ir departure from
the Canaries was restrained as a prisoner upon the scandalous suggestion
of some of the chiefs (envying his repute) who fancied he intended to
usurp the government, murder the Council, and make himself King, that
his confedcrates were dispersed in all three ships, and that divers
of his confederates that revealed it, would affirm it, for this he was
committed a prisoner; thirteen weeks he remained thus suspected, and by
that time they should return they pretended out of their commiserations,
to refer him to the Council in England to receive a check, rather than
by particulating his designs make him so odious to the world, as to
touch his life, or utterly overthrow his reputation. But he so much
scorned their charity and publically defied the uttermost of their
cruelty, he wisely prevented their policies, though he could not
suppress their envies, yet so well he demeaned himself in this business,
as all the company did see his innocency, and his adversaries' malice,
and those suborned to accuse him accused his accusers of subornation;
many untruths were alleged against him; but being apparently disproved,
begot a general hatred in the hearts of the company against such unjust
Commanders, that the President was adjudged to give him L 200, so
that all he had was seized upon, in part of satisfaction, which Smith
presently returned to the store for the general use of the colony."--

Neither in Newport's "Relatyon" nor in Mr. Wingfield's "Discourse" is
the arrest mentioned, nor does Strachey speak of it.

About 1629, Smith, in writing a description of the Isle of Mevis (Nevis)
in his "Travels and Adventures," says: "In this little [isle] of Mevis,
more than twenty years agone, I have remained a good time together,
to wod and water--and refresh my men." It is characteristic of Smith's
vivid imagination, in regard to his own exploits, that he should speak
of an expedition in which he had no command, and was even a prisoner, in
this style: "I remained," and "my men." He goes on: "Such factions here
we had as commonly attend such voyages, and a pair of gallows was made,
but Captaine Smith, for whom they were intended, could not be persuaded
to use them; but not any one of the inventors but their lives by justice
fell into his power, to determine of at his pleasure, whom with much
mercy he favored, that most basely and unjustly would have betrayed
him." And it is true that Smith, although a great romancer, was of