In October, 1621, Arived Sir Fras. Wyatt, Knight, with commission to be Govr and Capt. Genl of Virginia. He ratified and confirmed all the afore mentioned liberties, freedomes and priveledges, to our great happines and content; the country alsoe flourished and increased in her former proceedinges, as iron workes, plantinge of vines and mulberrie for silke, &c. A ship alsoe was sent to the Summer Islandes for such commodities as that place afforded, as Potatoes, Fig Trees, Orange and Lemon Trees, and such like, many of which prosper and growe very likely to increase. But amidst this happines was the Hande of God sett against us, in great part, no doubt, for the punishment of our ingratitude in not being thankefull but forgettfull that by his mercye we were delivered from such bondage and calamitie as before time we had suffered. Justly likewise were we punished for our greedy desires of present gaine and proffit, wherin many showed themselves insatiable and covetous; we beinge too secure in trustinge of a treacherous enimie, the Salvadges, they, whilest we entertained them frendley in our houses, tooke their opportunities and suddenly fell uppon us, killing and murdering very many of our people, burninge and devastinge their houses and plantations, this happeninge uppon the two and twenteth of March followinge (1622), stroocke so at the life of our wellfare by blood and spoile, that it almost generally defaced the beautie of the wholl Collonye, puttinge us out of the way of bringinge to perfection those excellent workes wherin we had made soe faire a beginninge.
This deadly stroake being given to the great amazement and ruine of our State, caused our Governor and Counsell, withall speede, for the safetie of the rest (lest the Indians shoulde take courage to pursue what they had begunne), to re-collect the straglinge and woefull Inhabitants, soe dismembered, into stronger bodies and more secure places. This enforced reducement of the Collony into fewer bodies, together with the troble of warre then in hande, caused the year following a slender harvest to be reaped, wherby we weare constrained to relye upon hopes for our reliefe by shippinge out of Englande, and by trading with the more remote Salvadges, most part of which supplies from Englande unfortunately miscarried by the waye, the Salvadges, likewise, from whome we hoped to have helpes by trade, proved our most treacherous ennemies, cunninglye circumventinge and cruellie murderinge such as were employed abroade to gett reliefe from them, by all which misaccidents we fell that yeare into great want and scarcitye; which since, by the blessinge of God, through our supplies we have had from the Company, together with a plentifull harvest, hath bene abundantly restored. Our Govr, Counsell and others have used their uttermost and Christian endeavours in prosequtinge revenge against the bloody Salvadges, and have endeavoured to restore the Collonye to her former prosperitye, wherin they have used great diligence and industrye, imployinge many forces abroade for the rootinge them out of severall places that therby we may come to live in better securitie, doubtinge not but in time we shall clean drive them from these partes, and therby have the free libertie and range for our cattle, the increase of whom may bringe us to plentie, and maye alsoe more freely goe on againe with setting up those staple commodities which we hoped by this time to have brought to good perfection.
For the supplies of shippinge, men, cattle and provisions that have arived heere since Sir Thomas Smith left his government we can not nowe well reckon up, they beinge manye, but must referre you to the printed bookes and to the Lists and Invoices retorned by Sir Geo. Yeardley.
For the State of the Collony at this present we leave to the report of such commissioners as are nowe sent over by the Right Hon. the Lordes of his Matie's privie counsell.
This being reade in the Genl Assemblie received full approbation.
[Endorsed.]
Virginia—A relation of its Planting.
[This document is undated but is placed in the Callendar among papers of 1625?]