Cloth that serves not onely themselves but is also transported into other parts their chief City is London the Inhabitants are brave Warriors both at Sea and Land and many of them learned and witty The Orders of Knighthood are of St. George or of the Garter there are twenty six Knights of it whereof the King of England is the Soveraign the Ensign is a blew Garter buckled on the left leg on which these words are embroidered Hony soit qui mal y pense about their necks they wear a blew Ribond at the end of which hangeth the Image of Saint George upon whose day the Order is for the most part celebrated Secondly of the Bath instituted one thousand and nine They use to be created at the Coronation of Kings and Queens and the installing of the Prince of Wales Their duty to defend true Religion Widows Maids Orphans and to maintain the Kings Rights the Knights thereof distinguished by a red Riband which they wear ordinarily about their necks to difference them from Knights Batchelours of whom they have in all places the precedence unless they be also the Sons of Noble-men to whom the Birth gives it before all Orders Thirdly of Baronets an hereditary Honour the Armes are Mars three Lions passant gardant Sol. This Kingdome famous for Warlike Exploits abroad there being no Nation in the known world but where their dreadful Arms have been carried witness our Holy-Land Expeditions our Atchivements in Spain several Times our Conquests in France our defence of the Netherlands our Triumphs over Scotland and subduing of Ireland our Naval Power not less formidable in 88. and lately with the stubborn Dutch whom for all our more than uncivil Broyls we humbled into an intreaty of Peace was infinitely more terrible to it self in the late Convulsion and Subversion of the Laws and Government by a fatal Quarrel of the Parliament with the King A Prince no doubt of the greatest vertues piety and abilities that ever Swayed this Scepter nor could the Malignity of our Distempers have seized one of a sounder Constitution as to Honour Conscience Clemency Justice or what ever good quality is requisite for a King being absolutely the best of all the Princes that ever Reigned in this Island It will be alike grievous and tedious to relate the Miseries of this unnatural War the Battels Seiges and Surrenders that happened therein It will be too much to say that after a bloody Contest the King was worsted and with him the Laws and afterwards by his own rebellious and traite ous Subjects brought to a new unparallel'd High Court of Justice and by Sentence thereof beheaded before his own Court-Gates at White-Hall Ianuary 30. 1648. By the perpetration of this Murder and by a thing called an Act of Parliament Monarchy seemed to be actually dissolved it being made Treason to Proclaim the Prince or any other Person King or Queen of England All Empires have their certain periods and measures of Time at the Expiration whereof they tast of that Vicissitude and Change to which all other sublunary things are more frequently subject This Monarchy had â—…asted without any great alteration in a direct Line the Name only changed from Plantagenes which begun in Henry the second who restored the Saxon Line to Tâ—…wdor in the Person of Henry the seventh who united the two Houses of York and Lancaster after to Stuart in the Person of King Iames who united the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and continuing and long may it in our present Soveraign six hundred years and upwards till this fatal Revolution was come when we were under an Anarchy no Government at all in reality There are reckoned during this interregnum no less then seventeen Forms of Authority we were under in the space of eleven years betwixt the Parliament Protector and Army In the year 1651 our present Soveraign to regain his Right entered England from Scotland where Cromwell had p evailed and very like to carry all before him and got a start of three dayes march and came to Worcester where he was not long after defeated but most miraculously escaped into France where Divine Providence preserved him safe and after many strange over-turnings after we had been ridden by a Rump of a Parliament and tyrannised over in our Lives and Estates by the Protector Oliver Cromwell who by wicked means had scrued himself into the Supreme Power and wearied with the lording Insolencies of an Army by the Conduct of General Monk returned him in Honour and safety to his Kingdomes and his Kingdomes to Peace and Prosperity on his most happy Birth-day May 29. 