CHAP. I. Of the Situation , Bayes , Havens , and Inlets .

FOr as much as the Kings most excellent Majesty hath beene graciously pleasd by the grant of his Letters Patents , at first to give life to the plantations of New England , and hath dayly likewise by his Favours and Royall protection cherished their growing hopes ; whereby many of his Majesties faithfull Subiects haue beene imboldned to venture persons , states , and indeavours , to the inlargement of his Dominions in that Westerne Continent : Wherefore I thought fit ( for the further encouragement of those that hereafter , either by Purse , or Person shall helpe forward the Plantation , ) to set forth these few observations out of my personall and experimentall knowledge .

The place whereon the English have built their Colonies , is judged by those who have best skill in discovery , either to be an Iland , surrounded on the North side with the spacious River Cannada , and on the South with Hudsons River , or else a Peninsula , these two Rivers overlapping one another , having their rise from the great Lakes which are not farre off one another , as the Indians doe certainely informe us . But it is not my intent to wander far from our Patent ; wherefore I referre you to the thrice memorable discoverer of those parts , Captaine Smith , who hath likewise fully described the Southerne and North-east part of New England , with the noted head-lands , Capes , Harbours , Rivers , Ponds , and Lakes , with the nature of the Soyle , and commodities both by Sea and Land , &c. within the degrees of fourty one and fourty five .

The Bay of Massachusets lyeth under the degree of fourty two and fourty three , bearing South-west from the Lands end of England : at the bottome whereof are situated most of the English plantations : This Bay is both safe , spacious , and deepe , free from such cockling Seas as runne upon the Coast of Ireland , and in the Channels of England : there be no stiffe running Currents , or Rockes , Shelves , Barres , Quicksands . The Mariners having sayled two or three Leagues towards the bottome , may behold the two Capes embracing their welcome Ships in their Armes , which thrust themselves out into the Sea in forme of a halfe-moone , the surrounding shore being high , and shewing many white Cliffes in a most pleasant prospect with divers places of low land , out of which divers Riuers vent themselves into the Ocean , with many openings , where is good Harbouring for Ships of any burthen ; so that if an unexpected storme or crosse winde should barre the Marriner from recovering his desired Port , he may reach other Harbours , as Plimmouth , Cape , Ann , Salom , Marvill Head ; all which afford good ground for Anchorage , being likewise land-lockt from Winde and Seas . The chiefe and usuall Harbour , is the still Bay of Massachusets , which is close aboard the plantations , in which most of our ships come to anchor , being the nearest their mart , and usuall place of landing of Passengers ; it is a safe and pleasant Harbour within , having but one common and safe entrance , and that not very broad , there scarce being roome for 3. Ships to come in board and board at a time , but being once within , there is roome for the Anchorage of 500. Ships .

This Harbour is made by a great company of Ilands , whose high Cliffes shoulder out the boistrous Seas , yet may easily deceiue any unskilfull Pilote ; presenting many faire openings and broad sounds , which afford too shallow waters for any Ships , though navigable for Boates and small pinnaces . The entrance into the great Haven is called Nantascot ; which is two Leagues from Boston ; this place of it selfe is a very good Haven , where Ships commonly cast Anchor , untill Winde and Tyde serve them for other places ; from hence they may sayle to the River of Wessaguscus , Naponset , Charles River , and Misticke River , on which Rivers bee seated many Townes . In any of these fore-named harbours , the Sea-men having spent their old store of Wood and Water , may haue fresh supplies from the adjacent Ilands , with good timber to repaire their weather-beaten Ships ▪ Here likewise may be had Masts or Yards , being store of such Trees as are usefull for the same purpose .

CHAP. II. Of the Seasons of the yeare , Winter and Summer , together with the Heate , Cold , Snow , Raine , and the effects of it .

