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NEWENGLANDSPROSPECT.
NEWENGLANDSPROSPECT.
Noble Sir. The good assurance of your native worth, and thrice generous disposition, as also the continuall manifestation of your bounteous favour, and love towards my selfe in particular, hath so bound my thankfull acknowledgement, that I count it the least part of my service to present the first fruites of my farre-fetcht experience, to the kinde acceptance of your charitable hands: well knowing that though this my worke, owne not worth enough to deserve your patronage, yet such is your benign
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Errata.
Errata.
The South part of New-England, as it is Planted this yeare, 1634....
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Chap. I.
Chap. I.
For as much as the Kings most excellent Majesty hath beene graciously pleasd by the grant of his Letters Patents, at first to give life to the plantations of New England , and hath dayly likewise by his Favours and Royall protection cherished their growing hopes; whereby many of his Majesties faithfull Subjects haue beene imboldned to venture persons, states, and indeavours, to the inlargement of his Dominions in that Westerne Continent: Wherefore I thought fit (for the further encouragement of
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Chap. II.
Chap. II.
For that part of the Countrey wherein most of the English have their habitations: it is for certaine the best ground and sweetest Climate in all those parts, bearing the name of New England , agreeing well with the temper of our English bodies, being high land, and sharpe Ayre, and though most of our English Townes border upon the Sea-coast, yet are they not often troubled with Mists, or unwholesome fogges, or cold weather from the Sea, which lies East and South from the Land. And whereas in Eng
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Chap. III.
Chap. III.
The Countrey being nearer the Equinoctiall than England , the dayes and nights be more equally divided. In Summer the dayes be two houres shorter, and likewise in Winter two houres longer than in England . In a word, both Summer and Winter is more commended of the English there, than the Summer Winters, and Winter Summers of England ; and who is there that could not wish, that Englands Climate were as it hath beene in quondam times, colder in Winter, and hotter in Summer? or who will condemne th
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Chap. IIII.
Chap. IIII.
The Soyle is for the generall a warme kinde of earth, there being little cold-spewing land, no Morish Fennes, no Quagmires, the lowest grounds be the Marshes, over which every full and change the Sea flowes: these Marshes be rich ground, and bring plenty of Hay, of which the Cattle feed and like, as if they were fed with the best up-land Hay in New England ; of which likewise there is great store which growes commonly betweene the Marshes and the Woods. This Medow ground lies higher than the Mar
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Chap. V.
Chap. V.
The ground affoards very good kitchin Gardens, for Turneps, Parsnips, Carrots, Radishes, and Pumpions, Muskmillions, Isquoutersquashes, Coucumbers, Onyons, and whatsoever growes well in England , growes as well there, many things being better and larger: there is likewise growing all manner of Hearbes for meate, and medicine, and that not onely in planted Gardens, but in the Woods, without eyther the art or the helpe of man, as sweet Marjoram, Purselane, Sorrell, Peneriall, Yarrow, Mirtle, Saxif
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Chap. VI.
Chap. VI.
Having related unto you the pleasant situation of the Countrey, the healthfulnesse of the climate, the nature of the soile, with his vegetatives, and other commodities; it will not be amisse to informe you of such irrationall creatures as are daily bred and continually nourished in this countrey, which doe much conduce to the well being of the Inhabitants, affording not onely meate for the belly, but cloathing for the backe. The beasts be as followeth. Concerning Lyons, I will not say that I eve
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Chap. VII.
Chap. VII.
For all creatures that liv'd both by Land and Water, they be first Otters, which be most of them blacke, whose furre is much used for Muffes, and are held almost as deare as Beaver. The flesh of them is none of the best meate, but their Oyle is of rare use for many things. Secondly, Martins, a good furre for their bignesse: Thirdly, Musquashes, which be much like a Beaver for shape, but nothing neare so bigge; the Male hath two stones which smell as sweete as Muske, and being killed in Winter, n
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Chap. VIII.
Chap. VIII.
Having shewed you the most desireable, usefull, and beneficiall creatures, with the most offensive carrions that belong to our Wildernesse, it remaines in the next place, to shew you such kinds of Fowle as the Countrey affords: They are many, and we have much variety both at Sea and on Land; and such as yeeld us much profit, and honest pleasure, and are these that follow; as The Eagles of the Countrey be of two sorts, one like the Eagles that be in England , the other is something bigger with a
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Chap. IX.
Chap. IX.
Having done with these, let me leade you from the land to the Sea, to view what commodities may come from thence; there is no countrey knowne, that yeelds more variety of fish winter and summer: and that not onely for the present spending and sustentation of the plantations, but likewise for trade into other countries, so that those which have had stages & make fishing voyages into those parts, have gained (it is thought) more than the new found land Iobbers. Codfish in these seas are la
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Chap. X.
Chap. X.
Having described the situation of the countrey in generall, with all his commodities arising from land and Sea, it may adde to your content and satisfaction to be informed of the situation of every severall plantation, with his conveniences, commodities, and discommodities, &c. where first I will begin with the outmost plantation in the patent to the South ward, which is called Wessaguscus an Indian name: this as yet is but a small Village, yet it is very pleasant, and healthfull, very g
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Chap. XI.
