The Second VOYAGE. (continued 2)

The Sea-hare is as big as Grampus or Herrin-hog, and as white as a sheet; There hath been of them in Black-point-Harbour, & some way up the river, but we could never take any of them, several have shot sluggs at them, but lost their labour.

The Sturgeon is a Regal fish too, I have seen of them that have been sixteen foot in length: of their sounds they make Isinglass, which melted in the mouth is excellent to seal letters.

Sharkes there are infinite store, who tear the Fishermens nets to their great loss and hinderance; they are of two sorts, one flat [p. 106.] headed, the other long-snouted, the pretious stone in their heads (soveraign for the stone in a man) so much coveted by the travelling Chirurgeon is nought else but the brains of the flat-headed Sharke. With these we may joyn the Dog-fish or Thorn-hound, who hath two long sharp prickles on his back.

The Sea-horse or Morse is a kind of monster-fish numerous about the Isle of Sables, i. e. The sandy Isle. An Amphibious Creature kill’d for their Teeth and Oyl, never brings forth more than two at a birth; as also doth the Soil and Manate or Cow-fish which is supposed to be the Sea-monster spoken of by Jeremy, Lament. 4. 3. Etiam phocæ præbent mammam, lactant catulos suos; So the Latins render it, phoca a Sea-Calf or Soil.

The small Sword-fish is very good meat, the Sea-bat or Sea-owl a kind of flying fish.

Negroes or Sea-Devils a very ugly fish, having a black scale, there are three sorts of them, one a hideous fish, another about two foot long; of these I have seen store in Black-point Harbour in the water, but never attempted to take any of them.

Squids a soft fish somewhat like a cudgel, their horns like a Snails, which sometimes are found to be of an incredible length, [p. 107.] this fish is much used for bait to catch a Cod, Hacke, Polluck, and the like Sea-fish.

The Dolphin, Bonito, or Dozado, the ashes of their teeth mixed with honey, is good to asswage the pain of breeding teeth in Children.

The Sea-bream, Dorado, or Amber-fish, they follow ships as doth the Dolphin, and are good meat.

The Mackarel, of which there is choicefull plenty all summer long, in the spring they are ordinarily 18 inches long, afterwards there is none taken but what are smaller.

The Liver-fish like a Whiting.

The Herrin which are numerous, they take of them all summer long. In Anno Dom. 1670. they were driven into Black-point Harbour by other great fish that prey upon them so near the shore, that they threw themselves (it being high water) upon dry land in such infinite numbers that we might have gone up half way the leg amongst them for near a quarter of a mile. We used to qualifie a pickled Herrin by boiling of him in milk.

The Alewife is like a herrin, but has a bigger bellie therefore called an Alewife, they come in the end of April into fresh [p. 108.] Rivers and Ponds; there hath been taken in two hours time by two men without any Weyre at all, saving a few stones to stop the passage of the River, above ten thousand. The Italian hath a proverb, that he that hath seen one miracle will easily believe another; but this relation far from a miracle will peranter meet, instead of a belief with an Adulterate construction from those that are somewhat akin to St. Peters mockers, such as deny the last judgement. I have known in England 9 score and 16 Pikes and Pickarel taken with three Angles between the hours of three and ten in the morning, in the River Owse in the Isle of Ely, three quarters of a yard long above half of them; they make red Alewives after the same manner as they do herrins and are as good.

The Basse is a salt water fish too, but most an end taken in Rivers where they spawn, there hath been 3000 Basse taken at a set, one writes that the fat in the bone of a Basses head is his brains which is a lye.

The Salmon likewise is a Sea-fish, but as the Basse comes into Rivers to spawn, a Salmon the first year is a Salmon-smelt; The second a Mort; The third a Spraid; The fourth a Soar; The fifth a Sorrel; The sixth [p. 109.] a forket tail; and the seventh year a Salmon. There are another sort of Salmon frequent in those parts called white Salmons.

Capeling is a small fish like a smelt.

The Turtle or Tortoise is of two sorts Sea-Turtles and land-Turtles: of Sea-Turtles there are five sorts, of land-Turtles three sorts, one of which is a right land-turtle that seldom or never goes into the water, the other two being the River-Turtle, and the pond-Turtle: there are many of these in the brooke Chyson in the Holy land. The ashes of a Sea-Turtle mixt with oyl or Bears-grease causeth hair to grow: the shell of a land-Turtle burnt and the ashes dissolved in wine and oyl to an unguent healeth chaps and sores of the feet: the flesh burnt and the ashes mixt with wine and oyl healeth sore legs: the ashes of the burnt shell and the whites of eggs compounded together healeth chaps in womens nipples; and the head pulverized with it prevents the falling of the hair, and will heal the Hemorrhoids, first washing of them with white-wine, and then strewing on the powder.

Lobster, which some say is at first a whelk, I have seen a Lobster that weighed twenty pound, they cast their shell-coats in the spring, and so do Crabs; having underneath a thin red skin which growes thicker and [p. 110.] hard in short time. The Indians feed much upon this fish, some they rost, and some they dry as they do Lampres and Oysters which are delicate breakfast meat so ordered, the Oysters are long shell’d, I have had of them nine inches long from the joynt to the toe, containing an Oyster like those the Latines called Tridacuan that were to be cut into three pieces before they could get them into their mouths, very fat and sweet.

The Muscle is of two sorts, Sea-muscles in which they find Pearl and river-muscles. Sea-muscles dryed and pulverized and laid upon the sores of the Piles and hemorrhoids with oyl will perfectly cure them.

The Whore is a shell-fish, the shells are called whores-eggs, being fine round white shells, in shape like a Mexico pompion, but no bigger than a good large Hens-egg; they are wrought down the sides with little knobs and holes very prettily, but are but thin and brittle.

The Perriwig is a shell-fish that lyeth in the Sands flat and round as a shovel-board piece and very little thicker; these at a little hole in the middle of the shell thrust out a cap of hair, but upon the least motion of any danger it drawes it in again.

Trouts there be good store in every brook, ordinarily two and twenty inches [p. 111.] long, their grease is good for the Piles and clifts.

The Eal is of two sorts, salt-water Eals and fresh-water Eals; these again are distinguished into yellow bellied Eals and silver bellied Eals; I never eat better Eals in no part of the world that I have been in, than are here. They that have no mind or leasure to take them, may buy of an Indian half a dozen silver bellied Eals as big as those we usually give 8 pence or 12 pence a piece for at London, for three pence or a groat. There is several wayes of cooking them, some love them roasted, others baked, and many will have them fryed; but they please my palate best when they are boiled, a common way it is to boil them in half water, half wine with the bottom of a manchet, a fagot of Parsley, and a little winter savory, when they are boiled they take them out and break the bread in the broth, and put to it three or four spoonfuls of yest, and a piece of sweet butter, this they pour to their Eals laid upon sippets and so serve it up. I fancie my way better which is this, after the Eals are fley’d and washt I fill their bellies with Nutmeg grated and Cloves a little bruised, and sow them up with a needle and thred, then I stick a Clove here and there in their sides about an inch asunder, [p. 112.] making holes for them with a bodkin, this done I wind them up in a wreath and put them into a kettle with half water and half white wine-vinegar, so much as will rise four fingers above the Eals, in midst of the Eals I put the bottom of a penny white loaf, and a fagot of these herbs following, Parsley one handful, a little sweet Marjoram, Peniroyal and Savory, a branch of Rosemary, bind them up with a thred, and when they are boiled enough take out the Eals and pull out the threds that their bellies were sowed up with, turn out the Nutmeg and Cloves, put the Eals in a dish with butter and vinegar upon a chafing-dish with coals to keep warm, then put into the broth three or four spoonfuls of good Ale-yeast with the juice of half a Lemmon; but before you put in your yeast beat it in a porringer with some of the broth, then break the crust of bread very small and mingle it well together with the broth, pour it into a deep dish and garnish it with the other half of the Lemmon, and so serve them up to the Table in two dishes.

The Frost fish is little bigger than a Gudgeon and are taken in fresh brooks; when the waters are frozen they make a hole in the Ice about half a yard or yard wide, to which the fish repair in great numbers, where with [p. 113.] small nets bound to a hoop about the bigness of a firkin-hoop with a staff fastned to it they lade them out of the hole. I have not done with the fish yet, being willing to let you know all of them that are to be seen and catch’d in the Sea and fresh waters in New-England, and because I will not tire your patience overmuch, having no occasion to enlarge my discourse, I shall only name them and so conclude.

Aleport Albicore Barracha Barracontha Blew-fish Bull-head Bur-fish Cat-fish Cony-fish Cusk Clam Rock-Cod Sea-Cod divers kinds of Crabs Sea-Cucumber Cunner Sea-Darts or Javelins Flail-fish Flounder or Flowke Flying-fish

several kinds Sea-Flea Grandpisse Hake Haddock Horse-foot Hallibut Hen-fish Lampre Limpin Lumpe Maid Monk-fish Sea-mullet Nun-fish Perch Polluck Periwincle Pike Pilat-fish Plaice Porpisse Prawne

Purple-fish Porgee Remora Sea-Raven Sail-fish Scallop [p. 114.] Scate Stingray Sculpin Shadd Spurlin Sheath-fish Smelt Shrimps Sprates Star-fish Swordfish Thornback Turbet The Ulatife or saw-fish Sea-Urchin Sea-Unichorn

The fish are swum by, and the Serpents are creeping on, terrible creatures, carrying stings in their tails. That will smart worse than a Satyrs whip, though it were as big as Mr. Shepperds the mad Gentleman at Milton-Mowbrayes Constantinus Lasculus.

