The Second VOYAGE.

I have heard of a certain Merchant in the west of England, who after many great losses, walking upon the Sea-bank in a calm Sun-shining day; observing the smoothness of the Sea, coming in with a chequered or dimpled wave: Ah (quoth he) thou flattering Element, many a time hast thou inticed me to throw my self and my fortunes into thy Arms; but thou hast hitherto proved treacherous; thinking to find thee a Mother of encrease, I have found thee to be the Mother of mischief and wickedness; yea the Father of prodigies; therefore, being now secure, I will trust thee no more: But mark this mans resolution a while after, periculum maris spes lucri superat. So fared it with me, that having escaped the dangers of one Voyage, must needs put on a resolution for a second, wherein I plowed many a churlish billow [p. 34.] with little or no advantage, but rather to my loss and detriment. In the setting down, whereof I purpose not to insist in a methodical way, but according to my quality, in a plain and brief relation as I have done already; for I perceive, if I used all the Art that possibly I could, it would be difficult to please all, for all mens eyes, ears, faith, judgement, are not of a size. There be a sort of stagnant stinking spirits, who, like flyes, lye sucking at the botches of carnal pleasures, and never travelled so much Sea, as is between Heth-ferry, and Lyon-Key; yet notwithstanding, (sitting in the Chair of the scornful over their whists and draughts of intoxication) will desperately censure the relations of the greatest Travellers. It was a good proviso of a learned man, never to report wonders, for in so doing, of the greatest he will be sure not to be believed, but laughed at, which certainly bewraies their ignorance and want of discretion. Of Fools and Madmen then I shall take no care, I will not invite these in the least to honour me with a glance from their supercilious eyes; but rather advise them to keep their inspection for their fine-tongu’d Romances, and playes. This homely piece, I protest ingenuously, is prepared for such only who well know how to make use of their [p. 35.] charitable constructions towards works of this nature, to whom I submit my self in all my faculties, and proceed in my second voyage.

Anno 1663. May the Three and twentieth, I went down to Gravesend, it being Saturday I lay ashore till Monday the fifth, about 11 a clock at night, I went aboard the Society belonging to Boston in the Massachusets a Colony of English in New-England, of 200 and 20 Tun, carrying 16 Iron Guns most unserviceable, man’d with 33 sailers, and 77 passengers, men, women and children.

The Six and twentieth day, about 6 of the clock in the morning we weighed Anchor, and fell down with the tide three or four miles below Gravesend.

The Seven and twentieth in the afternoon, we weighed Anchor and came into the Hope before Deal-Castle, here we were wind bound till

The 30 day, we set sail out of the Downs, being Saturday about 9 of the clock in the morning, about 4 of the clock in the afternoon we came up with Beachy by W. at Nore.

The One and thirtieth at 4 of the clock in the morning we came up with the Isle of Wight, at 4 of the clock in the afternoon [p. 36.] we had Portland N. N. W. of us, 6 leagues off, the wind being then at N. W. by N. at 5 of the clock we came to Dartmouth, the wind W. S. W.

June the first day, being Monday about 4 of the clock Plimouth was about 9 leagues off, our course W. S. W. the Start bore North distant about 6 leagues from whence our reckonings began; the wind now E. N. E. a fair gale.

The second day the Lizard bore N. N. W. in the latitude 51. 300 leagues from Cape-Cod in New England, our course W. and by S. One of our passengers now dyed of a Consumption.

The Fifth day we steered S. W. observed and found the ship in latitude 47 degrees, and 44 minutes.

The Tenth day observed and found the ship in latitude 49 degrees, and 24 minutes.

The Five and twentieth day, about 3 of the clock in the morning we discovered land, about 6 of the clock Flowers, so called from abundance of flowers, and Corvo from a multitude of Crowes; two of the Azores or western Islands, in the Atlantique Ocean not above 250 leagues from Lisbon bore N. W. of us some 3 leagues off, we steered away W. by W. observed and found Flowers to be in the Southern part in latitude 39 [p. 37.] degrees 13 minuts, we descryed a Village and a small Church or Chappel seated in a pleasant valley to the Easter-side of the Island, the whole Island is rockie and mountanious about 8 miles in compass, stored with Corn, Wine and Goats, and inhabited by outlaw’d Portingals, the Town they call Santa Cruz. Corvo is not far from this, I supposed two or three leagues, a meer mountain, and very high and steep on all sides, cloathed with tall wood on the very top, uninhabited, but the Flowreans here keep some number of Goats.

The Seven and twentieth day, 30 leagues to the westward of these Islands we met with a small Vessel stoln from Jamaico, but 10 men in her, and those of several nations, English, French, Scotch, Dutch almost famish’d, having been out as they told us, by reason of calms, three moneths, bound for Holland.

July the sixth, calm now for two or three dayes, our men went out to swim, some hoisted the Shallop out and took divers Turtles, there being an infinite number of them all over the Sea as far as we could ken, and a man may ken at Sea in a clear Air 20 miles, they floated upon the top of the water being a sleep, and driving gently upon them with the Shallop, of a sudden [p. 38.] they took hold of their hinder legs and lifted them into the boat, if they be not very nimble they awake and presently dive under water; when they were brought aboard they sob’d and wept exceedingly, continuing to do so till the next day that we killed them, by chopping off their heads, and having taken off their shells (that on their back being fairest, is called a Gally patch) we opened the body and took out three hearts in one case, and (which was more strange) we perceived motion in the hearts ten hours after they were taken out. I have observed in England in my youthful dayes the like in the heart of a Pike, and the heart of a Frog, which will leap and skip as nimbly as the Frog used to do when it was alive from whom it was taken. Likewise the heart of a Pig will stir after it is exenterated. Being at a friends house in Cambridg-shire, the Cook-maid making ready to slaughter a Pig, she put the hinder parts between her legs as the usual manner is, and taking the snout in her left hand with a long knife she stuck the Pig and cut the small end of the heart almost in two, letting it bleed as long as any bloud came forth, then throwing of it into a Kettle of boyling water, the Pig swom twice round about the kettle, when taking of it out to [p. 39.] the dresser she rub’d it with powdered Rozen and stript off the hair, and as she was cutting off the hinder pettito, the Pig lifts up his head with open mouth, as if it would have bitten: well, the belly was cut up, and the entrails drawn out, and the heart laid upon the board, which notwithstanding the wound it received had motion in it, above four hours after; there were several of the Family by, with my self, and we could not otherwayes conclude but that the Pig was bewitched; but this by the way. Of the Sea Turtles there be five sorts, first the Trunck-turtle which is biggest, Secondly, the Loggerhead-turtle. Thirdly, the Hawkbill-turtle, which with its bill will bite horribly. Fourthly, the Green-turtle which is best for food, it is affirmed that the feeding upon this Turtle for a twelve moneth, forbearing all other kind of food will cure absolutely Consumptions, and the great pox; They are a very delicate food, and their Eggs are very wholesome and restorative, it is an Amphibious Creature going ashore, the male throws the female on her back when he couples with her, which is termed cooting, their Eggs grown to perfection the female goes ashore again and making a hole in the Sand, there layes her Eggs which are numerous, I have seen a peck [p. 40.] of Eggs taken out of one Turtle; when they have laid they cover the hole again with sand, and return to the Sea never looking after her Eggs, which hatching in the sand and coming to some strength break out and repair to the Sea. Having fill’d our bellies with Turtles and Bonito’s, called Spanish Dolphins excellently well cooked both of them, the wind blowing fair,

The Eighth day we spread our sails and went on our voyage, after a while we met with abundance of Sea-weeds called Gulf-weed coming out of the Bay of Mexico, and firr-trees floating on the Sea, observed and found the Ship to be in 39 degrees and 49 minuts.

The Fifteenth day we took a young Sharke about three foot long, which being drest and dished by a young Merchant a passenger happened to be very good fish, having very white flesh in flakes like Codd but delicately curl’d, the back-bone which is perfectly round, joynted with short joynts, the space between not above a quarter of an inch thick, separated they make fine Table-men, being wrought on both sides with curious works.

The One and twentieth thick hasie weather.

The Five and twentieth we met with a [p. 41.] Plimouth man come from St. Malloes in France, 10 weeks out, laden with cloath, fruit, and honey, bound for Boston in New-England.

The Six and twentieth we had sight of land.

The Seven and twentieth we Anchored at Nantascot, in the afternoon I went aboard of a Ketch, with some other of our passengers, in hope to get to Boston that night; but the Master of the Ketch would not consent.

The Eight and twentieth being Tuesday, in the morning about 5 of the clock he lent us his Shallop and three of his men, who brought us to the western end of the town where we landed, and having gratified the men, we repaired to an Ordinary (for so they call their Taverns there) where we were provided with a liberal cup of burnt Madera-wine, and store of plum-cake, about ten of the clock I went about my Affairs.

