of Mines but little that I know of hath bin as yet found excepting Black-lead and Iron-stone of severall kinds which may in time move the industrious Planters to set up Iron works having Wood and all other necessaries fit to maintaine them for many succeeding ages and may prove a speciall meanes to preserve the Woods here in England Good salt hath bin there found candied by the Sun upon the sides of the Rocks where high spring Tides hath left any quantity of salt water insomuch that it is assuredly knowne there might be made as good salt in many places to the Southward of Cape Codd as in any part of France Likewise for Pot-ashes there is no Land where more may be made nor at lesse charge for the Planters might therewith supply this Kingdome yearly with more then can be used out of the superfluous Woods they have about their Plantations 6. There are also many faire Lakes which are the heads of all or most of the principall Rivers of the Country stored with good choice of dainty fresh Fish where the Salvages take their Beavers Otters and other Furres but the Planters have not yet discovered in all that continent neere Virginia and New England any worthy of particular mention but three The one is the Lake St. Lewis in the West end of New England which is 60. leagues in length and 30. Leagues broad but extendeth it selfe so farre westerly that I could not insert it in this Mapp Another Lake there is sixteen leagues to the westward of this quite out of the bounds of New England not exprest here at all named by the French La Merdulce in English the fresh Sea This Lake is 160. leagues long and 60. in bredth two great fluxes of water are found to goe out of this large Cisterne the greater falleth off at the West part of it and runneth Westerly within the space of fifteen leagues into a Bay of salt water which must needs bee an Arme of the South Sea The other Eastward looseth it selfe into Lake St. Lewis The third is the Lake of Hierocoyis lying in the body of New-England the length thereof being 40 Leagues and the bredth 80. miles As the Lakes of that Country are vast and numerous so they produce many goodly Rivers some of them far bigger then any in this our Brittaine of which Canada is the greatest issuing out of that great Lake St. Lewis And taking its course all along the North part of New England divideth it from Nova Francia and disburtheneth it selfe in the great Bay Northeastward of Nova Scotia The second is Mauritius River so called by the Dutch but by the English Hudsons River who first discovered it This River hath divers branches the chiefe of which commeth out of the Lake Hieroquoyis as the Indians and Dutch among themselves report but describe it not so as it is supposed lest the English should find out by that meanes a way to the Lake and so participate of their great Beaver trade it floweth forty leagues into the land and is Navigable divers leagues higher running all within New England and is received into Sandt or Manahatas Bay a league and a halfe from the prime Plantation of the Dutch in the latitude of forty degrees and thirty six minutes The third is Den Suidt River or south River which parteth New England from Virginia and Mary Land being Navigable five and thirty leagues at least Many are of oppinion upon good probabilities that this and Patowmack a River which runneth thorough part of Virginia and Maryland into the Sea at Chesapeacke Bay descend both out of the Lake St. Lewis The fourth is St. Croix River which distinguisheth New England from Nova Scotia There bee many other Navigable Rivers as Merimack Sagadahock Conectecute Champloiones River and others which would be too tedious to discovrse of particularly For Brooks and springs of sweet water there be so many that Planters wheresoever they seat them selves need not feare scarcity of water in the greatest drought for any use Sea-men that frequent that Country commend it for diversity of good Harbours so that whencesoever the wind bloweth they have one or other to put into for safe-guard For the Coast being full of Ilands and broken land have many openings which make the Chanels deepe and narrow between which Ilands and the maine land lie the most and best Harbours which are sheltred on the shore side with high Cliffs Woods or both and towards the Sea with Ilands or Head-lands which break the ways of that swelling Sea so that the tides come in where the Shipps ride so calme that they are hardly sensible of any storm Another great commodity of these Harbours is that Ships may ride there without danger of Worm-eating which they cannot do unlesse they be sheathed in Virginia Florida further to the Southward The raggednes of the Coast and straight entrance into the Harbours are partly fortified by Nature in that there be few of them so broad but an ordinary cast peece will execute from one Bank to another where with a little Art may bee raised as they have done in severall places such strong works as will bee able to repell the power of an invading Enemy 7. All English and Spanish Cattle which were transported thither grow larger