Part 2
When first _Apollo_ got my brain with Childe, He made large promise never to beguile, But like an honest Father, he would keep Whatever Issue from my Brain did creep: With that I gave consent, and up he threw Me on a Bench, and strangely he did do; Then every week he daily came to see How his new Physick still did work with me. And when he did perceive he’d don the feat, Like an unworthy man he made retreat, Left me in desolation, and where none Compassionated when they heard me groan. What could he judge the Parish then would think, To see me fair, his Brat as black as Ink? If they had eyes, they’d swear I were no Nun, But got with Child by some black _Africk_ Son, And so condemn me for my Fornication, To beat them Hemp to stifle half the Nation. Well, since ’tis so, I’le alter this base Fate, And lay his Bastard at some Noble’s Gate; Withdraw my self from Beadles, and from such, Who would give twelve pence I were in their clutch: {28} Then, who can tell? this Child which I do hide, May be in time a Small-beer Col’nel _Pride_ (see note No 8). But while I talk, my business it is dumb, I must lay double-clothes unto thy Bum, Then lap thee warm, and to the world commit The Bastard Off-spring of a New-born wit. Farewel, poor Brat, thou in a monstrous World, In swadling bands, thus up and down art hurl’d; There to receive what Destiny doth contrive, Either to perish, or be sav’d alive. Good Fate protect thee from a Criticks power, For If he comes, thou’rt gone in half an hour, Stiff’d and blasted, ’tis their usual way, To make that Night, which is as bright as Day. For if they once but wring, and skrew their mouth, Cock up their Hats, and set the point Du-South, Armes all a kimbo, and with belly strut, As if they had _Parnassus_ in their gut: These are the Symtomes of the murthering fall Of my poor Infant, and his burial. Say he should miss thee, and some ign’rant Asse Should find thee out, as he along doth pass, It were all one, he’d look into thy Tayle, To see if thou wert Feminine or Male; When he’d half starv’d thee, for to satisfie His peeping Ign’rance, he’d then let thee lie; And vow by’s wit he ne’re could understand, The Heathen dresses of another Land: Well, ’tis no matter, wherever such as he Knows one grain, more than his simplicity. Now, how the pulses of my senses beat, To think the rigid Fortune thou wilt meet; {29} Asses and captious Fools, not six in ten Of thy Spectators will be real men, To Umpire up the badness of the cause, And screen my weakness from the rav’nous Laws, Of those that will undoubted sit to see How they might blast this new-born Infancy: If they should burn him, they’d conclude hereafter, ’Twere too good death for him to dye a Martyr; And if they let him live, they think it will Be but a means for to encourage ill, And bring in time some strange _Antipod’ans_, A thousand Leagues beyond _Philippians_, To storm our Wits; therefore he must not rest, But shall be hang’d, for all he has been prest: Thus they conclude.—My Genius comforts give, In Resurrection he will surely live.
To my Friend Mr. GEORGE ALSOP, on his Character of MARY-LAND.
_Who such odd nookes of Earths great mass describe,_ _Prove their descent from old_ Columbus _tribe:_ _Some Boding augur did his Name devise,_ _Thy Genius too cast in th’ same mould and size;_ _His Name predicted he would be a Rover,_ _And hidden places of this Orb discover;_ _He made relation of that World in gross,_ _Thou the particulars retail’st to us:_ _By this first Peny of thy fancy we_ _Discover what thy greater Coines will be;_ _This Embryo thus well polisht doth presage,_ _The manly Atchievements of its future age._ _Auspicious winds blow gently on this spark,_ _Untill its flames discover what’s yet dark;_ _Mean while this short Abridgement we embrace,_ _Expecting that thy busy soul will trace_ _Some Mines at last which may enrich the World,_ _And all that poverty may be in oblivion hurl’d._ _Zoilus is dumb, for thou the mark hast hit,_ _By interlacing History with Wit:_ _Thou hast described its superficial Treasure,_ _Anatomiz’d its bowels at thy leasure;_ _That_ MARY-LAND _to thee may duty owe,_ _Who to the World dost all her Glory shew;_ _Then thou shalt make the Prophesie fall true,_ _Who fill’st the World (like th’ Sea) with knowledge new._
WILLIAM BOGHERST. (See note No. 9.)
