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A53222 America : being the latest, and most accurate description of the new vvorld containing the original of the inhabitants, and the remarkable voyages thither, the conquest of the vast empires of Mexico and Peru and other large provinces and territories : with the several European plantations in those parts : also their cities, fortresses, towns, temples, mountains, and rivers : their habits, customs, manners, and religions, their plants, beasts, birds, and serpents : with an appendix containing, besides several other considerable additions, a brief survey of what hath been discover'd of the unknown south-land and the arctick region : collected from most authentick authors, augmented with later observations, and adorn'd with maps and sculptures / by John Ogilby ... Ogilby, John, 1600-1676.; Montanus, Arnoldus, 1625?-1683. Nieuwe en onbekende weereld. 1671 (1671) Wing O165; ESTC R16958 774,956 643

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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
they not been hindred by the Prudence of Prince Henrick The Ambassador pretending to be ignorant of the fore-mention'd Passages proffer'd to make what Satisfaction the West-India Company should require But the States not satisfi'd with Excuses when the Actions plainly manifested what their Intentions were Complain'd to the French King of the unthankful and malicious Dealings of the Portuguese Crown and meeting but with small Redress A new Fleet sent by the States to Brasile they prepar'd to right themselves by force of Arms and to that end rais'd several Regiments of Land-Soldiers besides Seamen to send to Brasile The Fleet design'd thither consisting of twenty two Sail after it had been frozen up before Flushing three Moneths set Sail at last in the beginning of February Anno 1646. with the Lord Schonenburgh a Member of the States the Councellor Goch The Dutch Fleet set out for Brasile Treasurer Beaumond Men very well experienc'd in Governing of Countreys To these were added the eminent Merchants of Amsterdam Haeks and Trovire to keep the West-India Companies Accounts and Le Heremiet for their Secretary Sigismond Schuppe bore the chief Command over the Militia and the Admiral Bankert over the Fleet which suffer'd the greatest hardship imaginable for being driven by tempestuous Winds into the Downs two of them driving from their Anchors were call away on the Flats The Fleet getting out again was once more forc'd by a Storm to put in at the Isle of Wight from whence by reason of continual Gusts they could not stir in nine Weeks time During this tedious waiting for a fair Wind the Brasile Frigat valu'd at 20000 l. was split in pieces against a Rock of the Island and of three hundred Men thirty onely were sav'd A Pink which came in two Moneths from Reciffa brought also sad tydings to the Fleet viz. That the Town was in such a Condition that without doubt the Fleet would come too late to their assistance whereupon they making the more haste endeavor'd not without great trouble to weigh Anchor again whilest the Wind rose higher and higher and the Waves going very hollow drove the Ships down towards Portland Coast full of Rocks to which they were so near that they saw a Scotchman split in pieces against them and had not the Wind come about and abated of its fury the Fleet had undoubtedly perish'd No sooner was this Danger past but another succeeded for the Soldiers in the Admirals Ship complaining of the small allowance they had of Cheese Brandy and Tobacco had made themselves Masters of the Store-room and threatned to kill the Lords Goch and Beaumond but they assisted with Men from the other Ships who came in at the Cabbin Windows so order'd the Mutineers that they ask'd forgiveness which for many Reasons was granted onely they were distributed by seven in a Ship throughout the whole Fleet. After a great Contest between Goch and Beaumond about carrying the Flag which could not be decided Goch was left by the rest of the Fleet who Steer'd another Course and getting near the Line lay becalm'd six days in which time he lost very many of his Men by a strange kind of Scorbute which rag'd amongst them at last Sailing along the Promontory of St. Augustine he came to an Anchor before Reciffa which he found in the greatest Exigency imaginable insomuch that it was resolv'd upon the next day to surrender the Place up to the Portuguese on promise of Quarter onely which Resolution none oppos'd more than the Jews for the Portuguese swore that they would burn them alive if ever they became Masters of Reciffa which made them resolve to die with the Sword in their Hands and sell their Lives at a dear rate Six Weeks after