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.

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    before their greatest Kings habitations, till they had gathered together all the power they could; and yet the Dutch-men sent at a needlesse excessiue charge did helpe Powhatan how to betray me. Of their numbers we were vncertaine; but them two honorable Gentlemen (Captaine George Percie and Captaine Francis West, two of the PhittiplaceSy and some other such noble gentlemen and resolute spirits bore their shares with me, and now liuing in England) did see me take this murdering Opechankanough now their great King by the long locke on his head ; with my pistole at his breast, I led him among his greatest forces, and before we parted made him fill our Bark of twenty Tuns with corne. When their owne wants was such, I haue given them part againe in pittie, and others haue bought it againe to plant their fields. For wronging a souldier but the value of a peny, I have caused Powhatam send his owne men to lames Towne to receiue their punishment at my discretion. It is true in our greatest extremitie they shot me, slue three of my men, and by the folly of them that fled tooke me prisoner; yet God made Pocahontas the Kings daughter the meanes to deliuer me : and thereby taught me to know their trecheries to preserue the rest. It was also my chance in single combat to take the King of Paspahegh prisoner: and by keeping him, forced his subiects to worke in chaines till I made all the country pay contribution ; hauing little else whereon to hue. Twise in this time I was their President, and none can say in all that time I had a man slaine : but for keeping them in that feare I was much blamed both there and here : yet I left 500 behind me that, through their confidence, in six monthes came most to confusion, as you may reade at large in the description of Virginia [pp. 170, 498]. When I went first to these desperate designes, it cost me many a forgotten pound to hire men to go; and procrastination caused more [to] run away then went. pp. 262-3. And again: I thinke it more strange they should taxe me before they haue tried as much as I haue both by land and sea, as well in Asia and Africa, as Europe and America, where my commanders were actors or spectators, they alwaies so freely rewarded me, I neuer needed to importunate, n[or] could I euer learne to beg: what there I got, I haue thus spent. These sixteen yeares I haue spared neither paines nor money
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