To my Friend Mr. GEORGE ALSOP, on his Character of MARY-LAND.
_This plain, yet pithy and concise Description_ _Of_ Mary-Lands _plentious and sedate condition,_ _With other things herein by you set forth,_ _To shew its Rareness, and declare its Worth;_ _Compos’d in such a time, when most men were_ _Smitten with Sickness, or surpriz’d with Fear,_ _Argues a Genius good, and Courage stout,_ _In bringing this Design so well about:_ _Such generous Freedom waited on thy brain,_ _The Work was done in midst of greatest pain;_ _And matters flow’d so swiftly from thy source,_ _Nature design’d thee (sure) for such Discourse._ _Go on then with thy Work so well begun,_ _Let it come forth, and boldly see the Sun;_ _Then shall’t be known to all, that from thy Youth_ _Thou heldst it Noble to maintain the Truth,_ _’Gainst all the Rabble-rout, that yelping stand,_ _To cast aspersions on thy_ MARY-LAND: _But this thy Work shall vindicate its Fame,_ _And as a Trophy memorize thy Name,_ _So if without a Tomb thou buried be,_ _This Book’s a lasting Monument for thee._
H. W., Master of Arts. (See note No. 10).
From my Study, _Jan._ 10, 1665.
A
CHARACTER
OF THE PROVINCE OF
MARY-LAND.
CHAP. I.
_Of the situation and plenty of the Province of_ Mary-Land.
Mary-land is a Province situated upon the large extending bowels of _America_, under the Government of the Lord _Baltemore_, adjacent Northwardly upon the Confines of _New-England_, and neighbouring Southwardly upon _Virginia_, dwelling pleasantly upon the Bay of _Chæsapike_ (see note No. 11), between the Degrees of 36 and 38, in the Zone temperate, and by Mathematical computation is eleven hundred and odd Leagues in Longitude from _England_, being within her own imbraces extraordinary pleasant and fertile. Pleasant, in respect of the multitude of Navigable Rivers and Creeks that conveniently and most profitably lodge within the armes of her green, spreading, and delightful Woods; whose natural womb (by her plenty) maintains and preserves the several diversities of Animals that rangingly inhabit her Woods; as she doth otherwise generously fructifie {36} this piece of Earth with almost all sorts of Vegetables, as well Flowers with their varieties of colours and smells, as Herbes and Roots with their several effects and operative virtues, that offer their benefits daily to supply the want of the Inhabitant whene’re their necessities shall _Sub-pœna_ them to wait on their commands. So that he, who out of curiosity desires to see the Landskip of the Creation drawn to the life, or to read Natures universal Herbal without book, may with the Opticks of a discreet discerning, view _Mary-Land_ drest in her green and fragrant Mantle of the Spring. Neither do I think there is any place under the Heavenly altitude, or that has footing or room upon the circular Globe of this world, that can parallel this fertile and pleasant piece of ground in its multiplicity, or rather Natures extravagancy of a superabounding plenty. For so much doth this Country increase in a swelling Spring-tide of rich variety and diversities of all things, not only common provisions that supply the reaching stomach of man with a satisfactory plenty, but also extends with its liberality and free convenient benefits to each sensitive faculty, according to their several desiring Appetites. So that had Nature made it her business, on purpose to have found out a situation for the Soul of profitable Ingenuity, she could not have fitted herself better in the traverse of the whole Universe, nor in convenienter terms have told man, _Dwell here, live plentifully and be rich_. {37}
The Trees, Plants, Fruits, Flowers, and Roots that grow here in _Mary-Land_, are the only Emblems or Hieroglyphicks of our Adamitical or Primitive situation, as well for their variety as odoriferous smells, together with their vertues, according to their several effects, kinds and properties, which still bear the Effigies of Innocency according to their original Grafts; which by their dumb vegetable Oratory, each hour speaks to the Inhabitant in silent acts, That they need not look for any other Terrestrial Paradice, to suspend or tyre their curiosity upon, while she is extant. For within her doth dwell so much of variety, so much of natural plenty, that there is not any thing that is or may be rare, but it inhabits within this plentious soyle: So that those parts of the Creation that have borne the Bell away (for many ages) for a vegetable plentiousness, must now in silence strike and vayle all, and whisper softly in the auditual parts of _Mary-Land_, that _None but she in this dwells singular_; and that as well for that she doth exceed in those Fruits, Plants, Trees and Roots, that dwell and grow in their several Clymes or habitable parts of the Earth besides, as the rareness and super-excellency of her own glory, which she flourishly abounds in, by the abundancy of reserved Rarities, such as the remainder of the World (with all its speculative art) never bore any occular testimony of as yet. I shall forbear to particularize those several sorts of vegetables that flourishingly grows here, by {38} reason of the vast tediousness that will attend upon the description, which therefore makes them much more fit for an Herbal, than a small Manuscript or History. (See note No. 12).
