disposition so likewise is dissimulation he that speakes seldome and opportunely being as good as his word is the onely man they love The Spaniard they say is all one Aramouse viz. all one as a dog the Frenchman hath a good tongue but a false heart The English man all one speake all one heart wherefore they more approve of them than of any Nation garrulitie is much condemned of them for they utter not many words speake seldome and then with such gravitie as is pleasing to the eare such as understand them not desire yet to heare their emphaticall expressions and lively action such is the milde temper of their spirits that they cannot endure objurgations or scoldings An Indian Sagomore once hearing an English woman scold with her husband her quicke utterance exceeding his apprehension her active lungs thundering in his eares expelled him the house from whence he went to the next neighbour where he related the unseemelinesse of her behaviour her language being strange to him hee expressed it as strangely telling them how she cryed Nannana Nannana Nannana Nan saying he was a great foole to give her the audience and no correction for usurping his charter and abusing him by her tongue I have beene amongst diverse of them yet did I never see any falling out amongst them not so much as crosse words or reviling speeches which might provoke to blowes And whereas it is the custome of many people in their games if they see the dice runne crosse or their cards not answere their expectations what cursing and swearing what imprecations and raylings fightings and stabbings oftentimes proceede from their testy spleene How doe their blustering passions make the place troublesome to themselves and others But I have knowne when foure of these milder spirits have sit downe staking their treasures where they have plaied foure and twentie houres neither eating drinking or sleeping in the Interim nay which is most to be wondered at not quarreling but as they came thither in peace so they depart in peace when he that had lost all his wampompeage his house his kettle his beaver his batchet his knife yea all his little all having nothing left but his naked selfe was as merry as they that won it so in sports of activitie at footeball though they play never so fiercely to outward appearance yet angrer-boyling blood never streames in their cooler veines if any man be throwne he laughes out his foyle there is no seeking of revenge no quarreling no bloody noses scratched faces blacke eyes broken shinnes no brused members or crushed ribs the lamentables effects of rage but the goale being wonne the goods on the one side lost friends they were at the footeball and friends they must meete at the kettle I never heard yet of that Indian that was his neighbours homicide or vexation by his malepart fancy or uncivill tongue laughter in them is not common seldome exceeding a smile never breaking out into such a lowd laughter as doe many of our English Of all things they love not to be laught at upon any occasion if a man be in trade with them and the bargaine be almost strucke if they perceive you laugh they will scarce proceed supposing you laugh because you have cheated them the Crocodiles teares may sooner deceive them than the Hienas smiles although they be not much addicted to laughter yet are they not of a dumpish sad nature but rather naturally chearefull Aâ— I never saw a gigling Democrite so I never saw a teare dropping Heraclite no disaster being so prevalent as to open the flood-gate of their eyes saving the death of friends for whom they lament most exceedingly CHAP. VIII Of their hardinesse FOr their hardinesse it may procure admiration no ordinary paines making them so much as alter their countenance beate them whip them pinch them punch them if they resolve not to whinch for it they will not whether it be their benummed insensiblenesse of smart or their hardie resolutions I cannot tell It might be a Perillus his Bull or the disjoynting racke might force a roare from them but a Turkish drubbing would not much molest them and although they be naturally much affraid of death yet the unexpected approach of a mortall wound by a Bullet Arrow or Sword strikes no more terrour causes no more exclamation no more complaint or whinching than if it had beene a shot into the body of a tree such wounâ—s as would be suddaine death to an English man would be nothing to them Some of them having beene shot in at the mouth and out under the eare some shot in the breast some runne thorough the flankes with Darts and other many desperate wounds which eyther by their rare skill in the use of vegitatives or diabolicall charmes they cure in short time Although their hardinesse beare them out in such things wherein they are sure death will not ensue yet can it not expell the feare of death the very name and thoughts of it is so hideous to them or any thing that presents it or threatens it so terrible insomuch that a hundred of them will runne from two or three Guns though they know they can but dispatch two or three at a discharge yet every man fearing it may be his lot to meete with his last will not come neare that in good earnest which he dare play withall in jest To make this good by a passage of Experience Three men having occasion of trade amongst the Westerne Indians went up with some such commodities as they thought most fit for trade to secure their person they tooke a Carbine two Pistoles