To the Reader.
REader, doe not disdaine to reade this Relation: and looke not here to haue a large Gate and no building within: a full-stuffed Tittle with no matter in the Booke: But here reade the truth, and that thou shalt find without any frothy bumbasting words, or any quaint new-deuised additions, onely as it was written (not intended for the Presse) by a reuerend Diuine now there liuing, who onely sent it to some Friends here, which were desirous of his Relations; which is an Epitomy of their proceedings in the Plantation. And for thy part if thou meanest to be no Planter nor Venturer doe but lend thy good Prayers for the furtherance of it. And so I rest a Well-Wisher to all the good designes both of them which are gone, and of them that are to goe.
M. S.
NEW-ENGLANDS
PLANTATION.
LEtting passe our Voyage by Sea, we will now begin our discourse on the shore of New-England. And because the life and wel-fare of euery Creature heere below, and the commodiousnesse of the Countrey whereas such Creatures liue, doth by the most wise ordering of Gods prouidence, depend next vnto himselfe, vpon the temperature and disposition of the foure Elements, Earth, Water, Aire, and Fire (For as of the mixture of all these, all sublunary things are composed; so by the more or lesse injoyment of the wholesome temper and conuenient vse of these, consisteth the onely well-being both of Man and Beast in a more or lesse comfortable measure in all Countreys vnder the Heauens) Therefore I will indeauour to shew you what New-England is by the consideration of each of these apart, and truly indeauour by Gods helpe to report nothing but the naked truth, and that both to tell you of the discommodities as well as of the commodities, though as the idle Prouerbe is, Trauellers may lye by autoritie, and so may take too much sinfull libertie that way. Yet I may say of my selfe as once Nehemiah did in another case: Shall such a Man as I lye? No verily: It becommeth not a Preacher of Truth to be a Writer of Falshod in any degree: and therefore I haue beene carefull to report nothing of new England but what I haue partly seene with mine owne Eyes, and partly heard and inquired from the mouths of verie honest and religious persons, who by liuing in the Countrey a good space of time haue had experience and knowledge of the state thereof, & whose testimonies I doe beleeue as my selfe.
First therefore of the Earth of New-England and all the appertenances thereof: It is a Land of diuers and sundry sorts all about Masathulets Bay, and at Charles Riuer is as fat blacke Earth as can be seene any where: and in other places you haue a clay soyle, in other grauell, in other sandy, as it is all about our Plantation at Salem, for so our Towne is now named, Psal. 76. 2.
The forme of the Earth here in the superficies of it is neither too flat in the plainnesse, nor too high in Hils, but partakes of both in a mediocritie, and fit for Pasture, or for Plow or meddow ground, as Men please to employ it: though all the Countrey bee as it were a thicke Wood for the generall, yet in diuers places there is much ground cleared by the Indians, and especially about the Plantation: and I am told that about three miles from vs a Man may stand on a little hilly place and see diuers thousands of acres of ground as good as need to be, and not a Tree in the same. It is thought here is good Clay to make Bricke and Tyles and Earthen-Pot as need to be. At this instant we are setting a Bricke-Kill on worke to make Brickes and Tyles for the building of our Houses. For Stone, here is plentie of Slates at the Ile of Slate in Masathulets Bay, and Lime-stone, Free-stone, and Smooth-stone, and Iron-stone, and Marble-stone also in such store, that we haue great Rocks of it, and a Harbour hard by. Our Plantation is from thence called Marble-harbour.