Note - This is the 1590 de Brys edition in the Library of Congress. Italics are indicated by
bracketed 'quotes'.
A briefe and true report
of the new found land of Virginia,
'of the commodities and of the nature and man
ners of the naturall inhabitants: Discouered by
the English Colony there seated by' Sir Richard
Greinuile Knight' 'In the yeere 1585. Which rema
=ined vnder the gouernment of twelue monethes,
At the speciall charge and direction of the Honou=
rable' SIR WALTER RALEIGH Knight, 'lord Warden
of the stanneries Who therein hath beene fauoured
and authorised by her' MAIESTIE
':and her letters patents:
This fore booke Is made in English
By Thomas Hariot; seruant to the abouenamed
Sir' WALTER, 'a member of the Colony, and there
imployed in discouering.'
CVM GRATIA ET PRIVILEGIO CAES.MATIS SPECIALD
FRANCOFORTI AD MOENVM
TYPIS IOANNIS WECHELI, SVMTIBVS VERO THEODORI
DE BRY ANNO CD D XC.
VENALES REPERIVNTVR IN OFFICINA SIGISMVNDI FEIRABENDII
TO THE RIGHT
WORTHIE AND HONOV-
RABLE, SIR VVALTER RALEGH,
KNIGHT, SENESCHAL OF THE DVCHIES OF
Cornewall and Exeter, and L. Warden of the stannaries in Deuon
and Cornewall, T.B. wisheth true felicitie.
'SIR, seeing that the parte of the Worlde, which is betwene the FLORIDA
and the Cap BRETON nowe nammed VIRGINIA, to the honneur of yours most
souueraine Layde and Queene ELIZABETZ, hath ben descouuerd by yours
meanes. And great chardges. And that your Collonye hath been theer
established to your great honnor and prayse, and noelesser proffit vnto
the common welth: Yt ys good raison that euery man euertwe
him selfe for to showe the benefit which they haue receue of yt.
Theerfore, for my parte I haue been allwayes Desirous for to make yow
knowe the good will that I haue to remayne still your most humble
saruant. I haue thincke that I cold faynde noe better occasion to
declare yt, then takinge the paines to cott in copper (the most diligent
ye and well that wear in my possible to doe) the Figures which doe
leuelye represent the forme aud maner of the Inhabitants of the sane
countrye with theirs ceremonies, sollemne,, feastes, and the manner and
situation of their Townes of Villages. Addinge vnto euery figure a brief
declaration of the same, to that ende that cuerye man cold the better
vnderstand that which is in liuely represented. Moreouer I haue thincke
that the aforesaid figures wear of greater commendation, If somme
Histoire which traitinge of the commodites and fertillitye of the
rapport which Thomas Hariot hath lattely sett foorth, and haue causse
them booth togither to be printed for to dedicated vnto you, as a thiuge
which by reigtte dooth allreadye apparteyne vnto you. Therfore doe I
creaue that you will accept this little Booke, and take yt In goode
partte. And desiring that fauor that you will receue me in the nomber of
one of your most humble seruantz, besechinge the lord to blese and
further you in all yours good doinges and actions, and allso to
preserue, and keepe you allwayes in good helthe. And so I comitt you
unto the almyhttie, from Franckfort the first of Apprill 1590.'
'Your most humble seruant,'
THEODORVS de BRY.
TO THE ADVEN-
TVRERS, FAVORERS, AND
VVELVVILLERS OF THE EN-
TERPRISE FOR THE INHABITTING
and planting in VIRGINIA.
SINCE the first vndertaking by Sir Walter Ralegh to deale in the action
of discouering of that Countrey which is now called and known by the
name of VIRGINIA; many voyages hauing bin thiter made at sundrie times
to his great charge; as first in the yeere 1584. and afterwardes in the
yeeres 1585. '1586'. and now of late this last yeare of '1587'. There
haue bin diuers and variable reportes with some slaunderous and
shamefull speeches bruited abroade by many that returned from thence.
Especially of that discouery which was made by the Colony transported by
Sir Richard Greinuile in the yeare '1585'. being of all the others the
most principal and as yet of most effect, the time of their abode in the
countrey beeing a whole yeare, when as in the other voyage before they
staied but sixe weekes; and the others after were onelie for supply and
transportation, nothing more being discouered then had been before.
Which reports haue not done a litle wrong to many that otherwise would
have also fauoured & aduentured in the action, to the honour and
benefite of our nation, besides the particular profite and credite which
would redound to them selues the dealers therein; as I hope by the
sequele of euents to the shame of those that haue auouched the contrary
shalbe manifest: if you the aduenturers, fauourers, and welwillers do
but either encrease in number, or in opinion continue, or hauing bin
doubtfull renewe your good liking and furtherance to deale therein
according to the worthinesse thereof alreadye found and as you shall
vnderstand hereafter to be requisite. Touching which woorthines through
cause of the diuersitie of relations and reportes, manye of your
opinions coulde not bee firme, nor the mindes of some that are well
disposed, bee setled in any certaintie.
I haue therefore thought it good beeing one that haue beene in the
discouerie and in dealing with the natuall inhabitantes specially
imploied; and hauing therefore seene and knowne more then the ordinaire:
to imparte so much vnto you of the fruites of our labours, as that you
may knowe howe iniuriously the enterprise is slaundered. And that in
publike manner at this present chiefelie for two respectes.
First that some of you which are yet ignorant or doubtfull of the state
thereof, may see that there is sufficiet cause why the cheefe
enterpriser with the fauour of her Maiestie, notwithstanding suche
reportes; hath not onelie since continued the action by sending into the
countrey againe, and replanting this last yeere a new Colony; but is
also readie, according as the times and meanes will affoorde, to follow
and prosecute the same.
