a certaine quantity of corne into the Forts to be kept there in store and handled the matter so after he was come ouer as he drew all the company to beleeue that by meanes of his industry and care the Ilands were so well furnished with corne and the Ratts destroyed Wherevpon to require his care they did bestowe vpon him the stately house that he had built and three shares of the best land in all the Ilands At his comming away he left the Gouernment in the hands of one Captaine Kendall who through pouerty was constrained to take out of the Forts the corne that Capt. Tucker and caused to bee brought in After Capt. Kendall succeded Capt. Nathaniel Butler a man well qualified euery way for such employment He no sooner saw how God had done his part to make those Ilands strong and safe from all forraine inuasion by fortifying them round about with fearefull rockes and shoules so as there is no comming neare with shippes to inuade them but in two narowe and durious channels which doe lead into two goodly and large Harbours and how the first Planters in Capt. Mores time had done them best endeauours in the matter of artificiall fortifications as On the channell that leadeth into the west harbour they had builded a strong Fort and a Castle which they called the Kings Castle where they had mounted 18. great Pieces on carriages sent from England which through the negligence of succeeding Gouernors were gone to decay Capt. Butler tooke small rest till he had repaired such as could be repaired and made new cariages of cedar for the rest so now those 18. great Peices are very seruiceably mounted so also are all the other great Peices in the rest of the Forts As not farre from that channell towards the south is a Fort built by the first Planters in Capt. Mores time called Charies Fort where are two great Peices On the North side of the Channell Capt. Butler bath built a strong Fort to slanker the Kings Castie which he called Southampton Fort where are fiue great Peices seruiceablely mounted by Cap. Butler on carriages of cedar Which Fort doth make a great showe to the sea as though it were a Castle To the Northward of that Fort the first Planters in Capt. Mores time built a Fort which they called Pembrooke Fort where are two great Peices The other Channell that leadeth into the Fast Harbour commonly called the Towne Harbour hath on the one side towards the North a Fort built by the first Planters in Capt. Mores time called Rogers Fort where are 7. great Pieces On the other side towards the South is a Fort called Smiths Fort built by the first Planters in Capt. Mores time where are 5 great Peices Not farre from that Channell towards the north is a Fort called Penistons Fort built by the first planters in Capt. Mores time where is one great Piece A little from that Fort is a Fort built by the first Planters in Capt. Mores time called Sands Fort where are 2. great Pieces On a Hill neare the Harbour is a Fort built by the first Planters in Capt. Mores time called Warwicke Fort where are 3. great Pieces to command the Harbour On a Hill neare the Towne was a high Mount built by the first Planters in Capt. Mores time blowne downe with a terrible gust of winde is now built vp againe higher and stronger by Capt. Butler where is also one great piece mounted by Capt. Butler to gine warning In the Towne vpon the Wharfe are 7. great Pieces mounted by Capt. Butler to command the Harbour which great Pieces he recouered out of certaine Wrackes Captaine Butler hath built in the Towne a faire towne Hall of stone and a faire strong Prison of cedar In the Maine he hath built throe faire long Bridges of cedar like Kingston Bridge In his time the Kings I awes were established in the Ilands and the Assites kept orderly as they are in England Before his time ever since Capt. Mores time the Gouernors will went for lawe and some of the Kings Subiects were hanged contrary to the Kings law and some condemned and censured to perpetuall slauery Captaine Butler did ordaine sort euery Tribe a Iustice of the Peace a Constable Chuâ—…h wardens Side-men and Waywards and did cause Cages Stockes and Cucking-stooles to be made in euery Tribe Notwithstanding the great care that he had to suppresse since it did abound euery day more and more through the want of Gods Word the Ilands being pestered with leud Persons taken vp out of the Sâ—…es out of Newgate and Bridewell In his time I came to England to seed I could perswade some Ministers to goe ouer and to dequaint the Company with the weake estate of the Ilands and grâ—…uances of the people which were ready to mutany When I came into the Barmude Court to present the grieuances of the People and weake estate of the Ilands St. Edwas Sand misinforthed by Capt. Tucker did stand vp in the face of