inform'd of his just Pretences to all that Usurp'd Territory call'd New Netherland the same having been formerly part of New England and of how great prejudice to the Act of Navigation and how dangerous Intruders the Dutchmen are generally upon other Princes Dominions what mischief might ensue to all our English Plantations in time of War if the Dutch were permitted to strengthen themselves in the very heart of His Majesties Dominions being Masters of one of the most commodious Ports and Rivers in America His Majesty resolv'd to seize upon the same as his undoubted Right and in May 1664. having design'd four Commissioners to the perfecting of Affairs in New England Collonel Richard Nichols Sir Robert Carr George Cartwnight and Samuel Mawrick Esquires with three Ships of War to convey them to Boston The matter was so order'd that the same Ships serv'd for the reducing of the Town and Fort of New Amsterdam upon conditions advantageous to His Majesty and easie to the Dutch Now begins New Netherland to lose the Name for His Majesty having conferr'd by Patent upon his Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany all the Acquisitions made upon Foraigners together with Long-Island the West end whereof was wholly setled and Peopled by Dutch-men his Royal Highness impower'd by Commission as his Deputy-Governor Colonel Nichols Groom of his Bed-chamber to take the Charge and Direction of Reducing and Governing all those Territories it was by him thought fit to change some principal denominations of Places viz. New Netherland into York-shire New Amsterdam into New York Fort-Amscel into Fort-James Fort-Orange into Fort-Albany and withal to change Burgomasters Schepen and Schout into Mayor Aldermen and Sheriff with Justices of the Peace so that all the Civil Policy is conformable to the Methods and Practise of England whereas New England retains only the name of Constable in their whole Rolls of Civil Officers It is plac'd upon the neck of the Island Manhatans looking towards the Sea encompass'd with Hudson's River which is six Miles broad the Town is compact and oval with very fair Streets and several good Houses the rest are built much after the manner of Holland to the number of about four hundred Houses which in those parts are held considerable Upon one side of the Town is James-Fort capable to lodge three hundred Souldiers and Officers it hath four Bastions forty Pieces of Cannon mounted the Walls of Stone lin'd with a thick Rampart of Earth well accommodated with a Spring of fresh Water always furnish'd with Arms and Ammunition against Accidents Distant from the Sea seven Leagues it affords a safe Entrance even to unskilful Pilots under the Town side Ships of any Burthen may Ride secure against any Storms the Current of the River being broken by the interposition of a small Island which lies a Mile distant from the Town About ten Miles from New York is a Place call'd Hell-Gate which being a narrow Passage there runneth a violent Stream both upon Flood and Ebb and in the middle lie some Rocky Islands which the Current sets so violently upon that it threatens present Shipwrack and upon the Flood is a large Whirlwind which continually sends forth a hideous roaring enough to affright any Stranger from passing farther and to wait for some Charon to conduct him through yet to those that are well acquainted little or no danger It is a place of great Defence against any Enemy coming in that way which a small Forticfiation would absolutely prevent and necessitate them to come in at the West end of Long-Island by Sandy Hook where Nutten Island forces them within the Command of the Fort at New York which is one of the best Pieces of Defence in the North parts of America It is built most of Brick and Stone and cover'd with red and black Tyle and the Land being high it gives at a distance a pleasing prospect to the Spectators The Inhabitants consist most of English and Dutch and have a considerable Trade with Indians for Beaver Otter and Rackoon-Skins with other Furrs as also for Bear Deer and Elke-Skins and are supply'd with Venison and Fowl in the Winter and Fish in the Summer by the Indians which they buy at an easie Rate and having the Countrey round about them they are continually furnish'd with all such Provisions as is needful for the Life of Man not onely by the English and Dutch within their own but likewise by the adjacent Colonies Manhattans River The Manhattans or Great River being the chiefest having with two wide Mouths wash'd the mighty Island Watouwaks falls into the Ocean The Southern Mouth is call'd Port May or Godyns Bay In the middle thereof lies an Island call'd The States Island and a little higher the Manhattans so call'd from the Natives which on the East side of the River dwell on the Main Continent They are a cruel People and Enemies to the Hollanders as also of the Sanhikans which reside on the Western Shore Farther up are the Makwaes and Mahikans which continually War one against another In like manner all the Inhabitants on the West side of the River Manhattan are commonly at Enmity with those that possess the Eastern Shore who also us'd to be at variance with the Hollanders when as the other People Westward kept good Correspondency with them On a small Island near the Shore of the Makwaes lay formerly a Fort provided with two Drakes and eleven Stone Guns yet was at last deserted Wholesom Waters This Countrey hath many removable Water-falls descending from steep Rocks large Creeks and Harbors fresh Lakes and Rivulets pleasant Fountains and Springs some of which boyl in the Winter and are cold and delightful to drink in Summer The Inhabitants never receive any damage by Deluges neither from the Sea because the Water rises not above a Foot nor by the swelling Rivers which sometimes for a few days covering the Plains at their deserting them leave them fat and fruitful The Sea-Coast is Hilly and of a sandy and clayie Soil which produces abundance of Herbs and Trees The Oak grows there generally sixty or seventy Foot high Trees and for the most part free from Knots which makes it the better fit for Shipping The Nut-trees afford good Fuel and a strange Prospect when the Wood is set on fire either to hunt out a Deer or to clear the Ground fit to be Till'd Some Plants brought hither grow better than in Holland it self as Apples Pears Cherries Peaches Apricocks Strawberries and the like Their Vines grow wild in most places and bear abundance of blue white Vines and Muskadine Grapes Sometime since the Inhabitants made a considerable advantage by the Wine of them which is not inferior to either Rhenish or French Water Lemmmons All manner of Plants known in Europe grow in their Gardens The Water-Lemmons no less pleasing to the Palate than healthful when grown ripe they are about the bigness of an indifferent Cabbage the English press
Battel in revenge of some former Injuries done by the Troquois to the Algovinquins who had the Victory for which cause the French have been so hated ever since by the Nation of the Troquois that none of them durst ever appear in any part of that Lake But their Trade said to be sixteen thousand Beavers yearly is partly sold to the Dutch who Trade with the West-end of the said Lake over Land by Horses from their Plantation upon Hudson's River and another part is conceiv'd to be purchas'd by the Hiroons who being Newters are Friends both to the one and the other and these Hiroons bring down the greatest part of all by the River of Canada The Way over Land to this great Lake from the Plantation of Pascataway hath been attempted by Captain Walter Neale once Governor at the Charges of Sir Ferdinando Gorges Captain Mason and some Merchants of London and the Discovery wanted but one days Journey of finishing because their Victuals was spent which for want of Horses they were enforc'd to carry with their Arms and their Clothes upon their Backs They intended to have made a settlement for Trade by Pinnaces upon the said Lake which they reckon to be about ninety or a hundred Miles from the Plantation over Land The People of the Countrey are given to Hunting of wild Beasts which is their chiefest Food Their Arms are Bowes and Arrows Their Armor is made partly of Wood and partly of a kind of twisted Stuff like Cotton-Wool Their Meat is Flour of Indian Corn of that Countreys growth sodden to Pap which they preserve for times of Necessity when they cannot Hunt This Province of Laconia however known by a distinct Name is included within the Province of Main which offers it self next to our consideration Of the Province of Main All that part of the Continent of New England which was allotted by Patent to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and to his Heirs he thought fit to call by the Name of The Province of Main It takes it beginning at the entrance of Pascatoway Harbor and so passeth up the same into the River of Newichwavoch and through the same unto the farthest Head thereof and from thence North-Westwards for the space of a hundred and twenty Miles and from the Mouth of Pascatoway Harbor aforesaid North-Eastward along the Sea-Coast to Sagadehock and up the River thereof to Kinibequy River even as far as the Head thereof and into the Land North-Westwards for the space of a hundred and twenty Miles To these Territories are also adjoyn'd the North half of the Isles of Sholes together with the Isles of Capawick and Nautican as also all the little Islands lying within five Leagues of the Main all along the Sea-Coast between the aforesaid Rivers of Pascatoway and Sagadehock He no sooner had this Province setled upon him but he gave publick notice That if any one would undertake by himself and his Associates to Transport a competent number of Inhabitants to Plant in any part of his Limits he would assign unto him or them such a proportion of Land as should in reason satisfie them reserving onely to himself some small High-Rent as 2 s. or 2 s. 6 d. for a hundred Acres per Annum and if they went about to build any Town or City he would Endow them with such Liberties and Immunities as should make them capable to Govern themselves within their own Limits according to the Liberties granted to any Town or Corporation within this Realm of England And as for others of the meaner sort who went as Tenants that they should have such quantities of Land assign'd them as they were able to manage at the Rate of 4 d. or 6 d. an Acre according to the nature or situation of the Place they settle in And for the Division of the Province and the Form of Government which he intended to Establish he first divided the Province into several Parts and those again he subdivided into distinct Regiments as East West North and South those again into several Hundreds Parishes and Tythings and these to have their several Officers to Govern according to such Laws as should be agreed upon by publick Assent of the Free-holders with the approbation of himself or Deputy and the principal Officers of the publick State The setled Government for the general State to whom all Appeals were to be made and from whom all Instructions for the welfare of the Publick were to issue were to consist of himself or his Deputy who was to be chosen every three year by himself with the advice of his Council Next a Chancellor for the determination of all Causes A Treasurer to whom the care of the publick Revenue was to be committed A Marshal whose Office was to oversee the Regiments and to provide Men for publick Service An Admiral to take care of all Maritime Affairs to whom a Judge of the Admiralty was to be joyn'd to determine all Maritime Causes A Master of the Ordnance to look to the publick Arms and Ammunition A Secretary to receive Intelligence and to acquaint himself or Deputy therewith To these belong all their several Officers and Ministers for the Execution of all Matters proper to their several Places The chief Town of this Province is call'd Gorgiana which is Govern'd by a Mayor the rest are onely inconsiderable Villages or scatter'd Houses but through Encouragement given to Adventurers and Planters it may prove in time a very flourishing Place and be replenish'd with many fair Towns and Cities it being a Province both fruitful and pleasant SECT II. New Netherland now call'd New York THat Tract of Land formerly call'd The New Netherland doth contain all that Land which lieth in the North parts of America betwixt New England and Mary-Land the length of which Northward into the Countrey as it hath not been fully discover'd so it is not certainly known The breadth of it is about two hundred Miles The principal Rivers within this Tract are Hudson's-River Raritan-River Delaware-Bay-River The chief Islands are the Manhatans-Island Long-Island and Staten-Island The first which discover'd this Countrey was Henry Hudson who being hir'd by the East-India Company to seek a Passage in the Northern America to China set Sail Anno 1609. in the Half-Moon Frigat coming before Terre-neuff he stood about towards the South-West where Sailing up a great River he found two Men Clad in in Ruffelo's Skins and from thence arriv'd safe at Amsterdam New Netherland thus discover'd invited many Merchants to settle a firm Plantation there to which purpose they obtain'd Letters Patents in 1614. granted them by the States in the Hague That they might onely Traffick to New Netherland whereupon they earnestly prosecuting the Design sent out Adrian Block and Godyn who discover'd several Coasts Isles Havens and Rivers NOVI BELâ—â— Quod nune NOVI JORCK vocatur NOVAE que ANGLIAE Partis Virginiae Accuratissima et Novissima Delineatio After His Majesties Restauration His Majesty being truly
