The first Booke.
Containing the originall of the Natives, their manners & Customes, with their tractable nature and love towards the English.
Chap. I.
Prooving New England the principall part of all America, and most commodious and fitt for habitation.
The wise Creator of the universall Globe hath placed a golden meane betwixt two extreames; I meane the temperate Zones, betwixt the hote and cold; and every Creature, that participates of Heavens blessings with in the Compasse of that golden meane, is made most [{12}] apt and fit for man to use, who likewise by that wisedome is ordained to be the Lord of all. This globe may be his glasse, to teach him how to use moderation and discretion, both in his actions and intentions. The wise man sayes, give mee neither riches nor poverty; why? Riches might make him proud like Nebuchadnezar, and poverty despaire like Iobs wife; but a meane betweene both. Vse of vegetatives. So it is likewise in the use of Vegetatives, that which hath too much Heate or too much Colde, is said to be venenum: so in the use of sensitives, all those Animals, of what genus or species soever they be, if they participate of heate or cold in the superlative are said to be Inimica naturæ, as in some Fishes about the Isle of Sall, and those Ilandes adjoyninge between the Tropickes; Fish poysonous about the Isle of Sall. their participatinge of heate and cold, in the superlative, is made most manifest, one of which poysoned a whole Ships company that eate of it.[202] And so it is in Vipers, Toades, and Snakes, that have heate or cold in the superlative degree.
Therefore the Creatures that participate of heate and cold in a meane, are best and holsomest: And so it is in the choyse of love, the middell Zone betweene the two extreames is best, Zona temperata, the Golden meane. and it is therefore called Zona temperata, and is in the golden meane; and all those landes lying under that Zone, most requisite and fitt for habitation. In Cosmography, the two extreames are called, the one Torrida Zona, lying betweene the Tropickes, the other Frigida Zona, lying neare the poles: all the landes lying under either of these Zones, by reason they doe participate too [{13}] much of heate or cold, are very inconvenient, and are accompanied with many evils. And allthough I am not of opinion with Aristotle,[203] that the landes under Torrida Zona are alltogether uninhabited, I my selfe having beene so neare the equinoctiall line that I have had the Sunn for my Zenith and seene proofe to the contrary, yet cannot I deny but that it is accompanied with many inconveniences, as that Fish and Flesh both will taint in those partes, notwithstanding the use of Salt which cannot be wanting there, ordained by natures hande-worke; Salt aboundeth under the Tropicks. And that is a great hinderance to the settinge forth and supply of navigation, the very Sinewes of a florishing Commonwealth. Then barrennesse, caused through want of raines, for in most of those partes of the world it is seldome accustomed to raine untill the time of the Tornathees (as the Portingals[204] phrase is, who lived there) and Raine 40. dayes about August betweene Cancer and the Line. then it will raine about 40. dayes together, which moisture serveth to fructify the earth for all the yeare after, duringe which time is seene no raine at all: the heate and cold, and length of day and night, being much alike, with little difference. And these raines are caused by the turning of the windes, which else betweene the Tropickes doe blow Trade, that is allwayes one way. For next the Tropicke of Cancer it is constantly North-East, and next the Tropicke of Capricorne it is Southwest; so that the windes comming from the Poles, do keepe the aire in those partes coole, and make it temperate and the partes habitable, were it not for those and other inconveniences.
[{14}] This Torrida Zona is good for Grashoppers: and Zona Temperata for the Ant and Bee. But Frigida Zona [is] good for neither, as by lamentable experience of Capt. Davis froze to death. Captaine Davis fate is manifest, who in his inquest of the Northwest passage for the East India trade was frozen to death.[205] And therefore, for Frigida Zona, I agree with Aristotle that it is unfit for habitation:[206] and I know by the Course of the cælestiall globe that in Groeneland, many Degrees Groene Land too cold for habitation. short of the Pole Articke, the place is too cold, by reason of the Sunns absence almost six monethes, and the land under the continuall power of the frost; which thinge many more Navigators have prooved with pittifull experience of their wintringe there, as appeareth by the history. I thinke they will not venture to winter there againe for an India mine.
Sir Ferdinando Gorges the originall cause of plantinge New England.