Before I pursue my Voyage to an end, I shall give you to understand what Countrie New-England is. New-England is that part of America, which together with Virginia, Mary land, and Nova-scotia were by the Indians called (by one name) Wingadacoa, after the discovery by Sir Walter [p. 42.] Rawleigh they were named Virginia, and so remained untill King James divided the Countrey into Provinces. New-England then is all that tract of land that lyes between the Northerly latitudes of 40 and 46, that is from De-la-ware-Bay to New-found-land, some will have it to be in latitude from 41 to 45. in King Jame’s Letters Patents to the Council of Plimouth in Devonshire from 40 to 48 of the same latitude, it is judged to be an Island, surrounded on the North with the spacious River of Canada, on the South with Mahegan or Hudsons River, having their rise, as it is thought, from two great lakes not far off one another, the Sea lyes East and South from the land, and is very deep, some say that the depth of the Sea being measured with line and plummet, seldom exceeds two or three miles, except in some places near the Swevian-shores, and about Pontus, observed by Pliny. Sir Francis Drake threw out 7 Hogsheads of line near Porto-bello and found no bottom, but whether this be true or no, or that they were deceived by the Currants carrying away their lead and line, this is certainly true, that there is more Sea in the Western than the Eastern Hemisphere, on the shore in more places than one at spring-tides, that is at the full or new of the moon, [p. 43.] the Sea riseth 18 foot perpendicular, the reason of this great flow of waters I refer to the learned, onely by the way I shall acquaint you with two reasons for the ebbing and flowing of the Sea; the one delivered in Common conference, the other in a Sermon at Boston in the Massachusets-Bay by an eminent man; The first was, that God and his spirit moving upon the waters caused the motion; the other, that the spirit of the waters gathered the waters together; as the spirit of Christ gathered souls.

The shore is Rockie, with high cliffs, having a multitude of considerable Harbours; many of which are capacious enough for a Navy of 500 sail, one of a thousand, the Countrie within Rockie and mountanious, full of tall wood, one stately mountain there is surmounting the rest, about four score mile from the Sea: The description of it you have in my rarities of New-England, between the mountains are many ample rich and pregnant valleys as ever eye beheld, beset on each side with variety of goodly Trees, the grass man-high unmowed, uneaten and uselesly withering; within these valleys are spacious lakes or ponds well stored with Fish and Beavers; the original of all the great Rivers in the Countrie, of which there are many with lesser [p. 44.] streams (wherein are an infinite of fish) manifesting the goodness of the soil which is black, red-clay, gravel, sand, loom, and very deep in some places, as in the valleys and swamps, which are low grounds and bottoms infinitely thick set with Trees and Bushes of all sorts for the most part, others having no other shrub or Tree growing, but spruse, under the shades whereof you may freely walk two or three mile together; being goodly large Trees, and convenient for masts and sail-yards. The whole Countrie produceth springs in abundance replenished with excellent waters, having all the properties ascribed to the best in the world.

One Spring there is, at Black-point in the Province of Main, coming out of muddy clay that will colour a spade, as if hatcht with silver, it is purgative and cures scabs and Itch, &c.

Isa. 45. 3.

The mountains and Rocky Hills are richly furnished with mines of Lead, Silver, [p. 45.] Copper, Tin, and divers sorts of minerals, branching out even to their summits, where in small Crannies you may meet with threds of perfect silver; yet have the English no maw to open any of them, whether out of ignorance or fear of bringing a forraign Enemy upon them, or (like the dog in the manger) to keep their Soveraign from partaking of the benefits, who certainly may claim an interest in them as his due, being eminently a gift proceeding from divine bounty to him; no person can pretend interest in Gold, Silver, or Copper by the law of Nations, but the Soveraign Prince; but the subjects of our King have a right to mines discovered in their own Lands and inheritances; So as that every tenth Tun of such Oar is to be paid to the proprietors of such lands, and not to the state, if it be not a mine-Royal: if it prove to be a mine-Royal, every fifth Tun of all such Oar as shall hold Gold or Silver worth refining, is to be rendered to the King. The learned Judges of our Kingdom have long since concluded, that although the Gold or Silver conteined in the base mettals of a mine in the land of a Subject, be of less value than the baser mettal; yet if the Gold or Silver do countervail the charge of refining it, or be more worth than the base mettal spent [p. 46.] in refining it, that then it is a mine-Royal, and as well the base mettal as the Gold and Silver in it belongs by prerogative to the Crown.

The stones in the Countrey are for the most mettle-stone, free-stone, pebble, slate, none that will run to lime, of which they have great want, of the slate you may make Tables easie to be split to the thickness of an inch, or thicker if you please, and long enough for a dozen men to sit at. Pretious stones there are too, but if you desire to know further of them, see the Rarities of New-England; onely let me add this observation by the way, that Crystal set in the Sun taketh fire, and setteth dry Tow or brown Paper on fire held to it. There is likewise a sort of glittering sand, which is altogether as good as the glassie powder brought from the Indies to dry up Ink on paper newly written. The climate is reasonably temperate, hotter in Summer, and colder in Winter than with us, agrees with our Constitutions better than hotter Climates, these are limbecks to our bodies, forraign heat will extract the inward and adventitious heat consume the natural, so much more heat any man receives outwardly from the heat of the Sun, so much more wants he the same inwardly, which is one reason why [p. 47.] they are able to receive more and larger draughts of Brandy, & the like strong spirits than in England without offence. Cold is less tolerable than heat, this a friend to nature, that an enemy. Many are of opinion that the greatest enemies of life, consisting of heat and moisture, is cold and dryness; the extremity of cold is more easie to be endured than extremity of heat; the violent sharpness of winter, than the fiery raging of Summer. To conclude, they are both bad, too much heat brings a hot Feaver, too much cold diminisheth the flesh, withers the face, hollowes the eyes, quencheth natural heat, peeleth the hair, and procureth baldness.

Astronomers have taken special knowledge of the number of 1024 of the principal apparent noted Stars of all the rest, besides the 7 Planets, and the 12 Signs, and it is agreed upon that there are more Stars under the Northern-pole, than under the Southern, the number of Stars under both poles are innumerable to us; but not to the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth, who calleth them all by their names. Isai. 40. Levate in excelsum oculos vestros & videte quis creavit hæc? quis educit in numero militiam eorum & omnia suis nominibus vocat? In January 1668. two Suns appeared and two Moons. The year before was published the Suns prerogative, vindicated by [p. 48.] Alexander Nowel a young studient at Harvard-Colledge in the Massachusets Colony, which was as followeth.

Mathematicians have that priviledge, above other Philosophers, that their foundations are so founded upon, and proved by demonstration, that reason volens nolens must approve of them, when they are once viewed by the eye of the intellect, ipso facto it grants a probatum est; if upon those foundations he raises famous Architectures, which are inseparably joynted in, and joyned to their ground-works, yet are not their Elements of such vast extensions, as to have their dimensions adequated with the machine of the primum mobile, and so include the Fabrick of created beings; but there are sphears above the sphear of their Activity, and Orbs placed above the reach of their Instruments, which will non-plus the most acute inquisitors, at least in reference to an accurate scrutiny: hence dissentions about Celestial bodies, whether the planets have any natural light, has been a question, proving that they borrow their light from the Sun: he being the primitive, they derivatives; he the Augmentum primum, they Orta, who though they have light in se, yet not ex se. This assertion is not expugned by Geocentricks who produce sense and Antiquity to support their suppositions; nor oppugned by Heliocentricks, [p. 49.] who deduce their Hypothesis from reason, and new observations: for, quicquid in ambitu alicujus circuli actu diffusum, comprehenditur, id in centro ejusdem continetur potentia collectum. Should I put the question to the vote, questionless the major part of modern Astronomers would carry it affirmatively; but a testimony being Inartificialis Argumentum, I shall found my position upon a more Artificial Basis. As for the multiplication of Eclipses which some fear, it’s needless, for the extent of the Cone of the earths shaddow (à Centro terræ) being 250 Semidiameters, it cannot reach Mars; Venus and Mercury never oppose the Sun. It has been observed by the help of Optick Tubes, that Venus has divers faces, according to her diverse position to the Sun. Some affirm the same of Mercury, but he’s not so liable to observation, being seldom clear of the radiancy of the Sun. The superior Planets being above the Sun, turn the same side to the Sun, as they do to us. Venus and Mars are more lucid in their Parhelion, than in their Aphelion. The Telescope may convince us of this truth; Evincit enim crassa, opaca & dissimilium plane partium corpora, planctas esse. Lastly God made the Sun and Moon, the two greater lights (though not the greater lucid bodies) that the Moons light is adventitious, followes from her invisibilitie [p. 50.] in a central Eclipse: hence the other planets are destitute of native light; nam à majore ad minus valet consequentia negativé.

In the year 1664. a Star or Comet appeared in New-England in December in the South-East, rising constantly about one of the clock in the morning, carrying the tail lower and lower till it came into the West, and then bare it directly before it; the Star it self was of a duskish red, the tail of the colour of via lactea, or the milkie way. A fortnight after it appeared again rising higher near the Nadir or point over our heads, of the same form and colour; of which hear the former Scholar.

