New English Canaan, or New Canaan containing an abstract of New England, composed in three bookes : the first booke setting forth the originall of the natives, their manners and customes, together with their tractable nature and love towards the English : the second booke setting forth the naturall indowments of the countrie, and what staple commodities it yeeldeth : the third booke setting forth what people are planted there, their prosperity, what remarkable accidents have happened since the first planting of it, together with their tenents, and practise of their church / written by Thomas Morton ...

NEW ENGLISH CANAAN, OR NEW CANAAN.

The Authors Prologue.

IF art & industry should doe as much As Nature hath for Canaan, not such Another place, for benefit and rest, In all the universe can be possest, The more we proove it by discovery, The more delight each object to the eye Procures, as if the elements had here Bin reconcil'd, and pleas'd it should appeare Like a faire virgin, longing to be sped, And meete her lover in a Nuptiall bed, Deck'd in rich ornaments t' advaunce he state And excellence, being most fortunate, When most enjoy'd, so would our Canaan b•• womb If well imploy'd by art & industry Whose ofspring, now shewes that her fruitfu•• Not being enjoy'd, is like a glorious tombe Admired things producing which there dy•• And ly fast bound in darck obscurity, The worth of which in each particuler, Who lift to know, this abstract will declare.