the Court to accuse me of many soule crimes saying vnto me Mr. Lewes you doe vse in your Sermons to speake against the Church of England to raile vpon Bishops and to say that the Booke of Common Praier is but in dide Wises tale and you will not Baptize Children vnlesse their Parents doe first make confession of their Faith To his first accusation I answered that the Church of England was my Mother and that al the knowledge all the faith and hope of saluation that I haue I had it in the Church of England which I take to be the true Church of God and that therefore my tongue shall be cut out of my mouth before it shall speake against the Church of England as some doe To his second concerning tailing vpon Bishops I tolde him that it were too much peeuishnesse for me to meddle with the Bishops there where they could not meddle with me The truth is that preaching vpon the suffering of our Sauiour Christ I shewed how the high Priests were the greatest enemies that our Sausour had and from them I gathered that the grace of God and learning d ee not alway goe together and for proofe of my doctrine I shewed how the Romish Lord Bishops are the greatest supplanters of Christian Religion and shedders of Christian blood and did nominate bloody Bonner Bishop of London and Gardner Bishop of Winchester Not speaking a word of the reuerend Fathers the Bishops of the Church of England as it now stands whom I honour from my heart for the good that I haue and dayly doe receaue out of their godly and learned Works To his third accusation concerning the Booke of Common Praier I answered that I was so farre from speaking as I neuer had and hoped neuer should haue a thought in my heart tending to that way wherevpon Sr. Edwin did produce mine Enemie Capt. Tucker for his Informer Capt. Tucker did produce Capt. Kendall who testified that he had heard me
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE Lord and others of his Majesties most Honourable pritile Councell Right Honourable IT is well seene that all such in this Land as seare not Gods Iudgements are loath to be judged by your Honourable it is also very apparent that were it not but for your Honours there would bee no end of oppression and wrong not any liuing in this Land neither for Poore nor Rith and that therefore all the Kings louing and true hearted Subjects both high and lowe haue cause continually to pray for your Honours next to our gracious Xing and his Royall Issue Giue me your poote Suppliant leaue to declare the wrongs vnder which I haue a long time groaned honing spent many yeares in the seruice of the Summer Ilands Company in much misery especially in the two first yeares wherein I was like to perish through want of food when the Gouernor had not so much meale as would hold our one month to giue to euery man one pound for a weeke did our of his care to saue some aliue cull out all such as were hartlesse and lazie and sent them into the maine to line vpon Berries or to statue seeing there was no remedy I then went to the Gouenor and told him that it was too much cruelty to let them starue in body and soule together and therefore did desire that I might goe with them With much importunity he gaue me leaue to stay with them all the time of famine in which time I did pine a way to skinne and bone and became so weake as they were glad to lead mee to some lowe rocke on the side of an hill where they set me downe first and then sat downe themselues in rowes vpon the ground to heare the word of God preached vnto them Their forwardnesse to heare Gods word and the Gouernors loue in sending continually to know how I did did so heare and make glad my heart as I made no reckning of the misery and want that I liued in When this Gouernors time was out he came for England and left the gouernment in the hands of sixe men to gouern monthly In the time of the mis-rule of those sixe Gouernors three of them went out in a little Pinace to seeke for some reliese with a promise from the other three to admit of no Gouernor sent from England vntill sixe month after there arriuall not long after their departure one of the other three named Iohn Mansfield became sole Gouernor and for the strengthening of himselfe against the Gouernor that was expected from England did drawe a large Petition as though the People had drawn it to entreat him to keepe the Gouernment in his owne hand they promising to maintaine him against the Goluernor that was expected from England to which Petition he and one Iohn Parker a Black-Smith drew the people euery where to subscribe Assoon as I heard thereof I followed after from Tribe to Tribe preaching and in my Sermons shewing the vnlawfulnesse and euill that was like to come of the rebellion intended and so drew the people euery where