The next ship that arrived heere was the George, sett forth, as we supose, at the charge of private adventurers, but came soe meanly provided with victuall, that had not we, the old Planters, relieved them most of them had been starved. The next ships, called the Neptune and Treasurer, arived in August followinge, set out at the charge of the Right Honoble the Lord Laware, his noble associates, and some other private adventurers. The people wch arived were soe poorely victualled that had they not been distributed amongst the old Planters they must for want have perished; with them was brought a most pestilent disease (called the Bloody flux) which infected all most all the whole Collonye. That disease, nothstanding all our former afflictions, was never knowne before amongst us.
The next supply weare two ships called the William & Thomas and the Guift, which arived in Januarie; the Guift beinge sett forth at the charge of the Societie of Martin's Hundred, the other by the Magazin and some private adventurers.
The next, a small ship called the Elinor (sett forth at whose charge we know not), arived heere in Aprill after, and in her Capt. Samuell Argoll, leaving his Government, shipt himselfe for Englande. Whatsoever els befell in the time of his Government we omit to relate, much beinge, uppon our oathes, alreadie sufficiently examined and our answers sent for Englande.
By all which hath heertofore beene saide concerninge this Collony, from the infancie therof and untill the expiration of Sir Thomas Smith's government, may easily be perceived and plainly understood what just cause he or any els have to boast of the flourishing estate of those times, wherin so great miseries and callamities were indured, and soe few workes of moment or importance performed, himselfe beinge justly to be charged as a prime author therof, by his neglect of providinge and alloweinge better meanes to proceede in so great a worke, and in hindering very many of our frendes from sendinge much releife and meanes who beinge earnestly solicited from hence by our letters—wherin we lamentablie complained unto them—have often besought Sir Thomas Smith that they might have leave to supplie us at their owne charge both with provision of victuall and all other necessaries, wherin he utterlie denied them so to doe, protestinge to them that we were in noe want at all, but that we exceeded in abundance and plentie of all things, so that therby our frendes were moved both to desist from from sendinge and to doubt the truth of our letters, most part of which weare by him usually intercepted and kept backe; farther giveinge order by his directions to the Governor heere, that all men's letters should be searched at the goinge away of ships, and if in anye of them weare founde that the true estate of the Collony was declared, they were presented to the Governor and the indighters of them severely punished; by which meanes noe man durst make any true relation to his frendes of his owne or the Collonye's true estate; neither was it permitted to anye to have passe to goe home, but by force were kept heere and employed as we have saide (save some few), one of whom receved his passe from the Kinge, and that closely made up in a garter, least it should have been seized uppon and he kept heere notwithstandinge. Those whom their frendes procured their passe in open courte from the Companye were, by private direction, neverthelesse made staye of, others procuringe private letters having been lett goe.
We must alsoe noat heere, that Sir Thos. Dale, at his arivall finding himself deluded by the aforesaid protestations, pulled Capt. Newport by the beard, and threatninge to hange him, for that he affirmed Sir Thos. Smith's relation to be true, demandinge of him whether it weare meant that the people heere in Virginia shoulde feed uppon trees.
Soe may we heere conclude, as some have concluded for him, to what great growth of perfection (with the expence of that seaventie thousand poundes) the Plantation was advanced in the time of his 12 years' government, but whether, as it is saide, he be to be praised for the managaing of these affaires, with much unanimity, moderation, integritie and judgment, we leave it to censure.
At the end of this twelve yeares arived Sir George Yeardley to be Govr and founde the Collony in this estate and thus furnished, vizt: For fortification against a forreign ennemie there was none at all; two demy culverin only were mounted uppon rotten carriages and placed within James Citty, fitter to shoot downe our houses then to offend an ennemie. At Charles Hundred, which were mounted by Sir Thos. Dale, two demy culverin and one sacre; fortifications against a domestique enimie very mean. For Forts, Towns and Plantations he founde these: James Citty, Henrico, Charles Citty and Hundred, Shirley Hundred, Arrahattock, Martin Brandon and Kicoughton, all wch were but poorely housed and as ill fortified; for in James Cittie were only those houses that Sir Thom. Gates built in the time of his government, with one wherin the Govr allwayes dwelt, an addition beinge made therto in the time of Captaine Saml Argoll, and a church, built, wholly at the charge of the inhabitants of that cittie, of Timber, beinge fifty foote in length and twenty foot in breadth; at Paspahayes alsoe weare some few slight houses built; at Henrico, two or three old howses, a poore ruinated church with some few poore buildings in the Island; Coxen Dale and the Maine and att Arrahatocke one house, at Charles Cittie sixe howses much decayed, and, that we may not be too tedious, as these, soe were the rest of the places furnisht.
For people then alive about the nomber of foure hundred, very many of them in want of corne, utterlie destitute of cattle, twine, Poultrie and other Provisions to nourish them.
For Barques, Pinnaces, Shallops, Barges and Boates he founde only one olde Frigott, which belonged to the Sommer Islandes, one olde Shallopp built in Sir Thos. Dale's time, one boat built in Sir Sam'l Argoll's time, with two small boates belonginge to private men. For munition a very small quantitye, the most part thereof beinge very bad and of little use. For ministers to instruct the people he founde only three authorized, two others who never received their orders.
For staple commodities at his arrivall he founde none afoot save only Tobacco. The natives he founde uppon doubtfull termes, neither did we ever perceive that at any time they voluntarilie yealded themselves subjects or servants to our Gracious Soveraigne, neither that ever they tooke any pride in that title, nor paide they at any time any yearly contribution of corne for the sustentation of the Collony, nor could we at any time keepe them in such goode respect or correspondencie that they and we did become mutuallie helpfull or proffitable, each to other, but to the contrary, whatsoever at any time was done uppon them proceeded from fear without love, for such help as we have had from them have been procured by sworde or trade. And heere can we noe way approve of that which hath lately beene saide in the behalfe of Sir Thos. Smith, by some of his new frendes, that a flourishinge plantation in Virginia, erected in the time of his 12 yeares government, hath since been distroyed through the ignorance of succeedinge Governors heere, for that by what we have already saide all the worlde may judge in what a flourishinge estate it was, and to what growth of perfection it was advanced, at the arivall of Sir Geo. Yeardley to be Govr here, it beinge then in our judgements, that were members of the colony, in a poore estate.