stone: If they be not of these qualities, they are so like, they may deceive a better iudgement then mine; all which are so neere adioyning to those other aduantages I observed in these parts, that if the Ore proue as good iron and steele in those parts, as I know it is within the bounds of the Countrey, I dare engage my head (hauing but men skilfull to worke the simples there growing) to haue all things belonging to the building the rigging of shippes of any proportion, and good marchandize for the fraught, within a square of 10 or 14 leagues: and were it for a good rewarde, I would not feare to procure it in a lesse limitation.

excellent temper.

health.

And surely by reason of those sandy cliffes and A proofe of an cliffes of rocks, both which we saw so planted with Gardens and Corne fields, and so well inhabited. with a goodly, strong and well proportioned people, besides the greatnesse of the Timber growing on them, the greatnesse of the fish and moderate temper of the ayre (for of twentie A proofe of fiue, not any was sicke, but two that were many yeares diseased before they went notwithstanding. our bad lodging and accidentall diet) who can but approoue this a most excellent place, both for health and fertility? And of all the foure parts of the world that I haue yet seene not inhabited, could I haue but meanes to transport a Colonie, I would rather liue here then any where: and if it did not maintaine it selfe, were wee but once indifferently well fitted, let vs starue.

ties present.

The maine Staple, from hence to bee extracted Staple commodi for the present to produce the rest, is, fish; which howeuer it may seeme a mean and a base commoditie yet who will but truely take the pains and consider the sequell, I thinke will allow it well worth the labour. It is strange to see what great aduentures the hopes of setting forth men of war to rob the industrious innocent, would' procure or such massie promises in grosse: though more are choked then well fedde with such hastie hopes. But who doth not know that the poore Hollanders, chiefly by fishing, at a great The Hollanders charge and labour in all weathers in the open Sea, are made a people so hardy, and industrious? and by the venting this poore commodity to the Easterlings for as meane, which is Wood, Flax, Pitch, Tarre, Rosin, Cordage, and such like (which they exchange againe, to the French, Spaniards, Portugales, and English, &c. for what they want) are made so mighty, strong and rich, as no State but Venice, of twice their magnitude, is so well furnished with so many faire Cities, goodly Townes, strong Fortresses, and that aboundance of shipping and all sorts of marchandize, as well of Golde, Siluer, Pearles, Diamonds, Pretious stones, Silkes, Veluets, and Cloth

fishing.

of golde; as Fish, Pitch, Wood, or such grosse commodities? What Voyages and Discoueries, East and West, North and South, yea about the world, make they? What an Army by Sea and Land, haue they long maintained in despite of one of the greatest Princes of the world? And neuer could the Spaniard with all his Mynes of golde and Siluer, pay his debts, his friends, and army, halfe so truly, as the Hollanders stil haue done by this contemptible trade of fish. Diuers (I know) may alledge, many other assistances: But this is their Myne; and the Sea the source of those siluered streames of all their vertue; which hath made them now the very miracle of industrie, the pattern of perfection for these affaires: and the benefit of fishing is that Primum mobile that turnes all their Spheres to this height of plentie, strength, honour and admiration.

Which is fifteen hundred thou

sand pound."

Herring, Cod, and Ling, is that triplicitie that makes their wealth and shippings multiplicities, such as it is, and from which (few would thinke it) they yearly draw at least one million and a halfe of pounds starling; yet it is most certaine (if records be true:) and in this faculty they are so naturalized, and of their vents so certainly acquainted, as there is no likelihood they will euer bee paralleld, hauing 2 or 3000 Buffes, Flat bottomes, Sword pinks, Todes, and such like, that breedes them Saylers, Mariners, Souldiers and Marchants, neuer to be wrought out of that trade, and fit for any other. I will not deny but others may gaine as well as they, that will vse it, though not so certainely, nor so much in quantity; for want of experience. And this Herring they take vpon the Coast of Scotland and England; their Cod and Ling, vpon the Coast of Izeland and in the North Seas.