and a sword which in outward shew was not great resistance to a hundred well skilled bow men The Indians hearing their gunnes making a thundring noyse desired to finger one of them see it discharged into a tree wondring much at the percussion of the bullet but they abiding two or three dayes the gunnes were forgotten and they began to looke at the oddes being a hundred to three whereupon they were animated to worke treason against the lives of these men and to take away their goods from them by force but one of the English understanding their language smelt out their treachery and being more fully enformed of their intent by the Indian women who had more pitty hee steps to their King and hailing him by the long haire from the rest of his councell commanded him either to goe before him and guide him home or else he would there kill him The Sagamore seeing him so rough had not the courage to resist him but went with him two miles but being exasperated by his men who followed him along to resist and goe no further in the end hee would not neither for faire promises nor fierce threatnings so that they were constrained there to kill him which struck such an amazement and daunting into the rest of that naked crew with the sight of the guns that though they might easily have killed them
drinke in the deepe of Winter stranger and yet returne home bettered was most strange but if truth may gaine beleefe you may behold a more superlative strangenesse A certaine Maide in the extreamity of cold weather as it fell out tooke an uncertaine journey in her intent short not above foure miles yet long in event for losing her way shee wandred sixe or seaven dayes in most bitter weather not having one bit of bread to strengthen her sometimes a fresh Spring quenched her thirst which was all the refreshment she had the Snow being upon the ground at first shee might have trackt her owne foot-steps backe againe but wanting that understanding shee wandred till God by his speciall providence brought her to the place shee went from where she lives to this day The hard Winters are commonly the fore-runners of pleasant Spring-times and fertile Summers being iudged likewise to make much for the health of our English bodies It is found to be more healthfull for such as shall adventure thither to come towards Winter than the hot Summer the Climate in Winter is commonly cold and dry the Snow lies long which is â—hought to be no small nourishing to the ground For the Indians burâ—ing it to suppresse the under-wood which else wouâ—d grow all over the Countrey the Snow falling not long after keepes the ground warme and with his melting conveâ—ghs the ashes into the pores of the earth which doth fatten it It hath beene observed that English Wheate and Rye proves better which is Winter sowne and is kept warme by the Snow than that which is sowne in the Spring The Summers be hotter than in England because of their more Southerne latitude yet are they tollerable being often cooled with fresh blowing windes it seldome being so hot as men are driven from their labours especially such whose imployments are within doores or under the coole shade servants have hitherto beene priviledged to rest from their labours in extreame hot weather from ten of the clocke till two which they regaine by their early rising in the morning and double diligence in coole weather The Summers are commonly hot and dry there being seldome any raines I have knowne it sixe or seaven weekes before one shower hath moystened the Plowmans labour yet the Harvest hath beene very good the Indian Corne requiring more heate than wet for the English Corne it is refresht with the nightly dewes till it grow vp to shade his roots with his owne substance from the parching Sunne In former times the Raine came seldome but very violently continuing his drops which were great and many sometimes foure and twenty houres together sometimes eight and fourty which watered the ground for a long time afrer but of late the Seasons be much altered the raine comming oftner but more moderately with lesse thunder and lightnings and suddaine gusts of winde I dare be bold to affirme it that I saw not so much raine raw colds and misty fogges in foure yeares in those parts as was in England in the space of foure Moneths the last Winter yet no man at the yeares end complained of too much drought or too little raine The times of most Raine are in the beginning of Aprill and at Michaelmas The early Springs and long Summers make but short Autumnes and Winters In the Spring when the Grasse beginnes to put forth it growes apace so that where it was all blacke by reason of Winters burnings in a fortnight there will be Grasse a foote high CHAP. III. Of the Climate length and shortnesse of day and night with the suiteablenesse of it to English bodies for health and sicknesse THE Countrey being nearer the Equinoctiall than England the dayes and nights be more equally divided In Summer the dayes be two houres shorter and likewise in Winter two houres longer than in England In a word both Summer and Winter is more commended of the English there than the Summer Winters and Winter Summers of England and who is there that could not wish that Englands Climate were as it hath bâ—ene in quondam times colder in Winter and hotter in Summer or who will condemne that which is as England hath beene Virginia having no Winter to speake of but extreame hoâ— Summers hath dried up