CHAP. I.

HAving already given an account of His Majesty of Great Britains three famous Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ire­land, we shall now ship our selves for a New World, and therein discover the Acquisitions and Dominions of the English Monarchy in Amercia.

The New World is the most proper name for this im­mense Countrey, and new, as being discovered by Christopher Columbus, not two hundred years ago, in 1492. The Ancient Fathers, Philosophers, and Poets, were of opinion, that those places near the North and South Pole were inhabitable, by the extre­mity of cold, and the middle parts, because of unrea­sonable heat, and thought it a great solecism or con­tradiction, to believe the Earth was round, for hold­ing which opinion Pope Zachaus was so zealous against Bishop Virgil, that he sentenced him, To be cast out of [Page 2] the Temple, and Church of God, and to be deprived of his Bishop­rick for this perverse Doctrine, that there were Antipodes, or people whose feet are placed against ours, though this disco­very of America has fully confirmed these opinions, and evinced that there is no such torrid Zone, where the heat is so noxious, as to unpeople any part of the Earth, and the yearly compassing of the World, eviden­ceth the necessity of Inhabitants, living on all parts of this earthly Globe; The next inquiry may be, whe­ther the Ancient had any knowledge of these Regions, which many incline to think they had not; for though Seneca says in his Msdea, That new Worlds shall be discover­ed in the last Ages of the World, and Thule in Norway, shall be no longer the utmost Nation of the World, yet this seems only to intimate the common effects and dis­coveries of Navigation; And Plato's Atlantis, cannot intend this Countrey, because he placeth it at the mouth of the Streights or Mediterranean Sea, which is separat­ed from America by a vast Ocean, and saies it is not now in being, but was by an earthquake sunk and over­whelmed in the Sea: Other Authors since that time have mentioned some Islands in that Great Sea, but they seem rather to be some of those on the Coasts of Africa, than America, it being improbable, if not im­possible, any should undertake such long and dangerous Voyages, before the compass was found out, when they were only directed by the motion of the Sun and Stars.

Yet is it not incredible but that in former Ages, some Ships might by Tempest or other Casualties be driven to these parts, whereby some parts of America were peopled, but it is likely none ever returned back again to bring any news of their voyage. The most proba­ble Relation of this kind is that of Madoc ap Owen Gwyneth, who upon the Civil dissentions in his own Countrey of Wales, adventured to Sea, and leaving Ireland on the North, came to a Land unknown, where he saw many very wonderful things, which by Dr. Dowel and Mr. Humfrey Lloyd is judged to be the main Land of America, being confirmed therein, as well by the [Page 3] saying of Montezuma Emperor of Mexico, who declared that his Progenitors were Strangers as well as the rest of the Mexicans, as by the use of divers Welch words amongst them observed by Travellers; the story adds, that Ma­doc left several of his People there, and coming home, returned back with ten sail full of Welchmen, yet it is cer­tain there are now left very few footsteps of this Brit­tish expedition, and no signs thereof were found at the Spaniards Arrival; they indeed used a Cross at Cumana, and worshipped it at Acuzamil, but without the least memory or knowledge of Jesus Christ, and the Welch words are very few, which might happen by chance to any other Language. Mr. Bretewood, and other learn­ed writers are of Opinion, that America received her first Inhabitants from those parts of Asia, where the Tartars first inhabited the Coasts of both Countreys, being in that place not far asunder, and the likeness of the People favouring the same, though the Indians in general are so very ignorant as to ascribe their begin­ning, some to a Fountain, and others to a Lake or Cave; But leaving these uncertainties, let us give a brief ac­count of the real discovery thereof by Columbus, which is thus related by Gomara and Mariana, two Spanish writers.

A certain Caravel sailing in the Ocean, was carried by a strong East wind of long continuance to an un­known Land never mentioned in the Maps or Charts of that Age; this Ship was much longer in returning than going, so that all the company perisht by famine or other extremities, except the Pilot, and three or four Mariners, who all likewise died soon after their arrival, leaving to Columbus their Landlord their Papers, with some account of their Discoveries; the time, place, Countrey, and name of this Pilot is uncertain, and therefore other Authors affirm it to be a fable or Spanish contrivance, as envying that an Italian and Forreigner should have the glory of being the first discoverer of the Indies, and the more judicious Spaniards account it a Tale, and give a more probable Relation thereof, and of the cause which moved Columbus to this mighty un­dertaking, [Page 4] and not the Pilots Papers or reports; For they write, that Christopher Colon or Columbus, was born at Nervi in the Territories of Genoa, and bred a Mari­ner from his Child-hood, trading into Syria and other Eastern Countries, after which he learnt the art of making Sea Cards, and went to Portugal to acquaint himself with the Coasts of Africa, and there married; In sayling about these Seas, he observed, that at certain seasons of the year, the winds blew from the West, for a great while together, and judging they came from some Coasts beyond the Sea, he was so concerned, that he resolved to make a Trial thereof; He was now for­ty years old, and propounding to the State of Genoa, that if they would furnish him with Ships, he would find a way by the West to the Islands of Spices, they re­jected it as a dream or idle fancy; Being thus frustrate of his hopes, he goes to Portugal, and communicates his design to King Alphonsus, but with the same success; upon which he sent his Brother Bartholomew Columbus, to King Henry the Seventh of England, to sollicit his assistance, while himself went into Spain, to impiore aid of the Castilians.

Bartholomew was unhappily taken by Pirates in his voyage to England, who robbing him and his company of all they had, he at length arrived, and was forced to get a mean livelyhood by making Sea Cards, and in a short time presents a Map of the World to King Henry, with his Brothers offer of discovery, which the King gladly accepted, and sent for him into England; But he had sped in his suit before in Spain, for coming thi­ther, and conferring with two able Spanish Pilots they advised him to apply himself to the Dukes of Medina Sidonia, and Medina Caeli, who giving him recommen­dation to the Queens Confessor, he arrived at the Court of Castile, in 1486. but Ferdinando and Isabella then King and Queen of Spain, being ingaged hotly in the Wars of Granada against the Moors, he at first found but cold entertainment. Thus he continued for some time in a mean and contemptible Condition, till at [Page 5] length the Archbishop of Toledo procured him audi­ence, where he was favourably received, and promis­ed dispatch upon concluding the Wars in Granada, and accordingly he was furnished with three Caravels at the Kings charges, and sixteen thousand Duckets in money.

In 1492. August 3. Columbus accompanied with about one hundred and Twenty Persons, set sail for Gomera, one of the Canary Islands, where having refresht, after many days, they encountred the Sea called Sargasso, from an Herb like Sampire, wherewith it is so covered, that it appears like a green Field, with empty berries, like a Gooseberry, and is so thick, that the Water cannot be seen, hindring the passage of the Ship, without a strong wind; these weeds are thought to reach to the bottom of the Sea, though there exceeding deep, and above four hundred miles distant from the Coast of Africa; This strange accident much surprized the Spa­niards, and had occasioned their return, had not the sight of some birds incouraged them with hopes of Land not far off; After thirty three days sayling, despairing of success, the company mutined, threatning to throw Columbus into the Sea, disdaining that a Genouse stranger should thus abuse them, but at length by soft words, and strong promises he qualified their anger, Oct. 11. following, one Roderigo di Triana, cried out, Land, Land; the best musick that Columbus could de­sire, who to pacify the Spaniards, had ingaged, that if no Land appeared in three days he would then return; one of the company the night before had descried Fire, which raised his expectation of having some great re­ward from the King of Spain, of which being frustrate at his return, he in a rage renounced his Christianity and turned Moor.

With Tears of Joy, the late mutinous Mariners be­hold the desired Land, and they that Yesterday were ready to destroy, now as far distracted with contrary passions, imbrace and almost adore their dear Columbus, for so happily bringing them to this Land of Promise; [Page 6] On shore they go, and felling a Tree, make a Cross thereof, which they there erected, and took possession of this New World, in the name of the Catholick King; They first landed in an Island called Guanah [...]ni, one of the Lucai, which Columbus named St. Salvadore, from whence he sayled to Baracoa, an Haven on the North side of the Isle of Cuba, and landing, inquired of the Inhabitants for Cipango, or Japan, which they under­standing to be Cibao in Hispaniola, where are the richest Mines, they made signs to them that they were in Haiti, which name they gave to Hispaniola, and some of them went with him thither; but no earthly joy is without some disaster, for here their Admiral split upon a Rock, but the men were saved by the help of other Ships; This happened on the North part of Hispaniola, where they saw some Inhabitants, who for fear of strangers, instantly fled into the Mountains: One wo­man they got, whom they used kindly, giving her meat, drink and clothes, and so dismissing her, who declaring their civility to the rest, they soon came in Troops to the Ships, judging the Spaniards to be some Divine Na­tion sent from Heaven; Though before they thought them Canibals or Man-eaters, and such indeed they afterward proved in some sense, not leaving in some few years after their arrival above two hundred Indians, alive, of four Millions that before inhabited these Coun­tries.

Before the discovery of this Island by Columbus, the People were informed thereof by an Oracle, for one of their Kings being very importunate with their Zemes, or Gods, to know future events, fasted five days toge­ther, spending his time in continual mourning; After which the Zemes declared; That some years after there would arrive a strange Nation, clothed, bearded, and armed with shining Swords, which would out a man asunder in the middle, who should destroy the ancient Images of their Gods, abolish their Ceremonies, and slay their Children. In remembrance of which Oracle they composed a solemn Elegy, which upon Holy days they used mournfully to sing. Nothing [Page 7] more pleased the Spaniards than the Gold, which the In­nocent Inhabitants exchanged with them for Bells, Glasses, Points, and other Trifles. Columbus got leave of the King of Hispaniola to build a Fort, and leaving 38 Spaniards therein, taking with him six Indians, he re­turned to Spain, and was highly caressed by the King and Q. and being honoured with the Title of Admiral, and inriched with the Tenths of the Spanish gains in the In­dies, he is sent a second time (with his Brother Bartho­lomew, who was made Vice-Roy of Hispaniola,) with seventeen sail of Ships, and fifteen hundred men; when he arrived, he found all his men were murdered by the Indians, who laid the blame on their insolent carriage toward them.

Columbus now built the Town of Isabella, and after­ward Saint Domingo, and Fort St. Thomas, but in both places the Spaniards died of Famine; for the Indians being unwilling to have such Neighbours, refused to plant their Maiz and Jucca, and so starved both them­selves and their new Guests. At this place the Spaniards got that terrible disease called since the French Pox, of the Indian women, and in requital brought among them a more mortal and infectious distemper, that is, the Small-Pox, which destroyed Thousands, and was utterly unknown before in that Countrey. After this Columbus discovered Cuba, Jamaica, and other adjacent Isles, and likewise part of the main Land of America; He repaired his Fleet at Jamaica, where some of his men were sick, and others mutinous, which the Indians observing, re­fused to bring him in provisions, whereupon being straitned, he thought of this Stratagem, sending for some of the Islanders, he assured them, that if they did not furnish him with necessaries, the Divine wrath would consume them, a token whereof would be, that within two days, the face of the Moon should be dark­ned, at which time he knew there would be an Ecclipse of the Moon, which these simple People find­ing [Page 8] to happen accordingly, they came and humbly submitted themselves to him, offering all the Assistance and supplies he desired. Another time some difference happening among the Spaniards, Columbus sent a Letter to reduce them to Peace by some of the Indians, who had extraordinary reverence for it, thinking the Paper to have some Spirit or Deity inclosed in it, whereby they could understand one anothers minds at so great di­stance. Columbus at length returning into Spain, he there died in 1506, and was buried at Sevil; after whose ex­ample several others made further Discoveries, till at last this New World, is now almost wholly come to the knowledge of the Old.

II. Among other great Adventurers Hernando Cortes may be recorded, who in 1485. sailed out of Spain, being but 19 Years old, to the Island of St. Domingo, where being kindly received by Ovando the Governour, he discovered many new Provinces, and designed further Westward, because he heard there were Mines of Gold; and having first made the Inhabitants Swear Allegiance to the King of Spain, to whom he said the Monarchy of the Universe did belong, he Sailed up the River Tavasco, where a Town which stood thereon refusing him Vi­ctuals, he took and plundred it; the Indians hereat in­raged, raised an Army of Forty Thousand Men, but Cortes by his Horse and great Guns, soon defeated them, they imagining the Horse and Man to be but one Crea­ture, and when they heard them Neigh, thought the Horses could speak, and inquired what they said, the Spaniards answered, these Horses are very much offended with you for fighting with them, and would have you severely punished; the Innocent Indians hereupon presented Ro­ses and Hens to the Beasts, desiring them to eat, and to pardon their Miscarriages. The Spaniards named this Town Victory, containing near twenty five thousand Hou­ses, many of them Built of Lime, Stone and Brick; he then sailed farther West to St. John de Ʋlla, where the Governour of the Country came to him, with four Thousand Indians, adoring and burning Frankincense [Page 9] and little Straws dipt in his own blood to Cortes, and then presented him Victuals, Jewels, Gold, and curi­ous works of Feathers, which Cortes requited with a Collar of Glass, and other things of small value; a Wo­man Slave given him at the Town of Victory, was his In­terpreter, by whom Cortes informed the Governour, that he was Servant to the greatest Emperour upon Earth, at which the other much wondred, thinking there had been none so mighty as his Soveraign Mon­tezuma Emperour of Mexico, to whom the Governour sent the Pictures of these bearded Men, their Horses, Apparel, Weapons, great Guns, and other Rari­ties, Painted in Cotton Cloths, with an account of their Ships and numbers, which were conveyed by Posts to Mexico in a day and a night, though two hundred and ten Miles distant.

Cortes asked the Governour whether Montezuma had any Gold, who answered him, yea, I am very glad of it, said Cortes, for I and my Companions are troubled with a Disease at the Heart, to which Gold is the only Soveraign Re­medy, and therefore we desire him to furnish us with the great­est quantity he can possible of that Mettal. Montezuma upon receipt of those things, sent back Cotton Cloths of di­vers Colours, many tuffts of Feathers; with two Wheels, each two yards and an half broad, one of Sil­ver representing the Moon, the other of Gold like the Sun, the whole Present being in value Twenty Thousand Duckets; he likewise exprest much Joy to hear of so great a Prince, and such a strange People, and promised all kind of necessaries, but was very unwilling Cortes should come to visit him, though Cortes was resolved to see him; the Indians came daily to his Camp, to see these strange sights, and when the great Guns were discharged, they fell flat on their Faces, thinking the Heavens were falling; among the rest were divers In­dians of differing habit, taller than the rest, the Gristles of their Noses slit, and hanging over their Mouths, and Rings of Jet and Amber fastned thereto; they had holes in their lower Lips, wherein were put Rings of [Page 10] Gold, and Turkess Stones, so heavy, that their Lips hung over their Chins, leaving their Teeth bare; Cor­tes understood these deformed Gallants were of Zempo­allan, a City a days Journey off, whom their Lords had sent to discover what Gods were come in those Tem­ples (meaning the Ships) for they daily expected the God of the Air to appear. They were not willingly subject to Montezuma, neither converst with any other Indians, and therefore Cortes resolved to make use of them against him, upon the first occasion.

He sailed from thence to Panuco, a little Town, where was a Temple ascended by twenty Steps, in which they found Idols, Bloody Papers, much Blood of Men Sacrificed, the Block whereon they cut them up, and the Razors of Flint wherewith they opened their Breasts, which struck horror into the Spaniards; Cortes then proceeded to Zempoallan, where he was So­lemnly received, and lodged in a great House of Lime and Stone, whited with Plaister that shined like Silver against the Sun; then causing all his Ships to be sunk, that there might be no hope of return, he persuaded the Natives to submit to the Spaniards, and join with them against Montezuma, which they readily complied with; leaving a Guard in this his new Town, he march­ed with 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, [Page 11] 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 F [...]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, [Page 12] 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.

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 [Page 13] 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, [Page 14] 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 him Prisoner to Mexico; While this was doing, one of Cortes his Captains at Mexico resolved to perform something in his absence, which might render the Spani­ards dreadful & terrible to the Indians, a policy they often used; it happened that the Nobility & Commons of the City, used all kind of sports & recreations, to divert their Captive King, and none more than dancing and revel­ling all night long in the streets, in which divertisements they brought forth all their Wealth, Richest Garments, and whatever they esteem'd precious; The Nobility and Princes of the Royal-Bloud, exercised themselves here­in, near the Houses where their King was confined, there being above Two Thousand youths, even the flower of the Nobility ingaged therein. The Spanish Captain came with a small party of Souldiers, as if to be Spectators, sending more Troops into other parts of the City, giv­ing them Command to be ready at a certain signal, and then leading the way, he himself cryed out aloud, St. Jago, let us fall upon them; The watchword thus given, the Souldiers began to cut and mangle those noble and delicate youths, with such fury, that they left not one alive, and their rich Garments and Jewels, were made a prize by the Spaniards.

The Indians beholding this unheard of cruelty and in­justice, having long endured with patience, the impri­sonment of their King, who had charged them to be quiet, now fly all to arms, and falling upon the Spani­ards wounded many, and pursued others, at length putting a dagger to the breast of their King Montezuma, they threatned to kill him, unless he would look out atth Window, and Command his Subjects to lay down thei [Page 15] Arms; But they contemning his Orders, chose them­selves a Captain; when Cortes returned again, in good time to relieve his men, and Montezuma being again commanded by his Spanish Guardians to speak to the People, he was wounded on the Temples by a stone, whereof he died 3 daies after. Cortes had some Thousands of Taxallans to assist him, and yet was forced to fly out of Mexico privately by night, with all his Spaniards and Indians, which yet was not unknown by the Mexicans, so that an alarm being raised, they cut off their Bridges, and made a great slaughter among them, the Spaniards losing most of their ill got Treasure; And their num­ber increasing to two hundred thousand, they pursued them with all speed, but Cortes having the good fortune to kill their Standard-bearer, the Indians forsook the Field.

The Taxallans raising an Army of fifty thousand men, joined with Cortes, and took in divers places, and then building several Frigots or Brigantines, he soon took all the Indian Canoes upon the Lake. Quabutimoc, who suc­ceeded Montezuma, being incouraged from the Devils Oracle, made all possible defence for saving Mexico, sometimes conquering, and being other while beaten by the Spaniards, who fired a great part of the City. One day the Mexicans having gotten an advantage against the Spaniards, they thereupon celebrated a Feast of Victory; The Priests going into the Temple, made a Perfume of sweet Gums, and then sacrified for­ty Spanish Prisoners, opening their breasts, plucking out their hearts, and sprinkling their bloud in the Air, their companions looking on, unable to revenge it, the Mexicans mean while, dancing, beating their drums, drinking themselves drunk, and using all manner of ex­pressions of Joy. At length Rage, Revenge and Disdain had so filled the Spaniards breasts, that having hitherto been more careful of ruining the City, which they ho­ped to preserve for their own use, they now resolved ut­terly to destroy it, to which the dreadful Famine and Pestilence within, did as much contribute, as their Fury [Page 16] without; so that after three months Siege, Mexico is ta­ken, and rased to the ground, with the loss of Fifty Spa­niards, and Six Horses; but of the Mexicans, an hundred thousand, besides those who died of the Plague and Hunger; the King himself being taken Prisoner, and that mighty City and State utterly subverted; this hap­pened Aug. 13. 1521. which day is kept as a yearly Festival by the Spaniards to this day. Mexico was after­ward rebuilt, with an hundred thousand Houses, fairer and stronger than before.

Thus fell the Great Montezuma and his mighty Empire with him; Thus fell he who was honoured as a God, whom it was death for any of the Common People to look in the face, who never set his foot on the ground abroad, but was carried upon the shoulders of Noblemen in a Chariot of pure Gold, and if he hap­pened to alight, trod upon rich Tapestry; He who never put on one Garment twice, never us'd any Ves­sel or Dish, though of Gold, but once, and yet all these Magnificences were so far from procuring him happi­ness, that they were the chief incentives to covetous and ambitious Spirits to contrive his Ruin. Yet was not this general Devastation without some prodigous forerunners of the same. The King of Tescuco, a great Magician, and divers other Sorcerers, confirmed the declaration of the Idol Cholola; That a strange People should come and possess his Kingdom; These Sorcerers being imprisoned by the King, immediately vanished away; But a stranger thing happened by report to a poor man, who was taken up by an Eagle, and carried into a certain Cave, where being set down, the Eagle pro­nounced these words, Most mighty Lord, I have brought him whom thou hast commanded; There he saw one like Montezuma lying asleep, who uttering several dreadful threatnings against the King, the man was again carried away by the Eagle, and set down in the place where he had been first seized. Strange voices were like­wise heard, with Earth quakes and overflowings of Rivers; A prodigious Bird of the bigness of a Crane, [Page 17] was taken, having on his head as it were a Glass re­presenting armed men, which being brought into the Kings presence, instantly disappeared, and was never seen after; The King endeavoured to have appeased his Gods by Sacrifice, and would therefore have re­moved a great Stone, which yet he could not possibly do, by any strength or other means he used, which was thought to be an Ominous presage, that his Deities were not to be reconci­led. These things were certainly told by the Indians, which if true, may be accounted the Illusions of the Devil, whereby he somtimes, forwarns his Votaries.

III. Neither ought Americus Vespusius, a Florentine, to be forgotten, who was Second to Columbus in the glory of this grand and successful enterprize of discovering the New World, who at the charge of Emanuel King of Portugal, undertook the business; He had been one of Columbus his Companions in the first expedition, and consequently did now but trace the way that Columbus had before shewed him, yet had he this happiness and Honour above his Predecessor, to give his name unto the discovered Country; the whole continent of the New World being ever since from him generally called America; this man at the charge of King Emanuel in 1502. with a competent number of Ships and men crossed the Equinoctial Line, and discovered the Coasts of Guiana and Brasil, beyond the Tropique of Capri­corn, to 32 degrees of Southern Latitude, where hav­ing stay'd some time, and taken possession of the Countrey after their usual Formalities, they held on their course beyond the River of Plate, to 52 degrees, to the height of the Streights of Magellane, but being here taken with foul weather, and their Ships much impaired by Storms, they were forced to return homeward by the Coast of Africa. The year follow­ing he attempted another Voyage, directing his course for Insula Real▪ in the Country of Brasil; but having passed Cape Verde and Sierra Liona, upon the Coast of Guinney, by great misfortune the Ship which car­ried [Page 18] their Provisions was sunk, and 300 Hogsheads of Victuals and other necessaries, for the Company were utterly lost, by which disaster they were forced again to turn homeward; how long he lived, and what ex­peditions he made after this, are not remembred in History.

IV. Francis Pizarro, a Person of very mean birth and E­ducation, was likewise very fortunate in discoveries, for going from Sivil in Spain where he was born, to the Indies, he went in company of Almagro and others, to discover the South-sea in 1526. Pizarro offering to land his men, was wounded, and forced to retire to his Ships. Almagro in another place had better success, the Indians using him kindly, and presenting him three thousand Duckets of Gold, but endeavouring to land in that place of Pizarro's misfortune, he was set upon by the Indians, and lost one of his eyes in the encounter. At length they met at Panama, and having cured their wounds, and recruited their Forces with two hundred men, and many Slaves, they set sail, and landed at another place, but are beaten back to their Ships, and forced to an Island called Gorgon, six miles from the Continent, where Pizarro stay'd while Almagro went back for greater supplies, but both he and his compa­ny were almost starved before Almagro's return; be­ing refreshed and strengthned, they once more attempt the Indian Shore, but were again repelled both from thence and the Island, so that they resolved to go further, coursing this Land and their ill fortune and having sailed five hundred miles, they came to Chira a Province in Perue, and having Intelligence by some of the Natives of the great wealth of this Countrey, Pi­zarro sent one Peter a Candian on shore, who was kind­ly treated by the Governor, by whom he was shewed a Temple dedicated to the Sun, wherein were inestimable riches, whereupon it was agreed among the Partners in this Enterprize, that Pizarro should return to Spain and get a License for this Conquest, which he did ac­cordingly, but yet only for himself, absolutely leaving his [Page 19] Companions out of the Grant, and returning with Letters Pattents to Panama with his four brethren Hernando, Gonzalo, John, and Martin de Alcantara his brother by [...]he Mothers side, his Partners were much disturbed [...]hereat; however, after much quarelling, Pizarro and Al­magro agreed to make an equal division of their booty; Pizarro goes before with an hundred and fifty Soul­diers, (ordering Almagro to follow with all the strength [...]e could make) and Lands in Peru, a River so called, which gave name to those great and wealthy Provinces; [...]hey went by Land, enduring much misery by the way, [...]ill they came to Puna, where they were well received of the Governor, till by abusing their Wives, they pro­voked the Indians to take Arms, but were soon defeated, [...]nd thereby their Riches became a prey to the prevail­ [...]ng Spaniards.

The Governor of this Island, to satisfy his Jealousy, [...]ut off the Noses, Privy Members, and Arms of his Eunuchs. Here Pizarro heard first of Atabaliba, for the Governor taking part with Guascar Atabaliba's Brother, who were at that time at War, about the Soveraignty of the Kingdom, he had taken six hundred of his Ene­mies Prisoners, who now coming into Pizarro's hands, [...]e freely sent them to Tumbez, a great Indian Town be­ [...]onging to Atabaliba, and three Messengers with them to [...]emand peace and safe entrance; but notwithstanding [...]heir Captives were so generously restored, they in­gratefully delivered the three Spaniards to their bloudy Priests to be sacrificed to the Idol of the Sun Upon this Pizarro took Tumbez, and plunder'd the Temple and City; From thence he marches toward Guatimala, where Guascar sent some with great promises to desire his aid against his Brother; Soon after others came from Atabaliba, with a peremptory command that he should return back to his Ships. Pizarro answered, That he came thither not to hurt any, but for their good, as his Lord and Emperour had given him in charge, nor could he now return without much dishonour, being an Ambassador from the Pope and Emperor, who were Lords of the World, before he had [Page 20] seen King Atabaliba 's Royal Person, and bad communicated to him such wholsome Counsels and Instructions as might be good both for his body and Soul.

Pizarro passed forward, and as he went through the Province of Chira, the Lords thereof provoked him a­gainst Atabaliba, who had lately conquered their Coun­treys; these Civil distractions did much facilitate the Spaniards Victories; on the River Chira he setled the Colony of St. Michael for securing his Spoils, and then marcht on to Guatimala, sending Messengers on Horse­back to give notice of his coming; the Indians having never before seen an Horse, were extreamly surprised, but Atabaliba was little moved thereat, though very much concerned that those Bearded Men afforded him such small Reverence, and Respect; he sent Pizarro a Pair of Shoes cut and Gilded, under pretence of distin­guishing, and knowing him from others, though it was judged a design to seize and kill him. The next day the King was carried in Solemn Triumph upon the Shoul­ders of his Nobility in great Pomp and Magnificence, Guarded with Twenty five Thousand Indians; when Vincent a Dominican Frier, coming before him with great Reverence, holding a Cross in one hand, and his Bre­viary, or as some say, a Bible, in the other, he blessed him with the Cross, and said, Most Excellent Prince, it much concerns you to believe, that God in Trinity and Ʋnity Created the World out of nothing, and Formed a Man of the Earth whom he called Adam, of whom we had all our be­ginning, that Adam sinned against his Creator by disobedi­ence, and in him all his Posterity, except Jesus Christ, who being God, came down from Heaven, and took the flesh of the Virgin Mary, and to save and redeem Mankind, dyed upon a Cross like to this in my hand, for which cause we worship it. After his death he rose again the third day, and after forty days ascended into Heaven, leaving for his Vicar on Earth St. Pe­ter and his Successors, which we call Popes, one of whom hath now given the most Puissant King of Spain Emperor of the Romans, the Monarchy of the World. Obey the Pope therefore, worthy Prince, and receive the faith of Christ, which if you [Page 21] will believe to be most Holy, and your own most false, you shall do well, but know, that if you do the contrary, we will make War upon you, and destroy and break your Idols to pieces; Let me then advise you to leave off your false worship, and thereby prevent all these mischiefs.

Atabaliba seemed to wonder at the Preaching of this Frier, and replied, That he was a free Prince, and would become Tributary to none, neither did he acknowledg any greater Lord than himself; As for the Emperour he could be well content to be in friendship with so great a Monarch, and to be acquainted with him, but for the Pope, he would not obey him, who gave away what was none of his own, and took a Kingdom from him whom he had never seen; As for Religion he liked well his own, neither would nor ought he to question the Truth thereof, it being so ancient and approved, especially since Christ died, which never happened to the Sun and Moon whom he worshipped. And how do you know, said he, that the God of the Christians created the World? Fier Vincent answered, That his book told it him, giving him his Breviary or Bible, Atabaliba looked in it, and said, It told him no such thing, throwing it on the ground; The Frier took it up, and went to Pizarro, cry­ing out, He hath cast the Gospels on the Ground, Revenge it O Christians upon these Infidel Dogs, and since they will not accept our friendship nor our Law, let as utterly destroy them.

Pizarro hereupon set up his Standard, and planted his Ordinance, and his Horsemen in 3 Squadons as­sulted Atabaliba's people, making great slaughter, Pizarro himself with his Foot came in, and did much execution with their swords, all charged against Atabaliba, killing them who carried him on their Shouldiers in his Pavil­lion, whose Rooms were presently supplied by others, till at last Pizarro pluckt him down by his Cloaths; All the while not one Indian made resistance, either because they had no Command, or with the amaze­ment to see their Soveraign so abused, so that never a Spainar [...] was slain, though several Indians were thurst through; thus were the Indians routed, their King and other rich spoyls remaining to the Spaniards, reckoned [Page 22] at fourscore thousand Castilians in Gold, and Seven Thousand Marks in Silver, of the houshold Plate of Atabaliba, every Mark being eight Ounces; And in Guatimala they found several Houses filled up to the roof with rich Garments, besides Armour and Wea­pons, of which some were Axes and Pole-axes of Gold and Silver. The next day the Spaniards searcht all about for spoil, and found five thousand women be­longing to the King, with much Treasure.

Atabaliba was much disturbed at his imprisonment, but especially because they put a chain upon him, and when many proposals had been made about his ran­som, a Souldier said, If you will give us this House full of Gold and Silver thus high, (lifting up his Sword, and making a mark upon the wall) you shall have your Free­dom; Atabaliba, promised if they would give him Li­berty to send throughout his Kingdom, he would fulfil their demand, whereat the Spaniards amazed, gave him three months time, but he had filled the House in two months and an half, a thing hardly to be credited; but saith Lopez Vaz, I know above twenty men who were there at that time, and all affirmed that there was above ten Millions of Gold and Silver. Another Spanish Captain relates that Atabaliba promised to give them so much Gold, as should reach up to a Mark which was a span higher than a [...]all man could reach, the room being 25 Foot long and 15 wide, and the Go­vernor demanding how much Silver he would give, he said, he would fill up a large inclosed Garden, with Vessels of Pla [...]e for his ransom; this Captain was made Guardian of this Golden House and saw this vast mass of [...] melted down; the Govern [...] sent a fifth pa [...] [...] [...]he King of Spain, and part [...] [...], giving to eve [...] Footman which [...]ere [...] two, four tho [...] eight hundred [...] which amount­ed to abov [...] seven [...] Hors­man 63 [...] ad­va [...]ta [...]e [...] he Victor [...] [...] thousand Pezo's and [...]o [Page 23] thousand to the Inhabitants of St. Michael; Many other gifts he gave to Merchants and others, and yet after the Governor was gone, there was more Gold brought in, than that which had been shared; Ten or twelve days, after the Spaniards who were sent to Cusco, brought in as much Gold, as amounted to two Millions and an half, and half a million of Silver; When Ataba­liba had procured this immense sum, he was discharg­ed from his promise by sound of Trumpet, and yet was still kept under a Guard for the Spaniards security, under pretence that his Subjects were again gathered together by his Command, he argued with them, that if they were assembled together, it was no more by his Authority, than the moving of the Leaves of the Trees, but however, being their Captive, he said, it was in their power to take away his Life.

Notwithstanding these so reasonable Remonstrances, they consulted whether they should burn him alive, and at last Condemned him to that cruel death, but by the intreaty of some, that Sentence was mitigated, and he was ordered to be strangled by four Negro's, whom Pizarro kept for that purpose, which one night was ac­cordingly performed; the King understanding he was to dye, spake thus to his Murderers, Why do you kill me? Did not you promise to set me at liberty, if I would give you Gold? I procured it for you, yea, more than you required, yet if it be your pleasure that I must be killed, send me to your King of Spain, that I may clear myself of what you falsly ob­ject against me; but the Executioners stopt his Breath before he could proceed further, yet did not venge­ance suffer these Ingrateful Villains to escape. Almagro was Executed by order of Pizarro, and young Almagro slew Pizarro, who was likewise put to death by de Cas­tro John Pizarro was slaughtered by the Indians, Mar­tin and Francis, two other of his Brethren were like­wise killed; Ferdinand was imprisoned in Spain, and his end unknown; Gonzales was put to death by Gasca, and the Civil Wars among themselves utterly de­stroyed the rest of these Treacherous Spaniards.

[Page 24]The difference between the two Brethren accelera­ted their Ruin, Guascar succeeded his Father in the Kingdom, and the Province of Quito was assigned to Atabaliba, who being of an aspiring Spirit, seized on Tumebamba a rich Province, upon which his Brother raising Forces, took him Prisoner; Atabaliba making his escape, got back to Quito, where he made his Peo­ple believe that their God the Sun, had turned him in­to a Serpent, and thereby he got through a hole in the Prison; the conceit of this Miracle, made them instantly rise in Arms against Guascar, with whose assistance Atabaliba made such Slaughter of his Enemies, that there are great heaps of Bones to be seen at this day, Threescore Thousand being killed, and many Provinces Conquered; during Atabaliba's Imprison­ment, some of his Captains had taken his Brother Guascar, who sent word to one of the Spanish Comman­ders, that if he would restore him to his Liberty and Kingdom, he would fill up a large Room at Guatimala with Gold and Silver, which was thrice as much as Atabaliba had promised, adding, that his Father Guay­na, who was a great Sorcerer, had commanded him on his Death-bed to be kind to the white and Bearded Men, who should come and rule in those parts; Ataba­liba hearing of these offers, sent to have his Brother put to death, which the Spaniards took no notice of, and which seemed justly to befall him, since he had before Murthered another of his Brethren, and drunk in his Skull, as he had sworn to deal with Atabaliba.

Though the Spaniards got vast Treasures in this Countrey, yet the Indians hid great quantities of Gold, Silver and Jewels, which never came to their hands, formerly belonging to Guayna: one of Atabaliba's Chief Captains visited him in Prison with great reverence, he and the chief of his Company, laying Burdens on their Shoulders, and so entred into his presence▪ lift­ing up their hands to the Sun, with great thankfulness for giving them sight of their Lord, and then kneeling down, kissed his hands and feet; this Captain told the

[Page] [Page 25] Spaniards, that an Indian had conveyed away vast Trea­sures, and upon Torture discovered a great House full of Vessels of Gold, with a Shepherd and his Sheep all of Gold, as great as if living; he likewise reported he heard Atabaliba say, that in an Island called Collas, was a very great House covered all over with Gold, the Ceilings, Walls and Pavements within, being likewise all Beaten Gold; the Spaniards so abounded in Gold, that they would give a Thousand or fifteen hundred Pezo's for an Horse; Debtors sought out their Creditors with Indians loaden with Gold, from House to House to pay them; they took from the Walls of some Houses, and the Roof of the Temple at Cusco, Plates of Gold of ten or twelve Pound weight, they carried into Spain one Vessel of Gold, and another of Silver, each of so vast extent, as they were big enough to boil a Cow whole therein, likewise a huge Eagle, an Image of Gold, as long as a Child of four years old, Drums, and Statues of Women in Gold to the full proportion; with several others of Silver, Sheep of fine Gold curi­ously wrought, and other admirable Rarities.

In this Kingdom of Peru is an High Mountain called Periacaca, upon which Joseph Acosta ascended as well provided as possible, being sensible of the Danger, but in the ascent he and his Companions were sudden­ly, surprized with looseness and Vomiting, casting up Flegm, Choler and Bloud, so that they expected pre­sent death. There are other Desarts in Peru called Pu­nas, where the Air cuts off men without feeling, a small breath depriving them sometimes of their feet and hands, which fall off like leaves in Autumn, without pain, and other times of their Lives, and yet after death the same piercing cold Air preserves the body from Putrefaction.

Cuba an Island of 230 Leagues in length was about this time possessed by the Spaniards, where they exe­cuted great severity as well as in other places. A certain Lord of great power who had fled over the Continent to this Isle to avoid either death or perpe­tual [Page 26] Captivity, hearing that the Spaniards were come hither, having assembled the Principal Indians, spake to them to this effect; Countrymen and Friends, you are not ignorant of the rumour that the Spaniards are arrived amongst us, neither need I tell you how barbarously they have used the Inhabitants of Hispaniola, you know it by too certain Intelligence, nor can we hope to find them more merciful than they did; But my dear Countrymen, do you know their Errand? if not, I will tell you the cause of their coming, they worship some covetous and insatiate God, and to content their greedy Deity, they require all our Gold and Silver from us, for this they endeavour continually to murther and enslave us. See here this little Chest of Gold, and there­in behold the God of the Spaniards, therefore if you think fit let us dance and sing before this their God, perhaps we may hereby appease his rage, and he will then command his wor­shippers to let us alone. To this motion they all assented, and danced round about the Box till they were throughly wearied, when the Lord thus proceeded, If we should keep this God till he be taken from us, we shall be certainly slain, I therefore think it expedient for us to cast him into the River; whose Counsel being followed, the Chest was thrown into the River.

