_New-Englands_ rarities, but one [p. 79.] thing more I shall add,
that you may plainly perceive a more masculine quality in the
plants growing in _New-England_. A neighbour of mine in Hay-time,
having overheat himself, and melted his grease, with striving to
outmowe another man, fell dangerously sick, not being able to turn
himself in his bed, his stomach gon, and his heart fainting ever
and anon; to whom I administered the decoction of _Avens_-Roots
and leaves in water and wine, sweetning it with Syrup of
Clove-Gilliflowers, in one weeks time it recovered him, so that
he was able to perform his daily work, being a poor planter or
husbandman as we call them.
Red-Lilly growes all over the Countrey amongst the bushes. Mr.
_Johnson_ upon _Gerard_ takes the Tulip to be the Lilly of the
field mentioned by our Saviour, Matth. 6. 28, 29. _Ac de vestitu
quid soliciti estis? discite quomodo lilia agrorum augescant: non
fatigantur, neque nent, sed dico vobis, ne Solomonem quidem cum
universa gloria sic amictum fuisse ut unum ex istis._ Solomon _in
all his Royalty was not like one of them. His reasons are, first
from the shape, like a lilly; The second, because those places
where our Saviour was conversant they grow wild in the fields.
Third, the infinite variety of the_ [p. 80.] _colours. The fourth
and last reason, the wondrous beautie and mixture of these Flowers._
Water-lillys; the black roots dryed and pulverized, are wondrous
effectual in the stopping of all manner of fluxes of the belly,
drunk with wine or water.
_Herba-paris_, one berry, herb true love, or four-leaved
night-shade, the leaves are good to be laid upon hot tumours.
_Umbilicus veneris_, or _New-England_ daisie, it is good for hot
humours, _Erisipelas_, St. _Anthonie’s_ fire, all inflammations.
_Glass-wort_, a little quantity of this plant you may take for the
Dropsie, but be very careful that you take not too much, for it
worketh impetuously.
Water-plantane, called in _New-England_ water Suck-leaves, and
Scurvie-leaves, you must lay them whole to the leggs to draw out
water between the skin and the flesh.
_Rosa-solis_, Sun-dew, moor-grass, this plant I have seen more of,
than ever I saw in my whole life before in _England_, a man may
gather upon some marish-grounds an incredible quantity in a short
time; towards the middle of _June_ it is in its season, for then
its spear is shot out to its length, of which they take hold and
pull the whole plant up by the roots from the moss with ease.
[p. 81.] _Amber_-greese I take to be a Mushroom, see the rarities
of _New-England_. Monardus _writeth that_ Amber_-greese riseth out
of a certain clammy and bituminous earth under the Seas, and by the
Sea-side, the billows casting up part of it a land, and fish devour
the rest; Some say it is the seed of a Whale, others, that it
springeth from fountains as pitch doth, which fishes swallow down;
the air congealeth it._ And sometimes it is found in the crevises
and corners of Rocks.
_Fuss-balls_, _Mullipuffes_ called by the Fishermen Wolves-farts,
are to be found plentifully, and those bigger by much than any I
have seen in _England_.
_Coraline_ there is infinite store of it cast upon the shore, and
another plant that is more spinie, of a Red colour, and as hard as
Corral. _Coraline_ laid to the gout easeth the pain.
Sea-Oake or wreach, or Sea-weed, the black pouches of Oar-weed
dryed and pulverized, and drunk with White-wine, is an excellent
remedy for the stone.
I will finish this part of my relation concerning plants, with an
admirable plant for the curing and taking away of Corns, which
many times sore troubleth the Traveller: it is not above a handful
high; the little branches are woodie, the leaves like [p. 82.] the
leaves of Box, but broader and much thicker, hard and of a deep
grass-green colour; this bruised or champt in the mouth and laid
upon the Corn will take it away clean in one night. And observe all
_Indian_ Trees and plants, their Roots are but of small depth, and
so they must be set.
