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

“By the said Patent is Granted to his Lordship, his Heirs and Assigns, all that part of a Peninsula, lying in the parts of America, between the Ocean on the East, and the Bay of Chesapeack on the West; and divided from the other part thereof by a right Line drawn from the Promontory, or Cape of Land call’d Watkin’s-Point, situate in the aforesaid Bay, near the River of Wigcho on the West, unto the main Ocean on the East, and between that bound on the South, unto that part of Delaware Bay on the North, which lies under the fortieth Degree of Northerly Latitude from the Equinoctial, where New England ends; and all that Tract of Land between the bounds aforesaid, that is to say, passing from the aforesaid Bay call’d Delaware Bay, in a right Line by the Degree aforesaid, unto the true Meridian of the first Fountains of the River of Patomeck; and from thence stretching towards the South, unto the furthest Bank of the said River, and following the West and South side thereof, unto a certain place call’d Cinquack, near the Mouth of the said River, where it falls into the Bay of Chesapeack, and from thence by a streight Line unto the aforesaid Promontory, or place call’d Watkin’s-Point, which lies in thirty seven Degrees and fifty Minutes, or thereabouts, of Northern Latitude.”

Title.

By this Patent his Lordship and his Heirs and Assigns are Created the true and absolute Lords and Proprietaries of the said Province, saving the Allegiance and Soveraign Dominion due to His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors; so that he hath thereby a Soveraignty Granted to him and his Heirs, dependant upon the Soveraignty of the Crown of England.

The first Seating.

His Lordship, in the Year 1633. sent his second Brother Mr. Leonard Calvert, and his third Brother Mr. George Calvert, with divers other Gentlemen of Quality, and Servants to the number of two hundred Persons at least, to settle a Plantation there; who set Sail from the Cowes in the Isle of Wight in England, on Novemb. 22. in the same Year; having made some stay by the way, at the Barbadoes and St. Christophers in America, they arriv’d at Point Comfort in Virginia, on February 24. following; from whence shortly after they Sail’d up the Bay of Chesapeack, and Patomeck River. And having review’d the Country, and given Names to several places, they pitch’d upon a Town of the Indians for their first Seat, call’d Yoacomaco, (now Saint Maries) which the then Governor Mr. Leonard Calvert, freely Purchas’d of the Natives there, for the Lord Proprietaries use, with Commodities brought from England.

That which facilitated the Treaty and Purchase of the said place from the Indians, was a resolution which those Indians had then before taken, to remove higher into the Countrey where it was more Populous, for fear of the Sansquehanocks, (another, and more Warlike People of the Indians, who were their too near Neighbors, and inhabit between the Bays of Chesapeack and Delaware) there being then actual Wars between them, insomuch, that many of them were gone thither before the English arriv’d: And it hath been the general practice of his Lordship, and those who were employ’d by him in the Planting of the said Province, rather to purchase the Natives Interest, (who will agree for the same at easie rates) than to take from them by force, that which they seem to call their Right and Inheritance, to the end all Disputes might be remov’d touching the forcible Incroachment upon others, against the Laws of Nature or Nations.

The number of Inhabitants.

Thus this Province at the vast Charges, and by the unweary’d Industry and endeavor of the present Lord Baltemore, the now absolute Lord and Proprietary of the same was at first Planted, and hath since been supply’d with People and other Necessaries, so effectually, that in this present Year 1671. the number of English there amounts to fifteen or twenty thousand Inhabitants, for whose Encouragement there is a Fundamental Law establish’d there by his Lordship, whereby Liberty of Conscience is allow’d to all that Profess to believe in Jesus Christ; so that no Man who is a Christian is in danger of being disturb’d for his Religion; and all Persons being satisfi’d touching his Lordships Right, as Granted by his Superior Soveraign, the King of Great Brittain, and possess’d by the consent and agreement of the first Indian Owners, every Person who repaireth thither, intending to become an Inhabitant, finds himself secure, as well in the quiet enjoyment of his Property, as of his Conscience.

Mr. Charles Calvert, his Lordships onely Son and Heir, was in the Year 1661. sent thither by his Lordship to Govern this Province and People, who hath hitherto continu’d that Charge of his Lordships Lieutenant there, to the general satisfaction and encouragement of all Persons under his Government, or otherwise concern’d in the Province.

The precedent Discourse having given you a short Description of this Province from its Infancy to this day, together with an account of his Lordships Patent and Right, by which he holds the same; we will here speak something of the Nature of the Countrey in general, and of the Commodities that are either naturally afforded there, or may be procur’d by Industry.