ON Friday the 22. of Nouember 1633. a small gale of winde comming gently from the Northwest , we weighed from the Cowes in the I le of Wight , about ten in the morning ; and ( hauing stayed by the way twenty dayes at the Barbada's , and fourteene dayes at S t. Christophers , vpon some necessary occasions ) wee arriued at Point-Comfort in Virginia on the 24. of February following , the Lord be praised for it . At this time one Captaine Claybourne was come from the parts where wee intended to plant , to Virginia ; and from him wee vnderstood , that all the natiues of those parts were in preparation of defence , by reason of a rumour some had raised amongst them , of sixe ships that were to come with a power of Spanyards , whose meaning was to driue all the inhabitants out of the countrey .

Wee had good letters from his Maiesty to the Gouernour and Councell of Virginia , which made them fauour vs , and shew vs as noble vsage as the place afforded , with promise , that for their cattell and Hoggs , Corne or Poultry , our plantation should not want the open way to furnish our selues from thence : they told vs likewise , That when his Lordship should bee resolued on a conuenient place to make himselfe a seat ; they should bee able to prouide him with as much Bricke and Tile , as he should haue occasion to imploy , vntill his Lordship had made of his owne : Also , that they had to furnish his Lordship with two or three hundred Stocks ready grafted with Peares , Apples , Plummes , Apricotes , Figgs , and Peaches , and some Cherries : That they had also some Orange and Limon trees in the ground , which yet thriued : Also , Filberds , Hazel-nuts , and Almonds ; and in one place of the Colony , Quince-trees , wherewith they could furnish his Lordship ; And in fine , that his Lordship should not want any thing that Colony had .

On the 3. of March wee came into Chesapeake Bay , and made sayle to the North for Patoemeck riuer , the Bay running betweene two sweet lands in the channell of 7. 8. and 9. fathome deepe , 10. Leagues broad , and full of fish at the time of the yeere ; It is one of the delightfullest waters I euer saw , except Potoemeck , which wee named Saint Gregories . And now being in our owne Countrey , wee began to giue names to places , and called the Southerne Point , Cape Saint Gregory ; and the Northerly Point , Saint Michaels . This riuer , of all I know , is the greatest and sweetest , much broader then the Thames ; so pleasant , as I for my part , was neuer satisfied in beholding it . Few Marshes , or Swampes , but the greatest part sollid good earth , with great curiosity of woods , which are not choaked vp with vnder-shrubbs , but set commonly one from the other , in such distance , as a Coach and foure horses may easily trauell through them .

At the first looming of the ship vpon the riuer , wee found ( as was foretold vs ) all the Countrey in Armes . The King of the Paschattowayes had drawen together 1500. bowe-men , which wee our selues saw ; the woods were fired in manner of beacons the night after ; and for that our vessell was the greatest that euer those Indians saw , the scowtes reported wee came in a Canow , as bigge as an Iland , and had as many men as there bee trees in the woods .

Wee sayled vp the riuer till we came to Heron Ilands , so called from the infinite number of that fowle there . The first of those Ilands , wee called Saint Clements ; The second , Saint Katharines ; And the third , Saint Cecilies . Wee tooke land first in Saint Clements , which is compassed about with a shallow water , and admitts no accesse without wading ; here , by the ouerturning of the Shallop , the maids which had beene washing at the land , were almost drowned , beside the losse of much linnen , and amongst the rest I lost the best of mine , which is a very maine losse in these parts . The ground is couered thicke with pokickeries ( which is a wild Wall-nut , very hard and thick of shell ; but the meate ( though little ) is passing sweete ) with black Wall-nuts , and acrons bigger then ours . It abounds with Vines , and salletts , hearbs , and flowers , full of Cedar , and sassafras . It is but 400 acres bigg , and therefore too little for vs to settle vpon .

Heere wee went to a place , where a large tree was made into a Crosse ; and taking it on our shoulders , wee carried it to the place appointed for it . The Gouernour and Commissioners putting their hands first vnto it , then the rest of the chiefest aduenturers . At the place prepared wee all kneeled downe , and said certaine Prayers ; taking possession of this Countrey for our Sauiour ; and for our soueraigne Lord the King of England .