1660. since which His Majesty is most happily Married to the Infanta of Portugal and such an alliance made as will be most beneficial to the Trade and consequently promote the Glory of these Nations Scotland invironed with the Sea except on the south side where it bordereth with England is not so fruitful yet hath of all things enough to fustain it self the head-City is Edenborough Scotland giveth many sorts of course Woollen Cloth Wool Mault Hides Fish The principal Order of Knighthood here is that of St. Andrew The Knights did wear about their necks a Collar interlaced with Thistles with the picture of St. Andrew appendent to it The Motto is Nemo me impune lacesset Secondly of Nova Scotia ordained by King Iames one thousand six hundred twenty two hereditary but the Knights thereof distinguished by a Riband of Orange Tawney the Arms of the Kingdome are Sol a Lion Rampant Mars within a double Tressure counter-flowered Little can be said of Scotland because its story is all one with England as to latter Times But be it remembred that soon after the union of the two Kingdoms was dissolved by dividing the Head thereof by the hand of Violence that Realm was totally Conquered by the English which all the English Prowess and valour of our Ancestors could never effect This was atcheived by the incomparable Felicity and conduct of the thrice renowned General Monck who in 1653. marched over Hills Rocks and Praecipices into the furthest Northern parts of Scotland and there forced General Middleton to fight where the said Middleton was overthrown and the whole Countrey thereupon submitted to the Conquerour Ireland is full of brooks marshes waters and woods hath good pasture and abundance of tame and wilde beasts but little grain the Inhabitants are rude and wilde People yet through the conversation and Government of the English are daily more and more brought to Civility the air here is very temperate cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter than in England the Arms of Ireland are Azure an Harp Or stringed Argent This Kingdom was never in a better constitution of Government as to appearance than in the beginning of our Troubles in 1639. by the prudent steerage of the Earl of Strafford Deputy thereof but in 1640. the 23. of October such a sudden and bloody Rebellion broke out that from that day
besides Malta In the Western Ocean the Canaries the Cape Verd and the Isle of Saint Thomas the chiefest in the Canaries is called Saint Iago and in Saint Thomas Panoasan In the Eastern Ocean there is the Isle of Madagascar or Saint Laurence and the Isle of Zocotora which hath a City after her own name America THE Vain and Ambitious lamentation of Great Alexander had he extended his Life to the same prodigious length as he did his victorious Arms might have found new Worlds to conquer when he might have past from his Conquest of the Sea of the East to the Shore of the West-Indies It hath been observed by those that have curiously calculated the rise growth and perfection of Arts and Learning that they have alwayes followed the fortune of Arms and Empire which having traversed the East and verged Westward to Grecia setled in the Roman Greatnesse among the rest of those Arts Astronomy and Geometry and the product of those Navigations have been by the Europeans highly improved who scorning the pusillanimity of former Ages that crept in their Vessels by the Shore have adventured into the dangerous Main and by skilfull presumption have discovered new Lands and so far advanced the knowledge of them by frequent Voyages that it is concluded so far as Sea and Land is passable there can be no other Countries undiscoverable Since which fortunate adventures the course of the World and Governments have been altered for Empire hath followed Arts to wit the discovery of those Treasures and Mines which innocent Nature had so long obscured and hidden from these parts of the World For the King of Spain being possest of these Mines as we shall see presently a wonder it is how formidable he grew and to what greatness he arose even to the aspiring ambition of an Universal Monarchy disdaining to be numbered the Fifth the other Four being indeed but partly so whereas this aimed to be one and all and Thomas de Campanella a Learned Iesuit hath written a very elaborate Tract shewing the means and feisible wayes thereunto The first Discoverer of this Fourth part of the World was Christopher Columbus a Genoese who having studied Geometry and been bred at Sea had more then strong imaginations that there were great and vast Regions to the Westward of Europe and thereupon communicated the Project to several Merchants who unwilling or unable to hazard so much Money as was requisite to such an undertaking advised him to address himself to some Prince whose Dominions were accommodated to the Design if it did succeed by whom he might be set forth upon the Voyage which he so importunately prosecuted as it is natural with all Men who fancy to themselves a single and sure way to Honour and Profit VVhereupon he addressed himself first to our King Henry the Seventh and laid open to him and his Council the fair possibilities of the Design and the advantages which would thence accrue to this Crown being so conveniently scituated for that Navigation King Henry heard him but gave little credit to his Discourses affecting a secure Exchequer which he had unknown wayes before to fill beyond the uncertain hopes of unknown Mines which like the Philosophers Stone might have no other existence than in projection He then made offer of this his service to Ferdinand King of Arragon and Castile a wise and prudent Prince who publickly