FOr that part of the Countrey wherein most of the English have their habitations : it is for certaine the best ground and sweetest Climate in all those parts , bearing the name of New England , agreeing well with the temper of our English bodies , being high land , and sharpe Ayre , and though most of our English Townes border upon the Sea-coast , yet are they not often troubled with Mists , or unwholesome fogges , or cold weather from the Sea , which lies East and South from the Land . And whereas in England most of the cold windes and weathers come from the Sea , and those situations are counted most unwholesome , that are neare the Sea-coast , in that Countrey it is not so , but otherwise ; for in the extremity of Winter , the North-east and South winde comming from the Sea , produceth warme weather , and bringing in the warme-working waters of the Sea , loosneth the frozen Bayes , carrying away their Ice with their Tides , melting the Snow , and thawing the ground ; onely the North-west winde comming over the Land , is the cause of extreame cold weather , being alwaies accompanied with deepe Snowes and bittter Frost , so that in two or three dayes the Rivers are passable for horse and man . But as it is an Axiome in Nature , Nullum violentum est perpetuum , No extreames last long , so this cold winde blowes seldome above three dayes together , after which the weather is more tollerable , the Aire being nothing so sharpe , but peradventure in foure or five dayes after this cold messenger will blow a fresh , commanding every man to his house , forbidding any to out-face him without prejudice to their noses : but it may be objected that it is too cold a Countrey for our English men , who have beene accustomed to a warmer Climate , to which it may be answered , ( Igne levatur hyems ) there is Wood good store , and better cheape to build warme houses , and make good fires , which makes the Winter lesse tedious : and moreover , the extremity of this cold weather lasteth but for two Moneths or ten weekes , beginning in December , and breaking up the tenth day of February ; which hath beene a passage very remarkeable , that for ten or a dozen yeares the weather hath held himselfe to his day , unlooking his ycie Bayes and Rivers , which are never frozen againe the same yeare , except there be some small frost untill the middle of March . It is observed by the Indians that every tenth yeare there is little or no Winter , which hath beene twice observed of the English ; the yeare of new Plimouth mens arrivall was no Winter in comparison ; and in the tenth yeare after likewise when the great company set led themselves in Massachusets Bay , was a very milde season , little Frost , and lesse Snow , but cleare serene weather , few North-west winds , which was a great mercy to the English comming over so rawly and uncomfortably provided , wanting all utensils and provisions which belonged to the well being of Planters : and whereas many died at the beginning of the plantations , it was not because the Country was unhealthfull , but because their bodies were corrupted with sea-diet , which was naught , their Beefe and Porke being tainted , their Butter and Cheese corrupted , their Fish rotten , & voyage long , by reason of crosse Windes , so that winter approaching before they could get warme houses , and the searching sharpnes of that purer Climate , creeping in at the crannies of their crazed bodies , caused death and sicknesse ; but their harmes having taught future voyagers more wisedome , in shipping good provision for Sea , and finding warme houses at landing , finde health in both . It hath bin observed , that of five or sixe hundred passengers in one yeare , not above three have died at Sea , having their health likewise at Land . But to returne to the matter in hand dayly observations makes it apparant , that the peircing cold of that Country produceth not so many noysome effects , as the raw winters of England . In publike assemblies it is strange to heare a man sneeze or cough as ordinarily they doe in old England ; yet not to smother any thing , lest you judge me too partiall in reciting good of the Countrey , and not bad ; true it is , that some venturing too nakedly in extreamity of cold , being more foole hardy than wise , have for a time lost the use of their feete , others the use of their fingers ; but time and Surgery afterwards recovered them : Some haue had their over-growne beards so frozen together , that they could not get their strong water-bottells into their mouthes ; I never heard of any that utterly perished at land with cold , saving one English man and an Indian , who going together a Fowling , the morning being faire at their setting out , afterward a terrible storme arising , they intended to returne home ; but the storme being in their faces , and they not able to with-stand it , were frozen to death , the Indian having gained three slight-shot more of his journey homeward , was found reared up against a tree with his Aqua-vitae bottle at head . A second passage ( concerning which many thinke hardly of the Country in regard of his cold ) was the miscarriage of a boate at sea , certaine men having intended a voyage to new Plimouth , setting sayle towards night , they wanted time to fetch it , being constrained to put into another harbour , where being negligent of the well mooring of their Boate , a strong winde comming from the shore in the night , loosned their killocke , and drove them to Sea , without sight of land , before they had awaked out of sleepe ; but seeing the eminent danger , such as were not benummed with cold , shipt out their Oares , shaping their course for Cape Cod , where the Indians met them , who buried the dead , and carryed the Boate with the living to Plimouth , where some of them died , and some recovered . These things may fright some , but being that there hath beene many passages of the like nature in our English Climate , it cannot dishearten such as seriously consider it , seeing likewise that their owne ruines sprung from their owne negligence .

