The relation of the Right Honourable the Lord De-La-Warre, Lord Gouernour and Captaine Generall of the colonie, planted in Virginea De la Warr, Thomas West, Baron, 1577-1618. 1611 Approx. 12 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 9 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-08 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A14958 STC 25266 ESTC S111673 99846957 99846957 11959 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A14958) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 11959) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 773:15) The relation of the Right Honourable the Lord De-La-Warre, Lord Gouernour and Captaine Generall of the colonie, planted in Virginea De la Warr, Thomas West, Baron, 1577-1618. Counseil for Virginia (England and Wales) [20] p. Printed by VVilliam Hall, for William Welbie, dwelling in Pauls Church-yeard at the signe of the Swan, London : 1611. Signatures: [A]⁴ B⁴ C² . The first leaf is blank. Running title reads: A relation to the councill of Virginea by the Lord De La VVarre. Reproduction of the original in the New York Public Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor. The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines. Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Virginia -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Early works to 1800. 2004-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-03 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-04 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2004-04 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE RELATION OF the Right Honourable the Lord De-La-Warre , Lord Gouernour and Captaine Generall of the Colonie , planted in VIRGINEA . LONDON ¶ Printed by William Hall , for William Welbie , dwelling in Pauls Church-yeard at the Signe of the Swan . 1611. A SHORT RElation made by the Lord De-La-Warre , to the Lords and others of the Counsell of Virginea , touching his vnexpected returne home , and afterwards deliuered to the generall Assembly of the said Company , at a Court holden the twenty fiue of Iune , 1611. Published by authority of the said Counsell . My Lords , &c. BEing now by accident returned from my Charge at Virginea , contrary either to my owne desire , or other mens expectations , who spare not to censure me , in point of duty , and to discourse and question the reason , though they apprehend not the true cause of my returne , I am forced , ( out of willingnesse to satisfie euery man ) to deliuer vnto your Lordships , and the rest of this Assembly , briefely , ( but truely ) in what state I haue liued , euer since my arriuall to the Colonie ; what hath beene the iust occasion of my sudden departure thence ; and in what termes I haue left the same : The rather because I perceiue , that since my comming into England , such a coldnesse and irresolution is bred , in many of the Aduenturers , that some of them seeke to withdraw those paimēts , which they haue subscribed towards the Charge of the Plantation , and by which that Action must bee supported and maintained ; making this my returne , the colour of their needlesse backwardnes and vniust protraction . Which , that you may the better vnderstand , I must informe your Lordships , that presently after my arriual in Iames Towne , I was welcommed by a hote and violent Ague , which held mee a time , till by the aduice of my Physition , Doctor Laurence Bohun , ( by blood letting ) I was recouered , as in my first Letters by Sir Thomas Gates I haue informed you . That disease had not long left me , til ( within three weekes after I had gotten a little strength ) I began to be distempered with other greeuous sicknesses , which successiuely & seuerally assailed me : for besides a relapse into the former disease , which with much more violence held me more then a moneth , and brought me to great weakenesse , the Flux surprised me , and kept me many daies ; then the Crampe assaulted my weak body , with strong paines ; & afterwards the Gout ( with which I had heeretofore beene sometime troubled ) afflicted mee in such sort , that making my body through weakenesse vnable to stirre , or to vse any maner of exercise , drew vpon me the disease called the Scuruy ; which though in others it be a sicknesse of slothfulnesse , yet was in me an effect of weaknesse , which neuer left me , till I was vpon the point to leaue the world . These seuerall maladies and calamities , I am the more desirous to particularise vnto your Lordships ( although they were too notorious to the whole Colonie ) lest any man should misdeeme that vnder the general name and cōmon excuse of sicknes , I went about to cloke either sloth , or feare , or anie other base apprehension , vnworthy the high and Honourable charge , which you had entrusted to my Fidelitie . In these extremities I resolued to consult my friends , vvho ( finding Nature spent in mee , and my body almost consumed , my paines likewise daily encreasing ) gaue me aduise to preferre a hopefull recouery , before an assured ruine , which must necessarily haue ensued , had I liued , but twenty dayes longer , in Virginia : wanting at that instant , both food and Physicke , fit to remedy such extraordinary diseases , and restore that strength so desperately decayed . VVhereupon , after a long consultation held , I resolued by generall consent and perswasion , to shippe my selfe for Meuis , an Island in the VVest Indies , famous for vvholesome Bathes , there to try what help the Heauenly Prouidence would afford mee , by the benefit of the hot Bath : But GOD , who guideth all things , according to his good will and pleasure , so prouided , that after wee had sailed an hundred Leagues , wee met with Southerly windes which forced mee to change my purpose , ( my body being altogether vnable to endure the tediousnesse of a long voyage ) and so sterne my course for the VVestern Islands , which I no sooner recouered , then I found help for my health , and my sickenesse asswaged , by meanes of fresh diet , and especially of Orenges and Lemonds , an vndoubted remedy and medicine for that disease , which lastly , and so long , had afflicted mee : which ease as soone as I found , I resolued ( although my body remained