Of Beasts of the earth there be scarce 120 several kinds, and
not much more of the Fowls of the Air, is the opinion of some
Naturalists; there are not many kinds of Beasts in _New-England_,
they may be divided into Beasts of the Chase of the stinking foot,
as _Roes_, _Foxes_, _Jaccals_, _Wolves_, _Wild-cats_, _Raccons_,
_Porcupines_, _Squncks_, _Musquashes_, _Squirrels_, _Sables_, and
_Mattrises_; and Beasts of the Chase of the sweet foot, _Buck_,
Red _Dear_, Rain-_Dear_, _Elke_, _Marouse_, _Maccarib_, _Bear_,
_Beaver_, _Otter_, _Marten_, _Hare_.
The _Roe_ a kind of Deer, and the fleetest Beast upon earth is here
to be found, and is good venison, but not over fat.
The _Fox_, the male is called a dog-fox, the female a bitch-fox,
they go a clicketing the beginning of the spring, and bring forth
their Cubs in _May_ and _June_. There are two or three kinds of
them; one a great yellow _Fox_, another grey, who will climb up
into Trees; the black _Fox_ is of much esteem. _Foxes_ and _Wolves_
are usually hunted [p. 83.] in _England_ from _Holy-Rood_ day, till
the _Annunciation_. In _New-England_ they make best sport in the
depth of winter; they lay a sledg-load of Cods-heads on the other
side of a paled fence when the moon shines, and about nine or ten
of the clock the _Foxes_ come to it, sometimes two or three, or
half a dozen, and more; these they shoot, and by that time they
have cased them, there will be as many; So they continue shooting
and killing of _Foxes_ as long as the moon shineth; I have known
half a score kill’d in one night. Their pisles are bonie like a
doggs, their fat liquified and put into the ears easeth the pain,
their tails or bushes are very fair ones and of good use, but their
skins are so thin (yet thick set with deep furr) that they will
hardly hold the dressing.
_Jaccals_ there be abundance, which is a Creature much like a
_Fox_, but smaller, they are very frequent in _Palæstina_, or the
_Holy-land_.
The _Wolf_ seeketh his mate and goes a clicketing at the same
season with _Foxes_, and bring forth their whelps as they do, but
their kennels are under thick bushes by great Trees in remote
places by the swamps, he is to be hunted as the _Fox_ from
_Holy-rood_ day till the _Annunciation_. But there [p. 84.] they
have a quicker way to destroy them. See _New-Englands_ rarities.
They commonly go in routs, a rout of _Wolves_ is 12 or more,
sometimes by couples. In 1664. we found a _Wolf_ asleep in a small
dry swamp under an Oake, a great mastiff which we had with us
seized upon him, and held him till we had put a rope about his
neck, by which we brought him home, and tying of him to a stake
we bated him with smaller Doggs, and had excellent sport; but his
hinder legg being broken, they knockt out his brains. Sometime
before this we had an excellent course after a single _Wolf_ upon
the hard sands by the Sea-side at low water for a mile or two,
at last we lost our doggs, it being (as the _Lancashire_ people
phrase it) twi-light, that is almost dark, and went beyond them,
for a mastiff-bitch had seized upon the _Wolf_ being gotten into
the Sea, and there held him, till one went in and led him out, the
bitch keeping her hold till they had tyed his leggs, and so carried
him home like a Calf upon a staff between two men; being brought
into the house they unbound him and set him upon his leggs, he not
offering in the least to bite, or so much as to shew his teeth, but
clapping his stern betwixt his leggs, and leering towards the door
would willingly have had his liberty, [p. 85.] but they served him
as they did the other, knockt his brains out, for our doggs were
not then in a condition to bate him; their eyes shine by night as
a Lanthorn: the Fangs of a _Wolf_ hung about childrens necks keep
them from frighting, and are very good to rub their gums with when
they are breeding of Teeth, the gall of a _Wolf_ is Soveraign for
swelling of the sinews; the fiants or dung of a _Wolf_ drunk with
white-wine helpeth the _Collick_.
