Much foule and crosse weather he had, and was forced to the North parts of Virginia, where refreshing himselfe upon this unknowne coast, he could not bee diverted from the search of the Bermudas, where at last with his company he safely arrived: but such was his diligence with his extraordinary care, paines and industry to dispatch his businesse, and the strength of his body not answering the ever memorable courage of his minde, having lived so long in such honourable services, the most part of his well beloved and vertuous life, God and nature here determined, should ever remaine a perpetuall memory of his much bewailed sorrow for his death: finding his time but short, after he had taken the best course he could to settle his estate, like a valiant Captaine he exhorted them with all diligence to be constant to those Plantations, and with all expedition to returne to Virginia. In that very place which we now call Saint Georges towne, this noble Knight died, whereof the place taketh the name. But his men, as men amazed, seeing the death of him who was even as the life of them all, embalmed his body and set saile for England, being the first that ever went to seeke those Ilands, which have beene ever since called Summers Iles, in honour of his worthy memory, leaving three men behind them, that voluntarily stayed, whose names were Christopher Carter, Edward Waters, there formerly left as is said, and Edward Chard. This Cedar ship at last with his dead body arrived at Whit-Church in Dorsetshire, where by his friends he was honourably buried, with many vollies of shot, and the rites of a Souldier, and upon his tombe was bestowed this Epitaph.
His Epitaph.
Hei mihi Virginia quod tam cito praeterit AEstas, Autumnus sequitur, saeviet inde & hiems; At ver perpetuum nascetur, & Anglia laeta, Decerpit flores florida terra tuas.
In English thus:
Alas Virginia's Summer so soone past, Autumne succeeds and stormy Winters blast, Yet Englands joyfull Spring with joyfull showers, O Florida, shall bring thy sweetest flowers.
The proceedings of the three men.
A peece of Amber-greece of 80. pound weight. {MN}
The honour of this resulution belongs principally to Carter, for through his importunity, not to leave such a place abandoned, Chard & Waters were moved to stay with him, and the rest promised with all the speed they could againe to revisit them. But the ship once out of sight, those three Lords, the sole inhabitants of all those Ilands, began to erect their little common wealth for a while with brotherly regency, repairing the ground, planting Corne, and such seeds and fruits as they had, building a house, &c. Then making privy search amongst the crevises and corners of those craggy Rocks, what this maine Ocean since the worlds creation had throwne amongst them, {MN} at last they chanced upon the greatest peece of Amber-greece was ever seene or heard or in one lumpe, being in weight fourescore pound, besides divers other small Peeces.
But now being rich, they grew so proud and ambitious, [V.177.] contempt tooke such place, they fell out for superiority, though but three forlorne men, more then three thousand miles from their native Country, and but small hope ever to see it againe. Notwithstanding, they sometimes fell from words to blowes about meere trifles: in one of which fights, one of them was bitten with his owne dog, as if the dumbe beast would reprove them of their folly; at last Chard and Waters, the two greater spirits, must try it out in the field, but Carter wisely stole away their weapons, affecting rather to live amongst his enemies, then by being rid of them live alone; and thus those miserable men lived full two yeeres, so that all their clothes were neere worne cleane from their backs, and their hopes of any forraine releefe as naked as their bodies. At last they began to recover their wits, yet in a fashion perhaps would have cost them dearer then when they were mad; for concluding a tripartite peace of their Matachin warre, they resolved to frame as good a Boat as they could, and therein to make a desperate attempt for Virginia, or New found Land; but no sooner were they entred into that resolution, but they descried a saile standing in for the shore, though they neither knew what she was, nor what she would, they were so over-joyed, with all possible speed they went to meet her, and according to their hearts desire she proved an English-man, whom they safely conducted into their harbour.
A.D. 1611
How they were supplied.
Now you are to understand, that Captaine Matthew Somers, Nephew and heire to Sir George, that returned with his dead body, though both he and his Company did their utmost in relating all those passages to their Countrey-men and adventurers, their relations were beleeved but as travellers tales, till it came to be apprehended by some of the Virginia Company, how beneficiall it might be, and helpfull to the Plantation in Virginia, so that some one hundred and twentie of them bought the pretended right of all the Company, and had sent this ship to make a triall; but first they had obtained Letters Patents of the Kings most excellent Majestie. Sir Thomas Smith was elected Treasurer and Governor heere, and Master Richard More to be Governor of the Iles and Colony there.