The Countrey is not so extreamely cold , unlesse it be when the North-west winde is high , at other times it is ordinary for Fishermen to goe to Sea in Ianuary and February , in which time they get more Fish , and better than in Summer , onely observing to reach some good Harbours before night , where by good fires they sleepe as well and quietly , ( having their mayne sayle tented at their backes , to shelter them from the winde ) as if they were at home . To relate how some English bodies have borne out cold , will ( it may be ) startle beleife of some , it being so strange , yet not so strange as true . A certaine man being something distracted , broke away from his Keeper , and running into the Wood , could not bee found with much seeking after ; but foure dayes being expired , he returned , to appearance as well in body , as at his egresse , and in minde much better : for a mad man to hit home through the unbeaten Woods , was strange , but to live without meate or drinke in the deepe of Winter , stranger , and yet returne home bettered , was most strange : but if truth may gaine beleefe , you may behold a more superlative strangenesse . A certaine Maide in the extreamity of cold weather , ( as it fell out ) tooke an uncertaine journey , in her intent short , not above foure miles , yet long in event ; for losing her way , shee wandred sixe or seaven dayes in most bitter weather , not having one bit of bread to strengthen her , sometimes a fresh Spring quenched her thirst , which was all the refreshment she had ; the Snow being upon the ground at first , shee might have trackt her owne foot-steps backe againe , but wanting that understanding , shee wandred , till God by his speciall providence brought her to the place shee went from , where she lives to this day .

The hard Winters are commonly the fore-runners of pleasant Spring-times , and fertile Summers , being iudged likewise to make much for the health of our English bodies : It is found to be more healthfull for such as shall adventure thither , to come towards Winter , than the hot Summer ; the Climate in Winter is commonly cold and dry , the Snow lies long , which is thought to be no small nourishing to the ground . For the Indians burning it to suppresse the under-wood , which else would grow all over the Countrey , the Snow falling not long after , keepes the ground warme , and with his melting conveighs the ashes into the pores of the earth , which doth fatten it . It hath beene observed , that English Wheate and Rye proves better , which is Winter sowne , and is kept warme by the Snow , than that which is sowne in the Spring . The Summers be hotter than in England ; because of their more Southerne latitude , yet are they tollerable ; being often cooled with fresh blowing windes , it seldome being so hot as men are driven from their labours , especially such whose imployments are within doores , or under the coole shade : servants have hitherto beene priviledged to rest from their labours in extreame hot weather , from ten of the clocke till two , which they regaine by their early rising in the morning , and double diligence in coole weather . The Summers are commonly hot and dry , there being seldome any raines ; I have knowne it sixe or seaven weekes , before one shower hath moystened the Plowmans labour , yet the Harvest hath beene very good , the Indian Corne requiring more heate than wet ; for the English Corne , it is refresht with the nightly dewes , till it grow vp to shade his roots with his owne substance from the parching Sunne . In former times the Raine came seldome , but very violently , continuing his drops , ( which were great and many ) sometimes foure and twenty houres together ; sometimes eight and fourty , which watered the ground for a long time afrer ; but of late the Seasons be much altered , the raine comming oftner , but more moderately , with lesse thunder and lightnings , and suddaine gusts of winde . I dare be bold to affirme it , that I saw not so much raine , raw colds , and misty fogges in foure yeares in those parts , as was in England in the space of foure Moneths the last Winter ; yet no man at the yeares end , complained of too much drought , or too little raine . The times of most Raine , are in the beginning of Aprill , and at Michaelmas . The early Springs and long Summers make but short Autumnes and Winters . In the Spring when the Grasse beginnes to put forth , it growes apace , so that where it was all blacke by reason of Winters burnings , in a fortnight there will be Grasse a foote high .

CHAP. III. Of the Climate , length , and shortnesse of day and night , with the suiteablenesse of it to English bodies for health and sicknesse .

THE Countrey being nearer the Equinoctiall than England , the dayes and nights be more equally divided . In Summer the dayes be two houres shorter , and likewise in Winter two houres longer than in England . In a word , both Summer and Winter is more commended of the English there , than the Summer Winters , and Winter Summers of England ; and who is there that could not wish , that Englands Climate were as it hath beene in quondam times , colder in Winter , and hotter in Summer ? or who will condemne that which is as England hath beene ? Virginia having no Winter to speake of , but extreame hot Summers , hath dried up much English blood , and by pestiferous diseases swept away many lusty bodies , changing their complexion not into swarthinesse , but into Palenesse ; so that when as they come for trading into our parts , wee can know many of them by their faces . This alteration certainely comes not from any want of victuals or necessary foode , for their soyle is very fertile and pleasant , yeelding both Corne and Cattle plenty , but rather from the Climate , which indeede is found to be hotter than is suiteable to an ordinary English constitution .

