[…] The last May there came Letters from Sir Francis Wiat Governor
in VIRGINIA, which did advertise that when in November last he
arrived in VIRGINIA, and entred upon his Government, he found the Country setled in
a peace (as all men there thought) sure and unviolable, not onely because it was
solemnly ratified and sworne, and at the request of the Native King stamped in
Brasse, and fixed to one of his Oakes of note, but as being advantageous to both
parts; to the Savages as the weaker, under which they were safely sheltred and
defended; to us, as being the easiest way then thought to pursue and advance our
projects of buildings, plantings, and effecting their conversion by peaceable and
fayre meanes. And such was the conceit of firme peace and amitie, as that there was
seldome or never a sword worne and a Peece seldomer, except for a Deere or Fowle. By
which assurance of securitie, the Plantations of particular Adventurers and Planters
were placed scatteringly and straglingly as a choice veyne of rich ground invited
them, and the further from neighbors held the better. The houses generally set open
to the Savages, who were alwaies friendly entertained at the tables of the English,
and commonly lodged in their bed-chambers. The old planters (as they thought now come
to reape the benefit of their long travels) placed with wonderfull content upon their
private dividents, and the planting of
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particular Hundreds and Colonies pursued with an hopefull
alacrity, all our projects (saith he) in a faire way, and their familiarity with the
Natives, seeming to open a faire gate for their conversion to Christianitie.
The Country being in this estate, an occasion was ministred of sending to Opachankano the King of these Savages, about the middle of March last, what time the Messenger returned back with these
words from him, That he held the peace concluded so firme, as the Skie should sooner
fall then it dissolve: yea, such was the treacherous dissimulation of that people who
then had contrived our destruction, that even two dayes before the Massacre, some of
our men were guided thorow the woods by them in safety: and one Browne, who then to learne the language lived among the Warrascoyacks (a Province of that King) was in friendly manner sent backe to
them to Captaine Hamor his Master, and many the like passages,
rather increasing our former confidence, then any wise in the world ministring the
least suspition of the breach of the peace, or of what instantly ensued; yea, they
borrowed our owne Boates to convey themselves crosse the River (on the bankes of both
sides whereof all our Plantations were) to consult of the divellish murder that
ensued, and all of our utter extirpation, which God of his mercy (by the meanes of
some of themselves converted to Christianitie) prevented; and as well on the Friday
morning (the fatal day) the 22 of March, as also in the
evening, as in other dayes before, they came unarmed into our houses, without Bowes
or arrowes, or other weapons, with Deere, Turkies, Fish,
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Furres, and other provisions, to sell, and trucke
with us, for glasse, beades, and other trifles: yea in some places, sate downe at
Breakfast with our people at their tables, whom immediately with their owne tooles
and weapons, eyther laid downe, or standing in their houses, they basely and
barbarously murthered, not sparing eyther age or sexe, man, woman or childe; so
sodaine in their cruell execution, that few or none discerned the weapon or blow that
brought them to destruction. In which manner they also slew many of our people then
at their severall works and husbandries in the fields, and without their houses, some
in planting Corne and Tobacco, some in gardening, some in making Bricke, building,
sawing, and other kindes of husbandry, they well knowing in what places and quarters
each of our men were, in regard of their daily familiarity, and resort to us for
trading and other negotiations, which the more willingly was by us continued and
cherished for the desire we had of effecting that great master-peece of works, their
conversion. And by this meanes that fatall Friday morning, there fell under the
bloudy and barbarous hands of that perfidious and inhumane people, contrary to all
laws of God and men, of Nature & Nations, three hundred forty seven men, women, and
children, most by their owne weapons; and not being content with taking away life
alone, they fell after againe upon the dead, making as well as they could, a fresh
murder, defacing, dragging, and mangling the dead carkasses into many pieces, and
carrying some parts away in derision, with base and bruitish triumph.
Neither yet did these beasts spare those amongst
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the rest well knowne untthem, from whom they had daily received
many benefits and favours, but spitefully also massacred them, without remorse or
pitty, being in this more fell then Lyons and Dragons, which (as Histories record)
have beene so farre from hurting, as they have both acknowledged, and gratefully
requited their Benefactors; such is the force of good deeds, though done to cruell
beasts, as to make them put off the very nature of beasts, and to put on humanity
upon them. But these miscreants, contrariwise in this kinde, put not off onely all
humanity, but put on a worse and more then unnaturall bruitishnesse. One instance of
it, amongst too many, shall serve for all.
