Mr. Martin followed with:  “He reported that I do slack the service in the colony, and do nothing but tend my pot, spit, and oven; but he hath starved my son, and denied him a spoonful of beer.  I have friends in England shall be revenged on him, if ever he come in London.”

Voluminous charges were read against Mr. Wingfield by Mr. Archer, who had been made by the Council, Recorder of Virginia, the author, according to Wingfield, of three several mutinies, as “always hatching of some mutiny in my time.”

Mr. Percy sent him word in his prison that witnesses were hired to testify against him by bribes of cakes and by threats.  If Mr. Percy, who was a volunteer in this expedition, and a man of high character, did send this information, it shows that he sympathized with him, and this is an important piece of testimony to his good character.

Wingfield saw no way of escape from the malice of his accusers, whose purpose he suspected was to fine him fivefold for all the supplies whose disposition he could not account for in writing:  but he was finally allowed to appeal to the King for mercy, and recommitted to the pinnace.  In regard to the charge of embezzlement, Mr. Wingfield admitted that it was impossible to render a full account:  he had no bill of items from the Cape Merchant when he received the stores, he had used the stores for trade and gifts with the Indians; Captain Newport had done the same in his expedition, without giving any memorandum.  Yet he averred that he never expended the value of these penny whittles [small pocket-knives] to his private use.

There was a mutinous and riotous spirit on shore, and the Council professed to think Wingfield’s life was in danger.  He says:  “In all these disorders was Mr. Archer a ringleader.”  Meantime the Indians continued to bring in supplies, and the Council traded up and down the river for corn, and for this energy Mr. Wingfield gives credit to “Mr. Smith especially,” “which relieved the colony well.”  To the report that was brought him that he was charged with starving the colony, he replies with some natural heat and a little show of petulance, that may be taken as an evidence of weakness, as well as of sincerity, and exhibiting the undignified nature of all this squabbling: 

“I did alwaises give every man his allowance faithfully, both of corne, oyle, aquivite, etc., as was by the counsell proportioned:  neyther was it bettered after my tyme, untill, towards th’ end of March, a bisket was allowed to every working man for his breakfast, by means of the provision brought us by Captn.  Newport:  as will appeare hereafter.  It is further said, I did much banquit and ryot.  I never had but one squirrel roasted; whereof I gave part to Mr. Ratcliffe then sick:  yet was that squirrel given me.  I did never heate a flesh pott but when the comon pott was so used likewise.  Yet how often Mr. President’s and the Counsellors’ spitts have night and daye bene endaungered to break their backes-so, laden with swanns, geese, ducks, etc.! how many times their flesh potts have swelled, many hungrie eies did behold, to their great longing:  and what great theeves and theeving thear hath been in the comon stoare since my tyme, I doubt not but is already made knowne to his Majesty’s Councell for Virginia.”