The voyage made by Sir Richard Greenvile, for Sir Walter

Ralegh, to Virginia, in the yeere, 1585.

The 19. day of [March] in the yeere above saide, wee departed from Plymmouth, our fleete consisting of the number of seven sailes, to wit, the Tyger, of the burden of seven score tunnes: a flie boate called the Roe Bucke, of the like burden: the Lyon of a hundred tunnes, or thereabouts: the Elizabeth, of fiftie tunnes, and the Dorothie, a small barke, whereunto were also adjoyned for speedie services, small Pinnesses. The principall Gentlemen of our companie, were, Master Ralfe Lane, Master Thomas Candishe, Master John Arundell, Master Raimund, Master Stukely, Master Bremige, Master Vincent, and MasterJohn Clarke, and divers others, whereof some were Captaines, and other some Assistants for counseil, and good directions in the voyage.

[Do note that the 8 masters in seven ships commanding the nameless and unnumbered hands, in piratical fashion, do contradict the notion of “free Englishmen” seeking “religious freedom” in America.]

The 14. day of Aprill, we fell with Lamjacota, and Forte Ventura, Isles of the Canaries, and from thence we continued our course for Dominica, one of the Antiles of the West India, wherewith we fell the 7. day of Maye, and the 10. day following, we came to an anker at Cotesa, a little Island situate neere to the Island of S. John, where wee landed, and refreshed ourselves all that day.

The 15. day of Maye, we came to an anker, in the Baye of Muskito, in the Island of S. John, within a Fawlcon shot of theshoare: where our Generali Sir Richard Greenvill, and the most part of our companie landed, and began to fortifie, very neere to the sea side: the river ranne by the one side of our forte, and the other two sides were environed with woods.

The 13. day we began to builde a new pinnesse within the Fort, with the timber that we then felled in the countrey, some part whereof we fet three myle up in the land, and brought it to our Fort upon trucks, the Spaniards not daring to make or offer resistance.

The 16. day, there appeared unto us out of the woods 8 horsemen of the Spaniards, about a quarter of a myle from our Fort, staying about halfe an hower in viewing our forces: but as soone as they saw x [10?] of our shot [gunners] marching towards them, they presently retyred into the woodes.

The 19. day, Master Candish, who had bene seperated from our fleete in a storme in the Bay of Portingal arrived at Cotesa, within the sight of the Tiger: we thinking him a farre off to have ben either a Spaniard or French man of wane thought it good to waigh ankers, and to goe roome with him, which the Tyger did, and discerned him at last to be one of our Consorts, for joy of whose comming our ships discharged their ordinance, and saluted him, according to the manner of the Seas.

The 22. day, 20. other Spanishe horsemen shewed them selves to us upon the other side of the river: who being seene, our General dispatched 20. footemen towards them, and two horsemen of ours, mounted upon Spanish horses, which wee before had taken in the time of our being on the Hand: they shewed to our men a flagge of truce, and made signes to have a parle with us: whereupon two of our men went halfe of the way upon the sands, and two of theirs came and met them: the two Spaniards offred very great salutations to our men, but began according to their Spanish proud humors, to expostulate with them, about their arrival, and fortifying in their countrie, who notwidistanding by our mens discrete answers were so cooled, that wheras they were told, that our principal intention was onely to furnish our selves with water, and victuals, and other necessaries wherof we stood in neede, which we craved might be yelded us with faire, and friendly means, otherwise our resolution was to practise force, and to rclceve our selves by the sworde: the Spaniards in conclusion, seeing our men so resolute, yelded to our requestes with large promises of all curtesie, and great favor, and so our men and theirs departed.

The 23. day our pinnesse was finished, and lanched, which being done, our Generali with his Captaines, and Gentlemen, marched up into the Country about the space of 4. myles, where in a plaine marsh, they stayed expecting the comming of the Spanyards according to their promise, to furnish us with victuals: who keeping their old custome for perjurie and breache of promise came not, whereupon our General fired woods thereabout, and so retired to our Fort, which the day was fired also, and each man came aboord to be Ldy to set saile the next morning.

