The Sickness That Followed the English

One other rare and strange accident, leauing others, will I mention before I ende, which mooued the whole countrey that either knew or hearde of vs, to haue vs in wonderfull admiration.

One other rare and strange event, leaving out others, I will mention before I end. It moved the whole country that either knew or heard of us to hold us in wonderful awe.

There was no towne where we had any subtile deuise practised against vs, we leauing it vnpunished or not reuenged (because wee sought by all meanes possible to win them by gentlenesse) but that within a few dayes after our departure from euerie such towne, the people began to die very fast, and many in short space; in some townes about twentie, in some fourtie, in some sixtie, & in one sixe score, which in trueth was very manie in respect of their numbers. This happened in no place that wee could learne but where wee had bene, where they vsed some practise against vs, and after such time; The disease also so strange, that they neither knew what it was, nor how to cure it; the like by report of the oldest men in the countrey neuer happened before, time out of minde. A thing specially obserued by vs as also by the naturall inhabitants themselues.

Some towns worked cunning plots against us, and we left them unpunished and unrevenged, because we sought by every possible means to win them by gentleness.1 Yet there was no such town where, within a few days after we left it, the people did not begin to die very fast, and many in a short time. In some towns about twenty died, in some forty, in some sixty, and in one a hundred and twenty, which truly was very many for their numbers. As far as we could learn, this happened in no place except where we had been, where they had plotted against us, and after that time. The disease was also so strange that they neither knew what it was nor how to cure it. By the report of the oldest men in the country, nothing like it had ever happened before, in all memory. We noticed this especially, and so did the native inhabitants themselves.

1. Harriot means that the English punished no one for these plots. He presents the deaths as the punishment instead.

Insomuch that when some of the inhabitantes which were our friends & especially the Wiroans Wingina had obserued such effects in foure or fiue towns to follow their wicked practises, they were perswaded that it was the worke of our God through our meanes, and that wee by him might kil and slai whom we would without weapons and not come neere them.

So when some of the inhabitants who were our friends, and especially the Wiroans Wingina,2 had seen such effects follow their wicked plots in four or five towns, they were convinced that it was the work of our God through us. They believed that through him we could kill and slay whomever we wished without weapons, and without coming near them.

2. Wiroans (werowance) was the coastal Algonquian word for a chief. Wingina led the people of Roanoke Island and the nearby mainland. He later took the name Pemisapan.

And thereupon when it had happened that they had vnderstanding that any of their enemies had abused vs in our iourneyes, hearing that wee had wrought no reuenge with our weapons, & fearing vpon some cause the matter should so rest: did come and intreate vs that we woulde bee a meanes to our God that they as others that had dealt ill with vs might in like sort die; alleaging howe much it would be for our credite and profite, as also theirs; and hoping furthermore that we would do so much at their requests in respect of the friendship we professe them.

And so, when they had learned that any of their enemies had wronged us on our journeys, and heard that we had taken no revenge with our weapons, they feared that the matter would rest there. They came and begged us to ask our God that their enemies, like others who had dealt badly with us, might die in the same way. They argued how much it would add to our reputation and profit, and to theirs as well. And they hoped, too, that we would do this much at their request, because of the friendship we professed for them.

Yet because the effect fell out so sodainly and shortly after according to their desires, they thought neuertheless it came to passe by our meanes, and that we in vsing such speeches vnto them did but dissemble the matter, and therefore came vnto vs to giue vs thankes in their manner that although wee satisfied them not in promise, yet in deedes and effect we had fulfilled their desires.

Yet because the result came so suddenly, and so soon after, just as they had wished, they thought all the same that it came about through us. They thought that when we spoke to them like this, we were only pretending. So they came to us to give us thanks in their manner, saying that although we had not satisfied them by a promise, in deeds and in fact we had fulfilled their wishes.

This maruelous accident in all the countrie wrought so strange opinions of vs, that some people could not tel whether to think vs gods or men, and the rather because that all the space of their sicknesse, there was no man of ours knowne to die, or that was specially sicke: they noted also that we had no women amongst vs, neither that we did care for any of theirs.

