The Rivers also and Harbours are generally stor’d with delicate Fish, as Salmons, Peals, Eels, Herrings, Mackrel, Flounders, Launce, Capelin, Cod, and Trouts, the fairest, fattest and sweetest, that ever were seen in these Parts. The like for Lobsters, Cra-fish, Mussles, and other variety of Shell-fish.
The Seas likewise all along the Coast, do plentifully abound in other sorts of Fish, as Whales, Spanish Mackrel, Dorrel, Pales, Herrings, Hogs, Porposes, Seals, and such like Royal Fish, &c.
But the chief Commodity of New found Land yet known, and which is grown to be a setled Trade, and that it may be much better’d by an ordinary Plantation there, (if the Traders thither will take some better course than formerly they have done, as shall be declared) is the Cod-fishing upon that Coast, by which our Nation and many other Countreys are enrich’d.
Almost incredible is the benefit of the Fish, which the French, Biscainers, and Portuguese fetch yearly from this Coast of New-found Land, and the Bank, which lieth within twenty five Leagues from the South Cape of that Countrey, where the French use to Fish Winter and Summer, usually making two Voyages every year thither. To which Places, and to the Coast of Canada, which lieth near unto it, are yearly sent from those Countreys, more than four hundred Sail of Ships.
This Island of Terra Nova belongs properly and justly to the Crown of England, having been under the sole Jurisdiction of the English from the first Discovery thereof, which was by Sir Sebastian Cabot, Employ’d by King Henry the Seventh, to find out some other part of America, than what had been discover’d by Columbus, as hath been above declar’d in several places.
Afterwards King Henry the Eighth continu’d the English Interest there, and Employ’d one Rutt into that Island, in order to the Plantation thereof.
Queen Elizabeth no less careful to preserve that Plantation, sent Sir Humphrey Gilbert, a Devonshire Knight, to plant a Colony there, the better to secure the same, and to increase Trading there; and accordingly the said Sir Humphrey with two good Ships and a Pinnace in her Name, took possession of that Countrey, in the Harbour of St. Johns. He Sail’d from thence towards Virginia, and by reason of some unhappy direction in his Course, the greatest Ship he had struck upon Shelves on the Coast of Canada, and was there lost, with most part of the Company in her; and he himself, being then in a small Pinnace of twenty Tun, in the company of his Vice-Admiral (Captain Hays) returning towards England, in a great Storm, was overwhelm’d in the Sea, and so perish’d.
In the Year 1608. it was undertaken anew by John Guy, a Merchant of Bristol, and with so good success, that the Colony in a short time were well furnish’d with Wheat, Rye, Barley, and other Grain of their own Sowing, with Turnips, Coleworts, and abundance of other necessary things, not without some probable hopes of Metals, a certain and plentiful Trade of Sables, Musk, and other rich Commodities.
The Province of Avalon in New-found Land.
In the Year 1620. Sir George Calvert Knight, then principal Secretary of State, and a Privy Councellor to King James the First of England, &c. purchas’d a part of New-found Land, which was afterwards in the Year 1623. granted to him and his Heirs by Patent from the said King, under the Great Seal of England, bearing Date the seventh of April, in the One and twentieth Year of his Reign: by which means the said Tract of Land was erected into a Province, and at the Instance of the said Sir George Calvert, call’d Avalon, from Avalon in Sommerset-shire, where Christianity was first Planted in England.