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Essay XXXIII: Of Plantations
Essay XXXIII: Of Plantations
Of Plantations ^1
Plantations are amongst ancient, primitive, 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 plantations 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 ^2 almost twenty years` profit, and expect your recompense 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 neglected, 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 ^3 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 because 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, housedoves, and the like. The
victual in plantations ought to be expended 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 common 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 ^4 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 ^5 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 limitations. 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 custom, ^6 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 ^7 be in penury. It hath
been a great endangering to the health of some plantations, that they have
built along the sea and rivers, in marish and unwholesome grounds. Therefore,
though you begin there, to avoid carriage and other like discommodities, yet
built still rather upwards from the streams than along. It concerneth likewise
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 invade 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
return. 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 generations,
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 commiserable ^8 persons.
[Footnote 1: Colonies.]
[Footnote 2: Lose.]
[Footnote 3: Send word.]
[Footnote 4: Fine.]
[Footnote 5: Drudge.]
[Footnote 6: Duties on imports and exports.]
[Footnote 7: Overloading.]
[Footnote 8: Deserving pity.]
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