When the Spaniards first landed in this Island, this Nobleman having sufficient experience of their cruel­ty, avoided them as much as possible, still flying and defending himself by force of Arms upon all occasions; at length being taken, for no other reason, but endea­vouring to preserve his Life from his Enemies, he was by the Spaniards burnt alive; being tied to a Stake, a Franciscan Monk began to discourse him of God, and the Articles of his Religion, telling him that the small time allowed him by the Executioner, was sufficient to make his Salvation sure, if he did heartily believe in the true Faith; having a while considered his words, he asked the Monk whether the Door of Heaven was open to the Spaniards, who answering yea, then, said he, Let me go to Hell, that I may not come where they are. In this Island the Spaniards got above a Million of Gold, [Page 27] and vast sums more in the other spacious. Provinces of this New World, the greatest part whereof came into their Possession in a few years, and which they enjoy to this very day.

CHAP. II. The Voyages and Discoveries of several Englishmen into America.

IN the former Chapter I have, according to my usual scantling, given a sufficient account of the Fortu­nate Acquisitions of the Spaniards, and now think my self in justice obliged to let my Countrymen know what Adventurous Voyages, and extream dangers some of our brave English Spirits have surmounted in their Discoveries of this New World; wherein I shall follow the Sun, beginning first Northward, and so pro­ceed toward, and beyond the Equinoctial.

I. In which number, Sir Sebastian Cabot ought to be first mentioned, born and living in England, though a Venetian Gentleman by Extraction, who in 1496 at the charge of Henry the 7th King of England, set out with two Carravels, for discovering a Northwest [...]as­sage to Cathay and the East-Indies, according to the de­sign which Columbus had first suggested to him; in pursuit whereof, he is reported to have sailed to 67 Degrees of Northern Latitude, upon the Coast of Ame­rica, and finding Land, called it Prima Vista; the Inha­bitants wore the Skins of Beasts, there were white Bears, and Stags far greater than ours, with great pi [...] ­ty of Seal and Sole fish above a yard long, and such vast quantities of other Fish, that they sometimes staid the course of the Ship; the Bears caught these Fish with their Claws, and drawing them to Land, eat them; [Page 28] he then discovered all along the Coast to Florida, and afterward returned, at which time strong preparations being making for Wars with Scotland, this design was wholly laid aside to the great prejudice of the English Nation, who in all probability might have made them­selves Quarter-masters, at least with the Spaniards, in the wealthiest Parts and Provinces of America, if the business had been well followed. Sir Sebastian himself went immediately to Spain, and was imployed by that King in discovering the Coasts of Brasil, and though he afterward returned again to England in 1549. and was honoured by King Edward the Sixth, with the Title of Grand Pilot of England, and the yearly Pension of an hundred and sixty Pound, yet his design was never effectually revived.

II. Sir Martin Frobisher, justly deserves the second place, who in the reign of Queen Elizabeth made three several voyages to discover the North-west Passage. June 15. 1576 he sailed from Blackwall, and July 7 had sight of Frizeland, but could not get ashoar, because of the abundance of Ice, and an extream Fog, July 20. he had sight of an High Land, which he named Queen Elizabeths Foreland, very full of Ice, but sailing further Northward, he descried another Foreland with a Great Bay, whereinto he entred, calling it Frobishers Streights, supposing it to divide Asia from America; Having sailed sixty Leagues, he went ashore, and was encountred with mighty Deer, who ran at him, & indan­gered his Life. He had there a sight of the Savage In­habitants, who rowed to his Ship in Boats of Seals Skins, they eat or rather devour raw Flesh and Fish, their hair was long and black, broad faces, flat noses, colour tawny 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 [Page 29] 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 Sea­coal, 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 Countrey­man 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 [Page 30] 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 [Page 31] 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 [Page 32] 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 Falls, and the Ground is Frozen 3 Fathom deep, at which time the Sun is not absent above 3 hours and an half, during which it was so very light, that we could see to read. There are no Rivers or Running Springs, but what the Sun causes to come from the Snow. They Row in their Leather Boats faster with one Oar, than we can ours with all our Oars. They seem to have commerce with other Nations, from whom they have a small quantity of Iron.

III. In 1585. Mr. John Davis made his first Voy­age for the Northwest Discovery, and in 54 Degrees, they went on Shore on an Island where they saw divers Savages, who seem'd to Worship the Sun, pointing up to it with their Hands, and therewith striking their Breasts, the English answering them with the same Acti­ons, they took it for a confirmed League and Agree­ment between them, they then leaped and danced with a kind of Timbrel, which they struck with a stick, their Garments were the Skins of Birds and Beasts, they killed white Bears, one of whose Forefeet was fourteen Inches broad, and the Flesh so fat, they were forc't to throw it away; by their dung they seem'd to feed on Grass, which was like Horse-dung, they heard tame Dogs howl on the Shore, for killing one he had a Col­lar about his Neck, he had a Bone in his Pizel, and seem'd inured to the Sled, two of which they found.

Next year Captain Davis made a second Voyage, and found the Savage People very tractable; they are great Idolaters and Witches, having many Images which they carried about them, and in their Boats; they found a Grave wherein many were buried, and cover­ed [Page 33] with Seals Skins, with a Cross laid over them; they are very Thievish, eat raw Fish, Grass and Ice, and drink Salt Water; here they saw a Whirlwind [...]ake up a great quantity of Water, which mounted vio­ [...]ently into the Air three hours together with little in­ [...]ermission; In 63 Degrees they met with a vast Mass of [...]ce in one piece, so very large, that it appeared like an Island, with Bays and Capes like a high Cliff Land, whereupon they sent their Pinnace to discover it, who found it to be only Ice, this was July 17. 1586. and they Coasted it till the 30th following. In 66 Degrees they found it very hot, and were much troubled with Musket to Flies; all the Coasts hereabout seemed bro­ken Islands; then returning Southward, they Coasted Greenland, but were hindred from Harbour by the Ice, their Houses near the Seaside were made with pieces of Wood crossed over with Poles, and covered with Earth; our Men plaid at Football with the Islanders upon the Ice. Captain Davis his third Voyage was per­formed the next year 1587. wherein he discovered to 73 Degrees, finding the Sea all open, and forty Lea­gues between the Shore on each side, having Greenland on the East, and America on the West, near which was another Island, which for its dreadful aspect, being co­vered with Snow, without Wood, Earth, or Grass to be seen; and the terrible noise of the Ice, he named the Isle of Desolation, but the untimely death of Sir Fran­cis Walsingham, hindred the further Prosecution of these Discoveries.

IV. In 1602. Captain George Weymouth set forth with two Flyboats at the charge of the Muscovy Company, to find out the Northwest Passage, he saw the South part of Greenland, the Water in an 120 Fathom was black as puddle, and suddenly clear again; the breach of the Ice made a noise like Thunder, and indanger­ed the overturning both their Vessels; they had thick Fogs and Mists, which Froze as they fell; in 68 Degrees, they met with an inlet, Forty Leagues broad, and sailed therein an hundred Leagues West and by South.

[Page 34]V. In 1605. Captain James Hall Sailed to Greenland, and had the like Encounters of Ice, which made as much noise as five Cannons discharged at once; the People were like those mentioned by Frobisher, they make Sails of Guts sowed together, and deceive the Seals by raking them with their Seals Skin Garments [...] the Countrey is high, Mountainous, and full of broken Islands along the Coasts, the Rivers are Navigable, and full of Fish, between the Mountains are such plea­sant Plains and Valleys, as is hardly to be imagined in that cold Countrey. He saw store of Fowl, no Beasts but black Foxes and Deer. The Natives wander in Com­panies in Summer for Hunting and Fishing, removing from one place to another, with their Families, Tents, and Baggage, they are of a reasonable Stature, Brown, Active and Warlike, eat their Meat either raw or par­boil'd with Blood, Oil, or a little Water which they drink; their Arrows have two Feathers, and a Bone Head, they have no Wood, but what the Sea drives ashore. In 1606. He made a second Voyage thither, and found their Winter Houses Built with Whalebones, and covered with Earth, with Vaults two yards deep, and square underground. The next year he sailed thi­ther a third time, and in a fourth Voyage, 1612. was Slain by a Savage, in revenge as was thought of some of theirs formerly carried away from thence. They have Hares as white as Snow, Dogs that live on Fish, their Pizles, as of their Foxes, being Bone; their work in Summer is to dry their Fish on the Rocks. Every Man and Woman hath a Boat made of long pieces of Fir, covered with Seals Skins, and sowed with Sinews and Guts, about 20 Foot long, and two and an half broad, like a Weavers Shuttle, so light and swift, that no Ship with any Wind is able to hold way with them, and yet use but one Oar, which they hold by the middle in the midst of their Boar, wherewith they Row forward and backward at pleasur [...]; they generally Worship the Sun, to which they pointed at the approach of the English, striking their Breasts and crying Ilyout, not [Page 35] coming near till they had done the same; they bury their dead in their cloths on the tops of Hills in the midst of heaps of Stones, to preserve them from the Foxes, making another grave hard by wherein they place his Bow, Arrows, Darts, and other Utensils. The next year Mr. John Knight made a North-west Voyage, Io­sing his Ship, which was sunk in the Ice, and was with three more of his company surprized by the Savages.

VI. About this time three of our Countrymen na­med Stephen Burrough, Mr. Pet. and Mr. Jackman, went toward the North-West touching upon the Northerly parts of Greenland, and sailed from 80 degrees to Nova Zembla; in one place they saw red Geese, and in ano­ther blue Ice, but at length loosing their Ship by the Ice, they were forced to set up an House to winter in the Isle of Desolation; they began their bulding about the 10 of September, the cold even then kissing his Newcome Tenants so eagerly, that when the Carpenter did but put a nail into his mouth, the Ice would hang thereon, and the bloud followed in plucking it out. In December their Fire could not heat them, their Sack was frozen, & they were forced to melt it, their Beer when thawed drunk like water; They endeavoured to reme­dy it with Sea-coal fire, as being hotter than wood, and stopped the Chimney and Doors to keep in the heat, when they instantly swounded away for want of Air; Their Shoes froze as hard as horns to their feet, and when they sate at the fire while they were almost burnt on the forepart, they were frozen white on their backs; The Snow rose higher than the House, which in clear weather they endeavoured to remove, cutting out steps, and ascending up as out of a Vault or Cellar; when neither Cloths nor great fires would keep out the cold, they were forced to heat Stones and ap­ply them burning hot to their feet and bodys; in one night a barrel of water was turned into Ice; They saw no Sun from November 3. to Jan. 24. a long night of fifty two days; When the Sun had left them, they saw the Moon continually day and night never going [Page 36] down, the twilight likewise remaining several days, and they saw some daylight sixteen days before the re­turn of the Sun; The Bears who had held them be­seiged, and often endangered them, forsook them with the returning Sun; these Bears are very large and cruel, some of their Skins being thirteen foot long, and yeilding and hundred pound of fat, which served them for Oyl in their Lamps; the flesh they durst not eat, some of them losing all their own skin by eating a Bears Liver; they devour any thing, even their own kind; for having killed one with a Gun, another Bear carried it a great way over the Ice in his mouth, and then fell to eating it, whereupon making to him with their weapons, he fled, leaving his purchase half eaten, and four men could hardly carry the other half, when the whole body seemed to be very lightly carried by his fellow; The white Foxes continually visited them, of which they took many, whose flesh was good Veni­son to them, and their Skins in the linings of their Caps a comfortable remedy against the extream cold; they used Pattens of wood with Sheepskins above, and many Socks and Soles under their feet, with shoes of Rug or Felt; Their Diet was very mean, but at length despairing of relief, they made them two open Scutes, wherein they sailed above a Thousand miles after ten months continuance in this disolate Habitation, and though incompassed with a thousand dangers from the Ice which surrounded them like Tents, Towns, and Fortifications, yet at length happily returned to their own Country; However, no further progress was made till the English several years after made more profitable Discoveries, and found in Greenland (not far off) a very beneficial Trade of Whale-fishing, which continues to this time.

Now, though this Countrey is reckoned to be in Eu­rope, and therefore out of our present survey, yet be­ing so near adjacent, it may not be unpleasant to give a brief relation of an hunting spectacle, of the greatest chase which nature hath created; I mean, the killing [Page 37] of Whales; when they spy him on the top of the water, [...]o which he is often forced to get breath, they row to­ward him in a Shallop, wherein the Harponier stands rea­dy to dart his harping Iron with both his hands, to which [...]s fastened a line of such length, that the Whale finding himself wounded, and sinking to the bottom, may car­ry it down with him, it being contrived the Shallop shall incur no danger thereby; when he rises, they strike him again with Lances about twelve foot long, the Iron being eight therof, and the blade eighteen inches, the harping Iron being chiefly intended only to fasten him to the Shallop, and thus they hold him in hot persuit, till after having cast up first Rivers of Water, and then of bloud, as being angry with both Elements, for suffering such weak hands to destroy him, he at length yields his slain Carcass a prey to the Conquerors; The Tragedy is thus exprest by the Poet.

Being dead, they tow him to the Ship with two or three Shallops joined together, and then floating at the stern of the Ship, they cut the blubber or fat from the flesh in pieces three or four foot long, which are cut smaller ashore, and boiled in Coppers, which done, [Page 38] they take them out, and put them into wicker Baskets, which are set in Shallops half full of water, into which the Oil runneth, and is thence put into Buts. The ordi­nary length of a Whale is sixty Foot, his brains are said to be the Sperma Caeti, his head is the third part of him, his mouth sixteen foot wide, the Whalebones or Finns are no other than the rough and inward part of the mouth, of which he hath five hundred, which close in the shutting thereof, like the fingers of both hands within each other; he hath a Trunk or breathing hole in his head; he hath no teeth but sucks his meat; his Tongue is monstrous great and deformed like a Wool­sack, about eight Tun in Weight, part of which yeild­eth eleven Hogsheads of Oyl; His food, (that nature might teach the greatest to be content with little, and that greatness may be maintained without rapine, as in the Elephant and Whale, the greatest of Land and Sea Monsters) is grass and weeds of the Sea, and a kind of water-worm like a Beetle, whereof the Finns in his mouth hang full, and sometimes little birds, all which striking the Water with his Tail, and making a small Tide, he gapes and receives into his Mouth, neither is any thing else found in his Belly, as is affirmed by Eye-witnesses; this great Head hath little Eyes, not much unlike an Ox, and a little Throat not greater than for a Mans Fist to enter; with such huge Bones on each side, as suffer it not to stretch wider; his body is round, fourteen or fixteen Foot thick, his Genitals hang from him as in Beasts, in Generation they go in­to shallow Waters near the Shore, and in the Act join Bellies, (as is said of the Elephant) at which time much of their Sperm Floats on the Water, their Tail is like a Swallows, at least twenty Foot broad at the end, they have but one young one at a time, which is brought forth as in Beasts, about the bigness, but lon­ger than an Hogshead; the Female Whale hath two Breasts, and Teats no bigger than a Mans Head, where­with she Suckleth her young, of which she is very ten­der; one being killed, they could not get the young [Page 39] one from the Dam; there hath been made twenty se­ven Tun of Oil out of one Whale.

VII. But to return from this diversion; Captain Henry Hudson in 1607. discovered farther North to­ward the Pole than perhaps any before him; he found himself in 80 Degrees, where they felt it hot, and drank Water to cool their Thirst, they judg'd they saw Land to 82 Degrees and farther; on the Shore they found Snow, Morses Teeth, Deers Horns, Bones, and Whalebones, and the footing of other Beasts; with a stream of fresh Water; the next year 1608. he set forth on a Discovery to the North-east, at which time, as several of the Company solemnly affirmed, they saw a Mermaid in the Sea; he made another Voyage in 1609. and Coasted New-found land, and thence along to Cape Cod; his last and fatal Voyage was in 1610. being imployed by several Merchants, to try if through any of those Inlets which Captain Da­vis saw but durst not enter, there might be a passage found to the South Sea; Their Ship was called the Discovery, they passed by Iseland, and saw Mount Hecla cast out Fire, a certain Presage of foul Weather; they gave the name of Lousy Bay to one Harbour in Iseland, and found a Bath there hot enough to scald a Fowl. June 4. They saw Greenland, and after that Desolation Isle, and then plied North-west among the Islands of Ice; they ran, plaid, and filled sweet Water out of the Ponds that were upon them, some of them were a-ground in six or seven score Fathom Water, and on divers they saw Bears and Patridges; they gave names to certain Islands, as Gods Mercy, Prince Henrys Fore­land, King James Cape, Queen Anns Cape. One Morn­ing in a Fog they were carryed by a strong Tide into one of those Inlets, the depth whereof, and the ply­ing forward of the Ice, gave Hudson great hope it would prove a thorough-fair.

After they had Sailed herein near 300 Leagues West, he came to a small Streight of two Leagues over, and very deep Water, through which he passed between [Page 40] the two Capes, one of which he called Digges Island in 62 Degrees, into a spacious Sea, wherein he sailed a­bove an hundred Leagues South, being now over-con­fident that he had found the Passage, but perceiving by the Shoal Water, that it was only a Bay, he was much surprized, committing many errors, especially in resolving to Winter in that desolate place, in such want of necessary Provisions. November 3. He moored his Ship in a small Cove, where they had all undoubt­edly perished, but that it pleased God to send them several kinds of Fowl; they killed of white Patridges above an hundred and twenty Dozen, these left them in the Spring, and others succeeded as Swans, Geese, Teal, Ducks, all easy to take, besides the blessing of a Tree, which in December blossomed with green & yellow Leaves, of a smell like Spice, which being boiled yielded an Oily substance, that proved an excellent Salve, and the Decoction being drunk, an wholesom Potion for curing the Scurvy, Sciatica, Cramps, Convulsions, and other Diseases bred by the coldness of the Climate.

At the opening of the year there came to the side of his Ship such a multitude of fish of all sorts, that they might easily have fraught themselves for their return, if Hudson had not too desperately pursued his Voyage, neglecting this opportunity of storing themselves, which he committed to the care of certain careless dissolute Villains, who in his absence conspired against him; in few days all the fish forsook them; one time a Savage visited them who for a Knife, Glass, and Beads, gave them Bever and Deers Skin, with a Sled: At Hudsons return they set Sail for England, but in few dayes their Victuals being almost spent and he in despair, letting fall some words of setting some on shore, the Conspirators entred his Cabin in the night, and for­ced Hudson, his Son and six more, to go out of the ship into the Shallop and seek their Fortune, after which they were never heard of, but certainly perished in the Sea. In a few days the Victuals in the Ship being spent, they took 2 or 300 tame Fowls, and traded with the [Page 41] Savages for Deer skins, Morse teeth and Furrs. One of their men went a shore, and found they lived in Tents, Men, Women, and Children, together; they were big-boned, broad faced, flat noosed and small feet like the Tartars, their Garments, Gloves, and Shoes were of Skins handsomly wrought; next morning Green, one of the principal Conspirators would needs go on shore, with divers others unarmed, the Savages lay in ambush, and at the first onset shot this mutinous Ringleader to the heart, and another as bad who dyed swearing and cursing, the rest of these Traytors dyed a few days after of their wounds, Divine Justice finding executioners by these barbarous people. The Ship escaped narrowly, for one Abraham Prichard (a servant to Sir Dudley Diggs, whom the Mutineers had saved in hope he would pro­cure their pardon from his Master) was left to keep the Vessel where he sate at the Stern in his Gown sick and lame, when the Leader of the Savages suddenly leapt from a Rock, and with a strange kind of weapon of Steel wounded him desperately before he could draw out a small Stotch Dagger from under his Gown, wherewith at one thrust into the side of the Savage he killed him, and brought off the Ship, and some of the wounded company Swimming to him, they hastned homeward without ever striking Sail, being so distrest for food, that they were forced to fry the weeds of the Sea with Candles ends to sustain their lives, Sept. 6. 1611. they met with a Fisherman of Foy in Cornwal, by whose means they came safe to England.

VIII. But above all, Sir Francis Drake, whose me­mory is most deservedly honoured of all men, ought to be recorded for his extraordinary Abilities, Experi­ence and happy Conduct at S [...]a. This brave Seaman in the beginning of his Actions was Captain of the Ju­dith with Sir John Hawkins, in the Voyage to Guiana 1567. where they received some considerable damage from the Spaniards in the Port of St. John de Ʋllua, con­trary to their promise and agreement; and therefore [Page 42] to repair himself, having first been assured by Divines, that his Cause was just, in 1572. be set out for America with two Ships and a Pinnace, one called the Dragon, wherein he himself was, and at his first attempt sur­prized Nombre de Dios, at that time one of the richest Towns in America; but in the Action, happening to re­ceive a wound in one of his Feet, which disabled him, he was not able to command, nor gather that rich Spoil that lay even in sight before him; for his Company being too much discouraged with thi [...] disaster, carried him back to the Ships, even almost whether he would or no, leaving the Town, and an infinite Mass of Trea­sure behind them untouched, (to the great joy of the Spaniards,) a great part whereof they saw in the Go­vernours House with their own Eyes, namely, huge Bars of Silver lying round about the Hall, piled up a great height from the ground, ready to be transported to Spain; yet his Men forced him to put to Sea, so that this Voyage served only to whet his stomach to give them a second Visit with all speed.

Being somewhat recovered of his wounds, he falls with his Ships into the Sound of Darien, where he found a certain People called Symerons, which are for the most part Negro's, and such as having been Slaves to the Spa­niards, by reason of their cruelty and hard usage run away from them, and live in woods and wild places of the Countrey in great companies together like other Savages, hating the Spaniards deadly, and doing them what mischief they can upon all occasions; By these he got Intelligence that a Requa, as they call it, or a cer­tain number of Mules, commonly 40 or 50 in a com­pany laden with Treasure and other things was to pass in few daies from Panama in the South Sea to Nombre de Dios to be shipped from thence for Spain, which he therefore resolved, if it were possible, to surprize. These Requa's do constantly Travel in the night, (by reason of the openness of the way, and the excessive heats in the day) from Panama to Ventacruz about six Leagues in the road to Nombre de Dios, neither had [Page 43] they then any other Guard but only of those that drive them, and perhaps some Gentleman or Officer of the Kings to oversee the Treasure, by reason of their great security, having till then lived without any fear of an enemy upon that Coast, which made the de­sign seem easy.

Having therefore engaged a sufficient number of these Symerons with no more than eighteen resolved men of his own, leaving the rest with the ships, they marcht by night over the strait of Darien, so called, as being that Neck of Land that joins the Northern and Southern part of America together, and is not above 20 mile over from Sea to Sea, though many Leagues long; They travelled undiscovered within a Leagues of Pa­nama, and lodged themselves in a wood on each side the Road where the Mules were to pass, who at length came, so tyed one to another, as the manner is, that by stopping one, all the rest stand still. The Requa which was coming, belonged chiefly to the Treasurer of Lima, who with his daughter and Family were going for Spain, with 8 Mules laden with Gold, and one with Jewels, which doubtless had been all taken, had not one Robert Pike an Englishman prevented it, who being got drunk with Strong-waters, out of a vain ambition to be first in the action, stood up, and wearing his shirt uppermost, as they did all to distinguish each other in the night, was instantly descried by a Spanish Cava­leer, who rid somewhat before the rest, and turning his Horse, gave such speedy notice, that the chief part of the Treasure, with the Treasurer himself, his Daugh­ter and others, were saved by a timely retreat, and on­ly some few of the foremost Mules taken, which though they had some Treasure, yet the English knowing how soon the Countrey would be alarm'd, durst, scarce stay to ransack them, but taking a little of what came next to hand resolutely made their way through Venta Cruz, and so by woods and wild Forrests of the Countrey to the Ships which expected them in the Sound, yet had the good fortune to meet with a smaller Requa of [Page 44] Mules laden with Silver and some Gold, which havin [...] better leisure to examine, they carried away as muc [...] as they were able to the Ships, burying the rest in th [...] ground.

In 1577. Sr. Francis Drake made his Voyage abou [...] the World, in which to his immortal Fame and Honou [...] he was the first Commander of note that incompasse [...] this Globe of the Earth, and returned safe home again▪ For though Ferdinand Magellan had discovered th [...] Streights which yet bear his name, and had gone far yet he lived not to return home, being slain at the Moluccae Islands, while he was reducing them to the obedience of his new Master the King of Spain. This Voyage made Drake some amends from the Spaniards, taking and rifling many Towns, and divers rich prizes a [...] Sea, as at Valparaiso in the South Sea, where he took a Ship loaden with Wines, and as much of the finest Gold of Baldivia accounted the best as amounted to thirty seven Duckets of Spanish Money, besides Silver and o­ther goods of value. At Tarapaca on the same Coasts, he met with thirteen bars of pure Silver valued at four Thousand Duckets, and after that with eight hundred Pound weight of Silver laden to Panama upon certain Sheep of America, as big as Asses, which they use for Burden. At Arica they rifled certain Barks and other small Vessels which they found in the Port, and took out of them, besides other Merchandise, fifty seven wedges of pure Silver, every one twenty pound weight, and amounting in all to one hundred and forty pound weight of Silver.

At Lima they enter the Haven, where they found twelve Ships moored fast at Anchor, their Sails taken off, and all the Mariners secure on shore, whereupon searching the Ships, they found, besides abundance of Silks, Linnen, and other rich Goods, one chest full of Ryols of Plate, which they did not think convenient to leave behind, and, which pleased them more, had there Intelligence of another Great Spanish Ship called the Cacafuego which was at Payta, laden with nothing [Page 45] but treasure; this Ship had perceived them at Sea, and was making all the Sail she could for Pariama, but be­fore she could recovor the Port, they persuing her very hard got sight of her about Cape Francisco, and after some short dispute board her, and make her yield. In this Ship they found thirteen great Chests full of Ry­als of Plate, twenty six Tun of other Silver, fourscore pound weight of pure Gold, besides abundance of Je­wels, precious Stones, and other rich Merchandize, all which became prize, meeting likewise in the persuit of her a single Bark laden above only with ropes & [...]ackle for ships, but examining her within, they found no less than seventy eight pound weight of fine Gold, besides many curious Emeralds, and other choice Jewels, which having taken they sailed for Acapulco, a noted and much frequented Port in those Seas, in their way they met a Ship from China laden with Silks and China-dishes, of which they took as much as they thought good, and af­ter that rifled the Town of Acapulco, where besides some quantity of Gold, Jewels, and other Plate, they found one pot of the bigness of an English bushel full of Spa­nish Ryals, which having emptied, they departed with­out being farther troublesom, only one Moon an English­man borrowed a Chain of Gold, which he hapned to find about a Spaniard just as they were going out of Town.

Finding themselves reasonably loaden, and that their Ships had endured the Sea a long time, they resolve to return for England by the Moluccae and Philippine Islands, Sailing in this South Sea to forty degrees of Northerly Latitude, where he landed, and named it Nova Albion. The Inhabitants presented him Feathers and Kalls of Network, which he requited with other things, the men went naked, the Women had loose Garments of Bulrushes tyed about their middles; They came a se­cond time and brought Feathers, and bags of Tobacco, and after a long oration by one that was Speaker for the rest, they left their bows on an Hill, and came down to our men, the women in the mean time remaining on the Hill, tormented themselves tearing their flesh from [Page 46] their cheeks, whereby it appeared they were about some sacrifice, the news being further spread, brought the King thither, who was a very proper man, and had the like to attend him, two Ambassadours, with a Speech of half an hour long, gave an account of his in­tended coming; when he appeared, one went before him with a Scepter or Mace, whereon there hung two Crowns with 3 Chains, the Crowns were of knitwork wrought artificially with feathers of divers colours, the chains made of bone. The King was clothed in Cony­skins, his Followers had their faces painted with white, black, and other colours, every one even the Children bringing their Presents. He that carried the Scepter made a loud Speech of half an hour, repeating it from another, who whispered to him, which being ended with a Solemn applause, they all came orderly down the Hill without their weapons, the Scepter-bearer be­ginning a Song and dance and all the rest following him. The King and several others made many Orati­ons or Supplications to Drake that he would be their King, and the King with a Song set the Crown on his head, and put the Chains about his neck, honouring him by the name of Hioh. The Common sort leaving the King and his Guard, mingled themselves among the English, viewing them severely, and offering thei [...] Sacrifices to those they best liked, which were com­monly the youngest, weeping,, and rending their flesh with much effusion of bloud. Our men misliked their Devotions, and directed them to worship the Living God: Every third day they brought their Sacrifice [...] till they found them displeasing, yet at the depar­ture of the English they very much grieved, and secretly provided a Sacrifice; They found Herds of Deer feeding by thousands and strange Conies, with heads like ours, feet like a Mole and the tail of a Cat, having under their chains a bag lnto which they put their meat when their Bellies are full. Sailing from hence they went back by the Cape of Good Hope; And Nov. 3. 1580. which was the third year of their Voyage they safely arrived at Plymouth.

[Page 47]In 1585. This Gallant Seaman, having been Knight­ed, and much Honoured by Queen Elizabeth, made a­nother Voyage to America, with a greater number of Ships, in which, besides other places of note, he took and burnt a good part of St. Domingo in Hispa­niola, forcing the Inhabitants to redeem the other part with twenty five Thousand Duckets in Money, he took also Car [...]hagena a Town upon the Continent, and in it Alonso Bravo the Governour, and after burn­ing some Houses, had eleven Thousand Duckets paid him by the Inhabitants to spare the rest; he took like­wise the Towns of St. Anth [...]ny and St. Helena; but at last the English in the Ships falling Sick of the Calen­ture, and many dying, he was forced to return for England, with what he had already got, which was va­lued at threescore Thousand Pound Sterling of cleer Prize, besides two hundred Pieces of Brass Ordnance and Forty of Iron.

In 1595. Sir Francis Drake made his last Voyage, which proved not altogether so successful to him as the former, by reason, as was thought, of some misunder­standing between him and Sir John Hawkins, who was the other General joined in Commission with him for the Expedition; they both died in this Voyage, Sir John Hawkins first, as soon as ever the Ship came in sight of Porto Rico; after which Drake being Sole Ge­neral, made an attempt upon that place, but could only Fire some Ships in the Haven, receiving some loss himself; yet he proceeded and took Rio de la Ha­cha, Raucheria, at that time a Wealthy Town, by the Trade of Pearl Fishing, and lastly Nombre de dios, but found nothing so much Treasure now, as he saw the first time, from hence marching by Land he design­ed to surprize Panama, but Sir Thomas Baskervile, who commanded a party of seven hundred and fifty Soul­diers for that purpose, found the Passages over the Mountains so difficult, and the passes so well guarded, that he was forced to retreat, not without loss of Men, whom the Spaniards being acquainted with the [Page 48] Countrey, and lying in the woods through which they were to pass, killed in their return: Hereupon they were forced to put to Sea again, and not long after Sir Francis Drake himself fell sick, and partly of a Flux and grief for his ill success, having hitherto been acquainted with nothing but good Fortune and Victory, he died within few days before Porto bello, and the Fleet under Sir Tho. Baskervile return'd to England.

IX. Another renowned worthy among the English Adventurers of America, and especially for a prospe­rous and compleat circumnavigation of the Ocean, was Sir Thomas Cavendish of Trimley in Suffolk, who in July 1586 with three Ships and 120 Men set out from Plymouth for the West Indies, and Aug. 25 following fell with the Point of Sierra Liona on the Coast of Gui­ny, and from thence Sept: 7 with the Isle of Madra­bamba about Cape Verde, a place very convenient for taking in fresh water and other necessaries for men at Sea, but otherwise much subject to sudden claps of Thunder, Lightning and storms, especially in winter. Their design was for the Streights of Magellan, and the South sea, therefore steering directly South, by the latter end of October they dicover Cape Frio on the Coasts of Brasil, and put in at an Harbour between the Isle of St Sebastian and the Continent, where they stayed some time building a New Pinnace, and sup­plying their Ships with necessaries; Then sailing toward the Streights Jan. 6. they came to an Anchor at the Streights mouth not far from the place where the Spa­niards intended a Town and Fort for commanding the Streights, and securing the Passage into the South-Sea against all Nations but themselves. But as it appeared that project took no effect, for of 400 Men left there three Years before by Don Pedro Sarmiento to that purpose by order of the King of Spain, there were scarce 20 remaining alive when Sir Tho: Cav [...]n­dish sailed that way, the rest were either starved for want of necessary Provisions, or destroyed by the Na­tives. They had begun their Town which they named [Page 49] St. Philip upon the narrowest Passage of the Streights about half a mile broad, in a place very convenient for their purpose, and the Town it self well contrived with four several Forts, every one having some Guns which the Spaniards when they saw themselves left de­stitute and not able to subsist any longer there, had buried in the ground, but the Carriages of them stand­ing open and in view, upon search the Peices them­selves were found and now taken by the English. Ma­ny Spaniards who had been left there were found dead in their houses, and lying in their Cloaths unburied. Those few who were alive, which were only twenty three, whereof two Women, though they were scarce able to go or help themselves, yet were re­solved, as they said, to travel by Land toward Rio De La Plata, distant some hundreds of Leagues from the place where they were, which they had free leave to do.

Cavendish made no long stay here, but calling the place Port Famin instead of St. Philip, they held their course along the Streights till Feb. 24. they entred the South Sea, finding the whole length of the Streights to be about ninety Leagues in length in 52 degrees of South Latitude, having good and convenient Har­bours on both sides almost at every Leagues end, but otherwise of most difficult passage by reason of the ma­ny windings and turnings of the Sea, and of so many contrary winds, with which from several Coasts this Passage is almost continually infested, but especially in the depth of winter at which time by the intolerable sharpnes of the cold, frequent storms, and huge flights of Snow, there is neither Sailing nor abiding upon those Seas, neither is the return so safe as the going thither.

Being now got into Mare Del Zur, and as it were upon the backside of America, they ply up and down those Coasts, visiting and not seldom pillaging the Towns, taking such Ships as they met withall, and steering their course so far Northwest, till at last [Page 50] June 12. 1587. they cross the Equinoctial Line, sailing Northward up toward Panama and New Spain, but whether Intelligence had been given to those parts of their being upon the Coasts, it was some time before they could Spy any Ships. The first was July 9 when they took a New Ship of 120 Tuns burthen coming from Puna laden with ropes and other tackle, and in her one Michael Sancius a Provincial born at Marseilles, who to do the Spaniards a pleasure gave them informa­tion of a great Ship called the St. Anna expected from the Philippine Islands, and which upon his Information they took within a few days after, being one of the richest Prizes that ever was taken and carried off those Seas by Englishmen, but first they Sail to Acapulco and having rifled the Town, they took a Bark in the Ha­ven of fifty Tuns Burthen, laden with 600 bags of Anile, which is a rich sort of Dye, every bag being esti­mated at forty Crowns, and 400 bags of Cacao an Ame­rican fruit like Almonds, and so much valued that they pass there for Meat and Money, every bag being worth Ten Crowns the whole prize in the Bark (beside what they got in the Town) amounted to twenty eight thou­sand Crowns.

From hence they Sail Northward to the Bay of St. Jago, and being come as far as the Tropique of Capri­corn, they were in some distress for want of Water, thinking they had none nearer than thirty or forty Leagues, but by the advice of the aforenamed Michael the Frenchman, who was a man of long and great expe­rience upon those Coasts, they digged about 5 foot deep on the adjoyning shore, and found very good fresh Wa­ter in a soil outwardly dry and Sandy, which he told them was an usual experiment in many other places upon those Coasts. About October they came to St. Lu­car on the West side of the point of Califormia, where they resolved to wait the coming of the St. Anna a­bovementioned, which about Nov. 4. appeared to their no small content. She was a Ship of Seven Hundred Tuns and Admiral of the Seas, and therefore not only [Page 51] richly loaden but well mann'd, by noon the English Ships got up with her, and gave her a broadside which she answered, but soon after put her self to a close fight, and expected boarding, which the Engli h attempting were twice beaten off, and forced to betake themselves again to their Guns, with which they so be [...]aked her from side to side, and plyed it so continually, that after a dispute of 5 or 6 hours, she was made to yield, the Captain hanging out a flag of Truce, and begging mer­cy for their Lives, which the General readily granted, and thereupon commanding him to strike Sail and come on board, the Captain, Pilot, and some of the principal Merchants did so, they were in all 190 Per­sons in the Ship, Men and Women, and declared that their Lading was one hundred twenty two Thousand Pezo's of fine Gold, abundance of Silks, Sa [...]tins, Damask, Musk, Conserve of Fruits, Drugs, and other the richest Merchandize of India, of which they could give no certain estimate, now every Pezo in Silver is valu­ed at eight shillings, and consequently in proportion a Pezo in Gold must be worth four pound sixteen Shil­lings, so that the whole value of the Prize would not be less than Ten Hundred Thousand Pound, or a Mil­lion of Sterling Money, enough to make them all Gen­tlemen that shared in it. The Spaniards and other Peo­ple of the Ship were according to their desire set a shore at the next Port, with necessary Provisions given them, both for subsistence and their defence in Tra­vel.

