Virginia

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

VIRGINIA AND FLORIDA. (Book Virginia)

• 1.1VIRGINIA and Florida doe follow in our method. Virginia as some suppose was so called from the Earle Viguinus, but hee that sett forth a Journall or Commentary of Sir Francis Drakes Voyage in the West-Indies in the yeere 1584. saith that it was so called from Elizabeth Queene of England. The Inhabitants doe call it Wingandocoa. It is very fruitfull,* 1.2 and beareth plentifully whatsoever is necessary for the sustation and delectation of mans life: as Wine, Oyle, Beanes, which the Inhabitants call Okindgere, and Pease, which they call Wickanzenr, also Pompions and Melons, which they call Macocquer: also divers Hearbes besides Chesnuts, Walnuts, Straberies, and other excellent Fruits: also Allome, Pitch and Tarre, Turpentine, Iron, Copper, Silke, Flaxe, Cotton, Pearles, and many other things. But especially it hath great store of Virginy Wheate, which the Inhabitants doe call Pagatowr, and the West-Indians Maiz: which is to bee wondred at because they use a meane kinde of Husbandry. For they know neither Plough nor Harrow, neither doe they make Furrow or plough the ground, nor breake the clods after they have sowne the seed as we doe, but they turne up the earth with a woodden Shovell or Spade, and so in the little Furrowes they set the Graine with a setting sticke as we doe Beanes, which being coverd with earth will sprout forth wonderfully. In some parts it hath divers kindes of Beasts, as Beares, Lions, Wolves, Conies, and those which the Inhabitants call Saquenuckot, Maquowoc, and Squirrels. It hath moreover divers Birds, as Indian Cocks and Hens, Doves, Partridges, Cranes, Swans, Geese, Parrots, Falkons, and Hawkes. The Townes here are very small, containing onely 10. or 12. Houses, they build them round with Stakes and Poles set in the Earth, with a narrow comming in, Princes, and Noblemens Houses have a Court-yard and some few Houses round about them. The Citties by the Shore side are these: Pyshokonnock, or the Womens Citty, also Chipanum, Weopomiock, Muscamunge, and Mattaquen, and Oanoke, which the English call'd the blind Citty, also Pemeoke, Phycoake a great Citty, Chowanaoke, Sequotam, and others. The Rivers which water it are Occam, Cipo, Nomopano, Neus, and others. In foure Moneths of the yeere, February, March, Aprill, and May, here is good fishing for Sturgeons, and Herrings. Here are also good Trouts, Scate, Mullets, and Plaise, and many other kindes of Fish. It hath also Woods which are full of Connies, Hares, and Fowle. But the Woods are not such as be in Bohemia, Moscovy, or Hyrcania, which are barren and doe yeeld nothing, but they are full of high tall Cedars, Pines, Cypresse Trees, Mastick Trees, and many other odoriferous Trees. The Inhabitants are of a middle stature, just in their dealing, they beleeve the Immortality of the Soule, but they delight in dancing, and immoderate drinking, as the other Americans doe, but yet they abstaine from mans flesh. They doe hunt wilde beasts every day. And their Armes are Bowes and Arrowes. They beleeve that there are many Gods whom they call Mant•a•, but of divers kindes and degrees, and that there is onely one chiefe God that was before all ages, who they say, when he purposed to create the whole world, did first create the other speciall Gods, that he might use them as assistants, and helpers both in creating and governing the whole World. And then hee made the Sunne, the Moone, and the Statres, as the lesser Gods to be assisting to the chiefe Cods. They say the waters were first created, out of which the Gods did create all kindes of creatures visible and invisible. Concerning mankinde, they affirme that the woman was first created, which by the helpe of one of the Gods did conceive and bring forth children, and this they say was the first originall of all mankinde. But concerning the manners and nature of the Inhabitants and the other commodities and wonders of Virginia, you may see more which Iohn Wytts Description, and Thomas Harriotts Relation, Theodore Brius hath written of them in a particular Booke, and hath cut them forth in Brasse Figures.