and yeeld more profit than those of the same kind whence they came and which is more Dutch beasts which were carried out of a fatter Soile then ours do with breeding there become larger in size then otherwise and none of them have bin hitherto subject to those diseases incident to Cattle in this Land But for their Poultry comparing the number of those Planters in Families and Estates with the Inhabitants of this Country they will be found better provided The benefit that is made by the Planters of their Cattle Corne and other commodities which the Land affords them is great considering what good estates divers industrious men have attained unto in a short time out of small beginnings 8. There are of the Native Beasts both ravenous and commodious The Ravenous are Beares Wolves Luserans or Ownces Foxes Squunks Ferrets and wild Dogs very like the ordinary Curs of England which the Salguages doe take and tame when they are young to follow them who never bark but against rain or foule weather will then set themselves to howle making a most hideous yelling noise The beasts that are commodious be profitable two wayes either for food or furs For Furs such are Beavers Otters Minks Rackoons Musquash Sables and others There have bin Bears black Wolves and Foxes taken whose cases are of great esteem here in England the beasts for food are Elks Deer of two kinds Hares and Rabbets the beare and Squunk also are esteemed by the Planters little inferiour to Veale and Lambe For those Deere the lesser of them are a kinde of Red Deere but not altogether so bigg and large as ours who never beat themselves so low at rut but that they
A Treatise of New ENGLAND Published in Anno Dom. 1637. And now reprinted NEw England is a Countrey in America Scituated within the Degrees of fortie and fortie nine of Northerly Latitude bordering Southwestward upon Maryland and Virginia Northward upon Nova Francia Northeastward upon Nova Scotia and Southward upon the great Ocean first called by the Spaniards Mare del Nort or the North Sea not for its height so far Northerly but in opposition of the Sea which is on the other side of that Continent called the South sea The Sea coast thereof from its Southernmost to Cape Codd bearing West southwest and East Northeast and from Cape Codd to Cape Croix being infortie five Degrees odd minuts and the utmost bounds of New-England Northward lying Southwest and Northeast This Country together with Nova Scotia was formerly called Norombega which hath bin this many yeares discovered and possessed by the English in right of the Crowne of England This Land in the Superficies the store of Wood excepted may be compared to this Kingdome As for De-la-ware Bay to Cape Codd being an indifferent low Land is like to the shires of Essex Suffolke Norfolke Cambridge Huntingdon Lincolne and from Cape Codd Eastward more hilly resembling Hampshire Dorcester Devon and Cornwall As these two parts of the Country differ in forme so they do in fertility for that to the Westward of Cape Codd exceedeth the other to the Eastward as much in rich Soile as in levell and withall hath more large Marshes upon the Sea coast now subject to the inundation of high-tides howbeit divers of them might be gained from the water if ever the Planters should undertake it with far lesse charge than to make Tillable the like quantity of wood land by reason the in-lets are but narrow and bounded with ascending grounds 2. The inner part of the Countrey consisteth most of Vpland full of Woods yet is so well furnished with fertile low Plaines and Vallies that in crossing the Woods one shall hardly misse in three or foure myles of such places whereof some are very spacious and delightfull with cleere fresh Rivers or Brooks gliding through them without Fenne or Bogge and scarse a shrub or bush to hinder a Ploughs going and commonly flanked or surrounded with woody Hills whence a man may behold as pleasant prospects building Tillage and Cartell excepted as any in all England wherein Planters may have choice enough of rich Earable land for many Generations Those Vallies and Marshes upon the Sea Coast beare Grasse of a great length and thicknes in some places so ranke that it is above an Ell in height which though it be not at the first cutting so fine as our English Grasse yet is such good Winter Fodder as that Cattell thrive well therewith and the oftner it is mowed the finer it groweth The Vpland also in most places is sufficient good land producing Grasse very thick sweet and timely especially where the Indians have cleared any quantity of ground to plant their Corne in and afterwards quitted it for new choise The soile in generall is of diverse sorts The Vallies and Marshes are for the most part a fat black Mould saving in some places a kind of a loamie Clay whereof the Planters make Brickes Tiles and earthen Vessells The Vpland is either a Gravell Sandy or somewhat stronger inclining to a Clay ground each being very beneficiall to the labours of a painfull Husbandman 3. That Country is stored with as great and good choice of all forts of timber