again to Sea and making for the Cape of Good Hope which is the utmost Point of Africk Southward they sailed upon that vast Atlantick Ocean before they could reach the Cape almost nine weeks running a Course of at least eighteen hundred and fifty Leagues without touching Land it being reckoned to be full 2000 Leagues from the Islands of Java to the Cape of Good Hope There lies about forty or fifty Leagues short of the Cape a certain Foreland called Cabo Falso because it is usually at its first discovery at Sea mistaken by Mariners for the true Cape From hence by June 18. 1588. they fall in sight of the Island of St. Helena which lieth in the main Ocean and as it were in the middle way between the Coast of Africk and Brasil in fifteen degrees and forty eight minutes of Southern Latitude distant from the Cape about six hundred Leagues It is a pleasant Island well stored with Oranges Lemons Pomegranats Pome-citrons Dates and so proper for Figgs that the Trees bear all the year long so that there are blossoms green and ripe Figgs at all times on the same Tree It affords also store of wild Fowl Partridges and Pheasants a kind of Turkies black and white and as big as ours in England great plenty of Goats and such abundance of Swine fat and large that they live in Herds upon the Mountains and are not to be taken but by hunting and that with great pain and industry From hence by August 24. they discover Flores and Corvo two of the Azores or Tercerae Islands and Sept. 9. having first suffered a terrible Stormupon the English Coast which carried away all their Sails and indâ—ngered the loss of all they had got yet at last by the mercy of God and favour of a good Wind they arrived safely at Plymouth X. The Right Honourable George Lord Clifford Earl of Cumberland had made several Voyages and Adventures against the Spaniards in and toward the parts of America in 1586. 89 92 and 94 with various success but in 1597. He more publickly and avowedly in his own Person undertook an expedition with eighteen or twenty good Ships and about a Thousand Men being himself Admiral and Commander in Chief He set out from Portsmouth March 6. 1597. with design at first to attend the coming out of the Carracks which go yearly from Spain to the West Indies but being disappointed of them through some Intelligence that the Spaniards had gotten of his Lordshitps being at Sea he Sailed on for the Coast of America resolving by the way with the consent of the Principal Commanders with him to make an attempt upon St. John de Porto Rico the Principal Town and Port of the Island of that name in nineteen Degrees of North Latitude a place where a few years before Sir Francis Drake had received some loss Sir Nicholas Clifford the Earls Brother being slain by a shot from one of the Platforms as he sat at Supper with the General in the Ship called the Defiance The Town stands in a Peninsula by it self yet closely joined to the main Island toward the North being a place very well seated and fortified with two strong Castles one for defence of the Haven the other of the Town about three or four Leagues off lies a fair sandy Bay or Beach which the Sea washeth on one side over which the English at their landing marched directly to the Town through a thick Wood and upon a Cawsey of some length but of breadth only to admit three Persons to march abreast at the end thereof was built a strong Bridge of Wood which reached from one Island to the other and joined them both together having also some Barricado's to defend it and a Block-house with Ordnance on the further side of the Water They were informed that at low Water they might pass the Bridge on either side the Cawsey whereupon waiting till two a Clock next Morning when the Ebb would be they attempt the Passage but could not gain it because the Great Guns played so directly against the Cawsey retreating with the loss of about Fifty Men killed and wounded Next day the General ordered another Fort standing upon the Principal Island should be attackt by Sea the place was of dangerous access yet by the help of some Musketeers that were gotten upon certain Rocks within the Island so near that they could play upon them in the Fort within an hour the Spaniards that kept it quitted the place and those from Sea entred it in Boats though the Ship that brought them near was her self cast away upon the Rocks at the first ebbing of the Water as it was at first feared she would The Spaniards who quitted the Fort with the chief of the Town who were not already fled retired to another Fort called Mora giving the English leave to enter the Town and block up the Fort wherein they were so that in few days they surrendred upon discretion and the English were Masters of all The General designed to have kept it but the English by the intemperature of the Air and their own intemperance especially in eating many strange and luscious Fruits contracted such sickness so many dying of the Calenture bloody Flux and other hot diseases that after ten weeks possession and 600 of his men dead his Lordship was forced to return for England doing no further hurt to the Town save only bringing away 80 peâ—â—â—s of Ordnance the Bells of their Church and some quantity of Sugar and Ginger sustaining no other loss in the Voyage than of sixty men slain upon taking the Town the six hundred dying of the Flux and other diseases the Ship Pegasus wrackt upon Goodwin Sands an old Frigot lost upon Vâ—hant on the Coast of Normandy with 40 men in them add a Bark lost by Tempest about Bermudas The Admiral at his return left Sir John Barclay behind with some Men and Ships to compound with the Spaniards for the Town but they seeing the General gone and the English by reason of sickness not like to continue long after him made no great hast to compound but delayed so long that at last the English were forced to leave it to them without burning or doing them any other mischief as the Admiral had left Order who sought Honour more than Spoil by this expedition as the Spaniards happily experienced XI Captain John Oxenham who had formerly been Servant Souldier and Mariner with Sir Francis Drake and together with him had sustained some loss by the Spaniards in the Port of Sir John De Vllua was resolved to recover that by force which he complained was by force taken from him and having by his former Adventures gained competent skill in Maritime Affairs being particularly acquainted with the Coast and Commodities of the West Indies in 1575 he got to be Captain of a Ship of an hundred and forty Tuns burden carrying seventy men with whom he sailed for America arrivâ—d at the Sound of