much English blood and by pestâ—ferous diseases swept away many lusty bodies changing their complexion not into swarthinesse but into Palenesse so that when as they come for trading into our parts wee can know many of them by their faces This alteration certainely comes not from any want of victuals or necessary foode for their soyle is very fertile and pleasant yeelding both Corne and Cattle plenty but rather from the Climate which indeede is found to be hotter than is suiteable to an ordinary English constitution In New England both men and women keepe their naturall complexions in so much as Sea men wonder when they arrive in those parts to see their Countrey-men so fresh and ruddy If the Sunne doth tanne any yet the Winters cold restores them to their former complexion and as it is for the outward complexion so it is for the inward constitution not very many being troubled with inflammations or such diseases as are encreased by too much heate and whereas I say not very many yet dare I not exclude any for death being certaine to all in all Nations there must be something tending to death of like certainty The soundest bodies are mortall and subject to change therefore fall into diseases and from diseases to death Now the two chiefe messengers of mortality be Feavers and Callentures but they be easily helpt if taken in time and as easily prevented of any that will not prove a meere foole to his body For the common diseases of England they be strangers to the English now in that strange Land To my knowledge I never knew any that had the Poxe Measels Greene-sicknesse Head-aches Stone or Consumptions c. Many that have come infirme out of England retaine their old grievances still and some that were long troubled with lingering diseases as Coughs of the lungs Consumptions c. haue beene restored by that medicineable Climate to their former strength and health God hath beene pleased so to blesse men in the health of their bodies that I dare confidently say it out of that Towne from whence I câ—â—e in three yeares and a halfe there dyed but three one of which was crazed before he came into the Land the other were two Children borne at one birth before their time the Mother being accidentally hurt To make good which losses I have seene foure Children Baptized at a time which wipes away thaâ— common aspersion that women have no Children bâ—ing a â—eere falsâ—ty there being as sweete lusty Children as many other Nation and reckoning so many for so many more double births than in England the women likewise having a more speedy recovery and gathering of strength after their delivery than in England The last Argument to confirme the
into a Codrus robbing him of his conceited wealth leaving him in minde and riches equall with his naked attendants till a new taxation furnish him with a fresh supplie CHAP. VI. Of their dyet cookery meale-times and hospitality at their Kettles HAving done with their most needfull cloathings and ornamentall deckings may it please you to feast your eyes with their belly-timbers which I suppose would be but stibium to weake stomacks as they cooke it though never so good of it selfe In Winter-time they have all manner of fowles of the water and of the land beasts of the land and water pond-fish with Catharres and other rootes Indian beanes and Clamms In the Summer they have all manner of Sea-fish with all sorts of Berries For the ordering of their victuals they boile or roast them having large Kettles which they traded for with the French long since and doe still buy of the English as their neede requires before they had substantiall earthen pots of their owne making Their spits are no other than cloven sticks sharped at one end to thrust into the ground into these cloven sticks they thrust the flesh or fish they would have rosted behemming a round fire with a dozen of spits at a time turning them as they see occasion Some of their scullerie having dressed these homely cates presents it to his guests dishing it up in a rude manner placing it on the verdent carpet of the earth which Nature spreads them without either trenchers napkins or knives upon which their hunger-sawced stomacks impatient of delayes fals aboard without scrupling at unwashed hands without bread salt or beere lolling on the Turkish fashion not ceasing till their full bellies leave nothing but emptie platters they seldome or never make bread of their Indian corne but seeth it whole like beanes eating three or foure cornes with a mouthfull of fish or flesh sometimes eating meate first and cornes after filling chinkes with their broth In Summer when their corne is spent Isquoutersquashes is their best bread a fruite like a young Pumpion To say and to speake paradoxically they be great eaters and yet little meate-men when they visit our English being invited to eate they are very moderate whether it be to shew their manners or for shamefastnesse I know not but at home they will eate till their bellies stand south ready to split with fulnesse it being their fashion to eate all at some times and sometimes nothing at all in two or three dayes wise Providence being a stranger to their wilder wayes they be right Infidels neither caring for the morrow or providing for their owne families but as all are fellowes at foot-ball so they all meete friends at the kettle saving their Wives that dance a Spaniell-like attendance at their backes for their bony fragments If their imperious