Your most humble seruant,
THEODORVS de BRY.
I haue therefore thought it good beeing one that haue beene in the discouerie and in dealing with the natuall inhabitantes specially imploied; and hauing therefore seene and knowne more then the ordinaire: to imparte so much vnto you of the fruites of our labours, as that you may knowe howe iniuriously the enterprise is slaundered. And that in publike manner at this present chiefelie for two respectes.
First that some of you which are yet ignorant or doubtfull of the state thereof, may see that there is
sufficiêt cause why the cheefe enterpriser with the fauour of her Maiestie, notwithstanding suche reportes;
hath not onelie since continued the action by sending into the countrey againe, and replanting this last yeere
a new Colony; but is also readie, according as the times and meanes will affoorde, to follow and prosecute
the same.
Secondly, that you seeing and knowing the continuance of the action by the view hereof you may
generally know & learne what the countrey is; & therevpon cõsider how your dealing therein if it proceede,
may returne you profit and gaine; bee it either by inhabitting & planting or otherwise in furthering thereof.
And least that the substance of my relation should be doubtful vnto you, as of others by reason of
their diuersitie: I will first open the cause in a few wordes wherefore they are [a 3] [6] so different; referring
my selue to your fauourable constructions, and to be adiudged of as by good consideration you shall finde
cause.
Of our companie that returned some for their misdemenour and ill dealing in the countrey, haue
beene there worthily punished; who by reason of their badde natures, haue maliciously not onelie spoken ill
of their Gouernours; but for their sakes slaundered the countrie it selfe. The like also haue those done which
were of their confort.
Some beeing ignorant of the state thereof, nothwithstanding since their returne amongest their
friendes and acquaintance and also others, especially if they were in companie where they might not be
gainesaide; woulde seeme to know so much as no men more; and make no men so great trauailers as
themselues. They stood so much as it maie seeme vppon their credite and reputation that hauing been a
twelue moneth in the countrey, it woulde haue beene a great disgrace vnto them as they thought, if they
coulde not haue saide much wheter it were true or false. Of which some haue spoken of more then euer they
saw or otherwise knew to bee there; othersome haue not bin ashamed to make absolute deniall of that which
although not by thê, yet by others is most certainely ãd there plêtifully knowne. And othersome make
difficulties of those things they haue no skill of.
The cause of their ignorance was, in that they were of that many that were neuer out of the Iland
where wee were seated, or not farre, or at the leastwise in few places els, during the time of our aboade in
the countrey; or of that many that after golde and siluer was not so soone found, as it was by them looked
for, had little or no care of any other thing but to pamper their bellies; or of that many which had little
vnderstanding, lesse discretion, and more tongue then was needfull or requisite.
Some also were of a nice bringing vp, only in cities or townes, or such as neuer (as I may say) had
seene the world before. Because there were not to bee found any English cities, norsuch faire houses, nor at
their owne wish any of their olde accustomed daintie food, nor any soft beds of downe or fethers: the
countrey was to them miserable, & their reports thereof according.
Because my purpose was but in briefe to open the cause of the varietie of such speeches; the
particularities of them, and of many enuious, malicious, and slaûderous reports and deuises els, by our owne
countrey men besides; as trifles that are not worthy of wise men to bee thought vpon, I meane not to trouble
you withall: but will passe to the commodities, the substance of that which I haue to make relation of vnto
you.
The treatise where of for your more readie view & easier vnderstanding I will diuide into three
speciall parts. In the first I will make declaration of such commodities there alreadie found or to be raised,
which will not onely serue the ordinary turnes of you which are and shall bee the plãters and inhabitants, but
such an ouerplus sufficiently to bee yelded, or by men of skill to bee prouided, as by way of trafficke and
exchaunge with our owne nation of England, will enrich your selues the prouiders; those that shal deal with
you; the enterprisers in general; and greatly profit our owne countrey men, to supply them with most things
which heretofore they haue bene faine to prouide, either of strangers or of our enemies: which commodities
for distinction sake, I call Merchantable.
In the second, I will set downe all the cõmodities which wee know the countrey by our experience
doeth yeld of its selfe for victuall, and sustenance of mans life; such as is vsually fed vpon by the inhabitants
of the countrey, as also by vs during the time we were there.
In the last part I will make mention generally of such other cõmodities besides, as I am able to
remember, and as I shall thinke behoofull for those that shall inhabite, and plant there to knowe of; which
specially concerne building, as also some other necessary vses: with a briefe description of the nature and
maners of the people of the countrey.
The First Part, Of Marchantable Commodities.