A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia

by Thomas Harriot

A BRIEFE AND TRUE REPORT OF THE NEW FOUND LAND OF VIRGINIA

1590

by Thomas Hariot

The 1590 edition of de Brys in the Library of Congress

---

A briefe and true report
of the new found land of Virginia,
of the commodities and of the nature and man
ners of the naturall inhabitants: Discouered by
the English Colony there seated by Sir Richard
Greinuile Knight In the yeere 1585. Which remained
vnder the gouernment of twelue monethes,
At the speciall charge and direction of the Honourable
SIR WALTER RALEIGH Knight, lord Warden
of the stanneries Who therein hath beene fauoured
and authorised by her MAIESTIE
and her letters patents:
This fore booke Is made in English
By Thomas Hariot; seruant to the abouenamed
Sir WALTER, a member of the Colony, and there
imployed in discouering.
CVM GRATIA ET PRIVILEGIO CÆS. MATIS SPECIALD
FRANCOFORTI AD MOENVM
TYPIS IOANNIS WECHELI, SVMTIBVS VERO THEODORI
DE BRY ANNO CD D XC.
VENALES REPERIVNTVR IN OFFICINA SIGISMVNDI FEIRABENDII
TO THE RIGHT
WORTHIE AND HONOVRABLE,
SIR VVALTER RALEGH,
KNIGHT, SENESCHAL OF THE DVCHIES OF
Cornewall and Exeter, and L. Warden of the stannaries in Deuon
and Cornewall, T.B. wisheth true felicitie.

SIR, seeing that the parte of the Worlde, which is betwene the FLORIDA and the Cap BRETON nowe nammed VIRGINIA, to the honneur of yours most souueraine Layde and Queene ELIZABETH, hath ben descouuerd by yours meanes and great chardges. And that your Collonye hath been theer established to your great honnor and prayse, and noe lesser proffit vnto the common welth: Yt ys good raison that euery man euertwe him selfe for to showe the benefit which they haue receue of yt. Theerfore, for my parte I haue been allwayes Desirous for to make yow knowe the good will that I haue to remayne still your most humble seruant. I haue thincke that I cold faynde noe better occasion to declare yt, then takinge the paines to cott in copper (the most diligentlye and well that wear in my possible to doe) the Figures which doe leuelye represent the forme and maner of the Inhabitants of the same countrye with theirs ceremonies, sollemne feastes, and the manner and situation of their Townes or Villages. Addinge vnto euery figure a brief declaration of the same, to that ende that euerye man cold the better vnderstand that which is in liuely represented. Moreouer I haue thincke that the aforesaid figures wear of greater commendation, If somme Histoire which traitinge of the commodites and fertillitye of the said countreye weare Ioyned with the same, therfore haue I serue miselfe of the rapport which Thomas Hariot hath lattely sett foorth, and haue causse them booth togither to be printed for to dedicate vnto you, as a thinge which by reigtte dooth allreadye apparteyne vnto you. Therfore doe I creaue that you will accept this little Booke, and take yt In goode partte. And desiringe that fauor that you will receue me in the nomber of one of your most humble seruantz, besechinge the lord to blese and further you in all yours good doinges and actions, and allso to preserue, and keepe you allwayes in good helthe. And soe I comitt you unto the almyhttie, from Franckfort the first of Apprill 1590.

Your most humble seruant,

THEODORVS de BRY.

TO THE ADVENTVRERS,
FAVORERS, AND
VVELVVILLERS OF THE ENTERPRISE
FOR THE INHABITTING
and planting in VIRGINIA.