The chief or Captain of these is the Rattle-snake described already in my Journal, in some places of the Countrey there are none as at Plimouth, New-town, Nahant and some other places, they will live on one side of the River, and but swimming over and coming into the woods dye immediately.

The fat of a Rattle-snake is very Soveraign for frozen limbs, bruises, lameness by falls, Aches, Sprains. The heart of a Rattle-snake dried and pulverized and drunk with wine or beer is an approved remedy against the biting and venome of a Rattle-snake. Some body will give me thanks for [p. 115.] discovering these secrets and the rest; Non omnibus omnia conveniant.

The Snake of which there are infinite numbers of various colours, some black, others painted with red, yellow and white, some again of a grass-green colour powdered all over as it were with silver dust or Muscovie-glass. But there is one sort that exceeds all the rest, and that is the Checkquered snake, having as many colours within the checkquers shaddowing one another, as there are in a Rainbow. There are two sorts of snakes, the land-snake and the water-snake; the water-snake will be as big about the belly as the Calf of a mans leg; I never heard of any mischief that snakes did, they kill them sometimes for their skins and bones to make hatbands off, their skins likewise worn as a Garter is an excellent remedie against the cramp. I have found of the skins that they cast in woods in some quantity, they cast not their very skins, but only the superfluous thin skin that is upon the very skin, for the very skin is basted to the flesh, so Lobsters and Crabs.

The Earth-worm, these are very rare and as small as a horse hair, but there is a Bug that lyes in the earth and eateth the seed, that is somewhat like a Maggot of a white colour with a red head, and is about [p. 116.] the bigness of ones finger and an inch or an inch and half long. There is also a dark dunnish Worm or Bug of the bigness of an Oaten-straw, and an inch long, that in the spring lye at the Root of Corn and Garden plants all day, and in the night creep out and devour them; these in some years destroy abundance of Indian Corn and Garden plants, and they have but one way to be rid of them, which the English have learnt of the Indians; And because it is somewhat strange, I shall tell you how it is, they go out into a field or garden with a Birchen-dish, and spudling the earth about the roots, for they lye not deep, they gather their dish full which may contain about a quart or three pints, then they carrie the dish to the Sea-side when it is ebbing-water and set it a swimming, the water carrieth the dish into the Sea and within a day or two if you go into your field you may look your eyes out sooner than find any of them.

Sow-bugs or Millipedes there be good store, but none of that sort that are blew and turn round as a pea when they are touched; neither are there any Beetles nor Maple-bugs, but a stinking black and red Bug called a Cacarooch or Cockroach, and a little black Bug like a Lady-cow that breeds in skins and furrs and will eat them to their [p. 117.] utter spoil. Likewise there be infinite numbers of Tikes hanging upon the bushes in summer time that will cleave to a mans garments and creep into his Breeches eating themselves in a short time into the very flesh of a man. I have seen the stockins of those that have gone through the woods covered with them. Besides these there is a Bug, but whether it be a Native to the Countrie or a stranger I cannot say: Some are of opinion that they are brought in by the Merchant with Spanish goods, they infest our beds most, all day they hide themselves, but when night comes they will creep to the sleeping wretch and bite him worse than a flea, which raiseth a swelling knub that will itch intolerably, if you scratch it waxeth bigger and growes to a scab; and if you chance to break one of the Bugs it will stink odiously: they call them Chinches or Wood-lice, they are fat, red and in shape like a Tike and no bigger. There are also Palmer-worms which is a kind of Catterpiller, these some years will devour the leaves of Trees leaving them as naked almost as in winter, they do much harm in the English Orchards. Of Snails there are but few, and those very little ones, they lye at the Roots of long grass in moist places, and are no where else to be found. [p. 118.] Spiders and Spinners there be many, the last very big and of several colours.

The Pismire or Ant must not be forgotten, accounted the least Creature, and by Salomon commended for its wisdom, Prov. 30. 24, 25. Quatuor ista parva sunt humilia, tamen sunt sapientia, apprime sapientia: formicæ populus infirmus, quæ comparant æstate cibum suum, &c. There are two sorts, red Ants and black Ants, both of them are many times found winged; not long since they were poured upon the Sands out of the clouds in a storm betwixt Black-point and Saco, where the passenger might have walkt up to the Ankles in them.

The Grashopper is innumerable and bigger by much than ours in England, having Tinsel-wings, with help whereof they will flye and skip a great way. Next to these in number are your Crickets, a man can walk no where in the summer but he shall tread upon them; The Italian who hath them cryed up and down the streets (Grille che cantelo) and buyeth them to put into his Gardens, if he were in New-England would gladly be rid of them, they make such a dinn in an Evening. I could never discover the Organ of their voice, they have a little clift in their Crown which opens, and at the same instant they shake their wings.

[p. 119.] The Eft or Swift in New-England is a most beautiful Creature to look upon, being larger than ours, and painted with glorious colours; but I lik’d him never the better for it.

Frogs too there are in ponds and upon dry land, they chirp like Birds in the spring, and latter end of summer croak like Toads. It is admirable to consider the generating of these Creatures, first they lay their gelly on the water in ponds and still waters, which comes in time to be full of black spots as broad as the head of a Ten-penny nail, and round, these separate themselves from the gleir, and after a while thrust out a tail, then their head comes forth, after their head springs out their fore-legs, and then their hinder-legs, then their tail drops off, and growes to have a head and four legs too, the first proves a frog, the latter a water nuet. The Herbalist useth to say by way of admiration, quælibet herba deum &c. So God is seen in the production of these small Creatures which are a part of the Creation; Laudate Jehovam cælites, laudate eum in excelsis, &c. Laudent nomen Jehovæ quæ ipso præcipiente illico creata sunt &c. ipsæ bestiæ & omnes jumenta, reptilia & aves alatæ, Psal. 148.

The Toad is of two sorts, one that is [p. 120.] speckled with white, and another of a dark earthy colour; there is of them that will climb up into Trees and sit croaking there; but whether it be of a third sort, or one of the other, or both, I am not able to affirm; but this I can testifie that there be Toads of the dark coloured kind that are as big as a groat loaf. Which report will not swell into the belief of my sceptique Sirs; nor that there is a Hell, being like Salomon’s fool, Prov. 26. 22. Sed si contunderes stultum in mortario cum mola pistillo, non recederet ab eo stultitia ejus.

Now before I proceed any further, I must (to prevent misconstructions) tell you that these following Creatures, though they be not properly accounted Serpents, yet they are venomous and pestilent Creatures. As, first the Rat, but he hath been brought in since the English came thither, but the Mouse is a Native, of which there are several kinds not material to be described; the Bat or flitter mouse is bigger abundance than any in England and swarm, which brings me to the insects or cut-wasted Creatures again, as first the honey-Bee, which are carried over by the English and thrive there exceedingly, in time they may be produced from Bullocks when the wild Beasts are destroyed. But the wasp is [p. 121.] common, and they have a sort of wild humble-Bee that breed in little holes in the earth. Near upon twenty years since there lived an old planter at Black-point, who on a Sun-shine day about one of the clock lying upon a green bank not far from his house, charged his Son, a lad of 12 years of age to awaken him when he had slept two hours, the old man falls asleep and lying upon his back gaped with his mouth wide enough for a Hawke to shit into it; after a little while the lad sitting by spied a humble-Bee creeping out of his Fathers mouth, which taking wing flew quite out of sight, the hour as the lad ghest being come to awaken his Father he jogg’d him and called aloud Father, Father, it is two a clock, but all would not rouse him, at last he sees the humble-Bee returning, who lighted upon the sleepers lip and walked down as the lad conceived into his belly, and presently he awaked.

The Countrey is strangely incommodated with flyes, which the English call Musketaes, they are like our gnats, they will sting so fiercely in summer as to make the faces of the English swell’d and scabby, as if the small pox for the first year. Likewise there is a small black fly no bigger than a flea, so numerous up in the Countrey, [p. 122.] that a man cannot draw his breath, but he will suck of them in: they continue about Thirty dayes say some, but I say three moneths, and are not only a pesterment but a plague to the Countrey. There is another sort of fly called a Gurnipper that are like our horse-flyes, and will bite desperately, making the bloud to spurt out in great quantity; these trouble our English Cattle very much, raising swellings as big as an egg in their hides. The Butterfly is of several sorts and larger than ours; So are their Dragon-flyes. Glow-worms have here wings, there are multitudes of them insomuch that in the dark evening when I first went into the Countrey I thought the whole Heavens had been on fire, seeing so many sparkles flying in the air: about Mount-Carmel, and the valley of Acree in the Holy-land there be abundance of them.

These are taken for Cantharides. Cantharides are green flyes by day, in the night they pass about like a flying Glow-worm with fire in their tails.

I have finished now my relation of plants, &c. I have taken some pains in recollecting of them to memory, and setting of them down for their benefit from whom I may expect thanks; but I believe my [p. 123.] reward will be according to Ben Johnsons proverbs, Whistle to a Jade and he will pay you with a fart, Claw a churl by the britch and he will shit in your fist.

