An Account of Two Voyages to New-England, Made During the Years 1638, 1663 — Edition Insights

This book was published in 1865. It was, as the Preface notes, a “literal” and “exact” copy of the original book published in 1674, and so retained the spelling, the punctuation and the copious italicizing of the original. (The errata in the 1674 book were applied.)

This etext maintains this careful reproduction of the 1674 text, with some exceptions that are noted at the end of the book.

The page numbers of the 1674 book are embedded in the text and etext in [] brackets; for example [p. 75.]

The 1865 publisher inserted two corrections in [] brackets; they have been retained in this etext without change: page 9: “the Ships trine [trim?] a foot by the stern” page 157: “20 English miles, [leagues?] or 60 miles”.

The dates in the book of course accord with the Julian calendar. Dual dating was (sometimes) used for events between January 1st and March 25th (the end of a Julian year), for example on page 204: “the 24 of _January_ 1659/60 landed at”.

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

The tables in this book are best viewed using a monospace font.

Made during the years 1638, 1663.

_By JOHN JOSSELYN, Gent._

Two Hundred and Fifty Copies printed, Small Quarto.

_Riverside, Cambridge_: Printed by H. O. HOUGHTON & CO.

The work published by Josselyn in 1672, entitled “New England’s Rarities discovered,” which has been reprinted in a similar form, and as a companion volume to the present, contains a full and detailed account of the family of the author, with many curious facts relating to the personal history of this early explorer of New England; but it has been thought expedient to prefix to his narrative a genealogical chart of the family, copied from a paper among the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum, the substance of which has been printed in the “New England Historical and Genealogical Register,” and which is now kindly furnished for publication by Samuel G. Drake, Esq. The table now published will be found generally to confirm the information given in the account of the family already published.

The first of the “Two Voyages” of Josselyn, of which he gives an account in the present work, was undertaken in the year 1638, only eight years after the settlement of Boston, and when, to use his own words, “it was rather a village than a town, there being not above twenty or thirty houses;” while the second visit of the author to New England took place in 1663, after an absence of twenty-five years, and when the town had assumed the proportions of a flourishing seaport. On this occasion he appears to have remained in New England for eight years, the principal part of which was spent on the plantation of his brother, Henry Josselyn, at Black Point.

This work is the latest of the author’s productions, and was not given to the public until 1674. It was reprinted by the Massachusetts Historical Society in 1833, and may be found in the third volume of the third series of their collections. Josselyn’s observations on the natural history of the country, his descriptions of the various plants and notices of their medicinal effects, are more full and exact in the present work than in the “New England’s Rarities,” printed two years earlier, and must be considered as among the most valuable of those given by the early botanists of New England.

The political and theological opinions of Josselyn were not in accordance with those generally received in the Colonies, particularly in the later years of his life. On this subject, Prof. Tuckerman, in his Introduction to the work last mentioned, remarks that, “In the account of his first voyage, there is no appearance of that dislike to the Massachusetts government and people which is observable in the narrative of the second; and may there not unfairly be connected with his brother’s political and religious differences with Massachusetts.” There is sufficient evidence in this work to show that the sympathies of the author were enlisted in the royal cause, and there appears to be little ground for admitting his supposed complicity in the fruitless insurrection in the north of England in 1663, or his identity with the “Capt. John Jossline” mentioned by the late Rev. Joseph Hunter in his account of the family.

The chronological table appended to his “New-England’s Rarities” is greatly enlarged in the present work, and continued to the year 1674.

In reprinting this rare and curious volume, great care has been taken to make it a _literal_ and _exact copy_ of the original, the proofs having been carefully collated with a copy of the work belonging to the Library of Harvard College.

BOSTON, _June 15, 1865_.

Wherein you have the setting out of a Ship, With the charges; The prices of all necessaries for furnishing a Planter & his Family at his first coming; A Description of the Country, Natives and Creatures; The Government of the Countrey as it is now possessed by the _English_, &c. A large Chronological Table of the most remarkable passages from the first discovering of the Continent of _America_, to the year 1673.

By _John Josselyn_ Gent.

Memner. distich rendred English by Dr. _Heylin_.

_Heart, take thine ease, Men hard to please Thou haply might’st offend, Though one speak ill Of thee, some will Say better; there’s an end._

_London_ Printed for _G. Widdowes_ at the _Green Dragon_ in St. _Pauls_ Church-yard, 1675.

_Novemb._ the 28. 1673.

