I will first open the cause
in a few wordes wherefore they are [a 3] so different; referring my
selue to your fauourable constructions, and to be adiudged of as by good
consideration you shall finde cause.
Of our companie that returned some for their misdemenour and ill dealing
in the countrey, haue beene there worthily punished; who by reason of
their badde natures, haue maliciously not onelie spoken ill of their
Gouernours; but for their sakes slaundered the countrie it selfe. The
like also haue those done which were of their confort.
Some beeing ignorant of the state thereof, nothwithstanding since their
returne amongest their friendes and acquaintance and also others,
especially if they were in companie where they might not be gainesaide;
woulde seeme to know so much as no men more; and make no men so great
trauailers as themselues. They stood so much as it maie seeme vppon
their credite and reputation that hauing been a twelue moneth in the
countrey, it woulde haue beene a great disgrace vnto them as they
thought, if they coulde not haue saide much wheter it were true or
false. Of which some haue spoken of more then euer they saw or otherwise
knew to bee there; othersome haue not bin ashamed to make absolute
deniall of that which although not by the, yet by others is most
certainely ad there pletifully knowne. And othersome make difficulties
of those things they haue no skill of.
The cause of their ignorance was, in that they were of that many that
were neuer out of the Iland where wee were seated, or not farre, or at
the leastwise in few places els, during the time of our aboade in the
countrey; or of that many that after golde and siluer was not so soone
found, as it was by them looked for, had little or no care of any other
thing but to pamper their bellies; or of that many which had little
vnderstanding, lesse discretion, and more tongue then was needfull or
requisite.
Some also were of a nice bringing vp, only in cities or townes, or such
as neuer (as I may say) had seene the world before. Because there were
not to bee found any English cities, norsuch faire houses, nor at their
owne wish any of their olde accustomed daintie food, nor any soft beds
of downe or fethers: the countrey was to them miserable, & their reports
thereof according.
Because my purpose was but in briefe to open the cause of the varietie
of such speeches; the particularities of them, and of many enuious,
malicious, and slauderous reports and deuises els, by our owne countrey
men besides; as trifles that are not worthy of wise men to bee thought
vpon, I meane not to trouble you withall: but will passe to the
commodities, the substance of that which I haue to make relation of vnto
you.
The treatise where of for your more readie view & easier vnderstanding I
will diuide into three speciall parts. In the first I will make
declaration of such commodities there alreadie found or to be raised,
which will not onely serue the ordinary turnes of you which are and
shall bee the platers and inhabitants, but such an ouerplus sufficiently
to bee yelded, or by men of skill to bee prouided, as by way of
trafficke and exchaunge with our owne nation of England, will enrich
your selues the prouiders; those that shal deal with you; the
enterprisers in general; and greatly profit our owne countrey men, to
supply them with most things which heretofore they haue bene faine to
prouide, either of strangers or of our enemies: which commodities for
distinction sake, I call 'Merchantable'.
In the second, I will set downe all the comodities which wee know the
countrey by our experience doeth yeld of its selfe for victuall, and
sustenance of mans life; such as is vsually fed vpon by the inhabitants
of the countrey, as also by vs during the time we were there.
In the last part I will make mention generally of such other comodities
besides, as I am able to remember, and as I shall thinke behoofull for
those that shall inhabite, and plant there to knowe of; which specially
concerne building, as also some other necessary vses: with a briefe
description of the nature and maners of the people of the countrey.
THE FIRST PART,
OF MARCHAN-
TABLE COMMO-
DITIES.
'Silke of grasse or grasse Silke.'
THere is a kind of grasse in the countrey vppon the blades where of
there groweth very good silke in forme of a thin glittering skin to bee
stript of. It groweth two foote and a halfe high or better: the blades
are about two foot in length, and half inch broad. The like groweth in
Persia, which is in the selfe same climate as Virginia, of which very
many of the silke workes that come from thence into Europe are made.
Here of if it be planted and ordered as in Persia, it cannot in reason
be otherwise, but that there will rise in shorte time great profite to
the dealers therein; seeing there is so great vse and vent thereof as
well in our countrey as els where. And by the meanes of sowing & plating
in good ground, it will be farre greater, better, and more plentifull
then it is. Although notwithstanding there is great store thereof in
many places of the countrey growing naturally and wilde. Which also by
proof here in England, in making a piece of silke Grogran, we found to
be excellent good.
