America: Being the Latest, and Most Accurate Description of the Nevv VVorld / Containing the Original of the Inhabitants, and the Remarkable Voyages Thither. The Conquest of the Vast Empires of Mexico and Peru, and Other Large Provinces and Territories, with the Several European Plantations in Those Parts. Also Their Cities, Fortresses, Towns, Temples, Mountains, and Rivers. Their Habits, Customs, Manners, and Religions. Their Plants, Beasts, Birds, and Serpents. With an Appendix, Containing, Besides Several Other Considerable Additions, a Brief Survey of What Hath Been Discover'd of the Unknown South-land and the Arctick Region.

by John Ogilby

In the Year 1645, the Sons of old Canonnicus, their Father being dead, began to fall into hot Contentions with their Neighbors, and being forbidden by the United Colonies, they did not stick to threaten Wars to the English also. Whereupon the Commissioners rais’d an Army of Horse and Foot, and made Major General Edward Gibbons Commander in Chief over them. But the Indians hearing of this Preparation, sent some of their chief Nobility to the Commissioners of the United Colonies, who were assembled at Boston, to Treat about Peace; to which the Commissioners agreed, upon condition they should pay a part of the Charges of the War; and that they should send four of their Sons for Hostages till the Sum was paid; and the Hostages being sent back before the Wapom was all paid, the two Princes, Pesicus and Mexanimo, upon the sending a Company of Armed Men to demand it, sent the remainder of the Money.

In the Year 1647. divers Persons of Quality ventur’d their Estates upon an Iron Mill, which they began at Braintree, but it profited the Owners little, rather wasting their Stock, the price of Labor in matters of that nature, being double or treble to what it is in England.

These are the most material Transactions we find deliver’d by any one which hapned from the first discovery till the Year before mention’d: what hath hapned from that time to this, chiefly relates to the several Revolutions that have been in England, and shall be therefore taken notice of when we come to speak of the Government of these Plantations.

The Commodities of this Countrey, together with the Trees and other sorts of Plants.

Though there are, who having remain’d some time, and been concern’d in those Parts, affirm the Soil of New England to be nothing so fruitful as it is believ’d and commonly deliver’d to be, yet we think it not improper to give a brief account of the Trees and other Plants; also the Beasts, Birds, Fishes, and other Commodities which most Writers will have to be the production of this Countrey, especially since we find them compactly summ’d up by an unknown Writer in the Language of the Muses. The recital of the Plants and Trees, which (excepting the Cedar, Sassafras, and Dyers Sumach) are all of the same kind with those that grow in Europe, onely differing in nature, according as the Epithets of many of them declare, is as follows:

Trees both in Hills and Plains in plenty be;

The long-liv’d Oak, and mournful Cypress Tree;

Skie-towring Pines, and Chesnuts coated rough;

The lasting Cedar, with the Walnut tough;

The Rozen-dropping Fir, for Mast in use;