The supplies sent out of Englande while Sir Thos. Gates and Sir Thos. Dale governed were these; a small barque called the John and Francis, which brought few men and less victual; the next a small ship called the Sarah, with the like number of men and victuall; the next ship called the Tresorer, wherin came Capt. Samuell Argoll, bringinge with him to the number of fiftie good men, which ship and men were wholly imployed in Trade and other services for relevinge of the Collonye; the next ship, called the Elizabeth, with about thirteene persons, for them little provision; the next the same Elizabeth came againe, with some small store of provisions only; in her Sir Thos. Gates went for Englande, leavinge the government with Sir Thomas Dale.
A little before the departure of Sir Thomas Gates many of the ancient planters (by the instigation of Sir Thomas Dale), uppon the promise of an absolute freedome after three yeares more to be expired (havinge most of them already served the Collonye six or seaven yeares in that generall slavery) were yet contented to worke in the buildinge of Charles Citty and Hundred, with very little allowance of clothinge and victuall, and that only for the first yeare, being promised one moneth in the yeare, and one daye in the weeke from Maye daye till harvest, to gett our maintenance out of the earth without any further helpe; which promise of Sir Thos. Dale was not performed, for out of that small time which was allowed for our maintenance we were abridged of nere halfe, soe that out of our daily taskes we were forced to redeeme time wherin to labour for our sustenance, therby miserably to purchase our freedome. Yet so fell it out that our State (by God's mercy) was afterwardes more happie then others who continued longer in the aforementioned slaverye; in which time we built such houses as before and in them lived with continual repairs, and buildinge new where the old failed, untill the massacre.
For matter of fortification in all this time, were only foure peeces of ordinance mounted for our defence against the natives. Soone after we weare seated at Charles Hundred, Sir Thomas Dales resolved of a journey to Pamonkey River, there to make with the Salvadges either a firme league of friendship or a present warre; they percieving his intent inclined rather for peace (more for feare then love) which was then concluded betwixt them. That donne we retorned to our habitations, where great want and scarcitye, oppressed us, that continuinge and increasinge, (our first harvest not yet being ripe) caused in many an intended mutinye, which beinge, by God's mercy, discovered, the prime actors were duly examined and convicted, wherof sixe beinge adjudged and condemned were executed.
After this, arrived for supply a small ship called the John and Francis, with about twenty persons and little or noe provisions for them. The next ship, called the Tresorer, arived heere with the number of twenty persons and as little provisions as the former, in which ship after many other designes were effected by Sir Thos. Dale, as makinge spoile of the Keschiacks[II] and Wariscoyacks, impaling some necks of Lande, for defence against the Salvadges, and in fishing for our reliefe, &c., he departed from Virginia, and left the Government to Captain George Yardley, under whom the Collony lived in peace and best plentye that ever it had till that time, yet most part of the people for that yeare of his Government continued in the generall services followinge their labors as Sir Thos. Dale left them by order.
At Michaelmas followinge arrived a small ship called the Susan, her lading (beinge the first Magazin) consistinge of some necessarye provisions of clothinge, as our wants required, which goods were sould by Sir Thos. Smith's factor, as we suppose, for a sufficient proffit, exchanginge with us their commodities for our Tobacco.
At Christmas then followinge, just occasion beinge given by the Indians of Chiquohomini in many and severall kindes of abuses, and in deridinge of our demandes, wherunto they had formerly agreed and conditioned with Sir Thomas Dale to paye us yearlye tribute, viz: a bushell of corne for every Boweman, for which, by agreement, we were to give to each man one peece of copper and one iron tomahawke, and to the eight chiefe men each a suit of redd cloth, which clothes and truckinge stuffe we esteemed of more worth then their corne. These and the like grosse abuses moved our Governor, Captaine George Yeardley, to levye a company of men, to the number of eighty-four, to bee revenged uppon those contemptuous Indians, which he, accordinge to his desire, fully executed, and returned home with the spoile of them; concludinge, before his departure from them, a more firme league in appearance than formerly was, for that it continued unviolated almost the space of two yeares; our people freely travelinge from Town to Towne (both men, women and children) without any armes, and were by the Salvadges lodged in their houses, every way kindly intreated and noe way molested.
In March followinge, our three yeares' time beinge expired, as it was our due, we of Charles Hundred demanded our long desired freedome from that common and generall servitude; unto which request Captaine George Yeardley, freely and willingly assented, to our great joy and comfort. Yet remained the most part of the Collony in the former servitude; part of whom were farmers, the rest imployed in such workes as Sir Thomas Dale gave order for before his departure.
We that were freed, with our humble thankes to God, fell cheerfully to our perticular labours, wherby to our great comfort, through his blessinge, we reaped a plentifull harvest.
In May followinge arived Captain Samuell Argoll with commission to be Governor. He brought with him to the number of a hundred persons, partly at the charge of the Company and partly at the charge of private adventurers; with them was brought a very little provision for that nomber. At his arrival heere he founde the Collony in all parts well stored with corne, and at Charles Hundred a granery well furnished by rentes lately raised and received from the farmers, which corne he tooke possession of, but how it was imployed himselfe can best give an account. Whilest he governed, the Collony was slenderly provided of munition, wherby a strict proclamation was made for restraint of wastinge or shooting away of powder, under paine of great punishment; which forbiddinge to shoot at all in our peeces caused the losse of much of oure corne then growinge uppon the grounde; the Indians perceivinge our forbearance to shoote (as formerly) concluded thereuppon that our peeces were, as they saide, sicke and not to be used; uppon this, not longe after they were boulde to presume to assault some of our people, whom they slew, therin breakinge that league, which before was so fairly kept.
Duringe his time of Government most of the people of the Collony remained (as formerly) in the common service, their freedome not beinge to be obtained without extraordinary payement.