valued under one hundred Pounds to the Landward it is incompassed with a Wall of good thickness and fortified at the entrance of the River so as to command any Ship which passes that way by a Fort called James-Fort It hath a Mayor Aldermen a Sheriff and Justices of Peace for their Magistrates the Inhabitants are most English and Dutch and have a considerable Trade with the Indians for Bever Otter Racoon Skins with other rich Furs likewise for Bear Deer and Elk Skins and are supplyed with Venison and Fowl in the Winter and Fish in the Summer by the Indians at an easy Price The Province of New-York formerly contained all that Land which lies in the North-parts of America betwixt New-England and mary-Mary-Land the length toward the North is not fully known the breadth is about 200 Miles the principal Rivers are Hudsons River Raritan River and Delaaware Bay the chief Islands are the Manahatan Island Long Island and Staten Island Manahatan Island so called by the Indians lyeth within Land betwixt forty one and forty two Degrees of North Latitude and is about fourteen Miles long and two broad New-York is seated on the West end of this Island having a small Arm of the Sea which divides it from Long Island on the South Long Island runs Eastward above an hundred Miles and is in some places eight twelve and fourteen Miles broad Inhabited from one end to the other having an excellent Soil for all English Grain the Fruits Trees and Herbs very good in May you may see the Woods and Fields so curiously bedeckt with Roses and a multitude of other delightful Flowers as equal if not excel many Gardens in England there are several Navigable Rivers which run very swift and are well furnished with variety of Fish as the Land is with all sorts of English Cattel besides Deer Bear Wolves Racoons Otters and Wild Fowl in abundance There are now but few Indians upon the Island and these not unserviceable to the English being strangely decreased since the English first setled there for not long ago there were six Towns full of them which are now reduced to two Villages the rest being cut off by Wars among themselves or some raging mortal diseases They live principally by Hunting Fowling and Fishing their Wives tilling the Land and planting the Corn They feed on Fish Fowl and Venison likewise Polcats Turtles Racoon and the like They build small moveable Tents which they remove three times a year cheifly quartering where they plant their Corn besides their Hunting and Fishing Quarters Their Recreations are cheifly Football and Cards at which they will play away all they have except a Flap to cover their nakedness They are great Lovers of strong drink so that except they have enough to be drunk they care not to drink at all If there be so many in a company that there is noâ— sufficient to make them all drunk they usually chuse so many as are proportionable to that quantity and the rest must be Spectators if any chance to be drunk before he has taken his share which is ordinarily a Quart of Brandy Rum or Strong Waters to shew their Justice they will forcibly pour the rest down his throat In these debauâ—hes they often kill each other which the Friends of the dead revenge â— on the Murderer unless he purchase his life with money which is made of a Periwinkle shell both black and white strung like beads Their Worship is Diabolical and usually performed but once or twice a year unless upon some extraordinary occasion as making war or the like The time about Michaelmas when their Corn is ripe The day being appointed by their chief Priest or Pawaw most of them go a hunting for venison when they are all assembled if the Priest wants money he then tells them their God will accept no offering but money which the People believing every one gives according to their ability The Priest takes the money and putting it into some dishes sets them upon the top of their low flat-roofed Houses and falls to invocating their God to come and receive it which with many loud hollows and outcries striking the ground with sticks and beating themselves is performed by the Priest and seconded by the People After being thus wearied a Devil by this Conjuration appears amongst them sometimes in the shape of a Fowle a Beast or a Man at which the People being amazed not daring to stir the Priest improves the opportunity and stepping out makes sure of the money and then returns to lay the Spirit who is sometimes gone before he comes back having taken some of the Company along with him but if at such times any English come among them it puts a period to their proceeding and they will desire his absence saying their God will not come till they are departed In their Wars they fight no pitcht Battel but upon their enemies approach having first secured their Wives and Children in some Island or thick Swamp armed with Guns and Hatchets they way-lay their Enemies and 't is counted a great fight where seven or eight are slain When an Indian dies they bury him upright sitting upon a seat with his Gun money and goods to furnish him in the other World which they conceive is Westward where