The _Wild-cat_, _Lusern_ or _luceret_, or Ounce as some call it, is
not inferiour to Lamb, their grease is very soveraign for lameness
upon taking cold.
The _Racoon_ or _Rattoon_ is of two sorts, gray _Rattoons_, and
black _Rattoons_, their grease is soveraign for wounds with
bruises, aches, streins, bruises; and to anoint after broken bones
and dislocations.
The _Squnck_ is almost as big as a _Racoon_, perfect black and
white or pye-bald, with a bush-tail like a _Fox_, an offensive
Carion; the Urine of this Creature is of so strong a scent, that if
it light upon any thing, there is no abiding of it, it will make a
man smell, though he were of _Alexanders_ complexion; and so sharp
that if he do but whisk his bush which he pisseth upon in the face
of a dogg hunting of him, and that [p. 86.] any of it light in his
eyes it will make him almost mad with the smart thereof.
The _Musquashes_ is a small Beast that lives in shallow ponds,
where they build them houses of earth and sticks in shape like
mole-hills, and feed upon _Calamus Aromaticus_: in _May_ they scent
very strong of Muske; their furr is of no great esteem; their
stones wrapt up in Cotten-wool will continue a long time, and are
good to lay amongst cloths to give them a grateful smell.
The _Squirril_, of which there are three sorts, the mouse-squirril,
the gray squirril, and the flying squirril, called by the
_Indian_ _Assapanick_. The mouse-squirril is hardly so big as a
Rat, streak’d on both sides with black and red streaks, they are
mischievous vermine destroying abundance of Corn both in the field
and in the house, where they will gnaw holes into Chests, and tear
clothes both linnen and wollen, and are notable nut-gathers in
_August_; when hasel and filbert nuts are ripe you may see upon
every Nut-tree as many mouse-squirrils as leaves; So that the nuts
are gone in a trice, which they convey to their Drays or Nests. The
gray squirril is pretty large, almost as big as a Conie, and are
very good meat: in some parts of the Countrie there are many of
them. The flying squirril is so called, [p. 87.] because (his skin
being loose and large) he spreads it on both sides like wings when
he passeth from one Tree to another at great distance. I cannot
call it flying nor leaping, for it is both.
The _Mattrise_ is a Creature whose head and fore-parts is shaped
somewhat like a Lyons, not altogether so big as a house-cat, they
are innumerable up in the Countrey, and are esteemed good furr.
The _Sable_ is much of the size of a _Mattrise_ perfect black, but
what store there is of them I cannot tell, I never saw but two of
them in Eight years space.
The _Martin_ is as ours are in _England_, but blacker, they
breed in holes which they make in the earth like Conies, and are
innumerable, their skins or furr are in much request.
The _Buck_, _Stag_, and _Rain-Dear_ are Creatures that will live
in the coldest climates, here they are innumerable, bringing forth
three _Fawns_ or _Calves_ at a time, which they hide a mile asunder
to prevent their destruction by the _Wolves_, wild-_Cats_, _Bears_,
and _Mequans_: when they are in season they will be very fat; there
are but few slain by the _English_. The _Indians_ who shoot them,
and take of them with toyls, bring them in [p. 88.] with their
suet, and the bones that grow upon _Stags-Hearts_.
The _Moose_ or _Elke_ is a Creature, or rather if you will a
Monster of superfluity; a full grown _Moose_ is many times bigger
than an _English_ Oxe, their horns as I have said elsewhere, very
big (and brancht out into palms) the tips whereof are sometimes
found to be two fathom asunder, (a fathom [p. 89.] is six feet
from the tip of one finger to the tip of the other, that is four
cubits,) and in height from the toe of the fore-foot, to the pitch
of the shoulder twelve foot, both which hath been taken by some of
my _sceptique_ Readers to be monstrous lyes. If you consider the
breadth that the beast carrieth, and the magnitude of the horns,
you will be easily induced to contribute your belief.
