{92} Sixthly and lastly,
Of Stones, Minerals, Metals and Earths.[279]
As first, the Emrald which grows in flat Rocks, and is very good.
Rubies, which here are very watry.
I have heard a story of an Indian, that found a stone, up in the Country, by a great Pond as big as an Egg, that in a dark Night would give a light to read by; but I take it to be but a story.
Diamond, which are very brittle, and therefore of little worth.
Crystal, called by our West Country Men the Kenning Stone; by Sebegug Pond is found in considerable quantity, not far from thence is a Rock of Crystal called the Moose Rock, because in shape like a Moose, and
Muscovy Glass, both white and purple of reasonable content.
Black Lead.[280]
Bole Armoniack.
{93} Red and Yellow Oker.
Terra Sigilla.
Vitriol.
Antimony.
Arsnick, too much.
Lead.[281]
Tin.
Tin Glass.
Silver.
Iron, in abundance, and as good bog Iron as any in the World.
Copper. It is reported that the French have a Copper Mine at Port Royal, that yieldeth them twelve Ounces of pure Copper out of a Pound of Oar.
I shall conclude this Section with a strange Cure effected upon a Drummers Wife, much afflicted with a Wolf in her Breast; the poor Woman lived with her Husband at a Town called by the Indians, Casco, but by the English, Famouth; where for some time she swaged the Pain of her Sore, by bathing it with strong Malt Beer, which it would {94} suck in greedily, as if some living Creature: When she could come by no more Beer, (for it was brought from Boston, along the Coasts by Merchants,) she made use of Rhum, a strong Water drawn from Sugar Canes, with which it was lull’d a sleep; at last, (to be rid of it altogether) she put a quantity of Arsnick to the Rhum, and bathing of it as formerly, she utterly destroyed it, and Cured her self; but her kind Husband, who sucked out the Poyson as the Sore was healing, lost all his Teeth, but without further danger or inconvenience.
{95} An Addition of some RARITIES overslipt.
The Star Fish,[282] having fine points like a Star, the whole Fish no bigger than the Palm of a Mans hand, of a tough substance like leather, and about an Inch in thickness, whitish underneath, and of the Colour of a Cucumber above, and somewhat ruff: When it is warm in ones hand, you may perceive a stiff motion, turning down one point, and thrusting up another: It is taken to be poysonous; they are very common, and found thrown up on the Rocks by the Sea side.
Sea Bream, which are plentifully taken upon the Sea Coasts, their Eyes are accounted rare Meat, whereupon the proverbial comparison, It is worth a Sea Breams Eye.[283]
{96} Blew Fish, or Horse, I did never see any of them in England; they are as big usually as the Salmon, and better Meat by far: It is common in New-England and esteemed the best sort of Fish next to Rock Cod.
Cat Fish, having a round Head, and great glaring Eyes like a Cat: They lye for the most part in holes of Rocks, and are discovered by their Eyes: It is an excelling Fish.
Munk Fish, a flat Fish like scate, having a hood like a Fryers Cowl.
Clam, or Clamp, a kind of Shell Fish, a white Muscle.
An Achariston, For Pin and Web.
Sheath Fish, which are there very plentiful, a delicate Fish, as good as a Prawn, covered with a thin Shell like the sheath of a Knife, and of the colour of a Muscle.
Which shell Calcin’d and Pulveriz’d, is excellent to take off a Pin and Web, or {97} any kind of Filme growing over the Eye.
Morse, or Sea Horse, having a great Head, wide Jaws, armed with Tushes as white as Ivory, of body as big as a Cow, proportioned like a Hog, of brownish bay, smooth skin’d and impenetrable; they are frequent at the Isle of Sables, their Teeth are worth eight Groats the Pound; the best Ivory being Sold but for half the Money.[284]
For Poyson.
It is very good against Poyson.
For the Cramp.
As also for the Cramp, made into Rings.
For the Piles.
And a secret for the Piles, if a wise Man have the ordering of it.
The Manaty, a Fish as big as a Wine pipe, most excellent Meat; bred in the Rivers of Hispaniola in the West Indies; it hath Teats, and nourisheth its young ones with Milk; it is of a green Colour, and tasteth like Veal.
{98} For the Stone Collick.
There is a Stone taken out of the Head that is rare for the Stone and Collect.
To provoke Urine.
Their Bones beat to a Powder and drank with convenient Liquors, is a gallant Urin provoking Medicine.
For Wound and Bruise.
An Indian, whose Knee was bruised with a fall, and the Skin and Flesh strip’d down to the middle of the Calf of his Leg; Cured himself with Water Lilly Roots boyled and stamped.[285]
For Swellings of the Foot.
An Indian Webb, her Foot being very much swell’d and inflamed, asswaged the swelling, and took away the inflamation with our Garden or English Patience, the Roots roasted. f. Cataplas. Anno 1670. June 28.
