The New English Canaan of Thomas Morton with Introductory Matter and Notes

Chapter 4: NEW ENGLISH CANAAN OR NEW CANAAN.

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About This Book

A first-person colonial narrative combines satirical social criticism with detailed observation of the region’s environment and inhabitants. The author alternates between polemic aimed at prevailing religious and civic authorities and attentive descriptions of landscape, plants, animals, fish, birds, and Indigenous customs, using anecdote, classical and scriptural allusion, and legal complaint. The work shifts tone from humor to invective to empirical reporting, creating a hybrid of natural history, social commentary, and personal defense; many later editions append extensive notes to clarify archaic terms, names, and scientific references.

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 Country, and what staple Commodities it yealdeth.

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 of Cliffords Inne gent, upon tenne yeares knowledge and experiment of the Country.

Printed at AMSTERDAM,
By JACOB FREDERICK STAM.
In the Yeare 1637.