Gochs Arrival the remaining part of the Fleet escaping many dreadful Storms in which besides the two that were lost in the Downs they lost five Ships and five hundred Men arriv'd also at Reciffa where the Commissioners appointed Officers to distribute to every one their certain allowance of Victuals The prime Councellor Schonenburgh also decided the Difference between Beaumond and Goch as also between Haeks and Trovire about their Places in the Assembly viz. that they should sit above one another by Turns The old Governors Hamel Bassi and Bullestraet were blam'd by every one for the decay of Brasile and being sent to Holland were receiv'd with frowning Looks and rail'd against in Pamphlets as faithless Persons who sought nothing but their own advantage and were threatned to be call'd to an Account It was also laid to their charge that they had not given a true Account of the State and Condition of Brasile that the State was much more decay'd than they had made known by which means the present Power prov'd too weak to do any thing to the Enemy Garstman ●●'d and Disgrac'd upon King Dary's Complaint Amongst other Misfortunes which befell the West-India Company the Revolt of the Tapuyans and other Brasilians was not the least which hapned upon the occasion of Garstman's putting to Death of Jacob Rabbi a German and indeed their chief Ringleader in all Robberies and Villanies but Dary their then King alledging that Rabbi was wrongfully Executed by Garstman and that his Tryal belong'd to him as King prosecuted Garstman so vigorously that he and his Ensign Jacob Boulan his Accessory in the Fact had their Goods and Salary confiscated and they themselves were sent home in disgrace The Portuguese Invitation prevails above the Netherlanders Mean while the Council seeing that there was not much good to be done by force of Arms endeavor'd by mild ways to invite the revolted Portugueses who were all promis'd Pardon for their Insurrection in an Edict which was publish'd in all places onely Viera Almado De Rouche Antonio Calvantelca and Hoogenstraet for whom great sums of Money were offer'd were excepted The Portuguese on the contrary publish'd That they would receive all those Netherlanders into favor that would come over to them and pay the Debts which they ow'd to the West-India Company and also Transport them whither they pleas'd These Promises written in English Dutch French and Portuguese and hung every where on the Boughs of Trees and other publick Places operated much more than the Privy-Councils Edicts for in stead of one Portuguese that came to them several ran to the Portuguese from Reciffa notwithstanding a strict Guard was kept to prevent them besides the great mortality amongst the Soldiers and Inhabitants through several raging Distempers and want of fresh Provisions Which general Calamity it seems very much cow'd the Spirits of those that were left for in a Sally meeting with five hundred Portugueses notwithstanding they were equal in number yet they made a shameful Retreat yea though Schuppe came with eight hundred Men to their assistance yet he could not prevail with them to face about either by fair means or foul for with his own hand he Ran-through an Ensign Sergeant and two
but the more Inland parts of the Countrey are indifferently warm Moreover it hath been found by certain experience that those Countreys which look to wards the East or Sun-rising are colder than those which lie towards the West or Sun-setting and those that have the Evening Winds on them warmer than those which have the Morning Winds which being so it should follow that the temperature of the Air in those Regions is peculiar to the Bodies of those of our Nation who being accustom'd to a Climate somewhat temperate are neither able to endure extremity of Cold nor immoderate Heat Yet there are who affirm that New England though situate in the midst of the temperate Zone nevertheless feels both extremities of the two opposite Zones in the Summer the heat of the Torrid and in the Winter the cold of the Frigid As for the first discovery of this Countrey First discovery it is not to be expected otherwise than that of the discovery of those other Countreys hitherto discours'd of that is to say very uncertain but because the French boast of Joannes Verrazanus who though an Italian was employ'd by the French King Francis the First as the first Discoverer not onely of Nova Francia as hath been already intimated but also of this Countrey and the adjoyning Coast and Regions we shall not think it impertinent to give from their own Relations a brief view of his Voyage and afterwards a particular Description of the English Plantations there and of their Transactions both one with another