and hath not shunned to say and affirm, that all the felicity we are like to have, we must expect in this life and no more, and therefore advised one, with whom he had some speech, to make much of herself, for she must expect no more but what she could enjoy in this life, or words to the same effect. Thus evil men and deceivers grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF WINTHROP.

[From the Same.]

THIS year Mr. John Winthrop, governor of the jurisdiction of the

Massachusetts, deceased, the 26th day of March, about ten of the clock. He was singular for piety, wisdom, and of a public spirit. He brought over a great estate into the country, and partly by his liberality, and partly by the unfaithfulness of his baily, spent the most part of it; so as when he died, he was but low in that respect; and yet notwithstanding, very much honored and beloved of the most, and continued in the place of governor, for the most part, until his death, which was much lamented by many.

He was a man of unbiased justice, patient in respect of personal wrongs and injuries, a great lover of the saints, especially able ministers of the gospel; very sober in desiring, and temperate in improving earthly contentments; very humble, courteous, and studious of general good. His body was, with great solemnity and honor, buried at Boston, in New England, the 3d of April, 1649.

THE

A BOSTON DIVINE.

[From the Same.]

HIS year, the 7th of August, it pleased the Lord to call home to himself, the reverend, ancient, and godly pastor of the church at Boston, Mr. John Wilson. He was a truly reverend and holy man of God. He came to New England in the year 1630. He was instrumental in the first beginnings of the church of Boston, having been the pastor of it three years before Mr. Cotton, twenty years with him; ten years with Mr. Norton, and four years after him; thirty-seven in

all. And in all the changes of time that passed over him, he was full of faith and prayer, and eminent for sincerity and humility, being ever low in his own eyes, and for the grace of love, he had largeness of heart as the sand of the sea, to do good to all. He was very charitable where was any signs and hopes of good; and yet, withal, very zealous against known and manifest evils. He was orthodox in his judgment, and very holy in his conversation. Very few that ever went out of the world so generally beloved and reverenced as this good man. He was a good man indeed, and full of the Holy Ghost. He lived to a good old age, and was full of days, and full of honor, being in the seventyninth year of his age, when the Lord took him to himself. He was interred with much honor and lamentation.

In the time of his languishing sickness, he was visited by the elders round about, especially on the 16th of May, the day after the court of election, when there being a general meeting of all the elders of the churches, at his house, they requested Mr. Wilson (because they knew not whether ever they should have the like opportunity to hear him speak again, and having been, from the first, a pillar amongst them, and of much experience in his observation of the state of things) that he would solemnly declare unto them, what he conceived to be those sins amongst us, which provoked the displeasure of God against the country. He then told them, that he had divers times and long feared these sins following, as chief, among others, which God was greatly provoked with, namely, Separation, Anabaptism, and Korahism.

This latter he did explain thus, namely, when people rise up as Korah, against their ministers or elders, as if they took too much upon them, when, indeed, they do but rule for Christ, and according to Christ; yet, saith he, it is nothing for a brother to stand up, and oppose, without Scripture or reason, the doctrine and word of the elder, saying, I am not satisfied, etc., and hence, if he do not like the administration, be it baptism, or the like, he will then turn his back upon God and his ordinances, and go away, etc. And, saith he, for our neglect of baptizing the children of the church, those that some call grandchildren, I think God is provoked by it.

Another sin I take to be, the making light of, and not subjecting to the authority of Synods, without which the churches cannot long subsist. And so for the magistrates being Gallio like, either not caring for these things, or else not using their power and authority for the maintenance of the truth, and gospel and ordinances of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and for the bearing thorough witness against the contrary. Should the Lord leave them hereunto, how miserable a people should we be!

At night, the assembly being dismissed with prayer, Mr. Wilson did

(being desired by them so to do), in a solemn manner, bless the elders, making a short prayer, saying, "I am not like long to be with you; the Lord pardon us, and heal us, and make us more heavenly, and take us off from the world, and make us burning and shining lights, by our heavenly doctrine and example. And I beseech the Lord, with all my heart, to bless you, and to bless his churches, and to bless all his people, and to bless all your families, and to bless your wives, and to bless all your children, and your children's children; and make us all more and more meet for our inheritance, and bring us all to it in his good time," etc. These words, with some few other, he spake with great affection, and with tears; and all the ministers wept with him, and they took their leave of him, even as children of their father, who having blessed them, was about to die.

Daniel Denton.

ONE of the original Settlers of Jamaica, L. I., 1656, and there resident for many years.

NEW YORK IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

[A Brief Description of New York. 1670. The first printed account in the English language, of the City and State.]

EW YORK is settled upon the west end of the aforesaid Island, having that small arm of the sea which divides it from Long Island on the south side of it, which runs away eastward to New England, and is navigable, though dangerous. For about ten miles from New York is a place called Hell Gate, which being a narrow passage, there runneth a violent stream both upon flood and ebb, and in the middle lieth some Islands of Rocks, which the current sets so violently upon that it threatens present shipwreck; and upon the flood is a large Whirlpool, which continually sends forth a hideous roaring, enough to affright any stranger from passing any further, and to wait for some Charon to conduct him through; yet to those that are well acquainted little or no danger; yet a place of great defence against any enemy coming in that way, which a small Fortification would absolutely prevent, and necessitate them to come in at the west end of Long Island, by Sandy Hook, where Nutten Island doth force them within command of the Fort at New York, which is one of the best Pieces of Defence in the north parts of America.