they shall have great store of Game for Hunting and live at ease At his buriall his nearest Relations paint their faces black and make sad lamentations at his Grave once or twice every day till by time the blackness is worn off their faces and after that once a year they mourn a fresh for him visiting and trimming up the Grave not suffering any Grass to grow neer it fencing it with a hedg and covering it with Mats for a shelter from the rain Notwithstanding all this bustle when an Indian is dead his name dies with him none daring ever after to mention his name it being not only a breach of their Law but an affront to his Friends and Relations as if done on purpose to renew their greife And every Person who hath the same Name instantly changes it for another which every one invents for himself some calling themselves Ratlesnake others Buckshorn or the like Yea if a Person die whose Name is some word used in common speech they change that word and invent a new one which makes a troublesome alteration in their Language When any one is sick after some means used by his Friends every one pretending skill in Physick that proving ineffectual they send for a Pawaw or Priest who sitting down by the sick Person without the least inquiry after the distemper expects a Fee or gift according to which he proportions his work beginning with a low voice to call sometimes upon one God and then another still raising his voice beating his naked breasts and sides till the sweat runs down and his breath is almost gone the little that remains he breathes upon the face of the sick Person three or four
hundred Spaniards fifteen Horses six pieces of Artillery and thirteen hundred Indians to Zaclotan whereof Olintler was Governour for Montezuma who to testify his Joy and Honour Cortes commanded fifty men to be Sacrificed whose Blood lay fresh upon the Ground and his People carried the Spaniards in triumph upon their Shoulders he boasted as much of the power of Montezuma as the Spaniards did of their Emperour affirming that he had 30 Vassals or petty Kings under him each of whom were able to bring an hundred Thousand Souldiers into the Field and then Montezuma Sacrificed some years Fifty Thousand Men to his Gods this was a great Town having 13 Temples in each of which were Idols of Stone of several fashions before whom they Sacrificed Men Doves Quails and other things with Perfumes and great Veneration here Montezuma had five Thousand Men in Garrison Cortes went from hence toward Mexico passing by the Frontiers of Taxallan who were Enemies to the Mexicans and whom Montezuma might easily have subdued but reserved partly to keep his Subjects in continual Exercises of War and partly to Sacrifice them to his Gods these Taxallans raised an hundred and fifty Thousand Men against Cortes judging him to be a Friend and Confederate of Montezuma's and yet they every day sent the Spaniards Guinney-cocks and Bread as well to espy his strength as that they scorned to obscure their Glory by Conquering People already starved but when in many Skirmishes they could not prevail against that small handful of Spaniards they then believed them to be preserved by Inchantments and sent Cortes three Presents with this threefold Message 1. That if he were that cruel God who eateth Mans Fâ—esh he should eat those five Slaves which they had now sent and then they would bring him more 2. If he were the meek and gentle Deity they then presented him with Frankincense and Feathers 3. If he were a Mortal then let him take and eat Bread Fowl and Cherries but at length they submitted and delivered Taxallan to him a great City by a Rivers side having four Streets each of which had their Captain in time of War their Government was by the Nobility under which were 28 Villages containing above an hundred and fifty Thousand Housholds the Men very Valiant though very Poor there was one Market-Place so large that thirty Thousand People came thither daily to exchange Commodities for Money they had none Montezuma had formerly promised whatever Tribute the King of Spain should desire and now he sent again to Cortes not to depend on the beggerly Friendship of the Taxallans and they on the contrary advised him to repose no trust in Montezuma however Cortes resolved for Mexico and accompanied with many Taxallans went to Cholola at which place the Spaniards reported Montezuma had prepared an Army to surprise them whereupon they used very great severity against them though it was said they had Sacrificed 10 Children of both Sexes of three years old to their God for success for all the chief Men and Priests coming to meet and entertain them they made them all Prisoners and afterward cut them off some being tyed to Stakes and burnt to death and others suffered great Tortures the Chief Commander escaped with about 30 or 40 Men and got into a Temple which was like a Castle there defending himself a good part of the day but the Spaniards firing the Temple burnt them all within it who as they were dying broke forth into these Lamentations O Wicked Men How have we injured you that you should thus torment us away away to Mexico where our Chief Lord Montezuma will revenge our Quarrel It is reported that while the Spaniards were acting this Bloody Tragedy upon above six Thousand Innocent Creatures their Chief Captain in sport sung these Verses One flame the Roman City now destroys And Shreeks of People make a dismal noise While Nero sung and moved with delight From Tarpey Hill beheld the woful sight Eight Leagues from Cholola is Popocatapec a burning Mountain the mouth whereof is about half a League in compass from whence issued out great quantities of Fire Smoak and Ashes with terrible noise the Indians believed it to be Hell wherein wicked Men were punished two Spaniards adventured near it but narrowly escaped being destroyed being sheltred by a Rock