+ “ee — New Atlantis. 
| te bheit TpeMickss have thir, Ihatby means of cur folitary firtistior, and of 3 
«the Laws of Secrecy which we have for our Travellers; and our rare | 
« admiffion of ftrangers, we know well moft part of the Aabitabie World, 
‘and are our felves unkcown. © Therefore, becaufe he that knoweth leaft, | 
‘is fitteft toask Queftions, it is more reafon, forthe entertainment of the | 
‘time, thatyeask me Queftions, than that 1 ask you. We anfovered, Tat | 
“we humbly thanked him, that he would give us leave fo todo, and that 
“weconceived bythe tafte we hadalready, that there was no worldly thing | 
¢.on Earth, more worthy to be known, then the ftate of that happy Land. 
‘But above all (vve (aid) fince that vve vvere met from the‘feveral Ends of | _ 
‘the World, and hoped affuredly, that vve fhould meet one day in the| _ 
“Kingdom of Heaven, (for that vve vvere both parts Chriffiaus) vye defired 
«to knovy (inre(pedt that Land vvas fo remote, and fo divided by valt and 
« unknovvn Seas, from the Land vvhete our Saviour yvalked on Earth ) 
« yvho vvas the Apoftle of that Nation, and hovvit vvas converted tothe 
‘Faith. J+ appeared inhisface, that be took great contentment in this onr Queftion. He 
faid , © Ye knit my heart to you by asking this Queftion in the firit place, 
‘forit fhevveth that you firff feek the Kingdom of Heaven; and I fhall gladly and 
« briefly fatisfie your demand. +O 
<« About tvventy years after the Afcenfion of our Saviour, it came to 
“ pafs, that there vvas feen by the people of Renfufa (a City upon the 
Baftern Coaft of our ]fland ) vvithin night (the night vvas cloaty and 
calm) asit might be fome mile intheSea, a great Pillar of Light, no fhirp, 
“burin form of a Golumn or Cylinder, rifing from the Seaa great vvay up [ 
«tovvards Heaven, and on the topof it was feen a large Crof of Light, more 
«bright and refplendent then the Body of the Pillar Upon which {o | 
« (trange a {pectacle the people of the City gathered apace together upon 
ce the Sands towonder, and fo after pur themfelves intoa number of {nmll 
‘¢ Boats to go nearcr co this marvellous fight. But when the Boats were 
<e come within (about) fixty yards of the Pillar, they found themfelves all 
“bound, and could gono further, yet foas they might move to go abour, 
<¢¢but mightnot approach nearer; fo as the Boats ftood all as ina Theatre, 
«¢beholding this Light as an Heavenly Sign. It fo fell out; that there was in 
one of the Boats, oneof the wife Men of the Society of Solomons Houfe, | 
«(which Houfe or College (my good Brethren) isthe very Eye of this King- 
«<dom) who having a while attentively and devoutly viewed and contem- 
ce plated this Pillar and Crofs, felldown upon his face, and then raifed hime 
« felf upon his knees, and lifting up his hands to Heaven made his Prayers} 
< inthis manner. ae 
Sede eee =r 
: “ERR ? . 
ee eee ee ee " 
Ord God of Heaven and Earth, thon haft vouch-+ 
_, fafed of thy Grace to thofe of our Order, to know thy) 
Works of Creation, and true Secrets of them, and tol 
| difcern (as far as appertaineth to the Generations of Men)\ 