What would you say, if I should tell you that in _Greenland_
there are _Does_ that have as large horns as _Bucks_, their brow
Antlers growing downwards beyond their _Musles_, and broad at the
end wherewith they scrape away the snow to the grass, it being
impossible for them other-wayes to live in those cold Countries;
the head of one of these _Does_ was sometime since nailed upon
a sign-post in _Charter-house-lane_, and these following verses
written upon a board underneath it.
_Like a_ Bucks_-head I stand in open view,
And yet am none; nay, wonder not, ’tis true;
The living Beast that these fair horns did owe
Well known to many, was a_ Green-land Doe
_The proverb old is here fulfill’d in me,
That every like is not the same you see._
And for their height since I came into _England_ I have read Dr.
_Scroderns_ his Chymical dispensatory translated into _English_
by Dr. _Rowland_, where he writes _that when he lived in_ Finland
_under_ Gustavus Horn, _he saw an_ Elke _that was killed and
presented to_ Gustavus _his Mother, seventeen spans high_. Law you
now Sirs of the Gibing crue, if you have any skill in mensuration,
tell me what difference there is between Seventeen spans and twelve
foot. There are certain transcendentia in every Creature, which are
the indelible Characters of God, and which discover God; There’s
a prudential for you, as _John Rhodes_ the Fisherman used to say
to his mate, _Kitt Lux_. But to go on with the _Moose_; they are
accounted a kind of Deer, and have three _Calves_ at a time, which
they hide a mile asunder too, as other Deer do, their skins make
excellent Coats for Martial men, their sinews which are as [p.
90.] big as a mans finger are of perdurable toughness and much
used by the _Indians_, the bone that growes upon their heart is an
excellent Cordial, their bloud is as thick as an _Asses_ or _Bulls_
who have the thickest bloud of all others, a man the thinnest.
To what age they live I know not, certainly a long time in their
proper climate. _Some particular living Creatures cannot live in
every particular place or region, especially with the same joy
and felicity as it did where it was first bred, for the certain
agreement of nature that is between the place and the thing bred in
that place: As appeareth by_ Elephants_, which being translated and
brought out of the Second or Third Climate, though they may live,
yet will they never ingender or bring forth young._ So for plants,
Birds, _&c._ Of both these Creatures, some few there have been
brought into _England_, but did not long continue. Sir _R. Baker_
in his Chronicle tells us of an _Elephant_ in _Henry_ the Thirds
Raign, which he saith was the first that was ever seen there, which
as it seems is an error, unless he restrain it to the _Norman’s_
time. For Mr. _Speed_ writeth that _Claudius Drusius_ Emperour of
_Rome_ brought in the first in his Army; the bones of which digg’d
up since are taken for Gyants bones. As for the _Moose_ the first
that was seen in _England_, [p. 91.] was in King _Charles_ the
First Raign; thus much for these magnals amongst the Creatures of
God to be wondered at, the next beast to be mentioned is
The _Maurouse_, which is somewhat like a _Moose_, but his horns are
but small, and himself about the size of a _Stag_, these are the
Deer that the flat-footed _Wolves_ hunt after.
The _Maccarib_ is a Creature not found that ever I heard yet, but
upon _Cape-Sable_ near to the _French_ plantations.