to renounice the said Petition The Vsurper hearing that the people had renounced the Petition and that I was comming to the Towne did raise the whole Towne vp in armes to apprehend me and one Mr. Fosseth that kept me company the said Mr. Fosseth being apprehended they hung him vp on the Wharse by the hands and feere where he hung is grieuous paine no man daring to relieue him but the women who brought stones in their aprons and thrust them vnder his body to heare vp the weight of it After they had so hung him vp Parker the Black-Smith came and with a Crowe of yron brake open my Chamber doore and drag'd me out to his owne house where he kept me prisoner till a tumultuous assembly was called by the name of an Assizes and then brought me to the Barre where I was arraigned and condemned for a contemner of authority The sentence pronounced against me was that I should be depriued of my ministâ—…y and confined to a little stand where I should be kept from comming to the people This sentence did so offend the people as they would by no meanes yeeld to the execution of it but told him that they were starued enough in their bodies and that he had no reason to starue them in their soules by depriuing them of my ministery By which opposition I had rest vntill the arriuall of a new Gouernor one Captaine Tucker Assoone as the Vsurper heard that a shippe was come into the Harbour with a new Gouernor and what the new Gouernor had spoken to me to preach at the reading of his Commission he the said Vsurper caned the towne people together and told them that if they would stand to him like then he would sticke to them so long as he had a droppe of blood in his heart they promising that they would he charged them to be vp in armes the next day betimes and told them he would not haue me to preach but Mr. Keath Mr. Keath was no Minister but a poore Schollet that cunningly had got himselfe sent ouer for a Minister who to further the rebellion intended had buz'd into the peoples eares that it was lawfull to resist the Gouernor that was expected from England and for proose thereof did alleadge the example of the Israelites their putting downe of Rehoboam and setting vp of Ioreboam in his steed And to stirre vp the Vsurper to shed the blood of such as should dare to oppose him he did alleadge the example of Athaliah who to vsurpe the Gouernment did murther all the Kingâ—…de Also be the Vsurper cold the people that presently after the Sermon he would make a short speech to the Gouernor and that he would haue them assoone as he had left speaking to crye a Mansfield a Mansfield and then shew themselues men The next meaning as I was studying for my Sermon and looking out at a windowe I saw the people vp in armes and heard one of them swears that he would sheath his sword in the new Gouernors guts Whereupon I made haft out of my Chamber and finding she Ship-boate ready to goe off did enter in to goe to the new Gouernor to acquaint him with what was intended the new Gouernor being then on ship-boord I was no sooner in the Boace but certaine Muscateres were sent in hast by the Vsurper to shoote at me vnlesse I would come out Whereupon the Marriners fearing they would shoote and kill some of them instead of me did set me on shore againe The Vsurper seeing me about to land came with a rusty browne Bill on his backe as though hee meant to knocke me in the head telling the people that they had all of them cause to curse the time that euer they saw my face which did put me in some seare that either he or they would doe mee some mischiefe therefore I made hast away and lockt my selfe
say that the Booke of Common Praier was good for olde men and wowen to read at home when they were not able to goe to Church The Court taking notice how they differed in their testimony some said Make how these men cannot agree in their testimonies faine they would doe the poore man some harme but they haue not agreed vpon the matter Captaine Kendall was one of the three Gouernors that promised to admit of no Gouernor sent from England he became mine enemy because I had acquainted the Company with the wrongs that he had done the Ilands in the time of his Gouernment in taking the corne out of the Forts and disfurnishing the Ilands of certaine murthering Pieces and other necessaries which he sould to a Pirat I did acquaint the Company with nothing but what Capt. Butler then Gouernor did aduise me and what I was bound by mine oath to declare as I was one of the Priuie Counsell in the Summer Ilands To his fourth accusation concerning the Baptising of children I answered that many poore boyes and girles taken vp out of the streetes out of New gate and Bride well and the Hospitals were sent to the Sommers Ilands where they were brought vp in ignorance