Comets (say Naturalists) proceed from natural causes, but they oft proceed preternatural effects. That they have been Antecedents to strange consequents is an universal truth, and proved by particulars, viz. That which hung over Hierusalem before its extirpation by Vespatian, that vertical to Germany, before those bloudy Wars &c. So that experience Attests, and reason Assents, that they have served for sad Prologues to Tragical Epilogues. For the future preludiums to what events they’l prove, may be proved by consequence, if they han’t suffered a privation of their powerful Energie. Dr. Ward to salve Contests, distinguishes between Cometæidæ, which are [p. 51.] Sublunary exhalations, and Cometæ, which are heavenly bodies, coevous with the Stars; the cause of the inequality of whose motion, is their Apoge and Periges. Concerning the height of the late Comets Orb, because of the deficiency of Instruments, here’s pars deficiens. As for its motion December 10. ’twas about the middle of Virgo. Jan. 24. 26 deg. Aries. Some observe that Comets commonly follow a Conjunction of the superiour planets. Astronomers attribute much to the predominancy of that planet which rules it, which they judge by the Colour; a dull leaden colour, claims Saturn for his Lord; bright, Jupiter; Red, Mars; Golden, Sol; Yellow, Venus; variable, Mercury; pale, Luna. Also to the Aspects it receives from other planets, the sign it is in, and the house of the Heavens in which it first was. Hence some may judge a scheam of the Heavens necessary, but unless Calculated for its certain rise (which is uncertain) it’s adjudged by the judicious, superfluous. Some put much trust or virtue in the tail, terming it the Ignomon, &c. But that is probable of all, which has been observed of some, that it’s alwayes opposite to the Sun; hence when the Sun is at the Meridian of the Antipodes it turns, &c. Which Regiomont observed of that in 1475. and Keckerman of that in 1607. Longomontanus observes of that in 1618. that its first [p. 52.] appearance was vertical to Germany and went Northward, so its effect began there, and made the like progress: it’s rational, that as a cause, it should operate most powerfully on those in whose Zenith it is, as the meridional Altitude; nor is it irrational, that as a sign, it should presage somewhat to all those, in whose Horizon it appears; for in reason, Relata se mutuo inferunt, hence signum infers signatum, and the signifier implies a signified. Diverse desire to be certified of the event; but he is wise that knowes it. Some presume prophetically to specificate from generals truths; others desperately deny generals and all; of all whom it’s a truth, Incidunt in Scyllam, &c. Noble Ticho concludes, (with whom I conclude) that it’s not rational particularly to determine the sequel; for should any, it would be only in a contingent Axiom, and proceed from fancie; therefore of no necessary consequence, and would produce only opinion.

A friend of mine shewed me a small Treatise written and printed in the Massachusets-Bay by B. D. Intituled An Astronomical description of the late Comet, or Blazing-Star, as it appeared in New-England in the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and the beginning of the Twelfth moneth, 1664. printed at Cambridge by Samuel Green 1665. An ingenious piece, but because I could not perswade [p. 53.] my friend to part with it, I took out some short notes being straitned in time, which are as followes.

Comets are distinguished in respect of their figure, according to the divers aspects of the Sun, into Barbate, Caudate, and Crinite. 1. When the stream like a beard goes before the body. 2. When the stream followes the body. 3. When the stream goes right up into the Heavens.

A Comet is said to be Vertical to any people, when the body of the Comet passeth over their heads.

The light of the Comet alters and varies according to the diverse Aspects of the Sun enlightning it.

Some took notice of it in the beginning of November.

In Anno Dom. 1668. July the Fifteenth happened an Eclipse of the moon from 9 of the clock at night, till after 11, digits 9, and 35 minutes.

In November following appeared a Star between the horns of the Moon in the midst.

In Anno Dom. 1669. about the middle of June at 4 of the clock in the afternoon, appeared a Rain-bow reverst, and at night about 10 of the clock we had a Lunar Rain-bow.

[p. 54.] The Indians so far as I could perceive have but little knowledge of the Stars and Planets, observing the Sun and Moon only, the dividers of time into dayes and years: they being nearer to the Equinoctial-line by 10 degrees, have their dayes and nights more equally divided, being in Summer two hours shorter, in Winter two hours longer than they are in England. The 11 of June the Sun riseth at 4 and 26 minutes, and setteth at 7 & 34 minutes: in December, the 13 the shortest day, the Sun riseth at 7 and 35 minutes, and setteth at 4 and 27 minutes.

Mid-March their Spring begins, in April they have Rain and Thunder; So again at Michaelmas, about which season they have either before Michaelmas or after outrageous storms of Wind and Rain. It’s observable that there is no part of the World, which hath not some certain times of out-rageous storms. We have upon our Coast in England a Michaelmas flaw, that seldom fails: in the West-Indies in August and September the forcible North-wind, which though some call Tuffins or Hurricanes we must distinguish, for a right Hurricane is (as I have said before) an impetuous wind that goes about the Compass in the space of 24 hours, in such a storm the Lord Willoughby [p. 55.] of Parham Governour of the Barbadoes was cast away, going with a fleet to recover St. Christophers from the French, Anno Dom. 1666. July. Cold weather begins with the middle of November, the winter’s perpetually freezing, insomuch that their Rivers and salt-Bayes are frozen over and passable for Men, Horse, Oxen and Carts: Æquore cum gelido zephyrus fere xenia Cymbo. The North-west wind is the sharpest wind in the Countrie. In England most of the cold winds and weathers come from the Sea, and those seats that are nearest the Sea-coasts in England are accounted unwholsome, but not so in New-England, for in the extremity of winter the North-East and South-wind coming from the Sea produceth warm weather, only the North-West-wind coming over land from the white mountains (which are alwayes (except in August) covered with snow) is the cause of extream cold weather, alwayes accompanied with deep snowes and bitter frosts, the snow for the most part four and six foot deep, which melting on the superficies with the heat of the Sun, (for the most part shining out clearly every day) and freezing again in the night makes a crust upon the snow sufficient to bear a man walking with snow-shoos upon it. And at this [p. 56.] season the Indians go forth on hunting of Dear and Moose, twenty, thirty, forty miles up into the Countrie. Their Summer is hot and dry proper for their Indian Wheat; which thrives best in a hot and dry season, the skie for the most part Summer and Winter very clear and serene; if they see a little black cloud in the North-West, no bigger than a man may cover with his Hat, they expect a following storm, the cloud in short time spreading round about the Horizon accompanied with violent gusts of wind, rain, and many times lightning and terrible thunder. In all Countries they have observations how the weather will fall out, and these rules following are observable in New-England. If the Moon look bright and fair, look for fair weather, also the appearing of one Rainbow after a storm, is a known sign of fair weather; if mists come down from the Hills, or descend from the Heavens, and settle in the valleys, they promise fair hot weather; mists in the Evening shew a fair hot day on the morrow: the like when mists rise from waters in the Evening. The obscuring of the smaller Stars is a certain sign of Tempests approaching; the oft changing of the wind is also a fore-runner of a storm; the resounding of the Sea from the shore, and murmuring of [p. 57.] the winds in the woods without apparent wind, sheweth wind to follow: shooting of the Stars (as they call it) is an usual sign of wind from that quarter the Star came from. So look whether the resounding of the Sea upon the shore be on the East or West side of the dwelling, out of that quarter will the wind proceed the next day. The redness of the sky in the morning, is a token of winds, or rain or both: if the Circles that appear about the Sun be red and broken, they portend wind; if thick and dark, wind, snow and rain; the like may be said of the Circles about the moon. If two rain-bowes appear, they are a sign of rain; If the Sun or Moon look pale, look for rain: if a dark cloud be at Sun-rising, in which the Sun soon after is hid, it will dissolve it, and rain will follow; nebula ascendens indicat imbres, nebula descendens serenitatem. If the Sun seem greater in the East, than in the West about Sun-setting, and that there appears a black cloud, you may expect rain that night, or the day following.

[p. 58.] To conclude; if the white hills look clear and conspicuous, it is a sign of fair weather; if black and cloudy, of rain; if yellow, it is a certain sign of snow shortly to ensue.

In Anno Dom. 1667. March, appeared a sign in the Heavens in the form of a Sphear, pointing directly to the West: and in the year following on the third day of April being Friday, there was a terrible Earthquake, before that a very great one in 1638. and another in 58 and in 1662/3. January 26, 27, & 28. (which was the year before I came thither) there were Earthquakes 6 or 7 times in the space of three dayes. Earthquakes are frequent in the Countrie; some suppose that the white mountains were first raised by Earthquakes, they are hollow as may be guessed by the resounding of the rain upon the level on the top. The Indians told us of a River whose course was not only stopt by an Earthquake in 1668. (as near as I can remember) but the whole River swallowed up. And I have heard it reported from credible persons, that (whilst I was there in the Countrie) there happened a terrible Earthquake amongst the French, rending a huge Rock asunder even to the center, wherein was a vast hollow of an immeasurable depth, out of which came many infernal Spirits. I shall [p. 59.] conclude this discourse of Earthquakes, with that which came from the Pen of our Royal Martyr King Charles the First; A storm at Sea wants not its terrour, but an Earthquake, shaking the very foundation of all, the World hath nothing more of horrour. And now I come to the plants of the Countrie.

The plants in New-England for the variety, number, beauty, and vertues, may stand in Competition with the plants of any Countrey in Europe. Johnson hath added to Gerard’s Herbal 300. and Parkinson mentioneth many more; had they been in New-England they might have found 1000 at least never heard of nor seen by any Englishman before: ’Tis true, the Countrie hath no Bonerets, or Tartarlambs, no glittering coloured Tuleps; but here you have the American Mary-Gold, the Earth-nut bearing a princely Flower, the beautiful leaved Pirola, the honied Colibry, &c. They are generally of (somewhat) a more masculine vertue, than any of the same species in England, but not in so terrible a degree, as to be mischievous or ineffectual to our English bodies. It is affirmed by some that no forraign Drugg or Simple can be so proper to Englishmen as their own, for the quantity of Opium which Turks do safely take will kill four Englishmen, and that which will [p. 60.] salve their wounds within a day, will not recure an Englishman in three. To which I answer that it is custom that brings the Turks to the familiar use of Opium. You may have heard of a Taylor in Kent, who being afflicted with want of sleep ventured upon Opium, taking at first a grain, and increasing of it till it came to an ounce, which quantitie he took as familiarly as a Turk, without any harm, more than that he could not sleep without it. The English in New-England take white Hellebore, which operates as fairly with them, as with the Indians, who steeping of it in water sometime, give it to young lads gathered together a purpose to drink, if it come up they force them to drink again their vomit, (which they save in a Birchen-dish) till it stayes with them, & he that gets the victory of it is made Captain of the other lads for that year. There is a plant likewise, called for want of a name Clownes wound wort by the English, though it be not the same, that will heal a green wound in 24 hours, if a wise man have the ordering of it. Thus much for the general, I shall now begin to discover unto you the plants more particularly, and I shall first begin with Trees, and of them, first with such as are called in Scripture Trees of God, that is great [p. 61.] Trees, that grow of themselves without planting. Psal. 104. 16, 17. Satiantur arbores Jehovæ, cedri Libani quas plantavit; (ubi aviculæ nidificent) abietes domicilia ciconiæ. The Herons take great delight to sit basking upon the tops of these Trees. And I shall not be over large in any, having written of them in my Treatise of the rarities of New-England, to which I refer you.

