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Jamestown's Starving Time

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Jamestown's Starving Time USHistoryAtlas.com Primary Sources Jamestown’s Starving Time Date # August 1609 to June 1610 Place # Jamestown, Virginia Type of Source # Eyewitness (official letter) Author # George Percy, Governor of Virginia Context # George Percy served as governor of Virginia from 1609–1610 and briefly in 1611 through its worst period. By 1608 many of the original settlers had died from disease and Indian attacks. The arrival of new settlers only worsened relations with the Powhatan Indians, who in 1609 closed off Jamestown in an effort to starve the settlers. The colonists called this period “the starving time.” In a letter to his older brother, Lord Henry Percy (in prison on suspicion of treason), George Percy described the conditions in Jamestown during this period. Spelling and grammar are somewhat modified from the original. Bermudes o the right honorable the Lord Percy: Bermuda T anno Domini . A True Relation of the Proceedings and Occurances of Moment which the Year of Our Lord, have happened in Virginia from the Time Sir Thomas GATES was shipwrecked today usually just known upon the BERMUDES anno 1609 until my departure out of the Country which as A.D. or Common Era was in anno Domini 1612 mutinies rebellions If we Truely Consider the diversity of miseries, mutinies , and famishments famishments which have Attended upon discoveries and plantations in these our modern hunger or famine Times, we shall not find our plantation in Virginia to have Suffered Alone. plantation Ladoniere had his share thereof in FLORIDA, next neighbor unto VIRGINIA, colony where his soldiers did fall into mutinies and in the end were almost All Starved want want for of food. lack The Spaniards plantation in the River of plate and the straits of MAGELANE River of plate; straits Suffered also in so much that having eaten up all their horses to sustain of Magelane themselves withall, mutinies did Arise and grow Amongste them for the which Rio de la Plata; Straits of the general DIEGO MENDOSA caused some of them to be executed, Extremity Magellan; the entire colony is now Argentina of hunger in forcing others secretly in the night to cut down Their dead fellows Bowells from of the gallows and bury them in their hungry Bowells . stomachs ####### Tho: Thomas; the colon is used In the year of our Lord 1609 Sir Tho: GATES and Sir George SOMERS, as a period for accompanied with divers gentlemen soldiers and seamen in nine good Ships did abbreviations begin their voyage for VIRGINIA, the two Knights being in the Admiral whereof divers Christopher NEWPORT was Captain And having sailed with Prosperous winds many many Leagues at length did fall upon the BERMUDES where meeting with A two Knights violent storm the Admiral wherein the two Knights were embarked suffered Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Somers wreck. Nevertheless hoisting out their boat safely Landed the 2 knights and the Leagues Rest of that Company upon the BERMUDES, of whom I will forbear to Treat of a league is 3 miles further until their Arrival in Virginia. presently immediately NYSTROM HERFF JONES EDUCATION DIVISION page 1 of 4 Jamestown’s Starving Time USHistoryAtlas.com Primary Sources The other 8 ships shortly after Arrived in Virginia where the passengers dissension being no sooner well landed but presently A dissension did grow between them disagreement and Capte: SMITHE then president, but after some debate all was quieted and Capte: Smithe pacified. Yet Capte: SMITHE fearing the worst and that the seamen and that John Smith, governor of Virginia, 1608 –1609 faction might grow too strong and be a means to depose him of his government Expense so Juggled with them by the way of feastings Expense of much powder and use other unnecessary Triumphs That much was Spent to no other purpose but to powder Insinuate with his Reconciled enemies and for his own vain glory for the which gunpowder we all after suffered. And that which was intolerable did give Leave unto the Triumphs Seamen to carry away what victuals and other necessaries they would doing the celebrations same more safely in regard the contents thereof was in the Admiral which was Insinuate cast away. make friends Not long after Capte: SMITHE sent Capt: MARTIN and myself with vain glory threescore people to go for NANSEMUNDE Capte: MARTIN’S Lieutenant ego leading most of the men overland and we two with the Rest followed them by victuals water where being Arrived we inquired of the Indians of our men but they food according to their subtleties would not acquaint us therewith. Whereupon I Capt: Martin requested Capte: MARTIN that I might go Ashore to discover the truth to the Captain John Martin which he would not condiscend Neverthelesse the night being stormy and wet I threescore went on Land with my Company where I found our men by good fires in Safety sixty whereof I advertised Capte: MARTIN the next morning who presently with his Nansemunde company did come Ashore unto us where after some consultation held we sent 2 Powhatan village near messengers to the king of ------------- NANSEMUNDE To Barter with him