like Heathen so as when they became men and women and were married and had children they were not able to bring vp their children in the Christian Faith therefore to bring such to haue some care of themselues and of their children I gaue out that I would not baptise their children vnlesse the parents were able to yeeld some reckoning of their Faith or at least rehearse the Articles without booke and to encourage them thereunto I drewe some of the better sort for example sake to rehearse the Articles before their children were baptised After I had thus answered to his accusations I desired the Court not to passe ouer sleightly the things whereof I was accused but take some paines to examine and finde out the truth them Sin Edwin as though hee had bene satisfied did stand vp saying vnto me Well well Master Lewes it is enough for you that we knowe you to be an honest man and that you haue done much good in the Plantation as for these things let them dye stirre in them as further Though Sir Edwin made a showe as though her were satisfied and to haue a good opinion of nee yet such of the Company as are couete ously minded and do aime altogether at their own end were so against me as they denyed to giue any thing to wards my charges in crossing the seas in lying sick weake at Falmouth and in trauelling from thence to London by land bring eleauen soore miles with horse and guide not able some daye to trauell about tenmyles yea they were so against me as they refused to relecue me with my wages and so constrained me for the bearing of my charges backe againe to the Sommer Ilands to take from my poore wife all that I could and to leaue her in great want which was no small griefe vnto me Within few monthes after my arriuall a newe Gouernour one Captaine Bernard was sent to succeede Captaine Butler and with him foure Ministers One of the Ministers named Master Wright was no sooner landed but went about the Ilands inuaighing against me almost three weekes before I could finde him out at length when I came where he was he tould me that he tooke me to be a dishonour to the Ministery and a shame to all Ministers and that Sir Edwin Sands had tould him that I was a man not fit to liue in a Common-wealth which opprobrious speeches I tooke patiently because the standers by did cleare me of those things whereof he had accused me so as he seemed to be satisfied and went about the Ilands speaking well of me where he had spoken euill and dyed within sixe or seauen dayes after The new Gouernour then lying vpon his death bed and hearing that I did grieue and pine away because he and the Ministers had an euill opinion of me did send an honest man one Willam More to comfort me willing him to tell me that he found no truth in the reports that were made vnto him of me by some of the Company and that if I would stay in the Ilands I should finde his loue within foure dayes after this It pleased God that he also dyed After the death of the Gouenour diuers of the dishonest and vnruly sort taking notice how the Ministers and the new Officers that were sent ouer with the new Gouernour had an euil opinion of me did so wrong and insult ouer me as was like to breake my heart and hauing receaued a lamenmentable letter from my wife signifying that the Company did refuse to pay the mony that I did allow her out of my wages and that she was in great want I resolued to come for England At my returne backe againe Sir Edwin Sands and Deputie Ferrar who then were the chiefe managers of the affaires of the Sommer Ilands had got a new matter against me which being openly reade in the Court behind my backe did confirme diuerse of the Aduenturers in the euill opinion that they had of me their new matter was certaine false notes collected out of a Sermon that I made before diuers that were inclined to mutiny by meanes of which false notes the hearts of such as with their multiplicitie of voyces beare most sway are so set against me as I am like to lose the greatest part of my wages to my vtter vndoing Being aduised by my friends to petition his Majesties Commissioners for Virginea and Sommers Ilands my petition was sent by them to the Company for an answer whereupon Master Nicholas Ferrar then Deputie came to the Commissioners and tould them that there was nothing due vnto me and that if there were he would pay euery penny himselfe Sir Edwin alone did take vpon him to answer my Petition in writing and did so wrong me as one of the Commissioners tould me that there was such matters against me as they must turne me to a higher authority whereupon I did petition your Honours aboue twelue monthes since and had an order to enioyne the Company to giue present satisfaction of what was due whereupon Master Iohn Ferrar late Deputie came into the Court and openly in the face of the Court did affirme that there was nothing due vnto me vnto whose testimony the multitude who with their multiplicity of voyces doe beare all the sway haue giuen such credit as I haue no hope to recouer my wages The Gouernour Sir Thomas Smith and others that are honourable and Christianly minded though they be willing yet are not able to helpe me because of the multiplicity of voyces that are against me therefore I am constrained to appeare from the multiplicity of voyces to your Honours for Iustice The Demandes of me Lewes Hughes for the time that I haue spent in the seruice of the Sommer Ilands