occasions cause them to travell the best of their victuals for their journey is Nocake as they call it which is nothing but Indian Corne parched in the hot ashes the ashes being sifted from it it is afterward beaten to powder and put into a long leatherne bag trussed at their backe like a knapsacke out of which they take thrice three spoonefulls a day dividing it into three meales If it be in Winter and Snow be on the ground they can eate when they please stopping Snow after their dusty victuals which otherwise would feed thē little better than a Tiburne halter In Sūmer they must stay till they meete with a Spring or Brooke where they may have water to prevent the imminent danger of choaking with this strange viaticum they will travell foure ot five daies together with loads fitter for Elephants than men But though they can fare so hardly abroad at home their chaps must walke night and day as long as they have it They keepe no set meales their store being spent they champe on the bit till they meete with fresh supplies either from their owne endeavours or their wives industry who trudge to the Clambankes when all other meanes faile Though they be sometimes scanted yet are they as free as Emperours both to their Country-men and English be he stranger or neare acquaintance counting it a great discourtesie not to eate of their high-conceited delicates and sup of their un-oat-meal'd broth made thicke with Fishes Fowles and Beasts boyled all together some remaining raw the rest converted by over-much seething to a loathed mash not halfe so good as Irish Boniclapper CHAP. VII Of their dispositions and good qualifications as friendship constancy truth and affability TO enter into a serious discourse concerning the naturall conditions of these Indians might procure admiration from the people of any civilized Nations in regard of their civility and good natures If a Tree may be judged by his fruite and dispositions calculated by exteriour actions then may it be concluded that these Indians are of affable courteous and well disposed natures ready to communicate the best of their wealth to the mutuall good of one another and the lesse abundance they have to manifest their entire friendship so much the more perspicuous is their love in that they are as willing to part with their Mite in poverty as treasure in plenty As he that kills a Deere sends for his friends and eates it merrily So he that receives but a piece of bread from an English hand parts it equally betweene himselfe and his comerades and eates it lovingly In a word a friend can command his friend his house and whatsoever is his saving his Wife and have it freely And as they are love-linked thus in common courtesie so are they no way sooner dis-joynted than by ingratitude accounting an ungratefull person a double robber of a man not onely of his courtesie but of his thankes which he might receive of another for the same proffered or received kindnesse Such is their love to one another that they cannot endure to see their Countrey-men wronged but will stand stiffely in their defence plead strongly in their behalfe and justifie one anothers integrities in any warrantable action If it were possible to recount the courtesies they have shewed the English since their first arrivall in those parts it would not onely steddy beleefe that they are a loving people but also winne the love of those that never saw them and wipe off that needelesse feare that is too deepely rooted in the conceits of many who thinke them envious and of such rankerous and inhumane dispositions that they will one day make an end of their English inmates The worst indeede may be surmised but the English hitherto have had little cause to suspect them but rather to be convinced of their trustinesse seeing they have as yet beene the disclosers of all such treacheries as have bin practised by other Indians And whereas once there was a proffer of an universall League amongst all the Indians in those parts to the intent that they might all joyne in one united force to extirpiate the English our
his person or Court-like attendance nor sumptuous Pallaces yet doe they yeeld all submissive subjection to him accounting him their Soveraigne going at his command and comming at his becke not so much as expostulating the cause though it be in matters thwarting their wills he being accounted a disloyall subject that will not effect what his Prince commands Whosoever is knowne to plot Treason or to lay violent hands on his lawfull King is presently executed Once a yeare he takes his progresse accompanied with a dozen of his best Subjects to view his Countrey to recreate himselfe and establish good order When he enters into any of their houses without any more complement he is desired to sit downe on the ground for they use neither stooles nor cushions and after a little respite all that be present come in and sit downe by him one of his Seniors pronouncing an Oration gratulatory to his Majesty for his love and the many good things they enjoy under his peacefull government A King of large Dominions hath his Viceroyes or inferiour Kings under him to agitate his State-affaires and keepe his Subjects in good decorum Other Officers there be but how to distinguish them by name is some-thing difficult For their Lawes as their evill courses come short of many other Nations so they have not so many Lawes though they be not without some which they inflict