New-England. Or a briefe enarration of the ayre, Earth, Water, Fish and Fowles of that Country With a description of the Natures, Orders, Habits, and Religion of the Natiues ; in Latine and English Verse |
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 | New-England. Or a briefe enarration of the ayre, Earth, Water, Fish and Fowles of that Country |  |
Vnderstanding Reader;
VVhen my melancholly leasures first conceived these rude heroiks, my conscious Muse censured them too tender-sighted to be admitted the common light. Induced by some kinde friends, who are truely studious of the publique good, I was vnwillingly willing to adventure them the publique censure, desirous, I ingeniously confesse, (and so I professe myselfe ever) in my best endevours, to further such royall and religious imployments: if my poore iudgement can assuredly obserue pietie to be one prime end of plantation, and the vnder-taking probable to prosper. If (Gentle Reader) these lynes please thee, pervse and vse vs gently: if not, Parce vati. You know that Ex quó libet ligno non fit Mercurius. Besides, error in Poesie is lesse blemish than in Historie. Experience cannot plead me ignorant, much lesse innocent, having seene and suffered. I should delude others vanâ spe, or falso gaudio. What can be expected from false, Relations, but vnhappie proceedings, to the best intended, and most hopefull Colonies. So that want of provisions, and right information, begets in the distracted planter nothing but mutinies, fearefull execrations, and sometimes miserable interitures. But of all such perchance hereafter. These were at this time beyond my intent. I onely now and ever desire that my best incense may for ever waite vpon all truely zealous and religious planters and adventurers, who seriously endevour the dilating of Christs kingdome, in the propagating of the Gospell, and so advisedly vndertake so weightie and so worthie a Worke, as that they and theirs may paralell these worthies of the world in all externall, internall, and eternall abundances. Farewell, with this one Memento; That the best intended conclusions, without an equivolent abilitie, produce nothing but losse, discontents, opprobries, and imperfections.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE Lords, AND THE Right Worshipfull Knights and Gentlemen; Adventurers for Nevv-England.
What your favourable imployments haue taught me to obserue, I presume here briefly to relate I hope it will be acceptable, because innocent, though nothing excellent. Vera non mira cano, assured that with your more acurate judgements. Plus valebit vera oratio quam carminis candida & maxime compta in singulos pedes commensuratio, Censure at the least would be my best sentence, if I should answer such service with a NIHIL DICIT. VVhen in contempt of Envy, I may present your Councell
[New-England so nam'd by your Princely Grace]
New-England so nam'd by your Princely Grace,Dread Soveraigne, now, most humbly sues to see
Your Royall Highnes in your Regall place,
Wishing your Grace all peace, blisse, soveraignty,
Trusting your Goodnesse will her state and fame
Support, wch goodnesse once vouchsaf'd her name.
To these harsh numbers that's thy Royall worth.
Vaine is all search in these to search that vaine,
Whose stately style is great Apolloes straine.
Minerva ne're distil'd into my Muse
Her sacred droppes, my pumeise wants all iuce.
My Muse is plaine conscise her fam's to tell
In truth, and method. Loue, or leaue: Farewell.
Nevv-Englnad.
That's yet scarce known, vnlesse by Map or name;
A Grand-childe to earths Paradize is borne,
Well lim'd, well nerv'd, faire, rich, sweete, yet forlorne.
Thou blest director so direct my Verse,
That it may winne her people, friends commerce;
Whilst her sweet ayre, rich soile, blest, seases my penne
Shall blaze, and tell the natures of her men.
New-England, happie in her new true stile,
Wearie of her cause she's to sad exile
Expos'd by her's vnworthy of her Land,
Intreates with teares Great Brittaine to command
Her Empire, and to make her know the trine,
Whose act and knowledge onely makes divine.
A Royall worke well worthy Englands King,
These Natiues to true truth and grace to bring.
A Noble worke for all these Noble Peares
Which guide this State in their superiour spheres.
You holy Aarons let your Sensors nere
Cease burning, till these men Iehovah feare:
Westward a thousand leagues a spatious land,
Is made vnknowne to them that it command.
Of fruitfull mould, and no lesse fruitlesse maine
Inrich with springs and prey high-land and plaine.