as any one land in the knowne world there being three kinds of Oake each excelling the other for particular uses with plenty of all kindes of trees that England affords besides many other kinds of Wood very usefull for this Kingdom which it selfe yeeldeth not as Spruce Firre and Deale of extraordinary growth for Masts Yards and Plankes out of which Wood may bee extracted Pitch Tarre Rozin and Turpintine Likewise Pine trees Cedar Cipres Sassaphras with the Sumack which is very good for Dyers and Tanners out of this Sumack and Shee-Cedar issueth sweet Gums much used for perfumes All those that work in Wood do find those trees for goodnesse very answerable to their desires There be severall kinds of trees that be are fruit as Wallnut Chestnut Haselnut trees and divers sorts of Plumbe trees with infinite store of Vines that beare Grapes in great clusters and as big many of them as Musket bullets which some of the Inhabitants both English and Dutch have transplanted who are of opinion by what they have already tried that with dressing and pruning of them they will be able to make as good Wines as any part of France All the Woods over there be Chestnuts Wallnuts Haselnuts Currance Mulberries Rasberries Gooseberries Hurtleberries Hawes with many other kindes of fruit and roots which are excellent food for Hogges and causeth them to increase wonderfull in growth and profit 4. That Earth fructifieth exceedingly all kinds of English and Indian Corne and the Planters doe find by experience that it beareth as great crops and more increase than in any part of this Kingdom Yet therebe divers experienced Farmers which doe neglect our English Beanes and Pease and sow those of the Indians preferring them before the other for goodnes of tast and profit But the product of Indian Wheat which is a good food surpasseth all other graine for 100. and 50. and 200. is ordinarily the increase thereof And there be some of good credit now in this Kingdome who have affirmed that they had above 300. fold The worth of that Land is manifestly confirmed in that it is an usuall course with those Farmers upon the first cutting up of their ground to sow either Hempe or Indian Wheate to correct the rancknesse of it as being too strong for any other graine there bee also Hempe and Flax that groweth naturally somwhat shorter and slenderer then ours in England but much finer and stronger whereof the Indians make Cords and Nets which may prove in time a great staple commodity for Cordadge Canvas and other sorts of finer linnen Likewise that Country affordethh naturally diversity of medecinable Roots Herbs and Flowers some of them being very beautifull and fragrant with other kinds wholsome and good for sawce and sallads and abundance of Strawberries throughout the fields larger and as good as any Garden Strawberries in England For all kinds of Garden Roots and Herbs that are planted or sowed they prosper marvellous well and are very usefull for the Plantors Moreover the ground is so rich and the climate so seasonable that it would afford as good Woad Madder Rape and Safron as in any land where they are now growing 5. There may be had all Materials for Buildings whether Forts Castles Churches Houses or any other Structures as Free-stone Smooth stone and Marble slats for covering Lime-stone for morter and plaistering with choise Timber and all other appurtenances fit for finishing Some affirme that there be divers sorts
will be fat all the winter and are as good Venison as any in Christendom these have their brow and beam antlers broaches torches and as many starts upon their heads as our English Deer but grow more compast and forward the other is as large as an Oxe called a Moose headed somwhat like a Buck with broad palms but much wider then our Red or fallow Deer these Mooses are heavy slow beasts which frequent the low rank grounds to feed upon long grasse by reason their fore feet are longer then their hinder feet whose flesh is of a course big grain eats like unto Beefe Both these kind of Deer bring ordinarily 3. Calves at a fall and timelier then our english Deer by 2. months there be many kinds of sea and land Fowle wherof some may be made fit for recreation others for sustenance with a third kind good for neither as Eagles Gripes Ravens Cormorants and Crows For sports you have Faulcons Lanners Goshawks and others for food Turkies Grouces Patridges Cranes wild Swans wild Geese of 3. kinds Ducks Widgins Teales Herons fea and Land Larks with many others in greater plenty by far then in these Countries with severall singing Birds strang to us that are very glorious to the eye for diversity of colours But there is a Fowle which some that write of them call Pidgeons whose colour is like to the Turtle and tayled like to a Magpy otherwise for their shape and flying I should rather thinke them to bee a kind of Stock-Doves which Fowle in October fly in such flocks that I have seene the sky darkned with them as if it had bin over-cast with a cloud all flying from the North South-ward to some hotter Region where they continue untill the spring