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 bolles 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.
Chap. VI.
Of the Beasts that live on the land.
Having related unto you the pleasant situation of the Countrey, the healthfulnesse of the climate, the nature of the soile, with his vegetatives, and other commodities; it will not be amisse to informe you of such irrationall creatures as are daily bred and continually nourished in this countrey, which doe much conduce to the well being of the Inhabitants, affording not onely meate for the belly, but cloathing for the backe. The beasts be as followeth.
The kingly Lyon, and the strong arm'd Beare