New York is built most of brick and stone, and covered with red

and black tile, and the land being high, it gives at a distance a pleasing Aspect to the spectators. The inhabitants consist most of English and Dutch, and have a considerable trade with the Indians, for beavers, otter, raccoon skins, with other furs; as also for bear, deer, and elk skins; and are supplied with venison and fowl in the winter and fish in the summer by the Indians, which they buy at an easy rate; and having the Country round about them, they are continually furnished with all such provisions as is needful for the life of man, not only by the English and Dutch within their own, but likewise by the adjacent Colonies.

The commodities vented from thence is furs and skins before-mentioned; as likewise tobacco made within the Colony, as good as is usually made in Mary-land; also horses, beef, pork, oil, pease, wheat, and the like.

Long Island, the west end of which lies southward of New York, runs eastward above one hundred miles, and is in some places eight, in some twelve, in some fourteen miles broad. It is inhabited from one end to the other. On the west end is four or five Dutch Towns, the rest being all English, to the number of twelve, besides Villages and Farm-houses. The Island is most of it of a very good soil, and very natural for all sorts of English grain, which they sow and have very good increase of, besides all other fruits and herbs common in England; as also tobacco, hemp, flax, pumpkins, melons, etc.

The Fruits natural to the Island are mulberries, persimmons, grapes great and small, huckleberries, cranberries, plums of several sorts, rosberries and strawberries, of which last is such abundance in June that the fields and woods are dyed red; which the country people perceiving, instantly arm themselves with bottles of wine, cream, and sugar; and instead of a coat of Male, every one takes a Female upon his Horse behind him, and so rushing violently into the fields, never leave till they have disrobed them of their red colors and turned them into the old habit.

The greatest part of the Island is very full of timber, as oaks white and red, walnut trees, chestnut trees (which yield store of mast for swine, and are often therewith sufficiently fatted with oat-corn), as also maples, cedars, saxifrage, beech, birch, holly, hazel, with many sorts

more.

The herbs which the country naturally afford are purslane, white orage, agrimony, violets, pennyroyal, elecampane, besides sarsaparilla very common, with many more. Yea, in May you shall see the Woods and Fields so curiously bedecked with Roses and innumerable multitude of delightful Flowers, not only pleasing the eye, but smell, that you may behold nature contending with art, and striving to equal, if

not excel, many gardens in England. Nay, did we know the virtue of all those plants and herbs growing there (which time may more discover), many are of opinion, and the natives do affirm, that there is no disease common to the Country, but may be cured without materials from other nations.

There is several navigable rivers and bays which puts into the north side of Long Island, but upon the south side, which joins to the Sea, it is so fortified with bars of sands, and shoals, that it is a sufficient defence against any enemy. Yet the south side is not without brooks and riverets, which empty themselves into the Sea; yea, you shall scarce travel a mile but you shall meet with one of them, whose Christal streams run so swift that they purge themselves of such stinking mud and filth which the standing or low-paced streams of most brooks and rivers westward of this Colony leave lying, and are by the sun's exhalation dissipated, the air corrupted, and many fevers and others distempers occasioned not incident to this Colony. Neither do the brooks and riverets premised give way to the frost in winter or drought in summer, but keep their course throughout the year.

These rivers are very well furnished with fish, as bass, sheep's-heads, plaice, perch, trouts, eels, turtles, and divers others.

The Island is plentifully stored with all sorts of English cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, goats, etc. (no place in the north of America better), which they can both raise and maintain by reason of the large and spacious meadows or marshes wherewith it is furnished; the Island likewise producing excellent English grass, the seed of which was brought out of England, which they sometimes mow twice a year.

For wild beasts, there is deer, bear, wolves, foxes, raccoons, otters, musquashes and skunks. Wild fowl there is great store of, as turkeys, heath-hens, quails, partridges, pigeons, cranes, geese of several sorts, brants, ducks, widgeon, teal, and divers others. There is also the redbird, with divers sorts of singing-birds, whose chirping notes salute the ears of Travellers with an harmonious discord; and in every pond and brook green silken Frogs, who, warbling forth their untuned tunes, strive to bear a part in this music.

Towards the middle of Long Island lieth a plain sixteen miles long and four broad, upon which plain grows very fine grass, that makes exceeding good hay, and is very good pasture for sheep or other cattle; where you shall find neither stick nor stone to hinder the horse heels, or endanger them in their races; and once a year the best horses in the Island are brought hither to try their swiftness, and the swiftest rewarded with a silver Cup, two being Annually procured for that purpose. There are two or three other small plains of about a mile square, which are no small benefit to those towns which enjoy them.