Here our gouernour had good aduice giuen him , not to land for good and all , before hee had beene with the Emperour of Paschattoway , and had declared vnto him the cause of our comming : which was , first to learne them a diuine Doctrine , which would lead their soules to a place of happinesse after this life were ended : And also to enrich them with such ornaments of a ciuill life , wherewith our Countrey doth abound : and this Emperour being satisfied , none of the inferiour Kings would stirre . In conformity to this aduice , hee tooke two Pinnaces , his owne , and another hired at Virginia ; and leauing the ship before Saint Clements at Anchor , went vp the riuer , and landing on the south-side , and finding the Indians fled for feare , came to Patoemeck Towne , where the King being a child , Archihau his Vncle gouerned both him , and his Countrey for him . Hee gaue all the company good wellcome ; and one of the company hauing entred into a little discourse with him touching the errours of their religion , hee seemed well pleased therewith ; and at his going away desired him to returne vnto him againe , telling him hee should liue at his Table , his men should hunt for him , and hee would diuide all with him .

From hence they went to Paschattoway . All were heere armed : 500 Bow-men came to the Water-side . The Emperour himselfe more fearelesse then the rest , came priuately a boord , where hee was courteously entertained ; and vnderstanding wee came in a peaceable manner , bade vs welcome , and gaue vs leaue to sit downe in what place of his kingdome wee pleased . While this King was aboard , all the Indians came to the Water-side , fearing treason , whereupon two of the Kings men , that attended him in our shippe were appointed to row on shoare to quit them of this feare : but they refusing to goe for feare of the popular fury ; the interpretours standing on the deck , shewed the King to them that he was in safety , where-with they were satisfied . In this iourney the Gouernour entertained Captaine Henry Fleete and his three barkes ; who accepted a proportion in beauer trade to serue vs , being skillfull in the tongue , and well beloued of the natiues .

Whilest the Gouernour was abroad , the Indians began to lay aside feare , and to come to our Court of guard , which wee kept night and day vpon St. Clements Ile : partly to defend our Barge , which was brought in pieces out of England and there made vp , and partly to defend the Captaines men , which were imployed in felling of trees , and cleaning pales for the pallizado : and at last they ventured to come aboard our ship . It was worth the hearing , for those who vnderstood them , to heare what admiration they made at our ship ; calling it a Canow ; and wondering where so great a tree grew that made it , conceiuing it to bee made of one piece , as their Canow's are . Our great Ordnance was a great and fearefull thunder , they had neuer heard any before ; all the Countrey trembles at them .

The Gouernour being returned , wee came some nine leagues lower to a riuer on the North-side of that land , as bigg as the Thames : which wee called Saint Georges riuer : It runnes vp to the North about 20. miles before it comes to the fresh . This riuer makes two excellent Bayes , for 300 sayle of Shipps of 1000. tunne , to harbour in with great safety . The one Bay wee named Saint Georges ; the other ( and more inward ) Saint Maries . The King of Yaocomoco , dwells on the left-hand or side thereof ; and wee tooke vp our seate on the right , one mile within the land . It is as braue a piece of ground to set downe on as most is in the Countrey , and I suppose as good ( if not much better ) then the primest parcell of English ground .

Our Towne wee call Saint Maries : and to auoid all iust occasion of offence , and collour of wrong , wee bought of the King for Hatchetts , Axes , Howes , and Clothes , a quantitie of some 30 miles of Land , which wee call Augusta Carolina . And that which made them the more willing to sell it , was the warres they had with the Sasquesa-hanoughs , a nigh bordering nation , who came often into their Countrey , to waste and destroy ; and forced many of them to leaue their Countrey , and passe ouer Patoemeck to free themselues from perill , before wee came . God no doubt disposing all this for them , who were to bring his law and light among these Infidells . Yet seeing wee came so well prepared with armes , their feare was much lesse , and they could be content to dwell by vs : yet doe they daily relinquish their houses , lands , and corne-fields , and leaue them to vs . Is not this a piece of wonder , that a nation , which a few dayes before was in armes with the rest against vs , should yeeld themselues now vnto vs like lambes , and giue vs their houses , lands , and liuings for a trifle ? Digitus Dei est hic : and surely some great good is entended by God to this Nation . Some few families of Indians are permitted yet to stay by vs till next yeere , and then the land is free .

Wee had not beene long time seated there , ere Sir Iohn Haruey Gouernour of Virginia , did our gouernour the honour ( in most friendly manner ) to visit him : and during the time of his being there , the King of Patuxunt also came to visit vs ; and being come aboard the Arke , and brought into the great cabbin , and seated betweene the two Gouernours ( Captaine Fleete and Master Golding the interpretors being present ) hee began his speech as followeth .

When I heard that a great Werowance of the English was come to Yoacomoco , I had a great desire to see him . But when I heard the Werowance of Pasbie-haye was come thither also to visit him ; I presently start vp , and without further counsell , came to see them both .