Hamborough, and the East Countries, for Sturgion and Cauiare, gets many thousands of pounds from England, and the Straites: Portugale, the Biskaines, and the Spaniards, make 40 or 50 Saile yearely to Cape-blank, to hooke for Porgos, Mullet, and make Puttardo: and New found Land, doth yearely fraught neere 800 sayle of Ships with a sillie leane skinny Poore-John, and Corfish, which at least yearely amounts to 3 or 400000 pound. If from all those parts such paines is taken for this poore gaines of fish, and by them hath neither meate, drinke, nor clothes, wood, iron, nor steele, pitch, tarre, nets, leades, salt, hookes, nor, lines, for shipping, fishing, nor prouision, but at the second, third, fourth, or fifth hand, drawne from so many seuerall parts of the world ere they come together to be vsed in this voyage: If these I say can gaine, and the Saylers lue going for shares, lesse then the third part of their labours, and yet spend as much time in going and comming, as in staying there, so short is the season of fishing; why should wee more

doubt, then Holland, Portugale, Spaniard, French, or other, but to doe much better then they, where there' is victuall to feede vs, wood of all sorts, to build Boats, Ships, or Barks; the fish at our doores, pitch, tarre, masts, yards, and most of other necessaries onely for making? And here are no hard Landlords to racke vs with high rents, or extorted fines to consume vs, no tedious pleas in law to consume vs with their many years disputations for Iustice: no multitudes to occasion such impedi-ments to good orders, as in popular States. So freely hath God' and his Maiesty bestowed those blessings on them that will attempt to obtaine them, as here euery man may be master and owne labour and land; or the greatest part in a small time. If hee haue nothing but his hands, he may set vp this trade; and by industrie quickly grow rich; spending but halfe that time wel, which in England we abuse in idlenes, worse or as ill. Here is ground also as good as any lyeth in the height of forty one, forty two, forty three, &c. which is as temperate Examples of the and as fruitfull as any other paralell in the world. leyle compara- As for example, on this side the line West of it in the South Sea, is Noua Albion, discouered as is said, by Sir Francis Drake. East from it, is the most temperate part of Portugale, the ancient kingdomes of Galazia, Biskey, Nauarre, Arragon, Catalonia, Castilia the olde, and the most moderatest of Castilia the new, and Valentia, which is the greatest part of Spain: which if the Spanish Histories bee true, in the Romanes time abounded no lesse with golde and siluer Mines, then now the West Indies; The Romanes then vsing the Spaniards to work in those Mines, as now the Spaniard doth the Indians.

tiuely.

In France, the Prouinces of Gasconie, Langadock, Auignon, Prouince, Dolphine, Pyamont, and Turyne, are in the same paralell which are the best and richest parts of France. In Italy, the prouinces of Genua, Lumbardy, and Verona, with a great part of the most famous Sate of Venice, the Dukedoms of Bononia, Mantua, Ferrara, Ravenna, Bolognia, Florence, Pisa, Sienna, Vrbine, Ancona, and the ancient Citie and Countrey of Rome, with a great part of the great Kingdome of Naples. In Slavonia, Istrya, and Dalmatia, with the Kingdomes of Albania. In Grecia, that famous Kingdome of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Thessalia, Thracia, or Romania, where is seated the most pleasant and plentifull Citie in Europe, Constantinople. In Asia also, in the same latitude, are the temperatest parts of Natolia, Armenia, Persia, and China, besides diuers other large Countries and Kingdomes in these most milde and temperate Regions of Asia. Southward, in the same height, is the richest of golde Mynes, Chily and Baldiuia, and the mouth of the

