37 



Strang* occafion of D* Is 

 JUdtf. 



Chap. IL A M E%^1 C A. 



which they might exchange for a barren Soyl, hattcr'd and harafs'd with an 

 endlefs Civil- War. 



No fmall number flock'd to thefe Summons, as a moft acceptable Underta- 

 king^ that foon after he was able to fend forth ten good Ships,Frcighted only 

 with Men, Women, and Children, and all other Materials fit for a new Planta- 

 tion 5 which not long after Landed in Acuzamil, a, Countrey in the North of Ame- 

 rica, as Francis Lope^de Oomara believes, becaufe there he onely found fome re* 

 maining Tracks of Chriftianity, a People that worfhipp'd the Crofs , but 

 knew no reafon why or wherefore they ador'd that fign of our Redemption. 

 Now,fome will fay,that this Worfhip of the Crofs is no argument to prove,that 

 the ftrittijb Chriftians firft Planted in the North of America 5 but what will not 

 time and change of place do , where Tranfplanted People keep no Records, 

 fo they forget not onely Religion, Laws, and Cuftoms, but who they were,and 

 from whence they came, Oblivion firft mutilating, and at laft fwallowing up 

 all > y of which, take this one late prefident. 



Anno i?o8. The Duke De La \oche obtained leave of the French King, to tranf? 

 port a Colony of Volunteers to Net* France 5 in his way he Landed fifty Men on 

 the Ifland De Sable , to reft his Paflengers, and that he might the better, and 

 with more eafe explore the Countrey ,and when refolv'd where to fettlc,then to 

 fetch them ofFj who accordingly, as defign'd, foon after, returning thither, 

 was met with fo violent a Storm , that not being able to Weather the Ille of 

 Sable, where he left his People, he loft his whole Expedition, and was driven 

 back to a French Harbor, where no fooner arriv'd, he was fo highly charged, 

 that he was caft into Prifon,when thofe he had left neglected upon the Ifle,were 

 not once fo much as thought of 5 in this interim, they never expecting to hear 

 more of their Captain, liv'd in a wild and miferable condition, feeding upon 

 Fifh, and fometimes wild Swine, without Bread, Drink, or Salt. 



When the Baron of Leri went with Letters Patents, to be Governor of KoVa 

 Francia y and by ftrefs of Weather in his Voyage , was fore'd to put in at Sable, 

 where he found the remainder of La Roches People , who being from fifty re- 

 duced to twelve , having clad them felves in Sea-Wolves Skins, they had not 

 onely loft their former French Civilities, but forgot in a manner their Religi- 

 on, much of their Language, and what they were, being as if Mctamorphos'd 

 into beftial Salvages, 



And although we have already controverted the improbability of Peopling if fome &<**<* come 

 'America , either by accident of Storm , or fet purpofe 5 yet it may be po/fible C1 

 that fo it might happen , for as the feveral vertues of Plants, Herbs, Precious- 

 Stones, and Minerals, though ftrangely occult , and fo altogether unknown, 

 that what could never be found by Art, mecr chance hath brought to light, and 

 their wondrous qualities, fome cafual accident hath made apparent ; fo ftrange 

 and remote Counueys never to be found in our Charts,or Maps, nor Regiftred 

 in any Story, Seamen bound to their intended Harbors, have (tumbled on by 

 chance, either Hood*wink'd by blind Mills , or fore'd upon by pertinatious 

 Weather- of which America may be her own witnefs, for how was Columbus * 

 ftirr'd up, but by incitations of the Journals of a Sea«Captain , dying in his 

 Houfe, driven on the American Iflands by foul Weather. 



Although from the foremention'd places, and after the fame manner, jime* 

 rica might be furnifli'd with Inhabitants * fo it alfo gives us a more certain af- 

 furance, that the Planting of America was not onely foon after the Flood, but 

 that they came alfo thither by Land : And how ftrangely would it be againft 



the 



m 



Amtftcn was Vzq->U\ 



prclcatly afrer the Fl.o4. 