The people that inhabited this Countrey are judged to be of the Tartars called Samonids that border upon Moscovia, and are divided into Tribes; those to the East and North-east are called Churchers and Tarentines, and Monhegans. To the South are the Pequets and Narragansets. Westward Connecticuts and Mowhacks. To the Northward Aberginians which consist of Mattachusets, Wippanaps and Tarrentines. The Pocanokets live to the West-ward of Plimouth. Not long before the English came into the Countrey, happened a great mortality amongst them, especially where the English afterwards planted, the East and Northern parts were sore smitten with the Contagion; first by the plague, afterwards when the English came by the small pox, the three Kingdoms or Sagamorships of the Mattachusets were very populous, having under them seven Dukedoms or petti-Sagamorships, but by the plague were brought from 30000 to 300. There are not many now to the Eastward, the Pequots were destroyed by the English: the Mowhacks are about five hundred: Their speech a dialect of the Tartars, [p. 124.] (as also is the Turkish tongue). There is difference between Tongues and Languages, the division of speech at Babel is most properly called Languages, the rest Tongues.

As for their persons they are tall and handsome timber’d people, out-wristed, pale and lean Tartarian visag’d, black eyed which is accounted the strongest for sight, and generally black hair’d, both smooth and curl’d wearing of it long. No beards, or very rarely, their Teeth are very white, short and even, they account them the most necessary and best parts of man; And as the Austreans are known by their great lips, the Bavarians by their pokes under their chins, the Jews by their goggle eyes, so the Indians by their flat noses, yet are they not so much deprest as they are to the Southward.

The Indesses that are young, are some of them very comely, having good features, their faces plump and round, and generally plump of their Bodies, as are the men likewise, and as soft and smooth as a mole-skin, of reasonable good complexions, but that they dye themselves tawnie, many prettie Brownetto’s and spider finger’d Lasses may be seen amongst them. The Vetula’s or old women are lean and uglie, all of them are of a modest demeanor, considering their [p. 125.] Savage breeding; and indeed do shame our English rusticks whose rudeness in many things exceedeth theirs.

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 one another. Prone to injurious violence and slaughter, by reason of their bloud dryed up with overmuch fire, very lecherous proceeding from choller adust and melancholy, a salt and sharp humour; very fingurative or theevish, and bold importunate beggars, both Men and Women guilty of Misoxenie or hatred to strangers, a quality appropriated to the old Brittains, all of them Cannibals, eaters of humane flesh. And so were formerly the Heathen-Irish, who used to feed upon the Buttocks of Boyes and Womens Paps; it seems it is natural to Savage people so to do. I have read in Relations of the Indians amongst the Spaniards that they would not eat a Spaniard till they had kept him two or three dayes to wax tender, because their flesh was hard. At Martins vinyard, an Island that lyes South to Plimouth in the way to Virginia, certain Indians (whilst I was in the Countrey) seised upon a Boat that put into [p. 126.] a By-Cove, kill’d the men and eat them up in a short time before they were discovered.

Their houses which they call Wigwams, are built with Poles pitcht into the ground of a round form for most part, sometimes square, they bind down the tops of their poles, leaving a hole for smoak to go out at, the rest they cover with the bark of Trees, and line the inside of their Wigwams with mats made of Rushes painted with several colours, one good post they set up in the middle that reaches to the hole in the top, with a staff across before it at a convenient height, they knock in a pin on which they hang their Kettle, beneath that they set up a broad stone for a back which keepeth the post from burning; round by the walls they spread their mats and skins where the men sleep whilst 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 Dears skin or the like before the other. Towns they have none, being alwayes removing from one place to another for conveniency of food, sometimes to those places where one sort of fish is most plentiful, other whiles where others are. I have seen half [p. 127.] a hundred of their Wigwams together in a piece of ground and they shew prettily, within a day or two, or a week they have been all dispersed. They live for the most part by the Sea-side, especially in the spring and summer quarters, in winter they are gone up into the Countrie to hunt Deer and Beaver, the younger webbs going with them. Tame Cattle they have none, excepting Lice, and Doggs of a wild breed that they bring up to hunt with.

Wives they have two or three, according to the ability of their bodies and strength of their concupiscence, who have the easiest labours of any women in the world; they will go out when their time is come alone, carrying a board with them two foot long, and a foot and half broad, bor’d full of holes on each side, having a foot beneath like a Jack that we pull Boots off with, on the top of the board a broad strap of leather which they put over their fore-head, the board hanging at their back; when they are come to a Bush or a Tree that they fancy they lay them down and are delivered in a trice, not so much as groaning for it, they wrap the child up in a young Beaver-skin with his heels close to his britch, leaving a little hole if it be a Boy for his Cock to peep out at; and lace him down to the [p. 128.] board upon his back, his knees resting upon the foot beneath, then putting the strap of leather upon their fore-head with the infant hanging at their back home they trudge; What other ceremonies they use more than dying of them with a liquor of boiled Hemlock-Bark, and their throwing of them into the water if they suspect the Child to be gotten by any other Nation, to see if he will swim, if he swim they acknowledge him for their own, their names they give them when they are men grown, and covet much to be called after our English manner, Robin, Harry, Phillip and the like, very indulgent they are to their Children, and their children sometimes to their Parents, but if they live so long that they become a burden to them, they will either starve them or bury them alive, as it was supposed an Indian did his Mother at Casco in 1669.

Their Apparel before the English came amongst them, was the skins of wild Beasts with the hair on, Buskins of Deers-skin or Moose drest and drawn with lines into several works, the lines being coloured with yellow, blew or red, Pumps too they have, made of tough skins without soles. In the winter when the snow will bear them, they fasten to their feet their snow shooes which are made like a large Racket we play at [p. 129.] Tennis with, lacing them with Deers-guts and the like, under their belly they wear a square piece of leather and the like upon their posteriors, both fastened to a string tyed about them to hide their secrets; on their heads they ware nothing: But since they have had to do with the English they purchase of them a sort of Cloth called trading cloth of which they make Mantles, Coats with short sleeves, and caps for their heads which the women use, but the men continue their old fashion going bare-headed, excepting some old men amongst them. They are very proud as appeareth by their setting themselves out with white and blew Beads of their own making, and painting of their faces with the above mentioned colours, they weave sometimes curious Coats with Turkie feathers for their Children.

Their Diet is Fish and Fowl, Bear, Wild-cat, Rattoon and Deer; dry’d Oysters, Lobsters rosted or dryed in the smoak, Lampres and dry’d Moose-tongues, which they esteem a dish for a Sagamor; hard eggs boiled and made small and dryed to thicken their broth with, salt they have not the use of, nor bread, their Indian Corn and Kidney beans they boil, and sometimes eat their Corn parcht or roasted in the ear against the fire; they feed likewise upon earth-nuts, [p. 130.] or ground-nuts, roots of water-Lillies, Ches-nuts, and divers sorts of Berries. They beat their Corn to powder and put it up into bags, which they make use of when stormie weather or the like will not suffer them to look out for their food. Pompions and water-Mellons too they have good store; they have prodigious stomachs, devouring a cruel deal, meer voragoes, never giving over eating as long as they have it, between meals spending their time in sleep till the next kettlefull is boiled, when all is gone they satisfie themselves with a small quantity of the meal, making it serve as the frugal bit amongst the old Britains, which taken to the mountenance of a Bean would satisfie both thirst and hunger. If they have none of this, as sometimes it falleth out (being a very careless people not providing against the storms of want and tempest of necessity) they make use of Sir Francis Drake’s remedy for hunger, go to sleep.

They live long, even to an hundred years of age, if they be not cut off by their Children, war, and the plague, which together with the small pox hath taken away abundance of them. Pliny reckons up but 300 Diseases in and about man, latter writers Six thousand, 236 belonging to the eyes. There are not so many Diseases raigning [p. 131.] amongst them as our Europeans. The great pox is proper to them, by reason (as some do deem) that they are Man-eaters, which disease was brought amongst our Europeans first by the Spaniards that went with Christopher Columbus who brought it to Naples with their Indian-women, with whom the Italians and French conversed Anno Dom. 1493. Paracelsus saith it happened in the year 1478 and 1480. But all agree that it was not known in Europe before Columbus his voyage to America. It hath continued amongst us above two hundred and three score years. There are Diseases that are proper to certain climates, as the Leprosie to Ægypt, swelling of the Throat or Mentegra to Asia, the sweating sickness to the Inhabitants of the North; to the Portugals the Phthisick, to Savoy the mumps; So to the West-Indies the Pox, but this doth not exclude other Diseases. In New-England the Indians are afflicted with pestilent Feavers, Plague, Black-pox, Consumption of the Lungs, Falling-sickness, Kings-evil, and a Disease called by the Spaniard the Plague in the back, with us Empyema, their Physicians are the Powaws or Indian Priests who cure sometimes by charms and medicine, but in a general infection they seldom come amongst them, [p. 132.] therefore they use their own remedies, which is sweating, &c. Their manner is when they have plague or small pox amongst them to cover their Wigwams with Bark so close that no Air can enter in, lining them (as I said before) within, and making a great fire they remain there in a stewing heat till they are in a top sweat, and then run out into the Sea or River, and presently after they are come into their Hutts again they either recover or give up the Ghost; they dye patiently both men and women, not knowing of a Hell to scare them, nor a Conscience to terrifie them. In times of general Mortality they omit the Ceremonies of burying, exposing their dead Carkases to the Beasts of prey. But at other times they dig a Pit and set the diseased therein upon his breech upright, and throwing in the earth, cover it with the sods and bind them down with sticks, driving in two stakes at each end; their mournings are somewhat like the howlings of the Irish, seldom at the grave but in the Wigwam where the party dyed, blaming the Devil for his hard heartedness, and concluding with rude prayers to him to afflict them no further.