The following Account of Two

Is Most Humbly presented

_Anno Dom._ 1638. _April_ the 26th being _Thursday_, I came to _Gravesend_ and went aboard the _New Supply_, _alias_, the _Nicholas of London_, a Ship of good force, of 300 Tuns burden, carrying 20 Sacre and Minion, man’d with 48 Sailers, the Master _Robert Taylor_, the Merchant or undertaker Mr. _Edward Tinge_, with 164 Passengers men, women and children.

[p. 2.] At _Gravesend_ I began my Journal, from whence we departed on the 26. of _April_, about Six of the clock at night, and went down into the _Hope_.

The 27. being _Fryday_, we set sail out of the _Hope_, and about Nine of the clock at night we came to an Anchor in _Margaret_-Road in three fathom and a half water: by the way we past a States man of war, of 500 Tun, cast away a month before upon the _Goodwin_, nothing remaining visible above water but her main mast top, 16 of her men were drowned, the rest saved by Fishermen.

The 28. we twined into the Downs, where Captain _Clark_ one of His Majesties Captains in the Navy, came aboard of us in the afternoon, and prest two of our Trumpeters. Here we had good store of Flounders from the Fishermen, new taken out of the Sea and living, which being readily gutted, were fry’d while they were warm; me thoughts I never tasted of a delicater Fish in all my life before.

The Third of _May_ being _Ascension_ day, in the afternoon we weighed out of the _Downs_, the wind at _E._ and ran down into _Dover_ Road, and lay by the lee, whilst they sent the Skiffe ashore for one of the Masters mates: by the way we past _Sandwich_ in the [p. 3.] _Hope_, _Sandown-Castle_, _Deal_; So we steered away for _Doniesse_, from thence we steered _S. W. ½S._ for the _Beachie_, about one of the clock at night the wind took us a stayes with a gust, rain, thunder and lightning, and now a Servant of one of the passengers sickned of the small pox.

The Fifth day in the afternoon we Anchored, the _Isle_ of _Wight_ _W. N. W._ 10 leagues off, _Beachie_ _E. N. E._ 8 leagues off, rode in 32 fathom water at low water, at 8 of the clock at night the land over the Needles bore _N. W._ 4 leagues off, we steered _W._ afore the Start, at noon the Boult was _N. W._ by _W._ about 3½ leagues off, we were becalmed from 7 of the clock in the morning, till 12 of the clock at noon, where we took good store of _Whitings_, and half a score _Gurnets_, this afternoon an infinite number of _Porpisces_ shewed themselves above water round about the Ship, as far as we could kenn, the night proved tempestuous with much lightning and thunder.

The Sixth day being _Sunday_, at five of the clock at night the _Lizard_ was _N. W._ by _W._ 6 leagues off, and the _Blackhead_ which is to the westward of _Falmouth_ was _N. W._ about 5 leagues off.

The Seventh day the uttermost part of _Silly_ was _N. E._ 12 leagues off, and now we began to sail by the logg.

[p. 4.] The Eighth day, one _Boremans_ man a passenger was duck’d at the main yards arm (for being drunk with his Masters strong waters which he stole) thrice, and fire given to two whole Sacree, at that instant. Two mighty Whales we now saw, the one spouted water through two great holes in her head into the Air a great height, and making a great noise with puffing and blowing, the Seamen called her a Soufler; the other was further off, about a league from the Ship, fighting with the Sword-fish, and the Flail-fish, whose stroakes with a fin that growes upon her back like a flail, upon the back of the Whale, we heard with amazement: when presently some more than half as far again we spied a spout from above, it came pouring down like a River of water; So that if they should light in any Ship, she were in danger to presently sunk down into the Sea, and falleth with such an extream violence all whole together as one drop, or as water out of a Vessel, and dured a quarter of an hour, making the Sea to boyle like a pot, and if any Vessel be near, it sucks it in. I saw many of these spouts afterwards at nearer distance. In the afternoon the Mariners struck a Porpisce, called also a _Marsovius_ or Sea-hogg, with an harping Iron, and hoisted her aboard, [p. 5.] they cut some of it into thin pieces, and fryed, it tasts like rusty Bacon, or hung Beef, if not worse; but the Liver boiled and soused sometime in Vinegar is more grateful to the pallat. About 8 of the clock at night, a flame settled upon the main mast, it was about the bigness of a great Candle, and is called by our Seamen St. _Elmes_ fire, it comes before a storm, and is commonly thought to be a Spirit; if two appear they prognosticate safety: These are known to the learned by the names of _Castor_ and _Pollux_, to the _Italians_ by St. _Nicholas_ and St. _Hermes_, by the _Spaniards_ called _Corpos Santos_.

The Ninth day, about two of the clock in the afternoon, we found the head of our main mast close to the cap twisted and shivered, and we presently after found the fore-top-mast crackt a little above the cap; So they wolled them both, and about two of the clock in the morning 7 new long Boat oars brake away from our Starboard quarter with a horrid crack.