To dissolve a Scirrhous Tumour.
An Indian dissolv’d a Scirrhous Tumour in the Arm and Hip, with a fomentation of Tobacco, applying afterwards the Herb stamp’d betwixt two stones.
{99}
A
DESCRIPTION
OF AN
INDIAN SQUA.[286]
Now (gentle Reader) having trespassed upon your patience a long while in the perusing of these rude Observations, I shall, to make you amends, present you by way of Divertisement, or Recreation, with a Coppy of Verses made sometime since upon the Picture of a young and handsome Gypsie, not improperly transferred upon the Indian SQUA, or Female Indian, trick’d up in all her bravery.
The Men are somewhat Horse Fac’d, and generally Faucious, i.e. without Beards; but the Women many of them {100} have very good Features; seldome without a Come to me, or Cos Amoris, in their Countenance; all of them black Eyed, having even short Teeth, and very white; their Hair black, thick and long, broad Breasted; handsome streight Bodies, and slender, considering their constant loose habit: Their limbs cleanly, straight, and of a convenient stature, generally, as plump as Partridges, and saving here and there one, of a modest deportment.
Their Garments are a pair of Sleeves of Deer, or Moose skin drest, and drawn with lines of several Colours into Asiatick Works, with Buskins of the same, a short Mantle of Trading Cloath, either Blew or Red, fastened with a knot under the Chin, and girt about the middle with a Zone, wrought with white and blew Beads into pretty Works; of these Beads they have Bracelets for their Neck and Arms, and Links to hang in their Ears, and a fair Table curiously made up with Beads likewise, to wear before their Breast; their Hair they Combe backward, and tye it up short with a Border, about two handfulls broad, {101} wrought in Works as the other with their Beads: But enough of this.
The POEM.
Whether White or Black be best
Call your Senses to the quest;
And your touch shall quickly tell
The Black in softness doth excel,
And in smoothness; but the Ear,
What, can that a Colour hear?
No, but ’tis your Black ones Wit
That doth catch, and captive it.
And if Slut and Fair be one,
Sweet and Fair, there can be none:
Nor can ought so please the tast
As what’s brown and lovely drest:
And who’ll say, that that is best
To please ones Sense, displease the rest?
{102} Maugre then all that can be sed
In flattery of White and Red:
Those flatterers themselves must say
That darkness was before the Day:
And such perfection here appears
It neither Wind nor Sun-shine fears.
A
{103} Chronological Table
Of the most remarkable passages in that part of America, known to us by the name of NEW-ENGLAND.[287]
Anno Dom. 1492. Christ. Columbus discovered America.
1516. The Voyage of Sir Thomas Pert, Vice Admiral of England, and Sir Sebastian Cabota to Brazile, &c.
1527. New-found-Land, discovered by the English.
1577. Sir Francis Drake began his Voyage about the World.
{104} 1585. Nova Albion discovered by Sir Francis Drake, and by him so Named.
1585. April 9. Sir Richard Greenevile was sent by Sir Walter Rawleigh with a Fleet of Seven Sail to Virginia, and was stiled the General of Virginia.
1586. Captain Thomas Candish, a Suffolk Gentleman, began his Voyage round about the World, with three Ships past the Streights of Magellan, burn’d and ransack’d in the entry of Chile, Peru, and New-Spain, near the great Island Callifornia in the South Sea; and returned to Plymouth with a precious Booty Anno Dom. 1588. September the 8th; being the third since Magellan that circuited the Earth.
1588. Sir Walter Rawleigh first discovered Virginia, by him so Named, in honour of our Virgin Queen.
1595. Sir Walter Rawleigh discovered Guiana.
{105} 1606. A Collony sent to Virginia.
1614. Bermudas Planted.
1618. The blazing Star; then Plymouth Plantation began in New-England.[288]
1628. The Massachusets Colony Planted, and Salem the first Town therein Built.[289]
1629. The first Church gathered in this Colony was at Salem; from which Year to this present Year, is 43 Years.
In the compass of these Years, in this Colony, there hath been gathered Fourty Churches, and 120 Towns built in all the Colonies of New-England.
The Church of Christ at Plymouth, was Planted in New-England Eight Years before others.
1630. The Governour and Assistants {106} arrived with their Pattent for the Massachusets.
1630. The Lady Arabella in New-England.
1630. When the Government was established, they Planted on Noddles Island.[290]
1631. Captain John Smith Governour of Virginia, and Admiral of New-England, Dyed.
1631. Mr. Mavericke Minister at Dorchester in New-England.[291]
1631. John Winthorpe Esq; chosen the first time Governour, he was eleven times Governour; some say Nineteen times; eleven Years together; the other Years by intermission.
