And Especially At
The Same Time For A Beginning, He Proposed And Delivered Three Laws To
Be In Force Immediately.
That is to say the first for religion, which
in public exercise should be according to the Church of England.
The
second, for maintenance of her Majesty's right and possession of those
territories, against which if any thing were attempted prejudicial,
the party or parties offending should be adjudged and executed as in
case of high treason, according to the laws of England. The third, if
any person should utter words sounding to the dishonour of her
Majesty, he should lose his ears, and have his ship and goods
confiscate.
These contents published, obedience was promised by general voice and
consent of the multitude, as well of Englishmen as strangers, praying
for continuance of this possession and government begun; after this,
the assembly was dismissed. And afterwards were erected not far from
that place the arms of England engraven in lead, and infixed upon a
pillar of wood. Yet further and actually to establish this possession
taken in the right of her Majesty, and to the behoof of Sir Humfrey
Gilbert, knight, his heirs and assigns for ever, the General granted
in fee-farm divers parcels of land lying by the water-side, both in
this harbour of St. John, and elsewhere, which was to the owners a
great commodity, being thereby assured, by their proper inheritance,
of grounds convenient to dress and to dry their fish; whereof many
times before they did fail, being prevented by them that came first
into the harbour. For which grounds they did covenant to pay a certain
rent and service unto Sir Humfrey Gilbert, his heirs or assigns for
ever, and yearly to maintain possession of the same, by themselves or
their assigns.
Now remained only to take in provision granted, according as every
ship was taxed, which did fish upon the coast adjoining. In the
meanwhile, the General appointed men unto their charge: some to repair
and trim the ships, others to attend in gathering together our supply
and provisions: others to search the commodities and singularities of
the country, to be found by sea or land, and to make relation unto the
General what either themselves could know by their own travail and
experience, or by good intelligence of Englishmen or strangers, who
had longest frequented the same coast. Also some observed the
elevation of the pole, and drew plots of the country exactly graded.
And by that I could gather by each man's several relation, I have
drawn a brief description of the Newfoundland, with the commodities by
sea or land already made, and such also as are in possibility and
great likelihood to be made. Nevertheless the cards and plots that
were drawn, with the due gradation of the harbours, bays, and capes,
did perish with the Admiral: wherefore in the description following, I
must omit the particulars of such things.
That which we do call the Newfoundland, and the Frenchmen /Baccalaos/,
is an island, or rather, after the opinion of some, it consisteth of
sundry islands and broken lands, situate in the north regions of
America, upon the gulf and entrance of a great river called St.
Lawrence in Canada; into the which, navigation may be made both on the
south and north side of this island.
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