The 29. day we set saile from Saint Johns, being many of us stoong before upon shoare with the Muskitoes: but the same night wee tooke a Spanish Frigat, which was forsaken by the Spanyards upon the sight of us, and the next day in the morning very early, wee tooke another Frigat, with good and rich freight, and divers Spaniards of accompt in her, which afterwards we ransomed for good round summes, and landed them in Saint Johns.

The 26. day our Lieutenant Master Ralfe Lane, went in one of the Frigats which we had taken, to Roxo bay upon the Southwest side of Saint Johns, to fetch salt, being thither conducted by a Spanish Pilot: as soone as he arrived there, he landed with his men, to the number of 20. and intrenched him selfe upon the sandes immediatly, compassing one of their salt bils within the trench: who being seene of the Spanyards, there came downe towards him two or three troopes of horsemen, and footemen, who gave him the looking, and gazing on, but durst not come neere him to offer any resistance, so that Master Lane mauger their troopes, caried their salt aboord and laded his Frigat, and so returned againe to our fleete the 29. day,

which road at Saint Germans Bay. The same day we all de­parted, and the next day arrived in the island of Hispaniola.

     

June.

The 1. day of June we ankered at Isabella, in the North side of Hispaniola.

The 3. day of June, the Governor of Isabella, and Captaine of the Port de Plata, beeing certifyed by the reports of sundry Spanyards, who had bene wel intertained aboord our shippes by our General, that in our fleete were many brave, and gallant Gentlemen, who greatly desired to see the Governor aforesaid, he thereupon sent gende commendations to our Generali, promising within a few daies to come to him in person, which he performed accordingly.

The 5. day the foresaid governor, accompanied with a lusty Frier, & 20. other Spaniards, with their servants, & Negroes, [Here the Spanish have bound persons who are not African.] came downe to the sea side, where our ships road at anker, who being scene, our General manned immediatly the most part of his boats with the chiefe men of our fleete, every man appointed, and furnished in the best sort: at the landing of our Generali, the Spanishe Governor received him very curteously, and the Spanish Gentlemen saluted our English Gentlemen, and their inferiour sort [Nameless private men, inferior being any person who does not take part in command.] did also salute our Souldiers and Seamen, liking our men, and likewise their qualities, although at the first, they seemed to stand in feare of us, and of so many of

our boats, whereof they desired that all might not land their men, yet in the end, the curtesies that passed on both sides were so great, that all feare and mistrust on the Spanyardes part was abandoned. [Darby Gland, a meber of this expedition, would, in 1587, desert to the Spanish, be enslaved in a galley and then employed as a soldier in Cuba.]

In the meane time while our English Generali and the Span­ish Governor discoursed betwixt them of divers matters, as of the state of the Country, the multitude of the Townes and people, and the commodities of the Hand, our men provided two banquetting houses covered with greene boughs, the one for the gentlemen, the other for the servants, and a sumptuous banquet was brought in served by us all in Plate, with the sound of trumpets, and consort of musick, [If even the servanst are entertained by musicians, who work while they feast, then multiple social layers of bondage are indicated.] wherewith the Spanyards were more than delighted. Which banquet being ended, the Spanyardes in recompense of our curtesie, caused a great heard of white buls, and kyne, to be brought together from the Mounteines, and appointed for every Gentlemen and

Captaine that woulde ride, a horse ready sadled, and then sin­gled out three of the best of them to be hunted by horsemen after their manner, so that the pastime grew very plesant for the space of three houres, wherein all three of the beasts were killed, whereof one tooke the sea, and there was slaine with a musket.

After this sport, many rare presents and gifts were given and bestowed on both partes, and the next day wee plaied the Marchants in bargaining with them by way of trucke and ex­change for divers of their commodities, as horses, mares, kyne, buls, goates, swine, sheepe, bul hydes, sugar, ginger, pearle,

tabacco, and such like commodities of the land.

The 7. day we departed with great good will from the Span­yardes from the Island of Hispaniola: but the wiser sort do im­pute this greate shew of friendship, and curtesie used towardes us by the Spanyards rather to the force that we were of, and ailancie, and watchfulnes that was amongst us, then to hajty good will, or sure freindly intertainment: for doubt-if they had bene stronger than wee, we might have looked to see better curtesie at their handes, then Master John 'kins received at saint John de Ullua, or John Oxnam neere the streights of Dariene, and divers others of our Countrymen other places.