They acknowledge a God who they call Squantam, but worship him they do not, [p. 133.] because (they say) he will do them no harm. But Abbamocho or Cheepie many times smites them with incurable Diseases, scares them with his Apparitions and pannick Terrours, by reason whereof they live in a wretched consternation worshipping the Devil for fear. One black Robin an Indian sitting down in the Corn field belonging to the house where I resided, ran out of his Wigwam frighted with the apparition of two infernal spirits in the shape of Mohawkes. Another time two Indians and an Indess, came running into our house crying out they should all dye, Cheepie was gone over the field gliding in the Air with a long rope hanging from one of his legs: we askt them what he was like, they said all wone Englishman, clothed with hat and coat, shooes and stockings, &c. 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: The first time that I did see it, I was call’d out by some of them about twelve of the clock, it being a very dark night, I perceived it plainly mounting into the Air over our Church, which was built upon a plain little more than half a quarter of a mile from our dwelling house, on the Northside of the Church: look on [p. 134.] what side of a house it appears, from that Coast respectively you shall hear of a Coarse within two or three days.

They worship the Devil (as I said) their Priests are called Powaws and are little better than Witches, for they have familiar conference with him, who makes them invulnerable, that is shot-free and stick-free. Craftie Rogues, abusing the rest at their pleasure, having power over them by reason of their Diabolical Art in curing of Diseases, which is performed with rude Ceremonies; they place the sick upon the ground sitting, and dance in an Antick manner round about him, beating their naked breasts with a strong hand, and making hideous faces, sometimes calling upon the Devil for his help, mingling their prayers with horrid and barbarous charms; if the sick recover they send rich gifts, their Bowes and Arrowes, Wompompers, Mohacks, Beaver skins, or other rich Furs to the Eastward, where there is a vast Rock not far from the shore, having a hole in it of an unsearchable profundity, into which they throw them.

Their Theologie is not much, but questionless they acknowledge a God and a Devil, and some small light they have of the Souls immortality; for ask them [p. 135.] whither they go when they dye, they will tell you pointing with their finger to Heaven beyond the white mountains, and do hint at Noah’s Floud, as may be conceived by a story they have received from Father to Son, time out of mind, that a great while agon their Countrey was drowned, and all the People and other Creatures in it, only one Powaw and his Webb foreseeing the Floud, fled to the white mountains carrying a hare along with them and so escaped; after a while the Powaw sent the Hare away, who not returning emboldned thereby they descended, and lived many years after, and had many Children, from whom the Countrie was filled again with Indians. Some of them tell another story of the Beaver, saying that he was their Father.

Their learning is very little or none, Poets they are as may be ghessed by their formal speeches, sometimes an hour long, the last word of a line riming with the last word of the following line, and the whole doth Constare ex pedibus. Musical too they be, having many pretty odd barbarous tunes which they make use of vocally at marriages and feastings; but Instruments they had none before the English came amongst them, since they have imitated them and will make out Kitts and string them as neatly, [p. 136.] and as Artificially as the best Fiddle-maker amongst us; and will play our plain lessons very exactly: the only Fidler that was in the Province of Meyn, when I was there, was an Indian called Scozway, whom the Fishermen and planters when they had a mind to be merry made use of.

Arithmetick they skill not, reckoning to ten upon their fingers, and if more doubling of it by holding their fingers up, their age they reckon by Moons, and their actions by sleeps, as, if they go a journie, or are to do any other business they will say, three sleeps me walk, or two or three sleeps me do such a thing, that is in two or three days. Astronomie too they have no knowledge of, seldom or never taking observation of the Stars, Eclipses, or Comets that I could perceive; but they will Prognosticate shrewdly what weather will fall out. They are generally excellent Zenagogues or guides through their Countrie.

Their exercises are hunting and fishing, in both they will take abundance of pains. When the snow will bear them, the young and lustie Indians, (leaving their papouses and old people at home) go forth to hunt Moose, Deere, Bear and Beaver, Thirty or forty miles up into the Countrey; when they light upon a Moose they run him down, [p. 137.] which is sometimes in half a day, sometimes a whole day, but never give him over till they have tyred him, the snow being usually four foot deep, and the Beast very heavie he sinks every step, and as he runs sometimes bears down Arms of Trees that hang in his way, with his horns, as big as a mans thigh; other whiles, if any of their dogs (which are but small) come near, yerking out his heels (for he strikes like a horse) if a small Tree be in the way he breaks it quite asunder with one stroak, at last they get up to him on each side and transpierce him with their Lances, which formerly were no other but a staff of a yard and half pointed with a Fishes bone made sharp at the end, but since they put on pieces of sword-blades which they purchase of the French, and having a strap of leather fastned to the but end of the staff which they bring down to the midst of it, they dart it into his sides, hæret latere lethalis arundo, the poor Creature groans, and walks on heavily, for a space, then sinks and falls down like a ruined building, making the Earth to quake; then presently in come the Victors, who having cut the throat of the slain take off his skin, their young webbs by this time are walking towards them with heavie bags and kettles at their [p. 138.] backs, who laying down their burdens fall to work upon the Carkass, take out the heart, and from that the bone, cut off the left foot behind, draw out the sinews, and cut out his tongue &c. and as much of the Venison as will serve to satiate the hungry mawes of the Company; mean while the men pitch upon a place near some spring, and with their snow shoos shovel the snow away to the bare Earth in a circle, making round about a wall of snow; in the midst they make their Vulcan or fire near to a great Tree, upon the snags whereof they hang their kettles fil’d with the Venison; whilst that boils, the men after they have refresht themselves with a pipe of Tobacco dispose themselves to sleep. The women tend the Cookerie, some of them scrape the slime and fat from the skin, cleanse the sinews, and stretch them and the like, when the venison is boiled the men awake, and opening of their bags take out as much Indian meal as will serve their turns for the present; they eat their broth with spoons, and their flesh they divide into gobbets, eating now and then with it as much meal as they can hold betwixt three fingers; their drink they fetch from the spring, and were not acquainted with other, untill the French and English traded with that cursed liquor [p. 139.] called Rum, Rum-bullion, or kill-Devil, which is stronger than spirit of Wine, and is drawn from the dross of Sugar and Sugar Canes, this they love dearly, and will part with all they have to their bare skins for it, being perpetually drunk with it, as long as it is to be had, it hath killed many of them, especially old women who have dyed when dead drunk. Thus instead of bringing of them to the knowledge of Christianitie, we have taught them to commit the beastly and crying sins of our Nation, for a little profit. When the Indians have stuft their paunches, if it be fair weather and about midday they venture forth again, but if it be foul and far spent, they betake themselves to their field-bed at the sign of the Star, expecting the opening of the Eastern window, which if it promise serenity, they truss up their fardles, and away for another Moose, this course they continue for six weeks or two moneths, making their Webbs their Mules to carry their luggage, they do not trouble themselves with the horns of Moose or other Deer, unless it be near an English plantation; because they are weighty and cumbersome. If the English could procure them to bring them in, they would be worth the pains and charge, being sold in England after the rate of forty or fifty [p. 140.] pounds a Tun; the red heads of Deer are the fairest and fullest of marrow, and lightest; the black heads are heavie and have less marrow; the white are the worst, and the worst nourished. When the Indians are gone, there gathers to the Carkass of the Moose thousands of Mattrises, of which there are but few or none near the Sea-coasts to be seen, these devour the remainder in a quarter of the time that they were hunting of it.

Their fishing followes in the spring, summer and fall of the leaf. First for Lobsters, Clams, Flouke, Lumps or Podles, and Alewives; afterwards for Bass, Cod, Rock, Blew-fish, Salmon, and Lampres, &c.

The Lobsters they take in large Bayes when it is low water, the wind still, going out in their Birchen-Canows with a staff two or three yards long, made small and sharpen’d at one end, and nick’d with deep nicks to take hold. When they spye the Lobster crawling upon the Sand in two fathom water, more or less, they stick him towards the head and bring him up. I have known thirty Lobsters taken by an Indian lad in an hour and a half, thus they take Flouke and Lumps; Clams they dig out of the Clam-banks upon the flats and in creeks when it is low water, where they are bedded [p. 141.] sometimes a yard deep one upon another, the beds a quarter of a mile in length, and less, the Alewives they take with Nets like a pursenet put upon a round hoop’d stick with a handle in fresh ponds where they come to spawn. The Bass and Blew-fish they take in harbours, and at the mouth of barr’d Rivers being in their Canows, striking them with a fisgig, a kind of dart or staff, to the lower end whereof they fasten a sharp jagged bone (since they make them of Iron) with a string fastened to it, as soon as the fish is struck they pull away the staff, leaving the bony head in the fishes body and fasten the other end of the string to the Canow: Thus they will hale after them to shore half a dozen or half a score great fishes: this way they take Sturgeon; and in dark evenings when they are upon the fishing ground near a Bar of Sand (where the Sturgeon feeds upon small fishes (like Eals) that are called Lances sucking them out of the Sands where they lye hid, with their hollow Trunks, for other mouth they have none) the Indian lights a piece of dry Birch-Bark which breaks out into a flame & holds it over the side of his Canow, the Sturgeon seeing this glaring light mounts to the Surface of the water where he is slain and taken with a fisgig. Salmons and Lampres [p. 142.] are catch’d at the falls of Rivers. All the Rivers of note in the Countrey have two or three desperate falls distant one from another for some miles, for it being rising ground from the Sea and mountainous within land, the Rivers having their Originals from great lakes, and hastning to the Sea, in their passage meeting with Rocks that are not so easily worn away, as the loose earthie mould beneath the Rock, makes a fall of the water in some Rivers as high as a house: you would think it strange to see, yea admire if you saw the bold Barbarians in their light Canows rush down the swift and headlong stream with desperate speed, but with excellent dexterity, guiding his Canow that seldom or never it shoots under water, or overturns, if it do they can swim naturally, striking their pawes under their throat like a dog, and not spreading their Arms as we do; they turn their Canow again and go into it in the water.