From hence they sailed to the Philippine Islands, and in 45 days reached the Islands Ladrones, so called, which lye in the way thither about 17 or 18 hundred Leagues from Califormia whence they came, very convenient for fresh Water but the people wholly barbarous and Savage, and so extreamly given to pilfering and Steal­ing, that from thence Magell [...]ne gave them the name of Ladrones, or the Island of Thieves. In January they came to Mavilla the chief of the Philippine Islands, which is counted the richest Countrey for Col [...] in the [Page 52] World, but scarce of silver, the Sanguelos as they call them, who are great and rich Merchants of the Coun­try trade continually with the Americans of New Spain for their Silver, giving weight for weight in pure Gold, from hence about the middle of March they reach the Islands of Java, where by way of barter with the Inhabitants for such things as they had got upon the Coasts of America, they plentifully stored their Ships with all kind of Flesh Meats, Fowls and Fruits, ne­cessary for their subsistence homeward, receiving at their going away a Present of the same nature from the King of the Countrey, namely, two fat Oxen alive, ten great and fat Hoggs, abundance of Hens, Ducks, Geese and Eggs, a great quantity of Sugar Canes, Sugar in plate, Coco's, Plantans, sweet Oranges, sowre Lemons, great store of good Wines, Aquavitae, Salt, with almost all manner of Victuals besides; and it was no more than they had need of in the place where they were, for putting 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, Pome­citrons, 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 [Page 53] 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 ind [...]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 [Page 54] 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, [Page 55] 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 pe [...]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 Ʋ [...]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 Ʋllua, 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, & arriv [...]d at the Sound of 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 [Page 56] 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 S [...]erling in Gold, and fourscore Thousand Pound in Silver, which being enough to satisfy reasonable Men, they retire with their Pinn [...]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 [Page 57] 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 [Page 58] 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 [Page 59] 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 those strange Cataracts or Over-falls of Caroli, of which there appeared ten or twelve in sight, every one as high above the other as a Church Steeple. They likewise saw a Mountain of Chrystal, which appeared afar off like a white Tower, exceeding high, over which there falls a mighty River, which touches no part of the side of the Mountain, but rusheth over, leaving all hollow underneath, with such a dreadful noise, as if a thousand great Bells were rung together. Further South they were told is the Nation of the Amazons, where none but Women inhabit, conversing with the Men only once a year, but none of these were seen by our Men; nor any of those People whose Mouths are said to be in their Breasts, and their Eyes in their Shoulders; and others who have Heads like Dogs, and live all the day in the Sea, which Relations we may justly esteem fabulous, till we are certified of their reality by some honest Eye-witness; yet one Fran­cis Parrey left there by Sir Walter Rawleigh, tells of a place called Camala, where at certain times Women are sold as at a Fair, and says he bought eight young Girls, the Eldest of which was not eighteen▪ for a Red hasted Knife, which in England cost an half-pen­ny, he bestowed these Lasses upon the Savages, and was himself afterward sent Prisoner to Spain. After fourteen years Imprisonment in the Tower of London, [Page 60] Sir Walter Rawleigh made another Voyage to Guiana, which proved very Unfortunate, and soon after his return, he was beheaded in the Palace Yard Westmin­ster, October 29. 1618.

CHAP. III. A Prospect of New found-land, with the Discovery, Plantation, and Pro­duct thereof.

HItherto I have treated only of some Voyages and Discoveries made by divers worthy Englishmen into several parts of America, I shall now proceed to give an Account of the Discovery, Plantation, and Set­tlement of those Countreys and Islands in the West-In­dies, of which the English are in Possession at this day, and shall therefore begin with this Country, as being farthest North, and so proceed South, toward the Equinoctial Line, according to my proposed Method.

New found-land was first discovered by Sebastian Ca­bot, though not then known to be an Island. Fabian in his Chronicle says, that in the time of Henry the 7th. three Men were brought to the King taken in New-found-land; and Robert Thorn writes that his Father, and one Mr. Eliot were the Discoverers of the New-found-lands. In 1530. Mr. Hore set out for a further Disco­very, but was brought to such extremity by Famine, that many of the Company were killed and eaten by their Fellows, and those which returned were so al­tered that Sir William Butts a Norfolk Knight, could not know their Son Thomas, one of this starved num­ber, but only by a Wart which grew upon one of his Knees. It is a great Island, judged as big as England, [Page 61] scituated between 46 and 53 Degrees North Latitude. The North part is better Inhabited than the South, though fitter for Habitation; it is furnished upon the Sea coasts with abundance of Cod-fish, Herrings, Salmons, Thorn-back, Oysters and Muscles with Pearls; [...]t abounds with Bears and Foxes, who will rob you of your Flesh and Fish before your Face. Within Fifty Leagues of the Shore lies a Bank or Ridge of Ground, extending in length many hundred Leagues, in breadth twenty four where broadest, in other places but six­teen. And all about it are certain Islands, which Cabot by one common name called Bacalaos, for the great number of Cod-fish which swarmed so much therea­bout, that it hindred the passage of his Ship.

After the first discovery, the business of Trading thither, was laid aside for many years; in the mean time, the Normans, Portugals, and Brittains of France resorted to it, and changed the names which had been given by the English to the Bays and Promontories; but the English would not so soon relinquish their pre­tensions, and therefore in 1583. Sir Humfry Gilbert took Possession thereof in the name, and by the Com­mission of Queen Elizabeth, forbidding all other Nati­tions to use Fishing, and intended to have setled an English Colony there, but being Wrackt in his return, the setling of the Colony was discontinued till 1608. and then undertook by John Guy a Merchant of Bristol, who in twenty three days sailed from thence to Concep­tion Bay in Newfoundland. In 16 [...]1. they had scarce six days of Frost in October and November, which pre­sently thawed, the rest of the Months being warmer and dryer than in Eng [...]and, neither were the Brooks Frozen over three Nights together with Ice able to bear a Dog; they had Filberds, Fish, Mackerel and Foxes in the Winter; white Partridges in the Sum­mer larger than ours, who are much afraid of Ravens, they killed a Wolf with a Mastiff and a Greyhound.

In 1612. They found some Houses of Savages, which were nothing but Poles set round, and meeting [Page 62] on the Top, ten Foot broad, the Fire in the midst, covered with Deerskins. The People are of a reason­able stature, beardless, broadfaced, their Faces co­loured with Oker; some of them went Naked only their Privities covered with a Skin; they believe in one God who Created all things, but have many whimsical notions and ridiculous opinions, for they say, that after God had made all things, he took a number of Arrows, and stuck them in the Ground, from whence Men and Women first sprung up, and have multiplied ever since; a Sagamor or Governour being asked concerning the Trinity, answered, there was only one God, one Son, one Mother, and the Sun, which were four. Yet God was above all; be­ing questioned if they or their Ancestors had heard, that God was come into the World, he said, that he had not seen him; some among them speak visibly to the Devil, and he tells them what they must do as well in War, as other matters.

One Samuel Chaplain in 1603. tells of a Feast made by one of their Great Lords in his Cabin; eight or ten Kettles of meat were set on several Fires four yards asunder; The men sate on both sides the room, each having a dish of the Bark of a Tree, one of which was appointed to give every man his portion. Before the meat was boyled one took his Dog and danced a­bout the Kettles, and when he came before the Sa­gamor threw the Dog down, and then another succeed­ed in the like exercise, after the Feast they danced with the heads of their Enemies in their hands, sing­ing all the while; Their Canoos are of the bark of birch, strengthned with little wooden Hoops, they have many Fires in their Cabins, ten housho [...]ds some­times live together, lying upon skins one by another, and their Dogs with them, which are like Foxes; At another Feast, the men caused all the women and maids to sit in ranks, themselves standing behind sing­ing, suddenly all the women threw off their Mantles of skins, and stript themselves stark naked, not at all [Page 63] ashamed of their shame; Their Songs ended they [...]yed with one voice Ho, Ho, Ho, and then covered [...]hemselves with their mantles, and after a while renued [...]heir former Songs and nakedness. When a maid is [...]ourteen or fifteen years old, she hath many Lovers, [...]nd uses her pleasure with as many of them as she [...]leases, for five or six years, and then takes whom [...]he likes for a Husband, provided he be a good Hun­ [...]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 [...]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 [...]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 [...]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 [Page 64] 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 [Page 65] 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 [Page 66] descended to his Son the present Lord Baltimore, wh [...] is also Proprietor of Maryland.

CHAP IV. A Prospect of New-England with th [...] Discovery, Plantation and Produ [...] thereof.

THis Countrey was first discovered as well as th [...] other Northern Coasts of America by Sebastian C [...] bot aforementioned in 1497. And in 1584. Mr. Pli [...] 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 En [...] lish Colony thither under the Government of Mr. Ra [...] Lane, who continued there till the next year, and th [...] upon some urgent occasions returned with Sir Fra [...] Drake into England, who is by some accounted the f [...] discoverer thereof It hath New France on the Nort [...] and Virginia on the South, lying between 40. and 4 [...] degrees of North Latitude; His Travels were si [...] much perfected by the Industry and Voyages of C [...] tain Gosnold, Captain Hudson, Captain Smith, and othe [...] the last of whom gives a very large account of the wo [...] ship and Ceremonies of the Indians: This Captain w [...] taken Prisoner by the Natives, and whiile he stayed among them observed their Magical Rites. Three [...] four days after his being seized, seven of their Prie [...] in the House where he lay, each with a Rattle, (ma [...] ing him sit down by them) began about 10 in th [...] morning to sing about a Fire, which they incompass [...] with a circle of Meal, at the end of every Song (whi [...] the chief Priest begun, the rest following in order they layd down 2 or 3 grains of wheat. Then [...] [Page 67] Priest disguised with a great Skin, his head hung round with little Skins of Weasels and other Vermine, and a Coronet of Feathers, painted as ugly as the Devil, at the end of every song he used strange and vehement ge­stures throwing great Cakes of Deer suet and Tobacco into the Fire, thus these howling Devotions continued till 6 a clock at night, and held so 3 days. This they pretended was to know of their God whether any more English should arrive, and what they intended to do in that Countrey. They fed Captain Smith so high, that he much doubted they would have sacrificed him to their chief Deity, the Image of whom is so deformed that nothing can be more monstrous, the Women like­wise after he was freed and President of the Company made him a very odd entertainment; Thirty of them came out of the Woods only covered before and behind with a few green leaves, their bodies painted of diffe­rent colours, the Commander of these Nymphs had on her head a large pair of Staggs Horns, and a Quiver of Arrows at her back with Bow and Arrows in her hand; The rest followed with Horns, and Weapons all alike, they rushed through the Trees with hellish shouts and cryes, dancing about a Fire, which was there made to that purpose, for an hour together. Then they so­lemnly invited him to their Lodging, where he was no sooner come but they all surrounded him, declaring great kindness to him, and crying, Love you not me? after which they feasted him with great variety cook'd after their mad fashion, some singing and dancing all the while, and at last lighted him home with a Firebrand instead of a Torch to his Lodgings.

When they design to make War, they first consult with their Priests and Conjurers, no People being so barbarous almost, but they have their Gods, Priests and Religion, they adore as it were all things, that they think may unavoidably hurt them, as Fire, Wa­ter, Lightning, Thunder, our great Guns, Muskets and Horses; yea some of them once seeing an English Boar were struck with much terror, because he bris­tled [Page 68] up his Hair, and gnashed his Teeth, believing him to be the God of the Swine, who was offended with them. The chief God they worship is the Devil, which they call Okee, they have conference with him, and fashion themselves into his shape; in their Temples they have his Image il favouredly carved, painted, & adorned with Chains, Copper and Beads, and covered with a Skin; the [...] Sepulchre of their Kings, is commonly neer him, whose bodies are first Imbowelled, dried on a hurdle, adorned with Chains and Beads, and then wrapped in white Skins, over which are Matts, they are afterward in­tombed orderly in Arches made of Matts, their wealth being placed at their Feet; for their ordinary burials, they dig a deep hole in the Earth with sharp Stakes, and the Corps being wrapped in Skins and Matts, they lay them upon Sticks in the ground, and cover them with Earth. The Burial ended, the Women having their Faces painted black with Cole and Oil, sit mourn­ing in the Houses twenty four hours together, yelling and howling by turns.

The People are clothed with loose Mantles made of Deer skins, and Aprons of the same round their mid­dles, all else naked, of stature like to us in England, they paint themselves and their Children, and he is most gallant who is most deformed; the Women im­broider their Legs, Hands and other parts with divers works, as of Serpents and the like, making black Spots in their Flesh. Their Houses are made of small Poles, round, and fastned at the top in a circle, like our Arbours covered with Matts, twice as long as broad; they are exact Archers, and with their Arrows will kill Birds flying, or Beasts running full speed, one of our Men was with an Arrow shot through the Body and both the Arms at once, another Indian shot an Arrow of an Ell long through a Target, that a Pistol Bullet could not pierce, their Bows are of tough Hazel, and their strings of Leather, their Arrows of Cane or Ha­zel, headed with Stones or Horn, and Feathered ar­tificially, they soon grow heartless, if they find their [Page 69] Arrows do no Execution; they speak of Men among them, of above two hundred years of Age.

Though the Planting of this Country by the Eng­lish was designed by divers, yet it lay much neglected till a small Company of Planters under the Command of Captain George Popham, and Captain Gilbert were sent over at the charge of Sir John Popham, in 1606 to be­gin a Colony upon a tract of Land about Saga de hoch the most Northerly part of New-England, but that de­sign within two years expiring with its first Founder, soon after some Honourable Persons of the West of England, commonly called the Council of Plymouth, being more certainly informed of several Navigable Rivers, and commodious Havens, with other places fit either for Traffick or Planting, newly discovered by many skilful Navigators, obtained of King James the First, a Patent under the Great Seal of all that part of North-America called New-England, from Forty to Forty eight Degrees of North Latitude. This vast Tract of Land, was in 1612. cantoned and divided by Grants in­to many lesser parcels, according as Adventurers present­ed; which Grants being founded upon uncertain and false Descriptions, and Reports of some that Travelled thither, did much interfere one upon another to the great disturbance of the first Planters, so that little Profit was reaped from thence, nor was any greater Improvement made of those Grand Portions of Land, save the erecting some few Cottages for Fishermen, and a few inconsiderable Buildings for the Planters; yea for want of good conduct they were by degrees in a manner quite destitute of Laws and Government, and left to shift for themselves.

This was the beginning of New-England, when in the year 1610. One Mr. Robinson a Presbyterian, or rather Independent Preacher, and several other English then at Leyden in Holland, though they had been courteously entertained by the Dutch as Strangers, yet foreseeing many inconveniences might happen, and that they could not so well provide for the good of their Poste­rity [Page 70] under the Government of a Foreign Nation, they resolved to intreat so much favour from their own So­vereign Prince, King James, as to grant them liberty under the shelter of his Royal Authority, to place them­selves in some part of New-England; having therefore obtained some kind of Patent or Grant for some place about Hudsons River, they set Sail from Plymouth in Sep­tember for the Southern parts of New-England, but as they intended their course thitherward, they were through many dangers, at last, about November 11, cast upon a bosom of the South Cape of the Massachu­sets Bay, called Cape Cod. When Winter approached so fast that they had no opportunity to remove, and finding some Incouragement from the hopefulness of the Soil, and courtesie of the Heathen, they resolved there to make their aboad, laying the Foundation of a new Colony, which from the last Town they Sailed from in England they named New Plymouth, contain­ing no considerable Tract of Land, scarce extending an hundred Miles in length through the whole Cape, and not half so much in breadth where broadest.

From this time to the year 1636. things were very prosperously & successfully carried on in New-England, which was much increased in Buildings and Inhabi­tants, at which time the Naraganset Indians, who are the most warlike and Feirce, and much dreaded by all the rest, committed many barbarous outrages upon some of them, and likewise upon the English and Dutch as they came occasionally to trade with them, barbarously murdering Captain Stone, Captain Oldham and others, whereupon the In­habitants of all the Colonies unanimously falling upon them in 1637. they were easily suppressed, about 700 of them being destroyed, and the rest cut off by their Neighbour Indians; Upon which Miantonimoh the Cheif of the Mogehins expecting to be Sole Lord and Ruler over all the Indians, committed many Insolencies upon some others who were in confederacy with the English as well as himself, and he being sent for to the [Page 71] Massacusets Court at Boston, endevoured to clear him­self, but was clearly convicted by one of his Fellows named Ʋncas, in revenge of which after his return home he made War upon Ʋncas, by whom being taken Prisoner, by the advice and Counsel of the English, he cut off his head, it being justly feared no firm Peace could be concluded while he was alive; This hap­pened in 1643. from whence to 1675. there was al­ways an appearance of Amity and good correspon­dence on all sides, only in 1671. one Matoonas being vexed that an intended design against the English did not take effect, out of meer malice against them slew an Englishman on the Road; This murtherer was a Nipnet Indian and under the command of the Sachem of Mount Hope, the Author of all the mischiefs against the English in 1675.

Upon a due inquiry therefore of all the Transactions between the Indians and English from their first setling on these Coasts there will appear no Ground of quarrel, or provocation given by the English. For when Plymouth Colony was first planted in 1620. within three months after Massasoit the chief Sachem or Commander of all that side of the Country repaired thither to the English, and entred Solemnly into a League upon the following Articles. 1, That neither he nor any of his should injureor do hurt to any of their People. 2. If any of his hurt the English he should send them the Offender to punish. 3. If any thing should be taken a­way by his, he should see it restored and the English to do the like to them. 4. If any made War unjustly against him they were to aid him, and he likewise them. 5. that he should certify his Neighbour Confederates hereof, that they might be likewise comprized in the Peace. 6. That when his men should come to the English they should leave their Arms behind. Which were then Bows and Arrows, and were then their only weapons though now they have learned the use of Guns and Swords as well as the hristians. This League the same Sachem confirmed a little before his death in 1630. coming with his 2 Sons Alexander and Philip to Plymouth, and renewing the same for [Page 72] himself, his Heirs and successors; Yet it is apparent this Massasoit never loved the English, and would have ingaged them never to have attempted to draw away any of his People from their old Pagan superstition and devilish Idolatry to the Christian Religion, but find­ing they would make no Treaty with him upon such conditions he urged it no further. But this was a bad Omen, that whatever kindness he pretended to the English, yet he hated them for being Christians; which strain was more apparent in his Son that suc­ceeded him and all his People, insomuch that some discerning Persons of that Jurisdiction were afraid that that part of the Indians would be all rooted out as it is since come to pass.

Neither was Passaconaway the great Sagamore or Sachim of Merimack River insensible of the fatal con­sequence of opposing the English; for a Person of Quality relates, that being invited by some Sachims to a great Dance in 1660. Passaconaway intending at that time to make his last and farewel Speech to his Children and People that were then all gathered together, he addressed himself to them in this manner; I am now going the way of all flesh, or ready to die, and not likely to see you ever met together any more, I will now leave this word of Counsel with you, that you take heed how you quarrel with the English, for though you may do them much mischief yet assuredly you will all be destroyed and rooted off the Earth it you do: For I was as much an Enemy to them as their first coming into these parts as any one whatsoever, and tryed all ways and Means possible to have destroyed them, at least to have prevented them sitting down here, but could no way effect it, therefore I advise you never to contend with the English nor make War with them. And accordingly his eldest Son as soon as he perceived the Indians were up in Arms, with drew himself into some remote place that he might not be hurt either by the English or Indians. It is observable that this Passaconoway was the most noted Pawaw and Sorcerer of all the Country, and might therefore like Balaam at that time utter this from some divine Illumination.

[Page 73]But to proceed after this digression, after the death of Massasoit his eldest Son Alexander succeeded about twenty years since, who notwithstanding the League he had entred into with the English with his Father in 1639. had no affection to them nor their Religion, but was plotting to rise against them, whereupon a stout Gentleman was sent to bring him before the Council of Plymouth, who found him and eighty more in an Hunting-house, where they were just come in from Hunting, leaving all their Guns without Doors, which being seized by the English, they then entred the Wigwam, and demanded Alexander to go along with them before the Governour; at which Message he was much appalled, but being told that if he stirred or refused to go, he was a dead Man, he was per­suaded by one of his chief Confidents to go, but such was the Pride of his Spirit, that his very indignation for this surprizal, cast him into a Feaver, whereof he soon after died. After his death Philip his Brother, Nick-named King Philip, for his haughty Spirit came in his own Person in 1662, with Sausaman his Chief Secretary and Counsellor, to renew the former Lea­gue, that had been made with his Predecessors, and there was as much correspondence betwixt them for the next seven years, as had ever been in former times, and yet without any kind of provocation, this treache­rous Caitiff in 1676. harboured mischeivous thoughts again them, plotting a General Insurrection in all the English Colonies, all the Indians being to rise as one man against the Plantations which were next them; which being discovered by John Sausaman, Philip there­upon caused him to be murdered, the Murderers be­ing apprehended were Executed, and Philip fearing his own Head, got openly into Arms, killing, burning and destroying the English, and their Habitations, with all manner of Barbarity and Cruelty, which troubles continued almost two years, till at length after several defeats given to Philip and his Forces, the loss of his Friends, bereavement of his dear Wife and beloved [Page 74] Son, whom in his hast he was forced to leave Prisoners to save his own Life, his Treasures taken, and his own Followers plotting against his Life, Divine Vengeance overtook him, for causlesly breaking his League. For having been hunted like a Savage Beast through the Woods, above an hundred Miles backward and for­ward, at last he was driven to his own Den upon Mount Hope, retiring himself with a few of his best Friends in a Swamp, which proved now a Prison to se­cure him, till the Messengers of death came.

For such was his inveteracy against the English that he could not bear any thing should be suggested to him about Peace; insomuch that he caused one of his Con­federates to be killed for propounding it, which so pro­voked some of his Company not altogether so desperate as himself, that one of them who was near akin to him that was killed fled to Road Island, and infor­med Captain Church were Philip was, offering to lead him thither; Upon this welcome news a small Party of English and Indians, came very early in the morning and surrounded his Swamp, from whence as he was endeavouring to make his escape, he was shot through the heart by an Indian of his own Nation, for Captain Church having appointed an Englishman and an Indian to stand at such a place of the Swamp where it hapned that Philip was breaking through, the morning being very wet and rainy the Englishmans Gun would not fire, the Indian having an old Musket with a larg touchhole, it took Fire the more readily, with which Philip was dispatcht, the bullet passing directly through his Heart. soon after several of his Confederates and Counsellors were taken, and suffered deserved punishment, and in a while most of these murderers received their condign rewards. It cannot be altogether impertinent, but may discover much of the temper and management of the Indians in this War, to insert an account of one Stock­well of Deerfield, concerning his Captivity and Re­demption, with other notable Occurrences during his continuance among them, written with his own hand; and thus follows in his own words.

[Page 75] Sept. 19. 1677. About Sun-set I and another man being together, the Indians with great shouting and shooting came upon us, and some other of the English hard by, at which we ran to a Swamp for refuge, which they perceiving, made after us, and shot at us, three Guns being discharged upon me; the Swamp being miry, I slipt in and fell down, whereupon an Indian stept to me with his Hatchet lift up, to knock me on the head, supposing I was wounded, and unfit for Tra­vel; it hapned I had a Pistol in my Pocket, which though uncharged, I presented to him, who presently stept back, and told me, if I would yield, I should have no hurt, boasting falsly that they had destroyed all Hatfield, and that the Woods were full of Indians, whereupon I yielded my self, and so fell into the Ene­mies hands, and by three of them was led away to the place whence I first fled, where two other Indians came running to us, and one lifting up the But-end of his Gun to knock me on the head, the other with his hand put by the blow, and said, I was his friend. I was now near my own House, which the Indians burnt last year, and I was about to build up again, and there I had some hopes to escape from them; there was a Horse just by which they bid me take, I did so, but attempted no escape, because the Beast was dull and slow, and I thought they would send me to take my own Horses, which they did, but they were so frighted that I could not come near them, and so fell again into the Enemies hands, who now took me, bound me, and led me away. Soon after I was brought to other Captives, who were that day taken at Hatfield, which moved two contrary Passions, Joy to have company, and Sorrow that we were in this miserable condition: We were all pi­nioned, and led away in the night over the Mountains in dark and hideous ways about four Miles further, be­fore we took up our place of rest, which was in a dis­mal place of a Wood on the East-side of that Moun­tain; we were kept bound all that night, the Indians watching us, who as they travelled made strange noi­ses [Page 76] as of Wolves, Owls, and other Birds and Beasts, that they might not lose one another, and if followed, might not be discovered by the English.

About break of day we marched again, and got over the great River of Pecomptuck, there the Indians marked out upon Trays the number of their Captives and and Slain, as their manner is: Here I was again in great danger, a quarrel arising whose Captive I was, and I was afraid I must be killed to end the Contro­versie; they then asked me whose I was, I said, three Indians took me, so they agreed to have all a share in me; I had now three Masters, but the chief was he who first laid hands on me, which hapned to be the worst of the company, as Ashpelon the Indian Captain told me, who was always very kind to me, and a great comfort to the English. In this place they gave us Vi­ctuals which they had brought away from the English, and ten Men were again sent out for more plunder, some of whom brought Provision, others corn out of the Meadows upon Horses; from hence we went up a­bout the Falls, where we crost that River again, when I fell downright Lame of my old Wounds received in the War, but the apprehension of being killed by the Indians and what cruel death they would put me to, soon frighted away my pain, and I was very brisk again. We had eleven Horses in that Company, which carried Burdens, and the Women; we Travelled up the Ri­ver till Night, and then took up our Lodging in a dis­mal place, being laid on our Backs and staked down, in which posture we lay many Nights together, the manner was, our Arms and Legs being stretched out, were staked fast down, and a Cord put about our Necks, so that we could not possibly stir; the first Night being much tired, I slept as comfortable as ever, the next we lay in the Squahag Meadows, our Provision was soon spent, and whilst we were there, the Indians went a Hunting, and the English Army came out after us. Then the Indians moved again, dividing themselves and the Captives into many Companies, that the En­glish [Page 77] might not follow their Track. At Night having crossed the River, we met again at the place appointed, the next day we repassed it, where we continued a long time, which being about thirty Mile above Sq [...] ag, the Indians were quite out of fear of the English, but much afraid of the Mohawks, another sort of Indians, Enemies to them.

In this place they built a long Wigwam, and had a great Dance, as they called it, where it was conclud­ed to burn three of us, having provided Bark for that purpose▪ of whom, as I heard afterward, I was to be one, Serjeant Plympton another, and the wife of Ben­jamin Wait the third; I knew not then who they were, yet I understood so much of their Language that I perceived some were designed thereto; That night I could not sleep for fear of the next days work, the Indians weary with dancing lay down and slept soundly; The English were all loose, whereupon I went out for Wood and mended the Fire, making a noise on pur­pose but none awaked, I thought if any of the English should wake we might kill them all sleeping, to which end I removed out of the way all the Guns and Hatchets, but my heart failing I put all things where they were again. The next day when they intended to burn us our Master and some others spoke for us, and the Evil was prevented at this time; we lay here about three weeks, where I had a shirt brought me to make, one Indian said it should be made this way, another a different way, and a third his way, whereupon I told them I would make it according to my cheife Masters Order; Upon this an Indian struck me on the face with his Fist, I suddenly rose in anger to return it again which raised a great Habbub, the Indians and English coming about me, I was fain to humble my self to my Master which ended the matter. Before I came to this place my three Masters were gone a hunting, and I was left with only one Indian (all the company being upon a March) who fell sick so that I was fain to carry his Gun and Hatchet whereby I had opportunity to have [Page 78] dispatcht him, but did not because the English Captives had ingaged the contrary to each other, since if one should run away it would much indanger the remainder; whilst we were here Benjamin Stebbins, going with some Indians to Wachuset Hills made his escape, the tid­ings whereof caused us all be called in and bound. One of the Indian Captains and always our great friend met me coming in and told me Stebbins was run away, and the Indians spoke of burning us, some were only for burning our fingers, and then biting them off; He said there would be a Court and all would speak their minds, but he would speak last and declare, That the Indian who suffered Stebbins to make his escape was only in fault, and bid us not fear any hurt should hap­pen to us, and so it proved accordingly.

Whilst we lingred hereabout, Provision grew scarce, one Bears foot must serve five of us a whole day, we began to eat Horsflesh, and devoured several Horses three only being left alive. At this time the Indians had fallen upon Hadly where some of them being taken were released upon promise of meeting the English on such a Plain to make further Terms. Cap­tain Ashpalon was much for it but the Sachims of Wachu­set when they came were against it, yet were willing to meet the English only to fall upon and destroy them. Ashpalon charged us English not to speak a word of this, since mischief would come of it. With these Indians from Wachuset there came above fourscore Squaws or Wo­men, and Children, who reported the English had taken Ʋncas and all his men, and sent them beyon the Seas, whereat they were much inraged, asking us if it were true, we denied it, which made Ashpalon angry saying he would no more believe Englishmen; They then examined every one a part and dealt worse with us for a time than before: Still Provision was scarce, at length we came to a place called Squaro Maug River where we hoped to find Salmon, but came too late, this place I reckon 200 miles above Deerfield, then we pa [...]ted into two Companys some went one [Page 79] way, and some another; we passed over a mighty Mountain being eight days in travelling it though we marched very hard, and had every day either Snow or Rain; we observed that on this Mountain all the water ran Northward. Here we likewise wanted pro­vision, at length we got over and came neer a Lake where we staied a great while to make Canoos wherein to pass over. Here I was frozen, and here again we were like to starve, all the Indians went a Hunting but could get nothing, several days they Pawawed or Conjured but to no purpose, then they desired the English to Pray, confessing they could do nothing and would have us try what the Englishmans God could do. I prayed, so did Serjeant Plympton in an­other place, the Indians reverently attended morning and night; next day they killed some Bears, then they would needs make us desire a Blessing, and return Thanks at Meals, but after a while they grew weary of it, and the Sachim forbid us, when I was frozen they were very cruel to me because I could not do as at other times.

When we came to the Lake, we were again sadly streightned for Provision, and forc't to eat Touchwood fryed in Bears Grease, at last we found a Company of Racoons, and then we made a Feast, the Custom be­ing that we must eat all, I perceived I had too much for one time, which an Indian that sat by me observ­ing, bid me slip away some to him under his Coat, and he would hide it for me till another time, this In­dian as soon as he had got my Meat, stood up and made a Speech to the rest, discovering what I had done, whereat they were very angry, and cut me ano­ther piece, forcing me to drink Racoon Grease, which made me Sick and vomit, I told them I had enough, after which they would give me no more, but still tell me I had Racoon enough, whereby I suffered much, and being Frozen was in great pain, sleeping but little, and yet must do my task that was set me; as they came to the Lake, they killed a great Moose, staying there [Page 80] till it was all eaten, and then entring upon the Lake, a Storm arose, which indangered us all, but at last we got to an Island, and there the Indians went to Powaw­ing or Conjuring; the Powaw declared that Benjamin Wait and another were coming, and that Storm was raised to cast them away; This afterward appeared to be true, though then I believed it not, upon this Island we lay still several days, and then set out again, but a Storm took us, so that we continued to and fro upon certain Islands about three Weeks; we had no Provi­sion but Racoons, that the Indians themselves were afraid of being Starved; they would give me nothing, whereby I was several days without any victuals. At length we went upon the Lake on the Ice, having a lit­tle Sled, upon which we drew our Loads before Noon I tired, and just then the Indians met with some French­men; one of the Indians who took me, came and called me all manner of ill names, throwing me on my Back, I told him I could do no more, then he said he must kill me, which I thought he was about to do, for pul­ling out his Knife, he cut off my Pockets and wrapt them about my Face, and then helped me up, and took my Sled and went away, giving me a bit of Bisket like a Walnut, which he had of the Frenchman, and told me he would give me a Pipe of Tobacco; when my Sled was gone, I ran after him, but being tired, soon fell to a foot pace, whereby the Indians were out of sight, I followed as well as I could, having many falls upon the Ice, at length I was so spent, I had not strength enough to rise again, but crept to a Tree that lay along, upon which I continued all the cold Night, it being very sharp Weather.

I now counted no other but that I must here die, which whilst I was ruminating of, an Indian hollow'd, and I answered, he came to me and called me bad names, telling me if I would not go, he must knock me on the head, I told him he must then do so, he saw how I had wallowed in the Snow, but could not me, hereupon he wrapt me in his Coat, and going [Page 81] back, sent two Indians with a Sled, one said he must knock me on the head, the other said no, they would carry me away and burn me; then they bid me stir my Instep, to see if that were Frozen, I did so, when they saw that, they said there was a Surgeon with the French, that could cure me, then they took me upon a Sled, and carried me to the Fire, making much of me, pulling off my wet, and wrapping me in dry Cloths, laying me in a good Bed; they had killed an Otter, and gave me some of the Broth, and a bit of the Flesh, here I slept till toward day, and was then able to get up, and put on my Cloths; one of the Indians awaked, and seeing me go, shouted as rejoicing at it. As soon as it was light, I and Samuel Russel went afore on the Ice upon a River, they said I must go on Foot as much as I could for fear of Freezing, Russel slipt into the River with one Foot, the Indians called him back, and dried his Stockings, and then sent us away with an Indian Guide, we went four or five Miles before the rest of the Indians overtook us, I was then pretty well spent, Russel said he was faint, and wondred how I could live, for he said he had ten Meals to my one; I was then laid on the Sled, and they ran away with me on the Ice, the rest and Russel came softly after, whose Face I never saw more, nor know what became of him. About Midnight we got neer Shamblee a French Town where the River was open; when I came to Tra­vel, I was not able, whereupon an Indian who staid with me would carry me a few Rods, and then I would go as many, telling me I would dye if he did not carry me, and that I must tell the English how kind he was.

When we came to the first House there was no In­habitant, the Indian and I were both spent and discou­raged, he said we must now both die; at last he left me alone, and got to another House, from whence came some French and Indians, who brought me in, the French were very kind, putting my hands and feet in cold Water, and gave me a dram of Brandy, with a little Hasty-pudding and Milk; when I tasted Vi­ctuals, [Page 82] I was very hungry, but they would not suffer me to eat too much; I lay by the Fire with the In­dians that night, yet could not sleep for pain; next morning the Indians and French fell out about me, the Indians saying, that the French loved the English better than the Indians. The French presently turned the Indians out of doors, being very careful of me, and all the men in the Town came to see me; here I con­tinued three or four days, and was invited from one House to another, receiving much civility from a young man, who let me lie in his Bed, and would have bought me, but that the Indians demanded an hundred pound; we travelled to a place called Surril, whither this young man accompanied me, to prevent my being abused by the Indians, he carried me on the Ice one days Jour­ney, for now I could not go at all, when we came to the place the People were kind. Next day being in much pain, I asked the Indians to carry me to the Chy­rurgions, as they had promised, whereat they were angry, one taking up his Gun to knock me down, but the French would not suffer it, falling upon them, and kicking them out of doors; we went away from thence to a place two or three Miles off, where the Indians had Wigwams, some of whom knew me, and seemed to pity me; while I was here, which was three or four days, the French came to see me, and it being Christmas time▪ they brought me Cakes and other Provisions; the Indians tried to cure me, but could not; then I asked for the Chyrurgion, at which one of them in anger struck me on the face with his Fist, a Frenchman being by, who spoke to him some words, and went his way; soon after came the Captain of the place to the Wigwam, with about twelve Arm­ed men, and asked where the Indian was that struck the Englishman, and seizing him, told him, he should go to the Bilboes, and then be hanged: The Indians were much terrified at this, as appeared by their counte­nance and trembling, I would have gone away too, but the Frenchmen bid me not fear, the Indians durst not hurt me.

[Page 83]When that Indian was gone, I had two Masters still, I asked them to carry me to that Captain, that I might speak in behalf of the Indian, they answered, I was a Fool, did I think the Frenchmen were like the English, to say one thing, and do another? they were men of their words. But at length I prevailed with them to help me thither: and speaking to the Captain by an Interpreter, told him, I desired him to set the Indian free, declaring how kind he had been to me; he replyed, He was a Rogue, and should be hanged; then I privately alledged, that if he were hanged it might fare the worse with the Eng­lish Captives; the Captain said, That ought to be consi­dered, whereupon he set him at liberty upon condition he should never strike me more, and bring me every day to his House to eat Victuals; I perceived the com­mon people did not approve of what the Indians acted against the English. When he was free, he came and took me about the middle, saying, I was his Brother, I had saved his [...]ife once, and he had saved mine, he said, thrice; He then called for Brandy, and made me drink, and had me away to the Wigwam again; when I came there, the Indians one after another shook hands with me, and were very kind, thinking no other but I had saved the Indian's life. Next day he carried me to the Captains House, and set me down, they gave me my Victuals and Wine, and being left there a while by the Indians, I shewed the Captain and his Wife my Fin­gers, who were affrighted thereat, and bid me lap it up again, and sent for the Chyrurgion, who when he came, said, he would cure me, and dress [...]d it. The In­dians came for me toward night, I told them I could not go with them, whereat being angry, they called me Rogue, and went away. That night I was full of pain, the French were afraid I would die, five men did watch me, and strove to keep me chearful, for I was sometimes ready to faint; oft-times they gave me a little Brandy: The next day the Chyrurgion came again and dressed me, and so he did all the while I was among the French, which was from Christmas till May. [Page 84] I continued in this Captains House till Benjamin Wai [...] came, and my Indian Master being in want of Mony, pawned me to the Captain for fourteen Beavers, or the worth of them by such a day, which if he did not pay, he must lose his Pawn, or else sell me for 21 Beavers; but he could get no Beaver, and so I was sold, and in God's good time set at Liberty, and returned to my Friends in New-England again.

Though I have already given some Account of the Indians in this Country, yet having met with a Rela­tion of them from one J. J. an Englishman, in the year 1673. I think it not improper to collect some brief Re­marks concerning them, and of the present State of the English in New-England.