That worthy religious Gentleman, Master George Thorpe Esquire,
Deputie of the Colledge lands, sometimes one of his Majesties Pentioners, and in one
of the Principall places of command in VIRGINIA, did so truly and earnestly affect
their conversion, and was so tender over them, that whosoever under his authority had
given them but the least displeasure or discontent, he punished them severely. He
thought nothing too deare for them, and as being desirous to binde them unto him by
his many courtesies, hee never denyed them any thing that they asked him, insomuch
that when these Savages complained unto him of the fiercenesse
of our Mastives, most implacable and terrible unto them (knowing them by instinct it
seems, to be but treacherous and false-hearted friends to us, better then our selves)
he to gratifie them in all things, for the winning of them by degrees, caused some of
them to be killed in their presence, to the great dis-
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pleasure of the owners, and would have had all the
rest guelt (had he not beene hindred) to make them the gentler and the milder to
them. He was not onely too kinde and beneficiall to the common sort, but also to
their King, to whom hee oft resorted, and gave many presents which hee knew to be
highly pleasing to him. And whereas this king before dwelt onely in a cottage, or
rather a denne or hog-stye, made with a few poles and stickes, and covered with mats
after their wyld manner, to civilize him, he first, built him a fayre house according
to the English fashion, in which hee tooke such joy, especially in his locke and key,
which hee so admired, as locking and unlocking his doore an hundred times aday, hee
thought no device in all the world was comparable to it.
Thus insinuating himselfe to this King for his religious purposes, he conferred
after with him oft, and intimated to him matters of our Religion; and thus far the
Pagan confessed, moved by naturall Principles, that our God
was a good God, and better much then theirs, in that he had with so many good things
above them endowed us. Hee told him, if hee would serve our God, hee should be
partaker of all those good things wee had, and of farre greater then sense or reason
ever could imagine. He wonne upon him, as hee thought in many things, so as hee gave
him fayre hearing and good answer, and seemed to be much pleased with his discourse
and in his company. And both hee and his people for the daily courtesies this good
Gentleman did to one or other of them, did professe such outward love and respect
unto him, as nothing could seeme more: but all was little regarded after by
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this Viperous brood, as the
sequell shewed: for they not only wilfully murdered him, but cruelly and felly, out
of devilish malice, did so many barbarous despights and foule scornes after to his
dead corpes, as are unbefitting to be heard by any civill eare. One thing I cannot
omit, that when this good Gentleman upon his fatall hower, was warned by his man (who
perceived some treachery intended to them by these hell-hounds) to looke to himselfe,
and withal ranne away for feare of the mischief he strongly apprehended, and so saved
his owne life; yet his Master, out of the conscience of his owne good meaning, and
faire deserts ever towards them, was so void of all suspition, and so full of
confidence, that they had sooner killed him, then hee could or would beleeve they
meant any ill against him. Thus the sinnes of these wicked Infidels, have made them
unworthy of enjoying him, and the eternall good that he most zealously always
intended to them.
And thus these miserable wretches, not hee, hath lost by it, who to the comfort of us
all, hath gained a Crowne of endlesse blisse, and is assuredly become a glorious
Martyr, in which thrice-happy and blessed state we leave him. But these miscreants,
who have thus despised Gods great mercies so freely offered to them, must needs in
time therefore be corrected by his justice: So as those who by the way of mercies
would not be drawne unto him, shall some of them at length (no doubt) be brought unto
him by his way of judgements: to which leaving them, I will knit againe together now
the thred of my Discourse and proceed to tell you, That at the time of this Massacre
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there were three or foure of
our ships in James-River, and one in the next River, and daily
more to come in, as three did within fourteene dayes after; one of which they
endevored to have surprised, but in vaine, as had also beene their whole attempt, had
any the least fore-knowledge beene in those places where the Massacre was committed:
yet were the hearts of the English ever stupid, and averted from beleeving any thing
that might weaken their hopes of speedy winning the Savages to Civilitie and
Religion, by kinde usage and fayre conversing amongst them. Hee, and the whole
Councell write further, That Almighty God (they doubt not) hath his great worke to
doe in this Tragedy, and will thereout draw hoor and glory to his great Name; safety,
and a more flourishing estate to themselves, and the whole Plantation there; and the
more speedy conversion of the Children of those Savages to himselfe, since hee so
miraculously preserved so many of the English (there being, God be praysed about
eleven parts of twelve still remaining) whose desire to draw those people to Religion
by the carelesse neglect of their owne safeties, seemes to have beene the greatest
cause of their own ensuing destruction. Yet it pleased God to use some of them as
instruments to save many of their lives, whose soules they have formerly saved, as at
James-Citie, and other places, and the Pinnace trading in
Pamounkey River, all whose lives were saved by a converted
Indian, disclosing the plot in the instant (whereof though
our sinnes (say they) made us unworthy to be instruments of so glorious a conversion
in general[)], yet his infinite wisedome can neverthelesse bring it to passe
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with some more of them, and with
other Provinces there in his good time, and by such meanes as wee thinke most
unlikely. For even in the delivery of us that now survive, no mans particular
carefulnesse saved any one person, but the mere goodnesse himselfe, freely and
miraculously preserved whom it pleased him.