Chap. XI.
I have informed you of the Country in generall and of every plantation in particular, with their commodities and wherein one excelleth another. Now that I may be every way faithfull to my reader in this worke, I will as fully and truely relate to you what is evill, and of most annoyance to the inhabitants. First: those which bring most prejudice to their estates are the ravenous Woolves, which destroy the weaker Cattell, but of these you have heard before: that which is most injurious to the per
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Chap. XII.
Chap. XII.
Many peradventure at the looking over of these relations, may have inclinations or resolution for the Voyage, to whom I wish all prosperity in their undertakings; although I will use no forcive arguments to perswade any, but leave them to the relation; yet by way of advice, I would commend to them a few lines from the Pen of experience. And because the way to New England is over Sea, it will not be amisse to give you directions, what is most necessary to bee carried. Many I suppose, know as well
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Chap. I.
Chap. I.
The country as it is in relation to the Indians , is divided as it were into Shires, every severall division being swayde by a severall king. The Indians to the East and North east, bearing the name of Churchers , and Tarrenteenes . These in the Southerne parts be called Pequants , and Narragansets ; those who are seated West-ward be called, Connectacuts , and Mowhacks : Our Indians that live to the North-ward of them be called Aberginians , who before the sweeping Plague, were an Inhabitant not
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Chap. II.
Chap. II.
The Tarrenteenes saving that they eate not mans flesh, are little lesse salvage, and cruell than these Canniballs: our Indians doe feare them as their deadly enemies; for so many of them as they meete they kill. About 2 yeares agoe, our Indians being busie about their accustomed huntings, not suspecting them so neere their owne liberties, were on the suddaine surprized by them; some being slaine, the rest escaping to their English Asylum , whither they durst not pursue them; their Sagamore was w
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Chap. III.
Chap. III.
The Pequants be a stately warlike people, of whom I never heard any misdemeanour; but that they were iust and equall in their dealings; not treacherous either to their Country-men, or English : Requiters of courtesies, affable towards the English . Their next neighbours the Narragansets , be at this present the most numerous people in those parts, the most rich also, and the most industrious; being the store-house of all such kind of wild Merchandize as is amongst them. These men are the most cu
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Chap. IV.
Chap. IV.
First of their Stature, most of them being betweene five or six foote high, straight bodied, strongly composed, smooth skinned, merry countenanced, of complexion something more swarthy than Spaniards , black hair'd, high foreheaded, blacke ey'd, out-nosed, broad shouldred, brawny arm'd, long and slender handed, out brested, small wasted, lanke bellied, well thighed, flat kneed, handsome growne leggs, and small feete: In a word, take them when the blood briskes in their veines, when the flesh is
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Chap. V.
Chap. V.
Now these naked bodies may seeme too weake to with-stand the assaulting heat of their parching Summers, and the piercing cold of the icie Winters, or it may be surmised that these earthly fabricks should be wasted to nothing by the tempestuous dashings of wind-driven raines, having neither that which may warme within, or shelter without; yet these things they looke not after, saving a paire of Indian Breeches to cover that which modesty commands to be hid, which is but a peece of cloth a yard an
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Chap. VI.
Chap. VI.
Having done with their most needfull cloathings and ornamentall deckings; may it please you to feast your eyes with their belly-timbers, which I suppose would be but stibium to weake stomacks as they cooke it, though never so good of it selfe. In Winter-time they have all manner of fowles of the water and of the land, & beasts of the land and water, pond-fish, with Catharres and other rootes, Indian beanes and Clamms. In the Summer they have all manner of Sea-fish, with all sorts of Berr
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Chap. VII.
Chap. VII.
To enter into a serious discourse concerning the naturall conditions of these Indians , might procure admiration from the people of any civilized Nations, in regard of their civility and good natures. If a Tree may be judged by his fruite, and dispositions calculated by exteriour actions; then may it be concluded, that these Indians are of affable, courteous, and well disposed natures, ready to communicate the best of their wealth to the mutuall good of one another; and the lesse abundance they
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Chap. VIII.
Chap. VIII.
For their hardinesse it may procure admiration, no ordinary paines making them so much as alter their countenance; beate them, whip them, pinch them, punch them, if they resolve not to whinch for it, they will not; whether it be their benummed insensiblenesse of smart, or their hardie resolutions, I cannot tell; It might be, a Perillus his Bull, or the disjoynting racke might force a roare from them, but a Turkish drubbing would not much molest them, and although they be naturally much affraid o
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Chap. IX.
Chap. IX.
These Indians being strangers to Arts and Sciences, and being unacquainted with the inventions that are common to a civilized people, are ravisht with admiration at the first view of any such sight: They tooke the first Ship they saw for a walking Iland, the Mast to be a Tree, the Saile white Clouds, and the discharging of Ordinance for Lightning and Thunder, which did much trouble them, but this thunder being over, and this moving Iland stedied with an Anchor, they manned out their cannowes to
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Chap. X.