The People that inhabited this Country are judged to be of the Tartars called Samoids, who border upon Muscovia, and are divided into Tribes, those to the East and North-East are called Churchers, Tarentines, and Monhegans; To the South are the Pequets and Narra­gansets, Westward Connecticuts and Mowhacks; To the North Aberginians, which consist of Mattachusets Wip­panaps and Tarrentines. The Pocanets live to the West­ward of Plymouth. Not long before the English came into the Country hapned a great Mortality among them, especially where the English afterward planted. The East and Northern Parts were sore smitten, first by the Plague, after when the English came, by the Small Pox, the three Kingdoms or Sagamorships of the Mattachusets being before very populous, having under them seven Dukedoms or Petty- Sagamorships, but were now by the Plague reduced from thirty thousand to three hundred. There are not now many to the East­ward, the Pequods were destroyed by the English; the Mowhacks are about five hundred; their Speech is a Dialect of the Tartars; they are of Person tall and well limb'd, of a pale and lean Visage, black-eyed, which is counted strongest for sight, and black-hair'd, both smooth and curled, generally wearing it long; they have seldom any Beards, their Teeth very white, [Page 85] [...]hort and even, which they account the most necessa­ [...]y and best part of man; and as the Austrians are known [...]y their great Lips, the Bavarians by their Pokes un­der their Chins, the Jews by their goggle Eyes; so [...]he Indians are remarkable for their flat Noses. The [...]ndesses or young Women are some very comely, with [...]ound plump faces, and generally plump of their Bo­dies (as well as the Men,) soft and smooth like a Mole­skin, of reasonable good complexions, but that they dye themselves Tawny; yet many pretty Brownetto's and small-finger'd Lasses are found amongst them. The Vetuala's or old Women are lean and ugly, yet all of a modest demeanour, considering their Savage Breeding; and indeed they shame our English Rusticks, whose rudeness in many things exceeds theirs.

The Indians are of disposition very inconstant, crafty, timorous, quick of apprehension, and very ingenious, soon angry, and so malicious, that they seldom forget an injury, and barbarously cruel, witness their direful revenges upon each other; prone to injurious violence and slaughter, by reason of their blood dried up by over-much Fire; very Letcherous, proceeding from adust choler and melancholy, and a salt and sharp hu­mour; both Men and Women are very thievish, and great haters of Strangers, all of them Canibals, or eaters of Human flesh, and so were formerly the Heathen Irish, who use to feed upon the Buttocks of Boys, and the Paps of Women. I have read in the Spanish Rela­tions, that the Indians would not eat a Spaniard till they had kept him two or three days dead to grow tender, because their flesh was hard. At Martins Vineyard, an Island that lies South of Plymouth in the way to Vir­ginia, certain Indians (whilst I was in the Countrey) seiz [...]d upon a Boat that put into a By Cove, killed the Men, and in a short time eat them up before they were discovered. Their Houses which they call Wig­wams, are built with Poles pitcht into the ground, commonly round, sometimes square, leaving a hole for the Smoak, covering the rest with Barks of Trees, [Page 86] and line the inside of their Wigwams with Matts made of Rushes painted with several colours, one good Post they set up in the middle, which reaches to the hole in the top, with a staff across, whereon they hang their Kettle, beneath they set a broad Stone for a back, which keeps the Post from burning, round by the Walls they spread their Matts and Skins, where the Men sleep while their Women dress their Victuals; they have commonly two Doors, one opening to the South, the other to the North, and according as the Wind sits, they close up one Door with Bark, and hang a Deer-skin or the like before the other. Towns they have none, removing always from one place to another for conveniency of food, sometimes where one sort of Fish is plentiful, and then where another. I have seen an hundred of their Wigwams together in a piece of ground, which shews prettily, and within a week they have all vanished. They live chiefly by the Sea­side, especially in the Spring and Summer: In Winter they go up in the Countrey to hunt Deer and Beaver: Tame Cattel they have none except Lice, and certain Dogs of a wild breed, which they bring up to hunt with.

Wives they have two or three according to their abi­lity and strength of body, the women have the easiest labour of any in the world, for when their time is come they go out alone carrying a board with them two foot long, and a foot and half broad, boared full of holes on each side, having a foot beneath, and on the top a broad strap of Leather which they put over their forehead, the board hanging at their back; when they come to a convenient Bush or Tree they lay them down, and are delivered in an instant without so much as one groan, they wrap the child up in a young Beaver-skin with his heels close to his Buttocks, and lace him down to the board upon his back, his knees resting upon the foot beneath, then putting the strap of Leather upon their forehead with the Infant hanging at their back home they trudg, and die the Child with a liquor of boil'd Hemlock bark, and then throw him into the [Page 87] [...]ater if they suspect it gotten by any other Nation, if it will swim, they acknowledg it for their own; They give them names when they are men grown, and love [...]e English, as Robin, Harry, Philip, and the like, they are [...]ery indulgent to their Children, as well as Parents, but if [...]hey live so long as to be burdensome they either starve [...]or bury them alive, as it was supposed an Indian did by his mother at Casco in 1669. Their Apparrel before the English came among them was the skins of wild Beasts with the hair on, Buskings of Deerskin or Moose drest and drawn with lines into several works, the [...]ines being coloured with Yellow, Blue or Red, Pumps too they have made of tough skins with­out Soles. In winter when the snow will bear them, they fasten to their feet snow-shooes made like a larg Racket for Tennis play, laced on before and behind they wear a square peice of Leather tied about their middle with a string to hide their Secrets, and go bareheaded. But since they have had to do with the English they buy of them a cloth called trading cloth of which they make Mantles, Coats with short sleeves and caps for their heads, but the men keep their old Fashion. They are very proud as appears by decking themselves with white and blue beads of their own making, and painting their faces with colours, and sometimes weave curious Coats with Turkies Feathers for their Children; Their Diet is fish, Fowl, Bear, Wild Cat Raccoon and Deer, dried Oysters, Lobsters roasted or dried in the smoak, Lampreys, and dri'd Moose ton­gues, which they esteem a dish for a Sagamor or Prince, likewise Earthnuts, Chesnuts and divers Berries, they beat their Corn to Powder, and put it into bags which they make use of when Stormy weather hinders them of food. If they have none of this (being careles pro­viders against necessity) they use Sir Francis Drakes re­medy for hunger, to go to sleep.

They live to an hundred years old, if they be not cut off by their own Children, War, Plague or small Pox, when they have any of the two last diseases, [Page 88] they cover their wigwams with Barks so close that no Air can enter, and making a great Fire remain there in a stewing heat till they are in an extream sweat, and then run out naked into the Sea or River, and presently after their return they either recover, or give up the Ghost. They die patiently both men and women, not knowing of a Hell to scare them or a Con­science to terrify them, they howl at their funerals like the wild Irish, blaming the Devil for his hard hearted­nes, and concluding with rude Prayers to him to afflict them no further. They acknowledg a God who they called Squantam but worship him not, because they say he will do them no hurt, but Abbomo [...]ho or Cheepie many times smites them with incurable diseases, scares them with apparitions, and panick Terrors, so that they live in a wretched Consternation, worshipping the Devil for fear. One black Robin an Indian sitting in a Cornfield neer the House I was in, ran about ex­treamly frighted with the appearance of two Infernal Spirits like Mohawks; Another time two Indians and an Indess came crying out they should all die, for Chee­pei was gone over the Feild gliding in the Air with a long Rope hanging from one of his legs, we ask'd them what he was like, they said, He had Hat, Coat, Shoos and stockings like an Englishman; They have a remark­able observation of a flame that appears before the death of an Indian or English upon their Wigwams in the dead of the night, I was called out once about twelve a clock in a very dark night, and plainly perceived it mounting into the Air over a Church about half a Quarter of a Mile off, toward the North, on what side of a House it appears, from that Coast you may certainly expect a dead Corps in two or three days.

As they Worship the Devil, their Preists who are called Powaws, are little better than Witches, who have familiar conference with him; he makes them invulnerable and S [...]otfree. They are Crafty Rogues, abusing the rest at their pleasure, by pretending to cure Diseases with Barbarous Charms, for which if [Page 89] [...]hey recover, they send great Gifts, as Bows, Arrows, [...]nd rich Furrs to the Eastward, where there: is a vast Rock not far from the Shore, having a hole in it of an unsearchable depth, into which they throw them. Their Divinity is not much, yet say, that after death [...]hey go to Heaven beyond the white Mountains, and [...]int at Noahs Flood by Tradition from their Fathers, [...]ffirming, that a great while ago their Country was drowned, and all the People, and other Creatures in [...]t, only one Powaw and his Webb or Wife foreseeing [...]he Flood, fled to the white Mountains, carrying a Hare with them and so escaped, after a while the Po­waw sent the Hare away, who not returning, imbol­dened thereby they descended, and lived many years, after having divers Children, from whom the Country was again filled with Indians; some of them tell ano­ther Story, saying the Bever was their Father. Their Learning is very little or none, Poets they may be gue­ssed by their formal Speeches, sometimes an hour long; Musical too they be, having many pretty od Barba­rous Tunes, which they sing at Marriages and Feast­ings.

Their Exercises are Fishing and Hunting, they sometimes Hunt forty or fifty Mile up in the Countrey, especially when they happen upon a Moose or Elk, which is a Creature, or rather if you will a Monster of Superfluity, being in his full growth many times big­ger than an English Ox, the Horns are very big, brancht out into many Palms, and the tips thereof, are sometimes twelve Foot asunder, and in height, from the Toe of the Fore-foot to the pitch of the Shoulder twelve Foot, they are accounted a kind of Deer, and have three young ones at a time, which they hide a Mile asunder, when the Indians hunt him, which is commonly in Winter, they run him down sometimes in half a day, otherwhile a whole day, but never give over till he is tired; the Snow being usually four Foot deep, and the Beast very heavy, he sinks every st [...]p, and as he runs, breaks down the Trees in his way with [Page 90] his Horns, as big as a Mans Thigh at last they get up and pierce him with their Lances, upon which the poor Creature groans, and walks on heavily, till at length he sinks and falls like a ruined Building, making the Earth shake, becoming a Sacrifice to the Victors, who cut him up, and making a Fire near the place, they there Boil and eat their Venison, fetching their drink from the next Spring, being unacquainted with any other, till the French and English taught them the use of that cursed Liquor, called Rum, Rumbullion or Kill-devil, stronger than Spirit of Wine, drawn from the dross of Sugar and Sugar Canes, which they love dear­er than their lives, wherewith if they had it, they would be perpetually drunk, though it hath killed many of them, especially old Women.

Their Wars are with their Neighbouring Tribes, but the Mowhawks especially, who are Enemies to all other Indians, their Weapons were Bows and Arrows, but of late he is a poor Indian, that is not Master of two Guns, which they purchase of the French, with Powder and Shot; the Victors Flea the Skin off the Skull of the Principal slain Enemies, which they carry away in Triumph; their Prisoners they bring home, the old Men and Women they knock on the Head, the young Women they keep, and the Men of War they Torture to death, as the Eastern Indians did two Mow­hawks whilst I was there, they bind him to a Tree and make a great Fire before him, then with sharp Knives, they cut off his Fingers and Toes, then clap upon them hot Embers to sear the Veins; thus they cut him to pieces joint after joint, still applying Fire for stanching the Blood, making the poor Wretch Sing all the while; when Armes and Legs are gone, they Flea the Skin off their Heads, and presently apply thereto a Cap of burning Coals, then they open his Breast and take out his Heart, which while it is yet living in a manner, they give to their old Squa's or Women, who are every one to have a bit of it. These Barbarous Cus­toms they used more frequently before the English [Page 91] came, but since there are endeavours to Convert them to Christianity, by Mr. Eliot and his Son who Preach to them in their own Language, into which they have likewise Translated the Bible; these go Clothed like the English, live in framed Houses, have Stocks of Corn and Cattel about them, which when Fat they bring to Market; some of their Sons have been brought up Schol­lers in Harward Colledge.

New-England is seated in the midst of the Temperate Zone, yet is the Clime more uncertain as to heat and cold than those European Kingdoms which are in the same Latitude; The Air is cleer, healthful, and A­greeable to the English, well watered with Rivers, having variety of Beasts both tame and wild, with several sorts of Trees and excellent Fruits; the Commo­dities it yeildeth are rich Furs, Flax, Linnen, Am­ber, Iron, Pitch, Tarr, Cables, Masts, and Timber to build Ships, with several sorts of Grain, wherewith they drive a considerable Trade to Barbado's, and other English Plantations in America, supplying them with Flower, Bisket, Salt, Flesh and Fish, and in return bring Sugars and other Goods; To England they trade for Stuffs, Silks, Cloath, Iron, Brass and other Utensils for their Houses; The weights and measures are the same with England. The English po­sesss many potent Colonies, being very numerous and powerful, and are governed by Laws of their own making, having several Courts of Judicature, where they meet once a mouth, so they be not repugnant to the Laws of England; every Town sends two Burges­ses to their great and solemn General Court. The Government both Civil and Ecclesiastical is in the hands of the Independents, or Presbyterians; The Military part of their Government is by one Major General and three Serjeant Majors to whom belong the four Countys of Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex and Norfolk. They have several fine Towns, whereof Boston is the Metropolis, likewise Dorchester, Cambridg, beautified with two Colledges and many well built Houses; Reading, Salem, [Page 92] Berwick, Braintree, Bristoll, Concorde, Dartmouth, Dedham, Dover, Exeter, Falmouth, Glocester, Greens­harbour, Hampton, Harford, Haverhill, Weymouth, Yarmouth, New Haven, Oxford, Salisbury, Taunton, Sou­thampton, Newbury, Springfield, Sudbury, Ipswich, Li [...] Hull, Sandwich, Malden, Norwich, Roxbury, Sandwich, Wenham; Rowley, Hingham and others, most of them having the names of some Towns in England. The present Governor for his Majesty of England is Henry Cranfield Esquire.

CHAP. V. A prospect of New York, with the Scituation Plantation and Product thereof.

New York so called from our present gracious So­vereign when Duke of York, formerly namel [...] New-Netherlands, being part of that New-England which the Dutch one possessed, it was first discovered by Mr Hudson, and sold presently by him to the Dutch withou [...] Authority from his Sovereign the King of England in 1608. The Hollanders in 1614. began to plant there and called it New-Netherlands, but Sir Samuel Argall Governor of Virginia routed them, after which they go [...] leave of King James to put in there for fresh water in their passage to Brasile, and did not offer to plant till a good while after the English were setled in the Coun­try. In 1664. his late Majesty King Charles the Se­cond sent over four Commissioners, to reduce the Colonies into bounds that had before incroached upon each other, who marching with 300 Redcoats to Manhadees or Manhataes took from the Dutch, their cheif Town then called New-Amsterdam, now New-York, and Aug. 29. turned out their Governor with a Sil­ver Leg, and all the rest but those who acknowledged [Page 93] subjection to the King of England, suffering them to enjoy their Houses and Estates as before; thirteen daies after Sir Robert Car took the Fort and Town of Aurania now called Albany, and twelve daies after that the Fort and Town of Arosapha, then Dela-ware Castle man'd with Dutch and Sweeds. So that now the English are Masters of three handsome Towns, three strong Forts and a Castle, without the loss of one man, the first Governor of these parts for the King of England was Colonel Nichols one of the Commissioners; This Country is blessed with the richest soyl in all New-England; I have heard it reported from men of Judgment (saies my Author) that one Bushel of Eu­ropean wheat hath yeilded an hundred in one year.

The Town of New-York is well seated both for Trade, security and pleasure, in a small Isle called Manahatan, at the mouth of the great River Mohegan, which is very commodious for Shipping, and about two Leagues broad, the Town is large, built with Dutch Brick, alla Moderna, consisting of above 500 fair Houses, the meanest not 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-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; [Page 94] 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 no [...] sufficient to make them all drunk, they usually chuse so many as are proportionable, to that quantity, and [Page 95] 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 debau [...]hes they often kill each other, which the Friends of the dead revenge [...] 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 [Page 96] with Guns and Hatchets, they way-lay their Enemies and 'tis 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 times together, and so takes his leave.

Their Weddings are performed without any Cere­mony, the Match being first made by mony which [Page 97] being agreed on and given to the woman make a Con­summation of the Marrage if we may so call it; After which he keeps her during pleasure, and upon the least dislike turns her away and takes another. It is no offence for their married women to lie with an­other man provided she acquaint her husband, or some of her nearest Relations therewith, but if not, they account it such a fault as is sometimes punishable by death; some write that when an Indian woman finds her self with Child, she continues Chaft or untou­ched by man until her delivery, the like she observes in her giving suck, a strange Custom, which our Euro­pean Ladys would not well relish. An Indian may have two, three or more wives if he please, but it is not now so much used as before the English came, they being inclined to imitate them in things both good and bad. Any Maid before she is married lies with whom she please for Mony, without the least Scandal or as­persion, it being not only customary but lawful. They are extream charitable to each other, for if any one has to spare, he freely imparts it to his Freinds, and whatever they get by gaming or otherwise they share one with another, leaving commonly the least part to themselves.

At their Cantica's or Dancing Matches, all persons that come are freely entertain'd, it being then Festi­val time, their Custom is that all but the Dancers have a short stick wherewith they strike the ground, and sing altogether, while those that Dance sometimes Act warlike Postures, and then come in with faces painted black and Red like Warriors, or some all black, others all red, with streaks of white under their Eyes, and so jump and hop about without any Order, uttering many expressions of their designed valour; In other Dances they only shew what Antick Tricks their Igno­rance will lead them to, wringing their Bodies and Faces in a strange manner, sometimes leaping into the Fire, then catching up a Fire-brand, and biting off a live coal with many such tricks, which more affright than please an Englishman, resembling rather a Crew of In­fernal [Page 98] Furies than reasonable Creatures; when their King or Sachem sits in Council, he hath a Company of armed men to Guard his Person, great respect being shewed him by the People, which chiefly appears by their silence; After he has declared the cause of their Convention he demands their Opinions, ordering who shall begin first, who having delivered his mind, tells them he hath done, for no man interrupts him, though he make never so many long stops and halts, till he says he has no more to say; The Council having all deliver­ed their Opinions, the King after some pause gives the definitive sentence, which is commonly seconded with a shout from the People, thereby signifying their as­sent or applause. If any Person be condemned to dye, which is seldom but for murder or incest, the King him­self goes out in Person, (for they have no Prisons, and the guilty Person flies into the woods) to seek him out, and having found him, the King shoots first, though at never such a distance, and then happy is the man that can shoot him down, who for his pains is made some Captain or military Officer.

Their cloathing is a yard and half of broad cloth, which they hang on their Shoulders, and half a yard of the same being put betwixt their Legs, is tyed up be­fore and behind, and fastned with a Girdle about their middle hangs with a flap on each side, they wear no hats, but commonly tye either a Snakes skin about their Heads, a belt of their mony, or a kind of Ruff made with Deers hair, and died of a Scarlet Colour, which they esteem very rich; They grease their bo­dies and hair very often, and paint their faces with divers Colours, as Black, White, Red, Yellow, Blew, which they take great pride in every one being painted in a several manner; Thus much of the Customs of the Indians, and the Colony of New York.

Hudsons River runs by New-York Northward into the Country, toward the head of which is seated New-Albany, a place of great trade with the Indians, betwixt which and New-York being above an hundred [Page 99] Miles distance is as good Corn-Land, as the World affords, it was reduced to his Majesties Obedience by Colonel Nichols, and a League of Friendship concluded between the Inhabitants and the Indians, by whom they have never been since disturbed, but every man hathsate under his ownvine, and hath peaceably reaped and enjoy­ed the fruits of his own Labours, which God continue

CHAP VI. A Prospect of New-Jersey, with the; Scituation, Plantation and Product thereof.

NEw-Jersey is part of the Province of New-Albion aforementioned, and is subdivided into East and West Jersey. East-Jersey lies between 39 and 41 De­grees of North Latitude being about 12 Degrees more to the South than the City of London; It is bounded on the South-East by the main Sea, East by that vast Navigable stream called Hudsons River, West by a line of Division which separates it from West-Jersey, and North upon the Main Land, and extends it self in length on the Sea-coasts, and along Hudsons River, one Hundred English Miles and upward.

The Proprietors of this Province, who in 1682. were William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rud­yard, Samuel Groom, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Thomas Wilcox, Ambrose Rigg, John Heywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead and Thomas Cooper, have published the following Account for the Information, and Incouragement of all Persons, who are inclin­ed to settle themselves, Families and Servants in that Country, which may give sufficient Satisfaction of the Scituation, Conveniencies, and Product thereof.

The conveniency of Scituation, temperature of Air and fertility of Soyl is such, That there are no less than seven considerable Towns, viz. Shrewsbury, Middletown, Burgin, Newark, Elizabeth Town, Woodbridge, and Pis­cataway: which are well inhabited by a Sober and In­dustrious [Page 100] People, who have necessary Provisions for themselves and Families; and for the comfortable en­tertainment of Strangers and Travellers. And this Colony is experimentally found Generally to agree well with English Constitutions. For Navigation it hath these Advantages, not only to be Scituate along the Navigable part of Hudsons River, but lies also Fifty Miles on the Main Sea. And near the midst of this Province is that Noted Bay for Ships, within Sandy Hook, very well known not to be inferiour to any in America, where Ships not only Harbour in greatest Storms but Ride safe with all Winds, and Sail in and out thence, as well in Winter as Summer. For Fishery the Sea Banks there are very well stor'd with variety of Fish, not only such as are profitable for Transportation but fit for Food there: As Whales, Cod-fish, Cole and Hake-fish, large Mackerill, and many other sorts of Flat and small Fish. The Bay also and Hudsons River are plentifully stored with Sturgeon, Great Basse, and other Scale Fish; Eels and Shell-Fish, as Oysters, &c. in great plenty, and easie to take.

This Country is plentifully supplied with lovely Springs, Rivuolets, In-land Rivers, and Creeks which fall into the Sea, and Hudsons-River, in which is much plenty and variety of Fresh-Fish and Water-Fowl. There is great plenty of Oak-Timber fit for Shipping, and Masts for Ships, and other variety of Wood, like the adjacent Colonies, as Chesnut, Walnut, Poplar, Cedar, Ash, F [...]rr, &c. fit for building within the Country. The Land or Soyle (as in other places) varies in goodness and richness, but generally fertile, and with much smaller labour than in England, produceth plentiful Corps of all sorts of English Grain. Besides Indian Corn, which the English Planters find not only to be of vast in­crease but very wholesome and good in use. It also pro­duceth good Flax and Hemp, which they now Spin and Manufacture into Linen Cloth. There's suffi­cient Meadow and Marsh to their Ʋp-lands. And the very Barrens there (as they are call'd) are not like [Page 101] some in England, but produce Grass fit for Grazing Cat­tle in Summer Season. The Country is well stored with wilde Deer, Conies, and wild Fowl of several sorts, as Turkeys, Pidgeons, Partridges, Plover, Quailes, Wilde Swans, Geese, Ducks, &c. in great plenty. It produ­ceth variety of good and delicious Fruits, as Grapes, Plumbs, Mulberryes, Apricocks, Peaches, Pears, Apples, Quinces, Water-Melons, &c. which are here in England planted in O'rchards and Gardens: These, as also many other Fruits which come not to perfection in England, are the more natural product of this Country. There are already great store of Horses, Cowes, Hogs and some Sheep, which may be bought at reasonable Prises, with English Monys, or English Commodities, or mans Labour, where Monys and Goods are wanting. What sort of Mine or Minerals are in the Bowels of the Earth, After-time must produce, the Inhabitants not having yet employed themselves in search thereof. But there is already a Smelting-furnace and Forge set up in this Colony, where is made good Iron, which is of great benefit to the Country. It is exceedingly well furnished with safe and covenient Harbours for Shipping, which is of great advantage to that Country and affords already for Exportation great plenty of Horses; And also Beef, Pork, Pipestaves, Boards, Bread, Flowre, Wheat, Barly, Rie, Indian Corn, Butter and Cheese, which they Export for Barbados, Jamaica, Mevis, and other adjacent Islands, as also to Portugal, Spain, the Canaries, &c. their Whale Oyle and Whale-Fins, Bever, Monky, Racoon and Martin Skins, (which this Coun­try produceth) they Transport for England.

The Scituation and Soyle of this Country may invite any who are inclin'd to Transport themselves into those parts of America. For, 1. It being considerably Peo­pled and Scituate on the Sea Coast, with convenient Harbours, and so near adjacent to the Province of New-York, and Long Island, being also well Peopled Colonies may be proper for Merchants, Tradsemen, and Navigators. 2. It's likewise proper for such who are inclined [Page 102] to Fishery, the whole Coast and very Harbours Mouth's being fit for it, which has been no small Rise to the New-England people, and may be here carryed on also with great advantage. 3. For its Soyle it's proper for all Industrious Husband-men, and such who by hard Labour here on Rack Rents are scarce able to maintain themselves, much less to raise any Estate for their Chil­dren, may, with God's blessing on their Labours, there live comfortably, and provide well for their Fa­milies. 4. For Carpenters, Bricklayers, Masons Smiths, Mill-wrights and Wheel wrights, Bakers, Tanners, Tay­lors, Weavers, Shoomakers, Hatters, and all or most Han­dicrafts, where their Labour is much more valued than in these Parts, and Provisions much Cheaper. 5. And chiefly for such of the above mentioned, or any other who upon solid Grounds and weighty Considerations are in­clined in their minds to go into those Parts; without which, their going their, cannot be comfortable, or answer their expectation.

The Indian Natives in this Country are but few, com­parative to the Neighbouring Colonies; and those that are there are so far from being formidable or injurious to the Plan [...]ers and Inhabitants, that they are really servicable and advantageous to the English, not only in Hunting and taking the Deer, and other wilde Creatures; and catching of Fish and Fowl fit for food in their Seasons, but in the killing and destroying of Bears, Wolves, Foxes, and other Vermine and Poltry, whose Skins and Furrs they bring the English, and sell at a less price than the value of time an Englishman must spend to take them. As for the Constitutions of the Country, they were made in the Time of John Lord Barclay, and Sir George Car­teret, the late Proprietors thereof; in which, such pro­vision was made for Liberty in matters of Religion and Property in their Estates, that under the Ferms thereof that Colony has been considerably Peopled, and that, much from the adjacent Countries, where they have not only for many years enjoyed their Estates according the Concessions, but also an uninterrupted Exercise of [Page 103] their Particular perswasions in matters of Religion. And we the present Proprietors so soon as any persons here in England, or elsewhere are willing to be Engaged with us, shall be ready and desirous to make such farther Additions and Supplements to the said Constitutions, as shall be thought fit for the encouragement of all Planters and Ad­venturers; And for the farther setling the said Colony with a Sober and Industrious People.

Having with all possible brevity given an Account of the Country, we shall say something as to the disposition of Lands there. 1. Our Purpose is, with all convenient expedition, to erect and build one Principal Town; which by reason of Scituation, must in all probability be the most considerable for Merchandize, Trade and Fishery in those Parts. It's designed to be placed upon a Neck or Point of Rich-land called Ambo-point, lying on Raritor-River, and pointing to Sandy-Hook-Bay, and near adja­cent to the place where Ships in that Great Harbour commonly Ride at Anchor: A Scheme of which is alrea­dy drawn, and those who shall desire to be satisfied therewith many treat for a share thereof. 2. As for Encouragement of Servants, &c. We allow the same Pri­viledges as were provided in the Concessions at first. 3. Such who are desirous to Purchase any Lands in this Province, Free from all Charge, and to pay down their Purchase Monys here, for any quantities of Acres; Or that desire to take up Lands there, upon any small Quit-Rents to be Reserved, shall have Grants to them and their Heirs, on moderate and reasonable Terms. 4. Those who are desirous to Transport themselves into those Parts, before they Purchase, if any thing there present to their satisfaction, we doubt not but the Terms of Purchase will be so Moderate, Equal and Encouraging, that may Engage them to settle in that Colony.

Our Purpose being with all possible Expedi [...]ion to dis­patch Persons thither, with whom they may Treat; and who shall have our full Power in the Premises. As for Passage to this Province, Ships are going hence the whole Year about, as well in Winter as Summer, Sandy-hook-Bay [Page 104] being never frozen. The usual price is 5 l. per Head, as well Master as Servant, who are above 10 years of Age; all under 10 years, and not Children at the Breast pay 50 s. Sucking Children pay nothing. Carriage of Goods is usually 40 s. per Ton, and sometimes less, as we can Agree. The cheapest and chiefest time of the year for Passage is from Midsummer till the later end of Sep­tember, when many Virginia and Mary-land Ships are go­ing out of England into those Parts; and such who take then their Voyage, arrive usually in good time to Plant Corn sufficient for next Summer. The Goods to be carried there, are first for peoples own use, all sorts of Apparel and Houshold-stuff, and also Ʋtensils for Husban­dry and Building; and 2dly. Linen and Wollen Cloths, and S uffs fitting for Apparel, &c. which are fit for Mer­chandize and Truck there in the Country, and that to good Advantage for the Importer; Lastly, Although this Country, by reason of its being already considerably inhabited, may afford many conveniencies to Strangers, of which unpeopled Countries are destitute, as Lodging, Victualling, &c. Yet all persons inclining unto those Parts must know that in their Settlement there, they will find they must have their Winter as well as Summer. They must Labour before they Reap. And till their Plantations be cleared (in Summer time) they must expect, (as in all those Countries) the Muscato Flyes, Gnats, and such like, may in Hot and Fair Weather give them some disturbance, where People provide not a­gainst them. Which as Land is cleared are less trouble­some.

The South and South West part of New-Jersey lying on the Sea and Dela ware River is called West Jersey of which Mr. Edward Billing is now Proprietor; It hath all the Conveniencies and Excellencies of the other part aforementioned, and may be made one of the best Colonies in America for the Scituation, Air and Soil; The Ports, Creeks, good Harbours, and Havens being not inferior to any in that part of the World, having no less than 30 Navigable Creeks ranging themselves at a [Page 105] Convenient distance upon the Sea, and that stately Ri­ver of Dela Ware, the Shoars whereof are generally very deep and bold. The English that are setled here buy the Lands of the Natives, and give them real satis­faction for the same, whereby they are assured of their love and Friendship for ever, and the poor creatures are never the worse but much better, as themselves confess, being now supplyed by way of Trade with all they want or stand in need of, hunting and fishing as they did before except in inclosed or planted ground, bringing home to the English Seven or Eight fat Bucks in a day. There is a Town called Burlington, which will quickly be a place of great Trade, their Orchards are so loaden with Fruit that the very Branches have been torn away with the weight thereof, it is delightful to the Eye, and most delicious to the Tast; Peaches in such plenty that they bring them home in Carts, they are very delicate Fruit and hang almost like our Oni­ons tyed upon Ropes; They receive 40 Bushels of good English Wheat for one Bushel sown; Cherries they have in abundance and Fowl and Fish great plen­ty, with several that are unknown in England; There are likewise Bears, Wolves, Foxes, Rattle Snakes, and several other Creatures, as I imagin (saith my Author) because the Indians bring such Skins to sell, but I have travelled several hundreds of Miles to and fro, yet ne­ver to my knowledge saw one of them except 2 Rattle-Snakes, and I killed them both, so that the fear of them i [...] more than the hurt, neither are we troubled with the Muskato Fly in this place, our Land lying generally high and Healthy, and they being commonly in boggy ground; with common and reasonable care there may in a few years be Horses, Beef, Pork, Flouer, Bisket and Pease to spare, Yea this Country wjll pro­duce Honey, Wax, Silk, Hemp, Flax, Hops, Woad, Rapeseed, Madder, Potashes, Anniseed and Salt, Hides raw or tanned, and there is a very large vast Creature called a Moose, of whose Skins are made excellent Buff; besides the natural product of Pitch, Tar, Rosin, Tur­pentime, [Page 106] &c. As for furs, there are Beaver, black Fox and Otter with divers other sorts; The Tobacco is ex­cellent upon the River Dela Ware; There may be very good fishing for Cod and Cusk as several have found by experience, who have caught great plenty of well-grown Fish; upon the whole matter this Province af­fords all that is either for the necessity, conveniency, Profit, or Pleasure of humane life; and it may there­fore be reasonably expected, that this Country with the rest of America may in a few Ages be throughly peopled with Christians: I shall conclude with the Prophecy of the pious, learned and Honoura­ble Mr. George Herbert Oratour to the University of Cam­bridge, written many years since.

CHAP. VII. A Prospect of Pensylvania with the Sci­tuation, Product and Conveniencies thereof.

IT is the Jus Gentium or Law of Nations that what­ever wast or unculted Country is the Discovery of any Prince, it is the Right of that Prince who was at the charge of that Discovery; Now this Province is a Member of that part of America which the King of Englands Ancestors have been at the charge of discove­ing, and which they and he have taken care to pre­serve and improve; And his late Majesty of happy memory upon the Petition of William Penn Esq (where­in he set forth his Fathers Services, his own Sufferings and his Losses in relation to his Fathers Estate, and lastly his long and costly attendance without success) was pleased in right and consideration thereof to make a Grant to the sai'd William Penn, of all that Tract of Land in America which is exprest in the following Declaration to the Inhabitants and Planters of the Province of Pensyl­vania.

[Page 109]The Description of this Province cannot better be given by any than William Penn himself, who sent the following account from off the place in a Letter dated from Philadelphia, Aug. 16. 1683.

For this PROVINCE, the general Condition of it take as followeth. The Country it self in its Soil, Air, Water, Seasons and Produce both Natural and Artificial is not to be despised. The Land containeth divers sorts of Earth, as Sand Yellow and Black, Poor and Rich: also Gravel both Loomy and Dusty; and in some places a fast fat Earth, like to our best Vales in England, espe­cially by Inland-Brooks and Rivers, God in his Wisdom having ordered it so, that the Advantages of the Coun­try are divided, the Back-Lands being generally three to one Richer than those that ly by Navigable Waters. We have much of another Soyl, and that is a black Ha­sel-Mould, upon a Stony or Rocky bottom. The Air is sweet and cleer, the Heavens serene, like the South-parts of France, rarely Overcast; and as the Woods come by numbers of People to be more clear'd, that it self will Refine. The Waters are generally good, for the Rivers and Brooks have mostly Gravel and Stony Bottoms, and in Number hardly credible. We have also Mine­ral Waters, that operate in the same manner with Bar­net and North-Hall, not two Miles from Philadelphia. For the Seasons of the Year, having by God's goodness now lived over the Coldest and Hottest, that the Oldest Liver in the Province can remember, I can say some­thing to an English Understanding. 1st, Of the Fall, for then I came in: I found it from the 24th of Octo­ber to the beginning of December, as we have it usual­ly in England in September, or rather like an English mild Spring. From December to the beginning of the Month called March, we had sharp Frosty Weather; not foul, thick black Weather, as our North-East Winds bring with them in England; but a Skie as clear as in Summer, and the Air dry, cold, piercing and hungry; yet I remember not, that I wore more Clothes than in England. The reason of this Cold is given [Page 110] from the great Lakes that are fed by the Fountains of Canada. The Winter before was as mild, scarce any Ice at all; while this for a few days Froze up our great River Delaware. From that Month to the Month called June, we enjoy'd a sweet Spring, no Gusts, but gentle Showers and a fine Skie. Yet this I observe, that the Winds here as there, are most Inconstant Spring and Fall, upon that turn of Nature, than in Summer or Winter. From thence to this present Month, which ended the Summer (commonly speaking) we have had extraordinary Heats yet mitigated sometimes by Cool Breezes. The Wind that ruleth the Summer season, is the South-West; but Spring, Fall and Winter, 'tis rare to want the wholesome North Western seven dayes together: And whatever Mists, Fogs or Vapours soul the Heavens by Easterly or Southerly Winds, in two Hours time are blown away; the one is alwayes followed by the other. A Remedy that seems to have a peculiar Providence in it to the Inhabitants; the multitude of Trees yet stand­ing, being liable to retain Mists and Vapours, and yet not one quarter so think as I expected.

The Natural Produce of the Country, of Vegetables, is Trees, Fruits, Plants, Flowers. The Trees of most note are, the black Walnut, Cedar, Cyprus, Chestnut, Poplar, Gumwood, Hickery, Saffafrax, Ash, Beech and Oak of divers sorts, as Red, Whi [...]e & Black; Spanish Chestnut and Swamp, the most durable of all: of All which there is plenty for use of man.

The Fruits that I find in the Woods, are the White and Black Mulberry, Chestnut, Walnut, Plumbs, Strawberries, Cran­beries, Hurtleberries & Grapes of divers sorts. The great Red Grape (now ripe) called by Ignorance, the Fox-G ape (because of the Relish it hath with unskilful Palates) is in it self an extraordinary Grape, and by Art doubt­less may be Cultivated to an excellent Wine, if not so sweet, yet little inferior to the Frontiniack, as it is not much unlike in tast, Ruddiness set aside, which in such things, as well as Mankind, differs the case much. There is a white kind of Muskadel, and a little black Grape [Page 111] like the cluster-Grape of England, not yet so ripe as the other; but they tell me, when ripe, sweeter, and that th [...] only want skilful Vinerons to make good use of them: I intend to venture on it with my French man this season, who shews some knowledge in those things. Here are also Peaches, and very good, and in great quantities, not an Indian Plantation without them; but whether naturally here at first, I know not, however one may have them by Bushels for little; they make a pleasant Drink, and I think not inferior to any Peach you have in England, except the true Newington. 'Tis dis­putable with me, whether it be best to fall to Fining the Fruits of the Country, especially the Grape, by the care and skill of Art, or send for foreign Stems and Sets already good and approved, it seems most reasonable to believe, that not only a thing groweth best, where it naturally grows; but will hardly be equalled by ano­ther Species of the same kind, that doth not naturally grow there. But to resolve the doubt, I intend, if God give me Life, to try both, and hope the consequence will be as good Wine as any European Countries of the same Latitude do yield.