from the violent Eruption which then happened which is sometimes so furious that the fiery ashes are carried 15 Leagues off burning their Corn Fruits Herbs and Clothes on the Hedges The Indians kissed the Garments of these adventurous Spaniards an honour only given to their Gods Cortes drawing near Mexico Montezuma was much afraid saying These are the men whom our Gods told us should inherit our Land He then shut up himself eight days in his Oratory praying and fasting and sacrificing many men to appease his offended Deities The Oracle or Devil bids him not fear but to continue these inhumane massacres assuring him he should have two Gods to preserve him saying that Quezal permitted that great destruction at Cholola for want of that bloudy Sacrifice Cortes went forward passing over a Mountain six miles in height covered with Snow continually and the passage very difficult so that the Mexicans might easily have prevented his proceeding further from hence he had sight of the Lake whereon Mexico and many other great Towns were built filled with Inhabitants and adorned with divers Temples and Towers which beautify the Lake being arrived at Mexico Montezuma received him with all kind of solemnity excusing his former unkindnesses and providing all necessaries for him and his Spaniards making Beds of Flowers for their Horses instead of Litter but Cortes being full of Ambitious designs seized upon the King and put him in chains with a Spanish Guard of 80 men whereupon Montezuma's Nephew fled to arms but by the Treachery of his own People was presented to Montezuma whom Cortes permitted to exercise Regal Authority and by whose order he summoned a Parliament or Assembly of the chief of his People where he made an Oration to his Subjects declaring That he and his Predecessors were not naturally born in the Countrey but that his Fore-Fathers came from a strange Land and that their Kings of old had promised to send such as should rule them and had accordingly sent these Spaniards He therefore advised them to yield themselves Vassals to the Emperour of Spain This request they yielded to though with many tears on either side in thus forever departing from their Liberty Montezuma then presented Cortes a vast quantity of Gold and Jewels in the nature of a Tribute valued at sixteen hundred thousand Castellins Hitherto Cortes had obtained a continual victory without fighting when he had Intelligence that Pamphilo de Narva and some hundreds of Spaniards were sent from Velasques another Spanish Captain to interrupt his proceedings who leaving two hundred of his Men in Mexico he with two hundred and fifty others suddenly surprized Narva and his company and brought
or Olive which neither Sun nor Wind but nature it self imprinted on them as appeared by their Infants and seems to be the complexion of all the Americans their clothing was Seals Skins the women were painted on the Cheeks and about the Eyes with blew streaks These Savages intercepted 5 Englishmen and their Boat they took also one of them whom they brought into England where they arrived Oct. 2. 1576. having taken possession of the Country in right of the Queen of England every man of the company being commanded to bring home somewhat in witness thereof one brought a piece of black stone like Sea-coal which was found to hold Gold in a good quantity Whereupon the next year a second voyage was made to bring home more of this Ore and coming into these Streights in July 1577. they found them in a manner shut up with a long wall of Ice which very much indangered their Ships They found a Fish as big as a Porpice dead upon the Shoar twelve foot long having a Horn of two yards growing out of the Snout wreathed and streight like a wax tapor was thought to be a Sea Unicorn It was broken on the top wherein the Sailers affirmed they put Spiders which presently died It was presented to the Queen at their return and sent to Winsor to be reserved in the Wardrope for a curiosity They went on Shoar and had some skirmishes with the Inhabitants who were so fierce and resolute that finding themselves wounded they leapt off the Rocks into the Sea rather than fall into the hands of the English the rest fled only one Woman and her Child they brought away and another man who seeing the Picture of his Countrey-man in the Ship that was taken the year before thought him to be alive and was very angry that he would not speak to him wondring how our People could make men live or die at their pleasure It was very pleasant to observe the behaviour of the man and woman when they were brought together who though put into the same Cabbin shewed such signs of Chastity and Modesty as might justly shame Christians who come so far short of them when these Savages would trade their manner was to lay down somewhat of theirs and go their ways expecting the English should lay down something in exchange if they like the value when they come again they take it otherwise they take away only their own they made signs that their Catchoe or King was higher of stature than any of ours and carried upon mens Shoulders They could not hear what became of their five men taken the year before only they found some of their Apparel which made them judge the Savages had eaten them Having laden their Ship with Oar they returned The next year 1578. with fifteen sail another Voyage was made by Captain Frobisher for further discovery He went on shoar June 20 on Frizeland which is in length about 25 Leagues in 57 degrees of Latitude which he named West England where they espied certain Tents and People like the former who upon their approach fled in the Tents they found a Box of small Nails red Herrings and boards of Fir-tree with other things wrought very Artificially so that they were either ingenious workmen themselves or traded with others some think this to be Friesland and joined to