The Holy State, Book 3 · Chapter 16
CHAP. 16. Of Plantations.
PLantations make mankind broader, as Generation makes it thicker. To advance an happy Plantation the Undertakers, Planters, and Place it self must contribute their endeavours.
Let the prime Vndertakers be men of no shallow heads, Maxime 1nor narrow fortunes. Such as have a reall Estate, so that if defeated in their adventure abroad, they may have a retreating place at home, and such as will be contented with their present losse to be benefactours to posterity. But if the Prince himself be pleased not onelyonly to wink at them with his permission, but also to smile on them with his encouragement, there is great hope of successe: for then he will grant them some immunities and priviledges. Otherwise (Infants must be swathed not laced) young Plantations will never grow, if straitned with as hard Laws as settled Common-wealths.
Let the Planters be honest, 2skilfull, and painfull people. For if they be such as leap thither from the gallows, can any hope for cream out of scumme? when men send (as I may say) Christian Savages to Heathen Savages. It was rather bitterly then falsely spoken concerning one of our Western Plantations (consisting most of dissolute people) That it was very like unto England, as being spit out of the very mouth of it. Nor must the Planters be onelyonly honest but industrious also. What hope is there that they who were drones at home will be bees abroad, especially if farre off from any to oversee them.
Let the place be naturally strong, 3or at leastwise capable of fortification. For though at the first Planters are sufficiently fenced with their own povertie, and though at the beginning their worst enemies will spare them out of pity to themselves, their spoyl not countervailing the cost of spoyling them; yet when once they have gotten wealth, they must get strength to defend it. Here know Ilands are easily shut, whereas Continents have their doores ever open, not to be bolted without great charges. Besides, unadvised are those Planters, who having choice of ground, have built their Towns in places of a servile nature, as being overawed and constantly commanded by some hills about them.
4Let it have a Self-sufficiency, or some Staple commoditie to ballance traffique with other countreys. As for a Self-sufficiencie few countreys can stand alone, and such as can for matter of want, will for wantonnesse lean on others. Staple commodities are such as are never out of fashion, as belonging to a mans Being, Being with comfort, Being with delight, the Luxury of our age having made superfluities necessary. And such a place will thrive the better, when men may say with Isaac, *Gen. 26.22.Rehoboth, Now the Lord hath made room for us, when new Colonies come not in with extirpation of the Natives; for this is rather a Supplanting then a Planting.
5Let the Planters labour to be loved and feard of the Natives. With whom let them use all just bargaining, being as naked in their dealings with them as the other in their going, keeping all covenants, performing all promises with them: Let them embrace all occasions to convert them, knowing that each Convert is a conquest; and it is more honour to overcome Paganisme in one, then to conquer a thousand Pagans. As for the inscription of a Deity in their hearts it need not be new written, but onelyonly new scowred in them. I am confident that America (though the youngest sister of the foure) is now grown marriageable, and daily hopes to get Christ to her husband, by the Preaching of the Gospel. This makes me attentively to listen after some Protestant first-fruits, in hope the harvest will ripen afterwards.