Volume 1

Travels and works of Captain John Smith, President of Virginia, and Admiral of New England / edited by Edward Arber.

  • John Smith
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels and works of Captain John Smith, President of Virginia, and Admiral of New England / edited by Edward Arber. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    401/552 (page 241)
    Dec. 1620. J 241 New-Englands trials. weather breaking all my mastes, I was forced to returne to [1615-8] Plimmouth : where re-imbarking my selfe in a ship of three f/A733.1 745: score tunnes, how I escaped the English Pirats, and the French, 937‘] and was betrayed by foure Frenchmen of warre, I referre you to the Description of New England [pp. 217-227] ; but my Vice-Admirall [the second ship], notwithstanding the latenesse [a *27.] of the yeave, setting forth with me in March [1615] (the Londoners in January) she arriued in May (they in March,) yet came home well fraught in August, and all her men well, within flue moneths [and] odde dayes. The Londoners, ere I returned from France [Dec. 1615], Proofe4. for all their losse by the Turkes (which was valewed about foure thousand pounds), sent two more in Iuly [1615] ; but *937> such courses they tooke by the Canaries to the west Indies, it was ten months ere they arriued in New England [May 1616], wasting in that time, their seasons, victuall, and healths: yet there they found meanes to refresh themselues; and the one returned neere fraught with fish and traine [oil], within two moneths after [July 1616]. From Plimmouth went foure ships, onely to fish and trade, Proofes. some in February, some in March: one, of two hundred tunnes, 1616‘ got thither in a moneth, and went full fraught for Spaine; the rest returned to Plimouth well fraught, and their men well, within 5 months [and] odde daies. From London went two more, one of 220. tunnes, got Proofe 6. thither in sixe weekes ; and within sixe weekes after, with fortie 1616‘ foure men and boyes, was full fraught, and returned againe into England within flue months and a few dayes : the other went to the Canaries with dry fish, which they solde at a great rate, for royalls of eight, and (as I heard) turned Pirates. I being at Plimouth, prouided with three good ships, was Proofe7. wind-bound three months, as was many a hundred sayle more ; 1617> so that the season being past, the shippes went for New-found- (A 940.] land: whereby my dess eigne was frustrate; which was to me and my friends, no small losse. There was foure good shippes prepared at Plimouth; but by ^roofes. reason of their disagreement, the season so wasted, as onely two 1618- went forward: the one, being two hundred tunnes, returned well fraught to Plimouth, and her men in health, within fine moneths; the other, of foure score [tuns], went for Bilbow with dry fish, and made a good returne. 16 ^•258,746-] [/• 94i-1