Greenland In going from hence one Ship called the Salamander sailing with a strong gale struck with such violence upon the back of a Whale with her full stem that she stood still without motion whereat the Whale made a hideous roaring and lifting up his body and tail above water sunk instantly to the bottom Two days after they found a dead Whale which was supposed the same July 2. they entred the Strieghts the mouth whereof was barr'd with Mountains of Ice wherewith a Bark was sunk with part of a house they designed to erect there the men were all saved and the other Ships in much danger by the severity of the Ice Fogs and Snow These Islands of Ice seem to be congealed in the winter further North in some Bays or Rivers the waters thereof being fresh and the Sun melting the tops of the Ice rills of fresh water run down which meeting together make an indifferent Stream these Rocks being by the summers Sun loosed and broken from their natural Scituation are carried whither the swift Current and the outragions Winds drive them Some of these Icy Rocks or Islands are half a mile about and fourscore fathoms above water besides the unknown depth beneath the usual rule being that only one part of seven is seen above water strange is their multitude more strange their deformed Shapes but most strange that instead of destroying they sometimes save both men and Ships suffering the mooring of Anchors entertaining them with sports as walking leaping shooting forty miles from Land without any Vessel or Ship under them presenting them with running Streams of fresh water sufficient to drive a Mill. The People represent the Tartars in apparel and living It is colder here in 62 than in ten degrees farther North which happens from the cold North East Winds which brings this sharp Air off the Ice The Natives are excellent Archers they wear the Skins of Deer Bears Foxes Hares and of Fowls sowed together in the Summer the hary side outward in the Winter inward yet many go naked they shoot Fish with their Darts and kindle Fire by rubbing two sticks together The Beasts Fowls and Fishes they kill are their Houses Bedding Meat Drink Hose Shoes Apparel Sails Boats and indeed all their riches they eat all things raw yea Grass and Shrubs and suck Ice to satisfy their thirst there is no flesh or fish which they find dead though never so filthy but they will take it up and eat it yet somtimes they parboil their meats in little kettles made of Beasts Skins the bloud and water they drink and lick the bloody Knife with their Tongues and use the same remedy for curing their wounds that is licking them only with their Tongues They have great plenty of Fowl our men killing 15 hundred in one day they have thicker Skins and more Feathers than ours which requires them to be flea'd before eaten They have no hurtful creeping things but Spiders and a Gnat which is very troublesom nor any Timber but what the undermining water brings from other places They are great Magicians and when their heads ake they tie a great Stone with a string into a stick and using certain Charms the Stone cannot be moved with all the force of a man yet at other times seems as light as a Feather they lie grovelling with their Faces on the Ground making a noise as if they Worshiped the Devil under the Earth they use great black Dogs like Wolves to draw their Sleds and some of a lesser kind they feed upon In the midst of Summer they have Hail and Snow sometimes a Foot thick which Freezeth as it
Darien where Sir Francis Drake formerly fell acquainted with the Symerons who put him upon surprizing the Treasure at Panama a Place and People which Captain Oxenham very well knew and intended now to make use of Nor was it long ere he met with some of them who inform him that the Mules now travel with a strong Guard of Souldiers which was somewhat contrary to his expectation and quite altered his design However being resolved to act some great thing it did not much disanimate him and therefore finding little hopes of success here they resolve to try their Fortunes on the South Sea To this purpose the Captain brings his own Ship on ground and covers her with boughs and rubbish as well as he could and burying his great Guns in the Earth he with his Company and 6 Negro's to conduct them march by land toward the Coast of Panama and Peru. Having gone about 14 Leagues they came to a River which the Symerons told them ran directly into the South Sea Here they cut down wood and built themselves a Pinnace about 45 foot long wherein they put to Sea making toward the Island of Pearls 25 Leagues South of Panama hoping some Ships from Peru or other places from the South would be sailing that way for Panama So that though Sir Francis Drake hath deservedly the honour of first discovering the South Sea to the English by the open and known way of the Streights yet Captain Oxenham was the first Englishman that ever sailed upon it with command He had not waited long but there came a Bark from Quito a Province of Peru laden with Goods and sixty Thousand Pezo's of fine Gold which he took and within six days after another from Lima wherein were no less than two hundred Thousand Pezo's of Silver in Bars the value of a Pezo both in Gold and Silver you have in Sir Tho. Cavendishes Voyage according to which account this Prize amounted to nine hundred and sixty Thousand Pound Sâ—erling in Gold and fourscore Thousand Pound in Silver which being enough to satisfy reasonable Men they retire with their Pinnâ—ce up the River intending to make all speed to their Ship but unhappily by the Covetousness and Dissention of some of the Company so much time was spent about sharing their Booty that the Spaniards at Panama had notice of it whereupon Ships were presently dispatcht to pursue them at Sea and Souldiers to intercept them at Land The Captain himself through the obstinacy