A Character of the Province of Maryland. George Alsop
and ends with A Comment upon the Two Tales of our Renowned Poet Sir Jeffray Chaucer, Knight.
At the end of this is the following by way of erratum: “Courteous Reader. In the first Epistle Dedicatory, for Felton read Feltham.”
View here the Shadow whoſe Ingenious Hand
Hath drawne exact the Province Mary Land
Diſplay’d her Glory in ſuch Scænes of Witt
That thoſe that read muſt fall in Love with it
For which his Labour hee deſerves the praiſe
As well as Poets doe the wreath of Bays.
Anno Dõ: 1666. Ætatis Suæ 28. H.W.
AM PHOTO-LITHOGR. OC (OSBORNES PROCESS.)
A
CHARACTER
Of the PROVINCE of
MARY-LAND,
Wherein is Deſcribed in four diſtinct Parts, (Viz.)
I. The Scituation, and plenty of the Province.
II. The Laws, Cuſtoms, and natural Demeanor of the Inhabitant.
III. The worſt and beſt Vſage of a Mary-Land Servant, opened in view.
IV. The Traffique, and Vendable Commodities of the Countrey.
ALSO
A ſmall Treatiſe on the Wilde and Naked INDIANS (or Suſquehanokes) of Mary-Land, their Cuſtoms, Manners, Abſurdities, & Religion.
Together with a Collection of Hiſtorical LETTERS.
By GEORGE ALSOP.
London, Printed by T. J. for Peter Dring, at the ſign of the Sun in the Poultrey; 1666.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE CÆCILIUS LORD BALTEMORE, (see note No. 2) Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of Mary-Land and Avalon (see note No. 3) in America.
MY LORD,
I Have adventured on your Lordships acceptance by guess; if presumption has led me into an Error that deserves correction, I heartily beg Indempnity, and resolve to repent soundly for it, and do so no more. What I present I know to be true, Experientia docet; It being an infallible Maxim, That there is no Globe like the occular and experimental view of a Countrey. And had not Fate by a necessary imployment, consin’d me within the narrow walks of a four years Servitude, and by degrees led me through the most intricate and dubious paths of this Countrey, by a commanding and undeniable Enjoyment, I could not, nor should I ever have undertaken to have written a line of this nature.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
If I have wrote or composed any thing that’s wilde and confused, it is because I am so my self, and the world, as far as I can perceive, is not much out of the same trim; therefore I resolve, if I am brought to the Bar of Common Law for any thing I have done here, to plead Non compos mentis, to save my Bacon.
There is an old Saying in English, He must rise betimes that would please every one. And I am afraid I have lain so long a bed, that I think I shall please no body; if it must be so, I cannot help it. But as Feltham (see note No. 4) in his Resolves says, In things that must be, ’tis good to be resolute; And therefore what Destiny has ordained, I am resolved to wink, and stand to it. So leaving your Honour to more serious meditations, I subscribe my self,
My Lord
Your Lordship most
Humble Servant,
GEORGE ALSOP.
To all the Merchant Adventurers for MARY-LAND, together with those Commanders of Ships that saile into that Province.
SIRS,
YOU are both Adventurers, the one of Estate, the other of Life: I could tell you I am an Adventurer too, if I durst presume to come into your Company. I have ventured to come abroad in Print, and if I should be laughed at for my good meaning, it would so break the credit of my understanding, that I should never dare to shew my face upon the Exchange of (conceited) Wits again.
This dish of Discourse was intended for you at first, but it was manners to let my Lord have the first cut, the Pye being his own. I beseech you accept of the matter as ’tis drest, only to stay your stomachs, and I’le promise you the next shall be better done, ’Tis all as I can serve you in at present, and it may be questionable whether I have served you in this or no. Here I present you with A Character of Mary-Land, it may be you will say ’tis weakly done, if you do I cannot help it, ’tis as well as I could do it, considering several Obstacles that like blocks were thrown in my way to hinder my proceeding: The major part thereof was written in the intermitting time of my sickness, therefore I hope the afflicting weakness of {24} my Microcosm may plead a just excuse for some imperfections of my pen. I protest what I have writ is from an experimental knowledge of the Country, and not from any imaginary supposition. If I am blamed for what I have done too much, it is the first, and I will irrevocably promise it shall be the last. There’s a Maxim upon Tryals at Assizes, That if a thief be taken upon the first fault, if it be not to hainous, they only burn him in the hand and let him go (see note No. 5): So I desire you to do by me, if you find any thing that bears a criminal absurdity in it, only burn me for my first fact and let me go. But I am afraid I have kept you too long in the Entry, I shall desire you therefore to come in and sit down.
G. ALSOP.
THE
PREFACE
TO THE
READER.
THE Reason why I appear in this place is, lest the general Reader should conclude I have nothing to say for my self; and truly he’s in the right on’t, for I have but little to say (for my self) at this time: For I have had so large a Journey, and so heavy a Burden to bring Mary-Land into England, that I am almost out of breath: I’le promise you after I am come to my self, you shall hear more of me. Good Reader, because you see me make a brief Apologetical excuse for my self, don’t judge me; for I am so self-conceited of my own merits, that I almost think I want none. De Lege non judicandum ex solâ linea, saith the Civilian; We must not pass judgement upon a Law by one line: And because we see but a small Bush at a Tavern door, conclude there is no Canary (see note No. 6) For as in our vulgar Resolves ’tis said, A good face needs