Ancient Planters nowe remaining alive in Virginia.
1624.
PREFACE.
The next paper presented in this collection is a copy of the one from which Mr. Bancroft quotes in his introductory note to the meeting of the first Assembly, referring to it as "MS. in my possession." This is printed from the copy among the McDonald papers, and with its title and endorsements no intimation is given as to the date of its preparation, its author or authors, to whom it was addressed, or the use intended to be made of it. These questions are, however, answered almost entirely by reference to the entries in "Sainsbury's Calendar of State Papers," which, on pp. 65-'6, has the following: "1624. July. Petition of Gov. Sir Francis Wyatt, the Council and Assembly of Virginia to the King. Have understood that his Majesty, notwithstanding the unjust disparagement of the Plantation, has taken it under his especial care; intreat that credit may not be given to the late declarations presented to his Majesty concerning the happy, but indeed miserable, estate of the Colony during the first twelve years (of Sir Thos. Smith's government), nor to the malicious imputations which have been laid upon the late government. Inclose the true state of both, and earnestly request that the present government may be continued. Pray that the King's tender compassion will not allow them to fall into the hands of Sir Thos. Smith or his confidents." Signed by Sir Fran. Wyatt, Capt. Fan. West, Sir George Yeardley and eighty-six others. Inclose.—"Brief Declaration of the Plantation," &c., giving the whole title of this paper, verbatim, and a copious abstract of its contents. The earliest account of the horrors it relates is to be found in Smith's History, p. 105, in what is called "the examinations of Doctor Simons." This writer gives full details of the straits to which the Colonists were reduced and the expedients to which they resorted to appease hunger in 1609; adding, after the statements in regard to eating the Indian who had been buried several days and their eating "one another boyled, and stewed with rootes and herbes," the account of the man who "did kill his wife, powdered her, and had eaten part of her before it was known," and adding with a grim humour, "now whether shee was better roasted, boyled or carbonado'd, I know not, but of such a dish as powdered wife, I never heard of." His statements are copied, with more or less variation, by Beverley, Stith, Keith and Burke, but not one of them go into the disgusting and improbable details named in the "Brief Declaration." Campbell also reports the stories, but adds, in regard to the wife murderer, "upon his trial it appeared that cannibalism was feigned to palliate the murder," p. 93. Neill quotes from the Records of the Virginia Company, "The Tragical Relation of Virginia Assembly," which was transmitted to England about 1621; this was intended as a reply to a petition of Alderman Johnson and others, who had represented to the King that the reports in regard to Sir Thos. Smith's management were false, and desiring an investigation. These petitioners were members of a faction which desired to break up the Virginia Company. In the Relation of the Assembly, Smith is charged with all the cruelties to the Colonists which are mentioned in this "Brief Declaration"; torturing and starving to death being the punishments for minor offences; and asserting their confidence in the truth of these statements by concluding it with these words: "And rather to be reduced to live under the like government we desire his Maties commissioners may be sent over wth authoritie to hange us." This is signed by thirty members of the General Assembly, including among the names, those of George Sandys, the poet, traveller and Secretary of the Colony, and Raph Hamor, the chronicler—See Neill, pp. 407-411.
There is another reference to this starving time (as it is called) and its accompanying horror, which should not be allowed to pass without notice. As above stated, the worst state of affairs was reported to have existed in 1609, and in the next year a pamphlet with the following title was issued, "A true declaration of the estate of the Colonie of Virginia, with a refutation of such scandalous reports as haue tended to the disgrace of so worthy an enterprise. Published by aduise and direction of the Councell of Virginia. London, 1610." The writer of which, after referring to the slanders which had been circulated in regard to Sir Thos. Smith's government, and especially of the story of the wife-eater, says, "Sir Thomas Gates thus relateth the tragedie," and then follows a long passage to the effect that "one of the companie mortally hated his wife," and having killed her and secreted her body after cutting it into peices; when it was found out he said she died and he had hid her to satiafie his hunger, and had fed daily upon her, but upon searching his house they found a large quantity of provisions.—See Force's tracts, Vol. III. The writers of the "Brief Declaration," and the "True Declaration," must have seen this statement published ten or twelve years before they wrote, and it is a little remarkable that they should have persisted in repeating a story which was far from being well authentitcated, especially as the true statement did not need this addition to increase the odium incurred by the mismanagement of Sir Thos. Smith, the evidences of which are herein set forth.
Stith reports the stories of the Indian "that had been slain and buried" being taken up and eaten, and "so did several others, one another that died," and also that of the man who "killed his wife and powdered her up, and eat the greater portion before it was discovered;" and adds, for many years after it was "remembered by the name of the starving time," p. 116-117. For many particulars nowhere else given, see Neill's History, pp. 407-411.