In Affairs of concern, they are very considerate, and use few words in declaring their intentions; for at Mr. Leonard Calverts first arrival there, the Werowance of Pascatoway being ask’d by him, Whether he would be content, that the English should sit down in his Countrey? return’d this answer, That he would not bid him go, neither would he bid him stay, but that he might use his own discretion. These were their expressions to the Governor at his first entrance into Mary-land, whom then they were jealous of, whether he might prove a Friend or a Neighbor, but by his discreet Demeanor towards them at first, and friendly usage of them afterwards, they are now become, not only civil, but serviceable to the English there upon all occasions.
The Indians of the Eastern shore are most numerous, and were formerly very refractory, whom Mr. Leonard Calvert some few years after his first settling the Colony, was forc’d to reduce, and of late the Emperor of Nanticoke, and his Men were deservedly defeated by the present Governor, Mr. Charles Calvert, who reduc’d him about the year 1668. which has since tam’d the ruder sort of the neighboring Indians, who now by experience, find it better to submit and be protected by the Lord Proprietaries Government, than to make any vain attempt against his Power.
These People live under no Law, but that of Nature and Reason, which notwithstanding leads them to the acknowledgement of a Deity, whom they own to be the Giver of all good things, wherewith their Life is maintain’d, and to him they Sacrifice the first Fruits of the Earth, and of that which they acquire by Hunting and Fishing: The Sacrifice is perform’d by their Priests, who are commonly ancient Men, and profess themselves Conjurers; they first make a Speech to their God, then burn part, and eat and distribute the rest among them that are present; until this Ceremony be ended, they will not touch one bit thereof; they hold the Immortality of the Soul, and that there is a place of Joy, and another of Torment after Death, prepar’d for every one according to their Merits.
They bury their Dead with strange expressions of Sorrow (the better sort upon a Scaffold, erected for that end) whom they leave cover’d with Mats, and return when his flesh is consum’d to Interr his Bones; the common sort are committed to the Earth without that Ceremony; but they never omit to bury some part of their Wealth, Arms, and Houshold-stuff with the Corps.
Sect. IV.
Virginia.
Situation of Virginia.
The most Southerly part of Virginia (for all that Tract of Land, reaching First Discovery. from Norumbega to Florida, and containing New-England, New-York, Mary-land, and this part we are now about to Treat of, was by Sir Walter Rawleigh term’d Virginia, in Honor of our Virgin-Queen Elizabeth) lies between Mary-land, which it hath on the North, and Carolina, which it hath on the South, from thirty six, to near thirty eight Degrees of Northern Latitude; and with the rest of those Countries which were comprehended under the same Denomination, was by the Encouragement, and at the Expence of the said Sir Walter Rawleigh, first Discover’d (as some say) by Captain Francis Drake, for his many notable and bold Exploits, afterwards Knighted by the Queen: But upon examination we find little reason to ascribe the first Discovery thereof to Sir Francis Drake, whose chief performances, from the time he first made himself Eminent at Sea, were against the Spaniards, and for the most part in the Spanish-Indies; as his taking of Nombre de Dios, and Vinta Cruz, with an infinite mass of Treasure; his taking of Santo Domingo in Hispaniola, and of Carthagena in Castella Anna; and that which seems to have given occasion of attributing to him the first Discovery of these parts, was his touching upon the North part of the Isle of California, where being nobly Entertain’d by Hioh, a King of that Countrey, and having a Surrendry thereof made to him, in behalf of the Queen of England, he upon a Pillar erected, Inscrib’d the Arms of England, with the Queens Name and his own, and call’d the place Nova Albion: Certain indeed it is, that Sir Walter Rawleigh was the first Promoter of this Discovery; for, after Mr. Martin Forbisher had been sent by Queen Elizabeth to search for the North-West Passage, which was in the year 1576. and for which he also was by the Queen advanc’d to Knight-hood, and nobly rewarded; and Sir Humphrey Gilbert obtaining the Queens Letters Patents, for attempting a Plantation, had reach’d New-found-land (though perishing in his return) he upon these Relations and Inducements undertook by others (for his employments would not permit him to go in Person) to gain Discoveries to the Southward; and accordingly in the year of our Lord 1584. obtain’d a Commission from the Queen, to discover and Plant new Lands in America, not actually possess’d by any Christians, who, with the assistance of Sir Richard Greenvil, and others, provided two small Barques, under the Command of Captain Philip Amidas, and Captain Arthur Barlow, who setting Sail the 27. of April, fell the 2d of July following with the Coast of Florida, and made Discovery of the Isle of Wokokon, Roanoack, and the Continent of Wingandacoa, which they left; and arriving in England about the midst of September following, Her Majesty upon the relation of their Discoveries, was pleas’d to call this Countrey Virginia.
April 9. 1585. Sir Richard Greenvil, with seven Sail, and several Gentlemen, left Plymouth; and on May 26. Anchor’d at Wokokon, but made their first Seat at Roanoack on August 17. following, which lies in thirty six Degrees of Northerly Latitude, or thereabouts, where they continu’d till June 1586. during which time they made several Discoveries in the Continent and adjacent Islands; and being endanger’d by the treachery of the Salvages, return’d for England, and Landed at Portsmouth on July 27. following.
Sir Walter Rawleigh and his Associates, in the year 1586. sent a Ship to relieve that Colony, which had deserted the Countrey some while before, and were all return’d for England as is before-mention’d.