Company and in suing for my wages I Did Contract with the Company but for three yeares after 50 pounds per annum as appeareth by their Order of Court made the 18. of March 1613. for which I acknowledge my selfe to be satisfied The Copy of the Order TAking in consideration the necessitie of sending ouer sufficient Ministers they were giuen to vnderstand of one Master Lewes Hughes who prosereth him selfe to be imployed for three yeares and referred the determination to a priuate meeting which was held the 26. of this present where they agreed viz. Master Gouernour Master Deputie c. That be should if he could not enioye his health returne with the first shipping and to haue for the time he stayes 50. pounds per annum viz. 10. pounds to himselfe and 40. pounds to his wife or to his Atturney Those three yeares being expired I wrote to the Company for more Ministers that I might come home they sending none I was constrained to stay For the next yeare after the expiration of the Contract viz. 1617. Wherein I was kept there in much misery against my will the people being increased and dispersed vp and downe the Maine into eight seuerall Congregations besides the Colony hauing no Minister but my selfe to looke to them all liuing more like a slaue then a Minister of Gods word my seruant being detained from mee by the Gouernour so as I was constrained to liue comfortlesse alone and to goe vp down the Iland for fire wood and to bring it home vpon my backe and then to goe from house to house for fire and to goe with my pitcher through the Towne to the Pumpe for water and to doe other base and seruile offices very vnbeseeming a Minister of Gods word notwithstanding all these discouragements I did through the helpe of God preach constantly euery Thursday once and euery Saboth twise besides Cathechising therefore I hope that the Company being Honorable will not offer lesse then 100. pounds for that yeare considering that out of my loue to the Plantation I did goe for 50. pounds per annum when they were willing and did offer to giue to another 100. pounds who would not goe vnder 200. For the yeare 1618. I require 100. pounds because the Company by an Order of Court held the 24. of Iune did allowe for foure Ministers for each of them 100. pounds per annum and notwithstanding did leaue me there alone to beare the burthen of that yeare without the helpe of any Minister the people still encreasing and the Ilands pestered with lewde disordered persons taken vp out of the streetes out of New-gate and Bridewell Some of the company doe say that I was not alone but had one Mr. Keath to helpe me The truth is that Mr. Keath was no Minister neither was he any helpe but a great plague vnto me and was like to be the ruine of vs all when taking part with Mansfield the Vsurper against the lawfull Gouernor ' he was the first man that out of the Pulpit cried a Mansfield a Mansfield and so was like to set vs together by the eares to cut one anothers throate euen in the Church The Copie of the order THe Ministers shall be chosen here in a quarter Court and the prouision for them there is to bee made on this sort There shall be erected 4. Churobes and 4. Parsonages belonging to them and shall haue 50. acres for each Parsonage and vpon each of those Parsonage Gleabs there shall be placed 4. men taken off from the comon land to occupie the same to halfes for the behoofe of the Minister and for the yearely maintenance of the Ministers Ouer and aboue the houses and gleabs it is ordered that there shall bea apportioned to them out of the fruites of the earth growing and accruing out of their seuerall Parishes a certaine portion by way of charge vpon euery share or Farme so as to make each Ministers allowance in that kinde to the value of 100. pounds For the yeare 1619. I require 100. pounds per annum because the Company in a Court held the 25 of February agreed order that the said order touching the Minister should be prosecuted and for the payment of the Ministers wages they layed 3. pence the pound on the Tobacco and left me alone to beare the burthen of that yeare also till the latter end of it that