The light well tempred, humid ayre, whose breath
Fils full all concaues betwixt heaven and earth,
With what Earths mortals wish to be possest.
Great Titan dartes on her his heavenly rayes,
Whereby extreames he quells, and overswayes.
Blest is this ayre with what the ayre can blesse;
Yet frequent ghusts doe much this place distresse:
Here vnseene ghusts doe instant on-set giue,
As heaven and earth they would together driue.
An instant power doth surprize their rage,
In their vast prison, and their force asswage.
Thus in exchange a day or two is spent,
In smiles and frownes: in great yet no content.
The earth grand parent to all things on earth,
Cold, dry, and heavie, and the next beneath
The ayre by Natures arme with low discents,
Is as it were intrencht; againe ascents
Mount vp to heaven by Ioues omnipotence,
Whose looming greenesse ioyes the Sea-mans sence.
Invites him to a land if he can see,
Worthy the Thrones of stately soveraigntie.
The fruitfull and well watered earth doth glad
All hearts; when Flora's with her spangles clad,
And yeelds an hundred fold for one,
To feede the Bee and to invite the drone.
O happie Planter if you knew the height
Of Planters honours where ther's such delight;
There Natures bounties though not planted are,
Great store and sorts of berries great and faire:
The Filberd, Cherry, and the fruitfull Vine,
Which cheares the heart and makes it more divine.
Earths spangled beauties pleasing smell and sight;
Objects for gallant choyce and chiefe delight.
Along the shallow earth, as in a bed,
Yealow without, thin, filmd, sweete, lilly white,
Of strength to feede and cheare the appetite.
From these our natures may haue great content,
And good subsistance when our meanes are spent.
With these the Naribes doe their strength maintaine
The Winter season, which time they retaine
Their pleasant vertue, but if once the Spring
Returne, they are not worth the gathering.
All ore that Maine the Vernant trees abound,
Where Cedar, Cypres, Spruce, and Beech are found.
Ash, Oake, and Wal-nut, Pines and Iunipere;
The Hasel, Palme, and hundred more are there.
Ther's grasse and hearbs contenting man and beast,
On which both Deare, and Beares, and Wolues do feast.
Foxes both gray and blacke, (though blacke I never
Beheld,) with Muscats, Lynces, Otter, Bever;
With many other which I here omit,
Fit for to warme vs, and to feede vs fit.
The Fowles that in those Bayes and Harbours feede,
Though in their seasons they doe els-where breede,
Are Swans and Geese, Herne, Phesants, Duck & Crane,
Culvers and Divers all along the Maine:
The Turtle, Eagle, Partridge, and the Quaile,
Knot, Plover, Pigeons, which doe never faile,
Till Sommers heate commands them to retire,
And Winters cold begets their old desire.
With these sweete dainties man is sweetly fed,
With these rich feathers Ladies plume their head;
Here's flesh and feathers both for vse and ease,
To feede, adorne, and rest thee if thou please.
They best may search that haue best art and meanes.
The ayre and earth if good, are blessings rare,
But when with these the waters blessed are,
The place is compleat, here each pleasant spring,
Is like those fountaines where the Muses sing.
The easie channels gliding to the East,
Vnlesse oreflowed, then post to be releast,
The Ponds and places where the waters stay,
Content the Fowler with all pleasant prey.
Thus ayre and earth and water giue content,
And highly honour this rich Continent.
As Nature hath this Soile blest, so each port
Abounds with blisse, abounding all report.
The carefull Naucleare may a-farre discry
The land by smell, ast 'loomes below the skie.
The prudent Master there his Ship may more,
Past winde and weather, then his God adore,
Man forth each Shalop with three men to Sea,
Which oft returne with wondrous store of prey;
As Oysters, Cra-fish, Crab, and Lobsters great,
In great abundance when the Seaes retreate:
Torteise, and Herring, Turbut, Hacke and Base,
With other small fish, and fresh bleeding Place;
The mightie Whale doth in these Harbours lye,
Whose Oyle the carefull Merchant deare will buy.