at their great charge first three afterwards nine Ships with Warlike Preparations for recovering of the Possession of the said Lands lying on either side of the said River Canada and to expel and eject all the French Trading in those Parts wherein they had good Success and in Anno 1627. did there seize upon about eighteen of the French Ships wherein were found a hundred thirty five Pieces of Ordnance design'd for relief of the Royal Fort in L' Accadie and Quebeck in Nova Francia under the Command of Monsieur de Rocmand and Monsieur de la Tour Father of de la Tour Governor of the said Royal Fort whom together with the said Ships and Guns they brought into England and in the year 1628. they Possess'd themselves of the whole Region of Canada or Nova Francia situate on the North side of the River together with the Fort or Castle of Quebeck Sir Lewis Kirk being then constituted Governor of the place the French being then either expell'd or convey'd into England and the Arms of the King of England being publickly there erected and every where plac'd and before the year 1628. it was brought to pass by the said Sir William Alexander assisted both by the advice and charge of the said Kirk that in the parts of L' Accadie or Nova Scotia on the South side of the River Canada the whole place with the Forts thereon built being by him subdu'd presently came under the Power of the King of England that Region on the South side falling into the Possession of the said Sir William Alexander and that on the North side into the Possession of the Kirks 4. On March 29. 1632. a Peace being concluded between King Charles the First and Lewis the XIII it was amongst other things on the part of the King of England agreed That all the Forts as well in L' Accadie as in Nova Francia should be restor'd into the Possession of the Subjects of the French King which was exactly perform'd on the part of the English though to the great damage of the Kirks but on the part of the French although it was agreed as in the fourth and fifth Articles of Peace is set down to which reference is had yet nothing was ever perform'd of their parts so that the Kirks did thereupon suffer loss to the value of five thousand Pounds Sterl which were to be paid them by Monsieur de Cane a French-man but remain unpaid to this day 5. Anno 1633. the King of England taking notice that although the Forts and Castles according to the League were deliver'd up into the Possession of the French especially such as had been erected during their Possession thereof yet that his English Subjects were not to be excluded from Trade or free Commerce in those Regions that were first Discover'd and Possess'd by his Subjects did with the advice of his Council by his Letters Patents Dated May 11. 1633. upon consideration had of the Expences which the said Kirks had laid out upon the reducing of that Countrey with the Fort of Quebeck to the value of 50000lb. and also of their ready obeisance in resigning up the same on his Royal Command Grant unto Sir Lewis Kirk and his Brother John Kirk and his Associates for the term of thirty one years not yet expir'd full Priviledge not only of Trade and Commerce in the River Canada and places on either side adjacent but also to Plant Colonies and build Forts and Bulwarks where they should think fit 6. By vertue of which Commission Sir Lewis Kirk and his Brother John Kirk and his Associates in the Moneth of February next following viz. in 1633. set forth a Ship call'd The Merry Fortune Laden with Goods of a considerable value consign'd to those parts where during her Trading there without any just offence given and in time of Peace she was by the French forceably seiz'd on and carry'd into France and her Lading as if she had been lawful Prize Confiscated whereupon the Kirks suffer'd loss to the value of twelve thousand Pounds And although the Lord Scudamore Ambassador in France by the King of Englands special Command and the said John Kirk being there in Person by the King's Command did often earnestly urge that the Moneys due to the said Kirks and the said Ship with her Lading might be restor'd which for no other cause had been seiz'd upon and sold but only for that by the King's Commission she was found Trading at Canada yet he could obtain nothing but after some years fruitless endeavors return'd into England without accomplishing his desires 7. In the year 1654. Cromwel although an unjust Usurper of the Government yet upon consideration of the Premises taking a just occasion for requiring the Possession of L' Accadie sends forth several Ships under the Command of one Sedgwick who by vertue of the Authority granted him by Cromwel assaulted and subdu'd the aforesaid Forts in Nova Scotia and restor'd them into the Possession of the English And although in the year 1655. a League of firm Peace and Amity being concluded between Cromwel and the French King the French Ambassador did often urge the Restitution to the Possession of the French yet for the same causes aforesaid which had mov'd Cromwel to seize upon them it was thought fit still to retain the Possession of them and although according to the purport of the twenty fifth Article of the Peace Commissioners on both sides were to be appointed for the deciding and determining that Controversie yet nothing was done therein neither did the Commissioners ever meet within three Moneths as in the twenty fourth Article of the Treaty was provided and agreed So that now the case is very clear that the Possession to the English remains firm and just and that the Forts and Bulwarks before specifi'd are without all peradventure under the Power and Jurisdiction of the King of England Since the Restauration of his present Majesty the French Ambassador representing unto the King the Pretensions of the French unto the several Forts and other places in Accadie and urging the non-performance of the Articles of Agreement between Oliver Cromwel and the French King mov'd the King of England As a profess'd Enemy to all Violence for a Restitution of all the Forts and other places which were then in the possession of the English Not long after which whether upon the Ambassadors request or upon other important Affairs intervening or upon what other ground soever it were the French were suffer'd to re-enter on the foresaid places and do yet keep Possession of them till such time as the English claim under the just Title of the Kirks shall meet with some fit occasion of being reviv'd That which we suppose gives the French so much the more confidence in their claim of this Country is their presumption upon the Expedition of James Quartier whom they will have to be the first Discoverer if not Possessor not onely of the Isle of Assumption
in the new Plantations for a contracted Sum of Money After this they receiv'd all sorts of Arms and Ammunition with several Brass Guns of the then King Lewis the XIII and other gifts Collected and gather'd out of their several Societies for two new Accadian Apostles Gilbert du Thet a subtile man of the same Order transported their Necessaries At this time all things going favorably with the Jesuits they made themselves Masters of Port Royal and began to raise a Fort on the River Pemtagovet but there their happy Proceedings were stop'd for Captain Argal before-mention'd Sailing thither in vindication of the English was encounter'd by du Thet who firing the first Gun on Argal was by him taken off with Chain-shot and taking Biard and Masse carry'd them Prisoners to Virginia and dismantled the Fort built at Port Royal after which it was by King James given by Patent to Sir William Alexander as hath been already related together with what of most remarkable hath happen'd since SECT VI. Norumbegua NOrumbegua Whence denominated lying between Nova Scotia Northward and New England Southward is so utterly not taken notice of by many as a distinct Province that it might seem to be swallow'd up and lost in the two Countreys between which it lies or at least to be thought a part of Virginia or New England for Virginia largely taken is said to contain New England Novum Belgium and Virginia especially so call'd and that so much the rather because the Bessabees accounted by Sanson d' Abbeville an ancient People of New England are written to have liv'd near the River Penobscot which is reckon'd to be the same with Pemtegovet or as some will have it Norumbegua from which or from a certain great City of that Name the Country for fancy's sake must needs be denominated but since most commonly we find it nam'd and treated of apart it will not be improper to follow that method carrying the Bounds of New England no farther Northward than the River Quinnebequi or Sagadahoc and so determining the main part of this Countrey to that space between the aforesaid River and Pemtegovet excepting a small Southerly portion upon the Banks of the River Chovacovet so that it appears chiefly situate under the forty third Degree of Northern Latitude Towns and Cities not certainly known As for the Towns or Cities of this Province there is but a very uncertain account to be given forasmuch as the pretended great City Norumbegua from whence the Province should take its Appellation is not acknowledg'd by any of the most authentick modern Writers nor in any late Voyage or Discovery any mention made either of that or any other considerable Town or City Dr. Heylin supposeth it to be no other than Agguncia a poor little Village that seems compos'd of a company of Hutts or Sheaves cover'd with the Skins of Beasts or the Barks of Trees But the most favourable conjecture is that it might haply be the Ruines of an ancient Town which the Natives call'd Arambeck and had probably deserted it long before the arrival of the Europeans in those parts however it is not very probable that the Name of the Countrey should be deriv'd from this City if ever there were any such or from the River which appears to have been term'd Norumbegua on purpose to make way for this derivation whereas Pomtegovet is the ancient Appellation that properly belongs to it nor hath any modern one been apply'd to it but that of Rio Grande by Buno in his Comment upon Philip Cluverius upon what ground is hard to tell since it is observ'd by Heylin and others to be neither large nor otherwise much to be commended being Navigable not above twenty or thirty Miles in respect of its many great Cataracts and Falls of Water an Inconvenience with which many other Rivers of America are prejudic'd and rendred impassable Before and about the Mouth of this River which is judg'd to be about eight or nine Miles broad lie many small Islands or rather Hills inviron'd with Water the chiefest of which is by the French call'd La Haute Isle from the high and Mountainous appearance of it to those that see it from afar off at Sea The aforemention'd Buno though he names as belonging to Norumbega these several places viz. Porto del Refugio Porto Reale Paradiso Flora and Angolema from some obscure French testimonies without particularising any Author yet he afterwards confesses that the Names given by the French and those apply'd by the Spaniards are so various and disagreeing and breed such a confusion that no Charts or Descriptions had concluded upon either As for those who will have Norumbega deriv'd from Norwegia in respect of a Colony brought thither from Norwey if the Etymologie be not a little too much forc'd the Invention may pass well enough till a better be found out The temperature and nature of its Soil In this Countrey the temperature of the Air is not bad nor the Soil unfruitful if it were well cultivated chiefly towards the Rivers and where it is not either overgrown with Woods or craggy with Hills and mountainous Rocks neither are the Woods unprofitable for they afford good Timber and all kind of necessary and useful Wood especially Beeches Fir-trees Wallnut-trees and other Nuts The Plains are very pleasant and yield good Pasturage onely the Maritime Coasts are so shallow and full of Sands that the Sailing near them is accounted somewhat dangerous and this may be imagin'd to be the reason that no Authors have yet met with any Ports or Havens belonging to this Countrey which they have thought worthy their notice CHAP. II. New England AS Canada is by some accounted a general Province containing New France L' Accadie Norumbega and other places so under Virginia largely taken are comprehended New England New Netherlands and Virginia properly so call'd however since that part which vulgarly goes under the Name of Virginia and New England were possess'd if not discover'd at several times and their Plantations promoted and propagated upon several occasions and by distinct Interests and since New England hath been look'd upon as a place considerable enough for Persons of very eminent quality to concern themselves in it we rather are induc'd to consider this Countrey as a principal part than as any way depending on or being any Branch or Portion of Virginia Situation of New England It lies between Norumbega which it hath Northward and New Netherlands Southward from forty one to forty five Degrees of Northern Latitude in the midst of the temperate Zone and paralell to France and some part of Italy in the Western Hemisphere so that one would think it should enjoy the same temperature of Air but the contrary is found for that part which borders upon the Sea is colder partly by reason that the Sea-waves break the reflexion of the Sun-beams partly by reason of the abundance of Vapors which mounting upward abate the ardor of them
Degrees and some odd Seconds where they easily went on Shore In the Year 1608. the Commander of the Colony deceasing and not long after him the Lord Chief Justice who had been the chief that had furnish'd them with fresh Supplies they return'd for England in those Ships that had been sent them with Succours At which unexpected return the Patrons of the Design were so offended that for a certain time they desisted from their Enterprizes In the mean while the French making use of this occasion Planted Colonies in divers places when Sir Samuel Argal from Virginia disturb'd their Designs and brought away Prisoners all he could lay hold on Suddenly after Captain Hobson and divers others were set out with very great Preparations and with them two of the Natives which had been detain'd for some time in England whom they thought to have made use of the better to draw the rest of the Natives to their Commerce but because a little before twenty four of them had been treacherously dealt with by one Hunt they contracted from thence so great an animosity towards the English that Captain Hobson was constrain'd to return without effecting any thing In the Year 1614. Captain John Smith being sent to Fish for Whales and seek after Mines of Gold and Silver Landed upon the Island of Monahiggan where he found some store of Whales but not such as those by whose Oyl they use to make so much profit About the same time two of the Natives being recover'd Erpenow of Capawick that had escap'd from Captain Hobson and Assacumet of Pemmaquid one of those that had been taken Prisoners with Chaloung Captain Harly with Necessaries convenient for such a Voyage was dispatch'd away by Sir Ferdinando Gorges the Earl of Southampton favouring the Design and furnishing him with some Land-Soldiers under the Command of Captain Hobson who not discourag'd with his former ill Success resolv'd upon a second Adventure In the Year 1615. Sir Richard Hakings undertook a Voyage into those Parts by authority of the Council of the second Colony but by reason of the great Wars among the Natives his Observations could not be such as might give any farther light than what had been already receiv'd Soon after which Captain Dormer coming for England from New-found-Land and Landing at Plymouth apply'd himself to the Governor by whom he was dispatch'd away with Direction to meet Captain Rocroft sent away a little before but Rocroft being dead by that time Dormer could come after him to Virginia where he heard he was he returning to Capawick was there set upon by Erpenow the foremention'd Salvage and other Indians that were Conspirators with him and within a short while after at Virginia whither he went to be cur'd of the Wounds he receiv'd in that Assassination he fell sick and died About the Year 1623. Captain Robert Gorges newly come out of the Venetian War was employ'd by the Council of New Englands Affairs as the Lieutenant-General to regulate the Abuses of divers Fisher-men and other Interlopers who without License frequented those Coasts for which Service he had assign'd to him all that part of the main Land situate upon the North-East side of the Bay of the Messachasets By these several Colonies sent so thick one after another both a full Discovery of the Countrey came to be made and a large gap open'd to the free possession thereof yet in regard of the many disappointments and misfortunes the several Companies sent over met with and counting the vast Charges their setting forth cost the Undertakers which would have been still increas'd by the need of continu'd Supplies in all probability New England would have been but thinly peopled to this day had not a great Tide of People possess'd with an aversion to the Church-Government of England and fled into Holland for Liberty of Conscience eagerly taken hold of this opportunity to make themselves Masters of their own Opinions and of a Place where they might erect a Government suitable thereunto and though at first there were some Exceptions taken as if this Countrey was to be made a Receptacle of Sectaries and such as condemn'd the Ecclesiastical Government of the Nation insomuch that Sir Ferdinando Gorges to whom they apply'd themselves desiring him to mediate for them to the Council of New Englands Affairs when they perceiv'd the Authority they had from the Virginia Company could not warrant their abode there had enough to do notwithstanding his Apology That these things hapned contrary to his expectation to wipe away the jealousie which was entertain'd of him it being Order'd that no more should be suffer'd to pass into New England but such as should take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy yet at last there was little notice taken who went perhaps upon consideration that the vast resort of People thither would be of greater advantage to the Plantations than their different Opinions at so remote a distance could be prejudicial so long as they acknowledg'd Obedience to the King and Civil Power However Sir Ferdinando to clear himself the better mov'd those Lords that were the chief Actors in the Business to resign their Grand Patent to the King and pass particular Patents to themselves of such part of the Countrey along the Sea-Coast as might be sufficient for them To this Motion there being a general Assent given by the Lords and a Day appointed for the conclusion thereof an Act was made for the Resignation of the Patent alloting to each Man their several Bounds From the uttermost parts began the Limits of the Lord Mougrave and ended at Hudson's River To the Eastward of which River for the space of sixty Miles in length was plac'd the Duke of Richmond's Assignment Next to him was setled the Earl of Carlile Next him the Lord Edward Gorges Next the Marquess of Hamilton Then Captain John Mason And lastly his own which extended to the great River Sagadehoc being sixty Miles and so up into the Main Land a hundred and twenty Miles which he was pleas'd to call by the Name of The Province of Main The Landing of the English in Plymouth Plantation was very much facilitated by the great Mortality that hapned amongst the Indians about that time amongst the Pecods Narragansets Nianticks Tarantines Wippanaps and those of Abargini Agissawang and Pockanekie their Powwows or Doctors seeing with amazement their Wigwams or Streets lie full of dead Bodies and in vain expecting help from Squantam their good or Abbamoch their bad God Not long before that blazing Comet so much talk'd of in Europe apppear'd after Sun-setting in their Horizon South-West for the space of thirty Sleeps for so they reckon their Days They Landed at first with little or no resistance a handful of Men onely being sent before to keep possession for their Companions who arriv'd eight days after when the Natives appearing with their Bowes and Arrows let flie their long Shafts amongst them whereupon one Captain Miles Standish with his Fowling-piece