The Oake I have given you an account of, and the kinds; I shall add the ordering of Red Oake for Wainscot. When they have cut it down and clear’d it from the branches, they pitch the body of the Tree in a muddy place in a River, with the head downward for some time, afterwards they draw it out, and when it is seasoned sufficiently, they saw it into boards for Wainscot, and it will branch out into curious works.

There is an admirable rare Creature in shape like a Buck, with Horns, of a gummy substance, which I have often found in the fall of the leaf upon the ground amongst the withered leaves; a living Creature I cannot call it; having only the sign of a mouth and eyes: seldom or never shall you meet with any of them whole, but the head and horns, or the hinder parts, broken off from the rest; the Indians call them Tree Bucks, and have a superstitious saying (for I believe [p. 62.] they never see any of them living) that if they can see a Tree-Buck walking upon the branches of an Oake when they go out in a morning to hunt, they shall have good luck that day. What they are good for I know not, but certainly there is some more than ordinary vertue in them. It is true that nothing in nature is superfluous, and we have the Scripture to back it, that God created nothing in vain. The like Creatures they have at the Barbadoes which they call Negroes heads, found in the Sands, about two inches long, with forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, and part of the neck, they are alwayes found loose in the Sands without any root, it is as black as Jet, but whence it comes they know not. I have read likewise, that in the Canaries or Fortunate-Islands, there is found a certain Creature, which Boys bring home from the mountains as oft as they would, and named them Tudesquels, or little Germans: for they were dry’d dead Carcases, almost three footed, which any boy did easily carry in one of the palms of his hand, and they were of an humane shape; but the whole dead Carcase was clearly like unto Parchment, and their bones were flexible, as it were gristles: against the Sun, also, their bowels and intestines were seen. Surely (saith my Authour) the destroyed race of the Pigmies was there. There is [p. 63.] also many times found upon the leaves of the Oake a Creature like a Frog, being as thin as a leaf, and transparent, as yellow as Gold, with little fiery red eyes, the English call them Tree-frogs or Tree-toads (but of Tree-toads I shall have occasion to speak in another place) they are said to be venemous, but may be safely used, being admirable to stop womens over-flowing courses hung about their necks in a Taffetie bag.

Captain Smith writes that in New-England there growes a certain berry called Kermes, worth 10 shillings a pound, and had been formerly sold for 30 or 40 shillings a pound, which may yearly be gathered in good quantity. I have sought for this berry, he speaks of, as a man should seek for a needle in a bottle of Hay, but could never light upon it; unless that kind of Solomon-seal called by the English Treacle-berry be it. Gerard our famous Herbalist writes that they grow upon a little Tree called Scarlet-Oake, the leaves have one sharp prickle at the end of it; it beareth small Acorns: But the grain or berry growes out of the woody branches, like an excrescence of the substance of the Oake-Apple, and of the bigness of Pease, at first white, when ripe of an Ash-colour, which ingenders little Maggots, which when it begins [p. 64.] to have wings are put into a bag and boulted up and down till dead, and then made up into lumps, the Maggot as most do deem is Cutchenele; So that Chermes is Cutchenele: the berries dye scarlet. Mr. George Sands in his Travels saith (much to the same purpose) that scarlet dye growes like a blister on the leaf of the Holy Oake, a little shrub, yet producing Acorns, being gathered they rub out of it a certain red dust, that converteth after a while into worms, which they kill with Wine, when they begin to quicken. See farther concerning Treacle-berries and Cutchinele in the rarities of New-England.

The Pine-Tree challengeth the next place, and that sort which is called Board-pine is the principal, it is a stately large Tree, very tall, and sometimes two or three fadom about: of the body the English make large Canows of 20 foot long, and two foot and a half over, hollowing of them with an Adds, and shaping of the outside like a Boat. Some conceive that the wood called Gopher in Scripture, of which Noah made the Ark, was no other than Pine, Gen. 6. 14. The bark thereof is good for Ulcers in tender persons that refuse sharp medicines. The inner bark of young board-pine cut small and stampt and boiled in a Gallon of water is a very soveraign medicine for burn [p. 65.] or scald, washing the sore with some of the decoction, and then laying on the bark stampt very soft: or for frozen limbs, to take out the fire and to heal them, take the bark of Board-pine-Tree, cut it small and stamp it and boil it in a gallon of water to Gelly, wash the sore with the liquor, stamp the bark again till it be very soft and bind it on. The Turpentine is excellent to heal wounds and cuts, and hath all the properties of Venice Turpentine, the Rosen is as good as Frankincense, and the powder of the dryed leaves generateth flesh; the distilled water of the green Cones taketh away wrinkles in the face being laid on with Cloths.

The Firr-tree is a large Tree too, but seldom so big as the Pine, the bark is smooth, with knobs or blisters, in which lyeth clear liquid Turpentine very good to be put into salves and oyntments, the leaves or Cones boiled in Beer are good for the Scurvie, the young buds are excellent to put into Epithemes for Warts and Corns, the Rosen is altogether as good as Frankincense; out of this Tree the Poleakers draw Pitch and Tarr; the manner I shall give you, for that it may (with many other things contained in this Treatise) be beneficial to my Countrymen, either there already seated, or that [p. 66.] may happen to go thither hereafter. Out of the fattest wood changed into Torch-wood, which is a disease in that Tree, they draw Tarr, first a place must be paved with stone or the like, a little higher in the middle, about which there must be made gutters, into which the liquor falls, then out from them other gutters are to be drawn, by which it may be received, then is it put into barrels. The place thus prepared, the cloven wood must be set upright, then must it be covered with a great number of firr and pitch bowes; and on every part all about with much lome and sods of earth, and great heed must be taken, lest there be any cleft or chink remaining, only a hole left in the top of the furnace, through which the fire may be put in, and the flame and smoak to pass out: when the fire burneth, the Pitch or Tarr runneth forth first thin and then thicker; of which when it is boiled is made Pitch: the powder of dried Pitch is used to generate flesh in wounds and sores. The knots of this Tree and fat-pine are used by the English instead of Candles, and it will burn a long time, but it makes the people pale.

The Spruce-tree I have given you an account of in my New-England rarities. In the North-east of Scotland upon the banks [p. 67.] of Lough-argick, there hath been formerly of these Trees 28 handful about at the Root, and their bodies mounted to 90 foot of height, bearing at the length 20 inches diameter. At Pascataway there is now a Spruce-tree brought down to the water-side by our Mass-men of an incredible bigness, and so long that no Skipper durst ever yet adventure to ship it, but there it lyes and Rots.

The Hemlock-tree is a kind of spruce or pine; the bark boiled and stampt till it be very soft is excellent for to heal wounds, and so is the Turpentine thereof, and the Turpentine that issueth from the Cones of the Larch-tree, (which comes nearest of any to the right Turpentine) is singularly good to heal wounds, and to draw out the malice (or Thorn, as Helmont phrases it) of any Ach, rubbing the place therewith, and strowing upon it the powder of Sage-leaves.

The white Cedar is a stately Tree, and is taken by some to be Tamarisk, this Tree the English saw into boards to floor their Rooms, for which purpose it is excellent, long lasting, and wears very smooth and white; likewise they make shingles to cover their houses with instead of tyle, it will never warp. This Tree, the Oak and the [p. 68.] Larch-tree are best for building. Groundsels made of Larch-tree will never rot, and the longer it lyes the harder it growes, that you may almost drive a nail into a bar of Iron as easily as into that. Oh, that my Countreymen might obtain that blessing with their buildings, which Esay prophesied to the Jewes in the 65 Chapter and 22 verse. Non ædificabunt & alius inhabitabit, non plantabunt & alius comedet: sed ut sunt dies Arboris, dies erunt populi mei, & opus manuum suarum deterent electi mei.

The Sassafras-tree is no great Tree, I have met with some as big as my middle, the rind is tawny and upon that a thin colour of Ashes, the inner part is white, of an excellent smell like Fennel, of a sweet tast with some bitterness; the leaves are like Fig-leaves of a dark green. A decoction of the Roots and bark thereof sweetned with Sugar, and drunk in the morning fasting will open the body and procure a stool or two, it is good for the Scurvie taken some time together, and laying upon the legs the green leaves of white Hellebore. They give it to Cows that have newly calved to make them cast their Cleanings. This Tree growes not beyond Black-point Eastward: it is observed, that there is no province but produces Trees and plants not growing in other Regions.

[p. 69.] Non omnis fert omnia tellus.

The Walnut which is divers, some bearing square nuts, others like ours, but smaller: there is likewise black Walnut of precious use for Tables, Cabinets and the like. The Walnut-tree is the toughest wood in the Countrie, and therefore made use of for Hoops and Bowes, there being no Yew there growing; In England they made their Bowes usually of Witch Hasel, Ash, Yew, the best of outlandish Elm, but the Indians make theirs of Walnut.

