Sound Bites -- Provocative excerpts from primary and secondary sources (some with audio commentary)
321-330 of 333 Sound Bites. [show all]
< 301-310 311-320 321-330 331-333
321) The people steal anything that comes neare them, yea are so practized in this art that lookeing in our face they would with their foote betweene their toes convey a chizell knife, percer or any indifferent light thing: which having once conveyed they hold it an injury to take the same from them; They are naturally given to trechery, howbeit we could not finde it in our travell vp the river, but rather a most kind and loving people. ([Gabriel Archer ?], "A Breif discription of the People" (1607). Philip L. Barbour, The Jamestown Voyages under the First Charter, 1606-1609. 2 vols. Cambridge: Hakluyt Society, 1969.)
322) And how Weary Soever your Soldiers be Let them never trust the Country people with the Carriage of their Weapons for if they Run from You with Your Shott which they only fear they will Easily kill them with all their arrows. And whensoever any of Yours Shoots before them be sure that they be Chosen out of your best Markesmen for if they See Your Learners miss what they aim at they will think the Weapon not so terrible and thereby will be bould to Assailt You. Above all things Do not advertize the killing of any of your men that the Country people may know . . . they are but Common men. . . . Do well also not to Let them See or know of Your Sick men . . . which may also Encourage them to many Enterprizes. (Virginia Company, "Instructions given by way of advice by us . . . to be Observed by those Captains and Company which are Sent at this present to plant there" (1606). Samuel M. Bemiss, ed. The Three Charters of the Virginia Company of London: With Seven Related Documents; 1606-1621. Williamsburg: The Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corporation, 1957.)
323) Secondly you must in no Case Suffer any of the natural people of the Country to inhabit between You and the Sea Coast for you Cannot Carry Your Selves so towards them but they will Grow Discontented with Your habitation and be ready to Guide and assist any Nation that Shall Come to invade You and if You neglect this You neglect Your Safety. (Virginia Company, "Instructions given by way of advice by us . . . to be Observed by those Captains and Company which are Sent at this present to plant there" (1606). Samuel M. Bemiss, ed. The Three Charters of the Virginia Company of London: With Seven Related Documents; 1606-1621. Williamsburg: The Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corporation, 1957.)
324) Furthermore our will and pleasure is, and we doe hereby determine and ordaine, that euery person and persons being our subjects of euery the said Collonie and Plantations shall from time to time well entreate those saluages in those parts, and use all good meanes to draw the saluages and heathen people of the said seueral places and of the territories and Countries adjoining to the true seruice and knowledge of God, and that all just, kind and charitable courses shall be holden with such of them, as shall conforme themselues to any good and sociable traffique and dealing with the subjects of us . . . whereby they may be the sooner drawne to the true knowledge of God, and the Obedience of us, our heires and successors, under such seuere paines and punishments as shal be inflicted by the same saueral Presidents and Councells. (King James I, "Articles, Instructions, and orders . . . for the good order and Gouernment of the two seueral Colonies and Plantations to be made by our Louing Subjects, in the Country commonly called Virginia and America" (1606). Samuel M. Bemiss, ed. The Three Charters of the Virginia Company of London: With Seven Related Documents; 1606-1621. Williamsburg: The Virginia 350th Anniversary Celebration Corporation, 1957.)
325) wee greately commending and graciously accepting of their desires to the furtherance of soe noble a worke which may by the providence of Almightie God hereafter tende to the glorie of hys divyne maiestie in propagating of Christian religion to suche people as yet live in darknesse and myserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worshippe of god and may in tyme bring the infidels and salvages lyving in those partes to humane civilitie and to a setled and quiete governmente. (James I, First Charter of the Virginia Company, April 1606.)
326) And besides the future expectation, the present encouragement is exceeding much, in that it is a Voyage countenanced by our gracious King, counsulted on by the Oracles of council, adventured in by our wisest and greatest nobles, and undertaken by so worthy, so hounourable, and religious a Lord, and furthered not only by many other parties of this land, both clergy and laity, but also by the willing, liberal contribution of this honourable city, and as that it is a Voyage, wherein every Christian ougt to set to his helping hand, seeing the Angel of Virginia cryeth out to this land as the Angel of Macedonia did to Paul, O come help us. (Daniel Price, Saul's Prohibition Staide or the Apprehension and examination of Saul and the indictement of all that persecute Christ with reproof of those that traduce the honourable plantation of Virginia. London, 1609.) (hear commentary by Christina Hoffmann)
327) But look seriously into the land, and see whether there bee not just cause, if not a necessity to seek abroad. The people blessed be God, doe swarme in the land, as yong bees in a hive in June; insomuch that there is very hardly roome for one man to live by another. The mightier like old strong bees thrust the weaker, as younger, out of their hives.... (William Symonds, Virginia: A Sermon Preached at White-Chapel. London: 1609: 19-20.) (hear commentary by Katherine Lehnes)
328) These things they have, these they may spare, these we need, these we will take of them. But what will we give them? first, we will give them such things as they greatly desire, and do hold a sufficient recompense for any of the foresaid commodities we take of them: but we hold it not so; and therefore out of our humanity and conscience, we will give them more, namely such things as they want and need, and are infinitely more excellent than all we take from them: and that is {1. Civility for their bodies, 2. Christianity for their souls:} The first to make them men: the second happy men; the first to cover their bodies from the shame of the world: the second, to cover their souls from the wrath of God: the less of these two (being that for the body) will make them richer than we find them. (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. ) (hear commentary by Elizabeth Wiggins)
329) Some affirm, and it is likely to be true, that these Savages have no particular propertie in any part or parcel of that countrey, but only a general residence there, as wild beasts have in the forest...so that if the whole land should be taken from them, there is not a man that can complaine of any particular wrong done unto him...But the answer to the foresaid objection is that there is no intendment to take away from that by force that rightfull inheritance which they have in that Countrey for they are willing to entertaine us, and have offered to yeelde into our handes on reasonable conditions more land then we shall be able this long time to plant and manure...and upon all question upon eache composition with them, wee may have as much of their Countrey yielded unto us, by lawfull grant from them, as wee can or will desire, so that we goe to live peaceablie among them, and not to supplant them (Robert Gray, Good Speed to Virginia. Offering most excellent fruites by Planting in Virginia. London, 1609.) (hear commentary by Karen Manahan)
330) Our forefathers not looking out in time, lost the prime and fairest proffer of the greatest wealth in the world, and wee taxe their omission for it, yet now it falles out, that wee their children are tryed in the like, there being yet an excellent portion left, and by Divine providence offered to our choice, which (seeing we have armes to embrace,) let it not be accounted hereafter, As a prize in the hands of fooles that had no hearts to use it. (Robert Johnson, Nova Britannia: Offering Most Excellent fruites by Planting in Virginia. London, 1609.) (hear commentary by Elizabeth Vogstberger)