the Massachusets Bay but forty Miles to the North-East there are great store of them The Rackoone is a deep Furr'd Beast not much unlike a Badger The Rackoon having a Tail like a Fox as good Meat as a Lamb These Beasts in the day time sleep in hollow Trees in a Moon-shine night they go to feed on Clams at a low Tide by the Sea side where the English hunt them with their Dogs The Musquash is much like a Beaver for shape but nothing near so big The Masquash the Male hath two Stones which smell as sweet as Musk and being kill'd in Winter never lose their sweet smell These Skins are no bigger than a Coney-skin yet are sold for five Shillings apiece being sent for Tokens into England one good Skin will perfume a whole house full of Clothes if it be right and good The Birds both common and peculiar are thus recited Birds The Princely Eagle and the soaring Hawk Whom in their unknown ways there 's none can chawk The Humbird for some Queens rich Cage more fit Than in the vacant Wilderness to sit The swift-wing'd Swallow sweeping to and fro As swift as Arrow from Tartarian Bowe When as Aurora's Infant day new springs There th' morning mounting Lark her sweet lays sings The harmonious Thrush swift Pigeon Turtle-dove Who to her Mate doth ever constant prove The Turky-Pheasant Heath-cock Partridge rare The Carrion-tearing Crow and hurtful Stare The long-liv'd Raven th' ominous Screech-Owl Who tells as old Wives say disasters foul The drowsie Madge that leaves her day-lov'd Nest And loves to rove when Day-birds be at rest Th'Eel-murthering Hearn and greedy Cormorant That near the Creeks in morish Marshes haunt The bellowing Bittern with the long-leg'd Crane Presaging Winters hard and dearth of Grain The Silver Swan that tunes her mournful breath To sing the Dirge of her approaching death The tattering Oldwives and the cackling Geese The fearful Gull that shuns the murthering Peece The strong-wing'd Mallard with the nimble Teal And ill-shape't Loon who his harsh Notes doth squeal There Widgins Sheldrakes and Humilitees Snites Doppers Sea-Larks in whole million flees Of these the Humbird Loon and Humility are not to be pass'd by without particular observation The Humbird is one of the wonders of the Countrey The Humbird being no bigger than a Hornet yet hath all the Dimensions of a Bird as Bill and Wings with Quills Spider-like Legs small Claws for Colour she is as glorious as the Rain-bow as she flies she makes a little humming noise like a Humble-bee wherefore she is call'd the Humbird The Loon is an ill-shap'd thing like a Cormorant The Loon. The Huntility or Simplicity but that he can neither go nor flie he maketh a noise sometimes like Sowgelders Horn. The Humilities or Simplicities as we may rather call them are of two sorts the biggest being as large as a green Plover the other as big as Birds we call Knots in England Such is the simplicity of the smaller sorts of these Birds that one may drive them on a heap like so many Sheep and seeing a fit time shoot them the living seeing the dead settle themselves on the same place again amongst which the Fowler discharges again These Birds are to be had upon Sandy Brakes at the latter end of Summer before the Geese come in No less Poetical a Bill of Fare is brought of the Fish on the Sea-Coasts Fishes and in the Rivers of New England in these subsequent Verses The King of Waters the Sea shouldering Whale The snuffing Grampus with the Oily Seale The-storm presaging Porpus Herring-Hog Line-shearing Shark the Catfish and Sea Dog The Scale-fenc'd Sturgeon wry-mouth'd Hollibut The flounsing Salmon Codfish Greedigut Cole Haddock Hage the Thornback and the Scate Whose slimy outside makes him'seld in date The stately Bass old Neptune's fleeting Post That Tides it out and in from Sea to Coast Consorting Herrings and the bonny Shad Big-belly'd Alewives Mackrills richly-clad With Rainbow colours Frostfish and the Smelt As good as ever Lady Gustus felt The spotted Lamprons Eels the Lamperies That seek fresh Water-Brooks with Argus Eyes These watery Villagers with thousands more Do pass and repass near the verdant Shore Kinds of Shell-fish The luscious Lobster with the Crabfish raw The brinish Oyster Muscle Periwigge And Tortoise sought for by the Indian Sqaw Which to the Flats dance many a Winters Jigge To dive for Cocles and to dig for Clams Whereby her lazie Husbands guts she crams To speak of the most unusual of these sorts of Fish The Seal First the Seal which is call'd the Sea-Calf his Skin is good for divers uses his Body being between Flesh and Fish it is not very delectable to the Palate or congruent with the Stomack his Oil is very good to burn in Lamps of which he affords a great deal The Shark is a kind of Fish as big as a Man The Shark some as big as a Horse with three rows of Teeth within his Mouth with which he snaps asunder the Fishermans Lines if he be not very circumspect This Fish will leap at a Mans hand if it be over board and with his Teeth snap off a Mans Leg or Hand if he be Swimming these are often taken being good for nothing but Manuring of Land The Hollibut is not much unlike a Pleace or Turbut The Hollibut some being two yards long and one wide a Foot thick the plenty of better Fish makes these of little esteem except the Head and Finns which Stew'd or Bak'd is very good these Hollibuts be little set by while Basse is in season The Basse is one of the best Fishes in the Countrey The Basse and though Men are soon weary'd with other Fish yet are they never with Basse it is a delicate fine fat fast Fish having a Bone in his Head which contains a Sawcerful of Marrow sweet and good pleasant to the Palate and wholsom to the Stomack When there be great store of them we only eat the Heads and Salt up the Bodies for Winter which exceeds Ling or Haberdine Of these Fishes some are three and some four Foot long some bigger some lesser at some Tides a Man may catch a dozen or twenty of these in three hours the way to catch them is with Hook and Line The Fisherman taking a great Cod-line to which he fasteneth a piece of Lobster throws it into the Sea the Fish biting at it he pulls her to him and knocks her on the head with a Stick Alewives are a kind of Fish which is much like a Herring Alewives which in the later end of April come up to the fresh Rivers to Spawn in such multitudes as is almost incredible pressing up in such shallow Waters as will scarce permit them to Swim having likewise such longing desire after the fresh Water Ponds that no beatings with Poles or forcive agitations by other devices will cause them to
distance Church-Government among the English Their Church-Government and Discipline is Congregational and Independent yet in some places more rigid than others for in many Towns there yet remains some leaven of Presbytery from which Sects our Independency had its Original insomuch that one of the most remarkable Opposers of Episcopal Government Doctor Bastwick who spoil'd so much Paper in railing at the Church Government of England and crying up Liberty of Conscience finding the Apostacy of his own Brethren of Boston from their first Principles and his generally prevail over them even to the denying that liberty to others which they seem'd only to aim at did write a large and vehement Dehortatory Epistle to them from their New Lights or Paths saying That according to their present Tenents they could not pretend to be better or other than a Christian Synagogue Their. Civil Government and Laws Their Laws and Methods of Government are wholly of their own framing each Colony for themselves makes an Annual choice of Governor Deputy Governor and a certain number of Assistants by the plurality of Suffrages collected from their several Towns the Electors are only Free-men and Church-Members for he that is not a Member of their Church can neither chuse nor be chosen a Magistrate nor have his Children Baptiz'd besides the loss of many other Priviledges and liable moreover to frequent if not constant Mulcts for absenting themselves from Divine Worship so call'd in their Meeting-houses Since the transmitting of the Patent in New England the Election is not by Voices nor erection of Hands as formerly but by Papers thus The general Court-electory sitting where are present in the Church or Meeting-house at Boston the old Governor Deputy and all the Magistrates and two Deputies or Burgesses for every Town or at least one all the Freemen are bid to come in at one Door and bring their Votes in Paper for the new Governor and deliver them down upon the Table before the Court and so pass forth at another Door those that are absent send their Votes by Proxies All being deliver'd in the Votes are counted and according to the major part the old Governor pronounceth That such an one is chosen Governor for the year ensuing Then the Freemen in like manner bring their Votes for the Deputy Governor who being also chosen the Governor propoundeth the Assistants one after another New Assistants are of late put in nomination by an Order of general Court before-hand to be consider'd of If a Freeman give in a Blank that rejects the Man nam'd if the Freeman makes any mark with a Pen upon the Paper which he brings that elects the Man nam'd Then the Blanks and mark'd Papers are number'd and according to the major part of either the Man in Nomination stands elected or rejected and so for all the Assistants And after every new Election which is by their Patent to be upon the last Wednesday in Easter Term the new Governor and Officers are all new Sworn The Governor and Assistants chuse the Secretary And all the Court consisting of Governor Deputy Assistants and Deputies of Towns give their Votes as well as the rest and the Ministers and Elders and all Church-Officers have their Votes also in all these Elections of chief Magistrates Constables and all other inferior Officers are sworn in the general quarter or other Courts or before any Assistant Every Free-man when he is admitted takes a strict Oath to be true to the Society or Jurisdiction There are two general Courts one every half year wherein they make Laws or Ordinances The Ministers advise in making of Laws especially Ecclesiastical and are present in Courts and advise in some special Causes Criminal and in framing of Fundamental Laws There are besides four Quarter-Courts for the whole Jurisdiction besides other petty Courts one every quarter at Boston Salem and Ipswich with their several Jurisdictions besides every Town almost hath a petty Court for small Debts and Trespasses under twenty Shillings Actions and Causes In the general Court or great quarter Courts before the Civil Magistrates are try'd all Actions and Causes Civil and Criminal and also Ecclesiastical especially touching Non-members And they themselves say that in the general and quarter Courts they have the Power of Parliament Kings-Bench Common-Pleas Chancery High-Commission and Star-Chamber and all other Courts of England and in divers Cases have exercis'd that Power upon the Kings Subjects there as is not difficult to prove They have put to death banish'd fin'd Men cut off Mens Ears whip'd imprison'd Men and all these for Ecclesiastical and Civil Offences and without sufficient Record In the lesser quarter Courts are try'd in some Actions under ten Pounds in Boston under twenty and all Criminal Causes not touching Life or Member From the petty quarter Courts or other Courts the parties may appeal to the great quarter Courts from thence to the general Court from which there is no Repeal Twice a year Grand-Juries in the said quarter Courts held before the general Courts are two Grand-Juries sworn for the Jurisdiction one for one Court and the other for the other and they are charg'd to enquire and Present Offences reduc'd by the Governor who gives the Charge Matters of Debt Trials Trespass and upon the Case and Equity yea and of Heresie also are try'd by a Jury The Parties are warn'd to challenge any Jury-man before he be sworn but because there is but one Jury in a Court for trial of Causes and all Parties not present at their Swearing the liberty of challenge is much hinder'd and some inconveniences do happen thereby Jurors are return'd by the Marshal he was at first call'd The Beadle of the Society The Parties in all Causes speak themselves for the most part and some of the Magistrates where they think cause requireth do the part of Advocates without Fee or Reward Though among the several Colonies which were founded here by the confluence of dissenting Zealots this Government is exercis'd differing from that of the Church and State of England yet in those Provinces which are granted by particular Persons the Government is much more conformable to that of England but as the Mattachusets or Bostoners were from the beginning the most Potent and Predominant of all the rest of the Colonies insomuch that Boston may well be accounted the Metropolis of all New England so of late years they have still usurp'd more and more Power and Authority over the rest and especially have not stuck to give Laws to the foresaid Provinces allotted to particular Persons and have gone about wholly to subjugate those places to themselves intrenching upon the rights of the true Proprietors and that even contrary to the Kings express Commands by his Officers there and as it were in open defiance of his Majesty and Government as is evident from this following Narration of their behavior upon a business of this nature Proceedings of the Mattachusets against