and wilfulness of some of the Company was forced to leave the Treasure with them and Travel some Leagues up into the Country to find Negro's that might help him to carry it his own Men refusing to do it but quarrelling with him for larger pay In the mean time the Spanish Ships came to the mouth of the River and by the Feathers of certain Hens which the English had taken and pluckt there they judged them to be gone up the River and putting in after them soon overtook them and their Prize together The Captain was absent but either the Negro's or some of the English having discovered that their Ship lay in the Sound neither he nor any of the rest escaped but were all in a short time met with by the Spaniards and having no Commission to shew he going only upon his own Account every Man of them were Executed save two Boys Thus ended the stout and resolute Captain Oxenham the Justice of whose Cause saith my Author I will not dispute with his Adversaries but could wish it had been as perfectly just in all respects as it was gallant and bravely managed on the Captains part insomuch that his very Enemies who put him to death do yet admire and extol it miscarrying only through Passion Covetousness and Self-will of some of his Company whose Lives paid for their folly XII That Valiant and Learned Knight Sir Walter Rawleigh having Intelligence of the Rich and Mighty Empire of Guiana in America which is bounded on the North with Orenoque River and the Sea on the East and South with the River of Amazones and on the West with the Mountains of Peru In March 1595. he set forth for discovery thereof and landed at Curiapan in Trinidado taking the City of St. Joseph and therein Antony Berreo the Spanish Governour leaving his Ships he went with an hundred Men in Boats and a little Galley with Indian Pilots into the famous River of Orenoque which runs from Quito in Peru on the West and hath nine Branches on the North side and seven on the South the Inhabitants on the Northern Branches are the Tivitivas a Valiant Nation and of the most manly and deliberate Speech that I have heard saith Sir Walter In Summer they Build Houses on the Ground in Winter upon Trees where they Build very Artificial Towns and Villages for between May and September the River rises thirty Foot upright and then are these Islands which the River makes overflown twenty five Foot high except in some raised Grounds the Natives never eat any thing that is set or sown using the tops of Palmettos for Bread and killing Deer Fish and Pork for Meat those that dwell on some other Branches are chiefly imployed in making Canoos which they sell into Guiana for Gold and to Trinidado for Tobacco in taking of which they exceed all Nations when their King dies they use great lamentation and when they think the flesh is putrified and fallen from the Bones they take up the Carcass again and hang it up in his House decking his Skull with Feathers of all Colours and hanging Plates of Gold about his Arms Thighs and Legs those who dwell on the South beat the Bones of their King to Powder which their Wives and Friends Drink As they passed along these Streams they were entertained with several curious Divertisements the Deer feeding by the Water-side the Birds of variety of colours and notes singing the Fields embroidered with Plants and Flowers the Fishes and Fowls of all kinds playing in the River only the Crocodile who preys both on the Land and Water had almost spoiled the Comedy by turning it into a Tragedy feasting himself with a Negro of their company before their Eyes Passing hence to Cumana 120 Leagues North they came to a People as black as Negro's but with smooth Hair whose Arrows are so mortally poisoned that they kill with unspeakable Torments especially if men drink after they are wounded At the Port of Morequito they anchored and the King who was an hundred and ten years old came fourteen miles on foot to see them returning the same day they brought them Fruits great store a sort of Pariquetro's no bigger than Wrens An Armadilla which seemed covered all over with small Plates somewhat like a Rhinoceros with a white Horn growing in his hinder parts which they use to wind instead of a Trumpet and the Snout of a Pig this Beast they afterward eat They passed forward till they came in sight of
their mantles and after a while renued â—heir former Songs and nakedness When a maid is â—ourteen or fifteen years old she hath many Lovers â—nd uses her pleasure with as many of them as she â—leases for five or six years and then takes whom â—he likes for a Husband provided he be a good Hunâ—er living chastly with him all her life after except for barrenness he forsake her When any dies they make a Pit and therein put â—ll his goods with the Corps covering it with Earth and setting many peices of wood over it and a stake painted red They believe the Immortality of the Soul and that the dead go into a far Countrey to make merry with their Friends If any fell sick they â—ent to one Sagamor Memberton a great Conjurer who made Prayers to the Devil and blowed upon the party and cutting him sucks the bloud if it be a wound â—he heals it after the same manner applying a round slice of Bever Stones for which they make him a Present of Venison or skins If they desire news of things absent the Spirit answers doubtfully and sometimes false when the Savages are hungry they consult with this Oracle and he tells them the place where they shall go if they find no game the excuse is the Beast hath wandered and changed his place but most times they speed which makes them believe the Devil to be God though they do not Worship him when these Conjurers consult with the Devil they fix a staff in a Pit to which they tye a Cord and putting their Head into the Pit make Invocations in an unknown Language with so much stirring and pains that they sweat again when the