OR, New Canaan, CONTAINING AN ABSTRACT OF NEW ENGLAND. COMPOSED IN THREE BOOKES. The first setting forth the Originall of the Natives, their Manners and Customs. Together with their tractable Nature and Love towards the English. II. The Natural Indowments of the Countrie, and what Staple Commodities it yeeldeth. III. What People are planted there, their Prosperity, what remarkable Accidents have happened since the first planting of it; together with their Tenents and Practise of their Church. WRITTEN BY THOMAS MORTON, OF CLIFFORDS INN, Gent. Upon ten Yeers Knowledge and Experiment Printed by Charles Green. 1632. To the right honorable, the Lords and others of his Majesties most honorable privy Councell, Commissioners, for the Government of all his Majesties forraigne Right honorable, T Provinces. He zeale which I beare to the advancement of the glory of God, the honor of his Majesty, and the good of the weale publike, hath incouraged mee to compose this abstract, being the modell of a Rich hopefull and very beautifull Country, worthy the Title of Natures Masterpeece, and may be lost by too much sufferance. It is but a widowes mite, yet all that wrong and rapine hath left mee to bring from thence, where I have indeavoured my best, bound by my allegeance, to doe his Majesty service. This in all humility I present as an offering wherewith I prostrate my selfe at your honorable footstoole. If you please to vouchsafe, it may receave a blessing, from the Luster of your gracious Beames, you shall make your vassaile happy, in that hee yet doth live, to shew how ready hee is and alwayes hath bin, to sacrifice his dearest blood, as becometh a loyall subject, for the honor of his native Country. Being your honors humble vassaile THOMAS MORTON. The Epistle to the Reader. GENTLE READER, I Present to the publike view an abstract of new England; which I have undertaken to compose by the incouragement of such genious spirits as have been studious of the inlargment of his Majesties Territories, being not formerly satisfied, by the relations of such as through haste, have taken but a superficiall survey thereof, which thing time hath enabled mee to performe more punctually to the life, and to give a more exact accompt of what hath been required; I have therefore beene willing to doe my indevoure to communicat the knowledge, which I have gained and collected together, by mine owne observation, in the time of my many yeares residence in those parts, to my loving Country men: For the better information of all such as are desirous to be made partakers of the blessings of God in that fertile Soyle, as well as those that, out of Curiosity onely have bin inquisitive after novelties. And the rather for that I have observed, how divers persons (not so well affected to the weale publike in mine opinion) out of respect to their owne private ends; have laboured to keepe both the practise of the people there, and the Reall worth of that eminent Country concealed |