in the parts of America between the Ocean on the East and the Bay of Chesapeack on the West and divided from the other part thereof by a right Line drawn from the Promontory or Cape of Land call'd Watkin's-Point situate in the aforesaid Bay near the River of Wigcho on the West unto the main Ocean on the East and between that bound on the South unto that part of Delaware Bay on the North which lies under the fortieth Degree of Northerly Latitude from the Equinoctial where New England ends and all that Tract of Land between the bounds aforesaid that is to say passing from the aforesaid Bay call'd Delaware Bay in a right Line by the Degree aforesaid unto the true Meridian of the first Fountains of the River of Patomeck and from thence stretching towards the South unto the furthest Bank of the said River and following the West and South side thereof unto a certain place call'd Cinquack near the Mouth of the said River where it falls into the Bay of Chesapeack and from thence by a streight Line unto the aforesaid Promontory or place call'd Watkins-Point which lies in thirty seven Degrees and fifty Minutes or thereabouts of Northern Latitude By this Patent his Lordship and his Heirs and Assigns are Created the true and absolute Lords and Proprietaries of the said Province Title saving the Allegiance and Soveraign Dominion due to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors so that he hath thereby a Soveraignty Granted to him and his Heirs dependant upon the Sovereignty of the Crown of England The first Seating His Lordship in the Year 1633. sent his second Brother Mr. Leonard Calvert and his third Brother Mr. George Calvert with divers other Gentlemen of Quality and Servants to the number of two hundred Persons at least to settle a Plantation there who set Sail from the Cowes in the Isle of Wight in England on Novemb. 22. in the same Year having made some stay by the way at the Barbadoes and St. Christophers in America they arriv'd at Point Comfort in Virginia on February 24. following from whence shortly after they Sail'd up the Bay of Chesapeack and Patomeck River And having review'd the Country and given Names to several places they pitch'd upon a Town of the Indians for their first Seat call'd Yoacomaco now Saint Maries which the then Governor Mr. Leonard Calvert freely Purchas'd of the Natives there for the Lord Proprietaries use with Commodities brought from England That which facilitated the Treaty and Purchase of the said place from the Indians was a resolution which those Indians had then before taken to remove higher into the Countrey where it was more Populous for fear of the Sansquehanocks another and more Warlike People of the Indians who were their too near Neighbors and inhabit between the Bays of Chesapeack and Delaware there being then actual Wars between them insomuch that many of them were gone thither before the English arriv'd And it hath been the general practice of his Lordship and those who were employ'd by him in the Planting of the said Province rather to purchase the Natives Interest who will agree for the same at easie rates than to take from them by force that which they seem to call their Right and Inheritance to the end all Disputes might be remov'd touching the forcible Incroachment upon others against the Laws of Nature or Nations Thus this Province at the vast Charges and by the unweary'd Industry and endeavor of the present Lord Baltemore the now absolute Lord and Proprietary of the same was at first Planted and hath since been supply'd with People and other Necessaries so effectually The number of Inhabitants that in this present Year 1671. the number of English there amounts to fifteen or twenty thousand Inhabitants for whose Encouragement there is a Fundamental Law establish'd there by his Lordship whereby Liberty of Conscience is allow'd to all that Profess to believe in Jesus Christ so that no Man who is a Christian is in danger of being disturb'd for his Religion and all Persons being satisfi'd touching his Lordships Right as Granted by his Superior Soveraign the King of Great Brittain and possess'd by the consent and agreement of the first Indian Owners every Person who repaireth thither intending to become an Inhabitant finds himself secure as well in the quiet enjoyment of his Property as of his Conscience Mr. Charles Calvert his Lordships onely Son and Heir was in the Year 1661. sent thither by his Lordship to Govern this Province and People who hath hitherto continu'd that Charge of his Lordships Lieutenant there to the general satisfaction and encouragement of all Persons under his Government or otherwise concern'd in the Province The precedent Discourse having given you a short Description of this Province from its Infancy to this day together with an account of his Lordships Patent and Right by which he holds the same we will here speak something of the Nature of the Countrey in general and of the Commodities that are either naturally afforded there or may be procur'd by Industry The Climate is very healthful and agreeable with English Constitutions but New-comers have most of them heretofore had the first year of their Planting there in July and August a Sickness which is call'd there A Seasoning but is indeed no other than an Ague with cold and hot Fits whereof many heretofore us'd to die for want of good Medicines and accommodations of Diet and Lodging and by drinking too much Wine and Strong-waters though many even in those times who were more temperate and that were better accommodated never had any Seasonings at all but of late years since the Countrey hath been more open'd by the cutting down of the Woods and that there is more plenty of English Diet there are very few die of those Agues and many have no Seasonings at all especially those that live in the higher parts of the Country and not near to the Marshes and Salt-water In Summer the heats are equal to those of Spain but qualifi'd daily about Noon at that time of the Year either with some gentle Breezes or small Showres of Rain In Winter there is Frost and Snow and sometimes it is extremely cold insomuch that the Rivers and the Northerly part of the Bay of Chesapeack are Frozen but it seldom lasts long and some Winters are so warm that People have gone in half Shirts and Drawers only at Christmas But in the Spring and Autumn viz. in March April and May September October and November there is generally most pleasant temperate Weather The Winds there are variable from the South comes Heat Gusts and Thunder from the North or North-West cold Weather and in Winter Frost and Snow from the East and South-East Rain The Soyl is very fertile and furnish'd with many pleasant and commodious Rivers Creeks and Harbors The Country is generally plain and even and yet distinguish'd with some pretty small Hills and Risings with variety
intentions for at Mr. Leonard Calverts first arrival there the Werowance of Pascatoway being ask'd by him Whether he would be content that the English should fit down in his Countrey return'd this answer That he would not bid him go neither would he bid him stay but that he might use his own discretion These were their expressions to the Governor at his first entrance into Mary-land whom then they were jealous of whether he might prove a Friend or a Neighbor but by his discreet Demeanor towards them at first and friendly usage of them afterwards they are now become not only civil but serviceable to the English there upon all occasions The Indians of the Eastern shore are most numerous and were formerly very refractory whom Mr. Leonard Calvert some few years after his first settling the Colony was forc'd to reduce and of late the Emperor of Nanticoke and his Men were deservedly defeated by the present Governor Mr. Charles Calvert who reduc'd him about the year 1668. which has since tam'd the ruder sort of the neighboring Indians who now by experience find it better to submit and be protected by the Lord Proprietaries Government than to make any vain attempt against his Power These People live under no Law but that of Nature and Reason which notwithstanding leads them to the acknowledgement of a Deity whom they own to be the Giver of all good things wherewith their Life is maintain'd and to him they Sacrifice the first Fruits of the Earth and of that which they acquire by Hunting and Fishing The Sacrifice is perform'd by their Priests who are commonly ancient Men and profess themselves Conjurers they first make a Speech to their God then burn part and eat and distribute the rest among them that are present until this Ceremony be ended they will not touch one bit thereof they hold the Immortality of the Soul and that there is a place of Joy and another of Torment after Death prepar'd for every one according to their Merits They bury their Dead with strange expressions of Sorrow the better sort upon a Scaffold erected for that end whom they leave cover'd with Mats and return when his flesh is consum'd to Interr his Bones the common sort are committed to the Earth without that Ceremony but they never omit to bury some part of their Wealth Arms and Houshold-stuff with the Corps SECT IV. Virginia NOVA VIRGINIAE TABULA Notarum Explicatio Domus Regum Ordinariae Domus Incubrationes Anglos Milliaria Germanica communia April 9. 1585. Sir Richard Greenvil with seven Sail and several Gentlemen left Plymouth and on May 26. Anchor'd at Wokokon but made their first Seat at Roanoack on August 17. following which lies in thirty six Degrees of Northerly Latitude or thereabouts where they continu'd till June 1586. during which time they made several Discoveries in the Continent and adjacent Islands and being endanger'd by the treachery of the Salvages return'd for England and Landed at Portsmouth on July 27. following Sir Walter Rawleigh and his Associates in the year 1586. sent a Ship to relieve that Colony which had deserted the Countrey some while before and were all return'd for England as is before-mention'd Some few days after they were gone Sir Rirchard Greenvil with three Ships arriv'd at the Plantation at Roanoack which he found deserted and leaving fifty Men there to keep Possession of that Countrey return'd for England The year following Mr. John White with three Ships came to search for the fifty English at Roanoack but found them not they having been set upon by the Natives and dispers'd so as no News could be heard of them and in their room left a hundred and fifty more to continue that Plantation In August 1589. Mr. John White went thither again to search for the last Colony which he had left there but not finding them return'd for England in Septemb. 6. 1590. This ill Success made all further Discoveries to be laid aside till Captain Gosnol on March 26. 1602. set Sail from Dartmouth and on May 11. following made Land at a place where some Biscaners as he guess'd by the Natives information had formerly fish'd being about the Latitude of forty eight Degrees Northerly Latitude from hence putting to Sea he made Discovery of an Island which he call'd Marthas Vineyard and shortly after of Elizabeth's Isle and so return'd for England June 18. following In the Year 1603. the City of Bristol rais'd a Stock and furnish'd out two Barques for Discovery under the Command of Captain Martin Pring who about June 7. fell with the North of Virginia in the three and fortieth Degree found plenty of good Fish nam'd a place Whitson-Bay and so return'd In the Year 1605. the Right Honorable Thomas Arundel the first Baron of Warder and Count of the Roman Empire set out Captain George Waymouth with twenty nine Sea-men and necessary Provisions to make what Discoveries he could who by contrary Winds fell Northward about one and forty Degrees and twenty Minutes of Northerly Latitude where they found plenty of good Fish and Sailing further discover'd an Island where they nam'd a Harbor Pentecost-Harbor and on July 18. following came back for England In the Year 1606. by the sollicitation of Captain Gosnol and several Gentlemen a Commission was granted by King James of Great Brittain c. for establishing a Council to direct those new Discoveries Captain Newport a well practic'd Marriner was intrusted with the Transportation of the Adventurers in two Ships and a Pinace who on Decemb. 19. 1606. set Sail from Black-wall and were by Storm contrary to expectation cast upon the first Land which they call'd Cape Henry at the Mouth of the Bay of Chesapeack lying in thirty seven Degrees or thereabouts of Northerly Latitude Here their Orders were open'd and read and eight declar'd of the Council and impower'd to chose a President for a year who with the Council should Govern that Colony Till May 13. they sought a place to Plant in Mr. Winkfield was chose the first President who caus'd a Fort to be rais'd at Powhatan now call'd James-Town In June following Captain Newport return'd for England leaving a hundred Men behind him since which time they have been sufficiently supply'd from England and by the indefatigable Industry and Courage of Captain John Smith one of the Council at that time and afterward President of the Colony they made several Discoveries on the Eastern shore and up to the Head of the Bay of Chesapeack and of the principal Rivers which fall into the said Bay Virginia being thus Discover'd and Planted King James by his Letters Patent bearing Date April 10. in the fourth year of his Reign 1607. Granted Licence to Sir Thomas Gates Sir George Summers and others to divide themselves into two several Colonies for the more speedy Planting of that Countrey then call'd Virginia between the Degrees of thirty four and forty five of North Latitude that is to say taken in that large
so made are in Force there till His Majesty thinks fit to alter them The Chief Court of Judicature is call'd The Quarter-Court because it is held every quarter of a Year where all Causes Criminal and Civil are heard and determin'd and the Judges of this Court are the Governor and Council The present Governor in this Year 1671. is Sir William Berkley who was made Governor by King Charles the First of Great Brittain c. in the Year 1640. And those of the Council are Sir Henry Chichesly who is one of the greatest and most considerable Planters there and Mr. Edward Diggs before-mention'd Mr. Thomas Ludwel Secretary Major-General Robert Smith and divers other worthy Gentlemen That part of the Countrey where the English are Planted is divided into nineteen Counties viz. Northampton-County in Acomack on the Eastern shore and on the Western shore Corotuck Lower-Norfolk Nansemund Isle of Wight Surry Warwick Henerico James Charles York New-Kent Gloucester Middlesex Lancaster Northumberland Westmoreland Rappahanock and Harford-Counties In every one of these Counties there are inferior County-Courts kept every Moneth these take no Cognizance of Causes relating to Life or Member or exceeding a certain limited Value such being refer'd to the Quarter-Courts only to which likewise there lie Appeals from their Inferior Courts There are Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and other Officers in every respective County appointed by the Governor for the Administration of Justice who sit there according to his Order and whereof these County-Courts are chiefly compos'd There are few Towns as yet erected in this Colony the Principal Seat of the English there is at a place call'd James-City in Honor of King James of Great Brittain c. This is situated in a Peninsula on the North side of James-River and has in it many fair Brick and other good Houses In this place are held the Quarter-Courts General Assemblies the Secretary's Office and all other Affairs and greatest Concerns of the Colony are here dispatch'd On the same side nearer the Mouth of this River stands Elizabeth-City containing also several good Houses of Brick and Timber Sir William Berkley the present Governor resides at a place somewhat distant from James-City call'd Green-Spring a fair Brick House which he himself caus'd to be built The other Towns of Note belonging to the English only Henricopolis or Henry's-Town so nam'd from Prince Henry then living built in a very convenient place more within Land about eighty Miles distant from James-City and Dale's-Gift so nam'd and