and between them and the Nations The Narration of Verrazanus's Voyage is as followeth Remarkable Voyage of Verrazanus ON command of the French King Francis the First John Verrazanus Anno 1524. setting Sail Westward from the Canary Isles discover'd a low American Coast in thirty four Degrees North Latitude inhabited by naked People which behind the sandy Hills facing the Sea Manur'd many fruitful Plains Then Sailing a hundred Leagues along the Shore Northerly he view'd a Countrey full of Vines which grew up amongst the Boughs of high Trees and Sailing up a pleasant River Landed on the Island Clandia full of woody Mountains thence he stood for the main Continent where after having visited a King Clad in wrought Deer-skin he Sail'd by a Bay at whose Mouth appear'd a Rock in an Inlet twenty Leagues where appear'd five small Isles all of them exceeding fruitful After this being got a hundred and fifty Leagues to the Northward he found very salvage People whose Heads appear'd through Bear-skins and Sea-Calves By this time having Terreneuf on his Starboard he return'd back to Diepe Thus far Verrazanus made some discovery of the Coast which hath since not onely been farther inspected by the English but also by them Planted and call'd New England The setling of Plantations This Countrey whether first discover'd by the said Verrazanus or together with the rest of largely-taken Virginia by Sir Walter Raleigh or as some say by Captain Gosnald in the Year 1602. was so well known to the English in the beginning of King James's Reign here that the setling and carrying on of Plantations id this part of America was vigorously promoted by many of the most eminent Persons in England whereupon it was about the Year 1606. being the fourth Year of the said King granted by Patent to several Lords Knights Gentlemen and Merchants under the denomination of The Plymouth Company both in favour of those generous Spirits who studied and endeavor'd the good of the Publick by foreign Plantations and indulgence to those who not well satisfi'd with the Government of Church and State and willingly transporting themselves and Families thither as to their Asylum could more conveniently be spar'd than the better affected part of the People And although the Colonies at first sent over succeeded not according to expectation yet in a short time there Plantations were brought to very great perfection Captain Weimouth who had been employ'd there by the Lord Arundel of Warder for the discovery of the North-West Passage falling short of his Course hapned into a River on the Coast of America call'd Pemmaquid from whence he brought five of the Natives for England three of whose Names were Mannida Skettwarroes and Tasquantum and Landing at Plymouth presented them to Sir Ferdinando Gorges whom he made use of as Instruments for the farther advancement of these Plantations they were all of one Nation but of several parts and several Families he kept them with him three years and observing in them an inclination to vertuous Designs and Spirits above the Vulgar he gain'd information from them what great Rivers ran up into the Land what Men of note were seated on them what Power they were of how Ally'd what Enemies they had and the like and taking some light from thence sent away a Ship furnish'd with Men and all kind of Necessaries convenient for the Service intended under the Command of Captain Henry Chaloung a Gentleman of a good Family and very capable for Undertakings of this nature and giving him sufficient Instructions what to do sent along with him two of the said Natives for his better Conduct and Direction ordering him by all means to keep the Northerly Gage as high as Cape Briton till they had discover'd the Main and then to beat it up to the Southward as the Coast tended till they found by the Natives they were near the place to which they were assign'd By that time they were about a hundred Leagues off the Island of Canara the Captain fell sick of a Feaver and the Winds being Westerly his Company shap'd their Course for the Indies and coming to St. John de Porto Rico the Captain went ashore for the recovery of his Health whilst the Company took in Water and such other Provisions as they had present need of and spent some time in Hunting and other Recreations after which steering their intended Course they were met with by the Spanish Fleet that came from the Havana taken Prisoners and carried into Spain the Ship and Goods being confiscated the Voyage overthrown and the Natives lost Not long after the setting out of Chaloung Thomas Haman was sent by Sir John Popham Lord Chief Justice of England towards the River of Sagadehoc to the succour of Chaloung if need were but not finding him after he had scowr'd the Coast all about he return'd back into England Captain Prinne was likewise sent from Bristol who arriving happily in those Parts brought back with him at his return the most exact Discovery of that Coast that ever had been gain'd till then A while after at the Charge of the said Sir John Popham a hundred Men were sent to settle a Colony at Sagadehoc under the Command of George Popham Raleigh Gilbert Master of the Ship who seated themselves in a Peninsula at the Mouth of this River which attempting to discover they met with a Wood near to an Island distant from the Line about forty five
