Colonization, 1562-1753

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Author: George and Leonard Calvert  | Date: 1633

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Lord Baltimore’s Plantation in Maryland

ON Friday the 22 of November 1633, a small gale of wind coming gently from the northwest, weighed from the Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, about ten in the morning; and (having stayed by the way twenty days at the Barbadoes, and fourteen days at St. Christophers, upon some necessary occasions,) we arrived at Point-Comfort in Virginia, on the 24 of February following, the Lord be praised for it. At this time one Captain Claybourn was come from parts where we intended to plant, to Virginia, and from him we understood, that all the natives of these parts were in preparation of defense, by reason of a rumor somebody had raised among them, of six ships that were come with a power of Spaniards, whose meaning was to drive all the inhabitants out of the country.

We had good letters from his Majesty to the Governor and Council of Virginia, which made him favor us and show us as noble usage as the place afforded, with promise, that for their cattle and hogs, corn and poultry, our plantation should not want the open way to furnish ourselves from thence: He told us likewise, that when his lordship should be resolved on a convenient place to make himself a seat, he should be able to provide him with as much brick and tile as he should have occasion to employ, until his lordship had made of his own: Also, that he had to furnish his lordship with two or three hundred stocks ready grafted with pears, apples, plums, apricots, figs, and peaches, and some cherries: That he had also some orange and lemon trees in the grounds which yet thrived; Also filberts, hazelnuts and almonds; and in one place of the colony, quince trees, wherewith he could furnish his lordship; and, in fine, that his lordship should not want anything that colony had.

On the 3 of March we came into Chesapeake Bay, and made sail to the north of Patomac river, the bay running between two sweet lands in the channel of 7, 8 and 9 fathoms deep, 10 leagues broad, and full of fish at the time of the year; It is one of the delightfulest waters I ever saw, except Patomac, which we named St. Gregory’s. And now being in our own country, we began to give names to places, and called the southern point, Cape Saint Gregory; and the northerly point, Saint Michael’s.

This river, of all I know, is the greatest and sweetest, much broader than the Thames; so pleasant, as I for my part, was never satisfied in beholding it. Few marshes or swamps, but the greatest part solid good earth, with great curiosity of woods which are not choked up with under-shrubs, but set commonly one from the other in such distance, as a coach and four horses may easily travel through them.

At the first appearance of the ship on the river, we found (as was foretold us) all the country in arms. The King of the Paschattowayes had drawn together 1500 bowmen, which we ourselves saw, the woods were fired in manner of beacons the night after; and for that our vessel was the greatest that ever those Indians saw, the scouts reported we came in a canoe, as big as an island, and had as many men as there be trees in the woods.

We sailed up the river till we came to Heron islands, so called from the infinite swarms of that fowl there. The first of those islands we called Saint Clement’s: The second Saint Katharine’s; And the third, Saint Cicily’s. We took land first in Saint Clement’s, which is compassed about with a shallow water, and admits no access without wading; here by the overturning of the shallop, the maids which had been washing at the land were almost drowned, beside the loss of much linen, and among the rest, I lost the best of mine which is a very main loss in these parts. The ground is covered thick with pokickeries (which is a wild walnut very hard and thick of shell; but the meat (though little) is passing sweet,) with black walnuts, and acorns bigger than ours. It abounds with vines and salads, herbs and flowers, full of cedar and sassafras. It is but 400 acres big, and therefore too little for us to settle upon.

Here we went to a place, where a large tree was made into a cross; and taking it on our shoulders, we carried it to the place appointed for it. The Governor and commissioners putting their hands first unto it, then the rest of the chiefest adventurers. At the place prepared we all kneeled down, and said certain prayers; taking possession of the country for our Saviour, and for our sovereign lord the King of England.

Here our Governor had good advice given him, not to land for good and all, before he had been with the Emperor of Paschattoway, and had declared unto him the cause of our coming: Which was first to learn them a divine doctrine, which would lead their souls to a place of happiness after this life were ended; And also, to enrich them with such ornaments of a civil life wherewith our country does abound: and this Emperor being satisfied, none of the inferior kings would stir. In conformity to this advice, he took two pinnaces, his own, and another hired in Virginia; and leaving the ship before Saint Clement’s at anchor, went up the river and landing on the south side, and finding the Indians fled for fear, came to Patomac Town, when the King being a child, Archlhau his uncle governed both him and his country for him. He gave all the company good welcome: and one of the company having entered into a little discourse with him touching the errors of their religion, he seemed well pleased therewith; and at his going away desired him to return unto him again, telling him he should live at his table, his men should hunt for him, and he would divide all with him….