The _Bear_ when he goes to mate is a terrible Creature, they bring
forth their Cubs in _March_, hunted with doggs they take a Tree
where they shoot them, when he is fat he is excellent Venison,
which is in _Acorn_ time, and in winter, but then there is none
dares to attempt to kill him but the _Indian_. He makes his Denn
amongst thick Bushes, thrusting in here and there store of _Moss_,
which being covered with snow and melting in the day time with heat
of the Sun, in the night is frozen into a thick coat of Ice; the
mouth of his Den is very narrow, here they lye single, never two
in a Den all winter. The _Indian_ as soon as he finds them, creeps
in upon all four, seizes with his left hand upon the neck of the
sleeping _Bear_, drags him to the mouth of [p. 92.] the Den, where
with a club or small hatchet in his right hand he knocks out his
brains before he can open his eyes to see his enemy. But sometimes
they are too quick for the _Indians_, as one amongst them called
black Robin lighting upon a male _Bear_ had a piece of his buttock
torn off before he could fetch his blow: their grease is very
soveraign. One Mr. _Purchase_ cured himself of the _Sciatica_ with
_Bears_-greefe, keeping some of it continually in his groine. It
is good too for swell’d Cheeks upon cold, for Rupture of the hands
in winter, for limbs taken suddenly with _Sciatica_, _Gout_, or
other diseases that cannot stand upright nor go, bed-rid; it must
be well chaft in, and the same cloth laid on still; it prevents the
shedding of the hair occasioned by the coldness of winters weather;
and the yard of a _Bear_ which as a Doggs or Foxes is bonie, is
good for to expell Gravel out of the kidneys and bladder, as I was
there told by one Mr. _Abraham Philater_ a _Jersey-man_.
The _Beaver_ or Pound-dog is an Amphibious Creature, lives upon the
land as well as in the water. I suppose they feed upon fish, but am
sure that the Bark of Trees is also their food; there is an old
proverbial saying, _sic me jubes quotidie, ut fiber salicem_: you
love me as the _Beaver_ doth the willow; [p. 93.] who eateth the
Bark and killeth the Tree. They will be tame, witness the _Beaver_
that not long since was kept at _Boston_ in the _Massachusets-Bay_,
and would run up and down the streets, returning home without a
call. Their skins are highly valued, and their stones are good for
the palsie, trembling, and numbness of the hands, boiling of them
in Oyl of _Spike_, and anointing the sinews in the neck. If you
take of _Castorium_ two drams, of womans hair one dram, and with
a little Rozen of the _Pine_-Tree, make it up into pills as big
as Filberts and perfume a woman in a fit of the mother with one
at a time laid upon coals under her nostrils, it will recover her
out of her fit. The grease of a _Beaver_ is good for the Nerves,
Convulsions, Epilepsies, Apoplexies _&c._ The tail as I have said
in another Treatise, is very fat and of a masculine vertue, as good
as _Eringo’s_ or _Satyrion_-Roots.
The _Otter_ or River-_Dog_ is Amphibious too, he hunteth for his
kind in the spring, and bringeth forth his whelps as the _Beaver_
doth, they are generally black, and very numerous, they are
hunted in _England_ from _Shrovetide_ untill _Midsummer_, but in
_New-England_ they take them when they can. The skin of an _Otter_
is worth Ten Shillings, [p. 94.] and the Gloves made thereof are
the best fortification for the hands against wet weather that can
be thought of, the furr is excellent for muffs, and is almost as
dear as _Beaver_, the grease of an _Otter_ will make fish turn up
their bellies, and is of rare use for many things.
The _Hare_, I have no more to write of them than that they
kindle in hollow Trees. What else concerns him, or any of the
fore-mentioned Creatures you have in my _New-Englands_ rarities, to
which I refer you.
The _Porcupine_ likewise I have treated of, only this I forgot to
acquaint you with, that they lay Eggs, and are good meat.
The last kind of Beasts are they that are begot by equivocal
generation, as _Mules_ and several others, that when the Beasts
were brought by the Almighty Creator to _Adam_, who gave them
names, were not then in _rerum natura_. Of these there are not many
known in _New-England_. I know but of one, and that is the _Indian_
dog begotten betwixt a _Wolf_ and a _Fox_, or between a _Fox_ and
a _Wolf_, which they made use of, taming of them, and bringing of
them up to hunt with, but since the _English_ came amongst them
they have gotten store of our dogs, which they bring up and keep in
as much subjection as they do their webbs.
