A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia | Page 4

by Thomas Hariot A briefe and true report of the new found
land of Virginia, 'of the commodities and of the nature and man ners of the naturall
inhabitants: Discouered bÿ the English Colony there seated by' Sir Richard Greinuile
Knight 'In the yeere 1585. Which rema =ined vnder the gouernment of twelue monethes,
At the speciall charge and direction of the Honou= rable' SIR WALTER RALEIGH
Knight, lord Warden of the stanneries Who therein hath beene fauoured and authorised
bÿ her' MAIESTIE ':and her letters patents: This fore booke Is made in English By
Thomas Hariot; seruant to the abouenamed Sir' WALTER, 'a member of the Colonÿ, and
there imploÿed in discouering.' CVM GRATIA ET PRIVILEGIO CÆS.MATIS
SPECIALD FRANCOFORTI AD MOENVM TYPIS IOANNIS WECHELI,
SVMTIBVS VERO THEODORI DE BRY ANNO CD D XC. VENALES
REPERIVNTVR IN OFFICINA SIGISMVNDI FEIRABENDII TO THE RIGHT
WORTHIE AND HONOV- RABLE, SIR VVALTER RALEGH, KNIGHT,
SENESCHAL OF THE DVCHIES OF Cornewall and Exeter, and L. Warden of the
stannaries in Deuon and Cornewall, T.B. wisheth true felicitie.
'SIR, seeing that the parte of the Worlde, which is betwene the FLORIDA and the Cap
BRETON nowe nammed VIRGINIA, to the honneur of yours most souueraine Layde and
Queene ELIZABETZ, hath ben descouuerd by yours meanes. And great chardges. And
that your Collonye hath been theer established to your great honnor and prayse, and
noelesser proffit vnto the common welth: Yt ys good raison that euery man euertwe him
selfe for to showe the benefit which they haue receue of yt. Theerfore, for my parte I
haue been allwayes Desirous for to make yow knowe the good will that I haue to
remayne still your most humble særuant. I haue thincke that I cold faynde noe better
occasion to declare yt, then takinge the paines to cott in copper (the most diligent ye and

well that wear in my possible to doe) the Figures which doe leuelye represent the forme
aud maner of the Inhabitants of the sane countrye with theirs ceremonies, sollemne,,
feastes, and the manner and situation of their Townes of Villages. Addinge vnto euery
figure a brief declaration of the same, to that ende that cuerye man cold the better
vnderstand that which is in liuely represented. Moreouer I haue thincke that the aforesaid
figures wear of greater commendation, If somme Histoire which traitinge of the
commodites and fertillitye of the rapport which Thomas Hariot hath lattely sett foorth,
and haue causse them booth togither to be printed for to dedicated vnto you, as a thiuge
which by reigtte dooth allreadye apparteyne vnto you. Therfore doe I creaue that you will
accept this little Booke, and take yt In goode partte. And desiring that fauor that you will
receue me in the nomber of one of your most humble seruantz, besechinge the lord to
blese and further you in all yours good doinges and actions, and allso to preserue, and
keepe you allwayes in good helthe. And so I comitt you unto the almyhttie, from
Franckfort the first of Apprill 1590.'
'Your most humble seruant,'
THEODORVS de BRY.
TO THE ADVEN- TVRERS, FAVORERS, AND VVELVVILLERS OF THE EN-
TERPRISE FOR THE INHABITTING and planting in VIRGINIA.
SINCE the first vndertaking by Sir Walter Ralegh to deale in the action of discouering of
that Countrey which is now called and known by the name of VIRGINIA; many voyages
hauing bin thiter made at sundrie times to his great charge; as first in the yeere 1584. and
afterwardes in the yeeres 1585. '1586'. and now of late this last yeare of '1587'. There
haue bin diuers and variable reportes with some slaunderous and shamefull speeches
bruited abroade by many that returned from thence. Especially of that discouery which
was made by the Colony transported by Sir Richard Greinuile in the yeare '1585'. being
of all the others the most principal and as yet of most effect, the time of their abode in the
countrey beeing a whole yeare, when as in the other voyage before they staied but sixe
weekes; and the others after were onelie for supply and transportation, nothing more
being discouered then had been before. Which reports haue not done a litle wrong to
many that otherwise would have also fauoured & aduentured in the action, to the honour
and benefite of our nation, besides the particular profite and credite which would redound
to them selues the dealers therein; as I hope by the sequele of euents to the shame of
those that haue auouched the contrary shalbe manifest: if you the aduenturers, fauourers,
and welwillers do but either encrease in number, or in opinion continue, or hauing bin
doubtfull renewe your good liking and furtherance to deale therein according to the
worthinesse thereof alreadye found and as you shall vnderstand hereafter to