In New England both men and women keepe their naturall complexions , in so much as Sea men wonder when they arrive in those parts , to see their Countrey-men so fresh and ruddy : If the Sunne doth tanne any , yet the Winters cold restores them to their former complexion ; and as it is for the outward complexion , so it is for the inward constitution ; not very many being troubled with inflammations , or such diseases as are encreased by too much heate : and whereas I say , not very many , yet dare I not exclude any ; for death being certaine to all , in all Nations there must be something tending to death of like certainty . The soundest bodies are mortall and subject to change , therefore fall into diseases , and from diseases to death . Now the two chiefe messengers of mortality , be Feavers and Callentures ; but they be easily helpt , if taken in time , and as easily prevented of any that will not prove a meere foole to his body . For the common diseases of England , they be strangers to the English now in that strange Land . To my knowledge I never knew any that had the Poxe , Measels , Greene-sicknesse , Head-aches , Stone , or Consumptions , &c. Many that have come infirme out of England , retaine their old grievances still , and some that were long troubled with lingering diseases , as Coughs of the lungs , Consumptions , &c. haue beene restored by that medicineable Climate to their former strength and health . God hath beene pleased so to blesse men in the health of their bodies , that I dare confidently say it , out of that Towne from whence I came , in three yeares and a halfe , there dyed but three , one of which was crazed before he came into the Land ; the other were two Children borne at one birth before their time , the Mother being accidentally hurt . To make good which losses , I have seene foure Children Baptized at a time , which wipes away that common aspersion , that women have no Children , being a meere falsity , there being as sweete lusty Children as many other Nation , and reckoning so many for so many , more double births than in England ; the women likewise having a more speedy recovery , and gathering of strength after their delivery than in England .

The last Argument to confirme the healthfulnesse of the Countrey , shall be from mine owne experience , who although in England I was brought up tenderly under the carefull hatching of my dearest friends , yet scarce could I be acquainted with health , having beene let blood sixe times for the Pleurisie before I went ; likewise being assailed with other weakning diseases ; but being planted in that new Soyle and healthfull Ayre , which was more correspondent to my nature , ( I speake it with praise to the mercifull God ) though my occasions have beene to passe thorow heate and cold , wet , and dry , by Sea and Land , in Winter and Summer , day by day , for foure yeares together , yet scarce did I know what belonged to a dayes sicknesse .

CHAP. IIII. Of the nature of the Soyle .

THe Soyle is for the generall a warme kinde of earth , there being little cold-spewing and , no Morish Fennes , no Quagmires , the lowest grounds be the Marshes , over which every full and change the Sea flowes : these Marshes be rich ground , and bring plenty of Hay , of which the Cattle feed and like , as if they were fed with the best up-land Hay in New England ; of which likewise there is great store which growes commonly betweene the Marshes and the Woods . This Medow ground lies higher than the Marshes , whereby it is freed from the over-flowing of the Seas ; and besides this , in many places where the Tres grow thinne , there is good fodder to be got amongst the Woods . There be likewise in divers places neare the plantations great broad Medowes , wherein grow neither shrub nor Tree , lying low , in which Plaines growes as much grasse , as may be throwne out with a Sithe , thicke and long , as high as a mans middle ; some as high as the shoulders , so that a good mower may cut three loads in a day . But many obiect , this is but a course fodder : True it is , that it is not so fine to 〈◊〉 eye as English grasse , but it is not sowre , though it grow thus ranke ; but being made into Hay , the Cattle eate it as well as it were Lea-hay and like as well with it ; I doe not thinke England can shew , fairer Cattle either in Winter , or Summer , than is in those parts both Winter and Summer ; being generally larger and better of milch , and bring forth young as ordinarily as Cattle doe in England , and have hitherto beene free from many diseases that are incident to Cattle in England .