Planted at the Charges of Sir Thomas Dale Deputy-Governor of the Countrey about the Year 1610. Of the Indians of Virginia The Indians of Virginia in Stature Complexion and Disposition differ very little from those of Mary-land Their Laws and Customs their way of Living and Apparel their Religion Money and manner of Burial are the same in both places all which are more particularly express'd in the precedent Description of that Province to which we refer the Reader Yet these Indians far exceed those of Mary-land in Treachery and Cruelty to the English there as will appear by this following Relation of their Proceedings towards them since the first Seating of that Colony wherein nevertheless the Civility of some particular Persons at their first Landing is not to be omitted Transactions between the English and the Natives Upon the first arrival of Captain Amidas and Captain Barlow in Wingandacoa now Virginia they were accosted by Granganimeo the King's Brother of that Countrey who attended with a Train of forty or fifty Men came in a very civil manner to Treat about a Commerce of Trade and Traffick which immediately began between them and several Barters were made Granganimeo who was very just of his Word and always kept his promis'd Day of meeting fancying most a Pewter Dish gave twenty Deer-skins for it and boring a Hole therein hung it about his Neck for a Breast-plate afterwards he with his whole Company and his Wife and Children frequently and familiarly did eat and drink aboard the English Ships the King himself call'd Wingina lying sick at his chief Town six days Journey off of a dangerous Wound which he had receiv'd from a neighboring King his mortal Enemy Some of the English going to Land upon the Isle of Roanoack were met by Granganimeo's Wife who her Husband being absent commanded her Servants some to draw their Boat ashore some to carry them on their Backs to Land others to carry in their Oars into the House for fear of stealing and having caus'd a great Fire to be made to warm them and to dry those that had been wet in their Voyage she afterwards Entertain'd them with a very plentiful Feast or Banquet after that Countrey fashion and when they took alarm at the coming of two or three of her Men with Bowes and Arrows she caus'd the Bowes to be broken and the Men to be beaten out of the House besides several other demonstrations of extraordinary civility and when notwithstanding all this they could not be perswaded to Lodge any where but in their Boat she us'd all means imaginable to make them quit their jealousie and accept of a Lodging in the House In the Year 1585. a Company that went over with Sir Richard Greenvill burnt the Town of Aquascogoc by reason of a Silver Cup that was stoln by some of the Indians took Prisoner Menatonon King of Chawonoc who gave a large Relation of another King about three days Journey off who possess'd an Island wonderfully rich in Pearl which was taken in great abundance in a deep Water that inviron'd it Going towards the Countrey of the Mangoacks among whom in the Province of Chaunis Temoatan they heard of a Mine of strange Copper call'd Wassador with Skiko the King of Chowonock's Son and Manteo a faithful Salvage for their Guide they were treacherously dealt with by Wingina alias Pemissapan for so his Brother Granganimeo being lately dead he had alter'd his Name who endeavor'd to stir up a Confederacy of the Chawonocks Moratocks and Mangoacks against them yet by the urgent perswasions of Ensenore his Father the truest Friend the English had after the death of Granganimeo and seeing them safe return'd from their Journey wherein he thought they had all perish'd and especially upon Menatonon's sending Messengers to them with Pearl and Okisco King of Weopomeock to yield himself Vassal to the Queen of England his Hatred was somewhat cool'd but Ensenore deceasing soon after he return'd to his old treacherous Practises again and in the end while he was contriving mischief against the Planters he himself was shot taken Prisoner and beheaded After the Company left upon Virginia by Sir Richard Greenwill for he himself was return'd tir'd out with hunger hardship and the many extremities they were at last reduc'd to had deserted the Place and obtain'd Passage for England through the civility of Sir Francis Drake pitying their distress fifty Men more were Landed upon Roanoack-Isle by the
same Person who how they were surpris'd and destroy'd by the Natives was discover'd at large to the Supply that was sent over in the Year 1587. by Mr. White A Party of those that went over with Captain Bartholomew Gosnol Captain John Smith c. were by the Indians set upon as they were raising a Fort near Cape Henry where they Landed seventeen Men hurt one slain and all in danger to have been utterly destroy'd had not a Shot happily made from the Ships by chance frighted away the Salvages Another small Party under Captain Smith going down the River to Keconghean were very fiercely assaulted by sixty or seventy Indians but their Musquet-shot did such Execution amongst them that they fled into the Woods and left behind them the Image of their God which had been carried before them as their Standard and not long after sent one of their Queiongcasocks to offer Peace and to redeem their Okee which Smith granting on condition six onely of them would come unarm'd and load his Boat with Provisions and promising moreover to become their Friend and furnish them with Beads Copper and Hatchets They accepted the Condition and brought him Venison Turkies wild Fowl Bread and what else they had Singing and Dancing in sign of Friendship till they departed In his Return he discover'd the Town and Countrey of Warraskayock and the People of Chickahamania In his next Voyage for the discovery of the Head of Chickamahania River he was through neglect of his Sea-men who were sent to watch the Booty taken Prisoner in which condition he was kept a whole Moneth then being released he got Provisions for the People in James-Town which had they not timely receiv'd they had all abandon'd the Place and return'd to England While Affairs stood thus in a mean condition Captain Newport arriving there with a Ship and sixty Men to strengthen the Plantations he went to Weromocomoco where King Powhatan kept his Court King Powhatan and found him sitting on a Bed of Mats and an Embroider'd Leather Cushion Cloth'd in Deer-skins at his Feet fat a young Maiden and on each side of the House twenty Concubines his Head and Shoulders were painted red and a Chain of white Beads hung about his Neck Newport to oblige him gave him an English Youth in requital whereof he receiv'd Powhatan's bosom Friend Mamontak with whom returning he found a sad Accident for the Fire had not onely burnt the Houses of the new Planters but also the Pallisado's about James-Town made for a Defence against the Enemies Assaults James-Town burnt and most of their Store which was so much the worse because it hapned in the Winter and indeed had prov'd very fatal had not a Ship which was suppos'd to be lost happily arriv'd there with a considerable quantity of Provisions Smith's Voyage Whilst the Town was rebuilding Smith set Sail in an open Barque with fourteen Men and discover'd two Isles before Point Charles to which he gave his Name then ran into the Inlet Chesapeack in the midst of which lay several Islands His remarkable Exploits by the Sea-men call'd Russels Before the River Wighcomoco they found a disturbed Sea and more Northerly a Bay with fresh and hot Water and at last he met with two Virginians which conducted the English along a Creek to Onawmoment where some hundreds of them lay in Ambuscade according to Powhatan's appointment to cut off Smith who leaping forth on a Hidden appear'd like Devils all painted but the Bullets flying about made them all run away Smith whose Design was onely to discover the Countrey and the Silver Mine of Patawomeck ten Leagues up into the Countrey found the Metal to be of little value so that he return'd with little Success being newly cur'd of a poysonous Wound in the Arm which was given him by a Fish not unlike a Shark whilst he lay aground near Toppahanock A while after being inform'd of Powhatan's Design to destroy the English though he had been lately Presented by Newport with a Silver Basin a rich Chair Bed and Furniture belonging to it with other things of value he to prevent him chose forty eight out of two hundred Men which were Garrison'd in James-Town then going to Werowocomoco Landed with much trouble the River being frozen above half a Mile from the Shore A German Soldier amongst Smith's Company giving private notice to Powhatan of the Design of the English made his Escape by flight But Smith going on to Pamaunke found King Opechancangough with seven hundred Men in Arms threatning a fierce Battel but Smith making directly up to him set his Pistol on his Breast and forc'd him to lay down his Arms. Powhatan by this time provided with Swords and Musquets by two Dutch-men also began to bestir himself afresh but his Intentions being too soon known he was again quieted and forc'd a second time to send Smith a String of Pearl after which a Peace was concluded between all the Natives and the English Many other Quarrels and Encounters there were in the Infancy of the Plantation between the Indians and the English wherein it would be endless to recount all the Treacheries and Ambuscades of the Salvages some of which had prov'd very pernicious to the Planters had they not been betray'd to Captain Smith by Pocahonta King Powhatan's Daughter who upon all occasions shew'd her self a great Friend to the English having sav'd the Captain 's Life when being her Father's Prisoner he was just brought to Execution This Lady was afterwards brought into England Christned by the Name of Rebekah and Married to one Mr. Rolf and died at Gravesend in an intended Voyage back to her own Countrey Nor did their Cruelties and Treacheries end when the Plantation came to be more setled for on the two and twentieth of March about the Year 1621. in the time of Sir Francis Wyat's Government they generally combin'd to destroy all the English there and carried on this devilish Design with such dissimulation and dexterity that in one day they cut off seven hundred Men Women and Children there being at that time not above fifteen hundred in the Countrey Since which time in the Year of our Lord 1643. there hapned another bloody Massacre wherein near five hundred English were in one Night miserably butcher'd by those barbarous and perfidious Salvages whose Blood the present Governor Sir William Berkley nobly and justly reveng'd the Year following utterly destroying most of them and taking Prisoner their chief Emperor Opichancono who died not long after in Prison Having given but a small hint in its proper place of the Story of Captain Smith's Imprisonment by Powhatan and his deliverance from Death by Pocahonta we have thought not improper to reserve the Story of it being very remarkable for a particular Relation before we conclude our Description of Virginia since otherwise we should have interrupted the Series of our former Discourse The Relation of Captain Smith's being taken Prisoner by Powhatan
who saw descend from them the sixth Generation Production of the Soil The Soil is very rich and fertile producing naturally Walnuts Grapes of which the English who are there Planted have made very good Wine Apricocks Bullys with a multitude of others besides the Woods also are full of very good Peaches and all the Season of the Year strew'd all over with Strawberries Mulberry-Trees are the common growth of the Woods and to assure you they are the natural Offspring of the Place and grow to an incredible bigness one whereof the English who are new Planted at Albemarle Point on Ashley River made use to fasten the Gate of their Pallisado to was so large that all who came from thence say they never saw any Oak in England bigger which is but the ordinary size of the Mulberry-Trees of this Countrey which is so sure an Argument of the richness of the Soil that the Inhabitants of Virginia enquiring of the Seamen who came from thence concerning the Quality and Product of the Countrey when they were inform'd of the large Mulberry-Trees it produc'd were so well satisfi'd with it that they made no farther Enquiry There are also other Trees as Ash Poplar and Bay with several sorts unknown to us of Europe but those which make it almost all one general Forrest of large Timber-Trees are Oak both red and white and Cedar There are also here and there large Groves of Pine-Trees some a hundred Foot high which afford a better sort of Mast than are to be had either in Mary-Land or Norway These larger Trees weaving their luxuriant Branches into a close Shade suffer no Under-wood to grow between them either by their Droppings or else the Heads of Deer which loosening all the tender Shoots quite destroy it so that a great part of the Countrey is as it were a vast Forrest of fine Walks free from the heat of the Sun or the incumbrance of Shrubs and Bushes and so clear and open that a Man may easily ride a Hunting amongst the Trees yielding a Prospect very pleasant and surpassing On the Skirts of these Woods grow lesser Trees and Shrubs of several sorts amongst them are sundry Dying Materials which how well the Inhabitants know how to make use of appears in the Deer-Skins that the chief of them wear which are Painted or rather Dy'd with several lively Colours But amongst their Shrubs one of most note and use is that whose Leaves make their Casini a Drink they frequently use and affirm to be very advantageous for the preservation of Health which by the description our English give of the size colour and shape of the Leaf the sort of Tree it grows on and the taste colour and effects of the Drink which is nothing but the Decoction of the Leaf seems to be the very same with the East-India TEE and by those who have seen and tasted both affirm'd to be no other and may very probably be a spontaneous and native Plant of this Place since those who give us an account of it tell us that this so much valu'd Leaf grows most plentifully in Nanking a Province in China under the very same Latitude and very much agreeing in Soil and Situation with this of Carolina What Herbs else the Countrey produces the English Enquirers who by minding their Plantations and Settlement there have been taken off from such unprofitable Actions give us but little account onely they say that those Plats of Ground which have been formerly clear'd off by the Indians for the Planting their Corn they found thick cover'd with three-leav'd Grass and Dazies which the fertility of the Soil thrusts forth whenever the Natives remove their Tillage to some other place and leave the Earth to its own production and in other parts they found plenty of Garden Herbs growing wild The low and Moorish Grounds are for the most part overgrown with Sedge and Reeds and such other Trash which usually incumbers rich and uncultivated Lands those they call Swamsas which with a little Husbandry would prove very good Meadows There are also some large and pleasant Savanas or grassy Plains These are a part of the Trees and Plants best known to us that Nature of her self produces in a Soil which contrives and nourishes any thing The English who are now Planted in the most Northern parts of it at Albemarle bordering on Virginia have Apples Pears Cherries Apricocks Plumbs and Water-Melons equalling and if you will believe the Inhabitants both in largeness of size and goodness of taste exceeding any in Europe And they who are Setled farther South on Ashley River have found that the Oranges Lemmons Pomegranates Limes Pome-citrons c. which they Planted there have thriven beyond expectation and there is nothing which they have put into the Earth that through any defect in the Soil hath fail'd to prosper Commodines of the Countrey Besides those things which do serve to satisfie Hunger or provoke it the Land doth with great return produce Indigo Ginger Tobacco Cotton and other Commodities fit to send abroad and furnish foreign Markets and when a little time shall have brought those kind of Plants to maturity and given the Inhabitants leisure to furnish themselves with Conveniences for ordering those things aright the Trials that they have already made of the Soil and its fitness for such Plantations assure you that besides Silk enough to store Europe and a great many other considerable Commodities they shall have as great plenty of good Wine and Oyl as any part of the World The Mould is generally black mellow and upon handling feels soft and to use their Expression who have been there soapy and is generally all over the Countrey just like the fine Mould of our well order'd Gardens Under this black Earth which is of a good thickness in most places that they have try'd there lies a Bed of Marle and in some parts Clay Fish and Water-Fowl The Rivers are stor'd with plenty of excellent Fish of several sorts which are taken with great ease in abundance and are one great part of the Natives Provision who are never like to want this Recruit in a Countrey so abounding in large Rivers there being in that one small Tract between Port Rasal and Cape Carteret which are not one Degree distant five or six great Navigable Rivers that empty themselves into the Sea These Rivers are also cover'd with Flocks of Ducks and Mallard whereof millions are seen together besides Cranes Herons Geese Curlews and other Water-Fowl who are so easie to be kill'd that onely rising at the discharge and noise of a Gun they instantly light again in the same place and presently offer a fresh Mark to the Fowler At the Mouths of the Rivers and along the Sea-Coast are Beds of Oysters which are of a longer Make than those in Europe but very well tasted wherein are often found good large Pearls which though the unskilful Indians by washing the Oysters do commonly discolour and