The Artificial Produce of the Country, is Wheat, Bar­ley, Oats, Rye, Pease, Beanes, Squashes, Pumkins, Water-Melons, Musk-Melons, and all Herbs and Roots that our Gar­dens in England usually bring forth.

Of living Creatures; Fish, Fowl and the Beasts of the Woods, here are divers sorts, some for Food and Profit, and some for Profit only: For Food as well as Profit, the Elk. as big as a small Ox Deer bigger than ours, Beaver, Racoon, Rabbits, Squirrels, and some eat young Bear, and commend it. Of Fowl of the Land, there is the Turkey (Forty and Fifty Pound weight) which is very great; Pheasants, Heath-Birds, Pidgeons and Partridges in abundance. Of the Water, the Swan, Goose, white and gray, Brand [...], Ducks, Teal, also the Snipe and Curloe, and that in great Numbers; but the Duck and Teal excel, nor so good have I ever eat in o­ther [Page 112] Countries. Of Fish, there is the Sturgeon, Herring, Rock, Shad, Catshead, Sheepshead, Ele, Smelt, Pearch, Roch; and in Inland Rivers, Trout, some say Salmon, above the falls. Of Shel fish, we have Oysters, Crabs, Cockles, Concks and Musctas; some Oysters six Inches long, and one sort of Cockles as big as the Stewing Oysters, they make a rich Broth. The Creatures for Profit only by Skin or Fur, and that are natural to these parts, are the Wild Cat, Panther, Otter, Wolf, Fox, Fisher, Minx, Musk-Rat; and of the Water, the Whale for Oyl, of which we have good store, and two Companies of Whalers, whose Boats are built, will soon begin their Work, which hath the appearance of a considerable Improvement; to say nothing of our reasonable Hopes of good Cod in the Bay. We have no want of Horses, and some are very good and shapely enough; two Ships have been freighted to Barbadoes with Horses and Pipe-Staves, since my coming in. Here is also Plenty of Cow-Cattel, and some Sheep; the People Plow mostly with Oxen. There are divers Plants that not only the Indians tell us, but we have had occasion to prove by Swellings, Burnings, Cuts, &c. that they are of great Virtue, sud­denly curing the Patient: and for smell, I have obser­ved several, especially one, the wild Mirtle; the other I know not what to call, but are most fragrant. The Woods are adorned with lovely Flowers, for colour, great­ness, figure and variety; I have seen the Gardens of London best stored with that sort of Beauty, but think they may be improved by our Woods: I have sent a few to a Person of Quality this Year for a tryal. Thus much of the Country, next of the Natives or Aborigines.

The NATIVES I shall consider in their Persons, Language, Manners, Religion and Government, with my sense of their Original. For their Persons, they are generally tall, streight, well-built, and of singular Pro­portion; they tread strong and clever, and mostly walk with a lofty Chin: Of Complexion, Black but by design, as the Gypsies in England: They grease them­selves with Bears fat clarified, and using no defence [Page 113] against Son or Weather, their skins must needs be swar­thy: Their Eye is little and black, not unlike a straight-look't Jew: The thick Lip and flat Nose, so frequent with the East-Indians and Blacks, are not common to them; for I have seen as comely European-like faces among them of both, as on your side the Sea; and truly an Italian Complexion hath not much more of the White, and the Noses of several of them have as much of the Roman. Their Language is lofty, yet narrow, but like the Hebrew; in Signification full, like Short-hand in writing; one word serveth in the place of three, and the rest are supplied by the understanding of the Hea­rer: Imperfect in their Tenses, wanting in their Moods, Participles, Adverbs, Conjunctions, Interjections: I have made it my business to understand it, that I might not want an Interpreter on any occasion: And I must say, that I know not a Language spoken in Europe, that hath words of more sweetness or greatness, in Accent and Emphasis, than theirs, for Instance, Octorockon, Ran­cocas, Oricton, Shakamazon, Poquesin, all which are names of Places, and have Grandeur in them: Of words of Sweetness, Anna, is Mother; Issimus, a Brother; Netap, Friend; usque oret, very good; ponc, Bread; metse, eat, matta, no, hatta to have, payo, to come; Se­passen, Passejon, the Names of Places; Tamane, Secane, Menanse, Secatereus, are the Names of Persons. If one ask them for any thing they have not, they will an­swer, matta ne hotta, which to translate is, not I have, instead of I have not.

Of their Customs and Manners there is much to be said; I will begin with Children. So soon as they are born, they wash them in Water, and while very young, and in cold Weather to chuse▪ they Plunge them in the Rivers to harden and embolden them. Having wrapt them in a Clout, they lay them on a straight thin Board, a little more than the length and breadth of the Child, and swaddle it fast upon the Board to make it straight; wherefore all Indians have flat Heads; and thus they carry them at their Backs. [Page 114] The Children will go very young, at nine Moneths com­monly; they wear only a small Clout round their Waste, till they are big; if Boys, they go a Fishing till ripe for the Woods, which is about Fifteen; then they Hunt, and after having given some Proofs of their Manhood, by a good return of Skins, they may Marry, else it is a shame to think of a Wife. The Girls stay with their Mothers, and help to hoe the Ground, plant Corn and carry Burthens; and they do well to use them to that Young, they must do when they are Old; for the Wives are the true Servants of their Hus­bands: otherwise the Men are very affectionate to them. When the Young Women are fit for Marraige, they wear something upon their Heads for an Adver­tisement, but so as their Faces are hardly to be seen, but when they please: The Age they Marry at, if Wo­men, is about thirteen and fourteen; if Men, seventeen and eighteen; they are rarely elder. Their Houses are Mats, or Barks of Trees set on Poles, in the fashion of an Eng­lish Barn, but out of the Power of the Winds, for they are hardly higher than a Man; they lie on Reeds or Grass. In Travel they lodge in the Woods about a great Fire, with the Mantle of Duffils they wear by day, wrapt about them, and a few Boughs stuck round them. Their Diet is Maze or Indian Corn, divers ways prepared; sometimes Roasted in the Ashes, sometimes beaten and Boyled with Water, which they call Homine; they also make Cakes, not unpleasant to eat: They have likewise several sorts of Beans and Pease that are good Nourishment; and the Woods and Rivers are their Larder.

If an European comes to see them, or calls for Lodg­ing at their House or Wigwam, they give him the best place and first cut. If they come to visit us, they sa­lute us with an It ah, which is as much as to say, Good be to you, and set them down, which is mostly on the Ground, close to their Heels, their Legs upright; may be they speak not a word more, but observe all Passa­ges: If you give them any thing to eat or drink, well, [Page 115] for they will not ask; and be it little or much if it be with Kindness, they are well pleased, else they go a­way sullen, but say nothing. They are great Concealers of their own Resentments, brought to it, I believe, by the Revenge that hath been practised among them; in either of these they are not exceeded by the Italians. A Tragical Instance fell out since I came into the Country; A King's Daughter thinking her self slighted by her Husband, in suffering another Woman to lie down between them, rose up, went out, pluck't a Root out of [...]he Ground, and ate it, upon which she imme­diately dyed; and for which, last Week he made an Offering to her Kindred for Atonement and liberty of Marriage; as two others did to the Kindred of their Wives, that dyed a natural Death: For till Widowers have done so, they must not marry again. Some of the young Women are said to take undue liberty before Marri­age for a Portion; but when marryed, chaste: when with Child, they know their Husbands no more, till de­livered; and during their Month, they touch no Meat they eat, but with a Stick, lest they should de­file it; nor do their Husbands frequent them, till that time be expired.

But in Liberality they excell, nothing is too good for their friend; give them a fine Gun, Coat, or other thing it may pass twenty hands, before it sticks; light of Heart, strong Affections, but soon spent; the most merry Crea­tures that live, Feast and Dance perpetually; they ne­ver have much, nor want much: Wealth circulateth like the Blood, all parts partake; and though none shall want what another hath, yet exact Observers of Pro­perty. Some Kings have sold, others presented me with several parcels of Land; the Pay or Presents I made them, were not hoarded by the particular Owners, but the neighbouring Kings and their Clans being present when the Goods were brought out, the Parties chiefly concerned consulted, what and to whom they should give them? To every King then, by the hands of a Per­son for that work appointed, is a proportion sent, so [Page 116] sorted and folded, and with that Gravity, that is ad­mirable. Then that King sub-divideth it in like manner among his Dependants, they hardly leaving themselves an Equal share with one of their Subjects: and be it on such occasions, at Festivals, or at their common Meals, the Kings distribute, and to themselves last. They care for little, because they want but little; and the Reason is, a little contents them: In this they are sufficiently revenged on us; if they are ignorant of our Pleasures, they are also free from our Pains. They are not disqui­eted with Bills of Lading and Exchange, nor perplexed with Chancery-Suits and Exchequer-Reckonings. We sweat and toil to live; their pleasure feeds them, I mean, their Hunting, Fishing and Fowling, and this Table is spread every where, they eat twice a day, Morning and Even­ing, their Seats and Table are the Ground. Since the Europeans came into these parts, they are grown great lovers of Strong Liquors, Rum especially, and for it exchange the richest of their Skins and Furs: If they are heated with Liquors, they are restless till they have enough to sleep; that is their cry, some more, and I will go to sleep; but when Drunk, one of the most wretchedst Spectacles in the World. In Sickness impa­tient to be cured, and for it give any thing, especially for their Children, to whom they are extreamly natural; they drink at those times a Teran or Decoction of some Roots in spring Water; and if they eat any Flesh, it must be of the Female of any Creature: If they dye, they bury them with their Apparel, be they Men or Wo­men, and the nearest of Kin fling in something precious with them, as a token of their Love: Their Mourning is blacking of their Faces, which they continue for a year: They are choice of the Graves of their Dead; for lest they should be lost by time, and fall to common use, they pick off the Grass that grows upon them, and heap up the fallen Earth with great care and exact­ness.

These poor People are under a dark Night in things relating to Religion, to be sure, the Tradition of it; yet [Page 117] they believe a God and Immortality, without the help of Metaphysicks; for they say, There is a great King that made them, who dwells in a glorious Countrey to the South­ward of them, and that the Souls of the good shall go thither, where they shall live again. Their Worship consists of two parts, Sacrifice and Cantico. Their Sacrifice is their first Fruits; the first and fattest Buck they kill goeth to the fire, where he is all burnt with a Mournful Dit­ty of him that performeth the Ceremony, but with such marvellous Fervency and Labour of Bo­dy, that he will even sweat to a foam. The other part is their Cantico, performed by round- Dances, some­times words, sometimes Songs, then Shouts, two being in the middle that begin, and by Singing and Drum­ming on a Board, direct the Chorus: Their Postures in the Dance are very Antick and differing, but all keep measure. This is done with equal Earnestness and La­bour, but great appearance of Joy. In the Fall, when the Corn cometh in, they begin to feast one another; there have been two great Festivals already, to which all come that will: I was at one my self, their Enter­tainment was a green Seat by a Spring, under some shady Trees, and twenty Bucks, with hot Cakes of new Corn, both Wheat and Beans, which they make up in a square form, in the leaves of the Stem, and bake them in the Ashes; and after that they fell to Dance. But they that go, must carry a small Present of their Money, it may be six Pence, which is made in the Bone of a Fish; the black is with them as Gold; the white, Silver; they call it all Wampum.

Their Government is by Kings, which they call Sache­ma, and those by Succession, but always of the Mothers-side; for Instance, the Children of him that is now King will not succeed, but his Brother by the Mother, or the Children of his Sister, whose Sons (and after them the Children of her Daughters) will Reign; for no Wo­man inherits; the Reason they render for this way of Descent, is, that their Issue may not be spurious. Every King hath his Council, and that consists of all the Old [Page 118] and Wise-men of his Nation, which perhaps is two hun­dred People: nothing of Moment is undertaken, be it War, Peace, Selling of Land or Traffick, without ad­vising with them; and which is more, with the Young Men too. 'Tis admirable to consider, how Powerful the Kings are, and yet how they move by the Breath of their People. I have had occasion to be in Council with them upon Treaties for Land, and to adjust the terms of Trade; their Order is thus: The King sits in the middle of an half Moon, and hath his Council, the Old and Wise on each hand; behind them, or at a little distance, sit the younger Fry, in the same figure. Hav­ing consulted and resolved their business, the King or­dered one of them to speak to me; he stood up, came to me, and in the Name of his King saluted me, then took me by the hand, and told me, That he was ordered by his King to speak to me, and that now it was not he, but the King that spoke, because what he should say, was the King's mind. He first pray'd me, to excuse them that they had not complied with me the last time; he feared, there might be some fault in the Interpreter, being neither Indian nor English; besides, it was the Indian Custom to deliberate, and take up much time in Council, before they resolve; and that if the Young People and Owners of the Land had been as ready as he, I bad not met with so much delay. Having thus introduced his matter, he fell to the Bounds of the Land they had agreed to dispose of, and the Price, (which now is little and dear, that which would have bought twenty Miles, not buying now two.) During the time that this Person spoke, not a man of them was observed to whisper or smile; the Old Grave, the Young Reverend in their Deportment; they do speak little, but fervently, and with Elegancy: I have never seen more natural Sagacity, considering them without the help, (I was a going to say, the spoil) of Tradition▪ and he will deserve the Name of Wise, that Out-wits them in any Treaty about a thing they understand. When the Purchase was agreed, great Promises past between us of Kindness and good Neighbourhood, and that the Indians [Page 119] and English must live in Love, as long as the Sun gave light. Which done, another made a Speech to the Indians, in the Name of all the Sachamakers or Kings, first to tell them what was done; next, to charge and command them, To love the Christians, and particularly live in Peace with me, and the People under my Government: That many Governours had been in the River, but that no Governour had come himself to live and stay here before; and having now such a one that had treated them well, they should never do him or his any wrong. At every sentence of which they shouted and said, Amen, in their way.

The Justice they have is Pecuniary: In case of any Wrong or evil Fact, be it Murther it self, they Atone by Feasts and Presents of their Wampum, which is pro­portioned to the quality of the Offence or Person injured, or of the Sex they are of: For in case they kill a Wo­man, they pay double, and the Reason they render, is, That she breedeth Children, which Men cannot do. 'Tis rare that they fall out, if Sober; and if Drunk, they for­give it, saying, it was the Drink, and not the Man, that abused them. We have agreed, that in all differences between us, six of each side shall end the matter: Don't abuse them, but let them have Justice, and you win them: The worst is, that they are the worse for the Christians, who have propagated their Vices, and yielded them Tradition for ill, and not for good things. But as low an Ebb as they are at, and as in glorious as their Condition looks, the Christians have not out-liv'd their sight with all their Pretensions to an higher Ma­nifestation: What good then might not a good Peo­ple graft, where there is so distinct a Knowledg left between good and evil? I beseech God to incline the Hearts of all that come into these parts, to out-live the Knowledge of the Natives, by a fixt Obedience to their greater Knowledge of the Will of God; for it were miserable indeed for us to fall under the just censure of the Poor Indian Conscience, while we make profession of things so far transcending.

For their Original, I am ready to believe them of [Page 120] the Jewish Race, I mean, of the stock of the Ten Tribes, and that for the following Reasons; first. They were to go to a Land not Planted or known, which to be sure Asia and Africa were, if not Europe; and he that intended that extraordinary Judgment upon them, might make the Passage not uneasy to them, as it is not impossible in it self, from the Easter-most parts of Asia, to the Wester-most of America. In the next place, I find them of like countenance, and their Children of so lively Resemblance, that a Man would think himself in Dukes-place or Berry-street in London, when he seeth them. But this is not all, they agree in Rites, they rec­kon by Moons; they offer their first Fruits, they have a kind of Feast of Tabernacles; they are said to lay their Altar upon twelve Stones; their Mourning a year, Customs of Women, with many things that do not now ocur.

So much for the Natives, next the Old Planters will be considered in this Relation, before I come to our Colony, and the Concerns of it. The first Planters in these parts were the Dutch, and soon after them the Swedes and Finns. The Dutch applied themselves to Traffick the Swedes and Finns to Husbandry. There were some Disputes between them some years, the Dutch looking upon them as Intruders upon their Purchase and Possession, which was finally ended in the Surren­der made by John Rizeing, the Sweeds Governour, to Peter Styresant, Governour for the States of Holland, Anno. 1655. The Dutch inhabit mostly those parts of the Province, that lie upon or near to the Bay, and the Swedes the Freshes of the River Delaware. There is no need of giving any Description of them, who are bet­ter known there than here; but they are a plain, strong, industrious People, yet have made no great progress in Culture or propagation of fruit-Trees, as if they desired ra­ther to have enough, than Plenty or Traffick. But I pre­sume, the Indians made them the more careless, by fur­nishing with the means of Profit, to wit, Skins and Furs for Rum, and such strong Liquor. They kindly receiv­ed me, as well as the English, who were few, before the [Page 121] People concerned with me came among them: I must needs commend their Respect to Authority, and kind Behaviour to the English; they do not degenerate from the Old friendship between both Kingdoms. As they are People proper and strong of Body, so they have fine Children, and almost every house full; rare to find one of them without three or four Boys, and as many Girls, some six, seven and eight Sons: And I must do them that right, I see few Young men more sober and laborious. The Dutch have a Meeting-place for Religious Worship at New-Castle, and the Swedes, three, one at Christina, one at Tenecum, and one at Wicoco, within half a Mile of this Town.

There rests, that I speak of the Condition we are in, and what Settlement we have made, in which I will be as short as I can; for I fear, and not without reason, that I have tryed your Patience with this long Story. The Country lieth bounded on the East, by the River and Bay of Delaware, and Eastern Sea; it hath the Ad­vantage of many Creeks or Rivers rather, that run into the main River or Bay; some Navigable for great Ships; some for small Craft: Those of most Eminen­cy are Christina, Brandy-wine, Skilpot and Skulkill; any one of which have room to lay up the Royal Navy of England, there being from four to eigh [...] Fathom Water. The lesser Creeks or Rivers, yet convenient for Sloops and Ketches of good Burthen, are Lewis, Mespilion, Cedar, Dover, Cranbrook, Feversham, and Georges below and Chi­chester, Chester, Toacawny Pemmapecka, Fortquessin, Neshi­menek and Pennberry in the Freshes; many lesser that admit Boats and Shallops. Our People are mostly set­tled upon the upper Rivers, which are pleasant and sweet, and generally bounded with good Land. The Planted part of the Province and Territories is cast into six Counties, Philadelphia, Buckingham, Chester, Newcastle, Kent and Sussex, containing about Four Thou­sand Souls. Two General Assemblies have been held, and with such Concord and Dispatch, that they sate but three Weeks, and at least seventy Laws were past without one [Page 122] Dissent in any material thing. But of this more here­after, being yet Raw and New in our Geer: However, I cannot forget their singular Respect to me in this In­fancy of things, who by their own private Expences so early consider'd Mine for the Publick, as to present me with an Impost upon certain Goods Imported and Ex­ported: Which after my Acknowledgments of their Affection, I did as freely remit to the Province and the Traders to it. And for the well Government of the said Counties, Courts of Justice are establisht in every County, with proper Officers, as Justices, Sheriffs, Clerks, Constables, &c. which Courts are held every two Months. But to prevent Law-Suits, there are three Peace-makers chosen by each County-Court, in the nature of com­mon Arbitrators, to hear and end Differences betwixt man and man; and Spring and Fall there is an Orphan's Court in each County, to inspect and regulate the Affairs of Orphans and Widows.

Philadelphia, the Expectation of those that are con­cern'd in this Province, is at last laid out to the great Con­tent of those here, that are any wayes Interested there­in: The Scituation is a Neck of Land, and lieth be­tween two Navigable Rivers, Delaware and Skulkil, whereby it hath two Fronts upon the Water, each a Mile, and two from River to River. Delaware is a glo­rious River but the Skulkil being an hundrod Miles Boa­table above the Falls, and its Course North-East toward the Fountain of Susquahannah (that tends to the Heart of the Province, and both sides our own) it is like to be a great part of the Settlement of this Age, in which those who are Purchasers of me, will find their Names and Interest. But this I will say for the good Providence of God, that of all the many Places I have seen in the World, I remember not one better seated; so that it seems to me to have been appointed for a Town, whether we regard the Rivers, or the conveniency of the Coves, Docks, Springs, the loftiness and soundness of the Land and the Air, held by the People of those parts to be very good. It is advanced within less than a [Page 123] Year to about four score Houses and Cottages, such as they are, where Merchants and Handicrafts are fol­lowing their Vocations as fast as they can, while the Country-men are close at their Farms: Some of them got a little Winter-Corn in the Ground last Season, and the generality have had a handsom Summer-Crop, and are preparing for their Winter-Corn. They reaped their Barley this Year in the Month called May; the Wheat in the Month following; so that there is time in these parts for another Crop of divers things before the Winter Season. We are daily in hopes of Shipping to add to our Number; for blessed be God here is both Room and Accommodation for them; the Stories of our Necessity, being either the Fear of our Friends, or the Scare-Crows of our Enemies; for the greatest hardship, we have suffered, hath been Salt-Meat, which by Fowl in Winter, and Fish in Summer, together with some Poultry, Lamb, Mutton, Veal, and plenty of Venison the best part of the year, hath been made very passable. I bless God, I am fully satisfyed with the Country and Entertainment I can get in it; for I find that particular Content which hath always attended me, where God in his Providence hath made it my place and service to reside. You cannot Imagin, my Station can be at present free of more than ordinary business, and as such, I may say, it is a troublesome Work; but the Me­thod things are putting in, will facilitate the charge, and give an easier Motion to the Administration of Affairs. However, as it is some Mens Duty to Plow, some to Sow, some to Water, and some to Reap; so it is the Wisdom as well as Duty of a Man, to yield to the mind of Providence, and chearfully, as well as carefully im­brace and follow the Guidance of it.

The City of Philadelphia, as it is now laid out, ex­tends in Length, from River to River, two Miles, and in Breadth near a Mile; and the Governour, as a further manifestation of his Kindness to the Purchasers, hath freely given them their respective Lots in the City, without defalcation of any of the [...]r [Page 124] Quantities of Purchased Lands; and as its now placed and modelled between two Navigable Rivers upon a Neck of Land, and that Ships may ride in good Ancho­rage, in six or eight Fathom Water in both Rivers, [...]se to the City, and the Land of the City level, dry and wholsom; such a Scituation is scarce to be parallel'd. The City is so ordered now, by the Governour's Care and Prudence, that it hath a front to each River, one half at Delaware, the other at Skulkil; and though all this cannot make way for small Purchasers to be in the Fronts, yet they are placed in the next Streets, contiguous to each Front, viz all Purchasers of one Thousand Acres, and upwards, have the Fronts (and the High-street) and to every five Thousand Acres Pur­chase, in the Front about an Acre, and the smaller Purchasers about half an Acre in the backward-Street; By which means the least hath room enough for House, Garden and small Orchard, to the great Con­tent and Satisfaction of all here concerned.

The City consists of a large Front-street to each Ri­ver, and a High-street (near the middle) from Front (or River) to Front, of one hundred Foot broad, and a broad Street in the middle of the City, from side to side, of the 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-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 Patowmec [...]; 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 [Page 126] 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 [Page 127] 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 [...]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 [Page 128] 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 his Neck; This Idol is the keeper of the dead bodies of their Kings, which are advanced on Scaffolds nine or ten foot high, this Kiwasa or Guardian being placed neer them, and underneath lives a Priest who there mumbleth his Devotions Night and Day.

The Countrey is generally plain and even, the soyl rich and Fertile naturally, producing all such Commo­dities as are found in New-England, as to Fish, Fruits, Plants Roots. &c. The chief Trade of the English there is Tobacco, which is not inconsiderable, since an hundred sail of Ships have in one year traded thither from England and the neighbouring English Plantati­ons. It is divided into ten Counties, in each of which a Court is held every two months for little Matters, with Appeal to the Provincial Court at St. Maries, which is the principal Town seated on St. Georges Ri­ver, and beautified with several well built Houses. This Province is granted by Parent to the Right Ho­nourable the Lord Baltimore and to his Heirs and Assigns, with many Civil and Military-Prerogatives and Juris­dictions, as conferring Honours, Coyning money, &c. paying yearly as an acknowledgment to his Majesty and his Successors, two Indian Arrows at Windsor Castle [Page 129] upon [...]aster Tuesday. The Lord Baltimore hath his re­sidence at Mattapany about eight miles distant from St. Maries where he hath a pleasant seat, though the Gene­ral Assemblies and provincial Courts are kept at St. Maries; And for incouraging People to settle here, his Lordship, by advice of the General Assembly, hath long since established a Model of excellent Laws for the ease and security of the Inhabitants, with Tole­ration of Religion to all that profess Faith in Christ, which hath been a principal Motive to many to settle there.

CHAP. IX. A Prospect of Virginia with the Disco­very, Plantation and Product thereof.

THis Countrey with the other adjoining Coasts, was first discovered by Sebastian Cabot with his English Mariners in 1497. And may therefore be just­ly claimed by England, it was afterward visited by Sir Francis Drake, and called Virginia by Sir Walter Raw­leigh in honour of his Virgin Mistress, Queen Elizabeth; In 1603. some Persons at Bristow by leave from Sir Wal­ter Rawleigh, who had the Propriety thereof, made a Voyage thither, who discovered Whitson-Bay in forty one Degrees, the People used Snakeskins of six Foot long for Girdles, and were exceedingly ravished with the Musick of a Gittern Boy, dancing in a ring about him, they were more afraid of two English Mastives than of twenty Men; In 1607. Sir John Popham, and others setled a Plantation at the mouth of the River Sagahadoc, the Captain James Davis chose a small place, almost an Island to set down in, where having heard a Sermon, read their Patent and Laws, and Built a Fort, [Page 130] they Sailed to discover further up the River and Coun­trey, and encountred with an Island, where was a great Fall of Water, over which they haled their Boat with a Rope, and came to another Fall, shallow, swift and unpassable, they found the Countrey stored with white and red Grapes, good Hops, Onions, Gar­lick, Oaks, Walnuts, and the Soil good, the Head of the River being in about forty five Degrees; they cal­led their Fort St. George, Captain George Popham being President, the People seemed much affected with our Mens Devotions, and would say, King James is a good King, and his God a good God, but our God Tanto a naugh­ty God; which is the name of the evil Spirit that haunts them every new Moon, and makes them Worship him for fear; he commanded the Indians not to converse nor come near the English, threatning some to kill them, and to inflict Sickness upon others if they dis­obeyed him, beginning with two of their Saga [...]nors or Kings Children, affirming he had power to do the like against the English, and would execute it on them the next new Moon. The Natives told our Men of Cannibals near Sagadohoc, with Teeth three Inches long, but they saw them not. In January they had in the space of seven hours Thunder, Lightning, Rain, Frost and Snow all in abundance; they found a Bath two Miles about, so hot they could not drink of it. One of the Savages for a Straw-hat and Knife stript himself of his Clothing of Bevers Skins worth in England 50 s. or 3 l. to Present them to the President, leaving only a Flap to cover his Nudities.

About this time Captain Gosnold set Sail for Virginia, and arrived there after long contending with furious Storms and Tempests; and soon after by the Industry of Captain Smith, James-Town was Built, the Savages supplying their necessities which were sometimes very extream; the Winter approaching, the Rivers afford­ed them plenty of Cranes, Swans, Geese, Ducks, wherewith they had Pease, and Wild Beasts, as Be­vers, Otters, Martins, and black Foxes, upon which [Page 131] they daily Feasted; but in the discovery of Chickaha­mine River, George Casson was surprized, and Smith with two others beset with two hundred Savages, his Men Slain, and himself in a Quagmire taken Prisoner, but after a Month, he procured not only his Liberty, but was in great esteem among them, being extreamly pleased with his Discourses of God, Nature and Art, and had Royal Entertainment from Powhatan one of their Emperours, who sat in State upon his Bed of Matts, his Pillow of Leather imbroidered with Pearl and white Beads, attired with a Robe of Skins as large as an Irish Mantle, at his Head sat a handsom young Woman, and another at his Feet, and on each side the Room, twenty others, their Heads and Shoulders painted red with a great Chain of white Beads about their Necks, and a Robe of Skins large like an Irish Mantle, before these sat his chiefest Men in their Or­ders: in this Palace or Arbour, one Newport, who ac­companied Captain Smith, gave the Emperour a Boy, in requital whereof, Powhatan bestowed upon him Namontack his Servant, who was after brought into England; yet after this Powhatan treacherously con­trived the Murther of sixteen of our Men, which was happily prevented by Captain Smith, who seized ano­ther of their Kings, and thereby procured Peace from them on his own Terms.

This Powhatan had about thirty Kings under him, his Treasure consisted of Skins, Copper, Pearls, Beads, and the like, kept in a house on purpose against the time of his Burial; this House was fifty or sixty Yards long, frequented only by Priests, at the four Corners stood four Images as Centinels, one of a Bear, another a Dragon, a third a Leopard, and the fourth a Giant; he hath as many Women as he please, whom when he is weary of, he bestows upon his Favourites; his Will and the Customs of the Countrey are his Laws, Malefactors are punished, by broiling to death, in­compassed with Fire, and divers other Tortures; Mr. White relates, that about ten Mile from James-Town, [Page 132] one of their Kings made a Feast in the Woods, the People were monstrously painted, some like black Devils, with Horns, and their Hair loose of divers Colours, they continued two days dancing in a circle of a Quarter of a Mile about, fo [...] in a rank, in two Companies, using several Antick Tricks, the King leading the dance; all in the midst had black Horns on their Heads, and Green Boughs in their Hands, next whom were four or five Principal Men differently painted, who with Clubs beat those forward that tired in the Dance, which held so long that they were nei­ther able to go nor stand; they made a hellish noise, and every one throwing away his Bough, ran clapping their Hands up into a Tree, and tearing down a Branch fell into their Order again. After this fifteen of their properest Boys between ten and fifteen years old, painted white, were brought forth to the People, who spent the Forenoon in dancing and finging about them with rattles; Then the Children were fetched away, the Women weeping and passionately crying out, pro­viding Moss Skins, Matts and dry Wood, making Wreaths for their Heads, and decking their Hair with Leaves, after which they were all cast on an heap in a Valley as dead, where a great Feast was made for all the Company for two Hours, they then fell again into a Circle and danced about the Youths, causing a Fire to be made upon an Altar, which our Men thought was designed to Sacrifice them to the Devil, but it was a mistake, and the Indians deluded our Men by false Stories, one denying and another affirming the same thing, being either ignorant or unwilling to discover the devilish Mysteries of their Religion; but Captain Smith says, that a King being demanded the meaning of this Sacrifice, answered, that the Children were not all dead, but that Okee or the Devil, did suck the Blood from their left Breast, till some of them died, but the rest were kept in the Wilderness till nine Moons were expired, during which they must not converse with any, and of these were made Priests and Conjurers.

[Page 133]They think these Sacrifices so necessary, that if omit­ted, they believe their Okee or Devil, and their other Gods would hinder them from having any Deer, Tur­kies, Corn or Fish, and would likewise make a great Slaughter among them. They imagin their Priests af­ter death go beyond the Mountains toward the Sun-setting, and remain there continually in the shape of their Okee, having their Heads painted with Oil, and finely trimmed with Feathers, being furnished with Beads, Hatchets, Copper and Tobacco, never ceasing to dance and sing with their Predecessors, yet they suppose the Common People shall dye like Beasts, and never live after death; some of their Priests were so far convinced, that they declared they believed, our God exceeded theirs, as much as our Guns did their Bows and Arrows, and sent many Presents to the Pre­sident, intreating him to pray to his God for Rain, for their God would not send them any. By break of day before they eat or drink, the Men, Women and Chil­dren above ten years old run into the Water, and there wash a good space till the Sun arise, then they offer Sacrifice to it, strewing Tobacco on the Land and Water, repeating the same Ceremonies at Sun set; George Casson aforementioned was Sacrificed, as they thought, to the Devil, being stript naked and bound to two Stakes with his back against a great Fire, af­ter which they ript up his Belly and burnt his Bowels, drying his Flesh to the Bones, which they kept above ground in a by Room; many other Englishmen were cruelly and treacherously Executed by them, though perhaps not Sacrificed, and none had escaped if their Ambushes had succeeded. Powhatan invited one Cap­tain Ratcliff and thirty others to Trade for Corn, and having brought them within his Ambush, Murdered them all.

One Tomocomo an Indian and Counsellor to one of their Kings, came into England in the Reign of King James the first, who landing in the West was much surprized at our plenty of Corn and Trees, imagining [Page 134] we ventured into their Countrey to supply those de­fects, he began then to number the Men he met with, but his Arithmetick soon failed him; he related that Okee their God did often appear to him in his Temple, to which purpose four of their Priests go into the House, and using certain strange words and gestures, eight more are called in, to whom he discovers what his will is; upon him they depend in all their Proceed­ings, as in taking Journeys or the like; sometimes when they resolve to go on hunting, he by some known token will direct where they shall find Game, which they with great cheerfulness acknowledging, follow his directions, and many times succeed therein; he appears like a handsom Indian with long black Locks of Hair, after he hath staid with his twelve Confede­rates for some time, he ascendeth into the Air from whence he came. The Natives think it a disgrace to fear death, and therefore when they must dye, they do it resolutely, as it happened to one who robbed an Englishman, and was by Powhatan (vpon complaint made against him,) fetched sixty Miles from the place where he lay concealed, and by this Tomocomo Execut­ed in the presence of the English, his Brains being knockt out, without the least shew of fear or terrour.

The Virginians are not born so swarthy as they ap­pear, their hair is generally black, few men have beards, because they pluck out the hair that would grow, their Ointments and smoaky houses do in a great measure cause their blackness, whereby they look like Bacon, they have one wife, many Concubines, and are likewise Sodomites; The Ancient Women are used for Cooks, Barbers, and other services, the younger for dalliance, they are modest in their car­riage, and seldom quarrel, in entertaining a stranger they spread a Matt for him to sit down, and then dance before him, they wear their nails long to flea their Deer, and put Bows and Arrows into the Hands of their Children, before they are six years old. In each Ear they have generally three great holes where­in [Page 135] they commonly hang chains, bracelets, or Copper, some wear a Snake therein coloured green and yellow near half a yard long, which crawling about their necks offers to kiss their lips, others have a dead Rat tyed by the Tail. The Women raze their bodies, legs and thighs with an Iron in curious knots, and Shapes of Fowles, Fishes, & Beasts, and Rub a painting therein which will never come out; The Queen of Apametica was attired with a Coronet beset with many white Bones; with Copper in her ears, and a Chain of the same six times incompassing her neck; The Sasquehanocks are Giant-like people, very monstrous in proportion, behaviour and attire, their voice sounds as if out of a Cave, their Garments are Bears-Skins, hanged with Bears Paws, a Wolfes head, and such odd Jewels; their Tobacco Pipes, three quarters of a yard long with the head of some beast at the end so weighty as to beat out the brains of a Horse. The calf of one of their legs was mea­sured three quarters of a yard about, their other limbs being proportionable. They have divers ridiculous conceits concerning their Original, as that a Hare came into their Countrey, and made the first men and after preserved them from a great Serpent, and two other Hares coming thither, the first killed a Deer for their entertainment, which was then the only Deer in the World, and strewing the hairs of that Deers hide, e­very Hair proved a Deer.

Virginia after the first discovery cost no small pains and experience before it was brought to perfection, with the loss of many Englishmens lives. In the Reign of King James the first, a Patent was granted to certain Persons as a Corporation, who were called, The Com­pany of Adventurers of Virginia. But upon several misde­meanors & miscarriages in 1623 the Patent was made void, & it hath been since free for all his Majesties Sub­jects to trade to; It is Scituate South of Mary-land, and hath the Atlantick Ocean on the East; The Air is good, and the Climate so agreeable to the English, especially since the cleering it from Woods, that few [Page 136] dy of the Countrey disease called Seasoning. The Soil is so fruitful that an Acre of ground commonly yeilds 200 Bushels of Corn, and produces readily the Grain, Fruits, Plants, Seeds, and Roots, which are brought from England, besides those that are natural to this Countrey and the rest of America. They have plenty of Beasts, Fish, and Fowl, some of their Turkeys being affirmed to weigh six stone or 48 pound; The Mockbird is very delightful, imitating the notes of all other Birds. The Produce of this Country are Flax, Hemp, Woad, Madder, Pot-ashes, Hops, Honey, Wax, Rape-seed, Annise-seed, Silk if they would make it, since Mulberry Trees grow here in so great plenty, several sweet Gums and excellent Balsoms, Allum, Iron, Cop­per; divers sorts of Woods, and Plants used by Dyers, together with Pitch, Tar, Rozin, Turpentine, and sun­dry sorts of rich Furs, Elk-skins, and other Hides; but above all, Tobacco, which is their principal Com­modity, and the Standard whereby all the rest are prized.

