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In laudem Authoris.

Vt that I rather pitty I confesse,

1

The practise of their Church, I could expresse
Myselfe a Satyrist; whose smarting fanges,
Should strike it with a palsy, and the panges,
Beget a feare, to tempt the Majesty,
Of those, or mortall Gods, will they defie
The Thundering Jove, like children they desire,
Such is their zeale, to sport themselves with fire,
So have I seene an angry Fly, presume,
To strike a burning taper, and consume
His feeble wings, why in an aire so milde,
Are they so monstrous growne up, and so vilde,
That Salvages can of themselves espy

Their errors, brand their names with infamy,
What is their zeale for blood, like Cyrus thirst,
Will they be over head and eares, a curst
A cruell way to found a Church on, noe,
Tis not their zeale, but fury blinds them soe
And pricks their malice on like fier to joyne,
And offer up the sacrifice of Kain;
Jonas, thou hast done well, to call those men
Home to repentance, with thy painefull pen.

F. C. Armiger.

NEW ENGLISH CANAAN,

I

OR

NEW CANAAN.

The Authors Prologue.

Fart & industry should doe as much

As Nature hath for Canaan, not such

Another place, for benefit and rest,
In all the universe can be possest,
The more we proove it by discovery,
The more delight each object to the eye
Procures, as if the elements had here
Bin reconcil'd, and pleas'd it should appeare,
Like a faire virgin, longing to be sped,
And meete her lover in a Nuptiall bed,

Deck'd in rich ornaments t' advaunce hef state

And excellence, being most fortunate,

When most enjoy'd, so would our Canaan be

If well employ'd by art and industry

Whose offspring, now shewes that her fruitfull wombe
Not being enjoy'd, is like a glorious tombe,
Admired things producing which there dye,
And ly fast bound in darck obscurity,
The worth of which in each particuler,
Who list to know, this abstract will declare.

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Containing the originall of the Natives, their manners, & Customes, with their tractable nature and love towards the English.

CHAP. I.

Prooving New England the principall part of all America, and most commodious and fitt for To daque habitation.

T

He wise Creator of the universall Globe, hath placed a golden meane betwixt two extreames: I meane the temperate Zones, betwixt the hote and cold; and every Creature, that participates of Heavens blessings, with in the Compasse of that golden meane, is made most apt and fit, for man to use, who likewise by that wisedome is ordained to be the Lord of all. This globe may be his glasse, to teach him how to use moderation, and discretion, both in his actions and intentions. The wise man sayes, give mee neither riches nor poverty; why? Riches might make him proud like Nebuchadnezar, and poverty despaire,

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Vse of vegeta

tives.

like Iobs wife, but a meane betweene both. So it is likewise in the use of Vegetatives, that which hath too much Heate or too much Colde, is said to be venenum, so in the use of sensitives, all those Animals, of what genus or species soever they be, if they participate of heate or cold, in the superlative, are said to be Inimica naturæ, as in some Fishes about the Isle of Sall, and those Ilandes adjoyninge, betweene the Tropickes, their participatinge of heate and cold, in the superlative is made most manifest, one of which, poysoned a whole Ships company that eate of it. And so it is in Vipers, Toades, and Snakes, that have heate or cold in the superlative degree.

Fish poysonous
Sall.

about the Isle of

Zona temperata,

:

Therefore the Creatures that participate of heate and cold in a meane, are best and holsomest: And so it is in the choyse of love, the middell Zone betweene the two extreames is best, and it is therefore called Zona temperata, and is in the the Golden meane. golden meane; and all those Lands lying under that Zone, most requisite and fitt for habitation. In Cosmography, the two extreames are called, the one Torrida Zona, lying betweene the Tropickes, the other Frigida Zona, lying neare the Poles all the landes lying under, either of these Zones, by reason, they doe participate too much of heate or cold, are very inconvenient, and are accompanied with many evils. And allthough I am not of opinion with Aristotle, that the landes under Torrida Zona, are alltogether uninhabited, I my selfe having beene so neare the equinoctiall line, that I have had the Sunn for my Zenith, and seene proofe to the contrary, yet cannot I deny, but that it is accompanied with many inconveniences, as that Fish and Flesh both will taint in those partes, notwithstanding the use of Salt which cannot be wanting there,

Salt aboundeth under the Tropicks.

ordained by natures hande-worke. And that is a great hinderance to the settinge forth and supply of navigation, the very Sinewes of a flourishing Commonwealth. Then barrennesse, caused through want of raines, for in most of those partes of the world it is seldome accustomed to raine, untill the time of the Tornathees (as the Portingals phrase is, who lived there) and then it will Raine 40. dayes raine about 40. dayes together, which moisture tweene Cancer and serveth to fructify the earth for all the yeare after duringe which time is seene no raine at all: the heate and cold, and length of day and night, being much alike, with little difference. And these raines are caused by the turning of the windes, which else betweene the Tropickes, doe blow Trade, that is allwayes one way. For next the Tropicke of Cancer it is constantly North-East, and next the Tropicke of

about August "be

the Line.

Capricorne it is Southwest; so that the windes comming from the Poles, do keepe the aire in those partes coole, and make it temperate and the partes habitable, were it not for those and other inconveniences.

This Torrida Zona is good for Grashoppers: and Zona Temperata for the Ant and Bee. But Frigida Zona good for neither, as by lamentable experience of Captaine Capt. Davis froze Davis Fate, is manifest, who in his inquest of the to death.

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tion.

Northwest passage for the East India trade was frozen to death. And therefore for Frigida Zona, I agree with Aristotle, that it is unfit for habitation: and I know by the Course of the cælestiall globe, that in Groeneland many Degrees short of Groene Land too the Pole Articke, the place is too cold, by reason cold for habitaof the Sunns absence almost six monthes, and the land under the continuall power of the frost; which thinge many more Navigators have prooved with pittifull experience of their wintringe there, as appeareth by the history, I thinke, they will not venture to winter there againe for an India mine. And as it is found by our Nation under the Pole Articke, so it is likewise to be found under the Antarticke Pole, yet what hazard will not an industrious minde, and couragious spirit undergoe, according to that of the Poet. Impiger extremos currit Mercator ad Indos per mare pauperiem fugiens, per saxa, per ignes. And all to gett and hord up like the Ant and the Bee, and yet as Salomon saith, he cannot tell whether a foole or a wise man shall enjoy it. Therefore let us leave these two extreames, with their inconveniences, and indeavour to finde out this golden meane, so free from any one of them. Behold the secret wisedome of Allmighty God, and love unto, our Salomon to raise a man of a lardge hart, full of worthy abilities to be the Index or Loadstarre, that doth point out unto the English Nation, with ease and comfort how to finde it out. noble minded Gentleman, Sir Ferdinando Gorges Knight, zealous for the glory of God, the honor of his Majesty, and the benefit of the weale publicke, hath done a great worke for the good of his Country.

And this the

Sir Ferdinando

Gorges the origi tinge New England.

nall cause of plan

And herein this, the wondrous wisedome and love of God, is shewne, by sending to the place his Minister, to The Salvages sweepe away by heapes the Salvages, and also dyed of the plague giving him length of dayes, to see the same performed after his enterprise was begunne, for the propagation of the Church of Christ.

This judicious Gentleman, hath found this golden meane, to be scituated about the middle of those two extreames, and for

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