whose Principles not being corrupted with Learning and Distinction are contented to follow the Dictates of right Reason which Nature has sufficiently taught all Men for the well ordering of their Actions and enjoyment and preservation of humane Society who do not give themselves up to be amus'd and deceiv'd by insignificant Terms and minding what is just and right seek not Evasions in the Niceties and Fallacies of Words Carolina granted by Patent to several Noble Persons by His Majesty The same is to be said of the first discovery of this Countrey as hath been formerly said of Virginia and Florida of both which it partakes but as to the present Interest and Propriety the English besides all Virginia intirely have also so much of Florida as makes up this considerable Province of Carolina which soon after the happy Restauration of His present Majesty King Charles II. from whom it receives Denomination was granted by Patent to Edward Earl of Clarendon L. Chancellor of England George Duke of Albemarle William Earl of Craven John Lord Berkley Anthony Lord Ashley Sir George Carteret Vice-Chamberlain of His Majesty's Houshold Sir William Berkley Knight and Baronet and Sir John Colleton Knight and Baronet The Lords-Proprietors of this Countrey for the better Settlement of it according to their Patent granted unto them by His Majesty and for the enlargement of the King's Dominions in those parts of America have been at great Charge to secure this so rich and advantageous a Countrey to the Crown of England to whom of ancient Right by the Discovery of Sir Sebastian Cabott in the time of Henry the Seventh it doth belong and for its Situation Fertility Neighborhood to our other Plantations and several other Conveniences of too valuable consideration to be negligently lost By the Care therefore and Endeavors of those Great Men Their care for Setling and Improving of this Plantation it hath now two considerable Colonies Planted in it the one of Albemarle on the North side bordering on Virginia where are some hundreds of English Families remov'd thither from New England and some of our other Plantations in the West-Indies and another towards the middle of the Countrey at Charles-Town or Ashley-River a Settlement so hopeful for the healthiness of the Land and convenience of access by a large deep Navigable River and so promising in its very Infancy that many of the rich Inhabitants of Barbados and Bermudas who are now crowded up in those flourishing Islands and many in our other American Plantations are turning their Eyes and Thoughts this way and have already remov'd part of their Stock and Servants thither Nor is it to be doubted but that many following the Example of those who went to Albemarle will be drawn to this better Plantation at Ashley-River from New-England where the heat of their Zeal and the coldness of the Air doth not agree with every Man's Constitution and therefore it is to be thought that many well temper'd Men who are not much at ease under such Extreams will be forward to remove hither Fair Terms propos'd to whomsoever shall remove thither The Lords-Proprietors for the comfortable subsistence and future enrichment of all those who shall this Year 1671. Transport themselves and Servants thither allow every Man a hundred Acres per Head for himself his Wife Children and Servants he carries thither to him and his Heirs for ever paying onely one Peny an Acre as a Chief-Rent which Peny an Acre is not to be paid these nineteen years and those Servants who go along thither with their Masters shall each also have a hundred Acres upon the same Terms when he is out of his Time But though these Conditions are very advantageous and the Countrey promises to the Planter Health Plenty and Riches at a cheap Rate yet there is one thing that makes this Plantation more valuable than all these and that is the secure possession of all these things with as great certainty as the state of humane Affairs and the transient things of this Life are capable of in a well continu'd Form of Government wherein it is made every Man's Interest to preserve the Rights of his Neighbor