for an present-day Portsmouth, Virginia, about 30 miles Island right opposite against the main we were upon for Copper hatches and from Jamestown other commodities. But our messengers staying Longer then we expected we inquired feared that which after happened. So Capte: MARTIN did Appoint with half of asked our men to take the Island Perforce And being upon the way we espyed A subtleties Canoe wherein we were Persuaded our messengers to be but they Perceiving us lies returned back from whense they came And we never set eye upon our acquaint Messengers after. But understood from the Indians themselves that they were tell sacrificed And that their Brains were cut and scrapped out of their heads with condiscend mussell shells being Landed and acquainted with their Trechery we Beat the agree Savages out of the Island burned their houses Ransaked their Temples Took hatches down the Corpses of their dead kings from of their Tombs And carried away hatchets, axes their pearls Copper and bracelets , wherewith they do decor their kings funerals. Perforce ####### by necessity espyed Shortly after Capte: SMITHE sent Capteyne Francis WEST with one saw hundred and forty men up to the falls with six months victuals to inhabit there. Persuaded Where being Reasonable well settled divers of his men straggled from their fort. convinced Some of them coming hoame wounded. Others never returned to bring any Ransaked Tidings but were cut of and slain by the savages. So that in small Pieces of Time looted Capteyne SMITHE did take his journey up to the falls to understand how things decor were there ordered . When presently after his coming thether A great division decorate did grow amongst them Capte: SMITHE Perceiving both his authority and Capteyne Francis Person neglected incensed and Animated the Savages against Capte: WEST and West his company Reporting unto them that our men had no more powder left them brother of Lord De La Warr (see below), later then would serve for one volley of shot. And so Capte: SMITHE Returning to governor of Virginia JAMES TOWN again found to have too much powder about him The which himself, 1627-1629 NYSTROM HERFF JONES EDUCATION DIVISION page 2 of 4 Jamestown’s Starving Time USHistoryAtlas.com Primary Sources being in his pocket where the spark of A Match Lighted very shrewdly burned the falls him. And coming in that case to JAMES TOWN Captain RATTLIEFE ARCHER rapids near present-day Richmond about 50 miles and MARTIN practised against him and deposed him of his government SMITHE northwest of Jamestown being an Ambitious unworthy and vainglorious fellow Attempting to take all slain Authoreties Mens from them for both RATLIEFE ARCHER and MARTIN being killed engross formerly of the Council SMITHE would Rule all and all authorety into ordered his own hands. Although indeed there was no other certain appointed going, working out government then Sir Tho: GATES had commission for who was then in the thether BERMUDES only a yearly presidentship to govern by the advise of the Council. there But SMITHE aiming at A sovereign Rule without the Assistance of the council was neglected justly deprived of all. absent The place of government being void the three busy instruments in the incensed plantation Proffered the same unto me the which at first I refused in Regard of angered my Sickness. But by their importunity Promising to undergo the Chiefest offices Animated and Burden of government for me until I were Recovered at length I accepted excited, provoked thereof and then was SMITHE presently sent for England. shrewdly seriously After I had been president some fourteen days I sent Captain: Rattliefe to Captain Rattliefe point Comforte for to Build A fort there. The which I did for two Respects The Archer one for the plenty of the place for fishing The other for the commodious Captains John Ratcliffe, a former governor, and discovery of any shipping which should come upon the Coast And for the honor Gabriel Archer, long-time of Your Lordships name and house I named the same ALGERNOWNS Fort . rivals of John Smith Authoreties Not Long after Captain: MARTIN whom I left at the Island did come to power James town pretending some occasions of business, but indeed his own safety engross thereunto moved him fearing to be surprised by the Indians , who had made combine divers excursions against him, so that having left Lieutenant SICKLEMORE to instruments Command in his absence Amongst whose company shortly after did grow A men dangerous mutiny in so much That divers of his men to the number of seventeen Proffered KEKOWHATON did take Away A Boat from him Perforce and went therein to offered pretending they would trade therefore victuals , But they were served according the same their deserts to for not any of them were heard of after And in all likelihood were in this case, the Cut of and slain by the Savages and within few days after Lieutenant governorship SICKLEMORE and divers others were found also slain with their mouths stopped importunity full of Bread being done as it seems in Contempt and scorn that others might persistence expect the Like when they should come to seeke for bread and relief amongst pointe Comforte them.
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