THE DESCRIPTION OF NEVV VIRGINIA· (Book New Virginia)

IT is wonderfull how much this Province and the Colony therein encreased from the time that the Englishmen began first to inhabit it: so that almost all parts of it are found out and discovered. And that these things may appeare more clearely, wee thinke it fit to joyne to this Description Captaine Smiths last Voyage into this Country. These Provinces therefore expressed in this present Card, have on the North a high Mountaine, at the foote whereof there dwell a people called Sasquesahanoug. On the North-west it hath the Massawonecks, on the West the Manahoacks, on the South-west the Monacans, on the South the Mongoags and Chanons, betweene Affrick and the North the Virginian Sea, and on the West certaine high Mountaines doe shew themselves, on which certaine rude barbarous people doe live call'd •uskarawaocks, Tockwoghs, and Aquanachukes. The River Pouhatan watereth this Country, which riseth in the Country of the Monacans, and so running towards Affrick it falleth into the Ocean. Neere the Promontory Wiffins another lesser River doth empty it selfe into the Sea, as also the Rivers Payaunkata, Cappahonock, and Parwomeck, which are full of Fish, and are inhabited round about. There are also other Nations toward the North, but not knowne. These Countries Captaine Smith in the yeere 1608. did discover with one Brigantine or Galloone, who met two Indians, who brought him from Capo Charles to Acc•umack, whence he sayled to the great Bay Chesapeack, about which there dwelt divers people who warred one with another, who entertaind him in severall manners. But his chiefe desire was to finde out the veines of mettall, which he attempted in vaine. Ponuhatan is a little Village consisting of 12. Houses or rather Cottages, being situate on a pleasant Hill, the Lords of which place were called by the same name, as also the neighbour Nation, who entertained him well, without any shew of Hostility. Wherefore when Captaine Newport came thither with a new supply, he would needs goe visit Po•hatan at his house at Weromoco, who being courteously entertain'd he found him sitting on a Straw Mart, and resting his head after his Country manner on a faire Pillow, and Maydes as faire as the place could afford did sitt at his head and feete, and 20. Concubines did watch at each side of the Palace. But hee himselfe having his head and breast painted red, wore a chaire of white Corrall. And when the Captaine had given him one of his Boyes, hee gave him back in exchange one of his Servants call'd Wamotack, with Corall, and some Corne, which served well for the reliefe of his men, and afterward he furnished the Captaine with all things necessary. Hee as also Captaine Smith had a great desire to finde out veines of Gold and Silver, but both he and those that came after him were frustrated in their desire. Yet he sent a Ship loaden with Cedar to England. In the meane time Ponuhatan labourd to get some armes and munition from the English, which the Governours did very much suspect, as if the King with those armes intended to kill the English, or drive them out of the Country. But Captaine Smiths vigilance and watchfulnesse prevented him, so that he could effect nothing, and the English Colonie living here are now in a good estate increased to many thousands,* 1.1 and Kine, and Hogs, and Turkies aboundance, and all things plentifull, and no want but of good women, thick sowne, but thin come up.