The Line-tree with long nuts, the other kind I could never find: the wood of this Tree, Laurel, Rhamnus, Holly and Ivy are accounted for woods that cause fire by attrition; Laurel and Ivy are not growing in New-England: the Indians will rub two sear’d sticks of any sort of wood, and kindle a fire with them presently.

The Maple-tree, on the boughs of this Tree I have often found a jellied substance like Jewes-Ears, which I found upon tryal to be as good for sore throats &c.

The Birch-tree is of two kinds, ordinary Birch, and black Birch, many of these Trees are stript of their bark by the Indians, who make of it their Canows, Kettles, [p. 70.] and Birchen-dishes: there is an excrescence growing out of the body of the Tree called spunck, or dead mens Caps, it growes at the Roots of Ash, or Beech, or Elm; but the best is that which growes upon the black Birch, this boiled and beaten, and then dried in an Oven maketh excellent Touch-wood, and Balls to play with.

Alder, of which wood there is abundance in the wet swamps: the bark thereof with the yolke of an Egg is good for a strain; an Indian bruising of his knee, chew’d the bark of Alder fasting and laid it to, which quickly helped him. The wives of our West-Countrey English make a drink with the seeds of Alder, giving it to their Children troubled with the Alloes. I have talk’d with many of them, but could never apprehend what disease it should be they so name, these Trees are called by some Sullinges.

The Indians tell of a Tree that growes far up in the land, that is as big as an Oake, that will cure the falling-sickness infallibly, what part thereof they use, Bark, Wood, leaves or fruit, I could never learn; they promised often to bring of it to me, but did not. I have seen a stately Tree growing here and there in valleys, not like to any Trees in Europe, having a smooth bark of [p. 71.] a dark brown colour, the leaves like great Maple, in England called Sycamor, but larger, it may be this is the Tree they brag of.

Thus much concerning Trees, now I shall present to your view the Shrubs; and first of the Sumach Shrub, which as I have told you in New-Englands rarities, differeth from all the kinds set down in our English Herbals; the root dyeth wool or cloth reddish, the decoction of the leaves in wine drunk, is good for all Fluxes of the belly in man or woman, the whites, &c. For galled places stamp the leaves with honey, and apply it, nothing so soon healeth a wound in the head as Sumach stampt and applyed once in three dayes, the powder strewed in stayeth the bleeding of wounds: The seed of Sumach pounded and mixt with honey, healeth the Hemorrhoids, the gum put into a hollow tooth asswageth the pain, the bark or berries in the fall of the leaf, is as good as galls to make Ink of.

Elder in New-England is shrubbie, & dies once in two years: there is a sort of dwarf-Elder that growes by the Sea-side that hath a red pith, the berries of both are smaller than English-Elder, not round but corner’d, neither of them smell so strong as ours.

Juniper growes for the most part by the Sea-side, it bears abundance of skie-coloured [p. 72.] berries fed upon by Partridges, and hath a woodie root, which induceth me to believe that the plant mention’d in Job 30. 4. Qui decerpebant herbas é salsilagine cum stirpibus: etiam radices Juniperorum cibo erant illis, was our Indian plant Cassava. They write that Juniper-coals preserve fire longest of any, keeping fire a whole year without supply, yet the Indian never burns of it.

Sweet fern, see the rarities of New England, the tops and nucaments of sweet fern boiled in water or milk and drunk helpeth all manner of Fluxes, being boiled in water it makes an excellent liquor for Inck.

Current-bushes are of two kinds red and black, the black currents which are larger than the red smell like cats piss, yet are reasonable pleasant in eating.

The Gooseberry-bush, the berry of which is called Grosers or thorn Grapes, grow all over the Countrie, the berry is but small, of a red or purple colour when ripe.

There is a small shrub which is very common, growing sometimes to the height of Elder, bearing a berry like in shape to the fruit of the white thorn, of a pale yellow colour at first, then red, when it is ripe of a deep purple, of a delicate Aromatical tast, somewhat stiptick: to conclude, [p. 73.] alwayes observe this rule in taking or refusing unknown fruit: if you find them eaten of the fowl or beast, you may boldly venture to eat of them, otherwise do not touch them.

Maze, otherwise called Turkie-wheat, or rather Indian-wheat, because it came first from thence; the leaves boiled and drunk helpeth pain in the back; of the stalks when they are green you may make Beverage, as they do with Calamels, or Sugar-canes. The raw Corn chewed ripens felons or Cats hairs, or you may lay Samp to it: The Indians before it be thorow ripe eat of it parched. Certainly the parched corn that Abigail brought to David was of this kind of grain, 1 Sam. 25. 18. The Jewes manner was (as it is delivered to us by a learned Divine) first to parch their Corn, then they fryed it, and lastly they boiled it to a paste, and then tempered it with water, Cheese-Curds, Honey and Eggs, this they carried drye with them to the Camp, and so wet the Cakes in Wine or milk; such was the pulse too of Africa.

French-beans, or rather American-beans, the Herbalists call them kidney-beans from their shape and effects, for they strengthen the kidneys; they are variegated much, some being bigger a great deal than others; some [p. 74.] white, black, red, yellow, blew, spotted; besides your Bonivis and Calavances and the kidney-bean, that is proper to Ronoake, but these are brought into the Countrie, the other are natural to the climate. So the Mexico pompion which is flat and deeply camphered, the flesh laid to, asswageth pain of the eyes. The water-mellon is proper to the Countrie, the flesh of it is of a flesh colour, a rare cooler of Feavers, and excellent against the stone. Pomum spinosum and palma-Christi too growes not here, unless planted, brought from Peru; the later is thought to be the plant, that shaded Jonah the Prophet, Jonas 4. 6. Paraverat enim Jehova Deus ricinum qui ascenderet supra Jonam, ut esset umbra super caput ejus ereptura eum à malo ipsius; lætabaturque Jonas de ricino illo lætitia magna. Ricinum, that is palma Christi, called also cucurbita, and therefore translated a Gourd.

Tobacco, or Tabacca so called from Tabaco or Tabago, one of the Caribbe-Islands about 50 English miles from Trinidad. The right name, according to Monardus, is picielte, as others will petum, nicotian from Nicot, a Portingal, to whom it was presented for a raritie in Anno Dom. 1559. by one that brought it from Florida. Great contest there is about the time when it was first [p. 75.] brought into England, some will have Sir John Hawkins the first, others Sir Francis Drake’s Mariners; others again say that one Mr. Lane imployed by Sir Walter Rawleigh brought it first into England; all conclude that Sir Walter Rawleigh brought it first in use. It is observed that no one kind of forraign Commodity yieldeth greater advantage to the publick than Tobacco, it is generally made the complement of our entertainment, and hath made more slaves than Mahomet. There is three sorts of it Marchantable, the first horse Tobacco, having a broad long leaf piked at the end; the second round pointed Tobacco; third sweet scented Tobacco. These are made up into Cane, leaf or ball; there is little of it planted in New-England, neither have they learned the right way of curing of it. It is sowen in April upon a bed of rich mould sifted, they make a bed about three yards long, or more according to the ground they intend to plant, and a yard and a half over; this they tread down hard, then they sow their seed upon it as thick as may be, and sift fine earth upon it, then tread it down again as hard as possible they can, when it hath gotten four or six leaves, they remove it into the planting ground; when it begins to bud towards flowring, they crop off the [p. 76.] top, for the Flower drawes away the strength of the leaf. For the rest I refer you to the Planter, being not willing to discover their mysteries. The Indians in New-England use a small round leafed Tobacco, called by them, or the Fishermen Poke. It is odious to the English. The vertues of Tobacco are these, it helps digestion, the Gout, the Tooth-ach, prevents infection by scents, it heats the cold, and cools them that sweat, feedeth the hungry, spent spirits restoreth, purgeth the stomach, killeth nits and lice; the juice of the green leaf healeth green wounds, although poysoned; the Syrup for many diseases, the smoak for the Phthisick, cough of the lungs, distillations of Rheume, and all diseases of a cold and moist cause, good for all bodies cold and moist taken upon an emptie stomach, taken upon a full stomach it precipitates digestion, immoderately taken it dryeth the body, enflameth the bloud, hurteth the brain, weakens the eyes and the sinews.

White Hellebore is used for the Scurvie by the English. A friend of mine gave them first a purge, then conserve of Bear-berries, then fumed their leggs with vinegar, sprinkled upon a piece of mill-stone made hot, and applied to the sores white Hellebore leaves; drink made of Orpine and sorrel were given likewise with it, and [p. 77.] Sea-scurvie-grass. To kill lice, boil the roots of Hellebore in milk, and anoint the hair of the head therewith or other places.

Mandrake, is a very rare plant, the Indians know it not, it is found in the woods about Pascataway, they do in plain terms stink, therefore Reubens Flowers that he brought home were not Mandrakes, Gen. 30. 14, 15, 16. They are rendered in the Latine Amabiles flores, the same word say our Divines is used in Canticles, 7. 4. Amabiles istos flores edentes odorem, & secundum ostia nostra omnes pretiosos fructus, recentes simulac veteres, dilecte mi, repono tibi. So that the right translation is, Reuben brought home amiable and sweet smelling Flowers; this in the Canticles (say they) expounding the other.

Calamus Aromaticus, or the sweet smelling reed, it Flowers in July; see New-Englands rarities.

Sarsaparilla or roughbind-weed (as some describe it) the leaves and whole bind set with thorns, of this there is store growing upon the banks of Ponds. See the rarities of New-England. The leaves of the Sarsaparilla there described pounded with Hogs grease and boiled to an unguent, is excellent in the curing of wounds.

