For as much as the Kings most excellent Majesty hath beene graciously pleasd by the grant of his Letters Patents, at first to give life to the plantations of New England, and hath dayly likewise by his Favours and Royall protection cherished their growing hopes; whereby many of his Majesties faithfull Subjects haue beene imboldned to venture persons, states, and indeavours, to the inlargement of his Dominions in that Westerne Continent: Wherefore I thought fit (for the further encouragement of those that hereafter, either by Purse, or Person shall helpe forward the Plantation,) to set forth these few observations out of my personall and experimentall knowledge.

The place whereon the English have built their Colonies, is judged by those who have best skill in discovery, either to be an Iland, surrounded on the North side with the spacious River Cannada, and on the South with Hudsons River, or else a Peninsula, these two Rivers overlapping one another, having their rise from the great Lakes which are not farre off one another, as the Indians doe certainely informe us. But it is not my intent to wander far from our Patent; wherefore I referre you to the thrice memorable discoverer of those parts, Captaine Smith, who hath likewise fully described the Southerne and North-east part of New England, with the noted head-lands, Capes, Harbours, Rivers, Ponds, and Lakes, with the nature of the Soyle, and commodities both by Sea and Land, &c. within the degrees of fourty one and fourty five.

The Bay of Massachusets lyeth under the degree of fourty two and fourty three, bearing South-west from the Lands end of England: at the bottome whereof are situated most of the English plantations: This Bay is both safe, spacious, and deepe, free from such cockling Seas as runne upon the Coast of Ireland, and in the Channels of England: there be no stiffe running Currents, or Rockes, Shelves, Barres, Quicksands. The Mariners having sayled two or three Leagues towards the bottome, may behold the two Capes embracing their welcome Ships in their Armes, which thrust themselves out into the Sea in forme of a halfe-moone, the surrounding shore being high, and shewing many white Cliffes in a most pleasant prospect with divers places of low land, out of which divers Riuers vent themselves into the Ocean, with many openings, where is good Harbouring for Ships of any burthen; so that if an unexpected storme or crosse winde should barre the Marriner from recovering his desired Port, he may reach other Harbours, as Plimmouth, Cape Ann, Salem, Marvill Head; all which afford good ground for Anchorage, being likewise land-lockt from Winde and Seas. The chiefe and usuall Harbour, is the still Bay of Massachusets, which is close aboard the plantations, in which most of our ships come to anchor, being the nearest their mart, and usuall place of landing of Passengers; it is a safe and pleasant Harbour within, having but one common and safe entrance, and that not very broad, there scarce being roome for 3. Ships to come in board and board at a time, but being once within, there is roome for the Anchorage of 500. Ships.

This Harbour is made by a great company of Ilands, whose high Cliffes shoulder out the boistrous Seas, yet may easily deceiue any unskilfull Pilote; presenting many faire openings and broad sounds, which afford too shallow waters for any Ships, though navigable for Boates and small pinnaces. The entrance into the great Haven is called Nantascot; which is two Leagues from Boston; this place of it selfe is a very good Haven, where Ships commonly cast Anchor, untill Winde and Tyde serve them for other places; from hence they may sayle to the River of Wessaguscus, Naponset, Charles River, and Misticke River, on which Rivers bee seated many Townes. In any of these fore-named harbours, the Sea-men having spent their old store of Wood and Water, may haue fresh supplies from the adjacent Ilands, with good timber to repaire their weather-beaten Ships: Here likewise may be had Masts or Yards, being store of such Trees as are usefull for the same purpose.