Our town we call Saint Marie’s; and to avoid all just occasion of offense, and color of wrong, we bought of the king for hatchets, axes, hoes, and clothes, a quantity of some 30 miles of land, which we call Augusta Carolina; And that which made them the more willing to sell it, was the wars they had with the Susquehannock, a mighty bordering nation, who came often into their country, to waste and destroy; and forced many of them to leave their country, and pass over Patomac to free themselves from peril before we came. God no doubt disposing all this for them, who were to bring his law and light among the infidels. Yet, seeing we came so well prepared with arms, their fear was much less, and they could be content to dwell by us: Yet do they daily relinquish their houses, lands, and cornfields, and leave them to us. Is not this a piece of wonder that a nation, which a few days before was in arms with the rest against us, should yield themselves now unto us like lambs, and give us their houses, land and livings, for a trifle? Digitus Dei est hic: and surely some great good is intended by God to his nation.

We had not been long time seated there, ere Sir John Harvey, Governor of Virginia, did our Governor the honor (in most friendly manner) to visit him: and during the time of his being there, the King of Patuxunt also came to visit us; and being come aboard the Ark, and brought into the great cabin, and seated between the two Governors (Captain Fleete and Master Golding the interpreters being present) he began his speech as follows:

"When I heard that a great werowance of the English was come to Yoacomoco, I had a great desire to see him. But when I heard the werowance of Pasbiehaye was come thither also to visit him, I presently start up, and without further counsel, came to see them both."

In the time of his stay at Saint Mairie’s, we kept the solemnity of carrying our colors on shore: and the king of Patuxunt accompanying us, was much taken with the ceremony. But the same night (he and Captain Fleete being at the Indian house) the Ark’s great guns, to honor the day, spoke aloud; which the king of Patuxunt with great admiration hearing, counseled his friends the Yoacomoco Indians to be careful that they break not their peace with us; and said:

"When we shoot, our bow-strings give a twang that’s heard but a little way off: But do you not hear what cracks their bow-strings give?" Many such pretty sayings he used in the time of his being with us, and at his departure, he thus expressed his extraordinary affection unto us:

"I do love the English so well, that if they should kill me, so that they left me with so much breath, as to speak unto my people, I would commend them not to revenge my death."

As for the natives they are proper tall men of person; swarthy by nature but much more by art: painting themselves with colors in oil, like a dark red, which they do to keep the gnats off: wherein I confess, there is more ease than comeliness.

As for their faces, they have other colors at times, as blue from the nose upward, and red downward, and some time contrariwise in great variety, and in very ghastly manner; sometimes they have no beards till they come to be very old, and therefore draw from each side of their mouths, lines to their very ears, to represent a beard; and this sometimes of one color, and sometimes of another.

They wear their hair generally very long, and it is as black as jet: which they bring up in a knot to the left ear, and tie it about with a large string of wampampeg, or roanoke, or some other of the best jewels among them. Upon their forehead, some use to wear a fish of copper, and some wear other figures.

About their necks, they use to wear many bugle chains, though these begin now not to be esteemed among them for truck. Their apparel generally is deer-skin, and some fur, which they wear like loose mantles: yet under this about their middle, all women and men, at man’s estate, wear Perizomata (or round aprons) of skins, which keeps them decently covered, that without any offense to chaste eyes, we may converse with them.

All the rest of their bodies are naked, and at times, some of the youngest sort both of men and women have just nothing to cover them. Their feet are as hard as any horn, when they run over prickles and thornes they feel it not. Their arms is a bow, with a bunch of arrows, of a yard long, furnished with three feathers at the top; and pointed either with the point of a deer’s horn, or a sharp three-cornered white flint; the rest is a small cane, or straight stick. They are so expert at these, that I have once seen one, a good distance off, strike a very small bird through the middle: and they used to cast a thing up from hand, and before it came to the ground to meet it with a shaft. Their bows are but weak, and carry not level very far; yet these are their livelihood, and every day they are abroad after squirrels, partridges, turkeys, deer, and the like game; whereof there is a wonderful plenty; though we dare not yet be so bold ourselves, as to fetch fresh meat by this means far off.