Live for ever, it is a kind of Cud-weed, [p. 78.] flourisheth all summer long till cold weather comes in, it growes now plentifully in our English Gardens, it is good for cough of the lungs, and to cleanse the breast taken as you do Tobacco; and for pain in the head the decoction, or the juice strained and drunk in Bear, Wine, or Aqua vitæ, killeth worms. The Fishermen when they want Tobacco take this herb being cut and dryed.

Lysimachus or Loose-strife: there are several kinds, but the most noted is the yellow Lysimachus of Virginia, the root is longish and white, as thick as ones thumb, the stalkes of an overworn colour, and a little hairie, the middle vein of the leaf whitish, the Flower yellow and like Primroses, and therefore called Tree-primrose, growes upon seedie vessels, &c. The first year it growes not up to a stalke, but sends up many large leaves handsomely lying one upon another, Rose fashion, Flowers in June, the seed is ripe in August, this as I have said is taken by the English for Scabious.

St. John’s wort, it preserveth Cheese made up in it, at Sea.

Spurge or Wolfes milch there are several sorts.

Avens, or herb-bennet; you have an account of it in New-Englands rarities, but one [p. 79.] thing more I shall add, that you may plainly perceive a more masculine quality in the plants growing in New-England. A neighbour of mine in Hay-time, having overheat himself, and melted his grease, with striving to outmowe another man, fell dangerously sick, not being able to turn himself in his bed, his stomach gon, and his heart fainting ever and anon; to whom I administered the decoction of Avens-Roots and leaves in water and wine, sweetning it with Syrup of Clove-Gilliflowers, in one weeks time it recovered him, so that he was able to perform his daily work, being a poor planter or husbandman as we call them.

Red-Lilly growes all over the Countrey amongst the bushes. Mr. Johnson upon Gerard takes the Tulip to be the Lilly of the field mentioned by our Saviour, Matth. 6. 28, 29. Ac de vestitu quid soliciti estis? discite quomodo lilia agrorum augescant: non fatigantur, neque nent, sed dico vobis, ne Solomonem quidem cum universa gloria sic amictum fuisse ut unum ex istis. Solomon in all his Royalty was not like one of them. His reasons are, first from the shape, like a lilly; The second, because those places where our Saviour was conversant they grow wild in the fields. Third, the infinite variety of the [p. 80.] colours. The fourth and last reason, the wondrous beautie and mixture of these Flowers.

Water-lillys; the black roots dryed and pulverized, are wondrous effectual in the stopping of all manner of fluxes of the belly, drunk with wine or water.

Herba-paris, one berry, herb true love, or four-leaved night-shade, the leaves are good to be laid upon hot tumours.

Umbilicus veneris, or New-England daisie, it is good for hot humours, Erisipelas, St. Anthonie’s fire, all inflammations.

Glass-wort, a little quantity of this plant you may take for the Dropsie, but be very careful that you take not too much, for it worketh impetuously.

Water-plantane, called in New-England water Suck-leaves, and Scurvie-leaves, you must lay them whole to the leggs to draw out water between the skin and the flesh.

Rosa-solis, Sun-dew, moor-grass, this plant I have seen more of, than ever I saw in my whole life before in England, a man may gather upon some marish-grounds an incredible quantity in a short time; towards the middle of June it is in its season, for then its spear is shot out to its length, of which they take hold and pull the whole plant up by the roots from the moss with ease.

[p. 81.] Amber-greese I take to be a Mushroom, see the rarities of New-England. Monardus writeth that Amber-greese riseth out of a certain clammy and bituminous earth under the Seas, and by the Sea-side, the billows casting up part of it a land, and fish devour the rest; Some say it is the seed of a Whale, others, that it springeth from fountains as pitch doth, which fishes swallow down; the air congealeth it. And sometimes it is found in the crevises and corners of Rocks.

Fuss-balls, Mullipuffes called by the Fishermen Wolves-farts, are to be found plentifully, and those bigger by much than any I have seen in England.

Coraline there is infinite store of it cast upon the shore, and another plant that is more spinie, of a Red colour, and as hard as Corral. Coraline laid to the gout easeth the pain.

Sea-Oake or wreach, or Sea-weed, the black pouches of Oar-weed dryed and pulverized, and drunk with White-wine, is an excellent remedy for the stone.

I will finish this part of my relation concerning plants, with an admirable plant for the curing and taking away of Corns, which many times sore troubleth the Traveller: it is not above a handful high; the little branches are woodie, the leaves like [p. 82.] the leaves of Box, but broader and much thicker, hard and of a deep grass-green colour; this bruised or champt in the mouth and laid upon the Corn will take it away clean in one night. And observe all Indian Trees and plants, their Roots are but of small depth, and so they must be set.

Of Beasts of the earth there be scarce 120 several kinds, and not much more of the Fowls of the Air, is the opinion of some Naturalists; there are not many kinds of Beasts in New-England, they may be divided into Beasts of the Chase of the stinking foot, as Roes, Foxes, Jaccals, Wolves, Wild-cats, Raccons, Porcupines, Squncks, Musquashes, Squirrels, Sables, and Mattrises; and Beasts of the Chase of the sweet foot, Buck, Red Dear, Rain-Dear, Elke, Marouse, Maccarib, Bear, Beaver, Otter, Marten, Hare.

The Roe a kind of Deer, and the fleetest Beast upon earth is here to be found, and is good venison, but not over fat.

The Fox, the male is called a dog-fox, the female a bitch-fox, they go a clicketing the beginning of the spring, and bring forth their Cubs in May and June. There are two or three kinds of them; one a great yellow Fox, another grey, who will climb up into Trees; the black Fox is of much esteem. Foxes and Wolves are usually hunted [p. 83.] in England from Holy-Rood day, till the Annunciation. In New-England they make best sport in the depth of winter; they lay a sledg-load of Cods-heads on the other side of a paled fence when the moon shines, and about nine or ten of the clock the Foxes come to it, sometimes two or three, or half a dozen, and more; these they shoot, and by that time they have cased them, there will be as many; So they continue shooting and killing of Foxes as long as the moon shineth; I have known half a score kill’d in one night. Their pisles are bonie like a doggs, their fat liquified and put into the ears easeth the pain, their tails or bushes are very fair ones and of good use, but their skins are so thin (yet thick set with deep furr) that they will hardly hold the dressing.

Jaccals there be abundance, which is a Creature much like a Fox, but smaller, they are very frequent in Palæstina, or the Holy-land.

The Wolf seeketh his mate and goes a clicketing at the same season with Foxes, and bring forth their whelps as they do, but their kennels are under thick bushes by great Trees in remote places by the swamps, he is to be hunted as the Fox from Holy-rood day till the Annunciation. But there [p. 84.] they have a quicker way to destroy them. See New-Englands rarities. They commonly go in routs, a rout of Wolves is 12 or more, sometimes by couples. In 1664. we found a Wolf asleep in a small dry swamp under an Oake, a great mastiff which we had with us seized upon him, and held him till we had put a rope about his neck, by which we brought him home, and tying of him to a stake we bated him with smaller Doggs, and had excellent sport; but his hinder legg being broken, they knockt out his brains. Sometime before this we had an excellent course after a single Wolf upon the hard sands by the Sea-side at low water for a mile or two, at last we lost our doggs, it being (as the Lancashire people phrase it) twi-light, that is almost dark, and went beyond them, for a mastiff-bitch had seized upon the Wolf being gotten into the Sea, and there held him, till one went in and led him out, the bitch keeping her hold till they had tyed his leggs, and so carried him home like a Calf upon a staff between two men; being brought into the house they unbound him and set him upon his leggs, he not offering in the least to bite, or so much as to shew his teeth, but clapping his stern betwixt his leggs, and leering towards the door would willingly have had his liberty, [p. 85.] but they served him as they did the other, knockt his brains out, for our doggs were not then in a condition to bate him; their eyes shine by night as a Lanthorn: the Fangs of a Wolf hung about childrens necks keep them from frighting, and are very good to rub their gums with when they are breeding of Teeth, the gall of a Wolf is Soveraign for swelling of the sinews; the fiants or dung of a Wolf drunk with white-wine helpeth the Collick.

The Wild-cat, Lusern or luceret, or Ounce as some call it, is not inferiour to Lamb, their grease is very soveraign for lameness upon taking cold.

The Racoon or Rattoon is of two sorts, gray Rattoons, and black Rattoons, their grease is soveraign for wounds with bruises, aches, streins, bruises; and to anoint after broken bones and dislocations.

The Squnck is almost as big as a Racoon, perfect black and white or pye-bald, with a bush-tail like a Fox, an offensive Carion; the Urine of this Creature is of so strong a scent, that if it light upon any thing, there is no abiding of it, it will make a man smell, though he were of Alexanders complexion; and so sharp that if he do but whisk his bush which he pisseth upon in the face of a dogg hunting of him, and that [p. 86.] any of it light in his eyes it will make him almost mad with the smart thereof.

The Musquashes is a small Beast that lives in shallow ponds, where they build them houses of earth and sticks in shape like mole-hills, and feed upon Calamus Aromaticus: in May they scent very strong of Muske; their furr is of no great esteem; their stones wrapt up in Cotten-wool will continue a long time, and are good to lay amongst cloths to give them a grateful smell.