Devil is come the Wizard persuades them he holds him fast with his Cord forcing him to answer before he lets him go Then he begins to sing something in praise of the Spirit who hath discovered where there are some Deer and the other Savages answer in the same Tune they then dance and sing in a strange Tongue after which they make a Fire and leap over it putting an half Pole out of the top of the Cabbin wherein they are with something tyed thereto which the Devil carrieth away Memberton wore about his Neck the mark of his Profession which was a triangle Purse with somewhat within it like a Nut which he said was his Spirit This Office is Hereditary they teaching this Mystery of Iniquity to their Sons by Tradition In 1613 fifty four Englishmen six women and two Children wintred there they killed Bears Otters and Sables sowed wheat Rie Turneps and Coleworts their winter was dry and clear with some Frost and Snow divers had the Scurvy whereto the Turneps there Sown were a Soveraign Remedy There are Musk Cats and Musk Rats and near the Coasts is great killing of Morses or Sea Oxen a small Ship in a short time slew fifteen hundred of them they are bigger than an Oxe the Hide dressed is as thick again as a Bulls they have teeth like Elephants about a foot long growing downward out of the upper Jaw and therefore less dangerous it is sold dearer than Ivory and by some thought as great an Antidote as the Unicorns Horn The young ones eat like Veal which the old will defend to the utmost holding them in their Arms or Forefeet Out of the Bellies of five of these Fishes which live both on the Land and water they make an Hogshead of Train-Oyle Thomas James says these Morses sleep in great Companys and have one Centinel or watchman to wake the rest upon occasion Their skins are short-haired like Seals their face resembles a Lion and may therefore more justly be called Sea Lions than Sea Oxen or Horses About the great Bank aforementioned which is covered with Water when the Sea is high uncovered and dry on the Ebb on all sides whereof the Sea is 200 Fathom deep is the great Fishing for Cod and here the Ships do for the most part stop and make their Freight It is almost incredible how many Nations and of each how many Sail of ships go yearly to fish for these Cods with the prodigious quantity they take one man catching an hundred in an hour They fish with Hooks which are no sooner thrown into the Sea but the greedy Fish snapping the Bait is taken and drawn on shipboard where they lay him on a Plank one cuts off his head another guts him and takes out its biggest bones another salts and barrels it which being thus ordered is hence transported by the European Nations to all parts of Christendom yea throughout most other parts of the world They fish only in the day the Cod not biting in the night nor doth this fishing last all seasons but begins toward Spring and ends in September for in Winter they retire to the bottom of the Sea where storms and Tempests have no Power Near these Coasts is another kind of fishing for Cod which they call Dried as the other Green Fish The Ships retire into some Harbour every morning send forth their Shallops two or three Leagues into the Sea who fail not of their Load by noon or soon after which they bring to Land and order as the other after this Fish hath layn some days in Salt they take it out and dry it in the wind laying it again in heaps and exposing it dayly to the open Air till it be dry which ought to be good and Temperate to make the Fish saleable for Mists moisten and make it rot and the Sun causes yellowness At this their fishing the Mariners have likewise the pleasure of taking Fowl without going out of their Vessels for baiting their Hook with the Cods Liver these Fowls are so greedy that they come by Flocks and fight who shall get the bait first which soon proves its death and one being taken the Hook is no sooner thrown out but another is instantly catched In 1623. Sir George Calvert after Lord Baltimore had a Patent for part of New-found-land which was erected into the Province of Avalon where he setled a Plantation and erected a stately house and Fort at Ferriland where he dwelt for some time which after his death descended to his Son the present Lord Baltimore whâ— is also Proprietor of Maryland CHAP IV. A Prospect of New-England with thâ— Discovery Plantation and Produâ— thereof THis Countrey was first discovered as well as thâ— other Northern Coasts of America by Sebastian Câ—bot aforementioned in 1497. And in 1584. Mr. Pliâ— Amadas and Mr. Arthur Barlow were the first of a Christians who took possession thereof for Q. Elizabeth The next year Sir Richard Greenvile conveyed an Enâ—lish Colony thither under the Government of Mr. Raâ— Lane who continued there till the next year and thâ— upon some urgent occasions returned with Sir Fraâ— Drake into England who is by some accounted the fâ— discoverer thereof It hath New France on the Nortâ— and Virginia on the South lying between 40. and 4â—
