America and West Indies: February 1611

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 1, 1574-1660. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1860.

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Citation:

'America and West Indies: February 1611', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 1, 1574-1660, ed. W Noel Sainsbury( London, 1860), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol1/p11 [accessed 29 November 2024].

February 1611



Feb. 28. Port d'Espaigne, Trinidad.	25. Sir Thomas Roe to Salisbury. Has seen more of the coast, from the river Amazon to Orinoco, than any Englishman alive, having passed the wild coast and arrived at Port d'Espaigne. The Spaniards there are proud and insolent, yet needy and weak, their force is reputation, their safety is opinion. Will not exceed the honourable caution Salisbury gave him. The Spainards treat the English worse than Moors. News that the king of Spain intends to plant Orinoco. Men, cattle, and horses are arriving daily to be employed in fortifying the place, raising a new city, and in the conquest of Guiana. Thinks "all will be turned to smoke." The Government is lazy, and has more skill in planting and selling tobacco than in erecting colonies or marching armies. Don Juan de Gambo, the late Governor of Caraccas, proscribed for treating some English well, and fled inland. Will try and confer with him, for he is a great soldier, and may be of service to England. Should Roe fail, hopes to bring over one, born a Venetian, of almost equal ability. [Roe was sent by Prince Henry "upon a discovery to the West Indies."]