The Eleventh day, they observed and made the Ship to be in latitude 48 degrees 46 minuts, having a great Sea all night; about 6 of the clock in the morning we spake with Mr. _Rupe_ in a Ship of _Dartmouth_, which came from _Marcelloes_; and now is _Silly_ _N. E._ by _E._ 34 leagues off; [p. 6.] about 9 of the clock at night we sounded, and had 85 fathom water, small brownish pepperie sand, with a small piece of _Hakes_ Tooth, and now we are 45 leagues off the _Lizard_, great Seas all night, and now we see to the _S. W._ six tall Ships, the wind being _S. W._

The Twelfth day being _Whitsunday_, at prayer-time we found the Ships trine [trim?] a foot by the stern, and also the partie that was sick of the small pox now dyed, whom we buried in the Sea, tying a bullet (as the manner is) to his neck, and another to his leggs, turned him out at a Port-hole, giving fire to a great Gun. In the afternoon one _Martin Ivy_ a stripling, servant to Captain _Thomas Cammock_ was whipt naked at the Cap-stern, with a Cat with Nine tails, for filching 9 great Lemmons out of the _Chirurgeons_ Cabbin, which he eat rinds and all in less than an hours time.

The Thirteenth day we took a Sharke, a great one, and hoisted him aboard with his two Companions (for there is never a Sharke, but hath a mate or two) that is the Pilot-fish or Pilgrim, which lay upon his back close to a long finn; the other fish (somewhat bigger than the Pilot) about two foot long, called a _Remora_, it hath no scales and sticks close to the Sharkes belly. [p. 7.] So the Whale hath the Sea-gudgeon, a small fish for his mate, marching before him, and guiding him; which I have seen likewise. The Seamen divided the Sharke into quarters, and made more quarter about it than the Purser, when he makes five quarters of an Oxe, and after they had cooked him, he proved very rough Grain’d not worthy of wholesome preferment; but in the afternoon we took store of _Bonitoes_, or Spanish _Dolphins_, a fish about the size of a large Mackarel, beautified with admirable varietie of glittering colours in the water, and was excellent food.

The Fourteenth day we spake with a _Plimouth_ man (about dinner time) bound for _New-found-land_, who having gone up west-ward sprang a leak, and now bore back for _Plimouth_. Now was _Silly_ 50 leagues off, and now many of the passengers fall sick of the small Pox and Calenture.

The Sixteenth Mr. _Clarke_, who came out of the _Downs_ with us, and was bound for the Isle of _Providence_, one of the summer Islands; the _Spaniards_ having taken it a little before, though unknown to _Clarke_, and to Captain _Nathaniel Butler_ going Governour, they departed from us the Wind _N. W._ great Seas and stormie winds all night.

[p. 8.] The Seventeenth day, the wind at _N. W._ about 8 of the clock we saw 5 great Ships bound for the _Channel_, which was to the Westward of us, about two leagues off, we thought them to be _Flemmings_; here we expected to have met with Pirates, but were happily deceived.

The One and twentieth day, the wind _S._ by _W._ great Seas and Wind, in’d our courses, and tryed from 5 of the clock afternoon, till 4 in the morning, the night being very stormie and dark; we lost Mr. _Goodlad_ and his Ship, who came out with us, and bound for _Boston_ in _New-England_.

The Eight and twentieth day, all this while a very great grown Sea and mighty winds.

_June_ the first day in the afternoon, very thick foggie weather, we sailed by an inchanted Island, saw a great deal of filth and rubbish floating by the Ship, heard _Cawdimawdies_, _Sea-gulls_ and _Crowes_, (Birds that always frequent the shoar) but could see nothing by reason of the mist: towards Sunset, when we were past the Island, it cleared up.

The Fourteenth day of _June_, very foggie weather, we sailed by an Island of Ice (which lay on the Star-board side) three leagues in length mountain high, in form of [p. 9.] land, with Bayes and Capes like high clift land, and a River pouring off it into the Sea. We saw likewise two or three Foxes, or Devils skipping upon it. These Islands of Ice are congealed in the North, and brought down in the spring-time with the Current to the banks on this side _New-found-land_, and there stopt, where they dissolve at last to water; by that time we had sailed half way by it, we met with a _French_ Pickeroon. Here it was as cold as in the middle of _January_ in _England_, and so continued till we were some leagues beyond it.