This Countrey is well watered with many great, and swift Rivers that lose themselves in the Gulf or Bay of Chesapeak, which gives entrance into this Countrey as well as Mary-land, being a very large and Capacious Bay, and running up into the Countrey Northward a­bove two hundred Miles; The Rivers of most Account are James River, navigable a hundred and fifty miles, York River large and navigable above 60 miles, and Rapahanok Navigable above a hundred and twenty miles; Adjoining to these Rivers are the Eng­lish setled for the conveniency of shipping, having several Towns, the chief whereof is James-Town com­modiously seated on James-River, very neat and well beautified with Brick Houses, where are kept the Courts of Judic [...]ure, and all Publick Offices which con­cern the Countrey. Next to James is Elizabeth Town, well built and seated on the mouth of a River so called; Likewise the Towns of Bermuda Wicocomoco, and Dales-Gift; The Governour is sent over by his Majesty, who [Page 137] at present is the Right Honourable the L. Howard of Essingham, & the Countrey governed by Laws agreeable to those of England, for the better observing therof, those Parts possessed by the English are divided into the Coun­ties of Caroluck, Charles, Glocester, Hartford, Henrico, James, New Kent, Lancaster, Middlesex, Nausemund, Lower, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, Rappahanock, Surrey, Warwick, Westmoreland, the Isle of Wight and York. In each of which Counties are held petty Courts every Month, from which there may be Appeals to the Quar­ter Court at James Town. They have great store of Wild Beasts as Lyons, Bears, Leopards, Tygers, Wolves and Dogs like Wolves but bark not, Buffelo's, Elke whose flesh is as good as Beef. Likewise Deer, Hares, Be­vers, Otters, Foxes, Martins, Poulcats, Weasels, Musk-Rats Flying Squirrels, &c. And for tame Cattle, Cows, Sheep, Go [...]ts, Hogs and Horses in great plenty.

CHAP. X. A Prospect of Carolina with the Scitu­ation and Product thereof.

CArolina, so called from his late Majesty King Charles the Second of Glorious memory, is a Co­lony not long since established by the English, and is that part of Florida adjoining to Virginia, between twenty nine and thirty six degrees of Northern La­titude; On the East it is washed with the Atlantick Ocean, and is bounded on the West by Mare Pacificum or the South Sea, and within these bounds is contained the most fertile and pleasant part of Florida which is so much commended by the Spanish Authors; Of which I cannot give a more ample Account than has been done already by an Englishman, who has lived, and was concerned in the settlement thereof, and shall therefore [Page 138] repeat what he has deliveted in his own words.

This Province of Carolina was in the Year 1663. Granted by Letters Patents of his late Gracious Ma­jesty, in Propriety unto the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Clarendon, George Duke of Albemarl, William Earl of Craven, John Lord Berkely, Anthony Lord Ashly, now Earl of Shaftsbury, Sir George Carteret, and Sir John Col­leton, Knights and Baronets, Sir William Berkely Knight, by which Letters Patents the Laws of Eagland are to be of force in Carolina: but the Lords Proprietors have power with the consent of the Inhabitants to make By-Laws for the better Government of the said Pro­vince: So that no Money can be raised or Law made, without the consent of the Inhabitants or their Repre­sentatives. They have also power to appoint and im­power Governours, and other Magistrates to Grant Liberty of Conscience, make Constitutions, &c. With many other great Ptiviledges, as by the said Letters Patents will more largely appear. And the said Lords Proprietors have there setled a Constitution of Go­vernment, whereby is granted Liberty of Conscience, and wherein all possible care is taken for the e­qual Administration of Justice, and for the lasting Security of the Inhabitants both in their Persons and Estates.

By the care and endeavours of the said Lords Pro­prietors, and at their very great charge, two Colonies have been setled in this Province, the one at Albemarle in the most Northerly part, the other at Ashly River, which is in the Latitude of thirty two Degrees od Mi­nutes.

Albemarle bordering upon Virginia, and only ex­ceeding it in Health, Fertility, and Mildness of the Winter, is in the Growths, Productions, and other things much of the same nature with it: Wherefore I shall not trouble the Reader with a particular De­scription of that part; but apply my self principally to discourse of the Colony at Ashly-River, which being many Degrees more Southward than Virginia, differs [Page 139] much from it in the Nature of its Climate and Pro­ductions.

Ashly-River was first setled in April 1670. the Lords Proprietors having at their sole charge, set out three Vessels, with a considerable number of able Men, eighteen Moneths Victuals, with Clothes, Tools, Am­munition, and what else was thought necessary for a new Settlement, and continued at this charge to sup­ply the Colony for divers years after, until the Inha­bitants were able by their own Industry to live of themselves; in which condition they have been for divers years past, and are arrived to a very great De­gree of Plenty of all sorts of Provisions. Insomuch, that most sorts are already cheaper there, than in any other of the English Colonys, and they are plentifully enough supplied with all things from England or other Parts. Ashly-River, about seven Miles in from the Sea, divides it self into two Branches; the Southermost retaining the name of Ashly-River, the North Branch is called Cooper-River. In May, 1680. the Lords Pro­prietors sent their Orders to the Government their, ap­pointing the Port-Town for these two Rivers to be Built on the Point of Land that divides them, and to be called Charles Town, since which time about an hundred Houses are there Built, and more are Build­ing daily by the Persons of all sorts that come there to Inhabit, from the more Northern English Colonys, and the Sugar Islands, England and Ireland; and many Persons who went to Carolina Servants, being Indus­trious, since they came out of their times with their Masters, at whose charge they were Transported, have gotten good Stocks of Cattle, and Servants of their own; have here also Built Houses, and exercise their Trades: And many that went thither in that condition, are now worth several Hundreds of Pounds, and live in a very plentiful condition, and their Esta­tes still encreasing. And Land is become of that value near the Town, that it is sold for twenty Shillings per Acre, though pillaged of all its valuable Timber, and [Page 140] not cleared of the rest, and Land that is clear'd and fitted for Planting, and Fenced, is let for ten Shillings per annum the Acre, though twenty miles distant from the Town, and six men will in six weeks time, Fall, Clear, Fence in, and fit for Planting, six Acres of Land. At this Town in November, 1680. There Rode at one time sixteen Sail of Vessels (some of which were upwards of 200 Tuns) that came from divers parts of the Kings Dominions to trade there, which great concourse of shipping, will undoubtebly in a short time make it a considerable Town.

The Eastern Shore of America, whether it be by reason of its having the great Body of the Conti­nent to the Westward of it, and by consequence the Northwest-Wind (which blows contrary to the Sun) the Freezing-Wind, as the North-East is in Europe, or that the Frozen Lakes which lie-in, beyond Canada, and lie North and West from the Shore, Impregnate the Freezing Wind with more chill and congealing qualities, or that the uncultivated Earth, covered for the most part with large shading Trees, breathes forth more nitrous Vapours, than that which is cultivated; or all these Reasons together, it is certainly much more cold than any part of Europe, in the same Degree of Latitude, insomuch that New-England and those parts of America about the Latitude of thirty nine and forty, and more North, though above six hundred miles nearer the Sun than England; is notwithstanding many degrees colder in the Winter.

The Author having been informed by those that say they have seen it, that in those Parts it Freezeth about six Inches thick in a Night, and great Navi­gable Rivers are Frozen over in the same space of time; and the Country about Ashly-River, though within nine Degrees of the Tropick, hath seldom any Winter that doth not produce some Ice, though I cannot yet learn that any hath been seen on Rivers or Ponds, above a quarter of an Inch thick, which vanisheth as soon as the Sun is an hour or two high, [Page 141] and when the Wind is not at North-west, the Wea­ther is very mild; So that the December and January of Ashly-River, I suppose to be of the same Tempe­rature with the latter end of March, and beginning of April in England; this small Winter causeth a fall of the Leaf, and adapts the Countrey to the pro­duction of all the Grains and Fruits of England, as well as those that require more Sun; insomuch, that at Ashly-River, the Apple, the Pear, the Plum, the Quince, Apricock, Peach, Medlar, Walnut, Mulber­ry, and Chesnut, thrive very well in the same Gar­den, together with the Orange, the Lemon, the O­live, the Pomgranate, the Fig and Almond; nor is the Winter here cloudy, Overcast, or Foggy, but it hath been observed that from the twentieth of Au­gust to the tenth of March, including all the Winter Months, there have been but eight overcast days, and though Rains fall pretty often in the Winter, it is most commonly in quick Showers, which when past, the Sun shines out clear again.

The Summer is not near so hot as in Virginia, or [...]e other Northern American English Colonies, which may hardly gain belief with those that have not considered the reason; which is its neerness to the Tropicks, which makes it in a greater measure than those ports more Northward partake of those Bree­zes, which almost constantly rise about eight or nine of the Clock, within the Tropicks, and blow fresh from the East till about four in the Afternoon, and a little after the Sea-breeze dies away, there ri­ses a North-wind, which blowing all night, keeps it fresh and cool. In short, I take Carolina to be much of the same nature with those delicious Countries about Aleppo, Antioch, and Smyrna: But hath the ad­vantage of being under an equal English Govern­ment.

Such, who in this Countrey have seated themselves near great Marshes, are subject to Agues, as those are who are so seated in England; But such who are [...] [Page 144] Swan, wild Geese, Duck, Widgeon, Teal, Curlew, Snipe, Shell Drake, and a certain sort of black Duck that is ex­cellent meat, and stayes there all the year. Neat Cattle thrive and increase here exceedingly, there being per­ticular Planters that have already seven or eight hun­dred head, and will in a few years in all probabi­lity, have as many thousands, unless they sell some part; he Cattle are not subject to any Disease as yet per­ceiv'd, and are fat all the Year long without any Fo­ther; the little Winter they have not pinching them so as to be perceiv'd which is a great advantage, the Planters here have of the more Northern Plantations, who are all forc'd to give their Cattle Fother, and must spend a great part of their Summers Labour in providing three or four Months Fother for their Cat­tle in the Winter, or else would have few of them a­live in the Spring, which will keep them from ever having very great Herds, or be able to do much in Planting any Commodity for Foreign Markets: the providing Winter Food for their Cattle, taking up so much of their Summers Labour; So that many Judi­cious Persons think that Carolina will be able by Sea, to supply those Northern Colonies, with salted Beef for their Shipping, cheaper than they themselves with what is bred among them; for, considering that all the Woods in Carolina afford good Pasturage, and the small Rent that is paid to the Lords Proprietors for Land, an Ox is raised at almost as little expence in Carolina, as a Hen is in England. And it hath by experience been found that Beef will take salt at Ashly-River any Month in the Year, and save very well.

Ewes have most commonly two or three Lambs at a time; their Wool is a good Staple, and they thrive very well, but require a Shepherd to drive them to Feed, and to bring them home at night to preserve them from the Wolves. Hogs increase in Carolina abundantly, and in a manner without any charge or trouble to the Planter, only to make them Sheds, wherein they may be protected from the Sun and [Page 145] Rain, and Morning and Evening to give them a l [...]t­tle Indian Corn, or the pickings and parings of Po­tatoes, Turnips, or other Roots, and at the same time blowing a Horn, or making any other constant noise to which being us'd, they will afterwards upon hear­ing it, repair home, the rest of their Food they get in the Woods, of Masts, and Nuts of several sorts; and when those fail, they have Grass and Roots enough, the ground being never frozen so hard as to keep them from Rooting, these conveniencies breeds them large, and in the Mast time they are very fat, all which makes the rearing them so easy, that there are many Plan­ters that are single and have never a Servant, that have two or three hundred Hogs, of which they make great profit; Barbados, Jamaica, and New-England, af­fording a constant good price for their Pork; by which means they get wherewithal to build them more convenient Houses, and to purchase Servants, and Ne­gro-Slaves.

There have been imported into Carolina, about an hundred and fifty Mares, and some Horses from New-York, and Road-Island, which breed well, and the Colts they have are finer Limb'd and Headed than their Dams or Sires, which gives great hopes of an excellent breed of Horses, as soon as they gotten have good Stalions amongst them. Negros by reason of the mildness of the Winter thrive and stand much better, than in any of the Nor­thern Colonys, and require less clothes, which is a great charged sav'd.

With the Indiaas the English have a perfect friend­ship, they being both useful to one another. And care is taken by the Lords Proprietors, that no Injustice shall be done them; In order to which they have established a particular Court of Judicature, (compos'd of the soberest and most disinteressed Inhabitants) to determine all differences that shall happen between the English and any of the Indians, this they do upon a Christian and Moral Consideration, and not out of any apprehension of danger from them, for the Indians have [Page 146] been always so ingaged in Wars one Town [...] Village against another, (their Government being usually of no greater extent) that they have not suffered any in­crease of People, there having been several Nations in a manner quite extirpated by Wars amongst them­selves since the English setled at Ashly River: This keeps them so thin of people, and so divided, that the English have not the least apprehensions of danger from them; the English being already too strong for all the Indians within five hundred Miles of them, if they were united, and this the Indians so wel know, that they will never dare to break with the English, or do an Injury to any particular person, for fear of having it reveng'd upon their whole Nation.

The Lords Proprietors do at present grant to all persons that come there to Inhabit as follows, viz. To each Mast­er or Mistress of a Family fifty acres, & for every able son or man-servant they shall carry or cause to be tran­sported into Carolina fifty acres more, and the like for each Daughter or Woman servant that is marriageable, and for each child, man or woman servant under six­teen yeart of age, forty acres, and fifty acres of Land to each servant when out of their time, this Land to be injoy'd by them and their Heirs for ever, they paying a penny an Acre Quit-rent to the Lords Proprietors, the Rent to commence in two years after their taking up their Land. But forasmuch as divers persons who are al­ready Inhabitants of Carolina, & others that have Intenti­ons to transport themselves into that Province, desire not to be cumber'd with paying of a Rent, & also to se­cure to themselves good large convenient tracts of Land without being forc'd to bring thither a great number of servants at one time; The Lords Proprietors have been Prevail'd upon, and have agreed to sell to those who have a mind to buy Land, after the rate of fifty pound for a Thousand Acres, reserving a Pepper-Corn per annum Rent when demanded. The way of any ones tak­ing up his Land, due to him either by carrying himself or servants into the Country, or by purchasing it of [Page 147] the Lords Proprietors, is after this manner: He first seeks out a place to his mind that is not already possessed by any other, then applyes himself to the Governour and Proprietors Deputies, and shew what rights he hath to Land, either by Purchase or otherwise, who thereupon issue out their Warrant to the Surveyor-General to measure him out a Plantation containing the number of actres due to him; who making cer­tificate that he hath measur'd out so much Land and the Bounds, a Deed is prepar'd of course, which is Sign­ed by the Governour and the Lords Proprietors Deputies, and the Proprietors Seal affixed to it and Registr'd, which is a good Conveyance in Law of the Land therein mention'd to the Party and his Heirs for ever.

I have here, as I take it, described a pleasant and fertile Country, abounding in health and pleasure, and with all things necessary for the sustenance of man­kind, and wherein I think I have written nothing but truth, sure I am I have inserted no wilful falshood: I have also told you, how men are to have Land that go there to Inhabit. But a rational man will certainly inquire, When I have Land, what shall I doe with it? what Commoditys shall I be able to produce that will yield me mony in other Countrys, that I may be ina­bled to buy Negro slaves (without which a Planter can never do any great matter) and purchase other things for my pleasure and convenience, that Carolina doth not produce? To this I answer, That besides the great profit that will be made by the vast Herds of Cattle and Swine, the Country appears to be proper for the Commoditys following. viz. Wine. There are growing naturally in the Country five sorts of Gra­pes, three of which the French Vignaroons, who are there, judge will make very good Wine, and some of the Lords Proprietors have taken care to send plants of the Rhenish, Canary, Claret, Muscat, Madera, and [...]ish Grapes, of all which divers Vinyards are plan­ted; some wine was made this year that proved very [Page 148] good both in colour and taste, and an indifferent good quantity may be expected the next year: The Coun­try hath gentle rising hills of fertil sand proper for Vines, and farther from the Sea, rock and gravel on which very good grapes grow naturally, ripen well, and toge­ther, and very lushious in taste, insomuch as the French Protestants who are there, and skill'd in wine, do no way doubt of producing great quantitys and very good. Oyl. There are several Olive trees growing, which were carryed thither, some from Portugal, and same from Bermudas and flourish exceedingly, and the Inhabitants take great care to propagate more, so that in all probability it will be an excellent Oyl Country.

Silk. There is in Carolina great plenty of Mulberry Trees, such as are by experience found to feed the Silkworm very well, yea as well as the white Mulberry, but there is of that sort also, which are propagated with a great deal of ease, a stick new-cut and thrust into the ground, seldom failing to grow, and so like­wise if the Seed of them be sown. Tobacco doth here grow very well, and is nearer to the nature of the Spanish Tobacco than that of Virginia. Indigo thrives well here, and very good hath been made. Cotten of the Cyprus and Smyrna sort will grow well, and good plen­ty of the Seed is sent thither. Flax and Hemp thrive exceedly. Good plenty of Pitch and Tar is there made, there being particular persons that have made above a thousand barrels. Here is great plenty of Oake for Pipe-staves, which are a good Commodity in the Maderas, Canaryes, Barbados, and the Leeward Islands. Sumack. Sumack growes in great abundance naturally, so undoubtedly would Woad, Madder and Sa-Flower, if planted. Drugs. Jallop, Sassaparilla, Turmerick, Sassafras, Snake-root, and divers others.

In short. This Country being of the same Climate and Temperature of Aleppo, Smyrna, Antioch, Judea, and the Province of Nanking, the richest in China, will (I conceive) produce any thing which those Countrys do, were the Seeds brought into it. T [...] [Page 149] Tools that men who goe thither ought to take with them are these, viz. An Ax, a Bill, and a broad Hoe, and grabbing Hoe, for every man, and a cross cut Saw to every four men, a Whip saw, a set of Wedges and Fraus and Betle-Rings to every family, and some Reaping Hooks and Sythes, as likewise Nails of all sorts, Hooks, Hinges, Bolts and Locks for their Houses. The Merchandizes which sell best in Carolina, are Linnen and Wollen, and all other Stuffs to make clothes of, with Thread, Sowing Silk, Buttons, Ribbons, Hats, Stockings, Shoes, &c. which they sell at very good rates, and for these goods any man may purchase the Provision he hath need of. The Passage of a man or women to Carolina is five Pound. Ships are going thi­ther all times of the year.

Mr I. L. an Englishman, having about fourteen year since travelled into the western parts of Carolina, has given a very ingenious relation of his Discoverys; Has says the Indians now seated in these parts are none of those which the English removed from Virginia, but e people driven by an Enemy from the North-west, and invited to sit down here by an Oracle above four hun­dred years ago as they pretend; For the ancient In­habitants of Virginia and Carolina were far more rude and barbarous, feeding only upon raw flesh and Fish till these taught them to plant Corn, and shewed them the use of it. They have no Letters, yet supply that defect either by Counters, Emblems or Hieroglyphicks, or else by Tradition delivered in long Tales from Fa­ther to Son, which when children they are taught to say by rote; where a battel has been fought they raise a small Pyramid of stones consisting of the number of the slain and Prisoners taken; By the picture of a Stag they express Swiftness; By a Serpent, wrath; By a Lion, Courage; By a Dog, Faithfulness; By a Swan they signify the English, alluding to their white Com­plexion, and flight over the Sea; They worship one God the Creator of all things whom they call Okee, and to whom the High Priest offers Sacrifice, yet they [Page 150] believe he has no care of worldly affairs, but commits the Government of Mankind to good and Evil Spirits, to whom the Inferior Priests pay their Devotion and Sa­crifice, at which in a lamentable Tune they recite the great things done by their Ancestors. They religious­ly observe Marriage, and distinguish themselves into four Tribes, believing that all mankind were derived from four women, whereupon they divide their places of Buriall into four Quarters, assigning one to every Tribe, for they hold it wicked and ominous to mingle their bodys even when dead; they commonly wrap up the Corps in the skins of Beasts and bury provision and householdstuff for its use in the other world; when their Great men die they kill some Prisoners of War to attend them, they believe the Transmigration of Souls, for the Angry they say are possest with the Spirit of a Serpent; the Bloudy, that of a Wolf; the Fearful, of a Deer; and the Faithful of a Dog, The Residue of their lesser Gods they place beyond the Mountains and the Indian Ocean, and though they want those helps of Education which we have, yet in solemn debates they will deliver themselves with excellent Judgment and Eloquence.

This Author relates that in his Travels with some In­dians, they met with a Rattlesnake, in length two yards and an half and as big as a mans arm, which by the greatness of her Belly they judged to be full with young, but having killed and opened her, found there a small Squirrel whole; The Indians assured him that these Serpents lying under a Tree fix their Eyes sted­fastly upon the Squirrel, which so affrights the little Beast that he tumbles into the Jaws of his Enemy; Travelling through the Woods a Deer seized by a wild-Cat crossed their way, being almost spent with the burden and cruelty of her Rider, who having fastned on her Shoulder left not sucking her Blood till she fell down under him; which an Indian perceiving, shot a lucky Arrow which peircing the wild Cat under the Belly made him leave his prey already slain, and turn [Page 151] toward them with a dreadful fierce look, but his strength and Spirits failing, they escaped his revenge which they had certainly felt had not his wound been mortal. This Creature is somewhat bigger than our En­glish Fox, of a reddish grey Colour, and in figure eve­ry way like an ordinary Cat, fierce, ravenous and cun­ning, for knowing the Deer, (upon which they chiefly prey) too swift for them, they watch upon Branches of Trees, and as they walk or feed under, jump down upon them; The Fur is counted excellent, and the Flesh eaten by the Indians, though as rank as a Dogs. They saw great Herds of Red and Fallow Deer daily feeding, and on the sides of the Hills Bears crashing Masts like Swine; Small Leopards they saw, but never any Lions, though their Skins are much worn by the Indians; The Wolves were so ravenous, that they often feared their Horses would have been devoured, in the night they gathered up and howled so close about them, if the Fires they made had not scar'd them away; The Woods were full of Bever, O [...]ter and grey Foxes; They then arrived to the Apalatean Mountains, which were so high and steep that they were from break of Day till Evening, ere they could gain the top from whence next Morning they had a beautiful Prospect of the At­lantick Ocean washing the Virginian Shores, but to the North and West other higher Mountains hindred their sight: Here they wandred in Snow three or four days hoping to find some passage through the Moun­tains, but the coldness of the Earth and Air seizing their hands and feet, caused their return and put a stop to their further Travels.

In a second Expedition, he came to another sort of Indians, enemies to the Christians, yet ventured among them because they hurt none whom they do not fear, and after he had given them some sin all Trifles of Glass and Metal they were very kind to him, and con­sulted with their Gods, whether to admit him into their Nation and Councils, and oblige him to stay a­mong them by a Marriage with their Kings or some [Page 152] of their great Mens daughters, but he with much ado waved their courtesies and got leave to depart upon promise to return in six Months. At length he came to a Town more populous than any he had seen before in his Journey; The King whereof though his Domi­nions are large and populous is in continual fear of his Neighbour Indians, who are a People so addicted to Arms that even their Women come into the Field, and shoot Arrows over their Husbands Shoulders. The men it seems fight with Silver hatchets, for an Indian told him, they were of the same metal with the hilt of his Sword. They are a cruel Nation and steal their Neigh­bours Children to sacrifice them to their Idols: The Women delight much in Ornaments of Feathers of which they have great Variety, but Peacocks are most in esteem because not common in that Countrey; They are reasonably handsom and more civil in their Carriage than their Neighbours, but miserably infa­tuated with the Illusions of the Devil, it caused no small horror in him to see one of them, with his neck all one side, foam at the mouth, stand barefoot upon burnings Coals for neer an hour, and then, recovering his senses, leap out of the fire without hurt or s gn of any; this he was an Eye witness of. Southwest from hence he arrived at a Nation who differ in Govern­ment from all the other Indians of these parts, being slaves rather than Subjects to their King; their Monarch was a grave man, and courteous to Strangers, yet our Authour could not without horror observe his Barba­rous Superstition, in hiring 3 Youths to kill as many young Women of their Enemies, as they could meet withal to serve his Son, then newly dead in the other World as he vainly imagined. These youths during his stay returned with Skins torn off the Heads and Faces of three young Girls which they presented to their King and were by him gratefully received. Our Au­thor in his sleep was stung by a Mountain Spider, and had not an Indian suckt out the Poyson he had died for receiving the hurt at the rip of one of his Fingers, [Page 153] [...]he venom shot up immediately into his Shoulder, and [...]o inflamed his side that it is not possible to express [...]he Torment; the means used by the Indian was, first [...] small Dose of Snake-root Powder which he gave him [...]n a little Water, and then making a kind of Plaister of [...]he same, applyed it neer to the place affected; which when he had done he swallowed some himself by way [...]f Antidote, and then suckt the wounded Finger so [...]iolently that the patient felt the venom retire back [...]rom his side into his Shoulder and from thence down his [...]rms. The Indian having thus suckt half a score times and [...]pit as often, our Author was eased of all his pain and [...]refectly recovered. He thought he had been bit with a Rattle-Snake for he did not see who hurt him, but the [...]ndian found by the wound and the effects of it, that it was given by a Spider, one of which he saw the next [...]ay much like our great blue Spider, only somewhat lon­ger; It is probable the nature of this Poyson is much [...]ke that of the Tarantula; being thus beyond hope and expectation, restored to himself, he with his fellow tra­vellers resolved to return back to Carolina without mak­ [...]ng any further discovery.

CHAP. XI. A Prospect of Bermudas, or the Sum­mer Islands, with the Discovery, Plantation, and Product thereof.

Having travelled thus long upon the Main Land of America, let us now venture again to Sea, and look into the Islands belonging to his Majesty in the West Indies. The first which offers it self is Bermudas or the Summer Islands, which are a multitude of broken Isles, some write no less than four hundred, scituate directly East from Virginia from which they are dis­tant [Page 154] five hundred English Miles, and three Thousand three hundred Miles from the City of London, so named from John Bermudaz a Spaniard who first discovered them. Oviedo writes, that he was near it, and had though [...] to have sent some Hogs on Shore for increase, but by force of Tempest was driven from thence, it being extreamly subject to furious Rains, Lightning and Thunder, for which and the many Shipwracks tha [...] have hapned upon the Coast, it is called the Island of Devils. Job Hartop relates that in the height of Ber­mudas, they had sight of a Sea-Monster, which shewed it self three times from the middle upward, in shap [...] like a man of an Indian or Mulatto Complexion; I [...] was after named the Summer Islands from the shipwrack of Sr George Summers who was so much delighted with the misadventure, that he endeavoured what he could to settle a Plantation there, together with Sr T [...]o [...] Gates. They found there plenty and Variety of Fish [...] abundance of Hogs which probably escaped out of some shipwrack; Mulberries, Silkworms, Palmettos Cedars, Pearls and Ambergreice, but the most sur­prizing thing was the Variety of Fowl, taking a Thousand of one kind in two or three hours as big as a Pigeon laying speckled Eggs as large as hens on the Sand, which they do dayly without affright though men sit down by them; Other Birds were so tame that by whistling to them they would come and gaze at you, while with your stick you might kill them; when they had taken a Thousand soon after they might have as many more; They had other Eggs of Tortoises, a bushell being found in the belly of one of them which were very sweet and good, they took fourty of these Turtles or Tortoises in a day, one of which would serve fifty men at a meal.

This shipwrackt Company built here a ship and a Pinnace, two of their Company being Married, and two born among them, whereby they took the most natural possession thereof for our Nation. These I­slands seem rent asunder with Tempests which threa­ten in appearance to swallow them all in time, the [Page 155] storms in the Full and Change keep their unchangable [...]ourse Winter and Summer, rather thundring than [...]lowing from every Quarter sometimes for 48 hours [...]ogether. The North and North-West Winds cause Winter in December, January, and February. Yet not so [...]evere, but young Birds are then seen. That Island of most fame and greatness than all the rest, and to which [...]he name of Bermuda's is most properly ascribed is sci­ [...]uated in the Latitude of thirty two degrees and thirty Minuts North; the Air is sound and healthy very agree­ [...]ble to English Bodies, the Soil as Fertile as any, well Watered, plentiful in Maize, of which they have two [...]arvests yearly, that which is sowed in March being [...]ut in July, and what is sowed in August is mowed in December. No venemous Creature is to be found in this Country, nor will live if brought thither, and be­sides these advantages, it is so fenced about with Rocks, and Islets that without knowledge of the Passages a Boat of Ten Tun can not be brought into the Haven, yet with such knowledg there is entrance for the great­est Ships. The English have since added to these natu­ral strenghts such Artificial helps, by Block-houses, Forts and Bulwarks in convenient places, as may give it the Title of Impregnable.

It was first discovered rather accidentally than upon design by John Bermudaz a Spaniard about 1522, and thereupon a Proposition made in the Council of Spain for setling a Plantation therein, as a place very conve­nient for the Spanish Fleet in their return from the Bay of Mexico by the streights of Bahama; yet was it neglected, and without any Inhabitant till the like ac­cidental coming of Sr. George Summers sent to Virginia with some Companies of the English by the Lord De la Ware in 1609. Who being Shipwrackt on this Coast had the opportunity to survey the Island which he so well liked, that he endeavoured to settle a Plantation in it at his return in 1612. The First Colony was sent over under Richard More, who in three years erected eight or ninth Forts in convenient places, which he [Page 156] planted with Ordnance. In 1616. a new Supply was sent over under Captain Tucker, who applied them­selves to sowing of Corn, setting of Trees brought thi­ther from other parts of America, and planting that gainful Weed Tobacco. In 1619. the business was taken more to heart, and made a publick matter, many great Lords and Persons of honour being interested in it; Captain Butler was sent thither with 500 Men. The Isle was divided into Tribes or Counties, a Bor­rough belonging to each Tribe, and the whole reduced to a settle Government both in Church and State according to the Laws of England. After this, all suc­ceeded so well, that in 1623. there were said to be 3000 English, and ten Forts, whereon were planted fif­ty pieces of Ordnance, their Numbers since increasing dayly both by Children born within the Island, and supplies from England.

All the Isles together represent an Half-Moon, and inclose very good Ports, as the Great Sound, Harring­ton Inlet, Southampton and Pagets Bay, with Dover and Warwick Forts, having their Names from the Noble Men who were undertakers therein; The greatest Isle is called St. George, five or six Leagues long, and al­most throughout not above a quarter or half a League long. The Air is almost constantly clear, (except when it Thunders and Lightens) is extream tempe­rate and healthful, few dying of any Disease but Age; so that many have removed on purpose from England hither, only to enjoy a long and healthful Life, and after having continued there are fearful of removing out of so pure an Air; the very Spiders here are not venemous, but of divers curious Colour, and make their Webs so strong, that oftimes small Birds are intangled and caught therein; Their Cedar Trees are different from all others, and the Wood very sweet; But the excellencies of this curious place are sufficient­ly exprest by our English Vi [...]gil in the following Poem, wherewith I shall conclude this Prospect of Bermuda's, the present Governour whereof for his Majesty, is Sir Henry Heydon.

CHAP. XII. A Prospect of the Island of Barbuda.

The next that present themselves are the Caribbee Islands so called in General, because inhabited by Cannibals or Man-eating People at the first discovery, as the word Caribes imports. They lie extended l ke a Bow from the Coast of Paria to the Isle of Porto Rica, many in number, twenty seaven of them known by proper names, in nine whereof the English are concer­ned namely Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, Dominica, St Vincent, Antego, Mevis or Nevis, St Christophers and Barbadoes; Of which I shall give a brief Account as to the Natives, Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Monsters and other Remarkables in each as I pass along, which may be very divertive to the Reader.

To begin with Barbada or Berbuda. It it is scituate in seaventeen degrees of North Latitude, of no great [...] ­tent not above fifteen miles long, lying Northeast from Monserrat; The English are reckoned between four and five hundred men, who find whereupon conveni­ently to subsist: The Soil is fertile and well stored with Cattle and sheep, and may produce other Com­modities [Page 159] if well managed, but subject to one great An­ [...]yance as well as some other of these Islands, that the [...]rivians of Dominico and other places many times [...]mmit great spoils in it, the Enmity and Aversion [...]hich these Barbarians have conceived against the [...]nglish Nation in general being such, that there hardly [...]sses a year, but, they make irruptions into one of these [...]ands & if not timely discovered & valiantly opposed, [...]ll all the men they meet, ransack the Houses and [...]rn them, and if they get any of the women and [...]hildren, carry them Prisoners to their own Terito­ [...]es with all the Booty they have a mind to.

The Caribeans who inhabite several of these Islands [...]e thought to have been formerly forced by their E­ [...]emies from the main Land of America, & to have shel­ [...]ed themselves here, having various Opinions, Customs [...]nd Ceremonies; Those who converse with the [...]hristians have left off many of their ancient barbarous [...]sages, and have complied to our evil as well as good [...]anners, and therefore two Ancient Caribeans consi­ [...]ering the degeneration of their Countrey-men, took [...]ccasion to entertain some Europeans with a discourse [...] this purpose, Our People in a manner are become like yours, [...]nce they came to be acquainted with you, and we find it [...]me difficulty to know our selves, so different are we grown [...]om what we were heretofore; It is to this alteration, that [...]r People attribute the more frequent hapning of Hurricanes, [...]han they were observed to be in the days of old, and conclude [...]hence that Maboya (that is the Devil) hath reduced us [...]nder the power of the French, English, Spaniards and [...]thers, who have driven us out of the best-part of our Countrey.

The Caribeans are a handsom shaped People, well [...]roportioned, of a smiling Countenance, their Com­ [...]lexions Olive Colour, that spreads to the Whites of [...]heir Eyes, which are black, as likewise their Hair [...]omewhat like the Chinesses or Tartars; Their Foreheads and Noses are flat, their Mothers crushing them down [...]t their Birth, and all the time of their Sucking, ima­gining it a kind of Beauty and Perfection; Their Feet [Page 160] arge and thick because they go barefoot, but are withall so hard that they defie Woods and Rocks; neithe [...] shall you meet any of them who are Blind, One eyed Lame, Crook-backt, Bald, or having any other natu­ral Infirmity; Those Scars or Deformities they get in the Wars, they glory in as demonstrations of their Va­lour; Their Hair is streight and long, and the Women attribute the highest excellency to the blackness there­of, which they are very careful in Combing, anointing it with O l, and using Receipts to make it grow; Both Men and Women tye up their Hair behind, winding i [...] up so that it stands like a Horn on the Crown, parting it to fall down on both sides their Heads; The Men seem to have no Beards at all, but as soon as they grow pluck them up by the Roots, thinking it a great defor­mity in our Countrey-men to wear any. They go stark naked both Men and Women, as many other Nations do, and if any among them should endeavour to hide their Privy Parts, all the rest would laugh at it: Yea though the Christians have conversed very much a­mong them, yet have all their persuasions to cover themselves been to no purpose, and though when they come to visit the Europeans, or treat with them, they have so far complied as to cover themselves by putting on a Shirt, Drawers, Hat, or such Cloths as have been given them, yet assoon as they are returned to their own Habitations they strip themselves, and put up all in their Closets, till some such occasion shall happen a­gain; To requite which compliance, some of the French having occasion to go among them, make no difficulty to strip themselves after their example, and this defi­ance of Clothes is well known to Reign in all places un­der the Torrid Zone, and being reproached for it, they reply, That we came naked into the World, and it wer [...] a mad thing to hide the Bodies given us by Nature.

Yet these Caribeans change the natural Colour of their Bodies, by painting and dying them with a Composition which makes them red all over; for as­soon as they have washed themselves, which they do [Page 161] every morning at some River or Spring near hand, they return to their Houses, and dry themselves by a little Fire, after which one takes a red Composition, which being mixt with Oil, they rub therewith the whole Bo­dy and Face, and to appear more gallant, they many times make black circles about their Eyes with the Juice of Junipa Apples, this painting they reckon useful both for Ornament, and to increase their Strength and Ac­tivity, securing them likewise against the coldness of the nigths and rain, the stinging of Mesquito's, and the heat of the Sun, and serves instead of Shirts, Cloaks, and Coats; Sometimes to add to their gallan­try they wear a Crown of Feathers of different colours, and hang the Bones of certain Fishes, and of late buck­les of Gold, Silver and Tin in their Ears, but are most taken with those of Chrystal, Amber, or Coral: some of them make holes through their lips, yea in the space between their Nostrils wherein they hang a Ring, Fish­bone or some such toy; They weare also Necklaces and Bracelets of Amber, Coral, or such glittering stuff.

There are excellent Fruits growing in these Islands, as Oranges, Pomegranates, Citrons, Rasins, Indian Figs. and Coco's, that famous Fruit whereof Histori­ans tell such Miracles; It grows on the very trunck or top of the Tree in form of a Nut, but much bigger, one of them sometimes weighing above ten Pound; from the first bearing this Tree is never found without Fruit, for it bears new every Month; When the Coco Nut is opened, the Meat is white as Snow, extreamly nourishing, and tasts like an Almond, enough to fill an ordinary Dish, in the midst of it there is a Glass full of Liquor clear and pleasant as perfumed Wine; There are also excellent Trees and Wood, as Brasi, Ebony, Iron and yellow Wood: Likewise Cassia, Cinal­mon and Co [...]ton Trees, with Pepper, Tobacco, Iu [...]igo, Ginger Potatoes, Pine-apples and Sugar Canes, and a Living or Sensible Plant esteemed one of the most ad­mirable Rarities in the World, which as soon as one fastens on it with his hand, draws backs its leaves [Page 162] and wriggles them under its little branches as if th [...] were withered, and when the hand is removed an [...] the party gone some distance from it, spreads the [...] abroad again; some call it the Chaste Herbe, because cannot endure to be touched without expressing i [...] resentments of the injury. Tav [...]llers relate that the [...] are whole woods neer Panama of the Trees called a Sen [...] tive Tree, which being touched, the branches and leave [...] start up, making a great noise and close together int [...] the Figure of a Globe.

