John Smith

“ Having satisfied himself with the Situation, and the most convenient Passages to bring his Army into it: The Earth no sooner put on her green Habit, than the Earl overspread her with his armed Troops. ”

“ Captain Woodhouse Governour. There are few sorts of any Fruits in the West Indies, but they grow there in abundance; yet the fertility of the Soil in many Places decayeth, being Planted every Year, for their Plantains, which is a most delicate Fruit, they have lately found a way by Pickling or Drying them, to bring them over into England, there being no such Fruit in Europe, and wonderful for increase. For Fish, Flesh, Figgs, Wine, and all sorts of most excellent Herbs, Fruits and Roots they have in abundance. ”

“ Know that We have given Leave and Licence to John Smith an English Gentleman, Captain of 250 Soldiers, under the most Generous and Honourable Henry Volda, Earl of Meldritch, Salmaria, and Peldoia, Colonel of a thousand Horse, and fifteen hundred Foot, in the Wars of Hungary, and in the Provinces aforesaid under our Authority; whose Service doth deserve all praise, and perpetual Memory towards us, as a Man that did for God and his Country overcome his Enemies ”

“ Being provided with expert Guides, and got into the Country he intends to Invade, he sends forth his Scouts to bring in what Prisoners they can, from whom he will wrest the utmost of their Knowledge fit for his purpose; having advised with his Council, what is most fit to be done, the Nobility, according to their Antiquity, doth march; then moves he with his whole Army: if he find there is no Enemy to oppose him, he adviseth how far they shall Invade, commanding every Man (upon pain of his Life) to kill all the obvious Rusticks; but not to hurt any Women, or Children. ”

“ The Villages are only here and there, a few Houses of streight Firr Trees, laid heads and points above one another, made fast by notches at the ends, more than a Man's heighth, and with broad split Boards, pinned together with woodden Pins, as thatched for coverture. In ten Villages you shall scarce find ten Iron Nails, except it be in some extraordinary Man's House. ”

“ In this little Isle of Mevis, more than twenty Years ago, I have remained a great time together, to Wood and Water and refresh my Men; it is all Woody, but by the Sea-side Southward, there are Sands like Downs, where a Thousand Men may quarter themselves Conveniently ”

“ And it is a wonder to me to see such Miracles and Mischiefs in Men; how greedily they pursue to dispossess the Planters of the Name of Christ Jesus, yet say they are Christians, when so much of the World is unpossessed; yea, and better Land than they so much strive for, murthering so many Christians, burning and spoiling so many Cities, Villages and Countries, and subverting so many Kingdoms, when so much lieth wait, or only possessed by a few poor Savages, that more serve the Devil for fear, than God for love ”

“ The King's Palace, both for strength and beauty is excellent, and the Citizens have many great Privileges. Those two Countries of Fez and Morocco, are the best part of all Barbary, abounding with People, Cattel, and all good Necessaries for Man's use. For the rest, as the Larbs, or Mountainers, the Kingdoms of Cocow, Algier, Tripoli, Tunis, and Ægypt; there are many large Histories of them in divers Languages, especially that writ by that most excellent Statesman, John de Leo, who afterwards turned Christian. ”

“ The Earl there at that time made his valour shine more bright than his Armour, which seemed then painted with Turkish Blood; he slew the brave Zanzack Bugola, and made his Passage to his Friends, but near half his Regiment was slain. Captain Smith had his Horse slain under him, and himself sore wounded; but he was not long unmounted, for there was choice enough of Horses, that wanted Masters. The Turk, thinking the Victory sure against the Duke, whose Army, by the Siege and the Garrison, he had left behind him, was much weakened, would not be content with one, but he would have all ”

“ But the Emperor being certified how weak and desperate his Estate was, sent Busca again with a great Army, to try his fortune once more in Transilvania. The Prince considering how his Country and Subjects were consumed, the small means he had any longer to defend his Estate, both against the cruelty of the Turk, and the power of the Emperor, and the small care the Polanders had in Supplying him, as they had promised, sent to Busca to have truce, till Messengers might be sent to the Emperour for some better agreement, wherewith Busca was contented. ”

“ Notwithstanding the Malteses, the Pope, Florentines, Genoeses, French, Dutch and Engish, Gallies and Men of War, they Would rob before their Faces, and even at their own Ports, yet seldom more than three, four, five, or six in a Fleet: many times they had very good Ships, and well Man'd, but commonly in such Factions amongst themselves, and so Riotous, Quarrellous, Treacherous, Blasphemous and Villainous, it is more than a wonder they could so long continue, to do so much Mischief; and all they got, they basely consumed it amongst Jews, Turks, Moors, and Whores. ”

“ Pumpeons in abundance; Goads so great as will make good great Bottles, and cut in two pieces, good Dishes and Platters; many small Brooks of very good Water; Guinea Wheat, Cassado, Pines and Plantains; all things we there Plant, do grow exceedingly, so well as Tobacco; the Corn, Pease, and Beans, cut but away the Stalk, young sprigs will grow, and so bear Fruit for many Years together, without any more Planting; the Isle is overgrown with Wood or great Reeds, those Woods which are soft are exceeding light and full of Pitch, and those that are hard and great, they are as hard to cut as Stone. ”

“ But if he understand of an Enemy, he will either fight in Ambuscado, or flie; for he will never fight any Battel if he can chuse, but upon treble advantage; yet by his innumerable flights of Arrows, I have seen flie from his flying Troops, we could not well judge, whether his fighting or flying was most dangerous, so good is his Horse, and so expert his Bow-men; but if they be so intangled they must fight, there is none can be more hardy, or resolute in their defences. ”

