A Gentleman desirous to be unknowne, yet a great Benefactor to Virginia,
his love to the Author, the Company, and History.

Stay, reade, behold, skill, courage, knowledge, Arts; Wonder of Nature: Mirror of our Clime. Mars, Vulcan, Neptune strive to have their parts, Rare Ornaments, rich honours of our time. From far fetcht Indies, and Virginia's soyle, Here Smith is come to shew his Art and skill: He was the Smith that hammered famins foyle, And on Powhatan's Emperour had his will. Though first Columbus, Indies true Christofer; Cabots, brave Florida, much admirer; Meta Incognita, rare Martin Forbisher; Gilberts brave Humphery, Neptunes devourer; Captaine Amadis, Raleighs discoverer; Sir Richard Grenvill, Zealands brave coaster: Drake, doomes, drowne, death, Spaines scorner; Gosnolds Relates, Pring prime observer. Though these be gone, and left behinde a name, Yet Smith is here to Anvile out a peece To after Ages, and eternall Fame, That we may have the golden Jasons fleece. He Vulcan like did forge a true Plantation, And chain'd their Kings, to his immortall glory; Restoring peace and plentie to the Nation, Regaining honour to this worthy Story. By him the Infidels had due correction, He blew the bellowes still of peace and plentie: He made the Indians bow unto subjection, And Planters ne're return'd to Albion empty. The Colonies pin'd, starv'd, staring, bones so feeble, By his brave projects, proved strong againe: The Souldiers' lowance he did seeke to treble, And made the Salvage in uncouth place remaine. He left the Countrey in prosperous happie state, And plenty stood with peace at each mans doore: Regarding not the Salvage love nor hate: Themselves grew well, the Indians wondrous poore. This there he did and now is home return'd, To shew us all that never thither goe: That in his heart, he deepely oft hath mourn'd, Because the Action goeth on so slow.

Wise, Rich, grave, prize Brave, Benefactors, Replant, want, continue still good Actors. finde, and bring kinde, eyes Be to blind; By Gods great might, give Indians light. Bloud, money, to doe Spend that good, That may give Indians heav'nly food. no lesse, God You still And shall blesse; Both you and yours the Lands possesse. S. M.

See here behold as in a Glasse, All that is, or is and was. T. T. 1624.

Samuel Purchas of his friend Captaine John
Smith, and his Virginia.

Lo here Smiths Forge, where Forgery's Roague-branded, True Pegasus is shoo'd, fetters are forged For Silke-sotts, Milk-sops, base Sloth, farre hence landed, (Soile-chang'd, {FN-1} Soule-soil'd still) Englands dregs, discharged, To plant (supplant!) Virginia, home-disgorged: Where vertues praise frames good men Stories armour 'Gainst Time, Achilles-like, with best Arts charged; Pallas, all-arm'd, all-learn'd, can teach Sword-Grammer, Can Pens of Pikes; Armes t' Arts; to Scholar, Souldier, hammer: Can Pilgrim make a Maker; all so well Hath taught Smith scoure my rustic out-worne Muse, And so conjur'd her in Virginian Cell, That things unlearned long by want of use, Shee fresh areeds me read, without abuse By fabling. Arthurs great Acts little made By greater lies she saith; scales Faith excuse {FN-2} T' Island, Groonland, Estotiland to wade After lie-legends; Malgo, Brandon, are Wares braide. The Fryer of Linne {FN-3} frights her with his black Art; Nor Brittish Bards can tell where Madoc {FN-4} planted. Cabots, Thorns, Elyots truth have wonne her heart, Eldest discov'rers of New Worlds Cont'nent (granted So had just Fates.) Colon and Vespuce panted; This got the name, {FN-5} last, least of Three; the Other New Worlds Isles found first: Cabot is most chanted In Three-Mens-song; did more New World discover Then both, then any; an hundred degrees coasted over. Haile Sir Sebastian, Englands Northern Pole, Virginia's finder; Virgin Eliza nam'd it, Gave 't Raleigh. (Rut, Prat, Hore, I not enrole) Amadas rites to English right first fram'd it. Lane planted, return'd, nor had English tam'd it: Greenviles and Whites men all slaine; New Plantation James founds, Sloth confounds, feare, pride, faction sham'd it: Smiths Forge mends all, makes chaines for Savage Nation, And feeds the rest; the rest reade in his Bookes Relation.

{FN-1} Caelumnon animum Mutant.

{FN-2} These are said a thousand years agoe to have been in the North parts of America.

{FN-3} He is said to discover the Pole 1360.

{FN-4} Madoc ap Owen Planted some remote Western parts. 1170.

{FN-5} America named of Americus Vesputius which discovered less than Colon or Sir Sebastian Cabot, and the continent later. Colon first found the Isles 1492. the Continent 1498. Above a year after Cabot had done it. He was set forth by Henry 7. and after by Hen. 8. Knighted, and made grand Pilot of England by Ed. 6 Under whom he procured the sending of Sir Hugh Willoughby, & discovery of Greenland and Russia: having by himself discovered on America from 67 North lat. to neere 40 South.

