Of Plantations

PLANTATIONS are amongst ancient, primi-

tive, and heroical works.  When the world was

young, it begat more children; but now it is old, it

begets fewer: for I may justly account new plan-

tations, to be the children of former kingdoms.  I

like a plantation in a pure soil; that is, where

people are not displanted, to the end, to plant in

others.  For else it is rather an extirpation, than a

plantation.  Planting of countries, is like planting

of woods; for you must make account to leese al-

most twenty years' profit, and expect your recom-

pense in the end.  For the principal thing, that hath

been the destruction of most plantations, hath

been the base and hasty drawing of profit, in the

first years.  It is true, speedy profit is not to be neg-

lected, as far as may stand with the good of the

plantation, but no further.  It is a shameful and

unblessed thing, to take the scum of people, and

wicked condemned men, to be the people with

whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth

the plantation; for they will ever live like rogues,

and not fall to work, but be lazy, and do mischief,

and spend victuals, and be quickly weary, and

then certify over to their country, to the discredit

of the plantation.  The people wherewith you

plant ought to be gardeners, ploughmen, laborers,

smiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermen, fowlers,

with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks, and

bakers.  In a country of plantation, first look about,

what kind of victual the country yields of itself to

hand; as chestnuts, walnuts, pineapples, olives,

dates, plums, cherries, wild honey, and the like;

and make use of them.  Then consider what victual

or esculent things there are, which grow speedily,

and within the year; as parsnips, carrots, turnips,

onions, radish, artichokes of Hierusalem, maize,

and the like.  For wheat, barley, and oats, they ask

too much labor; but with pease and beans you may

begin, both because they ask less labor, and be-

cause they serve for meat, as well as for bread.  And

of rice, likewise cometh a great increase, and it is

a kind of meat.  Above all, there ought to be brought

store of biscuit, oat-meal, flour, meal, and the like,

in the beginning, till bread may be had.  For beasts,

or birds, take chiefly such as are least subject to

diseases, and multiply fastest; as swine, goats,

cocks, hens, turkeys, geese, house-doves, and the

like.  The victual in plantations, ought to be ex-

pended almost as in a besieged town; that is, with

certain allowance.  And let the main part of the

ground, employed to gardens or corn, be to a com-

mon stock; and to be laid in, and stored up, and

then delivered out in proportion; besides some

spots of ground, that any particular person will

manure for his own private.  Consider likewise

what commodities, the soil where the plantation

is, doth naturally yield, that they may some way

help to defray the charge of the plantation (so it be

not, as was said, to the untimely prejudice of the

main business), as it hath fared with tobacco in

Virginia.  Wood commonly aboundeth but too

much; and therefore timber is fit to be one.  If there

be iron ore, and streams whereupon to set the mills,

iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.

Making of bay-salt, if the climate be proper for it,

would be put in experience.  Growing silk likewise,

if any be, is a likely commodity.  Pitch and tar,

where store of firs and pines are, will not fail.  So

drugs and sweet woods, where they are, cannot

but yield great profit.  Soap-ashes likewise, and

other things that may be thought of.  But moil not

too much under ground; for the hope of mines is

very uncertain, and useth to make the planters

lazy, in other things.  For government; let it be in

the hands of one, assisted with some counsel; and

let them have commission to exercise martial laws,

with some limitation.  And above all, let men make

that profit, of being in the wilderness, as they have

God always, and his service, before their eyes.  Let

not the government of the plantation, depend

upon too many counsellors, and undertakers, in

the country that planteth, but upon a temperate

number; and let those be rather noblemen and

gentlemen, than merchants; for they look ever to

the present gain.  Let there be freedom from cus-

tom, till the plantation be of strength; and not

only freedom from custom, but freedom to carry

their commodities, where they may make their

best of them, except there be some special cause of

caution.  Cram not in people, by sending too fast

company after company; but rather harken how

they waste, and send supplies proportionably; but

so, as the number may live well in the plantation,

and not by surcharge be in penury.  It hath been a

great endangering to the health of some planta-

tions, that they have built along the sea and rivers,

in marish and unwholesome grounds.  Therefore,

though you begin there, to avoid carriage and

like discommodities, yet build still rather upwards

from the streams, than along.  It concerneth like-

wise the health of the plantation, that they have

good store of salt with them, that they may use it

in their victuals, when it shall be necessary.  If you

plant where savages are, do not only entertain

them, with trifles and gingles, but use them justly

and graciously, with sufficient guard nevertheless;

and do not win their favor, by helping them to in-

vade their enemies, but for their defence it is not

amiss; and send oft of them, over to the country

that plants, that they may see a better condition

than their own, and commend it when they re-

turn.  When the plantation grows to strength, then

it is time to plant with women, as well as with

men; that the plantation may spread into genera-

tions, and not be ever pieced from without.  It is the

sinfullest thing in the world, to forsake or destitute

a plantation once in forwardness; for besides the

dishonor, it is the guiltiness of blood of many com-

miserable persons.