The Squirril, of which there are three sorts, the mouse-squirril, the gray squirril, and the flying squirril, called by the Indian Assapanick. The mouse-squirril is hardly so big as a Rat, streak’d on both sides with black and red streaks, they are mischievous vermine destroying abundance of Corn both in the field and in the house, where they will gnaw holes into Chests, and tear clothes both linnen and wollen, and are notable nut-gathers in August; when hasel and filbert nuts are ripe you may see upon every Nut-tree as many mouse-squirrils as leaves; So that the nuts are gone in a trice, which they convey to their Drays or Nests. The gray squirril is pretty large, almost as big as a Conie, and are very good meat: in some parts of the Countrie there are many of them. The flying squirril is so called, [p. 87.] because (his skin being loose and large) he spreads it on both sides like wings when he passeth from one Tree to another at great distance. I cannot call it flying nor leaping, for it is both.

The Mattrise is a Creature whose head and fore-parts is shaped somewhat like a Lyons, not altogether so big as a house-cat, they are innumerable up in the Countrey, and are esteemed good furr.

The Sable is much of the size of a Mattrise perfect black, but what store there is of them I cannot tell, I never saw but two of them in Eight years space.

The Martin is as ours are in England, but blacker, they breed in holes which they make in the earth like Conies, and are innumerable, their skins or furr are in much request.

The Buck, Stag, and Rain-Dear are Creatures that will live in the coldest climates, here they are innumerable, bringing forth three Fawns or Calves at a time, which they hide a mile asunder to prevent their destruction by the Wolves, wild-Cats, Bears, and Mequans: when they are in season they will be very fat; there are but few slain by the English. The Indians who shoot them, and take of them with toyls, bring them in [p. 88.] with their suet, and the bones that grow upon Stags-Hearts.

The Moose or Elke is a Creature, or rather if you will a Monster of superfluity; a full grown Moose is many times bigger than an English Oxe, their horns as I have said elsewhere, very big (and brancht out into palms) the tips whereof are sometimes found to be two fathom asunder, (a fathom [p. 89.] is six feet from the tip of one finger to the tip of the other, that is four cubits,) and in height from the toe of the fore-foot, to the pitch of the shoulder twelve foot, both which hath been taken by some of my sceptique Readers to be monstrous lyes. If you consider the breadth that the beast carrieth, and the magnitude of the horns, you will be easily induced to contribute your belief.

What would you say, if I should tell you that in Greenland there are Does that have as large horns as Bucks, their brow Antlers growing downwards beyond their Musles, and broad at the end wherewith they scrape away the snow to the grass, it being impossible for them other-wayes to live in those cold Countries; the head of one of these Does was sometime since nailed upon a sign-post in Charter-house-lane, and these following verses written upon a board underneath it.

And for their height since I came into England I have read Dr. Scroderns his Chymical dispensatory translated into English by Dr. Rowland, where he writes that when he lived in Finland under Gustavus Horn, he saw an Elke that was killed and presented to Gustavus his Mother, seventeen spans high. Law you now Sirs of the Gibing crue, if you have any skill in mensuration, tell me what difference there is between Seventeen spans and twelve foot. There are certain transcendentia in every Creature, which are the indelible Characters of God, and which discover God; There’s a prudential for you, as John Rhodes the Fisherman used to say to his mate, Kitt Lux. But to go on with the Moose; they are accounted a kind of Deer, and have three Calves at a time, which they hide a mile asunder too, as other Deer do, their skins make excellent Coats for Martial men, their sinews which are as [p. 90.] big as a mans finger are of perdurable toughness and much used by the Indians, the bone that growes upon their heart is an excellent Cordial, their bloud is as thick as an Asses or Bulls who have the thickest bloud of all others, a man the thinnest. To what age they live I know not, certainly a long time in their proper climate. Some particular living Creatures cannot live in every particular place or region, especially with the same joy and felicity as it did where it was first bred, for the certain agreement of nature that is between the place and the thing bred in that place: As appeareth by Elephants, which being translated and brought out of the Second or Third Climate, though they may live, yet will they never ingender or bring forth young. So for plants, Birds, &c. Of both these Creatures, some few there have been brought into England, but did not long continue. Sir R. Baker in his Chronicle tells us of an Elephant in Henry the Thirds Raign, which he saith was the first that was ever seen there, which as it seems is an error, unless he restrain it to the Norman’s time. For Mr. Speed writeth that Claudius Drusius Emperour of Rome brought in the first in his Army; the bones of which digg’d up since are taken for Gyants bones. As for the Moose the first that was seen in England, [p. 91.] was in King Charles the First Raign; thus much for these magnals amongst the Creatures of God to be wondered at, the next beast to be mentioned is

The Maurouse, which is somewhat like a Moose, but his horns are but small, and himself about the size of a Stag, these are the Deer that the flat-footed Wolves hunt after.

The Maccarib is a Creature not found that ever I heard yet, but upon Cape-Sable near to the French plantations.

The Bear when he goes to mate is a terrible Creature, they bring forth their Cubs in March, hunted with doggs they take a Tree where they shoot them, when he is fat he is excellent Venison, which is in Acorn time, and in winter, but then there is none dares to attempt to kill him but the Indian. He makes his Denn amongst thick Bushes, thrusting in here and there store of Moss, which being covered with snow and melting in the day time with heat of the Sun, in the night is frozen into a thick coat of Ice; the mouth of his Den is very narrow, here they lye single, never two in a Den all winter. The Indian as soon as he finds them, creeps in upon all four, seizes with his left hand upon the neck of the sleeping Bear, drags him to the mouth of [p. 92.] the Den, where with a club or small hatchet in his right hand he knocks out his brains before he can open his eyes to see his enemy. But sometimes they are too quick for the Indians, as one amongst them called black Robin lighting upon a male Bear had a piece of his buttock torn off before he could fetch his blow: their grease is very soveraign. One Mr. Purchase cured himself of the Sciatica with Bears-greefe, keeping some of it continually in his groine. It is good too for swell’d Cheeks upon cold, for Rupture of the hands in winter, for limbs taken suddenly with Sciatica, Gout, or other diseases that cannot stand upright nor go, bed-rid; it must be well chaft in, and the same cloth laid on still; it prevents the shedding of the hair occasioned by the coldness of winters weather; and the yard of a Bear which as a Doggs or Foxes is bonie, is good for to expell Gravel out of the kidneys and bladder, as I was there told by one Mr. Abraham Philater a Jersey-man.

The Beaver or Pound-dog is an Amphibious Creature, lives upon the land as well as in the water. I suppose they feed upon fish, but am sure that the Bark of Trees is also their food; there is an old proverbial saying, sic me jubes quotidie, ut fiber salicem: you love me as the Beaver doth the willow; [p. 93.] who eateth the Bark and killeth the Tree. They will be tame, witness the Beaver that not long since was kept at Boston in the Massachusets-Bay, and would run up and down the streets, returning home without a call. Their skins are highly valued, and their stones are good for the palsie, trembling, and numbness of the hands, boiling of them in Oyl of Spike, and anointing the sinews in the neck. If you take of Castorium two drams, of womans hair one dram, and with a little Rozen of the Pine-Tree, make it up into pills as big as Filberts and perfume a woman in a fit of the mother with one at a time laid upon coals under her nostrils, it will recover her out of her fit. The grease of a Beaver is good for the Nerves, Convulsions, Epilepsies, Apoplexies &c. The tail as I have said in another Treatise, is very fat and of a masculine vertue, as good as Eringo’s or Satyrion-Roots.

The Otter or River-Dog is Amphibious too, he hunteth for his kind in the spring, and bringeth forth his whelps as the Beaver doth, they are generally black, and very numerous, they are hunted in England from Shrovetide untill Midsummer, but in New-England they take them when they can. The skin of an Otter is worth Ten Shillings, [p. 94.] and the Gloves made thereof are the best fortification for the hands against wet weather that can be thought of, the furr is excellent for muffs, and is almost as dear as Beaver, the grease of an Otter will make fish turn up their bellies, and is of rare use for many things.

The Hare, I have no more to write of them than that they kindle in hollow Trees. What else concerns him, or any of the fore-mentioned Creatures you have in my New-Englands rarities, to which I refer you.

The Porcupine likewise I have treated of, only this I forgot to acquaint you with, that they lay Eggs, and are good meat.

The last kind of Beasts are they that are begot by equivocal generation, as Mules and several others, that when the Beasts were brought by the Almighty Creator to Adam, who gave them names, were not then in rerum natura. Of these there are not many known in New-England. I know but of one, and that is the Indian dog begotten betwixt a Wolf and a Fox, or between a Fox and a Wolf, which they made use of, taming of them, and bringing of them up to hunt with, but since the English came amongst them they have gotten store of our dogs, which they bring up and keep in as much subjection as they do their webbs.

[p. 95.] Of birds there are not many more than 120 kinds as our Naturalists have conjectured, but I think they are deceived; they are divided into land-birds and water-birds, the land-birds again into birds of prey, birds for meat, singing-birds and others.

The Pilhannaw is the King of Birds of prey in New-England, some take him to be a kind of Eagle, others for the Indian-Ruck the biggest Bird that is, except the Ostrich. One Mr. Hilton living at Pascataway, had the hap to kill one of them: being by the Sea-side he perceived a great shadow over his head, the Sun shining out clear, calling up his eyes he saw a monstrous Bird soaring aloft in the air, and of a sudden all the Ducks and Geese, (there being then a great many) dived under water, nothing of them appearing but their heads. Mr. Hilton having made readie his piece, shot and brought her down to the ground, how he disposed of her I know not, but had he taken her alive & sent her over into England, neither Bartholomew nor Sturbridge-Fair could have produced such another sight.

Hawkes there are of several kinds, as Goshawkes, Falcons, Laniers, Sparrow-hawkes, and a little black hawke highly prized by the Indians who wear them on their [p. 96.] heads, and is accounted of worth sufficient to ransome a Sagamour: they are so strangely couragious and hardie, that nothing flyeth in the Air that they will not bind with. I have seen them tower so high, that they have been so small that scarcely could they be taken by the eye. Hawkes grease is very good for sore eyes.