As for the wilde Animals of this Country, which loosely inhabits the Woods in multitudes, it is impossible to give you an exact description of them all, considering the multiplicity as well as the diversity of so numerous an extent of Creatures: But such as has fallen within the compass or prospect of my knowledge, those you shall know of; _videlicet_, the Deer, because they are oftner seen, and more participated of by the Inhabitants of the Land, whose acquaintance by a customary familiarity becomes much more common than the rest of Beasts that inhabit the Woods by using themselves in Herds about the Christian Plantations. Their flesh, which in some places of this Province is the common provision the Inhabitants feed on, and which through the extreme glut and plenty of it, being daily killed by the _Indians_, and brought in to the _English_, as well as that which is killed by the Christian Inhabitant, that doth it more for recreation, than for the benefit they reap by it. I say, the flesh of Venison becomes (as to food) rather denyed, than any way esteemed or desired. And this I speak from an experimental knowledge; For when I was under a Command, and debarr’d of a four years ranging Liberty in the Province of _Mary-Land_, the Gentleman whom I served my conditional and {39} prefixed time withall, had at one time in his house fourscore Venisons, besides plenty of other provisions to serve his Family nine months, they being but seven in number; so that before this Venison was brought to a period by eating, it so nauseated our appetites and stomachs, that plain bread was rather courted and desired than it.
The Deer (see note No. 13) here neither in shape nor action differ from our Deer in _England_: the Park they traverse their ranging and unmeasured walks in, is bounded and impanell’d in with no other pales than the rough and billowed Ocean: They are also mighty numerous in the Woods, and are little or not at all affrighted at the face of a man, but (like the Does of _Whetstons_ Park) (see note No. 14) though their hydes are not altogether so gaudy to extract an admiration from the beholder, yet they will stand (all most) till they be scratcht.
As for the Wolves, Bears, and Panthers (see note No. 15) of this Country, they inhabit commonly in great multitudes up in the remotest parts of the Continent; yet at some certain time they come down near the Plantations, but do little hurt or injury worth noting, and that which they do is of so degenerate and low a nature, (as in reference to the fierceness and heroick vigour that dwell in the same kind of Beasts in other Countries), that they are hardly worth mentioning: For the highest of their designs and circumventing reaches is but cowardly and base, only {40} to steal a poor Pigg, or kill a lost and half starved Calf. The Effigies of a man terrifies them dreadfully, for they no sooner espy him but their hearts are at their mouths, and the spurs upon their heels, they (having no more manners than Beasts) gallop away, and never bid them farewell that are behind them.
The Elke, the Cat of the Mountain, the Rackoon, the Fox, the Beaver, the Otter, the Possum, the Hare, the Squirril, the Monack, the Musk-Rat (see note No. 16), and several others (whom I’le omit for brevity sake) inhabit here in _Mary-Land_ in several droves and troops, ranging the Woods at their pleasure.
