As for the Soyle, I may be bould to commend the fertility thereof, and preferre it before the Soyle of England, (our Native Country); and I neede not to produce more then one argument for proffe thereof, because it is so infallible.
Hempe is a thing by Husband men in generall ageed upon to prosper best in the most fertile Soyle: and experience hath taught this rule, that Hempe seede prospers so well in New England that it shewteth up to be tenne foote high and tenne foote and a halfe, which is twice so high as the ground in old England produceth it; which argues New England the more fertile of the two.[429]
As for the aire, I will produce but one proffe for the maintenance of the excellency thereof; which is so generall, as I assure myselfe it will suffice.
No man living there was ever knowne to be troubled with a cold, a cough, or a murre; but many men, comming sick out of Virginea to New Canaan have instantly recovered with the helpe of the purity {95} of that aire;[430] no man ever surfeited himselfe either by eating or drinking.
As for the plenty of that Land, it is well knowne that no part of Asia, Affrica or Europe affordeth deare that doe bring forth any more then one single faune; and in New Canaan the Deare are accustomed to bring forth 2. and 3. faunes at a time.[431]
Besides, there are such infinite flocks of Fowle and Multitudes of fish, both in the fresh waters and also on the Coast, that the like hath not else where bin discovered by any traveller.
The windes there are not so violent as in England; which is prooved by the trees that grow in the face of the winde by the Sea Coast; for there they doe not leane from the winde as they doe in England: as we have heard before.[432]
The Raine is there more moderate then in England; which thing I have noted in all the time of my residence to be so.
The Coast is low Land, and not high Land: and hee is of a weake capacity that conceaveth otherwise of it, because it cannot be denied but that boats may come a ground in all places along the Coast, and especially within the Compas of the Massachusets patent, where the prospect is fixed.[433]
The Harboures are not to be bettered for safety and goodnesse of ground, for ancorage, and, (which is worthy observation,) shipping will not there be furred; neither are they subject to wormes, as in Virginea and other places.
{96} Let the Scituation also of the Country be considered, (together with the rest which is discovered in the front of this abstract,) and then I hope no man will hold this land unworthy to be intituled by the name of the second Canaan.
And, since the Seperatists are desirous to have the denomination thereof, I am become an humble Suter on their behalfe for your consents, (courteous Readers,) to it, before I doe shew you what Revels they have kept in New Canaan.[434]