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JAMES TOWNE In the Words of Contemporaries |
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The Massacre of 1622 which swept through the outlying settlements but
did not reach Jamestown. This representation of the Indian massacre was
published in De Bry's Voyages in 1634.
14. THE MASSACRE OF 1622
THE steady growth of the colony continued until March 1622, when an Indian massacre swept through the outlying settlements. Its force was felt everywhere, even in those sections, Jamestown among them, that the Indians did not reach.
. . . But since our last by the George dated in Januarie 1621 itt hath pleased God for our manyfo[ld] sinns to laye a most lamentable Afflictione uppon this Plantacon, by the trecherie of the Indyans, who on the 22TH of march laste, attempted in most places, under the Coulor of unsuspected amytie, in some by Surprize, to have cutt us off all and to have Swept us away at once through owte the whole lande, had it nott plesed god of his abundante mercy to prevent them in many places, for which we can never sufficyently magnifie his blessed name, Butt yet they prevayled soe farr, that they have massacred in all partes above three hundred men women and Children, and have, since nott only spoyled and slaine Divers of our Cattell, and some more of our People, and burnte most of the Howses we have forsaken, but have alsoe enforced us to quitt many of our Plantacons, . . .
A LETTER FROM THE COUNCIL IN VIRGINIA TO THE VIRGINIA COMPANY OF LONDON. APRIL, 1622.
Jamestown was spared the destruction that came to the more outlying sections of the colony because of the loyalty of an Indian that had been befriended by one of the settlers.
That the slaughter had beene uniuersall, if God had not put it into the heart of an Indian belonging to one Perry, to disclose it . . . Perries Indian [who living in the house of one Pace] rose out of his bed and reveales it to Pace that used him as a Sonne . . . Pace upon this discouery, securing his house, before day rowed over the River to James-City (in that place neere three miles in bredth) and gave notice thereof to the Governor, by which meanes they were prevented there, and at such other Plantations as was possible for a timely intelligence to be giuen; for where they saw us standing upon our Guard, at the sight of a Peece they all ranne away.
EDWARD WATERHOUSE, A Declaration of the state of the Colonie and . . . a Relation of the barbarous Massacre . . .
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Last Modified: Thurs, Sep 11 2003 10:00:00 pm PST |