Page:A Description of New England - Smith (1616).djvu/67

of their Countrie commodities; which both with ease & securitie in their seasons may be vsed. With him and diuerse others, I had concluded to inhabit, and defend them against the Terentynes; with a better power then the French did them whose tyranny did inforce them to imbrace my offer, with no small deuotion. And though many may thinke me more bolde then wise, in regard of their power, dexteritie, treacherie, and inconstancie, hauing so desperately assaulted & betraied many others: I say but this (because with so many, I haue many times done much more in Virginia, then I intended heere, when I wanted that experience Virginia taught me) that to mee it seemes no daunger more then ordinarie. And though I know my selfe the meanest of many thousands, whose apprehensiue inspection can pearce beyond the boundes of my habilities, into the hidden things of Nature, Art, and Reason: yet I intreate such giue me leaue to excuse my selfe of so much imbecillitie, as to say, that in these eight yeares which I haue been conuersant with these affairs, I haue not learned there is a great difference, betwixt the directions and iudgement of experimentall knowledge, and the superficiall coniecture of variable relation: wherein rumor, humor, or misprision haue such power, that oft times one is enough to beguile twentie, but twentie not sufficient to keep one from being deceiued. Therefore I know no reason but to beleeue my own eies, before any mans imagination, that is but wrested from the conceits of my owne proiects, and indea-uours.