Sound Bites -- Provocative excerpts from primary and secondary sources (some with audio commentary)
281-290 of 333 Sound Bites. [show all]
< 251-260 261-270 271-280 281-290 291-300 >
281) It is highly unlikely that Manteo was the simple tool White and the others thought he was. For the Croatoans his position with the colonists may have been simply an extension of the time-honored practice of placing members of the chief's family in other villages to control relationships. (Karen Ordahl Kupperman, Roanoke: The Abandoned Colony. Totowa: Rowman & Litterfield, 1984: 118.) (hear commentary by Elizabeth Wambold)
282) When you have found God making way and room for you, and carrying you by his providence into any place, learn to walk thankfully before him, defraud him not of his rent, but offer yourselves unto his service: serve that God, and teach your children to serve him, that hath appointed you and them the place of your habitation. (John Cotton, "God's Promise to his Plantations," 1630.)
283) The task of developing a more complete understanding of the response of American Indians to the coming of the white man immediately confronts a formidable obstacle: the great American mythos of frontier conquest. The national creation epic of a simple, agrarian, "Anglo" race of conquerors defeating "a fierce race of savages" for control and civilization of an extraordinary wilderness land has long provided us with a catalog of images and stories of who we think we are as a people. (Robert A. Williams, Jr., Linking Arms Together: American Indian Treaty Visions of Law and Peace, 1600-1800. New York: Oxford UP, 1997: 14.)
284) It must be understood at the outset that the English developed two different kinds of legal argument to validate their territorial claims in North America. These corresponded with two groups of rivals not likely to look with favor upon English pretensions: other European powers and native Indians. Defense of English claims directed against rival Europeans not only involved questions of theory, but perhaps more importantly, questions of fact. Moreover, the crucial theoretical questions quickly reduced to questions of degree. . . . Accordingly, these claims were negotiable, often became the subject of negotiation, and sometimes even precipitated international agreements. On the other hand, defense of European claims vis-a-vis the Indians were notably abstract, absolute, and non-negotiable. These involved questions of "conquest" over the natives, and, especially, vindications of the justice of these supposed conquests. (John T. Juricek, "English Territorial Claims in North America under Elizabeth and the Early Stuarts." Terrae Incognitae 7 (1975): 7.)
285) Let him know that Plato defineth it, to bee no iniustice, to take sword out of the hand of a mad man; That Austen hath allowed it, for a lawfull offensive warre, quod ulcisitur injurias that revengeth bloudie injuries. So that if just offenses shall arise, it can bee no more injustice to warre against infidells, than it is when upon just occasions wee warre against Christians. (Virginia Company, A True Declaration of the estate of the Colonie in Virginia, With a confutation of such scandalous reports as have tended to the disgrace of so worthy an enterprise. London, 1610. )
286) let no man adore his golde as his god, nor him Mammon as his maker. If God haue scattered his blessings vpon you as snow, will you returne no tributary acknowledgement of his goodnesse? If you will, can you select a more excellent subject, then to cast down the altars of Diuels, that you may raise vp the Altar of Christ? . . . Doubt ye not but God hath determined, and demonstrated (by the wondrous preseruation of those principal persons which fell vpon the Bermudos) that he will raise our state, and build his Church in that excellent climate, if the action be seconded with resolution and Religion. (Virginia Company, A True Declaration of the estate of the Colonie in Virginia, With a confutation of such scandalous reports as have tended to the disgrace of so worthy an enterprise. London, 1610. )
287) Finallie, it is not unlawfull that we possess part of their land, and dwell with them, and defend ourselues from them. Partlie because there is no other, moderate, and mixt course, to bring them to conuersion, but by dailie conuersation, where they may see the life, and learne the language each of other. Partlie, because there is no trust to the fidelitie of humane beasts. . . .Partlie because there is room sufficient in the land . . . for them, and vs. . . . Partlie, because they haue violated the lawe of nations . . . . But chieflie because Paspehay sold vnto vs for Copper, land to inherit and inhabit. (Virginia Company, A True Declaration of the estate of the Colonie in Virginia, With a confutation of such scandalous reports as have tended to the disgrace of so worthy an enterprise. London, 1610. )
288) Is it unlawfull because wee come to them? why is it not a dutie of christianitie to behold the imprinted footsteps of Gods glorie in euer region vnder heauen? Is it not against the lawe of nations, to violate a peaceable stranger, or to denie him harbour. (Virginia Company, A True Declaration of the estate of the Colonie in Virginia, With a confutation of such scandalous reports as have tended to the disgrace of so worthy an enterprise. London, 1610. )
289) The third, belongs to us, who by way of marchandizing and trade, doe buy of them the pearles of earth, and sell to them the pearles of heaven; which action, if it be unlawfull, it must proceede from one of these grounds, either because we come to them, or trade with them, or tarrie and dwell and possesse part of their country amongst them. (Virginia Company, A True Declaration of the estate of the Colonie in Virginia, With a confutation of such scandalous reports as have tended to the disgrace of so worthy an enterprise. London, 1610. )
290) for the time was when we were sauage and unciuill, and worshipped the diuell, as they now do, then God sent some to make vs ciuill, others to make vs christians. If such had not been sent vs we had yet continued wild and unciuill, and worshippers of the diuell. (William Crashaw, A Sermon preached in London before the right honourable the Lord Lawarre, Lord Governour and Captaine Generall of Virginia . . . and the rest of the aduenturers in that plantation At the said Lord Generall his leaue taking of England his natiue countrey, and departure for Virginea. [running title: A New-yeeres Gift to Virginea] London, 1610. )