Their Merchandize are their beads, which are their money, of these there are two sorts blew Beads and white Beads, the first is their Gold, the last their Silver, these they work out of certain shells so cunningly that neither Jew nor Devil can counterfeit, they dril them and string them, and make many curious works with them to [p. 143.] adorn the persons of their Sagamours and principal men and young women, as Belts, Girdles, Tablets, Borders for their womens hair, Bracelets, Necklaces, and links to hang in their ears. Prince Phillip a little before I came for England coming to Boston had a Coat on and Buskins set thick with these Beads in pleasant wild works and a broad Belt of the same, his Accoutrements were valued at Twenty pounds. The English Merchant giveth them ten shillings a fathom for their white, and as much more or near upon for their blew Beads. Delicate sweet dishes too they make of Birch-Bark sowed with threads drawn from Spruse or white Cedar-Roots, and garnished on the out-side with flourisht works, and on the brims with glistering quills taken from the Porcupine, and dyed, some black, others red, the white are natural, these they make of all sizes from a dram cup to a dish containing a pottle, likewise Buckets to carry water or the like, large Boxes too of the same materials, dishes, spoons and trayes wrought very smooth and neatly out of the knots of wood, baskets, bags, and matts woven with Sparke, bark of the Line-Tree and Rushes of several kinds, dyed as before, some black, blew, red, yellow, bags of Porcupine quills woven and dyed also; Coats woven of [p. 144.] Turkie-feathers for their Children, Tobacco pipes of stone with Imagerie upon them, Kettles of Birchen-bark which they used before they traded with the French for Copper Kettles, by all which you may apparently see that necessity was at first the mother of all inventions. The women are the workers of most of these, and are now, here and there one excellent needle woman, and will milk a Cow neatly, their richest trade are Furs of divers sorts, Black Fox, Beaver, Otter, Bear, Sables, Mattrices, Fox, Wild-Cat, Rattoons, Martins, Musquash, Moose-skins.

Ships they have none, but do prettily imitate ours in their Birchen-pinnaces, their Canows are made of Birch, they shape them with flat Ribbs of white Cedar, and cover them with large sheets of Birch-bark, sowing them through with strong threds of Spruse-Roots or white Cedar, and pitch them with a mixture of Turpentine and the hard rosen that is dryed with the Air on the out-side of the Bark of Firr-Trees. These will carry half a dozen or three or four men and a considerable fraight, in these they swim to Sea twenty, nay forty miles, keeping from the shore a league or two, sometimes to shorten their voyage when they are to double a Cape they will put to shore, and [p. 145.] two of them taking up the Canow carry it cross the Cape or neck of land to the other side, and to Sea again; they will indure an incredible great Sea, mounting upon the working billowes like a piece of Corke; but they require skilful hands to guide them in rough weather, none but the Indians scarce dare to undertake it, such like Vessels the Ancient Brittains used, as Lucan relates.

[p. 146.] Their Government is monarchical, the Patrueius or they that descend from the eldest proceeding from his loyns, is the Roytelet of the Tribe, and if he have Daughters, his Son dying without a Son, the Government descends to his Daughters Son: after the same manner, their lands descend. Cheetadaback was the chief Sachem or Roytelet of the Massachusets, when the English first set down there. Massasoit, the great Sachem of the Plimouth Indians, his dwelling was at a place called Sowans, about four miles distant from New-Plimouth. Sasasacus was the chief Sachem of the Pequots, and Mientoniack of the Narragansets. The chief Roytelet amongst the Mohawks now living, is a Dutchmans Bastard, and the Roytelet now of the Pocanakets, that is the Plimouth-Indians, is Prince Philip alias Metacon, the Grandson of Massasoit. Amongst the Eastern Indians, Summersant formerly was a famous Sachem. The now living Sachems of note are Sabaccaman, Terrumkin and Robinhood.

Their Wars are with Neighbouring Tribes, but the Mowhawks are enemies to all the other Indians, their weapons of Defence and Offence are Bowes and Arrowes, of late he is a poor Indian that is not [p. 147.] master of two Guns, which they purchase of the French, and powder and shot, they are generally excellent marks men; their other weapons are Tamahawks which are staves two foot and a half long with a knob at the end as round as a bowl, and as big as that we call the Jack or Mistriss. Lances too they have made (as I have said before) with broken sword blades, likewise they have Hatchets and knives; but these are weapons of a latter date. They colour their faces red all over, supposing that it makes them the more terrible, they are lusty Souldiers to see to and very strong, meer Hercules Rusticuses, their fights are by Ambushments and Surprises, coming upon one another unawares. They will march a hundred miles through thick woods and swamps to the Mowhawks Countrey, and the Mowhawks into their Countrey, meeting sometimes in the woods, or when they come into an Enemies Countrey build a rude fort with Pallizadoes, having loop-holes out of which they shoot their Arrowes, and fire their Guns, pelting at one another a week or moneth together; If any of them step out of the Fort they are in danger to be taken prisoners by the one side or the other; that side that gets the victory excoriats the hair-scalp of the principal slain Enemies which [p. 148.] they bear away in Triumph, their prisoners they bring home, the old men and women they knock in 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 the first joynts of his fingers and toes, then clap upon them hot Embers to sear the vains; so they cut him a pieces joynt after joynt, still applying hot Embers to the place to stanch the bloud, making the poor wretch to sing all the while: when Arms and Legs are gone, they flay off the skin of their Heads, and presently put on a Cap of burning Embers, then they open his breast and take out his heart, which while it is yet living in a manner they give to their old Squaes, who are every one to have a bite at it. These Barbarous Customs were used amongst them more frequently before the English came; but since by the great mercy of the Almighty they are in a way to be Civilized and converted to Christianity; there being three Churches of Indians gathered together by the pains of Mr. John Eliot and his Son, who Preaches to them in their Native language, and hath rendered the Bible in that Language for the benefit of [p. 149.] the Indians. These go clothed like the English, live in framed houses, have stocks of Corn and Cattle about them, which when they are fat they bring to the English Markets, the Hogs that they rear are counted the best in New-England. Some of their Sons have been brought up Scholars in Harvard Colledge, and I was told that there was but two Fellowes in that Colledge, and one of them was an Indian; some few of these Christian Indians have of late Apostatized and fallen back to their old Superstition and course of life.

Thus much shall suffice concerning New-England, as it was when the Indians solely possest it. I will now proceed to give you an accompt of it, as it is under the management of the English; but methinks I hear my sceptick Readers muttering out of their scuttle mouths, what will accrew to us by this rambling Logodiarce? you do but bring straw into Egypt, a Countrey abounding with Corn. Thus by these Famacides who are so minutely curious, I am dejected from my hope, whilst they challenge the freedom of David’s Ruffins, Our Tongues are our own, who-shall controll us. I have done what I can to please you, I have piped and you will not dance. I have told you as strange things as ever you or your Fathers [p. 150.] have heard. The Italian saith Chi vide un miraculo facilmente ne crede un altro, he that hath seen one miracle will easilie believe another, miranda canunt sed non credenda poetæ. Oh I see the pad, you never heard nor saw the like, therefore you do not believe me; well Sirs I shall not strain your belief any further, the following Relation I hope will be more tolerable, yet I could (it is possible) insert as wonderful things as any my pen hath yet gone over, and may, but it must be upon condition you will not put me to the proof of it. Nemo tenetur ad impossibilia, no man is obliged to do more than is in his power, is a rule in law. To be short; if you cannot with the Bee gather the honey, with the Spider suck out the poyson, as Sir John Davis hath it.

I am confident you will get but little poyson here, no ’tis the poyson of Asps under your tongue that swells you: truly, I do take you rather to be Spider catchers than Spiders, such as will not laudably imploy themselves, nor suffer others; you may well say non amo hominem, sed non possum [p. 151.] dicere quare, unless it be because I am a Veronessa, no Romancer. To conclude; if with your mother wit, you can mend the matter, take pen in hand and fall to work, do your Countrey some service as I have done according to my Talent. Henceforth you are to expect no more Relations from me. I am now return’d into my Native Countrey, and by the providence of the Almighty, and the bounty of my Royal Soveraigness am disposed to a holy quiet of study and meditation for the good of my soul; and being blessed with a transmentitation or change of mind, and weaned from the world, may take up for my word, non est mortale quod opto. If what I have done is thought uprears for the approvement of those to whom it is intended, I shall be more than meanly contented.

New-England was first discovered by John Cabota and his Son Sebastian in Anno Dom. 1514. A further discovery afterwards was made by the honourable Sir Walter Rawleigh Knight in Anno 1584. when as Virginia was discovered, which together with Mary-land, New-England, Nova Scotia was known by one common name to the Indians, Wingandicoa, and by Sir Walter Rawleigh in honour of our Virgin Queen, in whose name he took possession of it, Virginia. In [p. 152.] King James his Reign it was divided into Provinces as is before named. In 1602. these north parts were further discovered by Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold. The first English that planted there, set down not far from the Narragansets-Bay, and called their Colony Plimouth, since old Plimouth, An. Dom. 1602. Sir John Popham Lord chief Justice authorized by his Majesty, King James, sent a Colony of English to Sagadehock, An. 1606. Newfound-land was discovered by one Andrew Thorn an English man in Anno 1527. Sir Humphrey Gilbert a west Countrey Knight took possession of it in the Queens name, Anno 1582. The two first Colonies in New-England failing, there was a fresh supply of English who set down in other parts of the Countrey, and have continued in a flourishing condition to this day.