The 8 day we ankred at a small island to take Seales which in lace wee understood to have bene in great quantitie, the Generali and certaine others with him in the pinnace were in very great danger to have bene all cast away, but with the helpe of God they escaped the hazard, and returned aboord the Admirall in safetie.

The 9. day we arrived and landed in the Isle of Caycos, in which Islande we searched for salt pondes, upon the advertise­ment and information of a Portingall: who in deede abused our General and us, deserving a halter for his hire, if it had so pleased us.

The 12. we ankered at Guanema, and landed.

The 15. and 16. we ankered and landed at Sygateo.

The 20. we fell with the mayne of Florida.

The 23. wee were in great danger of a Wracke on a breache called the Cape of Feare.

The 24. we came to anker in a harbor where we caught in one tyde so much fishe as woulde have yelded us xx. pounds in London: this was our first landing in Florida.

The 26. we came to anker at Wocokon.

The 29. wee waighed anker to bring the Tyger into the har­bour, where through the unskilfulnesse of the Master whose name was Fernando, the Admirall strooke on grounde, and sunke. [Fernando appears to have been in the employ of the rivals of Riliegh and Grenville who would form the Virginia Company after these expeditions failed.]

     

July.

The 3. we sent word of our arriving at Wococon, to Wingino at Roanocke.

The 6. Master John Arundell was sent to the mayne, and Manteio with him: and Captayne Aubry, and Captaine Boniten the same day were sent to Croatoan, where they found two of our men left there, with 30. other by Captaine Reymond, some 20. daies before.

The 8. Captaine Aubry, and Captaine Boniten returned with two of our men found by them to us at Wocokon.

The n. day the Generali accompanied in his Tilt boate with Master John Arundell, Master Stukelye, and divers other Gentelmen. Master Lane, Master Candish, Master Harriot, and 20, others in the new pinnesse, Captaine Amadas, Captaine Clarke, with tenne others in a ship boate, Francis Brooke, and John White [artist and future governor of the colony] in another ship boate, passed over the water from Ococon to the mayne land victualled for eight dayes, in which voy­age we first discovered the townes of Pomioke, Aquascogoc and Secota, and also the great lake called by the Savages

Paquype, with divers other places, and so returned with that discovery to our Fleete. [Savages are “sylvan” folk, rural people of the woods.]

The 12. we came to the Towne of Pomeioke.

The 13. we passed by water to Aquascococke.

The 15. we came to Secotan and were well intertayned there of the Savages.

The 16. we returned thence, and one of our boates with the Admirall was sent to Aquascococke to demaund a silver cup which one of the Savages had stolen from us, and not receiving it according to his promise, we burnt, and spoyled their corne, and Towne, all the people beeing fledde. [Nothing like a measured response!]

The 18. we returned from the discovery of Secotan, and the same day came aboord our fleete ryding at Wocokon.

The 21. our fleete ankering at Wokocon, we wayed anker for Hatoraske.

The 27. our fleete ankered at Hatoraske, and there we rested.

The 29. Grangino, brother to King Wingino, came aboord the Admirall, and Manteo with him.

     

August.

The 2. The Admirall was sent to Weapemeoke.

The 5. Master John Arundell was sent for England.

The 25. our Generali wayed anker, and set saile for England.

About the 31. he tooke a Spanish ship of 300. tunne richly loaden, boording her with a boate made with boards of chests, which fell a sunder, and sunke at the shippes side, assoone as ever hee and his men were out of it.

September.

The 10. September, by foule weather the Generali then [?] in the prise lost sight of the Tyger.

October.

The sixt the Tyger fell with the landes ende, and the same came to an anker at Falmouth.

The 18 the Generali came with the prise to Plymmouth, and courteously received by diverse of his worshipfull friends.

[Grenville would remain a staunch enemy of the Spanish. Forced by Drake and other rivals of Walter Rileigh for plantation deeds I America, to sit out the battle with the Spanish Armada in 1588, with his 51 ships, Grenville thirsted for redemption. Locating a Spanish fleet with his six ships, off the Azores, he would send off five ships to bear witness, as he battled the fleet from his flagship. Such was the character of the first English sea dogs to lay claim to America.]