Besides all these and others in this Maine:
The costly Codd doth march with his rich traine:
With which the Sea-man fraughts his merry Ship:
With which the Merchant doth much riches get:
With which Plantations richly may subsist,
And pay their Merchants debt and interest:
Of Natures dainties both to rich and poore;
To whom if heavens a holy Vice-roy giue,
The state and people may most richly liue:
And there erect a Pyramy of estate,
Which onely sinne and Heaven can ruinate.
Let deepe discretion this great worke attend,
What's well begun for th' most part well doth end:
So may our people peace and plentie finde,
And kill the Dragon that would kill mankinde.
Those well seene Natiues in graue Natures hests,
All close designes conceale in their deepe brests:
What strange attempts so ere they doe intend,
Are fairely vsherd in, till their last ende.
Their well advised talke evenly conveyes
Their acts to their intents, and nere displayes
Their secret proiects, by high words or light,
Till they conclude their end by fraud or might.
No former friendship they in minde retaine,
If you offend once, or your loue detaine:
They're wondrous cruell, strangely base and vile,
Quickly displeasd, and hardly reconcild;
Stately and great, as read in Rules of state:
Incensd, not caring what they perpetrate.
Whose hayre is cut with greeces, yet a locke
Is left; the left side bound vp in a knott:
Their males small labour but great pleasure know,
Who nimbly and expertly draw the bow;
Traind vp to suffer cruell heate and cold,
Or what attempt so ere may make them bold;
Of body straight, tall, strong, mantled in skin
Of Deare or Bever, with the hayre-side in:
To keepe them fit for vse, and free from harme;
A Girdle set with formes of birds or beasts,
Begirts their waste, which gently giues them ease.
Each one doth modestly binde vp his shame,
And Deare-skin Start-vps reach vp to the same;
A kinde of Pinsen keeps their feete from cold,
Which after travels they put off, vp-fold,
Themselues they warme, their vngirt limbes they rest
In straw, and houses, like to sties: distrest
With Winters cruell blasts, a hotter clime
They quickly march to, when that extreame time
Is over, then contented they retire
To their old homes, burning vp all with fire.
Thus they their ground from all things quickly cleare,
And make it apt great store of Corne to beare.
Each people hath his orders, state, and head,
By which they'r rul'd, taught, ordered, and lead.
The first is by discent their Lord and King,
Pleas'd in his name, likewise, and governing:
The consort of his bed must be of blood
Coequall, when an of-spring comes as good,
And highly bred in all high parts of state,
As their Commanders of whom they'rs prognate.
If they vnequall loues at hymens hand
Should take, that vulgar seede would nere command
In such high dread, great slate and deepe decrees
Their Kingdomes, as their Kings of high degrees:
Their Kings giue lawes, rewards to those they giue,
That in good order, and high service liue.
The aged Widow and the Orphanes all,
Their Kings maintaine, and strangers when they call,
In homage, they haue part of what's most rich.
These heads are guarded with their stoutest men,
By whose advice and skill, how, where, and when,
They enterprize all acts of consequence,
Whether offensiue or for safe defence.
These Potents doe invite all once a yeare,
To giue a kinde of tribute to their peere.
And here obserue thou how each childe is traind,
To make him fit for Armes he is constraind
To drinke a potion made of hearbs most bitter,
Till turnd to blood with casting, whence he's fitter,
Induring that to vnder-goe the worst
Of hard attempts, or what may hurt him most.
The next in order are their well seene men
In herbes, and rootes, and plants, for medicen,
With which by touch, with clamors, teares, and sweat,
With their curst Magicke, as themselues they beat,
They quickly ease: but when they cannot saue,
But are by death surprizd, then with the graue
The divell tells them he could not dispence;
For God hath kild them for some great offence.
The lowest people are as servants are,
Which doe themselues for each command prepare:
They may not marry nor Tobacco vse,
Tell certaine yeares, least they themselues abuse.
At which yeares to each one is granted leaue,
A wife, or two, or more, for to receiue;
By having many wiues, two things they haue,
First, children, which before all things to saue
They covet, 'cause by them their Kingdomes fild,
When as by fate or Armes their liues are spild.
