e of foode was equall; which penurious and harde kinde of
liveinge, enforced and emboldened some to petition to Sir Thomas Gates
(then Governor) to grant them that favor that they might employ
themselves in husbandry, that therby they and all others by plantinge of
corne, might be better fed then those supplies of victual which were
sent from Englande woulde afforde to doe, which request of theirs was
denied unlesse they woulde paye the yearlye rent of three barrels of
corne and one monthe's worke to the Collonye, although many of them had
been imployed in the generall workes and services of the Collony from
the beginninge of the Plantation, which harde condition of Tenantship
was then accepted rather then they woulde continue in those generall
services and employments noe waye better then slavery. Most part of the
time that Sir Thomas Gates and Sir Thos. Dale governed we were at warre
with the natives, so that by them divers times were many of our people
slaine, whose blood Sir Thomas Dale neglected not to revenge, by divers
and sundry executions, in killinge many, cuttinge downe and takinge away
their corne, burninge their houses, spoiling their weares, &c.[HH]

[HH] "Their weares in which they take their fish, which are certain
enclosures made with reedes, and framed in the fashion of a laborinth or
maze, sett a fathome deepe in the water, with divers chambers or bedds,
out of which the entangled fish cannot returne or gett out, being once
in."--Strachey, p. 68.

In this time alsoe the two fortes, fort Henry and fort Charles, at
Kicoughton, were againe erected with such buildings as were formerly
expressed, not fortified at all against a forreine enemye, and against
the Indian that common order of a pale or pallisadoe.

The supplies sent out of Englande while Sir Thos. Gates and Sir Thos.
Dale governed were these; a small barque called the John and Francis,
which brought few men and less victual; the next a small ship called the
Sarah, with the like number of men and victuall; the next ship called
the Tresorer, wherin came Capt. Samuell Argoll, bringinge with him to
the number of fiftie good men, which ship and men were wholly imployed
in Trade and other services for relevinge of the Collonye; the next
ship, called the Elizabeth, with about thirteene persons, for them
little provision; the next the same Elizabeth came againe, with some
small store of provisions only; in her Sir Thos. Gates went for
Englande, leavin