4 ob. Children not catechised nor taught to read. Ans.: Neither is true; for divers take pains with their own as they can; indeed, we have no common school for want of a fit person, or hitherto means to maintain one, though we desire now to begin.
5 ob. Many of the particular members of the plantation will not work for the general. Ans.: This also is not wholly true; for though some do it not willingly and others not honestly, yet all do it, and he that doth worst gets his own food and something besides. But we will not excuse them, but labour to reform them the best we can, or else to quit the plantation of them.
6 ob. The water is not wholesome. Ans.: If they mean, not so wholesome as the good beer and wine in London, (which they so dearly love,) we will not dispute with them; but else, for water, it is as good as any in the world (for aught we know,) and it is wholesome enough to us that can be content therewith.
7 ob. The ground is barren and doth bear no grass. Ans.: it is here as in all places, some better and some worse; and if they will well consider their words, in England they shall not find such grass in them as in their fields and meadows. The cattle find grass, for they are as fat as need be; we wish we had but one for every hundred that here is graze to keep. Indeed this objection, as some others, are ridiculous to all here which see and know the contrary.
8 ob. The fish will not take salt to keep sweet. Ans.: This is as true as that which was written, that there is scarcely a fowl to be seen, nor a fish to be taken. Things likely to be true in a country where so many sail of ships come yearly for the fishing! they might as well say, there can no ale or beer in London be kept from souring.
9 ob. Many of them are thievish and steal one from another. Ans.: Would that London had been free from that crime: then we should not have been troubled with these here; it is well known sundry have smarted well for it, and so are the rest like to do, if they be taken.
10 ob. The country is annoyed with foxes and wolves. Ans.: So are many other good countries too; but poison, traps and other such means will help to destroy them.
11 ob. The Dutch are planted near Hudson's River, and are likely to overthrow the trade. Ans.: They will come and plant in these parts also, if we and others do not, but go home and leave it to them. We rather commend them than condemn them for it.
12 ob. The people are much annoyed with mosquitoes. Ans.: They are too delicate and unfit to begin new plantations and colonies, that cannot endure the biting of a mosquito: we would wish such to keep at home till at least they be mosquito proof. Yet this place is as free as any, and experience teacheth that the more the land is tilled and the woods cut down, the fewer there will be, and in the end scarce any at all.