1. John White, ‘A Pictish man’, in Thomas Hariot, Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia (1588).
2. I told them, I knew not of any that could be pleaded but from a Popish Principle, that Christians have a right to the Lands of Heathen, upon which the Pope as the Head of the Christians had given the West Indies to the King of Spain, but this was disowned by all Protestants. Therefore I left it to them to affirm and prove the Kings Title. They replied and insisted much upon that, that the King had a right by his Subjects coming and taking possession of this Land.
Samuel Sewall and Edward Rawson, The Revolution in New England Justified (1691).
3. But I confess it is a blessing and wonderful happiness of a people, to be Subjects of a gracious Prince, who hath prescribed his power within the compass of wholesom Laws, acknowledg'd a right of possession and propriety of Estate as well in his Subjects as himself, who doth not punish the innocent with the guilty, nor oppress without distinction, nor act the part of that King whom God gives in his wrath. But then they must content themselves with their own borders, or some neighbouring conquest, and this is better, and a greater glory and content, than the honour of being Slaves to the lust of a Monarch, whose Titles comprehend the greatest part of the world
Paul Rycaut, The Present State of the Ottoman Empire (1668)
4. It hath beene also the errour of the Dutch, who seeke Plantation heere by the Sword, they turne a wonderfull stocke, they prowle in all places, they possesse some of the best, yet their dead payes consume all the gaine. Let this be received as a Rule, that if you will profit, seeke it at Sea, and in quiet Trade: for without Controversie it is an errour to affect Garrisons and Land Warres in India. If you made it onely against the Naturall, I would agree: to make it for them they are not worth it, and you should be very wary how to ingage your reputation in it. Besides, an action so subiect to chance as Warre, is most unfitly undertaken, and with most hazard, when the remotenesse of place for supply, succours and counsels. subiect it to irrecouerable losse, for that where is most uncertaintie, remedies should be so much the neerer to occurre to all occasions.
Sir Thomas Roe, Part of a Letter to the Companie of the East-India; Dated the three and twentieth of November, 1616, in Purchas his pilgrimes In five bookes. The first part. (1625).
5. Mr [William] Love, I am a Merchant and all my Trade has moved in the Mediterranean Sea…I have passed by Tangier – All men have admired at the expence laid out upon it, for it never was, nor ever will be a place of Trade… It is near Tetuan and Salle, and their Trade is great there to all Nations, and Tangier can never be made a place of Trade, and I know not what reason we have to be so fond of it, but from the product of Popish Counsels, to make the place impregnable, to have a Continual War with Algiers, to occasion giving Money… Popish and French Counsels put the King upon these vast expences, to impoverish the King, as they have done in the war with Algiers, on purpose to impoverish the Nation’.
‘Debates in the Parliament in 1680, in Anchitell Grey, ed., Debates of the House of Commons (1763),
6. Hierusalem, my happie home,
When shall I come to thee?
When shall my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?
O happie harbor of the saints!
O sweete and pleasent soyle!
In thee noe sorrow may be found,
Noe griefe, noe care, noe toyle.
F.B.P. ‘Hierusalem, my happie home’ [written in the Tower of London by an unknown recusant]
7. The Improvement of the Plantations to the advantage of Eng|land sounds so bravely, and seems to the Projectors a thing so plausible; that they would have it believed to be their chief Aim and End, in all that they do against us. And then they think they talk very wisely, when they talk of Improving the Planta|tions to the advantage of England. Just as a Landlord would improve his Mannor, by racking his Lands to the utmost Rent. or as the Masters of Slaves, improve and contrive their Labour to their own best advantage. But it is our misery and ruin to be thus improved. And so it would be to the Counties of Wales, or any English Counties, to be improved to the advantage of the rest...
Edward Littleton, The GROANS of the PLANTATIONS (1689)
8. ‘I Came from Brudges in the Barge to New-port [Nieuport] where I lodged at the Armes of France. I made a Viset to the Cathusions [Carthusians], they are 16 as belongs to that Hous, their Church is very small but most extreamly neat & pretty but not costly. Thomas Clarkson the Joyner introduced to Pat: [Father] Vicker and Pat: Bets, I saw their Pritty Sells & Gallerys. I was in the Fryers Church where instead of an Alter-peece for the high Alter, there was a Statue of St Michell fighting against a large Statute of Lucifer which had seaven Serpents Heads which in my opinion looked very obsurd and ridiculous in that place.
Nicholas Blundell, ‘Great Diurnall’, 1716.
9. And now God hath granted me my desire. O the wonderfull power of God that I have seen, and the experience that I have had: I have been in the midst of those roaring Lyons, and Savage Bears, that feared neither God, nor Man, nor the Devil, by night and day, alone and in company: sleeping all sorts together, and yet not one of them ever offered me the least abuse of unchastity to me, in word or action. Though some are ready to say, I speak it for my own credit; But I speak it in the presence of God, and to his Glory.
The soveraignty & goodness of God, together, with the faithfulness of his promises displayed; being a narrative of the captivity and restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682).