In the time of his stay at Saint Maries , wee kept the solemnitie of carrying our colours on shoare : and the King of Patuxunt accompanying vs , was much taken with the ceremony . But the same night ( hee and Captaine Fleete being at the Indian-House ) the Arke's great gunnes , to honour the day , spake aloude ; which the King of Patuxunt with great admiration hearing , counselled his friends the Yoacomoco Indians to bee carefull that they breake not their peace with vs ; and said :

When wee shoote , our Bow-strings giue a twang that 's heard but a little way off : But doe you not heare what cracks their Bow-strings giue ?

Many such pretty sayings hee vsed in the time of his being with vs , and at his departure , hee thus exprest his extraodinary affection vnto vs .

I do loue the English so well , that if they should kill me , so that they left me but so much breath , as to speake vnto my people , I would command them not to reuenge my death :

As for the Natiues , they are proper tall men of person ; swarthy by nature , but much more by Art : painting themselues with colours in oyle , like a darke Red , which they doe to keepe the Gnatts off : wherin I confesse , there is more ease then comlinesse .

As for their faces , they haue other colours at times , as Blew from the nose vpward , and Red downeward , and sometime contrariwise in great variety , and in very gastly manner sometimes ; they haue no beards till they come to bee very old , and therefore drawe from each side of their mouthes , lines to their very eares , to represent a beard , and this sometimes of one colour , and sometimes of another .

They weare their haire generally very long , and it is as blacke as Iett : which they bring vp in a knott to the left-eare , and tye it about with a large string of Wampampegg , or Roanoake , or some other of the best Iewels among them . Vpon their fore-head , some vse to weare a Fish of Copper , and some weare other figures .

About their neckes , they vse to weare many bugle chaynes , blew and white , and other colours ; though these begin now not to bee esteemed among them for truck . Their apparrell generally is deere-skin , and other Furre , which they weare like loose mantles : yet vnder this , about their middle , all women and men , at mans estate , weare Perizomata ( or round aprons ) of skinnes , which keepes them decently couered , that without any offence of chast eyes , wee may conuerse with them .

All the rest of their bodies are naked , and at times , some of the younger sort both men and women haue iust nothing to couer them . Their feete are as hard as any horne , when they runne ouer prickles and thornes they feele it not . Their Armes is a Bow , with a bunch of Arrowes , of a yard long , furnisht with three feathers at the top ; and pointed either with the point of a deeres horne , or a sharpe three-corner'd white flint ; the rest is a small cane , or straight sticke . They are so expert at these , that I haue seene one a good distance off strike a very small bird through the middle : and they vse to cast a thing vp from hand , and before it comes to ground to meete it with a shaft . Their bowes are but weake , and carry not leuell very farre ; yet these are their liuelyhood , and euery day they are abroad after squirrells , paretidges , turkies , deere , and the like game ; whereof there is a wonderfull plenty ; though wee dare not yet bee so bold our selues , as to fetch fresh meate by this meanes farre off .

The Indian houses are all built heere in a long halfe Ouall ; nine or tenne foote high to the middle top , where ( as in ancient Temples ) the light is admitted by a window , halfe a yard square ; which window is also the chimney , which giueth passage to the smoake , the fire being made in the middest of the floore ( as in our old halls of England ) and about it they vse to lie . Saue only that their kings and great men haue their cabbins , and a bed of skinnes well dressed ( wherein they are excellent ) set on boards , and foure stakes driuen into the ground . And now at this present , many of vs liue in these Witchotts ( as they terme them ) conueniently enough till better bee set vp : But they are dressed vp somthing better then when the Indians had them .

The naturall witt of this nation is good and quick , and will conceiue a thing very readily : they excell in smell and tast , and haue far sharper sight then wee . Their ordinary diet is Poane and Omine , both made of corne , to which they adde at times , Fish , Foule , or Venison .

They are of great temperance , especially from Hott-waters or Wine , which they are hardly brought to taste , saue onely whom the English haue corrupted with their owne vices .

For modestie , I must confesse , I neuer saw from Man or Woman , any action tending to leuitie : and yet daily the poore soules are here in our houses , and take content to bee with vs , bringing sometimes Turkies , sometimes Squirrills , as big as English Rabbetts , but much more dainty ; at other times fine white cakes , Partridges , Oisters ready boil'd and stewed : and doe runne vnto vs with smiling countenance when they see vs , and will hunt and fish for vs , if wee will ; and all this with entercourse of very few words , but wee haue hitherto gathered their meaning by signes .