There are very few venemous Creatures in the Caribees, though there be many Snakes and Serpents o [...] several colours and Figures; some nine or ten foo [...] long, and as big as a mans Arm or Thigh, nay one wa [...] killed which had in her belly a whole Hen feathers an [...] all, & above a dozen Eggs, being seized as she was sitting; Another snake had devoured a Car, whence [...] guess may be given of their bignes: Notwithstandin [...] which, they are not poysonous, but do the Inhabitants [...] Curtesy in freeing their Houses from Rats which they devour; Other Serpents are very delightful to the Eye, being green all over about an ell and half long not above an inch about, feeding on Frogs in Brooks and birds upon Trees. These dangerous snakes are o [...] two kinds, some grey on the back and feel like velvet others Yellow or red, dreadful to look on, their heads are flat and broad, and their jaws extreamly wide, and armed with eight or ten teeth, extraordinary sharp, and hollow within, from whence they disperse their Poyson which lies in little Purses just at the roots of their Teeth, they never chew any thing but swallow it down whole after they have crushed and made it flat; some say, if they chewed there food they would poyson themselves, to prevent which they cover their Teeth with their Gums when they take their nourishment; these Creatures are so venemous, that when they sting any, if present help be not had the wound in two hours is incurable, their only commendation is, that they never hurt any who do not either touch them, or something whereon they repose.

CHAP. XIII. A Prospect of the Island of Anguil­la

ANguilla, sometimes called Snake Island from its Shape, is a long Tract of Land of about Thirty mile, and nine mile broad, winding almost about neer, St. Martins Island, whence it is very plainly perceived; There is not any Mountain in it, the ground lying low and even; Where it is broadest there is a Pond, about which some English have setled themselves in number two or three hundred, and where they plant Tobac­co, which is highly esteemed by those who are good Judges in that Commodity. The Island lyes in Eigh­teen Degrees and Twenty Minutes on this side the E­quinoctial. Before the discovery of America, there were not to be found in these parts any Horses, Kine, Oxen, Sheep, Goats, Swine, or Dogs, but for the bet­ter conveniency of their Navigations and supply of their Ships in case of necessity they left some of these Creatures in several parts of this New-found World, where they have since multiplyed so exceedingly, that now they are more common, as well on the Continent as the Caribees, than in any part of Eu­rope

But beside these Foreign kinds of Cattle, there were before in these Islands certain sorts of strange fourfoot­ed Beasts, as the Opassum about the bigness of a Cat with a Sharp Snout, the neither Jaw being shorter than the upper like a Pigs, it hath very sharp Claws, and climbs Trees easily, feeding upon Birds, and in want thereof upon fruit, it is Remarkable for a purse or bag of its own Skin folded together under its belly, [Page 164] wherein it carries its young, which it lays upon the ground at pleasure by opening that natural purse, when he would leave that place he opens it again, and the young ones get in, and so he carries them with him wherever he goes. The female suckles them without setting them on the ground, for her Teats lye within that Purse, which is much softer within that without; The Female commonly brings six young ones, but the Male who hath such another natural Purse un­der his Belly, carries them in his turn to ease the Fe­male.

There are also in some of these Islands a kind of Wild Swine, with Short Ears, almost no Tails, and their Navels on their backs, some of them are all black, others have certain white Spots, their strange grunting is more hideous than that of Swine, they are called Ja­varis; The flesh is of tast good enough, but very hardly taken, in regard the Bore having a kind of vent or hole on the back, by which he refreshes his Lungs, is in a manner unwearied, and if he be forced to stop, and be persued by the Dogs, he is armed with such Sharp and cutting Tushes, that he tears to pieces all who set upon him. The Tatous is another strange creature, armed with a hard scaly coat wherewith they cover and secure themselves as with Armour: They have a head and snout like a Pig, wherewith they turn up the ground, they have also in every Paw five very sharp Claws, which they use more readily to thrust away the Earth and discover the Roots, wherewith they are fat­tened in the night time. Some affirm their flesh is very delicate meat, and that there is a small bone in their Tails which helps deafness: It is known to be good for noise and pains in the ears, some of these are as big as Foxes; when they are persued, or sleep, which is commonly in the day time, they close together like a Bowl, and so dexterously get in their feet head, and ears under their hard scales, that all the parts of their Body are by that natural Armour secured against all the attempts of Huntsmen or Dogs, and if [Page]

[Page 165] they are neer some precipice or steep Hill they roll down without peril. The Agouty is another, of a dark colour and a little Tail without hair, it hath two teeth in the upper Jaw, and as many in the neather: It holds its meat in the Two fore Paws like a Squirrel, and crys as if it distinctly pronounced the word Covey; When it is hunted it gets into hollow Trees, out of which it is forced by smoak after it hath made a strange cry; If taken young it is easily tamed; When angry the hair of his back stands upright and he strikes on the ground with his hind feet like a Rabbit, being much of the same bigness, but his ears are short and round, and his Teeth as Sharp as a Razor. There are also Musk-Rats who live in holes and Berries like Rabbits, there comes from them a scent like Musk, which causes Melancholy and makes such a strong per­fume about their holes that it is easy to find them out.

But of all, the Caymaa, Crocodile or Allegator is very remarkable it keeps neer the Sea and in Rivers and Islands uninhabited, and sometimes among the Reeds on Land, very hideous to look on. It is thought to live very long, and grows bigger to the very last day, even to eighteen foot long and as big about as an Hogs­head, it hath four feet well armed with crooked Claws; The skin, which is covered all over with scales, is so hard on the back that a Bullet from a Musket shot at him shall hardly make any Impression on it, but if be hurt under the belly, or in the eyes he is soon gone; his lower Jaw is immoveable, but hath so wide a mouth, and so well set with sharp Teeth that he makes nothing to cut a man in two; He runs fast enough on the Land, but the weight of his body makes as deep a Track in the sand as a Coach-horse, and having no joints in the backbone, he goes streight forward, not being able to turn his vast body with­out much difficulty, so that to avoid him one need only turn aside several times. Those that are bred in the fresh-water smell of Musk, while they are alive, [Page 166] and the Air is perfumed an hundred paces about them, nay the water retains somewhat of the smell, which is inclosed in certain Glandules under his Thighs, and being taken thence retain their scent long; It may be Providence hath bestowed it upon them, that men and other Creatures may avoid being made a Prey to these cruel Monsters.

Those that live in the Sea have no such smell, but both kinds are very dangerous to those that swim; They have a cunning slight for seizing Oxen and Cows, for one of them will lye lurking at the places where they come to Water, and finding one at his advan­tage he half shuts his eyes, and floats on the top of the Water like a peice of rotten wood, and getting still nearer to the poor Beast which is drinking and un­aware of him, he immediately fastens on him by the lips, forcing him under Water, drowning and then eating him. He likewise takes men by the same sleight, for Vincent Le Blanc relates, that the Servant of a Con­sul of Alexandria going to take up one of these cruel Creatures, thinking it had been a peice of wood, was drawn by it to the bottom of the River, and never seen more. There are abundance of these Monstrous Crocodiles in these Islands who come in great numbers in the night to the places where the Tortoises are killed (of which hereafter) to feed on the entrails and carcass of them that are left by Fishermen; who are obliged to carry great wooden Leavers with them to keep off these Crocodiles, and oftimes kill them by first breaking their back therewith. Several parts of this Ravenous Monster are accounted good for many Diseases, the wise Author of Nature having provided some advant ges from those Creatures which are other­wise most pernicious.

CHAP. XIV. A Prospect of the Island of Mont­serrat.

THe Island of Montserrat received that Title of the Spaniards from the resemblance of a Moun­tain therein to that of Montserrat neer Barcelona in Spain, and hath retained the name ever since; It is of a small extent, not above three Leagues or nine Miles in length, and neer as much in bredth, so that it seems almost round. It lies in the Latitude of seventeen de­grees on this side the Line, full of mountains whereon grow plenty of Cedar and other Trees: The Valleys and plains being very fertile. It is chiefly inhabited by the Irish, with some English, in all about six or seaven hundred persons; There is in it a very fair Church of a delightful structure, built by the contributions of the Governor and Inhabitants: The Pulpit, Seats, and all the Joyners and Carpenters work within it are of the most precious and sweet-scented wood growing in the Countrey.

On the Coasts of these Islands there is sometimes taken by the Fishers a Monster so dreadful that they call it the Sea-Devil about four foot long and propor­tionably big, it hath on the back a great bunch full of Prickles like an Hedghog; The Skin thereof is hard, uneven and rugged like that of a Sea-dog and of a black colour, the head is flat and on the upper part hath many little risings, and among them two small very black eyes. The mouth is extream wide, with several very sharp Teeth, two of them crooked like a Wild Boars, it hath four Fins and a broad forked Tail; but has the name of Sea-Devil, because above the eyes there [Page 168] are two little sharp black Horns, which turn toward his back like a Rams; As this Monster is extream ugly, the Meat of it, which is soft and full of strings, is ab­solute Poyson, causing strange Vomitings and Swoon­ings, which prove mortal if not prevented by a good Dose of Mithridate or some other Antidote, this dange­rous Creature is only desired by the curious to adorn their Closets, whereby it happens that this Devil who was never profitable while alive, gives a little satisfacti­on to their Eyes after death.

The Sea Ʋnicorn is a Fish no less Miraculous, a Pro­digious one, being cast ashore about these Islands, is thus described by an Ingenious occular Witness; This Unicorn, saith he, was pursuing a smaller Fish with such earnestness and impetuosity, that it stuck with half the body dry on a Sand-bank, and before it could recover the deep, was destroyed by the Inhabitants; It was about eighteen Foot long, and in compass as big as a Barrel, having six great Fins like the ends of Gal­ley Oars, whereof two were placed near the Gills, and the other four at the sides of the Belly at equal distan­ces, they were of a Vermillion red Colour; All the up­per part of the Body was covered with great Scales a­bout the bigness of a Crown peice, of a blew Colour, intermixt with Spangles of Silver, near the Neck the Scales were closer, and of a dark Colour like a Collar; The Scales under the Belly were yellow, the Tail Forked, the Head somewhat bigger than that of a Horse, and near the same shape; The lower part of the Body was covered with an hard dark Skin, and as, it is said, the Land Ʋnicorn hath one Horn in his Fore­head, so this Sea Ʋnicorn had a very fair one issuing out of his Head about nine Foot and an half in length, it was very streight, and grew smaller to the very point, which was sharp enough to peirce Wood, Stone, or any thing more hard: Toward the Head it was sixteen Inches about, and from thence almost to the end wav­ed like a wreathed Pillar, growing smaller till they gently ended in a point, it was naturally polished of a [Page 169] shining black, marked with certain small white and yellow strokes, and of such solidity, that a sharp File could hardly get a little small Powder from it. It had no Ears standing up, but two spacious Gills as the o­ther Fishes. The Eyes are about the bigness of an Hens Egg, the Ball which was of a Skie Colour, Ena­meld with yellow, was of Vermillion Colour, and be­yond it another as clear as Chrystal; The Mouth was wide [...]ough, with several extream sharp Teeth; The Tongue proportionable, covered with a rough red Skin; Upon the Head was a Crown rising two Inches above the Skin, made Oval, and ending in a point. Above three hundred Persons eat of the Meat of it, and thought it exceeding delicate, being Inter-larded with white fat, and when Boiled, came up in Fleaks like fresh Cod, but of a more excellent tast; Those who saw it alive, and broke its back with Leavers, af­firmed that he made prodigious attempts to thrust them with his Horn, using it with much nimbleness and dexterity, and if he had not wanted Water, would have been too hard for them all, within him they found the scales of several Fishes, a token that he lived by prey.

Of all the Sea-Monsters that are good to eat, and kept for Provision as Salmon and Cod are in Europe the most esteemed in these Islands is a certain Fish by the French called Lamantine and Manaty; It is a Monster that in time grows to that bulk that some of them are eighteen foot in length and seven in bigness, the head is like a Cow, and from thence termed by some the Sea-Cow, with small Eyes and a thick Skin of a dark colour wrinkled and hairy, which being dryed serves for a Buckler against the Arrows of the Indians. They have no Fins, but instead thereof two short feet under their Bellies, each of which hath four fingers, very weak to support the weight of so heavy a Body, nor hath he any other defensive weapons; It lives on the grass and Herbage about the Rocks, in those Shallow places that have not much above a fathom of Sea-Water. The [Page 170] Females are disburthened of their young like Cows; and have two Teats wherewith they suckle them, they bring forth two at a time, who forsake not the old one till they no longer need Milk, and can feed on Grass as she does. Of all Fish none are so good meat as this, two or three will load a great Canow, and eat short like a Land creature, of a Vermilion colour, not cloying or fulsom, and mixt with fat, which being mel­ted never grows musty: It is much more wholsom sal­ted a day or two than fresh; Certain small stones found in his head are highly valued for the Stone and Gra­vel when dissolved to Powder.

There are often seen rising out of the Sea about these Islands great numbers of Fishes which fly fifteen or twenty foot above Water, and neer an hundred paces in Length, but no more in regard their Wings are dried by the Sun, they are somewhat like Herrings but of a rounder head and broader back, their wings like a Bats, which begin a little below the head, and reach almost to the Tail. In their flight they many times strike against the Sails of Ships, and fall even in the day time upon the Decks, some say they are very good meat; the cause of their flying is to a­void danger from greater Fishes but they meet with Enemies in the Air as well as Water, for certain Sea-Fowl which live only by Prey have open hostility with them and seize them as they fly. The Sword-Fish is worth observing as well as the Flying-Fish, it hath at the end of the upper Jaw a defensive weapon about the bredth of a great broad Sword, which hath Sharp hard teeth on both sides, some of these Swords are five foot long, and six inches broad at the lower end with twenty seaven white solid teeth in each rank, and the bulk of their Bodies bears a proportion there­to. The head of this Monster is flat and hideous to behold, being in the Shape of an Heart, neer their Eyes they have two Vents at which they cast out the Water which they have swallowed; They have no Scales but a greyish Skin on their back, and white [Page 171] under the belly which is rough like a file; They have seaven Fins, two of each side, two on the back, and and one which serves them for a Tail, some call them Saw-fishes, and some Emperors, because there is always open War between them and the Whale, which is many times wounded to death by this their dreadful weapon.

CHAP. XV. A Prospect of the Island of Domi­nica.

THe Island of Dominica lyes in the Latitude of fif­teen degrees and thirty Minutes, judged to be in length about thirteen Leagues or forty Mile and not much less in breadth where it is greatest. On the West­side of the Isle is a very convenient Harbour for Ships. It is very Mountainous in the midst which incompasses an inaccessible bottom, where from the tops of certain Rocks may be seen an infinite number of Vipers, Dra­gons and other dreadful venemous Creatures, whom none dares approach unto. Yet there are many fruit­ful valleys producing several commodities, but especi­ably Tobacco which is planted by the English, but the Natives who are Cannibals and very barbarous do much hinder the coming of the English to settle there: For the Caribeans are very numerous in it, and have a long time entertained those who came to visit them with a story of a vast and monstrous Serpent which had its aboad in that bottom, affirming that there was on the head of it a very sparkling stone like a Carbun­cle of inestimable price, and that it commonly covered this Rich Jewel with a thin moving Skin like that of a mans Eye-lid, but that when it went to drink or sport­ed [Page 172] it self within the midst of that deep bottom he fully discovered it, and that the Rocks & all about received a a wonderful lustre from the Fire issuing out of that pre­cious Crown.

The Supream Person of this Island was heretofore one of the most considerable among those of the same Nation, for when all their forces marched out against the Arovagues their Common Enemies of the Continent, he had still the conduct of the Van-guard, and was known by a particular Mark which he had about him; When any French ships come neer this Island there are imme­diately seen several Canows in each of which there are are three or four Indians at the most who come to di­rect them to the Havens where they may safely An­chor. They commonly bring along with them some of the Countrey fruits, whereof having presented the Cap­tains and other Officers with the choicest, they offer the rest in exchange for Fishing hooks, graines of Chry­stal and such trifles as they Account precious. They have had some differences with the English upon the account of damage received from some particular Per­sons which though our nation hath protested against, yet their reveng is so implacable that they hardly ever forgive nor pass by any injuries; And upon this Account next the Arovages on the Continent of America the greatest enemies the Caeibbeans have are the Eng­lish, which enmity took his rise from hence, that some ill principled Englishmen under the Flags of other Na­tions having by pretended kindness, and little gifts and Aqua Vitae which they dearly love, got divers of the Carribbeans aboard their Ships, when they saw their Vessel ful of these poor people who never dreamt of such Treachery, carried away men, Women and Children into their Plantations, were they are still kept slaves.

Hence it happens they bear such a grudg to the Eng­lish, as hardly to endure to hear their Language, and if a Frenchman or some other Nation in Friendship with them chance to use any English expression he runs the hazard of their Enmity. In revenge hereof they oft [Page 173] make Incursions into Montserrat, Antego and other Eng­lish Settlements, firing their Houses, and carrying a way Goods, Men, Women, and Children with them, but do not eat them as they do the Arovagues. They do not love to be called Cannibals though they eat the Flesh of their Enemies, which they say they do to satisfy their Indignation and revenge, and not out of any delicacy they find in it more than in any thing else which they eat; In other things they are of a good tractable disposition, and so great enemies to severity that if the European or other Nati­ons who have any of them slaves, treat them with ri­gour, they dye out of pure grief. They commonly reproach the Europeans with their Avarice and im­moderate industry in getting wealth for themselves and Children, since the Earth is able to find sufficient sustenance for all men, if they will take pains to culti­vate it; As for themselves, they say they are not perplex­ed with care for those things wherewith their lives are preserved, and it is apparent they are much fatter and healthier than those that fare deliciously; They live without Ambition, without vexation, without disquiet having no desire of acquiring Honours or Wealth, slighting Gold and Silver, and seeming astonished to see us so much esteem them considering we are so well furnished with Glass or Chrystall, which they think more beautiful and valuable. When they go a hunting, Fishing, or root up Trees for ground to make a little Garden, or to build Houses, which are innocent Imploy­ments, and sutable to the nature of man, they do all without eagerness and as it were in a way of divertise­ment and Recreation.

When they see the Christians sad or perplext at any thing; They give them this Gentle Reprehension; Compeer (a Familiar word they learn of the French signifying Friend or Gossip) how miserable art thou thus to expose thy Person to such tedious and dangerous Voyages and to suffer thy self to be orepressed with cares, The inor­nate desire of getting wealth puts thee to all this trouble, and [Page 174] all these inconveniences, and yet thou art no less disquieted for the goods thou hast already gotten than for those thou art de­sirous to get; Thou art in continual fear lest some body should rob thee either in thy own Countrey or upon the Seas, or that thy Goods should be lost by shipwrack or the Waters, thus thou growest O d in a short time, thy hair turns grey, th [...] forehead is wrinckled, a thousand inconveniencies attend thy Body, a thousand afflictions surround thy heart, and thou makest all the hast thou canst to the Grave; Why art thou not content with what thy own Countrey produces? Why dost tho [...] not contemn Riches as we do? That wealth which you Chri­stians persue with so much earnestness, doth it any way promot [...] your advancement in the grace of God? Doth it prevent your dying? Do you carry them along with you to the Grave? They further reproach the Europeans with usurpation of their Country, which they reckon manifest injustice. Thou hast driven me (say this poor people) out of St. Christo­phers, Mevis, Montserrat, St. Martins, Antego, Guadel upe [...] Barbu [...]da, St. Eustace, &c. Neither of which places belonged to thee, and whereto thou couldst not make any lawful pre­tence; And thou threatnest me every day to take away that little which is left me: What shall become of the poor misera­ble Caribean? Must we go and live in the Sea with th [...] Fishes. Thy Country must needs be a wretched o [...] since thou [...]avest it to come and take away mine, or thou must needs be very barbarous and full of malice thus to persecute me only for divertisement and Recreation. This kind of discourse may well exempt them from the opprobri­ous denomination of Savages.

They are great enemies to thieving and live with­out distrust of each other, their Houses and Plantati­ons being left without keepers, but if the least thing be taken from them, such as a little knife wherewith they do strange things in Joyners work, they so highly prize its usefulness, that such a loss is enough to make them weep and grieve a week after, nay ingages them to join with their friends and demand reparations, and to be revenged on the Person, especially where the [Page 175] Christians live neer them, for then upon missing a y thing they presently cry, Some Christian has been here; And among the Grievances and Complaints which they make to the Governours of the French Nation, this comes always in the Front, Compere Governour, thy Mariners (for so they call all Forreigners) have taken a­way a knife out of my Cottage, or some such small houshold-stuff; They are a people associated in one common Interest and extream loving to each other, from whence there are few Quarrels or Animosities a­mong them, but if they are once injured either by a stranger or their own Countreymen they never for­give, but contrive all ways to be revenged; Thus when their Sorcerers or Conjurers tell them, any one hath done them the mischief which happens to them, they endeavour all they can to kill him, saying, He hath bewitched me, I will be revenged on him; And this furious passion and desire of Revenge is that which makes them so brutish as to eat the very flesh of their enemies. This implacable Animosity is a Vice generally Reigning among them, and exercises the same Tyranny without exception over all the Sa­vages of America. The revenge of the Canadians is very pleasant, who eat their own Lice because they bite them: If the Brasileans hurt themselves against a stone, to be revenged they bite it as hard as that can, yea they bite the Arrows which light upon them in fight­ing;

They bear great respect to ancient People, hearing them speak with much attention, the younger com­plying in all things to their Sentiments and Wills. The young men among the Caribeans have no conversati­on either with the Maids or Married Women, and it is observed that the men in this Countrey are less a­morous than the Women, as they are in several pla­ces under the Torrid Zone; Yet both sexes are very chast, a rare quality among Savages. When those of other Nations look earnestly upon the Women, and laugh at their nakedness they are wont to [Page 176] say to them. Friends you are to look on us only between both our Eyes; A virtue worthy admiration in a people that go naked and are as barbarous as these. It is re­lated that Captain Baron a Caribean, in one of the In­cursions they made upon the English in Montserrat, from whence he carried a great Booty, took among other Prisoners a young Gentlewoman wife to one of the Officers of the Island, whom he caused to be brought to one of his Houses in Dominica, and being big with Child she was carefully attended by the Sa­vage Women of the Island during her lying in, and though she lived a great while among them, yet neither he nor any other ever touched her, a great example of reservedness in such People. Yet it must be acknowledged some of them have since degenerated from that and many o­ther Virtues of their Ancestots, the Europeans by their Unchristianlike Treatment and pernici­ous examples, their perfidious breach of promi­ses, rifling and burning their Houses, and Villages, and Ravishing and Debauching their Wives and Daughters, having taught them (to the perpetual Infamy of the Christian name) dissimulation, ly­ing, Treachery, perfidiousness, Luxury,, and several other vices which were unknown before in these parts. These Caribbeans are great lovers of cleanliness, a thing extraordinary among Savages, so that if one should ease himself in their Gardens where their Potato's & Cassavy Roots are planted, they would presently forsake them and not make use of any thing therein.

CHAP. XVI. A Prospect of the Island of St. Vin­cent.

THe Island of St. Vincent lies in sixteen Degrees North from the Line, and is about twenty four Miles long, and eighteen broad, wherein are several high Mountains, between which are very fruitful Plains, yielding abundance of Sugar Canes, which grow naturally without Planting; It is well watred with Rivers, and hath several good Harbours and Bays for Shipping; The English have here some Plantati­ons, but they are neither very considerable nor pow­erful herein, it being the most populous of Caribeans, of any possessed by them, who have here many Fair Villages, where they dwell pleasantly and without any disturbance, and though they are jealous of the Stran­gers that live about them, and stand on their Guard, when they come to their Roads, yet they do not deny Cassavy Bread, Water, Fruits, and other Provisions growing in their Country to them that want them, taking in Exchange, Wedges, Hooks, and other Im­plements of Iron, which they much esteem. Their simplicity is very remarkable in several things, as in admiring our Fire-Arms, but especially Fire-locks, to which they see no Fire put as to Muskets, and there­fore believe Maboya or the Devil sets them on Fire; When the Moon is Eclipsed, they believe the Devil eats her, and dance all night making a noise with Gourds, wherein are many pebble Stones; When they smell any evil scent, they cry, Maboya or the Devil is here, let us be gone from him.

Some years since most of the Caribeans were per­suaded [Page 178] that Gunpowder was the Seed of some Herb, and sowed some in their Gardens; They never make use of Salt, accounting it extreamly prejudicial to health, and when they see Christians use it, cry, Com­pere, thou hastnest thy own death; but instead thereof they season all things with American Pepper, neither do they eat Swines-Flesh for this simple reason, lest they should have small Eyes like that Beast, which they judge the greatest deformity, nor Tortoise or Turtle, least they should participate of its lazyness and stupidi­ty. They have no notion of a Deity, so that neither Prayers, Ceremonies, Sacrifices, or any exercise or Assembly whatsoever is to be found amongst them, but say the Earth is their indulgent Mother, who furnish­es them with all things necessary to Life; if any dis­course to them about God, and the Mysteries of our Religion, they hearken attentively, but in the end, answer as it were in jest; Friend, thou art very Eloquent and Subtle, I wish I could talk as well as thee: Nay they sometimes say, That if they should be persuaded by such dis­courses, their Neighbours would laugh at them; A certain Caribean being at Work on a Sunday, Mounsieur Mon­tel said to him, Friend, he that made Heaven and Earth will he angry with thee for working on this Day, for he hath ap­pointed this Day for his Service, and I, replyed the Savage very bluntly, am already very angry with him, for thou say­est, he is Master of the World and the Seasons; He it is there­fore that hath forborn to send Rain in due time, and by reason of the great drowth, hath caused my Manioc, and my Pota­toes to rot in the Ground; now since he hath treated me so ill, I will Work on every Sunday on purpose to vex him; A preg­nant Example of the brutality of this wretched Peo­ple.

Yet have they a natural Sentiment of some Divinity or Superior power, that hath its residence in Heaven, which they say is contented to enjoy quietly the de­lights of its own felicity, without being offended at the ill actions of Men, and is endued with so great good­ness, as not to take any revenge even of Enemies, from [Page 179] whence they render Heaven, neither Honour nor Ado­ration interpreting its liberality and long sufferance, an effect either of its weakness or indifference toward Mankind; yet they believe there are a number of good and evil Spirits, the good are their Gods, and every one imagins that their is one of them particularly de­signed for his conduct, yet will not acknowledge them Creators of the World, and when the Christians tell them, we adore that God who made Heaven and Earth, and causeth the Earth to bring forth Fruits and Herbs for our nourishment, they answer; It is true thy God hath made the Heaven and the Earth of France, (or some other Countrey that they name) and causes the Wheat to grow there, but our Gods have made our Countrey, and cause our Manioc to grow; This Manioc is a Root of a small Tree or Shrub, whereof the Caribeans make Bread. When they recover of some Disease, they set a little Table at the end of their Hutts, and upon it their offerings, but without any Adoration or Prayers, yet they invocate their false Gods, when they desire his presence, but this is done by the Priest, and that upon four occasions; To demand Revenge, To be healed of Diseases, To know the e­vent of their Wars, To invocate them to drive away the great Devil or Maboya, for they never pray to him; His in­vocation is by singing some words and burning Tobac­co, the scent whereof is so pleasant, that it makes this little Devil appear, and when several Priests call upon their several Gods together, as they speak, these Gods or rather Devils rail, quarrel, and seem to fight with each other; These Demons shelter themselves, some­times in the Bones of dead Men taken out of the Graves and wrapt in Cotton, and thereby give Oracles, say­ing it is the Soul of the Deceased Person, they make use of them to bewitch their Enemies, the Sorcerers wrapping up these Bones with something that belongs to the Enemy.

These Devils do also sometimes enter into the Bo­dies of Women, and speak by them, clearly answer­ing all questions demanded, after the Boye or Priest is [Page 180] retired, the Devil stirs the Vessels, and makes a noise with his Jaws, as if he were eating and drinking the Presents prepared for him, but the next day they find he hath not medled with any thing. These poor wretches complain that sometimes Maboya beats them severely, which though some impute to Melancholy Dreams, yet other Persons of Quality and exquisite knowledge, who have long lived in St. Vinc ents Island, do affirm that the Devils do effectually beat them, and that they often shew on their Bodies the visible marks of the blows they have received, and they sometimes make horrid complaints of his cruelty, saying, That he is of late mightily incensed against the Caribeans, ac­counting the Europeans happy that their Maboya does not beat them. Mounsieur Montel, who hath been oft present at their Assemblies, and converst much with the Inhabitants of St. Vincent, gives this Testimony upon this sad occasion. Notwithstanding the ignorance and Irreligion, wherein our Caribeans live, they know by experi­ence, and fear more than death the Evil Spirit whom they call Maboya, for that dreadfull Enemy doth many times ap­pear to them under most hideous shapes: And what is more particularly observable, that unmerciful and bloody Executi­oner, who is an insatiable Murtherer from the beginning of the World, cruelly wounds and torments those miserable People, when they are not so forward as he would have them to engage in War, so that when they are reproached with Blood-Thirst­ness, their Answer is, they are forced thereto by Maboya a­gainst their wills.

This cursed Spirit it is that inflames them to act such cruelty upon their Enemies taken in War, in re­lating whereof we had need dip our pen in bloud, be­ing to draw a Picture which must raise horror in the beholder; In this the [...] appears nothing but Inhuma­nity, Barbarism, and Rage; to see rational Creatures cruelly devouring those of the same kind with them, and filling themselves with their flesh and bloud, a thing which Pagans heretofore thought so full of Exe­cration that they imagined the Sun withdrew [Page 181] himself because he would not give light to such bloudy banquets. When these Cannibals or Eaters of men (which is here their proper names) have brought home a Prisoner of War of the Arovages, he belongs of right to him who either seized him in fight, or took him running away, being then brought to this Island, he keeps him safe in his house, and after he has made him fast four or five daies, produces him upon some solemn day of debauch to serve for a publick Sacrifice to the immortal hatred of his Countreymen toward that Nation. If any of their enemies dye on the place of battel, they eat them there before they leave it, they design for slavery only the young maids and Women taken in the War. They have tasted of all the Nations that frequented them, and upon experi­ence affirm that the French are the most tender, and the Spaniards the hardest flesh of digestion, but now, they feed on no Christians at all.

They abstain from several Cruelties formerly used before they killed their Enemies, for whereas at pre­sent they think it enough to dispatch them at a blow or two with a Club, and afterward cut them into peices and having boyl'd to devour them; They heretofore put them to several Torments before they gave them the mortal blow, of which they themselves have given this deplorable relation to those who have been so curious to inform themselves from their own mouths; The Prisoner of War who had been so un­fortunate to fall into their hands, and was not igno­rant that he was designed to receive the most cruel Treatment which rage could suggest, armed himself with constancy, and to express how generous a People the Arovages were, marched very cheerfully to the place of execution, not being either bound or drag'd thereto, and presented himself with a mild and steady countenance in the midst of the Assembly, which he knew desired nothing so much as his death, and not expecting their abuses and bitter discourses, he prevented them in these Terms.

[Page 182] I know well enough upon what account you have brought me to this place, I doubt not but you are desirous to fill your­selves with my bloud, and that you are impatient to exercise your Teeth upon my Body; But you have not so much reason to Triumph to see me in this Condition, nor I much to be trou­bled thereat; My Countreymen have put your Predecessors to greater miseries than you are now able to invent against me; And I have done my part with them in mangling, Massacring and devouring your People, your Friends, and your Fathers, besides that I have Relations who will not fail to revenge my quarrel with advantage upon you and upon your Children, for the most inhumane tortures you intend against me, what Torments soever the most ingenious cruelty can dictate to you for the taking away of my life is nothing in comparison of those which my generous Nation prepares for you in exchange, therefore delay not the utmost of your cruelty any longer, and assure your selves I both slight and laugh at it; Somewhat of this Nature is that brave and bloudy Bravado which we read of a Brasilean Prisoner▪ ready to be devoured of his Enemies; Come on boldly, said he to them, and feast your selves upon me, for at the same time you will seed on your Fathers and Grand-Fathers, who serv'd for nourish­ment to my Body; These Muscles, thi [...] flesh, and these veins are yours, blind Fools as you are; [...]ou do not observe that the substance of the Members of your Ancestors are yet to be seen in them, tast them well and you will find the tast of your own flesh.

The Great Soul of our Arovagues was not only his lips, but shewed it self also in the effects which follow­ed this Bravado; For after the company had a while endured his menaces and arrogant defiance without touching him, one among them came and burnt his sides with a flaming brand, another cut great Gob­bets of flesh out of him, and would cut bigger if the bones would have admitted it, then they cast pepper into his wounds, others diverted themselves in shoot­ing Arrows at the poor Patient, and every one took a pleasure in tormenting him, but he suffered with the same unconcerned countenance, and expressed not [Page 183] the least sence of pain; After they had thus sported a long time with the poor wretch, at last growing weary of insulting and out-braved by his constancy which seemed still the same, one of them came and at one blow dispatched him with his Club. This is the usage wherewith the Caribeans heretofore treated their Prisoners of War, but now they think it enough to put them to a speedy death. As soon as this unfor­tunate Person is thus laid dead upon the place, the young men take the Body, and having washed it cut it in peices, and then boyl some part, and broil some upon wooden Frames made like a Gridiron for that purpose. When this detestable dish is ready and seasoned according to their Palates they divide it into so many parts as there are persons present, and joyfully devour it, thinking that the World cannot afford any other repast equally delicious; The Wo­men lick the very sticks whereon the fat dropped, not so much from the deliciousness they find in that kind of sustenance as from the excessive pleasure they conceive in being revenged in that manner of their cheifest enemies, and to heighten this rage and hatred against the Arovages they save the fat that comes from it; and keep it carefully in little Gourds to pour some few drops thereof into their sauces at their solemn entertainments, so to perpetuate as much as lies in their power, the motive of revenge.

CHAP. XIX. A Prospect of the Island of Antego.

THe Island of Antego lies in the Latitude of sixteen degrees and eleven minutes between Barbadoes and Desiderado. In length about Twenty Miles, and much of the same bredth; The access to it is dan­gerous for shipping by reason of the Rocks which in­compass it; It was conceived heretofore that it was not to be inhabited upon presumption that there was no fresh Water in it, but the English who have planted themselves in it have met with some, and make Ponds and Cisterns to supply that defect, it being inhabited by eight or nine hundred Persons. The Commodities this Island affords are Sugar, Jndico, Ginger and Tobacco. It abounds in tame Cattel, and all sorts of Fish, among which the Shark-Fish deserves remark; It is a kind of Sea-dog, or Sea-Wolf, the most devouring of all Fishes, & the most greedy of mans flesh & therefore dangerous to those that swim, he lives altogether by prey, and commonly follows ships to feed on the filth cast out of them into the Sea; These Monsters seem yellow in the Water, some of them of a vast length and bigness, insomuch that they are able to cut a man in two at one bite; Their Skin so rough that files are made of it to polish Wood; Their heads are flat, and the opening of their mouth not just before the snout but under it, so that they are forced to turn their Bel­lies almost upward when they seize their Prey; Their Teeth are very sharp and broad jagged about like a Saw, of which some have three or four ranks in each Jaw-Bone, they lye within his gums, but sufficiently appear when there is occasion. These cruel Sea-Dogs [Page 185] are attended by two or three small Fishes and some­times more, which go before them with such swiftness, and exactness that they either go forward or stay as he does; The Meat of him is not good, but the brains are counted useful against the stone and Gravel.

Another Ravenous Sea-Monster found on these Coasts is called the Becune, a dreadful enemy to Mankind, in shape like a Pike but seven or eight foot long, he lives by prey, & furiously fastens like a bloud-hound on the men he perceives in the Water. He carries away whatever he once fastens on, and his teeth are so venemous, that the least touch of them becomes mor­tal, if some Soveraign Antidote be not instantly ap­plied to divert and abate the Poyson. There are another kind of Becunes by some call Sea Wood-Cocks, their beaks being somewhat like a Wood-cocks bill only the up­per part is much longer than the lower, and it moves both Jaws with like facility; Some of them are four foot long and twelve Inches broad neer the head, which is somewhat like a Swines, with two large eyes extreamly Shining, he hath two Fins on the sides and under the Belly a great plume rising higher like a Cocks comb, reaching from head to Tail: Besides the long solid beak, it hath two sorts of Horns, hard, black, and about a foot and an half in length which hang down under his throat and are particular to this kind of fish, and these he can easily hide in a hollow place under his Belly which serves them for a Sheath, it hath no Scales but a rough black Skin on the back, and the meat is eatable. Another Fish found neer these Islands is called the Sea Ʋrchin or Hedghog, and well deserves that name, it is round as a Ball and full of Sharp prickles for which it is feared, some call it the armed Fish, they are sent as Presents to the curious to hang in their closets.

The Sea Parrots are likewise admirable which have beautiful sparkling eyes the Balls cleer as Chrystal, inclosed within a circle as green as an Emerald of which [Page 186] colour are the Scales of their backs; They have no Teeth but Jaws above and below of a solid bone very strong, of the same colour with their Scales and divid­ed into little Compartiments very beautiful to the Eye, they live on shel fish, and with those hard Jaw-bones they crush, as between two Milstones, Oysters, Muscles and other shell fish to get out the meat. They are an excellent kind of Fish to eat, and so big that some of them have weighed above Twenty pound. The Dorado by some called the Sea Bream, by others the Amber-Fish is also common in these patts, so called, because in the Water the head seems to be of a green gilt, and the rest of the Body as yellow as gold. It has pleasure in following Ships, but is so swift that it is very hard to take, being ex­treamly well furnished for swimming, having the fore­part of the head sharp, the back bristled with prickles reaching to the Tail which is forked, two Fins on each side the head and as many under the Belly, and the whole body rather broad than big, all which give him a strange command of the Water, he is as good meat as Trout or Salmon, they are caught only with a peice of White Linnen tyed to the Hook.