And fill the skies with cryes: impatient
Of nothing more then pale and fearefull death,
Which old and young bereaues of vitall breath;
Their dead wrapt vp in Mats to th graue they giue,
Vpright from th knees, with goods whilst they did liue,
Which they best lou'd: their eyes turn'd to the East,
To which after much time, to be releast
They all must March, where all shall all things haue
That heart can wish, or they themselues can craue.
A second profit which by many wiues
They haue, is Corne, the staffe of all their liues.
All are great eaters, he 's most rich whose bed
Affords him children, profit, pleasure, bread.
But if fierce Mars, begins his bow to bend,
Each King stands on his guard, seekes to defend
Himselfe, and his, and therefore hides his graine
In earths close concaues; to be fetched againe
If he survives: thus saving of himselfe,
He acts much mischiefe, and retains his wealth.
By this deepe wyle, the Irish long withstood
The English power, whilst they kept their food,
Their strength of life their Corne; that lost, they long
Could not withstand this Nation, wise, stout, strong.
By this one Art, these Natiues oft surviue
Their great'st opponents, and in honour thriue.
Besides, their women, which for th'most part are
Of comely formes, not blacke, nor very faire:
Whose beautie is a beauteous blacke laid on
Their paler cheeke, which they most doat vpon.
For they by Nature are both faire and white,
Inricht with gracefull presence, and delight;
Of sober aspect, grast with graue command:
Of man-like courage, stature tall and straight,
Well neru'd, with hands and fingers small and right.
Their slender fingers on a grassie twyne,
Make well form'd Baskets wrought with art and lyne;
A kinde of Arras, or Straw-hangings, wrought
With divers formes, and colours, all about.
These gentle pleasures, their fine fingers fit,
Which Nature seem'd to frame rather to sit.
Rare Stories, Princes, people, Kingdomes, Towers,
In curious finger-worke, or Parchment flowers.
Yet are these hands to labours all intent,
And what so ere without doores, giue content.
These hands doe digge the earth, and in it lay
Their faire choyce Corne, and take the weeds away
As they doe grow, raysing with earth each hill,
As Ceres prospers to support it still.
Thus all worke-women doe, whilst men in play,
In hunting, Armes, and pleasures, end the day.
The Indians whilst our Englishmen they see
In all things servile exercisd to be:
And all our women freed, from labour all
Vnlesse what's easie: vs much fooles they call,
Cause men doe all things; but our women liue
In that content which God to man did giue:
Each female likewise long reteines deepe wrath,
And s nere appeas'd till wrongs reveng'd shee hath:
For they when forraigne Princes Armes vp take
Against their Leige, quickly themselues betake
To th'adverse Armie, where they're entertaind
With kinde salutes, and presently are daign'de
Obtaines by them an equall recompence.
Lastly, though they no lynes, nor Altars know,
Yet to an vnknowne God these people bow;
All feare some God, some God they worship all,
On whom in trouble and distresse they call;
To whom of all things they giue sacrifice,
Filling the ayre with her shrill shrikes and cries.
The knowledge of this God they say they haue
From their forefathers, wondrous wise and graue;
Who told them of one God, which did create
All things at first, himselfe though increate:
He our first parents made, yet made but two,
One man one woman, from which stocke did grow
Royall mankinde, of whom they also came
And tooke beginning, being, forme and frame:
Who gaue them holy lawes, for aye to last,
Which each must teach his childe till time be past:
Their grosse fed bodies yet no Letters know,
No bonds nor bills they value, but their vow.
Thus without Arts bright lampe, by Natures eye,
They keepe iust promise, and loue equitie.
But if once discord his fierce ensigne weare,
Expect no promise vnle'st be for feare:
And, though these men no Letters know, yet their
Pans harsher numbers we may some where heare:
And vocall odes which vs affect with griefe;
Though to their mindes perchance they giue reliefe.
Besides these rude insights in Natures brest,
Each man by some meanes is with sence possest
Of heavens great lights, bright starres and influence.
But chiefely those of great experience:
Besides their Ceres, which do'th them preserue.
No dayes by them descernd from other dayes,
For holy certaine service kept alwayes.
Yet they when extreame heate doth kill their Corne,
Afflict themselues some dayes, as men forelorne.
Their times they count not by the yeare as we,
But by the Moone their times distingui'sht be.