The meat of most of these Creatures is good for eating, yet of no value nor esteem here, by reason of the great plenty of other provisions, and are only kill’d by the _Indians_ of the Country for their Hydes and Furrs, which become very profitable to those that have the right way of traffiquing for them, as well as it redounds to the _Indians_ that take the pains to catch them, and to slay and dress their several Hydes, selling and disposing them for such commodities as their Heathenish fancy delights in.
As for those Beasts that were carried over at the first seating of the Country, to stock and increase the situation, as Cows, Horses, Sheep and Hogs (see note No. 17), they are generally tame, and use near home, especially the Cows, Sheep and Horses. The Hogs, whose increase is innumerable in the Woods, do {41} disfrequent home more than the rest of Creatures that are look’d upon as tame, yet with little trouble and pains they are slain and made provision of. Now they that will with a right Historical Survey, view the Woods of _Mary-Land_ in this particular, as in reference to Swine, must upon necessity judge this Land lineally descended from the _Gadarean_ Territories. (See note No. 18.)
_Mary-Land_ (I must confess) cannot boast of her plenty of Sheep here, as other Countries; not but that they will thrive and increase here, as well as in any place of the World besides, but few desire them, because they commonly draw down the Wolves among the Plantations, as well by the sweetness of their flesh, as by the humility of their nature, in not making a defensive resistance against the rough dealing of a ravenous Enemy. They who for curiosity will keep Sheep, may expect that after the Wolves have breathed themselves all day in the Woods to sharpen their stomachs, they will come without fail and sup with them at night, though many times they surfeit themselves with the sawce that’s dish’d out of the muzzle of a Gun, and so in the midst of their banquet (poor Animals) they often sleep with their Ancestors.
Fowls of all sorts and varieties dwell at their several times and seasons here in _Mary-Land_. The Turkey, the Woodcock, the Pheasant, the Partrich, the Pigeon, and others, especially the Turkey, whom I have seen {42} in whole hundreds in flights in the Woods of _Mary-Land_, being an extraordinary fat Fowl, whose flesh is very pleasant and sweet. These Fowls that I have named are intayled from generation to generation to the Woods. The Swans, the Geese and Ducks (with other Water-Fowl) derogate in this point of setled residence; for they arrive in millionous multitudes in _Mary-Land_ about the middle of _September_, and take their winged farewell about the midst of _March_ (see note No. 19): But while they do remain, and beleagure the borders of the shoar with their winged Dragoons, several of them are summoned by a Writ of _Fieri facias_, to answer their presumptuous contempt upon a Spit.
As for Fish, which dwell in the watry tenements of the deep, and by a providential greatness of power, is kept for the relief of several Countries in the world (which would else sink under the rigid enemy of want), here in _Mary-Land_ is a large sufficiency, and plenty of almost all sorts of Fishes, which live and inhabit within her several Rivers and Creeks, far beyond the apprehending or crediting of those that never saw the same, which with very much ease is catched, to the great refreshment of the Inhabitants of the Province.
All sorts of Grain, as Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oates, Pease, besides several others that have their original and birth from the fertile womb of this Land (and no where else), they all grow, increase, and thrive here {43} in _Mary-Land_, without the chargable and laborious manuring of the Land with Dung; increasing in such a measure and plenty, by the natural richness of the Earth, with the common, beneficial and convenient showers of rain that usually wait upon the several Fields of Grain (by a natural instinct), so that Famine (the dreadful Ghost of penury and want) is never known with his pale visage to haunt the Dominions of _Mary-Land_. (See note No. 20).
_Could’st thou (O Earth) live thus obscure, and now_ _Within an Age, shew forth thy plentious brow_ _Of rich variety, gilded with fruitful Fame,_ _That (Trumpet-like) doth Heraldize thy Name,_ _And tells the World there is a Land now found,_ _That all Earth’s Globe can’t parallel its Ground?_ _Dwell, and be prosperous, and with thy plenty feed_ _The craving Carkesses of those Souls that need._
{44}
CHAP. II.
