The History of the First Discovery and Settlement of Virginia

Plot

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 1607- much Cruelty and Inhumanity for thefe fcanty and ill- ?v 'conditioned Provifions; which Management however con- EJ-ward- tinued, more or lefs, the whole time of that Gentleman's fTin'gficlJ Adminiftration of the Affairs of the Company and Colony. Prefident. This unwholefome Food, together with their continual Toil and Labour in the Extremity of the Heat, carried off fifty of the Company by September; in which Number was Captain Gofnold, the firft Mover and Projector of the whole Bufinefs. The reft, that furvived by the Care of Captain Smith, and the Skill and Diligence of Mr. Thomas Wotton, their Surgeon-General, fubfifted on Crabs and Sturgeon, till September. But the Prefident, all this while, had felt neither Want nor Sicknefs. For he had embezzled the public Oatmeal, Sack, Aqua-vite, Beef, and Eggs, and had lived in great Plenty and Elegance. Soon after, having projected an Efcape to England in the Bark, it raifed fuch Indignation in the reft, that they depofed him, and elected Captain John Rat- John Ratclijffe in his Room. Kendall was likewife at the cliffe Prefi- fame time difgraced, and removed from the Council, for being concerned in thefe male Practices of the Prefident. And now, when all their Provifions were fpent, the Sturgeon gone, and no Profpect of Relief from any Quarter left, God wrought fo wonderful a Change in the Hearts of the Indians, that they brought fuch Plenty of their Fruits and Provifions, as no Man wanted. Newport was gone, Gofnold dead, and Wingfield and Kendall in Difgrace; neither were their Places fupplied by the Election of any others, according to the Authority given. So that the whole Government and Power ot the Council now refted in the new Prefident, Martin, and Smith. But the Prefident and Martin...