upon notorious malefactors as Traytors to their Prince inhumane murtherers and some say for adultery but I cannot warrant it for a truth For theft as they have nothing to steale worth the life of a man therefore they have no law to execute for trivialls a Subject being precious in the eye of his Prince where men are so scarce A malefactor having deserved death being apprehended is brought before the King and some other of the wisest men where they enquire out the originall of a thing after proceeding by aggravation of circumstances he is found guilty and being cast by the Iury of their strict inquisition he is condemned and executed on this manner The Executioner comes in who blind-folds the party sets him in the publike view and braines him with a Tamahauke or Club which done his friends bury him Other meanes to restraine abuses they have none saving admonition or reproofe no whippings no Prisons Stockes Bilbowes or the like CHAP. XI Of their Marriages NOw to speake something of their Marriages the Kings or great Powwowes alias Conjurers may have two or three Wives but seldome use it Men of ordinary Ranke having but one which disproves the report that they had eight or tenne Wives apeece When a man hath a desire to Marry he first gets the good-will of the Maide or Widdow after the consent of her friends for her part and for himselfe if he be at his owne disposing if the King will the match is made her Dowry of Wampompeage payd the King joynes their hands with their hearts never to part till death unlesse shee prove a Whore for which they may and some have put away their Wives as may appeare by a story There was one Abamoch married a Wife whom a long time he intirely loved above her deservings for that shee often in his absence entertained strangers of which hee was oftentimes informed by his neighbours but hee harbouring no sparke of jealousie beleeved not their false informations as he deemed them being in a manner angry they should slander his Wife of whose constancy hee was so strongly conceited A long time did her whorish gloazing and Syren-like tongue with her subtle carriage establish her in her Husbands favour till fresh complaints caused him to cast about how to finde out the truth and to prove his friends lyars and his Wife honest or her a Whore and his friends true whereupon hee pretended a long journey to visite his friends providing all accoutraments for a fortnights journey telling his Wife it would be so long before she could expect his returne who outwardly sorrowed for his departure but inwardly rejoyced that she should enjoy the society of her old Lemman whom she sent for with expedition not suspecting her Husbands plot who lay not many miles off in the Woods who after their dishonest revelings when they were in their midnight sleepe approaches the Wiggwamme enters the doore which was neither barred nor lockt makes a light to discover what hee little suspected but finding his friends words to bee true hee takes a good bastinado in his hand brought for the same purpose dragging him by the haire from his usurped bed so lamentably beating him that his battered bones and bruised flesh made him a fitter object for some skilfull Surgeon than the lovely obiect of a lustfull strumpet which done hee put away his wife exposing her to the curtesie of strangers for her maintenance that so curtesan-like had entertained a stranger into her bosome CHAP. XII Of their worship invocations and conjurations NOw of their worships As it is naturall to all mortals to worship something so doe these people but exactly to describe to whom their worship is chiefly bent is very difficult they acknowledge especially two Ketan who is their good God to whom they sacrifice as the ancient Heathen did to Ceres after their garners bee full with a good croppe upon this God likewise they invocate for faire weather for raine in time of drought and for the recovery of their sick but if they doe not heare them then they verifie the old verse Flectere si nequeo Superos Acharonta movebo their Pow-wows betaking themselves to their exorcismes and necromanticke charmes by which they bring to passe strange things if wee may beleeve the Indians who report of one Pissacannawa that hee can make the water burne the rocks move the trees dance metamorphize himselfe into a flaming man But it may be objected this is but deceptio visus Hee will therefore doe more for in Winter when there is no greene leaves to be got he will burne an old one to ashes and putting those into the water produce a new greene leafe which you shall not onely see but substantially handle and carrie away and make of a dead snakes skinne a living snake both to be seene felt and heard this I write but upon the report of the Indians who confidently affirme stranger things But to make manifest that by Gods permission thorough the Devils helpe their charmes are of force to produce effects of wonderment An honest Gentle-man related a storie to mee being an eye-witnes of the same A Pow-wow having a patient with the stumpe of some small tree runne thorough his foote being past the cure of his ordinary Surgery betooke himselfe to his charmes and being willing to shew his miracle before the English stranger hee wrapt a piece of cloth about the foote of the lame man upon that wrapping a Beaver skinne through which hee laying his mouth to the Beaver skinne by his sucking charmes he brought out the stumpe which he spat into a