_Of the Government and Natural Disposition of the People._
Mary-Land, not from the remoteness of her situation, but from the regularity of her well ordered Government, may (without sin, I think) be called _Singular_: And though she is not supported with such large Revenues as some of her Neighbours are, yet such is her wisdom in a reserved silence, and not in pomp, to shew her well-conditioned Estate, in relieving at a distance the proud poverty of those that wont be seen they want, as well as those which by undeniable necessities are drove upon the Rocks of pinching wants: Yet such a loathsome creature is a common and folding-handed Beggar, that upon the penalty of almost a perpetual working in Imprisonment, they are not to appear, nor lurk near our vigilant and laborious dwellings. The Country hath received a general spleen and antipathy against the very name and nature of it; and though there were no Law provided (as there is) to suppress it, I am certainly confident, there is none within the Province that would lower themselves so much below the dignity of men to beg, as long as limbs and life keep house together; so much is a vigilant industrious care esteem’d. {45}
He that desires to see the real Platform of a quiet and sober Government extant, Superiority with a meek and yet commanding power sitting at the Helme, steering the actions of State quietly, through the multitude and diversity of Opinionous waves that diversly meet, let him look on _Mary-Land_ with eyes admiring, and he’ll then judge her, _The Miracle of this Age_.
Here the _Roman Catholick_, and the _Protestant Episcopal_ (whom the world would perswade have proclaimed open Wars irrevocably against each other), contrarywise concur in an unanimous parallel of friendship, and inseparable love intayled into one another: All Inquisitions, Martyrdom, and Banishments are not so much as named, but unexpressably abhorr’d by each other.
The several Opinions and Sects that lodge within this Government, meet not together in mutinous contempts to disquiet the power that bears Rule, but with a reverend quietness obeys the legal commands of Authority. (See note No. 21). Here’s never seen Five Monarchies in a Zealous Rebellion, opposing the Rights and Liberties of a true setled Government, or Monarchical Authority: Nor did I ever see (here in _Mary-Land_) any of those dancing Adamitical Sisters, that plead a primitive Innocency for their base obscenity, and naked deportment; but I conceive if some of them were there at some certain time of the year, between the Months of _January_ and _February_, {46} when the winds blow from the North-West quarter of the world, that it would both cool, and (I believe) convert the hottest of these Zealots from their burning and fiercest concupiscence. (See note No. 22).
The Government of this Province doth continually, by all lawful means, strive to purge her Dominions from such base corroding humors, that would predominate upon the least smile of Liberty, did not the Laws check and bridle in those unwarranted and tumultuous Opinions. And truly, where a kingdom, State or Government, keeps or cuts down the weeds of destructive Opinions, there must certainly be a blessed harmony of quietness. And I really believe this Land or Government of _Mary-Land_ may boast, that she enjoys as much quietness from the disturbance of Rebellious Opinions, as most States or Kingdoms do in the world: For here every man lives quietly, and follows his labour and imployment desiredly; and by the protection of the Laws, they are supported from those molestious troubles that ever attend upon the Commons of other States and Kingdoms, as well as from the Aquafortial operation of great and eating Taxes. Here’s nothing to be levyed out of the Granaries of Corn; but contrarywise, by a Law every Domestick Governor of a Family is enjoyned to make or cause to be made so much Corn by a just limitation, as shall be sufficient for him and his Family (see note No. 23): So that by this wise and _Janus_-like providence, the thin-jawed Skeliton with his starv’d Carkess is never {47} seen walking the Woods of _Mary-Land_ to affrighten Children.
Once every year within this Province is an Assembly called, and out of every respective County (by the consent of the people) there is chosen a number of men, and to them is deliver’d up the Grievances of the Country; and they maturely debate the matters, and according to their Consciences make Laws for the general good of the people; and where any former Law that was made, seems and is prejudicial to the good or quietness of the Land, it is repeal’d. These men that determine on these matters for the Republique, are called Burgesses, and they commonly sit in Junto about six weeks, being for the most part good ordinary Householders of the several Counties, which do more by a plain and honest Conscience, than by artificial Syllogisms drest up in gilded Orations. (See note No. 24).