The whole Countrey now is divided into Colonies, and for your better understanding observe, a Colony is a sort of people that come to inhabit a place before not inhabited, or Colonus quasi, because they should be Tillers of the Earth. From hence by an usual figure the Countrey where they sit down, is called a Colony or Plantation.

The first of these that I shall relate of, though last in possession of the English, is now our most Southerly Colony, and next [p. 153.] adjoyning to Mary-land, scil. the Manadaes or Manahanent lying upon the great River Mohegan, which was first discovered by Mr. Hudson, and sold presently by him to the Dutch without Authority from his Soveraign the King of England, Anno 1608. The Dutch in 1614 began to plant there, and call’d it New-Netherlands, but Sir Samuel Argal Governour of Virginia routed them, the Dutch after this got leave of King James to put in there for fresh water in their passage to Brasile, and did not offer to plant until a good while after the English were settled in the Countrey. In Anno 1664 his Majestie Charles the Second sent over four worthie Gentlemen Commissioners to reduce the Colonies into their bounds, who had before incroached upon one another, who marching with Three hundred red-Coats to Manadaes or Manhataes took from the Dutch their chief town then called New-Amsterdam, now New York; the Twenty ninth of August turn’d out their Governour with a silver leg, and all but those that were willing to acknowledge subjection to the King of England, suffering them to enjoy their houses and estates as before. Thirteen days after Sir Robert Carr took the Fort and Town of Aurania now called Albany; and Twelve days after that, the Fort and Town [p. 154.] of Awsapha, then De-la-ware Castle, man’d with Dutch and Sweeds. So now the English are masters of three handsome Towns, three strong Forts and a Castle, not losing one man. The first Governour of these parts for the King of England was Colonel Nicols, a noble Gentleman, and one of his Majesties Commissioners, who coming for England in Anno Dom. 1668 as I take it, surrendered the Government to Colonel Lovelace.

The Countrey here is bless’d with the richest soil in all New-England, I have heard it reported from men of Judgement and Integrity, that one Bushel of European-Wheat hath yielded a hundred in one year. Their other Commodities are Furs, and the like.

New-York is situated at the mouth of the great River Mohegan, and is built with Dutch Brick alla-moderna, the meanest house therein being valued at One hundred pounds, to the Landward it is compassed with a Wall of good thickness; at the entrance of the River is an Island well fortified, and hath command of any Ship that shall attempt to pass without their leave.

Albany is situated upon the same River on the West-side, and is due North from New-York somewhat above Fifty miles.

[p. 155.] Along the Sea-side Eastward are many English-Towns, as first Westchester, a Sea-Town about Twenty miles from New-York; to the Eastward of this is Greenwich, another Sea-Town much about the same distance; then Chichester, Fairfield, Stratford, Milford, all Sea-Towns twenty and thirty mile distant from one another, twenty miles Eastward of Milford is Newhaven the Metropolis of the Colony begun in 1637. One Mr. Eaton being there Governour: it is near to the shoals of Cape Cod, and is one of the four united Colonies.

The next Sea-Town Eastward of Newhaven is called Guilford about ten mile, and I think belonging to that Colony.

From Guilford to Connecticut-River, is near upon twenty miles, the fresh River Connecticut bears the name of another Colony begun in the year 1636 and is also one of the four united Colonies. Upon this River are situated 13 Towns, within two, three & four miles off one another. At the mouth of the River, on the West-side is the Lord-Say, and Brooks fort, called Saybrook-fort. Beyond this Northward is the Town of Windsor, then Northampton, then Pinsers-house. On the Eastside of the River, Hartford, about it low land well stored with meadow and very fertile. Wethersfield is [p. 156.] also situated upon Connecticut-River and Springfield; but this Town although here seated is in the jurisdiction of the Mattachusets, and hath been infamous by reason of Witches therein. Hadley lyes to the Northward of Springfield. New-London which I take to be in the jurisdiction of this Coloney is situated to the Eastward of Connecticut-River by a small River, and is not far from the Sea. From Connecticut-River long-Island stretcheth it self to Mohegan one hundred and twenty miles, but it is but narrow and about sixteen miles from the main; the considerablest Town upon it is Southampton built on the Southside of the Island towards the Eastern end; opposite to this on the Northernside is Feversham, Westward is Ashford, Huntingdon, &c. The Island is well stored with Sheep and other Cattle, and Corn, and is reasonable populous. Between this Island and the mouth of Connecticut-River lyeth three small Islands, Shelter-Island, Fishers-Island, and the Isle of Wight. Over against New-London full South lyeth Block Island.

The next place of note on the Main is Narragansets-Bay, within which Bay is Rhode Island a Harbour for the Shunamitish Brethren, as the Saints Errant, the Quakers who are rather to be esteemed Vagabonds, than Religious persons, &c.

[p. 157.] At the further end of the Bay by the mouth of Narragansets-River, on the South-side thereof was old Plimouth plantation Anno 1602. Twenty mile out to Sea, South of Rhode-Island, lyeth Martins vineyard in the way to Virginia, this Island is governed by a discreet Gentleman Mr. Mayhew by name. To the Eastward of Martin’s vinyard lyeth Nantocket-Island, and further Eastward Elizabeths-Island, these Islands are twenty or thirty mile asunder, and now we are come to Cape-Cod.

Cape-Cod was so called at the first by Captain Gosnold and his Company Anno Dom. 1602, because they took much of that fish there; and afterward was called Cape-James by Captain Smith: the point of the Cape is called Point-Cave and Tuckers Terror, and by the French and Dutch Mallacar, by reason of the perillous shoals. The first place to be taken notice of on the South-side of the Cape is Wests-Harbour, the first Sea-Town Sandwich formerly called Duxbury in the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth. Doubling the Cape we come into the great Bay, on the West whereof is New-Plimouth-Bay, on the South-west-end of this Bay is situated New Plimouth, the first English-Colony that took firm possession in this Countrey, which was in 1620, and the first Town built [p. 158.] therein, whose longitude is 315 degrees, in latitude 41 degrees and 37 minutes, it was built nine years before any other Town, from the beginning of it to 1669 is just forty years, in which time there hath been an increasing of forty Churches in this Colony (but many more in the rest,) and Towns in all New-England one hundred and twenty, for the most part along the Sea-Coasts, (as being wholsomest) for somewhat more than two hundred miles: onely on Connecticut-River (as I have said) is thirteen Towns not far off one another.

The other Towns of note in this Colony are Green-Harbour to the Eastward of Plimouth towards the point of the Cape, & therefore somewhat unaccessible by land, here is excellent Timber for shipping; then Marshfield, Yarmouth, Rehoboth, Bridgwater, Warwick, Taunton, Eastham, by the Indians called Namset.

The first Town Northeast from Green-harbor is Sittuate in the jurisdiction of the Mattachusets-Colony, more Northward of Sittuate is Conchusset and Hull a little Burg lying open to the Sea, from thence we came to Merton-point over against which is Pullin-point. Upon Merton-point (which is on the Larboard-side) is a Town called Nantascot, which is two Leagues from Boston, where [p. 159.] Ships commonly cast Anchor. Pullin-point is so called, because the Boats are by the seasing or Roads haled against the Tide which is very strong, it is the usual Channel for Boats to pass into Mattachusets-Bay.

There is an Island on the South-side of the passage containing eight Acres of ground. Upon a rising hill within this Island is mounted a Castle commanding the entrance, no stately Edifice, nor strong; built with Brick and Stone, kept by a Captain, under whom is a master-Gunner and others.

The Bay is large, made by many Islands, the chief Deere-Island, which is within a flight shot of Pullin-point, great store of Deere were wont to swim thither from the Main; then Bird-Island, Glass-island, Slate-Island, the Governours Garden, where the first Apple-Trees in the Countrey were planted, and a vinyard; then Round-Island, and Noddles-Island not far from Charles-Town: most of these Islands lye on the North-side of the Bay.

The next Town to Nantascot on the South-side of the Bay is Wissaguset a small Village, about three miles from Mount-wolleston, about this Town the soil is very fertile.

Within sight of this is Mount-wolleston or Merry-mount, called Massachusets-fields, [p. 160.] where Chicatabat the greatest Sagamore of the Countrey lived before the plague: here the Town of Braintree is seated, no Boat nor Ship can come near to it, here is an Iron mill: to the West of this Town is Naponset River.

Six miles beyond Braintree lyeth Dorchester, a frontire Town pleasantly seated, and of large extent into the main land, well watered with two small Rivers, her body and wings filled somewhat thick with houses to the number of two hundred and more, beautified with fair Orchards and Gardens, having also plenty of Corn-land, and store of Cattle, counted the greatest Town heretofore in New-England, but now gives way to Boston, it hath a Harbour to the North for Ships.

A mile from Dorchester is the Town of Roxbury, a fair and handsome Countrey Town, the streets large, the Inhabitants rich, replenished with Orchards and Gardens, well watered with springs and small freshets, a brook runs through it called Smelt-River, a quarter of a mile to the North-side of the Town runs stony River: it is seated in the bottom of a shallow Bay, but hath no harbour for shipping. Boats come to it, it hath store of Land and Cattle.