Not by bright Phœbus, or his glorious light,
But by his Phœbe and her shadowed night,
They now accustom'd are two Gods to serue,
One good, which giues all good, and doth preserue;
This they for loue adore: the other bad,
Which hurts and wounds, yet they for feare are glad
To worship him: see here a people who
Are full of knowledge, yet doe nothing know
Of God aright; yet say his Lawes are good
All, except one, whereby their will's withstood.
In having many wiues, if they but one
Must haue, what must they doe when they haue none.
O how farre short comes Nature of true grace,
Grace sees God here; hereafter face to face:
But Nature quite eneru'd of all such right,
Reteines not one poore sparcle of true light.
And now what soule dissolues not into teares,
That hell must haue ten thousand thousand heires,
Which haue no true light of th'truth divine,
Or sacred wisedome of that Eternall Trine.
O blessed England farre beyond all sence,
That knowes and loues this Trines omnipotence.
In briefe survey here water, earth, and ayre,
A people proud and what their orders are.
The merry Shores, and Storme-affranting Coues.
In briefe, a briefe of what may make man blest,
If man's content abroad can be possest.
If these poore lines may winne this Country loue,
Or kinde compassion in the English moue;
Perswade our mightie and renowned State,
This pore-blinde people to comiserate;
Or painefull men to this good Land invite,
Whose holy workes these Natiues may inlight:
If Heavens graunt these, to see here built I trust;
An English Kingdome from this Indian dust.
Excuse this Postscript; perchance more profitable than the Prescript. It may be a necessary Caveat for many who too familiarly doe Serò sapere. The discreet artificer is not onely happie to vnderstand what may fayrely and infallibly further his duly considered designes and determinations: but to discover and remoue what obstacle soever may oppose his well-advised purposes, and probable conclusions. I therefore, desiring that every man may be a Promethius, not an Epimethius, haue here vnderwritten such impediments as I haue observed wonderfully offensiue to all Plantations; Quæ prodesse quæant & delectare legentem.
First therefore I conceiue that far distance of plantations produce many inconveniences and disabilities of planters, when as severall Colonies consist but of twentie, or thirtie, or about that number, which in a vast vncommanded Continent, makes them liable to many and miserable exigents, which weakens all vnion, and leaues them difficultly to be assisted against a potent on a daily enemy, and dangerously to be commanded; when as some one Bay well fortified would maintaine and inrich some thousands of persons, if it be planted with men, able, ingenious, and laborious, being well furnished with all provisions and necessaries for plantations. Besides, fone Bay be well peopled, its easily defended, surveyed, disciplined, and commanded, be the seasons never so vnseasonable, and all their Forces in few houres readie in Armes, either offensiuely to pursue, or defensiuely to subsist convenient numbers ever at sea, and sufficient ever at home for all service, intelligence and discoverie.
Secondly, Ignorance of seasons, servants, situation, want of people, provisions, supplies, with resolution, courage and patience, in and against all opposition, distresse and affliction.
Boats with all their furniture, as sayles, hookes, and lines, and other appendences, afford the painefull planter both varietie of comfort, and a sufficient competent, and an happie estate. Good mastiues are singular defences to plantations, in the terrifying or pursuing of the light-footed Natiues. Hogs and Goats are easie, present, and abundant profit, living and feeding on the Ile-lands, almost without any care or cost.
Plantations cannot possibly, profitably subsist without chattels and boats, which are the onely meanes for surveying and conveying both our persons and provisions to the well advised scituation. Without these, plantations may with much patience, and well fortified resolution indure but difficulty, though with much time flourish and contentedly subsist. For when men are landed vpon an vnknowne shore, per adventure weake in number and naturall powers, for want of boats and carriages; are compelled to stay where they are first landed, having no meanes to remoue themselues or their goods, be the place never so fruitlesse or inconvenient for planting, building houses, boats, or stages, or the harbours never so vnfit for fishing, fowling, or mooring their boats. Of all which, and many other things necessary for plantation, I purpose to enforme thee hereafter. Wishing thee in the interim all furtherance, all fortunatenesse.
| New-England. Or a briefe enarration of the ayre, Earth, Water, Fish and Fowles of that Country | |