The Osprey I have treated of. There is a small Ash-colour Bird that is shaped like a Hawke with talons and beak that falleth upon Crowes, mounting up into the Air after them, and will beat them till they make them cry.

The Vulture or Geire, which is spoken of in Levit. 11. 14. and called a Gripe, their skins are good to line doublets with, and the bones of their head hung about the neck helpeth the head-ach.

The Gripe; see New Englands rarities, and for the Turkie-buzzard.

The Owl the most flagging Bird that is, of which there are three sorts, a great grey Owl with ears, a little grey Owl, and a white Owl, which is no bigger than a Thrush. Plinie writes that the brains of an Owl asswageth the pain & inflammation in the lap of the ear. And that Eggs of an Owl put into the liquour that a tospot useth to be drunk with, will make him loath drunkenness [p. 97.] ever after. But now peradventure some will say, what doth this man mean to bring Owls to Athens? verily Sirs I presume to say, had I brought over of the little white Owls they would have been acceptable, they are good mousers, and pretty Birds to look upon; the Athenians, no question are better imployed than to take notice of my Owls, poor ragged Birds they are and want those glittering golden feathers that Draiton’s Owl is adorned with, yet they are somewhat of that nature; if an Athenian chance in this season of divertisement to cast an eye upon them I shall be glad, but more glad if he vouchsafe to prune and correct their feathers, which I confess are discomposed for want of Art; plain Birds they are, and fit for none but plain men to manage. Sirs do not mistake me, there’s no man living honours an Athenian more than I do, especially where I perceive great abilities concomiting with goodness of nature: A good nature (saith Mr. Perkins) is the Character of God, and God is the father of learning, knowledge, and every good gift, and hath condescended to become a School-master to us poor mortals, furnishing of us with Philosophy, Historie, Divinity by his holy Scriptures, which if we diligently learn and practise, we shall in [p. 98.] time be brought into his Heavenly Academy, where we shall have fulness and perfection of knowledge eternally. But there are a Generation of men and women in this prophane age that despise Gods learning and his Ushers to the Athenians, choosing to wallow in the pleasures of sin for a season. I shall conclude this excursion, with that which a Poet writ sometime since, and then return to the trimming of my Owl.

The Raven is here numerous and Crowes, but Rooks, Danes, Popinjaes, Megpies there be none. It is observed that the female of all Birds of prey and Ravin is ever bigger than the male, more venturous, hardy, and watchful: but such Birds as do not live by prey and Ravin, the male is more large than the female. So much for Birds of prey, the next are Birds for the dish, and the first of these is,

[p. 99.] The Turkie, which is in New-England a very large Bird, they breed twice or thrice in a year, if you would preserve the young Chickens alive, you must give them no water, for if they come to have their fill of water they will drop away strangely, and you will never be able to rear any of them: they are excellent meat, especially a Turkie-Capon beyond that, for which Eight shillings was given, their Eggs are very wholesome and restore decayed nature exceedingly. But the French say they breed the Leprosie; the Indesses make Coats of Turkie-feathers woven for their Children.

The Partridge is larger than ours, white flesht, but very dry, they are indeed a sort of Partridges called Grooses.

The Pidgeon, of which there are millions of millions, I have seen a flight of Pidgeons in the spring, and at Michaelmas when they return back to the Southward for four or five miles, that to my thinking had neither beginning nor ending, length nor breadth, and so thick that I could see no Sun, they joyn Nest to Nest, and Tree to Tree by their Nests many miles together in Pine-Trees. But of late they are much diminished, the English taking them with Nets. I have bought at Boston a dozen of Pidgeons ready pull’d and garbidgd for three pence, [p. 100.] Ring-Doves they say are there too, but I could never see any.

The Snow-Bird is like a Chaf-Finch, go in flocks and are good meat.

The singing Birds are Thrushes with red breasts, which will be very fat and are good meat, so are the Thressels, Filladies are small singing Birds, Ninmurders little yellow Birds. New-England Nightingales painted with orient colours, black, white, blew, yellow, green and scarlet, and sing sweetly, Wood-larks, Wrens, Swallows, who will sit upon Trees, and Starlings black as Ravens with scarlet pinions; other sorts of Birds there are, as the Troculus, Wag-tail, or Dish-water, which is here of a brown colour, Titmouse two or three sorts, the Dunneck or hedge-Sparrow who is starke naked in his winter nest. The golden or yellow hammer, a Bird about the bigness of a Thrush that is all over as red as bloud, Wood-Peckers of two or three sorts, gloriously set out with variety of glittering colours. The Colibry, Viemalin, or rising or waking Bird, an Emblem of the Resurrection, and the wonder of little Birds.

The water-fowl are these that follow, Hookers or wild-Swans, Cranes, Geese of three sorts, grey, white, and the brant Goose, the first and last are best meat, the white are [p. 101.] lean and tough and live a long time; whereupon the proverb, Older than a white Goose; of the skins of the necks of grey Geese with their Bills the Indians makes Mantles and Coverlets sowing them together and they shew prettily. There be four sorts of Ducks, a black Duck, a brown Duck like our wild Ducks, a grey Duck, and a great black and white Duck, these frequent Rivers and Ponds; but of Ducks there be many more sorts, as Hounds, old Wives, Murres, Doies, Shell-drakes, Shoulers or Shoflers, Widgeons, Simps, Teal, Blew wing’d, and green wing’d, Divers or Didapers, or Dip-chicks, Fenduck, Duckers or Moorhens, Coots, Pochards, a water-fowl like a Duck, Plungeons, a kind of water-fowl with a long reddish Bill, Puets, Plovers, Smethes, Wilmotes, a kind of Teal, Godwits, Humilities, Knotes, Red-Shankes, Wobbles, Loones, Gulls, white Gulls, or Sea-Cobbs, Caudemandies, Herons, grey Bitterns, Ox-eyes, Birds called Oxen and Keen, Petterels, Kings fishers, which breed in the spring in holes in the Sea-banks, being unapt to propagate in Summer, by reason of the driness of their bodies, which becomes more moist when their pores are closed by cold. Most of these Fowls and Birds are eatable. There are little Birds that frequent the Sea-shore in flocks called Sanderlins, [p. 102.] they are about the bigness of a Sparrow, and in the fall of the leaf will be all fat; when I was first in the Countrie the English cut them into small pieces to put into their Puddings instead of suet, I have known twelve score and above kill’d at two shots. I have not done yet, we must not forget the Cormorant, Shape or Sharke; though I cannot commend them to our curious palats, the Indians will eat them when they are fley’d, they take them prettily, they roost in the night upon some Rock that lyes out in the Sea, thither the Indian goes in his Birch-Canow when the Moon shines clear, and when he is come almost to it, he lets his Canow drive on of it self, when he is come under the Rock he shoves his Boat along till he come just under the Cormorants watchman, the rest being asleep, and so soundly do sleep that they will snore like so many Piggs; the Indian thrusts up his hand of a sudden, grasping the watchman so hard round about his neck that he cannot cry out; as soon as he hath him in his Canow he wrings off his head, and making his Canow fast, he clambreth to the top of the Rock, where walking softly he takes them up as he pleaseth, still wringing off their heads; when he hath slain as many as his Canow can carry, he gives a shout [p. 103.] which awakens the surviving Cormorants, who are gone in an instant.

The next Creatures that you are to take notice of, are they that live in the Element of water. Pliny reckons them to be of 177 kinds, but certainly if it be true that there is no Beast upon Earth, which hath not his like in the Sea, and which (perhaps) is not in some part parallel’d in the plants of the Earth; we may by a diligent search find out many more: of the same opinion is the Poet, who saith that it is

Divine Dubertus goes further.

[p. 104.] Psalm 104.25, 26. In ipso mari magno & spatioso, illic reptilia sunt atque innumera animantia parva cum magnis. Illic navea ambulant; balæna quam formasti ludendo in eo.

And as the females amongst Beasts and Birds of prey for form and beautie surpass the males, so do they especially amongst fishes; and those I intend to treat of, I shall divide into salt-water fish, and fresh-water fish.

The Sea that Piscina mirabilis affords us the greatest number, of which I shall begin first with the Whale a regal fish, as all fishes of extraordinary size are accounted, of these there are (as I have said in another place) seven kinds, the Ambergreese-Whale the chiefest. Anno Dom. 1668 the 17 of July there was one of them thrown up on the shore between Winter-harbour and Cape-porpus, about eight mile from the place where I lived, that was five and fifty foot long. They are Creatures of a vast magnitude and strength. The Royal Psalmist, in the 148 psalm, and the 7 verse, makes mention of them. Laudate Jehovam terrestria; Cete (Dracones as some translate it) & omnes abyssi. And Moses in his history of Job, Job 41. 1. An extrahas balænam hamo, &c. [p. 105.] Whereby the subtlety of the Devil is shewed, as also, the greatness and brutishness of the Devil by the Elephant, in the 10 verse of the foregoing Chapter. In the book of Jonas prophecies we read of a great fish, Jonah 1. 17. Pararat autem Jehova piscem magnum, qui obsorberet Jonam. But whether this were a Whale or not is questioned by some. In the head (saith Mr. Parkinson the Herbalist) of one only sort of Whale-fish is found that which is called sperma Cæti, it lyes in a hole therein, as it were a Well, taken out and prest that the oyl may come out, the substance is that we use for sperma Cæti, and hath little or no smell, the oyl smells strong. See the rarities of New-England.