Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Henry Woodward to John Yeamans
Woodward, Henry, 1646?-ca1688
September 10, 1670
Volume 01, Pages 208-209

[B. P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers. Bdle. 48. NO. 33.]
H. WOODARD TO SIR JOHN YEAMANS. 10 SEPT. 1670.

Albymarle Pointe in Chyanhaw Sept. 10. 1670.

Rt Honble Sr

I could not soe well have pleaded my excuse & tardinesse in not given yr Honr a particular relation by ye way of Virginia, & Barmudoes of our proceedings, & transactions, since yr Honrs departure for ye Barbadoes & our settinge forward for ye Maine It being my fortune to bee gone uppon ye discovery of Chufytachygs yt fruitfull Provence where ye Emperr resides, in ye same juncture of time, when ye sd Vessells set sayle from our Port of Chyanhaw whereuppon at my returne from Chufytachygs I understood yt Mr Jones had satisfied yr Honr in those particulars as for my aforesaid journie I have discovered a Country soe delitious, pleasant and fruitfull, yt were it cultivated doubtless it would prove a second Paradize It lyes West & by Northe neerest from us. 14 days travell after ye Indian manner of marchinge. I there contracted a leauge wth ye Empr & all those Petty Cassekas betwixt us & them soe yt some few weeks after my returne ye Carolina being longe in her dispatch from Virginia our Provision failes us & had not myne wth Mr Jones diligence wth some few others releved ye Genll wants by what Provisions wee procured of the natives it had gone very hard wth us in which scursecytie of Provision wee receeved an Allarum from ye Southward by ye Indians of St Helens ye Spanish Vessells & 30 Perryangors of Spaniards & Indians intendinge to worke us what mischiefe they could (and as I conceive they haveing intelligence of our expectations of a Supply in the Carolina)

-------------------- page 209 --------------------
awaited at Sea to trapane our Shipp yt soe depriving us of our Supply and blockin us up our necessitys increasing wee consequently must have surrendered: for wth intent ther Perryangors lay 10 leagues distance from us at the mouth of Stonowe River & there shipps of at Sea. Yet it pleased God your Ship arrived safe to us wth a mast, convenient Supply ye Enimy not being removed, & yet being sensible thereof, theire Indians being terrified at ye scaleing of some of our Great Guns And ye Spaniard as wee suppose being frustrated of his expectation of starveing us, cowardly retreated to St Augustines never attempting any thinge against us soe yt at prst we have noe other news but yt he hath threatened to destroy ye Indians of St Helens of Cumbohee & of Edistare yt are our friends.

Thus as to the estate of our Gen11 affaires As to our family necessity I suppose Mr Jones hath made yr honr fully acquainted as to my particularre wants I am more beholden to yr Honrs Agent here then any thinge from ye Publicke, although I must confesse they have made honble recom̄endations of mee in there Gen11 letters. I shall endeavour by ye next to send yr honr some of our American raritys our troubles at prest not permittinge mee ye vacancy as to travel ye Country. It being most of my business to await in towne & to give an account of what relations the natives bring us either from ye Southward or ye Northward soe yt least I might seeme to prolixe I rest my respective service presented to yr Honr not forgetting my respects to Mrs Mavel Carter & the rest of yr Honble family & relations

I rest yr Honrs most obliged servant
HENRY WOODWARD.

To ye Right Honorable Sir Jno Yeomans Knt Baront
Barbadoes