SMITH'S VIRGINIA,                                                       40$
nants, and mofl extremely pinched and undone by the extortion of the magazine, for
although their tobacco was Hinted but at two fhillings and fixpence the pound, yet
they pitched their commodities at what rate they pleafed. Fifthly, their fatherlefs
children are left in little better condition than flaves ; for if their parents die in debt,
their children are made as bondmen till the debt be difcharged. Thefe things being
perfected, there grew a great queftion of one Heriot, for plotting of factions and abufing
the governor, for which hé was condemned to lofe his ears, yet he was ufed fo favour-
ably, he loft but the part of one in all.
By this time it being grown paft the wonted feafon of the coming in of fhips from
England, after a general longing and expectation, efpecially of the governor, whofe
commiffion being near upon expiration, gave him caufe to wifh for a mean of deliver-
ance from fo troublefome and thanklefs an employment as he had hitherto found it ;
a fail is difcovered, and long it was not before fhe arrived in the King's Caftle-Harbour ;
this bark was fet out by two or three private men of the company, and having landed
her fupplies, was to go for Virginia ; by her the governor received certain advertife-
ments of the carriage and behaviour of the Spaniards, which he had relieved, as you
have heard, the year before ; that quite contrary both to his merit, their vow, and his
own expectation, they made clamours againft him, the which being feconded by the
Spanifh ambaffador, caufed the ftate to fall in examination about it ; whereupon,
having fully cleared their ingratitude and impudence, and being affured of the choice
of a fucceffor that was to be expected within five or fix weeks, he was defirous to
take the opportunity of this bark, and to vifit the colony m Virginia in his return for
England : leaving the government to Captain Felgat, Captain Stokes, Mr. Lewis
Hewes, Mr. Nedom and Mr. Ginner, but now his time being fully expired, and the
fortifications finifhed, viz. the King's Caftle, wherein were mounted upon fufficient
platforms fixteen pieces of ordnance ; in Charles Fort two ; in Southampton Fort
five ; betwixt which and the caftle paffeth the channel into the harbour, fecured by
three and twenty pieces of good artillery to play upon it. In Cowper's Ifle is Pem-
brock's Fort, where is two pieces. The channel of Saint George is guarded by Smith's
Fort, and Pagit's Fort, in which are eleven pieces of ordnance. Saint George's Town
is half a league within the harbour, commanded by Warwick's Fort, where there are
three great pieces, and on the wharf before the governor's houfe eight more, befides
the warning piece by the mount, and three in Saint Katharines ; fo that in all there
are ten fortreffes, and two-and-fifty pieces of ordnance, fufficient and ferviceable : their
forms and fituations you may fee more plainly defcribed in the map ; and to defend
thofe, he left one thoufand five hundred perfons, with near a hundred boats, and the ifle
replenifhed with ftore of fuch fruits, provifions, and poultry, as is formerly related ;
well, yet for fo departing and other occafions, much difference hath been betwixt him
fome of the company, as any of his predeceffors, which I rather wifh were reconciled,
than to be a reporter of fuch unprofitable diffentions.
For
Till treachery and faction, and avarice be gone,
Till envy and ambition, and backbiting be none,
Till perjury and idlenefs, and injury be out,
And truly till that villainy the worft of all that rout ;
Unlefs thofe vices banilh'd be, whatever forts you have,
A hundred walls together put will not have power to fave.
D D  2   *                                                              Mr,