A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia | Page 6

bee yelded, or by
men of skill to bee prouided, as by way of trafficke and exchaunge with our owne nation
of England, will enrich your selues the prouiders; those that shal deal with you; the
enterprisers in general; and greatly profit our owne countrey men, to supply them with
most things which heretofore they haue bene faine to prouide, either of strangers or of our
enemies: which commodities for distinction sake, I call 'Merchantable'.
In the second, I will set downe all the cõmodities which wee know the countrey by our
experience doeth yeld of its selfe for victuall, and sustenance of mans life; such as is
vsually fed vpon by the inhabitants of the countrey, as also by vs during the time we were
there.
In the last part I will make mention generally of such other cõmodities besides, as I am
able to remember, and as I shall thinke behoofull for those that shall inhabite, and plant
there to knowe of; which specially concerne building, as also some other necessary vses:
with a briefe description of the nature and maners of the people of the countrey.
THE FIRST PART, OF MARCHAN- TABLE COMMO- DITIES.
'Silke of grasse or grasse Silke.'
THere is a kind of grasse in the countrey vppon the blades where of there groweth very
good silke in forme of a thin glittering skin to bee stript of. It groweth two foote and a
halfe high or better: the blades are about two foot in length, and half inch broad. The like
groweth in Persia, which is in the selfe same climate as Virginia, of which very many of
the silke workes that come from thence into Europe are made. Here of if it be planted and
ordered as in Persia, it cannot in reason be otherwise, but that there will rise in shorte
time great profite to the dealers therein; seeing there is so great vse and vent thereof as
well in our countrey as els where. And by the meanes of sowing & plãting in good
ground, it will be farre greater, better, and more plentifull then it is. Although
notwithstanding there is great store thereof in many places of the countrey growing
naturally and wilde. Which also by proof here in England, in making a piece of silke
Grogran, we found to be excellent good.
'Worme Silke.'
In manie of our iourneyes we found silke wormes fayre and great; as bigge as our

ordinary walnuttes. Although it hath not beene our happe to haue found such plentie as
elsew here to be in the coutrey we haue heard of; yet seeing that the countrey doth
naturally breede and nourish them, there is no doubt but if art be added in plantig of
mulbery trees and others fitte for them in commodious places, for their feeding and
nourishing; and some of them carefully gathered and husbanded in that sort as by men of
skill is knowne to be necessarie: there will rise as great profite in time to the Virginians,
as there of doth now to the Persians, Turkes, Italians, and Spaniards.
'Flaxe and Hempe.'
The trueth is that of Hempe and Flaxe there is no greate store in any one place together,
by reason it is not planted but as the soile doth yeeld it of it selfe; and howsoeuer the
leafe, and stemme or stalke doe differ from ours; the stuffe by the iudgemêt of men of
skill is altogether as good as ours. And if not, as further proofe should finde otherwise;
we haue that experience of the soile, as thas there canno bee shewed anie reason to the
contrary, but that it will grow there excellent well; and by planting will be yeelded
plentifully: seeing there is so much ground whereof some may well be applyed to such
purposes. What benefite heereof may growe in cordage and linnens who can not easily
vnderstand?
'Allum.'
There is a veine of earth along the sea coast for the space of fourtie or fiftie miles,
whereof by the iudgement of some that have made triall heere in England, is made good
Allum, of that kinde which is called Roche Allum. The richnesse of such a commoditie is
so well knowne that I neede not to saye any thing thereof. The same earth doth also
yeelde White Copresse, Nitrum, and Alumen Plumeum, but nothing so plentifully as the
common Allum; which be also of price and profitable.
'Wapeih:'
Wapeih, a kinde of earth so called by the naturall inhabitants; very like to terra sigillata:
and hauing beene refined, it hath beene found by some of our Phisitiõs and Chirurgeons
to bee of the same kinde of vertue and more effectuall. The inhabitãts vfe it very much
for the cure of sores and woundes: there