Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
In a similar spirit he named the Blue Hills of Milton the “Cheuyot
hills;” the ancient river of Sagadahoc being the Forth, with what was
intended for “Edenborough” standing near its headwaters. There is
nothing on the map to recall the nonconformists of Nottinghamshire
and Lincolnshire, who afterwards came upon the coast, except Boston
and Hull which stand near the Isles of Shoals, being, in fancy, close
together on the map, as afterwards they were reproduced farther south,
in fact.
The young prince, then a lad of about fifteen, no doubt had suggestions
made to him respecting the names to be selected, as he favored the
southern and southwestern communities like Bristol and Plymouth, which
furnished those expeditions encouraged by churchmen like Popham and
Gilbert. Poynt Suttliff forms a distinct recognition of Dr. Sutliffe,
the Dean of Exeter, who took so much interest in New England.[436]
On this map we find the ancient Norumbega called New England. Rich
says that Smith was the first to apply this name. In reply, Mr. Henry
C. Murphy has referred to its alleged use by a Dutchman in 1612.[437]
Special reference is made to a statement printed upon the back of a
map contained in a book brought out by Hessell Gerritsz at Amsterdam,
giving a description of the country of the Samoieds in Tartary. The
phrase used, however, is not “New England,” nor “Nova Anglia,” but
“Nova Albion,”[438] which was applied to the whole region by Sir
Francis Drake, in his explorations on the Pacific coast.
[Illustration]
At that time the continent lying between the Atlantic and the Pacific
was regarded as a narrow strip of land; and as late as 1651 it was
estimated that it was only ten days’ journey on foot from
the headwaters of the James to the Pacific.[439] In 1609 the country
was called Nova Britannia. It would seem, therefore, according to
present indications, that Smith was entitled to the credit given him
by Rich. At all events the importance of Smith’s work in New England
cannot be questioned. Smith himself was not backward in asserting
the value of his services, declaring in one place that he “brought
New England to the Subjection of the Kingdom of Great Britain.”[440]
After the publication of his map, Norumbega well-nigh disappeared from
the pages of travellers,[441] and a new series of observation of the
territory was begun by the authors of works like those which chronicled
the doings of the Leyden Adventurers in New England.
[Illustration]
* * * * *
EDITORIAL NOTES.
=A.= EARLIEST ENGLISH PUBLICATIONS ON AMERICA.—The backwardness of
the English in all that related to the extension of American discovery
is distinctly apparent in the comparatively few publications from
the London press in the sixteenth century which conduced to spread
intelligence of the New World on the land and incite rivalry on the
ocean. The following list will show this:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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