A Gentleman desirous to be unknowne, yet a great Benefactor to Virginia,
his love to the Author, the Company, and History.
Stay, reade, behold, skill, courage, knowledge, Arts; Wonder of Nature: Mirror of our Clime. Mars, Vulcan, Neptune strive to have their parts, Rare Ornaments, rich honours of our time. From far fetcht Indies, and Virginia's soyle, Here Smith is come to shew his Art and skill: He was the Smith that hammered famins foyle, And on Powhatan's Emperour had his will. Though first Columbus, Indies true Christofer; Cabots, brave Florida, much admirer; Meta Incognita, rare Martin Forbisher; Gilberts brave Humphery, Neptunes devourer; Captaine Amadis, Raleighs discoverer; Sir Richard Grenvill, Zealands brave coaster: Drake, doomes, drowne, death, Spaines scorner; Gosnolds Relates, Pring prime observer. Though these be gone, and left behinde a name, Yet Smith is here to Anvile out a peece To after Ages, and eternall Fame, That we may have the golden Jasons fleece. He Vulcan like did forge a true Plantation, And chain'd their Kings, to his immortall glory; Restoring peace and plentie to the Nation, Regaining honour to this worthy Story. By him the Infidels had due correction, He blew the bellowes still of peace and plentie: He made the Indians bow unto subjection, And Planters ne're return'd to Albion empty. The Colonies pin'd, starv'd, staring, bones so feeble, By his brave projects, proved strong againe: The Souldiers' lowance he did seeke to treble, And made the Salvage in uncouth place remaine. He left the Countrey in prosperous happie state, And plenty stood with peace at each mans doore: Regarding not the Salvage love nor hate: Themselves grew well, the Indians wondrous poore. This there he did and now is home return'd, To shew us all that never thither goe: That in his heart, he deepely oft hath mourn'd, Because the Action goeth on so slow.
Wise, Rich, grave, prize Brave, Benefactors, Replant, want, continue still good Actors. finde, and bring kinde, eyes Be to blind; By Gods great might, give Indians light. Bloud, money, to doe Spend that good, That may give Indians heav'nly food. no lesse, God You still And shall blesse; Both you and yours the Lands possesse. S. M.
See here behold as in a Glasse, All that is, or is and was. T. T. 1624.
Samuel Purchas of his friend Captaine John
Smith, and his Virginia.
Lo here Smiths Forge, where Forgery's Roague-branded, True Pegasus is shoo'd, fetters are forged For Silke-sotts, Milk-sops, base Sloth, farre hence landed, (Soile-chang'd, {FN-1} Soule-soil'd still) Englands dregs, discharged, To plant (supplant!) Virginia, home-disgorged: Where vertues praise frames good men Stories armour 'Gainst Time, Achilles-like, with best Arts charged; Pallas, all-arm'd, all-learn'd, can teach Sword-Grammer, Can Pens of Pikes; Armes t' Arts; to Scholar, Souldier, hammer: Can Pilgrim make a Maker; all so well Hath taught Smith scoure my rustic out-worne Muse, And so conjur'd her in Virginian Cell, That things unlearned long by want of use, Shee fresh areeds me read, without abuse By fabling. Arthurs great Acts little made By greater lies she saith; scales Faith excuse {FN-2} T' Island, Groonland, Estotiland to wade After lie-legends; Malgo, Brandon, are Wares braide. The Fryer of Linne {FN-3} frights her with his black Art; Nor Brittish Bards can tell where Madoc {FN-4} planted. Cabots, Thorns, Elyots truth have wonne her heart, Eldest discov'rers of New Worlds Cont'nent (granted So had just Fates.) Colon and Vespuce panted; This got the name, {FN-5} last, least of Three; the Other New Worlds Isles found first: Cabot is most chanted In Three-Mens-song; did more New World discover Then both, then any; an hundred degrees coasted over. Haile Sir Sebastian, Englands Northern Pole, Virginia's finder; Virgin Eliza nam'd it, Gave 't Raleigh. (Rut, Prat, Hore, I not enrole) Amadas rites to English right first fram'd it. Lane planted, return'd, nor had English tam'd it: Greenviles and Whites men all slaine; New Plantation James founds, Sloth confounds, feare, pride, faction sham'd it: Smiths Forge mends all, makes chaines for Savage Nation, And feeds the rest; the rest reade in his Bookes Relation.
{FN-1} Caelumnon animum Mutant.
{FN-2} These are said a thousand years agoe to have been in the North parts of America.
{FN-3} He is said to discover the Pole 1360.