like breadth In the Center of the City is a Square of Ten Acres at each Angle are to be Houses for Publick Affairs as a Meeting-House Assembly or State-House Market-House School-House and several other Buildings for Publick Concerns There are also in each Quarter of the City a Square of eight Acres to be for the like Uses as the More-Fields in London and eight Streets besides the said High Street that run from Front to Front and twenty Streets besides the Broad Street that run cross the City from side to side all these Streets are of fifty Foot breadth CHAP. VIII A Prospect of mary-Mary-land with the Plantation Scituation and Product thereof THE Province is bounded on the North with Pensylvania on the East by Delaware Bay and the Atlantick Ocean on the South by Virginia from whence it is parted by the River Patowmecâ— Chesopeak Bay is the passage for Ships both into this Countrey and Virginia and runs through the middle of Maryland being found Navigable neer 200. miles into the Land into which fall divers very considerable Rivers The Climate is very agreeable to the English Constitution especially since the cleering of the ground from Trees and Woods which formerly caused much unhealthfulness neither is the heat extream in Summer being much qualified by the cool winds from the Sea and refreshing Showers and the Winter so moderate as doth no way incommode the Inhabitants It is seated between 37 and 40 Degrees of North Latitude and was discovered at the same time with Virginia Our first Discoverers relate many strange Rites and Ceremonies used by the Native Indians Mr. T. H. an Englishman writes they believe there are many Gods which they call Mantoac but of different sorts and degrees yet that there is one only Chief and Great God which hath been from all Eternity who they say when he purposed to make the World created first other Gods of a Principal Order to be as Means and Instruments used in the Creation and then the Sun Moon and Stars as petty Gods Out of the Waters they affirm all the diversity of Creatures were made and for Mankind that Woman was made first who by the assistance of one of the Gods conceived and brought forth Children but know not how long it was since this was done having no Arithmetick nor Records but only Tradition from Father to Son They make the Images of their Gods in the Shapes of men placing one at least in their Houses or Temples where they worship pray sing and make offerings They believe that after this Life the Soul shall be disposed of according to its works here either to the habitacle of the Gods to enjoy perpetual happiness or to a great pit or hole in the furthest part of their Countrey toward Sunset which they think the furthest part of the World there to be burnt continually This place they call Popogusso and relate that the Grave of one who was buried was the next day seen to move whereupon his Body was taken up again who then revived and declared that his Soul was very near entring into Popogusso had not one of the Gods saved him and suffered him to return and warn his Friends to avoid that terrible place another being taken up related that his Soul was alive while his Body was in the Grave and had been Travelling in a long broad way on both sides whereof grew delicate Trees bearing excellent Fruits and at length arrived to most curious Houses where he met his Father that was dead before who charged him to go back and shew his Friends what good they were to do to enjoy the pleasures of this place and then to return to him again whatever tricks or subtilty the Priests use the Vulgar are hereby very respectful to their Governours and careful of their Actions though in Criminal Causes they inflict punishments according to the quality of the offence they are great Necromancers and account our Fire-works Guns and Writing to be the Works of Gods rather than Men when one of their Kings was sick he sent to the English to pray for him some of them imagin that we are not mortal Men nor born of women but an old Generation revived and believe that there are more of us yet to come to kil their nation and take their places who are at present invisibly in the Air without bodys and that at their Intercession they cause those of their Nation to â—â—e who wrong the English Their Idol they place in the innermost room of their House of whom they relate incredible storys they carry it with them to the Wars and ask Counsel thereof as the Romans did of their Oracles They sing Songs as they march toward battel instead of Drums and Trumpets their Wars are exceeding bloudy and have wasted the people very much A certain King called Piemacum having invited many men and Women of the Secotans to a Feast whilst they were merry and praying before their Idol came upon them and slew them When one of their Kings had conspired against the English a Chiefman about him said That we were the servants of God and not subject to be destroyed by them and that when we were dead we could do them more hurt than when alive One Owen Griffin an Eye-witness thus tells of their Ceremonies The eldest among them riseth upright the rest sitting still and looking about cryes out aloud Baw Waw then the women fall down and lie upon the ground and repeating Baw Waw altogether fall to stamping furiously with both feet round the Fire making the ground shake with dreadful shoutings and outcryes thrusting firebrands into the Earth and then ceasing a while of a sudden they begin as before stamping till the younger sort fetched many stones from the shoar of which every man took one and first beat upon them with their firesticks and then the earth with all their strength in which exercise they continued above two hours after which they that had wives withdrew themselves with them severally into the Woods this seemed to be their Evening Devotion when they have obtained some great Victory or deliverance they use solemn rejoycing by making a great Fire and incompassing the same promiscuously men and women together making a great noise with rattles in their hands Once a year they hold a great Festival meeting together out of divers Villages each having a certain Mark or Character on his back whereby it may be discerned whose Subject he is The place where they meet is spacious and round about are Posts carved on the top like a Nuns head in the midst are three of the fairest Virgins lovingly imbracing and clasping each other about this living Image and Artificial Circle they dance in their Savage manner Their chief Idol called Kiwasa is made of wood four foot High the face resembling the Inhabitants of Florida painted with flesh-colour the brest white the other parts black the legs only spotted with white with chains and strings of Beads about