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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    according to my abilitie, first to procure his Maiesties Letters pattents, and a Company here to be the means to raise a company to go with me to Virginia, as is said : which ^beginning here and there cost me neare 5 yeares [1604-1609] worke, and more then 500 pounds of my owne estate, besides all the dangers, miseries, and incumbrances I endured gratis ; where I stayed till I left 500 better prouided than euer I was: from which blessed virgin (ere I returned) sprung the fortunate habitation of Somer lies. This Virgins sister, now called New England, an. 1616. at my humble suit by our most gracious Prince Charles, hath bin neare as chargeable to me and my friends : for all which I neuer got shilling, but it cost me many a pound, yet I thinke my selfe happie to see their prosperities. pp. 266-7. Once more, in 1624, he wrote : Hauing spent some fiue yeares [1604-1609], and more than fiue hundred pounds in procuring the Letters Patents and setting forward, and neere as much more about New England, &c. Thus these nineteene yeares [1603-1624] I haue here and there not spared any thing according to my abilitie, nor the best aduice I could, to perswade how those strange miracles of misery might haue beene preuented, which lamentable experience plainly taught me of necessity must insue, but few would beleeue me till now too deerely they haue paid for it. Wherefore hitherto I haue rather left all then vndertake impossibilities, or any more such costly taskes at such chargeable rates: for in neither of those two Countries haue I one foot of Land, nor the very house I builded, nor the ground I digged with my owne hands, nor euer any content or satisfaction at all. And though I see ordinarily those two Countries shared before me by them that neither haue them nor knowes them, but by my descriptions : Yet that doth not so much trouble me, as to heare and see those contentions and diuisions which will hazard if not ruine the prosperitie of Virginia, if present remedy bee not found, as they haue hindred many hundreds, who would haue beene there ere now, and makes them yet that are willing to stand in a demurre. For the Books and Maps I haue made, I will thanke him that will shew me so much for so little recompence; and beare with their errors till I haue done better, pp. 613-4. For our Author’s own account of his Virginian experiences, the reader should first carefully read his Report &c. to the Royal Commissioners in 1624, at pp. 610-620 ; and his final review of the whole matter in his Advertisements of
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