Seas to Sail to it there being not any Islands Rocks or Sands between the Lands-End in England and New-found Land and for the most part it is not above three or four Weeks Sail thither and less coming back and is the most commodiously situated for the discovering of the North-West Passage and other Inlets into the South Sea whereby the ordinary Voyages to China Japan and the East-Indies are much eas'd in the expence of Time and Charge and the most open to Trade to all Parts of any Island of the West-Indies On the East side of the Land are the Bays of Trinity and Conception which stretch themselves towards the South-West Tor-Bay and Capelin-Bay lying also on the East stretch themselves towards the West The Bays of Trespassey St. Mary Borrel and Plaisance on the South part of the Land extend their Arms towards the North. The great Bay of St. Peters lying on the South-West side of the Land and Southerly from the great River of Canada being about twenty Leagues distant the same stretcheth toward the East Trinity Harbour lies in near forty nine Degrees of North Latitude being very commodiously seated to receive Shipping in seasonable Weather both to Anchor in and from thence to Sail towards either the East West or South It hath three Arms or Rivers long and large enough for many hundred Sail of Ships to moare fast at Anchor near a Mile from the Harbours Mouth Close adjoyning to the Rivers side and within the Harbour is much open Land well stor'd with Grass sufficient Winter and Summer to maintain great store of ordinary Cattel besides Hogs and Goats if such Beasts were carried thither and it standeth North most of any Harbor in the Land where our Nation practiseth Fishing It is near unto a great Bay lying on the North side of it call'd The Bay of Flowers to which Place no Ships repair to Fish in regard of sundry Rocks and Ledges lying even with the Water and full of danger The bottom of the Bay of Trinity lieth within four Leagues through the Land South-West Southerly from Trinity as by experience is found and it comes near unto the Bay of Trespassey and the bottom of some other Bays Trespassey in like manner is as commodious a Harbour lying in a more temperate Climate almost in forty six Degrees of North Latitude and is both fair and pleasant and a wholsom Coast free from Rocks and Shelves so that of all other Harbours it lies the most South of any in the Land and most conveniently to receive our Shipping passing to and from Virginia and the Bermuda Islands and also any other Shipping that shall pass to and from the River of Canada and the Coast thereof because they usually pass and so return in the sight of the Land of Trespassey and also for some other purposes as shall be partly declar'd in the following Discourse The Soil of this Countrey in the Valleys and sides of the Mountains is so fruitful Fruitful Soil as that in divers places the Summer naturally produceth without Tillage great plenty of green Pease and Fitches fair round full and as wholsom as ours in England Berries and Fruits Of Berries and Fruits there grows Strawberries red and white and as fair Raspice-berries and Goose-berries as there be in England as also Bilberries which are call'd by some Whortes and many other delicate Berries peculiar to the Countrey in great abundance Likewise small Pears Cherries Filberds c. Herbs and Flowers There are also Herbs for Sallets and Broth as Parsly Alexander Sorrel c. and also Flowers as the red and white Damask Rose with other kinds which are most beautiful and delightful both to the sight and smell And questionless the Countrey is stor'd with many Physical Herbs though their Vertues are not known When Corn was first Sow'n here it was observ'd to grow very fair the increase was great and the Grain very good and several sorts of Kitchin Plants that have been Set here have prov'd very well In divers parts of the Countrey there is great store of Deer Beasts and some Hares many Foxes Squerrils Beavers Martins and Otters yielding excellent Furrs Wolves and Bears with other sorts of Beasts serving as well for Necessity as for Profit and Delight Variety both of Land and Water-Fowl is in this Countrey infinite Birds The chief Land-Fowl besides a great number of small Birds that live by scraping their Food from the Earth in the hardest Winter are Hawks great and small Partridges Thrush and Thrussels abundance very fat as also Filladies Nightingales and such like which sing most pleasantly There are also Birds that live by prey as Ravens Gripes Crows c. For Water-Fowl there is certainly so good and as much variety as in any part of the World as Geese Ducks Pigeons Gulls Penguins and many other sorts These Penguins are as big as Geese but do not flye for they have but a little short Wing and they multiply so infinitely upon a certain flat Island that men drive them from thence upon a Board into their Boats by hundreds at a time as if God had made the innocency of so poor a Creature to become such an admirable Instrument for the sustentation of Man And also Godwits Curlews and such like which Fowl do not onely serve those that Trade thither for Food but also they are a great furthering to divers Ships Voyages because the abundance of them is such that the Fisher-men do bait their Hooks with the quarters of Sea-Fowl on them and therewith some Ships do yearly take a great part of their Fishing Voyages with such Bait before they can get others The fresh Waters and Springs of that Countrey are many in number Springs and withall so very pleasant delightful and wholsom that no Countrey in the World hath better And Fewel for Fireing no where more plentiful In like manner there is great abundance of Trees fit to be employ'd in other serviceable uses Trees There are Fir and Spruce-Trees sound good and fit to Mast Ships with and as commodious for Boards and Buildings as those of Norway and out of these come abundance of Turpentine Moreover the Pine and Birch-Trees here are scarce to be compar'd for heighth and greatness The Rivers also and Harbours are generally stor'd with delicate Fish as Salmons Peals Eels Herrings Mackrel Flounders Launce Capelin Cod and Trouts the fairest fattest and sweetest that ever were seen in these Parts The like for Lobsters Cra-fish Mussles and other variety of Shell-fish The Seas likewise all along the Coast do plentifully abound in other sorts of Fish as Whales Spanish Mackrel Dorrel Pales Herrings Hogs Porposes Seals and such like Royal Fish c. But the chief Commodity of New found Land yet known and which is grown to be a setled Trade and that it may be much better'd by an ordinary Plantation there if the Traders thither will take some better course than formerly they have
done as shall be declared is the Cod-fishing upon that Coast by which our Nation and many other Countreys are enrich'd Almost incredible is the benefit of the Fish which the French Biscainers and Portuguese fetch yearly from this Coast of New-found Land and the Bank which lieth within twenty five Leagues from the South Cape of that Countrey where the French use to Fish Winter and Summer usually making two Voyages every year thither To which Places and to the Coast of Canada which lieth near unto it are yearly sent from those Countreys more than four hundred Sail of Ships This Island of Terra Nova belongs properly and justly to the Crown of England having been under the sole Jurisdiction of the English from the first Discovery thereof which was by Sir Sebastian Cabot Employ'd by King Henry the Seventh to find out some other part of America than what had been discover'd by Columbus as hath been above declar'd in several places Afterwards King Henry the Eighth continu'd the English Interest there and Employ'd one Rutt into that Island in order to the Plantation thereof Queen Elizabeth no less careful to preserve that Plantation sent Sir Humphrey Gilbert a Devonshire Knight to plant a Colony there the better to secure the same and to increase Trading there and accordingly the said Sir Humphrey with two good Ships and a Pinnace in her Name took possession of that Countrey in the Harbour of St. Johns He Sail'd from thence towards Virginia and by reason of some unhappy direction in his Course the greatest Ship he had struck upon Shelves on the Coast of Canada and was there lost with most part of the Company in her and he himself being then in a small Pinnace of twenty Tun in the company of his Vice-Admiral Captain Hays returning towards England in a great Storm was overwhelm'd in the Sea and so perish'd In the Year 1608. it was undertaken anew by John Guy a Merchant of Bristol and with so good success that the Colony in a short time were well furnish'd with Wheat Rye Barley and other Grain of their own Sowing with Turnips Coleworts and abundance of other necessary things not without some probable hopes of Metals a certain and plentiful Trade of Sables Musk and other rich Commodities The Province of Avalon in New-found Lands In the Year 1620. Sir George Calvert Knight then principal Secretary of State and a Privy Councellor to King James the First of England c. purchas'd a part of New-found Land which was afterwards in the Year 1623. granted to him and his Heirs by Patent from the said King under the Great Seal of England bearing Date the seventh of April in the One and twentieth Year of his Reign by which means the said Tract of Land was erected into a Province and at the Instance of the said Sir George Calvert call'd Avalon from Avalon in Sommerset-shire where Christianity was first Planted in England This Province lies in the forty seventh Degree of Northern Latitude and is thus bounded It begins Southerly from the middle part of a certain Neck of Land or Promontory situate between the two Harbours Fermose and Aquafort and from thence following the Shore towards the North unto the middle part or half way over a little Harbour call'd in that regard Petit Port or Petit Harbour which boundeth upon the South part of the Plantation of St. Johns including the one half of a certain fresh River that falleth into the said Port of Petit Harbour and so tending along the South Border of the said Colony of St. Johns extendeth it self to a certain little Bay commonly call'd Salmon Cove lying on the South side of the Bay of Conception including the one half of the River that falleth into the said Cove as also one half of the Cove it self from whence passing along the Shore of the said Bay towards the South and reaching unto the bottom thereof where it meets with the Lands of the fore-mention'd John Guy nam'd Sea Forrest is bounded with a certain River or Brook which there falleth into the Sea and from the Mouth of the said Brook ascendeth unto the farthest Spring or Head thereof from thence passing towards the South for six Miles together along the Borders of the said John Guy's Plantation and there crossing over Westward in a right Line reacheth unto the Bay of Placentia and the space of one League within the said Bay from the Shore thereof whence turning again towards the South passeth along the Harbour of Placentia with the like distance from the Shore and descending unto New Falkland towards the North and West part thereof stretcheth it self in a right Line Eastward continuing the whole Southerly length upon the Bounds of the said New Falkland unto the middle part or Point of the Promontory or Neck of Land before mention'd between the Ports Fermose and Aquafort at which place is describ'd and finish'd the Perambulation of the whole Precinct whose Extent may be thus computed commencing from the Promontory between the Ports Fermose and Aquafort which is fifty or sixty Miles from South to North distant from Petit Harbour from whence crossing Westward to the Bay of Placentia is judg'd to be sixty Miles more or upwards from East to West And thereby was also granted to the said Sir George Calvert and his Heirs all Islands and Islets within ten Leagues of the Eastern Shore of the said Region towards the East together with the Fishing of all sorts of Fish saving unto the English free liberty of Fishing as well in the Seas as in the Ports and Creeks of the Province aforesaid and the Priviledges of salting and drying their Fish upon the Shores of the said Province as heretofore they reasonably us'd and enjoy'd the same so as they do no injury or notable loss or detriment unto the Lord Proprietary his Heirs and Assigns or to the Inhabitants of the said Province in the Ports Creeks and Shores aforesaid and especially in the Woods growing within the said Province And by the said Patent all Royal Jurisdictions and Prerogatives both Military and Civil within the said Province and Islands thereunto belonging were farther granted to the said Sir George Calvert and his Heirs and he and they thereby created the true and absolute Lords and Proprietaries of the said Province saving the Allegiance due to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors to be held of them in Capite yielding and paying unto them therefore a white Horse when and as often as any of them shall come into the said Province and the fifth part of all Gold and Silver Oar which should be found there Sir George Calvert before the obtaining of this Patent had caus'd a fair House and Fort to be built in the said Province at a place call'd Ferryland and in the Year 1624. having obtain'd a Dismission from his Employment of Secretary of State and being then created Lord Baltemore of Baltemore in Ireland he did in the Year 1627. Transport
