reduce the uncertaintie of half to the certaintie of a Rent; wch we haue therefore agreed shal be euery pson 20 bushells of corne; 60 waight of good leafe tobacco, and one pound of Silke, to be yearly paid together wth six dayes laboTM in publique works, and ouer and aboue that they be bound to buildinge of conuenient houses plantinge of orchards, gardens etc on the College Land and not elsewhere: they that will accept of these Condicons, you shall leaue to themselves but so as for better conueniencie of living fowr or at least three of them sorte themselues to work and liue together, and be bound each for other for the true pformance of their Couents; those other that shall not be willing or worthie of such agreement we leaue to you to take the best order in disposinge of them; as for those that shal be Artificers and of Manuall trades and occupacons we conceiue that they may likewise pforme this bargaine although they follow theire trades, wch rather than that they should not do. we leaue it to you to contract otherwise with them, as you shall thinke best, allways reseruing that their liuing shall be uppon ye Colledge Lands.

"As for the Brick-makers we desire that they may be held to theire contract made with Mr Thorpe, to the intent that when opportunitie shal be for the erecting of the fabricke of the Colledge, the materialls be not wanting. These are part of the remedies that are to be applied for the repairinge of this late disaster.

War of Extermination urged.

"As for the Actors thereof, we cannot but wth much griefe proceed to the condemnation of their bodies, the saving of whose Soules we have so zealously affected; but since the inocent blood of so many Christians doth in jus

SCHEME OF INDIAN EXTERMINATION.

331

tice crie out for revenge, and yor future securitie in wisdom. require, we must advise you to roote out from being any longer a people so cursed, a nation ungratefull to all benefitts, and uncapable of all goodnesse; at least to the removall of them so farr from you as you may not only be out of danger, but out of feare of them, of whose faith and good meaning you can never be secure. Wherefore, as they have merited, let them have a ppetual warre without peace or truce; and, although they have desired it, without mercie, too. Yet, remembering who we are rather than what they have been, we cannot but advise not only the sparing but the preservation of the yonger people of both Sexes, whose bodies may by labor and service become profitable, and their minds not overgrowne with evill Customes, be reduced to civilitie, and afterwards to Christianitie. And, because there is a necessitie not only in the thing itself, but in the speediness of effecting it, we think it fitt that, besides that certaine way of famishing, (whereunto, we doubt not, but you have ere this giuen a good beginning by the burning of their corne, or the reaping it to your owne benefitt,) you add and putt in execution all other waies and means of theire destruction, not omitting so much as to provoke theire neighbouring enemies (by the reward of beads and copper uppon the bringing in of their heads,) to the fierce pursuing of them, and that at such times especially as yourselves may issue out upon them likewise, which we think should be often don from all parts of the collony together. But for a full securing of yourselves, and a certain destroyinge of them, we conceive no meanes so proper nor expedient as to maintaine continually certaine bands of men of able bodies and inured to the Countrie, of stout minds and active hands, that may,

from time to time, in several bodies, pursue and follow them, surprising them in their habitations, interrupting them in theire hunting, burning theire Townes, demolishing theire Temples, destroyinge theire Canoes, plucking upp theire weares, carrying away theire corne, and depriving them of whatsoever may yeeld them succor or relief; by which means in a very short while both your just revenge and your perpetuall security might be certainly effected.

Soldiers to be supported.

"As for the maintanance of those men with vittuals and munition, we conceive it just and equall that it should be a generall levy throughout the whole Collony, in regarde whereof the one moyitie of the prise, as well of the psons of men for slaues should be unto the collony for fortification and other public uses, and the other moyitie divided amongst the Souldiars themselues. In further satisfaction of whose travells and hazards, we do purpose a liberall recompense out of the labors of those yong people which, by his Majestie's gratious favor, we hope to obtaine out of the severall Counties of this Kingdom, which, as it shall be bountifull to all, so it shall be redoubled to them, unto whose hands the principalls, either in execution or contrivement of this Treacherie, shall fall; but if any can take Opachancano himself, he shall have a great and singular reward from us.

"As for those Indians whom God used as instruments of revealing and preventinge the totall ruine of you all, we think a good respect and recompense due unto them, which by a good and carefull education of them may best be expressed and satisfied, whereby they may be made capable of further benefitts and favors.

CHRISTOPHER DAVISON.

333

"Wee send you a Copie of or Letters by the Furtherance wch wee doubt not but is safely long ere this arrived with you the suplies therein sent of Shipwrights and East India Schoole, we cannot but againe most effectually and earnestly recomend unto yor Care and fauors, wch phapps by the chang of things with you, they will the more need. The improuing of the Companies reuenues & recouerie of their Debts, is of those things without w'ch neither we nor you can subsist.

"Many other matters we haue to write if time would giue leaue, for want whereof, we must reserue them till the departure of the Abigaile. And now comitting you and all yor affaires to the good guard and proteccon of the Almightie we bid you hartily, farewell.

August the first

1622

Yor very Louing frends

The Treasurer & Counsell of Virginia. Witnessed by M. Collingwood -Secr.1

1 Christopher Davison, secretary of the colony, died soon after the massacre, and there is reason to believe that he was the son of Sir William Davison, one of Queen Elizabeth's ambassadors, to whose legation William Brewster, afterwards one of the founders of New Plimouth, was in early life attached.

CHAPTER XV.

THE RELATION OF WATERHOUSE.

0 allay the panic in England, caused by the news of the Massacre, a member of the Company, Edward Waterhouse, distinguished for integrity, and a religious spirit, published a small quarto of 54 pages, entitled

"A Declaration of the State of the Colonie, and affaires in Virginia. With a Relation of the barbarous Massacre in the time of peace and league, treacherously executed upon the English by the Native Infidels, 22 March last."

The treatise opened with the following dedicatory letter:

"To the Honrable Companie of Virginia Right Honorable and Worthy:

"The fame of our late vnhappy accident in Virginia, hath spread it selfe, I doubt not, into all parts abroad, and as it is talked of of all men, so no question of many, and of most, it cannot but be misreported, some carryed away with ouer-weak lightnesse to beleeue all they heare, how vntrue soeuer; others out of their disaffection possibly to the Plantation, are desirous to make that, which is ill, and so the truth of the Action, which is only one, is varied and misreported. I haue thought it therefore a part of some acceptable seruice in me towards you, whose fauors haue preferred me to be a member of your Company, to present you with these my poore labours, the Collection

worse;