To returne to the Subject in hand , there is so much hay-ground in the Countrey , as the richest voyagers that shall venture thither , neede not feare want of fodder , though his Heard increase into thousands , there being thousands of Acres that yet was never medled with . And whereas it hath beene reported , that some hath mowne a day for halfe of a loade of Hay : I doe not say , but it may be true , a man may doe as much , and get as little in England , on Salisbury Plaine , or in other places where Grasse cannot be expected : So Hay-ground is not in all places in New England : Wherefore it shall behoue every man according to his calling , and estate , to looke for a fit situation at the first ; and if hee be one that intends to live on his stocke , to choose the grassie Vallies before the woody Mountaines . Furthermore , whereas it hath beene generally reported in many places of England , that the Grasse growes not in those places where it was cut the fore-going yeares , it is a meere falshood ; for it growes as well the ensuing Spring as it did before , and is more spiery and thicke , like our English Grasse : and in such places where the Cattle use to graze , the ground is much improved in the Woods , growing more grassie , and lesse weedy . The worst that can be sayd against the meddow-grounds , is because there is little edish , or after-pasture , which may proceede from the late mowing , more than from any thing else ; but though the edish be not worth much , yet is there such plenty of other Grasse and feeding , that there is no want of Winter-fodder till December , at which time men beginne to house their milch-cattle and Calves : Some , notwithstanding the cold of the Winter , have their young Cattle without doores , giving them meate at morning and evening . For the more upland grounds , there be different kinds , in some places clay , some gravell , some a red sand ; all which are covered with a black mould , in some places above a foote deepe , in other places not so deepe . There be very few that have the experience of the ground , that can condemne it of barrennesse ; although many deeme it barren , because the English use to manure their land with fish , which they doe not because the land could not bring corne without it , but because it brings more with it ; the land likewise being kept in hart the longer : besides , the plenty of fish which they have for little or nothing , is better so used , than cast away ; but to argue the goodnesse of the ground , the Indians who are too lazie to catch fish , plant corne eight or ten yeares in one place without it , having very good crops . Such is the rankenesse of the ground that it must bee sowne the first yeare with Indian Corne , which is a soaking graine , before it will be fit for to receive English seede . In a word , as there is no ground so purely good , as the long forced and improoved grounds of England , so is there none so extreamely bad as in many places of England , that as yet have not beene manured and improved ; the woods of New England being accounted better ground than the Forrests of England or woodland ground , or heathy plaines .

For the naturall soyle , I preferre it before the countrey of Surry , or Middlesex , which if they were not inriched with continuall manurings , would be lesse fertile than the meanest ground in New England , wherefore it is neyther impossible , nor much improbable , that upon improvements the soile may be as good in time as England . And whereas some gather the ground to be naught , and soone out of hart , because Plimouth men remove from their old habitations , I answer , they do no more remove from their habitation , than the Citizen which hath one house in the Citty & another in the Countrey , for his pleasure , health , & profit . For although they have taken new plots of ground , and built houses upon them , yet doe they retaine their old houses still , and repaire to them every Sabbath day ; neyther doe they esteeme their old lots worse than when they first tooke them : what if they doe not plant on them every yeare ? I hope it is no ill husbandry to rest the land , nor is alwayes that the worst that lies sometimes fallow . If any man doubt of the goodnesse of the ground , let him comfort himselfe with the cheapenesse of it ▪ such bad land in England I am sure wil bring in store of good monie . This ground is in some places of a soft mould , and easie to plow ; in other places so tough and hard , that I have seene ten Oxen toyled , their Iron chaines broken , and their Shares and Coulters much strained : but after the first breaking up it is so easie , that two Oxen and a Horse may plow it ; there hath as good English Corne growne there , as could be desired ; especially Rie and Oates , and Barly : there hath beene no great tryall as yet of Wheate , and Beanes ; onely thus much I affirme , that these two graines grow well in Gardens , therefore it is not improbable , but when they can gather seede of that which is sowne in the countrey , it may grow as well as any other Graine : but commonly the seede that commeth out of England is heated at Sea , and therefore cannot thrive at land .

CHAP. V. Of the Hearbes , Fruites , Woods , Waters and Mineralls .