himself to Avalon to inspect his Concerns there in Person from whence returning the same year he Embarqu'd himself again together with his Lady and all his Family except his eldest Son for Avalon the year following at which time there being then War between England and France he redeem'd above twenty Sail of English Ships which had been taken there that year by French Men of War whereof one Monsieur De la Rade had the chief Command and shortly after took six French Fishing Ships upon that Coast and sent them the same year with a great many French-men Prisoners into England Coming thence he left a Deputy there and continu'd the Plantation till his Death which was in April 1632. After whose Decease it descended of right to his Son and Heir Cecil now Lord Baltemore who thereupon sent one Captain William Hill as his Deputy thither to take possession thereof and to manage his Interest there for him Captain Hill according to his Commission shortly after repair'd thither and liv'd some years at the Lord Baltemore's House at Ferryland above mention'd In the thirteenth Year of King Charles the First of England c. about the Year of our Lord 1638. Marquess Hamilton Earl of Pembroke Sir David Kirk and others under pretence that the Lord Baltemore had deserted that Plantation obtain'd a Patent of all New-found Land wherein Avalon was included and shortly after dispossess'd the Lord Baltemore of his Mansion House in Ferryland and other Rights there and during the late Rebellion in England kept possession but His now Majesty King Charles the Second immediately after his most happy Restauration in the Year 1660 upon the now Lord Baltemore's Petition thought fit to refer the whole Matter to be Examin'd by Sir Orlando Bridgeman then Lord-Chief Justice now Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal of England and others to report the true state thereof to His Majesty together with their Opinions thereupon The Referrees accordingly upon full hearing of Council on both sides certifi'd That they conceiv'd the said Patent to Sir George Calvert to be a good Patent in force and not avoided by the later to Sir David Kirk and others and that the Title and Interest to the said Province did therefore belong to the Lord Baltemore Whereupon His Majesty on the twentieth of March in the same Year Order'd the Possession thereof to be re-deliver'd to his Lordship which was accordingly executed Since which time his Lordship has peaceably enjoy'd the possession thereof and continues the Plantation to this day by deputing Lieutenants there from time to time for the better Government of that Province the rest of New found Land remaining still to the aforesaid Proprietors claiming by the Patent of 13 Car. 1. The Commodities that are either by Art or Nature produc'd there are the same with those of the remainder of New-found Land The Winter there is extream cold the Summer very hot but withal pleasant and during that Season there is great plenty of Pasture for Cattel The Coast of this Province is very safe and as well furnish'd with variety of bold and pleasant Harbors as any other part of New-found Land where the English likewise Fish for Cod the lesser sort whereof is call'd Poor-John which is there caught in great abundance especially at Ferryland and in the Bay of Bulls Besides these two there are divers other excellent Harbors on the Eastern Shore of Avalon as Capling Bay Cape Broyle Brittus Isle of Spears Barrom Cove Whitburns Bay and Petit Harbour above mention'd On the West are the Bay of Placentia and several other good Harbors There are no Indians in Avalon and but few English by reason of the excessive Cold in Winter though Sir David Kirk and his Lady and also his Family liv'd in the Lord Baltemore's House at Ferryland for the space of ten years and upwards The Soil seems to promise great store of Mines which probably may in time be disover'd The late Lord Baltemore took accidentally a piece of Oar up that lay there upon the surface of the Earth and brought it with him into England which was found upon trial to yield a greater proportion of Silver than the Oar of Potosi in the West-Indies but hitherto no Mine of it hath been discover'd there The Trade of Fishing being of so great concernment to the Nation of England the same if it be well manag'd in this Island of Terra Nova will employ every year above two hundred Sail of English Ships and ten thousand Mariners besides the great benefit which may accrue unto the Nation by Imposition upon Strangers there which would amount to several thousands of Pounds per Annum with which those Coasts may be Guarded and Ships Trading thither secur'd besides the great Customs by the Ships call'd The Sacks being commonly in great numbers every year who carry Fish from New-found Land into the Straights France Portugal and Spain and who bring their Returns into England as Bullion and all other native Commodities of those Countreys If the Island were well fortifi'd we might Command all those of other Nations that come to Fish in New-found Land to pay Contribution in Fish or otherwise for their Priviledge to Fish there the said Island being first Planted by English and pertaining to the Kingdom of England or if occasion should require they might be utterly debarr'd of Fishing there The Trade of Fishing is of so great concernment to France Spain Portugal the Straights and other Parts that they cannot well be without that yearly Supply in Fish which comes from that Island Neither can the Hollanders Spaniards or Portuguese well set any Ships to the West-Indies without New-found Land Fish there being none that will endure to pass the Line sound and untainted but the Fish of that Countrey salted and dry'd there And so long as the Act continues still in force That no Fish be Transported from the said Island but in English Bottoms it will contribute very much to our encrease of Shipping there and by consequence of the employment of Mariners and the Fishing of that part of the Island will be solely appropriated to the English Nation to whom of right it belongs which will prove the greatest Ballance of Trade in that part of the World and that whereas above two hundred Sail do Trade thither yearly to Fish if a thousand Sail come if there be but Fisher-men enow they may all have Fraughtage there The French if once the Island be fortifi'd will be depriv'd of their Nursery of Mariners this being the onely place besides Canada and one or two adjacent Coasts where they come for supply of Fish with which that Nation cannot be furnish'd so well from other Parts By well Planting and Fortifying New-found Land the Trading to Virginia New England and those Parts would be much encourag'd New England having had of late great Traffick with New-found Land where they vend the Growth of their Plantation Besides New-found Land is a Key to the Gulf of
in Handicrafts and expert in warlike Affairs above all the Americans besides First Discovery of the Island The Island was discover'd by the Spaniards under the Conduct of Columbus who first built there the Town of Mellilla which disliking he remov'd again to Oristana and finding that an incommodious and unhealthy Situation he remov'd again to another Plantation where he built a very fair Town first call'd Sevilla afterwards St. Jago de la Vega consisting of about seventeen hundred Houses two Churches two Chappels and an Abbey being the chief if not the onely Seat of the Spaniards before the arrival of the English for their Estanchas or small Plantations were committed wholly to the custody of their Slaves Attempts of the English upon this Island The first and onely Attempters upon this Island since the Spaniards made themselves Masters thereof have been the English who in the Year 1592. under the Conduct of Sir Anthony Shirley Landed upon it got clear possession thereof none of the Spaniards that were then upon the Place daring to make the least resistance but not thinking it worth the keeping they soon deserted it and made Sail back again for England after which they remain'd unmolested for a long time till in the Year 1654. a Fleet of English was set out for Hispaniola by Cromwell under the Command of Colonel Venables with a Design for the taking of St. Domingo but meeting with ill success in the Enterprize and being forc'd to quit that Island with loss of Men and frustration of their hopes they steer'd their Course for Jamaica and on the tenth of May in the Year abovesaid with little opposition possess'd themselves of it Upon their approach to St. Jago the Inhabitants thereof deserted it and betook them to the Mountains gaining time by a pretence of Treaty to secure their Women and Goods and oftentimes making Incursions upon the stragling Parties of the English slew and took many Prisoners by surprize but being weary of this wild and irregular kind of living they betake themselves at last to the Isle of Cuba where many of them the Grandees especially were permitted by favour to continue the rest being by the Vice-Roy commanded back with promise of speedy and considerable Supplies by that time this remnant of the Spaniards was near tir'd out with hardship and necessity some being very much discourag'd and driven to utter despondence of Mind others destroy'd out-right part of the long promis'd and expected Supply arrives the greatest part being to follow soon after but finding the Islanders so few in number and in so sickly and necessitous an Estate they would not joyn with them but maugre all the Governor's Perswasions or Commands retreat to the North part of the Island and there fortifie at a place call'd Chireras expecting every day fresh Recruits which not coming time enough and their Quarters being discover'd they were set upon by the English and most of them either slain or taken Prisoners not many Moneths after the rest of the Spanish Forces Land being in all about thirty Companies with Ordnance and good store of Ammunition who falling presently to make strong Fortifications at Rio Novo are nevertheless in a short time utterly defeated by the English Upon which and several other ill Successes despairing to re-gain the Island they Ship off their Women and the richest of their Goods and the Negro Slaves grown Masterless by the general either slaughter or departure of their Patrons shake off their Obedience to the Spaniards and constitute a Governor of their own a Black yet submit themselves and own Subjection to the English Government the Spaniards from Cuba both by their Perswasions and monethly Contributions in vain endeavoring to reduce them onely some few there were that stood out whom the rest not onely made it their business to discover but help'd the English to take them insomuch that at last the Spanish General not having above fifty Men left him was forc'd to seek for Peace and offer'd Terms of Accommodation which the English General would not be drawn to accept of unless upon Condition that he should deliver up to Justice as many as were left of those that had barbarously murder'd any of our Men either in time of Treaty or after Quarter given The English in this Island are setled for above a hundred Miles along the Countrey from the Eastward Chief Towns Their chief Towns are 1. St. Jago built by the Spaniards as afore mention'd which lieth six Miles within the Land North-West from the Harbor of Cagway Here the English have built a small Fort. 2. Passage a small Town built also by the English six Miles from St. Jago for the convenience of going to Cagway consisting of about fifty Houses and a Fort whence cross this Harbor about three Leagues distant is the Town of 3. Cagway seated on the Extream end of the Point containing in it above six hundred Houses all built by the English besides the Governor's Palace and the Houses where the Stores for the Army are kept This is counted the most healthful Place in all the Island and the very Scale of Trade where all Merchants Strangers and Sailors reside Here upon the utmost Angle of the Point towards the Sea is a round Tower built of Lime and Stone about which is rais'd a strong and regular Fort containing sixty pieces of Ordnance Port Royal. This Town is now call'd Port Royal and is thought to contain about sixteen thousand Inhabitants A Mile from hence is another Fort Landward call'd Landward which runs from the Harbor to the Sea to defend the Town from any Attempt by Land Off the Mouth of the Harbor towards the Sea lie divers small Islands the most Western of which being within half a League of the Fort and between which and the Fort every Ship that comes into the Harbor is necessitated to pass It is call'd Little Island Little Island where a Fort is likewise rais'd to defend the Mouth of the Harbor containing eight pieces of Ordnance Another Fortification is at Portmorant which we shall make mention of amongst the Harbors Chief Ports and Harbors The chief Harbors of this Island are 1. Port Anthony on the North a very safe Land-lock'd Harbor onely the coming in is somewhat difficult the Channel being narrow'd by a little Island that lies off the Mouth of the Port. 2. On the East of the Island is Portmorant a very capacious Harbor where Ships do conveniently Wood and Water and Ride safe from all Winds 3. On the South is Port Cagway a Harbor wonderfully convenient secure and capacious being five Leagues over in some places in others four and at the narrowerst three it is Land-lock'd by a Point of Land that runs twelve Miles South-West from the Main of the Island having the great River that comes by Los Angelos and St. Jago running into it and divers Springs about it where Ships do conveniently Wood and Water Here
is every where good Anchorage the Road being so deep that a Ship of a thousand Tun may lay his sides to the Shore of the Point and load and unload with Planks afloat 4. On the West is Point Megrill a Port very convenient and secure to Windward from which a little North-West is the Seat of the old Town of Mellilla founded by Columbus as afore mention'd The chief Plantations of this Island are 1. Portmorant above the Harbor before mention'd and by the two Rivers that run into it Here are good Plantations of Sugars Cottons Tobacco's c. 2. Hence about ten Miles lieth Morant where a thousand Acres of Land have been taken up for my Lord Willoughby and a Company of Merchants 3. Hence farther Leeward lieth Yallow having good Plantations of Cotton Tobacco and other Provisions excellent Savana's and some store of tame Cattel 4. Thirty Miles hence on the North side of Cagway is Ligonce where are excellent Plantations of Sugar Cotton and Tobacco very pleasant Savana's and some store of wild Cattel 5. Twenty Miles farther West nines Miles from the Harbor of Cagway is Los Angelos having some Plantations of Sugar Cacao and Tobacco all which were old Spanish Plantations and are less considerable than those made by the English in other places 6. Eight Miles from hence North-West is Guanaboa where likewise were some Spanish Plantations since improv'd by the English who have very many excellent Plantations of Sugar Cacao c. 7. Hence West South-West lieth Guatabacoa a most pleasant rich and fertile part of the Countrey abounding with Cattel and excellent Savana's Here the Negro's setled that revolted from the Spaniards who are endeavouring to make some Plantations of Tobacco's and Provisions and with them are setled some few English who have divers Walks of Cacao The several Governors of the English in Jamaica The several Governors of this Island since the taking of it by the English are as followeth General Robert Venables staid upon the Place about three Moneths after the taking of it and at his coming away for England he left the chief Command to Major General Richard Fortescue who liv'd Governor about three Moneths after which Lieutenant General Edward Doyly was by the Army elected President but upon his coming away soon after for England Lieutenant General William Brain was sent over Governor in his room who living in the Government about three quarters of a year did as it were bequeathe it again to Doyly for he was chosen by vertue of a Blank Commission wherein Brain had inserted his Name whom he would have succeed and remain'd Commander in Chief both by Land and Sea till His Majesty's Restauration and then by His Majesty's Letters Patents was confirm'd in the Government and so was the first that was Governor there for His Majesty The next that succeeded was the Lord Windsor upon whose coming away Sit Thomas Muddiford was sent