This Island likewise abounds in several sorts of Fowls and Birds, those of an extraordinary kind are first the Canades, which are the most beautiful Birds in the World (saith my Author,) under the belly and Wings it is of a waving Aurora colour, the back and one half of the Wings of a very bright Sky colour, the tail and greater feathers of the Wings are mixt with a Sparkling Carnation, diversifyed with a Sky, upon the back it was grass green and shining black, which very much added to the Gold and Azure of the other Plumage, but the most beautiful part was the head co­vered with a murrey down, chequered with green, yellow, and a pale blew which reach'd down wavingly to his back, the eye-lids were white, and the apple of the eye yellow and red like a Ruby set in Gold, it had upon the head a tuft or C [...]p of Feathers of a [Page] Vermillion Red sparkling like a lighted Coal, which was incompassed by o [...] [...] lesser Feathers of a Pearl colour. It was abo [...] [...] [...]ess of a Pheasant, and very kind and familiar with [...] [...]ends, but severe to its Ene­mies. This that our A [...] saw spoke the Dutch, Spa­nish, and Indian Language, and in the last he sung Airs as a natural Indian; He also imitated the cries of all sorts of Poultry and other creatures about the House, he called his Friends by their Names and Sirnames, and flew to them when he saw them e­specially when he was hungry, and if they had been long absent, exprest his Joy at their return. In a word, he was a present for a Prince, if he could have been brought over the Sea.

The Flamant is a great and beautiful bird about the bigness of a Wild goose, his beak is like a Spoon, his Neck and Legs very long, so that his Body is three foot from the ground, when they are young their fea­thers are white, then murrey, and when old of a bright Carnation, they are seldom seen but in great Compa­nies, & their hearing & smelling is so perfect that they smell the Huntsmen and fire-arms at a great distance, and therefore for fear of surprize they live in open places in the midst of the Fens, one of them being al­ways on the Guard, while the rest are searching the Waters for a livelihood; as soon as he hears the least noise or perceives a man, he takes his flight and gives a great cry for a signal to the rest to follow him; when the Huntsmen take them they get the wind of them that they may not smell the Powder, and covering themselves with an Oxhide creep on their hands and feet till they come to a place whence they may be sure to kill them.

CHAP▪ VIII A Prospect of the Island of Mevis.

THe Island of Mevis or Nevis lies in seventeen de­grees, and nineteen Minutes North of the Line; It is not above eighteen Miles round, and in the midst there is but one only Mountain, which is very high, and covered with great Trees up to the very top, a­bout which all the Plantations are setled, beginning from the Sea-side to the very highest part of it; It hath within it divers Springs of Fresh-water, whereof some are strong enough to make their way into the Sea, one Spring hath the waters so hot and Mineral, that from the force of it there are Baths made, found very beneficial in several Diseases. The English who planted themselves there in 1628. and are still Possessors there­of, being now about three or four Thousand Inhabi­tants, drive a very handsome Trade with Sugar, Gin­ger, Tobacco and Cotton, which they exchange for other conveniencies, it is the best governed of any of the Ca­ribee Islands, impartial justice being administred, and all debauchery and immorality severely punished by a Council of the most Eminent and Ancient Inhabitants. There are three Churches erected for the Service of God; And for the security of Vessels in the Road, there is a Fort, wherein are planted several great Guns, that command at a great distance, which likewise se­cure their Storehouses, into which all the Commodi­ties imported for the use of the Inhabitants are disposed, and from thence distributed to those that have occasi­on for them; It is indifferent Fruitful, and hath store of Deer, and other Game for Hunting.

In this Island there are Lizards five Foot in length, and a Foot about, their skins are of divers Colours,

[Page] [Page 189] according to the different Soil they are bred in, some of them have their Scales and Skin so glittering, that at a distance they look like rich Cloth of Gold and Sil­ver, they have four Feet, each with five Claws, and very sharp Nails, they run fast and climb Trees dexte­rously, and whether they love Men or are stupid, they stand still, looking on the Huntsmen, suffering them to put a Gin with a running knot about their Necks, which is fastened to the end of a Pole, whereby they get them off the Trees where they rest themselves; Their Jaws are wide, with very sharp Teeth, their Tongues thick, and they hold fast what they catch with their Teeth, which are not at all venemous, the Females lay Eggs about the bigness of Woodcocks, the Shell is soft, which they lay deep in the Sand on the Sea-shores to be hatched by the Sun, they are sometimes eaten though disliked by many. The Annolis is another creature very common in all the Plan­tations, about the bigness of a Lizard, but the head longer, the Skin yellowish, and on their backs they have green, blew and gray streaks drawn from the top of the head to the end of the Tail, they live in holes under ground, whence in the night they make a very loud and importunate noise, in the day they are con­tinually wandring about Cottages for subsistence. A Land-pike is another strange Reptile so called from its likeness to that Fish, but instead of Fins it hath four feet which are so weak that they only crawl on the ground, and wind their bodies as Pikes newly taken out of the Water, the longest are about fifteen inches and proportionably big; Their Skin is covered with little Scales which shine extreamly, and are of a Sil­ver gray colour, in the night they make a hideous noise from under the Rocks, and the bottoms of hollow pla­ces where they are lodg'd; It is more sharp and grating to the ear than Frogs or Toads, and they change their notes according to the variety of the place where they lurk, they are seldom seen but a little before night, and when met in the day their strange motion is apt on a sudden to affright the Spectator.

[Page 150]There is an Insect in these Islands called a Souldier, somewhat like a Snail, but have no Shells proper to themselves, and therefore to secure the weakness of their little bodies against the injuries of the Air, and the attempts of other Beasts, they take possession of such a shell as they find most convenient, which is commonly that of Perriwinkles; As they grow big­ger they Shift their Shells and get into larger, they have instead of a foot an instrument like a Crabs Claw, wherewith they close the entrance of their Shells, and secure their whole body, if he be set neer the Fire he forsakes his Quarters, if it be presented to him to get in again he goes in backward, when they all intend to change lodgings, to which they are much inclined, there happens a serious engagement managed with that clasping Instrument, till at length the strongest by Conquest gets possession which he peaceably enjoys during his pleasure. Another Insect called the flying Tygar is observable, the Body is chequered with spots of divers colours as the Tygar is, about the bigness of an horned Beetle, the head sharp with two great Eyes as green and Sparkling as an Emerald, his mouth is arm'd with two hard hooks extreamly sharp, wherewith he holds fast his prey while he gets the substance, the whole body is covered with a hard and swarthy cru­stiness which serves him for armour; Under his Wings, which are also of solid matter, there are four less Wings as soft as Silk, it hath six Legs, each whereof hath three Joints, and they are bristled with certain little prickles; In the day he is continually catching Flies, and other little Animals, and in the Night sits Singing on the Trees. The Horn­fly is another which hath two snouts like an Elephant, one turning upward, and the other down about three Inches long, the head is blew like a Grashopper, the two Eyes green, the upper side of the Wings of a bright Violet, Damaskt with Carnation, heightned by a small natural thred of Silver, the Colours drawn with such Curiosity, that the most curious Painting cannot [Page 191] reach it. I imagined (saith my Author (it had been Artificial because of the lively Carnation colour and the string of Silver, but having taken it in my hand, I thought nature must certainly be in an excellent hu­mour, and had a mind to divert her self when she be­stowed such sumptuous Robes on this little Q. of Insects.

A Monstruous Spider is likewise found in these parts so large that when her legs are spred she takes up above the bredth of a mans hand, the Body consists of 2 parts, one flat and the other round, smaller at one end like a Pigeons egg, with a hole in the back, which is as it were their Navil, it is armed with two Sharp tushes solid and black, smoot and shining, so that some set them in Gold for Tooth-pickers, esteemed to have a virtue of preserving from pain and corruption the places rubbed therewith, when they grow old they are covered with a swarthy down soft as Velvet, they have ten feet having each four Joints armed at the ends with a black hard-horn. They every year shift their old Skins and their two Tushes, they feed on flyes and such vermine, and it hath been observed that in some places their Webs are so strong that little Birds can hardly extricate themselves from them. The Palmer-worm is notable from the almost infinite number of Feet, which are as bristles under his Body, and help him to creep along the ground with incre­dible swiftness if persued; It is half a Foot long, the upper part covered with swarthy Scales, which are hard and jointed one within another like the Tiles of a House, but what is dangerous in this Creature is, that he hath a kind of Claw both in his head and Tail, wherewith he twitches so home and so poysonous the wounded place, that for four and twenty hours the pa­tient feels great pain. There was some years since brought from thence a Bird about the bigness & shape of a Swallow, only the two great Feathers of the Tail a little shorter and the beak turned down like a Parrot, and the feet like a Ducks, it was black only under the Belly, a little white like our Swallows, in fine, it was so like them that it may be called the Swallow of Ame­rica.

[Page 192]The Fly Catcher is a very pretty Animal, it is a four legged Creature, of a very small size, some of them seem to be covered with fine Gold or Silver Bro­cado, others with a mixture of green, Gold, and other delightful colours, they are so familiar that they come boldly into rooms, where they do no mischief, nay on the contrary cleer them of Flyes and such Vermine, which they perform with such nimbleness and slight that the cunning of Huntsmen is not compa­rable to it, for he lies down on a plank where he hopes the Fly will come and keeps his eye alway fixt upon it, putting his head into as many different postures as the Fly shifts places, and standing upon his fore-feet and gaping after it, he half opens his little Wide Mouth as if he had already swallowed it in hope, nay though a noise be made and one come neer him, nothing disturbs him, and having at last found his ad­vantage he starts so directly on his prey that he very seldom misses it; They are so tame as to come upon the Table at dinner, and attempt to catch a Fly there or upon their hands or cloths being very neat clean things; They lay small eggs as big as Pease, which hav­ing covered with a little Earth they leave to be hatched by the Sun, as soon as they are killed all their beauty vanishes, and they become pale. It may be reckoned a kind of Camelion, assuming the colour of those things on which it makes its ordinary residence, for being about Palm Trees it is green, about Orange Trees yellow and the like.

CHAP. XIX. A Prospect of the Island of St. Christophers.

THis Island was so named by Christopher Columbus, who finding it very pleasant gave it his own name, which the shape of the Mountains likewise in­clined him to, for it hath on its upper part as it were upon one of its shoulders another lesser Mountain, as St. Christopher is painted like a Giant, carrying our Sa­viour [Page 193] upon his as it were a little Child; It is scituated seventeen degrees and twenty five Minutes on this side the Line, & is about twenty five Leagues in compass, the soil being light and sandy is apt to produce all sorts of the Country Fruits, with many of the choicest growing in Europe; It lyes high in the midst by reason of some very high Mountains, out of which arise seve­ral Rivers, which do sometimes so suddenly overflow through the Rains falling from the Mountains, that the Inhabitants are thereby surprized; The whole Island is divided into four Cantons or Quarters, two whereof are possessed by the Engli [...]h, and two by the French, but so separated that People cannot go from one quarter to the other, without passing over the Lands of one of the two Nations. The English have more little Rivers in their Division, the French more of the plain Country fit for Tillage; The English ex­ceed the French in number, but the French have four Forts and the English only two, and to prevent diffe­rences between the two Nations, each of them have a Guard upon the Frontiers of their Division, which is renewed every day.

There is a fine Salt Pit in the Island, and some con­ceive there is a Silver Mine, but because the Salt Pits, Woods, Havens and Mines are common to both Peo­ple, it is not regarded, besides the great stock, and multitude of slaves which such an enterprize would re­quire; The true Silver Mine is Sugar; This Island may be easily incompassed by Land, but one cannot pass through the midst of it, by reason of several great and steep Mountains, between which are dreadful Rocks, Precipices, and springs of hot Water, yea some springs of Sulphur which causeth one of them to be called the Sulphur Mountain; The Island seems to descend gently toward the Sea, and is divid­ed into several Stages, from the uppermost whereof a man may take a very pleasant Prospect of all the Plantations from thence downward; There are many gallant Houses built both by the English and French, [Page 194] and the English have also erected five fair Churches well furnished within with Pulpits and Seats of ex­cellent Joyners work of precious wood; The Mini­sters being sent thither by the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury. The French and English Colonies, had their beginning at the same time, for in 1625. Monsieur Desnambuck a French, and St. Thomas Warner an Eng­lish Gentleman jointly took possession of St. Christophers on the same day, in the names of the Kings of Great Britain and France their Masters, that they might have a place of safe retreat, and a good Haven for the Ships of both Nations bound for America, as being well fur­nished with Provisions, and therefore often visited by the Spaniards, who sometimes left the sick there to be look'd to by the Caribeans with whom they had made a peace upon those Terms.

These two Gentlemen having thus taken possession of the Island, left some men therein to secure it, and re­turned for the further establishment of these Colo­nies, to their respective Countreys; But before they parted hence, suspecting some private Intelligence between the Indians and Spaniards for destroying all the English and French in their absence, they in one night rid their hands of the most factious of that Nati­on, and soon after forced all the rest, who were got together in several Bodies and stood upon their Guard, to retire to some other Islands, and leave that to their disposal. After this they both returned home, where their Conquests and Proceedings being approved of by the Kings their Masters, they returned with recruits of men in the quality of Governors, and Lieutenants under the Kings of Great Britain and France, and hav­ing divided the Island according to their first Agree­ment, and the English having plentiful Provisions from London, prospered much more than the French, who wanted necessary assistance.

In 1629. a powerfull Fleet from Spain under Don Frederick de Toledo had received order from that King, that before he fell down to the Havana, he should [Page 195] touch at St. Christophers, and force thence all the En­glish and French, who had planted themselves there for some years before. This Navy consisted of twenty four great Ships of Burden, and fifteen Frigots, who first seized some English Ships lying at Anchor near the Isle of Mevis; And then came and cast Anchor in the Road of St. Christophers, in the French Division, and the Forts of both Colonies being not in a condition to stand out a Siege, unfurnished with Ammunition and Provisions, nay all the Forces of the Nations in Con­junction, not being able to have opposed so great an Army, it was a great discouragement to them, yet re­solving the Enemy should not boast they had com­passed their designs without blows they made a very Vigorous opposition, but being over powered by number, the French forsook the Island, [...]snam [...]u [...] Imbarquing all his Men in certain Ships, which chanced to be in the Haven. The Quarters of the English upon this In­telligence were in great disorder, and in continual expectation that the Spaniards would fall upon them. Some endeavouring to escape by Sea, or shelter them­selves in the Mountains, while others somewhat more couragious, sent Deputies to Don Frederick to propose an accommodation; But all the answer they received was, an express command immediately to depart the Island, or to be treated with that Rigour, which the Law of Arms permits to be used toward those who wrongfully possess what belongs not to them, and to speed their departure, he ordered those English Ships taken at Mevis should be restored to them, wherein they should Imbarque Instantly for England, and be­cause it was impossible those Vessels should contain so great a number, he permitted the rest to continue in the Isle till they had opportunity of Transportation.

These things dispatcht, Don Frederick weighed An­chor, but as soon as the Fleet was out of sight, the English who were left behind, began to rally, and took a resolution couragiously to carry on the Settlement of their Colony; During these Transactions at St. Christo­phers, [Page 196] the French who went to Sea, having suffered ma­ny inconveniences, were forced to put in at the Islands of St. Martin and Montserrat, but looked on them as Desarts in comparison of the place they had left, and being desirous to be informed of the condition of the Spaniards there, sent one of their Ships to St. Christo­phers, who returning gave them an account the Enemy was gone, and the English couragiously imployed in Re building, Planting, and repairing Desolations; This unexpected good News revived their decayed hopes, and persuaded them to a speedy return; The English Colony with constant supplies from London, from that time grew very powerful, peopling not on­ly this place, but sending new Plantations from hence to Barbuda, Montserrat, [...]ntego and Barbadoes, which are grown very numerous and famous for the Trade of the rich commodities they are furnished with, as well as this curious Island, whose chiefest Trade is Sugar Tobacc [...], Cotton, Ginger, with several other sorts of Fruits and Provisions.

The Rocquet is a pretty Animal in this Isle, their skin is of the colour of a withered leaf, marked with little Yellow or blewish Points, they go on four feet those before being highest, their Eyes lively and sparkling, their heads always lifted up, and so active that they leap up and down perpetually like Birds when they make no use of their Wings, their Tails are so turned up toward their back that they make a Circle and an half; They love to look upon men, and are constantly staring on them; When they are pur­sued they open their Mouths, and put out their Tongues like little Hounds. There is a large Bird in the Carribees called the Eagle of Orinca much like an Eagle in shape; All his Feathers are of light Gray marked with black Spots, save that the ends of his Wings and Tail are yellow, he hath a piercing sight, and feeds on other Birds, yet to shew his generosity he never sets upon the waeker sort, but those that are armed with crook­ed beaks and sharp Tallons like himself, nay it is ob­servable [Page 197] he never seizes his prey on the ground or a Tree, but stays till it has taken his flight that he may ingage it in the open air with equal advantage, upon whom he furiously fastens his Tallons, and having mastered them tears them in peices and devours them. There is also a large Bird in these Islands called a Craw fowl about the bigness of a great Duck, the feathers Ash colour, and hi [...]eous to the eye, it hath a long Flat beak, a great head, small eyes deep set in his heed, and a short neck, under which hangs a bag or Craw so big that it will contain two Gallons of Wa­ter, they are commonly found on Trees by the Sea­side, where as soon as they perceive a Fish at advan­tage they seize it, and swallow it whole, they are so at­tentive on their Fishing having their Eye constantly on the Sea, that they are easily shot and become a Prey to others; their sight is so admirable that they will discover a Fish at a great distance in the Sea and above a fathom under Water, yet stay till they come almost even with it before they seize; Their Flesh is not to be eaten; Here are likewise found a kind of Pheasants which are called Pintado's, because they are as it were painted with colours, and have about them small points like so many Eyes on a Dark ground.

To conclude with these Fowls we shall give an Ac­count of the Colibry, or Humming Bird, which is admirable for its beauty, bulk, sweet scent, and manner of life, for being the least of all Birds he gloriously confirm the saying of Pliny, That nature is ever greatest in its least Productions; Some of these Birds are no bigger bodied than the greater sorts of Flies, yet of such beautiful feathers, that the neck, wings and back represent the Rain-bow, there are others that have such a bright red under their neck that at a distance one would imagine it to be a Carbuncle, the Belly and under the Wings are yellow as Gold, the thighs Green like an Emerald, the feet and beak as black as polished Ebony, the two little eyes two diamonds set in an oval of the co­lour [Page 198] of burnished steel, the Head is grass green, which gives it such a lustre that it looks as if gilt; The Male hath a little Tuft on the head in which may be seen all the colours that enamel this little Body, the miral­cle of the feathered Common wealth and one of the rarest productions of nature; He moves that little Crown of Feathers at pleasure, and is more beautiful than the Female; As his bulk and plumage is mira­culous, so is the activity of his flight, making a noise with his Wings as if a little Whirl-Wind were sud­denly raised in the Air, which surprizes those who hear him before they see him; He lives only on the dew which he sucks from the Flowers of Trees with his Tongue which is longer than his beak, hollow as a reed, and about the bigness of a small needle; 'tis pleasant to look on him in that posture for spreading abroad his little crest, one would think [...] had on his head a Crown of Rubies and all sorts of [...]ecions stones, and the Sun adding to his Lustre makes him look like a com­position of precious Stones animated and flying in the Air; The female commonly lays but two Eggs which are oval about the bigness of a Pea or small Pearl: And though he lose much of his beauty when dead, yet there is so much left, that some Ladies have worn them for Pendants, and ima­gined they became them better than any other, its smell being also excellent, even like the finest Musk and Amber.

CHAP. XXI. A Prospect of the Island of Barbadoes.

BArbadoes is the most considerable Island the Eng­lish have among the Carribees, & lies in thirteen de­grees and twenty Minutes on this side the Equator, and though not above Twenty four Miles long and fifteen broad, yet was many years ago accounted to have above [Page 199] Twenty thousand Inhabitants besides Negro Slaves who are thought a far greater number. In the reign of K. James the first a Ship of Sr. William Curteens re­turning from Fernambuck in Brasil, being driven by soul weather upon this Coast, chanced to fall upon this Island, and anchoring before it staid some time to in­form themselves of the nature thereof, which was so exceedingly over-grown with Woods that they could find no Champion or Savana's for men to dwell in, nor any Beasts but a multitude of Swine, which the Portugals put ashoar long before for breed, if they should at any time be cast on that shoar in foul wea­ther, and the fruits and roots that grew there afforded so great plenty of food as they multiplied abundantly, so that the Natives of the other Islands use to come thither a hunting; This discovery being made, and advice given to their Friends in England, other Ships were sent, and having cut down the Woods, and cleered the ground, they planted Potatoes, Plantines and Maiz, which with the Hogsflesh they found served only to keep Life and Soul together, and their supplies from England, coming so slow and uncertain, they were oft driven to great extremities, but in the year 1627. when they had more hands, and having Tobacco, Indico, Cotton Wool, and Fustick Wood to trade with, some Ships were invited with hope of gain to visit them, bringing for exchange such things as they wanted, as working Tools of Iron, and Steel, Cloaths, Shirts, Drawers, Hose, Shoes, Hats, and more Planters; So that in a short time they grew very considerable, especially when their Sugar Canes were grown, and they had learned the Art of making Sugar; The In­habitants which consist of English, Scotch, Irish, with some few Dutch, French and Jews, were lately calcu­lated to be above fifty Thousand, and the Negro's about an hundred Thousand; So that they can in a short time arm Ten Thousand fighting men, which with the natural advantage of the place, is able to defy the most potent Enemy, as the Spaniards have sound [Page 200] to their cost, having in vain assaulted it several times.

It hath only one River or rather a Lake which runs not far into the Land, yet the Country lying low, and level they have divers Ponds, and are supplyed with Rain Water by making Cisterns in their Houses; The Air is very hot for eight months, and would be more insupportable were it not for the cool breezes which rise with the Sun, and blow still fresher as that grows higher, but always from the Northeast except in the Turnado, and then it chop▪ about to the South an hour or two, and after returns as before, the other four months are not so hot, but like the air of England about the middle of May, and though they sweat yet find not such faintness as in England in August, neither are they thirsty unless overheated with labour or strong drink. Their Bread is made of the root of a small Tree or Shrub which they call Cassavy, and account it wholsome and nourishing.

They have a drink called Mobbie made of Potatoes; Another named Perino, which is reckoned much better though not altogether so pleasant, made by the Indians for their own drinking of the Cassavy Root, which of it self is a strong Poyson, and this they cause their old Women whose Breath and Teeth have been tainted with many several Poxes, to chew and spit out into the Water, for the better breaking and macerating the Root, and in three or four hours this juice will work and purge it self of the poysonous quality, for the old Womens poysnous Breath and the Poyson of the Cassavy being opposites, work with such vehemency a­gainst each other as they spend their poysonous quali­ty in the conflict; They drink likewise Puncb, Plum drink, Plantane drink, A strong drink made of the skimming of Sugar, Beveridge, and Wine of Pines, which is the best of all; Their Meat is generally Hogs Flesh exceeding good, they feeding on nothing but Pompious as sweet as Mellons, Plantanes, Sugar Canes and Maiz; They have also Turkies, Pullets, Muscovy Ducks, Turtle Doves, Pidgeons and Rabbits; With [Page 201] excellent Fish, many kinds not known to us, as the green Turtle, who coming in with the Tyde, lye up­on the Sands till the next return, and are easily taken in the Lucaick Islands, though not in this, but sent hither; For it is but turning them on their Backs with staves, and there they lye till they are fetcht away; A large Turtle (as we have mentioned) will have in her body half a Bushel of Eggs which she lays in the Sand, where they are hatcht by the Sun. When you are to kill one of these Fishes, you lay him on his Back on a Table, and when he sees you come with a Knife in your hand to kill him, he sends forth the most grie­vous sighs that ever were heard, and sheds Tears in abundance, after he is opened, and his Heart taken out, if you lay it in a Dish, it will stir and pant ten hours after the Fish is dead, there is no more de­licate in tast, nor more nourishing than he.

This Island may be divided into Masters, Servants and Slaves; The Masters live in all affluence of plea­sure and delight, the Servants after five years be­come Freemen of the Island, and then imploy their time as may be most to their advantage; but the Negro-Slaves and their Children being in Bondage for ever, are preserved with greater care; but used with such severity, as occasioned a great Conspiracy against their Masters some years since, which was so closely carried as no discovery was made till the day before it was to be acted, and then one of them either failing of his courage, or out of love to his Master, discover­ed and prevented it, for which many of them were put to death, as a terror to the rest, who being so nu­merous might prove dangerous, but that they are kept in such strict aw, and not suffered to touch or handle a Weapon, so that nothing is more terrible to them than Gunshot; and besides being of different Countreys, they speak divers Languages, and do not understand one another; For in some of those places in Africa, where petty Kingdoms are, they sell their Subjects, and such as they take in Battel, whom they make [Page 202] Slaves, yea some poor Men sell their Servants, their Children, and sometimes their Wives, for such Traf­fick as our Merchants bring them; When they are brought hither, the Planters buy them out of the Ship, where they find them stark naked, and therefore can­not be deceived in any outward Infirmity, chusing them as they do Horses in a Market, the strongest, youthfulest and most beautiful yield the greatest price; Thirty Pound Sterling for a Man, and Twenty five for a Woman, is usual; if they buy any that have no Wives, they will come to their Masters and complain they cannot live without, and he provides them one by the next Ships; Religion they have none, yet seem to acknowledge a God, by looking up to Heaven for revenge when they are wronged; One Negro Woman being brought to Bed of two Children, her Husband provided a Cord to hang her as false to him, but the Overseer prevented it, by telling him it was common with the English Women, and they liked them the better, yet if he were resolved to Hang her, he should be Hanged himself by her, the fear of which hindred him.

The chief Towns in this Isle are St. Michaels for­merly called Bridge-Town, Little Bristol, St. James, and Charles-Town, with other Parishes of less note, and several Bays on the Seacoasts. The Goverment is by Laws agreeable to those in England; For which they have Courts of Judicature, Justices of Peace, Consta­bles, Church-wardens and the like. The Island is very strong as well by nature as Art; It is divided into ele­ven Precincts, wherein are fourteen Churches and Chappels, the whole so filled with Houses that it may almost seem one Great Town. There is a Fish called a Rock-fish taken neer this Island, which is red, Inter­mixt with several other colours very delightful to the Eye; And a great Fly called by the Indians Cucuyos which gives such a great light, in the night that it is cal­led the Flying Torch of America, not only guiding the Traveller by shewing his way in the night, but with the assistance of this light a man may easily write and read [Page 203] the smallest print; The Indians having these Flyes fastened to their hands and feet go a hunting all night by the light of them, which the famous Dubartas thus describes.

If five or six of these Flys were put into a Vessel of fine Chrystal, no doubt it would be a living incom­parable Torch answerable to the Poets description. The present Governor of Barbadoes is Sir Richard Dutton.

CHAP. XXII. A Prospect of the Island of Jamaica.

Jamaica is scituate in seventeen or eighteen Degrees of North Latitude, its shape somewhat oval being a­bout 170 miles long, and about seventy broad, in the midst whereof runs a continued ridg of high Mountains, so that some have compared the Island to a saddle; from hence flow divers fresh springs, which cause many Rivers to the great refreshment of the Inhabitants; It came into the possession of the English upon this occasion.

In 1655. Oliver Cromwel who then usurpt the Go­vernment, having made Peace with the Dutch, re­solved upon an Adventure against the Spaniards, pro­viding a Fleet, and giving out that the Voyage would be very profitable, being designed to a place where there was much Gold and store of riches, but conceal­ed the design to the very last; Hope of gain incouraged many of low fortunes to engage in this enterprize, so that the Fleet, was soon filled, which setting Sail, Dec. 28. Venables commanding the Land Forces, and Pen being General at Sea, they put in at Barbadoes Jan. 28. [Page 204] Following; The King of Spain was not ignorant these preparations were designed against the West-Indies, and having dispatcht Expresses into those parts, he sent the Marquess of Leda in a [...]plendid Amb ssy t [...] Cromwel, but had such cold reception that he quickly returned; In the mean time the Fleet steered its course from Barbadoes to Hispaniola one of the richest Islands in America, which was much wondered at, since at that time no open Hos­tility was declared against Spain, and though it was al­ledged, That the conditions of Peace extended not beyond the line, yet the Spaniard lookt on it as an ab­solute breach; The beginning of this Enterprize met with a Remarkable check, for when General Venables might have landed very neer St. Domingo, the chief Town in the Isle and deserted by the Garrison, yet ruled by strange Counsels of his own, or as some say overuled by his Wife, he set his men ashoar ten Lea­gues Westward of it, whereupon the Spaniards took Courage and betook themselves again to the defence of St. Domingo.

The English landing, and seeing no opposition thought themselves safe, and Lords of the Indies, and were already sharing the Golden Mines among them­selves; When contrary to their expectation, the Gene­ral caused it to be proclaimed at the head of the Army, that none upon pain of Death should Plunder any Gold, Plate or Jewels, or kill any Cattle; Which damping their Spirits and the excessive heat of the Climate weakning their Bodys, by that time they had marched a most tedious and disconsolate March, through thick Woods, in deep scalding Sands, ready to perish with miserable drought and Thirst for want of Water, of which they met not with a drop in many miles, they were brought into such a Condition that they needed not an Enemy to kill them, being already almost dead with faintness and weakness, so that the Spaniards Negro's and Molatto's falling upon them, destroyed them without resistance, till they were weary of killing, and those thought themselves happy, who [Page 205] could make their escape to their Ships. Major Gene­ral Hains and above six hundred others fell in this skirmish besides near as many more in stragling Par­ties, and all this Execution was done with the loss of not above sixty of the Enemy. The remnant of this Naval Army, that they might not be thought to have undertaken so long a Voyage, and of such expectation in vain, possest themselves with little or no opposition of the Island of Jamaica, which though not so plentiful and rich as the place they aimed at, yet with much In­dustry, and the Supplies sent them from England, they made it a tolerable Habitation to abide in, planting themselves at Oristano the chief, and then only Town therein. In 1658. five hundred Spaniards under Don Christopher Arnaldo Saffer landed in this Island, and be­gan to fortifie themselves at a place called St. Ann, but were fiercely set upon by the English, and forced to fly into the Woods and Mountains; and another body of three hundred Spaniards, having fortified themselves at Chareras in the North of this Island, were by the then Governor Collonel Doyly driven quite out of their hold, Don Francisco de Preucia, the Maestro del Campo with others taken, many killed, and the rest ut­terly dispersed.

This grand disaster with many petty ill successes caused the Spaniards to dispair of regaining the Island, and to Ship off most of their Plate and Women, and the Negro's finding the greatest part of their Masters to be dead, killed the Governour, and decline all obedience to the Spaniards, chusing themselves a Black for their Governour, and such was the weakness of the Spaniards, that instead of correcting them they were forced to beg their assistance, which yet would not prevail, for soon after they submitted to the English Government, and made Discoveries of the Spaniards and Negro's that would not join with them; whereup­on the next year the Spaniards quite deserted the Island, except thirty or forty of their Slaves who be­took themselves to the Mountains, but being afraid of a [Page 206] discovery, and to be pursued to death for some Mur­thers by them committed, they built themselves Ca­noo's, and in them fled to Cuba, and never since had any considerable attempt made upon them. The En­glish being thus become Masters of the Island, formed themselves into a Colony, and begun to settle Plantati­ons, while others betook themselves to Sea as Privateers, the better to secure themselves against the Spaniards, and force them to a Peace by seizing their Ships, where­in they were very successful. This caused the Isle to be much talked of and esteemed by the English, who sent them supplies of Men, Provisions and necessaries, and thus by degrees it became so potent as now it is; And though the success of the English at the beginning of the Spanish War was but in-different, yet it afterward proved Fortunate enough by gaining several Victories, & great prizes from them as our English Virgil then Sung.

The Soyl of Jamaica is very fruitful, the Trees and Plants be­ing always springing, and never disrobed of their Summer Livery, every month being like our April or May; there are many Plains which they call Savana's intermixt with Hills and Woods, which they say were formerly Fields of Indian Maiz or Wheat, but con­verted by the Spaniards, to pasture for feeding their Horses, Cows, Hoggs, and Asinego's that they brought from Spain for breed, afrer they had destroyed all the Indians, which were reckoned above six hundred Thousand, which Cattle increased exceed­ingly, great herds of Horses, Hogs, and other kinds still running Wild in the Woods; The Air is more temperate than any of the Caribees, being constantly cooled with Eastern breezes, and fre­quent rains, and never troubled with these storms of wind called Hurricanes wherewith the adjacent Islands are disturbed, sometimes so violent that Ships are forced out of the Roads, and on Shoar, their Houses blown down, and provisions rooted out of the Earth; The days and nights are almost equall all the year. It produceth many excellent Commodities, as Sugar very good, Cocao, Indico, Cotton, Tobacco, Hydes, Tortoise Shells, curious Wood, Salt, Saltpeter Ginger, Pepper, Drugs of several sorts, and Cocheneel, with many others which if well improved, this Isle will be the best and richest Plantation that ever the English were Masters of.

[Page 208]They have Horses so plentifull that a special one may be bought for six or seven pound; Likewise Cows, Asinego's, Mules, Sheep, Goats, and Hog [...] in abundance; With very rare Fish of several sorts, and plenty of tame Fowl as Hens, Turkies, and some Ducks, but almost infinite store of Wild-Fowl, as Geese, Turkies Pigeons, Ducks, Teal, W [...]gens, Ginny Hens, Plovers, Flem ngo's Snipes, Parr [...]ts, and Parac [...]etto's, and many others whose names are not known; With choice Fruits, as Oranges, Limes, Pomegranats, Coco-nuts, Guavers, Prickle-Apples, Prickle-Pears, Grapes, Plantains Pines, and s [...]veral more; All manner of Garden Herbs and Roots as Beans, Pease, Cabbages, Colliflowers, Radish, Lettice Pursly, Melons, and divers more, They are sometimes troubled with Calentures, which is generally occasioned by drunkenness, ill Diet, or Sloth, also with Feavers and Agues, but they seldom prove mortal. This Isle abounds with good Roads, Bays and Harbours, the chief whereof is Port Royal formerly called Cageway, very commodious for Ship­ping, and secured by a strong Castle, it is about twelve Miles from the chief Town of the Island called St. Jago. Next is Port-Morant, O [...]d Harbour, Port-Negril and Port-Antonio, with divers others. The Town of St. Jago de la vega is s [...]ated six miles within the Land North-west; When the Spaniards possest the Isle, it was a large famous City of about two Thousand Houses, with two Churches, two Chappels and an Abbey, which when the English took under Venables were destroyed all but five hundred, its Churches and Chappels made fewer, and the remainder spoiled and defaced; But since the settlement of the English, they begin to repair the ruinous Houses, and it is like to be gr [...]ater than formerly.

Passage is another Town six mile from St. Jago, and as many from Portugal, where are about twenty Houses and a Fort to secure the English going thither. In the Spaniards time here were several other Towns which are now disregarded, as Sevilla on the North of the Isle, once beautified with a Collegiat Church, which had an Abbot. Melilla in the Northeast, where Columbus repaired his Ships at his return from Veragua, when he was al­most Shipwrackt; Oristan toward the South Sea, where Peter Seranna lost his Ship upon the adjacent Rocks and Sands, and continued here in a Solitary Condition for three years, and then had the company of a Mariner for four years more, who was likewise Shipwrackt, and only saved himself. Though there are at present no more Towns, yet the Island is divided into fourteen Precincts or Parishes, namely Port Royal, St. Catherine, St. Johns, St. Andrews, St. Davids, St. Thomas, and Clarendon, many whereof are well inhabited by the English that have there very good Plantations, whose number is not certainly known, but ac­cording to a survey taken and returned into England some years since, there were above seventeen hundred Families, and more [Page 209] than Fifteen Thousand Inhabitants, in the forenamed fourteen Precincts; And in the four Parishes on the North side of the Isle that is St. Georges, St. Maries, St. Anus, and St. James, above Two Thousand more, all which are now extreamly increased even to double if not treble that number, the Great Incourage­ment of gaining wealth, and a pleasant life inviting abundance of People to transplant themselves from Barbadoes, and other English Plantations every year, so that in a small time it is like to be the most potent and rich Plantation in all America; And be­sides the aforementioned number of Inhabitants, there are reckon­ed to belong to Jamaica of Privatiers, or Bucaniers Sloop, and Boat­men, which ply about the Isle at least Thirty Thousand stout fighting men, whose Courage is sufficiently discovered in their dayly attempts upon the Spaniards in Panama and other places, which for the hazard, conduct and daringness of their exploits have by some been compared to the Actions of Caesar and Alexander the Great. The Laws of this Island are as like those of England, as the d [...]fference of Countreys will admit, they having their several Courts, Magistrates, and Officers, for executing Justice on Offenders, and hearing and determining all Civil Causes between man and man; The present Governor under his Majesty of Great Britain is Sir Thomas Linch,