THe ground affoards very good kitchin Gardens , for Turneps , Parsnips , Carrots , Radishes , and Pompions , Muskmillions , Squonterquashes , Coucumbers , Onyons , and whatsoever growes well in England , growes as well there , many things being better and larger : there is likewise growing all manner of Hearbes for meate , and medicine , and that not onely in planted Gardens , but in the Woods , without eyther the art or the helpe of man , as sweet Marjoran , Purselane , Sorrell , Peneriall , Yarrow , Mirtle , Saxifarilla , Bayes , &c. There is likewise Strawberries in abundance , very large ones , some being two inches about ; one may gather halfe a bushell in a forenoone : In other seasons there bee Gooseberries , Bilberies , Resberies , Treackleberies , Hurtleberries , Currants ; which being dryed in the Sunne are little inferiour to those that our Grocers sell in England : This land likewise affoards Hempe and Flax , some naturally , and some planted by the English , with Rapes if they bee well managed . For such commodities as lie underground , I cannot out of mine owne experience or knowledge say much , having taken no great notice of such things ; but it is certainely reported that there is Iron , stone ; and the Indians informe us that they can leade us to the mountaines of blacke Lead , and have showne us lead ore , if our small judgement in such things doe not deceive us : and though no body dare confidently conclude , yet dare they not utterly deny , but that the Spaniards blisse may lye hid in the barren Mountaines , such as have coasted the countrey affirme that they know where to fetch Seacole if wood were scant ; there is plenty of stone both rough and smooth , usefull for many things , with quarries of Slate , out of which they get covering for houses , with good clay , whereof they make Tiles and Brickes , and pavements for their necessary uses .

For the Countrey it is as well watered as any land under the Sunne , every family , or every two families having a spring of sweet waters betwixt them , which is farre different from the waters of England , being not so sharpe , but of a fatter substance , and of a more jetty colour ; it is thought there can be no better water in the world , yet dare I not preferre it before good Beere , as some have done , but any man will choose it before bad Beere , Wheay , or Buttermilke ▪ Those that drinke it be as healthfull , fresh , and lustie , as they that drinke beere ; These springs be not onely within land , but likewise bordering upon the Sea coasts , so that some times the tides overflow some of them , which is accounted rare in the most parts of England . No man hitherto hath beene constrained to digge deepe for his water , or to fetch it farre , or to fetch of severall waters for severall uses ; one kind of water serving for washing , and brewing and other things . Now besides these springs , there be divers spacious ponds in many places of the Countrey , out of which runne many sweet streames , which are constant in their course both winter and summer , whereat the Cattle quench their thirst , and upon which may be built water mills , as the plantation encreases .

The next commoditie the land affords , is good store of Woods , & that not onely such as may be needfull for fewell , but likewise for the building of Ships , and houses , & Mils , and all manner of water-worke about which Wood is needefull . The Timber of the Countrey growes straight , and tall , some trees being twenty , some thirty foot high , before hee spread forth his branches ; generally the Trees be not very thicke , though there be many that will serve for Mill posts , some beeing three foote and a halfe o're . And whereas it is generally conceived , that the woods grow so thicke , that there is no more cleare ground than is hewed out by labour of man ; it is nothing so ; in many places , divers Acres being cleare , so that one may ride a hunting in most places of the land , if he will venture himselfe for being lost : there is no underwood saving in swamps , and low grounds that are wet , in which the English get Osiers , and Hasles , and such small wood as is for their use . Of these swamps , some be ten , some twenty , some thirty miles long , being preserved by the wetnesse of the soile wherein they grow ; for it being the custome of the Indians to burne the wood in November , when the grasse is withered , and leaves dryed , it consumes all the underwood , and rubbish , which otherwise would over grow the Country , making it unpassable , and spoyling their much affected hunting : so that by this meanes in those places where the Indians inhabit , there is scarce a bush or bramble , or any combersome underwood to bee seene in the more champion ground . Small wood growing in these places where the fire could not come , is preserved . In some places where the Indians dyed of the Plague some foureteene yeares agoe , is much underwood , as in the mid way betwixt Wessaguscus and Plimouth , because it hath not beene burned ; certaine Rivers stopping the fire from comming to cleare that place of the countrey , hath made it unusefull and troublesome to travell thorow , in so much that it is called ragged plaine , because it teares and rents the cloathes of them that passe . Now because it may be necessary for mechanicall artificers to know what Timber , and wood of use is in the Countrey , I will recite the most usefull as followeth .