The Sixteenth day we sounded, and found 35 fathom water, upon the bank of _New-found-land_, we cast out our hooks for Cod-fish, thick foggie weather, the Codd being taken on a Sunday morning, the Sectaries aboard threw those their servants took into the Sea again, although they wanted fresh victuals, but the Sailers were not so nice, amongst many that were taken, we had some that were wasted Fish, & it is observable and very strange, that fishes bodies do grow slender with age, their Tails and Heads retaining their former bigness; Fish of all Creatures have generally the biggest heads, and the first part that begins to taint in a fish is the head.

The Nineteenth day, Captain _Thomas Cammock_ [p. 10.] (a near kinsman of the Earl of _Warwicks_) now had another lad _Thomas Jones_, that dyed of the small pox at eight of the clock at night.

The Twentieth day, we saw a great number of Sea-bats, or Owles, called also flying fish, they are about the bigness of a Whiting, with four tinsel wings, with which they fly as long as they are wet, when pursued by other fishes. Here likewise we saw many Grandpisces or Herring-hogs, hunting the scholes of Herrings, in the afternoon we saw a great fish called the _vehuella_ or Sword fish, having a long, strong and sharp finn like a Sword-blade on the top of his head, with which he pierced our Ship, and broke it off with striving to get loose, one of our Sailers dived and brought it aboard.

The One and twentieth day, we met with two _Bristow_ men bound for _New-England_, and now we are 100 and 75 leagues off _Cape-Sable_, the sandy _Cape_, for so _Sable_ in French signifieth, off of which lyeth the Isle of _Sable_, which is beyond _New-found-land_, where they take the _Amphibious_ Creature, the _Walrus_, _Mors_, or _Sea-Horse_.

The Two and twentieth, another passenger dyed of a Consumption. Now we passed by the Southern part of _New-found-land_, [p. 11.] within sight of it; the Southern part of _New-found-land_ is said to be not above 600 leagues from _England_.

The Six and twentieth day, Capt. _Thomas Cammock_ went aboard of a Barke of 300 Tuns, laden with Island Wine, and but 7 men in her, and never a Gun, bound for _Richmonds_ Island, set out by Mr. _Trelaney_, of _Plimouth_, exceeding hot weather now.

The Eight and twentieth, one of Mr. _Edward Ting’s_ the undertakers men now dyed of the Phthisick.

The Nine and twentieth day, sounded at night, and found 120 fathome water, the head of the Ship struck against a rock; At 4 of the clock we descryed two sail bound for _New-found-land_, and so for the _Streights_, they told us of a general Earth-quake in _New-England_, of the Birth of a Monster at _Boston_, in the _Massachusets-Bay_ a mortality, and now we are two leagues off _Cape Ann_.

The Thirtieth day proved stormie, and having lost the sight of the Land, we saw none untill the morning; doubtfully discovering the Coast, fearing the Lee-shore all night we bore out to Sea.

_July_ the first day, we sounded at 8 of the clock at night, and found 93 fathome water, descried land.

The Third day, we Anchored in the _Bay_ of [p. 12.] _Massachusets_ before _Boston_. Mr. _Tinges_ other man now dyed of the small pox.

The Tenth day, I went a shore upon _Noddles Island_ to Mr. _Samuel Maverick_ (for my passage) the only hospitable man in all the Countrey, giving entertainment to all Comers _gratis_.

Now before I proceed any further, it will not be Impertinent to give the intending planter some Instructions for the furnishing of himself with things necessary, and for undertaking the Transport of his Family, or any others.

To which end observe, that a Ship of 150 Tuns, with 2 Decks and a half, and 26 men, with 12 pieces of Ordnance, the charge will amount _per_ moneth, with the Mariners, to 120 pound _per_ moneth. It is better to let the Owners undertake for the Victualling of the Mariners, and their pay for Wages, and the Transporter only to take care of the passengers.

_The common proportion of Victuals for the Sea to a Mess, being 4 men, is as followeth_;

Two pieces of Beef, of 3 pound and ¼ _per_ piece.

Four pound of _Bread_.

One pint ½ of _Pease_.

[p. 13.] Four Gallons of _Bear_, with _Mustard_ and _Vinegar_ for three flesh dayes in the week.

For four fish dayes, to each mess _per_ day.

Two pieces of _Codd_ or _Habberdine_, making three pieces of a fish.

One quarter of a pound of _Butter_.

Four pound of _Bread_.

Three quarters of a pound of _Cheese_.

_Oatmeal per_ day, for 50 men, Gallon 1. and so proportionable for more or fewer.

Thus you see the Ships provision, is _Beef_ or _Porke_, _Fish_, _Butter_, _Cheese_, _Pease_, _Pottage_, _Water-gruel_, _Bisket_, and six shilling _Bear_.