Chap. X.
Now for the matter of government amongst them: It is the custome for their Kings to inherite, the sonne always taking the Kingdome after his fathers death. If there be no sonne, then the Queene rules; if no Queene, the next to the blood-royall; who comes in otherwise, is but counted an usurping intruder, and if his faire carriage beare him not out the better, they will soone unscepter him. The Kings have no Lawes to command by, nor have they any annuall revenewes; yet commonly are they so either
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Chap. XI.
Chap. XI.
Now to speake something of their Marriages, the Kings or great Powwowes , alias Conjurers, may have two or three Wives, but seldome use it. Men of ordinary Ranke, having but one; which disproves the report, that they had eight or tenne Wives apeece. When a man hath a desire to Marry, he first gets the good-will of the Maide or Widdow, after, the consent of her friends for her part; and for himselfe, if he be at his owne disposing, if the King will, the match is made, her Dowry of Wampompeage pay
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Chap. XII.
Chap. XII.
Now of their worships: As it is naturall to all mortals to worship something, so doe these people, but exactly to describe to whom their worship is chiefly bent, is very difficult; they acknowledge especially two, Ketan who is their good God, to whom they sacrifice (as the ancient Heathen did to Ceres ) after their garners bee full with a good croppe: upon this God likewise they invocate for faire weather, for raine in time of drought, and for the recovery of their sick; but if they doe not hear
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Chap. XIII.
Chap. XIII.
Of their Warres: Their old souldiers being swept away by the Plague, which was very rife amongst them about 14 yeares agoe, and resting themselves secure under the English protection, they doe not now practice any thing in martiall feates worth observation, saving that they make themselves Forts to flie into, if the enemies should unexpectedly assaile them. These Forts some be fortie or fiftie foote square, erected of young timber trees, ten or twelve foote high, rammed into the ground, with und
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Chap. XIIII.
Chap. XIIII.
Bvt to leave their warres, and to speake of their games in which they are more delighted and better experienced, spending halfe their dayes in gaming and lazing. They have two sorts of games, one called Puim , the other Hubbub , not much unlike Cards and Dice, being no other than Lotterie. Puim is 50. or 60. small Bents of a foote long which they divide to the number of their gamesters, shuffling them first betweene the palmes of their hands; he that hath more than his fellow is so much the forw
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Chap. XV.
Chap. XV.
For their hunting, it is to be noted that they have no swift foote Grayhounds, to let slippe at the sight of the Deere, no deepe mouthed hounds, or senting beagles, to finde out their desired prey; themselves are all this, who in that time of the yeare, when the Deere comes downe, having certaine hunting houses, in such places where they know the Deere usually doth frequent, in which they keep their randevowes, their snares and all their accoutraments for that imployment: when they get sight of
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Chap. XVI.
Chap. XVI.
Of their fishing, in this trade they be very expert, being experienced in the knowledge of all baites, fitting sundry baites for severall fishes, and diverse seasons; being not ignorant likewise of the removall of fishes, knowing when to fish in rivers, and when at rockes, when in Baies, and when at Seas: since the English came they be furnished with English hookes and lines, before they made them of their owne hempe more curiously wrought, of stronger materials than ours, hooked with bone hooke
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Chap. XVII.
Chap. XVII.
Of their severall Arts and imployments, as first in dressing of all manner of skinnes, which they doe by scraping and rubbing, afterwards painting them with antique embroyderings in unchangeable colours, sometimes they take off the haire, especially if it bee not killed in season. Their bowes they make of a handsome shape, strung commonly with the sinnewes of Mooses; their arrowes are made of young Elderne, feathered with feathers of Eagles wings and tailes, headed with brasse in shape of a hear
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Chap. XVIII.
Chap. XVIII.
Of their Language which is onely peculiar to themselves, not inclining to any of the refined tongues. Some have thought they might be of the dispersed Iewes , because some of their words be neare unto the Hebrew ; but by the same rule they may conclude them to be some of the gleanings of all Nations, because they have words which sound after the Greeke , Latine , French , and other tongues: Their Language is hard to learne; few of the English being able to speake any of it, or capable of the rig
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Chap. XIX.
Chap. XIX.
Although the Indians be of lusty and healthfull bodies, not experimentally knowing the Catalogue of those health-wasting diseases which are incident to other Countries, as Feavers, Pleurisies, Callentures, Agues, Obstructions, Consumptions, Subfumigations, Convulsions, Apoplexies, Dropsies, Gouts, Stones, Tooth-aches, Pox, Measels, or the like; but spinne out the thread of their dayes to a faire length, numbering three-score, foure-score, some a hundred yeares, before the worlds universall summo
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Chap. XIX.
Chap. XIX.
To satisfie the curious eye of women-readers, who otherwise might thinke their sex forgotten, or not worthy a record, let them peruse these few lines, wherein they may see their owne happinesse, if weighed in the womans ballance of these ruder Indians , who scorne the tuterings of their wives, or to admit them as their equals, though their qualities and industrious deservings may justly claime the preheminence, and command better usage and more conjugall esteeme, their persons and features being
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