University of Virginia Library

Chapter 4.
Our right to those Countries,
true reasons for plantations, rare examples.

MANY good religious devout men have made it a great question,
as a matter in conscience, by what warrant they might goe to
possesse those Countries, which are none of theirs, but the poore
salvages. Which poore curiosity will answer it selfe; for God did
make the world to be inhabited with mankind, and to have his name
knowne to all Nations, and from generation to generation: as the
people increased they dispersed themselves into such Countries as
they found most convenient. And here in Florida, Virginia, New-England,
and Cannada, is more land than all the people in Christendome
can manure, and yet more to spare than all the natives of those
Countries can use and culturate.

And shall we here keepe such a
coyle for land, and at such great rents and rates, when there is so
much of the world uninhabited, and as much more in other places,
and as good, or rather better than any wee possesse, were it manured
and used accordingly. If this be not a reason sufficient to such tender
consciences; for a copper kettle and a few toyes, as beads and
hatchets, they will sell you a whole Countrey; and for a small matter,
their houses and the ground they dwell upon; but those of the Massachusets
have resigned theirs freely.

Now the reasons for plantations are many; Adam

and Eve did
first begin this innocent worke to plant the earth to remaine to posterity,
but not without labour, trouble, and industry: Noah and his
family began againe the second plantation, and their seed as it still
increased, hathstill planted new Countries, and one Country another,
and so the world to that estate it is; but not without much
hazard, travell, mortalities, discontents, and many disasters: had
those worthy Fathers and their memorable off-spring not beene more
diligent for us now in those ages, than wee are to plant that yet unplanted
for after-livers. Had the seed of Abraham, our ∥ Saviour Christ Jesus and his Apostles, exposed themselves to no more dangers
to plant the Gospell wee so much professe, than we, even we our
selves had at this present beene as salvages, and as miserable as the
most barbarous salvage, yet uncivilized. The Hebrewes, Lacedemonians,
the Goths, Grecians, Romans, and the rest, what was it
they would not undertake to inlarge their Territories, inrich their
subjects, and resist their enemies. Those that were the founders of
those great Monarchies and their vertues, were no silvered idle
golden Pharisies, but industrious honest hearted Publicans, they regarded
more provisions and necessaries for their people, than jewels,
ease and delight for themselves; riches was their servants, not their
masters; they ruled as fathers, not as tyrants; their people as children,
not as slaves; there was no disaster could discourage them; and let
none thinke they incountered not with all manner of incumbrances,
and what hathever beene the worke of the best great Princes of the
world, but planting of Countries, and civilizing barbarous and inhumane
Nations to civility and humanity, whose eternall actions fils
our histories with more honour than those that have wasted and consumed
them by warres.

Lastly, the Portugals and Spaniards that first began plantations
in this unknowne world of America till within this 140. yeares,

whose
everlasting actions before our eyes, will testifie our idlenesse and ingratitude
to all posterity, and neglect of our duty and religion wee
owe our God, our King, and Countrey, and want of charity to those
poore salvages, whose Countries we challenge, use, and possesse,
except wee be but made to marre what our forefathers made, or but
only tell what they did, or esteeme our selves too good to take the like
paines where there is so much reason, liberty, and action offers it
selfe, having as much power and meanes as others: why should
English men despaire and not doe so much as any? Was it vertue in
those Heros to provide that doth maintaine us, and basenesse in us
to doe the like for others to come? Surely no; then seeing wee are not
borne for our selves but each to helpe other, and our abilities are
much alike at the ∥ howre of our birth and minute of our death: seeing
our good deeds or bad, by faith in Christs merits, is all wee have to
carry our soules to heaven or hell: Seeing honour is our lives ambition,
and our ambition after death, to have an honourable memory
of our life: and seeing by no meanes wee would be abated of the
dignitie and glorie of our predecessors, let us imitate their vertues to
be worthily their successors, or at least not hinder, if not further them
that would and doe their utmost and best endevour.