JOSSELYN, JOHN (seventeenth cen tury). The author of one of the earliest ac counts of the English settlements in New Eng land. He was the son of Sir Thomas Josselyn, a knight of Essex. England. where he was horn probably early in the seventeenth century. llis brother Henry had sailed for New England as the agent for John Mason. the patentee of New Hampshire. in 1634, and had continued in the service of Mason's successor. Sir Ferdinando Gorges. it was at his hrother's solicitation that John Josselvn visited New England in 163s, sailing from England late in April of that year and arriving in Boston on July 2d. Thence. after calling upon John Winthrop and John Cotton. to whom he had letters, he proceeded to Black Point, Scarborough (Maine), where his brother Henry was stationed. He returned to England in Octo her, 1639. It was not until 1663 that he again returned to New England. lie found his brother still at. Scarborough. and remained in America until December, 1671, traveling extensively through the other settlements in New England, and noting facts as to their government, history, social life, and prod nets. Upon his return to
England he published his observations in two books. The first was entitled Neu; England's Rarities Discovered in Birds, Beasts, Ii lies, 8u. penis aml Plants of that Cou»try (1672, re printed in Boston, 1865). 1lis second and more valuable book from the historical point of view is An Account of Two Voyages to New England, wherein you hare the setting out of a ship with the charges . . . a description of the coup try, natives and creatures with their merchantil oad physical use; the government of the coun try, . . . a large chronological table of the most remarkable passages from the first discovery of the continent of Amcrie« to the year 167.1 (London, 1674; reprinted, Boston, 1800; also iu Collections of the ilassachusetts Historical ,Socicty for 1834).