with his own and those who have the greatest Power have it limited to the Service of the Countrey the Good and Welfare whereof whilest they preserve and promote they cannot miss of their own the Lords Proprietors having no other aim than to be the greatest Men in a Countrey where every one may be happy if it be not his own fault it being almost as uncomfortable and much more unsafe to be Lord over than Companion of a miserable unhappy and discontented Society of Men. With this Design the Lords-Proprietors who are at great Charge for carrying on this Plantation have put the framing of a Government into the Hands of one whose Parts and Experience in Affairs of State are universally agreed on and who is by all Men allow'd to know what is convenient for the right ordering Men in Society and setling a Government upon such Foundations as may be equal safe and lasting and to this hath a Soul large enough to wish well to Mankind and to desire that all the People where he hath to do might be happy My Lord Ashley therefore by the consent of his Brethren the rest of the Lords Proprietors hath drawn up to their general satisfaction some fundamental Constitutions which are since by their joynt approbation confirm'd to be the Model and Form of Government in the Province of Carolina the main Design and Ballance thereof according to the best of my memory having had a Copy thereof in short is as followeth The Model drawn up by the Lord Ashley for the Government of Carolina 1. EVery County is to consist of forty square Plots each containing twelve thousand Acres Of these square Plots each of the Proprietors is to have one which is to be call'd a Signiory Eight more of these square Plots are to be divided amongst the three Noble-men of that County viz. a Landgrave who is to have four of them and two Casiques who are to have each of them two apiece and these square Plots belonging to the Nobility are to be call'd Baronies The other twenty four square Plots call'd Colonies are to be the Possession of the People And this Method is to be observ'd in the Planting and Setting out of the whole Countrey so that one Fifth of the Land is to be in the Proprietors one Fifth in the Nobility and three Fifths in the People 2. The Signories and Baronies that is the hereditary Lands belonging to the Proprietors and Nobility are all entirely to descend to their Heirs with the Dignity without power of alienation more than for three Lives or one and twenty years or two Thirds of their Signiories and Baronies and the rest to be Demesne 3. There will be also some Mannors in the Colonies but none less than three thousand Acres in a Piece which like the
rest of the Colony Lands will be alienable onely with this difference that it cannot be parcell'd out but if fold it must be altogether 4. There is to be a Biennial Parliament consisting of the eight Proprietors the Landgraves and Casiques and one out of every Precinct that is the six neighboring Colonies for the People chosen by the Freeholders these are to sit and Vote altogether for the making of Laws which shall be in force no longer than sixty years after their Enacting the great mischief of most Governments by which not onely the People are mightily entangled by multiplicity of Rules and Penalties and thereby laid open to the Malice and Designs of troublesom Men and cunning Projectors but which is far worse the whole frame of the Government in tract of time comes to be remov'd from its original Foundation and thereby becomes more weak and tottering 5. There are eight supream Courts for the dispatch of all publick Affairs the first consists of the Palatine who is the eldest of the Proprietors and hath power to call Parliaments and dispose of publick Offices The other seven supream Courts are 1. The chief Justices for the determining of Controversies of Meunt and Tuum and judging of Criminals 2. The Chancellors for passing of Charters and managing the State Matters of the Province 3. The High-Constables for Military Affairs 4. The Admirals for Maritime Affairs 5. The High-Stewards for Trade 6. The Treasurers for the publick Stock and 7. The Chamberlains for Ceremonies Fashions Marriages Burials c. These are the seven supream Courts to whom lies the ultimate Appeal in all Causes belonging to them Each of these Courts consists of one Proprietor and six other Councellors whereof two are chosen by the Nobility and two by the People All the number of these eight Courts joyn'd together make the Grand Council which are in the nature of a Council of State and are entrusted with the management of Affairs of greatest concernment There is also in every County a Court and in every Precinct another from the Precinct Court there lies an Appeal to the County