In Thomas Hariot's "Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of
Virginia," (1590 ed) there is this passage under the category of
"Marchantable Commodities":

"Pearle.
Sometimes in feeding on muscles we found some pearle; but it was our hap
to meet with ragges, or of a pide colour; not having yet discovered
those places where wee hearde of better and more plentie.  One of our
companie; a man of skill in such matters, had gathered together from
among the savage people about five thousande: of which number he chose
so many as made a fayre chaine, which for their likenesse and
uniformitie in roundnesse, orientnesse, and pidenesse of many excellent
colours, with equalitie in greatnesse, were very fayre and rare; and had
therfore been presented to her majesty, had we not by casualtie and
trough extremity of a storme, lost them with many things els in comming
away from the countrey."

Best,
David Kiracofe




David Kiracofe
History
Tidewater Community College
Chesapeake Campus
1428 Cedar Road
Chesapeake, Virginia 23322
757-822-5136

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html