1631. John Wilson Pastor of Charles Town.[291]
{107} 1631. Sir R. Saltingstall at Water Town came into New-England.[291]
1631. Mr. Rog. Harlackinden was a Majestrate, and a Leader of their Military Forces.[292]
Dr. Wilson gave 1000 l. to New-England, with which they stored themselves with great Guns.[293]
1633. Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. Haynes, and Mr. John Cotton, came over together in one Ship.
1634. The Country was really placed in a posture of War, to be in readiness at all times.
1635. Hugh Peters went over for New-England.
1636. Connecticut Colony Planted.
{108} 1637. The Pequites Wars, in which were Slain Five or Six Hundred Indians.
Ministers that have come from England, chiefly in the Ten first Years, Ninety Four: Of which returned Twenty Seven: Dyed in the Country Thirty Six: Yet alive in the Country Thirty One. The Number of Ships that transported Passengers to New-England in these times, was 298, supposed: Men, Women, and Children, as near as can be ghessed 21200.
1637. The first Synod at Cambridge in New-England, where the Antinomian and Famalistical Errors were confuted; 80 Errors now amongst the Massachusets.
1638. New-Haven Colony began.
Mrs. Hutchinson and her erronious companions banished the Massachusets Colony.
{109} A terrible Earth quake throughout the Country.[294]
Mr. John Harvard, the Founder of Harvard College (at Cambridge in New-England) Deceased, gave 700 l. to the erecting of it.
1639. First Printing at Cambridge in New-England.
1639. A very sharp Winter in New-England.
1642. Harvard College Founded with a publick Library.
Ministers bred in New-England, and (excepting about 10,) in Harvard College 132; of which dyed in the Country 10; now living 81; removed to England 41.
1643. The first combination of the Four United Colonies, viz. Plymouth, Massachusets, Connecticut, and New-Haven.
{110} 1646. The second Synod at Cambridge, touching the duty and power of Majestrates in matters of Religion: Secondly, the nature and power of Synods.
Mr. Eliot first Preached to the Indians in their Native Language.
1647. Mr. Thomas Hooker Died.
1648. The third Synod at Cambridge, publishing the Platform of Discipline.
1649. Mr. John Winthorpe Governour, now Died.
This Year a strange multitude of Caterpillers in New-England.[295]
Thrice seven Years after the Planting of the English in New-England, the Indians of Massachusets being 30000 able Men were brought to 300.
1651. Hugh Peters, and Mr. Wells came for England.
{111} 1652. Mr. John Cotton Dyed.
1653. The great Fire in Boston in New-England.
Mr. Thomas Dudley, Governour of the Massachusets, Dyed this Year.
1654. Major Gibbons Died in New-England.
1655. Jamaica Taken by the English.
1657. The Quakers arrived in New-England, at Plymouth.
1659. Mr. Henry Dunster the first President of Harvard College now Dyed.
1661. Major Atherton Dyed in New-England.
1663. Mr. John Norton Pastor of Boston in New-England, Dyed suddenly.
{112} Mr. Samuel Stone, Teacher of Hartford Church, Dyed this Year.
1664. The whole Bible Printed in the Indian Language finished.
The Manadaes, called New Amsterdam, now called New York; surrendred up to His Majesties Commissioners (for the settling of the respective Colonies in New-England, viz. Sir Robert Carr, Collonel Nicols, Collonel Cartwright, and Mr. Samuel Mavericke,) in September, after thirteen Dayes the Fort of Arania, now Albania; twelve Dayes after that, the Fort Awsapha; then de la Ware Castle Man’d with Dutch and Sweeds; the Three first Forts and Towns being Built upon the great River Mohegan, otherwise called Hudsons River.
In September appeared a great Comet for the space of three Months.[296]
1665. Mr. John Indicot, Governour of the Massachusets Dyed.
{113} A thousand Foot sent this Year by the French King to Canada.
Captain Davenport killed with Lightning at the Castle by Boston in New-England, and several Wounded.
1666. The Small Pox at Boston. Seven slain by Lightning, and divers Burnt: This Year also New-England had cast away, and taken 31 Vessels, and some in 1667.
1667. Mr. John Wilson Pastor of Boston Dyed, aged 79 Years.
1670. At a place called Kenibunck, which is in the Province of Meyne, a Colony belonging to the Heir of that Honourable Knight Sir Ferdinando Gorges; not far from the River side, a piece of Clay Ground was thrown up by a Mineral vapour (as we supposed) over the tops of high Oaks that grew between it and the River, into the River, stopping the course thereof, and leaving a hole two Yards square, wherein were thousands of {114} Clay Bullets as big as Musquet Bullets, and pieces of Clay in shape like the Barrel of a Musquet.[297]
1671. Elder Penn dyed at Boston.
1672. Mr. Richard Bellingham, Governour of the Massachusets in New-England.
NOTE.
The book is reprinted literally, except in the following items:—
Page 86, line 21, “Planets” is corrected to Plants.
Page 104, line 4, “Richards” is printed Richard; and, line 5, “Water” is corrected to Walter.