Two miles Northeast from Roxbury, and [p. 161.] Forty miles from New-Plimouth, in the latitude of 42 or 43 degrees and 10 minutes, in the bottom of Massachusets-Bay is Boston (whose longitude is 315 degrees, or as others will 322 degrees and 30 seconds.) So called from a Town in Lincolnshire, which in the Saxons time bare the name of St. Botolph, and is the Metropolis of this Colony, or rather of the whole Countrey, situated upon a Peninsula, about four miles in compass, almost square, and invironed with the Sea, saving one small Isthmus which gives access to other Towns by land on the South-side. The Town hath two hills of equal height on the frontire part thereof next the Sea, the one well fortified on the superficies with some Artillery mounted, commanding any Ship as she sails into the Harbour within the still Bay; the other hill hath a very strong battery built of whole Timber and fill’d with earth, at the descent of the hill in the extreamest part thereof, betwixt these two strong Arms, lyes a large Cove or Bay, on which the chiefest part of the Town is built to the Northwest is a high mountain that out-tops all, with its three little rising hills on the summit, called Tramount, this is furnished with a Beacon and great Guns, from hence you may [p. 162.] overlook all the Islands in the Bay, and descry such Ships as are upon the Coast: the houses are for the most part raised on the Sea-banks and wharfed out with great industry and cost, many of them standing upon piles, close together on each side the streets as in London, and furnished with many fair shops, their materials are Brick, Stone, Lime, handsomely contrived, with three meeting Houses or Churches, and a Town-house built upon pillars where the Merchants may confer, in the Chambers above they keep their monethly Courts. Their streets are many and large, paved with pebble stone, and the South-side adorned with Gardens and Orchards. The Town is rich and very populous, much frequented by strangers, here is the dwelling of their Governour. On the North-west and North-east two constant Fairs are kept for daily Traffick thereunto. On the South there is a small, but pleasant Common where the Gallants a little before Sun-set walk with their Marmalet-Madams, as we do in Morefields, &c. till the nine a clock Bell rings them home to their respective habitations, when presently the Constables walk their rounds to see good orders kept, and to take up loose people. Two miles from the town, [p. 163.] at a place called Muddy-River, the Inhabitants have Farms, to which belong rich arable grounds and meadows where they keep their Cattle in the Summer, and bring them to Boston in the Winter; the Harbour before the Town is filled with Ships and other Vessels for most part of the year.

Hingham is a Town situated upon the Sea-coasts, South-east of Charles-River: here is great store of Timber, deal-boards, masts for Ships, white-Cedar, and fish is here to be had.

Dedham an inland town ten miles from Boston in the County of Suffolk well watered with many pleasant streams, and abounding with Garden fruit; the Inhabitants are Husband-men, somewhat more than one hundred Families, having store of Cattle and Corn.

The Town of Waymouth lyes open to the Sea, on the East Rocks and Swamps, to the South-ward good store of Deer, arable land and meadows.

On the North-side of Boston flows Charles-River, which is about six fathom deep, many small Islands lye to the Bayward, and hills on either side the River, a very good harbour, here may forty Ships ride, the passage from Boston to Charles-Town is by a Ferry worth forty or fifty pounds a [p. 164.] year, and is a quarter of a mile over. The River Mistick runs through the right side of the Town, and by its near approach to Charles-River in one place makes a very narrow neck, where stands most part of the Town, the market-place not far from the waterside is surrounded with houses, forth of which issue two streets orderly built and beautified with Orchards and Gardens, their meeting-house stands on the North-side of the market, having a little hill behind it; there belongs to this Town one thousand and two hundred Acres of arable, four hundred head of Cattle, and as many Sheep, these also provide themselves Farms in the Country.

Up higher in Charles-River west-ward is a broad Bay two miles over, into which runs Stony-River and Muddy-River.

Towards the South-west in the middle of the Bay is a great Oyster-bank, towards the North-west is a Creek; upon the shore is situated the village of Medford, it is a mile and half from Charles-town.

At the bottom of the Bay the River begins to be narrower, half a quarter of a mile broad; by the North-side of the River is New-town, three miles from Charles-town, a league and half by water, it was first [p. 165.] intended for a City, the neatest and best compacted Town, having many fair structures and handsom contrived streets; the Inhabitants rich, they have many hundred Acres of land paled with one common fence a mile and half long, and store of Cattle; it is now called Cambridge where is a Colledg for Students of late; it stretcheth from Charles-River to the Southern part of Merrimach-River.

Half a mile thence on the same side of the River is Water-town built upon one of the branches of Charles-River, very fruitful and of large extent, watered with many pleasant springs and small Rivulets, the Inhabitants live scatteringly. Within half a mile is a great pond divided between the two Towns, a mile and half from the Town is a fall of fresh waters which conveigh themselves into the Ocean through Charles-River, a little below the fall of waters they have a wair to catch fish, wherein they take store of Basse, Shades, Alwives, Frost-fish, and Smelts, in two tides they have gotten one hundred thousand of these fishes. They have store of Cattle and Sheep, and near upon two thousand Acres of arable land, Ships of small burden may come up to these Towns.

[p. 166.] We will now return to Charles-town again, where the River Mistick runs on the North-side of the Town (that is the right side as beforesaid) where on the Northwest-side of the River is the Town of Mistick, three miles from Charles-town, a league and half by water, a scattered village; at the head of this River are great and spacious ponds, full of Alewives in the spring-time, the notedst place for this sort of fish. On the West of this River is Merchant Craddock’s plantation, where he impaled a park.

Upon the same River and on the North-side is the Town of Malden.

The next Town is Winnisimet a mile from Charles-town, the River only parting them, this is the last Town in the still bay of Massachusets.

Without Pullin-point, six miles North-east from Winnisimet is Cawgust, or Sagust, or Sangut now called Linn, situated at the bottom of a Bay near a River, which upon the breaking up of winter with a furious Torrent vents it self into the Sea, the Town consists of more than one hundred dwelling-houses, their Church being built on a level undefended from the North-west wind is made with steps descending [p. 167] into the Earth, their streets are straight and but thin of houses, the people most husbandmen. At the end of the Sandy beach is a neck of land called Nahant, it is six miles in circumference. Black William an Indian Duke out of his generosity gave this to the English. At the mouth of the River runs a great Creek into a great marsh called Rumney-marsh, which is four miles long, and a mile broad, this Town hath the benefit of minerals of divers kinds, Iron, Lead, one Iron mill, store of Cattle, Arable land and meadow.

To the North-ward of Linn is Marvil or Marble-head, a small Harbour, the shore rockie, upon which the Town is built, consisting of a few scattered houses; here they have stages for fishermen, Orchards and Gardens, half a mile within land good pastures and Arable land.

Four miles North of Marble-head is situated New-Salem (whose longitude is 315 degrees, and latitude 42 degrees 35 minutes) upon a plain, having a River on the South, and another on the North, it hath two Harbours, Winter Harbour and Summer Harbour which lyeth within Darbie’s fort, they have store of Meadow and Arable, in this Town are some very rich Merchants.

[p. 168.] Upon the Northern Cape of the Massachusets, that is Cape-Ann, a place of fishing is situated, the Town of Glocester where the Massachusets Colony first set down, but Salem was the first Town built in that Colony, here is a Harbour for Ships.

To the North-ward of Cape-Ann is Wonasquam, a dangerous place to sail by in stormie weather, by reason of the many Rocks and foaming breakers.

The next Town that presents it self to view is Ipswich situated by a fair River, whose first rise is from a Lake or Pond twenty mile up, betaking its course through a hideous Swamp for many miles, a Harbour for Bears, it issueth forth into a large Bay, (where they fish for Whales) due East over against the Islands of Sholes a great place of fishing, the mouth of that River is barr’d; it is a good haven-town, their meeting-house or Church is beautifully built, store of Orchards and Gardens, land for husbandry and Cattle.

Wenham is an inland Town very well watered, lying between Salem and Ipswich, consisteth most of men of judgment and experience in re rustica, well stored with Cattle. At the first rise of Ipswich-River in the highest part of the land near the head [p. 169.] springs of many considerable Rivers; Shashin one of the most considerable branches of Merrimach-River, and also at the rise of Mistick-River, and ponds full of pleasant springs, is situated Wooburn an inland-Town four miles square beginning at the end of Charles-town bounds.

Six miles from Ipswich North-east is Rowley, most of the Inhabitants have been Clothiers.

Nine miles from Salem to the North is Agowamine, the best and spaciousest place for a plantation, being twenty leagues to the Northward of New-Plimouth.

Beyond Agowamin is situated Hampton near the Sea-coasts not far from Merrimach-River, this Town is like a Flower-deluce, having two streets of houses wheeling off from the main body thereof, they have great store of salt Marshes and Cattle, the land is fertil, but full of Swamps and Rocks.

Eight miles beyond Agowamin runneth the delightful River Merrimach or Monumach, it is navigable for twenty miles, and well stored with fish, upon the banks grow stately Oaks, excellent Ship timber, not inferiour to our English.

On the South-side of Merrimach-River [p. 170.] twelve miles from Ipswich, and near upon the wide venting streams thereof is situated Newberrie, the houses are scattering, well stored with meadow, upland, and Arable, and about four hundred head of Cattle.

Over against Newberrie lyes the Town of Salisbury, where a constant Ferry is kept, the River being here half a mile broad, the Town scatteringly built.

Hard upon the River of Shashin where Merrimach receives this and the other branch into its body, is seated Andover, stored with land and Cattle.

Beyond this Town by the branch of Merrimach-River called Shashin, lyeth Haverhill, a Town of large extent about ten miles in length, the inhabitants Husbandmen, this Town is not far from Salisbury.

Over against Haverhill lyeth the Town of Malden, which I have already mentioned.