one Mr. Lang was sent to assist me who dyed there vnto whose Widow the Company haue paid after a 100. pounds per annum according to the order The Copie of the order TAking into consideration the defect of the Ministery in the Summer Ilands hauing at this present but onely two viz. Mr. Lewes and Mr. Bridges and vnderstading that the said Mr Bridges is not sufficient to execute his function as they desire It was thought conuenient for the educating the Inhabitants in the feare of God that two able Ministers shall presently be sent to assist Mr. Lewes whom they wish may bee desired to stay And the said two Ministers to bee seated and imployed vpon the Tribes and for their maintenance it is agreede that the former order shall bee prosecuted touching the Ministery and what shall faile in that of making good to each of them 100. pounds per ann that then there shall be an imposition of 3. pence the pound and not aboue laid there vpon the Tobacco which shall returne the occupiers being willing to beare halfe with the owners in the contribution And touching Mr. Bridges it is thought fit to send for him home vnlesse he please to stay as a priuate man without salary from the Company My Aduersaries doe say that the Company since my comming for England haue paid their Moitye and that I was to receaue the other in the Ilands and that therefore the Company are not to pay it To them I answere that I neuer could haue foure men to manage the Gleabe-land according to the order and therefore the people did not contribute there but haue paid their Moitye in money heare according to the imposition layed on their Tobacco For the yeare 1620. wherein finding my selfe to faint vnder the intollerable butthen with I was constrained to vndergoe I came to England to see if I could perswade some Ministers to goe ouer and also to acquaint the Company with the grieuances of the people which were ready to mutany And also to acquaint them with the weake estate of the Ilands most needfull to bee lookt into in time I require a 100. pounds according to their law Because it was neuer heard that a Minister in England comming to London about the Important affaires of the Common-wealth had his liuing sequestted from him for that time For the yeare 1621. Wherein I did returne to the Summer Ilands the Company then in their generall Letters did desire the Gouernor to prouide for me according to their orders which he could not doe because the Tobacco Haruest was past before their letters came Therefore I desire that the 100 pounds due for that yeare may bee made good some other way the poor people there hauing paid their moity in money here according to the imposition that was layed vpon their Tobacco For the yeare 1622. I am satisfied because the Gouernor according to the order did leauie 600. weight of Tobacco to make vp the Tobacco which was made that yeare on the gleabe land to the value of a 100. pounds starling For the yeares 1623. 1624. wherein the Company haue not as yet discharged me of my Cure neither by order of Court nor by warning nor by any satisfaction but haue kept me in suspence suing for my wages with much griese of heart being much indepted hauing no meanes to pay my depts nor to relieue my selfe my poore Wife and Family but by borrowing and going on the soore so as my deptes are increased The lease of my house which cost me 30. pounds laied in pawne for 12. pounds is forfeited It is also forfeited to the Landlord for not paying the last quarters rent a Bond of 60. pounds is forfeited for non paiment of 27. pounds My poore aged wife whose heart is almost broke with grieuing is miserable weake and sicke I hauing not a penny to buy her a loase of bread but as I borrow or begge For these two yeares that haue beene so grieuous and chargeable vnto me I will thankfully accept of what your Honours shall think fit either by way of salary because I am not as yet discharged of my Cure or by way of dammage in regard of my losses and hindrances Concerning the agreement which as they say was made at my returned to the Summer Ilands viz. That if the Company would pay vnto my Wife 95. pounds and giue me the transportation of two men I would be therewith satisfied and put the Company to no more charges which agreement the Company did breake first in refusing to pay the said 90. pounds to my wife which hath brought her to such want and griefe as is like to cost her her life and therefore I am not bound to stand to it considering they brake it first Thus I haue deliuered vnto your Honours the iust cause of my complaints which in the bowels of CHRIST LESVS I commend vnto your honours charitable consideration for speedy redresse of my wrongs In Witnesse of the truth of all the premises I haue hereunto subscribed my name LEVVES HVGHES