Tecoanteper a Country of new Spaine. There raigned in the Citty of Mexico 9. Kings in a 130. yeeres, being 619. yeeres after that the Chichimeicians did possesse the Country of Mexico. The last of these was Motezun•a, who was slaine in a certaine sedition, and in him the family of the Mexican Kings was extinct. Moreover this part is inhabited by the Spaniards, who have many Colonies in it, namely, Comp•stella, Colima, Purificatio, Guadalajara, Mechoaca, Cacatula, Mexico, and others. There are also in New Spaine divers famous Countries, namely new Galitia, Mechawcan, Mexico, and Guastecan. Nova Galitia was first called by the Inhabitants Xalisce, which Nunus Gusmannus first sought out and discoverd,* 1.2 who built some Citties in it, namely, Compostella, where there is a Bishops Seate, and a Royall Counsell: also Spiritus S. Conceptionis, S. Michaels, and Gaudalajara, which is the chiefe Citty of the whole Kingdome. There belongeth to Nova Galitia that Country which is called Culicana from a Citty of that name. It lyeth betweene the River Piasala, and the River S. Sebastian, which runneth under ground, before it discharge it selfe into the Sea. The Metropolis is the Citty Culiacan, where the Spaniards planted the Colony of Michaels House. The Country Methaucan is 40. leagues in compasse, and it is one of the richest and fruitfullest Kingdomes of new Spaine: for it hath ripe Maiz three times a yeere, and also other fruits. This Country doth containe two principall Citties, in which the Spaniards live, call'd Pas•uar and Valadolid, which is a Bishops Seate, besides other Townes of lesse note. The Country of Mexico doth not onely exceed the other Countries of New Spaine, but of all America. It was so named from the Citty Mexico, which is called also Temistitan. It is the Metropolis of the Province of Mexico. It was seated in the middle of a great Lake, before Cortes did possesse it, who remov'd it to the banke of the same Lake, it is now well built, and it is 6. Italian miles in compasse, one part whereof the Spaniards doe inhabit, the other part the Indians. Mexico signifies a Fountaine, and it was so called by the first Founders, in regard of the many Springs and Fountaines which doe encompasse this Citty. This was the fairest and chiefest Citty of the Indies, yea of the whole World, when Ferdinand Cortesius tooke it and wonne it by assault in the yeere 1521. For this being the chiefe Citty of the whole Kingdome of Mexico, contained 70000. Houses. The Kings and Noblemens Houses were very large, and conveniently built, but the Common peoples Houses were meaner and lower. There are in this Citty, a Bishop, a Vice-roy, and the high Tribunall, or Court of New Spaine. There is also a Mount in it for coyning of money. Moreover there are in the Mexican Lakes, and about their bankes 50. Townes, every one of which doth containe about 10000. Houses. Next after Mexico is the Citty Tescura by the banke of the same Lake, which is as bigge as Mexico. There is also in this Province the Citty Angelorum, which was first called V••sita•• that is the Land Serpents, which is famous for dressing of W•o•• which hath Vales and Plaines round about it, in which great Flocks and Heards of Cattell doe graze, and great store of Corne and 〈◊〉 are gotten and gathered here. The Country of Guastecan in Virginia so now flourisheth, that it vittels other parts.

1685. Geographia universalis: the present state of the whole world by Pierre Duval.

VIrginia bears this Name in honour of the most Illustrious and Renowned Elizabeth, the Maiden-Queen of England. First some French nested themselves in this Countrey, but the English were too hard and powerful for them, took absolute possession of it, in the Year 1584, and have continued in their settlement there, notwithstanding the loss of five or six Colonies. They have a Governour, an Admiral, and several particular Officers. This Establishment facilitates to them the communication of what they have in New England and Florida. The Air of Virginia which is extreamly healthful, produces several sorts of excellent Fruits. It is somewhat cold, and yet the Inhabitants go naked: the Oyl and the Colours with which they rub themselves, defending them against the injuries of the Weather. From thence is Exported Tobacco and Silk, which is drawn from an Herb wholly peculiar to Virginia. They would make us believe that there is a flying Squirrel, which makes use of its paws as if they were wings.

The Inhabitants of Virginia love to make good Cheer, are Idolaters, and have divers Lords, whom they call Werouns. Their Towns which they surround with Pallisadoes, have only 18 or 20 Houses. Pomeiock and James-Town, are the Principal places of this Region. The Bay of Chesapeack is very considerable, being seventy five Leagues in length, for the most part six or seven broad, and ten or twelve towards its entrance. The Ships sail up above sixty Leagues, for it is often fifteen or sixteen fathom deep, and six or seven where it is most shallow.

The Islands of Barmudas, or Summer Isles, are under the same Crown, and almost in the same Parallel with Virginia, distant above three hundred Leagues from the Continent of America. They are several in number around the principal one, and almost all invironed with Rocks, and sufficiently known for the Shipwracks that happen there. The Merchants bring thence Cocheneal, Tobacco, Pearls, and Amber; there are found Tortoises of an excessive bigness, and Spiders without venom, extraordinary large, of a streak'd colour, which spin Webs capable of holding little Birds. In the Year 1516. five men being imbarked at the Barmudas in a little Pinnace, traversed above twelve hundred Leagues at Sea, and by a singular happiness arrived in Ireland. In the Year 1525. a Portuguez who was in the East Indies, being desirous to do a notable piece of service to his Prince, undertook a Voyage which was no less perilous; for with a small Gally, but sixteen foot long, and six-broad, he departed from Cochim, and having traversed the Occan, and all its particular Seas, at last he arrived at Lisbon, where he brought the King of Portugal the news of the building a Cittadel at Diu; a piece of news which was agreeably received in that Court.