.--- aa carr orca a ae amma Te Se SER ET eB i 
NEew Atlanus, 
ah i! 
open itto you. Andhere I fhall feem a little to digrefs, but you will by’! 
‘and by finde it pertinent. Ye'fhall underftand (my dear Friends) that’) 
| ““amongft the excellent a&s of that King, one above all hath the preemi- | 
'“nence: It wasthe ere@ion and infticution of an Order or Society which | 
“we call Solomons Honfe, the nobleft Foundation (as we think) thatever | 
'‘Swasuponthe Earth, andthe Lanthorn of this Kingdom. _ It is dedicated 
“to the ftudy of the Works and creatures of God, Some think it beareth 
“the Founders name a little corrupted, asif it fhould be Solomons Houle; 
“but the Records write it asit isfpoken, fo as ltake it to be denomi- | 
“ nate of the King of the Hebrews, which is famous with you,sand noftranger | 
“tous; for we have fome parts of his Works which with you are loft, | 
“namely, that Natural Hiftory which he wrote of all Plants, from the Cedar | 
“of Libanws tothe (Mof that grovverh out of the Wall, and of allthings therbave | 
“ Life and Motion, This maketh me think thatour King findinghimfelf ra |_ 
“ fymbolize in many things with that King of the Hebreyys (which lived | 
“¢ many years before him) honored him with the Title of this Foundation: 
| “ And I am the rather induced tobe of this opinion, for that I finde in an- 
“cient Records this Order or Society is fometimes called: Solomons Hou, 
and fometimes The Colledge of the Six days VV orks s whereby I am fatisfied, \ 
©that our Excellent King had learned from the Hebrevys, that God had 
“ created the World, and allchat therein is withia Six days; and therefore 
“he infticuting that Houfe for the finding out of the true,Nature of all 
“things (whereby God might have the more glory inthe workmanfhip of 
“them, and Menthe more Fruit in their ufe of them) did give italfo that | 
“fecondname. Butnowto cometoourprefent purpofe.... . 
“When the King had forbidden toall his People Navigation in any | 
pare that wasnot under his Crown, he made neverthelefs this Ordinance, | 
“ That every twelve: years there fhould be fet: forth out ef this Kingdom 
‘«ewo Ships appointed: to feveral. Voyages; that in cither of thefe Ships, | | 
‘ there fhould bea Miffion of three of the Fellows or Brethren of: Solomans 
_« Houfe;, whofe errand.was onely togiveus knowledge of the affairs and | 
r| ftate ofthofe Countreys,to which they were defigned,and efpécially of,the | 
| “ Sciences, Arts, Manufa@ures and Inventions ofallthe W orlds-and withal 
“to bring unto us Books, Inftruments, and Patterns-in every Kinde. That | 
‘the Ships after they had landed the Brethren fhou'd return, and thatthe — 
«“ Brethren fhould ftay abroad titthe new Miflion. The Ships ang not other 
“ wife fraughtthanwithftore of Victuals, and.good quantity of Treafure, 
‘¢ to remain withthe Brethren for thebuying of {uch things, andrewarding 
«“ of fuchperfonsasthey thould think,fit. . Now for me totell you hovwy the | 
| “vulgar fort of ‘Mariners are contained from-being difcovered at Land; | 
| and how they thatmuft be put on fhore for any time colourthemfelyes | 
| “under thenames of other Nations;and to what places thefe Voyageshave| 
_‘<beendefigned,'and what places of Rendezvous areappointed, forthe news| | 
© Miffions,and the like circumftances of the practick,] may notdoit;neither,| — 
_ ‘is i¢much to your defire. But thus you fee'we maintainja peat it for)! | 
«Gold, Silver, or Jewels, nor for Silks, nor for Spices, nor,any other core} 
_ ‘omédity of Matter, but onely for Geds firft Creature, which wasLight;, to} 
| << have-Light (J fay) of the growth of all parts:of the World.,.And.w. c. 
had faid this.he was filent;and{o were we all; forindeed,wewereall aftonith Hh 
‘ed to-hear fo ftrange things foprobably told. And he pexceiying, thatwe} 
were willing tofay fomewhat , but had it notready, in [great courtefie, 
: Sai s oft, and defcended to ask us Queftions of our Voyageand Fo 
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