The Letters of Mr. George Sandis a worthy Gentleman and
Treasurer there, likewise have advertised (as many others from many particular
persons of note and worth) besides the Relations of many returned in the Sea-flower
(the ship that brought us this unwelcome newes) have beene heard at large in the
publike Courts, that whilst all their affayres were full of successe, and such
intercourse of familiaritie, as if the Indians and themselves
had beene of one Nation, those treacherous Natives, after five years peace, by a
generall combination in one day plotted to subvert their whole Colony, and at one
instant of time, though our severall Plantations were an hundred an forty miles up
one River on both sides.
But before I goe any further, for the better understanding of all things, you shall
know that these wyld naked Natives live not in great numbers together, but dispersed,
and in small companies; and where most together, not above two hundred, and that very
rare, in other places fifty or forty, or thereabouts, and many miles distant from one
another, in such places among the Woods where they either found, or might easiliest
make some cleared plots of ground, which they imploy wholly in setting of Corne,
whereby to sustaine their lives. These small and scattered Companies (as
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I have said) had warning given from one
another in all their habitations to meete at the day and houre appointed for our
destruction, at all our severall Townes and places seated upon the River; some were
directed to goe to one place some to another, all to be done at the same day and
time, which they did accordingly: some entring their Houses under colour of trucking,
and so taking advantage, others drawing our men abroad upon faire pretences, and the
rest suddenly falling upon these that were at their labours.
They certifie further, that besides Master George Thorpe,
before mentioned, Master John Berkeley, Captaine Nathanael Powel, and his wife, (daughter of Master William Tracy, and great with childe) and Captaine Maycock, all Gentlemen of birth, vertue, and industry, and of
the Councell there, suffered under this their cruelty and treason.
That the slaughter had beene universall, if God had not put it into the heart of an
Indian belonging to one Perry, to disclose it, who living in
the house of one Pace, was urged by another Indian his Brother
(who came the night before and lay with him) to kill Pace, (so
commanded by their King as he declared) as hee would kill Perry: telling further that by such an houre in the morning a number would
come from divers places to finish the Execution, who failed not at the time: Perries Indian rose out of his bed and reveales it to Pace, that used him as a Sonne: And thus the rest of the Colony
that had warning given them, by this meanes was saved. Such was (God bee thanked for
it) the good fruit of an Infidell converted to Christianity; for though three hundred
and more of ours
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died by many of
these Pagan Infidels, yet thousands of ours were saved by the means of one of them
alone which was made a Christian; Blessed be God for ever, whose mercy endureth for
ever; Blessed bee God whose mercy is above his justice, and farre above all his
workes: who wrought this deliverance whereby their soules escaped even as a Bird out
of the snare of the Fowler.
Pace upon this discovery, securing his house, before day rowed
over the River to James-City (in that place neere three miles
in bredth) and gave notice thereof to the Governor, by which means they were
prevented there, and at such other Plantations as was possible for a timely
intelligence to be given; for where they saw us standing upon our Guard, at the sight
of a Peece they all ranne away. In other places that could have no notice, some
Peeces with munition (the use whereof they know not) were there carried away, and
some few Cattell also were destroyed by them. And as Fame divulgeth (not without
probably grounds) their King hath since caused the most part of the Gunpowder by his
surprized, to bee sowne, to draw therefrom the like increase, as of his Maize or
Corne, in Harvest next. And that it is since discovered, that the last Summer Opachankano practised with a King of the Eastern shore (no
well-willer of his) to furnish him with store of poison (naturally growing in his
country) for our destruction, which he absolutely refused, though he sent him great
store of Beades, and other presents to winne him thereunto: which he, with five or
sixe of his great men, offered to be ready to justifie against him. That the true
cause
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of this surprize was most by the instigation of the Devill, (enemy to their
salvation) and the dayly feare that possest them, that in time we by our growing
continually upon them, would dispossesse them of this Country, as they had beene
formerly of the West Indies by the Spaniard; produced this bloody act. That never
griefe and shame possessed any people more then themselves, to be thus butchered by
so naked and cowardly a people who dare not stand the presentment of a staffe in
manner of a Peece, nor an uncharged Peece in the hands of a woman, from which they
flye as so many Hares; much faster then from their tormenting Devill, whom they
worship for feare, though they acknowledge they love him not.
Thus have you seene the particulars of this massacre, out of Letters from thence
written, wherein treachery and cruelty have done their worst to us, or rather to
themselves; for whose understanding is so shallow, as not to perceive that this must
needs bee for the good of the Plantation after, and the losse of this blood to make
the body more healthfull, as by these reasons may be manifest […]