still feeble and weake , to returne backe to my charge in Virginia againe , but I was aduised not to hazard my selfe before I had perfectly recouered my strength , which by counsell I was perswaded to seeke in the naturall Ayre of my Countrey , and so I came for England . In which Accident , I doubt not but men of reason , and of iudgement will imagine , there would more danger and preiudice haue hapned by my death there , then I hope can doe by my returne In the next place , I am to giue accompt in what estate I left the Collony for gouernment in my absence . It may please your Lordships therefore to vnderstand , that vpon my departure thence , I made choise of Captaine George Pearcie , ( a Gentleman of honour and resolution , and of no small experience in that place , to remaine Deputie Gouernour , vntill the comming of the Marshall Sir Thomas Dale , whose Commission was likewise to be determined , vpon the arriuall of Sir Thomas Gates , according to the intent and order of your Lordships , and the Councill here . The number of men I left there , were vpward of two hundred , the most in health , and prouided of at least tenne moneths victuals , in their store-house , ( which is daily issued vnto them ) besides other helps in the Countrey , lately found out by Captaine Argoll by trading vvith pettie Kings in those parts , who for a small returne of a piece of Iron , Copper , &c. haue consented to trucke great quantities of Corne , and willingly imbrace the intercourse of Traffique , shewing vnto our people certaine signes of amitie and affection . And for the better strengthening and securing of the Collony , in the time of my weaknesse there , I tooke order for the building of three seuerall Forts , two of which are seated neere Poynt Comfort , to which adioyneth a large Circuit of ground , open , and fit for Corne : the third Fort is at the Falles , vpon an Iland inuironed also with Corne ground . These are not all manned , for I wanted the commoditie of Boates , hauing but two , and one Bardge , in all the Countrey , which hath beene cause that our fishing hath beene ( in some sort ) hindered , for want of those prouisions , which easily will be remedied when vvee can gaine sufficient men to be imployed about those businesses , which in Virginia I found not : but since meeting with Sir Thomas Gates at the Cowes neere Portsmouth ( to whom I gaue a perticular accompt of all my proceedings , and of the present estate of the Collony as I left it ) I vnderstood those wants are supplyed in his Fleete . The Countrey is wonderfull fertile and very rich , and makes good whatsoeuer heretofore hath beene reported of it , the Cattell already there , are much encreased , and thriue exceedingly with the pasture of that Countrey : The Kine all this last VVinter , though the ground was couered most vvith Snow , and the season sharpe , liued without other feeding then the grasse they found , vvith which they prospered well , and many of them readie to fall with Calue : Milke being a great nourishment and refreshing to our people , seruing also ( in occasion ) as well for Physicke as for food , so that it is no way to be doubted , but when it shall please God that Sir Thomas Dale , and Sir Thomas Gates , shall arriue in Virginia with their extraordinary supply of one hundred Kine , and two hundred Swine , besides store of all manner of other prouisions for the sustenance and maintenance of the Collony , there vvill appeare that successe in the Action as shall giue no man cause of distrust that hath already aduentured , but encourage euery good minde to further so worthy a worke , as will redound both to the Glory of GOD , to the Credit of our Nation , and to the Comfort of all those that haue beene Instruments in the furthering of it . The last discouery , during my continuall sicknesse , was by Captaine Argoll , who hath found a trade with Patamack ( a King as great as Powhatan , vvho still remaines our enemie , though not able to doe vs hurt . ) This is in a goodly Riuer called Patomack , vpon the borders whereof there are growne the goodliest Trees for Masts , that may be found elsewhere in the VVorld : Hempe better then English , growing wilde in aboundance : Mines of Antimonie and Leade , There is also found without our Bay to the Northward an excellent fishing Bancke for Codde , and Ling , as good as can be eaten , and of a kinde that will keepe a whole yeare , in Shippes hould , with little care ; a tryall whereof I now haue brought ouer vvith mee . Other Islands there are vpon our Coasts , that doe promise rich merchandise , and vvill further exceedingly the establishing of the Plantation , by supply of many helpes , and vvill speedily afford a returne of many vvorthie Commodities . I haue left much ground in part manured to receiue Corne , hauing caused it the last VVinter to be sowed for rootes , vvith vvhich our people vvere greatly releeued . There are many Vines planted in diuers places , and doe prosper vvell , there is no vvant of any thing , if the action can be vpheld with constancy and resolution . Lastly , concerning my selfe , and my course , though the VVorld may imagine that this Countrey and Climate , will ( by that vvhich I haue suffered beyond any other of that Plantation ) ill agree , vvith the state of my body , yet I am so farre from shrinking or giuing ouer this honourable enterprise , as that I am vvilling and ready to lay all I am worth vpon the aduenture of the Action , rather then so Honourable a worke should faile , and to returne vvith all the conuenient expedition I may , beseeching your Lordships , and the rest , not onely to excuse my former wants , happened by the Almighty hand : but to second my resolutions vvith your friendly indeauours : that both the State may receiue Honour , your selues Profit , and I future Comfort , by being imployed ( though but as a weake Instrument ) in so great an Action . And thus hauing plainely , truely , and briefely , deliuered the cause of my returne , vvith the state of our affayres , as wee now stand , I hope euery vvorthy and indifferent hearer , will by comparing my present resolution of returne , with the necessitie of my comming home , rest satisfied with this true and short Declaration . FINIS .