This marvelous event gave rise to such strange opinions of us throughout the country that some people could not tell whether to think us gods or men. All the more so because, during the whole time of their sickness, not one of our men was known to die, or to be especially sick. They also noted that we had no women among us, and that we did not care for any of theirs.

Some therefore were of opinion that wee were not borne of women, and therefore not mortall, but that wee were men of an old generation many yeeres past then risen againe to immortalitie. Some woulde likewise seeme to prophesie that there were more of our generation yet to come, to kill theirs and take their places, as some thought the purpose was by that which was already done.

Some therefore were of the opinion that we were not born of women, and so not mortal, but that we were men of an old generation from many years past, risen again to immortality. Some likewise seemed to prophesy that more of our kind were still to come, to kill theirs and take their places. Some thought that this was the purpose of what had already been done.

Those that were immediatly to come after vs they imagined to be in the aire, yet inuisible & without bodies, & that they by our intreaty & for the loue of vs did make the people to die in that sort as they did by shooting inuisible bullets into them.

They imagined that those who were to come right after us were in the air, invisible and without bodies. They thought that, at our request and for love of us, these beings made the people die as they did, by shooting invisible bullets into them.

To confirme this opinion their phisitions to excuse their ignorance in curing the disease, would not be ashemed to say, but earnestly make the simple people beleue, that the strings of blood that they sucked out of the sicke bodies, were the strings wherewithal the inuisible bullets were tied and cast.

Their physicians confirmed this opinion, to excuse their ignorance in curing the disease. They were not ashamed to say, and earnestly made the simple people believe, that the strings of blood they sucked out of the sick bodies were the strings by which the invisible bullets were tied and shot.3

3. The healers sucked at the skin of the sick and showed what they drew out. Harriot calls their explanation an excuse; it was their own understanding of the illness.

And other some saide that it was the speciall woorke of God for our sakes, as wee our selues haue cause in some sorte to thinke no lesse, whatsoeuer some doe or maie imagine to the contrarie, specially some Astrologers knowing of the Eclipse of the Sunne which wee saw the same yeere before in our voyage thytherward, which vnto them appeared very terrible. And also of a Comet which beganne to appeare but a few daies before the beginning of the said sicknesse. But to exclude them from being the speciall an accident, there are farther reasons then I thinke fit at this present to bee alleadged.

And others said that it was the special work of God for our sakes,4 as we ourselves have some cause to think too, whatever some do or may imagine to the contrary. Some astrologers especially think otherwise. They know of the eclipse of the sun which we saw that same year on our voyage there, which seemed very terrible to them, and of a comet which began to appear only a few days before the sickness began.5 But to rule these out as the special cause of the event, there are further reasons than I think fit to give at present.

4. The belief that God sent disease to punish wrongdoing. Here it is turned around: God strikes the Englishmen's enemies on their behalf.
5. Many Europeans believed that eclipses and comets foretold or caused disasters, including epidemics. An astrologer read such signs.

These their opinions I haue set downe the more at large that it may appeare vnto you that there is good hope they may be brought through discreet dealing and gouernement to the imbracing of the trueth, and consequently to honour, obey, feare and loue vs.

I have set down these opinions of theirs at greater length so that you may see that there is good hope they may be brought, through careful dealing and government, to embrace the truth, and so to honor, obey, fear, and love us.

And although some of our companie towardes the ende of the yeare, shewed themselues too fierce, in slaying some of the people, in some towns, vpon causes that on our part, might easily enough haue been borne withall: yet notwithstanding because it was on their part iustly deserued, the alteration of their opinions generally & for the most part concerning vs is the lesse to bee doubted. And whatsoeuer els they may be, by carefulnesse of our selues neede nothing at all to be feared.

And toward the end of the year some of our company showed themselves too fierce, in killing some of the people in some towns, for reasons that we might easily enough have put up with.6 Yet because it was justly deserved on their part, there is less reason to doubt that their opinions of us have changed, in general and for the most part. And whatever else they may be, if we take care of ourselves, they need not be feared at all.

6. Probably including the English attack of June 1, 1586, on Wingina's town, in which he was killed. Harriot gives no details.