and then do return to build and breed towards Nova Scotia in a more temperate clymate for the summer 9. As that Sea which flanketh the Coast of New England is the most spacious in the world so it affordeth the greatest store and most variety of fish for neere to De-la-ware Bay there are more Whales and Grampasses then in Groinland and all the Coast along there are great abundance of Salmon Sturgion Turbut Mullet Basse Mackerill Thornbacke Hake Herrings Shads Scules Eales Lampries Smelts and all other kinds taken in our English seas with many others not knowne by any names to our Nation As for Codd the fishing voyages made yearely out of England for that purpose will sufficiently prove their plenty and withall there is neither Bay nor Creek but is as full of Lobsters Oysters Scallops Crabs Cockles Praunes Clammes Mussels Perewinkles c. So that a Boy may go into divers places on the water side and take more in one houre than will dine eight or ten Men. 10. Touching the Climate That Country is placed in the principall part of the temperate Zone where being ten Degrees neerer the Equinoctiall than this Land the Ayre is better digested which maketh a very serene and fresh Skie So that New England is generally preferred before this land for healthfulnes sympathizing better then our English Nation more particularly such as are troubled with any Cold Rhumaticke or Melancholcke distemperatures for the temper of that Climate is somewhat hotter then is ordinary here in Summer and somewhat colder in the Winter yet the Summer is not so hot but men indure the heat to labour in nor the Winter so cold but with moderate stirring they may brook the sharpest ayre a whole day but for the spring and Autumne they are very temperate and pleasant I need not writ much concerning the length of dayes and nights for there is no Intelligent Traveller but knoweth the nearer a Country is to the Equinoctiall there the more equall both nights and dayes are in Winter and summer so that in the south part of New England the dayes are two houres and a halfe shorter in Summer than in this Kingdome and as much longer in the Winter 11. There be three Nations besides the Indians who inhabit that Country namely French English and Dutch the French are the most Northerly Plantation being in number about two hundred and the last of the three that possessed any part of the Land they are set downe in a place called Penobscot where they have erected a Fort and necessary buildings but apply themselves hitherto more to the trad of Beaver than to Fishing or preparing of Land to establish a Plantation 12. The next are the English who are thought to be no lesse than 30000. persons whose plantations are all excepting one to the Northward of Cape Codd but because there be of them two distinct Collonies the one at New Plymouth the other at the Masachusets Bay who went not over together nor hold their estates by the same grant I thought good for the Readers better information to speak somewhat of them severally The first that came into the Land are those of New Plymouth who went over from Amsterdam and Leiden in Holland and were set out at the charge of divers Marchants for the south part of Virginia but being cross'd in their voyage by contrary winds and stormes were forced to land in New England much weather beaten and prejudiced in their Provision where through want of meanes to follow their purpose did continue untill they sent their Masters word of this crosse fortune which was soone dispatched desiring a second supply of Necessaries and a Direction what they should further doe In the meane time they sought out the best helpes that that Country could afford for lively-hood having no Provision but what they got with labour and danger nor then sufficient to content Nature yet all of them with much hardnesse and patience sustained the want of this rude Desart expecting some reliefe to come to them but this bad and unexpected newes tooke off the edge of the Adventurers hopes so that they concluded rather then to hazard any more money for their second transportation to lose what was already expended Neverthelesse they inployed their wits and hands some to build houses others to go abroad into the Country to seek what they could finde for profit and after much search happily hapned upon some trade for Beaver and other Furres which they did so diligently follow that within a short time they had not only quitted themselves from the miserable condition they were lately in but began to raise some benefit and to conceive a good hope of a growing and continuing gaine which in a short time suited their expectation For whereas they were at that time but covenant Servants to the Marchants did within the round of eighteen months or two yeares but out their Freedome as I take it for eighteen hundred pounds paying them by two hundred pounds a yeare but within a yeare or two after they came to another composition which was That if the Marchants would abate part of the summe agreed upon they would discharge all in one payment which was effected to the contentment of