Governor and after him Sir Thomas Linch who remains Governor at present CHAP. XVII The Islands call'd the Lucaies Situation and Description of the Lucaies HAving done with the four Islands of Barlovento as they are term'd viz. Hispaniola Cuba Porto Rico and Jamaica we come next to the Lucaies so call'd as some think from Lucaioneque one of the biggest of them they lie over against Florida Westward from the Bermudas South-West and North of Hispaniola and the rest of the Barloventi and because they are but small ones and lie so near the Continent Geographers sometimes describe them as a part or appertaining to the Continent The chiefest of these Islands are Lucaioneque afore-mention'd Bahama and Guanahani Lucaioneque is accounted the biggest of them all and lieth in twenty seven Degrees between Bahama and Guanahani Bahama lies nearest to the Coast of Florida and gives Name to the Straights so call'd which run between the Cape of Florida and it with such a violent Course and Torrent that although it be above sixteen Miles broad yet many times neither Wind nor Oars can prevail against it that though the Winds be prosperous Ships cannot enter it and if it be cross they go with the Current yet those Straights the Spanish Fleet must pass in their Return from the Havana towards Spain Guanahani was the first piece of American Ground discover'd by Christopher Columbus and therefore by him call'd San Salvador or St. Saviour because that thereby he was deliver'd from the mutinous rage of the Seamen who threatned to throw him over-board if they discover'd not Land in such a time There are besides a number of small Isles scatter'd up and down which are generally comprehended in the number of the Lucaies one is Little Island encompass'd with a company of Shelves call'd the Bimini so that it is hardly accessible there goes a Tradition that it hath been inhabited by very beautiful Women the fame of whom drew many to attempt to Land there and take up their Habitation in which Attempt many were cast away There is said to be a Fountain in the midst of it of such a Vertue that whosoever drank of the Waters of it had their Youth renew'd Also three Islands or rather Rocks call'd Los Martyres lying to the South-East of Cape Florida and cover'd for the most part with a whitish Sand and a few Bushes growing on them they seem at a distance to bear a resemblance of Men impal'd or bound to Stakes as the Martyrs in the primitive Times usually were which occasion'd the Spaniards so to Name them 't is very dangerous to come too near them but to have sight of them is of great use to Men at Sea for by passing these Rocks and leaving them on the South-East they certainly know that they are now entred the Straights of Bahama that is that they have left the Ocean and are fall'n in amongst those many Islands which do as it were Barracado and Block up the Eastern Coasts of America towards Nombre de Dios and Terra Firma as they call it through which the Continent is sometimes dangerous by reason of contrary Winds and always such that it requires the skill and care of an experienc'd Pilot to conduct the Ships well thither The rest are Abacoa twelve Leagues long Yuma twenty Leagues in length and eight in breadth between twenty four and twenty five Degrees Yumeata fifteen Leagues in length between twenty three and twenty four Degrees Jamana seven Leagues every way Yabague ten Leagues likewise and lying between twenty two and twenty three Degrees Magaguana twenty Leagues long and ten broad Quagua ten Leagues every way and lying between twenty and one and twenty Degrees Caycos five Leagues in length and in the one and twentieth Degree Mackre in the twentieth Degree encompass'd with Shelves Abreo environ'd also with Shelves and fifteen Leagues long also Guatao Cigateo Guanima Jabaka Triangulo and several others The Lucales left desolate by the Spaniards On these Islands are no Inhabitants those that did live there were a harmless simple
according to the Pope's Gift belong'd to his Master Philip and insisting upon that Allegation he commanded them to quit their Right to the Place to which purpose he restor'd them six of the nine Ships taken at Nevis on Condition that they should immediately set Sail for England onely those whom the six Vessels were not able to carry were permitted to stay on the Island till the next opportunity After which Toledo weighing Anchor was scarce out of sight when the English began to take new Courage and gathering together to repair their ruin'd Works as well as possibly they could with what Forces they had left for besides those who went for England in the six Ships being near two thousand the Spanish Admiral took six hundred choice English which he distributed amongst his Fleet whilest Desambuc suffer'd a great deal of hardship not onely through ill Weather at Sea but also for want of Provisions Having during this time been on the Islands St. Martin Montserrat and Antego thinking to have possess'd himself of some or other of them in stead of St. Christophers but not finding such a fruitful Soil and convenient Situation as what he had been forc'd to forsake he was not forward to fix there but rather judg'd it convenient to enquire concerning the Condition of St. Christophers and at last being inform'd by a Ketch that the Enemy was gone to Havana and the English were busie in Tilling their Lands he return'd to his old Station where nevertheless their Endeavors to repair what was ruin'd had been in vain by reason of the scarcity of Provisions and want of other Necessaries had not in their greatest extremity some Netherland Vessels arriving there furnish'd them with Provisions Clothes and other Necessaries on bare promises of payment But not long after growing rich with Tobacco Sugars Ginger and Indigo they made Satisfaction to all their Creditors and at last attain'd to the Condition before mention'd In the late War between Us and the Dutch the French taking advantage of our Engagement endeavor'd to destroy our Plantations there and to make themselves Masters of the whole Island but the Matter being at last brought to some Agreement Sir Charles Wheeler hath been very lately sent over thither by His Majesty to re-settle Affairs there and order the Capitulations between the French and English CHAP. XIX The Islands Sotavento and the Isle Trinidado IN the Division we found to be made of the Islands that lie between Florida and New Spain and Southern America the last are the Isles of Sotavento which are reckon'd to be these three Margareta Cubagua and Tabago but the last is by most accounted and hath been mention'd amongst the Caribbees Situation of Margareta Margareta so call'd from the abundance of Pearls of which the Spanish Appellation comes near the Latine Margaritae found there by the Spaniards at their first Discovery lies about the twelfth Degree of Northern Latitude over against the Main Land of Cumana from which it is distant about seven Leagues It is accounted sixteen Leagues long and half as much in breadth and was discover'd by Columbus in his third Voyage in the Year of our Lord 1498. and was at first in great reputation in regard of the rich Pearl-fishing upon its Coasts wherein the Spaniards more favorable it seems to the Natives of this Place than usual because of their readiness to discover their Treasures employ'd Negro's brought from the Coast of Guinee whom by severe Punishments inflicted they forc'd to such excessive Labor that many of them though excellent Divers were drown'd others either devour'd or lam'd by the ravenous great Fish thereabouts and by destroying the very Seed through their insatiable greediness after Pearl brought the Trade of Pearl-fishing in a short time to a very small Account in respect of what it might have been had it been well husbanded Nor hath this Island of late Years been much frequented only in the Year 1601. Captain Parker with a Fleet of English put on Shore here and took as many Prisoners as he had five hundred pounds of Pearl for the Ransom of and at his coming away took a Ship he met from off the Coast of Angola with three hundred and seventy Negro's aboard her who were going to be sold for Slaves The Soil is not unfruitful bringing forth several sorts of Fruit and store of Maiz and probably if improv'd would as well bear Wheat and other usual kinds of Grain but there is great want of Water which the Inhabitants are troubled to fetch from the neighboring Continent Towns and Places of chief note The Places of chief note are 1. Monpater a Fort built by the Spaniards in a Nook of the Island lying Eastward to secure the Pearl-fishing Trade and to defend the Town where the Governor resides as also the Treasurer of the King of Spain's Customs of Pearl which have been formerly valu'd at 50000 l. yearly 2. El valle de Santa Lucia two Leagues from this Town and as much from the Sea a Spanish Colony Macanao the onely noted Place belonging to the Natives SECT II. Cubagua Situation of Cubagua CUbagua lies South-West of Margarita about the eleventh Degree of North-Latitude a League or thereabouts distant from Margarita and six Leagues from the nearest Continent and about three Leagues in circumference This is also a very great Place for Pearl-fishing the benefit whereof hath been so considerable that the King of Spain's Fifths are said to have amounted some years to fifteen thousand Ducats but otherwise of a poor and barren Soil not onely destitute of Water but of Fruit Grain Herbage and all manner of Cattel and eatable Beasts except a few lean Coneys nevertheless in respect of the Pearl-fishing Trade the Spaniards have Planted here a Colony which they call'd New Cadiz having plenty of Provisions brought them from the adjoining Coasts and soon after their first Planting grew in a short time so powerful that they became Masters of one of the best Ports of those Seas call'd Maracapana Venezuela but upon an Alarm of the Salvages of Cumana for a while deserted the Island and betook themselves to Hispaniola from whence nevertheless being remanded back with fresh Supplies under the Command of James de Castellon they soon re-instated themselves in their former Plantation and made it more strong and flourishing than before in which state they remain'd as long as the Pearl-fishing Trade continu'd but that decaying the splendor also of this Colony declin'd so that at present the onely thing which makes the Place remarkable is a Fountain on the East part of the Island not far from the Sea yielding a liquid bituminous Water of singular use in Medicine and sometimes found floating on the Sea at two or three Leagues distance The Island Coche About four Leagues distant from Cubagua there is an Island call'd Coche about three Miles in compass It was discover'd in the Year 1529. and was formerly little less considerable for
was undertaken by Captain Luke Fox who at his Return gave very good hopes and encouragement that the Work so long in prosecution was not impossible to effected nevertheless by reason of the late troublesom Times i◠〈…〉 wholy laid aside for almost forty years but in the Year 1668. several Persons of Honor undertook to revive the Work and to that purpose furnish'd out two Ships which set forth in June and return'd about the beginning of October the Year following giving so satisfactory an Account of their Voyage that in the Year 1670. the same Adventurers thought fit to send out two Ships more so furnish'd as to endure a Wintering there which they did with greater hopes than ever of finding out the North-West Passage besides a handsom Caâ—go of rich Furrs which made it more than a saving Voyage so that 't is suppos'd this will not be the last Attempt but that another will suddenly follow And it may well be observ'd that nothing considerable hath been done in this grand Enterprize but by the English A brief View of what Places are posses'd at this day in the West-Indies by the English Spaniards French Portuguese and Dutch THe English possess in Northern Amerrica New England the Bay of Trinity Chincet and a part of Terra Nova or New-found Land Virginia part of Florida now call'd Carolina the Bermudas or Summer-Islands New Holland which they took from the Dutch An. 1664. with New Amsterdam and Fort Orange Terra Mariae or Mary-Land part of the Isles call'd Lucaies among the Antillae or Caribbee-Islands Barbados Anguilla part of St. Christophers Montserrat Nieves or Mevis Antego Dominico and St. Vincent the Isle of St. Catherine otherwise call'd Providence Jamaica the Isles of Curacao and Trinity several Colonies at Surinam and Sinamari with several Forts upon the Coast of Guiana and lastly the Haven Porto Bello once the Spaniards The Spaniards possess the greatest and best part of America wherein they have a vast number of very considerable Towns In Northern America they have 1. New Spain in which are the Audiences of Mexico Guadalajara and Guatimala 2. The Islands Cuba and Hispaniola excepting some parts towards the West which are in possession of the French Boriquen c. also St. Augustine and St. Matthew in Florida and a part of New Mexico In Southern America Castilla d' Oro or Golden Castile otherwise call'd Terra Firma in which are the Audiences of Quito Lima and La Plata lastly Chili and Paraguay which comprehends the Countreys of Tucuman and La Plata The French have in Canada or Nova Francia Montreal the Rivers Quebeck Tadousack and some Places upon the great River of St. Lawrence also Accadie or Nova Scotia the Isle of Cape Breton with the Fort St. Peter from whence they Traffick to Nepigiquit with the Salvages of that Coast part of the Isle of Terre-Neuve Pemptagoet St. Jean Port-Royal and other Fortresses Among the Caribbee-Islands part of St. Christophers St. Bartholomew St. Crux St. Martin Guadalupe Deseado Marigalante Todos los Sanctos Martinico St. Alousie and Granada likewise some Colonies on the West of Hispaniola Upon the Continent of Southern America on the Coast of Guiana the Isle Cayene where stands the Fort of St. Michael de Ceperoux now Fort Louis also the Colonies of Mathouri and Armire Courrou Coonama and Comaribo The Portuguese possess all the Coast of Brasile in Southern America with the several Capitania's or Praefectures thereof The Dutch have onely the Isles of St. Eustace and Saba the Town of Coro in Terra Firma the Colonies Boron Esquib Berebie Aperwaque and others on the Coast of Guiana FINIS Directions for placing the Whole-sheet Prints in this Volume of America TItle The general Map of America Fol. 1 Christoffel Colonus Fol. 43 Angra op Tercera Fol. 52 Americus Vesputius Fol. 60 Ferdinand Magellanus Fol. 79 Vetus Mexico Fol. 87 Athabaliba Fol. 97 Novum Belgium quod nunc Nov. Jorck vocatur Fol. 168 Mary-Land Fol. 183 Nova Virginiae Tabula Fol. 192 Arx Carolina Fol. 205 Virginiae pars Australis Florida Fol. 213 Pagus Hispanorum in Florida Fol. 218 Yucatan Guatimala Fol. 222 Francisco de Campeche Fol. 223 Truxillo Fol. 231 Nova Hispania Nova Gallicia Guatimala Fol. 238 Nova Mexico Fol. 243 Muteczuma Fol. 253 Portus Acapulco Fol. 260 Viztlipuztli Fol. 297 Insulae Americanae in Oceano Septentrionali Fol. 304 Mappa AEstivarum Insularum alias Barmudes Fol. 311 Urbs Domingo in Hispaniola Fol. 318 Porto Rico Fol. 327 Havana Fol. 333 Jamaica Fol. 337 Urbs Martini 365 Carthagena Fol. 401 Terra Firma Regnum Granatense Popayan Fol. 408 Peru Fol. 412 Franciscus Pizarrus Fol. 429 Cusco Fol. 456 Potosi Fol. 463 Callao de Lima Fol. 466 Chili Fol. 470 Magellanica Fol. 472 Paraquaria Fol. 474 Brasile Fol. 477 Sinus omnium Sanctorum Fol. 502 Olinda Fol. 505 Ostium fluminis Paraybae Fol. 508 Itamaraca Fol. 517 Fluvius Grandis Fol. 517 Siara Fol. 517 Urbs Salvador Fol. 519 Obsidio expugnatio Portus Calvi Fol. 554 Alagoa del Zul Fol. 556 Serinhaim Fol. 580 Mauritio-Polis Fol. 604 Castrum Mauritii ad ripam Francisci Fol. 605 Arax Principis Guilielmi Fol. 605 Bonavista Fol. 606 Guiana sive Amazonum regio Fol. 607 Arx Nassovii Fol. 608 Venezuela cum parte Australi novae Andalusiae Fol. 624