[p. 95.] Of birds there are not many more than 120 kinds as our
Naturalists have conjectured, but I think they are deceived; they
are divided into land-birds and water-birds, the land-birds again
into birds of prey, birds for meat, singing-birds and others.
The _Pilhannaw_ is the King of Birds of prey in _New-England_, some
take him to be a kind of _Eagle_, others for the _Indian-Ruck_
the biggest Bird that is, except the _Ostrich_. One Mr. _Hilton_
living at _Pascataway_, had the hap to kill one of them: being by
the Sea-side he perceived a great shadow over his head, the Sun
shining out clear, calling up his eyes he saw a monstrous Bird
soaring aloft in the air, and of a sudden all the _Ducks_ and
_Geese_, (there being then a great many) dived under water, nothing
of them appearing but their heads. Mr. _Hilton_ having made readie
his piece, shot and brought her down to the ground, how he disposed
of her I know not, but had he taken her alive & sent her over into
_England_, neither _Bartholomew_ nor _Sturbridge_-Fair could have
produced such another sight.
_Hawkes_ there are of several kinds, as _Goshawkes_, _Falcons_,
_Laniers_, _Sparrow-hawkes_, and a little black _hawke_ highly
prized by the _Indians_ who wear them on their [p. 96.] heads, and
is accounted of worth sufficient to ransome a _Sagamour_: they are
so strangely couragious and hardie, that nothing flyeth in the Air
that they will not bind with. I have seen them tower so high, that
they have been so small that scarcely could they be taken by the
eye. _Hawkes_ grease is very good for sore eyes.
The _Osprey_ I have treated of. There is a small Ash-colour Bird
that is shaped like a _Hawke_ with talons and beak that falleth
upon _Crowes_, mounting up into the Air after them, and will beat
them till they make them cry.
The _Vulture_ or _Geire_, which is spoken of in _Levit._ 11.
14. and called a _Gripe_, their skins are good to line doublets
with, and the bones of their head hung about the neck helpeth the
head-ach.
The _Gripe_; see _New Englands_ rarities, and for the
_Turkie_-buzzard.
The _Owl_ the most flagging Bird that is, of which there are three
sorts, a great grey _Owl_ with ears, a little grey _Owl_, and a
white _Owl_, which is no bigger than a _Thrush_. _Plinie_ writes
that the brains of an _Owl_ asswageth the pain & inflammation
in the lap of the ear. And that Eggs of an _Owl_ put into the
liquour that a tospot useth to be drunk with, will make him loath
drunkenness [p. 97.] ever after. But now peradventure some will
say, what doth this man mean to bring _Owls_ to _Athens_? verily
Sirs I presume to say, had I brought over of the little white
_Owls_ they would have been acceptable, they are good mousers, and
pretty Birds to look upon; the _Athenians_, no question are better
imployed than to take notice of my _Owls_, poor ragged Birds they
are and want those glittering golden feathers that _Draiton’s
Owl_ is adorned with, yet they are somewhat of that nature; if an
_Athenian_ chance in this season of divertisement to cast an eye
upon them I shall be glad, but more glad if he vouchsafe to prune
and correct their feathers, which I confess are discomposed for
want of Art; plain Birds they are, and fit for none but plain men
to manage. Sirs do not mistake me, there’s no man living honours
an _Athenian_ more than I do, especially where I perceive great
abilities concomiting with goodness of nature: A good nature (saith
Mr. _Perkins_) is the Character of God, and God is the father of
learning, knowledge, and every good gift, and hath condescended
to become a School-master to us poor mortals, furnishing of us
with Philosophy, Historie, Divinity by his holy Scriptures, which
if we diligently learn and practise, we shall in [p. 98.] time be
brought into his Heavenly Academy, where we shall have fulness and
perfection of knowledge eternally. But there are a Generation of
men and women in this prophane age that despise Gods learning and
his Ushers to the _Athenians_, choosing to wallow in the pleasures
of sin for a season. I shall conclude this excursion, with that
which a Poet writ sometime since, and then return to the trimming
of my _Owl_.