weighing the small charge against the exceeding Honour and Gain consented to His desires and furnished him with fifteen Ships Men and Victuals for the Vovage giving him Commission and Authority in his name to pursue the adventure Our Chronicles indeed report that after this fruitless proffer which was in the year 1488. King Henry gavea Commission to one Iohn Canbâ—…t and his three Sons Sebastian Lewis and Santius Iohn and Sebastian setting Sail ranged a great part of this unknown Land in one thousand four hundred ninety and seven which Columbus had only touched in 1492 and it was 1498 ere he saw the continent Americus Vesputius came long after though the whole Continent at this day is called America after his own name This Sebastian discovered more than them all and was therefore Knighted by K. Henry the Eighth who made him grand Pilot of England with a pension of 166 l. 13 s. 6 d. yearly but the Spanish Seizure and Landing prepossessing the Countrey we got nothing there more then our pains for our labour till a great while after For it was almost 100 years after before we set footing in any part thereof The first that promoted it was Sir Walter Rawleigh in 1584. who with Letters Patents assisted by Sir Richard Greenvile great Unckle to the now Earl of Bath and other Gentlemen set out two ships from the Thames who in less then three Moneths time by an undue course to the Southward passing the Canaries fell in with the Coast of Florida and entring there into Harbour after they had sailed an hundred and twenty miles in sight of land they took possession of it for the Queens Majesty which from the tops of the Hills beholding the Sea on both sides they reputed to be an Island which they named Florida by reason of its flowery green soyl and flourishing herbage The Continent was then called by the Salvages Weganâ—…aca but afterwards upon the return of the Fleet Her Majesty was pleased to honour it with her own unmarried State and to call it Virginia the first Governour thereof being Mr. Ralph Lane Hither during the aboad of the English that were left while the Ships returned came Sir Francis Drake and seeing the men in distress lent the Governour and them a ship to carry them home The next were those in 1485 that came with Sir Richard Greenvile from Plimonth with seven sail who in a Months time came to St. Domingo in Hispaniola and within a fortnight after anchored at Florida and in 1586. Sir Richard Greenvile came again but the Colony he had left were all killed so he returned and sent Mr. White who made a successeful Voyage and was Governour there who returning into England and leaving another Colony they were all destroyed at his coming again which so dis-heartned all further undertakings that it was twelve years before another Voyage was begun under Captain Gosnol in the year 1602. who passing by the Azores made the Voyage shorter by 500. Leagues which was also seconded by two Barks from Bristoll 1603. and another from London 1605. But still no convenient Harbour for Ships nor Security for the Men that should stay there was yet found till the Arrival of Capt. Smith in 1606. Virginia is seated between the degrees of 34. and 45. North Latitude the Bounds thereof on the East-side are the great Ocean on the South lieth Florida on the North Nova Francia as for the VVest thereof the limits are unknown The English Plantations as they were in that year 1606. were under the degrees of 35 38. and 39. the temperature thereof
former Spring for the Companies Land and 150. for the Colledge 100. for the Glebe-land 90. young Women to make Wives 50. Servants for publique Service and 50. more whose Labours were to bring up 30. of the Infidels Children the rest were sent to private Plantations The year before the Lord De la Ware had mainly promoted this good and great Work passing over thither though he had hardly escaped before dyed to the great grief and discouragement of the Plantation most of the Nobility entred now also into the undertaking and were Treasurers for it to the further promoting of these good beginnings by whose Directions order was taken for suppressing the Planting of Tobacco Planting of Corn but all to little effect the stream of the Inclination of the Planters or good nature of the Soyl to cherish that Plant preferring it before all Grain whatsoever to the incredible profit of that Colony as it afterwards proved Now also there was much suit for Patents for Plantations and several Persons transported themselves upon their own Accompts bu twe shall see met with a miserable entertainment For on the 22 of March 1622. these perfidious Infidels though they had promised to hold the League inviolable till the Sky should fall as they termed it resolved upon a General Massacre which by reason of the English separating themselves for the better Soyl and commodiousness of Ground no way in the least distrusting these Miscreants whom in hope of their Conversion they had used with all Familiarity and Civility imaginable and therefore every way unprovided of defence their Guns never used but against Deer or Wild-foul they had very