Court and from the County Court to the Proprietors Court to which the Matter in question belongs and there is the last decision and determination thereof without any farther Appeal And to keep the People from the Charges and vexation of long Suits to the enriching of Men cunning in Words care is taken that no Cause shall be Try'd more than once in any one Court and that profess'd Pleaders for Money shall not be allow'd Liberty of Conscience is here also allow'd in the greatest latitude but yet so that neither Atheists or Men of no Religion are permitted Atheism Irreligion and vicious Lives being condemn'd as disagreeable to humane Nature inconsistent with Government and Societies and destructive to all that is useful to or becoming of Mankind as on the other hand rigorous Imposing of and hot Contentions about the Ceremonies and Circumstances of Religion is an occasion of perpetual Strife Faction and Division keeps Men from sedate and temperate Enquiries after Truth eats out the great Cement of humane Conversation Charity and cannot be found in any one who hath but modesty enough to think himself less than a Pope and short of Infallibility There is also to be a Register of all Grants and Conveyances of Land to prevent even the occasions of Controversies and Law-Suits There are several other less considerable Particulars in this Government all contriv'd and design'd for the good and welfare of the People all which are so well put together and in such equal proportion ballance each other that some judicious Men who have seen it say it is the best and fairest Frame for the well-being of those who shall live under it of any they have seen or read of CHAP. III. Florida Situation and Bounds SOuth-West of Virginia lieth the spacious Countrey of Florida remarkable hitherto rather by the great pains which the Spaniards have taken and the ill Successes they have met with in the discovery and search of this Province than by any thing else they have discover'd in it answerable to their desires On the East it hath the Atlantick Ocean or Mare del Nordt on the South and South-West the Gulph of Mexico and Mare Virginium and full West part of New Gallicia and some other Countreys not yet perfectly known This Countrey is also one of those said to have been first of all discover'd by Sir Sebastian Cabot at the Charges of the King of England about the Year 1497. but afterwards more throughly search'd into by John some de Leon a Spaniard Ponce's Expedition who in the Year 1511. set Sail with three Ships out of the Haven St. German in Porto Rico North-West to the Isles Del Veio Caycos Yaguna Amaguyao Manegua and Guanahani first discover'd by Christopher Colonus and call'd St. Salvador After that Steer'd North-West by a Coast which because of its pleasant prospect was call'd Florida or according to the more common Opinion because it was on Palm-Sunday which the Spaniards call Pascha de Flores or Pascha Florida that he Landed here And to find out a Haven he kept sight of the Shore which appear'd South-West from him Here the Ships met with so strong a Tide that notwithstanding they had a fresh Gale of Wind yet could they not stem it one of the Ships was driven to Sea out of sight the other two casting Anchor which raking drove toward the Shore whither being beckned by the Indians they immediately went when no sooner he Landed but they ran in great Companies to make themselves Masters of the Vessels kill'd one Spaniard wounded two more the Night approaching put an end to the Fight From hence Sailing to the River La Cruix for Wood and Water they were resisted by sixty Natives which they put to flight with their Guns and took one Prisoner after which they erected a Stone Cross The Promontory by which glides the strong Current lies in twenty Degrees North-Latitude and call'd Cabo de Corrientes as the Row of Isles before the Main Land Los Martyres because the Cliffs at a distance appear like Men standing on Poles Lastly after some small Encounters with the Floridans Ponce return'd home Water to make old People look young being onely inform'd falsly by the Indians that in Florida was a River and on the Isle Bimini a Fountain whose Waters made old People young On the King's Command the Spaniards were permitted to make inspection into the Countrey in which they were every where courteously Entertain'd and not without Gold and Silver Presents Treachery of Vasquez Returning Aboard Vasquez invited the. Indians to go with him under pretence of returning them thanks for the Favours which they had bestowed upon him but no sooner had he gotten a considerable number in his Ships but he set Sail and losing one Ship arriv'd with the other safe at Hispaniola with a few Indians Indians misused