Advertisements for the unexperienced planters of New-England, or any where. Or, The path-way to experience to erect a plantation With the yearely proceedings of this country in fishing and planting, since the yeare 1614. to the yeare 1630. and their present estate. Also how to prevent the greatest inconveniences, by their proceedings in Virginia, and other plantations, by approved examples. With the countries armes, a description of the coast, harbours, habitations, land-markes, latitude and longitude: with the map, allowed by our royall King Charles. By Captaine Iohn Smith, sometimes governour of Virginia, and admirall of Nevv-England.

CHAP. 3.

A great comfort to new England, it is no Iland: a strange plague.

NOtwithstanding since they have beene left in a man∣ner, as it were, to themselves, they have increased their numbers to foure or five thousand, and neere as many cattell, with plenty of Goats, abundance of Swine, Poultry and Come, that as they report, they have sufficient and to spare, to entertaine three or foure hundred people, which is much better than to have many people more than provision. Now having glutted the world with their too

much over-abounding Tabacco: Reason, or necessity, or both, will cause them, I hope, learne in time better to fortifie themselves, and make better use of the trials of their grosse commodities that I have propounded, and at the first sent over: and were it not a lamentable dishonour so goodly a Countrey after so much cost, losse, and trouble, should now in this estate not bee regarded and supplied. And to those of New-England may it not be a great comfort to have so neare a neighbour of their owne Nation, that may furnish them with their spare cattell, swine, poultry, and other roots and fruits, much better than from England. But I feare the seed of envy, and the rust of covetousnesse doth grow too fast, for some would have all men advance Virginia to the ruine of New-England; and others the losse of Virginia to sustaine New-England, which God of his mercy forbid: for at first it was intended by that most memorable Judge Sir Iohn Pop∣ham, then Lord chiefe Justice of England, and the Lords of his Majesties Privy Councel, with divers others, that two Colonies should be planted, as now they be, for the better strengthening each other against all occurrences; the which to performe, shal ever be in my hearty prayers to Almighty God, to increase and continue that mutuall love betwixt them for ever.

By this you may perceive somewhat, what unexpected inconveniences are incident to a plantation, especially in such a multitude of voluntary contributers, superfluity of officers, and unexperienced Commissioners. But it is not so, as yet, with those for New-England; for they will neither beleeve nor use such officers, in that they are overseers of their owne estates, and so well bred in labour and good husbandry as any in England, where as few as I say was sent me to Virginia, but these were naught here and worse there.

Now when these shall have laid the foundations, and pro∣vided meanes beforehand, they may entertain all the poore artificers and laborers in England, and their families which are burthensome to their Parishes and Countries where they live upon almes and benevolence for want of worke, which if they would but pay for their transportation, they

should never be troubled with them more; for there is vast land enough for all the people in England, Scotland, and Ireland: and it seemes God hath provided this Country for our Nation, destroying the natives by the plague, it not touching one Englishman, though many traded and were conversant amongst them; for they had three plagues in three yeares successively neere two hundred miles along the Sea coast, that in some places there scarce remained five of a hundred, and as they report thus it began:

A fishing ship being cast away upon the coast, two of the men escaped on shore; one of them died, the other lived a∣mong the natives till he had learned their language: then he perswaded them to become Christians, shewing them a Te∣stament, some parts thereof expounding so well as he could, but they so much derided him, that he told them hee feared his God would destroy them: whereat the King assembled all his people about a hill, himselfe with the Christian stan∣ding on the top, demanded if his God had so many people and able to kill all those? He answered yes, and surely would, and bring in strangers to possesse their land: but so long they mocked him and his God, that not long after such a sick∣nesse came, that of five or six hundred about the Massachusets there remained but thirty, on whom their neighbours fell and slew twenty eight: the two remaining fled the Country till the English came, then they returned and surrendred their Countrey and title to the English: if this be not true in every particular, excuse me, I pray you, for I am not the Author: but it is most certaine there was an exceeding great plague a∣mongst them; for where I have seene two or three hundred, within three yeares after remained scarce thirty, but what disease it was the Salvages knew not till the English told them, never having seene, nor heard of the like before.

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Notes

• The abundance of victuals now in Virginia.
• A great comfort for New England by Virginia.
• The differences be∣twixt the begin∣ning of Virginia, and them of Sa∣lem.
• A necessary con∣sideration.
• New-England is no Iland but the maine continent.
• A strange plague among the Sal∣vages.