Trees both in hills and plaines , in plenty be , The long liv'd Oake , and mournefull Cypris tree , Skie towring pines , and Chesnuts coated rough , The lasting Cedar , with the Walnut tough : The rezin dropping Firre for mast in use , The boatmen seeke for Oares light , neate , growne sprewse , The brittle Ash , the over trembling Aspes , The broad-spread Elme , whose concave harbours waspes , The water spungie Alder good for nought , Small Elderne by th' Indian Fletchers sought , The knottie Maple , pallid Birtch , Hawthornes , The Horne bound tree that to be cloven scornes ; Which from the tender Vine oft takes his spouse , Who twinds imbracing armes about his boughes . Within this Indian Orchard fruites be some , The ruddie Cherrie , and the jettie Plumbe , Snake murthering Hazell , with sweet Saxaphrage , Whose spurnes in beere allayes hot fevers rage . The Diars Shumach , with more trees there be , That are both good to use , and rare to see .

Though many of these trees may seeme to have epithites contrary to the nature of them as they grow in England , yet are they agreeable with the Trees of that Countrie . The chiefe and common Timber for ordinary use is Oake , and Walnut : Of Oakes there be three kindes , the red Oake , white , and blacke ; as these are different in kinde , so are they chosen for such uses as they are most fit for , one kind being more fit for clappboard , others for sawne board , some fitter for shipping , others for houses . These Trees affoard much Mast for Hogges , especially every third yeare , bearing a bigger Acorne than our English Oake . The Wallnut tree is something different from the English Wallnut , being a great deale more tough , and more serviceable , and altogether as heavie : and whereas our Gunnes that are stocked with English Wallnut , are soone broaken and cracked in frost , beeing a brittle Wood ; we are driven to stocke them new with the Country Wallnut , which will indure all blowes , and weather ; lasting time out of minde . These trees beare a very good Nut , something smaller , but nothing inferiour in sweetnesse and goodnesse to the English Nut , having no bitter pill . There is likewise a tree in some part of the Countrey , that beares a Nut as bigge as a small peare . The Cedar tree is a tree of no great growth , not bearing above a foot and a halfe square at the most , neither is it very high . I suppose they be much inferiour to the Cedars of Lebanon so much commended in holy writ . This wood is more desired for ornament than substance , being of colour red and white like Eugh , smelling as sweete as Iuniper ; it is commonly used for seeling of houses , and making of Chests , Boxes , and staves . The Firre and Pine bee trees that grow in many places , shooting up exceeding high , especially the Pine : they doe afford good masts , good board , Rozin and Turpentine . Out of these Pines is gotten the candlewood that is so much spoken of , which may serve for a shift amongst poore folkes ; but I cannot commend it for singular good , because it is something sluttish , dropping a pitchie kinde of substance where it stands . Here no doubt might be good done with saw mils ; for I have seene of these stately highgrowne trees , ten miles together close by the River side , from whence by shipping they might be conveyed to any desired Port. Likewise it is not improbable that Pitch and Tarre may be forced from these trees , which beare no other kinde of fruite . For that countrey Ash , it is much different from the Ash of England , being brittle and good for little , so that Wallnut is used for it . The Horne-bound tree is a tough kind of Wood , that requires so much paines in riving as is almost incredible , being the best for to make boates and dishes , not being subject to cracke or leake . This tree growing with broad spread Armes , the vines winde their curling branches about them ; which vines affoard great store of grapes , which are very big both for the grape and Cluster , sweet and good : These be of two sorts , red and white , there is likewise a smaller kind of grape , which groweth in the Islands which is sooner ripe and more delectable ; so that there is no knowne reason why as good wine may not be made in those parts , as well as in Burdeuax in France ; being under the same degree . It is great pittie no man sets upon such a venture , whereby he might in small time inrich himselfe , and benefit the Countrie , I know nothing which doth hinder but want of skilfull men to manage such an imployment : For the countrey is hot enough , the ground good enough , and many convenient hills which lye toward the south Sunne , as if they were there placed for the purpose . The Cherrie trees yeeld great store of Cherries , which grow on clusters like grapes ; they be much smaller than our English Cherrie , nothing neare so good if they be not very ripe ▪ they so furre the mouth that the tongue will cleave to the roofe , and the throate wax horse with swallowing those red Bullies ( as I may call them , ) being little better in taste . English ordering may bring them to be an English Cherrie , but yet they are as wilde as the Indians . The Plummes of the Countrey be better for Plummes than the Cherries be for Cherries , they be blacke and yellow about the bignesse of a Damson , of a reasonable good taste . The white thorne affords hawes as bigge as an English Cherrie , which is esteemed above a Cherrie for his goodnesse and pleasantnesse to the taste .