Letting passe our Voyage by Sea, we will now begin our discourse on the shore of _New-England_. And because the life and wel-fare of euerie Creature here below, and the commodiousnesse of the Countrey whereas such Creatures liue, doth by the most wise ordering of Gods prouidence, depend next vnto himselfe, vpon the temperature and disposition of the foure Elements, Earth, Water, Aire and Fire (For as of the mixture of all these, all sublunarie things are composed; so by the more or lesse inioyment of the wholesome temper and conuenient vse of these, consisteth the onely well-being both of Man and Beast in a more or lesse comfortable measure in all Countreys vnder the Heanens) Therefore I will endeauour to shew you what _New-England_ is by the consideration of each of these apart, and truly endeauour by Gods helpe to report nothing but the naked truth and that both to tell you of the discommodities as well as of the commodities, though as the idle Prouerbe is, _Trauellers may lye by authoritie_, and so may take too much sinfull libertie that way. Yet I may say of my selfe as once _Nehemiah_ did in another case: _Shall such a Man as I lye?_ No verily: It becommeth not a Preacher of Truth to be a Writer of Falshood in any degree: and therefore I haue beene carefull to report nothing of _New-England_ but what I haue partly seene with mine owne Eyes, and partly heard and enquired from the Mouthes of verie honest and religious person, who by liuing in the Countrey a good space of time haue had experience and knowledge of the state thereof, & whose testimonies I doe beleeue as my selfe. First therefore of the Earth of _New-England_ and all the appurtenances thereof: It is a Land of diuers and sundry sorts all about _Masathulets_ Bay, and at _Charles_ Riuer is as fat blacke Earth as can be seene any where: and in other places you haue a clay soyle, in other grauell, in other sandy, as it is all about our Plantation at _Salem_, for so our Towne is now named, _Psal._ 76.2.