NEWES FROM VIRGINIA
[September, 1610]
It is no idle fabulous tale, nor is it fayned newes:
For Truth herself is heere arriv'd, because you should not muse.
With her both [Gates] and [Newport] come, to tell Report doth lye,
Which did divulge unto the world, that they at sea did dye.
Tis true that [eleaven months] and more, these gallant worthy wights
War in the shippe Sea-venture nam'd depriv'd Virginia's sight.
And bravely did they glyde the maine, till Neptune gan to frowne,
As if a courser proudly backt would throwe his ryder downe.
The seas did rage, the windes did blowe, distressèd were they then;
Their ship did leake, her tacklings breake, in daunger were her men.
But heaven was pylotte in this storme, and to an iland nere,
Bermoothawes call'd, conducted then, which did abate their feare.
But yet these worthies forcèd were, opprest with weather againe,
To runne their ship betweene two rockes, where she doth still remaine.
And then on shoare the iland came, [inhabited by hogges],
Some foule and tortoyses there were, they only had one dogge.
To kill these swyne, to yeild them foode that little had to eate,
Their store was spent, and all things scant, alas! they wanted meate.
A thousand hogges that dogge did kill, their hunger to sustaine,
And with such foode did in that ile two and forty weekes remaine.
And there two gallant pynases did build of seader-tree;
The brave Deliverance one was call'd; of seaventy tonne was shee.
The other Patience had to name, her burthen thirty tonne;
[Two only] of their men which there pale death did overcome.
And for the losse of these two soules, which were accounted deere,
[A son and daughter] then was borne, and were baptizèd there.
The two and forty weekes being past, they hoyst sayle and away;
Their ships with hogges well freighted were, their harts with mickle joy.
And so unto Virginia came, where these brave soldiers finde
The English-men opprest with greife and discontent in minde.
They seem'd distracted and forlorne, for those two worthyes losse,
Yet at their home returne they joy'd, among'st them some were crosse.