The Indian houses are all built here in a long half oval; nine or ten foot high to the middle top, where (as in ancient temples) the light is admitted by a window, half a yard square; which window is also the chimney, which gives passage to the smoke, the fire being made in the middle of the floor (as in our old halls of England) and about it they use to lie. Save only that their kings and great men have their cabins, and a bed of skins well dressed (wherein they are excellent) set on boards and four stakes driven into the ground. And now at this present, many of us live in these Witchotts (as they term them) conveniently enough till better be set up: But they are dressed up something better than when the Indians had them.

The natural wit of this nation is good and quick, and will conceive a thing very readily: they excel in smell and taste, and have far sharper sight than we. Their ordinary diet is pone and hominy, both made of corn, to which they add at times, fish, fowl, and venison.

They are of great temperance, especially from hot waters or wine, which they are hardly brought to taste, save only whom the English have corrupted with their own vices.

For modesty, I must confess, I never saw from man or woman, any action tending to levity; and yet daily the poor souls are here in our houses, and take content to be with us, bringing sometimes turkeys, sometimes squirrels as big as English rabbits, but much more dainty; at other times fine white cakes, partridges, oysters ready boiled and stewed: and do run unto us with smiling countenance when they see us, and will fish and hunt for us, if we will; and all this with intercourse of very few words, but we have hitherto gathered their meaning by signs.

It is lawful among them to have more wives than one: but all keep the rigor of conjugal faith unto their husbands. The women’s aspect is modest and grave.

Generally the nation is so noble, that you cannot do them any favor or good turns but they return it. There is small passion among them, but they weigh all with a calm and quiet reason. And to do this the better, in great affairs they are studying in a long silence what is best to be said or done: And then they answer yea or no, in two words: And stand constantly to their resolution….

We have planted since we came, as much maize (or Indian wheat) as will suffice (if God prosper it) much more company than we have. It is up about knee high above ground already, and we expect return of 1000 for one, as we have reason for our hope, from the experience of the yield in other parts of this country, as is very credibly related to us.

We have also English peas, and French beans, cotton, oranges, lemons, quinces, apples, pears, potatoes, and sugar-cane of our own planting, beside hortage coming up very finely.

But such is the quantity of vines and grapes now already upon them (though young) as I daresay if we had vessels and skill, we might make many a ton of wine, even from about our plantation; and such wine, as those of Virginia say (for yet we can say nothing) as is as good as the wine of Spain. I fear they exceed; but surely very good. The clime of this country is near the same with Seville and Cordova; lying between 38 and 40 degrees of northerly latitude. Of hogs we have already got from Achomack (a plantation in Virginia) to the number of 100, and more: and some 30 cows; and more we expect daily, with goats and hens; our horses and sheep we must have out of England, or some other place by the way, for we can have none in Virginia.

For the commodities, I will speak more when I see further; only we have sent over a good quantity of iron-stone, for a trial, which, if it prove well, the place is likely to yield infinite store of it. And for that flax and hemp which we have sowed, it comes up, and we hope will thrive exceedingly well: I end with the soil, which is excellent, covered with store of large strawberries, raspberries, vines, sassafras, walnuts, acorns, and the like: and this in the wildest woods too.

The mold is black, a foot deep, and then comes after a red earth. All is high wood, but in the Indian fields, which are some parcels of ground cleared for corn. It abounds with good springs, which is our drink. Of beasts; I have seen deer, raccoons, and squirrels, beside which there are many others, which I have not yet seen. Of birds diversely feathered there are infinite; eagles, bitterns, herons, swans, geese, partridge, ducks, red, blue, partly-colored birds, and the like. By all which it appears, the country abounds not only with profit but with pleasure. And to say truth, there wants nothing for the perfecting of this hopeful plantation; but greater numbers of our countrymen to enjoy it.

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Chicago: George and Leonard Calvert, "Lord Baltimore’s Plantation in Maryland," Colonization, 1562-1753 in America, Vol.2, Pp.132-142 Original Sources, accessed March 29, 2024, http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=RQ4J2HRUBBRSSXE.

MLA: Calvert, George and Leonard. "Lord Baltimore’s Plantation in Maryland." Colonization, 1562-1753, in America, Vol.2, Pp.132-142, Original Sources. 29 Mar. 2024. http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=RQ4J2HRUBBRSSXE.

Harvard: Calvert, G, 'Lord Baltimore’s Plantation in Maryland' in Colonization, 1562-1753. cited in , America, Vol.2, Pp.132-142. Original Sources, retrieved 29 March 2024, from http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=RQ4J2HRUBBRSSXE.