near effected if it had not been discovered by one of their own Nation that turned Christian. There were murthered in this attempt 347 Men Women and Children all with their own weapons they comming upon them in the disguise of the same familiarity but hurting none that opposed them By the discovery of the Indian aforesaid eleven parts of Twelve of the English escaped for it being revealed at Iames Town most of the Plantations dispersed thereabours among the Indians who commonly keep not above a 100 or 200 in a division of ground took the Alarm and stood upon their Guard which the Indians perceiving fled but the plantations far distant to a 140 miles were most destroyed which afterwards for more security were reduced to five or six and these inhumane Barbarians so severely dealt withal that in a short time the Country was wholly subjected to the English and became very well peopled and of great Trade and continued so proving a receptacle and good retreat for many families in our late confusions and now yieldeth great emoluments to the Inhabitants and Planters and so we will leave it and take a short view of the Bermuda's Islands The Islands of Bermuda's THese Islands lye in the main Ocean and 200 Leagues from any Continent scituated in 32 degrees and 25 Minutes of Northerly Latitude and distant from England West South-west about 3300 miles some twenty miles in length and not past two miles and a half in breadth environed with Rocks which make it naturally very strong but infamous for Shipwrack there being but two places and those not very wel known where Shipping may safely come in and those now are exceedingly well fortified but within is room to entertain a Fleet Royal The Island is very uneven distributed into Hills and Dales the Mold is of divers colours neither clay nor sand but a mean between both under the Mold two or three foot deep and sometime less is a kind of white hard substance which they call the Rock but Trees will fasten root in it being pumice like and spungy The Air is most commonly clear and very temperate and moist with a moderate heat very apt to nourish all things so as many things transported hence yield a far better increase and if it be a living creature it becomes far better and fatter by this means the Country is replenished with Hens and Turkeys yet being through their multitude not to be attended they turn wild and forsake the Houses There seems to be a perpetual Spring which is the cause some things come not to that maturity and perfection which is requisite and though the Trees shed their leaves yet are they alwayes full of Green The Coâ—…n is the same they have in Virginia and the West-Indies of which without plowing or much labour they have two harvests every year in Iuly and December it hath no Grapes in perfection and the Oranges and Lemmons grow twice a year likewise The Sun every day in the year shines upon it for the temperature is beyond all others the most admirable no cold greater than we feel here in April nor heat much greater than an ordinary May. Frost and Snow is never seen here and stinking and infections Mists very seldom by reason of the Main Ocean the Winter they have keeps time with ours but the longest dayes and nights are shorter than ours by two hours At its first Discovery 't was all overgrown with Weeds and Plants of several kinds many tall and goodly Cedars infinite store of Palmito's and Mulberries and Wild Olive Trees with divers others unknown both by Name and Nature there is also diversity of curious strange fowl as also for Game and Diet and likewise of Fish the Sea as well as the rest of the Elemeets being abundantly liberal It is uncertain how it came by this name of Bermuda's but that which is most noised for it is the casting away of a Spanish ship called by that name carrying black Hogs to the West Indies who swam ashore and were found there in great numbers so that it was called the Isle of Devils and shunned as the rock of Perdition One Henry May an English man being cast away in a French Vessel by the presumption of the Pilots who said they were twelve Leagues beyond it with some Frenchmen got ashore and making a new Bark there got to England in the year 1594. The next ship that was cast away or indeed rather to be said saved was that of Sir George Summers designed in 1609 for Virginia which by a Hurricane being covered with water and so leaking that after three days the men gave over working committing themselves to Gods mercy unexpectedly as Sir George was sitting at the Steerage guiding the ship to keep her upright came within sight of Land to which they made and ran her so even between two Rocks that she poised her self where he unladed the goods the storm ceasing and came on shore where finding such unhoped for plenteous refreshments though he went to Virginia in a Cedar-ship in which he returned thither again and there died two of his men which staid afterwards behind two years and one he left when he was carried home dead when as they were contriving their departure and committing themselves to the Sea in a little Bark a Ship appeared and stayed