In a low level upon a fresh River a branch of Merrimach is seated Concord, the first inland Town in Massachusets patent, well stored with fish, Salmon, Dace, Alewive, Shade, &c. abundance of fresh marsh and Cattle, this place is subject to bitter storms.

[p. 171.] The next town is Sudbury built upon the same River where Concord is, but further up; to this Town likewise belongs great store of fresh marshes, and Arable land, and they have many Cattle, it lyeth low, by reason whereof it is much indammaged with flouds.

In the Centre of the Countrey by a great pond side, and not far from Woeburn, is situated Reading, it hath two mills, a saw-mill and a Corn-mill, and is well stockt with Cattle.

The Colony is divided into four Counties, the first is Suffolk, to which belongs Dorchester, Roxbury, Waymouth, Hingham, Dedham, Braintre, Sittuate, Hull, Nantascot, Wisagusset. The second County is Middlesex, to this belongs Charles-town, Water-town, Cambridge, Concord, Sudbury, Woeburn, Reading, Malden, Mistick, Medford, Winnisimet and Marble-head. To the third County which is Essex, belongs New-Salem, Linn, Ipswich, New-Berry, Rowley, Glocester, Wenham and Andover. The fourth County is Northfolk, to this belongs Salisbury, Hampton and Haverhill.

In the year of our Lord 1628, Mr. John Endicot with a number of English people set down by Cape-Ann at that place called [p. 172.] afterwards Gloster, but their abiding-place was at Salem, where they built a Town in 1639. and there they gathered their first Church, consisting but of Seventy persons; but afterwards increased to forty three Churches in joynt Communion with one another, and in those Churches were about Seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty Souls, Mr. Endicot was chosen their first Governour.

The Twelfth of July Anno Dom. 1630. John Wenthorp Esq; and the assistants, arrived with the Patent for the Massachusets, the passage of the people that came along with him in ten Vessels came to 95000 pound: the Swine, Goats, Sheep, Neat, Horses cost to transport 12000 pound, besides the price they cost them; getting food for the people till they could clear the ground of wood amounted to 45000 pound: Nails, Glass, and other Iron work for their meeting and dwelling houses 13000 pound; Arms, Powder, Bullet, and Match, together with their Artillery 22000 pound, the whole sum amounts unto One hundred ninety two thousand pounds. They set down first upon Noddles-Island, afterwards they began to build upon the main. In 1637. there were not many houses in the Town of [p. 173.] Boston, amongst which were two houses of entertainment called Ordinaries, into which if a stranger went, he was presently followed by one appointed to that Office, who would thrust himself into his company uninvited, and if he called for more drink than the Officer thought in his judgment he could soberly bear away, he would presently countermand it, and appoint the proportion, beyond which he could not get one drop.

The Patent was granted to Sir Henry Rosewell, Sir John Young Knight, Thomas Southcoat, John Humphrey, John Endicot, and Simon Whitecomb, and to their Heirs, Assigns, and Associats for ever. These took to them other Associats, as Sir Richard Saltonstall, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Aldersey, Jo. Ven, Matth. Craddock, George Harwood, Increase Nowell, Rich. Perry, Rich. Bellingham, Nathaniel Wright, Samuel Vasell, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goffe, Thomas Adams, Jo. Brown, Samuel Brown, Thomas Hutchins, Will. Vasell, Will. Pinchon and George Foxcroft. Matth. Craddock was ordained and constituted Governour by Patent, and Thomas Goffe Deputy Governour of the said Company, the rest Assistants.

That part of New-England granted to [p. 174.] these fore-mentioned Gentlemen lyeth and extendeth between a great River called Monumach, alias Merrimach, and the often frequented Charles-River, being in the bottom of a Bay called Massachusets, alias Mattachusets, alias Massatusets-bay; and also those lands within the space of three English miles, on the South part of the said Charles-River, or any or every part, and all the lands within three miles to the South-ward part of the Massachusets-bay, and all those lands which lye within the space of three English miles to the North-ward of the River Merrimach, or to the North-ward of any and every part thereof, and all lands whatsoever within the limits aforesaid, North and South, in latitude, and in breadth and length and longitude of and within all the main land there, from the Atlantick and Western-Sea and Ocean on the East-part, to the South-Sea on the West-part, and all lands and grounds, place and places, soils, woods and wood-groves, Havens, Ports, Rivers, Waters, fishings and Hereditaments whatsoever lying within the aforesaid lands and limits, and every part and parcel thereof, and also all Islands lying in America aforesaid in the said Seas, or either of them on the Western or Eastern [p. 175.] Coasts or parts of the said tracts of lands. Also all mines and minerals as well Royal of Gold, Silver, as others &c. With power to rule and govern both Sea and land, holden of the East manner of Greenwich in Com. Kent, in free and common soccage, yielding and paying to the King the fifth part of the Oar of Gold and Silver which shall be found at any time.

This Colony is a body Corporated and Politick in fact by the name of the Governour and Company of the Mattachusets-bay in New-England.

That there shall be one Governour, and Deputy-Governour, and Eighteen Assistants of the same Company from time to time.

That the Governour and Deputy-Governour, Assistants and all other Officers to be chosen from amongst the free-men, the last Wednesday in Easter-term yearly in the general Court.

The Governour to take his Corporal Oath to be true and faithful to the Government, and to give the same Oath to the other Officers.

[p. 176.] To hold a Court once a month, and any seven to be a sufficient Court.

And that there shall be four general Courts kept in Term time, and one great general and solemn Assembly to make Laws and Ordinances; So they be not contrary and repugnant to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm of England. Their form of Government and what their Laws concern, you may see in the ensuing Table.

click here for image of this Table.

[p. 177.]

{ { Governour

{ { {

{ { 1 Magistrates. { { 1 Counsellers.

{ { { {

{ { { Assistants. { { 1 of the whole

{ 1 their { { { Countrey.

{ person { { 2 Judges {

{ { { { 2 of each town.

{ {

{ {

{ { { 1 of the { 1 for their protection.

Their { { 2 People. { whole Countrey, { 2 for their provision.

Laws { { {

Con- { { 2 of each { 1 their lands.

cern { { Town, concerning. { 2 their Treasure.

{

{ { 1 The

{ { 1 Civil { publick { 1 in their personal

{ {& they { State, or { inheritances, and

{ { concern { 2 Particular { proprieties

{ { { persons. {

{ { { { 1 Of

{ { { 2 in { buying

{ { { Whether { 1 either { their { and

{ { { between { of Tres- { mutual { selling

{ { { the members { passes { com- {

{ 2 of { { of { or { merce { 2 Lending

{ causes { { their own { 2 of { whether { and

{ { { Commonwealth { Capital { in { borrow-

{ { 2 Cri- { & they are. { Crimes. { way { ing

{ { minal.

{ 2 Between {

{ Burgesses {

{ and the { 1 That we do them wrong.

{ people, {

{ and forraign { 2 That they do us wrong.

{ Nations, {

{ whether {

{ in case {

[p. 178.] Anno Dom. 1646. they drew up a body of their Laws for the well ordering of their Commonwealth, as they not long since termed it.

The military part of their Commonwealth is governed by one Major-General, and three Serjeant Majors; to the Major-General belongeth particularly the Town of Boston, to the three Serjeant Majors belong the four Counties, but with submission to the Major-General. The first Serjeant Major chosen for the County of Suffolk was Major Gibbons. For the County of Middlesex Major Sedgwick. For the County of Essex and Northfolk Major Denison.

Every Town sends two Burgesses to their great and solemn general Court.

For being drunk, they either whip or impose a fine of Five shillings; so for swearing and cursing, or boring through the tongue with a hot Iron.

For kissing a woman in the street, though in way of civil salute, whipping or a fine.

For Single fornication whipping or a fine.

For Adultery, put to death, and so for witchcraft.

An English woman suffering an Indian to have carnal knowledge of her, had an Indian cut out exactly in red cloth sewed [p. 179.] upon her right Arm, and injoyned to wear it twelve moneths.

Scolds they gag and set them at their doors for certain hours, for all comers and goers by to gaze at.

Stealing is punished with restoring four fould, if able; if not, they are sold for some years, and so are poor debtors.

If you desire a further inspection to their Laws, I must refer you to them being in print, too many for to be inserted into this Relation.

The Governments of their Churches are Independent and Presbyterial, every Church (for so they call their particular Congregations) have one Pastor, one Teacher, Ruling Elders and Deacons.

They that are members of their Churches have the Sacraments administred to them, the rest that are out of the pale as they phrase it, are denyed it. Many hundred Souls there be amongst them grown up to men & womens estate that were never Christened.

They judge every man and woman to pay Five shillings per day, who comes not to their Assemblies, and impose fines of forty shillings and fifty shillings on such as meet together to worship God.

[p. 180.] Quakers they whip, banish, and hang if they return again.

Anabaptists they imprison, fine and weary out.

The Government both Civil and Ecclesiastical is in the hands of the thorow-pac’d Independents and rigid Presbyterians.

The grose Goddons, or great masters, as also some of their Merchants are damnable rich; generally all of their judgement, inexplicably covetous and proud, they receive your gifts but as an homage or tribute due to their transcendency, which is a fault their Clergie are also guilty of, whose living is upon the bounty of their hearers. On Sundays in the afternoon when Sermon is ended the people in the Galleries come down and march two a breast up one Ile and down the other, until they come before the desk, for Pulpit they have none: before the desk is a long pue where the Elders and Deacons sit, one of them with a mony box in his hand, into which the people as they pass put their offering, some a shilling, some two shillings, half a Crown, five shillings according to their ability and good will, after this they conclude with a Psalm; but this by the way.