great Riuer of Plate, &c: for all the rest of the world in that height is yet vnknown. Besides these reasons, mine owne eyes that haue seene a great part of those Cities and their Kingdomes, as well as it, can finde no aduantage they haue in nature, but this, They are beautified by the long labor and dilligence of industrious people, and Art. This is onely as God made it, when he created the worlde. Therefore I conclude, if the heart and intralls of those Regions were sought: if their Land were cultured, planted and manured by men of industrie, iudgement, and experience; what hope is there, or what neede they doubt, hauing those aduantages of the Sea, but it might equalize any of those famous Kingdomes, in all commodities, pleasures, and conditions? seeing euen the very edges doe naturally afford vs such plenty, as no ship need returne away empty; and onely vse but the season of the Sea, fish will returne an honest gaine, beside all other aduantages; her treasures hauing yet neuer beene opened, nor her originalls wasted, consumed, nor abused. And whereas it is said, the Hollanders serue the Easterlings themselues, and other parts that want with Herring, Ling, and wet Cod; the Easterlings, ties that may be a great part of Europe, with Sturgion and Cauiare; Cape-blanke, Spain, Portugale, and the Leuant, with Mullet, and Puttargo; New found Land, all Europe, with a thin Poore John; yet all is so ouerlade with fishers, as the fishing decayeth, and many are constrained to returne with a small fraught. Norway, and Polonia, Pitch, Tar, Masts, and Yardes; Sweathland, and Russia Iron, and Ropes; France, and Spaine, Canuas, Wine, Steele, Iron, and Oyle; Italy and Greece, Silks, and Fruites. I dare boldly say, because I haue seen naturally growing, or breeding in those parts the same materialls that all those are made of, they may as well be had here, or the most part of them, within the distance of 70 leagues for some few ages, as from all those parts; vsing but the same meanes to haue them that they doe, and with all those aduantages.

The particular staple commodi

bad.

ground approou

First, the ground is so fertill, that questionless it The nature of is capable of producing any Grain, Fruits, or Seeds ed. you will sow or plant, growing in the Regions, afore named: But it may be, not euery kinde to that perfection of delicacy; or some tender plants may miscarie, because the Summer is not so hot, and the winter is more colde in those parts wee haue yet tryed neere the Sea side, then we finde in the same height in Europe or Asia; Yet I made a Garden vpon the top of a Rockie Île in 43. 1,4 leagues from the Main, in May, that grew so well, as it serued vs for sallets in June and Iuly. All sorts of cattell may here be bred and fed in the Iles, or Peninsulaes, securely for nothing. In the Interim till they

encrease if need be (obseruing the seasons) I durst vndertake to haue comme enough from the Saluages for 300 men, for a few trifles; and if they should bee vntoward (as it is most certaine they are) thirty or forty good men will be sufficient to bring them all in subiection, and make this prouision; if they vnderstand what they doe: 200 whereof may nine monethes in the yeare be imployed in making marchandable fish, till the rest prouide other necessaries, fit to furnish vs with other commodities.

fishing approou

ed.

In March, April, May, and halfe Iune, here is The seasons for Cod in abundance; in May, Iune, Iuly, and August Mullet and Sturgion; whose roes doe make Cauiare and Puttargo. Herring, if any desire them, I haue taken many out of the bellies of Cods, some in nets; but the Saluages compare their store in the Sea, to the haires of their heads and surely there are an incredible abundance vpon this Coast. In the end of August, September, October, and Nouember, you haue Cod againe to make Cor fish, or Poore John: and each hundred is as good as two or three hundred in the Newfound Land. So that halfe the labour in hooking, splitting, and turning, is saued: and you may haue your fish at what Market you will, before they can haue any in New-found Land; where their fishing is chiefly but in June and Iuly: whereas it is heere in March, April, May, September, October, and Nouember, as is said. So that by reason of this plantation, the Marchants may haue fraught both out and home: which yeelds an aduantage worth consideration.

Your Cor-fish you may in like manner transport as you see cause, to serue the Ports in Portugale (as Lisbon, Auera, Porta port, and diuers others, or what market you please) before your Ilanders returne: They being tyed to the season in the open sea; you hauing a double season, and fishing before your doors, may euery night sleep quietly a shore with good cheare and what fires you will, or when you please with your wiues and familie; they onely, their ships in the maine Ocean.

The Mullets heere are in that abundance, you may take them with nets, sometimes by hundreds, where at Cape blank they hooke them; yet those but one foot and a halfe in length; these two, three, or foure, as oft I haue measured: much Salmon some haue found vp the Riuers, as they haue passed: and heer the ayre is so temperate, as all these at any time may well be preserued.

Imployment for poore people and dren.

Fartherlesse chil

Now, young boyes and girles Saluages, or any other, be they neuer such idlers, may turne, carry, and return fish, without either shame, or any great paine: hee is very idle that is past twelue yeares of age and