Thomas Macarnesse to his worthy friend and Countryman, Captaine John Smith. Who loves to live at home, yet looke abroad, And know both passen and unpassen road, The prime Plantation of an unknowne shore, The men, the manners, fruitfulnesse, and store: Read but this little Booke, and then confesse, The lesse thou lik'st and lov'st, thou liv'st the lesse. He writ it with great labour, for thy good, Twice over, now in paper, 'fore in blood; It cost him deare, both paines, without an ayme Of private profit, for thy publicke gaine. That thou mightst read and know and safely see, What he by practice, thou by Theoree. Commend him for his loyall loving heart, Or else come mend him, and take thou his part.

To his friend Captaine John Smith, and his Worke. I Know not how Desert more great can rise, Then out of Danger t'ane for good mens Good; or who doth better winne th' Olympian prize, Than he whose Countryes Honor stirres his bloud; Private respects have private expectation, Publicke designes, should publish reputation. This Gentleman whose Volumne heere is stoard With strange discoverie of Gods strangest Creatures, Gives us full view, how he hath Sayl'd, and Oar'd, And Marcht, full many myles, whose rough defeatures, Hath beene as bold, as puissant, up to binde Their barbarous strength's, to follow him dog-linde. But wit, nor valour, now adayes payes scores For estimation; all goes now by wealth, Or friends; tush! thrust the beggar out of dores That is not Purse-lyn'd; those which live by stealth Shall have their haunts; no matter what's the guest In many places; monies well come best. But those who well discerne, esteeme not so: Nor I of thee brave Smith, that hast beat out Thy Iron thus; though I but little know To what t' hast seene; yet I in this am stout: My thoughts, maps to my minde some accidents, That makes mee see thy greater presidents. Jo: Done.

To my worthy friend Captaine John Smith. How great a part of knowledge had wee lost, Both of Virginia and the Summer Isles, Had not thy carefull diligence and cost Inform'd us thus, with thy industrious stile! Like Caesar now thou writ'st what thou hast done, These acts, this Booke will live while ther's a Sunne. Edw: Worseley.

To his much respected friend Captaine John Smith. Envie avant. For Smith, whose Anvill was Experience, Could take his heat, knew how and when to Strike, Wrought well this Peece; till After-negligence Mistaking temper, Cold, or Scorch'd; or like Unskilfull workmen, that can never Fyle Nor Pollish it, that takes in Forge such toyle: Heere Noble Smith, thou shewest the Temper true, Which other Tampring-Tempres never knew. Ro: Norton.

To his loving friend Captaine John Smith. Where actions speake the praises of a man, There, Pennes that use to flatter silent be, Or if they speake, it is to scorne or scanne; For such with vertue seldome doe agree. When I looke backe on all thy labours past, Thy travels, perils, losses oft sustaind By Sea and Land; and (which is worst and last) Neglect or small reward, so dearely gaind, I doe admire thy still undanted spirit; unwearied yet to worke thy Countries good. This be thy praise then, due unto thy merit; For it th' hast venter'd life; and lost thy blood.

Edw: Ingham.

To my deare friend by true Vertue ennobled Captaine John Smith. More then enough I cannot thee commend: Whose both abilities and Love doe tend So to advance the good of that Estate, By English charge, and Planters propagate Through heapes of painfull hazards; in the first Of which, that Colony thy Care hath nurst. And often that effected but with ten That after thee, and now, three hundred men Have faild in, 'mong the Salvages; who shake At bruit of Thee, as Spaine at Name of Drake. Which well appeares; considering the while Thou governedst, nor force of theirs, ne guile Lessend a man of thine; but since (I rue) In Brittish blood they deeply did imbrue Their Heathen hands. And (truth to say) we see, Our selves wee lost, untimely leaving Thee. Nor yet perceive I any got betweene Thee and thy merit; which hath better beene In prayse; or profit much; if counted just; Free from the Weales abuse, or wronged trust. Some few particulars perhaps have sped; But wherein hath the publicke prospered? Or is there more of those Vast Countries knowne, Then by thy Labours and Relations showne First, best? And shall we love Thee now the lesse? Farre be it! fit condignely to expresse Thankes, by new Charge, or recompence; by whom, Such past good hath, such future good may come. David Wiffin.

Noble Captaine Smith, my worthy Friend. Not like the Age wherein thou liv'st, to lie Buried in basenesse, sloth, or Ribaldrie (For most doe thus) hast thou thy selfe applide; But, in faire Actions, Merits height descride: Which (like foure Theaters to set thee forth) The worlds foure Quarters testifie thy worth. The last whereof (America) best showes Thy paines, and prayse; and what to thee shee owes, (Although thy Sommer shone on th' Elder Three, In as great Deeds as great varietie) For opening to Her Selfe Her Selfe, in Two {FN} Of Her lame Members; Now Ours, to our view. Thereby endearing us to thy desart, That doubly dost them to our hands impart; There by thy Worke, Heere by thy Workes; By each Maist thou Fames lasting Wreath (for guerdon) reach. And so become, in after Times t' ensue, A President for others, So to do. William Grent.

{FN} Virginia now inhabited, and New-England.

To his worthily affected Friend, Captaine John Smith. Amongst so many that by learned skill, Have given just praise to thee, and to thy Booke, Deare friend receive this pledge of my good will, Whereon, if thou with acceptation looke, And thinke it worthie, ranke amongst the rest: Use thy discretion, I have done my best. ???????.