scum and dregs of the earth, let them mocke such as helpe to build up the wals of Jerusalem, and they that be filthy, let them be filthy still; and let such swine still wallow in their mire....

10. Crashaw's Sermon, March 3/13, 1609/10

Brown's Genesis of the United States, page 360 ff.

This sermon was preached before Lord Delaware's Expedition, on the point of departure. The extract below was intended especially to refute such insinuations as those in No. 8. Cf. also the introduction to No. 9.

Text (Luke 22-32). "But I have praied for thee that thy faith faile not: therefore when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

Oh but those that goe in person are rakte up out of the refuse, and are a number of disordered men, unfit to bring to passe any good action: So indeed say those that lie and slander. But I answer for the generalitie of them that goe, they be such as offer themselves voluntarily ... and be like (for ought that I see) to those [that] are left behind,—men of all sorts, better and worse. But for manie that go in person, let these objectors know, they be as good as themselves, and it may be, many degrees better....

This enterprise hath only three enemies. 1. The Divell, 2. The Papists, and 3. The Players. [Then, after paying respects to the first two] As for Plaiers: (pardon me, right Honorable and beloved, for wronging this place and your patience with so base a subject) they play with Princes and Potentates, Magistrates, and Ministers, nay, with God and Religion, and all holy things: nothing that is good, excellent, or holy can escape them: how then can this action? But this may suffice, that they are Players. They abuse Virginia, but they are but Players: they disgrace it: true, but they are but Players. ... The divell hates us, because wee purpose not to suffer Heathens; and the Pope, because we have vowed to tolerate no Papists. [Cf. Charter of 1609.] So doe the Players, because wee resolve to suffer no Idle persons in Virginea, which course, if it were taken in England, they know they might turn to new occupations.

11. Sir Edwin Sandys, 1612

Neill's Virginia and Virginiola (1878), page 44.

Sandys, then a member of the Council of the London Company, wrote to delinquent stockholders, urging the payment of subscriptions (April 8/18, 1612).

... presuming greatly of your affectionate Redines to aid ... so worthy an Enterprise, tending so greatly to the Enlargement of the Christian Truth, the Honour of our Nation, and Benefit of the English People....

12. Governor Dale to the London Company, 1613

Records of the Virginia Company of London (edited by Susan Kingsbury; Washington, 1906), II, 399-400.

Sir Thomas Dale wrote the following exhortation to Sir Thomas Smith, "Treasurer" of the Company, on June 13/23, 1613. This extract was read ten years later in a meeting of the Company.

Lett me tell you all at home this one thinge, and I pray remember it,—if you give over this Country and loose it, you with your wisedomes will leape such a gugion as our state hath not done the like since they lost the Kingdome of ffraunce: be not gulled with the clamorous reports of base people ... if the glory of god hath noe power with them, and the conversion of these poore Infidells, yet lett the rich Mammon's desires egge them on to inhabite these Countries. I protest unto you by the faith of an honest man, the more I range the Country, the more I admire it. I have seene the best Countries in Europe. I protest unto you before the Living God, put them altogether, this Country will be equivalent unto them if it be inhabited with good people.

[The Records continue, that, when this letter had been read, two members added that they had heard Dale say "that in his judgment out of foure of the best Kingdomes in Europe there could not be picked out soe much good ground as was in Virginia.">[

13. The London Company not Mercenary

From Captain John Smith's Generall Historie of Virginia (Birmingham edition of the Works, 1884, page 527). The passage was published in 1616, when Smith was at odds with the Company; but he defends that body gallantly against unjust charges.

This deare bought Land, with so much bloud and cost, hath onely made some few rich, and all the rest losers [which fate, however, does not deter their efforts, Smith explains] ... For the Nobilitie and Gentrie, there is scarce any of them expects anything but the prosperitie of the Action [success of the colony]; and there are some Merchants ... I am confidently persuaded, doe take more care and paines, nay, and at their continuall great charge, than they could be hired to for the love of money; so honestly regarding the generall good of this great Worke, they would hold it worse than sacrilege to wrong it but a shillinge.

14. John Smith's Last Plea for Colonization, 1631

Captain John Smith's Works (Birmingham edition), 935, 962.

... and what hath ever beene the worke of the best great Princes of the world, but planting of Countries, and civilizing barbarous and inhumane Nations to civility and humanity; whose eternall actions fils our histories with more honour than those that have wasted and consumed them by warres.

... the Portugals and Spaniards that first began plantations in this unknowne world of America [their "everlasting actions">[ will testifie our idlenesse and ingratitude to all posterity, and neglect of our duty and religion we owe our God, our King, and Countrey. ... Having as much power and meanes as others, why should English men despaire, and not doe as much as any? ... Seeing honour is our lives ambition, and our ambition after death to have an honourable memory of our life ... let us imitate their vertues, to be worthily their successors.

I speak not this to discourage any with vaine feares, but could wish every English man to carry alwaies this Motto in his heart,—Why should the brave Spanish Souldiers brag, The Sunne never sets in the Spanish dominions, but ever shineth on one part or other we have conquered for our King: ... but to animate us to doe the like for ours, who is no way his inferior.

And truly there is no pleasure comparable to a generous spirit as good imploiment in noble actions, especially amongst Turks, Heathens, and Infidels; to see daily new Countries, people, fashions, governments, stratagems; releeve the oppressed, comfort his friends, passe miseries, subdue enemies, adventure upon any feazable danger for God and his Country.

[The fine, idealistic motives of colonization, which have been treated in this Division (Nos. 2-14), are touched upon in many other documents. See especially the missionary purpose in No. 26 c, below.]