On June 25, 1611, Thomas West, twelfth baron De La Warr,
governor of the Virginia colony, addressed
this letter to his superiors at the Virginia Company of London. He had left Virginia with plans to recuperate
from illness in the Bermuda islands,
but a storm forced his fleet of ships west, first to the Azores and then to England.
Back home, he felt obliged to explain his presence and the dismal state of the
colony. Some spelling has been modernized and contractions expanded.
A Short Relation made by the Lord
De-La-Warre, to the Lords and others of the Counsell of Virginea, touching his
unexpected returne home, and afterwards delivered to the generall Assembly of the
said Company, at a Court holden the twenty five of June, 1611.
Published by authority of the said Counsell.
My Lords, etc.
Being now by accident returned from my Charge at Virginea,
contrary either to my owne desire, or
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other men's 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 a willingnesse to satisfie every man) to deliver unto
your Lordships, and the rest of this Assembly, briefely (but truely), in what state I
have lived, ever since my arrival to the Colonie; what hath beene the just occasion
of my sudden departure thence; and in what termes I have left the same: The rather
because I perceive, that since my comming into England, such a coldnesse and
irresolution is bred in many of the Adventurers that some of them seeke to withdraw
those paiments, which they have subscribed towards the Charge of the Plantation, and
by which that Action must bee supported and maintained; making this my returne
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the colour of their needlesse
backwardnes and unjust protraction. Which, that you may the better understand, I must
informe your Lordships, that presently after my arrival in James Towne, I was
welcommed by a hote and violent Ague, which held mee a time, till by the advice of my
Physition, Doctor Laurence Bohun, (by blood letting) I was recovered, as in my first
Letters by Sir Thomas Gates I have 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 greevous sicknesses, which successively and severally assailed
me: for besides a relapse into the former disease, which with much more violence held
me more than a moneth, and brought me to great weakenesse, the Flux surprised me, and
kept
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me many daies: then the Crampe
assaulted my weak body, with strong paines; and afterwards the Gout (with which I had
heeretofore beene sometimes troubled) afflicted mee in such sort, that making my body
through weakenesse unable to stirre, or to use any maner of exercise, drew upon me
the disease called the Scurvy; which though in others it be a sicknesse of
slothfulnesse, yet was in me an effect of weaknesse, which never left me, till I was
upon the point to leave the world.
These severall maladies and calamities, I am the more desirous to particularise unto
Your Lordships (although they were too notorious to the whole Colonie) lest any man
should misdeeme that under the general name and common excuse of sicknes, I went
about to cloke either sloth, or feare,
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or anie other base apprehension, unworthy the high and generall charge which you
had entrusted to my Fidelitie.
In these extremities I resolved to consult my friends, who (finding Nature spent in
me, and my body almost consumed, my paines likewise daily encreasing) gave me advise
to preferre a hopefull recovery, before an assured ruine, which must necessarily have
ensued, had I lived, 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.
Whereupon, after a long consultation held, I resolved by generall consent and
perswasion, to ship my self for
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Mevis,
an Island in the West Indies, famous for wholesome Bathes, there to try what help the
Heavenly Providence would afford me, by the benefit of the hot Bathe: But GOD, who
guideth all things, according to his good will and pleasure, so provided, that after
wee had sailed an hundred Leagues, we met with Southerly windes which forced me to
change my purpose (my body being altogether unable to endure the tediousnesse of a
long voyage) and so sterne my course for the Western Islands, which I no sooner
recovered, then I found help for my health, and my sicknesse asswaged, by meanes of
fresh diet, and especially of Orenges and Lemonds, an undoubted remedy and medicine
for that disease, which lastly, and so long, had
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afflicted me: which ease as soone as I found, I resolved (although
my body remained still feeble and weake), to returne backe to my charge in Virginia
againe, but I was advised not to hazard my selfe before I had perfectly recovered 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 judgement will imagine, there would more danger and prejudice have
hapned by my death there, then I hope can doe by my returne.
In the next place, I am to give accompt in what estate I left the Collony for
government in my absence. It may please your Lordships therefore to understand,
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that upon 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 Governour, untill the comming of
the Marshall, Sir Thomas Dale, whose Commission was likewise to be determined, upon
the arrivall 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 upward of two hundred, the most in health, and
provided of at least tenne moneths victuals, in their store-house, (which is daily
issued unto them) besides other helps in the Countrey, lately found out by Captaine
Argoll, by trading with pettie kings in those parts,
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who for a small returne of a piece of Iron, Copper, & c. have
consented to trucke great quantities of Corne, and willingly imbrace the intercourse
of Traffique, shewing unto our people certaine signs 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 severall Forts, two of which
are seated neere Poynt Comfort, to which adjoyneth a large Circuit of ground, open,
and fit for Corne: the thirde Fort is at the Falles, upon an Island invironed also
with Corne ground. These are not all manned, for I wanted the Commoditie of Boates,
having but two, and one Bardge, in all the Countrey, which hath beene cause that our
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fishing hath beene (in some sort)
hindered, for want of those provisions, which easily will be remedied when wee 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
gave a perticular accompt of all my proceedings, and of the present estate of the
Collony as I left it) I understood those wants are supplyed in his Fleete.
The countrey is wonderfull fertile and very rich, and makes good whatsoever
heretofore hath beene reported of it, the Cattell already there, are much encreased,
and thrive exceedingly with the pasture of that Countrey: The Kine all this last
Winter, though the ground
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was covered
most with Snow, and the season sharpe, lived without other feeding than the grasse
they found, with which they prospered well, and many of them readie to fall with
Calve; Milke being a great nourishment and refreshing to our people, serving 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 arrive
in Virginia with their extraordinary supply of one hundred Kine, and two hundred
Swine, besides store of all manner of other provisions for the sustenance and
maintenance of the Collony, there will appeare that successe in the Action as shall
give no man cause to distrust that hath already adventured, but encourage
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every 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 have beene Instruments in the furthering of it.
The last discovery, during my continuall sicknesse, was by Captaine Argoll, who hath
found a trade with Patomack (a King as great as Powhatan, who still remaines our
enemie, though not able to doe us hurt). This is a goodly River called Patomack, upon
the borders whereof there are growne the goodliest Trees for Masts, that may be found
elsewhere in the World: Hempe better then English, growing wilde in aboundance: Mines
of Antimonie and Leade.
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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 have brought over with mee. Other Islands there are upon
our Coasts, that doe promise rich merchandise, and will further exceedingly the
establishing of the Plantation, by supply of many helpes, and will speedily afford a
returne of many worthie Commodities.
I have left much ground in part manured to receive Corne, having caused it the last
Winter to be sowed for rootes with which our people were greatly releeved.
There are many Vines planted in
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divers places, and doe prosper well, there is no want of any thing, if the action
can be upheld with constancy and resolution.
Lastly concerning my selfe, and my Course, though the World may imagine that this
Countrey and Climate will (by that which I have suffered beyond any other of that
Plantation) ill agree with the state of my body, yet I am so farre from shrinking or
giving over this honourable enterprise, as that I am willing and ready to lay all I
am worth upon the adventure of the Action, rather then so Honourable a worke should
faile, and to returne with all the convenient expedition I may, beseeching your
Lordships, and the rest, not onely to excuse my former wants, happened
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by the Almighty hand: but to second my
resolutions with your friendly indeavours: that both the State may receive Honour,
your selves Profit, and I future Comfort, by being imployed (though but as a weake
Instrument) in so great an Action.
And thus having plainely, truely, and briefely, delivered the cause of my returne,
with the state of our affayres, as wee now stand, I hope every worthy 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.