“ And whereas the Countrey was heretofore held most intemperate and contagious by many, now they have Houses, Lodgings, Victuals, and the Sun hath Power to Exhale up the moist Vapours of the Earth, where they have cut down the Wood, which before it could not, being covered with spreading tops of high Trees; they find it much more healthful than before; nor for their Numbers, few Countries are less troubled with Death, Sickness, or any other Disease, nor where overgrown Women become more fruitful. ”

“ Turks and Moors to become men of Warr.
As in all Lands where there are many People, there are some Thieves, so in all Seas much frequented, there are some Pirates; the most Ancient within the Memory of threescore Years, was one Callis, who most refreshed himself upon the Coast of Wales ”

“ All the Cohow Birds and Egbirds are gone; seldom any wild Catts seen; no Rats to speak off; but the Worms are yet very troublesome; the People very healthful, and the Ravens gone; Fish enough, but not so near the shoar as it used, by the much beating it; it is an Isle that hath such a Rampire and a Ditch, and for the quantity so manned, Victualled, and Fortified, as few in the World do exceed it, or is like it.
{MN} The 22d of March, two Ships came from thence; the Peter-Bonaventure, near 200 Tunns, and sixteen Pieces of Ordnance; the Captain, Thomas Sherwin ”

“ Bows and Arrows they make most themselves, also their Bridles and Saddles are indifferent, but the Nobility are very handsome, and well armed like the Turks, in whom consisteth their greatest Glory; the ordinary sort have little Armour, some a plain young Pole unshaven, headed with a piece of Iron for a Lance ”

“ Thus when France and Netherlands had taught him to Ride a Horse, and use his Arms, with such Rudiments of War, as his tender Years in those Martial Schools could attain unto; he was desirous to see more of the World, and try his Fortune against the Turks, both repenting and lamenting to have seen so many Christians slaughter one another. {MN} Opportunity calling him; into the Company of four French Gallants well attended, faining to him the one to be a great Lord, the rest his Gentlemen, and that they were all devoted that way ”

“ Now Doctor Poor is Governour, and the rest of the Council as before: James Town is yet their chief Seat, most of the Wood destroyed, little Corn there Planted, but all Converted into Pasture and Gardens, wherein doth grow all manner of Herbs and Roots we have in England, in abundance, and as good Grass as can be. Here most of their Cattle do feed, their Owners being most some one way, some another, about their Plantations, and return again when they please, or any Shipping comes in to Trade. ”

“ Ward a poor English Sailer, and Dansker a Dutchman, made first here their Marts; when the Moors knew scarce how to sail a Ship; Bishop was Ancient and did little hurt; but Easton got so much as made himself a Marquess in Savoy; and Ward lived like a Bashay in Barbary; those were the first that taught the Moors to be Men of War. Gennings, Harris, Tompson, and divers others were taken in Ireland, a Coast they much frequented, and died at Wapping. ”

“ They keep a shambles of Man's Flesh, as if it were Beef, or other Victuals; for when they cannot have a good Market for their Slaves; or their Enemies they take, they kill, and sell them in this manner; some are so resolute, in shewing how much they scorn death, they will offer themselves and Slaves, to this Butchery to their Prince and Friends; and though there be many Nations will eat their Enemies, in America and Asia, yet none but those are known to be so mad, as to eat their Slaves and Friends also. ”

“ Their Cities and Towns are only scattered Houses, they call Plantations, as are our Country Villages; but no Ordnance Mounted. The Forts Captain Smith left a Building, so ruined, there is scarce Mention where they were; no Discoveries of any thing more, than the curing of Tobacco, by which hitherto, being so present a Commodity of Gain, it hath brought them to this abundance; but that they are so disjointed, and every one Commander of himself to Plant what he will: {MN-4} they are now so well provided, that they are able to subsist ”

“ The other part of the Army was so busied to resist the false fires, that Kisel before the Morning put two thousand good Soldiers in the Town, and with small loss was retired; the Garrison was well relieved with what they found in the Turks Quarters, which caused the Turks to raise their Siege and return to Caniza: and Kisel with much honour was received at Kerment, and occasioned the Author a good Reward and Preferment, to be Captain of Two hundred and fifty Horse-men, under the conduct of Colonel Voldo, Earl of Meldritch. ”

“ They have short Axes of Brass and Copper for Swords; wonderful, loyal and faithful, and exceeding simple, yet so active, they skip amongst the Rocks like Goats. {MN-2} They trade with them of Nubea, and Congo, for Lamach, which is a small kind of Shell-fish, of an excellent azure, colour, Male and Female, but the Female they hold most pure; they value them at divers prices, because they are of divers sorts, and those they use for Coin, to buy and sell, as we do Gold and Silver; nor will they have any other Money in all those Countries, for which they give Elephants Teeth ”

“ Duke Merceur with an Army or Thirty thousand, whereof near Ten thousand were French, besieged Stoll-weissenburg, otherwise called Alba Regalis, a place so strong by Art and Nature, that it was thought impregnable. At his first coming, The Turks sallied upon the German Quarter, slew near five hundred, and returned before they were thought on. The next Night in like manner, they did near as much to the Bemers, and Hungarians; of which, Fortune still presuming, thinking to have found the French quarter as careless, Eight or Nine hundred of them were cut in pieces and taken Prisoners. ”

“ To repair his Defects, he stood for the Coast of Calabria, but hearing there was six or seven Galleys at Messina, he departed thence for Malta; but the Wind coming fair, he kept his course along the Coast of the Kingdom of Sicilia, by Sardinia and Corsica, till he came to the Road of Antibo in Peamon, where he set Smith on shoar with five Hundred Chicqueens, and a little Box God sent him worth near as much more. Here he left this Noble Britain, and embarked himself for Legorn, being glad to have such opportunity and means to better his Experience by the view of Italy ”